Webapps.hillsboroughcounty.org



CAPTIONING

APRIL 1, 2014

METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

***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: IT'S TUESDAY, APRIL 1st, AND THIS IS A MEETING OF YOUR HILLSBOROUGH METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION.

PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE AND PRAYER, BY COMMISSIONER MILLER.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OUR GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU ALLOWED US TO COME OUT TODAY TO MAKE DECISIONS TO MAKE THIS COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF US TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH US AS WE MAKE DECISIONS TO TRY TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY.

WE'VE HAD SOME UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN IN THIS COUNTY, AND WE MUST MAKE DECISIONS TO TRY TO PREVENT THESE THINGS FROM HAPPENING, FATHER.

BE WITH US AS WE MAKE DECISIONS.

HUMBLE OUR HEARTS AND REGULATE OUR MINDS.

AND FATHER, WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, WE ASK YOU TO 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: THIS MORNING WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, MS. LENA YOUNG GREEN, AND STEELE OLMSTEAD.

MS. GREEN, WELCOME, MA'AM.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK WITH YOU.

TODAY I AM HERE AGAIN AS A PART OF THE GREEN ARTERY.

AS YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2010 WE STARTED THE GREEN ARTERY, WHICH WAS AN EFFORT TO CONNECT NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST TO CONNECT NEIGHBORHOODS BUT TO SAFELY CONNECT NEIGHBORHOODS.

IN 2011 ONE OF OUR CHILDREN FROM MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL WAS CROSSING HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE IN BETWEEN 30th AND 22nd.

THAT CHILD WAS RAN OVER AND SHE DIED.

HER SISTER WAS NOT WITH HER THAT DAY SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE HAD TAKEN ANOTHER ROUTE.

THEY USUALLY CROSSED THAT STREET TOGETHER.

IN 2013 WE HEARD ABOUT THE EAST TAMPA STUDY AND AS A PART OF THE GREEN ARTERY THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS AN EFFORT TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT THAT SAME AREA ONGOING.

AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE MAJOR COMMERCIAL AREAS THAT HAVE GROWN UP IN THAT AREA.

WE HAVE A MASSIVE COMPLEX FOR RESIDENTS THAT IS IN THAT AREA.

MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO TRY TO CROSS THAT STREET DO NOT GO DOWN TO 22nd OR WALK UP TO 30th, THEY TRY TO CROSS RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE.

OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT'S NOT THE BEST THING TO DO, BUT HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO CROSS 22nd AND HILLSBOROUGH WHERE THE LIGHT IS?

THAT'S A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE BY ITSELF.

ON LAST -- TWO WEEKS AGO, TWO MORE OF OUR MIDDLETON CHILDREN WERE LEAVING HOME EARLY IN THE MORNING, AROUND 7:00, WHEN IT'S REALLY DARK, TRYING TO CROSS HILLSBOROUGH AGAIN AT THAT PLACE RATHER THAN WALKING DOWN THE STREET.

ANOTHER HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WAS ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL.

THEY'RE DOING THE THINGS THAT WE WANT THEM TO DO, NOT MISBEHAVING AND DOING BAD THINGS, THEY'RE GETTING TO SCHOOL.

THESE OTHER TWO CHILDREN WERE RAN OVER BY THE HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, ONE OF WHICH PASSED AWAY, SISTERS, 14 AND 15 YEARS OLD.

MY APPEAL TO YOU TODAY IS -- WHEN WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT EAST TAMPA STUDY, WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE BEING PROACTIVE AND WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE A PART OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES ON THAT STREET, AND WE'VE TALKED WITH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE OTHER STUDIES GOING ON, BUT WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE OF OUR CHILDREN TO PASS AWAY.

WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE OF THESE ISSUES TO HAPPEN.

WE KNOW THAT EDUCATION IS A PART OF IT, AND WE'RE WORKING AS THE GREEN ARTERY TO ALSO EDUCATE OUR -- OUR COMMUNITIES AS WE VISIT THEM, BUT PLEASE HELP US.

LET US ADDRESS THAT AREA BETWEEN THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, MA'AM.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

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

I WAS GOING TO BRING THIS UP LATER ON, BUT I GUESS I'LL DO IT NOW.

AND MS. GREEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING FORTH TODAY, AND, UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE LOST A NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT THAT -- BETWEEN -- ON HILLSBOROUGH BETWEEN 22nd AND 30th, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THEY WON'T GO WALKING UP TO 22nd, WHICH IS A DIFFICULT STREET TO CROSS ITSELF, I TRIED IT, OR GO DOWN TO 30th, WHICH IS PROBABLY EVEN WORSE.

I WANT TO ASK D.O.T. A QUESTION.

WHERE ARE WE ON THE STUDY, NUMBER ONE?

NUMBER TWO, I KNOW THAT WHEN THE YOUNG LADY WAS KILLED IN 2012, WHATEVER IT WAS, I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW, YOU PUT A FLASHING LIGHT THERE.

IT'S NOT WORKING.

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.

THE FLASHING LIGHT'S AROUND 25th OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT IT'S JUST NOT WORKING.

YOU HAVE A MASSIVE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT'S BEEN BUILT ACROSS THE STREET ON THE -- ON THE NORTH SIDE OF HILLSBOROUGH.

IT'S JUST NOT WORKING.

SOMETHING ELSE HAS TO GO UP THERE, EITHER A -- A LIGHT OR A PUSH-THE-BUTTON CROSSWALK.

THEY HAVE ONE ON 40th STREET WHERE WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS THAT'S UTILIZED.

SOMETHING ELSE HAS TO GO UP THERE TO ENTICE PEOPLE NOT TO CROSS THE STREET IN THE MIDDLE -- NOT TO CROSS HILLSBOROUGH BETWEEN 22nd AND 30th.

WE HAD A STUDY DONE.

WHERE ARE WE ON EVERYTHING?

I JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELL --

>> FIRST -- FIRST, LEE ROYAL, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE LOST CHILDREN BECAUSE WE IN THE DEPARTMENT HAVE CHILDREN TOO.

WE -- WE HAVE OUR TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT THAT HAS GONE OUT TO THAT AREA.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE SCHOOL.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY HAD SOME PROACTIVITY ABOUT HOW TO CROSS THE ROAD AND THE SAFE AREAS WHERE YOU CAN CROSS BECAUSE WHEN WE WENT OUT THERE, WE NOTICED THAT THEY WERE CROSSING WITHOUT ANY -- JUST ANYWHERE ALONG THAT CORRIDOR, SO WE ARE ACTIVELY OUT THERE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT SOLUTIONS WE CAN IMPLEMENT IN THAT AREA, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK TO THE MPO WITH THOSE SOLUTIONS.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME?

>> HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVERY ASPECT OF --

>> WE ABSOLUTELY ARE LOOKING AT EVERY ASPECT, INCLUDING THE EDUCATIONAL PART OF IT TOO.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: I UNDERSTAND THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECT.

I MEAN, YOU JUST CAN'T -- EVEN IF YOU PUT THE CROSSWALK THERE WHERE YOU PUSH THE BUTTON AND THE LIGHTS COME ON AND PEOPLE CROSS, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO -- NOT GOING TO MAKE THEM CROSS THERE IF THEY DON'T WANT TO CROSS THERE.

THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECT IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER, IF IT'S THERE, IT MIGHT ENTICE THEM TO USE SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SAY, WELL, IT'S GOING TO BACK UP TRAFFIC GOING EAST -- GOING EAST TO WEST ON HILLSBOROUGH IF WE PUT A LIGHT UP THERE.

SO WHAT.

IT'S BETTER TO STOP THEM AND LET THE PEOPLE CROSS AND HAVE A LITTLE BACKUP THAN TO HAVE THEM KILLED WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A BACKUP.

>> WE -- WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL ASPECTS, INCLUDING ENFORCEMENT, ENGINEERING, AND EDUCATION, AND THAT ALL GOES HAND IN HAND, SO WE DEFINITELY ARE OUT THERE, AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH THOSE SOLUTIONS.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.

THANK YOU, MS. ROYAL.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEELE OLMSTEAD.

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

I'M STEELE OLMSTEAD.

I'M WITH SWFBUD, AND I'M HERE TO INVITE YOU GUYS TO A CELEBRATION.

SWFBUD IS SIMILAR TO THE -- IS AN ADVOCACY GROUP, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY GROUP FOR BICYCLISTS, AND WE'RE HERE ON THE SAME -- SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES BECAUSE BICYCLE ISSUES ARE COEXTENSIVE WITH PEDESTRIAN ISSUES.

WHAT'S SAFE FOR BICYCLISTS IS SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS.

BUT WHAT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT IS THE BICYCLE BASH.

IT'S THIS SUNDAY, COTANCHOBEE PARK.

EVERYBODY'S INVITED, AND I'M HERE IN THIS PUBLIC FORUM UP ON THE JUMBOTRON TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN TAMPA KNOWS ABOUT IT AND EVERYONE IN CITY GOVERNMENT KNOWS ABOUT IT, AND WHAT I WANT -- WHEN I SAY CELEBRATION, I WANT YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND AND LADIES TO UNDERSTAND THAT TAMPA HAS -- I'M FROM UP NORTH, TALLAHASSEE.

TAMPA HAS THE BEST WEATHER FOR CYCLING.

NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE BEST WEATHER, WE HAVE THE BEST VISITS -- PLACES TO VISIT.

WE'VE GOT YBOR, WE'VE GOT THE OLD CITIES, WE'VE GOT TONS OF PLACES TO GO, BUT AS YOU KNOW, TAMPA IS NOT THE SAFEST PLACE FOR CYCLING, SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS I WANT YOU TO COME OUT TO THE BICYCLE BASH THIS SUNDAY FROM 10:00 TO 6:00, AND I WANT YOU TO SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REJECTED AUTOMOBILES AS A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SELECTED BICYCLES, AND THERE'S 9,000 OF THEM ON THE GREATER METROPOLITAN AREA OF TAMPA.

9,000 PEOPLE WHO BICYCLE FOR COMMUTING, GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE, TAKING THEIR KIDS OUT.

I RUN INTO THEM ALL THE TIME.

I LIVE IN NEW TAMPA.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO COME OUT AND -- TO THE BICYCLE BASH AND SEE TEN BICYCLE SHOPS WITH THE LATEST IN BICYCLING GEAR, ACCESSORIES.

THE COLUMBIA CAFE IS GOING TO BE CATERING.

NO BEER THIS YEAR, SORRY.

I SEE A SMILE OVER THERE ON COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL DO IT NEXT YEAR.

BUT IT'S THE SEVENTH ANNUAL BICYCLE BASH FROM 10:00 TO 6:00 AT COTANCHOBEE PARK, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE MUSEUM OF FLORIDA HISTORY -- OR TAMPA BAY MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND RIGHT BEHIND THE TIMES FORUM, SO COME OUT AND SEE WHAT BICYCLING'S ALL ABOUT AND WHY THIS ORGANIZATION CAN START CONSIDERING BICYCLES AS A WAY -- AN ALTERNATIVE TO CARS.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

OH.

>>JOE LOPANO: [INAUDIBLE]

I HAVE A QUESTION.

>> YES.

>>JOE LOPANO: SO I RIDE MY BIKE ON BAYSHORE AND THEY HAVE A BIKE LANE, BUT IT'S JUST A WHITE STRIPE; RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>>JOE LOPANO: AND SO ON SOME OF THE CURVES, YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S TEXTING AND THEY MIGHT VEER INTO THE WHITE STRIPE.

>> EXACTLY.

>>JOE LOPANO: I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT I WANT TO GET YOUR POINT OF VIEW.

IS THERE -- WHAT ABOUT PUTTING THESE -- THOSE BUMPS ALONG THERE SO CARS WILL KNOW THAT THEY'VE VEERED OFF THE ROAD?

IS THAT A STANDARD PRACTICE OR --

>> I DON'T PITCH THIS, BUT I'M ACTUALLY A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER AND I SPECIALIZE IN CYCLING INJURIES.

[LAUGHTER]

COMMISSIONER BECKNER KNOWS ME, COMMISSIONER MARK KNOWS ME, BUT ABSOLUTELY.

IN FACT, I'VE SPOKEN WITH -- WE -- TAMPA, AS YOU GUYS ALL KNOW, HAS A PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ENGINEER, CALVIN THORNTON, WHO'S A BRILLIANT GUY AND HAS GREAT IDEAS, AND THERE ARE THOSE BUMPS THAT ALLOW -- OR EVEN A RUMBLE STRIP, AND THOSE ARE JUST SMALL, LITTLE, I THINK ABOUT 4.5 INCHES, ABOUT TWO INCHES THE LAST TIME I HAD A CASE INVOLVED -- OR A HALF INCH, AND THEY -- THEY WORK REALLY, REALLY WELL.

THE OTHER THING THAT MR. THORNTON SUGGESTED TO ME IS THESE UPRIGHTS, AND YOU'VE SEEN THEM -- LIKE, WE'VE GOT THEM IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

THEY'RE UPRIGHTS AND THEY'VE GOT DAY-GLO REFLECTIVE STRIPS ON THEM.

THOSE ARE INEXPENSIVE, UNBELIEVABLY CHEAP.

THOSE ARE ALSO RELIABLE TOO, AND IT'S ALWAYS ON THE OUTSIDE OF A CURB WHERE PEOPLE ARE TEXTING.

IN MY CASES, WHEN I HAVE SOMEBODY COME TO ME SAYING, I'VE BEEN HIT, NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN -- AND IT'S A SURPRISING -- IT'S -- THERE'S SOME TRENDS IN PERSONAL INJURY.

IT'S VERY SHOCKING TO LEARN -- OR NOT SHOCKING TO LEARN THAT SOMEBODY WAS DISTRACTED, SO WHENEVER I FILE SUIT, THE FIRST THING I DO IS I FIND OUT WHO THEIR CARRIER IS, I FIND OUT, AND SURE ENOUGH, THEY WERE TEXTING.

THEY WERE EITHER GETTING A TEXT OR SENDING A TEXT OUT.

>>JOE LOPANO: THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

SEE YOU-ALL SUNDAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

NEED TO GO TO TALLAHASSEE AND TALK TO THEM TOO.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND I DO -- I'M GOING TO LEAVE SOME FLIERS OUT FRONT IN CASE ANYBODY --

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

OKAY.

WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED BY MR. BLAIN.

WELCOME, WALLY.

>>WALLY BLAIN: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF.

IT'S A HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY ON WHAT WAS A SURPRISINGLY COOL MORNING THIS MORNING.

YOU HAVE A FULL REPORT IN YOUR FOLDER FROM THE COMMITTEES THAT MET THIS MONTH.

I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

YOU HAVE TWO ACTION ITEMS BEFORE YOU TODAY.

ONE IS A TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT.

THAT WAS HEARD BY THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHO APPROVED RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU THIS MORNING.

THERE'S ALSO A STATE ROAD 60 PD&E STUDY THAT YOU'LL BE HEARING A BRIEFING ON FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

AT THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE, THEY PASSED MOTIONS ASKING YOU IN SUPPORT FOR SOME COMMENTS THAT THEY PROVIDED SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AS WELL AS THE IMPACT THAT THIS WIDENING PROJECT MAY HAVE ON THE RURAL AREA OUTSIDE ON THE EAST PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, ALL OF THE COMMITTEES HEARD A BRIEFING ON THE SELMON GREENWAY PROJECT THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED THROUGH DOWNTOWN OVER INTO YBOR CITY, SO PLEASED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE -- AN UPDATE WAS PROVIDED ON THAT AND CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN SOON, AS THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY WORKS WITH THAT PROJECT.

THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO CONTINUES TO HEAR BRIEFINGS REGARDING THE DESIGN-BUILD PROCESS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION USES SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE I-275 PROJECT OVER IN THE WESTSHORE AREA.

A COUPLE OTHER THINGS OF NOTE.

THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE AND THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING PROJECT -- CANDIDATE PROJECTS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM PRIORITY LIST.

THE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM IS A FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCE THAT IS FOR BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN SAFETY-RELATED PROJECTS.

THAT IS A LIST THAT WILL COME TO YOU IN SEPTEMBER FOR YOUR APPROVAL, SO AGENCY STAFF ARE ALREADY COORDINATING THROUGH THE COMMITTEES ON CANDIDATE PROJECTS FOR THAT LIST THAT WILL COME BEFORE YOU LATER.

THE COMMITTEES ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE BRT AND EXPRESS TOLL LANE STUDY.

THAT'S A STUDY THAT THE MPO IS DOING JOINTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONSIDER TRANSIT IN THE NEW EXPRESS LANES FOR THE INTERSTATES AS THEY COME ON-LINE.

A BRIEFING WAS ALSO PRESENTED ON THE AIRPORT PEOPLE MOVER CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE AIRPORT AND WESTSHORE INTERMODAL CENTER.

FOR SOME UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT ITEM HAS BEEN DEFERRED OFF OF YOUR AGENDA FOR LATER TODAY.

THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE ALSO THEN HEARD A STUDY ABOUT -- A COMPLETE STREET STUDY AND PROJECT THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WESTSHORE AREA AND GOT A BRIEFING ON THAT.

THAT'S AN UPDATE OF YOUR COMMITTEES THAT MET IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, AND SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN ADDRESS THOSE NOW.

>>MARK SHARPE: ANY QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU, MR. BLAIN.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE CONSENT.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: SO MOVE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO MOVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE MOTIONS.

I WOULD SAY COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN, AND THAT'S FOR CONSENT.

THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

ANY OPPOSED?

MOTION PASSES.

OKAY.

WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH OUR ACTION ITEMS.

MR. BLAIN, YOU'RE BACK UP, SIR.

STATE ROAD 60.

>>WALLY BLAIN: HERE I AM AGAIN.

AS I MENTIONED IN THE COMMITTEE REPORTS, YOUR COMMITTEES DID PASS MOTIONS AND DRAFTED A LETTER FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHTING TWO CONCERNS.

ONE IS THE CONSIDERATION OF BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS IN THE DESIGN OF A FUTURE PROJECT.

THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO HAD CONCERN ABOUT THE TRUE NEED OF THE PROJECT AND WANTED SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BACK ON THAT AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT THE PROJECT MAY HAVE ON DEVELOPMENT IN WHAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY'S URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY.

STEPHANIE PIERCE, WHO'S WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WILL COME AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY THAT'S ONGOING.

D.O.T. DID HOLD A PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON THE I BELIEVE IT WAS 18th OF MARCH REGARDING THIS STUDY OUT IN THE STUDY AREA.

AFTER HER PRESENTATION, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND DISCUSS THE LETTER A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS YOU HAVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: SUPER.

WELCOME, MS. PIERCE.

>> THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS STEPHANIE PIERCE, AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE STATE ROAD 60 PD&E CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

THIS PRESENTATION WILL ALSO INCLUDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PUBLIC WORKSHOP THAT WAS RECENTLY HELD ON -- EXCUSE ME -- MARCH 18th.

THE PD&E PROCESS INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION TO DETERMINE POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT MAY IMPEDE TRAFFIC, OUR CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, NATURAL, AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT.

THIS STUDY IS DETERMINED -- IS USED TO DETERMINE ANY KIND OF NEGATIVE IMPACTS AND TO TRY TO ADDRESS THEM EARLY ON.

THE PD&E PROJECT WAS -- PD&E STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE LIMITS OF STATE ROAD 60 BEGINNING FROM THE VALRICO ROAD AND HEADING EAST ON STATE ROAD 60 FOR APPROXIMATELY 12.3 MILES AND TO TERMINATE AT THE POLK COUNTY LINE.

TODAY STATE ROAD 60 IS A FOUR-LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY.

IN EACH DIRECTION THERE ARE TWO 12-FOOT LANES SEPARATED BY A 40-FOOT MEDIAN, THERE ARE FOUR-FOOT PAVED SHOULDERS, AND THE EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY IS 182 FEET WIDE.

THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR RANGES FROM 50 TO 65 MILES PER HOUR.

THE STATE ROAD 60 PROJECT IS CURRENTLY NOT INCLUDED ON THE LRTP COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN; HOWEVER, IT IS ON THE UNFUNDED NEEDS PLAN FOR BOTH THE LRTP AND THE D.O.T.'S STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEMS PLAN.

IN 2012 THE TRAFFIC -- ANNUAL DAILY TRAFFIC ANALYSIS WAS DONE AND DETERMINED THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 400 -- I'M SORRY -- 46,000 VEHICLES PER DAY ON THE WEST END OF THE PROJECT AND TOWARD THE EAST THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 22,000 VEHICLES PER DAY.

IT'S PROJECTED BY THE YEAR 2040 THAT THIS IS TO INCREASE TO APPROXIMATELY 71,000 VEHICLES PER DAY, WHICH IS ABOUT A 54% INCREASE.

THE SEGMENT OF STATE ROAD 60 WAS BROKEN INTO THREE PORTIONS.

SEGMENT ONE IS A -- WAS EVALUATED AS A -- A RURAL SECTION, AND IT RAN FROM -- IT RUNS FROM VALRICO ROAD TO DOVER ROAD.

SEGMENT TWO WAS -- IS EVALUATED AS A SUBURBAN AREA, AND IT RUNS FROM THE DOVER ROAD TO TURKEY CREEK ROAD.

AND SEGMENT THREE WAS EVALUATED AS A RURAL SECTION, AND IT RUNS FROM THE TURKEY CREEK -- TURKEY CREEK DOWN TO -- EXCUSE ME -- POLK COUNTY LINE.

THERE ARE TWO ALTERNATIVE ALIGNMENTS THAT WAS ANALYZED FOR THIS CORRIDOR.

A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON SHOWS THAT ALTERNATIVE ONE WILL REQUIRE FULL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ROADWAY.

THIS IS BEING DONE TO CENTER THE RIGHT-OF-WAY WITHIN -- OR CENTER THE ROAD WITHIN THE EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY.

THE BENEFIT HERE WILL BE THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL RIGHT-OF-WAY REQUIRED FOR THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS.

ALTERNATIVE TWO EXERCISED THE PAVEMENT SAVINGS METHOD.

THIS WILL REQUIRE A LITTLE ADDITIONAL RIGHT-OF-WAY, BUT THE BENEFIT IS THE -- THE COST SAVINGS AND MAINTAINING WHAT WE DO HAVE BY MINIMALLY RESURFACING THE ROADWAY.

A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE ALTERNATIVE ONE.

WE WILL -- OH, OKAY.

THE SIX-LANE DIVIDED ROADWAY WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR -- UNDER ALTERNATIVE ONE.

IT'S GOING TO CONSIST OF THREE 12-FOOT LANES IN EACH DIRECTION SEPARATED BY A 30- TO 40-FOOT MEDIAN, FIVE-FOOT PAVED SHOULDERS WITH FIVE- TO 6.5-FOOT PAVED BIKE LANES.

THERE WILL ALSO BE SIDEWALKS PROVIDED ALONG THE OUTER EDGES OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN EACH DIRECTION.

ALTERNATIVE TWO, WHICH IS THE PAVEMENT SAVINGS, IS ALSO GOING TO BE A SIX-LANE DIVIDED ROADWAY SEPARATED BY A 30- TO 40-FOOT MEDIAN, PAVED SHOULDERS, FIVE- TO 6.5-FOOT-WIDE SHOULDERS, AND BIKE LANES AND SIDEWALKS IN EACH DIRECTION AS WELL.

A COMPARISON MATRIX FOR THE BUILD VERSUS NO-BUILD ALTERNATIVE IS PRESENTED HERE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE IT IDENTIFIED BY THE NO-BUILD ALTERNATIVE, FULL RECONSTRUCTION, AND A PAVEMENT SAVINGS.

THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN COST HERE WITH THE TWO BUILD ALTERNATIVES IS RELATIVE TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY COST AND CONSTRUCTION COST.

AT THIS TIME, THERE IS NO FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE PROJECT UNDER THE DESIGN, RIGHT-OF-WAY, OR CONSTRUCTION.

THE D.O.T. IS UNDERGOING THE WORK PROGRAM UPDATE CYCLE, BUT AT THIS POINT THERE IS NO FUNDING AVAILABLE.

THE PUBLIC WORKSHOP THAT WAS HELD BACK ON MARCH 18th AT THE STRAWBERRY CREST -- I'M SORRY -- THE STRAWBERRY RIDGE COMMUNITY CLUBHOUSE IN VALRICO RAN FROM 5:00 P.M. TO

7:00 P.M. AND WAS WELL ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 65 PEOPLE, EXCLUDING THE STAFF.

THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED THUS FAR SHOWS THAT MOST FOLKS ARE IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT BEING BUILT.

I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS OUT IN THAT AREA, I LIVE IN THE AREA, AND AT THE WORKSHOP I HAD A LOT OF NEIGHBORS AND BUSINESS OWNERS THAT DID ATTEND AND WAS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC WORKSHOP WILL BE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO TAKE PLACE IN JULY OF 2014.

THEREAFTER, FINAL PD&E DOCUMENTS WILL BE PREPARED AND SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL.

OKAY.

THIS IS -- CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THEM NOW.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

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

I JUST WANT TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION.

>> MM-HMM.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: IF THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THIS, NUMBER ONE, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS; AND NUMBER TWO, LIKE, IS THERE SOME GROUP THAT'S PUSHING THIS PROJECT FORWARD?

IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT IT'S A PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.

>> RIGHT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I MEAN, WE'VE GOT SO MANY THINGS GOING ON.

>>MM-HMM.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I COULD LIST OFF QUITE A FEW OF THEM --

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- AND THIS WOULD NOT BE CLOSE TO THE TOP, SO WHAT'S PUSHING THIS?

>> WHAT'S PUSHING IT?

WELL, IT'S STANDARD FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO DO A PD&E STUDY EARLY ON IN THE EVENT THAT FUNDING DO BECOME AVAILABLE.

THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT.

IT MAY NOT BE ON A LIST AT THIS POINT AS A COST-AFFORDABLE; HOWEVER, IT IS A NEED FOR THAT PROJECT TO BE DONE, AND TO STUDY IT NOW VERSUS LATER IS ACTUALLY A BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS DATA THAT WE GO THROUGH IS EXTENSIVE AND IT DOES TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO VEST IT AND TO GET PUBLIC FEEDBACK, SO TO DO IT EARLY ON AND PREPARE IN PREPARATION FOR POTENTIAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE START EARLY ON AT THIS POINT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

I -- YEAH.

I GUESS YOU JUST SAID THAT THERE'S REASONS FOR DOING IT.

I'M STILL NOT GETTING A CLEAR INDICATION OF WHAT THOSE REASONS ARE, BECAUSE I LIKE THE RURAL -- I KNOW THAT AREA EXTREMELY WELL.

I'VE DRIVEN IT MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES --

>> RIGHT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- AND IT'S JUST THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC, A LOT OF CONGESTION.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING MORE PEOPLE ONTO 60 INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, SENDING THEM TO THE SELMON OR TO I-4 OR OTHER ARTERIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DEVELOPED, SO I GUESS IS -- WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DESTROY THE KIND OF RURAL CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY BY PUTTING IN A FOUR-LANE ROAD THAT'S REALLY GOING TO MAKE IT PUSH MORE TRAFFIC ONTO IT?

>> KIRK BOGEN WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

MAYBE I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.

THIS ROADWAY'S ALSO A PART OF THE STRATEGIC INTERMODAL SYSTEMS, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT CORRIDOR FOR FREIGHT MOVEMENT AND PEOPLE AND GOODS MOVEMENT, AND IT IS ALSO ON OUR SIS PLAN TO BE IMPROVED, AND WE -- WE CONSIDER IT TO BE AN IMPORTANT CORRIDOR.

AND WHEN WE DO THESE PD&E STUDIES, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND TURN DIRT ON TOMORROW, BUT WE NEED TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

SO MANY TIMES WE'RE BEHIND IN OUR PLANNING FOR OUR ROAD EXPANSIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE AHEAD SO THAT WHEN IT'S NEEDED THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE ROADWAY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

IF I -- I JUST HAVE A QUICK FOLLOW-UP.

I THINK NOW I'M HEARING WHAT THE REAL REASON IS IS BECAUSE OF THE FREIGHT.

I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU PEOPLE IN VALRICO, THEY DON'T WANT MORE FREIGHT TRUCKS ON 60, AND ACTUALLY, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHY WE DID THE I-4 CONNECTOR, TO PUSH ALL THE TRUCKS ONTO I-4 SO THAT THEY WOULD GET ON THE CONNECTOR AND GO, YOU KNOW, INLAND INTO OUR PORT AREA, SO I GET -- I -- I'M NOT FOR PUSHING MORE TRUCKS ONTO 60.

I THINK THAT'S A BAD IDEA, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC.

>> WE MUST CONSIDER PARALLEL ROUTES TO I-4.

WE CAN'T FORCE ALL THE TRUCKS, AND BEING A STATE FACILITY -- STATE ROAD FACILITY, WE CANNOT LIMIT THE TRUCKS ON A STATE ROAD FACILITY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'LL BE WATCHING THIS CLOSELY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION WHEN COMMISSIONER MURMAN WAS BRINGING UP FUNDING.

WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF A PD&E STUDY ONCE IT'S BEEN PERFORMED?

>> WELL, FEDERAL HIGHWAY REQUIRES THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE ONE SEGMENT OF THE ROADWAY FULLY FUNDED FOR DESIGN, RIGHT-OF-WAY, AND CONSTRUCTION OR ALL SEGMENTS FUNDED FOR DESIGN IN THE COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN, AND THEN THEY WILL GIVE US APPROVAL, AND BEFORE WE CAN PROCEED INTO RIGHT-OF-WAY OR CONSTRUCTION -- RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION OR CONSTRUCTION, WE WILL HAVE TO DO A REEVALUATION OF THE STUDY, SO THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REEVALUATION WITH EACH ADVANCEMENT OF EACH SEGMENT OF THE ROADWAY.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION, THEN -- BECAUSE, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IT STRIKES ME THAT -- AND I UNDERSTAND -- I FULLY GET THE PLANNING ASPECT, I'M JUST WONDERING ONCE WE CONDUCT THAT PD&E, IF THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO FUNDS AVAILABLE, IS THERE A POINT IN TIME WHERE THAT PD&E BASICALLY EXPIRES AND WE HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE THING AGAIN IF FUNDING DOESN'T BECOME AVAILABLE?

>> WELL, YES.

IF WE CANNOT GET APPROVAL, THEY -- FEDERAL HIGHWAY WILL NOT APPROVE THE DOCUMENT WITHOUT THAT INITIAL FUNDING BEING IN PLACE IN THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO, THEN, THE PD&E, THEN, GENERALLY IS GOOD FOR HOW LONG BEFORE IT HAS TO BE REEVALUATED FOR CONSIDERATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING?

>> IT IS -- ONCE IT'S APPROVED BY FEDERAL HIGHWAY, IT IS GOOD UNTIL ALL SEGMENTS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED WITH THOSE REEVALUATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: BUT IN ORDER FOR IT TO GET INITIAL APPROVAL, THERE HAS TO BE SOME FUNDING THAT'S IN PLACE; IS THAT RIGHT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO IF THERE'S -- IF -- HOW MANY YEARS HAS TO LAPSE WITHOUT FUNDING BEFORE THE PD&E HAS TO BE TOTALLY REDONE?

>> WELL, IN THAT CASE, WE WOULD PROBABLY CONVERT IT TO A STATE DOCUMENT, WHICH THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT AS STRINGENT AS THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY, AND WE WOULD -- HOPEFULLY, WHEN FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE AND IF WE USE FEDERAL FUNDS, WE WILL CONVERT THE DOCUMENT TO A FEDERAL DOCUMENT WITH UPDATES AND REEVALUATION OF THE CORRIDOR.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: IS THIS PART OF HIGHWAY 60 GOING THROUGH MOSTLY AGRICULTURAL AREAS?

>> AGRICULTURAL?

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: AGRICULTURAL AREAS.

>> THERE IS --

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: AND IF SO, HOW DOES THAT -- WAS THAT A CONSIDERATION IN THE -- IN THE STUDY?

>> WAS IT A CONSIDERATION IN WHAT WAY?

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: FOR FARM VEHICLES, SLOW-MOVING VEHICLES ON THIS PART OF THE -- ON THIS -- EACH OF THESE THREE SEGMENTS LEADING OVER TO THE POLK COUNTY LINE?

>> YEAH.

THERE ARE CERTAIN SEGMENTS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE -- WE WOULD CONSIDER MORE RURAL THAN IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE FARMING, STRAWBERRY FIELDS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO; CORRECT?

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: [INAUDIBLE]

>> YEAH, AND THAT'S TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, ABSOLUTELY.

AS WE STUDY THE CORRIDOR, IT'S STUDIED WITH EVERY PORTION OF THE PROJECT IN MIND, EVERY -- EVERY ASPECT OF THAT CORRIDOR IS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: THE REASON I ASKED IS BECAUSE YOU PROJECTED UP TO 70,000 VEHICLES A DAY IN THE FUTURE, AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU ACTUALLY BROKE THAT OUT INTO WHAT'S JUST -- JUST MORE TRAFFIC VERSUS THE AGRICULTURAL VEHICLES THAT MIGHT BE USING THIS PART OF THE STATE ROAD 60 ALSO.

>> I'M NOT SURE OF HOW IT WAS BROKEN DOWN.

I THINK IT'S JUST AN OVERALL ACCOUNT OF HOW MANY TRAFFIC -- VEHICLES ARE OUT PER DAY.

I MEAN, THERE'S A -- THE STUDY THAT'S DONE, THEY USUALLY PUT OUT A STRIP, AND WHENEVER A CAR -- A VEHICLE TIRES CROSS THIS POINT, IT'S A COUNT, SO -- IT DOESN'T COUNT WHAT TYPE OF VEHICLE THAT IS, IT JUST COUNTS THE -- OH, YOU HAVE ONE?

>> WE DO HAVE TRUCK VEHICLES, WE HAVE, LIKE, 8% TO 12% OF TRUCKS, AND THAT'S HOW WE SEPARATE THE VEHICLES, FROM HEAVY-DUTY TRUCKS AND VEHICLES, SO IT'S 8% TO 12% TRUCKS, AND THAT INCLUDES THE FARMING EQUIPMENT.

THEY MIGHT WANT TO USE THAT.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: I GUESS WHAT I WAS GETTING AT ALSO IS THERE ARE TRACTORS AND OTHER TYPES OF FARM VEHICLES THAT USE THIS PORTION OF THE ROADWAY ALSO, AND -- I MEAN, DOES THAT -- IS THAT --

>> WELL, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE THE FACILITY WITH THE PROPER DEVICES UPON THEIR MACHINERY, THE TRIANGLE, THE SLOW-MOVING VEHICLE, SO THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE IT.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: OKAY.

OKAY.

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

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?

IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE LETTER INDICATING OUR CONCERN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO MOVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A SECOND.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

NO OTHER COMMENT, THOSE IN FAVOR OF SUBMITTING THE LETTER OF COMMENT SUPPORTED BY THE BPAC, TAC, AND LRC SAY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

ANY OPPOSED?

OKAY.

WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT LETTER.

WE HAVE THE T.I.P. AMENDMENT, AND THAT'S -- IS THAT

MR. PRICE?

WELCOME.

>>JOE PRICE: GOOD MORNING.

JOE PRICE, MPO.

I HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOUR REVIEW ON AN AMENDMENT TO THE FY 14 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

THE MPO'S BEEN REQUESTED TO ADD A PROJECT TO THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BY FDOT.

THIS IS AN INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

FDOT HAS ADDED FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY FUNDS TO AN INTERSECTION PROJECT THAT'S BEING MANAGED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

THE COUNTY'S INSTALLING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL WITH MAST ARMS, RESTRIPING AN INTERSECTION, AND ADDING TURN LANES.

THE LOCATION OF THIS PROJECT IS HARNEY ROAD AND 78th STREET/STEAMBOAT LANE.

THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IS A SPLIT BETWEEN FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION SAFETY FUNDS AND LOCAL FUNDS COMMITTED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

SO THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS $1,439,700, AND THE SPLIT IS $539,200 IN LOCAL FUNDS WITH $900,500 COMING FROM FEDERAL FUNDS.

THE FUNDING FOR THIS IS CONTINGENCY FUNDS ON THE FEDERAL SIDE FOR SAFETY PROJECTS, AND IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ADDING THIS PROJECT DOES NOT IMPACT ANY PROJECTS CURRENTLY LISTED IN THE T.I.P. OR THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF THE T.I.P.

OKAY.

AND OUR RECOMMENDED ACTION ON THIS AMENDMENT IS THAT THE AMENDMENT BE ADOPTED VIA A ROLL CALL VOTE, I BELIEVE IT IS.

>>MARK SHARPE: YEAH, THE ROLL CALL VOTE, YES, SIR.

>> SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

>>MARK SHARPE: ANY BOARD QUESTIONS?

IF NOT, CAN I HAVE A MOTION?

>>LES MILLER, JR.: SO MOVE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: MOTION OF APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THE ROLL CALL VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: LOPANO.

>>JOE LOPANO: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: CHILLURA.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: SHARPE.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: SUAREZ.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: COHEN.

>>HARRY COHEN: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: POLZIN.

>>STEVE POLZIN: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: WAGGONER.

>>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MONTELIONE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. PRICE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: NOW WE ARE GOING TO OUR STATUS REPORTS.

THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED BY TOM PHILLIPS OR, AS I LIKE TO CALL HIM, TOM TERRIFIC FROM POLK COUNTY.

DO YOU REMEMBER THAT CARTOON?

>> I DO NOT.

>>MARK SHARPE: YOU'RE TOO YOUNG.

YOU'RE WAY TOO YOUNG.

>> I APOLOGIZE.

>>MARK SHARPE: I'M SHOWING MY AGE.

>> I WAS ON THE CUSP OF --

>>MARK SHARPE: I REMEMBER TOM TERRIFIC.

>> -- OF POWER RANGERS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, SO ...

MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU TODAY.

FOR MANY OF YOU, THIS IS GOING TO BE A REPEAT PERFORMANCE, SO IF YOU WANT TO CLOSE YOUR EYES, I UNDERSTAND, BUT TO QUOTE NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF, HE TELLS HIS TROOPS SOMETHING 100 TIMES, THEY'LL SAY THEY HEAR IT ONCE.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES.

>> SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS IN POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA.

WE HAVE THE CITRUS CONNECTION THAT PROVIDES SERVICE TO THE CITY OF LAKELAND, WHICH IS THE LARGEST CITY IN POLK COUNTY AT OVER 100,000 INDIVIDUALS, AND IT PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION TRIPS A YEAR.

WE HAVE OUR SISTER COMPONENT, WINTER HAVEN AREA TRANSIT.

THAT'S REALLY OUTGROWN ITS NAME.

THAT REALLY SERVICES THE ENTIRE EAST SIDE OF POLK COUNTY, WINTER HAVEN, FORT MEADE, FROSTPROOF, HAINES CITY, DAVENPORT, AND POINCIANA, AND HAD ITS BEST YEAR EVER AT OVER 615,000 RIDES.

AND THEN WE HAVE TWO LESSER-KNOWN SERVICES FUNDED THROUGH OUR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

THAT'S THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED PROGRAM AND THE MEDICAID PROGRAM.

AND JUST TO PUT INTO REFERENCE, THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED PROGRAM IN POLK COUNTY -- WE HAVE 606,000 RESIDENTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE ALSO HAVE THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE SEVENTH-MOST IMPOVERISHED SUBURBAN AREA IN THE U.S.

ACCORDING TO THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTE, 17.7% OF OUR POPULATION IS AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, WHICH MEANS THAT 17.7% OF OUR POPULATION IS ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED.

SO I'M GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE GET PREMIUM TRANSIT USERS TO USE THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, BUT ULTIMATELY, LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT THAT OTHER LARGE SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION.

SO WHEN COMING UP WITH WHAT OUR COUNTYWIDE TRANSPORTATION VISION WAS, THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO WAS RECOGNIZE WHAT IS POLK COUNTY.

209,000 SQUARE MILES.

THAT MAKES US LARGER THAN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

WE HAVE 17 MUNICIPALITIES, RANGING FROM 500 TO 100,000.

WE HAVE THIS INTERESTING SITUATION IN POINCIANA WHERE WE HAVE 85,000 RESIDENTS, NO MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, 45,000 OF WHICH LIVE ON THE POLK SIDE.

SO WE DECIDED RATHER THAN DOING, NO OFFENSE, WHAT GOVERNMENT TYPICALLY DOES BEST, WHICH IS GOING INTO A BACK ROOM AND CREATING A PLAN AND SAYING, TRUST US, THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED, WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY ASK PEOPLE WHAT DOES GOOD-QUALITY TRANSIT LOOK LIKE TO YOU.

WE HELD 31 LISTENING SESSIONS IN 60 DAYS.

WE WENT OUT TO ALL 17 MUNICIPALITIES.

WE WALKED GROCERY STORE AISLES, WE WENT TO COFFEE SHOPS, WE WENT TO MALLS, AND WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN STAFF, AND WE ACTUALLY ASKED PEOPLE WHAT DOES GOOD-QUALITY TRANSIT LOOK LIKE TO YOU.

WE TALKED TO OVER 10,000 RESIDENTS, AND THE ANSWERS WE GOT WERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

FROM THAT, MY RIDE WAS BORN.

MY RIDE IS A COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION THAT MEETS THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INDICATORS OF EACH OF OUR 17 MUNICIPALITIES BASED ON THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INDICATORS RATHER THAN WHAT'S GOING ON NEXT DOOR, ONE RECOMMENDATION SPECIFICALLY FOR POINCIANA, RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE 45,000 RESIDENTS ON OUR SIDE OF THE COUNTY LINE, AND THEN ONE FOR HOW WE LINK WITH THE TAMPA AND ORLANDO MARKETS SPECIFICALLY THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS.

SO IF WE LOOK AT THE MY RIDE SOLUTION FOR WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA, THE SECOND-MOST POPULOUS CITY, IT FOCUSES ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON GETTING PEOPLE TO AND FROM THE NEW EMPLOYMENT CORRIDORS OF THE CSX INTERMODAL LOGISTICS CENTER AND THE 3- TO 6,000 JOBS THAT THAT IS PROPOSED TO BRING, AND LEGOLAND, FLORIDA.

THE MY RIDE SOLUTION FOR AUBURNDALE FOCUSES ON THE VERY REALISTIC POSSIBILITY THAT AUBURNDALE IS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED TO BE THE BEDROOM COMMUNITY FOR THE POLYTECHNIC.

YOU MAY HAVE ALSO READ THAT THE CITY OF AUBURNDALE AND THE CITY OF LAKELAND ARE ACTUALLY PURCHASING THE BUS FOR THE POLYTECHNIC TO GET STUDENTS INTO THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR AS SOON AS SCHOOL STARTS.

ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN POLK COUNTY IS WE DON'T HAVE THE POPULATION DENSITIES TO SUPPORT RUNNING BUSES PAST 10:00 AT NIGHT, BUT WE HAVE THIS MASSIVE NEED OF SECOND- AND THIRD-SHIFT WORKERS.

IT DOESN'T HELP IF YOU'RE A CUSTODIAN OR A NURSE AT LAKELAND REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, WHICH EMPLOYS 6500 PEOPLE, IF YOU CAN TAKE THE BUS TO WORK AT NOON BUT WHEN YOU GET OFF AT MIDNIGHT, THERE'S NO BUS TO TAKE YOU BACK.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED IS A TAXI ACCESS PROGRAM WHERE THE TRANSIT SERVICE WOULD SELL VOUCHERS FOR $5 TO THE GENERAL CITIZENS.

THE GENERAL CITIZEN WOULD RIDE THE BUS TO OR FROM WORK, AND THEN FOR THE SECOND LEG, THEY WOULD HAND THAT TAXI VOUCHER TO THE TAXI PROVIDER OF THEIR CHOICE AND THE TRANSIT SYSTEM WOULD PAY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE $5 CUSTOMER SUBSIDY AND UP TO $15 ON THE METER AFTER WE'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO AUDIT THE TAXI DRIVER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE TAKEN THE MOST EFFICIENT ROUTE BACK.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT WE HAVE TWO MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS AND TWO MAJOR EMPLOYMENT CORRIDORS TO OUR EAST AND OUR WEST, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD FROM THE PREMIUM TRANSIT USERS IS, GET US TO THE TAMPA AIRPORT AND GET US TO THE ORLANDO AIRPORT IN AN AFFORDABLE WAY.

SO WE HAVE EXPRESS BUSES PROPOSED.

THE EXPRESS BUS TO TAMPA WOULD LEAVE LAKELAND, IT WOULD LEAVE EVERY OTHER HOUR, IT WOULD BE $8 EACH WAY TO TAMPA AIRPORT, WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 RIDING FOR FREE WITH AN ACCOMPANYING ADULT, BUT BEFORE STOPPING OFF AT THE TAMPA AIRPORT, IT WOULD STOP OFF AT THE JAMES HALEY VA TO CONNECT WITH THE HARTLINE BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO THE 60,000 VETERANS IN POLK COUNTY WHO CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ACCESS TO THE JAMES HALEY VA AND THEN CONTINUING ON TO THE AIRPORT TO MEET UP WITH JOE'S -- JOE'S FLIGHTS.

THE OTHER IS A PROPOSED ORLANDO EXPRESS SERVICE THAT WOULD BE $10 EACH WAY, LEAVING WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA, AND IT WOULD STOP OFF AT DISNEY ON THE WAY TO THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, BECAUSE THROUGH THIS PROCESS WE LEARNED POLK COUNTY IS THE SECOND-MOST POPULOUS COUNTY FOR DISNEY CAST MEMBERS.

IT'S OSCEOLA, THEN POLK, NOT OSCEOLA, THEN ORANGE, SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE SERVICE WORKERS TO AND FROM THEIR JOBS.

LAKELAND, OBVIOUSLY, HAVING THE MOST ROBUST SOLUTION.

WE HAVE SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, FLORIDA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, NOW WE HAVE THE POLYTECHNIC.

SO HOW DO WE DRIVE THOSE COLLEGE STUDENTS?

QUITE FRANKLY, I LOVE CHIPOTLE, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE I SEEM TO BE ABLE TO RUN INTO COLLEGE STUDENTS.

HOW DO WE GET THEM INTO DOWNTOWN VENDORS SO THAT THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY LOCALLY AND GETTING THEM OFF CAMPUS?

BUT WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUM TO TRY TO DO MORE WITH LESS.

I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE OUR UNIVERSAL ACCESS PROGRAM.

THE 20,000 STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF OF POLK STATE COLLEGE, OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CAN NOW RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM FOR FREE THANKS TO DR. HOLDEN AND HER ADMINISTRATION PAYING FOR THEIR FARES THROUGH THE BOOKSTORE FEES.

WE'VE GONE FROM 2400 RIDES A MONTH TO 15,800 RIDES A MONTH AMONGST POLK STATE COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND IT'S NOT THAT POLK STATE COLLEGE STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE $3 TO RUB TOGETHER FOR A DAY PASS.

WHAT THIS SHOWS, I BELIEVE, IS THAT WHEN YOU REDUCE THE BARRIERS TO TRANSIT ACCESS, WHETHER THAT BE HOW DO I GET MY ROUTE OR WHAT IS THE FARE, STUDENTS WILL TRY IT, AND ONCE THEY TRY IT, THEY LIKE IT, AND NOW THEY'RE USING IT MORE AND MORE.

IT WORKS FOR A COMMUTER COLLEGE, BUT DOES IT WORK FOR A COLLEGE WHERE STUDENTS LIVE ON CAMPUS?

YES.

WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, EVEREST UNIVERSITY, EXPLORATIONS V CHILDREN'S MUSEUM -- THESE ARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO MEET THE PUBLIC TRANSIT BUS WITH A CHAPERONE EVERY DAY TO RIDE DOWNTOWN TO RECEIVE TUTORING AT OUR AFTERSCHOOL MUSEUM -- LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER.

THE 1300 EMPLOYEES OF LEGOLAND CAN RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM FOR FREE BECAUSE MERLIN ENTERTAINMENT IS PAYING FOR THEIR FARES.

I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE LEGOLAND EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR IS A FIVE-DAY-A-WEEK WINTER HAVEN AREA TRANSIT BUS RIDER.

POLK WORKS, WE HAVE A CONTRACT FOR VETERANS IN POLK COUNTY THAT CAN RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM FARE-FREE THANKS TO PRIVATE FUNDING.

PACE CENTER FOR GIRLS.

BEFLY BIKE TOURS, IF YOU RENT A BIKE -- I KNOW SOMEBODY WAS HERE FROM THE BIKING COMMUNITY.

IF YOU RENT A BIKE FROM BEFLY BIKE TOURS, YOU NOW RECEIVE A TRANSIT DAY PASS THAT YOU CAN USE BUS AND PED.

SOUTHERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE, LAKELAND HOUSING AUTHORITY -- COMMISSIONER BECKNER, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED.

WE ARE ONLY THE SECOND TRANSIT AGENCY IN THE U.S. TO HAVE A FEDERALLY COMPLIANT CONTRACT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, SO NOW THE 25,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF POLK COUNTY CAN RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM FARE-FREE BECAUSE THE SCHOOL BOARD IS PAYING FOR THEIR FARES.

AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER, I KNOW YOU'VE ASKED US A LOT ABOUT WHAT HAS THE COST SAVINGS BEEN TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE IN GETTING THOSE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT SUPERINTENDENT LEROY OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD HAS ANNOUNCED A VERY AGGRESSIVE SUMMER PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

SHE DID NOT HAVE TO BUDGET FOR ANY YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES OVER THE SUMMER FOR THESE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES BECAUSE THE STUDENTS WILL BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE COLTS PROGRAM, SO THAT IS A DOCUMENTED COST SAVINGS THAT SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO INCUR THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THEY'RE PAYING US A NOMINAL FEE, THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE THE YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES OFF THE ROAD AND PUT THAT INTO SUMMER ACTIVITIES.

NONE OF THIS MATTERS IF WE'RE NOT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE IT IS $11 AN HOUR CHEAPER TO OPERATE A BUS IN POLK COUNTY THIS YEAR THAN IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO.

THAT'S AN 8.6% DECREASE IN THE COST TO OPERATE THE BUSES, BUT OUR RIDERSHIP IS UP 38.8% OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, SO WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN $100,000 IN UNUSED FUNDS TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND THEY SHARED THAT WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES.

ALL OF THAT AND SOME POLLING LED TO OUR NOVEMBER REFERENDUM. I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PUT OUR ISSUE ON THE BALLOT.

BEFORE I EXPLAIN THE FUNDING MECHANISM, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

IN MOST OF THE UNITED STATES ROADS AND TRANSIT ARE ALWAYS IN COMPETITION FOR MONEY, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN POLK COUNTY IS BREAK THAT PARADIGM, AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE TO LOOK AT IF WE APPROPRIATELY FUND ROADS AND WE APPROPRIATELY FUND MASS TRANSIT, WE CAN FIND THAT EQUILIBRIUM WHERE THEY CAN LIVE TOGETHER, AND THAT'S THE MY RIDE/MY ROADS PROGRAM.

THAT'S MOVING THE COST OF COUNTY ROADS, BRIDGES, AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AWAY FROM THE EXCLUSIVE TAXATION OF THE HOME AND BUSINESS OWNER COMMUNITY OF POLK COUNTY AND ON TO A SALES TAX-BASED SYSTEM THAT'S SHARED FOR BY TOURISTS, VISITORS, AND EVERYONE EQUALLY, SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IN PINELLAS.

CURRENTLY IN POLK COUNTY ALL HOMEOWNERS PAY A ONE MILL PROPERTY TAX FOR COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES, IT'S CALLED THE ONE MILL FOR ROADS, AND THE CITIZENS IN THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT PAY AN ADDITIONAL HALF MILL PROPERTY TAX.

THROUGH RESOLUTIONS WE -- AND THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE TRANSIT BOARD.

WE WOULD REDUCE THE COUNTYWIDE MILLAGE RATE BY ONE MILL AND REDUCE THE MILLAGE RATE WITHIN THE CITY OF LAKELAND, THE MOST POPULOUS CITY IN POLK COUNTY, BY 1.5 MILLS AND IMPLEMENT A ONE-CENT SALES SURTAX WHERE HALF OF THE PROCEEDS WOULD GO TOWARDS PUBLIC TRANSIT, MY RIDE, AND HALF OF THE PROCEEDS WOULD GO TOWARDS COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES, MY ROADS, RECOGNIZING THAT IF YOU DON'T USE TRANSIT, YOU PROBABLY USE THE ROADS.

SO THE POSITIVES ARE, OBVIOUSLY, FOR THE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE MARKETS.

THERE'S EXPANDED ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BUSINESSES.

THERE'S REGIONAL MOBILITY OPTIONS FOR ALL 17 MUNICIPALITIES AND POINCIANA.

EVERY SINGLE MUNICIPALITY -- AND WE HAVE PRESENTED THIS TO THE MAYORS AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS -- CAN HOLD WHAT THEY WOULD GET IF THIS REFERENDUM PASSES IN THEIR HANDS RATHER THAN IT BEING SOME NEBULOUS DOCUMENT.

SOME PEOPLE SEE SALES TAX AS A FAIRER TAX.

20% OF ALL OF OUR SALES TAX IN POLK COUNTY IS PAID FOR BY TOURISTS AND VISITORS WHO ARE USING OUR ROADS, USING OUR TRANSIT, AND CURRENTLY NOT PAYING FOR IT THROUGH THE PROPERTY TAX.

SALES TAX DOES NOT INCLUDE UTILITIES, RESIDENTIAL RENT, MORTGAGES, PRESCRIPTIONS, NONPREPARED FOODS, MACHINERY FOR NEW OR EXPANDED BUSINESSES.

I READ ALL THESE BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR BUSINESS.

IT IS A PROPOSED SALES SURTAX, SO IT'S ON THE FIRST $5,000 OF A PURCHASE ONLY.

SO WHETHER YOU'D BE PURCHASING A $5,000 USED CAR OR A $50,000 MERCEDES BENZ, THE MAXIMUM SALES SURTAX EXPOSURE WOULD BE $50, AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HOUSE BILL 7007 TAKES EFFECT MARCH OF 2015, WHICH PROVIDES A THREE-YEAR EXISTING MANUFACTURING SALES SURTAX EXEMPTION TO GO INTO ACCOUNT MARCH OF 2015.

SO THE QUESTION IS WHY MY RIDE, WHY NOW?

WHY DID OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FEEL IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DO THIS?

AND LARGELY, IT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN HILLSBOROUGH AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN OSCEOLA COUNTIES.

WE RECOGNIZE WITH SUNRAIL, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN TAMPA AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN PINELLAS THAT IF WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON BEING THE BELT BUCKLE BETWEEN TAMPA AND ORLANDO, WE CANNOT BE A PASS-THROUGH.

WE NEED A GOOD RUBBER-WHEELED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND ROADS NETWORKS THAT ALLOWS US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORTS, THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE PORT OF TAMPA, THE PORT OF MANATEE, THE PANAMA CANAL, AND WITH SUNRAIL.

IT IS THE BIRTH OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RIGHT NOW, AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN POLK COUNTY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: MAN, GREAT PRESENTATION.

DIRECTOR LOPANO.

WE'LL JUST KIND OF GO THIS WAY.

>>JOE LOPANO: YOU PROBABLY FIGURED I'D HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON THIS ONE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, TOM.

THAT'S GREAT ENERGY THAT YOU BRING TO YOUR COUNTY AND YOUR ROLE AS HEAD OF TRANSIT, BUT A FEW QUESTIONS.

WHEN WILL THE BUS START COMING TO TAMPA INTERNATIONAL?

>> SO THE PARK-N-RIDE RIDE LOT IS GOING TO CONSTRUCTION BID IN TWO WEEKS, AND IT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY, I BELIEVE, TWO TO THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

SO ONCE THE PARK-N-RIDE LOT FACILITY IS UP AND RUNNING, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS ASKED US NEXT MONTH TO COME WITH THEM WITH A LIMITED TAMPA PROPOSAL SO THAT IF THE REFERENDUM DOES NOT PASS THAT WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO RUN SOME TYPE OF LIMITED SERVICE TO YOUR AIRPORT.

>>JOE LOPANO: OKAY.

>> SO THE GOAL WOULD BE NOVEMBER TO JANUARY EITHER WAY, IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THE SERVICE WOULD LOOK LIKE.

>>JOE LOPANO: OKAY.

AND HOW WOULD YOU --

>> AND THE PARK-N-RIDE -- JUST TO BE CLEAR, JOE, THE PARK-N-RIDE LOT IS INDEPENDENTLY FDOT FUNDED UP TO $750,000.

IT'S A 1.3-ACRE TRIANGULAR PARCEL OF LAND THAT WAS LEFT OVER FROM I-4 RIGHT-OF-WAY, SO WE'RE BUILDING THE PARK-N-RIDE LOT REGARDLESS.

>>JOE LOPANO: MM-HMM

>> THE PROPOSED SERVICE TO THE POLYTECHNIC WILL COME INTO THAT PARK-N-RIDE LOT; OUR ROUTE 1, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST ROUTS, WILL COME INTO THAT PARK-N-RIDE LOT; AND THEN WE USED CITY IMPACT FEES WITH A MAJOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPER.

THEY ARE PURCHASING US A BUS AND FUNDING A COMMUNITY CIRCULATOR FOR FIVE YEARS WITH IMPACT FEES, AND SO THAT WILL ALSO COME INTO THAT PARK-N-RIDE LOT, SO IT'LL BE A WELL USED PARK-N-RIDE LOT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT ITS --

>>JOE LOPANO: YEAH.

>> -- 1.3-ACRE SIZE, BUT THAT'LL BE A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

>>JOE LOPANO: FOLLOW-UP.

HOW DID YOU FUND THIS BUS?

>> WHICH BUS?

>>JOE LOPANO: THE BUS THAT'S GOING TO COME TO THE AIRPORT.

>> WE ARE ONE OF ONLY A FEW TRANSIT AGENCIES IN THE U.S. THAT HAS A TRIP SCORING INDEX, SO WE MEASURE EVERY SINGLE TIME A BUS GOES FROM POINT "A" TO POINT "B" AND HOW MANY PASSENGERS WE PICK UP ALONG THE WAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: WHOA.

YOU MEASURE THINGS?

>> EVERYONE MEASURES SOMETHING, BUT -- BUT THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IS WE'RE NOT ONE OF ONLY TWO TRANSIT AGENCIES THAT MEASURE.

WE ARE ONLY ONE OF TWO TRANSIT AGENCIES THAT I KNOW OF THAT PUBLISH THAT INFORMATION ON A WEB SITE, AND THEN WE ALLOW THOSE DECISIONS, AS MUCH AS TITLE VI COMPLIANT, TO DETERMINE WHERE WE ADD OR TAKE AWAY SERVICE, SO IT WOULD BE TAKING EXISTING SERVICE THAT IS NOT MEETING THE TAXPAYERS' NEEDS NOR MEETING OUR RIDERS' NEEDS, AND THEY'RE BOTH, RIGHT, THEY'RE INTERCHANGEABLE, AND REINVESTING THAT MONEY IN AN AREA WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE RIDERSHIP, SO I GUESS THE BEST TERM I COULD USE WOULD BE "CANNIBALIZATION," BUT I'D PREFER TO CALL IT REINVESTMENT.

>>JOE LOPANO: REINVESTMENT.

>> THE BEST EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE IS THE DUFF ROAD SHUTTLE, AND NONE OF YOU KNOW WHERE DUFF ROAD IS, I'M GUESSING, IN LAKELAND, BUT WE HAD A SERVICE THAT WAS RUNNING A 30-MINUTE CIRCULATOR.

IT WAS RUNNING THAT 30-MINUTE CIRCULATOR IN 42 MINUTES.

>>JOE LOPANO: MM-HMM.

>> WE WEREN'T MEETING OUR CUSTOMERS' EXPECTATIONS AND WE WEREN'T MEETING THE TAXPAYER EXPECTATIONS, AND, AGAIN, THEY'RE INTERCHANGEABLE, AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE SAID WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISION, WE ARE GOING TO BACK THAT SERVICE -- WE'RE GOING TO CUT IT IN HALF, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO AN HOUR SERVICE, BUT AT LEAST WE'LL MEET OUR CONSTITUENTS' NEEDS, AND THEN WHAT WE ARE GOING DO AT THE SAME TIME IS REINVEST THAT MONEY IN OUR ROUTE 3 MEDICAL CORRIDOR THAT SERVICES WATSON CLINIC, THE LAKELAND REGIONAL CANCER CENTER, AND LAKELAND REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE REDUCE -- WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT OUR DATA TOLD US THAT IF WE CAN REDUCE THE TRAVEL TIME FROM AN HOUR TO HALF HOUR IN THE MEDICAL CORRIDOR, THE SENIORS WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE THE BUSES TO AND FROM THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.

WE HAVE OVER DOUBLED THE SERVICE IN THE MEDICAL CORRIDOR, BUT THE REALLY COOL THING IS THE DUFF SHUTTLE RIDERSHIP IS ALSO UP, SO WE CUT THE SERVICE BY 50% BUT RIDERSHIP'S UP BECAUSE WE'VE BECOME MORE RELIABLE.

SO IT'S NOT A TOUGH DECISION, IT'S MANAGING THAT PROCESS.

>>JOE LOPANO: ONE LAST QUESTION.

WILL THE BUS HAVE WIFI ON IT?

>> IF THEY CAN SHOW STAFF AND I THAT THE WIFI CAN HANDLE A MODERN USER, YES.

>>JOE LOPANO: OKAY.

>> BUT I NEED TO SEE THAT THE WIFI HANDLES MORE THAN E-MAIL BECAUSE IF A COUPLE OF KIDS ARE GOING TO GET ON THERE AND START STREAMING NETFLIX AND CRASH THE SYSTEM, I'D RATHER NOT HAVE IT ON THERE.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, I JUST -- I LOVE YOUR ENTHUSIASM, AND I HOPE IT'S INFECTIOUS.

>> SO DO I.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND I'D SAY, LOCK THE DOORS, DON'T LET HIM OUT OF THIS BUILDING.

[LAUGHTER]

CALL THE SHERIFF, DON'T LET HIM OUT.

NO, GREAT PRESENTATION.

I THINK YOU'RE VERY FORWARD-THINKING, AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY CIRCULATORS DO YOU HAVE?

>> TRUE CIRCULATORS OR --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: MM-HMM.

>> -- OR TOTAL BUS ROUTES?

TRUE CIRCULATORS --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE.

I'M NOT SURE.

>> SURE.

A CIRCULATOR'S JUST -- YOU KNOW, RUNS A LOOP, IT DOESN'T

RUN --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: YEAH, RIGHT.

>> -- NORTH-SOUTH.

WE HAVE 32 FIXED-ROUTE BUS SYSTEMS THAT OPERATE FROM 30-MINUTE HEADWAYS TO 60-MINUTE HEADWAYS TO 90-MINUTE HEADWAYS.

ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 50 ROUTES, AND WE DO APPROXIMATELY 750,000 ADA PARATRANSIT TRIPS.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

SO -- OKAY.

THAT'S GOOD.

AND YOU PAY -- THAT'S VERY -- I HAVEN'T HEARD OF PAYING FOR CIRCULATORS WITH IMPACT FEES, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

>> RAMCO-GERSHENSON, IT'S A MICHIGAN-BASED COMPANY -- AND, REALLY, I MEAN, I THINK WHAT IT WAS WAS A BUSINESS DECISION FOR THEM.

IT WAS LOOKING AT DO WE WANT TO BUILD MORE PARKING SPACES AND THE DRAINAGE AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT OR WOULD WE RATHER FUND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, BUILD SMALLER PARKING LOTS, AND GET PEOPLE TO AND FROM THERE.

NOW, AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE OPERATING WILL BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A TRANSIT AGENCY, BUT WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND SO IS THE RETAILER.

SO THAT WILL BE UP AND RUNNING PRIOR TO THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY THIS -- I'M SORRY, THE WINTER HOLIDAY THIS YEAR.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: BECAUSE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH, WE HAVE A LOT OF DEVELOPERS IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT HAVE A LOT OF -- HAVE BEEN PILING UP IMPACT FEE CREDITS, AND THEY REALLY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE THEM, SO THIS MAY BE AN AREA THAT WE CAN EXPLORE.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, MA'AM.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

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

MR. PHILLIPS, I NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU, SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY -- I'M GLAD TO MEET YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND YOU'RE REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

I'VE GOT A QUESTION TO ASK ABOUT YOUR REFERENDUM.

IT'S ON THIS NOVEMBER?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: AND IT'S CALLED SWAP, IS THAT WHAT IT'S CALLED?

>> NO, SIR.

IT'S CALLED THE MY RIDE -- WELL, IT IS A 1% SALES SURTAX FOR COUNTY ROADS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

AND YOU'RE REDUCING THE MILLAGE TO HOMEOWNERS BY 1.5 MILLS?

>> WITHIN THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT, WHICH REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 185,000 INDIVIDUALS, AND --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: SO IT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY?

>> A 1.5 MILL REDUCTION WITHIN THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

>> -- AND A ONE MILL PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

AND DO YOU IDENTIFY IN THIS REFERENDUM WHERE THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE UTILIZED?

I THINK YOU SAID PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND SOMETHING ELSE.

>> AND ROADS.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: ROADS, BRIDGES?

>> YES, SIR.

THE -- THE FLORIDA STATE LAW PROHIBITS YOUR ABILITY TO PROPOSE THE SUPPLANTATION OF ONE TAX FOR ANOTHER --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: RIGHT.

>> -- SO IT IS SIMPLY A 1% SALES SURTAX FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

A BIG PART OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION IS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THESE RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN PASSED TO REDUCE THE PROPERTY TAX.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, SIR.

THE BALLOT LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY STATES THE 50/50 SPLIT.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

HAVE YOU-ALL IDENTIFIED THESE BRIDGES AND ROADS AND THINGS ALONG THOSE THINGS?

>> THERE IS A MY ROADS PLAN AND THERE IS A MY RIDE PLAN, YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: HAVE YOU TAKEN THAT TO THE PUBLIC IN POLK COUNTY?

>> I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSIT SIDE.

THE ROAD SIDE IS AN APPENDIX, YES, AND THE COUNTY IS STARTING THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: HOW DID YOU GET THE MESSAGE OUT?

>> LOOK AT MY SHOES.

I HAVEN'T CHANGED THEM SINCE THE REFERENDUM.

[LAUGHTER]

SWEAT EQUITY.

WE HELD THESE 31 LISTENING SESSIONS IN 60 DAYS, SO WE ASKED PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANTED FIRST, WE DIDN'T SUPPOSE ANYTHING, AND THEN BASED ON WHAT THEY TOLD US, WE HANDED IT OVER TO THE MODELERS AND THE PLANNERS, AND THANK GOD THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT ME, AND THEY SAID BASED ON WHAT THE PEOPLE TOLD US AND HERE'S OUR PROJECTS, THIS IS MY RIDE, THIS IS MY ROADS.

THEN WE TOOK THAT OUT THROUGH WHOLE 'NOTHER PROCESS.

WE WENT OUT TO EVERY MUNICIPALITY, ALL 17 MAYORS, ALL THE CITY COMMISSIONERS.

WE SAID, THIS IS YOUR MY RIDE PLAN, THIS IS YOUR MUNICIPAL SOLUTION.

WE'RE NOT ASKING TO YOU FORMALLY ENDORSE IT YET, BUT IS OUR COMPASS POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THE ANSWER WAS YES, THAT THIS IS THE SOLUTION WE NEED FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT PROCESS CONTINUES TO GO ON, KIWANIS, ROTARY, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, 9/12 GROUPS, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS.

IF YOU'VE GOT AN ORGANIZATION IN POLK COUNTY THAT'S WILLING TO HEAR OUR MESSAGE, WE BRING THAT OUT THERE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: HOW LONG HAVE YOU-ALL BEEN WORKING ON THIS?

>> ABOUT TWO YEARS.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: ABOUT TWO YEARS?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: WHAT'S -- AND YOUR COUNTY COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THIS?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: WHAT'S THE POLITICAL MAKEUP OF YOUR COUNTY COMMISSION?

>> I BELIEVE THEY RUN NONPARTISAN, SIR, BUT --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: YOUR COUNTY COMMISSION RUNS NONPARTISAN?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THEY'RE ALL REPUBLICAN?

>> [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]

YEAH.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: AND THEY VOTED FOR IT?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THEY'RE ALL REPUBLICAN AND THEY VOTED TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: GOOD GOD.

THERE'S A --

>>MARK SHARPE: TOM TERRIFIC.

MR. BECKNER.

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

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

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

ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE, TOM --

>> YES, SIR.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- AND GREAT TO HEAR YOUR PRESENTATION AGAIN BECAUSE WE ALWAYS DO PICK UP DIFFERENT NUGGETS WHEN YOU HEAR SOMETHING TWICE.

A QUESTION I HAD.

WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR REFERENDUM AND YOU'RE SWAPPING OUT PART OF THE PROPERTY TAX FOR THE SALES TAX, WHAT IS -- HAVE YOU FIGURED ABOUT WHAT IS THE NET RESULT AS FAR AS DOLLARS GO FROM WHAT AN INCREASE OR DECREASE IN FUNDING YOU WOULD RECEIVE?

>> SURE.

SO -- AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE AVERAGE HOME'S ASSESSED VALUE IN UNINCORPORATED POLK COUNTY, OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF LAKELAND, AFTER MORTGAGE AND HOMESTEAD AND THE AVERAGE DEDUCTIONS IS $62,202, SO A ONE MILL PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION TO THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER IS GOING TO BE $62.02.

WITHIN THE CITY OF LAKELAND, BECAUSE IT INCLUDES A BIG SOUTH PART OF POLK COUNTY, EVEN THOUGH IF YOU DRIVE AROUND LAKELAND, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO FIND THIS NUMBER, THE AVERAGE HOME'S ASSESSED VALUE IN THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT IS $57,000, BUT BECAUSE OF THE 1.5 MILL REDUCTION, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE ABOUT A $75 PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION.

AS FAR AS THE SALES SURTAX INCREASE, THAT DEPENDS ON YOUR PARTICULAR SPENDING HABITS, SO WE CAN TELL YOU WHAT YOUR PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION IS GOING TO BE, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.

A NUMBER ONE BIG MAC VALUE MEAL IS GOING TO COST YOU FOUR CENTS MORE, AN 800 WATT GE MICROWAVE IS GOING TO COST YOU A DOLLAR MORE, AND A 50-INCH FLAT-SCREEN VIZIO TV WILL RUN YOU $4.33 MORE.

NOW, IF WE TAKE THAT SAME BIG MAC VALUE MEAL, NUMBER 1, AND YOU GO TO PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS AND YOU BUY THE BEEF, THE BUNS, THE CHEESE, THE LETTUCE, THE TOMATOES, AND YOU MAKE THAT BURGER AT HOME, THAT'S NOT GOING TO COST YOU A PENNY MORE BECAUSE THAT'S ALL NONPREPARED FOOD, AND THAT'S SALES SURTAX EXEMPT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO -- BUT WHAT ARE YOUR ESTIMATES?

>> BETWEEN $7 AND $12 A MONTH WOULD BE -- FOR THE AVERAGE RESIDENT WOULD BE THE INCREASE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: BUT, I MEAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR POOL OF MONEY -- AND I KNOW IT BASES ON CONSUMPTION --

>> IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY A $20-MILLION NET INCREASE --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

>> -- WITH $8 MILLION OF THAT COMING FROM TOURISTS AND VISITORS.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: WHAT WAS YOUR RATIONALE FOR HAVING A MORE OF A PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION IN THE LAKELAND AREA VERSUS

THE --

>> WELL --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- OTHER AREAS?

>> -- IT WAS A SELF-DRIVING DECISION.

THE CITIZENS OF THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT 30 YEARS AGO CHOSE TO INCUR A HALF MILL FOR THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

GOTCHA.

>> BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING HOW WE CHOSE -- ANOTHER QUESTION MAY BE HOW DID YOU PICK INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAX -- OR, I'M SORRY -- SALES TAX OVER INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAX, AND WE DID THAT THROUGH POLLING.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

>> WE ASKED THE RESIDENTS OF POLK COUNTY --

>> POLLING.

>> POLLING.

>> POLLING.

>> -- WE ASKED THE RESIDENTS OF POLK COUNTY DO YOU FEEL THE CURRENT RATE OF PROPERTY TAX OR SALES TAX IS MORE EQUITABLE, AND AMONGST REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, AND INDEPENDENTS,

EVERYONE FELT THAT CURRENT RATE OF SALES TAX WAS MORE EQUITABLE TO PROPERTY TAX, SO THAT'S WHY WE PULLED THAT TRIGGER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THE FINAL THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS YOUR -- I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY GENIUS THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU ARE FORMING BETWEEN OTHER CORPORATIONS, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ENTITIES, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR AREA, WHEN YOU HAVE NOT GROWN UP IN MASS TRANSIT AND IT HAS NOT BECOME CULTURALLY ENGRAINED YET THAT YOU NEED TO BUILD A CULTURE OF PEOPLE GETTING USED TO RIDING MASS TRANSIT, AND I FIND NO BETTER WAY THAT YOU CAN BUILD THAT CULTURE, NUMBER ONE, WHEN YOU'RE STARTING WITH STUDENTS, AND IF YOU'RE GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR FREE, THAT STARTS A CULTURE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION AND GENERATIONS TO COME OF USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND THEN WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CORPORATE WORLD, INTRODUCING THEM, I THINK IT SOLVES A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

NUMBER ONE, FOR BUSINESSES THAT HAVE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, I THINK IT'S A GREAT PERK THAT THEY CAN OFFER TO THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND THEN, AGAIN, ONCE YOU GET PEOPLE RIDING THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, I THINK YOU -- YOU GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ALSO GET THAT ENGRAINED IN THEIR -- IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY THINGS THAT THEY DO AND ALSO ENGRAIN THAT INTO THEIR FAMILY.

AND SO I'M REAL EXCITED -- AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD

THIS -- THAT THE HART STAFF IS WORKING AND LOOKING AT -- LOOKING AT PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE, AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE LEARNED THERE AND ENGRAIN THEM HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SO I WANT TO -- I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR -- FOR THOSE IDEAS AND YOUR INPUT ON THAT.

>> WELL, CERTAINLY, WE DIDN'T INVENT THEM, SO I'LL -- AND IT'S THE STAFF THAT GETS THE CREDIT FOR ALL THE IMPLEMENTATION.

IT'S EASY TO HAVE THE IDEA.

SO WHAT WORKS IN POLK MAY NOT WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH, BUT WE FIND IN POLK COUNTY OR HAVE FOUND THAT WHETHER IT BE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE SOCIAL SERVICE COMMUNITY, OR THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY, IF OUR BUSES ARE ALREADY RUNNING PAST YOUR FACILITIES, THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

WE AS A TRANSIT SYSTEM NEED TO DO MORE TO REDUCE THE BARRIERS SO THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO USE THE SERVICE IN AN EASIER WAY, WHETHER THAT BE A FUNDING ARRANGEMENT OR SHELTERS OR WHAT IT MAY BE, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT JUST -- JUST RUNNING PAST ISN'T ENOUGH OR AT LEAST IT ISN'T IN POLK.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

>> PEOPLE DON'T SEE THE PERCEIVED VALUE IN THE BUS PASSING THEM, IT NEEDS TO STOP.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

AND FINAL QUESTION IS YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR A NEW DIRECTOR AT OUR HART AGENCY COMING UP, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OPENING.

[LAUGHTER]

>>MARK SHARPE: ANY -- OKAY.

>> NEXT QUESTION.

[LAUGHTER]

>>MARK SHARPE: I'M READY TO MAKE -- WELL, NEVER MIND.

TO MY LEFT, ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS SIDE?

>>MIKE SUAREZ: TOM, THANKS AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE SEEN IT.

I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO COME BACK TO TAMPA TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, YOU ARE AN ENTHUSIASTIC, YOU KNOW, CHEERLEADER FOR THIS PROJECT, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT.

OUT OF CURIOSITY, I THINK -- HOW MANY BUSES DO YOU HAVE NOW IN POLK, IS IT ABOUT 50, AM I RIGHT, OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE?

>> YEAH, THAT SOUNDS RIGHT ABOUT RIGHT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: THE -- WHAT'S YOUR BUDGET WITH POLK TRANSIT?

>> WE OPERATE A $10.8-MILLION BUDGET AT THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT; THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THROUGH THE WINTER HAVEN AREA TRANSIT AND THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED, IS RIGHT AROUND ANOTHER EIGHT MILLION, SO IT'S ABOUT -- JUST ABOUT A $19-MILLION BUDGET BY THE TIME YOU LOOK AT THE [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] COSTS TO THE COUNTY.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: SO THIS REFERENDUM WILL ESSENTIALLY -- IS IT GOING TO DOUBLE --

>> IT'S ALMOST GOING TO DOUBLE --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: IT'S ALMOST GOING TO DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES BY HAVING A REFERENDUM?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT'S A QUESTION THAT COMES UP, RIGHT, AND PEOPLE ARE NERVOUS ABOUT THIS MASS EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT, AND I WOULD SAY THIS: POVERTY IS NOT IN OUR DNA AND IT SHOULDN'T BE IN OUR DNA.

WE ARE THE SEVENTH-MOST IMPOVERISHED SUBURBAN AREA IN THE U.S.

WE HAVE 2,009 SQUARE MILES TO COVER, 17 MUNICIPALITIES.

WE ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION FOR THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

WE JUST HAPPEN TO CALL IT POLK COUNTY.

SO IT IS GOING TO TAKE THAT KIND OF INVESTMENT TO GET CAUGHT UP AND TAKE ADVANTAGES OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE AIRPORTS, THE PORT OF TAMPA, THE PORT OF MANATEE, AND WITH SUNRAIL, SO THIS IS SIMPLY OWNING OUR LEGACY, WHICH IS NOT POVERTY, BUT CATCHING UP SO THAT WE CAN TAKE OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE.

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BUILD A GOLDEN BELT BUCKLE BUT ONE OUT OF BRASS THAT'S GOING TO HOLD UP TO WHAT'S GOING ON TO OUR EAST AND WEST, SO IT DOES -- I DON'T WANT TO BACK AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT IT'S A MASSIVE INVESTMENT, BUT IT'S ONE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: OH, BELIEVE ME, YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR WITH ME, SO, YOU KNOW -- BUT I'M NOT ON THE COUNTY COMMISSION --

>> NO, BUT IT'S --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: -- SO I CAN'T PUT ANYTHING ON A REFERENDUM, BUT THE -- THE --

[LAUGHTER]

THAT WAS NOT MEANT FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN MY OWN OPINION.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FIND WITH TRANSIT PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, TO EXPAND PROJECTS -- AND I THINK YOU -- YOU POINTED A FEW THINGS OUT WHICH ARE VERY SPECIFIC, THAT IF WE WANT TO HAVE SPECIALIZED TYPE OF TRANSIT, WHETHER IT'S FROM POLK COUNTY TO THE AIRPORT OR PROVIDING OTHER TYPES OF THINGS LIKE THE LEGOLAND SITUATION THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PLACE, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE THOSE PARTNERS FROM -- FROM THAT COMPANY IN ADDITION TO HAVING YOUR BUSES.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE -- NOTHING'S FOR FREE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHO WANTS THAT SERVICE, WHO'S GOING TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, AND WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE, AND I THINK THAT SOMETIMES -- AND, UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THAT THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROVIDE ANY KIND OF SERVICE --

>> RIGHT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: -- ANYWHERE FOR ANY REASON.

I THINK YOU HAD MENTIONED -- WAS IT -- IT'S TITLE 6?

>> CORRECT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: AND THAT -- THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS WHEN YOU HAVE FEDERALLY FUNDED --

>> I DON'T --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: -- DOLLARS THAT GO IN, AND NOT -- THIS IS NOT TO BELABOR OR ANYTHING BUT JUST THAT YOU'RE AT THAT SAME SITUATION.

PART OF THE REASON WHY YOU WANT TO HAVE A REFERENDUM IS SO THAT YOU CAN EXPAND IT.

IT'S A LOT EASIER USING LOCAL DOLLARS THAN IT IS TO USE FEDERAL DOLLARS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OTHER STRINGS ATTACHED TO THE FEDERAL DOLLARS.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, AND IF YOU LOOK AT LEGOLAND, FOR EXAMPLE -- AND I DON'T WANT TO MONOPOLIZE ALL THE TIME TODAY AND RESPECT IT, BUT WE WERE ALREADY RUNNING THE FRONT GATES OF LEGOLAND --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: SURE.

>> -- PRIOR TO -- IN CYPRESS GARDENS.

WE WERE DOING 64 EMPLOYEE RIDES A MONTH, NOW WE DO ABOUT 1900 EMPLOYEE RIDES A MONTH.

WE DIDN'T CHANGE THE SYSTEM AT ALL, BUT WE DID WAS WE UNDERSTOOD WHERE -- I THINK WE DID -- WE UNDERSTOOD WHERE LEGOLAND'S COSTS WERE --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: RIGHT.

>> -- AND ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST COSTS WAS EMPLOYEE TURNOVER, AND SO WHEN WE WENT AND MET WITH THEM, WE DIDN'T SELL TRANSIT SERVICE, WE SELLED -- WE SOLD AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT, IF YOU SUBSIDIZE THEIR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RIDES, YOU MAY SEE A DECREASED TURNOVER IN YOUR EMPLOYEE TURN RATE BECAUSE WHEN THAT CARBURETOR BREAKS, INSTEAD OF NEEDING THREE WEEKS OFF OR HAVING TO TERMINATE THEM, MAYBE THEY JUST USE THE LEGOLAND EMPLOYEE RIDE FREE PROGRAM JUST FOR THAT THREE WEEKS WHILE THEY SAVE UP THEIR CARBURETOR AND REPAIR THAT.

NOW THEY'RE BACK IN THEIR PERSONAL-USE CAR, THEY'RE FEELING GOOD ABOUT YOU AS AN EMPLOYER YEAR-ROUND BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT JUST LIKE DENTAL OR VISION, I'M GETTING THE INCREASED RIDERSHIP, AND LEGOLAND'S PAYING RATHER THAN YOU, SO EVERYBODY WINS.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: RIGHT.

NO, AND THAT'S MY POINT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, BY FINDING OUT WHAT THEIR REAL NEEDS ARE, IT MARRIES SPECIFICALLY YOUR -- YOUR SERVICE WITH THEIR NEEDS, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, I KNOW WE DO AT HART, WHICH IS WHAT IS IT THAT BUSINESSES NEED?

WE DID A STUDY FOR CIRCULATOR SERVICE IN WESTSHORE, AND WE SHOWED THAT THERE COULD BE SOME BENEFITS TO THESE BUSINESSES.

NOBODY WANTED TO BUY INTO IT.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A SALES JOB OR JUST THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF IT, IT'S SORT OF THE SAME THING, WHICH IS HOW DO WE LEVERAGE IT, HOW DO WE PUT IT TOGETHER.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND COMING ON OVER HERE AND TELLING US THIS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, I GUESS I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU, I NOTICE -- I JUST SAW RECENTLY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE PLAN, AND I'M SURE YOU COMMUNICATED WITH THEM BEFORE --

>> YEAH.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- THIS, SO WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE --

>> SURE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- YOUR COMMUNICATION AND RECENTLY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE HELD A MASS TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT WITH THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP, AND THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PARTNERSHIP CAME OUT, AND, CERTAINLY, WE APPRECIATE THE POSITION STATEMENT FROM THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTING THE REFERENDUM.

OF THE 150 PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, THREE INDIVIDUALS SPOKE UP, AND THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT BEING THE HIGHEST SALES SURTAX RATE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROPERTY TAX VERSUS SALES TAX AND TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IS SALES SURTAX EXEMPT, SO I THINK THERE'S A RECOGNITION THAT NOT EVERYONE IS SINGING THE SAME SONG AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE CONCERNS.

THE REAL QUESTION IS, IS -- AND I THINK THIS WAS ADDRESSED IN THE MEETING -- IS, IS THAT FOUR CENTS FOR THAT NUMBER 1 VALUE MEAL OR THAT $4.33 FOR THAT VIZIO FLAT-SCREEN TV -- IS THAT REALLY GOING TO DRIVE PEOPLE EITHER TO THE INTERNET OR IS IT GOING TO DRIVE THEM TO DRIVE TO HILLSBOROUGH TO BUY THAT TELEVISION SET?

I DON'T THINK $4.33 -- AS MUCH AS YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS, I HOPE THEY DON'T DRIVE HERE TO BUY THAT TELEVISION TO SAVE $4.33, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE A DEBATE BECAUSE SALES TAX, PROPERTY TAX, THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO FEEL DIFFERENT WAYS, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND OPEN DEBATE AND DIALOGUE NOW AND NOT DOING IT IN OCTOBER WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

SO IN ESSENCE, THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OF THE PLAN, NOT THE MECHANISM?

>> EXACTLY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

GOT IT.

>> AND I THINK -- I HOPE THAT CAME THROUGH IN THE ARTICLE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>> YES.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: GO AHEAD.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: I'LL GO.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: MR. PHILLIPS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD YOUR PRESENTATION.

IT'S CERTAINLY VERY IMPRESSIVE.

IT CERTAINLY GOT MY ATTENTION.

A COUPLE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU IS HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO COME UP TO MOLD THIS PLAN?

>> A YEAR.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: A YEAR?

>> YES, SIR.

>>MARK SHARPE: ONE YEAR.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: OKAY.

WHEN YOU DID --

>> APPROXIMATELY.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: HOW WAS THE POLLING CONDUCTED?

DID YOU GET A -- AN AGENCY DID IT, WAS IT DONE BY THE COUNTY?

WHO CONDUCTED THE POLLING?

>> THE POLK TRANSIT AUTHORITY CONDUCTED THE POLLING.

IT WAS PUBLIC EDUCATION DOLLARS.

IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, WE CLEARED ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THROUGH TALLAHASSEE, AND WE USED FLORIDA OPINION RESEARCH, SO WE USED A PROFESSIONAL FIRM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, PLUS OR MINUS 4.9%, AND THAT WAS PRESENTED TO AN UNPRECEDENTED MEETING OF THE ENTIRE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THE POLK TRANSIT AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND WE DID THAT IN A PUBLIC MEETING WITH OVER 100 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, AND WE PRESENTED EVERY SINGLE POLL QUESTION AND WHAT THE RESPONSES WERE.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: HOW MANY POLLS WERE TALLIED OR --

>> ONE.

WE DID ONE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT POLL.

IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 40 QUESTIONS.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: HOW MANY PEOPLE DID THAT REACH OUT TO OR --

>> IT WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT TO PLUS OR MINUS 4.9%, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS 500 REGISTERED VOTERS.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: OKAY.

AND THAT'S ALL OVER THE BOARD, IT WASN'T JUST A --

>> CORRECT.

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, AND INDEPENDENTS LOOKING AT THE VOTING OF THE '8, '10, AND '12 ELECTIONS.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: WHAT IS THE CURRENT SALES TAX?

>> 7%.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: 7%.

OKAY.

SO THAT COULD TAKE IT TO --

>> 8%.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: -- 8%?

>> CORRECT.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: OKAY.

>> SAME PROPOSAL AS PINELLAS AS FAR AS SALES SURTAX RATE.

AND IT IS -- AGAIN, I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THE SALES SURTAX RATE BECAUSE THE -- OUR PENNY WOULD ONLY BE ON THE FIRST $5,000 OF ELIGIBLE PURCHASES ONLY.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: OKAY.

WELL, I CERTAINLY COMMEND YOU ON YOUR VISION AND CAPITALIZING ON APPARENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND PROVIDING -- AT THE SAME TIME, PROVIDING A CONVENIENCE TO YOUR CITIZENS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

YOU SEE AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU'VE CAPITALIZED ON IT, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE A CONVENIENCE TO THE CITIZENS OF YOUR COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.

>> WELL, AND CERTAINLY, IT'S THEIR PLAN, NOT MINE.

I'M JUST THE CONDUIT THAT BROUGHT IT FORWARD, BUT ULTIMATELY, THE OTHER PART OF THE CONVERSATION I LIKE TO SAY IS THIS IS JUST AS MUCH -- THE COUNTY WILL GET THERE WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER, BUT THIS IS JUST AS MUCH ABOUT PROPERLY FUNDING COUNTY ROADWAYS AND BRIDGES AND SIDEWALKS AND GUTTERS AND CURBS AND CULVERTS AS IT IS ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE MY RIDE MIGHT NOT BE PUBLIC TRANSIT, MY RIDE MIGHT BE MY ROADS, SO IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT WE BALANCE THESE TWO THINGS SO THAT WE HAVE PROPER CAPACITY FOR THE ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: WELL, THANK YOU FOR --

>> YES, SIR.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: -- A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: BOY.

COMMISSIONER BECKNER, COMMISSIONER MILLER, COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE.

YOU DO THIS EVERY TIME YOU SPEAK.

GO AHEAD.

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

AND I JUST WANT TO JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT TO FOLLOW UP TO COMMISSIONER MURMAN'S COMMENTS, AND I THINK THIS IS THE DEBATE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE FACING HERE, AND I THINK THAT YOU GOING ABOUT IT THE RIGHT WAY, SEEKING INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS, IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT IF WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT BUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.

WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE NEED OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PAY FOR IT.

THIS STUFF DOESN'T COME FREE, AND SO EVERYBODY THAT'S LISTENING OUT THERE NOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER, THE DIFFERENT FUNDING OPTIONS AND HOW TO PAY FOR IT.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR ANY EXPANSION HERE USING ANY EXISTING REVENUES THAT WE HAVE HERE BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT SUFFICIENT, SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A TIMELY CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, NOT ONLY WITH OUR PEOPLE BUT ALSO WITH OUR ELECTED BODIES, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THIS ADULT CONVERSATION AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR PLAN, ESPECIALLY THE DIVISION -- EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD DIVISION HERE AS FAR AS PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTED AND FEEL WE NEED TO INVEST IN ROADS -- AND THAT IS TRUE, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH REVENUES COMING IN TO ADEQUATELY FUND ALL THE ROAD PROJECTS, SO THERE HAS TO BE A REVENUE STREAM FOR THAT.

THAT IS ALL PART OF THE TRANSIT AND IT NEEDS TO BE ALL PART OF THE CONVERSATION, AND THEN YOU FIGURE OUT THE OTHER FUNDING PIECE.

SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND FOR POINTING THAT OUT AND THEN HAVING THAT PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.

>>MARK SHARPE: SURE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: I KNOW WE'VE GOT TO BRING THIS IN FOR A LANDING.

YOU SAID -- MAYBE YOU NEED TO CLARIFY THIS -- YOU-ALL POLLED 500 PEOPLE?

>> CORRECT.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THAT'S IT?

YOUR POLL WAS 500 PEOPLE, AND HAD YOU A MARGIN OF ERROR OF 4.9%?

>> WELL, IT WAS 5,000, BUT IT WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT TO PLUS OR MINUS 4.9%.

WE TARGETED REGISTERED VOTERS IN ASKING THEIR OPINION, SO I'LL HAVE TO GET YOU THE EXACT DETAILS, AND OBVIOUSLY, THE POLL IS OPEN TO PUBLIC RECORD, SO I'LL MAKE SURE TO GET YOU THE STATISTICS BECAUSE I MAY HAVE MISQUOTED THE SAMPLE SIZE.

MAYBE IT WAS 50,000.

AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I WILL GET THAT CLARIFICATION TO THE CHAIRMAN AND HE CAN DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: YOU KNOW, 500 PEOPLE BEING POLLED IS NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> YEAH.

AND, AGAIN, WHAT STICKS IN MY MIND AND I'M POSITIVE ABOUT IS THE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANTLY TO PLUS OR MINUS 4.9%, SO I MAY BE OFF ON THE TOTAL NUMBER BECAUSE I WANTED IT TO BE UNDER 5% MARGIN OF ERROR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

WHAT WAS YOUR TOTAL OUTREACH NUMBERS?

>> WE TALKED TO OVER 10,000 RESIDENTS THROUGH THE INITIAL MY RIDE PROCESS THROUGH THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL LISTENING SESSIONS, AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE GIVEN THE MY RIDE/MY ROADS PRESENTATION OVER 200 TIMES.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT NUMBER.

I'M QUITE SURE -- I HOPE YOU DID MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE.

>> I WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE IT GETS TO THE STAFF AND DISSEMINATED.

AND I'LL -- ACTUALLY, I'LL SEND THE ENTIRE POLL SO YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

>>MARK SHARPE: COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

I'M GOING TO REITERATE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID.

YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS FANTASTIC, AND YOU'VE BEEN STANDING UP THERE QUITE A WHILE, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN WORN DOWN YET, YOU STILL GOT THAT ENERGY LEVEL UP.

I GOTTA SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON PUTTING THIS TOGETHER IN THE TIME FRAME THAT YOU DID IT, IN THE METHOD THAT YOU DID IT.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT COMMISSIONER MILLER HAD ASKED AND THAT WAS THE PLANS THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE FOR BOTH THE ROAD PROJECTS AND THE TRANSIT EXPANSION, HOW DID THOSE PLANS COME TO BE?

>> SURE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: I MEAN, WERE THEY EXISTING PLANS THAT YOU TOOK AND USED, THEY WERE NEW PLANS?

>> NO.

IT'S A GREAT STORY.

I LOVE TELLING THIS STORY.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: GOOD.

>> SO I WAS HIRED TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.

I GOT HERE IN AUGUST, AND IN SEPTEMBER THE POLK TRANSIT AUTHORITY BOARD LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, SHOULD WE JUST CLOSE UP SHOP AND FORGET ABOUT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AND JUST GO BACK TO A SEPARATE SYSTEM?

AND SO I SAID, WELL, WHY DON'T WE -- WE'VE GOT A TDP, A TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN, PROCESS THAT IS TO BE LAUNCHED, LET'S GO THROUGH THIS TDP PROCESS, AND IF THROUGH THE TDP PROCESS WE FIND THAT WE DON'T NEED REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION, THEN YES, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND WE'LL CLOSE UP SHOP.

SO WE STARTED FROM SCRATCH AND TOOK THIS ENTIRE PROCESS THROUGH THE LAST 12 OR 18 MONTHS TO GET THE ISSUE ON THE BALLOT, SO WE DID START FROM SCRATCH.

FROM THE ROADS PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS MUCH MORE HISTORY BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE GOT PAVING SCHEDULES OF, YOU KNOW, 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS, EVEN FDOT TODAY AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WITH ROUTE 60, ALL OF THAT WAS -- ALL THAT INFRASTRUCTURE WAS ALREADY THERE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: EXISTED.

>> SO WE REALLY KIND OF BROUGHT MY ROADS FORWARD -- I'M SORRY, WE BROUGHT THE ROADS PROJECTS FORWARD AND KIND OF CALLED THEM MY ROADS.

MY RIDE WAS TAKEN FROM NOTHING TO WHAT IT IS TODAY.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: GOT IT.

AND THAT'S -- THAT'S COMMENDABLE THAT YOU STARTED FROM THE POINT OF, HEY, IF THIS DOESN'T WORK OUT, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE IT UP.

I ALSO THINK IT'S COMMENDABLE THAT -- I HEARD YOU CONCENTRATE AND TALK MORE ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AND THAT YOU'RE CONCENTRATING ON EXISTING BUSINESSES AND TRYING TO HELP EXISTING BUSINESSES SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS.

I THINK OFTEN WE TALK ABOUT EXPANDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BRINGING EMPLOYERS IN, BUT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT SERVICING THE EMPLOYERS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, AND -- AND TRYING TO -- FOR US, AS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN SUAREZ POINTED OUT -- TRYING FOR US TO CONVINCE OUR EMPLOYERS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE TO INVEST IN A TRANSIT SYSTEM IS THE BEST WAY, AND I LOVE HOW YOU PUT IT THAT IT'S AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT JUST LIKE HEALTH OR DENTAL OR, YOU KNOW, ANY OTHER BENEFIT THAT IS OFFERED BY AN EMPLOYER, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND AS A COUNTY, WE MAY DIFFER IN SOME WAYS THAN POLK COUNTY, BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND SHARING IT WITH US.

>> THANK YOU ALL.

>>MARK SHARPE: I THINK -- I THINK WE'RE DONE WITH QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, SO I THINK, RAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO --

>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YES.

I JUST WANT TO SUMMARIZE.

I THINK IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR SINCE WE MET, AND I WANTED TO GET TOM IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD, AND I THINK THE TIMING'S PERFECT.

WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN.

SOME COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, OUTREACH AND THE POLLING ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

WHEN WE DID THE POLLING HERE FOR THE POST-REFERENDUM ANALYSIS, WE GOT A 3.5 RATIO OF ACCURACY WITH 800 SELECTED REGISTERED VOTERS.

THE KEY IS NOT SO MUCH THE SIZE OF THE NUMBER, IT'S GETTING THE RIGHT MIX THAT MATCHES YOUR COMMUNITY EXACTLY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID, AND, OF COURSE, THE OUTREACH IS EVEN BIGGER.

BUT I THINK A LOT OF THINGS CAN BE LEARNED.

I THINK WHATEVER WE DO WE HAVE TO INCLUDE ROADS AS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT, WE HAVE TO BE FAIR TO OUR CITIES HERE AND THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY, ALL THE THINGS WE KIND OF MISSED THE MARK ON LAST TIME, BUT GREAT IDEAS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER USING SOME OF THEM IN OUR EFFORT THAT WE'RE PROCEEDING ON.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING THAT

WILL -- IF ANYBODY GETS ANGRY, DON'T DIRECT YOUR DARTS AT TOM, DIRECT THEM AT ME, BUT I -- WHEN I FIRST MET YOU, I WAS INSPIRED BY YOUR PASSION.

I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF YOUR NUMBERS.

YOU TALKED ABOUT THE AVERAGE REDUCTION IN COST PER HOUR.

>> 8.6%, YES, SIR.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND THE INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP?

>> 38.8%.

>>MARK SHARPE: 38 -- I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE RIDING INCREASES OF 14%, 15%, 16%, SOME A LITTLE BIT LESS, AND TOUTING IT, AND I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC BECAUSE IT'S AN INCREASE, BUT THIS IS REAL INCREASE.

YOU TALKED ABOUT A DIFFERENCE IN LEGOLAND FROM 64 RIDERS TO 1900 RIDERS?

>> RIDES.

>>MARK SHARPE: RIDES?

>> YES.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WELL, 64 RIDES --

>> CORRECT.

>>MARK SHARPE: -- TO 1900?

NOT DIRECTED AT ANYBODY -- NOT DIRECTED AT ANYBODY -- LIKE MY FAVORITE MOVIE, "TALLADEGA NIGHTS," WHERE YOU SAY, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT AND THEN YOU GO AND YOU SAY SOMETHING, BUT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO EVERYONE OUT THERE, IT -- IN MY MIND, THIS BOILS DOWN TO LEADERSHIP.

IT BOILS DOWN TO INSPIRED LEADERSHIP.

THERE'S A BOOK THAT'S COMING OUT -- I ALWAYS HAVE TO TALK ABOUT A BOOK.

>> IS THAT YOUR BOOK?

>>MARK SHARPE: I DIDN'T WRITE IT NOW.

-- "CREATIVITY, INC." -- BUT THE GUY THAT PUT TOGETHER PIXARS -- THE GUY THAT -- THE GUY THAT WITH JOBS AND OTHERS CREATED PIXARS, THERE'S A QUOTE THAT HE HAS, WHICH IS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, IF YOU GIVE A GOOD IDEA TO A MEDIOCRE TEAM, THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH BAD RESULTS -- AND HE DOESN'T USE THE WORD "BAD" -- BUT IF YOU GIVE A MEDIOCRE IDEA TO A REALLY TRULY INSPIRATIONAL TEAM, THEY'RE GOING TO FIX IT OR MAKER IT BETTER.

AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IS YOU'VE GONE OUT THERE AND YOU'VE TAKEN IDEAS WHICH OTHERS ARE USING -- YOU SAID THERE'S NO MAGIC HERE WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT IT'S THE WAY YOU APPROACH THE BUSINESSES, IT'S THE WAY YOU WALK IN AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS.

SOME FOLKS WILL ALWAYS SAY, WELL, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, AND THERE'S A LOT OF [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] OUT THERE, BUT I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AND TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AND YOU'RE REALLY BEING, I THINK -- POLK HAS BEEN WELL SERVED BY YOU, AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE SUCCESSFUL IN NOVEMBER.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: AND HOPEFULLY HIS HEAD IS NOT BIG -- YOU KNOW, TOO BIG TO GET OUT THE FRONT DOOR NOW.

>>MARK SHARPE: HE'S A GROUNDED MAN.

>> THE PROOF IS IN NOVEMBER.

IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WITH THAT, WE HEAD TO POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED SERVICES.

CAN YOU TOP THAT, JAY?

>> NO.

I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT WHERE YOU FALL ON THE AGENDA SETS THE TONE, BUT I'M GOING TO BE --

>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME.

>> -- BRINGING THE TONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

MY NAME IS JAY GOODWILL.

I'M WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA CENTER FOR URBAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH OR CUTR.

APPROXIMATELY IN LATE 2012, WE WERE -- I WAS CONTRACTED WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAMILY AND AGING SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO TAKE A LOOK AT SPECIFICALLY WHETHER -- WHAT THE FEASIBILITY OR RAMIFICATIONS OF CONSOLIDATING THE HARTPLUS ADA SERVICE WITH THE COUNTY'S SUNSHINE SERVICE.

THE -- THE IDEA -- IT WAS A -- WHAT WE CALL -- I'D CALL A MACRO REVIEW.

IT LOOKED AT EXISTING DATA, IT REALLY DIDN'T CREATE NEW DATA OR NEW RESEARCH, BUT IT WAS EXISTING REPORTS AND DATA AND THEN INTERVIEWING STAFFS OF BOTH AGENCIES ON THE MATTER.

TO JUST KIND OF GIVE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT MANY OF THIS -- YOU'RE -- I'M SURE YOU'RE WELL AWARE, BUT SUNSHINE LINE IS A SERVICE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

IT'S FOCUSED MORE ON PEOPLE BECAUSE OF DISABILITY, AGE, OR INCOME HAVE -- ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE OR PURCHASE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.

IT'S REALLY A DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE, BUT IT DOES HAVE A BIG COMPONENT WHERE IT PURCHASES OR SUBSIDIZES BUS PASSES ON THE HART SERVICE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN USE THAT SERVICE, AND IT'S SERVED AS THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR UNDER THE FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED PROGRAM.

THE HARTPLUS SERVICE IS PROVIDED BY THE -- THE HILLSBOROUGH AREA REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM.

IT'S CALLED COMPLIMENTARY ADA PARATRANSIT SYSTEM THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR EVERYWHERE YOU HAVE REGULAR BUS SERVICE.

IT'S A DOOR-TO-DOOR.

IT'S LIMITED TO A -- RESTRICTED TO A THREE-QUARTER-MILE ON EACH SIDE OF A CORRIDOR OF EXISTING ROUTES, IT HAS TO HAVE COMPARABLE SERVICE TO THE OTHER HART SERVICES, AND THEN THERE'S REALLY NO LIMITATIONS ON TRIP PRIORITIES OR TRIP RESTRICTIONS, SO IT'S A [INAUDIBLE]

THIS IS THE HARTPLUS SERVICE AREA, WHICH IS THE THREE-QUARTER-MILE ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROUTES, AND I'LL FOCUS BACK ON THAT IN A MINUTE.

THIS IS -- THE HARTPLUS FOCUSES ON PEOPLE WITH FUNCTIONAL DISABILITIES.

IT'S NOT AN INCOME-BASED, BUT IT'S PEOPLE WITH FUNCTIONAL DISABILITIES WITHIN THAT SERVICE AREA THAT ARE UNABLE TO -- UNABLE TO USE THE HART BUSES TO PROVIDE SERVICE, EITHER MIGHT NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE BUS OR JUST THE INABILITY TO USE IT.

IT HAS A SERVICE AREA OF ABOUT 243 SQUARE MILES, AND BOTH THE ORIGIN AND DESTINATION OF THAT TRIP NEED TO BE WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA, SO IT'S ...

THE SUNSHINE LINE, AS I MENTIONED, FOCUSED ON THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED POPULATIONS, AND IT'S A COUNTYWIDE SERVICE WITH REALLY FOUR TIMES THE SERVICE AREA OR OVER 1,000 SQUARE MILES.

SO I'M GOING TO START KIND OF CONTRASTING THE TWO WHERE THERE'S SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES.

THE SERVICE HOURS, THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.

THE HARTPLUS FOLLOWS THE SAME HOURS AS THE REGULAR HART SERVICES.

IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO -- IT'S 22 -- 21.5 HOURS DURING THE WEEKDAYS AND LONG SERVICE SPANS EVEN ON THE WEEKENDS, PRETTY MUCH ALL DAY LONG AND ALL EVENING.

THE SUNSHINE LINE IS ESSENTIALLY FROM 6:00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 5:00 P.M. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

THERE'S NO WEEKEND SERVICES AVAILABLE.

THE FARES, THE HARTPLUS FARE TO THE PASSENGER IS $4 PER TRIP, WHICH IS TWICE THE FIXED-ROUTE FARE OF $2, AND IN FISCAL 2012 IT GENERATED ABOUT $390,000 OF FAREBOX REVENUE.

SUNSHINE LINE IS -- FARES -- THERE'S NOT AS BIG A FOCUS, AND IT'S BASED MORE ON A SLIDING SCALE BASED ON INCOME, AND THEIR TOTAL REVENUE -- FAREBOX REVENUE FOR THE SAME PERIOD IS JUST OVER 42,000.

AS I MENTIONED, THE HARTPLUS, THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT PRIORITIZING ANY TRIPS BY PURPOSE, SO A TRIP TO THE HAIR PARLOR OR HAIR SALON VERSUS TO THE LOCAL BAR VERSUS A MEDICAL TRIP ALL MUST BE TREATED EQUALLY.

AND WHERE THE SUNSHINE LINE CAN -- CAN PRIORITIZE TRIPS AND DO -- THE LIFE-SUSTAINING TRIPS ARE GIVEN TOP PRIORITY, AND THEN THE OTHER TRIPS BASED ON -- ARE REALLY MET BASED ON

EXISTING -- OR FUNDING AVAILABILITY.

THE SERVICE -- SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS IS THE HARTPLUS HAS CURRENTLY A 30-MINUTE PICKUP WINDOW, MEANING IF I'VE SCHEDULED TO PICK YOU UP AT 8:00, THE BUS MAY GET THERE A HALF HOUR EARLY OR A HALF HOUR LATE AND STILL BE CONSIDERED ON TIME.

AND THIS -- THIS IS TIGHTENED -- AND, AGAIN, IT'S RELATED TO THE EXISTING HART SERVICE, WHERE THE SUNSHINE LINE HAS A WINDOW OF -- YOU HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE 90 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT.

THE -- THE UNION OR EMPLOYEE IMPACTS ALSO IMPACT ON THIS DECISION.

THE HARTPLUS ARE MEMBERS OF ATU LOCAL 1593 AND UNDER THE LABOR PROVISIONS OF THAT, AND AS PART OF THAT, THERE'S FEDERAL LABOR PROTECTION REQUIRE -- OR PROVISIONS THAT -- THAT IN THE EVENT THOSE -- THOSE EMPLOYEES' JOBS WERE TAKEN THAT HART WOULD HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE -- ASSIMILATE THEM IN OTHER -- INTO OTHER JOBS OR FINANCIALLY TRAIN THEM.

THE SUNSHINE LINE ARE NOT -- DRIVERS ARE NOT IN AN ORGANIZED BARGAINING UNIT.

THE WAGES -- THE WAGE RATES ARE VERY SIMILAR.

THE -- HART STARTS ABOUT $1.50 MORE PER HOUR AND THEN AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF SERVICE GOES UP TO $253 -- $2.53 -- I'M

SORRY -- $2.53 AN HOUR MORE THAN THE SUNSHINE LINE, BUT THE BIG THING IS THEY -- IT'S A PROGRESSIVE PAY SCALE BASED ON YEARS OF SERVICE, SO AFTER EIGHT YEARS, THEY TOP OUT AT THE $16.77 FOR THE PARATRANSIT OR VAN DRIVERS, WHERE SUNSHINE LINE STARTS, AND THEN THEIR ANNUAL INCREASES ARE BASED ON EITHER MERIT OR COST OF LIVING THAT THE COUNTY GRANTS THEIR EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THE SUNSHINE LINE OPERATORS.

THE FLEETS ARE COMPARABLE.

THE HART BUSES TEND TO BE SMALLER IN SIZE BECAUSE OF THE -- JUST THE SERVICE OPERATION.

THEY DON'T DO AS MANY MULTILOADS BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTENED TIME FRAMES.

THEY RANGE FROM THREE TO TEN WITH AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT EIGHT SEATS PER VEHICLE.

THEY'RE DIESEL POWERED.

THE SUNSHINE LINE HAS 64 VEHICLES, AND BOTH FLEETS ARE TOTALLY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.

THE SEATING CAPACITY AVERAGES 12 ON THE SUNSHINE LINE, AND THEY'RE GASOLINE POWERED, WHICH ...

FROM A TECHNOLOGY, THEY -- ALL THE VEHICLES HAVE AUTOMATIC VEHICLE LOCATORS, MOBILE DATA TERMINALS, WHICH IS VERY GOOD.

THE RESERVATION SYSTEMS ARE TWO DIFFERENT -- HARTPLUS USES THE TRAPEZE AND SUNSHINE LINE USES ROUTE MATCH.

THE REVENUE SOURCES, HART HAS THE LOCAL SUPPORT FAREBOX REVENUE AND THEN THE FLORIDA D.O.T. BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM AND THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION FUNDING SOURCES, PRELIMINARY THE 5307 FORMULA FUNDING.

THE SUNSHINE HAS MULTIPLE GRANTS, INCLUDING THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED FUNDS, THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND, AGAIN, SOME FAREBOX REVENUE BUT SOMEWHAT MINIMAL.

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, AS PART OF THE SUNSHINE LINE, THEY DO PURCHASE BUSES, SO THERE IS THAT COOPERATIVE EFFORT, AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE USE HART WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE BECAUSE THOSE TRIPS ARE SO MUCH MORE COST-EFFICIENT IF YOU'RE ABLE TO USE IT.

BUDGETWISE THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR.

TOGETHER THEY'RE ONE POINT -- OR $8.6 MILLION OF INVESTMENT.

THE SUNSHINE LINE PASSENGER PRIORITY AND PASSENGER LOADING ARE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN HARTPLUS DUE TO THE ABILITY TO DO MORE MULTILOADING OR MORE PEOPLE ON COMMON TRIP DESTINATIONS OR ORIGINS.

OPERATING COSTS PER HOUR ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR, BUT ON A PER-COST TRIP, THE SUNSHINE LINE IS ABOUT 80% -- OR 70% OF HARTPLUS, SOMEWHAT DO TO THE MULTILOADING AND ALSO, GENERALLY, THE LOWER OPERATOR RATES.

ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WOULD ENTER INTO THIS DECISION WOULD BE THE COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR DESIGNATION, AND EACH COUNTY HAS TO HAVE A DESIGNATED COORDINATOR UNDER THE FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COMMISSION.

OF THE -- THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS BEEN THE DESIGNATED COORDINATOR SINCE 1990, AND OF THE -- COMPARING THE OTHER 29 COUNTIES THAT HAVE THE FIXED-ROUTE OR TRADITIONAL BUS SYSTEMS, THREE-QUARTERS ARE ALSO THE CTC OR THE COORDINATOR AND THE OTHERS ARE NOT, AND IT'S QUITE OFTEN THE ONES THAT ARE INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES, SO THERE'S NO -- THERE'S A MIXED BAG, BUT QUITE OFTEN, IF THE CITY OR COUNTY ARE OPERATING THE BUS SYSTEM, THEY QUITE OFTEN ASSUME THE CTC ROLES AS WELL, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

THE -- WHAT WE TRIED TO LOOK AT IS DIFFERENT WAYS TO -- THIS COULD BE APPROACHED, AND THE NEXT SLIDE KIND OF GOES INTO THE OPTION.

I LOOKED AT -- ONE WOULD BE THE STATUS QUO, BASICALLY KEEPING THE -- THE ORGANIZATIONS AS THEY ARE NOW, SEPARATED WITH SOME COOPERATION AND NOT CHANGING THE DESIGNATIONS.

THE SECOND OPTION WOULD BE TO MOVE THE COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR ROLE FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR SUNSHINE LINE OVER TO HART AND HAVE SUNSHINE LINE MAINTAIN THE OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES THEY PROVIDE.

THE OTHER IS TO HAVE ALL THE CURRENT SUNSHINE LINE GO TO HART, AND THEN THE OTHER WAS TO MOVE -- TO CONSOLIDATE EVERYTHING WITH SUNSHINE.

SO IT'S KIND OF JUST MOVING ONE FUNCTION OR MOVING ALL TO ONE ORGANIZATION OR THE OTHER.

THESE ARE KIND OF THE THINGS THAT DROVE -- AND I'VE GONE THROUGH MOST OF THESE ALREADY -- HAS KIND OF IMPACTED THE DECISION OR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CAME UP WITH, AND OUR RECOMMENDATION WHEN IT WAS ALL DONE, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SIMILARITIES, THERE'S ENOUGH DIFFERENCES THAT WE FELT THAT TO MAKE ANY DRASTIC CHANGES WAS NOT JUSTIFIED OR THE BEST COURSE, AND IT WAS BASED ON SEVERAL FACTORS.

ONE IS THE -- THE EXISTING MODEL'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

BOTH HAVE -- SEEM TO BE OPERATING IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL AND COST-EFFICIENT MANNER.

THE MISSIONS -- THE PRIMARY MISSIONS ARE -- SEEM TO BE ALIGNED WITH -- WITH THE -- THE ORGANIZATIONS, WHERE THE SUNSHINE LINE IS MORE OF A SOCIAL SERVICE, TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED NEED FOCUS AND SUPPORT SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS IN THAT AREA.

AND THEN ALTHOUGH THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENCES IN SERVICE AREAS, SERVICE HOURS, SOME OF THE OPERATING STANDARDS, TRIP DENIALS, THE LABOR ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE A MAJOR IMPACT, SHIFTING PEOPLE OVER TO HART WOULD PROBABLY -- WOULD REQUIRE SOME NEGOTIATION, REQUIRING SLIGHTLY HIGHER LABOR RATES FOR THE SUNSHINE -- FOR THOSE OPERATORS THAT WOULD MOVE OVER.

AND THE POTENTIAL COMMINGLING OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND ADA, BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT OPERATING RULES AND REGULATIONS, MAY BE LIMITED, ALTHOUGH THAT, I THINK, COULD BE OVERCOME.

SO -- THEN THE OTHER IS THE POSSIBLE DISCONNECT WITH SOME OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE COMMUNITY WITH THE SUNSHINE LINE IF IT WAS MOVED OVER TO HARTPLUS.

AND THEN IN THE END, IT WAS -- ALTHOUGH ANYTHING WOULD BE POSSIBLE, IT JUST SEEMED THERE WEREN'T ANY REAL MAJOR POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS.

THERE COULD BE DISRUPTION OF SERVICES AND -- THAT -- IF -- THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO ANY OF THESE MOVES I THINK COULD BE BETTER SPENT ON OTHER MATTERS.

SO THAT WAS OUR RECOMMENDATION.

IT WAS PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPED THROUGH MYSELF, SO -- AND THAT'S IT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.

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

ANY QUESTIONS?

COUNCILMAN COHEN.

>>HARRY COHEN: JUST A COMMENT.

IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT, AND WE CERTAINLY SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF OUR TIME HERE GRAPPLING WITH THE BIG CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.

I KNOW THAT -- I CHAIR THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD, AND THERE IS WIDESPREAD AGREEMENT AMONG THAT GROUP AND OTHERS THAT THE SUNSHINE LINE REALLY PROVIDES A TERRIFIC SERVICE AND IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY APPRECIATED IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO I PERSONALLY APPLAUD YOU FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO SAY THAT IF IT AIN'T BROKE, WE SHOULDN'T FIX IT, AND WE SHOULD, OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO TRY TO IMPROVE, BUT IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING.

>>MARK SHARPE: CHAIRMAN SUAREZ.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: OF HART.

I WAS LIKE, WHAT AM I CHAIR OF TODAY?

MR. GOODWILL, QUICK QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE OPTIONS OF SUNSHINE LINE OPERATING SIMILAR SERVICES THAT HARTPLUS DOES, IS THAT A POSSIBILITY?

IS THERE ANY LIMITATION TO THAT OTHER THAN BOCC MAKING THE DETERMINATION TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR NOT OR --

>> WELL --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: LET ME JUST -- BEFORE I FINISH -- BUT NOT TAKE IT -- ALL THE SUNSHINE BUSES OUT OF CIRCULATION BUT MAYBE A PORTION OF IT?

LET'S SAY WE TOOK -- OF THOSE 64, WE TOOK 20 OF THEM AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO ADD THEM AS HARTPLUS TYPE SERVICES BUT IT'S STILL RUNNING UNDER SUNSHINE LINE, DID YOU ALL LOOK AT THAT -- IF THERE WERE ANY EFFICIENCIES DOING THAT OR NOT OR --

>> NOT SPECIFICALLY.

ALTHOUGH DURING THE CONVERSATIONS PRIOR TO -- BOTH STAFFS HAD MOVED SOME OF THE DIALYSIS TRIPS FROM THE SUNSHINE LINE OVER TO THE HARTPLUS FOR THOSE IN THE HARTPLUS SERVICE AREA.

THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE.

YOU KNOW, THE BUS PASS PROGRAM IS ANOTHER EFFICIENCY.

THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: OKAY.

>> BUT --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: BUT THERE WAS NO THOUGHT TO JUST SAYING, WELL, LOOK, IF WE PUT THESE 20 SUNSHINE LINE BUSES THAT ARE PROVIDING THE SAME SERVICES THAT HARTPLUS IS -- MEANING PROVIDING EXACTLY THOSE SERVICES -- THERE'S NO LIMITATION TO DOING THAT OTHER THAN BOCC REGULATION; CORRECT?

BECAUSE HART HAS DIFFERENT REGULATION IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT PROVIDE VERSUS WHAT SUNSHINE LINE CAN.

>> RIGHT.

THERE WOULD BE NO -- THERE WOULD BE NO LIMITATIONS --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: RIGHT.

>> -- TO EXPLORE THAT.

THE SCHEDULING AND COMMINGLING OF THE TRIPS, BECAUSE OF THE -- THE HART'S SMALLER DELIVERY WINDOW, THERE MAY NOT BE AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME THAT'S WITHIN THE HARTPLUS SERVICE AREA.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY THING --

>> THERE'S NOTHING TO PROHIBIT THAT OPTION.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY THOUGHT THAT I HAD IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, NOT ESSENTIALLY A CONSOLIDATION BUT A HYBRID OF SOME KIND, WHICH, YOU KNOW, SUNSHINE MAY FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER TRIPS THAT HARTPLUS NEEDS TO PROVIDE AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO BECAUSE THEY ONLY HAVE 44 BUSES AND RESTRICTIVE; WHEREAS, YOU COULD KIND OF PROVIDE SOME OF THE SAME SERVICES WITHOUT IT --

>> RIGHT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: -- NECESSARILY BEING CONSOLIDATED.

>> YEAH.

THE -- ONE OF THE NOT NECESSARILY DANGERS BUT POSSIBLE IMPACTS IS SINCE SUNSHINE LINE NOW IS ONLY 6:00 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 5:00 AT NIGHT, IF IT WAS IN WITH HART BUSES, THEN THERE MIGHT BE SOME PRESSURE TO EXPAND THE HOURS OF SERVICE, WHICH WOULD BE A BUDGET IMPACT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: GOT IT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.

AND I KNOW WE'RE GETTING SHORT ON TIME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU PUT INTO THIS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I THINK THE ISSUE -- YES, IT WOULD BE EASY TO TRANSFER AND GO BACK AND FORTH.

I FOLLOWED THE DIALYSIS PILOT VERY CLOSELY, AND IT ENDED UP THAT WE PUSHED MORE PEOPLE OVER TO THE HARTPLUS PROGRAM THROUGH THAT EFFORT, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO REALLY SUPPORT THAT, AND THEN IF WE DID MOVE SUNSHINE LINE BUSES OVER TO HARTPLUS, YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IS THE BOCC FUNDING GOING TO FOLLOW THOSE BUSES?

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL -- IT'S ALL TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE LOW-INCOME AND DISABLED, AND I THINK -- I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE BETTER COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS, BETTER COMMUNICATION, TRY TO ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES IF AND WHENEVER POSSIBLE, BUT AS A LEGISLATOR IN TALLAHASSEE WHO HAD TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR DISADVANTAGED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THIS IS A VERY NEEDED SERVICE.

I DON'T WANT TO ROCK THE BOAT BECAUSE PEOPLE'S LIVES WOULD BE SHAKEN, OBVIOUSLY, BY ANY MOVE WE WOULD MAKE, AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE UNDER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.

NOW, I DO HAVE -- I DO HAVE OUR STAFF WORKING BECAUSE THERE IS -- FOR SOME REASON, WE ARE NOT USING ALL OF OUR SUNSHINE LINE BUSES RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE STAFF WORKING ON THAT.

I KNOW I'M WORKING WITH MICHELE OGILVIE ON THIS ISSUE, SO I HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT RESOLVED SOON AND SEE WHERE THAT GOES, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.

FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.

AND THE FINAL STATUS REPORT IS UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM UPDATE, MS. McKINLEY.

YOU ARE NOT MS. McKINLEY.

>>RICH CLARENDON: I AM NOT SARAH.

RICH CLARENDON WITH THE MPO STAFF.

SARAH COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, SO I'M GOING TO COVER THIS FOR HER.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

>>RICH CLARENDON: THERE WE GO.

THANK YOU.

I KNOW THIS HOUR IS GROWING LATE, SO I'M GOING TO SPEED THROUGH THE FIRST FEW SLIDES HERE.

I THINK THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN ON THE MPO BOARD CERTAINLY KNOW WE HAVE THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM, AND IT DOES SORT OF SET FORWARD FOR A TWO-YEAR PERIOD THAT STARTS IN JULY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WHAT WE ANTICIPATE IN TERMS OF TASKS, AND HOW MUCH MONEY, GRANT DOLLARS, WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO DO THOSE TASKS.

SO JUST TO REMIND YOU-ALL, THESE ARE SORT OF THE STANDARD WORK ELEMENTS THAT ARE IN THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM.

IT RANGES FROM, YOU KNOW, TECHNICAL, DETAILED WORK RELATED TO DATA, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BE LARGELY THROUGH THE TECHNICAL PROCESS BY THE TIME JULY GETS HERE, THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

THESE ARE SORT OF STANDARD BREAD-AND-BUTTER PRODUCTS THAT THE MPO PRODUCES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

IT ALSO COVERS OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND PARTICIPATION PROGRAM.

AND IMPORTANTLY, WE ALSO BRING IN TASKS THAT HART AND THE FLORIDA D.O.T. EXPECT TO BE DOING OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM.

SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, THIS IS SORT OF A QUICK RUNDOWN OF WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF WHICH YOU'VE SEEN, SOME OF WHICH ARE ONGOING, YOU MAY BE AWARE OF BUT HAVEN'T SEEN A FINAL PRODUCT ON, AND WE WILL BRING THOSE FORWARD TO YOU WHEN WE COMPLETE THEM.

ONE THING I WANTED TO FOCUS ON IS WHAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEES AND OUR OUTREACH TO YOUR STAFFS IN TERMS OF WHERE WE CAN HELP LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.

THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ONGOING ACTIVITIES, ONE-WAY PAIRS STUDY, NOT PARIS STUDY, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LOCATION OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE HAVE SOME ONE-WAY STREETS AND IS IT REASONABLE TO CONSIDER PERHAPS CONVERTING THOSE BACK TO TWO-WAY OPERATIONS; LOOKING AT SOME CONGESTED CORRIDORS, GUNN HIGHWAY, FOR EXAMPLE, FOWLER AVENUE IN TEMPLE TERRACE; THE GREEN ARTERY PROGRAM, WHICH YOU'RE AWARE OF -- AND MS. YOUNG GREEN WAS HERE EARLIER TALKING ABOUT -- WE HAVE A PHASING PLAN THAT WE WANT TO DO FOR THAT.

THE -- YOUR BPAC, BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE STUDY FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTY.

SOME OF THE JURISDICTIONS ALREADY -- WE HAVE HAD COMPLETE STREETS STUDIES DONE FOR SOME OF THE JURISDICTIONS; LOOKING AT MULTIUSE TRAILS CONNECTING US BOTH TO PINELLAS AND ALL THE WAY DOWN TO MANATEE, BASICALLY FOCUSING ON GAPS THAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM HAVING COMPLETE CONNECTIVITY AND SYSTEM; FOLLOW-UP FREIGHT AND GOODS MOVEMENT STUDIES AND A TRUCK ROUTE PLAN UPDATE FOR THE COUNTY; AND THEN BASIC TRAFFIC COUNTS AND LEVEL-OF-SERVICE DATABASE.

THIS IS KIND OF WHERE A LOT OF THE DATA THAT WE USE IN OUR STUDIES COMES FROM.

SO THAT'S A VERY QUICK RUNDOWN OF WHAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IN YOUR PLANNING WORK PROGRAM FOR THE UPCOMING TWO YEARS.

THIS IS A DRAFT AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE STILL WORKING TO FINALIZE SOME OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.

THIS IS -- THESE ARE VERY PRELIMINARY NUMBERS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AVAILABLE TO US, TOTALING AROUND $2.2 MILLION.

I REALIZE THIS IS PROBABLY A LITTLE HARD TO SEE, BUT WE DO HAVE A BUDGET ASSOCIATED WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE LINE ITEMS AND TASKS.

IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO WHAT WE EXPECT TO SPEND BOTH FOR IN-HOUSE STAFF WORK AS WELL AS WHAT WE EXPECT TO ASSIGN TO OUR GENERAL PLANNING CONSULTANTS AS CONSULTANT TASKS.

AGAIN, THESE ARE PRELIMINARY AT THIS POINT.

WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK TO YOU A COMPLETE DRAFT FOR YOUR ADOPTION AT YOUR NEXT MEETING IN MAY, AND IF THERE'S QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, RICH.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.

EXCELLENT.

>>RICH CLARENDON: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

OLD OR NEW BUSINESS.

WE'LL TAKE YOUR REPORT.

>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: OKAY.

I'VE HANDED OUT WHAT -- MY ACTIVITIES.

I'M JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON THREE THINGS, AND THAT'S TO REMIND YOU THE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING BEING HELD

APRIL 29th AT 9:00 A.M. AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM, NEXT MPO MEETING WILL BE MAY 6th AT 9:00 A.M. HERE IN THE BOCC CHAMBERS, AND THIS FRIDAY WE'RE HAVING THE TAMPA BAY TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT AREA MEETING, THAT'S PASCO, PINELLAS, AND HILLSBOROUGH REPS, THIS FRIDAY,

APRIL 4th, 9:30, AT ATKINS CONSULTING ON BOY SCOUT BOULEVARD.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE STAND ADJOURNED.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download