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ITEMS OF INTEREST
Link to the Agenda and Video
Invocation Reverend Brock Patterson, Longboat Island Chapel
Pledge of Allegiance John Jolly, Retired US Navy veteran
Announcements
Updates to Agenda – September 11, September 15
Awards/Presentations/Proclamations
Proclamations
POW/MIA Recognition Day
Commissioner McCann presented the proclamation making September 19 POW/MIA Recognition Day. Since WWII 81,500 US military are missing in action. George Groove, of the Knights of Columbus, received the proclamation and related various fund-raising events for veterans.
Suicide Prevention Day
Commissioner Amanda Ballard presented the proclamation to declare September 20 as Suicide Prevention Day. Centerstone, which for 23 years has worked to educate the public and prevent suicide, received the proclamation.
Requests By Commissioners (Items to be pulled from Consent Agenda)
Items 4, 11, 18, 42 by Commissioner McCann
Consent Agenda
Approved 7-0.
Select Citizen Comments (Consideration for Future Agenda Items)
Salvatore asked for an ordinance to allow golf carts on specific sidewalks in the Parrish area and accompanied it with specifics for the ordinance that would comply with state law.
Andy and Demetri spoke against the ban of the sale of kratom. Many in the Village of the Arts area will lose jobs. Their shops provide a safe and alcohol-free area. Note: Kratom is an herbal substance derived from the leaves of a tropical evergreen in the coffee family. It contains psychoactive compounds which affect the brain in ways like opioids and stimulants.
Items Removed from the Consent Agenda
Item 4. Authorization to Supervisor of Elections (SOE) to Purchase Voting Equipment - Scott Farrington, Supervisor of Elections
SOE Farrington stated that the current voting machines are over 10 years old and it is getting hard to find parts. The new equipment is faster, has better controls and additional checks.
Passed 7-0.
Item 11. and Item 18.
Item 11 and Item 18 were both related to changes to the scope of work on Moccasin Wallow Road. Chad Butzow, Public Works Director, stated there were changes in scope, boundary, and utilities for the road and utilities.
Item 11 Passed 7-0. Item 18 Passed 7-0.
Item 42. Adoption of Resolution R-25-181, Low Income Pool and Graduate Medical Education Program Funding - Thu Le, Health Information Services Manager
Commissioner McCann questioned how the $3+ million was derived. Staff indicated the calculation based on what percentage of uncompensated healthcare.
Passed 6-0. Commissioner Siddique absent.
REGULAR
Community and Veterans Services
Item 58. Approval of the FY25/26 Children's Services Dedicated Millage nonprofit funding recommendations, Approval of the FY25/26 Health and Human Services General Fund nonprofit funding recommendations, and Adoption of Resolution R-25-179, authorizing the execution of standard format FY25/26 Non-Profit Funding Agreements - Sarah Brown, CVS Department Director
Tracie Adams, Deputy Director of Community & Veterans Services, reminded the commissioners that Children’s Services has an advisory board that has reviewed their recommendations. She displayed the Children’s Services Investment Sheet, which had the proposed grants totaling $20,495,073.
Commissioner Ballard questioned the allocation to Just for Girls because the girls in the program fail to achieve grade status in math. Staff said they have developed a plan of action to remediate Just for Girls performance problems which are included in the funding agreement and implementation is required for them to receive Manatee County grant money.
In the second presentation, James Crutchfield, Deputy Director of Public Safety, presented the for proposed grants for health services/homelessness and housing totaling $3,168,066. Health Services Investment Sheet 2025-2026.pdf
Commissioner Ballard questioned the extent of services and expenditure for St. Vincent DePaul.
The final presentation, by Traci Adams, is for adult health services of $761,168.
Human Services Investment Sheet When questioned about the funds for legal services, Adams stated they are primarily for housing issues such as eviction issues, administration fees, and processing fees.
Citizen Comment on Funding
- Dr. Monica Rider, Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Melvin Price, President and CEO, MCR Health spoke of close to 100,00 patients seen and the more than 20,000 after hour visits seen annually by MCR Health. These otherwise would have been hospital visits. MCR Health delivered over 85% of the babies at Manatee Memorial Hospital. With over 45 years of service to the community.
- Amy Yount, CPA, President and CEO of Step-Up Suncoast, thanked the commissioners for their analysis work to assure tax dollars are spent wisely.
- Katie Becker, Executive Director of Parenting Matters, stated she appreciated Commissioner Felts questioning return on investment. CDC estimates the cost of non-fatal child abuse is more than $830,000. They work on prevention, and the cost for their intervention and 6 months of work with the family is $4,000.
- William McKeever, Director of The Academy of Bradenton stated they work with those with serious mental illness and reintegrate them into society.
- David Conley, Deputy Chief of Housing Programs, St Vincent de Paul CARES covered the comprehensive services done by their agency for about 60 families that will be served by the agency.
- John Agnelli of Manatee County Boys and Girls Club said that they do evaluations of the effectiveness of the grant money provided by the county.
- James McCloud, CEO of Genesis Health Services, appealed for funding. They have never requested funding in 27 years of service to low income but employed households. Their model has been impacted by cost increases and problems with delivery time frames of dental appliances, and they need to set up their own lab.
Motion to approve Children Service and Health and Human Services funding recommendations. Approved 7-0.
Sarah Brown, Director of Community and Veteran Services, requested a motion for revision to agreement to be signed by non-profits that to include a provision that services will not going to those in the county illegally.
Commissioner Kruse stated that 86% of the funding for children’s services. He feels removing funding for something like learning to read is petty.
Commissioner Ballard did not agree. She stated that citizens must pay for these services and illegals are getting them for free.
Kruse countered that undocumented immigrants pay sales and income taxes.
Siddique felt putting the language will be counterproductive. McCann felt funding should only be based on need.
Commissioner Bearden agreed with Ballard and felt that undocumented immigrants are bankrupting the country.
Citizen Comments
Kathleen Cramer, CEO Turning Points, stated that they do not have the expertise or resources to investigate citizen status. They will deny services to those who are here legally if social security number is the criteria. Also, with the current language, they would have to deny services to a child who is a legal citizen if the parent is an adult without citizenship.
Amy Yount of Step-Up Suncoast, said there has been lots of discussion, controversy, and lawsuits over immigration legislation. They will not know how to comply with the language in the revision and do not have the funds to hire someone to administer compliance.
Commissioner Comments
Ballard stated there are exceptions in the Federal statutes and listed them. Bearden felt we needed to do something different on the local level.
Siddique motioned to not adopt the language.
Approved 4-3. Ballard, Rahn and Bearden opposing.
Motion to approve prior year’s Non-Profit agreement for this fiscal year.
Approved 4-3. Ballard, Rahn and Bearden opposing.
Government Relations
Item 60. Execution of Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Reimbursement Agreement for Economic Development Activities - Stephanie Garrison, Government Relations Director
A presentation was made by Sharon Hillstrom, President and CEO of Bradenton Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which highlighted their accomplishments on behalf of the county. For 2021-2025 she noted 25 company expansions in progress, 15 expansions completed along with 36 ongoing recruitment projects representing a potential 13,000 jobs. She described in detail thousands of outreach and marketing efforts, including the Paris Air Show (a result of which is the location of Pilatus, a Swiss aerospace company, building a new facility at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.) Commissioner Rahn credited the EDC with helping to arrange a productive meeting between Space Florida and the Port of Manatee.
Commissioner Bearden began by saying “marketing only goes so far.” He asked many specific questions regarding specific outcomes of the EDC related to the recent projects, including specific numbers for high wage positions and asked lengthy questions regarding the alignment of the EDC priorities with county priorities and asked for qualitative data used to determine target sectors.
Commissioner Siddique followed up by asking for the ratio of private to public funding, which is 60/40. He pointed to Sarasota EDC’s arrangement which has more private funding. He criticized the heavy marketing focus and was adamant that a “conversion rate” should be included in the metrics. He made a motion to allow the 2024-2025 agreement to expire at the end of the month and renegotiate a new contract.
Commissioner Kruse disagreed and questioned the “timing and intent” of the previous comments. He questioned why the two commissioners hadn’t spoken to staff prior to this meeting and addressed their concerns earlier by adding a commissioner agenda item.
Siddique said that staff should have scheduled a work session. He wants a “comprehensive reframing” of the contract.
Rahn credited the EDC with increased workforce housing, expansion of aviation companies, and other growth, demonstrating return on investment.
Citizen comments
- Mark Vengroff, CEO of One Stop Housing, supports renewing the agreement with EDC. He noted that affordable housing is one of the top five concerns of employers.
- Stephanie Iglesias, Florida Power and Light representative, said her work with EDC has demonstrated their value and she was surprised at the direction of the discussion.
- Kurt Landfell, President, Landfell Communications, urged the Board to renew the agreement stating the results should be measured over time and that the contract is a “bargain.”
- There were 7 written letters of support attached to the agenda item from various organizations.
Additional commissioner comments continued criticizing the EDC for lack of metrics, too large of a Board, and McCann accused Sharon Hillstrom of being a lobbyist.
Sharon stated that the response from the Board was “an unexpected development” and suggested an extension of the contract by December for her staff to discuss the requested metrics with the county.
Siddique made a motion to deny approval of the agreement.
The motion failed 3 – 4. (Siddique, Bearden, and McCann for the motion)
Rahn then made a motion to execute the agreement.
The motion failed. Chair did not announce the vote particulars.
Commissioner McCann called for the county attorney’s opinion. Attorney D’Agostino said first and second vote allows the current agreement to expire. She said that the current EDC agreement doesn’t allow an extension.
Item 59. Appoint a total of five (5) members to the Children's Services Advisory Board: one (1) Criminal Justice Representative, one (1) Judge, one (1) licensed mental health professional, one (1) Child Advocate, each to serve a three-year term starting October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028; and one (1) Child Advocate to finish the remainder of a term previously vacated to start October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. - Mellisa Bomar, Sr. Human Services Analyst FY26 CSAB Applicant Matrix Appointments.docx
The following members were appointed to the CSAB:
- Criminal justice – Constance Shingledecker 7-0
- Judge – Scott Brownell 7-0
- Mental health professional – Cassandra Mitchell 7-0
- At-large for a term of three years – Laurie McCracken 4-3
- At-large for a term ending in 2027 - Graham Ledger 7-0
Public Works
Item 61. Appointment of Citizen Representative to the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization's Citizen Advisory Committee - Clarke Davis, Deputy Director, Public Works
Rae Dowling was appointed 7-0.
Commissioner Agenda Items
Item 62. Terminate the shrub contract maintenance agreement with the Wallingford subdivision - Ballard.
The HOA of the subdivision managed the maintenance of the shrubs, which were planted in the county Right of Way for the 44th Ave extension from 2011-2017. It isn’t financially feasible for the HOA to continue the agreement and requests termination. Clarke Davis, of Public Works said that the county may not maintain the same kind of plantings.
Motion to direct staff to negotiate with Wallingford HOA and come back to the Board with outcome passed 7-0.
Item 63. To draft a resolution for naming Mixon Park - Ballard
Ballard said that with the county purchase of the former Mixon property she wants to start the process of naming it. There is public support for naming it after the Mixon family.
Bearden thought that Mixon Farms might be a more appropriate designation since the property may host a variety of things, such as a demonstration farm, library, etc.
Ballard made a motion to direct staff to take the appropriate steps in the naming process. Passed 7-0.
Item 64. Discussion of management options for the Myakka River addressing environmental values – Felts
Commissioner Felts was joined by Jono Miller, Chair of the Myakka River Coordinating Council, to describe the concerns regarding Myakka River and the urgency needed to address them. He described the deteriorating condition of the river due to the increase in development, phosphorous, and fecal coliform.
Knowing that the county’s hands are tied on changing wetlands protections because of SB180, he wants to focus on the actions that can be done now which include improving oversight on the river, better monitoring of water quality, and monitoring of code enforcement.
The area was agricultural in the 1980’s when Sarasota had their portion of the river designated as a Wild and Scenic River. Manatee County farmers were concerned that the designation would limit their ability to change the nature of their farming if needed and the Board didn’t support obtaining the designation. Today two golf courses have been built on the river, taking advantage of the outdated agricultural codes to do so.
Citizen Comments
Six Myakka residents spoke about the need for better oversight. They all described choosing their homes in a rural area to enjoy the beauty of the river. However, with recent developments they are experiencing more flooding. They advocated for more “boots on the ground” from the county.
County Administrator Bishop said that he directed Commissioner Felts to bring the issue to the Board for their direction as the need for better monitoring could include additional staffing; he wanted to get Board direction prior to the next budget meeting.
Commissioner Felts made a motion to direct staff to determine a plan to increase monitoring of the Myakka River to bring back to the Board. Motion approved 6-0. Siddique not present.
GOVERNANCE
Link to Good Governance Guidelines
The unanticipated challenge to the Economic Development Corporation contract renewal was poorly handled by several commissioners:
- Commissioner Bearden and Siddique's requests for considerably more information obviously not available at that decision moment should have been voiced and requested before the meeting, even if they had to delay the topic for another meeting
- Concerns could have been raised as a Commissioner Item or the commissioners concerned could request a workshop.
- Considerable time wasted with lengthy questioning the speaker.
- The EDC was blindsided at the presentation.
- Commissioner Siddique came back from break saying that he had received a phone call from a EDC board member and was concerned about sunshine. Without clarification, this comment leaves citizens concerned.
The League applauds Carol Felts for bringing the Myakka River issue to the Board with a full presentation, with expert speakers, and community support.
The chair was visibly frustrated by the lack of decorum during parts of the meeting, and the length of time some commissioners’ comments took. The League suggests introducing something like a five-minute time limit on commissioner comments after a presentation. If there is no additional comment, the item is closed for discussion.
The League commends the commissioners listening to the practical implementation concerns of non-profit organizations and, as a consequence, voting not to add a requirement for non-profits to obtain citizenship status before serving clients.
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