Board of County Commissioners- Informal Meeting (2025-08-12)

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA Informal Meeting August 12, 2025 Convened: 9:00 AM Adjourned: 10:16 AM 1. CALL TO ORDER - JAMIE FOWLER, CHAIR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS The meeting was called to order at 9:00 AM by Chair Jamie Fowler, District No. 4. Present Commissioner Jamie Fowler, District 4; Commissioner Larry Leet, District 2; Commissioner James Clasby, District 1; Commissioner Erin Lowry, District 3; Commissioner Cathy Townsend, District 5 Also Present Katherine Barbieri, Interim County Attorney George Landry, County Administrator Mayte Santamaria, Deputy County Administrator Michelle R. Miller, Clerk and Comptroller Jennifer Hill, Office of Management & Budget Director Kori Benton, Planning & Development Services Planning Manager Benjamin Balcer, Planning & Development Services Director Jennifer Garrity, Budget Manager Kristi Wong, Director of Human Resources Patrick Dayan, Public Works Director Sydney Halleran, Agenda Coordinator Vera Smith, Deputy Clerk Recording Secretary 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Expanded Urban Service Boundary Transportation Plan: Recommended Network Improvements - ATTACHMENT ADDED Mr. Balcer and Mr. Benton, of Planning Manager of Planning & Development Services, initiated the discussion and introduced the County Planning Consultant representative to provide an overview of the Urban Service Boundary (USB) Transportation Plan recommended network improvements to the Board. Damon Miller, Certified Planner on behalf of Benesch, advised that the purpose of the study was to examine the cumulative impacts of development within the USB and create a traffic plan. The study area extends from Okeechobee Road to Midway Road down to the Martin County line, primarily to the west of I-95, and out to the periphery. The formal process at the County level involves evaluating individual

BOCC Informal Meeting Tuesday, August 12, 2025 9:00 AM 2 | P a g e developments through the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. The study documented committed roadway improvements, funded by the county's capital plan, the city of Port St. Lucie, and developer commitments. The study documented committed roadway improvements, which are a part of the County's 5-year Capital Plan, the City of Port St. Lucie, and some developer commitments. This led to the creation of the 2029 Existing Plus Committed Roadway Network, which includes near-term roadway improvements. The study looked at the overall traffic generated by development, including single-family, multifamily, and employment units. Mr. Miller provided a map overview highlighting the I-95 corridor and the focus on developments to the west. The study's development focus area identified over 11,000 dwelling units, 20,000 new population, and 20,000 employees, plus existing background growth projected in the 2045 plan for a combined total of 30,000 dwelling units. The next iteration of expected development is almost 50% of what was already contemplated for existing and committed roadways. Existing conditions and developer commitments, such as extending Range Line Road and widening Crosstown Parkway, were discussed. With traffic from the Range Line Road corridor and western Port St. Lucie seeking access to I-95, Range Line Road acts as a manifold to distribute the demand across Crosstown Parkway, Tradition Parkway, and Becker Road. He discussed strategies to improve the connections to benefit the future of extended USB. Mr. Miller explained the traffic volume to capacity ratio, using a factor to generalize road conditions. The study found that a significant portion of traffic would operate in bad conditions, especially when I-95 is excluded from the analysis. The focus was on strategically programming improvements to address congestion and improve road conditions. The study identified key corridors, such as Range Line Road and Crosstown Parkway, as critical for traffic flow. He discussed the importance of making Becker Road a four-lane road all the way up to Becker Road, and the most critical improvement is a four-lane section of Range Line Road, all the way from Oak Ridge Ranch, north of Glades Cut-Off Road, down towards the County line. Long-term plans include a partial interchange connection at Marshall Parkway and a second connection across the railroad. Mr. Miller discussed the importance of completing the grid in Port St. Lucie and enhancing connections to I-95. In a phased approach to improvements, the study suggests connecting Range Line Road to Midway Road as a four-lane Parkway, widening Midway Road to four lanes west to Range Line/Shinn Road, and widening Glades Cut-Off Road to four lanes from Wylder Parkway to Midway Road. Long-term plans include a partial interchange connection at Marshall Parkway and a second connection across the railroad. The study identified the importance of managing access to Range Line Road and ensuring developments connect to existing east-west corridors. He discussed the significant cost of road improvements, estimating about $6 million per lane mile. The study identified a deficit in funding, with some developments contributing to the cost but still requiring public dollars. The total cost of the improvements is estimated at $700 million, with some funding from developers. The Board and the consultant discussed the estimated cost per household for improvements, estimating $10,000 per household for 30,000 new households in Port St. Lucie and the County. The Board also discussed the reduction in overlay branches, the impact on Oak Ridge Ranches, the deficit in roadway funding, and the need for increased impact fees to cover costs. No consensus was made; the presentation was informational only. B. Healthcare Contract Update Mr. Landry initiated the discussion, focusing on the scope and bidding process for the wellness initiative

BOCC Informal Meeting Tuesday, August 12, 2025 9:00 AM 3 | P a g e and the need for competitive procurement. Kristi Wong, the Director of Human Resources, outlined three key guidance areas: the geographic location of the Request for Proposals (RFP), the covered services, and the requirements for quarterly utilization reporting needed by the Board. The first area of guidance was the geographic radius for services, as the initial radius was set at 10 miles, based on the distance to the Port St. Lucie Clinic, since employees are permitted to attend during work hours. The second option discussed was to open the bid to any provider within the county. Additionally, one other option mentioned was the possibility of providers offering multiple services and potentially coming on-site to deliver mobile services. The other area of inquiry was for guidance regarding covered services, specifically whether the RFP should request all current services or allow individual bids for one or more services. The final guidance request covers quarterly utilization reporting requirements, and the RFP should include any additional criteria for those reports. The services offered by the current provider include wellness services, chiropractic care, massage therapy, IV therapy, and PRP therapy. Currently, there is no cost to actively enroll participants in the health plan, which includes employees, retirees, and their dependents. Eligible employees are allowed two one-hour visits per month during working hours, covered by the plan, while dependents are also limited to two one-hour visits per month. Staff requested directions from the Board. The Board and staff discussed keeping the 10-mile radius or opening it up to the entire County, the current radius's effectiveness, support of mobile services, the complexity of the bidding process on individual services, the scoring mechanism in the RFP, potential cost savings eliminating services, chiropractic care within the current healthcare plan, the current wellness initiative contract, the concept of cost diversion, the benefits/importance of the current services (IV/PRP therapy), holistic care, insurance enrollment plan, budgetary limits. Concerns were raised regarding the financial oversight and transparency of funding multiple contractors. There was a suggestion to give more quality points to providers within a 10-mile radius while allowing others to apply. Concerns were expressed regarding staff using company time for massages, and a suggestion was made to have Saturday hours for flexibility. The Board discussed the estimated cost of services and the current budget of $750,000. It was suggested that bids should be below $1.2 million. The Board discussed whether to include a not-to-exceed amount in the RFP. A proposal was made offering employees a healthcare debit card as an alternative to the current services, but rejected due to concerns about cost-effectiveness. Ms. Wong advised that the current wellness contract renews in March 2026 and continues annually unless the County provides notice to stop it. The budget for the wellness initiative is limited to $750,000, and it can be noted in the bidding document not exceed that amount. After the discussion, Ms. Wong clarified the Board's directive to open the bidding geographically throughout the County, excluding chiropractic services, while retaining IV therapy, massage, and PRP. The Board agreed to proceed with bids and revisit the scope and budget in future meetings. C. Budget Scenarios Mr. Landry initiated the discussion to finalize the County's budget, aiming to achieve a balanced budget by September. In the last workshop, the Board reviewed tentative scenarios that indicated a potential cost- benefit of $3 million. This included proposed adjustments to various departments, such as reducing the Clerk's budget request from $1.1 million to $800,000 and the Health Department's request from $400,000

BOCC Informal Meeting Tuesday, August 12, 2025 9:00 AM 4 | P a g e to $150,000. Mr. Landry mentioned the Board had settled the amount from the Sheriff’s Department. With no additional money requested for reserves this budget cycle. The budget also includes a $100,000 allocation for the HANDS Clinic, which is optional. Public Safety and Council budgets were adjusted, with funds allocated for wages, health insurance, and other needs. The proposed budget aims to balance services, constitutional requests, and outside agency requests. There were discussions regarding supporting the Boys and Girls Club and recurring funds for the Government Campus. Mr. Landry and Ms. Hill advised that the total set aside for recurring funds for the government campus is estimated at $8 million, with the intention of reaching $16 million to avoid raising the millage tax. He reiterated that the proposed budget is not final and can be adjusted at the upcoming budget hearings. The Board reviewed the information provided and supports the numbers presented. D. Security Discussion - ITEM PULLED PRIOR TO MEETING 4. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS The Board did not have any further questions or comments. 5. ADJOURNMENT With no other information to be brought for consideration before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10:16 AM. Please note: Final minutes are recorded in the official minute books filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, available for inspection upon request. (Full audio is available upon request)