[Call to Order of the Special Meeting by Chair]
[00:00:11]
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL REORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF THE ST. JOHNS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: PRESENT.
>>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: PRESENT. >>COMMISSIONER ALAIMO: PRESENT.
>>COMMISSIONER JOSEPH: PRESENT. >>COMMISSIONER DEAN: PRESENT.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: PLEASE JOIN ME IN STANDING AS I WELCOME REVEREND ALASAI FROM BRIDGE OF LIFE CHURCH TO LEAD NEWS THE INVOCATION. GOOD MORNING.
HEAVENLY FATHER I THANK YOU, LORD, FOR EACH OF THESE LEADERS THAT STEP FORWARD THIS LAST YEAR OF LEADING OUR COUNTY AND LEADING OUR COMMUNITY IN ALL OF THE THINGS, THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THIS YEAR. LORD, I THANK YOU FOR THEIR SERVIC, WISDOM AND GUIDANCE. WE PRAY FOR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE FOR THE YEAR AHEAD AND RAISE UP ANOTHER SET OF LEADERS TO HANDLE THE CHALLENGE LENGTHS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE BEFORES.
GIVE THEM WISDOM. GIVE THEM DISSTERNMENT.
ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO JUST HAVE THE EAR OF YOUR PEOPLE.
HAVE THE EAR OF OUR COMMUNITY AND TO BE ABLE TO DPEL GATE THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. ASK THIS IN THE NAME OF MY PRECIOUS LORD, JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: AMEN. THANK YOU, REVEREND.
MY PRESSURE TO WELCOME CAPTAIN PATRICK MCCORMICK IN THE U.S.
NAVY RETIRED TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
I AM VERY HONORED TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF THE ELECTED BOARD, THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE BEST COUNTY, OF THE BEST STATE, OF THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
AND I AM GRATEFUL TO BE YOUR CONSTITUENT.
IF YOU WILL PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE 'LY BEALLEGIANCE OF TH 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.
[1. Review of nominating procedures for the election of County Commission Chair and Vice Chair by County Attorney, David Migut]
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: THANK YOU, SIR.
GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. ALL RIGHT, MOVE INTO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE WHICH IS REVIEW THE NMINATING PROCEDURES FOR THE NOMINATION OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR.
MR. DAVID MIGGET. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER. UNDER RULE 1.026 OF OUR BOARD RULES, WE HAVE A METHOD OF ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
THE CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR WILL BE ELECTED ONE AT A TIME BEGINNING WITH THE CHAIR. A VOICE VOTE FOR EACH OFFICE.
AND IF ANYONE CHOOSES TO NOMINATE SOMEONE, THAT WOULD SERVE AS A MOTION. THE NOMINATION MUST BE SECONDED AND THE DIFFERENT NAMES SHALL BE REPEATED BY THE OUTGOING CHAIR AS THEY MOVED AND SECONDED. SO WE WOULD VOTE -- IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE NOMINATION, WE WILL VOTE IN THE ORDER OF WHICH THEY ARE NOMINATED. AS SOON AS SOMEONE GETS THREE OR MORE VOTES, AT THAT POINT WE HAVE A NEW CHAIR AND SUBSEQUENTLY A NEW VICE-CHAIR. I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. OTHERWISE, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MR. CHAIR, TO OVERSEE THE NOMINATION.
[2. Public Comment for Election of Chair and Vice Chair]
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR M MR. MIGGETT AT THIS TIME? THEN WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ELECTION OF THE CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR.
MADAM VICE-CHAIR. >>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: THIS THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT OF THE CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING.
BJ KALALY, CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
IS THIS THE ONLY TIME WE TALK OR FOR WHATEVER NOMINATIONS.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: THIS IS FOR THE CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR.
>> YOU WILL DECIDE SOMETHING AND WE CAN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT? OOOH, OKAY. THAT'S FINE.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHEN WE COULD TALK.
THE CLEAR CHAIR WE KNOW WILL BE MISS ARNOLD.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT. THE VICE-CHAIR -- SORRY, I WILL TALK LOUDER. I WILL SCREAM.
IS THIS BETTER, 221. WE ARE GOING TO A LOUD ONE TODAY. WE UNDERSTAND MISS ARNOLD IS UP FOR IT FOR THE CHAIR. I UNDERSTAND THAT.
I AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECOND ONE UP, THE VICE-CHAIR. AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT. MR. DEAN, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME GOOD?
GOT ME HERE. >>COMMISSIONER DEAN: YOU ARE
[00:05:01]
I WOULD THINK, SILLY ME, THAT THE VICE-CHAIR SHOULD BE ONE NEXT WHO HAS BEEN HERE THE LONGEST.I KNOW MR. DEAN YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE IT.
YOU DON'T WANT IT R IT TO BE IT. BUT THAT IS THE WAY IT IS GOING TO BE. THAT IS FINE AND DANDY AS LONG AS YOU ARE UP THERE LISTENING TO US.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WOULD YOU DECIDE IT, BUT I WOULD THINK MISS KRISTA SHOULD BE THE NEXT ONE UP.
SHE GOT ELECTED AND PEOPLE UP HERE ARE BEEN APPOINTED.
NOBODY VOTED FOR THEM. THIS IS MY CONCERN AND I WANT TO BE ON THE RECORD BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW RUMORS GET STARTED.
THERE IS A RUMOR OUT HERE IN THIS AUDIENCE TODAY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE -- IF YOU ARE ELECTED IT IS ONE THING.
IF YOU ARE APPOINTED, IT IS ANOTHER THING.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO GET ON THE RECORD.
I AM GLAD MR. MCCORMICK IS HERE TODAY TOO.
LET ME SEE. OH, I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL BE ABLE TO TALK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, MAYBE? SO NOW THAT I GOT EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION AND EVERYBODY CAN HEAR ME, OKAY. HAPPY GOBBLE-GOBBLE.
UNDERSTAND THAT. I HAVE 37 MINUTES.
CAN WE ALL RELAX AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY AT THE CITY COMMISSION -- I MEAN THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING.
BYE. >>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: THANK YOU, IT MISS KALADY. GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING. I DON'T -- ED SLAVIN, BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 3804 EDSLAVIN.COM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN COMMENT INTELLIGENTLY OF THE NEXT CHAIR OR NEXT VICE-CHAIR UNTIL WE HEAR YOUR MOTIONS.
I WILL RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.
THANK YOU. >>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: GOOD
MORNING, MR. SLAVIN. >> GOOD MORNING.
WE ARE STARTING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
JENNY SPIEGEL. GREEN WILLOW LANE.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT REORGANIZATION.
IT IS ALWAYS GOOD. SHIFTING THINGS AROUND.
MAKING THINGS KIND OF MORE MAGIC EVEN, ESPECIALLY AT THE START OF THIS WONDERFUL SEASON. I LOVE THE MOTTO, DO "DO THE RIGHT THING." AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE GOOD.
YOU HAVE GOOD HEARTS. AND YOU HAVE A GOOD FOCUS ON THIS COUNTY. AND YOU ABSOLUTELY WANT THE BEST FOR THIS COUNTY. AND I THINK YOU WILL DO THE RIGHT THING. I AGREE WITH MISS KALADY THAT MISS JOSEPH WILL BE BE A VERY GOOD CHAIR -- CO--- VICE-CHAIR AND I BELIEVE IN GOOD THINGS FOR YOU.
>>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: THANK YOU, MIG SPIEGEL.
>> SHERRY BADGER, 2772 SOUTH COLLINS AVENUE.
ARE Y'ALL FOR REAL? Y'ALL ARE DISSING THE VOTERS WHO VOTED PEOPLE IN NOT APPOINTED PEOPLE.
Y'ALL NEED TO GET A GRIP INSTEAD OF WORKING FOR THE DEVELOPERS, YOU NEED TO START WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE AT COUNTY.
THANK YOU. >>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: THANK YOU,
[3. Election of the Chair of the Board of County Commissioners]
MISS BADGER. ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: OKAY. WE WILL MOVE INTO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 3, THE ELECTION OF THE CHAIR AND I WILL TAKE THE LIBERTY OF MAKING THE NOMINATION TO NOMINATE SARAH ARNOLD TO BE THE NEXT CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
>>COMMISSIONER DEAN: SECOND. >> MR. CHAIR CHAIR, WE NEED TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: THANK YOU, MR. MIGGETT.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? HEARING NONE.
IF I FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, PLEASE VOTE.
>> IT HAS TO BE A VOICE VOTE. WE SEE IT ON THE SCREEN, BUT UNDER THE RULE WE HAVE A VOICE VOTE.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: YOU MENTIONED THAT.
I SHOULD HAVE PROCESSED THAT. >>COMMISSIONER JOSEPH: YES.
>>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: YES. >>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: I AM
A YES. >>COMMISSIONER DEAN: YES.
[4. Election of the Vice Chair of the Board of County Commissioners]
>>COMMISSIONER ALAIMO: YES. >>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: COMMISSIONER ARNOLD IS ELECTED NEW CHAIR UNANIMOUSLY.
>>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: DO WE HAVE A NOMINATION FOR VICE-CHAIR? COMMISSIONER DEAN?
>>COMMISSIONER DEAN: I NOMINATE ROY ALAIMO FOR VICE-CHAIRMAN.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: A NOMINATION.
>>COMMISSIONER JOSEPH: I WILL SECOND THAT.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS.
HEARING NONE, WE WILL VOTE BY VOICE.
>>COMMISSIONER ALAIMO: YES. >>COMMISSIONER DEAN: YES.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: I AM A YES.
>>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: YES. >>COMMISSIONER JOSEPH: YES.
[5. Presentation to the outgoing Chair, Commissioner Christian Whitehurst, by the newly elected Chair]
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: COMMISSIONER ALAIMO IS OUR VICE-CHAIR ELECTED UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY.
[00:10:01]
THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT. WE WILL PROVE INTO THE PRESENTATIONS I DON'T KNOW WHO IS RUNNING THAT SHOW BUT WE AREALL GOING TO THE FLOOR. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS GAVEL TO OUR OUTGOING CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONER WHITE HURST.
YOU ARE HONORED AND PRIVILEGE TO HAVE HIM -- TO HAVE HIM SERVE AS OUR CHAIR FOR THE LAST YEAR. HE ALSO A SHOWN INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP BOTH LOCALLY THROUGH THE NERFC AND THE TPO.
HE HAS SHOWN IT STATEWIDE WITH ENGAGEMENT WITH FEC AND COMMISSIONER TRAINING. HE ADVOCATED FOR US IN TALLAHASSEE AND WASHINGTON D.C. BRINGING HOME A RECORD $55 MILLION LAST YEAR. WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM.
AND AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE NEXT TO HIM.
>>COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST: I WILL SAY VERY BRIEFLY, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THIS ESTEEMED BOARD. GROWING UP IN THIS COUNTY, LIVING HERE MEANS AN AWFUL LOT FOR ME.
THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR. >> WELL, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
[6. Presentation to outgoing Vice Chair, Sarah Arnold, by the newly elected Vice Chair]
CONGRATULATIONS MADAM CHAIR. AND I GET TO PRESENT THIS AWARD FOR YOUR SERVICE AS VICE-CHAIR. YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB.THIS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING YEAR.
BUT I THINK BOTH YOU AND CHAIRMAN WHITEHURST.
YOU GUY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB. YOU WERE PROFESSIONAL, YOU WERE FAIR AND WELL DESERVED AND WELL EARNED.
>>VICE-CHAIR ARNOLD: IT HAS OPINION AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO SERVE YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING IN THIS CHAIR. THANK YOU.
>>COMMIS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.