County attorney PFAS settlement and retirement

1:23:07Okay. Uh Mr. County Attorney.

1:23:10Mr Chairman, I do have stuff today.

1:23:14This it important? Maybe. Um I did want to inform the board that we have been notified that we will be getting a settlement on the PFAS litigation, at least an initial settlement. Um that's the forever uh chemical that is is uh infiltrating um water supply systems. Um it's not a whole

1:23:45lot of money, but um tyco and BS B A S F uh based on my rough math of looking at they Issued settlement check or settlements for each of the water systems that we had done an analysis of. And so it amounts to about a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, which is doesn't seem to be a whole lot of money. But

1:24:11the

1:24:13twenty million. Yeah. But that's the you know multi district litigation. Um it's not something that we are in a position to say, no, we're not gonna settle because we can't undertake the litigation, you know, that that is that is ongoing. Um and so um It is what it is. Uh I believe we have a

1:24:43secondary claim for um the fire facility uh which is not covered by this group. Um and there may be other Other settlements that are coming down the pike. But there is a small amount of money that is coming in under that litigation. Um

1:25:05The second thing is uh in front of you I have placed uh a memo to you all um announcing my retirement. I've talked to you individually before before this. Um It just appeared, you know, it that as I said in the first line of the the memo, there's never a good time. Um but in after seventeen years I'm thinking it may be

1:25:35the right time now. Um and I've had, you know, it's been a ple and I'll be here. So my uh my plan is to stay through July 31st. Um so my retirement would be effective on August 1st. Uh my contract requires a 90-day notice provision, which is what I'm giving you. Um

1:26:02Um and I, you know, as far as succession planning goes, um Mr. Goldstein has been here longer than I have, um after some Uh testing out well let's say I didn't immediately appoint David as my chief assistant when I got here. I made him sweat a little bit. And saw whether

1:26:32we'd whether we'd have a working relationship or not. But he's been with the county since uh two thousand and one. Um he became my chief assistant. eight, ten months after I got here, something like that. Um And has been my right hand man. during that entire time period. As I've said in in the memo

1:27:03and to you privately, Um I'm not sure that I could have done it without David. There is no

1:27:11even as a land use attorney that wanted to continue to do land use, it is overwhelming to consider trying to do Planning Commission and this board um on a daily basis and keep fourteen lawyers um happy and doing their jobs. Um and so, you know, David has has been there for me through

1:27:42this time period. Um, you know, with Live Local, with all of those sort of special projects in addition to assisting. Planning and development with their agendas. Um so I would encourage the Board of County Commissioners to not do a search for their next county attorney, but to hire from within and to uh upon my

1:28:12retirement appoint Mr. Goldstein as your next county attorney.

1:28:19Well Jeff. Seventeen years. You've done a phenomenal job. across the board. Um I want to say that I think David has been As you say, his expertise, uh able to get things done to go through it has been phenomenal every step of the way. You know, when we had the chance to make the county administrator appointment going forward It was looking outside we had like multiple people going. Um once it simplified itself it was real easy to bring Mike in. And

1:28:49I think that continuation has been phenomenal. And I I get the same feeling we get the same results with David. Commissioner Oakley.

1:28:56Yeah, I just wanted to add something up. I'm very much in support of uh David Gostein to be able to take over after Jeff retires. I did make him promise me that if I was chair again and I asked him how I would straighten out the meeting to get it going in the right direction. for him not to tell me that He was not chair.

1:29:19Somebody did that too.

1:29:22Which was Jack Mariano. But it was very good. I've never forgotten.

1:29:30But the fact of it is, uh Jeff, you've done a great job. I've I've enjoyed working with you and uh really appreciate all you've done for Pasco County and the citizens of Pasco County. And I'm very much uh in full agreement. that David Goldstone should be stepping in your footsteps. So in the future. Okay.

1:29:55It's not good by you. No, it's not I just I'm just giving a chance to comment if you'd like to comment.

1:30:00Well, um I'll I will I know it's not gonna I but I'll certainly miss sitting next to you and bar barn your pens and your cords and uh asking you all my questions and make sure you have your Roberts Rules and Book rules with you. And I I also support David and and uh stepped up in that role. Okay.

1:30:22Nothing else?

1:30:23No? Okay.

1:30:25Anything else, sir? That's it. Alright. Well Dave will see how it goes, but I think um we can probably put an agenda item together if we need it or whatever, but I think it'd be a formal conversation for us. And I I will support you as well.

1:30:39I appreciate the board's support and uh I got some big shoes to fill. Um I think I'm up to size eleven now, so I think uh I'm up up to the task, so I appreciate the board support and I think it'll be a very smooth transition. Thank you. Okay.

1:30:54Anything else, sir? Nope, that's it. Thank you.