Webapps.hillsboroughcounty.org



CAPTIONING

JANUARY 13, 2015

BOCC AWARDS & RECOGNITION CEREMONY

***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.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, OUR QUARTERLY AWARDS AND RECOGNITION CEREMONY.

IT IS TUESDAY, JANUARY 13th, AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEASE STAND.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OUR GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ARE THANKFUL THAT YOU ALLOWED US TO COME TODAY TO RECOGNIZE THOSE THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY, THOSE THAT KNOW THAT THE SPACE THAT WE OCCUPY HERE IS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ASKED US TO GIVE BACK, AND WE DO THAT, AND TODAY WE HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN TO THE UTMOST.

WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH THEM AS WE MAKE THESE PRESENTATIONS AND LET THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THEY MUST KEEP ON GIVING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD TODAY, THE GIVING THAT THEY GIVE UNSELFISHLY AND UNREWARDING AT TIMES, BUT TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE IN GIVING THESE RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS.

FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH THEM, GUIDE THEM, COMFORT THEM, AND KEEP THEM.

KEEP YOUR LOVING ARMS AROUND THEM.

THESE AND ALL BLESSINGS WE ASK IN YOUR NAME.

AMEN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.

ALWAYS GIVES A GREAT INVOCATION.

AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING.

THE REAL PURPOSE OF TODAY IS TO REALLY THANK ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYEES WHO WORK VERY HARD IN OUR COUNTY TO MAKE THIS THE BEST PLACE IN THE STATE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GET STARTED.

I'M GOING TO PRESENT THE FIRST TWO COMMENDATIONS.

I'LL COME DOWN TO THE PODIUM.

OKAY.

I'M GOING TO ASK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES MICHAEL DAVIDSON AND MATTHEW McCUTCHEON TO PLEASE COME FORWARD.

AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE, OF COURSE, MAJOR CHAD CHRONISTER AND CORPORAL CHRIS RULE TO JOIN US AT THE PODIUM AS WELL.

ALL OF YOU.

ALL OF YOU COME UP.

OF COURSE, WE CAN NEVER SAY ENOUGH ABOUT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE GREAT THINGS THAT THEY DO IN OUR COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I THINK JUST GIVING OUR RESIDENTS THE SAFETY AND SECURITY THAT THEY WANT IS -- SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, SO I'M GOING TO READ THE COMMENDATION, AND IT SAYS, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS PROUD TO RECOGNIZE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES MICHAEL DAVIDSON AND MATTHEW McCUTCHEON FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING TEAMWORK AND HEROISM IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

ON OCTOBER 9th, 2014, DEPUTIES DAVIDSON AND McCUTCHEON WERE MAKING THEIR WAY IN SEPARATE PATROL CARS IN RESPONSE TO ANOTHER CALL, WHEN THEY STOPPED TO HELP AT THE SCENE OF AN AUTO ACCIDENT.

WHAT THEY FOUND WAS AN UNCONSCIOUS DRIVER LOCKED IN A VEHICLE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING.

THE PAIR OPERATED QUICKLY AND WITH INTUITIVE SYNERGY TO BREAK INTO THE VEHICLE, DISENGAGE IT, AND PULL THE DRIVER OUT.

THE DEPUTIES IMMEDIATELY BEGAN CPR, WHICH THEY ADMINISTERED UNTIL PARAMEDICS ARRIVED.

THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, HEREBY COMMENDS DEPUTY MICHAEL DAVIDSON AND DEPUTY MATTHEW McCUTCHEON FOR THEIR EXPEDIENT AND HEROIC ACTION IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND THE BOARD IS IMMENSELY GRATEFUL TO THESE MEN FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND IT'S ACTIONS LIKE THESE THAT MAKE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

AND I'LL AWARD THESE, AND I'LL ASK YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

I HOPE YOU WILL, TALK ABOUT THE INCIDENT.

>> I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ATTENDING TODAY AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE'RE OUT HERE DOING WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, TOOK THE OATH TO DO.

WE'RE NOT OUT THERE TO RECEIVE THESE, WE'RE OUT HERE -- THIS IS OUR JOB.

DAILY WE GO OUT, RUN OUR SHIFTS, AND WHAT WE ENCOUNTER WE TAKE CARE OF.

IT'S AN HONOR TO WORK FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

I ENJOY GOING TO WORK, AND THAT'S ABOUT AS MUCH AS I CAN SAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

>> I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE AWARD.

IT'S NICE TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO, MY PARTNERS AND I AND EVERYBODY THAT I WORK WITH.

THEY'RE SOME OF THE GREATEST PEOPLE THAT I'VE COME INTO CONTACT WITH.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT, AND IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST JOB ON PLANET EARTH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THE NEXT COMMENDATION IS A REALLY FUN ONE, BUT IT'S VERY SERIOUS TOO.

IT GOES TO ONBIKES, INCORPORATED, AND YOU'RE PROBABLY THINKING WHAT IN THE WORLD -- WHY WOULD WE WANT TO GIVE A COMMENDATION TO ONBIKES, SO I'M GOING TO INVITE THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JULIUS TOBIN, TO COME FORWARD.

I UNDERSTAND THE BOARD CHAIR, DREW WEATHERFORD, IS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH A BLOWN-OUT TIRE, AND HE'S NOT GOING TO BE HERE, BUT I WOULD ASK THE REST OF YOUR GROUP, NED POPE, TOM IAROSSI, KENDRA STEVENS, AND GLENN KIRKLAND, IF THEY'RE ALL HERE, WHY DON'T YOU COME FORWARD.

THESE -- THIS GROUP DOES SOME PRETTY REMARKABLE THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW ORGANIZATION, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO HELP SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK I FIRST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH STARTING, RIGHT NOW, AND WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAD DONATED BIKES TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE THERE, THE TEENAGERS AND STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THEIR FACILITY, I JUST THOUGHT, WOW!

AND THEN I UNDERSTAND YOU WENT THROUGH 24 SOLID HOURS OF PUTTING TOGETHER 500 BIKES THAT WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED AT YOUR BIG EVENT IN DECEMBER, SO I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEY -- THEY ASSEMBLED THESE BIKES BY THEMSELVES, SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY OUTSTANDING.

SO IT SAYS HERE THAT ONBIKES, INCORPORATED, CELEBRATED ITS FOURTH ANNUAL WINTER WONDER RIDE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING AT-RISK CHILDREN THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE TAMPA BAY AREA WITH NEW BICYCLES AND HELMETS.

THIS WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION WORKS TO CREATE LASTING, HAPPY MEMORIES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS BY GIVING THEM THEIR FIRST BICYCLE.

WITH A PHENOMENAL ESTIMATED 1,500 RIDERS, ONBIKES MET THEIR GOAL OF DISTRIBUTING AN INCREDIBLE 500 BIKES OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

ONBIKES, ALONG WITH ITS PARTNERS, PUT ON THE REINDEER-THEMED 2014 WINTER WONDER RIDE, WITH BAYSHORE BOULEVARD SERVING AS THE BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP FOR THE SCENIC TOUR.

SINCE THE SUCCESSFUL INAUGURAL WINTER WONDER RIDE IN 2011, BIKES HAS CONTINUED ITS ADMIRABLE MISSION TO MAKE SURE CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF GETTING THEIR FIRST BIKE.

DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS, ONBIKES HAS SEEN TREMENDOUS GROWTH, DOUBLING IN SIZE, ALLOWING IT TO PURCHASE MORE THAN 650 BRAND-NEW BIKES FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED TAMPA BAY AREA YOUTH.

ONBIKES' POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT END WITH THE EXCITEMENT CHILDREN FEEL AFTER RECEIVING THE BIKES, BUT EXTENDS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BY CONTRIBUTING TO SELF-RELIANCE, MOBILITY, AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, HEREBY COMMENDS ONBIKES AND THEIR PARTNERS FOR SPONSORING THE WINTER WONDER RIDE AND PROVIDING AT-RISK TAMPA BAY AREA CHILDREN WITH THE WONDERFUL GIFT OF A FIRST BIKE WHILE HELPING TO FOSTER A LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS.

AND I'LL GIVE THIS TO YOU.

PLEASE COME FORWARD AND SAY A FEW WORDS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MY NAME'S JULIUS TOBIN.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

THESE ARE THREE OF OUR OUTSTANDING BOARD MEMBERS, KENDRA STEVENS, TOM IAROSSI, NED POPE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF UNBELIEVABLE HOW THIS ALL STARTED.

IT WAS AN IDEA IN A LIVING ROOM ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, AND TO SEE WHERE WE'VE COME AND TO BE RECOGNIZED IS OUTSTANDING.

NONE OF US KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WERE OUT TO DO THIS, BUT WE CREATED THIS ORGANIZATION, AND THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY IMPACT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

OUR FIRST RIDE WAS -- WE HAD ABOUT 100 PEOPLE, GAVE ABOUT 150 BIKES AWAY, AND WE'VE DOUBLED AND DOUBLED, AND THIS YEAR I THINK WE'VE HIT JUST OVER 1500 KIDS NOW, SO 1500 KIDS.

THINK ABOUT A ROOM FILLED WITH 1500 KIDS WITH BICYCLES.

IT'S PRETTY -- IT'S PRETTY AMAZING, AND WE'RE STILL GOING.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE DID THE BIKE BUILD.

WE ASSEMBLED 400 BIKES IN 24 HOURS.

WE HAD ABOUT 100 VOLUNTEERS, AND THEY JUST CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORKS.

WE'VE BEEN OVERWHELMED BY THE SUPPORT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP DOING OUR GOOD WORK, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT.

[APPLAUSE]

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANKS AGAIN, GUYS, AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO.

OF AND NOW I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE THE EMPLOYEE CHALLENGE AWARDS, AND THE CREDIT UNION IS GOING TO COME UP AND THEY'RE GOING TO PRESENT THE CERTIFICATES AND CHECKS.

I'D LIKE TO ASK BECKY BUEHRLE OF OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, MARY WOOD, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE FLORIDA WEST COAST CENTRAL -- FLORIDA WEST COAST CREDIT UNION TO COME FORWARD.

HI, MARY.

GOOD TO ALWAYS SEE YOU.

THE EMPLOYEE CHALLENGE AWARDS RECOGNIZE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMUNITY.

THE COUNTY MANAGEMENT TEAM NOMINATED STAFF MEMBERS FOR THESE AWARDS, AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM HAS SELECTED FIVE WINNERS.

AND I'M GOING TO ASK MARY -- DO YOU HAVE THE SCRIPT?

>> I DO.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

YOU COME FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.

I APOLOGIZE FOR MY VOICE.

I LOST IT WITH LARYNGITIS, BUT I'M SURE I'LL GET THROUGH IT.

I APOLOGIZE AHEAD OF TIME.

I AM MARY WOOD FROM FLORIDA WEST COAST CREDIT UNION, AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN SERVING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS 73 YEARS NOW, SO WE ARE THE FABRIC HERE AS WELL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE ARE PROUD -- VERY PROUD TO BE HERE.

I WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN MURMAN, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS -- SORRY I HAVE MY BACK TOWARDS YOU ALL -- BUT MIKE MERRILL AS WELL, AND I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE BONNIE WISE, WHO'S THE CFO HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

SHE SERVES ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS A VOLUNTEER, AND I KNOW I FEEL LUCKY TO HAVE BONNIE, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FEELS THE SAME WAY, SO THANK YOU, BONNIE, AS WELL, FOR YOUR SERVICE.

SO AS CHAIRMAN MURMAN MENTIONED, THERE ARE FIVE RECIPIENTS FOR THE EMPLOYEE CHALLENGE AWARDS, AND WE ARE RECOGNIZING THEM WITH A CERTIFICATE AND A $200 CHECK FOR EACH EMPLOYEE, SO WE ARE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

SO IF I COULD GO AHEAD AND READ THOSE NAMES.

THE FIRST NOMINEE AND RECIPIENT WAS LONDON WOMACK, WHO WORKS -- SHE WORKS FOR PUBLIC UTILITIES, AND LONDON WOMACK HAS TAKEN THE CHALLENGE TO IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONSHIPS.

HER COMMITMENT TO OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION HAS LED TO A BETTER WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR EMPLOYEES AND A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF HIGHLAND PARK.

LONDON ESTABLISHED A MONTHLY COMMUNICATION LETTER WITH THE RESIDENTS OF HIGHLAND PARK HOA TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE NORTHWEST WASTEWATER FACILITY OPERATIONS AND FREQUENT UPDATES ON ODOR CONTROL PROGRESS.

THE MONTHLY LETTER HELPED REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ODOR COMPLAINTS, AND AT THE SAME TIME, LONDON AND HER TEAM IDENTIFIED PROCESS CHANGES IN THE BIOSOLIDS HANDLING OPERATION, WHICH ULTIMATELY LED TO REDUCED ODORS.

LONDON'S DETERMINATION AND TEAMWORK HELPED CREATE RESIDENT SATISFACTION AND SAVED STAFF TIME.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO LONDON.

>> THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION, SUNCOAST, AND I'M VERY FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH AMAZING LEADERSHIP, GEORGE CASSADY, BETH SCHINELLA, THAT ARE VISIONARIES.

THEY HAVE HIGH STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC UTILITIES AND ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR STAFF.

I'M VERY FORTUNATE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

>> I PROBABLY OUGHT TO CLARIFY, BUT WE'RE FLORIDA WEST COAST CREDIT UNION IN THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE LOBBY.

I KNOW SHE MENTIONED SUNCOAST, BUT I WANT TO BE SURE THAT FLORIDA WEST COAST CREDIT UNION IS RECOGNIZED, BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ALWAYS CONFUSION, AND WE'RE ALWAYS -- CREDIT UNIONS DO WORK TOGETHER.

SO THE SECOND -- SECOND AWARD RECIPIENT IS JUDY PEREZ FROM CHILDREN'S SERVICES.

[APPLAUSE]

I'D ALSO LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ACTUALLY RECOGNIZED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STAFF, SO IT'S A REALLY BIG HONOR.

JUDY PEREZ REPRESENTS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S HEAD START PROGRAM AND STRIVES FOR EXCELLENCE IN PROBLEM-SOLVING AND PATIENT CARE.

SHE DEMONSTRATES THE TRUE MEANING OF BEING A PATIENT AND FAMILY PARTNER AND HEALTH ADVOCATE BY FORMING RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH CARE FOR THEIR CHILD'S SUCCESS.

BECAUSE OF HER COMMITMENT TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS, SHE CONTINUES TO HELP REDUCE CHILD ABSENTEEISM AND THE TIME TAKEN BY TEACHERS AND STAFF FOR HEALTH ISSUES.

SHE'S ALSO PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN COORDINATING AN INTERN PROGRAM TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION OF NURSES AND PROVIDING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE HER.

HER PASSION FOR NURSING IS DRIVEN BY A STRONG DESIRE FOR EXCELLENCE IN PATIENT CARE AND QUALITY OUTCOMES, WHICH SHE TRULY EXEMPLIFIES IN HER DAILY WORK.

CONGRATULATIONS, JUDY.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THIS WILL BE VERY SHORT.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK GOD FOR GIVING ME THE WISDOM AND THE KNOWLEDGE.

I WANT TO THANK MY LEADERSHIP AS WELL FOR HEAD START, DR. "J" AND BRENDA MELL, AND MY PEERS AS WELL, WHO HAVE BEEN MY BACK -- MY BACKBONE.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK -- I'M SORRY -- THE BANK, I JUST WENT BLANK, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS RECOGNIZING ME AND SAY THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THE NEXT RECIPIENT IS DIEDRE CLARK.

AND DIEDRE WORKS WITH REAL ESTATE AND FACILITIES SERVICES.

DIEDRE CLARK DELIVERS HIGH-QUALITY AND COST-EFFECTIVE SERVICE BY BEING CREATIVE IN MEETING CONSUMER NEEDS.

WITH PART OF HER JOB BEING FURNITURE ACQUISITION, SHE KEEPS A WATCHFUL EYE OUT AROUND COUNTY CENTER FOR AVAILABLE ITEMS TO REUSE OR REPURPOSE.

SHE IS REGULARLY CONTACTED BY COUNTY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS FOR HER KNOWLEDGE AND ASSISTANCE WITH MANAGEMENT OF THEIR OFFICE SPACE, WHICH IS OFTEN A CONFIDENTIAL DISCUSSION.

DIEDRE'S ALSO FORWARD-THINKING AND DEVELOPED AN ON-LINE FORM THAT WILL SOON HELP TO STREAMLINE REQUESTS THAT THE REAL ESTATE AND FACILITIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT RECEIVES FOR ASSISTANCE WITH SPACE MODIFICATIONS.

THIS WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY.

DIEDRE CONSISTENTLY DISPLAYS RESPECT TO HER FELLOW EMPLOYEES AND EARNS THE TRUST OF EVERYONE SHE ENCOUNTERS.

CONGRATULATIONS, DIEDRE.

[APPLAUSE]

>> I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR YOUR RECOGNITION OF ME.

MY PARENTS, CLARENCE AND SHERRY, WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BELIEVING IN ME AND HAVING ME DO MY BEST.

AND ALSO, THE REAL ESTATE AND FACILITIES LEADERSHIP, TOM FASS, WHO'S NOT HERE TODAY, BUT HE'S MENTORED ME AND GUIDED ME THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH.

SO I'M APPRECIATIVE TO ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE]

>> THE NEXT RECIPIENT IS ANDREA ROSHAVEN.

SHE WORKS IN COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL MEDIA.

ANDREA WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPING AND CARRYING OUT A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE FLETCHER AVENUE CORRIDOR.

ANDREA HAS A TREMENDOUS WORK ETHIC AND LIAISED WITH MULTIPLE STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, AND PRIVATE PARTNERS TO PRODUCE THE FLETCHER COMPLETE STREETS PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.

WHEN APPROACHING THIS UNIQUE EFFORT, SHE RESEARCHED TIRELESSLY, LEARNED FROM TRANSIT EXPERTS AT OTHER AGENCIES, AND ENROLLED IN ENRICHMENT COURSES.

SHE SHOWED WILLINGNESS TO INNOVATE WHEN TRADITIONAL TACTICS WOULD HAVE EXCEEDED THE TIME FRAME AND BUDGET OF THE PROJECT.

HER FORWARD-THINKING APPROACH PRODUCED EXCELLENT RESULTS.

CONGRATULATIONS, ANDREA.

[APPLAUSE]

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE RECIPIENT IS JOHN BAGLIN FROM HUMAN RESOURCES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT JOHN IS OUT SICK, SO KATIE HOCKEMA -- HOPEFULLY I HAVE THAT RIGHT -- WILL BE ACCEPTING ON JOHN'S BEHALF.

JOHN BAGLIN TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO TAKE OVER HIS COWORKER'S DUTIES WHILE HE WAS OUT ON MEDICAL LEAVE.

USING HIS TEAMWORK MENTALITY, HE TOOK ON A NEW ROLE OF CLEARING EMPLOYEES TO RETURN TO THEIR REGULAR WORK DUTIES.

JOHN'S DETERMINATION AND ABILITY TO ADAPT TO NEW RULE -- ROLES TRULY BENEFITED THE DEPARTMENT DURING A UNIQUE TIME.

JOHN'S COMMITMENT AND LEVEL OF SERVICE IS ALSO OUTSTANDING.

THOUGH JOHN MOVED FROM HIS PREVIOUS DEPARTMENT TO THE COUNTY CENTER'S HR DEPARTMENT THREE YEARS AGO, HE CONTINUED TO COMPLETE EVERY EMPLOYEE'S TIME CARD FOR THREE YEARS TO MAINTAIN A CONTINUITY OF SERVICE.

HIS WILLINGNESS TO HELP SAVE THE DEPARTMENT TIME AND STAFF HOURS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO JOHN.

[APPLAUSE]

AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS COUNTY EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND THOUGH WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE THAT WON TODAY, I HONESTLY THINK EVERYBODY THAT WORKS HERE IS A WINNER.

THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

OUR LAST AND FINAL COMMENDATION COMMISSIONER MILLER IS GOING TO PRESENT, AND IT IS A COMMENDATION FOR THE US -- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA ENGINEERING TEAM.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

CONGRATULATIONS ALL THAT'S BEING RECOGNIZED.

JOINING US TODAY IS A STELLAR TEAM OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS FROM THE GREATEST UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD, MY ALMA MATER, THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA.

[APPLAUSE]

NOT OHIO STATE, NOT OREGON, NOT FLORIDA.

[LAUGHTER]

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA.

SO I'M GOING TO ASK DR. SARINA ERGAS -- I HOPE I GOT THAT RIGHT -- TO PLEASE JOIN ME AND THE USF ENGINEERING TEAM, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.

BACK IN 1969 WHEN I FIRST SET FOOT ON THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, WHEN WE HAD SANDSTORMS ON CAMPUS BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THE UNIVERSITY AT THAT TIME WAS -- IT WAS A GUTTER RANGE, AND FOWLER AVENUE WAS A TWO-LANE ROAD THAT STOPPED AT 30th STREET, AND WHEN YOU WENT PAST 30th STREET, IT WAS DIRT ROAD, AND TODAY IT PRODUCES SOME OF THE GREATEST STUDENTS IN THE WORLD.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT BECAUSE I GRADUATED FROM THERE, BUT JUST LOOK AT IT.

GO AND LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF WHAT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA'S DOING.

I'M SO VERY, VERY PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THIS ENGINEERING TEAM.

IT SAYS, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA ENGINEERING STUDENTS LAUREN DAVIS, MICHAEL ESTEBAN, JARED FANIEL, ANDREW FILIPPI, WINSOME JACKSON, HERBY JEAN, AND RICHARD JOHNSON, TOGETHER SECURED A FIRST-PLACE FINISH IN THE WASTEWATER CATEGORY OF THE 2014 WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION'S NATIONAL STUDENT DESIGN COMPETITION AT THE FEDERATION'S 87th ANNUAL TECHNICAL EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE.

THE USF TEAM INVESTED COUNTLESS HOURS OF HARD WORK TO STUDY WASTEWATER FLOW PROJECTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT'S SOUTH-CENTRAL SERVICE AREA, AND TO DESIGN REAL-WORLD PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS.

BRINGING TOGETHER THEIR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, FOCUS, EXPERTISE, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITIES, THE USF STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED -- COMPETED AGAINST TEAMS FROM SEVEN OTHER UNIVERSITIES AT THE LARGEST CONFERENCE OF ITS KIND IN NORTH AMERICA.

THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND CONGRATULATES THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA TEAM ON THIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT AND HUMBLY EXTENDS GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR EACH TEAM MEMBER'S EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE UTILITY CUSTOMERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AWARDED THIS 13th DAY OF JANUARY, 2015, SIGNED BY ALL MEMBERS.

DOCTOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME FORWARD.

I'LL GIVE YOU THIS ONE, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO AWARD THE OTHERS.

SO I'M GOING TO LET YOU DO THIS.

THIS -- IS LAUREN HERE?

IS RICHARD HERE?

>> AND RICHARD.

[INAUDIBLE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: HE GOT A JOB.

>> PHILADELPHIA.

[APPLAUSE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: GOT A JOB IN PHILADELPHIA.

JARED.

DID HE GET A JOB ALSO?

>> YES.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: MICHAEL ESTEBAN.

CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

DOCTOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, PLEASE.

>> JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY SO MUCH FOR BEING THE CLIENTS FOR THIS PROJECT.

THEY NOT ONLY MENTORED THIS GROUP AND GAVE THEM A REAL-WORLD PROJECT TO WORK ON AND HELPED THEM THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, HELPED THEM GET READY FOR THE COMPETITION, WE ALSO HAD TWO OTHER TEAMS IN MY CAPSTONE DESIGN CLASS THAT THEY WORKED WITH, AND TWO YEARS AGO WE ALSO HAD SEVERAL TEAMS THAT WORKED WITH THE COUNTY ON VARIOUS WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS, AND ONE OF THOSE GROUPS WON A SECOND-PLACE WIN IN THE NATIONAL COMPETITION, SO THE COUNTY'S JUST BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH, AND NOT ONLY THESE PROJECTS BUT ALSO FIELD TRIPS, AND ANY TIME I WANT SLUDGE, I KNOW WHERE TO GO.

I EVEN FOUND OUT JUST THIS MORNING ONE OF MY MASTER'S STUDENTS WAS MEETING WITH THE STORMWATER DEPARTMENT ON THURSDAY, SO -- SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING OUR STUDENTS IN THE CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO DR. ERGAS.

SHE IS JUST AWESOME.

>> I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR MENTORS TOM RAWLS, TOM CROSS, AND KIM ROGERS, AS WELL AS OUR PROFESSOR, SARINA ERGAS.

IT'S REALLY BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND THIS PROJECT, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO BE A LAUNCH PAD FOR OUR YOUNG CAREERS, AS CAN ALREADY BE SEEN BY OUR PROJECT MANAGER GETTING A JOB IN PHILADELPHIA RIGHT OFF THE BAT, SO THANK YOU.

>> I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY TEAM MEMBERS.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT IT'S BEEN A GREAT BENEFIT TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND ANOTHER UNIVERSITY AND THEIR ENGINEERING PROGRAM AND BE ACCEPTED INTO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA'S, AND IT HAS BEEN SO BENEFICIAL, SO ENRICHING, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH I WAS A SEMINOLE -- AND I STILL AM -- I THANK THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOR --

[LAUGHTER]

-- I THANK THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA FOR MOLDING ME, FOR HELPING ME, AND FOR HELPING ME TO GET TO ANOTHER LEVEL TO UNDERSTAND MY TRUE PASSION FOR MY FUTURE AND HELP BACK -- GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY.

SO I THANK YOU, THANK THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA AS WELL.

[APPLAUSE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: FSU IS USF BACKWARDS.

[LAUGHTER]

ANYONE ELSE?

>> YES.

I'M GOING TO KEEP IT BRIEF.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK ALL OUR MENTORS THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROJECT, THIS WONDERFUL TEAM THAT WE HAVE HERE.

I ALWAYS SAY THIS, THAT EACH OF US HAS SOMETHING WE CAN GIVE BACK TO, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PUT A GROUP OF USF STUDENTS TOGETHER, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING WE CAN'T ACCOMPLISH, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

[APPLAUSE]

>> NOBODY ELSE HAS SOMETHING, SO I MIGHT AS WELL.

I'D LIKE TO THANK JUANA KENDO AND ITHATIO VENOR, WHO WERE BOTH OUR MENTORS AND HAVE HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY, ALSO ARCADIS, WHO I WORK FOR AND AS WELL AS ANDREW WORKED FOR IN PHILADELPHIA.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR GREAT THINGS FROM YOU IN THE FUTURE, EVEN THOSE THAT -- FSU STUDENTS.

NO, IT'S A GREAT SCHOOL.

BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME AND TAKE A PICTURE NOW?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.

THAT WAS -- THAT WAS GREAT.

IT WAS GOOD TO SEE ALL THE STUDENTS.

I JUST ASK YOU PLEASE STAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

[LAUGHTER]

I'M GOING TO TAKE THE PAGE OUT OF MAYOR BUCKHORN'S BOOK.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT, I KNOW WE HAVE TO HAVE THE JOBS HERE FOR YOU, AND WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GROWING AS RAPIDLY AS WE CAN SO WE GIVE YOU THOSE JOBS.

SO I CONGRATULATE YOU AGAIN.

WELL, THAT CONCLUDES OUR CEREMONY.

AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL FOR BEING HERE, FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE CEREMONY AND CONGRATULATE ALL THE WINNERS, AND WE'RE ALL MAKING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THE BEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY, SO I THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY.

[APPLAUSE]

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