The Board of County Commissioners asks that all cell phones are turned off or placed on silent (vibrate) mode. Any handouts (information) for distribution to the Commission must be submitted to the Board Secretary (Clerk’s Office) or to the County Coordinator on or before the Thursday prior to that Tuesday’s meeting. Failure to do so will result in your removal from the agenda or a delay of any action relating to your request until a future meeting.
Call to Order
To comply with CDC and Government social distancing requirements, the general public will not be allowed in the commission meeting room for this meeting; therefore, this Board of County Commission regular meeting will be conducted via livestream and conference call. Those wanting to view the meeting can use the livestream link (https://www.youtube.com/user/SGIBeachLife) or go to Forgotten Coast TV's YouTube Page. The livestream feed will promptly start 5 minutes before the meeting commences. Those wanting to participate during “Public Comments” on the agenda should use the teleconference system by dialing 1-844-844-0014 and when prompted enter 540166#. Once the "Public Comments" agenda item is completed, the conference call will be disconnected.
Any person who wishes to appeal a decision made by the Franklin County Board of County Commissioners, with respect to any matter considered at the meeting, must have a record of the proceedings. He or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made.
Prayer and Pledge
Approval of Minutes
Payment of County Bills
Public Comments
This is an opportunity for the public to comment on agenda or non-agenda items. When you are recognized to be heard by the Chairman, please sign the speaker’s log and adhere to the time limit. An individual will be allowed to speak for three minutes whereas a designated representative of a group or faction will be allowed to speak for five minutes.
Department Directors Report
Superintendent of Public Works – Howard Nabors
Information Items
1. Detail of Work Performed and Material Hauled by District (see attached documents)
Solid Waste Director – Fonda Davis
Information Item
1. Right-of-way Debris Pickup/Recycle Material Hauled Report (see attached document)
Emergency Management Director – Pam Brownell
Information Items:
1. EOC Staff posted our 2020 Local Mitigation Strategy Plan for Public Review on 08/12/20. The public review period was from 08/12/20 – 08/14/20. We advertised this review on Oyster Radio, EOC Facebook page, and the County Website.
2. EOC Staff along with our CERT Volunteers continue to distribute washable & reusable cloth mask throughout our community. We have partnered with the City of Carrabelle and City of Apalachicola Chamber of Commerce along with the St. George Island & Eastpoint Visitor Centers to assist with distribution to local businesses and residents. We will continue this effort as long as supplies are available.
3. EOC Staff are working diligently with DOH Staff regarding the COVID-19 virus. This includes hosting meetings with representatives from DOH, Sheriff’s Dept. Weems, EMS, as needed. We also are assisting with Conference Calls, information distribution from DOH via Alert Franklin, Facebook and our EOC Website.
4. EOC Staff continue to participate in conference calls with State DEM, Region 2, DOH, FEMA, etc. regarding COVID 19. We also continue to update WebEOC with missions for PPE, Local State of Emergency, and SitReps.
5. EOC Staff continue to work on FEMA reimbursement claims from Hurricane Michael. (Please see below report regarding Hurricane Michael Projects). This includes working with FEMA staff regarding mitigation of damaged parks, roads, etc. Mitigation takes some time but EOC Staff continue to work diligently with FEMA Staff on the most beneficial repairs for Franklin County. As you can see, Project #’s 79475, 81069, and 81073 have moved from EHP Review to Pending Recipient Final Review. We are in contact with our PDMG regularly regarding these projects and will update the Board as soon as the State Review is completed. EOC Staff has also began the FEMA reimbursement claim process for COVID-19.
Extension Office Director – Erik Lovestrand
Informational Items
General Extension Activities:
1. During this period, the Extension office assisted citizens on the topics interpretation of soil test results, murder hornets, bees, citrus and blueberry production, CARES Act funding for Fisheries-related businesses, rose pruning for better flowering, controlling invasive hydrilla in a private pond, and more.
Sea Grant Extension:
2. Extension Director worked with a team of five FL Sea Grant agents and two UF food safety professors to plan and co-host a two-day in-service training on the topic of Seafood Safety titled “How do you See Your Seafood.” The primary audience was UF/IFAS faculty who work with seafood industry segments and State regulatory staff, primarily from FDACS. Interactive sessions and presentations were conducted via Zoom and provided information on a variety of topics focused around safe seafood handling practices, how the industry is regulated, and future anticipated challenges for seafood supply and demand.
3. The Extension Director participated on a planning team with other FL Sea Grant agents who work with clientele in aquaculture-related industry, regarding the initiation of a new intern program that will pair UF interns with various aquaculture businesses to provide an educational opportunity for interns, as well as providing staffing assistance to the businesses. Funding will be coming from FL Sea Grant to pay intern’s salaries.
4-H Youth Development:
4. 4-H youth are participating in a virtual 4-H University program this year due to the COVID pandemic.
5. A virtual 4-H Plant Camp is being conducted and available to Franklin, Bay and Gulf County youth.
6. 4-H clubs are still not meeting in-person due to the virus but a large number of programs are being conducted online with great success and high numbers of youth participating.
Family and Consumer Sciences:
7. Transition to a distance learning platform continues for programs to use when school begins.
8. Yearly statistics for nutrition programming in the schools were provided to the Franklin County Health Department for their reporting purposes.
Board of Adjustment – Amy Ham-Kelly – Report 10:00 a.m. (ET)
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Recommends approving this variance request.
BOARD ACTION: To Approve, Table or Deny
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Recommends approving this variance request provided that the house is moved to be 17 feet from Carrabelle Beach Drive.
BOARD ACTION: To Approve, Table or Deny
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Recommends approving this variance request.
BOARD ACTION: To Approve, Table or Deny
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Recommends approving this variance request.
BOARD ACTION: To Approve, Table or Deny
Planning and Zoning – Amy Ham-Kelly – Report
Critical Shoreline Applications
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Recommends approving this application contingent of receiving the FDEP permit for the boatlift.
BCC ACTION: To Approve, Table or Deny
P&Z RECOMMENDATION: (Meeting Date: 2/11/2020) Motion to approve by Member Taranto, Seconded by Member Wilkens, contingent upon applying for a DEP Exemption and obtaining the Federal Permit. Applicant has both Exemption and Federal Permits.
BCC ACTION: To Approve, Table or Deny
Clerk of Courts – Marcia M. Johnson – Report
Action Item
1. County Held Tax Certificates
Pursuant to F.S. 197.502(7), the Clerk is tasked to notify the County Commission when there were no bidders on county-held tax certificates that went to public tax deed sale. The list attached is the fourth batch of county-held tax certificates that have been advertised for sales. Sales were held on July 13, 2020 and August 10, 2020, and nobody bid on them. These properties are available should the county wish to purchase them or you can waive your rights to purchase them at this time, and they will be placed on a List of Lands Available for sale. If not purchased, they will escheat to the County after 3 years. I have attached the list plus a copy of the forms on each for the Chairman to sign on whether you elect to purchase or not. These properties are within the same area as the properties I presented to you on April 9th that you elected not to purchase. Action requested by the Board: a motion to either elect to purchase or elect not to purchase these properties.
Information Item
2. For information and as a reminder, the first budget public hearing is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8th.
RESTORE Coordinator – Alan Pierce – Report
Information Item
1- Inform the Board that I have informed FEMA that the public comment period for the Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the repairs to Alligator Drive closed on August 10. The county received no public comment. The project will now move to the funding queue. Because the project is more than $1M, the project has to receive approval from some standing congressional budget committee. As I understand it, this is a required step but no one will tell me how long it will take. At this time, Anderson Columbia is still standing by.
County Coordinator – Michael Morón – Report
Action Items
1. SGI Bathroom: At your August 4th meeting, bids for the construction of the St. George Island Restroom design were opened and read aloud. Of the three bids received and opened, Storm Construction, LLC was the lowest at $450,000. Upon Dewberry’s review of their bids, there were a couple of required items that were not included in their bid packet. The first was evidence of authority to do business in the State of Florida, which was resolved by looking them up on SunBiz.org for their active status. The other was a list of their subcontractors which was provided to the County within a couple of days (attached to the agenda packet). The list of subcontractor requirement is a holdover requirement from FDOT bids and advertisements that should not have been included for this project. Since these are technical deficiencies that do not affect price, time, changes to the work or quality of work, it is within the Board’s authority, as stated in the advertisement, to waive these informalities. The other option would be for the Board to disqualify Storm Construction and award the project to North Florida Construction for a total cost of $468,001.
Request: Board action to waive the informalities in Storm Construction’s bid package and award them the project for $450,000 or disqualify Storm Construction and award North Florida Construction the project for $468,001.
2. CARES Act: At your August 4th meeting, Commissioner Parrish stated that he wanted the Board to be involved earlier in the CARES Act spending plan creation process. In front of you is a comprehensive package from your CARES Act consultant, Ms. Traci Buzbee that includes funding requests and the required forms, from County Departments, Constitutional Offices, County partners, and local businesses. These requests have not been vetted or approved as yet. Ms. Buzbee will be on the September 1st meeting agenda to review the package with the Board and at the end of the presentation would like direction on matters like setting maximum requests for each “group”. As I stated at the last meeting, Ms. Buzbee has requested and received a $3500 quote from Opportunity Florida to review all business applications. Is the Board willing to proceed with this agreement today so there is a head start on business application reviews prior to your September 1st meeting?
Request: Board action to authorize Ms. Buzbee to engage Opportunity Florida to review all business applications.
3. HHRP Homes: At your last meeting Mrs. Lori Switzer-Mills, your SHIP administrator, explained that some of eight (8) Hurricane Housing Recovery Program (HHRP) home recipients required new septic systems and total costs for the installation for some of the home recipients could exceed the County’s $10,000 bid policy maximum amount. Mrs. Switzer-Mills forwarded three estimates (included in the agenda packet), for home recipients’ septic installations that will exceed the County’s $10,000 bid policy. The Board will need to waive the County’s bid policy to allow the installation of these septic systems. As the Board is aware Mrs. Switzer-Mills requested quotes for septic installation from four contractors and only Collins responded.
In addition, the HHRP home recipient at 27 Bayview in Apalachicola total project cost has exceeded the $75,000 set by the County by $4,431.40. The need for an Exposure D unit, due to windstorm requirements, and a new septic system are the reason for the additional costs. The Board will need to waive the $75,000 maximum cap for this HHRP project and authorize the $79,431.40 total cost of this project.
Request #1: Board action to waive the County’s bid policy and authorize the three septic installation proposals that exceeded the County’s $10,000 maximum for the HHRP home replacement project.
Request #2: Board action to waive the $75,000 maximum project amount for the home recipient at 27 Bayview Drive in Apalachicola and authorize the $79,431.40 for this project.
4. Road Striping: Recently, the Board authorized Roberts and Roberts to pave Bayshore Drive on St. George Island, Plum Street and Creamer Street in Eastpoint, and 19th, 20th, and 21st streets in Apalachicola. Roberts and Roberts completed this project for $10,000 less than proposed. Striping for those County streets were not included in that proposal. Roberts and Roberts is working on the change order that will decrease the project by the net amount of $6,250 ($10,000 project reduction - $3750 total striping cost).
Request: Board action to authorize the Chairman’s signature on the $6,250 change order, authorizing the striping of the County streets stated above.
5. P&Z/BOA Emergency Ordinance: Emergency Ordinance 2020-15 temporarily suspending meetings of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustment and authorized the Franklin County Planner to exercise the powers and duties of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustment sunsets today, August 18, 2020 at 12:01 p.m. (ET). With that in mind, is asked Mrs. Amy Ham-Kelly, Zoning Administrator, to contact members of both Boards to receive input on moving forward. There are some members that prefer that the County Planner continues to review applications, two members, one from each Board, that want us to go back to the format prior to COVID-19, but a majority of the members are willing to participate if we do the meetings virtually using a Zoom format or something similar. I recommend that the Board extends the Emergency Ordinance until your October 6th meeting which would allow time to discuss this matter in more detail and agree to a format to proceed with.
Request: Board action to extend Emergency Ordinance 2020-15 sunset date to October 6, 2020.
6. Agent of Record: After the Board agreed to the new plan option and rates for the County’s dental and life insurance plans through Acentria Insurance at the budget workshop, Chairman Lockley signed the Agent of Record Notification Letter on August 11th. A copy of the letter is attached to the agenda packet.
Request: Board action to ratify the Chairman’s signature on the Agent of Record Notification Letter.
7. DOC (Bay City) Workcamp: Dormitory B (#12) at the Bay City Workcamp was in poor condition and a section of the roof which was damaged in Hurricane Michael has fallen in. Recently it was discovered that someone had been camping in one of the other vacant dormitory buildings at the work camp location and this building poses a significant safety and liability concern. This building shell is approximately 9600 square feet. The other buildings at the location are in better condition. This building is on county insurance and there is approximately $45,566 in insurance proceeds for this location that can be used for the demolition of the structure. The size of the building equates to an annual insurance expense of $5,204 and as this structure is unusable, when it is demolished Franklin County will be able to remove this building from coverage. To reduce the project cost, the Board may consider waiving the tipping fees of the construction debris. In addition, would the concrete blocks have any value as rip-rap?
Request: Board action to solicit bids for the tear down of Dormitory Building B (#12) at the old DOC Work camp at 1001 US Highway 98 and waive construction debris tipping fees to reduce costs.
8. DBPR meetings: As you may have seen in the news, Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears has been visiting bar and brewery owners throughout the State to discuss a safe reopening plan for their establishments. Since March 26th, only establishments that sell food along with alcohol have been allowed to operate in the State, therefore all other bar and breweries have been closed. In order to support the local bar and breweries, is the Board willing to send a letter of support to Secretary Beshears stating that Franklin County supports a safe reopening plan for bars and breweries that do not sell food?
Request: Board discussion and possible action to authorize a letter of support to Secretary Beshears for a safe reopening plan for bars and breweries.
County Attorney – Michael Shuler – Report
Commissioners’ Comments
Adjournment
Information Item(s)
The Board of County Commissioners asks that all cell phones are turned off or placed on silent (vibrate) mode. Any handouts (information) for distribution to the Commission must be submitted to the Board Secretary (Clerk’s Office) or to the County Coordinator on or before the Thursday prior to that Tuesday’s meeting. Failure to do so will result in your removal from the agenda or a delay of any action relating to your request until a future meeting.