CAPTIONINGAUGUST 21, 2013

BOCC REGULAR MEETINGMORNING SESSION

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

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO OUR WEDNESDAY,

AUGUST 21st, 2013, REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING OF THE

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE AND INVOCATION,

GIVEN BY COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

>>MARK SHARPE: DEAR LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND

THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE YOU.

WE GIVE THANKS TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND THEIR STAFF AND

ALL THOSE IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT WHO WORK EACH DAY TO MAKE

THIS COUNTY AND REGION A BETTER AND STRONGER PLACE.

WE ASK, LORD, THAT YOU LOOK OVER THOSE WHO SERVE US OVERSEAS

AND THOSE WHO PROTECT US HERE AT HOME, OUR FIREFIGHTERS,

POLICE, AND SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, AND ALL THOSE, AGAIN, WHO

PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO MAKE OUR LIVES A LITTLE BIT

BETTER.

WE ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR NAME.

AMEN.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

BEFORE WE GET STARTED THIS MORNING, I'D LIKE TO READ INTO

THE RECORD FROM COMMISSIONER SANDRA MURMAN, PLEASE BE

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ADVISED I'LL BE ARRIVING AT 10:00 A.M. FOR THE BOCC MEETING

THIS MORNING.

PLEASE READ THIS MEMO INTO THE RECORD.

THANK YOU.

AND ALSO FROM COMMISSIONER LES MILLER, PLEASE BE ADVISED I

AM ATTENDING THE IMPERIAL SESSION OF THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN

ARABIC ORDER NOBLES MYSTIC SHRINE IMPERIAL SESSION IN

PHOENIX, ARIZONA, AND AM WORKING WITH THE PLANNING COMMITTEE

AS WE PREPARE TO BRING THE 2014 IMPERIAL SESSION AND OUR

20,000 GUESTS TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN 2014.

THEREFORE, I WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE WEDNESDAY,

AUGUST 21st, 2013, BOCC MEETING.

PLEASE READ THE REASON FOR MY ABSENCE INTO THE RECORD.

THAT'S FROM COMMISSIONER LES MILLER.

WE HAVE THREE VERY SPECIAL COMMENDATIONS TO PRESENT, AND THE

FIRST TWO WILL BE GIVEN BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.

AND THERE ARE TWO THIS MORNING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.

ONE OF THEM IS WITH OUR ROTARY CAMP FLORIDA LOCATED IN EAST

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND I THINK IT FIRST CAME TO MY

ATTENTION WITH BETTY JO WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON SOME

DISTRICT PROJECT, AND ONE, I'VE ASKED IF ED JOHNS, JIM

HARMON, DEBORAH HARMON, RANDY KIZER, DR. LEO DIAZ, JAMIE

MICK, ALAN FELDMAN, BOB ARNOLD, AND PEGGY SHERRY TO COME

FORWARD TO THE PODIUM HERE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD SOME

PHOTOS OF THE CAMP OR NOT AND -- DO WE?

WHY DON'T WE SHOW THOSE BEFORE I -- OR WHILE I'M MAKING THE

PRESENTATION.

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I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY OR THE BOARD

HAVE GONE OUT TO SEE THIS WONDERFUL OASIS TUCKED AWAY

AMONGST TRAFFIC AND NEIGHBORHOODS, BUSINESSES, BUT WHAT A

WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE FACING

SOME TOUGH TIMES, BUT THE COMMENDATION READS, THE

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HEREBY

COMMENDS ROTARY'S CAMP FLORIDA FOR ITS ONGOING SERVICE TO

OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN.

ROTARY'S CAMP FLORIDA IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT 501(C)(3) PROJECT

OF ROTARIES -- FLORIDA ROTARY DISTRICTS.

THE CAMP WAS FOUNDED IN 1991 TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN A YEAR-

ROUND FACILITY FOR CHILDREN WITH MEDICAL OR EMOTIONAL

SPECIAL NEEDS.

THE CAMP WELCOMES AND HOSTS MANY SPECIAL NEEDS GROUPS,

INCLUDING CHILDREN WITH KIDNEY DISEASE, DOWNS SYNDROME,

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY, TOURETTE SYNDROME, CANCER, DIABETES, AND

CHILDREN FROM -- CHILDREN FROM THE SHINER'S HOSPITAL.

THE CAMP AIMS TO ASSIST MEMBERS OF SPECIAL NEEDS GROUPS TO

REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL BY SHARING, LEARNING ABOUT, AND

MASTERING THEIR CHALLENGES, ALL THE WHILE GROWING IN

CHARACTER, BUILDING SELF-CONFIDENCE AND DETERMINATION, AND

GAINING LIFE-CHANGING SKILLS.

THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES

HEREBY OFFER ITS GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION OF ROTARY'S CAMP

FLORIDA FOR ITS GENEROUS AND TIRELESS SERVICE TO OUR

COMMUNITY.

WE ARE PROUD TO CALL YOU A PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND

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THE ROLE YOU PLAY IN MAKING OUR COUNTY A BETTER PLACE TO

LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

PRESENTED ON THIS 21st DAY OF AUGUST.

WE COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

I THINK THIS RECOGNITION IS LONG OVERDUE, AND IF ONE OF YOU

WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

I DON'T KNOW WHO IS DESIGNATED, BUT WELCOME TO THE CHAMBERS.

>> YES.

I GUESS I'VE BEEN DRAFTED.

I'M JIM HARMON.

I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR ROTARY'S CAMP FLORIDA.

THIS IS A VERY DISTINCT HONOR FOR US.

WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW, THE CHILDREN YOU

SEE IN OUR FACILITIES -- ON THE AVERAGE IN OUR STATE, WE

SERVE BETWEEN 3- AND 5,000 CAMPER DAYS PER YEAR AT THIS

FACILITY.

ON THE AVERAGE FIVE TO 11 OF EVERY CHILD FROM OUR GROUPS

WILL PASS AWAY WITHIN A SIX- TO EIGHT-MONTH WINDOW, SO WE'RE

GOING TO SEE THE CHILDREN THAT HAVE HAD ALL THE CHALLENGES

AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE CHILDREN THAT ARE GOING TO BE

PASSING, AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO

GIVE THESE CHILDREN A CHANCE TO BE THEIR OWN AND DO THINGS

FOR THEMSELVES AND HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THE CHILDREN YOU JUST SAW WERE SHINER'S CHILDREN.

SOME OF THEM ARE AMPUTEES, SOME OF THEM HAVE OTHER

CHALLENGES, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, WE ARE SO PROUD TO CALL

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OUR HOME.

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WE ARE -- WE ARE BRINGING CHILDREN, AND RIGHT NOW THEY JUST

ANNOUNCED WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING AN INTERNATIONAL CAMP

STARTING IN TWO YEARS AT THIS CAMP, SO WE'LL BE FLYING

CHILDREN IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE DO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS

OPPORTUNITY.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.

AND THE FOUR-WAY TEST?

>> YEAH, I -- THINGS WE THINK, SAY, AND DO.

>>GROUP: IS IT THE TRUTH?

IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED?

WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL AND BETTER FRIENDSHIP?

WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED?

>> AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LIVING WITH.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU, SIR.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD FOR A

PHOTOGRAPH AND TO RECEIVE THE --

>>KEN HAGAN: BEFORE WE DO THAT, I THINK COMMISSIONER SHARPE

WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OH, EXCUSE ME.

>>MARK SHARPE: I JUST WANTED TO -- FIRST, I WANTED TO THANK

COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM AND HIS STAFF FOR BRINGING THE

ROTARY HERE AND TO THIS SPECIAL PROGRAM IN WHICH THEY

PROVIDE OUR CITIZENS.

I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONER BECAUSE HE'S GOT A GREAT

EYE FOR FINDING HIDDEN GEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND LIFTING

THEM UP.

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AND I ALSO WANT TO, THOUGH, THANK THE ROTARY GROUP BECAUSE

THERE'S BEEN MUCH WRITTEN AND SAID, IN FACT, I'M READING A

BOOK NOW CALLED "THE UNWINDING," WHICH TALKS ABOUT HOW OUR

INSTITUTIONS ARE UNRAVELING AND AS A RESULT, OUR COUNTRY'S

GROWING WEAKER, AND FOR ME, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT

INSTITUTIONS IN OUR COUNTRY IS THE ROTARY.

AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE CARRYING ON

THIS PROUD TRADITION, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO

YOUNGER PEOPLE AS WELL AND ENGAGING THEM AND BRINGING THEM

INTO THE ROTARY SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE ALL OF OUR

CITIZENS, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THANK COMMISSIONER

HIGGINBOTHAM.

>> OKAY.

STAND BY.

ONE MORE TIME.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND THE NEXT IS A SPECIAL COMMENDATION

THAT CAME TO MY ATTENTION ACTUALLY ON TWITTER, AND THERE WAS

A PICTURE THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION AND STRUCK MY HEART.

IF WE COULD PULL THAT PHOTOGRAPH UP AND ASK FOR CHINO AND

DEPUTY JASON ALLEN TO COME IN.

WE ALSO HAVE BELINDA CASTLES ALLEN, DEPUTY ALLEN'S MOM, WHO

WORKS AT VISIT TAMPA BAY.

I THINK SHE'S HERE AS WELL.

AND DEPUTY SCOTT WELLINGER, SERGEANT RON CAIN, AND CORPORAL

TERRY DIXON ARE HERE, SO THANK YOU.

AND ANOTHER UNSUNG HERO, SOMEONE THAT SERVES US IN WAYS THAT

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MAKES THIS PLACE -- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY A WONDERFUL

COMMUNITY, AND TYPICALLY I DON'T DO COMMENDATIONS OF THIS

SORT, BUT, AGAIN, THE PHOTOGRAPH JUST STRUCK MY HEART, AND I

APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO, SIR, FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR THE

SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

YOU CAN'T PET HIM, MR. MERRILL.

[LAUGHTER]

HE'S RETIRED, BUT -- BUT THE CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION

AWARDED TO K-9 DEPUTY CHINO.

K-9 DEPUTY CHINO IS A 7-YEAR-OLD GERMAN SHEPHERD AND BELGIAN

MALINOIS MIX RETIRED FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S

OFFICE AFTER FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

CHINO JOINED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN 2008

WITH FUNDING ASSISTANCE -- AND THIS IS WHERE I THINK IT'S SO

IMPORTANT, AND I'M BREAKING FROM THIS -- FROM THE COMMUNITY

WHO HELPED WITH THEIR SUPPORT FINANCIALLY, BUT 13 UGLY MEN

AND THE M&I BANK ALSO HELPED WITH THE FUNDING TO -- I GUESS

FOR THE TRAINING.

MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE A BIT OF THAT WITH US WHEN I ASK YOU TO

SPEAK.

BUT CHINO AND HIS PARTNER, DEPUTY JASON ALLEN, HAVE BEEN

WORKING COUNTYWIDE IN FUGITIVE APPREHENSION AND BOMB

DETECTION.

THEY WERE ALSO A PART OF THE SECURITY TEAM FOR THE 2012

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION IN TAMPA.

CHINO'S SUCCESSFUL CAREER RECORD HAS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS

SAUSAGE BISCUITS AND SERVING OF ICE CREAM FOR HIS JUST

DESSERT.

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SOME DEPUTIES MAY ALL BARK -- MAY -- SOME DEPUTIES MAY BE

ALL BARK AND NO BITE, BUT CHINO, WHO STARTED HIS CAREER AT

THE AGE OF 2, SNIFFED OUT A BURGLARY SUSPECT ON HIS VERY

FIRST DAY.

HE ESTABLISHED HIS DOMINANCE AS A LEADER OF THE PACK AND

ENDED HIS CAREER BY APPREHENDING A HOMICIDE SUSPECT IN

CONNECTION WITH A FATAL STABBING ON ONE OF HIS LAST DAYS ON

THE BEAT.

WE ARE PROUD TO ACKNOWLEDGE K-9 DEPUTY CHINO'S FIVE YEARS OF

DEDICATED SERVICE, AND THAT'S 35 YEARS IN HUMAN LIFE, WITH

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING MAKE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY A SAFER PLACE

TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

AWARDED THIS 21st DAY OF AUGUST, AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU

SAY A FEW WORDS IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE, SIR.

>> I APPRECIATE THIS VERY MUCH, SIR.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT FIVE YEARS WITH CHINO, AND AS YOU SAID, HE

CAME TO US IN 2008 WITH DONATIONS FROM 13 UGLY MEN AND M&I

BANK.

IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME.

WE WENT THROUGH TWO MONTHS OF SCHOOLING AND HIT THE ROAD,

AND WE HAVEN'T STOPPED SINCE.

HIS HEART'S STILL IN IT, SO THIS IS A BIG TRANSITION FOR HIM

AT THIS POINT.

HE GETS A LITTLE UPSET WHEN I GO TO WORK AND HE DOESN'T COME

WITH ME, BUT I'LL STILL BRING HIM SAUSAGE BISCUITS FROM TIME

TO TIME, SO --

[LAUGHTER]

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>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: [INAUDIBLE]

>> THANK YOU.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: CONGRATULATIONS.

AND IF YOU COULD COME UP FOR A PHOTO.

I SEE A LIGHT'S ON.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THEIR

SERVICE.

SOMETIMES WE OFTEN THINK ABOUT THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT SO

SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE DON'T -- ALWAYS FORGET ABOUT THE

OTHER PEOPLE ON PATROL THAT ALSO HELP KEEP OUR COMMUNITY

SAFE, LIKE CHINO THAT'S OUT THERE.

SO I CONGRATULATE YOU-ALL, I THANK YOU-ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE,

AND I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, AS WE HAVE BECOME SO

ACCUSTOMED, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON ANIMAL

SERVICES AND, YOU KNOW, AS A BOARD, WE ARE VERY FOCUSED

ON -- AND HOW MANY OF US LOVE ANIMALS.

I WONDER IF DEPUTY BATES, IF HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE

CHINO INTO BUILDING SECURITY HERE AND MAYBE YOU CAN

INTEGRATE HIM INTO THE BOARDROOM OR SOMETHING.

MAYBE WE'D PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BACKUP.

HE'S ALWAYS BEEN TALKING -- DEPUTY BATES HAS ALWAYS BEEN

TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING GOOD BACKUP BEHIND

THERE, SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK OUT.

IS THAT AN AGENDA ITEM, MR. MERRILL?

>>MIKE MERRILL: NEXT MEETING.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: NEXT MEETING.

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OKAY.

THANKS.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> STAND BY.

ONE MORE TIME.

ONE MORE TIME.

THANK YOU.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND IF I MAY, FOR JUST A MOMENT, I DON'T

KNOW IF THEY'VE ARRIVED, BUT THERE'S A GROUP HERE TODAY ON

THE KIDS IN THE COUNTY TOUR, TEAM TRIDENT, FROM THE BRANDON

SPORTS AND AQUATIC CENTER.

ARE ANY OF THEM HERE YET?

THEY RAISED THEIR HAND.

AND JUST STAND UP TO BE RECOGNIZED.

TRIDENT PROGRAM FOCUSES ON THREE MAIN AREAS OF ACTIVITY AND

ACTIVE RECREATION, PROPER SOCIALIZATION, INTERPERSONAL

SKILLS, AND INDEPENDENT LIFE SKILLS, AND I WANT TO THANK TOM

FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING TO MAKE THIS A GREAT PROGRAM FOR

THE KIDS AT THE BRANDON AQUATIC CENTER, AND I'M GOING TO

STEP OUT IN JUST A MINUTE AND WE'LL TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH, AND

HAVE A GREAT TOUR TODAY.

SO WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

IT'S MY HONOR TO PRESENT OUR FINAL COMMENDATION THIS MORNING

RECOGNIZING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE ON THEIR 40th

ANNIVERSARY.

AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP CHIEF RON ROGERS, AND

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WE'VE GOT SOME SPECIAL GUESTS HERE.

I'M GOING TO READ THEIR NAMES.

IF THEY COULD PLEASE COME FORWARD AS WELL.

WE HAVE SHARON SUBADAN, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR; DEPUTY

CHIEF DAVID TRAVIS; DEPUTY CHIEF MICHAEL GUINCHO; RESCUE

CHIEF KAREN DAVIDSON; RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CHIEF FRANK

FERNANDEZ; FIRE MARSHAL STEPHEN KENDRICK; ACTING SPECIAL

OPERATIONS CHIEF JEFFREY PATTERSON; TRAINING DIVISION CHIEF

CHIP BRANAM; QUALITY MANAGEMENT CHIEF TODD CARNELL; TIM

DONAHUE, FACILITIES MANAGERS; JOE BENJAMIN, LOGISTIC

MANAGER; ANGELA POTENZIANO, EMERGENCY DISPATCH COORDINATOR;

BATTALION CHIEF JAMES CHASTAIN; PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

JESSICA DAMICO; PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER RONNIE RIVERA;

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER NACOLE REVETTE; CAPTAIN JUAN

HURTADO; CAPTAIN BRUCE DELK: HOLLEY WADE, GENERAL MANAGER;

JENNIFER GROFF, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT; MARIE HAYNES,

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST III; AND HELENENOR BAKER,

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST II.

WE'VE GOT THE "A" TEAM HERE THIS MORNING, SO ...

WELL, IT'S MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION

AND TO PRESENT IT TO YOU, CHIEF.

IT STATES HERE, WHEREAS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE WAS

FORMED ON AUGUST 27th, 1973.

TODAY, THEY HAVE 980 CAREER PERSONNEL AND 140 RESERVE

RESPONDERS WHO STAFF 43 STATIONS, SERVICE 909 SQUARE MILES

OF UNINCORPORATED AREA, AND RESPOND TO MORE THAN 80,000

CALLS PER YEAR; AND 25 ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT TRANSPORT UNITS

PROVIDING MORE THAN 37,000 MEDICAL TRANSPORTS TO HOSPITALS

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AND GENERATING MORE THAN $9.5 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE; AND

WHEREAS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE'S MISSION IS TO

PRESERVE AND PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY BY PROVIDING HIGH-

QUALITY, TIMELY EMERGENCY SERVICES AND BY ENHANCING PUBLIC

SAFETY THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION, COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTION,

AND EMERGENCY PLANNING INITIATIVES; AND WHEREAS, THE SPECIAL

OPERATIONS DEALS WITH UNUSUAL SITUATIONS UTILIZING HIGHLY

TRAINED TEAMS, INCLUDING HAZMAT, HEAVY RESCUE, MEDICAL

SPECIAL OPERATIONS, FLORIDA US&R TASK FORCE-3, SWAT MEDICS,

AND THE MARINE UNIT; AND WHEREAS, THE PREVENTION DISEASE

CONDUCTS MORE THAN 34,000 FIRE INSPECTIONS ANNUALLY

GENERATING 1.5 MILLION IN REVENUE AND THE PUBLIC RELATIONS

DIVISION EDUCATES MORE THAN 2,000 CITIZENS PER MONTH; AND

WHEREAS, THE TRAINING DIVISION PROVIDES INITIAL FIREFIGHTER,

PARAMEDIC, AND RESERVE RESPONDER TRAINING TO NEW RECRUITS AS

WELL AS CONTINUING EDUCATION AND ADVANCED PRACTICE EMERGENCY

RESPONSE EDUCATION TO INCUMBENT FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS,

AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS PERSONNEL.

THEIR EMERGENCY DISPATCH COMMUNICATIONS ANSWERS

APPROXIMATELY 190,000 CALLS PER YEAR, PROVIDING PREARRIVAL

FIRE AND MEDICAL INSTRUCTION AND VITAL CARE TO THE PATIENTS

WHILE UNITS ARE EN ROUTE TO THEIR EMERGENCY; AND WHEREAS,

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY

MANAGEMENT COORDINATES COUNTYWIDE DISASTER RESPONSES,

EMERGENCY PLANNING ACTIVITIES, AND TRAINING AND EXERCISES

NECESSARY TO PREPARE FIRST RESPONDERS, COUNTY AGENCIES, AND

PARTNERS TO CARRY OUT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES DURING LARGE-

SCALE NATURAL AND MAN-MADE EMERGENCIES.

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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY

COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, DOES HEREBY

PROCLAIM AUGUST 27th, 2013, AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE

RESCUE'S 40th ANNIVERSARY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND

INVITES ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OPEN HOUSE AND TO

CELEBRATE THE SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT THAT FIRE RESCUE

PERSONNEL HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

EXECUTED THIS 21st DAY OF AUGUST, 2013, SIGNED BY ALL SEVEN

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO

ATTENDING THE OPEN HOUSE, I BELIEVE IT'S NEXT TUESDAY, the

27th, FROM 1:00 TO 4:00, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AND IT'S MY

PRIVILEGE TO COME DOWN AND PRESENT THIS TO YOU, CHIEF.

>>RON ROGERS: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS.

THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THIS MILESTONE

ANNIVERSARY.

MOST OF THE TIME WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE, BUT

IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS TO REFLECT

ON THE PAST.

THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE COME BEFORE US AND HAVE SERVED

THE COMMUNITY, BOTH AS VOLUNTEERS AND AS CAREER MEMBERS OF

THIS DEPARTMENT, AND WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THIS AS THE 40th

ANNIVERSARY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT

STARTING IN 1950 THE COUNTY WAS SERVED BY VOLUNTEERS, AND IT

WASN'T UNTIL 1973 THAT THE FIRST CAREER FIREFIGHTER WAS

HIRED AND THE FORMAL ORGANIZATION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

FIRE DEPARTMENT AT THE TIME OCCURRED.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE TODAY, AND WE THANK YOU,

WE THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE OUT THERE SERVING EVERY

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DAY.

NIGHT AND DAY, HOLIDAY, NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER, THEY'RE

SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND THEY SERVE IT WITH PRIDE, AND WE

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME TOUGH TIMES ECONOMICALLY, BUT YOUR

SUPPORT HAS ASSURED THAT OUR ORGANIZATION HAS STAYED WHOLE

AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE, AND WE THANK

YOU.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, CHIEF.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY WITHOUT QUESTION, THIS BOARD HAS

ALWAYS AND WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT.

EVEN IN CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT ECONOMIC BUDGETARY TIMES

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, FIRE RESCUE HAS BEEN AT THE TOP

OF THE LIST AS FAR AS PRIORITIES FOR OUR BOARD.

AND, AGAIN, I'VE SAID IT DOZENS OF TIMES, BUT SOMETHING I

NEVER FORGET, THIRD GRADE WHEN OUR HOUSE BURNT DOWN IN THE

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THERE WAS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE

RESCUE THERE SAVING OUR FAMILY AND MANY OF OUR BELONGINGS,

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I SAW FIRSTHAND ON AN INDIVIDUAL

BASIS, SOMETHING THAT I NEVER FORGET, SO WE DON'T TAKE WHAT

YOU GUYS DO FOR GRANTED AND CAN NEVER THANK YOU ENOUGH.

SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO COME FORWARD, WE'LL TRY AND TAKE A

PHOTO.

>> SHORT PEOPLE IN THE FRONT.

OKAY.

STAND BY.

PERFECT.

ONE MORE TIME.

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ONE MORE TIME.

THANK YOU.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

MR. MERRILL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW THE CHANGES TO THE

AGENDA.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, COMMISSIONERS.

WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF CHANGES.

OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEMS, G-4, A 10:45 TIME CERTAIN.

IT'S A REPORT FROM BUSINESS AND SUPPORT SERVICES REGARDING

THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER.

WE HAVE TWO -- OR THREE, RATHER, DEFERRALS OR DELETIONS.

THE FIRST DELETED ITEM WAS THE COMMENDATION CONGRATULATING

MS. IVA BELL ON REACHING THE GOLDEN AGE OF 100.

THAT WAS DELETED.

ITEM A-22, A PROPORTIONATE SHARE AGREEMENT WITH THE DIOCESE

OF ST. PETERSBURG IS DEFERRED TO SEPTEMBER 18th.

B-5, A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING UNIFORM FEES AND COSTS TO BE

ASSESSED FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE COUNTY'S RED LIGHT CAMERA

ORDINANCE, THAT IS DEFERRED TO SEPTEMBER 18th.

WE HAVE TWO REVISIONS TO THE AGENDA.

A-26 IS A LEASE EXTENSION FOR TENANCY OF THE PROPERTY

APPRAISER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE FACILITY.

THE CHANGE THERE IS THE -- TO CORRECT THE ADDRESS.

IT SHOULD BE 12082 ANDERSON ROAD.

AND G-2, THE CHANGE THERE IS JUST TO MAKE IT A TIME CERTAIN

AT 11:00.

THAT'S A REPORT REGARDING THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND HUMAN

TRAFFICKING ACTIVITIES.

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AND WE HAVE SOME TIME CERTAINS.

STARTING AT 10:15, E-1 IS AN APPEARANCE BY RICK HOMANS,

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH EDC, TO PRESENT

THEIR QUARTERLY ACTIVITY REPORT.

AT 10:30 IS B-3.

IT'S AN AGREEMENT WITH MARTI-MACEO IN THE AMOUNT OF 248,000

FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING IMPROVEMENTS -- CAPITAL

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ORGANIZATION'S BUILDING.

AT 10:45, ITEM G-4 IS THE REPORT REGARDING THE FAMILY

JUSTICE CENTER.

11:00 A.M. IS G-2.

IT'S THE REPORT REGARDING SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND HUMAN

TRAFFICKING.

RECESSING FOR LUNCH AT 11:45, RETURNING AT 1:30 WITH ITEM G-

1.

IT'S A REPORT REGARDING TRENDS IN THE BUILDING SERVICES

INDUSTRY AND SECTION.

ALSO AT 1:30, COMPANION ITEM B-1 IS A RESOLUTION ADOPTING

THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES IN

ORDER TO FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

1:45, ITEM G-3 IS A REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

REGARDING THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL YELLOW CHANGE INTERVALS.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC HEARINGS STARTING AT 2:00 P.M.

ITEM D-1 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO ESTABLISH SEPARATE UNIFORM

RATES FOR THE VARIOUS STREET LIGHTING DISTRICTS FOR THE 2013

TAX YEAR.

ITEM D-2 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO APPROVE A RATE RESOLUTION

ESTABLISHING A CONTINUATION OF CURRENT RATES FOR THE 2013

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STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT.

D-3 IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE FINAL ASSESSMENT

RESOLUTION TO CREATE WATER AND WASTEWATER IMPACT FEE

ASSESSMENT UNIT 13301.

D-4, PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE

COUNTY'S CONSTRUCTION CODE ORDINANCE.

THIS WILL MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 2010 FLORIDA BUILDING

CODE AND MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE NATIONAL

FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM.

FINAL PUBLIC HEARING D-5 IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A

PROPOSED ORDINANCE GOVERNING THE PROTEST PROCESS FOR

PROTESTS OF PROCUREMENT SOLICITATIONS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY.

THOSE ARE THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: MOVE THE CHANGES.

>>KEN HAGAN: WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CHANGES

COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>>MARK SHARPE: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: SECOND COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 4-0.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

THE BOARD WILL GO INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE

AGENDA.

THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT ANY ISSUE OR

CONCERN.

YOUR OPINIONS ARE VALUED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING VALUABLE

INPUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS; HOWEVER, IT'S REQUESTED AT THE

17

SAME TIME WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD THAT COMMENTS ARE NOT

MADE DIRECTLY AT COMMISSIONERS OR STAFF BUT RATHER THE

ISSUES.

WE'VE SET ASIDE 45 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING.

WHEN YOU COME FORWARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS

AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.

EACH PERSON WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES.

WHEN YOU HAVE THREE -- 30 SECONDS REMAINING, A BUZZER WILL

GO OFF INDICATING SUCH.

THIS MORNING I THINK THIS IS THE SHORTEST LIST WE'VE HAD IN

MY 11 YEARS.

WE HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

FIRST THREE SPEAKERS, ED TILLOU, MARILYN SMITH, AND KEN

ROBERTS.

GOOD MORNING, MR. TILLOU.

>> HI.

HELLO.

OKAY.

I'M ED, ED TILLOU.

I LIVE UP IN NORTH TAMPA, SULPHUR SPRING.

OKAY.

I'M TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH SOME THINGS I CIRCULATED IN THE

PAST AND DIDN'T GET A CHANCE IN MY THREE MINUTES TO TALK

ABOUT.

THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT PANAMA, AND ONE OF THE POINTS I'VE

TRIED TO MAKE -- WELL, I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY MADE IT YET.

MY GRANDFATHER WAS IN PANAMA IN AROUND 1900, AND HE HAD AN

ASSUMED NAME, SPY NAME, AND, YOU KNOW, HE WASN'T AT ALL A

18

CRIMINAL, AND THE BOTTOM LINE OF THAT IS THAT HE SEEMED TO

BE WORKING ON INTELLIGENCE, AND MY -- MY AUNT DESTROYED A

LOT OF HIS LETTERS TO MY GRANDMOTHER BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO

SPICY, SO -- NEVER REALLY DID PIN THAT DOWN FULLY.

BUT I -- FROM THAT NAME, IT LED TO THE OIL INDUSTRY, AND I

READ -- I FOUND A BOOK THAT WAS VERY GOOD CALLED "THE

HISTORY OF OIL."

IT WAS UP AT UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, AND THAT SAID THAT THE

INTELLIGENCE APPARATUS OF THE UNITED STATES WAS ESSENTIALLY

A MILITARY INTELLIGENCE APPARATUS AND IT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR

THEM BY BIG OIL AND WHEN BIG OIL WAS IN PENNSYLVANIA.

SO THE POINTS I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT THE MOVIE, "GREEDY

LYING BASTARDS," OF WHICH MY DISTANT COUSIN, DARYL HANNAH --

SHE SPONSORED IT, SHE WAS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, AND SHE DIDN'T

ACTUALLY AUTHOR IT.

IT WAS VERY STRIDENT.

BUT THEY WENT TO AN EXXON BOARD MEETING AND SPOKE WITH SOME

OF THE PEOPLE ABOUT SOME OF THE LITTLE SUBTERFUGES THAT ARE

USED.

NOW, MY DAD FOR MANY YEARS, LIKE CHARLIE MIRANDA, BELIEVED

THAT BIG OIL WAS A BIG PART OF THE DISMANTLING OF PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION -- NOT BIG OIL BUT GENERAL MOTORS WAS A PART

OF THE DISMANTLING OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN AMERICA IN

THE '50s AND '60s, BUT THEY WERE -- THEY DID PART OF THAT,

BUT THEY WERE THE JUNIOR PARTNERS, AND THE BIGGER PARTNERS

WERE BIG OIL BECAUSE WITH GENERAL MOTORS, THEY HAD A SHORT-

TERM RETURN, BUT BIG OIL HAS GOTTEN A LONG-TERM RETURN.

AND YOU'VE GOTTA REALIZE THAT THERE ARE THESE THINGS OUT

19

THERE THAT VANCE PACKARD ADDRESSED MANY YEARS AGO -- IF YOU

CAN GET THIS BOOK IT'S PROBABLY IN USED BOOKSTORES, "THE

HIDDEN PERSUADERS."

IT BRINGS OUT WHAT THE PUBLIC AT-LARGE AND YOURSELVES

ESPECIALLY ARE EXPOSED TO.

THERE ARE ALL THESE MECHANISMS AT WORK THAT, FOR INSTANCE,

MIGHT KEEP YOU FROM GETTING VOLTS AND HYBRIDS ON THE PUBLIC

FLEET.

THIS IS BABY STEPS TOWARDS WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED FOR IN 20 OR

30 YEARS IF THE PROPER INVESTIGATIONS ARE MADE.

SO THE POINT OF THIS IS DON'T READ VANCE PACKARD TO GET

REELECTED BUT READ IT TO REALIZE HOW MUCH AND SUBTLE THIS

MISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN IS.

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

APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

MARILYN SMITH, KEN ROBERTS, DAVID McCALLISTER.

GOOD MORNING, MS. SMITH.

>> BON GIORNO, BUENOS DIAS, BONJOUR.

REMEMBER, I'M A -- I'VE BEEN LABELED BY COMMISSIONER MILLER

A RACIST, SO LEARN THOSE LANGUAGES.

RACISTS DON'T KNOW THOSE LANGUAGES.

OKAY.

HERE WE ARE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A BUDGET AGAIN THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE

CUT.

I THINK YOU NEED TO CUT THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OUT,

TOTALLY USELESS.

WE GOT PEOPLE MAKING $100,000 WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN OF ANY

20

USE, BUT YOU KEEP PAYING THEM.

THE BUDGET IS A JOKE ANYWAY.

AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY, YOU KNOW.

A-1 -- WE HAVE AN A-1 RATING FOR CIT WHILE YOUR

ADMINISTRATOR TRUMPETS THE AAA RATING OF THE GO BOND RATING.

WELL, THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S WHAT WE GET TO VOTE ON.

YOU CAN'T GO OUT AND BORROW VERY MUCH MONEY WITH WHAT YOU

GOT IN THE RATING IN CIT.

I'M AMAZED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AGAIN REGALED BY THE

SPECIAL PEOPLE OVER AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE POUR

MILLIONS TO AND THEY POUR FUZZ IN YOUR EARS AND YOU GUYS

BLOW BUBBLES OUT YOUR NOSE AND GO, WOW, ISN'T THAT GREAT,

GIVE US MORE TAX DOLLARS.

I'M A LITTLE BIT ALARMED ABOUT SOME OF THIS STUFF GOING

TO -- NOT THAT I HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST MARTI-MACEO, BUT I

SAW $15,000 GO OVER TO THE HABANA -- THE CUBAN CLUB,

WHATEVER THEY CALL IT.

THEY'VE NEVER MADE ANY KIND OF RECEIPTS OF THAT.

THEY JUST PUT THIS CARPET DOWN AND -- FOR THE RNC, WHICH WE

GAVE THEM TOO MUCH MONEY, BUT IT WAS SUCH A SUCCESS, BIG

JOKE.

KEVIN, VERY GOOD MEETING THE OTHER DAY, THE TRANSPORTATION.

WHERE'S MURMAN TODAY?

I GUESS WE WORE HER OUT YESTERDAY AT THE PORT AUTHORITY.

I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, A-2.

IT'S STILL A JOKE.

YOU'RE STILL MOVING LITTLE CHECKERS AROUND ON A BOARD

21

PRETENDING IT'S A GOOD DEAL.

I'M NOT ALL THAT PLEASED WITH GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL, AND YOU

WONDER WHY THERE AREN'T VERY MANY PEOPLE HERE.

BY THE WAY, CHAIRMAN, HOW'S YOUR MOTHER?

IS SHE BETTER?

>>KEN HAGAN: SHE'S HOME NOW.

THANK YOU.

>> GOOD.

WE WANT MOMMIES HOME GETTING WELL.

WELL, I'VE GOT A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

I WILL TELL YOU, MY BACK HURTS TODAY BECAUSE I'VE TRIED TO

PICK UP SOME GRAND -- GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN THAT ARE GETTING

VERY BIG, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T

WEIGH MUCH, YOU CAN'T PICK UP A CHUBBY GRANDCHILD.

ANYWAY, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND IN THE AMERICANA

SCENE, I WILL TELL YOU I WENT TO VISIT WITH A COUSIN I

HAVEN'T SEEN IN 60 YEARS THAT WE BROUGHT OVER HERE ON A BOAT

AFTER WORLD WAR II.

HE LIVED THROUGH THE BOMBING AS A BABY BOY.

HE NOW IS 76, LIVES IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND I WENT UP TO SEE

HIM AND MY SISTER TOGETHER, AND IT WAS A JOY.

YOU DON'T -- IF YOU DON'T TAKE THOSE KIND OF CHANCES WHEN

YOU GOT THEM, THEY'RE GONE.

I'LL PROBABLY NOT SEE HIM AGAIN, BUT AT LEAST I DID GET TO

SEE HIM.

WE OLD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT.

PASS IT ON TO YOUR MOM.

TELL HER WE'LL GET TOGETHER.

22

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. SMITH.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

KEN ROBERTS, DAVID McCALLISTER, SHARON CALVERT.

GOOD MORNING, MR. ROBERTS.

>> GOOD MORNING.

TRANSPORTATION -- OH, MY NAME'S KEN ROBERTS.

I LIVE AT 5235 MOON SHELL DRIVE, APOLLO BEACH, FLORIDA.

TRANSPORTATION, GETTING AROUND IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

INVOLVES A SYSTEM.

IT'S AN EXTENSIVE SYSTEM OF ROADS AND MOTOR VEHICLES

AUGMENTED BY BUS SERVICE.

THE CAPACITY AND CONDITION OF THE ROADS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO

THE HEALTH OF THE OVERALL SYSTEM, BUT IT'S NOT BEING KEPT

UP.

THE MPO TELLS US THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A BACKLOG OF ROAD

IMPROVEMENTS THAT IS IN EXCESS OF $10 BILLION.

THAT'S $8,750 FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD LIVING IN THE

COUNTY THREE YEARS AGO.

NOW, THE MPO DID A POST-REFERENDUM SURVEY TWO YEARS AGO, AND

THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF THE PEOPLE, FIX THE ROADS, YET

THIS BOARD IS LOOKING AT A BUDGET FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS

THAT CALLS FOR A REALLY PALTRY 16 MILLION IN ROAD CAPITAL.

THE MPO SAYS 10.5 BILLION WORTH OF WORK IS OUT THERE.

A MODERN TRANSIT SYSTEM SUPERIMPOSED ON TOP OF OUR

OVERCAPACITY ROADS WILL RESULT IN A SYSTEM THAT IS STILL

CONGESTED BUT COSTS MORE.

IT CAN'T BE EFFICIENT OR EFFECTIVE, THERE'S NO CHANCE.

IF YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND GET TO THE

23

STATION, THE TRAIN IS USELESS.

IT'S A SYSTEM, A SYSTEM THAT OPERATES ON A FOUNDATION OF

ROADS THAT ARE RIGHT NOW WAY, WAY OVERCAPACITY.

EVERY DAY CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY TAKE 1.5 MILLION TRIPS

EVERY DAY ON ROADS THAT ARE RATED "F" FOR LEVEL OF SERVICE,

AND THIS BOARD IS CONDUCTING MONTHLY PEP RALLIES RIGHT NOW,

WHIPPING UP A COALITION WHICH IS GETTING ALL EXCITED ABOUT

EVERYTHING AND HAVING IT NOW.

I SAW IN THE PAPER A COMMISSIONER PROPOSING A REFERENDUM FOR

A SALES TAX OR SOME TAX TO FUND HART'S TEN-YEAR PLAN THAT

SUPPORTS A HALF DOZEN METRORAPID LINES AND COSTS 380

MILLION, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FOUNDATION, WHAT ABOUT THE

ROADS?

THIS IS A SYSTEM, REMEMBER?

IT'S LIKE A CHAIN.

IT'LL ONLY BE AS STRONG AS ITS WEAKEST LINK.

IF WE BUILD A TRANSPORTATION HIGH-RISE ON THE GROSSLY

OVERLOADED FOUNDATION OF OUR CURRENT ROAD SYSTEM, IT WILL

COLLAPSE.

IT'S A SURE THING.

SO AFTER WE SPEND ALL OUR MONEY AND ALL THE MONEY WE CAN GET

FROM THE STATE AND ALL THE MONEY WE CAN ROB FROM OUR FELLOW

AMERICANS, AIDED AND ABETTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,

AFTER YOU PROVIDED ALL THE TRANSPORTATION CHOICES ALL THE

TIME, YOU'LL STILL BE FACING THE PROBLEM THAT YOU REFUSE TO

FACE TODAY, YOU WILL HAVE TO FIX THE ROADS FOR IT TO WORK.

TRANSPORTATION IS A SYSTEM AND OUR ROADS ARE THE FOUNDATION

OF THAT SYSTEM.

24

THANK YOU.

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

DAVID McCALLISTER, SHARON CALVERT, TRISHA KIRBY.

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

DAVID McCALLISTER, POST OFFICE BOX 7343, WESLEY CHAPEL,

FLORIDA.

I'M MAINLY HERE TODAY JUST TO INFORM YOU THAT THERE SHOULD

BE COMING AROUND A PROPOSED PROCLAMATION THAT I'VE SUBMITTED

TO COMMISSIONER CRIST'S OFFICE AND HOPE IT'LL BE PASSED

AROUND CONCERNING SUPPORT FOR OR A RECOGNITION OF THE 150th

ANNIVERSARY OF THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER RAID THAT WILL BE

REENACTED OUT AT THE COUNTY VETERANS PARK HERE IN OCTOBER,

AND THAT'LL BE COMING AROUND.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW OFFICIAL SUPPORT FOR THE

HISTORY AND HERITAGE AND VETERANS OF THIS AREA AND TO

PROMOTE TOURISM AND PARK UTILIZATION.

WE COULD HAVE HERE IN THIS PROJECT ANNUALLY THE NEXT

BROOKSVILLE RAID OR OLUSTEE HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND

MAKE IT INTO A REALLY BIG THING.

MEANWHILE, THINGS AT VETERANS PARK ARE GOING ALONG PRETTY

WELL.

WE'RE ARRANGING FOR A DRAGON BOAT RACE EVENT FOR SUPPORT OF

THE PARK, AND THE PURPLE HEART AND MEDAL OF HONOR MONUMENTS

ARE DOING WELL AND THE WORLD WAR II IS COMING ALONG.

IT'S GOING TO BE HAVING ITS SOFT GROUNDBREAKING IN DECEMBER.

NOW, WHILE I HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA TIME, I WANTED TO MENTION

ONE OTHER ITEM.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, I GOT INVOLVED WITH PUBLIC ADVOCACY HERE

25

DURING THE TIME WHEN THE SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS WAS

DEVELOPING CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL PARK AND PUTTING UP THE

LARGE FLAG ON I-75.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD -- AT THAT TIME WE HAD A COMMISSIONER

ATTEMPT TO BULLY US, WE HAD A NOOSE SHAKEN AT US HERE IN

THIS CHAMBER, WE WERE PILLORIED IN THE PRESS.

THERE WERE LOTS OF DIRE PREDICTIONS OF BAD THINGS WOULD

HAPPEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IF THE FLAG WENT UP, BUT SINCE

THEN WE'VE HAD A SUPER BOWL, WE HAD THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL

CONVENTION, NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS LARGE

SHRINER'S CONVENTION, SO REALLY, IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL.

THIS JUST SHOWS THAT THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG WHEN IT

BECOMES A REGULAR FAMILIAR FEATURE OF THE CIVIC LANDSCAPE

CEASES TO BE A BOOGEYMAN FOR THE EXTREMISTS OF ANY KIND AND

REALLY JUST REPRESENTS WHAT IT SHOULD REPRESENT, THE LOCAL

HISTORY AND HERITAGE AND VETERANS, AND -- LIKE IT ACTUALLY

REALLY DID WHEN IT WAS PART OF THE COUNTY SEAL.

AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW THE SAME THING IS

GOING ON UP IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

A GROUP CALLED THE VIRGINIA FLAGGERS LED BY SUSAN HATHAWAY

IS PUTTING UP A FLAG ON INTERSTATE 95, AND THE EXACT SAME

OPPONENTS ARE SAYING THE EXACT SAME THINGS, AND THE --

ACTUALLY, EVEN THE LOCAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS TRYING TO

CENSURE THEM AND DENY THEM THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

NOT A GOOD THING FOR POLITICIANS.

SUSAN HATHAWAY IS COMING TO TAMPA IN SEPTEMBER TO SPEAK TO

THE WILSON CHAPTER OF THE UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE

CONFEDERACY, NUMBER 640.

26

I'LL BE GLAD TO TELL HER OF OUR EXPERIENCES IN TAMPA.

THANK YOU.

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

SHARON CALVERT, TRISHA KIRBY, AND THE LAST SPEAKER IS MARK

KLUTHO.

GOOD MORNING, MS. CALVERT.

>> GOOD MORNING.

SHARON CALVERT.

I LIVE AT 505 CULLEN COURT, LUTZ.

ANY COMMITTEE THAT IS LOOKING AT TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS

THAT'S NOT ADDRESSING OUR ROAD ISSUE IS DOING A DISSERVICE

TO HILLSBOROUGH RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS.

OUR ROADS ARE OUR MOST UTILIZED ASSET, AND WE HEARD FROM

BUSINESS LEADERS LAST WEEK THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR ROADS FOR

COMMERCE.

WE HAVE A HUGE BUDGET GAP REGARDING OUR ROADS, AND YOU MUST

ADDRESS THAT ISSUE FIRST BEFORE PROPOSING TAXPAYERS TO PAY

TO BUILD OUT ANY MASS TRANSIT OF ANY KIND.

THE BASICS OF MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING OUR EXISTING

INFRASTRUCTURE MUST BE ADDRESSED.

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR DOING THAT?

A PAST BOARD BLEW OUT OUR CIT TAX THAT CREATED PART OF THE

PROBLEM WITH OUR ROADS.

YOU NEED TO FIX IT.

HOW THIS TRANSPORTATION GROUP IS FUNCTIONING IN ITS

TRANSPARENCY IS ALSO IN QUESTION.

IS THE PROBLEM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION

SOLUTIONS TO ENABLE THAT OR IS IT TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS

27

TRYING TO ENABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

WE DO NOT HAVE A COUNTY MAYOR, SO YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS

NEED TO AGREE ON EXACTLY WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF THIS

GROUP IS AND NOT SIT ON THE SIDELINES.

WHAT ARE YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THIS GROUP?

WHERE ARE THE PRIVATE-SECTOR SOLUTIONS?

WHAT ABOUT DEREGULATION TO EMBRACE PRIVATE-SECTOR SERVICES?

RECENTLY WE HAD A CHART PRESENTED OF A TIMELINE, AND IT

INDICATES A DEMO PROJECT.

IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM.

WHAT ABOUT SURVEYS?

WHERE'S THE DATA?

HAVE YOU SURVEYED TELECOMMUTING, HAVE YOU SURVEYED FLEX

SCHEDULES?

WHERE'S THE DATA BEHIND THE PROBLEM YOU'RE TRYING TO

RESOLVE?

THERE ARE ALSO THOSE WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT REGIONALISM.

RECENTLY DENVER CAME UP.

DENVER HAS AN EIGHT-COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TAXING

DISTRICT, WHICH, BY THE WAY, RECENTLY HAD A $35-MILLION

DEFICIT THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED WITH ANY NEW BUREAUCRACY

OR ANY NEW REGIONAL TAXING AUTHORITY THAT TAKES AWAY LOCAL

CONTROL, DIMINISHES TAXPAYERS' ROLE, AND ENABLES MORE POWER

TO SPECIAL INTERESTS.

IS THIS A DIRECTION YOU MAY BE CONSIDERING?

AGAIN, WE DESERVE TRANSPARENCY.

AND BY THE WAY, LATEST NEWS, CAR SALES ARE UP, EVEN AMONG

28

THE YOUNG.

IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING NOW THAT WILL BENEFIT ALL OF

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, TIME OUR LIGHTS.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.

IT'LL HELP OUR BUSES TOO.

BUT PLEASE, TAKE CARE OF THE BASICS FIRST, AND THAT'S OUR

ROADS.

THANK YOU.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. CALVERT.

TRISHA KIRBY.

GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS TRISHA KIRBY.

I'M FROM CLEARWATER, FLORIDA.

GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ARE HERE, SO THAT'S GOOD, THOSE

OF YOU I KNOW PERSONALLY.

I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.

AGAIN, I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.

I FOSTER FOR TWO DIFFERENT RESCUES WHO RESCUE CATS THERE,

AND I TRANSPORT, I HELP MOVE THE CATS OUT, I TAKE PICTURES

FOR URGENT CATS, ALTHOUGH [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] FOR THAT PAGE.

BUT I KEEP GOING TO THE SHELTER AND I'M STILL SEEING THE

SAME PROBLEMS.

AND, YES, THERE HAVE BEEN IMPROVEMENTS, SO I'M THANKFUL FOR

THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.

AND, ACTUALLY, I MET WITH THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE

29

SHELTER YESTERDAY, SO I'M TRYING TO WORK ON THE FRONT END

HERE AS WELL.

BUT HERE'S SOME OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I SEE THAT NEED TO BE

FIXED, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT REALLY QUICKLY.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO THE SHELTER.

ONE, ARRANGE THE CATS BY DAY OF INTAKE AND DO NOT MIX THE

CATS AND THE KITTENS WITH THE PREVIOUS ARRIVALS.

THAT ONE THING IS GOING TO HELP WITH ILLNESS AND IT'S FREE,

FREE.

ALLOW THE CATS TO HAVE AFTER-HOUR HOLDS THROUGH 6:00 A.M. AS

THE DOGS HAVE -- THIS IS ON THEIR LAST NIGHT -- TO SAVE THEM

FROM BEING KILLED.

THE DOGS STILL HAVE THIS PRIVILEGE, THE CATS DON'T.

WHY NOT?

THE DOGS GET WAY MORE PRIVILEGES THAN THE CATS DO.

IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.

WE JUST WANT EQUALITY HERE.

NETWORK THE CATS TO THE RESCUES AS THE DOGS ALREADY ARE.

THEY STARTED THIS A COUPLE DAYS AGO, BUT THEY NEED TO DO IT

A LITTLE BIT HARDER CORE.

PLUS WHEN RESCUE GOES TO SAVE THE CATS, THE SHELTER IS

TALKING TO THEM -- TALKING THEM OUT OF THE CATS -- THIS

HAPPENED TO SEVEN CATS THIS PAST WEEKEND, THEY'RE SAYING,

OH, THE CATS ARE SICK.

I'M THERE.

I WAS THERE FOR SIX HOURS YESTERDAY HELPING THE VOLUNTEERS

CLEAN CAGES.

THOSE CATS ARE NOT SICK, OKAY, BUT THEY'RE COMING OUT OF THE

30

SHELTER AND MAYBE A WEEK OR TWO LATER THEY ARE GETTING SICK.

BUT THERE'S FOSTERS OUT THERE THAT WILL HELP THOSE RESCUES

IF THE SHELTER WILL WORK WITH THE RESCUES AND COLLABORATE

WITH URGENT CATS.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING.

FOURTH, ELIMINATE THE TWO ADOPTION LIMIT.

EVERY COUNTY I'VE CALLED SO FAR IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS

NO LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS FOR ANY PERSON.

THIS IS REGULATED ON A CITY AND COUNTY BASIS.

WHEN I TALK TO THE SHELTER, THEY TELL ME, WE CAN'T HAVE TOO

MANY ADOPTIONS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE VET SERVICES TO

SUPPORT A BOTTLENECK ON ADOPTIONS.

THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I SEE IS

THEY NEED MORE VET SERVICES THERE.

THAT IS HUGE.

EVERYONE SAYS NO BOTTLENECK IN ADOPTIONS.

WELL, DO YOU WANT MORE ADOPTIONS OR DO YOU WANT TO KILL MORE

CATS?

THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING.

I'M NOT SAYING YOU GUYS, IT WAS JUST KIND OF A GLOBAL THING

HERE.

SO HAVE VET SERVICES TO SUPPORT MORE ADOPTIONS, COLLABORATE

WITH URGENT CATS.

THIS IS THE BIGGEST PAGE.

THEY ADOPT OUT FOR YOU GUYS MAYBE HALF OF THE ANIMALS THAT

GET ADOPTED.

THEY NETWORK, THEY MARKET THEM TO THE RESCUES, THEY FOSTER

THEM.

31

I MEAN, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THOSE CATS OUT, NOT

JUST OUT BUT IN A SAFE, LOVING HOME.

THAT IS THE POINT.

WE'RE NOT JUST TRYING TO HELP THE ANIMALS HERE.

WE WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE

GOING TO BE LOVED.

LASTLY, I -- THE BIGGEST SOLUTION TO THE SICKNESS ISSUE IN

THE SHELTER IS GETTING THE ANIMALS MOVED OUT QUICKER, WHICH

IS GETTING THEM ADOPTED OUT QUICKER, WORKING WITH THE

RESCUES IN COLLABORATION IN A POSITIVE WAY, AND WE NEED MORE

VET SERVICES, AND IF YOU GUYS CAN DO ANYTHING TO HELP THE

VET SERVICES ISSUE, THAT IS HUGE.

I DON'T WANT THE EXCUSE OF HOARDERS.

THAT IS NOT AN EXCUSE.

THIS IS PURELY ABOUT A BOTTLENECK OF ADOPTIONS THAT THEY CAN

SUPPORT WITH VET SERVICES.

LASTLY, I'M CURRENTLY NURSING TWO CATS THAT ARE SO SICK

THEY'RE FOAMING AT THE MOUTH AND NOT EATING, AND I'M SO

TIRED NOW OF TRYING TO REVIVE THEM FROM THE DEAD, AND I'M IN

TEARS ABOUT IT BECAUSE THOSE ANIMALS JUST SAT THERE ROTTING

AND THEY REALLY NEEDED TO BE HELPED AND THEY DID NOT RELEASE

THEM TO ME.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN SPAYED, THEY'RE NOT EVEN VETTED, AND THEY

SAT THERE FOR FIVE DAYS.

THEY DIDN'T EVEN LET ME KNOW THAT THEY WERE JUST GOING TO

SEND THEM OUT BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE TOO SICK TO BE VETTED, AND

I WAS TAKING THIS CAT TO AN ADOPTER THE OTHER DAY, AND I

HAVE HER AT MY HOUSE NOW.

32

I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF SHE'S GOING TO MAKE IT.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. KIRBY.

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>> THANKS TO YOU ALL.

>>VICTOR CRIST: MA'AM, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME

AND CONSIDERATION YOU PUT INTO THIS, AND YOUR PASSION IS

VERY CLEAR AND EVIDENT.

MR. MERRILL, I'D LIKE TO EXERCISE MY ABILITY AS A COMMISSION

TO ASK YOU IF YOU COULD PLEASE RECEIVE A COPY OF THIS

CONSTITUENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS, FORWARD IT OVER TO THE

DEPARTMENT --

>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.

>>VICTOR CRIST: -- AND I'D LIKE TO SEE A -- SOME KIND OF

FORMAL RESPONSE ASSURING ME THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS READ AND

UNDERSTOOD THEM AND ANY RESPONSE TO EACH OF THEM THAT HE

WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE BACK WITH US BECAUSE I THINK IT'S

IMPORTANT THAT WE BE RECEPTIVE TO THE PEOPLE WE SERVE,

ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE THIS CARING AND PASSIONATE ABOUT

WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, AND I THINK THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT

THERE'S BEEN ISSUES HERE, AND ANY HELP WE CAN GET IS

WELCOMED.

>>MIKE MERRILL: I'LL BE HAPPY TO.

WE HAVE SUFFICIENT VETERINARY SERVICES.

WE'VE ADD A NUMBER OF POSITIONS.

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA VETERINARIAN SCHOOL IS THERE THIS

WEEK.

THEY PROVIDED FIVE VETERINARIANS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE

FACILITY, UPDATING THEIR ASSESSMENT FROM A MONTH AGO.

33

I WILL PASS HER COMMENTS ALONG TO THE DIRECTOR, BUT I JUST

WANT TO BE -- I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO

HAVE THINGS IN HAND, THERE IS SUFFICIENT VETERINARY CARE,

AND I'LL BE SURE THAT ANY OF THE ISSUES THAT SHE'S RAISED

ARE ADDRESSED THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.

>>VICTOR CRIST: THANK YOU.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>> THANK YOU.

>>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. KIRBY.

LAST SPEAKER THIS MORNING, MARK KLUTHO.

GOOD MORNING, MR. KLUTHO.

>> MARK KLUTHO, LARGO.

WELL, THE PLAN HERE IS TO PAVE AND BURN FROM THESE PEOPLE,

AND THE OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON THAT WAS UP HERE BEFORE FOR

THE TRAITORS PUT THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG UP, AND THE

REPUBLICAN CONVENTION WAS HAPPY TO COME TO TOWN.

THEY LOVE IT.

HOW BEAUTIFUL IS THAT?

I'M WEARING THIS SHIRT TODAY BECAUSE THREE WEEKS AGO ON THE

ABC PROGRAM WITH STEPHANOPOULOS, THE GENERAL FROM THE

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY WAS ON THERE, AND THE GUY COULD NOT

PRONOUNCE THE WORD "PRIVACY."

AND THEN THE SAD FACT IS NOT ONE INDIVIDUAL ON THEIR PROGRAM

EVEN TOUCHED ON THAT ISSUE.

IT'S VERY, VERY SCARY.

AND THEN HERE, REPUBLICAN CASE FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE, FOUR

FORMER HEADS OF THE EPA TALKING ABOUT THE SAD SITUATION TO

34

COME.

CLIMATE EMERGENCY, HUMANITY'S DEADLIEST ENEMY.

AND THEN TODAY'S PAPER HERE, WE HAVE BEEN WARNED.

AND TAMPA BAY, A BABY COULD LIVE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO

HAPPEN.

1998 YOU PASSED A RESOLUTION TO SAY YOU WERE GOING TO BUILD

SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS.

NOT ONE HAS HAPPENED, NOT ONE.

CLIMATE PANEL CITES NEAR CERTAINTY ON WARMING.

SEAS WILL RISE BY THREE FEET BY 2100.

HERE'S THIS NEW NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, RISING SEAS, HOW THEY

ARE CHANGING OUR COASTLINES.

AND THEN COMMON ANIMALS, PLANTS COULD BE LOST.

CLIMATE CHANGE COULD LEAD TO THE WIDESPREAD LOSS OF COMMON

PLANTS AND ANIMALS AROUND THE WORLD.

AND THE THING IS YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE.

THIS IS YOUR LEGACY.

IGNORING SCIENCE, WASTING THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY.

THE IMAGING SPECULAR REFLECTORS, WHERE ARE THEY?

DIDN'T HAPPEN BEFORE YOU PUT THE SOLAR COLLECTORS ON THE

ROOF ON THE COURTHOUSE.

THIS IS SHEER STUPIDITY.

IT'S MALFEASANCE.

IT'S INEXCUSABLE.

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

OKAY.

THAT -- PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA IS CLOSED.

CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMAINDER OF THE

35

CONSENT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO MOVE.

>>KEN HAGAN: MOTION COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>>MARK SHARPE: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: SECOND COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 4-0.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

WE'VE GOT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE OUR FIRST TIME CERTAIN.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN TAKE SOME OTHER REGULAR ITEMS FIRST.

THERE'S B-2, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I BELIEVE BONNIE WISE IS HERE FOR THIS ITEM.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING.

>>BONNIE WISE: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

BONNIE WISE, CHIEF FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR.

WE ARE REQUIRED ANNUALLY TO REPORT TO THE FLORIDA HOUSING

CORPORATION REGARDING OUR SHIP INITIATIVES, AND SO THIS

REPORT PROVIDES THAT INFORMATION FOR -- THROUGH FISCAL YEAR

'13 AND '14.

>>KEN HAGAN: ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET

AMENDMENT?

CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO --

>>MARK SHARPE: [INAUDIBLE]

>>KEN HAGAN: MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: SECOND COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

36

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: NEXT ITEM IS B-4, BUSINESS AND SUPPORT

SERVICES.

TOM FESLER IS HERE FOR THIS ITEM.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, TOM.

>>TOM FESLER: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

TOM FESLER, BUSINESS AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

ITEM B-4 IS AN ITEM THAT WE BRING TO YOU ONCE A YEAR.

WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT WITH THE HILLS --

BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE SHERIFF AND THE SCHOOL

BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WHEREBY THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD

REIMBURSE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN AN AMOUNT NOT

TO EXCEED $2,771,452 FOR THEIR SHARE OF THE COST OF THE

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO PROVIDE RESOURCE

OFFICERS TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

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

MR. FESLER, WE GOT A COUPLE CALLS ON THIS, YOU KNOW, WITH

THE RECENT DISCUSSION ABOUT INCREASING SCHOOL SECURITY, ET

CETERA, THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.

CAN YOU JUST -- I MEAN, THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT WE DO EVERY

SINGLE YEAR.

THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE APPROVING TODAY DOES NOT ENTAIL OR WE

ARE NOT PAYING FOR ANY OF THE INCREASES THAT THEY'RE

CONSIDERING IN SCHOOL SECURITY; IS THAT RIGHT?

>>TOM FESLER: THAT'S CORRECT, COMMISSIONER.

THE -- THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS IS RELATIVELY THE SAME AS LAST

37

YEAR.

IT WOULD ONLY INCLUDE ANY ADDITIONS TO THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS

THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING SECURITY TO.

THERE'S NOTHING INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT YEAR AGREEMENT THAT

INCLUDES AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF SECURITY.

THIS -- THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT THIS YEAR IS ABOUT A 3.8%

INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

AND DID THEY SAY WHAT THE INCREASES WERE DUE TO?

IS IT --

>>TOM FESLER: THEY DID NOT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I'M COMFORTABLE.

I'LL MOVE APPROVAL.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

>>MARK SHARPE: DID THEY REQUEST ANY ADDITIONAL RESOURCES?

>>TOM FESLER: THEY DID NOT.

IT WAS -- WE RECEIVED THE SAME REQUEST THAT WE NORMALLY

RECEIVE EVERY YEAR FROM THEM.

THERE WASN'T -- THERE WERE NOT ANY SPECIAL REQUESTS

ASSOCIATED WITH --

>>MARK SHARPE: I JUST WANT TO BE VERY SENSITIVE AND

ATTENTIVE TO THAT ISSUE.

I KNOW FINANCES AND RESOURCES ARE AN ISSUE, BUT WHEN YOU

HAVE SOMETHING OCCUR AT A SCHOOL, IT SHAKES EVERYTHING, SO

38

WHATEVER IT TAKES, WHATEVER THEY NEED I'M PREPARED TO

PROVIDE.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

WE'VE GOT A MOTION.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>>MARK SHARPE: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: SECOND COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

I JUST WANT TO ECHO COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S REMARKS.

AS SOMEONE WITH TWO YOUNG CHILDREN IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS,

I'M COMFORTED BY THE FACT WHEN I DROP THEM OFF IN THE

MORNING AND I SEE THAT DEPUTY IN THAT SQUAD CAR THERE.

>>MARK SHARPE: YEP.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: NEXT ITEM IS B-6.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING.

>>RAY DAVIS: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

RAY DAVIS, HEAD START DIVISION.

ITEM B-6 IS OUR ANNUAL RENEWAL CONTRACT FOR THE VOLUNTARY

PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM.

IT'S ADMINISTERED BY THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION.

UNDER THIS ANNUAL RENEWAL, THE VPK PROVIDER AGREEMENT FOR

THE HEAD START DIVISION WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE 540

INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS DURING THE 2013-2014 PROGRAM YEAR TO

APPROXIMATELY 500 ELIGIBLE CHILDREN, AND THESE ARE FOUR-

YEAR-OLDS IN THE HEAD START PROGRAM.

REIMBURSEMENT REVENUES ARE EARNED BASED ON ACTUAL ATTENDANCE

39

OF THE ELIGIBLE CHILDREN, AND WE REQUEST THOSE REVENUES ON A

MONTHLY BASIS.

FUNDS RECEIVED PRIMARILY SUPPORT THE TEACHER SALARIES FOR

THE VPK PROGRAM.

SUBJECT TO YOUR QUESTIONS, WE REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: SO MOVE.

>>VICTOR CRIST: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: MOTION COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

NO COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANKS, RAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: EXTEND TO THEM OUR APPRECIATION.

>>MIKE MERRILL: NEXT ITEM IS B-7, PUBLIC UTILITIES.

JOHN LYONS IS HERE FOR THAT.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, JOHN.

>>JOHN LYONS: GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

JOHN LYONS, PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO REALIGN

$5.2 MILLION FROM THE SOLID WASTE -- SOLID WASTE RATE

STABILIZATION FUND TO THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE FUND TO

PROVIDE SUFFICIENT COVERAGE ON A BOND COVENANT TEST FOR

FY 13 AND TO COVER REVENUE SHORTFALLS AND INCREASED EXPENSES

DUE TO TRANSITIONING TO AUTOMATED CART COLLECTIONS STARTING

IN SEPTEMBER OF 2013.

40

THIS WILL DECREASE THE SOLID WASTE RATE STABILIZATION FUND

BY $5.2 MILLION AND INCREASE THE OPERATING EXPENSES WITHIN

THE OPERATING FUND.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

JOHN, COULD YOU PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION ON

THAT BECAUSE WE ALSO HAD A QUESTION ON THIS.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE -- WE HAVE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT HOW

MOVING TO AUTOMATED SERVICES ACTUALLY SAVE US MONEY, SO

COULD YOU GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL WHAT THE

SHORTFALL IS DUE TO?

>>JOHN LYONS: ABSOLUTELY.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

>>JOHN LYONS: THE SHORTFALL WAS THAT WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR A

YEAR AGO SOME EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADVERTISING AND

THE CALL CENTER COSTS, WHICH AMOUNT TO ABOUT $622,000.

WE ALSO HAD AN UNANTICIPATED REVENUE LOSS FROM THE CITY OF

TAMPA.

THEY USED TO DISPOSE OF ASH AT THE LANDFILL, AND THEY'VE

DISCONTINUED DOING THAT, AND THAT COST US ABOUT $1.6 MILLION

IN REVENUE THAT WAS ANTICIPATED IN THE RATE MODEL FOR THIS

YEAR, NOT FOR NEXT YEAR.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO THESE ARE ONE-TIME EXPENSES --

>>JOHN LYONS: ABSOLUTELY.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- ONE-TIME CHARGES?

>>JOHN LYONS: AND THEY'VE BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR THE CHANGES --

THE LOSS OF REVENUE FOR THE ASH, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS BEEN

ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE RATE STABILIZATION MODEL OF THE RATES

41

THAT YOU-ALL JUST APPROVED RECENTLY FOR NEXT YEAR.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

MOVE APPROVAL.

>>KEN HAGAN: MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

DO WE HAVE --

>>MARK SHARPE: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: SECOND COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 4-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND NEXT ITEM IS B-8.

MIKE WILLIAMS IS HERE FOR THIS ITEM.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, MIKE.

>>MIKE WILLIAMS: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

MIKE WILLIAMS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

THIS ITEM IS A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO MOVE $1.5 MILLION FROM

THE TRAFFIC SIGNS RETROREFLECTIVITY PROGRAM TO FUND THE

CROSS CREEK CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

THIS IS BASED ON AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA BACK

FROM 2008.

THE PROJECT WAS FUNDED AT THE TIME, AND BECAUSE OF

SHORTFALLS, IT BECAME UNFUNDED.

THE 1.5 MILLION, WHEN WE HAD THE BUDGET WORKSHOP LAST -- A

COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE NUMBERS THAT WE

SHOWED YOU OF MONEY THAT WE COULD MOVE OUT OF

RETROREFLECTIVITY, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE

GLAD TO ANSWER THEM.

>>KEN HAGAN: AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS HAS BEEN A

42

PRIORITY OF MINE SINCE MY FIRST YEAR ON THE -- ON THE BOARD.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH CROSS

CREEK BOULEVARD, BUT IT'S A UNIQUE ROAD, AND THAT PART OF

IT'S LOCATED IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, THE OTHER PART'S LOCATED

IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND DURING MY FIRST YEAR DURING THE

BUDGET, I FOUGHT REAL HARD.

IT WAS -- BY A 4-3 VOTE, WAS ABLE TO GET HALF THE MONEY TO

WIDEN THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE ROAD AND GET THE TRAFFIC

SIGNAL AT KINNAN AND CROSS CREEK AND LITERALLY HAD TO HAVE A

FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S A PILOT GO UP IN THE AIR AND TAKE

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS TO SHOW THE NEED.

UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE NO ONE HAD DIED FROM CAR ACCIDENTS, IT

DIDN'T MEET -- ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT DIDN'T MEET THE

WARRANTS, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT UP, GET THE

INITIAL PART OF THE ROAD FUNDED.

AFTER THAT, BACK IN '08, OUR BOARD APPROVED ANOTHER 1.5

MILLION TO WIDEN THE EASTERN PORTION.

THE CHALLENGE IS OR THE PROBLEM -- WHAT'S CAUSED THE DELAY

IS THE CITY OF TAMPA USED FEDERAL DOLLARS TO -- FOR THEIR

PORTION, WHICH -- IF I'M INCORRECT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, BUT

THAT --

>>MIKE WILLIAMS: YOU'RE RIGHT ON TARGET.

>>KEN HAGAN: -- YOU HAVE FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS THAT YOU

HAVE TO GO ALONG, SO THAT CAUSED THE PD&E STUDY TO DRAG ON

AN EXTRA TWO YEARS AS A RESULT, SO NOW WE'RE FINALLY GETTING

TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE FOLKS

IN NEW TAMPA SOME RELIEF ON THE EASTERN PORTION, SO IN A

NUTSHELL, THROUGH ALL THAT WE'RE HERE AND GOING TO GIVE THEM

43

THE RELIEF THAT WE NEED, SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO

ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: SO MOVE.

>>VICTOR CRIST: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YOUR NEXT ITEM WOULD BE BOARD APPOINTMENTS

TO THE ARTS COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION

COLLABORATIVE.

>>KEN HAGAN: WHY DON'T WE AT LEAST WAIT UNTIL COMMISSIONER

MURMAN GETS HERE.

AT LEAST WE'LL HAVE SIX.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OH, OKAY.

THEN THE ONLY OTHER ONE WE COULD DO IS F-3, WHICH IS

COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S ITEM.

>>MARK SHARPE: F-3.

I'VE GOT AN ARTICLE THAT I WANTED PASSED OUT.

BOARD MEMBERS, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH A TECH

COMPANY -- SEVERAL TECH COMPANIES, ACTUALLY, WHICH ARE

INTERESTED IN PROVIDING A SERVICE HERE IN OUR REGION.

ONE OF THEM IS UBER.

AND RECOGNIZING THAT WE'RE NOT THE PTC, MY SIMPLE REQUEST

WAS THAT THIS BOARD WOULD WRITE A LETTER TO THE PTC

REQUESTING THAT THEY ANALYZE THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES WHICH ARE

CURRENTLY BEING MADE AVAILABLE IN A NUMBER OF REALMS, BUT IN

THIS PARTICULAR ONE IN TRANSPORTATION, AND SEE HOW WE COULD

44

IMPLEMENT AS A REGION AND AS A COMMUNITY THESE TECHNOLOGIES

TO ENHANCE OUR TRANSPORTATION.

ONE OF THE CONCERNS I'VE HAD IS THAT WHEN WE'VE HAD -- AND

I'VE SERVED AS AN ALTERNATE ON THE PTC ONCE AND KIND OF RAN

INTO THIS ISSUE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

MY SENSE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT AS WE INCREASE THE SUPPLY,

YOU'LL SEE A RISE IN THE DEMAND, AND IF WE HAVE AN INCREASED

SUPPLY OF TRANSIT ALTERNATIVES -- TRANSPORTATION

ALTERNATIVES THAT WOULD INCLUDE INNOVATIVE COMPANIES USING

THESE TECHNOLOGIES AND SUCH, MORE PEOPLE WOULD COME

THINKING, WELL, I WANT TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY, I WANT TO USE

TRANSIT -- TRANSPORTATION.

THEY DON'T SEE WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, THERE MIGHT BE MORE

TAXIS, AND, ACTUALLY, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE AND WHAT WE'RE

SEEING IN THE 40 CITIES WHERE UBER AND OTHER COMPANIES LIKE

THIS OPERATE IS THAT EVERYONE'S BOAT RISES BECAUSE MORE

PEOPLE ARE USING THESE TYPE OF SYSTEMS, AND EVEN THE TWO

PUBLIC SPEAKERS WHO TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF OUR

ROADS, THERE ARE DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS ON HOW YOU TAKE A

FAILED ROAD AND IMPROVE IT.

YOU CAN WIDEN AND WIDEN AND WIDEN, KIND OF THE FREEWAY

ANALYSIS OF WHAT THEY DID IN LOS ANGELES AND CALIFORNIA FOR

MANY YEARS TO THE POINT WHERE EVERYTHING'S ASPHALT, OR YOU

CAN SHIFT SOME OF THE DEMAND TO OTHER ALTERNATIVES, GET

PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS, GIVE THEM MORE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO I JUST WANTED TO, IN A FRIENDLY WAY, ASK -- AND I KNOW WE

HAVE THE CHAIRMAN HERE OF THE PTC -- THAT OUR CHAIRMAN AND

OUR BOARD WRITE A LETTER TO THE PTC THAT THEY WOULD ADDRESS

45

THIS ISSUE.

AND, AGAIN, PART OF MY CONCERN IS THAT I'M SEEING WHERE

UBER'S GOING AND OTHER COMPANIES LIKE THIS ARE GOING.

THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO MIAMI, THEY'RE TALKING TO ORLANDO,

LIKELY GOING TO GO TO JACKSONVILLE.

I'D HATE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN AND HERE'S TAMPA BAY, ONCE

AGAIN, SITTING ON THE SIDELINE.

IF WE CAN BE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF USING THESE TECHNOLOGIES

AND RECOGNIZING -- I HAD A GREAT LUNCH ON MONDAY WITH THE --

A NUMBER OF TECH CEOs.

ONE OF THEM WAS THE CEO OF TECH DATA, AND WHAT HE SAID WAS

WHAT WE ALL KNOW, IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET BIGGER.

TECHNOLOGY'S ONLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW.

WE DON'T KNOW IN WHAT DIRECTION, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN,

AND THOSE COMPANIES AND INDUSTRIES -- LIKE THE NEWSPAPER

INDUSTRY WHICH THOUGHT THEY COULD WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE ARE

OUT OF BUSINESS, SO WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A WAY TO

INCORPORATE IT, AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THESE

THINGS CONSTANTLY, AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE ASK THE

PTC TO LOOK AT THIS AND THEN, AS YOU SEE FIT, TAKE THIS

ISSUE UP, AND THAT'S REALLY MY -- MY -- MY MOTION.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE, THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING CONCEPT.

I'VE ACTUALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE UBER WHEN I WAS IN

BOSTON ON A COUPLE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, AND I ASKED A LOT

ABOUT THE SERVICE THAT IT PROVIDES, AND I WILL TELL YOU IT'S

A -- I HAD TWO GREAT EXPERIENCES WITH THEM, I HAD ONE THAT

46

WAS KIND OF -- YOU KNOW, BROUGHT ME A LITTLE BIT MORE

CONCERN, AND AS I TALKED TO ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE TAXI

DRIVERS THERE, IT DID NOT COME WITHOUT CONTROVERSY INSIDE

THE COMMUNITY, AND SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH LIABILITY

ISSUES, SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH AN INDUSTRY THAT IS

REGULATED VERSUS NONREGULATED, AND SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING

FOR US TO EXPLORE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS

CERTAINLY FULLY VETTED AND WE HEAR THE PROS AND THE CONS,

AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER,

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF NUANCES THAT COME WITH THAT, SO I'M

HAPPY TO SUPPORT US EXPLORING IT, BUT I WOULD DO THAT WITH

CAUTION AND, AGAIN, MAKE SURE THAT STAFF AND PTC AND

EVERYBODY ELSE, WE THOROUGHLY VET THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT

WITHOUT CONTROVERSY.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELL, YOU KNOW, NO CHANGE IS WITHOUT

CONTROVERSY.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OF COURSE.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND IT'S ALSO INTERESTING BECAUSE I'VE TAKEN

THE TIME TO READ -- THERE'S AN INTERESTING ARTICLE IN

INC. MAGAZINE WHICH IS FABULOUS.

IT LOOKS AT, YOU KNOW, THEIR EXPERIENCES, UBER'S

EXPERIENCES, AND WHETHER IT'S -- I MEAN, UBER'S JUST ONE

COMPANY.

I'M NOT HERE TO SAY UBER, I'M JUST HERE TO SAY ANY -- ANY

COMPANY THAT'S LOOKING AT UTILIZING -- COMING IN AND

PROVIDING A SERVICE BUT ALSO UTILIZING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.

EVERY OBSTACLE YOU COULD IMAGINE FROM EVERY CITY AROUND THE

47

WORLD HAS COME, AND -- AND UBER'S HAD TO FACE THEM AND

COMPANIES LIKE THAT HAVE HAD TO FACE THEM.

VERY SIMILAR -- IN FACT, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT HISTORY,

EVEN THE AUTOMOBILE, THE RESISTANCE THAT WAS THROWN IN FRONT

OF THAT NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND THERE WAS ALWAYS A FEAR OF WHAT

WOULD HAPPEN.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY, AND PUBLIC SAFETY'S

ALWAYS THE ISSUE THAT IS USED, BUT OFTENTIMES IT REALLY IS

TO PROTECT THE EXISTING MARKET.

MY OBJECTIVE IS OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT IT'S ALSO

EXPANDING THE MARKET AND PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITY, AND I

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY, IRRESPECTIVE OF

WHAT TECHNOLOGY IT MIGHT BE, IS ON THE FORWARD LEADING EDGE

OF THAT, AND SO I KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A CHAIRMAN

WHO UNDERSTANDS THESE ISSUES FAR GREATER THAN I, BUT I JUST

WOULD ASK THAT IN USING AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION BUT

THOROUGHLY REVIEWING IT, IF THEY WOULD JUST LOOK AT IT AND

THEN PROVIDE US THEIR ANSWER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SURE.

AND I'M ABSOLUTELY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.

I JUST WANTED TO --

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: BECAUSE THERE'S -- I MEAN, THERE'S SOME

STUFF THAT YOU COULD RESEARCH AROUND THEM THAT WOULD -- YOU

KNOW, AGAIN, IT GIVES YOU PAUSE, BUT CERTAINLY WE NEED TO

LOOK AT DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES.

THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I RECALL IN CONVERSATION WAS

ALSO HOW THE INFORMATION THAT IS COLLECTED BY UBER IS

48

STORED.

IN FACT, THERE'S EVEN SOME ALLEGATIONS OR RUMORS THAT THE

BASIS ON HOW PEOPLE TIP THE UBER DRIVERS SOMETIMES CAN CAUSE

DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES ON WHO GETS PRIORITY SERVICE.

LIKE I SAID, THAT'S NOT VETTED BY ME, THOSE ARE JUST THINGS

THAT I'VE READ AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN, SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF

LOOKING AT THIS, BUT LIKE ANYTHING ELSE WHEN WE'RE PROPOSING

OR LOOKING AT CHANGES, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE LOOK AT

BOTH SIDES.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND THE FOCUS WAS MORE ON NOT THE COMPANY --

>>KEN HAGAN: YOU'VE GOTTA GET IN LINE.

>>MARK SHARPE: -- BUT TECHNOLOGY.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

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

I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S EFFORTS TO

LOOK FORWARD, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN RESPECTFUL AND GRATEFUL

FOR HIS KEEN INSIGHT.

I KNOW HE DOES A LOT OF READING AND A LOT OF LEARNING, AND

HE'S ALWAYS UP TO SPEED ON WHAT IS THE LATEST AND GREATEST,

AND I AGREE WITH BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES, WITH COMMISSIONER

SHARPE THAT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE LOOKING WITH AN OPEN MIND AT

NEW IDEAS, AND ALSO WITH COMMISSIONER BECKNER THAT WE NEED

TO ALSO EXERCISE CAUTION AS WE -- AS WE LOOK AT NEW THINGS

TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AREN'T CUTTING OUR HAND OFF TO SPITE

OUR ARM OR OUR ARM TO SPITE OUR HAND, BUT TO PUT IT IN A

NUTSHELL, I WANTED TO REASSURE THE BOARD THAT THE PTC HAS

ALREADY MADE THE -- I AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PTC HAVE ALREADY

MADE THE DECISION TO PUT ON THE AGENDA AT A FUTURE MEETING

49

BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR A WORKSHOP TO LOOK AT

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN THE INDUSTRY AND WHAT IS OUT

THERE AND HOW WE MAY BE ABLE TO BE -- BETTER UTILIZE IT HERE

IN THIS MARKET.

UBER IS JUST ONE COMPANY.

THERE ARE OTHER COMPANIES THAT ARE DOING THE SAME AND EVEN

SOME THINGS UNIQUELY DIFFERENT, SO I WOULD RECOMMEND AT THIS

POINT, IF THE SPONSOR OF THIS MOTION WOULD BE WILLING TO

ENTERTAIN A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT WOULD CHANGE IT FROM

UBER TO JUST LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS SO THE

DOOR'S OPEN FOR ALL COMPANIES, NOT JUST ONE, AND THAT WE

HAVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD HERE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT

EVERYTHING THAT IS OUT THERE AND TO SEE WHAT, IF ANYTHING,

WE COULD DO HERE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE TO OUR

COMMUNITIES.

>>MARK SHARPE: ABSOLUTELY.

THE IDEA IS TECH AND ALSO THE IDEA, REALLY, IS INTO THE CAB

COMPANIES.

I THINK AS MORE PEOPLE BEGIN TO USE IT, THEY'LL ALSO USE

CABS, AND MAYBE THE CAB COMPANIES WILL ALSO IMPLEMENT SOME

OF THESE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES.

ABSOLUTELY.

>>KEN HAGAN: AND I JUST AGREE WITH ALL THE COMMENTS THAT

ARE MADE HERE THIS MORNING.

I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER SHARPE FOR BRINGING THIS

FORWARD.

IT'S HARD TO ARGUE WITH THE TECHNOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY OF --

OF THIS PRODUCT.

50

I MEAN, I WENT TO LUNCH WITH THE -- YOU KNOW, WITH THE UBER

GUYS.

YOU PUSH A BUTTON, FIVE MINUTES LATER IT'S THERE, YOU DON'T

HAVE TO PAY ANY CASH, NO MONEY CHANGES HANDS.

IT'S HARD TO ARGUE WITH THAT, BUT I ALSO AGREE WITH

COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ISSUES IN SOME OTHER

COMMUNITIES, AND WE STILL NEED TO DO OUR -- OUR DUE

DILIGENCE.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE PTC, IT'S

NOT A MATTER OF LETTING UBER IN, NOT LETTING UBER IN, IT'S

WE HAVE TO CHANGE -- WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE MINIMUM ON

THE SEDAN SERVICE; RIGHT?

THAT'S THE -- THAT'S THE TRIGGER, IT'S NOT WE'RE EXCLUDING

THEM.

THEY CAN COME HERE IF THEY WANT, IT'S JUST THAT'S THE RULE

THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE DEBATED AT THE PTC.

OKAY.

SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN:  -- COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

NO OTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: COMMISSIONERS, YOUR NEXT ITEM IS YOUR 10:15

TIME CERTAIN, E-1, SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY RICK HOMANS,

PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TAMPA EDC.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, MR. HOMANS.

>> GOOD MORNING.

51

THANK YOU.

GREAT.

GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU, AND I JUST WANT TO SPEND A FEW

MINUTES HERE AND GIVE YOU OUR QUARTERLY UPDATE ON THE

ACTIVITIES OF THE EDC.

ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE TO YOU JEFF LUCAS, WHO'S OUR VICE

PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, HANDLES ALL THE

RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES, RETENTION AND EXPANSION,

INTERNATIONAL, WAS THE FORMER STATE DIRECTOR FOR THE STATE

OF GEORGIA FOR BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, HAS BEEN ON THE JOB

HERE FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS?

>> EIGHT MONTHS.

>> EIGHT MONTHS NOW, AND IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.

SO I WANTED YOU TO SEE HIM AS WELL.

I'M GOING TO USE OUR METRIC REPORT AND I'M GOING TO MOVE --

MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THE SLIDES PRETTY QUICKLY AND JUST

HIGHLIGHT CERTAIN AREAS OF THEM, BUT, OBVIOUSLY, ANY THINGS

THAT YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, EITHER DURING MY REMARKS OR

AFTERWARDS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO ASK.

I ALWAYS START OFF WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.

JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS IN

THE LAST FEW MONTHS WE HAVE ABSORBED AND ARE WORKING VERY

CLOSELY WITH THE FILM AND -- TAMPA/HILLSBOROUGH FILM AND

DIGITAL MEDIA COMMISSION.

WE'VE HIRED A -- OUR FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DALE GORDON,

WHO RAN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ORLANDO FILM

COMMISSION.

SHE'S HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE HER

52

ONBOARD.

SHE'S WORKING OUT OF TEMPORARY OFFICES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE

WE'VE RUN OUT OF SPACE AT THE -- AT VISIT TAMPA BAY, AND

WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE BY JANUARY 1st, AND SHE'LL HAVE SPACE

IN OUR NEW OFFICES WHEN WE RELOCATE.

BUT OTHERWISE, THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION.

ALL THE POSITIONS ARE FILLED.

WE'RE FULLY OPERATIONAL AND GOING ON ALL CYLINDERS.

OUR HIGH-LEVEL METRICS HAVE TO DO WITH NEW JOBS, CAPITAL

INVESTMENT.

THOSE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT METRICS THAT DRIVE THE ENTIRE

ORGANIZATION.

THESE ARE AS OF JUNE 30th, AND THEY'VE CHANGED QUITE A BIT

SINCE THEN THAT I'LL GET TO IN A MINUTE, BUT AS OF JUNE

30th, WE WERE AT 63% OF OUR GOAL WITH NEW JOBS, 1253 VERSUS

2,000 BEING THE ANNUAL GOAL, AND 60% OF OUR CAPITAL

INVESTMENT GOAL OF 100 MILLION.

YOU CAN SEE THE LEADS, THE PROSPECTS TRACKING FAIRLY CLOSELY

TO THE NUMBER OF JOBS, BUT WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE ABOUT

MEETING OUR GOALS FOR THE YEAR, AND I'LL SHOW YOU SOME MORE

INFORMATION ON THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.

THESE OTHER ISSUES HAVE TO DO WITH MARKETING.

WE'RE VERY MUCH ON TRACK WITH THAT.

WITH RESEARCH, VERY MUCH ON TRACK WITH OUR RESEARCH

ACTIVITIES AND OUR INVESTOR RELATIONS, DEVELOPING THE

PRIVATE-SECTOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION.

OUR GOAL FOR THE YEAR IS 1.1 MILLION.

AS OF -- AS OF THIS MORNING WE'RE $25,000 AWAY FROM THAT

53

GOAL, SO WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT HITTING THAT AND,

OBVIOUSLY, EXCEEDING IT FOR THE -- FOR THE YEAR.

WE'VE BEEN VERY GOOD AT GENERATING OTHER REVENUE AND

ENGAGING OUR INVESTORS WITH LEADS AS WELL.

OUR SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET THAT WE HAVE WITH YOU THIS YEAR

FOCUSES ON TWO SPECIFIC AREAS.

ONE IS DEVELOPING AN INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF THE

ORGANIZATION, AND -- AND YOU CAN SEE HERE ALL THE ELEMENTS

THAT ARE IN PLACE, THE TRADE MISSIONS THAT WE'VE -- WE HAVE

UNDERTAKEN TO COLOMBIA, TO BRAZIL -- TO COLOMBIA AND GERMANY

AND SWITZERLAND, AND WE HAVE AN UPCOMING MISSION IN OCTOBER

TO BRAZIL.

AND WE OBVIOUSLY ARE INVOLVED ACTIVELY IN TAMPA BAY

ACTIVITIES INVOLVED WITH INTERNATIONAL TRADE.

IN MARKETING, THIS HAS TO DO WITH BUILDING OUT OUR WEB SITE,

ENHANCING IT WITH GIS CAPABILITIES, PUTTING IN PLACE OUR CRM

PROGRAM INTERNALLY.

THESE ARE ALL MAJOR STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE

ORGANIZATION THAT IMPROVE THE PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY OF

WHAT WE DO.

ALL THIS IS IN PLACE AS WELL, AND DEVELOPMENT OF COLLATERAL

MATERIAL AS WELL.

OUR COMPLETED PROJECTS, THESE GO FROM EARLY TO LATE, SO I'M

GOING TO FLIP THROUGH THESE PAGES, BUT AS I FLIP THROUGH,

WHAT YOU SEE THERE ARE 32 PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED

THIS YEAR THAT I THINK IS AN ALL-TIME HIGH IN TERMS OF THE

NUMBER OF PROJECTS, AND WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS A REAL MIX.

SOME OF THESE ARE A HANDFUL OF JOBS, SOME OF THEM ARE

54

HUNDREDS OF JOBS.

EACH ONE TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO WORK ON, WHETHER IT'S FIVE,

TEN JOBS, OR 500 JOBS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

BUT AS OF -- AS OF RIGHT NOW, OUR COMPLETED JOBS, 32

PROJECTS, 1900 JOBS CREATED, 278 JOBS RETAINED, WHICH IS NOT

PART OF OUR METRIC, BUT WE TRACK IT NONETHELESS, AND $81.4

MILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT, AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE PAGES

PRECEDING EACH OF THE PROJECTS THERE.

I WANT TO ALSO POINT OUT, I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THE -- OUR

PIPELINE OF ACTIVITY.

THERE -- THERE ARE, AS I SHOWED YOU BEFORE, DOZENS OF

PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE.

THERE ARE FIVE THAT ARE REALLY WORTHY OF NOTE IN TERMS OF

THEIR SIZE, THE DIMENSION OF THESE.

ONE IS A FINANCIAL SERVICE COMPANY, 1200 JOBS, 164 MILLION

INVESTMENT; ONE IS A HEADQUARTERS LIFE SCIENCE COMPANY,

1,000 JOBS, 34 MILLION; I.T., FINANCIAL SERVICES, 2500 JOBS,

14 MILLION; HEADQUARTERS LIFE SCIENCES, 700 JOBS, THREE

MILLION; AND A DISTRIBUTION CENTER THAT I THINK ALL OF YOU

ARE AWARE OF, 1,000 JOBS, 200 MILLION.

WE WERE TALKING THIS MORNING, I THINK IN THE LAST 20 YEARS

OR SO WE'VE HAD 12 PROJECTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OVER A

THOUSAND JOBS.

WE HAVE NOW A HANDFUL OF THESE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US THAT ARE

IN A PATTERN.

I CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU THAT ALL OF THESE ARE GOING TO COME

IN, BUT WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO ALL OF THEM, AND I THINK

DECISIONS ARE IMMINENT IN THE NEXT 60 TO 90 DAYS ON EACH ONE

55

OF THESE.

THIS IS WHY YOU HAVE A PROFESSIONAL EDC IS TO MANAGE THESE

COMPLEX PROJECTS AND A PROFESSIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DEPARTMENT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WE WORK HAND IN HAND AS A TEAM ON THESE, IT'S ABSOLUTELY

ESSENTIAL, AND WITH OUR PARTNERS UP AT THE STATE, ENTERPRISE

FLORIDA, TO NAVIGATE EACH ONE OF THESE PROJECTS.

SO THIS IS GOOD NEWS, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE MORE GOOD NEWS

COMING BEFORE YOU IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.

HOW WE GENERATE THESE LEADS, MOST IMPORTANT IS THEY GET IN

FRONT OF THE CUSTOMERS, GET IN FRONT OF THE PROSPECTS.

YOU CAN SEE HERE A LIST OF RECENT EVENTS THAT WE'VE

PARTICIPATED IN AND UPCOMING EVENTS.

ONE OF THEM IS COMPLETED -- I WAS SCHEDULED TO GIVE THIS

PRESENTATION IN EARLY AUGUST -- BUT ENTERPRISE FLORIDA,

MISSION TO NEW YORK, TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP MISSION TO

CHICAGO WILL BE THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, ENTERPRISE

FLORIDA MISSION TO ATLANTA IN SEPTEMBER, AND THEN OUR

OUTBOUND TRADE MISSION TO BRAZIL IN OCTOBER.

JUST VERY BRIEFLY SOME HIGHLIGHTS, GERMANY/SWITZERLAND

MEETING -- MISSION WAS IN APRIL, LED BY MAYOR BUCKHORN,

VISITED ZURICH, MUNICH, NUREMBERG, FRANKFURT.

GOOD RESULTS FROM THAT THAT WE'RE NOW HOSTING THE COMPANIES

THAT ARE COMING OVER AND VISITING.

WE TOOK A -- A VERY SUCCESSFUL MISSION TO NEW YORK.

CHAIRMAN HAGAN HELPED TO LEAD THAT MISSION WITH MAYOR

BUCKHORN AND MAYOR CHILLURA FROM TEMPLE TERRACE AND MET WITH

DTCC, MORGAN STANLEY, JPMORGAN CHASE, UBS, PWC, CITY, TIME

56

WARNER, AND REALLY JUST A MISSION TO SAY THANK YOU TO THESE

COMPANIES FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT, INVOLVEMENT IN OUR

COMMUNITY, AND HIRING RESIDENTS OF TAMPA BAY.

WE ALSO -- ENTERPRISE FLORIDA HAS CONTRACTORS WHO WORK AND

EMPLOYEES WHO WORK IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND THEY -- THEY

MARKET FLORIDA AND THEY -- THEY HANDLE LEADS OF COMPANIES

LOOKING AT BRINGING THEIR OPERATIONS HERE.

WE BROUGHT IN TO TAMPA REPRESENTATIVES FROM CANADA AND UK

AND HOSTED THEM HERE FOR TWO DAYS TO REALLY SHOWCASE TO THEM

THE AMENITIES, THE ASSETS OF THE COMMUNITY SO WE ARE TOP OF

MIND ON -- ON -- YOU KNOW, AS THEY ARE MARKETING FLORIDA,

AND WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME GOOD RESULTS FROM THAT.

WE WORKED WITH MacDILL AIR FORCE BASE, CAMLS, AND A NUMBER

OF LOCAL EMPLOYERS WHO WERE, YOU KNOW, FROM THESE COUNTRIES

TO HOST THESE INDIVIDUALS HERE.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME EXCITING NEW COLLATERAL, AND IF I COULD,

MAYBE I COULD JUST [INAUDIBLE].

I'LL GIVE YOU A HARD COPY OF WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN.

WE'RE DOING TARGETED INDUSTRY COLLATERAL PIECES, SO THE ONE

THAT IS COMING AROUND IS FOR THE FINANCIAL AND SHARED

SERVICE SECTOR.

THIS IS THE -- THE PIECE THAT WE TOOK WITH US TO NEW YORK,

AND IT REALLY DOES A GREAT JOB, I THINK, OF PROMOTING THIS

SECTOR AND THE REASONS -- THE BENEFITS OF THESE COMPANIES

FOR LOCATING IN TAMPA AND HILLSBOROUGH -- HILLSBOROUGH

COUNTY.

WE ALSO HELD A VERY SUCCESSFUL MARKETING WORKSHOP WITH THE

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS, OVER 100 BROKERS AT CAMLS IN

57

APRIL.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO ON AN ONGOING BASIS TO

CEMENT -- SOLIDIFY OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LOCAL REAL

ESTATE COMMUNITY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GENERATE LEADS.

AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING VERY AGGRESSIVELY ON MEDIFUTURE ON A

NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FRONTS, BUT THE MEDIFUTURE 2024

CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 9th-12th NEXT YEAR.

WE WERE TARGETING ABOUT $750,000 WORTH OF SPONSORSHIPS.

WE HAVE TO DATE RAISED ABOUT 350,000 OF THAT AND ARE JUST

BEGINNING TO TALK TO NATIONAL SPONSORS, SO DOING VERY WELL,

AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAS BEEN

THE -- THE PERCENTAGE OF PRIVATE-SECTOR MONEY IN THE

ORGANIZATION.

THIS IS GOING TO GO A LONG WAY TO BUILD UP THE -- A MUCH

HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF PRIVATE-SECTOR MONEY IN THE EDC.

THAT'S THE -- HOPEFULLY GIVES YOU A GOOD UPDATE AS TO WHERE

WE ARE, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS,

MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

AND, MR. HOMANS, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR CONTINUED

LEADERSHIP.

I MEAN, THE EDC HAS BEEN AND IN MY MIND WILL CONTINUE TO

REMAIN A VERY CORE ESSENTIAL AGENCY IN JOB CREATIONS IN OUR

COMMUNITY, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU AND

YOUR AGENCY HAVE DONE.

>> THANK YOU.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: CAN YOU PROVIDE TO US -- WHAT I'VE ALWAYS

58

BEEN INTERESTED IN AND WHAT YOU HAVE LISTED AS YOUR YEAR-TO-

DATE COMPLETED PROJECTS, CAN YOU SEND TO US THE AMOUNT OF

INCENTIVES THAT WERE OFFERED OR HAVE BEEN EXPENDED FOR EACH

OF THESE PROJECTS AND LET US KNOW WHAT TYPES OF INCENTIVE

PROGRAMS WERE UTILIZED AND KIND OF BREAK THOSE OUT BETWEEN

WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE LOCALLY THROUGH QTI AND ALSO WHAT WAS

PERHAPS OFFERED AS INCENTIVES FROM FLORIDA ENTERPRISE OR ANY

OTHER INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT WERE USED, AND WHAT I'M TRYING

TO GET TO A BOTTOM LINE ALSO IS WHAT IS -- YOU KNOW, HOW

MUCH RESOURCES HAVE WE EXPENDED TO GET TO CREATING 7,214

JOBS, WHAT THAT IS.

IF YOU COULD SEND THAT TO ALL OF US, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

>> AND MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS BECKNER, WE DO HAVE A

REPORT THAT SPECIFICALLY LAYS THAT OUT, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO

DISTRIBUTE THAT TO YOU.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

>>MARK SHARPE: THE -- WHAT IS THE SUCCESS -- WE'RE LOOKING

AT THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY AND MEDICAL DEVICE AND LIFE

SCIENCES.

WHAT ABOUT MANUFACTURING?

ARE THERE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO

RELOCATE OR LOOKING TO COME TO LOCATIONS LIKE OURS?

IS THAT -- IS THAT A TOP PRIORITY OF YOURS OR A PRIORITY?

>> MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, IT -- IT CERTAINLY IS

A PRIORITY.

IT'S ONE OF THE TARGETS THAT WE HAVE.

59

IN FACT, WE HAVE A MANUFACTURING TASK FORCE IN THE EDC

CHAIRED BY TOM TROTTER, WHO IS -- THAT'S FOCUSED ON THIS

ISSUE PARTICULARLY.

WE ALSO JUST WORKED WITH THE TAMPA BAY WORKFORCE ALLIANCE,

WITH THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP, WITH PINELLAS ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT ON A MANUFACTURING GAP ANALYSIS TO SEE WHERE

SPECIFICALLY WE MAY NEED TO UPGRADE OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS TO

MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE RIGHT SORT OF SKILL SETS.

MANUFACTURING'S OBVIOUSLY GOING THROUGH SOME BIG CHANGES,

FROM TRADITIONAL TO ADVANCED TO MUCH MORE CUSTOM

MANUFACTURING, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT HCC, OUR SCHOOL

SYSTEM, AND OUR FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES ARE KEEPING UP WITH

THAT.

WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF PRETTY INTERESTING MANUFACTURING

PROJECTS IN THE LOOP RIGHT NOW, AND CERTAINLY, WHAT THE

LEGISLATURE DID THIS LAST YEAR AND THE GOVERNOR SUPPORTED IN

TERMS OF ELIMINATING THE -- A SALES TAX ON CAPITAL

INVESTMENT IN MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS IS A -- A MAJOR ITEM

THAT WE'RE OUT THERE PROMOTING TO THE MANUFACTURING

INDUSTRY.

>>MARK SHARPE: CAN I FOLLOW-UP, MR. CHAIRMAN?

THE ISSUE OF HAVING THE SKILLED WORKERS REQUIRED TO FILL

SOME OF THESE HIGH-TECH MANUFACTURING JOBS, THE LUNCHEON

THAT I WAS AT ON MONDAY, THERE WERE SEVEN CEOs, AND SEVERAL

OF THEM MADE THE POINT, IF I HAD MORE EMPLOYEES, I COULD

EXPAND OPERATIONS, I COULD DOUBLE MY -- I MEAN -- MY OUTPUT,

BUT I CAN'T GET THE WORKERS.

I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT -- YOU DON'T REPRESENT THE WORKFORCE

60

ALLIANCE, BUT ARE WE TAKING STEPS -- AND I'VE READ THE GAP

ANALYSIS THAT CAME OUT, I GUESS IT WAS MONDAY, THAT WAS A

JOINT EFFORT BY THE -- YOU AND PINELLAS AND HILLSBOROUGH

EDC.

WHAT STEPS ARE WE TAKING, THOUGH, WITH REGARD TO WORKFORCE

TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE SKILLED WORKERS AND THAT

WE'RE COMMUNICATING THAT TO THE COMPANIES?

>> WELL, THE -- MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, THE

REPORT IS VERY SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN,

AND THE TAMPA BAY WORKFORCE ALLIANCE HAS TAKEN THE

LEADERSHIP ROLE ON THAT.

A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH ESTABLISHING APPRENTICE PROGRAMS,

INTERN PROGRAMS, STANDING UP CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS AT HCC

AND THE FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITIES AS WELL.

EXCUSE ME.

AND -- AND ANOTHER BIG PART OF THIS IS -- IS ACTUALLY

MARKETING THE MANUFACTURING JOBS THAT WE HAVE IN THE

COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE

FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE GRADUATING AND MAY NOT BE

GOING ON TO COLLEGE IS THERE ARE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES

AVAILABLE TO THEM, BUT MANUFACTURING DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A

GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND THEY DON'T REALLY UNDER -- WE HAVEN'T

DONE A GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING HOW IT'S DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS

30, 40 YEARS AGO, AS AN EXCITING NEW HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY, AND

A LOT OF THESE MANUFACTURERS ACTUALLY WOULD EMBRACE HIGH

SCHOOL GRADUATES COMING IN WITH A CERTAIN BASIC LEVEL OF

TRAINING AND THEN GIVE THEM THE CUSTOMIZED TRAINING THAT

61

THEY NEED, SO THOSE CONNECTIONS NEED TO BE MADE, AND, QUITE

FRANKLY, THERE'S -- IT'S SIMPLY A MARKETING PIECE, YOU KNOW,

MARKETING MANUFACTURING, MAYBE CALLING IT SOMETHING

DIFFERENT THAN MANUFACTURING.

SO THAT'S THE MARKETING, THE APPRENTICESHIPS, AND THE -- ARE

KEY TO THIS, AND THE WORKFORCE ALLIANCE IS GOING TO BE THE

ONE WHO'S TAKING THE LEAD ON PUTTING THAT INTO PLACE, AND

WE'LL SUPPORT THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU.

AND WE ALL HAVE OUR AREAS OF INTEREST AND PRIORITIES.

IT WAS 2009 WHEN WE KNEW WE WERE ALL TANKING AND IT WAS

NECESSARY TO SWITCH OUR ECONOMY FROM A CONSTRUCTION-BASED

ECONOMY TO A MORE DIVERSE ECONOMY, AND THAT LED TO SEVERAL

AREAS, ONE OF WHICH COMMISSIONER SHARPE BROUGHT UP WAS

MANUFACTURING, AND THERE IS A VIBRANT AND ACTIVE

MANUFACTURING TASK FORCE, AS MR. HOMANS MENTIONED, UNDER THE

LEADERSHIP OF TOM TROTTER, AND IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO

VISIT WITH MR. TROTTER OR GO AND SEE SOME OF THESE

MANUFACTURING COMPANIES, THE HIGH-TECH ONES -- BECAUSE

MANUFACTURING IS NOT DARK, DIRTY, AND DINGY AS WE HAVE

WANTED TO CATEGORIZE IT, BUT IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY

WITH NOT ONLY MR. TROTTER'S CHROMALLOY BUT WITH SOME OF

THESE OTHER FACILITIES.

>>MARK SHARPE: RIGHT.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SPECIFICALLY DURING BUDGET WE EARMARKED

RIGHT AT A MILLION DOLLARS OVER TWO YEARS TO ADDRESS YOUR

62

QUESTION, MARK, THAT -- HOUSED AT WORKFORCE ALLIANCE TO WORK

ON THAT PROMOTING, WORK ON THAT EDUCATION.

I'VE MADE A TRIP RECENTLY TO RALEIGH, WORKING WITH THE

MANUFACTURERS THERE ON COBBLING AND BUILDING THE CONSORTIUM

THAT WILL EVENTUALLY WORK ON THE EDUCATIONAL SIDE, THE DUAL

TRACK, THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS THAT WILL SUCCEED HERE,

AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

WE'VE COME SO FAR IN SO SHORT AN AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT

MR. HOMANS, IT'S JUST GRATIFYING.

I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MY DREAM WAS TO SEE THIS EDC FUNDED

PROPERLY, AND WE ALL HAVE AREAS WE FIGHT HARD ON, AS I DID,

AND NOW TO SEE OUR TRIPS TO NEW YORK, OUR INTERNATIONAL

TRIPS -- AND SOMETIMES THERE'S CRITICISM FROM THE PUBLIC

THAT THESE ARE JUNKETS, AND THEY ARE BY NO MEANS -- ANYONE

WHO WANTS TO GO ON ONE OF THESE TRIPS NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND.

I KNOW THE FIRST ONE WE MADE I LED, AND IT -- TO NEW YORK,

AND IT WAS BY NO MEANS, AS I KNOW COMMISSIONER HAGAN FOUND

OUT -- IT WASN'T A HOLIDAY, IT WAS A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT'S

EXCITING TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AS A COMMUNITY, SO I

WANT TO COMMEND YOU AND HAVE THE HIGHEST OF EXPECTATIONS FOR

OUR PROJECT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

>> THANK YOU.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

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

AND I'LL ECHO THE SENTIMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID SO FAR.

THE MANUFACTURING -- THE GAP ANALYSIS THAT WAS JUST

COMPLETED, I THINK THE MOST TELLING FINDING THAT THEY HAD

63

WAS THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION, AND

THAT'S WHY ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO I CONVENED A TASK FORCE OF

OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH WORKFORCE AND WITH USF, THE KEY

EDUCATORS IN THE COMMUNITY.

ONCE WE HAVE THIS INFORMATION -- I KNOW WE'RE GETTING BACK

TOGETHER VERY SOON, BUT WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH SOME

VERY STRINGENT ACTION ITEMS, AND I KNOW ONE OF THEM IS TO

DEVELOP MORE APPRENTICESHIP ACADEMIES, AND THAT IS A GOAL OF

MINE, TO REALLY SPEARHEAD THIS EFFORT AND GET THAT MOVING IN

THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND, AGAIN, NOT THAT THIS COUNTY AND THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS

NEED TO FUND EVERYTHING, BUT THAT'S AN INVESTMENT IN

CREATING JOBS AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT, AND

MANUFACTURING WE HAVE TO DO BETTER AT.

WE CANNOT BE RELIANT ON CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AS OUR PRIMARY

JOB SOURCE FOR THE FUTURE.

IT JUST ISN'T -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THESE

CYCLES.

I KNOW FROM BEING AT THE STATE LEVEL, EVERY -- ABOUT EVERY

NINE YEARS YOU GO THROUGH CYCLES OF DOWN ECONOMIES IN THIS

STATE, SO WE'VE GOTTA BE READY, AND -- WITH ALL WE'RE DOING

WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREAS, INCENTIVES, EVERYTHING.

APPRENTICESHIP ACADEMIES CAN BE A VERY FOCAL POINT OF WHAT

WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, AND I REALLY COMMEND YOU FOR

PARTICIPATING IN THAT GAP ANALYSIS.

I KNOW THE TECHNOLOGY ONE IS COMING OUT TOO, SO I THINK

WE'RE -- WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND, AGAIN, I

WANT TO THANK YOU PUBLICLY FOR DOING THE MARKETING PLAN.

64

I DIDN'T SEE IT IN YOUR REPORT TODAY, BUT THEY HAVE PUT

TOGETHER A MARKETING PLAN FOR EDC, AND IT'S BASICALLY STUFF

THAT WAS ALREADY THERE, BUT THEY NEEDED TO CUT AND PASTE AND

ACTUALLY CALL IT A MARKETING PLAN, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE

CRITICAL FOR US TO REALLY MOVE FORWARD AND FOR THE EDC TO

REALLY BE THE LEADER IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR, YOU KNOW,

COMPANIES COMING HERE, JOB PLACEMENT, ALL THAT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

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

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

I GUESS THE FIRST ONE IS, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH AMAZON?

ARE WE ANY FURTHER ALONG WITH THAT?

ARE WE OUT OF THE PICTURE?

ARE WE STILL IN THE PICTURE?

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE AMAZON?

>> COMMISSIONER, WE ARE TRYING NOT TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT

PROJECTS UNTIL THEY'RE COMPLETED AND CLOSED, BUT I CAN JUST

TELL YOU THAT THAT PROJECT IS -- IS MOVING FORWARD, THAT

WE'RE AWAITING SOME DECISIONS FROM THE COMPANY, BUT WE FEEL

LIKE WE HAVE -- FROM THE COUNTY, FROM THE EDC, FROM THE

STATE, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER AND PUT FORWARD A VERY SOLID

OFFER, AND WE HOPE THAT AMAZON AGREES AND MAKES A FINAL

DECISION TO BE HERE.

>>VICTOR CRIST: SO WE'RE STILL IN THE GAME?

ALL RIGHT.

THE OTHER IS, IS -- I TOO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS AND COMMENTS

OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM

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TIME TO TIME WE MAY NEED SOME LEGISLATIVE HELP IN CHANGING,

IF NOT PERMANENTLY, TEMPORARILY CERTAIN RULES AND

REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS AT THE STATE LEVEL TO ENABLE US

TO GO AFTER CERTAIN MARKET NICHES.

IS THERE ALSO A LEGISLATIVE PLAN SHORT- AND LONG-TERM THAT'S

GOING TO ACCOMPANY YOUR -- YOUR PLAN?

>> MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONER CRIST, WE -- WE HAVE NOT

DEVELOPED A LEGISLATIVE ACTION.

WE TYPICALLY FALL IN BEHIND THE FLORIDA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

COUNCIL AND THE ENTERPRISE FLORIDA AS -- AS THEY ARE

DEVELOPING A PLAN AND THEN WE PUT INPUT INTO THAT, SO

GENERALLY, WE'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE INITIATIVES

THAT THEY'VE PUT FORWARD, AND WE WOULD EXPECT TO DO THAT

AGAIN THIS YEAR.

>>VICTOR CRIST: WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION THAT'S

GROWING STRONGER EVERY DAY AND ONE THAT NEIGHBORS US THAT'S

ALREADY STRONG THAT'S GOING TO BE EVEN MUCH STRONGER IN

PASCO COUNTY.

YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE A CERTAIN MARKET NICHE THAT COULD BE

AN ADVANTAGE FOR TAMPA BAY OR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT WE

MAY WANT TO FROM TIME TO TIME STEP OUT AND PUSH ON OUR OWN.

I KNOW YEARS PAST I WAS ABLE TO GROW THE PRINTING INDUSTRY

IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

I CAME FROM ADVERTISING.

I HAD AN IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A MARKET NICHE WE

COULD PROBABLY BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN, AND WHAT WE WERE ABLE

TO DO WAS SUNSET SOME OF THE TAXES ON NEW EQUIPMENT AND

REBATE SOME OF THE SALES TAXES ON -- ON THE PURCHASE OF

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THOSE EQUIPMENTS AS WELL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GROW THAT

INDUSTRY.

THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE STATEWIDE INITIATIVE INITIALLY BUT

ONE WE DID BENEFIT FROM HERE, BUT, I MEAN, IN LOOKING AT

YOUR AGENDA AND THE VARIOUS BUSINESS NICHES THAT YOU'RE

GOING AFTER, ARE THERE ANY UNIQUE AREAS THAT MAY BE

DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY, WE HAVE OUR TARGET INDUSTRIES HERE.

SOME OF THEM OVERLAP VERY CLOSELY WITH OTHER PARTS, BUT

DEFENSE SECURITY, AS WE'RE GETTING INTO THIS INNOVATIVE

HEALTH CARE ARENA, THAT'S ONE THAT'S UNIQUE TO TAMPA --

TAMPA BAY THAT I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY THERE.

I WOULD SAY THE OTHER AREA WHERE I SEE SOME OPPORTUNITY

WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY AND THE EDC COULD PERHAPS

PROVIDE SOME LEADERSHIP IS AS WE GO AFTER SPECIFIC CAPITAL

OUTLAY PROJECTS.

WE'VE GOT THE PORT, WE'VE GOT THE AIRPORT, USF, THE DOWNTOWN

EFFORTS, THESE SPECIFIC INITIATIVES.

IF WE COULD ALL COME TOGETHER AROUND TWO OR THREE

SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL OUTLAY REQUESTS, THAT SEEMS TO BE WHERE

THERE'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME NEW

MONEY, ONE-TIME MONEY COMING AS THE ECONOMY IMPROVES, AND

I -- I THINK IF WE COULD DO A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THERE, I

THINK WE WOULD SEE SOME GREAT SUCCESS, AND CERTAINLY WITH

ALL OF YOUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THAT PROCESS WOULD

BE VERY HELPFUL.

SO THAT'S ONE, BUT I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'VE SAID,

AND WE CAN -- WE CAN TAKE THIS QUESTION BACK TO OUR TASK

67

FORCES AS WELL THAT ARE INVOLVED IN MANUFACTURING, LIFE

SCIENCES, DEFENSE SECURITY, INTERNATIONAL, AND SEE WHAT THEY

COME BACK WITH IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC REQUESTS.

>>VICTOR CRIST: IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE -- WHERE IN THE STATE

THEY'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN ACQUIRING RESOURCES TO ATTRACT

NEW OPPORTUNITIES, THE MIAMI-DADE, SOUTH FLORIDA AREA

CERTAINLY IS AT THE FOREFRONT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY DO THAT'S UNIQUELY DIFFERENT THAN

US IS THEIR COMMISSION ACTUALLY HAS IN PLACE AN AGGRESSIVE

BATTERY OF LOBBYISTS THAT THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH THAT THEY

ENGAGE, AND THEY CREATE THEIR OWN AGENDA FOR THAT REGION OF

THE STATE IN ADDITION TO THEIR BACKING OF A STATEWIDE

AGENDA, AND THEIR AGENDA IS INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF THE

AUTHORITIES, THE PORT, THE AIRPORT, AND -- THE EXPRESSWAY

AND THE OTHERS THAT ARE DOWN THERE, AND THEY LEAD THAT

EFFORT.

SO, I MEAN, THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING

RESOURCES HOME TO ASSIST THEM IN THE GROWTH OF THEIR

TRANSPORTATION AND THE GROWTH OF THEIR -- THEIR BUSINESS

CLIMATE.

>> AND, COMMISSIONER, JUST ONE LAST THOUGHT TO ADD ON TO

THAT, THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP, I BELIEVE, HISTORICALLY HAS

BEEN CHARGED -- BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO CONVENE THE

BAY AREA LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE

CHARGED WITH MORE OF OUR REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE FOCUS AND

OPPORTUNITIES, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HIRE LOBBYISTS IN

TALLAHASSEE TO WORK THE SESSION, AND SO THAT'S THE OTHER

PARTY THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSING THIS KIND OF AN

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ISSUE TOO IS WHAT'S UNIQUE FOR TAMPA BAY BECAUSE THEY'VE

GOT -- WHAT IS IT? -- 25 TO 30 LEGISLATORS FROM THIS AREA, A

LOT OF POWER, SPEAKER, ET CETERA, THAT WE CAN BRING TO

THE -- TO THE TABLE, SO --

>>VICTOR CRIST: WELL, UP AND TO THIS POINT, EACH

AUTHORITY'S BEEN KIND OF FENDING FOR THEMSELVES --

>> YEP.

>>VICTOR CRIST:  -- AND FOR THE LACK OF BETTER WORDS,

TREADING WATER IN COMPARISON TO ORLANDO OR JACKSONVILLE OR

MIAMI WHERE YOU'D HAVE MORE CENTRALIZED FOCUS, AND, YOU

KNOW, AGAIN, LOOKING AT OUR MODEL AND LOOKING AT THEIR MODEL

AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE AND WHAT

THEY'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE, THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT

DIFFERENCES.

THEY -- THEY CENTRALIZE THEIR POWER, THEY CENTRALIZE THEIR

INITIATIVES, AND THEY WORK AS A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP.

WE TEND TO HAVE THESE SILOS AND EVERYBODY DOING THEIR OWN

THING, AND THAT'S NOT AS STRONG A FOOT FORWARD AS -- AND THE

PROOF IS IN THE DELIVERY OF WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO BRING

HOME.

>> AGREED.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE, THEN WE NEED TO KEEP

MOVING.

>>MARK SHARPE: I THANK THE INDULGENCE OF THE CHAIRMAN.

I MEAN, I -- BUT I REALLY AM GLAD THAT YOU SAID WHAT YOU

SAID.

FIRST OFF, I THANK MR. HOMANS FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND WHAT

MR. MERRILL AND WHAT MR. BARTON HAVE DONE WORKING TOGETHER

69

AND REALLY TRYING TO FORGE A STRONG ALLIANCE.

YOU SAID THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING.

I -- I KNOW THAT I ANGER FOLKS BECAUSE I OFTENTIMES WILL

BRING UP THE RANKINGS, BUT I LOOK AT THEM ALL THE TIME, AND,

YOU KNOW, MILKEN'S, WHEN THEY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST

CITIES FOR -- BEST LOCATIONS FOR CREATING YOUR TECH JOBS,

YOU KNOW, AND THEY LOOK AT THE MSAs, WE WERE 153 IN 2011, WE

MOVED UP TO 138 IN 2012.

AREA DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS A REALLY INTERESTING ON-LINE

RESOURCE AND THEY TALK ABOUT -- AND I JUST THINK THIS IS

IMPORTANT, AGAIN, TO REITERATE -- WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR

COMPANIES TO LOCATE IN A CITY OR REGION THAT KNOWS HOW TO

GROW ITS ECONOMY AND HAS A TRACK RECORD TO PROVE IT, AND

THEY LOOK AT BASIC THINGS, THE ABILITY TO PROACTIVELY CREATE

A HEALTHY BUSINESS CLIMATE, AND THAT -- AND THIS GROUP --

AND I'VE BEEN E-MAILING IT OUT, BUT THE AREA DEVELOPMENT ON-

LINE, WE RANKED 315 OUT OF 380 MSAs, AND THAT JUST CAME OUT

ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AGO IN THEIR PUBLICATION.

I ONLY SAY THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT WE'VE DONE.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB PERHAPS WITH THE

PARTNERSHIP AND OTHERS OF TELLING OUR STORY, BUT I ALSO WANT

TO JUST REAFFIRM WHAT COMMISSIONER CRIST SAID, THAT --

PLEASE GO BACK TO ALL THE ENTITIES AND SAY WE REALLY DO NEED

TO WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS WE EMERGE OUT OF THIS

RECESSION AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, THERE ARE REGIONS THAT

ARE AHEAD OF US, AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY A HEAVY PRICE IF WE

DON'T ENGAGE NOW.

I MEAN, ARE YOU -- DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE ARE

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ENGAGING PROPERLY AND WE'LL BE PREPARED AS WE EMERGE FROM

THIS RECESSION?

>> COMMISSIONER, ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK ALL -- YOU KNOW,

I'M AN EXTREMELY POSITIVE, BULLISH INDIVIDUAL ON THIS CITY,

THIS COUNTY, THIS REGION, AND I POINT TO THE RANKINGS THAT

PUT US AT NUMBER 12 ON THE INC. LIST OF THE BEST PLACES TO

START A BUSINESS, NUMBER ONE ON THE KPMG AS THE MOST

AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LOCATE A HEADQUARTERS, NUMBER FOUR ON A

NATIONAL LIST FOR SHARED SERVICE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.

WHEN YOU -- THE RANKINGS ARE GOOD.

I THINK IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS THERE'S GOING TO BE BUZZ ABOUT

THIS REGION, THAT THIS IS -- IT'LL BE OUR TIME, OUR PLACE,

WE'LL GET THAT RECOGNITION.

IN THE LAST MONTH COPA AIRLINES, EDELWEISS, BOLLYWOOD,

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB, AMAZON -- WE'VE GOT A PIPELINE COMING.

IT'S UNPRECEDENTED THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY, MEDIFUTURE

IDENTIFYING AN EMERGING INDUSTRY FOR OUR GROWTH, THE

CONVERSATIONS TAKING PLACE WITH TRANSPORTATION.

THERE'S A LOT TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW, AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE

WE'RE HITTING ON ALL CYLINDERS, AND WE'LL SEE SOME BIG

PAYOFFS CONTINUE --

>>MARK SHARPE: YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN CONSISTENTLY

BE IN THE TOP TEN WHEN WE LOOK -- BECAUSE I -- TOUCHE, I

THINK THAT'S GREAT THAT YOU RESPONDED WITH THOSE WHERE WE

HAVE BEEN ON TOP, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONSISTENT TOP

PERFORMERS, TOP TEN, TOP 15, TOP 20, IT SEEMS TO BE THE SAME

REGIONS, AND WE NEED TO CRACK INTO THAT AND STAY THERE, AND

I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOUR MISSION IS.

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>> THAT'S OUR OBJECTIVE --

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.

>> -- ABSOLUTELY.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR.

>>KEN HAGAN: AND IN CLOSING, I WANT TO SAY I AGREE WITH

COMMISSIONER SHARPE THAT THERE ARE REGIONS AHEAD OF US AND

WE CAN DO BETTER, BUT I DON'T PUT A WHOLE LOT OF FAITH IN

THESE LISTS THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

RNC, BOLLYWOOD, AMAZON, BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB, THESE THINGS

WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING IF WE WERE 300th ON THE LIST OF MSAs,

SO THAT'S -- I DON'T PUT ANY FAITH INTO THAT, BUT I DO WANT

TO SAY WE'VE ALWAYS HEARD ABOUT THE NEED FOR THE PRIVATE

SECTOR TO GET MORE ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS, AND I THINK THIS

IS ONE AREA WHERE RICK REALLY DIDN'T GIVE HIMSELF ENOUGH

CREDIT.

THEY HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB OF RAISING DOLLARS FROM

THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

I'M SURE COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM RECALLS A COUPLE YEARS

AGO YOU HAD INVESTORS NOT RENEWING, THOSE THAT WERE DOING IT

IN MUCH LOWER AMOUNTS.

THEY'VE COME A SIGNIFICANT WAY IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO.

IN FACT, I ACTUALLY NEED TO CORRECT RICK.

I JUST RECEIVED A TEXT FROM SOMEONE OVER AT THE EDC.

THEY'VE ACTUALLY ECLIPSED THEIR $1.1 MILLION GOAL BY ABOUT

25,000, SO THEY'RE AHEAD OF THE GAME, AND SO THEY'RE DOING

AN EXCELLENT JOB THERE, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW,

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, VERY MUCH.

72

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND THAT WAS EXACTLY WHY I WANTED HIM TO

HIGHLIGHT IT AND BROUGHT IT -- ASKED HIM TO BRING IT OUT AT

THAT LAST REPORT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING IT, THESE

PRIVATE SECTORS, NOW THAT THEY SEE THE EDC'S UP AND RUNNING,

SEE IT AND HAVE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE NOT ONLY IN YOU BUT

WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THIS SIDE OF THE EQUATION, SO GOOD JOB.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MIKE MERRILL: COMMISSIONERS, YOUR NEXT ITEM IS YOUR 10:30

TIME CERTAIN, B-3.

TOM FESLER'S HERE TO PRESENT THE ITEM.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, TOM.

>>TOM FESLER: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

WITH ITEM B-3 WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH

MARTI-MACEO IN THE AMOUNT OF $248,000 FOR CAPITAL

IMPROVEMENT TO THE ORGANIZATION'S BUILDING AND ALSO TO

APPROVE A RESOLUTION ALLOCATING COUNTYWIDE GENERAL FUNDS TO

MARTI-MACEO FOR THE PURPOSE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION,

SUBJECT TO THE BOARD'S REVIEW OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S

REQUEST AND REVIEW OF THE BUSINESS PLAN.

AGAIN, JUST TO RE -- GO THROUGH WITH YOU QUICKLY THE HISTORY

OF THIS, BACK IN JULY OF 2011 THE BOARD APPROVED

$2.5 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

OUT OF THAT AMOUNT, THEY DID SET ASIDE $2 MILLION FOR FOUR

CLUBS IN THE YBOR CITY AREA.

SUBJECT TO -- OR SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, IN NOVEMBER OF 2011 THE

BOARD DID ADOPT A NEW POLICY RELATIVE TO CAPITAL FUNDING TO

73

OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT WAS APPLIED TO THE YBOR CLUBS.

PURSUANT TO THAT POLICY, THERE WAS AN AUDIT REQUIREMENT THAT

WAS ESTABLISHED, AND THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF THE DELAY IN

THESE AGREEMENTS GETTING BACK TO THE BOARD.

WITHIN THE PAST TWO MEETINGS YOU HAVE APPROVED AN AGREEMENT

WITH THE ITALIAN CLUB AND WITH CENTRO ASTURIANO.

THIS IS THE THIRD OF THE FOUR CLUBS, MARTI-MACEO.

THEY HAVE MET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF RECEIVING FUNDING.

WE DO HAVE A CONTRACTUAL LIEN THAT'S PART OF THE AGREEMENT,

AND WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE TODAY TO ANSWER ANY

QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: MOVE APPROVAL.

>>MARK SHARPE: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER MURMAN,

SECOND COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

NO COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANKS, TOM.

ARE YOU GOING TO DO THE NEXT ONE?

10:45 TIME CERTAIN, G-4.

>>TOM FESLER: COMMISSIONERS, WITH ITEM G-4, AT YOUR

JULY 17th MEETING, YOU REQUESTED THAT WE PERFORM A REVIEW OF

THE FINANCES PROGRAM -- AND PROGRAMS OF THE FAMILY JUSTICE

CENTER AND ALSO TO WORK WITH THE CHILDREN'S BOARD TO

IDENTIFY ANY POTENTIAL SERVICE GAPS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED

WITH THEIR CEASING OF OPERATIONS.

74

WE HAVE DONE THAT.

WE HAVE REVIEWED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MATERIALS PROVIDED

BY THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER.

THEY WERE VERY COOPERATIVE IN THAT PROCESS.

WE HAVE LOOKED AT AUDITS, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THEIR INTERIM

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WE HAVE LOOKED AT OUTCOME INFORMATION,

AND VARIOUS OTHER FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA FROM THE

FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE MET WITH KELLEY PARRIS, THE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S BOARD.

SHE IS HERE TODAY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL

SERVICE GAPS.

OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE CHILDREN'S BOARD HAS

INCREASED FUNDING TO VARIOUS NONPROFIT AGENCIES THAT THEY

FUND TO HELP FILL THE GAPS FOR THE SERVICES THAT HAD BEEN

PROVIDED BY THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER.

THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER AT THIS POINT DOES NOT HAVE ANY

CURRENT REMAINING EMPLOYEES.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, AGAIN, THAT -- AS

IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT IS THE FACT THAT WE BELIEVE THAT

SERVICE GAPS HAVE BEEN MET AT THIS POINT, AND THERE IS A

FOCUS ON A MORE LONG-TERM PLAN TO CONTINUE TO MEET THOSE

SERVICE GAPS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE SPRING, TO BAY

AREA LEGAL SERVICES, AND THE SPRING IS KIND OF THE LEAD ON

IDENTIFYING AND FILLING THE GAPS FOR THE SERVICES AND

PROVIDING A ONE-STOP LOCATION FOR THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE.

75

AS WE WENT THROUGH AND REVIEWED THE MATERIALS FROM THE

FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER, THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT DID

CONCERN US, WHAT WE CONSIDERED TO BE RED FLAGS.

WE FOUND THAT THEY HAD MAXED OUT A LINE OF CREDIT THAT THEY

HAD THAT WAS $50,000.

THEY HAD BEEN USING THAT FOR OPERATING PURPOSES.

WHEN THEY RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT THEY WERE GOING TO

BE -- THERE WAS GOING TO BE REDUCED FUNDING FROM THE

CHILDREN'S BOARD, WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED TO SEE SOME COST-

CUTTING MEASURES OR SOME ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TO PROVIDE SOME

ADDITIONAL REVENUE.

WHILE WE DID SEE SOME COST CUTTING, WE DID NOT SEE

SIGNIFICANT COST CUTTING OR A PLAN TO SURVIVE OUT INTO THE

FUTURE ON A LONG-TERM BASIS.

WE DID FIND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT CONCERNED US SUCH AS THEY

DO HAVE A LEASE AT FLORILAND MALL FOR A VERY LARGE SPACE.

BETWEEN THAT LEASE AND THE OPERATING EXPENSES ASSOCIATED

WITH THAT LEASE, THAT REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 35% OF THEIR

BUDGET.

THAT IS, WE CONSIDER, TO BE A BARRIER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO

RESPOND TO CHANGES IN THEIR REVENUE LEVELS.

THOSE REPRESENT FIXED COSTS, AND ANY TIME YOU HAVE A

REDUCTION IN REVENUES OR A CHALLENGE ON THE RESOURCE SIDE,

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST BY REDUCING COSTS OR

COMING UP WITH A DIFFERENT BUSINESS MODEL, THEN THAT BECOMES

A CHALLENGE, AND WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING OF THAT

SIGNIFICANCE THAT REPRESENTS A LARGE FIXED COST, IT'S

DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH.

76

THERE WERE VARIOUS OTHER THINGS THAT WE DID INCLUDE IN THE

REPORT.

I CAN GO OVER THOSE IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO, BUT I THINK THE

BOTTOM LINE TODAY IS THAT THE IMPORTANT THING THAT THE

REPORT POINTS OUT IS THAT SERVICE -- SERVICE GAPS HAVE BEEN

FILLED FROM OUR STANDPOINT.

AGAIN, KELLEY PARRIS IS HERE IF YOU HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE

SERVICES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING PROVIDED AND LONGER-TERM

PLANS, AND WITH THAT, I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, TOM.

AND AS THE COMMISSIONER WHO -- THAT ASKED YOU TO DO THIS

REPORT, I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.

COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, I THINK, TO OUR COMMUNITY

BECAUSE I THINK THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER ITSELF HAS BEEN A

GREAT LEADING PARTNER IN PREVENTION AND ADDRESSING THE ISSUE

OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND I STILL SEE THEM AS A VIABLE

PARTNER.

OF COURSE, THERE'S MANY GREAT PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

YOUR REPORT, THOUGH, WAS VERY TELLING TO ME AND RAISED A LOT

OF QUESTIONS TO ME.

IT'S NOT FOR ME SO MUCH THE VALUE OF THE SERVICE AND WHAT

THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER DOES AND DID FOR OUR COMMUNITY,

BUT IT'S REALLY AROUND THE MANAGEMENT AND THE

SUSTAINABILITY.

I MET WITH -- WITH MS. DANIELS, AND, YOU KNOW, I DID NOT GET

A LEVEL OF COMFORT THAT THE LEADERSHIP THERE OR THE -- OR

77

ANY OTHER EXECUTIVES THERE ARE WILLING TO MAKE APPROPRIATE

CHANGES TO -- TO, AGAIN, CREATE SUSTAINABILITY AND TO -- AND

TO MOVE WITH THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT; HOWEVER, I THINK THAT

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NEEDS TO BE -- IT'S A HIGH PRIORITY OF

MINE, ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE AND PREVENTION AND ADDRESSING

SERVICES, AS WELL I THINK PROBABLY YOU WOULD FIND THAT FROM

MOST OF OUR COLLEAGUES.

A QUESTION THAT I HAD IS THE BOARD, WE HAD SET ASIDE 150,000

FOR THE FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER; IS THAT CORRECT?

>>TOM FESLER: IT'S $100,000.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: IT'S $100,000?

>>TOM FESLER: CORRECT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND IS THAT STILL -- THAT $100,000 HAS NOT

YET BEEN REALLOCATED, IT'S STILL IN --

>>TOM FESLER: IT'S STILL INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AT THIS

POINT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

WELL, AGAIN, FOR ME, ADDRESSING ISSUES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

IS GOING TO REMAIN A PRIORITY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I

SUGGEST THAT WE DO IS THAT WE KEEP $100,000 -- AND I WOULD

ASK -- MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE STAFF BRING BACK TO US SOME

OPTIONS ON -- ON HOW THOSE DOLLARS CAN BE APPROPRIATED

TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT YOU FURTHER ENGAGE WITH THE CHILDREN'S

BOARD.

THEY HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE ORGANIZATION WHICH

ALSO -- THAT WE'VE TAKEN A LOT OF TIME PUTTING THAT TOGETHER

TO -- TO FUND AREAS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT I ALSO, AS I

78

EXPRESSED TO -- TO THE -- MS. DANIELS -- AND I WOULD ALSO

SAY THAT AS PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I WOULD STRONGLY

ENCOURAGE THEM TO LOOK AT REORGANIZING AND COME UP WITH A

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PLAN TO ULTIMATELY IN THE FUTURE

COMPETE ONCE AGAIN FOR SERVICES THAT WOULD ADDRESS DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE.

SO I THANK STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND THEIR DUE

DILIGENCE AND THEIR WORK, AND I WOULD -- AND I WOULD SUBMIT

THAT AS A MOTION.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

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

AND, ACTUALLY, I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TOO, SO -- AND I

SUPPORT WHAT COMMISSIONER BECKNER HAS SAID.

I KNOW THE NEED RIGHT NOW, IN TALKING WITH KELLEY PARRIS,

WAS THAT THERE -- THE CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT FOR DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE VICTIMS IS A CRITICAL NEED RIGHT NOW, AND I

GUESS -- I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THIS MOTION, BUT I'D LIKE

TO SEE YOU COME BACK.

I THINK THE -- I MEAN, I THINK I KNOW WHAT THE SPECIFIC NEED

IS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING SPECIFIC RIGHT

NOW OR WOULD YOU LIKE THEM TO COME BACK?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I JUST WANT THEM TO COME BACK WITH

RECOMMENDATIONS AND OPTIONS FOR US, AND WE CAN HAVE A

DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, SO I DON'T HAVE

ANY SPECIFIC --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME.

79

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

WELL, I DID HAVE A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION, BUT I'LL JUST

GIVE IT TO YOU AND MAKE SURE IT COMES BACK WITH YOUR -- YOUR

GROUP OF, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO ASK US

TO FUND.

>>TOM FESLER: SURE, COMMISSIONERS.

I GUESS THE ONE THING I WOULD POINT OUT IS YOUR NEXT MEETING

IS SEPTEMBER 18th --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: RIGHT.

>>TOM FESLER: -- AND YOU DO FORMALLY ADOPT YOUR BUDGET THE

NEXT DAY ON THE 19th, SO WE COULD CERTAINLY BRING YOU A

REPORT BACK ON THE 18th AND WE COULD CERTAINLY -- BASED ON

DISCUSSIONS AND ANY RECOMMENDATIONS MADE AT THE MEETING --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND THAT'S WHY I WAS BEING MINDFUL OF THAT

AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING SPECIFIC.

THAT'S WHY I TALKED TO THE CHILDREN'S BOARD, TO SEE EXACTLY

WHAT THEIR NEEDS WERE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: CAN YOU HAVE THAT WELL IN ADVANCE TO US

BEFORE THE 18th INTO OUR OFFICES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN

OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THROUGH THAT, AND THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE A

PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION?

>>TOM FESLER: SURE.

WE'LL HAVE THE DISCUSSION WITH THE CHILDREN'S BOARD.

ACTUALLY, I HAD TALKED TO KELLEY PARRIS YESTERDAY ABOUT THE

CONCEPT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

IT DID SOUND LIKE A VERY GOOD IDEA TO ME.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

80

>>SANDRA MURMAN: YOU MEAN THE ONE WITH THE MONEY GOING TO

THE ASO TO GIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE VICTIMS?

>>TOM FESLER: YES.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: YES, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT

WE MAKE THE STATEMENT WE ARE NOT ABANDONING DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE VICTIMS AT THIS BOARD.

WE WANT TO HELP, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO HELP, AND WE WANT

THOSE FUNDS USED TO FURTHER ENHANCE OUR EFFORTS TO REALLY

REACH OUT AND HELP ALL THE VICTIMS OUT THERE BECAUSE IT'S --

IT'S A RAMPANT SITUATION RIGHT NOW AND WE NEED TO DO

WHATEVER WE CAN.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND I WOULD ALSO ASK STAFF THAT AS YOU'RE

LOOKING AT THIS THAT IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC NEEDS THAT ARE

UNFULFILLED THAT SURPASS THE 100,000 THAT WE MENTIONED, IF

THERE -- IF YOU -- IF THERE'S OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE

SHOULD HAVE TO INCREASE THAT FUNDING AS WELL TOO, THAT YOU

WOULD BRING THAT BACK FOR CONSIDERATION.

AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC IN MIND, BUT, AGAIN,

THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY, I WANT TO

MAKE SURE THAT WE ALLOCATE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF

RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THAT.

>>TOM FESLER: SURE, COMMISSIONER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

>>KEN HAGAN: OKAY.

WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER, SECOND

COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

NO OTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

81

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: COMMISSIONERS, YOUR NEXT ITEM IS YOUR

11:00 A.M. TIME CERTAIN, G-2.

>>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING.

>>VEN THOMAS: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

VEN THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF FAMILY AND AGING SERVICES, AND I'M

ALSO JOINED BY JOANN ROLLINS, WHO IS THE INTERIM DIRECTOR

FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES.

WE'RE BOTH HERE TODAY TO PRESENT TO YOU A REPORT THAT YOU

REQUESTED AT YOUR APRIL 3rd MEETING THIS YEAR WHERE YOU

RECEIVED A BRIEFING ON SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND HUMAN

TRAFFICKING HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AT THAT MEETING COMMISSIONER MURMAN MADE A MOTION THAT WAS

SUPPORTED BY ALL OF YOU REQUESTING TWO THINGS FROM

CHILDREN'S SERVICES.

ONE, SHE REQUESTED THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH HTV AND THE

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN THAT

WE LOOK AT HOW WE MIGHT ESTABLISH A PUBLIC AWARENESS AND

EDUCATION SERIES FOR PARENTS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE

COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS VERY CRITICAL ISSUE FACING OUR

COMMUNITY.

SECONDLY, SHE REQUESTED THAT WE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES

TO AID THESE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL

EXPLOITATION THROUGH POTENTIAL USES FOR OUR LAKE MAGDALENE

CAMPUS OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES.

SO I'M GOING TO BEGIN BY TALKING BRIEFLY ABOUT THE FIRST

REQUEST THAT WAS MADE OF US RELATING TO PUBLIC AWARENESS AND

82

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY.

WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH IN THIS AREA, ALSO CONDUCTED SOME

SITE VISITS AND SOME LITERATURE -- LITERATURE SEARCHES,

EXCUSE ME -- BUT ONE OF THE PLEASANT THINGS THAT WE WERE

ABLE TO LEARN AS A RESULT OF OUR REVIEW IS THAT, IN FACT,

THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN WAS ALREADY ACTIVELY

ENGAGED IN DEVELOPING A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, AND SO IN

CONSULTATION WITH THEM AS WELL AS SOME BRIEF CONSULTATION

WITH HTV, WHAT WE WOULD PROPOSE TO DO IS TO HELP EXPAND UPON

WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING.

WE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL TOOLS SUCH AS SOCIAL

MEDIA, BROCHURES, PERHAPS HOSTING SOME MEDIA BRIEFING

SESSIONS, COMMUNITY FORUMS, AND HELPING TO ESTABLISH A

SPEAKERS BUREAU RELATED TO THESE TOPICS.

ACTUALLY, MS. DOTTIE GROOVER-SKIPPER, WHO IS CHAIR OF THAT

CAMPAIGN ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN

AND WHO HAPPENS TO BE PRESENT TODAY IN THE AUDITORIUM,

NOTIFIED ME YESTERDAY THAT SHE GOT SOME VERY GOOD NEWS.

AD 2 TAMPA BAY SELECTED THE JUNIOR LEAGUE AND THAT COMMUNITY

CAMPAIGN AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICS AS THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE

CLIENT FOR NEXT YEAR, AND SHE'S VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, SHE

TELLS ME.

WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A FULLY

INTEGRATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN ON CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING AND

OTHER FORMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ON A PRO BONO BASIS TO

COINCIDE WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH WILL

BE JANUARY, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A WEEKLONG SERIES OF

EVENTS AND FUNDRAISERS.

83

AND THE TWO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE INCLUDED IN OUR

REPORT RELATED TO THIS REQUEST ACTUALLY, I THINK, COULD

HAPPEN AND DOVETAIL VERY WELL WITH ACTIVITIES THAT THAT

GROUP WILL BE PLANNING FOR JANUARY AND BEYOND.

SO IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO EXPAND UPON THE CURRENT EFFORT,

WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE WORK WITH OTHER LOCAL LEADERS TO

IMPLEMENT PERIODIC ROUNDTABLES, CONDUCT SOME TRAININGS FOR

PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND ALSO WORK WITH LAW

ENFORCEMENT TO BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY IN

PUBLIC FORUMS.

LASTLY ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, WE ARE SUGGESTING THAT YOU

CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT YOU'D LIKE TO ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE

ON THIS TOPIC TO FOCUS ON HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NOT ONE CURRENTLY THAT INVOLVES

MULTIPLE AGENCIES AND, AGAIN, HAS THE COUNTY AS ITS FOCUS.

THERE IS AWARENESS WORK THAT'S GOING ON, BUT OUR THINKING IS

THAT WE COULD PULL TOGETHER MANY OF THE STAKEHOLDERS.

WE'VE LISTED SOME OF THEM IN THE REPORT -- EXCUSE ME -- IN

THE REPORT.

THEY WOULD INCLUDE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF

JUVENILE JUSTICE, THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES,

ECKERD COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES, THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT,

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS, AND OTHERS.

SO WE THINK THAT THERE COULD BE SOME EXCITING WORK AND

PLANNING DONE AS A RESULT OF A GROUP COMING TOGETHER LIKE

THAT AND PREPARING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR -- YOUR

CONSIDERATION, AND THAT COULD ALSO BE DONE AT LITTLE OR NO

COST.

84

AT THIS POINT, AS I MENTIONED, THERE WERE TWO ASPECTS TO THE

REQUEST THAT YOU MADE OF US.

THE OTHER WAS FOR THE POTENTIAL USES OF THE CHILDREN'S

SERVICES CAMPUS AT LAKE MAGDALENE RELATED TO THIS, AND I'M

GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MS. ROLLINS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT OUR SUGGESTIONS ALONG THAT LINE.

THANK YOU.

>>VICTOR CRIST: [INAUDIBLE] COMMENT ON THIS PORTION.

>> GOOD MORNING.

>>KEN HAGAN: HOLD ON ONE MOMENT.

I THINK COMMISSIONER CRIST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT.

>>VICTOR CRIST: I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS.

THAT IS A GREAT VICTORY.

I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT AD 2 DOES AND WHAT THEY WILL BE

DOING FOR YOU, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WILL PRODUCE A FULL-

SERVICE CAMPAIGN, AND THEY'LL DO THE RESEARCH AND THEY WILL

LEVERAGE A TON OF RESOURCES TO GET THIS OFF THE GROUND, AND

THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY'LL TAKE THE GOOD WORK THAT

THEY'VE DONE AND COMPETE ON A NATIONAL BASIS WITH CHAPTERS

ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.

AND I'VE SEEN MANY OF THEIR CAMPAIGNS MOVE FROM LOCAL TO

STATE TO NATIONAL LEVEL.

ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT I REMEMBER VERY WELL WAS THE SAVE THE

FLORIDA CAMPAIGN THAT WAS STARTED HERE AND THEN WENT

STATEWIDE.

ANOTHER ONE WAS THE GOVERNOR'S ADOPTION OF CHILDREN, WHICH

ACTUALLY GOT ADOPTED BY THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN AND WENT

NATIONAL.

85

BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, IF

THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS TO WORK

WITH AD 2 --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: COMMISSIONER CRIST, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I

MEAN, WE ARE DOING THAT.

THAT IS PART OF THE PLAN, AND I -- I REALLY HAD MY LIGHT

PRESSED FIRST.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON BEAT THE BUZZER TODAY, BUT --

>>VICTOR CRIST: WELL, HOLD ON.

I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF A POINT, AND IF

YOU COULD JUST HOLD FOR A SECOND.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

AND I'M ALSO CHAIR RIGHT NOW.

>>VICTOR CRIST: I UNDERSTAND.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT POINT HAS

ALREADY -- AS PART OF THE REPORT, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH

COMMUNICATIONS ALREADY.

THEY HAVE A DETAILED PLAN.

WE'RE WORKING -- EVERYBODY'S WORKING TOGETHER.

IT'S A BIG COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.

>>VICTOR CRIST: THAT'S FINE AND DANDY, BUT, AGAIN, I'D LIKE

TO ASK MR. MERRILL IF YOU COULD DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS TO

MEET WITH THEM AND SEE WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE COULD DO TO

ASSIST BECAUSE --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WE DID THAT AT THE LAST MEETING,

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: -- EVERY BIT OF THEIR EFFORTS WILL BE

LEVERAGED.

86

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WE DID THAT AT THE LAST MEETING,

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

I DID THAT IN MY MOTION.

>>VICTOR CRIST: WELL, I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU'RE

PROACTIVE THEN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY.

>>VEN THOMAS: WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THAT RECOGNITION,

AND, ACTUALLY, IT IS MS. GROOVER-SKIPPER'S VICTORY.

SHE'S EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT IT, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT

WORKING WITH THEM TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THAT CAMPAIGN.

>>VICTOR CRIST: VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.

AND REALLY, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CRIST, FOR BRINGING UP

AD 2 BECAUSE I THINK IT'S JUST ONE MORE VEHICLE THAT'S GOING

TO HELP THEM -- HELP THIS EFFORT BE VERY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE

WE HAVE -- WE HAVE BETWEEN 30- AND 40,000 RUNAWAYS IN THE

STATE RIGHT NOW WHICH ARE POTENTIAL VICTIMS OF HUMAN

TRAFFICKING.

WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

VICTIMS IN THIS STATE -- IN THE NATION, I MEAN, SO WE --

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS -- I'M JUST SO EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE

DOING BECAUSE SOME OF THE EXTRA MONEY I GOT IN THE BUDGET

THIS YEAR TO HELP YOU IN THIS EFFORT, WE'RE GOING TO -- I

BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE A REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER FOR

PEOPLE THAT TAKE CARE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CERTIFY, LICENSE IN COLLABORATION

87

WITH DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

I MEAN, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH WE CAN DO WITH ACTUALLY -- WE

CAN'T ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE SERVICES BECAUSE WE'RE SO WELL-

KNOWN, AND THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO BE IN SHELTERS THAT ARE

UNKNOWN TO PEOPLE BECAUSE OF LAKE MAG BEING SUCH A WELL-

KNOWN SHELTER, AND IF THEY KNOW HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS

ARE THERE, OF COURSE, THE PERPETRATORS WILL FIND THEM AT

THAT PLACE, SO WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

WE WANT THEM TO BE IN SECURE LOCATIONS, BUT I THINK OUR

TRAINING ASPECT, CONVENING THIS MULTIAGENCY TASK FORCE ARE

TWO VERY IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS AND GOOD SOURCE

OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO REALLY HELP OUR CHILDREN IN THIS

COMMUNITY NOT BE VICTIMS, AND I WILL -- I CAN'T REALLY PASS

THE GAVEL, SO COMMISSIONER BECKNER, YOU'LL GET TO MAKE THE

MOTION TO RECEIVE THE REPORT AND ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS

OF THE REPORT, AND THEN I'LL CALL ON YOU NOW.

IT'S YOUR TURN.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN.

VERY INTERESTING REPORT.

I'VE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF IT WAS THE INTERESTED -- WAS

FOCUSED ON DCF.

HAVE YOU-ALL LOOKED AT WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND

SECURITY IS DOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE?

>>JOANN ROLLINS: ACTUALLY, WE PARTICIPATED IN SOME WEB SITE

TRAINING ABOUT HOMELAND SECURITY AND HUMAN SEXUAL

TRAFFICKING.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION, BUT WE DO HAVE THEM

88

AS REFERRAL SOURCES.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH, AND THE REASON --

>>VEN THOMAS: I WOULD --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: GO AHEAD.

>>VEN THOMAS: I WOULD JUST INTERJECT ALSO THAT THAT IS ONE

OF THE PRIMARY PURPOSES FOR THE TASK FORCE SUGGESTION.

WE FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRING

MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND ENTITIES TOGETHER TO COORDINATE

ON ALL OF WHAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY DOING IN THIS AREA.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

THE REASON WHY I MENTIONED THAT IS WHEN I WAS AT HARVARD,

THAT WAS ONE OF -- ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR CLASS PROJECTS.

ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS THERE, THEY HAD A BIG ISSUE THAT

THEY WERE FOCUSING ON WAS HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND WHEN WE PUT

TOGETHER ALL THE RESEARCH, WE FOUND THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF

HOMELAND SECURITY IS RUNNING A BIG CAMPAIGN, IT'S CALLED THE

BLUE CAMPAIGN, AND THEY HAVE EXTENSIVE OUTREACH.

IN FACT, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO COME IN

AND EDUCATE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, SO

THEY HAVE A VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESOURCES

DEDICATED TO THIS AS WELL AS AN EXTENSIVE CAMPAIGN, AND

COMMISSIONER MURMAN, I WILL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THAT CLASS

MEMBER, AS I HAD PROMISED YOU, SO THAT YOU-ALL CAN TALK

BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN ONE OF HER PASSIONS AS WELL TOO, BUT

THEY HAVE A VERY EXTENSIVE PROGRAM, SO I WOULD CERTAINLY

MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TIED IN TO THE FEDERAL --

>>VEN THOMAS: YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT.

89

I ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS A PRESENTATION

ABOUT THAT CAMPAIGN AT A ATHENA CLUB SESSION NOT LONG AGO,

AND IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE, SO IT

IS SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO ROLL OUT IN BIG FASHION

IN THE COMING MONTHS.

VERY EXCITING.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: ABSOLUTELY.

GREAT WORK, COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NO ONE

ELSE IN THE STATE IS DOING THIS, SO WE WILL BE PUTTING OUR

COUNTY AT THE FOREFRONT OF ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE, AND

DOTTIE, THANKS TO YOU.

SHE IS GOING -- DOING THESE TASK FORCE MEETINGS ALL THE

TIME, CONTINUALLY PREPARING, GETTING COMMUNICATION OUT

THERE, GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND I JUST

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP VERY MUCH.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: WELL, ONE OF THE REASONS, COMMISSIONER

MURMAN, THAT THIS GOES UNNOTICED IS BECAUSE VICTIMS OF HUMAN

TRAFFICKING LIVE AND WALK AMONGST US.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: YES.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND MANY OF THEM ARE NOT RECOGNIZED AS

VICTIMS.

WE FOUND A LOT OF THEM ARE IMMIGRANTS THAT ARE BROUGHT OVER

HERE WITH FALSE PROMISES, AMONGST CHILDREN THAT ARE

RECRUITED THAT DON'T HAVE HOMES, SO THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT

AREN'T OFTEN RECOGNIZED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND SO, YOU KNOW,

BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, IT'S ONE OF THOSE -- A FEW

OF THOSE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT JUST

90

REALLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN A LOT OF ATTENTION BUT CERTAINLY

DESERVE THE ATTENTION AND RECOGNITION AND A FOCUS BY THIS

BOARD AND OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, I THINK IT'S A CHANCE FOR US TO BE A

LEADER, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RELATES TO -- THESE ARE CHILD

ABUSE VICTIMS TECHNICALLY SPEAKING.

YOU KNOW, A PERPETRATOR GETS, YOU KNOW, AHOLD OF THESE

GROUPS OF CHILDREN AND TRAFFICS THEM OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE,

AND I THINK IT'S JUST -- IT'S PRETTY SAD THAT IT EXISTS.

IT EXISTS A LOT IN OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S A VERY UNDERGROUND

EFFORT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TO BE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN,

SO I DO -- I COMMEND YOU FOR -- AND ERICA MOORE IS NOT HERE

TODAY, BUT SHE HAS TAKEN THIS ISSUE ON PERSONALLY AND

WORKING VERY HARD ON IT ALSO, SO --

>>VEN THOMAS: SHE CONTRIBUTED MIGHTILY TO THE DELIBERATIONS

AND TO THE REPORT ITSELF --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SHE DID?

SHE'S VERY --

>>VEN THOMAS: I'M SORRY SHE'S NOT AVAILABLE TODAY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I'M INTERESTED IN THE SUBJECT.

I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD ONE.

MR. MERRILL, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY STAFF REPORTS DON'T HAVE

RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SO I THOUGHT I HEARD A MOTION TO

APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH, WELL, WE --

>>MIKE MERRILL: I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE ALL

91

UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THAT ARE BEING

APPROVED BECAUSE THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT, ALSO IN A STAFF

REPORT, SO I JUST -- I'M NOT CLEAR ON WHAT THE

RECOMMENDATION --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO WE'RE JUST MOVING TO ACCEPT THE REPORT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OH, OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO ON YOUR BEHALF, I WILL MOVE TO ACCEPT

THE REPORT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: EXACTLY.

AND -- BUT IN THAT REPORT IT DOES SAY CONVENING A

MULTIAGENCY TASK FORCE.

IS THAT -- WOULD THAT HAVE TO BE A SEPARATE MOTION?

>>VEN THOMAS: OUR INTENT WAS MERELY TO SUGGEST THAT THERE

ARE MANY OPTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION COULD CONSIDER, AND

THAT IS AMONG THE OPTIONS, BUT WE DID NOT MAKE SPECIFIC

RECOMMENDATIONS, JUST PRESENTED WHAT WE FOUND AS WE DID OUR

RESEARCH.

>>MIKE MERRILL: IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE,

THEN --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

SO DO YOU WANT TO ADD THAT TO YOUR MOTION, COMMISSIONER

BECKNER?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SURE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>>MARK SHARPE: [RAISED HAND]

92

>>SANDRA MURMAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>JOANN ROLLINS: THANK YOU.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0.

>>VEN THOMAS: THANK YOU.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

MR. MERRILL, NEXT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE HAVE A FEW ITEMS THAT WE COULD FINISH

BEFORE THE LUNCH RECESS.

WE HAVE -- OH, WE LOST COMMISSIONER HAGAN, THOUGH.

WE HAVE APPOINTMENTS AND WE HAVE COMMISSIONER MURMAN'S ITEM,

F-2 ARE THE TWO REMAINING OTHER REGULAR ITEMS, SO WE COULD

TAKE F-2 IF YOU WANT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SURE.

MINE'S VERY SIMPLE.

I WANT TO MOVE -- MAKE A MOTION TO REQUEST COUNTY STAFF TO

COME BACK TO US WITH AN UPDATE -- UPDATE ON THE PROGRESS OF

STREAMLINING THE REGULATIONS IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT

WERE INITIATED FROM THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY STAKEHOLDER

COMMITTEE, AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR.

AND I GUESS IN AN UPDATE ON THIS, WHEN I WAS GOING BACK AND

LOOKING AT OUR LAST CONVERSATIONS THAT I RECALL FROM

DECEMBER, STAFF I THOUGHT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BRINGING BACK A

WORKSHOP OR A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS ON THIS BECAUSE THE

RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE TASK FORCE HAVE NEVER BEEN FORMALLY

ADOPTED BY THIS BOARD, SO I'M WONDERING WHERE WE'RE AT IN

THAT PROCESS OR WHAT -- HOW STAFF IS PROCEEDING WITH THIS.

93

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND IF I CAN INTERJECT, THAT IS MY

DISCUSSION WITH MS. GARSYS IS THAT SHE IS GOING TO COME BACK

WITH THIS UPDATE, AND PART OF THAT RECOMMENDATION -- UPDATE

WILL BE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THESE WORKSHOPS.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OH, OKAY.

IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT I READ THAT HERE, I THOUGHT IT LOOKED

LIKE THAT WE WERE APPROVING OR TRYING TO GO WITH THE

RECOMMENDATIONS TO STREAMLINE THE REGULATIONS, BUT I JUST --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: NO.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OH, OKAY.

SO THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THIS IS AN UPDATE, AND SHE'LL COME BACK TO

US, AND THEY'RE READY -- ALMOST READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH

THE WORKSHOPS.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: WITH THE WORKSHOPS.

OKAY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I'LL SUPPORT THAT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, I CAN'T MAKE THE MOTION, THAT'S

RIGHT, SO YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE THE MOTION AGAIN.

COMMISSIONER -- MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: ALL IN -- WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION,

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OTHER THAN APPOINTMENTS, THERE ARE NO OTHER

ITEMS TO TAKE UP THIS MORNING UNLESS YOU HAVE FUTURE

DISCUSSIONS.

94

>>SANDRA MURMAN: YOU WANT TO DO APPOINTMENTS?

>>MIKE MERRILL: OH, WE CAN DO APPOINTMENTS.

COMMISSIONER HAGAN IS BACK.

>>LUANN FINLEY: WE HAVE TWO BOARDS TODAY.

THE FIRST ONE IS THE ARTS COUNCIL.

PLEASE CHOOSE ONE.

COMMISSIONER HAGAN.

>>KEN HAGAN: CLAYTOR.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: CLAYTOR.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER MILLER.

OH, HE'S NOT HERE.

COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: CLAYTOR.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: CLAYTOR.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: CLAYTOR.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

>>MARK SHARPE: CLAYTOR.

>>LUANN FINLEY: IT WILL BE LINDSAY CLAYTOR.

THE SECOND BOARD IS THE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION

COLLABORATIVE.

THERE ARE FIVE POSITIONS.

THREE OF -- THE EDUCATION, THE COMMUNITY-BASED, AND FAITH

COMMUNITY, WE HAD ONE APPLICANT FOR EACH AND THEY WILL BE

APPOINTED.

FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY/JUDICIARY, PLEASE CHOOSE ONE,

95

COMMISSIONER HAGAN, AND PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FIRST PERSON,

MORGHAN BELLER, IS LISTED UNDER THE TWO BOARDS, THE PUBLIC

SAFETY AND THE HEALTH CARE.

>>KEN HAGAN: JURMAN.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WE'RE PICKING TWO OR ONE?

>>LUANN FINLEY: FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OH, PUBLIC SAFETY.

JURMAN.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: JURMAN.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: JURMAN.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: JURMAN.

>>LUANN FINLEY: AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

>>MARK SHARPE: JURMAN.

>>LUANN FINLEY: OKAY.

AND FOR THE HEALTH CARE, COMMISSIONER HAGAN.

>>KEN HAGAN: BELLER.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: DeLaROCHA.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

>>VICTOR CRIST: DeLaROCHA.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: DeLaROCHA.

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: DeLaROCHA.

96

>>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER SHARPE.

>>MARK SHARPE: BELLER.

>>LUANN FINLEY: IT WILL BE DANIEL MURMAN AND --

>>MARK SHARPE: JOSE DeLaROCHA.

>>LUANN FINLEY: -- JOSE DeLaROCHA.

>>KEN HAGAN: MOTION TO CONFIRM.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: MOVE TO CONFIRM.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: SECOND.

>>KEN HAGAN: MOTION COMMISSIONER BECKNER, SECOND

COMMISSIONER MURMAN TO CONFIRM.

PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE HAVE NO OTHER ITEMS OTHER THAN FUTURE

DISCUSSION.

>>KEN HAGAN: ANY FUTURE ISSUES ITEM?

COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

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

BOARD MEMBERS, ONE THING I WANTED TO BRING BACK THAT WE

HADN'T HAD A DISCUSSION FOR A LITTLE WHILE IS THAT WE'VE

BEEN LEFT IN LIMBO REFERENCE THE ISSUE OF THE DIVERSITY

ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND SO I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE MAY BE SOME

DIFFERENCES THAT WE HAVE ON THE BOARD, BUT AS I WAS GIVING

SOME THOUGHT, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE REVISIT

THIS DISCUSSION, BRING SOME CLOSURE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF

WORK -- IMPORTANT WORK THAT THAT COUNCIL CAN DO, AND I'M

CERTAINLY WILLING TO SET ASIDE SOME DIFFERENCES IN THE ORDER

OF THE GOOD OF THE WHOLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS BOARD CAN

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CONVENE TO GET THE IMPORTANT WORK DONE OF BUILDING

MULTICULTURAL DIVERSITY IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WOULD PUT TRUST

AND CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN DEVELOP A WORKING BOARD THAT CAN

REACH SOME CONSENSUS AND HAVE RESPECTFUL DISAGREEMENT WHEN

SOME ISSUES ARISE, SO I WOULD JUST ASK STAFF TO BRING THAT

BACK AT OUR SEPTEMBER 18th MEETING.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, WE'LL DO THAT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU.

>>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER CRIST.

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

I'D LIKE TO THANK COMMISSIONER BECKNER FOR YOUR OPEN-MINDED

AND OBJECTIVENESS HERE AND MOST OF ALL YOUR SPIRIT OF

WORKING COLLABORATIVELY ON THIS, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.

>>KEN HAGAN: ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER FUTURE ISSUES ITEMS?

IF NOT, WE'LL ADJOURN AND RECONVENE AT 1:30.

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