Kevin Cooper’s term on that board extended by three months to keep terms staggered
Almost exactly a month after their most recent appointments to the county’s Public Facilities Financing Advisory Board (PFFAB), the Sarasota County Commission approved another member’s reappointment and extended the term of a second member for three months.
As part of their Consent Agenda of routine business items on Feb. 13, the commissioners gave Reed Giasson another three-year term on the advisory board and then extended the term of Kevin Cooper through January 2021 to maintain staggered terms. Reappointed to the advisory board on Jan. 30, Cooper originally was to serve through October 2020.
Cooper had agreed to the extension if the commissioners approved it, a Feb. 13 staff memo noted.
Both votes were unanimous.
Giasson’s term also will be in effect through January 2021, according to the Feb. 13 staff memo.
Vice president of operations for Halfacre Construction in Sarasota, Giasson noted on his Jan. 15 application that he has lived in the county for 24 years. In response to the application question about why he wanted to serve on the PFFAB, Giasson wrote only, “I am currently on the PFFAB board.” However, in his application for his first term, dated Jan. 19, 2015, he responded to that question by writing, “I feel it is important for the Construction Industry to Be Represented in the Impact Fees Discussions.”
At that time, staff was working with a consulting firm on revisions to its impact fees schedule.
The PFFAB makes recommendations to the commission on impact fees, other funding sources and fiscal impacts of levels of service.
Giasson did not provide answers to any other questions on his Jan. 15 form.
One vacancy remains on the PFFAB, the Feb. 13 staff memo said. That is within the “Civic” category, the memo added. “[The position] will continue to be advertised until filled,” the memo pointed out.
Giasson is one of the board members filling a “building & construction industry” slot. Cooper, who is the president and CEO of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, fills a “civic” seat.
The county webpage for the Public Facilities Financing Advisory Board points out that three members must represent public facilities and/or financial professionals; three must represent civic organizations; and three must represent development, building and construction.
Attendance records provided to the County Commission in advance of the Feb. 13 meeting showed the PFFAB had conducted four meetings in 2017; they were held on Jan. 25, 2017; June 14, 2017; Aug. 16, 2017; and Dec. 6, 2017. The only member without a perfect attendance mark was Jim Ley, the former county administrator, who was not present on Dec. 6, 2017, the records show.
The board’s most recent meeting was held on Feb. 14, according to the PFFAB webpage. That agenda called for a review of the county’s 2017 Annual Impact Fee Report and consideration of an amendment to the mobility fee ordinance.
County staff has been working, at the behest of the County Commission, to find ways to create incentives for the construction of more affordable housing in the community. Impact fees have been one focus of those initiatives.