All right.
Good morning.
I am sorry so much to keep you waiting.
And hopefully you all won't be too warm today.
They are doing everything they can about the air conditioners
and the power issues.
So we apologize also for the dim lighting,
but I've been made aware that everybody at home can see us.
So we're thankful, obviously, for those of you folks
that are here.
But we're also thankful for our faithful attendees
online that aren't able to be here,
but that depend on the live stream
to be able to get their information.
So in Santa Rosa County, we are very fortunate to start
every meeting with prayer.
And then we go to pledge.
And I'd like to ask pastor Owens,
he's with the replicate church if he would lead us
in prayer because that would be far
better than hearing one of us.
And then afterwards, I'll ask Commissioner Wright
if he'll lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
So good morning, Pastor.
If y'all will just rise.
Good morning.
Thank you guys.
Heavenly Father, we come to you this morning,
Lord, and just acknowledging your sovereignty and your grace,
Lord, that we're all breathing this morning
because you deemed us worthy to take breath today, Lord.
And I just pray that you would be with us in this meeting,
Lord, that your Holy Spirit would just
guide the conversation, Lord, and just help us to have
the best interest of Santa Rosa County in mind, Lord,
that you would guide these leaders,
you would guide those in public office, Lord,
and they would just make the best decisions possible.
God you would just give them the wisdom and discernment to do so.
And God, we just surrender this time to
and we just pray these things in your son.
Jesus's name.
Amen Amen.
Amen please join me in the Pledge.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands.
One nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you.
I know Commissioner rights, right.
When commissioner rice.
When he says that it's definitely
better when we have more folks here to join us in the Pledge.
So again, appreciate y'all being here.
As we move down for agenda approval,
I'm going to ask my fellow commissioners,
I'll start to my right with Commissioner Smith.
Is there any modifications to today's
agenda that need to be made.
No, sir.
Commissioner eddington?
No, sir.
Commissioner Calkins.
No Mr. chair and Commissioner.
No changes.
All right.
Brad or Tom, are you all good.
Any add-ons or changes.
Seeing none.
All right.
We'll move forward as presented.
There's no minutes for approval.
And first we've got up here the public hearing
for establishment of the MSRB for street lighting services.
This is a request from Bay Ridge Park first edition
and Emmeline gardens subdivisions.
Do we have any representatives from those
that are here today that maybe to speak for the group.
All right.
Do we have anyone in opposition to those street lighting.
All right.
And the District Commissioner on this would be it's mine
and I have no concerns.
OK So then we will.
You want to make a motion to approve.
Yeah, I'd move to approve the establishment of MSRB
for street lighting services for Bay Ridge Park.
First edition, Emily gardens, subdivisions with no objection.
All right.
Hearing no objection, those are approved.
And next is approval of Amendment
to ordinance 20 2013, which establishes nature
Cove street lighting msvu.
And it's got a corrected boundary map of the subdivision,
including all parcels receiving direct benefit
from existing MSP.
Do we have anyone here to speak about that.
MSRB for lighting at nature's Cove.
All right, hearing none.
District commissioner.
In that case, I'll make a motion to approve without objection.
Hearing no objection, that item is approved.
Thank you.
All right.
Next, we go to a public forum and again is just a couple
of housekeeping reminders.
It's always good for us to check as well.
Just please make sure if you have a cell phone or any kind
of electronic device, if you will, just please put that
on vibrate or silent just so that we
don't accidentally disturb a speaker while they're up.
And then if you have something in particular that's
on the agenda that you're here to speak about,
it may be a little more pertinent to wait
until that moment to speak on it,
but you're more than welcome to come up during the public forum
section, if you will.
All right, we're going to start here with the sign in list.
We've got Pauline Grimes.
I don't know.
Where's the light.
It's on.
?
it's on.
It's on for you there.
It's right below the screen.
But it's on.
I'm here on behalf of the animals.
God made them to enjoy.
And the view the builders investors are destroying that.
Whoever come up with the law to build the houses up.
I beg you to stop.
I'm down there in Avalon beach, 5387 Santa Cruz Boulevard.
My neighbor's building a shed.
He had to bring in dirt.
The rain we had a few weeks ago.
It flooded.
And guess what.
It flooded the other day.
We had that 30 minute, he said.
They got to stop building the houses up.
They put the two on Glade and it never
flooded back there until they built those houses up.
I met someone from South Florida,
moved here because of the building nightmare down there.
I said, well, welcome to the club,
he said, they cram it down our throats.
And we can't say a word I read in the daily bread.
Centuries ago.
Church leaders in Ethiopia insist
that watching over the trees is part of the obedience to God
as stewards of his creation.
It was 40% Now it's 4% Clearing the land.
A man on the news saying one day there will
be no land for the animals.
Once the wildlife is gone, it's not coming back.
They are going to deeper in the woods.
But that's why.
Because they keep driving them out like the Sharks
attack this their habitat.
And we need to be careful when we go into the water,
like the woods, the deer, the Bears, that's their habitat.
We are destroying that, my neighbor said.
I hope they don't clear Furlong.
That's next to me.
There's a stream that runs there and the animals love it.
I talked to a surveyor.
They said four houses to an acre.
I called the Health department and they
need to put the septic up because of the tanks and the.
And he said, I don't understand why they're
building the houses up, though.
I got a call from Santa Rosa and we had all that rain.
Few weeks I was in a flood zone.
Never had that.
If they build all the houses on Furlong.
Four to an acre.
That's 3 and 1/2 acres.
Guess where I'm going to be.
Down here.
And I will flood.
I never got that call because of all the houses built.
I beg, please build a house.
Leave some land for the animals, please.
If not, you're saying you don't care.
Action! speak.
The trees help the wind.
They soak up the water.
They are putting a light at Del Monte and Avalon.
When the lady called, she said, Thank
you for being very concerned.
It will be a while, but we will put a light
at Avalon and Del Monte.
My husband said one day back in the 60s.
Now mankind is going to destroy himself
and money will rule their lives.
And I would not be in their shoes
for all the money in the world.
Thank you, Ms Grimes.
All right.
Next, we've got Cynthia Smith.
Cynthia Smith pace.
I just want to praise the art department.
Jared Lowe.
I give you credit.
I'm now into the system and it's a blessing.
Thank you all for everything.
Woo hoo.
Thank you, Ms Smith.
Shari Chapman.
Sherri Chapman peerage.
There's two things that I'd like to speak on.
First of all is on the connector road.
The speed limit is 35 miles an hour.
No one goes 35.
And why with one subdivision, do we have a cut through road
to slow traffic down.
I'd like to recommend that it be put up to 45
until there's a problem.
I know you can't go over 45 because are sidewalks,
but there's no reason for that to maintain.
And who maintains the grass and cutting and all
that on the connector road.
Because that connector road gets done twice before anything else
gets done around the County.
So the favoritism, I'm not sure exactly why
that's the most favorite road.
Mr Parker, I wanted to bring something up at the last meeting
down in Navarre.
I had said something about you trying to help Mr. Griswold out,
who was a person that was giving you.
I called it a fund.
You called it an event.
I think it was splitting hairs either way,
because it did in some way politically benefit you
to have a community fish fry.
There was no remark on there saying
no funding or no donations will be allowed or taken
or anything to that sort.
So the public that I asked out of 40 people, everybody
confirmed that it was.
In some way a political benefit, and they would consider
it a political fish fry.
And the thing that the reason that I brought that up
is because this gentleman came before the board
wanting to make a smaller hole by digging out dirt.
This was back out in out in tamaqua.
Well, I don't know who came up with that.
Every time I dig a hole, it makes a hole bigger
when I take more dirt out.
These people need to get their land fixed
or they want to get it fixed now that they've
made money off of it.
So is what we need to do is stay out of their private business
and stop trying to fix their past mistakes to take more
dirt out as the residents around it said in their piece of life.
So we need to tell them this is a problem.
Your family created.
This is a family.
You've got to this is a problem.
You've got to fix.
It's not up to the County to make
special regulations to fix because we might
need red dirt to build homes.
Now, let's face it, that's what a lot of it's about.
These people that live around there first before they
wanted to start making this big pit.
So we need to just absolutely step away from that.
Thank you, Ms Chapman.
And Thank you to the hundreds of people
that have helped me on my re-election campaign so far.
You all can remember that this is an important primary election
coming up on August.
Jennie Weber.
Good morning.
Jennie Weber, environmental advocate
and Santa Rosa County voter.
I understand what I'm about to say
is more of a staff level issue and I'll be glad to fix that up.
But I wanted to just put my just put
my concerns on public record.
The County issued a co a certificate of occupancy
to keep Santa Rosa beautiful, and that
was done without any stormwater protection plan.
Not even one engineered, not one submitted, and certainly not
anything that was implemented.
So I'd like to know how and why that co was issued
prior to that being done.
That's according to our code.
Also, it was waved in front of the city council
because the code was issued, you probably seen it in the news
that they were given an extension, 65
day extension for that program.
And that co was issued the day before the council
even voted on this issue.
So it kind of looked like an endorsement from the County
that, hey, they already have this co
so if the County doesn't care, why should you
and that vote was only four to 3.
So I wonder if one or two of those votes
might have been swayed by having that co in front of their face.
Obviously, I think that you should revoke the co
at this time until the stormwater protection
plan is fully implemented and that they
comply with the whole code.
But I'd like to follow up with staff.
And I just don't know who that would be so I can get some more
information on the how and the why and how they
were able to circumvent this.
So I did put in a public records request
to see how the conversation went and who was involved.
So if someone would please contact me.
Mr Baker Thank you.
Thank you, Ms Weber.
And if you will, just for double assurance after you
exit the boardroom today, if you'll go to our office
and give grab either Ashley or Tom and make sure
they have your contact information.
And that way we can have a second check to make sure
they're able to get with you.
Yes, sir.
I'm on speed dial.
OK, we have Jasmine Johnson.
Good morning.
My name is Jasmine Johnson.
Navarre, Florida.
Commissioner Eddington's district.
Here to talk about Avenue today.
So first, I want to say Thank you
to staff the board for the time last week discussing the issue.
The reason I am here today is to ask if the board will direct
staff to come up with a permanent resolution for avenida
de sole outside of FEMA funding.
That's why I'm here.
OK you're done for the second.
OK all right.
Let me finish through public forum
and then we'll address that.
OK Chris curb.
Come on.
Good morning, Chris.
Curb flood defenders panhandle last Friday.
Went to the Northwest Florida Regional Resilience Seminar
and the keynote speaker was Wes Brooks,
the state resilience officer for the state of Florida.
Y'all had some few folks from Santa Rosa County staff that was
there at the meeting and a lot of different speakers talking
about different funding.
And that came out through the Senate
Bill 1954, which was in 2021.
I've spoken about that up here several times.
Just a resiliency grant funding.
I think Santa Rosa County has gotten some of that grant
funding on a few different projects,
like to encourage you all to pursue more of those FDEP
resilient grants funding.
I know you think you're working on a vulnerability assessment
right now under that grant program.
Escambia County is too.
You might be able to do some of these projects
like Williams Creek basin study or Navarre second edition,
where the Johnsons live at, and maybe restore some
of the drainage in that area.
So they won't they don't have as much
flooding in that neighborhood.
It's a good funding source.
Of course.
It requires 50% match funding, and most of your grants
have match funding and which comes up to your budget today.
I think you all have that at 1:00.
I hope you all put enough money aside for these projects
for grant funding.
You got Matt Posner.
He spoke at the Northwest Florida Regional
Resilience Seminar, too, with the perdido Bay estuary program.
And you've been doing working on that for six years.
There's a $50 million grant from NOAA that is in the works.
I think it's going to provide some drainage projects
and study for pine Creek in Santa Rosa County.
That's good.
Something I always hear when we're talking about these grants
is you've got to have skin in the game.
I believe that you have to get started somewhere.
And doing drainage projects, drainage studies,
that's how you start doing it.
And you get your list together, your plan together,
all your project needs.
Williams Creek should be on your budget, I think, in my opinion.
But just one last note.
I asked Escambia County a few weeks
ago about how many projects, how much money they got in budget,
and they got $106 million in grant
funding going on right now.
So a lot of money that don't even include their restore.
Thank you, Mr Hur.
18.5 million of it is buyouts.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
All right.
I don't have anybody else who signed up
on this general public forum section.
Is there anybody else that was here to speak on a non agenda
item before we move forward.
All right.
And let me ask real quick just for planning purposes,
is Commissioner Eddington, is Mr Calvin Sullivan, is he here.
No, sir.
He just.
OK no, sir.
He's at work.
I was going to bump it above number two if he was here.
But either way, we'll be fine.
Thank you.
All right.
That takes us to Commissioner item number one.
I'm going to turn it over to Commissioner Smith.
And Thank you for the pictures in the backup.
It's always great to be able to see the amazing stuff they're
doing.
So take it away.
Well, no Thanks to me, that was our wonderful PIO,
Sarah Whitfield.
She did that.
And I appreciate the job she did on this.
But Yes, a lot of you guys know how much
and how excited trash pickup makes me.
It just warms my heart.
And we have a church in East Middleton
that I'm proud to say is they're the greatest
example of the local church.
And I don't want to go off on my local church tangent,
but pastor Jared Owens of replicate church in East
Middleton he has done a great job as far
as rallying the people of his church to come together
to do good in the community.
And one of the things that I want to highlight
is the trash pickup.
And Yes, and you'll see by Sarah's display here,
this is a trash pickup.
This is the second trash pickup they've done.
I participated in the first one.
But a lot of times we like to do these trash
pickups before it gets too hot.
Now, it's blazing hot.
I know it's going to be the hardest time of the year for us
to try to get people to get out and do trash pickups unless
it's 4:00 in the morning.
But if you see the amount of outpouring and the work
that this church has done, and it's not only that,
it's the community service they do as far as the food giveaways,
the just bringing the community together.
And I love East Milton and I know Pastor Jared.
He loves East Milton and this is the kind of stuff
that it just makes me proud.
One of the things I used to say when I'd get up to that podium
and gripe at this board was Kerry Smith East Milton
because there is such a pride in East Milton
and what we do over there.
And I just wanted to point out pastor Jared's his dedication
to the community, and his church's
dedication to this community.
And I love them dearly.
And pastor, if you and Mike would walk up
to give us a little bit of your time,
I know you're a public speaker.
Maybe we can get Mike to say something, too.
But just like to this was something that's
been on my heart for a while is OK,
you've got local government giving
you some recognition, but.
This is the stuff I would love to see
other churches in the community Follow suit with you.
And I just I just love the fact that you guys have stepped
up and done what you've done.
Thank you, Commissioner Smith.
Well when we planted the church we
got the God's given two commands,
love, God, love people.
And we committed to being a church
that if we closed up our shop tomorrow,
people would notice we wouldn't be the building where
people say a year from now.
There used to be a church there because there's a for sale sign.
And so part of the way we've decided to love people
is love our city.
We want to be rooted in East Milton.
We've had opportunities to get buildings and other spaces
and I said, no, we want to be in East Milton,
we want to love East Milton and just fill that gap
wherever there's a need.
So right now we're about to do a special needs
karate camp for kids that don't normally get invited to stuff.
And so we're looking to always fill those gaps.
Kyle Holly has been a great asset to us
and helping us fill in those gaps in the community out there.
And so we're just looking forward to more opportunities.
And Mike is our youth pastor.
His wife leads our kids ministry.
And so we're excited for anybody who wants to come check us out
in East Milton and the lovely pole barn at the agriplex
out there.
So love to see you guys out there, but Thank
you, Commissioner Smith.
Well, I want to point out didn't get
to bring too much of your flock to this event
because everybody's got a job.
Yes, sir.
Even one of the guys that Will Gordon Taylor is my neighbor.
He lives across the canal from me
and couldn't even get him to go because he
had too much going on.
Everybody has to work.
Yes, sir.
I appreciate it, Commissioner.
Thank you.
And Yeah, who's I mean, who's the gentleman
Is this associate pastor here.
No, that's a youth leader.
All right, I got you.
What I wanted to do is though, is we want to do a presentation
and get a picture.
So don't go.
Yeah, don't get too far.
Listen, there is no more noble cause than I hear telling
people about the gospel.
So we do.
Amen Amen.
I'm glad he's got that because we were going to get
y'all to come up here and we'll take
a picture in front of the seal.
All right.
If you would come on up.
We'll get these chairs out of the way.
He passed sweat money, a World War I war tax.
I love highlighting the good things.
The good things.
This is the good stuff.
Let's compliment and Commissioner
Eddington on his tie.
There I said it looked like Auburn colors.
We almost had a fistfight up here.
He reminded me.
I forgot this was a Tennessee Vols fella, but it looks great.
I thought it was Florida chairman.
Go ahead.
If you'd like.
The Tennessee color.
The lady right there in the orange.
Yeah, the fourth row back.
That's Tennessee orange.
All right.
I think y'all are more famous now than anything for that new
country song you got with the girl singing about her
going to the Tennessee game.
All right.
That Thank you, Commissioner Smith,
for making sure we were able to all learn about the good things
they're doing.
Next, we're going to go to item number two.
Commissioner Calkins.
I'll turn it over to you.
And then we do.
I'll let you go and then we'll call the agenda speakers up.
OK Thank you, Mr Chair.
I'm sure most of you all had an opportunity
to read the resolution.
I'd like to since we got some comments on this,
I'd like to invite the speakers to start out
and then I can go about reading the resolution.
And we'll.
Yeah, you could call them and then we'll call them all up
and then I'll go into reading the resolution
and board discussion.
Yeah, you all are welcome to come up and speak on this.
We'll read the resolution.
I was going to wait until they finished.
All right.
I thought would be all right.
We'll per commissioner Calkins request.
We'll go ahead and I'll call the agenda speaker
turn your mic off for me.
We don't get an echo.
I'll call the agenda speakers, folks, that have signed up,
so I'll start in order.
Ms grace McCaffrey.
Yeah, that's fine.
Yeah, absolutely.
And the.
Hey, and and I think I actually forgot earlier today
and I some of the people that came up.
Sorry Can you give me just a moment, if you will,
and I apologize.
I had told Mr Johnson we would direct his issue,
if you'll give me just a second because I
know that him and his family and fellow servicemen are here.
I apologize.
I'm glad I caught you, if you all will.
Just because I think we might have lengthy discussion.
Mr Johnson, as you all I think every commissioner
had an opportunity to.
To meet with him and his neighbors.
Is that correct.
Just by kind of a head nod.
And I know this is in Commissioner
Eddington's district.
And so I will definitely ask you,
but I will tell you that I fully support, if we could give staff
direction to between now and the next set of meeting,
allow staff.
I know there's some questions and information that we did not
have when I met with them, but if we could allow staff to work
towards as a resolution to this problem to try to help
these families out, I will I'll definitely
say it is some unique circumstances is why that.
But that's where I'm at.
Commissioner Eddington, I know this is in your district,
but I know they're here today asking us
if we'll look at asking staff to move
forward to working with them on some issue on this.
And I just wanted to give them some.
Go ahead.
Yes, sir.
I don't mind going with the staff looking at stuff,
but no, my feelings.
I do feel sorry for the people.
We need to look at something that we
can help drainage and stuff like that
for these people in the future.
But buying these houses out right now,
I wouldn't go with that.
I think I should go back to the real estate people is they
should enclose all this, let these people
know if it floods and stuff.
But I'm willing to work with the staff and let them look at it
and see what we can do to help these people.
And there were some creative ideas
that we were able to come up with when we met that I will
absolutely share more with staff online
and I hope that you all would too.
And some of the things we looked at that could become much
more economically feasible is if we're
able to work with those mortgage companies on maybe
a tremendous reduction.
Obviously, the values have been diminished.
And if we could work with that rather than say, the purchase
price that they had paid for it, there
might be some opportunities where we could help them
and it'd be a lot less pain point.
But at the end of the day, I know both of these gentlemen
are looking at potentially they could
be deployed at any moment with our Special Operations group.
And quite frankly, I want to try to do
anything that would be prudent and responsible that we can.
So if the rest of the board is comfortable with that direction,
that Commissioner Eddington and I think,
have both voiced that we could allow staff to engage with them
and work as expeditiously as possible.
And I know I can pledge with you,
I'll make myself available to staff or to you on any questions
and we will try to come up with something.
And so I think it seems like the board's pretty
solid on that direction to staff and Brad Mr Chairman,
we'll work on that.
I would say let's just set that to bring something
back to the board at the July 22 meeting that'll give us a little
more time to pull all the data and compare it
to other counties, et cetera.
And we'll make sure that at least once a week,
we're giving you an update.
I mean, it is going to be a little complex,
but hopefully that'll at least give a little guidance there.
And so we're trying to get to it.
And again, Thank you, gentlemen, for your service.
And the wives, I know they really
have a harder job than you keeping the home front
while you are gone.
So thank you, ladies, as well.
OK miss McCaffrey, if you want to come forward
and again, I apologize for that little pause there,
but I wanted to make sure these gentlemen were
able to in case they needed to get to work today
would to do that if you.
And just tell you, this is what I reminded of earlier to you.
Anybody that wants to speak today, just when you come up,
try to remember.
In case I forget to remind you, just give us your name
at the beginning of when you're speaking
and then what area you're from.
It's fine.
You don't have to give us an exact address.
It could be Milton pavements or whatever.
And that way when they take minutes to record the meeting,
we'll just have that.
So good morning.
Thank you for being here.
And if you'll just give us that.
Good morning.
Absolutely may I quickly ask why we're going out of procedure
for this, why you're wanting us to speak
before the it's resolution is that commissioners item.
OK So basically what I wanted to do
is did you all read the resolution online.
Yes and I. Assume most of the fellow board members
read the resolution online.
I wanted to hear all y'all's opinion
and then so I can come back and address
any concerns that you have.
That's why I wanted to let you all speak first.
And so if you read the resolution already,
there's no sense in reading it first
and then coming back later.
I just I want to hear from you all first as long as you've read
it and then I can read it, I want to make sure
we're not getting set up for more political theater, sir.
My name is Grace Resendez McCaffrey.
I've been publishing I'm sorry.
I'm from Escambia County.
I live in Escambia County.
I've been publishing local news in Spanish and English
since 2005 and founded the Hispanic Resource Center,
serving people from 21 Spanish speaking countries in Northwest
Florida and South Alabama.
Though we're growing and thriving,
progress takes a step backward when
political stunts use immigration or rather
immigrants as a platform.
These measures affect everyone that
benefit from industries such as hospitality,
construction, agriculture.
That's pretty much, everyone.
I'm here today to ask you to stop the immigration resolution
published by Mr corkins and to introduce
some people that the proposed resolution affects most.
Immigration is a complex system.
Policies are constantly changing,
as are immigrant statuses.
Even immigrants that enter the country
legally can lose their immigration status
by simply missing an appointment,
a requirement that is hindered by transportation
and financial issues.
We do not have immigration check in facilities in Northwest
Florida as undocumented immigrant statuses change,
they become students.
Business owners, teachers, doctors, lawyers and even
military serve in our military.
There are such former undocumented immigrants
in this room with us today.
Immigrants are also victimized by violence against Latinos
is not uncommon, especially when provoked by fear and hatred.
I'm haunted by the 2019 mass shooting at a Walmart store
in my neighborhood in Texas.
One of my classmates wrote me this weekend.
It's no secret that the monster that walked into Walmart
that August morning had hatred towards Mexicans and immigrants,
fueled by rhetoric people he'd never met.
We might think that something like this
could never happen here, but it has.
In 2019, Benny Danny Baker warned his Miramar Beach
neighbors to get immigrants out of their homes
as he was about to begin the revolution, as he said.
He then shot into a townhouse of 20 college students
from Bolivia and Chile while celebrating their youth.
Four were injured.
Two were killed.
Baker did not care what country they came from.
He did not ask their immigration status.
He only knew that they spoke Spanish.
Francisco cofré lost his girlfriend that day,
an eye hearing in one ear and had a bullet lodged in his neck.
I spent the following weeks assisting his father,
apologizing that my community failed to take care of his son.
If ever there were a true public safety concern related
to the Hispanic and/or immigrant community,
I trust that Sheriff Johnson would reach out to us so that we
can work on things together, just as we do with emergency
management because that's what effective community
leaders do failures in immigration reform
are frustrating.
This is a global issue affecting borders around the world.
And I plead you to not complicate
an already difficult situation.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ms McCaffrey.
All right, Esmeralda, I'm going to let you tell
me how you pronounce your last name
just so I don't get it wrong.
Good morning.
Esmeralda Aguilar Quiroz.
OK Thank you.
I am a resident of the Santa Rosa County
and homeowners in the Santa Rosa area.
I am originally from Houston, Texas.
I graduated high school in San Antonio, Texas.
Family of five beautiful children and married
to an amazing, hardworking husband
named Juan Ramon Quiroz Ramirez.
That is originally from arandas, Jalisco, Mexico.
I came here today.
I asked to please not pass a resolution
that make immigrants unwelcome to the Santa Rosa County.
I came here not to fight, but for peace.
Once I heard Santa Rosa, Commissioner James Calkins said
that alleles are not welcomed is not only
going to make undocumented people unwelcome,
it made me unwelcomed.
I am a proud United States citizen,
but I don't forget where my roots come from.
My mother is originally from Houston, Texas,
and my father is from San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
It makes me so unwelcomed.
And not only that, my children.
What would I do if the resolution passes.
Would they see us differently or would they treat us differently.
Would they treat my kids differently at school.
Because how we look.
Will we be able to speak Spanish without somebody
saying, get out of our country.
You are not welcomed.
My husband, Ramon, is undocumented.
He was brought as a child by his parents.
Now as an adult and father, he continues to try
to fix his immigration status.
In this process, we became victims of someone
who took advantage of our desire to get my husband's
documents in order.
We were scammed out of more than $25,000.
The process has been difficult, but
learning that my husband got approved for his I-130
gave us hope.
Thanks to the newspaper and the community where Ms grace does
to bring us together, I learned of the Ramirez Raza Law Group
and ended up getting an appointment three years ago
with Aida Ramirez and my husband,
Ramon could finally do his legal process through Aida.
We are hopeful that the most recent immigration law passed
last week will finally end our journey
and allow our family to share the same nationality.
My family and I ask for patience and appreciate respect
for all of us that we can live in peace
in the Santa Rosa County.
Thank you for your time.
Yes, ma'am.
Thank you for your comments.
Is there anybody else.
And I'm asking because I've got a couple of other names,
but is there anybody else that's already
standing here that was wanting to speak that had signed up.
OK go ahead and just give me your name
and I'll check you off.
Did you sign up.
I did.
OK my name is Lucia Trejo and I live in Escambia County.
I was invited by Grace.
I want to let you guys know a little bit about me.
I am a recipient of DACA.
I came here in 1999.
I graduated in North Carolina.
After I graduated, I got my legal status,
but not because I was legal.
I was still targeted because of my color of my skin.
I was not welcomed to a lot of places because I spoke Spanish.
It was very hard for me to learn English.
And I hope one day we can all stand up there and take
a picture like day celebrating or work
or hard work of my community.
That is, I've never seen that recognized.
And I've seen a lot of my people fainting,
getting heat, strokes and everything.
And nobody recognizes that and sorry, I get very emotional.
When my mother died, I wasn't able to go back home and give
her a burial because of my legal status
when I got my legal status.
Honestly, it was very sad for me because it came too late.
So the laws change every day and a lot of people
come over here to give a better life back.
Their home countries.
Most of them don't make it up here,
and I feel that a lot of people live here and with this law,
they have nowhere to go or they don't
have the funds to move out.
A lot of people have buy their houses here
and everything and they everything is here.
So he forces them to leave.
And I really hope Mr Hawking's to rethink
what you've presented.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Anybody else wanted to speak.
And just so I can check off.
Did you sign the sheet.
Yes, I did.
Good morning.
Good morning, staff.
My name is Caridad Galvan Jones.
I'm a resident of Santa Rosa County since 2009.
I'm a business owner, but I'm also a court interpreter
for the First Circuit, where I extend the assistance
of language for people like my parents
that did not know the language when
they were in front of anyone, a judge or a doctor or anyone.
I'm here today to ask the panel, as well as Mr Calkins,
to reconsider this proposal.
Not everyone that looks like me should be dressed in orange
or be booked in the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Not anyone that looks like me should be a target
for young people to say.
As I was said at one time, go back home while I'm picking
up my mail at the mailbox.
That's not fair.
I was born here.
I was fortunate enough to be born here in the United
States, the land of the free.
Remember where we have constitutional rights.
Well, I asked Mr Culkin, I direct myself to you
because you are the person that brought up this agenda
to reconsider these stories and to reconsider where we are from
and what is the true calling of our agenda here.
I've had young people come up to me on a street light
with a certain flag that we all in a rusty old red truck
telling me to go back home.
It's not fair.
It's not fair to none of us.
Where is home.
Where are all from.
A different place.
We're all from different countries.
Our ancestors.
Why is it that we are as a Hispanic,
targeted to be left out to be go home.
As you heard the stories of my friends here.
Everyone is entitled to a chance, even those
that I interpret for in the First Circuit dressed in orange
because they made a mistake just like a Caucasian brother
or a Black brother.
They have a right.
Mr Cochran, to be heard in court.
And I am their voice when they speak to our honorable judges.
And I ask you to be a here to adhere to our voices.
And to reconsider this can of worms
that you're trying to open because it's affecting everyone,
not only alleles, as you call it, but also the alleles,
the people that are from here, the people that
have status in this country.
We are being judged by the color of our skins and our last names.
And I need you to take a step back
and look at this very carefully before you sign off on this.
I Thank you.
Thank you, Ms Jones.
All right, sir.
Anybody else that wish to speak on this.
Do you want to speak.
Yes, go ahead.
My name is Teodoro aqua.
I've been here for resident for 29 years in Pensacola.
Thank God I've never been arrested.
I have no problems at all.
But like we said we also trust in God.
We believe in God.
We suffer like everybody else, but we suffer the most.
It seems like we are not welcome.
We have so much on our backs, but we still believe in God.
We do the hard work and we are not wanted.
Only people that own business, they understand the people
that works, the people that hardly ever go to the doctor,
regardless whether they have money or not.
But my other thing is in the future days, I would like to.
Like you guys I mean, we have a preacher here this morning,
and I'm glad that this happens.
It's all about relating to God, right.
I believe.
But in the future days, I would like to hear or see
a preacher, a pastor, a priest to step up and see for those who
came recently or like this lady, she was born here
and she's still discriminated.
How often do you see a priest or a preacher
talking about this issue that we're dealing with right now.
Not much.
We go outside, we clean the streets,
we get credits and get awards.
But I haven't seen much.
And I don't want to offend nobody.
God brought me to this point and this that I'm wearing.
It's not today.
I wear it on a daily basis.
I'm not impressing anybody.
I just like to have this new law or whatever
it is to be modified to deal with the heart of God
before you do anything with it.
I mean, Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
All right.
I want to do a closing remark.
Yes, ma'am.
My name is Alma.
I live here in Santa Rosa County.
And pace our stories.
Those of us of undocumented individuals,
of perseverance and dedication can inspire others and highlight
the diverse fabric of American society,
showing that anyone, regardless of their origins,
can make a meaningful impact.
The written portion of your proposal, Mr Caulkins, it's.
It's well said, but you end in a bad note
after hearing all of the stories of everybody
that has come up today.
I hope you take everything into consideration.
And how you're opening the possibility of profiling anyone
that has our skin color and that has last names
that are of Hispanic origin.
That's it.
Thank you, ma'am.
All right.
I'm going to go to our next speaker.
I do want to explain to you the handouts
that I placed at your seats.
They are copies of the newspaper that
show work that we do with Santa Rosa County, as well
as public safety and celebrate education with our families
in the community.
There's also a Spanish language disaster guide that we've been
publishing for several years.
My background is working in emergency management
with originally with American Red Cross
work for Escambia County as well.
And I dedicate my every day in helping
this community stay safe.
That's why we're here.
That last the print out there is a photo of Francisco Crawford
that I spoke about that had the bullet go through his eye
and hit his ear and lodged in his neck.
He's been back to visit to heal himself emotionally.
The article was the only one I could find.
That was from an English publication, English language
publication, available online.
So you can see what happened there.
But it was a devastating situation.
Thank you.
And I will say, your reputation precedes you.
And so I know that there are a tremendous amount of people
that you'll never meet personally that are extremely
thankful, especially for the information
that you want to put out.
And so we really appreciate what you do on that.
Yes, ma'am.
All right.
I've got a mystery.
Chapman also on the list for this item.
Sherri Chapman, Pea Ridge.
What?
I saw this resolution.
I was stunned.
First of all, preaching from the diocese
about no, about less government, less government.
Do this is more government.
This is just the opposite.
And because it's a campaign time and there's not really anything
that you can stand out with.
We have two of you running on this platform
right here saying that you're going
to work on illegal all this.
Read your campaign mail outs.
They're ridiculous.
Our governor put forth SB 1718 to guide municipalities and
cities on how to handle things.
It's not to go out and look at somebody and decide.
It's clear guidelines.
It puts it on hospitals.
They can't refuse care.
So this is not one that chastises alleles
that the government made.
This does this is crazy to say on a campaign card
that you're going to fix illegal immigration.
The only thing that we can do as a County
is let the Sheriff handle it.
If there is an infraction on the law, then he will handle it.
But we don't go out to job sites.
We don't go out hunting for people
and saying, hey, are you illegal.
This promotes people to be hateful.
All these things, when I read some of them,
I just absolutely could not believe
I was in the United States of America and Santa Rosa County.
Santa Rosa County does not welcome illegal aliens.
Mr Calkins, I believe your wife came from Russia.
I'm glad that she had the money back
in her and political influence to get
in and be a citizen faster than people
that have been here 20 years.
So you think about that.
Thank you for your comments.
I don't have any other folks signed up
to speak on this agenda item.
Was there anybody else that wanted to speak
on this particular agenda item.
Jerry Cooley.
Milton, Florida.
I doubt if anybody is in favor of illegal immigration,
but let me help you since you seem to be struggling, James.
We have a Sheriff's department.
That's their job.
Ice that's their job.
This resolution reminds me of the signs that we have up all
over the place that says fined for littering.
If people are going to break the law,
this resolution is not going to stop them from doing it.
And I've been silent on some of your actions,
but I'm not going to be silent on this one.
Everyone knows what this is.
This is rhetoric.
This is dog whistle stuff.
The board of County Commissioners, your job
is to fund the Sheriff's Department, which you've done.
Your job is to have conversations with the Sheriff's
Department periodically to encourage
them to make sure they're getting that job done.
You should have already had that conversation with them,
to be quite honest.
I have a list that shows that there's
at least a handful of folks that have been arrested by ICE.
So the system is working.
Everybody sees this for what it is.
And I'm going to say it today.
Three of you need to say no to this.
Three of you need to push this to the side.
We have a good Sheriff.
He has a marvelous staff, and they're keeping us safe.
I need three of you to say no to this.
Thank you.
All right.
Is there any other speakers on this agenda item.
All right.
Seeing none, I'll go back to Commissioner Collins.
Thank you, Mr Chairman.
I appreciate all the public input on it.
And I want you all to know that this is something
that I worked really hard on.
I worked with our County attorney and he helped.
I also.
The Sheriff was brought up.
I talked to the Sheriff about this
and whether he would support this resolution.
Well, he told me he fully supports this resolution.
Illegal immigration is a serious problem in Santa Rosa County
and the United States of America.
And for a speaker to come up here and say everything's
OK, that we don't have a problem is totally wrong.
We have a major problem in this country
right now with illegal immigration,
with crimes being committed by illegal immigrants and people
not following the law.
It's a serious problem.
And we need to do what we can as commissioners to help
stop it with what we can do.
I put forth a resolution that's very, very simple.
And basically, I'm going to read it.
And I want to make something clear.
This resolution in no way affects or says
anything about legal immigrants, about folks who follow the law.
It specifically says it in here.
What this resolution addresses is illegal aliens,
illegal immigration.
That's what we at Santa Rosa County commissioners
need to say.
Unacceptable if you break the law,
it should never be acceptable to break the law
anywhere in the United States.
We have a nation of laws.
So I'm going to read the resolution right here.
A resolution declaring that Santa Rosa County, Florida, does
not welcome illegal aliens.
Whereas Santa Rosa County welcomes
and honors legal immigrants.
And whereas, legal immigration is
vital to the economic, technological and strategic
strength of our country.
And whereas, Santa Rosa County is committed
to supporting lawful immigration and providing opportunities
for legal immigrants who contribute
positively to our community.
And whereas, currently the federal government
is intentionally violating asylum laws and spending
billions of dollars in taxpayer funds
to admit illegal immigrants, many who are serious criminals.
And whereas the safety and security of the citizens
of Santa Rosa County is of utmost importance
and illegal immigration poses significant challenges
to public safety, public health, and the economic well-being
of our community.
And whereas the rule of law must be
upheld to ensure the fair and just
treatment of all individuals.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Board
of County Commissioners of Santa Rosa County, Florida.
Section 1 Santa Rosa County does not welcome illegal aliens
and stands in support of federal and state laws
designed to prevent illegal immigration.
Section 2.
Santa Rosa County will cooperate fully with federal and state
authorities to enforce immigration laws
and ensure illegal immigration is not tolerated
within our jurisdiction.
Section 3.
The board of County Commissioners
encourages all residents to respect the rule of law
and support lawful immigration processes.
Folks, that is the resolution clear as day.
It's about illegal immigration.
And it also says that we support legal immigrants and our country
was founded on immigration.
We are all immigrants, we acknowledge,
but we have the rule of law that we need to stand in support of.
And this is a major issue in Santa Rosa County,
and we need a show.
Our citizens.
We need to show the country that we're taking a stand.
It's kind of like having a no trespassing
sign in front of your house.
Yeah, people can still cross the line.
They can still violate that.
But at least we're putting a no trespassing
sign for all illegal activity in Santa Rosa County.
That's what this is about.
And this will have an effect.
And again, Sheriff Bob Johnson told me
that I'm allowed to say that he fully
supports this at this meeting.
So I'm prepared to make a motion unless there's any questions.
Any questions or comments by any fellow board members.
Commissioner Wright.
Thank you, Mr Chairman.
May I ask Commissioner Calkins a questions for a simple answer
and then I'll move on to some comments.
James my question will be why this.
And as a follow up, why not create
a resolution for everything that is possibly illegal out there.
Board of County Commissioners resolution against shoplifting.
Resolution against drinking and driving.
A simple question, and I'd like to hear your response
and then I'll follow up with some comments.
Thank you.
This was an issue addressed to me by Citizens.
It was.
It was a problem.
I got a message probably about three weeks ago
that there was this was going out on social media
and it was a message.
I'm going to read the message.
It says approximately 120 what looked like illegal aliens,
military age men without families
dropped off by a bus at Love's on I-10 in Bagdad, Florida,
right by Milton last night.
So I got this message and me as a County commissioner.
What can I do about that.
We can.
We can only do so much.
But at least we can put out a message saying that no, no, no.
Illegal aliens are not welcome in Santa Rosa County.
That is where it could have an effect.
Maybe they'll skip Santa Rosa County because they heard
that we don't support this.
So that's the way it could help.
This issue is about.
Illegal immigration.
And I also want to say this isn't something
that just came up now.
I have fought in 2002 1,000, around 2010,
I went to the legislators, spoke up in favor of e-verify.
And you know what the legislator did.
They voted it down.
OK I went up to the legislator and spoke
in front of the legislator saying
we need to go against college tuition for illegal immigrants.
What the legislator did.
They voted for college tuition for illegal immigrants.
OK I went to the legislator and spoke
out against driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.
What they did.
They voted for driver's license for illegal immigrants.
And there was one vote that voted against it, one vote.
That was Matt Gaetz.
And his dad, Don Gaetz.
And what is that.
So Thank.
I'm so thankful for President Trump.
I'm thankful for Governor Ron DeSantis
because if we didn't have them because later on down the line,
they started getting tough on illegal immigration.
They started e-verify, finally became law, the sanctuary city.
Let me to interrupt you, but you still
didn't answer the question.
I mean, that was I mean, that was magnificent.
I get it.
You dropped lots of names and went on and on and on.
And I'm sorry for everyone, but this
is going to be a long meeting, all because of this one issue.
But I'm going to give you a lesson in leadership.
So you did not answer the question why
this and not every other thing.
OK, I know why.
OK because you didn't answer.
So you obviously don't have an answer.
I know why the answer is because you don't care.
You don't care about all of these things.
This is simply a political stunt.
I'm sick and tired of it.
This Good Lord knows that when bad things happen,
things in life that I think are negative,
I always try to view them as an opportunity.
And that's exactly what this is.
This is an opportunity.
I am done.
And just so everyone is prepared in the media and out there
in the public, when the attacks start coming at me, when you
start seeing mail pieces, advertisements in digital form
and on television come from his grandmother's pack,
you'll know why.
But you're right, it is politics, James.
It is politics.
And I'm sick of it.
As someone who comes from Irish heritage
and knows what the Irish people dealt
with in this country and the discrimination that happened,
that's a problem.
It's a problem for the Hispanics.
It's a problem for Blacks.
It's a problem for Asians, a problem for everybody.
And this business about I talked to the Sheriff
and the Sheriff 100% supports this.
I'm telling you, folks, someone is lying or not
being fully honest, because I've spoken with the Sheriff to
and they are the Sheriff told me he thought
this was a harebrained idea.
And the Sheriff's department does
not enforce immigration law.
Ice does.
And the feds do.
What the Sheriff's Department can enforce
is human trafficking.
In any number of other issues out there.
Now, as a commissioner who has worked closely
with the Sheriff's Department on human trafficking issues,
that, Yes, does have to deal with illegal immigration,
it also has to do with people being
trafficked for other parts of the world
and sold into the sex slave.
But there's a difference in actually working with people,
building relationships and trying to accomplish something
rather than put some resolution together to try to gain
votes and get attention.
From day one, you've done this time and time and time again,
you've brought something forward to create chaos,
to get some name recognition and put this board, whether it be
these five here, the four of us or the four that were here
before, in a tough position to try to leverage us
and to try to make us vote for something so we don't look bad.
We don't look like we're not American.
We don't look like we're not patriotic.
And the precious.
There is no doubt that America is a melting pot.
Look, you're not going to find anyone
in this room that thinks Yeah, it's
a great idea to break the law.
Breaking the law is a good idea.
We approve illegal immigration.
No one thinks that's a great idea.
Not one of us.
So on that, we agree.
Illegal immigration is probably not a good thing.
But immigration is a very, very, very complicated
and bureaucratic thing.
We just from the County level here.
How difficult it is to handle issues,
how difficult it is to just build a house, build a road,
create a park.
It's sausage making and it's bureaucratic
and it takes way too long.
I think we can agree on that.
And every level of government you go up,
it gets worse and worse and worse.
And one of the reasons immigration
is so complicated is because of people on both sides that
use this ridiculous rhetoric and not a damn one of them
actually wants to solve a problem.
It's the same kind of stuff that happens in this boardroom.
It's the same kind of stuff that happens
in Tallahassee and every other level of government.
And I stepped up a few years ago to try to solve some problems.
Staff knows this.
I think most of the people know this.
The people that disagree with my decisions I think still
can understand that I'm just trying to solve a problem.
And that's what I'm hoping all five of us are trying to do.
But in my experience.
I haven't seen a situation where you've actually
tried to solve a problem and there's not a problem you're
trying to solve with this.
This is just an effort to divide people, to create discontent,
to create hate, and to label people.
And you and you disguised it as well.
We're for we're for illegal immigration
and it's for the safety and security of the citizens.
And it's all empty words.
And on a morning like today where there's a traffic fatality
on Highway 98 in Okaloosa County,
that is severely disrupting the mission of Hurlburt Field,
Eglin Air Force base, and the lives
of numerous thousands of Santa Rosa County citizens
trying to get to work.
And we have issues like that and whether
or not we can try to do some kind of bypass road.
To help the nation's security.
The safety of our citizens, the safety of our citizens
is in this safety and security of the citizens of Santa Rosa
County is of utmost importance.
Challenges to public safety, public health,
economic well-being of our community.
The same lines could be tied to the traffic issue on Highway 98
going to Hurlburt Field.
Our nation's security is part of that.
We have two people in this audience
that are part of the Special Operations community.
It drives me crazy that we're not
working on something like that.
If you would put 5% of the effort
that you put into this kind of stuff
into actually doing the work, building a relationship.
Talking to these people, working with FDOT,
working with the Air Force, working with anyone
to try to solve something.
We'd be in a much better place today.
So you and your people can say whatever they want about me.
I welcome the attacks.
My wife is prepared for it.
My family is prepared for it.
You can make up all the lies you want, including the stuff you've
done, the candidates you've put in the race against me,
all this stuff.
You're the one that made this political.
And this is not about me, but this
is about doing the right thing and shutting this kind of crap
down.
And I'm voting no.
Even if I'm 4 to 1, I don't care.
This is wrong.
And I'm absolutely against illegal immigration.
Any other crime, anything that's wrong out there.
But this is empty.
This is absolutely empty.
And when you actually work to do something to solve a problem,
I'll help you out.
Mr Chairman.
You're going to have a chance to talk.
I want to thank you.
All right.
I would like to say that every one of us
included, ran as a conservative Republican.
You actually put on your mailout that you support
gun rights when you ran.
You put out that you support gun rights.
And then on the first item I put on the agenda
when I got elected was to support constitutional carry.
And you know what you said.
You said, we don't have anything to do with this.
It's never going to pass.
It's never going to do.
You just objected it.
And guess what.
We were the first County to support that.
Send it to the Senate President, send it to the speaker.
And guess what.
The governor of our state of Florida
signed into law constitutional carry.
So what we do at a County level does have an effect,
but it takes leaders to step out and show
we need we mean business.
You used you ran as a conservative.
You're no conservative, Colton, right.
You are a full blown rhino liberal.
And its actions, you're against a common sense led resolution.
I can guarantee you 75% of Santa Rosa County residents
would vote for this guaranteed.
And I can tell you that this will
be a big issue because it shows it shows
who stands against illegal.
There are folks in Washington.
There are local level people that don't want to do anything
about illegal immigration.
They want to do absolutely nothing.
They want to sit there while illegal immigrants come
across the border, kill people.
There is murders by illegal immigrants.
That girl in Georgia.
We are the people are losing their lives
over illegal immigrants.
And you know why that's happening.
Because there are people that run as Republicans
that don't take a stand.
There's another commissioner, Kerry Smith,
who actually replaced a good Republican,
replace a good Republican and put a Democrat on a board.
And you voted for it.
Colton right.
We have pure and full blown rhinos up here that vote
with the Democrat agenda that are for that are against gun
rights, that are against.
They sit there and say, they're there.
They're against illegal immigration,
yet they won't even vote for an item that basically says.
That Santa Rosa County does not welcome illegal aliens.
Well, sir, that means you welcome illegal aliens.
That's what that means.
You said it.
So that's the message that's going to get out there.
Folks I ran as a conservative.
I'm still a conservative.
I didn't change when I got elected.
And I've been fighting for conservative values.
I've been fighting to make sure that this board is
not hijacked and taken over by liberal Democrats.
Folks, we're close.
We're about.
We're about one vote away from this board
having a liberal majority.
And these are the kind of things that are so simple.
Easy easy to pass.
And all I can do.
I'm one commissioner.
I have one vote.
I hope the rest of the board.
I hope we can get this passed and and I'll respect whatever
the will of the board because.
But the people will know.
The people will know how we stand on this issue.
It's very important.
It's one of the top issues.
So commissioner, one last thing.
The people know where I stand because I support
the Sheriff's Department.
Time and time again.
I've been part of funding the Sheriff's Department.
Happy to do so.
Their budget has increased and we've
given them proper pay and the proper tools to do their job.
If you talk about gun rights, there's
my concealed carry permit.
There's my lifetime NRA membership.
Anytime you want to go shooting, come with me.
We can have a little contest if you want.
If it's going to turn into a game,
we can talk about who has more guns, who has more ammunition.
This is ridiculous.
You objected.
This is ridiculous because the County does not control it.
What we control is the Sheriff's budget.
It's simple.
This is simple civics.
It's civics.
Now what my incoming freshman daughter could not do
is school you on the game of politics.
That's a fact.
Because she's disgusted by what she sees at 14 years old.
But what she can do is she can school you
on civics and the separations of government
and the different branches, whether it
be at the federal level or the local level.
And the fact is you and this board,
we should be focused on an ordinance
that makes a difference.
The land development code where it
makes a difference, investing in recreation,
investing in infrastructure.
That's our job.
That is our job where we get involved in federal issues
is when we start talking about how does our County help.
Support our local military bases from an infrastructure
standpoint, from a funding standpoint.
How do we support our veterans.
It's what this board can actually to do that, though.
Not put useless words on a sheet of paper.
And that's why I know you're going to use
this to attack everybody.
I'm a rhino.
You like to say that stuff all the time.
I'm a proud Reagan Republican.
And you can.
This is ridiculous.
This doesn't even need to be partisan.
But do not question my Second Amendment bona fides.
You objected the constitutional carry.
So that's actions speak louder than words.
Commissioner Parker, are we going
to be able to discuss this or is this going
to be a back and forth between.
I think Commissioner Wright is finished.
I just wanted to allow him to get
through his train of thought.
Go ahead, Commissioner Smith.
I want to do this.
And don't touch your little button there,
James, but well, it's not your turn.
I know you don't know the rules and how
to operate a proper meeting.
And it's just obvious even more.
You came out attacking me, and you can shut up.
I'll tell you to shut up from here.
I can't tell you politely.
I mean, get it, dude, and turn your microphone off.
You should be polite.
I'm trying to be.
But you can't.
You can't keep your mouth shut.
And it's just embarrassing.
I've had enough of it.
I think this board's had enough of it.
We've had our fill of you doing these little stunts.
Congratulations you.
You succeeded in your little stunt of.
Hey, if they go against it, I'm going to make
it look them against me.
I'm the only true conservative on this board.
You are far from being the true conservative on this board.
You have no clue of how to even govern anything you don't know.
You don't even know what your job is, sir.
And I say that with the I'm not saying that as a Gotcha.
I'm saying that as an embarrassing fact.
It's embarrassing.
What you do and do not know.
And to do these kinds of things, it just blows me away.
And then all of a sudden you're going to come out and start
talking about me appointing a Democrat to a board,
the Marine advisory board.
That's when we have repairs done on boat ramps.
It's nothing more than that.
I did not.
Shut up.
I'm sorry.
I can't.
It's like talking to a child.
You replaced a Republican and put a Democrat,
and the man you replace is an honorable man.
I don't care what they were.
The guy didn't show up to the meetings.
I replaced him with a marine biologist.
I didn't ask for her party affiliation.
I didn't care.
These are not the kid grief guy.
Lee, man, you are just insufferable.
I can't.
I don't know what else to do because you
can't keep your finger off your microphone.
You've got to start interjecting.
You've got to start your debate Follow the rules.
I know you want to aspire to get to Florida
and do get in the legislature.
They'll boot you right out on your butt.
You start doing that stuff.
So let me give you a little lesson on that.
So some of the things that you're proposing.
They're ridiculous.
And when you brought up the point with the 120
legal immigrants that were at the Love's truck stop, for one,
looked into this.
For one had a state representative, the Sheriff's
Department and some citizens that
brought this to my attention in the conference room.
And we ascertained that these were
people coming in on an h-1a or an h-2a visa
just coming through town.
But you're going to use it as a spark.
We're getting invaded.
They were stopping to use the restroom on their way
to South Florida.
So these are the things that are just when you come up
and you start shooting from the hip.
I did do the work.
I did hear the complaints and I did set up the meetings.
So when we have these discussions,
this is really doing work.
Tom was on vacation last week.
I don't know if he even answered the phone
and but I'm probably pretty sure he just
kept legally out of trouble.
He didn't do he didn't do any more than that.
And for you to say that the Sheriff's
Office fully endorses this.
He just didn't see a problem.
Would you sink in his ship.
You're just doing what you do.
James, this is your seventh resolution in 3 and 1/2 years.
I've got them all up here.
Here Your predecessor of 20 years.
I guarantee you he doesn't have seven resolutions
because he knew how to govern.
He knew how to direct policy to help his district.
He knew how to be a County commissioner.
Then why did he not get elected.
How do you know.
Again, James.
You just keep showing people.
Your inability to follow directions.
The simplest direction.
How can you just.
I'm telling you.
I'm telling you right out of the gate.
And then have you checked with the HbA1c as to what you're
trying to accomplish here.
Good grief.
No, you can answer them in a block.
OK I'll let you answer them in a block,
but you won't answer them anyway.
You'll skirt around and you'll start preaching.
Trump I'll tell you where I was January 6.
Where were you.
So you want to listen, man.
Sam seriously, can you say what it is.
So you want me to ask the HbA1c, the home
builders association, what they thought about this immigration.
I can tell you they don't support it.
I could tell you a lot of folks that take American jobs
and hire illegal immigrants aren't going to support this.
But you want to ask the hba?
I'll tell you what.
I'm going to take a restroom break.
And when you guys are ready to vote,
I've said all I'm going to say.
I'm not going to partake with this little Monkey Business,
of how he runs a meeting.
And by the way, this is the guy that's
going to be our chairman in July because he's the vice chair.
Is this the kind of crap we're going to deal with.
I'm telling you, I'm taking a restroom break.
When you guys are ready to vote, I'll come back to you.
Commissioner Eddington.
Mr Ryan, I want to thank you for what you said about 98
working with the military and stuff.
I have worked with Eglin, Herbert about the connector
ever since I've been on this board,
still working with these people.
I'm not against these people coming in as long
as they come in legal.
That's the right thing to a matter of fact,
I got two in my house every day taking care of my grandson.
They are doing the right thing.
They are applied for American citizenship.
They're doing the paperwork.
They're doing great.
I have a problem with that.
No, I do not.
I'd do anything for these two ladies today.
And I have done some stuff for one of them.
Last week.
She needed some help.
I was there.
I took my truck and we moved a lady.
That's what it should be.
I don't look at color, race, nothing.
I have got friends from ever all over this United States
and out of this country.
I've got some friends.
Would I turn on them.
No and I don't think they would turn on me.
You talk about the Democrats.
As I've told you before, my parents were Democrats.
I voted Democrat the first time.
I am a Republican now.
My dad got mad at me, didn't speak to me for a long time.
But we got he got over it.
We got good people on every side.
We got bad people.
We just got to work together and quit talking about it.
We want to not let this one come into this state.
We don't want these here, this County.
We should be letting the state and federal people handle
that stuff, not the County.
That's state and federal.
I read all of it.
Believe me, I've read it.
James, me and you friends, I like everybody on this board.
But I will not vote for that because we.
You don't know who's the bad ones coming in.
Well, you don't know if they might be illegal,
but they might be here trying to get citizenship.
We don't James.
We really don't know because you've
got to give them a change.
They are some bad people, believe
me, coming across that border.
No doubt about it.
Drug addicts, drug pushers, people
getting kids doing stuff they shouldn't be doing with kids.
I got a grandson in a wheelchair.
That And these ladies takes care of my grandson
like you wouldn't believe.
They are not from the United States,
but they want to be because it's a better
place to be because that's what it's a free country here.
And we are giving them the right to come here and live
a good life in the United States, here in Santa Rosa,
everywhere.
But James, please don't push it.
Let's hold off and let the state and the federal people do this.
Please, sir.
All right, Commissioner.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr Chairman.
I said it and I said it again.
I believe this is what the people of Santa Rosa County
want.
This is a clear, absolute 100% majority of Santa Rosa counties
wants this.
A resolution declaring that Santa Rosa County, Florida, does
not welcome illegal aliens.
It's plain as day.
Think about.
It's clear.
And what I would like to say is it's time to take a vote,
I can tell you.
The citizens will know about this resolution, what it says.
The citizens will know how we vote.
And I think it will be a very important issue.
So I absolutely want to show the citizens of Santa Rosa County
that Santa Rosa County cares and that they truly.
Are against illegal immigration, but we
also support legal immigration.
So I'm going to make a motion to approve asking for a second.
Yeah Thank you.
I know I've lost a little weight recently, guys,
but I'm still sitting here.
I still like the opportunity to speak as one of five.
First of all, I'll try to keep my train of thought
here from the bottom of my heart.
I want to Thank Commissioner Eddington and Commissioner
Colton, obviously.
Commissioner Wright.
I'm sorry, I actually wrote ray and Colton,
but I'm trying to be respectful here.
Commissioner Eddington and Commissioner Wright
for your work on Highway 98.
As you all have mentioned, that in our thoughts and prayers
are with those families that have suffered that tragedy.
We also are extremely thankful for the work that the men
and women of our United States Air Force,
specifically Hurlburt Field and Eglin and the leadership, as
well as our state delegation and Congressman Matt
Gaetz and meetings that I know myself
and Commissioner Wright have attended about the highway 98
alternate route.
So I do appreciate you all stepping on that,
touching on that, and I appreciate
your hard work on that.
And I also want to make a comment because this is actually
an issue that early on in the year that I had
kind of solidified a train of thought
after gathering information that nobody's
really touched on today.
I want to say unequivocally I'm thankful for the instrumental
role that hundreds of thousands, if not millions of immigrants
play in our country's economy.
And especially when you talk about Florida
and our construction and our agriculture industries.
And that really cannot be overstated, especially if folks,
that are working in the citrus industries or other
agriculture things, or especially
in the construction industry.
I'm going to give you a little perspective of I
think I probably share some cross thoughts of all five
of you gentlemen on the board.
I absolutely agree.
And I think everybody on this board and in the audience
would agree with the fact that drug overdoses and deaths are
at an alarming rate throughout the country,
especially here in Florida.
I mean, you've got rapes and murders of young girls
that you're hearing about on the National news,
which seems to be at an unprecedented rate
in the past few months.
And, of course, I mean, we're going off of reports that we've
heard that it is unfortunately seems to be violent crime,
especially towards younger females
being highlighted at an alarming rate that's
occurring from folks that have come across the border
illegally.
But I will lay blame at where I see blame 100%
And that's at the feet of President Joe Biden.
Quite frankly, President Biden went in office
and he repealed executive orders.
And he had no problem doing that, things
that were securing the border.
And I've got a good friend of mine right now.
He's a Santa Rosa County resident
and he's a Florida Highway patrolman.
And he's over at the border right now.
And I've been able to talk with him on the phone
as he's been over there in Texas.
And he shared things that really solidified
a lot of what I've speculated from watching the news.
But you never really know until you're either there
or talk with somebody that's there.
And even state representative Michelle Salzman
that recently took a trip down there and the difficult,
the difficult thread to weave about this issue
that Commissioner Caulkins has brought up
and that we're all hearing about on the news every day
is the fact that it is a tough issue to think.
Do you vilify the folks coming across the border
and call them a criminal in circumstances
where you have federal government, law enforcement
employees waving them to come placing them in line,
putting them on air conditioned buses,
driving them to processing centers,
asking them where they want to go,
and then providing them with bus tickets or in some cases
plane tickets and dispersing them throughout the country.
I've shared with my wife this is something where I said months
ago, I actually had prayed.
I said, God, please soften my heart
and help me not to feel bitter or angered.
Towards people that are doing that
because again, as I will say, that blame
is on President Joe Biden.
It's one thing when you scale a wall or tunnel under a barrier
or try to evade law enforcement.
But when you have federal law enforcement and this
is from talking with my friend that's in Texas right now.
When you have federal law enforcement officers waving
people across the border and you think someone's
trying to get to a place where they can provide
better for their family.
How do you criminalize that.
How do you even find fault in that.
I know that if I thought there was a better opportunity for me
and my children and my wife, somewhere, I 100%
would do things that I could to improve that.
And the fact of the matter is, it's kind of like speeding.
Somebody mentioned the speed limit earlier.
If you have a speed limit of 35 and you drive down the road
and you see a deputy part there and you say,
hey, speed limit is 35, but is it OK if I go 45.
And the deputy says, absolutely, it's OK, you can go 45.
I know the speed limit says 35, but you can go 45
and you drive 45.
Does that make you a criminal or are you following what
the law enforcement told you.
And I think that is where it becomes
a difficult situation to navigate because quite frankly.
And I think our Florida Highway patrolman,
I think our Texas National Guard,
I think our governor for trying to support Greg Abbott in this,
it's not happening where they're at,
but they can't control federal law enforcement.
And again, that's where I say it.
I place the blame solely at the feet of our current president,
Joe Biden.
I do not condone illegal immigration.
And I don't condone the federal government
not only ignoring the immigration laws,
but actively undermining them.
And that is where I see the problem
more so than the majority of folks that are coming across
that probably I think we could accurately say
don't necessarily engage in criminal behavior, especially
violent criminal behavior.
But I will say that.
You can't.
You cannot ignore the fact that even right here in Santa Rosa
County, as of last week, we have had a significant rise
of the number of drug related overdoses
and Meth that's happening with this fentanyl.
And it's been directly linked.
I mean, even here at a local level,
through cooperation with federal agencies,
it's been directly linked to fentanyl and other drugs
coming across the Southern border.
And so Yes, it is a major issue.
Just like Commissioner right said what.
I'm proud of the fact that in eight years,
every year we've been able to increase
our Sheriff's budgets to where he can combat
crime and provide safety.
But even especially today, we're going to have a budget hearing
to where the proposal is going to be to fund almost
another $9.5 million to our Sheriff's Office
so that he can have the budget to not only have the personnel,
but the equipment that he needs to help
fight the mess happening.
And even if you talk with the Sheriff,
things like the human trafficking are extremely hard.
But you've heard Commissioner right.
For years has actually he's been an advocate against that.
He's even talked about some of these, stay open all night
massage parlors and different things.
So I have zero doubt that the men on this board
share the heart of wanting to stop this.
And I know when I was a Sheriff's deputy,
it wasn't happening near at the volume that it's happening now.
But it definitely created a problem
when you would deal with folks and they
would have whatever fabricated ID that they put together.
And you have no way of acknowledging who this person
is you're dealing with.
I can personally say I have arrested
people that bonded out of jail.
And then the next day when the IFUs hit came back
on their fingerprints, they were wanted for violent crimes
in other states.
But we didn't know that at the time.
And we had no way to prove who they were.
I mean, it is lunacy in the United States of America,
arguably the most technologically advanced country
in the world, that as a citizen that's born here to do almost
anything, you've got to provide as an adult documentation,
a birth certificate to get a driver's license and Social
Security number and sign up for selective service
and all these other things.
But the federal government under the current president,
can have people walk across the border
and tell you whatever name and identity
that they want to assume, then without any documentation
to know if that's true, they can go in here right now.
And Thank you to our governor and our state delegation that's
working with the Florida Sheriffs Association
to try to end the loophole that for me, born right here in Santa
Rosa County 40 years ago, to go get a tag for a vehicle
that I purchased, I've got to provide not only my driver's
license, but I have to provide proof of insurance,
and that's to protect all the motorists on the road.
But yet you can have someone waved across the border.
They go to a processing center, get a passport
and whatever name that they decide to assume because there's
no birth certificate required like there are
for naturally born citizens.
And then they can come out here and get a tag to a vehicle
and go out here and drive.
It's happening right here in Santa Rosa County.
I think the Sheriff's Office said as of last week,
if I remember right, at least 100 cases or more
of out here driving without a license,
I hear getting in wrecks.
And then our citizens are victimized
because they didn't have insurance,
but it wasn't required.
It's not the tax collector's fault.
It's a breakdown in state law.
My last point, and I'll say this, I really again,
I think I know all you gentlemen enough to know that I
share thoughts with you all.
And I will.
This is the moment where I'll say
I'm going to try to lean into maybe a little bit of longevity
and on the board and collegiate to.
With these comments.
I know the board has passed ceremonial resolutions
in the past and I 100% support sending a strong message
to President Joe Biden and the elected officials in Washington,
DC, that says this cannot continue.
This is breaking the back of our country.
It's breaking the back of the resources.
And we're talking about law enforcement.
But folks, let's not forget, if you haven't traveled
to any major Metropolitan area recently,
you can ask a friend who has or turn on the news.
These cities are being overwhelmed.
It's not a Republican or Democrat issue anymore.
It's the fact that you're having thousands of people
show up in the Metropolitan areas with 0
means to support themselves and depending on local governments
to take care of them.
The fact is Florida right now, I think,
is number two in the whole country.
As far as a state that's suffering from this.
We are seeing things here locally.
And I know every one of you gentlemen have probably
had an opportunity to talk with the Sheriff's Office
or at least listen to interviews that chief TIFF have done
did last week.
It is a problem right here in Santa Rosa County.
But in an attempt to try to unify this board as well
as place blame directly, where I feel like blame
should be placed.
I would because I don't like to see a divided board.
I don't like to see men that I character wise on this board
possibly put into a put into a category
that I don't think maybe accurately identifies them.
But I do think that the citizens it's kind of like I've got
a guy right now in my district, we're
trying to work with him, getting his internet back
up after this storm from AT&T, and he
knows it's not my wheelhouse.
He says, I know there's nothing you can do,
but I know you have a stronger voice than I have.
Can you please help work on this.
And I'll say, even the folks at FPL,
because of those connections and that opportunity
I have to serve as an elected leader.
We definitely got quicker results from him than for him
than he was getting himself.
So in that effort to try to help, what I have,
undoubtedly I know that every man on this board, I
know that probably every person in this audience
and the overwhelming majority of people in the community
understand that it's a problem.
I would propose that we could do a slight modification of
the language to the resolution.
And I've and I've made a few minor critiques
that I think after hearing the robust comments that I make
would make sense.
And then hopefully we could pass it and join other elected
officials all throughout this country that have already called
for President Joe Biden to secure the Southern border,
stop illegal immigration that's leading
to the rise in violent crime and drug deaths in our country,
and quite frankly, negatively affecting us right
here in the state of Florida.
And I think it goes back to as I say,
those ceremonial resolutions, which we have passed
a lot of meaningful ones.
Even when I was on the board with Commissioner Salter,
Commissioner Hawkins predecessor made
me think of that because sometimes it's just
to send that message of, hey, I know this may not
be directly in my wheelhouse.
It is in our wheelhouse, obviously,
to approve the Sheriff's proposed budget,
a 9 and 1/2 million dollar increase later today.
But if nothing else, to join with the many,
many other local and state elected leaders
throughout this entire country that are calling for Washington
to do something to stop this.
And they 100% can do something to stop this.
My suggestion of trying to unify the board and send that signal
would be, I think if we made the modification of wording.
Commissioner Calkins, if you would consider where it to where
it could read a resolution declaring that Santa Rosa
County, Florida, does not support illegal immigration
because again, the tough part, and I understand
might give me a second to finish.
I understand the hearts of what you're saying.
There's undoubtedly we have people here right now in Santa
Rosa County that are contributing
to our economy every day and that aren't committing crime,
but they're not here through the legal Avenue.
But I can tell you, through being around construction sites.
These men will share the same stories that I
just told you about my friend.
That's a highway patrolman that in their mind,
it wasn't even really criminal in their mind.
It was the federal government inviting them in.
I mean, they transported them here
on behalf of the tax dollars.
But I think if that language clarifies that we don't support
illegal immigration, and then if we modified section 1 to say
Santa Rosa County does not support illegal immigration,
the rest of the wording would be fine.
It's really it's changing the name of welcome to support.
But I think that words do have meaning.
And I think that I know sometimes I get long winded,
but I'm really trying to make a stand for.
Like I said, I don't want to see any of my fellow board members
try to be compartmentalized into something
that I know they those are not that's not
how I characterize these fine gentlemen that I serve beside.
And we could add a section number 4 after Section 3
to some effect.
But the notes I took as I listened to you gentlemen just
said, the Board of County Commissioners
encourages President Biden to use all available options
to immediately secure the Southern border
and stop facilitating the relocation of illegal immigrants
throughout the United States of America.
Because I think that is something we can all agree on,
is that's the last thing that we want ourselves
or our children as they won doubtedly
have to tackle the rising debt.
To think that we're paying to transport folks
to cities that are begging for help if you
haven't seen it on the news.
But that would be my suggestion.
I believe in that intent that I describe.
I believe I think that every you've already
heard these gentlemen and how they feel.
We've heard from citizens.
And I think everybody in this room,
probably even the folks that spoke, would say,
Yes, we don't agree with criminals
and we don't but we don't agree with what President
Biden is allowing to happen.
That is at the root of that.
And instead of doing anything that could disparage
and otherwise, fantastic, hardworking person
that's right here in our community.
And that's why I shared that robust background
because like I said, I've got a friend out there on the border.
And I just there's no other way I to look at it.
So I don't know if you would entertain
making those few modifications.
I think it sends the same message.
I think it sends actually a stronger message
because if we put that in there, we could 100% send this
to our federal elected leaders.
I know that Senator Scott, from listening to him,
I think would be glad to take this
in his office and Congressman Gaetz,
and we could send it 100% to the White House
because again, it's one of those where if we can join
with other elected officials around the country,
we can become that echo chamber that maybe is loud enough
that either he'll fix it or that the folks will
turn out in November and we'll have
a change in the White House.
But that would be my suggestion.
Commissioner chairman commissioner Parker.
Well, wait a minute.
I mean, let me get Commissioner Smith.
Commissioner Smith, I appreciate your attempt to do this,
but I'm going to tell you right now,
there's no way I'm for any of this
because this is a half assed.
And I'm sorry.
I'm going to have to get my wife hitting
me on the head for saying that.
But this is a half cocked.
Resolution put together prior to a mail out.
And this is all it is.
I'm going to call it out for what
it is I'm against how Joe Biden's
handling this 100% We all are.
But for him to get up here and start his shouting and stuff,
what he's done.
No, I say we throw this out.
Go to the next item.
Share this, I. Let me get Commissioner right.
Mr Chairman, I circle back since it's your resolution.
So I appreciate your attempt to try to make sure
that I and others don't get painted into a corner
by some folks.
I think that damage is already done,
and I already know that ship is coming
and those attacks are on their way.
They were on their way before today.
The facts say otherwise, James.
So what I would 100% support is if you want to work with staff,
Mr Chairman, to draft a letter and then bring that back
to the board for us to all sign in unison in solidarity,
that we think that the president, Joe Biden,
has done a terrible job and we think
there are numerous improvements that can be made.
I will 100% support that and I'll be glad to sign that.
I just can't be part of this stunt.
And that's just what it is.
It's not about what the resolution says.
It's not.
I just I can't be comfortable just tweaking it
because all this is an effort for one person
to try to make themselves look good
and to try to make others look bad.
And he's trying to pigeonhole you into a bad spot.
He's done it to Commissioner Eddington, to Commissioner Smith
and to me.
And it's also an effect to pigeonhole staff.
And we've seen what happens in the past
when people feel bullied into doing something they know based
on the history of what's happened for many years,
that if they don't go along with certain things,
that they will be stabbed in the back.
There will be a line of people at the podium
to demand their firing and their resignation.
Facebook will go crazy.
I wish this board had a more collegiate and professional
way of doing things.
And I think generally speaking, we try to do that.
But time and time again, there are efforts to disrupt
that and create the chaos.
And I will not be part of the chaos any longer.
I cannot do it.
It's not good for me.
It's not good for the staff.
It's not good for everybody else here.
And it's darn sure not good for them.
I absolutely support a letter and I will make a motion to.
Did I hear a second.
OK, go ahead, Mr Chairman.
Let commissioner Collins speak.
And I know Commissioner Eddington wants to speak.
I don't think we need to rush to cut
another one off at this point.
Got to raise your hand.
All right.
So I'm.
I'm just one vote here.
But I'm willing to work with the rest of the board.
And I actually commend Mr Chairman for actually.
For actually trying to adjust and make this to where some
of you all may jump on board.
But there is a clear ideological difference between all
of us board members.
There is a clear as day ideology.
There are some board members here that are to the left.
And there are some board members that are to the right.
And it's clear as day because the resolution, the resolution
speaks for itself.
It's very simple.
You vote Yes or you vote no.
Now, what.
Chairman Parker did was actually try to make it to where
we could work together.
He's a lot more polite maybe than I
am with some of these things.
But that's why we all have to work together and.
So I'm going to say that I will.
I will.
I had a motion on the floor and I
will amend my motion to add what Commissioner Parker
has put in the resolution.
I think that he really tried.
To win over another board member.
And this is your opportunity.
I do think this needs to be voted on.
And it is the board's opportunity
right now to show that they stand
against illegal immigration.
So what Commissioner Parker put on here a resolution declaring.
The Santa Rosa County, Florida, does not
support illegal immigration.
It's very simple.
It's very and to Commissioner Addington.
Respectfully, Commissioner Addington.
It's kind of what I think Commissioner Parker probably
listened to your verbiage and it's
kind of what you were saying when you were saying
your speech on this issue.
It kind of fit in line with that.
I think that this is good and we could
this is what the citizens want.
This is truly what the citizens want.
And I think what Commissioner Parker did was he
added another section here on.
President Biden to use all available options to immediately
secure the Southern border and stop facilitating
the relocation of illegal immigrants
throughout the United States of America.
This is called working together.
This is called trying.
To uphold the will of the people.
So I highly recommend.
My motion stands as amended.
Asking for a second.
And then we and then we move to discussion.
But I highly believe that we need to show the public that.
This is something that we care about
and the public cares about.
So I knew you were looking to speak a second ago.
Did you have a comment.
It puts us in a hardship between all of us.
I think we should not vote for that right now.
Like Mr Wright said, I just work with the staff.
Let's get the right words put in there because I
do not feel like all these people is bad people
and they are not bad.
We got there's a bunch of good ones.
And I believe we can work with some of this stuff.
We just got to really sit down with the staff
and try to word this stuff correctly and not
make it look bad on all of us.
Not going with you or we do go with you,
but we want to do the right thing.
Let's all sit down and think about this, how we
really want to word this stuff.
I'll just say this.
I passed that.
You can see the changes.
I can't say anything else that I haven't spoken
already from the heart on this.
But I will say.
As a Santa Rosa County resident and elected official.
I do.
I do not want to.
The reason I tried to write something
to build some alliance, something that there
was some palatability towards.
And I. 100% sympathize with comments that were made and.
I don't want to send the message either that
Santa Rosa County couldn't.
It's almost like we're standing on the train
track at this moment.
And that's probably not a good analogy.
But if it's been put in front of us, I don't want it
to go down as, hey, we didn't.
The message of Santa Rosa County didn't support this, I think.
I acknowledge the heartfelt feelings
that have been stated today.
And there's undoubtedly extreme political tension
between members of this board.
And that's why I've tried to navigate a thread that I thought
would be graceful and accurate.
I hate to send the message to Santa Rosa County
now that this is in our laps that.
This is not so I guess, Commissioner.
I'm kind of asking you because look,
I'm your I'm your I'm commissioner
right's biggest advocate.
I'm going to give me a button that says commissioner
rights number one fan.
He's been an extremely levelheaded.
Commissioner on the board.
And I understand everything you said.
I think that.
I understand what you're saying.
I'm just.
That's one thing I'm looking at.
I don't know if you would consider looking at this
or I heard what you said.
I just kind of hate the message not only here locally, but even
to our leaders to be that Santa Rosa County couldn't come
to an agreement on this issue.
Now that it's in front of us.
Well, Mr. chairman, what I did not hear
is I did not hear a second.
So if I may just make a couple comments.
I didn't hear a second.
What I'm just.
Are you talking about for discussion.
He's just wanting to.
I just can't.
I can't handle this.
This talking off the mic like a child.
It just.
It's on and on and on and on and on.
And this is what I'm getting at.
Obviously, tensions are high, and I'm
a little fired up this morning.
More than normal.
But it's because it's cheap talk.
You have made an effort, Mr Chairman,
to try to provide a solution.
And I 100% understand and support your efforts.
Please, James, if you can't shut your mouth.
Just go ahead and key the mic.
Every time you're going to say something, just go ahead.
You might as well.
So I can appreciate Commissioner Calkins
comments about working together and finding a solution.
I heard him.
But what I believe in my heart is there empty words.
And the reason I say that it goes back to my comments
earlier is things like this get laid in our lap
time and time and time again.
And if there was really an effort
to do something productive and try to work
together and find a solution.
And that would have been done with staff
and worked by communicating through staff
to commissioners to try to find a solution
and then bring it to the board.
Not throw something out on a Thursday afternoon.
Here's the agenda that's published and put
everyone on their heels.
And then have everyone spend all weekend going geez,
I wonder what's going to happen Monday.
It's going to be chaos in the boardroom.
We have a two page agenda, two pages of actual County business,
but a commissioner item on the front,
it's going to dominate the whole day.
It's going to dominate the news cycle.
It's going to dominate Facebook.
And it's only done.
For that one individual's benefit.
It's not done for the benefit of anyone in this audience,
not done for the benefit of anyone watching,
not a single center as a County citizen.
It's not done for anyone's benefit,
and his political desires and the hunger for power.
And I'm just over it.
If I don't get elected, God be God, whatever.
I've got more character and integrity.
Then this kind of stuff.
I just.
I can't do it.
I've told you time and time again
that you keep pushing too far and you're not a man of Honor.
And that's a fact.
And, Mr Chairman, I'm sorry for having to go that route,
but that's the position that we keep getting put in.
And if we continue to allow it like we've done
for the last 3 and 1/2 years, it's going
to continue to happen.
And I'm not going to be bullied anymore.
And once again, I absolutely appreciate your attempt,
but because I think that's what a chairman is supposed to do
is try to guide the meeting and try to bring everyone to a place
to get something done.
And as someone who has consistently
tried to solve a problem and bring people together
to do so and understand compromise, what he's
done to us today is not an effort to solve anything,
not an effort to compromise, not an effort
to work together, regardless of what he says
now after the proposed changes.
So I hope I'm not putting the position
and three other people on this board
aren't put in a position where they're
forced to take a vote on this.
What I would prefer to see happen is that this gets tabled,
a letter comes back via staff and the chairman
and the commissioner that wants it.
Everyone can review it before it's put on the agenda.
And we could all be proud to sign
something that goes to President Biden in the White House.
Thank you.
And with that, I'll take what it is.
If we got to go to a vote, so be it.
What is the difference.
You're saying that this is political,
so what is the difference with what you're trying to do.
It's the same thing.
It just I mean, this is a clear resolution.
You're saying this is all political theater.
That's what you're saying.
Well, then what you're doing is the same thing.
So Yeah.
Please hold on a minute.
What I think is going on here, I'm going to say it.
What I think is going on here.
And this was a comment that was made earlier
by Commissioner Kerry Smith.
Commissioner Kerry Smith asked me
if I asked the homebuilders association
if this was OK to do.
He asked me that earlier, I'm supposed
to get their permission.
Well, as you all there are tons of folks
that are hiring illegal aliens at the expense of hard
working American taxpayers.
And what I think is going on here, the majority of this board
is freaked out right now.
They don't want to make the homebuilders upset.
And that is exactly that is exactly what's going on.
And he was a member of the homebuilders association and
a sitting realtor, by the way.
So, listen, I'm here to do what the people want
and the people want the people want a resolution to basically
say that Santa Rosa County, Florida, does
not welcome illegal aliens.
And what we got.
We got a majority of this board saying that they
welcome illegal aliens.
That's what's going on here.
That's why they don't want to vote
for this because the truth is.
The truth is.
The truth is, what is the truth.
What is the truth.
The truth is this is the same board that voted to replace
a Republican with a Democrat.
This is the same board that voted for that.
So I'm going to say it loud and clear.
I didn't.
I did not.
I did not get elected to sit there and make my fellow board
members appease.
I believe this commissioner.
I'm proud of Mr. chairman here.
He's actually trying to make an effort of doing something
and make this go through.
And James, the thing is that two commissioners.
Miss Chapman, I'm going to say this because you all have made
a pure mockery out of this.
Two commissioners have mail outs that have this subject on it.
Get a vote and get rid of this subject.
Well, I can tell you, there was the Santa Rosa County Democratic
Party, the Santa Rosa County Democratic Party put out
a they are fully against this.
They are fully against this resolution.
So I would like to say that, Commissioner, let me
just as a conservative Republican,
as a conservative Republican, I'd like to make a motion.
Give me just a second.
Listen, folks, I know these commissioners have had,
including myself, extremely long dialogue.
That's because we're a Republic that's
been elected to make decisions.
And I do my best, as you've heard fellow commissioners even
ask Commissioner Calkins about being respectful and not
interrupting folks.
So I'll say again, as I've said before, if we could please
all act to treat each other the way we want to be treated
are not outbursts and yelling.
I try not to do that, even if I disagree with what
you say at the podium.
I'll let you finish your thoughts.
And I see I'm asking if we could please maintain civility
so that we can show folks that, hey, we do know how to act
in a board room and we don't try to vilify one person
for acting wrong or whatever.
So go ahead, Commissioner.
All right.
I'm going to I'm going to finish.
I'm going to finish my I'm going to finish what I'm OK.
I'm going to make a I'm going to make a motion.
OK with the amended resolution.
And I'm going to read it right now.
A resolution declaring, I'm sorry.
I just was going to ask one question.
If beforehand listen, if it comes to a vote,
obviously on the language that I wrote,
I'm fully going to support it.
I mean, I've been abundantly clear on the way I feel, but.
I'm just asking for consideration before a motion.
And again, it is unfortunate.
I'm sitting here as the most tenured member
to see the board fractured.
I would like to send a loud I'd love to send
a unanimous message of support.
So I'm just floating that as far as if there is something
you would entertain to if it comes to a vote on the wording
I put clearly, I'm going to say, Yes, I understand
all the personalities and the unfortunate that of causing this
divide.
I'm just I'm floating that if there's a way that we could have
the board be through a unanimous Yes on whatever we call it,
a letter of resolution, I personally
see no problem with it with the amended language
that I explained.
But I'm just that's going to be my last plea.
If there's something the board could
do to unify, whether that's today or the label date.
But I mean, I've been extremely lengthy with my dialogue
and I mean, I'm unwavering in my thoughts about Yes,
this is a crisis.
This is a public health nuisance.
But again, that was my last plea, Commissioner Caulkins
and then I won't cut you off.
OK what I would like to.
Yeah, Mr Chairman, you are in control of this board.
These people out here need to be quiet when y'all are speaking.
But when they speak, we need to be quiet and listen.
But you are in control.
And you need to control all of us up here.
Please step up and tell us if we're in the.
Be quiet, please, sir, I'm going to have you all sign waivers
that let me slap somebody in the mouth
because I don't really know what else to do
sometimes when but go ahead.
All right.
I'm trying to be as polite as possible.
All right.
I think Mr Chairman, is doing a good job.
I just want to say that.
And I think it's a heated issue.
It shouldn't be a heated issue.
It shouldn't it should have been.
I'm sure the citizens of Santa Rosa County
are going to be shocked that this was actually a heated issue
with the most we live in the most
conservative County in Florida.
And the fact that we have opposition
to saying that illegal aliens aren't welcome in Santa
Rosa County is stunning.
So what I'm going to do is I'm going to read off
the resolution with the amended language that Mr Chairman added.
And then if this passes, it would be great.
If it doesn't, that's on everybody that votes against it.
They got to live with the citizens.
Fine and then we could and then we can.
Then we can do a motion to do the other things.
But I'm going to start off with this.
OK a resolution declaring that Santa Rosa County, Florida, does
not support illegal immigration, whereas Santa
Rosa County welcomes and honors legal immigrants.
And whereas, legal immigration is
vital to the economic, technological and strategic
strength of our County.
And whereas, Santa Rosa County is committed
to supporting lawful immigration and providing opportunities
for legal immigrants who contribute
positively to our community.
And whereas, currently the federal government
is intentionally violating asylum laws and spending
billions of dollars in taxpayer funds
to admit illegal immigrants, many who are serious criminals.
And whereas the safety and security of the citizens
of Santa Rosa County is of utmost importance
and illegal immigration poses significant challenges
to public safety, public health, and the economic well-being
of our community.
And whereas the rule of law must be
upheld to ensure the fair and just
treatment of all individuals.
Now, therefore be it resolved by the Board of County
Commissioners of Santa Rosa County,
Section 1 Santa Rosa County does not support illegal immigration
and stands in support of federal and state laws
designed to prevent illegal immigration.
Section 2.
Santa Rosa County will cooperate fully with federal and state
authorities to enforce immigration laws
and ensure illegal immigration is not tolerated
within our jurisdiction.
Section 3 the Board of County Commissioners
encourages all residents to respect the rule of law
and support lawful immigration process.
Section 4 the Board of County Commissioners
encourages President Biden to use all available options
to immediately secure the Southern border
and stop facilitating the relocation of illegal immigrants
throughout the United States of America.
This motion is amended, and I make
a motion to approve this resolution asking for a second.
I'm in.
I'll second it because I drafted language
and that you were willing to read into there.
So we've got a motion and a second if for nobody else's.
Can I speak on something just real quick.
No, ma'am, not at this point.
We're going to call a vote and then
we're going to allow everybody's bladder
to take a break for 10 minutes.
All right.
So we've got a motion and a second
to pass the resolution on, reflecting the amended language
that was just read into it.
And I've got a written staff here
that I mean, a written copy that I'll provide
to staff after the meeting.
All those in favor of that motion
signify by raising your right hand.
All those opposed like sign.
All right, the motion fails.
OK that's chair.
Can I. Can I table it What say it again.
Am I able to.
Can I make a motion to.
To table the.
No, no, it's.
We are.
It already got voted down, Commissioner.
Mr Chairman.
Yes, sir.
If you would like to revisit the topic with staff
and have staff communicate with the commissioners,
I think we've given some pretty clear
direction how we feel about President
Biden and his policies.
And I think that's something that if this board
wants to take up at a later date,
I think we'd be happy to do so.
Thank you.
And as much as I would love to never broach
the semantics that we've had today,
I do believe in what I said.
And so I appreciate Commissioner, right.
As you said, because I still think
sending a strong and unified message about the issue
could potentially be supportive.
All right.
With that, let's grab this last commissioner item
so at least we can say we finished a section and then
and then we'll take a restroom break.
Commissioner Eddington wanted to appoint
a new zoning board member.
Commissioner eddington?
Yes, sir.
Mr Grimes had to step down because of his new job.
And I got a gentleman lives in.
Holly lived there all his life.
Gene Sullivan, or a long time resident, lived there.
His parents was the first one ever opened up the gas station,
a little store in Holly, and I think he'd be a good person
for the zoning board.
He started out as an electrician for a contractor.
Now he's a supervisor for that contractor
at herbertville and Egeland.
And I appreciate if you all approve this without objection.
And I just want to tell you, Thank you
for finding a fella to do it.
And from the bottom of my heart, just as I've said,
almost every one of you gentlemen
have served on boards of capacity, some of you multiple.
Thank you to Mr Sullivan.
I look forward to meeting you.
But Mr Sullivan, Thank you for your willingness to serve.
So thank you, Ray.
I don't see any opposition, so I think
you made a motion without objection to approve that,
if I heard you right.
So there's no objection that passes.
He's are now our new zoning board member.
And then before we go to the consent agenda,
the phone says it's 10:55.
So how about we come back at 11:05 or 11.
11, 10.
Y'all want 10 minutes or 15.
All right.
11:05 we'll be good 10 minute break.
All right.
Test 1, 2.
Testing 1, 2.
Test one to test.
Now so.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you for everybody that was able to make it
through the break and stay with us.
So hopefully true to normal fashion
will pass millions of dollars of important infrastructure work,
probably in just a matter of minutes here.
All right.
First is we have the consent agenda.
Are there any questions or concerns
that need to be discussed further on the two
items on the consent agenda.
All right.
I'm seeing none, so I'll make a motion
to approve both of these items without objection.
Hearing none, they're approved.
And again, just Thank you to triumph.
And Thank you for this ranchettes project
that's in your district, right, commissioner?
Yes, sir.
Mr $3 million drainage project.
And I told my wife, I said we can
pass millions of dollars in important stuff
without discussion.
So thank you for your work with those folks
down there, Commissioner.
Thank you, Mr Chairman.
And just a reminder, that was started under Commissioner
Richards when he was at the helm here,
and that's staff and everyone has worked a long time on that.
I just realized something.
If you don't mind, just giving people a reminder in case
they are watching at home that today
is our only meeting this week.
Yes, sir.
And it's not just a committee meeting No Yes, you're right.
And I appreciate it.
And that probably only exasperates sometimes
coming to a conclusion.
But Yes, we canceled the Thursday meeting
because several gentlemen have to travel
to represent the County.
So it's obviously always best when we
can try to have a full board.
So we canceled Thursday's.
So today will be the committee and the regular all in one
or technically we titled The regular and then in case I
forget at the end, we will reconvene at 1:00 today right
here for a budget hearing.
I don't anticipate that will be extremely lengthy,
but I'm really excited about it.
And then we'll have the 5 o'clock meeting tonight.
So don't drive all the way to Navarre,
the zoning board meeting.
So you need to stay around Milton.
So what we're telling you.
All right.
So next on the regular agenda under Services
and community relations report, there are nine items.
Are there any that need to have further discussion
or questions answered.
I'll give you all a minute to look over that because I
know this is both.
And as you all look at that, I will say Sarah can Thank you
and congratulations on.
It's exciting to see about the opportunity
to partner with some folks to further educate.
So that was very interesting to see and we appreciate that.
Any questions or comments, commissioner?
Yeah Item number two East mental water request.
Yes, I'm glad you brought that up
because we do have a gentleman that has been extremely patient.
So before we get to that one just
are there any other ones just so we can mark it and Thank you.
I forgot to mark my agenda.
I was going to say we needed to speak on that.
But Mr Chairman, I was just going to give everyone a heads
up that DEP water supply grant program
has been extended to July 15, so we
might have some additional applicants
in the first meeting in July.
OK can I get some clarification on that.
Do you remember what we were talking about earlier.
Is that the same situation with DEP that you were talking
was ending that entire all programs
within that particular method of submission or extended?
There's multiple there's six or seven of them grants
that are extended from June 30, July 15,
and that falls under it.
It does.
And we are getting that application.
OK Thank you.
Thank you.
And the last thing I'll say on that
is very thankful this is going to be fantastic
not only for our potable water providers from drinking water,
obviously, but I'm excited.
I'll give credit where credit is due.
Brad Baker was he was the brainchild, even if he doesn't
think so he was the one that planted the Nugget that talked
about the need for more fire hydrants
out there in the rural areas and that conversation and some trips
to Tallahassee and collaboration with Senator Broxson and folks
have led to these great applications that we see.
So, Brad, I'm going to give you all the credit on that.
It took there was a lot of horses pulling the wagon.
But I'll say that untied untied the bridle there
and let them go.
So we appreciate you, Brad, and your expertise on that.
So we'll go ahead and pass with the exception of number two,
that we're about to have a discussion
on budget items 1 through 9:00, except number two.
We'll go ahead.
I'll make a motion to approve those.
Without objection, hearing none, those are approved.
And then we've got Cleo here with the East
Milton water system.
And I know I'd say I'll probably save you a step.
I think most people are aware of what they're asking for.
I know we had broached on a previous meeting.
I appreciate you being here to answer any questions
that the board may have.
I will share with you before I turn it over to any questions.
The extent of my knowledge.
We had an opportunity to meet last week and sort
of through creative brainstorming,
I will say we came up with an idea
to bring forward to the Board today
and really the board action after I give you the idea that I
told him we probably would be looking for is to give staff
direction to work on this.
But clearly they need another well capacity.
They're not looking to build a tower.
They need another well, and they do need a bigger office complex.
Even share with me about some of the troubles
that are having with staffing places
and in even record storage.
We obviously have the challenge of limited industrial property.
And I appreciate we have Shannon here as well,
that in case he wanted to chime in on it,
but there's a map in the backup.
I online.
I'm not sure if it's in your paper backup agendas,
but what we had come up with is that initial parcel
as you enter the industrial part, we got to looking at it.
And since we realized that Randy mountain road was going
to be vacated anyway because we've already had that decision
made with FPL, there's no reason why if the board said,
hey, we could allow them to have it,
I told him I would support allowing them to have
that Southern portion that includes the road
and the property all the way to the railroad
tracks, because originally their proposal,
they had talked about when they came in front of the board
a while back and you all probably been contacted by Kyle
Holley was to not have that portion,
but frankly, it would be unusable if it was separated.
So I think what we came up with was ballpark
if the board supported it and they would survey it
out to roughly 9 to 10 acres.
And I think that what you'll see there leaves a section
that's a roughly 3 and 1/2 to four
acres that they wouldn't touch.
And my thought process and again, I'm
just sharing this is just one just me thinking of this
but ran by them.
It would give them the land that he
said would be sufficient for what they want to do.
But I told him that it would at least
allow me to maintain a parcel.
We've got some of our industrial parcels out there in the park
and our partners that are actually we've
got a couple that are on one acre parcels,
but we've got a couple of our small manufacturing companies
that are on two acre parcels.
So I felt like that would still leave about a 3 and 1/2 to four
acre parcel that Shannon and the folks with economic development
could still try to bring in somebody that would be a proper
fit for the industrial park but be
able to fit on that footprint.
And quite frankly, this is just one of those
where I know it's challenging.
I don't like giving away industrial property
and I say giving away selling it or whatever for non industry.
But Mr Cleo does drive a pretty good argument
when he says that they do have to supply the water for all
of our industrial parks.
And so this was an idea that I told
him I would be willing to at least
float out there to the board.
I mean, I know this is an obviously
commissioner Smith's district.
I didn't want it to seem like that.
This was just when I had had the opportunity to met with him,
I said, this is something I would support
and you could come to the board and see what they say.
And then I told him the ultimate goal, if the board supported it,
is just to allow staff then to work those
what the details would be in it.
But that's where I'm at on it.
Gentlemen commissioner Smith, it's your district
or anybody that has thoughts.
I know he's here to answer questions
and we've got Shannon and his folks.
But that's me.
That's it.
That's all I got.
OK well, Thank you.
Thank you, Chairman.
Where I stand on it, it is a valuable piece
of industrial property.
And the only way that I would even halfway consider it
is if we were to if it's an exchange on market value.
Now we have it at 115,000 per Paul Salter's market opinion.
But that was six months ago.
It could be more now.
So the only way I'm even looking at it,
I mean, maybe it's not even the best fit.
Even if they were to pony up the 115
or be willing to look at a new appraisal.
But that's where I'm at with that one
because that's we're at a point right now where
industrial land in that park and I
mean I'm even battling with Shannon as far as.
Identifying something of a need that I'm looking at
and I'm not able to find it.
So for us to put as far as an office need I see clear.
You got a y'all got a location up
there off of 87 and South Lynn.
That's a great location for an office.
I mean, that's a perfect location to put an office.
It's on a main road.
It's got a lot of access points as far as an office goes.
I mean, as far as another.
Well, I know you already have a well in the park,
but I don't think we're having an issue with water supply
for the industrial sector.
That being said, we know that industrial
really doesn't use as much water as the housing complex does.
So I'm mad at I'm looking at it on the holistic point of view.
I mean, I don't want to look at it
and just say Yeah, I'm all for this because as I'm hesitating
to say, I'd even be for it if they were willing to pay market
value for it because it is a valuable piece of land
and you are looking at the extension being through there
eventually one day as well.
And I appreciate before we go to anybody else, I just tell you,
I honestly wasn't aware of even other options for the office.
And I kind of voiced that the last time we talked about it.
If the well is critical, I would totally support even if it winds
up being a smaller footprint of having the well,
but I don't know.
It's a delicate thing.
And so that's why I told him we'll bring it back.
Do you want to speak.
I don't know if anybody else has an immediate question.
So if you will.
Yeah just hit that button and you may want to pull
it up to where it's closer.
Just no, not that part.
It's always so confusing that just grab it right there
by that green microphone that.
OK, grab it.
Grab it right here.
Look down, grab it.
No, you see the green light.
This one.
Yes, sir.
OK, just raise that up to where we can hear you better.
There you go.
That way.
I just wanted to make sure we could hear you.
Go ahead.
OK how about that.
OK I'm Cleo Heath.
I'm from East Milton and I am in Mr Smith's district.
I like Mr Smith and you all to know that 30 years ago, I tried
to buy this piece of property.
Then I'm trying to buy now.
And they said it was too valuable.
We got big plans for it.
OK, so I bought the piece of property on South Airport Road.
Now, as we speak, I have 3,000 and some houses in my district
coming in my district.
Now, besides the industrial stuff you all put on me.
And if Mr Smith mentioned that the industrial don't use as much
as the water as the residents, the industrial
uses twice the amount of water that I use in the residence.
We have prisons, we have two big prisons out there.
We have the County jail.
They're the biggest customers I have
and they are in the industrial park.
I have the boat company, the whole 9 yards.
You sold, y'all agreed to sell a piece of property to the ice
cream people in the new industrial
park for $50,000 an acre in the new industrial park.
OK, this piece of property I'm asking for.
Here's the new 87 extension North.
It takes it start from the top.
It takes feet off of it to 95 to the railroad track.
I'm still willing to buy it where the $115,000 come up with.
I have no idea.
They say somebody else appraised it.
Everything you have sold anywhere around
there is $39,000 an acre.
It's a County record.
I have proof of it right here.
My customers bought that piece of property that you're using.
My 9,200 customers bought that piece of property
that I'm asking to pay for.
I'll agree to pay for $50,000 an acre for it, but not 115.
But if you want me to pay 115 for it,
you vote on who votes for me to pay 115,000 or where
you'll sell it to me or not.
If you all have got any questions that I can answer,
I'd like to clear something up.
I know you all right.
As far as jails because that's a residential, but.
I want to clarify another thing.
As far as selling other companies
land at a discounted price is an incentive.
It's basically an incentive to bring in these jobs.
And there there's large job counts involved with that.
So we don't have to incentivize a local water company
to move to East Milton because you're here,
you're already East.
Milton water.
You're not going to say, well, we're
moving our Operation to Birmingham because somebody
will fill your spot.
So I'm just wanting to explain to you it's
not about fairness or unfair.
It's about getting the best job done for the citizens
of the County and bringing in New jobs
and bringing in those types of opportunities
is where we're stewards for the citizens of the County.
As far as you getting a new location in for an office,
I don't think anybody would argue that office space would be
best fitted just up the road on 87 and South Lynn
because you've got a nice little area right there.
That'd be that's a prime little piece of property.
It as well as I do as far as what
the future's going to bring.
So that's where I'm at with that.
OK let me answer some of your questions, Mr Smith.
First thing is, I also hire employees
that belongs to this County.
The reason why we need this piece of property
here is we need to put a well on it.
You and the rest of the board.
As of right now, I have 3,000 houses coming in my district
plus all the industrial.
You all putting in there.
I can't supply water.
No commissioner, no Hill builder.
Nobody has come in East Milton and asked
for water or a subdivision that I hadn't provided nobody.
Now a bottling company.
Everything coming in.
I can handle the water.
We did that by planning for the future.
If we stay where we're at now, I don't get a new well,
I don't have no property.
I can't put a well down there where you're talking about.
It bleeds off the Hickory Hamlet.
Well, it's not there.
My engineer tells me that is the best place for the well.
So that's one of the things.
And as far as the Office is not just the office,
we'll have a warehouse behind it.
If you go in my district in East Milton on South Airport Road,
you will see my small building that my office is in.
Behind that building, you will see a no portable building.
That's where I have to keep all my EPA records,
water management records and everything else.
There's my office in the industrial part.
Would have a warehouse in the back of it
to house that and all of our records
for water management and EPA and anybody else
that wants to look at them.
Every building in the industrial park has an office in it.
Every one of them.
So I don't see where a office is a problem in industrial park,
which I will say again, my 9,200 customers
bought that piece of property to start with their tax money.
And I would like for you to consider selling it
to the citizens of East Milton.
Want just one more point.
I just want for you to come and tell me
you've got a problem with your water pressure
and you're going to need this.
Well, I just I would need to work off of a study.
I'd have to work off of something saying,
not just hearsay as far as what your engineer said,
and this is the best place this is.
I would rather you come up and give us
something harder than that and just saying, well,
this is what we need.
And this is what we're going to need.
What kind of hardness would you like, Mr Smith.
Pardon what kind of hardness would you like.
Hardness well, whatever you said,
you want some hard information or something.
Like, I'd like some better facts on it,
rather than have to cut that microphone.
We're going to be echoing.
Just cut it when I'm talking.
And then when you go to talk, there you go.
What I'm saying is you coming up and saying your engineers
say this is the best place that you could get the water.
And I mean, I'd have to see something
backing that up rather than just saying,
I'd like to see it in back up.
I'm just trying to say I'm not going to do this on the fly.
This is something that I'm not going to do it on the fly.
This is something we're going to study.
Instead of saying Yeah, Cleo needs some land,
let's go ahead and hand it to him.
And it's just not that easy because it
is a little more complicated and that because it's
not an easy ask.
I'm sure you have them.
Mr Chairman, Mr Ryan did on the I'm
looking at the diagram that's attached to the back up.
So it's got a 10 point.
10.02 acres that's highlighted, but I don't see.
Can you help me understand.
You're talking about parsing the couple
acres off of that 10 10 acres.
That's highlighted.
Yeah the.
And are we talking what's to the Middle East.
The proposal was if you look at the highlighted part,
that's basically the square South of the retention pond.
That is about roughly 9 to 10 acres.
All right.
There's a parcel highlighted and outlined in red,
but then there's the parcel that's shaded.
Yeah, the parcel that's shaded the map is inverted.
It should be rotated 90 degrees to the left.
But the partial that's shaded the light blue was what I had
come up with as we were talking about, hey,
if this met your needs, it would still give us about a 3 and 1/2
to four acres over there with the road frontage
beside the retention pond.
I was just trying to again, be the Waymaker
of what they needed, but also maintain
some industrial property.
And that was the best idea I could come up with.
Yeah, I just wasn't sure because it didn't specify that
on the drawing or on the map.
I appreciate your efforts to try to provide some solution.
I guess where I have some pause is I do have concern
about value of land per acre.
No doubt that the County has the ability
to make adjustments to that based on the needs
analysis of the community.
Whether it be a water purveyor or whether it be the jobs
that a business will bring in.
We have the ability to take that into consideration.
I think we certainly should.
I will say that our industrial land is highly valuable
and highly desirable right now.
So I would have to have some evidence as well.
And have to have some discussions.
And, sir, I would just.
Just my opinion.
Rather than have this put on the board for discussion
out in the open where we don't really know
exactly all the reasons why.
I would prefer that you come to me
and have the conversation say, OK, this is what this is all
of the reasons why we need it.
So when I come into the board room,
I have a little bit easier idea to say, hey guys,
this is why I support it because I've
been given all of the facts.
Here's the study.
So this is where our well needs to be.
I have some concerns.
I mean, there's some distances you have to be from a well
for other development.
And I wonder if that causes some problems.
So until we really have all of the information,
I don't necessarily think this is the best way
to try to handle it right now.
So I would just say I would invite you to come back, set
an appointment with me and provide
me a list of all your current locations that you have.
Why your engineer says this is the ideal location
versus another parcel, and then help
me become more comfortable on trying
to make a reasonable decision.
I'd be glad to.
Thank you, sir.
And Mr Wright, I appreciate that.
Honestly, I thought I was kind of the last one
to the table as far as maybe those conversations.
And so I may have speculated wrong, but because I knew it had
come up a few months ago or something and Kyle Holly
was working on it, but I fully understand that.
So Cleo, it may be best then if just today it
sounds like we take no action.
But if within this week or next week or I
mean really on the way out, if you'll go over there
to our office and try to just get on the calendar for any
of the commissioners that you haven't met with
and sit down with them.
And that way, maybe they have a little bit more
robust conversation with you.
I mean, I think there's no doubt everybody on this board
wants to make sure that we work with you all in any way
possible to make sure that you can provide water.
It just sounds like they may not have
had quite as much information and be able to make
an important decision.
So if you'll just go over there and try to get on the calendars
to meet with these gentlemen and then
we'll see as far as if this is something
that we're able to bring back at the July meeting.
I'll give her that.
Yes, sir.
I'm sorry about holding you up so long today.
All right, sir.
Sorry, Cleo.
He had a quick comment.
I'm sorry.
That's OK.
I will not be here the rest of the week.
But if you go over to my office and get it set up next week,
I'll be glad to meet with you.
I didn't know what you was coming for.
I know you was wanting some land and put a tower wale there.
That's all I know about.
When you ask for something like that,
it wouldn't hurt to meet with all of us
so we know more about what you really want.
OK OK.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
All right.
So we'll just take no action on item number two,
and that takes us to operations and safety report.
And as you gentlemen look over that, there are six items.
And I'll give you all just a minute to let me know
if there are any that need further discussion.
I do know that if there are questions for Shannon
and Bridget, they're here.
I'll just highlight as you all continue to look
at that for just a moment.
I just want to say that I am very excited about item number
3, which is a turn lane construction there on McCullough
highway at pace road.
This is one of those things that again, has been many, many years
of in the making.
It will not only improve a very serious traffic impediment
in the morning time when folks are taking their kids to school
there at SS Dickson, but it will also should greatly improve
drainage at that intersection.
But this is just one of the things
where I tell people a lot of times government
will get it done.
It's just not at the speed when folks call you about hey,
I've got a problem, quite frankly, this is an issue that
myself and staff, as far back as three public works directors
ago worked on.
So it's just it's a heavy lift.
It seems small because we do bigger ones.
But any time you talk about something that's
almost $1 million I just I pretty I appreciate
you guys supporting it.
It is obviously this is a local thing for my district.
It'll affect a lot of people.
But I just hope that folks will understand about the patience.
You it takes time to get plans and budget this much money.
And Michael, thank you for I know you and Rebecca both
and tangent because like you said this actually
goes way back to even the days of Roger Blaylock
working with me on this.
But commissioner Smith.
Yes and it's $762,000 for a turn lane.
That's eye opening for the citizens for them
to see that road construction is very high.
1.4 million for mine over there in East Milton at airport
and highway 90 just for an upgrade to the intersection,
$1.4 million.
So when people think that the county has the money
to go ahead and start jumping on these road projects,
you better think again because it's a big lift
to even get a turn lane done.
So that's my point.
I appreciate it and Thank you for your work
being the champion for highway 90 out there
through East Milton.
And I can drive a dozer enough just to get it to move.
I'll volunteer my services whenever
you get them to give us the go ahead to four lane down there.
So I'm just letting just floating that out there.
I'm not going to bite.
Just let me sink in that you can.
You can.
You can take up my invitations to come over and work out.
Now when you get that four lane fixed,
I'll be able to get there.
All right.
Anybody that had any questions or comments,
things that needed to be discussed on items 1 through 6.
All right.
Not seeing any, then we will move without objection
to approve items 1 through 6 on operation and safety report.
And again, lastly on the meeting list,
I've actually covered the two today earlier
and then the committee, the next committee
meeting, normal Monday committee meeting will be on July 8.
And so just remind you, gentlemen, that at 1:00,
roughly an hour and a half, we will reconvene
for budget workshop and miss Sabrina will
be our guest speaker today.
Our highlight our keynote speaker
is what I was looking for.
All right.
Anything else for you all.
Finally ready to adjourn?
This one or two of you all got to broke your jacket off.
I'm sweating over here like crazy with the ACL.
All right.
Thank you, Commissioner Caulkins.
Thank you, Mr Chairman.
I just want to make a comment that you're
running a good meeting.
You're doing a good job.
And so I want to compliment you.
I know it's not easy to be a chairman dealing with fights
with the board and people yelling out in the audience
and all of that.
So to say it's easy, it's not easy.
And a lot of folks, think they can do it better.
But I would say I've been a chairman before when
Bob Cole wasn't here and when Commissioner Parker wasn't here
and Commissioner Wright was the chairman also.
And it's not an easy job, but I believe
that you're doing a good job.
And I just want to compliment you, Mr Chair.
Well, I'll take any compliment I can get.
I appreciate it.
All right.
We're going to go ahead and convene the meeting
and the meeting is adjourned.
Thank you.