March the 3rd, a regular Board of County Commission, and we'll start with our chaplain, Mr. Hanley, Chaplain Hanley, and then please remain standing for the pledge. Good morning. I would invite you all to pray with me. Heavenly Father, in you we have all that we need. We ask this morning that you make us strong and courageous. Give us the courage we need to trust in you. Give us the wisdom we need to honor you and help us to remember that you are with us. You are for us and that you will guide our every step. We pray this morning for those in uniform serving our great nation, and we ask your protection over them today and always. And I ask this prayer in Jesus' name. Amen. At this time, we would consider public comments. Ms. Smith, do we have anybody for comments according to agenda items? No, ma'am, we do not. Okay. Did I hear you in a microphone there? That's good. Good. Now we turn it over to our county controller, Stacey Butterfield. Good morning. Today we have for you to approve and ratify payroll checks number 04419 through 04442 in the amount of $30,535.85. We have 2,991 direct deposits in the amount of $4,557,502.26, and those are dated February 20 of 26. We have wire and electronic fund transfers of $34,983,750.17, dated February 17 through March 2, 2026. And lastly, invoice checks numbered 499925 through 500759, totaling $11,500,031.71 that are dated February 17 through March 2, 2026. For you to approve and ratify, please. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any questions, discussion? Hearing none, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. And we also request approval of the minutes of your regular board meeting that was held on February 17 of 2026, please. I have a motion and a second. Any questions or discussion? Hearing none, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Anything else, Ms. Butterfield? Not today. Thank you. Oh, wow. All right. Thank you. We move on to the approved consent agenda. Motion for approval. I have a motion and a second. Any questions, discussion? Hearing none, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Mr. Mink, our attorney. Okay. Thank you. We'll turn it over to County Re-Manager, Mr. Beasley. Good morning, Madam Chair, members of the board, members of the viewing audience. The manager's office will have three items for board consideration this morning. On item G1, could I ask Brian Cogswell if he and maybe his immediate family would come to this podium on my right, your left? Madam Chair, members of the board, item number G1 is to request the board to confirm the appointment of Mr. Brian Cogswell to serve as Polk County's next Solid Waste Division Director. The Polk County Charter specifies the county manager's appointment of executive service employees is subject to confirmation by the Board of County Commissioners. Based upon a public competitive process, I have appointed Mr. Brian Cogswell to the position of Solid Waste Division Director for Polk County. Mr. Cogswell has more than 24 years of experience in county government, currently serving as the North Central Landfill Site Manager for the Polk County Solid Waste Division, providing administrative, managerial, and supervisory oversight of landfill operations and residential waste collection operations. In that capacity, he oversees all field operations at the North Central Landfill and the Solid Waste Collections efforts serving more than 13,000 residents, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. He currently leads a staff of 45 employees and provides direction in personnel development, training, and succession planning. Additionally, Mr. Cogswell monitors permitting and regulatory compliance, participates in site inspections, and maintains a strong working relationship with regulatory agencies, including the Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as well as the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He has reduced operational costs through workflow optimization and staffing efficiencies, and has played a key role in managing multi-million dollar capital improvement projects. From 2019 to 2023, he served as the finance and customer service manager at the North Central Landfill, overseeing finance, customer service, scale house, and administrative operations. In this role, he supervised 25 employees, improved morale, and reduced turnover, managing a $200 million portfolio within the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund, inclusive of a $45 million operational budget, and completed related audits with the Polk County Clerk's Office, the Inspector General's Office. He also supported the restoration of residential collection services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped develop a five-year residential collection contract valued at over $200 million. In early 2019, Brian also served as the North Central Landfill's business process analyst, developing a code red safety response guide, training staff in emergency response procedures, and strengthening the division's safety program through daily briefings and improved incident reporting. Furthermore, Mr. Cogswell has extensive public safety experience through his 17 prior years with the Polk County Sheriff's Office to include responsibilities as a detective and deputy sheriff leading complex investigations as well as multi-agency operations. Mr. Cogwell earned a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from the University of South Florida. I was going to say Florida State, but I wouldn't do that to you. Although you've got one coming up, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Polk State College. He has professional achievements, including the FEMA and Incident Command System training overviews, solid waste landfill operator certifications through the University of Florida, and is anticipated to complete the Certified Public Manager Program through the Florida State University this July. The Solid Waste Division Director is an authorized and budgeted position in the adopted budget, and the existing appropriations are sufficient to cover the negotiated salary, which totals approximately $198,052. So, Madam Chair, members of the Board, and it is with a strong sense of personal and professional pride that I recommend the Board confirm my appointment of Mr. Brian Cogswell to serve as the next Solid Waste Division Director within Polk County effective today, March 3, 2023. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any questions, discussions? Well, maybe we need to do that. No, I think we definitely made a good choice. He earned it. After hearing that resume, though. I know. I was going to say he's at least 100 years old, isn't he? I can't understand when he has time to go fishing. I mean, I hear these fishing stories, but anyway. And then just to comment, you know, if you've heard Mr. Beasley say that there's three things in Polk County, don't mess with my kids, don't mess with my dogs, and don't mess with my, or pick up my trash. So, you just got one-third of our problems. Thank you. Anything else? Brian, please. Well, wait a minute. We haven't approved this. Hearing none. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Okay. Now, Mr. Beasley. Brian, do the honors. Thank you, Madam Chair. I had to write it down because I am long-winded, so I'll keep it short and sweet. Chairman, commissioners, county manager, members of the community, thank you for the opportunity, and I am truly honored and humbled to be considered for the position of Solid Waste Director. I want to begin by thanking God for the path that he has led me here and for the opportunity to serve this community. I also want to thank my family, my beautiful wife, for their unwavering support and encouragement. Their strength and sacrifice make my service possible. Solid Waste Services are essential to public health, environmental protection, and the daily quality of life for our residents. As appointed, my commitment is simple, to serve with integrity, be a good steward of the taxpayer resources, support the employees, which thankfully a lot of them are here today to support me, and to support, I'm sorry, and ensure a safe, compliant, and reliable operations. I believe leadership is about listening, building strong teams, and making decisions that serve both today and the future needs of our county. Thank you for your time, your trust, and your service. Well, thank you. I think, Ryan, like Commissioner Troutman said, you have one-third of our problems, but we're more than sure that you're going to be successful in addressing all those issues and keeping Polk County clean. So, we thank you. We thank your wife and your girls for being here today and celebrating this special moment. So, good luck in everything that you do. Anybody else? No? Okay. Thank you very much. Madam Chair, two quick things. I want to also say thank you to Susan Pelz in the back of the room. Susan has been the chief engineer out there, been the acting director. Susan's been with us for about 10 years through the thick and thin of the good and the bad, and Susan's going to continue to stay with us in that engineering capacity. And we couldn't, that's extremely beneficial and helpful to us, Susan. So, thank you in a formal way for what you do. Second thing, Madam Chair. Hold on. I just want to say also thank you, Sue, for everything that you've done. You've been a solid hand in the transition time, so we really appreciate it very much. So, thank you. Anybody else? Madam Chair, one more thing. If I could ask Katie Hayes to come to the podium real quick. Katie Hayes is Keep Polk County Beautiful, and she's our Keep Polk County Beautiful. And I just became aware, end of 20, end of last week, I think, that we, our Keep Polk County Beautiful has just won a national award. And then there's some other fallout awards associated with some of our art programs. So, I wanted Katie to quickly just mention to the board what you've just done, where you went to get this recognition, and what it means to Polk County. Good morning. First of all, congratulations, Director Cogswell. We're super excited to have you, and I can't wait to see our programs grow together. So, congratulations. As Mr. Beasley was saying, I just returned from New Orleans, where we attended and actually presented at the Keep America Beautiful National Conference. We were a national presenter on law enforcement collaboration. And while we were there, we received the 2025 National Innovation Award for local programming, specifically for our Clean It Up to Green It Up program that we partnered directly with Polk County on. So, this program, as you guys are very familiar with, it's a curbside cleanup program. And last year alone, we collected over 400,000 pounds of trash curbside, as well as over 11,000 tires for proper disposal. So, because of that program, because of your partnership, because of the partnerships that we have with our individual waste haulers that donate those services, we were recognized nationally, and now our program is known as a national program. So, congratulations to you guys. It's really your award, not just mine. It's the award goes to everybody that participates and donates to that program. But there's also a second award that we were notified yesterday about, and it doesn't go to us, but it goes to Jewett Middle Academy. I'm sure many of you guys met them at the unveiling of the recycled art dumpster. They came back out there, met with myself and Director Cogswell, and did a new segment out at the landfill. And they had told us then that they were thinking about submitting it for an award piece, and they won the top award for broadcast at the Student Television Network Convention this last week. So, two national awards for the programming, the partnership, and everything that we do together collectively here in Polk County. So, again, congratulations to everybody here, to those students involved, to those that help keep Polk County beautiful. Together, we're making a difference. Thank you. Katie, yeah. Katie, you can stay up there for just a minute. I just want to say that's wonderful, and thank you. I know you're a one-man show, and you do, like, tremendous work with all the volunteers that come and help you out. So, this is the lady behind or the program behind keeping Polk County beautiful. I know we hear a lot about trash being thrown out and dumpsters overflowing and so forth and so forth. And here you come behind the scenes and try to address all these things, and I'm grateful for that, and I appreciate that very much. And congratulations to you and your team for getting those awards. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you, Katie. Talk about a resourceful lady. Yes. Um, she's not hesitant to ask either. That's a good quality. Madam Chair, you want to let this audience, you don't need to stick around, Brian, your family, the staff. You don't need to be here if you don't need to, if you care to leave. I think he's saying get back to work. Madam Chair, members of the board, item number G2 is to request the board to approve a land purchase agreement between Stephen and Sally Morrison and Polk County in connection with Polk's environmental lands program specific to the Conservation Land Acquisition Selection Advisory Committee's property identified as Project EL-109-23. Board action today would reflect a property purchase expense not to exceed $422,917.50. In February of 2023, the board adopted Resolution 2023-009, which created the Polk County Conservation Land Acquisition Selection Advisory Committee, or what we call the Classic. The creation of the Classic was in response to a bond referendum approved by Polk voters in November of 2022 to finance capital projects related to the acquisition, preservation, protection, management, operation, and restoration of environmental lands, water resources, and important fish and wildlife habitat. The Classic reviews and evaluates properties nominated by property owners and provides a recommendation to the board as to whether or not staff should pursue the acquisition of those properties for consistency with the program objectives. One such nomination was made by a brother and sister, Steve and Sally Morrison, for a tract of land located east of Lake Wales and to the west of Walkinwater Road. The property was evaluated by the Classic, which recommended approval, and in February of 2024, the board approved staff to pursue acquisition of the property. The county hired an independent appraiser to establish a value for the property, which is four individual tax parcels that together form a flag-shaped parcel containing approximately 26 acres. Ongoing discussions with the property owner have resulted in an agreement wherein the county would purchase approximately 21 acres in fee simple and obtain a conservation easement over the remaining five acres, which is located in the northeast corner of the overall property. The property owners have agreed to accept the county's offer in the amount of $415,917.50 for the purchase of the fee parcel, along with the conservation easement parcel, and has executed an agreement for sale and purchase. The county attorney's office and the real estate services director have reviewed the proposed sale agreement and recommend approval. Approving the proposed agreement, authorizing the issuance of funds for the purchase, and hiring the American Government Services Corporation to close the transaction will allow the county to take ownership of the fee property, along with the conservation easement over the remainder property, towards continued implementation of Polk's Environmental Lands Program. Funding for this property purchase will come from two sources, $162,896 are from within the special revenue grant, that federal Sentinel Landscape Fund, and the balance, the $260,021.50, will come from the county's Environmental Land Acquisition Fund. So, Madam Chair, members of the board, I think in keeping with the board's commitment to environmental stewardship and property preservation, I would request the board to approve the proposed agreement for sale and purchase and authorize the issuance of funds in the amount of $415,917.50 for the outright property purchase. I'd also request the board to approve the hiring of the American Government Services Corporation to close the transaction and approve paying closing costs, estimated at $7,000 for a total property acquisition cost, not to exceed $422,917.50. Motion for approval. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any questions? Discussion? Hearing none, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Madam Chair, members of the board, final item from the manager's office this morning. Item number G3 is to request the board to approve a consultant services authorization with the HNTB Corporation for Design and Engineering Services in connection with the Longfellow Boulevard at North Crystal Lake Drive Intersection Improvements Project. Board action today will not exceed $411,187.81 and will include a one-time budget transfer and community investment program amendment in the amount of $261,188. The engineering analysis at the intersection of Longfellow Boulevard and North Crystal Lake Drive is an approved project in the board's adopted community investment program within the Roads and Drainage Division. Currently funded at $150,000, staff's initial intent was to conduct an intersection traffic study that would evaluate alternative configurations for safe vehicle and pedestrian movement. Given the board's prior directions on select intersection improvement alternatives, staff believes that the signalization of that intersection, inclusive of possible additional dedicated lane configurations, offers a safe, effective, and economical alternative. The proposed consultant services authorization will provide professional design and engineering services to perform required roadway configuration analysis, signal support structural design, utility coordination, subsurface utility exploration, permitting, sidewalk and drainage design, as well as preparation of final design and construction documents. Upon approval of the community investment program amendment, $261,188 will be transferred from the Transportation Trust Fund Reserve for Stabilization Account into the designated project account to reflect a project budget totaling $411,188. So, Madam Chair, members of the board, I think, in keeping with the board's commitment to transportation infrastructure investments, especially where motorists and pedestrian safety are at risk, I would request the board to approve CSA number 22088-04 with the HNTB Corporation in an amount not to exceed $411,187.81, and since all of which are in connection with the Longfellow Boulevard at North Crystal Lake Drive intersection improvements project, that will include approval of a community investment program amendment and budget transfer as noted. Motion for approval? Second. I have a motion and a second. Any questions or discussion? Madam Chair, if I may. Just to confirm, so I've been at this intersection several times attending some of the games at Southeastern. I mean, we will have pedestrian crosswalk signalization as well to go across Crystal Lake, because I know a lot of the parking is south of the stadium. Yes, sir. Oftentimes, people are walking across the street with, right now, no signalization at all. Yes, sir. Especially after athletic events there. There's a lot of pedestrian movement through that. So, pedestrian movement and safe pedestrian movement is part of the analysis. Okay, very good. Thank you. Anything else? Hearing none, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. That's it, Madam Chair. Thank you. Commissioner Troutman? At this time. Commissioner Wilson? No, ma'am. Commissioner Braswell? Yeah, I know last month we recognized the anniversary of Polk County becoming a county. 165. Yeah. And today, in 1845, Florida became the 27th state in the Union. And I think it's interesting. At that time, there was about 30,000 people living in the state, which is about how many moved to Polk County every year. So, but anyway, happy birthday, Florida. That's all I got. Thank you. Commissioner Scott? Yes, ma'am. Just one thing. I wasn't able to attend the new Ag Center meeting last week, but I was able to go to the Strawberry Festival and actually get a tour behind the scenes of how they use that facility and how they've grown over the years and some of the things. So I think for those that are commenting on Facebook that I can't comment back to, we're, I think, as a board, very in tune with the community and are open to hearing suggestions that were made during different meetings and other comment periods. So with the knowledge I gained, not having done any livestock competitions growing up and only raising livestock, it certainly was enlightening to kind of see what was there. And now I'll be able to look at the, you know, future ag events, but also our facilities and see over time, you know, even if we build an initial facility, what can we do to improve it and expand if needed for the community as time and funds permit. So I just want to say, I appreciate the community's support on everything we do as a county and realizing that we do have limitations of both budget and timing, but we certainly are here to listen and best implement their wishes as we can. Thank you. Thank you. And I have an appointment again. Yes. I would like to appoint Josh Borum as a member of seat seven of the Polk County Industrial Development Authority for the remainder of a three-year term, which begins March the 3rd, 2026. through January 21st, 2027. I have a motion and a second. Any questions? Hearing none, all in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. And I think Josh was here with us today. If you would please stand. So to be recognized, thank you. Thank you for the service and good luck. Okay. All right. I have no other comments, so we'll go straight into the expedited hearings. Thank you, Madam Chair. Before we go into hearings, I'll go over the public hearing during procedures. I'll remind everyone, if you wish to speak on any of the public hearing items, you need to fill out a speaker card in the back and give the card to a member of the communication staff. We ask that you please turn off your cell phones or other devices that may distract from the public hearings. Please adjust the microphone and state your full name and address for the record before you begin speaking on the topic. Individuals speaking during the public comment section of a matter will be strictly limited to three minutes. The board that is experiencing these matters is able to discern what is legally relevant to an issue and what is not. Information that is relevant or repetitive only serves to frustrate and necessarily prolong today's business. The commission expects civility at times during all public hearings. Speaking out of terms, shouting out from the audience, disrespectful sounds, or utterances, while others speaking are unacceptable when you be asked to leave the chambers for the remainder of the day. If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the board with respect to any matter considered here today, you will need a record of proceedings, and for such purposes, you may need to ensure that verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based, which you must gather at your own expense. Anyone in the audience who wishes to speak or present testimony today must be sworn in, and all testimony given during public hearings shall be deemed to be sworn. At this time, if you're going to address the commission to speak on any case today, please stand, raise your right hand, and answer out loud to the following questions. These are land use cases. Do you swear or affirm that testimony or evidence you provide to the commission today is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Thank you. At this time, Madam Chair, I'll go over the expedited hearing procedures. Expedited hearings are held pursuant to Resolution No. 2022-089. Expedited hearings are used when no opposition was present at the Planning Commission hearing. The applicant agrees to the expedited hearing, and recommendation of the Development Review Committee is for approval. Expedited procedures are the following. After staff briefly introduces the case, the hearing will be open for public comment. If anyone speaks during public comment, the applicant will be given the opportunity to respond. After public comment, the Board will consider the land use case. At any time, a full presentation of staff can be requested from a commissioner, the applicant, or a member of the public. All documents attached to the agenda item are deemed part of the record of the land use case. Unless removed from the list of experts, by motion of the Board, all the individuals on the list of experts attached to the agenda item are deemed experts for the purpose of the land use case. And at this time, I'll turn it over to Mr. Peterson to present the expedited hearings. Good morning, commissioners. Eric Peterson for the Land Development Division. We have before you three expedited hearings. The first one is LDCT 2025-25. It's regarding communication towers. It lowers the level of review from a planning commission hearing to an administrative approval in certain commercial districts. It also modernizes the entire section with conditions on towers. It hasn't been updated since 1997. It was due for an overhaul. And then lastly, we brought into the permitting process the mobile communication towers for when towers are being replaced now. They can maintain their communication standards. This hearing was advertised in the Lakeland or the Winter Haven Lakeland Sun on February 18, 2026. And our adoption hearing is St. Patrick's Day, our 17th. I'll stand for questions. Any questions? Yes. Madam Chair, if I may. Just a question. I understand this is for the commercial districts and the cases where you have residential that would be relatively in close proximity to a commercial district. Are there any setbacks or any distance requirements when we're talking about commercial district and or is it just a commercial district period where these can be located? When it's in a commercial district and it's abutting a residential district, there is, well, everywhere there is a one times the height of the tower fall zone setback. Okay. So the higher the tower, the farther away it would be for many residences. Perfect. Thank you for the clarity. Anybody else? Hearing none. Oh, this is first reading. So, yeah. Amber, do we have anybody signed up to talk on this? Okay. No, ma'am. We do not. Okay. So we'll close the public hearing for this item. And we will wait until in two weeks. Okay. Next. Our next case is LDCT 2025-26. This is regarding car washes. It's just making the language a little more effective. We had three different classifications of car washes. We're bringing it down to one and moving the accessory car wash into the accessory use section. It modernizes the standards and definitions. And it was advertised on February 18th. And the adoption hearing is March 17th. And I'll stand for questions. Any questions? Staff? Hearing none. Do we have any public? No, ma'am. We do not. Stand up. Okay. Then we will wait for two weeks. This is first hearing. Okay. Our last case is another first reading. LDCT 2025-27 regarding drive-thru facilities. Like the others, this is making the language with regards to drive-thrus a little more effective and efficient, moving it into better places where it doesn't get missed in review. It also updates some of the definitions and standards as well. The legal ad was published on February 18th. And the adoption hearing will be March 17th. And I will stand for questions. Any questions for staff? Okay. Hearing none. Amber, do we have anyone signed up? No, ma'am. We do not. Thank you. Then we will wait for, is it March 17th, you said? Yes. Yes, March 17th. Very sweet. Green. And, Madam Chair, the only out-of-public hearing 0.1, which was the ordinance regarding signs in the right-of-way, we're continuing that until March 17th, 2026, at 9 a.m. due to a notice issue. And that's all the public hearings we have at this time, Madam Chair. So we close the public hearing? Yes, ma'am. And then we'll go on to the general comment section. Now we'll do the general public hearing. And, Amber, do we have anybody? I have, the first one is Christy Senefield. Senefield. As mentioned earlier, if you would state your name, your address, and then you have three minutes. My name is Christy Senefield. My address is 9565 Hancock Road, Lakeland, Florida. Commissioners, thank you for the opportunity to speak. I'm here to respectfully address the proposed agriculture facility and to advocate for a vision that truly serves the entire agriculture community. I'm a mother of children. They barrel raise. They show cattle. They raise multiple species of livestock. I also lead the Youth Leaders in Production Agriculture Club at a local school. And I lead the Polk County Junior Cattlemen's Association. I also direct a local cattle show that we actually currently put on in Kissimmee at the Osceola Heritage Park. I would invite all of you to come. It's April 17th and 18th. And just see how it runs and just see the background aspects of what's needed for a multi-use facility. As you consider plans for this new facility, I urge you to ensure that it's definitely a multi-use facility, one that accommodates all species of farm animals, not just a single sector of agriculture. Polk County has a rich and diverse agricultural heritage, and we are home to cattle producers, swine exhibitors, sheep and goat families, poultry projects, and equine enthusiasts. Our youth programs, 4-H, FFA, JFCA, YLPA, they invest lots of time, public funds, into the agriculture community, and investments should be the full scope of our community, not just one particular species. I'm asking you to please plan a focus group prior to finalizing the plans for this new facility. I urge you to include the people who actually use these types of facilities. I heard a lot was mentioned of including people from maybe the Farm Bureau. They're great. They're an insurance company, and they do a lot for our community, but I would suggest that you include people that actually use this type of facility, people that put on youth rodeos, people that put on cattle shows. Get people from the Florida Junior Swine Circuit. These shows happen year-round all over the state. Get people from the Florida Junior Cattlemen's Association. There's a series that goes on all over the state as well. Get people that run barrel horses, like the MBHA directors. Those happen monthly, bi-monthly. I think it's District 6, and I would be happy to get you the communication of the people that run those events. We just really need a multi-use facility that's inclusive, strategic, and allows flexibility for scheduling events that host shows, educational clinics, breeding expos, livestock sales, and creates year-round functionality rather than seasonal limitations. It strengthens our economic impact by drawing diverse agriculture groups into our community. And most importantly, it provides equitable opportunity for every young person who chooses to raise and show all types of livestock. So my question for you is, when is the anticipated date for the stakeholder review for the changes or adjustments made from community input? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Next, I have... Madam Chair, can we have an idea? I know we talked about this at length on Friday, but have we decided, is there a go-forward plan? I guess maybe Mr. Beasley, or can we address that as far as what she asked for? Well, I was going to wait until the end just to listen to, because we have other people that are also, oh, maybe not. Yeah, there's another person. So let's just wait until the very end, and then we can go ahead and address that, okay? Thank you. Thank you for asking. Appreciate that. Amanda Sexton is my next speaker. Did I have that right? Amanda Sexton. No? Go once? Twice? Okay. Three times. Gone. Then I have Eve Salambini. Good morning. I'm Eve Salambini. My address is 4230 Live Oak Road in Lakeland. So I'm all about transparency, which I've talked to you guys about before. And so on February 6th, I visited Polk Animal Control. I hadn't been there for quite some time since April of 2025, and I had heard from several of the animal control officers that changes had happened. So I wanted to see for myself. I did ask for a meeting with Director Shearer at the time. Three different requests, and he never responded. So they have made some improvements, and I'm glad to see that, and I want to give them credit for that. They've added some barriers to keep the cats from running away. Sadly, when I was there, there were only about 29 cats available for adoption, which is kind of odd considering the building can hold 300 or more, and we know there's no lack of available cats. The cleaning was still going on when I got there. It was 10, 15 in the morning. And that really, as a former animal control manager, is kind of a no-no. You want to have the building open for all the public to come through at the time of opening. So I was unable to go through the dog part of the kennel because they were still cleaning, and the officer would not let me go in there. So I did see only one kennel run. It was relatively clean. They did have beds with blankets, which is a definite improvement. It was 56 degrees outside, so it wasn't too cold in there, which was really nice also, both cat and dog. But the smell was bad. The smell was really bad. And that, for early morning after just cleaning, is kind of concerning. And it was not a humid day, so I can't imagine humidity would just exacerbate that smell. I didn't see any roaches or rats this time. Woo! That was a good thing because they creeped me out. And nobody seemed to be observing. I didn't observe any upper respiratory in the animals. What I wanted to get to, though, unfortunately, was after all of these pluses that I posted online, which I was really happy to see, we had a rescue pull a dog from animal control that was literally on its last breath. It was huffing and puffing. It could not breathe. It had severe upper respiratory. And the concerning thing is that it had been in the building for two weeks with no medical care, zero medical care. So this dog had to be rushed immediately to emergency vet to have it on oxygen. It is alive, thank God, but it was going to have permanent scarring in its lungs. So if we have a vet on staff, what the heck? Like, why was this dog allowed to live in this condition for so long? So two steps forward and three steps backwards. Thank you so much, Eve. Appreciate it. My next speaker is Charlene Lewis, or Louise Lise. Okay. This is my first time here, so please bear with me. I'm Charlene Lise, and hold on. Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Charlene Lise, and I am a former 38-year resident of Polk County. Just moved out a year ago, but I'm still very active in Polk County. My family lives here. Can you give the address, please? Oh, I'm sorry. It's 20400 Southwest Beach Boulevard, Dunnellen, Florida. It's a nice place. Yes, it is. Very nice. So I hope this isn't timing me already. Okay. I'm here to speak today about something. Yeah, hold on. Would you set it back? Yes. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, ma'am. I'm here tonight, today, to speak about something that is often dismissed as minor, but is anything but minor. The link between animal abuse and domestic violence has been documented for eight decades. Research shows that in homes where domestic violence is present, animal abuse occurs at rates estimated as high as 88%. That should stop all of us in our tracks. Animal cruelty is often the first red flag. It is rehearsal, it's intimidation, and it's control. When someone harms an animal, they are exerting power over something defenseless. They are testing boundaries. They are sending a message to children, to partners, to anyone watching. This is what I'm capable of. And when that behavior goes unchecked, it escalates. We cannot say we care about preventing domestic violence, protecting children, and reducing violent crime if we ignore one of the clearest early warning signs. When animal abuse cases are not thoroughly investigated or aggressively pursued, we are failing to interrupt a documented pipeline to child abuse, partner violence, and other forms of violent crime. Across the county, law enforcement agencies recognize this connection. The FBI tracks animal cruelty separately because of its strong correlation to other violent offenses. Other counties treat cruelty like the serious crime it is. They coordinate behind, they coordinate between animal control and law repeat offenders. I'm so sorry, guys. They intervene early. Here in Polk County, we have the opportunity to lead, not lag behind. I'm asking this board to ensure stronger coordination between animal control and the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Ensure cruelty complaints are thoroughly investigated. Ensure repeat offenders face meaningful consequences because prevention is public safety. If we want safer homes, safer children, and fewer victims, then we must treat animal cruelty as what it is, an early indicator of escalating violence. Protecting animals is not separate from protecting people. It is often the first chance we have to protect them. Thank you. Thank you. Next on my list is Debbie Hicks. Debbie Hicks, 236 Alderman Road. I had my message planned, but you guys have changed it. I thank you for letting me sit through these meetings. One thing is we need a new facility. Katie can't do everything she does to beautify Polk County without volunteers. Volunteers can't go to animal control, can't take pictures in animal control. You can't go in there. Now, granted, I haven't volunteered there for probably about four years now. I've volunteered for about four years. But when I started volunteering there, the lady who ran it had credentials to run it. When she left, and I was still volunteering, it's all been law enforcement. They have no credentials. Also saying that, respectfully, Troutman, you did mention dogs in the three main. So dogs and cats are very important. And, Commissioner Scott, I would like to ask people to go look at the facilities in other counties and then look at what we have in this 1988 facility. When I volunteered there, the back fence, the gate didn't even shut. If we took the dogs out to the back lots, which I went to see the sheriff to get them to fix, if they got out and they would go over the six or seven foot fence, we had to get them quick because the back fence wasn't secure. I haven't been there in four years, I admit it. But people, it's old. We need a new facility. And when you talk about the new guy in charge of the solid waste, the morale, the people that came to work there, they're young. They come in there because they want to get their foot in the door with the sheriff. And they transfer out in other places. Don't we want a facility where the people are passionate about what they do? I could go on and on, and I'm not going to. But I'm looking forward to a new commissioner joining because I'm going to tell you exactly what I think needs to be done. And we do need an animal advisory. And I want to be on it, whether you want me to or not. And I respectfully appreciate all that you do in my three minutes. Thank you. Thank you. Next on my list is Becky Bywater. My name is Becky Bywater. I live at 916 Parkwood Drive. Lakeland, Florida. Thank you for those who pay attention to me today. Like Debbie, I would like to change my speech because so much goes through my mind, but I'm not. My purpose for addressing you today is to remind you why county governments maintain animal shelters. Why we are asking, I am asking one more time for a spay-neuta program. And why that is important. Why we maintain county animal shelters. I looked it up. Number one, public safety and health. Since the sheriff returned $5.9 million last year, and Mr. Beasley said that he had it designated for public safety, then where are we? With animal control. County shelters enforced state and county laws, lost and found services, population control and welfare, community resource, which we have very little off because that means offering education and responsibility for pet ownership. Why we are asking for the spay-neuta program again. In addition to it being your responsibility as part of maintaining a county animal shelter and your obligation to the people you serve. Low-income people are barely surviving. You must know that. Pretending that doesn't affect animals is how we got into this crisis. Benefits of spay-neuter voucher for low-income families. It removes financial barriers for the essential pet care. Improves pet health. Better pet behavior. Fewer expenses with unwanted litters. A spay-neuter voucher program will make a difference in helping not only cats and dogs. It will help make a difference to get to a no-kill shelter, which was first reported in the media in 2019. Bill Braswell made it clear that we're frustrating and a waste of your time. I'm here to tell you that he is not the only one frustrated. So here again, I am asking you to implement a spay-neuter program, either full or partial coverage for low-income families. This is not a you-win, we-win situation here. It's not. It's a matter of human and animal decency and doing the right thing in serving your constituents. You have made several moves to dissuade us from appearing. However... Thank you, Ms. Byway. Becky, that's it. Your time is up. Thank you. Thank you, Martha. Thank you. Next on my list, I have Caitlin Rainey. Or Rainey? Good morning. My name is Caitlin Rainey. My address is 2510 Limedale Road, Lakeland. I am the Vice President of Central Florida Youth and Agriculture. I am on the Polk County Farm Bureau Board, the UF-IFAS Small Farms Advisory Committee, a fifth-generation cattle producer, and a Polk County native. I am also one of the community members who is hopeful for the opportunity to utilize the ag facility for livestock events, non-profit programs, rodeos, and other various agricultural activities. First, I want to be clear. Polk County supports building this ag center. Agriculture is a foundation to Polk County, and this facility matters. What I am asking today is not to slow construction. Land clearing could continue. Road work could continue. The acreage and location are not changing. What needs thoughtful review is the design and the functionality. Right now, the current concept leads primarily towards equestrian use. While that is a very important sector, Polk County is much broader than that. It should be a true multi-use facility that can adapt to various disciplines and various revenue streams. Many of us who will be renting and operating within this space have practical, boots-on-the-ground insight into what works and what becomes costly long-term. For example, do we need permanently affixed horse stalls, or would flexibility better serve multiple species? How does the current design transition between livestock shows, clinics, trade shows, and equestrian use? How would livestock safely load and unload? What design choices impact long-term operating costs? These are functional and practical considerations. That is why I respectfully encourage you, Commissioner Santiago, as the chair, to establish a small, focused stakeholder advisory group. Again, this group would not delay construction. It would provide functional expertise and input on phase development. You will never make everyone happy. But having strong community experts who can stand with your decisions and say this is why phase one looks this way would help prevent further misinformation and unrealistic expectations. The design may already be 80% there. I'm simply asking to help refine that final 20% so that we get it right the first time. Madam Chair, I strongly request that you form an advisory committee to assist with the design of a multi-use act facility. I would also welcome the opportunity to serve on that committee in any capacity, as I have extensive, practical, operational expertise to offer and could assist in identifying other industry leaders who bring valuable knowledge and insight to the table. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Beasley. Mr. Beasley, this is a good time since these are the two people that have made their public comments. I just want to check, Amber, if these comments that were made today are going to be taken into consideration with the other comments that we had at the meeting. I don't know if you're going to add them. We also have emails and things like that and phone calls, so I want you to kind of pull all that together so that we can have a broader picture of what's the community saying. So, anyway, yes. Then we'll go to you, Mr. Beasley. Since our meeting Friday, all our comment cards and everything come in, we're having a meeting in the morning about this subject to look over them and start that process. As I said, Friday, so, yeah, we're looking at all of them and all the comment cards and all the emails. So, yes, so it didn't happen over the weekend, but it's going to happen in the morning. Okay, good. You had all that input. And I know that Commissioner Scott mentioned something which I think is real important is time and funds, you know, with this. I mean, one of the things that this ag center, I'm going to call it like that because that's what it's labeled, didn't just come up just in the last two weeks. This has been in operation since even before I came on board, and that was eight years ago. So I think it was a good what? I don't know if you were on the board then, but it was a good 10 to 12 years that this has been in talks and in planning stages. So you're right, it's not something that's going to happen overnight, but I think it's important that we take into consideration all the comments that are made so that we can decide how we're going to move forward. Mr. Beasley, if you would add to that. Yes, ma'am, Madam Chair. To take Commissioner Wilson's comments a little further, the next step in our process is that we will convene the staff side of the house and the consultant side of the house. And we'll come together and we'll review each and every one of those comments that we received. And we'll look at the merits of those comments. We'll look at how well hopefully we can incorporate those comments into a final design, what the budget impacts may be, whether there are subsequent phases that comes out of this. And I think that once we have a better feel for the impact of these comments and how we can or cannot address all of them in some form or fashion, maybe then, based on the extent of the comments and who made the comments, maybe then we reach out to the individual entity and bring them in and talk to them about the extent of their comment or the spirit or the intent of that comment and how we've tried to incorporate it into the design. And I think that's the second step in the process. The first step is rest assured that the county is going to take each and every one of those comments and we will sit down with our staff and the consultant staff and we will go through any and all of those comments to see where the merits are to incorporate those comments. And then we'll look at who we reach out to based on the extent of the comments and in what form or fashion or venue we reach out to the individuals who made those comments. But that would be after we brief the board on how we've been able to incorporate the comments to the extent before we reach out into a public setting with how we've incorporated those comments. But we've looked at preliminary and looked at the comments. There's some good comments in there that have a lot of merit. And I think that in the end, 10 years from now, we'll look back and say that was a darn good thing to have done. But we have a process, Madam Chair, and we will go through a very deliberate, conscientious, thought-provoking charrette venue to incorporate those comments. And we certainly will communicate with the folks who made those comments at the right time. Any comments from anybody else? Yes. Commissioner Troutman. Again, going back to transparency and kind of what the public is wanting here, there seems to be still a lot of ambiguity as I sat and listened to you. So I think people appreciate the fact that you're openly saying we're going to take these into consideration. We'll be in touch. But that still just leaves a lot of unknowns. And so if you can tie that process down a little bit more, it seems like y'all will have this meeting starting tomorrow. And then there would be a briefing to the board. Yes, ma'am. After we've reviewed all the comments and the extent of the impacts of those comments, then there would be an agenda review, a work session to kind of bring the board up to speed. And then that's when we decide, Commissioner Troutman, how do we reach out to the public? That is something the board will have to decide. Well, I think that's what we discussed on Friday when we talked about it, about the fact that we're going to go ahead and compile, generate all the information that we can from these, either the comment cards, the emails, the speakers, and phone calls. And then kind of see where we stand with that. And then that will determine how we're going to move forward. Trust me, this is not going to happen overnight. So as we generate this kind of information, we will know whether a focus group is needed, individual groups are needed, or however we think as a board, because this is not a one-man deal as a board, how we want to go ahead and move forward and you will let you know. But I want to make sure that whatever meetings, and I said this on Friday, Mr. Beasley, whatever meetings we have, that we, the board, are updated on it as soon as possible, because constituents call each one of us or whoever represents the district to express their concerns. And so we need to know, basically, what comes out of these meetings. So stay tuned. Like I said, this started 12 years ago, and now that we're coming closer to a reality from 12 years ago, we want to make sure that we have all the input and that we do this right, because this is your money, and we want to make sure that we do it right. Okay? Any? Yes. Commissioner? If I may, just kind of on the tail of your comment, you know, as a board member and as a board, we invest a lot of time, not just here in the board meetings or gender review, we do spend our time hearing the comments of the public, but also, you know, going back and researching and trying to make good decisions for the community. So whether it's animal control, the ag arena, or a number of different topics, I might always walk away with a page of notes, and we are actively doing things behind the scenes, if you will, to be prepared for these meetings. So I know, and I hear at each meeting different topics, there may be some frustration in your voice, but realize that it's still a herd. But I can't here today or in the future make everything happen overnight, nor could everything always happen the exact way that each individual wants it to happen. But as a board, our obligation is to represent the community. We'll continue to do so, but I just want to share that sentiment, and I'll mention this. Like, for instance, there was a comment brought up on animal control about the dog that was in ill health. I don't know the details on that one. I do know actively we're looking for a second veterinarian for the animal control for the reason that we need more assistance there, and that's been authorized on the board. We increased the salary requirement for that to help hopefully recruit another veterinarian. So there are actions that are taken. Is it a brand-new facility that's equal to Orange County? No. But are there actions that are being taken to incrementally improve, whether it's animal control, whether it's traffic congestion, whether it's roads and drainage? Absolutely. And that's all we can do as a board unless everybody wants to pay enormous property taxes where we have 10 times the budget every year. You can't make stuff happen faster. So I appreciate the patience of those that come up and speak every week. Your voices are heard, but, again, it does take time to make progress. Thank you. All right. We are going to our next speaker, James Abercrombie. Good morning. James Abercrombie, 2737, Gibson, Galloway Road. First and foremost, I'd like to mention, folks, you've changed this three-minute rule four times in the last six months, and I have not seen any commissioner at all approve it through the process here. I had a problem this morning. I don't have enough strength in there to put it. I had a young lady help me file out my card this morning. So that's how serious this stuff really is getting. It's getting ridiculous. You have to have signed up everything for just a three-minute talk. It's crazy. Now, I'd like to commend Mr. Beasley, Ms. Troutman, and Mr. Scott, especially Mr. Scott, for setting up that meeting for Kathleen Road. That's what I've been shooting for for 25 years. We need openness, honesty, integrity. We need to know what's going on, when it's going on, before it's going on. Once you have already made the building, you've drawn up the building, you've done all the engineering and all that stuff, it's too late for us to have any say in it. We can change a room around, a change of color or something, but that's the extent of it. We have no control. As far as your comment, Mr. Scott, I do believe if you guys was to take advantage of the statutes, the Florida statutes, take a little time to read them, you wouldn't put so much dependency in that man. And the one reason I say that is public records. I've been asking for that fence. I want to know where that fence went, whose pocket the money went into. I can't get that. He refuses. He's at your mercy. I mean, he answers to you. It's in the charter, but yet you have nothing to say to him either. The other stuff that he's been doing as well, taking over the meetings, like talking, talking over the commissioners themselves, and sit right there and smile at me all the whole time I'm up here talking. Yeah, I know what he's thinking, so that's it, folks, for today. Thank you. And our last speaker is Johanna Allende. Good morning, commissioners. My name is Johanna Bukay Allende, 109 Sandburg Lane, Winter Haven, Florida. I can't believe it's already March 2026. Time is flying by. We'll slow down a bit here. So tonight, you'll see a full moon. It started last night, and the full moon can act as a powerful spotlight that illuminates truth. As you gaze up, let it remind us of the harsh reality's beddy face. I do echo what has been presented to you by our animal defenders, but let me piggyback on Charlene's comments. Shocking statistics reveal that 89% of women with companion animals that are experiencing domestic violence reported that they're abused, threatened, harmed, or even killed their pets. Now, this is not just statistics. This issue hits home with me. I know a family member who's faced this reality. It's a mother lying awake at night knowing that the cat curled up beside her child could be used as a weapon of control. It is a survivor-delaying escape because she cannot bear to leave a beloved animal behind. I've personally been there. Animal cruelty is not isolated. Oh, I think it was going to hit me that hard. It is connected to domestic violence, to child abuse, and other violent crimes. When we ignore harm to animals, we often miss the early warning signs of danger. Now, I say all this because protecting pets is not separate from protecting families. It is public safety. It is violence prevention. If state leaders recognize this connection, local leadership must also rise to meet it. So among many things that we're asking for, Polk County needs stronger regulation of pet sales. Backyard breeding needs to be a thing in the past. We need clear, enforceable tethering ordinances. It is cruel to tie up an animal for long periods of time exposed to danger. Protection for community cats. Is it true that people who feed community cats are now fined or ticketed, while animal abusers get a slap on the wrist? Proactive policies to prevent neglect and cruelty. So you guys have the power and the opportunity to create these policies to protect the most vulnerable. When you look up at the sky tonight, I hope it reminds you that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. And I hope it inspires all of us to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves, both human and animal. Thank you. Thank you. Do you have any more, Amanda? No? Okay, so that... Amber. Amber. Did I say Amanda? I'm sorry. I have this lady's name on my... Don't feel bad, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I keep calling her my Ann. Oh, wow. That would have been... Do we have any more cards that filled out after we started? No, ma'am. Okay, so I will close the public hearing, and this meeting is adjourned. Thank you.