Its Down Then Up

1
Its Down Then Up

• With
• County Governments
• Constitutional vs. Charter

2
County Fathers of Good Ole Days

• Counties were established by states to be
  administrators of subdivisions of the states
• These divisions tried to improve the abilities to
  administer large agricultural/rural lands
• As creatures of the state, powers were controlled
  by state legislature agencies
• Legislature tried to make certain that laws
  were followed by the limited of land barons
• In comparison, all the landowners/families
• could have been housed in 1 county today

3
County Good Ole Days Change

• Now, most counties are no longer rural
• Leaders like Pensacola St. Augustine formed
  chartered cities within counties to voice a
  measure of home rule trying to resolve
  management issues vs. county rule
• Thus, begins the Charter Forums its earlier
  thinking
• vs. Agricultural Barons
• vs. Lumber Barons
• vs. Political Barons
• Florida cities always begin w/ creating
  chartered rules
• Charters establish mechanisms for taxes, budgets
  administration
• city charter voices vs. county rule minds
• City residents vote to approve the new charters
  needs
• A charter mind set predates a city incorporation
• - in every case that I have read so, cities
  have proven results

4
Can Good Ole Boys Adjust

• By tradition- county controls can disregard city
  needs
• Remember counties were created to master
  legislature to decentralize big government not
  to diminish the power
• So, counties control from (Tallahassee) the top
  down
• But, city charters are created from the bottom
  up
• By all appearance so would Chartered Counties
• Cities are controlled by the will of the local
  citizens
• This may be where the rub comes with the county
• Good Ole Boys ability to adjust to growth
  policy
• Check out your taxing authorities their take on
  the
• the newer changes, especially Part II,
  Chapter 163, F.S.
• And, follow their new budget allocations its
  the Plan

5
Good Ole Non-Charter Mind Set

• To fast forward
• County weakness shows when growth explodes
  outside the newer incorporated cities of today
• Then county growth requires Municipal type
  Services as mandated by the state
• However, state mandates are not accompanied by
  offsetting monetary support- for that growth
• Therefore, delays may surface relating to this
  newer idea of returning any Tax Increment Funding
  to cities for redevelopment
• Its all about controlling the purse strings

6
Our Experience With Ole County Mind Sets

• 1995, Flagler Beach submitted - a polished CRA
  Plan
• for the TIF program to start redevelopment of
  its downtown
• And, Falgler County is a Non-Chartered County w/
  rapid growth
• So, County Assessors Office claimed to differ
  about our downtown
• The City had to resubmitted the Plan as
  completed
• After no county response - city made an inquiry
• The county claimed it could not find the CRA
  packet
• Later found but, they claimed it was not
  registered/logged-in before the midnight deadline
  ( How interesting)
• Note county was over whelmed by massive
  residential growth
• over a 10 year period had not prepared for
  future dollar
• revenues to meet the upcoming demands for
  better services
• These issues carried over to our Chartered City
  its needs

7
Finally the City Took a Stance

• But, city had lost a benchmark TIF assessment
  time
• County fathers living at the Beach kept silent
  about the
• first CRA having been submitted they were
  tight fisted
• Our city allowed the Plan to remain idle for a
  time
• In 2000, the city retrieved the original 95 Plan
  
• By this time, property values were up some 5
  times
• The city challenged the ole time mind set, again
• After updating the 95 Plan- it was resubmitted
• In 2002, it was approved - after some 6 years
• Please note, the city had lost x millions through
  the oversight maneuvering but follow the money
  trail

8
Good Ole Something to Learn

• One should establish realistic time lines when
  dealing with Charter or Non-Charter Counties
• Utilize professionals to guide your studies
• Establish a voice stakeholders-district tax
  payers, shop
• owners, district residents, investors city
  official (s)
• Assign certified packets w/ secured delivery
• Use multiple delivery systems to meet deadlines
• Keep accurate paper trails a sharp eye on
  process
• Do not lose sight of TIF for your redevelopment
• Monitor new county budget proposals to be
• sure your money needs are written in

9
In Closing

• Constitutional structure 5 independent
  officers 5
• or 7 commissioners that controls both
  legislative and administrative powers can have
  fragmented powers
• Method was created for what no longer exists
  (rural)
• It is inconsistent w/ several principles of
  modern day management structures it not an MBA
  operation
• Commissioners commits to acts but, the levels of
  services priorities are set by other powers -
  such as law enforcement, assessors office, tax
  collectors, elections supervisor possibly the
  county clerks office
• Be a good neighbor, get to know understand your
  taxing authorities -include the ever important
  independent officers

10
Richard Clemons

• Flagler Beach Main Street, Inc.
• 312 N. 12th Street
• Flagler Beach, Florida 32136
• Phone [phone]
• E-mail regfloridarc_at_aol.com