Hillsborough County, Florida



CAPTIONING

JUNE 4, 2014

BOCC REGULAR MEETING

MORNING SESSION

***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate.

>>MARK SHARPE: GOOD MORNING.

IT'S JUNE 4th, AND THIS IS A MEETING OF YOUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION, AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH A PLEDGE AND PRAYER BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.

PLEASE RISE.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OUR GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU ALLOWED US TO SEE ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL DAYS, A DAY THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND A DAY THAT WE'LL NEVER SEE AGAIN, BUT FOR BEING HERE, WE'RE SO VERY, VERY GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL.

FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH US AS WE MEET TODAY TO MAKE THIS COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF ITS CITIZENS TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

REGULATE OUR MINDS AND HUMBLE OUR HEARTS AS WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS.

WHETHER WE'RE ON THIS DAIS OR OUT IN THE AUDIENCE, BE WITH US, FATHER.

FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT THOSE THAT PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR US EACH AND EVERY DAY, WHETHER THEY'RE ON THIS SOIL OR ON FOREIGN SOILS.

GUIDE THEM, COMFORT THEM, AND KEEP THEM, AND FATHER, TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS WHOLE SITUATION, WHEREVER THEIR FAMILIES MAY BE.

AND, FATHER, WE ASK THAT WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, YOU TAKE US BACK TO OUR HOMES TO FIND EVERYTHING SAFE AND SOUND.

THESE AND ALL BLESSINGS WE ASK IN YOUR NAME.

AMEN.

>> AMEN.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR THAT WONDERFUL PRAYER, COMMISSIONER MILLER.

WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN OUR PROCLAMATIONS WITH A PROCLAMATION BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

GOOD MORNING.

I'M GOING TO ASK THE FOLLOWING PARALEGALS FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, IF THEY'RE IN ATTENDANCE, TO PLEASE COME UP: DONNA BROWN, RANEE CORNELIUS, DAWN JACKSON, CHERYL LONERGAN, LESLIE MATTHEWS, DAVE McNABB, NANCY MILAM, AND MELISSA WREN.

THEY'RE ALL HERE.

I UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER PARALEGALS THAT ARE HERE FROM OTHER FIRMS FROM THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WHY DON'T YOU STAND, PLEASE.

OKAY.

EACH YEAR THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RECOGNIZES PARALEGALS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR THE OUTSTANDING SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE TO THE LEGAL COMMUNITY.

PARALEGALS ARE HIGHLY TRAINED AND EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK UNDER THE DIRECTION AND SUPERVISION OF A MEMBER OF THE FLORIDA BAR.

THROUGH THEIR FORMAL EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND WORK EXPERIENCE, PARALEGALS HAVE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE REGARDING THE LEGAL SYSTEM AS WELL AS SUBSTANTIVE PROCEDURAL LAW.

PARALEGALS ARE HELD TO A HIGH STANDARD OF ETHICS, THE SAME AS THOSE FOR WHICH ATTORNEYS ARE HELD, IN ADDITION TO STANDARDS SET FORTH BY THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LEGAL ASSISTANTS, AND THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF PARALEGALS ASSOCIATIONS.

PARALEGALS ARE EMPLOYED BY LAW FIRMS, PRIVATE ATTORNEYS, CORPORATE LEGAL DEPARTMENTS, INSURANCE COMPANIES, REAL ESTATE AND TITLE FIRMS, BANKS, AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING OUR OWN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

AND I KNOW -- I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, I JUST PLAY ONE ON TV -- THAT ANYONE THAT PUTS THE TIME IN TO GET THE EXPERTISE TO ASSIST ATTORNEYS IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY WORK FOR, AND IN MANY INSTANCES, ATTORNEYS WOULD BE LOST IF IT WASN'T FOR THEM, RIGHT, CHIP?

>>CHIP FLETCHER: ABSOLUTELY.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: I UNDERSTAND.

SO TODAY WE RECOGNIZE PARALEGALS AND THE FINE WORK THAT THEY DO.

I'M GOING TO ASK ALL OF YOU TO COME UP, JUST -- I KNOW YOU'RE NOT WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT YOU-ALL JUST COME ON UP.

YOU'RE BEING RECOGNIZED ALSO HERE.

AND TODAY WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION WHICH READS, WHEREAS, THE PRACTICE OF LAW IS A DEMANDING, CHALLENGING, AND COMPLEX ENDEAVOR BY WHICH THE RIGHTS, LIABILITIES, AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE BEEN PROTECTED AND PRESERVED FOR CENTURIES; AND WHEREAS, MEMBERS OF THE BAR REQUIRE KNOWLEDGE AND RELIABLE ASSISTANCE TO FULFILL THE DUTIES OF THEIR PROFESSION, AND PARALEGALS HAVE BECOME AN INVALUABLE SOURCE OF SUPPORT BY PROVIDING LAWYERS WITH A VARIETY OF SKILLED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THROUGHOUT THEIR PRACTICE; AND WHEREAS, PARALEGALS ARE HIGHLY EDUCATED, TRAINED, AND EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERTISE IN LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING, CASE AND DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT, INTERVIEWING CLIENTS AND WITNESSES, TRIAL PREPARATION, AND OTHER CRITICAL AREAS OF SUCCESSFUL AND EFFICIENT LAW PRACTICES.

THEY ALSO ASPIRE TO MAINTAIN INTEGRITY AND A HIGH DEGREE OF COMPETENCE AND ETHICS THROUGHOUT THE LEGAL PROFESSION; AND WHEREAS, THE PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA, INCORPORATED, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHAPTER; THE TAMPA BAY PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION, INCORPORATED; AND OTHER LIKE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE PARALEGAL PROFESSION THROUGH CONTINUING EDUCATION, NETWORKING, AND RAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM, SET ASIDE JUNE 4th, 2014, AS PARALEGAL DAY, IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN IN SALUTING THE IMPORTANT EXPERTISE AND HARD WORK OF PARALEGALS, EXECUTED THE 4th DAY OF JUNE, 2014, AND SIGNED BY THE SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

NOW, WHO IS THE SPOKESPERSON WHO WILL BE COMING FORTH THAT I'LL GIVE THIS TO?

ARE YOU THE SPOKESPERSON?

OKAY.

DON'T ALL JUMP AT ONE TIME NOW.

[LAUGHTER]

SOMEBODY, ANYBODY.

HERE YOU GO.

YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS?

I'LL HOLD ON TO IT.

>> ON BEHALF OF OUR OFFICE, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND ON BEHALF OF THE TAMPA PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHAPTER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL PROCLAMATION AND RECOGNITION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> I AGREE.

I SECOND THAT ON BEHALF OF TAMPA BAY PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION AND ALL OF OUR MEMBERS.

WE APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION THAT YOU ALL ARE SHOWING US TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: COME UP AND TAKE A PICTURE.

>>MARK SHARPE: IF YOU'D PLEASE COME FORWARD, WE'LL GET A GROUP PHOTO.

>>RUSLANA PANOV: CAN YOU ALL PLEASE GET CLOSER TOGETHER, AND SHORTER PEOPLE IN FRONT, PLEASE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH, I THOUGHT SHE WANTED US TO GET CLOSER TOGETHER.

[LAUGHTER]

>>RUSLANA PANOV: OKAY.

STAND BY.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: IF WE GET ANY CLOSER, THERE MAY BE NO SUNSHINE.

[LAUGHTER]

>>RUSLANA PANOV: OKAY.

ONE MORE TIME.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

AND OUR NEXT COMMENDATION ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD WILL BE PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

AND I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER, FOR DOING THAT.

PARALEGALS KEEP ATTORNEYS OUT OF TROUBLE, BIG TIME.

[LAUGHTER]

I AM VERY PLEASED TODAY TO PRESENT THIS COMMENDATION TO SOMEBODY THAT IS A BIG PARTNER WITH US HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HEALTHCARE PLAN, AND IT IS THE TAMPA FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS.

THEY ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 30th ANNIVERSARY, AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, OF COURSE, WITH US HERE TODAY CELEBRATING THIS GREAT OCCASION HERE AT THE -- AT OUR BOARD MEETING IS CHARLIE BOTTOMS.

CHARLIE, YOU WANT TO STAND UP.

HE'S THE PRESIDENT AND CEO.

EDWARD KUCHER.

THERE'S ED.

YES.

THE TREASURER IS MR. JERRY MASON AND THEN MEMBERS ARE ERIC PEREZ AND JACKIE WALKER.

IF YOU WOULD ALL LIKE TO STAND AND MAYBE COME FORWARD, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THE MISSION OF THE TAMPA FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS, OF COURSE, IS TO PROVIDE QUALITY CARE AND I THINK AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE TO A CULTURAL -- A CULTURALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

YOU MAKE SIZABLE CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON LOW-INCOME MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS.

MANY OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE IMPORTED FROM OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH FEDERAL GRANTS AND PUBLIC HEALTH CARE PROGRAM SPENDING, WITH AN INCREASE IN THE STATE ECONOMIC LEVERAGE TO OUR FEDERAL MEDICAID MATCHING DOLLARS.

THEIR 30-YEAR TIMELINE IS REALLY DISTINGUISHABLE.

IT STARTED IN 19 -- OF COURSE, 1984 WHEN SEVERAL COMMUNITY LEADERS, PETER DAVIS AND ROBERT COLE -- THEY SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION FOR A GRANT TO ESTABLISH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER IN URBAN TAMPA, NOW KNOWN CREATING TAMPA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER.

IN 1988 THEY OPENED A DESIGNATED LOCATION TO SERVICE HOMELESS RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

IN 1998, TEN YEARS LATER, THE TAMPA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OPENED THEIR FIRST DENTAL CARE SERVICE AT THE LEE DAVIS NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER.

2000 THEY OPENED THEIR FIRST PHARMACY OPERATION AT LEE DAVIS.

IN 2007 THEY CHANGED THEIR NAME TO TAMPA FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS.

IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK YOU WERE EXPANDING MORE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

2011 YOU BEGAN YOUR FIRST FULL-TIME OBSTETRICS SERVICE AT FOUR LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AND, OF COURSE, IN 2012 YOU RECEIVED SOME VERY IMPORTANT ACCREDITATION FROM THE ACCREDITATION ASSOCIATION FOR AMBULATORY HEALTH CARE.

YOU CURRENTLY OPERATE, AS OF 2013, 13 MEDICAL CLINICS, SEVEN DENTAL CENTERS, SEVEN PHARMACIES, A MOBILE DENTAL BUS, AND A MOBILE MEDICAL BUS, AND TOMORROW YOU WILL OPEN YOUR 31st FACILITY ON EAST SLIGH AVENUE, WHICH WILL SERVE NINE ZIP CODES WITH A POPULATION OF 45,228 RESIDENTS, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY MORE THAN WORTHY OF THIS COMMENDATION, AND I TELL YOU, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THE COMMENDATION READS, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COMMENDS THE TAMPA FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS ON ITS 30th ANNIVERSARY OF PROVIDING QUALITY, CARING, AND ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE TO THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY.

TAMPA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1984, BECAME KNOWN AS TAMPA FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS IN 2007.

TODAY, WITH 13 MEDICAL CLINICS, SEVEN DENTAL CENTERS, SEVEN PHARMACIES, MOBILE DENTAL BUS, MOBILE MEDICAL BUS, TAMPA FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS WORKS TO ENSURE EVERYONE CAN RECEIVE INTERNAL MEDICINE, FAMILY PRACTICE, PEDIATRIC CARE, DENTISTRY, PREGNANCY, WOMEN'S CARE, AND PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES.

WE RECOGNIZE YOUR TEAM OF MORE THAN 400 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND SUPPORT STAFF THAT WORKS TO FULFILL THE TFHC MISSION.

LAST YEAR, YOUR SERVICES TO MORE THAN 71,800 INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS, INCLUDING MORE THAN 173,500 MEDICAL VISITS, 36,500 DENTAL VISITS, 200,000 FILLED PRESCRIPTIONS, AND 40,000 ENABLING SERVICES.

THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE TO PUT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING FIRST AND CELEBRATES WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES AND SUPPORTERS THE 30th ANNIVERSARY OF THE TAMPA FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT IS CERTAINLY WORTHY OF THIS.

I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

HERE'S YOUR COMMENDATION.

>> THANK YOU.

I WANT TO THANK SANDY MURMAN AND ALL OF THE BOARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT, NOT JUST FOR THE COMMENDATION TODAY BUT FOR YOUR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AS A -- ONE OF THE FOUR MAJOR PROVIDERS UNDER THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HEALTH CARE PLAN.

WE HAVE GROWN THE PROGRAM AND WE HAVE PROVIDED CARE TO A VERY NEEDY POPULATION.

AS SANDY SAID, THAT WE WILL HAVE PROVIDED OVER 72,000.

BY NEXT YEAR, WE WILL HAVE OVER 600 EMPLOYEES AND PROVIDE CARE TO OVER 100,000 INDIVIDUAL PATIENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THESE ARE 98% LOW-INCOME, FEDERAL POVERTY.

OF THESE 600 EMPLOYEES, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HIRE FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND SO THE IMPORTANT PART IS WE'RE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WE TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO ONE OF OUR FACILITIES, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU -- I KNOW MOST OF YOU HAVE, I'VE SEEN YOU AT OUR FACILITIES, AND I -- I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.

WE DO HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING TOMORROW MORNING, AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT, AND I'VE HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.

WE UNDERSTAND.

BUT, AGAIN, I WANT TO REALLY THANK THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

YOU-ALL HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB IN TAKING CARE OF THE HEALTH OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE'VE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS, SIR.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANKS, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I THINK I -- I DON'T THINK, I KNOW, I MET CHARLIE BOTTOMS AND HIS GROUP MY FRESHMAN YEAR IN THE LEGISLATURE BACK IN 1992 AND HAVE BEEN TO MANY, MANY OPENINGS THAT HE'S PROVIDED THE HEALTH CARE TO THOSE WHO NEEDED IT THE MOST.

I REMEMBER RECENTLY I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT AN AREA THAT NEEDED SOME HEALTH CARE AND THEY WERE LACKING, AND SOME OF THE CITIZENS WERE TALKING TO ME ABOUT THAT IN THAT PART OF GOING TO OUR SOUTH COUNTY, AND LO AND BEHOLD, CHARLIE WILL SOME KIND OF WAY REACH IN HIS MAGICAL HAT AND PULL OUT HIS MAGICAL WAND AND VOILA, THE SERVICES ARE THERE, AND THEY'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE HEALTH CARE IS VITALLY IMPORTANT.

YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD THAT YOU WANT, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE HEALTH, YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST THROW IT AWAY.

AND CHARLIE, YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE BOARD HAVE DONE JUST THAT TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU.

I'LL BE THERE TOMORROW.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OPENINGS I'VE BEEN TO WITH YOU NOW, I'VE LOST COUNT, BUT I'LL BE THERE, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND YOUR BOARD FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO TRY TO GIVE THOSE FOLKS THAT MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE THAT ACCESS, SO THANKS SO VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

AND CHARLIE AND EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S ALSO OUT THERE, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT DO YOU TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO QUALITY AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.

AND COMMISSIONER MURMAN, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS GROUP, AS RIGHTFULLY SO.

YOU KNOW, SO MUCH WE'VE HEARD SEEMS TO POLITICIZE THE WHOLE ISSUE ON QUALITY AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE, AND IT'S JUST MY BEEN POSITION IT'S NOT -- IT SHOULD NOT -- IT'S A POSITION THAT SHOULD NEVER, EVER BE POLITICIZED, BECAUSE PEOPLE THAT'S INVOLVED AND PEOPLE THAT RECOGNIZE KNOW HOW MUCH AN IMPACT THEY CAN HAVE WHEN EVERYBODY HAS THAT ACCESS TO THE HEALTH CARE AND PEOPLE CAN ESPECIALLY GO THROUGH PREVENTATIVE CARE AND GET TREATMENT BEFORE THEY NEED TO ENTER INTO AN EMERGENCY ROOM.

CHARLIE, A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.

OF THE WORK THAT YOU-ALL DO, HOW MUCH DO YOU-ALL RELY ON MEDICAID TO PROVIDE AND PAY FOR SERVICES?

>> I -- MEDICAID MAKES UP APPROXIMATELY 40% OF OUR BUDGET.

THAT IS OUR MAIN PAYER SOURCE.

TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, GRANTS, FEDERAL GRANTS, STATE GRANTS, ANY KIND OF GRANTS AND FOUNDATION MONEY WE GET MAKES UP APPROXIMATELY 18% OF OUR BUDGET, TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO IF THE STATE WERE TO BRING IN MORE MEDICAID DOLLARS AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET MORE FUNDING FROM MEDICAID, THEN THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE QUALITY HEALTH CARE TO MORE OF OUR CITIZENS; IS THAT RIGHT?

>> WE WOULD BE ABLE AT THAT POINT -- WE RUN 54% UNINSURED RIGHT NOW.

IF WE HAD THE MEDICAID UP TO THE MEDICAID EXPANSION THEY WERE TALKING, WE'D BE ABLE TO EXPAND AND TAKE CARE OF EVERY UNINSURED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT NEEDS CARE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: WOW.

>> THAT AMOUNT OF MEDICAID FUNDS COMING IN WOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR UNINSURED THAT WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF AS WELL AS ALLOW US TO EXPAND INTO THE REST OF THE AREAS THAT NEED IT.

AND WE STILL HAVE SOME AREAS WE'RE EXPANDING.

WE HAVE TWO UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW, FLORIDA AND FLETCHER 30,000.

REPRESENTATIVE REED AND SECRETARY JOYNER BOTH REQUESTED US TO HAVE A SITE OVER ON SLIGH AND 56th.

THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND GROUNDBREAKING TOMORROW.

THAT'S WHAT THAT ONE'S FOR.

SO THE MEDICAID EXPANSION WOULD HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL.

WE'RE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT IT'S POLITICIZED, AS YOU SAID.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: WELL, AND LET'S JUST HOPE THAT IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THOSE POSITIONS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISIONS CAN SET POLITICS ASIDE AND CAN SPEAK TO THE CITIZENS THAT NEED AND LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS THAT NEED THAT CARE AND SPEAK TO PROFESSIONALS LIKE YOU OF WHAT THOSE DOLLARS CAN ACTUALLY DO AND THE IMPACT THAT CAN HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY.

TO EVERYBODY ELSE, I THINK IT'S ALL OF OUR JOBS TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS, SO WITH THAT, LET'S GET TO WORK.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

IF YOU'D COME FORWARD, WE'LL GET A GROUP PHOTO.

>>RUSLANA PANOV: OKAY.

STAND BY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, CHARLIE.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

COMMISSIONER HAGAN HAS AN EXCITING COMMENDATION TO PRESENT.

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

I'M DELIGHTED TO PRESENT THIS NEXT PROCLAMATION TO JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAM, AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE THEM TO COME UP TO THE DAIS HERE.

I KNOW WITH US WE HAVE HEAD COACH RICHIE WARREN, WE HAVE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS PETE YOUNG.

I THINK TEAM MANAGER FRANKIE SCIMECA IS ALSO HERE.

SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE THESE GUYS AND THE TEAM TO PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM.

I WANT TO WELCOME -- WELCOME YOU GUYS HERE TODAY.

I KNOW SCHOOL'S OUT FOR JESUIT, AND SO I THINK IT'S QUITE A TESTAMENT THAT ALMOST THE ENTIRE TEAM SHOWED UP HERE AND DRESSED NICER THAN ALL OF US AS WELL.

[LAUGHTER]

BUT WE'RE HERE CELEBRATING JESUIT'S FOURTH STATE TITLE HERE, AND THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD A GOOD TEAM, EVEN BACK WHEN -- WHEN I PLAYED AGAINST THEM AT CHAMBERLAIN BACK IN THE MID-'80s, BUT THIS REALLY HAS TURNED INTO A POWERHOUSE OF A PROGRAM.

THE LAST FOUR YEARS JESUIT HAS GONE TO THE STATE FINAL FOUR IN BASEBALL AND WINNING IT THIS YEAR.

THE TEAM FOUGHT THROUGH SOME ADVERSITY, ONLY HAD FOUR SENIORS, BUT REALLY HAVE A REMARKABLE SQUAD, AND I THINK A QUOTE I READ IN THE PAPER SAYS IT BEST FROM COACH WARREN: WE DON'T HAVE THE NINE DIVISION 1 GUYS, THE USA TEAM, THE FIRST-ROUND PICKS, THE ALL AMERICANS, BUT WE HAD 20 GUYS WHO FREAKING BATTLED THEIR BUTTS EVERY DAY IN PRACTICES, NEVER GAVE UP IN GAMES, AND PLAYED UNDER CONTROL.

THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES IN PLAYOFF BASEBALL.

AND COACH, CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT YEAR, GREAT SEASON.

I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO -- BEFORE I READ THE PROCLAMATION, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO SAY A FEW WORDS, MAYBE HAVE THE GUYS COME UP, SAY THEIR NAME AND POSITION AND YEAR AS WELL, BUT CONGRATULATIONS, AND PLEASE SAY A FEW WORDS.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, AND IT'S AN HONOR, YOU KNOW, TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE -- THIS IS A GREAT GROUP OF GUYS, AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE EVERYBODY IN THE -- IN THE CITY KNOWS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH ADVERSITY, YOU KNOW, LOSING SOME OF THEIR TEAMMATES, BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP THEM FROM THE ULTIMATE GOAL, AND OUR GOAL NEVER CHANGED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

THESE GUYS, THEY JUST WORKED HARD EVERY DAY, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN -- CAN LEARN FROM WHAT THESE GUYS ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR.

THEY'RE A GREAT GROUP OF YOUNG MEN, AND THIS CITY, THIS COUNTY SHOULD BE HAPPY THAT THEY'RE HERE.

>>KEN HAGAN: YOU GUYS WANT TO COME UP AND SAY YOUR NAME AND POSITION AND WHAT YEAR.

>> JAKE JONES, FRESHMAN, FIRST BASEMAN.

>> J.J. NIEKRO, SOPHOMORE, PITCHER.

>> STEVEN OWUSU, SOPHOMORE, PITCHER.

>> JOE EPSTEIN, SOPHOMORE, PITCHER.

>> DANIEL LASTRA, SENIOR, FIRST BASEMAN.

>> ADAM WEEKLEY, SOPHOMORE, LEFT FIELDER.

>> JACOB MOCNY, JUNIOR, SHORTSTOP.

>> HUNTER TUBBS, SOPHOMORE, OUTFIELDER.

>> NICK BODNER, SENIOR, PITCHER.

>> NICK ORTEGA, SOPHOMORE, OUTFIELD.

>> FRANKIE SCIMECA, SENIOR, STUDENT MANAGER.

>> ALEX MOCNY, FRESHMAN, SECOND BASEMAN.

>> RONNIE RAMIREZ, JUNIOR, THIRD BASE AND PITCHER.

>> KASEY RADKE, SENIOR, PITCHER.

>> BRAXTON RUPP, SOPHOMORE, CATCHER.

>> CHRIS WHITNEY, ASSISTANT COACH, SEVENTH YEAR.

>>KEN HAGAN: WELL, MAN, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU TO TREASURE THESE MEMORIES.

I CAN TELL YOU I STILL HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF OUR '85 TEAM THAT WAS 30-3 AND RANKED THIRD IN THE STATE FOR MOST OF THE YEAR.

WE DIDN'T WIN IT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO HANG OUT WITH ONE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL TEAMMATES JUST THIS WEEKEND, AND THESE ARE MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.

I WANT TO READ THIS CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION, AWARDED TO JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAM THAT SAYS, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONGRATULATES AND COMMENDS THE 2014 JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE PROGRAM'S FOURTH STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.

THE JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL TIGERS CLINCHED THE FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION CLASS 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE ON MAY 22nd IN FT. MYERS WITH A 5-2 WIN OVER GREEN COVE SPRINGS CLAY HIGH SCHOOL.

ON ITS WAY TO THE 2014 STATE CROWN, JESUIT SHUT OUT THREE OPPONENTS IN PLAYOFF ACTION, SHOWCASING A UNITED TEAM FRONT DURING A YEAR MARKED WITH UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE.

THIS YEAR'S POST-SEASON PLAY MARKED THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW THAT JESUIT SENT A NATIONALLY RANKED TEAM TO THE STATE'S FINAL FOUR WITH A ROSTER OF FOUR SENIORS AND SEVEN JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM CALL-UPS, THE TIGERS TOOK HOME THE GOLD.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL TIGERS AND TO HEAD COACH RICHIE WARREN, WHO EARNED HIS 200th CAREER WIN IN REGIONAL PLAY.

WE COMMEND THE PLAYERS, THE COACHES, AND THE FANS FOR STAYING STRONG AND FOR EXTENDING THE FORMIDABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF A SPORTS PROGRAM DEEPLY ROOTED IN TRADITION, AWARDED THIS 4th DAY OF JUNE, 2014, SIGNED BY ALL SEVEN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

AND COACH, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR TEACHING THESE MEN SOME OF LIFE'S GREATEST LESSONS, BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD.

AND BEFORE I PRESENT IT, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU I DIDN'T TELL YOU I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, BUT YOU WERE ON THE 2000 STATE TITLE TEAM; RIGHT?

WHICH TEAM WOULD WIN IN HEAD-TO-HEAD, THE TEAM YOU PLAYED ON OR THE TEAM YOU COACHED?

>> IT DEPENDS IF COACH WHIDDEN AND I WERE PITCHING THEN.

I THINK WE WOULD WIN.

[LAUGHTER]

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD ANSWER.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: WELL, COACH AND PLAYERS, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, HAVING PLAYED A LITTLE BASEBALL MYSELF, NOT ON THE LEVEL THAT YOU GUYS PLAY ON.

I KNOW IT'S A COMPETITIVE SPORT, AND COMMISSIONER HAGAN ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT THE BEST LIFE LESSONS LEARNED ON THE BASEBALL FIELD, BUT YOU HAVE, WHAT, FOUR SENIORS?

OKAY.

I GOT JOHN MADDEN ON THE PHONE.

HE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU GUYS.

WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET, STARTING TONIGHT, OKAY.

AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, AND GOOD LUCK TO THOSE SENIORS IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS, GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU COMING BACK.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

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

I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A VOICE TODAY, BUT I'M COMPELLED TO SAY SOMETHING.

OVER THE YEARS, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH THE GREAT ATHLETICS PROGRAM AT YOUR SCHOOL, AND, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS AGO THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO I KNEW WELL BECAUSE HE WAS BEST FRIENDS WITH MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, SHANE ROBINSON, WHO GRADUATED FROM YOUR SCHOOL, WHO'S GONE OFF TO PLAY PRO FOR, I BELIEVE, THE CARDINALS, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE PRODUCED A LOT OF GOOD PLAYERS OVER THE YEARS, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOUR PROGRAM AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

I KNOW THAT JESUIT STRESSES THE ACADEMICS AS WELL AS THE ATHLETICS, AND THAT'S VERY HONORABLE, AND WE WISH YOU WELL.

>>MARK SHARPE: GOOD WORDS, COMMISSIONER CRIST.

AND WE'RE GOING TO COME FORWARD FOR A PHOTO.

>>LANA PANOV: YOU NEED TO GET CLOSER TOGETHER.

CAN WE HAVE COMMISSIONER HAGAN STEP UP, AND WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE ON THE BACK.

COMMISSIONER.

FRONT ROW, YEAH.

PLEASE.

THERE YOU GO.

STAND BY.

ONE MORE TIME.

ONE MORE TIME.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: I WANT TO THANK THE PLAYERS AND THE FAMILIES AND PARENTS WHO ARE HERE AS WELL FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN, ON A GREAT VICTORY.

[APPLAUSE]

AND WITH THAT FANTASTIC CONCLUSION OF OUR PROCLAMATIONS AND COMMENDATIONS, WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT OVER TO MR. MERRILL, IF YOU WOULD REVIEW THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, COMMISSIONERS.

THIS WILL BE QUICK.

ONLY ONE OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEM, F-2, DIRECTING STAFF TO GIVE A REPORT RELATED TO THE BOYETTE ROAD PROJECT AND NOTIFICATION PROCESS TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF PROJECTS.

THAT'S COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM'S ITEM.

NO DEFERRALS, NO REVISIONS, NO ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT.

WE HAVE TWO SCHEDULED TIME CERTAINS.

10:15 IS A PRESENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR FY 15.

AND 10:30 IS F-1, COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S ITEM REGARDING IMPROVING THE COUNTY'S ABANDONED REAL PROPERTY REGISTRATION ORDINANCE BY PRIVATIZING THE PROGRAM.

AND THOSE ARE THE CHANGES.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: MOVE THE CHANGES.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE THE CHANGES.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THE CHANGES BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

WOULD YOU PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: NOW WE'RE GOING TO WALK -- OR GO INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING.

THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT ANY ISSUES OF YOUR CONCERN.

YOUR OPINIONS ARE VALUED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING INPUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS; HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED AT THE SAME TIME WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD THAT COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A COMMISSIONER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUE.

THIS PROVIDES A MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC.

WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE A NUMBER OF FINE SPEAKERS.

OUR FIRST THREE ARE JOANNE O'BRIEN, SHARON CALVERT, AND MICHAEL GAIFFE.

SO MS. O'BRIEN, IF YOU'D COME FORWARD, MA'AM.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME, JOANNE.

>> HI.

GOOD MORNING.

JOANNE O'BRIEN, 6916 THRASHER DRIVE, TAMPA 33610.

I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO SPEAK ABOUT ANIMAL SERVICES AND THE GREAT JOB THAT SCOTT IS DOING.

EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY ARE NOT RECEPTIVE TO CHANGE, I BELIEVE THE MAN SHOULD BE GIVEN A CHANCE.

AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE ISSUES IN THIS COUNTY, I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF OUR ORDINANCES ARE PRETTY OLD, YOU KNOW, CONCERNING ANIMAL SERVICES THAT SHOULD BE CHANGED OR LOOKED INTO.

AND ALSO, WHEN PEOPLE RETRIEVE AN UNALTERED ANIMAL FROM ANIMAL SERVICES, IT SHOULD BE MANDATORY THAT ANY ANIMAL THAT GOES IN THERE OR IS CONFISCATED SHOULD GO OUT OF THAT SHELTER FIXED, AND IF THE OWNER DOES NOT WANT TO FIX IT, THEN CHARGE THEM A HEFTY FEE, AND THEN MAYBE THE SECOND TIME THEIR DOG OR CAT OR WHATEVER GETS OUT, THEN THEY HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER FEE, AND THIS -- MAYBE YOU CAN RAISE SOME FUNDS TO HELP THE SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAM.

I MEAN, ALL THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT.

LEE COUNTY IS DOING SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, ON THAT ISSUE WHERE IT IS GOING TO BE MANDATORY TO SPAY AND NEUTER THAT PET, AND, YOU KNOW, I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT'S KITTEN SEASON RIGHT NOW, AND THERE WERE THREE KITTENS THAT WERE BROUGHT INTO MY DAUGHTER'S STORE WHERE SHE WORKS, PET SUPERMARKET.

THEY'RE NOT A KENNEL THERE, BUT PEOPLE DO IT.

ONE ALMOST GOT HIT YESTERDAY OVER THERE AT FOWLER AND

BRUCE B. DOWNS, SO GUESS WHERE THEY ARE, AT O'BRIEN'S HOUSE, BOTTLE FEEDING AGAIN.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOTTA STOP, YOU KNOW.

AND I TELL PEOPLE I'M NOT A KENNEL, BUT EVERYBODY GETS SPAY, NEUTERED, AND THEN THEY GET ADOPTED OUT, AND I'M DOING MY DARNDEST, AND I'M JUST LOOKING FOR HELP, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE ANIMAL COALITION.

THEY'RE IN A POSITION RIGHT NOW TRYING TO GET BACK UP AND RUNNING.

AND THE HUMANE SOCIETY IS DOING A GREAT JOB WITH THE FERAL CAT PROGRAM.

YOU CATCH THEM ON A SUNDAY NIGHT, BRING THEM IN MONDAY MORNING, AND USUALLY YOU PICK THEM UP LATER IN THE DAY OR THE FOLLOWING DAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMUNITY SPIRIT.

APPRECIATE THAT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. CALVERT, AND THEN WE FOLLOW WITH MICHAEL GAIFFE, AND THEN GENEVIEVE DeCILIO.

MS. CALVERT, WELCOME, MA'AM.

>> HI.

I'M SHARON CALVERT, I LIVE IN LUTZ, FLORIDA, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

LAST WEDNESDAY, AT THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP, YOU VOTED TO RESTRUCTURE AND REPURPOSE THE CURRENT SOVEREIGN HART BOARD, AND THAT VOTE WAS CAST WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC INPUT.

THERE WASN'T ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC IN FRONT OF YOU OR THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP OR THE EXISTING HART BOARD TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT WHAT THIS NEW ORGANIZATION AND ITS EXPANDED RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD BE.

WE WERE TOLD AT THAT MEETING THAT THIS RESTRUCTURE, WHICH WOULD BE CONSISTING MAINLY OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, WAS THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE AND THAT THE RATIONALE FOR REPURPOSING HART IS TO GET FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR PLAN YET.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TRANSPORTATION PLAN YOU'RE ACTUALLY PURSUING, SO WE'RE NOT SURE IF IT'S DEMONSTRATED THAT THIS GOVERNANCE MODEL IS WHAT IS REALLY NEEDED.

AND AS FAR AS THE FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS, THOSE ARE DWINDLING.

THE DAYS OF GETTING LARGE FEDERAL GRANTS MAY BE OVER, BUT THE PROCESS RECENTLY DID WORK IN ITS CURRENT -- IN ITS CURRENT STATE WITH THE FERRY SERVICE GRANT AND THE MARION TRANSIT CENTER GRANT THAT WAS JUST AWARDED.

I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF HAVING TO DEAL WITH A DOZEN TRANS -- YOU KNOW, AGENCIES THAT DEAL WITH TRANSPORTATION IN THIS COUNTY, BUT, AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE A BOARD OF ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS GOING INTO THE FUTURE IS THE RIGHT ANSWER, BECAUSE THAT TYPE OF BOARD, SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, THESE TRANS -- OUR TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS COULD POSSIBLY BE, THEN, BASED ON POLITICS RATHER THAN WHAT'S BEST -- IN THE BEST INTEREST OF TAXPAYERS.

AND I GUESS THE GREATEST CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSION GOT A LARGE BUCKET OF DOLLARS?

YOU BLEW IT.

OUR CIT TAX, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, IT WAS BLOWN OUT 12 YEARS INTO A 30-YEAR REVENUE STREAM.

TODAY YOU HAVE A TRANSIT EXPERT ON THE HART BOARD.

TOMORROW THAT EXPERT'S KICKED OFF.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE PLAN WILL BE.

I THINK YOU'LL BE IN THAT DIRECTION SOON, IN THE SUMMER, LOOKING FOR SOME PUBLIC OUTREACH, AND I HOPE THAT YOU

WERE -- YOU WILL ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO, YOU KNOW, BRING FORWARD THEIR POSITION ON WHETHER THIS NEW RESTRUCTURED HART BOARD IS THE RIGHT ONE.

IN MY OPINION, I THINK IT SHOULD REMAIN SOVEREIGN.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS, MS. CALVERT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL GAIFFE, GENEVIEVE DeCILIO, AND THEN DAVID McCALLISTER.

MR. GAIFFE.

>> GOOD MORNING.

I'M HERE -- MY NAME'S MICHAEL GAIFFE.

I RESIDE AT 706 CAMROSE DRIVE IN BRANDON.

TODAY I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE AARP TAX AID FOUNDATION, WHICH IS A VOLUNTEER-DRIVEN, VOLUNTEER-STAFFED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FREE INCOME TAX PREPARATION FOR THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

THE AARP NATIONAL FOUNDATION ISSUED A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT I DELIVERED TO MR. SHARPE'S OFFICE MAY 27.

I HAVE COPIES OF THAT FOR THE BOARD.

TO WHOM SHOULD I --

>>MARK SHARPE: OUR CLERK -- YES.

SHE'LL TAKE IT.

THANK YOU.

>> THE CERTIFICATE WISHES TO THANK THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE LIBRARY SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR, FOR OVER A DECADE OF SUPPORT IN TERMS OF PROVIDING FACILITIES, COMPUTERS, PRINTERS, AND MOST CRITICALLY THE I.T. SUPPORT TO KEEP THAT THING RUNNING.

WE DID FAIRLY WELL THIS YEAR.

I HAVE COPIES OF SOME OF OUR STATISTICS FOR THE BOARD AS WELL.

OVERALL, WE HAD -- BETWEEN THE AARP PROGRAM AND OUR SISTER PROGRAM VITA, WHICH IS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PROSPERITY CAMPAIGN, 92 VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED A LITTLE OVER 7,000 HOURS OF SERVICE HELPING 3808 TAXPAYERS FILE THEIR INCOME TAX RETURNS, RECEIVING TOTAL REFUNDS JUST SHORT OF $3 MILLION HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

INCLUDED WITHIN THAT, $672,000 OF EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS FOR LOW- TO MODERATE-INCOME -- BASICALLY, THE LOWER-INCOME PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES.

WE SERVICED APPROXIMATELY 60% OF OUR TAXPAYERS 60 YEARS OR OLDER AND WERE ABLE TO SAVE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAXPAYERS, BASED ON NATIONAL AVERAGES FOR TAX RETURN PREPARATION, APPROXIMATELY $534,000 OF INCOME TAX PREPARATION FEES THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO SPEND HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

SO WE WISH TO THANK THE BOARD, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OVERALL, AND IN PARTICULAR THE LIBRARY SYSTEM FOR THE SUPPORT THEY HAVE PROVIDED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>MARK SHARPE: MR. GAIFFE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

APPRECIATE IT, SIR.

>> YOU TOO, MR. SHARPE.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.

>> WE'RE BOTH OUT OF J2.

>>MARK SHARPE: OH, YEAH, I REMEMBER, J2.

GENEVIEVE DeCILIO, DAVID McCALLISTER, AND ED TILLOU.

IS GENEVIEVE HERE?

OKAY.

>> WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.

I LIVE IN RIVERVIEW, AND I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO A FAMILY THAT HAS VICIOUS DOGS.

DOGS HAVE KILLED TWO CATS ALREADY, AND THEY JUMPED INTO MY YARD AND THEY -- THEY HOWL AND SCREAM AND -- LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A HORROR MOVIE EVERY TIME A FIRE TRUCK GOES BY OR A SIREN -- ANY KIND OF SIREN, EVEN WHEN A PLANE GOES OVER.

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME, AND I LIVE WITH MY SISTER, AND WE'RE BOTH VERY, VERY AFRAID SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND I'VE HAD COUNTY CODE ENFORCEMENT OUT THERE BECAUSE THE BACK OF THE YARD IS NOTHING SHORT OF A -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY H-E-L-L HOLE.

PARDON ME.

AND HAD ANIMAL SERVICES OUT THERE, AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO DO ANYTHING EITHER.

THEY HAVEN'T CONFISCATED THE DOGS OR ANYTHING.

AND WE JUST HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR CONSTANTLY.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER ISSUE.

SHE'S PUT UP A PRIVACY -- SHE'S PUT UP A LIGHT ON THE SIDE OF HER HOUSE THAT SHINES DIRECTLY ON MY PROPERTY, AND IT'S NOT EVEN NECESSARY TO EVEN HAVE IT THERE, BUT IT SHINES RIGHT THROUGH THE WINDOWS.

I HAD TO PUT UP THICK CURTAINS TO KEEP THE LIGHT FROM SHINING AT NIGHT.

THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

I'M AT MY WIT'S END.

THAT'S WHY I CAME TO THIS MEETING.

I HAVE PICTURES THAT IT'S TOO HORRIBLE TO EVEN SHOW, BUT I CAN LEAVE THEM HERE, AND I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER -- A LETTER THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING IN DETAIL.

I HOPE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ IT.

IT WAS HANDWRITTEN AND EVERYTHING.

AND I WISH THAT SOMEBODY COULD HELP ME OUT BECAUSE I'LL BE 65 IN AUGUST, AND IF THE DOGS GET OVER THE FENCE, THEY'RE VERY VICIOUS.

THEY'RE NOT SOCIALIZED, AND THEY'VE ALREADY ATTACKED A COUPLE OF CATS, AND I'M AFRAID IF THEY ATTACK ME OR MY SISTER, WE'RE GOING TO WIND UP IN THE HOSPITAL, BE ON THE 6:00 NEWS.

PLEASE, YOU HEAR THESE STORIES ALL THE TIME.

YOU HEAR THEM ALL THE TIME.

AND I DON'T WANT TO BE A STATISTIC.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, MA'AM.

>> I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT WAY, SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I DON'T -- I'M AT MY WIT'S END AS TO WHAT TO DO.

WE CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE DOGS HOWL AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT AND KEEP US AWAKE AND CAUSE US TO HAVE NIGHTMARES AND THINGS, SO I'D APPRECIATE IT IF I CAN GET ANY KIND OF HELP, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO FOR ME.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: MA'AM, WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM ANIMAL SERVICES, RON SPILLER.

HE'S THE -- OVER HERE, MA'AM.

>> OKAY.

OH, I'M SORRY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: HE'S RIGHT HERE.

HE'LL HELP YOU OUT, IF YOU CAN TALK WITH HIM.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

MR. -- COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH.

AND I ASKED FOR SETH WEIGHTMAN IN MY OFFICE TO COME AROUND TO MEET WITH MS. DeCILIO, SO IF THE TWO OF THEM COULD VISIT WITH HER, THAT WOULD BE FINE.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

MR. McCALLISTER, ED TILLOU, AND THEN MR. WIRENGARD.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

GOOD MORNING.

WELL, I'M DAVID McCALLISTER, POST OFFICE BOX 7343, WESLEY CHAPEL.

AS YOU KNOW, I COME HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR APPRECIATION OF VETERANS AND HISTORY, ESPECIALLY LOCAL VETERANS AND LOCAL HISTORY, AND EVEN MORE ESPECIALLY THE PERIOD OF 1861 TO '65 DURING THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES.

LAST TIME I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS' PARTICIPATION IN THE JUNIOR ROTC PROGRAM IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH, AND THIS TIME I WANTED TO MENTION FIRST THE WONDERFUL MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVANCE WE HAD HERE AT HILLSBOROUGH VETERANS PARK JUST LAST WEEK, AND, OF COURSE, WE WERE PLEASED TO HAVE MIKE MERRILL, AND FRANK STROM AND KEVIN BECKNER WERE THERE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.

I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T SEE ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I'M SURE THERE WERE OTHERS THERE.

THERE WERE LOTS OF VETERANS, AND IT WAS A REALLY GREAT DAY TO OBSERVE THE SACRIFICE OF THE VETERANS OF ALL THE WARS.

COLONEL DeTHOMAS FROM MacDILL WAS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER, AND HE MADE REMARKS CONCERNING DECORATION DAY AND THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, BUT THE TRUE ANTECEDENT OF THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY WAS CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY, WHICH WAS BEGUN BY THE LADIES MEMORIAL SOCIETIES IN THE VARIOUS STATES OF THE SOUTH AND FIRST BEGAN IN 1866.

NOW IT IS AN OFFICIAL FLORIDA STATE HOLIDAY, CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY, UNDER FLORIDA STATUTE 683.01.

AND DESPITE SOME OF YOU-ALL'S RELUCTANCE TO RECOGNIZE DIVERSITY AND PRACTICE INCLUSION IN A PROCLAMATION LAST MONTH, UP THERE IN TALLAHASSEE THERE WAS AN HONOR GUARD AND AN EXHIBIT IN THE ROTUNDA OF THE STATE CAPITOL HONORING CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY.

MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE WILL HAVE IT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

YOU WANT TO PUT UP MY LITTLE AUDIOVISUAL.

I WANTED TO SHOW YOU AN ARTICLE THAT WAS JUST PUBLISHED IN THE TEMPLE TERRACE NEWS FOR JUNE, AND ITS HEADLINE IS "TEMPLE TERRACE VETERANS HONORED ON CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY."

THE CAPTION OF THE PICTURE THERE SAYS, MEMBERS OF THE AUGUSTA JANE EVANS WILSON CHAPTER 2640, UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY OF TEMPLE TERRACE AND THE JUDAH P. BENJAMIN CAMP 2210, SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS, AT THE BRANCH FAMILY CEMETERY ON APRIL 26th, 2014.

NOW, NOT ONLY DID WE HONOR THE TEMPLE TERRACE VETERANS, WE ACTUALLY HONORED 192 VETERANS OF THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES IN THREE CEMETERIES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WE STARTED AT THE COURTHOUSE MONUMENT AND WE ENDED AT THE CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL PARK.

WE'LL ACTUALLY BE BACK IN TEMPLE TERRACE FOR THE 4th OF JULY PARADE AND PARTICIPATING IN THAT AND IN THE 4th OF JULY PARADE IN BRANDON AS WELL, AND I'M SURE, BEING AN ELECTION YEAR, WE'LL PROBABLY BE SEEING SOME OF YOU ALL AT THOSE PARADES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BYE-BYE.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORDS,

MR. McCALLISTER.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ED TILLOU, THEN WE HAVE ROBERT WIRENGARD, AND THEN ART McDONALD.

MR. TILLOU.

>> I'M ED, ED TILLOU, SULPHUR SPRING.

OKAY.

THIS FELLOW HERE, IF THE VIDEO GOES ON.

OKAY.

IT'S GOOD THAT I HAVE YOU, BECAUSE WHEN I GAVE HIM AN F-PLUS, WHICH IS ALWAYS -- YOU KNOW, THEY -- YOU PUT A PLUS ON THE "F" TO SAY IT CAN BE TURNED AROUND.

IT STILL CAN BE TURNED AROUND.

I'LL BE POINTING OUT I GIVE CITY COUNCIL A D-PLUS AND YOURSELVES A D-MINUS.

I'M A VERY RIGOROUS, HARD GRADER.

IN FACT, WHEN I WORKED FOR MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE CONSULTANTS USED TO GET TOGETHER, AND I WAS LEGENDARY AMONG THEM.

BUT ONE CONSULTANT CAME TO ME AND HE SAID THAT HE APPRECIATED THAT BECAUSE HE SAID HE WORKED VERY HARD, AND, THEREFORE, WHEN ONE OF HIS PIECES OF WORK CAME TO MY REVIEW, IT MADE IT ALL WORTHWHILE BECAUSE SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE YOU COULD JUST PUT ANYTHING THROUGH THEM.

WELL, ANYWAY, WHAT I WANT TO GO OVER TO, GIVEN THAT MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS PROBABLY IN GRAND ARMY OF THE

REPUBLIC -- FOLLOW-UP TO MR. McCALLISTER.

THIS WAS 2006, AND NOTHING'S BEEN DONE IN THE EIGHT YEARS SINCE.

SO WE'LL PROBABLY COME UP ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE THE WORLD'S AGRICULTURE -- JOHN KERRY HAS SAID IT, THE WORLD'S AGRICULTURE IS GOING TO GO INTO DECLINE, AND MAYBE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FEED HALF OF THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE NOW.

OF COURSE, BY THEN IT'LL PROBABLY BE TEN BILLION PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.

SO ANYWAY, I HAVE A LITTLE ARTICLE THERE FROM BEACON MAGAZINE WHEN NOT TO BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY, BECAUSE CHIP THOMAS RAISED THIS.

YOU DON'T RIDE THE BUSES, I KNOW, SO YOU DON'T EVER SEE THIS, BUT A WOMAN GOT ON THE BUS AND SHE WAS VERY POOR, PROBABLY, AND SHE HAD FOUR LITTLE, TINY KIDS WITH HER, SO SOME SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO BRING TO MR. PUTIN'S ATTENTION.

HE DOESN'T FEEL THERE'S ENOUGH RUSSIANS.

WELL, MAYBE THE GREAT RUSSIANS HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE COMING DOWN AND THE VARIOUS OTHER GROUPS LIKE THE TARTARS AND THINGS DON'T.

SO RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES MIGHT HAVE TO START DOING THINGS THE WAY CHINA DID BECAUSE CHINA TURNED AROUND.

INDIA HAS NOT.

INDIA'S NOW THE LARGEST COUNTRY ON THE PLANET AND HAS 1.2- OR 1.3 BILLION PEOPLE.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY HAVE THE SIZE OF THE UNITED STATES, OVER A BILLION PEOPLE.

AND THAT MOVIE THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO SEE, "MILLION DOLLAR ARM," BECAUSE IT WAS VERY GOOD, AFTER ALL, IT SHOWS LITTLE AGGREGATIONS OF 50 OR 100 LITTLE KIDS HERE OR LITTLE KIDS THERE OR LITTLE KIDS OVER THERE.

I MEAN, THAT COUNTRY IS BURSTING AT THE SEAMS.

AND WE'RE COMING UP ON CLIMATIC CHANGE THAT IN 2060 IS GOING TO BE VERY SEVERE.

SO AS I SAY, I PROBABLY WON'T HAVE TIME TO GO INTO HYDROGEN AIRCRAFT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION TO HYDROGEN LATELY.

IT WON'T WORK FOR CARS, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IT BE APPLIED TO AIRCRAFT.

SO THAT'S THE HANDOUT.

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

WE'LL TAKE UP THE HYDROGEN AIRCRAFT NEXT WEEK.

THANK YOU, SIR.

MR. WIRENGARD, WE'RE HONORED, SIR, IF YOU'D COME FORWARD.

AND THEN OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS ART McDONALD.

THANK YOU, SIR.

WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS DISTRIBUTED.

WELCOME, ROBERT.

>> THANK YOU.

I HAVE REALLY A PETITION, AND IT OUTLINES THE LAW OF THE LAND, THE LAW OF JUSTICE, ACTUALLY COMMON LAW.

THIS IS SIGNED BY COMMONERS, AND IT STATES: ON OR ABOUT

THIS 1st DAY OF JUNE, 2014, WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, HEREBY AGREE AND DECLARE THAT THE LAW OF THE LAND, COMMON LAW, AND CIVIL LAW OF JUSTICE IS, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, AND, TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, ALWAYS WILL BE, QUOTE -- AND YOU HAVE THE QUOTE THERE.

IF YOU, A NORMAL, HEALTHY, AND OF SOUND MINE AND OF-AGE PERSON INJURE ANOTHER, HIS BUSINESSES, RIGHTS, MONEY, OR OTHER PROPERTIES, AND/OR TRESPASSES PROPERTIES WITHOUT HIS CONSENT, THEN YOU OWE HIM CIVIL AND REASONABLE REPARATIONS IN MONEY AND/OR IN-KIND VALUE, PARENTHESES, JUSTICE IS ALL ABOUT REASONABLENESS AND MAKING ANOTHER WHOLE AFTER NONCONSENSUAL INJURIES, CLOSE PARENTHESES, AND, OF COURSE, IT IS THE INJURED ONE WHO MAY FORGIVE OR DEMAND NO REPARATIONS AT ALL FROM THE INJURIOUS ONE.

I HAVE PUT THIS TOGETHER FROM LISTENING TO COMMONERS, MY ELDERS, AND IT -- YOU KNOW, IT COMPLIES WITH THE -- THE NOTION OF TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WISH TO BE TREATED, WHICH IS LIKE AN ORDER.

AND IF THERE'S A CONTRACT, WHICH IS WHAT THE CONSTITUTION IS SUPPOSED TO BE -- IT'S LIKE MY FATHER SAID, YOU DO RIGHT BY ME AND I DO RIGHT BY YOU.

THAT'S THE CONTRACT.

THAT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL CONTRACT, AND THAT'S THE CONTRACT THAT SHOULD EXIST BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNED PEOPLE, AND IT SHOULD EXIST BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

AND I'M ASKING YOU, IN PARTICULAR, MARK SHARPE, AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE, THAT THIS LAW BE MADE PART OF THE PREAMBLE OF THE CHARTER.

AND IT ALSO SUITS THE NOTION OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE FOR THE WELFARE OF US RESIDENTS, AND THAT IS WHAT THAT LAW IS ALL ABOUT.

IT'S HUMANITARIAN AND IT'S NOT INHUMANITARIAN, LIKE GOVERNMENT TENDS TO BE.

THERE ARE BIGOTS AMONG US, AND THEY GO BACK TO THOSE WHO WROTE THE CONSTITUTION.

>>MARK SHARPE: MR. WIRENGARD, I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME.

THAT HAS BEEN VERY THOUGHTFUL, AND I'LL MAKE SURE AS WELL, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS, THAT THOSE WORDS THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM.

THANK YOU, SIR.

IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY IF THE ATTORNEY AND THE -- OR IF THE COUNTY AND THE ADMINISTRATOR BE IN ON THIS.

>>MARK SHARPE: ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY, SIR.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS MR. ART McDONALD.

>> GOOD MORNING.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME, SIR.

>> I LIVE IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOW, BUT I WAS BORN HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL.

MY FATHER RAN FOR SHERIFF IN 1955, DIDN'T WIN, BUT IT'S WONDERFUL COMING BACK HERE.

WE CAME BACK ON VACATION TO SPEND TIME WITH MY BROTHERS.

AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS WATCH FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THIS WATCH WAS PRESENTED TO CHARLES T. FRIEND, THE CHAIRMAN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION IN 1925 -- FROM 1921 TO 1925, AND WITH KEN HAGAN, MY SECOND COUSIN, I GREW UP WITH HIS MOM, AND I JUST -- I'M SO PROUD.

I COULD GO ON, BUT I WON'T.

BUT I DID WANT TO JUST PRESENT THIS WATCH TO KEN AND THANK HIM AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

I AM IMPRESSED WITH COMING HOME TO THE COUNTY.

THIS PLACE LOOKS GREAT.

AND I COULD GO ON, BUT THANK YOU, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

THANK YOU FOR THIS, AND KEN, I WANT YOU TO HAVE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS FAMILY, AND THIS HAS A NICE INSCRIPTION ON THE BACK: TO CHARLES T. FRIEND, CHAIRMAN, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION, 1921 TO '25, IN RECOGNITION OF IMPARTIAL, UNSELFISH, AND FAITHFUL SERVICES.

JOHN T. GUNN, D.R. CRUM, W.T. WILLIAMS, AND O.A. ALIA.

I SUPPOSE THOSE WERE THE OTHER COUNCIL PEOPLE.

SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU, KEN, AND THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: MR. McDONALD, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND BEING OUR FINAL SPEAKER.

IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU AND BRING A PIECE OF HISTORY, AND COMMISSIONER HAGAN, WHO'S OUR LONGEST-SERVING COMMISSIONER AND HAS BEEN A CHAIRMAN A NUMBER OF TIMES, DEEPLY APPRECIATES YOUR PRESENCE.

COMMISSIONER HAGAN.

>>KEN HAGAN: AND ART, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND DOING THIS, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, AND I WAS -- I WAS WELL AWARE THAT YOUR FATHER RAN FOR SHERIFF.

I DID NOT KNOW THAT WE HAD A -- WE HAD A COUNTY COMMISSIONER ALSO IN THE FAMILY, BUT THANKS FOR THE HISTORY LESSON AS WELL.

BUT I'M HONORED TO ACCEPT THIS, AND THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

I'M GOING TO COME DOWN, AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK PHOTO, IF THAT'S OKAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

>>RUSLANA PANOV: THERE WE GO.

[APPLAUSE]

>>MARK SHARPE: AND THAT CLOSES PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE THANK EACH OF THE SPEAKERS, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE CONSENT.

DOES ANYBODY WISH TO REMOVE ANYTHING FROM --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE CONSENT.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN TO MOVE -- APPROVE CONSENT, WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: EXCELLENT.

MR. MERRILL.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, COMMISSIONERS.

WE HAVE SOME TIME BEFORE THE FIRST TIME CERTAIN, SO WE'LL TAKE UP THE OTHER REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS, BEGINNING WITH BUSINESS AND SUPPORT SERVICES, ITEMS B-1 AND B-2.

TOM FESLER'S HERE FOR THOSE ITEMS.

>>TOM FESLER: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

TOM FESLER, BUSINESS AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

THIS MORNING I HAVE TWO CONTRACT AWARDS.

ITEM B-1 IS TO AWARD AND EXECUTE THE AGREEMENTS FOR TREE TRIMMING AND REMOVAL SERVICES TO MID-FLORIDA TREE SERVICE, LUKE BROTHERS, INC., AND PETE & RON'S TREE SERVICE IN THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF $3,395,750.

THESE AGREEMENTS WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR A ONE-YEAR PERIOD.

IN ADDITION, WE ARE ALSO ASKING YOU TO REJECT THE BIDS FROM TNT ENVIRONMENTAL AND EVERGREEN TREE SERVICE, DEEMED NONRESPONSIVE FOR FAILURE TO SUBMIT A BID BOND OR OTHER SURETY AS REQUIRED BY THE BOND DOC -- OR BID DOCUMENTS.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL FOR ITEM B-1 BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.

NO FURTHER COMMENT, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

B-2.

>>TOM FESLER: ITEM B-2 IS ASKING YOU TO AWARD AND EXECUTE AGREEMENTS FOR SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION TERM CONTRACT TO THE FOLLOWING BIDDERS AND AGREEMENT AMOUNTS: BAYSHORE CONTRACTING CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $955,515, AND STAGE DOOR II, INC., IN THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION, FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR A ONE-YEAR PERIOD, AND THESE AGREEMENTS ARE REQUIRING ACHIEVING A 5% MBE PARTICIPATION RATE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: MOVE APPROVAL.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MILLER FOR ITEM B-2, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

NO FURTHER PUBLIC -- NO FURTHER COMMENT, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND IF WE CAN GO TO ITEM G-1, WHICH IS A REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS REGARDING RECYCLING AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RECREATION -- RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

>>MARK SHARPE: MR. LYONS, WELCOME, SIR.

WELCOME, SIR.

>>JOHN LYONS: GOOD MORNING.

JOHN LYONS, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

COMMISSIONERS, BACK IN APRIL, YOU ASKED US TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE RECYCLING IN OUR PARK FACILITIES, AND SO OUR SOLID WASTE DIVISION HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE PARKS, RECREATION, AND CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT A RECYCLING PROGRAM AT THOSE LOCATIONS.

THIS WILL ALSO -- AND THOSE SITES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, PRIMARILY IN REGIONAL PARKS AND SOME OF THE MORE ACTIVE CENTERS.

WHAT IT WILL REQUIRE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO IS A MODIFICATION TO OUR CONTRACT WITH REPUBLIC SERVICES, AND JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THAT IS THAT WE, AS ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL BUSINESS IN THE COUNTY WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA BID TO OUR THREE -- THREE CONTRACTORS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO THEM TO COLLECT COMMERCIAL MATERIALS FROM THOSE FACILITIES, AND SO WE DID THAT IN THE CASE, AND REPUBLIC WAS THE WINNER, AND SO, THEREFORE, WILL HAVE TO COME BACK WITH A CONTRACT MOD TO INCLUDE THE RECYCLING.

ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH FIRE RESCUE TO -- SOME OF THE SMALLER FIREHOUSES QUALIFY FOR KIND OF RESIDENTIAL PICKUP, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING RECYCLING CONTAINERS AT THOSE FACILITIES AS WELL.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, JOHN.

THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING TO THIS ITEM.

I KNOW I BROUGHT IT FORWARD BECAUSE I VISITED A LOT OF REC CENTERS OVER THE SPRING FOR A LOT OF EVENTS AND NOTICED THERE WEREN'T ANY RECYCLE CONTAINERS, AND THERE IS A LOT OF DRINKING OF WATER, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES CONGREGATE, AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO BE SETTING AN EXAMPLE.

OUR -- WE'RE REQUIRING OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS TO HAVE THESE BINS.

WE PROBABLY SHOULD BE HAVING THE SAME SETUP AT OUR REC CENTERS AS -- FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DO HAVE TO MODIFY THE CONTRACT, BUT I THINK WHATEVER MODIFICATION IT ENTAILS, WHICH MIGHT BE AN ADDED COST, I WOULD IMAGINE THE TONNAGE WILL PROBABLY INCREASE QUITE A BIT THAT WILL HOPEFULLY OFFSET THAT.

>>JOHN LYONS: WELL, THOSE -- THESE RECYCLED MATERIALS, BECAUSE THEY ARE A COMMERCIAL VARIETY, WE DON'T HAVE A REVENUE-SHARING PROGRAM SET UP ON THAT.

THAT'S -- THAT'S SEGREGATED FROM THE RESIDENTIAL.

WE COULD LOOK INTO THAT TO SEE HOW THAT MIGHT WORK OUT, BUT WE'LL -- WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE THIS PROCESS AS WE MOVE AHEAD.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I DEFINITELY THINK YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT.

I WOULD IMAGINE THERE COULD BE QUITE A BIT OF TONNAGE COMING OUT OF OUR -- ANYWHERE WHERE PEOPLE CONGREGATE, AND SO MAYBE YOU COULD INCLUDE THAT IN YOUR REPORT WHEN YOU COME BACK TO US.

>>JOHN LYONS: YES.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: BUT I WILL MOVE TO RECEIVE THE REPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOU COMING BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION.

>>JOHN LYONS: THANK YOU.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION OF APPROVAL TO RECEIVE THE REPORT, G-1, BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

AND COMMISSIONER --

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: -- COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE WAIVE THE RULES AND BRING UP C-1, THE PRESENTATION OF THE FISCAL YEAR '15 COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET AT THIS TIME.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES AND TO MOVE THE BUDGET PROCEEDING --

>>KEN HAGAN: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: -- WHICH WAS GOING TO BE DISCUSSED AT 10:15 TO 10:02, AND COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S GOING TO SECOND THAT.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE RE-RECORD YOUR VOTE.

MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

GOOD MORNING.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TO PRESENT THE 2015 COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET, AND I WOULD SAY THAT IF I HAD TO SUMMARIZE HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE BUDGET, I THINK THE COMMUNITY, THIS BOARD, AND ALL OF MY STAFF CAN BE VERY PROUD OF THIS BUDGET, GIVEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND THE THREE PILLARS, REALLY, THAT HAVE GUIDED US OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS ARE SHOWN HERE ON THE SCREEN.

IT'S -- IT REPRESENTS, REALLY, SUCCESSES BUT ALSO CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, SO THAT SUSTAINING OUR FINANCIAL INTEGRITY HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR BIG SUCCESSES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

IT'S ALSO A CHALLENGE GOING FORWARD BECAUSE, AS WE KNOW, WE'RE -- WE CAN'T SIT BACK ON OUR LAURELS.

THINGS ARE STILL TENTATIVE IN THE WORLD ECONOMY.

WE NEED TO KEEP -- KEEP OUR EYES PEELED.

AND THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS WE GO FORWARD TO ENHANCE OUR FINANCIAL INTEGRITY.

WE'VE ALSO HAD MANY SUCCESSES IN FOSTERING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, PROBABLY TOO MANY TO MENTION, BUT, AGAIN, THE CHALLENGE IS REMAINING COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WE TRY TO ATTRACT HIGH-WAGE JOBS AND TARGET INDUSTRIES.

AND FINALLY, FOCUSING ON OUR CORE MISSION HAS ALSO BEEN A SUCCESS, AS WE HAVE DRIVEN THE BUDGET, DRIVEN OUR OPERATIONS TOWARDS FOCUSING ON THOSE THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE OUR CONSTITUENTS REQUIRE US TO DO.

BUT, AGAIN, GOING FORWARD, SOME CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL INTEGRITY, COST OF -- COST PER CAPITA OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS 19% LOWER THAN IT WAS IN 2007 WITH NO LOSS OF SERVICE.

THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, GIVEN THAT MANY CITIES AND COUNTIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET WITH RE -- WITH REVENUES.

AGAIN, OUR GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND RATING REMAINS AT A AAA LEVEL.

WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN STABLE GENERAL FUND RESERVES, WHICH, OF COURSE, ARE WHAT SUPPORT OUR AAA RATING.

THE BUDGET IS BALANCED WITHOUT USING ANY RESERVES, AGAIN, PRETTY REMARKABLE GIVEN WHAT OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES ARE FACING.

THE PROPERTY VALUE ESTIMATE THAT WE'VE USED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD FOR '15 IS 5.6%.

THERE WILL BE REVISIONS.

WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED A REVISION FROM THE PROPERTY APPRAISER JUST THIS WEEK -- LAST WEEK, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 5.6%, AND THAT WILL BE -- CONTINUE TO BE REVISED UNTIL -- UNTIL JULY 1st, BUT THAT RESULTED IN ABOUT $35.8 MILLION IN NEW AD VALOREM REVENUE.

SALES TAXES ALSO GREW AT APPROXIMATELY 5% ANNUALLY, SO STRONG PERFORMANCE ON BOTH OF THOSE MAJOR REVENUES THAT WE RELY ON.

INTERESTING STATISTIC LOOKING BACK OVER 20 YEARS, WHICH I THINK IS ACTUALLY PERTINENT AND IT SHOWS, I THINK, VALUE

FOR -- FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, AND THAT'S THE THING THAT I STRESS MOST WITH MY EMPLOYEES, THAT IT'S CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT IT'S ALSO BEING ABLE TO SHOW THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING VALUE FOR THE MONEY THAT THEY PAY FOR THEIR SERVICE.

100 -- OVER A 100% INCREASE IN LIBRARY SQUARE FOOTAGE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS; 23% DECREASE IN MILLAGE RATES CONSISTENTLY OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS; INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY, WE HAVE A 20% LOWER WORKFORCE; 9% DECREASE IN OPERATING EXPENSES PER RESIDENT; 7% LESS RELIANCE ON PROPERTY TAXES; AND OVER 68,000 MORE ACRES OF PARK LAND.

THE WAY THAT THE BUDGET WAS CONSTRUCTED, BECAUSE WE ARE CONTINUING TO BE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC, IS REALLY BASED ON THREE DECISION PRIORITIES.

FIRST OF ALL, PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH EVERYONE, I THINK, CAN AGREE IS OUR MAIN MISSION.

ASSET PRESERVATION, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOT LET OUR ASSETS DETERIORATE, AND THERE WERE SOME ITEMS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS DURING THE RECESSION THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO -- TO ADDRESS BECAUSE OF RESOURCES, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT BACK ON TOP OF THAT.

AND THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE BOARD'S STRATEGIC PLAN, JOBS, TARGET INDUSTRIES, GREAT PLACES.

AND SO THAT -- THOSE ARE THE THREE PRIORITIES THAT WE USED TO -- TO DEVELOP THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET.

EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THOSE, $1.9 MILLION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PUBLIC SAFETY OPERATIONS COMPLEX; 1.1 MILLION FINANCING FOR FIRE STATION RENOVATIONS, EXPANSIONS, AND REPLACEMENTS -- THERE WILL BE IN THE FUTURE A NEED FOR NEW STATIONS, WE BELIEVE, BUT DID NOT SEE A PRESSING NEED IN

FY 15, SO THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY BROUGHT BACK IN THE NEXT TWO-YEAR BUDGET -- 800,000 IN FINANCING FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO FACILITIES FOR THE SHERIFF; AND A $500,000 INCREASE IN ANNUAL FUNDING TO REPLACE FIRE EQUIPMENT FOR OUR FIRE RESCUE RESPONDERS.

ASSET PRESERVATION, AGAIN, SOME EXAMPLES, NOT EXHAUSTIVE, WE DID REPLENISH $3.5 MILLION INTO THE REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, AND RENOVATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A REQUIREMENT OF BOARD POLICY; $2.5 MILLION FOR REPAIR OF BIKE PATH SHOULDERS AT FLATWOODS PARK.

AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN STANDING UP A NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM -- COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL SYSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE, AND THAT HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE, AS IT IS FOR MOST OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO GO THROUGH IT, AND -- EVEN ON THE CORPORATE SIDE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.

WE'RE COMING CLOSE TO THE END, BUT WE'LL NEED AND REQUIRE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE OF THAT NEW ERP SYSTEM.

IT WILL BECOME THE BEDROCK OF THE WAY THAT WE BECOME MORE TRANSPARENT IN PROVIDING DATA, IN THE WAY THAT WE MANAGE BY THE NUMBERS, AND SO IT'S -- IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THAT SYSTEM.

$1 MILLION FOR REPLACEMENT OF AGING PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, THAT'S IN VARIOUS PARKS THAT ARE DETAILED IN THE BUDGET.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN, JUST A FEW EXAMPLES: $400,000 TO FINANCE INITIAL INVESTMENTS IN A NEW REDEVELOPMENT FUND PROGRAM TO ADDRESS PRESSING NEEDS IN AREAS OF THE COUNTY THAT REALLY NEED TO BE REDEVELOPED TO, AGAIN, HELP WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; $390,000 IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR A NEW SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH COLLABORATIVE; AND $150,000 FOR THE CREATION OF A NEW FILM INCENTIVE FUND.

SOME OTHER INVESTMENTS -- I MENTIONED THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

AFTER WE HEARD YOUR COMMENTS AT OUR FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP ABOUT PUTTING MORE EMPHASIS AND FUNDING INTO THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND, THIS RECOMMENDED BUDGET PROVIDES FOR A $20-MILLION BORROWING UP FRONT TO PAY FOR REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTY, AND THEN THERE IS, OF COURSE, DEBT SERVICE OF 400,000 BUILT IN TO BEGIN REPAYING THAT.

WE WILL BRING BACK TO YOU AT YOUR JUNE WORKSHOP -- JUNE 25th WORKSHOP SOME RECOMMENDED PROCESSES FOR SELECTING THOSE PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE FUNDED FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT FUND.

$1.8 MILLION TO OPEN A NEW FACILITY TO SERVE THE HOMELESS.

THAT WAS IN COOPERATION WITH THE SHERIFF PROVIDING THE WORK RELEASE CENTER, WHICH IS VERY MUCH NEEDED AND VERY APPRECIATED; A MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT FACILITY RENOVATIONS AT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER; AND 800,000 TO SUPPORT FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AT THE BRANDON AQUATICS CENTER, AND THOSE ARE JUST SOME SELECTED ITEMS.

I WOULD SAY THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS WERE VERY GOOD PARTNERS IN THIS RECOMMENDED BUDGET.

AGAIN, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE SAME RECOVERIES THAT WE ARE, AND -- AND SO I JUST WANT TO REPORT TO YOU THAT THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL IN THE PROCESS.

I DID ASK ALL COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO SUBMIT 3% BUDGET REDUCTION OPTIONS.

WE DID NOT TAKE ALL OF THEM.

I KNEW THAT UP FRONT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE CUT WAY BACK IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

BUT, NEVERTHELESS, WE FOUND $1.4 MILLION IN SAVINGS THAT HELPED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

THERE IS AN AVERAGE PERFORMANCE PAY INCREASE BUDGETED AT 4%.

NOW, AGAIN, THAT IS PERFORMANCE PAY BASED ON OUR NEW PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM THAT WENT INTO EFFECT

OCTOBER 1st OF LAST YEAR, SO THAT'S AN AVERAGE.

WHAT ANY INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE GETS DEPENDS ON THEIR PERFORMANCE, THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR BUSINESS UNIT, THEIR DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT REPRESENTS AN AVERAGE.

SO THERE WAS ABOUT $50 MILLION ADDED TO THE BUDGET FOR

FY 15.

THE SOURCES TO FUND THAT 50 MILLION ARE SHOWN HERE.

RESIDUAL EQUITY INCREASES, THAT WOULD BE THE MONIES THAT ARE RETURNED TO US FROM CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.

THE LARGEST WAS THE SHERIFF RETURNING APPROXIMATELY -- WAS IT 5.6 MILLION?

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MIKE MERRILL: OH, THREE MILLION.

SORRY.

DEPARTMENT EFFICIENCIES THAT I MENTIONED, THE AD VALOREM INCREASE DUE TO GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE AND ADDITIONAL SALES TAX REVENUE, TOGETHER, ABOUT 52.2 MILLION.

THAT WAS USED TO FUND ADDITIONAL SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS, 5.5 MILLION.

WE'RE MAKING MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AND OTHER SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY: MAINTENANCE OF CURRENT SERVICE 11.4 MILLION; ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 2.6; ASSET PRESERVATION, AS I MENTIONED, 6.7; PUBLIC SAFETY 3.6; CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER INCREASES 7.8 THAT WERE OFFSET BY THE RETURN OF RESIDUAL EQUITY; AND A CATEGORY WE CALL MANDATES, CONTRACTS, AND BOARD POLICIES THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN APPROPRIATIONS TO TAKE PLACE BASED ON CONTRACTS WE'VE ENTERED INTO OR POLICIES THAT WE HAVE OR OTHER DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE IN FY 14.

SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW WE -- HOW WE GOT TO MANAGING BALANCING THE BUDGET.

I DID PROVIDE TO YOU IN BRIEFINGS A DETAILED LIST OF THE LINE ITEMS THAT MAKE UP THAT -- THAT 50 MILLION, AND WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AT THE WORKSHOP LATER THIS MONTH.

IN THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET, MY DEPARTMENTS' BUDGETS TOTAL ABOUT 921 MILLION.

THAT BREAKS DOWN IN TERMS OF DIRECT SERVICES, ABOUT 87% GO TO SERVING CONSTITUENTS DIRECTLY.

ABOUT 13% OF THAT ARE WHAT WE WOULD CALL BACK-OFFICE AND SUPPORT, WHICH I THINK IS A VERY GOOD RATIO.

OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR WAYS TO DO BETTER AND BE MORE PRODUCTIVE, BUT I THINK THAT GIVES FOLKS AN IDEA, AGAIN, OF VALUE FOR DOLLARS THAT THEY INVEST IN THEIR GOVERNMENT.

PROPERTY VALUES, AS YOU CAN SEE -- YOU'VE SEEN THIS

BEFORE -- ARE ON THE INCREASE.

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BUMP BETWEEN 2013 TO '14 WAS NOT LARGE, BUT IT WAS A BUMP NEVERTHELESS.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.

SALES TAX REVENUE ALSO ON THE UPTICK.

SO THE TOTAL FY 15 BUDGET IS 3.95 BILLION, AND THAT IS AN INCREASE OF 463 MILLION, BUT MOST OF THAT IS ACCOUNTING TRANSACTIONS.

I DESCRIBED TO YOU LAST BUDGET SESSION THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO GO TO A DIFFERENT ACCOUNTING CONVENTION FOR THE WAY WE -- THE WAY WE BOOK AND ACCOUNT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

IN THE PAST WE WOULD ACCOUNT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

WE NOW HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE EACH IN THE CURRENT YEAR, SO WE'RE DOING THAT LITTLE BY LITTLE SO AS NOT TO HAVE A HUGE SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM, SO 330 MILLION OF THAT IS REALLY ACCOUNTING TRANSACTIONS, NOT ACTUAL CASH BACK AND FORTH.

68 MILLION WAS AN INCREASE TO RESERVES, PRIMARILY IN OUR WATER, WASTEWATER, AND SOLID WASTE FUND; 50 MILLION, I MENTIONED, JUST DESCRIBED WERE THE BUDGET -- RECOMMENDED BUDGET INCREASES; AND 15 MILLION THAT ARE NET OF OTHER BUDGET CHANGES.

SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHY THE BUDGET INCREASED, BUT IF YOU GO TO THAT 50 MILLION AND FOCUS ON THAT FOR THE PUBLIC, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE -- THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR SERVICES AND PROGRAMS REPRESENT.

THIS JUST GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE THE TOTAL BUDGET COMES FROM, FUND BALANCE MAKING UP THE LARGEST PIECE, FUND BALANCE COMING FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT POTS, NOT JUST THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS ABOUT $30- -- $35-MILLION RANGE.

YOU CAN SEE AD VALOREM TAXES 612 MILLION, AND OTHER REVENUES, CHARGES FOR SERVICES, FEES -- AGAIN, THIS IS THE ENTIRE BUDGET, SO IT INCLUDES THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WATER, WASTEWATER, SOLID WASTE, AND ALL THE OPERATIONS IN THE COUNTY.

WHERE THE MONEY GOES, BASICALLY RESERVES, A LARGE PIECE; OPERATING BUDGET THE LARGEST; DEBT SERVICE; AND CAPITAL BUDGET, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN MORE DETAIL IN THE WORKSHOP.

SO AS WE GO FORWARD, THE VISION I'VE SET FOR MY ORGANIZATION IS TO FOCUS ON THREE THINGS.

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ALWAYS AT THE VERY TOP.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEVER STOPS.

WE ALWAYS CAN IMPROVE.

AGILE PERFORMANCE MEANS TAKING SOME RISKS AND -- PRUDENT RISKS TO FIND WAYS TO DELIVER SERVICE BETTER AND QUICKER AND BEING MORE INNOVATIVE IN DOING SO, SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON GOING FORWARD.

NEXT STEPS: WE ORIGINALLY HAD A BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 11th.

I CANCELED THAT -- I DISCUSSED THAT WITH YOU -- TO GIVE EVERYONE MORE TIME TO DIGEST THIS, AND SO THE NEXT SCHEDULED BUDGET WORKSHOP WILL BE JUNE 25th, AND AT THAT POINT YOU CAN DETERMINE AND TELL US WHETHER YOU NEED ANY MORE WORKSHOPS.

WE HAVE A BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED FOR JULY 17th. THAT'S AN OPTIONAL PUBLIC HEARING.

IT'S NOT REQUIRED BY STATUTE.

THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION WORKSHOP JULY 31st, WHERE YOU SET THE -- THE PRELIMINARY TRIM MILLAGE, WHICH THEN CANNOT BE INCREASED, AND THEN THE FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS IN SEPTEMBER 10th AND 18th.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.

AND IT'S A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.

ON THE PAGE FY 2015 RECOMMENDED BUDGET WHERE YOU SHOW A PIE CHART -- LET ME GET BACK TO IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN -- HOW EASY IT IS TO PULL THAT UP, MIKE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THIS ONE?

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ON -- NO.

THIS SAYS -- GOODNESS.

IT'S FY 2015 RECOMMENDED BUDGET, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DEPARTMENT BUDGETS.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OH, YES.

THAT ONE?

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YES.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YOU TALKED ABOUT THE BACK-OFFICE SUPPORT AND OPERATIONS.

>>MIKE MERRILL: MM-HMM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: CAN YOU GIVE US A BENCHMARK OR A COMPARISON TO WHERE WE STOOD WHENEVER WE -- WE HIT THE SKIDS?

GO BACK MAYBE TO 2008, JUST AS -- AND YOU MAY HAVE THAT.

I SEE SOME OF THE FINANCE PEOPLE MOVING AROUND.

IF -- AND I DON'T NEED IT TODAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE THAT THIS WEEK --

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEP.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  -- TO SEE HOW WE'VE IMPROVED IN THE BACK-OFFICE OPERATIONS.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OKAY.

SINCE 2007 OR SO?

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH, WHEREVER -- YEAH, WHEREVER THE BENCHMARK IS FOR OUR OTHER ITEMS IN THE BUDGET WOULD BE GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.

BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: NICE JOB.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

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

AND MR. MERRILL, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION, NOT ONLY FOR PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER BUT OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN HERE LEADING THIS BOARD AND LEADING THIS ORGANIZATION THROUGH SOME VERY DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES, AND I THINK IT'S A REFLECTION ON YOUR LEADERSHIP, IT'S A REFLECTION ON YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT YOU HAVE PUT TOGETHER.

I WANT TO FIRST START BY THANKING YOU FOR THAT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

AS FAR AS THE -- WHEN YOU SAY THE AMOUNT THAT WAS NET THAT WAS ADDED TO THE OVERALL BUDGET -- I MEAN, I GOT A LITTLE ALARMED AT FIRST WHEN IT WAS A $463-MILLION INCREASE.

I'M GLAD IT'S ONLY -- YOU KNOW, THAT 330 WAS ACCOUNTING.

BUT WITH THE 50 MILLION THAT WAS, YOU SAID, AS A RESULT OF FY 15 BUDGET DECISIONS --

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

>>KEVIN BECKNER:  -- CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT ONE AGAIN AND THEN AS WELL AS THE 15 MILLION NET OF ALL OTHER BUDGET CHANGES WHAT THOSE DIFFERENCES WERE?

>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.

THE CHART THAT SHOWS THE USES, IT'S 49.6 MILLION, I ROUNDED IT TO 50, BUT, BASICALLY, THAT CONSISTS OF A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT WERE PROVIDED ON THE DETAIL LIST SO THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE MANDATES, CONTRACTS, BOARD POLICIES, IT'S THAT

YELLOW -- THIS YELLOW SECTION RIGHT HERE, ABOUT 11.2 MILLION.

THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE REPLENISHING OUR REPAIR, RENOVATION, REPLACEMENT; FIRE RESCUE OVERTIME; MAINTENANCE OF OUR ERP SYSTEM THAT I MENTIONED; OUR OBLIGATION TO THE TAMPA SPORTS AUTHORITY TO MAKE UP BUDGET SHORTFALLS; FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM; REQUIRED INCREASED DEPOSITS; OUR

DEPOSITS -- OUR PAYMENTS TO THE CITY FOR THE TAX INCREMENT DISTRICT, SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THOSE.

PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS THE -- THIS GREENISH ONE DOWN HERE, THE PSOC, THE PUBLIC SAFETY OPERATIONS COMPLEX; THE RENOVATIONS, IMPROVEMENTS TO FIRE RESCUE STATIONS; AND INCREASED FIRE RESCUE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT.

SOME OF THE ASSET PRESERVATION ITEMS I MENTIONED EARLIER, 6.7 MILLION, THE FLATWOODS BIKE PATH SHOULDER REPAIR; PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT; SOME FUNDING FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT THE UACDC; ANIMAL SERVICES IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FACILITY TO MAKE IT -- MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT AND ABLE TO GET PETS ADOPTED QUICKER; MEDICAL EXAMINER NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE -- I'M JUST HITTING, YOU KNOW, A FEW OF THESE -- HELICOPTER MAINTENANCE, THAT KIND OF THING.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OUR REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FINANCING; SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH COLLABORATIVE; FILM INITIATIVE -- FILM INCENTIVE FUND, I SHOULD SAY; AND SOME FUNDING TO VISIT TAMPA BAY.

SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS, OUR HOMELESS PROGRAM AT THE NEW -- AT THE SHERIFF'S FACILITY; BRANDON AQUATICS CENTER; NEW POSITIONS FOR OUR CALL CENTER, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US; SOME INCREASED FUNDING FOR THHI, WHICH IS THE NEW HOMELESS INITIATIVE; AND APOLLO BEACH WATERWAY IMPROVEMENT GROUP 50,000; AND FIREHOUSE CULTURAL CENTER.

SO THAT JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA.

THAT ALL COMPRISES THE 50 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS TO THE BUDGET.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO THE NET 15 MILLION OF ALL OTHER BUDGETED CHANGES WOULD ACCOUNT FOR WHAT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: I'M GOING TO ASK TOM TO DESCRIBE THAT.

THIS -- YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS ONE THAT RECONCILED THE 463 MILLION?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

AT THE BOTTOM WHERE IT SAYS, LIKE, THERE'S AN INCREASE OF 15 MILLION, AND THAT'S NET OF ALL OTHER BUDGET CHANGES.

>>TOM FESLER: YES, COMMISSIONER.

I GUESS THE BEST WAY I WOULD DESCRIBE THAT IS WE WERE TRYING TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT THE OVERALL CHANGE IN THE BUDGET WAS AND WHY IT WAS A LARGE AMOUNT.

THAT AMOUNT BASICALLY REPRESENTS CHANGES IN VARIOUS AREAS IN THE BUDGET.

THERE COULD BE UPS AND DOWNS IN OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM THAT ARE JUST CYCLICAL.

WE'VE GOT SOME ONE-TIME BUDGET -- BUDGET AMOUNTS THAT HIT THE BUDGET.

THERE MAY BE ONE TIME ONE YEAR AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR YOU HAVE A SMALLER AMOUNT OF THOSE.

DEBT SERVICE, I KNOW, CHANGED.

DEBT SERVICE -- OUR DEBT SERVICE BUDGET, I BELIEVE, WENT UP BY ABOUT $13 MILLION.

YOU COULD HAVE CHANGES JUST IN TRANSFERS WITHIN THE BUDGET, WHICH IS JUST ANOTHER WAY FOR US TO MOVE FUNDS BETWEEN -- MOVE -- MOVE BUDGET BETWEEN FUNDS, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE VARIOUS UPS AND DOWNS, AND THAT AMOUNT JUST BASICALLY REPRESENTS A NET OF ALL THOSE.

AND WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH -- YOU KNOW, FROM AN OVERALL BUDGET OF THREE POINT -- ALMOST $4 BILLION, $15 MILLION IS A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGEWISE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO AS FAR AS THE NET OVERALL INCREASE OF REOCCURRING EXPENSES, ARE THOSE COMING -- THAT'S COMING OUT OF THAT 50 MILLION, SO IT IS FAIR TO ASSUME THAT -- I MEAN, IS A LARGE MAJORITY OF THAT AMOUNT GOING TO BE ADDED TO YEARS' BUDGETS DOWN THE ROAD?

IS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THAT?

>>TOM FESLER: THAT'S CORRECT.

I BELIEVE ON THE -- WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE A LOOK AT RECURRING VERSUS NONRECURRING, AND OUT OF THE $50 MILLION, ABOUT $40 MILLION OF THE $50 MILLION WILL BE RECURRING AMOUNTS THAT WILL IMPACT OUR BUDGET, AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT $10 MILLION THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE ONE-TIME ALLOCATIONS WITHIN THE BUDGET.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: GOTCHA.

AND WHILE I'VE GOT YOU UP HERE, TOM, YOU'RE PROBABLY THE ONE TO ANSWER THIS OTHER WONKY QUESTION.

IF YOU GO TO THE GRAPH WHERE IT SAYS WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM, WHERE IT SAYS, FROM THE FUND BALANCE OF 1.322 BILLION, 42% OF THAT.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTENING, HOW DOES THAT TYPE OF MONEY ACCUMULATE IN THE FUND BALANCE?

>>TOM FESLER: YEAH.

THE FUND BALANCE, AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE ACROSS MULTIPLE FUNDING SOURCES, AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE -- YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, THAT'S A VERY LARGE PART OF OUR BUDGET, SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FUND BALANCE THAT RESIDES IN OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, ARE TREATED LIKE -- THEY OPERATE LIKE A NORMAL BUSINESS.

THEY SURVIVE ON FEES, NOT ON PROPERTY TAXES.

YOU'VE GOT A LARGE PORTION OF OUR BUDGET THAT RELATES TO SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

AGAIN, WHEN I SAY SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT WE SET UP BECAUSE THERE'S A RESTRICTED REVENUE SOURCE OF SOME SORT, AND, THEREFORE, YOU HAVE MONEY THAT RESIDES IN THOSE FUNDS, AND IT CAN BE ONLY SPENT FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LARGE PORTION OF THAT FUND BALANCE THAT RELATES TO THOSE FUNDS.

WITHIN OUR GENERAL FUNDS, I BELIEVE OUR FUND BALANCE IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT $230 MILLION OUT OF THE

1.3 BILLION, SO THE GENERAL FUNDS, AGAIN, AS WE'VE DESCRIBED BEFORE, IS -- IS WHERE YOU HAVE THE MOST DISCRETION IN THE BUDGET, AND THAT'S -- WHEN WE KIND OF LOOK AT BALANCING THE BUDGET, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE MOST OF OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU, SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THE $200 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE THAT ARE IN -- AND $30 MILLION IN THE FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUNDS IS REALLY WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER TO BE YOUR -- PROBABLY YOUR MOST FLEXIBLE DOLLARS.

AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN CORRELATE THOSE DOLLARS, THAT

$230 MILLION, TO RESERVES THAT YOU HAVE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

THE FUND BALANCE IS BASICALLY ON YOUR REVENUE SIDE AND YOUR RESERVES ARE ON YOUR EXPENDITURE SIDE, SO THEY KIND OF OFFSET EACH OTHER TO SOME EXTENT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: FUND BALANCE IS LIKE OUR CHECKBOOK?

>>TOM FESLER: IT'S LIKE YOUR CHECKBOOK, IT'S LIKE YOUR -- IT'S LIKE YOUR -- YES, IT'S YOUR CHECKBOOK.

IT'S YOUR BANK BALANCE, BASICALLY.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR RESERVES, WHICH, AS YOU SAY, WELL, I WANT TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL, AND THEY, FOR THE MOST PART, WILL OFFSET, NOT EXACTLY, SO IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR GENERAL FUND, I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT $188 MILLION IN RESERVES IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT WOULD OFFSET THAT $230 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: GOTCHA.

AND IF YOU WOULD JUST GO BACK TO ONE MORE SLIDE, AND I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS, THE TAXABLE PROPERTY VALUES OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

>>TOM FESLER: WHICH ONE WAS THAT?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

THERE YOU GO.

MAINLY THIS IS A COMMENT THAT I THINK JUST WARRANTS FURTHER DISCUSSION.

I -- I OPENED BY COMPLIMENTING YOU AND THEN MR. MERRILL AND THIS ORGANIZATION FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO GO THROUGH SOME EXTRAORDINARY CHANGES, AND THIS BOARD, WHAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BECAUSE OF THE -- OF AUSTERITY OF THE -- THE PERIOD OF AUSTERITY THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH IN OUR ECONOMY, AND MY LARGER CONCERN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT FUTURE BOARDS DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH, AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A BOARD AND FROM POLICYWISE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP UNDER CONTROL THE INTERNAL GROWTH OF OUR ORGANIZATION BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO OFFICE AND WAS LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS PERIODS OF HISTORY, YOU SAW THE ASTRONOMICAL GROWTH IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET AND OUR OVERALL BUDGET OF HOW IT GREW AND THEN HOW WE HAD TO DRASTICALLY CUT THAT BY NEARLY 25%, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE MECHANISMS AND THINGS UNDER CONTROL

THAT -- THAT INVESTS MORE INTO COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE, MORE INTO INVESTMENT PROGRAMS, AND NOT THE INTERNAL GROWTH OF OUR ORGANIZATION THAT COULD RESULT IN THE FUTURE LEADING, YOU KNOW, TO THE LAYOFF, AGAIN, OVER 1600 EMPLOYEES, AND SO I JUST WANT TO LEAVE THAT WITH A COMMENT ON HOW WE CAN LOOK AT THIS FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP INTERNAL GROWTH UNDER CONTROL, THAT MOST OF OUR ADDITIONAL GROWTH IN REVENUES GO AND INVEST IN MORE COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ONE-TIME EXPENDITURES, AND INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT THIS GRAPH SHOULD WELL LEAVE US WITH REMINDING WHAT HISTORY HAS DONE BECAUSE THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHEN YOU LOOKED AT GRAPHS THAT PROJECTED REVENUE GROWTH, IT NEVER SEEMED THAT PROPERTY VALUES COULD EVER DECREASE AND IT ALWAYS SEEMED WE WERE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FUND WHATEVER WE HAVE, AND THEN YOU GO THROUGH A PERIOD LIKE THIS, AND IT CAME -- AND IT BRINGS REALITY BACK HOME, AND, AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP FUTURE GROWTH UNDER CONTROL, SO WE'LL HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS AROUND HOW WE CAN DO THAT.

>>TOM FESLER: MAYBE ONE -- MAYBE ONE THING TO POINT OUT, COMMISSIONER, IS THE BOARD DID ACTUALLY, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, TAKE SOME STEPS TO PUT A POLICY IN PLACE THAT DOES LIMIT US TO GROWTH IN THE BUDGET.

WHEN WE DELIVER A RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO YOU, OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DOES, IT DOES PROVIDE SOME CAPS ON THE AMOUNTS OF THE INCREASES THAT CAN BE INCLUDED IN THOSE BUDGETS.

I BELIEVE IT'S BASED ON POPULATION AND INFLATION FIGURES.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES.

>>TOM FESLER: SO THE BOARD HAS ALREADY TAKEN SOME STEPS IN THAT DIRECTION.

CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, BUT THE BOARD HAS ACTED PRUDENTLY IN THAT MANNER, AND THAT'S A CALCULATION WE GO THROUGH EVERY YEAR IN MY OFFICE TO ASSURE THAT WHEN WE DELIVER A BUDGET DOCUMENT TO YOU THAT WE ARE ABIDING BY THAT POLICY.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THAT POLICY REFLECTS DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THE BOARD, TO THE CONSTITUTIONALS, OR ANY OTHER OFFICE; IS THAT RIGHT?

>>TOM FESLER: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

AND THAT'S -- NOT ONLY JUST LOOKING AT THAT POLICY, BUT I THINK ALSO HAVING DISCUSSION OF HOW WE ALLOCATE FUTURE GROWTH IN REVENUES, AND MAYBE WE LOOK AT WHERE WE CAN PUT IN MEASURES THAT LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S GOING TO INTERNAL GROWTH VERSUS INFRASTRUCTURE GROWTH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, RESERVES, AND ET CETERA.

AND, AGAIN, IT'S MORE A COMPLEX POLICY DISCUSSION, I KNOW, TO HAVE, BUT I THINK -- JUST FOR FUTURE BOARDS, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT OF DISCUSSION TO HAVE.

>>TOM FESLER: SURE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH, GREAT QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER BECKNER, AND THAT WAS TO MY POINT AS WELL WHEN THIS BOARD WAS -- WAS SADDLED WITH SOME DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE IN PRIOR YEARS, BUT IT WAS REALLY HIGHLIGHTED WITH MY QUESTION ON THE BACK-ROOM OPERATIONS BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE HOW THAT'S DECREASED BECAUSE THAT WAS A FOCUS AND WILL BE ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.

SO GOOD QUESTIONS.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.

AND I AGREE, COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

WE DO NEED TO HAVE SOME FISCAL RESTRAINTS IN PLACE SO THAT WE DON'T JUST SPEND EVERY PENNY WE HAVE.

BUT I DO -- I THINK THIS IS A REALLY SOLID PLAN.

WHAT I APPLAUD YOU MOST IS YOUR LASER FOCUS ON THE INVESTMENT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I MEAN, WE ARE REALLY ZEROING IN ON THAT PRIORITY BECAUSE WE GET A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE GROWTH, AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK -- MAYBE PAST YEARS IT WASN'T AS MUCH, BUT I THINK THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR WE'LL REALLY BE FOCUSING IN THOSE AREAS, AND I THINK YOU'VE GOT A REALLY SOLID PLAN IN PLACE AND I REALLY APPLAUD YOU-ALL FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD TODAY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

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

AND MR. MERRILL AND YOUR STAFF, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A YEOMAN'S JOB WITH THIS BUDGET.

WE'VE SEEN SOME INCREASES, AND I'VE BEEN IN BODIES WHERE WE HAD INCREASES IN BUDGET AND WE SPENT IT LIKE DRUNKEN SAILORS, BUT YOU'VE SEEN SLIGHT INCREASES HERE OVER WHAT SOME OF US HAVE SEEN SINCE WE CAME HERE IN 2010.

SOME HAVE SEEN IT EVEN WORSE BEFORE WE GOT HERE, BUT I MEAN, IT WAS REALLY PAINSTAKING TO ME WHEN WE HAD TO LOOK AT LAYING EMPLOYEES OFF.

BUT YOU'VE COME WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS I THINK THAT ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT NEEDS TO BE HIGHLIGHTED THAT MAYBE WE JUST BRUSHED OVER WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT $1.9 MILLION FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY OPERATIONS COMPLEX, WHICH IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED WITHIN THIS COUNTY; WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT $1.1 MILLION FOR FINANCING FIRE STATION RENOVATIONS, EXPANSIONS, AND REPLACEMENT; $3.5 MILLION TO REPLENISH REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, AND RENOVATING PROGRAMS, SMALL THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT, BUT IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT.

WE HEAR IT CONSTANTLY.

$1 MILLION TO REPLACE AGING PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT.

WE GET PHONE CALLS IN MY OFFICE ALL THE TIME ABOUT PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND PLAYGROUNDS.

THAT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT.

ONE OF THE MAJOR ONES IS $20 MILLION IN COUNTY REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS I THINK WILL GO A LONG WAY, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW DO WE NEED TO REPLACE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, I THINK THAT THIS IS A GIGANTIC START IN TRYING TO MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.

SO I HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WANTING TO HOLD DOWN THE COSTS OF SPENDING AND NOT OVERSPENDING WHAT WE HAVE, BUT I THINK YOU'VE -- YOU'VE SEEN SOME INCREASES IN OUR BUDGET THE LITTLE TIME WE'VE BEEN HERE, AND YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE FOCUSED ON WHERE THOSE INCREASES SHOULD GO, AND THAT IS TO OUR CONSTITUENCY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR SOME OF OUR PLAYGROUND AREAS, BUT SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND REDEVELOPMENT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT, SO YOU'RE COMMENDED -- TO BE COMMENDED ON WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME PLACES WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT AND MAYBE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO WORK ON.

THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WE CAN DO IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WHEN WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

THERE MAY BE SOME TURNAROUNDS IN THE POSITIVE, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE LOOKING AND YOUR STAFF'S NOT GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ANY SPENDING WILLY-NILLY.

IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS NEED, AND YOU'RE TO BE COMMENDED FOR THAT AND YOU'RE SHOWING THAT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WELL, THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: I THINK THE BOARD HAS EXPRESSED ITS DEEP PLEASURE WITH WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

IT'S -- WE HAVE -- WE'VE COME THROUGH SOME CHALLENGING TIMES, AND I WAS CONCERNED GOING -- LOOKING BACK IN THE 2008-9 TIME FRAME THAT WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO WAS JUST TRY TO RIDE OUT THE COLLAPSE IN REVENUE WITHOUT MAKING ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE ORGANIZATION AND THEN WHEN TIMES WERE BETTER JUST CONTINUE ON, AND THAT HASN'T HAPPENED, I THINK, IN LARGE PART, BECAUSE WE HAVE NEW LEADERSHIP, AND THAT'S NOT TO BE DEROGATORY TOWARDS PAST LEADERSHIP, BUT WITH ANY ORGANIZATION, SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A FRESH SET OF EYES, AND SO I THINK WHAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING HERE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL, AND AS A RESULT -- I WAS READING THIS MORNING IN THE BUSINESS JOURNAL THAT AN ECONOMIST INDICATED THAT LOOKING AROUND THE COUNTRY, HE THOUGHT THAT TAMPA BAY WAS GOING TO BE AN AREA WHERE THERE WAS OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREAT GROWTH.

HE WAS VERY BULLISH ON TAMPA BAY, SO I HOPE THAT WHAT YOU WILL DO IS MAKE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY TO CAPTURE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT'S GOING TO PRESENT ITSELF, AND THEN AS WELL BE SMART ABOUT -- WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION.

I THINK IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO LEADERSHIP.

I GET -- I'M CAUTIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU JUST SET NUMBERS AND SAY, WELL, ONLY 2% OR 3% ACROSS THE BOARD OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH ORGANIZATION DIFFERENTLY, AND, OBVIOUSLY, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE QUALITY PERSONNEL, SO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO THE JOB I THINK IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE IT.

I DO WANT TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HALF-CENT SALES TAX REVENUE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

>>MARK SHARPE: IT COLLAPSED IN 2009 AND THEN IT STARTED TO WORK ITS WAY BACK UP.

WHAT ARE YOUR PROJECTIONS IN THE FUTURE FOR THE SALES TAX REVENUE?

>>MIKE MERRILL: I'LL LET TOM DO THAT OR KEVIN, ONE OR THE OTHER.

>>TOM FESLER: COMMISSIONER, AT THIS POINT, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT -- GOING OUT INTO THE FUTURE THAT IT SHOULD RETURN TO ITS LONG-TERM TREND LINE.

YOU KNOW, AS WE WENT THROUGH THE RECESSION, I THINK WHAT WE EXPERIENCED IS IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE A LONG-TERM TREND LINE AND YOU'RE EITHER UP ABOVE IT OR YOU'RE BELOW IT, BUT IT ALL AVERAGES OUT TO THAT LONG-TERM TREND, AND, UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE GREAT RECESSION, I THINK WHAT WE FOUND IS, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF -- WE KIND OF LOST A BIG PERCENTAGE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THERE, AND WE'RE BACK TO THE NORMAL TREND LINE BUT PROBABLY AT A REDUCED LEVEL, SO IT SET US BACK A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE ARE SEEING WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THE RETURN TO HISTORICALLY A 5% OR 6% TREND GOING OUT INTO THE FUTURE.

>>MARK SHARPE: 5% OR 6%.

BUT CAN YOU JUST IN DOLLAR FIGURES, I'M JUST CURIOUS, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY FOR A HALF-CENT.

>>TOM FESLER: HALF-CENT SALES TAX, APPROXIMATELY, IS ABOUT $100 MILLION.

>>MARK SHARPE: 100 MILLION.

AND HAVE WE BROKEN IT DOWN SOME, DIVIDED TO SEE WHERE WE HAVE THIS -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SALES TAX AND WHERE THE REVENUE COMES FROM, ANY SENSE OF WHAT GENERATES MORE REVENUE, WHAT GENERATES LESS REVENUE?

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THAT TO ME NOW.

I'M JUST CURIOUS.

AND I DID WANT TO COMMENT AS WELL.

I NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, IN '96 WHEN IT WAS PASSED, THE RAIL -- THE REVENUE -- I WISH IT ALL WENT TO TRANSPORTATION, BUT THE CHARTER LANGUAGE IS PRETTY CLEAR, 25% OF THE REVENUE IS DEDICATED TO SCHOOLS, AND THEN THE LANGUAGE TALKS ABOUT IT BEING USED FOR COMMUNITY STADIUMS, EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT FACILITIES, LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS, PARKS, PUBLIC SAFETY, RECLAIMED WATER, STORMWATER, TRANSPORTATION, WASTEWATER, AND WATER.

SO WHILE WE'D LIKE TO THINK IT WAS ALL SUPPOSED TO GO TO JUST TRANSPORTATION, THAT THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, SPENT THE MONEY LIKE DRUNKEN SAILORS, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS ROOM WAS FILLED WITH CITIZENS AT EACH MEETING COMING IN ASKING FOR MONEY FOR LIBRARIES, PARKS, STORMWATER, AND I THOUGHT THAT EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T ALWAYS COMFORTABLE WITH HOW THE PAST ADMINISTRATION HANDLED CIT EXPENDITURES THAT THE BOARD WAS AS RESPONSIBLE AS IT COULD BE IN TRYING TO PUT THAT MONEY TOWARDS GOOD USE, AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE.

DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE, MR. MERRILL, WITH OUR PLANS?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, I DO.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE LEADERSHIP THAT THE BOARD HAS EXERTED IN THE TRANSPORTATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORT, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE KEY, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE -- THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE ALWAYS STRUGGLED WAS ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, AND THE CIT IS BASICALLY BONDED OUT AND, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATED FOR PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH 2026 WHEN IT SUNSETS, AND SO, YOU KNOW, GETTING THAT ONE-CENT SALES TAX IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL OR GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH THE WORK OF THE -- OF THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP, AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS BODY HAS BEEN -- HAS BEEN NOTICED, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY, AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES THAT THAT GROUP SPOKE TO AT THE OUTSET WAS, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT MEANS SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, PUTTING ASIDE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO BUT THINGS THAT MAYBE ARE NOT NECESSARILY CRITICAL FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT EFFORT, AND --

>>MARK SHARPE: BUT AS TO THIS COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX, WAS IT DESIGNATED AS A TAX EXCLUSIVE FOR TRANSPORTATION?

>>MIKE MERRILL: NO, IT WAS NOT.

IT WAS NOT DESIGNATED SPECIFICALLY FOR TRANSPORTATION, ALTHOUGH A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE DOLLARS ARE -- WERE EARMARKED FOR TRANSPORTATION, BUT AS WE HAVE SAID OVER

THE -- OVER THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, AS THE ECONOMY DECLINED, WE HAD TO -- WE HAD TO SET ASIDE PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN APPROPRIATED, AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF THOSE WERE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

>>MARK SHARPE: RIGHT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND THERE'S STILL $130 MILLION IN TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT HAD TO BE PUT ASIDE BECAUSE THE CIT TAX HAD DROPPED, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE ASKED FOR.

I MEAN, THOSE WERE THE RESULT OF MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS, MANY DELIBERATIONS BY THE BOARD, AND, YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE GOING FORWARD THAT THOSE ARE IMPORTANT.

OUR CITIZENS HAVE SAID THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.

THEY NEED TO BE ON THE LIST ALONG WITH OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT FOR TRANSIT AND -- AND FOR OTHER PROJECTS, SO THAT'S AN AREA THAT'S GOING TO NEED A LOT OF WORK.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

DO WE NEED TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO RECEIVE THE REPORT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: NOT UNLESS YOU WANT TO.

>>MARK SHARPE: LET'S DO.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: [INAUDIBLE]

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM WHO WANTS TO MAKE THE MOTION, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

RECORD -- LET'S RECORD THE VOTE, PLEASE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: I GUESS WE HAVE COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S F-1.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MIKE MERRILL: F-1, COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S ITEM, YES.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW WITH F-2.

>>KEN HAGAN: THIS WILL -- THIS WILL BE QUICK.

AS WE ALL KNOW, THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN RESULTED IN A RECORD NUMBER OF FORECLOSURES HITTING THE MARKET.

AS A RESULT, MANY NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY AFFECTED AND AN EVER-INCREASING STRAIN HAS BEEN PLACED ON NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE NEAR FORECLOSED HOMES, SO IN AN EFFORT TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND INCREASE THE PROPERTY VALUES OF THESE COMMUNITIES, BACK IN 2009 I BROUGHT TO THE BOARD THE CONCEPT OF CREATING A MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE REGISTRY PROGRAM.

THAT YEAR THE BOARD ADOPTED WHAT'S CALLED AN ABANDONED REAL PROPERTY REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, REQUIRING LENDERS TO REGISTER WITH THE COUNTY, PAY A YEARLY FEE, AND PERFORM INSPECTIONS.

THIS PROGRAM SPEEDS UP PROPERTY RESEARCH BY STAFF AS WELL AS ASSISTING IN EXPEDITING THE RESOLUTION BY CODE ENFORCEMENT OF BLIGHTED PROPERTIES.

THE PROGRAM STARTED OUT SLOW; HOWEVER, STAFF HAS IMPROVED OUR PROCESSES, AND IN FISCAL YEAR '13, I BELIEVE A MILLION DOLLARS WAS COLLECTED AND 1.3 MILLION'S EXPECTED IN FISCAL YEAR '14.

I BELIEVE THAT STAFF IS DOING A GOOD JOB MANAGING THE PROGRAM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE MAY BE ABLE TO IMPROVE COMPLIANCE, BECOME MORE EFFICIENT, AND INCREASE REVENUE, WHICH WILL ONLY IMPROVE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS, IF WE CONSIDER OUTSOURCING THE PROGRAM.

THIS IS BEING DONE IN MANY CITIES AND COUNTIES ACROSS FLORIDA, INCLUDING ST. PETE, JACKSONVILLE, FORT LAUDERDALE, WEST PALM BEACH, PASCO COUNTY, AND PALM BEACH COUNTY.

BY OUTSOURCING THE PROGRAM, THIS ALLOWS STAFF TO FREE UP THEIR LIMITED RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL THAT GOES TOWARDS MAINTAINING THE REGISTRY AND ALLOWS CODE ENFORCEMENT TO FOCUS ON CLEANING UP THE BLIGHT.

THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, HAVING THE PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE AND MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO FOCUS ON NONCOMPLIANCE AND THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY ALLOWS THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BE FAR MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE, WHICH IMPROVES REGISTRATIONS AND REVENUE.

SO FOR THE PURPOSES OF TODAY, IT'S SIMPLY TO REFER THIS CONCEPT OR IDEA OVER TO STAFF, HAVE THEM MEET WITH THE INDUSTRY AND THE FOLKS WHO PERFORM THIS SERVICE, JUST TO SEE IF THERE'S VALUE IN OUTSOURCING THE PROGRAM, AND THEN HAVE STAFF COME BACK TO US IN, I DON'T KNOW, 30, 60 DAYS, HOWEVER LONG THEY NEED TO DO THAT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN THAT WAS SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER FOR F-1.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND THE LAST ITEM IS -- OF THE DAY, OTHER THAN -- OTHER THAN FUTURE ISSUES, WOULD BE ITEM F-2, WHICH WAS COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM'S ITEM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH.

MINE IS NOT GOING TO TAKE LONG BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION FOR STAFF TO DIRECT -- TO DEVELOP A POLICY FOR APPROPRIATE NOTIFICATION OF THIS BOARD ON THE COMMENCEMENT OF PROJECTS THAT MAY IMPEDE TRAFFIC.

I KNOW THAT THIS -- THAT WILL BE MY MOTION, BUT THE REASON FOR THIS AND THE REASON I ASKED FOR STAFF TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE LAST ISSUE IS THAT WE'VE HAD A PROJECT THAT STARTED IN MAY AT AN INTERSECTION, WHICH COULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL JUNE, AFTER SCHOOL WAS OUT.

THERE WERE TWO SCHOOLS THAT WERE AFFECTED.

IT CAUSED CHAOS.

AND I APPRECIATE THE LETTER OR E-MAIL THAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE SENT OUT.

SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THAT I HAD MADE THE REQUEST, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CAME OUT AND STARTED DOING PROPER TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, BUT FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT AND THE PUBLIC'S VANTAGE POINT, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S NO COORDINATION, AND THAT WAS -- MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE BOARD.

IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR THOSE WHO ARE SITTING IN TRAFFIC WONDERING WHY DID WE SHUT DOWN AN INTERSECTION WHERE THERE ARE TWO SCHOOLS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY WHEN WE COULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL AFTER -- OR DURING THE SUMMERTIME, AND I'M GOING TO ASK THAT THAT BE ADDRESSED IN THIS REPORT, BUT MY MOTION IS FOR STAFF TO COME BACK WITH A POLICY THAT REQUIRES THEM TO NOTIFY THE COMMISSION WHEN THERE ARE ROAD PROJECTS THAT IMPEDES TRAFFIC AND THEN TO REVIEW WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC AND WHERE WE MAY NEED TO MODIFY IT IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM FOR ITEM F-2, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND IF STAFF COULD COME UP FOR A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT -- WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT PROJECT AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO PREVENT THAT.

IT SHOULDN'T TAKE LONG.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME, MR. LYONS.

>>JOHN LYONS: GOOD MORNING.

JOHN LYONS, PUBLIC WORKS.

THE BOYETTE ROAD PROJECT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROJECT FOR MANY YEARS, ALL THE WAY FROM 301 OVER, AND THIS WAS IN THE LAST PHASE OF THE PROJECT, PUTTING IN THE FINAL SURFACE OF THE -- OF THE ROADWAY.

IT WAS IN A VERY CONGESTED AREA NEAR THE BELL SHOALS/BOYETTE INTERSECTION.

PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT BETTER PLANNING, AS COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM MENTIONED, WOULD HAVE GOTTEN US TO A PLACE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE NOTIFIED THE PUBLIC WHAT WAS GOING ON.

I THINK THE TIMING OF THE ROAD CLOSURE ALONG WITH THOSE TWO SCHOOLS RIGHT THERE CREATED THAT SITUATION.

WE'VE ASSESSED THAT.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT ON FUTURE PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD COMMUNICATIONS PLAN IN PLACE, THAT WE'RE QUESTIONING WHAT THE CONTRACTOR IS DOING, AND WORKING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, FACILITATING THE TRAFFIC AND MINIMIZING THOSE DELAYS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OR PROVIDING ALTERNATE WAYS TO GO.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT.

AND I'D JUST ASK THAT YOU BRING THIS BACK AT THE FIRST MEETING IN JULY.

>>JOHN LYONS: YES, SIR.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT.

I HAVE NO OTHER QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

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

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND THE ONLY THING LEFT WOULD BE FUTURE ISSUES.

>>MARK SHARPE: LET ME JUST START WITH ONE.

I WAS JUST MENTIONING IT TO COMMISSIONER MILLER, AND HE SEEMED INTERESTED.

THE EDC'S GOING TO BE COORDINATING A TRADE MISSION TO CHILE DECEMBER 1st THROUGH THE 5th, 2014.

I'VE CHECKED WITH THE ATTORNEYS, AND I CAN'T EXTEND MY TIME IN OFFICE, SO I WON'T BE ABLE TO GO.

THE MAYOR HAS ALREADY EXTENDED AN INTEREST.

IN FACT, HE'S INDICATED HE'LL BE GOING.

THIS IS A JOINT TRADE MISSION FOR THE TAMPA BAY EXPORT ALLIANCE, AND THEY NEED TO GET A NAME ON THE -- ON THEIR BROCHURE THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED ON JUNE 13th AS WELL AS TAKING CARE OF AIRLINE AND ROOM RESERVATIONS, WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED BY EDC.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO.

>>MARK SHARPE: MR. MILLER WOULD LIKE TO GO.

[LAUGHTER]

IS THERE -- I MEAN, I WANT TO BE FAIR AND GIVE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY.

I GOT THIS MEMO A DAY OR SO BACK AND WANTED TO BRING IT UP AT THE FULL BOARD MEETING, AND I, OBVIOUSLY -- YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD'S DISCRETION, BUT --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: BUT I WILL SAY ONE THING.

EDC'S BEEN GOING ON A LOT OF TRADE MISSIONS WHERE THE COUNTY IS NOT REPRESENTED, AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO STOP HERE.

WE DO FUND THEM, AND WE SHOULD BE EQUALLY REPRESENTED ON EVERY SINGLE TRADE MISSION.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND I THINK THEY RECOGNIZE THAT, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE -- AND I THINK WE SHOULD REINFORCE IN THE CONVERSATION THAT THERE SHOULD BE BOARD REPRESENTATION FOR ALL THESE TRIPS, ABSOLUTELY.

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: TO SECOND THAT MOTION, I THINK COMMISSIONER MILLER WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE TO SEND TO CHILE.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE HAVE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION.

COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH.

AND JUST ON THE EDC NOTE, I'VE NOTICED HERE THAT THEY HAVE STARTED DROPPING OFF IN THEIR COMMUNICATION, AND I'M GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR DIRECTION.

I'VE BEEN READING SOME THINGS IN THE JOURNAL WHICH WE'RE NOT APPRISED OF, AND IT MAY BE GOOD AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE THAT WE BRING MR. HOMANS BACK IN HERE FOR A DISCUSSION AND SOME REDIRECTION BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS BOARD MEMBER IS NOT HAPPY WITH IT, AND IT CAN BE ADDRESSED IN BUDGET, BUT I'D PREFER NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE I WORKED HARD AT DEVELOPING EDC IN 2010, '11, AND '12.

I STARTED THESE TRADE MISSION VENTURES WHEN NOBODY THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE -- WOULD BE PROFITABLE OR SUCCESSFUL, AND I SEE THE VALUE OF IT, BUT I FEEL THAT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE IGNORING THIS COMMISSION, AND I DON'T LIKE IT.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AREN'T WE ONE OF THE LARGER FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE EDC?

>> WE ARE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WE ARE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: ARE WE THE LARGEST FUNDING SOURCE --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- WITHINSIDE THE PUBLIC REALM?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, WE'RE THE LARGEST.

>>MARK SHARPE: I'M GETTING A LOT OF HEAD NODS BACK THERE. THE BUDGET DIRECTOR HAS SAID YES.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: WELL, THAT WOULD BE VERY CURIOUS OF WHY -- YOU WOULD THINK THAT WE -- THEY WOULD BE MORE ATTENTIVE AND WANTING TO HAVE MORE COUNTY INCLUSION IN THAT, SO I WOULD KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW AN EXPLANATION WHY WE HAVEN'T BEEN INVITED ON THESE TRIPS OR THERE HASN'T BEEN MORE COUNTY INVOLVEMENT WITH THE EDC.

THAT'S VERY, VERY STRANGE.

AND I THINK IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO MY POINT THAT I BROUGHT UP BEFORE TOO IS THAT SINCE WE ARE PROVIDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO THEM -- AND, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE OUR -- OUR LARGEST MUNICIPALITY, TAMPA, AND I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE TAMPA IS, BUT THIS IS HOW WE ALSO -- YOU KNOW, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS -- IS PROVIDING A LARGE AMOUNT OF THESE FUNDS, SO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHOULD BE INVOLVED, ABSOLUTELY, IN THESE -- IN THESE TRIPS AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, SO I THINK WE NEED SOME EXPLANATION.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH.

MR. HOMANS HAS LOST HIS WAY AS FAR AS THIS BOARD'S CONCERNED.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR.

ON THE TRIPS, I THINK THAT THEY HAVE -- I KNOW THERE'S

BEEN -- MY OFFICE HAS RECEIVED -- I THINK THERE WAS ONE INVITATION.

I'M NOT SURE WHEN THE TRIP WAS.

COMMISSIONER HAGAN HAS GONE ON TRIPS IN THE PAST, AND THAT MIGHT BE A SEPARATE ISSUE, ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT IT IS WORTH BOTH REMINDING THEM AND ALSO ENCOURAGING THEM TO SEEK OUR PARTICIPATION, AND IF ONE COMMISSIONER CAN'T GO, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER WHO CAN -- ANY ONE OF THE SEVEN CAN ABLY REPRESENT US ON THESE VERY IMPORTANT MISSIONS OVERSEAS.

BUT AS TO YOUR POINTS, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, REGARDING JUST PERHAPS THE -- THE DIRECTION, I THINK IT WOULD BE A HEALTHY CONVERSATION.

ARE YOU THROUGH, COMMISSIONER BECKNER?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MILLER.

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

HAVING HEARD WHAT COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM HAS SAID AND THE COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER, WHICH WE CAN'T MAKE MOTIONS FOR DOING FUTURE ISSUES, MR. MERRILL, I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT YOU CONTACT HIS OFFICE AND GET HIM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING --

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

YES, I'LL MAKE A NOTE OF THAT.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: -- TO COME FORTH AND TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT HE HAS OR HAS NOT DONE AND -- WITH EMPHASIS AS TO WHY THIS COMMISSION HAS NOT BEEN ON HIS RADAR SCREEN.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

I'VE MADE A NOTE OF THAT.

>>MARK SHARPE: REMEMBER, HE DOES REPORT TO THE BOARD ON -- WHAT IS IT, A QUARTERLY BASIS?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

>>VICTOR CRIST: I CONCUR WITH THAT REQUEST.

>>MARK SHARPE: BUT I ABSOLUTELY AGREE.

I THINK THAT WE -- IT'S A VERY HEALTHY CONVERSATION.

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MY STAFF HAS BEEN CONVEYING THAT MESSAGE TO HIM, YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES, AND SO I'M GLAD THAT IT'S COMING TO OUR BOARD AT THIS TIME.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

YEP, YOU'RE RIGHT.

COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM KNOWS THE EDC PROBABLY BETTER THAN ANY OF US.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND, YOU KNOW, I DO GET SOME E-MAILS, AND I SEE PICTURES OF OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH HOMANS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, AND I JUST -- I DON'T FEEL IT'S RIGHT, AND WHEN HE CAME HERE LAST MONTH, I THINK IT WAS DURING -- WAS IT DURING BOLLYWOOD?

REMEMBER, HE GAVE HIS LAST REPORT?

AND WE HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT MEDIFUTURE AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THAT, DID THAT GO ALONG WITH WHAT OUR FOCUS IS HERE AT THE COUNTY.

I KNOW THAT GREG AND -- HORWEDEL AND RON BARTON HAVE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH HIM, BUT THERE STILL IS RELUCTANCE OF PARTNERSHIP -- FULL PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS COMMISSION, AND I DO THINK -- I WANT IT TO BE CONSTRUCTIVE, THOUGH, WHEN IT COMES -- WHEN HE COMES HERE, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, THROW EVERYTHING AT HIM AND SAY WE'RE NOT HAPPY.

I THINK HE NEEDS TO TAKE SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS WE HAVE HERE AND COME WITH ANSWERS AND BE VERY SPECIFIC, AND IT'S TIME TO -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE ALSO ASKING ABOUT IT.

EVEN THEIR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.

SO IT'S TIME TO COME TO A DECISION ABOUT WHAT THEIR FUTURE IS WITH OUR INPUT.

>>MARK SHARPE: ABSOLUTELY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: BUT THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

YOU'RE RIGHT ON.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND I WANT TO -- IN FACT, I'M JUST NOW THINKING BACK, THE PANAMA TRIP, I WAS IN DENVER SPEAKING AT A CONFERENCE, AND PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE ASKED -- I'M NOT SURE, I DON'T RECALL -- AND I'M THINKING BACK -- AS TO WHETHER I HAD ASKED ANOTHER -- OR -- OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO GO OR ASKED THEM TO ASK OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO GO, BUT I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT FOR FUTURE TRIPS THAT WE WANT THE OUTREACH TO BE THOROUGH SO THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION, BUT AS TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE EDC, I THINK WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AMPLE TIME TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, AND I WILL SAY THAT I THINK MR. MERRILL HAS MADE A NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS AND STAFF TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, AND IT'S BEEN CONVEYED, I KNOW COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM HAS BEEN CONCERNED, SO I THINK THIS WILL BE A HEALTHY CONVERSATION.

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: I JUST WANT TO SAY I AGREE 100%.

HE'S BEEN COMPLETELY OFF MY RADAR SCREEN.

I WOULD BE OPEN AT THIS POINT -- I MEAN, THIS ISN'T THE APPROPRIATE TIME, BUT IN THE FUTURE, IF WE DON'T GET SATISFACTION, THE POWER'S IN THE PURSE, WE JUST MOVE THE MONEY THAT WE BUDGET TO HIS AGENCY OVER TO RON BARTON'S AGENCY.

THAT WILL BE A MESSAGE BY HIS BOARD VERY WELL HEARD.

>>MARK SHARPE: I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY'RE NOT HEARING IT RIGHT NOW.

[LAUGHTER]

SO --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: IF NOT, MR. SALINERO WILL LET HIM KNOW.

[LAUGHTER]

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, I MEAN, AT THE LAST MEETING WHEN HE WAS PRESENT -- AND COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM I DON'T BELIEVE WAS HERE DURING THAT MEETING.

MAYBE -- WERE YOU HERE AT THE LAST --

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: BUT I THINK A SIGNAL WAS SENT LOUDLY.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: IN FACT, I MENTIONED IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR LACK OF INTEREST IN THE WHOLE BOLLYWOOD ACTIVITIES WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, THEIR LACK OF INTEREST IN THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY GROUP ALSO HAS KIND OF RISEN TO MY CONCERN.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE PRESENT.

IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEY SHOULD BE THERE.

THEY SHOULD BE IN THE ROOM LISTENING TO WHAT WE WANT AND WHERE OUR DIRECTION'S HEADED.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: AND THEIR LACK OF INTEREST IN THE INNER CITY WHERE WE HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBERS OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT AS WELL BECAUSE OUR -- OUR JOBS HERE ARE NOT JUST TO EMPLOY A FEW AND THE WELL-EDUCATED BUT TO EMPLOY ALL THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF FINDING CAREERS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS WHEN THE EDC SEPARATED FROM THE CHAMBER, AND THEN THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT -- OH, IN FACT, I REMEMBER COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, I THINK, LED THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT EDC BEING THE TIP OF THE SPEAR, AND PERHAPS THINGS HAVE DRIFTED JUST A BIT, AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S REAL OR NOT, I THINK THAT THIS BOARD CERTAINLY FEELS IT, SO WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO -- TO CARRY THE MESSAGE FORWARD AND TO GIVE MR. HOMANS EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND SPEAK AND IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY RIGHT THE SHIP AND MOVE FORWARD.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WISH TO SAY ANYTHING?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I HAVE ONE ITEM.

I WOULD -- I SEE LIANA HERE, LOPEZ.

I AM REALLY DESIROUS OF AN ALL-INCLUSIVE CALENDAR THAT CAN BE ACCESSED ON HTV, ON OUR WEB SITE THAT WOULD INCLUDE ALL THE EVENTS, CITY -- CITY OF TAMPA, CITY OF TEMPLE TERRACE, CITY OF PLANT CITY SO THAT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS KNOW EVERYTHING.

THERE ARE MANY EVENTS THAT ARE FALLING ON THE SAME TIME ON THE SAME WEEKENDS.

I THINK IF PEOPLE KNEW -- EVEN WHEN THEY'RE SCHEDULING, IF THEY COULD SEE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP, MAYBE THEY WOULD CHOOSE ANOTHER WEEKEND, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S TIME THAT WE PUT THIS CALENDAR TOGETHER, ALSO INCLUDING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS FOR PROBABLY THREE YEARS.

WE NEED TO HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD STUFF ON OUR CALENDAR, AND -- SO WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR DISTRICTS, AND SO THAT'S MY REQUEST.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THANK YOU, MS. -- COMMISSIONER MURMAN, FOR MENTIONING THAT.

AND MAYBE THAT EXPANDS INTO PUTTING TOGETHER AND PUBLISHING A COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD CALENDAR WHERE INDIVIDUALS FROM ASSOCIATIONS CAN SUBMIT THEIR EVENTS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEN SOMEHOW WE CAN PUT TOGETHER -- INCORPORATE WITHINSIDE THE WEB SITE OR FIND A WAY TO COMMUNICATE THAT BECAUSE I HAVE FOUND THE SAME THING IS THAT THERE'S --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: RIGHT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- MULTIPLE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING ALL THE TIME, AND I THINK SOME OF IT PEOPLE JUST AREN'T AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY, SO WE COULD CERTAINLY HELP FACILITATE THAT --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: EXACTLY.

SO HOPEFULLY SHE'LL COME BACK WITH A GREAT RECOMMENDATION.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: SO -- CAN WE CONFIRM, THOUGH, THAT COMMISSIONER MILLER IS GOING TO BE THE DESIGNEE FOR THE BOARD ON THE TRIP TO CHILE.

THAT'S DECEMBER 1st THROUGH THE 5th.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I THINK COMMISSIONER CRIST MADE A MOTION, DIDN'T HE, OR -- AND I'LL SECOND IT.

>>VICTOR CRIST: [INAUDIBLE]

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OR MURMAN DID.

>>MARK SHARPE: LET'S VOTE -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE VOTED ON THAT, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE, THEN, IF WE COULD.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: THAT WAS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CRIST, AND THAT WAS TO DESIGNATE COMMISSIONER MILLER AS OUR -- OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE OVERSEAS MISSION IN DECEMBER.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: YEAH, WE ARE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: WE VOTED.

WE BROKE THE RULES.

THAT'S ME.

I'LL -- I'LL TAKE THE HIT ON THAT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: BRING US BACK -- WILL YOU BRING US BACK --

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

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- SOME, LIKE, COFFEE BEANS OR SOMETHING OR --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: HE'LL HAVE ONE OF THOSE BIG HATS.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- YOU KNOW, A BIG HAT.

[INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: YOU SAY WE JUST BROKE THE RULES.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT IN FUTURE ITEMS?

>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, WE VOTED DURING FUTURE ITEMS, WHICH WE DON'T ROUTINELY DO, BUT WE'VE DESIGNATED YOU, SO I WILL JUST SAY WE JUST REINFORCED -- WITHOUT THE VOTE, BUT WE REINFORCED A DECISION WE'D MADE COLLECTIVELY, WHICH WE CAN MAKE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: LET'S DO IT -- LET'S DO IT THE PROPER WAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: LET'S JUST FORGET ABOUT THAT VOTE AND SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO --

>>MARK SHARPE: THERE WE GO.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- WAIVE THE RULES.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: COMMISSIONER CRIST WILL SECOND IT.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE -- LET'S -- FIRST OFF, WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RESCIND THE VOTE, SO LET'S MAKE THAT MOTION.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I WILL MOVE TO RESCIND THE PREVIOUS ACTION.

>>MARK SHARPE: THEN COMMISSIONER CRIST WILL RESCIND THE VOTE.

LET'S RECORD OUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: NOW LET'S MAKE THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WAIVE THE -- I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ALLOW COMMISSIONER MILLER TO BE OUR DESIGNEE --

>>MARK SHARPE: WHO SECONDED THAT?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- FOR THE TRIP TO CHILE.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]

>>SANDRA MURMAN: TO TAKE UP THE ITEM TO DESIGNATE COMMISSIONER MILLER AS A VOTE.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: [INAUDIBLE]

>>SANDRA MURMAN: NOW I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE -- COMMISSIONER MILLER WILL BE OUR DESIGNEE TO GO TO CHILE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TRIP.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

>>MARK SHARPE: ALL THE PARLIAMENTARIANS OUT THERE SHOULD BE HAPPY.

WE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS.

I DO HAVE A NOTE.

I'M GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING.

JUNE 19th IS NATIONAL DUMP THE BUMP DAY, AND HART IS ENCOURAGING CITIZENS TO RIDE ON THAT DAY.

THEY'RE OFFERING A FREE ONE-DAY PASS.

AND, AGAIN, THAT'S TO RIDE THE BUS.

I'LL BE BOTH RIDING IT AND TWEETING THROUGHOUT, SO YOU'RE ENCOURAGED TO JOIN.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER?

WE'RE ADJOURNED.

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