July 16 – County Commission Meeting

The regular meeting of the St Johns County Board of Commissioners was held Tuesday July 16, 2013, in the County Auditorium in the St Johns County Administration Palace located at 500 San Sebastian View in St Augustine.

The following items of business came before the Board for action:

. Proclamations – The Board designated July 2013 as Recreation and Parks Month.

. Regular Agenda Item One – Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)

Allen MacDonald, St. Johns County Finance Director, presented a motion to approve the CAFR for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, prepared by the Finance Department and assessed by independent auditor, Carr, Riggs & Ingram. The Board approved the CAFR.

. Regular Agenda Item One A– Recapitulation of 2012 Balanced Tax Roll and Error & Insolvencies Report

The Board approved the recapitulation as prepared by the St. Johns County Tax Collector.

. Regular Agenda Item Two – Interlocal Agreement for Issuance of Revenue Bonds

Patrick F. McCormack, St. Johns County Attorney, and Melissa Glasgow, St. Johns County Economic Development Director, presented the Board with a resolution to approve an Interlocal Agreement between the St. Johns County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and Orange County Health Facilities Authority (HFA) to issue revenue bonds for the benefit of Presbyterian Retirement Communities (PRC), Inc., and its affiliates, and payable out of funds pledged and assigned under a financing agreement between the Orange County HFA and PRC. The Board approved the resolution.

. Regular Agenda Item Two A – Letter of Support to Preserve Tax Exempt Bonds

The Board approved a letter of support to preserve tax exempt bonds.

. Regular Agenda Item Three – Federal Transit Administration’s Program of Projects and Area Grant

Each year the Federal Transit Administration apportions funding for urbanized-area public-transportation assistance. Gary L. Mackey, St. Johns County Transit Grant Specialist, presented to the Board the apportionment of $950,000 for this year and the consequent 2013 Program of Projects developed and used as the basis for the Urbanized Area Grant submittal. The Board approved the 2013 Program of Projects, approved the submittal of the grant based on the Program of Projects, and approved to execute the awarded grant.

. Regular Agenda Item Four – William Bartram Scenic and Historic Highway Northwest Historical Analysis

Vickie Renna, St. Johns County Long Range Planning Division, presented a resolution to authorize the County Administration to use remaining National Scenic Byway grant funds to enter contract negotiations with a qualified agency for the purpose of performing a Northwest Historical Analysis on the William Bartram Scenic and Historic Highway. The information will assist with Historic Preservation Resource Management and will be utilized for reviewing development applications in addition to preparing various reports, presentations, educational tools, and media broadcast announcements. The Board approved the resolution.

. Regular Agenda Item Five – William Bartram Scenic and Historic Highway Website Software Updates

Vickie Renna, St. Johns County Long Range Planning Division, presented a resolution to authorize the County Administration to use remaining National Scenic Byway grant funds to enter contract negotiations with a qualified agency for the purpose of updating the WBSH website so it will function at full capacity and allow for current information sharing. The Board approved the resolution.

. Regular Agenda Item Six – Letter Supporting St. Johns River Designation as a State Paddling Trail or Blueway

Wil Smith, St. Johns County Director of Recreation and Parks, presented that the St. Johns River Alliance is asking St. Johns County to provide a letter of support for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Office of Greenways and Trails to take action and designate the entire St. Johns River as a State Designated paddling trail or blueway. St. Johns County has already designated the St. Johns River as such in the St. Johns County Blueways, Greenways and Trails Master Plan. This designation would not require any additional funding at publicly owned boat ramps, launching facilities, or parks along the St. Johns River, but would help with future grant applications should this designation be approved at the State level. The Board agreed to write a letter of support for this initiative.

. Regular Agenda Item Seven – TDC Category III–Recreation Transfer of $45,000 to St. Johns County Pier Fund

Wil Smith, St. Johns County Director of Recreation and Parks, presented a motion to resolve a negative fund balance by transferring $45,000 from the Tourism Development Council Category III-Recreation portion of the County budget to the St. Johns County Pier Fund portion. The negative fund balance is a result of a one-month Pier closure for structural repairs and a beach renourishment project. The Board approved the transfer.

. Regular Agenda Item Eight – Appointment to the South Anastasia Design Review Board

The Board appointed R. Dixon Walker to the South Anastasia Design Review Board.

. Regular Agenda Item Nine – FY-2014 Recommended Budget Presentation

Florida statutes (F.S. 129.03(3)) and Truth in Millage (TRIM) Legislation specify that a tentative balanced County Budget must be submitted to the Board of County Commissioners. Doug Timms, St. Johns County Office of Management & Budget Director, presented that, at this point in time, the FY-2014 recommended County budget has been balanced with expenditures and adequate reserves within each fund are equal to projected fund revenues. County Administration believes the recommended County budget represents a funding level that can reasonably assure the achievement of St. Johns County’s operational needs while minimizing the tax impact on its citizenry. A Board workshop on the FY-2014 recommended budget is scheduled for July 23, 2013, at 9 a.m. and the tentative County millage rates are required to be set during this meeting. The final public hearing to adopt the final millage rate and the FY-2014 budget is set for the Board of County Commissioner’s meeting scheduled on September 24.

. Regular Agenda Item Ten – National Park Service Community Technical Assistance Application

St. Johns County Long Range Planner Vickie Renna requested the County Administration submit a National Park Service Community Technical Assistance application to the National Park Service Rivers and Trails program by August 1. The Board approved submitting the application by the deadline.

. Regular Agenda Item Eleven – Contract Amendment Between St. Johns County and the Council on Aging, Inc.

Gary L. Mackey, St. Johns County Transit Grant Specialist, presented a resolution to amend the contract and reallocate $74,400 during FY-2013 from use as the Veterans Initiative Grant (capital investment match) to use for operating the Council on Aging’s Sunshine Bus program. The Board approved the reallocation.