CAPTIONING
JULY 15, 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 JULY 15th, 
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:  AS WE'RE GATHERED TODAY ON THE EVE OF A 
HISTORIC FLIGHT WHEN AMERICANS PUT A MAN ON THE MOON, IT 
WAS THAT INNOVATION THAT WE CAN DO IT THAT MAKES US GREAT, 
AND IT'S THOSE THINGS THAT WILL MAKE US GREAT THROUGH THE 
DIFFICULTIES THAT WE FACE TODAY.
FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE US THE TIME, THE TOLERANCE, 
AND THE PATIENCE, AND THE INSIGHT TO LOOK INTO EACH OTHER'S 
EYES TO SEE AND FEEL ONE ANOTHER'S HEARTS, TO FIND THE 
RIGHT IDEAS, THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS TO THE DECISIONS WE HAVE 
TO MAKE.
AMEN.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
AT THIS TIME, COMMISSIONER FERLITA HAS A SERIES OF 
COMMENDATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS TO PRESENT
>>ROSE FERLITA:  LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOOD MORNING.
MR. CHAIRMAN, COLLEAGUES, GOOD MORNING AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING ALL THE 
COMMENDATIONS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO DO IT ON BEHALF OF MY 
COLLEAGUES AND MY CHAIRMAN.
THE FIRST COMMENDATION IS TO BE AWARDED TO THE PRESCRIPTION 
DRUG MONITORING TASK FORCE.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE -- AND WE'LL REFERENCE THAT 
IN THE ACTUAL COMMENDATION -- WHO WERE PART AND PARCEL TO 
THIS SUCCESS, I BELIEVE THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE 
THAT WILL RECEIVE IT ON THEIR BEHALF.
SUE CARRIGAN, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANTIDRUG ALLIANCE 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; MARK WARE, ASSOCIATE LEGAL COUNSEL AND 
DIRECTOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CLERK OF COURT; HELEN JUSTICE, 
DUI COUNTERATTACK, HILLSBOROUGH, INC., EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; 
CAPTAIN JIM WALKER, CAPTAIN OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION 
DIVISION FOR HERNANDO COUNTY'S SHERIFF'S OFFICE; AND LYNN 
LOCASCIO, WHO IS THE FOUNDER OF PARENTS AGAINST 
PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION, AND I SUSPECT THEY'RE IN THE 
AUDIENCE.
IF THEY ARE, WOULD THEY PLEASE JOIN ME.
COME ON UP.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT IS PERSONAL TO ME AS WELL.
WE ALL BECAME TEAM MEMBERS IN A VERY DIFFICULT FIGHT WHICH 
ENDED UP IN A VERY HAPPY SUCCESS, NOT NECESSARILY JUST FOR 
THE TASK FORCE OR FOR THIS COUNTY BUT FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.
EARLY ON WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE BOARD, MY COLLEAGUES 
WERE NOT JUST SUPPORTIVE BUT ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTIVE 
BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL REALIZED WHAT THE IMPACT WAS ON OUR 
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS, AND AS A PHARMACIST WHO'S 
PRACTICED FOR 40 YEARS, I REALIZE MORE THAN MOST SOME OF 
THE MORTALITIES WE HAVE LOOKED AT AND THE FATALITIES WE 
HAVE LOOKED AT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THIS WAS SO READILY 
AVAILABLE AND WE DIDN'T HAVE SOME OF THE GUIDELINES IN 
PLACE AS MANY OF THE OTHER STATES, SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE 
CAME TO TODAY'S POINT TO CELEBRATE THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I ALSO DON'T WANT TO MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK GOVERNOR 
CRIST FOR SUPPORTING IT.
HE OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTOOD THE SEVERITY OF WHAT WE HAD IN THIS 
COUNTRY IN TERMS OF DRUG OVERDOSES, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR 
YOUTH.
THAT BEING SAID, GUYS, LET ME PRESENT THIS TO YOU ON BEHALF 
OF EVERYBODY WHO WORKED ON IT.
COME ON OVER HERE WITH ME.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I MEAN, STAND AROUND HERE.
COME ON.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION PRESENTED TO THE MEMBERS OF THE 
PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING TASK FORCE FOR THEIR 
DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE IN ATTAINING LEGISLATION IN THE 
STATE OF FLORIDA FOR A STATEWIDE PRESCRIPTION DRUG 
MONITORING PROGRAM TO EFFECTIVELY ELIMINATE THE ILLEGAL USE 
OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS BY DOCTOR SHOPPING, PHARMACY 
SHOPPING, AND OTHER ILLICIT MEANS.
COMPRISED OF MORE THAN 40 PHARMACISTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, 
RELATIVES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, AND MANY OTHERS, THIS 
TASK FORCE EMBARKED ON A SIX YEAR-LONG EFFORT TO SEE THAT 
FLORIDA JOINED THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OTHER STATES 
WITH LAWS TO PROTECT OUR POPULATION FROM THIS TREMENDOUS 
SOCIETAL ILL AND TO BREAK THE PIPELINE OF EASILY GAINED 
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TRAFFICKED TO OTHER PARTS OF OUR NATION.
THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING TASK FORCE MEMBERS' 
TIRELESS HARD WORK SHALL STAND AS AN ABSOLUTE REMINDER TO 
ALL THAT IT IS THE POWER AND COURAGE OF INDIVIDUALS 
COLLECTIVELY SEEKING WHAT'S RIGHT THAT ULTIMATELY 
ESTABLISHES A COMMON GOOD.
IT'S AWARDED THIS 15th DAY OF JULY, 2009, SIGNED BY OUR 
CHAIRMAN, MR. HAGAN, BY MY COLLEAGUES, AND BY MYSELF 
PROUDLY AS WELL.
THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO EVERYBODY ACROSS THIS STATE THAT 
HAD SO MUCH TO DO WITH BEING A -- MAKING THIS A SUCCESS.
THANK YOU.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT IT'S MY 
PLEASURE TO BE PART OF YOUR TEAM.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I -- WE ALL ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF THE TASK FORCE AND THE 
HCADA.
THE JESUITS TAUGHT ME VENI, VIDI, VICI AD MAJOREM DEI 
GLORIAM.
WE'VE COME -- WE CAME, WE SAW, WE CONQUERED FOR THE GREATER 
GLORY OF GOD, AND WITHOUT HIS HELP WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE 
THIS.
THIS IS A JOINT EFFORT ON BEHALF OF ALL MEMBERS OF OUR TASK 
FORCE AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND 
COMMISSIONER FERLITA WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US.
WE THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> SIR, MAY I HAVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
>> MY NAME IS MARK WARE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  [INAUDIBLE]
OKAY.
LET'S TAKE A PICTURE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
AGAIN, COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THAT.
I TRULY, TRULY APPRECIATE IT.
THE NEXT AWARD IS KIND OF CHARACTERISTIC OF WHAT WE DO 
SOMETIMES.
WE LOOK OUT AND BEYOND TO RECOGNIZE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT 
PEOPLE DO IN OUR COUNTY, AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T LOOK IN OUR 
OWN BACKYARD, AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE CASE WITH THIS 
NEXT COMMENDATION TO OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS 
DEPARTMENT, AND I WOULD ASK THAT LORI HUDSON AND CAROL 
MICHEL, MARCIA MEJIA, TERRY McELROY COME AND JOIN ME.
THEY'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB, AND LIKE I SAID, SOMETIMES 
WE DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK THAT OUR OWN DO, OUR OWN 
TEAM, SO PLEASE ALLOW ME TO READ THIS.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS -- COME 
ON UP HERE IF YOU WANT.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 
CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION PRESENTED TO HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR OUTSTANDING 
ACHIEVEMENT IN COMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVES AS RECOGNIZED 
THIS MONTH BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY 
INFORMATION OFFICERS OR THE NACIO, BESTOWING TOP HONORS 
UPON THE DEPARTMENT.
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF LORI HUDSON, YOUR SUCCESSES OF THIS 
PAST YEAR HAVE BEEN SPOTLIGHTED IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC 
INFORMATION/CITIZEN EDUCATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE 
CYBERSAFE PROGRAM, SPANISH LANGUAGE TELEVISION FOR 
"INFORMES LATINO," AND PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THE COVER SHOT OF A 
COUNTY FIRE RESCUE LADDER TRUCK FEATURED IN GOVERNMENT 
FLEET MAGAZINE AND AMERICAN CITY & COUNTY ON-LINE.
THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM'S HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO 
INFORMING THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS MOST 
APPRECIATED AND IS COMMENDED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY 
COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA.
WE ARE AWARDING THIS TO YOU, LORI, AS WELL AS ALL OF YOUR 
TEAM.
IT IS SIGNED BY OUR CHAIRMAN AND MY COLLEAGUES, AND LET ME 
JUST SAY THIS IS A PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU SIMPLY 
BECAUSE EVERY TIME I TELL YOU THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE, 
YOU FLIP IT BACK TO YOUR STAFF.
WHEN I TELL THEM GREAT WORK, THEY SAY THAT'S BECAUSE OF 
LORI'S LEADERSHIP, AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE 
EXAMPLES THAT OUR ADMINISTRATOR'S ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT, THE 
KIND OF CLASS QUALITY WE HAVE IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, SO 
PAT, YOU SHOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF THEM AS WELL.
MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THIS, AND LORI, YOU MIGHT WANT TO 
SAY A FEW THINGS.
>>LORI HUDSON:  I'LL BE UNCHARACTERISTICALLY BRIEF.
LORI HUDSON, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR.
WE JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR 
THIS RECOGNITION FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM OF COMMUNICATIONS.
WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT YOUR ALLOWING 
US TO DO IT, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD AND HONORED TO BE ABLE TO 
PROVIDE PUBLIC INFORMATION EVERY DAY TO OUR CITIZENS.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU.
LET'S TAKE A PICTURE.
CAROL, SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO TAKE THIS PICTURE.
YOU HAVE TO BE IN IT.
[APPLAUSE]
>>MARK SHARPE:  LORI, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THESE ARE 
CHALLENGING TIMES, AND FOR YEARS I'VE BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH 
THE PACE OF CHANGE IN SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND JUST HOW 
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADJUST, BUT YOU HAVE REALLY BEEN -- I 
CAN -- A -- A LEADER IN LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE YOUR 
OFFICE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE, AND I JUST WANT TO 
TELL YOU THAT I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN 
REALLY TRYING TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, MAKING GOVERNMENT 
WORK AND PERFORM IN THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
I JUST APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
TALKING ABOUT CHALLENGING TIMES, THAT BRINGS US TO OUR LAST 
PROCLAMATION, AND THAT INVOLVES THE 2010 CENSUS, SO I THINK 
BERNADINE WHITE-KING IS HERE, AND IF EDITH STEWART IS HERE 
AS WELL, MAYBE THEY COULD JOIN ME.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T SEE YOU.
THANKS, PAT.
GOOD MORNING.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> GOOD MORNING.
FINE, THANK YOU.
[INAUDIBLE]
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THAT'S GOOD.
FINE.
I THINK SOME MEMBERS OF THIS TEAM ARE GOING TO JOIN US AS 
WELL, WHICH IS GREAT.
EDITH, GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING.
HOW ARE YOU, SIR?
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>ROSE FERLITA:  HI.
GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
GOOD MORNING, SIR.
BERNADINE, I'M GOING TO READ THIS -- I'M GOING TO READ 
THIS, AND THEN PERHAPS MAYBE YOU AND EDITH MIGHT WANT TO 
SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
BUT THIS IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO 
BE A CHALLENGE.
I THINK WE HAVE GOOD PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT'LL BE ABLE TO DO 
THIS AND DO THIS EFFICIENTLY, AND I THINK THAT WILL BE 
OUR -- OUR GOAL AS WELL.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 
PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, AN ACCURATE CENSUS COUNT IS VITAL TO THE COMMUNITY 
AND TO RESIDENTS' WELL-BEING IN HELPING PLANNERS DETERMINE 
WHERE TO LOCATE SCHOOLS, DAY-CARE CENTERS, ROADS, AND 
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, HOSPITALS AND OTHER FACILITIES AND 
IS USED TO MAKE DECISIONS CONCERNING BUSINESS GROWTH AND 
HOUSING NEEDS; AND WHEREAS, MORE THAN 300 BILLION PER YEAR 
IN FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO STATES AND 
COMMUNITIES BASED ON CENSUS DATA; AND WHEREAS, CENSUS DATA 
ENSURES FAIR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATION BY DETERMINING 
HOW MANY SEATS EACH STATE WILL HAVE IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS THE REDISTRICTING OF STATE 
LEGISLATORS, COUNTY, AND CITY COUNCIL, AND VOTING 
DISTRICTS; AND WHEREAS, THE 2010 CENSUS CREATES JOBS THAT 
STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND INCREASE EMPLOYMENT 
OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY; AND WHEREAS, INFORMATION 
COLLECTED BY THE CENSUS IS PROTECTED BY LAW AND REMAINS 
CONFIDENTIAL FOR 72 YEARS; AND WHEREAS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO 
SUPPORT CENSUS TAKERS AS THEY HELP OUR COMMUNITY COMPLETE 
AN ACCURATE CENSUS COUNT.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY 
COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, SUPPORTS THE 
2010 CENSUS AND ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN 
THE CENSUS AND JOIN IN EVENTS AND INITIATIVES THAT WILL 
RAISE OVERALL AWARENESS OF THE 2010 CENSUS TO ENSURE A FULL 
AND ACCURATE COUNT.
THIS IS EXECUTED ON THE 15th DAY OF JULY, '09, BY 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, SIGNED 
BY OUR CHAIRMAN, MR. HAGAN, AND MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL, AND 
THERE'S A NOTE HERE THAT SAYS THE REASON THAT THEY ASKED ME 
TO BE THE FACE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION WAS 
BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO BE OBLIGATED TO SAY THIS IN ENGLISH, 
SPANISH, AND IN ITALIAN, AND NO, I AM NOT.
[LAUGHTER]
SO, THAT BEING SAID, BERNADINE, HERE WE GO.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
BESIDES THOSE THREE LANGUAGES, WE ALSO HAVE 67 MORE, ROSE, 
SO YOU REALLY HAVE A CHALLENGE HERE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  [INAUDIBLE]
>> OKAY.
SUPER.
I, FIRST OF ALL, WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE WEST FLORIDA 
PARTNERSHIP TEAM THAT HAS ACCOMPANIED ME TODAY.
WE HAVE CHERRY HALLBACK, DANNY LONGWORTH, AL LUCAS, JAMES 
JOHNSON, BARBARA CRUZ, AND ROB RATLIFF.
THESE WILL BE YOUR CHAMPIONS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE 
BEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
[APPLAUSE]
IT IS INDEED MY HONOR TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF 
OF OUR REGIONAL COMMISSIONER, MR. GEORGE GRANDY, IN 
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND THE ENTIRE CENSUS BUREAU.
WE KNOW THAT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WE HAVE A CHALLENGE, 
BUT WE KNOW THAT WE ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE.
WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING TEAM WITH THE CENSUS BUREAU, AND 
WITH THE COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WE 
KNOW THAT WE CAN INCREASE THE COUNT BECAUSE -- YOU SAW THE 
LIGHTS FLICKER.
WE NEED THE MONEY TO PAY THE LIGHT BILL, OKAY.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I THINK THAT EDITH MIGHT WANT TO 
SAY SOMETHING.
>>EDITH STEWART:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR LIAISONS ARE COMMITTED TO 
MAKING THIS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EFFORT HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY'S EVER HAD, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR 
LEADERSHIP.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  APPRECIATE YOURS AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
>> IN ADDITION, WE COME BEARING GIFTS, SO OUR PARTNERSHIP 
ASSISTANTS WILL HAND EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS A CENSUS BAG 
WITH SOME GIFTS AND SHAKE YOUR HAND TO SOLIDIFY THE 
PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU.
NICE TO MEET YOU, BARBARA.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
MS. BEAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW THE CHANGES TO THE 
AGENDA.
>>PAT BEAN:  YES.
YES, SIR, COMMISSIONER.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM THAT WAS ADDED TO THE BOARD AGENDA AND 
REQUIRES BOARD AUTHORIZATION UNDER RULE 13 TO BE ADDED, AND 
THAT IS ITEM F-9.
IT'S AN ITEM BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA 
REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RESCIND THE PAY 
RAISES GRANTED TO THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS BACK 
IN NOVEMBER.
OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEMS, WE HAVE ITEM B-10, SCHEDULED FOR 
2:45.
IT IS THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CONTRACT WITH BROAD AND 
CASSEL FOR LEGAL SERVICES RELATING TO THE ACQUISITION OF 
FEDERAL STIMULUS DOLLARS AND PROVIDES FOR AN INCREASE IN 
FUNDING FOR THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
ITEM F-7, BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN, IS AN 
ITEM TO DISCUSS THE INDEFINITE SUSPENSION OF A SIDEWALK 
INSTALLATION ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF NINE EAGLES BOULEVARD.
AND THEN ITEM F-8, ALSO BROUGHT TO THE BOARD'S AGENDA BY 
COMMISSIONER HAGAN, IS SCHEDULED FOR A 2:30 TIME CERTAIN TO 
DIRECT STAFF TO REVIEW A POTENTIAL SOLUTION OFFERED BY DR. 
HLIS TO ADDRESS THE PENDING FDEP IMPAIRED WATERWAYS 
DESIGNATION THAT IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT MANY OF THE COUNTY'S 
WATERS.
ITEM F-3 IS UNDER REVISIONS AND CORRECTIONS.
THERE IS A CORRECTION TO ADD THERE TO DIRECT THE COUNTY 
ATTORNEY AND THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATOR TO PREPARE A 
REPORT AND PRESENTATION FOR TODAY'S AGENDA ON THE STIMULUS 
PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH BROAD AND CASSEL.
AND THEN WE HAVE ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT FOR AGENDA.
ITEM A-48, THIS IS THE AWARD OF A BID NUMBER C-0115-09, 
ROAD CONSTRUCTION TO SUNCOAST DEVELOPMENT OF PINELLAS 
COUNTY, INC.
AND THEN ITEM A-54 IS ADDED AS AN ADDITIONAL PULL, AND BOTH 
OF THESE I BELIEVE WERE PULLED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
ITEM A-54 IS BEING ADDED TO -- AND IT IS THE SELECTION OF 
PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING 
SERVICES FOR INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS.
THOSE TWO ITEMS ARE PULLED FROM CONSENT BY COMMISSIONER 
BECKNER.
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE SCHEDULED FOR A TIME CERTAIN.
AT 10:15, ITEM F-1.
THIS IS AN ITEM REGARDING ESTABLISHING A PHYLLIS BUSANSKY 
MEMORIAL AWARD.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY "PHYLLIS!"
MAYBE THAT'S THE WAY I'M SUPPOSED TO SAY IT BECAUSE IT HAS 
AN EXCLAMATION POINT.
AND THEN AT 10:30, F-4, TO HONOR THE DEDICATED PUBLIC 
SERVICE OF THE RECENTLY DECEASED EX-COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND 
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, PHYLLIS BUSANSKY.
THIS IS BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN, AND IT 
HAS TO DO WITH THE NAMING OF A FACILITY, THE WESTSHORE 
SENIOR CENTER, IN HER BEHALF.
AT 10:45, ITEM F-2 IS A REQUEST FROM COMMISSIONER FERLITA 
TO REVISIT AND REDISCUSS THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD RECENTLY 
RENAMED THE RALPH W. HUGHES MORAL COURAGE AWARD.
ITEM B-7 WILL BE HEARD AT 11:00.
IT'S A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THE CLERK OF THE 
CIRCUIT COURT TO CONDUCT PERFORMANCE AUDITS FOR THE BOARD.
11:15, ITEM B-8, RECEIVE THE COUNTY AUDIT REPORT 185 
REGARDING THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
DAN POHTO WILL BE HERE TO PRESENT THAT ITEM.
AND THEN AT 11:15 ALSO, B-9, RECEIVING COUNTY AUDIT REPORT 
186 REGARDING THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX PLAN, AND THAT 
ALSO WILL BE PRESENTED BY DAN POHTO.
AT 11:30, ITEM F-9, REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY 
ADMINISTRATOR RESCIND THE RAISES ITEM I REFERRED TO A FEW 
MOMENTS AGO.
AND THEN AT 1:30, ITEM F-3, DIRECTING THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S 
OFFICE TO PROCEED TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ALLOW 
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO DOWNLOAD COMPUTERIZED RECORDS 
REGARDING SALES TRANSACTIONS OF SECONDARY METAL DEALERS.
THAT'S AN ITEM ALSO BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY COMMISSIONER 
FERLITA.
AT 2:00, ITEM D-1, TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT AN 
ORDINANCE AMENDING THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CONSOLIDATED 
IMPACT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM ORDINANCE 96-29 AS AMENDED.
AND THEN ITEM D-2 IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT 
THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CURRENT RESOLUTIONS 
GOVERNING WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES.
THE DEPARTMENT IS ASKING THAT WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP, 
BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN ADVERTISED LEGALLY AND IT IS SCHEDULED 
ON THIS AGENDA, THAT -- THEY HAVE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE 
MADE.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE ITEM, MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC 
UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO REDO IT AND BRING IT 
BACK.
IT'LL BE IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT, SO IT WOULD NOT JUST BE A 
CONTINUANCE.
IF THERE ARE FOLKS HERE WHO WISH TO SPEAK TO THE CURRENT 
VERSION, THAT COULD BE DONE IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO ALLOW 
THEM TO SPEAK, BUT THE VERSION THAT WILL COME BACK WILL NOT 
BE THE SAME, SO YOU WILL NOT BE DOING A CONTINUANCE OF 
WHAT'S THERE.
YOU WILL BE OPENING AND THEN DELETING THAT ITEM.
ITEM D-3 IS SCHEDULED AT 2:00 ALSO AS A PUBLIC HEARING TO 
ACCEPT COMMENTS ON THE COUNTY'S PROPOSED USES OF FUNDS AND 
TARGET GEOGRAPHY FOR AN ADDITIONAL $19,100,000 IN 
NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM GRANT FUNDS.
AND THEN AT 2:15 YOU HAVE ITEM B-3, WHICH IS TO ACCEPT THE 
RECOMMENDATION OF THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE REGARDING THE 
SELF-FUNDED OR FULLY INSURED MEDICAL BENEFITS PROGRAM FOR 
EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
AND THEN AT 2:30, ITEM F-8, DIRECTING STAFF TO REVIEW A 
POTENTIAL SOLUTION OFFERED BY DR. HLIS TO ADDRESS THE 
PENDING FDEP IMPAIRED WATERWAYS DESIGNATION.
AND AT 2:45, B-10, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE BROAD AND 
CASSEL LEGAL FIRM RELATING TO THE ACQUISITION OF FEDERAL 
STIMULUS DOLLARS.
THAT WILL BE A REPORT PRESENTED BY THE LEGAL FIRM, COUNTY 
ATTORNEY, AND EDITH STEWART.
AND THOSE ARE THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MR. CHAIR.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MOVE THE CHANGES, MR. CHAIR.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA, ON F-9, DO YOU 
THINK WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH TIME ON THE MORNING AGENDA FOR TIME 
CERTAIN?
I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT, BUT SHOULD IT BE A TIME CERTAIN IN 
THE AFTERNOON RATHER THAN MORNING?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  RIGHT NOW -- MAY I RESPOND TO HIM, MR. --
>>KEN HAGAN:  SURE.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  YES, PLEASE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  RIGHT NOW I THINK WE WILL JUST PLAY IT BY 
EAR, PERHAPS.
IF IT COMES OUT LATER AND WE DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S AMPLE 
TIME TO DO IT JUSTICE, THEN FINE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED 
TO REALLY PREJUDGE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THAT POINT.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  RIGHT.
THANKS.
>>KEN HAGAN:  TWO CHANGES I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST.
F-8 I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO 1:45.
THERE'S A GENTLEMAN HERE THAT'S GOING TO SPEAK FOR A COUPLE 
MINUTES.
I DON'T WANT TO KEEP HIM AROUND INDEFINITELY FOR THE 
INSURANCE DISCUSSION, SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT TO 1:45, AND 
THEN ALSO I WONDER IF IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE TO MAKE F-1 -
- TAKE F-1 AND F-4 -- BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH REGARDING 
MS. BUSANSKY, MAYBE TAKE THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO DO THAT.
YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M ABSOLUTELY OKAY WITH THAT.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY, WITH THOSE CHANGES --
>>MARK SHARPE:  MOVE THE CHANGES.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN:  -- WE'VE GOT A MOTION COMMISSIONER SHARPE, 
SECOND COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>KEN HAGAN:  AND NOW, BEFORE WE GO ON TO THE PUBLIC 
COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE 
HAVE SOME VERY SPECIAL GUESTS HERE THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE SOME HAITIAN AND DOMINICAN TEACHERS THAT ARE IN THE 
AUDIENCE, AND WE'D JUST LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND THANK 
THEM FOR COMING -- FOR BEING HERE AND SEEING GOVERNMENT IN 
ACTION HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
SO WELCOME.
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO STAND SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
WELCOME, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.
NOW THE BOARD WILL GO INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF 
THE AGENDA.
THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT ANY ISSUES 
OR CONCERN.
YOUR OPINIONS ARE VALUED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING VALUABLE 
INPUT TO BOARD MEMBERS; HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED AT THE 
SAME TIME WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD THAT COMMENTS ARE NOT 
DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A COMMISSIONER OR STAFF MEMBER 
BUT RATHER THE ISSUES.
WE'VE SET ASIDE 45 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP, SO PER 
THE BOARD'S POLICY, IF WE DO NOT GET TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL, 
WE'VE SET ASIDE TIME AT THE END OF THE BOARD MEETING THIS 
AFTERNOON THAT WE'LL TAKE UP THE -- THOSE INDIVIDUALS IF 
THEY DO NOT GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK THIS MORNING.
WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND 
ADDRESS, SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.
EACH PERSON WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES.
THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS ARE BOB WISE, JAMES LOUTH, AND 
VIVIAN BACCA.
GOOD MORNING, MR. WISE.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER.
I DID PASS OUT SOME HANDOUTS IF YOU CAN PASS THOSE OUT FOR 
ME, PLEASE.
>>KEN HAGAN:  PLEASE GO AHEAD, SIR.
>> YES.
MY NAME'S BOB WISE.
I RESIDE AT 1903 CAPE BEND AVENUE IN TAMPA.
THAT'S IN THE MAGDALENE SHORES SUBDIVISION.
I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS AGENDA ITEM B-5, WHICH IS THE FLETCHER 
AVENUE FIRE STATION PROPOSED CANCELLATION OF THE CONTRACT.
I DID DELIVER A LETTER TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT IS 
INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE I JUST GAVE YOU, AND I'D ENCOURAGE 
YOU TO PLEASE READ THAT.
THE COUNTY STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE COUNTY DEFAULT IN 
THE PENDING CONTRACT TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY AT FLETCHER 
AND NORTH BOULEVARD AND BASICALLY TO MOVE THE STATION TO 
139th AVENUE AND 12th STREET.
THE COUNTY'S CAPITAL FACILITIES MASTER PLAN IDENTIFIED A 
NEED THAT WAS CENTERED AT FLETCHER AND NORTH BOULEVARD.
AFTER SEVERAL YEARS AND MUCH DIFFICULTY, THE FIRE RESCUE 
WAS ABLE TO CONTRACT TO PURCHASE THE SITE AT THE EXACT 
CENTER OF THE NEED, AND FUNDS ARE IN THE BUDGET FOR THE 
ACQUISITION.
IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE 3 OF THE INFORMATION I GAVE YOU, 
THERE'S A MAP THAT WAS PROVIDED BY FIRE RESCUE.
IF YOU NOTICE THE EXISTING FIRE STATIONS ARE REPRESENTED BY 
FOUR FLAGS, AND IN THE CENTER OF THAT IS A RED DOT.
THAT RED DOT IS THE FLETCHER AVENUE AND NORTH BOULEVARD 
SITE.
THE LITTLE YELLOW TRIANGLE OVER TO THE EAST IS THE PROPOSED 
139th AND 12th STREET STATION, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY VERY 
CLOSE TO THE EXISTING STATION AT 131st AND 15th.
THE 139th AND 12th STREET SITE IS NOT ON THE MASTER PLAN.
IT'S ALSO VERY CLOSE TO THE OTHER STATION.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, SUCH A SITE -- A NEW SITE WILL NOT 
FULFILL THE GOAL OF FIVE-MINUTE RESPONSES 90% OF THE TIME 
AS WOULD THE FLETCHER AND NORTH BOULEVARD SITE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT A STANDARD OF FIVE-MINUTE RESPONSES 90% OF 
THE TIME IS NOT A FIVE-MINUTE AVERAGE.
FIRE RESCUE WILL TELL YOU THAT THE AREA NOW HAS A 6.2-
MINUTE RESPONSE TIME, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA ON THE 
SECOND PAGE I'VE PROVIDED YOU, THE TABLE OF RESPONSE TIMES 
BY AREA, THESE ARE THE DATA BASED ON THE INFORMATION CHIEF 
NESMITH PROVIDED TO ME.
IN THE AREA THERE'S -- IT'S SEPARATED INTO FIVE BOXES.
TWO OF THOSE BOXES -- TWO OF THOSE FIVE BOXES HAVE MORE 
THAN A TEN-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME, MORE TEN-MINUTE RESPONSE 
TIME THAN A FIVE-MINUTE -- LESS THAN FIVE-MINUTE TIME.
FOUR OF THE FIVE DO NOT MEET THE STANDARD.
THERE'S ONLY ONE AREA THAT DOES MEET THE FIVE-MINUTE 
STANDARD.
PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT ENHANCED BY MOVING THE STATION TO 
139th AND 12th STREET.
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNTY NOT CANCEL THE CONTRACT.
THE -- IF IT DOES, THE FLETCHER -- THE STATION AT -- IN 
THIS AREA WILL NEVER -- WILL NEVER BE BUILT.
IF IT DOES, IN THE FUTURE IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH MORE 
COSTLY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MR. WISE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>KEN HAGAN:  JAMES LOUTH, VIVIAN BACCA, AND MARIE HALEY.
GOOD MORNING, SIR.
>> GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS JAMES LOUTH, AND I RESIDE AT 11503 NORTH OLA 
AVENUE IN TAMPA, FLORIDA.
I'VE COME HERE IN OPPOSITION OF HUMAN RESOURCES AGENDA ITEM 
B-3.
AS A RETIREE ON MEDICARE, I FEEL THAT WE AS A CLASS ARE 
BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY REGARDING THE PROPOSED HEALTH 
INSURANCE RATE STRUCTURE BEING CONSIDERED BY THIS BOARD.
WHETHER IT IS CIGNA, HUMANA, OR SELF-FUNDED PLAN, THE 
PROPOSED RATES DO NOT REFLECT MEDICARE'S IMPACT ON REDUCING 
RETIREES' HEALTH CARE COSTS TO THE COUNTY.
I WON'T REHASH WHAT I'VE SENT TO THIS BOARD, BUT I WOULD 
LIKE THIS BOARD TO REVIEW A COUPLE OF THE EXHIBITS THAT I 
BROUGHT WITH ME.
EXHIBIT 1 COMPARES WHAT IT COSTS THE COUNTY IN APPROVED 
MEDICAL CLAIMS EXPENSES ON A HYPOTHETICAL CASE.
IT SHOWS A RETIREE ON MEDICARE COSTS THE COUNTY FAR LESS 
THAN A COMPARABLE ACTIVE COUNTY EMPLOYEE.
EXHIBIT 2, THIS IS HUMANA'S STANDARD REPORTING PACKAGE FOR 
12 MONTHS IN 2007.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT IS MORE CURRENT, BUT I SURMISE 
THAT ANY CHANGE WOULD BE NEGLIGIBLE FOR THE 2008 YEAR.
THE SECOND PAGE OF THE EXHIBIT SHOWS THE TOTAL COST BY 
CLAIMANT AGE, AND GUESS WHAT, THE NUMBER ONE AGE GROUP 
REGARDING CLAIMS EXPENSES IN THIS GROUP IS BETWEEN 50 AND 
59 YEARS OF AGE.
THE SECOND HIGHEST GROUP IN CLAIMS IS 40 TO 49.
THE THIRD HIGHEST IS 60 TO 69.
HOWEVER, THIS REPORT DID NOT BREAK OUT THE RETIREES ON 
MEDICARE.
IF THEY WERE BROKEN OUT, I'M SURE THAT THEY WOULD FIT 
NEARER THE 70-PLUS AGE GROUP.
BY THE WAY, THAT 70 AGE -- 70-PLUS AGE GROUP IS AT THE 
BOTTOM OF THE CLAIMS COST CATEGORIES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PREMIUM RATE SHOULD BE SHIFTED AWAY 
FROM THE RETIREES ON MEDICARE TOWARDS GROUPS THAT ARE THE 
REAL USERS OF INSURANCE, THOSE BELOW AGE 65 WHO ARE NOT ON 
MEDICARE.
THE SAVINGS TO THE COUNTY SHOULD BE PASSED ON TO THE 
RETIREES WHO ARE ON MEDICARE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR 
ATTENTION.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, SIR.
VIVIAN BACCA, MARIE HALEY, AND MERL REAGLE.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON.
AGENDA ITEM B-10 REQUESTS ANOTHER 75,000 FOR LEGAL FEES TO 
OUTSIDE COUNSEL RELATED TO FEDERAL STIMULUS DOLLARS.
I BELIEVE IT COULD HAVE BEEN REASONABLY ANTICIPATED THAT 
DEALING WITH SUCH A LARGE, COMPLEX ISSUE WOULD SOON CONSUME 
THE INITIAL ALLOCATION.
WHY WASN'T AN ATTORNEY DEPLOYED TO IMMEDIATELY SIDE SADDLE 
ON THIS MEASURE WITH THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL SO THAT THEY WERE 
ONLY USED FOR ITEMS REQUIRING THEIR SPECIAL EXPERTISE?
AT THIS POINT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THE FUNDS ARE 
AVAILABLE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OR NOT BECAUSE ANY FUNDS 
EXPENDED NOW AFFECT NEXT YEAR'S PROGRAM CUTS.
LAST FRIDAY I WAS AT TBARTA'S LAND USE WORKING GROUP 
MEETING WHERE THEIR ATTORNEY, DON CONN OPINED ON SB 360.
HE SAID THE DRIs THAT WERE SIGNED AGREEMENTS IN THE LAST 
TWO YEARS COULD OPT TO GO UNDER THE NEW LAW BUT THAT IT WAS 
UP TO THE COUNTY TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO 
ACCEPT THAT RENEGOTIATION.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S UP TO US TO AGREE.
WHAT'S THE POINT OF BEING A HOME RULE CHARTER COUNTY IF WE 
DON'T EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO RULE?
I PREVIOUSLY ASKED THAT YOU EXPLORE JOINING WITH OTHER 
COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WHICH OPPOSED SB 360 TO 
CHALLENGE THE LEGALITY OF THAT LAW.
IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, I AGAIN URGE YOU TO 
IMMEDIATELY INITIATE AN IMPACT FEE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND 
RAISE IMPACT FEES TO A LEVEL WHICH IS SUSTAINABLE UNDER THE 
BURDEN OF PROOF NEW STANDARDS.
FINALLY, FOR YEARS THE EPC AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE 
NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO RAISE FEES FOR SERVICES TO REFLECT THE 
FUEL -- THE FULL COST OF PROVIDING THESE SERVICES.
IT IS WITHIN THE BOARD'S AUTHORITY TO DECIDE TO SUBSIDIZE 
THE COST OF THESE SERVICES; HOWEVER, THESE AGENCIES HAVE 
TAKEN SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CUTS THE PAST TWO YEARS, ABOVE AND 
BEYOND WHAT MANY OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES HAVE EXPERIENCED.
BY KEEPING FEES ARTIFICIALLY LOW YET FAILING TO FUND THESE 
AGENCIES AT A LEVEL NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR MISSION, 
I THINK AN ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE THAT THE BOARD HAS 
COMMITTED A BREACH OF THEIR FIDUCIARY DUTY.
I URGE YOU TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING CUTS 
REQUIRED OF THESE TWO AGENCIES WHICH WERE CREATED BY STATE 
STATUTE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND THE 
PLANNING COMMISSION, AND I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA THAT 
WE NAME THE WESTSHORE SENIOR CENTER IN HONOR OF PHYLLIS 
BUSANSKY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MS. BACCA.
MARIE HALEY, MERL REAGLE, AND ANNA ARCURI.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS MARIE HALEY.
I LIVE AT 1003 SYLVIA LANE, AND THIS IS -- I'VE COME TO 
SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT B-5, THE FIRE STATION THAT'S SUPPOSED TO 
GO RIGHT ADJACENT TO HAMNER TOWER.
I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS EVER SINCE THE FIGHT STARTED 
BACK IN 2004.
I RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR A FIRE STATION.
THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION.
WE'VE ALL BEEN IMPACTED BY THE SIGNIFICANT DOWNTURN IN HOME 
VALUES AND OUR RETIREMENT FUNDS, AND I THINK IN SOMETIMES 
THESE TYPE OF SITUATIONS GOOD THINGS CAN COME OUT OF IT 
BECAUSE IT MAKES US ALL STEP BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE 
AGREED TO AND WHAT WE THINK WE WANT.
THE AREA THAT I COME FROM, THAT PARTICULAR FIRE TOWER WAS 
FOUGHT FOR BY JOHN SESSUMS WHOSE BROTHER WAS TERRY SESSUMS, 
WHO WAS THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.
HE SPEARHEADED THE PRESERVATION OF HAMNER TOWER BECAUSE 
THAT WAS A BIRD SANCTUARY, AN ANIMAL SANCTUARY, AND A 
BEAUTIFUL PART OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
IN THE -- OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GOT TOGETHER AS A GROUP, WHICH 
WAS A WONDERFUL THING, AND MOST OF THESE NEIGHBORS ARE 
STILL HERE, TOOK THEIR TIME TO DEVELOP THAT AREA AND PLANT 
TREES BECAUSE WE RELIED ON THE PROMISES OF THE COMMISSION 
THAT SAID THAT THIS AREA SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
EVEN PAM IORIO, WHO WAS ON THE COMMISSION, SAID THAT THIS 
WAS A -- I COULD QUOTE WHAT SHE SAID.
IT SAID, I THINK THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT PARCEL OF LAND THAT 
OUGHT TO BE PROTECTED, COMMISSIONER PAM IORIO SAID.
SO THESE ARE PROMISES MADE TO OUR AREA, AND I THINK THESE 
ARE PROMISES THAT SHOULD BE KEPT, AND BECAUSE OF THE 
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, THIS IS PROBABLY A GOOD CHANCE TO RELOOK 
AT WHAT WE HAVE IN THE AREA.
THE OTHER THING, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF THE 
COMMISSIONERS TO GET IN A BUS OR GET IN A CAR AND COME TO 
MY AREA AND LOOK AT WHAT IS NOW RESIDING ON FLORIDA AVENUE 
AT THE CORNER OF FLETCHER AND FLORIDA AND GO UP AND DOWN 
THOSE STREETS AND SEE ALL OF THE CONCRETE AND ASPHALT THAT 
IS NOW VACANT FROM CAR LOTS, AND LOTS OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE 
TO SELL THAT LAND, AND I'M SURE YOU COULD GET A VERY GOOD 
PRICE, AND YOU WOULD MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MUCH NICER, MUCH 
MORE VALUABLE, AND SO I'M ASKING YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MS. HALEY.
MERL REAGLE, ANNA ARCURI, AND SHIRLEY SABA.
GOOD MORNING, SIR.
>> HI, THERE.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE SOME PEOPLE I ACTUALLY ELECTED.
I AM -- MY NAME IS MERL REAGLE, AND I DO LIVE ON 1003 
SYLVIA LANE, AND I DO WANT TO COMMEND CHIEF NESMITH, WHO WE 
HAVE BEEN FIGHTING ALL THIS TIME, FOR STEPPING BACK AND 
SEEING -- I KNOW IT'S ECONOMICS THAT HAVE BASICALLY MADE 
THIS DECISION, BUT THE IDEA THAT HE CAN STILL FROM THE 
PLACES HE'S GOT FROM THE FIRE STATIONS HE HAS HIT OUR AREA 
WITHIN FIVE OR SIX MINUTES -- AND OUR NEIGHBOR, VERY NEXT-
DOOR NEIGHBOR, HAD A FIRE EMERGENCY JUST LIKE TWO MONTHS 
AGO, AND THEY WERE THERE IN 4.5 MINUTES.
I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO SAY, YES, IF THERE IS A NEED FOR ONE 
ABSOLUTELY IN THAT AREA, I CAN SEE NO REASON -- WHAT MARIE 
SAID -- ABOUT AT LEAST LOOKING AT FLORIDA AVENUE, WHICH WE 
WERE ALWAYS TOLD WAS NOT IN THE TARGET AREA, BUT I -- THAT 
SHOULD BE IN THE TARGET AREA BECAUSE, ONE, IT'S ON THIS 
SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, IT'S EASIER TO GET TO EVERYTHING, BUT 
I DO HAVE TO -- I JUST HAVE NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR 
WHOEVER -- CAPTAIN -- CHIEF NESMITH INCLUDED FOR AT LEAST 
STEPPING BACK AND SAYING, OKAY, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS WE 
CAN DO TO MAKE THIS WORK, AND PEOPLE IN THIS AREA ARE STILL 
SAFE, SO I JUST -- I'M FOR THE TERMINATION.
I GUESS THAT'S OBVIOUS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MR. REAGLE.
ANNA ARCURI, SHIRLEY SABA, AND GEORGE NIEMANN.
GOOD MORNING, MA'AM.
>> HI.
I'M ANNA ARCURI.
I LIVE ON SYLVIA LANE, 1004 SYLVIA LANE, ALSO NEAR THE 
PROPOSED FIRE STATION, AND I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO BE A 
CITIZEN THAT SAYS THAT I AM VERY HAPPY THAT -- THAT WE 
ARE -- THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT MAY BE TERMINATED AND THAT 
WE'RE -- THE COUNTY IS GOING TO USE OTHER PROPERTY THAT'S 
AVAILABLE.
I WAS NEVER IN SUPPORT OF THAT LOCATION AT ALL, AND I AM 
VERY THRILLED THAT THIS IS TAKING PLACE.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MS. ARCURI.
SHIRLEY SABA, GEORGE NIEMANN, AND ROSEITA DANIELS.
GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
SHIRLEY SABA, 805 WEST 129th.
EVERYBODY FORGETS US ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FLETCHER, THE 
SOUTH SIDE.
I WAS AT THE MEETING WITH THE FIRE CHIEFS.
THEY HAD LIKE THREE SITES.
I AGREE WITH THEM, THAT WAS THE WRONG SITE AT HAMNER.
THERE'S NO WAY THEY COULD GET OUT.
THE FIRST SITE WAS AT OLA AND FLETCHER, AND NOW THEY'RE 
SAYING THAT SITE WAS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR FLOOD OR 
SOMETHING.
WELL, RIGHT ACROSS FROM DUNKIN' DONUTS ON FLETCHER AND OLA 
ON THE NORTH SIDE IS SIX ACRES ALL AVAILABLE AND IT'S FOR 
SALE, AND WHEN I TALKED TO VALDES GROUP BEFORE, THEY SAID 
AT THAT TIME, OH, NO, IT WASN'T -- YOU KNOW, WASN'T A 
POSSIBILITY FOR SALE AT THAT TIME.
IT IS NOW, AND IT'S GOT THAT SIDE STREET WHERE THEY CAN DO 
THEIR LADDERS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY BACK IN.
THAT'S ANOTHER -- THAT'S ANOTHER THING.
ON 131st THEY BACK IN.
THEY'LL NEVER GO BACK TO 131st.
THEY'LL GO THAT AS A SITE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE LACKING ALL THE EMERGENCY AND ALL THE 
RESPONSES.
WE WILL BE THE ONES THAT WILL BE OUT OF LUCK.
THEY NEED A FIRE STATION IN THE WEST SIDE ON OUR SIDE, 
AND -- LET ME GET MY LITTLE NOTES HERE.
WE'VE GOT AREA -- WE'VE GOT BUMPS -- SPEED BUMPS.
THERE'S ALWAYS SLOW -- SLOW FOR SPEED BUMPS THERE, AND THEY 
SAY THEY HAVE A LITTLE CLICKER NOW THAT THE FIRE TRUCK CAN 
JUST DO THE LIGHTS, YOU KNOW.
YOU EVER BEEN ON FLETCHER ON OUR SIDE IN YOU DON'T KNOW THE 
TRAFFIC, 3:00, 4:00, 5:00.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT.
WE NEED THAT MONEY WHICH WAS ALLOCATED NOT JUST THROWN 
BACK.
WE NEED IT TO BUILD A FIRE STATION IN OUR AREA.
THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD FUNDING FOR THE ONE THAT THEY'RE DOING 
NOW ON 138th AND 12th, AND I PRAISE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB, AND I JUST -- I'M VERY, VERY 
MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT OUR AREA.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MS. SABA.
GEORGE NIEMANN, ROSEITA DANIELS, CHRIS RODRIGUEZ.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
GEORGE NIEMANN, UNITED CITIZENS ACTION NETWORK, DOVER, 
FLORIDA.
I WANTED TO DISCUSS TWO ITEMS WITH YOU TODAY, THE FIRST ONE 
BEING ITEM F-2.
I WANT TO OFFER CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMISSIONER FERLITA FOR 
HAVING THE COURAGE TO BRING THIS ITEM UP AND OPEN UP THE 
MORAL COURAGE AWARD NAMING TO REDISCUSS THAT.
I WOULD SAY THAT NAMING THE AWARD IS NOT ABOUT POLITICAL 
PAYBACKS TO YOUR CONTRIBUTORS, AND I THINK THOSE OF YOU 
THAT VOTED FOR IT -- MAYBE I'LL GIVE YOU SOME EXCLUSIONS.
COMMISSIONER SHARPE, COMMISSIONER FERLITA, AND COMMISSIONER 
BECKNER, YOU'RE NOT ON IN THIS GROUP, BUT THE REST OF YOU 
SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES FOR NAMING THIS AWARD, THIS 
PRESTIGIOUS AWARD -- NAMING IT AFTER A CONVICTED FELON AND 
NOW A POSSIBLE TAX CHEAT, BUT ALSO, IT'S CURIOUS THAT 
COMMISSIONER FERLITA PUTS THIS ON THE AGENDA, AND LO AND 
BEHOLD YESTERDAY, THE 14th, THERE'S AN ARTICLE THAT APPEARS 
IN THE ST. PETE TIMES THAT SAYS THE FAMILY IS -- IS ASKING 
TO HAVE THE NAME REMOVED.
IT -- JUST AS AN OBSERVER, IT STRIKES ME AS CURIOUS THAT -- 
THAT THE FAMILY WOULD ASK FOR THAT THE DAY BEFORE IT'S 
GOING TO COME UP.
I'M WONDERING IF THERE ARE SOME POLITICAL MANEUVERS BEING 
DONE HERE.
BUT IN ANY CASE, PLEASE CHOOSE A RESPECTABLE NAME AND 
SOMEONE THAT THE COMMUNITY RESPECTS BECAUSE THAT AWARD 
REALLY IS FOR US, AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO NAME AN AWARD, 
MAKE IT SOMEONE THAT WE CAN ALL RESPECT AND STOP CAUSING 
PROBLEMS AND BEING RIDICULOUS BY NAMING IT AFTER POLITICAL 
POWER BROKERS IN THE COUNTY.
THE SECOND ITEM IS ITEM B-10, AND I WASN'T PLANNING ON 
SPEAKING ON IT, BUT I SAW IT'S AN OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEM.
THIS IS THE -- THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WORK THAT BROAD AND 
CASSEL IS DOING WITH REGARD TO THE STIMULUS PACKAGE.
I MADE SOME CALLS TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND I 
WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE WHEN THIS WAS ASSIGNED TO BROAD AND 
CASSEL, WHEN -- WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE BACKGROUND OF BROAD 
AND CASSEL, THOSE PRINCIPALS HAPPENED TO BE VERY HEAVY 
CONTRIBUTORS TO SOME OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS.
WHEN I ASKED THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, WHAT'S THE PROCUREMENT 
PROCESS -- AND I ALSO TALKED TO THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, 
YOUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
I ASKED WHAT'S THE PROCESS FOR ASSIGNING WORK TO LAW FIRMS, 
AND THEY SAID, OH, NO, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS EXEMPT FROM 
ANY PROCUREMENT PROCESS, SO I THINK WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM 
WITH THAT BECAUSE IN CASES LIKE THIS WHERE THERE WAS HEAVY 
CONTRIBUTING TO SOME OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS AND THEN ALL OF A 
SUDDEN THIS GETS ASSIGNED WITH NO REQUEST FOR BID, NO 
BIDDING PROCESS, I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MR. NIEMANN.
>> THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  ROSEITA DANIELS, MR. RODRIGUEZ, HILRIE KEMP, 
JR.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>>KEN HAGAN:  GOOD MORNING.
>> MY NAME IS ROSEITA DANIELS.
I LIVE AT 8301 ENDIVE AVENUE.
UP THERE IS A PICTURE OF MY HOUSE IN 1970 WHEN I MOVED 
THERE.
THERE'S A DITCH ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE, AND YOU HAD TO WALK 
OVER TO WALK DOWN -- WALK OVER AND LOOK DOWN IN THE DITCH.
THE DITCH WAS THAT DEEP.
BUT IN THE '80s HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MADE ME A PART OF THE 
DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
THAT'S MY STEP THAT I HAD BUILT UP.
THE CARPET IS THE HOUSE, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO OVER THE STEP 
TO GET INTO THE HOUSE.
IT'S TWO STEPS UP THAT WE HAD TO HAVE BUILT BECAUSE THE 
WATER JUST CAME INTO THE HOUSE.
THAT IS OUR STREET RIGHT THERE, AND DOWN WHERE THE BLUE CAR 
IS MY HOUSE, AND I SAY MY HOUSE IS PART OF THE DRAINAGE 
SYSTEM.
THERE -- IT HAS WATER ALL THE WAY AROUND.
THE HOUSE SITS IN WATER.
MY HOUSE AND THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR, MRS. HADLEY'S HOUSE, 
WE'VE BEEN IN WATER SINCE THEY PUT THE NEW SYSTEM IN, THE 
DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
WHEN IT RAINS IT FLOODS FROM FRONT TO BACK.
IF THERE IS AN HOUR- OR TWO-HOUR RAIN, MY HOUSE FLOODS AND 
SO DOES THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR.
THE COUNTY PUT THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN WHICH TOOK AWAY PART 
OF MY LAND, AND THEY SAID AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE GOING 
TO RESTORE THE LAND, WHICH THEY NEVER DID, AND I'VE BEEN 
CALLING, BUT I NEVER GOTTEN HERE BEFORE.
I'M QUITE -- ONE LADY ASKED ME ONE TIME, WHY DO YOU CALL SO 
MUCH?
I SAID, BECAUSE I'M IN THE WATER ALL THE TIME.
MY FOUNDATION UNDER MY HOUSE HAVE TO BE CRACKED BECAUSE 
WATER COMES UP THROUGH THE FLOOR SOMETIMES.
THERE WAS SO MUCH WATER IN THERE THAT WHEN I -- 8:00 IN THE 
MORNING WATER WAS AT MY ANKLE.
A FEW HOURS LATER -- WELL, ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, WATER WAS 
UP TO MY KNEES, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY TOOK ME OUT IN THE 
BOAT BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING LATE, AND I -- THEY PROMISED TO 
BRING SAND TO REFLOURISH THE AREA TO BUILD THE DITCH BACK 
UP BUT THEY NEVER DID, TO BUILD MY PROPERTY BACK UP.
IN MY FRONT YARD YOU CAN'T PLANT ANY FLOWERS.
THE ONLY FLOWERS THAT ARE THERE WERE FROM 1970 WHEN WE 
PLANTED FLOWERS AND TREES.
ALL MY SAND HAS GONE INTO THE DITCH OR IN THE SEWER SYSTEM.
THE -- IT'S CLAY.
THE YARD IS CLAY FRONT AND BACK.
THERE'S WATER IN THE BACKYARD UP TO THE DOOR, WATER IN THE 
FRONT YARD UP TO THE DOOR.
EVEN THOUGH I'VE HAD SOME REPAIRS DONE, THERE'S STILL 
WATER.
ANYTIME IT RAINS AND WE HEAR THAT THE ALAFIA --
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MS. DANIELS.
>> -- RIVER BACKS UP, WE'RE IN WATER.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER WHITE.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT MS. DANIELS WAS BEING 
FACETIOUS, BUT SHE WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT THEY ACTUALLY 
HAD TO GO IN WITH A RESCUE BOAT AND GET HER OUT OF THE 
HOUSE BECAUSE THE WATER WAS SO BAD.
MS. DANIELS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO 
STICK AROUND, BUT WE WILL HAVE UPDATES AS F-6 COMES 
AVAILABLE ON OUR AGENDA WHERE OUR PGM AND PUBLIC WORKS 
DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE COMING AND UPDATING US ON THE 
ARCHIE CREEK AND DELANEY CREEK AND THE DRAINAGE ISSUES OUT 
THERE IN THE AREA.
SO -- AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME OTHER PEOPLE HERE IN THE 
AUDIENCE TO SPEAK ON THAT ISSUE, AND I WON'T BELABOR THAT 
AT THIS TIME, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON THAT DILIGENTLY AND 
WANT YOU TO KNOW AND WANT THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE TO KNOW 
THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ALLEVIATE THIS 
PROBLEM, AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM OUT THERE FOR QUITE 
SOMETIME, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET ON THIS.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WHITE.
CHRIS RODRIGUEZ, HILRIE KEMP, JR., AND SHIRLEY GRIFFIN.
GOOD MORNING, SIR.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS CHRIS RODRIGUEZ.
I'M A SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE WITH CIGNA HEALTH CARE, AND 
I'M HERE TO SPEAK TODAY ON ITEM B-3.
FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO SAY WE TRULY VALUE THE OPPORTUNITY 
TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY AGAIN.
WE WERE LONG-TIME PARTNERS FIVE YEARS AGO, AND WE HAD A 
TEN-YEAR RELATIONSHIP, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING YOUR 
CARRIER OF CHOICE.
NOW WITH RESPECT TO ITEM B-3 OR THE MEDICAL RFP.
THIS PROCUREMENT PROCESS HAS BEEN A VERY FAIR AND 
COMPETITIVE PROCESS WHICH ALLOWED FOR MULTIPLE 
OPPORTUNITIES TO COME UP WITH TWO BEST AND FINALS AND AN 
INTERVIEW PROCESS TO, AGAIN, PRODUCE THE ABSOLUTE BEST 
VALUE FOR THE COUNTY, THE BEST VALUE MEANING A SAVINGS AND 
ENHANCEMENTS IN BENEFITS.
FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE, REGARDLESS OF FUNDING, ASO, 
SELF-INSURED, OR FULLY INSURED, CIGNA PROPOSES THE ABSOLUTE 
BEST SAVINGS FOR BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY'S 
EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
THE FULLY INSURED PROPOSALS THROUGH THE THREE DIFFERENT 
OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE OUR POSITION, AGAIN, BEST AND 
FINAL AND INTERVIEWS, WE WERE SELECTED AND VOTED ON 
UNANIMOUSLY ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS BY YOUR INSURANCE 
COMMITTEE.
THE FULLY INSURED PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN VOTED ON AND 
RECOMMENDED TO PROPOSE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY CREATE THREE 
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES.
THE FIRST IS TRULY AN APPLES-TO-APPLES BASIS WHERE WE WERE 
CHARGED WITH MATCHING YOUR CURRENT BENEFITS.
THIS OPTION CREATES AN $11.4 MILLION SAVINGS TO THE COUNTY 
AND THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES ON A TRUE APPLES-TO-APPLES BASIS 
AND REMOVING ALL RISK FROM THE COUNTY AND PUTTING IT ON THE 
SHOULDERS OF CIGNA HEALTH CARE WITH A FULLY INSURED 
PROPOSAL.
THE SECOND OPTION WAS TO INTRODUCE A HIGH-PERFORMANCE 
NETWORK WITH THE SAME EXACT BENEFITS, AND THIS OPPORTUNITY 
CREATES A $17-MILLION SAVINGS BEYOND WHAT YOUR CURRENT 
OPTION IS WITH YOUR CURRENT CARRIER.
AND FINALLY, IF YOU COMBINE THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE NETWORK 
WITH SOME BENEFIT DESIGNS THAT THE COUNTY HAS REQUESTED 
FROM US, THERE'S A $29-MILLION SAVINGS FROM YOUR NEXT BEST 
OPTION OF YOUR CURRENT RENEWAL.
THIS MEANS ON AVERAGE, IF YOU JUST USE THE 11.4 APPLES-TO-
APPLES BASIS, $73 PER EMPLOYEE PER MONTH THAT WE CAN REMOVE 
FROM THEIR PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS AND KEEP IN THEIR POCKETS OR 
$140 AT THE FAMILY LEVEL.
NONE OF OUR COMPETITORS -- NONE OF THE COMPETITORS 
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS HAVE MET THIS FINANCIAL CHALLENGE 
AND PROPOSE THIS KIND OF FINANCIAL OPTION FOR THE COUNTY.
IN FACT, MY COMPETITOR AND YOUR CURRENT CARRIER, HUMANA, IN 
TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS IN INSURANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS HAS 
STATED THEY CANNOT MEET THIS OPTION.
OVER AND ABOVE THE RFP REQUIREMENTS, CIGNA'S PROPOSED OTHER 
ITEMS, LIKE A $700,000 PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE THAT BACKS UP 
OUR ABILITY TO SERVICE YOU AND PAYS CLAIMS ACCURATELY AND 
TIMELY.
A WELLNESS FUND FOR SIX YEARS.
THAT'S A $600,000 INVESTMENT INTO YOUR MEMBERS AND 
EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE GETTING THE WELLNESS 
INITIATIVES THAT THEY SO DESERVE.
AND FINALLY A 16% ENHANCEMENTS TO THE NETWORK ACCESS, 
REMOVING OUT-OF-NETWORK CLAIMS AND REDUCING COSTS FOR YOUR 
EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS THE COUNTY.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU.
HILRIE KEMP, JR., SHIRLEY GRIFFIN, DAVID WILLIAMS.
GOOD MORNING, SIR.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS, AND STAFF, MY NAME IS HILRIE 
KEMP, JR.
I LIVE AT 8005 ASH AVENUE.
I'VE BEEN THERE 47 YEARS.
I STOP IN HERE THIS MORNING TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION 
ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN PROGRESS VILLAGE BECAUSE 
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER THAT'S FLOODING OUR AREA.
MS. HOLMES SENT SOME PICTURES THAT SHE WOULD LIKE FOR TO 
YOU LOOK AT.
SHE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE PERSONS WHO'S LIVED IN A CRITICAL 
AREA AS FAR AS THE WATER IS CONCERNED BECAUSE WHEN THE 
WATER COME AROUND THROUGH THE DITCH THAT PARALLELS 82nd 
STREET, COMES AROUND THE PARK AND COME AROUND, IT HITS 
RIGHT WHERE SHE LIVES, AND ON HER SIDE IS THE LOW SIDE OF 
THE DITCH.
IT DRAINS RIGHT INTO ARCHIE CREEK.
THE DAY THAT WE HAD ALL THAT WATER, I DROVE AROUND AS I 
USUALLY DO JUST TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE VILLAGE, AND 
AS I DROVE AROUND, I WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN 
AS MUCH WATER IN THE VILLAGE AS IT WAS THAT DAY.
I TALKED TO PEOPLE, AND THEY TOLD ME ON 88th STREET THAT 
THEY HAD NEVER SEEN 88th STREET FLOODED COMPLETELY WITH 
WATER.
I TELL YOU THIS BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED.
WHEN THEY PUT FALKENBURG ROAD IN, I ASKED WILL THAT BE AN 
IMPACT ON PROGRESS VILLAGE, AND I WAS ASSURED THAT IT 
WOULDN'T.
I ALSO REALIZE WHEN YOU PUT NEW DEVELOPERS -- DEVELOPMENT 
IN, YOU RETAIN THE WATER IN THAT AREA, BUT YOU FORGET ABOUT 
THE WATER BETWEEN THE -- THAT DEVELOPED AREA AND THE BUFFER 
AREA BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT'S 
HAPPENING.
WHEN I DROVE DOWN CAMDEN PARKWAY -- FIELD WAY, I LOOKED 
DOWN AND PROGRESS VILLAGE, IT'S LOW.
THE WATER -- THE ROAD IS BUILT TO DRAIN AWAY FROM US, BUT 
BETWEEN US AND PROGRESS VILLAGE THERE'S NO WAY FOR THAT 
WATER TO CONTINUE TO FLOW BACK TO THE AREAS THAT THEY USED 
TO SETTLE IN.
THAT CREATES A PROBLEM.
I'VE DRIVEN DOWN 88th WHEN IT WAS RAINING LIKE IT WAS 
RAINING THEN.
I COULD SEE THE WATER RUNNING DOWN EVERGREEN AND BIRCH AND 
KEPT ON GOING.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE SEEN THE POND BETWEEN 
PROGRESS VILLAGE, FIRST BAPTIST, AND ST. JAMES COMPLETELY 
FLOODED TO THE POINT YOU COULDN'T SEE THE SIDEWALK AND 
JUST -- YOU COULD SEE THE GROWTH STICKING UP OUT OF THE 
POND.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN PROGRESS VILLAGE I BELIEVE BECAUSE 
OF -- VILLAGE I BELIEVE BECAUSE OF CAMDEN PARKWAY, OAK 
CREEK PAVILION, THE NEW SUBDIVISION THAT YOU JUST PUT 
THERE, THE WATER THAT'S SUPPOSED TO SETTLE IN THOSE AREAS 
ARE NOW NOT RUNNING TO THOSE AREAS BUT RUNNING INTO 
PROGRESS VILLAGE, THEREFORE CREATING A PROBLEM.
AND WHEN YOU COME AROUND TO MRS. HOLMES' HOME -- HOUSE, 
THERE IS A CONVERSION OF WATER THAT'S COMING FROM THE POND, 
THAT'S COMING FROM AROUND THE PARK.
IT ALL CONVERGES BEHIND HER HOUSE, THAT IS AN APEX RIGHT 
THERE, AND BECAUSE OF HER -- THE LOW LAND ON HER SIDE -- 
AND SHE'S ASKED FOR THAT TO BE BUILT UP -- IT COMES INTO 
HER HOUSE, AND I DO HAVE THESE PICTURES TO LEAVE WITH YOU 
SO YOU CAN SEE THE EVIDENCE OF HER PROBLEM.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MR. KEMP.
SHIRLEY GRIFFIN, DAVID WILLIAMS, AND PAUL FISHER.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>>KEN HAGAN:  WELCOME.
>> GOOD MORNING TO OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND NEIGHBORS 
AND FRIENDS.
MY NAME IS SHIRLEY B. GRIFFIN.
I LIVE AT 5021 87th STREET, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33619.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORS.
AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, MR. KEMP JUST SPOKE ABOUT THE UNCERTAIN 
FLOOD -- FLASH -- IT WAS A FAST FLASH FLOOD THAT APPEARED 
HERE IN PROGRESS VILLAGE, AND WE'RE KIND OF UPSET BECAUSE 
OF THE HOMES THAT WAS LOCATED THERE IN PROGRESS VILLAGE.
I HAVE LIVED THERE SINCE 1968, AND OTHERS BEFORE ME HAVE 
LIVED THERE -- I THINK THEY SAID IN 1961 THERE WAS A 
HURRICANE.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE AT THAT 
TIME.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THEY SAW LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER AT 
THAT TIME.
IT WAS ONE OF THE WORST FLASH FLOODS THAT WE'VE EVER -- HAS 
EVER TAKEN PLACE, AND -- OFF OF 82nd STREET.
WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR YEARS TO HAVE THE DITCHES CLEANED OUT AT 
LEAST ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR.
THAT'S ALL WE'VE ASKED OF YOU.
AND THERE IS ONE PERSON WHICH STANDS OUT, WHICH MR. KEMP 
JUST SPOKE OF, AND THAT'S MS. SALLY HOLMES, WHICH IS NOT 
HERE TODAY, AND WE WOULD -- WE WANT TO -- YOU KNOW, DON'T 
WANT TO COMPLAIN, BUT WE'RE VERY UPSET, AND WE'RE HOPING 
THAT THESE DITCHES WILL BE A -- THAT YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF 
THEM, AND THIS IS THE -- ALSO THE ARCHIE CREEK AND DELANEY 
IS RELATED TO THE FLOODING.
THOSE TWO ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES THAT WE'RE SPEAKING 
ABOUT TODAY.
FINALLY, THE COUNTY -- THE COUNTY DID AGREE TO PUT PIPES IN 
DOWN OVER THE DITCHES.
WE HAVE HAD HURRICANES AND STORMS BUT NOT LIKE THIS FLASH 
FLOODING THAT WAS THIS PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
SOME OF THEM HAD -- SOME OF THESE PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE FLOOD 
INSURANCE, WHICH MYSELF CANNOT AFFORD IT EITHER BECAUSE I'M 
A SENIOR CITIZEN, AND THERE ARE TWO PONDS THAT -- ON MY 
SIDE.
I LIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PROGRESS VILLAGE OFF OF -- 
THAT'S BIRCH STREET AND THE END OF 88th STREET.
IT WAS FLOODED TERRIBLE.
THE COUNTY -- THE COUNTY COMMISSION FOUND THAT WE CAN FIX 
THIS PROBLEM.
WE APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT TO HELP US 
OUT THERE BECAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP LOSING OUR PROPERTY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MS. GRIFFIN.
DAVID WILLIAMS, PAUL FISHER, AND MARILYN SMITH.
GOOD MORNING, SIR.
>> GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, DAVID WILLIAMS.
2424 MAYDELL DRIVE, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33619.
I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PALM 
RIVER CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
I ALSO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE PALM RIVER 
POINT, WHICH IS COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE BUSINESS COUNCIL FOR PALM RIVER.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I'M ALSO THE OWNER OF HISTORIC 
MAYDELL, THE 26th PROPERTY EVER TO BE HISTORICALLY LANDMARK 
DESIGNATED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WITH THE HELP OF THIS 
BOARD.
IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS OF RESIDING IN PALM RIVER, I HAVE 
SEEN THREE MAJOR FLOODS.
THE FIRST WAS DURING HURRICANE FRANCES, AND THE OTHER TWO 
HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS.
I FEEL THAT THE LOSSES EXPERIENCED BY THIS -- BY THE 
COMMUNITY RESIDENTS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY THE 
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OF TRIBUTARY "A."
TRIBUTARY "A" IS THE COMMUNITY'S LIFELINE FOR STORMWATER 
DRAINAGE.
THIS TRIBUTARY CHANNELS THE RAIN WATERS FROM PALM RIVER TO 
THE TAMPA BAY.
OVER THE YEARS IT HAS BECOME OVERGROWN WITH VEGETATION 
WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW THE WATER TO FLOW AS DESIGNED.
THE FLOODING IN THIS COMMUNITY IS STARTING TO BECOME A 
REGULAR OCCURRENCE.
HEALTH CONCERNS ARE STARTING TO ARISE DUE TO SEPTIC TANK 
BACKUP AND OVERFLOWS, WHICH MAY CAUSE INTRUSION INTO WELLS.
THERE ARE ALSO CONCERNS ABOUT THE ABUNDANCE OF MOSQUITOES 
THAT ARE POPULATING BECAUSE OF THE STANDING WATER THAT HAS 
BEEN LEFT BEHIND BY THE FLOODING.
POWER FAILURE, PROPERTY DAMAGE ARE ALSO GREAT CONCERNS OF 
THE RESIDENTS AND, FOR INSTANCE, VIA MAYDELL, WHICH HAS 
JUST GONE ITS GROUND-UP RESTORATION, HAS EXPERIENCED 
FOUNDATION AND SETTLEMENT ISSUES DUE TO THIS FLOODING.
THIS LANDMARK IS EXPERIENCING CRACKING OF THE STUCCO AND 
INTERIOR DRYWALLS BECAUSE THE FOUNDATIONAL SUPPORT PIERS 
ARE CURRENTLY TODAY UNDER WATER.
IN CONCLUSION, I HOPE THIS BOARD WILL TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION 
TO CLEAN TRIBUTARY "A" AND THE DRAINAGE DITCHES THAT LEAD 
TO IT.
THIS ACTION WILL ENSURE THE SAFETY AND OVERALL WELL-BEING 
OF THE PALM RIVER RESIDENTS.
AND I DO HAVE SOME SLIDES ON THE ELMO.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU -- IF YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO SEE THEM.
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES.
WE'VE GOT THEM ON OUR CAMERAS AS WELL.
>> OKAY.
HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON NOON.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THANK YOU, SIR.
PAUL FISHER, MARILYN SMITH, AND THEN SID MORGAN.
>> GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
PAUL FISHER, 11850 SOPHIA DRIVE, TEMPLE TERRACE.
I COME TO YOU TODAY AS A RETIRED COUNTY EMPLOYEE, DISABLED 
EMPLOYEE.
I BECAME DISABLED APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AGO.
I WAS A SERGEANT IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
I WORKED DIRECTLY WITH CAPTAIN DUNLAP, WHO SITS IN THE BACK 
OF THE ROOM, AND I TRAINED MOST OF THE OFFICERS IN THE 
DEPARTMENT IN HANDGUNS OR FIREARMS AND PEPPER SPRAY, OC, 
ETHICS, DEPORTMENT, ET CETERA.
THE REASON I COME TO YOU TODAY ABOUT B-3, THE CIGNA 
PROPOSAL, IS THE COUNTY HAD CIGNA INSURANCE SOME YEARS AGO 
WHEN I WAS EMPLOYED HERE, AND AT THE TIME CIGNA WAS VERY 
RESTRICTIVE IN ITS NETWORK OF DOCTORS AND THE FORMULARIES 
THAT WE COULD TAKE, THE PRESCRIPTIONS THAT WE COULD TAKE.
WHEN WE SWITCHED TO HUMANA, MY HEALTH CARE BECAME MUCH MORE 
ACCESSIBLE.
THE PRESCRIPTIONS BECAME MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.
AN EXAMPLE WAS I WAS TAKING A PARTICULAR PRESCRIPTION DRUG, 
PRILOSEC, SEVEN YEARS PRIOR TO CIGNA BECOMING OUR INSURER 
WITH THE COUNTY, AND WHEN THEY DID, THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD 
ME THAT MY DOCTOR COULD NOT PRESCRIBE ME PRILOSEC, THAT I 
HAD TO GO BACK AND TAKE THREE OTHER MEDICATIONS THAT I HAD 
TAKEN YEARS BEFORE THAT DIDN'T WORK, AND I HAD TO GET A 
WAIVER FROM CIGNA EVENTUALLY TO GET PRILOSEC, BUT IT WAS 
ONLY GOOD FOR THREE MONTHS, AND EVERY THREE MONTHS WE HAD 
TO GO OVER THIS PROCESS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I HAVE WITH ME TODAY THE 20 PRESCRIPTIONS THAT I TAKE EACH 
AND EVERY DAY.
I HAVE HEART DISEASE, I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, I HAVE 
DEGENERATIVE DISK DISEASE, ARTHRITIS OF THE SPINE, AND 
NUMEROUS OTHER ISSUES.
I'VE HAD FOUR MAJOR SURGERIES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS SINCE 
I'VE BECOME DISABLED, AND I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE 
COVERAGE THAT I'M GOING TO GET WITH CIGNA.
WHEN THE GENTLEMAN FROM CIGNA STOOD UP HERE AND KEPT 
STRESSING THE SAVINGS THE COUNTY IS GOING TO GET, WHEN I 
HEAR SAVINGS, I HEAR REDUCTION IN HEALTH CARE FOR ME.
I HEAR RESTRICTIONS OF VERY LIMITED FORMULARY, A VERY 
LIMITED NETWORK OF DOCTORS, AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE 
THE CONTRACT THAT YOU'RE REVIEWING WITH CIGNA, BUT I 
CERTAINLY HOPE YOU WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT YOUR FORMER 
EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND THE QUALITY 
OF HEALTH CARE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE FOR ALL THE 
SAVINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THANK YOU, SIR.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MARILYN SMITH AND THEN SID MORGAN AND 
MARY ELLEN HARLAN.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MARILYN SMITH, GRANDMOTHER-AT-LARGE.
[SPEAKING SPANISH]
NUMBER ONE -- YOU LIKE THAT, ROSE?
NUMBER ONE, IF YOU ARE TWITTERING OR YOU ARE FACEBOOKING, 
YOU BETTER STOP IT.
YOU HAVE NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY.
READ THE AG REPORT.
THAT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION WHEN YOU DISCUSS ANYTHING THAT'S 
ABOUT OR SHOULD BE WITH THE PUBLIC TO COME TO THIS BOARD.
YEAH, GO READ THE REPORT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO ASK FOR THE 
RECORDS.
OH, HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?
YOU'RE USING EQUIPMENT.
WE'RE PAYING FOR THE TRANSMISSION.
NUMBER TWO, THE GUY THAT SITS THERE CALLED THE CHAIRMAN WAS 
TOLD ON JUNE THE 9th BY THOSE OF US THAT CAME TO THE PUBLIC 
HEARING AND THE OBNOXIOUS MESS THAT WAS FOR THE BUDGET TO 
CHANGE IT TO A BETTER VENUE, SO WHAT DOES HE WAIT, UNTIL 
JUNE -- JULY THE 8th?
THAT IS INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHERE TO 
GO, WHEN TO GO, AND THEN THEY GOT IT PUBLISHED WRONG.
I'M NOT BLAMING LORI HUDSON FOR THIS.
IT ISN'T LORI'S FAULT.
DON'T -- EXCUSE ME -- DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER.
THE CHAIRMAN IS AT FAULT, ALL TESTIFY RIGHT THERE, MR. 
HAGAN, YOUR CHAIR, THE KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON THAT HE IS.
NOW, NEXT THING IS A-7, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
YOU ARE HAVING A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE 
ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO BEING DUMPED OVER AT AFFORDABLE 
HOUSING.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
YOU'RE PUTTING IN THERE $19 MILLION.
THEY CAN'T HANDLE CDBGs, AND THEY ARE NOT GIVING THE 
INFORMATION AS REQUESTED BY CITIZENS.
THEY ARE JUST PUTTING IT OFF, PUTTING IT -- THEY'RE 
BREAKING THE LAW, YOU KNOW, FLORIDA STATUTE 119.
NOW, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET BEFORE THE WHOLE MESS 
COMES UP ON -- TOMORROW, ON WEDNESDAY -- THURSDAY.
THE EPC IS TIED IN WITH THIS BUDGET.
NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHERE ALL THE BIG BUCKS ARE GOING.
WE HAVE A SACRED COW CALLED THE TAMPA BAY SPORTS 
COMMISSION.
IT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP YET.
IT IS THE FAVORITE OF NONE OTHER THAN JIM NORMAN, WHO IS 
THE LONGEST-RUNNING COMMISSIONER ON THIS BOARD.
HE INSTITUTED THAT YEARS AGO.
IT'S BEEN POURING MONEY IN THERE.
WE DON'T NEED THAT GENERAL REVENUE TO BE GOING THERE.
PLAYING BASEBALL ON A CONTRACT USING OUR ASSETS AND USING 
OUR MONEY TO OPERATE ISN'T EXACTLY LIFE-ENDANGERING.
I WANT THAT MONEY TO BE PUT INTO THE EPC.
CLEAN AIR, SAFE WATER IS WHERE IT BELONGS, NOT IN A SPORTS.
THAT IS AN OPTIONAL AND IS A NONPROFIT, AND BY THE WAY, 
THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEIR JUNE PAYMENT.
YOU KNOW WHY?
THEY HAVEN'T SUBMITTED THEIR AUDIT FROM SEPTEMBER 30th, 
'08.
ISN'T THAT A GREAT NONPROFIT?
YEAH.
GET YOUR HEAD BACK ON.
YES, THAT'S TRUE.
RIGHT HERE.
I HAVE IT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THANK YOU, MS. SMITH.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SID MORGAN, MARY ELLEN HARLAN, AND THEN 
DAVE BRAUN.
>> GOOD MORNING -- GOOD MORNING CHAIR, GOOD MORNING MEMBERS 
OF THE BOARD, ADMINISTRATOR BEAN, ATTORNEY LEE, AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS SID MORGAN.
I'M THE MARKET PRESIDENT FOR HUMANA.
MY ADDRESS IS 5401 WEST KENNEDY BOULEVARD 33609.
ONCE AGAIN, I'M BEFORE YOU OFFERING COMMENTS ABOUT THE 
HEALTH BENEFITS DECISION BEFORE YOU.
TODAY EACH OF YOU ARE TASKED WITH A VERY DIFFICULT 
DECISION, SELECTING A CARRIER THAT WILL PROVIDE HEALTH CARE 
BENEFITS TO THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR THE 
NEXT TWO YEARS.
HUMANA IS CONFIDENT IN THE PROPOSALS THAT WE'VE OFFERED.
WE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGING ECONOMIC AND BUDGET 
CONSTRAINTS THAT THE COUNTY FACES.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS DECISION MAY BE SOLELY BASED ON 
PRICE AS OPPOSED TO THE SELECTION COMMITTEE RANKINGS.
DURING THE PAST FIVE AND A HALF YEARS, HUMANA HAS MANAGED 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S PLAN IN A STABLE, FISCALLY 
RESPONSIBLE MANNER, AND THIS HAS RESULTED IN HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES' ABILITY TO ANTICIPATE 
INCREMENTAL PREMIUM INCREASES, AND IT HAS ESTABLISHED A 
STABLE BENEFITS STRUCTURE.
HUMANA'S RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT HAS MEANT THAT HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE NOT BEEN FACED 
WITH SIGNIFICANT DOUBLE-DIGIT PREMIUM SPIKES OR SIGNIFICANT 
UNANTICIPATED BENEFIT REDUCTIONS.
FOR THESE AS WELL AS MANY OTHER REASONS, WE REMAIN 
CONFIDENT THAT A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH HUMANA IS THE 
BEST SOLUTION FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BOTH IN THE NEAR- 
AND LONG-TERM, SO ON BEHALF OF OUR TEAM AT HUMANA, THANK 
YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP OVER THE PAST FIVE AND A HALF 
YEARS.
WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE AND TRUST THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU'VE 
PLACED IN US.
WE'LL BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE DURING YOUR 
DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 2:15 TODAY.
FOLLOWING YOUR DISCUSSION AND DECISION TODAY, WE'RE HOPEFUL 
THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO REMAIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S HEALTH 
CARE BENEFITS PARTNER.
AT HUMANA IT'S OUR STRONG DESIRE TO CONTINUE OUR 
PARTNERSHIP FOR YEARS TO COME.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME 
THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US THIS MORNING.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THANK YOU, MR. MORGAN.
THANK YOU, SIR.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MARY ELLEN HARLAN.
THEN WE HAVE DAVE BRAUN AND TOMORROW FLETCHER.
>> MARY ELLEN HARLAN, 9116 QUAIL STOP, TAMPA, FLORIDA.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE TO PLEAD 
FOR YOU TO KEEP AS MANY SERVICE OFFICERS AS WE CAN.
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WE ARE THE LEADING ONE FOR VETERANS 
AND PEOPLE THAT RETIRE FROM MacDILL AND ACTIVE DUTY AT 
MacDILL THAT USE THE SERVICE OFFICERS.
WE ALSO TAKE CARE OF WIDOW AND WIDOWERS WITH PENSION.
WE BRING A LOT OF MONEY INTO THIS COUNTY BY OUR VETERANS 
SERVICE OFFICERS' HARD WORK AND THEIR ENDEAVOR TO KEEP 
GOING AND KEEP MAKING CLAIMS THAT WILL BRING MONEY AND KEEP 
OUR VETERANS IN THIS COUNTY, WHICH MEANS THESE ARE THE 
WORKING PEOPLE THAT BRING MONEY, THAT PICK UP THE GARBAGE 
COLLECTION, THAT PAY THEIR TAXES, THAT REALLY HELP.
WE SEND OUR SERVICE OFFICERS OUT TO NURSING HOMES AND 
FACILITIES SUCH AS THIS TO BRING MORE BENEFITS TO OUR 
VETERANS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT A LOT OF OUR WIDOWS ARE 
WORLD WAR II AND KOREA.
SOME OF THESE WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS WERE NOTCH BABIES.
THEY DO NOT GET AS MUCH SOCIAL SECURITY, SO THE VETERANS 
AFFAIRS OFFICE TRIES TO ENDEAVOR TO GIVE THEM A PENSION 
BASED ON THEIR INCOME AND OTHER FACTORS THAT WILL PLAY INTO 
THIS.
THIS BRINGS MONEY TO US, AND IT CUTS THE WELFARE ROLLS AND 
HELPS WITH A LOT OF THINGS.
THE HILLSBOROUGH VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE, WE ASK FOR MORE.
YOU WANT TO CUT.
YOU'RE CUTTING YOUR PAYROLL, YOU'RE CUTTING THE FUNDS THAT 
ARE COMING INTO THIS COUNTY, YOU'RE PUTTING IT ON THE BACKS 
OF THE MEN AND WOMAN THAN ARE DYING IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ 
AND AROUND THE WORLD.
IF IT WASN'T FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND MacDILL, WE WOULD 
NOT HAVE A SAFER WORLD, AND YOU CANNOT -- AND I'M BEGGING 
YOU -- IT'S VERY IMPORTANT -- TO HAVE THESE SERVICE 
OFFICERS.
WHEN MY HUSBAND PASSED AWAY, THEY HELPED ME WITH MY 
BENEFITS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT I CAN GO ON AND 
HAVE AN INCOME.
MY HUSBAND WAS A NOTCH BABY, AND I DIDN'T GET AS MUCH 
SOCIAL SECURITY, SO IT WAS VERY BENEFICIAL TO KNOW WHAT 
BENEFITS I GOT AND HOW IT HELPS ME, AND THAT'S WHY I STAYED 
HERE IN TAMPA AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TO FIGHT FOR 
VETERANS' RIGHTS FOR ALL VETERANS, AND I WISH THE MILITARY 
VETERANS IN THE AUDIENCE, WOULD YOU STAND UP, AND I KNOW 
SOME OF YOU COMMISSIONERS ARE MILITARY.
WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
THESE ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT BACK YOU, THAT SUPPORT 
YOU, THAT GIVE YOU THE PAYROLL, AND YOU COME TO US AND ASK 
US TO VOTE FOR YOU.
I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE, AND IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, AND 
I PRAY THAT YOU KEEP THESE SERVICE OFFICERS.
THEY WORK ABOVE AND BEYOND THE TIME.
THEY'RE OUT THERE SERVING THESE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T 
ALWAYS KNOW THEIR BENEFITS.
THANK GOD WE HAVE A FREE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND IT'S UP 
TO YOU COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO KEEP THESE VETERANS SERVICE 
OFFICERS.
PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU, DO NOT CUT THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE 
CUTTING YOUR OWN THROAT AS FAR AS FUNDING.
IN THIS COUNTY, THEY BRING A LOT OF MONEY BACK TO THIS 
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MS. HARLAN.
COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  BOARD MEMBERS -- AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A 
LOT OF MILITARY FOLKS SPEAK TODAY, BUT I WAS ASSURED 
YESTERDAY THAT PAT BEAN HAD REALLY LOOKED AT A LOT OF 
DIFFERENT GRANTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THAT THIS HAS 
BEEN READDRESSED, AND THIS ITEM IS NOT -- IS GOING TO BE 
MADE WHOLE, SO I -- I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU-ALL SAID, 
AND OUR ADMINISTRATION HAS STEPPED UP AND LOOKED AT -- AND 
MR. BRAUN, YOU WERE WELL AWARE A LOT OF THE GRANTS AND 
DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.
>> YES.
>>JIM NORMAN:  THEY'VE LOOKED AT THOSE AND THEY'VE RESOLVED 
THE PROBLEM, SO I APPRECIATE ALL YOU-ALL COMING DOWN, BUT 
OUR ADMINISTRATION AHEAD OF THE CURVE HAS DEALT WITH THAT 
PROBLEM.
[APPLAUSE]
>>KEN HAGAN:  DAVE BRAUN, AND THE LAST SPEAKER THIS MORNING 
WILL BE TOM FLETCHER.
GOOD MORNING, SIR.
>> WELL, THAT JUST MAKES MY SPEECH MOOT, BUT I'LL CONTINUE 
ANYWAY.
DAVE BRAUN, 510 ROBIN HILL CIRCLE, BRANDON, FLORIDA.
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, MS. BEAN, AND LADIES AND 
GENTLEMEN, FEDERAL VETERANS.
THERE'S A CREED OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA THAT 
SAYS, NEVER SHALL ONE GENERATION ABANDON ANOTHER AGAIN.
AND I WANT TO TELL ALL THEM TO WELCOME HOME TO ALL OF MY 
BROTHERS AND SISTERS HERE TODAY.
WELCOME TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHERE OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT 
HAS A SOLID RECORD OF SUPPORTING OUR MILITARY AND OUR 
VETERANS, AND I CAN ATTEST TO THAT, AND THANK YOU, 
COMMISSIONER NORMAN, FOR YOUR STATEMENTS.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR VETERANS COUNTY SERVICE OFFICERS ARE PART OF THE 
GUARDIANS TO ASSIST OUR YOUNGER VETERANS AND OUR YOUNGER 
GENERATIONS.
THEY ARE EXPERIENCING -- THEY ARE EXPERIENCED AT ANSWERING 
THE WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW.
THEY ARE MANY TIMES FACILITATORS FOR THEIR TRANSFORMATION 
FROM SARGE TO MR. OR MRS.
CERTAINLY THEY ARE THE BROKERS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY 
RECEIVE EVERYTHING THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.
NOW WE'RE BEING CALLED TO MAKE THE REQUEST HERE TODAY THAT 
THIS GOVERNMENT BOARD RECONSIDER REDUCING THE URGENTLY 
NEEDED VETERANS AFFAIR SERVICE OFFICER, AND I THANK YOU FOR 
DOING THAT.
RIGHT NOW, JUST IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THE VA HAS A 
BACKLOG OF APPROACHING ONE MILLION UNPROCESSED CLAIMS FOR 
BENEFITS THAT ARE SIX MONTHS OR OLDER FROM WORLD WAR II'S 
GREATEST GENERATION TO THE NEWEST GENERATION OF WOUNDED 
VETERANS FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WARS.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S MILITARY AND VETERANS COMMUNITY'S 
SERVICE OFFICERS TO OUR -- SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY SHOULD BE 
WELCOMED HOME AND NOT HAVE TO AGAIN FACE THE SAME FIGHT 
THAT AMERICA'S VETERANS HAVE ALWAYS FACED WHEN THEY TRY TO 
GET TREATMENTS AND BENEFITS.
THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
THERE'S ALWAYS ALTERNATIVES, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THERE IS 
AN ALTERNATIVE BEING LOOKED AT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MR. BRAUN.
COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  DAVE, TOM, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION 
SOMETHING VERY QUICKLY, AND I ANTICIPATED THAT SOMETHING 
LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN TODAY AS OPPOSED TO THROUGH OUR 
BUDGET PROCESS.
WHEN WE MET YESTERDAY, I TOLD YOU THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE 
INITIATIVES THAT I DIDN'T THINK ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES CARED 
IF THEY WERE FIRST OR LAST IN TERMS OF DISCUSSING THE 
SUBJECT SO LONG AS IT GOT ADDRESSED, SO OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW 
THAT WE'RE ALL SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT VETERANS HAVE DONE AND 
CONTINUE TO DO FOR US AND THE SAFETY THAT THEY PROVIDE OUR 
NATION, AND I COMMEND COMMISSIONER NORMAN FOR APPROACHING 
THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS DONE.
I'M SURE YOU HAVE EVERYBODY'S WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  GOOD MORNING, MR. FLETCHER.
>> TOM FLETCHER, 10016 KENDA DRIVE IN RIVERVIEW, FLORIDA, 
AND COMMISSIONER NORMAN, I WANT TO SAY VERY MUCH THAT WE 
ALL APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS ON THE PART OF THE COMMISSIONERS 
AS WELL AS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN TAKING ACTION TO 
RESOLVE THIS FOR US, AND WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
THE HUNDREDS OF VETERANS AND THOUSANDS OF VETERANS IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY KNOW THAT THEY CAN ALWAYS COME TO THE 
BOARD AND COME TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WHEN WE REALLY 
HAVE A DESPERATE NEED, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR STEPPING UP 
TO THE PLATE.
SO THANK YOU VERY KINDLY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MR. FLETCHER.
>> HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF 
THIS MORNING.
THOSE OF YOU THAT DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, 
YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK AT THE END OF THE MEETING 
THIS AFTERNOON.
CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMAINDER OF THE 
CONSENT?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO MOVE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN:  MOTION COMMISSIONER FERLITA, SECOND 
COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>KEN HAGAN:  FIRST ITEM.
>>PAT BEAN:  THE FIRST ITEM, COMMISSIONERS, IS THE ITEM 
BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA, HER 10:15 
ITEM, F-1, WHICH IS TO ESTABLISH A PHYLLIS BUSANSKY 
MEMORIAL AWARD, "PHYLLIS!"
I'M NOT SURE HOW TO SAY IT.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU, MS. BEAN.
GOOD MORNING, AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
EITHER BY DESIGN OR ACCIDENTALLY, I WAS JUST SITTING HERE 
THINKING THAT AS WE BEGIN TO HONOR PHYLLIS IN MANY WAYS 
THAT DR. LENNARD IS UPSTAIRS, AND I BELIEVE HE HAS JUST 
BEEN SWORN IN, SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY BEFORE I 
INTRODUCE MY ITEM TO CONGRATULATE HIM.
I'M HAPPY ABOUT WHAT I HAVE HEARD SO FAR AND READ SO FAR 
ABOUT DR. LENNARD'S PLANS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO MAINTAIN 
WHAT PHYLLIS STARTED AND WAS SO SUCCESSFUL AT FOR THE LAST 
FIVE YEARS -- FIVE MONTHS, SPECIFICALLY WITH HER CHIEF OF 
STAFF, CRAIG LATIMER, SO WE WISH HIM WELL.
WE CONGRATULATE HIM AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING HIM 
CONTINUE THE LEGACY THAT PHYLLIS STARTED FIVE MONTHS AGO.
AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF US -- AND I THINK AT THE MEMORIAL 
SERVICES, IT WAS VERY APPARENT THAT THIS COMMUNITY IN ONE 
WAY OR ANOTHER, PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, POLITICALLY 
WANTED TO DO EVERYTHING THEY POSSIBLY COULD TO THANK 
PHYLLIS AND TO THANK HER HUSBAND, SHELDON, FOR THE LEGACY 
SHE LEFT BEHIND, AND THAT BROUGHT US TO A COUPLE OF OUR 
AGENDA ITEMS TODAY THAT IT'S -- IT'S MY PLEASURE TO START 
OFF BY INTRODUCING MINE.
PHYLLIS WAS INCREDIBLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS COMMUNITY IN 
TERMS OF LEADERSHIP AND -- AND INTEGRITY AND MANY OF THE 
THINGS THAT WERE PHYLLIS, FROM THE INDIGENT HEALTH CARE 
PROGRAM TO THE LAST FIVE MONTHS OF MAKING THE SUPERVISOR OF 
ELECTIONS OFFICE WHOLE AND TRANSPARENT AND BRINGING TRUST 
BACK TO THAT OFFICE, AND ALL OF THOSE WERE PHYLLIS.
PHYLLIS WAS PHYLLIS, AND SHE WAS HER OWN PERSON.
OUR EFFORTS TODAY WILL BE A COUPLE OF ATTEMPTS TO HONOR HER 
AND MEMORIALIZE WHAT SHE DID AND REPRESENTED TO THIS 
COMMUNITY AND TO THIS COUNTY.
LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO I 
TALKED TO SHELDON, HER HUSBAND, AND HE WAS AS GRACIOUS AND 
HUMBLE AS I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE.
THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A REASON WHY THEY WERE PARTNERS FOR SO 
MANY YEARS.
HE COMMITTED HIS HELP IN ANY WAY HE COULD WITHOUT GETTING 
IN THE WAY OF THE PROCESS AND OFFERED TO -- TO BE HELPFUL 
IN ANY WAY WE NEEDED IN TERMS OF THINGS ABOUT PHYLLIS AND 
SPECIFIC THINGS, AND WHO WOULD KNOW THAT BETTER THAN 
SHELDON?
HE CALLED ME AGAIN THIS MORNING AND ASSURED ME BEFORE THE 
MEETING THAT IF THERE WAS ANYTHING HE COULD DO TO BE 
HELPFUL TO THIS BECAUSE OF WHAT PHYLLIS DID AND HOW MUCH 
SHE MEANT TO HIM, OF COURSE, AND TO THIS COMMUNITY, HE WAS 
THERE IN TERMS OF SUPPORT, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE WAS 
ALWAYS THERE FOR, IN TERMS OF SUPPORT FOR PHYLLIS.
WHAT I THOUGHT, COLLEAGUES, WAS I WOULD GIVE YOU A 
SUGGESTION ABOUT A MEMORIAL AWARD FOR PHYLLIS.
SOME OF THE SPECIFICS I DON'T HAVE DOWN BECAUSE OF COURSE 
IT'S ALL GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO YOUR SUPPORT, BUT A WHILE 
BACK I WENT BACK UPSTAIRS, I MEAN, TO THE SUPERVISOR OF 
ELECTIONS OFFICE, AND I REALIZED -- AND IT BROUGHT A SMILE 
TO MY FACE -- THAT "WE THE PEOPLE" WAS THE NEW SLOGAN THAT 
WAS CHOSEN BY THE LATE PHYLLIS BUSANSKY FOR THE SUPERVISOR 
OF ELECTIONS OFFICE, AND IN FACT, IT WAS ALSO THE HALLMARK 
OF EVERYTHING SHE DID.
WORDS MOST OFTEN USED TO DESCRIBE HER BRILLIANT CAREER AS A 
PUBLIC SERVANT, NOT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, AS A PUBLIC 
SERVANT WERE "ETHICAL," "INTEGRITY," "INSPIRATION," 
"CHAMPION," "TRANSPARENCY," "RESTORING CONFIDENCE," AND "A 
VOICE IN GOVERNMENT."
SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF WE JUST WOULD LOOK 
AT THAT TO DETERMINE HOW WE WOULD CRAFT THIS -- THIS 
MEMORIAL AWARD, THE "WE THE PEOPLE" AWARD, THE FABULOUS 
PHYLLIS, PHYLLIS BUSANSKY.
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HOPEFULLY WILL HONOR 
HER IN RECOGNIZING RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND GROUPS 
WHO DEMONSTRATE EXCEPTIONAL ETHICAL BEHAVIOR, SERVE AS AN 
INSPIRATION, AND CHAMPION TO BRING GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE 
TOGETHER FOR A MEANINGFUL DEMOCRACY TO PROSPER.
THE AWARD WOULD BE PRESENTED THROUGH OUR COUNTY 
COMMISSIONER REGULAR MEETING EVERY JUNE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS 
AND ONLY WHEN INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS MERIT THIS PRESTIGIOUS 
RECOGNITION.
IN TERMS OF ELIGIBILITY, I WANTED TO SUBMIT THIS AS A 
SUGGESTION, ANY RESIDENT, COMMUNITY LEADER, INCLUDING 
ELECTED OFFICIALS, OR GROUPS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHO 
HAVE DEMONSTRATED ETHICAL, INSPIRATIONAL, AND CHAMPIONING 
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CITIZENS' OWNERSHIP OF THEIR GOVERNMENT.
RESIDENT, COMMUNITY LEADER, OR GROUP MUST HAVE EXEMPLIFIED 
EFFORTS IN BRINGING GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR THE 
BETTERMENT OF THE COUNTY AND FOR ITS CITIZENS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE COULD GO THROUGH AND DISCUSS SOME 
OF THE PROCESSES, MIGHT IT BE A COMMITTEE THAT'S 
ESTABLISHED LIKE OUR MORAL COURAGE AWARD COMMITTEE OR SOME 
OTHER REPRESENTATION, EACH OF US HAVING A REPRESENTATIVE.
THOSE ARE JUST DETAILS THAT WE WOULD WORK OUT, AND IF YOU 
FOUND YOUR WAY TO SUPPORT THIS, THEN PERHAPS I WOULD OFFER 
THAT I WOULD BRING BACK A DRAFT AND ASK YOU TO LOOK AT THAT 
AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO COMMENT AND SUGGEST AND THEN 
ULTIMATELY APPROVE THE FINAL CONCEPT OF THE -- OF THE 
AWARD.
ANYWAY, THIS AWARD WOULD BE PHYLLIS.
IT WOULD BE ABOUT PHYLLIS.
IT WOULD BE SYNONYMOUS WITH WHAT PHYLLIS BELIEVED FOR SO 
MANY YEARS.
SO THAT BEING SAID, MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON'T THINK I NEED TO 
BELABOR IT EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO 
SUPPORT A MOTION TO HELP ME ESTABLISH THE "WE THE PEOPLE" 
AWARD IN HONOR OF THE FABULOUS PHYLLIS BUSANSKY, 1937 TO 
2009.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND FIRST, LET ME THANK COMMISSIONER FERLITA AND ALSO 
COMMISSIONER HAGAN FOR BRINGING THESE ITEMS FORWARD, AND 
I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND YOUR MOTION BECAUSE I 
WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I THINK -- I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING HOW SO MANY OF US 
LOVED PHYLLIS BECAUSE PHYLLIS WAS REALLY LARGER THAN LIFE, 
AND IT WAS HER COMMITMENT, I THINK, TO GOOD GOVERNMENT AND 
BRINGING GOOD GOVERNMENT TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT 
INSPIRED SO MANY ELECTED LEADERS AND SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR 
COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MYSELF.
SHE JUST HAD SO MUCH PASSION FOR GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE 
THAT WE HAD GOOD, TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT IN PLACE, AND 
THAT'S WHAT SHE ALWAYS STRESSED TO ME AND THAT'S WHAT SHE 
CONTINUED TO STRESS AS I WALKED THE CAMPAIGN TRAILS WITH 
HER DURING OUR LAST ELECTION, SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA 
AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THAT, AND I ALSO SPOKE WITH HER 
WIDOWER, SHELDON, AND HE ASKED ME TO READ A STATEMENT ON 
BEHALF OF THE FAMILY WHEN HE HEARD THAT SHE WAS GOING TO BE 
RECOGNIZED THIS MORNING AND A COUPLE DIFFERENT NOTES.
WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO 
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR RECOGNIZING AND 
MEMORIALIZING THE LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVITUDE OF PHYLLIS.
PHYLLIS LOVED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND LIVED HER LIFE WITH 
PASSION AND COMMITMENT TO ESTABLISHING GOOD GOVERNMENT WITH 
TRANSPARENCY.
IT IS OUR HOPE THAT PHYLLIS' LEGACY AND PASSION FOR GOOD 
GOVERNMENT WILL LIVE ON IN OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE ELECTED 
LEADERS.
THANK YOU AGAIN.
SIGNED SHELDON BUSANSKY AND THE ENTIRE BUSANSKY FAMILY.
AND THE OTHER THING I THINK MAYBE PART OF THE CRITERIA WE 
SHOULD ESTABLISH IS RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUAL COMMITMENT TO 
GOOD GOVERNMENT AND PUT THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE CRITERIA.
I THINK WE TALK ABOUT ETHICS, SO HAVE THAT BE PART OF THAT, 
BUT ABSOLUTELY, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD 
AGAIN.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU FOR THE SECOND, MR. BECKNER.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  WELL, I'M PROBABLY THE PERSON ON THIS BOARD 
THAT'S HAD THE -- A LOT OF THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES WITH 
PHYLLIS.
I REALLY LIKED HER.
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE LUNCHES TOGETHER.
WE DROVE -- WE DROVE IN HER CONVERTIBLE TO DIFFERENT SPOTS 
TO HAVE LUNCH, AND I WILL TELL YOU ALL TRAFFIC LAWS IN THIS 
COUNTY --
>>PAT BEAN:  WERE BROKEN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  -- NONE WERE MEANT FOR PHYLLIS BUSANSKY.
I RECALL A TIME THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY DRIVING ON KENNEDY -- 
THIS IS THE LAST TIME I EVER DROVE WITH HER.
WE WERE GOING TO VALENCIA, AND WE WERE IN THE RIGHT-HAND 
LANE GOING TO TURN INTO THE VALENCIA RESTAURANT.
WELL, PHYLLIS LOOKS DOWN AND NOTICED SHE NEEDED A LITTLE 
GAS.
SHE ACTUALLY TURNED LEFT INTO A GAS STATION FROM THE RIGHT 
LANE IN FRONT OF ALL TRAFFIC COMING ALL DIFFERENT 
DIRECTIONS AND WHILE SHE TALKED TO THREE PEOPLE IN THE CAR.
[LAUGHTER]
SHE WAS INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, SHE HAD -- I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE -- AND SHE'S 
LAUGHING THE WHOLE TIME.
WE'RE ALL LIKE -- COULDN'T SAY A WORD.
AND IF YOU-ALL KNEW PHYLLIS, HOW EXCITED SHE WAS ABOUT 
THINGS -- I MEAN, I DON'T THINK PHYLLIS EVER KNEW THAT MY 
FIRST NAME WAS JIM.
IT WAS -- I COULD BE HALF A BLOCK AWAY, AND SHE WOULD 
YELL -- YOU COULD HEAR IT -- "NORMAN!" AS SHE WOULD RUN 
DOWN THE STREET.
AND I KNOW, PAT, YOU WERE PROBABLY -- WE USED TO HAVE A LOT 
OF WONDERFUL COUNTY HOLIDAY PARTIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, 
AND PHYLLIS NEVER MISSED A DANCE.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE -- THAT LADY JUST ABSOLUTELY LOVED TO 
DANCE.
SHE COULDN'T DANCE A LICK.
[LAUGHTER]
>>PAT BEAN:  BUT SHE TRIED.
>>JIM NORMAN:  BUT SHE TRIED, AND THE FUNNIEST TIME THAT I 
EVER REMEMBER, SHE WAS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THESE 
COUNTY EMPLOYEES, SHE HIT A PIECE OF ICE, FELL ON HER BACK, 
AND KEPT DANCING.
[LAUGHTER]
>>PAT BEAN:  YOU'RE RIGHT.
>>JIM NORMAN:  SHE WAS A SCREAM, AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, SHE 
WAS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY, AND THIS IS -- AND -- AND 
COMMISSIONER FERLITA, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
SHE WAS -- SHE WAS SUCH A FINE, FINE LADY, AND WE'LL ALL -- 
ALL OF US WILL REALLY MISS THAT SPIRIT IN HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA AND A SECOND BY 
COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
NO FURTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>PAT BEAN:  YOUR NEXT ITEM --
[APPLAUSE]
-- NEXT ITEM, COMMISSIONERS, IS ITEM F-4, WHICH IS 
COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S ITEM REGARDING ALSO HONORING PHYLLIS, 
AND COMMISSIONER HAGAN.
>>KEN HAGAN:  AND I'LL KEEP THIS BRIEF BECAUSE COMMISSIONER 
FERLITA AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER AND COMMISSIONER NORMAN 
SAID MANY OF THE SAME THINGS THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, AND 
I'LL JUST START OUT BY SAYING THAT I'LL NEVER FORGET THE 
FIRST TIME THAT I MET PHYLLIS.
IT WAS BACK WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR OFFICE IN 2002, AND SHE 
CALLED ME AND ASKED FOR ME TO COME BY AND MEET HER OVER AT 
HER OFFICE OVER ON I BELIEVE IT WAS ASHLEY OVER THERE IN 
THE ST. PETE TIMES BUILDING, BUT I JUST REMEMBER HER 
PASSION AND ENTHUSIASM FOR THE INDIGENT HEALTH CARE PLAN, 
FOR THE COUNTY ITSELF, AND FOR THE CARROLLWOOD COMMUNITY 
THAT -- THAT SHE LIVED IN, AND I WANTED TO ALSO PERMANENTLY 
RECOGNIZE PHYLLIS' TIRELESS SERVICE AS A PUBLIC SERVANT 
HERE.
OF COURSE, SHE'S KNOWN FOR CLEANING UP THE SUPERVISOR'S 
OFFICE AND FOR THE INDIGENT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, BUT I GUESS 
MANY OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW, BUT SHE ACTUALLY GOT STARTED HERE 
AS AGING SERVICES DIRECTOR, AND MS. BEAN ACTUALLY HIRED 
MS. BUSANSKY.
>>PAT BEAN:  YES.
>>KEN HAGAN:  IS THAT CORRECT?
>>PAT BEAN:  THAT'S CORRECT.
>>KEN HAGAN:  AND SHE WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT FACILITIES 
SUCH AS THE WESTSHORE SENIOR CENTER, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A 
NUMBER OF THE THESE SENIOR CENTERS IN TOWN 'N COUNTRY AND 
LUTZ AND PLANT CITY AND WIMAUMA, AND THESE CENTERS, YOU 
KNOW, PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMS, I 
GUESS ARTS AND CRAFTS, EXERCISE PROGRAMS, AND THE LIKE, AND 
SHE WAS VERY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THESE KINDS OF SERVICES 
TO THE ELDERLY, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO -- 
TO RENAME THE WESTSHORE SENIOR CENTER AFTER MS. BUSANSKY 
AND NAME IT THE PHYLLIS H. BUSANSKY SENIOR CENTER AT 
WESTSHORE, AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, AND 
I'LL PASS THE GAVEL AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT AS A MOTION.
>> SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN:  SO --
>>MARK SHARPE:  WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE CHAIRMAN, SECONDED 
BY COMMISSIONER HAGAN -- OR COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>KEN HAGAN:  MS. BEAN, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT?
>>PAT BEAN:  YES.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT HAVING KNOWN PHYLLIS FROM THAT 
VERY FIRST DAY WHEN I HIRED HER, YOU -- YOU NEVER COULD 
TELL WHERE SHE WAS GOING TO BE GOING NEXT, AND SHE HAD 
IDEAS, YOU KNOW, WAYS TO CHANGE THINGS, DO THINGS BETTER, 
AND SHE'D COME IN AND SHE WAS A LIKE A WHIRLWIND WHEN SHE'D 
WALK INTO YOUR OFFICE, BUT SHE WOULD BE SO PROUD, I CAN 
ASSURE YOU, OF THE RECOGNITION HERE TODAY.
HAVING THAT SENIOR CENTER NAMED IN HER HONOR, I CAN TELL 
YOU WHAT SHE WOULD BE UP HERE TELLING YOU ABOUT THAT, HOW 
GREAT IT IS, AND SHE'D JUST BE SO EXCITED, SO I JUST WANTED 
TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THAT I'M VERY PLEASED, BOARD 
MEMBERS, BOTH THE RECOGNITION THAT COMMISSIONER FERLITA IS 
PLANNING THROUGH THE AWARD BUT ALSO THAT THERE WILL BE THAT 
FACILITY NAMED IN HER HONOR, AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO KNEW HOW 
MUCH SHE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES BY HELPING TO GET 
THAT SENIOR CENTER PROGRAM UP AND GOING, THEY ARE ALSO OUT 
THERE APPLAUDING RIGHT NOW, LET ME TELL YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  PAT, YOU'RE SO RIGHT, AND EVERYBODY THAT 
COMES UP WITH HER -- HER NAME, YOU, JIM, EVERYBODY, IT PUTS 
A SMILE ON YOUR FACE BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW SHORT A TERM YOU 
KNEW HER OR HOW LONG, YOU FELT THAT YOU HAD A SPECIAL 
CONNECT WITH HER, SO THE WAY THIS ENDED UP GOING TODAY IS 
REALLY, REALLY NICE BECAUSE, FIRST OF ALL, MR. HAGAN -- AND 
THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT -- THAT IS VERY, VERY PARTICULAR 
TO HER COMMUNITY, SO EVERY TIME MEMBERS IN THAT COMMUNITY 
SEE THAT RECOGNITION AND -- AND RERECOGNIZE PHYLLIS IN 
THEIR OWN MIND AND IN THEIR OWN HEARTS, IT'S FABULOUS.
YES, IT IS FABULOUS.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO USE THAT WORD.
BUT -- AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN HER HUSBAND SEES THAT 
IN HIS OWN COMMUNITY, MY GOD, THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE 
SOMETHING THAT WOULD MEMORIALIZE WHAT SHE DID FOR US 
FOREVER.
AND OF MY SIDE, IN TERMS OF THE AWARD THAT MY COLLEAGUES 
SUPPORTED, THAT'S WONDERFUL BECAUSE THEN SHE WILL BE 
MEMORIALIZED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTY.
SOME PEOPLE KNEW HER IN OTHER WAYS OTHER THAN BEING 
NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS IN CARROLLWOOD.
AND YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST THINKING, LIKE I SAID, LONG-TERM, 
SHORT-TERM, DIDN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YOU KNEW PHYLLIS, YOU 
HAD THAT SPECIAL BOND WITH HER.
WE HAD SOME INCREDIBLE CONVERSATIONS.
WE WERE ASSIGNED PARKING SPACES NEXT TO EACH OTHER ON THE 
4th FLOOR, AND SO I ALWAYS HAD TO ANTICIPATE IF I SAW 
PHYLLIS, I WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATE 
TO MY MEETING BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO SETTLE SOME SORT OF 
PROBLEMS UPSTAIRS, EVEN IN 110 DEGREES.
DIDN'T MATTER.
DIDN'T MATTER.
WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT, NOT GO INTO 
HER OFFICE, NOT GO INTO MINE, JUST SOLVE THE PROBLEM THERE.
SHE WAS A PROBLEM SOLVER ANYPLACE SHE WENT, AND SHE HAD 
THAT CONTINUITY OF IDEAS.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU ONE THING THAT I DIDN'T MENTION THAT 
I THINK IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK CRAIG LATIMER FOR BEING HER RIGHT-
HAND MAN.
HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH HER.
AND HER STAFF, MY GOD, WHAT RESURRECTED MORALE THEY HAVE.
YOU CAN GO UPSTAIRS AND FEEL THE ENERGY THAT PHYLLIS 
BROUGHT TO THEM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DR. LENNARD IS 
VERY FORTUNATE TO INHERIT.
SO THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU AGAIN TO SHELDON, AND THANK 
YOU TO PHYLLIS.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER FERLITA AND 
COMMISSIONER HAGAN FOR BRINGING THESE ITEMS FORWARD AS 
WELL.
I THINK IT WAS VERY DESERVING, AND YOU REALLY SAID IT ALL.
ONE OF THE THINGS, COMMISSIONER FERLITA, YOU TALKED ABOUT 
HER -- HER PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITY.
IT WASN'T THAT PHYLLIS ALWAYS HAD THE ANSWER, BUT WHAT I 
LIKED ABOUT PHYLLIS WAS JUST THAT WHEN YOU BROUGHT A 
PROBLEM TO HER OR YOU BROUGHT AN IDEA TO HER, RATHER THAN 
THE FIRST THING -- WHICH WE OFTEN HEAR WHICH IS NO, CAN'T 
DO THAT, HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY.
SHE WAS ALWAYS LIKE EXCITED ABOUT IT, YES, THAT'S A GREAT 
IDEA, YES, LET'S LOOK AT THAT, AND THEN EVEN IF WE COULDN'T 
DO EXACTLY WHAT THE IDEA WAS, SHE'D FIND A WAY.
AND CHAIRING THE INDIGENT HEALTH CARE PLAN -- AND I'VE HAD 
THE HONOR, AND I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR 
ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE WITH THIS INDIGENT PROGRAM, 
WHICH MANY IN THIS ROOM HAVE HAD A ROLE, COMMISSIONER 
NORMAN AND OTHERS, IN CREATING THE PROGRAM.
BUT -- WHAT STEVE OTTO SAID BOTH AT HER FUNERAL AND THEN 
ALSO IN THE -- IN THE PAPER, WHICH IS THAT PHYLLIS HAD IN 
MIND THE POOR.
PHYLLIS ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT THE FOLKS THAT WEREN'T IN THE 
ROOM, THE PEOPLE THAT -- THAT -- WHOSE VOICES MIGHT NOT BE 
HEARD.
SHE HEARD THOSE VOICES, AND I REALLY -- I WILL -- I WILL 
KEEP WITH THAT -- KEEP THAT WITH ME THROUGHOUT MY PUBLIC 
SERVICE, WHICH IS WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED 
AND LOOK TO US FOR HELP.
WE MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT, BUT AS 
COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM HAS SAID MANY -- OFTENTIMES, WE 
NEED TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO EMPATHIZE AND UNDERSTAND, AND 
SO I JUST -- I THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR BRINGING THESE ITEMS 
FORWARD, AND I AGAIN THANK THE FAMILY OF PHYLLIS BUSANSKY 
FOR HER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
NEXT ITEM.
>>PAT BEAN:  YES.
THE NEXT ITEM, COMMISSIONERS, YOU ARE NOT REALLY QUITE TO 
THE POINT OF DOING THE NEXT TIME CERTAIN, SO I WOULD 
RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ITEM, B-
1, WHICH IS APPROVING THE PROPOSED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
PRIVATE SPONSORSHIP OF COUNTY ACTIVITIES POLICY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  GOOD MORNING, DEBORA.
>>DEBORA CROMARTIE-MINCEY:  GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
DEBORA CROMARTIE-MINCEY, COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
ADMINISTRATION AND ITS DEPARTMENTS HAVE MANY EVENTS AND 
PROGRAMS WHICH CAN BENEFIT FROM COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS 
PARTNERSHIPS, LIKE THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, HOLIDAY 
CELEBRATION, AND THE ANTIBULLYING INITIATIVE, JUST TO NAME 
A FEW.
THE PROPOSED POLICY WILL PROVIDE THE COUNTY AN OPPORTUNITY 
TO IDENTIFY PRIVATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THESE COUNTY-
SPONSORED EVENTS, WHICH MAY OFFSET BUDGETED COSTS OF THE 
EVENT OR PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE THE SCOPE OF 
THESE EVENTS.
IN BRIEF, THE ENCLOSED POLICY YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU WILL 
ENABLE THE PRIVATE CORPORATE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP MUTUALLY 
BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS OR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COUNTY, 
ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR IDENTIFYING PRIVATE SPONSORSHIPS 
IN THE FORM OF IN-KIND AND/OR MONETARY CONSIDERATION AND 
CREATE A PROCESS FOR ENTERING INTO SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS 
WITH THIRD PARTIES IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH ALL 
APPLICABLE COUNTY POLICIES.
WE INTEND TO ADVERTISE ALL SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ON THE 
COUNTY WEB SITE IN FULL DETAIL WITH LINKS TO THE COUNTY 
STAFFPERSON AND DEPARTMENT HOSTING THE EVENT OR PROGRAM.
ADMINISTRATION WILL REVIEW SPONSORSHIP REQUESTS FOR 
SUITABILITY TO ENSURE POTENTIAL SPONSORSHIPS SATISFY ALL 
COUNTY STANDARDS AND ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE 
COUNTY.
IN ADDITION, COMMISSIONERS, MINOR REVISIONS WERE MADE TO 
THE SPONSORSHIP SECTION OF THE BOARD'S POLICY REGARDING 
PUBLIC AWARENESS AWARDS AND SPONSORSHIP ACTIVITIES -- 
THAT'S YOUR BOARD POLICY 01-19.00.00 -- IN ORDER TO INCLUDE 
INFORMATION RELATING TO THIS PROPOSED NEW PRIVATE 
SPONSORSHIP POLICY.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS POLICY, AND WE WOULD 
RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND AS I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR AND 
COUNTY ATTORNEY AND AS WELL -- I MEAN, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE, 
AND I THINK WE NEED TO, ESPECIALLY IN THESE TIGHT ECONOMIC 
TIMES, START THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, AND CERTAINLY 
WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE -- OR PUBLIC AND 
GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS.
MY ONLY WORD OF CAUTION THAT I BRING -- AND WE CAN HAVE 
SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IS THAT WE 
DON'T CREATE A VEHICLE THAT CAN BE USED TO CIRCUMVENT 
POLITICAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LAWS BY HAVING CAMPAIGN 
CONTRIBUTIONS BE FUNNELED INTO A CERTAIN PERSON'S PET 
PROJECTS OR EVENTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HOST, SO THAT'S 
THE ONLY DISCUSSION THAT I HAD WITH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AGAIN, I REALLY SUPPORT THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS BUT 
DO WE JUST HAVE A WORD OF CAUTION THAT WE SOMEHOW COME UP 
WITH EITHER SOME TYPE OF DISCLOSURES OR SOMETHING, THAT WE 
CAN JUST MAKE SURE WE KEEP A TIGHT REIN THAT PUBLIC TRUST 
IS NOT VIOLATED.
>>DEBORA CROMARTIE-MINCEY:  WE'LL BE SURE TO LOOK INTO 
THAT, COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  CAN WE HAVE A MOTION?
>>KEVIN WHITE:  MOVE STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN:  WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WHITE, 
SECOND COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>PAT BEAN:  THE NEXT ITEM I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU DO IS THE 
B-2 ITEM, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE 
INSURANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE FULLY INSURED LIFE INSURANCE 
BENEFITS.
CHRISTINA SWANSON IS HERE, AND SHE WILL COME FORWARD AND 
PRESENT THIS ITEM.
>>KEN HAGAN:  GOOD MORNING, CHRISTINA.
>>CHRISTINA SWANSON:  GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU, MS. BEAN.
GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.
CHRISTINA SWANSON, BOCC HUMAN RESOURCES.
THIS IS TO BRING YOU ANOTHER ONE OF THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 
THAT WE HAVE RECENTLY MARKETED.
WE CONDUCTED AN RFP PROCESS FOR THE GROUP LIFE AND 
ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT BENEFITS FOR BOTH COUNTY 
PAID AND EMPLOYEE PAID.
WE RECEIVED TEN PROPOSALS.
THE RECOMMENDED PROPOSER IS THE INCUMBENT MINNESOTA LIFE 
INSURANCE COMPANY WHICH HAS HAD A FIVE-YEAR RELATIONSHIP 
WITH THE BOARD AND HAS HELD THE RATES FOR US DURING THAT 
PERIOD OF TIME.
THE REASONS FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WE ARE VERY 
PLEASED TO BRING YOU, IS THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY A REDUCTION 
IN COST TO THE COUNTY FOR THE COUNTY PAID PREMIUMS, 
APPROXIMATELY $100,000 ANNUALLY.
THE TOTAL ESTIMATED COSTS WILL BE REDUCED FROM 479,000 TO 
381,000 APPROXIMATELY.
SO THIS IS GREAT NEWS THAT WE'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE 
MARKETING IT REDUCE THE COSTS.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A REDUCTION IN THE PREMIUMS THAT 
EMPLOYEES PAY FOR VOLUNTARY LIFE AND AD&D BY 10%.
FURTHER THESE RATES ARE GUARANTEED FOR FIVE YEARS, AND IN 
THE SERVICE THAT MINNESOTA LIFE HAS PROVIDED TO THE COUNTY 
FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, IT HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING FOR ALL 
OUR AGENCIES, AND THEY HAVE MADE MANY BENEFIT ENHANCEMENTS 
FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AT NO ADDITIONAL COST DURING THAT PERIOD 
OF TIME.
>>KEN HAGAN:  DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR 
CHRISTINA IN COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, CHRISTINA, 
FOR THE THOROUGHNESS OF THE WORK THAT YOU PROVIDED, AND I 
KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING SOME ISSUES WHICH 
ARE QUITE CHALLENGING AND CONTROVERSIAL BUT LAYING OUT THE 
DATA AND THE FACTS FOR US IN A VERY FAIR-MINDED FASHION AND 
ALLOWING US TO MAKE THE DECISION.
I KNOW THESE ARE, AGAIN, VERY CHALLENGING TIMES AND VERY 
EMOTIONAL ISSUES, BUT I APPRECIATE THE PROFESSIONALISM BY 
WHICH YOU'VE CONDUCTED YOURSELF.
>>CHRISTINA SWANSON:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF B-2.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN:  WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE, 
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  I'M SORRY, COULD YOU RE-RECORD YOUR 
VOTES, PLEASE.
MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>KEN HAGAN:  NEXT ITEM.
>>PAT BEAN:  YOUR NEXT ITEM WOULD BE ITEM B-4.
THIS IS AN ITEM RELATED TO APPROVE BY SUPERMAJORITY VOTE A 
BUDGET AMENDMENT TO APPROPRIATE $780,000 TO INCREASE THE 
BUDGET IN THE COURT-RELATED TECHNOLOGY FUND.
ERIC JOHNSON IS HERE TO PRESENT THIS.
>>KEN HAGAN:  GOOD MORNING, ERIC.
>>ERIC JOHNSON:  GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
ERIC JOHNSON, MANAGEMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR.
COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS AN ITEM WHERE WE'RE FACING A 
SHORTFALL IN A REVENUE THAT IS USED BY PRIMARILY THE 
JUDICIAL BRANCH, ALSO BY THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND THE STATE 
ATTORNEY.
WE BUDGETED $2 MILLION.
IT'S COMING IN SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THAT, AND WE ACTUALLY 
HAD A SHORTFALL IN THAT FUND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, 
SO THE COURT TECHNOLOGY FUND IS HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED WITH 
GENERAL REVENUE, AND WITH THIS SHORTFALL WE'RE RECOMMENDING 
THAT THE BOARD FILL IN THE GAP THROUGH AN APPROPRIATION OF 
CONTINGENCY.
>>JIM NORMAN:  MOVE THE ITEM.
>>MARK SHARPE:  SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN, SECOND 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
NO COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>ERIC JOHNSON:  THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, ERIC.
>>PAT BEAN:  YOUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM B-5, WHICH IS THE ITEM 
RELATED TO THE TERMINATION OF THE CONTRACT FOR SALE AND 
PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS MORNING 
REGARDING THE FLETCHER AVENUE FIRE STATION SITE.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD TAKE THAT ITEM UP AT THIS POINT 
IN TIME.
WE HAVE THE FIRE CHIEF HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE 
FIRE CHIEF AND PEGGY AND MIKE KELLY ARE COMING IN THE DOOR 
AS WE SPEAK.
>>KEN HAGAN:  GOOD MORNING, MIKE.
>>MIKE KELLY:  GOOD MORNING.
COMMISSIONERS, MIKE KELLY, REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT.
THERE ARE TWO FIRE STATION ISSUES BEFORE YOU TODAY.
THE FIRST ONE DEALS WITH THE FLETCHER AVENUE FIRE STATION.
WE BRIEFED YOUR OFFICES, SO I WON'T GO INTO DETAILS, BUT 
AFTER A LONG SITING SEARCH, THE BOARD APPROVED ON OCTOBER 
2006 A REAL ESTATE CONTRACT TO PURCHASE A PARCEL OF LAND AT 
THE CORNER OF FLETCHER AVENUE AND NORTH BOULEVARD.
THE CONTRACT WAS SUBJECT TO THE PROPERTY BEING REZONED FOR 
THE USE AS A FIRE STATION.
THE BOARD APPROVED THE REZONING, BUT THE REZONING WAS 
APPEALED, AND TO DATE THAT ISSUE -- THE ZONING HAS NOT BEEN 
SECURED.
SINCE THAT POINT IN TIME IN 2006, THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED 
AS FAR AS THE FISCAL CLIMATE FOR FIRE RESCUE, ALSO THE NEED 
FOR THIS SPECIFIC STATION, AND THE FIRE CHIEF CAN ELABORATE 
ON THAT.
>>PAT BEAN:  YOU WANT TO DO IT OR RON?
>>KEN HAGAN:  GOOD MORNING, CHIEF.
>>BILL NESMITH:  GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
BILL NESMITH, FIRE RESCUE.
AS MIKE WAS SAYING, WE HAD A SITUATION BACK SEVERAL YEARS 
AGO WHERE WE WERE RECOMMENDING THIS PARTICULAR SITE FOR 
ESTABLISHMENT OF A FIRE STATION.
OUR SITUATION HAS CHANGED IN THAT REGARD.
THE -- WE HAVE EVALUATED THE NEED IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, 
AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT A LOT OF MONEY IS NOT PREVALENT AT 
THIS POINT IN TIME -- AND EVEN IF MONEY WAS PREVALENT AT 
THIS TIME, WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS SITE FOR A FIRE 
STATION.
IT IS A MUCH LOWER PRIORITY AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAN WHAT 
IT HAS BEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS, AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT 
WE -- IN 2006 WE ADDED THREE ADDITIONAL STATIONS IN AND 
AROUND THIS PARTICULAR SITE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE PUT A STATION AT HIGHWAY 41 AND CHAPMAN ROAD, ALSO 
ANOTHER STATION IN NORTHDALE, AND ALSO A STATION ON EHRLICH 
ROAD.
BY INITIATING THOSE STATIONS, IT HAS CAUSED THE RESPONSE 
TIME IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA TO BE A LOT BETTER THAN -- AND 
MEETING THE GOAL THAT WE HAVE.
OUR GOAL IN THIS URBAN AREA IS SIX MINUTES RESPONSE TIME, 
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING THAT.
OUR RESPONSE IN THAT AREA IS 6.2 MINUTES, SO NOT ONLY ON 
THE URBAN RESPONSE BUT ALSO OUR -- OUR AMBULANCE RESPONSE.
WE HAVE -- WE HAVE A GOAL OF NINE MINUTES TO HAVE A 
PARAMEDIC AMBULANCE ON-SCENE, AND OUR -- OUR GOAL THERE IS 
71% OF THE TIME, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA, WE'RE 
RESPONDING 73% OF THE TIME, SO AGAIN, WE'RE DOING BETTER 
THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY.
ANOTHER GOAL THAT WE HAVE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA IS ALSO 
THE ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT PERSONNEL BEING ON THE SCENE.
AS YOU'RE FULLY AWARE, WE HAVE PARAMEDICS ON ALL OF OUR 
ENGINE COMPANIES, ALL OF OUR LADDER TRUCKS, AND ONCE AGAIN, 
WE'RE ABLE TO GET PARAMEDICS ON THE SCENE IN A TIMELY 
MANNER THERE A LOT BETTER THAN WE COULD ANYWHERE ELSE IN 
THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY.
SO AGAIN -- I GUESS THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE -- THE -- THIS 
AREA IS NOT BEING JEOPARDIZED AS FAR AS PUBLIC SAFETY.
THERE ARE MUCH GREATER NEEDS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY 
THAT IF WE HAD RESOURCES, WE WOULD DEDICATE THOSE RESOURCES 
TO THOSE OTHER AREAS.
I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  CHIEF, I THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE 
DONE, AND I'M GOING TO -- I WILL SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION CONCERNING RESPONSE TIME BECAUSE I 
KNOW THAT IT'S AN ISSUE.
YOU SAID THAT WE CAN RESPOND WITHIN 6.5 MINUTES TO A FIRE?
>>BILL NESMITH:  OUR AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME IN THAT AREA IS 
6.2 MINUTES.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS ONE OF THE 
CHALLENGES OF THE BUDGETARY ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ENTERING INTO AN ERA THAT WE JUST DON'T 
HAVE THE RESOURCES, BUILDING OR -- AND THEN FILLING A 
STATION, AND, YOU KNOW, AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT 
REDUCED REVENUES AND CITIZENS DEMANDING, YOU KNOW, THEY 
WANT THE SERVICES BUT THEY WANT THEIR TAXES TO GO DOWN, WE 
JUST CAN'T HAVE A FIRE STATION ON EVERY STREET CORNER, BUT 
WHAT ABOUT -- AND I HAD A CITIZEN ACTUALLY E-MAIL ME A 
SUGGESTION.
WE CAN'T HAVE A FIRE STATION PERHAPS ON EVERY STREET 
CORNER, BUT ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS WAS LOOKING AT AREAS 
WHERE -- ABANDONED MALLS AND SUCH FOR PERHAPS A PLACEMENT 
OF AN AMBULANCE UNIT, PARAMEDIC FACILITY OR A STATION WHERE 
WE DON'T HAVE THE FIRE STATION NECESSARILY BUT WE DO HAVE, 
BECAUSE THAT'S A LARGE PART OF THE CALLS YOU GET, PEOPLE 
WITH HEART ISSUES AND OTHER EMERGENCY ILLNESS ISSUES.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO THERE OR THAT YOU COULD 
CONSIDER?
AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE NORTH OF FLETCHER SITUATION 
THAT THE ONE WOMAN SPOKE OF, THE RESPONSE TIME.
>>BILL NESMITH:  WE LOOKED AT THAT ALSO, COMMISSIONER, AND 
LIKE I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE -- OUR OVERALL GOAL TO GET 
AN AMBULANCE -- A PARAMEDIC AMBULANCE ON THE SCENE IS NINE 
MINUTES WITHIN THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
WE TRY TO DO THAT 71% OF THE TIME.
IN THIS PARTICULAR DESIGNATED AREA WE'RE -- WE'RE ACTUALLY 
ACCOMPLISHING THAT 73% OF THE TIME, AND WE THINK THAT WE 
WILL ACTUALLY GET BETTER -- ONE THING THAT I DID NOT 
MENTION.
WE ARE GOING TO RELOCATE A STATION FROM 131st AVENUE AND 
15th STREET.
A NEW STATION WILL BE BUILT AT 139th AVENUE AND 15th 
STREET -- 12th STREET, EXCUSE ME.
WITH THAT BEING -- BEING SAID, THAT WILL ALSO HELP IMPROVE 
THE RESPONSE TIMES IN THE FLETCHER, HAMNER TOWER AREA.
IT HAS A RESIDUAL EFFECT AND ACTUALLY IMPROVES THE RESPONSE 
TIMES IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, JUST LIKE THE THREE 
ADDITIONAL STATIONS THAT WE BUILT BACK IN 2006.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A TOUGH AND EMOTIONAL 
ISSUE FOR THE CITIZENS, BUT I THINK THAT YOU'RE -- IN THIS 
CASE WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING, AND I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO 
APPROVE B-5.
>>KEN HAGAN:  ALL RIGHT.
I WANT TO JUST GO OUT BY SAYING THAT I OPPOSE THE MOTION ON 
THE FLOOR, ALTHOUGH I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN IT'S GOING TO PASS, 
BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH AND 
DEGREE THAT BUDGET CUTS HAVE AFFECTED OUR COUNTY.
EVERY DEPARTMENT IS ON THE LIST, AND UNFORTUNATELY FIRE 
RESCUE IS ONE OF THEM.
AND I BELIEVE AT LEAST THREE STATIONS ARE CURRENTLY NOT 
BEING CONSTRUCTED RIGHT NOW DUE TO BUDGET CUTS, AND I 
UNDERSTAND NOT CONSTRUCTING THE FACILITIES AT THIS TIME 
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE OPERATIONAL DOLLARS TO SUPPORT 
RUNNING THE STATIONS; HOWEVER, REGARDLESS OF THE EXCUSES 
GIVEN, WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS ABORTING PLANS FOR A 
STATION THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING NEEDED SINCE I 
THINK GOING BACK TO 2000.
IT'S ON THE MASTER PLAN.
THERE WERE AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR ATTEMPTS TO FIND A 
STATION IN THIS AREA OVER THE YEARS, AND NOW AFTER WE 
FINALLY SECURE A LOCATION, SUDDENLY IT'S NO LONGER 
NECESSARY.
WELL, THAT JUST DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT A DISTRICT COMMISSIONER BEING PAROCHIAL 
BECAUSE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET IS DISTRICT 3, AND I'M SURE 
PROBABLY HALF OR MORE OF THE SERVICE WOULD BE IN THAT 
DISTRICT AS WELL.
WHAT BOTHERS ME -- AND REFERENCE WAS GIVEN TO THREE 
STATIONS THAT HAVE OPENED, AND WHAT JUST BOTHERS ME IS 
STATION 40 AT HIGHWAY 41 AND CHAPMAN OPENED IN MAY OF '06, 
THE STATION AT 41 AND NORTHDALE OPENED IN AUGUST OF '06, 
AND STATION 42 ON EHRLICH OPENED IN OCTOBER OF '06.
WELL, THIS BOARD APPROVED THE ACQUISITION IN OCTOBER OF 
'06, AND THE REZONING WAS IN APRIL OF '07.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THESE OTHER THREE STATIONS WERE ALREADY 
OPERATIONAL WHEN WE WERE STILL GOING GANGBUSTERS TO ACQUIRE 
THIS LAND, SO JUST THINK ABOUT THAT, AND NOW BECAUSE 
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY OUR RESPONSE GOALS CHANGED FROM 
FIVE MINUTES TO SIX MINUTES, IT'S OKAY TO NOT GO FORWARD.
SO I BELIEVE THAT WE NEEDED THE STATION IN 2000, WE NEEDED 
IT WHEN WE APPROVED IT IN '06, AND WITH THE GROWTH THAT'LL 
OCCUR IN THE FUTURE, WE'LL STILL NEED THE STATION.
I UNDERSTAND NOT CONSTRUCTING IT IN THESE TIMES, BUT I 
THINK WITH THE REAL ESTATE MARKET THE WAY IT IS, WE SHOULD 
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, LOCK IN THE LAND, AND ACTUALLY, I 
THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK AND PROBABLY RENEGOTIATE THE PRICE 
OF THE -- OF THE LAND BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE -- THE CONTRACT 
PRICE WAS ABOVE THE APPRAISAL, AND CERTAINLY THE VALUES 
HAVE GONE DOWN SINCE THEN.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SUPPORT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO 
SUPPORT THE MOTION TO -- TO RESCIND THE CONTRACT AND NOT GO 
FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  AND I SENSE TOO THAT THE MOTION WILL 
PASS, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE FOR SOME OF 
THE -- FOR SOME OF THE SAME REASONS, BUT I HAD REQUESTED 
ADDITIONAL BACKUP YESTERDAY IN MY MORNING BRIEFING AND 
DIDN'T RECEIVE IT, AND WITH THAT LACK OF INFORMATION, I'M 
NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT TODAY, BUT THAT'S MY POSITION 
TODAY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  WELL, I FIND MYSELF IN A VERY AWKWARD 
POSITION.
I FOUGHT THIS LOCATION.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A WRONG LOCATION, THE ZONING WOULD NEVER 
WORK, SAID THAT -- I PULLED THE MINUTES -- SAID THAT.
YOU WERE ENCROACHING ON HAMNER TOWER.
IT WASN'T LARGE ENOUGH.
I SAID ALL THOSE THINGS DURING THAT AND LOST THE VOTE.
NOW IT'S MOVED FORWARD, THE ZONING'S IN ISSUE, THE 
COMMUNITY CHALLENGED IT, AND WE'RE IN THIS QUAGMIRE.
I STILL BELIEVE, AS A LOT OF THE COMMISSIONERS, THAT WE 
NEED TO STILL STRIVE FOR -- IF IT'S THIS LOCATION OR OTHER 
LOCATIONS, WE STILL NEED TO STRIVE FOR THAT PUBLIC SAFETY 
UNDER FIVE MINUTES, AND I KNOW YOU'RE DOING THAT.
WE -- THIS BOARD TOOK A BOLD MOVE IN PUTTING -- I THINK THE 
MONEY IS THERE EXCEPT FOR THE OPERATIONAL FUNDS.
THE DOLLARS ARE THERE IF WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD OR 
WHATEVER, BUT I STILL THINK YOU WON'T ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS 
AT THIS SITE, BUT SAYING THAT, I BELIEVE THERE'S A FAIRNESS 
ISSUE HERE THAT WE HAVE THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY -- I KNOW 
WE JAMMED HIM INTO THREE MINUTES THIS MORNING OR WHATEVER.
I STILL THINK OUT OF A REAL FAIRNESS ISSUE THAT YOU SHOULD 
GIVE THE OWNER OF THAT PROPERTY A COUPLE MINUTES TO AT 
LEAST VOICE HIS OPINION.
WE'RE CANCELING HIS CONTRACT, AND, YOU KNOW, SIR, WE DON'T 
AGREE, BUT YOUR VOICE SHOULD BE HEARD DURING THE TIME WE 
TAKE THIS ACTION, AND I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE HIM TWO 
MINUTES.
>>KEN HAGAN:  MR. WISE.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO COUNTER CHIEF NESMITH, BUT THE NUMBERS 
THAT I PROVIDED TO ME ARE ON THAT RESPONSE TABLE THAT I 
PROVIDED TO YOU.
THE -- YOU KNOW, THE FIVE-MINUTE GOAL IS NOW -- THAT 
STANDARD IS BEING CHANGED.
THAT FIVE-MINUTE GOAL WAS IN THE MASTER PLAN.
NOW WE'RE AVERAGING 6.2, BUT IF YOU HAVE A -- A CALL THAT'S 
A MINUTE -- YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO THE STATION, IT TAKES TWO 
MINUTES, YOU HAVE A CALL IN THIS AREA THAT TAKES TEN 
MINUTES, THERE'S YOUR AVERAGE OF SIX MINUTES, BUT STILL 
THERE'S A GAP IN THE COVERAGE THAT'S CENTERED AT FLETCHER 
AND NORTH BOULEVARD.
NOW, AS FAR AS NO MONEY TO BUILD THE FACILITY, THEY'RE 
BUILDING A FACILITY, PROPOSING NOW, AT 139th AND 12th.
MONEY'S AVAILABLE FOR THAT, WHICH IS NOT ON THE MASTER 
PLAN, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD SHIFT THE MONEY 
TO CONSTRUCT A FIRE STATION FROM THE SITE THAT'S WITHIN THE 
MASTER PLAN TO ANOTHER -- ANOTHER SITE, OKAY.
THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO STAFF THAT SITE, OKAY.
THEY'RE GOING TO SPLIT THE STAFF WITH THE 131st AND 15th.
YOU CAN DO THE SAME THING WITH THE FLETCHER AVENUE SITE, 
OKAY, SO THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE AREAS THAT THE -- THE -- IN THIS AREA, 
THE NUMBERS ARE SEVEN-TO EIGHT-MINUTE RESPONSE TIMES.
THEY THREW IN THE FIFTH AREA THAT HAS A FIVE-MINUTE TO 
BRING DOWN THE AVERAGE TO SIX.
LOOK AT THE TABLE.
FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE AVERAGE SEVEN TO EIGHT MINUTES.
THE FIVE-MINUTE RULE WAS BECAUSE AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF 
OXYGEN DEPRIVATION, THAT'S WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING 
TO SURVIVE.
IT'S NOT A STANDARD THAT SHOULD BE SHIFTED TO SIX MINUTES 
JUST BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY PURPOSES.
YES, THE MONEY'S THERE.
THE ZONING ISSUE WAS JUST A TECHNICALITY.
IT'S GOING TO BE CORRECTED.
IN FACT, IT'S SCHEDULED FOR THE REMAND IN FRONT OF THE 
ZONING HEARING MASTER ON JULY 27th.
AS LATE AS MARCH, COUNTY REAL ESTATE SAID THEY TALKED TO 
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY SAID YES, THEY WANT THIS SITE AND 
WE WERE GOING FORWARD.
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THINGS HAVE CHANGED, AND IT'S ONLY 
BECAUSE OF MONEY.
MONEY'S THERE TO BUILD ANOTHER STATION AT 139th AND 12th, 
TO STAFF THAT STATION.
THE FUNDS ARE ALREADY BUDGETED TO ACQUIRE THIS.
YOU CAN HAVE THIS FIRE STATION.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PUT OFF WAY IN THE FUTURE.
AND YES, YOU'LL HAVE DIFFICULTY IN THE FUTURE TRYING TO 
LOCATE A STATION IN THIS AREA.
THERE'S STILL THE NEED THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MR. WISE.
COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
CHIEF NESMITH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING 
WHEN WE WENT OVER THIS IS THAT SOME OF THE PRIORITIES MAY 
HAVE SHIFTED SINCE THE TIME -- SINCE WE -- YOU ORIGINALLY 
PROPOSED THIS AS OPPOSED TO WHERE THERE IS NOW -- WHERE 
THERE MAY BE OTHER CURRENT NEEDS AS FAR AS WHERE RESPONSE 
TIMES MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE LAGGING.
CAN YOU GO -- WALK US THROUGH THAT?
>> YES.
THE CAPITAL FACILITIES MASTER PLAN THAT WAS REFERRED TO 
GETS UPDATED ON -- EVERY FOUR YEARS, OKAY, BECAUSE 
OBVIOUSLY THE DEMOGRAPHICS CHANGE, THE -- THE NUMBER OF 
STATIONS THAT WE HAVE ADDED CAUSES THOSE RESPONSE TIMES 
CHANGE.
WE ALSO REALIZE THAT OUR FIVE-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME GOAL WAS 
NOT REALISTIC FOR A COUNTY OUR SIZE IN THE URBAN AREAS, 
OKAY.
AND WE COULD ALMOST PUT A FIRE STATION ON EVERY OTHER 
CORNER, AND WE WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS ACHIEVING THAT FIVE-
MINUTE RESPONSE TIME.
SO THAT'S WHY WE -- WE DID THROUGH THE -- THROUGH THE 
CONSULTANT AND THROUGH CHECKING WITH OTHER SIMILAR SIZE 
COUNTIES, WE MADE THE DECISION TO GO AHEAD AND BUMP THAT 
GOAL UP TO SIX MINUTES IN THE URBAN AREA.
WE ALSO CREATED A SUBURBAN AREA, OBVIOUSLY AN AREA BETWEEN 
THE URBAN AND THE RURAL AREA THAT -- WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT 
PARTICULAR AREA IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE ESTABLISHED 
ANOTHER GOAL FOR SEVEN MINUTES IN THAT PARTICULAR -- IN THE 
SUBURBAN AREA.
SO THERE ARE SOME FACTORS THAT PLAYED INTO THE CHANGE.
WE DIDN'T JUST ARBITRARILY CHANGE FROM FIVE MINUTES TO SIX 
MINUTES.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  SO -- BUT WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IS 
THAT THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER AREAS NOW THAT MAY HAVE MORE 
CRITICAL -- IT MAY BE MORE CRITICAL THAT A STATION IS 
PLACED IN THAT LOCATION BECAUSE OF THE LAG IN RESPONSE TIME 
AND WITH THE CONDENSED POPULATION OR HOW THE POPULATION 
FITS IN THAT AREA; IS THAT RIGHT?
>>BILL NESMITH:  THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED OTHER AREAS -- AGAIN, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT 
IT FROM A STANDPOINT OF A HOLISTIC POINT FROM ACROSS THE 
COUNTY.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED CENTRAL BRANDON AS HAVING A LESS RESPONSE 
TIME -- OR GREATER RESPONSE TIME I SHOULD SAY IN THE 
CENTRAL BRANDON AREA.
NUCCIO PARK IS A TOP PRIORITY.
ANDERSON ROAD AREA, WE'VE IDENTIFIED A STATION THERE.
SUN CITY CENTER -- A SECOND STATION IN THE SUN CITY CENTER 
AREA DOES NOT GET THE RESPONSE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE 
AND DOES NOT GET THE RESPONSE AS GOOD AS THE FLETCHER AREA 
IS CURRENTLY GETTING.
ALSO FISHHAWK AND ALSO VANDENBERG.
THESE ARE ALL OTHER AREAS THAT ARE NOT AFFORDED THE GOOD 
RESPONSE TIME LIKE FLETCHER AREA IS CURRENTLY GETTING.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  YOU SAID THAT RESPONSE TIME RIGHT NOW AT 
FLETCHER IS HOW LONG?
>>BILL NESMITH:  IT'S AVERAGING 6.2.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  ABOUT 6.2.
SO IF YOU PLACED A STATION THERE, IT WOULD GET IT DOWN TO 
ABOUT HOW --
>>BILL NESMITH:  YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT --
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  IF WE WERE TO GO FORWARD AND BUILD THAT 
NEW STATION AT FLETCHER, IT WOULD REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIME 
TO ABOUT WHAT?
>>BILL NESMITH:  WELL, IN PARTICULAR AREAS THERE, OBVIOUSLY 
IT WOULD REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIME, AND AGAIN, THE -- IT 
WOULD PROBABLY BE LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES IN SOME AREAS.
ON THE NORTHERN OR SOUTHERN PART OF THE TERRITORY, IT MAY 
BE UP TO SIX MINUTES, BUT IN AND AROUND THAT PARTICULAR 
AREA, IT WOULD REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIME.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  AND IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, THEN -- 
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE CRITICAL -- IT 
WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THAT REDUCED RESPONSE TIME THERE, 
BUT FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT, IF THAT WERE NOT 
PLACED THERE, YOU DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WOULD BE A 
GREATER PUBLIC SAFETY ENHANCEMENT OR THAT THAT TYPE OF 
ENHANCEMENT MAY BE SERVED BETTER ELSEWHERE THAN AS OPPOSED 
TO THAT LOCATION WHERE IT MAY BE MORE CRITICAL TO HAVE A 
LOWER RESPONSE TIME?
>>BILL NESMITH:  I THINK IN MY OPINION, IF WE HAD UNLIMITED 
MONEY, WE WOULD -- THIS WOULD STILL NOT BE THE NUMBER ONE 
RECOMMENDED AREA.
WE WOULD GO TO OTHER AREAS IN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA AND 
OTHER AREAS TO TRY TO REDUCE OUR RESPONSE TIME TO EVEN TRY 
TO GET THOSE DOWN TO SIX MINUTES, SO WITH UNLIMITED MONEY, 
WE WOULD STILL NOT RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD A LOCATION AT 
THIS PARTICULAR SITE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER WHITE.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
CHIEF, IF YOU COULD ALSO RESPOND TO THIS FOR ME.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING NEW STATIONS AND THINGS 
OF THAT NATURE, ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR NOT 
CONTINUING TO BUILD NEW STATIONS, ALTHOUGH WE MAY BE ABLE 
TO AFFORD THOSE IN CERTAIN PARTICULAR INSTANCES, BUT IT'S 
THE STAFFING OF THAT STATION THAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL AND 
THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF THAT OPERATIONAL PROCESS, AND 
EXPLAIN TO -- WHAT YOU EXPLAINED TO ME IN OUR BRIEFING, THE 
NEW -- THE STAFFING SITUATION THAT WILL BE OCCURRING AT THE 
NEW STATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING.
>>BILL NESMITH:  WHAT COMMISSIONER WHITE IS TALKING ABOUT, 
THE -- THE SPLITTING UP OF STATION 14, WHICH IS AT 131st 
AVENUE AND 15th STREET, WE'RE GOING TO SPLIT -- ULTIMATELY 
WE WILL SPLIT THAT STATION UP TO HALF THE INDIVIDUALS WILL 
GO TO THE STATION AT -- THE TO-BE-BUILT STATION IN FY 10 AT 
139th AVENUE AND 12th STREET, SO THERE WILL NOT BE ANY 
PERSONNEL COST FOR THAT PARTICULAR STATION; WHEREAS, THAT 
IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STATION THAT IS BEING PROPOSED HERE 
AT HAMNER TOWER.
THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO PUT AN ENGINE COMPANY THERE, WHICH 
WOULD BE 13 INDIVIDUALS, WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FOR 
THE -- JUST THE FUNDING OF THE PERSONNEL, AND AT THIS POINT 
IN TIME, OBVIOUSLY WE DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY IN 
FIRE RESCUE'S BUDGET AND WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT ANYWAY.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MORE 
IMPORTANT CRITICAL COMPONENTS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO 
CONSIDERATION HERE IS THE ACTUAL STAFFING OF THE STATION, 
THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE BUILDING A STATION, WE DON'T HAVE TO 
INCUR ANY NEW ADDITIONAL STAFFING COSTS.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY I THINK THAT WE ARE CONFUSING 
AVAILABLE OPERATIONAL RESOURCES RIGHT NOW WITH THE CURRENT 
AND FUTURE NEED.
I THINK THERE IS A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.
I UNDERSTAND THERE BEING HIGHER PRIORITIES.
I'M NOT ARGUING THAT FACT.
AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND NOT CONSTRUCTING THE FACILITY NOW.
WE ALREADY HAVE SEVERAL, I THINK THREE, I THINK, THAT ARE 
ON HOLD BECAUSE WE'RE UNABLE TO -- TO SUPPORT THE 
OPERATIONAL COST; HOWEVER, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S 
STILL A NEED FOR A STATION IN THIS AREA, AND I THINK WITH 
THE DEPRESSED LAND PRICES RIGHT NOW, IT'S WISE TO MAKE THE 
INVESTMENT.
IT MAY BE FIVE OR SIX YEARS BEFORE WE COULD AFFORD TO 
OPERATE THE STATION AND CONSTRUCT THE STATION, BUT I 
STRONGLY BELIEVE WE SHOULD STILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS 
OPPORTUNITY.
COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
THEN WE'LL VOTE.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  YEAH, THANK YOU.
AND I STILL WILL VOTE NO, BUT I DID FIND -- THANK YOU, 
MS. BEAN -- THE BACKUP ON THE INFORMATION I REQUESTED, SO 
IT WAS THERE, IT JUST DIDN'T PICK UP IN OUR SUBJECT LINE.
THANK YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE FOR STAFF 
RECOMMENDATION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>>KEVIN WHITE:  SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN:  SECOND COMMISSIONER WHITE.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 5-2.
COMMISSIONERS HAGAN AND HIGGINBOTHAM VOTED NO.
>>KEN HAGAN:  NEXT ITEM.
>>PAT BEAN:  YOUR NEXT ITEM, COMMISSIONERS, IS THE 10:45 
TIME CERTAIN.
THIS IS F-2, WHICH IS TO REVISIT THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD 
DISCUSSION, AND THAT'S BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY COMMISSIONER 
FERLITA.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS RELATIVELY QUICK.
FIRST OF ALL, LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT I REALIZE THAT 
THE HUGHES FAMILY HAD SUBMITTED A REQUEST YESTERDAY TO MR. 
NORMAN WHO -- AND I DID GET A COPY OF THAT -- TO REMOVE MR. 
HUGHES' NAME FROM THE AWARD, BUT EVEN IF THAT HAD BEEN DONE 
YESTERDAY, I HAD ALREADY HAD ANTICIPATED BRINGING THIS -- 
THIS ITEM FORWARD AND MAKING SOME COMMENTS INTO THE RECORD 
IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL AWARD ITSELF.
LET ME JUST BEGIN BY SAYING THAT MANY OF US, IF NOT SOME OF 
US, HAVE BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU READ SOMETHING IN A 
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE OR SOMEPLACE THAT APPEARS TO -- TO SWAY 
YOUR DECISION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AND THEN ULTIMATELY YOU 
FIND THAT SOME OF THE DETAILS WERE EXCLUDED.
THAT BEING SAID, I'M CERTAINLY NOT GOING AT THIS FROM THE 
STANDPOINT THAT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE WAS AN 
ARTICLE FROM IRS THAT SAID OR ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT MR. 
HUGHES OWED THEM MILLIONS, THAT'S NEITHER IN MY PURVIEW TO 
JUDGE OR MY WISH TO MAKE COMMENT ABOUT.
MY MOTION WAS SIMPLY TO REMOVE RALPH HUGHES' NAME FROM THE 
AWARD BECAUSE OF THE PERCEPTION AND THE PERCEPTION THAT IT 
TAGGED ONTO A MEMORIAL AWARD -- AN ANNUAL AWARD, I MEAN, 
THAT WAS NOT ATTACHED TO ANYBODY'S NAME.
IT -- IT CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS FOR MANY PEOPLE IN THE SENSE 
THAT PEOPLE WHO HAD RECEIVED THE AWARD BEFORE MR. HUGHES' 
NAME WAS ATTACHED FOUND IT UNCOMFORTABLE OR DIMINISHED THE 
VALUE OF THE AWARD TO THEM BECAUSE LATER ON -- THIS THING 
WAS WORKED ON, I GUESS, IN 1989 AND THEN ULTIMATELY IN 1991  
JAN PLATT MADE THE MOTION AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSION 
SUPPORTED IT.
SO I DID NOT WANT TO -- TO DROP THE ITEM BECAUSE I THINK 
THAT THERE IS A LESSON LEARNED HERE.
WHEN THERE IS NOT AN AWARD THAT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH WHAT 
SOMEBODY REPRESENTED TO THIS COMMUNITY, IT SHOULD BE LEFT 
ALONE.
CASE IN POINT, CONTRARY TO THIS, THIS MORNING WHEN WE 
TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER AWARD FOR PHYLLIS BUSANSKY, THAT 
AWARD AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED IS AND WAS PHYLLIS BUSANSKY, 
SO IT'S FINE THAT THAT NAME IS TAGGED.
IN THIS CASE THERE WAS NO ONE WHO WAS THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN 
THE AWARD WAS APPROVED, AND I THINK THAT BECAUSE OF THE 
ARENA WE WORK IN AND THE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT WHETHER YOU 
LIKED RALPH HUGHES OR DIDN'T LIKE RALPH HUGHES OR WHAT HE 
BROUGHT TO THE AWARD, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE AWARD WAS AT THE 
BEGINNING, SO I THINK IT REALLY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO 
DIMINISH THE VALUE OF THE AWARD BOTH TO THE PERSON WHO MADE 
THE MOTION AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE RECIPIENTS OF THAT 
MOTION WITHOUT ANYBODY'S NAME TAGGED TO IT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK WE SAW SOME VERY HEATED 
DISCUSSION THE DAY WE BROUGHT THIS UP LAST YEAR, AND EVEN A 
RECIPIENT WANTED TO RETURN THE AWARD.
SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THOUGHTFUL AND 
CONSIDERATE ABOUT WHAT THE MAKER OF THE MOTION WANTS IN 
TERMS OF AN AWARD.
FOR THAT REASON, I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD ADDRESS THE 
PERCEPTION OR THE SENTIMENT THAT I GOT FROM THE COMMUNITY 
ABOUT, WELL, NOW WE HAVE AN ARTICLE, MAYBE IT'S TRUE, MAYBE 
IT'S NOT, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT, 
BUT THE FACT IS THAT IT WOULDN'T BE BRINGING THAT SCRUTINY 
TO THIS AWARD IF IT DID NOT LATER ON BE ATTACHED TO A 
PERSON'S NAME.
SO I -- I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT 
WE OUGHT TO RESPECT AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE FACT 
THAT WE RECEIVED THE LETTER YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, AND 
CERTAINLY THEY HAVE THEIR REASONS FOR WANTING TO REMOVE IT.
I HAVE STATED MY REASONS FOR WANTING TO REMOVE HIS NAME 
FROM THE AWARD, AND THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S 
APPROPRIATE THAT I MAKE A MOTION NOW THAT WE REMOVE MR. 
HUGHES' NAME FROM THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD, AND THAT'S A 
MOTION.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I WHEN THE ORIGINAL ITEM WAS BROUGHT BEFORE 
THE BOARD HAD EXPRESSED MY OPPOSITION TO NAMING THE AWARD 
FOR MR. HUGHES FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, AND -- AND -- AND I 
SAY THAT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE FAMILY AND TO MR. 
HUGHES HIMSELF, BUT I JUST FELT AT THE TIME -- AND I'LL 
REITERATE -- THAT HE WAS A POLITICAL COMBATANT, BUT I FELT 
IT WAS NOT THE PROPER TIME.
EVEN WHEN THEY NAME PEOPLE TO THE HALL OF FAME THEY USUALLY 
WAIT A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT I JUST FELT THAT THIS WAS NOT 
THE RIGHT -- THE PROPER TIME AND NOT THE PROPER AWARD AND 
THAT THIS OUGHT TO BE AN AWARD THAT UNITES US AND THAT 
EVERYONE IS EXCITED ABOUT, AND I JUST FELT THAT THE NATURE 
OF SOME OF THE POLITICAL BATTLES THAT HE HAD ENGAGED IN AND 
AT TIMES, YOU KNOW, PERCEIVED PARTISANSHIP THAT PERHAPS IT 
WASN'T THE BEST -- THE BEST PLACE TO PLACE MR. HUGHES' 
NAME, AND I REALLY -- I STRUGGLE -- EVEN THOUGH I -- AND I 
WILL SUPPORT THIS MOTION.
I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
I JUST -- I FEEL -- I FEEL BADLY.
I FEEL BADLY THAT WE PLACED HIS NAME ON THE AWARD, AND NOW 
I FEEL BADLY THAT WE'RE HAVING TO TAKE HIS NAME OFF, BUT I 
THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND I WILL SUPPORT YOUR 
MOTION.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY I RESPECTFULLY 
DISAGREE WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS, AND I'LL GIVE CASE IN 
POINT.
I DON'T THINK MANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE EVEN 
UNDERSTAND THE AWARD APPARENTLY.
I'LL GIVE CASE IN POINT.
THIS IS A -- AN AWARD OF DISAGREEMENT, AN AWARD OF TAKING 
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT, AN AWARD THAT DOES DIVIDE, AND I'LL 
GIVE YOU A POINT.
MR. POE.
HE SUED -- THIS COUNTY APPROVED, HAD A VOTER REFERENDUM, 
AND THE STADIUM WAS APPROVED TO GO FORWARD.
A SINGLE MAN CHALLENGED, TOOK -- TOOK THE COUNTY, THE CITY, 
AND EVERYBODY TO COURT, STOPPED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE 
STADIUM.
THIS ROOM WAS FULL OF PEOPLE SCREAMING, YELLING, AND 
MS. FRANK'S IN THE BACK.
SHE WAS ACTUALLY WITH BILL, BUT IT WAS A CONTROVERSIAL -- 
WE ALMOST LOST THE FOOTBALL TEAM HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY 
BECAUSE POE ON HIS OWN DIME CHALLENGED ALL ACTIONS OF 
GOVERNMENT.
IT'S AN AWARD THAT IS NOT A -- IT'S NOT A COME-TOGETHER 
KUMBAYA, IT'S A MORAL COURAGE, SOMEBODY'S GOT GUTS TO DO 
THE RIGHT THING THE WAY THEY PERCEIVE IT, AND THAT'S WHY I 
DON'T -- THAT'S WHERE I -- I DON'T GET THE -- AND IF YOU GO 
BACK AND LOOK AT THE AWARD WINNERS, IT IS NOT A BRING THE 
COMMUNITY TOGETHER AWARD, IT'S A MORAL COURAGE AWARD, 
STANDING UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN.
WHAT I SAW MR. HUGHES DO WITH THIS ROOM FULL MULTIPLE 
TIMES, BE THE ONLY PERSON SPEAKING ON THE OTHER SIDE 
BECAUSE HE FELT HIS INTEGRITY WAS THERE, HE FELT WHAT HE 
BELIEVED IN AND FOUGHT WHAT HE BELIEVED IN, AND HE DIDN'T 
CARE WHO WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THAT TO ME IS MORAL COURAGE.
I WILL SUPPORT THE REQUEST OF THE FAMILY.
I THINK -- ACTUALLY I BELIEVE THAT IS MORAL COURAGE.
I -- SOMEBODY SAID IT'S CONVENIENT, WHATEVER.
WHAT I SAW IN THAT LETTER IS THE FAMILY'S TIRED, SICK AND 
TIRED OF THINGS BEING PORTRAYED HERE THAT WOULD HURT MR. 
HUGHES AND TEAR THAT FAMILY APART AND PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T 
UNDERSTAND HIM.
THE GUY WAS A CONSERVATIVE.
HE WAS A REAL CONSERVATIVE, PROBABLY MUCH MORE CONSERVATIVE 
THAN ANYBODY SITTING ON THIS BOARD, AND HE FOUGHT FOR LOWER 
FEES, LOWER TAXES, LOWER GOVERNMENT, AND TRYING -- THE 
DREAM OF PEOPLE HAVING HOME OWNERSHIP.
THAT'S WHAT HE FOUGHT FOR, AND I RESPECTED HIM FOR THAT.
AND HE WAS NOT A GO-ALONG GUY, HE WAS NOT A KUMBAYA, GET 
EVERYBODY TO GO ALONG.
HE WAS A FIGHT FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHY I FELT 
THAT HE DESERVED THE HONOR.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW MR. HUGHES.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT MR. HUGHES THROUGH WHAT I READ IN 
ARTICLES AND OTHER PERSONAL INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW FOR MY OPINION THAT IT'S SO MUCH AT STAKE AS 
FAR AS MR. HUGHES SPECIFICALLY BEING ATTACHED TO THIS AWARD 
AS IT IS A PERSON.
I THINK WHEN WE SIT HERE AND THINK WHAT IS MORAL COURAGE, I 
THINK EACH OF US COULD HAVE A DIFFERENT DEFINITION AND 
COULD DEFINE MORAL COURAGE DIFFERENTLY AND WOULD HAVE A 
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, AND I THINK THAT'S OKAY AND I THINK 
THAT'S GREAT.
MY CONCERN IS WHEN WE ATTACH A NAME TO THE MORAL COURAGE 
AWARD, IT PUTS A VALUE MORE ON THE MAKER THAN THE 
RECIPIENT, AND AGAIN, MAYBE THE RECIPIENT HAD DIFFERENT 
VALUES THAN THAT MAKER, SO I AGAIN -- IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT 
MR. HUGHES' NAME IS ATTACHED TO IT.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS EVER INTENDED TO HAVE A NAME 
ATTACHED TO THIS AWARD, AND I THINK WHEN THIS AWARD IS 
AWARDED, IT NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON THE RECIPIENT, AND OF 
COURSE, WE DEFINED WHAT -- WHAT THE CRITERIA OF THAT AWARD 
IS, BUT AGAIN, I THINK WE JUST PLACE TOO MUCH VALUE WHEN WE 
PUT A NAME ASSOCIATED TO THIS TYPE OF AN AWARD, SO I WOULD 
SUPPORT REMOVING HIS NAME JUST FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT -- 
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT CAN BE PART OF THE MOTION, BUT I 
DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW ANY NAME TO BE ATTACHED TO 
THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD.
I THINK IT SHOULD STAND AS AN AWARD BY ITSELF, AND IF 
SOMEBODY THINKS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A SPECIFIC AWARD 
CREATED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL LIKE WE DID WITH THE LATE 
MS. BUSANSKY, THEN PERHAPS WE CREATE AN AWARD IN THAT 
PERSON'S HONOR BUT NOT RENAME THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. BECKNER, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS 
BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT.
AND MR. NORMAN, LET ME JUST SAY THAT OBVIOUSLY YOUR 
RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. HUGHES AND MINE WERE DRAMATICALLY 
DIFFERENT, BUT THAT REALLY DOESN'T PLAY INTO THIS, AND I 
RECOGNIZE WHAT THAT ACTUAL AWARD REPRESENTED, AND IT IS 
ALMOST IN TOTAL CONTRAST WITH WHAT PHYLLIS WANTED.
BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER?
THIS COULD BE AN INDIVIDUAL OF ANY KIND OF -- OF PREFERENCE 
TO COME UP AND -- AND BUCK GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY DIDN'T 
THINK GOVERNMENT WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING.
I ADMIRE THAT AND I ADMIRE PEOPLE THAT STAND UP NO MATTER 
IF NO ONE IS BEHIND THEM.
THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S A GOOD CONCEPT IF IT'S A HEALTHY CONCEPT THAT'S 
GOING TO MAKE THAT GOVERNMENT WAKE UP AND LOOK AT WHAT 
THEY'RE DOING WRONG, AND SOMETIMES WE DO, BUT THE POINT 
STILL IS THAT IF YOU TAG MR. HUGHES' NAME TO IT, SOMEBODY 
WHO WOULD RECOGNIZE MORAL COURAGE IN ANOTHER ARENA, IT 
MIGHT BE IN CONTRAST TO WHAT MR. HUGHES THOUGHT WAS MORAL 
COURAGE, AND SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT HE WAS JUST BEING 
OBSTINATE AND GOING AGAINST SOMETHING BECAUSE OF HIS OWN 
CONVICTIONS AND BECAUSE OF HIS OWN BUSINESSES OR BECAUSE HE 
WANTED TO, SO THEN YOU -- YOU ALMOST DEFINE WHAT THE MORAL 
COURAGE AWARD IS BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO BE IN KEEPING WITH THE 
PERSON THAT'S ATTACHED TO THAT AWARD.
SO IT REALLY, REALLY, REALLY MUDDIES UP THE WATERS, AND 
THAT'S MY POINT.
MY POINT IS MORAL COURAGE COMES IN MANY FASHIONS, MANY 
COLORS, MANY DEGREES, MANY ARENAS, BUT WHEN THE FORMER 
COMMISSIONER JAN PLATT NAMED THAT -- THAT AWARD IN HER 
MOTION, SHE DID NOT SAY, GOSH, THIS AWARD MAKES ME THINK 
SPECIFICALLY OF JOE SMITH, SO I WANT TO NAME IT THE JOE 
SMITH MORAL COURAGE AWARD.
WE DIMINISH THE -- THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO GET THAT 
AWARD AND AT THE SAME TIME BE IN CONTRAST WITH WHAT MR. 
HUGHES STOOD FOR HIMSELF OR FOR HIS FAMILY OR FOR YOU, AND 
IT JUST TAKES AWAY FROM WHICH HE INTENDED.
I DON'T KNOW, MR. BECKNER, WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD INCLUDE 
THAT AS PART OF THE MOTION.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING FOR OUR ATTORNEY TO DECIDE, 
BUT I THINK ONCE SOMEBODY MAKES A MOTION TO ESTABLISH AN 
AWARD LIKE WE DID HERE TODAY, THAT'S IT, AND IF WE FIND 
REASONS TO ELIMINATE THE AWARD, THEN FINE, BUT DON'T TRY TO 
OUTGUESS WHAT THE MAKER OF THE MOTION WAS IN 1991 BECAUSE 
I -- AND I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT HER.
I KNOW THAT SHE'S BEEN ILL, BUT I'VE GOT A FEELING SHE 
WOULD NOT HAVE SAID TO ME, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT ABOUT 
PUTTING HIS NAME ON IT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.
AND IT'S FINE, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE FUNNY OR TRY TO -- TO 
SEND ANY KIND OF MESSAGE OF -- OF DEFAMATION TO THE HUGHES 
FAMILY.
I RESPECT WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO, AND AT THE SAME TIME I 
BROUGHT IT FORWARD BECAUSE I WAS HOPEFUL THAT THIS BOARD 
WOULD RESPECT WHAT I WANTED TO DO BECAUSE OF WHAT I 
RECOGNIZE THAT AWARD TO BE.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT 
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT COMMISSIONER NORMAN SAID I AGREE WITH, 
I MEAN, ON SOME POINTS, WHICH IS SOMETIMES WHEN -- MORAL 
COURAGE YOU STEP UP AND YOU CAN MAKE A CROWD ANGRY.
YOU CAN BE THE ONE LONE VOICE, WHICHEVER WAY IT IS, 
FIGHTING FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, AND I THINK THAT BOTH 
COMMISSIONER BECKNER AND COMMISSIONER FERLITA SAID IT 
BETTER THAN I SAID IT ORIGINALLY AS TO WHY I OPPOSED IT THE 
FIRST TIME, BUT I DO BELIEVE -- AND I'LL GO BACK -- MY 
POINT WASN'T SO MUCH THE PERSON WHOSE NAME IS ON -- WHO -- 
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
I DON'T THINK ANY NAME SHOULD BE ON THERE, BUT MY ONLY 
THOUGHT WAS WHEN I TALKED ABOUT GETTING ALONG WITH -- IF WE 
WERE GOING TO HAVE NAMED IT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NAME 
THAT UNIVERSALLY -- AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT 
CHALLENGE -- UNIVERSALLY EVERYBODY SAID YES BECAUSE I'LL 
TELL YOU WHAT, THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE POE AND OTHERS WHO 
I'VE DISAGREED WITH, BUT BOY, I WALKED AWAY RESPECTING THEM 
MORE BY THE WAY THEY MANAGED THEMSELVES, THEY HANDLED THE 
ARGUMENT, THEY PRESENTED THE INFORMATION, THEY STOOD BY 
THEIR CONVICTION, AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM A LOT OF THE 
PEOPLE WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE TODAY WHO FOUGHT FOR WHAT THEY 
BELIEVED IN, BUT I FELT THAT THAT IF WE WERE GOING TO DO 
IT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN A WAY THAT YOU HAD A LINE 
OF PEOPLE OUT THE DOOR SAYING YES, AND FOR A NUMBER OF 
REASONS, MAYBE IT WAS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HE TOOK ON, 
THAT DIDN'T OCCUR.
I JUST DIDN'T IN ANY WAY HAVE -- I DON'T LIKE THIS ARGUMENT 
TODAY OR ORIGINALLY TO DIMINISH HIM, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT 
IT WAS A MISTAKE, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THE 
CORRECTION -- THE ACTION WE'RE TAKING TODAY IS THE CORRECT 
ACTION.
>>KEN HAGAN:  MS. LEE, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT?
>>RENEE LEE:  YES, COMMISSIONER.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY COMMISSIONER FERLITA'S QUESTION.
WAS IT WHETHER COMMISSIONER BECKNER COULD AMEND YOUR MOTION 
OR --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO 
DO; IS THAT RIGHT?
ONCE AN AWARD IS DONE, IS THERE ANY WAY TO ALTER THE NAME?
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN DO THAT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
I'M CERTAINLY COMFORTABLE WITH IT, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE 
THAT CROSSED WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET ACROSS TODAY.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  NO, MY INTENTION WAS JUST TO SAY AND 
ATTACH TO THIS AWARD THAT WE WOULD NOT -- WE WOULD JUST 
KEEP IT THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OH, FOR THIS -- JUST THIS PARTICULAR ONE?
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  FOR THIS -- YES, JUST FOR THIS AWARD, THE 
MORAL COURAGE AWARD, THAT WE WOULD NOT IN ANY WAY RENAME IT 
AFTER ANY INDIVIDUAL, IT WOULD JUST STAND AS THE MORAL 
COURAGE AWARD.
>>RENEE LEE:  CERTAINLY THE BOARD COULD ADOPT THAT 
POSITION.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO CERTAINLY I WOULD ACCEPT THAT AS I 
GUESS A FRIENDLY MOTION -- AMENDMENT TO MY MOTION.
THAT'S FINE.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA TO REMOVE MR. 
HUGHES' NAME FROM THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD AND TO HAVE THE 
NAME REMAIN JUST THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD, AND THAT WAS 
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
IS THAT -- OKAY.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
NO FURTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>KEN HAGAN:  NEXT ITEM.
>>PAT BEAN:  YOUR NEXT ITEM, COMMISSIONERS, IS ITEM B-7, 
WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR 11:00.
THIS IS THE DISCUSSION WITH THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, 
PAT FRANK, REGARDING THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR 
THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT TO CONDUCT PERFORMANCE 
AUDITS FOR THE BOARD, AND MS. FRANK IS HERE ALONG WITH DAN 
POHTO.
>>KEN HAGAN:  GOOD MORNING, MADAM CLERK.
>>PAT FRANK:  GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONERS.
BEFORE I BEGIN, I WAS WATCHING THE COMMENTS DOWN FROM MY 
OFFICE, AND I SAW THE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION YOU MADE TO 
HONOR PHYLLIS BUSANSKY, AND I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THAT, AND 
COMMISSIONER NORMAN WENT ON TO TALK ABOUT HIS CLOSE 
PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH PHYLLIS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT 
THEY DID TOGETHER, DRIVING TOGETHER, EATING TOGETHER, 
DANCING TOGETHER.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK --
>>JIM NORMAN:  NO, I COULDN'T DANCE WITH HER.
[LAUGHTER]
>>PAT FRANK:  I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT THIS WAS 
OVEREXAGGERATED, BUT I HAVE EVIDENCE OF HIS DANCING WITH 
PHYLLIS.
[LAUGHTER]
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  CAN WE PUT THAT ON THE ELMO?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YEAH, PUT IT UP THERE, PAT.
>>PAT BEAN:  PUT IT ON THE ELMO.
>>JIM NORMAN:  I WASN'T DANCING WITH HER.
I WAS DANCING OVER THERE ON THE SIDE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I THINK WE SHOULD PUT IT ON THE ELMO SO 
EVERYBODY CAN APPRECIATE THAT.
>>PAT FRANK:  WE REALLY SHOULD.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  JOHN GRAB THIS, WOULD YOU.
>>KEN HAGAN:  SOMETHING TELLS ME JIM CAN'T DANCE EITHER.
[LAUGHTER]
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  MR. NORMAN, YOU'VE OPENED UP A MATTER OF 
PUBLIC RECORD, SO NOW THIS IS PUBLIC RECORD.
>>JIM NORMAN:  OH, THIS IS -- NO WAY.
>>PAT BEAN:  AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I WAS THERE AND SAW IT ALL.
[LAUGHTER]
>>KEVIN WHITE:  IT LOOKS LIKE A MUCH YOUNGER JIM NORMAN.
>>PAT FRANK:  YOU CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THIS.
>>JIM NORMAN:  OKAY.
THAT'S ENOUGH.
[LAUGHTER]
>>PAT FRANK:  I THINK YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF THE MEMO OF 
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CREATED, WHICH WE HAD DISCUSSED THE 
FEATURES OF THIS WITH YOU AT AN EARLIER TIME, AND IT'S -- 
IT'S FOLLOWING WHAT WE -- WE BELIEVE IS YOUR EXPRESSION -- 
YOUR WISHES.
WE WANT TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT WE DON'T STEP OUT 
OF THE BOUNDS OF ANYTHING, THAT WE FOLLOW YOUR 
INSTRUCTIONS, AND IT GIVES A GUIDELINE OF HOW THIS IS ALL 
CONDUCTED.
SO BEFORE WE WOULD ENGAGE IN ANY AUDIT, PERFORMANCE AUDIT 
FROM YOU, WE WOULD GET THE AUTHORIZATION CONSISTENT WITH 
THIS MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING, AND SO I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR 
APPROVAL OF THAT, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE 
HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK.
COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>JIM NORMAN:  MOVE THE ITEM.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  SECOND.
>>PAT FRANK:  HE'S TRYING TO GET RID OF ME.
>>JIM NORMAN:  I JUST HOPE YOU DON'T PULL ANYTHING ELSE 
OUT.
[LAUGHTER]
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  WHO WAS THAT GUY?
HE LOOKS --
>>KEVIN WHITE:  SHE IS THE KEEPER OF RECORDS, ISN'T SHE?
>>PAT FRANK:  YOU-ALL BEWARE.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS OF OUR 
ATTORNEY, AND IF YOU WANT TO -- I'M NOT SAYING SIT DOWN, 
BUT IF YOU WANT TO WAIT WHILE WE HAVE A DISCUSSION HERE, 
THAT'S FINE.
IT'S NOT DIRECTED TO YOU.
>>PAT FRANK:  SURE.
ABSOLUTELY.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  YOU HAVE REVIEWED, MS. LEE, THE MOU?
>>RENEE LEE:  WE HAVE, COMMISSIONER.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  AND YOU'VE SIGNED OFF, AND YOU FEEL 
THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE CHARTER?
>>RENEE LEE:  I DO.
YES, I DO.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  AND WHEN WE MADE THE -- TOOK THE ACTION 
TO REALIGN OR REORGANIZE THE IPA, WE DID THAT WITH A MOTION 
INSTEAD OF A RESOLUTION.
>>RENEE LEE:  YES, AND -- YES.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  THAT'S APPROPRIATE?
>>RENEE LEE:  COMMISSIONER, MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS ARE 
TREATED PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
THEY EXPRESS THE INTENT OF THE BOARD, AND THEY ARE TREATED 
PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
A RESOLUTION IS GENERALLY A MORE FORMAL DOCUMENT, SOMETHING 
THAT'S WRITTEN, BUT IT EXPRESSES THE INTENT OF THE BOARD, 
SO IT -- IT COULD STAND.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  SO THEN THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE IN A 
RESOLUTION OR A MOTION?
>>RENEE LEE:  NOT NECESSARILY.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  AS RECOGNIZED IN THE CHARTER?
YOU'LL STAND BEHIND THAT?
>>RENEE LEE:  YES.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE I 
FEEL -- AND IT'S NOT A MATTER OF MS. FRANK OR YOUR 
DEPARTMENT, BUT I FEEL THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE 
THAT INDEPENDENCE AND THAT EXTRA OVERSIGHT, THAT WE HAVE 
THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE -- TO THE VOTERS AND THE 
TAXPAYERS.
IF WHAT WE'RE DOING IS PASSING ON AUDITS -- AND I THINK I 
SAW SOMEWHERE ABOUT $150,000 -- AND IF WHAT WE'RE WANTING 
IS TO SAVE MONEY, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE AFFECTING ANY 
REAL SAVINGS IN THE LONG RUN.
IT STILL DOES, THOUGH, GIVE THE INTERNAL PERFORMANCE 
AUDITOR THE ABILITY, AS I READ THIS, TO -- TO DO BUDGET 
ANALYSIS FOR US AND CONTINUE STUDIES, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO 
SUPPORT IT, AND IT'S NOT DIRECTED TO YOU FOLKS AT ALL BUT 
JUST THE FACT THAT I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THIS 
COMMISSIONER BE ON RECORD THAT FEELS THAT WE NEED HERE -- 
THIS BODY NEEDS THE INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT AND HAVE THE 
ABILITY TO -- TO RENDER TO THE PUBLIC AN EXTRA SET OF EYES 
AND EAR, SO I WON'T SUPPORT IT.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
WE HAD A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN, SECOND 
COMMISSIONER WHITE.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 6-1.
COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM VOTED NO.
>>PAT BEAN:  YOUR NEXT --
>>JIM NORMAN:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MS. FRANK.
>>PAT BEAN:  THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM B-8, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED 
AT 11:15.
THIS IS TO RECEIVE COUNTY AUDIT REPORT 185 REGARDING HEALTH 
AND SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT SECTION 8.
DAN POHTO WILL PRESENT THIS.
>>DAN POHTO:  GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.
DAN POHTO, DIRECTOR OF COUNTY AUDIT WITH THE CLERK'S 
OFFICE.
WE HAVE THE AUDIT REPORT 185 ABOUT HEALTH AND SOCIAL 
SERVICES, SECTION 8.
IT WAS A COMPLIANCE AUDIT.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH IT.
THEY'VE ADDRESSED ALL THE FINDINGS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THANK YOU, DAN.
BOARD MEMBERS, B-8.
IF NOT, CAN WE GET A MOTION TO APPROVE?
>>JIM NORMAN:  MOVE THE ITEM.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO MOVE.
>>JIM NORMAN:  SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN, 
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
>>PAT BEAN:  YOUR NEXT ITEM IS B-9, WHICH IS ALSO PRESENTED 
BY DAN POHTO.
IT'S THE COUNTY AUDIT REPORT 186 ON THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT 
TAX PLAN.
>>DAN POHTO:  AGAIN, AS PAT MENTIONED, THIS IS AUDIT 186 ON 
THE TOURIST TAX PLAN.
IT'S REALLY A COMPLIANCE AUDIT BASED ON THE CONTRACTS THAT 
THE RECIPIENTS HAVE RECEIVED, AND WE MADE A SAMPLE 
SELECTION.
THE ONLY COMMENT I THINK -- ALL THE ITEMS HAVE BEEN 
ADDRESSED OR ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE ONE ITEM THAT I THINK WAS OF INTEREST IS THE 
OBSERVATION THAT WE NEED TO GET MORE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE 
BOND DOCUMENTS AND THE PAYMENTS THAT WE MAKE TO THE CITY OF 
PLANT CITY, AND OUR RECOMMENDATION IS BECAUSE OF THE TIMING 
OF THE ONE BOND GOING AWAY, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT WAS 
NOT GOING TO BE UNTIL NOVEMBER '10, AND NOVEMBER '10 WILL 
MAKE A SMOOTHER BECAUSE ONE BOND GOES AWAY AND IT'S JUST 
GOING TO BE A LOT EASIER, SO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S ON TOP 
OF IT AND THE TDC -- GENE GRAY'S ON IT, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY 
QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>>JIM NORMAN:  MOVE THE ITEM.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE BY COMMISSIONER 
NORMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
RECORD YOUR VOTE, PLEASE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 6-0.
>>DAN POHTO:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THANK YOU, DAN.
>>PAT BEAN:  THE NEXT ITEM WOULD BE ITEM F-9.
THAT WAS -- WELL, WE'RE A COUPLE MINUTES AHEAD OF THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN COVER ANY OF THE OTHER ITEMS, 
THOUGH, IN THE SHORT-TERM THAT WE WOULD HAVE.
COMMISSIONER, YOU -- WE'RE ONLY LIKE FOUR MINUTES OFF, SO 
COMMISSIONER FERLITA, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND DO YOUR 
ITEM, WHICH IS --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  CAN WE DO IT BEFORE THE APPROPRIATE TIME 
CERTAIN?
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  WE COULD AMEND THE AGENDA AND MAKE A 
MOTION.
I'LL MAKE THAT -- I'LL MAKE THE MOTION --
>> SECOND.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  -- TO AMEND THE AGENDA AND MOVE THE 
ITEM FORWARD THREE MINUTES.
>>MARK SHARPE:  SECOND.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU, MR. HAGAN.
THANK YOU, MS. BEAN.
THIS IS -- THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A COMPLICATED ITEM, AND I'M 
GOING TO TRY TO SUMMARIZE A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT I DID IN 
SOME SHORTER STEPS, BUT I WILL ASK YOU TO BE PATIENT WITH 
WHAT I'M PRESENTING.
WE HAVE HAD CERTAINLY A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF INPUT 
AND A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE 
REORGANIZATION THAT MS. -- MS. BEAN ESTABLISHED AND THE 
RAISES AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT -- THAT OCCURRED.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS, AND THEN 
PERHAPS MAYBE MS. BEAN CAN GIVE US SOME CLARIFICATION OR 
EXPLANATION, BUT FIRST ITEM I WANT TO GO INTO -- AND 
ACTUALLY, MR. HAGAN, I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS IN TWO PARTS, 
THE REORGANIZATION NOW AND THE REORGANIZATION IN '05, BUT 
LET'S DO THE REORGANIZATION THAT OCCURRED IN NOVEMBER OF 
'08.
FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET B-
2 DATED NOVEMBER 6, '08, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT IS PRETTY 
APPARENT THAT THE OVERRIDING THEME WHEN YOU START AT 
SUBJECT, IT SAYS REORGANIZATION.
WHEN YOU GO TO STAFF BOARD MOTION, REORGANIZATION; THE COST 
OF THE REORGANIZATION, FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT, THE COST 
OF THE REORGANIZATION, SO IT'S REORG, REORG, REORG, REORG, 
AND SOMEPLACE NESTLED IN THERE IS A PASSIVE REFERENCE TO 
CONSENT TO THE PROPOSED APPOINTMENTS, SO IT'S APPOINTMENTS 
THEN AND NOT ONLY REORGANIZATION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER -- AND THAT WAS 
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER A0 -- 08-06, EFFECTIVE DATE NOVEMBER 
7th, IT STATES ON HERE, EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE SHOWN ABOVE, 
EXECUTIVE POSITIONS IN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE 
WILL BE REORGANIZED AS PROVIDED IN ARTICLE 3, SECTION 1, 
ORDINANCE 06-06.
WHEN YOU GO TO EXACTLY THAT, THAT SECTION DEALS WITH NOT 
REORGANIZATION BUT APPOINTMENTS, REMOVAL, QUALIFICATIONS.
SO THAT POINT LED ME ON TO THE PROCEDURE FOR THAT TYPE OF A 
PROCESS IN ARTICLE 6, SECTION 1.
THESE PROCEDURES HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED AS PER ADMINISTRATIVE 
CODE WHEN SOME APPOINTMENTS ARE -- ARE STATED, AND THERE 
ARE DIFFERENT ITEMS HERE THAT HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED IN TERMS 
OF PROCEDURES TO BE SUBMITTED TO THIS BOARD, AND I GUESS 
THERE'S 2-A, B, C, D, E, AND F.
THIS IS WHAT MY CONCERN IS ABOUT HOW THIS PROCEDURE 
UNFOLDED.
IT SAYS THE ADMINISTRATOR IN MAKING AN APPOINTMENT -- OKAY.
THE ADMINISTRATOR SHALL REQUEST CONSENT TO THE APPOINTMENT 
AND SHALL FURNISH THE BOARD IN WRITING THE FOLLOWING 
INFORMATION:  THE TITLE OF THE POSITION TO BE FILLED AND 
THE AUTHORIZED COMPENSATION FOR THE PERSON, THE NAME AND 
ADDRESS OF THE PERSON SELECTED TO FILL SUCH A POSITION AND 
A SUMMARY OF THE SELECTEE'S CREDENTIALS, THE DATE SUCH 
PERSON WAS TEMPORARILY APPOINTED TO THE VACANCY IF IT WAS, 
IN FACT, TEMPORARY, AND A COPY OF THE PROPOSED EMPLOYMENT 
CONTRACT OR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE 
ADMINISTRATOR AND THE PERSPECTIVE APPOINTEES.
NOW, CERTAINLY I COULD HAVE OVERSEEN SOMETHING, BUT -- 
OVERLOOKED SOMETHING, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT 
INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO US.
WE TALKED BRIEFLY ABOUT WHAT THE ADMINISTRATOR REQUESTED, 
AND I REFERENCED THAT IN MY FIRST DOCUMENT, BUT I BELIEVE 
THAT WHAT SHE REFERENCED ABSOLUTELY GOES TO WHAT THE -- THE 
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE REQUIRES IN TERMS OF APPOINTMENTS, AND 
BY HER OWN REFERENCE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER THAT I 
REFERENCED, THOSE GUIDELINES WERE NOT FOLLOWED.
BASED ON THAT IN TERMS OF AUTHORIZING THAT COMPENSATION AND 
NOT GIVING US THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION, I DON'T THINK IT 
WOULD BE OUT OF LINE TO REQUEST -- TO REQUEST THAT THE 
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RESCIND THE RAISES GRANTED TO THE 
ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS WHICH WERE A RESULT OF THE 
REORGANIZATION REFERENCED IN AGENDA ITEM B-2 DURING 
11/06/08.
AND I -- I LOOKED FURTHER, AND I KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE 
TALKING ABOUT THIS ITEM IN NOVEMBER, WE MADE A MOTION TO 
CONFIRM THE REORGANIZATION.
NOTHING AT THAT POINT HAD ANY REFERENCE TO A BOARD CONSENT 
TO APPOINTMENTS, AND IN OCTOBER 15, '08, I BELIEVE THAT WE 
GOT A MEMO FROM PAT BEAN THAT SAID SHE WAS APPOINTING ERIC 
JOHNSON AND MICHAEL MERRILL TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITIES 
REQUIRED BY ARTICLE 6, SECTION 1 OF THE ORDINANCE.
I WILL REQUEST THE BOARD'S CONSENT TO THESE APPOINTMENTS 
AND I WILL FURNISH THE BOARD IN WRITING WITH THE 
INFORMATION REQUIRED AS SET FORTH THEREIN.
UNLESS I MISSED IT, I DON'T KNOW, PAT, WHEN ALL OF THAT 
INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED, SO THAT'S ONE OF MY AREAS OF 
CONCERN, AND PERHAPS MAYBE YOU'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT.
>>PAT BEAN:  WELL, I'M AFRAID THAT I'M NOT PREPARED TO 
RESPOND TO THAT TODAY BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT 
YOUR QUESTIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GOING TO BE.
I CAN PULL ALL OF THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER AND PROVIDE IT 
TO THE BOARD, BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE 
IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE I KNEW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE 
AN ITEM SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE RAISES, BUT THAT WAS THE 
EXTENT OF WHAT YOU HAD TOLD ME, SO I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO BE 
PREPARED TODAY.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  WELL, AND LET ME JUST SAY, LADIES AND 
GENTLEMEN, THAT I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE AMBUSHING ME, AND SO 
THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T THINK THAT THAT WAS THE APPROPRIATE 
TRACK TO TAKE ON THIS IN TERMS OF PAT BEAN.
I TOLD HER YESTERDAY THAT I WAS GOING TO BE BRINGING UP MY 
CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THAT WAS EXECUTED AND WHETHER OR NOT 
POLICY WAS FOLLOWED.
CERTAINLY ANYBODY IS ENTITLED TO SOME TIME FOR REBUTTAL, 
BUT MS. BEAN, THE POINT IS THAT IF IT WAS A REORG AS IT 
SAID IN SOME OF YOUR DOCUMENTS, THEN REORGS HAVE THEIR OWN 
REQUIREMENTS AND THEY'RE NOT AS INTENSE AS APPOINTMENTS, 
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT FIRST DOCUMENT -- AND I DON'T 
KNOW WHY YOU WOULD NEED TIME TO PREPARE FOR THIS -- YOU 
PREPARED THIS IN NOVEMBER OF '0 AND YOU REFERENCED REORG, 
REORG, REORG, REORG.
IF IT WAS JUST REORGANIZATION, THAT'S ONE THING, BUT YOU 
TALKED ABOUT PROPOSED APPOINTMENTS, AND THE SIMPLE QUESTION 
IS -- WITHOUT MAKING THIS CONFRONTATIONAL IS DID YOU, BASED 
ON THE REQUIREMENTS FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, SUBMIT TO 
US WHAT WE NEEDED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH A REAPPOINTMENT?
>>PAT BEAN:  MY -- EXCUSE ME.
MY UNDERSTANDING AT THE TIME WAS THAT I DID NOT PUT EVERY 
ONE OF THOSE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER MYSELF PERSONALLY, BUT I 
WAS ASSURED THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER BASED ON GOING TO 
THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND GOING TO THE DIRECTIONS THAT WE 
HAVE TO FOLLOW.
NOW, IF I'VE MISSED SOMETHING, I WILL FIND OUT THAT AND I 
WILL BRING YOU BACK, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I WAS UNDER THE 
UNDERSTANDING THAT LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENTS AS I DID AND 
BEING ASSURED THAT I HAD EVERYTHING THERE THAT I NEEDED TO 
HAVE THERE THAT EVERYTHING THAT I WAS REQUIRED TO DO WAS 
BEING PRESENTED.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  WELL, I MUST TELL YOU, MS. BEAN, THE WAY 
THIS WAS CRAFTED, I CAN'T EVEN -- I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW EVEN 
THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT DIDN'T LOOK AT THE REORGANIZATION 
THING THAT WAS QUIETLY PUT IN THERE AS A PASSING REFERENCE.
YOU FOLLOWED THIS SAME PROCEDURE IN '05, AND I THINK YOU 
HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE NOW THAN YOU HAD IN '05, AND WHEN YOU 
APPOINTED THE REMAINING GROUP, WHICH WAS STEWART AND THE 
REMAINING -- THE REMAINING ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEYS, I 
BELIEVE YOU FOLLOWED THAT PROCEDURE THEN.
I DON'T THINK THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE HAS CHANGED, SO 
I THINK IT'S JUST A FAIR REQUEST.
IF THAT WASN'T PRESENTED AND IF YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT YOU 
GAVE US A LIST OF THOSE SIX REQUIREMENTS, THEN FINE, WHERE 
IS IT, BECAUSE WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, PAT, I DIDN'T GET IT.
AND THERE'S REALLY NO RESEARCH TO DO.
EITHER YOU PRESENTED THIS AS AN APPOINT -- A PROPOSED 
APPOINTMENT REQUEST, WHICH YOU DID, AND YOU FOLLOWED IT, 
WHICH IS FINE, OR YOU DIDN'T, AND MY CONTENTION IS -- AND I 
SUBMIT TO THE BOARD UNLESS SOMEBODY GOT SOME DOCUMENTS I 
DIDN'T GET THAT YOU DID NOT GIVE US THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE 
NEEDED.
WE DIDN'T GO FORWARD WITH AN APPOINTMENT.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT REORG, BUT BASED ON THE APPOINTMENTS 
THAT LATER ENSUED AS -- AS INCREASES, I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM 
WITH THAT.
I THINK EVERYBODY THAT LOOKS AT THIS HAS A BIG PROBLEM.
IT'S -- IT'S LIKE FOR ME IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH ALL 
THESE THINGS BECAUSE I HAD TO FIND AN ARGUMENT HERE.
I'M NOT FILING A CASE IN A LEGAL COURT, BUT I JUST FELT TO 
GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS, I NEEDED TO KNOW WHY THERE WERE 
APPOINTMENTS, WHY I DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE -- 
THE SALARIES, AND WHY WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS EXERCISE.
I WAS REALLY AT A LOSS FOR WORDS WHEN PEOPLE SAID, HOW DID 
YOU LET THIS SLIP BY?
AND I THOUGHT HOW DID I LET IT SLIP BY.
NO, IN FACT, I DON'T LET IT SLIP BY.
I DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION.
I DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION, SO THAT DISQUALIFIES THIS AS 
A REQUEST FOR AN APPOINTMENT ISSUE.
IT'S NOT FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES THAT YOU YOUR VERY SELF 
REFERENCED IN YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER DATED 11/7/08, SO 
WHETHER -- AND MY SECOND ISSUE, YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO 
COME BACK AFTER RESEARCH, THAT'S FINE, WELL, AND GOOD, AND 
I RESPECT THAT, BUT THE ISSUE ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW WAS IS 
IT -- IS IT A REORG OR IS IT AN APPOINTMENT?
YOU REFERENCED THE SECTION THAT REFERS TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO 
DO NOT AS A REORG BUT AS AN APPOINTMENT, AND SO THAT LEFT 
US HANDICAPPED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET ALL THE INFORMATION, 
AND I DON'T KNOW ANYWHERE WHERE WE ACTUALLY SUPPORTED THOSE 
TWO APPOINTMENTS.
WE DIDN'T.
WE DIDN'T.
AND I MEAN, I -- IF YOU -- IF YOU NEED A LUNCH BREAK FOR 
SOMEBODY TO COME BACK AND SHOW US THAT, THAT'S FINE, BUT I 
DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BELABOR THIS FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS.
PEOPLE ARE ANTICIPATING SOME RESPONSE.
THEY KNOW I WAS BRINGING THIS UP.
PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATING.
OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT WERE GETTING DECREASES, SOME EMPLOYEES 
ARE GETTING INCREASES, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY.
THIS IS AT A TIME WHEN THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING TO CONTINUE 
TO LOOK AT.
MAYBE AT SOME OTHER TIME WHEN PEOPLE ASSUMED MORE 
RESPONSIBILITIES THEY WERE REWARDED FOR IT, BUT NOW A LOT 
OF PEOPLE ARE ASSUMING MORE RESPONSIBILITIES.
THEY DIDN'T GET INCREASES, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 
INCREASES, DEAR GOD, FROM 15% TO 10% TO 5% PLUS A COST OF 
LIVING.
I -- I GUESS THE ISSUE FOR TODAY IS WHETHER OR NOT -- IF 
YOU DID IT AS AN APPOINTMENT -- AND OBVIOUSLY YOUR OWN VERY 
DOCUMENTATION IN DOCUMENT 1, DOCUMENT 2, AND THE 
REQUIREMENTS IN DOCUMENT 3 SHOW THAT IT WAS AN APPOINTMENT.
I DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION.
THAT MAKES THAT NULL AND VOID, AND I'M JUST SIMPLY 
REQUESTING THAT THAT BE RESCINDED BECAUSE IT WASN'T DONE 
APPROPRIATELY BY YOUR PROCEDURE, NOT BY MINE.
I'M THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK HERE, BUT YOU FOLLOWED THE 
PROCEDURE I BELIEVE -- I WENT BACK TO '05 WHEN THE 
REMAINING ONES WERE APPOINTED, AND I THINK, UNLESS SOMEBODY 
KNOWS DIFFERENTLY, IT APPEARS THAT YOU COMPLIED WITH THOSE 
SIX STEPS THAT ARE CLEARLY STATED AND NOT MODIFIED IN THE 
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.
I HAVE A PROBLEM IN JUST PUTTING THIS OFF FOR LATER REVIEW.
IT'S -- IT'S CUT-AND-DRY.
IF IT'S A REORGANIZATION, ONE THING.
IF IT'S SOME POSITIONS THAT YOU REQUESTED AND BECAUSE OF 
THAT INCREASES WERE GIVEN TO THOSE EMPLOYEES, I HAVE AND I 
THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THAT.
SO IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN HELP 
YOU WITH OVER THE LUNCH BREAK, I'M WILLING TO HOLD IT TILL 
THEN, BUT AS I SAID, IN ALL FAIRNESS TO EVERYBODY, PEOPLE 
OVER THERE, HERE, I -- I WOULD HAVE BEEN AMAZINGLY 
SURPRISED IF -- IF EVEN OUR OWN LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT 
ALWAYS LOOKS OUT FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COUNTY WOULD HAVE 
SEEN THAT BECAUSE IN FOUR TO FIVE DIFFERENT PLACES IN ONE 
COVER SHEET IT SAYS REORG, AND YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT 
REORG, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT APPOINTMENTS, SO IF YOU'RE 
TALKING ABOUT APPOINTMENTS, THAT HAS TO GO ALONG WITH THE 
REQUIREMENTS AND THE CRITERIA, AND EVEN IN YOUR REFERENCE 
THERE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION, YOU 
NEVER DID, AND THAT WAS AT THE END OF '08.
SO I THINK ULTIMATELY WHAT WE LOOK AT LATER THIS AFTERNOON 
IS TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER RESCINDING THAT AND GOING FORWARD 
FROM THERE.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S FAIR.
>>KEN HAGAN:  MS. BEAN, DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO, I MEAN, CAN WE TAKE THAT UP THIS 
AFTERNOON?
>>KEN HAGAN:  I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT UP THIS 
AFTERNOON.
WE'VE GOT A LENGTHY AFTERNOON AGENDA.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN RESPOND NOW SO WE CAN GO 
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?
>>PAT BEAN:  I CAN SAY THAT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, WE 
COMPLIED WITH EVERYTHING WE WERE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH.
IT WAS BOTH A REORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT UNDER 
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, BUT IT INCLUDED MOVING TWO PEOPLE 
WHO HAD NEVER BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD BECAUSE YOU DO NOT 
HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE APPOINTMENTS TO POSITIONS 
BELOW THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL OF THE ASSISTANTS AND MYSELF, AND 
SO YOU HAD NEVER BEEN BROUGHT THOSE TWO NAMES, EVEN THOUGH 
THEY HAD BEEN HERE FOR YEARS AND THEY HAD WORKED IN VERY 
HIGH-LEVEL CAPACITIES -- AND I'M REFERRING TO MIKE MERRILL 
AND I'M REFERRING TO ERIC JOHNSON.
THEY NEEDED TO -- YOUR NAME -- THEIR NAMES NEEDED TO BE 
BROUGHT TO YOU TO BE ASSIMILATED INTO THAT SAME LEVEL THAT 
THE OTHER FOLKS WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN SERVING AT THAT LEVEL 
HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD BEFORE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND I CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE A JURISDICTION 
OVER WHAT YOU DID IN '05.
I DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY OF WHAT WE DID IN '08, AND THIS 
CLEARLY SAYS IN ADDITION TO REORGANIZATIONS, IT WAS A 
PROPOSED -- THEY WERE PROPOSED APPOINTMENTS, AND THEN BY 
YOUR OWN ADMISSION, IN OCTOBER OF '08 YOU SAID I AM 
APPOINTING THEM TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITIES, ET CETERA, AND 
AS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE 6, SECTION 1, I WILL ASK FOR YOUR 
CONSENT TO THE APPOINTMENTS, AND I WILL FURNISH THE BOARD 
IN WRITING WITH THE INFORMATION REQUIRED AS SET FORTH.
WHERE THAT WAS PROVIDED, WHEN THAT WAS PROVIDED, THAT'S 
WHAT LEFT ME WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION WHEN PEOPLE ASKED.
SO SIMPLY YOU CAN GO OVER THE SAME PROCESSES AND FOLLOW THE 
PROCEDURES IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, BUT FOR OUR ARGUMENT 
AND OUR DISCUSSION AND OUR DISAGREEMENT NOW, I AM SIMPLY 
SAYING THAT -- AND IT HAPPENS -- POLICY WASN'T FOLLOWED.
WE DID NOT APPROVE APPOINTMENTS, WE APPROVED REORGANIZATION 
IN NOVEMBER, SO BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THAT, I'M ASKING YOU 
TO WORK WITH ME HERE.
WORK WITH ME AND SAY, YOU'RE RIGHT, I DIDN'T GIVE THAT TO 
YOU.
NO PROBLEM.
YOU CAN COME BACK WITH SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVES, SOME OTHER 
SUGGESTIONS.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THEM OR NOT BASED ON 
WHATEVER YOU -- WHATEVER YOU PRESENT TO US, BUT RIGHT NOW 
THE FIRST PART OF THIS -- THIS DISCUSSION IS VERY SIMPLE, 
MS. BEAN.
I'M JUST SIMPLY REQUESTING THAT SINCE POLICY WAS NOT 
FOLLOWED, POLICY THAT IS ESTABLISHED, IT WASN'T FOLLOWED.
WE DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAD TO 
HAVE PER ADMINISTRATIVE CODE TO GO ALONG WITH THE 
APPOINTMENTS.
IT WASN'T DONE.
IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NULL AND VOID, AND JUST FOR -- 
FOR -- FOR THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO AND IN ADDITION TO 
THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO BECAUSE POLICY WAS NOT FOLLOWED 
WITH THOSE TWO APPOINTMENTS -- THIS IS SEPARATE AND 
DIVORCED FROM '05 -- YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEING A TEAM 
PLAYER AND RESCINDING THIS BECAUSE IT WASN'T FOLLOWED, AND 
IN TERMS OF -- OF SALARIES FOR THE OTHERS, MS. LEE, I HATE 
TO PUT YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE 
ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT HAPPENED THERE BECAUSE THOSE 
APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE EARLIER IN '05, AND IF THE 
ADMINISTRATOR SO CHOOSES TO -- TO GRANT RAISES, THAT'S NOT 
PART OF THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE THIS IS SUBSEQUENT TO WHAT 
SHE WAS PROPOSING BUT DIDN'T FOLLOW POLICY, DIDN'T FOLLOW 
PROCEDURE.
THAT SECOND PART IS ANOTHER -- IS ANOTHER ISSUE, AND THAT 
WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT MAYBE PAT COULD -- COULD COME UP TO 
THE PLATE AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, IN A TIME WHEN 
EVERYBODY'S SUFFERING AND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I 
STARTED OUR BUDGET PROCESS BY SAYING THIS IS GOING TO BE 
THE WORST PROCESS EVER AND I WILL NOT BALANCE THIS BUDGET 
ON THE BACK OF OUR FIRST-LINE EMPLOYERS -- EMPLOYEES, AND 
THIS IS WHAT THIS IS DOING.
IT'S THROWING -- IT'S SMASHING IT IN THEIR FACE, BUT -- BUT 
THAT'S -- THAT'S -- THAT CAN BE A PHILOSOPHICAL 
DISAGREEMENT.
MY ISSUE RIGHT NOW -- LET ME STICK TO THE FACTS -- IS 
MS. LEE, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE -- THE PROCEDURE IN 
THE ESTABLISHED ADMINISTRATIVE CODE SAYS THOSE ARE THE 
STEPS THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR HAS TO DO.
I'M NOT VIOLATING CHARTER, I'M NOT TRYING TO EVEN STEP ON 
IT.
I'M JUST SAYING IT WASN'T FOLLOWED FOR APPOINTMENTS.
I NEVER GOT THAT INFORMATION.
IF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES DID, THEN MAYBE I WAS REMISS.
I DIDN'T SEE IT.
ALL THOSE THINGS THAT OUR VERY ADMINISTRATOR SAID IN 
OCTOBER SHE WOULD PROVIDE.
SHE DID NOT.
THAT MAKES IT NULL AND VOID, AND SHE REALLY SHOULD -- IF 
THERE IS LEADERSHIP THERE, SHE REALLY SHOULD CONSIDER MY 
REQUEST TO RESCIND THE RAISES GRANTED BECAUSE POLICY WASN'T 
FOLLOWED.
>>RENEE LEE:  MR. CHAIR.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
MS. LEE AND THEN COMMISSIONER NORMAN AND OTHER 
COMMISSIONERS THAT WANT TO SPEAK.
>>RENEE LEE:  OKAY.
I THINK YOU ASKED ME TWO QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER FERLITA, 
ONE REGARDING THE RAISES.
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IS VESTED WITH FULL AUTHORITY TO 
GIVE RAISES TO HER PEOPLE AND TO SELECT WHO IS ON HER TEAM.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND SO I THOUGHT, BUT I WANTED 
CONFIRMATION FROM YOU.
GO AHEAD, MS. LEE.
THANK YOU.
>>RENEE LEE:  AND THE BOARD REALLY CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT, 
COMMISSIONER, OR IT IS A BREACH OF THE CHARTER.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SURE.
I UNDERSTAND.
>>RENEE LEE:  WITH RESPECT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AND 
HOW SHE HAS NOTIFIED THE BOARD OF ANY REORGANIZATION OR 
APPOINTMENTS AND WHETHER THAT WAS A FLAWED PROCESS, I THINK 
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S ASKED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO 
REVIEW THAT INFORMATION AND COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH 
SOME -- WITH THAT, AND I WOULD SAY LET'S GIVE HER AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
I DON'T -- I HAVE NOT REVIEWED THE INFORMATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THAT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED 
TO YOU, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT EVEN IF IT WAS FLAWED THAT 
SHE COULD ONCE AGAIN CURE IT BY PROVIDING YOU THE PROPER 
INFORMATION.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  BUT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO YOU, MS. LEE, 
I APPRECIATE THAT, SHE COULD CURE IT BY PROVIDING US THE 
APPROPRIATE INFORMATION, BUT THIS IS VOID BECAUSE SHE 
DIDN'T FOLLOW PROCEDURE.
SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE US THAT INFORMATION IF SHE WANTS 
AGAIN -- NOT AGAIN, GIVE IT TO US, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE 
TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN, AND I FOR ONE WILL NOT 
SUPPORT IT BECAUSE THEN I WILL BE PROVIDED THE INFORMATION 
I NEEDED TO SAY NO IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I WAS NEVER GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY, SO YES, WE WANT TO BE 
COURTEOUS IN GIVING HER TIME TO RESPOND, BUT ALL I'M SAYING 
IS PROCESS WAS NOT DONE.
THIS -- THIS CANNOT GO FORWARD BASED ON THE COUNTY'S OWN 
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.
IF WE RESOLVE THIS AND SHE CONSIDERS RESCINDING IT AT MY 
SUGGESTION, SHE CAN COME BACK AT THIS AGAIN.
SHE CAN SAY THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO, BOARD, BUT UNLESS 
SOMEBODY HERE CAN TELL ME DIFFERENTLY, WE WERE NOT PROVIDED 
THE REQUIREMENTS -- THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS THAT OUR VERY 
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE TELLS US TO.
THAT FLIES RIGHT IN THE FACE OF PROCESS AND PROCEDURE.
THERE'S NOTHING TO PREPARE THERE UNLESS SHE TELLS ME THAT 
SHE PROVIDED IT TO ME, WHICH SHE DIDN'T, UNLESS SHE SAID 
SHE FOLLOWED THOSE STEPS AS I THINK SHE -- SHE FOLLOWED IT 
IN THE PREVIOUS ORGANIZATION IN 2005, THEN THIS PARTICULAR 
REQUEST GOES AWAY.
SHE CAN BRING IT UP, AND WE CAN VERY OBJECTIVELY SAY YES, 
WE'LL SUPPORT THIS OR NO, WE WON'T SUPPORT THIS, YES, WE'LL 
SUPPORT THE APPOINTMENTS IN PART BUT WE WILL NOT BE PART 
AND PARCEL TO AN INCREASE FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHE'S 
APPOINTING THAT ARE TAKING ON EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES.
THAT'S THE NORM RIGHT NOW IN THE PUBLIC AND IN THE -- AND 
THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT RESEARCH.
IT'S EITHER FOLLOW IT OR NOT, APPROPRIATE OR NOT, AND IF IT 
ISN'T, THEN THE MOTION IS THERE TO SAY DO IT AGAIN BUT DO 
IT RIGHT, BUT THIS GOES AWAY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  WELL, YOU KNOW, ANSWERS ARE GOOD, AND I 
SUPPORT GETTING THAT ANSWERS AND STUFF.
I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A BUDGET DISCUSSION LIKE THIS; 
HOWEVER, IT GOES MUCH FURTHER THAN THE ADMINISTRATION.
COMMISSIONER BECKNER, WE WERE AT EPC.
YOU ASKED THE DIRECTOR DID THEY GIVE ANY BUDGET INCREASES.
I COME TO FIND OUT -- THE DIRECTOR SAID THERE WAS NO 
INCREASES IN PERCENTAGES LIKE THAT, AND COME TO FIND OUT 
THAT MR. KOULIANOS WENT AWAY AND THERE WAS A 17% INCREASE 
GIVEN AND NOBODY'S OUTRAGED OVER IT.
YOU GOT -- YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE -- EVEN THE RIGHT ANSWER 
GIVEN TO YOU, AND IT WAS NEVER RAISED, 17% INCREASE TO THE 
PERSON TAKING THE JOB OVER.
HOW ABOUT THE OUTRAGE AND THE POLICY THAT I WAS GOING TO 
HOPEFULLY SUGGEST AND ASK THEIR MONEY TO BE RETURNED IS HOW 
ABOUT THE DOUBLE DIPPING POLICY THAT WE'VE NEVER ADDRESSED 
OR ON PEOPLE BEING REHIRED, THE SAME JOB.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE HEAD OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
WHERE'S THE OUTRAGE?
I'D LIKE TO ADD ON TO THAT THAT WE ASK FOR HIS MONEY TO BE 
RETURNED AND TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AT -- DON'T TAKE -- 
UNDER THESE BUDGET SITUATIONS, LET'S CREATE A POLICY IN 
THIS COUNTY THERE IS NO DOUBLE DIPPING.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JIM NORMAN:  WE -- WHEN WE ARE OVER THE FUNDS, I'D LIKE 
TO ASK OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY CAN WE CREATE AN ADDITIONAL 
POLICY THAT WE HAVE NO DOUBLE DIPPING ON ANYBODY THAT WE 
FUND?
NOBODY EVER ADDRESSED THAT.
WE HAVE APPOINTMENTS TO THAT BOARD.
THERE'S -- THERE'S THINGS LIKE THIS GOING ON ALL OVER THE 
PLACE.
THERE'S -- 17%, DOUBLE DIPPING, ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF.
LET'S BE OUTRAGED EVERYWHERE.
>> WE ARE.
>>JIM NORMAN:  LET'S BE OUTRAGED.
I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU, THANK YOU.
I'M TALKING -- WHOEVER'S SCREAMING FROM THE AUDIENCE, I'M 
NOT SCREAMING -- PEOPLE SCREAMING FROM THE AUDIENCE, MR. 
CHAIRMAN.
COME ON.
>>KEN HAGAN:  CAN WE SHOW A LITTLE RESPECT, PLEASE.
PLEASE CONTINUE, COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  MY POINT IS WE SHOULD BE OUTRAGED 
EVERYWHERE, OUTRAGED EVERYWHERE AND HAUL THIS STUFF IN, 
REEL IT IN, AND LET ALL PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING THESE BIG-
TIME ADVANTAGES AND WHATEVER -- AT THIS TIME STOP IT ALL.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I -- I'M GOING TO GET BACK TO THE -- TO THE 
DISCUSSION AT HAND.
I AGREE WITH -- WITH COMMISSIONER NORMAN ON THIS ISSUE OF 
DOUBLE DIPPING.
IT IS A STATE ISSUE, AND I -- AND I DEFINITELY THINK IT 
SHOULD BE TAKEN UP, AND IN LIGHT OF THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE 
THAT WE'RE IN, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GOING TO BE EARNING WELL OVER $200,000 
IN SOME CASES, IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED.
WITH -- AS IT RELATES, THOUGH, TO THIS ITEM -- AND I DO 
WANT MORE OF THE INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT THE DECISION WAS A TERRIBLE MANAGEMENT 
DECISION.
IT WAS A TERRIBLE MANAGEMENT DECISION.
I BELIEVE THAT IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE KNEW WAS COMING WITH 
REGARD TO THE BUDGET AND IN LIGHT OF WHAT YOU KNEW, 
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT POLICY -- AND LET'S NOT SAY 
REGARDLESS BECAUSE I THINK THE FOLLOWING OF PROCEDURE AND 
POLICY IS ESSENTIAL, AND I THINK THAT IN THIS CASE IT 
POTENTIALLY WAS SLOPPY, AND YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO 
ANSWER, BUT I THINK THAT IN THIS EXAMPLE, IT WAS SLOPPY, 
AND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER EXAMPLES WHERE THE WORK HAS BEEN 
SLOPPY, AND MY CONFIDENCE IN YOU IS SHAKEN, AND -- AND SO 
FOR THE -- FOR THE -- BUT WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING THAT NOW.
WHAT WE ARE ADDRESSING IS THIS ISSUE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT TO RESCIND A 
DECISION LIKE THIS.
I DO THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO -- TO VOICE A VOTE OF NO 
CONFIDENCE OR -- AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE EXAMINED.
I WANT -- I DON'T WANT TO -- IN LIGHT OF THE SLOPPINESS, 
POTENTIAL SLOPPINESS -- AND YOU KNOW WHAT, IF INDEED AT THE 
END OF THE DAY THE INFORMATION THAT COMES FORWARD YOU 
PROVIDED WHAT WAS NECESSARY, I STILL HAVE STRUGGLED WITH 
THIS FROM THE BEGINNING THAT AT A TIME WHEN WE HAVE BEEN 
ASKING EMPLOYEES TO TAKE REDUCTIONS, EVERYONE MAKING A 
SHARED SACRIFICE, EVERYONE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS THE 
MOST CHALLENGING BUDGET, AS YOU STATED AT THE BEGINNING OF 
YOUR ADDRESS, IN SOME 40 YEARS, THAT THEN IN LIGHT OF THAT, 
RECOGNIZING ALL OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE 
GOING THROUGH, THAT YOU WOULD PUT THE WHO RECEIVED THESE 
PAY INCREASES IN THIS TERRIBLE PREDICAMENT OF GIVING THEM 
THIS VERY LARGE RAISE BECAUSE IT CREATES A MORALE PROBLEM, 
AND THERE IS A MORALE PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTY AS A RESULT OF 
THIS DECISION.
YOU SEE -- I SEE IT EVERY DAY, AND -- AND YOU KNOW, I'M 
CAREFUL ABOUT THE E-MAILS YOU RECEIVE AND YOU READ THEM, 
AND PEOPLE ARE EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION, BUT I'VE GOT TO 
BELIEVE THAT WHEN SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING REMOVED FROM 
OFFICE OR REMOVED FROM THEIR JOBS AND REDUCING -- WE'RE 
REDUCING OUR FORCE THAT WE SAY TO OTHERS, YOU KNOW WHAT -- 
BECAUSE EVERYONE'S GOT MORE RESPONSIBILITY.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MORE 
RESPONSIBILITY, THEY NEED MORE PAY, AND I DISAGREED WITH 
YOU, AND I SAID THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
IN THE MILITARY OFTENTIMES YOU GET FAR MORE RESPONSIBILITY, 
YOU DON'T GET MORE PAY.
EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT'S GETTING MORE 
RESPONSIBILITY THESE DAYS BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE 
BEING MADE BUT THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE PAY INCREASE, AND SO 
I THINK WE NEED TO STEP CAREFULLY, AND I WILL WAIT TO HEAR 
FROM THE -- FROM COMMISSIONER FERLITA ON THE ACTION THAT 
SHE BELIEVES WE OUGHT TO TAKE AND OBVIOUSLY OUR LEGAL 
RECOMMENDATION, BUT I WILL JUST CLOSE BY STATING -- AND I 
DON'T -- AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T SAY THIS LIGHTLY BECAUSE I -
- I -- I'VE WORKED WELL WITH YOU, BUT I -- I JUST BELIEVE 
IN LIGHT OF THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE IN AND THE 
CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE THE RIGHT 
PERSON TO LEAD US THROUGH THIS, AND I THINK THIS IS ONE 
EXAMPLE OF POOR MANAGEMENT DECISION.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OKAY.
I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN REAL BROAD IN TERMS OF OUR DISCUSSION, 
AND THAT WAS -- ALTHOUGH MAYBE IN SOME CASES IT'S VALID, 
MR. NORMAN'S FRUSTRATION ABOUT OTHER ISSUES THROUGH THE 
BUDGET PROCESS -- AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO GET FRUSTRATED 
ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS, GOD KNOWS, AND WE'VE GOT A LONG 
WAYS TO GO, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
COMMISSIONER SHARPE, YOU'RE RIGHT, PERHAPS THIS WAS A BAD 
DECISION IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE 
EXPERIENCING, BUT I'M NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE BAD 
DECISION.
WE CAN WORK THROUGH BAD DECISIONS.
WE'VE ALL MADE BAD DECISIONS.
YOU'LL GO BACK AND YOU GO, BOY, I SHOULD NOT HAVE VOTED FOR 
THAT, NO, I SHOULDN'T HAVE SUPPORTED THAT.
I THINK THIS IS A BAD DECISION, PAT, BUT WE'RE ALL ENTITLED 
TO MAKE THEM, AND I'VE MADE MY SHARE AND THEN SOME.
I'M NOT SO MUCH TALKING ABOUT HOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING 
COMPARES TO WHAT EPC IS DOING, HOW WHAT EPC IS DOING IS 
TALKING ABOUT A DOUBLE DIPPER.
I'M TALKING ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT I WANT TO FOCUS IN ON AND 
THAT'S THIS WHOLE THING THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY SOME 
VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 6 BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, ADVICE 
AND CONSENT LANGUAGE AND CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENTS BY 
NEGLECTING TO INFORM THE BOCC OF REQUIRED INFORMATION 
CONCERNING ACA APPOINTMENTS.
TO ADVISING CONSENT BY STATING THAT IN EVERY INSTANCE IN 
WHICH THE BOARD IS VESTED WITH AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY 
TO DEVISING CONSENT WITH RESPECT TO APPOINTMENTS, THE 
FOLLOWING PROCEDURE SHALL GOVERN, AND IT GOES ON TO SAY 
THAT, ADMINISTRATOR SHALL REQUEST CONSENT AND SHALL FURNISH 
THE BOARD IN WRITING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:  TITLE OF 
POSITION, AUTHORIZED COMPENSATION, NAME AND ADDRESS OF 
PERSON.
ALL THOSE THINGS WEREN'T FOLLOWED.
IT WAS A SIMPLE OVERSIGHT, BUT IT IS IN CONFLICT WITH WHAT 
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE CODE SAYS.
SO I THINK THAT YOU LOOKING AT MY SUGGESTION, MY REQUEST, 
NOT A MANDATE, A REQUEST TO GO BACK AND RIGHT THAT, MAKE IT 
RIGHT, MAKE IT WHOLE, AND THEN GO FORWARD, BUT WHAT HAPPENS 
FROM THAT IS THERE WAS A POTENTIAL VIOLATION, AND IT 
EXACERBATES EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE IT MAKES ME GO BACK TO 
LOOK AT '05 THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER, IT MAKES ME GO 
BACK AND LOOK AT THESE DIFFERENT REPORTS WITH CHANGES OF 
STATUS.
I'M LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATORS, AND 
WE'VE GOT THESE THINGS RANGING FROM 10% TO 10% TO 15% TO 
15% TO 5% TO 5%, AND I AM PRETTY SURE, PRETTY CONFIDENT 
UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE TELLS ME OTHERWISE, THAT IS IN 
ADDITION TO A 2.25% MARKET INCREASE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT 
PODIUM ARE THINKING?
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING?
WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING?
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING MYSELF, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
HOW DID YOU LET THIS BE APPROVED AND GO ON?
I DIDN'T SEE IT.
I KNOW THAT YOU REFERENCED QUICKLY YOU WERE GOING TO CHANGE 
THE STATUS, ELIMINATE TWO POSITIONS, HAVE SOME PEOPLE TAKE 
ON OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT THAT AGAIN IS THE NORM RIGHT 
NOW, IT'S NOT THE EXCEPTION, AND YOU WERE GOING TO GIVE 
THEM A LITTLE RAISE.
THIS IS HARDLY A LITTLE RAISE.
PAT, WE HAVE TO WORK AS A TEAM.
YOU'RE THE ONE THAT WAS HARDEST HIT ABOUT TRYING TO COME UP 
WITH A BUDGET THAT GETS US ALL THROUGH THIS, ELECTED 
OFFICIALS, ADMINISTRATION, COUNTY ATTORNEY, PEOPLE OUT 
THERE THAT WANT US TO SHOW LEADERSHIP.
THIS WAS MAYBE SHORT OF LEADERSHIP, BUT I'M NOT FAULTING 
YOU FOR THAT.
I'M -- I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU'RE NOT 
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT AND MOVING FORWARD.
AND YES, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S OTHER THINGS, BUT WHEN MR. 
NORMAN TALKS ABOUT THOSE OTHER THINGS, THAT'S NOT ABOUT 
THIS.
THOSE PEOPLE IN ALL THOSE OTHER STAFF DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE 
NOT MY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
I LOOK TO YOU TO WORK WITH US BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE WITH 
JOHNSON THAT'S NAVIGATING HOW WE GO.
THIS IS NOT ENCOURAGING PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TAKING THE RIGHT 
NAVIGATIONAL PATTERN, AND DON'T THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT I 
DON'T APPRECIATE WHAT -- WHAT TWO OF OUR ASSISTANT 
ADMINISTRATORS DID.
I THINK MR. HARNESS AND MR. -- AND MANUS McDONALD, THEY 
OFFERED TO GIVE THIS BACK.
WELL, WE COULD MAKE THIS GO AWAY AND SAY YOU TWO AND THE 
OTHER FOUR OR FIVE, WHOEVER IT IS, LOOK GUYS, LET'S DO THE 
RIGHT THING FOR COWORKERS.
LET'S JUST GIVE THIS BACK AND THAT PUTS IT BACK IN THE 
BUDGET AND EVERYBODY WITNESS A LITTLE BIT, AND YEAH, OKAY, 
WE DON'T LIKE TO GIVE AWAY RAISES, BUT WE ALSO WOULDN'T 
LIKE TO BE IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S POSITION THAT LOSES THEIR 
JOB.
IT'S A FAIR DEAL BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALL GOING 
THROUGH A LOT OF HARDSHIPS IN OUR OWN WAY, AND AFTER ALL 
THAT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, I GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID IN 
DOCUMENT ONE, TWO, THREE, AND FOUR THAT THE POLICY WASN'T 
FOLLOWED.
IT'S ESTABLISHED POLICY, IT'S NOTHING NEW.
IT WAS THE SAME POLICY YOU HAD TO ABIDE BY IN 2005, AND I 
HAVE NO REASON TO THINK THAT YOU DIDN'T.
THIS TIME IT WASN'T.
THE HIGHLIGHTED YELLOW THINGS SHOW REORG ALL THE WAY 
THROUGH, AND SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN IT SAYS APPOINTMENT.
IF IT DIDN'T SAY APPOINTMENTS, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GIVE US 
ALL THAT DETAILED INFORMATION, BUT YOU REFERENCED CONSENT 
TO A PROPOSED APPOINTMENT FOR MERRILL AND JOHNSON, SO IF 
THAT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE -- AND WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE 
AUTHORITY YOU HAVE -- I THINK IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE, I THINK 
IT WAS CONTRARY TO WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE, AND SO THAT'S 
WHY I'M ASKING YOU.
IT'S BACK IN YOUR COURT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO GO LOOK AT OR INVESTIGATE.
UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMEPLACE WHERE YOU SNUCK THAT INFORMATION 
TO ME UNDER MY DOOR AND I DIDN'T SEE IT, YOU KNOW AND I 
KNOW I BELIEVE THAT WE DIDN'T RECEIVE IT.
IT WAS THE WRONG -- YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THROUGH.
IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
IT'S NO BIG DEAL IF WE MAKE IT RIGHT.
IT IS A BIG DEAL IF WE DON'T SHOW OUR CONSTITUENTS THE 
LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE IN BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU AND YOU 
HAVE IN ASKING TO CONSIDER MY REQUEST.
THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT -- I HAVE DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE.
I THINK YOU SHOULD WORK WITH US ON THIS, AND WE CAN MOVE 
FORWARD.
THAT'S -- THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU, PAT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY AUTHORIZATION TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE 
SALARY INCREASES FROM THOSE WHO GOT THEIR APPOINTMENTS IN 
'05.
I DO HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I FELT 
RESPONSIBLE, AND IT REALLY BOTHERED ME THAT I DIDN'T KNOW 
WHY I DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER, BUT NOW I DO.
AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH, I DO.
THE INFORMATION WASN'T GIVEN TO ME.
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT SOMETHING OR NOT SUPPORT IT IF YOU 
WEREN'T PROVIDED WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO IN THE CODE?
DO THE RIGHT THING.
YOU MAY FEEL THAT YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO DO THIS, BUT IT'S 
SOMETIMES NOT IF YOU FEEL OBLIGATED, IT'S THE RIGHT THING 
TO DO IN TERMS OF SHOWING SOME INTEGRITY AND LEADERSHIP.
YOU'RE THE PERSON WE LOOK AT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS 
BUDGET AND AT THE END WHEN WE BALANCE IT.
LET'S DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, PAT.
I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE CONFRONTATIONAL, AND IT ENDED UP 
GOING ALL OVER THE BOARD.
I WANT YOU TO DO AT THE END OF OUR BUDGET TIME WHAT YOU 
SAID WERE YOU GOING TO DO AT THE BEGINNING.
DON'T BALANCE THIS ON THE BACK OF THE FIRST-LINE EMPLOYEES 
BY THEM EXPERIENCING LOSS OF JOBS AND LOSS OF PAY AND THEN 
THE ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATORS GET INCREASES.
IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME.
I WILL CLOSE BY SAYING THIS:  IN ANOTHER SEASON WHEN MONEY 
WAS MORE PLENTIFUL, WE SHOULD IN A LOT OF -- IN A LOT OF 
WAYS IMITATE PRIVATE BUSINESSES, AND YOU ELIMINATE 
POSITIONS AND GIVE SOMEBODY ELSE SOME OF THEIR POSITIONS, 
YOU'VE ELIMINATED TWO POSITIONS AND SAVED SOME MONEY, YOU 
GAVE SOMEBODY ELSE THE INCENTIVE TO DO PART OF THAT JOB BY 
GIVING THEM A RAISE, BUT NOT IN NOVEMBER, NOT IN OCTOBER, 
NOT WHEN WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE GOING TO FACE EARLY ON IN 
'09.
SO LET'S -- I THINK THIS IS ENERGY GOING DOWN THE WRONG 
TUBE.
LET'S CORRECT THIS.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER, LET'S MAKE THIS RIGHT.
I THINK THAT YOUR ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATORS THAT YOU'VE 
PROMOTED HAVE SHOWN TO ME THAT THEY WANT TO HELP TOO.
SO IT'S WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE AND WHATEVER THE BOARD ALLOWS 
YOU TO DO IN TERMS OF GOING BACK AND COMING BACK, IT'S 
PRETTY SIMPLE.
MY REQUEST IS STILL GOING TO BE THE SAME WHETHER WE DISCUSS 
IT NOW, THIS AFTERNOON, OR NEXT WEEK.
PLEASE AGAIN, AS MY LAST REQUEST TO YOU, AS MY LAST PLEAD 
TO YOU, IS CONSIDER REQUESTING WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO 
RESCIND AND MAKING THINGS RIGHT AND GOING FROM THERE.
>>KEN HAGAN:  MS. LEE, THEN COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, THEN 
WE'VE GOT TO GET MOVING.
>>RENEE LEE:  COMMISSIONER, I'LL PASS ON ANY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  AS I SAID -- AM I RECOGNIZED?
>>KEN HAGAN:  GO AHEAD.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  AS I SAID THIS MORNING IN MY OPENING 
COMMENTS AS CHAPLAIN, THIS IS A TIME THAT WE LOOK INTO EACH 
OTHER'S EYES AND FIND ONE ANOTHER HEARTS, AND I THINK WE 
SEE THAT OUR HEARTS ARE TROUBLED AND OUR HEARTS ARE VERY 
CONCERNED WITH -- WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
MY RECOMMENDATION ON THIS -- AND I SPOKE TO A VERY LARGE 
GROUP YESTERDAY IN SOUTH COUNTY.
I HAVE ANOTHER ONE AT NOON TODAY IN THE NORTH PART OF THE 
COUNTY, AND THIS TOPIC COMES UP, AND PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY 
WITH ME AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND I HEAR ABOUT THE MORALE, 
BUT MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO -- TO LISTEN TO THE DIRECTION 
OF THE CHAIRMAN NOW, MAYBE COME BACK AFTER LUNCH WITH -- 
GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND AND COME BACK AFTER 
LUNCH WITH THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT 
LIKE COMMISSIONER FERLITA, I DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE 
INFORMATION.
I'VE SHARED THAT WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP WITH MR. BECKNER, 
THAT WE HAD AN OUTLINE BUT THERE WAS NOTHING ABOUT THE PAY 
INCREASE, AND THAT WAS A CONCERN BACK IN NOVEMBER, SO MR. 
CHAIRMAN, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?
>>KEN HAGAN:  WELL, FRANKLY, WE HAVE A LENGTHY AGENDA.
THIS ITEM WAS ADDED THIS MORNING.
MS. BEAN SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND.
I PERSONALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT UP THIS AFTERNOON.
IF THE BOARD DOES, THAT'S FINE, BUT SHE NEEDS TO BE GIVEN 
EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE HER INFORMATION.
COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  MR. CHAIRMAN, WHY DON'T WE DO IT IN OUR 
BUDGET TOMORROW BECAUSE, SEE, TOMORROW IS WHEN I WAS GOING 
TO RAISE THESE ISSUES ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE RETURNING THEIR 
MONEY, AND I BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE 
THAT AS A -- THAT'S WHEN I WAS GOING TO TAKE IT UP IS OUR 
BUDGET AGENDA, SO WHY DON'T WE MOVE IT OVER TO OUR WORKSHOP 
TOMORROW, AND I'LL HAVE THE OUTLINE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I 
THINK SHOULD ALSO RETURN THEIR FUNDS.
>>KEN HAGAN:  AND I KNOW JUST A SHORT WHILE AGO WE WERE 
SENT OUT THE AGENDA FOR -- FOR TOMORROW'S WORKSHOP, BUT IF 
WE COULD JUST SEND A NEW AGENDA WITH THIS AS THE FIRST 
ITEM.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT, COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  WHAT MY CONCERN WAS, MR. HAGAN, THAT I 
DIDN'T WANT THIS TO WAIT TWO WEEKS.
>>KEN HAGAN:  I'M FINE WITH THAT.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND IF WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT 
TOMORROW -- AND WE CAN TAKE ACTION, MS. LEE, AT A WORKSHOP, 
DEPENDING ON WHERE THAT CONVERSATION GOES -- IF WE CAN DO 
THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT WORKSHOP, THAT WOULD BE FINE 
WITH ME.
AND -- AND SINCE YOU JUST SAID WE GOT THE SCHEDULE, MR. 
JOHNSON, IT REALLY WOULD BE APPRECIATED IF WE GOT THAT 
SCHEDULE AND THAT AGENDA A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN THE DAY 
BEFORE.
I THINK I'VE REQUESTED THAT BEFORE.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THIS IS EARLY, ISN'T IT?
[LAUGHTER]
>>RENEE LEE:  MR. CHAIR, MAY I JUST MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE.
>>KEN HAGAN:  YEAH, MS. LEE.
>>RENEE LEE:  BOARD MEMBERS, I WILL REVIEW THE 
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER TO DETERMINE WHAT REMEDY YOU MIGHT 
HAVE THERE.
I -- I -- IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, YOU MAY OBJECT TO ANY 
APPOINTMENTS THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MAKES, BUT 
THAT'S THE LIMIT OF YOUR AUTHORITY, AND THAT'S WHY THIS -- 
THIS AGENDA ITEM THIS MORNING DIDN'T TROUBLE ME SO MUCH 
BECAUSE IT WAS A REQUEST TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, BUT 
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THERE IS A VERY BRIGHT LINE 
BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND THE BOARD IN TERMS OF THE 
EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY, AND WHILE YOU MAY REQUEST THE 
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO RESCIND THE RAISES, YOU CANNOT DO 
SO YOURSELF.
YOU DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
YOU COULD DO IT FOR ME, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND THE 
IPA, BUT FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, IT 
WOULD BE A REQUEST TO HER.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OKAY.
>>KEN HAGAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND MS. LEE, THANK YOU FOR THAT 
CLARIFICATION, AND IF YOU NOTICE, MY LANGUAGE WAS LESS 
STRONG THAN IT USUALLY IS.
I DIDN'T DEMAND, I DIDN'T MANDATE, I SIMPLY REQUESTED, 
REQUESTED ON TWO FRONTS IN TERMS OF WHAT OCCURRED LAST 
YEAR, AND THEN ALSO THIS IS TOTALLY VOLUNTARY TO MS. -- 
MS. BEAN DECIDING TO DO THIS BECAUSE THE SECOND PART OF 
THIS CONVERSATION, WHICH OF COURSE WE DIDN'T FINISH, WAS TO 
CONSIDER THE SAME THING OF THE OTHER ASSISTANT 
ADMINISTRATORS THAT WAS DONE IN '05, AND I ABSOLUTELY HAVE 
NO AUTHORITY TO DO THAT AT ALL, AT ALL, AT ALL, SO I 
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT IS NOT WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF ME OR ANY OTHER 
COMMISSIONER, BUT IF WE'RE TRYING TO RIGHT THE PERCEPTION 
THAT PEOPLE HAVE, THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAYS, BUT THAT WILL 
BE MS. BEAN'S DECISION TOMORROW.
SO IF WE CAN HANDLE THIS AS A FIRST ITEM AND DEPENDING ON 
WHERE IT GOES, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO -- TO PURSUE 
OTHER AVENUES, THEN I'M MORE COMFORTABLE WITH DOING THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO WAIT TWO WEEKS.
SO THAT'S FINE WITH ME IF THAT'S OKAY WITH THE REST OF THE 
BOARD.
>>KEN HAGAN:  OKAY.
ALL I'M GOING TO SAY, I THINK THIS ISSUE'S BEEN COVERED 
EVERY POSSIBLE WAY, AND I -- AND JUST REAL QUICK, ALL I'M 
GOING TO SAY IS JUST REITERATE WHAT WAS STATED HERE, 
THERE'S NO QUESTION THIS WAS A SLOPPY DECISION, THE TIMING 
COULD NOT HAVE BEEN WORSE.
I, LIKE I'M SURE EVERY COMMISSIONER HERE, SPEAKS WITH THE 
COUNTY EMPLOYEES ON A DAILY BASIS, AND I WANT TO -- IN MY 
OPINION ON BALANCE PRIOR TO THIS COMING TO LIGHT, I THINK 
THAT COUNTY EMPLOYEES WERE FOR THE MOST PART SUPPORTIVE OF 
MS. BEAN AND THE WAY THAT SHE HAS HANDLED THE BUDGET AND 
ALL THE STAFF ISSUES; HOWEVER, THIS ACTION HAS, AS 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE INDICATED, CRUSHED MORALE, AND IT 
CERTAINLY DOES NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO, AND WITH THAT, WE'LL 
TAKE THIS ITEM UP FIRST ISSUE TOMORROW DURING OUR WORKSHOP, 
AND WE'LL RECONVENE AT 1:30.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  DO WE NEED A MOTION FIRST?
>>KEN HAGAN:  [INAUDIBLE]


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