Alachua County Special Meeting

Minutes

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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 

Chair Alford called the meeting to order at 10:00am

 

Commissioner Cornell moved approval of the agenda.

2nd Commissioner Chestnut

The motion carried 4-0 with Commissioner Wheeler not present. 

  • To approve the Agenda. 

Budget Manager Maureen Rischitelli gave the Board a brief description of what will be discussed in todays meeting.

Deputy County Manager Carl Smart presented the following Budget for the departments below:

Animal Resources

• Revenues: $128,450
• Expenses: $5,057,945
• Budget Requests: $76,684
– 1.0 FTE Dispatcher

–  A van/Bus to do outreach at adoption events and more

Commissioner Wheeler entered the meeting at 10:07am

 

Chair Alford, Commissioner Cornell, Deputy County Manager Carl Smart, Commissioner Prizzia, Commissioner Wheeler, Chair Alford and Commissioner Cornell all presented comments. 

 

Community and Strategic Services

• Revenues: $74,000
• Expenses: $752,017
• Budget Requests: $307,059
• *Economic Development Related Costs will move from Community & Strategic Services budget and included are 2 new positions: 1.0 FTE Sr. Office Director and 1.0 FTE Agriculture & Rural Development Coordinator = $307,059

 

Chair Alford, Commissioner Prizzia, Deputy County Manager Carl Smart, and Budget Manager Maureen Rischitelli presented comments. 

 

Community Support Services

• Revenues: $13,840,929
• Expenses: $48,119,395
• Budget Requests: $494,651

– Crisis Center Enhanced Telephone System
– Street Outreach Program
– Center for Non-Profit Excellence Expansion

 

Commissioner Prizzia, Director of Community Support Services Claudia Tuck, Chair Alford, Commissioner Prizzia, Budget Manager Maureen Rischitelli, Commissioner Cornell, and Chair Alford presented comments. 

 

Director of Community Support Services Claudia Tuck presented the Alachua County Housing Program update.

Motel Acquisitions
• Budget Inn (36 Units, Community Center)
• Scottish Inn (31 Units)
Container Homes Pilot Project (Up to 29 Units)

 

Housing Manager Ralston Reodica continued the presentation below with Director of Community Support Services Claudia Tuck. 

 

SHIP NOFA Applications closes August 16, 2024
• Home Repair 
• Down Payment Assistance 
• New Construction
Housing Initiatives Partnership (10 currently and propose increase to 30 vouchers)


Escheated Properties- Potentially 18 properties/surplus land
• Application for Non-Profits (Conveyance Plan) 
- Plan to apply for new round of CDBG funding

 

Future Developments:
Legacy Property- plan to present to BoCC on 8/27/2024
 - 13 acres
 - Request for Proposal


Infrastructure Sales Tax:
- Rolling Application 
- Rental and Homeownership
Community Land Trust (CLT): Scattered site/Mix

 

Update on Housing Plan:

Tier 1 affordability: set-asides for households with TBVs (tenant-based voucher), set-asides for ELI households without vouchers, units with 3BDR units or larger, 
Tier 2 inclusion: mixed income projects, set-asides for young adults leaving foster care, set- asides for veterans, set-asides for elderly
Tier 3 community improvement: cures blight or financially troubled units, new construction, preserves existing low-income units
Tier 4 project financing: target small municipalities (excluding City of Gainesville), homeownership, increase leverage of county dollars
• Reallocation of funding from properties with violations to Housing Initiatives Partnership (vouchers)
- AHAC recommendation
• Resolutions, Ordinances, and Interlocal Agreement 

 

Housing Program Restructuring Plan FY25
• Rename Housing Programs to Division of Housing and Strategic Development
• Reclassify Housing Program Manager to Housing and Strategic Development Division Director- 15% salary to IST
• Reclassify Strategic Development Coordinator to Housing and Strategic Development Manager- 15% salary to GF

 

Commissioner Wheeler, Director of Community Support Services Claudia Tuck, Commissioner Prizzia, Commissioner Cornell, and Director of Community Support Services Claudia Tuck presented comments.

 

Commissioner Prizzia moved staff recommendations as follow:

  1. Approve the Housing Program Restructuring Plan FY 25
  2. Propose two position reclassifications
    • Housing and Strategic Development Division Director
    • Housing and Strategic Development Manager 

2nd Commissioner Cornell 

The motion carried 5-0.

 

Deputy County Manager Carl Smart presented the following Budget for the departments below:

Court Services

• Revenues: $377,533
• Expenses: $14,145,795
• Budget Requests: $706,863
– Drug Testing Supplies
– 3.0 FTE First Appearance (1 Pretrial & 2 Court Officers)
– 3.0 FTE Electronic Monitoring Staff
– 1.0 FTE Community Service Compliance Specialist

 

Commissioner Prizzia, Human Resources Director Heather Akpan, Commissioner Prizzia, Director of Community Support Services Claudia Tuck, Chair Alford, Deputy County Manager Carl Smart, Commissioner Wheeler, Human Resources Director Heather Akpan, Commissioner Chestnut, Commissioner Prizzia, Chair Alford, Assistant County Manager Tommy Crosby, Commissioner Cornell, Director of Community Support Services Claudia Tuck, and Commissioner Chestnut presented comments. 

 

Commissioner Cornell exits meeting at 11:16am

Commissioner Cornell returns to meeting at 11:17am

 

Commissioner Cornell would like to refer to staff to have a policy discussion after the budget cycle as it relates to the policy for CAPP in new pilot programs. By consensus the Board agreed. 

 

Assistant County Manager Tommy Crosby presented below presentation to the Board:

Fund Balances

  • General Fund-Policy Minimum 10% Projected Operating Revenue
  • MSTU-Law Enforcement Policy Minimum 5% Projected Operating Revenue
  • MSBU Fire Policy Minimum 5% Projected Operating Revenue
  • Gas Tax Policy 5% Projected Operating Revenue

Reserves

Policy: Not Less than 5% of Operating Revenue
Not Greater than 10% of Total Budget

 

Commissioner Prizzia exits the meeting at 11:49am

Commissioner Prizzia returns to the meeting at 12:07pm

 

County Wide Proposed Budget Information

• General Fund Reserves which is 5% of operating revenues.
• Reserves in the MSTU Law Enforcement to 5% of operating revenues.
• Reserves in the MSBU Fire Fund above 5%.
• The General Fund Projected Ending Fund Balance is 10% of Operating Revenues, adhering to Budget Guidelines.

• Increased the Local Government Minimum Wage to $18.00 per hour.
• Applied Salary increase to the BoCC and Constitutional Officers.
• Applied Health Insurance increase to the BoCC and Constitutional Officers.
• Adjusted the Florida Retirement System based on the State of Florida’s required contribution.
• Adjusted Retiree Health Benefit based on the State of Florida’s required contribution.

• Total FY25 Proposed Budget is $806,653,893 an increase $49,617,397 over FY24 Adopted Budget.
• County Manager Approved Budget Requests Funded 
 $ 706,485 Operational
 $ 7,497,210 Financing
 $11,173,188 New
 $19,376,883 Total

• Debt Payments Allocated
• Reserves at Policy
• $1 Million Incorporated Into Housing Trust Fund
• Property & Liability Insurance Increases
• Worker’s Compensation Increases

 

Commissioner Cornell, Assistant County Manager Tommy Crosby, Commissioner Chestnut, Commissioner Wheeler, Chair Alford, Commissioner Cornell, Commissioner Prizzia, and Budget Manager Maureen Rischitelli presented comments.

 

County Wide Proposed Budget Information Revenues

• REVENUES
• Taxes: $270,020,667
• Permits, Fees & Assessments: $40,059,639
• Intergovernmental Revenue: $45,621,246
• Charges for Service: $103,220,539
• Judgments, Fines: $499,350
• Misc. Revenue: $27,321,886
• Other Sources: $319,910,566

• EXPENSES
• Personal Services: $128,759,443
• Operating: $204,910,959
• Capital Outlay: $127,697,741
• Debt Service: $13,276,822
• Grants & Aid: $30,347,487
• Other Uses: $301,661,441

 

Constitutional & Judicial Offices

Property Appraiser
• Revenues: $50,000
• Expenses: $8,755,064
• Budget Requests: $0

Tax Collector
• Revenues: $551,944
• Expenses: $7,977,876
• Budget Requests: $0

Clerk of Courts
• Revenues: $100,000
• Expenses: $4,296,028
• Budget Requests: $0

Judicial
• Revenues: $1,781,977
• Expenses: $3,622,825
• Budget Requests: $154,545
– 1.0 FTE General Magistrate

Supervisor of Elections
• Revenues: $4,262,384
• Expenses: $9,094,439
• Budget Requests: $365,058
– Clear Ballot Election Audit System
– 1.0 FTE IT Manager
– Presidential Election Additional Postage
– Additional Sunday for Early Voting (8 sites)
– Additional Early Voting Site – Election Worker Pay

 Sheriff
• Revenues: $18,287,509
• Expenses: $132,815,897
• Adjusted $665,290 to cover contracts and 6.0 FTE requested
• Budget Requests: $2,855,335
– Vehicle Replacement
– 6.0 FTE Mental Health Co-responder (2), General Counsel, Benefits Coordinators, Civil Technician, Evidence Specialist
– Equipment requested 1 Bomb Truck, 1 Mobile Van will be part of financing issuance. Total $1.8 Million

Budget & Fiscal Services
• OMB, Risk, Purchasing & Fiscal Services
• Revenues: $13,767,920
• Expenses: $17,299,218
• Budget Requests: $83,306
– 1.0 FTE Risk Specialist

 Facilities
• Revenues: $32,583,353
• Expenses: $48,701,754
• Budget Requests: $0

 

Chair Alford exits the meeting at 12:32pm

Chair Alford returns to the meeting at 12:33pm

 

Travis reviewed the current Projects Underway: 

• Emergency Operations Center (EOC) / Fire Rescue Administration
• Environmental Protection Department
• Animal Services
• Civil Courthouse/Court Services
• Parking Garage
• Chilled Water Central Energy Plant

 

 Non Departmental
• Revenues: $521,203,722
• Includes Revenues Related to:
• Taxes & Assessments $216,603,609
• 1 Cent Surtax: $34,664,170
• Intergovernmental revenues $9,043,941
• Rescue Recovery $15,429,132
• Debt Service $34,863,076
• Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERAP2):$6,003,202

Non Departmental
• Expenses: $214,870,339
• Includes Expenses Related to:
• Rescue Recovery $11,577,673
• Vehicle Replacement $15,825,496
• Reserves $79,587,585
• Special Expense $43,834,042
• Debt Service $37,551,993

 

Economic Development Manager Sean Mclendon and Deputy County Manager Carl smart presented a chair letter, the city of Newberry is making an application to the Florida job growth for a grant to build public infrastructure. The city is asking for the Board of County Commissioners to support their application.

 

Commissioner Prizzia moved to write the letter in support of the city of Newberry application for the Florida Job Growth Grants. 

2nd Commissioner Cornell

The motion carried 5-0. 

  • Provide direction to staff for any adjustment to the County Manager’s budget or proposed millage rates.

Chair Alford recognized Derrick Dunlap who presented comments. 

Commissioner Cornell moved to direct staff to file for party status in the City of Alachua Mill Creek development project. Also, for staff to brief the Board with an update on the August 22nd meeting. 

2nd Commissioner Wheeler

The motion carried 5-0.

Commissioner Prizzia stated she would like to know if a citizen is arrested and there is no one to care for their animal, how do animal services handle the situation. Do we foster the animal or is the animal put up for adoption.

 

Deputy County Manager Carl Smart stated he will check with animal resources to confirm the process. But from past experiences it depends on the citizen situation with how long they will be in jail. 

There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

  • To adjourn the meeting. 

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