Highlights from the March 8, 2017 Council Meeting at the DeSoto County Administration Building

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Arcadia City Councilmember Susan Coker was sworn in as a member to the CFRPC.
• FRCA Policy Board members for 2017 are Buddy Mansfield, Jackie Tucker and Pat Huff with Mike O’Connor as the alternate member.
• Finance Committee appointments for 2017 are Edie Yates, Mike Thompson, Neda Cobb and Hazel Sellers.

DESOTO COUNTY ACTIVITIES

• Mandy Hines, DeSoto County Administrator, provided an update on activities in DeSoto County including. View her presentation here.
• She highlighted community conversation workshops held across the county, road improvements underway, the opening of a Publix Supermarket in Arcadia, and the construction of a new rodeo arena and fire station. Ms. Hines also shared information on a new overlay district in development, the Mosaic application for mining, a landfill assessment study, and the impact of tax exemption on solar facilities to DeSoto County’s tax revenue.

PLANNING ADVISORY SERVICE (PAS) CONTRACTS UPDATE

• Jennifer Codo-Salisbury updated the Council on Planning Advisory Services (PAS) projects for FY 2016-17.
• Ms. Codo-Salisbury stated that recently, the Council had the privilege of partnering with Polk County to assist in updating their Local Mitigation Strategy and Polk’s seventeen cities. View the presentation here.
  • Polk County Commissioner Melony Bell was presented with an award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), given jointly to Polk County and the CFRPC, for the work on its 2015 Polk County Local Mitigation Strategy Update.

UPDATE ON THE HEARTLAND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION (HRTPO)

• HRTPO activities underway include developing a Congestion Management Process (CMP), which requires consultant services. Also, a Transit Development Plan (TDP) is being developed specifically for Highlands County.

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE

• Marcos Monts De Oca, City Administrator, City of Okeechobee, explained that the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact is a commitment by 164 municipalities and 19 counties to work together across jurisdictional boundaries to create a comprehensive plan and joint policy positions addressing environmental and economic challenges associated with discharges from Lake Okeechobee. View the presentation here.
  • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2017-A3 which states that the CFRPC supports and will work in collaboration with the parties of the Lake Okeechobee Regional Compact to develop a strategic plan utilizing the best available science, emphasizing regional sustainability and vitality carried unanimously.

JOINT LAND USE STUDY (JLUS) PRESENTATION AND VIDEO

• Buck McLaughlin, Range Operations Officer for the Avon Park Air Force Range, former Commander of the Range and former employee of CFRPC, presented an overview of the Air Force Range, the training that is conducted, its history and its official duties and purpose. View the presentation here.
• Through an implementation grant received from the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment, the CFRPC and partners developed the Joint Land Use Study to promote compatible community growth while supporting the Range’s military training mission. Three videos have been created to make people more aware of the Range and its mission.

FY 2017-18 PER CAPITA ASSESSMENT FOR CFRPC

• Pat Steed presented a chart that included the current assessment cost per county, and the cost variance of an increase to $0.30 per capita from $0.25. Rates have not been increased since 2006. The assessment was discussed by the Finance Committee in October 2016, the Council in December 2016, and the recommendation is to set the assessment at this time so counties may include the change in their budget process.
  • MOTION: To adopt Resolution 2017-3B to increase the member assessment carried unanimously.

REPORT ON THE FLORIDA REGIONAL COUNCILS ASSOCIATION (FRCA) JANUARY POLICY BOARD MEETING

• Recap of the January Policy Board Meeting in Tallahassee.
• The FRCA Annual Report with the new organizational branding was distributed.
• The next FRCA Policy Board meeting is scheduled for June 2017 in West Palm Beach.

UPDATE ON DESOTO COUNTY TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED (TD) DESIGNATED OFFICIAL PLANNING AGENCY (DOPA) TRANSITION AND UPDATE ON HARDEE, HIGHLANDS, OKEECHOBEE SERVICE PROVISION

• DeSoto County has notified the TD Commission that as of June 30, 2017, they will no longer serve as the Transportation Disadvantaged Designated Official Planning Agency (DOPA) for DeSoto County. At the November Council meeting, the Council adopted a resolution in support of serving as the DOPA for DeSoto County if the Council was asked.
• Staff will confirm that the funding is in place if the transition occurs.
• The DeSoto County Service Area will remain separate from the other service area until it can be integrated smoothly.
• MV Transportation, the Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) for the Hardee, Highlands and Okeechobee Service Area has added Safety Transportation, Inc. as a new carrier under contract.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT

• Pat Steed reported on current legislative activities. Ms. Steed referred to the Bill Tracking Report in the Council Agenda Packet and stated that staff will be monitoring those bills.
• Ms. Steed reported that the Economic Development Administration notified staff that an additional $7,000 would be added to the grant funding.
• The FRCA Monthly Report will be included in the meeting materials on a regular basis.
• She added that staff is available to Council members to make presentations on a variety of issues at their local meetings and events.

The next meeting of the CFRPC will be at 9:30am on April 12, 2017 in Hardee County at the Hardee County Civic Center.