Glades County commissioners approve several budget and administrative items including grant corrections, vehicle funding and emergency pay policy

Glades County commissioners on Tuesday approved several budget and administrative items, including amendments to move or remove previously budgeted grant funds, transfer capital funding for three sheriff vehicles, authorize reimbursement for playground equipment and adopt an emergency pay policy for disaster reimbursements.

The board approved budget amendment 24‑25‑21 and the corresponding resolution to increase the general fund planning and zoning budget by $40,000 to appropriate grant funding for an impact‑fee study. The transcript records the item as an adjustment to the general fund of $40,000 to pay for the study; the motion to approve was made during the business agenda and carried.

Commissioners also approved budget amendment 24‑25‑22, which transfers funding within the capital outlay fund to allow the sheriff’s office to purchase three pickup trucks. County finance staff said the vehicles had been previously approved; the amendment moves the money into the correct capital account so the sheriff can make the purchases and the vehicles will be recorded as capital assets of the sheriff’s department. A roll‑call vote on the transfer showed unanimous approval.

The board voted to approve budget amendment 24‑25‑26 and its corresponding resolution to reduce the general fund fire department budget by $28,360 after a personal protective equipment (PPE) grant that had been budgeted was not awarded. County staff explained the county believed it had met the grant requirements in October 2024 but subsequently learned the award was not issued because required compliance steps had not been completed. The amendment reduces both the budgeted revenue and the associated expenditure.

The board accepted an interlocal agreement with the Florida Department of Health that will allow the county to be reimbursed for playground equipment purchased and installed at Palmdale Park and Washington Park. County staff said the reimbursable amount is $41,487.12. Commissioner Sapp moved the motion and Commissioner Taylor seconded; the motion passed.

Separately, the board adopted an emergency pay policy intended to support reimbursement from state or federal disaster programs (for example, FEMA) for salary costs incurred during a declared event. County staff said the policy is consistent with standard statewide policies and is required to ensure the county can recover employee costs when eligible. The board voted to adopt the emergency pay policy; staff thanked county employees who helped prepare the policy.

Consent items on the meeting’s consent agenda, including previous meeting minutes, were approved with Commissioner Taylor abstaining from votes involving contracts with Johnson Contracting and Roofing where he disclosed a conflict.

Staff comments during the meeting clarified that where budgeted grant funds were not received, the amendments are accounting corrections to remove those anticipated but unreceived dollars; where funds already existed in reserve accounts, transfers moved funding into purchase accounts without changing the county’s overall budget total.

No additional follow‑up actions were scheduled at the meeting beyond the normal procurement process and recordkeeping for the approved items.