The Board of County Commissioners of Brevard County, Florida, met in workshop/special session on January 20, 2000, at 9:00 a.m. in the Florida Room, Building C, 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera, Florida. Present were: Chairman Nancy Higgs, Commissioners Truman Scarborough, Randy O'Brien, Sue Carlson, and Helen Voltz, County Manager Tom Jenkins, and Assistant County Attorney Shannon Wilson.

DISCUSSION, RE: STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR THE YEAR 2000 AND BEYOND

Commissioner Scarborough stated the Board needs to expend its discussion on the elderly and regionalization. He stated the TDC met with a 7 county group approximately one and one-half years ago; from that, TDC has been able to pool resources that will benefit the County; the County is marketed as a broad area that would include not only the Disney area but also St. Augustine; and regionalization cannot be defined, but becomes relevant to the extent it is relevant. He described a meeting with the Chambers of Commerce in Orlando; and stated as the groupings are created, a synergy will be created and people who have an interest will be brought into it. He stated the EDC is having a meeting with Mid-Florida next week which he will attend; the Chambers are visiting with each other; and Mel Martinez is issuing invitations to the regions around Central Florida. He stated even though Indian River County is not a part of the MPO or Regional Planning Council that Orlando is involved in, it responded favorably; at the meeting with the Chambers of Commerce, there were people from Tampa who spoke in favor of the bipolar concept so there will be a large enough population base to compete with London and Los Angeles; and this would further enhance Brevard County because it has the only port, Space Center, and beaches. He stated what the County needs to do is go through the series of meetings and pool resources for more effective expenditure of taxpayer dollars. He stated the next issue will be going to Tallahassee and Washington, D. C.; there is a need to bring the legislative bodies together; and he would like to see a mass lobby for the 5 to 7 million people in Central Florida so all issues are coordinated.

Commissioner Voltz stated when the gentleman from the Orlando Chamber of Commerce came over, she suggested a meeting with all Chambers of Commerce in Brevard County to discuss some of these issues; and they are in the process of setting that up.

Chairman Scarborough commented on the advantages of having a Central Florida lobby.

Chairman Higgs inquired if Commissioner Scarborough wants the County to do specific things today in regard to regionalization; with Commissioner Scarborough responding it would be premature. Commissioner Scarborough advised of an upcoming meeting to share ideas; advised of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council meeting; and commented on coordination of trail plans, Expressway Authority, Pineda Extension, limited access road from Patrick Air Force Base to Tampa, remaining open to different relationships, and the Cincinnati Resource Book. He stated Brevard County has many unique things that the Central Florida region would want to identify with; it is a win/win situation for the County; and it is just a matter of proceeding a step at a time to see what opportunities are out there.

Commissioner Carlson inquired about Commissioner Scarborough's relationship with EDC; and as the EDC appointee, are there certain areas he wants her to follow up on. Commissioner Scarborough suggested Commissioner Carlson attend the meeting. Discussion ensued on the date of the meeting.

Commissioner Scarborough stated he is not trying to direct the TDC or EDC; and explained how the situation arose. Commissioner Carlson stated she will be out of town on the meeting date, and Commissioner Scarborough should attend, but she would like some follow up. Commissioner Scarborough stated things will happen whether the County cooperates or not; but there is a need to look at the political boundaries; and commented on the City of Cincinnati. He commented on identifying with the bigger region; and it would be good to move to those type of dynamic identities, but it is purely optional. He stated as it becomes more powerful as an entity, it will bring more counties; Lake County wants to have Marion County included in the definition; and conceivably it could include the vast majority of the center part of the State, and Brevard County would be a vital player.

Commissioner Scarborough stated the next issue is the needs of the elderly; and there are people present who have put together information on the issue. He stated one of the most dynamic things that is going to occur in the next few decades is the retirement of baby boomers; they will be extremely wealthy, intelligent and mobile; and they will be a credit to the community. He stated on the other end is the aging of America; people will be living longer and will be faced with things like Alzheimer's, dementia, and other unique problems; there were things in the newspaper about Mariner declaring bankruptcy yesterday; and there is a lot of difference in someone who is 60 and retiring and someone who is 95.

Barbara Whitley stated in the EDC discussion, no one mentioned the elder care or health care industries; but 25% of the population is over the age of 65 and the largest age group growing is 70 years old. She stated the workers are 60 and 65 years old; and inquired who is going after those people for jobs. She stated energy is being put into children, but the population is increasing in the elderly; and advised of the issue of Trend Magazine concerning the elderly. She stated the article says by 2025 one in four Floridians will be 65 years of age or older, and initially the retirees and their money will be a big plus, but what will happen when they outlive their vitality and their assets; and the rest of the article warns that Florida needs to start planning. She stated one nursing home is going bankrupt and another is in Chapter 11; there are 400 nursing home beds that are in jeopardy; and it is scary. She stated the information came from the combined effort of the Commission on the Status of Women and League of Women Voters. She stated more elderly individuals are working at Public or McDonalds; and inquired while more elderly are in the workforce, are they working to their potential. She stated economic development will have to cover all ages.

Melissa Otto, representing Brevard County TRIAD and the State Attorney, stated all Commissioners have been given a copy of the proposal; and outlined the changes that were made including additional appointees for each Commission office and utilizing partners with in-kind services and financial donations. She stated an authorizing resolution has been attached, defining all that is needed to enact the process; the ability for Commission Districts to have an ongoing focus group for a district with geographically based concerns has been added to the resolution; and the date has been pushed forward to 2001 to allow sufficient time to put together everything that is needed to put together a quality plan.

Ms. Whitley stated they were looking at how to pay for it; and while there will be partnerships, the fundamental payment will have to come from the Board. She stated the members of the Commission on Aging need to be people who are not providing services to the elderly and can see the vision of the County and the aging. She requested the Board support with seed money; and commented on partnerships.

Chairman Higgs stated the Board will not take action today. Commissioner Scarborough stated this is coming up simultaneously; it gives the Board an opportunity to explore; and the Board will want to define where it wants to go. He commented on dealing with problems individually rather than looking at the dynamics; stated Brevard County will be a community that retiring baby boomers will consider; and the County should try to get the best. He stated baby boomers who are 65 have another 10 years to contribute to a community; and that can be an economic force.

Ms. Whitley stated the County is running out of cemetery space; and the Board will have to consider where it will put more cemeteries. Ms. Otto stated there are a lot of positive contributions that seniors can make, but the County has to create the atmosphere for them to make those positive contributions or they may become a drain.

Commissioner Scarborough stated he and Ms. Whitley discussed what seniors want; one thing was education; and commented on a different type of education rather than the typical classroom.

Ms. Otto advised the majority of the volunteers in the County are seniors; and they have much to contribute.

Commissioner Carlson stated if the EDC goes forward to do some workforce analysis, it will find that the elderly population is taking up some of the jobs that the younger people could be filling. She noted the EDC is not designated on the Commission on Aging; and inquired if there is a reason for that. Ms. Otto stated they are trying to keep the committee narrow, and they have placed main or key places, but others will be asked to come forward to address specific issues. Commissioner Carlson inquired if the EDC would contribute quite a bit to something like this; with Ms. Otto responding yes, as well as the TDC and NASA. Ms. Otto advised what is shown is a basic plan, and more can be added.

Chairman Higgs stated this should be scheduled for a regular Board meeting, and the particulars can be discussed at that time. Chairman Higgs stated she is glad Commissioner Scarborough had a positive experience with the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council; and the new makeup should help in doing some positive things with that group.

Commissioner O'Brien stated Commissioner Scarborough said there can be better promotion of Brevard County by identifying with a larger region that is well known internationally; and inquired if he is talking about a business concept or image. Commissioner Scarborough stated there needs to be an identification; Cincinnati and Washington, D.C. cover multi-states and counties; and the County needs to be able to move that in all relationships. He commented on identification of the mid-Florida region as being on the magnitude of some European counties economically and populationwise. Commissioner O'Brien suggested at the next EDC workshop, TDC should be invited as a secondary part of the conversation. Commissioner Scarborough stated Robert Varley brought him information and a map of Los Angeles, and it would be nice to have a map of Central Florida like that. He stated some of the things that would be shown on the map would be the Space Center, the Port, and the beaches; and rather than limiting it to the small TDC budget, there can be a huge budget that would allow the area to compete. He stated he wants the Central Florida area to be one of the four or five top places in the world. Commissioner O'Brien stated TDC has mentioned building partnerships with Orlando attractions, and that may be part of the solution. Commissioner Scarborough stated he would love to have a separate meeting with TDC, but the whole Commission needs to know how this is evolving with TDC.

Commissioner O'Brien stated his first goal is to reduce taxes by 2% in FY 2000-2001; with the growth the County has had, it has been able to maintain its taxes; but it should also be able to reduce them. He stated the amount of income to the County has increased so the budgets can be higher; but they can also be leveled off to reduce the taxes accordingly. He stated he would like the Board to direct the County Manager to start working toward a goal of reducing taxes by 2% and that is a goal that can be accomplished without devastation to the programs.

Commissioner O'Brien stated his second goal is to start creating visible bus stops with covered benches at the bus stop. He stated the SCAT buses run all over the County; everyone complains that they are empty; and commented on the poorly marked bus stops. He recommended removing all unwarranted benches that are on corners where there is no bus stop; and directing the County Manager to work with SCAT to develop well-marked bus stops. He stated a lot of senior citizens no longer can or want to drive; they want to know that there are marked bus stops with covered benches; and that will start to create a bus system that is workable and inviting for people to use.

Commissioner O'Brien stated this third goal is to create more ball fields Countywide; and commented on the explosion in youth sports and competition for fields. Commissioners Scarborough and Voltz commented on the need for fields in their Districts. Commissioner Voltz stated there is nothing at Palm Bay Regional Park; with Chairman Higgs noting there are soccer fields. Commissioner Voltz stated there are no ball fields; with Chairman Higgs advising there are far more than a couple of soccer fields. Commissioner O'Brien stated community goals should be established; and commented on the value of sports to children.

Chairman Higgs stated Chuck Nelson gave a presentation several years ago about the hot spots in the County. Commissioner O'Brien suggested asking Mr. Nelson to come to a workshop to talk about hot spots only. Commissioner Carlson stated she would be interested in bringing this back to discuss a Parks and Recreation referendum to spotlight the problem areas; there is a great need for sports fields in her District; they are getting 122 acres from Viera, but there is nothing official on it yet; and there need to be decisions on what will be put there. She stated the community has to come first in this referendum; the needs of the community must be met first, and tourism may be part of that because of the possibility of getting money from TDC to augment higher class facilities for the community. Commissioner O'Brien commented on the Sports Authority with the TDC which brings games to Brevard County, which in turn puts a lot of heads in beds. Commissioner Carlson stated the Board just needs to make sure that the community is kept first, and if ball fields are needed for the children, that is the priority. She stated TDC would be willing to come to the table with additional dollars to help initiate that; and it is something TDC could work toward in terms of a marketing feature. Commissioner O'Brien stated it may be advisable to bring TDC to the Board for a small workshop to try to iron out some of the details. Commissioner Carlson stated there are a lot of League people who are willing to support such a referendum if it would provide facilities their children because facilities are so lacking; all Districts feel the pinch of that; and the population is growing so there will be higher and higher needs. She stated the County needs to look at all possible revenue sources. Commissioner O'Brien stated a lot of parents would like to see a referendum for parks and recreation to facilitate more fields, but they do want to be very specific. Commissioner Carlson stated it cannot be as global; it must be specific to the areas where there are identified and clearly defined needs. Commissioner Voltz stated the recreation advisory boards will be providing that recommendation. Commissioner Carlson stated the South Service Sector Advisory Board has already indicated interest in this; and she has asked for North and Central Sectors to come back with a similar letter indicating interest. Commissioner O'Brien stated he would be willing to have a referendum to ask the people if they would approve an eighth of a mill, for instance, to pay for fields; and if it is limited, they will say yes, but if the scope is broadened, they will say no. Commissioner Scarborough stated Port St. John went through this exercise; the County stayed out of the process; and it was totally driven by the community. He stated Mr. Nelson mentioned having separate referendums for separate areas; and commented on a previous referendum that failed because it was too broad.

Discussion ensued on referendums, MSTU for parks and recreation, and Port St. John referendum.

Commissioner O'Brien stated Mr. Nelson can provide memoranda from each individual Parks and Recreation Advisory Board so the Board can have a better picture of the hot spots. Commissioner Carlson stated that can be devised by sector; and she does not know how it would be structured, but she is sure Mr. Nelson has an idea. Commissioner O'Brien stated he wants the Board to work to resolution of the specific problem.

Commissioner O'Brien stated he wants to work toward getting FP&L to switch its fuel to gas in three years; it can be done if the Board puts pressure on; and the Board can direct Mr. Peffer and the County Attorney to start working with DEP. He stated during the Oleander and Sea Ray discussions, the people indicated they did not want air pollution; and he does not want to blame them. He commented on the visible emissions of FP&L; and stated it is time for the Board to go to work to clean up all the air in the County. He stated FP&L is the largest polluter in the County sightwise.

Commissioner Carlson stated Mr. Peffer is working on the Air Quality Program which could get them to clean up quicker; but she does not know what force the County has to make them clean up any sooner.

Commissioner O'Brien stated he is against the Air Quality Program based on the cost; problems like FP&L can be solved without spending $750,000 to get started and $500,000 per year; and commented on possible expansion into auto inspections. Commissioner Carlson stated this is a quality of life issue; everyone can see the twenty-mile stretch of pollution; but the pollution from the cars is not as apparent.

Discussion ensued on auto inspection programs, car pollution, Buccaneer pipeline, and increased natural gas usage.

Chairman Higgs stated no one disagrees with the goal; and the Board will get into the specifics at another time. Commissioner O'Brien stated staff can advise how to get from the goal to the action. Chairman Higgs stated the goal is to provide the natural environment of the County; and one of the strategies is see FP&L switch to a less polluting mechanism within three years. Commissioner O'Brien reiterated his goal is for FP&L to switch to gas in the next three years; and it is direct and well defined. Commissioner Scarborough advised in meetings, FP&L said they cannot get the gas, and if the gas was there, it would be a cost matter; and the question is whether certain persons should be allowed to degrade the lives of other people with a social cost and profit from it. He inquired should the people suffer a loss in their quality of life so that someone in Broward County can have a lower utility rate; and stated it is fundamentally not the American way.

Discussion ensued on charges for pollution, results of temperature inversions, FP&L coming into compliance in three years, ongoing nature of programs, penalizing polluters, measuring pollution, and charging a franchise fee to Title 5 industries.

Commissioner O'Brien commented on rumors about not building Oleander power plant and Disney buying K-Mart on Merritt Island.

Commissioner O'Brien stated he is willing to look at a franchise fee for polluters; with Mr. Jenkins advising he is not sure the Board can do that legally. Chairman Higgs stated the Board will look at the issue as a goal.

Commissioner Carlson stated she went through all 23 goals and categorized three major goals with various strategies; and the first one is to develop a diverse and environmentally responsible economy supported by a safe and effective transportation system. She advised her goals are drawn from the original Brevard Visioning 2005 which put together 23 specific community based goals. She stated the Board should continue to develop land development regulations which will allow flexibility for businesses to achieve high productivity to cost ratio while protecting and enhancing quality of life for neighboring residents; and the Board is in the process of putting flexibility in the LDR's to look at the new urbanism and more open space concepts. She stated the EDC should aggressively pursue ancillary businesses for growth or relocation which produce products or services to the space industry; and the Board agrees that is essential to overall visioning for the County. She stated her third goal is to develop approaches to transportation that do not require the building or widening of roads and include requirements for bike and pedestrian access when building or rebuilding roadways; the County is approaching that because it has the Linear Park and Greenway Plan going; and it will be retrofitted in addition to looking for places to put pathways. She stated it will look at ways to get people off the roads and put them on a pathway to allow them to get exercise and gain community spirit.

Commissioner O'Brien commented on couch potatoes and bike paths. Commissioner Carlson stated this will make people more inclined to get on bicycles; and far in the future, roadways may be turned into bike paths because of pollution issues. Commissioner Scarborough described bike paths in West Orange County; and stated more scenic bike paths could be attractions for the elderly. Commissioner Carlson commented on people using bicycles instead of getting on the roads. Commissioner O'Brien stated the County has an aging population; the largest population of people hurt severely in bicycle accidents are the elderly; and suggested the County pass a bike helmet law for the elderly. Commissioner Carlson inquired about a comparison between traffic accidents and bicycle accidents. Commissioner O'Brien stated between 66 and 72 years of age, the number of people killed or severely injured while riding their bike is much higher than children who are hurt.

Commissioner Carlson stated it is a realistic goal; the bike paths are the start of a reality check; and it would not be necessary if there was no increased population.

Commissioner Carlson stated her next goal is, in concert with municipalities, develop common development regulations and codes; and that goes along with the EDC in attracting economic development. She stated she has been in communication with the City of Melbourne concerning coming up with joint participation agreements; and this is something the Board could be taking up with all municipalities. She commented on coordination of efforts.

Commissioner Carlson stated her next goal is to implement land development procedures that protect the environment and insure the availability of high quality and affordable water, sewer service, drainage, and air quality. She stated she is confident there is a good water source, but that may not always be the case; and the Board needs to look at other alternatives to the water source. She stated as part of that, the County should develop the smart growth program applicable to the County and encourage developers to follow its precepts. She stated there has been discussion about on-site disposal systems; she would like to see the Board go farther with a plan regarding impacts for OSDS; and recommended requiring use of reuse water for irrigation in all new developments. She stated there are all kinds of things subdivisions can be required to do to have a better quality of life for the residents; and it is difficult to retrofit.

Chairman Higgs stated in the Everglades Plan, millions of dollars were being allocated for sewer and upgrade of the plants; in Brevard County, the citizens have paid for the upgrade of wastewater treatment plants; and if there is data which indicates areas are being polluted, the County needs to step to the State because that is who is financing it. She stated the County is financing South Florida's mistakes in growth management. Commissioner O'Brien stated the Marine Resources Institute is monitoring the river on a regular basis; with Commissioner Carlson advising they are monitoring water quality, not the septic systems. Chairman Higgs stated there is a study funded by the EPA; the data should be out soon; and there will be some data on what is happening with the septic tanks. She stated when the Board starts talking about that, people will be upset; but given the resource, the County is protecting, the Board should not expect to pay for it all here. Commissioner O'Brien stated if the County can get State funds, it will protect the Indian River Lagoon. Chairman Higgs noted it is a national estuary of significance. Commissioner O'Brien stated there may be some opposition from certain homeowners; but if the pipelines are paid for, then the cost for connection and impact would be dramatically reduced to a point where a lot of homeowners would not want to revolt. He stated it is an expensive proposition, but if the pipes are paid for by federal or State funds, the cost will be reduced. Chairman Higgs stated precedents are being set; and what is fair for South Florida will also be fair for Brevard County. Commissioner O'Brien suggested staff start monitoring what the money is being used for and whether any community got free sewers.

Commissioner Carlson stated Water Resources Director Dick Martens is working on plans to give incentives for developers so they will connect to reuse water. She stated another goal is to include greenways and bike paths to the maximum degree possible. She stated she would like to encourage the eradication of all the invasive and exotic plant species in all developments if there is some way to provide incentives to the development communities, and to preserve endangered habitats through regulatory and non-regulatory means. She requested a report from the EEL's Program to find out if the Board needs to go back to the public with a referendum to ask for additional millage to capture the dollars from Florida Forever; and stated the EEL's Program has not satisfied its mission in terms of the amount of lands it wanted to preserve.

Commissioner O'Brien stated the goal for invasive and exotic plans is good; and inquired if there would be an incentive to do that. Commissioner Carlson stated today developers clear the land, and it is all gone anyway, but if the Board wanted to encourage them to keep the natural aspects of the land, it would be a good incentive.

Discussion ensued on eradication of invasive species, clear-cutting, and Arbor Day Program.

Commissioner Carlson stated the last goal is to provide a wide range or programs that foster the well-being of children, youth, and the elderly; and outlined strategies.

The meeting recessed at 2:58 p.m. and reconvened at 3:17 p.m.

Commissioner Voltz stated she prepared an extensive list of goals; and goal #2 is to maintain and improve County roadways and waterways so they are clean, safe, and scenic, and insure that communities including commercial areas are well cared for and litter free. She stated the Crane Creek Drainage Control District is one area that she wants to make sure is addressed; they are waiting on a study from the St. Johns River Water Management District on the entire basin; and that is a priority because there are flooding issues. She advised of need for landscaping on Palm Bay, Minton and Malabar Roads; and stated they are in the process of working with the City of Palm about the City taking over the maintenance of the landscaping. She stated goal #3 is to insure accessible aesthetically pleasing beaches with limited development, and prohibit construction beyond the Coastal Construction setback line on the beach. She inquired if there are provisions that allow the County to look at that; with Chairman Higgs responding the Ordinance allows a variance. Commissioner Voltz stated another goal is provide enforcement of no animals on the beach; but the Board is discussing the possibility of allowing dogs on the beach, so that is a contradiction. She stated goal #4 provides substantial community structure and guidance that nurtures the wellbeing of children and youth; she has been working on those issues the last couple of years; and inquired what is being done now for children of various age groups. She advised of a library program that encourages parents to read to children. She said under contributions, it says financially support a list of projects and facilities; and recommended not itemizing the groups as some may have been left off the list. Chairman Higgs stated staff was trying to take the vision statements, and give an indication of what the County is doing. Commissioner Voltz stated goal #5 is to unify Brevard to coordinate and improve government, regulations, services and utilities in the pursuit of common Countywide goals; and this pertains to the Southwest Brevard water issue. She stated Mr. Tucker advises it is time to go to Osceola County; and she will be meeting on this issue. She stated goal #6 is to administer an effective criminal justice system, lower the crime rates, and secure the personal safety of the population at large with attention to prevention programs; and it will be necessary to obtain State or federal funding for a juvenile drug treatment facility and increase the mental health beds. She advised of a meeting concerning criminal justice; and stated she was advised not to build a new jail, because if it is built, it is filled. She stated there are prevention programs that start in the 0 to 6 age group; it works its way up the system; and the County will not have to build a bigger jail. She stated goal #8 is to develop a diverse growing and environmentally responsible economy that can provide business and job opportunities for the entire population; and the key is to provide opportunity to the entire population. She stated there is a desire to have higher paying jobs, but there are people who will never have a high paying job because they do not have the education or qualifications to do so; and the County needs to address their needs by setting realistic standards for tax abatement to include all segments of the population.

Commissioner Voltz stated goal #10 is to make accessible a broad range of programs including cultural and community involvement, intergenerational interactions, and service and health care for the elderly, as well as matching fund programs for the cultural arts. She advised of the cultural arts programs in Richmond, Virginia and the benefit to economic development. She stated there is a possibility of using the property purchased off the Mormon Ranch for a South Brevard off-road vehicle park; and she would like to look into that. Commissioner O'Brien stated there is a problem with that; if the County allows four-wheelers on that property, in 15 years the County may need the property for a dump. Commissioner Voltz stated there are 3,000 acres; and the four-wheelers need approximately ten acres. Mr. Jenkins noted it would be a state-of-the-art solid waste disposal facility. She stated goal #11 is to preserve and protect the County's natural resources and promote conservation and recycling. She stated they are still looking into buying some Platt property in South Brevard; and inquired why stormwater utility funds are never bonded; with Mr. Jenkins responding it is a Board policy. Commissioner Voltz suggested allowing approximately 50% of them to get some major projects done. Mr. Jenkins inquired if the Crane Creek Drainage Control District is still needed since contracts are being signed with Melbourne, West Melbourne, and probably Malabar; with Commissioner Voltz responding it will not address the same issues.

Commissioner Voltz stated goal #13 is to improve the quality and efficiency of government services including ethical informed politics, intergovernmental cooperation and elimination of duplicated services; the County has implemented a sunset review policy which requires an evaluation of the effectiveness and need of every program, policy, and Ordinance every five years; and she would like that to be reduced to two years.

Commissioner Voltz stated goal #15 is to provide safe, affordable, quality housing for all County residents; commented on the way some of the contractors have treated the people the County has been dealing with; and advised of specific examples. She stated because they are getting government money, people think they are low-class citizens; and she objects to the County hiring contractors who treat people this way. Commissioner Scarborough noted he had similar problems in his District. Commissioner Voltz stated some of the specifications on who can get loans were redone; and she does not have a problem with that; but the contractor issue is a real problem. Mr. Jenkins stated recently the procedure was changed to allow the homeowner to choose the contractor. Commissioner Voltz stated the individuals are given a list of contractors to choose from; and her sister could have gotten things done a lot cheaper, but the contractor would only do certain things. Commissioner O'Brien stated the solution might be that any contractor under County contract for that type of work might be required to have a certain amount of sensitivity training. Chairman Higgs suggested financial and performance audits of the program may be needed if customers are unhappy and the costs are not consistent. Commissioner Voltz stated she would love to have an audit because there are some gross errors there. She stated her sister got a letter when she closed on the house saying the septic tanks were in working order; and it is ridiculous to pay $75 for a letter certifying the tanks are only good on the date of the letter. She stated two weeks after her sister moved into the house, her septic tanks backed up; and Mr. Pence replaced the entire septic tank and drain field system for no cost. Commissioner O'Brien suggested directing the County Manager to do an internal investigation. Commissioner Voltz inquired if the Board will be getting a report on the Murbe issue; and outlined problems with the project. Commissioner Scarborough stated the problem is fraudulent work; outlined problems in his District; and commented on the Board's fiduciary responsibility. Chairman Higgs stated the audits need to be done. Commissioner O'Brien stated the Board needs to know if there are contractors who are cheating the taxpayers, and find a way of getting some of the investment back. Commissioner Voltz voiced objection to the way people are being treated. She inquired if the $75,000 the Board gives the Brevard Cultural Alliance is all they get; with Mr. Jenkins responding they get funding from a lot of sources. Mr. Jenkins advised the $75,000 goes for grants; a small amount is given for operating expenses; and the County provides them with space. Commissioner O'Brien commented on the amount paid to the person who hangs pictures; with Mr. Jenkins advising that is included in the number given earlier. Commissioner Voltz inquired why those funds could not be given to the CBO Board for the same type issues; with Commissioner Carlson responding BCA provides children's art programs to enhance their lives; and the CBO has a much broader-based target. Commissioner Voltz stated it is all County money; with Commissioner Carlson stated she does not know how BCA could be lumped with CBO. Commissioner Voltz stated she is just looking at eliminating duplication of services. Commissioner O'Brien inquired if they are comparable; and stated some things that have been funded through CBO may be on a par with BCA. Commissioner Carlson stated there might be a little bit of overlap, but the Cultural Alliance is trying to provide an arts council to promote the cultural arts. Commissioner Voltz stated there are a lot of CBO's in the community that do the same thing. Chairman Higgs stated under the cultural grants program, things such as the Senior's Christmas Concert, the orchestra and things of that nature are funded; so there is a distinction between types of services that are funded.

Commissioner Voltz stated under goals #16 and 23, Melbourne and Palm Bay feel that the County is competing with them for services; and Post Commons was mentioned specifically. Commissioner Carlson inquired if it was mentioned in terms of annexation; with Commissioner Voltz responding it was the water issue. Commissioner Carlson stated it was already in place, and was just a matter of hooking it up. Chairman Higgs stated the County does not provide water, but does provide sewer in that area; with Commissioners Carlson and Voltz agreeing. Commissioner Voltz stated the cities and County should be able to work together better with the home rule issue in mind. Chairman Higgs noted home rule works both ways; and the people in the unincorporated areas have rights too. Mr. Jenkins stated some of the decisions the Board makes are based on what is good for 460,000 people versus what is good for a localized situation. Commissioner Voltz stated she is just saying both cities mentioned the issue. Chairman Higgs stated a goal of more cooperation between the County and all the municipalities is appropriate. Commissioner Scarborough stated the people in the unincorporated areas only look to the County, but the people in the incorporated areas look to the County as well as the cities; and it is necessary to balance that over-representation.

Commissioner Voltz stated goal #17 is to implement aesthetically suitable land development that provides for the protection of the natural environment and insure that all development provides for sustainable growth and occurs concurrent with the ability to serve growth. She stated she is still trying to work on the Palm Bay transfer station; and it needs to be a high priority. She advised of problems with trash pickup after the Christmas holidays.

Commissioner Voltz stated goal #18 is to provide recreation facilities that include greenways, bike paths, playgrounds, parks and water access to support a variety of activities for all County residents and promote positive solutions to community issues by increased communications between all citizens of all ages with decision makers. She stated the Board has not met with the School Board, and needs to do that; and the Board only had one joint meeting with Palm Bay about the water issue. She recommended continuing to have regional meetings. She stated goal #19 concerns Palm Bay Regional Park; and the County needs to get moving on that. She stated there is a lack of funds to complete the project; and if the County is able to put in the road and infrastructure, it will blossom tremendously. She stated Mr. Nelson advised the Regional Advisory Board would be asking for some sort of referendum; and she would support that.

Commissioner Voltz stated goal #20 is to provide for efficient and appropriate social services to address the problems of the homeless, poverty, health care, child care, and criminal justice reform, and streamline the welfare system; and this has been a big issue of hers. She stated the focus needs to be on prevention rather than on sanctions; there should be funding of children's programs to reduce juvenile crime and create greater parental responsibility so in the long run there will be a safer community, and one that is attractive to new clean industry and provides an economic base that provides jobs so children will remain in Brevard County after they complete school. She stated another issue is to be involved with community based care and privatization of the foster care system; and Don Lusk has a report he will be providing to the Board.

Commissioner Voltz stated goal #22 is to create an effective transportation system which provides safe and effective travel within Brevard County and surrounding communities. She stated the County needs to provide more people-friendly bus stops; and it needs to address the transportation issue for welfare to work participants, the physically challenged, and the poor. She commented on the number of County goals that have not been implemented yet, including those involving the Children's Services Council, the Healthy Kids Program, and the Juvenile Justice Planner.

Chairman Higgs stated she tried to identify five vision statements and some strategies. She stated one of her goals was to improve the transportation system; the Board needs to work hard in the next few years to diversify the funding by doing a better job of getting grants from the State and federal government, and to set a goal of increasing those revenues by 5%. Commissioner Voltz inquired if Chairman Higgs is talking about bus transportation; with Chairman Higgs responding she is talking about road building and all aspects of the transportation system. She stated the County needs to do a better job of capturing federal and State dollars, and if the Board needs to use a consultant, it should do that, because there are federal and State dollars the County could be getting that it has not up to this point. She stated her second goal is to identify the top ten dangerous intersections; those have been identified by the MPO staff; and the County needs to take responsibility for bringing together State, city and County officials to come up with strategies for improving those intersections to decrease accidents. She stated her third goal is to implement the gas tax program; and that should be a priority for this year.

She stated another goal is to increase water quality projects through the Surface Water Program and using the St. Johns River Water Management District funds that are available. She stated in regard to aesthetically pleasing beaches and access, she would like to have a goal of insuring that both phases of the beach renourishment program continue to receive the attention. Commissioner O'Brien stated there is full intention to put sand on the northern reach in November, 1999; but there is a problem in the Satellite Beach area with worm rock and coquina. He stated they are trying to overcome some of the problems; and TDC is concerned about a proposed amendment to the Charter which would make it impossible to bond money because on the southern reach, it will be necessary to bond money. He stated $5.3 million has been set aside by tourism to pay the entire local match; the Army Corps of Engineers has caused problems that have caused the costs to escalate, but there is still enough money to do it; and tourism is accumulating approximately $900,000 per year in the special fund. He stated the local match is still needed on the southern reach, between $7 and $12 million; and they may want to bond $6 million and pay it down across 10 years. He stated if the proposed Charter amendment goes on the ballot, is approved, and is found to be legal, then there will be a new gamut of problems; and advised of ramifications of the vote. Chairman Higgs stated those issues have to be discussed; but beach renourishment needs to continue to be a priority; and as the beaches are restored, public access points need to be improved and enhanced.

Chairman Higgs stated #3 falls under the category of the community services for the wellbeing of children and youth; and she would like to increase the Healthy Kids commitment. She stated she is encouraged by discussions that the State and federal governments are having about covering children for health insurance; and the County may not have to be involved at this level. Commissioner Voltz stated the Children's Services Council gets money from the hospitals which has been used as the match; but the federal government has said that cannot be done because it is a conflict of interest because the County will contract with the hospitals; but that does make sense. She stated she will be going to Washington, D.C. in March fighting for this issue. Commissioner O'Brien advised of a radio skit from December 3, 1945 about a health program for everyone in the country; stated Hillary Clinton was beaten back five years ago for trying to create a national health program; and while programs like this are commendable, if individuals other than children are added, it can become unaffordable. He advised of his aunt's experience with a national health program in Canada; and he is bothered by national health care because of horror stories from other countries. He stated the Healthy Kids Program may be the first straw in a big pile, and he is very concerned about going down a road that America has already rejected. Chairman Higgs stated Medicare is funded in huge dollar amounts for seniors, so they are partway down the path. Commissioner O'Brien inquired if the Healthy Kids Program existed five years ago; with Chairman Higgs responding yes. Commissioner Voltz stated it did not exist in Brevard County, but it has been all over for a number of years. Commissioner O'Brien inquired if all the Counties have been paying for it; with Chairman Higgs responding no. Commissioner Voltz stated some of the counties do pay for it. Commissioner O'Brien stated if the State creates programs, it should pay for it.

Discussion ensued on who pays for the Healthy Kids Program, program limited to children, no need for County funding if the funds from the hospital could be used, existence of program in other areas, health insurance for Brevard County children, increasing cost of program, increasing cost of Food Stamp Program, policing of the programs, ramifications of having sick or starving children, and solving unwed mother problems.

Chairman Higgs stated there is a group of children whose parents have difficulty providing health insurance; and through Healthy Kids, money is leveraged with State, local and federal money. She stated in Healthy Kids there are a lot of children who are not eligible for other services because their parents are working, but do not have jobs where health care services are provided. Commissioner O'Brien inquired if the Board is condoning that kind of behavior by allowing the programs to continue; stated the children are the innocent victims; and in this program are some poor parents who have two to four children, and they cannot afford health insurance. Chairman Higgs stated it may be a case of parents losing jobs where they had health care. Commissioner Voltz stated the money that the Board has given has brought more than $1 million worth of health insurance for children. Commissioner O'Brien stated it has increased the Board's cost to operate by $135,000. Chairman Higgs stated it is a good leverage of dollars.

Chairman Higgs stated the fourth priority is under lowering the crime rate and the personal safety of the population; and the Board needs to emphasize the completion of the strategy and begin implementation and finalize funding for the jail expansion. She stated Commissioner Voltz raised some other issues which were interesting; she is open to diversification of where to put people; but the Board needs to take steps this year to figure out what the County is going to do with those people who need to be removed from the general public. Commissioner Voltz recommended the Commissioners spend some time at the jail around midnight to see who is in the jail; and stated some people just have mental problems and should be in Circles of Care on medication rather than being at the jail. She noted once they bring them to the jail, if they have been on medication, they do not get the same kind of medication that they were on; they get less expensive medication; and they need to be on the same medication. Commissioner Carlson inquired if Commissioner Voltz is talking brand versus generic; with Commissioner Voltz responding it is not just generic, but different types of medication. Commissioner Voltz commented on the need for consistency of medication.

Chairman Higgs stated in regard to juvenile crime issues and prevention, the County needs to go after federal and State funds; and if it is necessary to have a professional go after those funds, the County should do that.

Chairman Higgs stated vision statements #11 and 17 are to protect the County's natural resources, and she would like to see the County, in cooperation with the State and federal governments, complete plans for preserving jays and manatees. She stated that may not take the form of a habitat conservation plan or manatee protection plan, but the Board and the citizens do not want to see any species on the road to extinction; and it is a priority. She stated in insuring sustainable growth, she would like to see the impact fee study be completed.

Chairman Higgs stated there are a number of goals on the table; and inquired how the Board wishes to proceed.

Commissioner Voltz stated there was a lot of duplication; and suggested Mr. Jenkins compile everything. Chairman Higgs stated the Board needs to set some priorities. Commissioner Scarborough stated when goals are set, they are ongoing; there need to be broad diverse goals, but from time to time there are opportunities and methodologies of moving forward; and the Board needs to not only expand the goals, but set strategies to move the goals faster to its end objective.

Commissioner O'Brien stated the Board gets a report card from the County Manager on the goals; some things are taking longer to attain; but he is satisfied with the way the process has worked in the past years and the job done by Mr. Jenkins and staff. Chairman Higgs stated Commissioner O'Brien may not agree with all the goals or strategies. Commissioner Carlson stated most of the Commissioners went by the 23 vision statements; and inquired if the Board wants to officially adopt them as goals and incorporate them into the budget. She stated adopting all of the goals would eliminate the need to have yearly goal setting, and the Board would just do a check on the goals each year, and add or subtract as needed. Commissioner O'Brien stated the Board never agreed on all the goals of the visioning process; it is a menu to choose from; and it would be necessary to go back through all the process to choose goals. He stated quite a few of them have already been extracted to put in the goals today. Commissioner Scarborough stated goal #23 is to foster an ethical and well integrated community that cultivates a small town atmosphere and encourages people to help people; and the Board has substantially moved forward on this without consciously saying it is meeting a goal. He stated the Board will never attain the fully integrated community as it is trying to; but people can feel more comfortable in a larger county with use of the Internet, television, and meetings. He stated he does not want to tamper with every goal every year.

Chairman Higgs inquired if the Board wants to come up with some priorities; with Commissioner Voltz responding yes. Commissioner Voltz stated there were a lot of priorities that were mentioned by more than one Commissioner; and when Mr. Jenkins compiles the goals, those would be priorities, and then the Board can look at the other issues. Chairman Higgs inquired if Mr. Jenkins can work with that; with Mr. Jenkins responding he will list everything that was discussed today and put them in groupings, and then the Board needs to vote on which ones are priorities. Commissioner Scarborough commented on a goal; and inquired if it will be necessary to argue each goal. He inquired what will happen if opportunities present themselves during the year; with Chairman Higgs responding there are always changes. Mr. Jenkins stated the document the Board is using was prepared two years ago as a snapshot for 1998; those are the things the Board is doing right now that contribute to the 23 goals; and most are ongoing. Commissioner Scarborough stated he is comfortable with integrating new ideas periodically in it. Commissioner Carlson stated she is just talking about long-term planning; if there is a vision for the future, there are certain goals which must be achieved; and she was talking about strategies to get there and ways to put it into the budget. She stated it is necessary to look at goals every year because sometimes they change or are crossed off the list; commented on quality of life issues and visioning; and stated the Board should monitor the County's progress annually by means of selected representative quantitative indicators. Chairman Higgs inquired if this is what benchmarks do; with Commissioner Carlson responding the Board is starting to understand what baselines and benchmarks are, but she is talking about creating something that would have everything in one place to show annually how the County is progressing on individual goals for quality of life.

Mr. Jenkins stated today the Commissioners gave him approximately a hundred items as priorities; and some of them are duplicative while others may not meet with the approval of the majority of the Board. He recommended sorting through the hundred items and prioritizing them; and stated that will get incorporated with everything else that is ongoing. He stated there are performance measurements; the Board has discussed them, but never adopted them; and if the Board is going to adopt them as a body, then a process should be created to monitor them. He stated that will provide an ongoing picture of how the County is doing with various quality of life issues; that has not been done yet; but the Board does have the Comprehensive Plan, the County Vision, the budget document, and Vision 2005 in place. He stated he needs to prioritize the goals covered today and put it in a format for the Board's approval; and if the Board is interested in doing so, it needs to act to formalize the performance measurements.

Chairman Higgs stated she thought the Board approved that.

Commissioner Scarborough advised of the difficulty of trying to envision what the world is going to be in twenty years; and stated if the Board looks at the historic data, it will be looking at the wrong thing.

Discussion ensued on growth of Orlando, aging, technology, benchmarking, obligation to take risk, County in competition with the world, knowing status of County, setting standards, mechanisms for tracking, and reality.

Motion by Commissioner Voltz, seconded by Commissioner Scarborough, to direct staff to compile the data for benchmarking. Motion carried and ordered unanimously.

Commissioner Higgs stated the Board should direct Mr. Jenkins to compile the goals that were verbalized today and bring them back as part of another workshop. Mr. Jenkins stated he will list the goals, but the Board will have to prioritize. Commissioner Voltz suggested Mr. Jenkins list the goals, the Commissioners score each of the goals and then Mr. Jenkins compile them. Commissioner Scarborough stated there were things that were not discussed that are very high goals; and inquired if the new priorities will be put ahead of the old ones or will the Board have to come back and prioritize everything. Commissioner Carlson stated it is a good question; and there are not any results and outcomes laid out on the old goals. Commissioner Scarborough stated he did not address television as being a part of an ethical and open community because the Board has done a number of things; but if something else is going to be prioritized ahead of it, he will need to say that television is still important to him. Commissioner Higgs stated she thought the Board was going to discuss its goals and priorities for the coming year. Commissioner Voltz stated if the Board is already doing something, it does not need to discuss it because it is already a priority. Commissioner Scarborough stated he is comfortable just adding goals to the list, but if something hops up, he does not want the Board to say it cannot be addressed because it is not on the list. Chairman Higgs indicated the Board will maintain flexibility to address additional problems as they arise.

Mr. Jenkins inquired if there is interest in his compiling a list and sending it around for each Commissioner to rank the goals; with Commissioner O'Brien responding he is not interested in that, and would prefer it to be handled as it was in the past. Chairman Higgs stated she does not think staff can do that with some of the goals. Commissioner O'Brien stated if they are that ambiguous, they can be redefined. Mr. Jenkins noted some goals conflict; with Commissioner Scarborough advising the Board can vote on those.

Chairman Higgs stated since the Board is undecided on how to do this, Mr. Jenkins can compile the list, and the Board will hold a follow-up workshop to provide staff directions on priorities. Commissioner Carlson stated the Board should make sure it sets the priorities before the budget process starts. Discussion ensued on when the budget process begins and dates for a workshop.

Mr. Jenkins inquired about implementing the performance measurements; stated part of that concept is to have a technical committee of all the various agencies that provide the data to coordinate and monitor the process; and if the Board wanted to take it a step further, it could set up a community-based leadership council.

Commissioner Carlson stated that can be brought back when the Board meets again. Mr. Jenkins stated he will put it on the Agenda for the next workshop. Commissioner Carlson stated another strategy that was discussed involved the Comprehensive Plan use; growth requires expansion of infrastructure systems; and natural resource systems have a quantifiable carrying capacity for projected growth. She stated the Board needs to look at that and try to project growth so that it can achieve those things it wants to achieve and still maintain a quality of life; and it can discuss the issue further next time.

Discussion ensued on a date for the workshop.

Chairman Higgs stated Mr. Jenkins will work on a date for a follow-up workshop; and recommended it be scheduled soon.

Upon motion and vote, the meeting was adjourned at 4:43 p.m.

ATTEST:

NANCY N. HIGGS, CHAIRMAN
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA

SANDY CRAWFORD, CLERK
( S E A L )