moments. She said we hear the pressure, we hear the public and we are doing
everything we can to come up with the tentative schedule. She said it is a possibility to
open at night when the trucks are not coming in there but at night there are no lights.
She said they can ride in an open area but they cannot ride the trail at night. She said
we understand and they are trying to move forward and open as soon as it is safe.
J.
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 3 (BILL BRASWELL)
J.1. Commissioner Braswell Comments.
Minutes: Commissioner Braswell wished everyone a Merry Christmas. He said we all
went to Florida Association of Counties (FAC). He said it was interesting and it always
reinforces how good we have it in Polk County when he looks at other counties and
how discombobulated and financially unstable they are. He said we are pretty
fortunate. He said people are antsy about debris pick up and everyone seems to have
forgotten that we had a hurricane and that this county is 2,000 square miles. He asked
if we are holding the trucks here or are we starting to lose them again.
County Manager Bill Beasley said they have not lost any trucks but they did not gain as
many as he thought they would get.
Upon question, Deputy County Manager John Bohde said it is a matter of assets and
resources. He said with past storms we have had around 100 vehicles and we have
had on average 20 for this storm. He said last week we got up to 25-26 and we got a
lot of the smaller vehicles that cannot get as much material. He said we have ten debris
management sites and have added an eleventh one on Dunson Road which means
they can do shorter trips and then come back. He said they are running seven days a
week and they are pushing on the haulers to get more assets in here. He said we are
competing with other counties and states. He said they did get a 30 day extension on
the 100% reimbursement and now it is February 10th. He said he would expect that we
would be operating most of January. He said there are mom and pop companies and
they need to be certified through the FEMA process.
Commissioner Scott said to include the new date in the press release. He said he does
appreciate the counties efforts and it is a process. He said getting certified through
FEMA is a 90-day process.
K.
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 4 (MARTHA SANTIAGO)
K.1. Commissioner Santiago Comments.
Minutes: Commissioner Santiago wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year. She said she is still receiving emails about Grenelefe and boiling water
notices. She said that this is privately owned but it keeps coming up. She asked to
meet with County Manager Bill Beasley or Utilities Director Tamara Richardson and
see how we can help the people in Grenelefe. She said she wants to see this resolved.
L.
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 5 (MICHAEL SCOTT)
L.1. Commissioner Scott Comments.