[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6275650,"mediaKeyId","2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948","parentId",2769095,"title","Votes at a glance: Collier County BCC actions on insurance, committee appointments and project funding","audioSeconds",1252,"startMs",2160000,"endMs",3412000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948&start=2160&end=3412","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948/thumbnail_2160000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6275650/Collier-County/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-Collier-County-BCC-actions-on-insurance-committee-appointments-and-project-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275650-a1db52e5cdf3b0fc2ab0002e6108c556/orig.mp4?Expires=1771105058&Signature=OkzuD4EW8mT8qIhijxTocxiI~BtaRetjy3O7JXJVmxeYj0BuK9argGSOsaGgXvgv2bTb6l3y~ce7pTPE~Sc91hG6yrSKbD0eBUbtZMKikejk0ly1xbGVxGZT4BYLHL3pZikTeSR1CCkwG4pndGLkl8RYgmC0vGaym~KmODYVAZxuHi2S8xGmYE~QAs1Nvzqp2gYPN5k208Dm3gkzo~oQBcoOGuePIWeknSbV4gl2ql-cdoLF1S6v26VVlcNBeEXucrn18VUJfWQWOooAU1b6FhkpZbL7gngS10sAxIYQi2ppVn3Scbl-NNyNkcrhFvBoiFd74toxHZ~pyx4LfuqSGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Collier County","date","2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","article","The Collier County Board of County Commissioners recorded several formal actions during the meeting:

- Insurance purchase (agenda item 11b): The board approved purchase of property, boiler and machinery, terrorism, and watercraft hull insurance effective April 1, 2025, for an estimated amount of $8,705,823. Motion passed unanimously.

- Committee membership changes (agenda item 12a): The board removed Christina Aguilera from the East of 951 ad-hoc advisory committee for consecutive absences, appointed Bruce Hamels to replace the vacant seat, appointed another applicant (Rankin) to the alternate seat, and extended the committee sunset date from Aug. 15, 2025 to Aug. 15, 2026. Motion passed unanimously.

- Regional Planning Council payment (agenda item 10b): The commission conditionally approved a single quarterly payment at 15 cents per capita to the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, to be issued only after at least one other county executes and financially commits to the revised interlocal. (See separate coverage for full discussion.)

- Traffic signal agreement (agenda item 11a): The board approved a developer-funded traffic signal at Immokalee Road and Bel Air Bay Drive and authorized final operational controls to be set during permitting. (See separate coverage for details.)

- Department head confirmations (agenda item 11c): The board confirmed James French (Growth Management and Community Development), Trinity Scott (Transportation Management Services), James W. Deloney (interim Public Utilities department head), and Edward Finn (deputy county manager). The board added a stipulation not to automatically start a national search for the departed director. (See separate coverage for discussion.)

- Federal project resubmission (agenda item 15b): The board directed staff to resubmit two congressional community-project requests (for the Everglades Blvd./I-75 interchange feasibility study and the Golden Gate Parkway veterans center rehabilitation) to Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart for FY2026. Motion passed unanimously.

Where the meeting recorded voice votes but no roll-call tallies, the minutes note items as passed or unanimous; exact vote counts were not provided in the discussion transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of County Commissioners - Regular Meeting, Cont. (3-25-2025)","oneSentenceSummary","A brief roundup of formal votes from the meeting: approval of a multi-line insurance purchase, committee member changes, and direction to resubmit two federal project requests, among other actions.","taxTitle","Collier County, Florida","taxId",12758,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":46,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275656,"Collier County to resubmit two community-project requests after Congress keeps spending at FY24 levels",280,3132000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948&start=3132&end=3412","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948/thumbnail_3132000.jpg","/articles/6275656/Collier-County/Florida/Collier-County-to-resubmit-two-community-project-requests-after-Congress-keeps-spending-at-FY24-levels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275656-2852d7599cdfe688d3895adf70ab3993/orig.mp4?Expires=1771105058&Signature=Ufau2KRXYvrpSelrjfzWlcl2603Dbg6x~W8HhxHyGW5kyIvnRbisZQhuD2YCpa~HhVm4pPPpCoyVXbnynhXhwEy0LPyXmEwrNksxmLxaFYb3tkW9UOVX8T5aDTkfcZeBGF3dCV8vhchne8Y3a3-v43aW9CjMyrVHLdQSjKPHR~WRs6peRUwxKDuVOIYkbpFC65rwOlwC0L50CzJ-lZh~NIVj~geW5tjK5A3aWxAuMsLcOCApUUA3CYq0cEQ~uArynKUE9wwEny6a3wdYALaQJOLsLnsTvJk0ldAgbrrlTWgEB79DG1f0IpTFecdqPj3OsXFqUjEfqKVuh0mJVootEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Collier County commissioners directed staff to resubmit two community project funding requests to Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart for the FY2026 appropriations cycle after Congress enacted a continuing resolution (CR) that maintains FY2024 spending levels through FY2025.

John Mullins, director of communications, government and public affairs, told the commission that the CR avoided a government shutdown but cut net spending by about $7 billion and did not fund congressional community project funds and grants for FY25. \"The CR did not fund congressional members' community project funds and grants,\" Mullins said, and staff were advised to reapply for FY2026 to continue pursuing two projects previously submitted to the congressman.

The board's two community funding requests are for an Everglades Boulevard/I-75 interchange feasibility analysis and funding toward rehabilitating the Golden Gate Parkway building into a veterans community center. Mullins recommended resubmitting the requests for the FY2026 cycle; commissioners voted unanimously to direct staff to do so.

Mullins also briefed the board on the county's state-led application for a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs construction grant to fund a state veterans nursing home. He said the VA program is not part of the congressional community project fund and that maintaining FY24 spending levels could help the county's chances: \"For that particular fiscal year, the VA received over a hundred and $60,000,000 for the program,\" Mullins said, and Collier County expects to be placed in a priority group that could make the county eligible for the full 65 percent construction match. Mullins said the official ranking list should be released between July and September.

Staff warned the board that resubmission will require updated support letters and that application deadlines for the FY2026 requests were imminent; commissioners discussed and approved a motion directing staff to prepare and submit the applications.

The board asked staff to proceed and authorized the chair to sign required congressional request letters; staff noted support letters may need to be updated and re-dated to meet Appropriations Committee instructions. A deadline for resubmission cited in staff conversation was April 3 for an upcoming cycle; staff said they were already working on the applications and would complete required documents and letters.","Staff will resubmit two community project requests to Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart for the FY2026 cycle after a continuing resolution froze FY25 spending levels; county staff also reported an improved outlook for a VA nursing-home construction match.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275661,"Collier County names interim public utilities head; commissioners debate pause versus immediate hire",770,2178000,2948000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948&start=2178&end=2948","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948/thumbnail_2178000.jpg","/articles/6275661/Collier-County/Florida/Collier-County-names-interim-public-utilities-head-commissioners-debate-pause-versus-immediate-hire","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275661-b045cf48fe06ec228016c983c61a39d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771105058&Signature=ViBHKjf9uXYCsGktQe9uqjLNWan-JgtgQb4mCyC-wwoi4NY8uqkyuu~1kyrj6JrPpAzgEquwcSB4wpmkUhDLwpIoExwD4V9ngXFneGkelHGFE52P5GiJpSAjYDGoDfx~4Yi5Jqxd0coVj3WuATMSKH0noFmwAUuu4gc0-Okf1h~HUzu1Ek~8qOU9opoMNjRRIt8Z4jnX~-RQVHwNWieNAr1xW9wBfkydy5Z1k8me3cJWRT8d3Oy9EbFycSOesZRsLeZI1Qkcnu5oNC3t-K6QtU3TTaSuBmYNCeAkQ1L4rts0kCtz0jUdTQ0VfIjrq8hRIRhSoXFXnCzpKyvKTAgNlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Collier County Board of County Commissioners confirmed several department leadership appointments and approved an interim hire for the county's public utilities department while staff conducts a strategic reassessment.

On a unanimous voice vote, the board confirmed James French as head of Growth Management and Community Development; Trinity Scott as head of Transportation Management Services; James W. Deloney as interim public utilities department head; and Edward Finn as deputy county manager. The vote included a stipulation that the board would not automatically launch a national search to replace the departing public utilities director.

Commissioner Hall led a substantive discussion urging the board to consider natural attrition and internal promotion for the public utilities leadership vacancy rather than immediately hiring a new, permanent director. Hall said he had asked departing director Dr. Yilmaz who among existing staff \"is capable to take this ball and run with it,\" and reported the names of two internal staffers he believed could step up. He also referenced a ResourceX strategic reassessment that recommended evaluating current functions and considering consolidation or realignment as vacancies occur.

County staff and members of the commission acknowledged competing needs: the county has an important Northeast expansion sewer project (NESA) with developer commitments and a landfill expansion assignment that require experienced oversight, and hurricane season was approaching. County management told commissioners Deloney would serve on an at-will, short-term basis (staff estimates ranged from three to nine months) and would assist with mentoring existing staff while ResourceX completes an organizational review.

Commissioner Locastro said any interim contract with Deloney must include a clear out clause and a short notice period so the county can end the engagement quickly if needed. County management said Deloney is a retired executive who does not seek a long-term post and that the interim arrangement would allow the county time to assess whether internal staff can assume the role or if an external search is required.

A motion to approve the confirmations with the stipulation that no automatic national search would commence passed unanimously.

Staff will continue ResourceX's review of the organization and report back to the board; Deloney's interim assignment is intended to provide immediate leadership and mentorship during that review and key near-term project work.","The board confirmed multiple department head appointments, including a short-term interim public utilities department head, but commissioners debated using natural attrition and internal promotions instead of an immediate external search.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275666,"Commission approves developer-funded traffic signal at Immokalee Road and Bel Air Bay Drive",435,1694000,2129000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948&start=1694&end=2129","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948/thumbnail_1694000.jpg","/articles/6275666/Collier-County/Florida/Commission-approves-developer-funded-traffic-signal-at-Immokalee-Road-and-Bel-Air-Bay-Drive","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275666-8a001c37fb0d57e33f896c60e030fb19/orig.mp4?Expires=1771105058&Signature=BvzZtSbWirMwUIxt1uq1byB~KxT7e6wUX0taeEJhaSIbOl8jOXxR2460NkNgrO-56XTk2wYwgCgeC~2hhYV8IweOZK-NIjzbFOWiUN4-AuGD0ozvjLa9pyFaMklIodvn7SZ8q9A1bgwIiQpiYMvf2WrLTMRKu5yptovrPbJfhAKF4LhPZIKfq6PAV3mivaMXvMC-VVZS~2D7dPjwX1x8FuQki3M2xNRM4r4IwIA2RBL~H8YEF7o6oNZy-kUKyRgKy-sz6Kcvbo8YtDQ9V668trmypIfUOhpwFjOuABTrbspxx-9Zt3-1vAYPspvEGTq8xBOBELpL4RVZC~FXppi3kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Collier County Board of County Commissioners approved a traffic signal agreement with the Cameron Commons Unit 2 property owners association to install a signal at Immokalee Road and Bel Air Bay Drive, authorizing the chairman to sign the agreement and allowing the county to remove the signal at its discretion.

Trinity Scott, department head for Transportation Management Services, summarized background: the board accepted a traffic signal study in January 2022 and had directed staff to return with a formal agreement that would ensure the county could remove the signal later and that the applicant would waive claims for business damages. Scott also said the intersection warrants a signal after traffic counts taken before and after the gating of a nearby private road (Limestone Trail) showed increased U-turn activity farther down the road.

Noel Davies, speaking for the applicant, told the commission the property owners association agreed to pay 100% of construction costs and accepted the county's condition that the signal may be removed at the county's discretion. Davies said the applicant had \"no additional comments\" and was \"in agreement with paying 100% of the light and the conditions of the agreement.\"

Commissioners discussed the proximity of the new signal to other nearby signals and traffic queuing concerns. Commissioner Kowal asked staff to consider restricting right turns on red at the new signal because allowing rights on red could cause queueing conflicts while east-west movements are green. Staff and the applicant agreed to incorporate a no-right-on-red restriction into the permit review; commissioners also reserved discretion to let traffic engineers refine the final signal timing and control features during permit processing.

A motion to approve the traffic-signal agreement and allow engineering discretion passed nearly unanimously on a voice vote.

The agreement requires Cameron Commons to fund the installation; the county retains the right to remove the signal in the future and will finalize operational controls (including a possible prohibition on right turns on red) during the permitting and signal design process.","The board authorized a traffic-signal agreement with Cameron Commons Unit 2 property owners association for a developer-funded signal at Immokalee Road and Bel Air Bay Drive, with county discretion to remove the signal in future and traffic-engineer discretion on final operational details.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275672,"Collier County conditions $14,000 RPC quarterly payment on another county joining",1526,96000,1622000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948&start=96&end=1622","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2769095-8cd16bec302940f156d7011a744b5948/thumbnail_96000.jpg","/articles/6275672/Collier-County/Florida/Collier-County-conditions-14000-RPC-quarterly-payment-on-another-county-joining","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275672-973b33d9d62f1a9db7fa88d667473fc5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771105058&Signature=hHgzLh2l4VLfTSeWS6XXVYNlotg-gZ-SABG-Lgfvm81Dqd637Hab0OHsTjLjExPVu09BXhbOZO9NK5FCSK32qMJGlnW~NAUKrOLR~r7Ja-3WbZXcAM3qdIOCXT2sED5FGXxhNwg5lDwLwEgu1MnqHGASoD1~oAJztKsEYhD9rn2NtEZnsqJXl2olm3rE4tNZSs1zmLO~zfy1nWIpdXaVTmXl2s5n13~GXe~gd1tvFLRXxqPIZPak7ReoCWmoXOzloSOQ3gtq7ykbu0FcNpAE1v~hq8QX1eDTofsxgAkwJlcwMbidIaBxN0zvhp8o5Yz8v8aUE1p-HPzk8jRABaaehw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Collier County Board of County Commissioners voted to authorize a first quarterly payment to the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (RPC) only after at least one other county signs the council's updated interlocal agreement.

The motion, made by Commissioner McDaniel and passed by voice vote, directs the county clerk to issue a single quarterly payment at the revised 15-cent-per-capita rate if another county formally commits to the replacement interlocal agreement that Collier previously approved.

The move comes after staff and the county clerk raised legal and budget questions. Crystal Kinzel, Collier County clerk, told commissioners the board had repealed the older interlocal agreement in September and approved a replacement that set the per-capita rate at 15 cents. But, Kinzel said, \"the agreement has not been fully executed\" by other counties and the RPC's executive director continued billing under the old 30-cent rate because the council has not achieved a quorum to adopt the new documents. Kinzel asked for \"direction with documentation and with budget and authority.\"

Commissioner McDaniel, who chairs the RPC, said he had led the county in ratifying the new interlocal, MOU and bylaws to show \"leadership by example\" and urged the commission to commit to a quarterly payment while he seeks other counties' approval. He described plans to take the draft interlocal and bylaws to each of the six counties statutorily required to be members of the RPC to seek ratification.

Commissioners pressed practical questions: whether the clerk could legally issue a payment without an executed multijurisdictional interlocal, whether the county had budgeted for the expense, and what the county would actually be paying. Kinzel said the county had not budgeted for the payment; staff said the RPC had billed two quarters at the 30-cent rate, and that half of a billed amount of roughly $28,000 would equal \"a little over $14,000\" for one quarter at the 15-cent rate. Commissioners noted the RPC's population base used in the invoice (about 390,000) and that annual cost estimates varied in materials provided by staff.

Several commissioners supported a conditional payment to give McDaniel leverage when asking other counties to join. Commissioner Saunders and Commissioner Acaster backed an amendment that limited the county's obligation: Collier would make the payment only \"when one other county comes in,\" providing a clear trigger before funds are disbursed. The board agreed, with Kinzel confirming she would write the check for one quarter once another county commits.

The discussion also reviewed the history of the RPC: after the state's Department of Community Affairs lost authority years ago, RPCs lost several regulatory powers and member counties began withholding payments. McDaniel said the RPC had become \"dysfunctional\" and that the revised MOU and interlocal were an attempt to restore the council's relevance, particularly for regional issues such as water quality, beach renourishment and cross-county planning.

The commission did not set an explicit deadline for other counties to join; the motion requires only that the county clerk issue the quarter payment when at least one other county has financially committed. The voice vote approving the conditional payment was recorded as unanimous; the exact roll-call tally was not specified in the meeting minutes.","After months of legal and budget questions, the Collier County Commission agreed to make a first-quarter payment of the revised Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council per-capita fee only if at least one other county commits to the updated interlocal agreement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Collier County BCC actions on insurance, committee appointments and project funding

Collier County to resubmit two community-project requests after Congress keeps spending at FY24 levels

Collier County names interim public utilities head; commissioners debate pause versus immediate hire

Commission approves developer-funded traffic signal at Immokalee Road and Bel Air Bay Drive

Collier County conditions $14,000 RPC quarterly payment on another county joining