SPECIAL MEETING
LEVY COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
August 26 , 1997
The Special Meeting of the Board of Levy County Commissioners was held on August 26, 1997 at 7:00 p.m. in the Levy County Board of County Commissioners’ meeting room, with the following Commissioners present:
Chairman Sammy Yearty
Vice Chairman Don Foley
Comm. Wilbur Dean
Comm. Frank Davis
Also present were:
Clerk of Court Douglas M. McKoy
Administrative Assistant William C. Cobb
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m..
BUDGET
Mr. Douglas M. McKoy, Clerk of the Court said that meetings had been held with Department Heads and the Constitutional Officers to work on balancing the budget. Mr. McKoy said as it stood the budget was balanced and could be approved with the sufficient cuts to erase the deficit. Mr. McKoy said there would only be $112,648.00 in reserve for contingencies.
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
Mr. McKoy said discussions had been held with Mrs. Connie Asbell, Supervisor of Elections on $15,000.00 in her budget. Mrs. Asbell advised this amount was for construction repair of a precinct.
SHERIFF
Sheriff Ted Glass said increases in costs were continuing for medical insurance, medical care, food service and building maintenance within his department.
Chairman Yearty said the proposed budget will remain at $5,333,061.00, with an additional amount of $10,000.00 from the School Board out of the General Revenue Fund for school resource officers, and allow additional discussion at the final budget hearing.
Mr. Billy Cobb said he had been contacted by the Sheriff Office with a request for the Road Department to travel to Georgia to pick up a crane. Sheriff Glass said he would obtain the details on the crane and inform Mr. Cobb. Comm. Davis moved to authorize Mr. Cobb to arrange the pick up of the crane from the State of Georgia if all details were satisfactory. Comm. Dean seconded and the MOTION CARRIED.
Comm. Dean said Sheriff Glass had informed him the Meridian Behavioral Center intended to render additional billing to the jail for services to inmates. Chairman Yearty requested a complete review of the contract with Meridian on the services they provide to the county for the $57,000.00 disbursed annually. Chairman Yearty asked Mr. McKoy to send an invitation to Meridian to attend the next budget hearing.
COUNTY AGENT
Mr. Albert Fuller, County agent said the $45,000.00 in his budget was for construction of a building which has been planned and was omitted from the budget last year. Comm. Dean said he had reviewed the budget and recommended using the Board Construction Account as the appropriate account for the construction of the building.
Mr. Fuller said there was a sizable increase in the salary of Mr. Anthony Drew in the proposed budget. He said this increase was necessary to place Mr. Drew in the proper salary range. Mr. Fuller said he was requesting an additional $5,600.00 for the budget which was the shortfall last year.
LANDFILL
Comm. Dean said the landfill budget was presently balanced. Comm. Dean said there had been discussion on cutting costs at the landfill and recommended changing the hours at the landfill and the number of days that it is open.
Comm. Dean moved to change the hours of operation at the landfill to 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays and for the landfill to be closed on Sundays and all legal holidays effective October 1, 1997. Comm. Foley seconded and the MOTION CARRIED.
Mr. Wayne Hardee said this would save approximately $30,500.00 and would balance the budget.
Mrs. Sheila Rees said the landfill is operating on a cash shortfall until the end of the year. She said the funds which appear on the reports must go into the long term landfill and there are no additional operating funds.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Mr. Bill Beddow said no other alternatives were found to be feasible for balancing the budget other than increasing rates for transporting Advanced Life Support, Basic Life Support and mileage on the ambulances. Mr. Beddow said his recommendation for the rate increase would net approximately $70,000.00 which would be a 68 percent rate of collection. Mr. Beddow said a shortfall will remain if the Advanced Life Support for Cedar Key is instituted earlier than January 1998. Chairman Yearty said a commitment has been made to begin operating the Advanced Life Support from Cedar Key upon housing for personnel, and the ambulance is provided in regards to the agreement discussed.
Comm. Foley asked about $45,000.00 in the proposed budget for equipment. Mr. Billy Cobb said this has been budgeted for the purchase of ambulances and will be matching funds which must be provided for the grant.
Comm. Foley recommended considering charging a flat rate for all calls.
Chairman Yearty asked Mr. Beddow to provide recommendations at the regular board meeting on all options for increasing revenue for the Emergency Medical Services.
Mr. Billy Cobb, Administrative Assistant to the Board will publish the advertisement for a public workshop to consider the special assessments for Emergency Medical Services in conjunction with MSTUs and Fire now scheduled for September 9, 1997 at 7:00 p.m..
ROAD AND BRIDGE DEPARTMENT
Mr. Skip Hammell said Road and Bridge Department proposed budget balanced.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS THE MEETING ADJOURNED.
W. S. Yearty, Board Chairman
ATTEST:
Douglas M. McKoy, Clerk of Court