ITEMS OF INTEREST

• The Pledge of Allegiance will now be led by a County Veteran going forward.
• Misty Servia introduced an unnoticed proclamation in support of Cubans Protesting for Democracy. It passed unanimously.
• The Southwest TIF for Tax Increment Allocation
  • Tax Increment Revenues are used for redevelopment activities in the southwest area of the county and is commonly referred to as the Southwest TIF (SWTIF). Established in 2014, the County uses the funding to focus on areas such as redevelopment, infrastructure improvements (such as streets, utilities, sidewalks, lighting, parks, playgrounds and focus on building rehabilitation), small business, and corridor economic development. The Ordinance established that 50% of the Tax Increment Revenues generated would be used for TIF purposes.
  • The TIF is now in its seventh year and property values have grown 66% from the time of inception. The funding established within the TIF has been programmed and has multiple initiatives underway. Motion by the County Administrator for the fiscal year 2022 to reduce the tax increment to 25% of increment revenues.
  • Discussion included initial concern by Servia that there are projects in her district that need attention. The County Administrator stated there was plenty of funding available for projects. Motion passed 7/0.
• Approval of the Children's Services Advisory Board's FY21/22 Investment Recommendations
  • Without advance notice to the public and not in the agenda, Satcher used this consent agenda item to ask for $100,000 from the millage approved for neglected, abused or economically disadvantaged children to be given to the SOLVE and CareNet 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.
    1. $100,000 was approved as a separate set aside for the SOLVE and CareNet 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.
    2. Approval of the Children's Services Advisory Board's FY21/22 Investment Recommendations (6-0, CW absent)
• Rename Lincoln Park to (coach) Eddie Shannon Park in Palmetto
  • Bellamy suggested agenda an itemfor the BoCC, to support the renaming of the park, although the city of Palmetto has the final say. The other Board members expressed discomfort about getting involved. The motion passed 6/0 (Satcher was absent)
• Child Welfare System Advocate Annual Report
  • The system appears to be in crisis; high turnover in staff, lack of foster care providers and insufficient funding contribute to the situation. During Commissioner comments, VanOstenbridge motioned (approved unanimously) for a workshop to better understand the issues and funding needs.
• Items In Commissioner Comments
  • Several boat ramp/parking area spots were found throughout the county by Van Ostenbridge. Motion to move forward with site plans approved 6/0 with Bellamy absent.
  • The Governor signed legislation following the state legislative session eliminating the requirement that public notices be posted in print publications. Van Ostenbridge contended that Manatee County spends $80,000-90,000 per year and made a motion that the county go digital via Your Observer and stop subsidizing "antiquated newspapers", i.e., the Bradenton Herald and The Bradenton Times. Attorney Clague added that he must look at the applicable codes, and the motionwas amended to account for any codes that would impact the motion.
    • Servia, Bellamy, and Whitmore all asked for more time to review the need and how many citizens would be impacted negatively by the proposed change.
    • Motion passed 4/3, with Whitmore, Servia and Bellamy dissenting.
• Satcher thanked commissioners for passing the motion to put money "where our priorities are“, making Manatee County a sanctuary for pregnancies. He disagreed that some issues are for state or national reach only saying we can protect mothers and babies here.
• Whitmore made a motion to light skyway purple in on Oct 22 to recognize To Inform Families First (TIFF) program. Motion passed unanimously.

• Most discussions between commissioners were civil and respectful until late in the day.
• Satcher did not follow several good governance procedures when he asked for $100,000 of the funds to go to the crisis pregnancy centers:
  • He brought in an out-of-state political actor to the commission meeting and did not add it to the agenda, inform his other commissioners or inform the public.
  • The county administrator hasput together a budget that has been carefully constructed to validate needs and with input from all parties. It has beenreviewed by the board. There is a budget reconciliation process to assure that enough money goes to the right parties and research needs to be done on a request of this nature. The funding for abused and neglected children will now be $100,000 less than what was previously determined as necessary.
• Partisan comments persist and it is troubling thatour commissioners cannot set this aside after the election. Examples are:
  • Van Ostenbridge’s comment that his Tourist Development Council nominee is a "good, conservative Republican“.
  • Satcher commented during the discussion on funding for the additional pregnancy crisis centers saying, "This was approved 7 to 0 previously until Democrats showed up, all 28 of Ôem, with signs and march out front, and all of a sudden this is controversial.“Satcher was factually incorrect in the above statement, as theprevious approval was for the use of county resources to explore the possibility offunding.
• The number of previously unposted agenda items that were voted on at this meeting is concerning. Per good governance guidelines, votes should be delayed on unposted items until another scheduled, public meeting to give other Commissioners, thecounty attorney, staff, and the public an opportunity to carefully consider the item, analyze the impact and unintended consequences, and reflect on their response to it. Examples are not only the $100,000 request but also the boat ramp approval, the vote to stop publishing notices, and the vote to light the bridge in purple to honor Inform Families First.
• After three citizen commenters were treated differently during their statements when they went off-topic and/or were disrespectful, the commissioners discussed, several times throughout the day, that a process needs to be followed so that citizens are handled more consistently. The LWVMC encourages the Commission to review their own procedures and manage those procedures consistently so that disparate treatment is minimized.
• Servia’s points opposing creating a sanctuary city for the unborn were not given thoughtful consideration. Servia stated: "I am not going to spend money on things that don’t improve our community, I didn’t know that the steps we took today were a first step in being a sanctuary city from abortion, I am not going to support that." Van Ostenbridge inappropriately tried to force her to commit to a personal position on abortion, which is not his role.
• As Chairman, if Baugh is practicing good governance she would not be using the commission meetings to cover items that have to do with her legal issues not germane to the meeting and practice respect for her fellow commissioners. Several examples:
  • Saying I didn’t lie (in response to a citizen comment calling her out on it) in respect to her writing up the 11/19/20 resolution.
  • She has been cleared by 2 agencies, but people are still trying to cause a ruckus.
  • When Kruse advised Baugh on the Tourist Development council appointment process, she retorted that "you people are just being ridiculous.“
  • Rebuking Bellamy about his "slippery slope“ comments in relation to the $100,000 allocation.

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