May 14, 2024 Fiscal Year 2025 Administrator's Budget Session

[Building Services ]

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>> WE HAVE SOME OF OUR TEAM PRESENT HERE TODAY. TO MY LEFT IS CHARLES CRANE. CHARLES BRINGS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE . HE'S BEEN WORKING WITH ME FOR 26 YEARS. HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT THAT IS TRUE. CHARLES TAKES CARE OF EVERYTHING ON THE PLAN REVIEW SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND INSPECTION SIDE OF THE HOUSE. TO HIS LEFT IS FATHER POTTER.

REALLY, IT IS MAGICAL.

KATHLEEN NICHOLS. SHE IS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. SHE MANAGES OUR RECORD MANAGEMENT.

BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON WITH SOMETHING THAT WE FOUND OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH. THAT IS THAT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS REGULATED. I WOULD GO AS FAR AS TO SAY, HIGHLY RELATED BY STATE STATUTE 553.80. THAT GIVES THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT THE AUTHORITY TO CARRY ON ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES. THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, WE ALL FORGET, ASKS COMING OUT -- WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ST. JOHNS COUNTY CODE IS. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THERE IS NO ST. JOHNS COUNTY CODE. THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT ENFORCES IT. IT IS REALLY A HUGE BODY . I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I DESCRIBED THAT BRIEFLY. WITHIN THAT NINE VOLUMES, WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND THE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CODE. PLUMBING, MECHANICAL, FUEL, GAS. EXISTING BUILDING CODE. ENERGY CONSERVATION, AND ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH EVERYONE HERE KNOWS QUITE A BIT ABOUT, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE. SO BIG TASK. IT COVERS A GREAT DEAL OF TERRITORY AND PROCESS.

STATUTE 468? IT IS IMPORTANT TO SET THE FRAMEWORK. STATE STATUTE 468 IS WHAT REQUIRES OURSELVES AS BUILDING OFFICIALS AND ALL THE INSPECTORS TO BE LICENSED THROUGH THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AND THAT IS QUITE A RIGOROUS TASK. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT OUR BUSINESS MODEL HERE AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT . WE ARE VERY BIG ON MULTI-LICENSED INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE BOARD, WHICH I WILL TALK ABOUT SHORTLY. THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE FIND TO BE SOMEWHAT INTERESTING IS THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS PRETTY MUCH IN

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AND IT FLUCTUATES , WHAT IS DONE BY PRIVATE PROVIDERS. WE CAN MOVE ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE. THE CORE AND ESSENCE OF WHAT WE DO AT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS TO ENSURE ALL PLANTS, CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS ARE REVIEWED, PERMITTED, AND INSPECTED AND COMPLY WITH ALL FEDERAL -- THAT SURPRISES PEOPLE -- ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS , TO SAFEGUARD LIFE, HEALTH, AND PROPERTY

WITHIN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. >> I WANTED TO INTERJECT REALLY QUICK. YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT PRIVATIZED INSPECTORS, AND THEY ARE COMPETING WITH LOCAL PUBLIC VOTING OFFICIALS INSPECTORS.

YOU ARE SEEING ABOUT 15% OF THE INSPECTIONS ARE BEING DONE

PRIVATELY. >> THAT FLUCTUATES. WE TEND TO SEE MORE ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE OF PERMITTING. THAT IS UP TO 20% . IT MIGHT DROP DOWN TO 10%. BUT THE BIG TAKE AWAY ON THAT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY COMFORTABLE. DEVELOPERS AND CONTRACTORS. THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE AND THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY BUILDING DEPARTMENT. WE ARE FINE WITH THAT. MOVING ONTO THE NEXT

SLIDE. >> I WANT TO STAY ON THIS TOPIC ONE MORE MINUTE. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT. I HAVE TO LEARN ABOUT THIS. WE ARE GETTING COMPLAINTS FOR BUILDING INSPECTIONS. OFTENTIMES, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE ARE FINDING THAT PEOPLE WILL TELL ME, THOSE ARE NOT INSPECTIONS DONE BY DESPERATE THEY DECIDE TO HIRE A PRIVATE INSPECTOR TO DO THEIR INSPECTION. IS RESIDENTIAL INCLUDED AS WELL? AND THEN WE END UP HAVING TO SORT OF RESOLVE A COMPLAINT ISSUE THAT IS NOT INITIATED FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT. I WANTED TO STAY ON THE TOPIC FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR

RESIDENTS TO KNOW. >> I AGREE WITH YOU. THAT IS WHY I INCLUDED IT. WE ARE SURPRISED THAT THEY ARE SURPRISED THAT PEOPLE HAVEN'T HEARD OF THE PRIVATE PROVIDER ENTITIES OUT THERE. WE ARE RATHER LIMITED IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN IMMERSE OURSELVES IN THAT. THE STATUTE IS VERY CLEAR , WHEN THE OWNER OR CONTRACTOR CHOOSES TO USE A PRIVATE PROVIDER, IT PRETTY MUCH TAKES THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT OUT OF THIS NARRATIVE. WE HAVE THE OVERALL AUTHORITY AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT IT CAN BE A PROBLEM. IT CAN.

>> OKAY. >> I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR

QUESTION. >> ARE. VERY GOOD.

>> MOVING ON, WHAT FALLS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT? AND WE HAVE SEVERAL DIVISIONS WITHIN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT PURVIEW. WE HAVE THE PERMITTING PROCESS. WE HAVE INSPECTIONS. WE HAVE THE CONTRACTOR LICENSING DIVISION.

PEOPLE ARE NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT UNLESS YOU ARE A CONTRACTOR. AND UNDER THAT CONTRACTOR LICENSE DIVISION, WE ALSO HAVE THE CONTRACTOR REVIEW BOARD. AND FOR THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE IN THE MEETING , THEY HAVE APPOINTED INDIVIDUALS TO THE CONTRACT REVIEW BOARD. WE HAVE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION MANAGED BY MR. POTTER, AND UNDER CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE HAVE THE CONTRACTING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS. IT IS ANOTHER BOARD THAT COMMISSIONERS WILL SOMETIMES APPOINT FOLKS TWO. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE THE RECORDS DIVISION, UNDER THE LARGE UMBRELLA OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. MOVING ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE, I PUT A FEW BULLET POINTS IN HERE , AGAIN, TO

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WE OFTEN HEAR THE TERM DOING MORE WITH LESS. WELL, THIS IS PROBABLY THE QUINTESSENTIAL EXAMPLE OF DOING MORE WITH LESS. SO WHAT IS THE MULTI-LICENSE CERTIFICATION? HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, WE WORK VERY HARD TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN MULTI-LICENSURE. BY THAT, I MEAN MOST OF OUR PLANS EXAMINERS ARE ALL MULTI-LICENSED. BY THAT, I MEAN THAT THEY HOLD ALL THE LICENSES NECESSARY TO PERFORM INSPECTIONS AND PLANNING REVIEW ACCORDING TO THE MAJOR DISCIPLINES, WHICH IS YOUR BUILDING, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING. IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE MULTI-LICENSE BUSINESS MODEL. THEY HAVE TO TAKE MORE SINGLE LICENSE INSPECTORS. IN ESSENCE, WHERE WE SEND ONE INDIVIDUAL OUTCOME OTHER JURISDICTIONS WILL SEND FOUR INDIVIDUALS OUT. AND THAT TENDS TO WORK INTO MORE OF A LENGTHY PLAN REVIEW PROCESS AND INSPECTION PROCESS. I DID WANT TO MENTION -- I AM DOING MY BEST TO STAY ON TIME.

INAUDIBLE ] WE HAD AN ELECTRONIC REVIEW PROGRAM. WE BEGAN IT IN EARNEST LAST YEAR. I'M SO PROUD OF IT. IT IS GOING VERY GOOD. IT IS LIVE, UP AND FUNCTIONING KNOWN. IT IS FOLLOWING PROTOCOLS. WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THE BIGGER BUILDERS WORKING THAT PROGRAM RIGHT NOW. WE ARE REALLY HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS. THAT IS GOING TO BE A BIG TIME PLUS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ONCE WE GET ALL THE BUGS WORKED OUT.

ANOTHER ITEM THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION TODAY, THE BILLING DEPARTMENT WORKS VERY CLOSELY -- INTERNET, CODE ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL, WITH FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY ISSUES.

DOWN HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, WHICH DID A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. WE INSTANTLY MOBILIZED OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND CODE TO -- ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THAT PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM. I WANTED EVERYONE TO BE AWARE OF THAT. MOVING ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE, SO WE HAVE HAD SOME, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER,

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SLIDE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR OUR AUDIENCE TO SEE HOW THE PERMITTING FLUCTUATES. I'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN ABLE TO WRAP MY ARMS COMPLETELY AROUND IT. WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME, HOW ARE THINGS GOING? AND MIGHT KNEE-JERK REACTION IS, WELL, I WILL HAVE TO LET YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS REALLY JOINED AT THE HIP WITH THE ECONOMY. THIS IS A SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED PERMIT ACTIVITY FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THIS WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW WE CAN INCREASE THAT ACTIVITY OVER THE MOST RECENT YEARS. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT IN 2021 -- I DON'T KNOW IF THE AUDIENCE CAN SEE THE COLORS HERE. THEY HAD A HUGE SPIKE IN 2021 ON THE SINGLE-FAMILY, WHERE WE HAD ONE MONTH WHERE I SAID I WOULD REVIEW THAT 800+ HOMES. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS OUR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. IT IS THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME. THIS ACTIVITY SEEMS TO BE MORE CONSISTENT. YOU CAN SEE HOW THOSE IN THE CENTER ARE GROUPED TOGETHER. WITH I THINK ONE EXCEPTION. IN 2023, WE HAD A HUGE SPIKE. IS THAT INEXPLICABLE? NOT REALLY. THAT IS JUST THE WAY THINGS WENT AND THE WAY COMMERCIAL FELL INTO PLACE. BY AND LARGE, FOR THE MOST PART, THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS, IT HAS BEEN CONSISTENT.

I WANT TO ADD ONE THING. YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT ST.

JOHNS COUNTY BEING A COMMUNITY FOR JACKSONVILLE. ONCE UPON A TIME, THAT WAS RELATIVELY TRUE. THOSE STATISTICS ARE CHANGING PRETTY DRAMATICALLY FOR US, CERTAINLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. TO PUT IT IN A PERCENTAGE KIND OF EQUATION, WHERE ONCE UPON A TIME, WE USED TO BE 90% RESIDENTIAL. THAT HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. WE ARE PROBABLY 75 , 25, IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE. SO A SLICE OF COMMERCIAL PERMITTING HAS BEGUN TO FILL IN IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THAT IS A GOOD THING. IT DOES PROVIDE A GREAT DEAL OF SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

PRIOR TO THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, JUST BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, WE HAD ONE HOSPITAL THAT WAS BUILT IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE HAD THREE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

INAUDIBLE ] THAT IS A BIG PIECE F THE FRAMEWORK. MOVING ONTO

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AND SO THERE ARE CERTAIN PARAMETERS THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN UNDER THE GUISE OF CODE. MOVING ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST SOME STATS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND SHOWS WHAT RODRICK AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN UP TO. SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 15 MTES IN OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DIVISION AFTER WE REBUILT. THESE FOLKS HAVE PERFORMED A TOTAL OF 17,536 INSPECTIONS LAST YEAR. THAT HAS GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS. AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS COMPLIED FOR 2023, 8865. I DIDN'T WANT TO TURN TO RODRICK REALLY QUICK. I DON'T WANT TO BE ON THE SPOT. WE DID CHAT ABOUT IT.

YOU MIGHT ASK, WELL, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW THAT ARE UNRESOLVED. AND WOULD YOU BE KIND ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW, SHOW WHAT THAT DISPARITY IS IN THOSE NUMBERS?

>> SURE. BASICALLY, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NUMBERS DOES STATE REFLECT THE DIFFERENCE WE SEE OF CASES CARRIED FORWARD AND CASES THAT ARE PENDING FOR NONCOMPLIANCE.

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WE SUBTRACT THOSE NUMBERS OUT BUT WE GO OUT AND CONDUCT INSPECTIONS FOR THOSE LOCATIONS FROM TIME TO TIME TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT OUR JURISDICTION AND TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, IF WE CAN.

>> RODRICK, THAT IS PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WILL ADD A FOOT FOOT -- NOTE TO THAT.

BE SOLVED LIKE THAT. SOME OF THESE ARE VERY COMPETENT. MANY OF THEM FIND THEIR WAY TO THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE HERE IN THE COURT. DID HE HAVE A QUESTION?

>> HAVE TO INSPECT. NOT ALL OF THEM WILL MEET COMPLIANCE. HOW DOES THAT COMPARE? THAT WAS 2000 HER. WE DON'T HAVE A FULL

YEAR. >> LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE. DO YOU WANT TO JUMP DOWN HERE SO I DON'T GET OUT OF MY LANE A LITTLE BIT. THIS IS THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. THIS WAS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT. THESE WERE THE CASES.

>> THESE ARE THE COMPLETED CASES THAT WE HAVE. WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, THESE ARE THE ACTUAL INSPECTIONS THAT WE COMPLIED OUT AND COMPLETED THESE CASES. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THIS IS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. EVERYONE IS GOING TO NOTICE THE SPIKE IN 2021 .

SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING. THAT SPIKE WAS THE SAME SPIKE YOU RECOGNIZE IN THE AN EIGHT, AS WELL. WHEN THERE IS A SPIKE OR SOMETHING THAT IS RELATED TO THE ECONOMY -- WHETHER IT MIGHT BE INTEREST RATES -- WHETHER IT IS A SPIKE IN, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF HOUSING AND THE HOUSING MARKET, IT IS IN DIRECT CORRELATION WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL. SO WHILE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT EXPRESSED A SPIKE IN 2021, WE ALSO EXPERIENCED A SPIKE IN 2021 WHERE WE RECEIVED MORE COMPLAINTS AND THAT HERE. WE COMPLIED OUT MORE CASES THAT YEAR, AS WELL. AFTER 2021 AND 2022 AND 2023, YOU WILL SEE THE NUMBERS WHICH THEY WERE GRADUAL AND SLIGHT, THE INCREASE OVER WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY SEE FROM 2023, AND EACH YEAR, THOSE NUMBERS ARE STARTING TO CREEP UP AS THE COUNTY STARTS TO GROW, WE HAVE MORE DEVELOPMENT THAN THE COUNTY. MORE PEOPLE, MORE HOMES. MORE COMPLAINTS COME OUR WAY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS FOR 2024, WE ARE AT 5551. WE ARE ABOUT A LITTLE MORE THAN HALFWAY IN THROUGH THIS FISCAL YEAR. THAT PLACES US A LITTLE BIT ABOVE AVERAGE FOR WHERE WE ARE WITH THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED AND CASES COMPLETED. AT THE RATE WE ARE GOING, IF THE TREND MAINTAINS, WE WILL HAVE A SLIGHT INCREASE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. AND WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO LOOK AT MORE AND MORE SPIKES LIKE THAT. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ON THE BOOKS THAT PROBABLY DON'T REFLECT IN THAT 5551 BECAUSE RECENTLY WITHIN THE LAST, I WOULD SAY 2 TO 3 MONTHS, WE HAVE HAD A DEFINITE SPIKE IN THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE BEEN ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM, AND MANY OF THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR COMPLIED AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT PUTS A STRAIN ON OUR DEPARTMENT. BUT THE NUMBERS ARE RIGHT THERE ON THE SCREEN. AND THEY REFLECT THEMSELVES. AS THE COUNTY GROWTH CONTINUES, AS WE START TO SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE GET FAMILIAR WITH THE OPERATION OF

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>> THE COMPLETED CASES -- THAT IS WHO COMPLIED?

>> THAT IS NOT ALL? YOU ALSO INSPECT CASES THAT DOES NOT

REQUIRE COMPLIANCE. >> CORRECT.

>> GREAT OBSERVATION, JOY. HAVE 17,000. YOU HAVE MORE THAN 1400

CASES TO INSPECT. >> YOU HAVE IT.

>> THAT IS A LOT. BUT WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>> A LOT OF TIMES, WE STRIVE TO GIVE THE MOST EFFICIENT SERVICE POSSIBLE. WE ARE WORKING WITHIN CONSTRAINTS TO GET THESE CASES INSPECTED AND GET THEM COMPLIED OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS HOWARD SAID, THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK OUT THE WAY WE PLAN OR THE WAY WE WANTED. IN THESE CASES, IT CAN STRETCH OUT ANYWHERE FROM TWO WEEKS FOR COMPLAINTS TO A YEAR OR A YEAR

AND HALF FOR SOME OF THOSE. >> TWO.

>> THANK YOU, RODRICK. >> THAT IS OVER SIX CASES PER DAY. AND ALSO, IT IS RECURRING BECAUSE YOU HAVE CASES THAT ARE

NOT CLOSED FOR A WHILE. >> GREAT OVERVIEW. THANK YOU.

MOVING ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND APPEALS -- INAUDIBLE ] THIS IS A BOARD THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO HEAR RULINGS. BUT THE LION'S SHARE OF ITS TASK IS TO LOOK INTO UNSAFE STRUCTURES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THE BOARD DOES A GREAT JOB FOR US . AND HERE ARE A FEW STATISTICS . THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNSAFE STRUCTURES LAST YEAR WAS 37 CASES. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNSAFE STRUCTURES HEARD AND UPHELD BY THE BOARD WERE 27. SO THE DIFFERENCE CAN BE COMPLIANCE FROM THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD THE VIOLATIONS. SO WE ARE

PRETTY PROUD OF THAT. >> WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. WE ARE RUNNING TIGHT ON TIME HERE. SO, ALSO, WITHIN THE CODED DEPARTMENT, MANAGED BY CODE ENFORCEMENT IS OUR SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS. AGAIN.

TWO STATS UP HERE. IF YOU WOULD SHARE WITH OUR LISTENING PUBLIC AND THE RESIDENCE WHAT THE FACTS ARE RIGHT NOW.

>> FOR THE SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS, THEY HAVE A TOTAL OF 1152 ELIGIBLE SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS LOCATED WITHIN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. 781 OF THOSE ARE ACTIVE AND REGISTERED WITHIN THE COUNTY, AND BASICALLY WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN THOSE NUMBERS SHOW IS -- IT REFLECTS THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE EITHER EXEMPT OR WEST OF THE INTERCOASTAL, OR THAT POSSIBLY HAVE HOMESTEAD, OR THOSE ARE NONCOMPLIANT PROPERTIES. SO THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT NONCOMPLIANT PROPERTIES IS VERY LOW WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF ELIGIBLE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AT 1152, AND 781 THAT ARE ACTIVE AND REGISTERED. THE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT , UNREGISTERED PROPERTIES RIGHT NOW IS SOMEWHERE UNDER 200 . IT IS REALLY SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINES OF 100. THAT NUMBER FLUCTUATES ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. WE TEND TO SEE WITH THE SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS IS THAT PEOPLE WILL ADVERTISE A PROPERTY , AND ONCE THEY BOOK IT OUT FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONTHS, THEY WILL REMOVE THE ADVERTISEMENT. WHAT HAPPENS IS, WHEN IT IS DONE AND THEY RESEARCHED THE SYSTEMS, THE DATABASES, LOOKING FOR ANYONE ADVERTISING A SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTAL ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS, THEN WE WILL PICK UP THOSE AND WE CAN GO OUT, AND THEY GO IN AND INSPECT THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE REGISTERED WITH THE COUNTY. WHAT HAPPENS IS ONCE PEOPLE PUT THAT OUT, OR IF THEY ARE TRYING TO BE I WOULD SAY SAVVY WITH THE SYSTEM, THEN WHAT THEY WILL DO IS THEY WILL ADVERTISE FOR A NUMBER OF WEEKS AND THEN PULL THAT ADVERTISEMENT FOR A WEEK OR TWO SO THAT THEY FLY UNDER THE RADAR AND THEN THEY WILL PUT IT BACK ON AND POSTED AGAIN, SO AS WE START TO LEARN WHAT THOSE DIFFERENT TRICKS OF THE TRADE -- WE ARE FINDING SOME WAYS AROUND THAT AS WE GROW IN THE SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTAL MARKET. TO DO SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE

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INAUDIBLE ] >> THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. MOVING ON, BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

>> THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

SPEAKERS ] >> LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS THIS DIVISION. THE HOUSING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE BUILT THAT DIVISION OF THE LAST FEW YEARS. LIKE I STATED EARLIER. BUT THIS GROUP -- THEY JUST DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

AGAIN -- IT IS PROBABLY NO SURPRISE. WE ARE FLORIDA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT UNDER CHAPTER 19 IN THE THIRD STATUTE. SO YOU SEE A PRETTY CONSISTENT THING IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. MOST OF OUR DIVISIONS ARE HIGHLY RELATED OFTEN BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA. LAST YEAR, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT TEAM DID, WE ACTUALLY THE TEAM RECEIVED AND COMPLIED 4000 594 PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS. I WOULD SAY THAT IS TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT IS THE MOST WE HAVE HAD IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY EVER IN ONE YEAR. I WANT TO THANK KATHLEEN FOR HER EFFORTS MANAGING THAT DIVISION. AND CERTAINLY, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR BUDGET. I MENTIONED AT THE ONSET OF THIS -- WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A BRIEF PRESENTATION. IN TRUE FASHION, I CAME THROUGH FOR EVERYONE, RIGHT? AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO STAY ESSENTIALLY FLAT. THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION THIS YEAR TO OUR BUDGET, BOTH FOR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT. THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT WILL NOT REQUEST ANY NEW FTES THIS YEAR. WITH ONE EXCEPTION. WE ARE ASKING FOR THREE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES FOR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND SIX REPLACEMENT VEHICLES FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT. AND THAT IS CRUCIAL TO OUR OPERATING , AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THOSE INSPECTORS , THEY ARE OUT THERE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AT SEVEN: 30 IN THE MORNING. THEIR VEHICLES ARE THEIR OFFICES.

THEY MUST HAVE VEHICLES THAT THEY CAN RELY ON. JUST AS A FOOTNOTE, THE FY 25 OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS APPROXIMATELY $11 MILLION. FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT, 2 MILLION, 238,000. WITH THAT, I WILL END MY PRESENTATION, AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. JOY, I WANT TO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR ALLOWING US TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT WE DO, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE STAYED ON TOP OF IT THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU FOR THIS FORMAT. >> THANK YOU. I'LL TAKE A FEW MINUTES . I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO, OF COURSE, AND THIS IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF HOW WE STRETCH OUR FEES, OUR REVENUE, AND WITHOUT REALLY INCREASING THAT, WE STILL DO A LARGE VOLUME OF WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY. I KNOW ALL OF YOU GUYS ARE WORKING LEADERS.

YOU ARE IN PRODUCTION EVERY DAY YOURSELF, TOO. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. ARE YOU PLANNING FOR ANY CHANGES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR?

>> WE ARE NOT. IN FACT, THE OPPOSITE IS PROBABLY TRUE. AND THAT, ONCE AGAIN -- AT THE RISK OF BEING MILDLY REDUNDANT, WE HAVE HAD SOME GREAT YEARS THE LAST 4 TO 5 YEARS. IN FACT, IT IS RESERVE, SO WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN. UNLESS I'M TOLD OTHERWISE -- 30% PERMIT FEE REDUCTION. AS OPPOSED TO

INCREASING . >> AND THAT IS THE SAME 30%, OR

ARE YOU CLOSING ADDITIONAL -- >> IT COULD BE. IT IS HARD FOR ME TO LOOK INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL AND SEE WITH THE ECONOMY.

JUST PEEKING BACK IN HISTORY, ONCE UPON A TIME, IN 2007, WE

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BE VERY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR. >> OF COURSE, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO MAKE THE FINAL POLICY DECISIONS IN TERMS OF THE ADOPTION. I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THIS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS ACTUALLY A CONSIDERATION FOR THE BUILDING PERMIT . SOMETIMES, REVENUES ARE A TOOL TO INCENTIVIZE CERTAIN ACTIVITIES. SO IN YOUR CASE, BUILDING HOUSES. BUILDING COMMERCIALS HOUSES. BUILDING RESIDENTIAL HOUSES. WHEN YOU EVALUATE YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER A FEE, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A REDUCTION, AND IT COULD INCREASE ANY OF THOSE POLICY IMPACTS THAT YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION?

>> NOT AT THIS TIME. WE ARE VERY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF OUR FEES. PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A FAIR VOLUME. AGAIN. YOU HEARD ME OPEN UP .

STATUTE IS REGULATORY. IT REGULATES MY INCOME. I'M VERY LIMITED IN TERMS OF WHAT I CAN DO OUTSIDE THOSE GUIDELINES.

>> GOTCHA. I'M NOT GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT RIGHT NOW.

YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, SO YOU ARE WITH EIGHT MULTI LICENSING BUSINESS MODEL.

LICENSES ALTOGETHER. >> THEY HOLD MORE THAN THREE.

>> BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING A LITTLE BIT OUT OF TIME, I WILL GO BACK TO ONE OF THESE SLIDES. I KIND OF BLAZED THROUGH THIS.

BUT SINCE YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, I WILL -- I WILL -- I DIDN'T WANT TO GET -- GET TOO FAR INTO THE WEEDS HERE. I THOUGHT WE WERE RUNNING TOO LONG, BUT AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM, WE HAVE 34 BUILDING INSPECTORS THAT PULL 157 LICENSES. THAT WAS ON THE SIDE FOR EVERYONE TO REVIEW. WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF 16 BUILDING INSPECTORS AND EXAMINERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE STATE TESTING PHASE. THAT MEANS OUR PROGRAM IS WORKING. WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF 10 BUILDING INSPECTORS AND EXAMINERS THAT ARE IN THE STATE CROSS TRAINING PROGRAM. THAT MODEL IS ALIVE AND WELL. BY THE WAY, I DID OVERLOOK ONE ITEM. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THIS. I SHARED A LOT OF STATS WITH YOU TODAY. AND I THINK THEY ARE REMARKABLE STATS. AND I WAS GOING TO SLIDE BACK TO THIS. I AM JUST BLESSED. WE ARE JUST BLESSED WITH A PHENOMENAL PERMITTING SYSTEM. NONE OF THIS COULD EVER BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE PERMITTING. AND THEY ARE ABOUT 15 FTES STRONG. BUT THEY ARE WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD, AND THEY TAKE THE SLINGS AND THE ARROWS OF THE PUBLIC EACH AND EVERY DAY. WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE A PERMITTING

STAFF THAT IS SECOND TO NONE. >> THANK YOU FOR MAKING A REMARK ABOUT THAT. HOPEFULLY THEY CAN HERE THAT.

>> HOPEFULLY THEY CAN. >> AND I'M GUESSING, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE STATS LATER, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS TRANSLATING TO COST SAVING FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND ALSO FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE INSPECTORS. THERE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEM TOCOMPLETE THEIR

APPLICATION. >> THAT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF OUR PROGRAM. INCIDENTALLY, YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THE SAME DAY INSPECTION MODEL THAT WE STILL HOLD ONTO. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD ONTO IT. BUT OUR CUSTOMERS LOVE THAT BUSINESS MODEL BECAUSE -- THE REALITY OF IT IS, THEY DEAL WITH ONE INSPECTOR AND ONE PLANT EXAMINER. AND, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THAT, WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. ANYBODY HAVING THEIR HOT WATER HEATER CHANGED OR AC

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WE UNDERSTAND THE INCONVENIENCE. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT, AND THAT OUR

CUSTOMERS APPRECIATE. >> WHOA, THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE COMPARED WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, BUT I'LL BE HIGHLY SURPRISED IF THERE IS ANOTHER STATE STATUTORILY THAT REQUIRES THE BUILDING OFFICIAL TO ANSWER PHONE CALLS AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING OR 8:00 AT NIGHT, ABOUT SOMEBODY DOES THE STRUCTURE -- THE HOMEOWNER, THE HOMEOWNERS MOTHER, OR THE NEIGHBOR HAS A PROBLEM WITH IT, THAT YOU JUST MAKE SURE THAT IS TAKING CARE OF WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME. YOU JUMP ON THE CALL YOURSELF RIGHT AWAY TO RESOLVE EVERYTHING. I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO. ONE LAST QUESTION FOR ROGER.

MAYBE FOR THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, TOO, BUT I KNOW OUR CODE ENFORCERS, WHO ARE THE ONES WORKING 17,000 CASES A YEAR, AND THEY ALSO, ALONG WITH OUR PERMITTING STAFF, IS TAKING THE SLINGS AND ARROWS PUBLICLY. HOW CAN WE SUPPORT YOUR STAFF

BETTER? >> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. AS HT SAID, GETTING US THOSE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES, SO OFFICERS HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION.

OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS ] SPOKE A RELIABLE VEHICLE.

>> THERE ARE A FEW TIMES WHERE THE INSPECTORS VEHICLES HAVE BROKEN DOWN IN THE FIELD, WHETHER IT IS A READY DISH RADIATOR OR SOMETHING ELSE.

WE CAN HAVE THOSE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES. IT CAN DO WONDERS FOR US, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GUYS CAN GET OUT AND BE COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY ARE OUT IN THEIR OFFICES TO DO THEIR

INSPECTIONS. >> IF I CAN PIGGYBACK ON THAT.

>> I WANT TO SAY, THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN ] . THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE IN THE TRENCHES. WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD. AND THEY UNDERSTAND IT AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATION. THEY CAN'T ALWAYS WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND HAVE THE PROBLEM SOLVED. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT SUPPORT FROM THE ADMIN STATION AND THE COMMISSION.

>> THANK YOU. I THINK I ASKED A QUESTION THAT WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. THE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE. THAT IS THE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB AND TO FUNCTION, BUT MAYBE, FROM AN EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP PERSPECTIVE, IS THERE ANY SORT OF PROGRAM THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW WE HAVE ANY COMING UP TO TALK ABOUT OUR NEW WELLNESS PROGRAM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SOMETHING PARTICULAR TO YOUR TEAM THAT MAY BE -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. THAT IS PROBABLY ANOTHER CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE. IT IS A HARD JOB. YEAH.

>> WE DO HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS. >> WE DO HAVE THEM. SIMILAR TO THE BUILDING TO PRINT, WE HAVE THE BUILDING OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA. AND WE GO TO THE CONFERENCE. A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES ARE TALKED OVER AND RESOLVED, OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS ] SPOKE A LOT OF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE IN PLACE FROM THE STATE ORGANIZATION.

>> KEEP ME INFORMED IF THERE IS ANY INITIATIVE COMING FROM THE STATE THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH TO MAKE BETTER. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.

OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS ] SPOKE THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE ALL THE REPORTS HE PUT OUT. THANK YOU.

>> HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON. >>

[00:50:01]

>>

[Growth Mgmt ]

>> NO QUESTIONS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, JOY. NICE TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING. NATE ROBINSON, DIRECTOR OF THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.

I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT HERE ON OUR BUDGET. I CAN JUMP RIGHT IN. ALL RIGHT. WHAT I'LL DO THIS I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT, WHAT WE DO. SOME SMALL BUDGET REQUESTS.

A LITTLE BIT OF STATS. A LITTLE BIT. AND SYMMETRIX AND WHERE WE ARE GOING IN THE FUTURE. SO OUR MISSION -- WE ARE REGULATORY.

WE FOCUS ON FACILITATING AND ENSURING PRESERVATION THE ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE A TEAM OF SOME SOPHISTICATED PEOPLE THAT LOOK AND REVIEW SOME OF THESE PLANS. YOU'RE TALKING 200 PAGE ENGINEERING PLANS. A LOT OF DETAIL AND A LOT OF EXPERTISE.

SO TO START WITH, YOU HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICAL PLANNING. ENVIRONMENTAL, WHAT DO WE DO? A LOT OF COMPLAINT CASES THAT WE GET. YOU CAN IMAGINE -- THERE IS AN ALLIGATOR IN THE SWIMMING POOL TO THESE. THEY DO INSPECTIONS AND LANDSCAPE AND SINGLE-FAMILY. THEY DO LAND MANAGEMENT FOR THE COUNTY. THE COUNTY OWNS PROPERTY. RIGHT. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TIMBER AND THE INVASIVE SPECIES ARE OUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE MITIGATION.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS. WE HAVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION RELATIONS. WE MAKE SURE WE ADHERE TO THOSE. WE DO A LOT OF ENVIRONMENT REVIEW. ANY OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE OPEN SPACE. WE ARE LOOKING FOR BUFFERS. WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE RIGHT TEAMS ARE PUT IN AND THE RIGHT SIZE OF TREES. AND WE HAVE THE CULTURAL RESOURCE REVIEW BOARD.

THERE IS THE LAND ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. THAT IS FOR THE COUNTY TO SEEK OUT AND FIND PROPERTIES THAT WE CAN PRESERVE OR CONSERVE. SUBMITTING ONTO TECHNICAL TRANSPORTATION, THIS IS OUR ENGINEERING STAFF AND OUR EXPERTS IN ENGINEERING.

THEY ARE REVIEWING FOR STORMWATER AND TRAFFIC AND SAFETY. THEY DO LOTS OF INSPECTIONS. THESE ARE INSPECTORS HE MIGHT SEE ON TRUCKS, MAKING SURE THAT THE PIPES ARE INSTALLED CORRECTLY. AS WELL AS THE ROADWAYS AND SIDEWALKS. THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THE ROADS ARE -- WHEN WE HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE ROOTS, THEY ARE THERE. AND CURRENCY MANAGEMENT. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HEARD THAT TERM. WE WANT TO ENSURE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE WE HAVE ON THE ROADS IS ADEQUATE. AND MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPERS, THEY PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. AND THEN WE HAVE FLOOD PLANE MANAGEMENT RIGHT NOW. THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT HOMEOWNERS ARE IN LINE WITH FEMA REGULATIONS , AND TO MAKE SURE THEY GET ALL THE REBATES APPLICABLE FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL HOMES. PLANNING AND ZONING -- MANY PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF THAT. THIS IS ABOUT COMPATIBILITY. A LOT OF THE COMMISSIONERS WILL SEE THE STAFF REPORTS FROM THE AGENCY MEMBERS. THEY DRAFT A REPORT THAT TALKS ABOUT A NEW DEVELOPMENT COMING IN. AND IF THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS WHETHER THEY ARE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE OR WHATEVER. THEY ARE CONSIDERED THE PROJECT MANAGERS FOR THESE APPLICATIONS THAT GO TO PUBLIC HEARING. THERE IS A LOT ON THEM TO GET ALL THESE STAFF REPORTS IN AND ON TIME. AND SO THEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT MAY BE HAPPY OR MAY NOT BE HAPPY WITH THE DEVELOPS COMING. THAT IS A TOUGH JOB. WE HAVE FOUR COASTAL OVERLAY BOARDS. BASICALLY, THE COASTLINES. WE

[00:55:06]

DEVELOPMENT REVIEW -- THIS IS SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS. IT HANDLES ALL THE INTAKE. THESE ARE A LOT MORE TECHNICIANS AT THE FRONT THAT DEAL WITH CUSTOMERS AND RECEIVE APPLICATIONS THAT TRACK THEM. OUR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE -- MOST OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF THEM. THAT IS WHERE WE GET GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE TO TRY TO GIVE THEM A FIRST GO AROUND TO TALK ABOUT THEIR COMMENTS BEFORE THEY RESUBMIT.

THEN WE DO THE BONDS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS. THAT IS A GROWTH MANAGEMENT IN A NUTSHELL. WE HAVE PROJECT MANAGERS AND MYSELF, WHO TRY TO GET THE RESOURCES TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE COOL THINGS TO DO WHAT THEY DO. ALL RIGHT. HERE IS THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT BUDGET. WE DON'T HAVE CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, PERSONNEL IS REALLY OUR PRIMARY COST.

OPERATING COSTS -- NOT A LOT THERE. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES. THERE IS THAT 14% CHANGE AND THE NEGATIVE IS BECAUSE WE HAD AN IMPACT FEE. WE HAD THE RFP THAT WE HAD.

THAT WAS A BIG CHUNK OF CHANGE THAT WE DON'T HAVE FOR THIS YEAR. THAT IS JUST OUR REQUEST FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES. SO LET ME GO BACK. YOU CAN SEE IT IS A 2% CHANGE BUT REALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CHANGE, THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHATEVER THE PERSONAL INCREASES ARE. ALL RIGHT. THOSE ARE THE REQUESTS. I SAID THEY WERE SIMPLE.

REALLY, WE HAVE ONE RELATIVELY LARGE ONE AND ONE SMALL ONE, AND I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE SMALL AND INTIMATES. WE HAVE 66 FTES, AND WE HAVE SOME TEMPORARY STAFFING THAT HELPS WITH THE BEACHES, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CLERICAL WORK IN OUR DEPARTMENT. SO HAVING THAT CONSERVATION PLAN, WE HAVE WHAT IS CALLED AN INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT THROUGH THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. IT IS EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THROUGH THE HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN BIGGEST MOST OF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT IS. THAT IS THE PERMITS. WE HAVE TO RENEW IT. WE RECEIVED IT IN 2006. IT ISN'T -- IS EXPIRING IN 2026. WE HAVE TO GET THE CONSULTANT WORKING TO RENEW THIS PERMIT. WHY DO WE HAVE THIS PERMIT? WHY DO WE NEED IT? WELL, WE HAVE PROTECTED SPECIES. ALL THOSE TURTLE SPECIES YOU SEE, AND THEN WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE UNDER THERE IS THE ANASTASIA BEACH FIELD MOUSE. THEY ARE PROTECTED. SO WHY DO WE HAVE THAT? WE HAVE PROTECTED SPECIES. WE NEED TO PROTECT THEM. TO ALLOW BEACH DRIVING.

IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT, NOBODY DRIVES ON THE BEACH HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. PRETTY IMPORTANT STUFF. ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN -- THOSE ARE THE MITIGATION MEASURES THAT WE HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH. THERE ARE BENEFITS TO IT. IT IS WHETHER OR NOT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE IT. YOU HAVE THESE FOR THE PROTECTED SPECIES. THAT IS SOMETHING WE DO. WE DON'T LET IT INHIBIT THE SEA TURTLES FROM BEING ABLE TO CRAWL OVER. IT CAN STOP THEM. HOUSE BACK AND -- RELATIVELY -- I DIDN'T KNOW WE DID IT. AND THEY GO OUT AND DO EDUCATION AND TRAININGPEOPLE UNDERSTAND -- DON'T DAMAGE THE DUNES. DON'T MESS WITH THIS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS LIKE THAT OUT THERE. WHEN THAT INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT WAS ACCOMPLISHED, I THINK IT WAS STARTED IN 2000. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE BACK STORY, BUT YOU CAN IMAGINE, ON THE COASTLINE, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCERNED WITH THEIR BUSINESSES BEING AFFECTED BY ANYTHING THAT GOES ON. AND AS WELL IS PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. WE EXPECT THE COMPETENCE OF PLAN UPDATE. WE WILL FINISH THAT AND IT WILL BLEED RIGHT INTO THIS.

THAT WON'T BE AN EASY TASK. MAYBE THE INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT FISH AND WILDLIFE AND ANYBODY ELSE WILL ASK US TO DO BECAUSE THERE MIGHT BE NEW MEASURES TO BE TAKEN. RIGHT? MANATEES, FOR

[01:00:08]

>> ALL RIGHT. VERY SMALL REQUEST. $32,000. BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BRING UP BECAUSE THIS IS CHANGING THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS. REALLY, THE REQUEST IS FOR SOME BIG MONITORS.

INDIVIDUAL ON THEIR DESKS. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ENGINEERING PLANS THAT ARE 24 BY 30 OR WHATEVER THEY ARE.

INAUDIBLE ] ADDITIONAL MONITORS AND THEN SOFTWARE THAT HELPS US REVIEW WHICH WILL HELP A LOT OF THINGS WE WILL TALK ABOUT.

BETTER TRACKING. THIS DECREASES USER ERRORS FROM TRANSFERRING TOO MUCH. GOING THROUGH THE ELECTRONIC PLAN REVIEW WILL BE MORE ECONOMICAL FOR THE CONSTITUENTS, FOR THE CUSTOMERS. IT WILL BE FASTER FOR THEM. IT WILL BE FASTER FOR US. WHAT ABOUT THE MOMS AND POPS? WE WILL TAKE PAPER AND OF COURSE WE WILL. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO BUSINESS THAT WAY AND THAT IS OKAY. BUT THIS WILL BE BETTER OVERALL FOR WHAT WE DO FOR ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOPHISTICATED SYSTEMS TO SUBMIT. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT GOING, AND MONITORING THAT. AND GRADUALLY INCREASING THE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS AND APPLYING IT TO DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS. WE WILL HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES. BIG DEVELOPMENT AS OPPOSED TO THAT. WE ARE MOVING IN BABY STEPS. SO THAT IS THE ASK FOR THAT. REALLY SIMPLE. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WHY WE NEEDED IT. I'M SURE YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THIS BEFORE. OUR ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION DID A GOOD JOB OF TRACKING SOME METRICS, SO I USED THEIR CHARTS. I THINK SHE GOT THIS FROM JAN BREWER. RESPECTED AUTHORITIES ON PUBLISHING ESTIMATES. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS TREND IN 2013 AND 2023, YOU CAN SEE THE GROWTH IS OVER 2000 . IT IS OVER 300,000. THEY HAVE AN INCREASED LOAD. THEY DID A GOOD JOB OF SHOWING, YOU KNOW, REVIEWS AND INSPECTIONS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. AGAIN, PROBABLY NOT AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT IS IN HERE. BUT YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE 9000 FROM 2003 THROUGH. WE HAVE 4000 FROM 2016. 2016 WASN'T SLOW. WE CAN SEE THE TREND GOING . WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR IT. SORE CHALLENGES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS WAS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO VERY WELL IS OUR GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. THAT IS ONE THING THAT I THINK IS A TESTAMENT TO STAFF. THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

ALL IN ALL, IT WAS THE RESPONSIVENESS. THEY SAY SOMETIMES YOUR REGULATIONS ARE FUNKY. I SAID, YES MA'AM, YES SIR. WE WILL WORK ON THAT. BUT CUSTOMER SERVICE IS PROBABLY THE ONE THING -- YOU CAN HAVE SOMEBODY WALK OUT OF THERE AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE THEIR TAXPAYER MONEY GOES. THAT IS WHAT WE STRIVE FOR. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS COMING -- AND JOY AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT -- OPTIMIZING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGIES, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS MOVING FAST, AND THAT CERTAINLY IS GOING TO BECOME PART OF IT. THAT IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S GOING TO BE PART OF IT. IF YOU'VE EVER DONE CHATGPT, YOU CAN SEE HOW GOOD IT IS AT RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS LIKE THAT. I CAN SEE IN THE FUTURE WHERE WE HAVE INSTEAD OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, YOU HAVE THAT SORT OF LANGUAGE MODEL THAT YOU TYPE IN AND IT GIVES YOU BETTER ANSWERS. THAT CAN POTENTIALLY FREE UP STAFF TIME TO DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS IN THE REAL WORLD AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT IS COMING. WE WILL SEE HOW DESPERATE WE ARE LOOKING AT NEW TOOLS TO DO OUR JOB BETTER FOR THE CUSTOMER. THAT IS WHO WE SERVE. AND THEN LASTLY CAN CERTAINLY, THIS IS A DIFFICULT ONE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT. I HEARD THE STRATEGIC PLAN CONSULTANT SAY THAT WE WERE AT TWO POINT SOMETHING UNEMPLOYMENT. YOU TRACK THAT, WHICH IS VERY LOW. AND T'S TIMES LIKE THAT, IT IS HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR JOBS, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THOSE TECHNICAL JOBS. CHIEF ENGINEER.

>> THIS IS YEAR TWO NOW. >> RIGHT. YEAR TWO. IT IS OUR TRANSPORTATION ASPECTS, TOO. THAT SAID, THESE ARE OUR GOALS.

[01:05:06]

400,000 BUT WE NEED THAT PERMIT TO DRIVE ON THE BEACH. WE NEED A CONSULTANT TO HELP US WITH THAT. AND THEN A LITTLE MONEY FOR SOFTWARE. THAT'S ALL I GOT.

>> WELL, ACTUALLY, MIKE IS ONE OF THE DIRECTORS THAT I HAVE TO ASK BEFORE I HAVE TO ACTUALLY ASK EMPLOYEES WHEN YOU NEED

THEM. >>

>> I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING SO LONG WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, LOOKING AT THE INCREASE. SO YOUR PERSONNEL IS BASICALLY A REDUCTION. YOU HAVE REDUCED THE FTE. ONE FTE BECAUSE YOU LOST ONE PERSON TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE LONG-RANGE PLANNING, WHICH IS A FUNCTION THAT CAN BE A CORE FUNCTION OF YOUR PLANNING. I KNOW YOU AND BEVERLY AND HAVE WORKED ON THINKING ABOUT MOVING AHEAD, HOW DO WE SHIFT THE RESOURCE -- OR ADD THE RESOURCES TO DO A MORE THOROUGH PROACTIVE JOB IN PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION AND STORMWATER. FOR FIVE, 10 YEARS. AND I'M NOT SEEING YOU ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCE OTHER THAN BIGGER MONITORS .

INAUDIBLE ] HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR THIS?

>> SO WE HAVE -- ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO IS OUR CHIEF ENGINEER POSITION, AND I CAN HELP. THAT WILL TAKE SOME OF THE LOAD OFF OF OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION.

WHEN WE CAN DO THAT, WE ARE CONVERTING THE POSITION. WE ARE IN PLANNING RIGHT NOW. WE TOOK AN FTE THAT WE HAD THERE, AND WE ARE CONVERTING IT TO A PEER TRANSPORTATION, STRATEGIC LEVEL PLANNING PERSON . WE NEED TO GET INTO MODELING -- AND WE GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT OR MAYBE THEY DO. WE ARE ON THE FRONT END OF ONE DEVELOPMENT COMES IN, THEY DO THE ROADWAYS AND THE ROADWORK AND THEY HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THE ROAD WORK. SO WE NEED SOMEBODY WHO IS LOOKING AT THAT BIG PICTURE, THAT STRATEGIC VISION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND OTHER VENOUS APOLOGIES, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ROAD NETWORK MEETS THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THE CITIZENS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY WANTS. WE HAVE A POSITION WE ARE CONVERTING. WE WILL ADVERTISE IT SHORTLY. IT IS A HIGH-LEVEL POSITION.

WILL GO TO THE MEETINGS OF TPO AND MEET WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND MAKE SURE WE SHARE INFORMATION. SO I THINK THAT IS THE WAY TO GO. AND THEN ON THE ASPECT OF TECHNOLOGY, THE MODELING, REALLY, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES IN AND PUTS IT -- NATURALLY, THEY HAVE 200 UNITS. 200 TRIPS ARE GENERATED.

WHAT HAPPENS THEN? WELL, YOU NEED MODELING TO HELP US WITH THAT. SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE AT. WE ARE GOING TO GO FOR THAT AND ESTABLISH THE PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

THEY KNOW WHAT IS COMING. AND THEY KNOW THEY CAN SUPPORT

THAT. >> AND THEN THE OTHER ONE -- WE TALKED ABOUT -- WHICH IS SOMETHING STARTED FROM PUBLIC WORKS -- ROCKIES TEAM DASHBOARD FROM A DATABASE THAT HE DEVELOPED. I THINK HE DEVELOPED IT OVER COVID FOR THE COVID RESPONSE. THAT EVOLVED INTO PUBLIC WORKS AND A CIP DATABASE. I KNOW YOU AND GREG AND ROCKY HAD TALKED ABOUT BRINGING ON SOME GIS EXPERTS TO ALSO TRACK ALL OF OUR DEVELOPMENT . ALL OF THESE TIME-LAPSE RESPONSIBILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS FROM THESE DEVELOPERS SO THAT WE CAN SOMEHOW -- USING THAT DATA INTERACT WITH THE CIP BECAUSE A LOT OF THE CIP IS PAID FOR BY THESE RESPONSE ABILITIES. I'M NOT SEEING YOU ASKING FOR A GIS

[01:10:02]

>> NO. WE HAVE ANOTHER FTE WE COULD LOOK AT FOR THAT. I KNOW, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF IT. WE ARE EVALUATING A LOT OF OUR OLDER DEVELOPMENTS TO LOOK AT WHAT THE OBLIGATIONS ARE, TO MAKE SURE THAT NONE ARE BEING MISSED. THERE ARE OBLIGATIONS THAT BLEED INTO -- THAT THEY ARE NOT JUST ROADS. THEY ARE THE OBLIGATIONS FOR SOMEBODY TO DEDICATE LAND OR FOR A PARK.

FOUR FOR A FIRE STATION OR POLICE STATION. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TRACK THAT WELL. I THINK THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE ALLUDING TO. IF WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION, ALL THE STUFF THAT IS OUT THERE, IN AN AGREEMENT THAT IS SITTING OUT THERE FROM 2005, AND YOU GRAB THAT INFORMATION AND YOU PLUG IT INTO SOMETHING DYNAMIC THAT YOU CAN ACCESS, AND THEN YOU GET CAUGHT UP, AND ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES IN, YOU PLUG AND PLAY. THAT IS THE IDEA. ANYONE CAN CLICK ON THAT AREA OR DEVELOPMENT AND YOU CAN POTENTIALLY SEE NOT JUST WHAT ROADWORK IS GOING ON, BUT YOU CAN SEE NOW, I SEE WE NEED TO DO THE REVIEW OF ALL THESE PERMITS.

AND I HAVE A TECHNICIAN THAT DOES THAT WORK.

>> OKAY. WE DO HAVE SOME EXPERTISE THERE. AS WE GO FORWARD IN THE FUTURE, POTENTIALLY, I THINK THERE MAY BE THAT NEED TO GET SOMEBODY ON STAFF THAT CAN FOCUS ON THAT SOLELY, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT IS.

>> THAT IS ALSO PUBLIC COLLABORATION WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE. THERE IS A LOT OF ANGST, THINKING THAT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE A FULL CAPTURED PICTURE OF THE INVENTORY OF ALL THE OBLIGATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT IS A CASH DONATION THAT IS BASED OFF OF A PHASE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT. SO HAVING THAT INVENTORY IS NUMBER ONE. I THINK IT IS LARGELY FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR ETERNAL DISH INTERNAL I THINK THAT TAKES US TO THE NEXT LEVEL, WHEN THE RESIDENT WANTS TO KNOW, WHERE IS MY ROAD, AND WHO IS PAYING FOR THAT? THERE IS A DYNAMIC DASHBOARD WHICH WE ALSO ALREADY HAVE A GOOD FRAMEWORK IN PLACE.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ADEQUATE STAFF .

>> I THINK FOR NOW, WE ARE GOOD. WE WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT WE ARE NOT TRACKING THIS STUFF, BUT WE WANT TO TRACK IT IN A BETTER MANNER. WE NEED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. WE ARE COMMITTED GETTING BETTER THAN IN THE PAST BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT PARKS AND REC NEEDS. IF DEVELOPED COMES IN. IF THE DEVELOPER IS OFFERING SOMETHING, IS THIS GOING TO BE SUITABLE? FOR WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE? ONCE WE GET THAT, WE TRACK IT ACCORDINGLY. WE TRACK IT IN A BETTER MANNER BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL DEDUCTIONS. WHERE ELSE ARE WE TRACKING IT?

>> SOUNDS GOOD. AND YOU ALREADY COVERED AI. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT COULD ALSO BE TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS US WITH THE PLANT

REVIEWS. >> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. WE DID LOOK AT IT. SOME REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID, WE WILL DO A QUICK REVIEW OF YOUR PLANTS AND LET YOU SEE THE PRODUCT. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS GOING TO KEEP WORKING AND GETTING BETTER AND BETTER, BUT EVEN INITIALLY, JUST IMAGINE LANDSCAPE PLANS. THOUSANDS OF TREES IF IT IS A BIG DEVELOPMENT, DO YOU HAVE STAFF THAT IS LOOKING AT COUNTING THESE TREES AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE RIGHT. AND THEY ARE VERY SMALL AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE AI CAN DO. AND OBVIOUSLY, IT CAN REVIEW THAT AND THEN TELL YOU IT DOESN'T MEET CODE. SOME OF THE MORE HUMAN ELEMENTS OF COMPATIBILITY AND CHARACTERISTICS AND SUGGESTIVE -- SUBJECTIVE ELEMENTS -- THOSE ARE ALREADY OUT THERE. THEY ARE GOING TO GET BETTER FAST BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A SPECIALIZED AI. OR FOCUSED AI.

IT'S GOING TO LEARN CODE. IT WILL LEARN IF YOU MAKE MISTAKES. IT JUST GETS BETTER. THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE IT AND FREE UP STAFF TIME FROM THE MINUTIA OF REVIEWING THE THOUSAND TREES.

>>

>> RIGHT. THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR.

>> GOTCHA. I WAS JUST CURIOUS. THERE WAS A LITTLE EXPLORATION.

>> I WAS IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THEY INITIALLY HAD.

>> WELL, THIS IS THE KIND OF QUESTION I ASK MOSTLY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IN PRODUCTION IN CUSTOMER SERVICE BECAUSE STAFF WILL BE SOMETIMES AFFECTED BY THE INTERFACE. I

[01:15:02]

PROPOSING FOR THIS COMING YEAR? >> EVENING FOR BUILDING? FOR LICENSURE? IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE ALLUDING TO?

>> FOR THE ENGINEERS. >> SURE. THE ONE AREA WHERE WE HAVE THAT WOULD BE OUR CONSTRUCTION INSPECTORS -- SO THOSE INSPECTORS -- LET'S CALL IT HORIZONTAL CONSTRUCTION INSPECTORS, THEY DO NOT HAVE LICENSURE. SO WHEREAS THE BUILDING INSPECTOR DOES, AND IT IS EASIER TO SAY, YOU GET THIS TRAINING OR THESE THINGS THEY CAN INSPECT ON, ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO FOR THEM THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO FOR THEM IS TO GET THEM SOME TRAINING. THEY LOOK AT THE GEOTECHNICAL RESULTS. DRILLING INTO THE ROADWAY OR THE CORE SOILS THERE TO MAKE SURE IT IS SUFFICIENT AND THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT STUFF.

THERE IS TRAINING ON THE. THERE IS TRAINING ON STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION. I'M SURE THERE IS TRAINING ON HOW TO BUILD ROADS. I DON'T KNOW YOU CALL IT. ROAD BUILDING.

>> ASPHALT TRAINING. >> RIGHT. BUT THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THAT. AND WE WILL WORK WITH A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER AND HE TALKED ABOUT THAT. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO DO SOME OF THAT FOR SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE HAVE LONG-STANDING INSPECTORS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THAT SAME GRADE BECAUSE THERE IS REALLY NO OTHER PLACE FOR THEM TO GO. THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO DO, BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING INTO THAT. THAT IS THE INSPECTOR UNDER THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW.

>> IT WILL BE UNDER DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, BUT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF INSPECTORS UNDER ENVIRONMENT -- ENVIRONMENTAL. THEY CAN DO TRAINING FIRST MOTHER. WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT NO WATER IS LEAVING THAT SITE THAT IS NOT TREATED OR AT LEAST HEALTHY. YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TO THE THINGS THAT

AFFECT FISH. >> ALL RIGHT. QUESTIONS?

>> NORMALLY, I WOULD SAY, LET'S FIND PLACES . YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB REALLOCATING FTES TO WHERE YOU HAVE THE NEED. I THINK THAT IS THE PAYOFF FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING.

IT IS HUGE FOR THE COUNTY. WHEN WE DON'T DO THAT, THE COST TO BUILD THESE SKYROCKETS. I THINK YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT, HOW DO YOU INCENTIVIZE YOUR EMPLOYEES? HOW DO WE KEEP THEM? IT IS AN ISSUE. EVERY TECHNICAL AREA WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY, AND I NORMALLY WOULD NOT SAY THIS, BUT I DON'T SEE IT IN YOUR BUDGET. I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT LOOKING AT ADDING PROBABLY NOT A LOT OF MONEY BUT A LITTLE BIT TO PUT THOSE PROGRAMS IN PLACE NEXT YEAR, SO THE FUNDING IS THERE, AS YOU WANT TO ADD TESTING AND CAREER PATHS FOR INSPECTORS . A LOT OF THAT IS BEING DONE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO RE-CREATE THE WHEEL. IT IS ALREADY HAPPENING. YOU JUST COPY IT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING, IT MAKES JESSE'S JOB TOUGH TO SAY YES. I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE WHY. HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH YOUR

BUDGET. I HATE TO OFFER THAT. >> THAT IS LIKE EVERY YEAR.

UNLIKE, ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ASK FOR THAT OR AT

THIS? JIK30 >> YOU ARE MEETING ALL THE OTHER THINGS. YOU ARE MEDIATED BY REUSING EXISTING FTES FOR THESE PLANNING NEEDS WE NEED. YOU ARE JS, IMPROVING THAT. I THINK THAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM -- THAT IS ONE THING I DIDN'T SEE. AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT AI. IS THERE A NEED IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SOMETIME TO DO SOME PILOT TESTING ON THAT WHERE WE WOULD ACTUALLY COST IT, OR DO WE TAKE A FULL YEAR? INAUDIBLE ] I-I'VE BEEN READING AND WATCHING A LOT OF THIS NOW. IT IS BURGEONING. AND THERE IS A LOT OF IT OUT THERE.

I THINK IT COULD MOVE US TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT ANTSY. THEY WILL DO THIS FOR FREE. YOU GIVE THEM A SET OF PLANS AND THEY WILL REVIEW THE PLANS AND COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT THE AI DID. BUT I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT ARE JUST STARTUPS AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. IT WOULD BE GOOD TO

[01:20:02]

SEE HOW IT EVOLVES. >> I REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION.

ENTIRETY OF THE INSPECTORS, BUT I BUDGETED MORE MONEY. A SMALL CHANGE OF MONEY. MONEY FOR ADDITIONAL TRAININGS FOR STAFF BECAUSE IT GOES BACK TO RETENTION. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE ENGINEERS -- IF THEY WILL GET THE PES, THAT THEY CAN GET THEIR PES AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION AND LICENSES FOR

THAT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. >> AND WE HAVE GOOD SUCCESS FROM UTILITIES AND FROM PUBLIC WORKS IN TERMS OF, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T NECESSARILY GET TO THE CATEGORY OF THE BUSINESS -- YOU DON'T GET TO THE LEVEL WHERE THERE IS A LICENSE, BUT THERE IS A PROGRESSION IN TERMS OF IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NUMBER ONE OR NUMBER TWO. BASED ON THE PRESCRIBED LIST OF

TRAININGS. >> I THINK WE COULD TAKE ELEMENTS OF THAT. WE ARE NOT AT THAT SCALE. YOU'RE NOT THAT IN-DEPTH. I THINK THERE ARE THINGS TO BE LEARNED FROM THAT

EXAMPLE. >> I DON'T WANT TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES -- WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO I CAN WORK WITH YOU AND JESSE, IF THAT'S OKAY, JOY. TO KIND OF PUT A LITTLE LINE IN THERE LIKE WE HAVE DONE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO COVER THAT CAREER PATH ADVANCEMENT FOR EMPLOYEES, TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY -- TO RETAIN THEM INSTEAD OF THEM GOING SOME ROLES. WE WOULD RATHER KEEP THEM BECAUSE IT IS REALLY EXPENSIVE TO HIRE NEW

EMPLOYEES. >> AND I THINK THIS IS THE EXAMPLE. THEY ARE TRYING TO CUT TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEFORE THE BUDGET. IT IS NOT ENTIRELY TRUE. THE RECOMMENDATION MIGHT BE HIGHER THAN WHAT IS REQUESTED. AS WE HAVE TIME TO STILL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET NEEDS.

>> ANYTHING ELSE? >> I FELT THAT TO ASK. THIS IS THE ONLY COMPANY I WOULD ASK THAT.

>> IT IS THE PERFECT TIME. >> I WILL TAKE -- SAY THAT IT IS A PLEASURE TO WORK FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY, AND MY STAFF, THEY ARE GREAT. THEY REALLY ARE. FOR ANYONE LISTENING, WHAT I CAN SAY IS DON'T FEEL LIKE THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES DON'T CARE, BECAUSE WE REALLY DO. EVERY DAY, WE TRY TO DO THE BEST THING WE CAN. WITH WHAT WE HAVE , AND GIVE AN HONEST REVIEW. PEOPLE DON'T FEEL THAT WAY SOMETIMES BECAUSE THEY SEE THE POLITICS GOING ON AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THAT IS NOT HERE. IT ISN'T. AND I TELL PEOPLE THAT IN UPDATE MEETINGS. WE ARE HERE. PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO REGULATE AND MAKE SURE THEY MEET CODES APPROPRIATELY AND

SAFELY. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANKS. ALL RIGHT.

>>

[Medical examiner ]

>> IT WAS ORANGE. IT WAS VERY ORANGE.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW. WHO KNOWS? >> HELLO.

>> HOW ARE YOU? >> I'M DOING WELL.

>> SORRY. WE ARE RUNNING A LITTLE LATE. THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME. I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE VERY BUSY WITH A SMALL STAFF. SO WE WILL JUMP INTO IT. DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE

YOURSELF? >> THE COLOR TODAY IS VERY

[01:25:02]

FLATTERING. >> SO FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M DR.

AND I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF PROVIDING SOME SLIDES.

INAUDIBLE ] WHAT WE DO IS WE INVESTIGATE THIS UNDER THIS JURISDICTION, AS ESTABLISHED BY STATUTE 406, WHICH MEANS WE CANNOT BRING EVERYONE WHO DIES TO OUR COUNTY. WE HAVE TO BRING THE ONES THAT WE HAVE CRITERIA FOR. THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED NOT BY THEIR OWN HANDS. THAT INCLUDES HOMICIDES.

ALSO PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT HAD MEDICAL CARE WITHIN THE LAST YEAR FROM A PHYSICIAN OR ATTENDING MEDICAL PERSONNEL WITHIN THE STATE. SO WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM OUR COUNTY, BUT WE ALSO SEE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE STATE AND DIE IN OUR AREA. WE ARE IN DISTRICT 23. WE SERVE THREE COUNTIES. WE ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AGENCIES.

IN THE SENSE THAT WE SERVE THE DISTRICTS AND COUNTIES OF ST.

JOHNS COUNTY AND OTHERS. WE ONLY HAVE 12 STAFF. TWO DOCTORS . THIS IS THE MANAGER. AND SO WE HAVE THREE ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL. AND THEN WE HAVE FOUR INVESTIGATORS AND THREE TECHNICIANS. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BE VERY CREATIVE WITH WHAT WE HAVE, SO WE HAVE MADE SOME OF OUR TECHNICIANS INTO INVESTIGATORS. HE HAS BEEN TRAINED AND HE HAS BEEN WORKING IN THAT CAPACITY. WE ARE VERY PROUD THAT WE ARE ACCREDITED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS. THAT IS WHAT GUIDES MOST OF OUR FUNCTIONS AND PRACTICES. IN 2023 , WE HAD 1000 CASES REPORTED TO OUR OFFICE. WE INVESTIGATED 730.

THIS IS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MAY BE JOINING US FROM THEIR HOMES.

THE INVITATIONS MEAN A LOT OF THINGS. IT IS A REVIEW OF MEDICAL RECORDS. IT CAN ALSO MEAN SENDING PEOPLE TO THE AGENTS OF OUR COUNTY TO GO AND LOOK AT THE SCENE, ACCOMPANIED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS AND TAKE EVIDENCE FROM THE SCENES. WE ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTY. WE ARE NOT ONLY IN OUR OFFICE. DOING THESE INVESTIGATIONS. SO I PUT A GRAPH SHOWING THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF CASES. THE NUMBER OF CASES THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THE OFFICE EACH WEEK. LAST YEAR, WE DID 543 CASES. THAT IS TWO DOCTORS. THEY ARE CERTIFYING ALL OF THOSE. THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE IN 2020 -- WE ARE NOT AWAY FROM THE OPIOID CRISIS. WE ARE BUSY. OUT OF ALL OF THOSE CASES, THE COUNTY ACCOUNTS FOR 43% OF THE TOTAL VOLUME THAT WE INVESTIGATED. SO BUDGET.

BASICALLY, WE ARE ASKING FOR A 25% INCREASE IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THEY HELP IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGES IN THEIR CASES. 1,000,095 WILL BE COMING FROM ST. JOHNS COUNTY. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF REVENUE. AS YOU CAN SEE. BUT WE DO HAVE A MANDATE TO REVIEW THE CERTIFICATES OF ANYONE WHO WILL DIE AND BE EITHER CREMATED -- OR DISSECTED BY THE WORD. WE CHARGE $50 PER REVIEW. THE PURPOSE OF THIS -- THIS IS NOT JUST TO REVIEW THEM. THIS IS TO ENSURE THAT NO CASES THAT BELONG IN THIS JURISDICTION GOES UNDER THE TABLE AND THEN GETS DESTROYED WITHOUT

[01:30:03]

OF SERVICE FOR NEXT YEAR IS MORE PERSONNEL AND TECHNOLOGY.

SO I'M REQUESTING AN ASSOCIATE MEDICAL EXAMINER, AND A MEDICAL EXAMINER AND CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE -- WHAT YOU MIGHT IDENTIFY AS A FORENSIC DATABASE. AND I PUT THIS IN THERE BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THAT NOBODY CAN PREDICT THIS.

BUT BASED ON OUR APPROPRIATIONS AND THE CASELOAD TREND I SHOWED YOU, WE ARE EXPECTING THAT OUR CASELOAD WILL BE HIGHER WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. IT IS GOING TO MEET OR EXCEED THE THRESHOLD THAT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE AGENCY THAT ACCREDITS US, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE DO 225 CASES.

THOUGH WE DID 543 CASES, AND THAT IS SEVERAL CASES PER DOCTOR.

NOT AT THE THRESHOLD YET. WE ARE 60 SOMETHING CASES BELOW THE THRESHOLD. BUT, THEY DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THOSE CASES IN WHICH WE TAKE JURISDICTION -- WITH THE BODY THAT COMES INTO THE OFFICE. THAT IS 92 CASES LAST YEAR. AND SO PREEMPTIVELY, I'M ASKING FOR A MEDICAL EXAMINER BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN OUR NATION RIGHT NOW. THESE POSITIONS ARE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND VERY HARD TO FILL. AND SO IT MIGHT TAKE MONTHS OR YEARS TO FIND A QUALIFIED DOCTOR THAT HAS THE CREDENTIALS WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM HER FUNCTIONS. AND HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT I PUT THE CIRCLE AROUND THIS. THIS IS FROM APRIL AND MARCH OF THIS YEAR. THIS IS NOT NEW TO THIS YEAR OR LAST YEAR. WE HAVE BEEN BATTLING THIS SHORTAGE OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. BUT NOW, IT IS A DIRE SITUATION. SO IF WE POSTED TODAY FOR MEDICAL EXAMINER, WE MIGHT GET LUCKY AND GET SOME OF THAT IS INTERESTED BECAUSE WE ARE AWESOME AND BECAUSE ST.

JOHNS COUNTY IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE. BUT IT MAY TAKE YEARS.

TO FIND SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS JOB. IT IS A BIG CHUCK OF WHAT THAT 25% INCREASE IN THE BUDGET IS. IT IS 362,000.

TO ME, THAT SOUNDS CRAZY. BUT THAT IS WHERE WE ARE AT. THAT IS THE TOPOLOGY WE NEED TO PERFORM HER FUNCTIONS. THAT IS OUR FIRST ASK.

IT. WE ARE ASKING FOR A DATABASE THAT HAS BEEN CREATED PARTICULARLY FOR THE FORENSIC COMMUNITY, THAT TRACKS THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TRACK. AND IT DECREASES THE EFFORT IN THE OFFICE. RIGHT NOW, IT IS OLD-SCHOOL. WHEN THE PUBLIC REQUESTS -- WE GET PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS ALL THE TIME.

I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY ACCIDENTS YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, WITH, WHATEVER, TRAFFIC CRASHES, TYPES OF ACCIDENTS. IT MAY TAKE US ONE OR TWO DAYS TO GO THROUGH THE DATABASE AND FIND THE CRASHES TO GET THE DATA THEY WANT. AND SO THIS IS A REPEAT. IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME THAT MIGHT -- MY STAFF COULD BE DOING OTHER DUTIES IN THE OFFICE. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT THIS DATABASE CAN BRING -- IS THE FACT THAT YOU CAN TALK IN REAL TIME WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, WHICH WE ARE TALKING MAINLY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE FUNERAL HOMES , BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO THIS PROCESS OF CREMATION. THAT PROCESS MAY TAKE TWO OR THREE DAYS BEFORE WE CAN SAY YES, THIS PERSON CAN BE CREMATED AND THE FAMILY IS HOLDING THE BODY IN THE FUNERAL HOME FOR THREE DAYS, PAYING STORAGE FEES AND ALL THAT BECAUSE WE ARE GOING THROUGH A SLOW PROCESS. THIS MAKES IT REAL. I SEE THE CREMATION COMING. FAMILY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. THE OTHER PART OF THIS IS WE WORK OUT FOR BUT WITH LAW-ENFORCEMENT. WE REPORT THIS CASES WHEN SOMEONE DIES.

WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THESE CASES AT THIS JURISDICTION. WE CAN SAY THIS IS NOT THE CASE. AND WE CAN RELEASE THAT KIND OF

[01:35:02]

ARE OUR TWO REQUESTS FOR THE YEAR. OUR BUDGET LIAISON IS NOT HERE. MR. JESSE. BUT WE HAVE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE BUDGET.

IT IS 25%. WE HAVE THE OVERTIME. IT IS BECAUSE OUR STAFF WAS NOT BEING PAID FOR OVERTIME. AND WHEN THE COUNTY CHANGED THAT SYSTEM, THE AMOUNT THAT YOU SEE IS WHAT WE ARE PROJECTING BASED ON THE EXPENSES THAT WE HAD TO DATE SINCE THE SYSTEM WAS CHANGED. TRANSPORTATION CHANGES -- WE HAVE A TRANSPORT AGENCY THAT PICKS UP THE BODIES BECAUSE THE MEDICAL EXAMINER GOES THERE, BUT WE DON'T BRING THE BODY TO THE OFFICE. THAT IS A REFLECTION OF THE INCREASE IN CASES. TOXICOLOGY, AS WELL. WE HAVE MANY COMMUNITY CHEMISTS, AND THEY GET CREATIVE. SOMETIMES, WE ARE SEEING DRUGS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE COMPLEMENT THAT WE TEST FOR. IT IS EXPENSIVE. THE OTHER DAY, WE HAD A $500 TEST, AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT WAS THAT EXPENSIVE. THAT IS WHAT WE NEEDED TO CATCH THIS PARTICULAR DRUG THAT THIS PERSON MIGHT BE TAKING.

VEHICLE. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE SOON THAT HAS NO MARKINGS. THE COUNTY SHOULD KNOW WHEN WE PERK SOMEWHERE THAT IT IS THE MEDICAL EXAMINER OFFICE THERE. WE WANT TO IDENTIFY THOSE VEHICLES. AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT FOR THE STAFF THAT WORKS AT NIGHT BECAUSE OUR OFFICE IS SECURE AND NOBODY CAN COME INTO THE OFFICE, BUT THE AREAS ARE NOT OPEN TO THE TRANSPORT. THE INVESTIGATORS CAMINO, THEY ARE THERE. WHETHER OR NOT WE USE CAMERAS TO DOCUMENT EVERYTHING WE DO, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A QUOTATION FOR THE CAMERAS.

THIS IS EVIDENCE.

EIGHT ROTATION SYSTEM. WE ARE CHANGING OUR UNIFORMS BECAUSE WE USED TO HAVE BUDGETS -- BADGES ON OUR SHIRTS. THAT IS NOT THE LOGO.

HERE -- IT IS $50,000 THAT USED TO BE A BUILDING BUDGET AND IT WAS TRANSFERRED. ALL OF THIS COMES WITH THAT 25%. WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT HOW WE USE OUR MONIES.

YOU KNOW THAT WHEN THE INTERIM CHIEF WAS HERE, HE WAS BRINGING DOCTORS AND TRAVELING. WE DECREASED THOSE LINE ITEMS TO REFLECT OUR NEEDS AT THE TIME. NOT WHAT IT WAS ONE YEAR AGO.

ALSO, THE CONTINUING EDUCATION HAS INCREASED BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED THAT KIND OF MONEY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE BOARDS. AND A SYSTEM THAT WE USED TO TRACK PEOPLE TO TRACK THE DESIGN.

THAT IS OUR PRESENTATION.

SPEAKERS ] >> THANK YOU. MY GOSH. I RECEIVED THE ANNUAL REPORT. HE DID A LOT OF WORK. AND YOU GUYS HAVE DONE THAT FOR THE LAST YEAR.

>> WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT HAD BEEN DONE IN THE PAST. WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS GET OUR DATA AND OUR INFORMATION PRESENTED IN A WAY THAT IS MEANINGFUL TO THE PUBLIC. AND WITH LAW-ENFORCEMENT -- IT IS SELF-SERVING BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THIS DATA AVAILABLE, THEY DON'T CALL SO MANY TIMES, ASKING FOR RECORDS.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE IT RIGHT THEN AND THERE. IT IS TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE DOING. THIS IS HOW WE ARE USING YOUR MONIES. THIS IS THE EXPENSE.

>> I APPRECIATE THE REPORT. I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU MORE FOR THE RECORD OF WHOEVER IS WATCHING THIS , THAT WE DO HAVE

[01:40:01]

>> CORRECT. >> SO NOW, WE GO THE SAME FOR THE ADDITIONAL MEDICAL EXAMINER, AND ALSO, THE ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR. HOW EXCITED ARE YOU WITH YOUR NEW MEDICAL EXAMINERS IN THE BUILDING?

>> WE ARE BESIDE OURSELVES.

WOULD HAPPEN THIS QUICKLY. WE TALKED ABOUT IT WHEN I BECAME CHIEF HERE OVER A YEAR AGO. IT IS ALSO THE COUNTY AND HOW EVERYONE WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN THE OTHER OFFICE. IT IS USUALLY MANY YEARS BEFORE YOU CAN GET THIS KIND OF RESPONSE, WHICH TELLS ME YOU ARE ON TOP OF THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE WE NEED THIS. IT IS NOT JUST THAT WE WANT A NEW OFFICE. IT IS LIKE WE ARE BURSTING AT THE SEAMS RIGHT NOW. I TALKED TO HR ABOUT POTENTIALLY ALSO INCLUDING ANOTHER TECHNICIAN IN THIS. WE HAVE NOWHERE TO PUT A TECHNICIAN. WE HAVE NOWHERE TO PUT THIS POTION -- PERSON IN

THE OFFICE. >> WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW OFFICE AND ALSO THE TECHNOLOGIES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MOVED SINCE THE LAST -- WHEN IS IT THAT WE HAD THIS

OFFICE DONE? >> WE HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE

2005. >> SINCE 2005, THE TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED COMPLETELY. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO BRING ALL THAT TECHNOLOGY -- AND HAVE US WORKING WITH BEST PRACTICES.

INAUDIBLE ] I HEARD THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION. I KNOW EVERYONE THINKS THAT THEY DO HAVE THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE

COUNTY. >> IT'S LIKE THINKING YOU HAVE THE BEST MOM.

I HAVE ADMINISTERED OF PERSONNEL. I HAVE TECHNICIANS.

I HAVE INVESTIGATORS. I HAVE MYSELF GOING THROUGH THIS ANTHROPOLOGISTS. I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER OFFICE EFFORT TO SING , YES, I'M GOING TO BE IN THE SUN, PICKING UP HUMAN REMAINS, JUST TO GET HUMAN REMAINS. THAT IS THE KIND OF PEOPLE WE HAVE IN THIS OFFICE. I'M SORRY TO EVER CAME BEFORE. WE HAVE THE

BEST. >> YOU REALLY DO. AND YOU DO A

GREAT JOB. >> YOUR TEAM IS GENUINELY NOT ONLY SO PROFESSIONAL AND SPECIALIZED IN WHAT YOU DO -- THEY ARE FUN AND ARTISTIC. THEY MAKE THE BEST ARTS EVER.

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF CREATIVE PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE. YOU NEED TO BE TO DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE IT IS NOT -- WASH, RINSE, REPEAT. YOU HAVE TO TREAT EVERYONE DIFFERENTLY. AND ANDERSON THIS AND THEY REACT TO THAT.

>> AND YOU ALSO HAVE A RESIDENT A MEDICAL EXAMINER BABY OVER THERE. I APPRECIATE YOU CREATING THE WORK ENVIRONMENT TO WHERE THE FAMILY CAN BRING THEIR BABY.

>> WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE -- EVERYONE'S NEEDS

ARE BEING MET. >> SO ONE THING I DID ASK HR TO REACH OUT -- AND IT IS ENTIRELY TO YOUR DISCRETION BASED ON WHAT YOU NEED FOR YOUR STAFF. SO OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER, APPLETREE, FOR FIRE RESCUE -- THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, BUT I DID REACH OUT TO THEM AND ASK THEM, IF WE CAN ADD THOUGHT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER STAFF COULD USE HELP WHEN THEY NEEDED. THE OTHER ONE IS CASE MANAGERS. THEY GO THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS THEY EXPENSE, JUST LIKE YOUR STUFF. SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS MUCH AS YOU NEED TO. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE

THAT IT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU. >> WE WILL USE IT. ABSOLUTELY.

>> ART. ANY QUESTIONS? >> NO. WELL, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.

[01:45:02]

>> THANK YOU.

>> SHE IS ALWAYS SO HAPPY AND POSITIVE.

>> WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE? >> DEATH.

>> IS CHIEF HERE? >> YES.

>> HERE HE COMES. >> THEY ARE WATCHING IN THE

GREEN ROOM. >> WHAT IS THE GREEN ROOM?

>> WAITING ROOM. >> IS THAT GEORGE?

>> HI, CHIEF. >> HI.

>>

>> >>

[Public Safety]

YOURSELF? AND YOUR TEAM. >> FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, FOR -- SHAWN MCGEE, FIRE CHIEF. WE HAVE -- FROM ANIMAL CONTROL.

WE ARE GOING TO GO OVER OUR EXCITING BUDGET WITH YOU GUYS.

SO I THINK THE THING TO BRING UP THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF OUR DEPARTMENT -- TO THE POINT THAT ERIC THE PERMIT HAS SIX BUDGETS THAT IT OPERATES OUT OF. I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THAT.

THERE ARE SIX BUDGETS THAT MAKE UP PUBLIC SAFETY AND FIRE ESCUE. HOW WE WROTE THIS OU IS WE WILL GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE BUDGETS INDIVIDUALLY. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS IN THOSE BUDGETS. WE HIGHLIGHTED THE HIGH POINTS IN EACH OF THOSE BUDGETS THAT ARE GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT BUDGET INCREASE, OR PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE DRIVING OUT OF THOSE BUDGETS FOR THE DEPARTMENT. SO QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT. 18 FIRE RESCUE STATIONS. THAT INCLUDES STATION 11, WHICH IS NOT OPEN YET BUT WILL BE OPEN THIS SUMMER. WE HAVE SEASONAL EMPLOYEES THAT WE BRING ON EVERY YEAR TO COVER THE BEACHES.

17 RESCUES, THE AMBULANCES. VARIOUS RESOURCES WITH THE BOATS, JET SKIS. TRUCK STOP RIGHT ON THE BEACH. RESOURCES INCLUDES ART HAZMAT AND URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE AIRPORT FIREFIGHTING COMPONENTS. AND OBVIOUSLY, ART COMMAND UNITS, OUR FIELD LEVEL SUPERVISORS, THE BATTALION CHIEF AROUND THERE. SO TO GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID PREVIOUSLY ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT IN THE BUDGET, THE SCOPE OF OUR DEPARTMENT IS VERY LARGE. WHAT WE COVER, AND WHAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW FIRE AND MEDICAL ARE THE OBVIOUS ONES.

WE LISTED SOMEONE'S ON THERE THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF THAT ENCOMPASS EVERYTHING WE DO. SO WE DO CONTROL AND OPERATE 911 COMMUNICATIONS. TRAINING FOR BOTH ON BOARDING NEW FIREFIGHTERS AND EXISTING STAFF AND WE HAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY FOR FIRE PREVENTION.

AND SPECIAL EVENTS. FIRE INSPECTIONS. PLANNING REVIEW.

FIRE INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE COUNTY, THROUGH THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. WE HAVE A LARGE LOGISTICS SECTION THAT KEEPS THE MACHINERY RUNNING BETWEEN APPARATUS, EQUIPMENT, AND FIRE STATIONS. EMS BUILDING IS ALSO PART OF OUR ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BILLING AND COLLECTING THE FUNDS FROM EMS CALLS. WE HAVE SUPPORT PERSONNEL THAT HELPS KEEP THE OPERATION STAFF RUNNING. THERE IS FIRE AND MEDICAL. VEHICLE ACCIDENTS BUT WE DO A LOT OF HEAT FOR SURROUNDING COUNTIES. WE DO PROVIDE AUTO AID AND MUTUAL AID TO THOSE COUNTIES. WE DID A COUPLE IN PUTNAM COUNTY WITH OUR HAZMAT TEAMS. WITH THE SPECIALTY RESCUES

[01:50:02]

WE HAD EQUIPMENT AND TRAINED PERSONNEL TO HELP MITIGATE THOSE SITUATIONS. AND THEN ANIMAL CONTROL IS ALSO PART OF US.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DRIVES OUR OPERATION IS CALLED VOLUME. AS YOU CAN SEE, OVER THE YEARS, FROM 2019 TO 2023, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME. THAT IS PROJECTED TO GO UP YEAR BY YEAR. SO IN 2019 WE WERE OVER 15,000 CALLS PER SERVICE PER YOUR TIP LAST YEAR, 64,000 CALLS PER SERVICE.

WE ARE ON TRACK TO GO OVER THAT AT OUR CURRENT RATE THIS YEAR.

WHAT HELPS DRIVE CALL VOLUME IS POPULATION INCREASE IN THE COUNTY. IT ALSO PUTS A BURDEN ON OUR SERVICES AND THE NEED FOR OUR SERVICES. YOU LOOK FROM 2010 TO 2023, YOU WILL SEE THE INCREASE IN THE POPULATION WAS KIND OF TRACKING WITH THE CALL VOLUME NUMBERS AS WE GO OUT EVERY YEAR. WE WILL START WITH OUR FIRE BUDGET. ONE OF OUR SIX. SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 IS A LITTLE BIT OVER $71 MILLION. THIS REPRESENTS A 6.6% INCREASE FROM WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR. IT HIGHLIGHTS THIS BUDGET -- INITIATIVES THAT ARE DRIVING SOME OF THIS. NUMBER ONE IS OUR PPE AND HEALTH AND SAFETY INITIATIVES. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING EVERYONE THAT EXTREME COST.

THAT PROGRAM. WE HAVE INCREASES FOR NEXT YEAR. FIRE CLEMENT ENHANCEMENT WITH TOOLS -- AS TOOLS AGE THREAD, WE HAVE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMS FOR OUR EQUIPMENT AND SPECIALTY TOOLS FOR HAZMAT VEHICLES AND EXTRICATION TRUCKS. AS WE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY IN OUR PLAN, THERE IS FIRE BUILDING MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR TO GET SOME STATIONS UP TO PAR AND RENOVATIONS THERE. ANOTHER BIG INITIATIVE WE KICKED OFF NOT LONG AGO IT WAS A LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION TRAINING. WE STARTED THAT WITH ALL OF OUR FIRE OFFICERS. TO INCREASE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING, TO HELP THE DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE A NORMAL APPARATUS PROGRAM THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, WE HAVE TIMED OUT TO REPLACE AGING EQUIPMENT AND FIRE TRUCKS, AS THEY AGE OUT. ONE THING TO NOTE WITH THAT IS THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT IN THAT INDUSTRY. IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET APPARATUS NUMBER AT FIRETRUCKS TAKE THREE YEARS TO GET FROM THE TIME YOU ORDER THEM. SO IF I WERE TO ORDER A FIRE TRUCK TODAY, IT IS THREE YEARS FROM TODAY THAT WE WOULD SEE THAT HERE. IT IS PLANNING ENFORCEMENT FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE UPCOMING PROPOSAL EXTENSION WE ARE LOOKING AT.

>> THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THAT FOR NEXT YEAR'S ROUGHLY $20 MILLION .6 .9% INCREASE FROM WHERE WE WERE AT THE YEAR BEFORE. A LOT OF THIS DRIVING FORCE IN THIS INCREASE IS -- WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS IN THIS REALM. WE HAVE THE REPORT WRITING AND LICENSING. WE HAVE EQUIPMENT CONTRACTS FOR MAINTAINING MEDICAL COMA TO THE STRUCTURES, THE MONITORS. MOST OF THIS IS COMMITTED TO CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS. WE ARE LOOKING AT IMPLEMENTING A NEW PROGRAM. THE EMS FIELD-BASED CARE. THERE ARE BLOOD PRODUCTS THERE. WE CONTINUE TO ADVANCE OUR EMS INDUSTRY AS ONE OF THE LEADERS IN THE STATE. WE ALSO PROVIDE SERVICE. THAT PRODUCT LINE YOU WILL SEE IN THE BUDGET REQUEST IS FOR ACTUAL BLOOD. WE ARE WORKING ON A PROGRAM TO START IMPLEMENTING BLOOD IN THE FIELD, GIVING BLOOD IN THE FIELD FOR SOME OF THE MAJOR NEEDS.

STATE. WE ARE WORKING ON INCENTIVIZING THAT TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH PARAMEDIC SCHOOL. EMS AGREEMENT. WE HAVE A NEW PUSH THAT HAS COME ALONG POINT WE ARE GETTING GETTING VENTILATORS ON THE TRUCKS. SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN A HOSPITAL, WHICH DELIVERS A BETTER OX -- OXYGENASE STATION MEDICAL CLEMENT.

INHERENTLY. OBVIOUSLY, OUR FIRE APPARATUS PROGRAM -- THAT IS ON

[01:55:02]

THAT 1% IS RELATED TO HAVING TO REPLACE THE BEACH TOWER LIFEGUARD TOWER . I BELIEVE THAT TOWER IS ALMOST 10 YEARS OLD. IT IS TIME FOR IT TO BE REPLACED.

COMMUNICATIONS BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR -- WE ARE LOOKING AT OVER $3 MILLION, WHICH IS 14.5 PERCENT INCREASE. AND REALLY, THAT ONE IS AN UNCONTROLLABLE INCREASE FOR US. THIS IS DUE TO MOTOROLA AND THEIR CUT CAT SOFTWARE CONTRACT. SO THE REST OF THE BUDGET REALLY GOES TO CONTINUING OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS WITHIN 911 COMMUNICATIONS. BUT MOST OF THAT INCREASE IS DUE TO THE CAD SOFTWARE CONTRACT WITH MOTOROLA.

THIS IS FOR MAINTENANCE AND USE OF OUR 800 MEGAHERTZ RADIO SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. NEXT YEAR, WE ARE LOOKING AT OVER $2 MILLION .8 .2% INCREASE THERE. MOST OF IT IS RELATED TO MOTOROLA AND THE INCREASE FOR THEIR RADIO SYSTEM AND THE SOFTWARE TO RUN THAT SYSTEM.

INCLUDES MAINTENANCE OF THE TOWER SITES AND THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS. WE HAVE TO START REPLACING THOSE FOR THE TOWER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. ANIMAL CONTROL. FOR THIS ONE, I WILL LET PAUL TALK ABOUT THE ANIMAL CONTROL PART

OF HIS BUDGET. >> THANK YOU, CHIEF. IT IS AN INCREASE OF 7.8, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT. PRIMARILY, THAT IS TO COVER SOME OUTSIDE DOG RUNS THAT WERE USED TO EXERCISE THE ANIMALS. WE PRACTICE OUR TRAINING. OUR VOLUNTEERS TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT. AS WELL AS SOME PAID TRAINERS THAT WE HAVE COME IN. THEY TRAIN OUR STAFF, AS WELL.

OUR SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, WHICH WE HAVE HAD FOR YEARS , ARE OUTDATED AND ARE STARTING TO FAIL. WE WENT AHEAD AND GOT A BID TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SYSTEM. OTHER THAN REQUESTING FOR NEW FRONT GATES, AND REAR GATES, ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAD BEEN OUT THERE. THEY ARE HUGE. THEY ARE HEAVY. WE WANT TO GET WEAVER GATES TO MAKE IT EASIER TO OPEN AND SHUT. THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 15 YEARS, AS WELL. WE ARE REQUESTING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO HELP WITH THE OVER 30+ THOUSAND PHONE CALLS THAT ARE COMING IN TO THE PET CENTER. THAT IS EITHER THEY ARE CALLING IN REFERENCE TO ANIMALS, OR SOME ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICE, WHEN THEY TRANSFER OVER TO DISPATCH.

AND THEN FIRE RESCUE PICKS IT UP FROM THERE. OTHER THAN LOOKING AT THESE FEW ITEMS, MINUS THE TRUCK -- THE TRUCK IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM FLEET TO BE REPLACED. WE ARE COMING IN ALMOST EVEN BUDGET FROM LAST ABOUT 7000 CALLS PER YEAR. WE ARE HANDLING BOTH THE CITY BEACH AND THE COUNTY LIMITS.

ANY QUESTIONS? >> OKAY. NOW, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR STAFFING REQUEST FOR NEXT YEAR. OPERATIONALLY, WE NEED 12 FIREFIGHTERS.

OVER THE YEAR 2025. WE HAVE SUPPLEMENTALS FOR THESE POSITIONS HOPEFULLY BY LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL. EITHER WAY, WE ARE GOING TO NEED THOSE 12 AT THE STATION. ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE ASKING NINE MORE FIREFIGHTER, ENGINEER POSITIONS. THAT IS TO IMPLEMENT OUR WATER TANKER INITIATIVE. TO SUPPLY THE WATER SITES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH ADDITIONAL STAFF TANKERS. THAT WOULD BE 21 PERSONNEL REQUESTS

[02:00:03]

STAFFING TO HEADQUARTERS STAFF TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE WITH THE PROPOSED EXPANSION , WE ARE GOING TO NEED EMS TRAINING AND FIRE TRAINING POSITIONS TO HELP ONBOARD APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 FIREFIGHTERS PER YEAR TO GET THEM READY TO GO, IN ADDITION TO MAINTAINING OUR CURRENT STAFF, OVER 350 TO KEEP THE STANDARDS CURRENT. WE ARE SHORT THERE RIGHT NOW. WITH THIS EXPANSION, WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF THAT AND TRY TO GET THOSE THOSE TRAINING POSITIONS. WE ALSO HAVE FIRE HEADQUARTERS ADMINISTERED OF ASSISTANCE TO HELP WITH OFFICE RELATED NEEDS IN THE BUILDING. WE ARE ALSO THROWING IN SOMETHING NEW. THE DEPARTMENT -- WE ARE ASKING FOR A RECRUITMENT RETENTION COORDINATOR. THIS IS IN CONJUNCTION TO TRY TO RECRUIT -- TO GET PEOPLE TO COME WORK FOR US. THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF FIREFIGHTERS IN THE STATE. IT IS SOMETHING EVERYONE IS FACING. WE NEED TO GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE THAT CAN DEDICATE FULL-TIME TO THESE EFFORTS , HITTING HIGH SCHOOLS AND CAREER FAIRS, GETTING US OUT THERE , A GOOD MARKETING PUSH THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO BRING FIREFIGHTERS TO US. CURRENTLY, WE ARE KIND OF DOING IT NOW WITH A MIX OF DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT WE JUST CAN'T STAY CONSISTENT WITH IT. ENOUGH. THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE IS ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO FIRE INSPECTORS TO HELP WITH INSPECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. BOTH WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION AND EXISTING CONSTRUCTION. THEY ARE ASKING FOR ANOTHER MECHANIC TO HELP WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR FIRE AND EMS APPARATUS FLEET. THEY ARE ALSO ASKING FOR THE ESCVA MANAGER, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF TAKING CARE OF OUR EQUIPMENT. AND ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT ONE WITH THE TRAINING OFFICERS IS THEIR RADIO SYSTEMS SYSTEM MANAGER. THE INDIVIDUAL THAT DIMINISHED OUR RADIO SYSTEM IS A ONE-MAN SHOW. IF WE WERE TO LOSE HIM FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT JAM RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS OUR RADIO SYSTEMS GO, SO HE NEEDS HELP TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM. IT WOULD GIVE US A SUCCESSION PLAN FOR HIM IN THE FUTURE IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN. WE CAN GIVE SOMEONE TRAINING SO THEY CAN STEP IN IN THE EVENT THERE IS A CHANGE THERE. SO OVERALL BUDGET IMPACT WITH ALL SIX OF THESE BUDGET -- BUDGETS COMES OVER $103 MILLION. THAT IS A 7.11 INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THIS INCLUDES ALL PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES, AND OPERATING CAPITAL. WHAT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE COME JUST TO MAKE A NOTE OF, IS ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF THE PROPOSED FIVE-YEAR SAFETY EXPANSION PLAN. ANYTHING PAST THAT IS NOT ASSOCIATED IN THIS. ADDITIONALLY, NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING OUT WITH THE UNION HERE SOON. THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF THOSE TALKS THERE, ALSO.

>> OKAY. SO THANK YOU. GO BACK TO THE POSITION. THERE ARE 43 POSITIONS REQUESTED. AND I KNOW THEY ARE ALL VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IF YOU WERE TO PRIORITIZE THEM

>> SO THE 12 ARE ABSOLUTE. THAT IS IF WE WANT TO OPEN THE STATION. THE NINE ARE INTEGRAL TO THE OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT IN REFERENCE TO THE WATER SUPPLY THERE. SO THOSE 21 ARE A MUST. THERE ISN'T ANY BUDGET ROOM FOR THOSE.

>> OKAY. >> SO WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE CASES IS WE HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO STAFF THE OPERATIONS SIDE IN THE STREET SIDE. THAT IS WHAT WE INCLUDED THIS FOR. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE GO THROUGH THESE PROCESSES IS WHERE THE CUTS COME -- IT IS THINGS LIKE THE HEADQUARTERS AND ADMINISTRATION SIDE OF THINGS. OVER TIME, WE NEVER CATCH THOSE AND GET THOSE BACK. SO WE GET BEHIND IT. MY MAIN FOCUS FOR HEADQUARTERS AND THE EXISTENCE OF US THERE IS TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS. THAT IS THE MAIN FOCUS IN THE MAIN GOAL. TO DO THAT, I NEED PEOPLE TO HELP SUPPORT THE OPERATION. IF I HAD TO PRIORITIZE THESE, THE TRAININGS ARE ABSOLUTE. IT HELPS WITH THE PROPOSED EXPANSION, AND WITH OUR CURRENT STAFFING, TO TRY TO GET THEM TRAINING ACROSS THE BOARD.

[02:05:05]

>> ALL THREE OF THEM? >> ALL SIX OF THEM.

- OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS ] SPOKE THOSE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD MOVE TO OPERATE AND FUNCTION OUT OF THAT TRAINING

SITE. >> HOW MANY TRAINING STAFF DO

YOU HAVE CURRENTLY? >> CURRENTLY WE HAVE SEVEN.

>> THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE YOU. >> THOSE ARE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND THAT CAN GET OUT THERE AND ENGAGE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DO THE TRAINING. I AM SPLIT BETWEEN FIRE AND EMS.

>> AND SO THOSE TWO COME IN TERMS OF HEADQUARTER ARE THE

PRIORITIES. AND OKAY. >> THE INSPECTORS -- YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A DAUNTING TASK. WHERE THEY GET BEHIND IS IN THE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS OF CURRENT BUILDINGS, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THE NEW ONES COME WITH THE CO PROCESS AND ALL THAT, BUT IT IS HARD TO GET TO EXISTING STRUCTURES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO GET INSPECTED. THE RECRUITMENT RETENTION COORDINATOR. WE HAVE PEOPLE BEHIND THAT. I COULD GO, YOU KNOW. THOSE ARE ALMOST EVEN, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF FIREFIGHTERS WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO FULFILL THIS FIVE-YEAR GOAL. I THINK THAT WAS 105 FIREFIGHTERS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GET . IT IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK AND EFFORT TO GET OUT THERE TOGETHER THESE PEOPLE UP. AND THEN AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, I WILL GO MECHANIC, AND THAT IS IMPORTANT.

>> TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I PUT THE RADIO SYSTEM MANAGER ABOVE THE OFFICER.

BECAUSE WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE TRAINING FACILITY -- EVEN THOUGH HE SAID WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE START TODAY -- THE CONSTRUCTION. JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE SITE IDENTIFIED, WHEN IT COMES TO THE STATE FUNDING, OF COURSE, THERE IS A TIMEFRAME. IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TRAINING OFFICERS TO BE PHASED, OR DO YOU NEED ALL SIX OF THEM

TO BE ON BOARD IN 2025? >> I WOULD PREFER TO GET AHEAD OF IT AND TRY TO GET THEM ALL IN 2025. WE ARE BEHIND IN TRAINING AS IT IS, ALREADY. IN THAT DEPARTMENT, EVEN WITHOUT THE TRAINING EXPANSION IN THE FIVE-YEAR PUSH. SO WHAT HAPPENS HIGHER CLASS. WE HAVE A HARD TIME BUILDING CONSISTENCY WITH CURRENT OPERATIONS STAFF BECAUSE THEY GET A PROGRAM GOING AND THEN THEY GET YANKED OUT TO DO A NEW CLASS. WHICH IS A BIG ORDEAL. AND THEY ARE DEDICATED TO THAT. MY GOAL WITH ADDING THESE SIX WOULD BE TO SEPARATE IT OUT. THESE PEOPLE ARE DEDICATED TO NEW HIRE CLASSES. AND ON BOARDING NEW FIREFIGHTERS. THIS GROUP IS DEDICATED TO ONGOING DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL TRAINING. THEY CAN CHANGE HOW THEY WANT TO, BUT WE HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM FOR OUR CURRENT STAFF. TO HELP BUILD CONSISTENCY IN THAT REALM, IN TRAINING.

>> SURE. >> THERE MAY BE POTENTIAL WITH YOUR RADIO SYSTEM MANAGER , WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE HOME FOR THAT. FTE. IN REALITY, THAT ACTUAL DEPARTMENT IS UNDER THE BOARD. THEY HAVE ALWAYS LIVED WITH FIRE RESCUE. TECHNICALLY, THEY SERVICE THE RADIO SYSTEM, WHICH IS INTERGOVERNMENTAL RADIO SYSTEM. THERE MAY BE POTENTIAL THERE TO SHARE BETWEEN FIRE RESCUE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE OCC.

THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS THERE. >> IT IS MULTIAGENCY.

>> FOR GRANT, YOU MENTIONED YOU APPLIED FOR THIS YEAR. HOW MANY

FTES? >> 21.

>> AND WHEN WOULD YOU HEAR BACK GENERALLY ?

>> LATE-SUMMER, EARLY FALL. >> AND JUST SO YOU ARE AWARE, JOY, THE REVENUE OFFSET IS NOT IN THE BUDGET AT THIS POINT.

CERTAINLY, IF WE HEAR SOMETHING LATER IN THE PROCESS, WE WOULD AT THAT REVENUE OFFSET THERE. THAT WOULD BE THREE YEARS OF

FULL FUNDING. >> THREE YEARS OF FULL FUNDING.

[02:10:02]

>> I THINK IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO LOOK AT THE REVENUE SIDE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST TO GO BACK TO THE REVENUE SIDE.

BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS WITH THE FUND AND THE FIRE DISTRICT. LOOKING AT AN INCREASE COME PENSIVELY MIGHT BE HELPFUL.

MY CELL PHONE CALCULATOR. YOUR EMS PERSONNEL IS A 17% INCREASE BUT I THINK YOU CAPTURED THAT EARLIER. OVERALL, 7%. SO, REALLY, I THINK THE INCREASE IS INTENSELY IN MANPOWER. IT'S THE SAME AS THE FIRESIDE. IT IS THE COMPANION TO EACH OTHER.

16.7% OF PERSONNEL. BUT OVERALL, THERE IS ONLY ONE .7%.

THAT IS WHAT I HAVE. IT MAY BE BECAUSE OF THE CAPITAL. IT IS NOT BEING CAPTURED, OR THE CARRYFORWARD IS NOT IN THERE

YET. >> WE TALKED ABOUT THAT DIDN'T

WE? >> YEAH. THE CARRYFORWARD IS NOT IN YET. IT WILL BE LATER ON. IT IS PROBABLY CLOSE TO 7%.

AND REVENUE, WITHOUT INCLUDING THAT GRANT -- IT LOOKS LIKE WE

ARE CAPTURING 12.6%. >> IT WAS 12.5%. THAT IS NOT OFFICIAL. HERE ARE THE REVENUES RIGHT HERE.

>> THERE IS A BIG AREA FOR IT.

>> THERE IS NO CARRYFORWARD AS OF YET. GENERALLY, THE CARRYFORWARDS WILL DO THAT. AND THEY ARE NOT THERE YET. BUT THAT WILL BE PRIMARILY VEHICLES.

>> APPARATUS. >> OVERALL, THE FIRE DISTRICT BOND HAS A VILLAGE. 3.83 BILLS. THAT WAS ROLLED BACK FROM THREE YEARS AGO FROM 1.4.1 .47. IT IS GENERATING ABOUT 69.5 MILLION FOR 25 AT THIS POINT. THEY RECEIVE FINAL CERTIFICATION IN JULY. DID YOU RECEIVE OTHER REVENUES FROM THE STATE AND SUPPLEMENTAL COMP? REVENUES, AND I THINK THAT IS AN

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. >> OKAY. AND THEN, AGAIN, PRIMARILY, IT IS IN HERE. SO THIS IS A -- BASED FUND. AS THE CHIEF MENTIONS, IT IS FIRE RESCUE, BUT THERE ARE SIX DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN HERE. SO FIRE RESCUE IS SPLIT BETWEEN TWO FUNDS. ONE IS THE FIRE DISTRICT FUND. THERE IS A SEPARATE VILLAGE, AND IT COVERS ALL AREAS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE, WHO HAS THEIR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

DIVERTING WITH THAT, THOUGH, IS EMS, WHICH IS COUNTYWIDE. SO REGARDLESS OF IF IT IS IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE OR NOT, ST. JOHNS COUNTY'S EMS RESPONSES EVERYWHERE. THERE IS A PORTION OF SERVICES THAT ARE FUNDED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.

TO MAKE THEIR OPERATION THAT MUCH MORE COMPLEX, WE FUND A PORTION OF THEIR OPERATION OUT OF THE DISTRICT FUND. AND A PORTION OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. WE THINK OF IT ALL AS A SINGLE DEPARTMENT. WE GO WITH THAT. SO, JOY, THAT IS YOUR PRIMARY REVENUE HERE. WE CAN LOOK AT THE GENERAL FUND. THERE ARE SOME REVENUE OFFSETS IN THERE. THERE ARE AMBULANCE FEES THAT ARE BROUGHT IN. PRIMARILY, THE EMS SIDE, IF YOU WILL, IT DOESN'T COMPETE, BUT IT IS A PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND.

ALONG WITH OTHER OPERATIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND. THE AREA I WOULD NOTE FOR THE FIRE DISTRICT FUND -- IF I MAY -- I'M GOING TO GO -- THIS IS WAY OFF. WE HAVE THE RESERVES RIGHT NOW. -- NEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR. AT THIS POINT, YOU HAVE 5 MILLION. THAT

[02:15:01]

THE PUSH SEEMS TO BE IN THE INDUSTRY TO PUSH THAT AS WELL, TO A 60 DAY. SO OUTSIDE OF 60 DAY RESERVE, THE REMAINING BALANCE IS ABOUT 140 THERE. THIS IS PRIOR TO A CONSIDERATION FOR A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING DISCUSSION. IT IS NOT FULLY FITTED, AS WELL AS THAT SAME REVENUE.

] WE WILL HAVE THE REVENUES THAT WILL ASSIST IN BUILDING UP

THAT RESERVE. >> I THINK, FOR FIRE RESCUE, BECAUSE THE FUNDING IS VERY HEAVILY, INTENSELY RELYING ON THE OPERATING TAXES, AND ALSO, THE OPERATION IS RELYING ON THE MANPOWER -- AND I THINK CHIEF, HE DID A GREAT JOB, REALLY CAPTURING THE NEW INITIATIVES FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOUR FIREFIGHTERS. YOUR EMTS, MENTAL HEALTH. THE SECOND SET OF BUNKER GEAR. OUR BUILDING MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS A BIG SITUATION WHERE I THINK THE UNION MEMBERS HAVE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT IT. WE HAVE BEEN LACKING ON MAINTENANCE. THIS YEAR IS THE FIRST YEAR WE ARE LOOKING AT A LONG-TERM MULTIYEAR CAPITAL PROJECT FOR ALL THE FIRE STATIONS TO BE BROUGHT UP TO STANDARDS. AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING OPERATIONS. ONE THING WORTH MENTIONING IS BECAUSE THE RECRUITMENT HAS BEEN A HARDSHIP , TO BRING STAFF ON BOARD, THE SIGNING AND INCENTIVE THAT IS IMPLEMENTED IS GOING TO BE IMPACTFUL FOR IMPROVEMENT BUT ALSO HAS A FINANCIAL IMPACT ON IT. I'M SAYING THIS NOT TO MENTION THIS TO YOU, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER IS WATCHING THIS UNDERSTANDS THE BUDGET PLANNING IS NOT ONLY ONE YEAR. PERSONNEL, WHENEVER YOU MAKE A PERSONAL DECISION, THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE IN PERPETUITY TO A -- POLICY TO FORCE REDUCTION, WHICH WE DON'T PLAN TO DO. WHETHER OR NOT IT IS 21 OR 43 FTE -- WEATHER HOW WE GO THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNION NEGOTIATION, WHICH WILL HAPPEN IN JUNE, HOPEFULLY, TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT -- AT THIS POINT, WE WILL ONLY HAVE THE PROPOSAL ON HAND. THE AGREEMENT IS GOING TO BE REFLECTED IN OUR 2025 BUDGET BUT IT WILL ALSO CARRY ON FOR ITS DURATION -- NOT ONLY THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT, BUT IT WILL LIVE ON BEYOND THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT. SO I THINK JUST SO PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING THE SNOW THAT I THINK CHIEF -- TEETH, AND YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND BUDGET OFFICE -- WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IS NOT JUST 24, 25, BUT ALSO MULTIYEAR MODELING. JUST BY A GLANCE, WE ARE LOOKING AT INCREASING PERSONNEL. IT IS 12.5% REVENUE. THERE IS ALSO PROJECTED INCREASE IN PERSONNEL FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. WE HAVE A NEGOTIATION WITH THE UNION TO REOPEN EVERYTHING IN 2025, SO THAT WOULD INCLUDE COMPENSATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE UNDERSTANDING OUR ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY IS GOING TO BE MULTIYEAR ANALYSIS, NOT JUST FOR 2024 AND 2025, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SUSTAINABLE PLAN FINANCIALLY. NOT ONLY TO SUSTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE WE ARE PROVIDING NOW, BUT ALSO THE INITIATIVE THAT I THINK OUR BOARD IS VERY FOCUSED ON DOING AND ALSO THE FACILITY EXPANSION PLAN. SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I THINK YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUOUSLY THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD PLAN IN PLACE. I COMPLETELY CAN SUPPORT WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR IS INCREDIBLY VETTED. I THINK THERE IS A GOOD, LOGICAL REASON FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM. I KNOW

[02:20:06]

>> SURE. >>

STAFF? >> ALL RIGHT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION ON BEHALF OF ANIMAL CONTROL -- I KNOW AND WILL CONTROL HAS SHIFTED FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS -- WE NOW HAVE A NEW CHIEF ON BOARD WHO HAS BEEN VERY MUCH FOCUSED ON THE CONTROLS -- THE SPAN OF CONTROL, THE LEADERSHIP, THE COLLABORATION WITH OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES. I THINK IT ALSO CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THE SUITABLE STRUCTURE FOR ANIMAL CONTROL, WHETHER OR NOT FIRE RESCUE IS THE BEST SPOT. I DON'T THINK IT IS BAD TIMING SINCE WE ARE A LITTLE EARLY ON TIME, THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT MAY BE AWARE THAT ANIMAL CONTROL CAN BE BEST SUPPORTIVE AND TO HAVE THAT STRUCTURE.

THINK BRAD AND CHIEF MICKEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT FIRE RESCUE IS BEST SUITED FOR YOU, OR SHOULD THAT BE WITH THE REGULATORY DEPARTMENT , AND I THINK YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. IT COULD BE PART OF THE STRUCTURE OR A STANDALONE DEPARTMENT. FEEL FREE TO SHARE ANYTHING, BUT I THINK I'M OPEN TO THAT DISCUSSION, AND I THINK BRAD IS, TOO. I THINK BOTH THE PERMITS, EITHER REPORT TO READ IT DIRECTLY OR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. I THINK WE ARE ALL

OPEN FOR THOSE DISCUSSIONS. >> AS FIRE RESCUE CONTINUES TO GROW, AND THEY ARE GROWING -- EVERY YEAR. OUR LITTLE DEPARTMENT -- AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO GROW AND THE -- DEPARTMENT, IT IS NOT FEASIBLE AT THIS TIME. THERE ARE SEVERAL BUDGETS OUT OF THIS. IT IS TAXED OUT OF ONE DISTRICT AND WE ARE GENERAL, ARE WE NOT? OUR FUNDS ARE COMING FROM ONE AREA.

THERE IS IS COMING FROM ANOTHER BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN SHARE FUNDS. AND THAT IS THE CASE I THINK. I THINK IT SHOULD BE A STANDALONE, ARE COMING OUT WITH SOMETHING UNDER GENERAL FUNDS,

WHICH I BELIEVE EM DOES. >> YES. LARGELY. TO STAND ALONE AND ANSWER DIRECTLY TO YOU, THAT WOULD BE OKAY WITH US. WE ARE JUST LOOKING TO BE ABLE TO GROW.

>> ABSOLUTELY. I KNOW YOU HAVE A REALLY HARD JOB.

] YOUR RETENTION AND TURNOVER RATE, YOU'RE NOT ONLY COMPETING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR BREAD YOU'RE COMPETING WITH FIRE RESCUE. YOU'RE COMPETING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT AND EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT. AND STAFF. ALSO, OLIVIA.

INAUDIBLE ]

THE HARDEST TRAINING. >> THEY GET THE SIX MONTHS.

>> BESIDES UTILITIES. >> IT HAS BEEN OVER A SPAN OF A

FEW YEARS. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>> YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO GO. >> SHE IS OVER THERE.

INAUDIBLE - OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS ]

>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE PROMPT THEY RESIDE IN -- THAT THEY ARE FAIRLY COMPENSATED. I THINK THE PUBLIC PRESENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW YOUR TURNOVER RATE. IT PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REVIEW

IT. >> IT IS A HARD JOB. IT IS NOT LIKE SOMEONE SAYS, I WANT TO WORK IN A KENNEL.

>> OR I WANT TO GET BITS EVERY DAY.

>> THAT IS A GOOD WAY. >> IT IS A HORRIBLE THING TO GET BEAT UP VERBALLY EVERY DAY. BUT YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE. MOST PEOPLE USE THIS TO GET INTO IT. IT IS HARD IN A 20 MINUTE INTERVIEW TO SAY, YOU WILL STAY OR YOU ARE GOING TO BE HERE FOREVER BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE AREN'T. THAT IS A TOUGH THING TO DO. THE BURNOUT IS WANTED TO -- THREE YEARS IN THE KENNEL.

>> I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT. OF COURSE, WE CAN'T POSSIBLY WITH OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WE CAN'T COMPENSATE 100% -- THAT WE WANT TO FOR THE EMPLOYEE. THERE ARE OTHER WAYS WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY ARE

[02:25:02]

INAUDIBLE ] JOE AND KELLY ARE LONGTIME COLLEAGUES FROM WAY BACK. THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN GET MORE SUPPORT TO YOUR STAFF.

>> ANYTHING HELPS. AND IT IS A HARD JOB. IT KEEPS GROWING. IT IS HARD TO BE THERE. I DO UNDERSTAND.

>> YOU BOTH HAVE VEY HARD JOBS.

>> BOTH HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS. THAT IS THE QUALITY THAT THE

RESIDENTS EXPECT OF YOU. >> IS THERE ANY CHANCE TO ASK THESE OTHER ENTITIES FOR SUPPORT? THROUGH FUNDING? WE ARE SUPPORTING 100% OF THE CITY AND THE BEACH.

>> ABSOLUTELY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME SORT OF INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT THERE IS A FINANCIAL PARTNER FROM OTHER

MUNICIPALITIES? >> I ALWAYS ASK THIS. HOW DO THEY GET AWAY WITH IT? I SAY THAT RESPECTFULLY. I WAS ALWAYS TOLD, THEY PAY A PUBLIC SAFETY'S TAX. THAT IS THEIR PAYMENT. THAT WOULD GO TO FIRE AND POLICE, RIGHT?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A GOOD ARGUMENT. ONE ARGUMENT IS THAT THE CITY RESIDENTS ARE ALSO COUNTY RESIDENTS. THEY PAY COUNTY GENERAL FUNDS. SO THAT COULD BE ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT THEY MADE. BUT, YEAH. I DON'T KNOW THAT THE ANIMAL THINGS -- THE FERAL CATS -- THEY KNOW THE RATES.

>>

>> YOU DIDN'T GIVE THEM NOTICE?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING TO LOOK AT FIRE RESCUE , THE IMPACT FEE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS A GOOD -- WE HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES.

>> WAS AT A 1% INCREASE? >> IT WAS .79. IT IS 1.3 MILES OF COAST. THEY HAVE 3.3 BODIES. TO COVER.

A HALF BODY. >> WE ARE GETTING READY TO ADD

ON HERE. >> IT WOULD GO UP TO SEVENTH.

>> THAT IS RIGHT. YOU ADDED A CAPTAIN. AND FOR TECHNICIANS.

>> SO HERE ARE -- I WILL START WITH THE REVENUE FIRST. WE ARE SEEING A HIGHER TREND . WE HAVE ABOUT 3.5 MILLION PROJECTED AND BUDGETED FOR 2024. WE ARE SEEING IT COMING IN HIGHER. WE HAVE A FAIRLY FLAT $5.5 MILLION. WE CERTAINLY HOPE ON THE FIRE IMPACT FEES, WITH THAT CONCEPT PICKING RELATING DOLLARS THERE, PART OF THE PLAN IF THE COMMISSION MOVES FORWARD, JOY, WITH THE FIRE STATION PLANS -- SO LOOKING AT THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE HAVE FOR NEXT YEAR, 2.2 MILLION. A PORTION OF IT IS IN THIS YOU. THAT WOULD BE FOR THE FIRE STATION 21. MOST OF THAT IS THROUGH CASH, IF YOU WILL. IT WOULD PROVIDE A LITTLE DOSE LEVEL OF RESERVES HERE. ALSO SOME DEBT SERVICE TO KEEP THAT IN LINE. IF ALL GOES WELL WITH REVENUES NEXT YEAR -- IF THE COMMISSION MS. FORWARD WITH THE PLAN, WE WOULD UTILIZE A PORTION OF THAT RESERVE TO OFFSET THE BAR. THAT HAS BEEN THE INITIAL DISCUSSION. WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS IT, BUT THEN WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND EACH YEAR AND PAY ON IT. I WANT TO MAINTAIN THREE YEARS OF RESERVES. SHOULD, LET'S SAY, IMPACT FEES DRY

[02:30:04]

INAUDIBLE ] SET ASIDE. WE WOULD MAINTAIN IT. I THINK THREE YEARS IS COMFORTABLE. AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE WILL SEE OTHER OUTSTANDING DEBT FOR SURE. AND IT WILL BE FREED UP SO WE CAN UTILIZE THAT TOWARDS DEBT SERVICE. AGAIN, THE FIRE IMPACT FEE -- FUND HAS BEEN EXTREMELY EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN FUNDING THE FIRE STATIONS. ANYTHING RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY -- IT IS NOT A REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. IT HAS TO DO WITH CAPACITY. IT HAS BEEN THIS PROCESS. IT IS A COMMUNAL EATING HOURS IN THAT FUND UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT WE ARE READY TO MAKE A PLAN. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PLAN BROUGHT FORWARD IN APRIL. WE WILL WAIT FOR THE COMMISSION TO SPEAK ON THAT. IN

THE NEAR FUTURE. >> THAT IS SOMETHING THE PUBLIC WAS INTERESTED IN. SOME OF THEM, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PA

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.