Oct 31, 2023 County Administrator Recruitment

[County Administrator Recruitment on October 31, 2023]

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>> GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ST. JOHNS YOUNT BOARD OF YOUNT COMMISSIONERS.

I'M GOING TO INVITE PASTOR MATT MCGLOWRY TO LEAD US IN TODAY'S INVOCATION. PASTOR, GOOD MORNING.

IF EVERYBODY WOULDN'T MIND RISING.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING.

WE ARE HAVING A FULL FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY NIGHT.

I WANT TO INVITE ANYONE OUT TO OUR PROPERTY ON 207.

COME JOIN US. I WANT TO READ THIS VERSE THIS MORNING. SECOND CORINTHIANS.

WE ARE ALWAYS OF GOOD COURAGE. WE KNOW THAT WHILE WE ARE AT HOME, IN THE BODY, WE ARE AWAY FROM THE LORD.

WE WALK BY FAITH, AND NOT BY SIGHT.

GOD, WE THANK YOU THIS MORNING. WE PRAY FOR THIS MEETING SPECIFICALLY. THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR COUNTY, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

BLESS THIS MEETING WITH YOUR WISDOM, WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN THIS COUNTY, THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

FATHER, I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT THIS IS EVEN HAPPENING.

THAT THERE IS PRAYER HAPPENING BEFORE THIS MEETING.

LORD, I THANK YOU. YOU HAVE CALLED US TO BE SALT, TO BE LIFE. BLESS THIS MEETING TODAY.

IN YE US ISN'T NAME, AMEN. >> AMEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, "PASTOR. TO LEAD US IN OUR NATION'S PLEDGE TO THE FLAG. TODD DIAZ, CORPORAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS. CORPORAL DIAZ.

>> 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.

>> SIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> OKAY. WELL, I WAS SO EXCITED TO GET THE MEETING STARTED, THAT WE DID NOT TAKE THE ROLL.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

>> CHAIR COMMISSIONER CHRISTIAN WHITE SNURS.

>> I AM PRESENT. >> SARAH AROUND?

>> PRESENT. COMMISSIONER HENRY DEAN?

>> PRESENT. >> COMMISSIONER KRISTA JOSEPH?

>> PRESENT. >> EVERYBODY IS PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR. ANY DELETIONS OR ADDITIONS TO OUR SPECIAL AGENDA. COMMISSIONER JOSEPH?

>> NO, SIR. COMMISSIONER ARNOLD?

>> NO. I HAVE KNOWN.

>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL AGENDA.

>> SO MOVED. >> SECOND.

>> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

DO WE NEED TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT, MR. MIGUT? NO. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM, THE OVERVIEW OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK OUR HR STAFF.

ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE.

MAGGIE, OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM LED BY MR. WILLIAM LARSON.

THIS BOARD HAS ASKED YOU TO DO A GREAT DEAL OF WORK IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. BASED ON THE ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH OUR FINALIST, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT WORK-- THANK YOU SO MUCH. FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION YOU HAVE SHOWN IN THESE LAST THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.

I'M CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO MOVE INTO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1. MR. DINNEEN.

GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS. IT IS A WONDERFUL DAY TO BE HERE TODAY. WE START THIS IMPORTANT PROCESS.

MYSELF AND JOAN WALKO ARE HERE FROM GOVHR.

FIRST, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PICKING OUR FIRM AT THE END OF JULY TO CONDUCT THIS STUDY. IT HAS BEEN A REAL PLEASURE WORKING FOR YOUR COUNTY. I DO WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS. I'M GOING TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW FOR THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW THE PROCESS WENT.

ONCE YOU SELECTED US, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND IT IS REALLY HELPFUL TO INTERVIEW ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ONE ON ONE ON THE 27TH. THAT REALLY HELPED GIVE ME INSIGHT INTO WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR BEYOND QUALIFICATIONS ON PAPER. I ALSO GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND GET PERSPECTIVE FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT YOU APPOINTED WHICH WAS MS. HUTCHISON, JERRY WILSON, BRIAN PATTY AND COMMISSIONER DEAN.

THAT WAS A KEY PART OF THE PROCESS.

AS YOU KNOW, ON THE BOOK THAT WE SENT YOU, THE ELECTRONIC BOOK, WHICH WAS 225 PAGES, THAT WAS OVER-- WE HAD 101 APPLICANTS

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THE SAME TIME, YOU RECEIVED THAT BOOK, WE GAVE THAT TO THE COMMITTEE. COMMITTEE, WHAT WE HAD DONE BETWEEN THE TIME THAT WE PUT OUT THE ADVERTISEMENT AND BY OCTOBER 6, WE HAD DONE OUR REVIEW OF THE 101 CANDIDATES.

WHAT WE TRY TO DO WAS WE TRIED TO FIND NOT WHO YOU SHOULD HIRE BUT WHO THE BEST CANDIDATES WERE IN THE POOL THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.

USING OUR EXPERIENCE AND ESPECIALLY NARROWING DOWN BASED ON THE CRITERIA YOU GAVE US WHICH HAS TO DO WITH COMMUNICATIONS, ETHICS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT EACH ONE OF YOU EXPLAINED. WE NARROWED THAT DOWN TO 12 TOP FINALISTS. NOW, THE FIRST GROUP THAT WE HAD OF 101 WAS EXTREMELY DIVERSE. ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND WITH REALLY INTERESTING BACKGROUNDS.

AND WE NARROWED THAT DOWN TO 12 PEOPLE.

THOSE 12 PEOPLE, STILL VERY DISSERS HAVE, DIVERSE.

ALSO HAD BACKGROUNDS, NONTRADITIONAL BACKGROUNDS, TOO.

SOME PEOPLE HAD PRIVATE-SECTOR INDUSTRY BACKGROUND, TRANSPORTATION BACKGROUND. IT ALL RELATED TO THE THINGS YOU SAID YOU WANTED. OKAY? WE REVIEWED ON OCTOBER 6, WE MET WITH, IN PERSON, WITH YOUR COMMITTEE. WE WENT THROUGH THE 12 CANDIDATES THAT HAD MADE IT TO THAT STAGE.

BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAD AND THE INTERVIEWS THAT WERE DONE ON ZOOM BY JOAN AND I. WE MET WITH THE COMMITTEE, WITH THOSE 12. WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME IN THIS ROOM REVIEWING, AND I THANK THEM FOR THIS.

THEY HAD TO TAKE THE WHOLE 225-PAGE BOOK, AND THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH IT, UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH CANDIDATE HAD OFFERED.

THE COVER LETTERS. ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CANDIDATE. AND OUR PRELIMINARY BACKGROUND INFORMATION WHICH HAD TO DO WITH A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA, THINGS LIKE THAT, TO FIND OUT WHETHER THERE IS SOME BAGGAGE WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT. AFTER GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT WE ZOOM INTERVIEW A SECOND TIME FIVE CANDIDATES.

WE DID THAT ON THE 9TH OAF OCTOBER.

THAT WAS AN INTERESTING PROCESS. I THINK EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE WOULD AGREE THAT ALL THE CANDIDATES DID VERY WELL.

SO WELL THAT-- AND THIS USUALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN.

BUT THE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL THAT THEY INTERVIEW ALL FIVE. SUBSEQUENTLY, ONE OF THE CANDIDATES FOR PERSONAL REASONS, HAD TO DROP OUT.

YOU HAVE FOUR CANDIDATES LEFT TO INTERVIEW.

I DID SEE FOR THE RECORD, WHICH IS QUITE-- THERE IS A LOT ABOUT LAW. IT IS QUITE APPROPRIATE.

TO THE COMMISSIONERS ELECTED, WHICH YOU CAN DO, TO INTERVIEW ALL OF THE CANDIDATES PRIVATELY. NOW WE ARE HERE TODAY TO INTERVIEW IN FRONT OF YOU AT THE DAIS, YOU GET TO INTERVIEW ALL FOUR CANDIDATES. I WILL HAVE TO EMPHASIZE THAT IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM ARE WE COMING HERE GOVHR OR THE COMMITTEE, WITH A CRITERIA UPON WHO YOU SHOULD HIRE.

WE ARE PRESENTING WHAT WE THINK ARE THE FOUR BEST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS JOB.

WE FEEL COMFORTABLE, I THINK, AS A GROUP, THAT IF THINGS GO FINE TODAY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK SOMEONE.

WE BELIEVE ALL FOUR CANDIDATES ARE QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB.

BUT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT IS WE ARE NOT GIVING PREFERENCE, THAT ALL FOUR ARE EQUAL, YOU WILL GET ALL FOUR CANDIDATES IN FRONT OF YOU BY ALPHABETICAL ORDER. WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THERE IS A ONE, TWO, THREE, OR FOUR.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WILL HAVE TWO CANDIDATES THIS MORNING. AN HOUR BREAK.

THEN TWO CANDIDATES. YOU WILL ALSO ASK TEN QUESTIONS.

TWO QUESTIONS PER COMMISSIONER. WHICH SEEMS TO BE A REALLY GOOD FORMAT. THAT WAY YOU GET TO ASK THE QUESTIONS, SEE HOW THEY ANSWER YOU.

AT THE SAME TIME, GET TO SEE HOW THEY ANSWER OTHER PEOPLE.

AFTER YOU ARE FINISHED WITH THAT PROCESS, THEN IT WILL BE UP TO THE COMMISSION ON HOW YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

EVENTUALLY, NEEDING TO PICK AND VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE THAT YOU WILL OFFER A CONTRACT TO THROUGH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.

IF I CAN'T ANSWER-- IF I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, I WOULD BE GLAD TO. IT HAS BEEN A REAL PLEASURE WORKING NOR COUNTY. I HAVE TO SAY THAT KNOWING ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE WORK F FOR, THERE IT WAS A REAL PLEASURE WORKING FOR THIS COUNTY.

THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY, A WELL-RUN GOVERNMENT THAT IS FISCALLY SOUND. NO NEGATIVES OUT THERE THAT WE HAD LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE VERY INTERESTED IN BEING CONSIDERED. I THINK ALL THE FOUR THAT ARE HERE TODAY THINK IT IS A PRI LEDGE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THIS

INTERVIEW, THIS OPPORTUNITY. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE THING. ALL OF THESE FOUR CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY VETTED THROUGH CHOICE BACKGROUND

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THERE IS ONE UNDERGRADUATE OUT OF THE COUNTRY VERIFICATION THAT WE ARE STILL PENDING. EVERYONE ELSE IS BACK AND COMPLETE AND CLEAR. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.

IN CASE YOU DID WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH EXTENDING THE CONTRACT TO SOMEONE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> THANK YOU, JOAN. I REALLY APPRECIATE.

THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN MAKING SURE THAT YOU DON'T FIND ANY SURPRISES AFTER YOU SELECT SOMEONE.

IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS,. >> THANK YOU, MRS. DINNEEN, FOR TAKING US THROUGH THE PROCESS. ANYONE ON THE QURTWOOD ON THEBO?

>> I GUESS THAT MEANS WE ARE READY.

WE ARE A LITTLE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

MR. MIGUT, ANY ADVICE FROM LEGAL BEFORE WE HEAD INTO OUR

FIRST INTERVIEW? >> NO ADVICE.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD I BELIEVE ALL FOUR CANDIDATES ARE ALREADY HERE. THEY ARE IN A ROOM SO THAT I BELIEVE THIS IS BEING BROADCASTED.

THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT.

THAT MAINTAINS THE SPEGRITY OF THE PROCESS.

BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL HERE, WHILE THERE IS A SUGGESTED TIME SCHEDULE ON YOUR AGENDA, I BELIEVE THE BOARD IS FREE TO ALTER THAT IF AN INTERVIEW RUNS SHORT OR LONG.

YOU DON' HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT START TIME.

THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO ADD, SIR. >> VRD GOOD.

THEN WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO OUR FIRST INTERVIEW WHICH IS MRS. JOY ANDREWS. MS. ANDREWS.

>> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR. >> GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING. >> I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF ASKING THE FIRST QUESTION. I'M GOING TO DO JUST THAT.

WHAT CHALLENGES ARE ST. JOHNS COUNTY EXPERIENCING? REALLY, THE WAY I PHRASED THE QUESTION, IS TO ASSUME YOU HADN'T ALWAYS WORKED HERE. OFF LONG HISTORY OF WORKING FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY. WHAT CHALLENGES OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY ARE DIFFERENT FROM YEARS PAST? WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW HANDLE THOSE CHALLENGES? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY?

>> SO ST. JOHNS COUNTY'S POPULATION HAS GROWN.

I DON'T THINK IT IS A SECRET FOR ANYBODY.

IT IS REALLY NOW UNIQUE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

THIS IS REALLY NOT A UNIQUE CHALLENGE FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY, BUT IT IS UNIQUE IN THE FRAMEWORK OF TIME AND HISTORY IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. I STARTED WITH ST. JOHNS COUNTY IN 2006-2007. THE END OF 2006.

SINCE I STARTED, I BELIEVE OUR POPULATION HAS GROWN BY 50%.

IF NOT MORE. THAT IS THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE, I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE HAS BEEN DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST.

SO THROUGH MY TENURE WITH ST. JOHNS COUNTY FOR 17 YEARS, WE HAVE-- I PERSONALLY HAVE EXPERIENCED A NUMBER OF BOARDS.

AND MORE THAN 20 COMMISSIONERS. I DO THINK THAT EACH COMMISSIONER THAT COMES CAME BEFORE AND IS GOING TO COME, THEY WILL HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES JUST BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC CONTEXT THAT THEY ARE IN.

THEIR IDEOLOGY. I DO THINK THIS BOARD IN FRONT OF ME, WHO I HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST, I WOULD SAY COLLECTIVELY, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, THAT THIS CHALLENGE-- WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. TO TRULY MAKE SURE THAT ST. JOHNS COUNTY, BEING THE ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO BE, WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME AND, AGAIN, THE 50% INCREASE IS NO ACCIDENT. WE HAVE THE QUALITY OF OUR EDUCATION, QUALITY OF RECREATION, OUR NATURAL RESOURCE, OUR BEACH, OUR PARKS. PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE. AND THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE AND THE UNIQUE OBLIGATION AND RESPONSIBILITY, I THINK, FOR ME AND FOR-- AS A RESIDENT, HOPEFULLY, FOR OUR BOARD COLLECTIVELY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT MAKES US ATTRACTIVE, WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE AND APPEALING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MOVE HERE, WHO WANT TO LIVE, PLAY, AND BRING THEIR CHILDREN HERE TO STAY AND TO MAKE A HOME OF THIS COUNTY, JUST LIKE MYSELF, SINCE 2006, TO REMAIN THE SAME.

IT IS A TALL ORDER. JUST TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE MORE TO SHARE THE RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE HERE, BUT IT IS ORDER THAT WE HAVE TO ABSOLUTELY TAKE ON.

WE DON'T HAVE REALLY ANY CHOICES REALLY IN FRONT OF US.

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NOW PEOPLE ARE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

I THINK COVID REALLY BROUGHT ST. JOHNS COUNTY ON TO THE MAP.

IF THAT IS EVEN POSSIBLE, MORE SO THAN BEFORE COVID.

PEOPLE DISCOVERED US, NOT ONLY FOR OUR WONDERFUL QUALITY OF LIFE I TALKED ABOUT BEFORE BUT ALSO OUR WONDERFUL POLICY AND OPENNESS AS A GOVERNMENT BODY. PEOPLE ARE MOVING FROM THE WEST COAST, FROM THE NORTH, THE NORTHEAST, FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY REALLY. THEY BRING THEIR OWN UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES AND THEIR OWN UNIQUE NEEDS.

THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF US TO MAINTAIN A QUALITY OF LIFE IS LAYERED WITH VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE. IT IS UPON US AS A BOARD, AS THE LEADER OF THE COUNTY OPERATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WHILE WE GO THROUGH THE CHALLENGE OF MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF LIFE, THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES THAT WE ARE NOW HEARING THAT WE DIDN'T HEAR BEFORE, THAT IS ALSO PART OF THE EQUATION AND THE CONSIDERATIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE A PLAN FOR OUR

FUTURE. >> THANK YOU, MS. ANDREWS.

(INAUDIBLE). >> I'LL START OVER.

DO YOU INSPIRE AND EMPOWER YOUR STAFF AND ENCOURAGE OPEN COMMUNICATION AMONG SENIOR STAFF AND THE FIVE COMMISSIONERS?

>> I DO. I DO.

I REALLY DON'T SEE THERE IS ANY OTHER WAY OF DOING BUSINESS THAT CAN BE EFFECTIVE WITHOUT THE OPEN COMMUNICATION AMONGST THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP OF THIS COUNTY, WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. I DON'T THINK THAT EACH ONE OF FIVE OF YOU CAN MAKE MEANINGFUL INFORMED, EDUCATED DECISION WITHOUT FULL KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE FACTS ARE, WHAT EXPERTISE THAT CAN OFFER FROM OUR WONDERFUL TEAM OF ALMOST 1,500 PEOPLE. ABSOLUTELY.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> MS. ANDREWS, WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH EMERGENCY DISASTER RESPONSE, PARTICULARLY HURRICANES AND COORDINATING RESPONSES WITH ADDITIONAL MUNICIPALITIES?

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ARNOLD.

UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE HAD WAY TOO MUCH EXPERIENCE IN NATURAL DISASTER, THE RESPONSE TO THEM AND THE DISASTER RECOVERY SIDE OF IT. FROM RECENT HISTORY, I GUESS, THROUGH MY TENURE, I HAVE WORKED UNDER TWO ADMINISTRATIONS AND THEN RECENTLY, DURING I CALL TOIA, I DALIA, WE WORKED AS A TEAM. HURRICANE MATTHEW, IAN, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN-- THANK GOD THEY WERE FALSE ALARMS. WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. I PERSONALLY WERE FORTUNATE AND UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE PART OF A REALLY STRONG EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE TEAM LED BY THE DIRECTOR JOE.

I WOULD EXPAND BY SAYING THIS, IF IT WAS NOT ME CHOSEN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE PASSED ON.

FOR WHOEVER LEADS THIS COUNTY. BECAUSE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS THE ONE MOST CRITICAL TASK THE PERSON HAS TO DO WITHOUT ANY POSSIBILITY OF FAILING. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OVER 300,000 RESIDENTS WHO ARE RELYING ON YOU.

I WILL SAY THE CRITICAL ELEMENT OF THIS IS COLLABORATION.

WHEN A STORM IS LOOMING, WHEN OUR DIRECTOR NOTIFIED EVERYBODY THROUGH EMAILS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING COMING EITHER FROM THE CARIBBEAN OR FROM AFRICA, WE ARE ON.

THE ENTIRE STAFF, THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

EVEN FORCES COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF COMMUNITY IS ON.

THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO, WHETHER WE HAVE EXPERIENCE, THE COLLABORATION IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THIS.

DEBATEDLY, OR UNDEBATABLY IN MY MIND, WE HAVE THE BEST TEAM.

IT DEPENDS ON THE MAGNITUDE OF THE STORM.

WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTY.

ON A NORMAL DAY, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT HATS TO WEAR.

THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY TO OUR RESIDENTS.

EITHER YOU ARE OUT EARLY OR YOU ARE NEW TO THE COMMUNITY.

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THEY CAN SAY IT IN THE MOST CALM FASHION.

WHEN YOU CALL, IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL, YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM OF OUR UTILITY, FPL, OUR REGIONAL COUNCIL PLANNER WILL BE THERE.

OF COURSE, OUR ENTIRE EOC TEAM. ST. FRANCIS HOMES.

UNITED WAY. LAW ENFORCEMENT.

FIRE RESCUES. CRITICAL DECISIONS ARE MADE VERY QUICKLY IN THE POLICY ROOM. THEY HAVE TO BE MADE IN A VERY FAST FASHION. THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST AND HAVE LEARNED, AND IT HAS BECOME VERY EASY TO MANAGE IS THAT NOW WE HAVE A REALLY ROCK STAR COMMUNICATION TEAM. REALLY NOT JUST ST. JOHNS COUNTY, NOT JUST MR. LARSON'S TEAM, BUT ALSO THE PIO FROM FIRE, FROM SHERIFF, FROM THE CITY, FROM ALL OTHER M MUNICIPALITIES. WE GET INFORMATION OUT QUICKLY.

PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THE BRIDGE IS GOING TO BE CLOSED, WHEN THERE IS GOING TO BE A CURFEW. THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY.

PEOPLE KNOW. MATTHEW AND IRMA ARE VERY MUCH A STORM OF BEACH EVENTS. FLOODING EVENTS.

BUT ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE, IF YOU DIDN'T EXPERIENCE THAT, IT IS ALSO A DEBRIS REMOVAL ISSUE. WHICH WAS ISSUED STATE BYE.

THE LACK OF RESOURCE, BECAUSE IT IS A STATEWIDE ISSUE, HOW WE MOBILIZE ALL THE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE OUR ROADS ARE OPEN TIMELY. HOW THE KIDS CAN STILL GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND LET ME NOT FORGET, COLLABORATION WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE VITAL AS WELL.

WE ARE RELYING ON THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE RELYING ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AMPLE, NOT JUST A SHELTER SPACE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST LIKE ANY OF US, BUT ALSO WHO ARE ELECTRIC-DEPENDENT, WHO HAVE PETS AND WHO HAVE CHILDREN. THOSE ARE CRITICAL ELEMENTS THAT I WISH THAT ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY REALLY HAVE THE SAME AS

ST. JOHNS COUNTY. >> THANK YOU, MS. ANDREWS.

>> GOOD MORNING, MS. ANDREWS. >> GOOD MORNING.

>> GROWTH. WE HAVE GROWN A LOT, AS YOU MENTIONED. HOW DO YOU FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN SMART GROWTH AND WORKFORCE HOUSING? CAN YOU SHARE ANY IDEAS YOU HAVE OR HAVE IMPLEMENTED IN THE PAST

TO A SOLUTION ON THIS ISSUE? >> GROWTH AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I DON'T THINK OF THAT AS A SURPRISE TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND A HOME. PROBABLY EVEN BELOW $400,000, IF NOT HIGHER NOWADAYS. SEEMS LIKE ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS WEATHERED A LOT OF ECONOMIC DYNAMIC THAT OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE EXPERIENCING. PEOPLE ARE STILL HERE.

WHICH DEFINITELY, COMMISSIONER ALAIMO CREATES STRAIN ON THE POLICY. WE HAVE TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS, DEPUTIES, AND MANY SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS, AND EVEN THE EMPLOYERS, THEY ARE STRUGGLING WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE KNOW THAT IS A REAL STRUGGLE. THERE IS A BALANCE BETWEEN BEING A CONSERVATIVE COUNTY WHO ALL FIVE OF YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE A POLICY DECISION THAT WILL DRIVE POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED. THERE IS ALSO A POLICY BALANCE THAT YOU HAVE TO STRIKE WHICH IS NOT TO OVERREGULATE, NOT TO THE OVERTAXING. I KNOW THIS BOARD COLLECTIVELY HAVE ALWAYS STRIVED TO REDUCE THE RELIANCE ON PROPERTY TAXES.

I WOULD SAY THE FOUNDATION IS THAT WITHOUT OVERREGULATING OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, OUR OTHER POLICIES, THAT COULD HAVE OTHER UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY, WITHOUT INCREASING THE TAXES ON OUR RESIDENTS, ON OUR CITIZENS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY OUR TASK AND RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK FOR ALL WAYS TO CREATE AND PROVIDE. WE WILL START WITH CONSERVING THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE DO HAVE.

AND EXPAND FROM THERE. HOW CAN WE CREATE MORE? THE RECIPE IS NOT SO SIMPLE. THERE ARE MANY, MANY INGREDIENTS IN IT. IT RANGES FROM RESOURCE COLLABORATION. I THINK RESOURCE COLLABORATION IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE INGREDIENTS IN ALL OF THEM.

WE HAVE JUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED BY THE RIBBON-CUTTING OF OUR HUNDRED-UNIT MULTIFAMILY RENTAL IN VICTORIA CROSSING.

PRIOR TO THAT, THE BOARD ALSO HAD A RIBBON-CUTTING NOT LONG AGO. LESS THAN TWO YEARS AGO.

WE JUST HAD A RIBBON-CUTTING AT SAN MARCO HEIGHTS.

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I MENTION COVID FOR A REASON, BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY A OPPORTUNITY-- WELL, ACTUALLY, COVID, MATTHEW, IRMA, DISASTER RECOVERY. HOW IT WAS FUNDED FOR THOSE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ABILITY TO FUND WAS THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH HUD. THAT IS ACTUALLY A FEDERAL RESOURCE DEPLOYED TO ASSIST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, TO PROVIDE HOUSING, SHELTER, EMERGENCY SHELTER, AND THIS BOARD AND MYSELF, WE GOT A LITTLE CREATIVE.

I THINK WE WERE THE FIRST CO COUNTY, IF NOT THE ONLY COUNTY-- I WOULD IMAGINE WE ARE NOT THE ONLY COUNTY.

WE WERE THE FIRST COUNTY, IN FACT PURSUED-- PURSUING HUD FUNDING WITH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FROM THE STATE.

NOT WITHOUT A LOT OF LEGAL CONTEMPLATION AND CONSIDERATIONS AND RISK-TAKING. AT THE END, I THINK OUR PRODUCT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY HERE CAN BE PROUD OF.

SO RESOURCE COLLABORATION, I THINK OF THAT IS REALLY NUMBER ONE. THERE ARE WAYS OF LOOKING AT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE WHERE WE CAN INSTEAD OF REGULATING, WE CAN ENCOURAGE, WE CAN INCENTIVIZE OUR DEVELOPERS TO COME FORTH AT THE TABLE AS WELL TO BECOME PART OF A SOLUTION.

THERE ARE WAYS, AND I THINK THE BOARD HAS VERY SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED THE DENSITY BONUS WHICH IS ONE OF MANY TOOLS THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN USE TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL BURDEN ON OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESS OWNERS. SO TO ME, PARTNERING WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.

THEY HAVE BEEN VERY DILIGENT AND HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND LEGWORK.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR ATTAINABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING STUDY THAT I HOPE AND I SUSPECT AND I'M CONFIDENT BECAUSE I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO HAVE A PREVIEW OF THE POLICY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF CREATIVE WAYS OF HELPING THE BOARD AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER WAYS WE CAN ASSIST

WITH THIS PROBLEM. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU?

>> GOOD MORNING. >> SO IF WE HAD-- IF WE WANT A TAX ROLLBACK FOR NEXT YEAR, HOW WOULD YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT? I WAS CURIOUS HOW YOU WOULD DO THAT.

>> WELL, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY CONFUSION IN THE COMMUNITY.

I DON'T GET TO VOTE. THE TAX ROLLBACK IS TRULY A LOCAL POLICY DECISION. IN FACT, IT HAPPENED YEARS AGO.

I WOULD,. -- IF I WAS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, IF I RECEIVED DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD TO EVALUATE VERY COMPREHENSIVELY ON THE OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL LEVEL, WHAT IS OUR SERVICE LEVEL, WHERE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO REDUCE BUDGET WITHOUT COMPROMISING A LOT OF LEVEL OF SERVICE, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.

HOW MUCH YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY TO A LEVEL OF SERVICES.

I'M ON THE SPOT NOW. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT MY PERSPECTIVE FROM THIS. EVEN THOUGH IT IS AT THIS TIME, IT IS NOT A DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD.

BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN-- I HAVE NOT KEPT THIS A SECRET.

I THINK COMMISSIONER JOSEPH, WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONINGS ABOUT THIS AS WELL. I ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND A ROLLBACK FOR OUR FIRE RESCUE. I THINK THAT IS ONE AREA THAT WE HAVE SUFFERED. WHEN I SAY "WE," OPERATIONALLY, AND OUR ABILITY TO OFFER AMPLE LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR GENERATIONS, WHO HAVE MOVED HERE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY IS EXPECTING.

ABSOLUTELY, AS THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY.

THEY MOVE HERE WITH THEIR YOUNG KIDS.

THEY ARE HERE AS A RETIREE. THEY WANT OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR PARAMEDICS TO SHOW UP WHEN THEY NEED TO SHOW UP.

AND THEY ARE DOING THAT. I THINK OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE ON WITH THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE IS INCREASINGLY COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF OUR ABILITY TO FUND OUR SERVICES.

OUR EXPANSION OF THE NEEDS OF FIRE RESCUE SERVICES IS ABSOLUTELY THE REASON WHY I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IN LIGHT OF OUR FORTHCOMING FIRE STATION THAT IS GOING TO BE PROPOSED.

IN LIGHT OF THE ONGOING RECURRING COST.

THAT WILL COME ALONG WITH THE FIRE STATIONS.

IF WE ARE LOOKING AT THE THREE FIRE STATIONS, WE ARE LOOKING AT MINIMUM 64 FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS.

IF YOU REALLY TRULY STAFF THEM TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL, IT IS GOING TO BE 92. THOSE ARE ONGOING OPERATION

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I WILL SAY-- I EXPEERKSED-- I EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE.

WE WENT THROUGH A VERY LENGTHY EXERCISE AS WE WENT THROUGH A RECESSION. WE WENT THROUGH A ROLLBACK.

IT WAS PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER SMITH.

THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IS A VERY TRICKY THING BECAUSE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO COMMISSIONER JOSEPH, YOU, IS DIFFERENT FROM YOU, COMMISSIONER DEAN, FROM ME, JOY, WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN. IT IS GOING TO BE A LENGTHY PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS PROCESS TO BE A COMMUNITY-INFORMED PROCESS.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS THAT WE CAN COLLECTIVELY POTENTIALLY COMPROMISE FOR A WHILE WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE.

NO FIRE RESCUE. I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE IS SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT GOING TO RECOMMEND. I THINK WHAT I WILL RECOMMEND IS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT GENERAL FUNDS.

THAT IS AREA THAT MOST OF OUR PUBLIC SERVICES ARE HOUSED WITHIN. I ALSO INCLUDE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SERVICE AS WELL. WE KNOW-- IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION IN A GIVEN YEAR.

THE PUBLIC SAFETY OCCUPIES 40% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK COLLABORATIVELY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AS WELL. TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND IS ANOTHER AREA. I DO NOT RECOMMEND ON ANY GIVEN DAY UNTIL WE ARE CAUGHT UP WITH OUR GROWTH.

AND MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW THE REAL SAFETY IS IN PLACE.

THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION THAT WE HEAR EVERY OTHER TUESDAY IS HAPPY WITH, I WOULD NOT LOOK AT THAT AREA AS AN AREA OF REDUCTION AS WELL. I KNOW IT IS NOT DEFINITIVE.

WHEN THE TIME COMES, WE WILL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PRODUCT THAT CAN BE WELL-RECEIVED BY OUR

COMMUNITY. >> MRS. ANDREWS, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAS MANY RESPONSIBILITIES EVERY DAY.

ONE IS KEEPING THE BOARD INFORMED.

WHAT THINGS DO YOU BELIEVE ARE NOT WORTH INFORMING THE BOARD ABOUT? WHAT THINGS MUST YOU INFORM THE BOARD ABOUT? AND TELL ME WITH AS MUCH DETAIL AS YOU CARE TO OFFER, HOW YOU MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.

>> BACK TO THE QUESTION THAT CAME FROM COMMISSIONER DEAN ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION, IN BETWEEN THE SENIOR LEADERSERSHIP AND THE BOARD. MY RESPONSE WAS YOU COLLECTIVELY AS A POLICY MAKER BOARD, YOU HAVE TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE.

ANYTHING, I THINK, IS GOING TO HAVE IMPACT ON HOW YOU MAKE POLICY DECISIONS. WE HAVE TO INFORM YOU.

THOSE SORT OF THINGS, EITHER RANGE FROM YOU HAVE A GROUP OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE VERY CONCERNED AOUT-- VERY CONCERNED ABOUT-- I'M USING THIS AS AN EXAMPLE. IT IS NOT A TRUE EXAMPLE.

CONCERN ABOUT THE AREA THAT-- SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, THAT IS AFFECTING THE ABILITY TO RUN THEIR HOUSEHOLD.

IT IS PERTINENT TO YOUR POLICY-MAKING.

INTERNAL OPERATION IS NOT UNLESS IT REACHES TO THE LEVEL WHERE THE STAFFING IS GOING TO BE PART OF EITHER POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY AFFECTING YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE POLICIES.

IT IS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OPERATION OF CLOSE TO 1,500 PEOPLE IS RUN SMOOTHLY AND EFFECTIVE LIND AND EFFICIENTLY. INTERNAL CAPACITY, BUILDING CAPACITY ADJUSTMENT IS NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THE BOARD NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT. YOU KNOW, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT ST. JOHNS COUNTY WILL BE BEST AT WHAT WE DO IF WE IMPLEMENT AN OPEN GOVERNMENT. I DON'T THINK T THAT THERE IS ANYTHING THAT UNDER THE PROPOSED ADMINISTRATION-- UNLESS THERE IS SOME PROTECTION OF OUR INDIVIDUAL PERSONNEL.

THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MORE CAUTIOUS ABOUT.

WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WE WOULD BE SHARING.

THERE IS A NO PROTECTION INFORMATION.

FOR THE SAKE OF PROTECTION. IF THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL WE NEED TO PROTECT AND THE LACK OF PROTECTION OF THAT INDIVIDUAL DOES NOT GENERATE ANY POSITIVE IMPACT, I WOULD GO WITH THE FORMER. IF THAT HELPS.

[00:35:05]

>> THANK YOU, MRS. ANDREWS. .

>> JOY, CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE FOLLOWING: IT IS KIND OF A LONG LIST.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO JOT IT DOWN.

PUBLIC SAFETY. AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

GROWTH MANAGEMENT. BEACH RENOURISHMENT AND ACQUIRING CONSERVATION LANDS. YOU WANT ME TO READ THEM AGAIN?

>> AT NUMBER THREE, I SHOULD HAVE STARTED WRITING.

>> PUBLIC SAFETY. AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

GROWTH MANAGEMENT. BEACH RENOURISHMENT.

AND ACQUIRING CONSERVATION LANDS.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> I'LL GIVE YOU THREE HOURS TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. (LAUGHTER).

>> I'LL TRY NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OFFER.

PUBLIC SAFETY, SO I AM-- IN FACT, DURING MY TENURE AS ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I THINK THAT IS FROM 2015 TO THE END OF 2018, I DIRECTLY SUPERVISED FIRE RESCUE.

THAT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT I'M STILL GRATEFUL TODAY TO KNOW ABOUT. REALLY TO KNOW ABOUT THE OPERATION OF FIRE RESCUE, THE RESOURCE THAT IS NEEDED.

WHAT TYPE OF LEADERSHIP IT TAKES TO RUN AN EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SAFETY UNIT OF CLOSE TO 400 STAFF MEMBERS.

AND THE REQUIRED COLLABORATION TO OFFER THOSE SERVICES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL WITH YOUR PARTNER AGENCIES.

THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE AS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES. I CAN EXPAND AT ANY GIVEN TIME IF ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

ON ANY OF THE FOUR AREAS. AFFORDABLE HOUSING, I SHARED YESTERDAY AT OUR DIRECTOR'S ICREAM-- ICE CREAM SOCIAL, THAT I WAS ASKED, WHAT WAS MY FAVORITE AREA OF SERVICES WITH ST. JOHNS COUNTY. WITH ALL THE DIRECTORS IN THE ROOM. I SHARED THAT MY FAVORITE AREA OF ALL SERVICES THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH AND WHICH WAS MANY OF THEM WAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR FOUR YEARS AFTER I GRADUATED FROM THE BUDGET ANALYST POSITION.

IN THAT ROLE, THAT WAS MY DIRECT SORT OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOUSING DIVISION UNDER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. FOUR YEARS FROM THAT, I WAS ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. I OVERSAW MOST OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES. ONE OF THEM IS STILL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. I BELIEVE I WAS BROUGHT ON BECAUSE OF THAT EXPERIENCE, THERE WAS SORT OF A VOID IN COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AT THE TIME.

I WORKED VERY EXTENSIVELY WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TWENTS.

OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PARTNER AGENCIES WHICH WERE MANY OF THEM. WE ARE BLESSED WITH A COMMUNITY OF COMPASSION. THEY TRULY MEAN WHAT THEY SAY AND WHAT THEY DO AS A REFLECTION OF WHAT THEIR ADMISSIONS ARE.

THAT IS A GREAT TEAM THAT WE HAVE.

AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE. WE ACCOMPLISHED MANY TOGETHER.

I HAD THE FORTUNE TO BE PART OF THOSE SUCCESSES WHERE WE COMPLETED THE CHIP PROGRAM WHICH WAS A REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM FROM THE STATE. WE WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, WITH MR. LAZAR AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WHICH I BELIEVE MELANIE WAS NOT THE DIRECTOR AT THE TIME YET.

THERE WERE AT LEAST 50 HOUSES ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE CHIP PROGRAM. WE WENT THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM. THAT IS ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WE DID WITH OUR RESOURCE COLLABORATION THROUGH THE STATE PROGRAM. WE WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE DILAPIDATED HOUSING AND CONVERT THEM INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPECIFICALLY FOR AGING-OUT INDEPENDENT FOSTER CHILDREN. THOSE ARE REALLY THE CELEBRATORY PROJECTS. THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUE CERTAINLY HAS EXPANDED SINCE I WAS IN THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. I WAS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OVERSEEING THAT AREA. BUT THEN MY ROLE, I SEGUE INTO THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT. I OVERSAW GROWTH MANAGEMENT

[00:40:04]

SEGUEING BACK TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MY UNDERSTANDING AND ENRICHED UNDERSTANDING OF OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OUR REGULATION ABSOLUTELY ENRICHED MY ABILITY AND THE COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I FEEL ABSOLUTELY BLESSED THAT WE HAVE A TEAM WHO IS INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE.

THEY ARE WILLING AND OPEN MI MINDED TO LOOK AT EVERYWHERE THAT WE COULD TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING'S SOLUTION PATH.

SO I CAN EXPAND MORE WITH MORE PROGRAMS WITHOUT BEING REDUNDANT. WE HAVE HAD THE SUCCESS OF THE TWO MULTIFAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DISASTER RECOVERY. THOSE ARE MY EXPERIENCES WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, GROWTH MANAGEMENT, GOING BACK.

FOUR YEARS WORKING WITH-- WE WENT THROUGH-- I HAD WORKED-- I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THREE DIRECTORS.

MR. COTTON AND MR. MIKE ROBISON.

MR. ROBISON, NOT BECAUSE HE IS HERE, HE IS MY FAVORITE.

HE IS ONE OF THE BEST PLANNER AND STRATEGIC THINKER THAT WE HAVE EVER HAD IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

AS WE GO THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR 2050, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A REALLY HIGH PRIORITY, WHOEVER IS GOING TO BE MANAGING THIS COUNTY, WE ARE AT A CROSSROAD GROWTH MANAGEMENT ES'S ROLE TO LEAD AND HAVE A PLAN FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

THAT IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL. THAT IS KIND OF MY EXPERIENCE.

WORKING WITH GROWTH MANAGEMENT. I AM ON THE SUBJECT, I LIKE TO BE AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGED JUST TALKING ABOUT THE THREE MORE THINGS THAT IS REALLY RELEVANT FOR GROWTH MANAGEMENT THAT ABSOLUTELY IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE TAKE AS OPERATIONAL FOCUS IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. AND THAT IS MOBILITY FEE STUDY AND THE CONCURRENCEY STUDY. THE MOBILITY FEE STUDY AND CON CURRENCY STUDY. IT IS A STUDY THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY REVEALING AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTIVE IN OUR ABILITY AND THE TRANSPORTATION PRESSURE THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.

AND ALONG WITH THAT, WE HAVE THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS GOING TO BE USED FOR OUR WAY TO APPROPRIATE OUR RESOURCE WHICH IS VERY SCARCE AND LIMITED IN A TRUE COMMUNITY-INFORMED WAY, SO YOU KNOW WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND HOW WE CAN TACKLE THEM.

GROWTHING MANY, BEACH NOURISHMENT.

BEACH NOURISHMENT ITSELF HAS EVOLVED.

I HAVE PROBABLY THE MOST PRIVILEGE WORKING WITH COMMISSIONER DEAN WORKING ON THE BEACH.

WITHOUT COMMISSIONER DEAN WE WOULDN'T HAVE A SINGLE PIECE OF SAND ON THE BEACH. IT IS LARGELY VERY TRUE.

I WOULD SAY STRUCTURALLY, BEACH RENOURISHMENT HAS EVOLVED AND BECOME ITS OWN DEPARTMENT TODAY. AND OTHERS.

I WOULD GO BACK TO HURRICANE MATTHEW AND IRMA.

THAT WAS THE DIS ISER THE DISASTER, THE FIRST TIME EXPERIENCING FULLY HOW THE IMPACT COULD BE.

AND HOW THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE STRUGGLE.

NOT ONLY WITH A FLOODING ISSUE, WITH DRAINAGE ISSUES, BUT HOW EXPOSED OUR 42 MILES OF COAST IS GOING TO BE.

AT THE TIME, MR. GIAMONCO WAS NEWLY PROMOTED AS THE SENIOR BUYER FROM PROCUREMENT. HE WAS SITTING IN THE EOC.

WE TALKED ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE COAST GUARD AND HIS LEADERSHIP. I WAS JUST IMPRESSED BY WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO DO AND HIS-- THE WIDTH OF HIS KNOWLEDGE.

WE TRULY, IN ADDITION TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WE DO NOT HAVE A DIDIVISION THAT IS CALLED DISASTER RECOVERY.

DURING THAT PROCESS, AS WE WERE HURRICANE TO PASS, WE HAD A LOT OF TIME SPENT IN A WINDOWLESS FACILITY, HAVING COFFEE ALL DAY LONG. AND TALKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN RESPOND TO HURRICANES AND DISASTERS MORE EFFICIENTLY.

AND WE CAME UP WITH AN IDEA OF THAT WE TRULY NEED A DIVISION OF

[00:45:01]

THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT IS THE COASTAL RECOVERY. THE COASTAL RECOVERY IS A LONG THIS-- LONG-TERM RECOVERY. WE ARE STILL PROCESSING OUR REIMBURSEMENTS FOR MATTHEW AND IRMA.

THAT HAPPENED IN 2007. 2006.

AND 2007. THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE WITH BEACH RENOURISHMENT. OF COURSE.

AGAIN, THERE SEEMS TO BE A COMMON THEME OF COLLABORATION.

THERE IS NO SUCCESSFUL PROJECT THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED EVEN IN THE AREA OF BEACH RENOURISHMENT WITHOUT COLLABORATING WITH ALL THE AGENCIES. THAT COMES WITH THE RESOURCE AND TALENT AND EXPERTISE. BEACH RENOURISHMENT IS NOT JUST ST. COUNTY DIVISION OR DEPARTMENT.

IT IS IN COLLABORATION WITH FEMA, WITH DEP.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE ARMY CORPS WHO BRINGS A LOT OF RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS MY EXPERIENCE.

IN BEACH RENOURISHMENT. AND THEN ACQUIRING CONSERVATION LAND. WELL, MY LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN LAND ACQUISITION IN TERMS OF CONSERVATION HAS BEEN WITH GROWTH MANAGEMENT DURING MY TENURE, THE LAND BOARD WAS TASKED TO MAKE RECOMMENDDATIONS ON CONSERVATION LAND.

THE BOARD COLLECTIVELY REINSTATED AND ACTIVATED A LAND BOARD. WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM IN LAND ACQUISITION CURRENTLY.

LAND ACQUISITION, ALSO FOR CONSERVATION, CAN BE TIED TO BEACH RENOURISHMENT AS WELL. THE BOARD, DURING MY TENURE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS, I THINK, THAT HAVE DECIDED TO IMPLEMENT A POLICY OF VOLUNTARY BUYOUT AT THE BEACH.

THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE ONGOING FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

THAT WE CAN-- TO ME, THAT IS REALLY THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR THAT BEACH THAT WE CAN CONVERT A VERY OVER CON SEUMING OVER CON SOUPING PROJECT IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY TO A WONDERFUL ECOSYSTEM WE CAN ALL BE PROUD FOR FOR GENERATIONS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DEAN.

>> JOY, THIS IS MY QUESTION-- MY QUESTION IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE WILL ASK THE OTHER CANDIDATES.

YOU HAVE BEEN THE INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR.

WHAT IS YOUR IMMEDIATE OPERATIONAL FOCUS? WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO DO OR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE LAST

60-100 DAYS MOVING FORWARD. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ARNOLD. I HAVE-- I THINK FOR ME, THE IMMEDIATE OPERATION FOCUS-- THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN ONGOING SINCE-- WELL, REALLY THE PAST YEAR AND IT IS GOING TO BE ONGOING IN THE FORESEEABLE COUPLE OF YEARS.

NUMBER ONE, THIS IS REALLY HOW UNIQUE FOR THIS ROLE PARTICULARLY. NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE BOARD.

IT IS GOING TO IMPACT HOW WE COLLECTIVELY AS A GOVERNING BODY CAN RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT IS INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILDING. I CAN EXPAND THAT.

INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILDING REALLY MEANS TO FIND THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP, IF FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT ROLE.

AND RIGHT-SIZE THEM SO THERE IS NO INNED A QUAY QUA SI INADEQUACY IN STAFFING. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT CREATING BUREAUCRACY. FIRE RESCUE, FACILITY MANAGEMENT, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I WILL SAY THERE IS A FOURTH ONE ONLY BECAUSE MS. HUTCHISON HAD ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

THAT IS ABSOLUTELY A KRILL CA CALL-- CRITICAL, ESSENTIALIZED SERVICES. CENTRALIZED SERVICES FOR THE REST OF THE OPERATION. THOSE ARE THE FOUR AREAS THAT WILL BE THE FOCUS OF INTERNAL CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THIS ROLE.

CIP, I THINK, IS IMMEDIATE OPERATION FOCUS THAT THIS COUNTY IS IN NEED OF. SIX YEARS, CIP, I THINK WHOEVER IS IN THIS ROLE NEEDS TO-- AND I PROPOSE THAT-- NEEDS TO MAKE SOUND RECOMMENDATION, NOT ONLY ON THE TIME FRAME, THE OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIALLY, HOW YOU ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT A RIGOROUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PROGRAM-- EXCUSE ME.

TO EXPAND THE ACRONYM. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

[00:50:04]

I WILL SAY THE THIRD ONE, IT IS DEBATABLE-- DEBATABLY AN IMMEDIATE FOCUS OR LONG-TERM FOCUS OR BOTH.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. THE WAY HOW THE COMMUNITY IS RECEIVINGINGS IN TODAY IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM HOW THEY RECEIVED INFORMATION IN THE PAST. THE EXPECTATION OF THE VOLUME, THE EXPANSIVENESS OF INFORMATION THAT THEY EXPECT TO RECEIVE FROM THE COUNTY AND HOW THEY EXPECT TO PLAY EITHER A BIG ROLE OR A SMALL ROLE IN THE DECISION-MAKING IS DIFFERENT FROM YEARS AGO. TO RESPOND TO THAT AND TRULY TO IMPLEMENT-- AND I REPEATED A COUPLE OF TIMES THE OPEN GOVERNANCE. EXTERNALLY, OPEN GOVERNANCE, TO ME, IS THE ONLY WAY THE COUNTY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

THAT REALLY MEANS YOUR COMMUNITY WILL BE INFORMED ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH FACTS, WITH RATIONAL WITH LOGIC, BUT ALSO RETURN WITH THEIR FEEDBACK WITH FACTS, WITH LOGIC AND WITH THE RASH NEAL.

TO SEE HOW THE PROJECT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, TO, IN TURN, IMPACT THEIR DAILY LIFE. SO ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN A MEANINGFUL AND AUTHENTIC WAY, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE NOT ONLY IMMEDIATE BUT ALSO LONG-TERM OPERATIONAL FOCUS FOR US AND FOR ME. THE FOURTH ONE, I DON'T WANT TO FORGET ABOUT. IT IS TRULY IMMEDIATE.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTING IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN JANUARY. OUR BOARD HAS BEEN REALLY ACTIVE IN ENGAGING OUR STATE LEGISLATORS.

AND MAKING SURE OUR SLEDGE SLAYTIVE-- LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ARE GOING TO BE HEARD.

NOT ONLY ONCE BUT TWICE. FOR THE STATE LEGISLATORS TO ACT TO BRING RESOURCE TO ENRICH THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THE AREAS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS PUBLIC SAFETY. WE CAN NOT-- THIS IS KIND OF A SELF-PITCH THAT WE ARE TAKING EVERYWHERE.

WHO IS WILLING TO LISTEN. WE NEED HELP.

WE NEED HELP TO BUILD OUR FIRE STATIONS.

WE NEED HELP TO BUILD OUR TRAINING FACILITY.

THE FIRST TRAINING FACILITY THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS DESERVE, TO CALL THEIR OWN, WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO OTHER PLACES AND POTENTIALLY BEING KICKED OUT.

IT IS GOING TO BE REALLY CRITICAL, NOT ONLY FOR THE RETENTION BUT ALSO FOR THE QUALITY OF OUR WORKFORCE.

ISO. THAT IS ANOTHER IMMEDIATE OPERATION FOCUS. THAT WE HAVE TO INVEST.

WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE CONSULTANT WHO BRINGS WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE ON HOW WE, AS A BODY OF GOVERNANCE CAN HELP OUR RESIDENTS TO LOWER OUR-- THEIR INSURANCE COST TO HELP TO ENHANCE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE NOW THAT THEY HAVE DISPOSABLE INCOME. IT IS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WE HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER. THAT PLANS NEEDS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD VERY SOON. SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT ENJOYING THE TWO OR ONE RATING OF ISO CAN EVENTUALLY ENJOY THAT. IT IS NOT WITHOUT SOME INVESTMENT. IT IS GOING TO, IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE CREATIVE AND HOLISTIC CONSIDERATION FOR OUR RESOURCE.

THIS YEAR, WE ARE, WE ARE EXCITED TO LOOK AT ALSO A NEW TOURISM OPPORTUNITY THAT CAN BE REFLECTIVE AND A CONTINUATION OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE HISTORY AND THE CULTURE OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THOSE ARE THE FOUR OPERATIONAL FOCUSES I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE REMAIN IN THE NEXT

FORESEEABLE COUPLE OF YEARS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> MS. ANDREWS, CAN YOU SHARE ANY EXAMPLES OF A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAD TO MAKE A DIFFICULT PERSONNEL DECISION AND HOW YOU HANDLED, IF ANY, BACK FLASH YOUR DECISION?

>> THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISION THAT I CAN REMEMBER HAPPENED THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THAT WE HAD TO SEPARATE FROM OUR FIRE RESCUE FIRE CHIEF. THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS A VERY

[00:55:04]

WITHOUT GOING INTO EXTENSIVE PERSONNEL DETAILS, THAT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION. THE SCALE IN FRONT OF ME, ONE SIDE WAS THE LIVELIHOOD AND THE INTEGRITY OF ONE INDIVIDUAL.

THE OTHER SIDE IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY THAT WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE FOR OUR OVER 300,000 RESIDENTS.

AND OUR MILLIONS OF TOURISM AND THE SAFETY AND WELLNESS OF 400 FIREFIGHTERS AND PARAMEDICS. THE SCALE, WHEN EVERYTHING IS ON-LINE, IT IS CLEAR. THE PERSONAL EMOTION IS UNCLEAR.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN CALCULATE.

WITH EMOTIONAL SIDE OF IT, WITH THE HUMANITARIAN SIDE OF IT, I WOULD SAY THAT PROBABLY WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT PERSONNEL DECISION I HAD TO MAKE. I WOULD SAY THIS.

AND FOR WHATEVER IT IS WORTH, TO ME, I HAVE BEEN-- I PROBABLY-- THE RESPECT AND APPRECIATION OF OUR EMPLOYEES, ALLOWING THEM TO BE CREATIVE. ALLOWING THEM TO MAKE MISTAKES.

I WOULD SAY ANYONE WHO IS LISTENING, ANYONE WHO HAS WORKED IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, HOWEVER LITTLE OR BIG YOUR CONTRIBUTION HAS BEEN, AS LONG AS YOU COME IN WITH THE RIGHT INTENTION, THAT YOU ARE HERE TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY.

YOU MAY NEED A LITTLE HELP TO KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

YOU MAY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF HELP TO ADJUST YOUR ROLE.

WE ARE HERE FOR THEM. WE ARE HERE.

THE REASON I MENTIONED THAT, IS I DON'T WANT TO USE-- I DON'T WANT THAT TO BECOME AN EXAMPLE THAT PEOPLE-- THE LAST THING THAT PEOPLE REMEMBER. THAT THE ONLY TIME WE HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS IS WHEN THERE IS SOMETHNG THAT IS ON-LINE THAT YOU ARE COMPROMISING.

WITHOUT COMPROMISING OUR EMPLOYEES IS EVERYTHING FOR US.

AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE GIVEN PERMISSION TO MAKE MISTAKES.

INTENTION, AGAIN, I CAN NOT REPEAT ENOUGH, THE INTENTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO SERVED THIS COUNTY IS EVERYTHING.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> HI.

AGAIN. OUR ST. JOHNS COUNTY LOGO SAYS FLORIDA AT FIRST SIGHT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU AND TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS A WHOLE GOING FORWARD?

>> ST. JOHNS COUNTY, ONE OF THE TWO ONLY COUNTIES AT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FLORIDA. ALONG WITH ESCAMBIA COUNTY.

WE HAVE RICH HISTORY THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING.

THAT IS THE HISTORY OF DIVE DIVERSITY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HISPANIC HISTORY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SPANISH HISTORY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BLACK HISTORY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HISTORY FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I THINK THAT IS A LEGACY THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE.

AND WE ARE PART OF FIRST COAST. FIRST COAST IS THE FIRST COAST.

IT IS NAMED THAT WAY FOR A REASON.

I THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF.

NEXT YEAR WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE ALL YEAR LONG, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF 60 YEARS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

THAT WE WILL HAVE A LOT OF CELEBRATIONS.

THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS FOR ME. I WANT ALL TOURISTS WHO DECIDED TO MAKE A VISIT TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY TO KNOW THAT RICHN FOR A.

>> THANK YOU. >> MS. ANDREWS, WILL YOU PLEASE TAKE ME THROUGH THE STEPS THAT YOU WOULD TAKE GENERALLY, KNOWING THAT EACH CASE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAT COULD LEAD TO YOU TERMINATING AN EMPLOYEE.

>> I CAN PROBABLY KIND OF, WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE H.R. MANUAL OF THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, I CAN PROBABLY SUM IT UP TO SAY SORT OF REPEATING WHAT I KIND OF RESPONDED TO COMMISSIONERS THAT EMPLOYEES, IF THEY ARE HERE FOR THE RIGHT INTENTION, TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, THEY WILL BE GIVEN AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO RECTIFY THEIR PAST, TO RECTIFY AND ALSO THE ABILITY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR INTENTION. WE CAN OBTAIN, WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO SERVE, TO A REALLY LARGE EXTENT.

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO RECTIFY THE INTENTION.

[01:00:02]

KIND OF LIKE A MARRIAGE. IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE HERE, YOU DON'T FEEL THE MEANING IS THERE FOR YOU, IT IS NOT FULFILLING FOR YOU. IT SHOULD BE A CORDIAL SEPARATION FROM EACH OTHER. I NEVER WANT THAT TO BE SORT OF UNILATERAL DECISION. I ALWAYS HOPE THAT ONE DAY, IF WE HAD TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, IT IS A DECISION OF NO SURPRISE.

AND A DECISION OF A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.

WHATEVER STEPS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE, EITHER IT IS A PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINARY ACTION THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE, IT IS A NUMEROUS SITDOWN TO TALK THROUGH THE THINKING PROCESS AND THE REASON FOR THOSE KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT GOT THEM IN TROUBLE.

WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE BEHAVIORS ARE NOT STEMMED FROM THE WRONG INTENTION.

AS LONG AS THAT IS THE CASE, WE CAN ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO NOT GO TO THE FINAL ROUTE OF INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION.

IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE, THEN THAT WOULD BE HOW I KIND OF MENTALLY WALK THROUGH MY THINKING PROCESS.

TO GET TO THE FINAL DECISION. >> THANK YOU, MS. ANDREWS.

>> MS. ANDREWS, IS THERE ANYTHING-- TO CLOSE THIS OUT, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ANY OF US ON THE BOARD OR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?

. >> SO I THOUGHT ABOUT IF I HAD ANY QUESTIONS. NORMALLY, THAT IS HOW INTERVIEWS ENDS. NOT THAT I HAVE HAD A LOT OF THOSE. I WAS READING A CHILDREN'S BOOK LAST NIGHT WITH MY BOYS. THE NAME IS CALLED "STONE SOUP." I THINK WE CHECK TYLY-- I DON'T KNOW-- PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE GROWN CHILDREN OR DON'T HAVE CHILDREN YET OR NOT GOING TO HAVE CHILDREN, THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS BOOK.

THIS IS REALLY A BOOK ABOUT A COUPLE OF STRANGER TRAVELERS, CAME TO AN OLD VILLAGE TOWN, AND THEY ARE HUNGRY.

AND THEY WANT FOOD. AND THEY GO SOLICIT EACH MEMBERS OF THIS VILLAGE TO BRING WHATEVER THEY CAN BRING TO MAKE A SOUP. SO THAT THEY ARE-- SO THEY CAN BE QUENCHED WITH THEIR THIRST AND THEIR HUNGER.

I THINK WE ARE A VILLAGE OF A STONE SOUP.

IT IS A VILLAGE THAT WE ALL NEED TO COME IN WITH OUR BEST INGREDIENTS, AND I KNOW I'M REPEATING MYSELF.

BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO M.

THERE ARE TWO CRITICAL INGREDIENTS THAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE. JUST LIKE A SALT OR WATER FOR THIS SOUP. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT INTENTION. THAT YOU ARE HERE, NOT ONLY IF YOU ARE A POLICY-MAKER, IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT WHO WANTS TO BE ENGAGED WITH THIS KIND OF GOVERNANCE PROCESS OR AN EMPLOYEE. THAT YOU ARE HERE FOR THE RIGHT REASON. THAT YOU WANT TO BETTER THIS COMMUNITY FOR YOURSELF, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND YOU, YOUR VILLAGE, NEIGHBORS, YOUR CHILDREN.

THE OTHER INGREDIENT IS EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE.

YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN-MINDED TO BE EDUCATED, TO KNOW THE FACTS.

I THINK IF WE HAVE EVERYONE IN THIS VILLAGE, IF WE HAVE THOSE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER, WE WILL HAVE A WONDERFUL, DELICIOUS STONE SOUP. THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO SHARE.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. ANDREWS.

>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MS. ANDREWS?

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU FOR THE

OPPORTUNITY. >> OKAY.

WE ARE GOING MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

AS QUICKLY AS IS REASONABLE. INTO OUR NEXT INTERVIEW WITH SARAH CAMPBELL. I BELIEVE IT WILL BE A FEW MINUTES TO DO THAT.

[01:06:22]

>> GOOD MORNING, MS. CAMPBELL. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO SETTLE IN AND GIVE COMMISSIONER ARNOLD A CHANCE TO GET BACK FROM THE REST ROOM.

>> HELLO. >> ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU ARE READY, I'M READY TO ASK THE FIRST QUESTION.

>> OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD.

>> OKAY. WHAT CHALLENGES ARE ST. JOHNS COUNTY EXPERIENCING THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHERE YOU HAVE WORKED BEFORE? HOW DID YOU HANDLE THOSE CHALLENGES THERE? WHAT WOULD YOU DO THE SAME?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY? >> OKAY.

ORANGE PARK IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, BUT NOT COMPLETELY. ONE OF THE COMMON STRUGGLES THAT WE HAVE HAD IS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, WATER, SEA LEVEL RISE, MORE SEVERE STORMS, AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS ON OUR COMMUNITY. ECONOMIC TWO.

IS ANOTHER AREA-- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ANOTHER AREA.

YOU GUYS TYPICALLY HAVE MORE NEW GROWTH.

WE FOCUS ON REDEVELOPMENT, AN OLDER COMMUNITY.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO REDEVELOP SOME UNDERUTILIZED AREAS AND BRING NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

IN THOSE TWO WAYS, I THINK WE ARE MOST ALIKE.

YOU KNOW, WE SHARE THE ST. JOHNS RIVER BOUNDARY.

FOR US WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON A LOT OF GRANTS AND LEARNING FROM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN THE AREA OF STORMWATER.

FOR US, IT IS A TEAM OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS THAT HAVE PROVIDED REPEATED AND ONGOING STUDIES OF OUR WATERWAYS, OUR CAPACITY, OUR ASSETS. NOW THEY ARE-- HOW THEY ARE FUNCTIONING. I THINK THAT HAS BEEN A GOOD TOOL. THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD DO AGAIN. IT HAS SET THE STAGE FOR US AND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH GOING FOR FORWARD. NOW THAT WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE HAVE. AND SO CARRYING THAT INTO THE AREA OF RESILIENCY FOR YOUR COASTLINE, THAT IS NOT A SPECIFIC AREA OF EXPERTISE THAT I HAVE, BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS HERE IN FLORIDA ON WHAT WE CAN BE DOING TO PROTECT OUR DUNES AND TO PROTECT OUR HOMES AND OUR PROPERTIES ALONG THE COASTLINE. ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE DID THAT I DON'T THINK I WOULD REPEAT AGAIN WAS THE VOLUNTARY HOME BUYOUT. THIS WAS A CDBG GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE STATE OF FLORIDA. IT IS AN INCREDIBLY COMPLEX GRANT, AND IT IS LENGTHY. IT IS BURDENSOME FOR PROPERTY OWNERS. AND I THINK WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SERVED TO SET ASIDE SOME FUNDS TO BUY FLOOD-PRONE PROPERTIES OURSELVES INSTEAD OF SPENDING YEARS AND YEARS IN A PROGRAM THAT HAD MINIMAL SUC SUCCESS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD ABOUT-- DURING IRMA, WE HAD ABOUT 25 PROPERTIES THAT FLOODED. WE APPLIED FOR THE VOLUNTARY HOME BUYOUT GRANT WITH THAT NUMBER IN MIND.

AND WE HAD 18 PLOT OWNERS-- PROPERTY OWNERS VOLUNTARILY SIGN UP FOR THAT PROGRAM. THREE YEARS LATER, WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO BUY TWO. PART OF THAT WAS JUST THE LEVEL OF BUREAUCRACY THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HUD-TYPE GRANT. AND THE AMOUNT OF STAFF HOURS

[01:10:01]

THERE IS A MORE EFFICIENT WAY TO HANDLE POST-STORM DAMAGE.

ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIDE, WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS IN THAT AREA. CLAY COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A SEPARATE UMBRELLA FROM THE COUNTY.

ALL THE NEW NICE PALTIES-- MUNICIPALITIES AND THE COUNTY ARE PARTNERS TO THAT REDEVELOPMENT ARM.

WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP. WE MEET REGULARLY.

WE BRING IN SPEAKERS. WE LEARN FROM THEM.

AND SO IT IS ONE TEAM WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY AND WHAT OUR GOALS ARE. AND WHAT WE WANT TO ATTRACT AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO ATTRACT. AND SO BEING A PART OF THE TEAM THAT CAN REALLY BALANCE OUT DEVELOPER RIGHTS VERSUS COMMUNITY IDEALS AND HOW THOSE WILL FIT TOGETHER IS REALLY

IMPORTANT TO ME. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING.

>> DO YOU INSPIRE AND EMPOWER YOUR STAFF AND ENCOURAGE OPEN COMMUNICATION AMONG SEEN THOR STAFF-- SENIOR STAFF AND THE FIVE COMMISSIONERS, OR IN YOUR CASE, THE ORANGE PARK

COMMISSIONERS? >> YES, SIR.

MY STAFF WOULD SAY THAT I DO. WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM.

WE HAVE A GREAT RAPPORT WITH EACH OTHER.

WE TRUST EACH OTHER. WE CAN SHARE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD. WE CAN SHARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SO GOOD SOMETIMES. THEY KNOW THAT I SUPPORT THEM.

I HAVE THEIR BACK. BUT ALSO IF THERE ISES A PROBLEM THAT I WILL ALSO ADDRESS IT WITH THEM AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THEN AS FAR AS OUR COUNCIL GOES, I MEET REGULARLY WITH THEM. I ENCOURAGE THEM TO SPEND TIME IN OUR DEPARTMENTS, TOO. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE NEW ONBOARD. WE DO AN ORIENTATION.

THEY GO AND VISIT EVERY DEPARTMENT.

AND I THINK THAT SETS THE STAGE FOR A LONG-TERM POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP, WHERE THEY KNOW THEY CAN REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO

THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. >> THEY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT A REALLY EXPENSIVE PUMP COMING UP ON AN AGENDA.

OR THEY CAN REACH OUT TO THE POLICE CHIEF IF THEY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE CITIZENS.

JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CITIZEN. I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO RETURN THEIR PHONE CALLS AND ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS AND BE HELPFUL TO THEM. THAT JUST MAKES OUR TEAM EVEN BETTER WHEN WE ARE ALL, YOU KNOW, READING FROM THE SAME

SHEET OF MUSIC. >> GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING

HERE TODAY. >> THANK YOU.

>> MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH EMERGENCY DISASTER RESPONSE? PARTICULARLY, HURRICANES AND

FLOODING LIKE WE HAVE HERE. >> YES.

>> AND YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH COORDINATED RESPONSES WITH ADDITIONAL MUNICIPALITIES. YOU ARE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

WE ALL WORK TOGETHER. >> YES.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

IT IS A JOINT EFFORT IN CLAY COUNTY.

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM. IT STARTS IN OUR OWN AGENCY WITH ME TAKING THE ICS COURSE WORK THAT MY EMERGENCY MANAGERS HAVE TAKEN. I HAVE TAKEN, I THINK, FOUR OR FIVE OF THE ICS COURSES THROUGH FEMA.

I HAVE ALL OF MY CERTIFICATES IN THE APPROPRIATE POLICY AREAS.

THEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW-- WE FIT INTO THE CLAY COUNTY FRAMEWORK.

WE KICK OFF EVERY HURRICANE SEASON WITH A TEAM MEETING.

AT THE EOC. AND EVERYBODY GETS REMINDED OF WHAT THEIR ROLES ARE. WE SET UP OUR POLICY GROUP.

OUR ELECTED GROUP. OUR OPERATIONS GROUPS.

EVERYBODY IS IN THE ROOM. WE DO A DEBRIEF AND EVEN INVITE MIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE FORECAST OUTLOOKS LOOKS LIKE FOR THIS SEASON. AND THEN DURING THE EVENT, IT IS ALL HANDS ON. I'M THERE AT CITY HALL WITH MY STAFF. THEY MIGHT BE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OR PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING. WE ARE ALL ENGAGED AND ACTIVATED. COMMUNICATION, THEY CALL IT A BATTLE RHYTHM. YOU KNOW, GETTING THOSE TEAMS CALLS TWICE A DAY. LISTENING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE UPDATES. AND THEN COMMUNICATING THAT BOTH UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN. I NEED TO COMMUNICATE FIRST OF ALL, TO MY ELECTED BODY ABOUT WHAT THE FORECAST LOOKS LIKE.

SO THEY CAN COMMUNICATE THAT TO CONSTITUENTS AND THEN DOWN THE CHAIN TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THE TEAM LEADS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW WE NEED TO RESPOND.

AND THEN AFTERWARDS, ASSISTING IN ANY WAY I CAN TO THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE FIRST RESPONDER TYPES. WE WILL BE CLEARING ROADS.

JEA IN THE VICINITY, ARE THEY EMBEDDED WITH US? SOMETIMES THEY ARE EMBEDDED WITH US.

THEY CAN HAVE A LINE CREW WHILE WE ARE CUTTING TREES.

WHAT STREETS ARE IMPACTED. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM TAKES

[01:15:01]

ABOUT ROADS THAT MIGHT BE FLOODED OR TRAFFIC SIGNALS THAT MIGHT BE OUT. IT IS NEVER FUN TO GO THROUGH.

WE HAVE BUILT A REALLY GOOD SYSTEM.

I HAVE BEEN PROUD TO BE PART OF IT.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING. >> GROWTH IS A MAJOR CONCERN WITH OUR RESIDENTS. AND TRYING TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN SMART GROWTH AND THE NEED TO PROVIDE WORKFORCE HOUSING, OBTAINABLE HOUSING, AS THE CHAMBER CALLS IT.

CAN YOU SHARE ANY IDEAS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THAT COULD HELP PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY?

>> THANK YOU. I WISH THERE WAS A MAGIC SOLUTION THAT I COULD TELL YOU THIS WILL ALWAYS WIN THE DAY.

YOU REALLY HAVE TO TAKE IT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.

AGAIN, HOW MOTIVATED IS THIS BODY TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? DOES THAT MEAN SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES? DOES THAT MEAN MULTIFAMILY? WHAT IS THE ATTAINABLE HOUSING RATE BASED ON LOCAL INCOMES? WE NEED TO HAVE A BASELINE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EVERYBODY'S GOALS ARE.

EXCUSE ME. AND THEN TYPICALLY, I DON'T THINK IT IS GOVERNMENT'S ROLE TO BE BUILDING HOUSING.

PER SE. DO WE WANT TO INCENTIVIZE THE PROCESS, IN ANY WAY? WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? DOES THAT JUST MEAN WE ARE GOING TO ELIMINATE SOME HURDLES TO DEVELOPERS TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING? OR DOES THAT MEAN WE ARE INVESTING OUR COUNTY DOLLARS IN THAT PROJECT? I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE BY VICTORIA CROSSING THIS WEEK.

THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY. I HOPE THAT IT IS VERY SUCCESSFUL. I THINK YOU HAD A DIRECT INCENTIVE PART IN THAT PROGRAM THERE.

WILL IT BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE LONG RUN? AND WHAT OTHER MODELS CAN WORK? MAYBE IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE-- WHAT USED TO BE CALLED SCATTERED-SIGHT HOUSING.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS THE TERM THAT PLANNERS USE ANYMORE.

WHERE YOU ARE FOCUSED ON SINGLE LOTS IN LARGER DEVELOPMENTS AND KIND OF SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, THAT IS ANOTHER APPROACH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, CAN WE MAKE IT MORE AAFFORDABLE FOR PEOPLE TO BUILD HERE.

IS IT SMALLER LOT SIZES? IS IT SMALLER HOME SIZE? WHAT IS THE MINIMUM SQUARE FOOTAGE WE ALLOW ON A HOUSE? PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR SMALLER HOMES THAT ARE MORE AFFORDABLE.

DO WE PUT BARRIERS IN FRONT OF THAT FOR THEM? THOSE WOULD BE THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LOOK AT, FIRST OF ALL.

WE HAVE A WHOLE NEW SET OF RULES THIS YEAR THAT WE ARE WORKING UNDER. WE WILL BE LEARNING A LOT IN THE COMING MONTHS ABOUTS IF HOW THAT WILL BE PLAYING OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ALSO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PIVOT A LITTLE BIT FROM WHEN THE LEGISLATURE PUTS SOMETHING INTO ACTION AND THEY CAN REACT TO. THAT THAT WILL EITHER BENEFIT OR

HURT US ULTIMATELY. >> GOOD MORNING.

HOW ARE YOU? >> GOOD MORNING.

>> IF WE HAD A TAX TRIM ROLLBACK NEXT YEAR, HOW WOULD YOU ACHIEVE THAT GOAL OR ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL WITH THE BUDGET?

>> THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT I LOOK AT.

I HAVE RULED OUR MILLAGE BACK TWICE IN MY SIX YEARS AS THE MANAGER IN ORANGE PARK. THE FIRST TIME I DID IT WAS SOME SAVINGS IN OUR-- ONE OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS.

WE PAID OFF SOME DEBT. WE WERE ABLE TO LOWER A UTILITY RATE FOR A UTILITY RATE PAYERS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE STANDING UP THE STORMWATER FACILITY.

IT WAS GOING TO BE AN ADDED COST TO RESIDENTS.

IT WAS A NEW LEVEL OF SERVICE THEY NEVER HAD.

WE REALIZED, THOUGH, THAT IN TRANSFERRING THE LITTLE STORMY STORMWATER THAT WE HAD IN OUR GENERAL FUND INTO A NEW ENTERPRISE FUND, WE WERE ABLE TO LOWER THE MILLAGE IN THE GENERAL FUND. THAT WAS A GREAT WIN.

WE ADDED A NEW LEVEL OF SERVICE, BUT WE LOWERED TWO OTHER RATES AT THE SAME TIME. THE RESIDENTS DIDN'T FEEL OVERBURDENED BY THIS NEW STORMWATER FEE THEY HAD TO PAY.

WE ALSO LOWERED THE MILLAGE THIS YEAR.

I TAKE A PRETTY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO BUDGETING, FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS, NOT THE WANTS SOMETIMES.

SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE A WISHLIST OF THINGS.

SOME YEARS, WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT.

SO BUILDING THEIR DEPARTMENT BUDGETS, PRETTY NARROWLY, AND ALSO WORKING TO ELIMINATE A MAJOR EXPENSE THAT WE HAD ON OUR BOOKS. AND IT WAS TO THE TUNE OF A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR THAT WE HAVE BEEN PAYING.

WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A CREATIVE SOLUTION.

WE ELIMINATED THAT BILL COMPLETELY.

WE WERE ABLE TO PASS THAT SAVINGS ON TO RESIDENTS.

SO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT YOUR REVENUE SIDE.

ARE THERE REVENUES YOU ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF? ARE THERE REVENUES THAT WE HAVE UNDERESTIMATED?

[01:20:03]

WE ARE NOT GOING TO COLLECT ALL OF IT.

THEN WE HAVE THE OTHER REVENUES. IN YOUR BUDGET, IT LOOKED LIKE YOU ADDED ALL OF THE REVENUES AND THEN TOOK 5% OFF THE GRAND TOTAL. THAT IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING IT. I GENERALLY ONLY TAKE THE 5% OFF OF THE MILLAGE PIECE. YOU MIGHT BE UNDERESTIMATING SOME OF YOUR REVENUES. AND LOTS OF GRANTS.

LOTS AND LOTS OF GRANTS. THAT IS ANOTHER REVENUE OPPORTUNITY TO PLUS UP REVENUES WHEN THINGS ARE LOOKING TIGHT.

THAT HAS BEEN MY APPROACH IN THE PAST.

>> MS. CAMPBELL, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAS MANY RESPONSIBILITIES EVERY DAY. ONE IS KEEPING CAN BOARD INFORMED. WHAT THINGS DO YOU BELIEVE ARE NOT WORTH INFORMING THE BOARD ABOUT? WHAT THINGS MUST YOU INFORM THE BOARD ABOUT? TELL ME HOW YOU MAKE THAT DETERMINATION IN AS MUCH DETAIL

AS YOU CAN. >> IT IS A BALANCING ACT, FOR SURE. I MEET WITH MY ELECTED BODY WEEKLY FOR THE MOST PART. WITH EACH OF THEM.

AND KEEP THEM INFORMED OVER URGENT ITEMS. AGENDA. BUT OTHER SENSITIVE ITEMS THEY MIGHT HEAR ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY OR MIGHT BE ON THE NEWS. I GENERALLY LIKE THEM TO HEAR THAT FROM ME FIRST. THERE IS USUAL LITTLE SURPRISES OUT THERE, THOUGH, WHERE I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS NOT IMPORTANT, AND THEN THEY DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT.

SO WE HAVE TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT EACH OTHER'S VIBE.

AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. I CERTAINLY WANT TO CONVEY THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU.

IN AN ORGANIZATION THIS SIZE, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONVEY EVERY PERSONNEL CHANGE, BUT CERTAINLY, THOSE OF TOP STAFF WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT. ANY SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS-- YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, YOU HAD A SHOOTING ON I-95 A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THAT IS A BIG DEAL.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY.

THAT IS SOMETHING YOU ALL NEED TO BE KEPT IN THE LOOP ON.

BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE DECIDED TO GO WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN OF PARK BERCHG ON BENCH AT A LOCAL PARK, I DON'T THINK THAT IS AN AREA OF POLICY THAT YOU ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN.

SOMETIMES THEY SURPRISE ME AND THEY DO WANT TO GET INVOLVED INTO DESIGN DETAILS. ONLY COMMISSIONS WANT TO PICK OUT PAINT COLORS AND FENCE STYLES.

WE KIND OF ROLL WIT. BASED ON WHAT YOU GUYS ARE

INTERESTED IN. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU?

>> GOOD. >> IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN JOT THESE DOWN. I SORT OF CHEATED.

I REALLY HAVE FIVE QUESTIONS IN ONE.

>> OKAY. THAT IS HOW I OPERATE.

HAVE YOU HAD EXPERIENCE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, GROWTH MANAGEMENT, BEACH RENOURISHMENT, AND ACQUIRING CONSERVATION LANDS. DID YOU GET ALL OF THOSE, SARAH?

>> YES, SIR. I WOULD SAY YES IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. PUBLIC SAFETY, ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE OUR OWN POLICE AND FIRE IN ORANGE PARK.

I HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE CHIEFS AND RIDDEN ALONG WITH OUR PATROL OFFICERS AND SERGEANTS.

I HAVE RIDDEN ALONG FIRE AND RESCUE.

I THINK THEY ARE THE GOLD STANDARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, MOST IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITIZENS, IF THEY FEEL SAFE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY LIVE.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT A STRONG PROGRAM IN ORANGE PARK.

WE TYPICALLY PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE SHIP PROGRAM WHICH IS A COUNTY OFFICE OR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.

WE HAVE ONE DEVELOPER IN DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW BASED ON THE LIVE LOCAL ACT LOOKING AT A PARCEL TO ADD 90 UNITS.

THEY ARE NOT SURE YET IF THEY ARE GOING TO BUILD UNDER THE LIVE LOCAL ACT OR NOT. BUT THAT IS STARTING TO MOVE.

GROWTH MANAGEMENT IS NOT-- I GUESS, TYPICALLY HOW WE FRAME DEVELOPMENT IN THE TOWN BECAUSE WE ARE BUILT OUT.

WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON REDEVELOPMENT.

OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS FOCUS INTERNALLY ON UNDERUTILIZED PARCELS AND ATTRACTING NEW DEVELOPMENT TO THOSE PARCELS. MY INVOLVEMENT IN THAT,

[01:25:03]

WOWOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN COMING TO ORANGE SNARK WE HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF SUCCESS JUST REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE, ASKING THEM TO BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

BEACH RENOURISHMENT FOR US IS WATERFRONT RENOURISHMENT.

THAT IS THE ST. JOHNS RIVER WATERFRONT AND THE DR.'S LAKE WATERFRONT. THOSE ARE TIDAL.

WE DO GET STORM SURGES ON THOSE BODIES OF WATER.

FOR US, IT IS FOCUSING ON HMGP GRANTS FOR RIVER BANK STABILIZATION. OUR PROJECT IS UNDER DESIGN RIGHT NOW. I THINK OUR DESIGN IS DUE HERE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO CONSTRUCTION. AND THAT PHASE ON THE ST. JOHNS RIVER IS TO STABILIZE ALL STORMWATER OUTFALLS, AND THEN WE HAVE A LARGE CONSERVATION PARK ON DR.'S LAKE, AND THE SHORELINE IS ALL CONCRETE-- WE WILL PURSUE SOME GRANTS FOR MORE NATURAL COASTLINE TYPE AREA FOR THAT RENOURISHMENT.

SO H IT BECOMES A LITTLE MORE USER-FRIENDLY IN THAT AREA.

ACQUISITION OF CONSERVATION LAND IS A PROJECT THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE AND ENJOY. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INVEST QUITE A BIT OF MONEY IN THAT. I HAVE BEEN THE PROJECT LEAD ON THAT FOR THE TOWN, THE PAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS.

WE HAVE ACQUIRED EIGHT TO TEN PARCELS.

ISN'T A LOT FOR A COUNTY, BUT FOR THE TOWN, IT HAS BEEN A GREAT PROJECT. WHAT WE WERE STARTING TO SEE IS SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES BEING DEVELOPED IN VULNERABLE AREAS.

THAT REALLY RAISES ALARM BELLS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

OUR COUNCIL INVESTED FUNDS AND SAID NO, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US. SO I HAVE BEEN COLD-CALLING PEOPLE WHO OWN WETLANDS AND TRYING TO BUY THEIR LAND.

WE HAVE HAD SOME GOOD SUCCESS. SOME OF THEM ARE VERY COMPLICATED. THEY HAVE TITLE ISSUES.

IT TAKES A WHILE TO WORK WITH A REAL TEAM DASH LEGAL TEAM AND GET THROUGH THOSE. ONCE YOU CLOSE ON A PROPERTY, IT FEELS GREAT TO ADD ANOTHER CONSERVATION FEES OUR ROLLS.

>> THANK YOU. >> MRS. CAMPBELL, IF YOU WERE SELECTED FOR THIS POSITION, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IMMEDIATE OPERATIONAL FOCUS? 60 DAYS? 100 DAYS? 200 DAYS?

>> YEAH. RIGHT AWAY, IT IS GETTING TO KNOW THE TEAM. FIGURING OUT THE LAY OF THE BUILDING. THERE IS A MAZE OF OFFICES HERE.

I WANT TO MEET AS MANY EMPLOYEES AS I CAN, TO START TO GET TO KNOW THEM AS PEOPLE AND PROFESSIONALS.

AND FOR THEM TO GET TO KNOW ME. ON THE FROAND END,-- ON THE FRONT END, IT IS EASY TO TELL ABOUT WHO I AM.

THEY GET TO KNOW ME QUICKLY. IT WILL TAKE ME LONGER TO GET TO KNOW THEM. JUMPING RIGHT IN, FILLING MY CALENDAR, AND STARTING TO GO TO MEETINGS, WHEREVER I'M NEEDED.

WHETHER IT IS WITH ONE OF YOU OR WITH ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, OR ANYBODY IN THE TEAM THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESENT FOR A MEETING, JUST GETTING TO KNOWISW THEIR ISSUES, WHAT THEY ARE WORKING ON, A LITTLE BIT LONGER HORIZON WOULD BE GETTING TO KNOW OUR PARTNERS. OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

OUR NONPROFITS. I MET SOME OF THEM LAST NIGHT AT THE RECEPTION. THAT WAS GREAT THAT THEY WERE HERE AND HAD A PRESENCE. YOU KNOW, THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM AND OUR BUSINESSES.

AND OUR MAJOR EMPLOYERS. I WANT TO MEET OUR MAJOR EMPLOYERS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR GOALS ARE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE STRATEGIC PLANNING IN YOUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. I ASSUME THAT IS GOING TO BE KICKING OFF A.S.A.P. SO JUMPING IN WITH TWO FEET INTO STRATEGIC PLANNING. AND PRETTY SOON, AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, YOUR BUDGET PROCESS WILL BE STARTING.

AND SO REALLY DIGGING IN DEEP ON NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT COMES TOGETHER.

WITH YOUR TEAM. AND PRESENTING IT IN A WAY THAT ACCOMPLISHES THE COMMISSION'S GOALS AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS CAN CONTINUE THEIR OPERATIONS SUCCESSFULLY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MS. CAMPBELL, CAN YOU SHARE ANY EXAMPLES OF A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAD TO MAKE A DIFFICULT PERSONNEL DECISION, HOW YOU HANDLED, ANY, IF ANY,

BACKLASH FROM YOUR POSITION? >> THANK YOU.

I SHARED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT IN THE INTERVIEW WITH THE SEARCH COMMITTEE AS WELL. WE HAD A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR-- IT WAS A CHALLENGING SITUATION IN THAT WE KNEW THERE WAS AN

[01:30:01]

I VERY MUCH THOUGHT THAT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER TO HELP THEM BECOME A BETTER MANAGER.

AND I TALKED WITH THEM INFORMALLY, CASUALLY, AND THEN WHEN THINGS WERE NOT GETTING BETTER, HAVING TO ESCALATE THAT INTO A MORE STRUCTURED PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN, BUT ULTIMATELY, THAT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.

WE HAD SORT OF A FINAL INCIDENT THAT WAS JUST-- MADE ME REALIZE THIS PERSON COULDN'T BE PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION ANYMORE.

I ASKED FOR THEIR RESIGNATION. THEY DECLINED.

IN OUR CHARTER, THAT MEANS IT THEN GOES TO A PUBLIC MEETING, AND THE ELECTED BODY GETS MY RECOMMENDATION FOR TERMINATION.

THE ELECTED BODY IS CONFRONTED WITH THAT DECISION.

I HAD BEEN BRIEFING THEM ALL ALONG, SO I FELT CONFIDENT THAT I HAD THE SUPPORT OF MY ELECTED BODY.

BUT THAT REALLY PUT THEM IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION WHEN THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS IN FRONT OF THEM-- WITH HIS ATTORNEY, HIS ATTORNEY-- IT BECAME LIKE A WEIRD COURT CASE WHICH I GUESS I WASN'T EXPECTING, AND SO I WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE BOLD, I THINK, IN MY PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT HOW BAD THINGS WERE.

I WAS TRYING TO PRESERVE SOMEONE'S REPUTATION BY STAYING SILENT. I THINK I COULD HAVE BEEN MORE OPEN ABOUT ALL OF THE ISSUES AND PUT UP A STRONGER DEFENSE BECAUSE IT MADE IT VERY AWKWARD AT THAT PUBLIC MEETING.

ULTIMATELY, THE COUNCIL DID SUPPORT MY RECOMMENDATION.

THE EMPLOYEES WERE VERY VOCAL ABOUT HOW BAD THINGS HAD GOTTEN AS WELL. THEY SUPPORTED MY DECISION.

SO YEAH, IT IS NO FUN. IT IS NO FUN.

I DON'T ENVY ANY ORGANIZATION THAT GOES THROUGH THAT.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, THERE IS CERTAINLY LESSONS LEARNED.

WE HAVE A STRONGER TEAM AS A RESULT.

>> HI AGAIN. OUR LOGO SAYS "FLORIDA AT FIRST SIGHT." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS A WHOLE? >> I WAS EXCITED TO READ THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT REFLECTS, FIRST OF ALL, YOUR VERY NATION. THE FACT THAT THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE HERE IS JUST A TREASURE AND A JEWEL AND VERY IMPORTANT HISTORICALLY, IT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED AND PRESERVED.

FLORIDA AT FIRST SIGHT IS LITERALLY WHAT THE COUNTY WAS.

WE ARE LITERALLY THE FIRST GLIMPSE THAT, YOU KNOW, EXPLORERS COMING HERE TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES SAW.

YOU CAN CARRY THAT THEME FUR FURTHER, AND ONE OF THE THINGS IT MEANS TO ME IS THAT WHAT DO PEOPLE SEE WHEN THEY ENTER ST. JOHNS COUNTY FOR THE FIRST TIME NOW? WHAT DO YOUR MEDIANS LOOK LIKE? WHAT DO YOUR WELCOME SIGNS LOOK LIKE? WHAT DO YOUR HIGHWAYS LOOK LIKE FOR PEOPLE COMING HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME? THIS MAY BE THEIR FIRST VISIT TO FLORIDA.

YOU WANT TO REFLECT THE EXCELLENCE THAT YOUR COUNTY'S REPUTATION CONVEYS. YOU CAN CARRY THAT THEME INTO EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. FLORIDA AT FIRST SIGHT.

ST. AUGUSTINE AT FIRST SIGHT. ST. JOHNS COUNTY AT FIRST SIGHT.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE WAY WE CONDUCT OURSELVES AND THE WAY OUR COUNTY LOOKS? THE APPEARANCE OF THE COMMUNITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. DETAILS ARE IMPORTANT.

WHETHER THE GRASS IS MOWED AND THE CREPE MYRTLES HAVE BEEN PRUNED: I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER.

IS THE LIGHTING ON? WE HAD TO IMPLEMENT A LIGHTING PROGRAM WHERE ONCE A MONTH THE PUBLIC SAFETY WOULD DRIVE AROUND, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. ON THE FIRST OF THE MONO, THEY WOULD RIDE THE STREETS AND REPORT THE STREETLIGHTS THAT WERE BURNT OUT. WE HAVE WANT IT TO LOOK GOOD.

WE WANT TO LOOK SHARP WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE AND SEE WHO WE

ARE. >> MS. CAMPBELL, IT MAY SEEM A LITTLE REDUNDANT. COMMISSIONER ALA ALAIMO ASKED YU ABOUT A SPECIFIC INSTANCE. TAKE ME THROUGH THE STEPS THAT YOU WOULD TAKE GENERALLY, NOT KNOWING THE SPECIFIC CASE, THAT COULD LEAD TO THE TERMINATION OF AN EMPLOYEE.

>> WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL. I WON'T SAY A LOT.

IT DOES HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY. AND IT IS ALWAYS ABOUT WEIGHING THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THAT PARTICULAR CASE.

WE HAVE HAD SOME THAT WERE IMMEDIATE BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF VIOLATION. TYPICALLY, SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE ILLEGAL WHERE SOMEBODY DID SOMETHING TO GET THEM IN TROUBLE

[01:35:01]

I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO DETAILS ON SITUATIONS, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THAT WERE IMMEDIATE. YOU CANNOT BE PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION WITH CONDUCT LIKE THAT.

THERE ARE OTHERS THAT TAKE TIME TO PLAY OUT BECAUSE YOU GENUINELY WANT TO GIVE SOMEONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER THEMSELVES. I'M INTERESTED TO SEE SOMEONE'S CAPABILITIES FOR PERSONAL GROWTH.

IF YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH AN ISSUE BILL YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THAT ON AND ATTEMPT TO SOLVE IT? OR ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE EXCUSES AND BLAME OTHER PEOPLE? I WANT TO SEE THEIR RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION AND SEE IF THEY ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY, AND ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE TO DO BETTER. THEY ARE PROBABLY GOING TO GET MORE LEEWAY FROM ME IN THEIR CAREER WITH THE ORGANIZATION.

YOU KNOW, VERBAL WARNINGS, WRITTEN WARNINGS, WE DO AN ESCALATING DISCIPLINARY PLAN WITH THE TOP OF THAT BEING A PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND WE HAVE ALSO DONE SOMETHING CALLED A LAST CHANCE AGREEMENT. WHERE, LISTEN, WE HAVE GIVEN YOU TWO ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE ALREADY.

YOU KNOW, THIRD STRIKE AND YOU ARE OUT.

THAT SORT OF THING. WE HAVE HAD TO UTILIZE THAT.

WE HAD, YOU KNOW, A DISPATCHER IN PUBLIC SAFETY WHO HAD A DRUG ISSUE. THEN YOU HAVE TO BALANCE FMLA ISSUES. DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM THAT YOU WANT TO SEEK TREATMENT FOR? LET'S BRING IN FMLA.

DO 12 WEEKS OF LEAVE. GET YOU THE HELP THAT YOU NEED.

BRING YOU BACK TO YOUR JOB. YOU WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE EVIDENCE ROOM ANYMORE. THE ARCHIVE ROOM ANYMORE.

THINGS THAT MIGHT GET YOU IN HOT WATER.

BUT WE STILL WANT YOU TO HAVE A JOB WITH US.

WE WANT YOU TO BE HEALTHY. THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS THAT MAY WEIGH INTO THOSE TYPES OF DECISIONS.

SOMETIMES THEY PLAY OUT OVERNIGHT.

AND YOU DIDN'T EXPECT THEM. SOMETIMES THEY PLAY OUT OVER

YEARS. >> THANK YOU.

>> MRS. CAMPBELL, JUST TO CLOSE, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS OR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? >> I'M GOING TOOF SO MANY QUESTIONS. I DON'T KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT VENUE. TO GET TO KNOW EACH OF YOU A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR GOALS ARE.

ULTIMATELY, IT IS ABOUT WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR THIS BODY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A SHORT ANSWER TO THAT. I ASKED THIS OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE AS WELL. WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE TO

YOU ONE YEAR FROM NOW? >> DO YOU WANT US TO ANSWER?

>> PLEASE. >> FAIRNESS AND YOU KNOW, BRINGING THE INFORMATION AND JUST BEING FAIR TO THE EMPLOYEES. FAIR TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

THAT IS MY THREE WORDS. >> THANK YOU.

>> I WOULD JUST SAY THAT HAVING BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR 25 YEARS, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN WONDERFUL.

I STILL THINK IT IS JUST AS WONDERFUL NOW AS IT WAS WHEN I MOVED HERE BACK IN 1998. I THINK WE HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF OUR SUCCESS A LITTLE BIT. MAINTAINING ALL THESE WONDERFUL QUALITIES WITH SO MANY PEOPLE BEING ATTRACTED TO OUR COMMUNITY, THAT IS GOING TO BE OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE.

KEEPING THIS PLACE SPECIAL. THAT IS WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

TO ME. >> WELL, I'M SORT OF PROJECT-ORIENTED. MY SUCCESS IN ONE YEAR WOULD BE TO LOOK BACK AND SEE THE HALF-MILE GAP IN 2010 FOUR LANES OR SIX LANES, HIGHWAY STATE ROAD 16 FROM THE OUTLET MALL TO IGP,

FOUR LANES. >> YES.

>> AND THE BEACH RENOURISHMENT PROJECT, EITHER DONE OR WELL UNDER WAY. I'M LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC ITEMS I

WOULD LIKE TO SEE. >> GREAT.

>> I WILL JUMP IN. TO BUILD UPON WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE SAID. MAINTAINING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE BUT ALSO PROGRESS. WE HAVE A LOT OF WATCHING UP TO DO TO KEEP THIS PLACE AS MAGICAL AS IT IS CURRENTLY.

>> I ECHO MY COLLEAGUES. MONEY MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE. ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE. WE WANT TO KEEP IT NUMBER ONE.

>> I AGREE. IT IS A SPECIAL PLACE.

THOSE ARE EXCELLENT PROJECTS. EVEN IF I DON'T GET THE JOB, I

HOPE THEY GET DONE, TOO. >> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS

FOR MRS. CAMPBELL BY THE BOARD? >> I HAVE A COMMENT.

>> YES, SIR. >> I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR

[01:40:02]

MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE ST. JOHNS RIVER ACTUALLY BACKWELLS ALL THE WAY TO LAKE GEORGE.

THERE IS A TWO-FOOT TIDAL SHIFT THAT EBB AND FLOWS.

I MEAN, WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS REALLY GOOD.

BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE SERIOUS EROSION ALONG THE BANKS OF THE RIVER ALL THE WAY TO LAKE GEORGE.

GOOD WORK. >> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD. WELL, IF THERE IS NOTHING ELSE FOR MRS. CAMPBELL, YOU ARE EXCUSED. CREW.

[01:59:31]

[01:59:35]

[01:59:38]

SO I CAN MEET ALL THE STAFF AND THE EMPLOYEES THERERA.

THEY ARE THAN KIND OF GETTING INFORMATION FILTERED THROUGH DEPARTMENT HEADS, BE AVAILABLE. I'M GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING THAT. BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE

[02:00:02]

MEETING WITH THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT, BUDGETS.

EVERY STATE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT AS WE COME TO LEVYING PROPERTY TAXES. THERE IS ALWAYS NUANCES THERE.

I'M CONFIDENT I CAN GET UP TO SPEED VERY QUICKLY.

COMMISSIONER JOSEPH'S QUESTION, THE MATERIALLING NO-- THE TERMINOLOGY IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

>> THANK YOU, SIR. >> SIR, CAN YOU SHARE ANY EXAMPLES OF A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAD TO MAKE A DIFFICULT PERSONNEL DECISION AND HOW YOU HANDLED, IF ANY, BACKLASH FROM

YOUR DECISION? >> YES.

AND IF YOU GIVE ME A MOMENT, COMMISSIONER.

IT IS PERSONNEL--RELATED. I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE TACTFUL.

I HAD A LONGTIME COUNTY EMPLOYEE WORK FOR ME.

THEY WORKED UP THROUGH THE RA RANKS, STARTED IN A VERY ENTRY-LEVEL POSITION. OVER THE YEARS, HAD BEEN PROMOTED TO A SENIOR-LEVEL DEPARTMENT HEAD POSITION.

THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE COUNTY ARE CHAINING THAT SUCH THAT IT IS GETTING TO BE MORE PROGRESSIVE.

PARTICULARLY, WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES LIKE WORK-LIFE BALANCE.

YOU KNOW, COUNTY JOBS USED TO BE REALLY GOOD.

YOU GOT THERE. YOU JUST SHOWED UP, YOU COLLECTED YOUR PAYCHECK. YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK THAT HARD. 40 YEARS AGO.

THINGS ARE CHANGING. RIGHT? WORK-LIFE BALANCE IS IMPORTANT. THIS EMPLOYEE WAS REALLY DUG IN, I THINK, TO AN OLDER WAY OF LOOKING ABOUT-- THINKING ABOUT HOW WE TREAT EMPLOYEES. THE COMMISSION CHANGED OVER.

WE STARTED OFFERING PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.

A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO TO BETTER THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES IN THE COUNTY, IT WAS KIND OF LOW-HANGING FRUIT. THIS EMPLOYEE WAS PRETTY OPPOSED TO ALL OF THAT. KIND OF STOPPED GIVING ME INFORMATION. I WOULD SAY, HEY, WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS NOW. OKAY.

AND THEN IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN. I WOULD HEAR ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS. SITTING DOWN WITH THAT EMPLOYEE AND SAYING, HAVING THAT DIFFICULT CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE TO BE EMPLOYED BY THE COUNTY WAS VERY DIFFICULT. ULTIMATELY, WE PARTED WAYS.

AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF BLOWBACK, I THINK, PARTICULARLY INTERNALLY. THE EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME. WAS WELL-REGARDED.

WELL-LIKED. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTOOD A CHANGE NEEDED TO BE MADE.

THAT WAS FRANKLY, VERY HELPFUL TO ME.

RIGHT? KNOWING THAT I HAVE THE BACKING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATION TO HAVE.

THAT WAS A LONG ANSWER TO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A SHORT QUESTION-ANSWER. DOES THAT HIT YOUR-- OKAY.

>> OKAY. ANOTHER DIFFERENT KIND OF QUESTION. SO OUR LOGO SAYS FLORIDA AT FIRST SIGHT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? AND FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS YOU GO FORWARD.

>> I THINK THAT IS AN INTERESTING LOGO.

WHAT IT SAYS TO ME IS IT IS THE BEST PART OF FLORIDA.

YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH IT FIRST SIGHT.

WHEN YOU COME TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

>> WOULD YOU ADD ANYTHING TO THAT?

>> TO MY ANSWER? OR TO THE LOW GO?

>> TO YOUR ANSWER. >> NO.

THAT IS A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. I HAD NOT GIVEN THAT VERY MUCH THOUGHT AT ALL. FRANKLY.

UNEXPECTED QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT. I BET IF YOU ASK ME TOMORROW, I WILL THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS I SHOULD HAVE SAID WHEN I'M STANDING UP HERE AT THE PODIUM. NOTHING IS COMING TO ME RIGHT

NOW. >> MR. DOAR, COMMISSIONER ALAIMO ASKED YOU ABOUT A SPECIFIC INSTANCE.

IGOING TO ASK MORE BROADLY. I FEEL LIKE IT IS WORTH ASKING.

TAKE ME THROUGH THE STEPS THAT YOU WOULD TAKE JUST IN GENERAL NOT KNOWING THE SPECIFIC CASE, THAT COULD LEAD TO THE

TERMINATION OF AN EMPLOYEE. >> TERMINATING EMPLOYEES IS NEVER EASY. IT IS NEVER ANYTHING-- I HAVE SAID, I THINK, REPEATEDLY, IF IT EVER GETS TO A POINT WHERE I'M BLASE OR GLIB ABOUT TERMINATING SOMEBODY'S EMPLOYMENT, I NEED TO FIND A NEW LINE OF WORK. IT IS NEVER AN EASY THING TO DO.

I DEAL WITH PERFORMANCE ISSUES UP FRONT.

I DON'T LET THEM FESTER. I DON'T THINK THAT IS IN ANYONE'S BEST INTEREST. YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH THEM FORTH RIGHTLY AND IMMEDIATELY. IT STARTS WITH AN INFORMAL

[02:05:02]

WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO IMPROVE. IF THAT IS NOT HAPPENING, WE WORK THROUGH THE STEPS OF, YOU KNOW, IT GOES FROM VERBAL WARNING TO A WRITTEN WARNING TO PERHAPS A PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN. WE TRY TO DETAIL THAT AND GIVE THE EMPLOYEE EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU CAN TO SUCCEED.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, SOMETIMES IT IS NOT POSSIBLE.

AND THE EMPLOYEE NEEDS TO BE TERMINATED.

I LIKE TO BE DIRECT AND FORTH RIGHT IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

I HAVE HAD THE UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE OF SITTING IN ON PROBABLY TOO MANY OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT. THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT.

FOR SURE. THERE ARE SOME TIMES WHEN IT IS VERY EASY TO STAY ON TRACK. IN THAT CONVERSATION.

AND THERE ARE OTHER TIMES WHEN IT TAKES A LOT OF DISCIPLINE TO STAY ON TRACK. BECAUSE IT IS EASY TO TAKE SIDE ROADS IN THAT CONVERSATION. IN MONTANA, MONTANA EMPLOYEES, GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES HAVE A PROPERTY INTEREST RIGHT TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT. SO TERMINATING EMPLOYEES IS A BIG DEAL. IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO. WE DO IT WHEN IT IS NECESSARY.

>> MR. DOAR, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK US ON THE BOARD OR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO

SHARE WITH US? >> HOW IS IT GOING SO FAR?

>> IT IS GOING GREAT. >> GOOD.

GOOD. I WAS SAYING-- I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS GREAT TO BE ONE OF THE LAST ONES UP.

SINCE WE ARE ALL HANGING AROUND ANYWAY, MAYBE IT IS BETTER.

NO. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR TIME. I HAVE ENJOYED BEING HERE.

AND MEETING WITH YOU. AND MEETING WITH THE STAFF.

IT WAS REALLY FANTASTIC. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU. >> WONDERFUL.

>> IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR MR. DOAR THAT WAS NOT --

>> MR. DOAR, IN YOUR ANSWER TO COMMISSIONER ALAIMO, ABOUT TERMINATING A LONG-TERM COUNTY EMPLOYEE, YOU INDICATED THAT THERE WERE SOME CHANGES OR CULTURE SHIFTS GOING ON IN THE GOVERNMENT AT THAT TIME. WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO EXPAND UPON

THAT? >> YES.

>> THE CULTURE SHIFTS. >> NO.

ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THIS EMPLOYEE WAS SOMEWHAT UNCOMFORTABLE WORKING IN A MULTIGENERATIONAL WORKPLACE AND COULD NOT QUITE COME TO TERMS WITH THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE MODERN WORKFORCE. IN A LOT OF WAYS.

AND WAS UNWILLING TO ADAPT THEIR APPROACH TO IT.

IS THAT VAGUE ENOUGH? LIKE, I'M TRYING TO WALK THE LINE BETWEEN VAGUE AND SPECIFIC HERE.

>> I WAS HOPING TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CHANGES IN THE WORKPLACE CULTURE AS OPPOSED TO THE EMPLOYEE AND THE LIMITATIONS THERE. YOU MENTIONED PAID PARENTAL

LEAVE. >> YES.

WE PUT TOGETHER WHAT WE CALL IT THE RECRUITMENT RETAINING COMMITTEE. WE ARE NOT VERY GOOD AT NAMING THINGS, GENERALLY. THERE IS PROBABLY A VERY WITTY NAME. I'M SURE THE COMMUNICATIONS PEOPLE WOULD COME UP WITH A GOOD NAME FOR SOMETHING.

WHAT WE DID WAS WE TRIED TO BRING IN A CROSS-SECTION OF OUR EMPLOYEES BETWEEN ELECTED OFFICES.

WE INVITED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO COME.

HEALTH OFFICERS. AT THE TIME, IT WAS A SEPARATE POSITION, REPORTING TO THE BOARD OF HEALTH.

SOME LINE-LEVEL EMPLOYEES AND GO THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD IN ORDER TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AS EMPLOYEES IN TERMS OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE? IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT-- YOU KNOW, TO GET THEM TO MAYBE BE MORE WILLING TO EXPEND THAT DISCRETIONARY EFFORT AT WORK.

IT WAS REALLY SUCCESSFUL. WE DID A NUMBER OF THINGS.

WE HAD REMOTE WORK POLICIES BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WHEN-- WHICH WAS GREAT. FRANKLY.

BECAUSE IT WAS A NICE TRAN TRANSITION.

WE HAD SET UP, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS AND WERE THOUGHTFUL AHEAD OF TIME, INSTEAD OF, LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.

PAID PARENTAL LEAVE WAS A BIG ONE THAT CAME OUT.

MONTANA HAS A WEIRD STATUTE T THAT-- I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO SAY THIS. THERE ARE DIFFERING LEGAL OPINIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT APPLIES JUST TO STATE EMPLOYEES OR TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES. WE DECIDED IT DOES NOT APPLY TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES. THERE WAS THIS WEIRD, A WEIRD STATUTE WHERE EMPLOYEES CAN ACCRUE SICK AND VACATION TIME BUT CAN'T USE IT UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR SIX MONTHS.

THE WAY THAT OUR BUDGET CYCLE, IF WE CREATE NEW POSITIONS, HIRE

[02:10:02]

SO WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT CAN'T TAKE TIME OFF DURING THE HOLIDAYS, FOR INSTANCE. THEY HAVE VACATION ACCRUED.

THEY CAN'T USE IT. WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS AN EASY ONE UNTIL WE HAD DIFFERING LEGAL OPINIONS.

BUT WE DID IT. HOPEFULLY, NOBODY FROM MONTANA IS LISTENING TO THIS. (LAUGHTER).

>> THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE TRIED TO FIX.

MAKE IT A MORE PLEASANT PLACE TO WORK.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EXPANDING ON THAT.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME. OH, I'M SORRY.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING WAS A REALLY BIG ONE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD REPEATEDLY THROUGH THAT PROCESS WAS THAT OUR MANAGEMENT CULTURE IS WEAKER THAN IT SHOULD BE.

THAT IS A FUNCTION OF PROMOTING, YOU KNOW-- WE KIND OF-- YOU HAVE BEEN HERE THE LONGEST, YOU GET THE JOB.

WE DON'T OFFER ANY TRAINING. WE HAVE KIND OF THROW YOU TO THE WOLVES. AND WE HAVE TAKEN A MUCH MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH TO SETTING THOSE PEOPLE UP FOR SUCCESS.

>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.

>> OKAY. I MET WITH YOU YESTERDAY.

I KNOW YOU ARE NERVOUS. I CAN TELL.

AND I JUST-- I LIKE HOW YOU MIX THE EMPLOYEES, AND I SPECIFICALLY ASKED YOU WHAT KIND OF THING TO KEEP THE CULTURE FOR THE EMPLOYEES, GETTING TO KNOW AND YOU GAVE THIS GREAT STORY ABOUT THE ICE-CLIMBING AND PUBLIC WORKS.

WOULD YOU MIND JUST. >> NO.

HAPPIMENT TO. >> I REALIZE COMING TO FLORIDA IS A BIG JUMP. AND MAYBE MENTIONING HOW YOU WOULD GET HERE AND HOW YOU COULD HANDLE FLORIDA.

ANYWAY, THANK YOU. >> I'M HAPPY TO, COMMISSIONER JOSEPH. IT IS A REALLY GREAT STORY.

I'M GLAD YOU REMINDED ME. BOZEMAN'S MUNICIPAL WATER SOURCE IS HIGHLIGHT RESERVOIR, KIND OF UP A CANYON.

IT IS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL SPOT.

EVERY YEAR, THE COMMUNITY HOSTS AN ICE-CLIMBING-- THE INTERNATIONAL ICE-CLIMBING FESTIVAL.

WHICH I REALIZE IS NOT APPLICABLE TO ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

YOU HAVE TO DRIVE UP A FOREST SERVICE ROAD UP INTO THE CANYON TO GET THERE. WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE FOREST SERVICE IN ORDER TO PLOW THAT ROAD IN THE WINTER TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE. AND A FEW YEARS AGO, OUR PUBLIC WORKS CREW, OUR CREW THAT GOES UP AND PLOWS THAT, THEY WERE INVITED TO-- THE NIGHT BEFORE, WE GO TO THE BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN OLD THEATER. THEY SHOW, LIKE, ICE-CLIMBING VIDEOS. FIVE OR TEN-MINUTE VIDEOS THAT PEOPLE HAVE PUT TOGETHER. THEY BROUGHT OUR PUBLIC WORKS CREW UP. GOT A STANDING OVATION.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS GREAT. MY GUYS IN CARHARDTS AND WORKBOOTS SURROUNDED BY PATAGONIA AND NORTH FACE FLEECES. IT WAS VERY, VERY COOL.

I APPRECIATED THAT VERY MUCH. THEY WERE SPEAKING-- SPEAKING OF BEING NERVOUS, I DON'T THINK THEY WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO STANDING UP ON THE STAGE UNDER THAT LIMELIGHT.

THEY WERE GOOD SPORTS ABOUT IT. THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION WAS HOW I'M GOING TO ADAPT TO FLORIDA.

I THINK OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREER, I PROVEN MYSELF TO BE ADAPTABLE. I WENT TO COLLEGE AND GRAD SCHOOL HERE IN FLORIDA. MOVED TO NEW YORK, WORKED IN STATE GOVERNMENT. YOU KNOW, HAD TO ADAPT TO THAT.

MOVED FROM NEW YORK TO MAINE. THAT WAS ANOTHER MOVE AND ADAPTATION. MAINE TO MONTANA IS THE SAME THING. I'M NOT VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, COMMISSIONER. I THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO HIT THE

GROUND RUNNING QUICKLY. >> ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE BOARD?

THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> GREAT.

THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT.

MR. DOAR IS LEAVING THE PODIUM. WE ARE GOING TO INVITE MR. HARRIOTT AT A TIME THAT IS REASONABLE TO COME INTO THE

ROOM. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.

[02:16:10]

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. HELLO.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU. >> IF YOU ARE READY, I'LL FIRE OFF. FIRST QUESTION.

>> VERY GOOD. >> WHAT CHALLENGES ARE ST. JOHNS COUNTY EXPERIENCING THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHERE YOU HAVE WORKED BEFORE? HOW DID YOU HANDLE THOSE CHALLENGES THERE? WHAT WOULD YOU DO THE SAME?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY? >> WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT COUPLE OF DAYS AND A GREAT EXPERIENCE. LET'S START WITH THAT.

I WORKED 18 YEARS IN SARASOTA COUNTY.

COASTAL COMMUNITY. A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES.

I STARTED THERE AS THE COMMUNITY WAS COMING OUT OF AN ATTEMPTED NO-GROWTH EFFORT THAT WAS A CONSCIOUS-- CONSCIENTIOUS POLICY TO STOP GROWTH. THE WAY WE WERE GOING TO DO THAT WAS TO STOP BUILDING ROADS AND SIDEWALKS AND SEWER SYSTEMS. THEY THOUGHT THAT WOULD KEEP PEOPLE AWAY.

IT DID NOT. IT PUT THEM BEHIND THE CURVE AND PUT THEM BEHIND THE CURVE SIGNIFICANTLY.

THE BOARD APPROVED ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES, HIRED A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. I WAS BROUGHT IN AS AN ENGINEER DOING TRAFFIC STUDIES UNDER ONE OF THOSE NEW FUNDING SOURCES.

ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER, AND I KIND OF GREW UP IN THAT COUNTY AND MOVED FROM TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER TO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING DIRECTOR TO TRANSIT DIRECTOR TO MOBILITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THEN PUBLIC WORKS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

AND WE HAVE WORKED AS A TEAM. THERE WERE SIX EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS THAT REPORTED TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

AND THE DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

WE WORKED AS A TEAM TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES.

WE STARTED PLANNING, COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING OF EVERYTHING. WE HAD A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN SARASOTA. IT WAS NECESSARY TO BUILD IN WEAN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT.

WE PUT GOALS AND ON JEK TYES O OUT.

OBJECTIVES OUT. MY PURVIEW WAS PUBLIC WORKS AT THE TIME. AND THE BOARD ADOPTED STRATEGIC GOALS THAT WE MOVED FORWARD. WE WORKED WITH THEM ON IT FOR SIX MONTHS. THEY WERE SPECIFIC TO THE PARTICULAR COUNTY IN THAT AREA. IN REDUCING CONGESTION, BUILDING ANOTHER NORTH-SOUTH CORRIDOR. THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN SARASOTA. YOU HAD U.S. 41 AND I-75 TRAVELING UP AND DOWN THE COAST. THERE WAS NO OTHER ROADWAY BETWEEN NORTH OF THE NORTH COUNTY LINE AND THE SOUTHERN COUNTY LINE. ONE OF THE BIG OBJECTIVES WAS HOW DO WE GET MORE TRAVEL THROUGH THAT AREA? MULTIMODAL ASPECTS, PROVIDING CHOICES.

CHOICES IN TRANSPORTATION. AND THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES LED TO US BUILDING A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

IT LED TO DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY ON HOW TO DO THESE PROJECTS. THERE WAS VERY OBVIOUS ELEMENT IN SARASOTA THAT WE HAD TO DO THINGS WITH A SENSE OF PLACE.

WE HAD TO MAKE THEM SPECIAL. WE HAD TO MAKE THEM UNIQUE.

THAT WAS IMPORTANT. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY. IT TOOK TIME.

IT TOOK PATIENCE. IT TOOK PERSEVERANCE TO GET THROUGH THOSE PLANS. A LOT OF WHAT YOU GO DOWN THERE TODAY-- A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE WAS IN THAT STRA TEENIC PLAN.

AT THE START OF MY 18-YEAR CAREER THERE.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE BUILT THAT ADDITIONAL SOUTH CORRIDOR.

WE DID IT YEARS EARLIER THAN THEY EVER THOUGHT THEY COULD.

WE CHANGED THE SCOPE OF IT A LITTLE BIT.

ONE OF THE BIG PURCHASE IT IS COUNTY HAD WAS NOW CALLED THE

[02:20:02]

THE ADMINISTRATOR THREW THAT TO ME AND SAID, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BUY IT. THEY HAD BEEN TRYING TO BUY IT FOR 15 YEARS. WE WORKED WITH A COUPLE OF NOT FOR PROFITS. WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE WILLING TO DO TO PURCHASE IT. ABOUT 18 MONTHS AFTER, I WAS GIVEN A PROJECT. WE CLOSED ON IT.

IT IS ONE OF THE TOP TRAILS IN THE STATE.

THE LEGACY TRAIL. THEY JUST PASSED A REFERENDUM, THE COMMUNITY DID, A SURTAX REFERENDUM.

A ONE-TIME CHARGE, ONE-TIME SALES TAX TO BUILD THE REST OF IT TO THE NORTH PART OF THE COUNTY.

THAT WAS HUGE. IT PASSED BETTER THAN 70% IN FAVOR. SO SARASOTA IS A LOT LIKE HERE.

I THINK A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BEFORE WHERE YOU GUYS ARE AT.

THE DEMANDS, THE GROWTH, IT IS GROWING FAST.

WE DID THE SAME AMOUNT OF BUILDING PERMITS YOU ARE SEEING HERE. WHEN I WENT TO ANOTHER COUNTY, THEY WERE PROUD THEY WERE DOING 300 TO 400 HOUSING PERMITS A YEAR. SARASOTA WAS TURNING ABOUT 350 TO 400 A MONTH. THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA.

YOU ARE PROBABLY EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING.

THE SAME PRESSURES THAT THAT CREATES.

>> THIS IS A PERSONNEL-MANAGEMENT QUESTION.

IN YOUR TIME SPENT AT SARASOTA AND OTHER COUNTIES, DO YOU INSPIRE AND EMPOWER YOUR STAFF AND ENCOURAGE OPEN COMMUNICATION AMONG SENIOR STAFF AND THE FIVE COMMISSIONERS?

>> COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS? ABSOLUTELY. YOU CAN'T GET AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS, THIS SIZE WORKING WITHOUT COMMUNICATION.

I HAVE HEARD MANAGERS CALL IT THE GOLDEN RULE.

MY FIRST WEEK IN SARASOTA COUNTY, THE RECTOR SAID HEY, IF YOU TALK TO A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. EITHER BEFORE OR AFTERWARDS.

LET ME KNOW. THAT WAS THE GOLDEN RULE.

THERE WAS A REASON FOR THAT. AND YOU ALWAYS WANT THE INFORMATION TO GET THROUGH EACH COMMISSIONER AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS HAPPENING. YOU KNOW, IF ONE COMMISSIONER ASKS THE QUESTION, YOU ANSWER IT.

AND THEN MAKE SURE THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS ARE ALSO INFORMED TO THAT END. EVERY ADMINISTRATOR I HAVE WORKED FOR, AND THERE HAS BEEN A HALF A DOZEN OVER THE YEARS, THEY HAVE ALL HAD THAT SAME POLICY.

YOU CAN'T RUN AN ORGANIZATION, YOU CAN'T RUN A COUNTY THIS BIG WITHOUT HAVING DIRECT CONTACT. I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH A COMMISSIONER CALLING AND TALKING TO ANY LEVEL OF THE ORGANIZATION. HEY, CAN YOU COME DOWN AND SEE ME ABOUT SOMETHING? CAN YOU COME DOWN AND PROVIDE ME THIS INFORMATION? CAN YOU ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS TRAFFIC STUDY OR THIS DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL THAT IS COMING THROUGH? ABSOLUTELY.

YOU PICK UP THE PHONE. YOU MAKE A PHONE CALL TO THE STAFF. THEY RESPOND.

FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR'S STANDPOINT, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME COMMUNICATION. SAYING HEY, I'M GOING OR I WENT.

DOESN'T MATTER WHICH. I DON'T MIND EITHER WAY.

BECAUSE USUALLY, THE FOLLOW-UP ON THE ADMINISTRATOR SIDE OR THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, OR ONE OF THE ASSISTANTS IS, HEY, DID YOU TALK TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, TOO? THERE IS AN IMPORTANT REASON FOR THAT.

I WAS STANDING WITH THE CFO IN SARASOTA AT ONE POINT.

THE COMMISSIONER CAME OFF THE ELEVATOR.

WE WERE GETTING ON. SHE ASKED A QUICK QUESTION.

THE COMMISSIONER ASKED A QUESTION.

DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE A SPREADSHEET? YOU HAND THEM THE SHEET. SHOWED THE ANSWER.

SHE SAID, CAN I HAVE THIS? HE SAID YES.

THE NEXT DAY, WE WENT, PARTED OUR WAYS.

THE NEXT DAY AT THE COMMISSION MEETING THAT, COMMISSIONER OPENED THAT SPREADSHEET AND SAID, I'VE GOT THIS INFORMATION FROM THE CFO. UNFORTUNATELY, HE HADN'T TOLD THE OTHER PURE COMMISSIONERS. THE OTHER FOUR COMMISSIONERS.

THE LOOK DOWN THE DAIS WAS UNCOMFORTABLE.

WE WILL PUT IT THAT WAY. IT WAS BAD.

IT LEFT COMMISSIONERS KIND OF IN A BIG QUESTION MARK.

HOW DID YOU GET THAT? I DON'T HAVE THAT.

THAT IS REALLY WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO STOP.

YOU WORK TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY. YOU HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY. WE HAVE TO APPROACH THAT COLLECTIVELY FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT.

BUT JUST TO REITERATE THE POINT, YOU CAN'T WORK AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS, YOU CAN'T MEET THE DEMANDS THAT YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO MEET FROM THE COMMUNITY, YOU CAN'T MEET THE DEMANDS THAT YOU HAVE AS A COMMISSIONER WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO REACH INTO THE ORGANIZATION AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND GET THAT

INFORMATION. >> THANK YOU.

[02:25:04]

>> THE NEXT QUESTION IS MINE, MR. HARRIOTT.

WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH EMERGENCY DISASTER RESPONSES, PARTICULARLY IN SARASOTA? I KNOW YOU GUYS GET THE HURRICANES WE DO. AND JOINT RESPONSES WITH

ADDITIONAL MUNICIPALITIES. >> SO MY EXPERIENCE IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY, THERE WAS A LOT OF PREP GOING ON AND STUFF DURING STORMS AND YOU KNOW, THEY COME UP THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN.

YOU START GETTING WORD THAT THEY COULD IMPACT YOU.

THE WEATHER CHANNEL IS GOOD AT PUTTING THESE CONES OF PROBABILITY OUT THERE. THEY TEND TO START THINGS IN ACTION. MY FIRST REAL ONE, WE WERE SARASOTA COUNTY, ONE COUNTY NORTH OF HURRICANE CHARLIE.

REMEMBER HURRICANE CHARLIE. THE SOUTHWEST PART OF FLORIDA-- IT HAD NOT HIT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SINCE I BELIEVE, 1960 BEFORE THAT. HURRICANE CHARLIE COMES THROUGH.

IT WAS A TIGHT, SMALL TORNADO. AND SARASOTA WAS IN THE LINE OF HIT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. IF YOU FOLLOWED THAT PARTICULAR STORM. CHARLOTTE COUNTY GOT IT REALLY BAD. WE LEARNED SOME THINGS IN SARASOTA FROM CHARLOTTE COUNTY AND WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW THEY RESPONDED WHICH THEN PUT US ON A PATH OF WHAT DO WE DO IN THE FUTURE? ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED WAS WHEN YOU ARE THE COMMUNITY THAT IS HIT AND HIT HARD, STAFF IS WORRIED ABOUT THEIR HOMES. THEY ARE WERED ABOUT THE FAMILIES THEY LEFT IN SHELTERS OR THE FAMILIES THEY EVACUATED.

THE FAMILIES THEY LEFT AT HOME. IT HAPPENED AND IT IS NATURAL AND IT SHOULD HAPPEN THAT WAY. TO EASE THAT, YOU WORK ON ADJACENT AREAS. SARASOTA PICKED UP THE SLACK FOR CHARLOTTE A LITTLE BIT. LEE COUNTY PICKED UP THE SLACK FOR CHARLOTTE. YOU BUILD THESE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS THAT SAY, HEY, IF WE ARE HIT, HERE IS HOW WE CAN HELP

YOU. >> YOU ARE HIT, HERE IS HOW WE CAN HELP YOU. WE DID A LOT OF PREPARATION.

A LOT OF PLANNING. WE DID DESKTOP DRILLS.

IN MY PUBLIC WORKS OPERATION, WHEN I WAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WE DID DESKTOP AND FIELD DRILLS. DESKTOP, WE WOULD ASSEMBLE IN A BIG CONFERENCE ROOM. WE WOULD PUT TEAMS IN DIFFERENCE CONFERENCE ROOMS. WE WOULD LIMIT THE ABILITY TO TALK, SO WE WOULD TAKE AWAY CELL PHONES AND WORK WITH JUST RADIOS OR WALKIE-TALKIES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND PLAY OUT, PLAYING OUT AN EVENT.

WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD LOGISTICS PERSON FROM THE AIR FORCE WHO WOULD COME UP WITH SOME INTERESTING STUFF THAT WOULD HAPPEN TO US, AND THE DIFFERENT TEAMS IN AND AROUND THE ROOMS WOULD REPRESENT DIFFERENT ASPECTS.

IT WAS A PRACTICE. WE LEARNED HOW TO COMMUNICATE.

WE LEARNED SOME INTERESTING STUFF.

THAT WAY. WHEN CHARLOTTE COUNTY WAS HIT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALIZED WAS IT IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY TO FIND YOUR WAY AROUND THE COMMUNITY.

THE COMMUNITY YOU LIVED IN, POSSIBLY ALL YOUR LIFE, YOU WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE, THAT TRIGGER, THAT CVS PHARMACY ON THE CORNER MIGHT NOT BE THERE IN AN EVENT.

IT SOUNDS HORRIBLE. IT SOUNDS MAYBE EVEN RIDICULOUS.

IT IS REAL. AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT.

I'M ORIGINALLY, I GRADUATED FROM CAPE CORAL HIGH SCHOOL.

GOING DOWN TO HELP MY PARENTS OUT AFTER THAT RECENT HURRICANE.

I STRUGGLED TO FIND MY WAY AROUND THERE.

I LIVED THERE EIGHT YEARS, AND THE VISUAL TRIGGERS.

IN SARASOTA, WE STARTED TO MARK OUT THINGS ON PAVEMENT AND DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. WE PRACTICED HOW TO GET AROUND THE COMMUNITY USING GPS. ALL YOU MIGHT HAVE IS THE GPS COORDINATES. THAT WAS A BIG HELP FOR US IN RESPONSES THAT CAME UP. THE OTHER PART WE WORKED ON IS IT HELPED US TURN THE ORGANIZATION INTO, SAY, SWIM LANES. BUT IN AN EMERGENCY EVENT, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

THROUGH THAT. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL JUMP TO THE TOP AND TRY AND DO EVERYTHING.

WE CAN IDENTIFY THAT THROUGH THE PRACTICE SESSIONS.

AND SUCH. AND THEN THE SAME THING IN OTHER COUNTIES. THE STORMS WERE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THERE. YOU COULD GET HIT BY A HURRICANE. THERE WAS A LOT OF DEBRIS REMOVAL AND TREE CLEANUP AND STUFF.

THE ESSENCE OF IT WAS THE SAME. >> THANK YOU, SIR.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR. MY QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED GROWTH EARLIER. BEING A MAJOR CHALLENGE.

TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE BETWEEN SMART GROWTH AND WORK-FORCE HOUSING. CAN YOU SHARE ANY IDEAS THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR THAT YOU HAVE IMPLEMENTED IN THE PAST THAT

[02:30:01]

>> WORKFORCE HOUSING IS DIFFERENT AND IT IS NOT JUST YOUR COMMUNITY, OBVIOUSLY. YOU HAVE AN AREA THAT IS GROWING FAST WHICH IS PUSHING PRICES ON HOUSES AND IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO BUY AND PURCHASE AND LI IN A COMMUNITY.

SARASOTA COUNTY IS GOING THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW.

OTHER COUNTIES ARE GOING THROUGH IT.

HOW DO WE HANDLE WORKFORCE HOWING? I HAD A LONG CONVERSATION AND HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPERS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR END OF THE SOLUTION IS. BECAUSE WE WOULD HEAR STUFF FROM THE COMMUNITY. WE WOULD HEAR STUFF FROM SOMETIMES POLITICAL FIGURES THAT SAID, WELL, THE WAY TO SOLVE WORKFORCE HOUSING IS JUST DON'T BUILD AN EXPENSIVE HOUSE IS.

OR INCLUDE A LOWER-COST HOUSE IN A HIGHER-COST NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT TYPE OF THING. WHAT YOU ARE DOING THERE IS YOU ARE CREATING A QUICK FLIP. SOMEBODY IS GOING TO MAKE MONEY ON THAT WHEN YOU CREATE THOSE. THAT IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED FROM TALKING TO MULTIPLE DEVELOPERS IS THERE IS A RIBBON OF RISK THAT GROWS THROUGH IT. THE DEVELOPERS ARE LOOKING AT HOW TO FINANCE THEIR PROJECTS AND HOW TO MOVE THOSE FORWARD.

THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE MARGINS THEY ARE GOING TO WANT TO MAKE.

THEY WANT TO MAKE MONEY ON THOSE PROJECTS.

HOW MUCH DOES THE UNIT SELL FOR? ALL OF THAT COMES TOGETHER.

IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO HOW DO YOU GET THE MONEY? WHO IS INVESTING IN IT? HOW DO YOU MITIGATE THE RISK OR MINIMIZE THE RISK? SO THEY ARE WILLING TO HANDLE THE MONEY. THAT IS WHERE THE SOLUTION LIES.

IF YOU DO THAT. THERE IS WAYS OF DOING THAT WHEN I TALKED TO DEVELOPERS. THEY MAY NOT BE SOMETHING YOU ACCEPT. GOVERNMENT CAN OWN THE LAND.

DEVELOPER BUILDS THE HOUSE. YOU ARE NOW IN A COOPERATIVE ELEMENT WHERE YOU ARE ALWAYS HOLDING PART OF THAT RISK BECAUSE YOU OWN THE PROPERTY, THE HOUSE THAT COMES UP ON TOP OF IT. YOU CAN WORK OUT LONGER-TERM ARRANGEMENTS AND DEVELOPER AGREEMENTS WHERE THE DEVELOPER GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON A CERTAIN NUMBER OF UNITS.

YOU MINIMIZE-- FOR THE WORKFORCE HOUSING, YOU MINIMIZE THE RISK ON 5% OR 10% OF THE UNITS. THAT CREATES THE MECHANISM.

THERE HAS TO BE SOME DIRECTION COMING FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON IT, THOUGH. THAT WAS PRETTY CLEAR.

WHERE WE STUMBLE-- WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH SOME DEVELOPERS, YOU NEED-- GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED.

THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THE FREE MARKET ECONOMY WAS GOING TO DRIVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSE OUT THERE.

IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. AND IF IT DID, IT MAY ONLY BE AFFORDABLE FOR THE FIRST PURCHASE OF IT.

THOSE WERE ALL THINGS THAT HAD TO BE WORKED OUT.

>> HI. HOW ARE YOU?

>> VERY GOOD. >> GOOD TO SEE YOU.

IF YOU HAD A PROPERTY TAX TRIM ROLLBACK, HOW WOULD YOU GET THAT GOING FOR NEXT YEAR? AND ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL FOR THE

COUNTY? >> SO IN SARASOTA COUNTY, I WAS A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR THERE AND THE COUNTY MANAGER SAID, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO HOLD FLAT. THE ECONOMY WAS BOOMING.

IF YOU CAN REMEMBER BACK TO 2002, 2001, 2002, AND 2003.

MONEY WAS COMING IN. IT WAS MOVING.

THE REVENUES WERE. IN DEVELOPMENT WAS GOING.

EVERYTHING WAS GOING REALLY WELL.

AND HE CAME OUT AND WENT, WE ARE GOING TO HOLD OUR BUDGETS TO NO MORE THAN 1% INCREASE. OKAY.

THE MANTRA WAS THROUGH GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS AND HOW WE DO THINGS, THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE.

IT WAS FRUSTRATING AT FIRST. I MEAN, I WAS THE DIRECTOR AND THINKING, YOU KNOW, I NEED HELP. WE ARE DOING TRAFFIC STUDIES.

WE ARE DOING DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT WE HAVE TO PUT OUT THERE.

HOW CAN WE DO THIS. IF YOU ARE HOLDING US TO A 1% INCREASE. 1% TURNED INTO "I NEED TO STAY FLAT." THEN A 1% DECREASE.

THEN ANOTHER 1%. ONE OF THE WAYS WE DID IT, ONE OF THE WAYS WE WORKED THROUGH IT WAS CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT OUR PROCESSES. WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO EXPLAIN HOW WE DID THINGS. A QUICK EXAMPLE.

TRAFFIC STUDIES. WE HAD TWO PEOPLE DOING TRAFFIC STUDIES. I WAS ONE OF THEM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. WE DID ABOUT 70 OR 80 IN A YEAR.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU DO THE MATH. SOME OF THEM WOULD TAKE WEEKS.

SOME WOULD TAKE DAYS. WE WOULD DO ABOUT 70 OR 80.

ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE MOVED ON. THE ADMINISTRATION'S DIRECT TY

[02:35:01]

IT ALLOWED US TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS.

SO THAT ONE PERSON COULD DO THOSE STUDIES.

AS OPPOSED TO TWO. IT WAS A VERISM IS WAY OF DESCRIBING THAT. WE DID REVISIONS TO OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM BY PULLING IN DRIVERS AND SAYING, WHERE CAN WE IMPROVE ON TIME? WE HELD OFF THE NEED TO ADD BUSES. OUR BUSES WERE RUNNING BEHIND.

ALMOST EVERY ROUTE WAS BEHIND SCHEDULE.

ON EVERY TRIP. THROUGH WORKING WITH THE DRI DRIVERS, WE FOUND THAT WE COULD CHANGE THE ROUTES.

WE COULD STREAMLINE THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE.

TO BE ABLE TO GET MORE SERVICE OUT OF IT.

MANY TIMES, THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT WAS HAPPENING.

I REMEMBER THE DAY WE CHANGED THE TRAFFIC STUDY FORMAT.

THE FIRST TRAFFIC STUDY WENT TO THE BOARD.

NOT A SINGLE COMMISSIONER ASKED WHY DOES THIS LOOK DIFFERENT.

THE INFORMATION WAS THERE. THAT WAS IMPORTANT.

IF I COULD PUT IT INTO ONE PHRASE.

YOU WOULD NEED TO CONSTANTLY REINVENT YOURSELF.

BUSINESSES DO IT ALL THE TIME. YOU KNOW, 20, 30, 40 YEARS AGO, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAVE WALKED UP TO A CASH REGISTER AT WALMART AND RUNG YOURSELF OUT.

NOW THERE IS 20 CASH REGISTERS THERE.

AND THERE IS ONE OR TWO PEOPLE WATCHING THEM.

THEY HAVE AUTOMATION HELPING OUT WITH THAT.

AND YOU CHECK YOURSELF OUT. NOBODY THINKS ANYTHING OF IT.

THAT IS THE TYPE OF REINVENTING THAT NEEDS TO GO ON.

IT IS NOT JUST A DO LESS WITH MORE APPROACH.

IT IS A LONG PROCESS OF CONSTANTLY THINKING, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE BETTER-- HOW CAN WE DO THIS BETTER, IMPROVE ON THIS? I'M NOT A BELIEVER THAT THE BUDGET ALWAYS HAS TO INCREASE.

IN SARASOTA COUNTY, I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, IT RATCHETED DOWN.

THAT WAS ALL PRIOR TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE ECONOMY IN 2008.

WE REACHED 2008. WE HAD A $40 MILLION ECONOMIC RESERVE BALANCE. WE HAD A $200 MILLION FUND BALANCE AND $100 MILLION DISASTER-- IN CASE OF A DISASTER BALANCE. SITTING ON THE BOOKS.

WE BORROWED MONEY TO OURSELVES FOR BIG PROJECTS.

ANOTHER WAY TO SAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.

THOSE WERE HUGE, HUGE BENEFITS. WHEN WE GOT TO 2008, THE ONLY LAYOFFS THAT REALLY OCCURRED IN THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, 2,000 EMPLOYEES, THE ONLY LAYOFFS THAT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THAT DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY WERE IN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SIDE WHERE IT WAS A COUNTER-SERVICE. INTERACTION OF A DEVELOPER OR A BUILDER WOULD COME THROUGH. THAT WAS NO BUILDING GOING ON.

I PROBABLY JUST FREAKED A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE OUT IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. BUT IT IS JUST A CONSTANT EFFORT. IT IS A CONSTANT CHURN.

IT ALSO TAKES A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE BOARD.

WE HAD FIVE COMMISSIONERS WILLING TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD.

YOU WILL HEAR FROM PEOPLE, IT CAN'T BE DONE.

MY PERSONALITY, I'M AN ENGINEER. I WILL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET IT DONE. IT IS A PERSISTENT PROCESS.

WE DID THAT IN ANOTHER COUNTY. NOT SO AGGRESSIVE.

WE WERE A VERY LIBERAL COMM COMMUNITY.

THE BLUE CENTER, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION-- IT IS THE BLUE DOUGHNUT HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE.

NEVER MET A TAX THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T LIKE.

WE ALSO REDUCED THE MILLAGE RATE THERE.

SLOW AND STEADY. WE REDUCED THE RATE THERE.

THEY HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES.

STILL DO. IT IS COMING DOWN.

THEY ARE WORKING HARD ON. THAT IT WAS DONE THE SAME WAY.

YOU KIND OF REINVENT YOURSELF AND THINK ABOUT THINGS DIFFERENTLY. YOU KEEP PUSHING THAT PRESSURE ON YOURSELF. TO WORK TOWARDS THOSE GOALS.

>> MR. HARRIOTT, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAS MANY RESPONSIBILITIES EVERY SINGLE DAY.

ONE IS KEEPING THE BOARD INFORMED.

WHAT THINGS DO YOU BELIEVE NOT WORTH INFORMING THE BOARD ABOUT? WHAT THINGS MUST YOU INFORM THE BOARD ABOUT? TELL ME WITH AS MUCH DETAIL AS YOU CAN HOW YOU MAKE THAT

DETERMINATION. >> NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY ISSUES AND LITTLE BUMPS AND HICCUPS AND STUFF, THAT IS JUST NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS AND WE WORK THROUGH THOSE.

[02:40:02]

WHEN YOU SIT DOWN, YOU KNOW, ONE ON ONE WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, REGULARLY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD PULL UP THAT NOTEBOOK AND RUN DOWN THROUGH THOSE. THAT IS FOR THE MINOR STUFF.

IF IT WAS GOING TO SHOW UP IN THE PAPER, YOU WERE GOING TO GET A CALL. OR I WAS GOING TO VISIT YOUR OFFICE THAT DAY. SO I RAN A TRANSIT OPERATION FOR YEARS. PEOPLE HIT THE BACK OF BUSES LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW. IT IS JUST WHAT HAPPENS.

THEY ARE THE BIGGEST THING ON THE ROAD.

THEY ARE IN AN ACCIDENT. OUR POLICY THERE WAS THE DISPATCH WOULD GET NOTIFIED. THE BUS WAS OUT OF SERVICE.

WE HAD TO PUT ANOTHER BUS IN SERVICE TO PICK UP THOSE PASSENGERS. THE DISPATCHER, ONCE HE GOT THAT CALL, HAD MY CELL PHONE NUMBER. I WOULD GET A CALL.

AND THEN I WOULD CALL THE FIVE COMMISSIONERS AND SAY, WE HAVE A BUS DOWN. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.

I DON'T KNOW ANY MORE THAN THAT. MAYBE THERE WAS AN INJURY.

SIGNIFICANT ACCIDENT. SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO SHOW UP IN THE PAPER LIKE THAT, BECAUSE IF IT IS SHOWING UP IN THE PAPER, THE NEWSPAPER LIKES TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT DO THE COMMISSIONERS THINK OF A BUS BEING IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE ROADWAY? I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO AT LEAST SAY I HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT. I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS YET.

I'LL GET BACK TO YOU. SOMETIMES THAT CALL MIGHT BE JUST, HEY, THIS HAPPENED. I'LL GET MORE INFORMATION TO YOU OR WE WILL GET YOU A REPORT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT WAS USUALLY IT IS DIVIDING LINE OF, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO CALL YOU ABOUT IT. THAT IS WHEN WE WOULD LET YOU

KNOW. >> I WANT TO PREFACE THIS NEXT QUESTION WITH A COMMENT REALLY TO EVERYONE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN ON MY MIND SINCE I FIRST INTERVIEWED YOU ON THE ZOOM CALL AND WE HAVE A MUTUAL FRIEND. I HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND SARASOTA COUNTY AS MIRROR IMAGES IN EVERY WAY. THAT IS WHY I WAS INTRIGUED WITH MR. HARRIOTT'S BACKGROUND BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT, I MEAN, SARASOTA IS ON THE GULF COAST.

BUT SAME GENERAL HISTORY. TOURISM IS BIG.

BEACHES ARE BIG. A LOT OF SIMILARITIES.

A LITTLE BIGGER. A LITTLE BIGGER.

AROUND 430,000 POPULATION, I THINK.

SO WITH THAT, ON THAT NOTE, CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST.

PUBLIC SAFETY. AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

GROWTH MANAGEMENT. BEACH RENOURISHMENT.

AND CONSERVATION LANDS. DOESN'T THAT SOUND LIKE SARASOTA

COUNTY? >> I THINK WE TRIED-- WE DID ALL OF THOSE THINGS. STILL WORKING ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SIDE. (LAUGHTER).

>> WE ARE, TOO. >> PUBLIC SAFETY.

WHEN I WAS-- LAST YEARS AT SAR SARASOTA COUNTERY, I RAN A CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GROUP. WE DID ALL THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

VERTICAL, HORIZONTAL, ABOVE GROUND, UNDERGROUND.

I WORKED A LOT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR OPERATIONS.

I WAS NEVER-- THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS AN OPERATIONAL ELEMENT WAS NEVER UNDER MY PURVIEW.

I HAVE WORKED WITH THE CHIEF. WORKED WITH WHAT THEY EXPECTED.

IN ANOTHER COUNTY I DID A TOUR OF THE FIRE FACILITIES WITH THE CHIEF. HE ASKED ME ONE DAY.

HE SAID "WE ALWAYS SEEM TO BE IN A FIGHT WITH THE BOARD.

I DON'T THINK THAT IS A GOOD THING." I SAID "THAT IS VERY PERCEPTIVE OF YOU." HE SAID, "HOW WOULD YOU RECOMMEND APPROACHING IT?" I SAID TO GIVE ADMINISTRATION TIME.

OFF NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. A NEW TRUCK.

A NEW SERVICE AREA. PLEASE DON'T COME IN IN JUNE AND HOPE TO GET IT ADOPTED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

IT IS JUST A DIFFICULT PROPOSITION AT THAT POINT.

GIVE US A COUPLE OF YEARS. TELL US WHERE YOU THINK YOUR BUSINESSES ARE GOING AND TRY TO WORK THAT OUT.

SARASOTA COUNTY FELT THE FIRES, LIBRARIES, THOSE PUBLIC SECTORS, THOSE BUILDINGS AND THOSE FACILITIES HAD TO BE SPECIAL.

WHEN YOU SAW THEM IN THE COMMUNITY, AS A RESIDENT, THE GOAL WAS YOU WERE PRIDEFUL OF THE FACT THAT THAT IS WHAT SARASOTA COUNTY IS. YOU KNOW, DRIVING AROUND ST. JOHNS COUNTY, THERE IS THAT SAME FEEL ON DEVELOPMENT.

[02:45:03]

BEACH RENOURISHMENT. WE DID A COUPLE OF BEACH RENOURISHMENT PROJECTS UNDER MY DEPARTMENT.

THAT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES PROJECTS.

ALWAYS DIFFICULT. ALWAYS CHALLENGING.

STUDYING THE ASSESSMENTS AND HOW YOU PAY FOR THEM, EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I DON DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY O THAT ARE ALIKE. WE DID OUR BEST TO PROVIDE ALL THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND CONTINUED TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BOARD OVER HOW THOSE WOULD WORK AND THE POLICIES AROUND THOSE. IF YOU CAN HELP ME OUT.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING. >> YEAH.

THE OTHER ONE IS CONSERVATION LAND ACQUISITION.

I THINK SARASOTA COUNTY HAS A PRETTY STRONG TRACK RECORD OF

CONSERVATION LAND ACQUISITION. >> CONSERVATION LAND WAS HANDLED THROUGH THE SURTAX PROGRAM. THE COUNTY WAS NOT SHY ABOUT BUYING LAND. THEY DID NOT WANT DEVELOPED.

QUITE SIMPLY, IF A DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL CAME THROUGH AND THEY WERE, LIKE, THIS DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, THIS ISN'T RIGHT, I CAN REMEMBER ONE PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR, IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH SARASOTA. AT THE INTERSECTION OF BEERIDGE ROAD. 40-50 ACRES IN SIZE.

SURROUNDED BY SUBDIVISIONS. YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WANTED TO BUILD THERE. THE ANCHOR OF THAT DEVELOPMENT STARTED WITH A P AND IT WAS GREEN.

WHICH WAS UNFORTUNATE. THERE WAS THE SAME STORE THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE UP THE ROAD. THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T LIKE IT.

WE DID ALL THE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS. WE GOT IT TO WORK TRAFFIC-WISE.

THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T LIKE IT. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOBODY IN FAVOR OF IT. THE BOARD MADE A DECISION THROUGH A SURTAX PROGRAM THAT THAT ALLOWED THEM TO BUY PUBLIC LANDS THEY PURCHASED THE PARCEL. IT IS NOW ONE OF THE MARQUEE PARKS. THEY MOVED A HISTORIC HOUSE THERE. MY KIDS GREW UP AND LOVED GOING TO THIS PARTICULAR PARK. IT HAS A UNIQUE ELEMENT OF ACTIVE PLAYGROUNDS. IT HAS A HISTORY, BECAUSE OF THE HISTORIC HOUSE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO TOUR.

IT HAS THE BACK PART UP AGAINST THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SOME OF THE OLD FARM AND COWS RUNNING THAT ARE ACTUALLY 4-H COWS COMING FROM THE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY MAINTAINING THEIR COWS. SO THAT IS ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS. THEY HAD A VERY ACTIVE PURCHASE PROGRAM OF ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS THAT CAME TO THE SURIT IS A PROGRAM. -- THE SUR SURSURTAX PROGRAM.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING DEPARTMENT WAS UNDER MY PURVIEW WHILE I WAS THERE. IF IT IS A COMMUNITY VALUE, WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT. AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.

MAKE IT WORK. AND THEN YOU MENTIONED AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I MENTIONED THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER. WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING ON THAT PROBLEM. AND I JUST DON'T THINK THE POLICY ALIGNMENT HAS HAPPENED YET.

AT LEAST IN THE COMMUNITIES I HAVE BEEN THERE.

YOU KNOW, WE WILL GET THROUGH. WE WILL GET THERE.

>> MR. HARRIOTT, SHOULD YOU BE SELECTED FOR THIS POSITION, WHAT WOULD YOUR IMMEDIATE OPERATIONAL FOCUS BE OVER THE NEXT 60 DAYS,

100 DAYS, 200 DAYS? >> RIHT OFF THE BAT, TRYING TO GET TO UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET. YOU JUST ADOPTED THAT AND YOU ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH-- THAT ONE IS KIND OF SET IN STONE.

THE BIGGEST IMPORTANT THING IS GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE.

GETTING TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE, GETTING TO KNOW THE ORGAN ORGANIZATION, GETTING TO KNOW THE DIECTORS AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, THE INTERIM DIRECTORS, AND THE ASSISTANTS AND DEPUTIES. GETTING TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP.

THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. BECAUSE IF YOU HEAD IN A DIRECTION LIKE-- WE ARE GOING TO PUT SOME PRESSURE ON THE TAX, WE DON'T WANT TO INCREASE THE BUDGET, IT IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF TRUST IN THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR IS NOT LEADING THEM DOWN THAT PATH.

AS WE GET INTO, YOU KNOW, 90 DAYS.

YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, WE START TURNING ON.

WELL, WHAT IS THE FUTURE LOOKING LIKE? WHAT ARE WE DOING 7-10 YEARS FROM NOW? ON WHERE WE THINK WE ARE GOING IN THE FUTURE.

THAT OBVIOUSLY INVOLVES, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BOARD. YOU SAID 200 DAYS.

THAT PUTS YOU INTO THE NEXT CALL CALENDAR EASILY.

THE BUDGET PROCESS, IT IS A BUDGET PROCESS THAT STARTS IN

[02:50:03]

FROM A STAFF LEVEL INTERNAL, YOU START PORING THROUGH THE NUMBERS FOR THE NEXT YEAR, UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE AT.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME IMPROVEMENT. A LOT OF TIMES THAT STARTS ON THE CAPITAL SIDE. AND PROJECTS LOOK LIKE OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO YEARS. WHAT ARE THOSE GOING TO DEMAND? THEN WHEN WE GET INTO JANUARY, WE CAN START HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE CAN HAVE THOSE OUT HERE.

WITH COMMUNITY INPUT. THERE IS NO PRESSURE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADOPT SOMETHING IN THAT MEETING.

WE CAN EXCHANGE IDEAS. WE CAN INVESTIGATE THINGS.

IT GIVES THE COMMUNITY A CHANCE TO SAY TRY THIS.

WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT WHAT THEY DID HERE? WHAT ABOUT WHAT THIS COMMUNITY DID? IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO INVESTIGATE IT, KEEP WORKING ON IT, HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS SO THAT WHEN APRIL AND MAY COMES AROUND, WE CAN EITHER SAY LET'S KEEP WORKING ON IT OR NOW WE HAVE A GOOD IDEA WHAT WILL BE ADOPTED INTO THE BUDGET.

LET'S BUILD THROUGH THE BUDGET THROUGH THE SUMMER AND SHOW UP IN SEPTEMBER FOR AN ADOPTION HEARING.

THAT WAS THE PROCESS WE USED IN SARASOTA.

WE USED A SIMILAR PROCESS IN ANOTHER COUNTY.

SARASOTA COUNTY, WE COULD DO THAT.

BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY WAS INVOLVED EARLY ON, NOBODY EVER SHOWED UP AT THE ADOPTION HEARINGS.

IT WAS TEN STAFF PEOPLE, FIVE COMMISSIONERS, AND WE WERE WONDERING WHY WE WERE THERE ON A, YOU KNOW, TUESDAY NIGHT IN SEPTEMBER. OTHER THAN THE REASON, YOUR TIME AND ADVERTISING REQUIRED YOU TO BE THERE.

THEY WOULD GO 15-20 MINUTES, AND YOU HAVE THE BUDGET ADOPTED.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> SIR, CAN YOU SHARE ANY EXAMPLES OF A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAD TO MAKE A DIFFICULT PERSONNEL DECISION AND HOW YOU HANDLED IT AND IF THERE WAS ANY BACKLASH FROM THAT POSITION, HOW YOU HANDLED THAT?

>> HAD A SITUATION, IF YOU WATCHED THE RECORDING, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE THAT STICKS WITH ME. HAD A SITUATION, OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, WE WOULD COMPLETE A PROJECT IN A CERTAIN AREA OF THE COUNTY. AND WHEN YOU SHUT DOWN A WATER LINE, OPEN IT UP, REPLACE IT, THEN YOU CLOSE IT BACK UP AND TURN IT BACK ON, THERE IS A PROCESS YOU GO THROUGH WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WATER IS SAFE.

AND IT INVOLVES TEEING. A PROCESS FOR TESTING.

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED IN THAT.

THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS TO SIGN OFF.

YOU GET A LETTER ON THAT. HE WOULD GIVE THE ALL-CLEAR BEFORE-- HE KNEW THE RESULTS OF THE TEST, BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE LETTER. IT JUST WASN'T PART OF THE PROCESS. IT WASN'T THAT THE WATER WAS DANGEROUS. IT WAS THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HADN'T SAID OKAY TO IT YET.

AND HE DID THIS ONCE. WE HAD A DISCUSSION.

HE MAINTAINED THAT HE WAS RIGHT. HE WAS RETURNING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND HE FELT HE WAS RIGHT.

HE WAS GOING TO LIVE BY THAT. AND HE DID IT AGAIN.

AND THE THIRD TIME, YOU KNOW, I TURN TOED TO A SUPERVISOR AND I SAID I CAN'T HAVE HIM DOING IT AGAIN.

TELL ME IF HE IS GOING TO PULL THE TRIGGER.

I CAN'T HAVE IT. THE SUPERVISOR SAID OKAY.

WE PARTED WAYS. WE STOPPED ABOUT 20 FEET FROM EACH OTHER. I TURNED BACK AND I SAID "NO.

I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT." I CALLED MY BOSS.

THAT WAS 5:00. THE DEPUTY COUNTY MANAGER AND I SAID "I DON'T TRUST HIM. I HAVE TO LET HIM GO." HE AND I WERE STUDENTS TOGETHER AT UF.

WE HAD BEEN TOGETHER FOR YEARS. WE WORKED TOGETHER.

SO THERE WAS MORE OF A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THERE, TOO.

IT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION. IT WAS ONE I LABORED OVER.

YOU ASKED WHEN YOU LET THE BOARD KNOW.

I LET THE BOARD KNOW IN THAT CASE.

HE WAS A FAVORED EMPLOYEE. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

BUT NECESSARY. IT WAS ERODING A TRUST ELEMENT THAT WE HAVE IN PUBLIC SERVICE. YOU JUST CAN'T LET THAT FALL BY THE WAYSIDE. YOU CAN'T LET THAT FALL APART.

THOSE WERE DIFFICULT. TERMINATING SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT. I LIKE TO SLEEP ON IT.

I LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ON SOLID GROUND AND THAT I'M COMFORTABLE. IT IS NOT A PASSIONATE MOVE FOR ME. IT IS ALWAYS A DIFFICULT MOVE FOR ME. IT IS AN AWFUL WEEK WHEN IT HAPPENS. I'M NOT A VERY FUN PERSON FOR

[02:55:01]

I SIT THERE AND SAY, WHY WAS I LED TO DO THIS? WHERE DID I FAIL THE ORGANIZATION THAT THIS HAPPENED? I BELIEVE IN HAVING, IN ALLOWING A LOT OF AUTONOMY IN STAFF.

I BELIEVE IN PROVIDING THE BOUNDARIES.

THEY KNOW WHERE THEY WORK. THEY KNOW HOW THEY DO THEIR JOB.

THEY KNOW THE EXPECTATIONS. WHEN SOMEBODY FAILS THAT, IT WAS ALWAYS-- I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IT IS BACK ON ME.

>> SIR SIR, THAT WAS EXCELLENT. OUR LOGO, ST. JOHNS COUNTY LOGO IS FLORIDA AT FIRST SIGHT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU AND

ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS A WHOLE? >> THE COUNTRY KIND OF STARTED HERE. I THINK THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT REALLY SPECIAL. IT IS A UNIQUE PLACE.

IT IS FABULOUS TO COME HERE. I THINK YOU HAVE A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT AND A UNIQUE COMMUNITY.

YOU HAVE BEACH. YOU'VE GOT THESE BEAUTIFUL STRIPS OF LAND IN AREAS THAT ARE JUST PRISTINE, BEAUTIFUL.

AND YOU HAVE A CHALLENGE OF PEOPLE WANTING TO TAKE THOSE AND TURN THEM INTO SOMETHING ELSE. IT IS JUST ONE OF THE UNIQUE PLACES IN THE STATE. IT IS A PLACE THAT IS STILL YET UNTOUCHED. YOU KNOW, YOU ARE RITE ON THE CUSP OF THAT. IT IS HAPPENING.

BUT IT HASN'T BEEN WIPED OUT. IT HASN'T BEEN DESTROYED.

THERE IS NO HARD LINE IN THE WETLANDS.

IF YOU LOOK-- YOU KNOW, GOOGLE EARTH IS A MAGICAL THING NOW.

YOU CAN LOOK AT MIAMI-DADE. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY STOPPED.

THIS IS A SECTION LINE ON THE MAP.

I THINK THAT IS JUST PART OF IT. YOU CAN MAINTAIN THAT HISTORY.

YOU CAN MAINTAIN THAT NATURAL BEAUTY ON INTO THE FUTURE, AND YOU ARE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF THAT.

IT IS A SPECIAL PLACE. >> SO THIS IS SIMILAR TO COMMISSIONER ALAIMO'S QUESTIN. HE WAS ASKING FOR A SPECIFIC INSTANCE. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TAKE ME THROUGH THE STEPS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE GENERALLY, NOT KNOWING A SPECIFIC INSTANCE, THAT COULD LEAD TO TERMINATING

AN EMPLOYEE. >> THE STEPS FOR TERMINATING AN EMPLOYEE. THERE HAS TO BE SOME FORM OF PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE IN THE PROCESS.

IS THIS THE FIRST TIME? IS THIS A CHRONIC ISSUE? ARE WE SEEING THIS REPEATEDLY? WHAT IS THE REAL ISSUE? NEXT STEP. CAN YOU ANSWER THAT? IS IT A PERSONALITY ISSUE? IS IT A RETRAINING ISSUE? IS IT BASED ON AN AN ACTION? THTHAT IS ONE OF THE CAVEATS FOR ME. THAT IS ALMOST, TO ME,-- NOT ALMOST, IT IS AN ABSOLUTE. ISOMETHING HAS TO HAVE GONE CAT STROFCALLY WRONG. DONE SOMETHING WRONG.

IS THE EMPLOYEE REMORSEFUL OVER IT? WAS IT AN HONEST MISTAKE? WAS IT A MISTAKE, AS HORRIBLE AS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, WAS HONEST? IS THE EMPLOYEE IN A REACTION OF, WOW, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT. I DIDN'T REALIZE I WAS DOING THAT. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT.

DOES IT BREAK DOWN TRUST? DOES IT BREAK DOWN TRUST IN THE ORGANIZATION FOR THAT PERSON? DOES IT BREAK DOWN TRUST THAT YOU HAVE IN THAT PERSON? IT HAS TO HIT THOSE MARKS FOR ME BEFORE TERMINATION. I WILL ALWAYS TRY AND WORK OUT THE RELATIONSHIP SIDE OF IT FIRST.

IT IS JUST-- THERE IS MORE TO TERMINATING SOMEBODY THAN JUST-- I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT ANYMORE.

THERE IS FAMILIES BEHIND THAT PERSON.

THERE IS A CAREER BEHIND THAT PERSON.

THERE IS A PRIDE BEHIND THAT PERSON.

YOU HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

AND LIKE I SAID, IT IS SOMETHING I SLEEP ON.

SOMETIMES SEVERAL DAYS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.

HOPEFULLY, COME UP WITH THE RIGHT ANSWER.

LY ALWAYS WORK-- I WILL ALWAYS WORK TO-- MAYBE YOU ARE IN THE WRONG SPOT. MAYBE THE PRESSURE IS TOO GREAT.

MAYBE THIS SITUATION YOU ARE IN IS TOO GREAT.

LET'S TRY AND FIX THAT, THEN. LET'S REALIGN THE SITUATION.

SO YOU CAN PERFORM AT YOUR BEST. >> SO CLOSE OUT, MR. HARRIOTT,

[03:00:04]

WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? >> I HAVE HAD A GREAT CHANCE OF TALKING TO YOUR STAFF AND ASK QUESTIONS IN THE PROCESS.

I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, YOU ARE HIRING AN ADMINISTRATOR.

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS? WHAT WOULD YOU CALL A SUCCESS, A SUCCESSFUL ADMINISTRATOR IN YOUR EYES, THAT THINGS ARE GOING GOOD? THIS IS THE WAY I WANT TO SEE IT. I'M HAPPY WITH THIS.

YOU WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE IS DIFFERING PLIT KAHN.

POLITICAL OPINIONS. THERE IS STRUGGLES.

230,000 OPINIONS IN PUBLIC GETTING PUSHED ON YOU A LOT.

WHAT WOULD YOU TURN AND SAY, THIS IS A GOOD ADMINISTRATOR, WE

ARE VERY HAPPY WITH THIS. >> I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF ON THAT ONE. SOMEBODY WHO IS TRANSPARENT, SOMEBODY WHO IS COLLABORATIVE IN THEIR APPROACH AND SOMEBODY WHO SHOWS COMPASSION. I THINK THE RESULTS WOULD ALSO SHOW IN THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE. YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. THAT IS MY ANSWER.

>> ACTUALLY, I'M AGREEING WITH HER.

ABSOLUTELY. FAIRNESS.

>> MR. HARRIOTT, I WOULD SAY IN ADDITION TO THE THOUGHTS EXPRESSED BY THOSE COMMISSIONERS, THE WILLINGNESS TO SORT OF TURN OVER EVERY STONE AND SEEK A SOLUTION.

WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES FACING US, AS YOU HAVE SEEN IN OTHER COUNTIES. BUT GETTING CREATIVE THINKING, OUTSIDE THE BOX TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

THAT GOES A LONG WAY WITH ME. >> I WOULD CONCUR WITH ALL THAT'S BEEN SAID. TELLING STUFF YOU ALREADY KNOW.

I'M SURE THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE AN EASY JOB.

YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN SORT OF AN ONGOING HURRICANE, IF I CAN USE THAT TERM. AS WE TRY TO BALANCE MAINTAINING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND NEW DEVELOPMENT, NO NEW DEVELOPMENT, WHAT'S A GOOD BALANCE AND WHAT DO THE PEOPLE EXPECT.

SO IT IS GOING TO BE A ROLLER COASTER RIDE.

>> WELL, I ECHO MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS AS WELL.

TRANSPARENCEY, COMMUNICATION, AND YOU KNOW, MAIN DAYING-- MAINTAINING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

>> I CAN'T TELL YOU-- I HAVE ENJOYED BEING HERE.

AND YOU KNOW, SPEAKING TO YOU. JIM AND JOAN HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL

TO WORK WITH. >> WWE HAVE ENJOYED HAVING YOU.

IT HAS BEEN NICE TO GET TO KNOW YOU.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD THANK

YOU, SIR. >> TELL RAY I SAID HI.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> TAKE CARE. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THAT OBVIOUSLY CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEWS FOR THE DAY.

I'M GOING TO LOOK TO MR. DINNEEN FOR ANY COMMENTS OR

THOUGHTS FOR HOW TO PROCEED. >> JUST AS THOUGH-- TRYING TO FOLLOW THE LAW. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FOUR REALLY GOOD CANDIDATES. WE ANTICIPATE THAT YOU WOULD GO THROUGH A PROCESS NOW TO SELECT ONE OF THE CANDIDATES.

WE GAVE NO PREFERENCE, AS YOU CAN SEE WHY.

YOU HAVE FOUR PEOPLE EQUALLY QUALIFIED.

AND JUST THAT WAY, BECAUSE IN THE END, THE COUNTY COMMISSION PICKS WHOEVER THEY WANT. AND SO THEY USE THE PROCESS NOW HOWEVER THEY BELIEVE IS BEST. TO DECIDE TO GO THE NEXT STEP.

AT THIS POINT, IT IS WIDE OPEN TO HOWEVER THE COUNTY COMMISSION WANTS TO DECIDE. IT COMESES TO A CONCLUSION ON WHO YOU ARE GOING TO SELECT. WHOEVER YOU DO, WE WOULD BRING THEM BACK IN SO YOU COULD TELL THEM PERSONALLY.

YOU WOULD OBVIOUSLY WANT TO CONNECT THEM-- OH.

SHE IS RIGHT. EITHER HIM OR HER.

YOU CONNECT THEM WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.

SEE IF THEY CAN WRITE A CONTRACT.

IF FOR ANY REASON EVERYONE IS STILL WAITING, IF FOR ANY REASON YOU FELT YOU NEEDED TO ASK ANY OF THE CANDIDATES TO COME BACK FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT SOMETIMES

COMMISSIONS DO. >> THANK YOU, MR. DINNEEN.

MR. MIGUT, ANY ADVICE? >> THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS IF THE BOARD IS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TODAY AND THAT IS AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION, THAT WE WOULD UNDER FLORIDA LAW NEED TO ENTERTAIN PUBLIC COMMENT AT SOME POINT IN

THE PROCESS. >> OKAY.

THANK YOU, MR. MIGUT. WE ARE BACK TO THE BOARD BEFORE

[03:05:02]

I WAS IMPRESSED WITH SO MANY OF THE ANSWERS WE HAVE HEARD THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS. I'M OPEN TO HEARING ANY THOUGHTS FROM ANY COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO SPEAK.

>> THE ONLY THING I WANT TO ASK, ARE OUR BUTTONS GOING TO WORK? ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE MAKING MOTIONS.

OR WE DON'T DO IT THAT WAY. >> THIS IS NOT WORKING.

YOU WILL RAISE YOUR HAND. I'LL DO MY BEST TO KEEP MY HEAD ON A SWIVEL. (LAUGHTER).

>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I-- I MEAN, I KIND OF WANT TO MAKE A MOTION. I DON'T WANT TO GET BEHIND THE MOTION-MAKING. I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE A MOTION ON-- I WOULD LOVE TO HIRE SARAH CAMPBELL.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE A SECOND.

I THINK SHE IS PROFESSIONAL. SHE IS DETAILED.

INNOVATIVE. I THINK JOY IS GREAT.

I THINK-- I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD PROMOTE FROM WITHIN AGAIN. I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD GET SOME NEW TALENT IN THERE. IF YOU WEREN'T INTERESTED IN SARAH, I REALLY LIKED THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS JUST HERE.

I WAS ACTUALLY NOT CONSIDERING HIM UNTIL I SAW HIM TODAY.

I THOUGHT HE WAS FANTASTIC. I'M REALLY-- I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THAT MOTION FOR SARAH CAMPBELL.

>> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO HIRE SARAH CAMPBELL AS THE CUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.

THAT MOTION DIES DUE TO LACK OF A SECOND.

>> MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.

>> YES, SIR. >> I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND-- I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE HIRE JOY ANDREWS FOR OUR COUNTY

ADMINISTRATOR POSITION. >> SECOND.

>> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DEAN TO HIRE JOY ANDREWS. WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ARNOLD. WE ARE GOING TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. BEFORE WE VOTE.

>> AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD SHOULD COME TO THE PODIUM AND STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS.

EACH PERSON SHALL COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RULES OF DECORUM.

COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE AND NOT ANY INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER. NO PERSON-MILE-AN-HOUR ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH PERSONAL IMPERS IMPERTINENT OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OR WITH BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR.

MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ANY DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT. THANK YOU.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JUDY SPEAKLE.

SPIEGEL. I DO NOT ENVY YOU ALL.

THAT WAS AMAZING. FOUR REALLY, REALLY GOOD CANDIDATES. I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY.

YOU HAVE A VERY HARD JOB, TASK AHEAD OF YOU.

I'M SURE WHOEVER IS HIRED WILL DO A WONDERFUL JOB FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY. I'M KIND IN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT MAYBE NOT HIRING FROM WITHIN AGAIN. JUST BAD BLOOD AND JUST BAD THOUGHTS. I REALLY LIKE JOY ANDREWS.

I'M SURE SHE IS VERY CAPABLE. I REALLY LIKED MR. HARRIOTT.

I DIDN'T EXPECT TO FROM READING HIS APPLICATION.

I MEAN, I EXPECTED TO LIKE HIM, BUT I WAS JUST IMPRESSED OUT OF EVERYBODY YOU SPOKE WITH TODAY, HE ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION THOROUGHLY. NOBODY ELSE DID.

HE SEEMED ENGAGED. HE WAS VERY LOOSE.

HE WAS VERY-- HE JUST FELT LIKE HE FIT.

I REALLY LIKED HIM A LOT. I WAS IMPRESSED WITH-- HE SEEMED TO HAVE AN INNO SAY TY APPROACH IN A DIFFERENT WAY OF KIND OF BACK-DOORING AND LOOKING AT PROBLEMS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. I THINK WE NEED.

THAT WE NEED FRESH VISION IN THIS COUNTY.

WE NEED FRESH IDEAS AND NEW EYES TO LOOK ON THINGS.

I BELIEVE THAT MS. ANDREWS IS AMAZING, AND STILL WILL SERVE THIS COUNTY AMAZINGLY EVEN AS DEPUTY.

I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER MR. HARRIOTT.

I REALLY THOUGHT HE DID A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU, MS. SPIEGEL.

MS. ANDERSON. >> SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

YOU HAVE A HECK OF A DECISION AHEAD OF YOU.

THOSE ARE FOUR VERY, VERY GOOD CANDIDATES.

AND THE DECISION IS YOURS. I'M SORRY.

OH, YES. >> YOUR NAME.

>> CAROL ANDERSON. 1602 WINDJAMMER LANE.

I WAS PREPARED WITH MY OPENING STATEMENT.

>> SORRY. >> THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO ADD IS A VERY PERSONAL STATEMENT.

I HAVE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY FOR THREE YEARS VERY CLOSELY WITH PROBABLY ALMOST ALL OF THE STAFF GROUPS.

FROM THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP LEVEL TO THE STAFF ANALYSTS AND ENGINEERS AND ALL OF THAT. AND IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS, I HAVE SEEN A REMARKABLE CHANGE IN WORKING

[03:10:02]

OH, YES. THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT TEAM. IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I FOUND WITH THE COUNTY STAFF, IT IS THAT THEY TENDED TO BE VERY HUNKERED IN THEIR SILOS. IT IS MERE FACT THAT THAT CAME IMMEDIATELY UPON THE CHANGE IN COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO PUT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM TOGETHER, AND TO PRODUCE A RESULT SO QUICKLY WITH THE MAP THAT SHOWS ALL OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, I THOUGHT WAS VERY INCREDIBLE.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT THERE WAS SOME HAND IN THAT BY THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. THE SECOND THING THAT I WOULD OFFER IS FROM MY EXPERIENCE AS A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL, THERE IS ONE THING THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR LEADERSHIP. THAT IS COURAGE.

AND THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE INDICATED TO ME THAT THE CURRENT INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAS A GREAT DEAL OF COURAGE AND IS ABLE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND IS ABLE TO STICK WITH THOSE DIFFICULT DECISIONS BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN. I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THAT I HAVE SHARED INFORMATION WITH HER AND THAT SHE HAS LISTENED TO ME VERY, VERY CAREFULLY.

SO THE DECISION IS YOURS. I JUST WANTED TO OFFER MY OBSERVATIONS AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS WORKED WITH THE COUNTY STAFF QUITE A BIT, AND GOOD LUCK, Y'ALL.

>> THANK YOU. >> THE STATE.

>> BETH TATE. THAT IS TOUGH CALL FOR FOR ALL OF YOU. THEY WERE GREAT CANDIDATES.

ALL OF THEM. CERTAINLY, MS. ANDREWS HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING THE KNOWN CANDIDATE AND EVERYONE KNOWS H HER. SHE HAS DONE A TERRIFIC JOB IN THE INTERIM ROLE. SHE REALLY HAS.

I THINK THAT ONE OF THE CHALLENGES BEFORE YOU IS WHETHER YOU DO WANT TO ONCE AGAIN, PROMOTE FROM WITHIN OR DO YOU WANT TO BRING IN FRESH EYES AND A FRESH FACE THAT CAN HELP MOVE THINGS FORWARD. AND WHAT'S THE BEST THING TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE COUNTY. I THINK THAT MR. HARRIOTT WAS AMAZING. I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED BY JUST HOW AMAZING HE WAS. HE HIT SPOT-ON ALL OF THE ANSWERS. HE HAS THE RIGHT VISION.

HE HAS THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE. I THINK IT WOULD BE A TOUGH ACT FOR JOY TO FOLLOW IF SHE WERE TO BE WORKING WITH HIM.

I ALSO THINK HE COULD ELEVATE THE LEVEL HERE IN THE COUNTY.

I THINK THAT THIS IS A TOUGH CHOICE FOR YOU.

YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COUNTY.

AS A WHOLE. NOT WHAT MAY BE NECESSARILY WHAT'S THE MOST COMFORTABLE FOR ALL OF US.

THANKS. >> THANK YOU, MS. TATE.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.

DORIS TAYLOR. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS STRIKING ABOUT SITTING AND LISTENING TO THESE FOLKS, AND I READ THE JOB DESCRIPTION. I READ ALL OF THE RESUMES.

I CAME AND I MET THEM AND TALKED WITH THEM YESTERDAY.

I LISTENED TO EVERY WORD TODAY. ALL OF THEM IMPRESSIVE.

ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING THINGS ABOUT THIS PROCESS IS THAT IT IS CLEAR TO ME, I HOPE TO YOU, THAT WE HAVE ALL LEARNED FROM THESE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTY. THEY ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES.

TO BRING TO THE JOB. TO BRING TO OUR COUNTY.

I THINK WE WOULD BE FOOLISH NOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

EVERYBODY HERE IS SAYING HIRE FROM WITHOUT.

WE NEED THE FRESH BLOOD. WE NEED TO GET AWAY FROM THE, THE CLOSENESS. I HOPE THAT THIS IS NOT ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY DECIDED, AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO ANY OF US. I HOPE THAT YOU MEANT YOUR COMMENTS. BECAUSE I WROTE THEM DOWN.

EVERY ONE OF YOU SAID THESE THINGS.

YOU WANTED HONEST, OPEN, TRANSPARENT, FAIRNESS, GOOD COMMUNICATION. YOU WANTED A CREATIVENESS OUTSIDE THE BOX THINKING. THESE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK WE WILL GET FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTY.

AND I HAVE AN EXAMPLE. TWO EXAMPLES OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED RECENTLY. UNFORTUNATELY, ON MS. ANDREWS' WATCH. I THINK SHE IS STUNNING.

SHE IS AN INCREDIBLY SMART AND TALENTED.

HOWEVER, HER EXPERIENCE IS ALL FROM ST. JOHNS COUNTY.

[03:15:02]

RECENT, CURRENT. ONE IS OCTOBER 3.

THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM 14.

THERE WAS A LONG CONSENT AGENDA. EVERYTHING ON IT HAD DOLLAR SIGNS ATTACHED EXCEPT FOR ONE ITEM.

ITEM 14. AND THE DESCRIPTION, YOU CROWDENED TELL WHAT-- YOU COULDN'T TELL WHAT THE HECK IT WAS. I DUG IN.

SIX PAGES LATER, I FOUND SOMETHING THAT TALKED ABOUT DOLLARS. NO TOTAL.

IT ADDED UP TO $2 MILLION. IT WAS HIDDEN, BURIED.

THAT WAS INTENTIONAL. THAT IS WRONG.

AND THAT IS THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.

WE NEED TO STOP THAT. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO DO IS TO BRING SOMEBODY FRESH IN. PLEASE, I HOPE YOU MEAN WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. I HOPE YOU ACTUALLY LISTEN TO US FOR A CHANGE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON.

>> GOOD MORNING. AFTERNOON.

ANNE MARIE EVANS. 1356 ROBERTS ROAD.

A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO TOUCH ON.

I THINK ALL THE CANDIDATES WERE OUTSTANDING WITH VERY IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CONSTITUENTS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS WASTE IN OUR GOVERNMENT. SEVERAL OF THE CANDIDATES TALKED ABOUT ROLLING BACK RATES, ADJUSTING TO BUDGETS.

WE THINK THAT IS SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR ECONOMY IS GOING TO BE LIKE FROM DAY TO DAY. IF ANYTHING, IT HAS BECOME MORE UNCERTAIN WITH TIME, RATHER THAN CERTAIN.

I THINK HAVING THOSE SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO KNOW HOW TO ROLL BACK A BUDGET, HOW TO KEEP TAXES AT THEIR CURRENT RATE AND SOME OF THESE PEOPLE EVEN TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO CUT BACK.

IT IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD MENTION, IN COMING UP WITH A SALARY, IS I HOPE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT SIMILAR POPULATIONS, SIMILAR SIZE OF STAFF AND SIMILAR RESPONSIBILITIES AND NOT OFFERING THE TOP OF THE RANGE.

HOPEFULLY, IT IS COMMENSURATE WITH THESE OTHER ITEMS. FINALLY, I WOULD SAY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE WENT TO A LOT OF WORK, HIRING A CONSULTANT, HAVING A VIDEO DONE, DOING A BIG PROCESS.

I HOPE THAT YOU DON'T GO WITH THE EASY CHOICE, BUT YOU GO WITH THE BEST CHOICE FOR US. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT?

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.

>> ED SLAVEN. I WOULD RECOMMEND JAMES DOAR OR MR. HARRIOTT. FOR REASONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE EXPRESSED. I DON'T THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO HIRE WITHIN. AND LET ME TELL YOU.

MS. ANDREWS STARTED WORKING IN.R JESSE DUNN.

JESSE DUNN, WHEN YOU READ THE DEPOSITIONS AND THE CASE OF EMBEZZLEMENT. $786,000.

JESSE DUNN WAS NOT PROACTIVE. THE BUDGET OFFICE-- OMB WAS NOT PROACTIVE. THERE WAS EMBEZZLEMENT GOING ON IN OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR FIVE-PLUS YEARS.

JOY LEARNED FROM A NIXONIAN CHARACTER WHO DOESN'T DO A GOOD JOB AS BUDGET DIRECTOR. THAT WAS HER EXPERIENCE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. STARTING WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE.

I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT. THAT I HAVE CONCERNS ALSO BY THE SAME TOKEN, THAT THIS COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 19, 2019, SHOULD HAVE OFFERED JOY THE JOB AS THE ACTING COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

IT WAS RACE AND SEX DISCRIMINATION NOT DO SO.

A BIG MISTAKE. WE HIRED HUNTER SINCLAIR CONRAD WHO IN A FEDERAL BRIBERY CASE IN CHICAGO, WAS NAMED AS AN UNINDICTED COCONSPIRATOR. THAT WAS NOT TOLD TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. BACK IN 2020.

WHEN THEY HIRED MR. CONRAD. WITHOUT A NATIONAL SEARCH.

I CALLED FOR A NATIONAL SEARCH. THE REQUEST WAS DISRESPECTED.

AND WE DID WRONG. WE DID WRONG BY DISP P JOY.

WE ARE LUCKY JOY ANDREWS DID NOT SUE ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND FILED A

COMPLAINT. >> YOU HIRE JOY, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND IT. SHE IS A GOOD PERSON.

I THINK SHE MEANS WELL. I THINK SHE MESSED UP IN SEVERAL

[03:20:04]

IF SHE IS CONFIRMED, I HOPE SHE REVIEWS THAT DECISION AND RIGHTS SOME WRONGS. ST. JOHNS COUNTY, AS THE REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING SAID HERE IN 1964, IS THE MOST LAWLESS PLACE IN AMERICA. IT STILL IS IN MANY RESPECTS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT DEVELOPERS ARE DOING TO OUR WETLANDS WITH THE DEFORESTATION, IT IS A SIN AND A CRIME.

IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME. EVERY DAY.

I TELL PEOPLE WHEN I'M COMING TO THIS BUILDING, WELL, I'M GOING TO THE USUAL CRIME SCENE. I WOULD RECOMMEND THOSE TWO GENTLEMEN. I ESPECIALLY LIKED WHAT MR. DOAR SAID. IN ONE OF THE OTHER INTERVIEWS.

ABOUT HOW RETALIATION OCCURS IN MONTANA.

IN THE COUNTY. THEY ASSIGN AN EMPLOYEE WHO KISS AGREES-- DISAGREES TO PICK UP ROADKILL.

LET'S STOP THE RETALIATION. WHOEVER WE HIRE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING A NATIONAL SEARCH.

WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE DONE. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

>> ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> WE ARE BACK TO THE BOARD. ANY DISCUSSION?

>> YES. IF I MAY.

>> YES, SIR. PLEASE.

>> BEFORE WE VOTE, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY BRIEFLY I HOPE IT IS BRIEF, THAT IN 30 YEARS OF SERVING IN STATE GOVERNMENT, IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION, WHICH I DID, AND 7 YEARS ON THIS COMMISSION, 37 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, I HAVE WORKED WITH A WHOLE LOT OF PUBLIC SERVANTS. AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, THE REGIONAL LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL. ALL IN FLORIDA.

ANDLY TELL EACH OF YOU THAT JOY ANDREWS IS ONE OF THE VERY TOP PUBLIC SERVANTS I HAVE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH.

WE HAD, IN MY OPINION, FOUR REALLY, REALLY STRONG CANDIDATES. I WAS IMPRESSED WITH ALL FOUR.

I WOULD NOT BE DISAPPOINTED IF ANY ONE OF THOSE FOUR BECAME OUR ADMINISTRATOR. WE WOULD BE WELL-SERVED.

BUT FOR ME, CLEARLY, WITH HER EXPERIENCE, HER PROFESSIONALISM, HER RESPONSE TO US AS COMMISSIONERS, HER RESPONSE TO THE COMMUNITY, AT MANY LEVELS, WE CAN'T GO WRONG WITH JOY ANDREWS. I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD BEFORE WE VOTE AND HEAR ANY OTHER COMMENTS.

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY VERY QUICKLY, I FEEL THE SAME WAY THAT YOU DO. I THINK ALL FOUR OF THEM WERE CERTAINLY QUALIFIED. ALL FOUR OF THEM GAVE WONDERFUL ANSWERS. MS. TAYLOR, I HAVE LISTENED TO EVERY WORD THAT YOU SAID. I'M CONSIDERED EVERY WORD THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SAID IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY.

WHAT WAS STRIKING TO ME ABOUT THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS, EVERY CANDIDATE THAT WE HAVE, AT LEAST EVERY FINALIST FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR POSITION HAD CHALLENGES.

I THOUGHT COMMISSIONER ALAIMO, YOUR QUESTION WAS VERY REVEALING. NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE FROM AND NO MATTER WHAT ROLE YOU HAVE, THERE ARE TIMES YOU HAVE TO WORK THROUGH DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND CHALLENGES.

MS. ANDREWS HAS NOT BEEN IMMUNE TO THAT.

HOWEVER, CAROL ANDERSON MADE SOME GREAT POINTS.

WHY DID WE NOT HAVE AN STRUCTURE TEAM PULLING TOGETHER WITHIN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT BEFORE MS. ANDREWS BECAME THE INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR? I DON'T KNOW.

I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE ONE NOW. MS. ANDREWS WAS PART OF TWO ROLLBACK RATES. WHEN SHE CAME ON IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT AS A BUDGET ANALYST IN 2006, THE STATE MANDATED A FULL MILL ROLLBACK. THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CHOSE TO ROLL B BACK.

I CERTAINLY THINK THIS BOARD MAKES THAT CHOICE AGAIN, SHE IS CAPABLE OF HANDLING. THAT SHE WILL DO A FANTASTIC JOB. I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE OTHER CANDIDATES. I THINK WE WOULD BE LUCKY TO HAVE ANY ONE OF THEM. I HAPPEN TO THINK THE BEST ONE IS MS. ANDREWS. I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. I WOULD WELCOME ANY FURTHER

DISCUSSION BEFORE WE TAKE VOTE. >> I DO HAVE ONE THING TO SAY.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> I JUST WANT TO REMIND ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER DEAN. YOU SAID ALL THE SAME THINGS YOU JUST SAID TODAY ABOUT HUNTER CONRAD.

I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST JOY. I STILL THINK THE COUNTY COULD USE SOME OUTSIDE ENERGY AND NEW THOUGHTS AND INNOVATIONS.

I HEARD A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS TODAY WHICH WERE THINGS THAT I

[03:25:03]

TODAY. >> WELL, IF I MAY RESPOND TO THAT, COMMISSIONER JOSEPH, IF I MAY RESPOND.

I HAVE BEEN IN GOVERNMENT 37 YEARS, AND I HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC WILL FORGIVE ME OF ONE MISTAKE.

>> IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE? ALL RIGHT.

BECAUSE THE SCREEN IS NOT WORKING, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A ROLL CALL VOTE. I'M GOING TO GO DOWN THE LINE FROM MY LEFT. TO MY RIGHT.

STARTING WITH COMMISSIONER ALAIMO ARE.

YOU YES OR NO ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR?

>> YES. >> COMMISSIONER DEAN?

>> YES. >> I'M A YES.

COMMISSIONER ARNOLD? >> YES.

>> COMMISSIONER JOSEPH IN. >> NO.

>> THE MOTION PASSES 4-1 TO HIRE JOY ANDREWS AS THE NEXT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE TO ALSO MAKE THE MOTION TO HAVE A CONTRACT NEGOTIATION.

MR. MIGUT. THAT WAS YOUR RECOMMENDATION.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT?

>> MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL OFFER A MOTION TO HAVE YOURSELF AND MR. MIGUT NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT WITH JOY ANDREWS.

>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND IN. >> SECOND.

>> MR. MIGUT, ANY AMENDMENTS? >> JUST PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE A

VOTE. >> LET'S HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> THE BOARD WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS NEEDS TO BE A SUNSHINE MEETING. THIS NEEDS TO BE A PROMMER SUNSHINE MEETING. WITH PUBLIC ATTENDANCE.

AND PUBLIC COMMENT. AS WHEN WE HIRE OTHERS.

PLEASE. UNDER FLORIDA SUNSHINE LAW.

THE MEETING THAT TAKES PLACE. HAS TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

IT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

>> MR. MIGUT, I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY CLARIFICATION ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE JUST HEARD.

>> SURE. IN THE PAST, MEETINGS OF THIS TYPE, THE COUNTY HAD CHOSEN TO PUBLICLY NOTICE THEM, HOLD THEM IN THE PUBLIC. IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT-- AT LEAST THE WAY THE MOTION HAS BEEN PHRASED BY COMMISSIONER ALAIMO, IT WOULD BE ONE BOARD MEMBER AND MYSELF ACTING IN THE CAPACITY OF THE COUNTY STAFF MEMBER.

UNDER THE CASE OF THE BRADENTON TIMES INC., A TRIAL COURT IN FORIDA WITH NEARLY THE EXACT SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, RULED THAT MEETINGS SUCH AS THAT WERE NOT SUBJECT TO THE SUNSHINE LAW.

SUNSHINE LAW WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED FOR ANY MEETINGS OF THIS SETUP IF THE BOARD APPROVES THIS MOTION.

>> I HAVE A COMMENT. OH.

WHAT IS IT GOING TO HURT IF HE SITS IN ON A NEGOTIATION? DOES IT MATTER? I MEAN, DOES IT MATTER, YOU GUYS? I MEAN --

>> COMMISSIONER, I WOULD MAKE THIS COMMENT.

ON THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION, I AM THE VICE-CHAIR ON THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA REGIONAL COUNCIL, I'M NOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

I HAVE HAD THE UNFORTUNATE PRIVILEGE OF NOW HAVING HAD TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACTS FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL COUNCIL WHICH IS A SUNSHINE BOARD.

THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION. ONE ADMINISTRATOR, ONE INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR. AN NONE OF THOSE MEETINGS WERE

REQUIRED TO BE HELD AS SUNSHINE. >> THAT IS NOT MY QUESTION.

MY QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH IT?

>> IT CAN BE, IT CAN BE CHALLENGING TO DO A NEGOTIATION IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE PUBLIC. MR. MIGUT?

>> CAN I ALSO ADD? >> WAIT.

EXCUSE ME. SIR.

I WAS PART OF THE FIREMEN WHEN THEY WERE NEGOTIATING WITH SA SARAH, OUR ADMINISTRATOR, WATCHING THAT.

IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING. I MEAN, I DON'T SEE WHAT THE

PROBLEM WAS. >> THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE BOARD IS THAT JUST COMES UP WITH A RECOMMENDED CONTRACT. THE PROPOSED CONTRACT WILL COME BACK BEFORE THE FIVE OF YOU IN A PUBLIC MEETING.

THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THAT MEETING.

THE PUBLIC STILL DOES HAVE A CHANCE TO VOTE ON ANY PROPOSED CONTRACT BEFORE IT IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD.

THERE WILL BE A POINT WHERE THERE IS PUBLIC INPUT ON A

PROPOSED CONTRACT IN THE FUTURE. >> YEAH.

I THINK THAT IS THE WAY IT WORKED THE OTHER FOUR TIMES THAT I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS

ABOUT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? >> WHAT IS THE MOTION AGAIN?

I'M SORRY. >> TO HAVE THE CHAIR AND THE ATTORNEY RETURN TO NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR APPOINTEE.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S TAKE THE VOTE.

STARTING THIS TIME TO MY RIGHT. COMMISSIONER JOSEPH?

>> NO. >> COMMISSIONER ARNOLD?

>> YES. >> I'M A YES.

COMMISSIONER DEAN? >> YES.

[03:30:01]

>> OKAY. COMMISSIONER DEAN IS A YES.

COMMISSIONER ALAIMO? >> YES.

>> ALL RIGHT. THAT MOTION PASSES 4-1.

IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD?

MR. DINNEEN? >> IF I COULD SUGGEST AT THIS POINT, I THINK IT IS PROBABLY APPROPRIATE TO BRING YOUR NEW POTENTIAL COUNTY MANAGER FORWARD IN PERSON.

TO LET HER KNOW OF YOUR DECISION.

>> WE SHOULD INFORM THE PERSON THAT WE SELECTED.

THAT IS PROBABLY WHY YOU ARE THE PROFESSIONAL.

>> YES. PLEASE.

YES, SIR. PLEASE DO.

>> I FORGOT. I'M GLAD YOU SPOKE UP, JIM.

I WAS ACTUALLY INTENDING TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR A VERY WONDERFUL JOB. I THINK THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. I THINK IT IS REFLECTED IN THE FOUR CANDIDATES THAT THE WE INTERVIEWED TODAY.

SO JIM, GREAT JOB. >> THANK YOU, JOAN AND I BOTH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OBVIOUSLY, IF ANYBODY IS ASKING FOR SOMEBODY TO HELP THEM, WE ARE AVAILABLE.

TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, AFTER 40-SOMETHING YEARS IN THE PROFESSION, I LOVE DOING THIS. AND THE OTHER THING IS IT IS A PLEASURE TO WORK FOR THIS COMMISSION.

BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN TELL THE CANDIDATES-- YOU DON'T SAY THIS UNLESS IT IS TRUE. THIS WAS A JOB WORTH MOVING FOR.

THAT IS HOW GOOD THIS GOVERNMENT IS.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE COMPLIMENT, MR. DINNEEN. ALL RIGHT.

I KNOW. YOU ARE WELCOME TO SING IT IF YOU THINK OTHERS WOULD JOIN YOU. (INAUDIBLE) MS. ANDREWS, WELCOME

BACK TO THE PODIUM. >> THANK YOU.

>> WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS OUR NEW PERMANENT COUNTIED A MONEY SAY THERE OR THE.

WE WANTED TO OFFER YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

>> THANK YOU. AND YES.

(LAUGHTER). SORRY.

I LOST MY JACKET OVER MY SEQUESTER PERIOD.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. (APPLAUSE).

>> THAT IS VERY GOOD. ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FOR MS. ANDREWS? WE ARE ALL READY FOR SOME TRICK OR TREATING?

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.