Oct 26, 2023 Special Board of County Commissioners

[Call to Order by Chair]

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BEING HERE THIS MORNING FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE MORNING WITH A ROLL CALL FROM THE CLERK.

FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD? OKAY. EVERYONE IS PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR. TO THE PODIUM WE HAVE ALL GLEASON FROM INTERFAITH

CHURCH. PLEASE STAND >> DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING AS THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH AND HUMBLY SUBMIT OURSELVES TO AUTHORITY. WE PLACE OURSELVES AND REMEMBER IS THAT THERE IS NO AUTHORITY OUTSIDE OF WHAT GOD HAS AND THOSE THAT ARE ESTABLISHED ARE BY GOD. YOU ALSO ANOINT AND EQUIP THOSE WHO ARE PLACED IN AUTHORITY. YOUR WORD TELLS US YOUR WAYS ARE HIGHER THAN OUR WAYS AND YOUR THOUGHTS ARE HIGHER THAN OUR THOUGHTS. WE ASK FOR THE IMPARTATION OF YOUR DIVINE WISDOM IN GOVERNING THE AFFAIRS THE COUNTY IN WHICH YOUR PEOPLE RESIDE. IS YOUR SON WAS ONCE QUOTED AS SAYING I DO NOT SPEAK OF MY OWN INITIATIVE BUT THE FATHER HIMSELF WHO SENT ME HAS GIVEN ME WHAT TO SAY AND WHAT TO SPEAK. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT YOU MY LORD GIVE WISDOM AND FROM YOUR MOUTH COMES KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. I PRAY THAT THESE MEN AND WOMEN WILL HAVE THE SAME DESIRE WHEN MAKING DECISIONS THAT AFFECT AND INFLUENCE THE LIVES OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS. I PRAY THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY WOULD TRUST IN YOU A LORD WITH ALL OF THEIR HEART AND NOT LEAN ON THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING NOR BE WISE IN THEIR OWN EYES FOR THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN BUT IN THE END IS THE WAY OF DEATH. GIVE THEM THE KNOWLEDGE TO DISCERN THE DIFFERENCE OF THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH IN THE SPIRIT OF ERROR. AS THEY SEEK YOU FIRST WE PRAY THAT YOUR KINGDOM WOULD COME IN YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. I ASK FOR CONTINUED PROTECTION AND SAFETY FOR THEM THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR STAFF AS WELL AS ALL THE PROVISIONS NECESSARY FOR THEM TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR ASSIGNMENTS. LORD STRENGTHEN THEM IN THEIR CALL THE PUBLIC SERVICE BY EMPOWERING THEM BY YOUR SPIRIT. WE ASK THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF

JESUS CHRIST, AMEN. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT WONDERFUL INVOCATION. TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, ST. JOHNS COUNTY UTILITY MARY COLEMAN. RETIRED ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

SERGEANT MR. O'BRIEN. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH

LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU KNOW BEFORE WE DO GET INTO THE AGENDA, I WANT TO GO A LITTLE OFF SCRIPT. I HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH SENATOR HUDSON IN TALLAHASSEE LAST WEEK.

WE DISCUSSED SOME OF THE ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA AND SOME OF THE REASONS WHY WE CALLED THIS MEETING. I CALLED HIM LAST NIGHT AFTER HOURS JUST TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THESE IDEAS THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING IN TALLAHASSEE AND ASKED IF THEY COULD DO US THE

[1. Overview of the school construction funding process.]

>> THANK YOU CHAIRMAN AND LOCAL LEADERS. I'LL GO OUT ON THE LYNN HERE AND SAY THAT YOU GUYS ARE MY FAVORITE. HOPEFULLY MY SECRET IS SAFE. AS THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, WE DID MEET IN TALLAHASSEE TO GO OVER THE PRIORITIES FROM THE DELEGATION MEETING HE ASKED WHAT I WAS WORKING ON AND ONE OF THE THINGS WAS THE DEREGULATION AND EDUCATION SIDE OF THINGS. I HAD

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HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SENATE AND AS I BECAME SENATOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FACT WERE HERE MOST RECENTLY I BELIEVE IT WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND $10 MILLION IS WHAT WE QUALIFIED FOR AND BROUGHT THAT BACK TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THAT FORMULA IS BASED ON THE NEED AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DISTRICT SO IT IS A MATHEMATICAL FORMULA BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU'RE STILL COMPETING AND EXCELLING IN A HIGH LEVEL. LAST YEAR THAT FORMULA SHOWED ABOUT $40 MILLION IN TOTAL OF WHO COULD QUALIFY IN THREE OR FOUR OTHER COUNTIES ACTUALLY MADE THAT LIST. ST. JOHNS MOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT LIST. OUT OF THAT 35 OR $40 MILLION THAT WE QUOTED ST. JOHNS WOULD BE ABOUT ONE OR TWO OUT OF THIS BASED ON THE METRICS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING FROM THE STATE. NOW I SAY ALL OF THIS BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE. OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE ALSO HIT THOSE HIGH-PERFORMING NUMBERS. AS I SAID WITH A STATEWIDE ISSUE IS A THREE-LEGGED STOOL SO WE ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM BUT ALSO PART OF THE SOLUTION WHICH IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY. WE HAVE POLICIES ON HER BOOKS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR ABOUT A YEAR THE STATE HAS HIM STRONG THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE BUREAUCRACY MANY NEW SCHOOLS THAT YOU HAVE TO BILL HAVE TO BE BUILT TO HURRICANE STANDARDS NOW. A LOT OF THESE SCHOOLS YOU DON'T HAVE THE NEED FOR THEM TO BE OPEN. WHERE THOSE DOLLARS COULD BE USED FOR ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS. WERE LOOKING TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WHERE WE NEED TO SO IT CAN BE POOLED MORE FREELY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND YOU CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. WE ARE ALSO LIMITING HOW TO SPEND ON SPECIFIC USES TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE ADEQUATE PARTICIPATIONS. AS IT RELATES TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS. LASTLY I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE HERE TO HELP. IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE WILL BE LAUNCHING A SERIES OF BILLS AND I WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH YOU GUYS HERE FILING THIS WITH OTHERS ACROSS THE CITY BUT MINE SPECIFICALLY WILL BE TO DEAL WITH CONSTRUCTION AND THE PHYSICAL IMPACT AND THINGS THAT WE MAY BE OVERDOING IN TALLAHASSEE. I JUST GOT A COPY OF IT THIS MORNING BRIEFLY IT IS NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME. BUT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT DOLLARS FLOW FREELY AND MORE EFFICIENTLY. WITH THAT I WILL YIELD TO ANYTHING THAT

TALLAHASSEE IS DOING TO HELP. >> SENATOR HUDSON WE ARE VERY

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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE DETAILS HELPING YOU TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM.

>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS?

>> GOOD MORNING. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. FOR ALL OF THE ADVOCACY WITH THE DISTRICT AND CERTAINLY OVER THE YEARS I'VE EXPRESSED AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS MY FRUSTRATION A LOT WITH TALLAHASSEE. NOT NECESSARILY WITH YOU BUT TALLAHASSEE IN GENERAL. IN PART BECAUSE OF ALL THE RULES MANDATES AND WHAT HAVE YOU. SO IT BREAKS DOWN IN MY MIND THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. ONE IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND GROWTH. THAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR YEARS. THEY WERE LOOKING AT THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MONEY THAT SEEM TO HAVE DRIED UP AFTER A WHILE. BUT I THINK YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE ALWAYS BEHIND AND WE CANNOT KEEP UP WITH IT. SO THEN WE DO END UP WITH A LOT OF DISGRUNTLED PARENTS AND FRUSTRATIONS. RIGHT NOW I THINK WE HAVE FIVE IN THE HOPPER READY TO BUILD. THERE ARE A LOT OF EIGHTH-GRADERS THERE THAT ARE GOING TO NEED A HIGH SCHOOL. THE OTHER ONE IS THE TEACHERS AND THE MONEY FOR THE TEACHERS. I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STARTED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT I WAS AMAZED AND I WOULD HEAR THINGS FOR THIS PARTICULAR JOB WE HAD 100 APPLICANTS. NOW WE HAVE TROUBLE IN SCIENCE AND MATH EVEN FINDING ONE APPLICANT. I ASK MYSELF, WHY IS THAT? SOME OF IT IS THE MANDATES THAT TALLAHASSEE PUTS ON THEM WITH WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO IS THEY ARE GETTING FRUSTRATED AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IS THE MONEY. BECAUSE WE SIMPLY CANNOT PAY THEM ENOUGH. AND THEY SAY WE AGREE WITH YOU AND YOU DESERVE MORE MONEY. SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS CAME IN THAT WAS NOT GOOD FOR THE VETERAN TEACHERS. IT'S A GREAT TIME BECAUSE I'M HERE AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND WITH THE SENATORS AND I THINK IF WE WORK TOGETHER WITH MORE COMMUNICATION WE CAN WORK TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO BE AHEAD OF IT. THAT WAY WE ARE NO LONGER LEFT HOLDING THE BAG. A LITTLE MORE FORESIGHT AND HELP ON THESE ISSUES RELATED TO MONEY WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. I DID USE THE WORD TALLAHASSEE

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BROADLY. >> SENATOR I AM SO HAPPY THAT YOU ARE HERE. IT MEANS A LOT TO THE PUBLIC AND I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT WILL FREE UP THE MONEY AND GET THOSE SCHOOLS PUT TOGETHER FASTER THANK YOU.

>> I DO APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE THIS MORNING AND I DO WANT TO REITERATE IN TERMS OF DEREGULATION THEY ARE IN A PROCESS. ALSO APPRECIATING THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH CTE IN THE WORKFORCE WERE ON A TWOFOLD TRACKPOINT GETTING OUR KIDS READY FOR THAT WORKFORCE I WAS LISTENING TO THE OTHERS AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT CONTINUES TO GO ALONG WITH THIS THERE ARE MORE MORE HEINOUS CRIMES BEING COMMITTED ACROSS ALL AREAS SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE DOLLARS AS YOU MOVE INTO THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

>> I LIKE TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO THIS, THERE'S BEEN QUITE OF LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE FRUSTRATION THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COMMISSION SHARES ABOUT THOUSANDS OF HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT. AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT HURDLE IN MY MIND THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOMES CONSTRUCTED SINCE 2016 UP TO AND INCLUDING TODAY WERE APPROVED THROUGH MAJOR PROCESS FROM 2000 TO 2008 THERE WAS NO TIME LIMIT OR EXPIRATION THEY WERE APPROVED AND ENTITLED. WE HAVE APPROVED SOME PROJECTS. THERE IS NO DOUBT. WE VOTED YES ON SOME AND VOTED NO ON OTHERS. BUT I THINK THE PARENTS IN THIS COUNTY AND THE HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE MOVED HERE IN THE LAST SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS NEEDED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT AS A COMMISSION AND AS A SCHOOL WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH A PROBLEM AND I'M NOT TRYING TO GO BACK AND BLAME OUR FOREFATHERS I'M JUST POINTING OUT THE FACTS AND THE FACTS ARE THERE ARE A LOT OF HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED AND I THINK THERE'S STILL ROUGHLY 40,000 IN THE INVENTORY APPROVED PRIOR TO 2008 SO I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE ARE ALL FRUSTRATED AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE WE'VE APPROVED 100,000 HOMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO 2000 AND COME FORWARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE COUNTY OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS AND HOPEFULLY THE PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE ALL DEALING WITH. THANK YOU.

>> ANY THOUGHTS FROM DISTRICT 3? >> AS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE SCHOOL MEMBERS AND PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY I HAVE BROUGHT IT UP THAT IT'S NOT THE PEOPLE SITTING HERE IT'S THE PREVIOUS PROCESS. I AM ALSO TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THAT. I HAD THE QUESTION SENATOR HUDSON FOR YOU BEING HERE THANK YOU. IT WAS RECENTLY BROUGHT OUT THAT THE PEIFER MONIES FOR EDUCATION HAS

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>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHAIRMAN. I AM NOT AWARE OF THE ACTUAL PIE AS IT RELATES TO WHERE MONEY HAS GONE WITH OTHER CATEGORIES.

CERTAINLY THE COST OF EVERYTHING IS GOING UP BUT, I WILL SAY THAT WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED AND I BELIEVE BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS THE FAP WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE LOW 62 TO 6400S WHICH IS THE COST PER STUDENT SENT BACK TO THE DISTRICT. I BELIEVE THE LAST ONE WAS AROUND $3800 AND WE HAVE INCREASED THE DOLLARS PER STUDENT COMING DOWN FROM TALLAHASSEE EVERY YEAR SINCE I'VE BEEN ELECTED. PRIOR TO MY ELECTION THERE WAS A BIG CUT THAT WAS DONE WITH A HUGE RECESSION BUT WE HAVE SEEN THE VALUE OF INCREASING THOSE DOLLARS PER STUDENT. SO WHILE I CANNOT GIVE YOU SPECIFICS I CAN TELL YOU THE DOLLARS FOR TALLAHASSEE HAS GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY PER PERCENTAGE

SINCE 2012. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BUT AGAIN LIKE ALL MY COLLEAGUES AND SAID THANK YOU FOR BEING THE ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNITY WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND

ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR US. >> I APOLOGIZE FOR SPRINGING THIS ON YOU TALLAHASSEE IS DEFINITELY AN INTEGRAL PART AND WE ARE ALL FACING CHALLENGES SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. AS THEY HAVE SAID AND OTHERS YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE BEHIND BECAUSE YOUR GOVERNMENT. IF YOU GET AHEAD IN GOVERNMENT YOU'RE PROBABLY SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN YOU SHOULD. BUT YOU NEED TO CATCH UP QUICKLY AND WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU ARE TOO FAR BEHIND AND WE ARE GOING TO HELP YOU CATCH UP AND SIMILAR POLICIES THAT WE WILL SEE HERE OVER THE NEXT TWO OR THREE WEEKS IS THERE RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION. THOSE ARE NOT MY BILLS BUT WE HAVE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR THERE'S A FULL DEREGULATION IN EDUCATION COMING WITH A VARIETY OF BILLS ANNOUNCED FOR THE FUTURE. I WILL BE AN ADVOCATE TO HELP AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU AND YOUR STAFF THEY ARE TAKING NOTES FOR EVERYTHING SAID THAT IF YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME OR THEM IN THE FUTURE WE WILL GIVE YOU THEIR DIRECT CONTACT SO WE COULD GET THIS FILED IN THE PROPER BOX THROUGH THAT MANDATORY PROCESS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.

>> WITH THAT SMALL DETOUR, I'M EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO THE SENATOR FOR TAKING THE TIME HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.

BEFORE I STEP INTO THIS PRESENTATION WHEN WE START TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS IT IS A COMPLEX WORLD. SO MY PRESENTATION IS GOING REFOCUS ON A SINGLE THING WHICH IS THE FUNDING OF NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTIONS. I WILL TRY NOT TO SIDEBAR BECAUSE I DO HAVE A TENDENCY TO DO THAT. I DO HAVE TO GIVE THANKS TO SENATOR HUDSON. THE COMMITMENT HAS BEEN A VOICE THAT WE'VE HEARD WORKING HARD TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IN THE BEST MANNER THAT WE CAN BECAUSE WE ARE TIGHTLY REGULATED IN MANY AREAS AND THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. BUT A COUPLE OF OTHER PIECES THAT THEY SPOKE ABOUT

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>> BEFORE YOU LEAVE CAN YOU EXPLAIN PICO BECAUSE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT DAN'S FOR? TURN AND ASK MS. SAUNDERS WHO IS THE CFO OR MISSED GOODRICH WHO IS HERE AS WELL WITH PICO AND CAPITAL ATHLETE STATE RAISE REVENUES WERE HERE WITH LICENSE TAGS AND OTHERS THAT CAME IN AND FLOATING OUT A LOT OF THAT WAS LAND LINES AND UTILITY FEES THAT WERE PAID BUT THAT IS ALL SLIDING AWAY SO THAT ALLOCATION DOES NOT EXIST. IT'S NOT THAT THE STATE MADE A DELIBERATE DECISION THAT IS THE IMPORTANT POINT THE STATE DID NOT MAKE A DELIBERATE DECISION IT IS A FUNDING SOURCE THAT HAS DRIED UP IN THAT SENSE AND WHEN IT DRIED UP IT WAS NOT REPLACED WITH ANY OTHER STATE. SHOUT OUT AND STOP ME AT ANY TIME BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR MEETING AND NOT MINE I'M JUST HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU AND DISCUSS WITH YOU ON THIS. I NEVER ACTUALLY REALIZED THAT IT HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. AND THAT DOES CREATE MY NEXT QUESTION.

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH ALL OF THAT MONEY FROM THE FLORIDA LOTTERY? THAT WAS THE SAVIOR THAT WAS GOING TO SOLVE BILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAS THAT BEEN REDUCED IN SOME WAY? PART OF THOSE STATE DOLLARS YOU SEE A COMMITMENT BACK TO CHARTER SCHOOLS. THE MONEY MAY HAVE SHRUNK BUT THERE IS A DISTRIBUTION BACK TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. ON THE LOTTERY, THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT COMES IN THE HUGE COMMITMENT OF THE FLORIDA LOTTERY IS TO BRIGHT FUTURES. WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE REALLY GOING IS FOR THE STUDENT AFTER THEY WALK ACROSS THE STAGE. IT MAY NOT BE A BAD THING IN THAT SENSE BECAUSE IT ACCESSES SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE BUT IT IS NOT A MAGIC SOLUTION IT'S JUST DECLINED TO

A VERY SMALL NUMBER. >> FOR ALL THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT OF BEEN HERE 1986 WHEN WE VOTED ON THE WATER IN THE STATE THIS THAT IT WOULD SOLVE ALL THE EDUCATION FUNDING PROBLEMS. OVER

TIME PROMISES CAN BE LOST. >> THANK YOU.

>> THAT IS WHAT THE STATE SIDE LOOKS LIKE. LET'S LOOK AT THE LOCAL SOURCES NOW. AS WE BUILD SCHOOLS YOU CAN SEE FOR PRIMARY BULLETS ON THE STATE SOURCE SIDE IS THE HIGH GROWTH AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE ALLOCATION THAT HAS COME TO US EITHER THREE OR FOUR YEARS. THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE YOUR FOLKS LIKE SENATOR HUDSON AND OTHERS WHO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY BECAUSE THAT IS NOT A STATE SYSTEM REVENUE SOURCE THESE ARE RECURRING SOURCES AND THAT'S WHY THEY ARE THERE. OF COURSE YOU HAVE THE 1.5 MILLION THAT YOU KNOW WITH THE MILLAGE FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT YOU HAVE A REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT WITH THAT PERCENTAGE AND A DISCRETIONARY LEVEL THAT IS ALWAYS CAPITAL AND ONLY CAPITAL. IT WENT TO 1.75

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SCHOOL:HARRISON HAS THE GAP FILLER HERE SO WHEN PROJECTS COME FORWARD AND THERE IS NOT CAPACITY AND IMPACT FEES DON'T PAY THAT TOTAL COST OF WHAT IT TAKES IN A PARTICULAR AREA THERE ARE FIVE SERVICE AREAS THEN YOU HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTY WITH THE PROJECT THAT WE THEN APPLY A FORMULA IN WHICH THEY PAY AND THEY PAY THAT AT A PARTICULAR TIME AS WELL. THE NEXT IS THE HALF CENT SALE SURTAX. IT MEETS THE NEED AGAIN WITH THE FOUR CATEGORIES WHERE WE ARE REQUIRED TO SPEND BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE TOLD THE VOTERS WHERE IT WOULD BE SPENT. THE BIGGEST PART OF THAT IS INCREASING CAPACITY WITHIN CONSTRUCTION BUT ALSO THE MAINTENANCE SIDE YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE HIGH QUALITY FACILITIES WITH THE IMPORTANCE FOR OUR KIDS TODAY AND IT HAS EVOLVED FOR WHAT WE THOUGHT THAT LOOKED LIKE THE LAST CATEGORY IS SAFETY WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST CRITICAL PIECE THAT WE HAVE TO DO. BEFORE WE TEACH THEN WE HAVE TO KNOW THE SCHOOL IS SAFE. I BELIEVE LIEUTENANT KENNEDY IS IN THE ROOM AS WELL AND MADE A WALK-THROUGH MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS OF THAT SITE AND CRIME SCENE. JUST SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE IN SAFETY AFTER WE HAVE SEEN TRAGEDY THAT OCCURS THAT LEAVES THE IMPRINTS THAT YOU NEVER TRULY LOSE. THOSE ARE THE CATEGORIES SO LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THE TIMING NOW. AS YOU KNOW AT 1.5 BILL THAT IS A PROPERTY TAX SO AS HOMES COME ON I MOVE INTO A NEW ONE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT SEE AN IMMEDIATE NUMBER OR VALUE. BECAUSE IT WAS ASSESSED AT ONE VALUE WHEN THE CHILD WALKS AND WE SERVED THEM NOW BUT THE REVENUE AND THE MILLAGE HAS NOT COME YET. AND IF THAT IS THE KIND OF REVENUE FOR CONSTRUCTION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE IT DOESN'T JUST COME FOR A YEAR OR TWO YEARS IT'S AN ACCUMULATION OF REVENUE TO BUILD THOSE NEW FACILITIES. SO THAT IS THE FIRST PIECE SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT A MEMO OF ABOUT 18 MONTHS FROM THE TIME THEY MOVE INTO A HOUSE TO THE TIME OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SEES THAT REVENUE IN ITS COFFERS AS WE DO MOVE FORWARD. THE NEXT IS THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE WHICH I BELIEVE IS ALSO MANDATORY IMPACT AGAIN MOM AND DAD GET THE KEYS TO THE HOUSE AND IT'S READY TO BE PUT ON AND THAT'S WHEN THE IMPACT FEE HAS TO BE PAID SO THAT IS THE TIME. SO WHEN THEY SAY THIS IS TOO LATE, IT IS THERE IS REASON FOR THAT SCHOOL CONCURRENCY AND PROP SHARE

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AND THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HISTORICALLY THE TIMES WERE IT IS HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WHERE IT WAS THE OVER CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS WHERE THEY WERE BUILT OUT IN ADVANCE AND YOU KINDA HAVE TO LOOK BACK IN HISTORY TO SAY WHY DO YOU HAVE THESE KINDS OF RESTRAINTS? ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE POCKETS

OF MONEY? >> I LIKE TO GO TO COMMISSIONER

JOSEPH FIRST YEAR? >> OKAY. AS IS COMMON IN ALL COUNTIES IN FLORIDA OR OTHER STATES?

>> SO NOT EVERY COUNTY HAS IMPACT FEES. AND NOT EVERY COUNTY ACTUALLY DOES THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING A PROPORTIONAL SHARE MITIGATION. PROJECTS THAT HAPPEN WORK CONSISTENT. WE WERE PART OF THE PILOT BACK IN 2006 OF THE SIX DISTRICTS TO BEGIN THIS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE DID NOT EVERYONE COLLECTS A LOT OF SCHOOL PROP SHARES BECAUSE THEY HAVE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE CAPACITY AND YOU CAN'T REALLY FORCE THE DEVELOPER TO PAY WHEN YOU HAVE SEAT AND YOU SHOULDN'T. THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES DON'T EXIST THAT'S A LOCAL DECISION. NOT EVERY COUNTY HAS A HALF CENT SALES TAX. OUR CASH FLOW IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY BECAUSE IF THAT WASN'T THERE THEN WE WOULD BE IN QUITE A PICKLE. WE NEED MORE SCHOOLS SO WERE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO ALL OF THIS AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. BUT THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD SET UP COMPARED TO SOME OF OUR OWN NEIGHBORING COUNTIES AND THERE ARE NOT MORE THAN A HANDFUL HERE WHICH IS WHY THE STATE LEVEL IT'S HARD TO GET A LOT OF MOMENTUM AND ATTENTION ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS NOT A STATEWIDE ISSUE IT'S A PASCO AND OSCEOLA ISSUE. THERE'S A HANDFUL OF DISTRICTS THAT ARE IN THIS KIND OF LEVEL. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT FLORIDA IN COMPARISON TO OTHER STATES? I SHOULDN'T SPEAK TO OTHER STATES. I APOLOGIZE.

>> FLORIDA IS UNIQUE WE HAVE 67 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. OTHER DISTRICTS ARE FUNDED COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY. EDUCATION IS FUNDED AS EDUCATION WITH DIFFERENT POCKETS OF MONEY AND FUNDING FORMULAS IN DIFFERENT WAYS ON HOW THEY WORK THIS. IT IS

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. >> JUST A REMINDER, FLORIDA IS

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A MUCH LARGER TAX BASE. >> I HAD A PARENT THIS MORNING FROM TEXAS WHO GRABBED ME ON THAT SUBJECT AND SAID THE LEVEL OF TAX IS SO MUCH LOWER HERE AND THE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT. SO THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY HAS GROWN PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES DON'T UNDERSTAND

THE FINANCING. >> I LIKE TO MAKE AN OBSERVATION AND THEN A QUESTION. WITH RESPECT TO STATE REACTIONS OVER CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS THIS MAY BE AN URBAN MYTH BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY PEOPLE THAT THE PRIMARY EXAMPLE OF OVER CONSTRUCTION OCCURRED IN BREVARD COUNTY IN ACTION WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT WAS CAPE KENNEDY THEY WERE ANTICIPATING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES AND THEN HAD AN INTERESTING MOVE WHEN LYNDON JOHNSON BECAME PRESIDENT HE MADE I'M SURE A RATIONAL POLICY DECISION TO MOVE THE HEADQUARTERS TO HOUSTON. AND I THINK AT THAT TIME THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT LED THEM THROUGH HERE. BUT WE'VE NOW HIT ON AN ISSUE THAT WAS RAISED A FEW TIMES HERE. UNLESS AND UNTIL A PARTICULAR ZONE IS AT LEAST 50% ABOVE CAPACITY. IS THERE SOME TRUTH TO THIS OR SHOULD WE BE ADDRESSING THIS OTHER GROUP? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS PART OF THAT REMEDIATION? AS THE SCHOOL BOARD OUR HANDS ARE A BIT TIRED.

WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF ENTITLED PLOTS BEING BUILT TODAY AND APPARENTLY YOU CAN'T PROCEED AND SO WERE ALREADY FURTHER AROUND AND THAT IS JUST COCONUTS. DRIVING US THROUGH IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS WERE TEACHERS ARE LEAVING AND WE CAN'T KEEP ANYONE AND WE ALL KNOW THESE ISSUES. SO TIM CAN YOU RESPOND TO THIS?

>> WE HAVE HEARD THAT STATEMENT OR RELATED STATEMENT A LOT AND THE REALITY IS THE STATUTES HAVE CHANGED AND ADJUSTED OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS. I WILL SAY SINCE I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WE'VE NEVER BEEN HELD FROM BUILDING A SCHOOL BECAUSE OF A CAPACITY NUMBER ISSUE BEING 120 OR HUNDRED AND 30. WE BUILD A FIVE YOUR WORK PLAN AND WE CAN DEVELOP THAT WORKPLAN AND IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO APPROVE THE NEXT SCHOOL WHAT STANDS IN THE WAY IS THE FLOW OF DOLLARS. NOT THE STATE SAYING YES YOU CAN BUILD A NO YOU CAN'T. AND THAT HAS ACTUALLY EVOLVED A LITTLE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS IN THAT SOME OF THE OTHER REGULATIONS YOU HAVE THAT COST DISTINCTION WHERE THEY ATTENDED TRYING TO REGULATE THIS TIGHT START AND IT CAME THROUGH WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IS JUST NOT DOABLE. WE CANNOT BUILD A SCHOOL ANY CLOSE WHAT WE DID BEFORE 2020. SO TO GO ON A CONSTRUCTION INDEX WHICH

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>> I THINK IT PLAYS A ROLE FOR SURE BUT I THINK THE CASH FLOW IS WHAT GETS IN OUR WAY THE MOST. THERE IS NO PAY-AS-YOU-GO WE CANNOT COLLECT ENOUGH DOLLARS AND JUST PAY CASH FOR $70 MILLION SCHOOL? WE WILL NEVER GET THERE. WE ARE STRUCTURED OFF A LITTLE BUT UNDERSTANDING THE BONDING CAPACITY IS REGULATED BY THE STATE. WHEN IT WENT THROUGH YOU ACTUALLY PUSH DOWN YOUR BODY CAPACITY I WASN'T TRYING TO GET INTO THIS LEGISLATIVE REASON BUT THAT PUSHED DOWN THE BONDING CAPACITY SO WE HAVE TO ROLL THE PROJECTS OFF BEFORE WE CAN ROLL THE NEXT ONE ON. NOW IT IS GOOD WE CAN BORROW AT A BETTER PERCENTAGE RATE THAN ANYONE ELSE WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHERS THAT WANT TO BUILD FOR US AND IT WOULD ULTIMATELY COST US MORE IF WE HAD A THIRD-PARTY BUILD. SO WE BUILD WE GET GREAT RATES FROM THE SOUND ORGANIZATION BUT, BONDING CAPACITY STARTS TO TAKE OVER WE ARE IN A GOOD PLACE RIGHT NOW

>> WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A TOPIC OF GREAT INTEREST BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME FOLKS HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HIT YOUR REQUEST TO SPEAK BUTTON PLEASE? I KNOW WERE CRAZY BUT IF I CALL A COMMISSIONERS NAME IS JUST BECAUSE IT'S ASSIGNED TO THEIR DESK BUT I DO APPRECIATE THIS

DISCUSSION. >> I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION IN REGARDS TO FREEING UP THE CASH FLOW. WE BOUNCED AROUND THE IDEA OF LOOSENING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION SESSIONS IF WE WERE TO DO THAT AND THAT WAS AN OPTION THAT WENT THROUGH DEVELOPING THESE DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE ENOUGH SCHOOLS TO HOUSE THIS? IF WE LET GO OF THAT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HURT US WITH ALL OF THE GROWTH? BECAUSE I THINK YOUR DEPARTMENT OF GROWTH ARE THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE ANSWERING THIS. SO HERE IS WHAT I WILL TELL YOU, WE BENEFIT IN A WAY THAT MANY OTHER DISTRICTS OR COUNTIES DO NOT

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BUT IT DOES EXPAND THE PROJECT SO THERE ARE SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES THAT DO GET BROUGHT IN AND COULD IMPACT THE TIMING BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE BLESSINGS OF HER RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE HERE WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS THAT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH. IF THAT ONE AWAY IT WASN'T A DEMAND SO THE ANSWER IS YES THAT SIMPLIFIES TO SOME DEGREE THE CONSTRUCTIONS

WITH THE SCHOOLS. >> THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY AND ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS FOR US.

COMMISSIONER THANK YOU AS WELL FOR BRINGING UP THOSE POINTS THAT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS TO BE WORRIED ABOUT. THE NEW MODEL MOVING FORWARD COMING UP IN ST. JOHN'S COUNTY IS THE K-8 THE NEW STANDARD MODEL? IS THAT A LOCAL

DECISION OR WHAT HAVE YOU? >> THIS IS A LOCAL DECISION. IT IS ALSO LOCAL TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS A PROJECT DECISION AND NOT A COUNTY COMMITMENT OR DISTRICT COMMITMENT TO SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO ALL KATES BECAUSE THE PROJECT IN RIVERTOWN IS A K8 AS IT OPENS BUT IT WILL CONVERT. IT IS WITHIN THE PROJECT AND CERTAIN PARTS OF THE COUNTY WILL STILL BE IN THE MIDDLE ELEMENTARY ENVIRONMENT AND THE KA BENEFIT IS HIGH DENSE RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY WHERE YOU CAN SERVE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL RIGHT ON TOP OF YOU AND YOU CAN SERVE THEM UNDER ONE ROOF FROM K-8 OR PRE-K-8 IN SOME CASES SO IT IS NOW JUST PART OF THE

OPTIONS. >> HELLO AGAIN. SO, GOING FORWARD WE KEEP APPROVING MORE HOMES IS THIS SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU MORE NERVOUS OR DO YOU WANT US TO SLOW DOWN OR HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME WE GIVE US YOUR OPINION BEFORE YOU GIVE US THESE LARGE HOMEBUILDING PROJECTS? I HAVE BEEN AT A FEW OF THESE. SO I COULD TELL THE BOARD WHAT IS COMING UP AND YOU CAN GIVE YOUR OPINION OR MIGHT BE SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE TOOLBOX TO KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT COMING UP

>> I THINK THERE IS A LEGAL OPINION THAT PROBABLY HAS TO BE STATED IN REGARDS TO WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD SIT ON THAT QUESTION. HISTORICALLY, WE ARE INFRASTRUCTURE. AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM WE ARE GOING TO RESPOND TO THE DEMAND SO HERE IS WHAT WE MUST FOLLOW IN DUE TO THAT DEMAND. I SHOULDN'T HAVE A PERSONAL OPINION ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. THE REALITY, THERE ARE BOTH STATUTORY AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS AND MANDATES THAT DRIVE THIS. WHEN AN APPLICATION OR PERMIT COMES IN THERE IS AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE THAT YOU SEE AND YOU GET. THAT'S FOR THE PROPORTIONATE SHARE MITIGATION COMES IN. THE RESULT OF THAT CONVERSATION THAT DOES OCCUR SO IT'S NOT ABSENT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BEING PART OF THIS.

THERE DOES HOWEVER BECOME THE PART WHERE YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY OF THIS PERMIT AND THAT'S WHERE IT LIES AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD BE THE ONE TO SAY IT SHOULD LIE ANYWHERE ELSE

OTHER THAN THERE ULTIMATELY. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT WHEN I LOOK AT THE CHARTS, I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMISSION AND REALLY THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SALES TAX. I CAN REMEMBER ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO AS A SCHOOL BOARD AND DISTRICT, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A PANIC BECAUSE THE GROWTH WAS HAPPENING AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY THE FUNDS WERE DRYING UP AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AS A

[01:00:04]

COMMISSIONER COULD YOU JUST COMMENT IF THE ELECTORATE WOULD'VE DENIED THIS, WHAT POSITION WITH THE SCHOOL

DISTRICT HAVE BEEN IN? >> I FEEL LIKE I'VE EATEN UP A LOT OF YOUR TIME ALREADY. BUT I CAN RACE THROUGH THE BITS OF INFORMATION I WANTED TO GIVE YOU. SALES TAX CONSTRUCTION HAS HAD TWO NEW SCHOOLS THAT WOULD NOT BE THERE. TWO PARTIAL SCHOOLS THAT PROBABLY HAD BEEN ONE INSTEAD OF TO BECAUSE USE THIS IS ONE FUNDING SOURCE AND ONE SCHOOL EXPANSION BEYOND THAT. SO WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT 4000 VIEWERS EATS IN OUR SYSTEM RIGHT NOW. AND IT'S MORE THAN THAT RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY.

IT'S 5655 STUDENT STATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT AS A RESULT OF

SALES TAX. >> THANK YOU MR. SUPERINTENDENT.

I KNOW I'VE TAKEN UP TOO MUCH TIME BUT THERE IS A LOT OF

ENGAGEMENT HERE. >> AS LONG AS YOU'RE GOOD I'M GOOD. IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, THERE'S BEEN EXTENSIVE GROWTH IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. I HATE TO SAY WHEN I SERVED BECAUSE I STARTED TO TEACH IN 1980 BEFORE SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM OR EVEN BORN BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS NOT 13,000 STUDENTS. NOW IT IS 52,000. IN THAT TIME WE'VE HAD NINE NEW SCHOOLS AND THREE EXPANSIONS WE HAVE THREE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW. SO BACK TO YOUR POINT, TWO NEW SCHOOLS TO PARTIAL SCHOOLS AND ONE SCHOOL EXPANSION IS EQUAL TO THOSE STATIONS. THE OTHER CAPITAL FUNDING IS JUST UNDER 8000 STUDENT STATIONS. SO UNDER THAT TIMEFRAME WE HAVE BUILT 13,545. 40% OR SO OF THAT IS SALES TAX DEPENDENT INTO YOUR POINT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE THESE PEAKS FOR YOU AND US WITH ECONOMIC FLOURISHES IN HOME SALES PEAKING AS THEY DID MAYBE A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN YOU SAW THOSE PERMITS YOU CAN SEE IT STARING TO LEVEL OUT SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW? THE MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED SCHOOLS LIKE PINE ISLAND AND BEACH SIDE IN THE WORLD GOLF AREA AND BEACH SIDE TWIN CREEKS AREA IN THIS LAST THREE YEARS, 5700 STUDENT STATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED AND MOST OF THEM AS YOU CAN SEE HAVE BEEN HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL STILL HERE AFTER ADDING THESE TWO WITH 2500+ STUDENTS AND RELOCATABLE CLASSES. WE HAVE THREE UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW THAT WOULD ADD ANOTHER 4000 STUDENT STATIONS. AND TWO IN THE PLANNING STATIONS THAT COME UP TO 7100 STATIONS SO IN THE PAST THREE TO THE NEXT THREE WE WILL ADD 20,693 STUDENT STATIONS SO IT'S NOT A MATTER OF BEING ABLE TO DO IT THERE IS CAPACITY TO DO THAT MANY PROJECTS IN THE SYSTEM TO GET THEM ONLINE SO THEY ARE PLEASED WITH THAT ABILITY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT WINDOW BUT THAT IS MORE EXPLOSIVE THAN WHAT I THINK WE'VE EVER HAD SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE YEARS BACK OR THREE YEARS AHEAD WITH 20,000 STUDENTS THAT BIGGER THAN MOST DISTRICT SO THAT'S WHAT WERE LOOKING AT. SO I THINK THAT WAS EVERYTHING THAT I WANTED TO GET TO YOU. AND SO I WILL PAUSE NOW IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS

OR COMMENTS? >> I WANT TO THANK YOU. YOU HAVE COVERED A LOT OF GROUND AND WE'VE BEEN TAKING THE NOTES

[01:05:02]

>> I WANT TO ADD THAT I DO APPRECIATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TASK FORCE YOU NOW HAVE A SCHOOL DISTRICT MEMBERS SITTING HERE AS WELL AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF PCA AND OTHERS SO THAT CONNECTION IS

VERY IMPORTANT >> I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A LITTLE SLOW ON THE DRAW I HATE TO TAKE UP ANY MORE TIME BUT THIS MEETING I THINK IS CRITICAL SO I HOPE IT DOES NOT BOTHER YOU THAT I TAKE UP A LITTLE MORE TIME I LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION DEVELOPMENT. PARTICULARLY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW STUDENTS. I THINK EVERYONE MUST UNDERSTAND THIS.

WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH COMMUNICATION AS TO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A 2000 UNIT DEVELOPMENT COMES TO US I KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROPORTIONATE SHARE IN A DISTINCTION WITH THE PICO FUNDING RAISING THAT IMPACT FEE IN GENERAL IF IT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. WERE IN A 30 FOOT DEEP WELL WITH A 10 FOOT ROPE.

WE ARE STRUGGLING TO GET OUT OF THE PROBLEM HERE AND I'M NOT SEEING ANY QUICK SOLUTIONS. I'VE ONCE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HERE IF THERE COULD BE BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE COUNTY COMMISSION WITH RESPECT TO WHEN ENOUGH IS ENOUGH? WE REALLY HAVE TROUBLE SERVING THESE CHILDREN AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE THEM A MORE DEFINITIVE ANSWER. I DON'T KNOW IF I AM EXPRESSING MYSELF SUFFICIENTLY. I AM LOOKING FOR A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN GET INFORMATION OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE STAFF TO SHOW WHAT WILL PUT TOO BIG OF A BURDEN ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. WORKING WITH THOSE PARENTS ON 50 OR 60 AFFORDABLE UNITS WE ARE SO FAR BEHIND. I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE IS CASTING BLAME ON THIS.

CURRENTLY WE HAVE PROBLEMS THAT THE GROUP IS TRYING TO SOLVE.

JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS HERE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS HERE.

THERE IS ALWAYS A CORRELATION BETWEEN OUR PROJECT ORIENTATION AND WHERE IT HAS TO BE WE HAVE TO ACCELERATE THERE ARE TIMES NOT BY DECISION-MAKING BUT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE SO WE WILL GET AHEAD OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND CASH FLOW FROM THE COUNTY LEVEL AS WELL. WE WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER AND WE TALK ABOUT ROADWAYS AND PARKS AND IN SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THERE ARE ADJACENT PARTS AND THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT ASSET THAT YOU GET TO SHARE PARKING AND SOME OF THESE THINGS. I THINK IT IS JUST MORE COMPLEX WANTING TO TAKE IT DOWN INTO SIMPLE SOLUTIONS. WHEN THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT COME ALONG AND PLAY A PROPORTIONATE SHARE THERE MAY BE 1000 HOMES OR 1500 HOMES AND WHAT THEY PRODUCE IN STUDENTS MIGHT BE 250 OR 100 STUDENTS. WHILE WE ARE NOT GOING TO BUILD 250 STUDENT SCHOOLS AND NOT NECESSARILY BUILD AN EXPANSION ON A SCHOOL IF WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLES IN THIS PROJECT AREA AND WE NEED TO BE PATIENT UNTIL THEY ALL COME INTO FULL EFFECT AND SAY IT IS NOW TIME FOR THE SCHOOL. I THINK THERE ARE TIMES WERE STRATEGICALLY WE HAVE TO HOLD SOME OF THESE PROP SHARE

[01:10:06]

>> THANK YOU CHAIRMAN. I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO COMMISSIONER DAVISES QUESTION. THEY ARE PREPARED NOW TO RESPOND AND I WANT TO SAY THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE STAFF IS PRETTY MUCH FRAMEWORKS BY THE PROP SHARE APPROVAL PROCESS. THEY ARE PREPARED TO WALK US THROUGH THIS PROCESS A BIT OF COURSE TIM AND I ARE HERE TO WAIT FOR POLICY DECISIONS AND DIRECTIONS FROM THE BOARD CERTAINLY WE CAN

IMPROVE TODAY. >> THANK YOU. WE JUST WANT TO ECHO THAT THERE IS A PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING WITH THE STATE LAWS AND REQUIREMENTS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD IS FUNCTIONING THERE IS COMMUNICATION GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS COULD BE APPROVED. THIS MEETING IS REALLY THE VEHICLE FOR IT BUT WE ARE COMPLYING WITH ALL THAT THEY ARE INTEGRATING INTO THIS PROCESS. THEY DO KNOW WHAT IS COMING ME SEE IT THEY SIGNED OFF ON ALL THE PERMITS AS THEY COME THROUGH THE VERY BEGINNING AND THEY DO CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

>> ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THE SUPERINTENDENT MENTIONED A LEGAL COMPONENT IN ORDER TO GIVE YOU ALL THE BACKGROUND OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE, THERE USED TO BE A CASE OUT OF ORANGE COUNTY LONG ENOUGH AGO THAT THE DEPUTY SUPER AT THAT TIME WAS DOCTORED JOE JOYNER BEFORE HE BECAME OUR SUPERINTENDENT. AND WE WERE EXCITED BY IT BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT THE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD MAKE A VOICE UNDER COMP PLAN ABSENT CONCURRENCY OR ANYTHING ELSE CONCERNING WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE. TIM MENTIONED AND I ALSO THINK COMMISSIONER DEAN MENTIONED THE 2018 LAST UPDATE OF THE IMPACT FEE WHICH WAS DONE BY DR. JIM NICHOLAS AS SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL. WE GAVE A WORKSHOP TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHEN THE ORANGE COUNTY CASE CAME OUT JUST AS DR. JOYNER

[01:15:02]

[2. Presentation of school-related infrastructure projects.]

>> WE APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. SO LET'S MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO. INTERIM ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

IT DOESN'T REALLY MEAN MUCH. FIRST OF ALL I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE LAST QUESTION. WITHIN THE LEGAL STATUTES THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP BY THE STATE WITH CONCURRENCY AND PROP SHRE AGREEMENTS WE CAN SET THESE BOUNDARIES. THE COUNTY STAFF AND THE SCHOOL BOARD STAFF WORKED VERY CLOSELY SO WE WANT TO WALK THROUGH THIS PROCESS. WHEN A DEVELOPER HAS A PROJECT LET'S SAY 1000 HOUSE SUBDIVISION WHEN THEY COME INTO THE COUNTY TO START THIS PROCESS, BEFORE ANYONE UP THERE CAN EVEN SEE IT FOR APPROVAL IT HAS GONE THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THEY'VE LOOKED AT THE CONCURRENCY AND SAY THAT YES WE HAVE THE CAPACITY. IF THEY DO NOT SIGN OFF ON IT IT STOPS IN THAT PROCESS. SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY TO MAKE SURE CAPACITY IS HERE.

AND THAT IS TRUE FOR ALL THE OTHER ONES AS WELL. WITHIN THE STATUTES THERE ARE LIMITATIONS AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET MY PERSONAL OPINION HERE BUT THERE ARE STATUTES THAT WE CAN LOOK AT. WITHIN THOSE LIMITATIONS IT DOES NOT COME TO YOU FOR APPROVAL UNLESS ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN SIGNED OFF AND APPROVED. WE'VE SEEN PROP SHARE AGREEMENTS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD ON YOUR AGENDA AND THEY'VE ALREADY SEEN THOSE AND APPROVE THEM SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE HANDLED THE DEVELOPERS KNOW THAT THE PROCESS IS SET SO THOSE THINGS

ARE IN PLACE. >> I LIKE TO CLARIFY IF WE DO NOT HAVE CAPACITY BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T STATE THIS, THEN THERE IS

A PAYMENT FORMULA. >> THAT'S CORRECT. WE MAY NOT HAVE CAPACITY AND WE STATE THAT BUT THERE IS A PAYMENT FORMULA THAT IS APPLIED TO OFFSET THE LACK OF CAPACITY.

>> WHAT CAPACITY MEANS IS THAT THERE IS CAPACITY NOW OR THERE IS A PLAN AND A PAYMENT FOR THAT CAPACITY AND THAT'S TRUE WITH UTILITY SCHOOLS ROADS AND ALL. AND SOMETIMES THERE ARE ALSO PROP SHARE AGREEMENTS AND EVERYTHING IN HERE AS WELL. IT IS LOOKED UP BY STAFF AND SIGNED OFF BEFORE IT GETS TO YOU. SO HAS ANYONE LOOKED AT THE SCHOOLS? ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT AND THERE IS A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THIS. IT IS FOLLOWING THAT STATUTORY PROCESS. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY

QUESTIONS ON THAT? >> WHEN YOU SAID WHAT YOU DID, IT COULD ALMOST BE CONSTRUED TO MEAN THAT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE CAPACITY THAN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD STOP THE PROJECT BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IS TRUE?

>> IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOES NOT SIGN OFF ON CONCURRENCY IT STOPPED WITHIN THE PROCESS OF GETTING IT APPROVED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE CONCURRENCY APPROVED. SO TECHNICALLY THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES NOT STOP A PROJECT. THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET PAST THAT LIKE THE CHAIRWOMAN STATED THEY

[01:20:01]

COUNTY DEVELOPMENT EITHER. >> AS WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT THE DEVELOPER HAS THE OPTION TO WAIT?

>> ABSOLUTELY AND WE ENCOURAGE THAT.

>> COMMISSIONER JOSEPH? >> I JUST HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD QUESTION WHEN YOU ARE AT CAPACITY BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY MORE DOES THAT CREATE ANOTHER SEAT OR WHERE DOES THAT MONEY

GO? >> ME AGAINST THAT?

>> AHEAD. >> OKAY. SO THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING AT THE CLOSE THAT SOMETIMES WHEN A PROJECT COMES FORWARD AND THEY PAY WE KNOW FROM DAY ONE THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE THIS NO MATTER WHAT. WE MIGHT SERVE THEM IN A PORTABLE OR AN OVERCROWDED SCHOOL. BUT AT SOME POINT WE WILL COLLECT MULTIPLE SCHOOL CONCURRENCY PAYMENTS BEFORE WE CAN ACTUALLY INITIATE A PERMANENT SOLUTION. SO WHEN WE SAY WE ARE AT CAPACITY OR NOT AT CAPACITY, THE FIRST SERVICE TO THE CHILD MAY BE A TEMPORARY SERVICE UNTIL YOU HAVE THE ACCUMULATION OF DOLLARS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR PERMANENCY.

>> WORKSHOPS ARE ALWAYS THERE WE TRY TO STAY HERE AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IS THE FEEDBACK. WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THINGS BUT LET'S GO TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS SEE YOU CAN SEE WHAT IS IN PROCESS AND WERE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME SCHOOLS AND STANDBY FOR THEIR ANY QUESTIONS ON INFRASTRUCTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCHOOL. AND THEN WE WILL GO INTO THE ROAD PROJECTS THAT IMPACT THE SCHOOLS.

>> THE MORNING BOARD MEMBERS. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS. WORKING WITH JOY HAS BEEN TERRIFIC. I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND TALK ABOUT SIX OF THESE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AFTER THAT MR. GROFF WILL COME FORWARD WITH THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE SURROUNDING THE SCHOOL SITES THAT WE HAVE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND I WILL BE QUICK ON THIS I THINK YOU MIGHT EVEN KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THESE. WE HAVE THE K8 SCHOOL IN SHEARWATER AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THIS FORWARD. IT WILL OPEN IN AUGUST OF 2024 AND IT WILL HOUSE 5900 STUDENTS. YOU CAN SEE THE KH THAT WE ARE BUILDING A REAL PROTOTYPE OF THOSE THAT WE'VE BUILT PREVIOUSLY. SO AGAIN 1500 STUDENT CAPACITY AND THAT ONE IS IN SHEARWATER. YOU CAN SEE US ON THE SOUTH END AT COUNTY ROAD 16 A WHERE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL SITE. HERE IS YOUR RENDERING OF WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE THEY WE HAVE THE K8 SCHOOL 00. THAT IS ALSO PROTOTYPE OF THE 1500 STUDENT CAPACITY TO BE COMPLETED IN 2024 AS WELL. THE PARTICULAR SCHOOL IS IN THE BEACON LAKE AREA. HERE IS A MAP OF THAT AND YOU CAN SEE COUNTY ROAD 210 IN THE NORTH AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO ENTRANCES INTO THE SCHOOL SITE AND ONE ON THE EAST SIDE WHERE IT MEETS U.S. ONE AND ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE WHERE IT IS AT THE TOP AND THE CIRCLE AREA IS WHERE THAT SCHOOL IS LOCATED. AGAIN IT IS HALFWAY FINISHED WITH ANOTHER 1500 STUDENT CAPACITY. AND THAT IS YOUR RENDERING. K8 SCHOOL PP

[01:25:07]

YOU CAN SEE RIGHT AROUND COUNTY ROAD 13 AND RIVERTOWN THERE IS YOUR RENDERING. THEN YOU HAVE QQ AGAIN WITH PROTOTYPE 1500 STUDENTS WHICH WILL BE IN SILVERLEAF AND COMPLETED IN 26.

SO WE HAVE TWO AND 24 ONE AND 25 AND THIS ONE IN 26. YOU CAN SEE SILVERLEAF ON THE MAP ENTERING FROM 16 IN THE RED CIRCLE IS OBVIOUSLY THE SCHOOL IN SILVERLEAF. THEN WE HAVE HCR ARE AGAIN WHICH WILL BE IN SOUTHWEST NOT THE T AND ALSO OPEN IN AUGUST OF 2026. YOU CAN SEE THE ORANGE STAR AT THE SOUTH END THAT IS PINE ISLAND ACADEMY THAT WAS JUST BUILT IN THE PURPLE CIRCLE WILL BE WORSE SCHOOL RR WILL BE WITH A K8 SCHOOL AND I BELIEVE THE ACCESS THERE WILL BE FROM THE SOUTH AND SOMEWHERE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA NOT OFF OF U.S. ONE IN THIS AREA. THAT ONE WILL HAVE TO ENTER IN YOUR PINE ISLAND OR FROM THE NORTH SIDE. AND THEN THE LAST ONE WE HAVE IS ALSO OPENING IN AUGUST OF 2026 THE OLD HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL. I THINK YOU'VE ALL SEEN THIS BUILDING BEFORE. HASTINGS HIGH SCHOOL HAS LONG TIME. I BELIEV PEOPLE OF HASTINGS ARE VERY EXCITED THAT WE ARE GOING TO RENOVATE AND REMODEL THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL. STARTING OUT USING THE ARPA DOLLARS FOR THIS AND THAT WILL HOUSE THE EARLY EDUCATION STUDENTS AND PRE-K STUDENTS AS WELL AS OUR ADULT EDUCATION STUDENTS AS WELL. THAT IS VERY EXCITING. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE NEW BUILDINGS.

>> I SAW ALL THE K-8'S IS THERE HIGH SCHOOL ON THE HORIZON BECAUSE THEY ALL COME OUT OF EIGHTH GRADE?

>> YES. THEY DO COME OUT OF EIGHTH GRADE AND I WOULD SAY ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL, AROUND THE 27-28 RANGE. WE WILL BE GROWING QUITE A BIT THE HIGH SCHOOL WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING HIGH SCHOOL AROUND THAT PARTICULAR TIME DID YOU TAKE A COUPLE YEARS TO BUILD SO DEPENDING ON WHEN WE CAN ACTUALLY START THE PROCESS AND THE FLOW AND SO FORTH WE CAN START THE PROCESS BUT WERE LOOKING AT 27-28

>> I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU MADE THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE. JUST REMEMBER THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR, THIS WAS A DECISION THAT WAS JOINTLY MADE. THIS IS A JOINT PROJECT THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME REVITALIZATION IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY AND THAT'S

WHERE IT SHOULD BE GIVEN. >> THANK YOU.

>> I LIKE TO TAKE A SECOND AND HIGHLIGHT MY EARLIER POINT THAT WAS SUCH AN INTERESTING PRESENTATION. THROUGH 2002 IT

[01:30:04]

THAT IS WHY WE ARE PLAYING CATCH APPEAR TODAY. JUST FOR THE LISTENERS THEY WILL HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES. IT IS HUGE NOW FOR THOSE ON THE FUTURE SERVICE. IT'S GOING TO HELP OUR KIDS TO BE IN A SPACE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ACCESSIBLE BEFORE. SO I AGAIN WANTED TO POINT OUT THE EFFICACY OF CONTINUING TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY AND WORKFORCE WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE CURRENT FTC SEES SCHOOLS AND OTHER AREA DISTRICTS AND SO FORTH. I THINK THAT IS GOING TO HELP THEM HANDS ON WITH THE CAMPUSES TO HELP BENEFIT THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL. THANK YOU.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT FUNDING AND CONSTRUCTION. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE SCHOOLS AND PINE ISLAND ACADEMY WHICH WAS BUILT AROUND HERE WITH TWO YEARS LATER THERE IS THE FUNDING PIECE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LIMIT ON FUNDING AND YOU SAW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 1.5 MILLION THAT BYLAW IS THE MAXIMUM WE CAN ASSESS FOR CAPITAL AND FOR OPERATING, BY BEING LIMITED BY THAT 1.5 EVEN WITH A HALF CENT SALES TAX FOR THE SAME PROJECT IT IS COSTING US ALMOST TWICE. SO TAKE ALL OF THAT AND WHEN YOU'RE LISTENING TO THIS. AND THAT DOES NOT EVEN INCLUDE INSURANCE WHICH HAS GONE

UP SUBSTANTIALLY. >> IT IS NICE TO HEAR THAT WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES. IT'S ALMOST LIKE AN ALLOWANCE THAT WE THEN HAVE TO DECIDE THERE WERE NOT TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THAT.

QUESTIONS? MR. GROFF? WELCOME BACK?

>> SOME OF YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY TEAM MADE UP OF DEPARTMENT HEADS TO GET TO BACK AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE HOPING TO JOIN THIS TEAM BECAUSE IT DOES REALLY HELP US TO GET ROADBLOCKS OUT OF THE WAY. WERE GLAD TO HAVE THEM AND DOING LOTS OF COORDINATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO BUILD THE LIMITED NUMBER THAT WE HAVE WE DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY AND WE FINISH IT ON TIME. I'M STARTING TO LOSE MY VOICE SO GREG IS GOING TO HELP ME TAGTEAM THIS. WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME QUICK ROAD PROJECTS AND THEY'RE ALL IMPACTING THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE EITHER UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR HAVING BEEN BUILT TO ALLEVIATE THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS THAT I DON'T THINK ANYONE EVER COMPLAINS ABOUT. START OFF YOU HAVE COUNTY RAD 210 WHICH IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST HEADACHE IS A TWO LANE

[01:35:02]

>> WE ACTUALLY HAD THE BIDS APPEAR YESTERDAY SUPER PRETTY HAPPY WITH THIS RIGHT NOW. HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE GOOD TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT. JUST OUTSIDE OF BEACHSIDE HIGH WE INTEND TO BUILD A SIX LANE SECTION WILL TIE ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO CE WILSON AS WELL AS TWO LEFT-HAND LANES FOR BEACHSIDE HIGH. AUTHORITIES ARE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AS WELL AS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO IMPLEMENT A NEW SYSTEM IN THE MORNING BUT WE DO APPRECIATE THAT WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD STAFF TRYING TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES WITH THEIR CURRENT SITUATION. THE NEW INTENT IS TO HAVE TWO EASTBOUND LANES TO THE ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION FRAME WHICH WILL BE A CONSTRAINT SYSTEM ALL THE WAY THROUGH. BUT IF WE CAN GET HERE CONTINUOUSLY THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION SHOULD HELP WITH THE ENTIRE PROJECT. THAT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW IF YOU DRIVEN THROUGH THERE IT SEEM LIKE IT TAKES FOREVER TO GET THE PROJECT STARTED. NOBODY EVER SEES THOSE THINGS BUT THEY ALL HAVE TO BE MOVED. WE ARE GETTING NEAR THE END OF THAT PROCESS SO YOU WILL SEE SOME REAL MOVEMENT ON THAT. THERE IS A PINCH POINT TO HELP WITH THE TRAFFIC THERE. THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL SEE WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT FULL TURN LANES WITH A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE GET IN AND OUT OF THE ELEMENTARY AREA. THEY ARE A FEW YEARS AWAY FROM COMPLETION HOWEVER. THEY ARE WORKING FOR THE DRAINAGE AND INFRASTRUCTURE RIGHT NOW AND YOU WILL SEE SOME MOVEMENT OVER THE COURSE OF THE

NEXT FEW YEARS. >> THIS IS THE NEXT SEGMENT WE WERE OPENING BIDS ON. FROM IDP TO STATE ROAD 16 THERE IS ANOTHER CRITICAL AREA IN THE COUNTY TO MOVE THE TRAFFIC. AT SOME POINT WE WILL WIDEN THIS ROAD AS WELL. YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF THIS WHICH IS ACTUALLY A GOOD STORY. THIS ONE CAME IN LESS THAN OUR ESTIMATES. THE OTHER PART OF THE PROJECT WAS REALLY IMPROVING COUNTY ROAD 229. IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND IS QUITE THE PINCH POINT. WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH STAFF RIGHT NOW AND THIS ALLOWS US TO GET THE IMPACT AS WELL AS A FULL INTERSECTION AGREEMENT WITH STATE ROUTE 16 THEY CAN WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY. LATER IN 2024 WE CAN LET THIS PROJECT GO FURTHER. THE D.O.T. THEY WOULD

[01:40:10]

THEM. >> THIS IS THE EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE ARE TRYING AND WHERE THEY'VE REALLY HELPED US WITH THIS BY REQUIRING NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE BEING APPROVED RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE BUILDING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE UP FIRST. SO GOING TO HAVE ROADS BUILT FOR THAT AND I BELIEVE THAT WILL HELP THE COUNTY CATCH UP QUICKER THAN IF THEY WEREN'T DOING THAT.

THE DEVELOPERS ARE PAYING FOR THE ROADS BUT THEY ARE PAYING FOR THEM IN DIFFERENT PHASES. THAT'S JUST THE WAY THE SYSTEM WAS SET UP AT THE TIME TO FUND THIS UPFRONT. PINE ISLE AND U.S. ONE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COUNTY AND EVERYONE IT WAS A FAIRLY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION. LOTS OF SCHOOL TRAFFIC AND WILL LET GREG TALK ABOUT THIS BUT WE HAVE TO PURCHASE PROPERTY TO MAKE THIS WORK. IT IS FULLY FUNDED SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING THOSE FINAL APPROVALS.

>> THIS IS THE NEW CONNECTION WHICH HAS OPENED UP AND INTERSECTIONS WERE TRAFFIC. AS WELL AS THE PINE ISLAND ACADEMY THAT IS LOCATED DOWN THE ROAD. THERE IS MORE TRAFFIC OPEN UP TO THE CENTER SECTION IN THE STATE HAS PROVIDED US 2 MILLION OF THE 3.8 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT. IT'S NOT AS EASY OF AN INTERSECTION IS YOU WOULD THINK. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES WE ARE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. SIGNALS SHOULD BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN 2024. I THINK EVERYONE WITH THE STATE AS WELL UNDERSTANDS THE CONCEPT THAT IS HERE PROVIDED BY THE STATE. WE WILL HAVE THIS PROJECT OUT AND READY TO CONSTRUCT. IT DOES HAVE A FAIRLY LARGE IMPACT. AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE THIS

[01:45:06]

>> QUICKLY I HAVE TO SAY I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FIRST TIME GOING THROUGH HERE. MY GPS TOOK ME ON THIS DIRT ROAD AND I THOUGHT I WAS BACK IN THE MIDDLE OF RANCH COUNTRY IN TEXAS. I

WAS SHOCKED. >> IT WILL BE FIXED SHORTLY.

THE LAST PROJECT IS ONE THAT WE JUST COMPLETED. I THINK IT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. IT WAS REALLY JUST IMPROVING THE ROAD AND MAKING IT WORK. WE REALLY JUST WANTED TO SHOW SOME PICTURES PHYLLIS LOOK AT THE ADVANTAGE IT HAS? HOMELESS BOULEVARD DOES RECEIVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS ON THIS WAS A VERY TOUGH PROJECT TO CHANGE THE SCHOOL BOARD AND TRANSPORTATION TEAM WORKING WITH US LOOKING AT THEIR EGRESS HAND-IN-HAND COMMUNICATING ON A DAILY LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FUNCTION WAS HERE AS WELL AS IT COULD BE. THAT OPENS AN ENTIRE CORRIDOR AS WELL AS OTHER MOVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE LIEN.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN SHOW MORE PICTURES LIKE THIS. WE REALLY WANTED TO SHOW THE ONES THAT HAD IMPACT THE SCHOOLS. WERE VERY GRATEFUL WITH SOME LEGISLATIVE FUNDING ON SOME OF THESE ROADS WITH INTERMITTENT IMPROVEMENTS. THANK YOU MR. CARL?

>> THANK YOU I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION A FEW NEXT STEPS THEY'RE NOT LEGISLATIVE OPTIONS YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY MIGHT BE SEEING.

IT'S DUE ON NOVEMBER 1ST AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE LOOKING AT REPEALS AND REVISIONS TO THE CODE IT WOULD BE AN EXTENSIVE REPORT AND OTHER SUPPOSED TO BE OUTREACH WITH THESE SUPERINTENDENTS AS WELL WITHIN THIS PROCESS. THE REPORT WOULD THEN BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR WITH THE PURPOSE IN THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS WHICH THEY HAVE HERE TO ALSO ADDRESS

[01:50:08]

THINK OF. >> ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. AT YOU PLEASE TAKE US A PUBLIC COMMENT?

>> AT THIS TIME WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC, FOR MATTERS NOT ON THE REGULAR AGENDA. ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD SHOULD STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS AND THEY WILL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SHOULD COMPLY WITH THE RULES OF DECORUM. COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE AND NOT UNIQUE COMMISSIONER OR DEMAND FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE. NO PERSON MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD OF PERSONAL IMPERTINENT OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE SHOULD REFRAIN FROM BOISTEROUS APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF ANY COMMENT. ANY OVERHEAD MATERIAL NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED TO COUNSEL.

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CARRIE KESTERSON. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR MEETING TO MEETING LISTENING AND GREETING GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND REALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE TODAY IS SO WONDERFUL TRYING TO GET TO THE SOLUTION. BUT I STILL SEE A LITTLE DANCE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO STEP ON TOO MANY TOES. AS ONE OF THE PARENTS HERE FOR NINE YEARS AND IS A TRANSPLANT I'M MUCH HAPPIER HERE IN FLORIDA. LET'S TALK ABOUT TEACHERS AND TEACHER PAY.

WHAT STREAMS OF MONEY CAN HELP WITH THIS. I CAN SEE HOW MUCH MORE THERE MAKING AND WE CAN GET THAT BACK. SAINT JOHNS USED TO HAVE THE HIGHEST AVERAGE AGE. AND WERE TALKING ABOUT NEEDING MORE TEACHERS. AND MAYBE THAT'S A NUMBER THAT CAN BE SHOWN HERE.

MAYBE WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT RECRUITING BEFORE WE CAN IMPROVE THE NEXT THING. BOTH ARE OVERCROWDED HERE SO THESE ARE NEW THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP WITH ALL OF THESE CAPITAL FUNDS SOME LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO SO TEACHERS CAN GET THAT $10,000 BOND. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE LEAVING US. I'M WILLING TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE TAXES BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT WE NEED TO START PAINTING THE PICTURE SO THAT IT WILL EXTEND THE SALES TAX. THEY WERE WATCHING THIS, AND WE WANT TO GET TO THIS POINT OF COMMUNICATION. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU MA'AM. >> GOOD MORNING. THIS IS DEBBIE

[01:55:17]

>> I CANNOT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH. IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL HERE TOGETHER. SO MANY OF US HAVE SUCH A GREAT NEED RIGHT NOW FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND NRK FIVE KIDS ARE JUST NOT ABLE TO GO THROUGH THOSE CAKES. WE HAVE A HUGE NEED FOR NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND TO USE THOSE COUNTY BUILDINGS THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALREADY THERE. AND IF SENATOR HUDSON COULD COME THROUGH WITH THE DEREGULATION INFORMATION AND ALL THOSE BUILDINGS DON'T HAVE TO BE BUILT TO THAT HURRICANE LEVEL THAT CURRENTLY THEY DO WHAT A BETTER WAY THEN TO UTILIZE THAT SPACE? THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. IT IS REALLY ALL ABOUT OUR KIDS

SO THANK YOU AGAIN. >> MY NAME IS TENDER LEVINE I'VE SPOKEN WITH ALL OF YOU BEFORE. YOU HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AND I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING I'VE HEARD WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED ABOUT THE DELAY IN FUNDS BUT AS A PARENT WHO REMOVED THEM BECAUSE OF THE OVERCROWDING THAT WAS VERY CONSEQUENTIAL. THERE WAS NO PLACE TO HAVE THOSE CLASSES SO THE COMMISSIONER DEANS. IF WE CAN LOOK AT HOW TO DO THIS

[02:00:04]

COMMENT WE WILL CLOSE IT NOW. >> TONY COLEMAN HAD A FAMILY SITUATION. ONE OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CLOSING REMARKS.

AGAIN WE WILL TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER ONE HERE BUT ALSO GOING FORWARD AND IMPROVING DEVELOPMENT HOPEFULLY WILL BE ON TRACK TO GET THESE KIDS THE SEATS TO DEVELOP.

>> I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS JOINT MEETING THAT WE'VE STROVE TO BRING FORWARD FOR A LONG TIME. IT DOES COMPLICATE THINGS. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OTHER TIMES IN THE FUTURE. IT'S BEEN VERY IMPORTANT AND HELPFUL WITH THE CONSTRAINTS

THAT WE ARE OPERATING UNDER. >> THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. I LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO SENATOR HUDSON AND ALL THOSE HERE TODAY.

WE HAVE TO COME THROUGH WITH COLLABORATIONS I APPRECIATE IF

ONE'S EFFORTS TODAY. >> FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE SENIOR STAFF HERE FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. FOR ME IT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. THEY SAY YOU CANNOT TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS. BUT I BELIEVE THAT IS NOT TRUE. THERE ARE THINGS I WAS UNAWARE OF THE HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL. AND I WOULD ECHO THE PLANE FROM COMMISSIONER JOSEPH WE DO HAVE AN EARLY SESSION IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY AND I SUGGEST MAYBE A JOINT MEETING AGAIN TO ANALYZE THIS BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE A REVIEW FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD'S LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. I DO BELIEVE THIS TO BE A GOOD TIME TO RECONVENE AT THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE

SESSION. >> I HAVE ENJOYED THIS AS WELL.

FROM MY PERSPECTIVE JUST LOOKING AT WHAT THEY HAVE FOR US THAT MADE MY DAY. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO THIS MORE OFTEN. I DID LEARN A LOT AND GET A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT OF IT. LOOKING AT WHY THE SCHOOL REMEMBERS AND THE COMMISSIONERS AREN'T GETTING TOGETHER MORE. SO WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE US

[02:05:04]

>> I CONCUR WITH THE GRATITUDE THAT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED. MUCH OF HER ISSUES ARE FROM PEOPLE MOVING IN AND I SAY I CANNOT BLAME THEM FOR WANTING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

>> I TOO AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE STAFF WORK. HIS MANY IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK AT WITH THE LEVELS NOT IMMUNE FROM INFLATION. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT LIVING HERE IS THIS IS ONE OF THE LOWEST DATE COUNTY TAXED AREAS. I WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL A FEW YEARS LATER MY PARENTS WERE SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT MORE PEOPLE MOVING HERE. THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT MORE PEOPLE CONTINUE TO MOVE IN. WE LIKED IT AT THE SIZE THAT WAS WHEN WE MOVED HERE. MOST PEOPLE LIKE IT THE SIZE IT WAS WHEN THEY GOT HERE. BECAUSE IT IS A GORGEOUS PLACE TO LIVE IN THERE SO MANY NICE PEOPLE WE ARE VICTIM OF HER OWN SUCCESS. AND I JUST APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT MADE STANDING SHOULDER TO

SHOULDER WITH YOU. >> THANK YOU. WE ARE A COMMUNITY ONE WHO LOVES WHERE WE LIVE AND WE LOVE OUR TEACHERS. WE LOVE THOSE WORKING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE HAD TOGETHER TO COME ON THE HASTING PROJECT WHICH WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND ARE SCHOOLS AND THE PEOPLE MOST OF ALL. ONE OF OUR MISSIONS OF LIFELONG LEARNING. IN FT TC PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN LIFELONG LEARNING AND EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ST. JOHN COUNTY. THE MORE OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE THE BETTER OFF WE ALL ARE. AND WITHIN THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS YOU COULD SEE HOW WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW. I'D LIKE TO THANK

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.