LWVMC Government Committee Notes from County Commission 1/5/2023 Special Work Session

The League of Women Voters of Manatee County Government Committee observes the Board of County Commissioners’ (BoCC) meetings for items of interest to citizens and the League and notes adherence, or lack of adherence, to good governance procedures and the Sunshine Law.  The following are the major points from the Board of Manatee County Commissioners Special Work Session on 1/5/2023, observed by Ginger McCallum.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

*Note, call-in comments are no longer being taken. Citizen comments must be made in person or by email by the deadline noted for each meeting.

Legislative Priorities

Federal and state legislative priorities that Commissioners will share in Tallahassee and Washington DC (link to draft priorities document) were discussed. There was lengthy conversation regarding the current lobbying/consulting firm that represents the County and what firm should replace the existing firm.

Citizen Comments on agenda items:

Three citizens stated they wanted the confederate statue, which was removed in 2017 from the old county courthouse, be reinstalled. One of these citizens also commented on the need for cyberstalking and sex trafficking to be addressed.

Commissioner Responses to Citizen Comments

Discussion resulted in 5 of the 7 commissioners agreeing they would like future consideration of the confederate statue re-installation at a regular meeting (Ballard and Kruse dissenting). County administrator Hopes indicated that as soon as the Board identified where and when they would like the statue installed that he has already identified an organization to restore it (the statue broke into 3 pieces when it was moved in 2017.)

2023 BoCC Priorities – Chair VanOstenbridge had the Commissioners share their priorities in order of their District number.

District 1 – Satcher

1. Progress on road projects
2. Districts work together to manage growth
3. National issues – we have had a voice and would like to continue

District 2 – Ballard

1. Work with Sheriff to address opioid issues and related social issues
2. Skills training/apprenticeships
3. Housing affordability
4. Rid county of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and other insidious programs
5. Examine county memberships and their programs; ensure employees are not participating in DEI and other “woke” programs some of these organizations are pushing
6. Human Resource (HR) training needs to be updated
7. Residential Canal Dredging (brought up during later discussion)

District 3 – VanOstenbridge

1. Road projects
2. Sidewalks
3. All Clams on Deck
4. Utilities and Landfill
5. County Administration Building Parking Garage
6. Right size transit systems
7. Spending American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds ($64-65 million of the $72 million awarded by the Biden administration is not yet spent)

District 4 – Rahn

1. Confidentiality agreement is needed for county employees so that they don’t disclose County business to outside entities without authorization
2. Road Projects
3. Streetlights
4. Support the Sheriff (see Ballard), public safety
5. US 41 and how it looks coming into and leaving the county
6. Review and Update Comprehensive Plan.
7. Review County investments to make sure they are not invested in “woke” ventures

District 5 – Baugh

1. Solid waste/Landfill
2. Confidentiality Agreement for county staff
3. HR policies need to be updated
4. Travel policy is needed
5. Review of working from home policy/practices; noted that county Information Technology director works remotely from Tallahassee and expressed dissatisfaction
6. No heat in the County building
7. Address issues with county libraries posting “woke” ideology. VanOstenbridge noted here that the BoCC now has a position on the library board, which he is filling for 2023, with Kruse as the alternate. 
8. County administrator job description and expectations
9. Human Resource Director needs to meet with every commissioner
10. Internal audits of County Departments
11. Tourist Development Council and new convention center status
12. Status of hiring process for aides for the commissioners – Discussion ensued as to whether aides should report to administration or directly to commissioners. All commissioners agreed that they would like to supervise their aides. Attorney Clague was concerned that hiring agreements be structured to limit liability of commissioners.

District 6 – Beardon

1. Roads, with a “Plan B” if funding not received
2. Landfill
3. Make Manatee County a gun sanctuary county
4. Homelessness
5. Veteran Memorials
6. Reevaluate grants and be sure they are going to appropriate organizations

District 7 – Kruse

1. Community Land Trusts
2. Veteran Housing
3. Density Bonuses
4. Broadband expansion
5. Trail system
6. Childcare licensing (Early Learning Center)
7. ARPA funds
8. Beach Market
9. Updating Comprehensive Plan
10. Economic Development Commission/Workforce Development
11. Reducing government regulations, cited permitting issues
12. Impact Fee study
13. Utilities
14. BoCC meeting agendas posted earlier
15. Talking to county staff – commissioners should be able to talk with staff to get information.

• Previously, the administration blocked commissioners from talking to county employees. Kruse felt commissioners should be able to talk to staff to get information; VanOstenbridge stated 2 previous commissioners caused disruption by giving staff direct orders, and that the restriction is no longer necessary.

Individual Commissioner Priorities and Follow-Up Dates, as Summarized by Chair VanOstenbridge

1. Solid Waste/Landfill – work session scheduled for 1/17/23
2. ARPA/ELMAC/Building Fees Monies – work session scheduled for 2/7/23
3. Joint meeting with Sarasota County – scheduled for 3/2/23
4. Comprehensive Plan – start process/discussion with a motion at the 1/10/23 regular meeting. * See Below
5. Transit – work session to be scheduled
6. Road and Capitol Improvement Plan (CIP) Projects – discussion on updates the Commissioners need and do not feel they are getting in a meaningful way. Hopes committed to CIP updates quarterly at regular meetings plus monthly updates individually with each commissioner on activity within their district.
7. Homelessness – work session scheduled for 3/21/23. A previously approved (April 19, 2022, Special Work Session) study by the Florida Housing Coalition, an evaluation of the continuum of services to address homelessness in the County and identify specific, actionable items, has been requested. * * See Below
8. Gun Sanctuary County – bring to a regular meeting for discussion/motion. Satcher reminded the group about his proposal year (the proposal was made on 4/25/2022) to allow county employees with permitted firearms to bring them to work. Clague noted that the county administrator had already proposed a policy for the Board to review.
9. Veteran memorials – bring to a regular meeting for discussion/motion.
10. Review of Grants – work session to be scheduled in Q2
11. Community Land Trusts – will be addressed during 3/21/23 work session on Housing
12. Beach Market – Hopes said he will bring a proposal to the Board in a regular meeting
13. Economic Development/Skilled Labor – future work session
14. Early Learning Center (ELC) – CA Hopes indicated he would review with commissioners individually
15. Regulations – Kruse noted it was more of a general comment and the commission should continue to look for areas to streamline.
16. Sidewalks – Capitol Improvement Plan (CIP) updates, with new requests brought up at regular meetings
17. Streetlights – each commissioner to meet with Chad Butzow on needs and come to regular meetings with proposals. Hopes noted there is information on streetlights he will share with commissioners.
18. Law Enforcement Issues – future work session
19. County Administrator role and expectations – scheduled for work session on 2/21/2023
20. Impact Fees – work session to be scheduled once annual report is available.
21. Library Content and Postings – added to 2/21/23 work session
22. Department Audits – Hopes will bring information on how they can be accomplished as a future agenda item at a Regular meeting.
23. HR policy manual updates, including Travel and Confidentiality policies – Hopes said an updated manual was close to being ready and would work with County Attorney Clague on a travel and confidentiality policy and bring it all to the Board for review and approval.
24. Board Assignments – added to work session on 2/21/23
25. Investments Review – added to work session on 2/21/23
26. Review of Membership organizations – added to work session on 2/21/23

* Item 4.

Discussion spoke of including the city of Bradenton in Comprehensive Plan update, and Hopes brought up potentially starting a shared governance model, for which attorney Clague was not in favor. Baugh noted the Comprehensive Plan is too complicated for a shared governance model and said maybe something else would be more appropriate. All were in favor of including the City of Bradenton and Clague provided guidance on that. 

** Item 7.

Another discussion ensured about the need to be kept up to date about status of projects and if changes have occurred. Satcher talked about the commissioners needing a dedicated staff person who was concerned with them and their district’s needs, calling it a “Chief General Officer”.

Baugh noted that this fell into the discussion on the County Administrator’s role and their expectations for him. She mentioned that she didn’t want to see Hopes in front of the cameras, saying that his job is to run the county, and ensure he has the right people to meet the county needs. She noted that Hopes’ issues are that he doesn’t delegate and doesn’t communicate, noting that he is an administrator, not an elected official, which she said has been a difficult transition for him. 

Ballard noted that perhaps the aides discussed previously could be the Commissioner’s liaison(s), although more than the 2 currently in place were needed. Hopes suggested one for the Chair and that the other commissioners share an aide, for a total of 4. With authorization by BoCC and input on terms from the attorney he can make that happen. Motion for this needs to happen at a Regular meeting.

Items that were not included in the follow-up list:

1.    County Administration Building Parking Garage

2.    US 41 and how it looks coming into and leaving the county.

3.    Broadband expansion

4.    Trail system

5.    BoCC meeting agendas posted earlier

6.    All Clams on Deck

7.    Residential Canal Dredging

GOVERNANCE

• The agenda was posted within 36 hours of the meeting. As we’ve stated previously, posting the agenda less than a week in advance does not allow stakeholders enough time to review the items and is poor governance.
• VanOstenbridge did not recognize a citizen who did not speak up swiftly when Chair VanOstenbridge asked for any other citizens to come forward.
• Discussion among commissioners was collegial and respectful.
• The number of issues that this commission has decided to tackle was not ranked or prioritized and therefore does not allow for focus on the most important County current and future needs.
• Commissioners have assigned an unrealistic number of items for attention for the 2/21/23 work session.