Below are the news briefs from the Leon County Commission meeting that took place on March 21, 2023.
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The Commission approved a number of items that were approved in bloc format by way of consent agenda. One of the items was approving a date and time for a workshop addressing homelessness, specifically it was determined the commission will participate in the workshop on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
The Commission approved the plat for Shops at Bannerman Village Subdivision for recording in the Public Record. The shops being developed are the ones located on the south side of Bannerman Road at the Bull Headley intersection. Should there be a need for any substantive changes to the plat, staff will resubmit the plat to the Board for approval at a future meeting.
The commission approved an item that modifies the existing Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Springs Restoration Grant Agreement to formally realize $500,000 in additional funding and to extend the term of the Agreement for the Belair/Annawood Sewer System Project to December 2024.
The full list of consent agenda items that were approved can be viewed here.
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The Commission approved an item that provided a six-month status update on the efforts to the Lake Munson Action plan that includes “a recommendation to extend the drawdown through Spring 2024 to further dry out the exposed areas of the Lake and promote sediment capping to enhance water quality.”
The update can be viewed here and the text of the report can be viewed here.
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The Commission approved an item that enshrines residential and commercial rates for waste collection in unincorporated Leon County and awarded the contract to Waste Pro of Florida, Inc. The residential rate increased from $15.03 to $23.17 and the commercial rate increases by approximately 60 percent depending on container types and number of commercial customers. The board repeatedly stated that they worked to keep rate increases as low as possible and that Leon County’s rates are still lower than many other counties across Florida.
The agenda item can be viewed here.
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The Commission considered an item that would direct their staff to draft a proposed ordinance providing law enforcement the discretion to issue a civil penalty for the possession of small amounts of marijuana. However, in the end, the board voted 4-3 to take no further action and not draft an ordinance.
Commissioner Bill Proctor supported drafting an ordinance and said that while he teaches at FAMU, his students from all across the state could be facing arrest in some jurisdictions when they come from communities where they are not facing arrest.
Commissioner Brian Welch opposed the measure not because he disagreed with the sentiment in other comments from the other commissioners, but he contended that Leon County’s law enforcement officers would be put in a bad position seeing that they are still bound by state and federal law to enforce criminal marijuana laws.
The item can be viewed here.
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The full public hearing can be viewed here and the board meeting can be viewed here.
Leon County Commission Meeting Briefs: March 21, 2023 added by Staff on
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Re: A Skeptic –
Try to drive east on Mahan Drive in the morning towards the Auto Museum. You’ll hit every street light as it turns red.
Question:
“Why would Waste Pro need to increase their Rates”
Answer:
Kickbacks
@Terry — The timing of traffic lights is just simple Algebra. From light A to light B is X feet, the traffic moves at Y MPH, so light B should change C seconds after light A to maximize traffic flow. Algebra defines the problem, and once it’s defined the math is trivial.
Local governments can’t even compute how to time a couple of traffic lights. They have no chance of getting a scientific study of Total Phosphorous right.
Why would WastePro need to increase their Rates with all the New Subdivisions being built with 8 to 12 Homes per Acre? Shouldn’t the Rates be going DOWN?
County extended the Lake Munson drawdown but ignored testimony that doing so will NOT remove legacy Total Phosphorous, the cause of Harmful Algal Blooms responsible for residents’ and citizens’ skin lesions and respiratory issues.
Total Nitrogen can be released in the air and about 60% via vegetation.
Total Phosphorous, per a FDEP study during the last drawdown in 2011 established this with vigorous water quality and sediment testing. County is not doing sediment studies where Total Phosphorous resides. County’s Science Advisory Committee did not even recommend vigorous water and sediment testing!
Tuesday Commissioners ignored the science and kicked the ball down the ongoing polluted Munson Slough to continuing polluted Wakulla Springs.
Insanity!
Meanwhile, FAMU, leading with over 20 scientists, and FSU continues a much needed and over due environmental and health academic study of Lake Munson.
Please stop the robocalls from Waste Pro this is unacceptable. They are contracted to pick the trash up in one day not two. This should be an ongoing findable offense against them. The Waste Pro rank and file deserve better and hope someone will look into if they’re being trained correctly and paid appropriately with benefits. This garbage needs to be cleaned up and again we are letting the inmates run the asylum.