County Administrator update on permits, animal services, meeting rules

54:56All right. Thank you. Anything else? That's it. Thank you. That's it. Mr. Biles?

55:01Yes sir I have a couple things. Uh first again recognize animal services. They were recognized as a tier one shelter by Human Animal Support Services, a national coalition uh just recently and kinda getting pretty redundant. They continue to get national recognition for the work that they're doing out there. I just wanted to let you know they just hung another banner on the wall. Out of animal services. Um

55:28Uh Commissioner mentioned uh the Renaissance Festival. That was on my list. Um before I talk about uh COVID and and meetings and that. Um just I typically don't bring you the permit numbers every month. You know, uh Bob briefed you kind of where we were with respect to permitting

55:52But We issue nine hundred and eleven single family. home permits in the month of March, which more than doubled March of twenty twenty. And keep in mind March of twenty twenty is when the pandemic started, but most of the permits for the month of March were already in the they're already cooked, right? They're already submitted in process. We really didn't see a a downturn in permits until April. So March of 21 doubled, more than doubled the permits we saw in March of 2020. So, you know, that's That's great. A lot of work

56:22going on. But keep that in mind, you know, from BCS perspective and you know, whether it's permitting and inspections, we're working pretty hard and doing a lot of overtime to try to s keep up with the level of service demanded in the community. So Want to give you that number because that's that's that's a number we've not come close to uh here in Pasco County and in at least the last decade. So Uh in this also probably still we've we've stayed ahead of Hillsborough

56:52County for the last six months. I'm pretty sure that number will keep us ahead for the month of March as well. So just want to let you know that what's going on there because that is one of the leading indicators of economic activity uh in the in the area. Finally on um the the virtual hybrid meetings, uh I mentioned last month that uh facilities was gonna be studying and looking at some ways to do that. Uh they're working through the process for that. You know, they'll be capacity limitations that are significantly more restrictive than

57:22the old capacity limitations on both both boardrooms. Uh and so we're working through that. As part of that process, we'll need to update the rules for the virtual hybrid meetings. The intent is to work through that, get those in place, bring you the rules to adopt at the first meeting in May, so a month from now. And then It would then obviously apply to the the next the following meeting in New Port Richey. It's easier to start that in New Port Richey. There's gonna be Obviously capacity limitations

57:52because there are still recommendations against large scale gatherings and not social distancing. And so we will still have the seating restrictions in both boardrooms. But that gives us the chance to work through the operation both here and in New Port Richey to make sure that we make those work so that we can have public comment and have smaller audience, but at least an audience in the board room. So that's kind of the timeline and the plan. Um here you know, if once we reach capacity, we would be directing anybody

58:23else to the the government center, you know, a couple of blocks away and they would still have to use a kiosk. And New Port Richey. Obviously w we over capacity in that room. They can be in the lobby or or right outside and still filter through the building. But you know, we we don't have the space to cue a large crowd in this building, either here or right outside. So that's kind of the thought process. Um again, we're still working through that uh and plan on bringing you something probably in about a month. Yes, ma'am.

58:53I don't I mean why can't we let one person at a time come to our kiosk and then, you know, come up one stairs and go when they're done, go down the other.

59:02Well, you only have ADA access on half of on one side. So we the access to this room from an ADA perspective all has to come from the east side of the building. So if

59:12someone's handicapped they can come up and down this way. But otherwise everyone could come up And go across and

59:19we're we're we're working through that. There will there will be that opportunity for an audience to sit here. But there will be um a l a limit to the number of people that can be in the room.

59:27So I But there's

59:29also there's also

59:30The queue outside.

59:32Uh in July? In August.

59:35They won in God, I hope uh by July we're back open, but I feel a little uncomfortable that they can't come in and speak to us directly. If they want to come in the building, speak and then leave. I think I I personally think they should have that opportunity. Maybe they can't stay and sit in the room.

59:58That's that's what we're gonna get to. It's gonna we gotta Work through the process. uh amend your rules and then you adopt the amended rules and then we implement. So that's because of the the way we're working today is part of your meeting rules. And so that's that's the the plan is to bring you the amended rules at the this meeting a month from now and then start the process at the first New Port Riche meeting after that, which I think is the eighteenth of May. Okay. So

1:00:27Well I'd like uh I I hope that something's gonna be enough room

1:00:31if to space people out to wait to speak. If you have twenty people then they're outside to space people out to wait to speak. If you have twenty people then they're outside. down the sideway.

1:00:45Yeah, this you just limited on space here.

1:00:49No, I'm saying come in, speak, leave. That's what I'm saying. I

1:00:52understand, but if you have 20 of them here, where are you gonna put them? I'm gonna

1:00:58put them right

1:00:58there,

1:00:59one at a

1:00:59time. And then when they're done they're I understand, but they can't be downstairs in a group. They'll have to be waiting outside.

1:01:05That's fine. If they want to wait outside, if they would prefer to have the opportunity to speak to us directly, they can wait outside. Their name's called to come in. And out they go. I don't yeah. I don't see why we can't do that.

1:01:17We're working on it. And we'll get you updated rules for you to adopt. It's part of the process. And that's all I have.

1:01:23Commissioner Oakley, you want to say something? Yeah, a couple of questions. Uh first one, has C D C changed their rules as far as the six foot spacing now down to three?

1:01:31No. That is only for school age children. Okay. All right. For contract tracing purposes.

1:01:37That's fine. I just want just want to clarify. I thought that was the case, but I just want to see if anything.

1:01:40Yeah, it's still so it's still sixteen feet uh six feet. I'm sorry, six feet. Uh for fifteen minutes as a contract tracing guideline. That's still their recommendation.

1:01:50So l let's say for a public comment. Let's treat it different than the public hearing because the public hearing, if you get a whole neighborhood here, that changes things dramatically as far as How the input can be had. But for public comment. for generally speaking, I don't think we have ever have more than five Ten people at the most coming in. Generally speaking. And I thought there's a big issue for public comment. I think public comment we can take everybody in. This room, that room, fit in ninety nine percent of the time. And if not, we can go to the extreme of having you wait outside. In the morning it's cooler anyway. But I

1:02:20think we can take all the public well speaker, the morning public comment and Bring 'em in the room, let 'em sit in here, and if they have to leave, especially for this building One at a time when they're gun done speaking, they're gonna walk right out and get on the elevator. There's no extra contact involved. So I think we can at least do that part. I think that's that's public hearing you can work on. I think you should know to do that even the next meeting. There's no need for it. I mean we're not gonna fill up the whole room. And if we do will go over Whatever the capacitors room? We can then just have 'em wait outside. I just don't think we're gonna have that issue.

1:02:54Be careful what you ask for. They come. Open that door and they all come. So But

1:03:03we still have the eight we s I feel we should still give the sixteen to eight forty age group the opportunity to get vaccinated if they want that vaccination so they can feel safe coming out. And doing things like everyone else.

1:03:19Well they're working on a plan.

1:03:20Yeah, I again if if the board wants to do a next meeting, just provide us that direction. Otherwise the plan we're working on is to make sure we have all the processes in place for you to approve the change to the rules at the May Dade City meeting to implement at the May Newport Ritchie meeting.

1:03:36Mr. Damon.

1:03:39Does it have to be a little bit more than a little bit? changed at the same time or since we can come up with a safe plan. and accommodations at Newport Ritchie allow Newport Ritchie to be in person but still continue Dade City to be hybrid, or does it have to be at the same time? Yeah to present

1:03:56it. I think my preference would be that you'd want both the operation at both meetings to be roughly similar. Yeah. So that if you're having in person public comment in New Port Richey, that you have in person public comment Dade City. I I think I just think that makes I don't I don't think you want to treat the locations different.

1:04:14The structures are different. So if they want to come in person and have that opportunity, speak right in front of all of us. At the Dais, then they have that opportunity and we're opening it sooner than later. We're just making more accommodations because uh the facility is different. So maybe if we start it there and then when staff is ready, they can implement it here, but at least the public knows that we're working towards that.

1:04:43Yeah, yeah. Well our plan is to do the first one like that in Newport Ritchie.

1:04:47Okay.

1:04:48And I guess the question really is, do you want to do that next meeting or do you want to let us finish building the processes, making kind of test it out, make sure it works, and then bring the rules to you for adoption, which would be at the Dade City meeting in May for implementation in Newport Ritchie in at on the May eighteenth meeting. That's that's kinda timeline we worked out because we want to try to test the processes first. And if you if you try to do it in two weeks we Kind of gonna not give us a lot of time to test the processes.

1:05:18That sounds like a good plan.

1:05:20I mean I'm uh can't it's up to the board will do it either way. Mr. Chairman

1:05:25Mariano Thank you. Um What about WebEx? You know there's still a lot obviously a lot of people that aren't comfortable um coming out in public. I think it would be important to keep that open as We can.

1:05:42We still have quite a few people that are, you know, just would prefer not to be out right now. So and that's their right, just like it's somebody else's right to be out in public. So Given all that opportunity. Across the board, I think, is important.

1:05:58Okay. Commissioner.

1:05:59Um, I I did have an interesting request from um one of my constituents who is handicapped and um has to be driven everywhere. And he is very grateful that he now has an opportunity to speak during a meeting through WebEx, um, where before, if you were handicapped and couldn't come. You could only listen. I don't know if in the future there's a way we can allow. I don't know that I want the door open

1:06:30to for anybody to be able to. Um comment during WebEx, uh when we get back to normal. But I wondered if it was legal to uh allow someone with a handicap to From it through website.

1:06:47Can we just r keep that as part of our Procedures. WebX.

1:06:53Well I'm not sure that you can

1:06:56Continue Web Expo.

1:06:59exclude a majority of the public from using a tool that you're providing. um I'd have to I'd have to look at that. I mean, there is no re there is no reason why you can't can't continue because we have historically always taken written comment from anybody who wants it and made it part of the record.

1:07:22Right.

1:07:22Um as as the accommodation, but the I I can look and see whether whether Leaving computer access for only those with a a disability.

1:07:36I wouldn't I wouldn't limit it just to those people. I would have it for everyone. And um that way you don't anybody can come on WebEx or they can be in person if they would rather be in person. So You have more people that probably rather sit there and run WebEx and speak to us than others so that you got them both ways. Some wanna be in front of us, some of 'em I think don't have a problem with WebEx. So I

1:08:01I agree to opening it up to everyone and not just singling out the handicapped because then if someone appears by WebEx, you're gonna be singling them out because then they're gonna have that title.

1:08:11Right. We could be opening a Pandora's box though we could sit here for two hours. Or it's I mean

1:08:19it's open to everybody right now. I can

1:08:20call in from anywhere and say something.

1:08:23Already doing it now.

1:08:24That's how it's right now.

1:08:26I think what you're doing is you're easing into it. So you're you're you're doing a slow conversion to coming back live. So you for maybe maybe over a three or four meeting period, you do that kind of conversion. People become more comfortable. I I I fear is that is is that the other way you seem to be singling people out as well. Okay. can't make it out or maybe have the underlying health issues that their physician said they have to stay home. And if we don't give them that opportunity, I think that opens

1:08:56up a can of worms as well.

1:08:57Well then well then if you have to have

1:08:59That's right.

1:09:00Everyone be able to do WebEx forever.

1:09:02No, we didn't say ever. We said ease it in.

1:09:04Well that's what I'm saying, that after we stop this virtual stuff

1:09:09What's wrong what's wrong with WebEx for people to do public comment? Yeah,

1:09:13I don't I don't know.

1:09:14Okay,

1:09:14I

1:09:15would see if we maybe it's uh end up not being able to do any business. Maybe something like that. But

1:09:20Well I mean it's it's wide open to everybody right now. We had like six people signed up but I

1:09:25know but now right now you have two or three

1:09:26showed

1:09:26up. When we don't have virtual They have to take the time to calm. And it's more of an effort I guess. And, you know, maybe that's good, maybe that's bad, but

1:09:37Okay. But then people are asking us to have meetings in the evening. At least if it's WebEx, then they can s don't have to take a whole day off of work and they can take just those ten minutes off of work.

1:09:49Yeah.

1:09:50And they don't feel left to

1:09:52have to make a decision at some point whether we want to go one way or another.

1:09:56They answering hearing us, I mean, so

1:09:58yeah,

1:09:58bringing something back and then

1:10:00Mr. Mariano?

1:10:01Right.

1:10:01Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um yeah, I think the WebEx is a great idea. The the technology improvements have been amazing for the past year. Nothing for COVID, you can say that technology of the Zoom meetings, WebEx has been admit much more productive instead of being disruptive for other meetings that I've had as as well. So I think if we incorporate that in for our people that can't make it, but they just want to put in their you know, three minutes worth of comments while they're at work or whatever, and they can do that. That makes it easier. If someone's handicapped, that's great. I think the big fear and I will say years ago we used to have public comment

1:10:31at the end of the meeting. Someone could actually sit out there for eight hours waiting to speak. from a break to another break, especially if it carried over public public hearing. What we're doing now is much better. And there was that big fear, but what if we do that? What's gonna happen? Are we gonna set ourselves back? First couple of meetings get a little bit busy, but then just later on it got better. And just like our public hearing, I think, when we do the budget. If you're doing a good job, pretty much all the way through No one's gonna show up. They're gonna be g have confidence what we're doing. I think everything we're doing uh is is gonna

1:11:02as we free this up is gonna be they're gonna get more and more comfortable with it. I I do want to stress, I do firmly believe that we I think Dan, you can make this happen. at the next meeting, at least for the morning part of the public. Afternoons will we'll maybe wait a meeting and as you as you put it through, but I don't think there's any reason why we can't have our public in here sitting in this meeting, sitting in New Port Richey. If it's more people than that, we can put 'em outside and one by one, just like someone's running the kiosk. Somebody can run into new people coming in to replace the ones that walk out the door. Won't

1:11:32cost you any more time, any more labor, but at least it'll give everybody a comforting feeling that they can come and speak in front of us like they so desire. So I think he can make it make make it work on the next meeting.

1:11:42Well I'm okay with giving the time to do it the right way. So I wanna make sure it's the right way. So if they can do it by then I'm I'm good with it. If if they need that time, Dan you can come back with us and let us know.

1:11:54So

1:11:55Boom.

1:11:56So we will go back and work on it, test it, get with you know the county attorney's office on the rules and if we can make it work.

1:12:04Fair enough.

1:12:04The challenge is that's actually less than two weeks from today. So

1:12:07Right.

1:12:09But that's one where you would actually have to adopt the rules.

1:12:14Yeah, see we have public comment before you adopt the rules. Right. But we actually can't change it. Yeah, we gotta change

1:12:20Oh so yeah. Yeah so you have to have the time to be able to change it. I understand that.

1:12:24Bring it back next meeting. Everybody

1:12:26does.

1:12:28Bring it back to us and tell us how you're gonna work it out.

1:12:31Yeah. Okay. Forgot that one piece.

1:12:35All right. Anything else? I

1:12:38I think I'm done. Yeah. I'm looking forward to the next presentation we're gonna have here in a second from our fire rescue guys. I don't have anything for you today. Thank you.