Alachua County Special Meeting

Minutes

Tuesday, May 07, 2024 at 1:30 P.m. - 2:30 P.m.

County Administration Building - Grace Knight Conference Room

12 SE 1 Street, 2nd Floor, Gainesville, FL 32601

Present:

• Chair Mary Alford, 
• Vice Chair Charles S. Chestnut, IV, 
• Commissioner Ken Cornell, 
• Commissioner Anna Prizzia, 
• and Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler 

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A.

Approval of Agenda

Deputy County Manager Smart requested that an item be added to the agenda which is a letter of support for the City of Hawthorne for their application to the Florida Commerce Partnership Grant. 

Commissioner Cornell moved adoption of the agenda as amended. The motion carried 5-0.

2nd Commissioner Wheeler

B.

Items for Discussion

1.

Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers Min Flows and Levels – North Florida Regional Water Supply Plan Update - 24-00270

Water Resources Manager Stacie Greco presented the above item. 

Chair Alford, Commissioner Cornell, Commissioner Prizzia, and Commissioner Wheeler presented comments. 

Chair Alford recognized Patricia Lee, Charlie Houder, and Bob Palmer who presented comments to the Board. 

2.

Resilient Economic Development - 24-00305

County Manager Lieberman, Economic Development Director Sean McLendon, and Tourist Development Director Jessica Hurov presented the above item. 

Commissioner Cornell, Commissioner Wheeler, Commissioner Prizzia, Chair Alford, Commissioner Chestnut presented comments. 

Chair Alford recognized Patricia Lee who presented comments to the Board. 

Commissioner Cornell inquired about the Resolution to withdraw from the Florida Tourism Task Force that was approved by the Board. He says he has not seen the Chair letter withdrawing the County and questioned when it would be ready.

Chair Alford stated that she went to the Regional Council Meeting and was approached and requested to bring the matter back to the Board for another vote. She stated that she was considering it but is going to sign the letter. 

Commissioner Prizzia stated that she heard that the High Springs Rail Trail is back in play and she was wondering if staff has looked into the matter.

County Manager Lieberman stated that she already directed staff to start working on the matter as she had no doubt that the Commision would be interested in the matter. 

3.

Florida Commerce Partnership Grant

Commissioner Cornell moved approval of the Letter of support for the City of Hawthorne. The motion carried 5-0.

2nd Commissioner Wheeler

C.

Closing Comments

1.

Public Comment

There was no one present who wished to address the Board. 

2.

Commission Comment

441 Farmers Market

Commissioner Prizzia stated that she would like to discuss the Farmer's Market and potentially making the site more suitable for the purpose.

County Manager Lieberman stated that the County is looking to redesign the site for both the Farmer's Market and a training facility for the Fire Department. The site is quite large so providing both uses should be feasible. 

By consensus, the Board directed the Food Systems Manager and the new Tourism/Economic Development Department to look at the site and talk with the operators to see what can be done to drive new business to the area. 

Florida Association of Counties (FAC)

Commissioner Cornell stated that at the last FAC conference there was discussions that it may be a good strategy to adopt term limits in the County as a way to preempt a State Bill that would implement them in the County. He stated that the last several years there have been proposed bills to implement term limits. He is not endorsing the idea, but he wanted to bring it up for his fellow Commissioners to consider. He stated that the latest proposed bill exempted County's that had already implemented them. 

County Manager Lieberman stated that the County Attorney's Office is bringing back information on the Single Member District at the May 14, 2024, meeting so that would be a good time for the Commission to bring it up if they wish to implement term limits. 

D.

Adjourn

There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 4:05 p.m.