BOCC Internet Department Applications



CAPTIONING

NOVEMBER 21, 2014

CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

***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.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER 21 MEETING OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

WE WILL CALL FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND SPENCER.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

THANK YOU.

AND MS. LOWRY, WOULD YOU READ THE EXPLANATION?

>>LEE LOWRY: CERTAINLY.

THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THIS COMMITTEE SHALL BE THE FOLLOWING: TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE COUNTY ISSUES AS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR; TO INITIATE PROPOSALS AND FORWARD THEM TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THANK YOU.

NOW I THINK WE'LL START GOING AROUND THE ROOM, IF YOU WOULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WHO APPOINTED YOU.

SPENCER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START?

>>SPENCER KASS: SURE.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

SPENCER KASS, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER SANDY MURMAN.

>> KIMBER WILLIAMS, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN.

[LAUGHTER]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK IT WAS VICTOR CRIST.

>> [SPEAKER OFF MIC]

>> JOE WICKER, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER AL HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: BARBARA ADERHOLD, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>> KAY DOUGHTY, APPOINTED BY FORMER COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE.

>> LEE LOWRY, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN.

>> ROIA BARRIOS, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THANK YOU.

I WANT TO READ FOR THE RECORD THAT WENDELL AND GAYE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THIS MORNING'S MEETING.

AND NEXT UP IS PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH I REALLY THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING, BUT SEEING NONE, WE WILL GO TO THE REVIEW OF THE MEETING RECAP.

IT'S IN YOUR FOLDER.

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AT IT, THEN WE'LL ENTERTAIN A VOTE OR A MOTION.

>>SPENCER KASS: MOVE TO APPROVE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DO I HEAR A SECOND?

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR.

OKAY.

GOOD.

WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS MORNING THE COMMITTEE -- WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND MEET ABOUT IN 2015.

WE HAVE A SPEAKER COMING AT 9:00, AND THEN, OF COURSE, AT 10:00, BUT I THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME PLANNING DONE BEFORE WE HEAD INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

SO IN OUR FOLDER, WE HAVE OUR TENTATIVE MEETING SCHEDULE, WHICH REALLY STICKS TO THE FOURTH FRIDAY OF THE MONTH, AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TENTATIVE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT.

DO I HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY ON WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO HEAR, SEE?

SPENCER.

>>SPENCER KASS: SURPRISE, SURPRISE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I AM, I AM SHOCKED.

>>SPENCER KASS: I GUESS I CAN'T DO UNDERGROUNDING BECAUSE THE COUNTY PASSED AN UNDERGROUNDING ORDINANCE.

JUST SO WE ALL KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY DID THAT.

I WON'T DO LED BECAUSE KIMBER WILL BEAT ME.

BUT THIS IS THE BIG BUDGET YEAR FOR THE COUNTY.

SO WHAT I WAS THINKING WAS, ESPECIALLY BEFORE WE GET TO OUR JOINT MEETING, MAYBE WE WANT TO HAVE, SAY -- AND ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MR. MERRILL HOW THE COUNTY IS OUT OF MONEY IN A COUPLE MINUTES -- MAYBE WE WANT TO DO DEPARTMENTS COMING DOWN HERE TWO AT A TIME STARTING WITH WHATEVER THE LARGEST -- LARGER BUDGET ONES ARE, COME DOWN HERE, TELL US WHAT THEY DO, LET THEM SHOW US THEIR ORG CHARTS --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: KIND OF LIKE THE BUSINESS PLANS THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE?

>>SPENCER KASS: YEAH, THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE IMPLEMENTED.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD I LOOK TO SEE WHICH OUR FORMER CHAIRMAN DISCUSSED IS EVERY YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN CUTS TO THESE DEPARTMENTS, AND YET THINGS STILL FUNCTION FINE.

THIS YEAR THERE WEREN'T THE CUTS; THERE WERE RAISES AND GROWTH IN I THINK VIRTUALLY EVERY DEPARTMENT.

SO MAYBE WE WANT TO HAVE THEM COME DOWN WITH PLANS.

SORT OF LIKE THE COUNTY AND THE CITY USED TO DO WELL, WHERE, IF WE REDUCED IT 3%, 5%, 10%, THIS IS HOW WE'D STILL OPERATE.

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

BUT IT WILL BE SORT OF A TIME CRUNCH TO GET THROUGH EVERYTHING.

THAT MIGHT TIE UP LITERALLY ALL OF OUR MEETINGS -- IF WE DO TWO DEPARTMENTS, IT WILL PROBABLY TIE US UP PROBABLY UNTIL THE JOINT MEETING.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE'S THOUGHTS ARE.

I JUST WANT TO GET THROUGH .

>>KAY DOUGHTY: COULD I FOLLOW UP ON THAT?

I THINK WE SHOULD ASK MR. MERRILL.

THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST WHERE EITHER THE BOARD OR ADMINISTRATOR HAS HAD AREAS OF CONCERN.

BUT FOLLOWING UP ON THE POINTS YOU MADE -- AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS I'VE HAD IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DISCUSSED UNDER OUR PREVIOUS CHAIR WAS THAT RECESSIONS FORCE GOVERNMENTS TO OPERATE LIKE BUSINESSES AND TO MAKE THOSE CUTS, AND WHEN MONEY IS FLOWING, THEN THINGS JUST EXPAND.

AND YOU KNOW, WE -- I THINK WE EXPRESSED FAIRLY CLEARLY OUR CONCERN OVER THAT ISSUE; THAT AS --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THE MONEY COMES BACK --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU KNOW, AS THE GOVERNMENT GOT MORE EFFICIENT, THEN LOOKING AT WAYS OF BECOMING MORE EFFECTIVE WITH FEWER PEOPLE AND WHATEVER, THAT THEY DIDN'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY EXPAND.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I WONDER IF -- DEPENDING ON WHERE WE GO WITH THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION -- THAT WHERE WE WERE BEFORE THE RECESSION, DURING THE RECESSION, AND NOW WHERE WE ARE GOING FORWARD IN 2015.

WOULD THAT GIVE A PICTURE?

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S A GOOD POINT, BARBARA.

I MEAN, WE MIGHT START WITH MR. MERRILL.

WHAT ARE HIS PROJECTIONS?

WHERE DOES HE SEE CHANGE AND WHY?

>>SPENCER KASS: SO MAYBE JANUARY WE HAVE MR. MERRILL COME HERE AND SPEND A FULL SESSION WITH US, AND THEN AS HE GOES, WE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE DEPARTMENTS FOR FEBRUARY, MARCH, AND APRIL, AND THEN BY THE TIME WE ARE UP TO OUR JOINT MEETING, WE CAN EXPRESS OUR OPINIONS TO THE JOINT MEETING, MAYBE.

>> MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK HIM AT THIS MEETING, AND THEN WE CAN GET STARTED AND GO DOWN.

>>SPENCER KASS: THAT'S FINE.

I THINK HE IS GOING TO SAY HE IS NOT PREPARED, BUT --

>> OH, GIVE HIM SOME CREDIT.

>>SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THAT UP, I WOULD LIKE THE SHERIFF TO PRESENT BECAUSE HE'S -- THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE RECESSIONARY PERIOD, SHERIFF GEE HAS REALLY BEEN A TEAM PLAYER IN LOOKING AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND MAKING SIGNIFICANT CUTS AS WELL AND WHAT ARE HIS PLANS, BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR BUDGET.

>>SPENCER KASS: SO MAYBE WE JUST HAVE ONE DAY FOR THE SHERIFF AND MAYBE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: CONSTITUTIONALS.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: CRISTAN?

>>CRISTAN FADAL: I WAS GOING TO SAY THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.

AS WE GO FORWARD, WHERE DOES THE COUNTY SEE THE COST OF MAINTAINING THE BUILDINGS AND WHAT MAYBE FUTURE UTILIZATION OF THOSE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND STUFF FOR OTHER PURPOSES OR ADDITIONAL PURPOSES.

SO I'D BE CURIOUS TO FIND THAT OUT.

I CAN ASK MIKE MERRILL NOW, BUT WHAT'S THE LONG-TERM PLAN FIVE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY DIGITAL, BOOKS AND -- WHAT BECOMES OF THOSE FACILITIES, AND HOW IS THE COUNTY PLANNING FOR THOSE?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ANYBODY ELSE HAVE SOME INPUT ON THIS ONE?

I LOVE ALL THESE IDEAS.

WHAT I THINK BETH AND I CAN WORK ON, TALK TO MR. MERRILL, AND THEN COME UP WITH A LIST OF ITEMS AND THEN SEND IT BACK OUT.

>>SPENCER KASS: I MEAN, WHAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL, AT LEAST TO ME, IS IF YOU ARE GOING TO SHOW DEPARTMENTS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY COME DOWN HERE, ALSO JUST LOOKING AT WHAT THEIR BUDGETS ARE RELATIVE TO THE WHOLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, SO IF WE HAVE, SAY, ONE MEETING WITH CONSTITUTIONAL GROUPS, ONE WITH SMALLER GROUPS LIKE THE LIBRARY, ANIMAL CONTROL, YOU KNOW, THOSE LITTLER GROUPS, AND THEN ONE WITH THE BIGGEST, YOU KNOW -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT BREAKS DOWN IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THEIR SPENDING IN THE BUILDING.

MAYBE THAT GETS US SOMEWHERE.

BECAUSE -- AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM FOCUSING ON THE SMALLER STUFF, BUT THERE PROBABLY ISN'T THAT MUCH MONEY TO LOOK INTO THERE; WHEREAS, THE BIGGER ONES, I'M SURE THERE'S --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, ONE AREA, YOU KNOW, IS THE COUNTY'S HEALTHCARE PLAN AND WHERE DOES THAT STAND NOW THAT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS GOING FORWARD.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: OKAY.

I LISTENED TO MR. MERRILL AT THE MPO, MAYBE IT WAS LAST WEEK, AND HIS STATEMENT WAS TWO-THIRDS OF THE BUDGET GO TO PUBLIC SAFETY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND BASIC UTILITY SERVICES.

AND THAT'S $3 BILLION, I THINK, IS THE BUDGET.

SO WE'RE DOING -- SO HAVING THE SHERIFF, THE FIRE, AND THE CONSTITUTIONALS, IF THEY AGREE TO COME, I THINK IS SOMETHING --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THEY USUALLY DO.

THERE'S NOT USUALLY A PROBLEM.

I MEAN, THE SHERIFF -- I MEAN, WE KNOW THE SHERIFF BECAUSE THAT'S THE JOB IS GOVERNMENT IS THE PROTECTION OF THE CITIZENS, SO I MEAN, THAT'S --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I GUESS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WILL BE WHAT IS CONSIDERED BASIC UTILITY SERVICES?

AND THE REMAINDER GOES TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

SO I'D LIKE TO FIND THAT ANSWER OUT AS WELL.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION REAL QUICK, SINCE I'M NEW.

IS THERE A COPY OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET SOMEWHERE THAT I COULD LOOK AT IT JUST --

>> ONLINE.

>> IT IS ONLINE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK JUST GO ON, AND UNDER THE SEARCH, JUST SAY COUNTY'S BUDGET, AND WATCH YOUR COMPUTER EXPLODE AS IT STARTS TO --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY BETH MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A CD OF IT FOR YOU.

>> I'LL TRY ONLINE.

>>SPENCER KASS: ALWAYS REMEMBER WITH THE COUNTY BUDGET, IT'S A TWO-YEAR BUDGET, SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS OUR BIG YEAR IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE ANY ADJUSTMENTS.

HOPEFULLY, SOME OF THOSE, WE HAD GOTTEN A PRESENTATION EARLY IN THE YEAR, THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES TO HOW THEY BOOK SOME OF THESE THINGS.

THAT WOULD BE IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET BOOK.

SO WE WILL SEE IF THEY WILL HAVE THE COURTESY OF COLOR CODING IT AND SHOWING WHAT'S ON SCHEDULE, WHAT'S OFF SCHEDULE, WHAT'S GETTING ACCOMPLISHED.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LEFTOVER MONIES.

TOM WAS DOING THAT ONE.

[OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS]

>> WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE IF THEY FINALLY DID THAT CHANGE FOR THE NONPROFIT.

THAT'S STILL A BUG IN MY BONNET.

YOU KNOW?

WITH HIS LED LIGHTS, I'M STILL STUCK ON NONPROFIT.

>>SPENCER KASS: I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THAT.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WE CAN -- OUR HEAD IS GOING TO EXPLODE.

>> I KNOW.

GOING TO WATCH IT GO PING!

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK IT'S A TOPIC FOR WHEN THE COMMISSIONERS -- WHAT'S THE TERM?

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: THE BOARD RETREAT?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YES, THE BOARD RETREAT.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: THEY ARE GOING TO GO RETREAT AND TALK ABOUT MY NONPROFITS?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: JUST BECAUSE OF YOU, KIM, THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS WORKING.

YEAH?

>> THEY HAVE THEIR BOARD RETREAT NEXT MONTH, AND I WAS TOLD THAT IS AN ITEM ON THEIR LIST FOR DISCUSSION.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: WHAT NUMBER AM I?

>> NUMBER ONE, KIMBER.

[LAUGHTER]

SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR ON THE NOT-FOR-PROFITS.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR ME TO SAY MY LITTLE MANTRA THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THIS COMMITTEE TAKES TWO OR THREE YEARS TO HAPPEN.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I'VE NOTICED.

IT'S A LITTLE SLOW FOR ME.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, JUST HAVING BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: MAYBE TWO YEARS IS CONSIDERED QUICK.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW THAT.

>> ONE THING WE DISCUSSED LAST YEAR THAT I THOUGHT WAS HELPFUL WAS BACK WHEN WE HAD THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- I THOUGHT THAT WAS IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH AFTER -- OR MAYBE BEFORE -- I FORGOT WHEN WE HAD IT, BUT THAT WOULD BE -- I THOUGHT WE ALL LIKED THAT.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: YEAH, WE DID LIKE THAT.

YOU WILL BE GETTING READY TO GO UP AGAIN; RIGHT?

>>BETH PYTLIK: I WILL BE GOING UP.

SESSION STARTS THE FIRST TUESDAY OF MARCH.

WE ALREADY HAVE THE PROGRAM COMPLETED.

IT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD ON OCTOBER 2.

THEN I WILL BE GOING UP IN MARCH AND BE BACK THE BEGINNING OF MAY.

SO I CAN LET YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THE PROGRAM BEFOREHAND, AND THEN THE RESULTS AFTERWARD.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

AND WHEN IS THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION DAY?

>>BETH PYTLIK: DECEMBER 9.

DECEMBER 9.

I CAN SEND OUT THE INFO ON THAT MEETING TO EVERYONE AS WELL.

IF YOU GO TO LEGDEL, HAS ALL THE MEETING INFORMATION AND A WAY, IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME SPEAK, YOU CAN JUST DO AN ONLINE FORM AND HIT "SUBMIT."

IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE HCC DALE MABRY CAMPUS AT 9:30 IN THE MORNING.

I CAN SEND OUT ALL THE INFO TO YOU.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WHEN IS THEIR RETREAT, THE COMMISSIONERS' RETREAT?

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: BARBARA AND I ARE GOING TO STOP BY, MAKE SURE THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE AGENDA.

>> IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I KNOW.

I WASN'T JOKING.

>>SPENCER KASS: IT WILL BE UP IN TALLAHASSEE NOW.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: LET ME TEXT EVERYBODY.

LET'S CHANGE THAT DATE.

[LAUGHTER]

>>KAY DOUGHTY: GOVERNMENT IN THE SUNSHINE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: OF COURSE IT IS.

OF COURSE.

AND IT'S RECORDED, SO EVEN IF WE DON'T GO -- OF COURSE, THEY WILL BE SO HAPPY TO SEE US.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I THINK SO.

BRING A LITTLE ENERGY.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SO BUDGET SEEMS TO BE THE BIG TOPIC.

BRING IN THE CONSTITUTIONALS, THE LIBRARY, HEALTHCARE PLAN, NONPROFITS, LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

I THINK WE'LL BE BUSY.

>> ONE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD SOMEONE FROM THE PORT COME?

I KNOW WE HAD --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LAST YEAR, I THINK IT WAS.

>> I KNOW WE HAD THE ONE PORT PERSON THAT TALKED -- LIKE DID THE SHIPS, THE --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THE PILOT.

>> I DON'T KNOW, WITH ALL THE CHANGES GOING ON DOWN THERE, WHAT -- I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE REALLY COULD SPEAK TO IT BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL PRIVATE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: PORT, AND ALSO THE AIRPORT AND ITS EXPANSION.

>> THAT WAS PRETTY BIG, YEAH.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YEAH.

>>CRISTAN FADAL: MAYBE THAT'S LATER IN THE YEAR OR SOMETHING.

>> THE LED LIGHTING AS WELL.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I FORGOT THE LED.

MA'AM?

>>BETH PYTLIK: BOARD RETREAT IS ON DECEMBER 5.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DECEMBER 5.

WHERE?

>>SPENCER KASS: DO YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS?

>> [SPEAKER OFF MIC]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMITTEE OUGHT TO CONSIDER AT SOME POINT IS HEARING FROM THE CHILDREN'S BOARD, SINCE THE REFERENDUM IS GOING TO COME UP FOR REAUTHORIZATION OF THE SALES TAX THAT SUPPORTS THE CHILDREN'S BOARD.

AND WE REALLY OUGHT TO HEAR FROM KELLY PARIS, WHO IS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OF WHAT HER VISION IS AND WHERE THE BOARD IS GOING ON THAT.

BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE REAUTHORIZED, AND IF IT'S NOT, THEY DISAPPEAR AND ALL THE PROJECTS THEY FUND DISAPPEAR.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WHAT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING IS IF THERE IS A TRANSPORTATION -- DARE I SAY THAT WORD -- TAX, WILL COME UP AT THE SAME TIME AS THE CHILDREN'S BOARD TAX.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH.

YEAH.

I HAD TO LAUGH AT THIS MORNING'S PAPER -- SPEAKING OF THE TAX -- THAT HAD -- THAT A POLL INDICATES THAT IT WAS THE SALES TAX THAT DEFEATED GREEN LIGHT PINELLAS.

I AM LIKE OH, REALLY?

BECAUSE THAT WAS THE POINT OF THE REFERENDUM.

[LAUGHTER]

DIDN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS.

MAYBE OFF THE RECORD INSTEAD.

I KNOW.

OKAY.

CHILDREN'S BOARD.

WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS ON THE PLATE, BETH.

YOU AND I WILL PUT TOGETHER A SCHEDULE.

WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. MERRILL AND WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE TO SAY.

AND WE'RE SET TO GO.

EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THE DATES?

NO CHANGES?

KEEP THE TOUR IN OCTOBER?

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK WELL IF WE'RE GOING TO DO ANYTHING OUTSIDE.

I MEAN, THIS ONE WASN'T OUTSIDE, BUT --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: AFTER THAT -- I THINK THE PORT ONE, WHICH WAS FREEZING.

EGMONT KEY.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS WHILE WE WAIT FOR OUR 9:00 SPEAKER?

HE IS HERE; ISN'T HE?

>>SPENCER KASS: IF WE ARE JUST GOING TO DISCUSS THINGS IN GENERAL, JUST SO EVERYBODY IS AWARE, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THE COUNTY DID PASS AN UNDERGROUNDING ORDINANCE FOR UNDERGROUNDING THE UTILITIES, SO THAT DID PASS THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WOW.

WHEN?

>>SPENCER KASS: 30 DAYS AGO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD KNOW OR ANY GROUP OR AREA THAT'S INTERESTED IN -- THAT'S IN THE COUNTY, NOT WITHIN THE CITY OF TAMPA.

BUT IF YOU LIVE OUT IN THE COUNTY AND YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN THAT, YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE COUNTY, AND THEY CAN START HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU ABOUT HOW IT WORKS AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS.

AND IT'S QUITE A COMPLEX PROCESS.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: IS IT LIKE SPEED HUMPS?

>>SPENCER KASS: IT'S WORSE THAN THAT, ACTUALLY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

THE AREA WANTED IT PASSED AS IS BECAUSE THEY WANTED SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS, WHICH I WAS FINE WITH.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE -- I TOLD THEM I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A BIT ROUGH GOING, BUT THEY WANT TO GIVE IT A SHOT IN DANA SHORES.

AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THEY'VE ALREADY KIND OF STARTED DOWN THE PATH OF HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

THE COUNTY HAS TO COME UP WITH SOME DETAILED PROCEDURES AND PROCESS MANUALS THAT GO WITH THE ORDINANCE.

THEY WILL BE WORKING ON THAT INTERNALLY.

BUT AS I SAID, IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA IN THE COUNTY THAT HAS ANY INTEREST IN THAT, YOU SHOULD FEEL FREE.

AS FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL SOONER OR LATER GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND START WORKING ON IT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: CONTACT PUBLIC WORKS DO WE THINK?

>>SPENCER KASS: YEAH, I WOULD START THERE.

YEAH, IF YOU DON'T GET ANYWHERE THERE, ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO CALL MIKE MERRILL'S OFFICE AND ASK THEM.

BUT IT IS THERE, IT'S PASSED.

IT'S A START.

I AT LEAST GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.

SOMETHING IS THERE.

THE COMMISSIONERS WORKED VERY HARD ON IT, AS WELL AS DANA SHORES, WHO REALLY KNOCKED THEMSELVES OUT.

THEY GOT A LITTLE HELP FROM US, BUT THEY REALLY -- IT'S DONE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: AND THAT WAS A YEAR?

WAS IT A YEAR OR TWO YEARS?

>>SPENCER KASS: IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS AND RUNNING.

IT'S BEEN FOREVER THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT DONE.

SO IT'S THERE, AND HOPEFULLY -- I WISH THEM NOTHING BUT THE BEST OF LUCK.

I TOLD THEM IF THEY NEED TO COME TO US AND NEED HELP IN ANY WAY, THEY CAN ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO COME TO THIS BOARD, AND WE CAN ALWAYS TRY TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN DO.

I DID MAKE THAT PROMISE ON OUR BEHALF.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: TERRIFIC.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU KNOW, BARBARA, JUST SAYING THAT, WE JOKE ABOUT THE THREE YEARS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE POLITICAL ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS WE MAKE.

WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE THEM IN WHAT WE SEE IS THE BEST INTEREST OF CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

THEY'VE GOT TO BE POLITICAL ABOUT IT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YEAH, WE DON'T.

WE ARE APPOINTED.

AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JUST AS A NOTE, SEVERAL OF YOU -- YES, MA'AM?

YEAH, IF YOU WOULD.

>>BETH PYTLIK: JUST AN UPDATE, SINCE THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS ABOUT COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S LEAVING AND APPOINTMENTS, AND THERE ARE SOME FOLKS TERMING OUT ON DECEMBER 31.

I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE, THE POINT PERSON THAT DOES THESE COMMITTEES.

THE INVESTITURE, AS YOU KNOW, WAS JUST ON TUESDAY, SO EVERYTHING'S STILL KIND OF SETTLING IN.

SO JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I AM WORKING ON IT, BUT I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU QUITE YET.

SO AS SOON AS I DO, I WILL SHOOT YOU AN EMAIL.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: AND IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE UP, I WOULD SAY TO CHECK WITH YOUR COMMISSIONER AND SAY WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO.

PLEASE REAPPOINT ME OR ... [LAUGHTER]

>> [SPEAKER OFF MIC]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: NO, NO, NO.

I THINK EVERYBODY GOT A RAISE FOR 2015.

2.5?

YEAH.

SO THAT'S GOOD.

THAT'S GOOD.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WE GET AN EXTRA HOUR OF MEETING TIME.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE START.

THERE IS A COPY OF A LETTER FROM MR. MERRILL TO US ON THE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PACKAGES THAT WE DISCUSSED IN JULY, AND IT'S IN FRONT OF YOU NOW.

WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS, BETH?

>>SPENCER KASS: MOVE TO APPROVE.

>> SECOND.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ALL IN FAVOR.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

OKAY.

THAT WILL GO OUT TODAY.

>>CRISTAN FADAL: WE ALREADY REQUESTED THIS, OR IS THIS ACTUALLY A SECONDARY REQUESTS?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THIS IS THE OFFICIAL REQUEST, THE OFFICIAL REQUEST.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET THE LETTER OUT.

I DIDN'T.

THANKFULLY, SPENCER REMINDED ME, AND HERE IT IS.

YEAH, SOMETIMES YOU NEED A BIGGER PUSH.

>>CRISTAN FADAL: YEAH, OKAY.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WHAT CAN I SAY?

OKAY.

ANY OTHER TOPICS?

AT 9:00, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE -- MA'AM?

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THIS JUST REMINDED ME OF ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE MIGHT WANT TO ASK MR. MERRILL AT SOME POINT IS WHAT ACTIONS THE COUNTY HAS TAKEN WITH THE CHANGES WITH CIVIL SERVICE OR THE ALLOWED CHANGES WITH CIVIL SERVICE.

BECAUSE, I MEAN, THE COUNTY WAS BEHIND THAT, AND SO.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: GOOD QUESTION.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I LOOKED AT THIS AND WAS LIKE, OH, THAT'S RIGHT.

>> I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT SPENCER WAS TALKING ABOUT OR NOT, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IS THE PREVIOUS CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS ABOUT DURING RECESSIONARY PERIODS, GOVERNMENTS TIGHTENING THE REINS AND LOOKING FOR AREAS TO CUT, AND THEN THAT NOT OCCURRING WHEN THE SALES TAX REVENUE IS INCREASING OR DURING NORMAL ECONOMIC PERIODS.

SO CAN WE ASK, THEN, WHAT IS THE COUNTY'S PLAN FOR FUTURE AREAS THAT THEY CAN CUT WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE THOSE AREAS?

SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, PERSONALLY, IS A RESPONSE BACK AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE GOING TO BE ANY OR NOT.

I MEAN, HOW THEY GO ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NECESSARILY NEED TO SEE ALL OF THAT, BUT JUST WILL THERE BE ANY ADDITIONAL REVIEWS OF DEPARTMENTS, AND ARE THERE ANY AREAS THAT ARE STILL OVERLAPPING THAT THEY CAN FIND SOME EFFICIENCIES ON THAT OR NOT?

AND WILL THAT OCCUR IN 2015-2016?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SO IF I HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL AREAS TO CUT BACK, AND THEN ANY DUPLICATIVE DEPARTMENTS?

>>KAY DOUGHTY: IT'S LIKE IF THEY ARE EXPANDING BECAUSE THERE WERE AREAS CUT, WHAT'S THE RATIONALE FOR EXPANDING?

>> AS AN EXAMPLE, THERE MAY BE AN EXPANSION THAT'S NOT AN INCREASE IN STAFF, BUT IT'S AN INCREASE IN, YOU KNOW, LABOR COSTS, AS AN EXAMPLE.

I MEAN, SO THAT'S DIFFERENT --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WE ALL DEAL WITH THAT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: YEAH, THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM AN ACTUAL INCREASE IN THE STAFF OR THE LEVEL OF THE SIZE OF A DEPARTMENT OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

SO I GUESS THE GENERAL QUESTION, ARE THERE ANY CUTS SLOTTED FOR BUDGET YEAR 2015-16?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH ENCOMPASSES THE QUESTION.

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION ON THE TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH HOMELESS INITIATIVE, AN TOW YO BYRD.

WELCOME.

I KNOW YOU HAVE AN EXCITING PROGRAM TO TELL US ABOUT THIS MORNING.

>> ANTOINETTE TRIPLETT IS THE CEO.

SHE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, SO I AM MAKING A PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL.

I GUESS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO IS TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEW TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH HOMELESS INITIATIVE.

OPERATION REVEILLE, THE EVENT WE DID ON VETERANS DAY, AND TO KIND OF RECAP THAT QUICKLY WITH HOW THHI WILL BE FUNCTIONING MOVING FORWARD.

THHI, OUR -- I GUESS I WILL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW I GOT HERE, AND THAT WILL KIND OF HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION IN WHICH WE WILL BE MOVING IN IN THE FUTURE.

MR. MERRILL, OFFICIALS FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA, AND THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION TRAVELED TO ST. LOUIS BACK IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR TO COME AND LOOK AT OUR SERVICES IN ST. LOUIS AND TO -- THEY WERE RECOMMENDED BY A HOMELESS OFFICIAL THAT WORKED ON THE THREE PRESIDENTS.

AND SO UNDER THAT RECOMMENDATION, THEY TRAVELED, AND WE HOSTED THEM FOR THREE TO FOUR DAYS, KIND OF EXPLAINING HOW WE RAN OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE IN ST. LOUIS.

FROM THAT, WE DID THREE MONTHS OF CONSULTING HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND FROM THAT ENDEAVOR, WE WERE OFFERED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAD UP THE INITIATIVE.

SO WHEN ME AND ANTOINETTE CAME, PART OF OUR 90-DAY PLAN WAS TO GO THROUGH OUR OBSERVATION PERIOD.

IT WAS NOT OUR EXPECTATIONS TO REALLY IMPLEMENT ANY MAJOR CHANGES OR DO ANY MAJOR PROJECTS, BUT BECAUSE WE DID OPERATION REVEILLE IN ST. LOUIS AND HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH IT, INDIVIDUALS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WERE EXTREMELY EAGER TO GET THAT PROJECT GOING HERE AS WELL.

SO MY CEO, ANTOINETTE, RECEIVED A CHALLENGE FROM A COUNTERPART WITH THE CITY TO DO IT THIS YEAR ON VETERANS DAY, AND WE, LIKE -- THAT'S LIKE LESS THAN TWO MONTHS.

LONG STORY SHORT, IT CAME TOGETHER.

IT REALLY COULD NOT BE BETTER.

OPERATION REVEILLE WAS PIONEERED IN ST. LOUIS, AND THE CONCEPT IS TO GET THE PRIVATE SECTOR, LOCAL, FEDERAL NONPROFIT AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER FOR ONE COMMON GOAL, AND FOR THAT PURPOSE TO HOUSE IN HOMELESSNESS FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.

THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT IT IS A LOT OF TIMES THE FUNDING SOURCES THAT COME WITH DIFFERENT NONPROFITS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES DON'T FIT NEATLY INTO A WORKING RELATIONSHIP, SO WE FIND AN UNORTHODOX WAY OF GETTING THEM TO WORK TOGETHER.

SO NOT NECESSARILY BLENDING THE FUNDING BUT PARALLELING THE FUNDING SO THAT THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER.

SO IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE DID IN ST. LOUIS.

IN ST. LOUIS, WE HEADED UP THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION FOR THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, SO WE WERE AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND WE RECEIVED ALL OF THE HOMELESS FUNDS FOR THE ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN AREA.

SO COC, ESG, TAX REVENUE DOLLARS, CDBG, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, AND WE OPERATED LIKE A $14 MILLION BUDGET.

BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO FINAGLE THE FUNDING EASIER.

HERE IT WASN'T THAT EASY.

SO WE HAD -- BECAUSE THE FUNDING IS HELD BY SO MANY PEOPLE, WE HAD VA WITH THEIR SFVF FUNDING, VOUCHERS; WE HAD THE CITY AND COUNTY THAT GOT DIFFERENT POTS; THEN WE GOT THE COC MONEY.

SO WHAT WE DID, INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE POT, WE HAD TO PARALLEL THE FUNDINGS TOGETHER.

SO YOU HAVE THE VET COME INTO THE PROGRAM UNDER GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH YOU CAN KIND OF HOUSE EVERYBODY WITH THAT, SO THERE'S NO FEDERAL REGULATIONS OR ATTACHMENTS TO IT.

SO FROM THE GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS, THE LEAD AGENCIES -- WHICH IS ACTS -- MAKES THE DETERMINATION FOR EACH VETERAN, WILL THIS VETERAN -- AND WHEN I SAY "VETERAN," UNDER OPERATION REVEILLE, THAT'S A PERSON WITH AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE, A PERSON WITH A DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE, OR OTHER DISCHARGE.

SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU GOT KICKED OUT OF THE MILITARY BECAUSE INSUBORDINATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU STILL QUALIFY FOR OPERATION REVEILLE IF YOU SERVED OUR COUNTRY.

THE VA STATUS IS IF YOU HAVE AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE AND YOU QUALIFY FOR VA MEDICAL BENEFITS PER SE.

SO OPERATION REVEILLE DEFINITION IS A LITTLE BROADER THAN WHAT THE VA USES.

SO THAT LEAD AGENCY WILL MAKE THE DETERMINATION, ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR VA SERVICES, WHICH IS SSVF AND HUD'S DASH?

IF NOT, ARE YOU CHRONICALLY HOMELESS?

YOU WILL GO TO COC FUNDING.

THEN IF YOU DON'T MEET EITHER OF THOSE CRITERIAS, THEN YOU WILL BE HOUSED UNDER ESG FUNDING.

SO THAT'S HOW --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: COULD I JUST ASK?

>> YES, MA'AM.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ESG?

>> I AM SORRY.

PLEASE STOP ME IF I DO A LOT OF THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE TALK, IN ALPHABET SOUPS.

SO ESG IS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT >>KAY DOUGHTY: IF YOU WOULD GO OVER ALL OF THE ALPHABET SOUP.

>> ESG IS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT.

THAT'S FUNDED UNDER HEAD AS WELL, TYPICALLY THROUGH THE CDBG AVENUE.

THEN COC IS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT -- ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AS IT IS THE NETWORK OF AGENCIES, BUT SINCE 2012, HUD ACTUALLY CALLS WHAT USED TO BE CALLED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM, THEY NOW CALL THAT COC FUNDING.

SO THEY CHANGED THE NAME OF IT.

SO COC CAN COME UP IN TWO DIFFERENT TERMS.

SO IT CAN COME UP IN THE NETWORK OF AGENCIES, AND IT ALSO CAN COME UP IN THE ACTUAL POT OF MONEY, THE FUNDING SOURCE.

AND CDBG IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: AND SSVF?

>> SSVF, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: IT SOUNDS LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

>> EXCUSE ME, ANTONIO.

COULD YOU HELP US OUT?

I APPRECIATE THE ACRONYMS.

COULD YOU HELP US OUT BY BREAKING DOWN THE FLOW OF THE FUNDING?

AS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING SOURCES AND BEFORE YOU GET DOWN ANY FURTHER DOWN THAT ROAD, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM AND WHERE IT'S ALLOCATED TO, SO THERE'S THE FEDERAL, THE LOCAL, AND HOW YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THAT?

THANK YOU.

>> SO THE FLOW I JUST GAVE YOU IN THE DETERMINATION CRITERIA IS THE FLOW OF THE FUNDING.

SO THE FIRST POT OF MONEY IS THE GENERAL REVENUE FUND, SO THAT POT IS COMING FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

THEY CALL IT BRIDGE HOUSING OR BRIDGE FUNDING HERE.

AND SO THAT'S -- THE DIFFERENT POTS -- IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 1.7 MILLION ALTOGETHER.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF WHERE ALL THE DOLLARS CAME FROM AT THE MOMENT.

SO THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING, WE HAVE TWO AGENCIES THAT RECEIVE THOSE AWARDS.

THAT'S CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND ACTS.

ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT INCORPORATED.

AND THEN OUR TWO VA, SSVF AGENCIES, ARE ST. VINCENT de PAUL AND TAMPA CROSSROADS.

SO THEY RECEIVE VOUCHERS PER SE TO HOUSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR VA.

A SOME OF THOSE RECEIVE ROUGHLY 100 BEDS, CATHOLIC CHARITIES 150 BEDS.

SO WE GOT ROUGHLY ALMOST 500 BEDS BETWEEN THE FOUR AGENCIES.

AND DURING OPERATION REVEILLE, WE HAD 79 VETERANS IDENTIFIED OUT OF THE 90, AND 51 RECEIVED HOUSING ON THAT DAY.

SO MOVING INTO THAT, I WILL SHOW YOU THREE CLIPS.

THE FIRST CLIP IS THE PSA THAT WENT OUT WHERE COMMISSIONER MURMAN AND MAYOR BUCKHORN DID TOGETHER, IN WHICH TURNED OUT REALLY, REALLY WELL.

FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY EVER PROJECTED INFORMATION TOGETHER, SO WE WERE REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT.

THEN THE SECOND CLIP I WILL SHOW YOU IS A RETROACTIVE CLIP PRIOR TO OPERATION REVEILLE, BASICALLY THE WAY THAT SERVICES EXISTED PRIOR TO MINE AND ANTOINETTE'S ARRIVAL, BUT IT'S STILL CURRENTLY THE WAY IT'S OPERATING.

THEN THE LAST CLIP I WILL SHOW YOU IS THE RECAP OF OPERATION REVEILLE, SO YOU WILL HEAR FROM SOME OF THE CLIENTS THAT RECEIVED HOUSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THAT WILL HELP ME WITHIN THE LAST THREE TO FIVE MINUTES KIND OF EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW THHI WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION.

HOW DO YOU GET SOUND?

>>SPENCER KASS: CAN THE CABLE PEOPLE SEND SOMEBODY DOWN HERE TO PLEASE HELP?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I CAN'T EVEN GET MY DVR TO WORK, SO ABSOLUTELY.

THERE WE GO.

[INAUDIBLE VIDEO BEING PLAYED]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WE CAN HEAR THAT.

THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.

[INAUDIBLE]

[LAUGHTER]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

OKAY.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YOU NEED TO BE ON THE MICROPHONE.

>> SO EVEN THOUGH THHI IS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, IT IS NOT IDENTIFIED AS THE UNIFIED FUNDING AGENCY.

AND UNIFIED FUNDING AGENCY, BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS THHI WILL BE THE SOLE GRANTEE FOR ALL FUNDS COMING FROM HUD.

RIGHT NOW, SOME AGENCIES ARE THEIR OWN GRANTEES, SUCH AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND THAT GRANTEE BASICALLY MEANS THHI HAS PROJECTS THAT ARE SUBCONTRACTED TO AGENCIES.

WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY ARE NOT A SUBCONTRACTOR; THEY ARE THEIR OWN GRANTEE.

SO HUD WOULD HAVE TO MONITOR THE PROJECTS THAT THHI IS FUNDING, AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO GO AND MONITOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

SO AS A UNIFIED FUNDING AGENCY, HUD WOULD ONLY HAVE TO MONITOR ONLY THHI, AND WE WILL, IN TURN, MONITOR ALL THE AGENCIES THAT ARE FUNDED WITH THE COC CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDS.

IF THAT MAKE SENSE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SPENCER.

>>SPENCER KASS: LET ME ASK YOU, WOULD THAT, THEN, MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT OR MAKE IT SO THAT THERE'S MORE FUNDS AVAILABLE, NOT GOING TO OVERHEAD COSTS, BUT GO TO THE PROGRAMS THEMSELVES?

>> YES, SIR, AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THHI IS CURRENTLY GETTING A LITTLE PAY FROM IT, BUT THE WAY WE WILL GET PAY FROM IT IS WITH THE ADMIN DOLLARS.

SO UNDER THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING, ADMIN IS 5%, AND IT CAN BE SPLIT 50/50 BETWEEN THE GRANTEE AND SUBGRANTEES, SO BASICALLY 2.5%.

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW A LEAD AGENCY GETS PAID.

EVEN THOUGH THHI IS A NONPROFIT, WE WILL NOT BE DOING ANY FUND-RAISING EFFORTS TO GO TOWARDS OUR STAFFING OR ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS.

IF WE DO ANY FUND-RAISING, IT WILL BE FOR PROJECTS SUCH AS OPERATION REVEILLE OR ANY FUTURE PROJECTS SO THAT THOSE FUNDS WILL GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LEE, YOU HAD A QUESTION?

>>LEE LOWRY: YEAH, I ACTUALLY SAT ON THE YOUTH TASK FORCE FOR THE INITIATIVE LAST YEAR.

I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, ENOUGH TO BE DANGEROUS, I'M SURE.

FIRST OF ALL, I KNOW ST. LOUIS IS REALLY THE MODEL FOR DOING IT RIGHT, SO IT'S GREAT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE COME HERE TO BRING YOUR MODEL.

>> THANK YOU.

>>LEE LOWRY: BUT I KNOW WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN THIS, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>>LEE LOWRY: SO CAN YOU JUST GIVE US -- BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S FUNDING THAT GOES ALONG WITH DEPENDING -- ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF.

SO CAN YOU GIVE US A DEFINITION?

I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

>> YES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO YEAH, SO THERE ARE SEVERAL DEFINITIONS OF HOMELESSNESS OUT THERE.

WHAT I CAN PULL UP RIGHT NOW IS THREE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS.

SO THE FIRST DEFINITION OF THE McKINNEY VETO ACT, YOU HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD DEFINITION, WHICH IS BASICALLY A FAMILY OR CHILD THAT DOES NOT HAVE A HOUSEHOLD OF THEIR OWN, THAT THEY ARE BASICALLY COUCH SURFING.

SO ONE MINUTE THEY ARE AT THEIR GRANDMA'S, NEXT MINUTE THEY ARE AT THEIR UNCLE'S, AND WITH THE COUCH SURFING, IT HINDERS THEIR PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL, BASICALLY AFFECTS THEIR ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC ABILITY.

THE SECOND DEFINITION IS SIMILAR TO THE SCHOOL BOARD BUT WHAT THE GENERAL POPULATION CALLS HOMELESS, AND AGAIN, THAT'S BASICALLY AN ADULT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A HOUSEHOLD OF THEIR OWN, AND THEY ARE LIVING WITH THEIR FRIEND OR, YOU KNOW, THEIR COUSIN, AND THEN THEY SAY, OH, I DON'T HAVE A PLACE, SO I AM HOMELESS.

AND THEN THERE IS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE DEFINITION THAT HUD USES, WHICH IS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS LITERALLY LIVING ON THE STREETS IN A PLACE NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION AND EMERGENCY SHELTER OR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS CONSIDERED TO BE HOMELESS.

SO YOU HAVE TO LITERALLY BE ON THE STREETS TO BE HOMELESS UNDER HUD CONTINUUM OF CARE DEFINITION.

SO THHI FOCUS IS TO TARGET SERVICES FOR THAT PARTICULAR POPULATION.

THAT'S THE PRIMARY, I GUESS, TARGET POPULATION.

THE SECONDARY PRIMARY TARGET POPULATION IS THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT FIT WITHIN THOSE DEFINITIONS.

AND THE BEST WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS IS THROUGH PREVENTION EFFORTS.

SO STILL UTILIZING -- UTILIZING EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT FUNDS OR GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS.

BASICALLY USE PREVENTION DOLLARS TO, ONE, EITHER PROVIDE MEDIATION ASSISTANCE, WHETHER IT'S TENANT-LANDLORD MEDIATION TO KEEP A PERSON WITHIN THEIR HOME, AND THAT'S BASICALLY BRINGING RENT UP TO GOOD STANDING, OR IT'S HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH A CHILD'S PARENT TO KEEP THEM IN THE HOUSEHOLD.

AND THEN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IS RELOCATING THAT PERSON, IF A PERSON IS IN A HOME THAT IS GOING TO BE CONDEMNED OR THE LANDLORD IS NOT KEEPING THE UNIT UP TO CODE, THEN WE CAN UTILIZE SOME OF THESE PREVENTION FUNDS TO REHOUSE THAT INDIVIDUAL IN A FUNCTIONING UNIT.

SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THE PREVENTION SERVICES WORKS.

>>LEE LOWRY: AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS THE COUNT.

DO YOU GUYS HAVE A PLAN FOR THE COUNT, AND DO YOU HAVE SOME DIFFERENT WAYS TO SORT OF SEEK THOSE PEOPLE OUT AND GET A REALLY SOLID NUMBER?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WAY, I GUESS, WE DO THE COUNT UP NORTH AS IT RELATES TO DOWN SOUTH, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE DIFFERENT, IS THAT UP NORTH WE DO HOT SPOT COUNTING.

SO OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS ON THE AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEDS, EMERGENCY SHELTER, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND WE STILL COUNT OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND PERMANENT HOUSING BEDS AS WELL JUST TO HAVE THAT NUMBER FOR REPORTING PURPOSES.

BUT THE FOCUS IS ON THE EMERGENCY SHELTERS, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AGENCIES.

THEN THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT IS AT LUNCH SITES.

IN ST. LOUIS, WE HAVE A LOT OF LUNCH SITES, CHURCHES, AND WE PRETTY MUCH IDENTIFIED ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS.

SO WE'LL HAVE A TEAM STRUCTURED JUST TO GO TO THAT FACILITY AND COUNT THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

AND THEN THE THIRD IS THE STREET COUNT.

SO THE STREET COUNT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IN THE PAST -- AT LEAST I KNOW FROM THE LAST POINT IN TIME COUNT THEY DID -- THEY BLANKET THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, THEY DID THE COUNT.

I THINK THEY SPENT MAYBE TEN HOURS COUNTING PEOPLE.

THAT IS A BAD STRATEGY TO COUNT BECAUSE HUD'S FOCUS IS ON A POINT IN TIME.

THE NATIONAL POINT IN TIME IS 11 A.M. TO 1 P.M. ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND THEN ALSO, THE OTHER DIFFERENCE IS THAT BECAUSE OF GASPARILLA -- I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT -- [LAUGHTER] -- I'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT THAT.

BECAUSE OF THAT, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GETS PERMISSION TO HAVE OUR POINT H IN-TIME COUNT DONE IN FEBRUARY INSTEAD OF IN JANUARY WHEN THE NATIONAL COUNT IS HAPPENING, LAST WEEK OF JANUARY IS WHEN IT HAPPENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE TO DECREASE THE TIME IN WHICH THE COUNT IS TAKING PLACE, SO TRY TO FOCUS IN ON THAT 11 TO 1 P.M. TIME.

OR MAY HAVE TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT SPENDING TEN HOURS MAKING THE COUNT.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO COUNT EVERYBODY.

I THINK WHEN YOU BLANKET, YOU ARE LITERALLY TRYING TO COUNT EVERYBODY.

AND IT'S NOT MEANT TO HAPPEN THAT WAY.

THE SECOND THING IS THAT EVEN IF YOU DO TRY TO COUNT EVERYBODY, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE DUPLICATIONS BECAUSE YOU ARE SPENDING TEN HOURS COUNTING, WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TEAM DEDICATED TO GO STRICTLY TO A LUNCH SITE AND STAY THERE AND YOU HAVE THEM KIND OF LIKE, OH, THIS IS OUR AREA AND THAT'S HOW THEY DO IT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SO IF THEIR AREA IS IN THE BRANDON/RIVERVIEW/RUSKIN AREA, SO YOU'VE GOT A TEAM OF LET'S JUST SAY 40 PEOPLE AND IT'S THEIR JOB TO BLANKET THAT ENTIRE AREA, SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME IN AND OUT OF THE LUNCH SITES.

SO YOU RUN INTO THE RISK OF COUNTING THEM ON THE STREETS AND INSIDE THE BUILDING BY THE TIME YOU GET IN THERE.

IF YOU HAVE A TEAM GO DIRECTLY TO THE LUNCH SITES, THEY ARE THERE FROM 11 TO 3 OR WHATEVER THE TIME MAY BE, IT'S FOCUSED, IT'S ISOLATED.

THEN YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE DO THE STREET COUNT.

IT KIND OF MINIMIZES THE DUPLICATION.

AND THEN UTILIZING DATA.

THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU CAN -- THE PURPOSE OF THE POINT H IN-TIME COUNT IS TO TELL A STORY.

IT'S HARD TO TELL THE STORY IF YOU CAN'T TELL PEOPLE HOW THE NUMBER HAS DECREASED OR INCREASED.

SO HAVING SOME STRATEGY BEHIND IT INSTEAD OF JUST TRYING TO COVER THE ENTIRE COUNTY TO SAY WE COUNTED EVERYBODY.

BUT WHEN YOU FOCUS IN ON HOT SPOTS, LUNCH SITES, THEN THE AGENCIES THEMSELVES, HAVING THE AGENCIES ACTUALLY PULL THAT INFORMING OUT OF THE HMIS DATABASE, HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, HAVING THEM PULL THAT INFORMATION OUT WOULD HELP WITH THE COUNT.

SO THAT'S HOW WE WILL BE DOING THE COUNT MOVING FORWARD.

>>LEE LOWRY: THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE VIDEO BEING PLAYED]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YES.

>> THANK YOU.

THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY ENJOY ABOUT BEING HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AT LEAST FOR THE PURPOSES OF OPERATION REVEILLE, THINGS ARE DONE ON A GRANDER SCALE.

LIKE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO IT REALLY MAKES IT WORTHWHILE WHEN YOU PUT ON A PROJECT LIKE THAT.

SO THE NEXT ONE I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU ALL IS THE RETROACTIVE VIDEO FROM OPERATION REVEILLE.

[INAUDIBLE VIDEO BEING PLAYED]

>> SO FAR, OPERATION REVEILLE HAD 350 VOLUNTEERS FROM CITIZENS, LOCAL AGENCIES, NONPROFIT, THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

ASHLEY FURNITURE DONATED ALL THE FURNISHINGS FOR ALL 50 UNITS.

WE HAD THE TAMPA BAY RAYS WERE THE FIRST PRIVATE ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR OPERATION REVEILLE.

THEN WE HAD TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING AS WELL.

I MEAN, ALL THE WAY FROM McDONALD'S TO HOOTERS, I MEAN, EVERYBODY WAS REALLY INVOLVED.

THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHELLED OUT FOR THIS PURPOSE.

AND EVEN THOUGH OPERATION REVEILLE'S FOCUS IS TO TARGET IN ON THE VETERANS, IT IS NOT THE END OF THE CONCEPT OF WHAT WE DID, WHICH IS RAPID REHOUSING, TAKING AN INDIVIDUAL DIRECTLY OFF THE STREETS AND PUT THEM IN A HOUSE WITHIN EIGHT HOURS.

THIS CONCEPT WILL ROLL OVER TO TARGET OTHER POPULATIONS, SUCH AS THE YOUTH POPULATION, THE CHRONIC HOMELESS POPULATION, AND THEN ALSO THE POPULATION WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT CHRONICALLY HOMELESS AND THEY DON'T FIT NEATLY INTO A UNIQUE CATEGORY, SUCH ADDS BEING A VETERAN.

BUT A MOTHER THAT IS PREGNANT WITH A CHILD OR A HUSBAND AND WIFE THAT JUST FELL ON HARD TIMES, THIS IS THE MODEL THAT THHI WILL BE UTILIZING MOVING FORWARD.

OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO GET INDIVIDUALS OFF THE STREETS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO MINIMIZE THE FUNDING USED IN OTHER AREAS, SUCH AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS VISITING THE EMERGENCY ROOM FREQUENTLY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO PROPERLY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.

WE LIKE TO SAY THAT HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE, THAT -- IN THE RETROACTIVE VIDEO YOU HEARD, WHICH WAS PRIOR TO OPERATION REVEILLE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS TALKED ABOUT HOW THEIR HEALTH INCREASED BECAUSE THEY HAD A STABLE PLACE TO LIVE.

YOU CAN TAKE YOUR MEDICATIONS REGULARLY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM GETTING STOLEN OR THROWN AWAY BECAUSE YOU'RE STASHING THEM IN A PARK OR AN ENCAMPMENT.

THEY FIND JOBS AND GET HEALTH BENEFITS.

SO IT REDUCES THE COST FOR EVERYBODY IN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR, THE POLICE CAN THEN UTILIZE THAT TIME AND ENERGY TOWARDS OTHER AREAS, ACTUALLY FIGHTING CRIME AND NOT SPENDING TIME RESPONDING TO NUISANCE.

SO IT WAS RFP, RECENTLY PUT OUT -- REQUEST FOR FUNDING PROPOSALS, RECENTLY PUT OUT A [INAUDIBLE]

THAT IS ANOTHER CONCEPT THAT ANTOINETTE AND I CAME UP WITH.

BASICALLY, IT'S PUTTING THE OPERATION REVEILLE CONCEPT INTO A BUILDING, MAKING IT A PART OF THE NORMAL I WITH A OF DOING BUSINESS, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST ON A ONE-DAY EVENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND OPERATION REVEILLE IS STILL ONGOING.

EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THAT GRAND EVENT ON THAT DAY, WE ARE STILL HOUSING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ELIGIBLE ON THAT DAY.

SO EVEN THOUGH 51 VETERANS GOT HOUSED THE DAY OF THE EVENT, WE HAD TWO OF THOSE REMAINING 27 PEOPLE GET HOUSED WITHIN THE LAST WEEK.

SO IT IS AN ONGOING EFFORT.

IT DOESN'T END.

WE WILL FOCUS IN ON THE 51 VETERANS, THEN WE ARE LOOKING TO DO OPERATION REVEILLE -- I AM THINKING WE MAY ONLY HAVE TO DO IT ONE MORE TIME TO GET THE JOB DONE SO THAT WE CAN MEET THE NATIONAL GOAL OF ENDING VET HOMELESSNESS BY 2015.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY THE VETERAN POPULATION IS A PRIMARY TARGET RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE THE DEADLINE IS SOONER.

CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IS 2016, TO END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.

I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL EXCEED THAT EXPECTATION IN TERMS OF GETTING THAT DONE BEFORE 2016.

WE'LL HAVE IT DONE.

THEN THE LAST THING I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH A CENTRALIZED INTAKE HOTLINE.

RIGHT NOW, IF A PERSON IS LIVING ON THE STREETS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE A NUMBER THAT THEY CAN PICK UP AND CALL AND GET IMMEDIATE SERVICES OR BE REFERRED TO IMMEDIATE HELP, WHETHER IT'S -- ANY TYPE OF SOCIAL SERVICES THAT THEY MAY NEED.

SO THE FUTURE ASPECT IS WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH AN AGENCY TO OPERATE THE HOTLINE SO WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL CALLS, THAT AGENCY CAN LOOK INTO THE HOMELESS DATABASE AND SEE WHAT AGENCIES HAVE WHAT BEDS.

RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CALL 211, ALL THEY CAN GIVE YOU IS A LIST OF AGENCIES, AND THEN HAVE YOU GO TO EACH INDIVIDUAL AGENCY.

SO THAT CAN BE EXHAUSTING FOR A PERSON THAT IS DESPERATELY SEEKING HELP, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A CHILD AND YOU ARE ON THE STREETS, THEN I GOT TO GO KNOCK ON ALL THESE DOORS JUST TO GET HELP, INSTEAD OF JUST COME TO ANTONIO, I CAN PICK UP THE PHONE, AND I CAN SEE EVERYBODY AND THEN TELL YOU, OKAY, THIS PERSON HAS, YOU KNOW TWO BEDS, AND THEN ACTUALLY MAKE THE REFERRAL IN THE SYSTEM AND TELL THAT PERSON YOU GOT 24 HOURS TO GET THERE.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: KAY, I KNOW YOU HAD A QUESTION.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON LEE'S -- LEE, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT THE DEFINITIONS.

I WORK FOR A SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AGENCY, AND I ATTENDED A MEETING ON TUESDAY, A STATEWIDE MEETING, WHERE THE WHOLE ISSUE OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS CAME UP, AND I WAS INTERESTED IN YOU SAYING ONE OF THE DEFINITIONS SAYS IF YOU ARE IN A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FACILITY, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN TREATMENT OFTEN GO TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, YOU KNOW, TO REINTEGRATE INTO THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO WHEN THEY LEAVE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD WITH THE FUNDING THAT THE STATE IS GIVING -- I MEAN, HAS ALLOCATED FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE AGENCIES OR OTHERS TO SET UP TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS THEY ARE NOT HOMELESS.

AND SO I WONDER IF YOU'VE HAD THAT KIND OF THING, WHERE DEFINITIONS -- AND THEN ALONG WITH THAT, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THIS IS FEDERAL MONIES THAT YOU ARE WORKING WITH, IS THERE ANY LIMITATION ON PEOPLE'S CRIMINAL RECORD FOR ALLOWING THEM TO USE THAT?

BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE DEAL WITH ALL THE TIME.

>> YES.

SO WHAT I AM HEARING IS A TWO-PART QUESTION.

SO ONE IS ADDRESSING THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS AS IT RELATES TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: CORRECT.

>> AND THEN THE SECOND PART IS LIMITATIONS PERTAINING TO A PERSON BEING ABLE TO ACCESS SERVICES BECAUSE OF THEIR CRIMINAL BACKGROUND.

THAT'S CORRECT?

SO THE FIRST PART IS ONE THING THAT I NOTICED WHILE BEING IN TAMPA -- AND THIS IS WITHIN THAT THREE-MONTH CONSULTING PERIOD UNTIL CURRENTLY -- IS THAT SOME AGENCIES HAVE A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

HUD'S DEFINITION OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS 24 MONTHS WITH WRAPAROUND SERVICES.

SO THE OLD MODEL WAS YOU GO TO EMERGENCY SHELTER, AND THEN IN THE EMERGENCY SHELTER OR EVEN BRIDGE HOUSING, THEY ARE TRYING TO GET YOU DOCUMENT READY.

THAT'S A GOOD THING, BUT THE OTHER THING, IT SLOWS THAT PERSON DOWN AS WELL BECAUSE THAT PERSON, IF THEY ARE NOT AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS THE CAPABILITY OF GOING DIRECTLY INTO A HOUSING UNIT, THEN I WOULD IMMEDIATELY PUT THEM IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND LET THEM BECOME DOCUMENT READY THERE.

SO I HAVE COME ACROSS AGENCIES THAT SAY THEY ARE A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM, BUT THE LIMITATIONS IS EIGHT MONTHS.

UNDER THE HUD DEFINITION, THAT IS NOT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

I MEAN, IT'S TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR THE AGENCY, BUT THEY COULDN'T RECEIVE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FUNDS THROUGH HUD BECAUSE THE REQUIREMENT IS 24 MONTHS.

SO WITHIN THAT 24-MONTH TIME, IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AGENCY TO GET THAT FAMILY AS CLOSE TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AS POSSIBLE AND THEN MAKE THE REFERRAL TO PERMANENT HOUSING IF THEY ARE THERE OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IF THEY HAVE SOME FORM OF DISABILITY WHERE THEY RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND GET THAT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING.

THE SECOND PART IS THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND.

AS LONG AS THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING FRAUDULENT AS IT RELATES TO FEDERAL FUNDING, THEY QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM.

WHAT WE FIND IS A LOT OF TIMES THESE AGENCIES PUT ALL OF THESE BARRIERS UP.

IT'S NOT HUD FUNDING THAT IS CAUSING THE BARRIERS.

IF AN AGENCY -- IT DOESN'T MATTER IF A PERSON HAS A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND OR NOT.

THEY CAN GO.

IF YOU HAVE HOUSING RESTRICTIONS, IT MAY HINDER YOUR ACCESS TO ONE PARTICULAR PROGRAM OVER ANOTHER.

>> WHAT WE NORMALLY TRY TO GET IS SECTION 8, AND YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY CRIMINAL HISTORY.

>> AND THE REASON WHY IS WITH SECTION 8, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HUD FUNDING, IT'S A DIFFERENT POT.

WE MOSTLY DEAL WITH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDS AND THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS FUNDS.

SO THOSE FUNDS DO A LOT FOR THEM, BUT SECTION 8 DOESN'T BECAUSE IT'S VOUCHER BASED.

SO THEY WON'T.

IT'S JUST LIKE FOOD STAMPS.

THEY WON'T ALLOW PEOPLE WITH --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: DO YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS TO SOAR, SSI AND DSI?

>> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CLEARLY DEFINE THE SOAR REPRESENTATIVE HERE IN TAMPA.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING ON BECAUSE IN ST. LOUIS, WE BELIEVE IN SOAR.

WE HAD OVER 11 AGENCIES IDENTIFIED TO DO SOAR TRAINING.

SO WE HAD SOAR TRAINING ALMOST EVERY MONTH.

IT WORKS.

IT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET IT DONE.

SO WE WILL BE IDENTIFYING A SOAR REP.

IF THERE IS NO SOAR REP HERE IN TAMPA, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET A PERSON TRAINED.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I DON'T REMEMBER THE ACRONYM.

I JUST KNOW THE PROGRAM.

>> SOMETIMES I CAN REMEMBER, SOMETIMES I CAN'T.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I KNEW YOU KNEW WHAT IT WAS.

>> IT'S LONG.

I CAN'T CALL IT UNLESS I LOOK IT UP ON MY CELL PHONE.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: IT'S A WAY OF GETTING PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS CONNECTED WITH SSI AND SSDI BENEFITS.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THE S STANDS FOR SSI/SSDI, BUT THAT'S ALL I REMEMBER.

>> YEAH, ME TOO.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.

YOU SAID ASHLEY FURNITURE DONATED ALL THE FURNITURE NECESSARY?

>> THEY DID.

>> ARE THESE VETERANS GETTING ANY ELECTRONIC STUFF, IN OTHER WORDS, A TV AND STUFF LIKE THAT?

>> ASHLEY FURNITURE DID DONATE ALL THE FURNITURE, SO WE HAVE 50 -- NOW WE HAVE 54 VETERANS ALREADY IN HOUSING.

AND THEY DID -- THE ONLY ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS THAT THEY GOT IS A COMPUTER FROM COMPUTER MENTORS.

THEY DONATED A COMPUTER TO EACH UNIT.

BUT THE VET DID NOT GET A TV OR DVD PLAYERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

WELL, SOME MAY HAVE BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT A -- WE CALLED INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ASSISTING THE VETERANS BUDDIES, SO ONE -- IT WAS A COUPLE THAT HAD A VET, AND THEY WERE THE BUDDY FOR THE VET, THEY ACTUALLY DID DONATE A TV TO THAT VETERAN.

SO SOMETIMES YOU HEAR VETS THAT GOT THINGS THAT OTHER VETS DIDN'T GET BECAUSE THE VOLUNTEER THEMSELVES GAVE THOSE THINGS, WHETHER IT'S A COFFEE POT OR IT WAS A TV OR VIDEO GAME SYSTEM, AND THEN THEY LIKE, OH, I DIDN'T GET -- THAT PERSON GOT A TV.

I DIDN'T GET -- OH, THAT WASN'T PART OF THE PROGRAM.

BUT THROUGH OPERATION REVEILLE, NO, THEY DIDN'T GET A TV, JUST A COMPUTER.

>> I WANT TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION.

WHAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT DO YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE LIKE ASHLEY FURNITURE WHO DONATES ALL THAT STUFF?

>> YES, SO OUR PROMOTION PIECE OF THAT WAS WE HAD T-SHIRTS.

ALL OF THE SPONSORS -- ACTUALLY, ALL OF THE PARTNERS WENT -- EVERY PERSON THAT WAS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN OPERATION REVEILLE WAS PUT ONTO THE BACK OF A T-SHIRT.

AS WELL, WE HAD HUGE POSTERBOARDS, AND THAT'S A THING I LOVE, LIKE THE POSTER BOARDS ARE BIGGER THAN THE SIZE OF THE BOARDS BEHIND YOU.

SO WE HAD A HUGE POSTERBOARD THIS HAD ALL THOSE PARTNERS ON IT.

BUT THEN WE HAD A BOARD SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT DONATED OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SO ASHLEY FURNITURE WAS AT THE TOP.

WE DID IT BASED OFF THE MILITARY RANKING, SO WE HAD, YOU KNOW, FOUR STAR, THREE STAR, TWO STAR, ONE STAR, SO WE DID THAT AS WELL.

AND ALL OF THE MEDIA COVERAGE, WHICH IS THIS -- THIS IS ACTUALLY AN OLD LIST ALREADY BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO GET A NEW, UPDATED DOCUMENT, BUT THIS IS ALL THE MEDIA COVERAGE THAT TOOK PLACE AROUND OPERATION REVEILLE.

YEAH, I KNOW YOU ALL CAN'T SEE THAT.

I AM SORRY.

BUT IT'S A FULL-PAGE DOCUMENT THAT HAD ALL THE MEDIA COVERAGE IN IT.

AND SO IN THAT COVERAGE, WE ALSO MENTIONED ASHLEY FURNITURE, THE RAYS AND LIGHTNING, THE BIG CONTRIBUTORS, AND EXPLAINING WE HAD OVER 50 PARTNER AGENCIES AND MENTIONING SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SPENCER?

>>SPENCER KASS: TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.

IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU, THE OTHER PHASES FOR OTHER POPULATION GROUPS, YOU WILL BE [INAUDIBLE]

THE NEXT TWO YEARS?

>> YES, SIR.

>>SPENCER KASS: I KNOW YOU DISCUSSED THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION OF GENERAL FUNDS.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION?

>> SO THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION WAS GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS AND ESG FUNDS.

AND THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION WAS ESG FUNDS.

>>SPENCER KASS: THANK YOU.

>> YES, SIR.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: KIMBER.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I HAVE TO APPLAUD YOU VERY MUCH.

I AM A WIFE OF A VETERAN.

THIS IS CLOSE TO THE HEART.

AND MY HUSBAND OWNS HIS OWN COMPANY, SO WE TRY TO EMPLOY VETERANS AS WELL.

SICKENS ME TO FIND OUT THAT THESE MEN AND WOMEN GO OVER AND DEFEND OUR COUNTRY, AND WE'RE UNABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM WHEN THEY GET BACK.

SO I WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU TO FIND OUT HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR VENTURE HERE.

AT THE SAME TIME, DO YOU ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH THE 50 PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PLACE TO SEE IF THEY DO FIND A JOB, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY STAY ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

BECAUSE SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, LIFE CONTINUES TO THROW YOU A FEW HARD KNOCKS OR WHATNOT, AND YOU FALL BACK TO WHERE YOU MAY HAVE STARTED BEFORE.

SO OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM TON TO BE ABLE TO GET A JOB AND SURVIVE IN SOCIETY BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME BACK AND THEN HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOCIETY NOT ACCEPTING YOU BACK, YOU KNOW -- I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING.

>> ABSOLUTELY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THAT.

I FOCUS SO MUCH ON THE BIG PICTURE, AND THAT'S JUST HOW I THINK, SO SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE PEOPLE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LOGISTICAL --

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: THE LITTLE PICTURE?

>> WELL, IT'S STILL BIG, BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT PIECES THAT MAKE THE PICTURE COME TOGETHER.

AND THAT IS THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THE VETS WILL BE RECEIVING.

SO AGAIN, LIKE I WAS TALKING ABOUT, ACTS IS THE PRIMARY AGENCY AT THIS MOMENT, AND THEN WHEN THE VETS GET REFERRED TO THE VETERAN OR THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AGENCIES, AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT THE FOUR DIFFERENT AGENCIES, TWO WERE VA FUNDED AND TWO WERE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDED.

SO WHEN A VET GETS REFERRED TO THOSE AGENCIES, THE REFERRAL IS FOR THE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

SO THAT CASE MANAGER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE VETS STAY ON THE PATH, DEVELOPING A GOAL PLAN.

SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE RECEIVING BENEFITS, SO NOT NECESSARILY -- YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY INCREASE THEIR INCOME, YOU KNOW, IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MORE VA BENEFITS.

WE DO HAVE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE THAT SPECIALIZES IN DOING THAT, BUT ALSO IF THEY WANT TO GO GET A COMPUTER CLASS OR ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO, THAT IS THE JOB OF THE AGENCY AND THE CASE MANAGERS TO ASSIST THOSE VETERANS WITH THAT.

AND THEN THE ULTIMATE GOAL, AGAIN, IS TO GET THEM TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY, SO LIKE WE DID WITH OPERATION REVEILLE, WE JUST BROUGHT AUTOPSY OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES TOGETHER, AND THEN THEY ARE ALREADY CONNECTED, SO DENTAL EXAMS AND CLEANINGS, THAT'S ALREADY SET UP.

SO EVERY VET WILL RECEIVE FREE DENTAL TREATMENTS, CLEANINGS, SOME WILL RECEIVE ORAL SURGERY, AND SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

STILL JUST TRYING TO THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD NEED.

SOCIAL SECURITY IS AT THE TABLE, SO IF A VET NEEDS TO GET TEMPORARY ID CARD AND GET A NEW SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, THEY CAN GET THAT.

WE HAVE DMV ON SITE, SO SOME VETS GOT IDs THE DAY OF THE EVENT.

I MEAN, ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY ON THE RIGHT PATH.

BUT IT WILL BE ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT THAT REALLY WILL BE THE GAME CHANGER IN KEEPING THE VETS ON THE RIGHT PATH.

I THINK THE IDEA OF THEM COMING ANYWAY GIVES US GREAT HOPE THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH BECAUSE IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET SOME OF THEM TO COME TO THE DOOR AND SAY, HEY, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE A KEY FOR THEM AND YOU HAVE A HOME, SOMETIMES IT GETS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID, AND THEY HAVE BEEN FAILED SO MANY TIMES.

AND SO THE FACT THAT YOU ARE TELLING THEM I GOT A KEY -- I HAVE A KEY AND A HOUSE FOR YOU, IT SEEMS LIKE TALK.

FOR SOME OF THEM, IT DIDN'T BECOME REAL FOR THEM UNTIL THEY WENT INTO THAT DOOR AND MAYBE EVEN WHEN THEY SLEPT IN THAT UNIT THAT NIGHT THAT, WOW, THIS REALLY HAPPENED.

BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE KEY.

THAT'S REALLY -- THAT'S WHEN THE PROGRAM STARTS.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: JOE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

>>JOSEPH WICKER: ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. BYRD.

SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

HOW MANY -- BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SUCCESSFULLY, AND I IMAGINE YOU HAVE SOME THAT LEAVE UNSUCCESSFULLY.

BUT HOW MANY NEW HOMELESS ARE COMING INTO THE SYSTEM, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS?

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?

>> I DON'T.

AS YOU KNOW, THE LAST -- IF THE LAST TWO POINT-IN-TIME COUNTS WERE, I WOULD SAY, IN GOOD STANDING, THEN I WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME ISSUES AROUND THE POINT-IN-TIME COUNT PRIOR TO THE LAST ONE, THEN IT MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GIVE THAT TYPE OF NUMBER.

SO THE ONLY NUMBER I HAVE TO GO OFF OF IS THE LAST POINT-IN-TIME COUNT, WHICH THE COMMUNITY AND -- I WOULD SAY THE COMMUNITY DEEMED THAT THAT WAS THE CLOSEST TO THE MOST ACCURATE POINT IN TIME COUNT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: AND HOW MANY PAID STAFF DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE?

>> YES, SIR, IT'S ACTUALLY TEN OF US, SO IT'S THE CEO AND MYSELF, WE HAVE OUR CFO, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OFFICE MANAGER, WHICH IS THE ASSISTANT.

AND THEN WE HAVE THREE HMIS BECAUSE OUR ORGANIZATION FUNDS AND OPERATES THE HOMELESS INFORMATION -- HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SO WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED TO THAT.

AND WE HAVE SOME OTHER PROGRAM STAFF THAT OVERSEE, LIKE COC AND SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF.

AND THAT'S THE THING.

THHI CURRENTLY -- AND THIS IS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE TIME BECAUSE WE WERE SO CAUGHT INTO OPERATION REVEILLE AND DOING THAT -- AND THIS WAS DONE WITHIN OUR 90-DAY PROBATIONAL PERIOD.

SO AGAIN, THAT WAS OUR FOCUS WAS TO OBSERVE AND BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

BUT BECAUSE WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING OPERATION REVEILLE EARLY WITHIN THAT FIRST 90 DAYS, WE ARE TAKING THE TIME TO KIND OF EXAMINE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION AS IS, AND WE WILL BE MAKING CHANGES TO IT TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT TO FIT THE PLAN THAT, AS I EXPLAINED TO YOU ALL, TO OPERATION THAT WAY IN THE FUTURE AS A UNIFIED FUNDING AGENCY.

SO CURRENTLY, WE ARE DOING SOME DIRECT SERVICES, WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO BE THE ADMINISTRATOR AND PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES.

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU HAVE AGENCIES THAT NEED TO GET PAID AND THEY ARE SUBMITTING REIMBURSEMENTS TO YOU AND THEN YOU HAVE CLIENTS THAT ARE COMING IN, IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

SO YOU EITHER GOT TO BE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF FUNDS OR YOU ARE GOING TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES.

OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE TO BE THE ADMINISTRATOR, PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE AGENCY, AND BRING COLLABORATIONS TOGETHER.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: OKAY.

THEN AS FAR AS VOLUNTEERS GO, DO YOU HAVE CERTAIN NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS?

I AM SURE THAT PROBABLY FLUCTUATES.

>> WE USE A SYSTEM CALLED CONSTANT CONTACTS, AND WE HAVE OVER 1600 VOLUNTEERS ON THAT LIST.

SO FOR OPERATION REVEILLE, WE HAD 350 SHOW UP, AND THAT WAS IN -- THE HOMES GOT STAGED WITHIN, REALLY, TWO DAYS.

THE MAJORITY OF THE UNITS WERE STAGED ON SATURDAY PRIOR TO VETERANS DAY.

BUT WE CAN ALWAYS USE MORE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

[LAUGHTER]

SO ONE OF THE -- I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF AN ECONOMIC UNIVERSAL RULE THAT IF YOU TAX SOMETHING, YOU GET LESS OF IT, AND IF YOU SUBSIDIZE SOMETHING, YOU TEND TO GET MORE OF IT; RIGHT?

SO ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS IS THAT WHEN AN AGENCY IS SET UP AND THERE'S FUNDING INVOLVED AND IT HAS A GOAL, REGARDLESS OF HOW NOBLE THE GOAL MAY BE, WHICH IS TYPICALLY TO END A PROBLEM; RIGHT?

THAT'S WHY GOVERNMENT IS GETTING INVOLVED.

IF THERE'S FUNDING ATTACHED TO IT, THEN PEOPLE THAT BECOME EMPLOYED BY THE AGENCY HAVE A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR THE FUNDING TO CONTINUE.

RIGHT?

SO THEREFORE, THE PROBLEM TO NEVER GO AWAY.

THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH SOME AGENCIES.

SO MY QUESTION IS IF YOUR GOAL IS TO END HOMELESSNESS, THEN ISN'T IT TRUE TO SAY THAT YOUR PURPOSE IS TO KIND OF WORK YOURSELF ALMOST OUT OF A JOB?

>> OUT OF A JOB.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: OKAY.

TO THE POINT TO WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS MUCH SMALLER IN SIZE AND IN FUNDING; CORRECT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: OKAY.

>> IN ST. LOUIS, OUR OFFICE IS THE SAME SIZE, EVEN THOUGH WE OPERATED A $14 MILLION OPERATION.

BUT WE HAD OVER 50 AGENCIES AND 60 CONTRACTS THAT WE MANAGED.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL, I MEAN -- A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULDN'T SAY IT -- AND I UNDERSTAND -- BECAUSE THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR LIVELIHOOD, BUT YOU CAN -- EVEN THOUGH I AM SAYING TO YOU TODAY, IF YOU ASK THIS QUESTION PRIVATELY WITH ANTOINETTE TRIPLETT, THE CEO, SHE WOULD SAY THE SAME THING.

OUR PHILOSOPHY IS TO WORK OURSELVES OUT OF A JOB.

YOU KNOW, I WANT TO END THIS THING WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND START A CONSULTING FIRM AND JUST WORK ON PREVENTION STUFF, YOU KNOW, HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.

BUT OUR JOB IS TO WORK OURSELVES OUT OF A JOB.

WILL IT PRIMARILY DECREASE THE STAFFING?

I DON'T KNOW.

IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS.

IT ALL CAN HAPPEN AT ONE TIME, BUT THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO REDUCE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: OKAY.

SO A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.

SO, THEN, WHAT ARE THE GOALS THAT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE STARTING TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE, WHAT GOALS DO THEY HAVE TO MEET TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THEIR OWN INDEPENDENCE?

I AM ASSUMING THERE'S SOME ACCOUNTABILITY THERE OF SOME SORT.

>> YES, SIR.

THE INDIVIDUAL GOALS AT TIMES ARE SET BY THE AGENCY.

SO WHENEVER AN AGENCY SUBMITS A PROPOSAL AND THAT PROPOSAL IS SUBMITTED TO HUD, THE MAIN GOAL IS SELF-SUFFICIENCY, SO THAT IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF HUD HOUSING INDIVIDUALS.

OVER THE YEARS -- I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER TEN YEARS, AND HUD HAS BEEN PUTTING LESS DOLLARS INTO SUPPORT SERVICES.

THE ONLY REASON WHY THEY ARE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO -- THEY REALLY WANT TO FOSTER COLLABORATIONS.

IF AN AGENCY IS RECEIVING FUNDS TO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT OR WHETHER IT'S MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, THEN THEY WOULD RATHER THE AGENCY SEEK THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT AGENCY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES THAN HUD PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES.

SO THE GOAL CAN VARY, BUT IT IS TO HELP AN INDIVIDUAL BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT.

SO IF IT'S A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM, IT'S TO GET 90% AND ABOVE EVERY INDIVIDUAL COMING OUT OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING INTO A PERMANENT HOUSING, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

THEN A LOT OF IT GOES UP, FOR PERMANENT HOUSING AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IT'S THE ULTIMATE GOAL TO GET A PERSON TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT WHERE THEY EXIT THE PROGRAM.

WILL THAT HAPPEN FOR EVERYBODY?

NO, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE A DISABILITY AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER BE ABLE TO BE FULLY SELF-SUFFICIENT.

SO WHAT THE AGENCY CAN DO TO DECREASE FUNDING IS DECREASE CASE MANAGEMENT.

WE ARE STILL HERE FOR YOU, NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO COME VISIT YOU EVERY WEEK.

THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: OKAY.

MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE -- I JUST WANT TO END BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

AS A COMBAT VETERAN OF THE IRAQ WAR MYSELF, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME VETERANS THAT STRUGGLE IN REACHING OUT, I THINK, SOMETIMES, AND I CAN SEE WHERE SOME PEOPLE CAN WAKE UP ONE DAY AND FIND THEMSELVES IN REAL TROUBLE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU BEFORE I ASK YOUR LAST QUESTION HERE IS I KNOW THAT VETERANS ARE -- THEY'RE FIERCELY LOYAL TO ONE ANOTHER.

ALMOST TO A FAULT.

SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OPPORTUNITIES, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE TO HAVE RULES AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE PROCEDURES, SO SOMETIMES THAT'S GOOD, BUT THEN OTHER TIMES IT SLOWS THINGS DOWN.

I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED INSTANCES WHERE SOMETHING POPPED UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA LOCALLY HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ABOUT, HEY, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT THIS GUY, THIS IS THE SITUATION, HE IS A VETERAN, HERE'S HOW I KNOW HIM, HERE'S HIS CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND HELP THIS GUY GET UP ON HIS FEET; WHO CAN HELP?

PEOPLE JUST START MEETING THAT NEED IMMEDIATELY.

SERVICES START COMING IN, PEOPLE START VOLUNTEERING, AND THEN PEOPLE PUT CASH OUT THERE TO JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I HAVE SEEN A VETERAN IN THIS AREA GET INTO A PLACE AND HAVE FULL FURNISHINGS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME OF THE NICER THINGS, YOU KNOW, FULL FURNISHINGS TO MAINTAIN HIMSELF WITHIN 24 HOURS BECAUSE THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS KIND OF DOWN ON HIS LUCK GOING THROUGH SOME MEDICAL STUFF.

SO THE POWER OF VETERANS TO JUST COME IN AND MEET THE NEED IS HUGE.

I AM SURE YOU ARE TRYING TO LEVERAGE THAT SOMEHOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOTHING FOR ME TO DRIVE DOWNTOWN AND JUST MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN FOR ANOTHER VETERAN.

AND VETERANS CAN ASK DIRECT QUESTIONS TO THAT PERSON AND KNOW WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH WHERE THEY'VE BEEN, WHAT THEY'VE DONE, AND HOW THEY GOT HERE; RIGHT?

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TRYING TO GET MORE VETERANS INVOLVED IN YOUR ORGANIZATION.

AND NOW THAT I KNOW ABOUT YOU AS WELL, I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU.

SO HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS WITH YOUR PROGRAMS?

>> I WOULD SAY TAKING THAT I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR THREE MONTHS -- [LAUGHTER] -- THE ONLY MEASUREMENT I HAVE SO FAR IS OPERATION REVEILLE.

THAT WAS MY SUCCESS.

WITH THAT, IT WAS TO LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES, AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT IS THAT -- AND ANOTHER THING, TOO, IS THAT WE HAD LOCAL CITIZENS ACTUALLY DONATE UNITS TO WHERE THEY PUT UP MONEY, YOU KNOW, IT COST ROUGHLY ABOUT $11 HUNDRED TO FULLY FURNISH A UNIT, AND WE DID HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT STEPPED FORWARD TO FURNISH THOSE UNITS.

SO --

>>JOSEPH WICKER: SO IS SUCCESS DEFINED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT COME OFF THE STREET INTO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF HOUSING AND THEN CONTINUE ON?

I MEAN, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME METRIC.

>> IN THE LONG-TERM GOAL, AS IT RELATES TO OPERATION REVEILLE, THE SUCCESS MEASUREMENT IS ONE NOT NECESSARILY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU GET OFF THE STREETS, BUT IT IS.

WAY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HAPPY IF IT WAS 25 PEOPLE BECAUSE -- OR EVEN IF IT WAS ONE PERSON.

GETTING ONE PERSON OFF THE STREETS IS A SUCCESS TO ME.

BUT THE REAL SUCCESS COMES IN AFTER 12 MONTHS HOW MANY VETERANS WE STILL HAVE IN HOUSING.

TO ME, THAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF MEASURING SUCCESS IS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AT LEAST 85% TO 90% OF THE VETS STILL HOUSED AFTER A YEAR OF BEING HOUSED.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LEE?

>>LEE LOWRY: AND I KNOW WE ARE UP AGAINST TIME.

I AGREE WITH JOSEPH THAT SOMETIMES STRUCTURES CAN BE CREATED THAT ARE SELF-PERPETUATING, EVEN IF CREATED FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.

I THINK YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT STORY -- I FIND IT A WONDERFUL STORY -- THAT THERE WAS A STRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT WAS THAT KIND OF THING WHERE THE AGENCIES THEMSELVES WERE PERPETUATING, AND THERE WASN'T A LOT OF SOLUTION GOING ON.

OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, I BELIEVE WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND THE REASON WHY THEY ARE HERE IS THAT WAS DISBANDED, THAT GROUP.

THEY FORMED THIS INITIATIVE INSTEAD.

AND THEN THROUGH THAT PROCESS, BROUGHT THESE GUYS ON TO CONSULT AND EVENTUALLY TO COME IN AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>>LEE LOWRY: THE LITTLE I KNOW ABOUT THAT STORY, I AM PRETTY HEARTENED BY THE FACT IT'S EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE.

IT'S A REAL TESTIMONY TO WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN COMMUNITY LEADERS -- THAT'S REALLY WHO IT WAS -- GOT INVOLVED, SORT OF SAW THAT FOR WHAT IT WAS, BROKE IT DOWN, AND HAVE STARTED SOLVING IT.

>> YES, MA'AM.

THAT'S WHAT MADE ST. LOUIS SUCCESSFUL IS WE DID HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL.

IT WAS THE AGENDA OF OUR MAYOR TO REDUCE AND END HOMELESSNESS FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WITHIN OUR CITIZENS.

IT'S EASY TO PUT THEM IN A DROP-IN CENTER AND HIDE THEM AWAY FROM EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE TOURISTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT BECAUSE I COME FROM A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I UNDERSTAND BOTH AVENUES.

I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC PIECE AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THE NONPROFIT, THE HUMANITY END OF IT AS WELL, TO DO -- I MEAN, WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THOSE VETERANS IS RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S JUST HOW WE FEEL, THAT EVERY HOMELESS PERSON WE SERVE WILL, IN TURN, BENEFIT THE ECONOMIC ABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ONE LAST QUESTION, JOE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: THIS IS A COMMENT.

IS IT A POSSIBILITY THAT THE COUNTY COULD DONATE A PLAQUE FOR THESE PEOPLE, LIKE WHO DONATE $1100 FOR 50 HOMELESS PEOPLE?

A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THIS, BUT IF A PLAQUE IS HANGING IN THEIR STORE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE IT.

IT HAS TO BE CRAFTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE -- YOU KNOW, THEIR SERVICE, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

>> I KNOW THHI IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING FOR THOSE BIG PLAYERS.

WE ARE GOING TO DO RECOGNITION LUNCHES FOR EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION REVEILLE, BUT IN PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE THAT REALLY MADE IT HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, CAME WITH THOSE BIG CONTRIBUTIONS.

AS FAR AS A PLAQUE, WE GOT TO TALK TO MR. MERRILL ABOUT THAT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: OH, AND HE JUST HAPPENS TO BE HERE.

>> WHEN WE SEE MR. MERRILL, WE'LL ASK HIM.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: AT THE MINIMUM, THEY COULD BE PUT UP FOR THE YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE AWARDS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF OUR ROLE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: EXCELLENT.

>> I WISH I CAN GIVE A BIG PLAQUE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

FROM A PERSON THAT'S NOT -- YOU KNOW, ONLY BEEN HERE THREE MONTHS, IT'S OVER A YEAR THAT PLANNED OUT IN ST. LOUIS.

IT WAS THREE MONTHS HERE.

I STILL GET GOOSE BUMPS THINKING ABOUT THAT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: IT'S PHENOMENAL.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I HOPE YOU COME BACK AND VISIT US NEXT YEAR, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE 50 VETS AND HOW WELL THEY ARE DOING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE COVERAGE AROUND IT AS WELL.

AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME SCOUTING CONSULTANTS TO DO THAT EXACT THING, TO FOLLOWING THE PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK THE SUCCESS, THE FAILURES.

AND I WILL SAY THIS TO YOU ALL IS THAT ANTOINETTE AND MYSELF, WE ARE EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT AND AGGRESSIVE PEOPLE.

WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE TELLING US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DID SOMETHING -- WHETHER YOU SAY RIGHT OR WHATEVER.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO DO IT BETTER.

AND WHEN YOU GET THAT FEEDBACK, THAT CRITICISM, IT IS -- THE GOAL OF IT IS TO GET BETTER.

WE CAN'T GET BETTER UNLESS WE RECEIVE THAT.

I AM NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED IT, LIKE WE ARE DOING GREAT, THEN YOU KNOW, LET IT BE THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WANT TO DO EVERYTHING BIGGER AND BETTER.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THAT'S GREAT.

WELCOME.

WELCOME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND NOW THE GENTLEMAN THAT WE CAN ASK ABOUT THE PLAQUE -- [LAUGHTER] -- AND HE'S SO GOOD HE BROUGHT IT WITH HIM.

>>SPENCER KASS: DO YOU WANT TO GIVE THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK IF THEY WANT TO GO BEFORE MR. MERRILL OR AFTER JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE FOR SUCH A --

>> [SPEAKER OFF MIC]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YEAH, I THINK WE'RE ON A TIME --

YEAH, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER, SO WE'LL DO IT.

NEXT WE HAVE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MIKE MERRILL.

WELCOME.

I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DEVELOPMENT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WELCOME TO THE LION'S DEN.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OH, THIS AIN'T BAD.

I HAVE BEEN ON THE CIRCUIT NOW.

I GUESS THE QUESTION IS REALLY WHAT IS IT YOU WANT ME TO COVER, GIVEN THE TIME?

I COULD GO ON FOR TWO HOURS AND GIVE YOU A LOT OF DETAIL, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?

YOU JUST WANT AN UPDATE?

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'D LIKE ME TO HELP YOU WITH?

>>SPENCER KASS: GIVEN THE TIME, LET'S TRY TO KEEP IT SHORT FOR MR. MERRILL'S PRESENTATION BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF IT HAVE SEEN IT, AND GET INTO QUESTIONS IF YOU CAN.

I KNOW YOUR TIME IS SHORT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S FINE.

I CAN SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS YOU NEED.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED, WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT AN OVERVIEW OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHERE THAT'S GOING, WITH LOOKING AT TRANSIT INITIATIVES IN LIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENED AT RED LIGHT PINELLAS NOW -- IT'S NOT A GREEN LIGHT -- AND HOW THIS AFFECTS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OKAY.

SURE.

WELL, WHERE TO BEGIN.

I THINK PROBABLY JUST TO KIND OF FRAME THIS FOR YOU AND REALLY, IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN PINELLAS -- AND I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY ON EVERYONE'S MIND, SO LET ME JUST DEAL WITH THAT FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF REMOVE THAT DISTRACTION.

SO WHAT I TOLD THE MPO BOARD LAST WEEK AS KIND OF A LITTLE CLEVER PLAY ON WORDS IS THE FAILURE OF GREEN LIGHT IN PINELLAS DOESN'T SIGNAL A RED LIGHT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WHAT HAPPENED IN PINELLAS HAS REALLY NOTHING TO DO WITH HILLSBOROUGH EXCEPT THAT WE CAN ALWAYS LEARN LESSONS FROM OTHERS.

IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT COUNTY.

IT WAS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT APPROACH.

IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT INITIATIVE.

THEIR COUNTY IS MORE URBANIZED.

OURS IS LESS URBANIZED.

THEIRS IS MORE LINEAR.

OURS IS MORE SPREAD OUT.

AND IN FACT, THE APPROACH THAT WE ARE TAKING IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

THE EXIT POLL DATA THAT WAS RELEASED YESTERDAY -- AND I SPEND A GOT DEAL OF TIME TALKING [INAUDIBLE] -- BOILS DOWN TO ONE THING.

HANDS DOWN THERE WAS ONE REASON WHY IT DIDN'T PASS.

PEOPLE DID NOT FEEL THAT THEY WERE GETTING VALUE FROM THAT ASK TO PASS A TAX.

THAT WAS IT.

THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER SORT OF ANCILLARY REASONS, BUT IT CAME DOWN THAT PEOPLE JUST DID NOT FEEL THEY WERE GETTING VALUE PERSONALLY BY PAYING THAT TAX.

FOR ME, THAT VALIDATES THE APPROACH THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING -- I HAVE SPENT -- I'VE SPOKEN TO PROBABLY 30 GROUPS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, AND THERE WILL BE ANOTHER 200 BEFORE NEXT MARCH, AND IT RANGES FROM BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS TO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS.

I WAS AT BAY COMMITTEES CIVIC ASSOCIATION LAST NIGHT.

AND REALLY, OUR APPROACH IS TO FIND OUT FROM AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN IN THE COMMUNITY WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT OR NEED.

OR FIRST OF ALL, REALLY, TO FIND OUT DO FOLKS REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM?

SO LET'S START AT THE BASIC QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, DO YOU FEEL THAT WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM?

BECAUSE THAT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

AGAIN, A VERY LARGE COUNTY, VERY DIVERSE, VERY DIVERSE NEEDS.

AND I WILL TELL YOU BASED ON FOCUS GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, THERE ARE RESIDENTS THAT DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM THAT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF ASKING FOR A SALES TAX OR ANY OTHER FUNDING TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

SO THE WAY THAT I HAD BEEN APPROACHING THIS, AGAIN, REACHING OUT TO GET INPUT, BEFORE WE EVEN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT A SALES TAX -- SO THE REVENUE SIDE OF IT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO.AWARE OF, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE COULD BE OTHER SOLUTIONS.

BUT FOR US, IT'S NOT ABOUT PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT PROBABLY THERE ARE THREE THINGS, THREE ESSENTIAL THINGS, THAT HELP ASSURE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING IN ANY COMMUNITY.

ONE IS CLEAN POTABLE WATER.

GOT TO HAVE WATER; OTHERWISE WE DON'T EXIST.

THE SECOND IS HAVING A SKILLED WORKFORCE, A WELL-EDUCATED WORKFORCE, WELL-EDUCATED COMMUNITY.

THE THIRD, REALLY, IS TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO MOVE PEOPLE AND GOODS RELIABLY, CONSISTENTLY, AFFORDABLY, A COMMUNITY'S ECONOMY BEGINS TO ERODE VERY QUICKLY.

YOU CAN'T RETAIN OR ATTRACT BUSINESSES.

WITHOUT BUSINESSES, YOU CAN'T GENERATE JOBS.

AND SO ON AND SO ON AND SO ON.

SO REALLY, IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE WE MAINTAIN A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE AND JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT IS REALLY, AGAIN, FOR INDIVIDUALS, WHAT HAS THE MOST VALUE?

SO WHAT I HEAR FROM VARIOUS GROUPS IN THE COUNTY IS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE THINGS.

IT'S SIDEWALKS THAT NEED REPAIR, SIDEWALKS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR -- TO BE COMPLETED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

IT'S FIXING POTHOLES.

IT'S MORE TRAILS, MORE BIKE/PED PATHS.

IN SOME CASES, IT'S EXPANDING EXISTING ROADWAYS.

SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THINK SAY, HEY, WE JUST NEED A CIRCULATOR BUS.

PLANT CITY, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST GIVE US A CIRCULATOR BUS.

A CIRCULATOR BUS JUST RUNS IN A CIRCLE, TYPICALLY AROUND DOWNTOWN SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET TO THE GROCERY STORE, TO DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS, HIRE STYLISTS, WHATEVER.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, TALKING TO THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS, WESTSHORE AND DOWNTOWN, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT VALUE PROPOSITION BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHAT THEY DO.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS ALL COMES TOGETHER OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AS WE GATHER MORE INPUT, AS WE BEGIN TO PUT TOGETHER AN INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION, A MOBILITY SOLUTION FOR THE COUNTY THAT WILL HAVE MANY COMPONENTS, AND PART OF THAT, THEN, WILL BE ONCE WE'RE SURE PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY HAVE OWNERSHIP AND THAT THEY'RE SEEING VALUE, THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT REVENUE SOLUTIONS.

BUT THAT IS ESSENTIALLY HOW WE ARE APPROACHING IT.

THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT WAS DONE HERE IN 2010.

SO WE HAVE PROBABLY LEARNED MORE FROM WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN 2010 THAN WE'VE LEARNED FROM WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN PINELLAS.

SO THE LESSONS LEARNED ARE THAT WE NEED TO DO A LOT OF THE OUTREACH THAT I DESCRIBED.

WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY HAS NEEDS THAT HAVE VALUE.

REALLY, FROM A TRANSIT POINT OF VIEW, WE SHOULD NOT BE FOCUSING RIGHT NOW ON TALKING ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

WHAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON ARE THE CORRIDORS.

WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE CUSTOMER SERVICE SIDE OF IT.

SO WE CAN IDENTIFY THE MAJOR CORRIDORS THAT ARE GOOD TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES, SO HIGHWAY 60 BRANDON TO DOWNTOWN, WESTSHORE TO DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN TO USF, BUS RAPID TRANSIT DOWN TO SOUTH COUNTY.

THERE ARE MAJOR CORRIDORS THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT REALLY GEOGRAPHICALLY WELL SUITED TO STAND UP A TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

IT'S JUST TOO BIG.

AGAIN, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE WITH PINELLAS, VERY LINEAR, URBAN, MADE MORE SENSE TO TALK ABOUT RUNNING SOME SORT OF TRANSIT FROM NORTH TO SOUTH.

SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO AS PART OF THIS EFFORT IS TO BEGIN TO CHANGE -- LOOK AT CHANGING OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES SO THAT IF THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO BE -- WANTS TO SEE MORE TRANSIT, OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND OUR ZONING BEGIN TO INCENTIVIZE DENSER, MORE WALKABLE, MORE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY FOSTER TRANSIT AND SUPPORT TRANSIT.

AND SO THAT IS A SIDE-BY-SIDE KIND OF DISCUSSION WITH TRANSIT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

SO WE ARE NOT -- SO IT WILL PROBABLY COME NOT AS ANY BIG SURPRISE TO YOU -- WE ARE NOT A MATURE TRANSIT CULTURE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WE ARE SIMPLY NOT.

THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING, IT'S NOT A BAD THING; IT'S JUST WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

WE HAVE A GOOD BUS SYSTEM.

IT DOES A GOOD JOB.

BUT BASICALLY, IT SERVES -- I AM GENERALIZING -- IT BASICALLY SERVES PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO CHOICE.

AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS NEED TO GET TO WORK TOO, AND THEY NEED TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND STAND UP A GOOD, SOLID BUS SYSTEM.

BUT THE QUESTION FOR THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND JOBS IS DO WE WANT TO BECOME A TRANSIT-ORIENTED CULTURE?

THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.

BECAUSE IT MEANS CHANGING OUR BEHAVIORS.

IT MEANS CHANGING OUR LAND USE.

IT MEANS CORPORATIONS HAVE TO STAND UP AND HELP INCENTIVIZE THEIR EMPLOYEES TO USE TRANSIT.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A THRESHOLD QUESTION FOR US, AND IT'S REALLY WHY WE DON'T WANT TO START THE DISCUSSION TALKING ABOUT WHETHER IT'S A TRAIN OR BUS OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE.

SO IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THEN THE KEY TO THAT -- AND EVERY COMMUNITY HAS GONE THROUGH THIS THAT HAS A SUCCESSFUL TRANSIT PROGRAM -- YOU NEED TO GET PEOPLE LIKE ME OUT OF MY CAR.

AND HOW DO WE DO THAT?

BECAUSE I AM A CHOICE RIDER.

PROBABLY MOST OF YOU OR ALL OF YOU ARE CHOICE RIDERS.

YOU CAN DRIVE OR TAKE A BUS, BUT PROBABLY RIGHT NOW, I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION TO TAKE A BUS.

SO THE CLOSEST BUS STOP TO MY HOME IN CARROLLWOOD IS A CONCRETE BENCH ON THE SIDE OF DALE MABRY THAT KIND OF SITS LIKE THIS.

THERE'S NO SHELTER.

AND I AM PROBABLY NOT GOING TO TAKE A BUS.

SO WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR ME TO GET OUT OF MY CAR?

WELL, BEFORE I CAME TO THE COUNTY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I WORKED IN EUROPE FOR THREE YEAR, AND BEFORE I WENT TO EUROPE FROM MILWAUKEE, I REALLY HADN'T HAD MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH TRANSIT.

I RODE THE BUS IN MILWAUKEE, AND THAT WAS ABOUT IT.

I WAS UNSURE WHEN I GOT TO EUROPE HOW TO USE IT, WHETHER IT WAS A GOOD THING.

I STILL WANTED TO HAVE MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL.

IT FELT GOOD.

IT WAS HOW I GREW UP.

BUT VERY QUICKLY I SAW THAT IN THAT KIND OF A SCENARIO, TRANSIT WAS THE BETTER CHOICE, WHETHER IT WAS THE TUBE, WHETHER IT WAS BUSES, WHETHER IT WAS A TRAIN, WHETHER IT WAS A TAXI SERVICE.

BUT IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO ADAPT TO IT.

I THINK THAT'S THE SAME SORT OF LEARNING CURVE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH HERE, AND LIKE ANY BUSINESS -- AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU OWN BUSINESSES -- TRANSIT'S NO DIFFERENT.

SO WHEN YOU OPEN A BUSINESS, IT'S VERY UNUSUAL THAT ALL THE CUSTOMERS SHOW UP ON THE FIRST DAY WITH THEIR WALLETS IN HAND READY TO SPEND MONEY.

WHEN YOU OPEN A BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO BUILD A BRAND, A BRAND PROMISE.

YOU HAVE TO BUILD LOYALTY.

YOU HAVE TO BUILD A CUSTOMER BASE.

TRANSIT IS NO DIFFERENT.

IF WE ARE GOING TO GO DOWN THIS PATH, WE HAVE TO BUILD RIDERSHIP, AND THE BEST WAY TO BUILD RIDERSHIP THAT YOU SEE IN SUCCESSFUL TRANSIT AGENCIES IS TO START WITH YOUR BUS SYSTEM.

BUS RAPID TRANSIT IS A MUCH LESS COSTLY, A MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE CHOICE IF YOU ARE TRYING TO BUILD RIDERSHIP.

RAIL IS VERY EXPENSIVE.

RAIL IS ABOUT $100 MILLION A MILE TO BUILD, DEPENDING ON RIGHT-OF-WAY, PLUS OR MINUS, ABOUT 30 MILLION A YEAR TO OPERATE.

VERY EXPENSIVE.

DENVER NOW IS GOING THROUGH -- THEY ARE EXPERIENCING SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN'T REALLY FIGURE OUT YET.

THEIR TRAIN RIDERSHIP IS DOWN TO 17% OF CAPACITY.

SO THAT'S NOT AN INDICTMENT OF RAIL.

IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO RAIL.

IT SIMPLY SAYS WE NEED TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE CHOICE THAT IS WE MAKE IF WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A TRANSIT-BASED COMMUNITY.

SO LET ME JUST STOP THERE FOR A MOMENT.

I CAN TAKE YOU THROUGH A QUICK VIDEO THAT KIND OF SHOWS YOU SOME OF THE OPTIONS FOR TRANSIT.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF SPECIFICITY AT THIS POINT.

OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP HAS BEEN WORKING ON DIFFERENT OPTIONS, THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP BEING SEVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THREE MAYORS, AND THE CHAIR OF HART, AND YES, THEY HAVE ALL SHOWN UP TO THE MEETINGS, HAVE ALL BEEN THERE AND ENGAGED BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO OWN THIS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

SO IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE -- I THINK THEY MAY HAVE HANDED OUT SOME MATERIALS, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE, TED, THERE ARE SOME 650, 700 INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, SIDEWALKS, TRAILS, ROADS, THAT HAVE ALL BEEN COSTED, THEY HAVE ALL BEEN PUT THROUGH A FILTER, BUT RIGHT NOW, I WOULD DESCRIBE IT MORE LIKE A MENU OF OPTIONS.

IT'S REALLY NOT AN INTEGRATED PLAN OR SOLUTION PER SE.

SO WE'VE HIRED PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF, ENGINEERING FIRM, TO HELP US DO TWO THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, TO HELP US WITH THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND MARKET RESEARCH SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE WANT.

THEY ARE CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUPS.

BASED ON THAT, THEY WILL HELP US TAKE THAT MENU OF PROJECTS AND BEGIN TO MELD THEM INTO SOMETHING THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE AN INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION FOR THE COMMUNITY, TAKING THE FEEDBACK FROM WHAT WE ARE HEARING THROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH.

ROUND ABOUT MARCH OF NEXT YEAR, THE PLAN IS TO BRING BACK TO THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP THE RESULTS OF THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND A DRAFT OF THE PLAN.

AND AT THAT POINT, THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP WILL EITHER SAY WE NEED MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO OUT, DO MORE OUTREACH, OR IT MAY BE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DISCUSSIONS ABOUT REVENUES, A REFERENDUM IF THERE IS TO BE ONE, BUT THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE IN TIME HERE.

A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS SO FAR.

A LOT OF WORK REMAINS AHEAD OF US.

WE ARE NOT TAKING ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.

WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY ASSUMPTIONS UNTIL WE HAVE MORE FEEDBACK.

SO LET ME JUST STOP THERE AND SEE IF THERE'S QUESTIONS.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION?

JOE?

>>JOSEPH WICKER: THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL.

OF ALL THE OPTIONS HERE, LOOKING AT THE COST AT THE UPPER CORNER OF THE SLIDE HERE, THE FERRY IS THE CHEAPEST OPTION BY FAR, IT APPEARS.

I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE CONTINUING OPERATING COSTS, BUT I AM ASSUMING THIS IS THE CAPITAL COSTS.

SO BY FAR, IT'S THE CHEAPEST OPTION.

I CAN'T POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE INTRICACIES OF ALL THE REST OF THE COUNTY, BUT I ACTUALLY DO OWN A HOME AND HAVE LIVED IN APOLLO BEACH BEFORE, AND I KNOW THAT -- AND I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT GO TO MacDILL, AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT EVEN TRAVEL TO SOUTH TAMPA.

I RECENTLY HAPPENED TO TAKE A FERRY -- I GUESS IT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO -- BUT THAT WAS IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

AND I WAS VERY CURIOUS OF MY EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT WAS SOMETHING YOU ALL HAD LOOKED AT.

IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

IT WAS SIMPLE.

YOU ARE GETTING ON AND HANG OUT TILL THE THING GETS TO THE PORT.

I MEAN, IT WAS SIMPLE AND PRETTY QUICK, DEFINITELY, BUT IT WAS EXPENSIVE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: HOW MUCH?

>>JOSEPH WICKER: I THINK IT WAS $18.

WE ONLY WENT ONE WAY, SO IT WAS 18 BUCKS ONE WAY.

I THOUGHT GOSH.

I WAS TALKING TO MY WIFE ON THIS.

I WAS TRYING TO DO THE MATH ON HOW MUCH TIME DID WE SAVE, WHAT'S IT COST IN FUEL AND ALL THAT, AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS PERHAPS A WASH.

I WASN'T FOR CERTAIN.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WHAT WAS THE DISTANCE OR TIME THAT YOU WERE ON THE TRIP?

>>JOSEPH WICKER: NO LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES.

I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

MY WIFE WAS TRYING TO SAY, WELL, THE DRIVE, DEPENDING ON THE HOUR OF THE DAY, HAD IT HAD BEEN PEAK TIME, THE DRIVE WOULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY AN HOUR AND A HALF.

I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

FROM A CONVENIENCE FACTOR IT CERTAINLY MAKES SENSE.

I AM JUST NOT SURE FINANCIALLY I WOULD DO IT EVERY DAY.

BUT I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW -- DO YOU KNOW THE TIME LENGTH THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THIS TYPE OF FERRY SYSTEM?

I MEAN, DO YOU KNOW THE TIME OF THE FERRY SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?

IS IT LIKE -- IT'S NOT FAR.

I DON'T THINK IT'S AS FAR AS SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES WHERE FERRIES EXIST, TO GO FROM APOLLO BEACH TO SOUTH TAMPA?

>>MIKE MERRILL: TO SOUTH TAMPA -- YOU MEAN FROM SOUTH TAMPA TO DOWNTOWN?

THERE'S REALLY THREE PROPOSED ROUTES.

ONE IS FROM SOUTH COUNTY FROM THE AREA IN SOUTH COUNTY TO MacDILL.

THAT WAS THE INITIAL LINE WE TALKED ABOUT TO ACCOMMODATE FOLKS WHO WORK AT MacDILL.

THAT'S REALLY A LOSS LEADER BECAUSE WHAT THAT DEPENDS ON IS A SUBSIDY THAT'S PAID BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO WORKERS AT MacDILL.

WHAT REALLY MAKES IT ATTRACTIVE IS THE LINE THAT GOES FROM SOUTH COUNTY TO CITY OF ST. PETE.

ST. PETE CITY COUNCIL HAS TAKEN A VOTE TO INCLUDE IN THEIR NEW PEER PROJECT A BERTH FOR THE HIGH-SPEED FERRY.

THE OTHER LEG WOULD BE TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

THOSE THEN BECOME THE COMMERCIAL LINES THAT BEGIN TO HELP PAY FOR IT, BUT ONE THING WE ALL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS NO TRANSPORTATION PAYS FOR ITSELF.

ROADS DO PAY FOR ITSELF, BUSES, TRAINS, OR A FERRY.

THERE'S ALWAYS SOME SUBSIDY THAT HAS TO OCCUR.

SO THE QUESTION IS ONCE WE DECIDE ON A SITE FOR THE TERMINAL AT SOUTH COUNTY -- AND WE ARE NARROWING THAT DOWN -- WE'LL COMPLETE A RIDERSHIP STUDY THAT WILL LOOK AT, OBVIOUSLY, RIDERSHIP, BUT ALSO AT POTENTIAL COST PER TRIP IN TIME AND DISTANCE.

BUT THE TRIP TO MacDILL IS ABOUT A 20- TO 30-MINUTE TRIP, ROUGHLY.

DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE PORT AT THE TIME.

SO WE ARE NOT REALLY READY TO EVEN TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD COST, LET ALONE THE LINE TO ST. PETE OR TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

BUT THE FERRY IS GOING TO BE EVALUATED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BUSES AND TO EXPANDING ROADS BECAUSE IT REALLY -- THAT -- BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE MONEY, AND IT'S LIKE A BUS ON WATER.

SO THE QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE MORE RIDERSHIP, AND IS IT MORE COST-EFFECTIVE TO RUN A FERRY SERVICE THAN TO ADD LANES TO THE HIGHWAYS OR RUN A NEW -- RUN A BUS LINE FROM SOUTH COUNTY?

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE ANALYSIS.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: OKAY.

WHAT I NOTICED WAS THE COST, SO I JUST THOUGHT TO MYSELF, MY GOODNESS, IF IT'S THAT MUCH CHEAPER THAN EVERY OTHER PROPOSAL -- AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT WOULD BE REPLACEMENT FOR I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CALL THEM HOV LANES OR HIGH-SPEED LANES OR WHATEVER.

I JUST KNOW THAT FROM MY OWN -- IN MY OWN DAILY COMMUTE I USED TO MAKE, MY CONSTANT THOUGHT WAS THAT THIS AREA COULD PROBABLY GROW A LOT MORE IF THERE WAS A BETTER SOLUTION THAN TAKING 41 ALL THE WAY UP AND OVER OR 75 UP AND OVER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: IT'S AN ASSET WE'VE NEVER USED.

IT HAS HIGH POTENTIAL.

THE ANALYSIS IS NOT SO MUCH ON THE ABSOLUTE DOLLAR AMOUNT; IT'S ON THE COST PER TRIP AND COST PER RIDER.

SO EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE 25 MILLION, WHICH SEEMS LOW, BY THE TIME WE NEGOTIATE THE OPERATING COSTS AND CONCESSIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY, THE COST PER TRIP OR RIDER COULD BE HIGHER.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: RIGHT.

SO PERHAPS THE ONGOING OPERATING EXPENSES ARE MUCH MORE THAN SOME OTHER METHOD.

>>MIKE MERRILL: COULD BE, BUT THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED YET.

AND THE FEDS DID GIVE US A $5 MILLION GRANT TO HELP PAY FOR THE CAPITAL, SO WE'VE ALREADY BEEN AWARDED THAT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: FROM A START OF A DECISION TO DO IT UNTIL IT STARTS RUNNING, HOW LONG WOULD THAT TAKE?

DO YOU KNOW?

>>MIKE MERRILL: SINCE THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR IT NOW, IT IS IN THE POT WITH ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING PRIORITIZED.

SO OTHER THAN THE 5 MILLION FOR -- THAT WE GOT FROM THE FEDS, THERE IS NO MONEY RIGHT NOW TO FUND ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE, ANY OF THE PROJECTS ON THE LIST.

SO IT WOULD BE PLACED IN THE QUEUE WITH THE REST OF THE PROJECTS FOR FUNDING.

SO AGAIN, WE ARE LOOKING POSSIBLY A COUPLE YEARS OUT.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.

I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING BECAUSE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE FERRY TOO.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WATER FERRY IS A PASSENGER FERRY, NOT AN AUTO FERRY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: AND I HAVE QUESTIONED REPEATEDLY IN MY OWN MIND TAKING A FERRY FROM APOLLO BEACH TO ST. PETERSBURG AND NOT HAVING A VEHICLE WHEN I AM IN ST. PETERSBURG BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A CONTINUAL SUPPLY OF RIDERSHIP FROM APOLLO BEACH TO ST. PETERSBURG THAT'S GOING TO MAINTAIN ANY LEVEL IN THIS FERRY.

I MEAN, I'VE TRAVELED THE SEATTLE FERRY ON MY CAR AND HAVING THE CAR, AND IN FACT, IT SEEMS PROBLEMATIC TO ME -- MacDILL NO BECAUSE THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE MILITARY BUSES THAT WOULD TRANSPORT PEOPLE TO THE THING, BUT I SEE THE SAME THING COMING INTO DOWNTOWN TAMPA UNLESS -- I MEAN, IN YOUR CASE -- EVEN IN YOUR CASE, MR. MERRILL, I DON'T THINK YOU SIT IN THIS BUILDING ALL THE TIME.

>>MIKE MERRILL: NO.

HARDLY.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THEN WHAT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

IT NOT ONLY APPLIES TO THE FERRY, BUT IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION FOR ALL TRANSIT.

THAT'S CALLED THE FIRST MILE AND THE LAST MILE PROBLEM.

SO YOU CAN HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL TRAIN SYSTEM OR BUS SYSTEM OR FERRY SYSTEM, BUT IF YOU CAN'T SOLVE THE FIRST MILE AND LAST MILE, IT WILL FAIL.

AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT?

IT MEANS THAT, TAKING MY EXAMPLE, IF I CAN GET ON AN EXPRESS TRANSIT SERVICE FROM CARROLLWOOD TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA, I AM SURE AS HECK NOT GOING TO GET OFF THAT TRAIN OR THAT BUS AND WALK IN THE HEAT ADDRESSED LIKE THIS OR IN THE RAIN TO GET TO MY OFFICE.

NOW, OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE SOLVED THAT.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO DO THAT THAT ARE VERY INEXPENSIVE, COMMERCIAL VENTURES THAT CAN PROVIDE SERVICE FOR THAT FIRST MILE/LAST MIGHT.

AND SO THAT WOULD APPLY TO CITY OF ST. PETE AS WELL.

THAT'S WHY THIS HAS TO BE VIEWED AS A SEAMLESS SYSTEM.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT MY TRIP, I'VE GOT TO GET IN MY CAR.

I'VE GOT TO GO TO SOMEPLACE TO GET ON TRANSIT.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS AT THAT TRANSIT STOP, I WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

I WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE A STARBUCKS, A DRY CLEANERS, A FLORIST, WHATEVER, TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT.

I'VE GOT TO GET ON THE TRANSIT.

I'VE GOT TO GET DOWNTOWN.

I'VE GOT TO GET FROM MY OFFICE.

THEN I HAVE TO HAVE SOME WAY, AS YOU SAID, IF I'VE GOT TO GO OUT DURING THE DAY, TO EITHER TAKE ADDITIONAL TRANSIT OR HAVE A VEHICLE READY.

SO IT'S A PRETTY COMPLICATED NETWORK.

>> SO MY BACKGROUND, I LIVED IN CHICAGO FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A MUCH BIGGER CITY.

BUT I THINK WHAT I REALLY REALIZED THERE IS EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN'T -- SAY YOU DIDN'T LIVE IN THE CITY, YOU STILL HAD THE METRO THAT WOULD TAKE YOU IN.

IT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A CARROLLWOOD, YOU WOULD GO TO THOSE STOPS, THEY WOULD PARK -- IT WAS A PARK-AND-RIDE, BASICALLY PARKED, GOT ON THE METRO, AND TOOK OFF.

BUT WHEN YOU GOT TO ONE OF THE STATIONS, COULD YOU TAKE THE L AROUND TO GET WHERE YOU NEEDED TO IN DOWNTOWN.

ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK AT LEAST -- MAYBE I AM MISSING IT -- IS RIGHT NOW I LIVE WITHIN THE CITY.

I DON'T SEE ANY TYPES OF THESE PLANS TALKING ABOUT LIMITING -- PROVIDED OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY, WITHIN THE URBAN CORE -- AND I AM TALKING THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THAT URBAN CORE, SOUTH TAMPA.

WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS TO HELP THEM BE ABLE TO NOT USE THEIR CAR, WHICH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, DENSITY IS BUILDING DAILY IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

AND SO IF MORE PEOPLE -- OR NOT JUST DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

CHANNELSIDE, ALL AROUND.

HOW DO WE PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION THAT'S NOT CAR BASED WITHIN THAT URBAN CORE?

ALL OF THESE THINGS I SEE AS WE ARE GOING TO GO TO WESTSHORE, FROM WESTSHORE TO D.O.T., BRING ALL THESE THINGS IN, BUT WITHIN THAT URBAN CORE AREA, HOW DO WE SAY, LOOK, DON'T TAKE YOUR CAR BECAUSE THERE'S TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS HERE, AND THAT WAY IT FREES UP MAYBE MORE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE INTO THE --

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND IT IS TRICKIER FOR CITIES ALREADY BUILT OUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIMITED RIGHT-OF-WAY.

FOR EXAMPLE, HOWARD AVENUE HAS BEEN A PARTICULAR STREET THAT FOLKS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR SOLUTIONS.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOWARD AVENUE, THERE ISN'T MUCH ROOM TO GO THIS WAY.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ARE ALTERNATIVES TO TAXI SERVICE.

ELEVATED PEOPLE MOVERS.

CSX IS DOING A FREIGHT CAPACITY STUDY FOR US TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN RUN COMMUTER SERVICE ON THEIR FREIGHT TRACK.

SO THE LINE THAT GOES ACROSS KENNEDY AND KIND OF GOES SOUTH, YOU KNOW WHICH ONE I AM TALKING ABOUT, COULD BE A POTENTIAL ROUTE FOR SOME SORT OF COMMUTER SERVICE.

BUT WE HAVE TO DO THAT FREIGHT ANALYSIS FIRST.

AND ANOTHER POTENTIAL SOLUTION IS A MODERN STREETCAR.

MODERN STREETCARS ARE PARTICULARLY GOOD BECAUSE THEY STOP MORE FREQUENTLY, AS LITTLE AS A QUARTER MILE.

THEY ALSO ARE VERY ADAPTABLE TO TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, SO THEY HELP SPUR REDEVELOPMENT AND HELP TO CONCENTRATE NEW DEVELOPMENT.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES WOULD BE TO SCRAP THE EXISTING STREETCAR THAT IS RUNNING IN CHANNELSIDE, USE A MODERN STREETCAR THAT I CAN SHOW YOU PICTURE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT WOULD RUN FROM CHANNELSIDE ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN UP TO CYPRESS, DOWN CYPRESS, ALL THE WAY TO WESTSHORE.

THAT WOULD PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO REDEVELOP CYPRESS, MUCH SHORTER STOPS.

IT WOULD RUN MORE SLOWLY, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE TOP SPEED OF 35 MILES AN HOUR.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS YOU HAVE TO KIND OF WEAVE TOGETHER A WEB TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT.

YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE EVERYONE'S PROBLEMS.

BUT YOU CAN DO A LOT WITH COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY.

MOTE ROW B IS A CUP OUT OF ORLANDO THAT RUNS MORE PREMIUM BUS SERVICE THAT THEY'RE SMALLER, KIND OF LIKE THE SHUTTLES THAT FOLKS USE TO GET TO THE AIRPORT.

THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION.

SO THERE ARE OPTIONS.

YOU KNOW.

>>CRISTAN FADAL: I GUESS WHAT I AM TRYING TO GET AT IS ARE THOSE THINGS IN THE CURRENT PLAN?

PART OF WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM IS I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH I GUESS IT WAS THE MPO, AND I GUESS THEY ARE WORKING ON THEIR WHOLE STUDY.

I THINK THEY PRESENTED A STUDY.

AND IT DIDN'T REALLY -- I DIDN'T FEEL IT REALLY TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE SOUTH TAMPA MARKET AT ALL.

IT WAS LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE OF RUNNING THESE LINES TO USF AND ALL THAT.

YES, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S DENSITY IN THOSE AREAS, AND PEOPLE WORK DOWNTOWN, THEY COME FROM USF, BUT I JUST DON'T SEE -- I THINK THE WONDERFUL IDEA, AT LEAST WHEN I WAS IN CHICAGO, IS YOU DIDN'T NEED A CAR WHEN YOU WERE IN THE CITY OR WHEN YOU WERE WITHIN THE WHOLE CITY CENTER, WHICH WAS HUGE.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN.

I DON'T SEE A PLAN GOING IN TO TRY TO SAY HEY, FOLKS, HERE'S OTHER OPTIONS WE TRULY HAVE.

WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THAT PLAN TO DO IT.

IT'S MORE OF -- NOT TO BE RUDE.

IT'S JUST A FERRY GOING FROM APOLLO BEACH, WHICH I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THE DENSITY IS IN APOLLO BEACH OF PEOPLE GOING FROM APOLLO BEACH TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

LET ME GET BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER.

AT THIS POINT, WHAT WE WANT TO IDENTIFY ARE THE CORRIDORS, AND SOME OF THE CORRIDORS ARE KENNEDY AND CYPRESS AND, YOU KNOW, WESTSHORE TO DOWNTOWN AND USF.

THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE IMPORTANT DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT AS PART OF AN ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS FOR TRANSIT.

SO IF THE COMMUNITY DECIDES WE WANT TO HAVE A ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM, HARTLINE, THAT'S THEIR JOB.

IT'S THEN TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, HERE IS, THEN, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, ALL THE THINGS YOU JUST DESCRIBED TO MAKE THAT NETWORK WORK FOR PEOPLE.

THAT'S NOT THE LEVEL WE ARE AT AT THIS POINT.

BUT YES, IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE ULTIMATE PLAN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY TAKES A LOT MORE STUDY.

AT THIS POINT, WE ARE NOT -- WE DON'T WANT TO GET --

[TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES]

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE CITY OF TAMPA WITH CONTRIBUTE 50 MILLION, THE COUNTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE 50 MILLION.

OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE NO LONGER CONTRIBUTING TO THE DOWNTOWN CRAs.

THAT WAS THE AGREEMENT.

>>SPENCER KASS: THE DOWNTOWN CRA.

YOU CREATED A WEST TAMPA CRA?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE CITY ASKED US TO DO THAT.

>>SPENCER KASS: YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, AND THE AGREEMENT APPROVED WAS VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THE PERCENTAGES WOULD BE.

I AM HAPPY TO GET YOU THE AGREEMENT.

IT TALKS ABOUT ALL OF THE CRAs THAT WERE RENEWED.

IT TALKS ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTION.

BUT THAT HAS ALL BEEN APPROVED IN THE AGREEMENTS.

>>SPENCER KASS: THAT'S GOING TO COST YOU 50 MILLION COUNTY DOLLARS; RIGHT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: IT'S $50 MILLION THAT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE -- IF WE HAD NOT RENEWED -- IF WE HAD NOT RENEWED, IT'S THE SAME MONEY, THE SAME MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE GONE INTO THE CRAs ANYWAY.

IT'S NOT OTHER -- LET ME DO IT THIS WAY.

LAST YEAR, FY 14, WE PUT $7.5 MILLION INTO THE DOWNTOWN CRAs.

SOP WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE 20%.

IT WILL CONTINUE TO GO INTO THE DOWNTOWN CRAs UNTIL WE'VE CONTRIBUTED 50 MILLION.

SO IT'S THE SAME CRA DOLLARS.

>>SPENCER KASS: BUT I GUESS THE DOWNTOWN CRA WAS GOING TO EXPIRE.

SO IF YOU WOULD HAVE JUST LET IT EXPIRE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE MADE THAT OFFER TO THE CITY.

THE CITY WANTED TO EXTEND IT.

>>SPENCER KASS: OF COURSE, IF YOU CAN HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE'S FREE MONEY, WHO WOULDN'T?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, SPENCER.

WHAT I AM SAYING IS WE EXTENDED IT, BUT WE ARE KEEPING --

>>SPENCER KASS: THE BULK OF IT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND.

WE ARE ON DIFFERENT ALPHABETS NOW.

YOU WERE ON CRA.

WE ARE ON TDD.

>>SPENCER KASS: I WANT TO POINT OUT, THE REASON IS BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU GIVE UP 20% OF $7.5 MILLION A YEAR, THAT'S MONEY, AND THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR THESE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

THAT'S WHERE YOU GET --

>>MIKE MERRILL: IT CAN'T.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: SPENCER, SOMEHOW WE LEFT FOR TRANSPORTATION, LEFT FOR ALL OF FIVE SECONDS, CAME BACK, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.

BUT WHAT YOU ARE DISCUSSING IS NOT WHAT THE REST OF US WANTED TO DISCUSS YET.

SO MR. MERRILL HASN'T GOTTEN THERE YET.

SO DO YOU THINK MAYBE WE COULD GO BACK TO TRANSPORTATION FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT?

>>SPENCER KASS: THAT'S FINE.

HE MADE THE POINT OF THERE ISN'T MONEY -- MR. MERRILL STARTED OFF -- YOU MATE HAVE BEEN BACK --

>> I WAS GONE FOR FIVE SECONDS.

>>SPENCER KASS: THE POINT HE MADE IN THOSE FIVE SECONDS IS THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR PEOPLE TO SIT THERE AND SAY LET'S TAKE GENERAL FUND MONEY AND FUND THESE.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I WILL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM, AND WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION LATER.

UNTIL THEN, LET'S GET BACK ON TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE I AM SURE ALL OF US HAVE QUESTIONS WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK HIM, AND YOU CAN DUKE IT OUT LATER.

>>SPENCER KASS: THAT'S FINE.

I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP AND STUFF.

THAT'S TRANSPORTATION STUFF.

CAN I ASK THAT ONE?

EVERYBODY ELSE GOT -- IN ALL HONESTY -- AS LONG AS IT'S ON TRANSPORTATION, ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S START WITH THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP.

>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.

>>SPENCER KASS: WE WERE TOLD THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP HAD AGREED TO GO OUT -- NOT YOU, THE GROUP ITSELF AS A WHOLE -- TO THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT WASN'T NECESSARILY COMING IN FOR EVERYBODY.

ARE THEY STILL DOING THAT?

DO THEY PLAN ON DOING THAT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT OVER THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS THROUGH MARCH, YES.

>>SPENCER KASS: I GIVE YOU CREDIT, BUT I AM TALKING ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WE WERE TOLD ORIGINALLY WERE GOING TO GO -- MR. CHIARAMONTE TOLD US THEY WERE GOING TO GO OUT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THEY HAVE.

COMMISSIONER MILLER WAS WITH ME LAST NIGHT.

 -- YES, THEY HAPPEN.

>>SPENCER KASS: NOT AS A WHOLE GROUP?

>>MIKE MERRILL: NOT AS A WHOLE GROUP.

AT SOME POINT WHEN WE BEGIN SCHEDULING TOWN HALL MEETINGS, WHICH IS PART OF THE PUBLIC OUTREACH, THEY WILL BE THERE AS A BODY, YES.

>>SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

NOW, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR INCREASED DENSITIES IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS.

I MEAN, THAT'S SORT OF -- TRANSIT.

FOR INCREASED RESIDENTIAL FOR ZONING THINGS, STUFF LIKE -- THERE'S NO REASON WHY THE CITY OR COUNTY COULDN'T PASS THOSE RULES NOW FOR THESE AREAS AND SAY WHEN THE TRANSPORTATION THING GOES INTO EFFECT, THIS IS WHAT IT WILL BE; RIGHT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>SPENCER KASS: IS THERE ANY INTENTION UPON THE CITY OR THE COUNTY DOING THAT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT AREAS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?

I CAN TELL YOU IN MY OWN AREA, I'VE SEEN WHERE ON A STREET WITH 20 HOUSES WHERE SOMEBODY TRIES TO HAVE THE 21st HOUSE, I MEAN, ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.

I AM JUST CURIOUS AS TO WILL THEY BE DOING THAT AND WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW -- THE COUNTY AND THE CITIES -- OF EMBARKING ON THE COMP PLAN, THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND PART OF THAT EFFORT WILL BE TO ADDRESS LAND USE CHANGES THAT ENCOURAGE MORE DENSE, WALKABLE, LIVABLE COMMUNITIES, SO THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS AND THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ALL OF THAT ACTIVITY, THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE SUBJECTS THAT'S DISCUSSED, YEAH.

>>SPENCER KASS: YOU TALKED ABOUT IN THE COUNTY, THE CONCERN SEEMS TO BE POTHOLES BEING FIXED AND SIDEWALKS BEING BUILT.

POTHOLES BEING FIXED, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO DO THINGS LIKE POTHOLES?

I MEAN, I REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE AUTOMATED TRUCKS THAT DIDN'T NEED THREE PEOPLE TO FILL A POTHOLE, IT'S ONE PERSON, THEY DRIVE BY AND IT DUMPS THE STUFF.

WHERE DOES THAT STAND?

>>MIKE MERRILL: JOHN LYONS HAS BEEN LOOKING AT TWO THINGS.

ONE IS HOW THE REPAVEMENT GETS DONE BY WORKERS, BUT ALSO THE ACTUAL MATERIALS.

THERE ARE MATERIALS NOW THAT ACTUALLY CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE ROAD AFTER YOU PATCH THE PAVEMENT, WHICH WE HAVE NOT USED IN THE PAST, SO YEAH, WE ARE LOOKING AT BOTH OF THOSE.

>>SPENCER KASS: DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE TIME FRAME IS?

>>MIKE MERRILL: I KNOW THEY ARE LOOKING AT THEM RIGHT NOW.

AS SOON AS WE CAN SATISFY OURSELVES ON THE SPECS, WE'LL BEGIN USING NEW MATERIALS.

>>SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THE CITY IS DOING IS THEY ARE GOING TO BE PURCHASING AN IMPROVED AUTOMATED TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM, USES MORE COMPUTERS AND STUFF.

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THAT IN THE COUNTY, DO YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT, IMPLEMENTATION?

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE HAVE THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

PART OF THE LIST OF PROJECTS INCLUDES ABOUT 250 MILLION FOR INTELLIGENT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S WHAT SPENCER IS TALKING ABOUT, THROUGH THE USE OF DIGITAL CAMERAS AND TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE THE THROUGHPUT OR THE FLOW THROUGH INTERSECTIONS.

WE ESTIMATE THAT IF WE DID THAT LEVEL OF INTELLIGENT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, WE COULD REDUCE CONGESTION BY UP TO ABOUT 30%.

FAIRLY REASONABLE COST.

YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE THEN YOU SEE DIMINISHING RETURNS.

SO ADDING SOME TURN LANES, CAMERAS, THAT DOES HELP.

>>SPENCER KASS: AND IS THERE A TIME PLAN OR SOMETHING TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THAT?

ARE YOU CONSIDERING THAT PART OF THIS?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN.

WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE, RETROFITTING SOME OF OUR EXISTING INTERSECTIONS.

>>SPENCER KASS: THEN IN TERMS OF --

>> [SPEAKER OFF MIC]

>>SPENCER KASS: GO AHEAD, LET THEM.

THAT'S FINE.

>> [SPEAKER OFF MIC]

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I THINK ALL OF US DID.

YOU ARE LAST ON THE LIST.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LEE WAS NEXT.

>>LEE LOWRY: MINE WAS KINDS OF -- MAYBE IT'S ABOUT PUBLIC PERCEPTION, BUT IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S REALLY FUN TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO THESE OTHER CITIES, SAN FRANCISCO AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S VERY UNHELPFUL BECAUSE WE ARE NOTHING LIKE THEM.

SO THERE'S THAT.

BUT THEN IS THERE A COMMUNITY OR ARE THERE PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU GUYS LOOK AT AND GO THIS WORKED THERE, THIS COULD WORK HERE?

IS THERE A MODEL SOMEPLACE ELSE YOU COULD LOOK AT, OR ARE WE JUST TOO UNIQUE?

>>MIKE MERRILL: NO.

THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED SOMEONE LIKE PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF TO HELP US BECAUSE THEY DO STUFF ALL OVER THE WORLD, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND THERE ARE SOME COMMONALITIES THAT CAN BE OVERLAID, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RE-CREATE THE WHEEL, BOTH IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS, BUT ALSO HOW WE APPROACH THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO FUND TRANSPORTATION.

SO THAT WILL COME OUT OF THE WORK WE ARE DOING AS WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, YES.

BUT IT'S MORE THE CASE THE COMMUNITIES ARE MORE UNIQUE THAN THEY ARE THE SAME.

SO YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN, YOU KNOW, TO BE COMPARED TO DENVER OR CHARLOTTE OR CLEVELAND, THERE ARE SOME GOOD THINGS WE CAN DRAW FROM THAT.

FOR EXAMPLE, CLEVELAND, WITH THEIR TRANSIT SYSTEM CONNECTING TO THE HOSPITAL, THE MAJOR HOSPITAL THERE, WE HAVE SIMILARITIES IN TERMS OF USF AREA, MOFFITT, [INAUDIBLE]

AND THEN TGH ON THE OTHER END, WHICH WOULD POSSIBLY CREATE A NICE CORRIDOR FOR REALIZING SOME OPPORTUNITIES.

SO YEAH.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I AM GOING TO LET KIMBER GO BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY ASKED A QUESTION.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I REALLY DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I GUESS I AM JUST KIND OF CONFUSED.

BECAUSE I MEAN, THAT'S THE REASON WHY I AM NOT A POLITICIAN BECAUSE HE HAS TO BE NICE AND EVERYTHING, AND I DON'T.

BUT I AM JUST LIKE -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY'S ISSUES ARE.

I COME FROM SAN FRANCISCO, AND I KNOW WE CAN'T COMPARE PART OF THAT, BUT I KNOW I CAN'T STAND BEING STUCK ON 275.

I CAN'T STAND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND HOW LONG IT'S TAKING D.O.T. TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS STUFF.

IT DRIVES ME CRAZY.

THEN I DO GO TO THESE LARGER CITIES, AND I UNDERSTAND THEY ARE LARGER CITIES, BUT I LIKE THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO NOT HAVE TO DRIVE, I CAN JUST PARK MY CAR.

THEN YOU SIT THERE AND PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SALES TAX, I SEE AT THE END IT'S A PENNY.

REALLY?

HOW MANY PEOPLE GO TO STARBUCKS AND ARE WILLING TO SPEND $3 FOR A STINKING CUP OF COFFEE, BUT WE'RE NOT WILLING TO BE THINKING LARGER, AND WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE TEN YEARS FROM NOW WITH OUR OWN CHILDREN?

I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH KRISTEN.

IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU DO ONE PROJECT, YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER PROJECTS.

AS YOU GUYS ARE BEGINNING THIS, YOU ARE GOING TO REALIZE, OKAY, WHAT ABOUT KENNEDY?

KENNEDY IS HORRIBLE TO BE ON CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.

IF WE COULD HAVE A QUICK RAILWAY THAT WENT DOWN.

SO I GUESS MY POINT IS THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING AND THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE THINKING IN A LARGER CAPACITY, LIKE WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE IN TEN YEARS, AND HOW IS IT THAT ONE PENNY IS GOING TO AFFECT ANYBODY?

BECAUSE IF IT IS, THEN YOU ARE NOT LIVING CORRECTLY.

YOU KNOW?

I NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE I WANT IT TO BE FOR MY GIRLS.

I WANT PEOPLE TO COME.

I AM SURE YOU HAD ISSUES AS THE AIRPORT WAS GOING THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE AIRPORT EXPAND.

NOW WE ARE KNOWN AS NUMBER ONE, AND A EVERYBODY LOVES OUR AIRPORT.

WHY?

BECAUSE WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT PAINFUL PERIOD TO GET IT TO WHERE IT IS AND NOW THEY LOVE IT.

SO WHY ARE PEOPLE UNWILLING TO LIVE THROUGH THE PAIN RIGHT NOW OF EXPANDING OUR COMMUNITY, GETTING ON THE TRAINS, HAVING THE PEOPLE MOVERS, HAVING THE FERRIES.

OKAY.

YOU WERE TALKING, JOE, ABOUT THE FERRY.

WAS THAT YOU AND YOUR WIFE?

SO IT WAS ACTUALLY LIKE $6 PER PERSON TO SAVE YOU 30 MINUTES?

GO SIT ON 27 5 AT 5:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

I WILL PAY THE $6 BECAUSE I AM ROAD RAGE WOMAN, LIKE ON THE VET, 275, MY GOSH.

I WISH EVERYONE WOULD PUT MORE OF A FORWARD THINKING, AND I ADMIRE YOU FOR HAVING TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THESE PEOPLE COMING AT YOU IN REGARDS TO WHY THIS, WHY THAT, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE NOT LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE, NOT LOOKING WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE TAMPA IN THE NEXT 10, 20 YEARS.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO LAP.

WE CAN LOOK AT OUR FREEWAYS RIGHT NOW.

HOW MANY YEARS HAS THAT BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION?

>>MIKE MERRILL: WELL, THIS IS NOT SCIENTIFIC.

ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THE EXPERIENCE OF NOW HAVING TALKED TO 30 DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WHEN I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, TAKE THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN KIND OF LARGER DIMENSIONS TO THIS, FOLKS REALLY DO GET IT.

SO WHAT I HEAR IN SOUTH COUNTY AND SUN CITY CENTER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THE GREATER GOOD, AND WE DON'T REALLY CARE IF THE CITY OF TAMPA GETS A TRAIN.

AND WE REALLY DON'T CARE SO MUCH ABOUT PAYING A SALES TAX.

BUT WE HAVE NEEDS HERE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND.

SO WHAT IT IS, IT'S NOT AN EITHER/OR BECAUSE THAT'S THE DILEMMA WE GOT INTO IN 2010.

IT WAS JUST ONE SERVING AT THE TABLE, AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO EAT FOR ANYBODY.

SO WHAT I AM HEARING IS PEOPLE ARE OKAY WITH THAT LARGER CONCEPT, BUT POLITICS IS PERSONAL.

EVERYTHING IS PERSONAL.

THERE ISN'T A DAY THAT GOES BY I DON'T WALK MY DOGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND MY NEIGHBOR IS SAYING, HEY, WHAT ABOUT THAT SIDEWALK?

WHAT ABOUT THE LIGHT DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION?

AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THAT IS -- HAS AS MUCH VALUE TO THOSE RESIDENTS AS A TRAIN DOES TO THE CITY OF TAMPA.

IT HAS TO.

IN THE END, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE ARE GOING TO GET THE REVENUE IS THAT IF -- AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE THE FAILURE OF GREEN LIGHT WAS IN THE EXIT POLLS.

PEOPLE DIDN'T FEEL THEY WERE GETTING VALUE BY PAYING A SALES TAX BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T GETTING THEIR SIDEWALKS TAKEN CARE OF, THEY WEREN'T GETTING THEIR ROADS REPAVED.

BUT IT ISN'T EITHER/OR.

YOU CAN DO THAT AND YOU CAN STAND UP A DECENT TRANSIT SYSTEM.

I AM PRETTY HEARTENED WITH WHAT I SEE AT THIS POINT.

WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND WE SHOULD BECAUSE THIS IS REAL IMPORTANT.

I'M NOT TOO DISHEARTENED AT THIS POINT.

IT'S A BIG CULTURE CHANGE FOR US HERE.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I CAN'T STAND THOSE STINKING POTHOLES.

BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.

I GO AROUND IT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

THE FOCUS GROUPS, FOLKS WHO SAID THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THERE WAS A REAL TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM, WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN INTO THAT, IT'S BECAUSE THEY FOUND WAYS TO WORK AROUND IT.

I DID YESTERDAY WHEN I HAD TO GET FROM CARROLLWOOD TO WESTSHORE FOR A PRESENTATION.

I GOT JAMMED ON DALE MABRY.

I ENDED UP TAKING A BUNCH OF SIDE ROADS BECAUSE I HAPPEN TO KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

BUT THE QUESTION REALLY IS -- IS VERY PERSONAL.

SO WHEN I TALK TO GROUPS, I SAY, OKAY, IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING THIS DISCUSSION TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE, LET'S GO THROUGH SOME EXAMPLES.

IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL VEHICLES CAN GET TO YOU TIMELY WHEN YOU NEED THEM, OR DO YOU WANT THEM STUCK IN TRAFFIC?

WE HERE IN THIS COUNTY ARE UNFORTUNATELY AT THE TOP OF THE WRONG LIST.

THE MOST BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN INJURIES AND DEATHS IN THE COUNTRY.

DO YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE SAFE ON THE ROADS?

DO YOU WANT TO BE SAFE?

DO YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO RIDE YOUR BIKE?

IS IT MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR CHILDREN OR SPEND YOUR TIME IN THE CAR ON 275?

AND HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR JOB TO YOU?

BECAUSE AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, IF WE DON'T ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION, COMPANIES WHO ARE HERE WILL BEGIN TO LEAVE, AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTRACT NEW COMPANIES.

THERE WAS A STUDY THAT WE HEARD JUST YESTERDAY AT THE EDC, THEY SURVEYED I BELIEVE IT WAS A THOUSAND CORPORATIONS, CEOS, MANY OF WHOM WERE THE TOP 500 CORPORATIONS.

WE GOT VERY HIGH MARKS -- THEY COMPARED US TO FIVE OTHER CITIES.

WE GOT VERY HIGH MARKS ON 10 OF THE 20 CRITERIA, AND ALL THE CEOs HAD GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY EXCEPT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM SAID WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT YOUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM?

THESE ARE COMPANIES THAT CAN MOVE THEIR HEADQUARTERS ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

THEY LIKE US.

THEY THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TO OFFER.

BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT TRANSIT?

BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ATTRACTING AND RETAINING WORKFORCE.

AND YOU KNOW, IN THIS TECHNOLOGY, AGE OF TECHNOLOGY, WORKERS WHO HAVE THOSE SKILLS ARE TYPICALLY YOUNGER WORKERS, THE MILLENNIALS, SO CALLED, AND WHAT THOSE STUDENTS AND MILLENNIALS ARE TELLING US HERE IN TAMPA IS THAT WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM UT AND THEY GRADUATE FROM USF, THEY ARE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO STAY HERE.

THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT TO LIVE IN BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE TRANSIT, IT'S NOT SAFE TO RIDE BIKES, THERE'S NOT PREDOMINANTLY DENSE, WALKABLE COMMUNITIES.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I AGREE WITH YOU.

MY DAUGHTER IS IN THAT BOAT, AND SHE HAS ALSO SAID THE EXACT SAME THING, WHICH MAKES ME HAVE TO RELOOK AT THE FUTURE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT IN THOSE TERMS, THEN PEOPLE CAN SAY, NOW I CAN SEE FROM A LARGER COMMUNITY PURPOSE AND GOOD, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PROBABLY A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE.

SO WE ARE JUST KIND OF AT THE BEGINNING OF IT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THIS JOE IS UP NEXT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL, FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

ON THE EMPLOYEE PIECE, I HAVE EMPLOYEES TOO, AND I THINK EVERY EMPLOYER WANTS TO REWARD THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND YOU WANT TO KEEP THEM.

SO I UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE THAT YOU ARE UNDER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: BUT OF COURSE, PART OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE IS YOU ARE SERVING, SO SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO BITE THE BULLET ON THAT.

I WANT TO AGREE WITH ONE OF THE THINGS CRISTAN SAID.

I USED TO LIVE IN APOLLO BEACH, I LIVED IN NORTH, BUT I NOW LIVE ON THE EAST END.

I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY THERE WOULDN'T BE A FOCUS ON SOUTH TAMPA.

AS A LAYMAN, AN OUTSIDER'S VIEW, I DON'T SEE HOW IT GROWS WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT.

THERE'S CERTAINLY THE DENSITY, BY FAR, MORE SO THAN EAST COUNTY.

I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE IN EAST COUNTY -- AND THAT'S WHERE I LIVE AND WHO I AM SORT OF REPRESENTING, I GUESS, HERE -- IS THAT IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT AN UNWILLINGNESS TO SPEND MONEY, WHERE IT BE INITIALLY IN A SMALL TAX PER SE OR IN PEOPLE SPENDING THEIR OWN MONEY TO TAKE OTHER FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION, BUT I THINK WHERE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS REVOLVE AROUND IS ACTUALLY A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT.

SO WHEN THE QUESTION IS POSED DO YOU WANT THIS THING, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY YES.

ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR IT?

NO.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT.

OF COURSE, THAT'S A PROBLEM GOVERNMENT CAN'T SOLVE.

IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING, IT'S HARD TO ASK FOR IT.

BUT A LOT OF IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO A LACK OF CONFIDENCE.

I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY JUST A CHALLENGE THAT YOU AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE, AND THERE'S NO EASY SOLUTION TO THAT.

BUT IN GENERAL, PEOPLE, AT LEAST IN EAST COUNTY, ARE JUST DISTRUSTFUL THAT THE INCREASE IN TAXATION IS GOING TO ULTIMATELY DELIVER.

TO THAT POINT -- AND KIMBER, I DON'T TAKE MY WIFE TO WORK, SO IF I HAD A FERRY, IT WOULD BE $18 FOR ME.

OKAY?

SO I DON'T -- SHE DOESN'T COME TO WORK WITH ME.

[LAUGHTER]

BUT THE -- I OWN NO STOCK IN FERRY COMPANIES.

I JUST NOTICED AS A CHEAP OPTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PERSONALLY WAS EXCITED ABOUT FROM A TRANSPORTATION STANDPOINT WAS WHEN THE SELMON/I-4 CONNECTION WAS CREATED.

I WAS WAITING FOR THAT.

OKAY?

AND YOU KNOW, I DID THE ANALYSIS, AND I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.

OKAY?

I THOUGHT -- I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE -- I JUST THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS GOING TO USE IT.

I JUST THOUGHT WHY WOULD YOU NOT?

WHY WOULD YOU GO DOWN 275 AND CITY IN THAT AND DEAL WITH IT?

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?

TO ME, IT'S WORTH IT.

BUT I UNDERSTAND, I AM JUST ONE PERSON, BUT SO I'M SPENDING THE MONEY TO TAKE THAT EVERY -- FIVE DAYS A WEEK BACK AND FORTH.

OKAY?

AND WHAT I AM NOTICING -- AND I HAVE ACTUALLY TESTED IT.

I'VE DRIVEN DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY.

DURING RUSH HOUR, DURING THE PEAK TIMES, IT IS VERY COMMON FOR ME TO BE ONE OF FIVE CARS AS FAR AS I CAN SEE ON THAT CONNECTION.

I AM LIKE HOW IS THIS NOT BEING UTILIZED MORE?

SO BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE OF MY REAL EXPERIENCE I AM HAVING THERE DRIVING EVERY DAY, AND NO ONE ELSE BEING AROUND ME DURING RUSH HOUR, IS IT -- IS IT PART OF -- IS IT PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY TO DO ANY ANALYSIS ON HOW THAT TRANSPORTATION IS NOW BEING USED NOW THAT MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT AND NOW THAT IT'S BEEN BUILT?

HAS THERE BEEN ANY ANALYSIS ON WHETHER THAT'S REDUCED THE TRAFFIC FROM 275?

I MEAN, IS THERE ANY -- IS THERE ANYTHING TO SHOW WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE?

BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THAT WHATEVER RESULTS COME FROM A STUDY OF THAT CONNECTOR, THAT THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO KNOW GOING FORWARD WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE NEXT TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION EXPENDITURE.

BECAUSE IF PEOPLE AREN'T USING IT, I WAS SHOCKED BY IT, BUT IT APPEARS THAT THEY ARE NOT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, IT'S ALL YOURS.

I'LL FIND OUT FROM THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY.

THEY WOULD BE THE ONES TO HAVE DONE THAT ANALYSIS.

I WOULD OFFER MAYBE AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW.

A LOT OF TIMES -- AND THIS IS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT SOMETIMES -- IS TO DO BIG PROJECTS IN A FORWARD-LOOKING WAY.

I WOULD OFFER THAT THE VALUE OF THE VETERANS AND THE I-4 CONNECTOR WILL BE REALIZED ONCE [INAUDIBLE] STANDS UP HIS DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN.

IT WAS WAITING FOR THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WHERE NOW YOU ARE GOING TO BE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING INTO DOWNTOWN AND A LOT MORE TRAFFIC COMING FROM AROUND THE COUNTY TO AN ENTERTAINMENT CENTER AND TO A BUSINESS CENTER DOWNTOWN.

MY SPECULATION.

I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA TO BACK IT UP.

BUT KNOWING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN DOWNTOWN BETWEEN THE PORT'S MASTER PLAN AND THAT DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.

THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE CAPACITY BEING TAKEN UP, I BELIEVE.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: BARBARA, COULD I JUST MAKE ONE STATEMENT ABOUT THAT?

JOE MENTIONED THE LACK OF TRUST.

AND THE CONNECTOR, LIKE THE CROSSTOWN, ARE EXAMPLES OF WHY THAT EXISTS.

MUCH OF WHAT I READ PRIOR TO THE CONNECTOR BEING BUILT, DURING THE CONNECTOR BEING BUILT, WAS HOW MANY TRUCKS WERE GOING TO BE ON THE CONNECTOR, AND IT WAS GOING TO MOVE TRUCKS OFF THE STREET.

I DON'T TRAVEL THE CONNECTOR BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO, BUT I DRIVE THE CROSSTOWN TWICE A DAY, AND I COUNT.

I DO THAT.

THE NUMBER OF CARS I SEE ON THE CONNECTOR AS I GO AT HOWEVER FAST OR SLOW I AM ABLE TO GO THAT DAY ON THE CROSSTOWN.

AND IT'S RARE THAT I CAN COUNT MORE THAN FIVE VEHICLES, AND NOT MANY TRUCKS.

AND THE CROSSTOWN WAS THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT WAS BUILT.

AND THE CROSSTOWN IS HEAVILY USED NOW, AND YOU KNOW, IT HAS BECOME A WAY AND PEOPLE USE IT.

PEOPLE GET -- I -- I WILL SPEAK SOLELY FOR ME -- I GET REALLY IRRITATED WHEN I READ ALL THIS AND THEN I SEE THE REALITY IS THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: TRUE.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK THAT AS YOU ARE DOING YOUR PRESENTATIONS, YOU'VE GOT TO BE SAYING EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

WE HAVE TO DO THIS FOR THE FUTURE, AND IT WILL TAKE TIME, AND YOU KNOW, YOU SPOKE EARLY ON THAT YOU HAVE TO BUILD IT.

BUSINESSES DON'T OPEN WITH THEIR BUSINESS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED.

OR AT LEAST THAT'S NOT WHAT I HEAR OR READ.

>>MIKE MERRILL: I GET TO LOOK AT THE VETERANS EVERY DAY OUTSIDE MY WINDOW, AND I ASK THE SAME QUESTION.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO GET MORE DETAIL ON IT, I AM NOT THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY ON IT.

JOE WAGNER WOULD BE.

BUT ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS IS WHEN THEY BUILT THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUILT THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM THAT WE NOW DEPEND ON SO MUCH, THERE WASN'T MUCH USE OF IT.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST -- I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.

IT'S A HARD CONCEPT TO CONVEY.

BUT IF WE HADN'T BUILT THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM, WHERE WOULD WE BE TODAY?

AND YOU CAN USE THOSE EXAMPLES.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU CAN USE THOSE EXAMPLES, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND IT.

BUT AT LEAST, AGAIN, I WILL ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND PEOPLE THAT I KNOW -- THERE IS A LACK OF TRUST BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS THIS OVERSELLING OR SOMETHING.

>>MIKE MERRILL: SO YOU KNOW I HAVE BEEN HERE AT THE COUNTY FOR 25-PLUS YEARS, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I TOOK OVER FIVE YEARS AGO, MY MISSION WAS TO CHANGE THAT -- CHANGE IT BY JUST DAY-TO-DAY CUSTOMER SERVICE, MAKING IT BETTER BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THAT YOU BUILD TRUST, CUSTOMER BY CUSTOMER, DAY BY DAY.

WE HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS.

WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

IT'S LIKE ANY RELATIONSHIP.

WE KNOW THE OLD METAPHOR OF A BANK ACCOUNT FOR TRUST; RIGHT?

AND YOU HAVE TO BUILD UP THAT BANK ACCOUNT, AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

I TOLD THIS TO THE BAY CREST CIVIC GROUP LAST NIGHT.

I SAID, YOU KNOW, AFTER ALL OF THE MEETINGS WE HAVE, AFTER ALL THE POLLS, AFTER ALL THE FOCUS GROUPS, IF THERE ISN'T SUFFICIENT TRUST AND THERE ISN'T A REAL DESIRE TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS, WE WON'T GO FORWARD WITH IT.

IT'S UP TO THE COMMUNITY, TRULY.

WE CAN DO SOME THINGS, GOING BACK TO SPENCER'S POINT.

IF THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T WANT TO GO DOWN THE BIG ROAD, WE WILL HAVE TO FIND A WAY, FRANKLY, TO REALLOCATE DOLLARS, EITHER FROM THE CRA OR FROM OTHER MONIES, TO CONTINUE TAKING CARE OF OUR ASSETS.

I MEAN, WE CAN'T LET -- WE HAVE $750 MILLION IN BACKLOG REPAVING PROJECTS IN THIS COUNTY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE'VE SPENT $1.3 BILLION ON TRANSPORTATION OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS.

950 MILLION OF THAT WAS FOR ROADS.

THE PROBLEM IS -- GOING BACK, AGAIN, TO WHAT SPENCER SAID, LAND USE -- WE'VE BEEN GROWING THIS WAY.

7,000 MILES OF ROADS TO TAKE CARE OF.

THE MORE WE CONTINUE TO GROW THIS WAY, THE MORE COSTLY IT WILL BE TO DELIVER WATER AND SEWER, FIRE RESCUE, SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND ROADS.

WE ARE AT A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION POINT IN THIS COMMUNITY ABOUT -- NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE TRANSIT STOPS AND MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY DO WE WANT TO BE?

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS A REFERENDUM ABOUT, TRULY.

THE REST OF IT IS DETAILS.

THEY ARE IMPORTANT DETAILS, BUT YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE REST OF IT IF EVERYONE SAYS YEAH, WE WANT MORE DENSE, WALKABLE COMMUNITIES.

WE WANT TO BE TRANSIT ORIENTED.

WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE.

WE WANT TO BE SAFE.

HECK, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE IT.

AS LONG AS THERE IS TRUST, WE ARE READY TO GO.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DO YOU HAVE TIME FOR ANOTHER QUESTION?

JOE?

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: MR. MERRILL, DO YOU HAVE ANY DIALOGUE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON ON COUNTY LINE ROAD?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YOU MEAN PASCO?

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: WELL, IT'S PASCO ON ONE SIDE AND THE CITY OF TAMPA ON THE OTHER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: PERSONALLY, NOT MUCH, BUT MAYBE I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: I HAVE ASKED FOR SIDEWALKS AND STREETLIGHTS.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ASKED FOR STREETLIGHTS ON THE COMMUNICATION THAT THEY SENT OUT.

WE'VE GOT 40-SOMETHING ACRES THERE.

THEY ARE GOING TO BUILD A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT'S GOING TO BE OWNED BY FLORIDA HOSPITAL, K-12.

THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE 660 STUDENTS, AND THESE STUDENTS ARE NOT GOING TO COME IN ON A BUS.

MOMMY IS GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THEM TO SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

THERE WON'T BE ANY BUS TRANSPORTATION -- I DON'T THINK SO.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, WE HAVE PASCO COUNTY.

THEY ARE PUTTING A RED LIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO NORTHWOOD OFF OF COUNTY LINE ROAD.

THEY'VE ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT, IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPER.

PETE BRECK, WHO USED TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY, HAS BEEN INVOLVED, AND I TALKED TO HIM MANY, MANY TIMES WHEN HE ANSWERS HIS PHONE.

BUT WE NEED STREETLIGHTS AND SIDEWALKS.

WE JUST ANNEXED 444 BUILDING LOTS NEXT TO WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT'S ALL GOING TO FUNNEL OUT ONTO COUNTY LINE ROAD.

THERE'S NO OTHER WAY OUT BECAUSE ON BRUCE B. DOWNS, THEY OWN LAND, BUT IT'S WET.

THEY CAN'T GO THROUGH THERE.

THE COUNTY'S GOT TO GET INVOLVED.

WHERE THE TELEPHONE POLES ARE, I WANTED STREETLIGHTS THERE.

BUT THAT IS OWNED BY THE COUNTY, NOT THE CITY.

IT'S A MIXED BAG, AND IT'S GOT TO BE SETTLED.

IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.

THEY DO HAVE A BICYCLE LANE THERE THAT'S THIS WIDE.

YOU SEE PEOPLE RIDING THAT AT NIGHT.

I PITY THEM TO RIDE THERE AT NIGHT.

IT'S THEIR ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH, JOE, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THAT, BUT BETH WILL FOLLOW UP WITH LUCIA GARSYS.

WE WILL GET YOU ALL AN ANSWER.

I JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A CONCERN, THOUGH.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: IT'S NEEDED, AND THERE'S MORE GROWTH COMING IN.

GRAND HAMPTON ITSELF IS APPROACHING A THOUSAND HOMES.

YOU HAVE 550 HOMES WHERE TAYLOR MORRISON IS GOING TO BUILD THOSE 454 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.

YOU CAN'T PUT PEOPLE THERE.

IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CARS, THEY WALK TO THE SUPERMARKET.

>>MIKE MERRILL: RIGHT.

IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF --

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: I HAVE PICTURES OF THE PATH THEY HAVE MADE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

IT'S NOT SAFE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: NO, I KNOW.

IT'S NOT SAFE, ABSOLUTELY.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: I WENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR BRUCE B. DOWNS TO ASK FOR THE ACCIDENT REPORTS.

WELL, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR EACH ONE.

I AM NOT GOING TO PAY FOR IT.

I JUST WANT TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE COUNTY THAT THEY'VE GOT TO FINISH BRUCE B. DOWNS BOULEVARD.

YOU'VE GOT FOUR LANES, THEN IT GOES TO THREE AND A HALF LANES, THEN IT GOES TO TWO LANES.

AND YOU'VE GOT MORE ACCIDENTS, REAR-END COLLISIONS, PEOPLE GETTING HURT AND DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: BRUCE B. DOWNS IS IN THE COMPLETION PHASE, SO WE JUST STARTED THE LAST PHASE.

THAT I KNOW.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: THAT'S IN TAMPA PALMS FROM THE POST OFFICE.

BUT THE OTHER END HAS NOT BEEN PUT OUT TO BID YET.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK WE ARE GOING TO DOUBLE-DECKER BRUCE B. DOWNS; RIGHT?

ISN'T THAT IN THE PLAN, TO DOUBLE-DECK?

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE CAN'T GO THIS WAY, SO WE ARE GOING TO GO UP.

ABSOLUTELY.

[LAUGHTER]

MAY BE THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR DALE MABRY.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: MAYBE WE NEED THE EAST-WEST ROADWAY ALSO.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THERE YOU GO.

BRING IT BACK.

[LAUGHTER]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I TOLD SPENCER YOU COULD HAVE ONE QUESTION.

>>SPENCER KASS: ONE QUESTION, THEN THE REST I WILL QUICKLY ROLL OFF AND MR. MERRILL CAN GET BACK TO ME.

IN TERMS OF TAXES AND FEES, I AM OPPOSED TO ALL OF IT, BUT IN THE COUNTY, YOU CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A TAX ON YOUR ELECTRIC UTILITY BILLS; CORRECT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>SPENCER KASS: AND THE CITY DOES?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>SPENCER KASS: IF YOU WANTED A NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE TO DO COUNTY PROJECTS, AND THEY SEEM, AS YOU SAID, RECEPTIVE TO A NEW TAX, THAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF REVENUE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, IT COULD.

>>SPENCER KASS: WOULD YOU BE ABLE DO, PERHAPS, GET US A REPORT SHOWING ON A YEARLY BASIS WHAT KIND OF FUNDS THAT WOULD GENERATE FOR THE COUNTY?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

>>SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

TWO OTHER FEES THAT YOU ALL MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER ARE -- I SAW A LOT OF SPORTS TEAMS WERE SUPPORTING WHEN GREEN LIGHT WAS GOING ON, THEY HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

YOU KNOW, THEY DONATED MONEY AND EVERYTHING.

I AM SURE THAT THEY FEEL VERY BAD THAT THERE'S NO SALES TAX CHARGED ON THE SALES OF THEIR TICKETS.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN YOU BUY TICKETS FOR THE BUCKS OR THE LIGHTNING, YOU DON'T PAY SALES TAX ON THAT.

THEY GOT A SPECIAL LITTLE EXEMPTION ON THAT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: I DON'T KNOW.

>>SPENCER KASS: I KNOW BACK WHEN I USED TO GET BUCKS TICKETS.

IF THEY DID, WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER SOME SORT OF FEE EQUAL TO THE 8% AND SEE HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WOULD GENERATE.

OR ON THEIR PARKING SPACES, WHICH I KNOW THE CITY OF TAMPA SUBSIDIZES AT A LOSS, WHAT KIND OF REVENUE COULD BE GENERATED.

SO THOSE ARE THREE SOURCES OF POTENTIAL REVENUE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: ACTUALLY, WHAT I WILL GET YOU IS BONNIE WISE AND HER FOLKS DID A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT TAXES THAT WE CURRENTLY LEVY AND TAXES WE DON'T LEVY, SO THAT WILL GIVE YOU -- IF YOU CAN JUST REMEMBER THAT, BETH, WE WILL GET THAT FROM BONNIE.

>>SPENCER KASS: AND TWO THINGS THAT CONCERN ME, WHICH I DON'T KNOW YOU WILL HAVE THE ANSWER TO RIGHT NOW, IF THE SALES TAX WAS TO BE INCREASED, WOULD THAT -- SINCE MOST SMALL BUSINESSES PAY SALES TAX ON RENT -- WOULD THAT INCREASE THEIR SALES TAXES ON THEIR RENT?

AS I SAID, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THE ANSWER.

YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET THAT FROM MR. FLETCHER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: I DON'T KNOW.

I WILL GET THAT FOR YOU.

DOES THE CIT GET CHARGED ON -- BECAUSE WE DO SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE CIT.

>>SPENCER KASS: I DON'T HONESTLY KNOW.

I KNOW WHEN YOU JUST PAY GENERAL SALES TAX, TO THE DEGREE YOU ARE A LANDLORD AND YOU COLLECT RENT FROM A TENANT, YOU COLLECT AN EXTRA 1% IN THE CITY OF TAMPA THAT THEN GETS REDISTRIBUTED.

AND ALSO, ONE LAST CONCERN THAT I HAD WAS IF ANY OF THIS STUFF WAS TO GET BUILT, TAKING OF PRIVATE LANDS TO DO THIS -- BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IN THE PREVIOUS PROPOSAL WHAT SOME OF THE ROUTES WERE, A LOT OF THIS TENDS TO RUN THROUGH SORT OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES, AND PEOPLE CAN'T NECESSARILY -- SO I WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE SOME ASSURANCE THAT PRIVATE LAND -- I MEAN, I REALIZE YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT -- BUT THAT PRIVATE LANDS WOULDN'T BE TAKEN, AND IF THEY WERE, WHAT THAT'S GOING TO SORT OF LOOK LIKE.

BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU SOME OF THE STREETS THAT WE LOOKED AT FOR TRANSIT ROUTES, SUCH AS CYPRESS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT -- I MEAN, I DON'T SEE HOW IT WOULD WORK OTHERWISE.

YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO TAKE A GIANT SECTION OF THESE PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS.

OR THEY DON'T REALIZE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS HALF THEIR FRONT YARDS.

THESE ARE ALL MINORITY PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO HAVE THOSE HOMES.

AND HONESTLY, TO HAVE EITHER THE TRAFFIC LANES PUSHED OUT INTO THEIR FRONT YARDS -- SO THERE COULD BE -- AS I SAID, THAT'S PROBABLY A QUESTION OF MR. FLETCHER OR SOMEBODY.

I DON'T KNOW.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH, WE WOULD, OF COURSE, FOLLOW ALL OF THE EMINENT DOMAIN LAWS AND TRY TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT -- I MEAN, TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN, YOU WOULD WANT TO RUN DEDICATED TRANSIT DOWN THE CENTER OF --

>>SPENCER KASS: RIGHT, WHICH THEN WOULD PUSH THE LANES OUT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: POTENTIALLY.

>>SPENCER KASS: YEAH, POTENTIALLY.

THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE CONCERNS I'VE HEARD AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE WILL GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.

>>SPENCER KASS: THANK YOU.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEP.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: JOE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: MR. MERRILL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN, FOR YOUR SERVICE.

HAVING HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND KIND OF LOOKED AT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE, AND NOW THAT I -- WHEN I MOVED HERE, I DID NOT THINK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.

HONESTLY, IT WAS NOT A DETERMINING FACTOR FOR ME BECAUSE I GREW UP IN ATLANTA, SO I ASSUMED IT WOULD BE BETTER REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE.

BUT THE -- IF THE RESIDENTS OF -- I JUST WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS AS YOU GO INTO THE NEXT YEAR OF PLANNING.

IF THE RESIDENTS OF EAST COUNTY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, BE IT FINANCIAL OR JUST WHATEVER THE CHOICES ARE -- HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO UTILIZE THE I-4 CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR TO GET DOWNTOWN, IF THEY'VE DECIDED THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PAY $1.50 OR $2 OR WHAT HAVE YOU TO USE THAT OPTION, THEN IT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT COMMON SENSE WOULD DICTATE THAT ANY ADDITIONAL FORM OF TRANSPORTATION THAT GOES OUT, EXTENDS OUT INTO EAST COUNTY -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GET MUCH FASTER THAN THE CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR, BUT IF IT IS IN ANY WAY SIMILAR OR AT ALL SLOWER, YOU WOULD THINK COMMON SENSE WOULD BE THAT IF THE PEOPLE WON'T PAY $1.50, $2 TO TAKE THE CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR A METHOD THAT THEY LOSE CONTROL OF THEIR TRANSPORTATION AND MOVE SLOWER.

SO I JUST LEAVE YOU WITH THAT.

MY CONCERN IS THAT ANY OTHER TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION THAT'S ATTEMPTED LIKE THAT IN EAST COUNTY WILL PROBABLY FAIL IF THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO SPEND $1.50 OR $2 TO TAKE THE CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE POINT IS WELL TAKEN.

WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM THE DISCUSSIONS I'VE HAD IN EAST COUNTY IS THAT THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN A BUS RAPID TRANSIT EXPRESS BUSES.

THAT'S WHERE THE CROSSTOWN COULD BE VERY -- THE SELMON COULD BE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE CURRENTLY A LARGE CAR CAPACITY, SO YOU NOW REALLY TRULY HAVE BUSES, SO YOU EXTEND THE REACH OUT FURTHER TO EAST COUNTY SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A WAY, THEN, TO GET TO BUS SERVICE THAT THEN WOULD TAKE AN EXPRESS DOWNTOWN.

SO THAT'S ONE POSSIBILITY.

BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.

THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

>>MIKE MERRILL: MY PLEASURE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFORMATION.

I KNOW WE WILL BE CONTACTING YOUR OFFICE ABOUT FUTURE ITEMS INTO JANUARY, ESPECIALLY THE BUDGET.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SO YOU CAN --

>>MIKE MERRILL: ON THAT POINT, THE BOARD IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL RETREAT IN DECEMBER, DECEMBER 12, AND A BIG PART OF THAT DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE ABOUT POLICY-LEVEL GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR FINANCES AND BUDGET, SO ONCE WE COMPLETE THAT RETREAT, WE CAN BETTER FIGURE OUT WITH YOU HOW YOU WANT TO FOLD INTO THAT AS WE START THE BUDGET PROCESS.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: OKAY.

>>SPENCER KASS: AS LONG AS YOU ARE HERE, CAN YOU GET US AN EMAIL ON WHERE THINGS STAND WITH THE -- WELL, OKAY -- THE JOINT COMPUTER SYSTEM.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE ERP?

>>SPENCER KASS: YES.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEP.

>>SPENCER KASS: THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WITH THAT, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?

WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT; RIGHT?

>>BETH PYTLIK: YES, WE HAVE TWO FOLKS POUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

I WILL GO ALPHABETICALLY.

WE WILL START WITH CHARLOTTE GREENBERG.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WELCOME, MISS GREENBERG.

>>BETH PYTLIK: IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

>> TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LEFT, THANK YOU.

CHARLOTTE GREENBARK, 2807 COASTAL RANGE WAY, LUTZ, FLORIDA.

I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE BEEN RUNNING LATE, BUT THIS IS KIND OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE YOUR POINT MADE, IF YOU WANTED PUBLIC COMMENT AND LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, YOU GOT TO WAIT TO LISTEN TO THEM, AND IF THE MEETING GOES LATE, WELL, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES.

SO JUST A HEADS-UP ON HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THINGS.

I AM A REFUGEE, AS THEY LIKE TO CALL IT, FROM DADE AND BROWARD.

[LAUGHTER]

WE MOVED HERE, IT WILL BE A YEAR IN FEBRUARY.

IN DADE -- BECAUSE WE MOVED THERE IN 1969 -- WE HEARD PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF IN THE EARLY '70s TALK ABOUT METRO RAIL, WHICH WE LOVINGLY CALLED METRO FAIL BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT DID, IT FAILED.

THEY, AT THE BLESSED [INAUDIBLE]

COUNTY COMMISSIONER ADMITTED TO US AFTER THE DEBACLE WAS BUILT, NOBODY RODE IT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE NOBODY WANTED TO GO TO HIALEAH, THEY WANTED TO GO TO THE AIRPORT AND SEAPORT, HE ADMITTED THAT THEY DIDN'T GIVE US PROJECTIONS TRUTHFULLY.

AND IT TOOK A LOT FOR HIM TO ADMIT THAT.

PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF THEN CAME BACK UP, CAME UP TO BROWARD SOME YEARS LATER, TO TRY TO SELL BROWARD ON FIXED RAIL, AND BROWARD -- THEY DIDN'T EVEN GET TO A VOTE BECAUSE WHEN THEY WENT AROUND THE COUNTY, THEY REALIZED THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO GET ANY SUPPORT FOR FIXED RAIL.

THE THING THAT THEY TOLD THEM TO DO WAS PLEASE FIX THE BUSES, USE JITNEYS, USE SMALLER, SPEEDIER JITNEYS LIKE THEY USE TODAY HAVE YEARS AGO, ON A VERY FREQUENT BASIS, YOU NEVER HAD TO WAIT MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES FOR A JITNEY.

I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT A SALES TAX, AND I UNDERSTAND KIMBER, MS. WILLIAMS, IS NOT HERE.

IT'S NOT JUST A PENNY.

IT IS THE MOST REGRESSIVE TAX YOU CAN LEVY.

THE POOR PAY MORE FOR THAT TAX THAN THE AFFLUENT ELITISTS WHO SAY IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT MUCH.

IT IS THAT MUCH IF YOU ARE POOR.

BECAUSE IT'S A BIGGER PERCENTAGE OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND, AND THEY TAKE A HIT.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A PENNY.

IT ISN'T JUST A PENNY.

THIS -- WHAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING SOUNDS PRETTY FRAGMENTED.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PLANNING IS -- YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS DOING THINGS IN KIND OF SILOS.

THAT'S NOT HOW YOU PLAN SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOWN THE ROAD WITH ALL OF THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND WATCHING IT PLAN, WATCHING IT FAIL MOSTLY.

THIS ISN'T SAN FRANCISCO.

FLORIDA ISN'T CALIFORNIA.

FLORIDA IS A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE.

I LIVE IN THE OUTSKIRTS.

I LIVE IN THE BOONDOCKS DELIBERATELY.

WE MOVED OUT THERE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO LIVE IN THE BOONDOCKS BECAUSE WE'D HAD ENOUGH OF THE CONGESTION OF BROWARD COUNTY.

EVEN WITH 595, EVEN WITH THE REVERSE LANES -- WHICH, BY THE WAY, ISN'T A BAD IDEA.

THEY REVERSE THE LANES ON 595, AND IT'S WORKING PRETTY WELL IN THE RUSH HOUR.

BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS THE RUSH HOUR.

I CAME DOWN HERE ON 41, I LEFT MY HOUSE AT ABOUT QUARTER TO 9:00, AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONGESTION AT ALL.

I CAME STRAIGHT DOWN 41, AND I'LL GO STRAIGHT BACK ON 41.

HOWEVER, WHEN I WANTED TO GET TO THE NEW TAMPA EYE CLINIC AT RUSH HOUR, IT WAS A TWO-HOUR DRIVE FOR THE SAME KIND OF DISTANCE, JUST A LITTLE BIT FARTHER NORTH.

I THINK YOU ARE OPTIMISTIC AIMING FOR 2016 IF YOU WANT TO PUT ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT.

I THINK YOU NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER FIRST.

YOU'VE GOT TO ELIMINATE YOUR SILOS AND PUT TOGETHER A PLAN THAT PEOPLE CAN THINK ABOUT AND TRUST IN.

WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS RAIL.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THIS IS WHAT WE FIRMLY BELIEVE.

NO MATTER HOW YOU TALK ABOUT BUSES OR REVERSE LANES OR JITNEYS, WE BELIEVE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IS FIXED REAL, AND WHAT WE BELIEVE -- BECAUSE MY COUSIN USED TO RIDE UMPTA, HE WAS THE CHIEF ANALYST FOR THAT, BUT NONE OF YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THAT.

BUT WHEN DADE WAS DOING METRO RAIL, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT IS GREAT FOR 1914, NOT FOR -- FIXED RAIL -- NOT FOR 2014.

HE HOPED THAT IT WOULD FAIL.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT PASSED BY 2500 VOTES IN A COUNTY THE SIZE OF DADE, AND THEY'VE BEEN PAYING THE PRICE EVER SINCE BECAUSE THEY HAD TO CONSTANTLY ADD LINES TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO RIDE IT BECAUSE NOBODY WAS RIDING IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PLAN IT WELL.

SO ALL I AM ASKING YOU TO DO IS LISTEN TO THE FOLKS, NOT JUST THE FOLKS WHO THINK THEY ARE GOING TO GET SOMETHING, BUT THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT AND THE FOLKS WHO DON'T LIVE IN THE CONGESTED AREAS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING FROM IT.

AND THAT'S ALL I AM ASKING.

I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE.

I REALLY, REALLY DO.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

>> AND MR. DAVID WILSON, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

>> DAVID WILSON.

I PREFER TO SAY MY CITY AND STATE, VALRICO, FLORIDA.

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW, YOU CAN READ IT ON THERE.

FOR THE REFERENDUM, I WILL WRITE TO ELIZABETH, AND THEN SHE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT TO YOU ALL HERE.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION IS COMING UP IN DECEMBER.

ONE THING I WANT TO PRESENT TO THEM ON TEXTING AND DRIVING.

YOU HEARD FROM OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR PEDESTRIANS BEING HIT ON BICYCLES.

WE ARE EXTREMELY HIGH.

INSTEAD OF HAVING A SECONDARY OFFENSE, LET'S MAKE IT A PRIMARY OFFENSE BUT LOWER THE REPERCUSSION, SO IF THERE'S A FINE, LOWER THE FINE.

AS FAR AS AMENDING THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING TIMES, I WENT THERE.

THE ONLY PEOPLE THERE ARE EITHER RETIREES OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A STAKEHOLDER, AKA LOBBYISTS.

LET'S CHANGE THE TIME PERIOD SO PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WORK CAN ATTEND AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING DOWN.

>> THANKS, DAVID.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ANY OTHER BUSINESS?

SOMEBODY SAY NO.

MOVE TO ADJOURN?

>> MOVE TO ADJOURN.

>> SECOND.

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