07/20/2004 Special
MINUTES
OF THE MONROE COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
2004/173
Special Meeting
Board of County Commissioners
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Key West, Florida
A Special Meeting of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners convened at
9:00 AM., on the above date at the Harvey Government Center. Present and answering to roll
call were Commissioner Charles "Sonny" McCoy, Commissioner George Neugent, Commissioner
David P. Rice, Commissioner Dixie Spehar and Mayor Murray E. Nelson. Also present were
Danny L. Kolhage, Clerk; Isabel C. DeSantis, Deputy Clerk; Bob Shillinger, Assistant County
Attorney; James Roberts, County Administrator; County Staff, members of the press and radio;
and the general public.
All stood for the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.
ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, DELETIONS
Motion was made by Commissioner McCoy and seconded by Commissioner Neugent
granting approval of Additions, Corrections, imd Deletions to the Agenda. Motion carried
unanimously.
FISCAL YEAR 2005 BUDGET MEETING
James Roberts, County Administrator addressed the Board and gave an overview of the
tentative county budget and some major issues.
Commissioner Rice announced that due to a conflict of interest concerning the funding of
private non-profits he would not participate in the discussion of or vote on any issues.
Bob Shillinger, Assistant County Attorney disclosed that he is a member of the MARC
Board.
Non-Profit Funding
Dave Owens, Grants Administrator discussed Human Services Advisory Board Funding.
The following public speakers addressed the Board: T. N. Holland, representing Caring Friends
for Seniors; Keith Douglas, representing the Rural Health Network; Diana Flenard-Moore,
representing M.AR.C.; George Born, representing the Historic Florida Keys Foundation; Norman
F. Bohrer, Senior Center Executive Volunteer; Frances Carlisle, representing Senior Centers;
Marianne Benvenuti, representing the Guidance Clinic of the Middle Keys; Joe Barker,
representing the Wesley House; Bruce B. Horn, representing the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center;
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Liz Kern, representing Hospice of the Florida Keys, Inc.; Heidi Golightly, representing the
Monroe Youth Challenge Program; Monica Haskell, Executive Director of the Florida Keys
Council of the Arts; and Bert Loudenslager, representing Habitat for Humanity of the Lower
Keys.
Mr. Roberts and Sal Zappulla, Budget Director addressed the Board. After discussion,
motion was made by Commissioner Neugent and seconded by Commissioner Spehar approving
the funding recommendations of the Fiscal Year 2005 Human Services Advisory Board (HSAB)
in the total amount of $1,379,500 which is an increase of $31,550 over the Board's instruction to
the HSAB, plus an additional $5,000 for Caring Friends for Seniors. During discussion, the
motion was amended to add an additional $20,000 for Habitat for Humanity of the Lower Keys
for handicapped ramps. This amendment was accepted and became part of the original motion
and the $20,000 was included in the total funding of$I,404,500. Roll call vote was taken with
the following results:
Commissioner Neugent
Commissioner Rice
Commissioner Spehar
Commissioner McCoy
Mayor Nelson
Yes
Abstain
Yes
Yes
Yes
Motion carried.
Non-Profit Funding - Not HSAB
Sheila Barker, Management Services Director addressed the Board. Mayor Nelson
discussed funding for the Arts Council. Monica Haskell also addressed the Board. After
discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Neugent and seconded by Commissioner Spehar
that the County fund the Arts Council in the total amount of$145,000 - (Monroe County fund the
amount of $72,500 and request a match from the Tourist Development Council in the amount of
$72,500). Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Roberts and Community Services Director Jim Malloch addressed the Board
concerning AARP requesting 3 part-time and 1 full-time positions estimated to cost $50,000. No
official action was taken.
Motion was made by Commissioner Spehar and seconded by Commissioner Neugent to
increase the budget request for the Lower Keys AARP, Middle Keys AARP and Big Pine AARP
from $2,500 to $5,000 for an arts program. Roll call vote was unanimous.
Motion was made by Commissioner Neugent and seconded by Commissioner Spehar
granting approval of the following programs that have a 0% increase this year: Older American
Volunteer Program in the amount of $4,000; Middle Keys Guidance Clinic in the amount of
$301,059; Historic Florida Keys Foundation, in the amount of$30,000; Guidance Clinic
Transport, in the amount of$42,351; and Keys to Recovery, in the amount of$86,287. Roll call
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vote was taken with the following results:
Commissioner Neugent
Commissioner Rice
Commissioner Spehar
Commissioner McCoy
Mayor Nelson
Yes
Abstain
Yes
Yes
Yes
Motion carried.
Motion was made by Commissioner Neugent and seconded by Commissioner Spehar to
fund the Healthy Kids program, in the amount of$39,734. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Neugent and seconded by Commissioner Rice to fund
the following programs: Heart of the Keys Youth, in the amount of $30,000; Big Pine Athletic
Association, in the amount of $45,000; and the Upper Keys YMCA, in the amount of$13,500.
Motion carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Spehar and seconded by Commissioner Neugent to
fund the Rural Health Network, in the amount of $200,000. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Spehar and seconded by Commissioner Rice to refer
the funding request of the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center for property acquisition, in the amount
of $900,000 to the Monroe County Land Authority for consideration. Motion carried
unanimously.
Motion was made by Commissioner Spehar and seconded by Mayor Nelson to fund the
Florida Keys Wild Bird Center, in the amount of $20,000. Bruce Horn, representing the Florida
Keys Wild Bird Center addressed the Board. Roll call vote was taken with the following results:
Commissioner Neugent No
Commissioner Rice No
Commissioner Spehar Yes
Commissioner McCoy No
Mayor Nelson No
Motion failed.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Danny L. Kolhage, Clerk of Court and Mike Rice, Bureau Chief representing the Monroe
County Sheriff's Office addressed the Board. After discussion, motion was made by
Commissioner Neugent and seconded by Commissioner Rice to amend the Sheriff's budget by
adding $10,000 to assist the homeless to obtain bus tickets back to their out-of-town families.
Motion carried unanimously.
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COMPENSA TION ISSUES
Mr. Roberts addressed the Board concerning salary increases. After discussion, motion
was made by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner Spehar to approve a 7% across
the board pay increase for all county employees including the Sheriff, Fraternal Order of Police
(FOP) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). After discussion, the motion
was withdrawn. Motion was then made by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner
Neugent to approve a 7% across the board pay increase with the exception of the Sheriff, FOP
and the IAFF. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Rice, representing the Sheriff's Office addressed the Board. After discussion, motion
was made by Commissioner Neugent and seconded by Commissioner Spehar to approve the
Sheriff's budget request for salary increases for law enforcement and corrections personnel. Roll
call vote was unanimous.
MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Ms. Barker addressed the Board. Motion was made by Commissioner Spehar and
seconded by Commissioner Rice approving the proposed Management Services budget request
for Fiscal Year 2004-2005. Roll call vote was unanimous.
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Jim Malloch, Community Services Director addressed the Board. The Board accepted the
proposed Community Services budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
CLERK OF THE COURT
Danny L. Kolhage, Clerk of the Circuit Court addressed the Board. The Board accepted
the proposed Clerk of Court's budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
PROPERTY APPRAISER
Ervin Higgs, Monroe County Property Appraiser addressed the Board. The Board
accepted the proposed Property Appraiser's budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
STATE ATTORNEY
Mark Kohl, State Attorney addressed the Board. The Board accepted the proposed State
Attorney's budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
PUBLIC DEFENDER
Rosemary Enright, Public Defender addressed the Board. The Board accepted the
proposed Public Defender's budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
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JUDICIAL
Richard Payne, Chief Circuit Court Judge and Teresa Westerfield, Court Administrator
addressed the Board. The Board accepted the proposed Judicial budget request for Fiscal Year
2004-2005.
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
Harry L. Sawyer, Supervisor of Elections addressed the Board. The Board accepted the
proposed Supervisor of Elections budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
COMMISSIONERS' ITEMS
Mayor Nelson discussed his item concerning participants at the Special Meeting of the
BOCC, Tourist Development Council, the City of Marathon, etc. After discussion, motion was
made by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner McCoy that the following
participants be in attendance: BOCC (3 members) - Mayor Nelson, Commissioner Neugent and
Commissioner Rice; Tourist Development Council (3 members); District Advisory Council (5
members - one from each district); Chamber of Commerce (5 members - one from each chamber);
City of Marathon (1 member); Convention and Visitors Bureau (1 member). Motion carried
unanimously.
VETERAN'S AFFAIRS
Charles Ingraham, Veteran's Affairs Director addressed the Board. The Board accepted
the proposed Veteran's Affairs budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
PUBLIC WORKS
Dent Pierce, Public Works Director; Dave Koppel, County Engineer; and Beth Leto,
Assistant to the Director addressed the Board. The Board accepted the proposed Public Works
budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
KEY WEST AIRPORT
Peter Horton, Airport Manager addressed the Board. The Board accepted the proposed
Airport budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005.
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Colin Baenziger, Consultant made a presentation to the Board to provide additional
information on candidates for the new County Administrator position and action by the BOCC, as
deemed appropriate. After discussion, motion was made by Commissioner McCoy and seconded
by Commissioner Neugent to interview all six (6) candidates. Roll call vote was unanimous.
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HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Christopher Smith, Operations Manager and Dr. Susana May addressed the Board. After
discussion, motion was made by Commissioner Neugent and seconded by Commissioner Spehar
approving the proposed Health Department budget request for Fiscal Year 2004-2005 in the
amount of$342,033.54. Motion carried unanimously.
There being no further business, the meeting of the Board of County Commissioners was
adjourned.
Danny L. Kolhage, Clerk
and ex-officio Clerk to the Board
of County Commissioners
Monroe County, Florida
JhaL-JC. ~\j~
Isabel C. DeSantis, Deputy Clerk