Hillsborough County, Florida



CAPTIONING

JANUARY 23, 2014

BOCC REGULAR MEETING

AFTERNOON 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: WELCOME BACK TO THE AFTERNOON SESSION OF OUR BOARD AGENDA -- OUR BOARD MEETING.

MS. SUBADAN, WHEN WE LEFT, YOU WERE JUST STARTING, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL FRESH AND READY TO GO, SO IF YOU WANT TO --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]

>>SHARON SUBADAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

SHARON SUBADAN, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

I WANTED TO START BY SAYING EVERY DAY THOUSANDS OF COUNTY EMPLOYEES WORK HARD TO DELIVER EXEMPLARY SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

MANY ARE DOING MORE WITH LESS BUT DO SO WILLINGLY.

WE HAVE AWARD-WINNING PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED IN EVERY -- JUST ABOUT EVERY DEPARTMENT IN OUR COUNTY.

WHILE WE HAD MANY WELL-MEANING EMPLOYEES THAT WORKED IN OUR HOMELESS RECOVERY PROGRAM, WE CAN SAY THAT WE KNOW THIS PROGRAM PERFORMED BELOW OUR LEVEL OF EXPECTATIONS.

I CANNOT SAY THAT THERE ARE ANY EXCUSES FOR THIS AND WHY IT OCCURRED, I CAN ONLY OFFER THAT THIS IS A NEW DAY IN OUR SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION.

WE'RE MOVING IN A NEW DIRECTION, AND 13 WEEKS AGO WE HIRED AUDREY ZIEGLER BACK AS OUR DIVISION DIRECTOR, AND AUDREY HAS QUICKLY MOVED TO ESTABLISH A NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM IN THE DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES.

WITH US TODAY IS HER QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER, WHICH IS A NEW POSITION FOR US, MARIA GILLIS, AND WE'VE ALSO HIRED NEW SERVICE CENTER DIRECTORS.

AT WEST TAMPA, JESUS OTERO HAS JOINED THE COUNTY EFFECTIVE THIS WEEK, CASSIE BLAYLOCK HAS BEEN PROMOTED INTO THE POSITION OF SERVICE CENTER MANAGER, AND WE WILL ALSO BE HIRING FROM THE OUTSIDE SHALEWA NOEL-THOMAS, WHO WILL BE AT OUR UNIVERSITY CENTER.

I'M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS.

OUR PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED.

WE'VE RECEIVED FUNDING FROM YOU THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND THE PLANNING PHASE IS IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW FOR US TO HAVE A MORE FUNCTIONALLY SUITABLE AND AESTHETICALLY CORRECT LOCATIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE SERVED AND FOR THEM TO HAVE A GOOD CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS, BUT IN ADDITION TO THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE ESTABLISHING LEADERSHIP THAT CAN HELP THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE THERE TO BE PROPERLY TRAINED AND EFFECTIVE IN DELIVERING SERVICE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT HOMELESSNESS, AS WAS OBVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THIS MORNING, IS A COMMUNITY PROBLEM THAT DEMANDS A COMMUNITY RESPONSE.

WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT ROLES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THE HOMELESS PROVISION OF SERVICES IS LIKE A PUZZLE.

WE ARE JUST ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

WE BELIEVE THAT UNDER THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF THHI, THEY WILL BE THE PUZZLE MASTERS THAT BRING THE PUZZLE TOGETHER IN A CONSOLIDATED WAY SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER A COORDINATED SERVICE DELIVERY TO OUR COMMUNITY.

EMERGENCY/BRIDGE HOUSING, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS WITH YOU TODAY, IS ONLY ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

IT'S NOT THE SOLUTION FOR HOMELESSNESS, IT'S JUST ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE, AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DELIVER OUR PART OF THE PUZZLE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

SO WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO BRING AUDREY UP.

SHE WILL DISCUSS WITH YOU WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION, AND THEN I'LL BE BACK TO DISCUSS THE CONTRACT WITH YOU IN MORE DETAIL.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME, MA'AM.

>>AUDREY ZIEGLER: GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

AUDREY ZIEGLER, SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION DIRECTOR.

TODAY I'D LIKE TO COVER WITH YOU BRIEFLY THE FIRST TRANSITION PHASE OF THE HOMELESS RECOVERY PROGRAM CLOSING DECEMBER 31st.

BEFORE I DO SO, THERE WAS MENTION EARLIER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A THANK YOU TO THEM FOR JOINING OUR TEAM AND HELPING US SOLVE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED EARLY ON, AND MOST RECENTLY DOUG BELDEN, OUR TAX COLLECTOR, WHO'S JUMPED IN ALSO TO BE A PART OF OUR SOLUTION.

THE HOMELESS RECOVERY OFFICE CLOSED ITS DOORS ON

DECEMBER 31st.

PRIOR TO THAT, SOCIAL SERVICES TEAM WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO IDENTIFY THE CASES AND THE SERVICES THAT WE WERE PROVIDING AT THAT OFFICE.

AS OF TODAY, WE TRANSITIONED 16 CASES OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO WE THINK ARE DISABLED AND ON THE DISABILITY TRACT TO RECEIVE SOCIAL SERVICES IN SOCIAL -- SOCIAL -- I'M SORRY -- DISABILITY INCOME.

THOSE CASES HAVE BEEN TRANSITIONED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER AND ARE CURRENTLY BEING CASE MANAGED BY SOMEONE ON THE NEW TEAM.

AS PART OF THE TRANSITION, WE IDENTIFIED FIVE CASE MANAGERS WITHIN THE SOCIAL SERVICES TEAM, AND WE TRAINED THEM ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS POPULATION.

HISTORICALLY, HOMELESS RECOVERY HANDLED ALL OF OUR HOMELESS INTAKE, SO WE WEREN'T REALLY GEARED UP TO TAKE THAT NEW POPULATION WITH THEIR CHALLENGES AND THEIR BARRIERS AND ADDRESSING THEIR NEEDS, SO WE TRAINED OUR STAFF, AND WE HAVE ONE LOCATED AT EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED OUR GRANTS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER TO OVERSEE THAT PROCESS.

WE CREATED A FOCUSED INTAKE PROCESS TO IDENTIFY HOMELESSNESS IMMEDIATELY.

WE DIDN'T WANT THIS TRAFFIC TO GET MERGED OR MIXED IN WITH THE TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE ON AN EXPEDITED TRACT TO RECEIVE HOMELESS SERVICES.

THAT TRIAGE IS OFFERED AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS AT THE FRONT DESK AND IT'S ALSO OFFERED VIA A PHONE LINE THAT WE DEDICATED, WHICH IS MANNED, AND THAT PHONE LINE IS DEDICATED TO ANSWERING QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CLOSURE OF THE CENTER AS WELL AS PROVIDING THAT QUICK SCREENING SO THAT WHEN SOMEONE DOES SHOW UP AT THE CENTER AND THEY'VE CALLED THAT LINE, WE KNOW THEY'RE COMING AND WE KNOW THEIR CHALLENGES AND WE CAN GET THEM IMMEDIATELY BACK TO THAT CASE MANAGER.

I WANT TO STRESS THAT THERE'S NOT A WAIT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, THERE'S NOT AN APPOINTMENT, THEY'RE SEEN ON THE SAME DAY.

THE NEXT SLIDE IS A QUICK PROCESS FLOW I'D LIKE TO REFER TO YOU.

WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A PROCESS NOW WHERE EVERYTHING WE DO WILL BE PROCESS MAPPED.

AS YOU CAN SEE, AT THE TOP LEFT, AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY SEEKING SHELTER, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE EMPLOYMENT OR THE -- THE REFERRAL LINE OR THE OFFICE OF ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS IS SCREENED USING THE ELECTRONIC SCREENING PROCESS, AND IF WE IDENTIFY THEY'RE HOMELESS, THEN THEY CONTINUE ON TO THE RIGHT.

IF THEY'RE NOT TRULY HOMELESS AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION, THEN, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE TRANSITIONED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER PROCESS.

IF THERE'S A HOMELESS FAMILY, THEY'RE OFF TO THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, THE PINK COLUMN, WHERE THEY'RE OFFERED MOTEL STAYS, AND THOSE MOTEL NIGHTS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING ARE INSPECTED BY OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT.

SO WE'RE PLACING THEM IN IMMEDIATE SHELTER.

WE'RE OFFERING CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO LINK THEM TO SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY, HELPING THEM FIND EMPLOYMENT, AND HELPING THEM FIND STABLE -- A STABLE LIVING CONDITION.

DURING THAT TRANSITION, WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM WITH A CASE PLAN, AND WE EXPECT COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE CASE PLANS.

WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS AN OUTCOME.

ONCE THEY'VE IDENTIFIED A PLACE TO LIVE, WE'RE HAVING THAT RESIDENCE INSPECTED, AND THEN WE'RE CONTINUING ON A CASE PLAN TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN REMAIN STABLE.

OF COURSE, THIS IS A NEW PROCESS, SO WE HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED THAT YET.

WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW -- WE JUST IMPLEMENTED THIS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 2nd, BUT WE DO HAVE FAMILIES ALREADY ENGAGED.

FOR THE SINGLE TRACT, IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME, BUT RATHER THAN USING A MOTEL, WE'RE UTILIZING SALVATION ARMY, WHICH IS CHARGING US $10 A NIGHT, AND WE'RE HOPING TO TRANSITION THOSE SINGLE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN 30 DAYS TO PERMANENT HOUSING.

SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED FROM CLOSING -- FROM THE EXPERIENCE WE'VE HAD WITH HAVING TO CLOSE THE HOMELESS RECOVERY PROGRAM ARE THAT COMMUNITY NONPROFITS HAVE SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE AS THE HOMELESS PROVIDERS.

THEY ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUES, THE BARRIERS, THE OBSTACLES FACING THIS GROUP, IT'S NOT JUST AN ELIGIBILITY DECISION SUCH AS WHAT WE'RE GEARED UP FOR AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS.

THE HOMELESS RECOVERY PROGRAM HAD A HISTORY OF TREATING SYMPTOMS, THEY WEREN'T WORKING WITH CASE PLANS, THEY WEREN'T WORKING TOWARDS OUTCOMES, THEY WERE PROVIDING MEANINGLESS ACTIVITIES FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO DO, AND THOSE -- IF SOMEONE PROVED COMPLIANT WITH THOSE ACTIVITIES, THEY WERE EXTENDED ANOTHER TWO WEEKS, TWO WEEKS, TWO WEEKS, AND, OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW SOME OF THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH WE PLACED THEM.

WE LEARNED THAT WE SHOULD PROVIDE PROGRAMS WITH SAFE HOUSING AND SUPPORTS TO ASSIST IN THEIR SUCCESS, AND WE ALSO LEARNED THE OPTIMAL SOLUTION IS TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH HOMELESS INITIATIVES AND THE NONPROFITS.

OUR FUNDING SHOULD BE LINKED TO MEASURABLE OUTCOMES, AND, OF COURSE, OUR PROGRAMS NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.

I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SHARON TO PROCEED WITH THE RFA PROCESS FOR THE NEXT PHASE, AND THEN I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: THANK YOU, AUDREY.

EMERGENCY/BRIDGE HOUSING ALLOWS US TO TARGET OUR EFFORTS TO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO EXPERIENCE SUDDEN HOMELESSNESS AND THEY NEED IMMEDIATE SHELTER.

IT ALSO HELPS US TO -- OR ALLOWS US TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE AWAITING A PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTION SUCH AS HOUSING THROUGH A VASH VOUCHER OR SSI AND THEY HAVE AN INTERIM PERIOD WHERE THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO LIVE, AND WE WANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THEM SERVICES -- HOMELESS SERVICES AS WELL AS WRAP-AROUND SERVICES WHILE THEY WAIT FOR THEIR PERMANENT SOLUTION, WHICH IS BRIDGE HOUSING.

DURING OUR PROCESS, WE WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A PROCESS THAT'S VERY SIMILAR TO AN RFP, AND WE SOLICITED APPLICATIONS FOR LEAD AGENCIES TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY/BRIDGE HOUSING.

OUR TARGET WITH EMERGENCY/BRIDGE HOUSING IS 45 TO 90 DAYS, AND THE GOAL WHILE INDIVIDUALS ARE IN EMERGENCY OR BRIDGE HOUSING IS TO IDENTIFY A PERMANENT HOUSING OPTION FOR THEM AND HELP THEM TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS THAT FACE THEM THAT PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.

WE RECEIVED THREE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS, ONE FROM METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES THAT FOCUSED ON FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, ONE FROM ACTS THAT FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, AND ONE FROM SALVATION ARMY THAT PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUALS BUT ALSO DID HAVE SOME -- SOME OUTREACH TO FAMILIES AS WELL.

THE EVALUATION TEAM THAT CAME TOGETHER -- WE DID NOT SCORE THESE APPLICATIONS AGAINST EACH OTHER BECAUSE EACH OF THEM TARGETED A DIFFERENT POPULATION AND ALSO PROVIDED A DIFFERENT SOLUTION, BUT WE DID EVALUATE THEM.

THE TEAM INCLUDED MYSELF AND MARIA BARCUS FROM THHI, ROGER CASEY -- DR. ROGER CASEY FROM VETERANS ADMINISTRATION,

DR. MICHAEL DOW FROM USF MENTAL HEALTH, QIANA DAUGHTRY FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA HOUSING.

EACH OF US BROUGHT A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO THE TABLE, BUT AS WE SCORED EACH OF THE APPLICATIONS, WE FOUND THAT EACH OF THEM HAD SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO THE TARGET POPULATION THAT WE WERE TRYING TO REACH, AND WE AGREED -- WE HAD A CONSENSUS AGREEMENT THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH EACH OF THE VENDORS TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR THE TARGET POPULATIONS THAT THEY HAD IDENTIFIED.

TODAY WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD THE METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES CONTRACT, WHICH IS TARGETED TOWARDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE THAT YOU WILL SEE, AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE ONLY BRINGING ONE TODAY IS THAT THIS ONE WAS REALLY IN CLOSE TO READY-TO-GO CONDITION AS WE MOVED TOWARDS THE NEGOTIATION PHASE.

THE OTHER TWO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK.

IN THIS RECOMMENDATION, THEY HAVE PRICED US ON A PER-UNIT BASIS FOR 48 UNITS ON THEIR CAMPUS, SERVING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN -- FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND SINGLE WOMEN.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED 12 COMMUNITY-BASED APARTMENTS, TWO- AND THREE-BEDROOM APARTMENTS, THAT THEY WOULD LEASE FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY WOULD RATHER KEEP IN THEIR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN HAVE THEM LIVE ON CAMPUS.

WE BELIEVE WITH THE MAXIMUM OF 90 DAYS THAT WE ARE EXPECTING WITH THIS PROGRAM, A MINIMUM OF 240 FAMILIES PER YEAR CAN BE SERVED WITH THIS MODEL.

ADDITIONALLY, $100,000 HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR SUBCONTRACTORS THAT EACH OF THESE -- THE LEAD AGENCIES CAN -- CAN CONTRACT WITH WITH OUR APPROVAL FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A SMALL ENTITY THAT WAS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO BE A LEAD AGENCY THAT HAD A HOMELESS SOLUTION THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH A NEED, PERHAPS OUR LEAD AGENCIES WILL BE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH A SMALLER ENTITY TO PROVIDE THE SPECIFIC NEED.

SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP IN PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING WAS HAVE WE CONSIDERED YOUTH 18 TO 23.

THIS MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ONE OF THE PARTNER AGENCIES TO -- TO PROVIDE THAT VERY SPECIFIC AND TARGETED -- HOUSING FOR THAT SPECIFIC AND TARGETED AUDIENCE.

THE ANNUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT IS CLOSE TO $1.2 MILLION.

IN THEIR PROPOSAL, METROPOLITAN INCLUDED THEIR LOGIC MODEL.

THEY SHOWED US WHAT THEIR INPUTS WOULD BE, THEIR OUTPUTS WOULD BE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR US, THEIR OUTCOMES.

THE OUTCOMES THAT THEY EXPECT IN THE SHORT-TERM ARE 50 FAMILIES OR SINGLE WOMEN PER WEEK APPLYING FOR SHELTER, 80% OF THE CLIENTS TO COMPLETE INTAKE, AND FOR 95% OCCUPANCY AT ANY GIVEN TIME IN THE EMERGENCY SHELTER.

IN THE MEDIUM-TERM, 85% IN SHELTER DEVELOP A HOUSING STABILITY PLAN AND 80% PARTICIPATE IN HOUSING STABILITY PLAN AND LINKED -- ARE LINKED TO SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.

AND IN THE LONG-TERM, 80% OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE HOUSING STABILITY PLAN WILL MOVE INTO STABLE HOUSING, PERMANENT HOUSING OR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR SEEK A MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PROGRAM OR EVEN BE REUNITED WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

AS I SAID BEFORE, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS ARE IN PROCESS WITH THE AGENCY FOR COMMUNITY TREATMENT SERVICES, ACTS, AND WITH THE SALVATION ARMY.

INCLUDED IN OUR PROPOSAL TODAY IS OVERSIGHT AND MONITORING BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ANY SERVICE -- ANY PARTNER SERVICE, ANY P3, OR ANY CONTRACTED SERVICE IS REALLY ONLY AS GOOD AS THE APPROPRIATE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT THAT WE PROVIDE.

WE HAVE INCLUDED TWO CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, TWO CASE MANAGERS, AND A CONTRACT MANAGER AS PART OF OUR OVERSIGHT PROCESS FOR THIS ENTIRE PROGRAM, AND THAT WILL BE IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN THE CONTRACT FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE ACTUAL RESIDENTS THROUGH METROPOLITAN.

SO IN OUR FUTURE DIRECTION, THIS CONTRACT TODAY IS A ONE-YEAR TERM WITH A ONE-YEAR EXTENSION.

WE BELIEVE THAT DURING THIS TIME FRAME, THHI WILL BE MATURING IN THEIR EFFORTS TO -- AS THE DESIGNATED LEAD AGENCY TO PERFECT COORDINATED INTAKE.

WE WILL HELP THHI WITH CONTINUING THE HOUSING FIRST MODEL AND USE THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP PEOPLE TO GET INTO PERMANENT HOUSING OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WHICH ALL OF THE RESEARCH SHOWS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR THOSE IN HOMELESSNESS.

I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PARTNERS THAT PARTICIPATED.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE, CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE, OUR FOLKS IN FISCAL AND SUPPORT SERVICES, THHI, ALONG WITH THE SOCIAL SERVICES STAFF.

WE HAVE ALL REALLY WORKED TOGETHER TO TRY TO BRING THIS TO YOU AS A SOLUTION FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN A PRETTY QUICK TURNAROUND TIME.

SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, SHARON.

I'LL HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS LATER TO -- I MEAN, ARE YOU DONE WITH THE PRESENTATION?

IS THIS IT?

>>SHARON SUBADAN: YES.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

FIRST OF ALL, I CAME TO YOU-ALL AND ASKED YOU TO PUT IN THE AMOUNT FOR THE -- FOR CONTRACTS BECAUSE I KNOW COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM AND I BOTH HAVE PROVIDERS IN OUR DISTRICTS, MARY AND MARTHA HOUSE IN RUSKIN, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE SEVERAL IN BRANDON, I THINK, AT SOME OF THE CHURCHES THAT HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH US, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE THIS I OWN THE CONTRACT, THEREFORE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO DO BUSINESS WITH THESE OTHER PROVIDERS.

THEY WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH US.

IN FACT, MARY AND MARTHA HOUSE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE TURNED AWAY WHEN ASKED IF THEY COULD APPLY, AND -- WHICH WAS A SURPRISE TO ME.

BUT ANYWAY -- SO YOU'RE SURE -- WHAT -- WHAT DOES THE EXACT WORDING IN THE CONTRACT SAY FOR THE $100,000?

>>SHARON SUBADAN: I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT WORDING IN MY HEAD.

I CAN CERTAINLY FURNISH YOU WITH THE WORDING, BUT THE INTENT IS THAT IF THERE IS THE ABILITY TO HAVE THESE KIND OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO COME TO THE COUNTY FOR US TO BLESS IT, FOR US TO ENCOURAGE IT, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS COMPLIANT WITH WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.

THE REASON -- WE DIDN'T TURN ANYBODY AWAY PER SE, BUT IN DOING THIS, WE DID HAVE TO ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR A LEAD AGENCY.

MARY AND MARTHA HOUSE IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION, BUT THEIR CAPACITY IS VERY SMALL, AND WE WANT TO MAKE -- WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER TOOK THIS HAD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES TO BE THE LEAD AGENCY, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALLER ENTITIES TO PARTNER WITH THE LEAD AGENCIES IN PROVIDING THE SERVICE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: IS THERE GOING TO BE A PROVISION IN THERE THAT, I GUESS, DOESN'T FORCE METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES TO DO IT, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE THAT STRONGLY URGES THEM TO DO THESE PARTNERSHIPS?

>>SHARON SUBADAN: WELL, THE WAY THE WORDING IS NOW, WE -- IT'S THERE SO THAT IT'S AN ALLOWABLE PROVISION.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: MM-HMM.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: WE DIDN'T SAY YOU MUST, BUT WE CERTAINLY -- WE CERTAINLY PUT IT IN THERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND WE WANTED THEM TO HAVE THAT -- THAT ABILITY, AND AS I SAID, THOSE CONTRACTS WOULD COME BACK TO THE COUNTY FOR THEM TO BE APPROVED AND ULTIMATELY EXECUTED.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

IT'S -- I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF HOMELESS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: ABSOLUTELY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND I'M -- YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING FAIR TO ALL THE COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, NOT JUST ONES THAT CAN TRAVEL IN TOWN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF -- OF SERVICES THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR WITH COUNTY TAXPAYER DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, TO GO TO SOME OF THESE OTHER PLACES.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: AND THE APARTMENTS THAT METROPOLITAN IS GOING TO BE CONTRACTING WITH WILL BE IN THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY.

ADDITIONALLY, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US THAT SMALLER ENTITIES WORK UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF A LEAD AGENCY TO MAKE SURE

THAT -- IF NOT, IT BECOMES VERY HARD TO MANAGE AND -- AND MORE COMPLEX THAN IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

MY NEXT QUESTION -- I MEAN, YOU GAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION TOO, BY THE WAY.

THE NEXT QUESTION WAS, ON JANUARY -- I MEAN JULY OF 2012, I DIRECTED STAFF TO BRING A REPORT BACK ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS, THE UTILIZATION, SPACE PLANNING, AND EVALUATING EXISTING PROGRAMS FOR FURTHER ENHANCEMENT, AND I NEVER DID GET THAT REPORT, AND I HAVE VISITED A COUPLE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS, AND I'D SAY I'M PROBABLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE APPEARANCE AND NOT SURE ABOUT THE TRAINING OF THE PERSONNEL THAT ARE IN THERE.

I MEAN, THIS IS ALL -- THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO GET THIS REPORT BACK.

AND I THINK THIS IS GREAT, THE PLAN TO USE THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS, BECAUSE IT'S A WAY TO MAKE THEM EFFECTIVE AND USEFUL FOR US, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THEY ARE, I DON'T SEE IT.

I MEAN, YOU -- WE COULD PLOP DOWN A GOOD PROGRAM AND SET IT IN THERE, BUT IF THE REST OF THE PLACE ISN'T FUNCTIONING AND LOOKING GOOD, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE -- IT'S NOT GOING TO REFLECT WELL ON THE COUNTY, SO I GUESS I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU, COULD I GET THIS REPORT BACK, AND WOULD YOU PLEASE ADDRESS IT IN HOW THIS HOMELESS PROGRAM IS GOING TO FIT IN WITH THE REST OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS?

>>SHARON SUBADAN: CERTAINLY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I MEAN, WE HAVE TALKED FOR OVER A YEAR ABOUT USING THESE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND I -- I JUST -- THE COUPLE I'VE BEEN INTO, I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED.

I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY EVEN GOES IN THERE, BUT PEOPLE AREN'T AT THE FRONT DESK, THERE'S NOT A FRIENDLY TONE, IT'S MAINLY JUST FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND GET WHAT THEY NEED TO GET AND LEAVE, SO ...

>>SHARON SUBADAN: WELL, AS I SAID, IT'S A NEW DAY.

WE'VE HIRED NEW LEADERSHIP.

WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT STAFF ARE PROPERLY TRAINED.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH REAL ESTATE ON DEVELOPING FLOOR PLANS AND GAINING COSTS FOR WHAT IT WILL BE TO RENOVATE, NOT JUST TO MAKE IT PRETTY BUT TO MAKE IT FUNCTIONAL, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AT LEE DAVIS, WE HAVE CLIENT SERVICES UPSTAIRS AND BACK-END OFFICES DOWNSTAIRS.

WELL, WE KNOW WE NEED TO REVERSE THAT.

WE WANT WHEN PEOPLE WALK IN TO LEE DAVIS THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE AT BANK OF AMERICA AND THE SURROUNDINGS ARE APPROPRIATE, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS WELCOMING, AND THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS REALLY GOOD, BUT THAT DOES TAKE SOME TIME.

MOVING ENTIRE WALLS AND TAKING BIG SECTIONS AND MOVING THEM AROUND IS A PROCESS, AND WE STILL HAVE TO KEEP OPERATING WHILE -- WHILE THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING, SO IT'S NOT AN EXCUSE, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON IT, AND WE CERTAINLY WILL WORK ON GETTING YOUR REPORT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, IT'S -- I MEAN, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF WHAT I ASKED FOR WAS SO THAT WHEN WE WENT INTO THE BUDGET LAST YEAR, WE WOULD HAVE A PLAN TO ADDRESS HOW TO MAKE THESE BETTER, AND WE -- MY STAFF CALLED AND CALLED AND CALLED AND CALLED AND CALLED, AND, YOU KNOW, IT JUST -- WE'LL HAVE IT NEXT MONTH, WE'LL HAVE IT NEXT MONTH, AND HERE WE ARE PUTTING A HUGE IMPORTANT PROGRAM IN THERE, AND I JUST -- I -- I MEAN, THERE'S AN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SITUATION GOING ON HERE.

WE HAVE INTERNAL GOING ON WITH THE COUNTY.

I THINK OUR EXTERNAL RFA IS A REALLY GOOD PROCESS, AND I DEFINITELY THINK WE'RE TAKING STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE INTERNAL SIDE OF THIS, I MEAN, I DON'T -- I'M NOT SURE I KNOW WHO'S IN CHARGE.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: WELL, AUDREY'S IN CHARGE NOW, AND THE SERVICE CENTER DIRECTORS THAT WE HAVE HIRED ARE SITTING HERE.

IF YOU WANT, I CAN HAVE THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES INDIVIDUALLY.

SOME OF THEM ARE NEW.

THIS IS THEIR FIRST WEEK.

PLEASE DON'T SCARE THEM AWAY.

BUT WE WILL -- WE WILL DO BETTER AND WE WILL PUT THE EMPHASIS ON THIS THAT IS NEEDED.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

I MEAN, I'M GOING TO MOVE FOR APPROVAL OF THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO COME BACK WITH -- I MEAN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE PROPER CREDENTIALS THAT ARE IN THESE PROGRAMS NOW.

I KNOW MET MIN.

THEY'RE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT.

THEY HAVE GOOD CREDENTIALED PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN SOCIAL WORK AND, YOU KNOW, THEY FIT WITH WHAT THE MISSION IS.

I THINK WE NEED -- DEFINITELY NEED THAT, THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER CREDENTIALS.

I THINK WE NEED TO -- ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOVERNING THE RFA AND THE NOT-FOR-PROFITS.

I DO -- I THINK WE DO NEED TO KNOW -- THIS COMMISSION NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE THAT WE'RE REQUIRING FOR THESE UNITS THAT WE'RE GIVING OUR APPROVAL FOR, WHETHER IT BE ACTS OR SALVATION ARMY OR MET MIN.

I MEAN, MET MIN'S GOT A STERLING REPUTATION, AND I THINK, TIM, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A STANDARD I HOPE EVERYBODY WORKS BY, BUT I THINK -- YOU KNOW, IT ISN'T ABOUT THE PAST.

I THINK WE HAVE TO PUT THIS BEHIND US.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THINGS WERE JUST REALLY CRAPPY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE BLUNT, AND IT'S -- YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T AFFORD -- I MEAN, WE'VE MOVED PEOPLE AROUND.

I MEAN, I'VE NOTICED, I SIT HERE, WHENEVER WE HAVE A PROBLEM, WE'RE MOVING MANAGERS AROUND, THEY'RE OUTSOURCING, AND I THINK THE PARTNERSHIP'S IDEAS ARE FLOWING, EVERYTHING'S GOING GOOD, BUT -- AND THIS FLOW CHART IS GOOD, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP IN SOCIAL SERVICES AND GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP THAT ARE MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS, AND IT'S NOT JUST HOMELESS, IT'S -- THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS GOING ON IN SOCIAL SERVICES.

SO I GUESS -- I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY CORRECT ON THIS, THAT WE'RE CROSSING ALL THE Ts, DOTTING ALL THE Is, WE MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE THAT NEED A HOME, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE TREATED HUMANELY AND WITH DIGNITY, AND I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT ALL.

THAT PROBABLY WAS ENOUGH.

SO I MOVE FOR APPROVAL.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE -- DID I HEAR A SECOND?

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

>>MIKE MERRILL: MR. CHAIR.

>>MARK SHARPE: YEAH, OH, ABSOLUTELY.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DO IT.

FOR THE RECORD, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

THE MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

YES, SIR.

>>MIKE MERRILL: I WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT.

I MEAN, I THINK -- I DON'T THINK, I KNOW THAT THE WAY THIS PRESENTATION WAS BEGUN, WE MADE A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT WE DID NOT LIVE UP TO THE COMMITMENT, SO FIRST STEP OF A LEADER IS TO ADMIT THAT YOU DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THE COMMITMENT, THE SECOND STEP IS TO FIX IT, AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS CHANGED THE LEADERSHIP TO BRING IN WHO WE THINK NOW ARE THE CORRECT LEADERS.

YOU'VE HEARD FROM AUDREY.

YOU KNOW AUDREY, YOU'VE MET WITH HER.

WE'VE BROUGHT IN NEW MANAGERS FOR THE CENTERS.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE THAT I CAN DO OTHER THAN TO ADMIT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP, WE DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB, BUT WE'RE FIXING IT, AND SO THIS IS A BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE TOLD IS THE MODEL, TO CONTRACT OUT THIS KIND OF WORK TO THOSE NONPROFITS WHO CAN DO IT.

THE REASON WHY THE SERVICE CENTERS WERE NOT REMODELED IN THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN WAS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP, AND WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY AND CHOOSE THE RIGHT LEADERS, WE DON'T ALWAYS MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS, AND I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.

I BELIEVE NOW WE HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP.

WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN.

>>MARK SHARPE: CAN I ASK A QUESTION?

AND I, FIRST OFF, WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND MS. SUBADAN AND OTHERS FOR THAT COMMENT.

YOU KNOW, ENOUGH BLAME TO GO AROUND.

EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, EITHER TAKING RESPONSIBILITY, SOME ARE DUCKING IT, BUT I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT IN THIS ROOM EVERYBODY'S STEPPED UP AND IS WILLING TO -- TO DEAL WITH IT HEAD ON, AND IT'S NOT SIMPLE AND EASY, AND I KNOW THAT OUR OFFICE WHEN WE DEALT WITH SOME ISSUES -- IN FACT, ONE CHARACTER IN PACKER'S BOOK, "THE UNWINDING," WE'D GOTTEN A CALL, WE NEEDED TO HELP FIND EMERGENCY HOUSING BECAUSE IT WAS, LIKE, A THURSDAY OR FRIDAY AND THEY NEEDED TO FIND A PLACE, AND WHAT WE BEGAN TO DISCOVER WAS JUST BASIC THINGS LIKE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEM, CALL OUR OFFICE MONDAY AND WE'LL BE ON IT.

NOW, IT'S THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.

THEY HAVE KIDS.

CALLING THE OFFICE ON MONDAY'S NOT AN OPTION, YOU KNOW.

EVEN IF IT'S JUST CALL OUR OFFICE THE NEXT DAY, THERE'S A CHALLENGE.

SOMETIMES THE LISTS WERE OLD AND DATED.

I'M LOOKING AT AIRBNB,  WHICH I'M A BIG FAN OF, AND THEY LIST EVERY UNIT.

YOU CAN GO ON-LINE AND SEE EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO.

IT'S -- IT'S THERE CLEAR, AND IT HELPS.

NOW, THIS IS FOR PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A NICE PLACE TO STAY, BUT STILL, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE SO THAT ALL THESE INDEPENDENT SMALL GROUPS THAT WANT TO HELP THE LARGER, THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE IS AND IT'S EASY AND ACCESSIBLE, EVEN IF IT'S, LIKE, A PHONE APP OF SOME SORT OR AN APPLICATION THAT YOU CAN PUT ON-LINE WHERE YOU CAN -- WHERE -- YOU SAY WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE A UNIFIED SYSTEM, IS THAT CORRECT, MIKE, SO THE INPUT SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE -- WHAT'S THAT CALLED?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE HUD REQUIREMENT IS TO HAVE A UNITY SYSTEM.

THE UNITY SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE BEFORE BY THE HOMELESS COALITION.

IT WAS NOT, SO WE'RE STARTING OVER.

WE'RE GOING TO GET THE SYSTEM IN PLACE.

IT'S THE SAME SYSTEM THAT ST. LOUIS AND ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES USE THAT ARE QUALITY SYSTEMS.

IT'S DIGITAL, IT'S ELECTRONIC, IT IS A WAY FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW ON A CASE-MANAGED BASIS, YOU KNOW, WHERE ANYBODY IS THE SYSTEM, WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE WAY OF HOUSING, WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE WAY OF SERVICES, BUT WE'RE BASICALLY STARTING FROM SCRATCH.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND FOR THOSE -- AND FOR THOSE FRONTLINE INDIVIDUALS -- WHEN I WENT TO TRINITY CAFE, TALKED WITH THEM, DOING PHENOMENAL WORK, AND I WAS ASKING THEM WHEN -- AND THEY GET 150- TO 200-SOME-ODD PEOPLE WHO COME THROUGH THEIR DOORS EVERY DAY WITH ALL SORTS OF NEEDS.

THEY'RE LITERALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF TRYING TO SERVE SOMEONE, AND I'M SAYING, WELL, IF YOU HEAR THIS PROBLEM, IF YOU HAVE A VETERAN WHO COMES IN, WHAT DO YOU DO, AND I GOT A LOT OF LOOKS LIKE, WE DO THE BEST WE CAN OR I CALL THAT PERSON THAT I KNOW.

WELL, DO YOU HAVE A PHONE CHART?

THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A PHONE CHART.

SO PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TO MAP OUT WHAT ALL THE RESOURCES ARE SO THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE FRONTLINE SERVICE, THEY HAVE A READILY ACCESSIBLE POINT THAT THEY CAN GO TO AND THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHO TO CALL?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASPIRING TO, BUT I JUST -- I MEAN, I HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS, BUT I WANT TO KEEP SAYING IT, IT TOOK ST. LOUIS NINE YEARS TO GET TO THE PLACE THEY ARE.

>>MARK SHARPE: RIGHT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MIKE MERRILL: I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THAT WE'RE TURNING A KEY IN TOMORROW AND EVERYONE OUT THERE WHO'S PROVIDING SERVICE KNOWS WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING, IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN, BUT WE'RE PUTTING THE PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, WE'RE GOING TO GET THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH SCOTCH TAPE AND GLUE AND BUBBLE GUM AND WE'LL JUST KEEP IT MOVING ALONG, BUT IT'S JUST -- IT TAKES TIME TO GROW INTO THAT.

>>MARK SHARPE: ONE THING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, THOUGH, I KNOW IN WITH THE STARTUP COMMUNITY, EVERYBODY FIGHTS THE MAP, THEY DON'T WANT THE MAP FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS.

THEY -- WHO MIGHT BE LEFT OFF THE MAP, WHO'S ON THE MAP, WE CAN'T VERIFY AND VALIDATE EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THE MAP.

I LIKE MAPS.

MY FEELING IS PUT THAT MAP TOGETHER, AND THEN THOSE WHO AREN'T ON THE MAP WILL WANT TO BE ON THE MAP, AND THOSE THAT ARE ON THE MAP THAT PERHAPS SHOULDN'T BE, WELL, THEN, THAT WILL WORK ITSELF OUT, BUT MAKING SURE WE THAT HAVE THE RESOURCE, SO EVEN IF WE JUST START WITH AN INCOMPLETE MAP, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE ONE THAT -- JUST BASIC SO ULTIMATELY WHEN SOMEONE GETS THAT PHONE CALL FOR THE FIFTH OR SIX TIME AND SAYS, I'M NOT THAT PERSON, THEN WE CAN CORRECT IT.

NOW, WHO'S -- WE SAID IN CHARGE OF PUTTING THIS WHOLE RUBRIC TOGETHER, IS THIS GOING TO BE THE HOMELESS COALITION OR THE HOMELESS --

>>SHARON SUBADAN: IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE EFFECTIVE, THERE ARE MODELS IN DIFFERENT CITIES THAT USE -- AND MIKE HAD IT IN HIS SLIDE -- THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL, AND THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL ENCOURAGES ALL OF THE PLAYERS TO BE ON THE MAP THROUGH -- SOMETIMES THROUGH INCENTIVES OR THROUGH MOMENTUM.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, AND WITH A COORDINATED INTAKE MODEL THAT THHI IS INTENDING TO ROLL OUT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAP, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE -- THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFER IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL BECAUSE THE COUNTY REALLY OUGHT NOT TO BE THE ENTITY THAT DOES THE MAP.

IT REALLY DOES NEED TO BE THHI.

THEY NEED TO -- WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM, WE NEED TO HELP THEM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE -- WHEN THE DIAGRAM WAS UP WITH THE -- WITH THE BUBBLES, WE'RE A BUBBLE.

THHI IS THE CORE, AND THEY REALLY NEED TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE CENTRAL IN PULLING TOGETHER THE MAP.

WHAT THEY FOUND IN PLACES LIKE CLEVELAND AND OTHER PLACES BY USING THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL IS EVENTUALLY, PEOPLE WANTED TO COME INTO THE MAP --

>>MARK SHARPE: RIGHT.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: -- BECAUSE THEY SAW THAT GOOD THINGS WERE HAPPENING, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T AS SCARY AS THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE, AND WE WEREN'T GOING TO TRY TO TELL THEM HOW TO DO BUSINESS, BUT THEY NEEDED TO PLUG IN AND BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, SO I THINK THHI IS THE APPROPRIATE ENTITY.

WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT THEM AND TO HELP THEM AND TO BE -- YOU KNOW, AND TO BE SUPPORTIVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, I'LL JUST -- I MEAN, COMMISSIONER MILLER'S UP NEXT.

I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.

I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO WORK WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, AND THERE'S SO MANY OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THEM -- I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY HAD THE CHANCE -- I'VE NEVER REALLY MET, BUT I MET MICHAEL AND WENT OUT AND SAT DOWN WITH HIM, BUT YOU START TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE SMALLER PROBLEMS THAT THEY TALK ABOUT, WHEN, LIKE, SOMEONE'S ELECTRICITY'S SHUT OFF AND WHAT THAT MEANS AND HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET IT BACK ON AND THE COST TO GET IT BACK ON, SO IT'S A -- IT'S AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM, AND I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO PUT ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE -- THE ONE THING THAT DOES MAKE ME NERVOUS IS WHEN EVERYBODY'S IN CHARGE, NOBODY'S IN CHARGE, AND I LIKE TO BE IN ORGANIZATIONS WHERE SOMEONE'S IN CHARGE.

SO IF WE STEP UP AND HELP AND ASSIST IN DIRECTING, THAT'S GOOD, AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT IF THERE'S A WEAK LINK SOMEWHERE AND -- WE HAVE TO CORRECT IT BECAUSE WE CAN'T LET THE SYSTEM BREAK BECAUSE SOMEONE'S JUST HANDLING THIS LIKE A 9:00 TO 5:00 BUREAUCRATIC POSITION AND/OR, YOU KNOW, NOT WILLING TO WORK OUTSIDE THE SILOS, SO WHATEVER PRESSURE WE HAVE TO APPLY, APPLY IT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT HERE FOR OURSELVES, WE'RE HERE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I FELT COMPELLED TO SAY SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A BIG PERSON TO SAY WE MADE MISTAKES AND THAT WE CORRECTED SOME MISTAKES, AND MR. MERRILL HAS SAID, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES TO THE PRESS, HOW MANY TIMES HE'S SAID IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO E-MAIL HIM -- AND I'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE E-MAILS -- AND TODAY HE SAYS, WE MADE MISTAKES.

WE MADE MISTAKES AND WE'RE GOING TO CORRECT THOSE MISTAKES.

LET ME TALK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTERS.

WHEN I FIRST CAME ONBOARD, I WENT TO MR. MERRILL -- HE CAN TELL YOU THIS.

I STOOD IN FRONT OF SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTERS AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING AND PEOPLE HAD BEEN IN LINE THERE SINCE 10:00 THE NIGHT BEFORE TRYING TO GET SERVICES.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE.

WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I TOLD HIM, WE HAD TO CUT THAT OUT, AND THEY CAME ONBOARD, THEY HIRED SOME APPROPRIATE PEOPLE, THEY RESTRUCTURED THE COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTERS, AND THEY GOT THOSE THINGS IN PLACE, THE SERVICES ARE BETTER, THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAND IN LINE.

IT USED TO -- LET ME TELL YOU, IT USED TO BE AT LEE DAVIS YOU WERE IN ONE LINE TODAY, THEY MAY LET 25 PEOPLE IN.

THE NEXT 20 -- THOSE 25 PEOPLE HAD TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND GET IN ANOTHER LINE.

I SAID, MR. MERRILL, THAT'S GOTTA STOP, AND IT DID.

WE HAVE SOME MISTAKES IN OUR SERVICE CENTERS, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO CORRECT THOSE MISTAKES.

THEY AREN'T -- THEY AREN'T EQUIPPED RIGHT NOW TO LOOK LIKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD, BUT WE ALREADY SAID THOSE THINGS WERE GOING TO WORK OUT.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK THOSE THINGS OUT.

SO, I MEAN, WHERE ELSE CAN WE START BUT AT THOSE PLACES?

UNDERSTAND, FOLKS, PEOPLE -- PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE.

THEY HAVE TO FIND SOMEPLACE TO GO, AND THIS IS WHERE WE START.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PARTNERS THAT WILL OFFER THE PROGRAMS.

WE TALK ABOUT WHO'S GOING BE THE LEADER, WHO'S GOING TO BE IN CHARGE.

OKAY.

LET'S JUST GET HELP FOR THEM AND THEN LET THEM FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING TO BE IN CHARGE, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING RIGHT NOW IS TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDS IT THE MOST.

I SAID IT EARLIER BEFORE -- BEFORE.

THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ONE PAYCHECK AWAY FROM BEING HOMELESS.

THEY MISS THAT ONE PAYCHECK, VIOLA, THEY'RE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR SERVICES.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR OUR CENTERS.

THEY COME TO OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTERS LOOKING FOR HELP OR THEY GO TO METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES LOOKING FOR HELP OR THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK SOMEPLACE FOR HELP, AND WE'VE GOTTA HAVE IT THERE FOR THEM.

MR. MERRILL CONSTANTLY SAYS, ST. LOUIS DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

IT TOOK NINE YEARS, NINE YEARS, FOLKS.

REMEMBER I SAID, JOHN McKAY, PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, PUT THIS INITIATIVE IN PLACE IN 2001.

HERE IT IS 2014, AND THE STATE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THEY STILL DON'T HAVE A PLACE -- PUTTING EVERYTHING IN PLACE.

SO LET'S GIVE IT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LET OUR STAFF -- WE ALREADY HAVE -- DOUG BELDEN IS WORKING WITH US, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IS WORKING WITH US, METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES IS WORKING WITH US, OTHERS ARE GOING TO COME ONBOARD, WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH US.

SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT, AGAIN, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW.

IT TOOK US A LONG TIME TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN YESTERDAY.

IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET THERE.

AND, YES, THE PRESS HAS BEAT US UP, THEY CONTINUOUSLY BEAT US UP, BUT ONE DAY WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS THING RIGHT, BUT IT HAS TO START TODAY GETTING IT -- MAKING IT HAPPEN.

SO LET'S GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO START -- THAT CHANCE TO START RIGHT NOW TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN SO WE CAN HELP THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDS IT THE MOST.

THAT'S FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THESE IPHONES, THESE IPADS, THESE COMPUTERS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE KNOCKING ON THESE DOORS SAYING, I NEED SOME HELP, AND WE CAN BE THERE FOR THEM, BUT IT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE, SHARON, I'D LIKE TO -- IF YOU COULD PUT A -- A FACE TO THE NAME OF WHO YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM IS GOING TO BE THAT MOST OF US UP HERE WILL PROBABLY BE INTERFACING WITH BACK IN OUR DISTRICTS.

I KNOW I'LL BE MAKING AN EFFORT TO INTERFACE --

>>SHARON SUBADAN: SURE.

>>VICTOR CRIST: -- AND IT WOULD KIND OF BE GOOD TO SEE WHO'S GOING TO BE WHERE.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: SURE.

WHY DON'T YOU COME FORWARD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.

>>DEE FIRDELLA: COMMISSION, MY NAME IS DEE FIRDELLA, AND I'M THE REGIONAL CENTER MANAGER FOR THE SOUTHSHORE RUSKIN AREA.

>>CASSANDRA BLAYLOCK: I'M CASSANDRA BLAYLOCK.

EVERYBODY CALLS ME CASSIE, AND I'M CURRENTLY GOING TO BE AT THE LEE DAVIS NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER.

>>VICTOR CRIST: WELL, YOU'VE GOT SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL THERE.

>>CASSANDRA BLAYLOCK: I'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE.

>>VICTOR CRIST: MAMA CHLOE.

>>MARIA GILLIS: MARIA GILLIS, NEW MANAGER WITH GRANTS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE.

>>JESUS OTERO: GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M J. OTERO, AND I'LL BE REGIONAL MANAGER FOR THE WEST TAMPA OFFICE.

>>KARLA MUNOZ: GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M KARLA MUNOZ, AND I'M THE CENTER MANAGER AT THE PLANT CITY NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER AND INTERIM AT UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: AND AS I SHARED, DR. SHALEWA NOEL-THOMAS IS GOING TO BE JOINING US.

SHE IS CURRENTLY ON FACULTY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

SHE IS A USF ALUMNI.

SHE IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE UNIVERSITY AREA AND IS EXCITED TO COME TO JOIN US NEXT MONTH AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER DIRECTOR OR MANAGER AT THE UNIVERSITY AREA.

WE HAVE GONE OUT OF OUR WAY TO RECRUIT GOOD PEOPLE THAT DO HAVE MSWs, THAT DO HAVE A HEART FOR THIS WORK, AND ALSO ARE VERY MOTIVATED IN MAKING CHANGE.

>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: EXCELLENT.

>>VICTOR CRIST: YOU ENDED ON A GOOD NOTE.

YOU KNEW WHAT BUTTON TO PUSH WITH ME.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM TO APPROVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR B-9.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

>>SHARON SUBADAN: THANK YOU.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU ALL.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR COMING.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YOUR NEXT ITEM IS --

>>VICTOR CRIST: MR. CHAIRMAN.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: JUST A QUICK COMMENT TO MR. MERRILL.

LATER ON TODAY, AFTER WE ADJOURN, IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE IF YOU COULD ASK SOMEONE FROM COMMUNICATIONS TO CONTACT ME, I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITIES OF LAUNCHING A PUBLIC SERVICE CAMPAIGN THAT WOULD, LET'S SAY, ENERGIZE, ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

MAYBE THERE'S SOME THINGS WE COULD DO OUT THERE TO CULTIVATE THAT PARTNERSHIP BETTER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

THANK YOU.

WE WILL.

APPRECIATE IT.

YOUR NEXT ITEM IS YOUR 1:45 TIME CERTAIN, B-4.

>>ED HELVENSTON: GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

ED HELVENSTON, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY.

COMMISSIONERS, AS YOU WILL RECALL, LAST YEAR THE COUNTY COMMISSION DIRECTED THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DRAFT AND ORDINANCE REGULATING CAR STEREO NOISE AND SIMILAR NOISES FROM AUTOMOBILES, SIMILAR TO THE ORDINANCE THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CITY OF TAMPA.

THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT HAD PREVIOUSLY INVALIDATED A STATE STATUTE WHICH HAD REGULATED THIS SAME ISSUE OF CAR NOISE.

OUR OFFICE HAS WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE CLERK'S OFFICE, COURT ADMINISTRATOR, CITIZEN BOARD SUPPORT, AND OTHER AGENCIES, AND THE DRAFT ORDINANCE WHICH YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET HAS, AT THIS POINT IN TIME BEEN, REVIEWED AND APPROVED AND SUPPORTED BY ALL OF THOSE AGENCIES.

THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE HAS THE SAME BASIC STANDARD AS THE CITY OF TAMPA'S ORDINANCE, WHICH TO DATE HAS NOT BEEN LEGALLY CHALLENGED.

THAT STANDARD IS THAT CAR NOISE WHICH IS PLAINLY AUDIBLE AT A DISTANCE OF 50 FEET FROM THE AUTOMOBILE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL CITATION.

THIS IS NOT A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION PROCESS, THIS IS A CIVIL PROCESS.

THE PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION WOULD BE A $150 FINE PLUS MISCELLANEOUS ADDITIONAL COURT COSTS.

THERE'S TWO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE AND TAMPA'S ORDINANCE.

ONE IS, RATHER THAN $150 PENALTY -- TAMPA HAS A SLIDING SCALE OF FIRST OFFENSE 150, SECOND OFFENSE 300, THIRD OFFENSE 450.

IT WAS THE FEELING OF OUR GROUP THAT ONE SINGLE PENALTY IS EASIER TO ADMINISTER BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS STILL GOING TO HAVE, WE BELIEVE, AN ADEQUATE DETERRENT EFFECT.

THE SECOND SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE POTENTIALLY COULD RESULT IN A CITATION NOT ONLY TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO OPERATES THE SOUND SYSTEM BUT ALSO TO THE DRIVER OF THE AUTOMOBILE WHO'S IN PHYSICAL CONTROL OF THE CAR.

THE THOUGHT PROCESS HERE WAS, AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE IT'S A QUESTION AS TO WHO'S PHYSICALLY OPERATING THE SYSTEM, YOU HAVE A DRIVER WHO, SIMILAR TO SEAT BELT LAWS, IS IN ACTUAL CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HAS SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTROL WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT CAR PRIOR TO OR DURING THE OPERATION OF THAT CAR.

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ARE PRESENT TODAY.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THIS.

WE APPRECIATE THEIR ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION IN DEVELOPING THIS ORDINANCE.

THEY'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND I'M ALSO HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

IN INITIATING THIS, I DID SO AND BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE ADEQUATE TOOLS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE ABLE TO CRACK DOWN ON EXCESSIVE LOUD MUSIC, YOU KNOW, OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT DISTURB QUIET ENJOYMENT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT TO BE USED AS AN ABUSIVE TOOL BUT TO BE USED AS A CONSTRUCTIVE, POSITIVE TOOL.

YOU KNOW, IN READING OVER THE MATERIALS AND THE OUTCOMES FROM THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD ASKED THEM TO COME TOGETHER AND CRAFT AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE ONE, AND I THINK THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB HERE OF PARTNERING AND GIVING US THE TOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PROVIDE TO THEM.

>>MARK SHARPE: IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER THAT WISHES TO MAKE A COMMENT OR ASK A QUESTION?

CAN WE HAVE A MOTION?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: [INAUDIBLE]

>>VICTOR CRIST: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CRIST.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>ED HELVENSTON: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND THAT HEARING WILL BE ON FEBRUARY 19th, 2:00 P.M.

>>ED HELVENSTON: YES, SIR.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.

>>MIKE MERRILL: NEXT IS YOUR PUBLIC HEARING, D-1.

>>TOM FESLER: COMMISSIONERS, ITEM D-1 IS ASKING YOU TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT ON THE FISCAL YEAR -- ON AMENDMENTS TO THE FISCAL YEAR '14 BUDGET.

THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS PROPERLY NOTICED IN THE TAMPA TRIBUNE ON JANUARY 20th IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE.

TODAY WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR '14 BUDGET IN THE CAPITAL PROJECT AND RELATED FUNDS OF $5.7 MILLION.

THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE DO EACH YEAR.

BASICALLY, WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS IS WE ARE ADJUSTING OUR BUDGETED REVENUES TO THE ACTUAL REVENUES RECEIVED.

JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THE $5.7 MILLION REPRESENTS ABOUT 1% OF THE TOTAL REVENUES THAT WE HAD BUDGETED, SO WE'RE TRUING UP THE BUDGET BY ABOUT 1%.

SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE THERE WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE IN THE AREA OF IMPACT FEES.

THOSE WERE $2.8 MILLION.

WE ALSO HAD AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE SIXTH-CENT FUEL TAX FUND OF $1.3 MILLION.

THE $1.3 MILLION IS RELATED TO THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO BUDGET FOR 11 MONTHS' WORTH OF THAT FUEL TAX BECAUSE AT THE POINT IN TIME WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET, THE BOARD HAD NOT EXTENDED THE SIXTH-CENT FUEL TAX.

THEREFORE, WE DID COLLECT AN EXTRA MONTH OF REVENUE THAT WAS OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED.

SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS WHERE THERE WERE SOME SIGNIFICANT -- OR THAT WE'RE TRUING UP WOULD HAVE BEEN THE STORMWATER FUND FOR ABOUT $800,000, UTILITY FUNDS ABOUT $300,000, AND THEN ALL OTHER FUNDS ABOUT $400,000.

AND WITH THAT, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM?

IF SO, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE THE ITEM.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN TO APPROVE ITEM D-1, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANKS, TOM.

YOUR NEXT ITEM IS YOUR 2:15 TIME CERTAIN, B-11.

>>BONNIE WISE: GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

BONNIE WISE, CHIEF FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR.

WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY A CONTRACT WITH ABE BROWN MINISTRIES.

THIS IS FOR THE READY4WORK PROGRAM.

YOU HAVE SINCE RECEIVED A FEW PRESENTATIONS ON THIS MATTER, MOST RECENTLY ON NOVEMBER 6th.

THIS IS FOR $350,000, AND THIS IS ALREADY IN THE FISCAL YEAR '14 BUDGET, BUT THIS IS THE CONTRACT THAT'S BEFORE YOU.

WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ABE BROWN MINISTRIES HERE TODAY, ROBERT BLOUNT, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND DEA WILKINS, THE -- ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.

THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT IS ALSO BEING FUNDED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

IT IS ABOUT $250,000 FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THAT MONEY IS IN NONRECURRING FUNDS FROM THE STATE; HOWEVER, THE STATE MONIES DO NOT ALLOW FOR CERTAIN STARTUP COSTS OF THE PROGRAM, SO THE COUNTY MONEY WILL PROVIDE FOR THOSE STARTUP COSTS THAT THEY WOULDN'T OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO OBTAIN.

OUR STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR ABE BROWN MINISTRIES.

WE HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE SOUND; HOWEVER, THIS IS A LARGE PROGRAM FOR ABE BROWN MINISTRIES, WHICH IS ALSO WHY THEY'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OPERATION NEW HOPE.

OPERATION NEW HOPE WILL BE GETTING A LICENSE FEE FOR THIS PROGRAM OF ABOUT $150,000, AND FOR THAT, THEY WILL BE PROVIDING CONSULTING, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND ANALYTICAL SYSTEMS AND EVALUATION FOR THE PROGRAM.

THEY ARE EXPERIENCED IN THIS PROGRAM, AND THEY WILL BE PROVIDING THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN RISKS ASSOCIATED, AS WE'VE OUTLINED IN THE AGENDA PACKAGE, SUCH AS THE STATE NOT PROVIDING THE FUNDS ON A CONTINUING BASIS.

THERE ARE CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE -- WE'RE WORKING WITH ABE BROWN MINISTRIES SHOULD THAT OCCUR, BUT AT THIS TIME THAT IS A RISK.

THERE ARE SOME MONIES -- ALTHOUGH IT WAS IN THE STATE'S FISCAL YEAR BUDGET THIS YEAR, THEY PROBABLY WON'T BE SPENDING ALL THE MONEY THIS YEAR, AND THAT MONEY WILL HAVE TO BE REAPPROPRIATED NEXT YEAR THROUGH THE STATE SYSTEM.

I BELIEVE THEY WERE WORKING TO GET THAT DONE.

AND THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAM IS STILL TO BE DEVELOPED.

BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND JAN IS HERE AS WELL IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, AND AS I MENTIONED, THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ABE BROWN MINISTRIES.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS LINED UP.

THE FIRST ONE IS COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

AS FAR AS THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAM, ARE YOU -- WHERE ARE YOU-ALL AT AS FAR AS THAT STRATEGY GOES?

I KNOW YOU SAID IT'S NOT COMPLETE YET, BUT WHAT -- WHERE ARE WE AT IN THAT PROCESS?

>> JAN MacLEOD, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

WE'VE DEVELOPED A LIST OF RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT ABE BROWN MINISTRIES CAN PURSUE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS FOR THEM TO FUND THE PROJECT IN THE FUTURE.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK TO ROBERT BLOUNT, HE CAN COME UP AND ADDRESS THEIR INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES, BUT THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS FUNDED PARTIALLY BY THE STATE IN THE FUTURE AND THEN THROUGH PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I DIDN'T HEAR THE COUNTY INCLUDED IN THAT.

ARE WE ALSO LOOKING AS FAR AS BUDGETING AND CONTRIBUTING, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND SO WE SHOULD -- CERTAINLY, I WOULD HOPE WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITY, ASSUMING THAT THE PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL.

>>BONNIE WISE: SURE.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL MATRIX -- MANY MATRIX THAT ARE ESTABLISHED IN THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE IT IS AN ESTABLISHED PROGRAM, AND JACKSONVILLE IS ONE OF THE MODELS THAT WE'RE WORKING MOST CLOSELY WITH, AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT JACKSONVILLE MODEL, AND IN JACKSONVILLE, YES, THERE IS A CONTINUATION OF THE COUNTY OR THE CITY FUNDS IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE.

IT IS A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT'S AN ESTABLISHED PROGRAM, SO IT'S -- ONLY 8% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET DOES COME FROM THE CITY, AND MANY OF THEIR RESOURCES ARE COMING FROM FOUNDATIONS, FEDERAL FUNDS, STATE FUNDS, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO DEVELOP, AND SO IT'LL HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, A PROCESS THAT WE'LL GO THROUGH.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

AND THAT'S -- THEN I WOULD POSE THE QUESTION TO MR. BLOUNT OR ONE OF HIS REPRESENTATIVES AS FAR AS WHERE YOU ALL ARE AT AND WHAT YOUR VISION IS IN THE ENGAGEMENT OF PRIVATE-SECTOR FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM OR OTHER NON-FOR-PROFITS THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED.

>> ROBERT BLOUNT, PRESIDENT OF ABE BROWN MINISTRIES.

FIRST, LET ME SAY THIS, THAT FUND DEVELOPMENT IS OBVIOUSLY VERY CRITICAL TO ANY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, AND WE HAVE SERVED THIS COMMUNITY FOR 37-PLUS YEARS, AND YOU JUST DON'T STICK AROUND FOR 37-PLUS YEARS UNLESS YOU HAVE SOME WHEREWITHAL, SOME ABILITY TO RAISE SOME MONEY, AND SO THAT IS CERTAINLY VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND WE CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THAT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THAT REGARD.

WE ARE A PART OF CONVERSATIONS NOW WITH THIS READY4WORK PROGRAM THAT WE WERE NOT A PART OF TWO YEARS AGO.

AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, A PRESENTATION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE TO THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DISCUSS PERHAPS OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE THE READY4WORK MODEL MIGHT FIT, AND SO ALL EYES RIGHT NOW ARE ON HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO SAY CAN THIS BE THE BETA SITE, CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS INITIATIVE AND LAUNCH IT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.

I WOULD ALSO TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NATIONAL CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION.

THAT FOUNDATION ACTUALLY GRANTED MORE THAN $4 BILLION SINCE 1982 TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AND SO THEY ARE CONSIDERING SOME FUTURE FUNDING OPTIONS AS WELL.

WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON AN APPLICATION TO THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF TAMPA BAY.

THEY'VE GRANTED $29.6 MILLION IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO MAKE APPLICATION TO THEM AS WELL.

AND THEN THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY, MYSELF AND KEVIN GAY -- KEVIN GAY IS THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF OPERATION NEW

HOPE -- WILL BE IN TALLAHASSEE TO GIVE THEM AN UPDATE ON THE CURRENT APPROPRIATIONS, HOW THOSE FUNDS HAVE ESSENTIALLY BEEN LEVERAGED SO THAT WE CAN GET OUT THE GATES WITH THIS PROGRAM.

I THINK IT WAS SAID EARLIER THAT THE HARDEST PART IS GETTING STARTED, AND SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET STARTED WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR A VERY DIFFICULT-TO-SERVE POPULATION.

IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED EARLIER, I THINK DURING THE HOMELESS DISCUSSION, THAT IT TOOK ST. LOUIS NINE YEARS TO BECOME A NATIONAL MODEL, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH AN ORGANIZATION WHO'S BEEN AT THIS FOR 13 YEARS AND LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH THEM SO THAT WE AREN'T STARTING FROM SQUARE ZERO, SO THAT WE CAN COME OUT OF THE GATES WITH SOME INSIGHT, SOME KNOWLEDGE, SOME WISDOM, AND UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE CAN GET MOVING WITH THIS.

SO WE WILL BE IN TALLAHASSEE WORKING WITH LEGISLATORS TO SEE IF WE CAN, FIRST OF ALL, ROLL OVER THE EXISTING FUNDING THAT HAS NOT BEEN DRAWN DOWN AND PREFERABLY INCREASE THAT FUNDING FOR FY 14-15.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. BLOUNT.

AND, AGAIN, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU AND YOUR MINISTRY, OVER THE LAST 37 YEARS, WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT FOUND THEMSELVES BEHIND PRISON WALLS.

I THINK AS WE CAN RECOGNIZE AS A COMMUNITY THAT IN INDIVIDUALS, THEY DO MAKE MISTAKES, THEY GO TO PRISON, THEY SERVE THEIR TIME.

WHEN THEY GET OUT, IT'S OUR -- IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THEM GET BACK REINTEGRATED INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WORK AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT THIS IS AN UNDERSERVED PART OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT A LOT OF TIMES WE JUST WOULD SOON FORGET ABOUT, BUT IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS GET BACK UP ON THEIR FEET, BACK AT WORK, GET THEMSELVES REESTABLISHED SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT IMPROVES PUBLIC SAFETY AND, AGAIN, THAT JUST BENEFITS THE WHOLE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AND SO THIS IS, AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE KIND OF COMPLEX ISSUES WHERE IT'S NOT ANY INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSIBILITY, IT'S THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP GET THIS DONE, AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS WORK, AND I WOULD -- I'M GOING TO BE PROUD LOOKING BACK THAT WE WERE A SUCCESSFUL MODEL IN THIS COUNTY FOR GETTING THIS STARTED PERHAPS ACROSS THE STATE AND OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY, SO I'M HAPPY TO MOVE THIS ITEM.

>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY AND COMMEND THE STAFF OF THE COUNTY.

THEY HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY THOROUGH, THEY HAVE ASKED A LOT OF POINTED AND VERY GOOD QUESTIONS THAT HAS REALLY CHALLENGED US TO THINK THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, AND SO I THINK YOU ALL SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE STAFF THAT YOU HAVE AND KNOW THAT THEY ARE DOTTING THEIR Is AND CROSSING THEIR Ts.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND I'M ALSO VERY CONFIDENT IN THE WORK THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE, SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU, AND I'M PROUD TO MOVE THIS ITEM FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: SO WE HAVE A MOTION.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>>LES MILLER, JR.: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.

COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.

AND I HAVE A LOT OF RED AND YELLOW FLAGS ON THIS AND HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND MR. BLOUNT, COULD I ASK YOU TO COME BACK UP.

AND I HAVE -- I'VE STUDIED AND FOLLOWED AND SEEN THE SUCCESS AND AM GLAD THAT PART OF THE UNTOUCHABLES, IF YOU WILL, THOSE THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT OR DEAL WITH, THERE IS THAT SENSE OF OBLIGATION AND DUTY, AND I FEEL AND SENSE THAT AND BELIEVE THAT IN MY HEART AS WELL.

WHAT TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT ARE YOU FINDING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROGRAM, AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT HERE TO FIND FOR THOSE -- THOSE FOLKS IN THE PROGRAM?

>> WELL, I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY HERE, THE SERVICE INDUSTRY IS A HUGE INDUSTRY FOR THIS POPULATION, AS IS CONSTRUCTION.

THERE ARE ALSO WAREHOUSING AND LOGISTICS OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON.

I THINK ONE OF THE GREATEST, MOST VALUABLE THINGS, I THINK, IN PARTNERING WITH AN ORGANIZATION LIKE OPERATION NEW HOPE, WHO'S BEEN AT THIS FOR 13 YEARS, IS THAT THEY ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO COMB THROUGH THE 300-PLUS EMPLOYERS THAT THEY WORK WITH IN JACKSONVILLE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THEIR MARKET HERE IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA.

FOR EXAMPLE, GRIMES LOGISTICS IS A HUGE SUPPORTER OF READY4WORK IN JACKSONVILLE, AND THEY HAVE A SINCERE INTEREST IN TRYING TO REPLICATE THE TRAINING THAT THEY'RE DOING THERE WITH OPERATION NEW HOPE AND IN THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY HERE IN TAMPA.

THERE'S A LANDSCAPING COMPANY, AGAIN, SAME STORY, BIG PROPONENT OF READY4WORK IN JACKSONVILLE AND HAS A SINCERE INTEREST ABOUT REPLICATING THAT HERE.

IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING.

ROB PARKINSON DROPPED BY OUR OFFICE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED OUT IN THIS PROCESS, AND WE HAD JUST FINISHED A DISCUSSION ON A DRAFT CONTRACT, AND LITERALLY, WHEN HE WALKED OUT OF THE DOOR, I RECEIVED TWO E-MAILS FROM A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY HERE LOCALLY WHO HAD CONTACTED READY4WORK IN JACKSONVILLE AND ASKED IF THEY HAD AN OPERATION HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND SO I JUST THINK THAT WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS COMMUNITIES.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY.

AND WHO -- WHO ARE YOU WORKING WITH, YOUR LOCAL BOARD HERE?

REFRESH MY MEMORY.

WHO'S YOUR LOCAL BOARD HERE RIGHT NOW?

>> LOCAL BOARD AS INDIVIDUALS ON OUR BOARD?

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YES, SIR.

>> WELL, ONE IS ALSO AN EMPLOYER, THE FECHTEL COMPANY, ALSO HAS AN OLIVE TREE ENERGY, THAT'S JAY FECHTEL.

ON OUR BOARD IS OUR BOARD CHAIR WITH US, MS. DEA WILKINS, WHO IS AN I.T. SPECIALIST.

JUST A COMMERCIAL FOR HER, I THINK SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT UNITY SYSTEM THAT YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER.

WE HAVE RICK BATEMAN, JED KIRBY.

JED KIRBY IS A -- WELL, HE'S A REAL ESTATE GUY.

I MEAN, HE'S KIND OF INVOLVED IN MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.

RICK BATEMAN BUILDS BILLBOARDS AND SELLS THEM IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AS WELL.

WE HAVE MS. CURTISS WILSON WITH WILSON FUNERAL HOME WHO'S A MEMBER OF OUR BOARD, SHERIFF GEE IS LISTED AS A MEMBER OF OUR BOARD.

AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST -- AGAIN, JUST IN CONNECTION WITH THE WHOLE HOMELESS PIECE, TURNING THAT FACILITY OUT ON ORIENT ROAD INTO PERHAPS AN EMERGENCY SHELTER CERTAINLY COINCIDES AND PROVIDES SOME SYNERGY AS WELL WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE OF THE HILLSBOROUGH REENTRY CENTER THAT IS LOCATED OUT THERE.

EVERY FELON THAT IS RELEASED FROM PRISON HAS TO GO THERE TO GET FINGERPRINTED, AND SO THEY HAVE DONE A MARVELOUS JOB OF ESTABLISHING THAT REENTRY CENTER, AND I THINK THERE'LL BE SOME SYNERGY THERE IN THE HOMELESS REGARD AS WELL, BUT MAJOR FLOWERS IS ACTUALLY SHERIFF GEE'S APPOINTEE ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

AS WELL, YOU ALWAYS NEED SOMEONE WHO IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE POPULATION THAT YOU SERVE.

DEXTER BRYANT, WHO SPENT MANY YEARS WORKING FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA, IS ON OUR BOARD AS WELL.

JOHN DRINKARD, WHO IS AN OFFICE -- OFFICE REAL ESTATE

BROKER -- OFFICE BROKER, IS ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND DEA, I'M NOT MISSING ANYBODY, AM I?

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>> PASTOR JEFF SINGLETARY WITH CENTRAL TAMPA BAPTIST CHURCH.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND HAS THERE BEEN SUCCESS OR IS THERE AN EXPECTATION OF LOCAL CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS HIRING MEMBERS FROM THIS ORGANIZATION TO COME OUT AND GO THROUGH YOUR PROGRAM?

>> THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSION.

I THINK IN THE ORIGINAL MOTION THAT WAS MADE, PART OF WHAT COMMISSIONER BECKNER WANTED TO DO WAS TO LOOK AT THE HIRING PRACTICES WITHIN THE COUNTY AS IT RELATES TO THIS POPULATION.

I KNOW THAT THAT WORK HAS BEEN INITIATED.

WE HAVE PROVIDED THE STAFF WITH SOME VARIOUS ORDINANCES THAT HAVE BEEN INSTITUTED IN JACKSONVILLE-DUVAL.

I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA ALSO, I THINK WE PROVIDED THAT ORDINANCE AS WELL.

THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, MADE SOME HEADWAY IN THAT REGARD AND LOOKING INTERNALLY ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA FOR HIRING FORMER OFFENDERS.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: GOOD.

AND MY CONCERN, AS I THINK WE ALL HAVE, IS ON THE STARTUP NATURE OF THIS AND RECURRING FUNDS.

AS YOU'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH YOUR BOARD AND OTHERS, WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF THE COUNTY AFTER THIS?

I MEAN, WHAT DOLLAR FIGURE ARE YOU PLANNING ON COMING BACK TO IN THE FUTURE FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?

>> WELL, WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATION AND BELIEVE THAT ONCE WE GET UP AND RUNNING IN THAT FIRST OPERABLE YEAR, FULL OPERATING YEAR, THAT WE CAN SERVE ANYWHERE FROM 100 TO 125 CLIENTS, AND SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE STILL UNDER STATE SUPERVISION, PROBATION OR PAROLE, BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA ABOLISHED PAROLE IN THE MID-'80s, SO EVERYBODY THAT'S COMING OUT DOES NOT HAVE COMMUNITY SUPERVISION TO SERVE.

THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL JUST BE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVING SERVED THEIR TIME.

AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN SEGMENT THAT POPULATION TO THOSE THAT ARE ON COMMUNITY SUPERVISION WITH FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.

WE CAN BUILD A STATE FOR SERVICES RENDERED TO THAT POPULATION OF CLIENTS, AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT ON COMMUNITY SUPERVISION, WE WOULD HOPE THAT THROUGH NOT ONLY THE PRIVATE EFFORTS BUT PERHAPS SOME CONTINUOUS FUNDING WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SERVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL.

I WOULD -- I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT BASED ON -- ON THE BREAK-OUT, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 250 AND MAYBE 300.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OUCH.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER -- COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S CERTAINLY A SERVICE.

I MEAN, WE'VE ALL -- I KNOW THE ONES OF US THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AFTER THEY'VE BEEN IN PRISON.

I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

MAYBE IT'S FOR BONNIE.

THE LICENSE -- DID YOU SAY A LICENSE FEE?

AND THAT GOES TO A -- OPERATION NEW HOPE?

>>BONNIE WISE: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: ARE THEY HERE LOCALLY?

>>BONNIE WISE: NO, THAT'S OUT OF JACKSONVILLE.

RIGHT?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND HOW MUCH IS THAT LICENSE FEE?

>>BONNIE WISE: IT'S $150,000, AND THAT IS WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO PROVIDE THE CONSULTING, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, ANALYTICAL ASSISTANCE, AND EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM.

THEY HAVE BEEN AT THIS PROGRAM FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

THEY DO WORK AROUND THE NATION TO OTHER MINISTRIES OR --

>>BONNIE WISE: I THINK I'LL LET JAN -- YOU'RE GETTING INTO BEYOND MY --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

>>BONNIE WISE: -- KNOWLEDGE LEVEL.

SORRY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: LET ME JUST ASK YOU ANOTHER -- DID THEY BRING US A BUSINESS PLAN?

>>BONNIE WISE: WELL, THIS IS WHAT THE STATE HAS FUNDED --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH, OKAY.

I SEE.

>>BONNIE WISE: -- SO THIS IS THROUGH THE STATE PROGRAM.

SO THE MONEY ACTUALLY GOES FROM THE STATE TO OPERATION NEW HOPE TO ABE BROWN MINISTRIES.

THAT IS HOW THE TRAIL OF THE FUNDS GO FROM THE STATE LEVEL.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO 350 GOES TO JACKSONVILLE, THEY SUBTRACT 140, AND THEN --

>>BONNIE WISE: THE 250 CAME FROM THE STATE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH, 250.

>>BONNIE WISE: 250 IS THE STATE, 350 IS US.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

AND THEN JACKSONVILLE KEEPS 140.

OKAY.

IS THERE ANY CONTINGENCIES IN THE CONTRACT FOR PRIVATE DOLLARS OR ANY CONDITIONS THAT AFTER THIS FIRST YEAR THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS COMING IN?

>>BONNIE WISE: RIGHT.

THAT'S PART OF THE CONCERN -- OR NOT NECESSARILY A

CONCERN -- I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THIS IS FOR THIS YEAR AND THE STATE FUNDING IS FOR A YEAR.

AS THEY MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THEY ARE WORKING TO GET THAT MONEY ROLLED OVER.

THE STATE MONEY DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR THESE STARTUP COSTS.

OUR MONEY WILL ALLOW FOR THE STARTUP COSTS TO GET THEM GOING, BUT THE ISSUE DOES HAPPEN IN FUTURE YEARS WHAT HAPPENS, AND IF THERE ARE MONIES THAT COME IN FROM OTHER SOURCES, WILL WE REALLY NEED TO PROVIDE THAT $300,000, I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE -- YOU'RE GETTING TO.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

>>BONNIE WISE: THAT'S TO BE SEEN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND THERE ARE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS IN THE CONTRACT, LIKE --

>>BONNIE WISE: THERE ARE MANY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY EMPLOY?

SO, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IT, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO US?

>>BONNIE WISE: WELL, WE WANT TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION, AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM FOR THE FUTURE FUNDING FOR THE YEAR, BUT THEY NEED TO GET THE PROGRAM GOING, AND UNTIL THEY GET IT GOING, WE CAN'T EVALUATE IT, SO CERTAINLY, WE WANT TO HAVE CLOSE MONITORING OF THE PROGRAM, PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO YOU, AND THE STATE IS GOING TO REQUIRE THAT FEEDBACK AS WELL.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND HOW DID THEY GET TO THE FIGURE OF 350,000?

>>BONNIE WISE: I THINK THAT WAS THE ITEM THAT CAME TO YOU ALL.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH, WAS THAT FROM OTHER PLACES WHERE THEY'VE DONE THIS WORK AND THAT'S HOW MUCH --

>>BONNIE WISE: RIGHT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN:  -- IT COSTS TO START THIS UP?

>>BONNIE WISE: AND I THINK THAT WAS THE REQUEST TO THIS BOARD, SO THAT WAS WHAT WAS IN THE BUDGET.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO IT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET?

>>BONNIE WISE: YES, MA'AM.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: CAN -- I HAVE A QUESTION.

HOW LONG, ROBERT, HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?

>> WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT PROBABLY FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS.

WE ACTUALLY TOOK A DELEGATION OF 13 PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATING COUNCIL MEMBERS UP TO JACKSONVILLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT OPERATION NEW HOPE AND READY4WORK.

EVEN SINCE THEN, OUR BOARD HAS BEEN THERE.

WE EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION TO COME AS WELL.

COMMISSIONER BECKNER DID TRAVEL UP AND WE MET UP THERE.

HE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THAT OPERATION WORKS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT THE OPERATION NEW HOPE.

THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST REPLICATION, BUT OPERATION NEW HOPE IS ONE OF 11 ORIGINAL SITES WHO PRESIDENT BUSH TAPPED TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS ISSUE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF PRISON.

MANY OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, FOR WHATEVER REASONS, KIND OF FELL BY THE WAYSIDE, BUT OPERATION NEW HOPE EMBRACED THIS.

THEY INVITED IN THE SCRUTINY, THEY INVITED IN THE EVALUATION AND THE MONITORING, AND SINCE THEN HAVE DEVELOPED A PROPRIETARY DATA SYSTEM THAT REALLY MAKES THEIR OPERATION DATA-MANAGED AND DATA-DRIVEN, BOTH INTERNALLY AS WELL AS FOR FUNDERS, AND SO THAT PROPRIETARY PIECE ALONG WITH HAVING GONE THROUGH TWO YEARS OF SIX SIGMA AND QUALITY ASSURANCE HAS REALLY GIVEN THEM A NATIONAL MODEL THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE LAST THREE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHERE 200 -- COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, $200,000, $250,000, YOUR RESPONSE WAS OUCH, AND I CERTAINLY GET THAT, BUT THE ALTERNATIVE IS, YOU KNOW, $5,000 PER CLIENT TO SERVE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A READY4WORK PROGRAM TO GET THEM GAINFULLY EMPLOYED TO MAKE THEM OR TURN THEM INTO TAXPAYING CITIZENS AND REDUCING RECIDIVISM, NOT RETURNING TO PRISON, VERSUS $22,000 A YEAR TO SEND THEM BACK TO PRISON, AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE TIME SPENT IN OUR COUNTY JAILS, AND SO I THINK WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS THAT WHEN WE REALLY PUT A PENCIL TO THIS, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS GREAT TO PURSUE A PROJECT LIKE READY4WORK.

>>MARK SHARPE: WHAT'S THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE CLIENTS THAT WE -- THAT WE DEAL WITH OR THAT THEY DEAL WITH IN THIS PROGRAM?

>> I WOULD SAY IT RANGES FROM ABOUT 25 TO 40, SOMETIMES YOUNGER.

I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE TRANSPIRING WITH JUVENILES -- AND THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE JUVENILE JUSTICE TASK FORCE -- IS THAT IF KIDS ARE GOING TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL, THEN WE NEED TO PUT THEM ON A FAST TRACK TO EMPLOYMENT AND PERHAPS A PROGRAM, AGAIN, LIKE READY4WORK COULD DO THAT.

>>MARK SHARPE: ARE THERE A NUMBER OF -- IS THERE ANY OVERLAP WITH OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM AND ALLIANCE AS FAR AS --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE:  -- YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE -- I ALWAYS GO BACK TO TECHNOLOGY.

SOME OF THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO GET INTO TROUBLE ARE INCREDIBLY SMART, THEY JUST NEED OPPORTUNITIES TO, YOU KNOW, GET IN FRONT OF A COMPUTER --

>> RIGHT.

>>MARK SHARPE: -- BUT ARE WE LOOKING AT THOSE TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT AS WELL AS -- I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT TALKING ABOUT CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICE ECONOMY, BUT AS WELL, JUST OTHER TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK -- YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT TECHNOLOGY IN THIS DAY AND AGE, AND SO I THINK THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE AS WELL.

SOMEBODY TOLD ME A LONG TIME AGO WITH THIS POPULATION, YOU'VE GOTTA GET THEM A JOB, GET THEM A BETTER JOB SO THAT THEY CAN GET A LIFE, AND SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A PROCESS, A STAIRSTEPPING PROCESS THERE TO WORK WITH THIS POPULATION, BUT CERTAINLY OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL TAMPA BAY WORKFORCE ALLIANCE, OPERATION NEW HOPE HAS BEEN SUBCONTRACTED THROUGH THEIR WORKNET THERE TO WORK WITH THIS POPULATION IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, SO I THINK, AGAIN, FROM A SUSTAINABILITY STANDPOINT, A COLLABORATION STANDPOINT, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE CERTAINLY THERE.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A LUNCHEON AND COACH DUNGY WAS THERE.

I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY I WENT TO THE LUNCHEON, BUT HE WAS THERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, AND I WAS READY TO RUN THROUGH A WALL FOR HIM AFTER I HEARD HIM GET UP AND SPEAK.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A RISK, AND WE TALKED WITH MR. MERRILL AND BONNIE AND THE OTHERS ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, BUT I CAN'T THINK OF A GREATER RISK THAN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TAKE PEOPLE OUT OF THE SYSTEM THAT THEY'VE COME FROM AND THEN SAY, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN, GOOD LUCK.

THAT'S A TICKET RIGHT BACK TO JAIL OR PRISON, AND SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE NOT JUST AN OBLIGATION TO HELP OUR FELLOW MAN, BUT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT, I THINK IS INCALCULABLE.

THE OPPORTUNITIES, THEY'RE GOING TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAXPAYERS, THEY'RE GOING TO RAISE FAMILIES, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN YOU OR I.

SOME OF THEM JUST HAPPENED TO HAVE BAD LUCK AND THEY WOUND UP WHERE THEY ARE.

SO I'M -- YOU KNOW, UNTIL THIS BOARD DECIDES NOT TO SUPPORT IT, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD LET THEM KNOW IN TALLAHASSEE AND EVERYWHERE ELSE THAT WE'RE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT AND WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN DO.

WE HAVEN'T CAST A VOTE YET HERE, BUT AFTER THE VOTE, AT LEAST IF IT PASSES, WE'RE THERE TO HELP YOU, BACK YOU UP.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

AND JUST TO -- TO EXPAND UPON WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, ACCOUNTABILITY, WHEN I WENT THERE, THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OPERATIONS THAT I HAD SEEN FROM A NONPROFIT STANDPOINT BECAUSE I WAS ASKING THEM ABOUT HOW THEY TRACK THEIR RESULTS THERE, AND PART OF THE LICENSING FEE THAT THE ORGANIZATION PAYS IS FOR THAT PROPRIETARY TRACKING SYSTEM THAT THEY HAVE.

THEY COULD TELL ME -- THEY HAVE -- EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THAT SYSTEM HAS BEEN TRACKED.

THERE'S A CASE MANAGER THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT TRACK THEIR PROGRESS OVER A WHOLE ENTIRE YEAR.

IT'S ALL -- IT'S ALL KEPT IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM, SO IF THIS BOARD EVER WANTED TO KNOW THE RESULTS AND THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM, IT'S ALL KEPT THERE FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF RESULTS.

AS FAR AS INVESTMENT IN THIS PROGRAM, THIS IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY TO INVEST TO GET A INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM OF WHAT HAS BEEN CREATED IN THIS REVOLVING DOOR IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS THE SYSTEM, ONCE THE PERSON IS IN THERE AND THE PERSON HAS DONE THEIR TIME, THEY GIVE THEM $50 AND A BUS TICKET BACK, AND A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS NEED A LOT OF HELP.

THEY'VE GOT SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES, THEY'VE GOT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

MANY OF THEM DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE EDUCATION TO GO OUT AND GET A JOB.

THEY NEED HELP GETTING COACHED AND GETTING DEVELOPED FOR A JOB.

I WITNESSED THERE INDIVIDUALS IN TRAINING, AND THEY HAD PEOPLE THERE TRAINING THESE INDIVIDUALS ON JOB INTERVIEW SKILLS AT DIFFERENT STAGES.

ALSO, THERE IS THE STIGMA THAT AN INDIVIDUAL CARRIES ONCE THEY ARE A CONVICTED FELON, AND THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THE PRIVATE SECTOR UNITING BEHIND IT TO GIVE THESE INDIVIDUALS A CHANCE, AND, YES, THERE ARE TAX BREAKS AND THINGS THAT THE BUSINESSES ALSO GET AS WELL, BUT BUSINESSES ARE BEGINNING TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS QUALITY IN THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THAT THEY CAN BE VERY PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND CAN BE GREAT WORKERS FOR THEIR COMPANY.

IT'S JUST ONCE YOU HAVE THAT STIGMA OF AN ARREST RECORD, THAT'S THE -- PROBABLY THE BIGGEST HURDLE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO OVERCOME, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE WORKING AS HARD AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO -- ON THE FRONT END SO THAT KIDS DON'T GET STUCK IN THE SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH AND GET BEHIND WALLS AND WE HAVE THIS ISSUE TO DEAL WITH.

SO I FIND THIS TO BE A VERY COMPELLING PROGRAM, AND, AGAIN, YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO LOOK TOWARDS THE LONG-TERM FUTURE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO GET THIS PROGRAM STARTED, GET IT OFF THE GROUND, AND LIKE I SAID, HOPEFULLY HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, INSTEAD OF LAGGING BEHIND EVERYBODY ELSE AND FOLLOWING PEOPLE, PERHAPS WE CAN BE A LEADER IN THIS AREA.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

THANK YOU, MR. BLOUNT, FOR BEING HERE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR LATE FATHER-IN-LAW, REVEREND ABE BROWN, WORKED VERY HARD IN THE PRISON SYSTEM TO TRY TO TURN THE LIVES AROUND FOR MANY, MANY PEOPLE THAT JUST MADE THAT MISTAKE AND ENDED UP IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM.

LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE QUESTIONS I PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER TO.

IS THERE ANY TYPE OF TRAINING SYSTEM IN OUR PRISONS FOR NONVIOLENT CRIMINALS TO GET THEMSELVES PREPARED TO COME OUT TO GO BACK TO WORK IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM?

>> IT'S REALLY SPORADIC, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AT THE APPOINTMENT OF THEN GOVERNOR BUSH ON HIS EX-OFFENDER TASK FORCE, AND WE LOOKED AT THE SYSTEM THOROUGHLY, AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY HIT OR MISS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAN SAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE IS WE ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD DESIGNATE INSTITUTIONS THAT WOULD BASICALLY HELP PEOPLE IN A VERY SHORT-TERM INTENSE WAY TO PREPARE TO LEAVE.

I MEAN, WE HAVE ALL THESE RECEPTION CENTERS, BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TRANSITION CENTERS TO SEND PEOPLE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY TOOK HEED TO THAT, AND ABOUT 45 MINUTES' DRIVE FROM HERE IS POLK CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, WHICH HAS BEEN DESIGNATED A TRANSITION CENTER WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.

THOSE INMATES WHO ARE COMING BACK TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, PASCO AND PINELLAS COUNTIES WILL FILTER THROUGH POLK CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AND RECEIVE SOME INTENSE REENTRY SERVICES, NOT NECESSARILY ON THE EMPLOYMENT FRONT BUT PERHAPS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, SUBSTANCE ABUSE SUPPORT, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING, ET CETERA, TO PREPARE THEM TO MAKE THAT EXIT OUT OF THE SYSTEM, AND, AGAIN, THE GOOD CONNECTOR -- YOU TALK ABOUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, THIS SEAMLESS CONTINUUM OF CARE.

OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE ACTUALLY RECEIVES THOSE INDIVIDUALS AT THE HILLSBOROUGH REENTRY CENTER, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT BECOMES REALLY KIND OF A SEAMLESS PROCESS FOR THEM TO REINTEGRATE, BUT WE HAVE TO PICK THEM UP FROM THERE AND BEGIN TO EDUCATE THEM, EQUIP THEM, AND EMPLOY THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE EMPOWERED IN THE COMMUNITY.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS PROBABLY NOT ONE OF THE BEST QUESTIONS TO BE ASKING, IT PROBABLY PUTS A BAD LIGHT ON HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AT ONE TIME HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAD THE MOST PRISONERS IN THE PRISON SYSTEM.

WE SENT MORE PEOPLE TO PRISON THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THIS STATE.

ARE WE STILL THAT WAY?

>> WELL, IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, IT'S EITHER US OR MIAMI-DADE. AND THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT IS THAT WE ALSO LEAD THE STATE IN HAVING THE MOST CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH AN INCARCERATED PARENT, SO, AGAIN, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT SETTING THESE HOUSEHOLDS AND THESE FAMILIES BACK ON A SOLID FOUNDATION, THAT WHOLE FAMILY UNIT WINS AS WELL, AND YOU CAN HELP BREAK, YOU KNOW, THAT GENERATIONAL CYCLE OF INCARCERATION.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THIS QUESTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN ASKED AND I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT.

BESIDES JACKSONVILLE, IS THERE ANY OTHER COUNTY IN FLORIDA THAT WILL HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM?

>> WE WILL BE THE FIRST REPLICATED READY4WORK SITE IN THE STATE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: AND I ASKED THIS QUESTION BECAUSE MANY, MANY MOONS AGO WHEN I WAS IN THE HOUSE, I TRIED MY VERY

BEST -- THE STATE OF FLORIDA AT THAT TIME HAD FIVE DISTRICTS -- THE PRISON SYSTEM WAS DIVIDED INTO FIVE DISTRICTS, AND I TRIED TO PUT FORTH A PROGRAM SAYING HAVE ONE PRISON IN THOSE DISTRICTS WHERE YOU HAVE NONVIOLENT CRIMINALS AND THEY HAVE SOME TYPE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM WHERE WE CAN GET THEM TREATMENT AND TRAINING FOR JOBS, AND IT WAS SHOT DOWN, AND HERE WE ARE NOW SOME, PROBABLY, 20 YEARS LATER TALKING ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT -- THAT COULD DO THAT IN THIS COUNTY TO HELP TURN THAT RECIDIVISM RATE AROUND AND PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, GET THEM HELP, HELP THEIR FAMILIES, BECOME TAXPAYING CITIZENS, BUY A HOME, PUT A PICKET FENCE AROUND IT, AND PUT TWO BUDWEISERS IN THE REFRIGERATOR.

SO -- THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING THERE, SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS WITHOUT A DOUBT, AND JUST THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO.

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

AND I'LL ALSO SAY THAT DACCO DOES HAVE A TRANSITION CENTER HERE LOCALLY, AND THEY TOO HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED US TO SEE IF THEY CAN SEND AND REFER THE INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM THROUGH READY4WORK AS WELL, SO COLLABORATION IS TAKING PLACE.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.

AND I WANT TO -- AS WE TRY AND ACHIEVE LEADERSHIP IN THIS THAT WE DO IT RIGHT.

NOW, THIS ANTICIPATION OF MAYBE $250,000 THAT YOU'D COME BACK TO US FOR IN THE SECOND YEAR, DOES THAT REPRESENT 8% OF THE BUDGET?

I KNOW THERE WAS A NUMBER THAT WAS SAID THAT WENT BACK TO GOVERNMENT FOR BASICALLY 8%.

SO THAT -- DO I -- AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S JUST 8% OF WHAT YOUR ANNUAL BUDGET WILL BE?

>> IT IS.

IT'S ABOUT 50% OF WHAT THAT ANNUAL BUDGET WOULD BE.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY.

AND ON THE METRICS THAT HAVE BEEN -- DETAILS YOU'VE WORKED OUT WITH STAFF, YOU'RE FULLY AWARE OF THE METRICS THAT -- AND THE BENCHMARKS THAT YOU NEED TO RECEIVE OR YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE?

>> YES, SIR.

THERE ARE SIX PHASES OF REPLICATION TO REPLICATE THIS MODEL, AND ESSENTIALLY, THOSE METRICS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED KEEP WITH THOSE SIX PHASES OF REPLICATION.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND WERE THEY DONE JOINTLY?

>> THEY WERE WITH STAFF.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND YOU'RE OKAY WITH THEM?

YES, SIR.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND IF YOU DON'T MEET THEM, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> WELL, IF YOU DON'T MEET THEM, YOU DON'T GET PAID.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY.

SO YOU WOULD OR WOULD NOT COME BACK?

>> I'M SORRY.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: IF YOU DON'T MEET YOUR BENCHMARKS, ARE YOU -- WOULD YOU COME BACK OR WOULD YOU JUST FOLD THE PROGRAM?

>> WELL, NO.

I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR 37 YEARS.

WE'RE GOING TO SERVE THIS POPULATION AND HOLD TRUE TO OUR MISSION, SO WHETHER THAT FUNDING COMES FROM THE COUNTY OR ANYWHERE ELSE, I MEAN, WE'RE IN THE FIGHT.

WE'RE HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY.

I THINK WHAT YOU SAID IS IF YOU DIDN'T ACHIEVE THE BENCHMARKS WITH THE COUNTY, YOU WOULD -- YOU WOULD SEEK FUNDS SOMEWHERE ELSE?

>> WELL OR -- AGREE.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY.

>> BUT WE'D ALSO NEED TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS SO THAT WE DON'T FIND OURSELF ON THAT BACK END WITH ANY SURPRISES.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SURE.

AND IS THERE -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS OR MAYBE SOMEONE FROM COUNTY.

IS THERE A PROCESS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD ON A ROUTINE BASIS ON HOW THAT'S HAPPENING SO THERE'S NOT A SURPRISE DURING BUDGET?

DO WE NEED TO DO THAT?

I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT, I JUST WANT TO SEE YOU SUCCEED, AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A SURPRISE AT THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, BUDGET PROCESS WHERE WE SAY, WELL, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION AND WE DIDN'T ACHIEVE IT, BUT LET'S KEEP GOING ANYWAYS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO LOOK LIKE WE'RE BAD GUYS IF WE SAY NO.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, PART OF THE CONTRACT REQUIRES US TO PROVIDE MONTHLY REPORTS TO THE STAFF, AND I GUESS -- I'M NOT COMFORTABLE ANSWERING HOW THE STAFF WILL REPORT THAT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.

>> AS OF THIS MOMENT, WE DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN TO BRING BACK A STAFF REPORT TO YOU, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO DO SO AT ANY INTERVAL THAT YOU WOULD LIKE, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING QUARTERLY, SEMI-ANNUALLY AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE PHASES, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I LIKE THE -- MS. WISE, COULD I ASK YOU A QUESTION?

ON THE DELIVERABLES THAT ARE THE BENCHMARKS THAT THEY HAVE TO RECEIVE IF WE GO TO A SECOND YEAR OF FUNDING, YOU-ALL HAVE HAD OPEN DISCUSSIONS AND EVERYBODY IS GOING INTO THIS WITH EYES WIDE OPEN AND YOU FEEL THEY UNDERSTAND -- AND I'M HEARING THAT FROM MR. BLOUNT -- THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY HAVE TO ACHIEVE?

>>BONNIE WISE: WELL, I THINK WHAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AS WE'RE GOING INTO THIS NEXT BUDGET, THAT WE SHOULD REPORT BACK TO YOU AT LEAST DURING THAT BUDGET PROCESS, SO THEIR SIX PHASES WILL TAKE LONGER THAN THAT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR FOR US TO AT LEAST LET YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE IN THAT PROCESS BEFORE -- AS WE GO INTO THAT NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND WHAT ABOUT A QUARTERLY REPORT, MUCH --

>>BONNIE WISE: YES, I THINK A QUARTERLY REPORT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY.

AND DOES THE MAKER OF THE MOTION HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ADDING A QUARTERLY REPORT, MUCH LIKE WE GET FROM -- LIKE WE RECEIVED TODAY FROM WORKFORCE?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I'M HAPPY TO ADD THAT IN THERE.

AND I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DAILY PROGRESS, THEY COULD PROBABLY ACCEPT YOUR VOLUNTEERISM THERE --

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: WELL --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- TOO AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO VOLUNTEER --

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- RIGHT, MR. BLOUNT?

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I APPRECIATE IT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YOU'RE WELCOME.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I'M TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK RIGHT --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I UNDERSTAND.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: -- SO WE DON'T HAVE INTENSE DISCUSSION DURING THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I UNDERSTAND.

INCLUDED.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.

JAN, I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION.

COULD YOU ANSWER?

WHEN THE PEOPLE LEAVE THE PROGRAM, IS THERE TRACKING AFTER THAT?

AND HOW MANY -- DO THEY KNOW HOW MANY ACTUALLY GET EMPLOYED AFTER THEY LEAVE THE PROGRAM WHILE THEY'RE TECHNICALLY STILL INCARCERATED?

>> THEY'LL ACTUALLY BE EMPLOYED WHILE THEY'RE IN THE PROGRAM, AND THEN THE PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEM FOR AT LEAST 90 DAYS?

>> 12 MONTHS.

>> 12 MONTHS.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

SO YOU'LL KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WORKING AND HOW MANY AREN'T?

>> CORRECT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER, I BELIEVE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND THIS IS TO APPROVE B-11, AND WE'LL INCLUDE IN THAT A QUARTERLY REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD THAT STAFF CAN PROVIDE, AND PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ROBERT, THANK YOU, SIR.

HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.

I'M SURE THIS IS GOING TO BE A SUCCESS.

THANK YOU, SIR.

OKAY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: IF WE CAN TAKE ITEM G-2, WHICH IS A MONTHLY REPORT FROM HEAD START.

>>BART BANKS: GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

BART BANKS, DEPARTMENT OF -- LET'S SEE WHERE I'M AT -- THE --

>>MIKE MERRILL: WHICH IS IT?

>>BART BANKS: -- CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES THIS AFTERNOON.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: WHERE AM I?

[LAUGHTER]

>>BART BANKS: THIS IS THE ROUTINE REPORT THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE BOARD AS THE GOVERNING ENTITY FOR THE HEAD START PROGRAM.

AS YOU WILL SEE, THE PROGRAM CONTINUES TO OPERATE STRONGLY, EFFICIENTLY.

WE'RE CURRENTLY SERVING 3322 CHILDREN.

AND ALTHOUGH YOU SEE A THOUSAND KIDS ON THE WAIT LIST, WE ANTICIPATE WORKING WITH THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION TO REDUCE THE WAIT LIST.

ADDITIONALLY, 700 OF OUR KIDS WILL BE GRADUATING INTO KINDERGARTEN THIS YEAR, SO IT WILL MAKE SPACE FOR NEW KIDS COMING ON.

BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MILLER TO ACCEPT THE REPORT, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN FOR ITEM G-2.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>BART BANKS: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MR. BANKS.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANKS, BART.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: LET'S SEE.

THEN ITEM F-2, WHICH IS COMMISSIONER BECKNER'S ITEM ON THE CONE OF SILENCE PROVISION.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL.

BOARD MEMBERS, I BRING THIS FORWARD TO YOU TODAY FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, ONE, TO GET A CLARIFICATION OF THE ORDINANCE AND TO GET SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED, AND TWO, THERE'S A PORTION OF THIS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE GENERAL BOARD DISCUSSION, AND, OBVIOUSLY, SINCE WE CAN'T TALK WITH ONE ANOTHER, I WANT TO GET YOU-ALL'S FEEDBACK OF HOW YOU'RE HANDLING SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR PREPARING THIS ORDINANCE.

I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ORDINANCE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE.

OFTEN WE KNOW THAT PROCUREMENT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST THINGS THAT WE DO WHEN WE'RE PROCURING SERVICES, AND CERTAINLY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

WITH THAT, I WANTED TO BEGIN BY HAVING STAFF MAKE A CLARIFICATION WITH THE ORDINANCE.

THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE ITSELF MENTIONED THAT THIS PERTAINS TO ALL PROCUREMENTS, BUT THERE WAS A BULLETIN THAT CAME OUT ON COIN RECENTLY THAT SAID THAT THIS -- OR ALLUDED TO THAT THIS APPLIED TO ONLY PROJECTS OVER $25,000, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF STAFF MIGHT BE ABLE TO CLARIFY THAT FOR US.

>>TOM FESLER: YES, COMMISSIONER.

THE ORDINANCE DOES SAY THAT IT APPLIES TO ALL PROCUREMENTS.

WE HAVE -- THE WAY THAT WE ARE APPLYING IT NOW RELATES TO THE FORMAL PROCUREMENTS THAT WE DO, WHICH ARE PROCUREMENTS IN EXCESS OF $25,000.

I'VE TALKED TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

WHAT WE'RE DOING AS WE RUN ACROSS -- AS WE IMPLEMENT THE ORDINANCE AND WE RUN ACROSS SITUATIONS WHERE WE FIND THINGS OR SITUATIONS ARISE, WE'RE TRYING TO CLARIFY THOSE THINGS WITHIN OUR POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL, SO THAT CLARIFICATION IS INCLUDED WITHIN THE POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL.

IN TALKING WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEY ARE OKAY WITH THE WAY THAT WE'RE APPLYING IT RIGHT NOW WITH THE FORMAL BID LIMIT BEING THE APPLICATION OF THE CONE OF SILENCE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO --

>>TOM FESLER: THERE MIGHT BE A REASON IN THE FUTURE AS WE GET FURTHER INTO THIS AND WE KIND OF RUN ACROSS SITUATIONS TO REEVALUATE THE ORDINANCE AS THOSE SITUATIONS COME UP.

THERE MIGHT BE A REASON FOR US TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE AND MAKE SOME REVISIONS TO THE ORDINANCE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO RIGHT NOW YOU'RE APPLYING THIS TO PROCUREMENTS JUST OVER 25,000 OR --

>>TOM FESLER: OVER 25,000.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO IT'S NOT EVERY SINGLE PROCUREMENT THAT -- THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW?

>>TOM FESLER: RIGHT.

WE KIND OF LOOKED AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF -- A COST-BENEFIT STANDPOINT.

FOR PROCUREMENTS THAT UNDER 25,000, THOSE ARE MORE INFORMAL PROCUREMENTS, SO -- YOU KNOW, WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE INTEGRITY IN THOSE PROCUREMENTS, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT IT FROM A COST-BENEFIT STANDPOINT AND WE LOOK AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONE OF SILENCE AND TRY TO BE REASONABLE ABOUT IT, IN TRYING TO COVER WHERE OUR HIGHEST RISK WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE THOSE PROCUREMENTS THAT EXCEED 25,000.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND CAN YOU ALSO EXPLAIN -- BECAUSE WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND THIS -- AS FAR AS THE TYPES OF PROCUREMENT THAT THIS PERTAINS TO, IS IT ALL PROCUREMENTS THAT WOULD BE OVER 25,000?

YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT THE NON-FOR-PROFITS THAT ARE LOOKING TO PROCURE THEIR SERVICES THROUGH US?

CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT -- WHEN THIS ORDINANCE ACTUALLY APPLIES?

>>TOM FESLER: RIGHT.

IT WILL APPLY FOR PROCUREMENTS THAT RUN THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE PRIMARILY.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT NONPROFITS, I KNOW YOUR OFFICES DO RECEIVE PHONE CALLS FROM NONPROFITS THAT MIGHT BE SEEKING FUNDING.

IF WE DON'T HAVE A FORMAL PROCUREMENT ON THE STREET, SO TO SPEAK -- THE CONE OF SILENCE KICKS IN AT THE TIME THAT WE GO OUT TO THE STREET AND ADVERTISE FOR A PARTICULAR GOOD OR SERVICE, SO THAT'S WHEN -- THAT TRIGGERS THE -- KIND OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CONE OF SILENCE, AND THAT WOULD END AT THE POINT IN TIME THAT WE ACTUALLY COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND THE BOARD AWARDS A CONTRACT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

SO THAT'S JUST FORMAL ONES THAT GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE?

>>TOM FESLER: THAT'S CORRECT.

IT COULD APPLY TO OTHERS.

I MEAN, IF WE HAVE -- LET'S SAY, FOR INSTANCE, WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING AN RFA FOR NONPROFITS, SO THAT COULD BE A SITUATION WHERE IT WOULD BE -- WHEN WE CALL THAT, LIKE, A NONPROCUREMENT TYPE ACTIVITY, I WOULD ASSUME IN THAT CASE WE WOULD MAKE THAT PART OF THE RFA PROCESS AND WE WOULD APPLY THE CONE OF SILENCE TO THAT ONE ONCE WE PUT THE RFA OUT ON THE STREET.

THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF A SITUATION WHERE IT WOULD APPLY.

WE'D MAKE THAT CLEAR WITHIN THE RFA DOCUMENT, SO THERE COULD BE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO PROCUREMENTS THAT ACTUALLY RUN THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE, BUT THOSE ARE, AS I SAID, GOING TO BE MORE THE EXCEPTION THAN THE RULE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: WHAT ABOUT, LIKE, THE ONES WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT FOR HOMELESS SERVICES, IS THAT INCLUDED IN THIS, BECAUSE MANY TIMES THOSE ORGANIZATIONS CONTACT OUR OFFICE AND THEY WANT TO SIT DOWN AND THEY WANT TO CHAT ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT THEY OFFER.

WOULD THAT INCLUDE THAT?

>>TOM FESLER: I'LL BE HONEST, IN THAT CASE, THAT PROCUREMENT DID NOT RUN THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE, SO I'M NOT AWARE OF HOW -- HOW THAT DOCUMENT READ.

>>MARK SHARPE: MR. FLETCHER.

>>CHIP FLETCHER: IF I MAY CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT.

PROCUREMENTS UNDER $25,000 ARE TREATED DIFFERENTLY WITHIN THE ORDINANCE, BUT IT -- BUT THE CONE OF SILENCE DOES APPLY TO ALL PROCUREMENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY REGARDLESS OF WHAT OFFICE THEY RUN THROUGH.

NOW, THERE MAY BE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, SAY, A NEGOTIATED SERVICE THAT'S NOT A FORMAL PROCUREMENT, BUT IT WOULD APPLY AND DID APPLY TO THE RFA, IT WOULD APPLY TO OTHER ONES THROUGH WHATEVER DEPARTMENT THAT THEY GO THROUGH, SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE KINKS ON HOW THAT IS ALL IMPLEMENTED AND -- AND COMMUNICATED, BUT IT -- IT APPLIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY REGARDLESS OF WHICH DEPARTMENT IS UNDERGOING THE PROCUREMENT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION.

AND BOARD MEMBERS, WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, MY STAFF ACTUALLY HAS A LOT OF CONCERNS BECAUSE THE SANCTIONS THAT COME WITH BREAKING THESE RULES NOT ONLY APPLY JUST TO THE VENDORS, THEY APPLY TO THE STAFF IN OUR OFFICE AND TO THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS COUNTY, AND SO THAT'S WHY I FELT THE NEED THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, BECAUSE MY STAFF WAS STARTING TO HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT -- BECAUSE WE ALL GET TELEPHONE CALLS WITH PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SIT AND TALK WITH US THAT ARE SOLICITING BUSINESS, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OFFICE WANTS TO FIND THEMSELVES WHERE THEIR STAFF IS INADVERTENTLY VIOLATING THIS CONE OF SILENCE.

WITH THAT, WHO IS ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR INFORMING US THAT SOMETHING IS GOING THROUGH AN ACTIVE PROCUREMENT?

>>CHIP FLETCHER: THE WAY THIS IS HANDLED IN MOST PLACES, IN MY EXPERIENCE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTING CLIENTS, IS THAT THE VENDORS KNOW WHEN THERE'S A PROCUREMENT, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE BIDDING ON, AND -- OR SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL FOR, AND THE REAL RISK IS WITH THEM THAT IF THEY INITIATE A CONTACT AND ESSENTIALLY LOBBY ON A PROCUREMENT THAT IS PENDING, THEY BEAR THE RISK OF -- OF BEING DISQUALIFIED OR SUSPENDED OR DEBARRED OR WHATEVER THE APPROPRIATE SANCTION IS.

SO, REALLY, THAT'S WHERE THAT -- THAT BURDEN LIES WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS.

WE ARE WORKING THROUGH SOME LANGUAGE TO BE ADDED TO THE PROCUREMENT MANUAL THAT KIND OF FLESHES THESE THINGS OUT, BUT SIMPLY HAVING A PHONE CALL TO YOUR OFFICE OR TAKING A PHONE CALL ON ONE OF THESE TOPICS ISN'T GOING TO BE A VIOLATION OF THE CONE OF SILENCE.

WHAT IS A VIOLATION IS WHEN SOMEONE THAT IS AN INTERESTED PARTY, WHETHER A VENDOR OR AN AGENT OF THAT VENDOR, STARTS TO ENGAGE ON TRYING TO CHANGE A PROCUREMENT ONCE IT'S UNDERWAY, AND WHAT WE MEAN BY UNDERWAY, UNDER THE CURRENT ORDINANCE, IS THE PROCUREMENT DOCUMENT HAS BEEN ISSUED AND PUBLISHED, AND THAT'S -- AND IF IT GOES THROUGH PROCUREMENT, THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

IT GOES THROUGHOUT -- THROUGH A TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM, DEMANDSTAR, THAT'S AVAILABLE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTY WHERE THOSE PROCUREMENTS GO OUT THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY GO THROUGH DEMANDSTAR.

MY OFFICE MAY ISSUE A PROCUREMENT, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ISSUES PROCUREMENTS, SOCIAL SERVICES ISSUES PROCUREMENTS, SO IT'S REALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE VENDOR TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE IN THAT PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

SO WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND IS THAT WHEN YOU GET -- YOUR AIDES -- YOUR OFFICES GET A CALL, YOUR AIDES ASK IF THERE'S AN ACTIVE PROCUREMENT.

IF THE VENDOR SAYS YES, YOU REFER THEM TO WHOEVER IS REFERENCED IN THAT DOCUMENT, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE IT AND BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

THE INFORMATION GATHERING BY THE VENDOR TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON WE WOULD NOT TYPICALLY VIEW AS A VIOLATION, IT'S REALLY THE LOBBYING TO CHANGE AN OUTCOME THAT IS THE PROBLEM, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO MAKE IT A LOT MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT, AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION IN A PARTICULAR EVENT, YOU CALL MY OFFICE, YOU CALL ME, YOU CALL TOM, AND WE CAN GET THOSE RESOLVED AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

AND THE OTHER POINT I WOULD BRING FORWARD FOR BOARD -- MORE BOARD DISCUSSION -- BECAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT AND I THINK YOU DEFINED THAT A PROCUREMENT IS WHEN IT ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH THE SYSTEM OR IT'S ACTUALLY IN WRITTEN FORM.

A LARGER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS THE SPIRIT AND THE INTENT OF THE ORDINANCE.

WE, AS A BOARD, AUTHORIZED A RFP TO BE WORKED ON AND TO BE ISSUED BY STAFF LAST JULY FOR OUR HEALTH CARE.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR OFFICES, BUT I WOULD ASSUME YOU WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE SAME LEVELS OF CALLS THAT I'VE GOT -- THAT MY OFFICES HAVE RECEIVED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN VENDORS WANTING TO RUSH IN AND TALK TO US ABOUT THEIR -- THEIR HEALTH CARE PLANS, AND SO MY QUESTION TO THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS IS, ALTHOUGH BY THE LEGAL LETTER OF THE LAW THAT THAT MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY BE A VIOLATION, TO ME IT'S MORE THE SPIRIT THAT THERE ARE VENDORS THAT IT WOULD SEEM LIKE THEIR RATIONALE FOR WANTING TO MEET WITH US IS TO PERHAPS PROVIDE -- GIVE US INFLUENCE OVER -- AND GIVE THEM AN EDGE ON THEIR -- ON WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING THROUGH THE HEALTH CARE PLAN, SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION ON HOW YOUR OFFICES ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS, ARE YOU MEETING WITH VENDORS, NOT MEETING WITH VENDORS, OR WHAT YOUR KIND OF THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ARE AROUND THIS.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I DON'T MEET WITH VENDORS.

I CALL CHIP, AND CHIP TELLS ME WHAT I CAN DO AND CAN'T DO.

MY OFFICE, WHEN THEY GET A CALL, THEY TAKE THE INFORMATION AND SEND IT TO CHIP'S OFFICE FOR THEM TO TELL THEM THAT WE CAN'T SPEAK WITH THEM, AND THAT'S REALLY HOW I'VE BEEN DOING IT, BUT I DON'T SPEAK TO ANYBODY IF IT'S ABOUT A PENDING ITEM.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: WHAT MY STAFF DOES IS SIMPLE.

WHEN SOMEONE CALLS TO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT, THEY ASK THE NATURE OF WHAT THEY WISH TO DISCUSS, AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S -- IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROHIBITED TO DISCUSS, THEY COME RIGHT OUT AND -- AND TELL THEM THAT RIGHT AT THAT TIME AND THEY DO NOT BOOK THE APPOINTMENT.

IF IT'S LEGITIMATELY OPEN FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS IT AND THEY CAN SET UP THE APPOINTMENT, THEN WE DO SO.

YOU KNOW, FROM A STANDPOINT OF WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GOING TO GET A -- AN ONSLAUGHT OF VENDORS FOR SOMETHING LIKE SAY THE GARBAGE ISSUE BACK WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH GARBAGE AND TRASH BEFORE THE RFP WENT OUT, WE HAD VENDORS THAT WERE ALREADY WORKING WITH THE COUNTY.

WE KNEW THEM, WE HAD BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, WE KNEW THEIR COMPANIES, WE KNEW WHAT THEY HAD TO OFFER.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER COMPANIES FROM OUTSIDE THE MARKET THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW, AND IN ORDER TO LEVEL THAT PLAYING FIELD, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'VE SERVICED, AND WHAT KIND OF RECORDS THEY HAD.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY COULD DO THAT, IT MADE SENSE FOR THEM TO DO SO, BUT ONCE THE MORATORIUM WENT OUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE RFP WAS OPEN, THEN THAT ALL GOT SHUT DOWN.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO FOR THE HEALTH CARE -- IF WE LOOKED AT THE HEALTH CARE ISSUE, YOUR OFFICE -- YOU WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH MEETING WITH THEM BECAUSE THE RFP IS NOT ON THE STREET YET?

>>VICTOR CRIST: IF -- IF WE CAN LEGALLY MEET WITH THEM AND I HAVE THE TIME, I WOULD.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

>>VICTOR CRIST: IF WE CAN'T, THEN I WON'T.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE.

I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN WHEN WE CAN SO THAT WE ARE AS FULLY INFORMED AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IN CASES WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE ONE SIDE OF IT.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER HAGAN.

>>KEN HAGAN: I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUE HERE.

I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY ABUSES OF THE SYSTEM.

THE BURDEN'S ON THE COMPANIES.

UNTIL THERE'S A FORMAL PROCUREMENT, I'VE GOT NO PROBLEM MEETING WITH THE VENDORS.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND I HAVE MANY OF THE SAME FEELINGS THAT KEN JUST EXPRESSED.

I LOOK AT THIS IN MANY WAYS SIMILAR TO THE QUASI-JUDICIAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE DURING ZONING.

I FEEL THAT IT IS INCUMBENT UPON ME AS I GET READY TO SPEND TAXPAYER MONEY THAT I LEARN AS MUCH AS I CAN ABOUT EVERY OPPORTUNITY, WHETHER IT'S A VENDOR WHO MAY OFFER A SERVICE TO THE BOARD AND INDIRECTLY THROUGH TO THE CITIZENS, BUT ONCE IT ENTERS THAT CONE OF SILENCE, THEN THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING, BUT UP UNTIL THAT POINT, IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO UNDERSTAND AS MUCH AS I CAN ABOUT THE SERVICES, WHETHER IT'S INSURANCE OR IT'S A CONSULTING CONTRACT TO -- TO -- LIKE WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON WITH GENE BOLES TODAY, BUT TO ME, IT'S JUST MY RESPONSIBILITY, AND I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS OR ABUSE.

MY -- YOU KNOW, I THINK I'VE HAD A -- A INTERESTED PARTY WHO'S CONTACTED MY OFFICE -- I SAY I THINK BECAUSE THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE, BUT THAT WAS BACK IN NOVEMBER, OCTOBER, WHEN I HAD A REQUEST FOR AN APPOINTMENT, BUT I DON'T SEE -- I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ISSUE OF ABUSE OR SOMETHING WHERE I HAD TO BACK OFF AND SAY, WELL, WE'RE IN THE CONE OF SILENCE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THAT -- RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PENALTY IS SO HIGH FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO -- THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CROSS THAT BOUND.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: WELL, YOU ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT OUR OFFICES.

MY OFFICE IS THE SAME AS -- DITTOS COMMISSIONER HAGAN AND COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

I DID THIS SAME THING WHEN I WAS WITH ANOTHER COMPANY AS

A -- AND WORKING IN PROCUREMENT, BEFORE THAT RFP HIT THE STREET, ANY COMPANY WHO WANTED TO COME TALK TO ME ABOUT IT, I TALKED TO THEM, AND ONCE THAT RFP HIT THE STREET, I WAS DONE TALKING TO THEM.

SO I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEMS HERE WHATSOEVER.

I THINK THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT IF WE GET TO THAT POINT AND WE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL CHIP.

IF HE'S NOT AROUND, MARY HELEN FARRIS IS SITTING BACK THERE.

THEY CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

THAT'S WHAT I DO.

>>MARK SHARPE: MY OFFICE DOES THE SAME.

I JUST GOT A E-MAIL FROM ERIC, BUT OUR OFFICE JUST CALLS PROCUREMENT, FINDS OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEN IF THERE IS A MEETING, IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS WITH MY STAFF.

I DON'T -- I DON'T LIKE TO -- I DO LIKE THE DATA AND THE INFORMATION, I DON'T LIKE BEING LOBBIED, SO I DO PERSONALLY JUST TURN IT OVER TO A STAFF MEMBER TO LET -- EVEN IF IT'S NOT -- YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, IF IT'S NOT OUT FOR BID, I JUST LET THEM TALK TO OUR STAFF MEMBER.

OKAY.

COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR FEEDBACK ON THIS, AND CHIP, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT YOU THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME THINGS YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO -- GUIDELINES YOU'D BE ABLE TO GIVE TO OUR OFFICE ON WHAT'S APPROPRIATE AND NOT APPROPRIATE, AND MAYBE IF YOU CAN JUST PREPARE THAT AND -- AND KIND OF GIVE MORE FORMAL GUIDELINES TO OUR OFFICE.

>>CHIP FLETCHER: YEAH.

WE WILL DO THAT.

WE'RE WORKING WITH PROCUREMENT, ACTUALLY, FOR -- ALSO TO ASSIST STAFF BECAUSE THIS IS NEW TO EVERYONE, AND -- AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT DONE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, AND WE'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU, AND IT WILL LIKELY ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE DEPARTMENT'S PROCUREMENT MANUAL AS WELL.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: GREAT.

THANK YOU.

MR. MERRILL.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YOUR LAST TWO ITEMS ARE F-3 AND F-4, AND WE HAVE A-19 AS WELL TO DEAL WITH.

REGULAR ITEMS, F-3, COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S ITEM.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL.

THESE TWO ITEMS ARE GOING TO BE QUICK.

I RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM NORTH TAMPA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION'S BASEBALL LEAGUE AND NEW TAMPA -- FORMERLY NEW TAMPA LITTLE LEAGUE WITH A REQUEST TO NAME THE PARK AFTER DICK AND KATHY EBER, WHO WERE FOUNDING VOLUNTEERS BACK IN 1998 AND HAVE DEDICATED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY AT THIS PARK.

I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY WARRANTED; HOWEVER, WHAT I TOLD --

>>MARK SHARPE: ONE SECOND.

I JUST WANTED TO THANK -- WE DID HAVE COMMISSIONER STARKEY HERE FROM PASCO COUNTY.

ALWAYS HONORED TO HAVE YOU IN OUR CHAMBER.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

>> THANK YOU.

I'LL BE BACK.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

SORRY COMMISSIONER HAGAN.

>>KEN HAGAN: AND I TOLD THEM TYPICALLY HOW WE HANDLE THESE THINGS IS THAT WE REFER IT OVER TO OUR BOARD, PARKS BOARD -- AND I THINK THEY MEET WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK -- AND ASK THEM FOR A RECOMMENDATION.

SO THAT'S THE MOTION I'M GOING TO MAKE IS JUST SEND IT TO THE PARKS BOARD AND ASK THEM TO COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON NAMING THE FIELD AFTER THEM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

NO FURTHER CONVERSATION, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE FOR ITEM F-3.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, I THINK THEY STILL -- THEY DIDN'T REGISTER YOUR VOTE, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND F-4.

>>KEN HAGAN: THE SECOND ONE.

OKAY.

BOARD MEMBERS, I WAS APPROACHED BY THE DIRECTOR AND BOARD MEMBERS OF THE VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY POTENTIALLY PARTNERING WITH THEM ON THEIR PGA TOUR EVENT, WHICH IS HELD IN MARCH.

MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THAT EVERYONE SPEAKS ABOUT REGIONAL COOPERATION AND REGIONALISM, AT LEAST UP UNTIL THERE'S A REQUEST FOR MONEY, AND WHILE I DID SOME RESEARCH AND I DO FEEL THAT THERE IS MERIT FOR US TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST, I'VE INCLUDED SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THE BACKUP, AND I'LL JUST BRIEFLY SAY THAT THIS IS A PGA TOUR STOP FOR THE LAST 37 YEARS.

IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE ALL OF TAMPA BAY, TELEVISED IN 225 COUNTRIES, 44 STATES, AND LAST YEAR THEY HAD OVER 16 HOURS OF LIVE COVERAGE.

IT ALSO BENEFITS MANY LOCAL CHARITIES.

OVER THE LAST 37 YEARS, THEY'VE GIVEN OVER $30 MILLION TO LOCAL CHARITIES.

THERE'S AN ECONOMIC IMPACT ESTIMATED AT 80,000 FOLKS WHO BENEFITED, ATTENDED, OR PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT.

THESE PEOPLE FLY INTO TIA, THEY STAY AT HOTELS, THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY, AND THERE ARE MAPS IN THE BACKUP.

WE NO LONGER HAVE A GOLF TOURNAMENT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WE USED TO HAVE THE OUTBACK PRO-AM, WHICH WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE EVENT.

IT WAS NOT A TOUR EVENT LIKE THIS, BUT SINCE 2000 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CONTRIBUTED TO THAT EVENT UP AS MUCH AS $100,000 A YEAR.

I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS THIS PRECEDENT-SETTING -- I'M GOING TO PASS THIS OUT RIGHT HERE, ALTHOUGH -- BECAUSE THE EVENT IS HELD IN PINELLAS COUNTY.

THERE ARE NOT ANY EXAMPLES THAT I COULD FIND OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PROMOTING OR SUPPORTING EVENTS OUTSIDE OF HILLSBOROUGH, BUT THERE IS A PRECEDENT WITH PINELLAS COUNTY GIVING 150,000 FOR THE OUTBACK BOWL, SO I KNOW THERE'S AT LEAST ONE PRECEDENT COMING THIS WAY.

AS AN EXAMPLE -- THIS IS AN ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT I THINK RECENTLY IN STREET AND SMITH'S, AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT IN TAMPA.

OVER 19 TIMES THEY MENTIONED TAMPA, NOT ONE TIME DID THEY MENTION TAMPA BAY OR PINELLAS COUNTY, AND THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF TAMPA BENEFITING FROM THIS PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOURNAMENT.

THEY HAVE TERMS, THE TAMPA TOURNAMENT, TITLE SPONSOR IN TAMPA, THE TOUR IS STAYING IN TAMPA.

IT WAS PREVIOUSLY THE TRANSITION CHAMPIONSHIP, AND BB&T IS THE LOCAL PRESENTING SPONSOR.

THEY HAVE LOCAL BOARD MEMBERS, TOD LEIWEKE, RON CAMPBELL, AMONGST OTHERS, AND I'M CONFIDENT THIS TOURNAMENT BENEFITS ALL OF TAMPA BAY, INCLUDING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE SHOULD CONSIDER SUPPORTING IT.

THE MOTION TODAY IS SIMPLY TO ASK STAFF TO GET WITH THE TDC, CVB, VISIT TAMPA BAY, THE SPORTS COMMISSION, AND COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION.

THE ASK WAS 100,000.

THEY MAY COME BACK WITH 20, 50, 75, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK IT WARRANTS CONSIDERATION, AND JUST ASK STAFF TO GET WITH THEM, COME BACK SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY WITH A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE AT THAT POINT IF IT -- IF IT MERITS IT OR NOT.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I'LL SECOND WITH COMMENT.

AND I THINK I'M UP ON QUEUE ANYWAY, BUT THERE IS --

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, YOU ARE.

YES.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: -- THERE IS GREAT VALUE IN OUR COMMUNITY NAME BEING MENTIONED WHEN WE HOST THESE EVENTS, AND I -- I'VE SEEN IT FROM THE RNC TO THE SUPER BOWLS TO THE BOWL GAMES TO GOLF AND MAYBE ONE DAY CRICKET, BUT I KNOW MOST CERTAINLY WITH THE IIFA AWARDS COMING UP WHERE WE WILL HAVE WORLDWIDE RECOGNITION, AND I WILL SUPPORT THE REQUEST ON THIS TO SEND IT FORWARD FOR ADVICE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO FINANCIALLY.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

I ALSO SEE VALUE IN THIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS, THOUGH, THAT YOU HAD MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE POINTING OUT THAT EVERYTHING IS MENTIONED AROUND TAMPA.

IF IT'S HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT'S GOING TO BE CONTRIBUTING THE MONEY, MY QUESTION TO THE BOARDS THAT WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS, WHAT DEAL CAN BE WORKED OUT WITH VALSPAR TO BRAND MORE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY INTO THE PROMOTION OF THIS EVENT?

I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS TODAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE THEM TO EXPLORE, TO WORK A DEAL WITH THEM WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE COUNTY THAT'S REALLY ALSO BEING RECOGNIZED.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY, OBVIOUSLY, THEY RELATE TO TAMPA MORE ON THE MAP, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTRIBUTING THE MONEY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT BRANDING RECOGNITION THAT WE CAN GET OUT OF THE DEAL.

>>KEN HAGAN: NO, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

I KNOW IN TALKING WITH THEM, THEY'RE VERY AMENABLE TO -- NOT TO SAY ANYTHING THAT WE ASK BUT CERTAINLY, I THINK, THAT'S WITHIN REASON, AND I'D JUST -- I'LL INCLUDE THAT IN THE MOTION FOR STAFF TO GET WITH THEM ON THAT, WHENEVER THEY GET TO THAT POINT, TO EXPLORE WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE CAN TO DO THAT.

>>MARK SHARPE: BUT INDIRECTLY, I MEAN, THE POINT YOU MAKE IS VERY WELL TAKEN.

IF SOMEONE'S WATCHING THIS AND THEY'RE IN CALIFORNIA AND THEY HEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE TAMPA BAY AREA, WHATEVER, I MEAN --

>>KEN HAGAN: I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU, IF I'M IN PINELLAS, YOU KNOW, I'M PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT UPSET THAT THE GOLF TOURNAMENT'S THERE AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT TAMPA --

>>MARK SHARPE: EXACTLY.

>>KEN HAGAN: -- I MEAN, BUT THAT'S --

>>MARK SHARPE: AND THE CHALLENGE EVEN THERE IS -- BECAUSE I HEAR SOME PEOPLE FRUSTRATED, LIKE, WELL, WHY AREN'T THEY SAYING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WELL, THE INTERESTING THING IS WHEN SOMEONE THINKS TO RELOCATE HERE AND THEN THEY LOOK AT, WELL, GEE, I MIGHT BRING MY BUSINESS TO TAMPA, VERY LIKELY IF IT'S MANUFACTURING OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, IT'S GOING TO WIND UP IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

I MEAN, WE ALL BENEFIT FROM SMART, YOU KNOW, COBRANDING AND, YOU KNOW, PROMOTING THE REGION, SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING.

>>KEN HAGAN: LAST COMMENT.

I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THE TDC HAS A LOT OF NEEDS AND THEY'RE GOING THROUGH REORGANIZING THEIR PRIORITIES, AND SO I JUST THINK THIS WARRANTS CONSIDERATION.

IT MAY NOT BE 100,000, BUT I THINK IT DEFINITELY DESERVES TO BE A PART OF -- TO BE A PART OF WHAT WE SUPPORT.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN AND IT WAS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, AND THIS IS FOR ITEM F-4.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND THE LAST ITEM IS A-19, THE ITEM PULLED BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.

AND I WANTED TO JUST PULL THIS FOR COMMENT AND JUST SAY IF WHEN THEY'RE THIS CLEAR AND CONCISE, ADEQUATE BACKUP -- UNLIKE WHAT WE HAD WITH THE ITEM I THINK THAT STARTED OUT AS A-5, WHICH WAS -- IT WAS THE CONSENT ITEM I PULLED LAST COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH WAS B-5, WHICH PASSED -- WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE DUST-UP AND QUESTIONS AND CONCERN, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, STAFF, AND MOVE FOR APPROVAL.

AND JUST A COMPARISON OF THE TWO CONSENT ITEMS AND HOW THEY WERE HANDLED.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR A-19 BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND FUTURE DISCUSSION ITEMS.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

WE DID SOME GOOD WORK A YEAR OR SO AGO ABOUT STRENGTHENING OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT ORDINANCE TO BE ABLE TO GO AFTER CERTAIN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES OR SUBSTANCES THAT WE DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHAT HAS COME TO LIGHT IS THAT THERE WAS SOME INADVERTENT GLITCHES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE WE'VE DONE THAT AND THAT HAVE CREATED SOME UNFORESEEN HARDSHIPS THAT WE MAY WANT TO ADDRESS.

TO THAT NATURE, I'VE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DRAFT THIS MOTION THAT I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN THAT WOULD DIRECT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO WORK WITH STAFF TO SUGGEST AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS TO FEE OWNERS OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES CITED FOR VIOLATIONS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO TENANTS ON THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: WE DON'T MAKE MOTIONS DURING --

>>MARK SHARPE: NO, NO, NO MOTION.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SEND IT BACK TO STAFF.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>VICTOR CRIST: ALL RIGHT.

I GUESS, CHIP, YOU'VE GOT THE GO-AHEAD HERE.

WE SEE EVERYBODY NODDING.

>>CHIP FLETCHER: OKAY.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WORKING ON THAT ITEM AND REPORT BACK.

>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WE DID A LOT OF WORK IN PROSPERITY COMMITTEE ABOUT DUPLICATIVE FEES AND FEES, AND THERE WAS ONE FEE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.

IT'S A -- THEY CALL IT THE AGR FEE.

I GUESS IT GOES INTO GENERAL REVENUE.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR UTILITIES.

I GUESS I'D JUST LIKE STAFF TO COME BACK AND GIVE US A REPORT ON THAT AND WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY BEING -- IF IT'S ACTUALLY BEING USED FOR SOMETHING REGARDING DEVELOPMENT, AND IF IT'S NOT, WHY DO WE NEED IT AND CAN WE DO AWAY WITH IT?

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

I TOO SHARE THAT SAME CONCERN.

YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE STILL COLLECTING IT FOR THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE, THEN LET'S SEE THE PAPER TRAIL THAT IT'S BEING SPENT THERE, AND IF WE'RE NOT, THEN WHY DO WE STILL HAVE IT?

I KNOW WITH THE STATE WHEN WE WOULD COLLECT FEES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES, WE WOULD ESCROW THEM INTO TRUST FUNDS, AND I KNOW HERE WE DON'T DO THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONFUSION AND SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ONE, AND IF THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE, THEN HOW MANY OTHERS DO WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT POSSIBLY SUNSETTING?

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

NO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE STAND ADJOURNED.

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