Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Board

Meeting #:

Date:

Monday, March 24, 2025

Time:

5:30 P.m. - 6:30 P.m.

Location:

County Administration Building - Grace Knight Conference Room

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

---

1.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 5:31 p.m.

Alachua County Members Present:  Jill Cunningham (Vice Chair), Eric Drummond (Chair), Jack Kulas, and Nancy Wilkinson (alternate)

City of Gainesville Members Present:  David Ruiz

Incorporated Cities (not Gainesville) Members Present:  Ross Ambrose (virtual attendance)

Members Absent:   Steve Howard, Makyla Mafi, and Mary Lou Hildreth (alternate)

Staff Present:  Gina Peebles

Other Municipal Staff Present:  Betsy Waite

Outside Counsel:  Patrice Boyes

• :   

2.

Approval of the Agenda

David Ruiz made a motion to permit Mr. Ambrose to participate and vote remotely due to extenuating circumstances; Nancy Wilkinson second; unanimous approval; motion carried.

David Ruiz made a motion to approve the Regular and Consent agendas as presented; Nancy Wilkinson second; unanimous approval; motion carried.

3.

Approval of Minutes

David Ruiz made a motion to approve the February 24, 2025 minutes as presented; Nancy Wilkinson second; unanimous approval; motion carried.

4.

Old Business

4.1

4th Qtr (Jul, Aug, Sep, 2024)

4.1.1

Alachua County

County staff provided a memo about the Cuscowilla camp expenses, however, a line item detail report for items such as uniforms, etc. will be requested.    This item will be tabled until the next meeting.

4.1.2

High Springs

Jill Cunningham made a motion to approve a Chair letter to the City of High Springs requesting them to repay all 2023 surtax funds used toward the acquisition of the Canoe Outpost and to update all related financial reports; Jack Kulas second; unanimous approval; motion carried.

4.1.3

Newberry

Dallas Lee was ill and, therefore, did not provide the requested documents in time for this meeting.  Therefore, this item will be tabled until our next meeting.

4.2

3rd Qtr (Apr, May, Jun, 2024)

4.2.1

HIgh Springs

This report was tabled pending the city's response to the Chair letter approved by the Oversight Board.

4.2.2

Newberry

This report was tabled.  Staff will relay that it is critical to have this information by our next meeting to bring closure to these quarterly reports.  

4.3

2nd Qtr (Jan, Feb, Mar, 2024)

4.3.1

High Springs

This report was tabled pending the city's response to the Chair letter approved by the Oversight Board.

4.4

Lacrosse Guidance onCD's

Ms. Boyes reported that, per State Statute, surtax funds cannot be invested in negotiable CD's, but can be invested in non-negotiable CD's.  Cities must talk to their investment counselor and attorney for further guidance.  Any and all interest earned must be reinvested in the surtax funds and be used for qualifying projects.

5.

Enhanced Monitoring Suggestions Discussion

Discussion ensued regarding a number of suggestions including a questionnaire and enhanced audit and oversight processes.  The consensus was to send a Chair letter to the Board of County Commissioners requesting which suggestions they would like to implement.  

6.

New Business

Patrice Boyes reported that she will be joining Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak PLLC.  Therefore, a new contract is required.  She did remind the Oversight Board to be sensitive to the budget as she has conducted a lot of legal research over the past few months for the Board.  Because there are two surtaxes, she recommends doubling the budget as the issues are increasingly more complex.

7.

Public Comment (3 Minutes)

None.

8.

Date/Time/Location of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on May 12 at 5:30 p.m. in the County Manager's Training Room Room.

9.

Attendance Report

10.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:39 p.m.