CAPTIONING MARCH 4, 2009 BOCC REGULAR MEETING MORNING SESSION ***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate. >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 4th, 2009, REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE AND INVOCATION, GIVEN BY OUR CHAPLAIN, COMMISSIONER AL HIGGINBOTHAM. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: GOOD MORNING. IT WAS THIS DAY IN HISTORY IN 1789 THAT THE U.S. CONSTITUTION FIRST WENT INTO EFFECT IN CONGRESS. IT WAS ON THIS VERY DAY IN 1933 THAT FRANK -- FRANCIS PERKINS WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO EVER SERVE IN A PRESIDENTIAL CABINET AS SECRETARY OF LABOR IN THE ROOSEVELT ADMINISTRATION. LET US PRAISE AND THANK GOD FOR THIS WONDERFUL COUNTRY AND DO WHAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS DID WITH SO MANY OF THEIR MEETINGS AND START WITH PRAYER. FATHER, WE THANK YOU AND WE ASK THAT YOU WATCH OVER THIS GATHERING AND THIS MEETING, GRANT US PATIENCE, PEACE OF MIND, AND RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER. AMEN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. BEFORE WE GET STARTED THIS MORNING, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS, THE FIRST ONE FROM COMMISSIONER JIM NORMAN. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I'LL BE LEAVING THE BOCC MEETING THIS MORNING AT 9:45 TO ATTEND A FUNERAL. I PLAN TO RETURN FOR THE AFTERNOON SESSION. PLEASE READ THE REASON FOR MY ABSENCE INTO THE RECORD. THANK YOU. AND I ALSO HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER ROSE FERLITA'S OFFICE THIS MORNING. SHE'S RUNNING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND SCHEDULE, BUT SHE'LL BE HERE SHORTLY. THIS MORNING WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO MAKE A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS, AND THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE BY COMMISSIONER KEVIN WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND BOARD MEMBERS. IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TODAY TO BE PRESENTING THREE SPECIAL AWARD RECOGNITION PROCLAMATIONS TO MEMBERS OF OUR HEAD START. TODAY I'M GOING TO BE ASKING MS. ANNIE BOLLING, JUANA MILLER, AND KRISTIN SANTOS TO JOIN ME UP FRONT, PLEASE. WELCOME. FIRST OF ALL, MS. BOLLING. MS. BOLLING, MS. MILLER, MS. SANTOS WERE RECENTLY RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE IN THEIR FIELD FOR THE FLORIDA HEAD START ASSOCIATION AND THE REGION 4 HEAD START ASSOCIATION. REGION 4 IS COMPRISED OF EIGHT STATES AND SERVING ONE MILLION FAMILIES THROUGH 400 HEAD START PROGRAMS. MS. BOLLING RECEIVED THE HEAD START NUTRITION SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR AWARD. AS A 30-YEAR-PLUS EMPLOYEE OF HEAD START, MS. BOLLING HAS CONTRIBUTED HER SKILLS, ATTENTION TO DETAIL, AND PATIENCE AND ENERGY TO THE PROGRAM. THIS HAS LED HER SERVICE AREA TO BE RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE EXCELLENCE IN RECORDKEEPING, EFFICIENCY PROCESSES, AND ACCURATE DATA. MS. BOLLING, PLEASE ACCEPT THIS CERTIFICATE WITH OUR GRATITUDE. AND THIS IS FROM THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, READING CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION PRESENTED TO ANNIE BOLLING FOR EXHIBITING EXCELLENCE IN REPRESENTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN SERVICES HEAD START DIVISION WITH THE HIGHEST STANDARD PERFORMANCE AT LOCAL, STATE, AND REGIONAL LEVELS AND FOR WINNING THE NUTRITION SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR THE FLORIDA HEAD START ASSOCIATION, REGIONALLY AWARDED THIS 4th DAY OF MARCH, 2009. [APPLAUSE] SECOND MS. MILLER, PLEASE COME FORWARD. MS. MILLER WAS AWARDED WITH THE HEAD START TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD. AS A FORMER PARENT OF A HEAD START CHILD, SHE PURSUED THE NECESSARY EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND CERTIFICATIONS TO BECOME A TEACHER'S ASSISTANT. SHE WAS EVENTUALLY PROMOTED TO TEACHER AND LATER CENTER COORDINATOR. MS. MILLER IS A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL WITH EXTRAORDINARY PATIENCE AND FUN-LOVING ATTITUDE THAT ENDEAVORS EACH CHILD -- THAT ENDEARS TO EACH CHILD AT HEAD START. MS. MILLER, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING SELECTED HEAD START TEACHER OF THE YEAR, AND THIS CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION PRESENTED TO JUANA MILLER FOR EXHIBITING EXCELLENCE IN REPRESENTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES HEAD START DIVISION WITH THE HIGHEST STANDARD AND LEVEL AT LOCAL, STATE, AND REGIONAL LEVELS FOR WINNING THE HEAD START TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR FLORIDA HEAD START ASSOCIATION REGIONAL CONFERENCE. [APPLAUSE] AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, MS. SANTOS. MS. SANTOS RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP AWARD AS GRADUATE OF HEAD START. AS A CURRENT STUDENT IN THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, MS. SANTOS EXEMPLIFIES A TRUE SUCCESS STORY, HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND SINCERE INTEREST IN LEARNING TO BE THE IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP. MS. SANTOS, WELL DONE AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. PRESENTED TO YOU, CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION PRESENTED TO KRISTIN SANTOS FOR EXHIBITING EXCELLENCE AND FOR WINNING THE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD AS A GRADUATE OF HEAD START AT THE FLORIDA HEAD START ASSOCIATION REGIONAL CONFERENCE. AGAIN, SIGNED BY ALL THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, MARCH 4th, 2009. [APPLAUSE] [INAUDIBLE] >> GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEAD START PROGRAM FOR 18 YEARS, BEGINNING IN THE 1990s WHEN MY SON ATTENDED THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE HEAD START -- MOSI'S HEAD START CENTER. THIS PROGRAM NOT ONLY GAVE ME A HEAD START BUT ALSO GAVE -- NOT ONLY GAVE MY SON A HEAD START BUT ALSO GAVE ME A HEAD START, SO I ACCEPT THIS TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD WITH GREAT HONOR TODAY. IN RECOGNITION, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MRS. DASHER FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND LEAD IN A POSITION WHERE I'M TRULY PASSIONATE. I ALSO ACCEPT THIS AWARD IN THE NAME OF OTHER GREAT COLLEAGUES WHO ARE ALSO DEDICATED TO EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS -- AND THE PARENTS TO DO THEIR PART TOGETHER AS A TEAM. OUR CHILDREN ARE SUCCESSFUL. IT IS TRULY AN INSPIRATION TO BE RECOGNIZED IN A PROFESSION WHERE GOING THE EXTRA MILE IS NOT A TASK BUT A FULFILLMENT, NOT A JOB BUT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, NOT JUST WORKING FOR A PAYCHECK, BUT A VALUABLE EXCITEMENT. WITHOUT THEM -- WITHOUT THE CHILDREN, THERE WOULD BE NO US, AND OUR WORK IS REFLECTED ON THEM, ON THE CHILDREN, SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR RECOGNITION, AND I AM TRULY, TRULY BLESSED TO BE NOMINATED AGAIN FOR SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> GOOD MORNING. IT IS INDEED AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS THE NUTRITION SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR AND TO BE RECOGNIZED BY YOU, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AND ON BEHALF OF OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HEAD START DEPARTMENT AND UNDER OUR LEADERSHIP OF MR. LOUIS FINNEY AND OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTORS AND STAFF, I THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I AM VERY GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY MOTHER BECAUSE WITHOUT HER LOVE AND SUPPORT, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. I HAVE BEEN VERY HONORED TO BE A PART OF THE HEAD START PROGRAM, BOTH AS A CHILD WHEN I WAS ENROLLED AT THE AGE OF FOUR AND AS A USF STUDENT INTERN LAST SEMESTER. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE IN WHAT HEAD START STRIVES FOR, AND AS I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU AS A SOON-TO-BE USF GRADUATE, I CAN ASSURE YOU FROM EXPERIENCE THAT IT HAS ALREADY ACHIEVED ITS GOALS, AND I HOPE IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME. HEAD START IS DOING A WONDERFUL THING HERE, AND THESE CHILDREN'S FAMILY REALLY NEEDED HELP. AGAIN, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: NOW WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL PRESENTATION MADE BY COMMISSIONER KEVIN BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND BOARD MEMBERS, AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY JOINING US VIA HTV AND ALSO EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREATEST PRIVILEGES AND HONORS THAT WE HAVE AS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS RECOGNIZING SOME OF THE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DOING AMAZING THINGS IN THEIR LIVES AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND TODAY I HAVE THE GREAT PLEASURE TO SHARE AN EXCEPTIONAL STORY OF A GROUP OF YOUNG MEN WHO HAVE RAISED THE BAR FOR ALL OF US AND HAVE MADE OUR COMMUNITY SO VERY, VERY PROUD. I'D LIKE TO ASK THE YOUNG MEN AND COACHES FROM THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM, IF YOU ALL WOULD PLEASE STAND. A LITTLE OVER TWO WEEKS AGO THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM HAD A RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE AT THE 2009 FHSAA STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT HELD IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA. PLEASE ALLOW ME TO SHARE THEIR STORY BY READING THIS PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS, THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A LEGEND IN THE WORLD OF HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING, WITH 20 STATE TITLES, INCLUDING A CURRENT STATE RECORD OF NINE CONSECUTIVE CLASS 2A CROWNS, 52 INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONS, WITH A TOTAL OF 77 STATE TITLES, AND A NATIONAL RECORD CONSECUTIVE DUAL MATCH WIN STREAK THAT CONTINUED FOR 35 SEASONS TO ITS CREDIT; AND WHEREAS, THIS YEAR'S WRESTLING SEASON HAS PRODUCED SIMILARLY IMPRESSIVE RESULTS WHEN IT CLAIMED THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP YET AGAIN, SET A STATE RECORD WITH SEVEN INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS, BESTING ITS OWN RECORD OF SIX, SCORED A STATE RECORD 270 TOURNAMENT POINTS, AND ALL 12 WRESTLERS THAT THE EAGLES SENT TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION PLACED IN THE TOP FIVE; AND WHEREAS, THE TEAM'S SUCCESS THIS YEAR WAS SECURED IN PART BECAUSE OF TEAM MEMBER ERIC GRAJALES' CAREER UNDEFEATED STREAK OF 217 AND ZERO, WHO ALSO WON AN INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW AND IS RANKED NUMBER ONE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLER IN HIS WEIGHT CLASS IN THIS NATION; AND WHEREAS, THE EAGLES' CONTINUED DOMINANCE FURTHER IS DUE TO THE DEDICATION AND LEGENDARY LEADERSHIP OF THEIR COACH, RUSS COZART, WHO WAS NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR IN 2006 BY WRESTLING USA MAGAZINE, AS A WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPION IN HIS OWN RIGHT, AND WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN AN ESPN DOCUMENTARY PRODUCED ABOUT THE TEAM LAST YEAR CALLED "THE STREAK"; AND WHEREAS, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION CONGRATULATES THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL AND ITS ADMINISTRATION, COACH RUSS COZART, AND ATHLETIC STAFF, AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM FOR THEIR AMAZING AND RECORD-BREAKING ACCOMPLISHMENTS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, DOES HEREBY SET ASIDE THE DATE OF WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4th, 2009, AS THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM STATE CHAMPIONS DAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM FOR THEIR ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE HONOR AND RECOGNITION THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY. WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM. [APPLAUSE] AND SPEAKING OF WINNING STREAKS, I'D LIKE TO ASK BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR ERIC GRAJALES, IF YOU WOULD COME UP HERE AND JOIN ME. ERIC, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION, I'D LIKE TO READ A PARTICULAR PROCLAMATION THAT'S DEDICATED JUST TO YOU. IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING YOUR WRESTLING CAREER WITH THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM. YOUR UNPRECEDENTED ACCOMPLISHMENT AS A FOUR-YEAR UNDEFEATED STATE CHAMPION, THE NUMBER ONE RANKED HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLER IN YOUR WEIGHT CLASS IN THE NATION, AND AS A COMPETITOR IN LAST YEAR'S U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS PROVES THAT HARD WORK AND DEDICATION CAN MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE. THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY OFFER ITS CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND -- FOR YOUR MANY RECORD-BREAKING ACHIEVEMENTS AND FOR THE POSITIVE RECOGNITION THAT IT HAS BROUGHT TO YOU AND OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE PROUD TO CALL YOU A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR ENDEAVORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AND ALL YOUR LIFE'S PURSUITS. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] AND ONE MORE PERSON I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO REALLY RECOGNIZE TODAY. YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE THING -- THE PEOPLE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO HONOR ARE OUR ROLE MODELS, OUR COACHES THAT LEAD OUR YOUTH TO GREAT EXCELLENCE, AND YOU KNOW, THIS NEXT PERSON THAT WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE, YOU KNOW, HE NOT ONLY BUILT A FOUNDATION FOR AN OUTSTANDING ATHLETIC PROGRAM, BUT AS A TEACHER, MENTOR, AND A ROLE MODEL REALLY BUILT A FOUNDATION OF EXCELLENCE FOR SO MANY OF YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS. COACH COZART, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME UP HERE. COACH, FOR 29 SEASONS YOU HAVE GUIDED THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM TO GREATNESS, YOU HAVE INSPIRED HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF YOUNG MEN TO BE THEIR BEST, TO REACH HIGHER, TO ACHIEVE MORE, TO STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE, AND WHILE WE WERE DOING SOME RESEARCH, I JUST PULLED UP THIS BLOG FROM ONE OF YOUR PAST WRESTLERS BACK IN THE DAY, STEVE PENDERGRASS. DO YOU REMEMBER MR. PENDERGRASS? AND THIS IS WHAT HE WRITES IN HIS BLOG. I CAN ONLY SAY THAT TO BE PART OF SOMETHING THAT GREAT WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL TO MY LIFE. FOR A SKINNY KID WHO WEIGHED LESS THAN 100 POUNDS BACK THEN, I BECAME A WARRIOR IN MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT. COACH COZART TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT SETTING GOALS, DETERMINATION, DRIVE, STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE, AND DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BE PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY READY TO TAKE ON MY NEXT OPPONENT. MANY OF THOSE LESSONS THAT I LEARNED BACK THEN I STILL CARRY WITH ME TODAY, AND I WAS FAR FROM BEING ONE OF THOSE ELITE WRESTLERS, BUT COACH COZART TREATED US ALL EQUALLY AND FAIRLY WITH HIS TIME AND COMMITMENT. COACH, THIS BOARD THANKS YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE EXCELLENCE THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT, NOT ONLY IN COACHING AND BUILDING A GREAT ATHLETIC PROGRAM WITH THE BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLE TEAM BUT ALSO MAKING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, LEARN, AND PLAY FOR ALL PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OUR YOUTH. SO COACH, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU A KEY TO THE COUNTY AND CONGRATULATE YOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEVIN BECKNER: CAN WE GET A GROUP SHOT WITH ALL OF THE OTHER WRESTLERS? GREAT. NOW, ERIC AND COACH, IF YOU-ALL WANT TO SAY JUST A COUPLE OF WORDS. >> SURE. YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, ERIC? >> YOU CAN GO AHEAD. [LAUGHTER] >> YOU WANT TO GO FIRST OR -- >> [INAUDIBLE] >> OKAY. ERIC'S A GOOD KID, AND I WANT TO THANK THE WHOLE COMMISSION FOR INVITING US HERE THIS MORNING. IT'S VERY HUMBLING FOR US. IT'S -- WRESTLING'S A GREAT SPORT WHERE YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD, AND IT'S -- THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION. NOT ONLY DO I HOPE THAT I'M TEACHING THEM HOW TO WRESTLE AND HOW TO BE GREAT WINNERS, BUT HOPEFULLY I'M TEACHING THEM HOW TO BE GREAT CITIZENS AND GREAT -- GREAT PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT STATE OF OURS AND THIS GREAT COUNTY OF OURS, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR IT. JUST A COUPLE OF OUR GUYS ARE RYAN RENKEY, A SENIOR, WILL BE ATTENDING WEST POINT THIS YEAR. HE'LL BE THE FOURTH BRANDON WRESTLER TO GO TO WEST POINT. WE HAVE ZAQ BERRIDGE, A SENIOR, THAT WILL BE GOING TO THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY. HE'LL BE OUR FIRST WRESTLER AT THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY. WE ALSO HAVE -- ERIC, AS MENTIONED, IS GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, AND ANOTHER SENIOR, KEVIN TIMOTHY, IS GOING TO THE CITADEL, AND ANOTHER SENIOR THAT WON'T BE PURSUING HIS WRESTLING CAREER BUT WILL BE PURSUING HIS COLLEGE EDUCATION AT FLORIDA SOUTHERN, OUR HEAVYWEIGHT, ROB HOELZER, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN. YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY, AND WISH YOU LUCK IN GUIDING OUR GREAT COUNTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: COACH, I JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE CONTRIBUTION THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE MADE TO OUR COMMUNITY. EACH OF YOU YOUNG MEN, YOU HAVE A LOT OF REASONS TO BE PROUD FOR THE HARD WORK AND ALL THE THINGS -- AND ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY PROUD OF YOU, AND OUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU, AND WHERE'S THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S GOING TO WEST POINT? I'M A NAVY MAN, BUT I WON'T GIVE YOU TOO MUCH GRIEF. AND TO BOTH OF YOU, THE -- ALL OF YOU, BUT THE WEST POINT GENTLEMAN, THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S GOING TO GO TO THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY AND THE CITADEL, I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SERVING OUR COUNTRY, AND TO ALL THE REST OF YOU TOO, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE DOING WONDERFUL THINGS, YOU'RE GOING TO DO -- YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR NATION, AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SHARP YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHO WE CAN LOOK UP TO, AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FUTURE. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: AND I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER BECKNER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. HAVING GROWN UP HERE IN TAMPA AND ATTENDING CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL, I'M WELL AWARE AND FAMILIAR OF WHAT A SPECIAL PROGRAM AND A SPECIAL TEAM THIS IS. I THINK THE KEY WORD IN THE PROCLAMATION THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME WAS "LEGEND," AND THIS TEAM AND PROGRAM IS LEGENDARY, AND FROM THE ESPN DOCUMENTARY TO THE GASPARILLA FILM FESTIVAL, THIS TEAM AND THIS PROGRAM IS EVERYWHERE, AND THIS -- NOT ONLY THIS COMMUNITY, THIS COUNTY, BUT I THINK THIS ENTIRE STATE IS EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU GUYS, SO GREAT JOB, AND ERIC, I HEARD YOU ON 102.5 LAST WEEK OR SO, SO I KNOW YOU'RE NOT TOO SHY, SO YOU COULD COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS, BUT -- COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE ALSO THE PRINCIPAL OF THIS SCHOOL, MS. LESLIE GRANICH. MS. GRANICH, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AT THE SCHOOL AND THE GUIDANCE YOU HAVE GIVEN THESE YOUNG MEN AND YOUTH AT THAT SCHOOL. IF YOU JUST WANT TO STAND AND RISE, WE'LL RECOGNIZE YOU SEPARATELY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: GREAT JOB. MS. BEAN. >>PAT BEAN: YES, COMMISSIONERS. I JUST WILL MAKE ONE QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE HAVE A WINNER ON OUR BOARD. TODAY JIM NORMAN HAD JUST RECEIVED BEFORE WE CAME INTO THE BOARDROOM THE 2008 BIG HEART AWARD. JIM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR HEART SURGERY, YOU HAD SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOUR HEART'S DOING FINE AND THAT IT'S A BIG HEART, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING RECOGNIZED AS THE 2008 BIG HEART AWARD. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] WHAT THAT IS, FOLKS, IS THE HEART ASSOCIATION AND THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO ASSISTING ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH HEART ISSUES. THERE ARE ACTUALLY THOUSANDS THAT -- HEART WALKS AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, AND I WAS PRESENTED IT BY MR. SCHULER AND THE HEART ASSOCIATION, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IT WAS VERY NICE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. >>PAT BEAN: AND NOW I'LL GO OVER THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA. WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT'S AN OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEM THAT REQUIRES UNDER RULE 13 -- NO, IT DON'T. I'M SORRY. I'M READING WRONG. ONE OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEM, AND THAT'S THE PROCLAMATION THAT WAS JUST PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER TO THE BRANDON TEAM. AND THEN REVISIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA. ON A-1 WE NEED TO MAKE A CORRECTION THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED IN DARK THERE AS WELL AS THE SUPPORTING NOTE AND MORTGAGE MODIFICATION BEING ADDED TO THE ITEM REGARDING QUANTUM LEAP FARM. AND THEN WE HAVE ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT FOR DISCUSSION. WE HAVE ITEM A-10, WHICH IS THE ITEM TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT OF SETTLEMENT AND MUTUAL RELEASE IN THE CASE OF SETTLED SOLIDS MANAGEMENT, AND THIS IS COMING FROM THE WATER DEPARTMENT. COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM PULLED THAT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION. ITEM A-30, SELECT HDR ENGINEERING, INC., DEEMED TO BE THE MOST HIGHLY QUALIFIED TO PERFORM THE SERVICES FOR RPS PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR PD&E STUDY FOR VAN DYKE ROAD. THAT ITEM WAS PULLED BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA. ITEM A-45, APPROVING A CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE FINAL TO THE CONTRACT WITH CEM ENTERPRISES FOR THE CARROLLWOOD CULTURAL CENTER. THAT ITEM WAS ALSO PULLED BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA. WE DO HAVE SOME TIME CERTAINS SET FOR TODAY. WE HAVE AT 10:00 ITEM F-2, DEALING WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF FORECLOSED AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN AT 10:15, ITEM B-1, RECEIVING A STATUS REPORT ON THE BIENNIAL BUDGET PROCESS FOR FY 10 AND FY 11. AT 10:30, B-2, RECEIVING A COUNTY AUDIT REPORT 177 OF THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION. AT 2:00 WE HAVE AN ITEM D-1, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING, CONDUCTING THE SECOND OF TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE MADISON AVENUE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. AND THEN ALSO AT 2:00, ITEM D-2, A PUBLIC HEARING DIRECTING STAFF TO NOT ARBITRATE TAMPA BAY WATER'S PROPOSED WATER YEAR 2008 OPTIMIZED REGIONAL OPERATIONS PLAN ANNUAL REPORT. AND THOSE ARE THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MR. CHAIR. >>ROSE FERLITA: MOVE THE CHANGES, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>MARK SHARPE: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CHANGES COMMISSIONER FERLITA, SECOND COMMISSIONER SHARPE. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. NOW WE'LL GO INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR AGENDA. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS. YOUR OPINIONS ARE VALUED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING VALUABLE INPUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS; HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED THAT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD THAT COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A COMMISSIONER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT DIRECTED AT 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 RECORD. EACH PERSON WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES. THE FIRST SPEAKER IS VIVIAN BACCA AND THEN MARILYN SMITH AND JASON STARLING. GOOD MORNING, MS. BACCA. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER FERLITA, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU'RE FEELING A LITTLE BETTER. MY NAME IS VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON. THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS AGENDA ITEM A-38 TO 41. THEY'RE REQUESTING PERMISSION FOR ROAD CLOSURES OF UP TO 180 DAYS DUE TO SINKHOLE ISSUES WITH AN AUTOMATIC EXTENSION OF AN ADDITIONAL 180 DAYS, WHICH IS BASICALLY AN ENTIRE YEAR. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN EXPLANATION OF THE TRAFFIC IMPACT THAT THESE ROAD CLOSURES WILL HAVE ON THE BACKUP, AND I WAS CONCERNED PARTICULARLY ABOUT A-39, THE GALLAGHER ROAD CLOSING. IT COULD IMPACT THE HIGH SCHOOL IF THAT REPAIR IS NOT DONE BY AUGUST. ARE THOSE ROADS GOING TO BE OPEN FOR LOCAL TRAFFIC? ANYWAY, THAT WAS MY ONE CONCERN. I ALSO WONDERED WHY THE MASTER CALENDAR FOR THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION SHOWED A CODE ENFORCEMENT HEARING FOR THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS ON MARCH THE 23rd. HAS THAT CONTRACT BEEN AWARDED AND THE CAMERAS INSTALLED? I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY NEWS ON THAT ITEM. ALSO, I WANT TO TAKE A SHAMELESS OPPORTUNITY TO PLUG SOMETHING. CITIZENS OF BRANDON, ATTENTION, ATTENTION, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE IN THE BLOOMINGDALE AREA DRI, WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING OUR OPEN HOUSE FOR THE BRANDON COMMUNITY PLAN. IT'S GOING TO BE HELD ON MARCH THE 26th FROM 5:30 TO 7:30 P.M. AT THE BRANDON REGIONAL SERVICE CENTER, 311 PAULS DRIVE, AND IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, YOU CAN CALL BILL LAMBOY, 276-8337. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO THE END NOW. WE'VE GOT TENTATIVE, ALL OUR GOALS, WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON TWEAKING THEM, BUT WE REALLY NEED THE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY AGREE WITH ALL THOSE PLANS. ADDITIONALLY, I THOUGHT I HEARD AT THE LAST BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING AT THE END OF THE SESSION THAT ERIC JOHNSON SAID THERE WERE ABOUT 400 UNFILLED POSITIONS DUE TO THE HIRING FREEZE, AND I WONDERED IF THOSE WERE IN ADDITION TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT LAYOFFS AT NETPARK. IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A -- AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE SOME OF OUR BUDGET SHORTFALL, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IMPACTS TO SERVICE LEVELS. THE GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE BILINGUAL EMPLOYEE LAYOFFS, DOES THE BUMP PROCEDURE FOR CIVIL SERVICE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS THAT -- SUCH AS BEING BILINGUAL, OR IS STRICTLY BASED ON SENIORITY BASIS? THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. BACCA. MARILYN SMITH, JASON STARLING, AND JONATHAN COOK. GOOD MORNING, MS. SMITH. >> START THE CLOCK. MARILYN SMITH, P.O. BOX 66, SYDNEY 33587. BONGIORNO. NUMBER -- WE'RE GOING TO TALK RIGHT -- ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING RIGHT UP FRONT. A-1, WHY ARE WE SPENDING $8800 MORE ON AN ALARM SYSTEM? THAT IS MONEY WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND, IT'S STUPID, THERE'S PARANOIA. WHAT ARE YOU PROTECTING OUT THERE? THAT'S NOT EVEN OUR BUILDING. AND I NEED TO TALK TOO ABOUT A-30 AND A-45. THESE WERE LATE ENTRIES. I SEE FERLITA HAS PULLED THEM. THANK YOU, ROSE. IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU TRY TO SHOVE THROUGH AT THE LAST MINUTE, AND YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN READ IT. TO READ ALL THE DETAIL IN A-30 AND A-45? I DON'T THINK SO. YOU DON'T READ A LOT OF DETAIL ON ANYTHING, EVEN IF IT'S THERE FOR A WEEK. IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW THE CARROLLWOOD CULTURAL CENTER KEEPS COMING UP AND WE CAN'T EVEN GET THE FOLLOWING TAKEN CARE OF. IN PROGRESS VILLAGE WE NEED CHILDREN MORE TAKEN CARE OF WITH PARKS AND FACILITIES. NOW, MAYBE WE HAVE THE MONEY TO BUILD THEM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO OPERATE THEM. GUESS WHERE THAT MONEY IS. I KNOW WHERE $1,958,000 ARE. IT'S IN ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN COLLECTED, AND THAT'S INTEREST ONLY, IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING MULTIFAMILY. IT HAS BEEN AUDITED FOUR TIMES, AND IT'S STILL THERE. DEXTER WOULDN'T COLLECT IT, HOWIE WOULDN'T COLLECT IT, VALMARIE HASN'T COLLECTED IT, BUT WE HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING CUT ON BUDGET REASONS, AND THESE PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEIR JOBS. HOWIE'S 90 GRAND, VALMARIE'S 90 GRAND. THERE'S $200,000, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. HE'S ADVISING HER NOW. THIS MAN WAS REMOVED FROM HIS JOB, BUT HE'S ADVISING HER ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS IS PAT'S PET PROJECT. SHE CAN'T GET RID OF HIM BECAUSE IF SHE DOES, HE'LL SPILL HIS GUTS. NOW, THE OTHER THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, THE STIMULUS PACKAGE. UNBELIEVABLE. THIS IS NOTHING BUT THE SAME OLD PEOPLE. THE OUTCOME IS NOT GOING TO BE ANY DIFFERENT WITH THE SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RUNNING THINGS, TOO MUCH CHAMBER INFLUENCE IN THERE, TOO MANY OF THE SAME PEOPLE IN THERE, PEOPLE THAT THINK WE SHOULD SPEND MONEY ON THEIR PROJECTS. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAVE A GOOD OUTCOME. THEY JUST -- IT'S A MONEY GRAB, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AT HOME. FOR THOSE WITH A LOT OF REAL ESTATE SITTING IDLE AND NOT MAKING MONEY, THAT'S WHAT IT REALLY IS. IT'S BAIL-ME-OUT, BOB ABBERGER IS BEGGING. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. SMITH. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT I WAS GETTING SOME INFORMATION FROM MY AIDE THAT I DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE, SO I MISSED THE END OF MS. BACCA'S PRESENTATION, AND I JUST WANTED TO JUST GIVE HER ONE BIT OF INFORMATION HERE. VIVIAN, I KNEW THAT YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW I WOULD LOOK AT ANIMAL SERVICES IN TERMS OF A-44. I DID SPEAK TO DENNIS. I'M COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN TERMS OF THE FOOD BID PROCESS, BUT JUST AS A COURTESY TO YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING IT FOR ME OR TO ME, I'M GOING TO HAVE DENNIS EXPLAIN THAT IN DETAIL A LITTLE BIT LATER. I'LL GIVE HIM YOUR NUMBER AND HAVE HIM CONTACT YOU, BUT THANKS FOR LOOKING OUT FOR THAT, BUT I -- HE'S COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THE FOOD BID PROCESS IS, AND I ACCEPTED THE EXPLANATION TO BE -- TO BE SUITABLE. THANKS. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. NEXT THREE SPEAKERS, JASON STARLING, JONATHAN COOK, AND KATIE BARTLETT. GOOD MORNING, MR. STARLING. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I'M JASON STARLING AT 3311 WEST SAN JUAN STREET IN TAMPA 33629. TODAY I'M REPRESENTING THE TAMPA BAY BUILDERS ASSOCIATION. I WANTED TO SPEAK TO AGENDA ITEM A-65, THE REPORT FROM PETER ALUOTTO FROM THE DEVELOPERS FORUM THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK. A COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. THE FIRST THING IS ABOUT THE PGM'S CHECK POLICY. THEY'RE NO LONGER ACCEPTING CHECKS FOR ANYTHING OF A RELEASE OF POWER OR, YOU KNOW, CAN'T PAY IMPACT FEES OR TO GET A CO ON A HOME. THAT'S A HUGE BURDEN ON THE INDUSTRY. I MEAN, IT'S A BIG WORK-AROUND FOR EVERYBODY. WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, PAYING WITH CHECKS FOR MANY YEARS. I'M STILL WAITING ON INFORMATION BACK FROM THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT ON HOW MANY CHECKS HAVE BEEN BOUNCED, WHICH, YOU KNOW, CAUSED THIS ISSUE IN THE FIRST PLACE. I ALSO KNOW THAT TELECHECK IS BEING CONSIDERED AS AN OPTION, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO SUSPEND THIS POLICY UNTIL WE CAN COME UP WITH A PERMANENT SOLUTION BECAUSE IT'S JUST -- YOU KNOW, JUST A HUGE BURDEN ON US RIGHT NOW. ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE ADVANCED NOTIFICATION OF NEW POLICIES THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT. AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE STANDARD AT -- 30 DAYS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE STANDARD. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, NEW POLICIES, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS CHECK POLICY, HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT OUR -- WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION. I'M REQUESTING THAT WE GET 30 DAYS' NOTICE SO WE CAN EITHER AGREE OR AGREE TO DISAGREE ON NEW POLICIES. I DID RECEIVE THAT COMMITMENT FROM WAYNE FRANCIS AT OUR VERTICAL CODES MEETING, WHICH WAS HELD ON MONDAY, SO I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO MAKE A DIRECTIVE TO SUSPEND THIS CHECK POLICY IMMEDIATELY. OKAY. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. STARLING. >> THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH. ON THAT, MR. STARLING, YOU ASKED A QUESTION THAT -- WE'VE RECEIVED NEARLY $60,000 IN BAD CHECKS, AND THE AVERAGE CHECK IS $672. WHEN THEY PUT THIS POLICY IN, THE BAD CHECKS DROPPED SUBSTANTIALLY. BUILDING SERVICES WILL ALSO ACCEPT CASH, CREDIT CARD, MONEY ORDER, AND CASHIER'S CHECKS, AND WE HAVE BEEN AGGRESSIVELY WORKING WITH THEM AND THE REPORT ON TELECHECK BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE 30 TO 60 DAYS TO DO THAT, BUT JUST KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE HIGH NUMBER OF BAD CHECKS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, YOU CAN BRING IN -- YOU CAN GO TO YOUR BANK, GET A CASHIER'S CHECK, AND AVOID THIS DELAY, BUT THEY'RE WORKING WITH NOT ONLY YOUR INDUSTRY BUT OTHERS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THIS, SO THEY'RE ON TOP OF IT, WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING UP, AND I GOT THIS REPORT THIS MORNING BECAUSE I WANTED A DOUBLE-CHECK, SO WE'RE WORKING ON IT, SO IT'LL TAKE SOME TIME, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS STOP BY THE BANK AND GET A CASHIER'S CHECK OR BRING A MONEY ORDER OR CREDIT CARD. >> OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT. I JUST -- OUR POSITION ON THAT STILL STANDS. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: JONATHAN COOK, KATIE BARTLETT, AND TODD PRESSMAN. >> MY NAME IS JONATHAN COOK. >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING. >> [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] GROUP, 7350 SOUTH TAMIAMI TRAIL, SARASOTA, FLORIDA. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON F-2. THAT'S THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING REGARDING ABANDONED AND FORECLOSED PROPERTIES. I'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY IN CONJUNCTION WITH GENE MINKEL FROM YOUR OWN CODE OFFICE ON THIS ISSUE ALONG WITH MUNICIPALITIES UP AND DOWN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, AND I'VE GOT THREE COMMENTS OR CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOU-ALL, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU CONSIDER THIS PROPOSAL SO YOU HAVE SOME IDEA WHAT THE ENORMITY WE'RE DEALING WITH. I'M JUST GOING TO READ FROM THEM. I'VE GOT COPIES WRITTEN IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW, AT A LATER TIME. NUMBER ONE, IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND BRING THE POTENTIAL 32,000 DISTRESSED PROPERTIES UNDER COUNTY CONTROL WITHIN A 12- MONTH PERIOD, THERE WILL NEED TO BE A FACILITY, A REGISTRY TO RESEARCH THE TITLES AND ESTABLISH OWNERSHIP OF EACH PROPERTY. WITH THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY AND THE PROPENSITY TO SELL AND RESELL THE SAME MORTGAGE, IT WILL TAKE ONE RESEARCHER APPROXIMATELY TWO TO SIX HOURS AND A COUPLE OF DOZEN PHONE CALLS TO ESTABLISH CURRENT OWNERSHIP ON JUST ONE PROPERTY. AT THAT RATE, ONE RESEARCHER CAN DO 10 TO 20 RESEARCHES A WEEK. NAPLES, WHICH STARTED THEIR PROGRAM IN NOVEMBER, IS AVERAGING TEN SEARCHES PER CODE OFFICER PER WEEK SINCE THEY BEGAN THE PROGRAM IN NOVEMBER. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WOULD NEED TO EMPLOY AT LEAST 33 PEOPLE TO DO RESEARCH AND BUDGET ABOUT A MILLION-FOUR TO FINANCE THE PROGRAM OR WE CAN DO IT FOR YOU AND WRAP THE REGISTRY - - WRAP OUR FEE INTO THE REGISTRY FEE THAT THE MORTGAGE HOLDERS; THAT IS, THE BANKS WOULD CHARGE. WHEN IT COMES TO LIENS -- NUMBER TWO, WHEN IT COMES TO LIENS ON MORTGAGE HOLDERS THAT HAVE NOT COMPLIED, USUALLY AT A RATE OF ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY -- THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING AROUND THE COUNTRY, BY THE WAY -- IT IS NECESSARY THAT THE COUNTY HOLDS ITS GROUND AND NOT NEGOTIATE THE LIEN DOWN WITH THE MORTGAGE HOLDER IF THE COUNTY REALLY WANTS TO GET OUT OF THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BUSINESS. HEARING AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE NEGOTIATING THIS THING DOWN. WHEN YOU TAKE THE BIG STICK AWAY, YOU REALLY HAVEN'T GOT A WAY TO GET THESE BANKS TO MOVE TO THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SIDE AND GET YOU OUT OF THE BUSINESS. AND NUMBER THREE, THE ORDINANCES WILL SPAWN LOCAL JOBS FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AT A FAIR WAGE IF THE COUNTY WILL SPECIFY IN THE ORDINANCE A REQUIREMENT FOR LOCAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT -- MANAGEMENT COMPANIES TO HIRE LOCAL PEOPLE. OTHER MUNICIPALITIES CONSIDER PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANIES TO BE LOCAL IF IT'S WITHIN 40 MILES OF THE PROPERTY. THIS IS A GROWTH INDUSTRY AT THE MOMENT. THERE'S A LOT OF LOCAL CONTRACTORS WHO CAN USE THE WORK. COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. KATIE BARTLETT, TODD PRESSMAN, AND JACK TALMAN. >>KEN HAGAN, KATIE. >>ROSE FERLITA: JOHN, PUT THAT ABOUT AS LOW AS YOU DO FOR PAT BEAN AND THAT WILL BE AT THE RIGHT LEVEL. [LAUGHTER] I'M NOT THAT SICK. >>PAT BEAN: THANKS. >> GOOD MORNING PEOPLE OF THE COUNCIL AND PEOPLE AT HOME. I HAVE -- I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT A PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR TWO YEARS, DRIVING PAST IT EVERY DAY GOING TO SCHOOL. IT IS JUST A MESS, AND I HAVE PICTURES OF WHAT IS ON THE PROPERTY, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE BIOHAZARDS, IF I CAN GET THIS THING OPEN. >>JIM NORMAN: I WANT TO EXTEND HER TIME. SHE'S CUTE AS A BUG. >> THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE AREA, AND BEHIND THAT IS A HOME WITH CHILDREN. THERE ARE TWO CHILDREN THERE. ONE IS SEVEN AND ONE IS TEN. THAT IS A RUSTY OIL OR GAS TANK, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE IT. THAT IS SOME MORE JUST BROKEN RUSTED METAL. THOSE JUGS, WE WERE TOLD BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY WERE FULL OF BODILY FLUIDS, AND THEY WERE TOSSED OVER THERE WHEN PEOPLE WERE STAYING THERE. AND PEOPLE WHO WERE STAYING THERE WOULD SLEEP ON THESE THINGS. WE FOUND MATTRESSES THERE, AND THE PERSON WHO LIVED IN THE HOUSE HAD PEOPLE COME AND DUMP LEAVES THERE SO THAT PEOPLE COULD STAY THERE. THERE'S DRUG PARAPHERNALIA ALL OVER THE ENTIRE THING, AND IT IS HALF A MILE FROM MORTON PLANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND PEOPLE CAN BE WALKING HOME FROM THAT AND SEE THAT EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: KATIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN AND SHARING THAT WITH US, AND KATIE, HOW OLD ARE YOU? >> AND IT'S COUNTY-OWNED PROPERTY. [LAUGHTER] >>KEN HAGAN: KATIE, HOW OLD ARE YOU? >> I'M TEN YEARS OLD. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING TIME TO COME DOWN HERE AND SHARE THIS. IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THOSE PICTURES AND THIS LOCATION IS REFERRED OVER TO STAFF, AND IF WE CAN JUMP ON THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. TODD PRESSMAN, JACK TALMAN, AND CONNIE -- >> HOW DO I FOLLOW THAT? >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH, GOOD LUCK, TODD. >> THERE'S NO WAY. >>ROSE FERLITA: [INAUDIBLE] >> MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONER, MY NAME IS TODD PRESSMAN. MY ADDRESS IS 28870 U.S. HIGHWAY 19 NORTH, SUITE 300, CLEARWATER, FLORIDA. I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING ATLANTIC HOUSING. THAT NAME SHOULD BE FAMILIAR TO YOU. THEY ARE A NATIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILDER. THEY DO THINGS ON THE CUTTING EDGE, FIRST-CLASS, BEAUTIFUL, FAMILY-ORIENTED. YOU APPROVED A ZONING AND SITE PLANS FOR ONE OF THEIR PROJECTS AT 78th AND KIM, THE PARKWAY ACROSS THE STREET FROM GIUNTA MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THAT PROJECT WHICH YOU -- WHICH YOUR STAFF WORKED VERY HARD ON -- WHICH AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR THIS COMMISSION, IT'S INSCRIBED IN YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS WELL AS YOU HAVE MADE PLEDGES OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AS WELL -- IS ON THE EDGE OF CATASTROPHE. THE DIFFICULTY IS REALLY THE ULTIMATE BUREAUCRACY, WHICH IS THAT -- THE TYPICAL PHRASE THAT THE LEFT HAND DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT HAND IS DOING. WHILE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, THERE ARE NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO WORK, WHICH INCLUDE LOCATION OF BUS STATIONS. A COUPLE OF COMMISSIONERS HERE, A FEW OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE KNOW WHAT WE ARE SPEAKING ABOUT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN TO THE HART BOARD, AND WE HAVE HAD SOME DIFFICULTY IN WORKING WITH THEM AND WORKING TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT LET ME BE SPECIFIC. I'M HERE TO ASK THE COMMISSION FOR EITHER A CONSENSUS OR RESOLUTION, TO COMMUNICATE TO YOUR OTHER APPOINTEES ON THAT BOARD AS TO THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE WEIGHT OF DIRECTION AND SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE DIRECTED TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT. WITHOUT THAT COMMUNICATION OR THAT DIRECTION, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU AGAIN THIS PROJECT IS LITERALLY AT THE EDGE OF CATASTROPHE AND WILL NOT HAPPEN, AND LET ME JUST FINISH BY SAYING THAT IF THIS SITE DOESN'T WORK AND CAN'T WORK WITH THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OF THE COUNTY, YOU WILL HAVE THE EXACT SAME DIFFICULTIES AND WORSE ON ANY OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITE IN THIS COUNTY, SO WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP. WE ARE HERE TO ASK EITHER -- TAKE A GREAT LIBERTY EITHER THAT YOU DIRECT ADMINISTRATOR BEAN TO COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE OFFICERS -- I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON SUNSHINE -- IF IT'S ALLOWABLE, TO HAVE YOUR CHAIRMAN SPEAK WITH THOSE TWO APPOINTEES. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. PRESSMAN. >> AND WE NEED THIS IMMEDIATELY. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. ALTHOUGH I WAS ILL AND I DID NOT ATTEND THAT MONDAY MORNING MEETING, HE AND MR. MARCHETTI AND I MET, AND I AGREE -- I FORGOT, MR. PRESSMAN, HOW MANY UNITS IS IT? >> ABOUT 150. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. AND SO I WAS SUPPORTIVE OF IT. I DON'T KNOW, THOUGH, WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO REDIRECT THAT ROUTE TO ALLOW THEM TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME -- AND I SAID THIS VERY CLEARLY, TODD, I WANTED TO TRY TO HAVE THE BOARD ADDRESS THAT MONDAY MORNING. -- AT THE SAME TIME NOT TAKE FROM PETER TO PAY PAUL AND NOT DISCOUNT THE NEED IN PROGRESS -- IS IT PROGRESS VILLAGE AREA? >> ABSOLUTELY. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, AND PERHAPS I'D LIKE TO EITHER MR. SHARPE OR MR. BECKNER TO TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED MONDAY MORNING, AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS MS. LEE, I KNOW THAT WE CAN'T DIRECT THEM OR MANDATE THEM TO DO THIS, I GUESS BECAUSE OF HOW THEY'RE CREATED, BUT CAN WE SEND SOME SORT OF A LETTER IF WE AGREE TO HAVE A CONSENSUS THAT THEY SHOULD LOOK AT IT AGAIN BECAUSE THEY HAVE DISCUSSED IT, THEY DISCUSSED IT A FEW MONTHS AGO, I BELIEVE, BUT THE POINT WAS AT THAT TIME, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT, SO MR. SHARPE OR MR. BECKNER, IF YOU'D JUST KIND OF BRIEF ME ON WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T KNOW. >>MARK SHARPE: THE ITEM -- I AGENDAED THE ITEM, ACTUALLY. I COMMUNICATED WITH THE DIRECTOR -- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HART PRIOR TO THE ITEM BEING AGENDAED THAT THIS WAS -- THAT THE -- WE PLACE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. THIS WAS ALSO PRESENTED -- WAS PRESENTED TO THE FULL BOARD AT THE MEETING, WHICH CAME UP -- IN FACT, IT WAS UNDER OLD BUSINESS, AND THEY WERE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO MOVE IT TO NEW BUSINESS BECAUSE SOME OF US WERE GOING OFF TO THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL PARADE, AND THEY LET US BRING IT FORWARD. THE CHALLENGE WAS -- AND DR. POLZIN KIND OF LAID IT OUT. THE CHALLENGE IS THAT THE ROUTE THAT IS ESTABLISHED NOW -- AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ADJUSTING THE ROUTE. IT LOOKS ON THE MAP LIKE IT WOULDN'T TAKE MUCH, BUT THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE ROUTE WOULD ADD APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES TO THE DESIGNATED ROUTE TIME. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO QUALIFY, WE HAVE TO ADJUST THE ROUTE BEFORE THE PROJECT IS IN PLACE, WHICH, ACCORDING TO HART, MEANS WE WOULD BE SENDING A BUS TO WHERE THERE IS NO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND SLOWING DOWN DELIVERY OF TRANSPORTATION TO PROGRESS VILLAGE, AND ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT HIS SUPPORT FOR PROGRESS VILLAGE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT BOTH THE DELAY IN TIME FOR RESIDENTS WHO NOW USE THAT ROUTE, AND IF WE WERE GOING TO ADD A SECOND BUS TO GO AND -- AND PICK THESE INDIVIDUALS UP, IT WOULD ADD SOMETHING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WERE SAYING, BETWEEN $200- AND $300,000 OF COST, SO WHAT WE SAID WAS -- AND FRAN DAVIN -- >>KEN HAGAN: WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING ON THIS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A LENGTHY DISCUSSION. WE'VE GOT LIGHTS EVERYWHERE, AND WE DON'T DO THAT DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. >>MARK SHARPE: WE'VE ASKED MR. ARMIJO TO WORK WITH US ON LOOKING AT THE CREATION OF A SHUTTLE ROUTE, A SHUTTLE BUS THAT COULD BE USED, OR POSSIBLY FRAN DAVIN WHO REPRESENTS THE CITY HAD AN IDEA THAT WAS GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, BUT THEY'RE ALL FULLY AWARE OF IT, AND WE HAD A LENGTHY CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO DO IT. >>ROSE FERLITA: WELL, SO I JUST THINK MAYBE WE OUGHT TO JUST MAKE A SUGGESTION -- >>KEN HAGAN: WE CAN REFER IT OVER TO -- >>ROSE FERLITA: YEAH. >>KEN HAGAN: -- REFER IT OVER TO STAFF TO -- [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] >>ROSE FERLITA: AND MR. PRESSMAN, I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL NOW -- I'M SORRY, I'M BEHIND ON MY NOTES -- THAT YOU DID COME BY AND GIVE ME AN UPDATE, AND I APOLOGIZE. BUT -- CAN WE DO THAT, THEN, MR. HAGAN? >>KEN HAGAN: YEAH, WE'LL REFER IT OVER TO MS. BEAN. COMMISSIONER NORMAN, DID YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, THAT'S WHY -- WHERE IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO COME BACK HERE. THIS IS A VERY TIMELY STATE. I'D LIKE TO REFER IT OVER TO OUR ADMINISTRATOR TO LOOK AT OUR HOUSING INVENTORY, AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO PUT $2-, $300,000 ON THE PLATE OR SOMETHING, BUT IF THERE COULD BE A GENERAL SOLUTION. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, AND NOW WE'VE GOT ONE OF OUR TOP-PRIORITY THINGS OUT THERE AS FAR AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND WE CAN'T ACCOMPLISH A BUS STOP, SO REFER IT OVER, DRAFT A LETTER THAT OUR CHAIRMAN CAN SIGN WITHOUT IT COMING BACK HERE THAT IF YOU -- IF YOU FIND THAT EVERYTHING IS -- THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, WILD CARDS IN THERE THAT WOULD EMBARRASS THIS BOARD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT YOU WOULD ALLOW HIM TO SIGN IT, SEND IT OVER TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS THAT ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL -- HELP US ACCOMPLISH OUR GOAL OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OUR INVENTORY. >> WITH GREAT RESPECT AND LIBERTY, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO BRING THE COMMUNICATION TO YOUR APPOINTEES. WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO TAKE ON THE WHOLE HART BOARD, AND QUITE FRANKLY, WITH GREAT DEFERENCE, WE WOULD ASK FOR A VERBAL DISCOURSE ON AN ISSUE OF THIS IMPORTANCE AND NECESSITY TO YOUR APPOINTEES. >>ROSE FERLITA: I THINK WE NEED TO SEND IT TO EVERYBODY, JUST LIKE MR. NORMAN SAID. THEY CAN READ IT AND THEY'LL KNOW WHAT OUR POSITION IS, MR. PRESSMAN. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. JACK TALMAN, CONNIE JOHNSON, AND SHERRY SILK. >> GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I'M GOING TO ASK A FEW OF MY FRIENDS TO COME UP HERE, AND WE ALL SIGNED OUR LITTLE CARDS, SO WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY NOT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME. MY NAME IS CONNIE JOHNSON, 5535 BOB SMITH AVENUE. WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOME RECOGNITION TO ONE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES. WE ALL ARE VOLUNTEERS AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES. LAST YEAR THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN YOU HAD TO TAKE THEIR DIRECTOR OUT OF THE FACILITY FOR ANOTHER IMPORTANT MISSION, AND SO THIS PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL WAS NOT ONLY DOING HIS OWN JOB BUT HAD ALSO TAKEN ON THE POSITION AS ACTING DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES. RIGHT NOW I'D LIKE TO CALL DENNIS McCULLOUGH, AND WE HAD TO DO IT THIS WAY BECAUSE IF HE HAD ANY IDEA THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS, HE WOULD NOT BE HERE. >> YOU'RE RIGHT. >> I KNOW. SO DENNIS, THERE'S A FEW OF US THAT HAVE A FEW THINGS TO SAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT ABLE FOR US TO SAVE MORE LIVES. HE ABSOLUTELY THINKS OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, IS NOT ONE THAT SAYS NO, AND JUST KEEPS MOVING FORWARD TO DO WHAT HE HAS TO DO TO GET THE JOB DONE, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. JACK TALMAN'S NEXT. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JACK TALMAN. I LIVE AT 128 BALTIC CIRCLE, TAMPA 33606. I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT ANIMAL SERVICES FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, GOTTEN TO KNOW DENNIS VERY WELL. DENNIS IS -- WAS IN CHARGE OF ANIMAL CONTROL BEFORE HE WAS INTERIM DIRECTOR. DENNIS APPROACHED THE TASK OF ACTING DIRECTOR IN THE SAME MANNER THAT HE APPROACHED ENFORCEMENT, REALIZING THAT ENFORCEMENT IS NOT ONLY ANIMAL CONTROL'S TASK BUT ALSO A TASK OF CODE ENFORCEMENT, TPD, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND THE COURTS. THIS APPROACH HAS MADE OUR ANIMAL CONTROL NATIONALLY KNOWN. WHEN HE BECAME INTERIM DIRECTOR, HE BROUGHT ACCOUNTABILITY, HE GREATLY IMPROVED THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES. ACCOUNTABILITY CAN BE KIND OF AN INTANGIBLE. IN HIS -- THE WAY I LOOK AT DENNIS AS WHAT HE BROUGHT TO ANIMAL SERVICES IS BY BEING ACCOUNTABLE IN OUR LIVES AND OUR BUSINESSES, WE BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS AND ACHIEVEMENT. WHETHER YOU'RE TRYING TO BE A GREAT LEADER OR A GREAT TEAM MEMBER, ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE KEY. PEOPLE LOOK UP TO OTHERS WHO LIVE BY EXAMPLE AND SHOW THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, CHOICES, AND RESULTS. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION THAT MAKES THINGS HAPPEN. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS MAN MAKES THINGS HAPPEN. ANIMAL SERVICES IS A VERY COMPLEX -- DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER PROBABLY DEPARTMENT THAT YOU HAVE. YOU HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE, YOU HAVE VET SERVICES, YOU HAVE SHELTER, YOU HAVE ANIMAL CONTROL, YOU HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT YOU RUN INTO EVERY DAY. YOU NEED A VINCE LOMBARDI ATTITUDE TO WORK -- TO RUN ANIMAL SERVICES. YOU NEED THE ROLL-UP-YOUR-SLEEVES, I'M-GOING-TO-GET-IT-DONE TYPE ATTITUDE TO RUN ANIMAL SERVICES, AND DENNIS DOES THAT. HE'S NOT BIG ON MEETINGS. WHEN HE'S GOT SOME ISSUE WITH SOMEBODY, HE'LL GO TO THEM, HE'LL ASK QUESTIONS, HE'LL WALK THE KENNELS. IF HE DOESN'T GET THE QUESTIONS HE WANTS -- ANSWERS HE WANTS, HE'LL FIND OUT WHY, AND FOR DENNIS, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ANIMAL SERVICES AND FOR THE ANIMALS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >> GOOD MORNING. HUMANE OF -- SHERRY SILK, HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY ON ARMENIA AVENUE, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY DENNIS IS REALLY AN UNUSUAL GUY, AND I MEAN THAT IN THE BEST WAY BECAUSE AS I'VE TRAVELED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, A LOT OF TIMES ANIMAL SERVICES OR ANIMAL CONTROL, THEY DON'T EVEN TALK TO THE LOCAL HUMANE SOCIETY, AND WHEN THE ASPCA CAME HERE AND SAID YOU GUYS NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB WORKING TOGETHER TO SAVE MORE ANIMALS, ANIMAL SERVICES WAS RIGHT THERE, THEY STOOD UP, YES WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY AND THE RESCUE GROUPS. AND SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE PERSONALLY SEEN HAPPEN FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ANIMALS IS HIS EMPHASIS ON TRYING TO AT LEAST PLACE SOME OF THE PIT BULLS. WE KNOW PIT BULLS ARE HARD TO PLACE. HE'S PUT PROGRAMS IN PLACE FOR THAT. OUR TRANSFER PROGRAM WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY, THEY'RE A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, THEY NOW BRING US ANIMALS, WHICH IS GREAT, TWICE A WEEK. THE TNR REPORTS, THE FERAL CATS. HE RETURNS FERAL CATS THAT ARE NOTCHED, THEIR EARS, A VERY SHATTERING NEW SYSTEM BECAUSE OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY ARE NOW TRYING TO EMULATE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THEN MOST RECENTLY OUR SHOT CLINICS WHERE ANIMAL SERVICES HAS WORKED ALONGSIDE WITH HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY, SO THE CITIZENS AND CERTAINLY THE ANIMALS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ARE VERY, VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A MAN LIKE DENNIS McCULLOUGH. IT'S GREAT WORKING WITH YOU, DENNIS. THANK YOU. >> ELLEN TAYLOR, AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. I'M IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA. ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE AT THE ASPCA, DENNIS, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK WITH ASPCA MISSION ORANGE, AND WE'RE JUST SO IMPRESSED WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE GIFT THAT YOU GIVE TO THE PEOPLE AND ANIMALS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. HE'S BEEN AN OUTSTANDING INTERIM LEADER, ALWAYS FUN TO WORK WITH, GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR, AND HE IS ONE OF THE FIRST LEADERS IN ANIMAL SERVICES TO BE ASKED ACTUALLY TO PRESENT AT ANOTHER TARGET COMMUNITY WITH THE ASPCA. HE AND SHERRY SILK WILL BE PRESENTING A WORKSHOP IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, ANOTHER TARGET COMMUNITY. JUST ANOTHER RECOGNITION OF HIS LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU, DENNIS. >>DENNIS McCULLOUGH: OKAY. THAT'S ENOUGH. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M TERRIE DISALVO. I'M THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, AND DENNIS IS MY BOSS. AND IT'S UNUSUAL TO SEE YOU SO QUIET. [LAUGHTER] THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOING THE RIGHT THING AND JUST DOING SOMETHING. DENNIS DOES BOTH. HE GETS THINGS DONE, AND IT'S ALWAYS THE RIGHT THING. HE DOES HIS RESEARCH, HE ASKS QUESTIONS, HE FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH HIS ACTIONS, HE BUILDS TEAMS, HE SUPPORTS US. THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IS ALMOST TWO YEARS OLD, AND WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS AS IF WE WERE TEN YEARS OLD BECAUSE OF DENNIS. HE LEADS US BY EXAMPLE, HE SHOWS US THE WAY, HE HAS THE HEART AND THE SOUL THAT IT TAKES TO LEAD STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AND MELT THEM TOGETHER AS A TEAM. THAT RIGHT THERE MAKES HIM A VERY SPECIAL MAN IN MY BOOK. EVEN THOUGH I WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE VOLUNTEERS NOW, I WAS AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER ON THE ROAD, AND DENNIS LEADS EVERYBODY THE SAME WAY. TWO -- THREE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HE HAS STARTED IS THE RESERVE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER PROGRAM. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPENDING THEIR OWN TIME, THEIR OWN MONEY, THEIR DEDICATION COMING TO ANIMAL SERVICES AND LEARNING ON THE JOB HOW TO SUPPORT THE DAILY OPERATIONS. HE'S ALSO STARTED THE ADOPTION TRANSPORT. WE ASKED DENNIS A QUESTION, CAN WE TAKE ANIMALS OUT OF THE COUNTY, CAN WE SAVE LIVES BY THINKING OUT OF THE BOX? DENNIS DIDN'T HESITATE. IT'S YES, HOW CAN YOU DO THAT, AND OH, BY THE WAY, TERRIE, CAN YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN, AND IT DID. WHEN THERE'S A NEED TO MAKE CHANGES, WE GO TO DENNIS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HE WILL LISTEN, HE WILL MAKE THOSE CHANGES, AND HE BUILDS THE TEAM IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU, DENNIS. [APPLAUSE] >> I'M PAT MASON, 6820 THONOTOSASSA ROAD. I KNOW I DON'T HAVE VERY LONG TO SPEAK, BUT I WANT TO MAKE MY WORDS COUNT, AND SO EVERYONE HERE WITH ME DOESN'T GET NERVOUS, I WROTE WORDS DOWN. I WANTED TO DO THIS FROM THE HEART, SO AT THE TOP OF MY LIST OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOU, DENNIS, I HAVE DENNIS AND I HAVE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, A/K/A, THAT'S US, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE OUT THERE. THE WORDS ARE MUTUAL RESPECT, TRUST, CAN-DO APPROACH, HUMOR -- DENNIS DOES TELL GOOD STORIES -- GENEROSITY WITH TIME, RESOURCES, IDEAS, A WE'LL-DO-IT ATTITUDE, COMPASSION -- IT IS A VERY TOUGH PLACE TO VOLUNTEER OR WORK -- AND APPRECIATION. DENNIS, YOU'RE THE BEST, AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, AND THAT'S US, THE VOLUNTEERS. [APPLAUSE] >> I'M GOING TO GET KILLED, I CAN FEEL IT. DENNIS, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS HERE THIS PLAQUE BECAUSE WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. I CAN'T READ IT. SOMEBODY ELSE WILL HAVE TO READ IT. I CAN'T READ IT TO HIM. PLEASE READ IT. >> LET ME READ THIS BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY GOOD. OUR SINCERE APPRECIATION TO DENNIS McCULLOUGH FOR HIS DEDICATION TO THE WELFARE OF THE ANIMALS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND HIS COMMITMENT TO EMPOWERING HIS VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF TO EXCEL IN THEIR ABILITY TO COMFORT AND REHOME AS MANY LOST SOULS AS POSSIBLE. [APPLAUSE] >> WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS MORNING, AND DENNIS, THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: WOULD THE MAN OF THE HOUR LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? >>DENNIS McCULLOUGH: NOT REALLY. [LAUGHTER] >> I'LL DO IT ANYWAY. THIS IS VERY HUMBLING. WHAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION IS -- AND MY GREAT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS THESE ARE THE FACES OF OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT WONDERFUL, CARING, LOVING PEOPLE. THEY INSPIRE ME EVERY DAY I GO TO WORK, AND THIS IS JUST OVERWHELMING. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK TOO SOON BECAUSE I KNOW MY FRIEND, KAREN RINGHAVER LOVES PUBLIC SPEAKING, AND SHE PROBABLY WAS GOING TO SAY -- [LAUGHTER] -- I'M KIDDING. DENNIS, I THINK COLLECTIVELY AND SINGLY THEY'VE SAID WHAT ALL OF US FEEL IN OUR HEART ABOUT YOU, AND SOME OF US HAVE MET FOR BREAKFAST, SOME OF US HAVE MET FOR LUNCH, SOME OF US HAVE MET AS A GROUP, AND THE -- THE UNDERLYING TONE AND THEME IS THE SAME, THE MORALE IS INCREDIBLE UNDER YOU, THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU GIVE IS INCREDIBLE, PEOPLE KNOW OF YOUR COMPASSION AND YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR, EXCEPT THEY DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH TO SAY WHEN IT COMES TO AN ISSUE OF ANIMAL ABUSE, THE SENSE OF HUMOR GOES AWAY AND THE OLD NEW YORK COP COMES BACK IN, BUT THAT'S GOOD AS WELL. WE ARE BLESSED IN TERMS OF THIS -- THIS COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND ALSO PEOPLE OUT THERE AND ON THIS SIDE OF THE PODIUM THAT JUST ADORE ANIMALS AND WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR THEM, AND YOU DO THAT. YOU DO IT BY EXAMPLE, JUST AS SOMEONE SAID. SO CERTAINLY WE CANNOT TELL OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WHAT TO DO, BUT I THINK, PAT, YOU SEE THE -- THE TONE OF HOW THEY FEEL WORKING UNDER DENNIS, AND WE CAN MAKE THAT -- WE CAN MAKE THAT A GOOD THING. WE CAN LET MY FRIEND, MR. ARMSTRONG DO WHAT HE DOES BEST, AND WE CAN ALSO CRAFT A WAY, IF PAT WOULD CONSIDER THAT, TO HAVE DENNIS DO WHAT HE DOES BEST, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A WIN-WIN. I -- I THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT SITUATION. I APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE, AND I'VE ENJOYED AND RESPECTED THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE TOGETHER, DENNIS, SO I KNOW YOU'RE VISIBLY QUIET, BUT SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE WHAT YOU DESERVE, AND TODAY IT'S THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR OUR ANIMAL POPULATION. APPRECIATE IT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. [APPLAUSE] >>MARK SHARPE: I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET YOU, BUT I'VE HEARD AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT YOU. I GET A LOT OF E-MAILS IN MY OFFICE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE COMPLAIN BECAUSE THEY'RE FRUSTRATED WITH HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS, SO THEY WANT US TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, BUT THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD REGARDING YOU, SIR, HAVE BEEN JUST AMAZING, AND I DO BELIEVE -- PAT AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY, LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEW FACE OF GOVERNMENT, HOW IT'S GOING TO CHANGE. IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE VOLUNTEERS. YOU GUYS ARE ESSENTIAL. WE CANNOT DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AND PROVIDE THE SERVICE WE HAVE TO PROVIDE WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS, AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MARSHALLING THE VOLUNTEERS. THAT'S ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT. THE OTHER THING WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY, AND I SAID LOUDLY -- AND I HOPE EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING'S LISTENING - - WE NEED PEOPLE COMING HERE WHO WANT TO BE HERE BECAUSE THEY LOVE WORKING AND THEY GET OUT OF BED EVERY DAY EXCITED AND ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THEIR JOB, NOT BECAUSE IT'S A PAYCHECK OR BENEFITS, BUT BECAUSE THEY REALLY LOVE PROVIDING PUBLIC SERVICE, AND A MAN AS HUMBLE AS YOURSELF, WHO WANTS TO SPEAK AS LITTLE AS YOU DO BUT GET THE JOB DONE, YOU'RE THE TYPE OF PERSON WE NEED. SO I HOPE ALL THE OTHER EMPLOYEES TAKE FROM YOU AND SEE THAT YOU'RE -- YOU'RE THE MODEL, AND I MEAN THAT SINCERELY, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, SIR, BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE VOLUNTEERS. AND ART, I KNEW YOU WHEN YOU HAD HAIR. I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT. [LAUGHTER] GOOD SEEING YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YOU KNOW, WHEN I CAME HERE THIS PAST NOVEMBER, I HAD NO IDEA THE AMOUNT OF SERVICES AND THE VASTNESS THAT ANIMAL SERVICES AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR OUR PETS AND FOR THE ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT ALL THE SERVICES AND EVERYTHING THAT WE OFFER AND I STARTED ASKING STAFF -- I SAID, HOW DO WE MAKE THIS ALL HAPPEN? THEY SAID WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, BUT ALSO, DENNIS, YOUR NAME CONTINUED TO RISE TO THE TOP, THAT THIS IS A MAN THAT'S DEDICATED TO THE SERVICES, DEDICATED TO THE COUNTY, AND HE IS THE ONE THAT REALLY DRIVES THE SUCCESS OF ANIMAL SERVICES, SO, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND AGAIN THANK ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITY. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN. APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] AND I WANT TO STATE THEY DID NOT GO OVER THE TIME LIMIT. THEY SIGNED SEVEN OR EIGHT INDIVIDUALS TO SPEAK, SO IT WAS ALL WITHIN THE TIME. THE FINAL SPEAKERS, LINDA AMMON. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WERE WITH THAT GROUP OR NOT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>KEN HAGAN: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THEN GREG POUND, AND MARK KLUTHO WILL BE OUR FINAL SPEAKER. WELCOME. >> GREG POUND, 9166 SUNRISE DRIVE, LARGO, PINELLAS COUNTY. I'M A MEMBER OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE BOARD HERE FOR PINELLAS COUNTY AND ALSO A COUNCIL MEMBER, AND ALSO WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION CALLED FREEOURKIDS.COM THAT DEALS WITH WHAT'S GOING IN THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM. NOW, IN PINELLAS COUNTY, FOR INSTANCE -- WHAT BROUGHT ME INTO THIS DEFENSE OF OUR CHILDREN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS OUR CHILDREN WERE TAKEN FROM US OVER A DOG BITE. I WASN'T HOME, WE DON'T SMOKE, DRINK, OR DO DRUGS. THEY TERMINATED OUR RIGHTS AFTER FOUR YEARS OF TRYING TO GET OUR KIDS BACK FROM THE STATE, AND THE ABUSE THAT THEY'VE GONE TO, BEEN TO THE DOCTORS OVER A HUNDRED TIMES, WE BELIEVE THAT THEY'VE BEEN SEXUALLY MOLESTED, AND THE STATE IS TRYING TO PROTECT WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO OUR CHILDREN, AND WE'VE GOT A BIG PROBLEM WITH BERNIE McCABE, SHERIFF COATS, AND THEY'RE WORKING WITH CHARLIE CRIST WHO LIVES ON THE SAME FLOOR AS THE JUDGE WHO IS OVER THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM IN PINELLAS COUNTY WHERE EVERYTHING THEY DO TO THESE KIDS ARE TOP SECRET. BUT WHAT IT IS IS THE ISSUE OF FOLLOWING THE MONEY AND HOW MUCH MONEY COMES INTO THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND EVERY COUNTY THAT FOR KIDS THAT ARE BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE. WHEN PARENTS LOSE THEIR RIGHTS TO A TRIAL BY JURY WHICH EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TOOK AN OATH TO DEFEND -- IF YOU LOOK AT ARTICLE I, SECTION 22, IT SAYS, THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY SHALL NEVER BE INVIOLATE. THAT MEANS THAT RIGHT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN FROM US, AND WHEN PEOPLE CAN GET A RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY OVER A CAT FOR A COUPLE GOING THROUGH A DIVORCE BUT YOU CAN'T GET A RIGHT FOR A TRIAL BY JURY OVER FIVE KIDS, WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THIS STATE, AND IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. NOW, I'VE GONE BEFORE THOSE IN TALLAHASSEE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING DONE AND NOTHING'S BEING DONE, AND SO WHAT IT DOES, IT BRINGS THE STATE UNDER JUDGMENT, UNDER A CURSE, AND WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE SCRIPTURE AND SEE WHAT IT SAYS, IT JUST RAISES -- THIS COMES OUT OF THE BOOK OF MATTHEW, AND IT SAYS IF THY EYE OFFENDS THEE, PLUCK IT OUT AND CAST IT FROM THEE, FOR IT IS BETTER FOR THEE TO ENTER LIFE WITH ONE EYE RATHER THAN HAVING TWO EYES AND BE CAST INTO EVERLASTING FIRE. AND THEN THE NEXT VERSE GOES YOU'D BE BETTER OFF TO CUT YOUR FOOT OFF THAN TO ALLOW YOUR FOOT TO LEAD YOU TO SIN. AND ONCE WE SEE THE PROBLEM WITH THIS GREED, LIKE WE LOOK AT BERNIE MADOFF, THE MAN WHO RIPPED OFF 50 BILLION, AND YOU JUST SEE THE CORRUPTION FOR MONEY -- AND IT'S DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY. IT'S DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY. DO YOU KNOW THE RAVENS, DO YOU KNOW HOW THEY CAN TELL THEIR PREY IS DEAD? YOU KNOW WHAT THEY PICK AT ON A DEAD CARCASS? THEY GO AND PICK AT ONE THING, AND IT'S CALLED THE EYE, THEY PICK AT THE EYE, AND THE BIBLE SAYS THE EYE OF A PEOPLE IS THEIR CHILDREN. AND WHEN THEY CAN GO OUT AND TAKE LITTLE CHILDREN AND MOLEST THEM AND ABUSE THEM AND LOOK -- AND YOU LOOK AT THE WEB SITE FREEOURKIDS.COM AND JUST SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THIS IS WHAT IT IS. THIS NATION NOW HAS BECOME DEAD. THERE'S NO LIFE IN IT. IT SAYS BECAUSE LAWLESSNESS IS INCREASED, MOST PEOPLE'S LOVE WILL GROW COLD. WE'VE NOW BECOME A COLDHEARTED PEOPLE IN AMERICA. AND FLORIDA'S UNDER JUDGMENT JUST FOR THE ABUSE IT'S BROUGHT UPON CHILDREN AND WHAT IT'S DOING TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. SO I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS A COUNCIL AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >>KEN HAGAN: LAST SPEAKER THIS MORNING MARK KLUTHO. >> MARK KLUTHO, 14496 120th AVENUE NORTH, LARGO. IT'S BECOMING A POLICE STATE, AND I'M BEING TOLD HERE WHAT MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT IS. FRIDAY I'LL BE MEETING WITH THE LEGAL PANEL OF THE ACLU, AND YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED WHEN RONDA STORMS THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE ME BANNED FOR LIFE FROM THESE MEETINGS. WELL, NO ONE'S TAKING AWAY MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT. THIS IS SAD. YOU KNOW, I INSTIGATED A RESOLUTION HERE APRIL 1st OF 1998 TO SAY THE COUNTY WAS GOING TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS. OH, TALK ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATOR HERE IN THIS NEW STUPID BUILDING THAT YOU JUST MADE. BETTER BUILDINGS BY DESIGN. WE SHAPE OUR BUILDINGS; THEREAFTER THEY SHAPE US, WINSTON CHURCHILL, TIME MAGAZINE, 1960. THAT MEDICAL BUILDING, JUST LIKE THAT MOFFITT CANCER CENTER YOU TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR COLUMN, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? THAT IS A CANCER. SEE, THE SITUATION NOW IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE REST OF THE WORLD, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE, WORSE. THE USA LESS THAN 5% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION USING 25% OF THE WORLD'S ENERGY AND SPENDING MORE ON DEFENSE THAN ALL OF THE REST OF THE WORLD COMBINED. THIS FINANCIAL MESS, THAT'S THE UNDERLYING CAUSE. YESTERDAY I WAS IN CRYSTAL RIVER FOR THE NUCLEAR HEARING THAT THE DEP HAD, AND I REMINDED THEM I HAD THE AGENDA -- IT WAS OVER THERE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS -- FOR THAT HEARING ON THE DESAL. BACK IN MARCH OF 2001 THEY SAID THE PLANT WOULD BE COMING IN 2002. I REMINDED THE DEP ABOUT THEIR APPROVAL THAT THEY GAVE FOR THAT. YEAH, WHAT A DEBACLE, AND YOU PEOPLE -- APRIL 1st, 1998, YOU SCOUNDRELS -- THAT RESOLUTION IS, IN ESSENCE, A LAW. SUSTAINABLE, THE COMMUNITY CENTER OR THE HISTORY MUSEUM, THE COMMUNITY CENTERS? YOU'RE GOING DOWN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. KLUTHO. >> A LEGACY OF IGNORANCE. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR AGENDA. AT THIS TIME CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMAINDER OF CONSENT. >>MARK SHARPE: SO MOVE. >> SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND COMMISSIONER BECKNER. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE. I KNOW I PULLED TWO ITEMS FOR SEPARATE VOTE. A-65, I'M SORRY, I WANT TO DO IT AS WELL. >>KEN HAGAN: ADD A-65. >>ROSE FERLITA: OTHER THAN THAT, SECOND TO HIS MOTION. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. >>PAT BEAN: MR. CHAIR, YOUR FIRST ITEM THAT YOU WOULD TAKE UP THIS MORNING, SINCE WE'RE NOT AT 10:00 YET FOR YOUR FIRST TIME CERTAIN. >>KEVIN WHITE: YES, WE ARE, MS. BEAN, THE BATTERY'S BROKEN. >>KEN HAGAN: THAT CLOCK IS WRONG. >>PAT BEAN: OH, I'M SORRY. I'M LOOKING AT THAT CLOCK. OKAY. WELL, THEN, WE'LL DO 10:00. F-2, THE GROWING NUMBER OF FORECLOSED AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES. THIS IS AN ITEM THAT IS BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY THE CHAIRMAN. >>KEN HAGAN: BOARD MEMBERS, I BROUGHT THIS ITEM BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN HAS RESULTED IN A RECORD NUMBER OF FORECLOSURES HITTING THE MARKET. AS A RESULT, MANY NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY AFFECTED, AND AN EVER-INCREASING STRAIN HAS BEEN PLACED ON NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS THAT LIVE NEAR FORECLOSED HOMES, SO IN AN EFFORT TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN HIT AS A RESULT OF FORECLOSED PROPERTIES AND ALSO TO INCREASE THE PROPERTY VALUES OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, MANY GOVERNMENTS HAVE STARTED TO ENACT PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THIS GROWING PROBLEM. I BELIEVE 113 DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING 17 IN THE STATE, HAVE ADOPTED PROGRAMS. THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE A BIT DIFFERENT BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS, BUT THE CONCEPT IS GENERALLY THE SAME IN CREATING WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY CALLED A MORTGAGE REGISTRATION PROGRAM. WHAT THIS PROCESS IS IS REQUIRED WHEN TWO CRITERIA HAVE BEEN MET, AND THAT IS WHEN THE NOTICE OF LIS PENDENS IS FILED AND THIS IS FILED BEFORE THE ACTUAL FORECLOSURE AND WHEN A HOUSE IS VACANT, THAT WOULD TRIGGER THIS REGISTRATION. IT REQUIRES THAT THE LENDER OR THE MORTGAGE HOLDER REGISTER WITH THE COUNTY AND PAYS A FEE. THIS TYPE OF ACTION IS SUPPORTED BY HOAs, CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM A LOCAL CONTACT PERSON, AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE THAT THE KEY INGREDIENT OF THIS, THERE'S A LOCAL PERSON THAT THE COMMUNITY AND CODE ENFORCEMENT CAN DEAL WITH, AND IT SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT LOVES THE -- THE CONCEPT BECAUSE IT ASSISTS THEIR EFFORTS AND IT PROVES TO SAVE TIME AND RESOURCES, BUT IT REQUIRES THE MORTGAGE HOLDER OR THE LENDER TO PERFORM PERIODIC INSPECTIONS SO THAT POTENTIAL LIFE-THREATENING SITUATIONS, SUCH AS AN UNSECURED OR UNSANITARY SWIMMING POOL, UNSECURED STRUCTURES, OR SEVERE OVERGROWTH COULD BE ADDRESSED PRIOR TO CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTUALLY GETTING INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION, SO IT SAVES DOLLARS. AND AGAIN, THE KEY ELEMENT OF IT IS IT HAS A LOCAL PERSON TO DEAL WITH TO HANDLE THE ISSUES WHICH IS OFTEN THE PROBLEM, IDENTIFYING WHO TO DEAL WITH AND TO CONTACT. I'VE HEARD THE GENTLEMAN HERE THIS MORNING WHO I'VE NEVER MET BEFORE, HE'S FROM SARASOTA OR SOMEWHERE DOWN SOUTH, BUT HE INDICATED SOMETIMES IT TAKES A STAFFPERSON OR CODE ENFORCEMENT INDIVIDUAL HOURS AND HOURS TO JUST LOCATE THE ACTUAL OWNER AND DO RESEARCH, SO IT SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS AND EXPEDITES THE RESOLUTION, AND IT SAVES DOLLARS IN DOING THIS, SO IT ALLOWS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT INSTEAD OF SPENDING TIME RESEARCHING CLERK RECORDS AND LIENHOLDERS AND PENDING LEGAL ACTION, SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT I WANT TO DO IS FORWARD THIS OVER TO THE -- TO STAFF, TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE. I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT STEP THAT WE CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. I WOULD LIKE THEM TO REVIEW SOME OF THE SAMPLE ORDINANCES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE, AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW MIAMI-DADE HAS THIS PROGRAM, OTHERS -- 17 OTHER JURISDICTIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, TO REVIEW IT AND TO COME BACK. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REQUESTED 45 DAYS. THAT'S FINE WITH ME. I'M NOT IN ANY -- ANY RUSH, BUT TO JUST REVIEW THE SAMPLE ORDINANCES, COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION AND A SAMPLE ORDINANCE FOR US TO REVIEW, AND THEN AT THAT TIME IF WE -- IF WE CONCUR WITH THE DIRECTION, THEN WE CAN SET A PUBLIC HEARING. I'M NOT TRYING TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING NOW OTHER THAN TO JUST REFER IT OVER AND TO COME BACK WITH INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATION ON A SAMPLE ORDINANCE. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE FIRST STEP I'D LIKE TO SEE IN THIS PROCESS, AND AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR BOARD DEBATE. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THAT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE IDEA, AND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IN THIS STRUGGLE ECONOMY THAT INSTEAD OF BEING COMPETITIVE AND ALL LOOKING AT ONE ISSUE, IT'S GOOD THAT EACH OF US HAVE OUR OWN FOCUS ON DIFFERENT ISSUES. THAT BROUGHT TO MIND JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING I HAD EXPERIENCED A COUPLE OF YEARS -- A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, EXCUSE ME. A YOUNG COUPLE WHO HAPPEN TO BE A FRIEND OF MINE WHO LIVE IN ST. PETERSBURG, NICK AND HIS WIFE, HAD A NEW HOME AND HAD DONE JUST BEAUTIFUL THINGS WITH IT AND LIVED ON A CANAL, AND ACROSS FROM THE CANAL -- I'M SORRY, THEY'RE LIVING ON A CANAL. THE HOUSE NEXT TO THEM WAS IN THAT TYPE OF A DETERIORATED STATE. THEY SAID THERE WERE RATS AND STUFF. AND IT WAS REALLY A VERY, VERY NICE COMMUNITY. SHE HAD TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE BANK. I HAD, AS A MATTER OF FACT, TRIED TO MAKE SOME COMMUNICATION WITH SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES OVER IN PINELLAS COUNTY, AND THE ISSUE WAS, IN FACT, THAT GIVEN THE PROBLEMS AND THE HARDSHIPS THAT THE BANKS ARE HAVING NOW, THEY'RE REALLY NOT -- THEY'RE NOT RUSHING TO COMPLY WITH ANY KIND OF A CODE ENFORCEMENT NOTICE BECAUSE THEY CAN LET IT GO AS LONG AS THEY HAVE TO AND THEN THEY KNOW THEY HAVE TO FIX IT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MR. HAGAN IS CORRECT. WHILE THAT PROCESS IS ELONGATED, PEOPLE'S PROPERTY AND THE VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTIES DIMINISHES AS WE GO FORWARD. SO NUMBER ONE, KEN, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, GREAT INITIATIVE, AND SECONDLY, MS. LEE, WHAT IS THERE OR WHAT IS THERE COMING TOWARDS US PERHAPS POTENTIALLY FROM TALLAHASSEE THAT MIGHT KIND OF PARTNER WITH WHAT MR. HAGAN IS DOING, AND DO WE HAVE A RIGHT -- EVEN AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IF SOMETHING COMES THROUGH IN THE FORM OF A BILL THAT ADDRESSES THAT, DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO -- TO PARTNER WITH THAT AS WE GO FORWARD AND BASE OUR REGULATIONS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ON WHAT MR. HAGAN IS TRYING TO DO? I THINK THE TOUGHER THE BETTER BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE BLACK EYES IN NEIGHBORHOODS, SO KIND OF EDUCATE ME ON THAT IF YOU WOULD, AND I'M SUPPORTIVE ABSOLUTELY, KEN. >>RENEE LEE: THERE ARE FOUR BILLS NOW PROCEEDING THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE ON THIS SAME TOPIC. IT WOULD BE A STATEWIDE INTERNET REGISTRY, SO IT WOULD BE A LARGER REGISTRY THAN WHAT WE COULD CONTROL HERE. TWO OF THE BILLS ARE REGARDING PROPERTY REGISTRATION, AND THE OTHER TWO BILLS ARE CONCERNING EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW SO THAT ANY OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S OBTAINED THROUGH THE PROPERTY REGISTRATION LAWS ARE NOT -- THAT INFORMATION'S NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WE DO HAVE SOME RESTRICTIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION THAT WE ACQUIRE BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTROL THE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW. WE'RE COMPLETELY PREEMPTED BY THE STATE FROM THAT. BUT I THINK THAT WE COULD CRAFT THE ORDINANCE SO THAT WE COULD PROTECT AS MUCH OF THE INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE. >>ROSE FERLITA: WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT AT THE END OF THE SESSION WHAT MIGHT TAKE THE PLACE OF WHAT MR. HAGAN IS SUGGESTING WILL ACTUALLY PASS. IT MAY BE DROPPED. >>RENEE LEE: EXACTLY. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO WE'RE PROTECTED EITHER WAY, EVEN IF WE'RE PREEMPTED AT THE END OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADD TO OUR PARTICULAR COUNTY IN CONCERT WITH WHAT THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT -- >>RENEE LEE: RIGHT. I THINK WE CAN CRAFT THE ORDINANCE SO THAT IF WE ARE PREEMPTED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY SUNSET, OR IF THERE'S ANY CONFLICT, CERTAINLY WE CAN OPEN IT UP AND MAKE IT CONFORM TO WHATEVER THE STATE REQUIRES. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. I THINK THAT'S VERY GOOD, PROACTIVE THINKING, OTHERWISE WE MIGHT WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE SESSION AND NOTHING MIGHT HAPPEN. THANK YOU, MR. HAGAN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERLITA. COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE RESEARCH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, COST ESTIMATES. I WANT TO -- WHOEVER'S GOING TO BE DOING THE BACKGROUND RESEARCH FOR THIS, I WANT TO -- I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT COST, WHETHER IT'S THE GOVERNMENT PERFORMING THE FUNCTION ITSELF OR WHETHER WE ARE DIRECTING THAT A -- ANOTHER ENTITY PERFORM THE FUNCTION, WHAT THE COST IS. I THINK A -- AND I'LL OBVIOUSLY BE DOING MY OWN RESEARCH, BUT THE PRO/CON. I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY VERSUS THE COST TO THE COMMUNITY OF HAVING SUCH A PROGRAM, AND I APPRECIATE THE CHAIRMAN BRINGING THIS FORWARD, BUT MY CONCERN IS WITH -- NOT THIS PROGRAM IN GENERAL, IT'S JUST THE WHOLE MISSION CREEP OF GOVERNMENT. WE'RE GETTING BIGGER, NOT SMALLER, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT MAKING CUTS, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ECONOMIC CRISIS, SO OBVIOUSLY THIS IS VERY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO BE DISCUSSING, BUT DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND OBVIOUSLY I WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHO OUT THERE MIGHT BE MANAGING THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS, IF IT'S NOT AGAIN GOVERNMENT, WHO WOULD BE DOING IT, AND I JUST WOULD WANT AN AWFUL LOT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THIS. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND I JUST WANT TO FIRST ALSO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING REALLY TIMELY, ESPECIALLY IN OUR -- IN THESE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. I TOO -- I GUESS PART OF MY QUESTION'S STEMMING FROM WHAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE WAS ASKING IS IF WE WERE LOOKING TO MANAGE THIS PARTLY, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE MANAGED IN-HOUSE, WE'RE GOING TO BE OUTSOURCING THESE TYPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THEN ALSO THE INFORMATION IN THE REGISTRIES. I GUESS THERE ARE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD HAVE AS WELL, BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT I WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT EXPLORING, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO OUR HOMEWORK AND RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND THAT IF THERE ARE COSTS TO THE COUNTY, WHAT THOSE ARE, IF WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE IT IN-HOUSE, OUTSOURCE IT, OR WHAT THAT MIGHT BE. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I WAS LOOKING AT THE THIS AS WELL, AND I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA. IN REGARD TO THE COST AND ESTIMATES, I THINK ONE THING WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT IF WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COST OF THE REGISTRY FOR THE LENDING INSTITUTIONS THAT MAY BE PUTTING THESE ON THE BOOKS IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE, THAT THAT MIGHT BE SELF- SUSTAINING FOR THE PROGRAM ITSELF. I DON'T SEE THIS AS A MAJOR UNDERTAKING WHERE WE'D NEED AN ENTIRE STAFF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE OR TWO PEOPLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM AND WORK WITH THE -- THE PEOPLE -- THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GROUPS THAT WOULD BE LISTED TO TRY AND CLEAN UP THESE PROPERTIES, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT'S GREAT ABOUT IT IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY STAGE OF IT BECAUSE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHO IT IS THAT THEY NEED TO GO TO AND CONTACT BECAUSE THEY'RE OFTEN SEARCHING AROUND AND THEN YOU CAN'T FIND -- THE BANK IS SAYING, WELL, THE OWNERS STILL OWN IT, WE HAVEN'T FORECLOSED ON IT, AND YOU KNOW -- SO DON'T COME TO US UNTIL WE ACTUALLY OWN THE PROPERTY, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IS WHEN OUR -- WHEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS START CALLING IN THAT PROPERTIES ARE OVERGROWN, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DOESN'T HAVE ANYBODY DIRECTLY THEY CAN CONTACT, WE GO AHEAD AND TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AT THAT POINT IN TIME, SO THE COUNTY HAS EXPENSED DOLLARS, MANPOWER, TIME, EFFORT, AND ENERGY, AND THEN IF THE OWNERS AND/OR THE LENDING INSTITUTION HAS NOT PAID THOSE FUNDS, THEN YOU'RE INCURRING REOCCURRING FINES, AND THE REAL THEORY OF THE REAL WORLD, ONCE THAT PROPERTY IS SOLD, ALL THE ACCUMULATED FINES SHOULD BE PAID OFF AT THE TIME OF CLOSING. THERE'S AN INTRICATE LOOPHOLE THAT MOST OF THE LENDING INSTITUTION HAVES THAT IT'S AN ABANDONMENT CLAUSE, SO THEREFORE THE COUNTY HAS MAINTAINED AND SPENT $2-, $3,000 IN MANPOWER, $30,000 IN ACCUMULATED FINES, AND THEN AT THE CLOSING TABLE THE ABANDONMENT CLAUSE KICKS IN, WE GET ZERO, AND WE'VE BEEN MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY FOR THE OWNERS. SO AS OF 2009, AS OF JANUARY 2009, WE'VE HAD 1872 FORECLOSURE FILINGS FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ALONE VERSUS 296 IN 2006, 477 IN 2007, AND 1422 IN 2008. SO THE TREND IS CONTINUALLY GOING UP AND TOTALLY FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR 2008 WAS 20,683, SO THIS IS A GROWING PROBLEM, IT'S A GROWING TREND, AND I THANK THE CHAIRMAN FOR BRINGING IT UP, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM IF WE CAN GET ALL THE -- ALL THE KINKS WORKED OUT. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WHITE. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK IT WAS LAST BOCC MEETING I HAD ASKED SOMEBODY FROM AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT SOME POINT -- AND I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT TO MANY OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WILLING TO GIVE ME ANSWERS, BUT REMEMBER I SAID THAT I HAD TALKED TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE AT THE CITY OF TAMPA. THEIR DEFINITION BASED ON CONVERSATION WITH HUD WAS FOR SOME OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION DOLLARS THAT IN THE EVENT THAT FORECLOSURES -- FORECLOSURE PROPERTIES NEEDED SIMPLY TO BE RENOVATED, THAT WOULD EXCLUSIVELY GO TO NONPROFITS, BUT IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE DEMO'D AND REDONE, THEN HUD SAID YOU COULD ALSO INCLUDE THE FOR- PROFITS, SO I STILL THINK THEY NEED TO ANSWER THAT, AND AGAIN, IN ALL FAIRNESS, I HAVEN'T ASKED OR ASKED TO MEET WITH THEM BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT UNDER THE WEATHER, SO WHAT MAKES ME BRING THAT UP IS IN THE PROCESS OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD -- IS IT THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION? IS THAT -- >>PAT BEAN: YES. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. I THINK VALMARIE AND HER STAFF HAVE TO -- AND YOU CAN ANSWER THE OTHER STUFF LATER, BUT I'M JUST MAKING A COMMENT. YOU CERTAINLY CAN COMMENT ON IT, BUT IN TERMS OF CHEERLEADING WHAT MR. HAGAN IS SAYING, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF EXERCISE IN TERMS OF AN INVENTORY OF FORECLOSED PROPERTIES. MIGHT THAT NOT BE PART AND PARCEL TO WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF STAFF SAVING HOURS SO THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF THE INVENTORY OF WHAT THE FORECLOSURE PROPERTIES ARE, AND THAT INFORMATION CAN CERTAINLY CUT DOWN ON COSTS AND STAFF TIME TO GO RIGHT INTO WHAT MR. HAGAN IS ASKING, AND THAT GIVES US AT LEAST A PARTIAL, IF NOT ALL -- THAT SAME STAFF THAT'S GETTING THAT FORECLOSURE INFORMATION FOR THIS OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAM, VALMARIE, COULD SERVE WHAT HE'S ASKING, SO I'M JUST SAYING, IN THE CONVERSATION AND IN THE RESEARCH THAT YOU BRING BACK, PAT OR WHOEVER YOU'RE GOING TO ASK TO DO THIS, KEEP IN MIND THAT SOME OF THAT WORK'S GOING TO ALREADY BE DONE, SO THEN IT GOES RIGHT INTO WHAT HE'S SAYING. >>VALMARIE TURNER: YEAH. FOR THOSE TARGETED AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO, WE CERTAINLY ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN INVENTORY OF ALL THE HOUSES THAT ARE FORECLOSED IN THAT AREA BECAUSE -- >>ROSE FERLITA: AND THAT MAY NOT BE THE TOTAL AMOUNT, BUT AT LEAST IN THE AREA THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT FOR, THAT WILL CUT DOWN ON THE MANPOWER TIME THAT GOES TO THE THING THAT MR. HAGAN WANTS US TO RESEARCH. >>VALMARIE TURNER: EXACTLY. >>ROSE FERLITA: THAT'S ALL. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE OTHER THING AT SOME POINT. I DIDN'T WANT AN ANSWER NOW. >>VALMARIE TURNER: NO PROBLEM. >>KEN HAGAN: WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. >>VALMARIE TURNER: I'M SORRY. VALMARIE TURNER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER WHITE IS CORRECT, IT IS A GROWING PROBLEM, AND I'M AFRAID THAT THE PROBLEM IS GOING TO GET WORSE, AND THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT THIS FORWARD BECAUSE I DO FEEL IT'S AN EXCELLENT STEP THAT WE CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER, I COMPLETELY AGREE, THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED PRIOR TO GOING FORWARD. THE LAST THING THAT I'D SUPPORT IS GROWING GOVERNMENT INCREASING OUR COSTS, BUT I THINK WHAT WE MIGHT FIND FROM WHAT MY RESEARCH HAS INDICATED IS THAT IN SOME JURISDICTIONS IS NOT ONLY HAS IT BEEN REVENUE NEUTRAL, BUT BECAUSE OF THE FINES IT'S GENERATED, IT'S ALLOWED OTHER AREAS TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, SO I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO END UP COSTING US ANYTHING, AT LEAST I HOPE NOT. THAT IS THE GOAL, CERTAINLY, BUT WE DO NEED TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND COME BACK WITH WHAT YOU THINK WOULD WORK BEST. I THINK A LOT OF IT IS HOW YOU STRUCTURE THE PROGRAM. AND I THINK ADDITIONALLY DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS STRUCTURE IT IN DIFFERENT MANNERS, AND BASED ON HOW WE DO IT WILL DETERMINE OR GO A LONG WAY TO INDICATE IF IT WILL COST ANY MONEY OR IF IT'S -- IF IT'S A REVENUE GENERATOR OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BUT THE GOAL HERE IS TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT'S PARAMOUNT. RENEE, DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? >>RENEE LEE: YEAH. COMMISSIONER, I WANTED TO RESPOND TO COMMISSIONER WHITE'S CONCERN THAT IT BE A SELF-SUSTAINING PROGRAM. THERE IS A FEE ATTACHED TO THIS PROGRAM SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN RECOVER SOME OF THE MONEY THAT IT COSTS TO COLLECT THIS INFORMATION. IN ADDITION, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE COUNTY PLACING FINES ON THOSE PROPERTIES THAT THEY'VE HAD TO REPAIR OR CUT OR DO ANYTHING ELSE, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN RECOVER MOST OF THE COST OF THIS PROGRAM. >>KEN HAGAN: AND YOU CAN PLACE LIENS ON IT AFTER 30 DAYS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AS WELL. >>RENEE LEE: YES. >>MARK SHARPE: FEE AT THE TIME OF -- >>RENEE LEE: OF REGISTRY, THE BANKS WILL HAVE TO PAY A FEE OR THE PROPERTY OWNERS AT THAT POINT WILL HAVE TO PAY A FEE FOR THE REGISTRY. >>MARK SHARPE: DID YOU WANT TO STATE YOUR MOTION? >>KEN HAGAN: YEAH. I'M JUST GOING TO PASS THE GAVEL, AND AGAIN, JUST TO REFER IT OVER TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO WORK WITH -- >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: -- THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT AND TO COME BACK -- AND THIS WAS AT THE REQUEST OF RACHAEL GREENSTEIN -- COME BACK IN 45 DAYS, GIVE YOU ENOUGH TIME WITH ANY RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL AS A SAMPLE ORDINANCE FOR US TO LOOK AT, AND AT THAT TIME WE CAN DISCUSS IT AGAIN, AND IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD OR WE LIKE THE LANGUAGE, AT THAT POINT WE WOULD SET A DATE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING, AND IF NOT, WE CAN KEEP WORKING ON IT. AND THEN ALSO THAT WILL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE. >>PAT BEAN: RIGHT. >>KEN HAGAN: I THINK FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, AGAIN, ALL THE BILLS IN TALLAHASSEE FOCUS ON STATE-RUN, BANK EMPLOYEE, THERE'S NO LOCAL CONTROL. I THINK IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST THAT IT'S DONE LOCALLY, BUT AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW HOW -- WHAT ACTION WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT IN ANY EVENT, WE CAN STRUCTURE IT, AS RENEE SAID, OURS WOULD SUNSET IF WE ADOPTED IT PRIOR TO THE SESSION ENDING. SO THAT'S MY MOTION. >>MARK SHARPE: SO WE HAVE A BOARD MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT ITEM IS THE 10:15 TIME CERTAIN, B-1, WHICH IS A STATUS REPORT ON THE BIENNIAL BUDGET PROCESS, AND ERIC JOHNSON IS COMING FORWARD. >>ERIC JOHNSON: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. ERIC JOHNSON, MANAGEMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR. AS WE'VE INDICATED, COMMISSIONERS, HAVING JUST HAD A WORKSHOP LAST WEEK, AT THIS POINT WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ISSUES THAT WOULD GENERATE THE NEED FOR EITHER OF THE WORKSHOPS THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD OR THE WORKSHOP DATES THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A WORKSHOP PLANNED FOR APRIL 8th, AND WE HAVE DATES AVAILABLE FOR WORKSHOPS ON BOTH MARCH 31st AND APRIL 22nd. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORING OUR REVENUE ESTIMATES. IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE SOMETIME BEFORE WE HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE ESTIMATES THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU IN FEBRUARY REGARDING PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. AT THIS POINT WE WOULD STILL ANTICIPATE ABOUT A $50-MILLION REDUCTION FROM CURRENT-YEAR REVENUE LEVELS, BUT WE WILL BE MONITORING SOME OF THE OTHER REVENUES THAT ARE THE BASIS FOR THE BUDGET. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND YOU SAID THERE WAS NOTHING -- WHEN WAS THE NEXT WORKSHOP? >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONER, THE NEXT MEETING THAT'S SCHEDULED IS APRIL 8th, AND AT THIS POINT, FOR THE TOPICS THAT WE BELIEVE WOULD BE COMING BACK, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE KNOW OF ENOUGH TOPICS TO AT THIS POINT GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP, BUT OF COURSE, WE'LL BE BACK IN TWO WEEKS AGAIN WITH THIS ITEM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. I THINK IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE FOR US AS A COUNTY COMMISSION WHO HAS GOT TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE BUDGET TO FOREGO THESE SLOTS AND NOT HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP UNTIL THE 8th. THERE'S SEVERAL QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED, AND I JUST GOT THE REPORT IN AT THE LAST MINUTE ON THE POSITIONS, AND I'VE GOT -- I'VE GOT TO DECIPHER THAT, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING TO THE BOTTOM LINE AND THE TRUTH WHEN WE REPORT TO THE PUBLIC AND TO OTHER AGENCIES, TO CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, AND TO THE STATE WHEN I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASKING QUESTIONS ON, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE STAND TODAY, ARE WE MAKING REAL HEADWAY INTO ADDRESSING BUDGET AND PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE? SEVERAL QUESTIONS HERE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THAT WE GET ANSWERS. WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL APRIL 8th, BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP THAT KIND OF PIQUED MY INTEREST WHEN WE VOTED -- JUST VOTED ON COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S INITIATIVE TO START - - CONSIDER TO START MONITORING THESE FORECLOSED PROPERTIES. THERE'S A FEE INVOLVED, AND MY QUESTION'S GOING TO COME BACK TO OUR FEES AND HOW WE'RE MANAGING THAT AND THE POTENTIAL OF LOST REVENUE ON FEES THAT -- THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT MY QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE THE SERVICES FOR WHICH WE CHARGE FEES, WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF EACH FEE, WHAT IS THAT UNIT COST OR OTHER MEASURABLE COST FOR EACH OF THESE SERVICES WE PROVIDE FOR WHICH WE CHARGE A FEE, HOW DO THESE COSTS COMPARE TO OTHER COUNTIES, TO OTHER CITIES AND BOARDS, WHAT ARE THE COST RECOVERY GOALS FOR EACH FEE, HAVE WE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THESE RECOVERY GOALS? IF WE'VE NOT BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THESE RECOVERY GOALS, WITH THESE COST RECOVERY GOALS, WHAT'S THE AMOUNT FOR EACH FEE WHICH IS GONE AND COLLECTED? AND WE CAN GO BACK TEN YEARS ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I ADDRESSED ON THAT QUESTION AT THE LAST MEETING. IF WE WANT TO START WITH A SHORTER TIME FRAME AND WORK BACK, BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT -- BASED ON THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE -- AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW THE STATE IS ADDRESSING AND MONITORING THEIR BUDGET ISSUES AND THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY SENT BACK AND FORTH FROM LEGISLATIVE TO EXECUTIVE, YOU SEE THAT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS WELL -- FOR US NOT TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE HAVE A CONCERN ON BUDGET ISSUES AND QUESTIONS -- YOU KNOW, TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL 8th I THINK IS JUST TOO LONG. THAT'S THE LIST OF MY QUESTIONS, AND THAT'S IT. >>KEN HAGAN: WELL, LET ME ASK YOU THIS. OUR PROCESS WE APPROVED I GUESS AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, OUR LAST WORKSHOP IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN UPDATE AT EVERY BOARD MEETING? >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES, SIR. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS MARCH 18th, SO -- NOT THAT I AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT WE CAN ALWAYS DETERMINE OR DECIDE AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IF THERE WAS INTEREST OR IF THERE WAS A NEED TO HAVE THIS ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP ON MARCH 31st. IS THAT -- THAT'S ACCURATE? >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES, SIR. YES, SIR. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND AGAIN, I JUST SAY I HEAR THE INTEREST AND THE NEED, AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO PLAN AND PROJECT INTO THE FUTURE AND WE WORK AND GET THE DIRECTIVES AND THE BUDGET FROM -- FROM THE EXECUTIVE SIDE OF THIS, WE'VE GOT TO BE INFORMED AND TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST AN UPDATE TO SAY THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON -- HOLY COW, YOU KNOW, I READ THE NEWSPAPERS AND I SEE THE FORECASTS. WE'VE GOT TO BE ON THE EDGE, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ELECTIVE BODY, THE PEOPLE WHO ANSWER DIRECTLY TO THE VOTERS -- BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CALL YOU OR YOU, THEY'RE GOING TO CALL THESE PEOPLE SITTING HERE, AND I KNOW IN THE NEXT CYCLE FIVE OF THESE PEOPLE ARE FACING ELECTION, AND THESE FIVE PEOPLE, ALONG WITH THE TWO SITTING RIGHT HERE, MYSELF AND MR. BECKNER, HAD BETTER BE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND BETTER STAY ON OUR TOES ON THIS BUDGET BECAUSE IT MAY BE ONE THING TO SKATE THROUGH ON THIS CYCLE, BUT IT'S THE ONE AFTER AND THE YEAR AFTER, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOTERS KNOW THAT THIS COUNTY COMMISSION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS AFTER IT LIKE A TIGER AND THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET UP AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE INFORMATION, AND I'M NOT IMPLYING YOU'RE HOLDING BACK, BUT THIS PUBLIC IS NOT GOING TO SAY AND THE MEDIA'S NOT GOING TO SAY THAT THIS COMMISSION SAT BACK DURING TIGHT BUDGET TIMES WHEN WE'RE GOING TO FACE CUTS AND DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO MEET ABOUT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I WILL SECOND YOUR ENTHUSIASTIC COMMENT REGARDING OUR -- THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND ERIC, I KNOW YOU- ALL HAVE -- HAVE -- YOU'VE ALWAYS WORKED VERY WELL WITH MY OFFICE, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S ALWAYS WORKED VERY WELL WITH MY OFFICE SHARING INFORMATION, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH SENATOR STORMS LAST WEEK AND OTHER STATE REPRESENTATIVES IS VERY CLEAR. THE BUDGET CYCLE IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FALL, REVENUE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING INTO THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO DIMINISH, AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RETHINK HOW WE DO BUSINESS AND WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM, BOTH THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, SO TO SPEAK, AND THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY, BUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE OUT THERE HOPING THAT THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO WORK MAGIC. THERE IS NO MAGIC, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, THAT THE CITIZENS ARE WATCHING THIS CAREFULLY, AND THEY'RE WATCHING EVERYBODY. THERE WAS A TIME IN THE PAST WHEN WE COULD AFFORD TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUMPS AND INCREASES AND THE CITIZENS WOULD SUPPORT IT. NOW THE CITIZENS THEMSELVES ARE LOSING JOBS AND THE CITIZENS THEMSELVES ARE WATCHING THEIR 401Ks DIMINISH AND THEY'RE WATCHING THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS COLLAPSE, AND THEY'RE -- I MEAN, THEY'RE FRUSTRATED, SO, I MEAN, I'M ONE WHO'S BEEN LONG SAYING WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICES, ESSENTIAL SERVICES, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND WHAT SHE'S BEEN DOING WITH OUR OFFICE IN TRYING TO KEEP US APPRISED AND THE CHALLENGES SHE FACES DEALING WITH SEVEN COMMISSIONERS AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND EVERYONE ELSE ASKING FOR ALL SORTS OF THINGS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AS PARTNERS, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE A COLLECTIVE EFFORT. WE MUST HAVE THIS DATA, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RETHINK EVERYTHING WE DO, EVERY SERVICE WE PROVIDE IN THIS COUNTY. EVERY SINGLE SERVICE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE RECONSIDERED. OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, IF WE DON'T DO IT, SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR US, AND THE LEGISLATURE IS SAYING THIS TO US. I HEAR IT LOUD AND CLEAR. I APPRECIATE WE'RE TAKING STRONG ACTION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY PUSH HARD ON THIS. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YES. AND THERE IS GREAT COOPERATION AND HELP ON YOUR SIDE AND OUR SIDE, BUT IF YOU NEED MORE SPECIFIC DIRECTION SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH, I CAN COME UP WITH SEVERAL ITEMS THAT WOULD BE SPECIFIC, IN PARTICULAR ON PLANNING -- STRATEGIC PLANNING AND TYING OUR BUDGET TO DIRECT OBJECTIVES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TAXPAYER IS SEEING THE BEST USE OF THE DOLLARS, AND, I MEAN, WE COULD DO THAT OR I CAN COME BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING, BUT I THINK TO WAIT FOR A WORKSHOP UNTIL APRIL BECAUSE OF WHAT I HEAR AND WHAT I SEE IS JUST GOING TO BE TOO LONG. I CAN COME BACK -- LET ME THINK THROUGH THIS. IF YOU NEED SOME DIRECTIVE, I CAN GET IT. IF NOT, I JUST THINK APRIL 8'S TOO LONG. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. SO WE NEED A MOTION TO RECEIVE THE REPORT. DO WE WANT TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER WORKSHOP NOW OR WAIT UNTIL OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING AND MAKE THAT DECISION AT THAT TIME? WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: WELL, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK THAT WE ALL WEIGH HEAVILY ON WHAT MR. JOHNSON RECOMMENDS, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, ERIC, AT THIS POINT THERE ARE NO UPDATES. WE'RE, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT, WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS, SO WHAT IS YOUR -- YOU THINK AT THIS POINT -- UNLESS SOMEBODY HERE COMES UP WITH SOMETHING, YOU THINK THE NEXT -- WHEN DID YOU SAY THE NEXT ONE WAS GOING TO BE? >>ERIC JOHNSON: APRIL 8th. I GUESS TWO THOUGHTS. ONE IS, FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE WATCHING, I WANT TO REASSURE, WE HAVE A BUDGET PROCESS THAT'S CAPABLE OF BALANCING THE BUDGET TO THE ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. WE HAD DEPARTMENTS DELIVERING BUDGETS YESTERDAY, AND SO WE'VE BEGUN THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING THE MATERIAL THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. I THINK THE KEY AT THIS POINT IS -- I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT NOTES. YOU'VE JUST MADE A VERY EXTENSIVE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION THAT'S GOING TO INVOLVE QUITE A FEW DEPARTMENTS. I KNOW THE IPA ASKED A COUPLE OF THOSE QUESTIONS LAST WEEK AND REDIRECTED HIM THAT HE COULD OBTAIN SOME OF THAT INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENTS, SO I'LL CHECK AND SEE WHETHER THEY'VE BEGUN THAT PROCESS OR WHETHER WE'LL DO THAT INSTEAD, BUT WE WILL OBTAIN THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED. WE'RE WORKING ON INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED AT THE SAME TIME. AS I SAID, WE'VE GOT A BUDGET PROCESS THAT HAS PROVEN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THE CAPACITY TO CUT -- I THINK, THE TOTAL THAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE ASKED FOR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WAS $168 MILLION OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, SO WE'VE GOT THE CAPACITY, WE'VE GOT THE PROCESS IN PLACE. WE'LL BE REEVALUATING REVENUES AS WE GO SO THAT WE'RE BALANCING TO THE AVAILABLE REVENUE, AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IT'S AT THE BOARD'S PLEASURE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO USE THOSE WORKSHOPS, WE'RE PLEASED TO COME BACK AND DISCUSS. IN THE MEANTIME, WE'VE SCHEDULED THE MEETINGS NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH BALANCING THE BUDGET. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YES. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WHAT ARE THE NEXT TWO DATES THAT WE HAVE? >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONER, THE NEXT DATE WOULD BE MARCH 31st. AFTER THAT WE ALREADY HAVE APRIL 8th LOCKED IN, AND THE OTHER DATE THAT THE BOARD HAS MADE AVAILABLE IS APRIL 22nd. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE HOLD A SPECIAL WORKSHOP ON MARCH 31st AND THAT WE INVITE OUR IPA TO COME IN AND MAKE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER BUDGET AND BETTER PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AND ASK THE IPA TO SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING AND HOW WE CAN TIE OUR BUDGET BECAUSE I HEAR WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT WE'RE BALANCING THE BUDGET AND WE'VE GOT THE PAST TRACK RECORD TO DO THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT A FUTURE THAT IS UNCERTAIN, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE HOLD A SPECIAL WORKSHOP, BRING THE IPA IN TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD ON HOW WE CAN BETTER PLAN OUR BUDGETS FOR POSITIVE OUTCOME. >>MARK SHARPE: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. MS. LEE, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT BEFORE WE VOTE? >>RENEE LEE: COMMISSIONER, JUST TO SEEK A LITTLE MORE CLARIFICATION ON YOUR MOTION BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, THE CHARTER AS WELL AS FLORIDA STATUTES APPOINTS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AS THE OFFICIAL BUDGET OFFICER, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED CHANGED THAT SHE COULD POSSIBLY DO. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I WOULD HOPE THAT THE BUDGET OFFICER WOULD BE HERE BECAUSE ALL I'M ASKING AND ALL I'M GOING TO DO IS SEEK MORE INFORMATION AND BETTER WAYS TO PLAN. CALL ME TONTO, CALL ME THE -- OR KEMO SABE, CALL ME THE LONE RANGER, BUT I'M SEEKING -- >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY, TONTO. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I'M SEEKING MORE INFORMATION SO THE PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON US TO SPEND THEIR MONEY WISELY -- NOT LOOKING FOR ANY CHANGE, NOT LOOKING FOR AN ADDRESS OF AUTHORITY, BUT TO BRING THE IPA IN AS AN ADDITIONAL RESOURCE OF INFORMATION TO HELP US COLLECTIVELY WORK ON THIS BUDGET IN THE FUTURE. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I SECOND IT. LISTEN, WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION IN MY OFFICE, AND I APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY LEGAL AS WELL AS BY -- BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, BUT I THINK TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION IN THE SUNSHINE, OUT IN THE PUBLIC, IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND TO -- AND FOR US TO, AGAIN, THOROUGHLY REEXAMINE WHAT WE DO, WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE, HOW WE HANDLE THIS BUDGET, I THINK IT WILL -- IT MIGHT BE PAINFUL AND -- BUT IN THE END IT'S GOING TO PAY OFF, AND QUITE FRANKLY, LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION YEAR AFTER YEAR. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I AGREE. >>MARK SHARPE: I DON'T SEE IT GETTING ANY BETTER ANYTIME SOON. I KNOW THERE'S A -- THERE'S A PROCESS AND THERE'S AN OLD WAY, BUT I DON'T THINK THE OLD WAY'S GOING TO SATISFY THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE. AND THEN IN THE END -- AND THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID THIS TO EVERYONE. IN THE END, IF WE ASK QUESTIONS AND -- AND IN THE END IF THE ANSWERS THAT COME BACK FROM -- FROM OUR STAFF CAN WITHSTAND, YOU KNOW, RIGOROUS SCRUTINY AND REVIEW, THEN WHAT'S THE HARM? I DON'T -- I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE FEAR OR THE WORRY ABOUT ALLOWING OTHERS TO COME IN HERE AND TO MAKE CHALLENGES. THEY'RE NOT MAKING POLICY, THEY'RE ASKING QUESTIONS, AND WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S OFTENTIMES IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, WE JUST BETTER NOT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK THEY OUGHT TO BE IN HERE. WE HAVE PEOPLE WE GIVE THEM THEIR THREE MINUTES AND THEY SAY ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO US, AND WE SOMETIMES RESPOND AND SOMETIMES DON'T, BUT I THINK TO HAVE A RIGOROUS REVIEW OF OUR BUDGET IS A HEALTHY THING. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. I THINK EACH OF US -- EACH OF THE SEVEN OF US IN OUR OWN WAY WANT TO BE AS -- AS PREPARED AS WE POSSIBLY CAN GIVEN THE ECONOMIC SITUATION TO BE BETTER ABLE TO ADDRESS OUR BUDGET. IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH ONE, NOBODY DENIES THAT, AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT OPPOSED TO GETTING AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I CAN, AND EVEN LAST CYCLE I THINK I PROBABLY BUGGED ERIC A LOT IN TERMS OF HOMEWORK, AND THAT WAS FINE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO THE PROCESS. I THINK, MS. LEE, WITHOUT BEING TOO DETAILED THERE, WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS GUYS, GO AHEAD AND GET AS MUCH INFORMATION YOU WANT VIA WORKSHOP OR VIA INDEPENDENT MEETINGS WITH EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS OR DEPARTMENT HEADS OR WHATEVER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS A PROCESS BY CHARTER THAT WE NEED TO RESPECT, SO I -- I OBVIOUSLY HAVE NOT TALKED TO YOU GUYS AS MUCH AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES LIKE MR. SHARPE ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND THE PROCESS, BUT I THINK IT'S BACK TO WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS THAT YOU SHOULD BE LEADING OR NOT LEADING, MS. BEAN, AND WHAT YOU, MS. LEE, AS OUR LEGAL COUNSEL CAN TELL US WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO. THAT'S NOT CERTAINLY PRECLUDING US FROM GETTING ALL THIS INFORMATION ASSIMILATED AND THEN GOING FORWARD, AND WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AS OPPOSED TO OLD GOVERNMENT, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE, BUT PERSONALLY I'M GOING TO LEAN ON YOU TO -- TO GET SOME ADVICE ABOUT HOW WE CAN AND CAN'T DO SOMETHING. YOU'RE NOT TELLING US ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING, BUT I JUST NEED TO BE -- NEED TO BE -- I NEED TO HAVE YOU LET US KNOW THAT HOWEVER WAY WE'RE ORCHESTRATING THIS, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS FAIR WITH THE PROCESS AND APPROPRIATE IN TERMS OF PROTOCOL BASED ON THE DICTATES OF OUR CHARTER. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE THE REPORT AND TO SCHEDULE AN ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP ON THE 31st. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I HAD MY LIGHT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. [INAUDIBLE] >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY. JUST TO CLARIFY THESE AND TO HELP COUNSEL HERE, SECTION 4.10 IN OUR COUNTY CHARTER -- AND IT'S ENTITLED "COUNTY INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR" -- IT SPECIFICALLY ALLOWS AND DIRECTS THIS AUDITOR TO PARTICIPATE, AND IT SAYS, TO ADVISE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ASSIST THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS IN CONDUCTING CONTINUING STUDIES OF THE OPERATION, COUNTY PROGRAMS, SERVICE, AND AS A BUDGET ANALYST FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. THEY SHALL -- THERE SHALL BE A COUNTY INTERNAL -- COUNTY INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, SO WE'RE WELL WITHIN OUR CHARTER, AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO ALLOWING HIM TO COME IN HERE, SO THANK YOU, AND I'M READY TO RECORD A VOTE. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I WAS AT EASE BEFORE, AND AFTER HE QUOTED THAT, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO LEAN ON THE LEGAL COUNSEL THAT MS. LEE PROVIDES US AND PROVIDES US WELL, SO I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE AS WELL OF THE MOTION. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. NEXT ITEM. 10:30 TIME CERTAIN. >>PAT BEAN: YES. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM B-2, WHICH IS AN AUDIT REPORT FROM DAN POHTO REGARDING THE FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT AND SPECIFICALLY THE FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION. >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, DAN. >>DAN POHTO: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. DAN POHTO, DIRECTOR OF COUNTY AUDIT WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE. WE HAVE AUDIT REPORT 177, WHICH IS FIRE RESCUE PREVENTION DIVISION. ON ALL THE ITEMS THE FIRE CHIEF HAS CONCURRED AND HAS SOME DATES. SOME STRETCH INTO THIS YEAR, SOME STRETCH OUT TO NEXT YEAR. ONE POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE, I THINK IT IS TIMELY AND IT KIND OF WRAPS AROUND WHAT COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM WAS JUST TALKING TO ERIC ABOUT, AND IT'S ON PAGE 11, FINDING NUMBER FIVE. THE DIVISION -- THE PREVENTION DIVISION, BASED ON TWO DIFFERENT ORDINANCES, IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE 100% OF THEIR DIRECT COSTS PAID BY FEES THAT ARE PAID FOR FIRE INSPECTIONS. IN FY 2007 OF $3.2 MILLION IN PREVENTION, 44% OF THAT WAS COVERED BY FEES AND THE REST HAD TO BE COVERED BY AD VALOREM TAXES. THESE FEES HAVE NOT BEEN LOOKED AT SINCE 2003; HOWEVER, THE ORDINANCES SAY THAT EACH YEAR BY ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES THOSE FEES COULD BE INCREASED IF YOU WANTED THEM TO. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. AND ANOTHER ITEM ON FINDING SIX, WHICH IS PARTLY PREVENTION AND PARTLY THE RESCUE SIDE, IS COLLECTION OF FEES THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED, PARTICULARLY ON THE EMS SERVICES, ABOUT $2 MILLION OF FEES THAT WERE WRITTEN OFF. SO THERE'S SOME SUGGESTIONS IN HERE, AND THE CHIEF, I THINK, IS GOING TO LOOK IN TO POSSIBLY GETTING SOME COLLECTION AGENCIES. WE'VE TRIED IN-HOUSE TO GET THESE FEES COLLECTED, AND WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL. THE PREVENTION DIVISION JUST HAS WRITTEN OFF ABOUT 42,000 VERSUS 2.2 MILLION ON THE EMS SIDE. SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF TIMELY WITH WHAT YOU WERE JUST DISCUSSING A FEW MINUTES AGO. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY AND ANSWER THEM. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: ONCE AGAIN, I WANTED TO THANK THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR A SUPERB AUDIT. >>DAN POHTO: THANK YOU. >>MARK SHARPE: AND THE FIRE MARSHAL IS HERE, AND I WANTED TO THANK THE FIRE MARSHAL FOR THE WORK THAT HE'S DOING AS WELL. AN ITEM WAS BROUGHT TO ME, IT WAS -- AND I'M SURE YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF THIS -- FINDING NUMBER 11, THAT THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATING A FIRE SAFETY CODE, AND THE ORDINANCE READS THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE CODE ARE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY FINE AND/OR IMPRISONMENT AND THAT THE FIRE MARSHAL HAS SENT LETTERS FORWARD TO APPROXIMATELY 40 -- OR TO 42 POTENTIAL VIOLATORS, AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU, IS THERE ANY STEPS THAT THE COUNTY OR THIS BOARD OR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN TAKE TO ASSIST YOU IN THE FOLLOW-UP -- I GUESS I'M SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE FIRE MARSHAL -- TO MAKE IT -- TO HELP YOU, WHETHER IT'S A CLARIFICATION OF LANGUAGE OR -- DO YOU FEEL THAT THE ORDINANCE OR DO YOU FEEL THAT WHAT WE HAVE NOW, THE CODE, WORKS, OR SHOULD WE BE TRYING TO BEEF IT UP A BIT OR FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THOSE WE CONSIDER TO BE POTENTIAL VIOLATORS? >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING. >> FIRST, GOOD MORNING. STEVE KENDRICK, FIRE MARSHAL FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE ORDINANCE IS NOT WORKING. IN '87 THERE WAS A SECTION IN THE ORDINANCE, SECTION FIVE, WHICH CHANGED WHERE WE USED OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD FOR OUR BOARD OF APPEALS, BUT I ALSO HAVE TO STATE THAT MY RESPONSE TO THE AUDIT WAS BRIEF BASED ON THE QUESTION ITSELF. IT'S NOT THAT WE DO NOT DO CODE ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE WE DO. WE ACTUALLY RECENTLY HAD A CEASE AND DESIST ORDER ON A BUILDING THAT WAS BEING USED AS AN ASSEMBLY OCCUPANCY, WAS NOT PERMITTED, WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK COURSE -- TOOK ACTION. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO CODE ENFORCEMENT, IT'S JUST NOT A CLEAN PROCESS. WE NEED TO HAVE A BETTER PROCESS OF DOING IT, A LITTLE BIT MORE STRUCTURE IN IT, AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OUR CASES BEFORE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD. >>MARK SHARPE: WHAT ASSISTANCE COULD WE PROVIDE YOU, THEN, SIR, THAT WOULD HELP YOU TO -- YOU KNOW, STRENGTHEN THE CODE, THE EXISTING CODE SO THAT YOU COULD TAKE ACTION? >> WELL, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS. THE BUILDING CODE THAT WAS RECENTLY ADOPTED AND TOOK EFFECT MARCH 1st, WE HAVE IN THAT PROVISIONS FOR THE BUILDING OFFICIAL AND THE FIRE MARSHAL TO HAVE THEIR APPEALS PROCESS TO GO BEFORE THE BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS, SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE FIRST STEP OF THAT. THE ONLY OTHER THING WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO REWRITE THIS ORDINANCE, WHICH WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING, AND PUT THE PROPER LANGUAGE IN THERE TO BE ABLE TO NOW GO BEFORE THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD FOR OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND THAT'S WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE BEGINNING. >>MARK SHARPE: SO ACTUALLY, THEN, WE -- YOU HAVE ALREADY - - YOU'RE ON TOP OF THIS? >> YES. I MEAN, IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I WAS ASKED TO DO, I STARTED IN OCTOBER, WAS TO LOOK AT THE PROCESS AND TO CLEAN THE PROCESS UP, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE DOING. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, SIR. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE FIRE MARSHAL OR FOR DAN? >> THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE THE REPORT? >>MARK SHARPE: SO MOVE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND COMMISSIONER BECKNER. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. >>DAN POHTO: COMMISSIONERS, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE CLERK'S AUDIT DEPARTMENT AND MY STAFF. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANKS, DAN, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK, DAN. >>KEN HAGAN: MS. BEAN. >>PAT BEAN: YES. MR. CHAIR, I THINK AT THIS POINT YOU WOULD DO YOUR APPOINTMENTS. YOU HAVE APPOINTMENTS TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD AND THE LAND USE APPEALS BOARD. >>LUANN FINLEY: THE REASON WE NEEDED TO BRING BACK THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD WAS BECAUSE WE HAD A TIE. WE STILL ONLY HAVE SIX COMMISSIONERS, SO SHOULD WE -- >>MARK SHARPE: GIVE ME ONE SECOND. [INAUDIBLE] >>LUANN FINLEY: WE STILL ONLY HAVE SIX. >>ROSE FERLITA: IF WE HAD A TIE AND WE'RE SHORT, DO WE WANT TO DO IT THIS AFTERNOON? I DON'T KNOW. >>LUANN FINLEY: DO WE WANT TO DO IT THIS AFTERNOON WHEN NORMAN COMES BACK? >>ROSE FERLITA: COMMISSIONER NORMAN IS COMING BACK OR HE STATED HE WAS COMING BACK THIS AFTERNOON. >>LUANN FINLEY: YEAH, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'LL HAVE THE SAME, WE'LL JUST HAVE THE SIX. >>ROSE FERLITA: WHAT ABOUT IF WE SEE HOW IT GOES, AND IF NOT, HE CAN BREAK THE TIE. >>LUANN FINLEY: YOU WANT TO GO FOR IT? >>KEN HAGAN: YEAH, LET'S GIVE IT A SHOT. >>LUANN FINLEY: FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD, FOR BUSINESSMAN, PLEASE CHOOSE ONE. COMMISSIONER HAGAN. >>KEN HAGAN: AND WHO TIED LAST TIME? >>LUANN FINLEY: OKAY. IT'S BETWEEN JONES AND SAMUELS. >>KEN HAGAN: JONES. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: YEAH. THEY'RE BOTH FANTASTIC. JONES. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SANTARLAS. >>LUANN FINLEY: IT'S BETWEEN JONES AND SAMUELS. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: JONES. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: SAMUELS. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: SAMUELS. >>LUANN FINLEY: AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: SAMUELS. AT LEAST WE'RE CONSISTENT. >>KEVIN WHITE: JIM WILL BREAK THE TIE. >>LUANN FINLEY: AND ON THE SECOND ONE, THE LAND USE APPEALS BOARD, I RECORDED COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S VOTE WRONG. I THOUGHT HE SAID JOUDREY. HE ACTUALLY SAID DOMRES, SO DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT ONE AGAIN OR DO YOU WANT TO WAIT? >>KEN HAGAN: LET'S TRY IT. >>LUANN FINLEY: OKAY. COMMISSIONER HAGAN. >>KEN HAGAN: DOMRES. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: DOMRES. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: NUMBER 10, DOMRES. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: JOUDREY. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: DOMRES. >>LUANN FINLEY: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: JOUDREY. >>LUANN FINLEY: OKAY. SO IT'LL BE DOMRES. THEN WE'LL COME BACK THIS AFTERNOON FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION TO CONFIRM MR. DOMRES. >>MARK SHARPE: SO MOVE. >>KEVIN WHITE: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND COMMISSIONER WHITE. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. >>PAT BEAN: COMMISSIONERS, NOW WE SHOULD MOVE TO ITEM A- 10, WHICH WAS AN ITEM PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, AND THIS RELATES TO THE ISSUE OF SETTLED SOLIDS MANAGEMENT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>LOUISE FIELDS: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. LOUISE FIELDS, COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE HAVE SUBMITTED A-10, WHICH IS A PROPOSED SETTLEMENT ON A LAWSUIT BY SETTLED SOLIDS MANAGEMENT, INC., AGAINST THE COUNTY. THEIR ORIGINAL CLAIM WAS OVER A MILLION DOLLARS. WE REACHED A PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF 450,000, AND THAT INCLUDES ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS AND EVERYTHING. WERE THERE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE OR -- >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YES. I JUST IN TRYING TO GET TO AN UNDERSTANDING -- AND I KNOW THAT I HAD SOMEONE FROM WATER SERVICES CALL YESTERDAY, BUT I WANTED TO GET A PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON THIS, AND I'M PROUD THAT WE NEGOTIATED DOWN FROM A MILLION TO $450,000, AND THE QUESTION I HAD IS THAT -- AND AS I UNDERSTAND THIS, WE -- DURING THIS BID PROCESS -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ASKED QUESTIONS ALONG THIS LINE DURING BRIEFING -- THAT THERE WAS WORK DONE FOR $300,000 THAT ACCOMPLISHED A GOOD PART OR SOME OF THIS OBJECTIVE, AND THEN WE SETTLED FOR 450,000, SO THE QUESTION I HAD, I'D LIKE BETTER CLARIFICATION -- THERE ARE TWO POINTS. ONE, DID WE GET -- ON A CONTRACT THAT WAS $2.7 MILLION GET ALL THAT WORK DONE FOR 300,000? IT MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT THIS BID PROCESS. AND JUST HELP -- WALK ME THROUGH THIS AND HELP THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTAND THIS. AND THEN WE SAY, WELL, WE GOT OFF GREAT BECAUSE WE PAID ONE VENDOR 300,000, THEN ANOTHER 450, SO WE'RE STILL UNDER, BUT IF WE WERE LETTING A CONTRACT OUT FOR NEARLY $3 MILLION AND GOT THE WORK DONE FOR 300,000, IT JUST -- I THINK IT CAUSED ENOUGH CONCERN FOR ME TO HAVE A PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND, AGAIN, THERE'S SOME COMPLEXITIES. AND THEN WE'RE JUST LETTING THIS GUY WALK, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IN BRIEFING YESTERDAY. HE JUST -- HE AND THE COUNTY SAID WE CAN'T SEE EYE TO EYE ON THIS, AND THERE WAS KIND OF A PROFESSIONAL AGREEMENT, AND WE JUST LET THEM WALK FROM IT AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY BANISHMENT FROM FUTURE BIDS, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO WORK IN THE FUTURE. SO THE TWO QUESTIONS, ONE ON THE FUTURE RELATIONSHIP, AND TWO, EXPLAIN TO THE REST -- EXPLAIN TO ME AGAIN AND THE REST OF US THIS DISCREPANCY IN THE $300,000 VERSUS THE THREE MILLION. >> MR. VANDERPLOOG, I BELIEVE, CAN SPEAK TO THE DETAILS OF THAT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY. WELCOME BACK AGAIN. >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS. THERE IS NO MISTAKE, AND THERE'S NO RELATIONSHIP. YOU HAVE AN APPLE AND AN ORANGE. THE $300,000 WAS WORK DONE TO CLEAN TANKS AT VAN DYKE PRIOR TO THIS CONTRACT BEING LET. IT WAS A NECESSITY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THAT PLANT AND ITS SIZE, THERE WAS NO OPTION BUT TO DO THE WORK. THAT PLANT, ONE OF THE EIGHT SITES, WAS INCLUDED IN THE SUBSEQUENT CONTRACT TO BE LET, BUT YOU'LL RECALL IT WAS $2.7 MILLION OVER THREE YEARS. AND ON THE COMEBACK SIDE, VAN DYKE WOULD HAVE BEEN READY FOR CLEANING AGAIN. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND SO IF -- THEY'VE CONTINUED ON WITHOUT THIS -- >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: THAT WAS A DIFFERENT VENDOR. THIS IS NOT THE SAME VENDOR THAT DID THIS, THAT CLEANED THOSE TANKS. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: RIGHT, THE ONE THAT DID IT FOR 300 -- >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: THE ONE THAT DID IT FOR 300 WAS SEPARATE AND DISTINCT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THE QUESTION IS IF WE GOT IT DONE FOR 300,000, EXPLAIN WHY THERE WAS A $3-MILLION CONTRACT. I'M JUST HAVING TROUBLE WORKING THROUGH THAT. >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: NOW, THE CONTRACT WAS LET FOR 34 TANKS COVERING EIGHT PLANTS, AND I THINK THAT -- THAT WORKS OUT ABOUT RIGHT BASED ON THE QUANTITIES THAT WERE ESTIMATED TO BE THERE. THE BREAKDOWN IN ALL THIS -- AND I TOTALLY APOLOGIZE AND I STAND RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. THE BREAKDOWN WAS FROM THE ENGINEER'S KNOWLEDGE OF MASS TO THE CONTRACT LANGUAGE, AND WHAT YOU FIND OUT ON THIS -- AND IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, AND I'LL TELL YOU HOW WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME. BUT WHEN YOU FIND AN ACCUMULATION OF MASS ON THE BOTTOM OF A TANK -- THESE TANKS ARE HOT, THEY'RE SWIRLING, THEY DON'T STOP. IN THIS CASE THERE'S ONLY ONE TRAIN THERE, AND WHAT YOU FIND HAPPENS, THERE'S A PATTERN WHERE YOU FIND MASSES DEPOSITED, AND SO THAT WAS -- WHEN WE IDENTIFY THE MASS, YOU FIND OUT -- WE'VE COME TO LEARN AND HAVE DONE ENGINEERING STUDIES -- IT'LL BE A PART OF ANY FUTURE EFFORT, BUT WHEN YOU FIND THAT MASS, IT'S NOT ALL SAND AND GRIT, AND THE CONTRACT LANGUAGE WAS LOOSE AND IT JUST WAS A PICKUP FROM OLDER LANGUAGE ON CLEAN SQUARE FOOT TYPE CONTRACT. SQUARE FEET'S A VERY EXPENSIVE WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU CLEAN IT WHETHER IT NEEDS IT OR NOT. THE MASS, UNFORTUNATELY, IS NOT ALL SAND AND GRIT. ABOUT 40% TO 45% WILL BE SAND AND GRIT. YOU FIND THEN SLUDGE, BIOMASS ABOUT 10%, AND WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, IN OUR BUSINESS THE REST OF IT'S WATER, AND WE JUST DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB CONNECTING THE ENGINEERING STUDIES AT THAT TIME. IT WAS A NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS TO TRY AND GET AN EFFICIENCY, TO GET A CHEAPER WAY TO CLEAN OUR TANKS, AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TELLING YOU IT DIDN'T DO VERY WELL. WE'LL STOP IN THE FUTURE, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT, BUT WE'VE LEARNED A LOT AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS ENDEAVOR, BUT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO AVOID ACCEPTING A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE RISK BECAUSE IN THE NATURE OF THE TANKS THAT YOU ESTIMATE, IT WILL NEVER PROBABLY BE 100% ACCURATE, BUT IT WILL BE PROXIMATE, AND I THINK WHEN WE DO THAT WE GET BETTER COMPOSITION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPOSITION THROUGH CORE SAMPLING AND WHAT IS THERE, AND THEN WHEN WE WRITE THE CONTRACTS TO NOT ONLY INCLUDE SAND AND GRIT BUT ADD BIOMASS, I THINK WE'VE TAKEN A LARGE STEP FORWARD. AND TO BE FAIL-SAFE, WE KIND OF NEED TO INCLUDE SAFEGUARDS FOR VARIATION, AND THE VARIATION YOU CAN MATCH RATES TO QUANTITY AND DO THAT ON A SCALE SO THAT IF I TELL YOU THERE'S 50 THERE BUT WHEN YOU GET THERE THERE'S ACTUALLY 40, THE RATE WOULD BE ADJUSTED AND HIGHER BECAUSE WE'D BE SHORT OF OUR ESTIMATE, AND IT WOULD GO THE OPPOSITE AS YOU GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE QUANTITIES. AND THEN I THINK THE PROPER APPROVAL PROCESS TO GET THE RIGHT FOLKS APPROVING THE CONTRACT -- I TAKE NO -- NO MALICE TOWARD ANYBODY THAT WORKED ON THIS. IT WAS WELL-INTENDED, AND IT JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: GOOD. AND I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT AND TRUST IN YOUR PROCESS, AND PART OF MY CONCERN IS THAT WE HAVE SO MANY ADVOCATES WHO ARE CONCERNED AND WATCHING OUR BUDGET. I KNOW MS. BACCA IS HERE, AND I'M SURE SHE WAS GOING TO CATCH IT, AND ONE THING -- WHAT REALLY WAS THE RED FLAG HERE WAS THIS -- THIS IS THE ONLY ITEM ON CONSENT, 10 AND 11, WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SETTLEMENTS, AND THERE'S NO DOLLAR FIGURE IN THERE, SO -- AND MAYBE IT WAS JUST AN OVERSIGHT ON PREPARATION OF THE CONSENT, BUT THERE'S NO DOLLAR FIGURE, AND I'M SURE SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO CALL US OUT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WHY DO YOU HAVE -- WE HAVE DOLLAR FIGURES ON OTHER SETTLEMENTS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED - - IF IT'S JUST AN OVERSIGHT OR WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A BOARD POLICY OR REINFORCE A BOARD POLICY THAT WHEN WE HAVE A FIGURE HERE THAT IT'S THERE, BUT SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, WHO READS THESE CLOSELY WHO DOESN'T SIT ON THIS SIDE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY CALLED US TO TASK AND SAID WHY IS IT A SETTLEMENT FOR 450 AND 300 AND THEY SEE THAT CONTRACT, SO I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD PUBLIC AIRING, AND KEEP DOING A GOOD JOB. >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: WELL, I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY, AND AGAIN, I DRAW TO YOUR ATTENTION THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION, AND IT'S MY BEST RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE THINGS, AND I TRIED TO OUTLINE THE ALTERNATIVES I THOUGHT WE FACED, AND IF YOU DESIRE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, I SURELY WILL DO THAT, AND I WILL TALK WITH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A MATTER OF COURSE NOT TO PUT THE FIGURES IN THEIR AGENDA ITEMS OR NOT. >>RENEE LEE: WE GENERALLY DO. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YEAH, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN -- >>MARK SHARPE: [INAUDIBLE] IT'S NOT THERE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I KNOW IT WAS IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT A LOT OF TIMES -- THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET THE QUESTION WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING. THAT WAS MY CONCERN BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER, AND YOUR FEELING BECAUSE THIS IS JUST KIND OF HUMAN COMMUNICATIONS AND THE NATURE OF THE -- THE BEAST, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE -- EVEN THOUGH THEY SAID WE'RE TIRED OF THIS, WE'RE WALKING OFF THE CONTRACT, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LET THEM BID BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WALKED OFF? >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: YES, SIR. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, I FEEL COMFORTABLE. I MEAN, AFTER REVIEWING -- AGAIN, WE NEED TO BRING THESE QUESTIONS UP, BUT -- YOU KNOW, NOT TO BE FUNNY, BUT, I MEAN, IT'S A MASSY BUSINESS. IT'S VERY -- IT'S NASTY, AND YOU'RE BASICALLY PLUNGING DOWN THERE TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH GRIT AND SAND THERE IS, AND THERE WAS AN OVERESTIMATION. I THINK WHAT WE HAD HERE 26 WASTEWATER TREATMENT TANKS, AND WE WAY OVERESTIMATED TO NO ONE'S FAULT BECAUSE IT IS A VERY CHALLENGING PROCESS. >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: BECAUSE OF THE SLUDGE AND WATER FACTOR. >>MARK SHARPE: AND WE OVERESTIMATED. THEY WENT OUT AND BOUGHT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF EQUIPMENT, THEY HIRED STAFF, THEY WERE PREPARED FOR A MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR PROJECT, AND THEY GO THERE AND LOOK AND REALIZE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECOUP OUR COSTS, AND THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN WHAT WE WERE TOLD. IT WASN'T LIKE THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, LEFT. THEY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR -- WITH OUR DEPARTMENT, WATER DEPARTMENT AND WASTEWATER, AND THEN AT THAT TIME LEFT, AND IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT LEGAL FEELS FAIRLY STRONG THIS IS A FAIRLY GOOD COMPROMISE FOR THE TWO PARTIES. >>RENEE LEE: WE DO SUPPORT THE SETTLEMENT, COMMISSIONER. IT HAS ALSO BEEN BEFORE THE COUNTY'S CLAIMS COMMITTEE, AND THEY ALSO RECOMMEND THE SETTLEMENT, SO WE'RE IN FULL AGREEMENT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: AND THEY DID DO EXCELLENT WORK, IF I MIGHT, MR. CHAIR, ON THE DIGESTORS. THERE'S FOUR DIGESTORS INCLUDED AS A PERIPHERY. THAT WORK WAS DONE TO STANDARD WITHOUT COMPLAINT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: GENERAL, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, AND I APPRECIATE THE ELABORATION THAT YOU SENT US AND MADE NO BONES ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU WERE TAKING THE BLAME, BUT YOU CERTAINLY HAVE PROVEN TO BE A LEADER, A GENTLEMAN, AND CERTAINLY AN EXPERT IN THIS AREA, SO ALTHOUGH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US WANT TO TALK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY IN TRYING TIMES LIKE THIS. IN TERMS OF SETTLEMENT, I CAN REMEMBER MANY TIMES WHEN YOU HAVE BRIEFED ME ABOUT MANY DOLLARS BECAUSE OF YOUR EXPERIENCE THAT THIS COUNTY HAS SAVED, SO IT WASN'T PERFECT. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO GO ABOUT ASKING FOR RFPs OR WHATEVER THE PROCESS WAS, AND I FRANKLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOUR -- YOUR MAN ENOUGH AND A LEADER ENOUGH TO SAY THIS PROBABLY WASN'T A GOOD WAY AND WE'VE LEARNED, IT ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO OTHER THAN SUPPORT YOU AND APPRECIATE THE EXPERTISE YOU'VE BROUGHT TO US ON ALL OCCASIONS. >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: THE RESPONSIBILITY WAS TOTALLY MINE, AND I ACCEPT THAT, MA'AM. >>ROSE FERLITA: WELL, I APPRECIATE YOUR CANDIDNESS AND CERTAINLY SUPPORT WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS. >>KEN HAGAN: CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE AND COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION SO THAT THE PUBLIC HAD A TOTAL UNDERSTANDING OF IT AND THAT WE ALSO ACCEPT YOUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS VENDOR BE USED AGAIN IN THE FUTURE AND THAT IT WAS SIMPLY - - AND THIS IS PART OF MY MOTION -- IT WAS SIMPLY A MATTER OF COMMUNICATION AND WE DEAL CONSISTENTLY WITH VENDORS ON COMMUNICATION ISSUES IN THE FUTURE. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>MARK SHARPE: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, PAUL. >>PAUL VANDERPLOOG: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, COMMISSIONERS. I APPRECIATE IT. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT ITEM. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM A-30. THIS IS SELECTION HDR ENGINEERING, INC., DEEMED TO BE THE MOST HIGHLY QUALIFIED FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR PD&E STUDY FOR VAN DYKE. BOB GORDON IS HERE TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: BOB, YOU CAN CERTAINLY COME UP AND GIVE YOUR EXPLANATION, AND I KNOW YOU RESPONDED TO RENEE LEE'S QUESTION ON MY BEHALF, AND LET ME JUST EXPLAIN AGAIN AND LET ME BE VERY CLEAR. ALTHOUGH WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT A-30, ACTUALLY, I'M WRAPPING MY REASONS IN TO BOTH A-30, A-45, AND A-65. I KNOW THAT THIS COMPANY WAS THE COMPANY THAT DID THE RESERVOIR WORK, AND I KNOW THAT THAT IN ITSELF SHOULD PROBABLY REQUIRE OR MANDATE MORE SCRUTINY. I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE I'VE BEEN OUT, AS -- SAME ISSUE WITH STAFF ON 45 AND 65, SO I'M THE ONE THAT PULLED IT. I'M NOT COMFORTABLE AT THIS POINT SUPPORTING IT FOR THOSE REASONS. YOU CAN CERTAINLY GIVE ME A RESPONSE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE REST OF THE BOARD WANTS TO GO FORWARD, BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT UNTIL I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU OR SOMEONE, WHICH WAS NOT YOUR FAULT, IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT BEING HERE, I'M JUST NOT COMFORTABLE AT THIS POINT, SO IF YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT DOUBTFUL ABOUT SOMETHING THAT COMES BEFORE YOU, THEN IT SHOULDN'T BE AN AUTOMATIC YES. WITH THAT BEING SAID, GO AHEAD, SIR. >>BOB GORDON: YES, MA'AM. BOB GORDON, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. YOU RAISED GOOD POINTS. IF THIS HAD BEEN A CONTRACT SIMILAR TO THE COPPER DESIGN THEY DID FOR TAMPA BAY WATER, THERE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS BY THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, BUT THIS IS A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT. I CAN TELL YOU THAT OVER THE YEARS HDR HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB ON TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. IN FACT, THEY'RE CURRENTLY RANKED 31 OUT OF 79 IN OUR CONSULTANT EVALUATION. IT'S AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WHERE YOU TRACK THEIR EVALUATIONS BY PROJECT MANAGERS. THEY DID COME IN NUMBER ONE OUT OF 12 FIRMS. THEY ARE VERY QUALIFIED TO DO TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. I KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN LITIGATION WITH TAMPA BAY WATER, AND I GUESS THEY'LL SORT OUT WHO WAS AT FAULT THERE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE WHO'S REVIEWED THEM AND THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR OTHER PROJECT MANAGERS AROUND THE COUNTY FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS HAS REALLY BEEN VERY GOOD. LIKE I SAID, THEY GOT LIKE A 93 OUT OF 100 POINTS ON THEIR PAST PERFORMANCE, SO THAT'S PROBABLY LIKE A B-PLUS, BUT THEY'RE IN THE 90s. THAT'S A GOOD SCORE. SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR TREPIDATION. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND MR. GORDON, AGAIN, I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD IN OUR STAFF AND OUR COMMITTEE THAT RECOMMEND THIS, IT'S JUST THAT I DIDN'T GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY ON A ONE ON ONE TO MAKE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT SUPPORTING IT, SO NO DISRESPECT TO ANYBODY IN THE PROCESS. I'M JUST NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT FOR THOSE REASONS. THAT'S ALL. >>BOB GORDON: YES, MA'AM. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. UPON THAT POINT AS WELL, MY CONCERN'S ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING LITIGATION, BUT ALSO I HAVE GOTTEN E-MAILS, NOT DIRECTLY ABOUT HDR, BUT I'VE GOTTEN THEM FROM OTHER COMPANIES ABOUT OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND THE FAIRNESS IN OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS, AND I NOTICED THAT HDR AND I THINK IT WAS PB AMERICAS AND SOMEBODY ELSE. THEY WERE RELATIVELY CLOSE ON THE POINT SCALE, AND I SEEM TO SEE HDR COME UP AS WINNING A LOT OF OUR CONTRACTS, SO I GUESS WHAT I'M CURIOUS IN KNOWING IS, LIKE, PERHAPS OVER THE LAST, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE SEVEN TO NINE YEARS HOW MANY CONTRACTS HDR HAS ACTUALLY BIDDED ON AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY APPROVED AND WON VERSUS OTHER COMPANIES. AGAIN, I'M NOT SINGLING OUT HDR AS A COMPANY, BUT I SEE THEIR NAME QUITE A BIT, I SEE OTHER COMPANIES, AND IT COULD WARRANT THAT PERHAPS THEY ARE THE BEST PROVIDER, BUT I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE RATIONALES OF WHY THEY WERE CHOSEN -- THEY'RE CONSISTENTLY CHOSEN OVER OTHER COMPANIES AND WHAT THAT RECORD LOOKS LIKE, SO AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME BEFORE I WOULD APPROVE THIS, I WOULD LIKE THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS AT THIS TIME EITHER. >>BOB GORDON: I CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY GOT -- IN THAT VAIN, THEY DID GET ZERO POINTS FOR PAST VOLUME OF WORK. THE MORE WORK YOU'VE HAD WITH THE COUNTY, AT SOME POINT YOU GET UP TO FIVE POINTS. IF YOU'VE HAD NO WORK WITH THE COUNTY, YOU GET FIVE POINTS, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THE BOARD WANTED TO LEVEL THE WORK OUT. >>KEN HAGAN: AND THAT'S WHY I'VE HAD FREQUENT -- I KNOW COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S NEXT. I'VE HAD FREQUENT COMPLAINTS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE OF COMMISSIONER BECKNER'S CONCERNS. I'VE -- THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, I'VE HAD VENDORS CALL ME AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE PERFORMED WORK BEFORE, WE GET HIGH MARKINGS, AND WE GET PENALIZED FOR ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK. WE'RE RANKED LOWER THAN SOME OUT-OF-STATE FIRM THAT'S NEVER DONE WORK HERE BEFORE, SO THAT'S A CONCERN I HEAR ALL THE TIME. SO WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO A WHOLE DEBATE ON THAT, BUT PERHAPS WE CAN SOMEHOW IMPROVE THE ENTIRE PROCESS. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM, BUT THERE BEING COMPLAINTS THAT ARE THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT COMMISSIONER BECKNER IS SAYING, THAT'S ALL I WANT TO POINT OUT, BUT THE WAY THAT YOU GUYS DO THE RANKINGS, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU PENALIZE THE ONES -- THE COMPANIES THAT DO A GOOD JOB. >>BOB GORDON: AND THAT'S WHY IT'S A BALANCING ACT. THAT'S WHY IT'S FIVE POINTS VERSUS 15 OR 20 POINTS. AT SOME POINT IF SOMEBODY DOES A VERY, VERY GOOD JOB, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT, THEN THEY COULD BE PENALIZED FOR GETTING TOO MUCH WORK, BUT WE DID FEEL LIKE THE BOARD SAID YOU NEED TO SPREAD THE WORK OUT, SO FIVE POINTS WAS CHOSEN. >>KEN HAGAN: I DO SUPPORT THAT. COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: NO, AND I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS AS WELL. I BELIEVE THAT THE -- FIRST OFF, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS FROM BOTH COMMISSIONER FERLITA AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER. THESE ARE THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS, AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE ASKING, BUT WITH REGARD TO THE WORK THEY DO IN TRANSPORTATION, THEY HAVE AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION, AS DO OTHERS. I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED WHEN WE GET INVOLVED -- I'LL JUST SAY WE -- WHEN I AND THIS BOARD GETS INVOLVED IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CONTRACTS. I DON'T LIKE -- I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PROCESS, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER, COMMISSIONER BECKNER, WITH US LOOKING AT THAT PROCESS IN THE FUTURE, BUT BOY, I'LL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE STANDARD THINGS IS WHEN WE START ASKING -- WHEN WE START GOING IN AND SLOWING -- AND SAYING, WELL, WE'RE NOT -- WE WANT TO RETHINK HOW A COMPANY WAS -- WAS SELECTED, IN THE FUTURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS YOU'LL HAVE -- LITTLE LAND MINES WILL BE SET BECAUSE EVERY OTHER PROJECT THAT'S AWARDED, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE GROUPS OUT THERE ALREADY PREPARED, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY, HOW TO CHALLENGE, SO YOU JUST -- BOB, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THIS PROCESS, THAT IT'S VERY CLEAR, THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE EXACTLY HOW THEY ARE OR ANY OTHER COMPANY IS SELECTED, BUT FOR PURPOSES OF THIS WORK HERE, I'M VERY SATISFIED WITH WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND THAT -- AND ALSO, OBVIOUSLY, THE NEED WE NEED TO DO THIS, SO I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE A-30. >>BOB GORDON: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION BECAUSE WHILE IT'S THE SAME COMPANY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S A DIFFERENT GROUP OR DIVISION [INAUDIBLE] TRANSPORTATION DIVISION. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 4-2, COMMISSIONERS BECKNER AND FERLITA VOTING NO. >>BOB GORDON: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, BOB. >>PAT BEAN: YOUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM A-45. THAT IS TO APPROVE A CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE TO THE CONTRACT WITH CEM ENTERPRISES, INC., FOR THE CARROLLWOOD CULTURAL CENTER PROJECT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. VERY BRIEFLY, QUITE THE SAME THING. I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO STAFF A LITTLE BIT MORE. THIS IS -- AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, IF NOT ALL OF YOU ARE AWARE -- IS THE SAME COMPANY THAT DID THE HARDSCAPE OR CONTINUES TO DO THE HARDSCAPE HERE, IT'S BEEN A WHILE, AND SO I JUST AM NOT COMFORTABLE. I KNOW THAT THE TICKET ITEM IS NOT A VERY HIGH-DOLLAR ITEM, BUT NONETHELESS, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WHAT WE'VE SEEN HERE IS EXEMPLARY OF WHAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT DO. I DON'T KNOW THAT, SO I CAN'T PREJUDGE. DIDN'T -- DIDN'T TALK TO REAL ESTATE. I KNOW MR. KELLY WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAN HAPPY TO MEET WITH ME. AS A MATTER OF FACT, MS. LEE AND I AND MS. BEAN AND I JUST SIMPLY TALKED YESTERDAY VIA PHONE WHILE I WAS HOME FOR SOME DISCUSSION, SO AGAIN, IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE 100% ABOUT WHAT SOMEBODY IS DOING BASED ON SOME OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE SEEN OR CONTINUE TO SEE, I'M JUST NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, MIKE. THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, SO THAT'S A NO. >>MIKE KELLY: JUST IN SUMMARY -- MIKE KELLY, REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A FINAL CHANGE ORDER FOR THE CARROLLWOOD CULTURAL CENTER PROJECT. THE AMOUNT OF THE CHANGE ORDER IS $1,064.92. THERE WERE SOME ADDS, THERE WERE SOME DEDUCTS, THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONAL WORK REQUESTED BY THE COUNTY, AND THAT'S KIND OF SUMMING IT UP. THEY ARE THE SAME CONTRACTOR THAT WAS AWARDED THE WORK FOR THE HARDSCAPE. >>ROSE FERLITA: THAT'S FINE. AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, NO DISRESPECT TO THE PROCESS. I THINK IN MOST CASES IT WORKS WELL, BUT I KNEW THERE WERE SOME DELAYS AND SOME REMOVALS AND SOME ADDITIONS AND SOME CHANGE OF LANGUAGE IN WHAT'S GOING ON DOWNSTAIRS, SO I -- HOPEFULLY YOU UNDERSTAND, BUT I CAN'T SUPPORT IT. OKAY? THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I WAS NOT AWARE IN WAS THE SAME COMPANY. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT A-45, ALTHOUGH I WISH I HAD LISTENED TO COMMISSIONER FERLITA WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING HARDSCAPE YEARS BACK OR HOWEVER LONG AGO BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN A DISASTER, BUT ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO -- I'LL SUPPORT IT, BUT I -- >>KEN HAGAN: CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >>MARK SHARPE: SO MOVED. >>KEVIN WHITE: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION TO APPROVE COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND COMMISSIONER WHITE. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-1, COMMISSIONER FERLITA VOTING NO. >>PAT BEAN: YOUR NEXT ITEM, COMMISSIONERS, IS ITEM A-65. THIS IS TO RECEIVE THE REPORT FROM PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE BUILDING SUBMIT AND PERMITTING PROCESS. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA, DID YOU PULL THIS ITEM? >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. HAGAN. I GUESS THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T GET SICK AND MISS WORK BECAUSE MUCH THE SAME REASONING FOR THIS. MR. ALUOTTO AND LUCIA GARSYS MADE NOT ONE ATTEMPT BUT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO MAYBE COME UP WITH A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT MAYBE MONDAY, I DON'T REMEMBER. I WAS SICK MONDAY AND I WAS SICK TILL TODAY. AGAIN, IN TERMS OF THIS PETER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT -- I DID READ THE REPORT AND I DID HIGHLIGHT THE PORTION THAT YOU THOUGHT THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN, AND IN FACT, THAT WAS PART OF WHAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT. I'M STILL CONCERNED AGAIN ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THOSE START DATES ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE WAY I WAS TALKING ABOUT START DATES IN TERMS OF THE INITIAL OR DRAFT VERY FIRST TIME THEY CAME IN TO THE DEPARTMENT, SO I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN WITH YOU AND MS. GARSYS WHEN TIME ALLOWS, AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT DELAY WHAT THE REST OF MY COLLEAGUES FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH TODAY, BUT BASED ON THE SAME THING, I HAVEN'T SEEN ENOUGH BACKUP TO MAKE SURE THAT IS ACCURATE, NOT THAT I'M QUESTIONING WHAT YOU SUPPORTED, BUT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ONE ON ONE AT THE -- AT THE CLOSEST OPPORTUNITY, SO -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: SURE. >>ROSE FERLITA: NO DISRESPECT, BUT I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT ONE EITHER. >>KEN HAGAN: CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >>KEVIN WHITE: REAL QUICK, MR. CHAIRMAN. I WANTED TO BASICALLY ECHO THE SAME COMMENTS. I DID HAVE THAT. I WENT OVER THAT WITH MS. BEAN THE OTHER DAY, AND I'M GOING HAVE TO GO OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TO GET A CLEARER PICTURE ON THIS AS WELL, BUT I APPRECIATE THE REPORT THAT WAS GIVEN, I DID LOOK AT IT, AND LIKE I SAID, I WENT OVER IT WITH MS. BEAN AND WE DISCUSSED IT FOR A FEW MINUTES, BUT AS WELL, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I'LL MOVE APPROVAL, AND I -- I -- I AND MY OFFICE HAVE REVIEWED THE REPORT, AND FIRST OFF, I WANTED TO -- I KNOW THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CHALLENGES OUT THERE, AND I -- AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND YOU'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY THROUGH THOSE QUESTIONS TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM, AND BOY, THIS IS AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE ON ALL SIDES, BUT I -- I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPROACH AND THE FACT THAT YOU WILL PATIENTLY SIT THROUGH ANY QUESTIONS THAT BOARD MEMBERS OR OTHERS GIVE YOU. THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME FUTURE CHALLENGES, BUT AGAIN, WITH REGARD TO THE REPORT, I THOUGHT THERE WERE SOME GOOD THINGS THAT WERE ACTUALLY IN THE REPORT, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE IN ANY WAY CHALLENGING -- I MEAN, THEY SAID COMMISSIONER FERLITA HAS BEEN SICK, AND THE OTHERS AREN'T CHALLENGING YOU, BUT I WILL MOVE APPROVAL. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. HAGAN, ONE THING THAT I DID FORGET. AFTER WE GET TOGETHER, IF THERE'S SOME INFORMATION THAT I THINK IS OF CONCERN OR OF VALUE TO YOU COLLEAGUES, THEN I'LL BE HAPPY TO JUST GIVE YOU BACK A BRIEF REPORT. >>KEN HAGAN: WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE THE REPORT COMMISSIONER SHARPE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: SECOND COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 4-2. COMMISSIONERS FERLITA AND WHITE VOTED NO. >>PAT BEAN: MS. BEAN, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER ITEMS THIS MORNING? >>PAT BEAN: THE ONLY OTHER THING YOU COULD DO THIS MORNING IS YOU COULD DO YOUR FUTURE ISSUES IF ANY OF YOU HAVE FUTURE ISSUES YOU WANT TO PUT ON THE AGENDA. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: FUTURE ISSUES. I THINK AN ITEM WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS, THIS REGARDS OUR LEVEL 3 EXTREME WATER SHORTAGE CONDITION, AND I JUST WAS GOING TO ASK STAFF AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL TO CONTINUE TO PLEASE MAKE THIS -- YOU KNOW, THE PLEA TO OUR COMMUNITY. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE, AS A COUNTY, SAVING RECORDS AMOUNT OF WATER. IN FACT, IT SAYS THAT -- I'VE GOT THE NUMBERS HERE. 32 MILLION, I BELIEVE -- LET'S SEE HERE. DUE TO THE WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM, OUR CUSTOMERS SAVE OVER 32 MILLION GALLONS EVERY DAY, SO WE ARE DOING A LOT, BUT THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT SWFWMD STILL HAS THE POWER TO TAKE THIS CONDITION THAT WE'RE UNDER TO A NEW LEVEL, A LEVEL FOUR, AND THAT COULD MEAN EVEN STRICTER -- NO WATERING, WHICH WOULD BE OF GRAVE CONCERN TO BOTH RESIDENTS AND COMMERCIAL, SO MY REQUEST WAS JUST THAT MAYBE STAFF COME BACK, MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE, BUT ALSO STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE. THEY'VE LISTED SOME THINGS, HOW WE CAN SAVE -- EACH INDIVIDUAL CAN SAVE TEN GALLONS. THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT TAKING SHORTER SHOWERS, TURNING THE WATER OFF WHEN YOU BRUSH -- WHILE YOU'RE BRUSHING YOUR TEETH, FIXING A LEAK, WHICH WE DID AT OUR HOUSE, REDUCING DRAMATICALLY THE NUMBER OF LOADS YOU RUN WITH YOUR -- YOUR -- >>PAT BEAN: WASHING MACHINE. >>MARK SHARPE: -- WASHING MACHINES. >>PAT BEAN: DISHWASHER. >>MARK SHARPE: DISHWASHER. WE'VE DONE THOSE THINGS IN OUR HOUSE AS WELL. FOLLOWING THE OUTDOOR WATERING RESTRICTIONS AND SKIPPING A WEEK. THE SKIP A WEEK, THE SWFWMD PROMOTION TO REDUCE OUTDOOR IRRIGATION -- OH, THERE WAS ONE THING, THOUGH, I DID WANT TO ASK STAFF TO SEE IF WE COULD DO. COULD WE USE SIGNS, THE -- LOOK AT USING SIGNS WHICH PROVIDE INFORMATION TO CITIZENS? COULD WE HAVE THOSE SIGNS LOCATED ON HEAVILY TRAFFICKED AREAS WHERE WE ARE REMINDING CITIZENS THAT WE ARE IN AN EXTREME WATER SHORTAGE CONDITION? AND TO BE -- JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, OUR LOCAL RIVERS HAVE DRIED UP TO ONLY -- DRIED UP TO ONLY 2% OF THEIR NATURAL LEVELS, AND THE TAMPA BAY WATER'S RESERVOIR IS EXPECTED TO BE DRY BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, SO THIS IS -- AND THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S GONE ON FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. THEY SAY WE ARE CURRENTLY 27 INCHES SHORT OF OUR EXPECTED RAINFALL, AND THAT 27 INCHES ACCOUNTS FOR OVER 500 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ALONE, SO THIS IS AN EXTREME CONDITION, AND IF WE COULD COME BACK WITH A REPORT BUT ALSO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO ANOTHER WAY OF COMMUNICATING TO OUR CITIZENS BY THE USE OF ANY SIGNAGE THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE. >>KEN HAGAN: ANY OTHER ITEMS? >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: I DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS NOW, AND I DIDN'T BRING SOME OF MY PAPERWORK NOTES WITH ME, BUT PART OF IT DOES INCLUDE SOME INFORMATION I ASKED FROM MR. JOHNSON, SO I WONDER IF I COULD ASK FOR CONSIDERATION TO JUST BRIEFLY BRING MY FUTURE DISCUSSION UP AS SOON AS WE GET BACK, AND THEN ERIC WOULD BE HERE, AND THEN HE CAN GO ABOUT HIS BUSINESS UNLESS WE -- IT WON'T TAKE VERY LONG, JUST FIVE MINUTES TO ASK YOU TO ALLOW ME TO BRING FORWARD A PRESENTATION AT THE NEXT MEETING. IS THAT OKAY? >>KEN HAGAN: SOUNDS GOOD. >>ROSE FERLITA: MARK, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, AND THAT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT PEOPLE SHOULD START DOING THAT. I KNOW CERTAINLY GENERAL VANDERPLOOG WOULD BE FIRST IN LINE TO START MARKETING THIS. WE IN THE COUNTY ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO PROMOTE RECLAIMED WATER, BUT THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THE CITIZENS IN TAMPA, ESPECIALLY SOUTH TAMPA. I DO HAVE -- I HAVE BEEN HOOKED UP TO RECLAIMED WATER FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT WAS MARKETED NOT VERY WELL AT THE BEGINNING. I BELIEVE IT WAS UNDER GRECO'S WATCH INITIALLY AND THEN IT WENT TO IORIO, BUT IT'S, I UNDERSTAND, A LITTLE BIT EASIER NOW, AND THAT'S A SOURCE OF RECLAIMED WATER THAT SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED. I KNOW THAT THAT'S KIND OF A SECOND-HANDED RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, BUT THAT'S ALSO A WAY TO PRESERVE SOME OF THAT WATER, POTABLE WATER. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, NOT TO -- NOT TO IN ANY WAY -- THE CITY UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGES, BUT THE CITY IS DUMPING APPROXIMATELY 15 MILLION GALLONS A DAY OF RECLAIMED WATER, AND -- >>ROSE FERLITA: RIGHT. >>MARK SHARPE: -- THE PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE IS THE COST OF THE PIPING AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE THAT WATER AND TRANSMIT IT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, BY OF WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, AS PART OF OUR -- YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S REINVENTING GOVERNMENT OR FIGURING OUT A WAY TO WORK BETTER TOGETHER -- I KNOW SWFWMD IS LOOKING AT THIS. SWFWMD HAS A PROGRAM WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOW THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE THE 50 MILLION GALLONS, BUT WE NEED TO BE -- AND I KNOW OUR WATER DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN LOOKING AT THIS, HOW WE CAN BETTER USE -- THOSE UTILITIES CAN USE RECLAIMED. THEY USE POTABLE WATER, AND I DO KNOW THAT HALF OF THE POTABLE WATER THAT WE USE GOES TO OUR LAWNS AND SUCH, BUT UTILITIES MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE IT. JUST WAYS FOR OUR WATER DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH THE CITY, WORKING WITH SWFWMD TO SEE IF WE CAN'T ALSO ASSIST IN THE USE OF THAT -- BECAUSE THAT'S 50 MILLION GALLONS THAT COULD BE REPLACING WATER THAT IS NOW BEING USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND ONE LAST COMMENT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT NEW TAMPA, THAT -- IF YOU REMEMBER, KEVIN, WE WERE BOTH THERE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT EXISTING CITY COUNCIL THEN HAD ANY REASON TO TRY TO MISLEAD NEW TAMPA, THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT UP THERE, BUT IN TERMS OF RECLAIMED, THE RUNNING OF THE PIPES AND INFRASTRUCTURE WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY -- STILL IS ABSOLUTELY TOO EXPENSIVE, SO YOU'RE RIGHT, WHEN PEOPLE START THINKING ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO USE RECLAIMED INSTEAD OF POTABLE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND TO -- YOU KNOW, TO COMMEND THE GENERAL AND THE FOLKS AT WRS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID -- AND IT GOT SIDETRACKED UNFORTUNATELY -- ON THE RECLAIMED WATER ISSUE, GETTING IT UP TO SOME OF THE HEAVY POTABLE WATER USERS, BUT THE EXAMPLE I USE -- AND I KNOW IT'S APPROPRIATE, AND I KIND OF PASSED THE BATON TO YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE THE CHAIRMAN NOW OF TAMPA BAY WATER, BUT THE EXAMPLE I USE WHEN I TALK TO FOLKS, ON THE WATER WE USE ON OUR LAWNS EVERY DAY, YOU CAN TAKE A ONE-GALLON MILK JUG, YOU CAN PLACE THEM END TO END AND GO FROM TAMPA, FLORIDA, TO CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, AND BACK. THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF WATER JUST TO GIVE YOU -- WHEN WE SAY 50 MILLION, 60 MILLION, 70 MILLION, BUT THAT'S -- YOU SEE THE NUMBER, BUT YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT TO CHILDREN AND TO FAMILIES, SAY, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THAT MILK JUG, GO HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD AND THEN BACK, AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE EVERY DAY HERE ON OUR LAWNS. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WELL, THAT CONCLUDES THIS MORNING'S SESSION, AND WE'LL RECONVENE AT 2:00. >>PAT BEAN: 2:00. 1