Infrastructure Surtax Citizen Oversight Board

Meeting #:

Date:

Monday, May 12, 2025

Time:

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

Location:

County Administration Building - County Manager's Training Room

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

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1.

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 5:32 p.m.

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

City of Gainesville Members Present:  Mary Lou Hildreth (alternate), Makyla Mafi, and David Ruiz

Incorporated Cities (not Gainesville) Members Present:  Ross Ambrose 

Members Absent:   N/A

Staff Present:  Gina Peebles

Other Municipal Staff Present:  Betsy Waite

Outside Counsel:  Patrice Boyes

• :   

2.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

The floor was opened for nominations.  Ross Ambrose made a motion to elect Eric Drummond as Chair and Jill Cunningham as Vice Chair; David Ruiz seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

3.

Approval of the Regular and Consent Agendas

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

4.

Approval of Minutes

Ross Ambrose made a motion to approve the Mar. 25 minutes as presented; David Ruiz second; unanimous approval; motion carried.

5.

Consent Agenda

5.1

Accept 1st Qtr. (Oct, Nov, Dec, 2024) Wild Spaces Public Places Expenditures for Hawthorne, LaCrosse, and Waldo

5.2

Accept 1st Qtr. (Oct, Nov, Dec, 2024) Infrastructure Expenditures for Alachua, Hawthorne, High Springs, LaCrosse, Micanopy, and Waldo

6.

Review of Quarterly Wild Spaces Public Places Municipal / County Expenditures for 1st Qtr. (Oct, Nov, Dec 2024)

6.1

Alachua County

The consensus was to table this report pending additional clarification/updates on the following:

1. Why was interest reported for 2023, but not for 2017?
2. The Conservation Lands report showed operating expenses from both 2017 ($27,059.01) and 2023 ($41,553.83) for “Land Stewardship - Initial Improvements and Operating Supplies: Lochloosa Slough Preserve, Buck Bay Flatwoods Preserve, Lake Alto Preserve, Black Lake Preserve.”  As each surtax is its own bucket and operating expenses can only be paid from the bucket which made the capital acquisition/improvement, staff must explain why operating expenses were paid from both buckets for the same properties.
3. Of those operating expenses, how much were personnel expenses?

6.2

Alachua

Ross Ambrose made a motion to approve the quarterly Alachua report as presented; Jack Kulas seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

6.3

Gainesville

Betsy Waite reported that Tom Petty improvements span multiple phases, which is why both surtaxes are being utilized.  David Ruiz made a motion to approve the quarterly Gainesville report as presented; Jack Kulas seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

6.4

High Springs

The consensus was to table this report as it reflects that insurance was paid for the Canoe Outpost from 2023 surtax funds when 2017 surtax funds were used to purchase the property.

6.5

MIcanopy

Jack Kulas made a motion to approve the quarterly Micanopy report as presented; Ross Ambrose seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

6.6

Newberry

Ross Ambrose made a motion to approve the quarterly Newberry report as presented; Jack Kulas seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

7.

Review of Quarterly Infrastructure Municipal / County Expenditures for 1st Qtr. (Oct, Nov, Dec 2024)

7.1

Alachua County

The consensus was to request the County report the 30% available for Housing and 70% available for Roads on future reports.  Ross Ambrose made a motion to approve the quarterly Alachua County report as presented; Jill Cunningham seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

7.2

Gainesville

The consensus was to table this report and request quarterly revenue and interest received be included.

7.3

High Springs

Ross Ambrose made a motion to reconsider and table the High Springs Report as it shows $637.38 in expenses in the top summary area, but “no expenses this quarter” in the detail area; Jill Cunningham second; unanimous approval; motion carried.

7.4

Newberry

Ross Ambrose made a motion to approve the quarterly Newberry report as presented; Jack Kulas seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

8.

Old Business

8.1

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

8.1.1

Alachua County

The Oversight Board found the $4,079.27 reported in the Line Item Detail for Cuscowilla Camp expenses to be ineligible, as is consistent with their findings for other reporting jurisdictions.  Therefore, the surtax should be reimbursed and the County should discontinue food purchases from the surtax moving forward.  

8.1.2

High Springs

The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter reports were tabled as the City did not provide updated quarterly reports.

8.1.3

Newberry

Ross Ambrose made a motion to approve the quarterly Newberry report as presented; David Ruiz seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

8.2

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

8.2.1

High Springs

8.2.2

Newberry

Ross Ambrose made a motion to approve the quarterly Newberry report as presented; David Ruiz seconded; unanimous approval; motion carried.

 

8.3

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

8.3.1

High Springs

8.4

Enhanced Monitoring Suggestions Update

Chair Drummond is presenting the Oversight Board's enhanced monitoring suggestions to the County Commission at their meeting tomorrow.

9.

New Business

None.

10.

Public Comment (3 Minutes)

None.

11.

Date/Time/Location of Next Meeting

The next Oversight Board meeting will be held on June 30 at 5:30 p.m. in the Grace Knight Conference Room.

12.

Attendance Report

13.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7:09 p.m.