ITEMS OF INTEREST

• Chair Van Ostenbridge shared that several citizens expressed concern about the "homeless situation“ and wished todiscuss whether to have Attorney Clague draft an ordinance for future consideration.
• Bellamy - This issue comes with complexities. We must begin with the end in mind and address underlying issues, such as the rent increases in Manatee County, and be sensitive to the individual. Options are needed, not just an ordinance.
• County Attorney Clague confirmed there is a special meeting on homelessness scheduled for April 19^that 9:00 am.
• Unanimous approval for attorney Clague to prepare a draft ordinance.

• Without advance notice to the public and not in the agenda, Satcher used a consent agenda item (Approval of the Children's Services Advisory Board's FY21/22 Investment Recommendations) to ask for $100,000 from the millage approved for neglected, abused or economically disadvantaged children to be given to the SOLVE and Care Net organizations (faith-based crisis pregnancy centers). These funds would be designated for pregnancy support for women.
• After discussion, including initial calls by several commissioners for more information and time to review the request, with prompting from Satcher and Texas activist Mark Lee Dickson(present in person) two motions were passed relative to this agenda item.
• $100,000 was approved as a separate set aside for the SOLVE and Care Net crisis pregnancy centers (Passed 5-1, Whitmore was absent, Servia voted nay because the funds would be used for support of women, notforneglected, abused or economically disadvantaged children.
• SOLVE subsequently refused the grant. Satcher immediatelyrequested the SOLVEfunding of $50,000 go to Care Net, but that was not approved.

• County Administrator Hopes suggested using general revenue for the $100k instead of from the children’s trust. Funds from children’s trust requirea public hearingto review the grant request.
• Whitmore questioned how the approved $50k went to $100k without board discussion and expressed support for Care Net.She suggested the funds come from the county commissioner’s reserve fund, which does not require a public hearing.
• Satcher expressed concern about the timing of getting an application process created - 9 months - since the $50k was approved. He stressed he expects a 7-0 vote in favor.
• Kruse stated, "what in the world are we voting on here?“. We agreed to $50k so how did we get to this point? We didn’t agree to give the $50k refused by SOLVE to CareNet. He supports funding CareNet, although concerned of the perception of pet projects, and use of the discretionary fund. He went on to say that the Children’s Services Advisory Board (CSAB) should be trusted to do their diligence and award funds accordingly.
• Hopes clarified that in July 2021, BoCC directed him to develop an application with outcomes for CareNet, and said it was done. CareNet completed the application, and then it was put on the agenda for discussion today. $100k had been directed to 2 orgs and one declined. Today you are voting on allocating x dollars from x fund for x org. You need to decide on how many dollars and from what fund and vote on that. This is truly a board driven issue and allocation of funds.
• Baugh said anytime we can help unborn babies it is a good idea.
• Servia said she wanted to honor the process and does not want the board to be perceived as favoring pet projects or viewed as addressing only politically motivated issues.

• Bellamy said he supports the $50k that was previously approved. He went on to say that we all have things we are passionate about and mentioned several youth causes. He further noted that he expected his pet projects to be turned down if he comes back and asks for money for his projects from the commissioner fund.
• Whitmore expressed that requests like this need to go through the processes established. CareNet should provide information/outcomes to get Children Services Advisory Board (CSAB) funding and she said she didn’t like how the amount went from $50k to $100k.
• Kruse stated he will vote yes to give Satcher his 7-0 vote but disagrees with the process. It was a $50k thing then became $100k. Maybe a set amount for each commissioner to hand out to our pet projects so that it doesn’t go on and on.
• Whitmore said she will vote for the $100k because it’s one time but they should go through CSAB. We never agreed to $100k last summer when Solve pulled out.
• Servia said I will vote for this and expressed support for Kellie O’Malley and CareNet
• Hopes clarified, there IS a process through Community and Veterans Affairs. This was taken out of the process.

• There have been 18 Christian invocations in a row at regular meetings. The last time a person representing a different faith gave the invocation was one year ago on March 23, 2021. Other faiths and inspiration only should be included.
• The invocation was done by Kelli O’Malley, the CEO at Care Net Manasota Pregnancy Center. This is the second time in 6 months and since her organization was being considered for funding, and especially THAT day, this is a clear conflict of interest.
• Satcher has given invocation three times in the past 15 months which is inappropriate as there should be a separation between his commission duties and his role as a minister.

• The request was added to the agenda late the night before and not properly noticed. It was clear that this was planned well in advance with the invocation by their CEO and the audience members in attendance ready to speak in support of the funding.
• Kruse, Servia, Bellamy, Whitmore all stated the process and request was improper, yet approved the expenditure. If it is improper, wait and do it properly.
• Because an agency does good work, does not qualify it to skip all normal vetting and get large chunks of taxpayer funding.
• Because an agency has connections with commissioners should not allow it to jump to the head of the line for funding.
• Although Bellamy clearly wanted to prove the impropriety of this process by requesting $100,000 for the worthy programs he supports, if it is wrong, just say no to one that has not followed appropriate procedures
• Several Commissioners object to the use of county funds for pet projects, but again, voted to give funding anyway.

CareNet appeared before the CSAB on 3/16/2022. However, because the minutes from that meeting have not been posted, it is unclear whether they applied for funding from the CSAB, and if so, how much, etc., The requests should be consolidated and considered together, rather than the action taken at the meeting. In our newsletter regarding the 7/27/2021 BoCC Regular meeting, the League stated:

• We ask our members and followers to let the Manatee County Commissioners know that you expect them to follow procedures and assure that our tax dollars, and their allocation, are part of an open process, not one that is being slipped through without sufficient study and public comment. It’s important that expenditures of taxpayer dollars are in accordance with the studied needs, not on a request with no notice or research, and no input from the public or administration. A current example of the wrong way of legislating in the public interest is the $100,000 allocation that was made at last Tuesday’s County Commission meeting.

Meetings

• The Speedtables item was scheduled for time certain just after the lunch break because there were citizens who waited during the morning to make comments. This is an example of good governance to accommodate citizens making public comments for a properly noticed agenda item.
• Chair VanOstenbridge manages meetings efficiently. However, the pace isoften so quick that it is difficult to follow motions and outcomes. Repeating the vote results would aid the viewers.