Webapps.hillsboroughcounty.org
CAPTIONING
DECEMBER 18, 2013
BOCC REGULAR MEETING
MORNING SESSION
***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate.
>>MARK SHARPE: HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
IT'S WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18th, AND THIS IS THE MEETING OF YOUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE FOR THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE, BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
>>LES MILLER, JR.: OUR GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, THE ALPHA, THE OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END.
FATHER, WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU TOUCHED US THIS MORNING WITH YOUR LOVING HANDS TO WAKE US TO SEE ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAYS.
FATHER, FOR THAT, WE'RE JUST FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
FATHER, WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU LET EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US OUT HERE TODAY TO MAKE DECISIONS TO MAKE THIS COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF US TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.
WE ASK THAT YOU REGULATE OUR MINDS AND HUMBLE OUR HEARTS AS WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS, THAT WE MIGHT BE ON ONE ACCORD, MAYBE NOT AGREEABLE ON EVERY ISSUE BUT DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO MAKE THIS COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF US.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT OUR FAMILIES, PROTECT OUR LOVED ONES, PROTECT THOSE WHO FIGHT ON FOREIGN SOILS FOR US EACH AND EVERY DAY.
PROTECT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR US EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND FATHER, WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE ALLOWING US TO BE HERE FOR ANOTHER HOLIDAY SEASON, BUT LET US NOT FORGET THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.
AND WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, WE ASK THAT YOU TAKE US BACK TO OUR HOMES TO FIND EVERYTHING SAFE AND SOUND.
THESE AND ALL BLESSINGS WE ASK IN YOUR NAME.
AMEN.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER, FOR THAT PRAYER.
WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH COMMISSIONER MILLER.
HE HAS A -- A -- THIS IS THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ANTHEM, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE SINGING IT?
>>LES MILLER, JR.: NO.
[LAUGHTER]
NO, I WON'T.
NO, I WON'T.
GOOD MORNING.
AND I'M GOING TO DO IT FROM HERE, IF YOU DON'T MIND,
MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.
YES, SIR.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: LET ME THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING AS WE REMEMBER A REMARKABLE MAN WHO CHANGED HIS COUNTRY, MOVED NATIONS, AND INTERNATIONALLY CHANGED MINDSETS.
TODAY WE PAY TRIBUTE TO FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA, A SERVANT LEADER AND A CHAMPION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.
BORN JULY 18th, 1918, HIS BIRTH NAME WAS ROLIHLAHLA, MEANING TROUBLEMAKER.
ALSO KNOWN BY HIS TRIBAL CLAN NAME MADIBA, THE NAME "NELSON" WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY ONE OF HIS TEACHERS BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT PRONOUNCE HIS FIRST NAME.
NELSON MANDELA WILL FOREVER BE REMEMBERED AS A GENTLE GIANT WHO CHOSE TO LOVE RATHER THAN HATE.
DESPITE SPENDING 27 YEARS IN PRISON, NELSON MANDELA REMAINED COMMITTED TO ENDING APARTHEID AND MAKING SOUTH AFRICA A MULTIRACIAL SOCIETY.
IN 1994, NELSON MANDELA BECAME THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA AND SERVED FAITHFULLY UNTIL 1999.
HE IS QUOTED AS SAYING, I HATE RACE DISCRIMINATION MOST INTENSELY AND IN ALL ITS MANIFESTATIONS.
I FOUGHT IT ALL DURING MY LIFE; I FIGHT IT NOW, AND WILL DO SO UNTIL THE END OF MY DAYS.
HE IS REGARDED AS A SYMBOL OF GLOBAL PEACEMAKING AND WON THE NOBEL PIECE PRIZE IN 1993.
NELSON MANDELA'S DEATH AT THE AGE OF 95 HAS TOUCHED SO MANY PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD.
HE HAS FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT AND IS NOW AT PEACE.
HIS LEGACY WILL LIVE ON FOR MANY GENERATIONS TO COME.
WE KNOW THAT NELSON MANDELA LOVED MUSIC AND OFTEN SEEING HIM DANCING, AND OFTEN HE USED IT TO BRING HIS PEOPLE TOGETHER.
TODAY, IN HIS HONOR, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE STAND AS THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL ANTHEM, NKOSI SIKELEL' iAFRIKA, IS PLAYED.
[VIDEO OF SOUTH AFRICAN ANTHEM PLAYED]
NKOSI SIKELEL' iAFRIKA
MALUPHAKANYISW' UPHONDO LWAYO,
YIZWA IMITHANDAZO YETHU,
NKOSI SIKELELA,
THINA LUSAPHO LWAYO.
MORENA BOLOKA SETJHABA SA HESO,
O FEDISE DINTWA
LA MATSHWENYEHO
O SE BOLOKE,
O SE BOLOKE SETJHABA SA HESO,
SETJHABA SA SOUTH AFRIKA -
SOUTH AFRIKA.
UIT DIE BLOU VAN ONSE HEMEL,
UIT DIE DIEPTE VAN ONS SEE,
OOR ONS EWIGE GEBERGTES,
WAAR DIE KRANSE ANTWOORD GEE,
SOUNDS THE CALL TO COME
TOGETHER, AND UNITED WE SHALL
STAND, LET US LIVE AND STRIVE
FOR FREEDOM IN SOUTH AFRICA,
OUR LAND.
[END OF VIDEO]
MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, LET ME THANK SOME PEOPLE HERE.
LET ME THANK TERRY McELROY OF HTV.
I THINK -- I UNDERSTAND TERRY PUT THAT TOGETHER.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
AND, TERRY, I THINK WE -- IT'S ON YOU TUBE, AND I THINK WE'VE HAD OVER SOME 2,000 HITS ON THAT ALREADY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
LET ME THANK KRISTINE BLAKE OF COMMUNICATIONS STAFF.
LORI HUDSON, I CALLED YOU WITH THIS IDEA, AND WE BEAT IT AROUND A LITTLE BIT, AND YOU WERE ABLE TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER WITH US WITH YOUR STAFF, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
LET ME THANK THE ENTIRE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF FOR THEIR WORK, AND LET ME THANK MY TWO PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE, ALPHANETTE JENKINS AND LARRY WILLIAMS FROM MY OFFICE, FOR WORKING WITH YOU AND THE STAFF WHO PUT THIS TOGETHER TO COMMEMORATE THE MEMORY OF A GREAT MAN.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>MARK SHARPE: AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.
THAT WAS A VERY PROFOUND OPENING.
THANK YOU.
WE'RE HONORED.
THE NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD RECOGNIZING 2014 AS THE YEAR OF THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
I BELIEVE THAT MR. STINES IS IN THE AUDIENCE.
IF YOU'D COME FORWARD, MR. STINES.
AND YOUR -- I GUESS SOME BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE EDITH HERE.
WELCOME, MA'AM.
>> THANKS.
>>MARK SHARPE: I'M GOING TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION AND THEN GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THE PROCLAMATION IS, AGAIN, FOR THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF OUR LIBRARY.
WHEREAS, JANUARY 1st, 2014, MARKS 100 YEARS TO THE DAY THAT THE FIRST PUBLIC LIBRARY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WAS DEDICATED AND KICKS OFF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM'S YEAR-LONG CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND THEME, CHANGING LIVES AND TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES; AND WHEREAS, THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM HAS 25 LIBRARIES, TWO MOBILE BRANCHES THAT SERVE MORE THAN ONE MILLION CUSTOMERS IN ITS PURSUIT TO PROMOTE LIFELONG LEARNING AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY; AND WHEREAS, THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM IS THE COMMON BOND THAT CONNECTS OUR COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING THROUGH LIBRARY PROGRAMS AND THE SERVICES OF PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND INTERESTS; AND WHEREAS, IN ITS EARLY YEARS, THE LIBRARY SYSTEM PROMOTED INTELLECTUAL EQUALITY BY BUILDING BRANCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HOSTING SPANISH LANGUAGE READING SECTIONS FOR IMMIGRANTS; AND WHEREAS, ADVANCEMENTS IN THE PROMOTION OF FREE INTELLECTUAL ATTAINABILITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS ARE REFLECTED IN LIBRARIES' ASSISTANCE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES; AND WHEREAS, LIBRARIES HAVE EMBRACED EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO HELP DRIVE INNOVATION IN THE DIGITAL AGE SO PATRONS CAN ACCESS ALL THE RESOURCES THE LIBRARY HAS TO OFFER FROM ANY DEVICE WITH INTERNET ACCESS.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY RECOGNIZE 2014 AS THE YEAR OF THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM'S CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND REQUESTS ALL RESIDENTS TO HONOR ALL THAT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM DOES TO CHANGE OUR LIVES AND TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES BY PARTICIPATING IN THE UPCOMING FESTIVITIES, EXECUTED THIS 18th DAY OF DECEMBER, 2013, AND SIGNED BY ALL SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION.
THANK YOU, SIR.
IF YOU'D COME FORWARD, MR. STINES.
>>JOE STINES: THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN SHARPE.
I WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT -- AND WE'VE HAD SO MANY SUPPORT FROM ALL OF OUR FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
JOHN McWHIRTER IS OUR CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARY BOARD, AND HE MAY SPEAK TO YOU IN A FEW MOMENTS, BUT I'M 61 YEARS OLD AND I LEARN EVERY DAY FROM ONE OF YOU AND EACH OF YOU, AND FROM HIM HE HAD DONE HIS HOMEWORK AND HE REMINDED ME OF
MR. CARNEGIE.
HE DIDN'T JUST GIVE OUT MONEY, IT WAS A COMMITMENT.
HE ASKED FOR A COMMITMENT FOR ALL COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT BE A CITY OR A COUNTY, IN ORDER TO GIVE THE MONEY FOR THE CITIZENS WHO WANTED A FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND IT HAD TO BE THAT COMMITMENT, AND JOHN'S REMINDED ME THAT I SHOULD ASK FOR THAT EVERY TIME I GO OUT TO SPEAK, AND I TAKE
MR. CARNEGIE WITH ME, AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A RECOMMITMENT FOR ANOTHER 100 YEARS.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY WITH THIS BOARD AND THIS GOVERNMENT AND WITH OUR ADMINISTRATOR AND -- AND MY DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, WE HAVE NEVER FELT AS STRONGLY SUPPORTED IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THAT SUPPORT.
THERE ARE SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE HELPED US.
WE'VE HAD A COMMITTEE OF STAFF -- COUNTY STAFF, NOT JUST LIBRARY STAFF -- WORKING FOR WELL OVER A YEAR ON OUR CELEBRATION.
PARTICULARLY LORI HUDSON'S STAFF, TERRY McELROY, AND JENNIFER HALL HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC.
THE ROAD SHOWS HAVE BROUGHT OUT PEOPLE, BRINGING US ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT BUILDS OUR HISTORY.
WE EVEN HAD ONE LADY BRING US A SIGN FROM A LIBRARY THAT NO LONGER IS A LIBRARY IN THE COUNTY.
PEOPLE LOVE THEIR LIBRARY, AND WE HOPE THAT THAT COMMITMENT BETWEEN THE CITIZEN AND YOU AS THE GOVERNING BODY -- WE HOPE WE ARE THE PEOPLE THERE THAT KEEPS THAT ALIVE AND KEEPS IT GROWING AND LISTENING TO WHAT IS NEEDED AND MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR THE LIBRARY TO BE HERE FOR ANOTHER 100 YEARS.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SOME SPECIAL FOLKS NOW FROM THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY.
THEY ARE STRONG SUPPORTERS, AND WE HAVE A DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOUNDED BY NO OTHER THAN JAN PLATT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TWO MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY'VE TOOK ON A VERY SPECIAL PROJECT THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE A LONG-LASTING GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY AS PART OF OUR CELEBRATION, EDITH STEWART AND CATHY TETI.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, ADMINISTRATOR.
THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY ARE A 501(C)(3) GROUP ORGANIZED TO SUPPORT THE LIBRARY, AND OUR MAJOR ACTIVITY IS FUND-RAISING TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING AT THE LIBRARIES, AND IN HONOR OF THE CENTENNIAL, WE HAVE PRODUCED A PERPETUAL CALENDAR CALLED TREASURES OF TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, WHICH GIVES, USING HISTORICAL PICTURES OWNED BY THE LIBRARY, A YEAR'S WORTH OF FACTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND PICTURES SUPPORTING THAT, AND I THINK ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE RECEIVED ONE.
IF NOT, WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU DO.
AND THE CALENDAR IS $15 AND WILL BE ON SALE IN THE LOBBY LATER THIS MORNING, SO A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS GIFT.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE STINES: I CAN'T LEAVE THE PODIUM WITHOUT MENTIONING THAT MR. CARNEGIE WAS 5'3", AND JENNIFER HALL SHRUNK HIM BY THREE INCHES.
NOW, I THINK SHE DID THAT TO LIVE WITHIN OUR BUDGET, SO I THINK HE WOULDN'T MIND BECAUSE HE WAS VERY TIGHT WITH A DOLLAR.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MR. STEINS.
OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION WILL BE PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FORWARD MAJOR DOUG BUTLER AND CAPTAIN KEITH BARRY, ALONG WITH THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE LOCAL CIVIL AIR PATROL FOR A SPECIAL PRESENTATION.
AND UPON COMPLETION OF THIS PRESENTATION, I'LL ASK FOR YOU TO COME FORWARD -- YOUR ENTIRE PARTY COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE THE COMMENDATION AND TAKE A PHOTO, AND I'M GOING TO ALSO ASK -- I THINK IT'S KIND OF APPROPRIATE TODAY -- THAT UPON COMPLETION OF THE PHOTO THAT CADET AIRMAN NICK WILLIAMS REMAIN AT THE DAIS HERE WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AND THAT WE ASK HIS MOM TO COME DOWN SO THAT WE CAN TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH WITH MOM AND SON.
THIS -- I LEARNED THIS MORNING THAT THIS IS CHARLENE'S SON WHO'S IN THE CADET PROGRAM, AND I'M EMBARRASSING HER TO DEATH, BUT ANYWAY, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOUR CHILDREN DOING WELL.
BUT, THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR BEING HERE.
AND AIRMAN WILLIAMS, WE'RE GOING TO GET A SPECIAL PHOTO WITH YOU AND YOUR MAMA.
WHEREAS, THE CIVIL AIR PATROL WAS FOUNDED IN DECEMBER 1941 BY A GROUP OF VOLUNTEER PILOTS WHO PROTECTED U.S. CARGO SHIPS DURING WORLD WAR II; AND WHEREAS, THESE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE PLAYED AN INTEGRAL PART -- AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE DEFENSE OF AMERICA'S HOMEFRONT FOR 72 YEARS, THEY ARE NOW SERVING AS AUXILIARY SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. AIR FORCE AND PARTICIPATE IN UP TO 90% OF INLAND SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSIONS; WHEREAS, THE CIVIL AIR PATROL IS OFTEN FIRST -- IS OFTEN THE FIRST ON THE SCENE FOR ASSISTANCE WITH EMERGENCY OFFICIALS TO PINPOINT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE GROUND TEAMS.
THE -- WHEREAS, THE PATROL SQUADRONS HAVE PERFORMED COMMENDABLY IN HOMELAND SECURITY MISSIONS, INCLUDING 9/11, DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL, NATURAL DISASTERS, HUMANITARIAN SERVICES, AND COUNTERDRUG MISSIONS; WHEREAS, THE CIVIL AIR PATROL GOES BEYOND ITS CALL OF DUTY IN TRAINING THOUSANDS OF CADETS EACH YEAR TO BE LEADERS, PILOTS, AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, ITS EDUCATION PROGRAMS ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO PURSUE CAREERS IN VITAL INDUSTRIES OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH; AND WHEREAS, THE CIVIL AIR PATROL HELPS PLACE WREATHS AT THE GRAVES OF FALLEN SOLDIERS, ITS CHAPLAIN CORPS PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICE TO THE SOLDIERS, FAMILIES, AND DISASTER VICTIMS.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY SET ASIDE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18th, AS CIVIL AIR PATROL DAY, SIGNED AND SEALED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
WELCOME, GENTLEMEN, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, THE PODIUM IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
ON BEHALF OF MY CADET SQUADRON, THE GENERAL CHUCK YEAGER CADET SQUADRON IN BRANDON, THE 6,000 MEMBERS IN THE FLORIDA WING, AND THE 60,000 MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF CIVIL AIR PATROL, WE ALL WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT HONOR THAT YOU'VE BESTOWED UPON US.
AND ALTHOUGH WE'RE ONE OF THE GREAT KEPT SECRETS OF THE WORLD, WE DO OUR MISSIONS EVERY DAY, AND OF THOSE 60,000 MEMBERS, THEY'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS, SO WE DON'T GET PAID ANYTHING FOR WHAT WE DO FOR YOU OUT THERE.
IT'S A GREAT PLEASURE TO SERVE OUR COUNTRY AND THOSE OF YOU ON THE BOARD AND EVERYBODY ELSE, AND, AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.
AND IF YOU'D COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION, AND WE'LL TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH.
>>RUSLANA PANOV: STAND BY.
ONE MORE TIME.
THANK YOU.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND CADET AIRMAN WILLIAMS, IF YOU COULD STAY HERE AND LET YOUR MOM COME AND LET'S GET A PHOTOGRAPH WITH THE TWO OF YOU.
>>RUSLANA PANOV: OKAY.
STAND BY.
ONE MORE TIME.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND CHARLENE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.
[LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YOU'RE WELCOME.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR GIVING US YOUR SON.
WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE HIM.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO HAVE YOU IN THIS CHAMBER.
THE NEXT PRESENTATION IS -- WILL BE PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER VICTOR CRIST.
>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I'VE BEEN BATTLING LARYNGITIS, SO BEAR WITH ME.
I'VE ASKED COMMISSIONER BECKNER IF HE WOULD READ THE PROCLAMATION BECAUSE IT'S LENGTHY.
I WAS AFRAID MY VOICE WOULD GIVE OUT HALFWAY THROUGH IT, BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK KEVIN WRIGHT IF HE COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD AND IF THERE'S ANYONE WITH YOU TODAY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK TO JOIN YOU AT THE ADAIS.
BEFORE I BEGIN, KEVIN, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS AREA.
YOU HAVE BEEN DOGGING THIS ISSUE FOR TWO YEARS AND YOU'RE SMILING TODAY BECAUSE IT'S FINALLY BECOMING -- ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR TEAM'S HARD WORK IS BEGINNING TO COME TO LIFE, AND IT'S A JOYOUS MOMENT.
IN SERVING ON THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE MOMENT AND OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT THE TAMPA BAY AREA.
MOST FOLKS DON'T REALIZE THAT COMMERCIAL AVIATION STARTED HERE RIGHT OUTSIDE THIS BUILDING WITH A FLIGHT FROM
ST. PETERSBURG TO TAMPA, AND THAT WAS -- IN 1914, TONY JANNUS MADE AVIATION HISTORY BY PILOTING THE BENOIST AIRBOAT FROM ST. PETERSBURG TO TAMPA AS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL FLIGHT.
THAT PIONEERING FLIGHT CREATED AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS EVOLVED INTO A $1.3-TRILLION ECONOMIC ENGINE ANNUALLY TO THIS COUNTRY.
JANUARY 1st, 1914, MARKS THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FLIGHT.
THIS YEAR ON JANUARY 1st, 2014, THERE'LL BE A SIMULATED REENACTMENT OF THAT FLIGHT FROM ST. PETERSBURG TO TAMPA, AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE THAT IS INTERESTED TO -- TO GO OUT AND JOIN IN THE FESTIVITIES.
IT'S GOING TO BE FUN-FILLED AND FAMILY-ORIENTED, AND WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR HARD WORK IN RECOGNIZING THIS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BAY AREA AND, FRANKLY, THE WORLD.
>> ON BEHALF OF THE FLIGHT 2014 FOLKS THAT ARE HERE -- THEY'RE ALL HISTORIANS AND CIVIC LEADERS IN THEIR OWN
RIGHT -- WE WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS WAS A VICTORY FOR ENTREPRENEURS EVERYWHERE AS WELL.
PERCIVAL FANSLER WAS THE ORIGINATOR OF THE IDEA OF ACTUALLY USING AIRCRAFT, WHICH WERE SO NEW AT THE TIME, FOR USE IN TRAVEL, AND WHERE BETTER TO GO THAN FROM ST. PETERSBURG TO TAMPA?
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO HONOR WHAT THEY ACHIEVED 100 YEARS AGO, OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY WILL CONTINUE TO FLOURISH, BUT ALSO TOO, WE HAVE CHOSEN THE WORDS OF PERCIVAL FANSLER AS OUR MOTTO FOR THE YEAR, AND AFTER THE FLIGHT WAS ACCOMPLISHED, THEY ASKED HIM WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, AND HE SAID, TODAY WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT YESTERDAY WAS THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE; TOMORROW HERALDS THE UNBELIEVABLE.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY WHO HAVE DREAMS, AND WE'RE ALL GIVEN THOSE DREAMS, BUT SOMEHOW WE HAVE THOSE SETBACKS.
AND TWO YEARS AFTER THAT FIRST AIRLINE MADE ITS WORK -- IT ONLY OPERATED FOR 90 DAYS -- IT COULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE THAT WAS A FAILURE.
BENOIST DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT, AND TONY JANNUS, THE PILOT, HAD DIED IN A TRAINING ACCIDENT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, BUT FIVE YEARS LATER IT LOOKED LIKE ABSOLUTE GENIUS, AND WE HAVE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE HERE FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD.
SO AS WE'RE PICKING AND CHOOSING DREAMS OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, 100 YEARS, LET'S LOOK FOR THOSE DREAMS WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND LET THEM BEGIN HERE.
>>VICTOR CRIST: ANY RELATION TO THE -- ANY RELATION TO THE WRIGHT BROTHERS, BY ANY CHANCE?
>> NO.
THE NAME WRIGHT SIGNIFIES THAT YOU HAVE ARTISANSHIP IN YOUR -- IN YOUR HERITAGE.
NO, I'M NOT RELATED TO THE WRIGHT BROTHERS, AS FAR AS I KNOW, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, IN ENGLAND YOU COULD PROBABLY TRACE THAT BACK A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: WELL, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER CRIST FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO -- TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION.
I WAS JUST REFLECTING ON SOME OF THE WORDS THAT YOU SAID, AND IT'S INTERESTING, AS WE REFLECT THE LAST 100 YEARS, OF THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP THAT BROUGHT AND PUSHED TRANSPORTATION -- A NEW MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FORWARD AND SET THE MARK ON THE NATIONAL MAP I THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE HERE DOING LOCALLY, AND ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AT THE LEVEL OF THAT ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, BUT WE'RE HERE TRYING TO MOVE TRANSPORTATION FORWARD WITHINSIDE OF OUR OWN COUNTY 100 YEARS LATER, SO I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE OVER TIME, AND YET YOU STILL THINK ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO HERE LOCALLY, SO PERHAPS SOME MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT WILL COME IN TO US IN THE NEXT -- IN THIS NEXT YEAR AS WE DISCUSS TRANSPORTATION AND AS WE LOOK TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WHEREAS, ON JANUARY 1st, 1914, TONY JANNUS MADE AVIATION HISTORY BY PILOTING THE NUMBER 43 BENOIST AIRBOAT FOR THE INAUGURAL 23-MINUTE FLIGHT OF THE ST. PETERSBURG-TAMPA AIRBOAT LINE, WHICH WAS THE WORLD'S FIRST SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL AIRLINE; AND WHEREAS, PERCIVAL FANSLER FORMULATED THE PLAN FOR THE FIRST AIRLINE AND TOM BENOIST PROVIDED THE PLANE'S PERSONNEL AND FINANCING; AND WHEREAS, THE CREATION OF THAT AIRLINE DEMONSTRATED THE PRACTICALITY OF REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL AIR TRANSPORT AND LED TODAY -- TO TODAY'S GLOBAL AVIATION INDUSTRY; AND WHEREAS, THAT FIRST PIONEERING FLIGHT EXEMPLIFIES THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT THAT HAS EVOLVED INTO AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS AN ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE NATION OF MORE THAN 1.3 TRILLION, IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA NEARLY 100 BILLION, AND IN THE TAMPA BAY OF NINE BILLION; AND WHEREAS, THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THIS HISTORIC EVENT GROWS NEAR AND PLANS ARE UNDERWAY TO COMMEMORATE THE FLIGHT WITH A REENACTMENT USING A FULL-SCALE REPRODUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL AIRBOAT; AND WHEREAS, THE PREDICTION BY PERCIVAL FANSLER, FOUNDER OF THE
ST. PETERSBURG-TAMPA AIRBOAT LINE, HAS PROVED TO BE PROPHETIC WHEN HE SAID, WHAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE YESTERDAY IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT OF TODAY - WHILE TOMORROW HERALDS THE UNBELIEVABLE.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY RECOGNIZE 2014 AS THE YEAR OF FLIGHT 2014, THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF THE WORLD'S FIRST AIRLINE, AND EXPRESSES APPRECIATION TO THE THREE FOUNDING ORGANIZATIONS OF THE COMMEMORATION, THE FLORIDA AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE ST. PETERSBURG MUSEUM OF HISTORY, AND THE TONY JANNUS DISTINGUISHED AVIATION SOCIETY, AS WELL AS THE KERMIT WEEKS OF FANTASY OF FLIGHT FOR BUILDING THE REPRODUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL AIRLINER TO FLY ON THE OCCASION OF THE CENTENNIAL DAY AND TO TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR SPONSORING THE TAMPA LANDING CEREMONY ON JANUARY 1st, 2014.
>>RUSLANA PANOV: IF YOU WOULD STEP CLOSER TOGETHER, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
STAND BY.
ONE MORE TIME.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: ABSOLUTELY.
>> IF I COULD JUST BRING A WORD OF GREETING FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAY, ST. PETERSBURG.
WE'VE GOT A REAL PARTNERSHIP HERE GOING BETWEEN TAMPA AND ST. PETERSBURG FOR THIS WONDERFUL CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
I'M WILL MICHAELS, AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE FLIGHT 2014 BOARD, WHICH IS PLANNING THE CELEBRATIONS, AND WE HAVE AS A MEMENTO HERE FOR EACH COMMISSIONER THE OFFICIAL MEDALLION OF THE CENTENNIAL OF THE WORLD'S FIRST AIRLINE, AND ON THE BACK OF IT HAS THE QUOTE THAT KEVIN HAS JUST RECITED FOR YOU.
WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT.
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ALL TURN OUT ON JANUARY THE 1st.
I KNOW IT'S EARLY IN THE MORNING.
THE LANDING WILL BE HERE AT PETER O. KNIGHT AIRPORT.
AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
KELLY FIGLEY IS HERE, THE MANAGER OF MARKETING FOR TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THEY ARE COORDINATING AND UNDERWRITING THE CELEBRATION HERE ON THE TAMPA SIDE OF THE BAY.
SOMEONE MENTIONED THIS AS BEING A MODEL FOR TRANSIT.
I PICKED UP ON THAT.
I THINK THAT THE WORLD'S FIRST AIRLINE STILL HAS THE RECORD FOR THE FASTEST TRIP ACROSS THE BAY, 22, 23 MINUTES, SO IT'S HARD TO BEAT EVEN TODAY.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR YOUR REMARKS.
WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE.
THANK YOU, SIR.
OKAY.
MR. MERRILL, WOULD YOU PLEASE REVIEW THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.
>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, COMMISSIONER.
WE HAVE THREE DEFERRALS AND DELETIONS.
A-3, WHICH IS AN AWARD OF AN INSTALLATION AND RELOCATION OF COMPUTERS AND PERIPHERALS TO ACCOMPLISHED TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, IS BEING DEFERRED TO JANUARY 23rd.
A-20, AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC CONSULTING AND TECHNICAL ANALYSIS IN THE UPDATE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS BEING DELETED.
A-31, THE APPROVAL OF A SOLE-SOURCE AGREEMENT WITH STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR THE RYAN WHITE EXTENSION ACT, IS BEING DELETED.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF REVISIONS AND CORRECTIONS.
B-3, THE CHANGE THERE IS TO SET IT FOR A TIME CERTAIN AT 11:00 A.M.
THAT'S THE AWARD OF THE BID FOR ROADSIDE AND POND SITE MOWING SERVICES.
AND ITEM F-1 IS BEING SET FOR A TIME CERTAIN AT 10:45, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE AUDIT OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
THAT'S COMMISSIONER CRIST'S ITEM.
AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TIME CERTAINS.
BEGINNING AT 10:15 WITH ITEM F-3, A PRESENTATION BY IRV COHEN AND JOE STINES REGARDING THE LIBRARY LI4E PROGRAM AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMUNITY INNOVATION CENTER AT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY.
THAT'S COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S ITEM.
A COMPANION ITEM AT 10:15 IS B-15, WHICH IS THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND LEARNING IS FOR EVERYONE TO IMPLEMENT THE COMMUNITY INNOVATION CENTER AT THE LIBRARY.
10:30, B-1 IS A RESOLUTION CONDITIONALLY APPROVING FOR PURPOSES OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE THE ISSUANCE BY THE CAPITAL TRUST AGENCY FOR APPROXIMATELY $16,700,000 OF REVENUE BONDS FOR A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY TO BE KNOWN AS TAMPA BAY MEMORY CARE.
10:45, TWO ITEMS.
F-1 IS THE INTERNAL AUDITOR'S ANNUAL AUDIT -- I'M SORRY, F-1 IS THE DIRECTION TO THE AUDITOR TO PERFORM AN AUDIT OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND B-14 IS THE INTERNAL AUDITOR'S 2014 ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN.
11:00 A.M., B-3 IS THE AGREEMENTS FOR ROADSIDE AND POND SITE MOWING SERVICES.
WE ARE RECESSING FOR LUNCH AT 11:45, RETURNING AT 1:45 WITH ITEM B-5, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ISSUANCE BY THE HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MULTIFAMILY HOUSING REVENUE BONDS FOR THE HALEY PARK APARTMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5 MILLION.
WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS BEGINNING AT 10:00 P.M.
D-1 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE RELEASE OF PERPETUAL ACCESS, MAINTENANCE AND UTILITY EASEMENTS FOR A ELAPP PARCEL NO LONGER REQUIRED IN THE FISHHAWK PORTION OF THE SOUTH HILLSBOROUGH WILDLIFE CORRIDOR.
AND THE OTHER PUBLIC HEARING IS D-2, TO AN ENACT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL ORDINANCE.
THOSE ARE THE CHANGES.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>KEVIN BECKNER: MOVE THE CHANGES.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN TO MOVE OF THE CHANGES, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO ENTERING INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE BOARD SETS ASIDE 45 MINUTES IN THE MORNING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CHANGES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS.
YOUR OPINIONS ARE VALUED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING INPUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS; HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED AT THE SAME TIME WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD THAT COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST ANY COMMISSIONER OR STAFF BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES AND THAT YOU ALWAYS PROVIDE MUTUAL RESPECT FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCE.
WE DO HAVE A VERY CROWDED AGENDA AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WISH TO SPEAK, MANY TO ITEMS D-2, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING FIRST WITH THOSE SPEAKING TO ITEMS WHICH ARE ON THE AGENDA, AND IF WE HAVE TIME REMAINING, THOSE OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEMS.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THE FIRST PART OF THIS MEETING, YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE CONCLUSION OF OUR BOARD MEETING.
THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS ARE DR. MICHAEL HAWORTH, JOANNE O'BRIEN, AND ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI.
I HOPE I DIDN'T MESS THAT UP TOO MUCH.
DR. HAWORTH.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
>>MARK SHARPE: GOOD MORNING.
>> DR. MICHAEL HAWORTH, 2812 WEST GANDY BOULEVARD.
I'D LIKE TO START OUT BY READING A QUOTE.
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE VALUE OR INUTILITY OF THE DOMESTIC CAT AND PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH LIMITING IT TO MORE OR LESS UNWELCOME OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ARE CAUSING MUCH DISSENSION.
THE DISCUSSION HAS REACHED AN ACUTE STAGE.
MEDICAL MEN, GAME PROTECTORS, AND BIRD LOVERS CALL ON LEGISLATORS TO ENACT RESTRICTIVE LAWS.
THEN ARDENT CAT LOVERS ROUSE THEMSELVES FOR COMBAT.
IN THE EXCITEMENT OF PARTISANSHIP, MANY LOOSE AND
ILL-CONSIDERED STATEMENTS ARE MADE.
THIS STATEMENT WAS MADE IN 1916 BY EDWARD FORBUSH, A STATE ORNITHOLOGIST, AND I THINK IT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTY TODAY WITH REGARDS TO FERAL CATS.
THIS IS ADMITTEDLY A VERY EMOTIONAL ISSUE.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
YOU'RE BEING ASKED TODAY IN ITEM D-2 TO CONSIDER A CHANGE TO THE ANIMAL ORDINANCE IN OUR COUNTY.
THE ORDINANCE HAS CHANGED -- I THINK WE'RE ON THE FIFTH VERSION THAT JUST CAME OUT THIS MORNING.
IT APPEARS TO BE A VERY FAST-MOVING TARGET.
I'M NOT SURE WHY IT KEEPS CHANGING SO FREQUENTLY, AND THE LATEST VERSION APPEARS TO REMOVE MICROCHIPPING AND COLONY REGISTRATION THAT WAS IN THERE AS OF YESTERDAY.
THE VETERINARY COMMUNITY'S BEEN STEADFAST IN OUR COMMITMENT TO WORK PUBLICLY IN A GOODWILL MISSION TO HELP IN THIS MATTER.
WE ADVOCATE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.
IF THE ORDINANCE PASSES AS WRITTEN, FECES FROM EAR-NOTCHED CATS WOULD NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ANYONE TAKING CARE OF THE COLONY.
IF THERE ARE TRULY 200,000 FERAL CATS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AT AN AVERAGE OF 60 POUNDS OF FECES PER CAT, THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO MORE THAN 12 MILLION POUNDS OR MORE OF CAT POOP EACH YEAR THAT NO CITIZEN CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT ABOUT BEING DEPOSITED ON THEIR PROPERTY.
BY THE WAY, EVERY OTHER DOG OR CAT'S FECES WOULD STILL NEED TO BE PICKED UP, AS THOSE FECES ARE PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARDS, BUT SOMEHOW NOTCHED-EAR CAT FECES WOULD BE EXEMPT.
VETERINARIANS CARE AND ARE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT ALL ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE DOGS AND CATS, BUT HUMANS, KIDS, THE ELDERLY, AND THE INFIRMED.
WE CARE ABOUT THEM ALL.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS SITUATION FROM THE BIG PICTURE AND KEEP OUR PERSPECTIVE.
I'M CURIOUS OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT WAS CONTAINED IN THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN.
THIS PLAN HAS TWICE BEEN REAFFIRMED BY YOU, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
WHERE IS IT INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE?
WHO WROTE THE ORDINANCE AND WHY DOES IT KEEP CHANGING SO RAPIDLY?
WHY DO WE HAVE FIVE VERSIONS JUST OVER THE LAST EIGHT DAYS?
PLEASE STOP TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR VOTE ON THIS ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN WILL MEAN TO OUR COMMUNITY.
SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CATS.
NO ONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE VETERINARIANS, WANT TO SEE THESE ANIMALS NEEDLESSLY EUTHANIZED.
TAKE THE TIME TO CRAFT THE LEGISLATION THAT WILL ADDRESS THE CONCERNS, AND PLEASE IMPLEMENT THE PILOT PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE TWICE REAFFIRMED IN THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, COMMISSIONERS.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, DR. HAWORTH.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JOANNE O'BRIEN, THEN ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI, NANCY -- AND NANCY McCALL.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME, MA'AM.
>> JOANNE O'BRIEN, 6916 THRASHER DRIVE, TAMPA 33610.
I AM FOR THE TRAP, SPAY, NEUTER, AND RELEASE, AND ME AND MY DAUGHTER HAVE BEEN DOING THIS CLOSE TO TEN YEARS.
WE HAD A BIG PROBLEM OUT THERE WHERE I LIVE.
WE LIVE NEAR THE FAIRGROUNDS.
PEOPLE DUMP ANIMALS OFF.
IT'S NOT A VERY NICE THING.
I'M NOW WORKING ON A TRAILER PARK OUT IN THAT AREA, AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PETS, BUT MY ISSUE IS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU TRAP AN ANIMAL, IT COULD BE SOMEONE'S PET.
WE STILL FIX IT AND RELEASE IT.
MY DAUGHTER, WHO'S HERE, SHE HAS WORKED FOR ANIMAL SERVICES IN NEW YORK, AND IT'S NOT A PRETTY SIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE TO LINE UP ANIMALS IN THOSE TOMAHAWK CAGES AND PUT A PITCHFORK DOWN INTO IT TO PUT THE CAT UP AGAINST THE WALL TO STICK A NEEDLE IN ITS SIDE TO EUTHANIZE IT, SO, YOU KNOW, I AM, YOU KNOW, FOR TRAP, SPAY, NEUTER, AND RELEASE BECAUSE WHEN DO YOU THIS, THAT MEANS NO NEW CATS WILL COME INTO THAT COMMUNITY, AND THEY LIVE THEIR DAYS OUT AND THEY DIE OFF, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
THANK YOU, AND HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS, YOU ALL, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AS WELL.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI, THEN WE HAVE NANCY McCALL, AND THEN ADRIENNE SWISLER.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI, 23535 OAKSIDE BOULEVARD, LUTZ, FLORIDA.
I'M DR. ADRIANA ODACHOWSKI, PRESIDENT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH ANIMAL HEALTH FOUNDATION.
I'M HERE TODAY RECOMMENDING THAT THE COMMITTEE INCLUDE THE PROPOSED "BE THE WAY HOME" PILOT PROGRAM IN THE ANIMAL -- PROPOSED ANIMAL ORDINANCE.
I FEEL STRONGLY THAT A PILOT PROGRAM IS ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED FERAL CAT ORDINANCE.
THIS PILOT WILL ALLOW THE ASSESSMENT OF THE POLICY, GIVE US TIME TO ASSESS ITS EFFECTIVENESS, UNDERSTAND ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, AND RECOMMEND CHANGES TO ENSURE ITS SUCCESS.
AS A VETERINARIAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THIS PROGRAM RESPONSIBLY ADDRESSES THE WELFARE OF THOSE CATS AND ALSO THE WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE FERAL COLONY EXISTS.
THIS INCLUDES PROPER CONTINUED VACCINATION, IDENTIFICATION, NUTRITION, AND TRACKING VIA THE MICROCHIP, ALL OF WHICH PROTECTS THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY CHILDREN AND ELDERLY, FROM POTENTIALLY LETHAL EXPOSURE TO RABIES AND PARASITES.
A SINGLE VACCINATION PROTECTS THE ANIMAL FOR A YEAR AT THE MOST, NOT A LIFETIME.
YEARLY VACCINATIONS ARE REQUIRED BY LAW, AND WITHOUT TRACKING, THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE.
AS A VETERINARIAN, THE HARDEST PART OF MY JOB IS DEALING WITH ANIMALS WHO COME TO ME WITH OBVIOUS SIGNS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
THESE ARE ANIMALS LIKE FERAL CATS THAT ARE TYPICALLY FOUND IN THE STREETS.
FOR MANY, MY CARE COMES TOO LATE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGE.
I WOULD LIKE TO PUT AN END TO NEEDLESS EUTHANASIA.
I, LIKE MANY OF YOU HERE TODAY, LOVE ANIMALS AND WORK DILIGENTLY FOR THEIR WELFARE THROUGH RESCUE, ADOPTION, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.
FULLY ADOPTING THE PILOT PROGRAM IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ANIMALS WHO WILL RECEIVE REGULAR CARE AND THE CITIZENS, YOUNG AND OLD, WHO WILL BE PROTECTED FROM UNVACCINATED AND DISEASED ANIMALS ROAMING THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEREFORE, INSTEAD OF AN UNCONTROLLED PLAN, I ASK THE COMMISSIONERS TO IMPLEMENT THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN AND CONDUCT A "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN PILOT PROGRAM AS PROPOSED.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NANCY McCALL, THEN ADRIAN SWISLER, AND TERRI ROMANO.
>> GOOD MORNING.
NANCY McCALL, 4605 BALLAST POINT.
>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME, MA'AM.
>> I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY.
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I'VE WORKED WITH THE TAMPA FERAL CAT DATABASE, WHICH HOLDS THE RECORDS OF 4,000 COLONIES, WHICH INCLUDES MORE THAN 22,000 FERAL CATS THAT HAVE BEEN STERILIZED AND IMMUNIZED BY HSTB ALONE.
TOGETHER WITH ACT, OVER 47,000 CATS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAVE BEEN TNVR'D BY NONPROFITS AT NO EXPENSE TO TAXPAYERS.
I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE NUMBER OF KITTENS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BORN TO THOSE 47,000 FERAL CATS AND WHAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IN THEIR LIVES.
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN EUTHANIZED AT ANIMAL SERVICES OR THEY WOULD STILL BE WANDERING THE STREETS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY UNIMMUNIZED AND MAKING BABIES.
THANKS TO OUR EFFORTS IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, THE EUTHANASIA RATE AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES HAS BEEN REDUCED BY OVER 50%.
THIS REPRESENTS A HUGE SAVINGS TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAXPAYERS.
REGARDING THE CAT WHO RECENTLY BIT THE CHILD IN NEW TAMPA THAT TESTED POSITIVE FOR RABIES, WE WOULD LIKE TO -- I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE BOCC THAT THIS CAT WAS NOT EAR-TIPPED.
IF IT HAD BEEN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN INOCULATED AGAINST RABIES AND THIS TRAGEDY WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMIND THE BOCC THAT WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED, THERE WAS A LOT OF FINGER POINTING THAT WENT ON, BUT IT WAS HSTB, ACT, AND CAT CRUSADERS THAT WENT OUT INTO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AND HELD A FREE SHOT CLINIC FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
500 PETS WERE IMMUNIZED, MAKING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
TODAY NATIONAL GROUPS SUCH AS THE ASPCA, BEST FRIENDS, ALLEY CAT ALLIES, AND HSUS ARE WATCHING TO SEE IF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WILL BE JOINING OTHER COMMUNITIES SUCH AS AUSTIN, SAN FRANCISCO, JACKSONVILLE, LOS ANGELES, AND MANY MORE.
AND I ASK YOU TO SHOW THEM WHO WE ARE AND HAVE THIS GO FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS --
[APPLAUSE]
-- ADRIAN SWISLER, TERRI ROMANO, AND MS. O'MALLEY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME'S ADRIAN SWISHER.
MY ADDRESS IS 1704 WALDEN VILLAGE COURT, PLANT CITY, FLORIDA.
TODAY I'M HERE SPEAKING TO YOU AS A VETERINARY PRACTICE MANAGER, WHICH I'VE DONE MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE.
I HAVE SEVERAL CONCERNS REGARDING THE COMMUNITY CAT ORDINANCE.
THE REASON ONE GETS INTO THE VETERINARY FIELD AND PROFESSION IS THEIR LOVE OF ANIMALS.
THAT'S THE FIRST AND FOREMOST DRIVING FORCE FOR THAT.
SO MY FIRST CONCERN IS FOR THE WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY CATS.
MYSELF AND MY TEAM OFTEN SEE THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THAT THESE OUTDOOR CATS HAVE TO ENDURE DUE TO ALL THE RISK FACTORS OF BEING OUTDOORS.
OFTEN WE SEE THE HARSH CONSEQUENCES OF THEM NOT HAVING THAT SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND REGULAR MEDICAL CARE, AND IT'S HEARTBREAKING.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING FOR ME, FOR MY TEAM, AND FOR OUR CLIENTS THAT ARE THERE WHEN THEY'RE BEING BROUGHT IN.
THE OTHER REASON THAT I KNOW ME PERSONALLY GOT INTO THE FIELD WAS SO THAT WE COULD EDUCATE, EDUCATE ON RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP, AND IT'S HARD FOR US NOW TO LOOK AT THEM AND GO, IF YOU OWN A CAT, YOU HAVE TO KEEP THAT CAT INDOORS, YOU HAVE TO BUY A RABIES TAG, YOU HAVE TO DO REGULAR VACCINES.
I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY ISN'T DOING THAT AND THE COUNTY'S OKAY WITH NOT HAVING RABIES TAGS AND HAVING THEM OUTDOORS, BUT YOU HAVE TO, AND HOW DO I EXPLAIN THAT TO A CLIENT IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND?
SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS TO CONSIDER THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN.
MANY TIMES SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED WE'VE RUN INTO A SITUATION WHERE EVERYONE'S ASKING, HOW DO WE COMPROMISE ON THIS, WHAT IS THE COMMON GROUND, HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD?
THAT'S WHAT THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN WAS, IT WAS THE COMPROMISE.
PLEASE INITIATE THE PILOT PROGRAM FOR "BE THE WAY HOME."
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS TERRI ROMANO, THEN DEIRDRE O'MALLEY, AND JEANINE COHEN.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS TERRI ROMANO, 5715 SEA TROUT PLACE, APOLLO BEACH, FLORIDA.
I FIRST WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU WITH A LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN TO ME LAST EVENING FROM DR. JANET MARLEY.
SHE AND HER HUSBAND, DR. ROSE, WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TODAY, AND SO SHE ASKED ME TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF.
ONLY TWO CASES OF RABIES IN HUMANS FROM CAT BITES HAVE BEEN RECORDED BY THE CDC, AND THIS DATES BACK TO THE '60s.
A DISTINCTION WAS NOT MADE AS TO WHETHER THESE HOUSEHOLD PETS ARE FERAL CATS.
ONE INCIDENT WAS A WOMAN VACATIONING IN GUATEMALA AND WAS BITTEN BY A CAT AND THEN SHE RETURNED TO THE U.S.
THE OTHER WAS A MAN WHO WAS BITTEN HERE IN THE STATES.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE CDC, THE CENTER OF DISEASES CONTROL, WITH ITS HEADQUARTERS IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, IS A REVERED INSTITUTION BOTH NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY.
WE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD CONSULT WITH THE CDC ON A REGULAR BASIS AND ALSO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS FOR DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, STATISTICS, AND UPDATE.
THE CDC IS RECOGNIZED AS A LEADING AUTHORITY ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
I WAS AN EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN AS WELL, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A PATIENT GIVE ME A HISTORY OF A FERAL OR A STRAY CAT JUMPING OUT AND ATTACKING.
CAT BITES AND SCRATCHES OCCURRED WITH FAMILY PETS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CATS.
WHEN MY OLD ENGLISH BULL DOG AND I GO FOR A WALK, I AM MORE AFRAID OF BEING ATTACKED BY HUMANS AND DOGS.
I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAT JUMP OUT AT ME, AND FERAL CATS DO NOT JUMP OUT AND ATTACK PEOPLE.
IT IS THE OTHER WAY AROUND, THEY ARE SO SKITTISH THAT THEY RUN AWAY AND HIDE, AND I KNOW FROM THIS EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I HAVE TWO FERAL CATS.
MY HUSBAND, DR. ELI ROSE, AND I ARE BOTH BOARD CERTIFIED OB/GYNs.
I HAVE NEVER -- I HAVE SERVED THIS COMMUNITY FOR 38 YEARS.
WE HAVE DELIVERED OVER 7,000 BABIES.
AT PRENATAL VISITS WE ASK SEVERAL QUESTIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE PRESENCE OF PETS IN THE HOUSEHOLD, AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD AN ADVERSE INCIDENT OF ANY INFECTIOUS DISEASES TRANSMITTED BY ANIMALS.
IN MY OPINION, THE CHANCES OF WINNING THE LOTTERY ARE FAR GREATER THAN BEING ATTACKED BY A RABID FERAL CAT.
I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU AS A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTY, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A PROCESS THAT IS SUPPORTED IN OVER 100 COMMUNITIES CAN'T BE WRONG.
THE LET'S SUPPORT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO SUPPORT TNVR ON THEIR OWN DIME AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THE PENALTIES OF BEING SCOLDED FOR DOING THIS.
PLEASE ENACT THE SEPTEMBER 4th VERSION OF THE COMMUNITY CAT ORDINANCE.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
NEXT SPEAKER IS DEIRDRE O'MALLEY, WE HAVE JEANINE COHEN, AND DON THOMPSON.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M DR. DEIRDRE O'MALLEY.
I'M THE PRIMARY SHELTER VETERINARIAN AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY, AND MYSELF, ALONG WITH MY EIGHT COLLEAGUES AT THE WELLNESS CENTER, ALSO VETERINARIANS, ARE ALL IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM, TRAP, NEUTER, VACCINATE, AND RELEASE.
WE DO FEEL THAT IT HAS, AS YOU CAN SEE, REDUCED THE POPULATION OF THE FERAL CAT POPULATION QUITE A BIT AND HAS ALSO IMPROVED THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE JUST BECAUSE THERE'S MORE RESOURCES NOW FROM THEM THAT THE FERAL CAT COLONY PEOPLE PROVIDE FOR THEM.
IN THE PAST THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OTHERS HAVE RELIED ON WHAT THEY CALL CULLING, EUTHANIZING LARGE AMOUNTS OF THESE ANIMALS AT A GREAT EXPENSE, AND IT HASN'T WORKED.
IT HASN'T WORKED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, IT HASN'T WORKED IN OURS.
THAT'S WHY THE POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW.
YOU CAN SEE SINCE 2006 ON THE CHART THAT I PROVIDED THAT OUR EUTHANASIA RATE HAS DECREASED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER 2006 AS THE TNVR PROGRAM HAS INCREASED THEIR EFFORTS, SO THE PROGRAM DOES WORK.
IS IT PERFECT?
NO.
THERE CERTAINLY ARE SOME OTHER THINGS TO HAVE TO CONSIDER WITH THEM, RABIES BEING ONE OF THEM, BUT, IN FACT, RABIES TITERS LAST FOR THREE YEARS EVEN AFTER A ONE-YEAR VACCINE
KANSAS STATE, OUR PRIMARY USDA RABIES TITER LAB, HAS ESTABLISHED, BUT I DO ENCOURAGE YOU AS A VETERINARIAN THAT THIS PROGRAM DOES WORK AND HAS DECREASED OUR POPULATION.
IT IS MAKING THINGS BETTER.
WE DO HAVE SOME CHANGES TO WORK ON, BUT IT'S SAVED US MONEY AS WELL, AND I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, DOCTOR, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.
[APPLAUSE]
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JEANINE COHEN, THEN WE HAVE DON THOMPSON, AND JACK TALMAN.
>> HI.
GOOD MORNING.
JEANINE COHEN, 8875 HIDDEN RIVER PARKWAY.
I'M AN ATTORNEY HERE IN TAMPA BAY.
I'M ALSO THE CODIRECTOR OF CAT CRUSADERS.
I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY SPEAKING FOR CAT CALL AND ST. FRANCIS AS WELL, THREE OF YOUR BIGGEST CAT RESCUES THAT REGULARLY PULL CATS AND KITTENS OUT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES.
WE ALL ALSO HELP NEED -- COUNTLESS CATS AND KITTENS IN THE COMMUNITY.
CAT CRUSADERS CURRENTLY IS HELPING THREE CATS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR EVERY ONE WE PULL OUT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, SO WE DO OUR WORK OUTSIDE OF ANIMAL SERVICES AS WELL.
WE ALSO ALL ACTIVELY TNVR.
I THINK THAT, AS DR. HAWORTH SAID TO YOU THIS MORNING, THIS ARGUMENT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE 1916, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, WE STILL HAVE ALL THESE CATS UNALTERED IN OUR COMMUNITY WANDERING THE STREETS.
THE TRUTH IS THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM DIDN'T CREATE THE PROBLEM.
WE'RE DIVIDED AS TO HOW TO FIX IT.
WE CANNOT KEEP TRAPPING AND EUTHANIZING, IT DOESN'T WORK.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS, AND WE STILL HAVE IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS, WE STILL HAVE UNALTERED CATS AND KITTENS.
THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONFUSION BETWEEN THE ORDINANCE CHANGES BEFORE YOU TODAY AND THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN.
THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN IS WHAT YOU PASSED.
IT CALLS FOR A PILOT PROGRAM OF 2,000 CATS TO BE ALTERED, MICROCHIPPED, AND RELEASED INTO THE COMMUNITY OUT OF ANIMAL SERVICES.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR ORDINANCE.
THE ORDINANCE CHANGES DON'T NEED TO INCLUDE THE PROJECT OF THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN, IT'S ITS OWN PROJECT.
IF YOU CHANGE THE ORDINANCE AND REQUIRE ALL CATS TO BE MICROCHIPPED, THE 47,000 CATS THAT ACT AND HUMANE SOCIETY HAVE ALREADY TNVR'D IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WOULD HAVE TO BE RECAUGHT TO BE MICROCHIPPED.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MOVE BACKWARDS, WE'RE TRYING TO GO FORWARD.
WE DON'T WANT TO RETRAP, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO TRAP.
THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T PUT MICROCHIPPING ON ALL THE CATS IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU PUT THEM ON YOUR PILOT PROGRAM.
ADDITIONALLY, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT OF COLONY CAREGIVERS, KEEP IN MIND YOUR COLONY CAREGIVERS DID NOT CREATE THIS PROBLEM.
THESE ARE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE ON THEIR OWN TIME AND WITH THEIR OWN MONEY TAKING CARE OF A COUNTY PROBLEM.
WE DON'T OSTRACIZE THEM, WE CERTAINLY DON'T MAKE THEM REGISTER, SIMILAR TO SEX OFFENDERS, BEFORE THEY CAN HAVE ANY TYPE OF PROTECTION FOR THE HELP THEY'RE GIVING THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS.
THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP.
IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, THEN WE SEE WHERE THEY ARE AND MAKE SURE THOSE CATS HAVE HAD EVERYTHING THEY NEED DONE TO THEM.
YOU DON'T NEED REGISTRATION IN ADVANCE OF ANY ISSUES.
OVERWHELMINGLY, THESE CATS ARE HEALTHY.
THE VETS SEE PROBLEMS BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A PET OR AN OUTSIDE CAT OR A FERAL, A NOTCHED-EARED, AN EAR-TIPPED, WHATEVER WE'RE CALLING THEM TODAY -- WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM, YOU TAKE THEM TO THE VET.
THAT'S WHY THE VETS SEE THE SICK ONES.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[APPLAUSE]
THE NEXT SPEAKER, IS IT DR. THOMPSON?
>> NO, NO, NO, THAT'S MY WIFE.
>>MARK SHARPE: OH, OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
DON THOMPSON, JACK TALMAN, AND THEN DAVID McCALLISTER.
>> COMMISSIONER, I ALWAYS GET TO JOKE THAT I'M A -- I HAVE A LAW DEGREE BUT I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, SO THAT MEANS YOU DON'T HAVE TO HATE ME, BUT I ALSO OWN A VETERINARY HOSPITAL, BUT I'M NOT A VETERINARIAN.
AND, OF COURSE, EVERYBODY LOVES VETERINARIANS, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOVE ME.
MY HOPE IS THAT YOU'D HEAR MY COMMENTS TODAY NEUTRALLY.
I HAVE TO BEGIN BY SAYING MY NAME IS, OF COURSE, DON THOMPSON.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH ANIMAL HEALTH FOUNDATION, 5484 LITHIA PINECREST ROAD.
YOU KNOW, MS. COHEN ACTUALLY REALLY MAKES MY ARGUMENT VERY EFFECTIVELY.
WE'VE GOT AN ORDINANCE CHANGE IN FRONT OF US THAT SAYS NO MICROCHIPPING, WE'VE GOT A PILOT PROJECT THAT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO MICROCHIP.
THE WHOLE POINT OF THE PILOT PROJECT WAS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO AND WHAT THE ORDINANCE CHANGES NEED TO REFLECT.
I APPRECIATED, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, YOUR COMMENTS LAST WEEK OR AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT WORKING WITH VETERINARIANS.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF WHATEVER WE DO GOING FORWARD BECAUSE THE REALITY IS VETERINARIANS SEE THE VAST MAJORITY OF PETS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE THE ONES THAT COLLECT THE VAST MAJORITY OF RABIES' TAGS; THEREFORE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF MONEY THAT COMES INTO ANIMAL SERVICES, AND WE'RE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE TO EXPLAIN ANY ORDINANCE CHANGES THAT WE PASS.
SO WE'RE A LITTLE CONCERNED BECAUSE, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, RELUCTANTLY WE'RE SUPPORTING THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN.
WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY BIG FANS OF TNR.
I SHARE COMMISSIONER CRIST'S CONCERNS, BUT WE'RE NOT HERE TO DEBATE THAT, WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT IS HOW WE DO THIS RESPONSIBLY GOING FORWARD, AND I THINK THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE CAN'T SUPPORT THE ORDINANCE THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, JUST THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD FIVE CHANGES OVER EIGHT DAYS ALONE OUGHT TO GIVE EVERYONE HERE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT 5- OR 600 PEOPLE THAT REALLY, REALLY LOVE ANIMALS, BUT 1.2 MILLION CITIZENS WHO ARE RESPECTING YOU AND HOPING THAT YOU WILL MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS WHEN IT COMES TO OUR ORDINANCES.
THESE ARE OUR LAWS THAT WE ENFORCE.
WE NEED TO DO THAT CAUTIOUSLY.
THE PILOT PROJECT ALLOWS US TO DO THREE THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE GOING TO IMMEDIATELY SAVE 2,000 CATS.
SECOND OF ALL -- AND I THINK THIS IS THE CRITICAL COMPONENT, IT'S WHY WE DID THIS -- THE PILOT PROJECT ALLOWS US TO GATHER DATA.
WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO WORK AND WHAT ISN'T; WHAT'S NECESSARY AND WHAT ISN'T.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR ORDINANCE AS IT'S WRITTEN NOW SAYS WE WON'T HAVE A COMMUNITY CAT COLONY NEAR A SCHOOL.
WHAT DOES "NEAR" MEAN?
IS IT A THOUSAND FEET, 3,000 FEET, 5,000 FEET, OR IS IT 30 FEET?
WELL, A PILOT PROJECT WILL ALLOW US TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO MICROCHIP, THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR THESE PILOT -- OR THESE COMMUNITY CATS AS PART OF THE PILOT PROJECT.
AS WRITTEN, THE ORDINANCE GOES WAY TOO FAR.
IT REMOVES ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY FROM PEOPLE WHO ALLEGE TO BE CARETAKERS BUT DON'T WANT ANY RESPONSIBILITY AS A CARETAKER.
THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO SWALLOW.
SO INSTEAD, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE ORDINANCE CHANGE, CONSIDER SOME OF THE REASONABLE SOLUTIONS THAT VETERINARIANS GIVE YOU, BUT WHAT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE IS TO GO AHEAD AND COMMIT TO THE PILOT PROJECT, LET'S EXECUTE THE PILOT PROJECT.
THE FOUNDATION IS PREPARED TO SUPPORT THAT.
WE'RE PREPARED TO DO HALF OF IT.
I'D INVITE MY FRIENDS AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY TO JOIN US.
THEY'LL DO A THOUSAND, WE DO A THOUSAND, AND WE'LL HAVE THE PILOT PROJECT TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THEN WE'LL FIND OUT AND BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU AS COMMISSIONERS AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S THE THINGS WE FOUND OUT.
LESS THAN 3% OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE DOING TNR.
LET'S DO IT CAREFULLY IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.
VOTE FOR THE PILOT PROJECT.
THAT MAKES SENSE.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, DON.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JACK TALMAN, DAVID McCALLISTER, AND THEN SUZANNE HOUSE.
IS JACK TALMAN HERE?
WELCOME, MR. TALMAN.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT D-2, OF COURSE.
THIS BOARD WAS VERY CLEAR IN THE MOTION THAT WAS PASSED IN 2012 THAT ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THE ANIMAL COMMUNITY BE INVOLVED IN THE TASK FORCE PLAN.
IN THE TASK FORCE ITSELF THERE WERE THREE VETERINARIANS, THERE WERE BREEDERS, THERE WERE RESCUE, AND THERE WERE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS.
WE HAD NINE TASK FORCE SESSIONS WHERE EACH PARTY, EACH STAKEHOLDER BROUGHT IN EXPERTS IN VARIOUS AREAS FOR AND AGAINST THE FERAL CAT PROGRAM.
THE TASK FORCE CREATED THE FOUNDATION FOR THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN THAT INCLUDED THE COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAM, WHICH THIS BOARD APPROVED FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN MAY OF THIS YEAR.
BY APPROVE -- BY APPROVING THE ORDINANCE CHANGE TODAY, THIS BOARD WILL IMPLEMENT A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PLAN THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE EUTHANASIA AND PROVIDE A COST-FREE COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT IS STAFFED MOSTLY BY VOLUNTEERS.
I WANT TO THANK THIS BOARD FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND INDULGENCE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
EVEN THOUGH ALL STAKEHOLDERS WERE REPRESENTED ON THE TASK FORCE, THERE ARE SOME WHO WILL DISAGREE.
WE CAN'T LEGISLATE AGAINST WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
THIS PROGRAM IS NOT REVOLUTIONARY.
MANY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE SUCH A COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAM.
I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THIS BOARD SEES THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT OF THIS PROGRAM AND WILL PASS THIS ORDINANCE AS OUTLINED TODAY.
YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY HAD TOLD ME TEN YEARS AGO THAT I'D BE UP HERE TODAY, I WOULD HAVE TOLD THEM THEY'RE NUTS, BUT THOSE OF US WHO ARE INVOLVED IN ANIMAL RESCUE SOMETIMES THINK WE ARE LOSING OUR MINDS, BUT WE FIND OUR SOULS.
THANK YOU AND GOOD DAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>THE CLERK: MR. TALMAN.
MR. TALMAN, WOULD YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
>> PARDON ME?
>>MARK SHARPE: JUST IF -- YOUR NAME.
>> JACK TALMAN, 627 ONTARIO AVENUE.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS, MR. TALMAN.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. DAVID McCALLISTER, THEN SUZANNE HOUSE, AND THEN GERALD WHITE.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
>>MARK SHARPE: GOOD MORNING.
>> DAVID McCALLISTER, P.O. BOX 7343 WESLEY CHAPEL, FLORIDA.
I DON'T SPEAK ABOUT CATS.
AS YOU KNOW, I COME HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION OF LOCAL HISTORY AND VETERANS, ESPECIALLY IN THE ERA OF THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES.
THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THIS ERA AND THEIR ANCESTORS, OUR ANCESTORS, ARE DEFINITELY PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THE AUGUSTA JANE EVANS WILSON CHAPTER OF THE UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY NUMBER 2640 AND THE BENJAMIN CAMP, SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS 2210, JUST PARTICIPATED IN THREE LOCAL CHRISTMAS PARADES, THE SANTA FEST PARADE HERE IN TAMPA, THE CHRISTMAS PARADE IN PLANT CITY, AND ALSO IN ZEPHYRHILLS UP IN PASCO COUNTY, SO WE'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
LAST TIME I MENTIONED TO YOU THAT WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE BATTLE TO SAVE THE BATTLE OF OLUSTEE MONUMENT UP IN BAKER COUNTY, AND THAT'S IN THE PROCESS, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER ATTACK ON HERITAGE, AND THIS TIME IN DUVAL COUNTY OR JACKSONVILLE WITH THE NAMING OF THE NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST SCHOOL AND OPPOSITION TO THAT NAME.
I UNDERSTAND THAT MAY BE A DONE DEAL IN JACKSONVILLE, BUT IT'S OF INTEREST LOCALLY BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE HAVE SCHOOLS NAMED FOR CONFEDERATE VETERANS HERE, ESPECIALLY MENTIONED IN WFLA RADIO THIS MORNING WAS ROBERT E. LEE SCHOOL.
AND I DO RECALL THAT COMMISSIONER ROSE FERLITA BACK IN 2007 REPUDIATED HER SUPPORT FOR THE PROCLAMATION FOR THE 200th ANNIVERSARY OF ROBERT E. LEE, WHO EVERYBODY ELSE RECOGNIZES AS A GREAT AMERICAN.
AND THERE WERE SOME OTHER PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T LIKE HIS PROCLAMATION AS WELL.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE MITCHELL SCHOOL NAMED FOR A GOVERNOR AND CONFEDERATE VETERAN.
YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER THE DANGER OF KOWTOWING AND KNUCKLING UNDER TO EPHEMERAL POLITICALLY CORRECT INTERESTS BECAUSE ANY ATTACK ON ANY VETERAN IS AN ATTACK ON ALL VETERANS.
WHO'S GOING TO BE NEXT, GENERAL SCHWARZKOPF, GENERAL EISENHOWER THAT HAVE PLACES NAMED FOR THEM RIGHT NOW?
THERE IS HOPE BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE A STATE STATUTE PROPOSED BY LEGISLATURE TO PREVENT THIS DENIGRATION OF THE HONOR OF VETERANS.
OKAY.
I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ON ISSUES A-21 THROUGH A-28.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS ON VARIOUS SPECIAL INTERESTS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS.
THE WORDS OF THE AGREEMENTS SOUND GOOD, WE JUST WANT TO SEE THAT THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND ASSURANCES THAT THE MONEY IS WELL SPENT FOR DIVERSITY.
OKAY.
I ALSO, IF I HAVE A SECOND, JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR KEVIN WRIGHT BEING HERE.
I'M GLAD HE GOT A PUBLIC PROCLAMATION FOR THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE AIRLINE.
I WOULD LIKE TO GET PROCLAMATIONS FOR THE
SESQUICENTENNIAL --
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MR. --
>> -- OF CONFEDERATE EVENTS.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT, BUT WE'RE TIGHT ON TIME.
THANK YOU, SIR.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SUZANNE HOUSE, AND THEN WE HAVE GERALD WHITE AND TRISHA KIRBY.
WELCOME, MA'AM.
>> HELLO.
SUZANNE HOUSE, 8802 LAGOON STREET, TAMPA, AND I'M REPRESENTING FLORIDA VOICES FOR ANIMALS.
I HAVE NO LONG PREPARED SPEECH, ONLY THE GRUESOME STATISTIC THAT OVER 5,000 HEALTHY CATS -- COMMUNITY CATS HAVE BEEN KILLED AT ANIMAL SERVICES JUST SINCE MAY.
THIS IS GENOCIDE.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
OTHER COUNTIES, OTHER STATES ARE PRACTICING SUCCESSFUL TRAP, NEUTER, VACCINATE, AND RETURN.
WHY NOT US?
PLEASE SUPPORT TNVR.
STOP THE SENSELESS KILLING.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MR. GERALD WHITE.
WELCOME, SIR.
AND THEN TRISHA KIRBY, AND THEN WE HAVE CHARLES CARPENTER.
WELCOME, MR. WHITE.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE.
AND FIRST, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
I MISSED THAT LAST MEETING.
SANDY MURMAN, CONGRATULATIONS IN BEING ELECTED VICE CHAIR, AND COMMISSIONER MILLER, CONGRATULATIONS FOR BEING ELECTED AGAIN TO CHAPLAIN.
FIRST I WANTED TO SAY YEARS AGO I WAS -- AS A MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS -- A TRUSTEE, ONE OF THE FIRST REPUBLICANS I HAD A CHANCE TO VOTE FOR FOR AN ENDORSEMENT WAS VICTOR CRIST, AND -- BACK IN THE DAY WITH JERRY KING, WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL, AND -- YES, BACK IN THE DAY, AND SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I HAVE EXTREME HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR YOU AS YOU -- YOU'VE DEVELOPED AS A COMMISSIONER.
WE KNOW YOU'RE A FORMER SENATOR, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW AS A WORKER, WE HAVE EXTREME HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR YOU, AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU HOLD BACK ANY.
WE KNOW -- THE WORKERS OF THIS COMMUNITY KNOW YOUR CAPABILITIES AND YOUR FITNESS, AND SO I WANT TO SEE THAT IN FULL FORCE NEXT YEAR.
I'M HERE ON AGENDA ITEM A-13.
I SUPPORT THAT.
AND I'M ALSO HERE ON A-14.
I'M JUST CONCERNED.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSIONER SERVE ON THE CANVASSING BOARD.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.
I WANT THAT EXPLAINED A LITTLE BIT, SEEING A COMMISSIONER MAY BE INVOLVED IN AN ELECTION.
I DON'T THINK, AS I RECALL, THERE'S EVER BEEN AN ELECTION FOR GOVERNOR WITHOUT A COUNTY COMMISSIONER SERVING ON THE CANVASSING BOARD, SO I'M HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
A COMMISSIONER COULD DETERMINE WHO'S THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, SO IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A QUALIFIED PERSON SERVING ON THAT CANVASSING BOARD, AND SO I'M HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS A CITIZEN AND ACTIVIST.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS I TALKED TO SANTA, AND I ASKED SANTA -- YOU KNOW, HE SAID, WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS, WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR THE NEW YEAR?
I TOLD SANTA, I WANT TRANSPORTATION RESOLVED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THAT'S MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION.
>>MARK SHARPE: THAT'S A BIG GIFT.
>> AND HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO EVERYTHING HE CAN TO WORK IT OUT.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.
[LAUGHTER]
>> SO IN 2014 PLEASE HELP ME AND SANTA DELIVER -- HE TOOK MY REQUEST, HE TOOK MY WISH FOR 2014, AND I WOULD LIKE LIGHT RAIL, I WOULD LIKE TRANSPORTATION RESOLVED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
PLEASE DO THAT.
DON'T HOLD BACK ON ANY OF THE CRITICAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL, HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
AS A CITIZEN, I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. WHITE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. KIRBY, AND THEN WE'VE GOT CHARLES CARPENTER, AND THEN WE CONCLUDE WITH MR. KLUTHO.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>>MARK SHARPE: GOOD MORNING, MA'AM.
>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
MY NAME IS TRISHA KIRBY.
ACTUALLY, I'M NOT A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I'M A RESIDENT OF PINELLAS COUNTY, BUT I DO HELP RESCUE AND REHABILITATE ANIMALS OUT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES AND HAVE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE MAY OF THIS YEAR AFTER I ADOPTED A CAT THERE, WHO'S DOING GREAT, BY THE WAY.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS REALLY QUICKLY SINCE THIS HAS COME UP SEVERAL TIMES.
IN FLORIDA THERE HAVE BEEN 77 FATAL CASES OF HUMAN RABIES REPORTED BETWEEN 1881 AND 2012.
THESE INVOLVE MOST OF THEM CHILDREN EXPOSED TO RABID DOGS AND CATS.
THE LAST CASE IN THE STATE OCCURRED IN, DRUM ROLL, PLEASE, 1948, WHEN A 35-YEAR-OLD MAN FROM TAMPA REFUSED TREATMENT AFTER BEING BITTEN BY HIS NEIGHBOR'S DOG.
HARDLY AN EPIDEMIC OF RABIES IN THE ANIMALS CAUSING PEOPLE TO DIE.
IN PINELLAS COUNTY, WHERE I'M FROM, SINCE 1964, THAT'S ALMOST 50 YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN ONE CASE OF RABIES IN A CAT, ONE, AND THAT WAS AN ANIMAL THAT WAS BITTEN BY A BAT AND INVOLVED NO BITE TO A HUMAN BEING, SO THIS IS HARDLY A THREAT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE RABID CATS OUT THERE BITING PEOPLE, SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT ONCE AGAIN THAT THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
THESE ANIMALS ARE, IN FACT, SCARED AND DO RUN AWAY, AND I KNOW THAT TOO BECAUSE I TOO HAVE RESCUED FERAL CATS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL FOR CONSIDERING PASSING THIS COMPONENT OF THE "BE THE WAY HOME" PROGRAM.
I HAVE PRIVATELY NETWORKED HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS AND SAVED NUMEROUS ONES MYSELF DIRECTLY AND REHABBED THEM AND FOUND THEM HOMES, AND I REALLY WANT TO SEE THIS.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER -- JUST THE SHEER NUMBERS THEMSELVES.
IN ORDER FOR THIS TO GO FORWARD, THOUGH, YOU ALL, OUR LEADERS, NEED TO PASS THIS PILOT PROGRAM AND PORTION OF THIS ORDINANCE FOR THIS ORDINANCE TO GO INTO EFFECT.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
YOUR PIECE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE COUNTING ON.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
THE PEOPLE -- THE VOLUNTEERS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, LIKE MYSELF, LIKE OTHERS, MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE SEEN HERE, THEY'RE READY TO PACT ON IT.
IT JUST TAKES YOU GUYS TO GO FORWARD WITH IT WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND I'M COUNTING ON IT.
AND MY WISH -- I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE WITH ME AND A KITTY AND SANTA.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT.
BUT MY WISH FOR SANTA AND MY PRAYER TO GOD RIGHT NOW IS THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS PASSED, THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM GOES FORWARD, AND THAT HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS ARE HELPED BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY NEED AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR, AND I WORK ON THIS ISSUE IN THIS COUNTY, IN PASCO COUNTY, AND I MET WITH TWO COMMISSIONERS SO FAR -- ACTUALLY FOUR COMMISSIONERS SO FAR IN PINELLAS COUNTY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE TOO, SO I'M WORKING ON IT ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS, AND I JUST WANT TO SEE THE ANIMALS HELPED, THAT'S ALL.
I HAVE NO MONEY STAKE IN THIS WHATSOEVER.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MS. KIRBY.
THE FINAL TWO SPEAKERS --
[APPLAUSE]
-- CHARLES CARPENTER, AND THEN MARK KLUTHO.
MR. CARPENTER, WELCOME, SIR.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS CHARLES CARPENTER.
I LIVE AT 9210 TAYLOR ROAD IN SEFFNER.
I'M GOING TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCES GOING THROUGH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CUSTOMER SERVICE.
WE WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR YARD WASTE GETTING PICKED UP.
WE MADE MANY CALLS TO REPUBLIC SERVICES, REPORTED IT QUITE A FEW TIMES.
WHEN THAT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, WE STARTED CALLING WASTE MANAGEMENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
AFTER A COUPLE OF COMPLAINTS THERE, WE WERE REFERRED TO A PERSON NAMED JACKIE IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
WE LEFT MESSAGES, AND IT WASN'T RETURNED.
WE TRIED CALLING A FEW MORE TIMES, AND THE PHONE WAS NEVER ANSWERED.
SUBSEQUENT CALLS TO WASTE MANAGEMENT WERE FORWARDED TO THE SUPERVISOR.
MY TREE BRANCHES STILL REMAINED OUT AT THE CURB.
I WAS OUT OF TRASH CANS.
BY THE THIRD WEEK, I STARTED A ROW OF BRANCHES DOWN AT THE FRONT OF MY PROPERTY.
I THEN SENT A FOLLOW-UP MESSAGE TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AFTER HEARING NOTHING FROM HIM, I CALLED THE PHONE NUMBER THAT WAS SUPPLIED BY AN AUTO RESPONDER.
I RECEIVED -- I TALKED TO A WOMAN THAT TOLD ME THE COMPLAINT WAS SENT TO THE WRONG DEPARTMENT AND FOR ME TO CALL WASTE MANAGEMENT AGAIN.
NOTHING -- NOTHING I COULD SAY WOULD GET HER TO HELP ME WITH ANY -- ANY OF MY QUESTIONS.
SO THEN WE SENT A MESSAGE TO KEN HAGAN.
FINALLY, WASTE WAS PICKED UP ON THIS PAST SATURDAY, WHICH WAS TWO DAYS SHORT OF A WHOLE MONTH THAT I'VE HAD TRASH SITTING OUT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH EIGHT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO HAVE TAKEN THEIR PAYCHECKS.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GETTING FOR OUR TAX DOLLARS.
THE FOLLOWING IS A QUOTE FROM YOUR WEB SITE.
THE MISSION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE QUALITY SERVICE AT A REASONABLE COST WITH COURTESY, INTEGRITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN A MANNER THAT PROTECTS AND ENHANCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR DIVERSE POPULATION.
WE'VE FAILED.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS, AND WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO.
MR. KLUTHO.
WELCOME, SIR.
YOU ARE OUR FINAL SPEAKER OF THE MORNING.
>> MARK KLUTHO, 14496 120th AVENUE NORTH, LARGO.
McCALLISTER DOESN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRAITORS AND PEOPLE THAT TOOK THE OATH FOR THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S A DOGGONE SHAME.
YOU KNOW, ROBERT E. LEE, WASN'T HE A SOLDIER?
YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO YOU IF YOU -- HMM?
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.
>> YEAH.
AND HERE'S THIS COLUMN BY JOE HENDERSON, SCHOOL BOARD WILL MISS RABBLE-ROUSER.
DID YOU READ THAT ONE?
>>MARK SHARPE: YES.
>> AND HE WRITES HERE THAT IT'S NOT EASY LISTENING TO SHRILL CRITICISM FROM PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC WHO MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION AND JUST WANT TO RANT.
WELL, I SAID ANY TIME YOU WANT TO TALK, I HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, BUT HE'S AFRAID.
HE WON'T TALK TO ME.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A SHAME.
INCOME DISPARITY HURTING THE ECONOMY, SURVEY SAYS, ECONOMISTS POLLED.
BUT SEE, YOU'RE CAUSING THE PROBLEM.
THE HEADLINES: AS OIL FLOODS PLAIN STATE -- TOWNS, CRIME POURS IN.
NEW JERSEY PINES.
TROUBLE ARRIVES ON SIX LEGS.
CLIMATE CHANGE SEEN POSING RISKS TO FOOD SUPPLIES.
PANEL SAYS, GLOBAL WARMING RISK SUDDEN, DEEP CHANGES COMING.
SCIENTISTS WARN OF BREATHLESS OCEANS.
STUDY: PACIFIC WARMING 15 TIMES FASTER THAN EVER.
STUDY: TEMPERATURES OFF CHARTS BY 2047.
NOW, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAKE STUPID, DUMB BUILDINGS AND YOU DON'T PLANT LANDSCAPES THAT ARE ASSETS AND YOUR LANDSCAPES ARE LIABILITIES THAT INSTEAD OF ABSORBING CARBON DIOXIDE, PUMP THE CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
AND HERE'S AN EDITORIAL FROM THE IDIOTS AT THE ST. PETE TIMES JUST THE OTHER DAY, SUNSHINE STATE, BUT NOT FOR ENERGY.
WELL, THE MORONS GET IT ALL WRONG.
SEE, THEY THINK MAKING BIG FIELDS OF SOLAR IS THE WAY TO GO.
THAT'S NOT IT.
YOU PUT IT AT THE END USE, LIKE OVER HERE ON THE COURTHOUSE, BUT BEFORE YOU PUT THE SOLAR ON THE ROOF, YOU DO ALL THE EFFICIENCIES IN THE BUILDING FIRST BECAUSE THAT ISN'T GETTING THE JOB ACCOMPLISHED.
YOU'RE WASTING SOLAR BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T FIRST DO THE EFFICIENCY MEASURES IN THE BUILDING.
IT'S A COMPLETE WASTE.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MR. KLUTHO.
I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, AND WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE THANK ALL OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR BEING HERE.
AND THAT CLOSES PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE CONSENT PORTION.
DOES ANY MEMBER WISH TO PULL A MEMBER -- OR ITEM FROM CONSENT?
IF NOT, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION.
>>VICTOR CRIST: MOVE CONSENT.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: I'LL MOVE.
>>MARK SHARPE: -- CRIST AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN TO MOVE CONSENT.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: SORRY, COULD YOU PLEASE RE-RECORD YOUR VOTE.
COMMISSIONER MURMAN AND COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
THANK YOU.
MOTION CARRIES 7-0.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.
WE'LL MOVE TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.
>>MIKE MERRILL: FIRST ITEM, 10:15 TIME CERTAIN, ITEM F-3.
IT'S COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S ITEM, PRESENTATION BY IRV COHEN AND JOE STINES.
>>MARK SHARPE: MR. COHEN AND MR. STINES, IF YOU'D COME FORWARD.
BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING CONCEPT WHICH HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME, AND I ALSO WANT TO, AS THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD, THANK OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, WHO WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN HELPING WITH THE CONCEPT, THE OVERALL CONCEPT.
I KNOW I WAS INTERESTED IN USING THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S FACILITY, AND OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WAS VERY CLEAR THAT HE HAD A MUCH BETTER IDEA.
HE'D BEEN WORKING WITH MR. STINES -- YES, SIR.
I'M GOING TO LET YOU START, MR. COHEN, HERE IN ONE SECOND.
BUT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SAID HE HAD A BETTER IDEA, AND I KNOW THAT THE THREE OF YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY ON THIS CONCEPT, AND IT'S VERY EXCITING BECAUSE AS SOMEONE WHO'S GROWN UP IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES -- AND IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE COMMISSIONER HAGAN HERE -- WE JUST HONOR OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE LIBRARY SYSTEMS ARE GOING TO CHANGE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE THIS A DYNAMIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, AND WHAT I ALSO LOVED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR HERE IN A FEW MOMENTS IS THAT PART OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES IS ROBOTICS, AND, YOU KNOW, MY SUNDAY NEW YORK TIMES HAD A COVER STORY ABOUT GOOGLE AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN ROBOTICS.
THEY JUST PURCHASED BOSTON SCIENTIFIC, AND WE HAVE TERRI HERE, WHO I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR FROM, BUT THERE'S -- THE MOVE TOWARDS ROBOTS AND ROBOTICS IS HUGE, AND WE HAD THIS EVENT ON -- SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA, ROBOCON, WHICH LEARNING IS FOR EVERYONE HAVE SPONSORED, AND IT WAS PHENOMENAL.
WE HAD STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE ATTEND.
THEY WERE INCREDIBLY ENTHUSIASTIC.
I BROUGHT MY 12-YEAR-OLD, WHO MET SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING AND RESPECTFUL AND COURTEOUS YOUNG PEOPLE I'VE BEEN AROUND, AND -- AND THEIR PARENTS WERE VERY EXCITED BECAUSE THEY ALL KNOW THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE LIKELY -- LIKELY GOING TO GET A GOOD SCHOLARSHIP AS A RESULT OF ALL THEIR WORK.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER -- LET'S START WITH -- WHO -- WHO BEGINS, IS IT MR. COHEN OR MR. STINES?
JOE, WHY DON'T YOU --
>>JOE STINES: JOE STINES, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES.
JUST QUICKLY KIND OF HOW WE GOT WHERE WE ARE, LIBRARIES ARE CHANGING DRASTICALLY, AND I HAVE TO SAY -- AND I WANT TO THANK MIKE MERRILL PERSONALLY.
HE'S GOT ME ON MY TOES, AND I DIDN'T THINK ALL THESE YEARS I COULD GET EXCITED ABOUT NEW THINGS, BUT HE'S GOT ME DOING THAT, AND NOT ONLY THIS PROJECT BUT YOU'LL HEAR IN THE FUTURE MORE PROJECTS.
LIBRARIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE REALLY TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC.
WE USED TO BUY ALL THESE INFORMATION RESOURCES AND PEOPLE CAME IN AND USED THEM.
NOW THEY WANT TO LEAVE THE LIBRARY WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY'VE CREATED, AND WE STARTED DOING SOME SMALL THINGS A FEW YEARS AGO.
WE'RE STILL VERY ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE PROSPERITY CAMPAIGN ,WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS DOING TAXES, THAT'S A BIG, POPULAR PROGRAM, AND PEOPLE LEAVE WITH THINGS.
BUT THIS TAKES US TO A WHOLE 'NOTHER 21st-CENTURY LIBRARY.
BOOKSHELVES ARE GOING TO BE COMING DOWN, AND WE NEED TO BE RESPONDING TO WHAT THE PUBLIC IS WANTING.
AROUND THE COUNTRY THERE ARE PROBABLY ABOUT A DOZEN MAKERSPACES THAT ARE APPEARING IN LIBRARIES, AND I'VE TOURED A COUPLE OF THESE, SOME OF MY STAFF HAVE TOURED OTHERS.
MOST OF THOSE STARTED OUT WITH TAX DOLLARS GOING INTO THEM.
THE ONLY TWO THAT I KNOW OF THAT ARE PROGRESSING AS LONG AS -- WITH THE WAY WE ARE HERE IN FLORIDA IS THE ORLANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND THEY HAD A MILLION-DOLLAR DONATION FROM THE PUBLIC TO GET IT STARTED.
WE'RE DOING IT IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT WAY.
WE'RE DOING IT FROM THE BASE UP.
I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY'S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE, AND WE WERE LUCKY, THROUGH COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND MIKE, TO MEET AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE DOING WONDERFUL THINGS IN THIS AREA, AND -- FOR US TO JOIN AND BE A PARTNERSHIP.
WE'VE HAD A STRONG PARTNERSHIP NOW FOR YEARS WITH OUR FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, WHICH IS A 501(C)(3).
THIS IS A WHOLE NEW BEGINNING WITH ANOTHER 501(C)(3), AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING TIME, AND WHEN YOU HEAR ALL THE KINDS OF PROJECTS THAT WE COULD BE ENGAGED IN AND OFFERING TO THE PUBLIC, BEGINNING WITH THE JOHN GERMANY LIBRARY, BECAUSE WE HAD THE SPACE, AND MIKE AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT SPACE, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS, AS YOU WELL KNOW, OUT THERE, AN EXPANSION IN ALMOST -- IN FACT, THERE'S ONE IN EVERY DISTRICT.
IN EVERY ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS THERE'S AN EXPANSION OR NEW LIBRARY GOING IN, AND WE HAVE ROOM THERE TO ROLL OUT MORE MAKERSPACES KINDS OF ACTIVITIES IN ALL THOSE BRANCHES IN THE FUTURE, SO THIS IS -- THIS HAS TAKEN OUR 100th ANNIVERSARY, GIVEN HONOR TO IT, CELEBRATING IT, BUT LOOKING TOWARDS THE NEXT 100 YEARS IN A VERY FAST, IMMEDIATE WAY.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO IRV TO TALK ABOUT ALL THESE WONDERFUL THINGS.
>>MARK SHARPE: AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND GOOD FORTUNE TO MEET MR. COHEN AT ONE OF OUR TECH COFFEES THAT I HAD AT BUDDY BREW, AND HE CAME, WE WERE TALKING STARTUPS, TECH, AND HOW WE COULD EXCITE OUR COMMUNITY, AND HE HAS COME HERE FULL OF IDEAS AND ENERGY AND HAS REALLY BEEN INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT HE ALSO WAS INVOLVED IN -- IF YOU'D JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR -- JUST VERY BRIEFLY, YOUR BACKGROUND BECAUSE YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING A LARGE COMPANY TO TAMPA BAY.
>> SURE.
I ALSO HAVE COPIES --
>>MARK SHARPE: WE CAN GIVE THAT TO THE CLERKS, AND THEN WE'LL PASS THAT OUT.
WELCOME, SIR.
>> SURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARK.
I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK -- TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
I CAME TO TAMPA ABOUT 13 YEARS AGO.
I MOVED A MAJOR DIVISION OF JPMORGAN DOWN HERE, WHICH WAS TREASURY AND SECURITY SERVICES.
I MOVED 2100 JOBS DOWN HERE.
HALF OF THOSE JOBS CAME FROM NEW YORK, HALF WE WENT INTO THE LOCAL MARKET AND WE HIRED -- AND WE HIRED PEOPLE, AND IT'S THE -- IT'S THE FACILITY OUT IN NORTH TAMPA.
WHEN I CAME DOWN HERE, I WAS EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND COMMITTEES BECAUSE I FELT A VERY STRONG SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO MY STAFF AND MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE AND A GOOD PLACE TO DEVELOP AND GROW THEIR FAMILIES, AND THAT'S ALL ABOUT JOBS AND IT'S ALL ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, AND I LAUNCHED A STATEWIDE COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME, WHICH WAS CALLED THE FLORIDA FINANCIAL SERVICES CLUSTER INITIATIVE, WHICH WAS ALL ABOUT BRINGING OTHER FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANIES DOWN TO FLORIDA.
IT WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING DTCC DOWN HERE, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST WIN THAT WE HAD OUT OF THAT.
AND I'VE CONTINUED TO WORK IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN FOR-PROFIT AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT, AND I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH TERRI WILLINGHAM, WHO HAS HAD AN ORGANIZATION CALLED LEARNING IS FOR EVERYONE, THAT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS, AND THE MISSION IS ALL ABOUT INTERACTIVE LEARNING, MAKING LEARNING FUN AND MAKING LEARNING SOMETHING THAT IS A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY.
AND WE TOOK SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT TERRI HAS BEEN DOING OVER THE YEARS AND WE PUT THEM -- WE'VE COALESCED THEM ALL TOGETHER INTO THIS FACILITY, WHICH, BASICALLY, AS JOE SAID, YOU KNOW, COALESCES VERY NICELY WITH WHAT THE LIBRARY IS ALL ABOUT.
WE HEAR ALL ABOUT DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION GOING ON WITH HEALTH CARE, WITH OTHER THINGS.
OBVIOUSLY, THE LIBRARY, WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS DOING THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
BUT THE LIBRARY IS THE -- PROBABLY -- AND I GREW UP -- IT WAS THE MOST PASSIONATE PLACE FOR ME, THE HOUSE OF LEARNING, VERY CLOSE IN MY FAMILY.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND NOW IF WE TAKE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON ALL AROUND US, INTERACTIVE LEARNING, WE TAKE THE MAKERSPACE, WE TAKE DIGITAL MEDIA, WE TAKE ROBOTICS, WE TAKE RECORDING STUDIOS, WHICH JOE SAYS THERE'S A TREMENDOUS DEMAND, AND WE PUT THAT ALL BACK INTO THE LIBRARY IN A PLACE THAT'S OWNED BY THE COMMUNITY -- THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS ABOUT A SENSE OF BELONGING AND PEOPLE LEARNING TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE.
AND WE LOOK ALL THE WAY FROM THE YOUTH, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT -- THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED -- ALL THE WAY TO OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND WE CREATE PROGRAMS FOR THEM, AND THOSE PROGRAMS ARE DYNAMIC PROGRAMS, AND THE INPUT COMES FROM THE COMMUNITY AND IT COMES FROM ALL OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS WE'VE EXPLORED THIS PROCESS TOGETHER, WE'VE HAD AN AMAZING RECEPTION FROM PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE PART OF -- OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE'VE REACHED OUT NOW TO -- WE'RE FORMING A CODE FOR HILLSBOROUGH, WE HAVE GOT A PROGRAM -- SCORE IS VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH THIS RIGHT NOW, THE TAMPA CHAMBER HAS A SCHOLARS PROGRAM, AND THEY ARE LOOKING TO LOCATE -- COLOCATE IT WITH US.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FABULOUS FACILITY WITH THE AUDITORIUM OR THE -- AS THE LIBRARY CALLS IT, THE EGG, WHERE WE'RE CONDUCTING PROGRAMS THERE.
WE'VE HAD TWO TED PROGRAMS THERE OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS THAT WAS WELL ATTENDED.
IT'S ALL ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE BACK INTO THE LIBRARY, MAKING IT RELEVANT FOR THE FUTURE.
AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, AS MARK JUST DESCRIBED, THAT WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE ROBOTIC PORTION OF THIS.
TERRI AND I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED FIRST, WHICH STANDS FOR FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE BEST STEM PROGRAM IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IT WAS CREATED 15 YEARS AGO BY A WORLD-CLASS INVENTOR NAMED DEAN KAMEN, AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HONORING THE STUDENT, MAKING SPORTS FOR THE MIND, AND INSTEAD OF COMPETING, IT WAS ALL ABOUT WE AS A SOCIETY WILL BASICALLY GET WHAT WE CELEBRATE.
SO IF WE CELEBRATE JUST ROCK STARS AND QUARTERBACKS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET.
HE BASICALLY PUT A PROGRAM TOGETHER THAT SAID LET'S HAVE SPORTS FOR THE MIND, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT A ATHLETIC ACTIVITY WHICH THE COMPETITION IS OUR KIDS HAVE TO BUILD ROBOTS AND THOSE ROBOTS COMPETE, AND THEY STILL GET THE SAME SENSE OF RECOGNITION IN THAT BECAUSE THERE'S COMPETITION.
SO PICTURE -- HERE IN FLORIDA OUR REGIONAL IS OVER IN ORLANDO, AND, BASICALLY, THERE'S -- THERE'S -- THERE'S THE ENTIRE ATMOSPHERE OF A HOCKEY GAME OR BASKETBALL GAME, BUT THE ACTUAL COMPETITION IS THE -- IS THE ROBOTS.
IT'S A FABULOUS PROGRAM.
AND AS MARK SAID, WE HAD AN EVENT SIX WEEKS AGO OVER AT UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA.
WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW ABOUT PUTTING ON A LARGER EVENT OVER EITHER AT UCF OR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
THIS PROGRAM COMES WITH $17 MILLION OF SCHOLARSHIPS, AND WITH IT COMES SOME OF THE TOP COMPANIES THAT WANT TO BE PART OF THIS.
WHY?
BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR FUTURE WORKFORCE, SO THEY'RE VERY INVOLVED WITH THIS AND THEY'RE VERY HANDS-ON TO THIS, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THE REASON I MENTION THIS SO MUCH IS WE'RE PUTTING DEDICATED SPACE INTO THIS COMMUNITY INNOVATION CENTER, WHICH IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S SO MUCH SO THAT THE -- THAT THE HEAD OF THE ORGANIZATION WE'RE TRYING TO GET DOWN HERE TO CUT THE RIBBON TO MAKE IT JUST A BIG DEAL, AND THIS PUTS TAMPA AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BASICALLY AHEAD OF THE CURVE, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S BACK TO THIS IS ALL ABOUT WE CELEBRATE LEARNING, WE CELEBRATE THE FUTURE, WE CELEBRATE JOBS BECAUSE THESE KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE.
>>MARK SHARPE: WHEN I WALKED INTO THE -- THE AUDITORIUM THERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA, I MEAN, REALLY, THE KIDS WERE GOING WILD.
THEY WERE CHEERING, THEY WERE DOING ALL SORTS OF, YOU KNOW, JUST CHANTS AND SUCH, BUT THEN THEY WERE ALSO BUILDING THINGS.
YOU HAD SMART KIDS HAVING A GREAT TIME.
WHAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME WAS THE DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS INVOLVED.
IT WAS A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, AND THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO BE MAKING COOL THINGS AND HOPEFULLY SETTING UP COMPANIES.
AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT IMPRESSED ME WAS ALL THE COMPANIES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS -- THIS ORGANIZATION, BOTH WITH FIRST AND ALSO WITH LEARNING IS FOR EVERYONE.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SEE US DOING THESE TYPE OF THINGS FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN TAMPA BAY.
TERRI, DID YOU -- WOULD YOU COME FORWARD JUST FOR ONE SECOND SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHO YOU ARE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE LIBRARY WILL BE WORKING WITH YOU.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING UP BEFORE THE BOARD HERE IN A FEW MINUTES THAT WILL ALLOW MEMBERS TO BE TRAINED BY YOUR ORGANIZATION; IS THAT TRUE?
>> YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE ROBOTICS PROGRAM, THE ROBOTICS CENTER IS ACTUALLY THE CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY INNOVATION CENTER, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 700-, 800-SQUARE-FOOT SPACE WITH A DEDICATED FIRST TECH CHALLENGE FIELD, WHICH IS AN INTERMEDIATE HIGH SCHOOL-LEVEL PROGRAM, AND TWO FIRST LEGO LEAGUE TABLES, THE FIRST LEGO LEAGUE IS THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM.
AND TO CLARIFY -- EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON THE FIRST ROBOTICS, WHEN PEOPLE SAY COMPETITIVE ROBOTICS, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF BATTLE BOTS.
THIS IS NOT BATTLE BOTS.
THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE CHARACTER-BASED AND MENTOR-DRIVEN STEM EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL WITH $17 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS.
>>MARK SHARPE: COULD YOU PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.
>> I'M SORRY.
TERRI WILLINGHAM.
I'M THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR LEARNING IS FOR EVERYONE.
>>MARK SHARPE: CAN YOU JUST LIST SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU WORK WITH HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?
>> MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL IS ONE OF OUR BIG ONES, THEY HAVE A HUGE STEM MAGNET PROGRAM THERE HERE; HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
OH, MY GOODNESS, THERE'S SO MANY OF THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
KING HIGH SCHOOL JUST STARTED A PROGRAM.
AND I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF -- THERE'S A LOT OF THEM.
WE SERVE 10,000 STUDENTS WITH THE FIRST ROBOTICS PROGRAM IN FLORIDA.
IT SERVES 350,000 STUDENTS GLOBALLY, AND 100,000 VOLUNTEERS ARE INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM.
SO WHEN THE CHILDREN GET A CHALLENGE, THEY BUILD A ROBOT TO SOLVE THE CHALLENGE EVERY SEASON, SO IT'S ABOUT A 6- TO 12-WEEK PROGRAM, AND SO THEY'RE BUILDING ROBOTS TO MANIPULATE THINGS, MOVE THINGS, AND THEY'RE COMPETING IN TIMED CHALLENGES TO SOLVE THE CHALLENGES.
>>MARK SHARPE: AND WE'VE HAD SOME OF THE STUDENTS HERE IN THE PAST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM HERE IN THE FUTURE TO SHOW OFF SOME THEIR WARES.
I KNOW WE DO HAVE A FULL SCHEDULE, SO I -- UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE -- THIS WAS JUST SOME -- AN OPPORTUNITY, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR STAFF TO UPDATE YOU ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE DIDN'T WANT YOU READING ABOUT IT IN THE PAPER AND NOT -- FIRST AND NOT HEARING ABOUT IT DIRECTLY FROM MR. MERRILL AND OTHERS, AND I TELL YOU, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, MR. MERRILL, BECAUSE YOU WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TO SHAPE AND DIRECT THIS.
COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND I DO -- I APPLAUD YOU FOR GETTING THIS DONE.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE BALL ROLLING ON GETTING MORE TECHNOLOGY IN OUR LIBRARIES.
I HAD MET WITH MR. STINES MYSELF.
I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU, JOE, IS THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY ISN'T EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS IN OUR COUNTY, SO WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?
I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO SOME EXPENSE.
I ASSUME -- IS -- IS THE ORGANIZATION DOING THE BUILD-OUT?
WHO'S DOING THE BUILD-OUT ON THIS, IS THAT US OR THEM?
>>JOE STINES: IT'S A PARTNERSHIP, AND WE ARE USING TEMPORARY WALLS, AS WE'VE DONE IN OTHER PLACES WITHIN THE LIBRARY, BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO CHANGE AND GROW.
TERRI HAS GOT ALL KINDS OF IDEAS, AND WHEN SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING, SHE'S GOING TO GET RID OF --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH, GOOD.
>>JOE STINES: -- THAT AND GET A NEW ONE.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.
>>JOE STINES: AND THE PARKING --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO OUT IN THE COUNTY?
>>JOE STINES: OH, OUT IN THE COUNTY.
WELL, THAT'S EXCITING, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT ONLY WITH EXPANSIONS -- WHEN I MET WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY -- AND THEY CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT THEIR INDIVIDUAL LIBRARIES -- I TRIED TO SHARE WITH THEM THE VISION THAT WE'RE NOT ADDING MORE BOOKSHELVES, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, WE'RE ADDING MORE PEOPLE SPACE, WE'RE ADDING COLLABORATIVE LEARNING SPACES, AND WE ARE GOING TO -- WHEN YOU WALK INTO OUR -- AND I HOPE YOU'LL START WALKING INTO THEM.
MOST OF OUR PROJECTS ARE JUST ABOUT FINISHED.
WE HAD FOUR THIS YEAR, SO IT'S BEEN HARD TO GET THEM ALL DONE, BUT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, WE'LL HAVE THE RIBBON CUTTINGS FOR THE EXPANSION OF THREE OF OUR LARGE REGIONALS AND THE OPENING OF THE SEMINOLE HEIGHTS REPLACEMENT LIBRARY.
WE HAVE CREATED SPACE THERE, MAKERSPACE, WE'VE CREATED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING SPACE.
ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR ONES THAT WE HAVE BEEN REQUESTED IS THE RECORDING STUDIO BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS.
YOU CAN DO ORAL HISTORIES, YOU CAN DO A VIDEO, YOU CAN DO A MUSICAL.
IF YOU -- IF YOU ARE JUST DETERMINED TO HAVE YOUR OWN RECORD OUT THERE, YOUR OWN CD OUT THERE, YOU CAN COME AND RECORD IT.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IN EVERY LOCATION, AND WE ARE PLANNING SPACE, AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO CRUCIAL ABOUT THIS ITEM.
AND THE ONE ITEM I WANT TO ADDRESS IN HERE IS -- WE HAVE ABOUT $25,000 A YEAR IN THE LIBRARY BUDGET FOR TRAINING.
I'VE EARMARKED ABOUT 25% OF THAT TO TRAIN THE TRAINERS.
I HAVE HIRED -- OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, STAFF AND I HAVE WORKED HARD TO GET 21st-CENTURY LIBRARIANS AND WHAT WE CALL LIBRARY TECHNICAL ASSISTANTS.
THESE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE SOMETIMES COLLEGE DEGREES, SOMETIMES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEGREES ALL IN TECHNOLOGY.
THEY CURRENTLY TEACH CLASSES IN EVERY KIND OF SOFTWARE THAT YOU CAN THINK OF, AND WE WANT THEM TRAINED.
NOW, WHEN YOU GO OUT TO LOOK AT THAT KIND OF TRAINING IN THE NORMAL LIBRARY WORLD TRAINING AREAS, YOU DON'T FIND IT.
WE'RE AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
SO WE EARMARKED SOME MONEY HERE.
AND I DO APOLOGIZE, IT SHOULD BE $150 PER CLASS, AND MOST CLASSES ARE AN HOUR, SO THAT KIND OF EQUALS OUT, BUT IT'S 25% OF OUR CURRENT TRAINING BUDGET, NO EXTRA MONEY, THAT WE'RE GOING TO EARMARK FOR THAT.
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THREE OF MY STAFF TO STAND UP.
THEY ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED.
I HAVE EARMARKED ONE PERSON, MEGAN -- MEGAN, WILL YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
SHE IS A FANTASTIC 21st-CENTURY LIBRARIAN.
SHE'LL BE WORKING VERY, VERY CLOSELY EVERY DAY WITH TERRI.
AND SO WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF EMPHASIS HERE AND WE'LL BE DOING TRAINING -- FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S A REAL NEED FOR AN INTRODUCTION TO ROBOTICS.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF SENIORS THAT HAVE CALLED ME AND SAID, TELL ME ABOUT THIS, WHAT'S THIS GOING TO BE?
SO TERRI WILL BRING THE EXPERTS IN, WE'LL GET PROBABLY EIGHT TO TEN OF OUR STAFF IN EACH CLASS TRAINED, AND THEN WE'LL GO OUT, AND SLOWLY OVER TIME, WE WILL BE --
>>MARK SHARPE: JOE, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING INTO WHAT IS THE NEXT ITEM, B-15 --
>>JOE STINES: OKAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: -- AND SINCE THERE ARE -- NO, STAY THERE.
THIS WORKS PERFECT.
-- THERE ARE NO OTHER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS ON -- MY ITEM WAS TO SIMPLY TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING.
NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO B-15, WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE LIBRARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND LEARNING IS FOR EVERYONE, SO WE'RE GOING TO ENTER INTO THAT CONVERSATION, AND WERE YOU GOING TO HAVE MR. STINES COME UP AND INTRODUCE IT SO THAT HE CAN -- AND THEN IT'S OPEN TO BOARD DISCUSSION, SO -- BUT COMMISSIONER MURMAN, YOU STILL HAVE THE FLOOR.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: CAN I JUST FINISH REAL QUICK?
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, MA'AM.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND WE DO HAVE SOME AREAS -- AND YOU HAVE AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS -- IN THE COUNTY WHERE LIBRARY SERVICES ARE NOT PREVALENT, AND WE -- I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF POSSIBLY EVEN JUST HAVING TECHNOLOGY CENTERS MAYBE IN A STRIP MALL, A SMALL SPACE WHERE WE COULD JUST PUT -- SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO LIBRARY BOOKS BUT THROUGH THE INTERNET, SO I WONDERED IF YOU'RE STILL GOING TO CONSIDER THAT, AND IF YOU WILL, IF YOU'LL JUST COME BACK TO US WITH A REPORT ABOUT THAT, SO HOW WE CAN REALLY ENGAGE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY INTO OUR LIBRARIES BUT ALSO INTO THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE SO THAT THEY CAN REALLY ACCESS OUR SERVICES THROUGH THE INTERNET AND WE CAN REALLY EDUCATE THEM THAT WAY.
>>JOE STINES: YES, I WILL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MIKE HAS CHALLENGED ME THAT'S GOT ME ON MY TIPTOES IS HIS CONCEPT OF P3, AND I'VE GONE OUT AND LOOKED AS CLOSE AS I CAN, AND THERE'S ALL KIND OF P3 PROJECTS.
ONE OF THEM WOULD BE THAT KIND OF PROJECT WHERE YOU GET A PARTNERSHIP WITH A NOT-FOR -- FOR A FOR-PROFIT --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: RIGHT.
>>JOE STINES: -- THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE SPACE.
ANOTHER ONE OF YOU ASKED ME ABOUT A POP-UP LIBRARY.
SO I'M WORKING -- WE WANT TO GET THIS OFF THE GROUND, AND THEN I WILL LOOK AT OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN -- BECAUSE YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THERE ARE AREAS OF THE COUNTY WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE A FULL BUILDING STANDING LIBRARY.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: WE DON'T NEED TO BUILD ANY MORE LIBRARIES, WE REALLY DON'T.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: WE HAVE PLENTY OF SPACES WHERE WE CAN GO INTO WHERE PEOPLE FREQUENT SHOPPING CENTERS AND STRIP MALLS WHERE WE COULD HAVE SOME SMALL SPACE AND HAVE THIS POP-UP VERSION WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACCESS -- ALMOST LIKE A SMALL APPLE STORE WHERE PEOPLE GO IN AND THEY JUST USE THE COMPUTERS AND GO FORWARD.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US KIND OF MOVE FORWARD ON THAT AND REALLY GO OUT, MAYBE DO AN RFA IN -- YOU KNOW, ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY.
>>JOE STINES: OKAY.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.
>>JOE STINES: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: MR. MERRILL, DID YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE FORMALLY B-15?
>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, COMMISSIONER.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN LIBRARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY, AND LEARNING IS FOR EVERYONE TO IMPLEMENT WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED, AND UNLESS THERE ARE QUESTIONS, WE CAN MOVE THE ITEM AND MOVE FORWARD.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE NO BOARD DISCUSSION.
THIS IS ITEM B-15.
WE NEED TO TAKE BOARD ACTION.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN MOVING APPROVAL AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
THIS IS FOR ITEM B-15.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MARK SHARPE: I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY, AGAIN, THANK
MR. STINES, MR. COHEN, TERRI WILLINGHAM, AND ALL THE OTHERS, OUR ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
THIS IS GOING TO BE FANTASTIC.
>>MIKE MERRILL: GREAT.
THANK YOU.
THANKS, JOE.
NEXT ITEM IS YOUR 10:30 TIME CERTAIN, ITEM B-1, AND I BELIEVE BONNIE -- OR TOM IS HERE TO PRESENT THE ITEM.
>>TOM FESLER: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
TOM FESLER, BUSINESS AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
ITEM B-1 IS ASKING YOU TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION WHICH CONDITIONALLY APPROVES SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 147 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED, THE ISSUANCE BY THE CAPITAL TRUST AGENCY OF APPROXIMATELY
$16.7 MILLION OF REVENUE BONDS FOR THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE COSTS OF THE ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENT, INSTALLATION, AND EQUIPPING OF A SENIOR LIVING FACILITY KNOWN AS THE TAMPA MEMORY CARE -- AS TAMPA BAY MEMORY CARE, LOCATED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY COUNTY FINANCIAL LIABILITY OR OBLIGATION AS A RESULT OF THIS ACTION.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>VICTOR CRIST: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-1 BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CRIST.
NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>MIKE MERRILL: YOU CAN JUST STAY THERE, TOM.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MIKE MERRILL: WE HAVE SOME TIME BEFORE YOUR NEXT TIME CERTAIN, SO, TOM, IF YOU COULD TAKE ITEM B-2, WHICH IS THE AGREEMENT WITH FLORIDA HOME PARTNERSHIP.
>>TOM FESLER: YES.
COMMISSIONERS, ITEM B-2 IS ASKING YOU TO AWARD AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE OWNER-OCCUPIED REHABILITATION HOUSING PROGRAM TO FLORIDA HOME PARTNERSHIP IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,295,000 FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR A ONE-YEAR PERIOD FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF OUR NOTICE TO PROCEED.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-2 BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANKS, TOM.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>MIKE MERRILL: WHAT?
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH.
GENE, CAN YOU DO THE FAMILY AND AGING SERVICES ITEMS?
>>GENE EARLEY: YES, SIR.
>>MIKE MERRILL: OKAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME, MR. EARLEY.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THIS IS B-8, B-9, AND -- A NUMBER OF THEM HERE.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
>>GENE EARLEY: GOOD MORNING.
I'M GENE EARLEY.
I'M THE DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR THE HEALTH CARE SERVICES DIVISION.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
AMENDMENT -- OR AGENDA ITEM B-8 IS THE NINTH MODIFICATION TO THE RYAN WHITE PROGRAM, PART "A," HIV SERVICES WITH
ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL.
THIS ACTION INCREASES ORAL HEALTH AND OUTPATIENT/AMBULATORY MEDICAL CARE FUNDING AND DECREASED THE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING FUNDING.
THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS AND UNITS ARE PROPORTIONALLY INCREASED OR DECREASED THROUGH THE PERIOD OF MARCH 1st, 2013, THROUGH FEBRUARY 28th, 2013, AS REALLOCATED BY THE CARE COUNCIL. 7,254 OF THAT TOTAL INCREASE OR THE 86,539 IN THE RECOMMENDATION SECTION ABOVE IS ACTUALLY CARRYOVER FUNDING.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
THIS IS ITEM B-8.
CAN WE HAVE BOARD ACTION?
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>VICTOR CRIST: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-8 BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CRIST.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>GENE EARLEY: AGENDA ITEM B-9 IS THE SECOND MODIFICATION TO THE RYAN WHITE PROGRAM, PART "A," SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND BUREAU OF HIV AND AIDS.
THIS ACTION DECREASES OUTPATIENT/AMBULATORY MEDICAL CARE AND AIDS PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE, AND IT ALSO REVISES THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS TO BE SERVED IN UNITS PROPORTIONATELY FOR THE BUDGET PERIOD MARCH 1st, 2013, THROUGH FEBRUARY 28th, 2014, AS REALLOCATED BY THE CARE COUNCIL.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]
>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO MOVE.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-9 BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>GENE EARLEY: THIS ASKS YOU TO APPROVE FOR THE FY 13 BUDGET AMENDMENT --
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>GENE EARLEY: OH.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.
>>GENE EARLEY: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A FY 13 BUDGET AMENDMENT TO REALIGN THE EXISTING FUNDS AND ACCEPT CARRYOVER FUNDS FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION FOR THE RYAN WHITE, PART "A," HIV EMERGENCY PROGRAM.
IT BASICALLY DOES THREE THINGS, ACCEPT FOR THE HEALTH CARE SERVICES DIVISION 170,899 IN CARRYOVER FUNDS FOR THE RYAN WHITE PROGRAM, WHICH INCREASES THE TOTAL GRANT AWARD FROM 9,274,419 TO 9,445,318 FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
IT ALSO REQUESTS YOU APPROVE THE BUDGET AMENDMENT RESOLUTION TO INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS TO THAT SAME AMOUNT FOR MEDICAL CASE MANAGEMENT, ORAL HEALTH, TREATMENT ADHERENCE FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 1st, 2013, THROUGH FEBRUARY 28th, AND THEN FINALLY, APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT RESOLUTION TO REALIGN 102,404 WITHIN THE RYAN WHITE, PART "A," HIV EMERGENCY ACT, BUDGET REDISTRIBUTING OPERATING FUNDS TO ACCOMMODATE PROGRAM SERVICES, COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRANT FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 1st, 2013, THROUGH FEBRUARY 28th, 2014.
>>MARK SHARPE: AND THIS IS FOR ITEM B-10?
>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE ITEM B-10.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION?
OH, WE HAVE -- COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: WE CAN VOTE FIRST.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL BY --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>VICTOR CRIST: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: -- COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CRIST.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.
AND --
>>MARK SHARPE: ONE SECOND.
ONE SECOND.
I'M SORRY.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I JUST WANTED, WHILE WE WERE IN FINANCE DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW, TO RECOGNIZE THE GREAT WORK OF BONNIE WISE AND HER STAFF.
WE, ONCE AGAIN, HAVE SCORED A AAA BOND RATING, AND THAT WAS A HIGH PRIORITY THAT I HAD IN MY EARLY YEARS ON THE BOARD WAS TO GET FINANCES IN ORDER, AND THROUGH BONNIE'S LEADERSHIP AND MIKE'S, YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, AND IT -- IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT MAKES HEADLINES.
IT SHOULD BECAUSE IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO THE CITIZENS HERE, AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU PUBLICLY HERE, BONNIE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.
>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT AS WELL.
WHAT THAT MEANS TO ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IS A LOWER BOND -- OR A HIGHER BOND RATING MEANS LOWER INTEREST RATES PAID ON THE BONDS THAT -- THAT WE HAVE, AND IT MEANS THAT WE KEEP COSTS LOW AND AFFORDABLE, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF COUNTIES THAT ARE IN A COMPLETELY DIVERSE SITUATION THAN THIS, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO BE IN THIS POSITION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD STEWARDSHIP.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.
MR. MERRILL.
WE'VE MOVED 10.
>>MIKE MERRILL: B-11.
>>GENE EARLEY: B-11 IS THE FIRST MODIFICATION -- WE ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THE FIRST MODIFICATION OF AGREEMENT WITH KASH N' KARRY FOOD STORES, D/B/A SWEETBAY SUPERMARKET, FOR THE PROVISION OF COMPREHENSIVE PHARMACY DISPENSING SERVICES.
THIS BASICALLY EXTENDS THE TERM AT THE SAME PRICE, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS, AND INCLUDES AN OPTION OF TWO SUCCESSIVE ONE-YEAR RENEWALS AND UPDATES THE ACCESS-TO-RECORDS CLAUSE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE FLORIDA STATUTES.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MILLER.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
LET ME ASK A QUESTION HERE.
I BELIEVE THAT SWEETBAYS ARE BEING BOUGHT OUT BY WINN DIXIES.
>>GENE EARLEY: THAT IS CORRECT, SIR.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: DOES IT -- ARE THEY ACCEPTING THIS MODIFICATION --
>>GENE EARLEY: YES, SIR, THEY ARE --
>>LES MILLER, JR.: -- [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
OKAY.
>>GENE EARLEY: -- BUT THE NOVATION WON'T COME UNTIL JANUARY.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: JANUARY.
SO THEY -- EVERYTHING'S IN PLACE --
>>GENE EARLEY: EVERYTHING'S GOOD.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: -- AND SWITCHING OVER WITH WINN DIXIE?
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: I HAD THE SAME QUESTION.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE'RE SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWER?
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
YES.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND THAT'S FOR B-11.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: COMMISSIONER CRIST.
MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
>>GENE EARLEY: OKAY.
THE FINAL AGENDA ITEM IS B-12.
THIS IS A REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE THE AGREEMENT WITH THE HOMELESS COALITION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, D/B/A TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH HOMELESS INITIATIVE, FOR THE PROVISION OF HOMELESS ASSISTANCE AND CONTINUUM-OF-CARE SERVICES.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>GENE EARLEY: FUNDING FOR THIS AGREEMENT'S INCLUDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2014 GENERAL FUND.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-12 BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>GENE EARLEY: THANK YOU.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU, GENE.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THANK YOUR STAFF.
>>GENE EARLEY: YES, SIR.
>>MARK SHARPE: HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
>>GENE EARLEY: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.
>>MIKE MERRILL: ALL RIGHT.
WE CAN GO BACK TO OUR TIME CERTAINS, THEN.
10:45, WE HAVE TWO TIME CERTAINS BEGINNING WITH F-1, WHICH IS THE REQUEST BY COMMISSIONER CRIST FOR A PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.
>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I MOVE TO DIRECT COUNTY INTERNAL AUDITOR TO PERFORM THE AUDIT OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IN ACCORDANCE TO THE SUBMITTED AUDIT PLAN.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CRIST -- THIS IS FOR ITEM F-1 -- SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
ANY BOARD DISCUSSION?
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CRIST.
>>MIKE MERRILL: AND B-14 IS A PRESENTATION BY THE COUNTY'S INTERNAL AUDITOR OF HER 2014 ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN.
MICHELLE LEONHARDT IS HERE FOR THIS ITEM.
>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME, MA'AM.
>>MICHELLE LEONHARDT: GOOD MORNING.
MICHELLE LEONHARDT, COUNTY INTERNAL AUDITOR.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UPDATED RESOLUTION GOVERNING OUR DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, I'M PRESENTING THE ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2014.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT I'VE PERFORMED, WE COMPLETED SELF-ASSESSMENT SURVEYS THAT WENT OUT TO THE VARIOUS DIRECTOR-LEVEL POSITIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY; WE MET WITH MIKE MERRILL'S LEADERSHIP TEAM TO CLARIFY RESPONSES WHERE NECESSARY AND OBTAIN THEIR INPUT; WE REVIEWED THE SURVEYS AND THEN INPUT THEM INTO THE RISK MATRIX.
WE THEN DISCUSSED WITH PEGGY CASKEY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT OUR AUDIT PLANS -- WE HAD APPROPRIATE COVERAGE AND WE DID NOT HAVE ANY REDUNDANCIES.
THEN I DISCUSSED THE DRAFT PLAN WITH LAUREN MARTIN -- SHE'S WITH THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS CHERRY BEKAERT -- JUST, AGAIN, MAKING SURE THERE'S NO DUPLICATION EFFORTS THERE AND GET SOME OF THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE PLAN AS WELL.
AND THEN FINALLY, we REVIEWED WITH MIKE MERRILL AND GOT HIS INPUT.
I MET WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ON MONDAY, AND THEY DID APPROVE THE AUDIT PLAN.
SO SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DETERMINING THE PLAN WAS, AGAIN, WE FIRST LOOKED AT OUR CAPACITY, AND WITHIN THAT, THERE IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE SPECIAL AUDITS THAT YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO REQUEST, SO THAT TIME HAS BEEN SET ASIDE, THAT IS SEPARATE.
AND THEN BASED ON OUR CAPACITY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SIX OPERATIONAL AND/OR COMPLIANCE AUDITS, AND THOSE ARE BASED ON AROUND 500 HOURS EACH, AND TWO TO THREE OUTSOURCED PERFORMANCE AUDITS.
I DID WANT TO MENTION THERE WAS NO REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING AT THIS TIME, BUT THE BUDGET FOR THE OUTSOURCED PERFORMANCE AUDITS IS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUNDS, AND IT'S $150,000.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY, ONCE WE PUT THESE OUT TO BID, WHAT THOSE WILL COME IN AT.
I WAS ORIGINALLY THINKING MAYBE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DEFINITELY DO TWO.
THREE I'M NOT SURE ABOUT.
I DID DISCUSS THAT WITH MIKE, AND HE WAS IN AGREEMENT THAT IF IT WERE NECESSARY TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE COVERAGE OF THE THREE OUTSOURCED AUDITS THAT WE HAVE ON THE PLAN THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT.
AND THE SCOPE IS PRELIMINARY, IT WILL BE AMENDED AND ADJUSTED, AND, AGAIN, ONCE WE'RE READY TO PERFORM THE AUDITS, WE WILL FINALIZE THAT, AND THEN, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY INPUT INTO THE SCOPE AS WELL, WE'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
THE TIMING THAT WAS LISTED IS JUST PROPOSED, AND IT WILL BE ADJUSTED BASED ON COMPETING BUSINESS PRIORITIES.
AND THEN FINALLY AND MOST CRITICALLY, THE AUDIT PLAN WILL BE REVIEWED ON AT LEAST A QUARTERLY BASIS.
WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING ANY EMERGING RISKS THAT MAY COME UP AS WELL AS ANY AUDIT REQUESTS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE.
SO THE PROPOSED AUDIT PLAN, AS WAS JUST APPROVED, IS THE PTC AUDIT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT PROCUREMENT AND LOOKING AT THE LIFE CYCLE.
THE HOMELESS RECOVERY IS A CARRY-FORWARD FROM LAST YEAR.
AGAIN, THE PROCEDURES -- WE WANTED TO LOOK AT THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, OVERSIGHT OF OUTSOURCING ONCE THE HOMELESS RECOVERY PROGRAM HAS MOVED AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE AT ITS FUTURE STATE, GO IN AND THEN PERFORM AN AUDIT THEN. LOOKING AT OUR RISK MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY, AGAIN, THE RISK IDENTIFICATION ASSESSMENT PROCESS, THE CLAIMS COMMITTEE, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT INSPECTIONS, AND THEN FINALLY HUMAN RESOURCES FOCUSING ON RECRUITMENT AND NEW-HIRE PROCESS, INCLUDING MAKING SURE ANY NECESSARY TRAINING THAT NEW HIRES HAVE TO GO THROUGH, LOOKING AT THEIR ACCESS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THOSE ARE THE AUDITS THAT WE WOULD BE PERFORMING INTERNALLY.
IT IS AN AGGRESSIVE PLAN, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS ACHIEVABLE.
AND THEN THE THREE OUTSOURCED PERFORMANCE AUDITS THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT OF INCLUDE AGING SERVICES, CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES, AND SOCIAL SERVICES, AND, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE LOOKING AT AN OVERALL PROGRAM AUDIT, LOOKING AT THE PERFORMANCE AUDIT SIDE OF THAT.
AND THAT'S THE PROPOSED PLAN.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT BRIEF PRESENTATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY BOARD DISCUSSION?
COMMISSIONER MILLER.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
LET ME -- LET ME SAY SOMETHING HERE.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU ARE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND YOU'RE HIRING PEOPLE, YOU -- YOU MAKE DECISIONS THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT DECISION I MADE REALLY WAS PROBABLY NOT THE CORRECT ONE.
WHEN WE WERE INTERVIEWING PEOPLE FOR THIS POSITION, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT YOU WERE NOT ON THE TOP OF MY LIST.
>>MICHELLE LEONHARDT: RIGHT.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: BUT YOU HAVE COME IN AND YOU'VE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND YOU'VE TAKEN AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH AND REALLY, WITH THE SMALL STAFF THAT YOU HAVE, DOING A YEOMAN'S JOB OF -- OF BEING AN INTERNAL AUDITOR.
I WASN'T HERE WHEN A LOT OF THE THINGS WENT DOWN WE READ ABOUT IN THE PAPER, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE COME IN AND TURNED EVERYTHING AROUND AND YOU'RE DOING A JOB THAT IS JUST ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT -- ANY EXPECTATION, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT BIG ENOUGH TO SAY THAT -- I MADE A MISTAKE.
I MADE A MISTAKE, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE, AND CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU, AND CONTINUE THE PROFESSIONALISM THAT YOU'RE PUTTING FORTH.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WILL MOVE TO ACCEPT THE --
>>SANDRA MURMAN: SECOND.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: -- APPROVAL OF THE INTERNAL AUDIT FOR 2014.
>>MARK SHARPE: WONDERFUL.
WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-14, AND THAT'S BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY AS WELL, AS ONE OF THE OLDER BOARD MEMBERS HERE, I DON'T REMEMBER A TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM THE AUDITOR.
I MEAN, USUALLY IT WAS LOUD AND BOISTEROUS, THERE WAS LOTS OF BACK AND FORTH.
YOU'VE COME IN QUIET, YOU'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY PROFESSIONAL.
YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, AND ECHO THE WORDS OF COMMISSIONER MILLER.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MICHELLE LEONHARDT: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: AGAIN, THIS IS APPROVAL FOR B-14.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MICHELLE LEONHARDT: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
IT REALLY HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND VERY PROFESSIONAL AND VERY HELPFUL TO ME, SO ...
WE HAVE SOME TIME BEFORE YOUR 11:00 A.M. TIME CERTAIN, SO IF WE CAN GO BACK AND PICK UP -- DEXTER, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND DO -- WHICH ONE IS IT?
>> B-4.
>>MIKE MERRILL: B-4.
>>MARK SHARPE: MR. BARGE, WELCOME, SIR.
WELCOME.
THIS IS ITEM B-4.
>>DEXTER BARGE: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
DEXTER BARGE, DIRECTOR OF -- INTERIM DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES AND DIRECTOR OF CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A CODE ENFORCEMENT ITEM.
THIS ITEM IS OUR LANDLORD/TENANT TRAINING PROGRAM.
SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, MAYBE A MONTH AGO, COMMISSIONER MURMAN HAD DIRECTED THAT WE BRING BACK AN ITEM THAT ADDRESSED THE LANDLORD/TENANT TRAINING PROGRAM.
AFTER LOOKING AT IT QUITE A BIT AND TRYING TO MODEL IT SOMEWHAT AFTER THE CITY'S PROGRAM, WE DECIDED ON CREATING A LANDLORD TRAINING SEMINAR PROGRAM, AND THIS PROGRAM WILL ALLOW FOR US TO HAVE FOUR SEMINARS, ONE PER QUARTER, IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE USF AREA.
I HAVE NOT COMPLETELY WORKED OUT ALL THE DETAILS AS FAR AS THE EXACT TIME AND DATE, BUT IT WILL BE DONE DURING NEXT QUARTER.
THE SEMINARS ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE LANDLORDS AND PROSPECTIVE TENANTS WITH FAMILIARIZATION OF THE RELEVANT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CODES AND ORDINANCES.
WE ALSO STUCK IN THERE SMALL BUSINESSES.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO PROVIDE -- HAVE SOME PRESENTATION AS IT RELATES TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND TRYING TO HELP MARKET THEM AND ALSO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.
I HAVE LAID OUT A NUMBER OF AREAS WHICH WE WILL HAVE PRESENTATIONS ON.
THOSE ARE LISTED IN THE AGENDA ITEM, BUT THEY ARE NOT CONCRETE.
WE ARE FLEXIBLE, AND SOME COMMUNITIES MAY DESIRE DIFFERENT TARGET -- TOPICS, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS APPROPRIATE TO THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE ALSO REACHED OUT AND BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE BAY AREA APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, WHO'S GOING TO WORK AS A PARTNER WITH US IN HELPING US TO SOLICIT AND GET THE -- GET OUR AUDIENCE AND GET OUR PEOPLE THERE, GET THEIR MEMBERS THERE, AND ALSO TENANTS THERE THAT -- THAT NEED TO BE INFORMED AS IT RELATES TO THE -- TO THE ORDINANCE.
THE -- WE HAVE FOUND -- I'LL CORRECT MYSELF.
THIS IS NOT AN ORDINANCE.
I HAVE -- WE HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF RENTAL -- SINGLE-FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY NOW.
BECAUSE OF THE FORECLOSURE CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE BEEN FACED WITH IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE FIND THAT A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE COMING IN AND BUYING UP PROPERTIES AND USING THEM AS RENTAL PROPERTIES.
SO WE'LL ALSO BE REACHING OUT TO THE TAMPA BAY REALTORS ASSOCIATION TO ASSIST US AS WELL.
ALONG WITH WORKING WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA, MANY OF THEIR SEMINARS OR TRAINING PROGRAMS THEY'VE FOUND THAT COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE SHOWING UP THERE AND ASKING QUESTIONS THAT RELATES TO OUR COUNTY ORDINANCES AND HOW CERTAIN THINGS ARE WORKING WITHIN THE COUNTY, SO WE HAVE -- WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE AT THEIR TRAINING AND THEY WILL HAVE -- ALSO HAVE STAFF AT OUR TRAINING WHERE THERE MAY BE CITY RESIDENTS SHOWING UP AS WELL.
SO I'M SIMPLY HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO GIVE APPROVAL FOR US TO MOVE AHEAD AND ESTABLISHING THESE LANDLORD/TENANT TRAINING SEMINARS.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND, OF COURSE, I WILL MOVE APPROVAL.
I THINK THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE FOR US TO UNDERTAKE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF, AND, AGAIN, I WILL REITERATE LET'S NOT OVERWORK THIS GUY, MR. DEXTER BARGE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF HERE AT THE COUNTY BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
BUT THIS IS -- THIS IS JUST A BIG EDUCATION INITIATIVE. BETTER LANDLORDS, MORE EDUCATED LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY OWNERS WILL MEAN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE SAFER AND CLEANER AND BETTER, AND IF THAT IS GOING TO HELP US PUT A BETTER FACE FORWARD FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEN I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY NECESSARY.
BUT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE BLIGHT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION AT THIS BOARD TO MAKE SURE WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO EDUCATE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CODES ARE.
THEY -- THEY OPEN THEIR BUSINESS, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE INSPECTIONS, OF COURSE, BUT THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW, LIKE, ADA REQUIREMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY, AND I JUST -- I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DOING THIS.
>>DEXTER BARGE: THANK YOU.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-4 BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MIKE MERRILL: HELENE, CAN YOU DO B-13 OR -- YEAH, B-13.
>>HELENE MARKS: HELENE MARKS, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE, B-13, IS THE AFSCME CONTRACT.
IT'S THE TWO-YEAR CONTRACT MOVING FORWARD.
IT REFLECTS A 3.5% INCREASE, AS WAS GIVEN TO ALL OF THE NONBARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES, AND OTHER THAN THAT, THERE ARE NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES OTHER THAN A RESTRUCTURE OF A SECTION IN THE PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT TO MEET THE COSTS AND THE DEMANDS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE OTHER PUBLIC SECTORS WHERE THESE EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN LEAVING THE COUNTY BECAUSE OF PAY.
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS REFLECTED IN THE CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF THOSE CHANGES IS TOTALLY ABSORBED BY THE ENTERPRISE FUND AND DOESN'T AFFECT THE GENERAL FUND AT ALL.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL -- WAS THAT COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM?
>>KEVIN BECKNER: THAT WOULD BE ME.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
SO IT WAS COMMISSIONER BECKNER'S MOTION FOR APPROVAL AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, AND THIS IS FOR ITEM B-13.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>HELENE MARKS: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANKS, HELENE.
JOHN, COULD YOU DO -- THERE HE IS.
COULD YOU DO B-16 FOR US.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
ITEM B-16.
WELCOME, MR. LYONS.
>>JOHN LYONS: GOOD MORNING.
JOHN LYONS, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
ITEM B-16 IS APPROVAL OF TWO CHANGE ORDERS TO THE RESURFACING TREATMENT PROGRAM.
ONE CHANGE ORDER IS A CONTRACT MODIFICATION FOR $800,000 WITH APAC-SOUTHEAST, THE SECOND IS WITH HUBBARD CONSTRUCTION FOR AN ADDITIONAL 800,000, AND THIS BRINGS OUR CONTRACT CAPACITY UP TO MEET THE FUNDING LEVELS OF OUR RESURFACING PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED WITH THE BUDGET.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-16 BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MIKE MERRILL: AND WE CAN GO TO YOUR 11:00 TIME CERTAIN, ITEM B-3.
THIS IS THE AGREEMENTS FOR ROADSIDE AND POND SITE MOWING SERVICES.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
ITEM B-3.
>>MIKE MERRILL: B-3.
>>MARK SHARPE: B-3.
>>TOM FESLER: COMMISSIONERS, ITEM B-3 IS ASKING YOU TO AWARD AND EXECUTE THE AGREEMENTS FOR ROAD AND POND SITE MOWING SERVICES TO THE FOLLOWING SERVICE AREAS, BIDDERS, AND AMOUNTS: SBE SET-ASIDE AREA 1 TO THE PROS INVESTMENT CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $159,138; SET-ASIDE AREA 2 TO MARKS EXCAVATING, INC., FOR $275,320; IN AREA 4 TO INFANTE SERVICES, INC., AN SBE FIRM, FOR $198,199 FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO REJECT THE BID SUBMITTED BY B&N TRACTOR SERVICE, DEEMED NONRESPONSIVE FOR FAILURE TO MEET MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF THE BID.
ALSO, YOU HAD REQUESTED THAT WHEN WE BRING THIS ITEM BACK THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THE RECOMMENDED COMPANIES AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM EACH OF THE COMPANIES THIS MORNING.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
TOM, I'M GOING TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON THIS, SO I HOPE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD INDULGE ME FOR JUST A MOMENT BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE, AND IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE SO FOR MY OFFICE.
LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING.
WHEN WE'RE AWARDING TO AREA 1, 2, AND 3, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING, CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT AREAS -- I MEAN, WHERE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, AREA, 1, AREA 2, AND THEN AREA 3, SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHICH PART OF THE COUNTY?
>>TOM FESLER: I'D PROBABLY DEFER THAT TO MAYBE MR. LYONS TO DESCRIBE THE ACTUAL GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ON THIS AREA.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO AWARD TODAY ARE AREAS 1, 2, AND 4.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: 1, 2, AND 4.
>>TOM FESLER: YES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
>>JOHN LYONS: JUST REAFFIRMING I WASN'T EXACTLY SURE MYSELF.
THE FOUR AREAS ARE BASICALLY IN THE NORTHWEST, THE NORTHEAST, AND THE SOUTH.
THE EXEMPTED AREA WOULD BE THE CENTRAL EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND SO WE'RE HERE TODAY ADDRESSING THIS BECAUSE MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH PERFORMANCE ON SOME OF THE CONTRACTS.
CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN THE BACKGROUND AND WHAT THE ISSUES WE'VE HAD BEFORE?
>>JOHN LYONS: YES, SIR.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST MEETING, WE -- THE WAY THE CONTRACTS WERE STRUCTURED PREVIOUSLY, WE HAD DESIGNATED -- AS OPPOSED TO A COST-PER-ACRE TYPE OF BID, IT WAS MORE OF PICK THIS SITE, PICK THAT SITE KIND OF THING.
GOING BACK AND DOING A FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THAT, WE PROBABLY ACCEPTED BIDS THAT WERE NOT OF TRUE MARKET VALUE.
I THINK WE UNDERVALUED THOSE, AND I THINK WE DIDN'T PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO SUCCEED VERY WELL.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO WHAT IS THE -- I WAS READING THROUGH THE BIDS AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF HOURS AND ET CETERA, BUT I DIDN'T GET A REAL SENSE OF WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE AND WHAT CITIZENS CAN EXPECT AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE DIFFERENT AREAS ARE MOWED, WHAT IS THE EXACT MAINTENANCE OF THE AREA, BECAUSE WE JUST TALK ABOUT MOWING, BUT TO ME, I WOULD THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LANDSCAPING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT -- WE GO AROUND THE DELIVERABLES AND EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING THEM TO DO?
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT?
>>JOHN LYONS: YES.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT -- DIFFERENT STANDARDS FOR THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF AREAS THAT WE WORK IN.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE SOME RURAL AREAS THAT WOULD BE MORE LIKE BUSH HOG TYPE MOWING, WE HAVE POND SITES THAT HAVE SLOPES AND THAT NEED TO BE TRIMMED AROUND A LITTLE BIT, A LOT OF FENCING AROUND THAT, AND THEN, OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE OUR URBAN AREAS WITH CURB AND GUTTER, MEDIANS, SOME LANDSCAPING, TREES, BUSHES, AND SUCH THINGS AS THAT.
WITHIN EACH OF THOSE AREAS -- EXCUSE ME -- THAT PRICING WILL GET US TO THE POINT WHERE IT KIND OF CLEANS IT UP AND SETS IT TO A STANDARD.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: ON -- WHEN YOU SAY THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT STANDARDS IN DIFFERENT AREAS --
>>JOHN LYONS: YES, SIR.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- IN 1, 2, AND 4 --
>>JOHN LYONS: WELL, NO.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- I'M NOT 100% CLEAR WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT STANDARDS.
>>JOHN LYONS: NOT IN THE AREAS BUT WITHIN THE TYPES OF MOWING THAT'LL BE CONTAINED WITHIN THOSE AREAS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN A RURAL AREA, YOU CAN TYPICALLY -- YOU KNOW, IT'S A SHOULDERED ROAD AND YOU CAN BRING A BUSH HOG TRACTOR DOWN THROUGH THERE AND MOW, AND IT'LL MOW AT A HIGHER LEVEL THE HEIGHT OF THE GRASS.
WHEN YOU GET INTO URBAN AREAS WHERE WE HAVE THE SIDEWALKS, THE GRASSED MEDIANS, WE'RE USING A LAWN MOWER BASICALLY AT THAT POINT, AND SO THAT GRASS WILL BE CUT TO A LOWER HEIGHT.
IT WON'T BE QUITE A YARD HEIGHT, BUT IT WILL -- YOU KNOW, LOOK MORE PRESENTABLE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: IS IT THE EXPECTATION THAT IN ALL THE AREAS, THE TRIMMINGS AND EVERYTHING ARE PICKED UP AFTER THE MOWING?
>>JOHN LYONS: YES, SIR.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU --
>>JOHN LYONS: AND ALSO ALONG WITH THAT WOULD BE PICKING UP TRASH PRIOR TO MOWING AS WELL.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: ALL RIGHT.
SO WE SHOULD -- SO THE EXPECTATION OF THEM IS THAT THEY ARE PICKING UP THAT TRASH IN THE AREA THAT'S BEING -- THAT'S BEING MOWED?
>>JOHN LYONS: ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE NOT IN THE CONFETTI-MAKING BUSINESS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
I WOULD HOPE NOT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN THE CASE OUT WHERE I LIVE IN CITRUS PARK, AND I'VE SEEN OTHER AREAS IN THE COUNTY, THAT TRIMMINGS -- I MEAN, IT'S LOOKED ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING --
>>JOHN LYONS: SURE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- WHEN THEY'VE GOTTEN DONE.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN TRIMMED, BUT THERE'S MOWINGS AND THINGS THAT ARE BLOWN EVERYWHERE, AND LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF THE TRASH IS BEFORE OR AFTER, BUT SOME OF THE AREAS JUST AREN'T -- THEY DON'T LOOK PRESENTABLE.
>>JOHN LYONS: IF I MAY SPEAK TO THAT FOR JUST ONE SECOND.
SINCE THE LAST MEETING, WHEN THIS SUBJECT CAME UP, WE'VE HAD CONSIDERABLE EFFORT ON THE PART OF OUR OWN STAFF GOING OUT AND COLLECTING TRASH AND DOING SOME MOWING.
WE'RE NOT FINISHED YET.
WE'RE CONTINUING THAT EFFORT THIS WEEKEND TO TRY TO GET SOME THINGS CLEANED UP.
I'VE SEEN MARKETED IMPROVEMENT IN THE AREAS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT.
TO DATE WE'VE PICKED UP EFFECTIVELY ABOUT 420 CUBIC YARDS OF TRASH AROUND THE COUNTY, WHICH IS ABOUT 11 OF THOSE BIG ROLL-OFF CONTAINERS, JUST FROM THE RIGHTS-OF-WAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO LIVE WITH A NEW AND BETTER STANDARD.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED IS THAT COUNTY STAFF HAD DONE THAT.
THERE WASN'T ANY OUTSOURCED PEOPLE THAT DID THAT; IS THAT RIGHT?
>>JOHN LYONS: YES, SIR.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: WELL, PERHAPS MAYBE THAT'S THE PRIDE THAT COUNTY STAFF IS TAKING THAT YOU-ALL HAVE EMPHASIZED, AND I WOULD HAVE THE EXPECTATION ON OUTSOURCED SERVICES THAT YOU WOULD EXHIBIT THE SAME TYPE OF PRIDE THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR COUNTY.
I DON'T KNOW THE QUESTION WAS ANSWERED, MR. LYONS, AS FAR AS THE -- WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE CAN EXPECT MOWING TO OCCUR?
>>JOHN LYONS: THE CONTRACTS ARE SET UP THAT IT CAN BE AT OUR DIRECTION.
WE WOULD ANTICIPATE, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS TIME OF YEAR WE'D PROBABLY ONLY MOW, YOU KNOW, EVERY THREE TO FOUR WEEKS.
AS WE GET INTO THE GROWING SEASON, WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THOSE CYCLES WOULD PICK UP TO PROBABLY EVERY COUPLE WEEKS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: WHAT WAS IT WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAD THE -- AND DID THE -- AND TOOK CARE OF THE MAINTENANCE?
HOW OFTEN DID WE GO OUT?
>>JOHN LYONS: THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT, I BELIEVE, HAD WHAT WE CALL A NUMBER OF TURNS OR CYCLES OF MOWING.
WE HAD ONLY BUDGETED FOR PROBABLY ABOUT EIGHT TO TEN TIMES A YEAR.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: BUT, I MEAN, WHEN WE WERE DOING IT AS A COUNTY, IT WAS -- HOW OFTEN WERE WE ON CYCLE?
>>JOHN LYONS: ABOUT THAT EIGHT TO TEN TIMES A YEAR.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: ABOUT EIGHT TO TEN TIMES.
>>JOHN LYONS: AND IT DROPPED OFF WITH THE BUDGET CUTS AS WELL.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
AND YOU HAD MENTIONED, I THINK, THAT PERHAPS -- THAT THE PRICING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN -- YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THINGS WERE PRICED OUT IN SERVICES.
>>JOHN LYONS: YES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND I NOTICED THAT GOING THROUGH THESE CONTRACTS AS WELL, THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE DEVIANCE IN THE -- WHAT WAS BEING AWARDED TO WHAT WAS BID ON BY SOME OF THE OTHER BIDDERS.
CAN YOU KIND OF ASSURE US AND TELL US HOW -- WHAT DUE DILIGENCE YOU-ALL HAVE DONE SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THIS ISSUE AGAIN?
>>JOHN LYONS: AS WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS JUST IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, THE PRICING IS NOT EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT AS A COMPARATIVE VALUE, THE PREVIOUS CONTRACTS WORKED OUT TO BE ABOUT $31 AN ACRE TO DO THE MOWING.
THE NEW BIDS, AS GENERICALLY AVERAGED ACROSS ALL OF THEM, WORK OUT TO BE ABOUT $51 AN ACRE.
WE MADE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS TO THE D.O.T. CONTRACTUAL MOWING CONTRACTS THAT THEY HAVE, AND THEY'RE AT ABOUT $53 AN ACRE, SO WE BELIEVE WE'RE WITHIN THE BALLPARK AND TYPE OF STANDARDS THAT D.O.T. USES, AND THEY CONTRACT OUT A LOT OF WORK.
WITH OUR OWN FORCES IT WORKS OUT TO BE ABOUT $69 AN ACRE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: ALL RIGHT.
WELL, I GUESS THAT WOULD BRING MY QUESTION -- AGAIN, AS I'M GOING THROUGH THE BIDDING FOR THESE -- FOR THE DIFFERENT AREAS, LIKE IN AREA 1, THE DIFFERENCE WAS 159,000 FROM THE LOWEST BIDDER TO 353 TO 250.
I MEAN, AGAIN, EVERY -- WHEN YOU'RE CONTRACTING IN THE PRIVATE SERVICE INDUSTRY, THEY ALL HAVE TO CONTRACT ACCORDINGLY.
>>JOHN LYONS: SURE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: BUT, AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LOWEST BIDDER IS ABLE TO ACTUALLY PERFORM THE ACTUAL -- YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WERE BIDDING OUT FOR, SO --
>>JOHN LYONS: WE DID CHECK REFERENCES, WE DID LOOK AT THEIR CAPABILITIES AND SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: WHO HAVE WE TALKED TO WHEN WE ARE CHECKING OUT THE REFERENCES, IF YOU WANT TO START WITH THE THREE COMPANIES.
>>JOHN LYONS: I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
IT WAS STAFF-LEVEL FOLKS THAT CALLED THE REFERENCES THAT WERE PROVIDED.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: ALL RIGHT.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT CAN SPEAK TO THAT?
>>JOHN LYONS: I WOULD HAVE TO BRING SOMEBODY DOWN FROM UPSTAIRS TO DO THAT.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
WELL, IN THE MEANTIME, IS THERE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM PROS INVESTMENT?
YES, SIR.
>> HELLO.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: WELCOME.
>> HI.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: GO AHEAD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND INFORMATION FOR --
>> MY NAME IS KEVIN KNOWLES.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF PROS INVESTMENT CORPORATION.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: GREAT.
AND BY THE WAY, WELCOME, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND, AGAIN, WHY YOU THINK THAT -- YOU KNOW, YOU OBVIOUSLY CAME IN WITH ONE OF THE LOWEST BIDS HERE, BUT, AGAIN, I HOPE YOU CAN ADDRESS MY CONCERN ABOUT THE LOWEST BID ALSO --
>> YES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- PROVIDING THE BEST-QUALITY WORK.
>> AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'LL BE DOING YOUR AREA.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: WONDERFUL.
I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
>> WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 1997 DOING ONLY MUNICIPALITY WORK.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, JOE CHILLURA PARK WAS DONE BY US.
WE MAINTAINED IT FOR TWO YEARS UNDER JERRY SLAYTON.
SHE DID FACILITIES AND REAL ESTATE.
WE DID ALL THE PARKS, WE DID THIS BUILDING, WE'VE DONE WORK FOR TAMPA BAY WATER.
YOU MENTIONED THE REFERENCE.
I'M SURE THEY CONTACTED TAMPA BAY WATER.
THEY'VE BEEN OUR CUSTOMER SINCE 1997.
WE MAINTAIN 167 PUMP STATIONS, INCLUDING FIVE PUMP SITES, WHICH ARE LARGE FACILITIES, AND 65 MILES OF PIPELINE AND ROADWAYS.
WE'VE DONE WORK FOR THE FRIENDSHIP TRAIL, THE PINELLAS TRAIL, CITY OF SEMINOLE, ROAD AND HIGHWAY FOR PINELLAS COUNTY, SO WE'RE VERY WELL EXPERIENCED IN THIS TYPE OF WORK.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO ARE YOU MAINTAINING THAT SAME VOLUME OF WORK THAT YOU --
>> NO.
WE DROPPED OFF A LOT OF THE WORK WHEN THE RECESSION HIT AND ALSO THE ADVENT OF ONVIA-DEMANDSTAR.
WHAT THAT DID WAS THAT BROUGHT A LOT OF UNQUALIFIED BIDDERS TO KNOW ABOUT THE BIDS THAT WERE OUT THERE.
ANY PURCHASING AGENT WILL PROBABLY TELL YOU THEY SAY MANY LOW BIDDERS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'M NOT THE LOWEST BID ON THIS ONE.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY ONE THAT CAME IN AT 66,000, AND THAT WAS DISCARDED QUICKLY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF UNQUALIFIED BIDDERS OUT THERE BECAUSE OF ONVIA, BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND I NOTICE ALSO THE CITY OF TAMPA ARE RAISING THEIR STANDARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LOW BIDDERS ARE THROWN OUT AND QUALIFIED BIDDERS ARE PUT IN.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO TO DO THIS WORK, HOW MANY -- YOU BRING ON -- I SAW IN YOUR BACKUP HERE THAT YOU'RE BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL LABORERS.
ABOUT HOW MANY ARE YOU GOING TO BRING --
>> RIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO BRING ON TWO CREWS, BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR PEOPLE, DEPENDING ON THE SEASON.
OBVIOUSLY, AS WE GET INTO THE RAINY SEASON, WE'LL HAVE MORE ON CREW.
IF WE HAVE A RAINY SEASON, LIKE WE DID THE PAST YEAR, WE MAY BRING IN FIVE PEOPLE PER CREW AND ACTUALLY BRING IN A THIRD CREW.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE LOGISTICS OF THE WEATHER AT THE TIME.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND ARE THOSE CONTRACT LABORERS OR ARE THOSE --
>> NO, THEY'RE LIKE EMPLOYEES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: THEY'RE -- SO YOU'RE HIRING --
>> [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- ACTUAL PEOPLE?
>> YES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
HOW ABOUT FROM MARKS EXCAVATING.
THANK YOU, MR. KNOWLES.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME'S THOMAS MARKS.
I'M THE OWNER OF THE MARKS EXCAVATING.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND JUST KIND OF TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHAT MAKES YOU QUALIFIED.
>> I'VE GOT OVER 30 -- THANK YOU.
I'VE GOT OVER 30 YEARS' EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR MYSELF AND WORKING FOR OTHER COMPANIES.
I CURRENTLY HAVE SEVERAL CONTRACTS ALREADY WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, PUBLIC ROADS.
I GOT A CON -- TEMPORARY CONTRACT TO DO UNIT 2 RIGHT NOW, THE SECTION THAT I'VE JUST BEEN AWARDED.
I HAVE CONTRACTS WITH UTILITIES, I HAVE SOLID WASTE -- SOLID WASTE CONTRACTS ALSO WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND I'M CURRENTLY DOING ALL OF THE FACILITIES FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S UTILITY DEPARTMENTS AND WATER DEPARTMENTS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND ARE YOU ALSO BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL LABORERS TO DO THIS?
>> I HAVE ALREADY BROUGHT IN ADDITIONAL LABOR SINCE I HAVE TOOK OVER THE TEMPORARY CONTRACT FOR SECTION 2.
I HAVE ALREADY BROUGHT IN EXTRA WORK HELPERS, AND I WILL BE ADDING MORE WHEN THE CONTRACT STARTS UP, ANOTHER CREW ALSO.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND YOU USE EMPLOYEES OR CONTRACT LABORERS?
>> I USE MY EMPLOYEES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: YOUR EMPLOYEES.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
AND THE LAST, INFANTE SERVICES.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M WILLIAM WITH INFANTE SERVICES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: GREAT.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHAT MAKES YOU QUALIFIED.
>> INFANTE SERVICES HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE 1980.
MY FATHER STARTED IT.
I TOOK OVER IT.
OUR COMPANY BASICALLY RIGHT NOW WORKS WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DOING ROADS, ALSO FACILITIES, ON THE AREA OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WE'RE STILL MAINTAINING LITHIA, 39, KNIGHTS GRIFFIN.
WE DO ABOUT 38 -- 28 TO 38 PONDS FOR YOU AT THIS MOMENT.
WE ALSO WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN THE ODESSA AREA DOING OVER 450 HOMES IN THE ODESSA AREA.
WE ALSO WORK WITH BUILDERS IN THE AREA TOO DOING LANDSCAPING, MOWING.
ANY ADDITIONAL [INAUDIBLE] I MISSED?
>> THE ROADS THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN AREA 4, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT WE ARE BEING AWARDED, NOT ONLY HAVE WE BEEN DOING THOSE, BUT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN ADDITIONAL ROADS AS NECESSARY TO DO.
>> RACE TRACK ROAD, LUTZ LAKE FERN, COUNTY LINE ROAD, SIMMONS, [INAUDIBLE] FIELD.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY USUALLY CALLS US UP AND GIVES US EXTRA ROADS TO GO AHEAD AND DO FOR THE AREAS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO CATCH UP OR DURING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THEN YOU'RE ALSO BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES OR --
>> YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND HAVE AN ADDITIONAL CREW OF FOUR PEOPLE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THREE CREWS RIGHT NOW.
>> OUR OBJECTIVE, ONCE THE CONTRACT'S AWARDED, WE'RE BRINGING IN AN EXTRA MACHINE THAT CAN CUT 15 FEET AT A ZERO TURN.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, I'M GOING TO -- THERE'S OTHER LIGHTS ON, SO I'LL LET OTHER PEOPLE CHIME IN.
>>THE CLERK: MA'AM, COULD YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
>> OH.
MY NAME IS CHARLOTTE HICKS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU-ALL COMING IN HERE, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL -- LISTENING -- IF YOU'VE HEARD OUR CONVERSATIONS AND SEEN WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HERE, THAT WE'RE NOT 100% SATISFIED WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE IN THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR COMMUNITY, SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE AWARDED THESE CONTRACTS, I HOPE YOU WOULD TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY THE -- THE AESTHETICS AND HOW WE VIEW, YOU KNOW, THE CARE OF OUR COUNTY AND THAT YOU WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT JUST AS WELL AS OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES WOULD HAVE, BECAUSE I WILL -- AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO BRING THIS BACK FORWARD BEFORE IF WE'VE GOT PROBLEMS WITH THIS BEING CONTRACTED AND BRING THIS BACK IN-HOUSE.
SO, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU-ALL BEING HERE, AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY HAVING A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU-ALL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.
>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I SHARE THE SAME CONCERNS WITH COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
I KNOW ORIGINALLY WHEN WE -- SEVERAL -- A COUPLE YEARS AGO STARTED MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION, I READ THROUGH THE CONTRACTS, AND I EXPRESSED AT THAT TIME CONCERNS THAT I HAD THAT THERE WERE SOME VAGUE AREAS THAT WE MIGHT NOT GET DELIVERABLES THAT WE WERE EXPECTING.
I'M NOT CONVINCED IT'S NECESSARILY A SHORTCOMING ON THE SIDE OF THE VENDOR, IT COULD BE A SHORTCOMING IN THE DESIGN OF THE -- OF THE CONTRACT AND EXPECTATIONS FROM -- FROM YOUR PREDECESSOR IN WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING TO GET.
THERE'S TWO SIDES TO THIS.
YES, THERE'S THE AESTHETICS SIDE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO MARKET HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS A DESTINATION FOR EMPLOYERS AND FOR HOMEBUYERS AND FOR RESIDENTS AND THE MILITARY AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO FURTHER OUR ECONOMY.
HOW -- HOW WE CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CURB APPEAL IS VERY IMPORTANT, JUST LIKE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL A HOME.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AN OVERGROWN YARD AND A POORLY MAINTAINED AND DETAILED LAWN, YOUR CHANCES OF ATTRACTING A BUYER TO COME TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR HOUSE IS FAR LESS THAN IF YOUR -- YOUR LAWN IS MANICURED AND LOOKING GOOD.
WE SPEND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PUTTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE, SIDEWALKS, CURBS, STORMWATER, AND LANDSCAPING, JUST FOR A YEAR OR TWO TO GO BY AND HAVE IT LOOK BLIGHTED AGAIN, AND THAT'S REALLY NOT RIGHT.
WHEN WE GO IN AND MAKE THAT KIND OF INVESTMENT ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYER, WE WANT TO SEE IT MAINTAINED, AND I CAN TELL YOU OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS -- I LIKE TO RUN AND JOG AND WALK AND ALONG WITH MY NEIGHBORS, AND THE AMOUNT OF BROKEN GLASS THAT WE FIND BECAUSE OF MOW, BLOW, GO, AND NO PICKING ANYTHING UP HAS GROWN, AND WE HAVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE OF THIS AS WELL.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS AND KIDS AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALKING THEIR DOGS AND WHATNOT IN ESPECIALLY THE URBAN AREAS ON THESE RIGHT-OF-WAYS, AND IT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE HAVING THOSE KIND OF HAZARDS IN AND AMONG THE HIGH GRASS.
SO I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING THIS CLOSELY AS WELL AND NOT HESITATE TO EITHER BRING THIS BACK INSIDE OR FOR THE DEPARTMENT BACK IN FRONT OF US TO RECONSIDER WHAT THE CONTRACTS SHOULD SAY BECAUSE THERE IS A STANDARD THAT NEEDS TO BE MET AND WE HAVEN'T MET IT HERE.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR GOOD WORK AND THE OUTCOMES FROM THIS CONTRACT.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER HAGAN.
>>KEN HAGAN: AND I ECHO ALL OF COMMISSIONER CRIST'S CONCERNS.
THEY'RE EXTREMELY VALID.
IT SEEMS IN THE PAST THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT AREA OR DEPARTMENT THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON DURING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, STAFF HAS SEEMINGLY ALWAYS FOCUSED ON THE LOWEST BID AND NOT NECESSARILY THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE.
THAT BEING SAID, I TRUST THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS IT WORKED OUT RIGHT NOW MOVING FORWARD, BUT IF THINGS DO CONTINUE, SIMILAR TO, I THINK, COMMISSIONER CRIST AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER, YOU KNOW, WON'T THINK TWICE ABOUT BRINGING IT BACK IN-HOUSE.
I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE WORK OUR STAFF PERFORMED OVER THE WEEKEND WAS EXCEPTIONAL, AND I EVEN CALLED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ON SATURDAY.
WHEN HE SAW ME CALLING, HE WAS PROBABLY WORRIED I WAS GOING TO CALL AND COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMETHING, BUT I SAID IT WAS GOOD NEWS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
>>MIKE MERRILL: I ALMOST DIDN'T ANSWER THE PHONE.
>>KEN HAGAN: YEAH, IT TOOK A LONG TIME
[LAUGHTER]
I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING STRAIGHT TO VOICEMAIL, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BUT THERE WAS A NUMBER OF COUNTY PERSONNEL OUT THERE FROM PICKING UP THE TRASH TO MOWING, AND IT WAS JUST GREAT JOB, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THE EFFORT FROM STAFF.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.
AND I DON'T HAVE QUITE THE HEARTBURN OVER THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED DURING THE RAINY SEASON AND THE EXCEPTIONAL AMOUNT THAT WE HAD A QUICK TURNAROUND BECAUSE OF HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN THE BUSINESS OF RIGHT-OF-WAY CONTROL THROUGH THE YEARS PRIOR TO MY ACCIDENT 19 YEARS AGO.
I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU MEET AND WAS FACED WITH THOSE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE THE RAIN WOULD BRING ON THE GROWING A LOT QUICKER, BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AND THAT YOU GET TO KNOW US UP HERE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION IS THE SAME AS YOURS, AND THAT IS TO DO A GOOD JOB AND GET GOOD REFERRALS FOR THE FUTURE.
I DO WANT TO MENTION, THOUGH, SOME MONTHS BACK, BOARD MEMBERS, WE PASSED A WILDFLOWER PROGRAM FOR OUR ROADSIDE BEAUTIFICATION, AND THERE WILL BE AREAS -- AND I'M WORKING WITH STAFF RIGHT NOW -- AND THEY WILL BE MARKED WHERE AS THEY INITIATE THE SEEDING AND THE PLANTING THAT WE WON'T BE MOWING, AND THAT WILL -- WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH GETTING THE WILDFLOWERS TO START IN THE INITIAL MONTHS, BUT THE END RESULTS WILL BE VERY POSITIVE, SO YOU'LL KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, AND SO IF SOMEONE CALLS AND SAYS, WHY HAVEN'T YOU CUT IN A CERTAIN AREA, IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE PLANTED AND WE'RE GETTING THE FLOWERS ESTABLISHED.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: IS THAT GOING TO BE DESIGNATED BY A LITTLE SIGN THAT SAYS, WILDFLOWERS IN PROGRESS AND YOUR PICTURE AND A FLOWER WILL BE --
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: NO, BUT SEEING HOW COMMISSIONER SHARPE HAS CONFUSED US A TIME OR TWO TODAY ON WHO'S MADE THE MOTION, I WILL BE GLAD TO PUT YOUR PICTURE THERE.
THANK YOU.
>>VICTOR CRIST: DON'T MOW HIGGINBOTHAM'S FLOWERS.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.
AND I ECHO THE COMMENTS, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS TRUST JOHN LYONS.
HE HAS ALWAYS COME THROUGH.
HE CAME THROUGH ON ALL OF THE WASTE ISSUES, AND I -- I HAVE ALREADY STARTED RECEIVING MANY E-MAILS FROM ALL THOSE CONSTITUENTS THAT COMPLAINED THAT SAID IT LOOKS 100% BETTER.
YES, IT WAS A MESS, BUT YOU -- AS I SAY, YOU'RE DOING FIGHT THE BLIGHT MOWING VERSION TO REALLY IMPROVE OUR -- THE LOOK OF THE LANDSCAPING, SO I KNOW, JOHN, THAT YOU'RE -- YOU TOOK IT TO HEART AND YOU WENT OUT THERE AND YOU FIXED IT, AND I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE STILL GOT MORE TO DO, BUT I THINK THAT EVERYTHING'S GOING TO WORK OUT.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MILLER.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I HAD TO STEP OUT, I'M HAVING SOME FAMILY ISSUES THIS MORNING, BUT I KNOW THAT DISTRICT 3 -- I'M SORRY -- AREA 3 HAS A PROTEST.
WHAT PART OF THE COUNTY IS AREA 3?
I MISSED THAT, I'M SORRY.
>>JOHN LYONS: I BELIEVE THAT IS KIND OF THE EAST/CENTRAL AREA, COMMISSIONER, SO IT WOULD BE THE BRANDON AREA, KIND OF OUT THAT DIRECTION.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.
>>JOHN LYONS: WE WILL SUPPLEMENT WITH EITHER -- WE HAVE TWO ALTERNATIVES.
ONE IS WITH COUNTY FORCES AND/OR WE CAN USE AN ADMINISTRATIVE AWARD OF A CONTRACT TO SUPPLEMENT UNTIL SUCH TIME WE HAVE A REGULAR CONTRACT ONBOARD.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.
THANKS.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: I MOVE APPROVAL.
>>JOHN LYONS: COMMISSIONER BECKNER, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO ROUND UP THAT INFORMATION.
JUST ANOTHER POINT, WE ARE WORKING ACTIVELY WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT ON FIGHT-THE-BLIGHT ISSUES.
WITHIN OUR SOLID WASTE TEAM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS SUCH AS MAKING DUMPING TRASH A LITTLE MORE CONVENIENT SO IT DOESN'T GET DUMPED IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
IT'S GOING TO GET INTO OUR SYSTEM EVENTUALLY ANYWAY, SO WE WANT TO TRY TO MAKE IT AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME INITIATIVES WITH KEEP TAMPA BAY BEAUTIFUL, TRY TO GET SOME MORE ADOPT-A-ROADS OUT THERE TO KIND OF GET THAT CYCLE OF TRASH PICKUP GOING A LITTLE BIT QUICKER AS WELL AND THEN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME COMMUNITY SERVICE WORKERS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: JOHN, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND EVERYTHING THAT -- I KNOW YOU ALL ARE WORKING VERY HARD ON THIS ISSUE, AND I KNOW YOU SENSED OUR FRUSTRATIONS, AND IT WAS US THAT ACTUALLY CHANGED PART OF HOW WE DO THIS, SO, YOU KNOW, BELIEVE ME, I'M NOT DUMPING ON YOU SPECIFICALLY --
>>JOHN LYONS: SURE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- I JUST WANT THIS TO GET RIGHT, AND I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING HARD, THE STAFF'S WORKING HARD TO MAKE THAT RIGHT.
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO -- TO TRY TO GET THINGS TURNED AROUND AND TO MAKE THIS COUNTY A BETTER PLACE, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
>>JOHN LYONS: YOU'RE WELCOME.
AND I BELIEVE YOU'VE GIVEN US CLEAR DIRECTION.
I HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF MEETING YOUR EXPECTATIONS ON THIS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND, AGAIN, IF YOU -- IF, FOR SOME REASON, WE'RE NOT ABLE DO IT THE WAY WE HAVE STRUCTURED, JUST OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE THAT YOU LET US KNOW, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THE RIGHT POLICY DECISIONS OR CHANGES TO SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS.
>>JOHN LYONS: WE'LL GET THE WORK DONE.
WE'LL GET IT DONE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, SIR.
>>JOHN LYONS: THANK YOU.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL
>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL TO AWARD AND EXECUTE THE AGREEMENTS FOR ITEM B-3 BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>MARK SHARPE: AND WE WANT TO THANK THE CONTRACTORS FOR COMING FORWARD.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE SOME OTHER REGULAR ITEMS WE CAN PICK UP BEFORE THE LUNCH BREAK, STARTING WITH B-7, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
>>MARK SHARPE: MR. BARTON, WELCOME, SIR.
>>RON BARTON: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
RON BARTON, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WE HAVE ITEM B-7, WHICH IS A REQUEST TO THE BOARD TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AT THE STATE OF FLORIDA APPROVE A BOUNDARY CHANGE FOR OUR EXISTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ENTERPRISE ZONE, AND IT AUTHORIZES THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO DEO FOR THE BOUNDARY CHANGE ITSELF.
IF -- AT YOUR PLEASURE, I HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION I'D LIKE TO GIVE TO GIVE YOU SOME FAMILIARITY TO THE ENTERPRISE ZONE AND ALSO KIND OF THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, AND I WON'T TAKE TOO LONG.
>>MARK SHARPE: WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD WITH THAT.
>>RON BARTON: YES, SIR.
AGAIN, THE ENTERPRISE ZONE, TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY, IS A STATE PROGRAM, AND BY WAY OF THE TITLE ITSELF, IT GIVES YOU SOME FEEL FOR THE FACT THAT ENTERPRISE ZONES WERE A STATE PROGRAM TO ASSIST DISTRESSED AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
FIRST, I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
IN FACT, THE STATE STATUTE ALLOWS MUNICIPALITIES AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES TO DESIGNATE UP TO 20 SQUARE MILES OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND UP TO THREE NONCONTIGUOUS AREAS THAT MEET STATE-DEFINED LEVELS OF POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT, AND THEY CAN BE DESIGNATED AS AN ENTERPRISE ZONE.
YOUR KEY ELEMENTS HERE ARE THAT THERE ARE METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH QUALIFICATION FOR POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THOSE WITH YOU.
IT -- THE PROGRAM ITSELF ENCOURAGES ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION OF DISTRESSED AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND IT USES STATE TAX INCENTIVES TO BUSINESSES LOCATED WITHIN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE, AND I'LL WALK THROUGH WHAT WE MEAN BY STATE TAX INCENTIVES.
IT ENCOURAGES PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN ZONES -- THE ENTERPRISE ZONES THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS FROM A BUILDING MATERIALS SALES TAX REFUND, A BUSINESS EQUIPMENT SALES TAX REFUND, AND A PROPERTY TAX CREDIT, WHICH REALLY IS PAID THROUGH CORPORATE INCOME TAX OR STATE SALES TAX TAX CREDITS.
IT ALSO PROMOTES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR AREA RESIDENTS THAT ARE FROM THE ENTERPRISE ZONE THAT ARE EMPLOYED, AND THEY DO SO THROUGH A JOB TAX CREDITS PROGRAM, SO IT ENCOURAGES HIRING OF RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE ITSELF.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM.
THE EXPANSION, WE START WITH AN ENTERPRISE ZONE THAT WE HAVE TODAY, AND AGAIN, THIS DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA'S ENTERPRISE ZONE, THIS IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S, AND TODAY WE HAVE A 3.1-SQUARE-MILE ENTERPRISE ZONE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UP IN THE UNIVERSITY AREA.
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION INSTRUCTED OUR DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE AND TO SEE IF WE HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO, IN FACT, EXPAND THE ENTERPRISE ZONE AND, OBVIOUSLY, WITH A MIND TOWARDS ENCOURAGING BUSINESS GROWTH, CREATING JOBS, AND CREATING CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE DISTRESSED AND THAT COULD USE A HELPING HAND.
STAFF ANALYZED THE ENTIRE COUNTY TO DETERMINE WHICH CENSUS TRACTS BASED ON STATE CRITERIA WOULD QUALIFY, AND THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU AS A PART OF OUR APPLICATION.
I'LL REMIND YOU THAT BASICALLY THE CRITERIA IS TWO MEASUREMENTS, NOT ONE.
IT'S AN UNEMPLOYMENT MEASURE, WHICH HAS TO BE GREATER THAN 8.9%, AND IT HAS A POVERTY MEASUREMENT, AND SO THESE ARE AREAS THAT HAVE TO EXCEED 20% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL IN ORDER TO JUST QUALIFY, SO THESE TRULY ARE THE MOST DISTRESSED AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
TO GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE, A FAMILY HOUSEHOLD OF ONE POVERTY LEVEL IS AN INCOME OF $11,000.
EVEN AT THE HIGHEST SCALE, A FAMILY OF NINE IS $45,000.
SO THOSE ARE THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVELS, AND, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE A SCALE ON YOUR HOUSEHOLD SIZE.
SO IT'S BOTH UNEMPLOYMENT, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, AND A HIGH PROPENSITY WITHIN THAT GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF POVERTY.
THOSE ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT ALLOW YOU TO BASICALLY INCLUDE AN AREA IN YOUR ENTERPRISE ZONE.
THE LAST BULLET ON THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE AS WELL, THROUGH YOUR APPOINTMENTS, AN ADVISORY BOARD.
WE HAVE AN ENTERPRISE ZONE BOARD OF BUSINESSES AND REPRESENTATIVES.
THAT BOARD WAS VERY ACTIVE IN VETTING OF THIS EXERCISE, AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO RECOMMEND TO YOU THAT WE EXPAND OUR EXISTING ENTERPRISE ZONE AND THAT THAT EXPANSION WOULD ENCOMPASS ABOUT 12.5 SQUARE MILES TO ADD TO OUR EXISTING ENTERPRISE ZONE.
IT WOULD BRING US TO A TOTAL OF 15 SQUARE MILES, TO GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE, AND I'LL REMIND YOU FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, WE HAVE UP TO STATUTORILY 20 SQUARE MILES THAT WE CAN USE.
AND CLEARLY, WE WANTED TO ALLOW FOR SOME POSSIBLE EXPANSIONS IN THE FUTURE, SO THAT WAS PART OF THE DELIBERATION AS WELL, NOT TO USE UP ALL OF OUR CAPACITY TODAY.
THE THIRD SLIDE I HAVE HERE IS TO TELL YOU THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, NOT ANALYTICALLY BUT IN TERMS OF PUBLIC OUTREACH.
WE ADVERTISED THE PROPOSED EXPANSION IN LOCAL PAPERS, WE HAD PUBLIC MEETINGS IN EACH OF THE THREE AREAS THAT WE'VE RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD, AND, IN FACT, WE'VE EXCEEDED THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC NOTICE.
WE ACTUALLY WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS TO MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE OUTREACH.
I THOUGHT THIS LAST SLIDE WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR YOU, AND I CAN SAY IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, I HAVE ADMINISTERED THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG, IN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, AND NOW I'M PLEASED TO ADMINISTER THAT PROGRAM HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SO I HAVE SOME PERSPECTIVE WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA OF THESE PROGRAMS.
AND YOU CAN SEE, FOR CONTEXT, THAT WE WERE CURRENTLY AT THREE SQUARE MILES AS COMPARED TO THE CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG AT TEN, ORANGE COUNTY AT 16, CITY OF TAMPA AT 19, JACKSONVILLE/DUVAL COUNTY AT 22, AND MIAMI-DADE AT 51 SQUARE MILES.
SO, CLEARLY, EVEN WITH AN EXPANSION THAT CARRIES US UP TO 15 SQUARE MILES, WE COMPARE FAVORABLY IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHIC AREA, BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S NOT A SQUARE-MILE ISSUE, IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO SPEAK TO PART OF OUR COMMUNITY IN NEED, AND THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM CAN AT LEAST PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE IN DOING SO.
VERY QUICKLY, THE THREE AREAS THAT ARE PART OF OUR RECOMMENDATION TO YOU FOR EXPANSION, THE PINK AREA IS OUR EXISTING THREE-MILE -- SQUARE-MILE ENTERPRISE ZONE AREA NOW, THE UNIVERSITY AREA, AND THE YELLOW AREA TO THE NORTH QUALIFIES UNDER THE CONDITIONS THAT I HAVE ALREADY SHARED WITH YOU, AND THAT'S AN EXPANSION AREA OF THE UNIVERSITY AREA THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND.
THE SECOND IS AN AREA -- FOR PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS NEAR KING HIGH SCHOOL, 56th STREET ON THE EAST AND HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE ON THE SOUTH AND 50th ON THE WEST, SO THAT GIVES YOU SOME PERSPECTIVE.
A GREAT DEAL OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES HERE, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE THIRD AREA THAT WE RECOMMEND IS PALM RIVER, GIBSONTON, AND A LITTLE BIT OF RIVERVIEW, AND, AGAIN, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS.
SO THOSE ARE, IN GENERAL TERMS, THE THREE AREAS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING AS PART OF THIS BOUNDARY AMENDMENT.
SO, AGAIN, OUR RECOMMENDATION REQUEST TO THE BOARD IS THAT WE ACT ON A REQUEST AND EXTEND THAT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND OUR EXISTING 3.1-SQUARE-MILE ENTERPRISE ZONE TO A 15.6-SQUARE-MILE AREA, AND, AGAIN, TO REMIND YOU WHAT WE BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WE CAN FULLY UTILIZE THE TOOLS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO HELP OUR DISTRESSED AREA.
THE STATE BEARS THE COST OF THESE TAX INCENTIVES, I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU, SO THESE ARE NOT TAX INCENTIVES THAT ARE PAID FOR BY LOCAL -- THE LOCAL BUDGET PROCESS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY TAX CREDITS OFF OF THE STATE PROGRAM.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IS PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOB CREATION, FRANKLY, TO RETAIN BUSINESSES IN THESE DISTRESSED AREAS.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ATTRACTING SOMEBODY THERE, IT'S -- THIS IS A TOEHOLD TO KEEP BUSINESSES VIABLE IN DISTRESSED AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY, SO IT'S ALSO ABOUT BUSINESS RETENTION AS MUCH AS IT IS ATTRACTION.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MILLER.
>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
RON, LET ME THANK YOU AND MS. KIMBERLY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC MEETINGS WE HAD IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY WERE FANTASTIC.
I MEAN, THE STAFF DID A PROFESSIONAL JOB IN PUTTING FORTH THE INFORMATION TO THOSE THAT -- THAT WOULD -- IF THE EXPANSION OF THIS ENTERPRISE ZONE WOULD COME INTO EXISTENCE, ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD, AND BELIEVE ME, THE PUBLIC WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT -- ABOUT THE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
LET ME GO IN A LITTLE DETAIL.
I KNOW YOU'VE HIT SOME POINTS, BUT I'M GOING TO BRING SOME THINGS OUT.
I'M GOING TO ASK THIS BOARD TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION THAT'S GOING FORTH FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
YOU TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE UTILIZE NOW, WHICH IS 3.1 MILES, WE CAN GO UP TO 20 MILES, AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 15 SQUARE MILES NOW, BUT THIS IS WHAT THIS ENTERPRISE ZONE WOULD DO.
I DON'T -- JUST TO REITERATE WHAT YOU SAID.
THE JOB TAX CREDITS: BUSINESSES THAT CREATE NEW JOBS IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE WILL BE OBTAINING A 20% TAX CREDIT ON WAGES PAID TO NEW EMPLOYEES WHO RESIDE IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE, IF 20% OF THE MONEY OF THE COMPANY'S EMPLOYEES RESIDE WITHIN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
THESE CREDITS ARE AVAILABLE TWO YEARS FROM THE THREE-MONTH ANNIVERSARY DATE OF HIRING, PAYABLE AS CREDITS TOWARD FLORIDA SALES TAXES AND FLORIDA CORPORATE INCOME TAX PAID BY THE BUSINESS.
BUILDING MATERIALS SALES TAX REFUND: THE PROGRAM REFUNDS UP TO $5,000 OR UP TO $10,000 IF 20% OF THE MONEY OF THE COMPANY'S WHOSE EMPLOYEES LIVE WITHIN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE OR THE PURCHASE OF BUILDING MATERIALS USED TO BUILD NEW OR RENOVATE NEW BUILDINGS WITHIN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
BUSINESS EQUIPMENT SALES TAX REFUND: THE PROGRAM REFUNDS UP TO $5,000 OR UP TO $10,000 IF 20% OR MORE OF THE COMPANY'S EMPLOYEES ARE ENTERPRISE ZONE RESIDENTS FOR THE SALES TAX OR PURCHASE OF AT LEAST $5,000 PER UNIT FOR MACHINERY OR EQUIPMENT USED EXCLUSIVELY IN THE ENTERPRISE ZONE.
AND PROPERTY TAX CREDIT: NEW OR EXPANDED BUSINESSES LOCATED WITHIN ENTERPRISE ZONES ARE ALLOWED A CREDIT AGAINST FLORIDA CORPORATE INCOME TAX EQUAL TO THE AD VALOREM TAX PAID ON THE NEW OR IMPROVED PROPERTY UP TO 5,000 -- $50,000 ANNUALLY.
DOES THIS BENEFIT OFFERED BY THE ENTERPRISE ZONE COST THE COUNTY ANYTHING?
NO.
THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROVIDES SALES TAX CREDITS AND SALES TAX REFUNDS TO COMPANIES WHO QUALIFY.
IS THERE A LIMITED POT OF MONEY FROM WHICH THESE BENEFITS TO BUSINESSES ARE DEPRIVED?
I'M DOING THIS BECAUSE OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED.
I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY, VERY CLEAR.
NO, THERE IS NOT A LIMITED POT OF MONEY FOR ENTERPRISE ZONE BENEFITS.
EACH APPLICANT THAT SUBMITS A QUALIFIED APPLICATION WILL RECEIVE THE TOTAL TAX REFUND AND/OR TAX CREDIT IN WHICH THEY ARE ENTITLED.
AND ONE THAT HAS COME FORTH THAT IS TOTALLY, TOTALLY OUT OF CONTEXT, THAT PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO SAY, WELL, THIS IS GOING TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM OTHER PARTS OF -- OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND GO OVER TO OTHER AREAS.
WILL THE PROPOSED EXPANSION TAKE AWAY BENEFITS FROM EXISTING AREAS SUCH AS THE ONES WE HAVE NOW?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THE EXPANSION IS INTENDED TO ENHANCE THE EXISTING ZONE AND PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO IDENTIFY SKILLED WORKERS IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
WE SIT HERE AND CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOBS.
HERE IT IS.
IT GOES TO DEPRIVED AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED FOR YEARS, IT GOES TO AREAS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BRINGING JOBS, AND LOOKING AT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THIS IS THE WAY TO GET IT STARTED AND THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO, SO, MEMBERS, I AM ASKING YOU -- I'M ASKING TO YOU PLEASE SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION TO EXPAND OUR ENTERPRISE ZONES THAT WILL BE SENT TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND -- DOE, AND THAT IS MY MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THAT.
>>KEN HAGAN: SECOND.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN.
COMMISSIONER MURMAN.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I DID BRING THIS ITEM FORWARD MANY, MANY MONTHS AGO, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THE STAFF DID.
IT WAS VERY THOROUGH.
YOU DID ALL THE DUE DILIGENCE BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO GET THIS RIGHT, AND I -- AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA, SO I THINK YOU CAME FORWARD WITH A PROPOSAL TODAY THAT HAD SUPPORTING DATA TO IT.
THE COMMITTEE DEFINITELY LOOKED AT IT VERY HARD AND DID TOURS.
I MEAN, YOU DID ALL THIS PUBLIC OUTREACH.
WE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS, AND I -- I JUST -- THIS IS A NO-BRAINER FOR ME.
WE'RE MEETING ALL THE BENCHMARKS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO EXPAND THESE.
COMMISSIONER MILLER AND MYSELF -- COMMISSIONER MILLER REALLY COVERED A LOT OF THE POINTS THAT NEEDED TO BE COVERED HERE.
HE -- BUT I THINK THE ONE THING FOR ME IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO GIVE OPPORTUNITY TO ALL RESIDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY IF THEY MEET THESE THRESHOLDS, AND IT'S -- THERE ISN'T ANY COST TO US, BUT THE BENEFITS ARE HUGE.
IN SOME OF THESE BLIGHTED AREAS THAT WE HAVE, THEY NEED THAT LIFT UP TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE NEED TO SHOW -- WE NEED TO ENABLE BUSINESSES TO COME IN AND LOOK AT AREAS EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE BLIGHTED AND SEE THE INCENTIVES AND SEE THE OPPORTUNITY.
THAT IS WHAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ALL ABOUT.
IT'S NOT JUST BRINGING THE NEW COMPANIES IN HERE, THOUGH WE REALLY LIKE IT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB AND AMAZON AND ALL THOSE, BUT WE'VE GOT A HUGE JOB AHEAD OF US IN REDEVELOPMENT, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS REALLY HITS THE MARK FOR US.
AND SOME OF THESE AREAS, I THINK, THEY'RE ADJACENT TO THE PORT.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE HUGE SPIN-OFF, I THINK, FROM THAT, AND I JUST WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON DOING SUCH A THOROUGH JOB IN BRINGING THIS -- THIS WHOLE THING FORWARD.
SO I'M THERE.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.
AND THANKS, RON, TO YOU AND ALL THE STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I THINK THIS IS A VITALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO ADD, AS COMMISSIONER MURMAN MENTIONED, TO MAKE SURE WE FOCUS IN SOME OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AREAS AS WELL AS EXPAND OUR ECONOMIC TOOLBOX.
A QUESTION THAT I HAD, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT WE ARE LIMITED AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO 20 SQUARE MILES OR ALL COUNTIES ARE LIMITED?
HOW IS THAT LIMITATION -- WHAT'S THE BASIS IN THAT LIMITATION?
>>RON BARTON: IT'S STATUTORY IN TERMS OF THE LAW THAT ESTABLISHED IT.
THE DIFFERENCES ARE -- YOU MAY HAVE SEEN SOME ANOMALIES EVEN ON MY CHART.
YOU GET MIAMI-DADE, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTALITY OF THAT, SO THERE'S SOME EXCEPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE GIVEN KIND OF THE GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE --
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
>>RON BARTON: -- ASSOCIATED WITH IT, SO THAT'S -- WHEN YOU SAW 50 THERE, IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT BASICALLY A CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT LOOK AT IT.
TO GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE, AS I MENTIONED, CITY OF TAMPA'S IS 19 --
>>KEVIN BECKNER: RIGHT.
>>RON BARTON: -- SO IF YOU LOOK AT OURS TOGETHER, IT'S IN TERMS OF THE TOTALITY OF THE COUNTY THAT WOULD GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE, BUT THE 20 SQUARE MILES IS IN THE STATUTE.
AND ONE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT, WE ONLY WANT TO DO THESE VERY JUDICIOUSLY BECAUSE YOU'RE ONLY ALLOWED THREE AMENDMENTS TO YOUR BOUNDARY DURING THE LIFE OF THE PROGRAM.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER AMENDED OUR BOUNDARY, BUT WE DO WANT TO BE VERY JUDICIOUS AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT, BUT WE STILL HAVE TWO MORE STATUTORY OPPORTUNITIES, AND I THINK WE NEED THOSE OVER TIME AS OUR COMMUNITY CHANGES AND EVOLVES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO WHAT PRIORITIZES A CERTAIN AREA?
WHEN YOU WERE DRAWING THE MAPS -- I KNOW YOU WENT OVER SOME OF THE GENERALITIES, BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, WHAT ARE THE HARDCORE CRITERIA THAT YOU LOOK AT THE AREAS AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS AREA IS BETTER SUITED THAN PERHAPS ANOTHER AREA?
>>RON BARTON: WELL, FIRST, I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT VERY DISCRETIONARY.
THE PROGRAM IS 8.9% OF POVERTY OR GREATER.
IT IS 20% -- I'M SORRY -- OF UNEMPLOYMENT.
AND IT'S 20% OR GREATER OF POVERTY, SO IT'S A VERY MATHEMATICAL EXERCISE RELATED TO CENSUS DATA, CENSUS TRACT AND BLOCK GROUP, AND YOU EITHER QUALIFY OR YOU DON'T QUALIFY, AND SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DISCRETION ASSOCIATED WITH THE ANALYTICS.
NOW, ONCE YOU'VE GOT THE -- ONCE YOU'VE GOT THE AREAS THAT MATHEMATICALLY QUALIFY, THE ONE GRAY AREA THAT YOU HAVE IS LOOKING AND SEEING THAT YOU'VE BEEN JUDICIOUS ABOUT THE AREAS THAT YOU PUT IN.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE.
WE'RE TRYING TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IN THESE DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES, AND SO IF WE HAVE AN AREA THAT QUALIFIES BUT IT'S PREDOMINANTLY OR WHOLLY RESIDENTIAL, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY AREN'T IN NEED, BUT THIS IS DRIVEN TOWARDS THE BUSINESS ELEMENT, SO WE WOULDN'T WANT TO USE UP ALLOWABLE ACREAGE OR SQUARE MILES IN AREAS THAT LITERALLY HAVE NO BUSINESSES OR HAVE A FEW BUSINESSES, SO THAT -- BUT THAT'S ON THE TAIL END OF OUR ANALYTICAL WORK, SO I WANT YOU TO FEEL COMFORTABLE.
FRANKLY, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF GRAY AREA, YOU QUALIFY OR YOU DON'T, AND SO IT'S BASED ON THAT POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: I'M INTERESTED, AS YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE WORKING ON CORRELATING OUR NEW TRANSPORTATION ROUTES WITH SOME OF THE AREAS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
HOW DOES THIS OVERLAY AS FAR AS THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING WITH PROPOSED TRANSIT ROUTES AND WHERE POTENTIAL NEW TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS ARE GOING TO GO IN?
>>RON BARTON: I'M NOT SURE I CAN EVEN ANSWER THAT ONE TODAY.
YOU ACTUALLY -- THE COMMISSIONER ASKED US WHEN WE WERE BRIEFING HIM FOR AN OVERVIEW OF THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT WE USE, AND IT WAS A GREAT QUESTION BECAUSE YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT ENTERPRISE ZONES, YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT AREAS, AND -- AND I GUESS MY BEST ANSWER TO YOU -- I'LL START WITH THE FACT -- IS WE TALKED ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S NOT ANY ONE THING AND IT'S NOT ONE SILVER BULLET, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE ADVANTAGE -- WHEN WE BRIEFED YOU, YOU ASKED, WELL, WHAT IS THE HEART OF THIS PROGRAM?
IT'S ABOUT HELPING DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES.
IN SOME RESPECTS IT'S THE ANTITHESIS -- IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD WITH YOU ON COMPETITIVE SITES.
COMPETITIVE SITES ARE ABOUT SITES THAT ARE GOING TO GENERATE THOSE TARGETED INDUSTRIES, THOSE HIGHER-WAGE JOBS, THE NEXT DTCC AS AN EXAMPLE, AND SO WHAT WE WANT YOU TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IS WE'RE OPERATING AT EACH SPECTRUM OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHAT THE ENTERPRISE ZONE DOES.
I THINK WE'D HAVE TO SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER DAY TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT INTEGRATES BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO -- WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH HERE IS YOU BRING MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES CLOSER IN TO WHERE DISTRESSED -- WHERE YOUR DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES ARE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE TRANSPORTATION GROUP IS THAT -- THE ROLE OF TRANSIT IN MOVING PEOPLE THAT ARE -- ARE MAYBE SOMEWHAT DISADVANTAGED ECONOMICALLY OR OTHERWISE.
WELL, ENTERPRISE ZONE ACTUALLY SPEAKS TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF CREATING MORE JOBS CLOSER TO HOME, CLOSER TO WHERE THAT POVERTY EXISTS.
NOW, IS IT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW -- IT'S NOT A PANACEA, BUT IT'S AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL TOOL THAT ACTUALLY MITIGATES TO THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE TRANSIT ISSUE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
SO WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE OVERLAYS ON THE MAPS AND YOU'RE PUTTING DOWN THE AREAS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREAS, THE NEXT TIME WE TALK ABOUT THIS IN OUR GROUP, CAN YOU JUST PERHAPS OUTLINE AND SHOW HOW THAT OVERLAYS --
>>RON BARTON: OKAY.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- TO OUR DIFFERENT ONES?
AND THE LAST QUESTION I HAD -- IT SEEMS LIKE -- WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IF THERE IS ANY DOWNSIDES TO INCREASING -- CONTINUING TO INCREASE -- OTHER THAN WHAT WE'RE -- WE ARE BY STATUTE TO THE THREE AMENDMENTS AND THE SQUARE MILES, IS THERE ANY RISK TO DILUTING AND HAVING AN AREA THAT'S TOO BIG?
I THINK COMMISSIONER MILLER HIT ON ONE OF THE POINTS, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS WHY A COMMUNITY WOULD NOT MAXIMIZE THEIR -- THEIR SPACE OVER -- OVER TIME.
>>RON BARTON: I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING THE RECOMMENDATION TO YOU.
REMEMBER, A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT -- AND YOU'D HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WALK THE STREETS, WHICH OUR STAFF DOES, IN EACH OF THESE ENTERPRISE ZONE AREAS AND UNDERSTAND THAT A BUSINESS RETENTION OR A BUSINESS GROWTH OPPORTUNITY IN ONE AREA OF OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT REALLY COMPETING WITH ANOTHER DISTRESSED AREA.
THESE ARE REALLY LOCALIZED BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO THIS -- THIS IS A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT'S ALMOST VERY NEIGHBORHOOD-DRIVEN, AND SO THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, BECAUSE OF THAT, IT'S REALLY NOT COMPETING WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S REALLY COMPLEMENTARY TO THE UNIQUE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT TO BE LOCATED IN.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: IT COULD MAKE A BUSINESS MAKE A DECISION IF IT'S -- IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT ZONE IN ONE DISTRESSED AREA BUT THEY DO IN THE OTHER, THERE OBVIOUSLY, I THINK, WOULD BE MORE INCENTIVE TO GO INTO ONE AREA VERSUS THE OTHER, SO I WOULD THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME INFLUENCE IN THE BUSINESS DECISION.
>>RON BARTON: IT COULD THEORETICALLY.
I WOULD SAY THE ONLY THING I CAN RELY ON IS OVER A DECADE OF RUNNING THE PROGRAMS IN THREE DIFFERENT CITIES IN FLORIDA, AND I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE WHERE IT WAS A DIFFERENCE MAKER ASSOCIATED WITH THAT INCENTIVE AGAINST AN AREA, AND SO, AGAIN, I WOULD RETURN AND SAY I THINK IT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST -- ITS SWEET SPOT IS NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES, NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS CREATION, AND, AGAIN, IF YOU WANT TO BE IN PALM RIVER OR STAY IN THE PALM RIVER/GIBSONTON AREA, YOU'RE NOT CONSIDERING, GEE, I'M GOING TO RELOCATE MY NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS TO UNIVERSITY AREA OR THE KING HIGH SCHOOL AREA.
IT'S TWO DIFFERENT ANIMALS, SO I JUST -- I THINK IT'S FAIR INTELLECTUALLY TO ASK THE QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE THAT I HAVE MANY EXAMPLES, IF ANY, IN WHICH IT WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.
>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK RON AND -- AND MIKE FOR WORKING WITH ME ON THIS ISSUE OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
YOU BOTH KNOW THAT I HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT DOING THIS AND HAVE VOCALIZED THEM UP HERE AT THE ADAIS.
I KNOW WHEN YOU DID YOUR PRESENTATION TO ME A FEW MONTHS AGO OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS, YOU DID BOTH THOSE AND THE ENTERPRISE ZONE AT THE SAME TIME, AND AT THAT PARTICULAR MEETING I BROUGHT THIS ISSUE FORWARD AND WHAT MY CONCERN WAS.
AND WHAT THAT CONCERN WAS IS WHEN I ORIGINALLY DID THIS LEGISLATION TO CREATE THIS ENTERPRISE ZONE, IT TOOK THREE YEARS AND IT WAS A LOT OF FIGHTING BECAUSE THE OTHER AREAS WHERE THERE WERE ENTERPRISE ZONES IN THE STATE, THEIR LEGISLATORS DIDN'T WANT ANY NEW ENTERPRISE ZONES BECAUSE THERE IS NOT AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AT THE STATE LEVEL TO FUND THESE PROGRAMS, AND THE MORE -- THE MORE ENTERPRISE ZONES, THE MORE THE SMALL POOL OF DOLLARS AND CREDITS THEY GET BLEEDED DOWN.
AND I KNOW WHEN THE ECONOMY STARTED SLIPPING DOWNWARD IN MY LAST YEAR IN THE LEGISLATURE, THERE WERE POLICY CHANGES THAT WERE MADE THAT WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ENTERPRISE ZONES BY MAKING IT MORE COMPETITIVE, AND WHAT THAT POLICY CHANGE WAS IS THEY WERE LOOKING AT -- WHEN YOUR ENTERPRISE ZONE CAME UP FOR RENEWAL, LOOKING AT THE IMPACT THAT THE STATE INVESTMENT HAD MADE IN THAT AREA AND WHETHER OR NOT IT HAD TURNED THAT AREA AROUND AND TO WHAT LEVEL IT HAD TURNED THAT AREA AROUND.
SO WHEN I ORIGINALLY DID THE LEGISLATION TO DO THIS, WE WERE VERY, VERY CAUTIOUS IN DRAWING THOSE BOUNDARIES VERY TIGHT, AND IT ENABLED US TO BE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AT THE STATE LEVEL AND TO KEEP THIS INTACT OVER THE YEARS.
IT HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL IN THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, AND THE NUMBERS ARE CLEAR WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A VALUABLE TOOL TO THAT IDENTIFIED TARGET AREA, AND I CAN CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHY THE OTHERS AT THE ADAIS HERE, YOU KNOW, WHO DON'T HAVE THIS TOOL IN THEIR TOOLBOX WOULD WANT TO REACH IN TO UNIVERSITY AREA AND BORROW THAT TOOL.
YOU HAVE PROVIDED ME WITH COMFORT.
WHEN I WAS IN TALLAHASSEE LAST WEEK, I MADE A POINT OF VISITING WITH STAFF IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND I DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE, AND WHAT WAS RELAYED TO ME IN TANDEM IS THAT AS THE STATE MOVES FORWARD WITH MORE AVAILABLE RESOURCES, THIS IS AN AREA THAT THEY FEEL IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED WITH USE OF THOSE RESOURCES.
SO IT'S PROVIDED ME WITH A HIGHER LEVEL OF COMFORT BECAUSE I DO SEE THE LOGIC IN EXPANDING THIS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT BUSINESSES THAT ARE THERE, THIS COULD HELP THEM GROW; WHEN YOU LOOK AT BUSINESSES THAT MAY WANT TO RELOCATE HERE, IT MAY BE A MORE FAVORABLE SELL FOR YOU IN SOUTH COUNTY THAN NORTH COUNTY, AND I DO REALIZE THAT, SO IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLEGIALITY, I'M GOING TO RELUCTANTLY VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS TODAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MILLER FOR ITEM B-7, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>RON BARTON: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.
>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.
>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU, RON.
DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE?
DO YOU WANT A BREAK?
>>MARK SHARPE: I THINK WE'VE GOT COMMISSIONERS -- YEAH, WE'VE GOT COMMISSIONERS THAT NEED TO LEAVE.
>>MIKE MERRILL: OKAY.
>>MARK SHARPE: WE'RE PRETTY WELL AHEAD, I THINK --
>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH.
>>MARK SHARPE: -- OF OURSELVES.
LET'S JUST -- WE'LL COME BACK AT WHAT TIME?
>>MIKE MERRILL: 1:45.
>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.
WE'RE ADJOURNED AND WE'LL SEE YOU AT 1:45.
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