CAPTIONING ghcounty.org



CAPTIONING

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

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

>> JAY VICKERS: GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th, MEETING OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

WENDELL, WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAD US?

>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

>> JAY VICKERS: THANK YOU.

NEXT, DEBRA, WOULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE?

>> DEBORAH COPE: SURE.

IT WILL SHALL BE THE FOLLOWING TO REVIEW THE COUNTY ISSUES BIT BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND TO INITIATE PROPOSALS AND FORWARD THEM TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTIONS.

>> JAY VICKERS: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT UP, WE WILL DO THE INTRODUCTIONS.

WE START OVER TO MY LEFT.

SPENCER.

>> SPENCER KASS: GOOD MORNING.

SPENCER KASS APPOINTED BY SANDY MURMAN.

>> DEBORAH COPE: DEBRA CON, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER KEVIN BECKNER.

>> WENDELL DUGGINS APPOINTED BY LES MILLER.

>> KAY DOUGHTY.

>> BARBARA ADDER HOLD.

>> AND TONY JACKSON.

I WAS APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER AL HIGGINBOTHAM.

>> JAY VICKERS: THANK YOU.

NEXT UP IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

ANYONE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

NO?

OKAY.

NEXT UP, WE WILL REVIEW THE MEETING RECAP FROM AUGUST 23 IN YOUR BINDER, IF YOU COULD TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THE AUGUST 23rd RECAP, IF YOU HAVEN'T VIEWED IT ALREADY.

I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT WHENEVER WE ARE READY.

>> MOVE TO APPROVE.

>> SECOND.

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL IN FAVOR?

[ CHORUS OF AYES ]

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT UP, WE HAVE MR. RAY CHIARAMONTE, WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING THIS MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.

WE ARE GOING TO -- WHAT I HAD PLANNED TODAY WAS GOING THROUGH AN EXERCISE THAT WE ARE INVOLVED WITH ALL OVER THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS THE MOST AMBITIOUS CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PROCESS WE HAVE EVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE HAVE TRIED TO COME UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S VERY USER FRIENDLY FOR MODERN TIMES AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ANYONE CAN DO ON A COMPUTER, BUT WE ALSO DO IT BY PAPER, WHICH YOU SHOULD HAVE A SHEET LIKE THIS IN FRONT OF YOU.

THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL BE USING.

AND DOES EVERYBODY HAVE A PENCIL OR A PEN?

THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.

IF NOT, WE CAN FIND ONE FOR YOU, IF -- IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE.

WHAT WE WANTED TO DO THIS TIME, WITH THE UPDATE OF OUR FOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU, I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU BEFORE AND I THINK I TOLD YOU THAT THAT WAS OUR GOAL TO ACTUALLY UPDATE THE M.P.O. PLAN AND ALL FOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AT THE SAME TIME.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT WAS AN AMBITIOUS GOAL AND IT REALLY IS A LOT OF WORK FOR STAFF.

WE ARE OUT CONSTANTLY TALKING TO PEOPLE, AND DOING THINGS IN THIS EFFORT.

THE EVERY WE WILL GO THROUGH LASTED UNTIL OCTOBER 20th.

IT'S SOMETHING WE HOPE YOU WILL SPREAD THE WORD WITH, THE MORE PARTICIPANTS WE HAVE, THE BETTER OFF WE ARE.

WE ALREADY HAD OVER 2,000 PEOPLE DO THIS, WHICH FAR SURPASSES ANY KIND OF CITIZEN INPUT WE'VE HAD BEFORE.

MOSTLY THROUGH KIOSKS THAT ARE KIND OF TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY.

WE HAVE THREE OF THEM THAT YOU CAN DO, LIKE, IN SHOPPING MALLS OR LIBRARIES OR DIFFERENT PLACES.

PLUS, THE PAPER COPIES, WHEN WE GO OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE, TODAY, I'M GOING TO DO THE SAME THING WITH THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL OVER DIFFERENT CIVIC GROUPS AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS TO OTHER PLACES WE CAN GO, BEYOND WHERE WE HAVE BEEN SO FAR, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL ALSO.

THE IDEA IS TO GET PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND GET PEOPLE TO REALLY DO THIS AND GIVE US SOME IDEA WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

THIS INFORMATION IS GOING TO HELP US COMPILE A PLAN THAT REPRESENTS WHAT WE'RE KIND OF HEARING ARE THE IMPORTANT ISSUES ON THE PART OF THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

I THINK WE LEARNED A LOT AND I PRESENTED THIS TO THIS GROUP TOO, WAS OUR POST-REFERENDUM ANALYSIS AFTER OUR LAST TRAFFIC REFERENDUM TO FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE REALLY THOUGHT.

AND WHEN WE TALKED TO THE VOTERS, YOU KNOW, WE LEARNED A LOT MORE THAN WE DID FROM JUST OUR NORMAL TYPE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS WE HAVE.

WE REALLY NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE, WHO ARE UNLIKE YOU GUYS, WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING AND PARTICIPATING IN GOVERNMENT, WHERE THEIR ONLY PARTICIPATION IS THEY JUST VOTE, THEY TEND TO VOTE.

THEY DON'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME OPINIONS THAT WE IN GOVERNMENT HAVE OR EVEN CIVIC LEADERS HAVE AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAP IN TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY ARE THINKING OR EVEN WHAT THEY UNDERSTAND ABOUT ISSUES.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED IS THAT WE ASSUMED THEY UNDERSTOOD A LOT MORE ABOUT HOW THINGS WORK THAN THEY ACTUALLY WORK.

BECAUSE WE ARE USED TO DEALING WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOU, THAT KIND OF UNDERSTANDS HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS.

ANYTHING WE DO HAS TO BE A BIG EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS EFFORT.

LET ME START IT UP HERE AND SEE IF EVERYTHING IS WORKING.

OKAY.

THE IDEA, AGAIN, WE ARE TRYING TO DESIGN THE FUTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S DIFFERENT THIS TIME IS WE'RE NOT JUST GOING OUT AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE M.P.O., WHICH WE ALWAYS HAD SEPARATE EFFORTS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE PLANS.

NOW WE HAVE COMBINED THEM TOGETHER.

BUT WE HAVE ALSO ARE WORKING WITH THE JURISDICTIONS UP FRONT, INVOLVING THEM IN THE PROCESS A YEAR BEFORE THESE PLANS ARE DUE.

WE REALLY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE DOING THAT NOW.

YOU MAY BE AWARE THAT MIKE MERRILL CREATED THIS POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP.

THAT'S PART OF THE INPUT TO THIS PLANNING PROCESS.

THEY HAVE A LEADERSHIP GROUP, ADVISORY GROUP AND WORKING GROUP AND THERE ARE THREE LEVELS OF PARTICIPATIONS AND ALL JURISDICTIONS ARE INVOLVED.

YOU HAVE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE THREE MAYORS FROM THE JURISDICTIONS, WHICH, AGAIN, I HAVE NEVER REALLY SEEN THEM ALL SIT TOGETHER ON A COMMITTEE IN ANY PLANNING PROCESS.

SO IT SEEMS THE STARS HAVE ALIGNED TO REALLY DO SOMETHING THOROUGH AND DEEP AND SOMETHING THAT HOPEFULLY WILL PRODUCE GOOD RESULTS.

WE NEED IDEAS.

WE NEED PEOPLE'S GOOD IDEAS.

THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER, IS THE 400 TO 600,000 MORE NEW RESIDENTS THAT WILL BE COMING HERE OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS.

AND, REMEMBER, THESE AREN'T JUST PEOPLE MOVING HERE.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS A YOUNGER COUNTY.

WE DON'T REALLY FIT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF FLORIDA VERY WELL OR ANY OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA.

OUR AVERAGE AGE IS NOT, IN FACT -- IT'S YOUNGER THAN THE UNITED STATES IS AS A WHOLE, BY A SLIGHT PERCENT.

SO WE ARE NOT A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY.

WE ARE A WORKING COMMUNITY, UNLIKE PINELLAS OR SARASOTA COUNTY OR PASCO.

WE ARE DIFFERENT.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANY ONE MOVE HERE.

JUST HAVING KIDS WE GROW.

A LOT OF FLORIDA COUNTIES DEPEND ON PEOPLE MOVING THERE TO GROW THEIR POPULATION.

IF NOBODY EVER MOVED HERE, WE WOULD STILL GROW.

NOT BY THIS MUCH, BUT IT WOULD STILL GROW.

A LOT OF CHALLENGES, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE COMING HERE.

SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.

THE PRIORITIES WE ARE LOOKING AT ARE GOING TO HELP SHAPE THE NEXT UPDATES OF OUR LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND OUR FOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.

THE REASON WE ARE ABLE TO DO THESE PLANS AT THE SAME TIME IS IN PRIOR YEARS, WE HAD VERY STRICT STATE RULES ON COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING.

THEY HAD A CERTAIN SCHEDULE OF WHEN YOU HAD TO DO THE PLANS.

WELL, WE KNOW THOSE RULES HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND ARE NOT AS STRINGENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY.

THE M.P.O. PLAN, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS GUIDED BY FEDERAL RULES AND THERE AREN'T A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY.

SO WHAT WE DID IS WE ATTACHED THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TO THE SCHEDULE OF THE M.P.O. PLAN.

SO WE ARE ABLE TO LEVERAGE FEDERAL PLANNING DOLLARS THAT WE HAD FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND COMBINE THEM WITH LOCAL FUNDS TO MAKE A MORE ROBUST PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS, MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT WE NEED TO GATHER FOR BOTH PLANS.

SO WE'RE DOING THAT TOGETHER.

SO THAT'S ONE ASSET, TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PLANS TOGETHER.

YOU CAN DO A BETTER JOB.

A LOT CAN CHANGE IN 25 YEARS.

WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS, WHAT WILL THE NEW HOMES HERE LOOK LIKE?

HOW WILL PEOPLE GET TO WORK?

HOW WILL WE PAY FOR IT ALL?

THIS IS REALLY ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION.

WE ARE PLANNING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, JUST LIKE MY PARENT'S GENERATION BUILT THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS FOR MY GENERATION.

WE ARE HERE TO PASS THIS ON.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT US.

IT'S ABOUT OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN AND NEIGHBORS AND NIECES AND NEPHEWS AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY WHAT WE DECIDE RIGHT NOW.

WHAT DO WE LOOK LIKE TODAY?

THIS IS KIND OF AN ABSTRACT MAP OF THE COUNTY.

WE HAVE 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE.

25% OF OUR LAND IS IN AGRICULTURE.

WE PRESERVED 10% IN ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION, WHICH IS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE LAST 20 YEARS.

87% OF OUR DEVELOPMENT IS OCCURRING INSIDE WHAT WE CALL THE URBAN SERVICE AREA IN THE LAST DECADE.

WHEN WE FIRST ADOPTED THAT, IN THE EARLY 1990s, OUR GOAL WAS 80%.

SO WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING PRETTY WELL.

ON MAYBE THE DOWN SIDE IS OUR BUS SERVICE, THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TRANSIT SERVICE, BASICALLY, ONLY WOULD REACH HALF OF THE JOBS AVAILABLE WITH VERY LIMITED HOURS.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES US A LITTLE BIT AT A DISADVANTAGE WITH SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS.

STUDIES SHOW THAT TRAFFIC IS ABOUT THE SIXTH WORST IN THE UNITED STATES.

I WILL TELL YOU, I-275 FROM THE USF AREA TO WEST SHORE IS ONE OF THE 14 WORST INTERSTATE SEGMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

IF YOU DRIVE ON IT AT ALL, LIKE I DID THIS MORNING, I DON'T THINK YOU WILL HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH THAT.

WE HAVE A HIGH PEDESTRIAN FATALITY RATE, THAT THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE REALLY STARTING TO LOOK AT NOW AND, OF COURSE, WE KNOW IN THE RECESSION, WE LOST 25 OF OUR JOB -- 25% OF OUR JOBS ALTHOUGH SOME OF THAT IS COMING BACK NOW.

WHAT WE TRIES TO DO IS CREATE THREE STORIES FOR PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT.

WE DEBATED THIS A LOT AND TALKED A LOT HOW TO DO IT AND WE DECIDED WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE NEGATIVE AT ALL.

WE JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PRESENT THINGS, AS PEOPLE MIGHT SEE THEM.

SO WE NAMED THEM SUBURBAN DREAM, BUSTLING METRO AND NEW CORPORATE CENTERS.

AND KIND OF TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE CHARACTERISTIC DIFFERENCES OF THOSE THREE CHOICES WOULD BE.

BEFORE YOU DO THIS, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE AREN'T THINKING THAT ONE OF THESE IS, LIKE, GOING TO COME OUT ON TOP -- WELL, PROBABLY ONE MIGHT BE MORE FAVORED, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING IN THE PLAN.

THE QUESTION IS: WHAT PERCENT ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE BASED ON THE KIND OF INPUT WE GET?

BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE ATTRACTED TO ONE OF THESE SCENARIOS AND EVERYBODY ISN'T GOING TO BE ATTRACTED TO THE SAME THING.

TO POINT THAT OUT, HOW WE ARE DIFFERENT, IN 1955, ALMOST 60% OF HOUSEHOLDS WERE PARENTS WITH CHILDREN.

WE'RE DOWN TO 30% NOW, GOING TO ABOUT 22% IN 10 TO 15 YEARS.

IT'S A DIFFERENT -- THIS IS NOT 1955 ANYMORE.

EVERYBODY DOESN'T WANT THE SAME THING OR TO LIVE IN THE SAME KIND OF HOUSE OR TO DRIVE THE SAME KIND OF CAR OR TO WATCH THE SAME TELEVISION STATION.

THIS IS AN ERA OF CHOICE.

SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF PLAN.

SO IT WON'T BE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL.

SUBURBAN DREAM.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IF WE TEND TO GROW OUTWARD?

THIS IS PROBABLY CLOSEST TO HOW WE HAVE GROWN IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND THE QUESTION IS: DO WE CONTINUE TO GROW THAT WAY OR NOT?

WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIT ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE EXISTING URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY OR URBAN SERVICE AREA TO ADD 4 TO 600,000 PEOPLE WITH THIS TYPE OF GROWTH PATTERN.

IT WOULD TAKE MORE LAND.

IT WOULD HAVE TO BE EXPANDED.

BUSTLING METRO -- WOULD BE VERY FOCUSED ON CREATING NEW TOWN CENTERS AND OLDER COMMERCIAL AREAS, VERY MUCH MORE DEPENDENT ON MASS TRANSIT, MORE ORIENTED TOWARDS REDEVELOPMENT AND TRYING TO HOLD THE LINE ON THE URBAN SERVICE AREA.

AGAIN, A DIFFERENT VISION OF THE FUTURE.

NEW CORPORATE CENTERS WOULD USE THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM AS A SPINE FOR TRANSPORTATION, WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE NEW CORPORATE PARKS AND CENTERS BUILT NEAR INTERCHANGES, AGAIN, ALONG MAJOR HIGHWAYS.

WE WOULD LOOK, INSTEAD OF -- WE WOULD HAVE MORE REGULAR PLACE TRANSIT BUT NOT AS MUCH.

HERE WE WOULD FOCUS MORE ON WHAT WE CALL MANAGED TOLL LANES ON THE INTERSTATES TO CONNECT DIFFERENT AREAS.

WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE?

YOU HAVE THE PICTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH TODAY IN THE ABSTRACT.

SUBURBAN DREAM WOULD BE HEAVILY BASED ON WIDENING AND IMPROVING ROADWAYS.

THAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE THING.

THE BUSTLING METRO WOULD FOCUS MORE ON TRANSIT, AND PROBABLY FIX GUIDEWAY TRANSIT, NEW CORPORATE CENTERS WOULD FOCUS ON BEEFING UP THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM TO INCLUDE WHAT WE WOULD INCLUDE BUS RAPID TRANSIT ON THE INTERSTATE.

OKAY.

I WILL ASK YOU TO GET YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE OUT NOW, AND WE WILL KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS.

AND FIRST PART IS CHOOSING WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU.

YOU SEE YOU HAVE 12 CHOICES THERE.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO -- AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THEM IN ORDER BUT PICK THE FIVE THINGS THAT YOU THINK ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ON THAT FIRST QUESTION.

YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HELP IN YOUR -- THIS PAPER FLYER HERE, EXPLAINS A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL OR I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, BUT BASICALLY, WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR FIVE HIGHEST PRIORITIES.

WHILE YOU ARE DOING THAT, I WILL GO THROUGH AND YOU CAN SEE SOME EFFECTS HERE.

FOR EXAMPLE, JOB CREATION.

GREEN ARROWS MEANS IT GETS BETTER.

RED ARROWS MEANS IT GETS WORSE.

SOME THINGS IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE IN EVERY SCENARIO WHEN YOU HAVE 400 TO 600,000 PEOPLE.

IT MAY NOT GET AS WORSE WITH SOME SCENARIOS OVER OTHERS.

AND IN YOUR PAPER FLYER, YOU KIND OF HAVE SOME EXPLANATION OF THAT ALSO.

TRAFFIC DELAY, BAD NEWS IS IF YOU ADD THAT MANY PEOPLE, WE ARE GOING TO BE IN WORSE TRAFFIC.

IT'S JUST HOW MUCH WORSE?

DISTANCE OF COMMUTES CHANGES, WHETHER WE HAVE VERY ADVANCED BUS OR RAIL SERVICE CHANGES DEPENDING ON WHICH SCENARIO.

WHEN YOU DO THIS ON THE COMPUTER, AND YOU PICK IT, KIND OF WHAT IT DOES IS IT TAKES YOUR FIVE PRIORITIES THAT YOU SAID YOU WANTED, RATES THEM AND CUSTOM RATES THEM WITH ALL OF THESE SCENARIOS.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE EASIEST ONE, I THINK IF YOU PICK SUBURBAN DREAM THAT AS AN IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE, BECAUSE YOU ARE USING MORE ROOM FOR HOUSES INSTEAD OF AGRICULTURE AND SO AGRICULTURE GOES DOWN IN THAT.

IS EVERYBODY -- ARE YOU GUYS FINISHED PICKING YOUR FIVE HIGHEST PRIORITIES?

YES?

>> DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE OF THESE?

>> YES.

BETH WILL GET THAT.

SORRY.

NOW, WE WILL GO INTO -- OH, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS -- WHAT I WILL DO IS COLLECT THESE AND BY THE WAY, YOUR NAMES ARE NOT TIED.

IT'S TIED TO WHAT ZIP CODE YOU LIVE IN.

IT WON'T BE TIED TO ANY PERSON, UNLESS YOU GIVE US YOUR EMAIL TO BE ON OUR MAILING LIST, IT'S NOT TIED TO YOU.

SO NOBODY WILL KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.

IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO FILL OUT IN THE THREE AREAS BELOW FOR THE THREE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, FEEL FREE TO DO THAT, FOR STRATEGY, A, B, OR C, ANY COMMENTS ON THAT.

AND ALSO, YOU WILL RATE WITH STARS, I GUESS HOW STRONGLY YOU FEEL.

YOU HAVE TO GIVE EVERYTHING AT LEAST ONE STAR OR IT WON'T REGISTER.

SO ONE WOULD BE YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PREFERENCE, AND FIVE YOU REALLY THINK IS A GOOD IDEA.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO PERSONALLY.

IT'S ABOUT HOW DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD ACCOMMODATE THE 400 TO 600,000 PEOPLE.

SO YOU MAY WANT TO LIVE ON 20 ACRES BUT YOU DON'T THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR ALL 400,000 OTHER PEOPLE TO LIVE ON 20 ACRES.

SO, THINK ABOUT IT IN THAT WAY.

YOU ARE PLANNING FOR THIS AS A PLANNER WOULD DO, NOT YOUR PERSONAL VIEWS SO MUCH, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST IDEA?

AND YOU MIGHT THINK THAT'S THE BEST IDEA AND THAT'S OKAY.

BUT RATE THOSE ONE TO FIVE AND THEN YOU HAVE ROOM FOR COMMENTS ON THERE.

AND YOU CAN GO BACK AND ADD SOME COMMENTS AND IF YOU WANT LATER, SO WE CAN GET THROUGH THE OTHER PART.

THEN IF YOU WILL TURN OVER YOUR SHEETS, WE WILL GO INTO THE OTHER SECTION.

OKAY.

HOMES.

THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT CHOICES WITH HOMES.

IF YOU GO TO THE TOP, YOU WILL SEE YOU HAVE CHOICES OF NEW HOMES IN RURAL AREAS.

NEW HOMES IN RURAL AREAS IN CLUSTERED SUBDIVISIONS.

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FILLING IN EXISTING SUBURBAN AND URBAN AREAS.

REDEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL STRIP CORRIDORS, DALE MABRY, WATERS AVENUE, STREETS LIKE THAT.

CONDOS AND APARTMENTS, LIKE CHANNELSIDE OR DOWNTOWN.

AND TOWN CENTERS WITH A MIX OF PLACES, PLACES LIKE MAYBE FISH HAWK, THE WEST PARK VILLAGE IN WEST CHASE OR WINTHROP, IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT IN BRANDON, THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.

AGAIN, KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE IMAGES TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE ARE REFERRING TO.

AND THEN RATE EACH ONE OF THOSE WITH A ONE TO FIVE AS YOU THINK WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO ACCOMMODATE NEW HOMES.

(OFF MICROPHONE COMMENT).

>> I THINK WHAT YOU WOULD DO IS FIND OUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND GUIDE THAT.

I THINK ALL OF OUR PLANS WILL GIVE THEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

THE REQUEST HE IS, HOW AS PLANNERS DO WE BEST ACCOMMODATE THE POPULATION GROWTH IN THE COMMUNITY?

CERTAINLY THE OPPORTUNITY IS GOING TO BE FOR THEM TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

>> I'M JUST CURIOUS, AS YOU GO THROUGH THESE QUESTIONS WITH OTHER GROUPS OR OUR GROUP, AND YOU DESCRIBE THESE THINGS, ARE YOU SAYING TO THE PEOPLE, AND ARE YOU WILLING TO HAVE THIS IN YOUR AREA?

BECAUSE, LIKE, I KNOW THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE THE HIGH DENSITY STUFF, BUT --

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT IN YOUR AREA.

IF YOU WANT TO LIVE IN A RURAL AREA, OF COURSE, YOU DON'T WANT A 40-STORY CONDO NEXT TO YOU.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO HAVE IT DOWNTOWN IS A GOOD IDEA.

>> I GUESS -- I'M SORRY I DIDN'T HAVE MY MIC ON.

IS THERE A PLACE THAT WE CAN CHECK FOR PEOPLE TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO?

NOW, I UNDERSTAND AS GOVERNMENT, YOU ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP PLANS AND PREDICT FUTURE GROWTH.

I GUESS MY CONCERN -- MY CONCERN AROUND --

>> IF I WAS DOING THAT, COULD YOU GIVE EACH ONE FIVE STARS OR GIVE EACH ONE THREE STARS.

>> OKAY.

I GUESS MY CONCERN AROUND THE SURVEY, WHICH I THINK THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF WORK PUT INTO THIS.

I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU ARE DOING THIS, IS THERE'S A PRE -- THERE'S A PRESUPPOSITION BEING MADE, THAT, FOR INSTANCE, IN JOB CREATION, YOU ARE SAYING THAT A NEW CORPORATE CENTER WOULD BE -- WOULD BE THE BEST FOR THAT.

BUT, OKAY, BASED ON WHAT INFORMATION?

>> WELL, WE -- OKAY.

>> BETH, I WILL ASK YOU TO COME UP AND GIVE A LITTLE IN THE WEEDS ON SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THAT.

EACH ONE WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH ON CHARACTERISTICS.

GO AHEAD, ON THE NEW CORPORATE CENTERS.

WHY WOULD THAT CREATE MORE JOBS, I GUESS.

>> OKAY.

I'M BETH ALDEN, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION.

SO MY WORK FOCUSES MORE ON THE TRANSPORTATION END OF THINGS.

BUT I WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE LAND USE PLANNERS AS WELL TO TRY TO COME UP WITH THESE DIFFERENT IDEAS AND REALLY WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR HERE IS JUST SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GENERAL, REALLY KIND OF GUT LEVEL REACTION TO THESE DIFFERENT IDEAS AND THE QUESTION THAT YOU WERE ASKING, ABOUT YOU KNOW, DO I WANT THIS KIND OF THING NEXT TO ME IS EXACTLY THE QUESTION THAT THE LAND USE PLANNERS WERE CURIOUS ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, SO THESE -- THESE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS TO LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS OF SCENARIOS, WHEN WE CREATED THE THREE SCENARIOS WE MADE SOME ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THE GROWTH WOULD BE IN, YOU KNOW, PARTICULAR DENSITY LEVELS FOR HOUSING AND, YOU KNOW, PARTICULAR DENSITY LEVELS FOR JOBS.

AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS JUST KIND OF GUT LEVEL REACTION TO THAT, AND HOW WOULD THIS ACTUALLY PLAY OUT ON THE GROUND?

AND, YOU KNOW, DO YOU THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY OR NOT?

YOU KNOW, LIKE, ONE OF THESE WAS THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FILLING IN EXISTING SUBURBAN AND URBAN AREAS.

THERE'S MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THAT.

I'M NOT SURE IF I WANT SOMEBODY COMING IN ON THE LOT NEXT TO ME AND BUILDING A HOUSE THAT'S TWO STORIES WHEN ALL OF HOUSES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE BEEN ONE STORY.

AND, THAT WAS EXACTLY WHY WE PUT THIS IMAGE IN HERE, TO LET PEOPLE JUST KIND OF REACT TO, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TRADEOFFS IN ALL OF THESE THINGS.

AND THAT'S THE KIND OF FEEDBACK WE ARE GETTING FROM COMMUNITY GROUPS WHEN WE GO OUT -- I WAS OUT AT THE EASTERN HEIGHTS CIVIC ASSOCIATION IN EAST TAMPA.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS THERE.

IT WAS EAST OF 40th STREET AND NORTH OF THE RAILROAD YARD AND EAST TAMPA AND JUST THE NICEST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHO NEVER HAD TO LOOK AT A ZONING CODE BEFORE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE US SOME VERY -- YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF GUT LEVEL REACTION FEEDBACK.

YES, I LIKE THIS.

NO, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, YOU KNOW?

AND THESE ARE FOLKS WHO STRUGGLED WITH UNEMPLOYMENT AND WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THE TAX QUESTIONS, THESE ARE GOING TO HIT THESE FOLKS VERY CLOSE TO HOME.

THEY ARE ASKING ME ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR JOB GROWTH AND REACT TO WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THE QUESTIONS ABOUT DIFFERENT TAXES.

THEY ARE SAYING, PROPERTY TAXES ARE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO LOOK AT.

YOU KNOW?

BUT I MIGHT BE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT A SALES TAX BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TOURISTS AND THE COMMUTERS PAY INTO THAT AS WELL.

THAT'S THE KIND OF FEEDBACK WE ARE GETTING.

IT'S JUST HOW DO PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THEIR COMMUNITY AND HOW DO THEY REACT TO IT?

>> OKAY.

SO IF I -- IF I JUST HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, THE EVIDENCE FOR WHETHER OR NOT THIS OPINION -- FOR THIS CHOICE, JOB CREATION, SAYING IT'S BETTER TO BE IN A NEW -- TO HAVE STRATEGY C IS BEST FOR JOB CREATION, THE DATA THAT YOU USED TO DEVELOP THIS ASSUMPTION WAS PEOPLE'S OPINIONS?

>> NO.

OKAY.

I WILL GO BACK TO THE --

>> YOU SAID GUT LEVEL REACTIONS.

I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND, BUT WHAT -- WHAT PEOPLE SAY AND WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO ARE QUITE OFTEN DIFFERENT THINGS.

>> SURE.

JOB -- I WILL WALK THROUGH THESE THINGS.

IN JOB CREATION, WE WERE LOOKING AT JOB-TO-POPULATION RATIOS.

THE GROWTH FORECASTS ARE BASED ON THE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC BUSINESS AND RESEARCH FORECASTS COUNTYWIDE, AND THEN WE LOOKED AT SOME DIFFERENT WAYS TO ALLOCATE THAT AROUND THE COUNTY.

WE LOOKED AT SPACE AVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT 59 DIFFERENT DENSITIES.

WE LOOKED AT OUR HISTORICAL JOB-TO-POPULATION RATIOS, AND WE PROJECTED OUT SUBURBAN DREAM BASICALLY ANTICIPATES THAT WE RECOVER FROM THE RECESSION AND THAT WE CONTINUE KIND OF THE PREVIOUS JOB-TO-POPULATION RATIO THAT IS SORT OF PRERECESSION AND ALSO GOES BACK TO ABOUT 2000.

THE TIME RIGHT BEFORE THE RECESSION WAS PRETTY HIGH IN TERMS OF THE JOB-TO-POPULATION RATIO.

BUSTLING METRO ANTICIPATES THAT WE CAPTURE A LITTLE OF THE JOB GROWTH THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE TO PASCO COUNTY, BECAUSE WE ARE OFFERING A DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT CHOICE THAN PASCO COUNTY.

WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES RIGHT NOW, WHO ARE ALSO UPDATING THEIR GROWTH FORECASTS.

PASCO COUNTY IS TAKING A VERY AGGRESSIVE FORECAST FOR JOB CREATION AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO FOCUS DEVELOPMENT ALONG THEIR STATE ROUTE 54 CORRIDOR, WHICH IS JUST NORTH OF OUR BORDER AND ATTRACT A LOT OF BUSINESSES WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN HERE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST ATTRACTED -- OH, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF IT?

BUT ANYWAY UP TO THE 54 CORRIDOR.

SO THE QUESTION IS: HOW ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF COMPETING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS?

WE THINK BUSTLING METRO OFFERS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT CHOICE.

SO WE BASICALLY LOOKED AT A PORTION OF THE JOBS THAT PASCO COUNTY THINKS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CAPTURE WOULD ACTUALLY WIND UP IN HILLSBOROUGH.

NEW CORPORATE CENTERS WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS IS MAYBE A MORE AGGRESSIVE STRATEGY BY OUR COUNTY TO CREATE SOME JOB DEVELOPMENT AREAS ALONG THOSE INTERSTATE CORRIDORS AND THAT WOULD RETAIN OUR POSITION AS THE EMPLOYMENT HUB FOR OUR REGION.

SO THEY WERE BASICALLY LOOKING AT NOT ONLY PASCO BUT ALSO POLK AND MANATEE, WHO ALSO HAVE VERY AGGRESSIVE JOB DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.

DOES THAT CORPORATE GROWTH LAP IN THOSE COUNTIES OR DOES IT HAPPEN HERE?

SO WE ARE BASICALLY SAYING WITH NEW CORPORATE CENTERS IS WE ARE IDENTIFYING SOME PLACES ALONG OUR INTERSTATE, ALONG I-75, ALONG I-4 WHERE THAT DEVELOPMENT CAN HAPPEN HERE, INSTEAD OF THE ADJACENT COUNTIES.

WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT JOB FORECASTS ARE THEY PUTTING OUT THERE AND WHAT IS THE TRADEOFF, YOU KNOW, REGION-WIDE.

THERE'S PROBABLY A SINGLE NUMBER BECAUSE OUR REGION COMPETES AGAINST OTHER REGIONS.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AND DO YOU WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE OTHER NUMBERS IN HERE?

>> I THINK THAT THE BASIC ANSWER TO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS WHY IS THAT HIGHER?

IT'S HIGHER BECAUSE WE AGGRESSIVELY GO OUT AND IDENTIFY NEW LAND THAT ISN'T AVAILABLE FOR CORPORATE CENTERS NOW IN A PLAN.

IN OTHER WORDS SOME OF THE INTERSTATE AREAS ARE NOT OPEN TO THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY I-4 TO THE EAST, IT'S A RURAL AREA.

IF YOU START IDENTIFYING THAT AND PROVIDING SERVICES THERE AND SPECIFICALLY ATTRACT CORPORATE CENTERS, NOW YOU HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE IT AS HIGHER.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING.

THIS IS KIND OF IN A DIFFERENT AREA.

WHAT EMPHASIS OR THOUGHT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE NATURAL RESOURCE AREAS, NOT NECESSARILY SPRAWLING OUT, BUT BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE AREAS CONTAIN THE WATER RESOURCES, SUCH AS THE WELL BUILDS AND THE WATERSHEDS AND THE LAKES.

AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE HAVE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD SEVERAL TIMES.

AND ALTHOUGH THESE AREAS ARE RIPE FOR THE PLUCKING AND THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IT, PROTECTING THE WATER RESOURCE PROTECTS THE FUTURE GROWTH AND AREAS SUCH AS KEYSTONE, LUDES, WE NEED TO KEEP LOOKING AT THAT AREA, NOT TO KEEP REDEVELOPING AND GET THE WORD OUT.

IT IS FOR GROWTH AND PROTECTION OF LIFESTYLE.

BECAUSE WE DO NEED THE WATER.

>> WELL, IF YOU LOOK ON THE 12 THINGS, I'M GOING TO ASSUME WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID, ONE OF YOUR FIVE WAS NATURAL RESOURCES AND SINCE THAT'S ONE OF THEM, WE WILL HEAR WHAT --

>> I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I -- WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT, IS THERE ENOUGH EMPHASIS PUT ON IT, SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'RE NOT JUST PROTECTING THAT BECAUSE SOMEBODY WANTS TO LIVE THERE.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT THAT'S WHERE YOUR WATER IS COMING FROM?

AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ENOUGH EMPHASIS PUT ON THAT.

>> WELL, WE CERTAINLY TRY TO DO THAT, AGAIN, AND PEOPLE MAKE CHOICES.

WE WILL HEAR BACK, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT WILL BE A TOP THING THAT PEOPLE SAY IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.

>> YEAH, BUT -- I'M TRYING TO CONVEY THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON --

>> RIGHT.

DOESN'T KNOW THAT.

>> DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IT.

>> WELL, AND THAT IS A PROBLEM AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT, BECAUSE IT IS WHAT IT IS.

I MEAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT UNTIL WE ARE BLUE IN THE FACE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE ARE NOT PLUGGED IN, LIKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE, THEY MAY NOT THINK THAT AND THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT I CAN DO ABOUT THAT, EXCEPT JUST KEEP BRINGING UP ISSUES LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE ARE TRYING AT A POINT IN TIME TRYING TO GET PEOPLE'S BASIC OPINIONS ON THESE THINGS.

>> I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY, WHEN --

>> WELL, OKAY.

LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS --

>> IT'S GOOD FOR THE GROWTH.

>> RIGHT.

OKAY.

IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE NATURAL RESOURCE ISSUES, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET BETTER WHEN YOU ADD 400,000 PEOPLE.

>> THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO EMPHASIZE.

>> YOU CAN SEE AB EFFICIENT WATER USE IN BUSTLING AND CORPORATE CENTERS IS BETTER THAN THE SUBURBAN DREAM.

IS BUT YOU WILL HAVE ISSUES WITH ALL OF THEM.

YES?

>> SO GAY, ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR QUESTION?

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: I'M TRYING TO CLARIFY.

>> WE HAVE ABOUT MAYBE 10, 15 MINUTES LEFT.

LET ME JUST ASK THE GROUP, IS IT MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THROUGH THIS IN THE NEXT 10 OR 15 MINUTES OR IS IT MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS IN GENERAL ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION?

DOES THE GROUP HAVE A FEELING ON THAT BECAUSE WE COULD HAND THEM TO BETH AND BETH CAN TURN THEM BACK IN.

SO WE CAN GET THESE TO HIM, I THINK WE CAN ALL FIGURE OUT HOW TO FILL THEM OUT BUT IF WE WOULD RATHER JUST FILL THIS OUT RIGHT NOW IN THE LAST 10 OR 15 MINUTES.

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: WE SHOULD HAVE KEPT OUR MEETINGS UNTIL 11:30.

>> JAY VICKERS: YOU CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT TEN THINGS AT ONCE, OR ONE AT A TIME.

I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

WOULD WE PREFER TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS OF MR. CHIARAMONTE.

>> I WOULD PREFER TO ASK QUESTIONS.

>> JAY VICKERS: OKAY.

THANK YOU -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY ON THAT.

WE DO APPRECIATE IT.

WE MAY NOT ACT LIKE, IT BUT WE DO APPRECIATE IT.

>> I'M TOTALLY A FLEXIBLE PERSON.

>> JAY VICKERS: GAYE, WAS YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED?

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: APPARENTLY HE CAN'T ANSWER BUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRESENT IT, BUT MAYBE THEY COULD WORK ON IT.

AS FAR AS WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING THROUGH BUSTLING METRO, MAYBE YOU COULD INCLUDE INFORMATION THAT INCLUDES THAT.

THIS WOULD MEAN --

>> YEAH, WELL, LET ME TELL WHAT YOU HAPPENS AND THAT'S WHY ACTUALLY DOING IT ON THE COMPUTER IS A LOT MORE FUN THAN DOING THE PAPER ONE.

WHEN YOU DO IT ON THE COMPUTER, AND IF GAYE PICKS NATURAL RESOURCES, IT WILL SHOW WHAT THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND CHOICES OF HOUSING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WHAT IT DOES.

THE ARROWS CHANGE.

IN OTHER WORDS IT'S ALMOST LIKE A COMPUTER GAME OR SOMETHING.

IT WILL SHOW YOU WHEN YOU DO YOUR PRIORITIES WHICH ONES FIT THE MOST OF WHAT YOU SAID YOU WANTED.

IF NATURAL RESOURCES IS MOST IMPORTANT, IT TELLS YOU WHAT KIND OF HOUSING HAS THE LEAST IMPACT ON THAT AND WHAT HAS THE MOST AND WHAT KIND OF JOBS IF THAT IS IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, SO WHATEVER YOUR PREFERENCES ARE, THOSE MARROWS -- THOSE ARROWS MOVE AROUND, WHEREAS ON THIS STATIC EXERCISE, THEY DON'T.

YOU IMMEDIATELY SEE IF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING YOU WANT FITS, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT YOUR SCENARIOS ARE.

BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GET THAT CONNECTION AND THIS KIND OF GIVES THEM WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.

IF NATURAL RESOURCE IS IMPORTANT, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU PICK THAT WILL BE BETTER TO PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES THAN OTHERS.

>> JAY VICKERS: AND HENCE THE SURPRISE OF THE SURVEY SO YOU CAN GET A FEEL FOR WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS IMPORTANT, AND GET AT IT.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A MORE DIVERGENT POPULATION, AND NOT A MORE CONVERGENT POPULATION.

WE WILL SEE A WIDER RANGE OF OPINIONS AND WIDER RANGE OF DESIRES OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, NOT A MORE SIMILAR RANGE.

>> YEAH. I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT OUR ENTIRE SOCIETY, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND -- EVEN WHEN I LOOK AT MY FAMILY, NOW MY EXTENDED FAMILY AND THE STUFF GOING ON, COMPARED TO WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MY EXTENDED FAMILY WHEN I WAS A KID, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT MORE JUST DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR AND DIFFERENT THINGS ON.

EVERYBODY IS NOT LIVING WITH THEIR PARENTS IN THIS NICE LITTLE SUBURBAN HOUSE LIKE WHEN I WAS A KID.

THEY ARE DOING ALL KINDS OF STUFF, YOU KNOW?

GOING TO CALIFORNIA AND, YOU KNOW, HANGING OUT FOR SIX MONTHS, YOU KNOW?

ANYWAY.

I HAVE A LOT OF NEPHEWS.

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL RIGHT, KAY.

>> KAY DOUGHTY: MY COMMENT JUST HAS TO DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS, RAY.

I MEAN, YOU ARE GATHERING INPUT, IF I'M CORRECT.

>> YEAH.

>> KAY DOUGHTY: FROM WHAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITIZENS TODAY FEEL.

>> AND THIS IS --

>> KAY DOUGHTY: FEEL ABOUT THE FUTURE, BUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE DONE IS GOING TO BE DRIVEN BY PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE GOING TO CONSIDER THE RESOURCES AND --

>> RIGHT.

>> KAY DOUGHTY: IT'S NOT GOING TO BE JUST HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE THINK.

>> WELL, IF THEY PICK THINGS THAT ARE VERY EXPENSIVE, WE ARE GOING TO SAY, OKAY, THAT'S FINE BUT UNDERSTAND THIS COSTS TWICE AS MUCH AS THIS DOES.

THE OTHER INPUTS, THOUGH, ARE GOING TO BE FROM, LIKE THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER SET OF INPUTS AND WE WILL DO OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC MEETINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELVES WHO ARE VERY INVOLVED AND DO THAT.

WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, THIS ENDS ON OCTOBER 20th.

AND, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE AS MANY OF THESE AS POSSIBLE.

THAT KIND OF GIVES US A STARTING POINT TO GET A FEEL FOR KIND OF WHAT PERCENTAGE OF DIRECTION WE SHOULD GO AND WHAT THINGS WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT IN DEVELOPING WHAT I WOULD CALL A HYBRID.

LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL DO TOTALLY SUBURBAN DREAM OR TOTALLY BUSTLING METRO, BECAUSE I CAN ALREADY TELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF INPUT WE WILL GET BACK.

IT WILL BE SOME COMBINATION.

AND WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TELL WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY, LIKE PEOPLE IN THE PLANT CITY OR EASTERN COUNTY AREA MAY HAVE TOTALLY DIFFERENT OPINIONS THAN SOMEONE LIVING IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO TELL US YOUR ZIP CODE.

YOU WILL SAY, OKAY, BUSTLING METRO, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE DOWNTOWN REALLY LIKE THAT.

SO WE NEED TO DO MORE OF THAT IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA, BUT NOT IN VALRICO.

SO THAT WILL HELP US TOO AS WE CRAFT THIS.

>> JAY VICKERS: DEBORAH.

>> DEBORAH COPE: WHAT WAS YOUR PURPOSE IN HAVING US FILL THIS OUT NOW?

WERE YOU GOING TO TAB EWE LATE THEM NOW?

>> NO.

YOU CAN GET IT TO US IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE IN CALIFORNIA WHEN THEY ALREADY KNOW FLORIDA VOTED THIS WAY OR SOMETHING, I JUST WANTED TO LET IT BE ON ITS OWN, AND THEN IN THE END WE WILL JUST LOOK AT IT WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINKING, OH, MY GOD THIS ONE IS WINNING AND I HAVE TO GET THE TROOPS OUT FOR THIS ONE.

I DON'T REALLY WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

>> JAY VICKERS: CRISTAN.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: IN A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS WE HAVE, WE HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS, COMMUNITY PLANS AND THEY REALLY GO AND SPEAK TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FACETS.

SO HOW ARE WE COORDINATING THAT, THAT WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE AND WE CONTINUE TO UPDATE IT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BIGGER PICTURE.

>> WELL, WE ARE CERTAINLY GOING TO LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY PLANS AS WE DEVELOP THINGS, BECAUSE WHERE YOU HAVE COMMUNITY PLANS, YOU ALREADY KIND OF HAVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING OF THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD AS TO WHAT THEIR VISION IS, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE UPDATE, DEFINITELY.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: DO WE KNOW HOW MANY COMMUNITIES OUT THERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMUNITY PLAN?

>> YES, I BELIEVE, IT'S 20 OR 21 PLANS.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: REALLY?

>> MOST OF THE COMMUNITY HAS SOME TYPE OF COMMUNITY PLAN THAT'S BUILT UP.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: OKAY.

>> AND THEY ARE GOOD GUIDES AND WE CERTAINLY WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: OKAY.

>> JAY VICKERS: TONY.

>> TONY JACKSON: THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN.

MR. CHIARAMONTE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

MY CONCERNS WERE THE SAME AS JOE'S WERE.

I FELT THERE WERE LIMITED CHOICES, WHAT DO I WANT TO DO?

HOW DO I WANT TO LIVE AND LET EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY LIVE THE SAME WAY?

AND I DID READ THIS WHEN IT CAME OUT, AND PERSONALLY FELT LIKE YOU WERE -- I WON'T SAY WHICH ONE, BUT I FELT LIKE YOU WERE PUSHING ONE.

AND THAT'S MY CONCERN.

YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN IS WHAT DO THE PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WANT?

>> RIGHT.

>> TONY JACKSON: WHAT DO -- YOU KNOW, THE SURVEY IS GOING TO BE FINE BUT WHAT DO THE PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WANT AND BASICALLY, LEAVE THEM ALONE, AND ONE OTHER THING, I JUST FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW -- WELL, I WILL JUST COME OUT AND SAY IT.

MY FATHER'S A RETIRED RAILROADER AND THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE SEEN THAT -- OUTSIDE OF BOSTON, D.C., OR NEW YORK TRAIN THAT WAS FULL WAS A STRAIGHT TRAIN.

 -- A FREIGHT TRAIN.

I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE -- I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO TRY THE -- AND I'M PROBABLY A LITTLE OFF TOPIC HERE BUT I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE US GOING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND LOOK AT MORE OPTIONS THAN WHAT WE HAVE GOT GOING RIGHT NOW, TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU.

>> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION?

>> TONY JACKSON: YES.

>> I THINK EVERY OPTION IS ON THE TABLE.

THERE'S THE OPTION OF WIDENING ROAD, EMPHASIZING THE INTERSTATE WITH MANAGED TOLL LANES AND BUS, RAPID TRANSIT, RAIL, I THINK EVERYTHING IS COVERED.

>> TONY JACKSON: OKAY.

AND I JUST SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THAT'S NOT BEING COMMUNICATED.

>> WELL, AGAIN, WE TRIED TO DO THE BEST WE COULD BETWEEN --

>> TONY JACKSON: AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT TO BE A CRITICISM.

>> RIGHT.

THIS IS NOT EASY TO DO.

>> TONY JACKSON: THAT'S WHY I PREFACED MY REMARKS.

YOU HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH.

YOU HAVE DONE A LOT OF EFFORT AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

>> I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IN MY EXPERIENCE, WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS THERE ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT VIEW POINTS DEPENDING ON HOW OLD YOU ARE, WHAT GENDER YOU ARE, KIND OF JUST WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING.

I HAVE TO EMPHASIZE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ONE SIZE FITS ALL.

>> TONY JACKSON: RIGHT.

>> EVEN IF WE WANT IT TO BE, IT JUST ISN'T BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT IDEAS OF HOW THEY WANT TO LIVE NOW THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE '50s.

>> RIGHT.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, I MEAN, SOMETIMES I JUST FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CHOICE.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

ONE OF THE THINGS OUR PLANS HAVE BEEN BASED ON AND I DON'T SEE IT CHANGING IS THAT WE NEED WE WANTED THREE DISTINCT LIFESTYLES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN PINELLAS.

PINELLAS, IT'S PRETTY MUCH URBAN.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH BUILT OUT.

WE WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE AND URBAN LIFESTYLE AND RURAL LIFESTYLE.

I SUSPECT THAT'S THE KIND OF FEEDBACK THAT WE WILL GET, THAT WHAT YOU SAID THEY WANT CHOICES AND THEY MAY WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT 40 THAN THEY DO WHEN THEY ARE 60.

>> I GREW UP ON LAND IN THE MIDWEST AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT DOESN'T APPEAL TO EVERYBODY.

>> RIGHT.

>> TONY JACKSON: BUT --

>> BUT SOME PEOPLE IT DOES DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY DO.

>> TONY JACKSON: RIGHT.

>> I MEAN, WE ALL HAVE THOSE PERSONAL CHOICES.

YOU KNOW, IN THEIR OWN LIFE, I -- THERE'S SOMETHING ATTRACTIVE TO ME ABOUT LIVING DOWNTOWN, BUT I ALSO LIKE CLASSIC CARS.

WELL, I CAN'T LIVE IN A CONDO, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF CLASSIC CARS.

SO WE COMPROMISE.

I LIVE IN A TOWNHOUSE THAT HAS A GARAGE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT'S MORE OF A SUBURBAN AREA.

I CHOSEN THAT AS MY COMPROMISE, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T PERFECTLY FIT, BUT IT KIND OF FITS WHAT I NEED AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE ANYWAY.

>> TONY JACKSON: ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

>> JAY VICKERS: SPENCER, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

>> SPENCER KASS: I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM IS SORT OF THE WAY THE SURVEY IS DRAFTED.

SO I SKIPPED DOWN A LITTLE.

IF YOU GO DOWN TO FUNDING, YOU SEE, THERE'S ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN OPTIONS THAT ALL CALL FOR INCREASED TAXES IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, AND THE OTHER IS MAINTAIN THE OWN.

AND I PENNED IN MY OWN.

I SAID THAT I THOUGHT THE GOVERNMENT COULD BE MORE EFFICIENT.

>> THAT'S FINE.

>> SPENCER KASS: IT'S A WAY TO DIRECT PEOPLE.

WHAT I WOULD RATHER -- LOOK, I WORKED WITH YOUR STAFF IN THE PAST ON THESE COMP PLANS.

I THINK THE ISSUE IS THIS.

I THINK THE ISSUE IS A LOT OF IT IS VISIONARY AND WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL SHOULD TRY THIS AND TRY THAT.

WHAT I WOULD RATHER SEE IS A 30-PAGE DOCUMENT THAT LAYS OUT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION AND SIMPLE FOR EVERYBODY.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK A LOT OF WHAT YOU ALL PUT IN, WELL, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE DOING THIS.

NOW, LET'S START HOLDING THEM TO THE FIRE.

I CAN TELL YOU IN THE LAST COMP PLAN WE DID, THERE WERE THINGS THAT THE COUNTY WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AND THE CITY WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AND SINCE THE LAST COMP PLAN, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.

>> I DON'T AGREE NONE OF IT HAS BEEN DONE.

>> GIVEN THE VOLUME OF THE BOOK, RIGHT?

I MEAN A LOT OF IT HAS NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

I WOULD RATHER SEE TWO PAGES IN A BOOK THAT'S OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, TEN YEARS, WE ARE GOING TO DO THE FOLLOWING THINGS AND WE WILL ACCOMPLISH THE FOLLOWING GOALS.

AND IF WE DON'T, MAYBE THERE'S SOME DEGREE OF PUNISHMENT IN THERE.

>> RIGHT.

AND THAT NEEDS TO BE -- I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM YOUR JURISDICTION.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES LOOKING OUT FARTHER THAN THE NEXT FIVE OR TEN YEARS.

>> SPENCER KASS: A FIVE OR A TEN YEAR PLAN IS GREAT BUT IF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BENEATH THE PLAN, NAMELY OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AREN'T GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT, I MEAN, THIS IS SORT OF AN EXERCISE.

>> DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT THIS EXERCISE AND I MENTIONED IT AT THE BEGINNING, THEY ARE THERE WITH US NOW.

I DON'T THINK THAT THE COUNTY HAS IN THE PAST REALLY TAKEN OWNERSHIP OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION PLAN.

AT THE LAST TWO MONTHS THEY LOOK AT IT AND ADOPT IT.

IN THEIR MIND, THEY ALWAYS THINK OF IT.

THEY ARE PLUGGED IN.

THEY ARE HEARING WHAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND SO HOPEFULLY THEY WILL HAVE THE BUY-IN AND WE WON'T HAVE THINGS IN THERE THAT THEY EITHER DON'T WANT TO DO.

>> SPENCER KASS: THEN LET ME OFFER A FAIR, LET'S CALL IT COMPROMISE FOR AT LEAST PART OF THIS, WHICH IS WHEN YOU END UP WITH YOUR BOOK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS YOU AND YOUR STAFF STANDING THERE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR CITY COUNCIL, AND READING PAGE BY PAGE EVERYTHING IN THERE.

BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT THESE PEOPLE -- I HAVE READ EVERY PAGE OF THESE BOOKS, AND IT'S A SLOG TO GET THROUGH THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVERY PAGE -- SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION.

SO AT LEAST EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE.

I THINK AS YOUR STAFF -- AND THAT I THINK WILL HELP YOUR STAFF KEEP IT A MORE COMPACT VERSION, BECAUSE, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SPEND 18 HOURS READING TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

>> THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO MAKE IT MUCH MORE USER FRIENDLY.

PART OF THE PROBLEM IS JUST WHAT YOU SAID.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD MORE RULES TO FOLLOW.

THEY WERE HANDED DOWN FROM THE STATE.

THAT'S WHY THE PLAN WAS AS BIG AS IT WAS.

WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT THE ISSUES ARE IN A WAY THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON CAN FORCE FOR THEM TO BUY INTO IT AND KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE GOING AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT NOW.

AND WE NEED TO DO THAT, I AGREE.

AND SO THE PLAN SHOULD BE SMALLER THAN THE ONE WE HAVE NOW.

>> SPENCER KASS: BUT AS I SAID, IF WE ARE GOING TO -- IF THEY ARE GOING TO AGREE TO BUY IN, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO STUFF IN THE COUNTY, WHETHER IT'S REPAIRING THE ROAD.

ONE OF THE REASONS I PUT DOWN GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY.

THIS GROUP ALONE, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE COUNTY COULD BE SAVING $2.5 MILLION A YEAR JUST ON ITS LIFE, THAT'S $25 MILLION OVER TEN YEARS.

YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S $25 MILLION HERE.

WE THEN FOUND OUT AT A MEETING WHICH WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED YET, THAT THERE'S ANOTHER $20 MILLION THEY COULD BE SAVING.

BY THE TIME, YOU ARE UP TO $45 MILLION.

WHEN I LOOK AT FUNDING AND I SEE ALL OF THESE CHOICES THAT SAY WE ARE SHORT ON FUNDS.

OH, THERE'S $45 MILLION THEY DECIDED NOT TO PICK UP OFF THE TABLE, IT'S VERY ROUGH ON ME.

IT WILL BE ROUGH ON YOU ARE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO SUCK THIS DOWN THIS THAT KIND OF STUFF GOING ON.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BE A LOT MORE EFFICIENT THAN WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.

I MEAN, WHEN LIFE WAS GOOD BACK IN 2005, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE THIS WAS A LOT MORE MONEY AVAILABLE AND WE NEED TO MAKE CHOICES.

DO WE REALLY NEED TO WIDEN THE ENTIRE ROAD OR JUST ADD LEFT TURN LANES AT THE INSECTION, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF STUFF.

DO WE FEED TO TIME OUR LIGHTS?

DO WE GET MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK.

YOU MENTIONED LIGHTING.

IF THERE'S CHEAPER WAYS TO DO IT, WE SHOULD BE DOING IT.

IT'S LIMITED NO MATTER WHAT WE DO.

I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.

>> JAY VICKERS: ONE SECOND.

MR. HALLET, WE APOLOGIZE FOR RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LONG.

PLEASE BEAR WITH US.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

JOE?

>> I HOPE YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP.

WE ARE JUST MAKING SURE THE CITIZENS ARE GETTING THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

>> I FIND THESE KIND OF GROUPS MORE INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU DO GO INTO THE WEEDS AND ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS AND ALL OF THAT.

SOMETIMES I SEE PEOPLE JUST LIKE IN TWO MINUTES THEY FILLED OUT THE WHOLE THING AND I WONDER IF THEY THOUGHT.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE PUTTING INTO THIS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I DID HEAR A COUPLE OF TIMES IN MY EARLIER QUESTION, WELL, WHAT WE FOUND OR WHAT WE'RE HEARING OR WHAT WE'RE SEEING, OKAY, SO THAT MAKES -- THAT TELLS ME THAT YOU HAVE SOME DATA SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT.

CAN WE GET THAT?

>> WE COULD HAVE IT.

AGAIN, I HAVEN'T REALLY WANTED TO COMPILE IT UNTIL WE ARE DONE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT DONE YET.

>> WELL, I MEAN THE DATA THAT GOT YOU TO DEVELOP THIS.

>> OH, THE DATA -- OKAY.

ON -- FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR QUESTION ON THE CORPORATE CENTER.

>> RIGHT.

>> YES, I BELIEVE WE DO.

>> OKAY.

AND WE CAN PROBABLY TELL YOU WHERE TO FIND IT.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>> THE BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS THAT WENT INTO ALL OF THE PRETTY BAR CHARTS THAT ARE HERE, THOSE ARE ALL BASED ON CALCULATIONS AND THERE ARE TECHNICAL MEMOS THAT ARE ON THE IMAGINE 2040 WEBSITE.

THERE'S A SPOT ON THERE THAT SAYS BACKGROUND INFO.

YOU CLICK ON THAT AND THEN YOU GET TO A PAGE WHERE YOU CAN CLICK ON SOME OTHER THINGS.

>> OKAY.

>> YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION.

>> OKAY.

IF IT'S THERE, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND IT.

>> AND IF YOU CAN'T, PLEASE GIVE US A CALL AND WE WILL GET IT FOR YOU.

>> AND I KNOW WE ARE PUSHING FOR TIME HERE.

REALLY QUICKLY, THIS THING YOU HAVE ON THE FRONT HERE WITH THE KIDS AND HOW THEY WILL BE 30 YEARS OLD AND MAKING LIVING DECISIONS.

I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT SIX YEARS AGO I WAS 29 YEARS OLD, I WAS COMING OUT OF THE MILITARY AND I WAS MAKING THAT DECISION, OKAY?

AND, YES, IN THE PAST, PEOPLE TENDED TO GROW UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, WORK IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND STAY, THERE BUT THAT WAS LARGELY DETERMINED BY A LACK OF TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.

THE ABILITY JUST TO FLY TO CALIFORNIA FOR A JOB, HOW WOULD YOU DO THAT?

THAT WASN'T REALLY AN OPTION FOR MOST PEOPLE.

THOSE OPTIONS ARE NOW THERE.

SO THE CONCEPT OF TAKING A JOB IN CALIFORNIA OR NEW YORK OR FLORIDA, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.

AND PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO COMMUTE BACK AND FORTH TO THEIR FAMILIES WHEN THEY WANT TO.

SO THOSE OPTIONS NOW EXIST.

SO MY REASON TO COME TO FLORIDA AND TO COME TO TAMPA SPECIFICALLY, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I JUST DECIDED I WANTED TO LIVE IN FLORIDA AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND I GOT A JOB HERE.

I DIDN'T COME HERE BECAUSE I SAID, OH, THIS COMMUNITY HAS GOT PERFECTLY EVERYTHING, AND LOOK AT THE ROADS AND EVERYTHING.

NO, IT WAS THE JOB.

AND SO I MOVED HERE AND THEN I DEALT WITH IT ONCE I GOT HERE.

SO -- FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.

>> I THINK WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE FOR WHATEVER REASON YOU DID CHOOSE TO COME HERE AND WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IS WE ARE IN COMPETITION WITH OTHER PLACES BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN LIVE WHERE THEY WANT TO LIVE AND YOU ARE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHICH I'M GLAD, ARE CHOOSING TO STAY HERE.

SO THERE MUST BE ENOUGH HERE THAT'S GOOD.

>> MY WIFE AND HER FAMILY.

>> WHATEVER.

>> THE BEST REASON.

>> JAY VICKERS: DEBORAH?

>> DEBORAH COPE: I HAD A FOLLOW-UP ON SPENCER'S QUESTION, AS FAR AS HOW WE WILL PAY FOR IT AND THE TAXES.

EVEN IF YOU SAY YOU DON'T WANT ANY NEW TAXES TO PAY FOR SOMETHING.

I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT GROWTH PAYING FOR ITSELF, PEOPLE COMING IN WILL PAY MORE TAXES SO THAT WILL JUST TAKE CARE OF ITSELF.

WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE RAIL AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS, DO YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.

AND YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WANT TO PAY FOR IT.

I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ASSUME ARE NOT GOING TO COST US ANYTHING.

>> RIGHT.

YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

>> JAY VICKERS: YEAH.

>> DOES THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE ANY JURISDICTION OR ANY SAY ON WHAT AMENITIES THAT WOULD BE PUT IN A COMMUNITY?

I'M LIVING IN AN AREA NOW THAT PROBABLY HAS OVER 2500 HOMES.

WE HAVE NO SIDEWALKS.

PEOPLE WALKING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

THE GRASS IS 3 FEET TALL AND NO STREET LIGHTS.

MANY, MANY ACCIDENTS EVERY DAY THERE'S AN ACCIDENT.

>> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ON THE ROADS OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMMUNITY OR INSIDE.

>> OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY.

AND MOST OF THE COMMUNITIES ARE GATED COMMUNITIES AND HAVE LIGHTED ROADS.

WHEN YOU GET OUT ON THE COUNTY ROADS OR THE CITY ROADS, IS THERE ANY JURISDICTION THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION --

>> WELL, THE JURISDICTION THAT WE HAVE.

IT'S TRYING TO PUT OUT TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THE PARTICULAR JURISDICTION WHY THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT AND HOPING THAT THEY PRIORITIZE THOSE THINGS AND GET THEM INTO THEIR PLAN.

AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE I TALKED WITH BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN FATALITY RATES BEING HIGH.

WE DID A CRASH STUDY OF THAT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WE IDENTIFIED THE 12 WORST INTERSECTIONS.

WELL, WE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED MORE THAN THAT, BUT WHAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THEY SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE NEED TO SHIFT HOW WE ARE PRIORITIZING SOME OF THESE THINGS AND LET'S LOOK AT THOSE INTERSECTIONS.

THEY ADDED $8 MILLION INTO THE BUDGET TO GO ONE AT A TIME DOWN THAT LIST.

I SAW THAT HAPPEN.

ONE IS WATERS AND SHELDON WHICH IS NEAR THE NORTHWEST PEDESTRIAN CENTER.

NOW THEY HAVE CLEAR LADDER THINGS FOR PEDESTRIANS.

YOU CAN SEE HOW NO CROSS THE STREET AND LIGHTS.

THEY CHANGED THE WAY THE MEDIANS ARE.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN THE SAME WAY.

YES, IF THEY HEAR WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, BUT IT'S UP TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO MAKE THE FINAL CHOICE, AS IT SHOULD BE.

WE CAN POINT OUT THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM BUT WE CAN'T MAKE TOMORROW DO IT.

OBVIOUSLY HAVING ROADS LIKE WITH NO SIDEWALKS IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE A PRIORITY TO THEM.

>> NOW THIS CHART THAT SPENCER IS CONTRIBUTING, I GUESS EVERYONE HERE HAS IT.

IT SHOWS HOW MUCH MONEY COMES FROM A SPECIFIC AREA IN TAXES.

>> MM-HMM.

RIGHT.

>> AND LET ME TELL YOU, CITY OF TEMPLE TERRACE IS ABOUT 1,200,000,000 TOTAL VALUE, PLANT CITY IS ABOUT 1,400,000,000.

THE NEW TAMPA AREA IS $3 BILLION.

WE'VE GOT ONE PARK.

>> MM-HMM.

>> IT'S NOT FAIR.

I CALL IT AN ATM MACHINE FOR DOWNTOWN.

>> WELL, THAT IS AN ISSUE WITHIN THE CITY, DEFINITELY.

>> JAY VICKERS: HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

A LITTLE BIT OF ORDER.

WE HAVE TO GET THIS THING MOVING ALONG.

GAYE, YOU HAD A POINT.

SPENCER, I WILL GET TO YOU IN JUST A SECOND.

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: THANK YOU, SPENCER.

WHAT I FIND -- WHAT I FIND AMUSING IS THE LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN THE STATES AND COUNTIES AND TALK ABOUT TAXES.

LUTZ PLAYS A LOT OF TAXES WITH NO SERVICES, WHICH IS FINE.

I LIKE THE WEEDS.

BUT BACK TO THE STATE COORDINATING WITH THE COUNTY.

IT'S AMUSING TO ME TO SEE THE SIDEWALK ALL THE WAY UP NORTH DALE MABRY HIGHWAY, TO THE COUNTY LINE WHEN, IN FACT, OUR COMMUNITY PLAN SAYS NO SIDEWALKS IN LUTZ.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

WE WILL DIRECT CHILDREN OR PEOPLE, OR YOUNG KIDS BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS OUT THERE, ARE SKATEBOARDS GOING TO STORES.

THAT'S ONE REASON WHY I WANTED SIDEWALKS.

WE WILL ATTRACT THEM ON THESE LITTLE RURAL ROADS TO THE SIDEWALKS ON DALE MABRY.

NOBODY IS GOING TO USE THE SIDEWALKS ON DALE MABRY!

THAT'S THE MOST STUPIDEST WASTE OF MONEY I EVER SAW.

THAT'S ONE.

NUMBER TWO, I FIND IT EXTREMELY OFFENSIVE LIVING ON THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SIDE TO HAVE A HART LINE BUS GOING DOWN MY LITTLE COUNTY LINE ROAD PICKING PEOPLE UP IN PASCO COUNTY THAT I'M PAYING FOR AND THERE'S A BENCH DOWN THERE BUT NOBODY STOPS WHERE I'M AT.

SO THEREFORE, WE ARE ENCOURAGING PASCO COUNTY.

SO THERE'S MY TWO ISSUES.

THANK YOU.

>> JAY VICKERS: SPENCER.

>> SPENCER KASS: I WILL MAKE IT QUIT BECAUSE THIS IS IN SUPPORT OF WHAT JOE WAS SAYING.

THIS IS WHERE THE PROBLEMS COME IN.

YOU GUYS PUT IN YOUR PLAN, THINGS LIKE YOU SHOULD BUILD SIDEWALKS OR YOU SHOULD BUILD PARKS OR NEIGHBORHOODS SHOULD HAVE THIS OR THAT.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT A BUDGET HEARING IN THE CITY OR COUNTY, EVER!

YOU DON'T GO DOWN THERE AND SAY AT THE BUDGET HEARING, WELL, IT'S GREAT THAT YOU DID A BUDGET, BUT WE'RE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

YOU AGREED TO THIS PLAN.

OUR PLAN SAYS YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE BUILDING SIDEWALKS OR ROADS OR PARKS OR ANY OF THIS OTHER STUFF AND INSTEAD YOU ARE SPENDING MONEY ON EVERYTHING ELSE AND YOU ARE NOT SPENDING IT, YOU KNOW, FINE.

I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE IT ON THEM BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THEN IT'S YOUR JOBS, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, TO SHOW UP AT THOSE HEARINGS AND START SAYING TO THEM, THIS IS THE STUFF YOU AGREED TO.

YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS STUFF IN YOUR BUDGETS.

YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS STUFF IN THE COMMUNITY.

WHY DID YOU AGREE TO IT?

WHEN WE GET INTO THIS NEXT CYCLE OF THIS, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS STUFF ANYMORE IN THE PLANS IF EVERYONE IS GOING TO SAY FORGET ABOUT IT.

THERE'S NO POINT.

YOU SEE IT'S FRUSTRATING TO ALL OF US.

IT'S FRUSTRATING.

IT'S ANNOYING.

WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE LACK OF TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, THIS IS WHAT CAUSES THE PROBLEMS.

WHAT IS THE POINT IN ALL OF US WASTING OUR VALUABLE TIME WITH YOU OR ANYBODY ELSE IF ULTIMATELY WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO IS TAKE IT AND STICK IT ON A SHELF BACK BEHIND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN SAY, WELL, WHATEVER IT IS, IT IS, AND THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

I WILL JUST POINT OUT TO YOU THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO ALL GET INVOLVED IN THIS AND YOU WANT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, I THEIR WE ARE ALL AT THE POINT WHERE SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET THEIR FEET HELD TO THE FIRE.

YOU CAN LET THEM KNOW, LISTEN, WE ARE WORKING ON THIS PLAN AND IT'S CALLING FOR SIDEWALKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

YOU WILL HAVE TO DECIDE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE $6 MILLION AWAY TO CHARITIES WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TELL THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE THEIR SIDEWALKS AND THEY CAN'T HAVE THEIR PARKS AND YOU WILL HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED THAT'S PART OF THE JOB.

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT.

>> SPENCER KASS: HE DOESN'T HAVE --

>> JAY VICKERS: THERE'S AN EDUCATION MISSION.

IT'S THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC AND THE EDUCATION OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, EVEN WITHOUT ENFORCEMENT, IT'S A GOOD EDUCATION MISSION.

BARBARA, THIS IS THE LAST QUESTION, UNFORTUNATELY.

>> BARBARA ADERHOLD: IT'S REALLY NOT EVEN A QUESTION.

IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE STATEMENT.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS ONLY A RECOMMENDING BODY.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SEE HAPPEN BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE BUT ALL OF US THAT LIVE IN THE COUNTY.

BACK TO EDUCATION IT IS.

THESE GUYS CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.

I DON'T DISAGREE THAT I WOULD LOVE TO HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE, BUT WHERE THE BUCK STOPS IS THAT AT PODIUM DOWNTOWN ON THE SECOND FLOOR HERE AND WE AS TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS HAVE TO HOLD OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE.

>> JAY VICKERS: YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND I THINK THE EDUCATION MISSION, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK THAT YOU LET OFF BY SAYING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN EDUCATING.

YOU WERE SURPRISED AT HOW THE VOTING MEMBERS OF PUCK -- PUBLIC DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE GOVERNMENT WORKS.

I THINK THE EDUCATION PORTION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO SAY WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO AND I THINK TO THE POINT THAT SPENCER AND GAYE AND DEBORAH HAVE MADE.

THERE IS AN EDUCATION MISSION ON WHOEVER IS SUPPOSED TO ENACT THAT AND I KNOW IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GET THEIR TIME BUT I THINK THAT EDUCATION MISSION IS IMPORTANT.

YEP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

I'M SORRY WE RAN OVER.

>> NO PROBLEM.

>> JAY VICKERS: MR. HALLET, YOU ARE NEXT UP IN THE LINE OF APOLOGIES.

WE WILL FILL THESE OUT.

SPENCER WILL HAND IT TO BETH AND BETH WILL GET TO HIM.

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: IS IT ONLINE?

>> IT IS ONLINE.

>> JAY VICKERS: SECOND IN OUR LINE OF APOLOGIES.

SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING.

>> IT'S OKAY.

I SET ASIDE MY MORNING FOR YOU GUYS.

VICK JUST TO LET THE C.A.C.

WE HAVE 10:30 AS THE STOP TIME ON THE AGENDA.

IT'S NOT A HARD STOP TIME.

IT'S PURPOSEFULLY LEFT FLEXIBLE AS WE KNEW THIS MAY RUN LONG.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT TIME CONSTRAINTS.

WE WILL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.

GAYE, IF YOU HAVE OTHER BUSINESS, WE HAVE A SECTION ON THE AGENDA FOR OTHER BUSINESS.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, SAY IT INTO THE MICROPHONE.

WOULD YOU JUST REPEAT YOUR COMMENT REAL QUICK, PLEASE?

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: I SAID I HAVE A SCHEDULED TIME TO LEAVE AT 10:30, THAT WAS GOING BY YOUR SCHEDULE.

>> JAY VICKERS: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I'M IAN HALLET.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES.

I WANTED TO TAKE SOME TIME THIS MORNING TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND, OF COURSE, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WHERE WE ARE GOING.

TO GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF H.C.A.S.

WE SERVE ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, INCLUDING PLANT CITY, TEMPLE TERRACE AND THE CITY OF TAMPA.

WE HAVE 80 EMPLOYEES AND A BUDGET OF ABOUT $6 MILLION.

WE HAVE BEEN APPROVED ADDITIONAL MONIES THIS YEAR IN THE BUDGET AND YOU CAN TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ENJOY A LOT ABOUT THIS JOB IS WHEN I'M FIRST ASKED ABOUT WHAT I DO, AND, OF COURSE, I TELL THEM I'M WITH ANIMAL SERVICES AND THEY ARE LIKE, OH, THAT'S NEAT.

AND THEY ARE LIKE, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE?

AND I SAY, WELL, THERE'S 80.

AND PEOPLE'S JAWS DROP.

AND THEY ARE LIKE, WELL, WHAT DO YOU NEED 80 EMPLOYEES FOR?

WELL, WE TAKE IN 21, 22,000 ANIMALS, WHICH IF YOU DO THE MATH COMES TO ABOUT 70 EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR.

AT ANY GIVEN TIME WE HAVE BETWEEN 400 AND 600 ANIMALS SITE AND 100 ADDITIONAL ANIMALS LIVING IN HOMES OUTSIDE OF THE SHELTER.

IT'S A BIG OPERATION.

THREE FULL-TIME VETERINARIANS.

IF YOU LOOK HERE, YOU WILL SEE ON THIS TABLE NOT JUST OUR ANIMAL INTAKE, THE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE, ABOUT 24,000, TELEPHONE CALLS, 74,000; CRUELTY CONFISCATION, 1500.

THAT PARTICULAR YEAR IT WAS 600 FIGHTING CHICKENS.

THAT WAS AN ABNORMALLY HIGH NUMBER.

ALMOST 4,000 SURGERIES WHICH IS ABOUT 10 EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND PEOPLE VISITING THE SHELTER, 54,000.

THAT NUMBER HAS SINCE GONE UP TO 64,000.

WE DO A LOT OF WORK, 47 ARRESTS.

YOU CAN JUST SEE ON AND ON.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES DOES A LOT OF WORK.

BUT THE STAT THAT HAS PROBABLY GOTTEN THE MOST ATTENTION OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR ANIMALS WHEN THEY COME INTO THE SHELTER.

WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, ADOPTIONS HAVE GONE UP BY 1700 ANIMALS.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THAT, THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS COMING INTO THE SHELTER IS DECREASED BY ABOUT 10,000 ANIMALS DURING THAT TIME.

THERE WAS, IN ABOUT 2006, THE SHELTER RECEIVED ABOUT 33,000 ANIMALS.

AND THE SAD PART OF -- OF THAT -- OF THE STATISTIC IS THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF THOSE ANIMALS ARE EUTHANIZED.

SO IN FISCAL YEAR '12 WE TOOK IN 9700 DOGS AND 4400 OF THOSE WERE EUTHANIZED WHICH COMES TO 12 EVERY SINGLE DAY IN TERMS OF CATS, WE GET 10,600 CATS, AND 80% OF THOSE ARE EUTHANIZED OR 23 EVERY SINGLE DAY.]

THAT NUMBER IS ACTUALLY MUCH HIGHER IN THE SUMMER, WHEN YOU HAVE LIT ERR SEASON -- LITTER SEASON WITH PUPPIES AND KITTENS.

EUTHANASIA CAN RUN BETWEEN 70 AND 80 ANIMALS.

AND IN THE WINTER, IT'S SLOWER, PROBABLY IN THE RANGE OF 40 AND 50.

IT'S NOT DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THE AVERAGE WOULD LOOK LIKE BUT THE ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCE IS A BIT MORE DRAMATIC THAN THAT.

SO THAT -- I'M GOING TO SKIP OVER THIS POINT.

THE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE, AS WE GET DOWN THIS DISCUSSION, IS THAT IF WE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF CATS THAT WERE ADOPTED, RESCUED AND RETURNED OWNER, WHICH WOULD BE QUITE A FEAT TO DOUBLE THAT, WE WOULD STILL EUTHANIZE 60% OF THE CATS COMING INTO THE SHELTER.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AS AN AGENCY, WE HAVE HAD TO TACKLE OVER THE LAST YEAR.

ON MAY 2nd OF 2012, THE BOCC PASSED A UNANIMOUS MOTION TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO OUTLINE A PROCESS ONCE A NEW ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR WAS HIRED, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF BEST PRACTICES THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MINIMIZE THE USE OF EUTHANASIA IN OUR SHE WILLER IN A FINANCIAL -- SHELTER IN A FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE ANIMAL.

IF YOU THROW A BUNCH OF MONEY ON, IT WE COULD PROBABLY SAVE EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.

TO THAT END, I BEGAN IN THIS POSITION IN JUNE OF 2012.

SO I'M ABOUT 15 MONTHS IN.

SO IN ORDER TO CREATE THAT PLAN, WE DEVELOPED AN ANIMAL SERVICES TASK FORCE.

THAT PROCESS BEGAN IN JULY 2012.

IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS, AND IT WAS COMPOSED OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHICH ARE SEVEN APPOINTEES BY THE COMMISSIONERS AND TWO VETERINARIANS, A MEMBER FROM THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY AND THEN THEY NOMINATED THREE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF THAT ANIMAL.

WE HELD NINE MEETINGS BETWEEN OCTOBER AND APRIL, NONE OF THEM LESS THAN THREE HOURS.

WE HAD TEN HOURS OF EXPERT IT TESTIMONY AND THEY PRODUCED A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO ASSIST ME IN THE FORMULATION OF A PLAN.

THAT LIVE OUTCOME PLAN, WHICH WE ALSO CALLED "BE THE WAY HOME" AND YOU CAN SEE OUR LOGO IN THE CORNER THERE, INCLUDED 60 INITIATIVES IN THE AREAS OF MARKETING, VOLUNTEERING, INTAKE REDUCTION, SPAY/NEUTER INITIATIVES, ADOPTION AND RESCUE INITIATIVES AND INITIATIVES TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT GO BACK TO THEIR OWNER.

SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT WOULD BE A BIG PUSH IN THE AREA OF MARKETING.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, GETTING ADS ABOUT THE SHELTER AND ABOUT ADOPTING IN FRONT OF THE MOVIE TRAILERS BEFORE YOUR MOVIE.

GETTING BILLBOARDS UP, SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE'S -- WE NEVER HAD A FORMAL ADVERTISING PUSH AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM EXPERIENCE, ONE OF MY MOST COMMON EXPERIENCES HERE WHEN I TELL PEOPLE WHAT I DO, THEY SAY, OH, I LOVE YOU GUYS.

I GOT MY ANIMAL FROM THE HUMANE SOCIETY TOO.

AND I SAY, WELL, NO, WE ARE NOT THE HUMANE SOCIETY.

WE ARE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES AND THEY ARE LIKE, OH, YOU ARE ANIMAL CONTROL.

AND I'M LIKE, NO, WE ALSO DO ADOPTIONS AND WE HAVE 500 ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER AND THEY ARE LIKE, OH, MY GOSH.

AND THEN THEY ARE LIKE, WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?

AND WE TELL THEM ON FULKENBURG ROAD.

THEY KNOW WHERE IT IS BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE DOING ADOPTIONS.

THE SHELTER EXISTS AND WE HAVE ANIMALS FOR ADOPTION AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GO IF YOUR ANIMAL IS LOST.

IT'S NOT REALLY WIDELY KNOWN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFIT TO BE GAINED BY DOING MARKETING.

ANOTHER BIG INITIATIVE IN THIS PLAN ARE OFF-SITE ADOPTIONS.

AND I WILL SHOW YOU A MAP HERE AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ANIMATED, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE COMPUTER DOES NOT LIKE THAT.

BUT IF YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR -- THIS G.I.S. MAP HERE THAT WE HAVE -- THERE WE GO.

BLOW IT UP HERE A LITTLE BIT.

THIS IS A MAP OF ADOPTIONS OF CATS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AND IF YOU LOOK RIGHT ABOUT HERE IS THE ANIMAL SHELTER.

SO MOST OF OUR CAT ADOPTIONS ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD.

AND IF YOU LOOK, PLANT CITY HAS ALMOST NO CAT ADOPTIONS.

TEMPLE TERRACE WHO IS ONLY 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM US, ALMOST NO CAT ADOPTIONS.

NO ADOPTIONS THERE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY, IF WE EITHER REACH OUT THROUGH MARKETING OR GET OFF SITE ADOPTION INTO THESE AREAS THAT WE CAN INCREASE THAT NUMBER PRETTY EASILY.

THERE'S A LOT OF LOW-HANGING FRUIT THERE.

THIS IS A SLOW COMPUTER!

>> IT LOOKS LIKE THE NORTHWEST DOESN'T EVEN --

>> THAT'S TRUE.

>> THE WEST SIDE OF THE COUNTY THEY NEED SOME ATTENTION OVER THERE.

OR AN OFF-SITE LOCATION.

>> I THINK A LOT OF OUR WEST -- OUR SOUTH TAMPA AND WEST COUNTY ADOPTIONS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY, BECAUSE OF THEIR LOCATION ON ARMENIA.

>> YES.

>> THAT, FOR ME, IS NOT A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY DO TAKE 1500 ANIMALS A YEAR FROM US.

SO A LOT OF THE ANIMALS THAT PEOPLE ARE ADOPTING -- SO 25% OF THE ANIMALS THAT THEY DON'T OUT ACTUALLY CAME FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES.

AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR ADOPTIONS THAT ACTUALLY COME FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES.

ANOTHER PORTION OF THEIR ADOPTIONS ARE ACTUALLY OWNER SURRENDERS THAT GET SURRENDERED DIRECTLY TO THEM BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS.

THOSE ARE ADOPTIONS THAT ARE IMPOUNDS AND SUBSEQUENT ADOPTIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR IF THEY DIDN'T TAKE IN THOSE OWNER SURRENDERS.

SO WE DO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP.

WE ARE TRYING TO GROW THE NUMBER OF OUR ANIMALS GOING THROUGH THERE AND THERE'S CONSTRAINTS TO THAT, THAT I WON'T BORE YOU WITH.

SO IN SPEAKING ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CATS WHICH I EXPLAINED 20% IN FISCAL YEAR '12 LEAVE ALIVE.

THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY CUT THAT NUMBER IN HALF WHICH MAKES THE DISCUSSION OF LIVE OUTCOMES POSSIBLE.

IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE -- THE STATISTICS AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, EMPIRICAL, YOU KNOW, PEER-REVIEWED ESTIMATES HERE, IS THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 231,000 OWNED CATS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

SO IT'S LIVING INSIDE OF A HOUSE, ABOUT HALF OF THOSE GET TO GO OUTSIDE, COME IN AND OUT.

80% OF THEM ARE STERILIZED.

THE ESTIMATE IS THE FREE ROAMING CATS WHICH ARE FERAL CATS, THERE ARE PROBABLY 200 TO 400,000 OF PEOPLE AND ONLY 2% OF THOSE ARE STERILIZED.

THE ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF PERSONS FEEDING CATS IS 120,000 PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

SO ABOUT 10% OF OUR POPULATION.

AND THAT'S FEEDING -- THAT'S SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT FEEDING CATS THAT THEY DO NOT CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF.

THIS IS A MAP OF CAT INTAKE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT IT CORRESPONDS VERY CLOSELY, BASICALLY, WITH INCOME AND DENSITY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

SO YOU CAN SEE VERY CLEARLY HERE THE 275 CORRIDOR, OTHER HOT SPOTS INCLUDE TOWN 'N' COUNTRY, ALSO THE GANDY AREA, FOR WHATEVER REASON, SEFFNER, DOVER, VALRICO IS VERY HIGH.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

YOU HAVE PROGRESS VILLAGE, PALM RIVER, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY EASY TO MAKE OUT SOME OF THE AREAS IN THE COUNTY THAT STRUGGLE WITH A LOT OF ISSUE.

PLANT CITY GENERATES A DECENT AMOUNT OF INTAKE.

YOU WILL NOTICE THE GREEN ON HERE ARE ELAP LANDS AND ANY CONSERVATION LANDS.

SO WE ARE REALLY NOT GETTING CATS OUT OF THOSE AREAS.

THERE ARE PLACES WHERE THEY ARE NEAR THEM, BUT MOSTLY THEY ARE COMING OUT OF DENSELY POPULATED URBAN AREAS.

>> DOES THIS MATCH INCLUDE THE HUMANE SOCIETY, WHAT THEY TAKE IN?

>> THE HUMANE SOCIETY WILL NOT TAKE IN STRAY CATS.

THEY BRING IN OWNER SURRENDERS.

THIS REPRESENTS WHERE THE CATS COME?

>> I KNOW MY ASSOCIATION HAS PAID THEM TO COME INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> CURRENTLY BETWEEN THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY AND ANIMAL COALITION OF TAMPA, THEY ARE DOING ABOUT 10,000, WHAT WE CALL TRAP, NEUTER RELEASE.

SOMEBODY TRAPS THEM, THEY NEUTER THEM AND VACCINATE THEM AGAINST RABIES AND THEN RETURN THEM TO WHERE THEY ARE.

THAT IS A 100% CITIZEN EITHER PRIVATELY OR DONATION-FUNDED PROGRAM.

THE COUNTY HAS NO, YOU KNOW, INVOLVEMENT IN THAT.

BUT IT'S A GOOD SEGUE TO THE NEXT ELEMENT.

>> A QUESTION ABOUT THE LAST SLIDE.

>> SURE.

>> WHEN YOU ARE SAYING ABOUT 50% OF CATS ARE ALLOWED TO GO OUTSIDE.

IS THAT LEGAL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?

>> SO, IT IS.

THEY CAN BE IN YOUR YARD, AS LONG AS THEY ARE EITHER MICROCHIPPED AND HAVE IDENTIFICATION TAG AND THEY ARE SPAYED AND NEUTERED.

I THINK BASED ON THE HEAD SHAKES, NOT MANY CATS STAY IN THEIR OWN YARD.

WE RESPOND TO A LOT OF CALLS AND, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN A NEIGHBOR CALLS AND THEY ARE UPSET ABOUT CATS, THE USUAL THING THAT WE GET THEM ON IS LACK OF TAGS AND VACCINATIONS AND BEING WHAT WE CALL AT LARGE OFF THE PROPERTY.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS ONE OF THE STRICTEST COUNTIES IN THE STATE AND PROBABLY ALSO THE NATION IN TERMS OF THEIR RULES ABOUT WHERE CATS CAN BE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, A DECENT NUMBER OF PLACES HAVE RULES ABOUT CATS BEING OFF THEIR PROPERTY BUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SAYS IF IT'S GOING TO BE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME, IT HAS TO BE SPAYED AND NEUTERS.

BASED ON -- WE ARE AN AGENCY THAT IS STAFFED REALLY ONLY TO HANDLE THE CALLS THAT WE GET.

SO WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE OUT CRUISING, LOOKING FOR THIS.

IF YOU CALL, WE RESPOND, BUT THERE'S SO MANY -- LIKE I SAID, OUR INTAKE OF CATS IS ABOUT 20 -- OR IS 10,000 AND WE ESTIMATE THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY, THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT A HALF MILLION OUT THERE, AND ABOUT 400,000 OF THEM ARE RUNNING AROUND.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, WE DEAL WITH 2%, 2.5% OF ALL THE CATS THAT WE KNOW LIVE OUT THERE.

SO KIND OF A STAGGERING NUMBER.

>> JAY VICKERS: DO YOU PREFER TO TAKE THE QUESTIONS DURING THE PRESENTATION?

DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE?

>> LET'S GO TO THE END, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO CONVEY YOU TO ALL, AND, I WILL BE HAPPY TO GO BACK ON SLIDES AND ASK THAT.

>> HOW LONG IS THE SLIDE PRESENTATION?

I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ASK BECAUSE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.

I MEAN, APPRECIATE THE DATA BUT IS THIS A 20 SLIDE SHOW, 30?

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL RIGHT SO LET'S SLOW DOWN HERE.

TYPICALLY THE WAY THESE TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS WORK.

WE HAVE A PRESENTER COME AND GIVES US THE FULL PRESENTATION.

THERE'S NOT A TIME THAT WE HAVE TO BE OUT OF THIS ROOM.

IT MAY BE 1 OR 2:00 THIS AFTERNOON AND I'M CERTAIN ALL OF US ARE HOPING IT DOESN'T GO THAT LONG.

TYPICALLY THEY ARE ABLE TO DO THE WHOLE PRESENTATION.

AND THEN YOU CAN JOT DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS ON A PIECE OF PAPER IN FRONT OF YOU AND THEN WE CAN GO IN ORDER AS WE GET TOWARDS THE END.

THAT WILL BE GOOD.

SO --

>> I HAVE 20 SLIDES.

I'M ON SLIDE NINE.

WE ARE 10 MINUTES IN.

>> JAY VICKERS: I THINK WE ARE GOOD.

I'M SURE EVERYONE WILL HAVE TIME TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ABLE TO DO THIS IN THE MOST ORDERLY AND TIME EFFICIENT MANNER.

THANK YOU.

>> SO TWO OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME UP IN THE TASK FORCE ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH ALL OF THESE CATS, ONE WAS A SANCTUARY MODEL, WHERE WE PUT THE ONES THAT ARE UNADOPTABLE IN A SANCTUARY, AND THE COST FOR THAT WOULD BE $266 PER CAT INITIALLY WITH THE $200 PER YEAR COST FOR LIFE.

THE QUICK NUMBERS WHERE IT WAS GOING TO COST ABOUT $1 MILLION TO SAVE PER YEAR TO SAVE 20% OF THE CATS WITH THAT AMOUNT INCREASING OVER TIME, AS MORE CATS ARE ADDED.

SO THAT WASN'T REALLY FEASIBLE.

THE OTHER MODEL IS BASED OUT OF JACKSONVILLE, WHERE IN JACKSONVILLE, ALL OF THE CATS -- ALMOST ALL THE CATS, THEY GET INTO ANIMAL SERVICES.

THEY NEUTER, VACCINATE AND RELEASE BACK TO WHERE THEY FOUND THEM.

AT NO COST TO ANIMAL SERVICES.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAD CONSTERNATION OVER BOTH OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO WHAT WE DID WAS CREATE A HYBRID, OR A MIDDLE GROUND IS WE WOULD CREATE A PROGRAM WHERE UP TO 2,000 OF THE CATS COMING INTO THE SHELTER, IF THEY WERE NOT A NUISANCE TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD COULD BE NEUTERED, VACCINATED AND RELEASED BACK TO THAT AREA OR RELOCATED TO AN AREA WHERE CATS WERE ALREADY EXISTING, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT CAUSING ANY PROBLEMS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY WOULDN'T BE RELEASED AT SCHOOLS, PLAYGROUNDS, PUBLIC PARKS OR CONSERVATION LANDS.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE MAP.

I WILL GET PAST THIS.

IT'S A MAP YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN.

CATS GOING INTO THIS PROGRAM NEED TO BE IN GOOD HEALTH.

WE WILL PUT A MICROCHIP IN THEM SO THAT IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN IDENTIFY WHICH CATS CAME OUT OF THIS PROGRAM AND DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THE PROGRAM OR WHETHER WE NEED TO MAKE OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO IT.

WE ALSO DO A BLOOD TEST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A DISEASE THAT'S CONTAGIOUS TO OTHER CATS.

THOSE BLOOD TESTS, YOU CAN'T TEST FOR RABIES OR ANY OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT AND KEEP THE CAT ALIVE.

SO IT TESTS OR THINGS THAT COMMUNICABLE TO OTHER AREAS, AND THERE WILL BE AN ORDINANCE CHANGE ESSENTIALLY TO EXEMPT CATS WITH THE NOTCHED EARS WHICH INDICATES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TRAPPED, NEUTERS AND RELEASED.

THEY TAKE OFF JUST A LITTLE PIECE OF EAR.

SO IF YOU EVER LOOK AROUND, LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S A NOTCH.

THAT NOTCH MEANS THAT THE CAT IS NEUTERED AND BEEN VACCINATED.

THEY WOULD BEING EXEMPTED FROM THE YEARLY LICENSED REQUIREMENTS AND THE AT LARGE REQUIREMENTS, HOWEVER, WE WILL HAVE A PROVISION IN THERE, SUCH THAT IF ONE OF THESE TYPES OF CATS IS CAUSING A NUISANCE TO YOU, THAT WE WILL HAVE A LEGAL REMEDY TO HOLD WHOEVER IS CARING FOR THOSE COUNTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR.

SO THAT -- BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SCENARIOS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DONE THIS PROCESS, BUT THEN THE NUMBERS GROW SO LARGE THAT THEY BOTHER THE NEIGHBORS AND THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE CATS OR THE COMMUNITY.

SO I WANT TO GO QUICKLY OVER SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER WE GOT HERE, WE DID A PILOT.

WE OPENED ON THE 4th OF JULY, ON A HOLIDAY AND WE HAD OVER 400 VISITORS IN ONE DAY, AND 60 ADOPTIONS.

THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE THE SINGLE LARGEST DAY OF INTAKE IN A SHE WILLER EACH YEAR IS THE 5th OF JULY.

BECAUSE AFTER EVERYBODY IS DONE SETTING OFF THEIR FIREWORKS ON THE EVENING OF THE 4th OF JULY, WE GET IN 100 TO 150 ANIMALS THE NEXT MORNING THAT RAN AWAY ON THE FEAR.

WE DO ALL OF THESE ADOPTIONS AND YOU SEND ALL OF THESE ANIMALS HOME AND THEN THAT WAY, NEXT DAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO EUTHANIZE A BUNCH OF AN LOT OF SPACE FOR THE LOST ONES COMING IN.

WE CROSS TRAINED OUR STAFF TO WORK IN CUSTOMER SERVICE.

WE HAVE EXTENDED OUR HOURS FROM 10 A.M. TO 7 P.M. EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK AND ALSO HELPFUL TO PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THEIR LOST PETS, HE CAN COME EVERY DAY ON THE WEEKEND AND COME AFTER WORK.

ANOTHER THING WE DID THIS YEAR, WE OPENED ON MEMORIAL DAY AND OVER THE COURSE OF THAT WEEK AND OUR ADOPTION SPECIALS, WE ACTUALLY HAD 151 DOGS AND THE SHELTER AND 153 WENT HOME ALIVE.

SO VERY GOOD WEEK.

OVER THE LAST -- OR IN MY FIRST 12 MONTHS, LIVE OUTCOMES HAVE INCREASED BY 2,000 ANIMALS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.

SO EVERY DAY, SIX MORE ANIMALS EVERY SINGLE DAY LEAVE THE SHELTER ALIVE.

AND A COUPLE OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE DID FREE RABIES VACCINE CLINICS WHERE WE PROVIDE VACCINES TO LOW-INCOME PERSONS.

WE DO THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY.

WE ALSO DID A PIT BULL CELEBRATION DAY WHERE WE MICROCHIPPED THE BIT PULLS, WHICH ARE THE ONES THAT GET LOST OF THE MOST AND GAVE THEM A RABIES VACCINATION AND A LEASH AND A COLLAR TOO.

THE HILLSBOROUGH ANIMAL HEALTH FOUNDATION AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER HELPED TO FUND THAT.

THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM THE FIELD, OUR FIELD STAFF, WE HAD THE SEFFNER BEACH DOGFIGHTING RING, THE DEFENDANTS THERE TOLD OUR OFFICERS YOU ARE WALKING ON 20 YEARS OF DEAD DOGS AND BONES.

IT WAS A FIGHTING OPERATION THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON THROUGH A COUPLE FAMILY GENERATIONS THERE.

THE DOG YOU WILL SEE HERE, HIS NAME WAS RUDY.

WE TOOK HIM IN.

HE ACTUALLY HAD KIDNEY FAILURE, AND WE NURSED HIM BACK TO HEALTH.

YOU SEE HERE, MICHELE PEREZ, ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, HE LIVED UNDER HER DESK FOR FOUR MONTHS RECOVERING AND NOW YOU CAN SEE HE LIVES -- THIS IS HIS NEW OWNER.

HE LIVES IN THE LAP OF LUXURY.

HAD A DOGFIGHTING CASE IN PLANT CITY, 26 DOGS CONFISCATED AND 12 OF THOSE WERE, YOU KNOW, GOOD TEMPERAMENTS AND WERE NOT AGGRESSIVE.

AND WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO FIND HOMES FOR ALL 12 OF THOSE DOGS THROUGH MARKETING.

WE HAD PUT THE DOGS OUT IN THE SHELTER FOR TEN DAYS.

MY SHELTER MANAGER SAID THEY ARE NOT JUST PIT BULLS BUT THEY HAVE A STORY.

AND CITIZENS AND RESCUES STEPPED UP AND TOOK ALL 12 OF THEM WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO BEFORE.

THIS PICTURE WENT VIRAL ON , YOU CAN SEE IT LOOKS LIKE THE DOG IS SMILING.

HE'S OBVIOUSLY VERY HAPPY FOR OUR EFFORTS.

ANOTHER WILD STORY.

PHOEBE, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT HER.

THIS WAS A DOGFIGHTING RING IN THE PROGRESS AREA.

WE GOT A CALL ABOUT GUNSHOTS.

THEY BURIED HER UP TO HER NECK ALIVE AND SHOT HER TWICE IN THE HEAD.

FORTUNATELY ONE OF THE BULLETS WENT THROUGH THE TOP OF HER SKULL AND THE OTHER ONE WENT DOWN THROUGH HER SNOUT, AND OUT THE BOTTOM OF HER THROAT, AND SHE SURVIVED IT.

AND SHE LIVES VERY WELL NOW.

AN EXTREMELY NICE DOG.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE FIELD.

I WAS ABLE TO GET iPADS INTO ALL OF OUR VEHICLES WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A LUXURY.

WHAT IS REALLY NEED IS THE OFFICERS ARE ABLE TO DISPATCH THEIR OWN CALLS AND LOOK AT EX-OTHER AND SEE WHO HAS MORE -- EACH OTHER AND SEE WHO HAS MORE CALLS AND HELP EACH OTHER BY TAKING CALLS OFF OF THEIR PLATE.

BEFORE IT WAS ALL HANDLED BY RADIO AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT.

AND ANOTHER THING THEY HAVE IS FIND MY FRIEND.

THESE PURPLE DOTS, THEY CAN SEE WHERE THEY ARE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER OFFICERS TO ASSIST THEM OR TAKE CALLS OFF OF THEIR PLATE.

IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE AND THEY CAN TOUCH ONE OF THESE DOTS TO USE FACETIME, FOR THOSE OF YOU ON, YOU KNOW, iPHONE, iPAD TECHNOLOGY, THEY CAN FACETIME EACH OTHER.

ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS THAT WE JUST GAVE THEM AN iPAD.

WE HAD AN OFFICER WHO WENT TO A CALL AND THE RESIDENTS WERE SPANISH SPEAKING.

SO HE FACETIMED IN OUR SPANISH-SPEAKING OFFICER AND HANDED THE iPAD TO THE CITIZEN AND THEY GOT TO HAVE A LIVE CONVERSATION WITH A SPANISH-SPEAKING OFFICER AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO SHOW OUR OFFICER -- OR THE CITIZEN WAS ABLE TO SHOW THE OFFICER WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE HOUSE, AND HOW THE ANIMAL WAS CARED FOR.

STAFF CAN ALSO USE FACETIME TO FACETIME INTO THEIR SUPERVISOR AND SHOW THEM A SCENE TO GET INPUT ON WHETHER OR NOT THE ANIMAL SHOULD BE CONFISCATED.

LAST SLIDE.

THE SECOND TO LAST SLIDE HERE.

SO RECENT CHANGES IN ANIMAL SERVICES, ANIMAL CONTROL AND INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN MOVED OVER TO CODE ENFORCEMENT.

THIS IS A PART OF A VISION THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR LASS TO DO SOME CONSOLIDATION OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR AND CONSTERNATION OVER THIS, THAT YOU WOULD HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IMPOUNDING ANIMALS AND WOULD YOU HAVE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, CHECKING SPRINKLERS, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

THEY WORK AS A TEAM.

A LOT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT CALLS WE HAVE ALSO HAVE ANIMAL ISSUES.

A LOT OF OUR ANIMAL ISSUES ALSO INVOLVE CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THEM OUT.

FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S NOT LEGAL TO TETHER AN ANIMAL ADVISORY MALL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

ONCE WE ISSUE THE NOTICE TO TAKE THE ANIMAL OFF A TETHER.

WE DON'T NEED TO SEND ONE OF OUR OFFICERS OUT TO SEE IF THE ANIMAL IS OFF THE TETHER.

IF THERE'S A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THAT'S AT THE HOUSE THE NEXT DOOR CHECKING ON THE LAWN BEING THEY CAN LOOK OVER THE FENCE AND SEE IF THE DOG IS OFF THE TETHER.

THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO HELP US.

THE OTHER THING THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, THE COUNSELEE IS TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS A CENTRALIZED CALL CENTER TO PROVIDE MORE HOURS.

HOPEFULLY, 24/7 COVERAGE THAT CITIZENS CAN REACH US.

LIBRARIES HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME THEY HAVE PROVIDED THAT SERVICE TO PUBLIC WORKS.

WE ARE ABLE TO ANSWER OUR PHONES FROM APPROXIMATELY 8 TO 6, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, AND ANIMAL SERVICES ON THE WEEKEND AND AFTER 5 P.M., YOU WERE UNABLE TO REACH ANY LIVE PERSON AT ANIMAL SERVICES.

THERE HAVE BEEN HICCUPS WITH THAT.

WE ARE HAVING TO TRAIN A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T WORKED IN ANIMAL SERVICES BEFORE ON HOW TO TAKE CALLS, COMPLEX CALLS THAT THEY CAN'T HANDLE DO GET ESCALATED TO STAFF.

THE OTHER BIG PROJECT THAT WE ARE INVOLVED IN NOW, WE ARE WORKING ON NEW VETERINARY SERVICES FACILITY.

AS I MENTIONED, WE HAD 2,000 MORE ADOPTIONS, JUST IN ONE YEAR THAN WE DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WHICH HAS MEANT 1500 MORE SURGERIES THAN WE DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

AND BASICALLY, WE ARE STARTING TO GROW OUT OF OUR SMALL VETERINARY SERVICES AREA.

SO WE ARE RENOVATING THAT BUT IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING INTO A PORTABLE TRAILER, BUYING A FACILITY FOR SURGERIES AND MOVING THE EXAMINE ROOM INTO PEOPLE'S OFFICES IN THE FRONT OF THE FACILITY.

SO THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE WE ARE FACING OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

THE FUTURE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I THINK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WILL BECOME A MODEL FOR LARGE MUNICIPALITIES THAT REALLY WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS LEAVING ALIVE.

BUT WITHOUT SPENDING A TON OF MONEY ON IT, AND BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE DIFFICULT BUDGETARY CHOICES TO MAKE, THERE ARE AREAS THAT HAVE REACHED, YOU KNOW, 90% OF THE ANIMALS COME IN, THAT GO IN THE SHELTER LEAVING ALIVE, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF THAT CAN SOMETIMES BE QUITE HIGH.

SO I THINK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WILL BE KIND OF A MODEL FOR THE MIDDLE ROAD FOR MUNICIPALITIES.

HOW DO YOU DO BETTER?

AND HOW DO YOU KEEP THAT WITHIN THE BUDGETARY AND RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE?

TEN MINUTES.

I NAILED THE REST OF IT.

SO I AM DONE NOW.

>> JAY VICKERS: WELL DONE!

I HAVE -- ON THE LIST I HAVE GAYE AND CRISTAN.

LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ME TO ADD YOUR NAME.

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANK YOU FOR CUTTING DOWN ON THE EUTHANIZATION OF ANIMALS.

I REALLY APPLAUD YOU FOR DOING THAT.

ALSO ON THE FERAL CAT PROGRAM, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.

I KNOW THERE IS ARGUMENTS TO THE OTHER SIDE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE THAT YOU ARE TURNING THEM LOOSE, BUT, STILL, YOU DECREASE THE POPULATION AND ALL IN ALL, IT'S VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE HUMAN BEINGS' BEHAVIOR.

AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH THIS.

AND ANOTHER ISSUE, ON THE MICROCHIP, IS THERE -- PEOPLE THAT ADOPT THE ANIMALS, DO YOU FREE MICROCHIP OR DO THEY PAY OR --

>> YES, ALL ADOPTED ANIMALS HAVE MICROCHIPS AND THE COUNTY DID APPROVE IN OUR BUDGET A BUDGET INCREASE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MICROCHIP ALL ANIMALS LEAVING THE SHELTER, PARTICULARLY THE ONES THAT WERE LOST AND WE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS.

THERE'S A GROUP OF ANIMALS THAT YOU WANT TO BE MICROCHIPPED, IT'S THE ONES THAT WE KNOW HAVE ALREADY BEEN LOST AND SHOWN UP AT THE SHELTER.

SO SHORTLY HERE ALL ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER WILL GET MICROCHIPS BEFORE THEY LEAVE.

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: AND ON THE FERAL CAT PROGRAM, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT SEEMS THAT SOME PEOPLE JUST LET THEM BREED AND BREED AND BREED AND BREED.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW YORK WANT EVERY CAT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE MY HUSBAND HAS A HABIT OF SAYING OH, COME ON OVER HERE.

SO HOW DO I CONTACT SOMEONE THAT COULD DO THAT SO WE CAN PERHAPS GET SOME OF THESE CATS TRAPPED?

>> THE COUNTY HAD TO -- USED TO ACTIVELY TRAP CATS FOR CITIZENS PRIOR TO THE DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY.

ONE OF THE POSITIONS THEY HAD TO CUT WAS SOMEBODY WHO WOULD ACTIVELY TRAP THE CATS.

OF COURSE, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE JUST CAME TO THE SHELTER AND WERE EUTHANIZED --

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: WHAT WANT THEM EUTHANIZED.

>> WE WILL PICK UP TRAPPED CATS THAT CITIZENS HAVE TRAPPED.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IN THOSE SITUATIONS, WHAT A CITIZEN NEEDS TO DO IS REACH OUT TO ANIMAL COALITION OF TAMPA OR HUMAN SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY AND WORK WITH THEM AND THEIR PROGRAMS THAT ARE EITHER FREE OR LOW COST TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS AND BASICALLY STOP THE CYCLE OF GROWING POPULATIONS BUT WITHOUT -- BUT WITHOUT EUTHANIZING.

SO WE ARE CONSIDERING AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL OR AGAINST ORDINANCES TO FEED CATS WITHOUT SPAYING AND NEUTERING THEM.

THE POPULATION OF CATS, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A FOOD RESOURCE.

YOU HAVE THE FOOD ON THE ONE AND PREDATION ON THE OTHER AND PREDATION, BE A CAR OR A COYOTE OR A DOG AND THE POPULATION YOU HAVE IS THE BALANCE LEFT IN THOSE.

THE POPULATION OF CATS, IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE GET MOST OF THEM, WHICH IS THE 275 CORRIDOR, THEY ARE NOT LIVING ON BIRDS AND SQUIRRELS.

THEY ARE LIVING ON BAGS OF FOOD THAT PEOPLE ARE PUTTING OUT FOR THEM.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEY ARE INCREASING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CATS THAT CAN INCREASE THERE.

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM THE PUBLIC?

WHAT CAN WE DO OR DONATE OR HELP THE SHELTER WITH THE DOGS AND CATS.

WHAT CAN YOU USE?

>> WELL, THERE'S A CHANGE OF THINGS, FROM PEOPLE COMING TO VOLUNTEER -- WE ARE LOOKING TO CREATE A FOSTER PROGRAM.

SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR CAT FOOD AT THE SHELTER, AS WELL AS KITTY LITTER.

THOSE ARE MAJOR EXPENSES FOR FOSTER FAMILIES, BUT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S A HUGE -- THERE'S VERY LOW HANGING FRUIT, WHICH IS JUST AWARENESS AND SO EVEN JUST EACH OF YOU TELLING PEOPLE WHAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES DOES AND THAT THEY HAVE ADOPTION ANIMALS, AND MALLS FOR ADOPTION, AND THAT WE HAVE THIS CAT PROBLEM.

AND JUST LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE EUTHANIZED, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EACH PERSON CAN GO AND DO, WITH VERY LITTLE TIME AND IS A TREMENDOUS HELP TO ANIMAL SERVICES.

>> GAYE TOWNSEND: THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

>> JAY VICKERS: NEST UP, CRISTAN.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: GOOD MORNING.

I DON'T ENVY YOUR SITUATION, JUST IN GENERAL.

I KNOW IT'S -- IT'S NOT A FUN THING.

BUT THERE'S TWO AREAS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

ONE IS REGARDING BUDGETS AND THE OTHER ONE REGARDING SAFETY AND HEALTHY -- AND HEALTH.

I KNOW I THINK RECENTLY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAD APPROVED $200,000, A LITTLE BIT OVER $200,000 ADDITIONAL MONEY SPENT.

SO MAYBE YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPECIFICALLY WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY MONEY THAT'S COMING FROM NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET PULLED FORWARD INTO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, IF THAT'S CORRECT, LET ME KNOW.

AND THEN ON THE OTHER BUDGET -- SO YOU CAN TALK TO THAT.

AND THEN ALSO, THE -- THE CREMATION SERVICES.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT NOW YOU GUYS ARE OUTSOURCING THAT TO PET ANGEL.

WHAT TYPE OF SAVINGS?

HOW WAS THAT DECISION MADE?

WAS IT A SAVINGS TO THE COUNTY IN THE LONG TERM?

IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT IN THE BUDGET AND THEN ONCE THAT'S DONE, I HAVE A QUESTION ON SAFETY AND HEALTH.

>> SO THE FIRST QUESTION, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THIS YEAR PASSED A BUDGETARY INCREASE TO ANIMAL SERVICES OF $1.25 MILLION.

OUR BUDGET BACK IN 2008 WAS ABOUT $8.5 MILLION, CLOSE TO 9, AND OUR CURRENT BUDGET THIS PAST, MOST RECENT FISCAL YEAR WAS $6 MILLION.

SO WE HAVE BEEN CUT BY ABOUT 25%, YOU KNOW, $2.5 MILLION.

SO THEY HAVE INCREASED THAT BACK UP BY $1 MILLION TO HELP US.

THE BULK OF THAT MONEY WENT INTO 12 NEW POSITIONS, BECAUSE WE REALLY WERE UNDERSTAFFED IN TERMS OF THE CARE OF OUR ANIMALS THIS AT THE SHELTER.

SOME OF THAT OTHER MONEY ALSO GOES TOWARDS MEDICATIONS AND A LOT OF IT GOES INTO SURGERY AND WORK UP CAPACITY.

WITH REGARDS TO CREMATION AND OUTSOURCING, THAT WHAT PROMPTS THAT IS WE HAVE AN ON-SITE CREMATORY AND IT'S ON RUNNING FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND IT'S CONSTANTLY BREAKING DOWN.

AFTER SHELLING OUT A COUPLE OF THOUSAND DOLLARS, PROBABLY $6,000, WE REACHED A POINT TO WHERE IT WAS GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER $10,000 TO FIX IT AND IT WAS GOING TO TAKE TIME AND WE DIDN'T HAVE AN OUTLET FOR WHAT TO DO WITH THE ANIMALS.

SO WE CREATED IT TO LOOK AT OTHER CREMATORY SERVICES AND IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE SEVERAL HERE IN THE TAMPA BAY AND THOSE GROUPS ARE ALSO TAKING CARE OF ANIMALS FROM OTHER SHELTERS AND THE PRICE THAT THEY OFFERED WAS VERY LOW, AND ALL WE NEED WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE IS A FREEZER WHICH IS LANDING IN THE SHELTER TODAY.

IT SAVES STAFF TIME.

THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO MAN THAT MACHINE.

THAT MACHINE WAS SCARY.

I MEAN IT RUNS AT 1500 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND HAS HYDRAULIC RAMS AND IT WAS JUST UGLY AND SCARY AND MADE TERRIBLE NOISE.

YOU HAD TO WEAR EAR PROTECTION TO BE AROUND IT.

AND NOW STAFF, IT'S AN UGLY JOB, THEY HAVE TO MOVE THE ANIMALS IN THE FREEZER AND ALL OF THAT UGLY PART OF IT, IS YOU KNOW, TAKEN CARE OF BY AN OUTSIDE AGENCY.

AND WE DO EXPECT IT TO BE A COST SAVINGS CONSIDERING HOW MUCH MONEY IT'S TAKEN US TO MAINTAIN OUR INCINERATOR AS WELL AS IT USED UP A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF NATURAL GAS AND ELECTRICITY TO RUN.

AND THEN WE CAN MOVE TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: AND ACTUALLY, THIS IS A -- I DON'T WANT TO MONOPOLIZE TIME.

>> JAY VICKERS: WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: HE MAY NOT WANT ME TO ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS.

I DON'T KNOW.

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING, OBVIOUSLY, THE ANIMAL SERVICES MEETINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED EACH MONTH AND A LOT OF ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP.

SOME OF THE ONES I REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON, ONE OF THE ONES IS REGARDING INCORRECT DOGS BEING EUTHANIZED OR KILLED, PARTICULARLY OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

HAS THAT OCCURRED?

AND WHY IS THAT OCCURRING?

AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE PREVENTED FROM OCCURRING?

>> THAT HAS OCCURRED.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE HAD ABOUT TWO THIS YEAR.

THEY HAVE OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, EUTHANIZED BETWEEN 13,000 AND UP CLOSE TO 30,000 OVER THE HISTORY -- EACH YEAR OVER THE HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION.

WE REDID THE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EUTHANASIA, WE DID AN IN-CLASS TRAINING AND A TEST IN WHICH ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED HAD TO MAKE A 90% OR HIGHER.

WE HAVE BEEN PILOTING NEW TAB BANDS THAT MARK THE ANIMALS.

NOW THEY GET TWO TAB BANDS.

WE ARE PILOTING WHICH ONE WORKS BEST.

WE PLEAD OTHER OPERATIONAL CHANGES.

WE -- WE MADE OTHER OPERATIONAL CHANGES.

ONE OF THE REASONS, ONE WAS WORKING AT THE COMPUTER CHECKING THE FILE AND TWO, DOING THE EUTHANASIA AND THAT'S THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE, ANIMAL SERVICES AND THE PROBLEM THAT LEADS TO IN ONE EUTHANASIA, THE TWO EUTHANASIA TECHNICIANS HAD EUTHANIZED THE ANIMAL BEFORE THE PERSON AT THE COMPUTER COULD PULL UP THE RECORD.

SO THAT, AS STANDARD EUTHANASIA OPERATION ONLY USES TWO PEOPLE.

THAT WAY IT TAKES TWO PEOPLE TO DO IT.

ONE PERSON HAS TO WALK AWAY FROM THE TABLE AND CHECK THE COMPUTER.

SO WE REMOVED A PERSON FROM THAT ROOM TO ELIMINATE THAT.

SAME THING IN OUR CAT AREAS.

YOU SHOULD ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON DOING IT AND THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE IN THERE DOING IT.

WE REMOVED THAT.

MOST RECENTLY, THE MOST RECENT ACCIDENTAL EUTHANASIA WAS A PERSON TOOK THE PAPERWORK FROM THE INSIDE OF THE KENNEL, WENT TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE KENNEL TO GET THE ANIMAL, CHOSE THE WRONG ONE, AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THE ANIMAL THAT WAS EUTHANIZED WAS A BROWN FEMALE LAB APPROXIMATELY 5 YEARS OF AGE.

THE ONE RIGHT NEXT TO IT WAS A BROWN FEMALE LAB OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AGE.

SO THEY ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCEDURE AND FOLLOWED IT, BUT IT WAS JUST UNFORTUNATE THAT LOOKED AND HAD THE SAME FEATURES AND WE CHECKED WERE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE THE TAB BAND ON.

THE TAB BANDS THAT WE USED PREVIOUSLY, FALL OFF FROM TIME TO TIME.

SO ANOTHER SAFEGUARD, WE IMPLEMENTED.

IF AN ANIMAL DOES NOT HAVE A TAB BAND, IT DOES NOT -- IT HAS TO BE CLEARED BY A SUPERVISOR.

IT HAS TO BE PUT BACK AND THEN A SUPERVISOR HAS TO STEP IN AND TRACK THE ANIMAL AND SHAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT ONE.

 -- AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT ONE.

THE OTHER DAY, WE FOUND FIVE DOGS THAT HAD NOT BEEN EUTHANIZED THAT WERE SCHEDULED TO BE EUTHANIZED, AND WE FOUND THEM IN THEIR KENNELS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A TAB BAND ON.

SO THEN WE HAVE TO CORRECT THE PROCESS OF CATCHING THEM BUT WE AS MANAGERS WERE, THEY PUT THEM ALL BACK.

THEY ARE LEARNING.

THINGS ARE REALLY IMPROVING.

SO THAT WAS PROGRESS TO SEE STAFF SLOWING DOWN AND SAYING, WHOA.

I'M NOT 100% POSITIVE ABOUT THIS ANIMAL.

I WILL PUT IT BACK AND GET A SUPERVISOR INVOLVED.

SO MADE QUITE A FEW OPERATIONAL CHANGES.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: EXCELLENT AND THEN THE OTHER ONES REGARDING THE -- I GUESS THIS IS A TWO PART.

SO I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF -- I THINK A COUPLE OF ARTICLES REGARDING PARVO AND HAS IT BEEN A BIG BREAKOUT.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE ARE HAVING EXISTING DOGS IN THE SHELTER, NEW DOGS ARE COMING IN.

THOSE DOGS ARE STILL BEING PLACED WITH THE EXISTING DOGS CROSS CONTAMINATION IS OCCURRING AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE PROBLEMS, AND I DON'T KNOW, STATISTICAL STANDPOINT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, BUT YOU GUYS USE BLUE PEARL FOR ANY PART OF THAT?

SO HOW MANY ARE BEING -- I GUESS FOR THE COURSE OF THE YEAR HAVE BEEN SENT OVER THERE DUE TO THAT?

>> YEAH, I CAN TELL YOU OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, JULY WAS WHEN WE HAD ALL THE PRESS ABOUT PARVO AT THE SHELTER.

WE ACTUALLY HAD FEWER CASES THAT YEAR THAN THE PRIOR YEAR.

I THINK THE DIFFERENCE WAS WE HAD MORE ADOPTIONS.

SO RATHER THAN THEM JUST BEING EUTHANIZED FOR HAVING PARVO, MORE OF THEM WERE GOING TO HOMES.

NOW, PARVO FROM THE POINT OF CONTRACTING IT, TO THE POINT OF SHOWING SIGNS IS BETWEEN 3 AND 14 DAYS.

SO THERE'S ALWAYS A RISK AND THERE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN CASES WHERE SOMEBODY HAS ADOPTED AND THE ANIMALS HAD PARVO.

ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES, I THINK SINCE I STARTED IS THAT WHILE EXPENSIVE, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN A CITIZEN COMES TO ADOPT FROM US, THAT THEY REALLY WEREN'T SIGNING UP FOR A HEFTY HOSPITALIZATION BILL, AND IN THE PAST, THE STANCE HAS BEEN WELL, WE TOLD YOU THERE WOULD BE A RISK.

YOU TOOK THE RISK, AND I'M SORRY YOU HAVE THIS HEFTY MEDICAL BILL BUT WE WARNED YOU THAT THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY.

I DON'T THINK THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHOULD LEAVE, YOU KNOW, ADOPTERS WHO HAVE COME TO DO THE RIGHT THING ON THE HOOK FOR A BILL LIKE THAT.

SO WE HAVE PAID SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL BILLS FOR THOSE PUPPIES TO BE TREATED, BUT WE DID IT BECAUSE THE CITIZENS THAT CAME TO US, WE WANT THEM TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN US AND WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM IN THOSE UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS.

THE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT EVERY SHELTER, ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, HAS PARVO IN IT, BUT IT'S LESS THAN 1% OF THE ANIMALS THAT COME IN.

WE TAKE IN THE POOREST OF THE POOR IN TERMS OF THE ANIMALS AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT COME FROM AREAS THAT THE ANIMALS UNVACCINATED AND WHERE THAT DISEASE IS VERY PREVALENT.

SO IN MOST CASES WE CATCH IT IN THE SHE WILLER AND WE EUTHANIZE FOR IT, TO STOP THE SPREAD, BUT YOU WILL HAVE, FROM TIME TO TIME, FAMILIES THAT DO ADOPT ANIMALS AND THEN WE HAVE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THEM AFTER THAT FACT.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: HOW ARE YOU HANDLING -- I KNOW YOU SAID YOU ARE DOING SOME CHANGES FROM THE SURGICAL STANDPOINT, YOU ARE DOING SOME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND STUFF.

ARE THERE CASES -- AND THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE STILL CASES OF DOGS, YOU WERE DOING A LOT OF NEUTERING, WHERE DOGS ARE BLEEDING OUT.

THINGS ARE NOT BEING HANDLED MAYBE CORRECTLY IN THAT CAPACITY.

AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE STILL OCCURRING.

>> WHEN I INHERITED ANIMAL SERVICES, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS NO S.O.P. FOR MONITORING ANESTHESIA.

IT WAS JUST ALL O.J.T.

YOU COME IN AND YOU WATCH ANOTHER TECH DO IT.

AND WE HAD A CASE WHERE AN ANIMAL WAS OVERDOSED WITH ANESTHESIA.

WE ROLLED IT OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND TRAINED STAFF ON PROPER ANESTHESIA PROTOCOLS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF -- YOU KNOW, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS HAD A BIG TASK IN FRONT OF IT.

AT ONE POINT, THERE WERE 33,000 ANIMALS AND YOU REALLY -- THERE WASN'T AN OPPORTUNITY TO NAIL DOWN ALL THE S.O.P.s LIKE YOU SHOULD HAVE IN A WELL-FUNCTIONING SHELTER.

WE REACHED A PLACE NOW WHERE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE TIME TO START PUTTING THOSE THINGS IN PLACE.

SO I BELIEVE THAT THE ERRORS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN OVER LAST YEAR HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GHOST OF THE SHELTER.

I BELIEVE WE ARE MAKING STRIDES TO REDUCE THOSE.

I THINK WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR IS A GREATER AWARENESS AND EMPHASIS ON WHAT HAPPENS IN ANIMAL SERVICES AND SO A LOT OF WHAT YOU ARE SEEING NOW IS AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS STRUGGLED AGAINST, AND, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, LIMITED RESOURCES, YOU KIND OF -- YOU -- YOU PUT -- YOU PUT YOUR -- YOU KNOW, TIME WHERE IT WILL MAKE THE MOST IMPACT, AND WE'RE SEEING NOW THAT WE'RE AT 20,000 INTAKE, AND ADOPTIONS ARE GOING UP, THAT, YOU KNOW, AS, YOU KNOW, TAKING THE TIME TO WRITE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND KIND OF SLOWING DOWN IS AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE MOST.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: OKAY.

>> JAY VICKERS: THERE'S TWO MORE BUT YOU ARE GOOD.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: ONE I DID HAVE.

I KNOW WEDNESDAY, THERE'S A LADY, UNFORTUNATELY, A VOLUNTEER AND SHE MENTIONED HER STORY ABOUT THE CAT THAT SHE WAS DOING A GOOD THING, ADOPTING IT AND THE CATS WERE SICK.

AND CAME INTO HER HOME AND FOUR OF HER CATS THEN DIED BECAUSE OF THAT.

WHAT -- WHAT TRANSPIRED THERE?

DO YOU KNOW THAT SITUATION?

AND --

>> WE HAD A CASE RECENTLY AND I WASN'T ABLE TO MATCH UP THIS PERSON WITH THAT CASE.

WE HAD A CASE RECENTLY WHERE A PERSON HAD TAKEN IN A CAT FROM US THAT GOT SICK BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY HAD TAKEN IN CATS FROM SEVERAL OTHER SHELTERS AT THE SAME TIME.

SO IT WASN'T CLEAR WHO GOT WHO SICK.

WE ARE HELPING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE WHO ADOPT FROM US ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF QUARANTINING THEM AWAY FROM THE OTHER CATS AND SHE DID SAY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY KNEW I SHOULD HAVE KEPT THEM SEPARATED BUT I JUST FELT SO BAD LOCKING THEM UP IN THE BATHROOM.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE DONE TO WORK ON THAT ISSUE IS TAKING SAMPLES.

SO WE DID NOT TAKE SAMPLES FROM THAT CASE.

WE HAVE TAKEN SAMPLES FROM OTHER SEVERE UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AND SENT THEM OUT TO CORNELL, TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF STRAIN.

THE NORMAL SHELTER STRAIN IS A HERPES VIRUS AND IT'S EASILY TREATABLE.

AND WHILE THE NUMBER OF CASES IS NOT GOING UP, THE VIRUS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH NOW, THAT WE ARE TRYING TO IDENTIFY SEEMS TO BE MUCH MORE SEVERE AND THE EFFECTS OF IT SEEM TO HAPPEN REALLY FAST.

SO IT'S VERY REGRETTABLE SITUATION.

AGAIN, WE ARE DEALING WITH THE POOREST OF THE POOR ANIMALS AND ALL SHELTERS HAVE U.R.I. IN THEM.

THEY ARE NORMALLY VERY EASILY TREATABLE.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE A STRAIN THAT IS VERY, LIKE -- HAPPENS VERY QUICKLY AND IS FAIRLY -- IS RESISTANT TO TREATMENT.

SO --

>> JAY VICKERS: NEXT UP, JOE.

>> WOULD YOU SAY THAT PART OF YOUR MISSION IS ALMOST WORK YOURSELF OUT OF A JOB OR DOWN TO THE POINT TO WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS MUCH SMALLER THAN IT IS TODAY?

>> IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SAY.

SOME OF WHAT DRIVES OUR INTAKE IS OUR ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY.

I GUESS IN THE PERFECT WORLD, WE WILL HAVE SPAYED AND NEUTERED OUR WAY OUT OF THIS.

IS THAT ANIMALS WON'T NEED TO COME INTO SHELTERS.

SPAY/NEUTER RATES WILL BE SO HIGH THAT YOU WON'T HAVE LOOSE ANIMALS ON THE STREETS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRAJECTORY OF DOGS AND CATS, I KNOW -- MY GRANDFATHER WORKED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA, AND HE USED TO GO OUT AND ROUND UP THE DOGS FOR RABIES CONTROL AND AFTER WORLD WAR II AND THE DOGS STARTED MOVING INSIDE.

YOU DON'T SEE THEM STRAY AS MUCH BEFORE, BUT CATS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

WE ARE SEEING THE NUMBER OF CATS BEING BROUGHT INSIDE SINCE THE ADVENT OF KITTY LITTER GOING UP.

AND SO I THINK CATS WILL FOLLOW THAT TRAJECTORY.

I THINK IT'S CLEAR WERE ON A PATH IN THE UNITED STATES TO WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE FREE ROAMING ANIMALS.

ONCE THERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO ONCE SAID IN ANIMAL SHELTERING THAT WE'LL KNOW WE ARE SUCCESSFUL WHEN 100% OF THE ANIMALS COMING INTO THE SHELTERS ARE EUTHANIZED AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE SICK OR INJURED BEYOND REHABILITATION OR SO AGGRESSIVE THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE IN THE COMMUNITY.

YES, I HOPE EVENTUALLY TO WORK MYSELF OUT OF A JOB AND I THINK I PROBABLY HAVE TEN YEARS IN ME IN THIS ANYWAY.

I HAVE ALREADY LOST A LOT OF HAIR AND WHAT IS LEFT IS TURNING GRAY.

SO --

>> HOW MUCH OF YOUR BUDGET ARE YOU ABLE TO USE OR PLAN TO USE FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED?

>> I WAS GIVEN $60,000 OVER TWO YEARS.

>> OKAY.

>> WE HAD ZERO BEFORE, SO THAT'S A BIG -- AND THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT A LOT OF OUTLETS ARE WILLING TO ADVERTISE FOR FREE FOR US.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS HAS ACCESS TO A BUNCH OF THE COMMUNITY LISTERS THAT THEY USED TO PUBLICIZED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EVENTS.

WE HAVE BEEN USING SOME FREE MEDIUMS THAT HAVE EXISTED FOR THE COUNTY ALREADY.

I THINK THERE WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION THAT WE COULD GET INTO A FEW OF THE WATER BILLS AND STUFF AND THE EDUCATIONAL PAMPHLETS THAT THEY HAVE.

WE HAVE A DECENT NUMBER OF OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US THAT ARE FREE THAT WE HAVEN'T UTILIZED YET.

>> OKAY AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS PART STATEMENT.

TWO WEEKS AGO, A FERAL CAT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAPPENED TO DECIDE TO DROP HER KITTENED OFF AT THE PUSH RIGHT OUTSIDE MY DOOR.

SO MY WIFE HAPPENED TO FIND THESE KITTENS AND BROUGHT THEM INSIDE.

AND SO ONCE SHE DECIDED TO FEED THEM, I WAS LIKE, OKAY NOW WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND NOW WE ARE FOSTER PARENTS HERE.

SO WE -- YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CAT IN THE HOME, BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THESE KITTENS.

SO WE CALLED AROUND.

WE DID CALL YOU GUYS, AND I HAVE A CAGE FOR SMALL ANIMALS BUT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I DETERMINED THAT THE CAGE WAS ACTUALLY NOT 100% OPERATIONAL, ANIMAL THAT'S LESS INTELLIGENT LIKE A -- SOME OTHER ANIMALS WILL -- CATS WILL GET OUT OF IT IS THE POINT, RIGHT?

CATS WILL GET OUT.

THE ARMADILLOS WON'T GET OUT, BUT THE CATS WILL GET OUT.

SO I REALIZED I WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRAP THE -- AND STOP THE PROBLEM WHICH IS THE MOTHER, OKAY?

NOW, THE FERAL CAT IS NOT A NUISANCE ANIMAL BUT IT IS FERAL AND IT'S NOT BEEN NEUTERED.

SO THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND WE KNOW THE FATHER THAT'S OUT THERE TOO.

THE RIGHT THING TO DO, THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO DEAL WITH THESE KITTENS BUT TO STOP THE -- TO STOP THE CONTINUATION, RIGHT, FOR THESE ANIMALS.

SO MY DESIRE IS TO -- WAS TO HAVE THE ADULT CAT NEUTERED AND THEN RELEASED BACK INTO THE WILD.

NOW THAT IT'S FERAL, IT WILL NOT BE DOMESTICATED.

THE KITTENS THEY WERE READY TO ROLL.

THEY WERE 6 OR 7 WEEKS AND WE GOT THEM TO THE LOCAL VET WHO AGREED TO TAKE THEM.

I THOUGHT THIS IS A PERFECT SCENARIO.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT THEY WOULD DO THAT.

SO YOU GUYS WOULDN'T COME OUT AND ASSIST IN THE TRAPPING OF THE ANIMALS AND MY NEIGHBORS ARE DOING THE WRONG THING BECAUSE THEY ARE FEEDING ANIMALS AND I'M LIKE, LISTEN.

EVERYBODY LOVES NATURE BUT NO ONE REALLY WANTS TO LET NATURE DO ITS THING, YOU KNOW?

AND I'M LIKE, WE'VE GOT TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE -- WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FEED THEM AND THE FACT THAT THEY FED THAT CAT CAUSED THE MOTHER TO TAKE ITS KITTENS AWAY FROM THAT AREA BECAUSE OF FEAR THAT IT WILL ATTRACT OTHER ANIMALS.

SO IT BROUGHT THE KITTENS TO US.

AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO DEAL WITH US AND I'M TRYING TO GET PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO COOPERATE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS.

IF YOU CAN INCREASE YOUR COMMUNICATION, I THINK THAT WOULD -- WOULD BE A BIG HELP.

IT'S GLAD TO HEAR THAT ANY FREE ADVERTISING IS GREAT.

BUT IF YOU COULD ALSO GET THE COMMUNICATION OUT THERE ABOUT THE FEEDING OF THE ANIMALS AND THEN ALSO TO -- IF -- IF PEOPLE FIND PUPPIES OR KITTENS THAT THEY GET THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO AN ADOPTION FACILITY BEFORE THEY ARE TEENAGERS AND ADULTS WHICH IS WHEN NO ONE THEN WANTS TO ADOPT THEM, RIGHT?

PEOPLE LOVE TO HAVE THEM AROUND THE HOUSE WHEN THEY ARE CUTE AND AS I WAS TELLING MY WIFE, THIS IS THE TIME TO GET THEM INTO A GOOD HOME, RIGHT, WHEN THEY ARE ADOPTABLE BUT THE NEUTER AND RELEASE, I JUST REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I HAVE NO SOLUTION, BECAUSE I CAN'T GET ANYBODY TO COME HELP ME TRAP THIS ANIMAL.

SO, YOU KNOW --

>> WE DO -- PRIOR TO THE CALL CENTER.

I'M STILL WORKING WITH THE CALL CENTER TO IMPROVE THE INFORMATION THAT WE GET OUT.

WE HAVE A BUNCH OF LIBRARIANS LEARNING ALL ABOUT ANIMAL SERVICES BUT WE TRADITIONALLY LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT T & R IS AN OPTION THAT THEY CAN GO WITH, ESPECIALLY IF THEY DON'T WANT THE CAT TO COME TO US AND BE EUTHANIZED.

IF YOU REACH OUT TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY, I KNOW THEY HAVE GONE TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND GIVEN PRESENTATIONS TO TRY TO GET -- THE BEST THING IS GET EVERYONE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD INTERESTED IN CONTROLLING THE POPULATION.

IF YOU CAN DO, THAT THE POPULATION CAN GO DOWN AND YOU CAN STOP GETTING KITTENS IN YOUR BUSHES, BECAUSE IT WILL NOT JUST BE YOU AND THE NEIGHBOR IS PUTTING THEM OUT.

>> JAY VICKERS: DEBORAH.

>> DEBORAH COPE: YOU ADDRESSED MANY OF THE THINGS ABOUT EDUCATING THE PUBLIC.

THE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.

AND IT'S STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW THAT YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT.

YOU SHOULDN'T FEED THE ANIMALS.

THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY SHOULDN'T LET THEIR ANIMALS RUN AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, OR THEY JUST DON'T KNOW IT.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT MOVE FROM OUT OF STATE, BUT THERE'S A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES UNDER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND DON'T BOTHER TO FIND OUT AND WHAT IS THE BEST THING TO DO.

SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO GET MORE INFORMATION OUT, THERE I THINK THAT'S ALL THE BETTER.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> JAY VICKERS: SPENCER?

>> SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

SO GOING BACK TO ONE OF YOUR SLIDES, WE TALKED ABOUT CATS RUNNING LOOSE AND WHAT THE RULES ARE FOR THAT.

WHAT'S THE RULE FOR LOOSE DOGS?

I HAVE BEEN NOTICING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LETTING THEIR DOGS RUN AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

>> THE ANIMAL HAS TO BE ON ITS PROPERTY OR ON THE LEASH.

>> SPENCER KASS: IF THEY ARE NOT, IS SOMEONE SUPPOSED TO CALL YOU ALL?

>> YES, YOU WILL CALL US AND WE WILL GET OUT THERE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

SUCCESS RATE ON LOOSE DOG CALLS ARE KIND OF LOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE RUNNING AROUND.

EVEN IF WE CAN RESPOND IN 15 MINUTES, IT CAN BE HARD TO FIND THEM.

WE DO, ACTUALLY, AT LEAST ABOUT HALF THE OFFICERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ACTUALLY CARRY TRANQUILIZER GUNS.

SO WE HAVE A PRETTY HIGH RECOVERY RATE IF WE MAKE HIGH CONTACT WITH THEM OR VISUAL CONTACT.

THEY USUALLY DONE LOOK AT THEM.

THEY ARE USUALLY RUNNING.

BUT IF WE CAN MAKE VISUAL CONTACT.

ANOTHER REALLY HELPFUL THING THAT WE'LL RESPOND TO VERY EASILY IS IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO GO FROM YOUR BACKYARD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN WE ARE OUT THERE AND, BAM, WE GOT THEM.

>> SPENCER KASS: LET ME NOW TELL YOU MY NEXT -- AND IT'S JUST BY COINCIDENCE THIS HAPPENED AT MY OFFICE THIS WEEK.

ON TUESDAY, WITH HE HAD A STRAY DOG SHOW UP AT OUR OFFICE IN FAIRLY ROUGH SHAPE.

RIGHT AWAY, I PICKED UP THE PHONE AND CALLED YOU GUYS.

IT TOOK ME A WHILE ON HOLD.

I GOT AHOLD OF SOMEBODY AND GAVE THEM ALL OF MY CONTACT INFORMATION.

THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEND SOMEBODY OUT.

TODAY IS FRIDAY.

NOBODY CONTACTED ME.

NOBODY HAS SHOWN UP.

YOU KNOW, NOW I COULD HAVE MADE 100 CALLS.

PART OF THE REASON WHY I DIDN'T IS BECAUSE WHEN THE PEOPLE IN MY OFFICE FOUND OUT THAT I CALLED YOU ALL, THERE'S A PUBLIC PERCEPTION PROBLEM AND THEY THOUGHT, THE ANIMAL THE GET SICK AND DIE, AND DON'T CALL THEM BACK.

DON'T FOLLOW UP WITH THEM 100 TIMES TO FIND OUT WHERE SOMEBODY IS.

SO I DIDN'T AND WE ULTIMATELY FOUND A GROUP THAT WAS WILLING TO TAKE THE DOG AND HELP US.

WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE OWNER.

IT WAS A VERY WELL BEHAVED ANIMAL.

VERY SWEET LITTLE DOG.

BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS: SINCE YOU HAVE MOVED SOME OF THIS ANIMAL CONTROL STUFF TO CODE ENFORCEMENT, HOW IS THAT WORKING WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS WHERE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CODE -- I MEAN, ARE PEOPLE COMING OUT?

ARE THEY DOING?

AND WHAT'S YOUR WAY OF TRACKING CALLS COMING IN VERSUS ACTION BEING TAKEN?

FOR EXAMPLE, DO YOU GET A REPORT THAT SAYS, OH, WELL, LET'S SEE, SPENCER CALLED TUESDAY AT 8:30 IN THE MORNING AND TODAY IS FRIDAY, AND, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO OUR REPORT WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING?

>> MM-HMM.

SO WE STILL USE THE SAME DATABASE TO TRACK.

THAT HASN'T CHANGED.

THE CALL PROCEDURES ARE THE SAME AND CURRENTLY THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CROSSOVER BETWEEN CODE ENFORCEMENT AND ANIMAL SERVICES.

THEY ARE WORKING ON WAYS TO HELP EACH OTHER.

SO WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WE HAVE TO DO CALLS IN ORDER OF PRIORITY.

SO IF A LOOSE ANIMAL IS CHASING PEOPLE OR IT'S BIT SOMEBODY, WE GO TO THOSE CALLS FIRST.

SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO CALL ON THE DAYS WHERE WE'VE HAD A BUNCH OF ROWDY DOGS CAUSING PROBLEMS, WE GO TO THOSE FIRST AND THEN THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS IF YOUR CALL THEN GETS UP TO THE LIST TWO DAYS LATER, WE WILL PROBABLY CRUISE THROUGH THE AREA BUT AT THAT POINT, IF WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN FOLLOW-UP CALLS, LIKE FROM NEIGHBORS WITH MULTIPLE SPOTTINGS, THE INCIDENT -- THE LIKELIHOOD THAT WE WILL ROLL THROUGH AND SEE THE ANIMAL AGAIN IS VERY LOW.

THERE'S SOME JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE A RULE THAT BASICALLY IF THEY CAN'T GET TO THE LOOSE DOG CALL THAT DAY, THEY CANCEL IT OUT AND WAIT FOR A NEW CALL, BECAUSE, AGAIN, SENDING OUT AN OFFICER IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

>> SPENCER KASS: THAT'S FINE.

THIS HAPPENS TO BE A SITUATION WHERE WE ACTUALLY -- THE ANIMAL WOULDN'T LEAVE OUR PARKING LOT.

I MEAN, IT WAS THERE.

OUR PEOPLE WASHED THE ANIMAL.

THEY WERE FEEDING IT.

THEY FELT HORRIBLE FOR THIS POOR DOG THAT LOOKED IN PRETTY ROUGH SHAPE.

I DON'T THINK IT REQUIRES THAT MUCH EFFORT GIVEN THAT YOU TAKE PEOPLE'S PHONE NUMBERS TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR END WITH A PHONE CALL TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, DO YOU STILL NEED HELP?

>> IT IS ACTUALLY USEFUL FOR YOU TO CALL BACK BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE CALLS THAT WE GO ON, WHEN WE SHOW UP, THE ANIMAL IS NOT THERE.

WE GET, YOU KNOW, 17,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE, WHICH COMES TO A FEW HUNDRED A DAY.

>> SPENCER KASS: HOW MANY VEHICLE DO YOU HAVE IN THE FIELD -- HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE OR VEHICLES DO YOU HAVE IN THE FIELD?

>> ON THE GROUND, OUT THERE, APPROXIMATELY 20 OFFICERS SPLIT OVER THE WEEK.

SO YOU HAVE ABOUT 10 A DAY OUT IN THE FIELD.

AND IF YOU PUT IN THERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE 20 PEOPLE AND ADD IN SICK TIME AND VACATION, YOU KNOW, STATISTICALLY YOU HAVE ONE PERSON OUT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SO YOU ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT NINE PEOPLE IN THE FIELD.

>> SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

AND LET ME JUST SUGGEST THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY OF US ARE ONLINE NOW AND I WAS ABLE TO POST THIS DOG'S PICTURE.

I PUT IT ON FACEBOOK AND LOST ANIMALS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

YOU CAN AUTOMATIC SOME OF THESE PROCESSES, TO THE DEGREE YOU CAN.

I DON'T NEED TO SPEAK TO SOMEBODY.

IF YOU HAVE A WEB PAGE, I CAN GO TO AND TYPE IN THE INFORMATION, THERE'S A LOSS DOG ON THE STREET.

>> MM-HMM.

>> AND LET IT UPLOAD INTO YOUR DATABASE, OR THERE'S AN OUT-OF-CONTROL ANIMAL HERE.

AND ALSO GOING BACK TO JOE'S POINT BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CATS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

SOMETHING YOU ALL MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT IS MAKING IT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN RENT CAGES FROM YOU GUYS TO HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE CAGES.

I THINK THE HUMANE SOCIETY WAS RELATIVELY CHEAP BUT WHEN YOU START GETTING INTO 40, 50 CATS, IT STARTS GETTING VERY EXPENSIVE, VERY QUICKLY AND THEY WERE NICE ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME DOWN AND WE PAID THEM FOR IT.

I COULDN'T GET TRAPS FROM ANIMAL SERVICES AND YOU CAN'T GET THEM FROM THE HUMANE SOCIETY.

I THINK THE PEOPLE WILL START GOING OUT AND BUYING TRAPS AND STICK THEM OUTSIDE TO BRING THE CATS TO US.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND IF THE POINT IS TO GET THESE POPULATIONS DOWN IN THESE AREAS, IT MIGHT BE NICE TO HAVE THAT SERVICE, WHERE YOU CAN RENT THEM AND BASICALLY THE RESPONSE -- YOU WERE NOT THERE AT THE TIME, BUT THE RESPONSE I GOT FROM ANIMAL SERVICES WAS, YOU KNOW, GOOD LUCK.

>> YEAH, I -- AND AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING AS A NO PERSON, I JUST -- MOST ANIMAL CONTROL JURISDICTIONS HAVE QUIT RENTING TRAPS JUST FROM A FINANCIAL POINT OF VIEW.

WE AGREE AND THEY AGREE THAT CITIZENS, NEED TO HAVE SOME SOURCE TO TRAPS BUT THOSE TRAPS COST ABOUT $70 A PIECE.

THE ONES THAT LAST, THAT CAN BE REUSED.

THE ONES AT YOUR HARDWARE STORE ARE LIKE $30 OR $40 AND THEY ARE GOOD FOR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KEEP IT INSIDE AND USE IT JUST A FEW TIMES A YEAR.

AND THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH, YOU KNOW, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR AND STAFF TIME DUE TO CAGE LOSS AND CAGE TRACKING AND SO MOST MUNICIPALITIES HAVE GIVEN UP ON RENTING TRAPS BECAUSE IT'S JUST -- IT'S -- IT'S A LOSS.

YOU WIND UP SPENDING TENS OF THOUSANDS EACH YEAR, TRYING TO RECOVER THE TRAPS BACK FROM CITIZENS.

SO --

>> SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

TAKE A CREDIT CARD.

THERE'S SOME CREATIVE SOLUTIONS ARE FIND SOME PLACE THAT WILL DONATE.

HAVE A COUPLE AROUND, SOMETHING, BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE PEOPLE WOULD DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY TO, YOU KNOW, PAY FOR IT.

AND I THINK ENDED UP SPENDING CLOSE TO $3,000, $4,000 TRAPPING CATS.

>> I CAN TELL YOU, THOSE ARE THE WORST CALLS I GET ARE THE ONES WHERE I'M NOT ABLE TO OFFER RESOURCES.

SO, ANY WAY THAT I CAN DO THAT, I WANT TO, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU JUST FROM THE -- IT'S UNPLEASANT, EVEN JUST FOR ME TO TAKE THE CALL, TO TELL A CITIZEN THAT I DON'T ARE RESOURCES FOR THEM.

IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN HELP WITH THAT, WE WILL DO THAT.

>> SPENCER KASS: BUT IF YOU HAVE WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN ENTER INFORMATION THEMSELVES.

I FOUND A DOG.

HERE'S A PICTURE.

I HAVE A LOSS DOG, AND WE CAN GET THE LIBRARIANS TO LEARN ABOUT THIS.

>> WELL, THE LIBRARIANS IS AN INTERMEDIATE STEP AND WE ARE MOVING TO CALL CENTER AND WITH THE CALL CENTER, WE WILL BE ONLINE WEB FORMS BECAUSE THAT'S MUCH MORE EFFICIENT FOR EVERYBODY.

>> SPENCER KASS: THANK YOU.

>> JAY VICKERS: I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM A C.A.C. MEMBER WHO IS NOT HERE TODAY.

I WILL READ THOSE OFF.

THE FIRST ONE HAS TO DO WITH THE CONCEPT OF PRIVATIZING THE ENTIRE ANIMAL SHELTER OPERATIONS.

SO THE QUESTION IS, WITH ALL THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES, THE ANIMAL SERVICES SUCH AS TRANSFER OF ALL FIELD OPERATIONS AND DISPATCH INTO CODE ENFORCEMENT, CALL CENTER OPERATIONS TRANSFERRED LIBRARY SERVICES, HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS OR DIRECTION THAT WOULD PRIVATIZE THE ANIMAL SHELTER ORGANIZATION TO A NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION?

>> NO DISCUSSIONS.

THAT WAS TAKEN UP TO PRIOR TO MY HIRING AND FRANKLY, NOBODY WAS INTERESTED IN DOING THAT AND I DIDN'T COME HERE TO TAKE A JOB AND THEN OUTSOURCE IT.

YOU KNOW, I LOVE WHAT I DO.

I WANT TO -- I WANT TO STAY IN THE BUSINESS.

SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THE JOB DONE.

SO -- BUT I BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT.

AND SO, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

>> OKAY.

>> JAY VICKERS: ARE YOU OR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR GOING TO ASK THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ANY ORDINANCE CHANGES OR CHANGES OF OPERATIONS AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, WHICH YOU ARE IN THE CURRENT PROCESS OF CLANGING?

>> WE PRESENTED OUR PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGES AND WE WILL BE SENDING THOSE TO THEM FOR REVIEW, BEFORE THEY GO BEFORE THE BOARD.

SO, YES, WE WILL BE INVOLVED I THINK IN SOME MATTERS, OPERATIONALLY, IT'S -- YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK BUT, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WITH 20 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD.

I BELIEVE A LOT OF -- WE WANT TO GET A LOT OF INPUT, BUT WE ALSO GET CRITICISM THAT IT TAKES TOO LONG, YOU KNOW, THE TASK FORCE -- THE COMMUNITY WAS VERY DIVIDED ABOUT FERAL CATS AND WHAT TO DO WITH THEM, PORE SO THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY THAT WE HAVE SEEN AND WE TOOK A YEAR, YOU KNOW TO BRING IN EXPERTS, TO FORM A 13 MEMBER PANEL.

WE HAD TO GET A FACILITATOR BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY HEATED.

THE COUNTY INVESTED A LOT OF TIME IN ORDER TO HEAR EVERYBODY'S VOICE ON THIS ISSUE.

I THINK COMPARED TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS, THE COUNTY HAS INVESTED A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF MY TIME AND A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY.

>> JAY VICKERS: THE JOYS OF COST.

>> YOU HAVE TO DO IT FAST AND GET EVERYBODY'S INPUT AND I'M SURE FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROCESS.

>> JAY VICKERS: ACTUALLY, THERE'S FOUR HERE.

SO THE THIRD ONE, THERE WAS ONE HIDDEN UNDERNEATH ANOTHER ONE HERE.

THE NEXT QUESTION, THE ANIMAL SERVICES ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT DONE BY DR. LINDA ANDREWS CORTWELL IDENTIFIED SEVERAL PROBLEMS.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES IN THAT REPORT?

>> IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT TRANSITION.

SO I KNOW THAT I HAVE THE SKILL SET TO IMPLEMENT THE PRACTICES THAT WE NEED TO GET TO THE GOAL THAT THEY HAVE ET CETERA SET FOR US.

THE COMMUNITY AND THE STAFF ARE DIVIDED ABOUT THE DIRECTION THAT THE ANIMAL SERVICES SHOULD GO.

THE TRANSITION WAS VERY CHALLENGE AND, AGAIN, THE COUNTY INVESTED RESOURCES INTO GETTING OUTSIDE EXPERTISE AND HOW TO MANAGE THAT TRANSITION.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID, WE SHUT THE SHELTER DOWN FOR THREE HOURS SO EMPLOYEES COULD COME TO LUNCH AND WE COULD COME BACK FOR TWO HOURS AND TALK ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.

THAT'S SIGNIFICANT, BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE DAY -- ANY DAY OF THE WEEK WHERE ALL OF THE STAFF ARE THERE.

SO WE ACTUALLY PAID OR FLEXED THE TIME FOR ALL STAFF TO COME IN ON THAT DAY.

WE NOW HAVE REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS SET UP, THAT ROTATE DAYS WHERE WE MEET WITH HALF THE STAFF, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE OPERATIONS.

AND THEN EVERY QUARTER, WE ARE GOING TO SHUT THE SHELTER DOWN AND HAVE A STAFF -- AN ALL-STAFF MEETING.

WE HAVE PUT UP BULLETIN BOARDS TO HELP -- INSTEAD OF JUST USING EMAIL TO DOCUMENT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING, AND -- AND GETTING OUT, I MEAN, MYSELF AND MY MANAGERS HAVE BEEN PRETTY BURIED BUT THE MESSAGE CAME ACROSS THAT WE NEEDED TO BE OUT IN THE SHELTER MORE.

AND SO WE ARE DOING THAT NOW.

AND I'M SEEING KIND OF THINGS ARE TURNING AROUND.

I CAN TELL THROUGH MY STAFF INTERACTIONS THAT THEY ARE GETTING BETTER.

THERE'S STILL A BIG BRIDGE TO SPAN, THERE A BIG -- BUT I THINK WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON IT.

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL RIGHT.

LAST QUESTION.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES DEPENDS ON VOLUNTEERS.

HOW MANY ACTIVE VOLUNTEERS DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE COMING IN WEEKLY TO WORK IN THE SHE WILLER AND HOW DO YOU CAN -- SHELTER AND HOW DO YOU CANVAS FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS AND WHO TRAINS THE VOLUNTEERS ARE THEY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT ANIMAL TRAINING?

>> SO ON THE BOOKS, THERE'S A COUPLE HUNDRED, 250 VOLUNTEERS.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OVER THE LAST YEAR IS THAT THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 100 THAT SHOW UP EVERY WEEK AND SIGN IN.

WE HIRED JUST RECENTLY A NEW VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, WHO IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.

SHE BEGAN VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS AGAIN THIS MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.

WE'VE HAD TWO -- WE ARE DOING TWO ORIENTATIONS A MONTH AND WHEN I CAME, THERE WAS ONLY ONE A MONTH.

AND WE HAVE HAD 93 PEOPLE GO THROUGH JUST IN SEPTEMBER.

NOW, WE WON'T HANG ON AS VOLUNTEERING GOES, WE WON'T HANG ON TO ALL OF THEM, BUT IF WE KEEP RECRUITING AT THAT PACE, WHICH I BELIEVE WE CAN, THEN I THINK THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IS GOING TO BUILD VERY QUICKLY.

>> JAY VICKERS: THANK YOU.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, BECAUSE OUR MEMBER ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN TWO ORIENTATIONS AND THEY INDICATED SHE NEVER GOT A TOUR OF THE CENTER.

AND SHE JUST FEELS IT'S A WEAK ORIENTATION PROCESS AND THAT WAS -- SHE WAS UNHAPPY THAT SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY TO FOLLOW UP SPECIFICALLY.

SO YOU MIGHT TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION THAT PERHAPS IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THEY UNDERSTOOD THE CENTER ITSELF, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST OPERATIONS BECAUSE IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE, THEY REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND.

>> SURE.

SURE.

I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF IT WAS AN ORIENTATION IN SEPTEMBER OR PRIOR.

>> SHE DIDN'T INDICATE.

>> YEAH, SO THE ORIENTATIONS THAT WE BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER DO INCLUDE A SHELTER TOUR.

SO --

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL RIGHT.

CRISTAN.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: ONE THING, I KNOW AROUND THE COUNTRY, A NUMBER OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING WITHIN SOME OF THE LARGER CITIES WHERE THEY ARE ACTUALLY BEGINNING THE BAN OF ANIMAL SALES, COMMERCIAL ANIMAL SALES.

I'M NOT SURE IF THAT INCLUDES BREEDERS AS WELL.

IS THERE ANY THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT -- THINKING FIVE, TEN YEARS NOW, YOU ARE TRYING TO REDUCE -- TRYING TO INCREASE, LIVE ANIMAL OUTCOMES WITH THE BOCC OR THE DIFFERENT CITIES AND LOOKING TOWARDS THAT AND -- BECAUSE, I MEAN, I KNOW FROM A DOG PERSPECTIVE, AND WE ARE -- MY WIFE AND I ARE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE PET COMMUNITY.

YOU HAVE THESE BREEDERS OR YOU HAVE PUPPY SALES AND THEN THEY DON'T LIKE THE DOG AND THEY STICK IT OUT OVER ANIMAL SERVICES OR THEY GIVE IT TO SOMEONE WOULD REALLY DOESN'T WANT IT.

IT'S LIKE THE SPICKET, RIGHT.

THE SPICKET KEEPS ON COMING.

HOW ARE WE CLOSING THE SPICKET.

PART OF IT WITH THE TRAP, NEUTER RELEASE, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT WITH THE DOGS, HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

ARE WE LOOKING AT THINGS ACROSS THE NATION TO HELP REDUCE THAT?

>> THE BANNING OF SALES HAS BEEN ALWAYS CONTROVERSIAL AND HAS REQUIRED A LOT OF CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN THAT PROCESS.

SO CERTAINLY, NOT HAVING THAT AVAILABLE WILL HELP MY SITUATION.

THE -- THE AREA THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TACKLE, THE -- I GET VERY TOO YOU ANIMALS THAT LOOK TRULY PURE BRED.

I THINK THE ANIMALS WHERE PEOPLE ARE PAYING FROM THE PUPPY STORIES AN THE CLEANEST I HAVE EVER SEEN IS $600.

THEY ARE NOT COMING INTO THE SHELTER.

WHAT WE GET IN IS ACCIDENTAL LITTERS FROM PIT BULLS AND KITTENS AND CATS.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE A SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAM WHERE LOW-INCOME CITIZENS CAN GET THEIR ANIMALS SPAYED NEUTERS FOR $25.

AND THOSE HAVE BEEN LAGGING BEHIND THEIR TARGETS.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE THAT.

SO WOULD IT HELP?

YES.

IS IT THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT RIGHT NOW?

I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK WE NEED TO GRAB THE LOWEST HANGING FRUIT FIRST AND THEN WHEN WE SEE THE REAL IMPACTS FROM THAT, THEN START TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD VENTURE INTO SALES BECAUSE IF EVERY ONE OF THEM THAT WAS SOLE WENT FOR AT LEAST $500, I THINK WE WOULD BE DOING OKAY.

IT'S THE ONE --S THE ONES THAT GET SOLD AROUND THE NEIGHBOR FOR $50 AND $100 BECAUSE THEY ARE A BLUE BLOODED PIT, THEY WIND UP IN OUR SHE WILLER.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: IS THERE NO WAY -- IS THERE NO WAY THAT THE COUNTY CAN LOOK AT -- WE'RE OUT AT THESE PROPERTIES AND WE ARE SEEING THEM, AND WE KNOW THAT A DOG HASN'T BEEN NEUTERED OR SPAYED, IS THERE ANY POLICY FOR THAT TO OCCUR, AND IF NOT, IS THERE A LARGE FEE THAT SOMEONE WOULD NEED TO PAY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN TO HAVE A DOG THAT IS -- THAT'S NOT FIXED?

>> THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY SOME MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTRY.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ONES.

AND I KNOW -- I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE AND THEN WENT TO WORK AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES AND THEY SPENT YEARS FIGHTING FOR ONE OF THOSE AND WERE UNABLE TO PASS IT BECAUSE IT GETS INTO A PROPERTY RIGHTS ISSUE, AND I HAVE SEEN THAT SAME -- CURRENTLY, I'M KIND OF CURIOUS, PINELLAS IS WORKING ON AN INITIATIVE LIKE THAT AND THEY ARE FACING KIND OF SIMILAR OPPOSITION.

SO I'M WATCHING CLOSELY WHAT HAPPENS OVER THERE.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SHELTERS HAVE POLICY THAT WHEN AN ANIMAL IS IMPOUNDED THE SECOND TIME.

SO THE RESISTANCE TO WHAT THEY WOULD REFER TO AS A MANDATORY SPAY/NEUTER ORDINANCE WOULD BE VERY SIGNIFICANT.

THERE'S SOME LITERATURE OUT THERE THAT SAYS IT DOESN'T WORK AND THERE'S SOME THAT SAYS IT WORKS WELL.

SO IT'S AN AREA THAT'S VERY CONTENTIOUS AND WHERE THE DATA HASN'T COME DOWN THOROUGHLY ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.

SO RIGHT NOW, THE FIELD'S PARADIGM IS LET'S GET AHOLD OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO SPAY AND NEUTER, BUT ARE NOT ACCESSING THE RESOURCES AND THAT'S WHAT OUR LOW-INCOME VOUCHER PROGRAM TARGETS RIGHT NOW.

THE ONE THING WE HAVE DONE ON THAT SIDE, BECAUSE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PASS A MANDATORY SPAY/NEUTER ON SECOND IMPOUND, IS TO WAIVE IMPOUND FEES FOR PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTARY SPAY AND NEUTER AND SO BASICALLY, WE GET TO SPAY AND NEUTER, AND THE CITIZEN FEELS LIKE THEY SAVED MONEY, AND SO WE ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF THAT TASK WITH BOTH SIDES FEELING LIKE THEY HAVE WON.

SO --

>> CRISTAN FADAL: I'M SORRY, WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU TRIED TO GET PASSED THROUGH, BUT --

>> I PUT OUT IN THE TASK FORCE THE -- YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THEY ASKED FOR BEST PRACTICES OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND ONE OF THE BEST PRACTICES THAT'S RELATIVELY CONSERVATIVE, THE SECOND TIME THE ANIMAL IS IMPOUNDED, THEY ARE SPAY/NEUTERED.

AUSTIN SERVICES WHERE I CAME FROM, THEY HAD THAT.

THERE'S NOT MUCH RESISTANCE TO IT.

FIRST TIME THE ANIMAL IS IMPOUNDED, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, THE FACE TO FACE TO LET THEM KNOW, LOOK IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, IT'S A PATTERN AND IT WILL HAVE TO BE SPAYED AND NEUTERED AND WE HAD VERY KNEW CITIZENS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT IT IN AUSTIN AND ORANGE COUNTY, BUT THE TASK FORCE -- THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE DIDN'T LIKE THAT IDEA AND WHAT I PROPOSED WAS TO OFFER A DISCOUNT ON THE IMPOUND FEES IF THEY WERE WILLING TO LET US SPAY AND NEUTER.

SO I KIND OF THINK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS KIND OF CAUTIOUS ABOUT HOW THEY APPROACH, YOU KNOW, ISSUES AND INITIATIVES AND SO MY STANCE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS TO KEEP MAKING STEPS FORWARD, RATHER THAN TRYING TO THROW A BUNCH OF STUFF AT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AND CREATE, YOU KNOW, RESISTANCE AND PUSH BACK AND REALLY EVERY DAY I GO TO WORK AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, WHAT IS THE LOW HANGING FRUIT TODAY?

AND THEN NEXT YEAR, THE LOW HANGING FRUIT WILL BE DIFFERENT.

IT WILL BE THE MIDDLE FRUIT THAT I HAD TO LOOK PAST THE YEAR BEFORE.

>> JAY VICKERS: JOE?

>> OKAY.

WELL -- AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET YOUR NAME IS IT HALLET.

>> HALLET.

>> WELL, MR. HALLET, YOU ARE VERY SQUARED AWAY AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THINGS ARE GOING WELL OR BETTER WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.

SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.

I DO -- BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT -- AND THEN THIS JUST GOT BROUGHT UP, WHICH WE ARE ESSENTIALLY TALKING ABOUT LAWS AND CREATING NEW LAWS AND CRIMINALIZING BEHAVIORS.

SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU -- AND THEN YOU MENTIONED -- OF COURSE, YOU DON'T WANT YOUR POSITION TO BE ELIMINATED AND PRIVATIZED.

I WOULDN'T SUSPECT THAT YOU WOULD.

BUT I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU AND EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENTS ARE INSTITUTED AMONGST MEN THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT SELF-GOVERN.

SO THE RIGHT ALWAYS REMAINS WITH THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE HOW THEIR MONEY IS GOING TO GET SPENT.

SO WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO DO, ULTIMATELY, THE PEOPLE RETAIN THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHERE TO SPEND THEIR MONEY AND WHAT TO ALLOW TO BE A GOVERNMENT FUNCTION AND WHAT THEY MAY DECIDE THEY WANT TO PRIVATIZE.

BUT I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO NOT ATTEMPT TO CRIMINALIZE FEEDING, EVEN THOUGH YOU HEARD ME SAY EARLIER THAT IT IS A PROBLEM.

OKAY, SO I AGREE THAT IT'S INCORRECT TO DO SO, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO CRIMINALIZE COMPASSION AND PEOPLE WILL ONLY ULTIMATELY FOLLOW THE LAWS THAT THEY FOLLOW AS MORAL.

PEOPLE WON'T FOLLOW THAT LAW AND WHAT WILL END UP HAPPENING IS WE WILL HAVE A BUNCH OF TICKETS AND CITATIONS.

WHO FED THE COUNT?

OH, YOU FED IT.

AND IT WILL BECOME A REVENUE SOURCE.

AND SO I DON'T WANT TO SEE US CRIMINALIZE COMPASSION, AND AS MUCH AS I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD SPAY AND NEUTER THEIR ANIMALS, AND THEY NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE, IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE A BREEDER, THEN THEY SHOULD PROBABLY DO THAT AND IF -- AND EVEN IF THEY ARE A BREEDER, THEY NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE THERE.

AS MUCH AS I AGREE WITH THOSE THINGS, WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE LAWS AND PEOPLE WILL ONLY FOLLOW THOSE LAWS THAT THEY DEEM AS MORAL ANYWAY AND I WOULD STRONGLY ARGUE AGAINST ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT, BRINGING THAT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND IF IT DOES COME BEFORE THE COUNTY COMMISSION, I DO THINK THAT YOU WILL SEE A GROUND SWELL OF PUBLIC OPINION, YOU KNOW, ON THAT ISSUE.

THE VOLUNTARY SPAY PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE, I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA.

IT CREATES KIND OF ALMOST A FREE MARKET APPROACH TO THIS SITUATION, AND ALLOWS THE CITIZEN TO HAVE A CHOICE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO BASICALLY CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THEIR DECISIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE CREATING PROBLEMS.

AND THAT'S A GOOD FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO CHOOSE TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S SMARTER AND FINANCIALLY BENEFICIAL FOR THEM.

SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THOSE TYPES OF APPROACHES AND THAT WAS THE ONLY FOLLOW-UP I HAD.

>> I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, IF WE GO THAT ROUTE, THE MAIN THING THAT WE'LL USE IT IS TO EDUCATE THEM, THAT THEY NEED TO BE WORKING TOWARDS TRAPPING THEM AND NEUTERING THEM.

WE -- MY DIRECTION WHEN ANIMAL SERVICES WAS UNDER ME AND STILL CONTINUES TO THIS DAY, IS ALWAYS EDUCATION FIRST.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I INSTITUTED WHEN I GOT HERE.

A NEIGHBOR WOULD CALL ABOUT INTO THE NEIGHBOR WHO IS FEEDING CATS, AND THE CAT IS ON ITS CAR AND POOPING IN HIS GARDEN.

WE ISSUE TAG AND VACCINATION AND BEING AT LARGE.

THE TAG AND VACCINATION YOU CAN GET WAIVED, IF YOU GET THE TAGS.

BUT THE STRAY AND AT LARGE, IT WAS $120 AND THERE WAS NOTHING YOU DO FOR IT.

SO WHAT I ASKED ANIMAL SERVICES ON THE FIRST VISIT TO ISSUE AN OFFICIAL NOTICE BECAUSE SO MANY OF THESE PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE IN VIOLATION.

THEY WERE GOOD CITIZENS.

THEY WERE LIKE, I WAS JUST FEEDING THEM.

THE NEIGHBORS MOVED OUT AND ABANDONED THEM.

THEY DIDN'T SIGN UP TO BE LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE.

THEY DIDN'T WANT THEM TO STARVE.

SO WE ISSUE A 30-DAY NOTICE TO SAY, LOOK, THEY ARE BOTHERING YOUR NEIGHBORS AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, AND A LOT OF THOSE CASES WE STEER THEM THE NONPROFITS AND THEY HELP THEM ADOPT OUT THE FRIENDLY ONES AND SPAY AND NEUTER THE REST AND WE ARE USUALLY ABLE TO RESOLVE THOSE WITHOUT ANY TICKETS AT ALL.

THE ONLY TIME WE USE TICKETS IN THESE SCENARIOS WHERE THEY ARE NOT RESPECTING THEIR NEIGHBOR'S ISSUES AND NOT MAKING ANY PROGRESS TOWARDS FIXING THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE BELLIGERENT.

>> AND THE MORE SUCCESSFUL YOU ARE, THE MORE MONEY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FREE UP FOR CONTINUED MARKETING AND WILL BREED MORE SUCCESS.

SORRY THE PUN, BREED.

AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE MORE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR MARKETING AND REALLY GET THE PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO.

THAT'S ULTIMATELY GOING TO LEAD US TO THE DESIRED OUTCOME THAT WE WANT, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> JAY VICKERS: AND SORT OF -- JUST TAGGING ON TO JOE'S.

I'M NOT AN OWNER OR ANIMAL LOVER.

AND KNOWING MY TAX DOLLARS GO TO FUND FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE AND DON'T CARE FOR THEM PROPERLY.

IT'S FRUSTRATING.

YOU DON'T WANT TO CRIMINALIZE THE ISSUE.

BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IF PEOPLE TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OWNING A PET, THAT'S A RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT.

IT'S NOT CRIMINALIZING BUT I KNOW AS A NON-PET OWNER, I KNOW SOME OF MY TAX DOLLARS NEED TO GO TO ANIMAL CONTROL, FOR THE GOOD OF SOCIETY.

BUT IN THINKING ACCOUNTABILITY, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

NICK YOU CAN DO TO MAKE THOSE PET OWNERS WHO ARE HABITUALLY DOING THE WRONG THING, AND HOLE THEM FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AS A TAXPAYER.

>> YES, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO -- NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE NEED MORE LAWS BUT WE NEED A -- WE ARE SPENDING $6 MILLION ON ANIMAL SERVICES AND PROBABLY THE MAJORITY IS FOR FOLKS THAT ARE BASICALLY NOT DOING THE -- BASICALLY DOING IT FOR FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THE WRONG THING, ARE CAUSING THE PROBLEM, RIGHT?

THEY NEED TO BE HELD NOT ONLY ACCOUNTABLE BUT FINANCIALLY ACCOUNTABLE AND, YOU KNOW -- SO THAT'S TO THE EXTENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BREEDING LICENSES THAT ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WITHOUT TAGS, THAT THEY ARE GETTING, YOU KNOW -- EARN NEEDS TO FOLLOW IT.

>> JAY VICKERS: LESS RULES RIGOROUSLY ENFORCED I THINK IS WHAT WE ARE ALL IN FAVOR OF.

ANYTHING ELSE?

JOE?

>> I WAS MOVING FROM ONE HOUSE TO ANOTHER AND I HAD TWO CATS THAT I LEFT IN THE HOUSE I WAS MOVING FROM AND I WENT THERE AT LEAST EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD FOOD AND PLENTY OF WATER.

I GET THERE ONE DAY AND THERE'S A NOTE ON MY FRONT DOOR FROM ANIMAL SERVICES THAT I ABANDONED MY CATS AND I CALLED THEM.

HE NEVER CALLED ME BACK.

>> I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT.

WHEN WAS THAT?

>> WITHIN THE LAST YEAR.

>> OKAY.

>> AND -- BUT I CALLED THREE OR FOUR TIMES AND I HAD HIS NAME AND NUMBER, AND I JUST IGNORED IT AFTER THAT.

BUT I STILL HAVE THE CATS.

THEY ARE AT MY NEW HOUSE.

>> I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU HAD THAT EXPERIENCE.

THE FIRST HOUSE I BOUGHT CAME WITH A CAT, ACTUALLY.

[ LAUGHTER ]

HE MOVED OUT AFTER HE MET THE DOG.

SO --

>> JAY VICKERS: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. HALLET.

I SINCERELY APPRECIATE YOU FOR COMING DOWN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL RIGHT.

GIVE ME A MOMENT TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE.

I KNOW WE ARE NOT WHERE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.

THAT MUCH I KNOW.

SO WHAT WE HAVE LEFT ON THE -- WE ARE DEFINITELY OVER.

WHAT WE HAVE LEFT ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MORNING IS SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS, ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS AND SOME OTHER BUSINESS ITEMS.

IT WOULD BE, I THINK WE SHOULD GET AN UPDATE ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS AT THE VERY LEAST AND THEN I THINK EVERYTHING BELOW, THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S TIME SENSITIVE THAT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH THIS MEETING THAT COULD BE DEALT WITH AT THE NEXT MEETING.

I'VE GOT FOLLOW-UPS ON THE FLAGGING PROCESS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT OR TAX ISSUE THAT SPENCER BROUGHT UP, L.E.D. STREET LIGHTING, RNC, BUT NONE OF THAT IS TIME SENSITIVE AND THAT CAN WAIT UNTIL NEXT MONTH.

SO ANY THOUGHTS OR FEEDBACK ON THAT?

I WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE OVER AND THAT EVERYONE'S TIME IS VERY VALUABLE.

I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS ON WHAT WE DO OR DO NOT COVER UNILATERALLY.

>> THAT'S FINE.

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL RIGHT.

SO WE WILL GO ON TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS.

SO AN UPDATE FROM THE BUSINESS PLAN SUBCOMMITTEE, I BELIEVE, JOSEPH, ARE YOU THE CHAIR OF THAT?

>> NO.

>> JAY VICKERS: OH, YOU ARE.

SORRY, TONY.

>> TONY JACKSON: AND SOME FEEL THAT I WAS PICKED AS CHAIR RATHER TO BE SERENDIPITOUS, SO --

>> JAY VICKERS: MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT MISUNDERSTANDING.

>> TONY JACKSON: IT'S KIND OF FUNNY, ACTUALLY.

I'M PART OF THE BUSINESS PLAN SUBCOMMITTEE.

AND BASICALLY, WE -- THE LAST -- WE MET -- WE HAVE MET TWICE, ACTUALLY, THE 8/23 AFTER THE LAST C.A.C. MEETINGS AND THOSE MEMBERS PRESENT WERE MYSELF, BARBARA ADERHOLD, LINDA PORTER, AND RON GOVIN, AND THEN I WAS SELECTED AS CHAIR AND THEN WE SCHEDULED A MEETING FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 26th, AT 9 A.M. AND THOSE SAME FOUR PEOPLE WERE PRESENT.

PRIOR TO, THAT WE HAVE HOMEWORK WHICH IS TO READ THE SECTIONS THAT UNDER OUR BOOK TO DISCUSS IT.

WE ARE NOT AWARE THERE WAS ANY TIME FRAME, BUT THEN WE DID LEARN THAT THERE WAS A -- THAT WE HAD MORE TIME THAN WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS AVAILABLE, SO WE HAD -- IN THOSE FOUR THINGS IN OUR BOOKLET WERE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, FAMILY AND AGING SERVICES, THE CENTER THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE.

WE DECIDED THAT FOR TIME, WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS, FOR TIME WE WOULDN'T -- WE WOULD REVIEW A SECTION EACH MONTH WITH A SUBMISSION OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY OF 2014, AND THEN IT WAS DECIDED THAT WE ARE GOING TO MEET EACH MONTH AFTER THE C.A.C. MEETING FOR EVERYONE'S CONVENIENCE AND OUR MEETING THAT MORNING ADJOURNED AT 10:06 A.M.

WE HAD PLANNED TO MEET THIS MORNING AFTER THE C.A.C. MEETING, BUT DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM, WE JUST DECIDED THAT THAT MEETING WILL BE CANCELED AND RESUMED NEXT MONTH.

ANYTHING TO THAT, YOU WOULD LIKE TO -- OKAY.

THEN THAT'S WHERE THAT COMMITTEE STANDS CURRENTLY.

>> JAY VICKERS: OKAY.

IT'S GREAT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE BROKEN IT DOWN INTO THREE SECTIONS AND TACKLE ONE SECTION PER MONTH.

>> OR.

>> TONY JACKSON: CORRECT.

>> JAY VICKERS: EXCELLENT.

CIVIL SERVICE.

WENDELL?

>> WENDELL DUGGINS: CIVIL SERVICE, WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO AT THE LAST MEETING WAS TO TAKE 30 DAYS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT CIVIL SERVICE IS ALL ABOUT.

AND WE WERE GOING TO MEET TODAY TO TRY TO PUT TO GO OUR SCHEDULES AND OUR THOUGHTS IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT THE INITIAL INTENT HERE WAS TO SPEND THE FIRST 30 DAYS AND EDUCATE OURSELVES AND DO SOME RESEARCH.

SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL PUT SOME SCHEDULES TOGETHER TODAY.

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL RIGHT.

EXCELLENT.

NEXT INTERGOVERNMENTAL, SPENCER.

>> SPENCER KASS: NO.

>> JAY VICKERS: THAT'S A BATTLE FIELD PROMOTION, MY FRIEND.

>> WE MET AFTER THE LAST C.A.C. MEETING.

BASICALLY WE DECIDED -- WE SENT A LETTER OUT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND EACH OF US WILL GET THEIR INPUT ON IDEAS THEY HAVE.

WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE GROUP AT THE NEXT MEETING.

WE WERE GOING TO DO IT THIS MEET BUT WITH ALL THE BUDGET STUFF GOING ON IT, WAS HARD TO GET ON THE CALENDAR OF SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

WE WILL DO OUR MEETING AND THEN MEET AFTER THE NEXT C.A.C. MEETING.

>> JAY VICKERS: EXCELLENT.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S IT FOR THAT.

THAT WENT FASTER THAN I ANTICIPATED.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS, THIS IS THE FEW MEMBERS WOULD VOLUNTEER FOR OTHER ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

ANY UPDATES ON THOSE?

NONE?

ALL RIGHT.

>> EVERYBODY GOT THE -- THE UPDATE FROM ERIC, RIGHT?

OKAY.

YEAH.

>> JAY VICKERS: OKAY.

SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND JUST RUN THROUGH THE OTHER BUSINESS REAL QUICK, IF THAT'S OKAY.

SO WE WILL JUST MARK IT OFF THE CALENDAR AND IT WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF MONEY UNITES.

I HAD A MEETING WITH MR. MERRILL TO TALK ABOUT A NUMBER OF THE ISSUES ON OUR PLATE SPECIFICALLY FLAGGING THE NEIGHBORHOOD R.O.I.s IS WHAT I WAS CALLING IT, THE TYING TAX DOLLARS TO CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND L.E.D. STREET LIGHTING.

I HAVE SOME UPDATES ON EACH OF THOSE.

ON THE FLAGGING PROCESS, I WILL LEAVE WITH THAT ONE.

IT WENT INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT WATT INTENT OF THE CHANGE IN POLICY IS, AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED IS A LITTLE MORE TIME TO SEE HOW WELL IT WORKS.

SO WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY OF THIS NEW PROCESS, WHERE BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS HAD TO PUT THEIR NAME NEXT TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS THAT THEY WERE FLAGGING.

THE NEW PROCESS, ATTEST LOO THE INTENT OF IT IS NOT LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.

IT IS TO INVOLVE THE BOCC IN THE BUDGETARY PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING.

INSTEAD OF HAVING THE BUDGETARY PROCESS AS ITS OWN -- AS ITS OWN SEPARATE ENTITY AND THEN HAVING THE COMMISSIONERS COMMENT ON, IT INSTEAD, BRING THE COMMISSIONERS INTO THE INDIVIDUAL BUDGET DELIBERATIONS AND MAKE THEM MORE INVOLVED.

IT SAVES TIME AND IT ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR FLAGGING IS THE IDEA BEHIND IT, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE AS PART OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AND AS THE DEPARTMENTS ARE COMING WITH THEIR INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS, THE COMMISSIONERS ARE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.

SO IT'S A MUCH DEEPER LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION BY THE COMMISSIONERS AND ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR THE FLAGGING PROCESS.

I WALKED AWAY FROM THE MEETING BELIEVING THAT, JUST LET'S GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND SEE HOW IT WORKS AND THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM.

THERE MAY NOT BE A PROBLEM.

SO WE MIGHT AS WAIT UNTIL WE SEE A PROBLEM BEFORE WE BRING ONE UP.

BUT IT'S THE ELIMINATION OF THE NEED OF THE FLAGGING PROCESS SO THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CAN MAKE DECISIONS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS NOT AT THE VERY END OF THE PROCESS.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD R.O.I., I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION FOR YOU ON THAT, SPENCER AND I UNDERSTAND THAT'S SORT OF A LIMIT OF WHAT THE COUNT KITTY LITTER PROVIDE US -- THE COUNTY CAN PROVIDE US, IS LIMITED.

>> SPENCER KASS: I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING FROM THE COUNTY.

>> JAY VICKERS: I BELIEVE WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS WHAT THEY CAN DO EASY.

>> SPENCER KASS: THE LAST I HEARD, THEY ARE WORKING ON THE MAPPING FILES.

>> WE ARE WORKING ON FINALIZING THE MAPPING BUT IT'S CERTAINLY COMING ALONG WELL.

>> JAY VICKERS: SO THEY ARE GETTING THAT INFORMATION, BUT THAT WILL -- THAT WILL BE AS MUCH AS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET US EASILY.

>> SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

>> JAY VICKERS: BUT A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT OF STAFF TIME.

>> SPENCER KASS: THE FEE SHEETS THAT WERE PASSED OUT AND EMAILED TO EVERYBODY, AT LEAF FOR ALL THE ASSOCIATION -- AT LEAST FOR ALL THE ASSOCIATIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND I SOMEHOW -- IF WE CAN MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, THAT WOULD BE NICE TOO.

>> JAY VICKERS: OKAY.

>> SPENCER KASS: AT LEAST SHOW YOU NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, BY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

THEY SHOW YOU THE MARKET VALUE FOR THAT AREA'S BOUNDARIES AND THE TAXABLE VALUE AND THEN I DID THE CALCULATION FOR EVERYBODY NEXT TO IT AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE BOUNDARIES OF YOUR ASSOCIATION, HOW MUCH THE CITY IS TAKING IN TAXES AND HOW MUCH THE COUNTY IS TAKING.

I THINK TO SOME DEGREE, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS AS TO WHAT -- WE CAN'T GET THE SECOND PIECE OF DATA FROM THE CITY, WHICH IS HOW MUCH THEY ARE SPENDING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE CITY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY RELUCTANT TO PROVIDE ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT.

AND I THINK THE REASON, AS WE HAVE SAID IN THE PAST IS BECAUSE FOR MOST AREAS, THE NUMBER IS ZERO OR CLOSE TO IT.

AS I SAID, I'M GOING TO KEEP ON HARPING ON, THIS HOPEFULLY IF WE GET THE COUNTY INFORMATION, I WILL GET THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY, BUT THIS AT LEAST, IF YOU COULD SHARE IT WITH WHOEVER YOU -- EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY.

YOU CAN JUST SEE, OKAY, THE CITY IS SAYING 1.3 AND THE COUNTY IS TAKING 1.3, AND ARE THEY TAKING CARE OF THE ROADS IN YOUR AREA?

>> JAY VICKERS: AND MR. MERRILL MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY, THE CAPITAL -- YOU KNOW, THE -- THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES MY NEIGHBORHOOD BREAKDOWN.

THEY JUST DON'T CODE THE DATA THAT WAY.

SO FOR THEM TO GET THAT INFORMATION, SOME HUMAN BEING WOULD HAVE TO GO IN AND GO THROUGH ANNUALLY AND IF THERE WERE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT AFFECTED MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT PERCENTAGE DOES IT AFFECT NEIGHBORHOOD A AND WHAT PERCENTAGE NEIGHBORHOOD B AND PRO RATE IT ON THE CALCULATIONS.

>> SPENCER KASS: LET ME TELL WHAT YOU I TOLD THE CITY.

FEEL FREE TO COUNT IT TWICE.

FEEL FREE TO DIVIDE IN HALF.

HOW ABOUT YOU GET US HALFWAY THERE OR THREE-QUARTERS OF WAY THERE.

OUR RESPONSE FROM THE CITY IS THEY DON'T WANT TO PROVIDE THE DATA.

>> JAY VICKERS: AND I AGREE WITH YOU.

THE CHALLENGE OF INACCURATE DATA, IT USUALLY INVITES SIGNIFICANTLY MORE QUESTIONS THAN IT ANSWERS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, MR. MERRILL, THE IDEA, THE CONCEPT IS FANTASTIC AND I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THAT AND THEY WILL LOOK AT HOW THEY CAN INTEGRATE THIS KIND OF TRACKING INTO THEIR SYSTEMS IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE THIS READILY AVAILABLE.

>> SPENCER KASS: THE COUNTY TALKED ABOUT NOT BEING PART OF THE NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM.

THEY WERE UNDERSTAND THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THE CITY SYSTEM.

AND SO THAT'S OUT THERE TOO.

>> JAY VICKERS: GREAT.

I THINK MR. SWISS GOT US AN UPDATE ON THE L. E.D. LIGHTING.

>> SPENCER KASS: HE SENT A MAP.

THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY HERE.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S 100-WATT EQUIVALENT THAT COSTS $100.

I HAD, ACTUALLY, A DISCUSSION WITH TECO BECAUSE I RAN INTO SOME OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES DOWN AT CITY HALL, FIRST FOR BILLING US CONTINUOUSLY FOR THE COST OF THE FIXTURES AND THEY FEEL THEY ARE ENTITLED TO DO THIS.

I FEEL THERE'S SAVINGS HERE.

I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT THE MANUFACTURER SAID IT'S A ONE-YEAR PAYBACK AS I TOLD CITY COUNCIL.

EVEN IF THEY ARE WRONG, LET'S SAY IT'S A TWO-YEAR PAYBACK AND YOU ARE GETTING 25% RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR A YEAR AND THEY HAVE TEN-YEAR WARRANTIES ON THEM TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE FREE MONEY.

IT WOULD BE -- IF THE 100% NUMBER, IT'S $2.5 MILLION A YEAR IN SAVING TO THE COUNTY.

IT'S 2 MILLION A YEAR IN SAVINGS TO THE CITY IF THEY REPLACE THEM ALL.

SO OVER TEN YEARS, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF MONEY AND THEN HOW WE HEAR THERE'S NO MONEY FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

NOW I THINK IT IS A QUESTION OF US STANDING ON MR. MERRILL'S BACK AND SAYING, OKAY, MAYBE -- BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO COME FROM TECO.

THEY MADE IT CLEAR.

IT'S NOT COMING FROM THEM.

>> JAY VICKERS: YEAH, RIGHT.

>> SPENCER KASS: I THINK IT'S A QUESTION OF US SENDING HIM ANOTHER LETTER AND SAYING HERE'S A FIXTURE.

THAT INFORMATION, I BELIEVE, WAS SENT OVER TO THE COUNTY, RIGHT, ON THAT $100 FIXTURE.

>> RIGHT.

IT WAS IN ROB'S EMAIL, RESPONDING HE WOULD LOOK INTO THAT.

>> SPENCER KASS: FREE MONEY IS FREE MONEY AND I'M NOT PREPARED TO SEE TAXPAYER DOLLARS WASTED.

>> JAY VICKERS: THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PILOT PROGRAMS UNDERWAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, CORRECT?

>> SPENCER KASS: YES.

>> JAY VICKERS: IS THERE ANY DESIRE TO HAVE THEM RUN THEIR COURSE AND THEN FOLLOW-UP?

>> SPENCER KASS: NO.

I DON'T HAVE ANY DESIRE FOR THAT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE CITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY DOING THIS.

AND NOW WE HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL?

WHAT THEY ARE DOING THEIR PILOT PROJECTS ON.

I WAS DOWN AT THE CITY AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME TYPE OF FIXTURES OR ANYTHING ELSE.

GO AHEAD AND -- AS I TOLD THE CITY, GO AHEAD AND REPLACE THEM.

IF AFTER TWO YEARS YOU WANT TO THROW THEM IN THE GARBAGE, YOU MADE YOUR MONEY BACK AND YOU HAVE DOUBLED IT.

YOU KNOW?

FEEL FREE TO THROW THEM IN THE GARBAGE AT THAT POINT BUT YOU HAVE TO GET -- AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO GET MOVING ON THINGS AND LET THEM TAKE A TEST AREA.

MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WILL VOLUNTEER.

I'M SURE THE SECOND WE DO, EVERYONE ELSE AND THEIR COUSIN IS GOING TO WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR IT.

BUT LET'S MOVE IN SOME DIRECTION, ONE LITTLE STREET HERE, ONE LITTLE STREET THERE, WE WILL BE DOING THIS FOREVER.

IN THE MEANTIME, TECO AND THE CITY IS CONTINUING TO SELL THEM THE OLD STUFF AND NOW YOU ENTER INTO TEN-YEAR LEASES WHICH PUSHES IT ANOTHER TEN YEARS OUT.

AT THE VERY LEAST, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THE BOCC PUT A MORATORIUM ON THE EXISTING FIXTURES AND IF THEY THEN DON'T WANT TO PROCEED WITH THE NEW ONE -- I MEAN, JUST SIGNING TEN-YEAR LEASES AT THIS POINT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

>> JAY VICKERS: I UNDERSTAND AND THE CHALLENGE, AND I THINK EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE.

THE CHALLENGE IN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, AT LEAST WITH THE C.A.C. IS CONCERNED IT INVOLVES LONG-TERM LEASES AND ENGINEERING LEASES OF THE BULBS AND PILOT PROGRAMS UNDER WATCH AND NEW LIGHT FIXTURES.

WE KNOW THIS IS A NEW INDUSTRY AND A RELATIVELY KNEW INDUSTRY AND THEY ARE STILL IN THE RESEARCH AND THE DEVELOPMENT CURVE WHERE THINGS BECOME LESS EXPENSIVE EACH YEAR.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY MOVING PARTS ON THIS ISSUE.

AND EVERYTHING YOU SAID IS ACCURATE BUT THIS IS NOT A WAVE A WAND SOLUTION FROM THE COUNTY'S PERSPECTIVE.

>> SPENCER KASS: I REALIZE THIS.

ALL WE WANTED IN YOU ARE HOUSE WAS A LARGE SCREEN TV.

THAT'S ALL WE WANTED.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TVs.

WE WANTED A LARGE SCREEN TV.

CAN WE GET A LARGE SCREEN TV IN THE LIVING ROOM, WELL, THERE'S SOMETHING NEW COMING NEXT YEAR.

THERE'S SOMETHING NEW COMING NEXT YEAR AND WE WENT THROUGH THIS FOREVER.

ALL OF US KIDS GROWING UP.

SHE WOULD TAKE US INTO THE STORE AND THE SALESMAN WOULD SAY, OH, YOU THINK THIS IS GOOD, NEXT YEAR, YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT IS COMING OUT NEXT YEAR AND THEY WILL GET THINNER AND THIS AND THAT, YOU NEVER MOVE ON ANYTHING.

THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON THIS.

IF WE -- IF THERE'S --

>> JAY VICKERS: THANK YOU MR. KASS YOUR HOUR ON THE COUCH IS UP.

>> SPENCER KASS: IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SAVINGS OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, WHAT LET MR. MERRILL FIND $2.5 MILLION IN SAVINGS IN GENERAL AND I WILL DROP THE ISSUE.

JUST SAVE THE MONEY.

>> JAY VICKERS: WE WILL NEED AN ACTION PLAN.

IF THE C.A.C. AS A WHOLE WANTS TO TAKE THIS ISSUE UP, THEN WE NEED TO BE PREPARED -- THIS IS A SUBCOMMITTEE BECAUSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE FACETS.

IT'S NOT SIMPLY TALKING TO ONE PERSON.

IT'S A RELATIONSHIP WITH TECO.

THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS TO THIS.

IT WILL TAKE TIME AND IT WILL TAKE EFFORT AND IT WILL TAKE ANSWERING LOTS OF QUESTIONS FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT AREAS OF COUNTY, AS THEY EACH HAVE THEIR INDIVIDUAL ISSUES.

IT'S A BIG COUNTY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF STREET LIGHTS.

WE WILL NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

>> SPENCER KASS: WELL, THAT'S I DIDN'T SAID LET'S CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD.

LET'S NOT JUST PULL OUT AND SAY.

 --

>> JAY VICKERS: WE WILL GET A FORMAL ACTION PLAN.

WE HAVE TO OUTLINE EACH INDIVIDUAL ISSUE AND WHAT IS THE NEXT POINT OF ACTION ON EACH OF THOSE ISSUES.

IT'S A MULTI FACETS ISSUE.

>> SPENCER KASS: MAYBE HE CAN TELL US WHO HE WANTS US TO SPEAK TO, BUT HE'S GOT TO MOVE.

I MEAN --

>> JAY VICKERS: SO LET'S -- NOW BACK -- THE C.A.C. AS A WHOLE, DO WE WANT TO TAKE A VOTE, IS THIS SOMETHING THE C.A.C. WANTS TO PURSUE, THE L.E.D. STREET HEIGHTS.

>> DEBORAH COPE: IS THERE ENOUGH INTEREST, MAYBE IT'S ITS OWN SUBCOMMITTEE.

>> JAY VICKERS: I AGREE ON THAT COMPLETELY.

>> MY QUESTION WOULD BE: -- I MEAN, I KNOW SPENCER, YOU HAVE DONE A LOT OF HARD WORK ON THAT AND I WANT TO PURSUE THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE: OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE OUT THERE, WHICH ONE -- WHICH LEVER -- IF WE PULLED IT AND MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL AND IT WAS IMPLEMENTED, WHICH IDEA HAS THE GREATEST SAVINGS?

THAT'S WHERE I WOULD NATURALLY GRAVITATE TO.

>> SPENCER KASS: SURE.

I GUESS WE CAN DO THE MATH RIGHT NOW AND WE KNOW THAT IF THERE'S -- NOW I'M BLANKING ON THE NUMBER FOR A SECOND BUT OF THE 100-WATT STREET LIGHTS, THERE ARE 25 -- WHATEVER THE NUMBER, IS 25,000 OF THEM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WE KNOW THAT FOR A FACT.

AND WE KNOW FOR A FACT -- LET'S SAY FOR A FACT, THAT ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS YOU PUT THESE AND THAT'S $2.5 MILLION, AND $100 EACH, YOU PUT THEM IN AND THERE'S A ONE-YEAR PAYBACK PERIOD.

NOW, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING DOWN HERE THAT HAS A 235689ER RATE OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT, OR A HIGHER RATE OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT COULD BE DONE IN A MORE TIMELY FASHION.

IF SOMEBODY HAS AN IDEA FOR SOMETHING, BY ALL MEANS.

>> UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE HAS A BETTER IDEA, I'M WILLING TO --

>> JAY VICKERS: SO WE ARE AS C.A.C. MEMBERS STRETCHED PRETTY THIN.

WE HAVE THREE ACTIVE SUBCOMMITTEES.

WE WERE GIVEN A LIST OF TEN THINGS TO LOOK AT AS THE C.A.C. THAT SAVES MONEY FOR THE COUNTY AND HAS IMPACT ON THE COUNTY.

WE WHITTLED THAT DOWN TO THREE THINGS WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON.

WE ARE FOCUSING ON THOSE THREE THINGS NOW.

DO WE WANT TO FOCUS ON A FOURTH?

AND IF WE DO, WHO WANTS TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE AND GO FROM THERE?

YES, MA'AM.

>> I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT IN ADDITION TO WORKING ON THINGS THAT THE COUNTY WANTS US TO WORK ON, IT'S ON US TO FIND THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

THAT'S HALF OF OUR CHARGE.

AND SO I THINK WE -- WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT AND IF THERE'S THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO WORK ON AND ENOUGH INTEREST TO GET IT DONE, THERE'S NO REASON TO NOT INCLUDE THOSE ITEMS IN OUR WORK AND WHAT WE DO.

>> JAY VICKERS: I THINK THE ANSWER FROM THE COUNTY IS WE HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM IN PLACE AND WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE HOW IT GOES.

>> THAT MIGHT BE IT.

>> JAY VICKERS: WE WANT TO BE SOLUTION ORIENTED.

WE DON'T WANT TO SIT AND TAKE POT SHOTS AT PROBLEMS.

WE WANT TO BE PART OF SOLUTION AND I THINK THERE'S -- THERE ARE -- IT'S COMPLICATED.

WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE DISCUSS L. E.D. STREET LIGHTS OVER THE LAST YEAR, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S -- IT'S MULTIFACETS.

TONY?

>> TONY JACKSON: I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

WHAT WERE THE -- YOU GAVE A NUMBER THAT WAS OF THE PROJECTED SAVINGS.

>> SPENCER KASS: YES.

THE PROJECTED SAVINGS -- ACCORDING TO THE DATA SHEETS WE HAVE, IT COST $100 A FIXTURE AND THERE'S A ONE-YEAR PAYBACK.

SO EVERY YEAR YOU ARE SAVING THAT $100 THAT YOU HAVE INVESTED IN THE FIXTURE AND THERE'S 25,000 FIXTURES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND 20,000 IN THE CITY OF TAMPA.

SO YOU START DOING THAT MATH, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT BIG KINDS OF --

>> TONY JACKSON: YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

>> SPENCER KASS: $2.5 MILLION IN THE COUNTY A YEAR AND $2 MILLION IN THE CITY.

>> TONY JACKSON: SO ME THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOME --

>> SO MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR A MOTION.

WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IF SOMEBODY DOES WANT TO WORK ON IT, AND DOES THE C.A.C. WANT THAT TO BE ONE OF THE THINGS WE WORK ON.

>> JAY VICKERS: THAT'S CORRECT.

BECAUSE WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE MATH -- THAT IT WILL NOT BE AS SIMPLE AS US WRITING A LETTER AND THEN SOMEBODY SAYING YES AND THEN IT'S DONE.

IT WILL NOT HAPPEN THAT WAY.

SO IT WILL REQUIRE THE COORDINATION BETWEEN MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND HAGGLING OVER WHAT IS THE EXACT LUMENS OF THE BULB AND THAT'S .2 BELOW WHAT THE D.O.T. STANDARD IS FORM, 16, 17Y NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED TO ASK FOR THAT EXEMPTION.

THAT'S WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE AT THEN.

WE NEED TO KNOW -- THE END.

WE NEED TO KNOW IF WE ARE GOING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM HERE, WE NEED TO PUT THE HORSEPOWER BEHIND IT TO GET IT DONE.

>> SPENCER KASS: DO YOU WANT ME TO DO IT?

>> JAY VICKERS: SPENCER, THIS IS NOT A SITUATION OF -- I THINK WHAT WE ALL WANT TO DO IS HAVE AN IMPACT, GET SOMETHING ACTUALLY DONE.

AND THE ANSWER JUST CAN'T -- WE HAVE ASKED THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY SAYS, LISTEN WE HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM IN PLACE AND WE WILL LET THAT PLAY OUT AND OUR ANSWER IS THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

THEY ALREADY MADE A DECISION AND SO WE HAVE TO GO INTO THE DETAILS JOINT VENTURE THAT DECISION WAS NOT THE BEST DECISION FORWARD.

>> SPENCER KASS: I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU IS IF I'M -- I DON'T KNOW THAT MR. MERRILL MADE THAT COMMENT.

LET'S SAY HE MADE THAT COMMENT, THE PILOT IS GOOD ENOUGH, OKAY,LIEN WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

WE CAN SEND LETTERS TO THEM WHEN WE WANT THINGS.

WE ARE NOT KNOWN AS WALL FLOWERS.

>> JAY VICKERS: I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR MR. MERRILL ON THAT ISSUE.

THERE ARE PILOT PROGRAMS WITH L. E.D. STREET LIGHTS AND L.E.D. PEDESTRIAN LIGHTS AND IF WE -- AND SO IF -- WE HAVE TO BE VERY SPECIFIC IN WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR.

SO IF WE ARE WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS THE COUNTY NEEDS TO RESOURCE PLACE ALL --

>> SPENCER KASS: THAT ARE OVER TEN YEARS OLD.

>> JAY VICKERS: WITH MODEL XYZ FROM MANUFACTURER ABC, IF THAT'S WHAT WE ARE SAYING THERE WILL BE A PURCHASING PROCESS AND RFP ISSUED AND OPEN BID PROCESS AND THERE WILL BE -- ALL OF THAT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN AND THAT WILL TAKE TIME AND DETAILS AND SO I'M NOT SAYING -- YOU SAID TO ME IF YOU WANT ME TO WORK ON IT, FINE.

THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION.

THE QUESTION IS, DO WE WANT TO WORK ON IT.

AND IF THE ANSWER IS YES, WHO IS GOING TO DO IT.

THAT'S THE ISSUE BEFORE THE C.A.C.

WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS ISSUE ON OUR AGENDA EVERY SINGLE MONTH WHERE ALL WE TALK ABOUT IT.

IT'S TIME TO LET THE PILOT RUN ITS COURSE AND A YEAR FROM NOW COME BACK AND DECIDE, WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF PILOT AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR WE SAY, LISTEN, WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION WE NEED AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD NOW.

THE WAY I SEE IT, THOSE ARE THE TWO OPTIONS WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US AND THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.

>> SPENCER KASS: I GUESS PART OF IT, TO THE DEGREE THEY HAVE TO DO RFP PROCESSES OR THEY HAVE TO DO INVESTIGATIONS OR DO THIS STUFF, THEY ARE NOT DOING THAT.

THEY ARE NOT SENDING OUT RFPs TODAY.

SEND OUT AN RFQ.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS.

MY POINT IS MY FEELING IS THAT THE COUNTY IS BASICALLY TAKING THE POSITION THEY WILL STONEWALL AND THEY WILL CONTINUE WITH THEIR CONTRACTS, WITH TECO AND THEY WILL CONTINUE SIGNING THEIR TEN-YEAR LEASES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HEARD AT THE CITY.

I HEARD THE EXACT THING AT THE CITY.

OH, AND THEY WERE SO PROUD AT THE CITY, BECAUSE THE CITY IS INSTALLING THE OLD FIXTURES FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE FOR THEM.

WELL, OF COURSE THEY ARE BECAUSE IT GENERATES THE MOST REVENUE FOR THEM.

WE CAN'T JUST LET THIS --

>> JAY VICKERS: AGAIN -- GO AHEAD, CRISTAN.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: I KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, JAY.

SO I THINK IT'S A SITUATION OF I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S A SITUATION OF WE NEED TO HAVE A COMMITTEE WITH FOUR PEOPLE THAT SIT THERE.

I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING -- I'M NOT SIGNING UP TO HAVE ANOTHER JOB.

I MEAN, I --

>> JAY VICKERS: AGREE COMPLETELY.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: WE PAY PEOPLE WITHIN THE COUNTY TO DO THAT.

IF THEY ARE DOING THE PILOT PROGRAM AND IT'S NOT HAPPENING FAST ENOUGH, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED INITIALLY PUT LEVERAGE, WHY ISN'T THAT HAPPENING FAST ENOUGH?

WHY IS IT DOING WHAT IT'S DOING?

ALTERNATIVELY, HAVE THEY LOOKED AT MOVING FASTER THROUGH WHAT'S SPENCER IS TALKING ABOUT?

I MEAN, I JUST THINK IT'S A SITUATION THAT IT NEEDS TO BE PUSHED INDIVIDUALLY.

NOW, WE CAN COME TO A CONSENSUS AND SAY, ALL OF US, LET'S GO BACK AND TALK TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES.

THIS IS THE SITUATION THAT IS HAPPENING.

BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT HAVING A SEPARATE COMMITTEE -- UNLESS -- UNLESS WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTY THAT WANT TO SIT ON THIS COMMITTEE, THAT CAN HELP DIRECT US IN CERTAIN WAYS WHAT ARE ALL THE HOOPS THAT WILL HAVE TO BE CROSSED.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO RESEARCH WHAT ALL THE HOOPS ARE.

>> JAY VICKERS: THIS IS COMPLICATED BECAUSE THE COUNTY DOESN'T WANT TO EITHER.

THEY OUTSOURCE IT.

IT'S WORKING WITH TECO.

IT'S WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND F D.O.T.

ALL THREE ARE INVOLVED TO GET THIS ACROSS THE GOAL LINE.

>> CRISTAN FADAL: WITH WHAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT NOW?

>> JAY VICKERS: WITH THE PILOT -- NO, NOT WITH THE PILOT PROGRAM.

IF WE WERE TO SAY THE COUNTY NEEDS TO REPLACE ALL 25,000 LIGHTS IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE COORDINATION BETWEEN THOSE THREE GROUPS THERE.

WILL BE NUMEROUS PUBLIC HEARINGS.

THIS IS NOT A SIMPLE TASK IS ALL THAT I'M POINTING OUT.

IT'S NOT A SIMPLE TASK.

SO THE COUNTY ONLY HAS SO MANY RESOURCES.

SO WHEN WE ASKED THEM TO PUT 50 MAN HOURS INTO PUTTING A STUDY TOGETHER, WE HAVE SOME OWNERSHIP OF THAT.

WE HAVE INVESTED TAXPAYER DOLLARS WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY.

SO THE NATURE OF THE THINGS -- THEY ARE COHERENT, THEY ARE NOT AS ORGANIZED AS THEY WOULD NEED TO BE.

WE HAVE COULD BE COGNIZANT AS A VOLUNTEER GROUP WHETHER WE MAKE A REQUEST TO THE COUNTY, WE ARE SAYING SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON ANSWERING THIS QUESTION FOR US.

SO WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE RETURN ON THAT TAXPAYER INVESTMENT WE ARE ASKING FOR.

AND, SPENCER, YOUR POINT IS WE THINK THIS WILL SAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO, THEN WE NEED TO -- WE NEED TO -- EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY IS IT GOING TO SAVE?

WHO IS INVOLVED?

AND WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE?

THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WILL DO IN HALF HOUR DISCUSSIONS OVER THE NEXT -- WE COULD OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING --

>> SPENCER KASS: I'M NOT TRYING TO STICK THE BURDEN ON US.

I FEEL IT'S THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY AND I FEEL THE LETTER THAT NEEDS TO GO OUT IS ONE TO MIKE MERRILL THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THERE SEEMS TO BE SAVINGS HERE.

WE UNDERSTAND YOU ARE BUSY WITH YOUR PILOT PROGRAMS AND THIS AND THAT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT SIGNING TEN-YEAR LEASES IS PUSHING -- EVERY TIME YOU SIGN A TEN-YEAR LEASE, YOU ARE PUSHING IT OUT TEN YEARS.

YOU TELL US, YOU MR. MERRILL, YOU RUN THIS COUNTY.

YOU TELL US HOW IT IS THAT THAT MAKES SENSE OR WHAT POLICY WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT TO DEAL WITH THAT, WHETHER IT'S A MORATORIUM ON THEM OR WHATEVER IT IS AND YOU TELL US HOW YOU ARE GOING TO GET -- BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR JOB TO GET US FROM A TO Z, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE NOW, TO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT SAVES MONEY, THAT ALL OF THESE OTHER PLACES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND AS HE SAID IN HIS LAST LETTER, HE DOESN'T NEED TO GO THROUGH TECO FOR THIS.

HE DOESN'T.

TECO DOESN'T WANT TO COOPERATE.

NO PROBLEM!

THE COUNTY IS IN A GREAT POSITION.

THE COUNTY IS IN A POSITION -- BUT THAT'S FOR HIM TO FIGURE OUT, NOT FOR US TO FIGURE OUT.

>> JAY VICKERS: IS YOUR POSITION THAT WE TELL MR. MERRILL THAT ALL STREET LIGHTS NEED TO BE REPLACED BY L.E. D.s. AGAIN, WE CAN WRITE THAT LETTER AND IF WE AGREE AS A GROUP THAT THAT'S THE LETTER WE WANT TO SEND, BASICALLY SAYING JUST DO IT, THEN THERE WILL BE -- IF THERE'S A QUESTION THAT COMES BACK, IF THE NUMBERS DON'T COME OUT LIKE WE THOUGHT THEY WERE, THE SAVINGS SEASON AS GREAT AS THEY WERE, THAT LIGHT FIXTURE DOESN'T WORK IN A HUMID ENVIRONMENT, WHO KNOWS.

THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF THESE -- THESE ARE ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL ISSUES.

THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS.

>> SPENCER KASS: GREAT.

LET THEM BRING THEM BACK.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR SPENCER.

DO YOU BELIEVE OR DO YOU HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE PILOT PROGRAM IS IN ANY WAY NOT FULLY OBJECTIVE AND THAT THE COUNTY WOULD PURSUE WHICHEVER IS THE MOST FINANCIALLY BENEFICIAL APPROACH?

>> SPENCER KASS: I FEEL THAT, TWO, THINGS, ONE I FEEL THAT THE PILOT PROGRAMS ARE A STALLING TACTIC.

I FEEL THEY ARE A WAY TO DRAG THINGS OUT FOREVER.

THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS THEM.

WE SENT LINKS TO MR. MERRILL OF ALL OF THESE PLACES HE CAN GO TO.

NEXT, THE FIXTURES THEY ARE USING IN THE PILOT PROGRAM ARE THE TECO SUPPLIED FIXTURES WHICH AREN'T NECESSARILY THE MOST ECONOMICAL OR BENEFICIAL FOR US FOR WHAT WE NEED.

GREAT, YOU ARE DOING A STUDY, BASING IT UPON THESE FIXTURES BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ONE-YEAR PAY-BACK.

THEY HAVE A TEN YEAR PAYBACK.]

THAT DOESN'T HELP US.

AT THE END OF THE STUDY, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

I'M MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY STUDY.

IT'S ON MORE HIGH POWERED STUFF.

WE HAVE FAR MORE LOW POWERED FIXTURES THAN HIGH POWERED FIXTURES.

>> JAY VICKERS: THAT'S A FAIR POINT AND FOR EVERY POINT THAT HE HAS, THE COUNTY WILL HAVE A SECOND POINT AND THE TECO WILL HAVE A SECOND POINT.

I WILL GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL STATEMENT.

IF WE WANT TO TACKLE THIS IT WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT BECAUSE IT'S VERY TECHNICAL IN NATURE AND IT IS A LARGE DOLLAR AMOUNT.

SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE DONE QUICKLY OR EASILY.

DEBORAH?

>> DEBORAH COPE: I WOULD THINK IT'S IMPORTANT -- IF THEY ARE SIGNING LEASES FOR TEN YEARS, MAYBE THAT'S WHERE WE MIGHT GIVE SOME INPUT.

YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND THAT THEY DON'T SIGN ANY MORE OF THESE TEN-YEAR LEASES BEFORE THE PILOT PROGRAM IS COMPLETED.

THEY'VE GOT TO DO THEIR WORK.

THAT FORCES THEM TO HAVE TO NOT JUST LET THIS THING GO WILLY-NILLY OR NOT PAY ATTENTION TO IT OR WHATEVER.

MAYBE WE COULD MAKE SOME KIND OF RECOMMENDATION TO THAT EFFECT.

>> SPENCER KASS: THAT'S PERFECT.

I COULD LIVE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> WE NEED A SMALL GROUP TO FORMULATE THAT, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO GET AT?

>> WE ARE ASKING FOR A MOTION, RIGHT?

I MEAN, WE NEED A MOTION.

>> I MAKE A MOTION --

>> SPENCER KASS: I THINK AT THIS POINT WE NEED A LETTER TO MR. MERRILL THAT -- I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T MIND DOING THAT.

>> JAY VICKERS: AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA AND IT COMES BACK AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE MORATORIUM, IF THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TECHNICAL REASON WHY IT CAN'T HAPPEN AND THE COUNTY IS GOING TO SPEND -- YEAH.

AND SO I -- I SHARE THE SAME CONCERN SPENCER HAS.

I SHARE IT.

IT'S A PROBLEM.

IT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY.

I DON'T TRUST TECO.

I'M 100% ON BOARD WITH THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO THE THEORY, WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT INSTEAD OF DOING FOUR THINGS HALF, WE DO THE THREE THINGS OR THE TWO THINGS OR WHATEVER IT IS, WE DO THEM WELL.

I THINK WE WOULD RATHER BE KNOWN AS AN ORGANIZATION, A COMMITTEE THAT WHATEVER WE AGREE TO DO WE DO VERY WELL INSTEAD OF AGREEING TO DO TOO MUCH AND NOT DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB OF THAT.

THAT'S MY CONCERN AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE C.A.C., WE ARE DOING TOO MUCH.

>> SPENCER KASS: LET ME OFFER A COMPROMISE.

YOU SEND MR. MERRILL THE LETTER AND YOU SAY WE BELIEVE THERE'S SAVINGS ON THIS AND YOU CAN COME BACK INTO THIS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR YOU NEED TO REVIEW THIS INFORMATION, YOU GIVE HIM MY CELL PHONE NUMBER.

YOU CAN DEAL WITH SPENCER OR FIGURE OUT ON YOUR OWN HOW TO GET FROM A TO Z.

I THINK MR. MERRILL IS VERY CAPABLE.

I THINK THAT IF HE WANTS TO DO IT, WE WOULD DO IT.

I THINK IF HE GETS A PUSH -- AND I THINK THE VOTES ARE THERE ON THE BOCC TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, MOVE ON THIS.

I MEAN, AFTER OUR JOINT MEETING WITH THEM, I THINK THE VOTES ARE THERE TO GET US THERE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> JAY VICKERS: OKAY.

SPENCER, YOU WOULD MIND DRAFTING THAT LETTER?

SEND IT TO BETH AND WE'LL MAKE IT THROUGH AND THEN WE'LL SEND IT OVER AND --

>> SPENCER KASS: I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE LETTER GO TO YOU AND BE -- WHAT'S A NICE WAY TO PUT IT?

MADE NICER THAN HOW I WOULD WRITE IT.

>> JAY VICKERS: IT'S RARE WHEN I'M THE NICER GUY IN THE ROOM.

THAT'S WHY I LOVE YOU, SPENCER.

>> MAKE SURE THE LETTER INCLUDES THE MORATORIUM.

>> JAY VICKERS: ABSOLUTELY.

AND SO SPENCER, YOU AUTHOR IT AND SEND IT TO BETH AND SHE WILL MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE STUFF IS DONE AND I WILL MAKE IT NICER.

SO A MOTION TO WRITE THAT LETTER HAS BEEN MADE BY --

>> SECOND.

>> JAY VICKERS: SPENCER, SECOND BY JOSEPH AND ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE.

[ CHORUS OF AYES ]

BOY, THIS MEETING HAS BEEN A BLAST!

ALL RIGHT, QUICK JUST BECAUSE WE ARE HERE.

THE RNC FOLLOW-UP, REAL QUICK.

THIS WAS THE LAST TOPIC I MET WITH MR. MERRILL ON.

THEY DID NOT TRACK STAFF TIME ASSOCIATED WITH THE RNC.

IT WASN'T AN EASY THING TO TRACK.

THE SYSTEMS WERE NOT ABLE TO TRACK IT.

WHAT THEY DID TRACK IS ANY INVOICE THEY WERE SENT FOR ANYTHING RNC RELATED AND THOSE INVOICES WERE TURNED AROUND AND SUBMITTED TO THE FUND THAT PAYS FOR THAT.

SO THE ONLY COST THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE HAD DURING THE RNC WAS STAFF TIME OF WHICH IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW MUCH THAT WAS.

>> SPENCER KASS: BUT WE KNOW THAT'S WRONG.

WE KNOW THAT FORGETTING ALL OF THAT, WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE EXPENDITURES THAT THE BOCC MADE WHERE THEY GRANTED MONEY TO GROUPS TO SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW -- THEY WERE GROUPS THAT GOT MONEY TO FIX CARPET AND CLEAN THE PLACE UP.

WELL, THERE'S AN EXPENDITURE.

IT'S RELATED TO THE RNC.

WE WILL NOT GET IT BACK.

>> JAY VICKERS: IF THERE WAS AN INVOICE SENT TO THE COUNTY, WE CAN GET THAT NUMBER.

>> SPENCER KASS: BUT THAT'S NOT AN INVOICE.

THAT'S A MOTION --

>> JAY VICKERS: I'M SURE SOMEBODY SENT THE COUNTY A BILL TO GET PAID THAT MONEY.

>> SPENCER KASS: OH, OKAY.

THAT'S FINE.

>> JAY VICKERS: THE GENERAL FEELING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL IS LOOKING AT THE R.O.I. DOCUMENT IN THE RNC DOCUMENT WE SAW LAST MONTH, IT'S HUGE.

AND SO GOING THROUGH THE EXPENSE OF PARSING OUT THE LABOR AND GOING THROUGH THE EXPENSE OF TRACKING IT OUT AND PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER, WHAT YOU WILL GET UP WITH, IT'S A BIG NUMBER.

IT WAS A POSITIVE BIG NUMBER AND THAT'S THE END IT.

SO PERSONALLY, WHETHER I BELIEVE THIS OR NOT, I'M NOT SURE.

I DO KNOW IT WILL COST A LOT AND I THINK IT'S MORE AN ISSUE OF WHEN THE PROJECT WAS STARTED, IT WASN'T STARTED THE RIGHT WAY.

IT WASN'T STARTED WITH THE RIGHT TRACKING MECHANISMS AT THE BEGINNING.

I DO KNOW FROM MY VAST EXPERIENCE IN I.T. THAT IN SYSTEMS, IF YOU -- IT'S MUCH EASIER TO SET IT UP THE RIGHT WAY AND TRACK IT BECAUSE THAT CAN BE AUTOMATED THAN TO GO BACK AN MANUALLY PARSE THROUGH THE DATE AND COME OUT WITH A RELIABLE NUMBER.

THAT'S A BIG EXPENSE AND SINCE THE GENERAL FEELING IS THERE'S A LIE R.O.I. ON THIS PROJECT, THAT -- HIGH R.O.I. ON THIS PROJECT, IT WOULDN'T BE WORTH THE EXPENSE.

I CAN'T TO MYSELF JUSTIFY INVESTING HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF STAFF TIME TO GO BACK AND CALCULATE LABOR TIME FROM LAST YEAR.

THAT'S MY OPINION.

>> I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID HOWEVER, I RECALL THIS COMMITTEE SAYING THEY NEED TO COLLECT IT UP FRONT.

>> JAY VICKERS: CORRECT.

>> AND THAT WAS PRIOR TO THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T DONE SAYS SOMETHING.

>> SPENCER KASS: AND HERE'S NOT THE NICER WAY OF SAYING IT, SOMEBODY SHOWED UP AND LIED TO US.

>> AND THE OTHER POINT IS I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THE COUNTY COMMITTED BILLS TO THE RNC REMOVING COUNTY FUNCTIONS OUT OF THIS BUILDING.

>> JAY VICKERS: THAT'S A GOOD DIRECT QUESTION.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND I SHARE -- I SHARE EVERYONE'S FRUSTRATION ON THIS ISSUE, AND WHERE WE ARE.

I BELIEVE -- YES.

WE WERE -- I'M NOT GOING TO SAY MISLED BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION WE NEEDED.

SO IS THAT -- WITH ISSUE -- THE ONE QUESTION WAS, WAS THE RELOCATION COSTS WHEN THEY MOVED EVERYONE OUT, WAS THAT COVERED BY THE RNC, I BELIEVE THAT WAS PART OF A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE FOR THE COUNTY.

THEY WERE USING IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEST THEIR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IF DOWNTOWN -- IF THIS BUILDING FLOODED, WHAT IS OUR EMERGENCY PLAN AND THEY WERE USING THIS AS A TEST RUN OF THEIR EMERGENCY PLAN.

I DO REMEMBER THAT, BUT WE WILL ASK THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TEST PLAN WAS FUNDED -- WAS IT FUNDED BY THE COUNTY OR MONEY REIMBURSED BY RNC.

>> THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE.

>> JAY VICKERS: IT WAS.

IT WAS.

>> AND THE THING THAT SPENCER TALKED ABOUT A LOT WAS THE FACT THAT DOWNTOWN BUSINESS VIRTUALLY DID NOT EXIST DURING THE RNC.

>> JAY VICKERS: CLEARLY.

YES.

YES.

AND MY COMMENT TO MR. MERRILL WAS, IF THIS HAD SUCH AN HIGH R.O.I. ON IT, THAT'S EVEN MORE THE REASON TO TRACK THE WHOLE THING.

I MADE THE JOKE TO HIM.

IF THE R.O.I., CAME OUT TO 258% -- THE REASON YOU TRACK THESE THINGS IS TO YOU UNDERSTAND.

SO IF IT CAME OUT SUCCESSFUL, YOU WOULD WANT TO PUBLISH THAT.

YOU WOULD WANT TO SAY, HEY, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE INVESTED $16.3 MILLION, TAX DOLLARS.

WE GOT BACK $100 MILLION IN ECONOMIC BENEFIT.

HOORAY FOR ALL OF US!

SO TRACKING THINS IS NOT SIMPLY A WAY OF SAYING IT WENT WRONG AND WHO CAN I BLAME.

IF YOU EXECUTE WELL, IT'S MARKETING.

IT'S TO SAY, HEY, TRUST US TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS GOING FORWARD BECAUSE LOOK AT WHAT WE DID.

LOOK AT HOW RESPONSIBLE WE WERE WITH THE PREVIOUS INVESTMENT.

SO THAT WAS MY PARTING COMMENT ON THE TOPIC.

>> SPENCER KASS: I WOULD POINT OUT THE FACT THAT NOW WHEN WE GET INTO THIS DISCUSSION OF WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE ON THIS COMMITTEE OR IN THE COUNTY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE TO STAND ON EVERYBODY'S BACK TO SEE IF IT'S DONE BEING CORRECTLY.

THIS IS WHY THEY HAVE THE LOW TRUST NUMBERS.

DONE STAND HERE AND TELL US X AND GO AND DO Y.

NOW, WHAT ARE WE FORCED TO DO THAT, THE NEXT TIME YOU SAY THAT I WON'T BELIEVE THERE.

EVERY MOVE YOU WILL COME BACK AND GIVE US A REPORT AND WHERE DOES IT STAND NOW?

IT'S A WASTE OF OUR TIME AND THEIR TIME, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A DEGREE OF TRUST AND CLEARLY IN THIS.

>> JAY VICKERS: WE CAN PICK TWO AND THREE THINGS AND WE CAN FOLLOW THEM ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND THAT'S HOW WE CHANGE -- THAT'S HOW WE CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC, ASKING FOR BETTER ACCOUNTABILITY ACROSS A THOUSAND DIFFERENT TOPICS IS DIFFICULT.

THEY ARE NOT DOING IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO DO OR BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT OR SOMETHING THEY HAVEN'T DONE IN THE PAST.

I THINK THE WAY WE CAN BE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THIS.

THE THINGS WE ARE PICKING TO PURSUE AS A COMMITTEE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWED ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

I'M EQUALLY FRUSTRATED AS EVERYONE HERE.

THIS MEETING KEEPS GETTING MORE AND MORE ENJOYABLE.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S IT FROM MY LIST.

ANY OTHER OTHER.

>> MOVE TO ADJOURN.

>> JAY VICKERS: SCHEDULE REAL QUICK.

NEXT MONTH IS WATER AND TRASH.

WE HAVE NO FAR MANAGER OF TRANSITION SERVICES TO SPEAK ON THE TRASH TRANSITION, AND SOMEBODY FROM TAMPA BAY WATER AND WORKING ON GETTING SOMEBODY FROM THE COUNTY WATER DEPARTMENT.

SO THAT'S NEXT ON OUR LIST.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, FOR THE -- IT'S NOVEMBER.

SO THAT'S OCTOBER AND THEN NOVEMBER, THE CENTER FOR URBAN TRANSIT COMING IN NOVEMBER.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO SLOT FOR NOVEMBER.

I DON'T KNOW THE DATE OF OUR NOVEMBER MEETING.

BETH, IF WE COULD PLEASE FIGURE OUT WHAT DATE WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THAT MEETING TO IN NOVEMBER.

>> WE ARE MOVING THE NOVEMBER DATE?

>> IT'S USUALLY AROUND THANKSGIVING.

>> IS IT ALREADY THERE?

>> JAY VICKERS: AND WHILE WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT --

>> THE 22nd.

>> IT'S THE 22nd.

>> JAY VICKERS: OKAY.

THAT SHOULD BE FINE.

AND DECEMBER 13th IS THE FIELD TRIP TO -- OFFICIAL MEETING, WHATEVER, IT'S WHEN WE GO TO EGMONT KING.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT MEETING WITH LOTS OF BIG DECISIONS AT EGMONT AND AS WE GET CLOSER, BETH WILL GET US THE LOGISTICS.

ALL RIGHT?

>> SPENCER KASS: AND THEN WILL WE FIGURE OUT -- WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS NEXT YEAR?

DO YOU WANT TO PLUG --

>> JAY VICKERS: I THINK NEXT MEETING.

WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE A COUPLE OF MEETINGS OUT, AND THEREFORE IT GIVES US THE FLEXIBILITY TO SCHEDULE WHO WE NEED IF WE FEED TO MAKE A LAST-MINUTE CHANGE.

I THINK ANIMAL SERVICES IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT.

>> MOVE TO ADJOURN.

>> JAY VICKERS: ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

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