[0:00] 
[18:19] But if you want to turn
to your neighbor and say,
[18:21] you look good this morning,
you know, so we appreciate
[18:25] you coming to be with us.
[18:27] I think we've got pastor
Nathan Brown with us today,
[18:29] and he is from Pine
terrace Baptist church.
[18:32] I'll brag on them.
[18:33] That's where I was baptized.
[18:34] We appreciate you, pastor
brown, for being here.
[18:36] Would you mind coming up and
leading us in a word of prayer?
[18:39] And then after that, I'll
ask Commissioner Calkins
[18:42] to lead us in the Pledge.
[18:43] Whenever you get up there, just
hit that button and that light
[18:45] will turn green.
[18:46] Pastor, Thank you.
[18:49] Let us pray.
[18:52] Most gracious, heavenly father,
Thank you for this new day.
[18:55] Grateful that every new
day is a gift from you
[18:59] with your new morning mercies.
[19:01] And we're grateful for that.
[19:02] Thank you for seeing us
through the storms yesterday.
[19:05] We pray for any
and all who might
[19:06] have been touched and affected
by those winds and the water.
[19:10] So we pray, blessing
and help their father.
[19:12] Thank you for this
group of folks
[19:15] who have given themselves to
serve the people of this area.
[19:19] And we pray, father, you give
them the wisdom of Solomon
[19:22] as they try to make
wise decisions.
[19:25] Pray god, you give them
the courage of someone
[19:28] like a Daniel who would
stand Lord on conviction.
[19:32] And I pray you give them god, a
compassionate heart of service,
[19:36] of selfless service that was
reflected in the life and work
[19:41] of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who came not
[19:44] to be served, but
to serve and to give
[19:46] his life a ransom for many.
[19:48] So, lord, would you do that?
[19:49] We are thankful and we
are prayerful and hopeful
[19:52] because you live and you reign
and pray this in Jesus' name.
[19:56] Amen Amen.
[19:57] Amen please face
the American flag.
[20:02] I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
[20:07] and to the Republic
for which it stands.
[20:09] One nation under
god, indivisible,
[20:12] with liberty and
justice for all.
[20:16] Thank you very much, pastor.
[20:19] Yes, sir.
[20:20] 
[20:24] Notice the pastor was not
comfortable facing us,
[20:28] which any pastor is
going to want to face
[20:31] the crowd as he's praying.
[20:34] I bet if we started passing
the offering bucket,
[20:37] he'll turn this way.
[20:38] So we might start doing that.
[20:40] It it wouldn't hurt.
[20:42] I, I encourage you all one
day about paying your tithes
[20:45] and giving you offering.
[20:46] He will definitely
press down, shake it
[20:48] together and run it over more
than your storehouses can
[20:51] receive.
[20:53] All right.
[20:55] Any fellow commissioners have
any issues with the agenda,
[20:58] or are you all
good with approving
[20:59] the agenda as presented?
[21:02] Mr chairman, we do need
to move item 32 reference
[21:06] the old Woodbine road
to the regular agenda
[21:09] so we can discuss that.
[21:10] 
[21:13] All right, Mr chair,
I wanted to address.
[21:17] I was down in Apalachicola
yesterday for the triumph
[21:21] meeting, and I wanted to
give an update on that too,
[21:23] as well for agenda item.
[21:26] Thank you very much.
[21:27] Anything else going on?
[21:30] Going twice.
[21:30] All right.
[21:32] Well, we'll do that
under commissioner items.
[21:35] Commissioner Smith.
[21:36] Yes, sir.
[21:38] And then we will pull number
32 to the regular agenda.
[21:43] Mr chairman?
[21:44] Yes, sir.
[21:45] If I can just reserve
just a few minutes
[21:46] and commissioner, just to make
comment on a couple of items.
[21:49] But that's it.
[21:50] All right.
[21:50] 
[21:53] Yes, sir.
[21:54] I'd like to just make a comment
after the consent agenda passes.
[21:59] All right.
[22:00] Around that time
after the consent.
[22:02] 
[22:05] All right.
[22:07] We're going to start
off today, I think.
[22:09] Do we have some folks from
lifequest, Florida, here?
[22:12] Don't have my glasses on.
[22:13] All right.
[22:14] That's fantastic.
[22:15] Do y'all want to
come up real quick?
[22:16] And I'm going to
feel very honored
[22:20] and privileged to be able to
read this proclamation today.
[22:23] And so if you'll bear
with me just a second
[22:25] as we get through
this, this is a County
[22:28] on behalf of the Board
of County Commissioners
[22:30] and Santa Rosa County.
[22:32] This proclamation states whereas
National Donate Life Month was
[22:37] instituted by Donate Life
America and its members in 2003
[22:41] and grew from the federally
proclaimed National Organ and
[22:44] tissue donation Awareness Week.
[22:47] And whereas, National
Donate Life Month
[22:49] is a time when donation and
transplantation communities
[22:53] concentrate its efforts
on educating Americans
[22:56] about the critical shortage
of donated organs and tissue
[23:00] and other life
saving gifts, as well
[23:02] as acknowledging the
importance of documenting
[23:05] one's donation decision.
[23:08] Whereas more than 100,000
patients are on the National
[23:11] waiting list for
organ transplants,
[23:13] of which 5,000 are listed as
transplant centers in Florida.
[23:18] And whereas, in 2023,
more than 46,000 patients
[23:22] received life saving organ
transplants in the United
[23:24] states, with more than
3,000 of those occurring
[23:28] in the state of Florida.
[23:29] And whereas, on January 2024,
according to the United network
[23:34] of organ sharing, 1026
patients are listed at the Mayo
[23:39] clinic, Jacksonville, Florida.
[23:41] And a 156 are listed at
ascensionpress.com/sunday
[23:44] Sacred Heart in Pensacola.
[23:47] Approximately 20 people
die each day awaiting life
[23:50] saving organ transplants and one
organ donor can save the lives
[23:54] of up to eight people.
[23:56] And one tissue donor
can save up to 75 people
[23:59] through skin, bone
and cornea donation.
[24:03] Now, therefore, be it resolved.
[24:04] The board of County
Commissioners of Santa Rosa
[24:06] county, Florida, does hereby
proclaim the month of April 2024
[24:10] as National Donate Life
month, and the board
[24:13] encourages all of our citizens
to support Florida's campaign
[24:17] to save lives and of the
importance of designating one's
[24:21] wishes to be an
organ, tissue and eye
[24:24] donor by joining the registry
at Donate Life florida.org.
[24:29] Passed and adopted
this 11th day of April.
[24:32] And real quick I want
to say two things.
[24:36] This is amazing that how God
had this today on the agenda
[24:41] because I just had dinner
with some gentlemen last night
[24:43] and one of them son had
received a heart transplant less
[24:46] than a year ago up in Atlanta.
[24:49] And so that's an amazing
story to hear about.
[24:53] And the fact that I really want
to give kudos to Stan Nichols,
[24:58] who many as our Santa
Rosa County tax collector
[25:01] since his time that
he's taken office,
[25:03] he has really fervently worked
towards increasing the amount
[25:07] of people that sign
up and register
[25:09] when they get their
driver's license
[25:11] to be on that organ donor list.
[25:13] And I know he's
very proud of that.
[25:14] And so we just want to
say Thank you to him,
[25:16] but I'll turn it over.
[25:17] If you have anything
you'd like to say today,
[25:20] just hit that button
on the microphone.
[25:24] It turned green.
[25:26] Thank you very much.
[25:28] My name is Tammy Ward.
[25:29] I used to live in
Santa Rosa County.
[25:32] I know a few of you personally
through leadership and whatnot.
[25:37] I represent lifequest
organ recovery services,
[25:40] and today I am proud
to say that lifenet
[25:43] the tissue organization
is represented,
[25:46] as well as Lions for the cornea.
[25:48] We also have Santa Rosa Medical
Center representatives here
[25:53] as they support
us and as well as
[25:56] an heart and kidney
recipient and a kidney
[26:00] and liver recipient.
[26:02] The two lady and gentleman
sitting right over there, they
[26:07] advocate for us and they know
what it's like to be in need,
[26:13] but also the
generosity of someone
[26:16] to give the gift of life.
[26:18] So I really appreciate
this proclamation
[26:21] today and Thank you so much.
[26:23] And that's a.
[26:24] 
[26:31] It's a miracle that to have
that ability and technology,
[26:35] we're going to if my fellow
board members don't mind
[26:37] and the folks that
came with you today,
[26:39] we're going to come down
there and we'll get a picture.
[26:40] How about that?
[26:41] 
[28:37] You'll have a great day.
[28:38] Thank you for all of y'all here
for being with us for that.
[28:42] That's if that's
not a miracle to be
[28:45] able to take a
heart from somebody
[28:47] and give it to another
man so that he has
[28:49] the chance to live another day.
[28:51] I mean, that's amazing.
[28:53] All right.
[28:54] We are going to do a
presentation later on,
[28:56] but we're waiting
for a few folks
[28:58] to join us to be
able to do that.
[29:00] So we're going to pass
that second presentation
[29:02] that you see on the agenda.
[29:04] And then the third item
that was on the agenda
[29:07] about the presentation
from the Partners that will
[29:10] be rescheduled until April 25.
[29:12] The flights had got canceled
due to the severe weather
[29:15] that came through yesterday.
[29:17] And we I got to pick on
him in a positive way.
[29:22] We've got Tom Lloyd happens to
be sitting with us in the back.
[29:26] All of you probably know him
now from being on the news
[29:28] yesterday.
[29:29] But we appreciate Tom and
we appreciate Brittany
[29:32] and that you saw earlier up
here taking a picture and Sarah
[29:35] and her team and Andrew
and Michael and Brad
[29:38] and so many that I can't
name for being out there.
[29:41] They were ready to go for
when the storm came through
[29:45] and to be able to
deploy as quickly
[29:46] as possible after that storm
yesterday and go out there.
[29:49] And our fire departments
were absolutely
[29:52] amazing, especially all over
the North side of the County.
[29:55] Some of the fire Chiefs I talked
with, they were able to get out
[29:57] there quickly, make
sure roads were cleared
[29:59] and make sure they could
assist people where they could.
[30:02] And Thank the Lord.
[30:03] We haven't had any reports of
any major injuries or anything.
[30:07] So roofs can be fixed,
sheds can be fixed,
[30:10] but lives can't be replaced.
[30:11] So we're appreciative for that.
[30:13] And Tom, Thank you
for coordinating that.
[30:15] From our emergency
response side,
[30:19] we've got a public hearing
about the Florida building code,
[30:23] but we're going to come back
to that just so we can move
[30:25] through some of
these other items
[30:27] that we've got folks here for.
[30:30] So we're going to go
to presentation now.
[30:33] If y'all are good with
that and we're going to go
[30:34] ahead and do the
presentation by the Soil
[30:37] Conservation department.
[30:38] And I noticed we've got
some of our advocates
[30:42] for the farming
community with us today.
[30:44] And we've got Trent
Matthews here.
[30:46] And so we appreciate
all you guys being here.
[30:48] And we've even got the mayor
of Jay in the front row.
[30:51] So I just want to recognize him.
[30:52] Thank you, mayor
Owens, for being here.
[30:54] So I'm going to turn
it over to you now.
[30:57] Well, Mr Chairman and fellow
board members and residents
[31:00] of Santa Rosa county,
it's a great privilege
[31:02] to be here today.
[31:03] My name is Levi Blackmon.
[31:04] I'm a conservation
program coordinator
[31:06] for Santa Rosa County soil
conservation department.
[31:08] And we just was approached with
providing some information.
[31:13] We all know that
knowledge is power.
[31:16] I'm reminded in God's word in
Proverbs 11;14 that where there
[31:20] is no counsel, the people fall.
[31:22] But in the multitude of
counselors, there is safety.
[31:24] So today, as we
gather together, I
[31:27] just wanted to
present some facts
[31:29] here for Santa Rosa County.
[31:32] Soil conservation is a huge
impact on Santa Rosa county,
[31:36] especially speaking
with agricultural land.
[31:38] As many know, we're
not making new land.
[31:41] It's when it's gone, it's gone.
[31:44] And with the agricultural
land and the impacts it has,
[31:48] we have a finite resource that
creates non-renewable resources
[31:52] for Santa Rosa County with
those non-renewable resources
[31:56] or the renewable resources.
[31:58] I mean, is livestock
crops and timber.
[32:00] And with that, Santa Rosa
County has approximately 16.5%
[32:06] of prime farm land that is in
active row crop production.
[32:10] That's pretty significant
when you think about 16,
[32:13] 16.5% of 100% of land that is
available that we are utilizing
[32:18] in our row crop
production of that, that's
[32:22] 7.9% of all County lands.
[32:26] That's in row crop production.
[32:28] And we definitely
see that we could
[32:31] have a very potential
problems in the near future.
[32:34] And we're here today
to try to present
[32:37] some solutions to those problems
that could appear very soon.
[32:41] So with that, I think
it's very important
[32:43] that we start with the
knowledge that we're giving.
[32:47] I'm often reminded of
that, that where do
[32:51] we find the truth these days?
[32:52] That seems to be a great loss in
our culture and where we're at.
[32:57] And so that's why I've been
afforded the opportunity
[32:59] for the past month,
if you will, to be
[33:02] able to present true
facts to the residents
[33:05] of Santa Rosa County.
[33:06] And as well, the
board here today.
[33:08] If you was to move
to Santa Rosa county,
[33:10] whether you are moving
because you love the beaches
[33:14] or you're moving because
you're in the military,
[33:17] if you was to type in Santa
Rosa County economics,
[33:21] this is here what you
would be presented with.
[33:24] There's some great
misconceptions
[33:25] right now that is presented
before the residents
[33:28] of Santa Rosa County.
[33:28] And and here's just a few.
[33:30] If I was to look
at the importance
[33:32] of agricultural impact, I
would want to see what the.
[33:35] These are involved and
the area that it impacts
[33:38] within our County to make a
conscious decision if that's
[33:41] something worth fighting for.
[33:43] So here we look and we
see as you look through,
[33:45] you know, you can type
it in on a web page,
[33:47] you can pull up the information,
the agricultural industry
[33:50] in Santa Rosa County and what's
being reported, 25 businesses.
[33:54] This is what's being
reported, 8.5, $7 million
[33:59] in sales and 98 employees.
[34:01] And I thought that would be just
amazing being in an agriculture
[34:06] community myself and knowing
that these numbers are this
[34:10] isn't even close to being right.
[34:12] I mean, I think how,
you know, the Lord
[34:14] works in miraculous ways.
[34:16] And I think about today we
had several inches of rain
[34:18] last night.
[34:18] And oftentimes our
farmers can't come
[34:21] and be representative to
meetings like we have today.
[34:24] But I look at that and
see that's a great picture
[34:27] that they were able to be
here today from the rain.
[34:29] But I mean, when you look at
the farmers we have here today
[34:32] and you see 98
employees, I mean,
[34:33] that's a small representation.
[34:35] But we have I mean,
you know, we're not far
[34:37] from that number here today.
[34:38] And when you think
about that and you
[34:41] look at what the true
numbers actually are,
[34:43] we can look here on the slide
that's been created, if it'll
[34:47] work with me, let's see here.
[34:50] Maybe I need to do it
right here at the computer.
[34:52] That'll work.
[34:53] So we pulled some research
from the University of Florida,
[34:56] ifas, which is the Institute of
Food and Agricultural science,
[34:59] and they run many numbers
across Santa Rosa County
[35:03] to determine how many jobs are
truly related to agriculture
[35:07] within Santa Rosa County.
[35:09] And they ran this in 2021.
[35:11] That's the closest year I
could find this information.
[35:13] And you can see 9526 jobs.
[35:17] That's a far catch from 98
employees, wouldn't you say?
[35:22] 9526 and I will even
bring to our attention
[35:26] when you look at the information
that the County gathers
[35:30] from Applied Geographic
solutions in 2023,
[35:33] there was 45,467 jobs in
Santa Rosa county, Florida.
[35:38] When you take this, it's
not hard to figure out
[35:41] that one fifth of the County
is influenced by agriculture
[35:45] when it comes to the
relationship there of jobs.
[35:48] So as I looked at
that, I thought,
[35:49] wow, that's pretty remarkable.
[35:50] You know, when you
look over there
[35:52] and you think about 98 employees
and then also you go and you
[35:56] look at the farms, you
know, 25 businesses,
[35:59] when University of Florida
and the National agricultural
[36:03] statistics survey
service in 2022,
[36:05] they run a detailed
survey every five years.
[36:08] It goes all across
many people's homes
[36:11] that have agricultural
lands, whether it's timber,
[36:13] land, ag land, pasture land.
[36:16] And they have to
fill out a survey.
[36:17] Well, in 2022, there were 732
credited farms within Santa Rosa
[36:21] county, Florida.
[36:22] Now, when you think about
that, compared to 25 farms,
[36:26] there's a significant
difference.
[36:27] And also when you look at
the impact in this County
[36:31] when it comes to monies,
that's what really shocked me,
[36:34] because everyone knows in
the big picture in the state
[36:38] of Florida that tourism and
agriculture often rotate
[36:43] on greatest income revenues
within the state of Florida
[36:45] depending on disaster years.
[36:47] Right and I think
that's so important.
[36:49] We recognize greater than $90
million on an annual basis.
[36:54] I did a mean annual data.
[36:56] I basically did the
numbers every year
[36:59] for the past 10 years,
we have an average
[37:02] of at least $90 million.
[37:05] Now, you may say, well, Levi,
these numbers are generalized,
[37:08] you know, and most people
probably think they are.
[37:11] But I've had a
great amount of time
[37:13] over the past weeks and
months or a couple of months
[37:15] to look into this.
[37:17] And one of the
things that I found
[37:18] was the University of Florida
office teams up every year
[37:22] with the Farm Service
agency, the Natural Resource
[37:25] Conservation service,
as well as local buying
[37:28] points where products are sold
for agricultural commodities.
[37:31] And what they do is they
determine the amount of tons
[37:34] per acre that's brought in.
[37:36] They determine the
value of agriculture
[37:39] in row crop in the County.
[37:40] And you may say, well,
how is that so accurate?
[37:42] Well, friend, we have
farmers here today
[37:44] and they go to the
Farm Service agency
[37:46] and they have to
report the crops
[37:48] that they produce every year.
[37:49] They have to put on these
crops insurance in case
[37:53] bad events take place.
[37:54] We within pennies peanut
production in Santa Rosa county,
[37:58] we know within,
you know, hundreds
[38:00] of dollars of cotton production
in Santa Rosa County.
[38:03] So when you see greater
than $90 million,
[38:06] this here is determined on the
facts of what we know is coming
[38:09] out of Santa Rosa
County based on what
[38:11] people report in this County.
[38:13] It's also like if you was
going to look at some property
[38:17] and you pulled up the Santa
Rosa County property appraiser
[38:19] we're going we're going
to collect the money
[38:21] to benefit the county, right?
[38:23] But by doing that,
the property appraiser
[38:24] has to get very precise.
[38:27] So on some of the things
I'm about to show you,
[38:29] I took from our GIS department
in Santa Rosa County
[38:33] and I pulled the raw data
and some shape files,
[38:35] and I input them into a
pro and created some maps
[38:40] to present some data for us.
[38:42] So just don't miss this to this.
[38:45] 90 million per year
of an annual income
[38:48] does not include state
Timberland revenue.
[38:52] Most people understand that
we have 170,000 acres of state
[38:56] land Blackwater
River State Forest
[38:57] in Santa Rosa county, Florida.
[38:59] You would think, wow,
that's a lot of revenue.
[39:00] These numbers does not
include that revenue today.
[39:03] Here we have with us a resource
administrator from the Florida
[39:06] forest service, Mr Eric Howell,
that I contacted personally
[39:09] to get the numbers
of what they have
[39:12] accrued on the State Forest.
[39:13] And what I did is I
took those numbers
[39:15] and I subtracted it from the
tonnage of our local timber
[39:18] industry buying
points to determine
[39:20] the true numbers that we have.
[39:21] So this is not generalized.
[39:23] This is pretty accurate.
[39:24] But what I can tell you is that
not included in the 90 million
[39:28] annual revenue of
agriculture is our.
[39:33] Whole industry with timber
are Chip and saw industry
[39:38] with timber and also are Sol.
[39:40] Timber industry and timber.
[39:42] That's three
classifications of timber
[39:44] that is not included here.
[39:46] That's why it is clear
that we are approaching
[39:50] $1 billion industry within
the past decade in agriculture
[39:54] in Santa Rosa county, Florida.
[39:56] That's a far stretch from
8.47 million per year.
[40:00] Wouldn't you say?
[40:02] We look here at the next
slide and we kind of
[40:05] see some geographical location
of private agricultural lands?
[40:10] I think it's very important
that we include what can benefit
[40:13] Santa Rosa County residents.
[40:14] We all know that state
land is controlled
[40:17] by the state of Florida.
[40:18] I used to work for the State
of Florida as a lifeguard,
[40:21] and I worked out
there at cruel lake,
[40:23] and I can recall when
moneys were taken in.
[40:25] These moneys go into a pot
of money in Tallahassee
[40:28] and they distribute
it out to where
[40:29] they want to distribute it.
[40:31] So local money has a
great impact on us.
[40:34] We can see the wide
area, the wide area
[40:37] was pulled from the
property appraiser
[40:38] map of agricultural lands
in Santa Rosa county,
[40:41] and you can see there in the
Allentown area, berrydale area,
[40:45] schmukler and J. Where the row
crop land has a great impact.
[40:51] Also, we see the numbers 63,000
acres, give or take some acres
[40:56] is crop and grazing land.
[40:58] I bring to your attention.
[40:59] I passed out a
pamphlet that shows
[41:01] approximately 51,000 acres are
in active row crop production.
[41:05] So you'll see a difference
there than 63,000
[41:09] because row crop production,
we to the acre through the Farm
[41:12] Service agency, total land
mass, 2230 3,000 acres
[41:18] is the influence we
have as private citizens
[41:21] on Santa Rosa county, Florida.
[41:24] That is 36% If you look
at the numbers, 10%,
[41:28] which is row crop
and grazing and 26%
[41:31] that is private forestry land.
[41:34] I just made a generalized
number for 64% other.
[41:37] That includes a lot of
different attributes there.
[41:40] The next slide, we have
just focuses on the picture
[41:44] there for row crop and
grazing land, 63,000 acres.
[41:48] I just wanted us all
to have an image there.
[41:50] And the importance of that, you
see, as we fragment farmland,
[41:54] it makes it more
difficult to farm land.
[41:57] I know that there's a couple of
different agricultural producers
[41:59] that still try to farm
near pace high school.
[42:02] Everybody knows where that's at.
[42:03] But what most people don't
know is that these farmers have
[42:06] to travel at 1 AM in
the morning to get
[42:08] equipment to this site
because of the road
[42:10] on chumuckla highway.
[42:12] So as land starts
getting fragmented,
[42:14] it creates a deficit for
our farming community.
[42:17] Also with this, we
have another map here,
[42:20] and this just shows generalized
major land uses within Santa
[42:23] Rosa county, Florida.
[42:24] Now, mind you, this was all
pulled from the GIS department.
[42:28] And for 2024, you can
see the numbers here.
[42:32] We have, you know,
18% is considered
[42:35] developed or vacant land.
[42:36] Right?
[42:37] that was the land use
that was identified as it
[42:40] we see 36% There is considered
state or federal land.
[42:44] There is a little
disclaimer here.
[42:45] 10% is kind of, you
know, marked out there
[42:49] when you look along Escambia
river and Yellow River
[42:51] and Blackwater river, there's
some areas there that are river
[42:54] Marsh that and some
of those areas,
[42:56] water Management District
actually manages that area.
[43:00] So that's going to be the area
that was not included there.
[43:02] So when you look
at this, it kind of
[43:03] gives you a big scope picture of
the importance of agriculture.
[43:08] So if I move into Santa Rosa
County and as we all know,
[43:11] the majority of decisions
made in Santa Rosa County
[43:14] by the residents
of the County are
[43:16] going to occur in
high population areas
[43:18] pace, Milton, navarre,
midway in Gulf Breeze.
[43:22] Now, I bring to your
conclusion they're
[43:24] not driving by this
resource every single day.
[43:28] They don't know
anything about it
[43:29] in a big picture
in a lot of ways.
[43:31] So we got to get
the facts to them.
[43:33] And the truth
council of the people
[43:35] that are in the industry
to show the importance
[43:38] of our agricultural lands.
[43:41] You'll notice here
sustainable agriculture that
[43:43] takes place in this County.
[43:44] This is a 20 year average.
[43:47] A line graph showing the
money value of agricultural
[43:51] in Santa Rosa County.
[43:52] As I mentioned
earlier, a $900 million
[43:53] industry in the previous
decade, at least,
[43:56] that we know that to be
accurate, without a doubt.
[43:59] You'll notice on this map that
in 2021, when we had probably
[44:02] some of the greatest overflows
of impact from COVID 19
[44:05] that we were at
around $100 million
[44:08] of an industry with the
exception of Timberland.
[44:12] OK that is row crop
and grazing only.
[44:15] That's pretty remarkable.
[44:17] So in times of disaster,
there is a great influx
[44:20] and still steady wins the
race as we all know it.
[44:24] We know here that
the AG industry
[44:26] proves to be very valuable.
[44:28] One thing that was
not mentioned earlier,
[44:30] is of the 9527 of those that
are involved in agriculture
[44:35] within this county, friend those
are people that don't cross
[44:38] the river, that don't live
in mobile homes or not
[44:42] mobile homes, but
in campers with,
[44:43] whether it be in construction
or working from out of town
[44:46] on right of way work.
[44:47] These are people that live
in Santa Rosa County that
[44:50] buy in Santa Rosa County
and that most likely
[44:52] die in Santa Rosa County.
[44:54] That is a great impact.
[44:56] So here as we continue, we have
options for ag land protection.
[45:00] Now, friend, we're
not here today
[45:01] to sway this board or the
residents of this County
[45:04] in any one direction.
[45:06] We're here today to present
simply the facts of what we
[45:09] know is working, what we know is
available on the common market.
[45:12] The first thing is the one
that we need to really look
[45:15] at Levy County tax dollars.
[45:17] That that that's one thing
we're going to discuss here
[45:19] in a moment, whether
it be in a line
[45:21] item budget or a referendum.
[45:23] We also have easements,
which is a voluntary program,
[45:27] very important.
[45:28] We understand that there are
several different programs that
[45:31] are being funneled through
the state of Florida locally
[45:33] and on a regional level, whether
it be through the US Navy.
[45:37] We have a representative here
today that's involved with that.
[45:40] Also we have the rural
and family land protection
[45:43] that has invested more money
into protection of rural lands
[45:47] in the state of Florida than
the National level has done.
[45:50] It's pretty remarkable
when you look
[45:52] at it, regional conservation
partnership program as well.
[45:55] That's followed by USDA.
[45:56] NRCS we have a representative
for here today for that as well.
[45:59] And then also we have
transfer development rights.
[46:02] And that's something that
often is misunderstood,
[46:05] but it's a voluntary program.
[46:07] It's something that
we need to understand
[46:08] is incentive based, based on
what the land owner would like
[46:12] to have happen with their land.
[46:14] And just to discuss a
few of these things,
[46:16] the first one is
acquire County dollars.
[46:18] There is no way possible
to get into the fold
[46:23] with the federal government
and the state government
[46:25] without the County bringing
something to the table.
[46:27] It's very evident
the state program
[46:30] through the rural
and family lands,
[46:31] they have a ranking process.
[46:33] The usda, through the Natural
Resource Conservation service,
[46:36] they have a ranking process
within these ranking processes.
[46:39] They require 50/50 matches and
it is very difficult for us
[46:43] to Levy that without
the help of the board
[46:45] and residents of
the County to see
[46:47] the importance of agriculture
impacts in our County.
[46:50] So with that, the acquiring
of County dollars,
[46:52] it could be facilitated through
a line item budget, if you will.
[46:56] It could be facilitated
through a referendum.
[46:59] One important note about a
referendum where in Florida
[47:03] a referendum has been
brought before the residents
[47:06] of the County on ballot.
[47:07] It has been majority
passed when it comes
[47:10] to conservation in Florida.
[47:12] Just to give a few
examples, from 2020 to 2022,
[47:15] we have Alachua county, Brevard
county, Indian river, manatee,
[47:19] Nassau and Polk counties.
[47:21] All of these counties
presented referendums
[47:23] before their residents and they
all passed with a majority.
[47:26] As we look at that
and recognize that we
[47:29] see the need in
these areas that are
[47:31] heavy when it comes to influx.
[47:33] And I'm not about, you
know, discouraging people
[47:37] to move to Santa
Rosa County for in,
[47:39] I believe it's a
very great County
[47:40] and we have a lot to offer.
[47:41] And we should allow people
to move into our County.
[47:43] But I do see that we do
have acquiring County
[47:46] dollars as at the forefront.
[47:48] This is something that
is a definite need that's
[47:50] going to be required,
I believe, if we are
[47:53] to counterbalance with the
state and federal funds
[47:55] on projects like easements.
[47:58] So as we look at that, we
get to the easement program.
[48:02] And there's some
pros and cons here.
[48:04] One of the biggest cons
on an easement program
[48:06] is it takes time.
[48:08] You know, patience is that one
thing that people just don't
[48:11] often have a lot of, right?
[48:13] This here takes a lot
of time to implement.
[48:15] And oftentimes working with
the United States Department
[48:18] of agriculture that
time is necessary
[48:21] to establish a working program.
[48:23] But yet here it also
requires match money.
[48:27] It's going to have to be
built off of someone's dollar.
[48:30] Pros of that, though,
is it protects
[48:32] valuable agricultural lands
and not necessarily just
[48:36] agricultural lands,
but other lands
[48:38] of interest that need
easements, whether it.
[48:40] Be natural resource
related or not.
[48:43] With that, we have a program
that's really local, that is
[48:47] through the United States
Department of Navy.
[48:49] It's called the
Ripa program, which
[48:52] is the readiness environmental
program integration.
[48:54] And this is something here
locally that we have people
[48:57] working in this program
locally that we could work
[49:00] and collaborate together with,
especially with Whiting field
[49:04] being a heart of our County.
[49:05] And as I think
about that, that's
[49:07] a very good program that
we've been in discussion with.
[49:10] We have a representative
here today.
[49:11] If you need to speak or
they need to speak on that.
[49:14] But also with that, we look at
these programs as the protection
[49:20] voluntarily.
[49:22] The last thing anybody should
do is come to me as a resident
[49:26] and tell me what I'm
going to do with my land.
[49:28] So if we can voluntarily
enter into something
[49:30] that's available
that's offered, I see
[49:32] it as a win-win for the County.
[49:34] I see it as a win-win
for all aspects.
[49:36] We find not just
easements, but we also
[49:39] look at transfer of
development rights
[49:40] with a transfer of development.
[49:42] Right? it often sounds
good and looks good.
[49:45] And we can really
explain it well.
[49:46] You can notice the graph here
that it shows landowner a,
[49:50] he's defined as
ascending person.
[49:54] They send their development
rights over here to landowner b,
[49:57] which receives them as we think
about a transfer of development.
[50:00] Right it's important because
it has to have hard decisions
[50:04] made by those in leadership.
[50:06] Leadership of our County has to
determine where the County plans
[50:10] in the future to
make development
[50:13] and establish
infrastructure and to create
[50:14] utilities for this County.
[50:16] And by doing that,
it works hand in hand
[50:18] with our agricultural
community because there's
[50:21] a great need there.
[50:22] We see this here as based
on a determining market
[50:25] for development rights can
be the rise and fall of this.
[50:28] This isn't something
that in some cases,
[50:30] people decide to do in a
whole County or countywide,
[50:33] but in localized areas.
[50:35] When we think about the interest
here within Santa Rosa county,
[50:39] just to piggyback onto the
easement section in the usda,
[50:43] NRCS office located in jay,
Florida, in Santa Rosa county,
[50:47] there has been a press
release through the state,
[50:49] through the rural and
family land protection.
[50:51] So they do a press
release in our office.
[50:54] We don't go out and do
a great press release.
[50:56] We really just word by mouth.
[50:58] And we have 24 landowners
that show up 10,000 acres
[51:04] that put an application in.
[51:06] You see here today
that there's obviously
[51:09] show some of those farmers.
[51:11] I think that's important because
we see the interest is there.
[51:15] We recognize here that this
transfer of development.
[51:18] Right is something that
is not that we're going
[51:20] to get off the ground today.
[51:22] This is a program that has
to be developed, developed,
[51:25] thought through something that
the County would need to look
[51:28] into more in detail to
understand what works
[51:30] and what does not work.
[51:32] We find here that within
this there is procedures
[51:35] that have to be established.
[51:36] There is credits that have to
be given to whichever landowner
[51:38] and who it's going to.
[51:40] Obviously, developers
have to be involved
[51:42] with the decision making.
[51:43] If they're going to even
want to be a part of this.
[51:45] But I want you to
look, there is Florida
[51:46] programs that are successful.
[51:48] If you notice here, there
is Alachua county, which
[51:51] is where Gainesville is at.
[51:52] They have a successful
TDR program.
[51:54] You also notice Lee
County there where
[51:56] the greater Fort Myers area is.
[51:58] They have a successful
TDR program.
[52:01] But here is just an example.
[52:03] This is not a silver bullet.
[52:05] Just doing a referendum
ain't going to solve it.
[52:08] Just doing an easement program.
[52:10] It's not going to solve it.
[52:11] Just doing transfer
development rights.
[52:13] This is not going to solve
all of the issues in one.
[52:17] It's going to be a coupled
approach coming to the table,
[52:20] wanting to be a peacemaker with
all of those interested in Santa
[52:24] Rosa county, whether
it be agriculture,
[52:27] whether it be development,
tourism, whatever it be,
[52:30] we have to work together.
[52:31] So we look here and we
see some pros and cons.
[52:34] We've kind of mentioned some
of them, obviously voluntary.
[52:37] A private market controls
this within a system.
[52:41] The federal government, the
state government and the County
[52:44] government is not
coming to me at my house
[52:46] and telling me what I will
and will not do with my land.
[52:49] That is why it's such a great
selling point, because when
[52:52] the leadership makes
decisions based on those that
[52:55] are interested putting
applications in it
[52:57] would be easy to
create sending areas.
[53:00] And then the hard decision
is where is it going?
[53:03] That would be the hardest.
[53:04] And that's a con any time.
[53:06] If you was to come to
me and tell me, Mr Levi,
[53:09] I know you live in
McClellan, but we're
[53:10] going to come and build
the biggest waste facility
[53:13] right beside your house in.
[53:14] McClellan you know what?
[53:15] Levi don't want that.
[53:16] That's a hard decision.
[53:18] We don't discredit that.
[53:20] But we do understand
that we have
[53:23] to have infrastructure in our
County to establish residents.
[53:27] We do understand that.
[53:28] So that's a hard decision
that has to be made.
[53:31] By us all.
[53:32] We look here and we
think about this.
[53:34] This is just one example of
things that are available.
[53:38] Here's the reference page.
[53:40] Where we gathered
all of our data.
[53:42] I believe it's very important.
[53:44] We know this information
is not generalized.
[53:47] This came across my desk when
I came to Santa Rosa county,
[53:50] and I spent hours
locating these people,
[53:53] finding these buying points,
calling them and determining
[53:55] what the true answers are.
[53:59] Thank you for your time.
[53:59] 
[54:09] Levi, Thanks for coming and
giving the presentation.
[54:12] I it's always great
to hear Levi speak.
[54:14] If you don't get fired up
when Levi gets a presentation,
[54:17] you just ain't getting fired up.
[54:19] And I'll make a quick
comment and then
[54:21] we'll go over to the
District Commissioner
[54:23] that represents the lion's
share of the row crop stuff.
[54:27] But, you know, I want to
highlight two big things that he
[54:33] said because it
can't it really can't
[54:35] be echoed enough, like you said,
to fight those misconceptions.
[54:38] If you listen to what
he talked about as
[54:41] far as land that is
actively under conservation
[54:45] programs in Santa Rosa
county, it's tremendous.
[54:47] When you couple the
private land with the state
[54:50] owned land, nearly 70%,
70% is a huge number.
[54:56] I mean, you don't hear
that talked about of land
[54:59] in our County right now is
currently under conservation
[55:02] programs, either via agriculture
or silviculture with Timberland.
[55:06] And so that's tremendous.
[55:07] And it's nice to and
refreshing to hear
[55:10] that because sometimes
you'll hear that, you know,
[55:13] hey, it's all disappeared.
[55:14] But that's a lion's
share, nearly 3/4.
[55:18] But I will tell you this.
[55:21] The comprehensive approach that
the farming community has taken
[55:26] to understanding the issues
of protecting those lands
[55:32] and also supporting what
you heard him say today,
[55:36] the agriculture community,
through I know, meetings I've
[55:38] had them and I'm sure meetings
that every commissioner has had
[55:40] and staff is they understand
what you just said.
[55:44] You know what, we're
proud to be American
[55:45] and we're proud
that if Americans
[55:47] want to move here and live
in our community, then
[55:49] they're welcome.
[55:50] But how do we address that
while conserving land?
[55:52] And like you talked
about, tough decisions,
[55:54] but the farmers understand
that obviously you
[55:56] got to allow density in areas
that aren't farmland to make it
[56:00] happen so that you
can preserve that
[56:02] and still welcome our
American neighbors.
[56:04] I mean, I think as a
Christian, that's kind of what
[56:06] we're supposed to do, you know?
[56:08] But I will say before I turn
it over, just so you guys know,
[56:12] and today obviously is
not the decision point,
[56:17] but it is an absolute
great springboard
[56:19] to jump off into which
direction that we're heading.
[56:23] And so I'm encouraged and
excited to hear comments
[56:25] from fellow commissioners.
[56:26] But just so you all know, and
I'll get it out of the way.
[56:28] And so I can finish talking.
[56:30] I really like through my
conversations, especially
[56:33] with Trent and Ryan and
some of these other guys,
[56:36] I kind of like that
what I'm going to call
[56:38] a multi pronged approach.
[56:40] I told these gentlemen,
and I'll say it today,
[56:43] I, I fully support
committing $2 million
[56:46] even in the next fiscal
year to land conservation
[56:49] to match with those grant
programs from the funds
[56:52] that the Navy is
willing to provide,
[56:54] as well as USDA
and federal funds.
[56:57] And and that's something that
I know that we can absolutely
[57:00] do responsibly within
our fiscal budget
[57:04] that we have that won't make
a hiccup to any operations
[57:09] or pay raises or any things
we're doing next year.
[57:11] But also.
[57:14] I absolutely want to continue
to learn more about the transfer
[57:18] development rights.
[57:18] I've been fortunate
that Trent had provided
[57:21] that information to me, and you
probably said it better than me.
[57:24] It's a very complex
issue with challenges,
[57:27] and so I just want
to make sure that I
[57:29] get my arms fully around
that as far as when
[57:32] our board makes a decision.
[57:33] But I think probably looking
at that multi prong approach
[57:36] and having the opportunity to
talk with some of the people
[57:38] in the farming
community, you know,
[57:40] it was clear to me that
y'all are just like
[57:43] folks down here in the city.
[57:44] You get 10 people
in the same room
[57:45] and you're going to get
some different ideas.
[57:47] And so some really like
the idea of, you know,
[57:50] not getting the
government involved at all
[57:51] and doing the transfer
development rights.
[57:53] And some really like
the idea of, hey,
[57:55] you know, Trent's already had
I can't even remember how many
[57:58] applications.
[57:59] I think he said around
10,000 acres worth of land
[58:01] that people have said, we're
willing to voluntarily go
[58:03] into an easement
program if we can
[58:05] assist with that grant funding.
[58:07] So I just sharing that with you
gentlemen as far as those are
[58:10] my thoughts and encouraged to
hear from the rest of the board
[58:13] and as we start moving
forward with this,
[58:15] so I'll turn it over
to Commissioner Calkins
[58:17] because he definitely
represents the district
[58:20] with the lion's share that you
gentlemen have property in.
[58:23] So commissioner
Calkins Thank you,
[58:24] Mr chairman, and
Thank you so much,
[58:26] Levi, for your presentation.
[58:28] It was an honor to meet with
the group about all this.
[58:31] And right now.
[58:34] Farming is one of the most
important industries in Santa
[58:38] Rosa County and our country.
[58:40] If you don't have
farmers, you don't eat.
[58:42] It is very important.
[58:43] And we have a disaster that
is heading for us right now.
[58:47] And I'm talking to some farmers,
Mr Jenkins, and learned a lot.
[58:52] I'm not a farmer, but I'm
going to listen to the farmers
[58:55] to know what to do.
[58:57] We are running out
of farmland and we
[59:00] are if we run out of farmland,
we're all in trouble.
[59:03] Food prices go up.
[59:04] People can't afford
groceries, so we
[59:08] need to work together
to do everything
[59:09] we can to protect our farmland.
[59:13] And what you all are proposing
is a good first step.
[59:17] And I'm going to tell
you, I appreciate,
[59:18] Mr chairman, throwing out
a number of $2 million
[59:22] because that helps me.
[59:25] I fully will support that.
[59:26] And that will also
get help us to get
[59:29] grants and get more money from
the feds and everybody else.
[59:33] And and y'all said when we were
meeting this is not basically
[59:40] the landowner has a right.
[59:43] They're not forced they
have a right to join this
[59:46] and it will help with
protect our farmland.
[59:50] I mean and we have prime
soils in Santa Rosa County.
[59:54] And when you build houses
on these primetime soils,
[59:57] those soils, it it's going
to hurt our farming industry.
[1:00:01] So we got to make
sure that we protect
[1:00:03] the land with the prime soils.
[1:00:05] And we also now development
should be allowed on areas
[1:00:09] that aren't good for farming.
[1:00:11] And you know, I've
seen the maps and I
[1:00:13] think that's the direction we
need to go in Santa Rosa County.
[1:00:17] But you all have my word.
[1:00:19] I'm going to do everything
I can as the district three
[1:00:21] commissioner, as the one with
the most farmland in this County
[1:00:24] to help protect and promote
our farming industry.
[1:00:29] Because like I said, again,
if we don't have farmers,
[1:00:32] we don't eat, our kids don't
eat in America is in trouble.
[1:00:36] So we absolutely and I'm so
thankful that you all care
[1:00:41] and that you all
are being proactive.
[1:00:43] And it's a huge help to
this, this whole board.
[1:00:47] You all have my
100% support anytime
[1:00:51] my door is open at all times.
[1:00:53] Any farmer, anybody
want to meet with me,
[1:00:57] my calendar is wide open for
everybody wanting to meet
[1:00:59] and I need to hear ideas and
we'll put them up on the agenda.
[1:01:03] We'll get this done.
[1:01:04] I want to tell you another
thing that I'm working on
[1:01:07] after that meeting is tangible
tax for personal property
[1:01:13] for the farmers.
[1:01:13] It is absolutely
wrong that farmers
[1:01:16] have to pay a tangible personal
property tax in this County.
[1:01:20] I went to the County attorney,
find out can we get rid of it?
[1:01:22] Because I wanted to
put that on the agenda.
[1:01:24] He told me, no, the
state handles that.
[1:01:27] But what I want to do as
a board, get a letter,
[1:01:31] get meet with our
state representative,
[1:01:33] our we're going to have
probably a really good Senator
[1:01:35] coming around, meet
with him and get a bill
[1:01:40] that gets rid of the tangible,
tangible personal property
[1:01:45] tax for all our farmers.
[1:01:48] And I can tell you, I believe
the state will vote for that.
[1:01:51] And so that's something
we could start with now
[1:01:54] and that will truly keep
money in our farmers pocket.
[1:01:58] So that's what I
want to bring up.
[1:02:01] Thank you so much, commissioner.
[1:02:04] Commissioner Wright.
[1:02:05] Thank you, Mr Chairman.
[1:02:07] Thank you for the
presentation today.
[1:02:10] Those of you who listen to me
for the last couple of years,
[1:02:13] you know, you know that I
like to use the term balance.
[1:02:16] And clearly I'm not
an anti-growth person.
[1:02:18] I believe in the right
to pursue happiness.
[1:02:23] I appreciate the
presentation partially
[1:02:25] because you talked
about the fact
[1:02:26] that agriculture is always
fighting with tourism
[1:02:31] for the number one revenue
source in the state of Florida,
[1:02:35] driving the economy and
people forget about that.
[1:02:36] Everyone in the United
States thinks about Florida
[1:02:38] and they don't think about
agriculture, you know,
[1:02:40] unless you're in
that industry, right?
[1:02:42] Everyone thinks about
Disney World and beaches.
[1:02:45] So I'm glad you brought
that up to help, you know,
[1:02:47] dispel that myth.
[1:02:49] 
[1:02:52] Trent, I think it was
almost three years ago
[1:02:54] that you and I got
together and I came to you
[1:02:56] and I said, I know I'm
the guy from Gulf breeze,
[1:02:57] but I got an idea I want
to talk to you about how do
[1:03:00] we preserve farmlands, right?
[1:03:02] Knowing that growth was coming.
[1:03:04] We've seen what happened
for several decades,
[1:03:06] and we have to figure
out a way forward
[1:03:08] to make sure we allow
for that growth,
[1:03:10] because we can't build a
wall around Santa Rosa County
[1:03:12] and say, you don't
get to come here.
[1:03:13] Right it goes back to that
right to pursue happiness.
[1:03:15] But we had to find the balance
because once that farmland is
[1:03:18] gone, we ain't getting it back.
[1:03:21] So, you know, one of the things
we talked about at the time
[1:03:24] is how do we do something from
an accounting standpoint and.
[1:03:28] 
[1:03:31] I'm not big on just, you
know, knee jerk reactions
[1:03:34] and just coming up with
a solution really quick.
[1:03:36] We really need to do
some due diligence
[1:03:37] to figure out what tools
we have in the toolbox
[1:03:39] to get something done.
[1:03:40] You've spent a lot of time,
you and an entire team,
[1:03:43] you guys have all
worked together on this.
[1:03:45] Try to figure out, come back to
the board and say, hey, here's
[1:03:47] the options that we
see that are out there.
[1:03:49] I, like Commissioner
Parker, agree
[1:03:52] the a multi-pronged approach.
[1:03:55] There's no one size fits
all answer on this one.
[1:03:57] I think the County has to
put some skin in the game.
[1:03:59] We need to set aside
some funding for this.
[1:04:01] I think development rights
is a good opportunity.
[1:04:04] All of these programs we
need to utilize everything
[1:04:06] we can not to
steal your thunder.
[1:04:10] But I saw somebody
at public forum
[1:04:12] when I watched the
meeting from Monday,
[1:04:14] came up and made
comment on something
[1:04:16] that's tied directly to this.
[1:04:18] I've been working with.
[1:04:19] There's a joint partnership with
Escambia County and Santa Rosa
[1:04:21] County and a couple
organizations, Pensacola,
[1:04:24] perdido Bay estuary
program to work
[1:04:26] with 1,000 friends of Florida.
[1:04:27] It's been going on
for a few months now.
[1:04:29] I briefed staff a little
bit on it about a month ago
[1:04:32] when they came out with
a preliminary report.
[1:04:34] They'll be coming out
with a final report
[1:04:36] and there's going to be an event
April 23 at 5:00 PM West Florida
[1:04:40] public library in
downtown Pensacola at 239
[1:04:43] North Spring Street.
[1:04:44] They put a study together with
UW and University of Florida
[1:04:48] specifically to talk about
what opportunities for growth
[1:04:53] there are from a
standpoint of housing
[1:04:56] and how do we protect
prime farmland areas
[1:04:59] and conservation like this.
[1:05:00] And ultimately, it goes
back to their findings,
[1:05:03] basically talk about density,
how we need to find ways to find
[1:05:06] a, the appropriate areas
for growth to happen,
[1:05:09] how we increase
density in those areas
[1:05:11] and how we preserve these farms.
[1:05:14] And this other delicate
soils and delicate areas
[1:05:19] of the community and how
we protect our waterways.
[1:05:23] So it goes hand in hand, right.
[1:05:25] And I think it's important that
we remember that protecting land
[1:05:29] appropriately, protecting
land and allowing development,
[1:05:33] those things go hand in hand.
[1:05:35] They're not partisan issues.
[1:05:36] They're community issues.
[1:05:37] Right and we can all agree that
we want clean water, clean air,
[1:05:41] and we want to have food.
[1:05:42] Right and we want to
have clothing to wear.
[1:05:45] So I appreciate
the board members
[1:05:47] being willing to look at setting
aside some money in the future.
[1:05:51] And I look forward to a lot
of future conversations.
[1:05:53] But Thank you to everyone
that worked so hard on this.
[1:05:54] Appreciate it.
[1:05:56] Thank you, commissioner.
[1:05:57] Commissioner Smith.
[1:05:58] Yeah Thank you for
that great presentation
[1:06:00] and I really enjoyed
talking to you guys
[1:06:02] on, on the personal
note, getting
[1:06:05] an education on this program.
[1:06:07] I got to can't help but
commend you guys for the work
[1:06:10] that you're doing to preserve
this wonderful way of life
[1:06:16] that this country was built on.
[1:06:18] And, you know,
sometimes sometimes
[1:06:21] I've credited myself to say.
[1:06:24] I call out things
when I see them.
[1:06:28] You know, we get
some people up here
[1:06:30] sometimes that are professing
to protect farmlands.
[1:06:34] And I don't see them here today.
[1:06:36] And these are the things
that this is the work.
[1:06:38] This is the hard work
that I like to see.
[1:06:41] And, you know,
it's common sense,
[1:06:45] but it's still got a lot of
work that needs to go forward.
[1:06:48] And you got my support on this.
[1:06:51] Thank you.
[1:06:52] Thank you, gentlemen.
[1:06:53] And I know I know there's going
to be some happy folks out here
[1:06:56] to hear because I wouldn't
sure about the water,
[1:07:01] but it sounds like it's amazing.
[1:07:04] I wish we had time to tell
all the citizens they can take
[1:07:07] that $2 million of
County money and turn
[1:07:09] that into it could be
close to $10 million
[1:07:12] in grant opportunities.
[1:07:13] So that's exciting.
[1:07:14] And I'm so proud just
to be a small part
[1:07:18] of this board
implementing programs
[1:07:20] that do ensure smart growth.
[1:07:22] So that we are working with
our citizens and our landowners
[1:07:25] and our farmers.
[1:07:26] And Levi, again, I can't
tip my hat enough to today
[1:07:29] for being the representative
for these folks here,
[1:07:32] and we appreciate it.
[1:07:34] And I am extremely
encouraged that as we work
[1:07:37] through these next
few months, I think
[1:07:40] we'll be able to shore some
stuff up and at least give
[1:07:42] you all some direction.
[1:07:43] But clearly, obviously, as
far as these other programs,
[1:07:47] we'll have to.
[1:07:48] But it sounds like in Trent,
you circle back with me
[1:07:52] and Brad as far as what we need
to do to shore up with you,
[1:07:56] the commitment so that
you can start working
[1:07:58] on those grant applications and
opportunities to help the folks.
[1:08:01] And again, Thank
you all so much.
[1:08:03] Well, Thank you, Mr Chairman
and fellow board members
[1:08:06] and also residents,
Santa Rosa county,
[1:08:07] for having the
time for us today.
[1:08:09] All right.
[1:08:10] 
[1:08:17] Well, this is the
people watching at home
[1:08:20] and we're thankful
to our audience
[1:08:22] and we're thankful to
have the opportunity.
[1:08:24] People at home or at
work that can't make it
[1:08:27] here get to watch
these important issues.
[1:08:28] But the people
watching at home didn't
[1:08:30] get to see the yellow wave
that came into the room.
[1:08:34] And so, you know,
it's pretty cool.
[1:08:35] Now we've got the
cats in the House
[1:08:37] and some of our
local celebrities.
[1:08:40] And lord, I don't
think there's nobody
[1:08:42] more famous in this County
than Brent lane over there.
[1:08:45] But we're thankful.
[1:08:49] We are so thankful.
[1:08:50] And before I turn it over for
the Hawks family and honestly,
[1:08:54] we're thankful to have, you
know, Kevin with us for awanas
[1:08:58] and and so many representatives
from the Santa Rosa kids house.
[1:09:02] And so this is an exciting time.
[1:09:04] And as soon as
we're having these,
[1:09:07] we're going to let the audience
clear out for just a second.
[1:09:09] Farmers got to get back to work.
[1:09:11] Yeah, absolutely.
[1:09:12] Because as commissioner
Calkins said,
[1:09:14] we can't eat without farmers.
[1:09:16] And Lord knows I like to
eat at least twice a day.
[1:09:18] So see y'all later.
[1:09:20] Be careful on your
way back home.
[1:09:23] And then I'm going to turn
it over to Commissioner.
[1:09:25] Right he's got he's going to
fill folks in more about why
[1:09:29] they get to see I'm going
to call it the yellow wave
[1:09:31] here today with cat country.
[1:09:33] And just such an
amazing opportunity.
[1:09:35] And I appreciate
Commissioner right.
[1:09:36] Being the one to spearhead
this presentation today.
[1:09:40] And Thank you all for coming.
[1:09:41] Thank you, Mr Chairman.
[1:09:42] Yeah folks from
cat country 98.7 FM
[1:09:45] will be presenting a check to
Santa Rosa kids house today.
[1:09:48] But I think we're a
little behind on this one
[1:09:52] from a timing standpoint to
celebrate the length of time
[1:09:58] that cat country has been
a station in our region
[1:10:01] and has been an integral
part of our community,
[1:10:04] but just wanted to present
a proclamation to them.
[1:10:07] And Thanks for all they've
done for many decades now.
[1:10:11] Whereas in 1987, dairy
Dave and Mary housing
[1:10:14] applied to the Federal
Communications Commission
[1:10:16] to construct a new radio
station in Pensacola in 2003,
[1:10:20] construction was completed on a
new 100,000 Watt 942 foot tower
[1:10:25] on 40 acres West of muskogee,
and an FCC license was issued.
[1:10:30] The new FM radio station
wic, ct, now known
[1:10:36] as cat country 98.7,
was built to serve
[1:10:38] the greater Pensacola area.
[1:10:40] Wic made its debut as Christmas
radio 98.7 in November of 2003
[1:10:46] and switched to
pre-recorded country music
[1:10:48] on December 26th, 2003.
[1:10:51] Live broadcasting
started in January 2004
[1:10:54] with on air personality
Cindy Anderson, Kevin
[1:10:57] King, Charlie Crabb and Denver.
[1:10:59] Leonard wect was the
first radio station
[1:11:02] in Florida to broadcast in
high quality digital HD radio.
[1:11:07] Wect cat country
98.7 is a standout
[1:11:10] among broadcasting companies.
[1:11:12] It's family owned and operated
by Dave and Mary Hocking
[1:11:15] and cat country
98.7 is constantly
[1:11:18] giving back to our community.
[1:11:19] In November 2023, cat country
hosted its ninth miracle
[1:11:24] on Palafox to raise over $17,000
to support families in need
[1:11:28] with Christmas wishes throughout
the United Way of West Florida.
[1:11:32] In August 2023, cat country
organized and broadcast
[1:11:36] with TV partner WJR, the
fifth annual cat Country Cares
[1:11:39] for kids radiothon and
raised over $219,000
[1:11:43] to benefit the Studer
family Children's Hospital.
[1:11:47] And in 2023, cat
country 98.7 aired
[1:11:50] more than 10,000 public
service announcements for
[1:11:53] non-profit events and causes.
[1:11:55] Its on air personalities
broadcasted or emceed
[1:11:58] dozens of events to help
organizations like the Big
[1:12:01] Brothers Big Sisters gala,
men who cook for PACE center
[1:12:05] for girls, Pensacola
fireworks on the 4th of July,
[1:12:09] the USO and leadership,
Pensacola, just to name a few.
[1:12:13] And cat country 98.7
is one of the most
[1:12:16] recognized brands in Pensacola.
[1:12:18] Wect is the only Broadcasting
Company with four pace
[1:12:22] awards presented to its
leaders by the greater
[1:12:24] Pensacola chamber.
[1:12:25] And during the past
20 years, cat country
[1:12:28] has received the Country Music
Association station of the year
[1:12:31] twice.
[1:12:31] The Academy of country music
station of the year five times.
[1:12:35] The National Association
of Broadcasters
[1:12:37] friend in need award three times
and the National Association
[1:12:40] of Broadcasters crystal
award three times.
[1:12:43] Now, therefore, be resolved
that the Board of County
[1:12:45] Commissioners of Santa Rosa
county, Florida, hereby
[1:12:48] recognizes wect cat country 98.7
for their 20 years of service
[1:12:53] to Santa Rosa County
and Northwest Florida.
[1:12:56] Passed and adopted by the
Board of County Commissioners
[1:12:58] this 11th day of April
2024 and will be signed
[1:13:00] by our chairman, Sam Parker.
[1:13:03] Thank you so much, Dave and
Mary and your entire team
[1:13:05] over the years, both your team
members today and your team
[1:13:08] members over the many
years for everything
[1:13:11] you've done for this community.
[1:13:13] You know, a lot of times
people think of Pensacola
[1:13:16] and Santa Rosa County.
[1:13:17] I think it's a
station in Pensacola.
[1:13:19] But you've been integrated in
this community for many years.
[1:13:23] And you've done so much
to help nonprofit groups
[1:13:26] and help the citizens here to
work with one as at the events
[1:13:30] you do in Spring Jam and
just want to say Thank you
[1:13:33] and we appreciate what you do.
[1:13:36] Any other comments
from the board?
[1:13:37] Do you want to have
them come up and speak?
[1:13:39] 
[1:13:43] Yeah Mary.
[1:13:45] Or if anyone would like to come
up and speak at the microphone,
[1:13:48] then we could get a picture.
[1:13:50] When you left him
at the house or.
[1:13:52] No, he's actually in Las
Vegas at the National
[1:13:54] Association of Broadcasters.
[1:13:56] Well, come on up
to the microphone.
[1:13:57] We know how much you like
to speak on the microphone.
[1:13:59] So hit the button at
the base right there.
[1:14:02] We're going to put
Miss Mary on the spot.
[1:14:04] So what I said was that Dave
is at the National Association
[1:14:06] of Broadcasters
convention in Las Vegas
[1:14:09] because he's on that board.
[1:14:10] So he's promoting radio
throughout the United States.
[1:14:16] Come on, Brent, listen, on.
[1:14:18] On behalf of our radio station,
it has been 20 wonderful years.
[1:14:21] And Dave and Mary
have taught our staff
[1:14:24] that success through service is
the way to be an integral part
[1:14:27] of our community.
[1:14:28] And that was something that
both Dave and Mary said
[1:14:30] from the beginning was if
you're going to work here,
[1:14:32] we're going to work
within our community.
[1:14:34] And it is proven to be the
greatest joy of my life
[1:14:37] professionally to be able
to come here and serve.
[1:14:39] And so we stand before
you today to say
[1:14:41] thank you for the proclamation.
[1:14:43] And it has been 20
fantastic years.
[1:14:45] And Dave and Mary
don't get enough credit
[1:14:47] for setting up and
literally helping us all
[1:14:51] live our dream on the radio.
[1:14:52] So thank you for the opportunity
to be before you today.
[1:14:55] And what I will add is that
we are doing as well as we are
[1:14:59] because we have dedicated
people like Brent lane and Mel
[1:15:03] and all of our
people are dedicated
[1:15:05] servants to our community.
[1:15:06] So we're very blessed.
[1:15:08] We can't even name
all the celebrities.
[1:15:10] I think David Wayne and all
the we've got so many people
[1:15:14] out here in the audience.
[1:15:15] That's fantastic.
[1:15:16] Well, I will.
[1:15:17] Brent, I'm going to I'm
going to shift gears
[1:15:19] and put it on you because you're
the professional emcee, I think.
[1:15:23] Do you want to tell folks
what we've got going
[1:15:25] on with the kids house today?
[1:15:26] And we can do that.
[1:15:28] But I do want to invite all of
our team members to come up here
[1:15:30] and before we shift into that.
[1:15:35] Commissioner right.
[1:15:36] You want to go down with
the cat country team
[1:15:38] and get a picture with
the proclamation or.
[1:15:40] Yes OK.
[1:15:41] All right.
[1:15:42] So this is going to
be proclamation photo.
[1:15:44] So we'll get me and Mel on
the cat and Kevin and the rest
[1:15:47] of our team in yellow.
[1:15:48] And then we'll do
the kids house.
[1:15:51] 
[1:15:53] Little more yellow.
[1:15:55] 
[1:15:59] How are you?
[1:16:00] Thank you so much.
[1:16:01] 
[1:16:09] Definitely hear about
those kat-tun's.
[1:16:11] 
[1:16:20] OK so I just want to.
[1:16:25] 
[1:17:19] Now, Brent, I'm just almost like
the song Jesus, take the wheel.
[1:17:25] I'm just going to
turn it over to you.
[1:17:27] And between you and Kevin
and all the Champions
[1:17:31] behind the scenes, why
don't you why don't you
[1:17:34] tell everybody what's going on
with why we're here as far as.
[1:17:38] 
[1:17:50] How about that for
the folks at home?
[1:17:54] I've never.
[1:17:55] Yes, I he needs an engineer
to be doing it right.
[1:18:00] We just got off the air.
[1:18:02] This is pretty great.
[1:18:03] First of all, we do want to say
thank you for the opportunity
[1:18:07] to come before you today.
[1:18:08] I'm Brent.
[1:18:09] This is Mel and it is
Spring Jam started in 2018.
[1:18:13] And you mentioned in that
proclamation the service
[1:18:16] to America award.
[1:18:17] One of those awards
was for the 2018
[1:18:19] Spring Jam was the show we kind
of created from the ground up.
[1:18:23] We called Wendell and said, hey,
we want to do something cool
[1:18:25] for the kids house with awanas.
[1:18:27] And they went, OK,
what do we need to do?
[1:18:32] And they came out
and for the last
[1:18:35] it's been five years, although
it feels like 10 Thanks
[1:18:38] to COVID.
[1:18:39] So we have had
the most wonderful
[1:18:41] opportunity to share in this.
[1:18:43] And I know, Kevin, your
team produced a video.
[1:18:45] And if we can throw it up on the
screen, if you guys have that,
[1:18:48] we'll take a look at
this year's Spring Jam.
[1:18:50] 
[1:19:07] New stage, by the way.
[1:19:08] 
[1:19:18] Perfect as our first
time seeing it too.
[1:20:46] It was awesome, you guys.
[1:20:47] That was awesome.
[1:20:48] That was awesome.
[1:20:49] 
[1:20:52] So here we are with
the fifth annual
[1:20:55] and ultimately we're excited
to have kids and George Birge
[1:21:01] and Parmalee come out.
[1:21:02] It was the show that cost the
most money we have ever spent
[1:21:06] in terms of doing it together.
[1:21:07] And it's a partnership
I definitely
[1:21:09] want to recognize Penn air.
[1:21:10] Thank you, Mike.
[1:21:11] And your whole team
at Penn air did
[1:21:12] an amazing job of
making this facilitating
[1:21:14] this to be able to happen.
[1:21:17] And because of that, I think
the cat has a check that we
[1:21:21] want to present for 28,300.
[1:21:27] $7 and I know you guys probably
know, but for the folks
[1:21:37] at home that don't know
what the Santa Rosa kid's
[1:21:39] house does for our
community, I think
[1:21:41] Wendell should take a minute.
[1:21:44] Thank you, Brent.
[1:21:45] This is this is amazing.
[1:21:47] And another amazing year
for what Spring Jam does
[1:21:53] for the Santa Rosa kid's house.
[1:21:55] Similarly Mary Brent.
[1:21:57] Mel, Kevin, miss Marie,
everybody involved.
[1:22:03] Unless you've been a
part of it, unless you
[1:22:05] come there and see how much
effort and how much hard work
[1:22:09] goes into this.
[1:22:10] And, you know, the
good thing about it
[1:22:12] is because ladies like
this love kids like we do
[1:22:17] and they realize that
they've been mistreated.
[1:22:21] We could not do.
[1:22:23] We've we've got a great board.
[1:22:25] A lot of our board
members are here today.
[1:22:27] Our executive director
could not be here.
[1:22:28] She's ill, but we
could not do this
[1:22:31] without people like
Miss Mary and her radio
[1:22:35] station, Brent, everybody.
[1:22:38] Over the past five years,
they've given us checks.
[1:22:42] Each year that's added up
to over $100,000, folks.
[1:22:48] Now, that pays for therapy.
[1:22:51] That pays for victims
advocates, that
[1:22:53] pays helps to keep the lights
on right down to everything
[1:22:58] that we do.
[1:22:59] And of course, pen air
has come on board with us.
[1:23:03] We can't say Thank you enough
for them for their support.
[1:23:07] And it's just amazing.
[1:23:10] And really the part that the
kids house plays on this,
[1:23:15] as opposed to most of our
fundraisers, are minimal.
[1:23:19] They'd say show up
at a certain time.
[1:23:22] Help us do a little
bit before the show.
[1:23:25] I get to come out on the stage
and with the other board members
[1:23:29] and say a few words to everybody
that's there to see the shows
[1:23:33] and spent their money.
[1:23:34] But at the end of the
day, we do very little
[1:23:37] and they give us checks.
[1:23:39] And it's been more than this.
[1:23:41] This is a great
year, but it's at
[1:23:43] sometimes it's
been over $30,000,
[1:23:46] so we can't say
Thank you all enough.
[1:23:49] I mean, they without
this radio station,
[1:23:52] all of Northwest
Florida and especially
[1:23:55] Escambia and Santa
Rosa county, would
[1:23:57] not be what they are today.
[1:23:58] And we mean that.
[1:24:00] And we love kids.
[1:24:01] Y'all love kids.
[1:24:03] And we're going to keep trying.
[1:24:04] We're going to keep
working with them.
[1:24:05] And as long as they'll
let us tag along
[1:24:08] and give us a check
for this once a year,
[1:24:11] we're going to be there.
[1:24:12] So so Thank you all.
[1:24:15] We love you all.
[1:24:16] We love you.
[1:24:17] 
[1:24:20] And Brent, before I go back to
you, you know, you've heard me
[1:24:24] and a couple people mentioned
Kevin rudetsky and his team
[1:24:27] at wanas.
[1:24:28] Look, I tag on to what you said.
[1:24:31] It's hard to make
sure you don't leave
[1:24:33] people out to say Thank you.
[1:24:34] But I mean, out there.
[1:24:36] I was out there a week or
two before this, and I mean,
[1:24:38] his team was working
diligently to make sure.
[1:24:41] I mean, that is a
partnership with our County
[1:24:44] that him and his team
have that I don't
[1:24:46] ever want to take for granted.
[1:24:47] And we appreciate what
you do for us every day
[1:24:50] as far as the economy, but we
appreciate you being a venue
[1:24:54] that these folks can
count on to do this.
[1:24:56] And since Mike from Penn
airs over there hiding,
[1:24:59] I'll say I don't know the
name of the new color.
[1:25:02] I've been a pen
member since I was 16.
[1:25:04] That was my first ever
checking account down here when
[1:25:07] you had the one on dogwood.
[1:25:08] I don't know the
new color if it's.
[1:25:09] It's a Berry Berry.
[1:25:12] But I'll say after today you
could go back and say hey,
[1:25:15] we might be going to
cat country yellow.
[1:25:17] So Yeah.
[1:25:19] Well actually one of
our colors is butter.
[1:25:21] It's an accent color.
[1:25:22] OK all right.
[1:25:23] Yeah so no Thank you all.
[1:25:26] As a member, I'll say Thank
you to Panera for helping
[1:25:29] out with this burden.
[1:25:30] So this is exciting.
[1:25:32] Brent, I'll turn it
back over to you.
[1:25:33] You tell us if you want us
to come down there, we will.
[1:25:36] Or whatever.
[1:25:37] I like having Brent run.
[1:25:38] Why don't you just start
coming to every commission
[1:25:40] master of ceremonies for the
Board of County commissioners?
[1:25:42] I love it.
[1:25:42] I like to put that on.
[1:25:44] I also.
[1:25:44] I do want to take one more
second to just say Thank you,
[1:25:46] that Kevin and your whole team.
[1:25:47] You guys, this is how
the meeting went in 2018.
[1:25:51] Hey, we should do a show for
the kids house and Kevin goes,
[1:25:53] we'll do all the logistics like
and that's about how that went.
[1:25:56] And then we just started
adding artists to it.
[1:25:58] And you guys, we have never
had anybody in Nashville not
[1:26:00] go we want to go back there.
[1:26:02] So that's what it's like
at is in Santa Rosa County.
[1:26:05] So thank you very much.
[1:26:06] So with that.
[1:26:07] Yes would you guys
please come down?
[1:26:10] Mike, I kind of envision you
holding this with the Big Ten
[1:26:14] logo and we'll head over here.
[1:26:16] 
[1:26:22] OK, go ahead.
[1:26:26] 
[1:26:33] You're the Masters.
[1:26:35] Yeah for what it's
worth, by the way,
[1:28:06] this year's total now
brings us up to $126,000
[1:28:10] for the Santa Rosa kid's house.
[1:28:11] So Yay.
[1:28:13] 
[1:28:27] It's a good day.
[1:28:29] Yes, sir.
[1:28:32] All right.
[1:28:33] Let me make sure I
don't got so much
[1:28:35] chicken scratch on my paper.
[1:28:36] Let me make sure I didn't
miss anything here.
[1:28:39] Let's see.
[1:28:40] God OK, we got.
[1:28:43] Let's go ahead.
[1:28:44] Because I don't think
it'll take too long.
[1:28:46] And I saw we've got tambourine
and some other folks
[1:28:49] that were here earlier.
[1:28:51] They may have got
mixed in with the crowd
[1:28:52] about the public hearing
to consider adoption
[1:28:55] for the Florida building code.
[1:28:56] Local administrative amendments.
[1:28:59] I don't have any
speakers signed up.
[1:29:02] There you go.
[1:29:03] I thought I lost you.
[1:29:04] I looked.
[1:29:04] I knew you were there.
[1:29:05] So Yes.
[1:29:06] Good morning.
[1:29:07] Tell the fine folks at home who
you are and what you do for us.
[1:29:10] So they know.
[1:29:11] Good morning, tambrey
Lee with Santa Rosa
[1:29:13] County building department.
[1:29:14] I serve as your
building official.
[1:29:16] And if you'd like, I'll just
jump into a quick synopsis
[1:29:19] of what this is about for you.
[1:29:21] This is a process that we
go through every three years
[1:29:24] when the Florida
building code gets
[1:29:25] readopted To the new code cycle,
we adopt the local amendments.
[1:29:30] This is basically chapter 1 out
of the Florida building code
[1:29:32] that gives us our scope and
administrative authorities.
[1:29:36] And then any exceptions that we
choose to utilize in our County.
[1:29:40] For the most part,
nothing has changed
[1:29:42] other than some Scrivener
notes that changed in the code
[1:29:44] that we worked in.
[1:29:46] And then our wind maps were
the biggest change this year,
[1:29:50] where the majority of the County
is now in the 160 mile per hour
[1:29:55] wind zone for a
risk category two,
[1:29:57] which is your typical building
residential structure.
[1:30:00] So we made some
modifications in there.
[1:30:02] We're utilizing a GIS
tool now that we're
[1:30:06] adopting into the ordinance.
[1:30:07] It's a link.
[1:30:08] It mirrors what Escambia
County is doing.
[1:30:10] Excuse me, it's much
more site specific.
[1:30:13] So that developer can
Zoom in on that site
[1:30:16] and get a more
interpolated wind load.
[1:30:18] So that should help
them with that.
[1:30:20] So far we've had some minor
trouble in the beginning
[1:30:22] of the year when we
first moved to that,
[1:30:24] but the state has
worked that out for us.
[1:30:28] This ordinance also brought
in some new language that
[1:30:31] from the milestone
inspections after the collapse
[1:30:34] of the building in South
Florida a few years ago,
[1:30:36] legislated adopted
legislation, adopted
[1:30:39] a milestone inspection
process for cooperative
[1:30:43] commercial buildings.
[1:30:44] And this is pulling
that language into that.
[1:30:47] So it's state statute coming
into our local ordinance.
[1:30:51] And then it just cleaned
up some other language
[1:30:53] throughout that helps us with
our fire protection system,
[1:30:56] expediting permits.
[1:30:57] So it's a pretty
straightforward document.
[1:31:00] If you have any questions,
I'll be glad to answer.
[1:31:03] Somebody have any questions?
[1:31:05] I'm just going to touch
on one thing you said.
[1:31:07] For the people that don't
have to deal with construction
[1:31:10] every day, the new upgraded
wind load requirement,
[1:31:13] it is a huge deal.
[1:31:14] It is.
[1:31:15] You know, it's the
unfortunate side
[1:31:18] is it does continue to drive
up the cost of housing.
[1:31:21] It's pretty significant.
[1:31:22] You know, some rough estimates
I've heard are around $3,000
[1:31:26] for a smaller starter home that
it increases the cost because
[1:31:29] of the thicker or alternative
material, you know,
[1:31:32] for your decking on your roof.
[1:31:33] However, however,
the silver lining
[1:31:36] is this is an effort by the
Florida building commission,
[1:31:39] and we're proud to
be a part of it,
[1:31:41] to make those homes
safer for families.
[1:31:43] Now they're going to be meeting
those wind load requirements as
[1:31:45] far North as almost a
chumuckla as folks that used to
[1:31:48] were down by the Coast.
[1:31:49] So it is exciting to know
and especially coming off
[1:31:51] of the event that I mentioned
earlier, where we had the wind
[1:31:54] burst right there in the
middle of my district,
[1:31:56] to know that you and
your team of inspectors
[1:31:59] are going to continue to
work hard to make sure
[1:32:01] that when people do have
housing here, that it's safe
[1:32:04] and that's a place that
they can go and refuge.
[1:32:06] And we appreciate what you and
your team do so very, very much.
[1:32:11] Thank you.
[1:32:11] We appreciate your support.
[1:32:13] I don't see any
questions or comments.
[1:32:15] I don't have anybody
signed up to speak on this.
[1:32:17] So unless I'm missing something
and nobody's jumping out
[1:32:20] of their chair, I will make
a motion without objection
[1:32:23] to adopt the ordinance, which
reflects the amendments that
[1:32:26] were discussed.
[1:32:28] Hearing no objection,
the ordinance is adopted.
[1:32:31] Thank you.
[1:32:31] Yes, ma'am.
[1:32:32] You have a great day.
[1:32:34] All right.
[1:32:35] That concludes that.
[1:32:36] Now we will go to our
public forum portion.
[1:32:40] And I've got my
sign up sheet here.
[1:32:42] We are so pleased to have
Ms. Pauline Grimes with us
[1:32:45] here today.
[1:32:46] So, Ms. Grimes, if
you will, lead us off
[1:32:49] on the public forum section.
[1:32:51] And just as a reminder, real
quick before you get started,
[1:32:54] Ms. Grimes is a reminder
to anybody that's going
[1:32:57] to come up and speak today.
[1:32:59] Just when you get
there, please make
[1:33:01] sure that green light like you
see right here is turned on.
[1:33:03] So that the folks watching
can get your name and town
[1:33:06] you live in.
[1:33:07] And and just please, I
forgot to do this earlier.
[1:33:10] If anybody's got a cell phone or
beeper, please make sure they're
[1:33:13] on solid or vibrate
so that we don't
[1:33:15] interrupt our speakers
while they're up
[1:33:16] here in their train of thought.
[1:33:17] So good morning, Ms. Grimes
Pauline Grimes I live at 5003 87
[1:33:22] Santa Cruz mill in Avalon
beach, and I'm here
[1:33:25] on behalf of the animals again.
[1:33:27] I was talking to a lady
who works for the city.
[1:33:30] I was telling her about how the
houses are built up on dirt.
[1:33:34] I said leave some land for
the animals and build a house.
[1:33:39] She said, they can do that.
[1:33:41] They just don't want to
because of the money.
[1:33:43] She said, you can't replace
wildlife once it is gone.
[1:33:49] It's being crammed
down our throats to get
[1:33:51] a subdivision where I live.
[1:33:53] I went to pay my water
bill before I got the bill.
[1:33:56] Well, I need an account number.
[1:33:59] So I called them and
said, what is going on?
[1:34:02] And she said, we are
so stressed out of all
[1:34:05] the houses they are hooking up.
[1:34:07] And she said, we have to
come up with a new plan.
[1:34:11] And so she gave me the number
to the account number, new one.
[1:34:16] All the building needs to stop.
[1:34:18] I can see building, but just
leave some land in between.
[1:34:24] It's like a dam running wild.
[1:34:26] I called about getting a
light at Del Monte and Avalon.
[1:34:31] I told her it was a
nightmare of traffic.
[1:34:34] She said it would
take about 90 days.
[1:34:37] She said, Thank you so
much for being concerned
[1:34:41] and my neighbor wants to know
where the retention pond is
[1:34:44] going, if all these houses
are going to be built.
[1:34:47] You know, the trees help.
[1:34:48] The wind.
[1:34:49] They soak up the water.
[1:34:51] When it rains, the houses
close to the ground
[1:34:54] will flood because of what
the builders are doing,
[1:34:57] raising the houses they build.
[1:34:59] You will have to live with that.
[1:35:01] My neighbor believes
everything is slowing down.
[1:35:04] I don't know.
[1:35:05] I pray that it is.
[1:35:07] Say you need to have a six
figure income now to even
[1:35:11] build a house in Florida.
[1:35:14] Ecclesiastes 317.
[1:35:17] In due season, God
will judge everything
[1:35:19] man does both good or bad.
[1:35:22] 
[1:35:27] Thank you, ma'am,
for your comments.
[1:35:30] We're we're going to go
to Mrs. Cherie Chapman.
[1:35:34] I want to know where the.
[1:35:35] 
[1:35:42] Sherri Chapman, Pea Ridge there.
[1:35:45] For a minute, I thought we were
going to hear the Hallelujah
[1:35:47] chorus, but it is
election time, so it's
[1:35:51] amazing how the tide
changes whenever
[1:35:54] everybody's politicking.
[1:35:57] I would like to remind those
that you guys have voted
[1:36:01] to rezone land up
in what's considered
[1:36:05] the country or agriculture
land, so please
[1:36:08] take responsibility for that.
[1:36:11] Even when the citizens
came up in Groves
[1:36:13] begging you not to rezone
agriculture to commercial,
[1:36:18] y'all did.
[1:36:19] So I want you to think
real hard of what you're
[1:36:22] going to do from this
point on, because
[1:36:24] from what you've done
to this point has not
[1:36:27] supported what you just said.
[1:36:30] I, I would like to
say that I am very
[1:36:35] pleased that the impact fee is
going to be started whenever
[1:36:41] the new tax is started.
[1:36:44] There has been people that
have reached out and touched
[1:36:47] and said, well,
we're not for that.
[1:36:50] So I have asked them to please
do happy signs along the roads
[1:36:54] that they are satisfied with.
[1:36:56] So that the County knows
what roads don't need fixing.
[1:36:59] Being the majority of people
think and feel when they're
[1:37:03] sitting in traffic
that these we need help
[1:37:06] and it's going to take us
as well as the builders.
[1:37:10] As I said before, in
1970, paid an impact fee
[1:37:16] to buy a house in this County.
[1:37:19] We paid our fair share.
[1:37:20] Then we pay our ad valorem tax.
[1:37:22] We paid them every time since,
and we have more than one house.
[1:37:28] So I understand what people
say when they say how
[1:37:31] are we going to beat the bills?
[1:37:33] Well, we don't rent any
of those houses out,
[1:37:37] so I don't want people
to think that I'm
[1:37:39] up here saying it because
I get money for the houses
[1:37:42] that we have.
[1:37:43] I don't and I don't intend to.
[1:37:46] But the thing I want to make
is that it is important for all
[1:37:50] of us to look at what's
happening when you have a sales
[1:37:54] tax that is put in
place, every person that
[1:37:57] comes into this County
will help pay that.
[1:38:01] My hope is that there will
be a time that farmers do
[1:38:04] not pay ad valorem tax at all.
[1:38:07] I know agriculture is
less, but every little bit
[1:38:11] helps when you have a farmer
that doesn't have a good year.
[1:38:15] I would like for some
point in this County
[1:38:19] that we get to have greatly
reduced ad valorem tax.
[1:38:23] But the way that
we are set up now,
[1:38:26] it's not going to
happen anytime soon
[1:38:28] and we need to get
our roads fixed.
[1:38:31] We need to get our
infrastructure going
[1:38:33] and the builders can
help with the areas
[1:38:36] that they impact, such as 182.
[1:38:40] There's building
like crazy out there.
[1:38:42] Think of how much money would
help the infrastructure on 182
[1:38:47] if there was impact fees.
[1:38:49] Thank you so much
for your comments.
[1:38:51] Sherman Gomez.
[1:38:52] 
[1:38:55] And then after Sherman gets
through, it'll be George Odum.
[1:38:58] 
[1:39:01] How are y'all doing?
[1:39:02] Sherman Gomez, East Milton
live off of Andes basin.
[1:39:08] I'm here to talk about
the illicit discharge
[1:39:10] that's been going in to Andes
basin for over four years now.
[1:39:16] Back in August 28th, 2022,
Bob Cole was still here.
[1:39:22] Y'all seen me for
the first time come
[1:39:24] up in here raising
Cain about the clay
[1:39:27] going in from airway Oaks.
[1:39:30] Prior to me coming in here,
my first videos and pictures
[1:39:37] of the clay going
into Andes basin
[1:39:39] started on August 28th, 2020.
[1:39:44] It took a year and a half or
so of me complaining to code
[1:39:48] enforcement DEP EPA, everybody
I could possibly think of
[1:39:53] to stop the clay from
going into Andy's
[1:39:55] basin because of airway Oaks.
[1:40:00] That's when y'all
seen me finally
[1:40:02] up here talking to Bob Cole.
[1:40:07] After that time,
nothing has really
[1:40:11] gotten done to stop the clay.
[1:40:12] It's steadily going.
[1:40:14] It's been a disgrace
watching it go in there.
[1:40:17] August 28th, 2022, I made
Bob Cole in the County
[1:40:23] up here aware that
Revere was failing.
[1:40:27] Also that was almost
over two years ago.
[1:40:32] Nothing has been
done to stop the clay
[1:40:35] from going into Annie's basin.
[1:40:37] I stopped it by
getting channel 3
[1:40:39] News and getting y'all's
attention and then
[1:40:41] making something happen.
[1:40:43] But in that whole time
period from airway oaks,
[1:40:45] that's a four year problem.
[1:40:47] And then Riviera started.
[1:40:49] That's been over two years.
[1:40:51] Nothing and nobody has
taken me seriously.
[1:40:55] I come to these
County commissioners
[1:40:56] meeting and I learn from y'all.
[1:40:58] I heard one of y'all say,
I wish y'all would quit
[1:41:00] complaining and come
up with a strategy
[1:41:02] and a plan to stop a solution.
[1:41:05] So I did.
[1:41:06] I started taking videos and
pictures all the way back
[1:41:09] to 2020 is when I first started
because I realized the County
[1:41:13] wasn't doing nothing.
[1:41:14] Code enforcement
wasn't acting enough,
[1:41:16] the clay was still
going into the basin.
[1:41:18] So I made videos after videos.
[1:41:21] I got four years of videos.
[1:41:22] It's a very valuable that an
important that the County goes
[1:41:26] back and watches the
failures because it's
[1:41:29] very easy to see
who's at fault or.
[1:41:32] 
[1:41:36] You got the County and
you got developers.
[1:41:38] When you watch my videos, it's
plain to see who's at fault. OK?
[1:41:42] and the land development
code has to change.
[1:41:46] Nobody has done anything
significant to address
[1:41:50] the issues going on at Riviera.
[1:41:53] The basin is destroyed
and it is now
[1:41:58] that you are in the spotlight.
[1:41:59] I'm not trying to
beat nobody up,
[1:42:01] but now that you're
in the spotlight,
[1:42:02] it's time things are getting
tried to get something done.
[1:42:06] But it's too late.
[1:42:08] Why I say that, does a lot.
[1:42:10] Right next to the 3
that have been developed
[1:42:14] and destroyed and space.
[1:42:15] And so far, they're
fixing to take down all
[1:42:17] those trees on that next lot.
[1:42:20] They're up right now.
[1:42:22] But nothing has changed
in this four years
[1:42:24] to stop the clear cutting
and the clay that's
[1:42:29] fixing to go into the
basin once again because it
[1:42:31] is fixing to go into the basin.
[1:42:33] Once they clear that Thank you
for nobody's done anything.
[1:42:36] Thank you, sir.
[1:42:37] I'm not going to get in
a back and forth on this,
[1:42:39] but I've got things
I want to talk about
[1:42:40] and I want to bring
something up a little later.
[1:42:42] OK?
[1:42:43] Thank you, sir.
[1:42:44] The time time expired.
[1:42:45] All right.
[1:42:46] I hope you're going to
stick around, Mr. Gomez.
[1:42:49] OK all right, George.
[1:42:54] George oldsmar, pace, Florida.
[1:42:57] I just got back from
a wonderful trip.
[1:43:00] Going to see the eclipse
in Texas all the way there
[1:43:04] and all the way back.
[1:43:06] I'm seeing huge flags,
saw huge, gigantic flags
[1:43:11] in Texas with the
Texas flag in one pole
[1:43:15] and the American
flag on the other.
[1:43:18] One thing in common with
every single one of them.
[1:43:22] They were on private property.
[1:43:24] All of them.
[1:43:27] Not one of them was
on public property.
[1:43:31] I just want to bring
that to your attention.
[1:43:33] Public money for public use,
tourism dollars for tourism use.
[1:43:38] If somebody if a
group of people want
[1:43:40] to get together and build a
1,000 foot flag, I don't care.
[1:43:44] They want to put up the money.
[1:43:46] I don't mind.
[1:43:48] Have a wonderful day.
[1:43:50] Thank you so much
for your comments.
[1:43:52] Sir, anybody that didn't
sign up that feels.
[1:43:54] Yes, I've got two hands.
[1:43:56] 
[1:44:00] Anybody else just so I
can take account for that.
[1:44:03] Or is it just the
two hands that I saw?
[1:44:05] OK Thank you.
[1:44:05] Good morning.
[1:44:06] Good morning.
[1:44:08] Last week, the commission
held public hearings
[1:44:10] to discuss topics of great
importance to this community.
[1:44:14] Sorry Jennifer Mancini,
resident of pace.
[1:44:17] I also represent
the home Builders
[1:44:18] Association of West Florida.
[1:44:21] Those conversations have
continued today, as they should.
[1:44:24] These are issues of dire
importance to our community.
[1:44:27] Florida's impressive
growth is irreversible
[1:44:30] and it will continue.
[1:44:32] I won't take time today to list
all of the reasons people are
[1:44:36] moving to our great
state, as I would
[1:44:37] think they are obvious to
all of us in this room.
[1:44:40] But there is one
major misconception
[1:44:42] among some people
in this community
[1:44:43] about population growth.
[1:44:45] Vocal, anti-growth citizens
point fingers at builders
[1:44:49] and make demands for a tax
levied on new construction.
[1:44:52] Our industry is not
creating growth.
[1:44:55] Our industry is
responding to growth
[1:44:57] by providing supply of housing.
[1:45:00] The County works to
attract new businesses.
[1:45:03] They bring
well-paying jobs, high
[1:45:05] paying jobs and quality jobs
to our area, as they should.
[1:45:08] This is key to the quality
of life in our area.
[1:45:13] We support this.
[1:45:14] We absolutely, absolutely
support these efforts.
[1:45:16] But the builders
who build the much
[1:45:18] needed homes that come
with the economic growth
[1:45:21] are taking the blame.
[1:45:23] New home buyers are targeted
by proposed impact fee.
[1:45:27] An impact fee is
a regressive tax,
[1:45:29] and it hurts the first time home
buyer and lower to middle income
[1:45:32] families the most.
[1:45:34] The HBR strongly opposes
any new impact fee.
[1:45:39] The local option sales tax was
something we could support.
[1:45:42] It is fair and
consumption based.
[1:45:45] We need to stop
targeting and condemning
[1:45:48] the Homebuilding industry.
[1:45:50] We provide thousands of
jobs in this community,
[1:45:52] but more importantly, we
supply a place to call home
[1:45:55] for those living
here now and for all
[1:45:58] those who will need
safe and affordable
[1:46:00] housing in our future.
[1:46:01] Thank you.
[1:46:03] Thank you for your comments.
[1:46:04] 
[1:46:07] Mayor Owens, Thank you
for being here today.
[1:46:11] I'll introduce him as mayor.
[1:46:13] Sean Owens is the town of Jay.
[1:46:15] So we're thankful
to have you there.
[1:46:17] You're the crown jewel of
the North end of the County.
[1:46:18] I hear you.
[1:46:19] Thank you very much
for the complement.
[1:46:22] I wanted to just touch
base on the presentation
[1:46:25] that the agricultural
community put together today.
[1:46:29] Obviously, the
presentation was fantastic.
[1:46:32] Made a lot of great points.
[1:46:34] And one of the things that
I wear two hats sometimes
[1:46:37] as the mayor of Jay and
living in the North end
[1:46:40] of the community and
also as a contractor.
[1:46:43] Those are battles
that I face every day,
[1:46:45] determining what is most
important for the North end
[1:46:49] of the County.
[1:46:50] Obviously, I personally
have to make a living.
[1:46:53] You know, I'm not going to be
a mass builder that's going
[1:46:57] to build thousands of homes.
[1:46:58] I'm going to build someone's
daughters home or someone's
[1:47:01] sons homes as a custom home.
[1:47:03] But what I've realized, having
these conversations with a lot
[1:47:07] of the commissioners
here and also
[1:47:08] with the agricultural community,
that the very most important
[1:47:12] thing that we have to
look at in District 3
[1:47:14] is just the quality of life.
[1:47:17] We have the ability to once
again get ahead of something
[1:47:21] that's coming our way.
[1:47:22] Just in the past two weeks,
I have been contacted
[1:47:26] by national builders to purchase
land in the city limits of Jay.
[1:47:31] Just one small little
development would,
[1:47:34] in the next 24 months would
increase the residents by 30%
[1:47:38] Now, that's not much
right, meaning that we have
[1:47:40] a small town, but 30% is a lot.
[1:47:44] So when you know, as
I think through this
[1:47:48] and as I've concentrated on what
the most important thing is,
[1:47:51] is protecting those
that agricultural land,
[1:47:54] and that's something that the
County has to 100% get behind.
[1:47:58] I think it's immediate today
that the County has to think
[1:48:01] about the future of the
agricultural community,
[1:48:03] just like we do tourist
development dollars.
[1:48:06] It has to be on the
mindset of how we protect
[1:48:09] the agricultural community.
[1:48:10] I think there are
a number of ways.
[1:48:12] I think that the
presentation pretty
[1:48:14] much explained all those ways
that can happen in the future.
[1:48:18] But I also think that there's
opportunity for the County
[1:48:20] to do something now to
determine the responsibility
[1:48:25] of our growth, which means how
do we take zoning seriously when
[1:48:31] it comes to agricultural land?
[1:48:33] Is there infrastructure
in place where it
[1:48:35] needs to be for us to develop?
[1:48:38] I think that's huge.
[1:48:39] Infrastructure is the
most important thing.
[1:48:41] I think.
[1:48:42] Jay Florida has
infrastructure, so I could
[1:48:44] see development in the area.
[1:48:46] But one thing that
we have the ability
[1:48:49] to do right now through
our land development code
[1:48:51] is to determine what we
can do in the rural area.
[1:48:56] Prime examples are
pud developments.
[1:48:59] Try taking 50% of that land.
[1:49:01] Looking at density and
doing those things,
[1:49:02] I think that's an immediate
impact on agricultural property.
[1:49:07] We we can slow some
of that development
[1:49:11] down by looking at different
things through the land
[1:49:13] development code as we
work on different ideas
[1:49:18] through the
agricultural community.
[1:49:19] So, you know, I'm of the opinion
and I think it's very important
[1:49:22] that we truly, truly
concentrate on what we're doing
[1:49:27] in the agricultural community.
[1:49:28] The commitment that you
guys are willing to make
[1:49:30] immediately with the investment
dollars is extremely important.
[1:49:34] But the state has already put
a 10 year program in place.
[1:49:37] And I think as you think
about the amount of money
[1:49:39] that you invest, that you do
that as a 10 year commitment
[1:49:42] doesn't just need
to be one year,
[1:49:44] it needs to be a
long term commitment.
[1:49:46] And I ask you guys to
really consider that.
[1:49:48] Thank you for the time.
[1:49:49] Yes, sir.
[1:49:50] Thank you, mayor,
for coming and being
[1:49:53] the representative for that
North end of the County today.
[1:49:56] All right.
[1:49:57] I didn't see anybody else raise
their hand on last chance,
[1:50:00] anybody that needed to speak.
[1:50:01] We're going to
bounce or I'm going
[1:50:05] to shift a couple things
here, gentlemen, just so
[1:50:07] we can try to get through this.
[1:50:09] And that way, if
comments get too long,
[1:50:11] I may have to step out because
we've got some folks that
[1:50:14] are waiting to meet
actually talking
[1:50:15] about economic development that
are here waiting at the office
[1:50:20] so we could real quick go ahead
and move the consent agenda.
[1:50:24] Minus item number 32,
the engineering item.
[1:50:27] Is there any other issues
on the consent agenda
[1:50:30] you all have a problem
with moving other than 32?
[1:50:34] Commissioner Calkins yeah,
I just I just wanted to say
[1:50:37] I just wanted to
have a minute to talk
[1:50:39] about all the great things
that are happening on the yeah,
[1:50:42] absolutely.
[1:50:43] I've got all three of y'all
wrote down as far as talking
[1:50:47] on that, I'm just going to
try to get the voting issues
[1:50:50] and that way I may
have to step out
[1:50:51] because we've got
several gentlemen
[1:50:52] that are here waiting on me.
[1:50:55] We'll go ahead and
move the consent
[1:50:56] agenda without objection.
[1:50:58] Hearing none, the items moved.
[1:51:00] And then item number 32 under
regular agenda, the woodbine,
[1:51:04] c.I. and construction services.
[1:51:06] Brad what in particular?
[1:51:08] Yeah, Mr chairman, we did get an
appropriation for this the way
[1:51:12] the state does the
appropriations,
[1:51:13] they run it through
is our funnel point.
[1:51:16] So that means that we have
to meet the dot specs.
[1:51:19] Dot does not allow
anyone who does
[1:51:21] the design to do Ci
services, so we'd like
[1:51:24] to remove that portion of it.
[1:51:25] We'll bring a recommendation
for that project
[1:51:28] back at the next agenda.
[1:51:31] OK so you don't need any action
today is what you're telling me?
[1:51:34] Well, we do need the approval
of the contract administration
[1:51:38] not to exceed the 65,000.
[1:51:40] We'll just remove the Ci
services portion for that.
[1:51:43] All right.
[1:51:43] And then you'll bring the
other part at the next meeting.
[1:51:46] OK super short and
sweet, super excited.
[1:51:50] People will start seeing Brad.
[1:51:51] It's next week, right?
[1:51:53] That they'll actually
start seeing construction
[1:51:54] crews on the ground.
[1:51:55] So it has been a huge haul.
[1:51:58] It's taken seven
years to get here,
[1:51:59] but we will finally have
construction crews on the ground
[1:52:02] next week for Woodbine road.
[1:52:04] And like I said, it's been
a years in the making.
[1:52:06] So I appreciate you gentlemen
support on this issue.
[1:52:08] Brad and Rebecca,
Thank you for working.
[1:52:10] If there's no other comments or
recommend approving that item
[1:52:13] without objection, hearing no
objection, that item is approved
[1:52:17] and then the meeting
list is as published.
[1:52:20] No needs are changed to that.
[1:52:21] That's for public information.
[1:52:23] And then we will go I'm going to
go in the order that y'all said,
[1:52:25] and hopefully if it
don't get too long,
[1:52:28] I definitely want to be here.
[1:52:29] If not, I may have to
come back and watch just
[1:52:30] because we've got a few people.
[1:52:32] So I know Commissioner Calkins
wanted to speak on the consent
[1:52:34] agenda, and then I'll
go to Commissioner
[1:52:36] Smith and Commissioner Reich.
[1:52:37] Go ahead, commissioner Collins.
[1:52:39] Thank you, Mr Chairman.
[1:52:41] I just wanted to
let the public know
[1:52:43] and all the people that are
watching what we did today,
[1:52:47] this was a great day
for Santa Rosa County.
[1:52:52] We started out with
rural internet expansion.
[1:52:55] Since 2021 has been our mission
to get the North Santa Rosa
[1:53:00] County connected to the internet
because while the denser cities,
[1:53:05] they don't have
issues with internet
[1:53:07] and North Santa
Rosa county, there
[1:53:08] is huge issues with internet.
[1:53:11] People do not have the
connectivity that folks
[1:53:16] in Milton in Gulf Breeze have.
[1:53:18] And what we have done is we've
worked with the governor,
[1:53:21] we have Kyle Holly
that has worked
[1:53:24] his tail off on
getting us grants
[1:53:27] and getting them approved.
[1:53:29] And just on this consent agenda,
today, we got a tower to help
[1:53:34] improve 5G connectivity.
[1:53:37] This will help with
emergency services.
[1:53:39] This will help with,
you know, our farmers
[1:53:42] out there mowing the fields
and be able to use their phone
[1:53:44] and all these things.
[1:53:47] So this is good use
of taxpayer money.
[1:53:51] Also, the hospital and J.
These are that hospital.
[1:53:56] Right there is a huge
employer to the town of Jay.
[1:54:00] And I want to thank this
board because we couldn't.
[1:54:04] This is a team effort.
[1:54:05] I want to thank Deborah
Jenkins, Sarah Lefebvre.
[1:54:11] I listed a whole name, a
bunch of names last week.
[1:54:15] And and I'm so thankful
to all of them.
[1:54:18] This was a team effort
to get that done.
[1:54:23] We have done a lot
for the town of Jay
[1:54:25] about I think we as a board
in the last four years
[1:54:29] have basically gotten the town
of Jay about a 1.5 million,
[1:54:33] 1.5, 25,000, all added up.
[1:54:36] That's not including all the
roads and stuff outside of Jay
[1:54:39] that we've been working on.
[1:54:40] But if you compare it from,
you know, 20 years before that,
[1:54:45] if you look at those
numbers, I think
[1:54:48] we've done pretty good
in the last four years
[1:54:50] for getting money
for the town of Jay.
[1:54:52] Also, another thing that's
not talked about is we
[1:54:58] and this is Trent Matthews.
[1:55:00] Thankful to him.
[1:55:01] Brad, we're getting
millions of dollars.
[1:55:06] And it's in this
agenda also to protect
[1:55:09] our farmland from erosion that
has to do with the gullies.
[1:55:13] And so we're
stopping the goalies
[1:55:17] from invading the farmland.
[1:55:20] And so that's another thing
that is absolutely amazing.
[1:55:25] And so I like to bring these
things up because a lot of folks
[1:55:28] don't know what we're all
doing in the background.
[1:55:30] And how hard we work.
[1:55:32] We are all right here.
[1:55:33] I know every single one of you
are full time commissioners.
[1:55:36] And so it's a lot of work.
[1:55:40] I know every one of you,
every single commissioner
[1:55:42] here works day and night.
[1:55:44] And and it's not as
easy as it looks,
[1:55:48] but I'm trying to
get the message
[1:55:49] out on what we are doing today.
[1:55:54] Another item our
industrial parks were there
[1:55:58] was years of unsuccess with
our industrial park there,
[1:56:04] but we had a good economic
guy, Shannon Ogletree.
[1:56:09] He has he has worked
tirelessly to get us
[1:56:14] that industrial parks
filled and there
[1:56:18] was opposition to getting land.
[1:56:20] This was a big
controversial issue
[1:56:22] a long time ago about getting
that land in Santa Rosa County.
[1:56:26] It was.
[1:56:27] And guess what?
[1:56:28] Because there were people that
said it was a waste of money.
[1:56:31] Well, I'll tell you folks,
that was not a waste of money
[1:56:35] because that's going to bring
thousands of jobs in that area.
[1:56:40] And great news is
we can say the name.
[1:56:44] I got to go down to Palm Beach
County with Shannon Ogletree
[1:56:48] and meet with the folks
with Cheney brothers.
[1:56:51] And what I saw impressed me
on how our economics guy.
[1:56:57] Shannon ogletree, how he builds
these relationships with people,
[1:57:02] how they love them.
[1:57:03] We we were up in the North.
[1:57:05] We were in New Jersey.
[1:57:07] And I seen him and how he's
built these relationships
[1:57:11] with these business people.
[1:57:12] And we need to give him
all the resources he needs.
[1:57:16] So he can help us
get economic growth.
[1:57:20] And so we have an amazing team.
[1:57:22] Shannon Ogletree is
a rock star, and we
[1:57:27] need to do everything we
can to I can guarantee you
[1:57:30] they are trying to call him
and bring him out of our County
[1:57:33] to get him another
job in another County
[1:57:35] because he does
such a great job.
[1:57:38] So we need to make sure
that he's well taken care of
[1:57:41] and we don't lose him because
this man knows what he's doing.
[1:57:44] So we got the industrial
parks being filled up.
[1:57:49] We have so many great things.
[1:57:52] And I'm so proud of this
board, proud of our chairman,
[1:57:55] proud of our staff.
[1:57:58] I'm proud of the community
leaders like Mr. Jenkins.
[1:58:02] I mean, these are
folks we need to listen
[1:58:04] to when they have a concern.
[1:58:07] We need to listen
to our community.
[1:58:09] And we need to listen
to all the people
[1:58:11] that are in these industries.
[1:58:13] And Thank you again.
[1:58:14] Thank you, gentlemen,
for approving
[1:58:16] all these great things.
[1:58:17] And and also, I want to also
mention that I didn't mention
[1:58:21] Woodbine road is getting tons
of money being put in it.
[1:58:26] That was on this agenda
that Commissioner
[1:58:28] Sam Parker, our chairman,
has been beating the drums.
[1:58:32] And you know, there was someone
made a comment a while back
[1:58:36] saying you know,
the chairman was
[1:58:39] telling the employees
or something,
[1:58:40] we need to get roads done.
[1:58:42] Well, good job, chairman.
[1:58:43] That's what we need.
[1:58:44] We need to get roads
done and we need
[1:58:46] to get this done as
quick as possible
[1:58:49] because people want to stop
being stuck in traffic.
[1:58:54] So we are doing
everything we can to help.
[1:58:58] People get from point
A to point B faster.
[1:59:01] So keep telling the staff,
let's get it done, commissioner.
[1:59:06] Mr Chairman.
[1:59:07] And and I will support that.
[1:59:09] And I and I believe
the staff is doing
[1:59:11] the best job that they can.
[1:59:13] So Thank you, folks.
[1:59:16] Thank you, commissioner.
[1:59:18] Commissioner smith,
I hung around
[1:59:20] because I wanted to hear the
update about the triumph meeting
[1:59:22] and go ahead.
[1:59:25] Thank you, sir.
[1:59:26] Yeah yesterday I had the
privilege of going down to.
[1:59:29] 
[1:59:32] Apalachicola reef,
beautiful area.
[1:59:35] It was great meeting.
[1:59:36] And, you know,
Thank goodness we do
[1:59:39] have Shannon that's
able to talk.
[1:59:41] But for some reason, I became
locked jawed when I got up
[1:59:44] to that podium
because, you know,
[1:59:46] it's do get sidetracked
by the amount of work
[1:59:50] that these guys do and they
do it in a civil manner
[1:59:53] and it's really well run
meetings and, you know,
[1:59:56] there's no nonsense.
[1:59:58] And of course, I had half of
the faculty of FSU there, too.
[2:00:00] So I'm sitting there
practicing my public speaking
[2:00:03] with all of this going on.
[2:00:05] So and like I told Shannon, I
reminded myself of the attorney
[2:00:08] on my cousin Vinny.
[2:00:10] I just got up there.
[2:00:12] But, but anyway, I want
to thank the board as well
[2:00:16] for all of the
work that they have
[2:00:19] done to help Santa Rosa County.
[2:00:22] And that's just part of it.
[2:00:24] And some of the things
that we're able to know,
[2:00:29] Shannon, I don't want
to embarrass you,
[2:00:31] but Shannon's got
a good imagination
[2:00:33] on how we can do
some certain projects
[2:00:35] and be able to get things done.
[2:00:37] And, you know, a lot of
the things, like you said,
[2:00:39] are in my district
and it's stuff
[2:00:42] that I'm really paying a
large amount of attention to.
[2:00:45] But know, you can't help but
just, you know, try up board
[2:00:53] exists because of an
unfortunate situation.
[2:00:58] Hey that's called making
lemonade out of bad lemons
[2:01:02] right there and and we're
really working on the resources
[2:01:08] to get that going.
[2:01:10] And I want to thank everybody.
[2:01:12] But what I wanted to do also,
I can just surmise everything
[2:01:15] I need to talk about
quickly, you know,
[2:01:18] so you can be here for it.
[2:01:19] But and if anybody
knows, I am quick.
[2:01:22] Some of the things that I
heard during public forum.
[2:01:25] Mr Gomez I was out
there yesterday on
[2:01:29] and I'm not addressing you
so there's no back and forth.
[2:01:32] But I was out at
Riviera and the work
[2:01:36] that was done to shore up that
erosion was done beautifully.
[2:01:41] I took pictures,
didn't see one speck
[2:01:44] of dirt going down that road.
[2:01:46] And so I want credit to be
given when credit is due.
[2:01:50] This is some of the things
that kind of irritates me when
[2:01:53] I see people, you know, Yeah.
[2:01:55] Watchdogs taking care of the
community and getting things
[2:01:58] done.
[2:01:59] And no, this isn't
a back and forth.
[2:02:01] I've given you
your time to speak
[2:02:02] and I'm going to
talk to these and I'm
[2:02:03] going to talk to all three of
the things that we talked about.
[2:02:06] But one of the
things that kind of
[2:02:08] upsets me that when
we do these things,
[2:02:10] we make sure that we give
credit where credit is due
[2:02:16] and you don't get
you down credit.
[2:02:18] 
[2:02:22] So that being said, one
of the things that I did
[2:02:27] see out there at
the airway oaks,
[2:02:30] there's some things that
need to be addressed.
[2:02:32] So you need to be removed.
[2:02:34] He needs to be left out.
[2:02:35] He's already he didn't
just let him sit.
[2:02:40] I'm not going.
[2:02:41] He's fine.
[2:02:41] He just so he can be here.
[2:02:43] He's not doing anything.
[2:02:44] 
[2:02:47] You know, good grief.
[2:02:50] So I'm not trying to get in
an argument with anybody.
[2:02:53] I just want to make sure
everybody sees the things that
[2:02:56] are being done
when we're sitting
[2:02:57] here yelling and saying things
aren't being done by the County.
[2:03:00] I'm going to call it out.
[2:03:02] We have worked really
hard to do the things
[2:03:05] and the staff is
doing a wonderful job.
[2:03:08] Some of the things
that we're doing,
[2:03:11] you know, I don't like
to hear people yelling
[2:03:13] that it's not being done.
[2:03:14] And I saw some of
the stuff on Facebook
[2:03:16] and people aren't paying
attention to These things.
[2:03:18] And that's something
that aggravates me.
[2:03:20] And I will call out things
from every angle when I see it.
[2:03:24] Another thing that
I've also noticed,
[2:03:26] you know, miss Mancini,
when you came up,
[2:03:28] you said that you're still
imposing impact fees.
[2:03:32] Well, that's unfortunate
because I thought
[2:03:36] we've had an understanding
that the hba,
[2:03:38] I've talked to a lot of
people inside the hba,
[2:03:41] that is, for the amount of
impact fees that we're doing.
[2:03:44] But it's really left to
the voters right now.
[2:03:48] So for this to be
constantly brought up to,
[2:03:51] I would just suggest you
do your own ad campaign
[2:03:53] and make sure that
you're yelling
[2:03:55] at the top of the rooftops
to not have the local option
[2:03:58] sales tax and not
have impact fees
[2:04:01] because they're tied together.
[2:04:02] It's very dangerous to do so.
[2:04:05] And John, I think, you know, one
of the things I've seen at 30%
[2:04:10] is a huge thing to your budget.
[2:04:12] It is now might
be a small number
[2:04:15] because of the population.
[2:04:16] But anything that we
can do to help you out
[2:04:19] with that, that would
be, you know, something
[2:04:21] that I could get on board with.
[2:04:24] But I want to thank everybody.
[2:04:26] And Mr Gomez, I just want to
make sure you know that I'm not
[2:04:29] calling you out for anything.
[2:04:30] I just want you
to understand, you
[2:04:32] can't call things
out saying we're
[2:04:34] not doing things when we are.
[2:04:35] And Thank you.
[2:04:36] I'm calling the County out.
[2:04:38] That's all right.
[2:04:41] Hold on, hold on, hold.
[2:04:42] Four years of video.
[2:04:44] Hold on.
[2:04:45] We got to have everybody
at the microphone.
[2:04:49] I'm here.
[2:04:50] Is everybody OK
with me adjourning?
[2:04:53] Is there any other
comments by anybody?
[2:04:56] Commissioner coffins.
[2:04:57] OK My bad.
[2:04:58] All right, commissioner
and Commissioner.
[2:05:00] I'll be brief so we can.
[2:05:01] So we can get on.
[2:05:02] I just want to Thank
my fellow board
[2:05:03] members for indulging
me and giving me
[2:05:05] the opportunity to be absent.
[2:05:07] Monday, I was in Washington
DC on behalf of the County
[2:05:11] and the region, the association
of defense communities
[2:05:13] conference, advocating
on the behalf
[2:05:17] of our military
installations in the area
[2:05:19] and just trying
to secure funding
[2:05:21] for significant improvements
to those facilities.
[2:05:23] But I did want to bring
up two quick things
[2:05:26] on the consent agenda.
[2:05:27] One, the J hospital
on 5G service.
[2:05:30] I know mayor Owens
has been advocating
[2:05:33] for some significant
improvements
[2:05:34] to that hospital
for quite some time.
[2:05:36] We've had numerous discussions.
[2:05:37] I'm glad to see we're
finally getting that done.
[2:05:39] And two.
[2:05:42] Thank you to our attorney,
Tom danheiser and city of Gulf
[2:05:45] Breeze Attorney Mary Jane bass.
[2:05:48] Item number 12 on Tibet drive
reassignment of that easement.
[2:05:53] We had a less than desirable
developer that created a problem
[2:05:58] there that for three years now
we've tried to have negotiations
[2:06:04] to get something done.
[2:06:05] And he refused to
come to the table
[2:06:07] and try to help the citizens
on a problem that he created.
[2:06:10] So cities, attorney, counties,
attorney, got together,
[2:06:13] found a solution.
[2:06:14] And I just wanted to say
I Thank my fellow board
[2:06:17] members for approving
that reassignment.
[2:06:19] And hopefully we'll have some
construction being done on Tibet
[2:06:22] drive in the near future,
because previously we
[2:06:25] had already set aside
funding for design.
[2:06:26] That's already done.
[2:06:27] Rebecca and her staff has
worked very hard on this
[2:06:30] and I'm glad to see
we'll actually find
[2:06:32] a solution in the near future.
[2:06:33] So thank you.
[2:06:35] Thank you.
[2:06:36] Any other comments by
fellow commissioners
[2:06:39] or is everybody everybody good?
[2:06:42] All right.
[2:06:43] I'm going to move that.
[2:06:45] We adjourn the meeting
without objection.
[2:06:48] This this meeting is adjourned.
[2:06:50] Thank you, gentlemen, and Thank
you, members of the public.
[2:06:53]