May 8, 2007

Regular Sessions

Bonifay, Florida

 

     The Holmes County Board of Commissioners met in a Regular Session on the above date with the following members present:  Commissioner Kenneth Williams, Commissioner Phillip Music, Commissioner Monty Merchant, Commissioner Jim King and Commissioner Raymon Thomas, Chairman of the Board.

 

     Gerald Holley, Attorney, was present.

     Sherry Fitzpatrick, Deputy Clerk, was present and kept the minutes.

     Wendell Dinkins led the prayer and pledge.

 

     Commissioner King made a motion to approve the minutes from April 24, 2007 with Commissioner Music offering a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Pursuant to Public Notice, Request for Qualifications, and specifications for proposals for financing, design, construction, operation and management of a 500 bed private detention facility were reviewed. The only proposal received was from Emerald Correctional Management, L.L.C. Commissioner Music made a motion to rank Emerald Correctional Management as the number one submittal and to proceed to the next step. Commissioner Williams offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Commissioner Music made a motion to approve the SHIP Satisfaction of Mortgage on Gail C. Padgett with Commissioner Merchant offering a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Satisfaction of Mortgage)

 

     Commissioner King made a motion to approve the quote from Office Depot in the amount of $1266.59 for the furniture to go in the County Administrator’s office. Commissioner Merchant offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     The Board reviewed quotes on carpet for the new County Administrator’s office. The quotes were as follows:

            Jerkins             $999 or $1099

            Bush Paint       $1078.15

Commissioner King made a motion to approve Jerkins in the amount of $999.00 with Commissioner Music offering a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Quotes)

 

     Commissioner Music made a motion to approve the Inter-local Agreement regarding Multi-County Cooperative Library Service with Commissioner Merchant offering a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Agreement)

 

     Commissioner King made a motion to approve the Network Service & Equipment Agreement for the E911 Network. The agreement reflects a monthly recurring charge of $1,080.00 with a non-recurring charge of $730.00. Commissioner Music offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Agreement)

 

     Pursuant to Public Notice, the Board opened sealed bids for a propane generator for the 911 office. The only bid received was from Pat’s Electric which stated an installation location that was not correct. The bid information was not announced until the location can be clarified.

           

     The Board reviewed a request from the Planning and Zoning office to require developers to pay fees for signs and certified mailers that are required for a land use change. Commissioner Williams made a motion to adopt the same as Washington County with Commissioner King offering a second. Commissioner Williams made a motion to table this decision until Attorney Gerald Holley could check with Washington County to see if they adopted an ordinance or just a procedure. Commissioner Music offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Letter)

 

     The Board agreed to hold a public hearing to change the Holmes County Land Development Regulations that will address the request from the Planning Board to allow the frontage for John Lawlor’s property located on Highway 79 and C.R. 160 to be 100’. There are currently no requirements for road frontage in the Crossroads Mixed land usage category.

(Letter)

 

     Commissioner King made a motion to approve the request from the Planning Commission to allow Jeanette Raybon to split her business from the residential dwelling located in the corner of Hwy 179 and the Bonifay Gritney Road. Commissioner Music offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Letter)

 

     Commissioner Music made a motion to approve the request from the Planning Commission for a Large Scale Amendment for the Sun Lake Center located just south of Bonifay off Hwy 79. The Center will include residential sites and an industrial area. Mr. Luis Serna stated for the record that for the Low Density Residential area it would only be two units per acre and not four as listed in the paperwork submitted to the Board. Commissioner King offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Letter)

 

     Commissioner Music made a motion to approve the Certificate of Participation in the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program in the amount of $48,011.00 that will go to the local law enforcement agency. Commissioner Merchant offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Certification of Participation)

 

     Commissioner Williams stated the County needed an employee handbook. The Board agreed that the new County Administrator would be able to handle this.

 

     Commissioner Williams made a motion to repair and continue to use the motrims with Commissioner Merchant offering a second. Commissioner Music and Commissioner King voted no with Commissioner Williams, Commissioner Merchant and Chairman Thomas voting yes. The motion carried.

 

     Commissioner King made a motion to get quotes on purchasing a new motrim with Commissioner Music offering a second. Commissioner Merchant and Chairman Thomas voted no with Commissioner King, Commissioner Music, and Commissioner Williams voting yes. The motion carried. Chairman Thomas also stated that an operator’s guideline needed to be established to inspect the motrims prior to use each time.

 

     Commissioner Merchant thanked Al Vetzel, Litter Officer, for collecting waste tires in the Prosperity area during the amnesty month. Mr. Vetzel stated he collected 254 tires from that area and a total of 1,500 for the entire county.

 

     Commissioner Merchant thanked Amy Loflin, Al Vetzel, Nicole Crawson, John Hagans, Shep Eubanks, Ann Payne, and Hope Burton for their help in making the 4-H Fishing Rodeo a success.

 

     Commissioner King made a motion to pay Chairman Thomas for six trips totaling 196 miles per each round trip to Tallahassee where he had traveled for the legislative meetings. Commissioner Music offered a second. Commissioner Williams, Commissioner Merchant, Commissioner King and Commissioner Music voted yes with Chairman Thomas voting no. The motion carried.

 

     Commissioner King made a motion to approve the Florida Department of Corrections’ Interagency/Public Works Agreement to provide up to 5 inmates each workday to be supervised by a non department supervisor. Commissioner Music offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

(Agreement)

 

     Commissioner Music made a motion to advertise for a public hearing to amend the culvert ordinance to include situations where homes have been damaged due to fire. Commissioner Williams offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Gerald Holley, Attorney, requested a list of reoccurring problems with the new Mack dump trucks so he could research the lemon law in more detail.

 

     Commissioner Williams made a motion to approve the change order request for the John Clark Highway roadway improvements project, which will allow two headwalls to be replaced. Commissioner King offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Commissioner King made a motion to approve the extension request to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the DD Eldridge Park Project to July 1, 2008 with Commissioner Music offering a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Amy Loflin, Project Management Specialist, asked the Board to sign a letter of support to the Haus Center which helps secure business opportunities for rural areas. Commissioner King made a motion to sign the letter with Commissioner Music offering a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Amy Loflin, Project Management Specialist, requested for the Board to purchase a new sign for the DEP Preservation 2000 Project that is required to be posted at Wrights Creek due to vandalism of the recently purchased sign. The Board authorized the purchase of another sign.

 

     Amy Loflin, Project Management Specialist, read a resignation letter from John Hagans as Holmes County Projects Manager effective May 18, 2007. Commissioner King made a motion to accept with Commissioner Merchant offering a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Wanda Stafford, Emergency Management, stated the offer to PT Timber Co. for land located off Hwy 79 had been rejected. The requested land would be used to locate the new Emergency Operations Center on. The Board agreed for Chairman Thomas and Mrs. Stafford to talk to the representatives and see if a closer offer could be reached.

 

     Clint Erickson, 911 Office, addressed the Board concerning exemptions for county offices requesting addresses to be assigned. Commissioner Merchant made a motion for no exemptions to be granted for state or county facilities. Commissioner Williams offered a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Clint Erickson, 911 Office, addressed the Board concerning the re-naming of roads if requested. Commissioner Music made a motion that once the road was named it could not be changed with Commissioner Merchant offering a second. The motion passed unanimously.

 

     Mr. Erickson also asked about enforcement on posting house numbers in front of homes. Chairman Thomas asked Mr. Erickson to get a copy of the policy from Washington County and bring it back for discussion.

 

     Al Vetzel, Litter Officer, stated that more junk vehicles had been located at the residence of Harry Johnson on Tup McWaters Road. Attorney Holley will visit the site to see what other steps can be taken.

 

     Shirley Hawthorne, SHIP Advisory Committee, presented the Board with a memorandum to West Florida Regional Planning Council requesting the Board the help schedule a SHIP committee meeting. Kathy Ahlen from WFRPC had requested a meeting with the SHIP Committee chairperson and Chairman Thomas which Mrs. Hawthorne stated she would not attend. The Board took no action.

 

     There being no further business, the meeting stood adjourned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________                                    __________________________

Cody Taylor, Clerk                                                               Raymon Thomas, Chairman