Nov 04, 2025 Board of County Commissioners

[00:00:35]

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY BLESSINGS. WE ASK THAT YOU GUIDE AND DIRECT THIS MEETING TODAY, THAT YOU GIVE WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, AND DISCERNMENT TO EACH MAN AND WOMAN TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. WE PRAY FOR DIRECTION FOR OUR COUNTY, FOR PEACE, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR SAFETY, FOR OUR CITIZENS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS THOSE WHO SIT IN THEIR ASSIGNED SEATS AND THEIR FAMILY, AND THAT WE REMEMBER THAT THE REASON WE ARE HERE TODAY IS TO HELP MAKE BETTER, TO MAKE BAY COUNTY BETTER TODAY, FOR A BETTER TOMORROW. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. FOR THE PLEDGE. 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.

[APPROVAL OF AGENDA (Additions or Deletions)]

[PRESENTATIONS]

AND YOU'RE LUCKY GRIFF WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT. AWESOME. LAST WEEK. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ONE? I'VE NEVER WALKED. OKAY. THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO READ THIS SO WE'D BE PROFESSIONAL. I THINK WE'VE ALREADY TOASTED THAT. ALL RIGHT, SO DEPUTY CHIEF DAVID MORRISON IS RETIRING AFTER 35 YEARS SERVING IN THE FIRE RESCUE FIELD, 30 OF WHICH AS A CAREER FIREFIGHTER WITH BAY COUNTY FIRE RESCUE CHIEF MORRISON BEGAN HIS CAREER IN 1990 AS A VOLUNTEER WITH THE THOMAS FIRE DEPARTMENT. IN 1995, HE BECAME A PAID CAREER FIREFIGHTER WITH BAY COUNTY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING AS AN EMT AND PARAMEDIC FOR THE PREVIOUS BAY MEDICAL EMS. HIS LEADERSHIP ABILITY WAS EVIDENT AS HE MOVED UP THE RANKS TO LIEUTENANT CAPTAIN, BATTALION CHIEF, EMS DIVISION CHIEF AND ULTIMATELY THE DEPUTY CHIEF IN 2021. AS A FIREFIGHTER AND PARAMEDIC, HE HAS RESPONDED TO NUMEROUS FIRE AND MEDICAL CALLS AS WELL AS NATURAL DISASTERS.

CHIEF MORRISON HAS SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES, MENTORED HUNDREDS OF FIRST RESPONDERS, AND HAS MADE A LASTING EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY AND DEPARTMENT. WE HONOR YOUR BRAVERY, DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SERVICE TO BAY COUNTY AS YOU TRADE IN YOUR BUNKER GEAR FOR GOLF CLUBS. WE WISH YOU A HEALTHY AND FULFILLING RETIREMENT. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING CHIEF.

NEXT WE HAVE COMMISSIONER PEACE WITH THE PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS PROCLAMATION. IF LARRY TYNDALL, JOHN REICHERT AND ALL OF THE PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS WOULD JOIN ME IN THE FRONT.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. HONORING THE PATRIOT GUARD RIDERS. WHEREAS

[00:05:03]

THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL. I'LL MAKE A PRESENTATION. YES, SURE. LET HIM JUST ONE SECOND.

DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? OKAY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU. RIGHT THERE. I'M VERY SKILLFUL. TALKING. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. OH. NEXT WE HAVE THE BAY COUNTY IMPACT FEE STUDY PRESENTATION, MR. IAN CROWLEY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. WE HAVE OUR CONSULTANT, MISS MORGAN CAMP TODAY WITH BANESH TO HELP GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THE IMPACT FEE STUDY. JUST A BRIEF BACKGROUND ON ON WHAT THIS WAS. THE BAY COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HIRED BANESH TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE IMPACT FEE STUDY FOR BAY COUNTY. I'LL LET HER SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT TOPICS THAT THEY COVERED, BUT BASICALLY, THEY ANALYZED OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ACROSS VARIOUS PUBLIC FACILITY CATEGORIES, REVIEWED POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT FORECASTS, AND DEVELOPED RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENSURE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT HELPS CONTRIBUTE ITS FAIR SHARE TOWARDS FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. SO I LET HER GO AHEAD AND GIVE THIS PRESENTATION, AND SHE AND I ARE OBVIOUSLY HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION STARTING WITH THE BACKGROUND AND THEN BRIEFLY TOUCHING ON TECHNICAL STUDY AND NEXT STEPS. SO AS YOU KNOW, BAY COUNTY HAS A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 200,000 AND THE RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING AVERAGE ABOUT 2500 NEW UNITS PER YEAR OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. YOU KNOW, EXPERIENCING SOME LEVEL OF GROWTH. IMPACT FEES WERE LAST UPDATED IN 2005 FOR FOUR

[00:10:03]

THEIR MAIN PURPOSE IS TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE. THEY CALCULATE THE COST OF GROWTH, AND THEY ARE MOST NEEDED WHEN THERE ARE HIGH GROWTH LEVELS AND LIMITED ALTERNATIVE FUNDING. IMPACT FEES WERE GOVERNED BY CASE LAW IN FLORIDA SINCE 1980S, AND THEN IN 2006, WE HAD THE IMPACT FEE ACT PASSED AND HAD MULTIPLE CHANGES. SINCE THEN, SOME OF ITS MORE IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS ARE THAT THE FEES BE BASED ON MOST RECENT AND LOCALIZED DATA.

ANYTIME THERE'S AN INCREASE THERE, THERE HAS TO BE A MINIMUM OF 90 DAY NOTICE PERIOD BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION. IF THERE'S ANY CHALLENGE TO THE FEE, GOVERNMENT NOW HAS THE BURDEN OF PROOF THAT THEIR FEES ARE CORRECT. IT USED TO BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER REQUIREMENTS. IN 2021, WE HAD A HOUSE BILL PASSED THAT PUT LIMITS ON HOW MUCH THE FEES CAN BE INCREASED, AND THEN HOW THAT INCREASE NEEDS TO BE PHASED OVER TIME.

THERE'S AN EXCEPTION CLAUSE THAT ALLOWS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. AND IF THAT INCREASE IS APPROVED BY TWO THIRDS OF THE GOVERNING BODY, THEN IT CAN BE MORE THAN 50% AND DOESN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY FOLLOW THESE PHASING REQUIREMENTS. THIS YEAR WE HAD SENATE BILL 1080 PASSED, AND IT ACTUALLY MADE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO USE THIS EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES CLAUSE. NOW, IT REQUIRES UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNING BODY, EFFECTIVE JANUARY. AND ALSO, IF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DID NOT INCREASE THEIR FEES WITHIN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THEY ARE NOT EVEN ABLE TO USE THAT CLAUSE AT ALL. FINALLY, WE HAD HOUSE BILL 479 PASSED IN 2024. IT HAD SOME REQUIREMENTS REGARDING TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES. IF THEY ARE CHARGED IN A MUNICIPALITY BOTH BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND THEN OTHER REQUIREMENTS INCLUDED THAT THE STUDIES BE COMPLETED AND ADOPTED WITHIN 12 MONTHS. IF THE FEES ARE INCREASING AND THEY NEED TO USE DATA AVAILABLE WITHIN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, THE TECHNICAL STUDY IS USING WHAT WE CALL A CONSUMPTION BASED METHODOLOGY, WHICH CHARGES NEW GROWTH BASED ON THE VALUE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS CONSUMING. IT'S VERY COMMON IN FLORIDA, AND THE FEES ARE CALCULATED IN A MANNER THAT THEY ENSURE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT IS NOT BEING CHARGED FOR, FOR ANY EXISTING DEFICIENCIES. THAT'S ONE OF THE CASE LAW REQUIREMENTS. AND THE BASIC FORMULA LOOKS AT COST TO ADD CAPACITY. THAT'S THE VALUE OF THE CAPITAL ASSETS TO THE EXTENT THAT COUNTY IS USING OTHER REVENUE SOURCES LIKE TAXES AND SO FORTH, A PORTION WILL COME FROM FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, AND WE SUBTRACT THAT AMOUNT SO THAT WE ARE NOT CHARGING NEW DEVELOPMENT TWICE, ONCE THROUGH THE COST, ONCE THROUGH THE ONCE THROUGH THE IMPACT FEE, ONCE THROUGH THE TAX. AND THEN THAT NET COST GETS MULTIPLIED BY DEMAND, WHICH IS MEASURED IN TERMS OF TRAVEL FOR TRANSPORTATION AND POPULATION. FOR THE OTHER FEES THAT WE ARE STUDYING HERE. AND THE STUDY INCLUDED ABOUT NINE SERVICE AREAS OR EIGHT SERVICE AREAS FIRE, RESCUE, EMS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, CORRECTIONAL, SOLID WASTE, LIBRARIES, PARKS AND TRANSPORTATION. IN EACH OF THEM, WE REVIEWED THE CAPITAL ASSETS THAT THE COUNTY OWNS THE SERVICE AREA, LEVEL OF SERVICE COST COMPONENT IS TO REFLECT THE CURRENT VALUE OF CAPITAL ASSETS. CREDIT COMPONENT CALCULATED OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT FOR THROUGH OTHER TAXES. AND THEN THE MAN MEASURED EACH IMPACT OF EACH LAND USE. AND FINALLY, THESE VARIABLES RESULTED IN A CALCULATED FEE. SO IN SUMMARY THIS IS THE CALCULATED. THIS CHART IS SHOWING SOME EXAMPLE LAND USES AND THE CALCULATED FEES FOR THOSE. SO THE COUNTY CURRENTLY IS COLLECTING FOR FIRE RESCUE LIBRARIES AND REGIONAL PARKS. AND THEN THE OTHER FIVE SERVICE AREAS WOULD BE NEW IF YOU WERE TO ADOPT THEM. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, IT'S ABOUT IN TOTAL. TOTAL FEES ENDS UP BEING ABOUT 8100. ABOUT HALF OF THIS IS FROM TRANSPORTATION. AND THEN THE NEXT LARGEST CATEGORY IS FIRE RESCUE, ABOUT 20% OF IT. SO IN TOTAL CALCULATED FEES WOULD BE ABOUT

[00:15:09]

AND THEN THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE FEE WOULD BE ABOUT 7200 WITHOUT GOING THROUGH EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. SO AGAIN WE ARE HERE TO GET YOUR DIRECTION. AND THEN THE BOARD CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS. WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS.

I'VE GOT A FEW, MR. CHAIRMAN. YES, SIR. ONE OF THE CATEGORIES THAT YOU HAVE IN THERE ARE SCHOOLS BASED ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND IT'S BASED ON, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS ARE CLASSROOMS. BUT IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SCHOOLS ARE EXEMPT FROM IMPACT FEES. YES, THE SCHOOL IMPACT SCHOOL LAND USE IS ONLY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS. PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE EXEMPT. CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE EXEMPT. OKAY, SO IT ONLY APPLIES TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS ONLY IF YOU HAVE A PRIVATE SCHOOL. IT WASN'T REAL CLEAR. I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND. AND THEN SOME OF THE CATEGORIES WHERE THERE WAS A COMPARISON TO OTHER COUNTIES, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WERE EVALUATING, WHETHER IT'S FIRE, THE JAIL, PARKS YOU USE, DIFFERENT COUNTIES IN THE EVALUATIONS, WHY NOT THE SAME COUNTIES AND ALL THE SAME CATEGORIES. WE TRY TO USE COUNTIES NEARBY AND ARE SIMILAR, BUT IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A GIVEN FEE, LIKE LIBRARIES, NOT TOO MANY JURISDICTIONS HAVE IT. SO THEN THEN WE PULLED SOME FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAPPENED TO IMPLEMENT THAT FEE. SO WE HAD A CORE COMPARISONS. IT WAS MORE REGIONAL IN THIS AREA. IF THAT GROUP OF COUNTIES DIDN'T HAVE A GIVEN FEE, WE DIDN'T WANT TO JUST PUT ONE COUNTY. SO WE ADDED OTHER COUNTIES. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WITH QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION, CHAIRMAN. YES, SIR. YOUR RESEARCH AND REVIEW OF THIS. WHERE DID BAY COUNTY RANK AS FAR AS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE WITH OUR IMPACT FEES? YOU ARE ON THE LOW END. HOW LOW? BUT AGAIN. SO THE IMPACT FEES RELATE TO GROWTH. SO THE JURISDICTIONS WHO ARE NOT EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF GROWTH OR DON'T HAVE ALTERNATIVE FUNDING, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO ADOPT IT. SO WHEN I SAY YOU RANK LOW, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE SINGLE FAMILY HOME RATE REACHING 20,000, 30,000. IT ALSO DEPENDS HOW MANY SERVICE AREAS THEY HAVE. SO SOME JURISDICTIONS HAVE ONLY A FEW. LIKE TRANSPORTATION IS VERY COMMON. SCHOOLS IS NEXT.

WE DIDN'T STUDY THAT HERE. AND THEN PARKS. USUALLY THOSE THREE ARE MORE CAPITAL INTENSIVE AND THEY CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM, YOU KNOW, PER HOME LIKE TEN 15,000 TO 30, 35,000, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH OTHER SOURCES THEY HAVE AND HOW EXPENSIVE CONSTRUCTION AND LAND IS. SO HAVING A TOTAL OF 600 IS IS AT A PRETTY LOW END. ANYONE ELSE? ONE THING TO CLARIFY, AND IAN, THIS MIGHT BE FOR YOU, BUT THE BOARD DID SET A POLICY A LONG TIME AGO WHEN THE SURTAX WAS PASSED. IS THAT TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE IS NOT ON THE TABLE. SO THAT THAT NUMBER THAT IS THERE IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT INSIDE OF THIS WAS NEVER INTENDED, INTENDED TO BE CHARGED. WOULD YOU MIND GOING BACK TO THAT REAL QUICK? BECAUSE THAT MAKES UP OVER HALF OF THAT NUMBER.

RIGHT. SO GO AHEAD. I WAS GOING TO SAY OUT OF THAT 8140, ALMOST 4600 IS TRANSPORTATION. OKAY.

AND THEN FOR THOSE SOME OF Y'ALL WEREN'T ON THE BOARD AT THE TIME, I ACTUALLY REQUESTED THIS. PART OF MY REASON FOR THE REQUEST IS YOU SAW THAT IN 2005 WAS THE LAST TIME THE STUDY WAS DONE. THESE ARE TO BE DONE ON A REGULAR BASIS. SO THERE IS WHAT'S CALLED A RATIONAL NEXUS BETWEEN WHAT WE CHARGE AND WHAT WE DO. AND WITH IT BEING 20 YEARS SINCE OUR LAST ONE, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A RATIONAL NEXUS. ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED AS WE WERE CONTINUING TO GROW, AND WITH MY SERVICE ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATING COUNCIL AND LOOKING AT THE JAIL POPULATION AND SOME OTHER THINGS I HAD ASKED SPECIFICALLY, AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE EMS, THE LAW AND THE JAIL BEING INCLUDED THERE AS NEW CATEGORIES BECAUSE AS POPULATION GROWS, WE ARE A TOURIST DESTINATION AND SO OUR JAILS GET USED FROM THAT. BUT THE OTHER PART OF THIS IS IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SHERIFF WHO MANAGES THE JAIL FOR THE COUNTY. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS TO LOOK AT AND FOR US TO INCORPORATE INTO OUR DECISION

[00:20:07]

YES SIR. YES, SIR. SO I THINK WHAT STAFF IS LOOKING FOR TODAY IS JUST ACTION ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD TO ACCEPT THE REPORT. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY ACTION TO BE TAKEN AS FAR AS FEES ARE CONCERNED AT THIS POINT. AGAIN, TO YOUR TO YOUR POINT, THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS TO RECREATE THAT RATIONAL NEXUS BETWEEN THE STUDY AND THE FEES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY CHARGING. SO AGAIN, THE ONLY ACTION STAFF WOULD BE LOOKING FOR TODAY IS OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE REPORT BY THE BOARD. AND THAT'S IN OUR CONSENT AGENDA, IS IT NOT? YES. ITEM FIVE OKAY. SO WE DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING NOW. RIGHT OKAY. CORRECT. AND BUT THE ADOPTED WOULD BE JUST THE REPORT NO FEES ADOPTED. WE'RE NOT CHANGING FEES OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH A LOT OF HARD WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU IAN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE'RE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS THIS IS ANYTHING RELATED TO ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. RIGHT. SEEING NONE. MR. COUNTY MANAGER

[CONSENT AGENDA]

[00:25:02]

ITEM 11 MAGNOLIA BEACH ROAD MULTI USE PATH PHASE TWO AMENDMENT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THE BOARD APPROVED THE AMENDMENT APPROVE AMENDMENT ONE TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE GRANT AGREEMENT FOR THE MAGNOLIA BEACH ROAD MULTI USE PATH PROJECT, AND AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN TO SIGN THE AMENDMENT ANY MODIFICATIONS AS APPROVED BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. ITEM 12 MILL BAYOU BOULEVARD ROUNDABOUT. RIGHT OF WAY APPROVAL. STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THE BOARD APPROVED THE MILL BAYOU BOULEVARD ROUNDABOUT RIGHT OF WAY CONVEYANCE TO THE CITY OF LYNN HAVEN, AND AUTHORIZED STAFF TO RECORD THE CONVEYANCE WITH THE CLERK PENDING THE CITY OF LYNN HAVEN COMMISSION APPROVAL. UNDER THE PURCHASING OFFICE. ITEM 1320 552 PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING SERVICE CONTRACT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THE BOARD AWARD AND AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN TO SIGN CONTRACTS WITH THE QUALIFIED CONSULTANTS FOR CONTRACT 2552 PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING SERVICE CONTRACTS UNDER THE TDC. ITEM 14 TDC PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDS REQUEST FY 2025 STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS. BOARD AUTHORIZED REIMBURSEMENT TO THE BAY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE THROUGH THE DISBURSEMENT OF TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX FUNDS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY EXPENDITURES PRESENTED RELATING TO INCREASED TOURISM ON PANAMA CITY BEACH. MR. CHAIRMAN, AS YOUR CONSENT AGENDA THIS MORNING AND STAFF RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION AND A SECOND, IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COMMISSIONER CARROLL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. PEACE. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. CROSBY.

YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. RAFAEL. YES, MA'AM. CHAIRMAN. MOORE. YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT,

[Budget Office]

[00:30:06]

NATIONALLY, THE AVERAGE IS ABOUT TEN WEEKS. WE ARE ABOUT FOUR WEEKS IN, AND WE HAVE JUST STARTED PUTTING PERSONNEL ON THE ROAD THAT WERE HIRED FIRST PART OF OCTOBER. SO IT REALLY IS DEPENDENT ON THE CANDIDATE. THEIR PRIOR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. HOW QUICKLY THEY PICK UP ON THE UPTICK, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO AGAIN, 12 WEEKS FOR COMPLETION OF THE FTO PROCESS IS PROBABLY WHAT I WOULD SAY. WORST CASE SCENARIO. TYPICALLY WE HAVE A CANDIDATE THAT GOES THAT 12 WEEKS AND WE'RE EXTENDING WE'RE PROBABLY HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT EXTENDING PROBATION.

WE'RE IN A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE'RE STARTING TO EVALUATE THAT CANDIDATES LONGEVITY, IF YOU WILL, WITH THE ORGANIZATION. BUT BUT AGAIN, FOR PURPOSES OF THIS EXERCISE, AS ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT HAVE EMPLOYEES AND HAVE HIRED INDIVIDUALS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIABLES THAT GO INTO THE HIRING PROCESS. SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, HOW QUICKLY CAN WE GET CANDIDATES, HOW QUICKLY DO WE GET THEM ON BOARD? HOW MANY OF THEM STAY ON BOARD? HOW MANY OF THEM COMPLETE PROBATION? DO WE LOSE ANY OTHER PERSONNEL IN THE INTERVENING TIME BETWEEN NOW AND WE GET FULLY STAFFED? SO THE JUNE TIME FRAME IS SIMPLY A POINT ON A TIMELINE. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO GET THOSE POSITIONS FILLED SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. BUT WE WANTED THE BOARD TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE IF WE WENT THE FULL EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE WE GOT FULLY STAFFED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET BACK TO DIMINISHING THE FREQUENCY AT WHICH THESE TWO STATIONS ARE BEING PLACED OUT OF SERVICE.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT THAT I WAS ASKED TO LOOK AT AS WELL, BUT THIS IS THE QUESTION I WAS ASKED WAS WHAT METHODOLOGY COULD BE EMPLOYED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER? AND. PAYING ADDITIONAL OVERTIME AND BRINGING PEOPLE IN OFF DUTY? THOSE ARE BODIES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT WE CAN BRING IN OFF DUTY AND PUT IN STATIONS, HAVE THESE SHORTAGES. SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS IN A BUDGET AMENDMENT. AND WE'RE WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS WE CAN DISCUSS AS WELL. THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THOSE BEFORE WE TAKE ANY ACTION ON THAT. ALL RIGHT. QUESTIONS FOR BOB OR FOR MIRANDA. IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN TO SOME PEOPLE THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE KNOW IS TRADITIONAL OVERTIME AND WHAT OVERTIME MEANS IN. THIS. CERTAINLY. SO I THINK TYPICALLY PEOPLE THINK OF EMPLOYEES. THE TYPICAL SENSE IS 40 HOUR A WEEK, OKAY, 80 HOUR A PAYDAY OR 80 HOURS OF PAY CYCLE, TWO WEEKS. FIREFIGHTERS ARE DIFFERENT. FIREFIGHTERS ARE NOT HOURLY. THEY'RE CONSIDERED UNDER FEDERAL LAW WHAT IS CONSIDERED HYBRID EMPLOYEES.

THEIR HYBRID SALARY SLASH HOURLY. SO A FIREFIGHTER WORKS 53 HOURS IN A WEEK BEFORE OVERTIME STARTS. THE AVERAGE EMPLOYEE WORKS 40. CORRECT. SO WHAT'S INHERENT IN A FIREFIGHTER'S STAFFING ASSIGNMENT IS WHAT WE CALL SCHEDULED OVERTIME. THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OVERTIME THAT OCCURS IN THEIR SCHEDULE REGARDLESS, JUST BECAUSE THEY WORK A 24 HOUR 48 SHIFT. OKAY, THIS OVERTIME IS WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER UNSCHEDULED. THIS OVERTIME IS A RESULT OF PEOPLE TAKING PTO BEING OUT ON SICK LEAVE. MAYBE SOMEBODY ON FMLA BECAUSE A FAMILY MEMBERS HAD AN EMERGENCY. MAYBE THEY HAVE TO BE OUT FOR TRAINING, WHAT WE WOULD CALL SOMETHING THAT'S UNPLANNED OR UNSCHEDULED. OKAY. SO AND IT'S IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS I SAID, WHAT WE CALL SCHEDULED OVERTIME, SCHEDULED OVERTIME IS OVERTIME WE KNOW IS GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE IT'S INHERENT AS PART OF THE WORK SCHEDULE. THIS OVERTIME IS IN ADDITION TO THAT. AND IT WOULD BE FOR BRINGING PEOPLE IN OFF DUTY AGAIN TO FILL THESE POSITIONS ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS. AGAIN, THIS IS I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS A WORST CASE SCENARIO NUMBER THAT WE'RE GIVING YOU. THOSE VARIABLES APPLY EVERY SINGLE SHIFT. OUR

[00:35:04]

AND SO THESE OVERTIME OPPORTUNITIES WOULD BE CREATED ON A DAY BY DAY BASIS AS THESE SHORTFALLS OCCUR, SHOULD SHOULD THEY OCCUR. AND THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE AUTHORIZED TO BRING PEOPLE IN OFF DUTY TO FILL THOSE SPOTS. 3030 POSITIONS OPEN. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO ENTICE PEOPLE TO COME TO BAY COUNTY? THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR CERTIFICATIONS THAT WE'RE REQUIRING NOW, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY WERE, AND WHY ARE WE HAVING A DIFFICULTY GETTING THESE? YES, MA'AM. SO AS MIRANDA SAID, 20 OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE BRAND NEW THAT THE BOARD JUST AUTHORIZED AS PART OF THIS BUDGET. SO WE DIDN'T HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO BEGIN FILLING THOSE POSITIONS UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST. AND SO THAT IS CLEARLY UNDERWAY. THE BALANCE OF THOSE, THE OTHER 10 OR 11 POSITIONS, THE DEPARTMENT, I WOULD I WOULD DEFINE THOSE AS POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FILLED PREVIOUSLY. THEY'RE OPEN BECAUSE OF TURNOVER, MOST MOST LIKELY. AND SO THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO WORKING TO TO FILL THOSE. IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN GETTING WE HAVE BEGUN TO OFFER A SIGNING BONUS. IT'S $15,000 AND I THINK $10,000 ARE THE TWO SPLITS, DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU'RE DUAL CERTIFIED OR SINGLE CERTIFIED. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GO A LITTLE MORE. I SAW TERRY HERE EARLIER, BUT THAT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND WE DON'T JUST OFFER IT IN FIRE SERVICES. IT IS A PROGRAM THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR DEPARTMENTS TO USE WHEN THEY HAVE POSITIONS THAT ARE HARD TO FILL. SO ANOTHER AREA THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO GET CANDIDATES IN IS IN OUR ENGINEERING DIVISION, ACTUALLY HIRING PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS TO COME ON BOARD. SO IT'S NOT JUST LIMITED TO EMERGENCY SERVICES WHERE WE DO THIS, BUT WE DO OFFER SIGNING BONUS. IT'S A COMMON IT'S AN INDUSTRY STANDARD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. YOU SEE THIS HAPPENING. ICE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS OFFERING $50,000 PER PERSON TO SIGN ON TO BECOME A FEDERAL ICE AGENT.

CURRENTLY, IT'S CREATING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SPACE BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOCAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO MAY BE WILLING TO STEP AWAY FROM THEIR RETIREMENT OR THEIR BENEFITS TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY TO TAKE THAT $50,000 SIGN ON. SO SIGN ON BONUSES HAVE BECOME KIND OF A PART OF THE LANDSCAPE, IF YOU WILL. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT'S A CHALLENGE IS OUR SHIFT SCHEDULE. WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING A 28, 24, 48 SHIFT SCHEDULE. THAT'S TRADITIONAL. IT'S WHAT I WORKED WHEN I WAS ON THE LINE. IT'S WHAT MOST FIRE SERVICE AGENCIES ARE ACCUSTOMED TO. WHAT WE'RE HEARING BACK FROM A LOT OF OUR CANDIDATES WHO ARE COMING IN, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING THE JOB. THEY'RE DECLINING BECAUSE WE'RE ON THAT 2448 SCHEDULE. WHAT YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE IS THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER TYPES OF SCHEDULES THAT ARE OUT THERE, BUT ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ONES THAT YOU'RE SEEING DEPARTMENTS SWITCH TO IS A 24, 96, OKAY. WHICH IS YOU WORK TWO 24 HOUR SHIFTS BACK TO BACK TO BACK, AND THEN YOU'RE OFF FOR FOUR DAYS. THERE'S NUMBERS OF VERSIONS OF THAT. SO WHAT WE'RE HEARING BACK FROM A NUMBER OF OUR CANDIDATES IS GREAT PLACE TO WORK, GREAT COMMUNITY TO LIVE IN. LIKE THE MONEY WOULD LOVE TO COME. THERE. NOT GOING TO WORK. A 2448 CALL ME BACK WHEN YOU GO TO A 4896. SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING MAKING A MOVE TO THAT IN THE SPRING. OUR CHALLENGE, THOUGH, IS PREDOMINANTLY ON THE ON THE EMS SIDE. AS WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU BEFORE, OUR PERSONNEL ARE GETTING HAMMERED. OUR UTILIZATION RATE ON THE EMS SIDE IS TWICE, ALMOST THREE TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. SO IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE FOR US TO TAKE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW WHO ARE GETTING THEIR TEETH KICKED OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE SO BUSY AND PUT THEM ON TWO BACK TO BACK SHIFTS. SO AS WE GET THE HIRING ACCOMPLISHED, WE GET THE POSITIONS FILLED. OUR PLAN IN THE SPRING IS TO START MOVING TOWARDS CONVERTING TO THAT 4896 ROTATION, AND PROBABLY BEFORE THEN AGAIN, AS WE GET A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT IN THE RATE AT WHICH PEOPLE ARE COMING ON BOARD, WE WILL PROBABLY START COMMUNICATING THAT IN OUR SOLICITATIONS THAT WE PLAN ON GOING TO THAT. SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO CAPTURE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO COME TO WORK FOR US OVER THE SHORT TERM, KNOWING THAT OVER THE LONGER TERM, WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH TO THAT, THAT ROTATION. SO IT'S A LITTLE CONCERNING THAT YOU SAY THESE THESE FOLKS ARE GETTING THEIR TEETH KICKED IN, AND THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ASKING TO DO THE EXTRA OVERTIME POSITIONS. IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND? YES, MA'AM.

IT'S THE SAME GROUP WE WOULD BE ASKING TO COME IN. WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, IS THEY DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE RESTRICTING THAT FROM AN EXPENDITURE PERSPECTIVE. LAST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO MANAGE OVERTIME. WE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN A VERY LONG TIME, I THINK WE WERE HALF $1 MILLION OR MORE UNDER OUR TRADITIONAL OVERRUN. SO THE

[00:40:05]

WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY EXTREMELY BUSY IF THEY WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN, AND THEY MAY OR MAY NOT ACCEPT THAT OPPORTUNITY. THAT'S AGAIN ANOTHER VARIABLE THAT WE WILL WE WILL FACE. BUT RIGHT NOW WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

WE'RE NOT OFFERING THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE BUDGET IS STRUCTURED. I HAD ONE MORE DISCUSSION ITEM, VOLUNTEERS. SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED DIGGING INTO THIS, WHEN WE STARTED OUR BUDGET GOING THROUGH OUR BUDGETS, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS THAT WERE NO LONGER WITH US OR WERE BEING MOVED OUT. SO I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS A NEXUS TO GETTING VOLUNTEERS OR TO HAVE A PROGRAM TO GET VOLUNTEERS BACK INVOLVED, OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE MOVED ON FROM. WE JUST SAW CHIEF MORRISON STARTED AS A VOLUNTEER, AND I THINK ALL OF OUR STATIONS STARTED VOLUNTEER. SO JUST KIND OF WONDERING WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. AND I'VE HAD A LOT, OF LOT OF FOLKS QUESTION THAT. RIGHT. SO I THINK WE CAN BE CERTAINLY WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE IN THAT AREA. WE'VE BEEN LESS PROACTIVE CERTAINLY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. AND THE CHIEF AND I HAVE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. IN FACT, MAKING THE LINK TO APPLYING TO BE A VOLUNTEER MORE PROMINENT ON THE WEBSITE AND THEN PERHAPS A CONVERSATION WITH VALERIE SALE AND HER TEAM ABOUT MAYBE GETTING SOME MARKETING GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY TO ACTUALLY MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT THE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY IS THERE.

THE MAIN CHALLENGE WE FIGHT WITH THAT OR WE FIND OURSELVES FIGHTING WITH THAT IS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT. I KNOW YOU WERE A VOLUNTEER. I WAS A VOLUNTEER BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I VOLUNTEERED. YOU SHOWED UP, YOU GOT VOTED IN, THEY GAVE YOU SOME GEAR, THEY PUT YOU ON THE TRUCK AND THEY SAID, GOOD LUCK. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT ANYMORE. BUT WE DID. WE MADE IT. WE DID. AND THEN WE WERE PAID FIREFIGHTERS AFTER THAT. RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. SO TODAY, VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TO GO GET CERTIFIED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THEY HAVE TO PASS AN NFPA PHYSICAL. THEY HAVE TO PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK. AND IF THEY'RE GOING TO OPERATE A VEHICLE FOR US, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CLEAN DRIVING RECORD AND A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE AND ALL THOSE THINGS. SO. VOLUNTEERS ARE AN ASSET. THEY WILL NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. SO BUT HAVING ACCESS TO THEM IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER. WHEN WE DO HAVE ALARMS AND CREATING THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO COME IN AND VOLUNTEER AND WORK AT A STATION, IF THEY'D LIKE TO PULL A SHIFT AT A STATION. ALL OF THOSE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE. BUT WE'RE AGAIN, I'M JUST SAYING WE OFFER INCENTIVES FOR FOR OTHER THINGS, AND IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT TO OFFER SOME INCENTIVES TO GET THEM CERTIFIED. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE COULD REALLY USE THE HELP. YES, MA'AM. WE WOULD WE WOULD CERTAINLY PAY IF THE CERTIFICATION, IF THERE WAS A COST TO THAT, WE WOULD PAY FOR THAT. WE HAVE PAID STIPENDS BEFORE FOR VOLUNTEERS. WE CAN GO BACK TO, TO DOING THAT AGAIN. WE DO NEED TO PLAN FOR THAT IN THE BUDGET. I HEARD SOMEONE MENTION RESERVE. THE OTHER THING WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL OF THOUGH IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST YOU COULD BRING A VOLUNTEER IN AND WORK THEM AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PAYING THEM. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED NOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE GETTING PEOPLE IN AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE REALLY DOING A FULL TIME JOB EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING, THERE IS A POINT AT WHICH THAT TRIGGERS, ACTUALLY THEY'RE ACTUALLY PAID. AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, THE MORE THE LARGER THE POOL IS TO PULL FROM, THE LESS OPPORTUNITY WE MAY HAVE TO CROSS THAT THRESHOLD, IF YOU WILL. SO AGAIN, THE CHIEF AND I HAVE HAD THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT AGAIN, MAKING THAT MORE PROMINENT AND AND THEN AGAIN MARKETING, WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND WE CAN CERTAINLY BE MORE PROACTIVE IN ATTRACTING VOLUNTEERS THAN WE HAVE BEEN. ABSOLUTELY. I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION FOR MIRANDA, OUR RESERVES, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT KEEPING OUR RESERVES AT A CERTAIN LEVEL. CAN YOU LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE FOR? AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING THEM DOWN TO ALMOST NOTHING IF WE WENT IN THIS DIRECTION. SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY WE'RE KEEPING, WHY WE'RE SEPARATING NOT ONLY RESERVES IN THIS CATEGORY, BUT YOU KNOW. YES, MA'AM. SO GENERALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RESERVES, WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR BALANCE SHEET FOR UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. HURRICANE MICHAEL, PERFECT EXAMPLE. COVID WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE. WE HAD A DIP IN SALES TAX IN THE GENERAL FUND. WHEN WE HAD COVID, WE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THAT.

BUT IN THE FUTURE, HAVING RESERVES THERE WILL GIVE US THE ABILITY TO PULL FROM THOSE AND KEEP OUR OPERATIONS THE SAME UNTIL THE REVENUE COMES UP. IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT. AND ALSO DURING HURRICANE MICHAEL, WE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF OVERTIME. NOW SOME OF THAT WAS REIMBURSED, BUT THERE ARE EXPENSES THAT GO WITH OUR DISASTERS THAT ARE NOT REIMBURSED. WE DO HAVE TO PAY A PORTION OF THAT. SO THESE RESERVES WOULD HELP US PAY FOR

[00:45:06]

WHATEVER, WHATEVER INTERVAL THE BOARD WOULD LIKE. I THINK THE GOAL IS THE FASTER WE GET THESE NEW EMPLOYEES ON, THEN THIS IS THIS IS JUST A BASICALLY A COMMITMENT FROM US SAYING, HEY, HERE'S THE FUNDS. MONEY IS NOT THE ISSUE. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT, EVERYTHING OUT THERE. SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE JUST GIVING THE GREEN LIGHT.

HERE'S THE FUNDING. GO, GO MAKE THIS HAPPEN BY HAVING ADEQUATELY TRAINED PERSONNEL AND HAVE ONE ON BOARD. SO. I THINK IT'S ALL GOING TO BE ACHIEVED PRIOR TO THAT EIGHT MONTHS. BUT I THINK THAT JUST ALIGNS WITH THE GOAL OF BY JUNE EVERYONE'S GOING TO BE ON BOARD.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE EIGHT MONTH IS COMING FROM. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT. JOY OF BEING CHAIRMAN IS FACILITATE EVERYBODY ELSE. AND CLAIRE TOOK THREE OF MINE THAT I WAS GOING TO BRING UP. SO BUT THANK YOU CLAIRE I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME THINGS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD ASKED BOB IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM ABOUT THIS, OR ABOUT OPTIONS IN MY OTHER DAY JOB, IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING MY CLIENTS WITH OPTIONS AND TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE BEST THING TO DO. TO COMMISSIONER CROSBY'S COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN EIGHT MONTH WINDOW WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT AND FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH BOB, MIRANDA AND CHIEF, WE'RE LOOKING AT BY BY THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE TARGET WINDOW. I THINK IT WOULD NOT BE A BAD IDEA IF WE JUST SET FOR A QUARTERLY CONVERSATION. SO WE GET A STATUS UPDATE THAT WE KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS GOING FORWARD, AND WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INTO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AT AT EACH QUARTER WE'RE COMING UP, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN NOVEMBER. MAYBE WE DO IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR OR WHAT HAPPENED THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS, AND THEN AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER AND THEN AT THE END OF THE SECOND QUARTER, WE CAN KNOW FROM THERE COULD BE ONE THING, BUT I HAD ASKED THE COUNTY MANAGER FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS, AND I'M JUST GOING TO READ THESE OPTIONS OFF. I'M NOT MARRIED TO ANY PARTICULAR ONE OF THEM, JUST THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT ONES IS ONE. MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO, CONSISTENT LEVEL OF SERVICE POLICY IN PLACE. SAND HILLS ANDD BEAR CREEK OUT OF SERVICE WHEN STAFFING AND OR FIRE STATIONS IN URBAN SUBURBAN AREAS FALL BELOW THE MINIMUM STAFFING GUIDELINES TWO MODIFY THE CURRENT PROCESS AND PLACE STATIONS OUT OF SERVICE WHEN STAFFING FALLS BELOW MINIMUM STAFFING GUIDELINES AT SPECIFIC STATIONS WHERE THEY OCCUR, WHICH HAD BEEN HAPPENING BEFORE.

[00:50:03]

AGAIN, AS BOB MENTIONED, THIS IS A VOLUNTARY OVERTIME. THIS IS IF PEOPLE DO. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT ARE IN THERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT CLARE BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE RESERVES AND WHERE WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, WE ALL VOTED ON THIS AND SETTING THAT MINIMUM RESERVES. AND RIGHT NOW, BASED ON THE OPERATING BUDGET UNDER THE MSTU, THE TARGET GOAL IS $7.3 MILLION. RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BASED ON THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW IS WE WILL BE AT 1.4 IN THE MCU AT THE END OF THIS YEAR BASED ON THE BUDGET WE JUST APPROVED. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY MOVING BACKWARDS. WE'RE ALREADY MOVING BACKWARDS UNDER THE BUDGET WE JUST APPROVED. AND SO WITH DOING THIS, WE'RE GOING TO GO EVEN FURTHER BACKWARDS. NOW. THAT'S WHAT RESERVES ARE FOR THERE TO BE SPENT. SO PLEASE HEAR ME CLEARLY. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT'S TO BE DONE, BUT THERE'S A REASON WHY I WAS PUSHING FOR US TO ESTABLISH A RESERVE POLICY ACROSS THE BOARD IS WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BUILD THE RESERVES, AND WE NEED TO BE DISCIPLINED TO BUILD THE RESERVES. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. THIS WASN'T A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM. WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE BEST THING FOR THE CITIZENS. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF STAFFING? BOB, THERE'S ONE THING I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO KIND OF SPEAK TO. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS SINCE THIS HAS COME UP. BUT JUST ABOUT WHAT OUR SIZE IS. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. THE AGE OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS FAIRLY YOUNG. WE ARE NOT A WE'RE NOT LIKE THE CITY OF PANAMA CITY OR SOME OF THE OTHERS WHERE IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A LONG TIME. OUR ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED IN 1990. WHAT, NINE? OKAY, IN MY HEAD, BUT I WAS AFRAID I WAS ABOUT TO MISSPEAK.

SO SINCE 1999, WE HAVE EXISTED AS AN OPERATING UNIT BASED ON RIGHT NOW. BOB, WHAT IS THE LEVEL THAT THAT STANDARDS SAY WE SHOULD HAVE AS THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN OUR ORGANIZATION? SO IT DEPENDS ON WHAT? STANDARD YOU PICK. BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONVERSATION, I'LL USE NFPA. I BELIEVE IT'S NFPA 1710 IS THE STANDARD THAT TALKS ABOUT STAFFING FOR PREDOMINANTLY CAREER FIRE DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE. AND AND I'LL USE AN ENGINE COMPANY AS THE, AS THE UNIT BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT A LADDER, NOT A LADDER, NOT A RESCUE, NOT A SPECIALTY UNIT. SO THE RECOMMENDATION UNDER UNDER 1710, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IS FOR PERSONNEL. SO THAT'S TYPICALLY A DRIVER OPERATOR A COMPANY OFFICER AND TWO NOZZLE MEN. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE ORGANIZATION, WE'VE NOT CHANGED MUCH SINCE 1999. WE HAD TEN WHAT I WOULD REFER TO AS FIRE DISTRICTS TODAY, THEIR RESPONSE AREAS WE HAVE THE SAME TEN. SO IF WE DEPLOYED ONE APPARATUS THAT WAS STAFFED PER DISTRICT, NOT PER STATION, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME DISTRICTS THAT HAVE MULTIPLE STATIONS. SO ONE APPARATUS PER DISTRICT AT FOUR PERSONNEL. IN 1999, WE WOULD HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE STARTED AT 120 PEOPLE. WE STARTED AT SIX.

WE HAD PERSONNEL STAFFED AT THOMAS DRIVE. WE HAD PERSONNEL AT NORTHWEST SIDE ON MICHIGAN AVENUE. WE HAD PERSONNEL IN BAYOU GEORGE, AND WE HAD PERSONNEL IN HIGHLAND PARK.

THEY WORKED A 10.5 HOUR DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. SO EVERY DAY FROM 5:30 P.M. UNTIL 7 A.M. THE NEXT DAY, THERE WAS NO FULL TIME FIRE PROTECTION, AND THERE WAS NO FULL TIME FIRE PROTECTION ON SATURDAYS OR SUNDAYS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY, IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA. SO THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED. OKAY. IF I APPLY THAT SAME STANDARD, THAT SAME STATUTE, THAT SAME NFPA STANDARD, I LOOK AT THAT ONE. ONE APPARATUS AGAIN, 40 PERSONNEL PER SHIFT, OKAY.

THREE SHIFTS. NOW TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 120 INDIVIDUALS. YOU HAVE TO EMPLOY WHAT'S CALLED A RELIEF FACTOR, WHICH IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL THAT COME

[00:55:03]

IF I APPLY THAT TO THE 120, THAT GETS YOU TO 150, OKAY, IN 2013, WE BROUGHT EMS ON BOARD FROM BAY MEDICAL CENTER. I BELIEVE WE WERE AROUND APPROXIMATELY 5960 EMPLOYEES THAT CAME FROM BAY MEDICAL OVER TO THE COUNTY. IF I LOOK AT. HAVING A TRANSPORT UNIT IN EACH OF THOSE TEN DISTRICTS, AT TWO PERSONNEL PER AMBULANCE, I APPLY THE SAME RELIEF FACTOR.

THAT'S 105 PERSONNEL. SO IF I ADD THAT TOGETHER, NEEDED TO MEET THAT STANDARD IS 255.

CURRENTLY, IF WE HAD EVERYTHING AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD AND FILLED, WE WOULD BE AT 195. SO EVEN WITH EVERYTHING FILLED UTILIZING THAT METRIC, WE WOULD STILL BE 60 PERSONNEL SHORT. OF THE MINIMUM. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT STANDARD. OKAY. AND THAT FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS HAS BEEN THE TARGET AND THE WAY STAFFING HAS GROWN IN THE FIRE SERVICE. THE COMMISSION MADE THE COUNTY COMMISSION MADE A DECISION NOT JUST RELATED TO FIRE SERVICE, BUT RELATED TO SERVICES IN GENERAL, UTILITIES DENSITY DEVELOPMENT. IT'S IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT'S REFERRED TO AS THE WIDE OPEN SPACES POLICY. THAT'S WHAT CREATED THIS MAP THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, WHICH HAS THESE SERVICE DISTRICTS, THESE SERVICE AREAS. SO WE HAVE BEEN ON THIS PATH FOR THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST TWO DECADES, AND WE HAVE TAKEN THE PAY AS YOU GO APPROACH. SO AS THE COMMUNITY HAS GROWN, AS DEVELOPMENT HAS OCCURRED, HAS AS PROPERTY VALUE HAS INCREASED AND REVENUE HAS BECOME AVAILABLE, WE HAVE APPROACHED THE BOARD AND ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF TO BE ADDED. SINCE 2015. I THINK THIS INCLUDES LAST THIS CURRENT, THE 20 THAT ARE IN THIS CURRENT YEAR. WE'VE ADDED 71 POSITIONS JUST IN THE LAST 11 YEARS. OKAY, MAJORITY OF OUR WORKLOAD AS WE, AS I'VE DISCUSSED WITH YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY, IS NOT ON THE FIRE SUPPRESSION SIDE. AND THIS IS NOT JUST A BAY COUNTY ISSUE.

THIS IS A NATIONAL ISSUE. MAJORITY OF THE WORKLOAD IS ON THE EMS SIDE. 86% OF THE WORKLOAD THAT OUR PERSONNEL PERFORM EVERY DAY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE FIREFIGHTER, EMT, FIREFIGHTER, PARAMEDIC, PARAMEDIC IS EMS. SO WHAT DRIVES OUR DECISION MAKING FROM STAFFING IS WE HAVE TO HAVE ALS AMBULANCES THAT CAN PROVIDE TRANSPORT ON THE ROAD. THAT'S WHERE THE DEMAND FOR SERVICE IS. SO IT DOES NOT DO ANY GOOD FOR ME TO HAVE ALS CERTIFIED PERSONNEL WITH NO TRANSPORT CAPABILITY IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTY, AND THEN NOT BE ABLE TO SEND SOMEONE TO PICK THAT PATIENT UP, RIGHT. IF I HAVE PERSONNEL IN THE FIELD WHO ARE WORKING A CODE, DOING CPR, PUSHING DRUGS ON A PATIENT AND THERE'S NO RIDE TO THE HOSPITAL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE OUTCOME. SO WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE. AND THAT IS WHAT IS DRIVING THE PRIORITIZATION TODAY. THAT IS WHY THESE PERSONNEL ARE BEING MOVED, BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING MOVED OUT OF THESE STATIONS, PREDOMINANTLY ON THE AMBULANCES.

SO WE CAN STAFF AMBULANCES. WE CURRENTLY HAVE WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT EIGHT AMBULANCES PER SHIFT. WE NEED TO BE AT 14 BASED ON OUR WORKLOAD. OKAY. PRIOR TO THE CHIEF'S ARRIVAL, WE WERE AVERAGING ABOUT SIX. SO AGAIN THIS IS ALL. AN INTENDED APPROACH. WE'RE WE'RE WE HAVE TARGETS WE'RE TRYING TO MEET. THERE'S A GOAL WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO. BUT THAT IS DRIVEN BY HOW THE COMMUNITY GROWS, WHERE IT GROWS AND WHEN IT GROWS, THERE ARE ONLY, AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW, SO MANY SOURCES OF REVENUE. ON THE FIRE SIDE, THERE'S THE FIRE TAX. ON THE EMS SIDE, THERE'S THE GENERAL FUND. THERE'S REVENUE THAT WE CHARGE FOR SERVICES ON THE EMS SIDE, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, PRIVATE INSURANCE. WE GO AFTER GRANTS. THERE'S IMPACT FEES FOR FIRE. SO ALL OF THAT KIND OF GOES INTO THE SOUP THAT MAKES UP THE REVENUE SOURCE THAT'S AVAILABLE TO FUND THESE THINGS. AND THE ONLY OTHER OPTION ON THE TABLE IS TO RAISE THE SOURCE OF THOSE REVENUES, WHICH IS THE TAX RATE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE UNDERTOOK IN 25 TO GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY, AND AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TERM OBJECTIVE AGAIN SINCE 99.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK CHIEF MORRISON HAS LEFT. BUT CHIEF MORRISON WAS WAS THE FIRST PAID COUNTY FIREFIGHTER TO POSSESS A CERTIFICATION AS PARAMEDIC. I THINK THE ONLY INDIVIDUAL IN THE ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN CERTIFIED LONGER OR THE NEXT SHORTEST ONE IS CHIEF LINWORTH. AS FAR AS TIME AND TENURE HOLDING A CERTIFICATION. SO THAT'S HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS EMS AND FIRE MERGER OCCURRING, RIGHT? BY REQUIRING DUAL CERTIFICATION

[01:00:09]

FIRE STATIONS JUST TURN THE LIGHTS OUT. IT'S JUST WE WE NEED TO DO BETTER. WE NEED TO DO BETTER. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN IT. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION MAYBE

[01:05:02]

THEY HAVE WE HAVE A COMPANY SUBBED OUT TO TAKE SOME OF THESE CALLS AND KIND OF ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE. AND MY QUESTION TO THE BOARD IS, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PUT PRESSURE ON THEM TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING WHAT WE NEED OUT OF WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR FOR THESE FOLKS? AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A THAT'S A REAL CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY PERFORMING? ARE THEY RELIEVING THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WE DEPEND ON TO PROTECT US? AND THESE INSTANCES WHERE WE DON'T OVERWORK THEM AND BURN THEM OUT, WE CAN ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE FROM THEM WITH THESE OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. SO THAT'S THAT'S A CONVERSATION. WELL, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S WORKING AS ADVERTISED. NOT TO ME. YEAH. I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S WORKING AS WELL AS THE WAY I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO WORK. SO MAYBE THAT CONVERSATION NEEDS TO COME IMMEDIATELY, AND I NEED TO DECIDE IF THIS IS REALLY WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. IT NEEDS TO GO ACROSS THE ENTIRE HEALTHCARE SPECTRUM. I MEAN, IT HITS ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS. THERE ARE A LOT OF CONTACT POINTS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVERAGE POINTS, THAT OF HOW PEOPLE MAKE CALLS AND DO WHAT THEY DO. I KNOW I'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER IN THAT DIRECTION, AND AS PART OF WHAT'S GOING HERE IS THAT WAS GOING TO BE ANOTHER LEG OF THIS, IS TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ENSURING THAT PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOLS THAT ARE SET UP IN AKURE AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING, WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AS WELL IN MEETING THEIR REQUIREMENTS.

SO WITH THAT, THE QUESTION REALLY IS FOR US FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD AS IT RELATES TO ADDRESSING THIS NEED RIGHT NOW IN DOING THESE THINGS, I'M GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHAIRMAN'S PRIVILEGE, CONSIDERING THE AREA THAT IS AFFECTED IS MY DISTRICT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AND I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN THAT AREA. ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE IS I DON'T THINK I DON'T THINK JUST MAKING THE OVERTIME AVAILABLE IS GOING TO BE A SOLUTION AS WELL. AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE SOME THINGS THAT IT'S IT'S ALREADY AGAIN, THE, THE, THE CLOSED STATIONS HAVE HAPPENED IN OTHER AREAS AS WELL. AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS IF THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING AS WE CONTINUE TO HOPEFULLY GROW OUT OF THIS PROBLEM OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER FROM THE STANDPOINT OF ACTUALLY SETTING A SCHEDULE, SO WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND OUR MUTUAL AID PARTNERS AND DIFFERENT OTHERS, THAT AT CERTAIN TIMES EVERYBODY KNOWS IF THERE IS A SHORT STAFF, THESE ARE THE STATIONS THAT WILL BE CLOSED ON THIS DAY. THIS WILL GIVE SOME CERTAINTY TO OUR STAFF AS THEY WORK AS WELL, THAT AS THEY GO THROUGH, THEY WILL KNOW THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS ON THESE DAYS, THESE ARE THE STATIONS THAT WILL BE CLOSED. SO IT MOVES FROM THAT STANDPOINT AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT IT IS. OUR MUTUAL AID PARTNERS WILL KNOW WHAT IT IS. THEY'LL KNOW WHAT'S BEING FOCUSED ON AT THAT POINT IN TIME. IT'S NOT THE BEST SOLUTION AND IT'S NOT WHAT I WANT. BUT I ALSO, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MY CONSTITUENTS, HAVE REACHED A LEVEL WHERE WHETHER IT WAS RIGHT OR WRONG, THEY'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED AND ACCLIMATED TO THAT SERVICE. AND FROM MY STANDPOINT, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD ROTATE THROUGH. AND YES, EVERYBODY CAN GET AGGRAVATED BY THAT. BUT IT'S IT IS SOMETHING TO ME THAT THE PAIN SHOULD BE FELT BY ALL AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS IN A WAY. AND I KNOW THAT CHIEF HAS DONE AN AGGRESSIVE RECRUITING JOB. I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN HIRING. I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT MORE THAT ARE GOING NOW AND AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE THESE THINGS AVAILABLE. I'M HOPING THAT WE REDUCE WHERE THIS IS, BUT AT LEAST IT IS TO WHAT CLAIRE JUST MENTIONED. IT IS COMMUNICATED, IT IS KNOWN, IT IS QUANTIFIED BY EVERYBODY WHERE THIS IS WHAT IS KNOWN AS IT MOVES THROUGH. BUT THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER AS WE GO THROUGH THIS. WELL, JUST TO ADD TO COMMISSIONER RAFFIELD WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ALL THESE OTHER PARTNERS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT ITEM 18 IS ABOUT, IS THAT WE GET TO EVALUATE THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE THESE PRIVATE AMBULANCES. AND EVERY TIME THEY'VE COME BEFORE US, WE'VE APPROVED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE WANTING TO COME TO OUR COMMUNITY, WANTING TO HELP. BUT IF THEY'RE REFUSING CALLS, THAT IS A PROBLEM. SO IF THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO BE A PARTNER, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE HERE. WE'LL FIND SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO BE THAT PARTNER. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WHAT WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? SOMEONE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION AS IT RELATES TO THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT AND OR HOW TO OPERATE BASED OFF. AND

[01:10:05]

WE HAVE STAFF LOOK AT CREATING A SET ROTATING SCHEDULE IF THERE IS A IF THERE IS NOT TO BE STAFFED, KNOWING WHICH STATIONS ARE GOING TO HIT, ROTATING IT AMONG THOSE THAT THEY DEEM AS AS IT NEEDS TO BE, AND THEN ALSO TO SOMETHING THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT WE GET STATUS UPDATES AT THE END OF EACH QUARTER. CORRECT? CORRECT. THAT'S MY MOTION. OKAY.

AND SECOND, CAN YOU READ THAT BACK? NO. IT'S BEEN RECORDED. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. COMMISSIONER CROSBY. YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER CARROLL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER PEASE. YES, MA'AM. CHAIRMAN. MOORE. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. MIRANDA.

[Community Development]

WAS PRETTY MUCH ADDRESSED. SO. WHICH SECTION IS THAT? CHAPTER 27. IT'S 27. OH VERY WELL. YEAH, IT'S SECTION 2702. EVERY NEWLY CONSTRUCTED PRINCIPAL. WELL, YEAH. BASED ON WHAT THE

[01:15:07]

COMMISSIONER CROSBY. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. RAFAEL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. PEACE. YES,

[County Attorney]

I'M SORRY I'M NEW TO THIS. IT'S NOT A ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, SIR. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THIS CENTRAL MALONEY TAX EXEMPTION MODIFICATION. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NONE, CAN I GET A MOTION? MOTION. SECOND. MOTION. AND SECOND, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COMMISSIONER. RAPHAEL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. PEACE. YES, MA'AM.

COMMISSIONER. CROSBY. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. CAROL. YES, MA'AM. CHAIRMAN. BOYLE. YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. NEXT. WE'VE GOT STILL UNDER COUNTY ATTORNEY SECOND REVISIONS TO CHAPTER 15 OF THE BAY COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES. MISS ALICIA CROTHERS, COUNSELOR. GOOD MORNING. CHAIRMAN. COMMISSIONERS, I WILL BE BRIEF. THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM IS JUST ADDRESSING A FEW MINOR CHANGES TO CHAPTER 15 OF OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES, WHICH ADDRESSES MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS AND OFFENSES. SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE MAKING A COUPLE MINOR CHANGES TO THE COPY SECTION. SECTION 15 DASH 202 AND SECTION 15 204, WHICH IS OUTLINED IN THE EXHIBIT TO THE AGENDA ITEM. WE'RE IN SECTION 15 202. WE'RE ADDING THAT THE COUNTY MANAGER'S DESIGNEE MAY CAUSE AN INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE OF ANY APPLICANT. AND THEN IN SECTION 15 204, WE'RE CHANGING THE CERTIFICATE RENEWAL PERIOD FROM FOUR YEARS DOWN TO THREE YEARS. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO CHANGING IN SUBSECTION C OF THAT PARTICULAR SECTION, WE'RE TAKING OUT THAT THE INSPECTION FOR EACH SERVICE HAS TO OCCUR LESS FREQUENTLY THAN ONCE A YEAR, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT ISN'T BLOCKED IN FOR THOSE INVESTIGATIONS. BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME MINOR CLEANUP ITEMS FROM THE LAST TIME WE WERE BEFORE YOU FOR THE CHAPTER 15 CHANGES. ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL? THIS WOULD APPLY TO NEW APPLICANTS OR NEW RENEWALS, RIGHT? THEY THEY ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACT UP TO FOUR. IT DOESN'T CHANGE IT TO THREE DOES IT. THE RENEWAL. RIGHT. SO WELL SO THE THOSE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THEY AGREED TO THE FOUR YEARS THAT THAT WAS THE ORDINANCE. SO THIS WOULD BE JUST ANY. RIGHT. YEAH. WE WOULDN'T WE WOULDN'T DO THAT TO ANYBODY CURRENTLY. YEAH. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM. ALRIGHT. SEEING NONE CAN I GET A MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION. AND A SECOND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COMMISSIONER CARROLL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. PERSIS. YES, COMMISSIONER. CROSBY. YES,

[PUBLIC COMMENT (Open to any issue)]

[01:20:03]

I PERSONALLY HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ADMINISTRATOR LINDA WORTH, BUT HE IS THE EXACT SCENARIO AS TO WHY 673 WAS ENACTED. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, DID ADMINISTRATOR LINDA WORTH POSSESS ALL THE NECESSARY CREDENTIALS AND QUALIFICATIONS? QUALIFICATIONS THROUGH THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF FIRE CHIEF FROM BAY COUNTY? WAS THE SIXTH STATUTE 633 ADHERED TO? WE'D ALL LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. I MUST BE CERTIFIED IN THE STATE TO PERFORM AS A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER. THE LAW IS THE SAME FOR ADMINISTRATOR AND LINDA WORTH TO PERFORM AS A FIRE CHIEF. LET ME THANK THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE REACHED OUT AND MET WITH US AND EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE CLOSING OF OUR FIRE STATIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH COMMISSIONER MOORE AS SOON AS HE HAS TIME. ALL WE WANT IS FOR OUR FIRE STATIONS TO BE OPEN AND RECEIVE THE SAME SERVICES AS THE OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. I'LL STAY AFTER THE MEETING AND GLADLY TALK WITH ANYONE. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT? SEEING NONE. COUNTY ATTORNEY'S REPORT.

[COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT]

[COUNTY MANAGER REPORT]

630 3.4 16I THINK THERE'S AN IMPLICATION IN WHAT WAS PASSED OUT TO YOU TODAY THAT THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE AND AN ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATION TO BE FIRE CHIEF.

THAT IS NOT CORRECT UNDER FLORIDA. 633 .416 FIREFIGHTER EMPLOYMENT AND VOLUNTEER

[01:25:02]

SECOND ITEM YOU'VE NOTICED IN THE MEDIA RECENTLY THAT A NUMBER OF OUR SISTER JURISDICTIONS HAVE BEEN MAKING ACCOMMODATION REGARDING UTILITY RATES FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE CURRENTLY FURLOUGHED. I'D LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD'S PERMISSION TO DO THE SAME.

PARTICULARLY WHAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT DOING IS WAIVING LATE FEES AND NOT TERMINATING UTILITY SERVICES, AS LONG AS THE THE FURLOUGHS ARE IN PLACE, AS LONG AS THE SHUTDOWN IS OCCURRING, WE MAY MODIFY THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT WHAT I'M THINKING WE WOULD REQUIRE IS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NON-DOD HAVE ALL BEEN ISSUED A FURLOUGH LETTER. SO IF THEY CAN PRODUCE THEIR FURLOUGH LETTER, WE COULD UTILIZE THAT AS A MECHANISM TO DELAY TERMINATION OR LATE FEES. ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL ARE STILL CURRENTLY GETTING PAID. THEY HAVE FOR THE LAST TWO CYCLES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT CONTINUE AS THE SHUTDOWN CONTINUES, IF THAT SHOULD. IF THEIR PAYMENT SHOULD DISCONTINUE, I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY TAKE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A COPY OF THEIR ORDERS. MOST ACTIVE DUTY PERSONNEL KEEP A COPY OF THEIR ORDERS WITH THEM. IF THEY PRODUCED A COPY OF ORDERS JUST SHOWING THAT THEY WERE ACTIVE DUTY, WE COULD ACCEPT THAT AND EXTEND THE SAME COURTESY. BUT I DON'T HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT WITHOUT THE BOARD'S APPROVAL. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE A, A VOTE TO, TO BE ABLE TO, TO DO THAT CAN JUST BASICALLY LET'S JUST DO A ROLL CALL DOWN STARTING.

PATRICE, IF YOU WOULD JUST ROLL DOWN WITHOUT A MOTION, JUST IT. COMMISSIONER CROSBY. YES, COMMISSIONER. RAPHAEL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. CARROLL. YES, MA'AM. COMMISSIONER. PEACE.

YES, MA'AM. CHAIRMAN. MOORE. YES, MA'AM. AND THAT IS ALL, SIR. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT,

[CHAIRMAN & COMMISSIONER COMMENTS]

JUST A FEW THINGS. ONE, AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR THE PARKS. THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I GOT TO GO THAT MORNING AND BE AT THE PARK AT 5 A.M. TO TELL EVERYONE TO COME TO IT, SO THAT WAS EXCITING. NO, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EVENT. ALSO, ALL OF YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THAT STICK AROUND FOR THIS MEETING. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. IT IS NOT AN EASY JOB. WE ARE ALL AWARE OF THAT JOB AND THE SACRIFICES THAT YOU MAKE. WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT THIS COUNTY THAT YOU SERVE, WE'RE ALWAYS INDEBTED TO YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE. AND DON'T GET TOO BURNED OUT. PLEASE STAY WITH US. WE WOULD. WE'D LOVE TO. YOU FULFILL YOUR WHOLE CAREER HERE WITH BAY COUNTY. LASTLY, NEXT WEEK IS VETERAN'S DAY, ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE HOLIDAYS. EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, I HAVE NEVER MISSED A VETERAN'S DAY CELEBRATION THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE COUNTY. I WILL UNFORTUNATELY BE OUT OF TOWN.

MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER IS HAVING SHOULDER SURGERY OF ALL THINGS, SO I THINK IT'S MORE PRESSING THAT I BE WITH HER. BUT I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN THAT SERVE OUR COUNTRY EVERY DAY. MY HEART REALLY GOES OUT TO THE ONES THAT ARE STILL CONTINUING TO

[01:30:03]

AND HOW MANY YEARS WHEN WAS OUR OUR FIRST SINCE 99. 99? YES, MA'AM. I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE AT THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO DO AN UPDATED STUDY, JUST LIKE WE DO ON EVERY OTHER THING THAT WE DO HERE IN THE COUNTY. OUR EQUIPMENT, TRUCKS, OUR REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE ON THAT IS NOT GOOD. WE NEED WE NEED A LOT OF WE NEED A LOT OF I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SAY ADVICE, BUT WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SCHEDULE THIS EQUIPMENT BETTER. WE SHOULD NOT PUT OUR OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOLKS OR THE CITIZENS OF BAY COUNTY IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO THROW A HUGE TAX ON THEM TO, TO DO A CATCH UP. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE A SCHEDULE, A REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE THAT WE CAN FOLLOW THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. AND AS WE GROW, WE JUST DO A SLOW AND STEADY INCREASE IN REPLACEMENT OF OUR EQUIPMENT AND OUR VEHICLES. AND AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE OUR, OUR STAFF SO THAT WE'RE NOT IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO TRY TO RUN A BUSINESS, WHICH IS WHAT THIS IS ON OVERTIME. IT'S IT'S NO WAY TO RUN. IT'S NO WAY TO RUN IT.

IT'S NOT NO ONE NO ONE'S GOING TO AGREE THAT THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT. WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE VOTED ON TODAY TO DO IT BECAUSE WE KNOW IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO TO GET GET THESE STATIONS OPEN. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US IMPLEMENT SOME STEADY GROWTH IN OUR IN IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS. THE STUDY SHOULD ALSO BE DONE, YOU KNOW, AT A CERTAIN TIME AND NOT WAIT THIS MANY YEARS TO UPDATE IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THE BUILDINGS SHOULD BE ON A RESERVE STUDY. WE SHOULD KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHAT'S GOING ON. AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE WE'RE SLACKING A LITTLE BIT THERE. AND THAT NEEDS TO BE TO BE DONE. THE AMBULANCES I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH HOW LONG THOSE SUBCONTRACTOR CONTRACTS ARE, BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK AND DO ANOTHER LOOK AT HOW THOSE HOW THOSE CONTRACTS ARE SET UP. AND MAYBE WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ENOUGH OR WE DON'T HAVE THEM. THE CONTRACTS. RIGHT. I KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE THAN ONE OF US THAT ARE SITTING UP HERE THAT HAVE NEEDED AN AMBULANCE FOR TRANSPORTATION, AND THEY DID NOT SHOW UP AND DID NOT COME AND HAD SOME EXCUSE. IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

WHEN WE SAT UP HERE AND VOTED FOR THEM, AT LEAST I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO BE THERE FOR A GOOD BACKUP. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WHAT I SEE HAPPENING. SO THEY EITHER TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD OR WE NEED TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE THAT DOES. SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THE WITH THEIR CONTRACTS, BUT IF THEY'RE COMING UP SOON, WE NEED TO ASK COUNCIL TO TIGHTEN THOSE UP AND LOOK, LOOK FURTHER FOR SOMEBODY THAT REALLY WANTS TO GET INVOLVED WITH BAY COUNTY AND STICK WITH US. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. ALL RIGHT. TO FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS. THANKS AGAIN TO THE PARKS AND REC STAFF, EVERYTHING WITH CONCERTS IN THE PARK. WITH THE FALL FESTIVAL, I GOT TO DO A BROADCAST AT THE TOWARDS THE END OF LAST WEEK AS IT RELATED TO SOUTHPORT BALLPARK THAT WILL BE COMING ONLINE THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST QUARTER. SO WE ARE SEEING GROWTH. WE ARE MEETING THOSE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS IT RELATES TO VETERANS DAY NEXT WEEK. I NORMALLY DO IT ON THAT DAY, BUT SEEING THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE SOME FUN WITH HIM AND WISH HIM AN EARLY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SINCE HE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE. ON. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER CAROL'S BIRTHDAY IS ON VETERAN'S DAY, SO WE ALWAYS WISH HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHILE WE'RE RIDING DOWN THE ROAD. AND THEN TO FOLLOW UP ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS, THE FIRE SERVICES, EMERGENCY SERVICES.

YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY HAS CONTINUED TO GROW. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO NEED TO MAKE A PRIORITY ON BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THINGS. TO THOSE OF Y'ALL AGAIN, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE FOR US, FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND

[01:35:05]