CAPTIONING JULY 23, 2010 CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELCOME TO THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE PLEDGE. DON, WOULD YOU LEAD US, PLEASE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] BEA, WOULD YOU DO AN INTRODUCTION OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. >>BEA BLACK: GOOD MORNING. THE PURPOSE AND THE SCOPE OF THE CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD IS -- WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS. WE'VE BEEN APPOINTED BY A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, AND WE'RE TO REVIEW ISSUES OF THE COUNTY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE ALSO WELCOME PUBLIC COMMENT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANKS, BEA. WE GENERALLY MEET IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM ON THE FOURTH FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, AND AS BEA JUST MENTIONED, THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO COME. I'D LIKE EACH MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND TO INDICATE WHICH COMMISSIONER APPOINTED THEM. GAYE, WOULD YOU START, PLEASE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OOPS. GOOD MORNING. GAYE TOWNSEND, COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE. >>DANIEL BLAIR: GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DANIEL BLAIR, AND I WAS APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER JIM NORMAN. >>DON CORYELL: MY NAME IS DON CORYELL FROM CARROLLWOOD. I WAS ALSO APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>DEBORAH COPE: GOOD MORNING. DEBORAH COPE, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER KEVIN BECKNER. >>KAY DOUGHTY: KAY DOUGHTY, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: JAKE PIASCIK, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER AL HIGGINBOTHAM. >>BEA BLACK: GOOD MORNING. BEA BLACK, APPOINTED BY ROSE FERLITA. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS RANDALL MARSHALL, AND I WAS APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN. >>BRIAN WILLIS: GOOD MORNING. MY NAME'S BRIAN WILLIS, AND I WAS APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER KEVIN BECKNER. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, AS WE HAVE A QUORUM, IS TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE RECAP OF OUR JUNE MEETING. IF YOU'D PLEASE REVIEW THAT, AND IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS, WE CAN ENTERTAIN THEM. >>DEBORAH COPE: MOVE TO APPROVE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? >> I SECOND IT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: ALL IN FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. THANK YOU. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC HERE, SO WE'LL GO INTO OUR FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS TO REVIEW THE -- THE BUDGET REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LAST MONTH, AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT AS WE AGREED LAST MONTH, BRANDON AND I WOULD TAKE ALL OF THE INPUT FROM OUR LAST MEETING, PUT THEM TOGETHER, AND, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTED THEM OUT TO YOU FOR REVIEW, AND THE INTENT AS I LEFT THAT MEETING WAS THAT WE WOULD TURN IT OVER RATHER RAPIDLY AND GET IF OUT TO YOU THROUGH AN E-MAIL APPROVAL PROCESS AND, YOU KNOW, SEND IT TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. WELL, AS IT TURNED OUT, I DID NOT GET THE RECAP UNTIL TUESDAY, AND I WAS LEAVING ON WEDNESDAY FOR VACATION, SO I -- I MEAN, I LITERALLY DIDN'T HAVE TIME, AND WHEN I CAME BACK TO START ON IT -- AND I'M SURE BRANDON HAD THE SAME ISSUES WHEN HE WAS REVIEWING IT -- IT WAS COMPLICATED TO GO THROUGH THE TAPE AND TRY TO PICK OUT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD SAID AND PUT IT TOGETHER, AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK BRANDON FOR THE WORK THAT HE DID ON ORGANIZING IT AND REALLY PUTTING IT TOGETHER BECAUSE HE E-MAILED TO ME AND I MADE SOME MINOR CHANGES, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE IS REALLY BRANDON'S WORK, AND I WANT TO COMMEND HIM FOR THAT BECAUSE IT WAS A JOB, AND I KNOW THAT JUST BASED ON MY OWN EFFORTS. SO I KNOW WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE REVIEWED HERE, AND SO IF EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS WOULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE JUST IDENTIFY THEMSELVES SO THAT -- IF YOU'D COME FORWARD AND JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELVES SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE. THANKS. >>BILL ARMSTRONG: BILL ARMSTRONG, DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANKS. >>RAY DAVIS: RAY DAVIS FROM AGING SERVICES. >> THANK YOU. >>PETER ALUOTTO: PETER ALUOTTO, PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW IT, AND I BELIEVE YOU-ALL HAVE COPIES OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, IS THAT TRUE, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO. OKAY. THE FIRST ITEMS I'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE MADE FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS, AND DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CHANGES THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE OR EVEN AT THIS POINT IF THERE'S ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, LEFT OFF, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD IT. OKAY. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO AT THAT POINT - - AT THIS POINT? OKAY. THEN LET'S MOVE TO ANIMAL SERVICES, AND IF YOU WILL REVIEW THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OKAY. THAT'S -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: IT'S ON PAGE 2. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT'S PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT. [INAUDIBLE] WHAT PAGE IS IT? >>DON CORYELL: MADAM CHAIRMAN, EXCUSE ME. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES. >>DON CORYELL: CAN WE ADDRESS THE -- BILL OR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE REPRESENTING THESE AT THIS TIME OR LATER? >>KAY DOUGHTY: SURE. >>DON CORYELL: I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BILL. ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDS THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE THE REGISTRATION. HAVE YOU LOOKED IN TO OR HAVE ANY BALLPARK FIGURES ON WHAT THAT WOULD COST AS A RETURN ON INVESTMENT? HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO RECOUP THE COST OF DOING THAT? >>BILL ARMSTRONG: BILL ARMSTRONG, DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES. YES, SIR, WE HAVE. WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AN ON-LINE PET REGISTRATION CAPABILITY TO WHERE THE PET OWNERS CAN GO ON- LINE AND REGISTER THEIR PETS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. I'M KIND OF GUESSING ON THE COST INVESTMENT ON THIS. IT'S WELL UNDER $10,000, AND THE ABILITY TO RECOUP THAT, OUR AVERAGE TAG SALES PRICE IS ROUGHLY A LITTLE UNDER $20, SO IT WOULD NOT TAKE LONG AT ALL TO RECOUP THAT IF WE'RE GETTING NEW ADDITIONAL PET REGISTRATIONS, NOT JUST RENEWALS FROM PREVIOUS ONES, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY WHEREVER WE CAN TO MAKE US MORE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, AND REDUCE COSTS AND MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR OUR PET OWNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. >>DON CORYELL: SO THE MAIN COST WOULD BE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN-HOUSE TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT -- VETERINARY OFFICE, THEY HAVE ON-LINE CAPABILITY, THEY CAN JUST PULL UP YOUR SITE AND GO FROM THERE? >>BILL ARMSTRONG: THE MAIN THING WHAT I JUST REFERENCED, THE ON-LINE, THIS WOULD BE MAINLY -- WELL, IT COULD BE USED BY VETERINARY CLINICS, BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY DESIGNED FOR YOU AT HOME OR GO TO A LIBRARY TO REGISTER YOUR PET AND MAKE PAYMENT THROUGH YOUR CREDIT CARD. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE VENDOR THAT WE USE FOR OUR SOFTWARE, AND WE'LL -- HOPEFULLY OVER TIME, WE MAY NOT BE THERE IN THE NEAR, NEAR FUTURE BUT WITH THE AUTOMATION IN THE VETERINARY CLINICS FOR THE ABILITY TO ELECTRONICALLY DO ALL OF THIS STUFF NOW THAT TAKES A LOT OF PAPER. WE'RE DEALING WITH 110 TO 120 VET CLINICS THAT ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OFFICE PRACTICES, VERY INDEPENDENT, SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE. >>DON CORYELL: THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: RANDALL. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: JUST ONE COMMENT FOR THAT BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE SPIRIT -- AT LEAST IN MY MIND THE SPIRIT OF THAT RECOMMENDATION WAS REALLY FOR THE VETERINARY CLINICS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO -- AND BEING ON -- AND HAVE INDIVIDUAL USERS BE ABLE TO GO ON-LINE OBVIOUSLY I THINK IS A GREAT ADD, BUT I THINK THE SPIRIT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION, AT LEAST IN MY MIND, WAS THE VETERINARY CLINICS THEMSELVES WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO REGISTER THAT PROCESS SO YOU KIND OF MAKE IT MORE OF A -- OR REGISTER THAT USER SO THAT IT'S NOT RELIANT ON THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WAS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE REVENUE THAT COULD BE RECEIVED AND THE ACTUAL REVENUE THAT IS RECEIVED, SO I DON'T KNOW IF -- I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT LITTLE DISTINCTION THERE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. >>BILL ARMSTRONG: WELL, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR PET REGISTRATIONS ARE VIA OUR LOCAL PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS AND THE VETERINARY COMMUNITY. CURRENTLY, BASED ON THEIR OWN SOFTWARE, THEY DO A LOT OF THEIRS -- IF YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR PET IN, IF YOU HAVE PETS, THEY DO MOST OF THE PAPERWORK AND YOU SIMPLY PAY THE MONEY AND YOU GET YOUR TAG, SO THE VET CLINICS, AGAIN, THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PRACTICES, BUT I BELIEVE FOR THE MOST PART THEY MAKE IT VERY EASY ON THEIR CLIENTS, BUT WE NEED TO GO TO THAT STEP OF AUTOMATION, AGAIN WITH THE VARIOUS SOFTWARE PROGRAMS THAT EXIST WITHIN A PRIVATE COMMUNITY LIKE THAT. A VETERINARY COMMUNITY, THAT'S OUR CHALLENGE, BUT WE CLEARLY NEED TO WORK TO THAT BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY'S HERE. IT'S JUST WE NEED TO MAKE IT ALL WHERE IT CAN INTERFACE WITH OUR SYSTEM AND THEIRS. >> AND BE UNIFORM. >>BILL ARMSTRONG: AND KEEP THE COSTS DOWN. PARTICULARLY WE NEED TO MAKE IT NO COST FOR THE VETERINARY CLINICS. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: SURE. SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WAS THERE ANOTHER COMMENT? JAKE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: ON -- WITH YOUR ON-LINE SERVICE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING FOR THE HOME PERSON, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT ACTUALLY INDUCE A $2 FEE FOR THAT. HAVE -- DID YOU GUYS DO THAT? ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING THAT ONCE THEY REGISTER? I MEAN, IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE PERSON AT HOME, WHICH I AGREE WITH, TO REGISTER THEIR ANIMAL. DO YOU THINK MAYBE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO INCREASE YOUR PROFIT? >>BILL ARMSTRONG: WELL, WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE COSTING OF HOW WE WOULD DO THAT. WE HAVEN'T MADE A FINAL DECISION, I KNOW THAT, AND I BELIEVE YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE'VE RAISED FEES TWICE IN THE LAST NINE MONTHS. FIRST IT WAS THE PET REGISTRATION FEE ITSELF 1 OCTOBER, AND THIS PAST JUNE WE RAISED A LOT OF OUR OTHER FEES TO BRING THEM UP TO WHAT IS COMPARABLE IN THE HUMANE COMMUNITY AND OTHER ANIMAL CONTROLS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, SO I THINK AT THIS POINT WE'VE PROBABLY REACHED OUR POINT OF WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO RAISE FEES. IN THIS CASE WE WOULD ABSORB THE COST TO DO THAT, AND -- AND THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADING. WITH THE ECONOMY WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE MAINTAIN OUR FEE STRUCTURE AND NOT PUT ANYMORE BURDEN OUT ON THE PUBLIC AND THE PET OWNERS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THANK YOU, MR. ARMSTRONG, AND I THINK YOU'RE -- YOU'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. I LOOKED AT THE CHARTS ON THE SPAYING AND THE NEUTERING AND THE EUTHANIZATION IS DOWN, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT HARD WORK. ON THIS ONE -- SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS SO YOU CAN EXPLAIN -- SEEKS AUTHORIZATION TO RETAIN ANIMAL CRUELTY FINES, PURSUE STATE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZATION TO RETAIN ANIMAL CRUELTY FINES TO OFFSET EXPENSES AND INCREASE PROTECTIVE SERVICES. HOW DOES THAT FINE STRUCTURE WORK, AND HOW MUCH DO YOU GET, OR DO WE HAVE TO DO THAT OR -- >>BILL ARMSTRONG: WELL, ERIC JOHNSON, OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR, IS -- IS HERE AND CAN PERHAPS SAVE ME IF I STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, BUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO THERE WAS A CHANGE TO ARTICLE V WHICH CHANGED THE WAY THE FEES AND THE COURT SYSTEMS DEALT WITH MONEY. WE USED TO BRING IN QUITE A BIT OF REVENUE. MY RECOLLECTION, IT WAS PERHAPS AROUND $200,000 OF FINE REVENUE THAT WENT INTO A GENERAL FUND THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS ALLOCATED THROUGH THE BOCC FUNDING PROCESS. THOSE -- MOST OF THOSE MONIES NOW REVERT BACK TO THE STATE, SO WE DON'T SEE THE FINE MONEY LOCALLY. THERE'S ONE EXCEPTION IN LAW WHICH ALLOWS US TO PEEL $5 OFF OF THOSE FOR THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER TRAINING, SO WE DON'T REALLY SEE THE FINES AND WE LOSE VISIBILITY. ONCE THE COURT -- IF A PERSON PAYS THE FINE OR GOES TO COURT AND IS FOUND GUILTY OF THE VIOLATION, WE LOSE VISIBILITY AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL ON WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE MONIES. IF YOU -- AND I REALLY CAN'T GO INTO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY IN THE PURVIEW, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE COURT SYSTEM OF HOW THEY MANAGE THAT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: RIGHT. JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION -- AND AGAIN, ERIC, IF I'M INCORRECT, PLEASE CORRECT ME -- THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS ACTUALLY WENT TO THE STATE AND SAID, YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR FUNDING THE COURT SYSTEM AND YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT. YOU'RE -- YOU'RE REQUIRING THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO PUT UP MUCH OF THE MONEY TO FUND THE COURT SYSTEMS. WELL, WHEN THE CHANGES WERE MADE, THE STATE IS NOW FUNDING THE COURT SYSTEM, BUT ALL THE FINES AND EVERYTHING THAT COME INTO THE COURTS GO TO THE STATE RATHER THAN GOING TO THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AS THEY WERE BEFORE. >>BILL ARMSTRONG: NOW -- EXCUSE ME -- ONE OPTION WE HAVE TO PURSUE THIS -- AND WE'VE -- WE'VE DISCUSSED IT, IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED AT THE FLORIDA ANIMAL CONTROL ASSOCIATION, OF WHICH I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS -- IS TO TRY TO GET A CHANGE TO STATE LAW IN THE WAY THE CITATIONS ARE DEALT WITH IN ANIMAL CONTROL WORLD BECAUSE THE PARTICULAR STATUTE THAT DEALS WITH ANIMAL CONTROL'S CIVIL CITATIONS REQUIRES THAT ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN CITED CAN GO PLEA THEIR CASE IN A COUNTY COURT. IF THERE WERE CHANGES TO THAT LANGUAGE, LOCAL JURISDICTIONS COULD SET UP THEIR OWN COURT, AND THEY WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO TAKE THE REVENUES, PAY THE EXPENSES FOR THE COURT, AND KEEP THEM, SO THAT'S AN AVENUE THAT WE'RE -- I'M CONSULTING WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND IF WE BELIEVE IT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO GO, TO PUSH FOR LEGISLATION. OF COURSE, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT CAN TAKE YEARS IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL, SO IT'S SOMETHING WE CLEARLY WILL LOOK AT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, SOMETHING I WANTED TO ADD TO THAT - - IT SLIPPED MY MEMORY. NOW I REMEMBER ARTICLE V, BUT -- BECAUSE IT WAS INVOLVED WITH THE WATER DEPARTMENT AND THE WATER FINES, BUT THAT WAS CHANGED, AND NOW THE WATER DEPARTMENT ARE -- IS RECEIVING THEIR FINES, CORRECT, ERIC? AND SEE HOW THEY DID IT. >>ERIC JOHNSON: GOOD MORNING. ERIC JOHNSON, MANAGEMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR. I BELIEVE YOU'RE CORRECT. I THINK THE ONE THING MAYBE TO KEEP IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND IS COUNTY GOVERNMENTS ARE AN ARM OF THE STATE, AND I THINK THE ARTICLE V WHERE FLORIDA VOTERS DETERMINED THAT THE STATE SHOULD PAY FOR THE STATE COURT SYSTEM BACKFIRED ON COUNTY GOVERNMENTS BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY ALL THEY DID WAS CHANGE HOW THEY PAY FOR IT BY TAKING THE MONEY BACK FROM US, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE -- YOU KNOW, IT'S A BALLOON. THE MONEY IS THERE. TO THE EXTENT THAT WE PUSH ON ONE END OF THE BALLOON, IT'S GOING TO EXPAND ON THE OTHER END, AND SO WE CAN PURSUE ON AN ISSUE-BY-ISSUE BASIS, BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD ASSUME THE BOTTOM LINE IS IF WE TRY TO FIND A WAY TO TAKE MONEY BACK FROM THE COURT SYSTEM, THE STATE WILL FIND A WAY TO TAKE MONEY BACK FROM COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THAT'S -- THEY'RE THE LARGER POWER. WE'RE THE ARM OF THEIR GOVERNMENT. THEY'RE GOING TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET, AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE TRY TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET ON THE BACK OF THE STATE, I DON'T THINK IT'LL HAPPEN. THEY'LL JUST FIND ANOTHER WAY TO GET AROUND IT, AND WE MAY NOT LIKE IT, BUT THAT COMES WITH BEING AN ARM OF THE STATE, I'M AFRAID. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, THEY DID DO IT WITH THE WATER FINES. I REMEMBER THAT. THEY DID GET THEM BACK TO THE WATER DEPARTMENT. >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, WE MAY BE GETTING IT BACK, AND WE'LL BE PAYING FOR IT IN ANOTHER MANNER BECAUSE THE STATE HAS BEEN FACING TOUGH FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, AND PAT FRANK WILL BE GLAD TO TELL YOU ABOUT HER PERSPECTIVE ON THAT, BUT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, THE STATE WILL TAKE THE MONEY BACK FROM US. SO WE MAY DO IT WITH A PARTICULAR PROGRAM AREA, BUT THEY'LL TAKE IT BACK THROUGH GENERAL REVENUE, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BILL'S ORGANIZATION. HE'S FUNDED HEAVILY WITH GENERAL REVENUE, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THE STATE PUSHES BACK, WE END UP IN THE SAME POSITION. THE WATER ENTERPRISE DOES NOT HAVE ANY STATE SUBSIDY, SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL, THEY DON'T PAY THE PRICE, BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT THE STATE HAS TO REPLACE THAT REVENUE WITH OTHER FORMS OF REVENUE, THAT PUSHES BACK ON OUR GENERAL FUND WHERE WE ARE SUBSIDIZED BY THE STATE, SO - - >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>ERIC JOHNSON: SORRY TO BE -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANKS, ERIC. >>ERIC JOHNSON: -- SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT TODAY, BUT THE REALITY IS THE STATE HAS TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET, AND SOMETIMES THE INEQUITY IS THAT THEY BALANCE THE BUDGET FOR COURT SYSTEM COSTS OUTSIDE OUR JURISDICTION WITH CHANGES THAT IMPACT US, AND SO WE END UP HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBSIDIZE OTHER COMMUNITIES' COURT SYSTEMS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. THANKS. ARE THERE ANY OTHER -- >>BILL ARMSTRONG: MADAM CHAIRMAN. >>KAY DOUGHTY: CERTAINLY. >>BILL ARMSTRONG: COULD I JUST MAKE A FURTHER COMMENT? WE DO RECOUP COSTS BECAUSE WE HAVE FEES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO THE CITATION. THEY'RE NOT THE FINE BUT ADDITIONAL FEES, AND I BELIEVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ALSO RECOUPS SOME FEES BECAUSE, AS I THINK I MAY HAVE MENTIONED TO YOU, WHEN WE FILE A CITATION WITH THE COURTS, IT COSTS US $10 TO FILE THE CITATION. IF THE PERSON IS FOUND GUILTY, WE DON'T PAY ANY ADDITIONAL FEE, BUT IF THEY'RE FOUND NOT GUILTY OR OUR WITNESS WHO COMPLAINED, THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR DOESN'T SHOW, THEN WE HAVE TO PAY A $40 LOSER'S FEE, SO FOR US TO ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE, IF WE DON'T PREVAIL, IT JUST COSTS US AS TAXPAYERS $50, SO WE DO -- WHEN WE DO PREVAIL, WE GET SOME MONEY BACK, I BELIEVE IT'S $50 FOR THE COST OF THE ENFORCEMENT FROM ANIMAL SERVICES, AND THEN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY GETS SOME OF THEIR COSTS RECOUPED. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANIMAL SERVICES? AND I JUST REALIZED THAT -- EXCUSE ME, GAYE -- THAT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WATCHING TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SINCE THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE SAME PAPERS, SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M JUST GOING TO READ THE HEADINGS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS JUST SO FOLKS HAVE AN IDEA, AND THEN, GAYE, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR COMMENT. THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANIMAL SERVICES ARE TO INCREASE FINANCIAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY, EXPLORE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS, UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE REGISTRATION COMPLIANCE, WHICH WE ADDRESSED, ENCOURAGE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT, BASE SPECIAL ASSISTANCE ON FINANCIAL NEED, ENFORCE PAYMENT OF FINES AND FEES, OFFER MORE SPAY/NEUTER CLINICS, AND SEEK AUTHORIZATION TO RETAIN ANIMAL CRUELTY FINES, WHICH, AGAIN, WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING. GAYE, YOUR COMMENT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: YEAH. I KNEW YOU WORK WITH THE SPCA; CORRECT? >>BILL ARMSTRONG: HUMANE SOCIETY MAINLY. HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: IS IT A GOOD PARTNERSHIP AND -- >>BILL ARMSTRONG: COULDN'T BE ANY BETTER. IN FACT, SITTING BEHIND ME IS CONNIE JOHNSON. SHE'S REALLY HERE IN HER CAPACITY AS THE CHAIR OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS APPOINT ONE MEMBER, BUT SHE'S ALSO A VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY, AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T KNOW OF A BETTER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN ANIMAL CONTROL ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THEIR LOCAL HUMANE SOCIETY OR SPCA, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, SO WE'RE JUST VERY THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE THEM AS PARTNERS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AND ENFORCING -- ENFORCE PAYMENT OF FINES AND FEES. BASICALLY YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S GOING TO COST YOU MORE THAN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO RECOUP? >>BILL ARMSTRONG: WELL, I WOULDN'T -- I'LL TRY TO -- I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WOULD -- IF WE PREVAIL, WE'RE GOING TO - - YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GAIN A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE COST -- IT'S PROBABLY A BREAK-EVEN WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE DETAIL NUMBERS IF -- BECAUSE OF THE COSTS TO ENFORCEMENT. WE ARE GETTING REIMBURSED, AND OF COURSE, THE IMPORTANT THING IS, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, MS. TOWNSEND, THAT WE'VE SEEN OUR NUMBERS GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION NOW FOR FIVE YEARS, AND A LOT OF THAT IS EFFECTIVE AND HUMANE AND REASONABLE ENFORCEMENT OF OUR ORDINANCE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, THE THING OF IT IS IS -- WHAT I WAS TRYING TO CLEAR IS IF THERE ARE, LIKE, CRIMINAL CRUELTY TO ANIMAL CRIMES, SO FORTH AND SO ON, THEN THAT WOULD GO BACK TO THE COURTS, AND, THEREFORE, YOU REALLY WOULDN'T RECOUP THE FINES BECAUSE UNDER THE ARTICLE V; CORRECT? >>BILL ARMSTRONG: WELL, WHEN WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT COSTS, WHICH SOMETIMES WE DO WHEN WE SEIZE A LARGE NUMBER OF ANIMALS OR IT'S A PROTRACTED COURT CASE AND WE PREVAIL, WE ALWAYS REQUEST THE COURTS AWARD US OUR EXPENSES, AND IN MANY CASES WE DO GET DIRECT EXPENSES REIMBURSED BACK TO THE COUNTY, AND THAT CAN HAPPEN AS WELL AS IN CIVIL COURT BUT PARTICULARLY IN CRIMINAL COURTS. I BELIEVE WE'RE UP TO -- I SAW THE NUMBERS YESTERDAY, DENNIS -- 52 ARRESTS THIS YEAR FOR CRIMINAL ANIMAL CRUELTY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, I FIND THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE ARRESTED FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY AREN'T GOING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ANYWAY. YOU CAN'T GET BLOOD OUT OF A TURNIP. >>BILL ARMSTRONG: WE TRY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR FOUR-LEGGED CREATURES. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. THANKS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. ARMSTRONG, I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN RESPONDING TO OUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS? >>BILL ARMSTRONG: WELL, I THINK YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE A LOT OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT OUR FIRST MEETING WHERE YOU GAVE ME AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK FOR QUITE A WHILE. WE ARE, IN FACT, DOING A NUMBER OF THOSE AND VERY WELL, AND OTHERS WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT, SO I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF GRASPING WHAT I THINK YOU'VE COME TO KNOW. IT'S NOT A VERY SIMPLE THING. IT'S NOT THE OLD DOG CATCHER AND THE POUND THING. IT'S VERY COMPLEX, AND SO I THINK THAT THIS WILL HELP HIGHLIGHT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE PURSUING, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND BEFORE WE GO ON TO THE NEXT SECTION, I WANT TO AGAIN, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO ARE VIEWING, TO READ THE OVERALL ALL DEPARTMENT COMMENTS -- RECOMMENDATIONS, I MEAN, AND THEY ARE TO FOCUS ON CORE FUNCTIONS, TO MERGE BACK-OFFICE FUNCTIONS, TO STUDY THE CONSOLIDATION OF LIKE SERVICES WITH AGENCIES AND OTHER ENTITIES, EXPLORE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, INCREASE INTERNET UTILIZATION, REDUCE AND ELIMINATE OVERTIME, ENCOURAGE VOLUNTEERISM, MAXIMIZE FACILITY UTILIZATION, ANALYZE COST-BENEFIT OF CONSULTING SERVICES, AND TRACK AND REPORT OUTCOMES. WE WILL MOVE NOW TO PARKS, RECREATION, AND CONSERVATION, AND BRANDON LET ME KNOW THAT THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND CONSERVATION IS OUT OF STATE AND COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: KAY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WOULD SHE LIKE TO SAY -- WELL, SHE'S GOING OUT THE DOOR. I WAS GOING TO SEE IF SHE'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. THANKS. WE'RE LOOKING AT PARKS, RECREATION, AND CONSERVATION, AND IF YOU WILL -- I'M GOING TO READ THROUGH THE FIRST SECTION WHICH -- BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL TOPICS HERE. OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVENUES ARE TO SEEK REVENUES FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES, RECOVER COSTS FOR CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR THERAPEUTIC SERVICES, EXPLORE -- EXPLORE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, ADDRESS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM REVENUES. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS? >>BEA BLACK: SO THERE'S NOT A REPRESENTATIVE HERE? >>KAY DOUGHTY: NO. >>BEA BLACK: [INAUDIBLE] >>DON CORYELL: DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT IT COSTS FOR THOSE BACKGROUND CHECKS? >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT. THERE -- THERE'S A -- I SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE MY AGENCY DOES THEM, BUT I THINK IT'S LIKE $70, $75, SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO -- SINCE PARKS WORKS WITH CHILDREN, THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE CONSIDERED IN A POSITION OF TRUST, AND YOU HAVE TO UNDERGO THE LEVEL 2 BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE JESSICA LUNSFORD ACT, BUT I'M NOT SURE. THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT THAT CAME JUST -- IT STARTS AUGUST 1st THAT MY AGENCY IS DEALING WITH BUT EVERYONE ELSE THAT HAS THE LEVEL 2s WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS WELL IN THAT IT IS NOW A REQUIREMENT -- IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE LAW BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN ENFORCED, BUT IT WILL BEGIN TO BE ENFORCED AS OF THE BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH -- THAT WHEN YOU'RE HIRING SOMEONE, THEY CANNOT COME TO WORK FOR YOU UNTIL THEIR BACKGROUND HAS BEEN CLEARED, AND THAT CAN BE, AT LEAST RIGHT NOW, SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS, SO YOU OFFER SOMEONE A JOB AND THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO WAIT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS IN ORDER TO COME ON-LINE. NOW, THEY ARE -- THERE IS, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE ELECTRONIC FINGERPRINTING AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE SITES THAT YOU CAN GO TO WHICH WILL REDUCE IT TO TWO TO THREE WEEKS BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, PARTICULARLY FOR -- YOU KNOW, IN THE CASE OF MY AGENCY, WE HIRE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TECHS, AND THEIR, YOU KNOW, HOURLY RATE IS LOW, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WAIT THAT LONG. >>DON CORYELL: THE REASON I ASK IS WE DO CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR ALL NEW RESIDENTS IN THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, CONDOMINIUMS, ET CETERA, THAT WE MANAGE. WE GET A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK IN LESS THAN 30 HOURS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. WELL, OURS TAKE -- >>DON CORYELL: IT COSTS $35. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. WELL, OURS -- THERE'S THE FDLE CHECK, WHICH IS FLORIDA'S, WHICH COMES PRETTY QUICKLY, BUT THEN IT HAS TO GO TO THE FBI FOR THE SECOND LEVEL. >>DON CORYELL: YEAH. WELL, THIS IS A NATIONWIDE CHECK. >>JAKE PIASCIK: AND WITH OURS, WITH THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WE HAVE TO DO AN FBI -- A NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK, WHICH IS 62.50, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE JESSICA LUNSFORD ACT, WHICH THE CHAIRWOMAN WAS SPEAKING WITH, WHICH WE HAVE TO ALSO HAVE IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IF WE'RE DEALING WITH ANY SCHOOLS OR CHILDREN OR TO THAT NATURE, WHICH IS ANOTHER $75 ON TOP OF, AND THAT'S FOR EACH PERSON WHICH IS FINGERPRINTED AND ALL THAT. NOW, THE TIMES, THOUGH, FOR US ARE A LOT SHORTER. FOR THE NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK -- AND THIS IS THROUGH THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION DOWN ON KENNEDY -- IT'S THREE DAYS, AND THEN THROUGH THE JESSICA LUNSFORD ACT IT COULD TAKE ROUGHLY ABOUT A WEEK, AND THAT'S IT. AND THESE ARE THINGS WE HAVE TO HAVE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. SO THERE'S -- THERE IS AN EXPENSE. I MEAN, THAT'S IT. AND, I MEAN, FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR EMPLOYEES, WE REQUIRE THEM TO PAY IT. I MEAN, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO COME, BUT, I MEAN, THAT'S -- THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM. I JUST -- YOU KNOW, IF THE ELECTRONIC THINGS WORK REALLY WELL, THAT'LL SPEED EVERYTHING UP, AND ACTUALLY -- I MEAN, I CAN SPEAK -- I CAN ONLY SPEAK PERSONALLY. MANY PEOPLE -- AND I'M ONE OF THEM -- DO NOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT WHIRLS ON THEIR FINGERS, AND SO WHEN YOU'RE FINGERPRINTED WITH THE BLACK STUFF, IT DOESN'T SHOW UP VERY WELL, AND IT GOES TO THE FBI AND THEY SEND IT BACK AND SAY THEY CAN'T READ IT, SO, I MEAN, I WENT THROUGH ONE OF THESE ABOUT -- ABOUT -- >> [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. YEAH. I GET THAT ALL THE TIME, BEA. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WORK WITH THE CIA. >>KAY DOUGHTY: RIGHT. BUT ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO I WAS HIRED BY A FACILITY, AND IT -- AND OF COURSE, THEY DID EMPLOY ME AND I WAS WORKING, BUT IT TOOK 13 MONTHS FOR MINE TO CLEAR, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF JUST THE FACT OF THE WAY MY FINGERS ARE. I MEAN, THAT'S -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: NICE, SMOOTH HANDS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BUT THE ELECTRONIC SHOULD PICK THAT UP. I MEAN, IT SHOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER, SO -- ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, ADDITIONS? YES, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: ON NUMBER 3, I THINK WE AGREED TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT WORD THAN "OUTSOURCE." THERE WAS QUITE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: IN THE SCHOOL PROGRAM REVENUES WHERE IT SAYS OUTSOURCE THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM TO ONE OF THE COMPETITIVE PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHY? >>DEBORAH COPE: I THINK WE CHANGED OUTSOURCE IN A COUPLE AREAS, BUT I THOUGHT WE LEFT THAT ONE, THOUGH. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO TAKE IT OFF. >>DANIEL BLAIR: WELL, BY DEFINITION IN THAT SENTENCE, IT WOULD APPLY. >>DEBORAH COPE: RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE OUTSOURCING IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE. >>DANIEL BLAIR: I MEAN, WHILE IN SOME CASES IN SOCIETY "OUTSOURCE" IS A TABOO WORD, IN THAT SENTENCE IT DOES APPLY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO PUT MY STRONG DISAGREEMENT TO IT, SO ANYWAY -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S FINE, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT'S ONE THING I DON'T AGREE WITH. I THINK THE COUNTY'S DOING A GOOD JOB WITH OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, AND THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, BUT I THINK I DID ADD MINE TO THE BOTTOM THERE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: RIGHT. BEA, YOU HAD A COMMENT? >>BEA BLACK: WELL, WE HAVE A SECOND PAGE. I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: NO, I JUST BROKE IT UP INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT EVERYTHING. >>BEA BLACK: MY QUESTION -- AND I REALIZE THAT WAS THE SECOND PAGE. MY QUESTION -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S FINE. IF THERE'S NO MORE ON THE REVENUE, LET'S GO TO THE SECOND PART. GENERATE ADDITIONAL PROGRAM FUNDING IS THE TOPIC, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHER ITEMS. IS THERE ANYTHING UNDER THE ADDITIONAL PROGRAM FUNDINGS THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS? >>BEA BLACK: I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN ANSWER TO THIS YET OR NOT. ON THE FACILITIES MAINTENANCE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: HOLD THAT FOR RIGHT NOW. >>BEA BLACK: SURE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: JUST ON PAGE 3, LET'S LOOK AT THOSE FOUR ITEMS, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PAGE 4. >>BEA BLACK: OH, I'M SORRY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S OKAY, BEA. I WASN'T CLEAR. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO COMMENTS, I THINK WE DISCUSSED IT RATHER THOROUGHLY LAST MONTH. OKAY. LET'S TURN TO PAGE 4, AND THE NEXT SECTION IS VOLUNTEERS, AND WE HAD TWO SUGGESTIONS, TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS AND TRANSFER MARINE PUBLIC SAFETY. ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, ADDITIONS? APPROXIMATE OKAY. THEN MOVING TO FACILITIES MAINTENANCE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO SEEK CHANGES TO ALLOW RESTRICTED FUNDS TO BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE, UTILIZE PERVIOUS PARKING AREAS, IMPLEMENT WATER AND ELECTRICITY SAVINGS, INSTALL FIELD LIGHTING DEVICES, DEVELOP A PARK RATING SYSTEM, MERGE BACK-OFFICE FUNCTIONS, AND STREAMLINE FACILITY UTILIZATION. BEA, YOU HAD A COMMENT. >>BEA BLACK: I DON'T KNOW IF ERIC CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION OR NOT, BUT ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THE MANDATES THAT THEY HAVE TO -- FOR THE USE OF THE FUNDS, IS THAT A DOABLE THING? >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR A CLARIFICATION BECAUSE AS I WAS LOOKING AT THIS, I WAS THINKING IN TERMS OF WHAT PARKS AND RECREATION USES FOR CONSTRUCTION. FOR EXAMPLE, ELAPP WHERE WE BUY LAND AND WE CAN MAKE SOME MINIMAL IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS FENCING OR CLEANING IT UP. THERE'S NO ONE WE CAN GO TO THAT IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO TAKE MONEY BORROWED FROM BONDHOLDERS AND USE IT FOR MAINTENANCE. THAT FLIES IN THE FACE OF PUBLIC FINANCE, SO THAT WON'T CHANGE BECAUSE THE BONDHOLDERS AREN'T GOING TO LET US MAINTAIN PROPERTIES INSTEAD OF BUYING PROPERTIES. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ASSET IN RETURN FOR THOSE BONDS, SO THAT ONE I DON'T THINK IS -- CAN BE CONSIDERED PART OF THIS. IMPACT FEES I DON'T THINK CAN BE CONSIDERED PART OF THIS BECAUSE THE WHOLE RATIONALE FOR AN IMPACT FEE IS THAT THERE'S AN INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT AND WE CAN PROPORTIONATELY COLLECT THE FEES ON THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT WOULD, IN EFFECT, BE A DOUBLE CHARGE IF YOU'RE GOING TO COLLECT AN IMPACT FEE TO PAY FOR MAINTENANCE OF A RECREATION CENTER BUT THEN CHARGE THAT SAME PROPERTY PROPERTY TAXES FOR ESSENTIALLY THE SAME PURPOSE, SO THE ONLY ONE THAT I THINK IS POTENTIALLY COVERED BY THIS WOULD BE THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX, AND I KNOW THAT MANATEE COUNTY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO ASKED ABOUT THAT. I THINK THE CHALLENGE WITH THAT IS THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY PURSUE IT, BUT IN THE LONG-TERM THE WHOLE REASON FOR ALLOWING CERTAIN TYPES OF TAXES WAS TO ASSIST GOVERNMENTS IN BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE PRESUMPTION THAT WE HAD A VARIETY OF OTHER MEANS OF PAYING FOR OPERATIONS, SO IT'S WORTH PURSUING. AT THIS POINT OUR PROBLEM WITH THE CIT IS WE'VE SPENT ALL THE MONEY FOR THE BALANCE OF -- ESSENTIALLY FOR THE BALANCE OF THE LIFE OF THAT TAX, SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE VERY MUCH THAT WE CAN DO THERE. WE JUST HAD A KEY EMPLOYEE LEAVE WHO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE WHOSE JOB IT WAS TO TRACK OUR CASH FLOW BECAUSE WE ARE SO TIGHT WITH AVAILABLE CIT, SO I DON'T SEE THAT EVEN IF WE HAD LEGISLATIVE CHANGE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX AND USE IT FOR MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED WOULD ESSENTIALLY HAVE TO BE ELIMINATED TO FACILITATE THAT, AND THAT'S AN OPTION. SO THAT ONE, YOU KNOW, IS CERTAINLY ONE THAT CAN BE PURSUED. IT'S A POLICY ISSUE, AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS TO UNFUND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE CURRENTLY COMMITTED TO WITH THAT TAX IN ORDER TO FREE UP THAT REVENUE TO BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S PUBLIC POLICY, AND SINCE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LONG-TERM BONDS, WE WOULD JUST STOP USING COMMERCIAL PAPER BECAUSE WE CAN'T, AGAIN, BORROW COMMERCIAL PAPER TO PAY FOR OPERATIONS. WE WOULD JUST USE THAT MONEY AS IT COMES IN, SO THAT WOULD STILL BE COVERED, AND I ASSUME THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD PURSUE BASED ON THE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION. >>KAY DOUGHTY: DANIEL, YOU HAD SOMETHING AND THEN -- >>DANIEL BLAIR: JUST SOMETHING QUICKLY. I VAGUELY REMEMBER DURING THE INITIAL DISCUSSION WHEN THE PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR WAS HERE -- I THINK THE -- THE IDEA BEHIND THAT WAS -- I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THERE WAS A GRANT SOURCE OR WHETHER IT WAS SOME SORT OF SPECIAL TAX INCOME OR WHATEVER THAT ALLOCATED MONEY FOR NEW CREATION VERSUS MAINTENANCE, AND I THINK THE IDEA BEHIND THAT WAS IF WE CAN CREATE SOMETHING NEW IN -- OR IF WE CAN DO MAINTENANCE IN A WAY THAT IT CREATES SOMETHING NEW IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THAT, I THINK THAT WAS THE IDEA. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE SOURCE WAS. >>BEA BLACK: THE EXAMPLE THAT WAS GIVEN -- THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO TELL HIM -- WAS, SAY, FOR INSTANCE, ONE OF THE PARKS NEEDED A BOARDWALK, THAT ITS BOARDWALK WAS IN ILL REPAIR, SO THE CREATIVE IDEA WAS THAT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO REPAIR THE OLD BOARDWALK, BUILD THE NEW ONE NEXT TO IT, AND THEN, THEREFORE, IT WOULD FALL UNDER THE NEW CONSTRUCTION IDEA AND STILL BE ABLE TO -- INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GO OUT AND BUILD -- BECAUSE THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR TOLD US THAT WHEN THEY RIBBON CUTTING, THAT'S THE BEST THAT PARK'S EVER GOING TO BE, AND SO I SAID, WELL, WHY DO YOU KEEP BUILDING NEW PARKS THAT YOU CAN'T MAINTAIN? >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL -- AND I REMEMBER MARK TELLING YOU THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN JUST THE LAST MONTH OR TWO IS HE HAS A CONSTRUCTION UNIT, AND THAT CONSTRUCTION UNIT HAS BEEN BUILDING NEW THINGS, AND WHAT WE HAVE JUST CHANGED -- IN FACT, THE CHANGES WE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD AT OUR WORKSHOP A WEEK AGO WAS TO HAVE THAT CONSTRUCTION UNIT START TO DO SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE WORK BECAUSE WE DO HAVE MAINTENANCE DOLLARS AVAILABLE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN BUILDING NEW STORAGE SHEDS AS OPPOSED TO NECESSARILY USING THOSE SAME PEOPLE TO DO SOME OF THE MAINTENANCE THAT'S NEEDED ON THE BOARDWALKS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE BOARDWALKS TOO, AND LAST TIME I WENT TO UPPER TAMPA BAY, THEY HAD A SIGN THAT IT WAS THE FRIENDS OF THE PARKS THAT WERE REPLACING THE BOARDWALK, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME MAINTENANCE MONEY, SO I -- I DON'T DISCOURAGE YOU FROM DOING THIS, BUT WE DO HAVE MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR MAINTENANCE. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE -- THAT ARE ON STAFF THAT CAN DO SOME OF THIS MAINTENANCE. SOME OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO MAYBE HAVE THE STAFF NOT BUILDING, AS I SAID, NEW CONSTRUCTION AS A PRIORITY OVER USING THOSE STAFF AND THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN SOME OF OUR ASSETS. I THINK WE HAVE INTERNALLY THE ABILITY TO FIX SOME OF OUR PROBLEMS. >>BEA BLACK: THAT WAS NOT WHAT WAS CONVEYED TO US. THAT WAS THE CATALYST -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, I REMEMBER I WAS HERE WHEN MARK TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND YEAH, WE SHOULD NOT BE BUILDING A NEW BOARDWALK NEXT TO AN OLD BOARDWALK BECAUSE WE CAN USE A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE AND IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT THE OLD BOARDWALK GOES AWAY. [LAUGHTER] BUT -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: HERE COMES THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN. >>ERIC JOHNSON: BUT, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE CONCEPT HERE THAT YOU HAVE OF FINDING MORE FLEXIBILITY -- ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE DO HAVE -- I -- THIS IS A GOOD JUMPING OFF POINT, AND I'LL BE REAL BRIEF AND SHUT DOWN -- STEP AWAY, SHUT UP. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT GOVERNMENTS HAVE -- AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE -- IS WE OVER-EARMARK MONEY. WE OVERLY RESTRICT. THE STATE -- AND IT'S NOT JUST FLORIDA, IT'S PROBABLY EVERY STATE. IN ENACTING LEGISLATION THAT ESTABLISHES A NEW REVENUE SOURCE, ONE OF THE WAYS -- ONE OF THE TRADE-OFFS IN ORDER TO GAIN APPROVAL OF A NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE OR TO INCREASE A SOURCE OF REVENUE IS TO HEAVILY EARMARK HOW IT CAN BE USED, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THE STATE EXPERIENCES WHEN THEY HAVE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS IS THAT THEY HAVE DRAWN SO MANY REGULATIONS AROUND THE USE OF REVENUE THAT THEY HAVE KEY PROGRAMS THAT EVERYONE WOULD AGREE ARE HIGH PRIORITIES, BUT THEY'RE HARDPRESSED TO FIND THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY REVENUE SOURCES THAT IN ADOPTING THOSE REVENUES, A LOT OF STRINGS WERE ATTACHED, AND PART OF WHAT THIS GOES TO IS SAYING, I THINK, LET'S HAVE FEWER RESTRICTIONS, LET'S ALLOW THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS -- YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE NOT FLYING IN THE FACE OF BOND FINANCE LAWS THAT WE CAN'T CHANGE, THE BOARD OUGHT TO HAVE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY BASED ON PUBLIC INPUT TO DECIDE WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE, AND IF IT'S MAINTENANCE OVER BUILDING SOMETHING NEW, WE SHOULDN'T BE BUILDING SOMETHING NEW WHEN WE OUGHT TO BE MAINTAINING WHAT WE HAVE, AND, YOU KNOW, BUILDING NEW BOARDWALKS ONE PLACE WHEN WE HAVE BOARDWALKS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED IN OTHERS -- SO THE CONCEPT HERE IS GOOD, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A BOARD POLICY THAT ENCOURAGES THEM NOT TO EARMARK FUNDS. THEY ADOPTED IT AT OUR RECOMMENDATION. BUT THE CHALLENGE THAT WE SEE IS EVERY TIME THAT THE BOARD IS APPROACHED WITH A NEW REVENUE SOURCE, THERE'S ALSO THAT SAME CONCERN THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS -- IS GIVEN OF, WELL, LET'S PUT A LOT OF BOUNDARIES AROUND HOW THIS MONEY CAN BE SPENT, AND THE CHALLENGE WITH THAT IS IT SETS FALSE PRIORITIES. SO THIS CONCEPT IS GOOD, BUT RECOGNIZE THAT A LOT OF FUNDING SOURCES FOR PARKS AND RECREATION WE'RE NOT GOING TO INFLUENCE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THEY GO BEYOND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND IN MANY CASES BEYOND THE STATE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: DEBORAH. >>ERIC JOHNSON: AND I SAID I'D SIT DOWN, BUT UNLESS YOU HAVE A QUESTION. >>DEBORAH COPE: I MIGHT. >>ERIC JOHNSON: OKAY. >>DEBORAH COPE: I JUST WANTED TO -- I WAS LOOKING THROUGH MY NOTES FROM THAT MEETING FROM THAT DAY, AND MARK TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT FEES TO BUILD THE SKATE PARKS, WHICH I THINK, ERIC, YOU'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACT FEES AND HOW WE CAN USE THEM AND HOW WE CANNOT USE THEM, BUT HE ALSO SAID THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED TO USE CAPITAL FUNDS EVEN THOUGH THAT WILL INCREASE MAINTENANCE EXPENSES, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING HE RECOMMENDED THAT MAYBE -- OR SOMEONE ELSE DID -- I DON'T KNOW, I DIDN'T WRITE WHO SAID IT -- RECOMMENDED TO THE BOCC THAT THIS POLICY BE CHANGED, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE IN OUR RECOMMENDATION WE HAD SAID, PROVIDE FUNDS TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN EXISTING FACILITIES WHILE STOPPING THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW FACILITIES FOR WHICH THERE ARE NO FUNDS FOR MAINTENANCE, AND I THINK HE WAS IMPLYING -- AND WE TOOK IT THAT WAY ANYWAY -- THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO USE THESE FUNDS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION. EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NO WAY TO MAINTAIN THEM LATER, THEY STILL HAD TO USE THEM. CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT MAYBE. >>ERIC JOHNSON: THAT'S TRUE, BUT THE OTHER THING WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE CIT IS SPENDING MONEY BEFORE IT EVEN COMES IN BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF COMMERCIAL PAPER PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW YOU TO BORROW MONEY AT A VERY LOW INTEREST RATE, TAX EXEMPT, AND KEEP ROLLING OVER THAT DEBT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE REVENUE COMES IN TO RETIRE THE DEBT, SO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN ANY OF THE THREE CITIES IN TERMS OF ACCESSING REVENUE WELL BEFORE THE REVENUE COMES IN, SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT PRECLUDES US FROM WAITING LONGER TO SPEND CAPITAL DOLLARS. IT -- YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM IS US, AND I'LL JUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY -- AND PERHAPS MARK IS WATCHING THIS AND PERHAPS HE ISN'T, BUT JUST YESTERDAY WE HAD A REQUEST FROM PARKS AND REC TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADD A NEW CAPITAL PROJECT IN THE PARKS PROGRAM, AND MY CONCERN IS WE DON'T HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT THE MONEY WILL BE THERE WHEN HE NEEDS TO SPEND IT, BUT THIS IS THE SAME INDIVIDUAL THAT NOT TOO LONG AGO WAS DISCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT HE COULDN'T SPEND THE MONEY ON MAINTENANCE AND WAS BEING FORCED TO BRING NEW PROJECTS. WELL, THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY -- AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE A PARCEL, A LANDOWNER WANTS TO SELL SOMETHING, AND SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND MONEY ON AN ASSET THAT BASED ON HIS COMMENTS A FEW WEEKS AGO HE CAN'T AFFORD TO MAINTAIN. WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MAINTENANCE WITH THE DOLLARS ALREADY AVAILABLE, AS I'VE EXPLAINED EARLIER, BUT WE HAVE THIS CONSTANT CHALLENGE WHERE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY LET'S ACQUIRE SOMETHING BECAUSE IT'S ON THE MARKET AND IT'S AVAILABLE WHEN AT THE SAME TIME WE HAD THIS INSTINCTIVE BELIEF THAT WE'RE CHALLENGED TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE NEW FACILITIES, SO THE PROBLEM IS OURSELVES, AND IT'S A MATTER OF NOT GETTING TOO FAR AHEAD OF OURSELVES IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY TO BALANCE A GOOD DEAL VERSUS CAN WE MAINTAIN IT AND WILL THERE BE AN EXPECTATION THAT WE'LL OPERATE A FACILITY IF WE ACQUIRE IT OR A PROPERTY. >>DEBORAH COPE: ALL RIGHT. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO DO WE -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: GAYE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR ERIC? >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AFTER SHE'S DONE. >>DEBORAH COPE: I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF MAYBE -- IF WE'D ADDRESS IT NOW OR LATER IF WE NEED TO ADDRESS WHETHER WE WANT TO REWORD THIS OR REMOVE THIS RECOMMENDATION OR WHAT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, WE CAN DO IT NOW BECAUSE THAT'S THE POINT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, SO BASED ON ERIC'S COMMENTS, IS THERE A REWORDING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION? GAYE, I'M SORRY, I SAID YOU COULD -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: NO, I'M FINE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I THINK IF WE COULD PERHAPS TAKE WHAT ERIC SAID SINCE WE'RE GETTING THE TRANSCRIPTS AND LOOK AT IT THEN, NOT NOW, SO WE'RE THINKING MORE CLEARLY, AND THEN READDRESS IT IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, I'D LIKE -- I MEAN, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE TRANSCRIPT, BUT I'D LIKE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS SO THAT GETS INTO THE TRANSCRIPT AS WELL. >>BRIAN WILLIS: I WAS TRYING TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT, AND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION IS KIND OF LIMIT THE -- LIMIT NEW CAPITAL PROJECTS, AS I THINK HE PHRASED IT, NEW PARKS, NEW ACQUISITIONS UNLESS, YOU KNOW, THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET, AND THERE WOULD BE THE COUNTY HAS THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF ITS EXISTING PROJECTS, EXISTING PARKS AND RECREATION ASSETS, AND THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR WHAT IT'S ACQUIRING, TO MAINTAIN THAT, AND I THINK THE SENSE I GET FROM EVERYONE HERE IS THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM RUSHING IN AND BUILDING NEW PARKS UNLESS WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADEQUATELY MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT WE'RE ACQUIRING. >>DEBORAH COPE: RIGHT. PERFECT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT'S FINE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S GREAT. THANKS. ERIC, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO MY COMMENTS. I -- YOU MENTIONED THE LIMITS THAT THE LEGISLATURE PUTS ON FUNDING SOURCES AND THE DIFFICULTY THAT THAT ENTAILS FOR THE LEGISLATURE ITSELF OR FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND THE ONE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE THAT I REALLY LIKED WAS THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THERE WAS MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH PUBLIC INPUT ON MAKING CHANGES IN WHERE MONIES WERE ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED, AND THIS IS JUST A PERSONAL COMMENT. I AM PERSONALLY FINE WITH THAT, WITH PUBLIC INPUT. WHERE I HAVE PROBLEMS IS WHEN DECISIONS ARE MADE -- AND I KNOW GAYE AGREES WITH ME WITH THAT -- WHERE THE PUBLIC HAS NO INPUT IN IT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: ABSOLUTELY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND I'M THINKING RIGHT NOW -- AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST PERSONAL -- IS WHEN -- AND THIS ISN'T LOCAL, IT'S NOT STATE, IT'S FEDERAL -- WHEN CONGRESS APPROVED THE TROUBLED ASSET RELIEF PROGRAM, IT WAS APPROVED WITH ONE STIPULATION, WHICH HAS CHANGED LIKE SINCE TIMES SINCE THEN, AND NOBODY SEEMS TO HAVE ANY INPUT INTO IT, AND THAT TROUBLES ME AS A CITIZEN, SO, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY OWN PERSONAL COMMENT. GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: DOVETAILING ON WHAT YOU SAID, ONE WAY TO DO THAT, WE'D GO TO THE COMMISSIONERS WITH IT, HAVE THEM -- OF COURSE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS INVOLVED FIRST -- HAVE THEM BE THE ADVOCATE FOR IT. THEY CAN GET IT DONE FASTER THAN WE CAN, AND OF COURSE, WE DO HAVE OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, WHICH THEY CAN ALSO PUT THAT ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO GO TO THE STATE WITH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. AS I SAID, IT'S NOT ADDRESSING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, IT'S JUST SOMETHING BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID, AND I [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I THINK THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO DO IT. MY OTHER COMMENT WAS, ERIC, WHEN WE WORKED ON COMMUNITY PLANS, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT PARKS AND RECS COPARTNERING WITH SCHOOLS. IS THAT STILL BEING LOOKED AT? BECAUSE THEN THERE WAS SHARED MAINTENANCE AND -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: PROBABLY NOT THE BEST PERSON TO ADDRESS THAT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE ARE DOING THAT. WE ARE DOING SOME COLLOCATION OF SCHOOLS -- OR PARKS WITH SCHOOLS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE WHERE THEY'RE DOING IT? >>ERIC JOHNSON: I'M NOT THE PERSON DOING THAT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JAKE PIASCIK: IF I MAY, MA'AM. >>ERIC JOHNSON: YEAH, WE CAN GET BACK IN TERMS OF THAT. >>JAKE PIASCIK: I THINK J.C. HANDLEY PARK IS ONE THAT I KNOW OF THAT THEY ARE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE PEOPLE THAT USE IT, THE FIELD, THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT, AND THAT'S OVER IN BRANDON AREA. THAT'S THE ONLY ONE I KNOW OF. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I KNOW IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE MOST -- ESPECIALLY YOUR PARKS THAT INVOLVE SPORTS AND ATHLETICS BECAUSE MOST OF THE PARENTS WITH THEIR CHILDREN IN SCHOOL ARE VERY INVOLVED IN THAT, SO THEREFORE, IF YOU HAVE THEM COLLOCATED, YOU HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD AS WELL AS THE COUNTY AND THE PARENTS HELPING, SO I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING. >>ERIC JOHNSON: SURE, AND IT ALSO SOLVES THE PROBLEM THAT IF CHILDREN ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM AT A PARK AND IT'S NOT ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL, THE PARENTS HAVE TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET THEIR CHILDREN FROM THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO OUR PARK, SO WE SOLVED A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE COLLOCATION. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: YEAH, THAT WAS A BIG ISSUE BECAUSE IN LUTZ WE HAVE A SCHOOL NAMED MANISCALCO, AND THE PARK WAS ON SUNSET LANE. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT ISSUE? AND THE CHILDREN WERE GOING TO HAVE TO WALK FROM SUNSET ALL THE WAY TO MANISCALCO, AND SO I THINK THAT WE -- ESPECIALLY NOWADAYS WE WANT TO BE VERY SAFE WITH OUR CHILDREN, AND I THINK IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL IDEA AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE THAT, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS BEEN COOPERATIVE, HAVEN'T THEY? YOU DON'T KNOW. >>ERIC JOHNSON: I'M NOT THE PERSON TO ANSWER. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT ONE EITHER? [LAUGHTER] >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, I'LL HAVE TO BRING THE SCHOOL BOARD IN HERE. >>ERIC JOHNSON: IT SEEMS TO ME THEY PUT SCHOOLS WHERE THERE AREN'T SIDEWALKS -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I'LL INVITE THE SCHOOL BOARD. >>ERIC JOHNSON: -- AND THEN WE'RE STUCK WITH THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OH, I KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE. >>ERIC JOHNSON: I'M DEFINITELY NOT THE PERSON TO ANSWER THAT ONE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT A WAY FOR THE PARKS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BEA. >>BEA BLACK: AGAIN, ERIC, IF YOU CAN -- ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WERE SEEKING GRANTS, AND IF SEEMED TO ME THAT THEY WERE SEEKING GRANTS THAT WOULD TAKE THEM AWAY FROM THEIR CORE VALUES, AND ONE OF THE GRANTS WAS TO TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN OR TO DO A PRE PROGRAM OR WHATEVER, WHICH SOUNDED MORE LIKE AN ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH BY HEAD START MAYBE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ARE THEY STILL SEEKING THOSE GRANTS? >>ERIC JOHNSON: I CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT. I THINK A GENERAL ISSUE WITH GRANTS IS THAT FREQUENTLY GRANTS ENTICE US TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY DOING AS OPPOSED TO -- YOU KNOW, AS I WAS STANDING HERE THINKING ABOUT THE WHOLE ISSUE OF THE STRINGS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN A PARENT GIVES THEIR CHILD MONEY, YOU MAY GIVE YOUR CHILD MONEY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'D KIND OF LIKE TO TELL THE CHILD HOW HE OR SHE SHOULD SPEND IT, AND GRANTS HAVE BEEN SET UP THAT WAY. THE ONES THAT ARE LESS RESTRICTIVE HAVE TENDED TO GO AWAY, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THEM STILL AROUND THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO PHASE OUT YEARS AGO, BUT IN MOST CASES IT'S VERY SPECIFIC HOW WE CAN USE THE MONEY, AND WHERE THOSE GRANTS STEER US TOWARDS THINGS THAT WE HAD NOT AS A COMMUNITY PREVIOUSLY DECIDED THAT WE WOULD DO THAT, THEN WE'RE GETTING MAYBE AWAY FROM THE CORE, AND THE CHALLENGE THEN IS WHEN THE GRANT DOLLARS START TO DRY UP, DO WE RECOGNIZE THAT THOSE ARE NON-CORE ACTIVITIES THAT SHOULD GO AWAY WHEN THE FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDING GOES AWAY, AND THE CHALLENGE IS IS THAT YOU'VE BUILT A CONSTITUENCY FOR THAT GRANT PROGRAM THAT HAS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE GRANT SHOULD CONTINUE, BUT THE CHALLENGE WITH A LOT OF GRANTS -- NOW, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. WHEN WE GET STATE AID TO LIBRARIES, THAT GOES IN TO CONSTRUCTING LIBRARIES, SO THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE CAN BUILD THAT IN, AND WE HAVE BUILT LIBRARIES OVER THE YEARS WITH A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF STATE GRANTS GOING IN, BUT THERE'S TIES THAT GO TO EACH OF THOSE GRANTS AS WELL. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, MANY OF THE GRANTS BECAUSE WE OPERATE ON IT IN MY AGENCY IS THAT THEY ALWAYS SAY THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO FUND PART OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE ADDING SOMETHING NEW TO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO JUST PAY FOR SUSTAINABILITY OF SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE. >>ERIC JOHNSON: YEAH. THEY SUPPLEMENT, THEY DON'T SUPPLANT, AND TYPICALLY THERE'S A LOCAL MATCH, AND FREQUENTLY THERE'S A LIMIT AS TO OVERHEAD COSTS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO BEAR THE OVERHEAD COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A CORE PROGRAM. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AMEN. OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR PARKS, RECREATION, AND CONSERVATION, WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGING SERVICES, AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AGING SERVICES ARE TO PARTNER WITH OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS' VOLUNTEERS, TO CONDUCT A NEEDS ASSESSMENT, PURSUE MEDICAID FUNDING, PERFORM A TRANSPORTATION FEASIBILITY STUDY, AND BALANCE MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET OPERATIONS. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BEFORE AGING SERVICES RESPONDS TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS OR -- >>BEA BLACK: [INAUDIBLE] >>JAKE PIASCIK: [INAUDIBLE] >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, JUST -- IF THERE'S -- IF THERE AREN'T ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR RESPONSE. >>RAY DAVIS: GOOD MORNING. I'M RAY DAVIS. I'M STANDING IN FOR BART BANKS, OUR DIRECTOR WHO'S OUT THIS WEEK. MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU'VE MADE DO FALL IN LINE WITH INITIATIVES THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PURSUING OVER THE YEARS IN TERMS OF -- PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF VOLUNTEERS AND USING OUTSIDE AGENCIES TO HELP LOOK AT PROVIDING SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT -- AND OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS DO FALL IN LINE WITH THE DIRECTION THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS GOING. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. JAKE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING. >>JAKE PIASCIK: WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO TELL ME WHO YOU PARTNER WITH RIGHT NOW FOR YOUR TRANSPORTATION FOR YOUR AGING SERVICES? >> TRANSPORTATION IS BEING DONE BY THE COUNTY'S SUNSHINE LINE, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER ALTERNATIVES THERE MAY BE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: AND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT THAT CONTRACT ITSELF WAS LOOKED UPON, REEVALUATED? DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? >> NO, I DON'T, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE HAVE BEEN USING THE COUNTY'S SUNSHINE LINE TO TRANSPORT OUR CLIENTS TO OUR FACILITIES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. >>JAKE PIASCIK: THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME IT'S BEEN LOOKED AT BECAUSE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, IF I REMEMBER -- AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE DISCUSSED ON THE NUMBERS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY YOUR BOSS AS FAR AS HOW MANY RIDES WERE ACTUALLY GIVEN AS IT WAS BROKEN DOWN, WHAT THE NUMBERS YOU GUYS PROVIDED US WITH PER THE PERSON, HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE IN THE PROGRAM, HOW MANY RIDES ARE DONE TO DOCTORS' OFFICES, ANY AND ALL APPOINTMENTS, AND I THINK IT BROKE DOWN TO BASICALLY -- IT WAS -- >>BEA BLACK: THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO FIND MY FIGURES HERE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: I WANT TO SAY IT WAS TWO RIDES PER -- SHE'S GOING TO FIND IT JUST AS I SAY IT, AND THERE WILL BE SOMETHING WRONG. >>KAY DOUGHTY: GO ON. >>JAKE PIASCIK: BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO RIDES PER WEEK, AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THAT WAS QUITE A BIT, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS MAKING UP FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT NEEDED TO GO MORE OFTEN AS FAR AS, LIKE, FOR DIALYSIS. I KNOW THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIMES THEY HAVE TO GO PER WEEK, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET I GUESS MY HEAD WRAPPED AROUND THE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION PORTION OF THIS, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU'D BE ABLE TO SHED ANYMORE LIGHT ON THIS FOR ME. >> NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DETAILS ON THE ACTUAL SUNSHINE LINE OPERATIONS. THEY DELIVER CLIENTS TO OUR AGING SERVICES DAY CARE CENTERS AND OUR NUTRITION SITES, AND -- FOR THE ACTIVITIES THAT THOSE CLIENTS DO WHEN THEY'RE AT OUR FACILITIES. THE OTHER ACTIVITIES YOU'D HAVE TO CONTACT THE SUNSHINE LINE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: SO DO YOU ALSO -- DO THEY ALSO PROVIDE FOR DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? >> I DON'T HAVE THAT DETAIL WITH ME. MAYBE ERIC MAY KNOW SOME OF THAT INFORMATION. >>JAKE PIASCIK: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I GET TO CALL ERIC UP, SO I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED RIGHT NOW. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: COME ON DOWN. >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, MAYBE JUST ONE PIECE OF UPDATE TO YOU. SINCE YOU'VE HAD YOUR DISCUSSIONS, A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER HAS TAKEN EFFECT, AND WE'VE NOW MERGED WHAT WAS THE AGING SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES DEPARTMENT INTO A WHAT I WOULD CALL A MEGA DEPARTMENT, FAMILY AND AGING SERVICES, SO THE SUNSHINE LINE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WAS UNDER HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND AGING SERVICES ARE NOW PART OF THE SAME DEPARTMENT. YOU MAY WANT TO HAVE DAVE ROGOFF, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF THAT MERGED DEPARTMENT, TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE'S LOOKING AT THE ISSUE OF -- I THINK A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WOULD ACTUALLY BE SERVICES PROVIDED PERHAPS UNDER HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES RATHER THAN AGING SERVICES. PART OF THE MERGER IS THAT YOU HAVE IN SOME CASES THE SAME CLIENTS BEING SERVED IN DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WERE UNDER DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR THE MERGER, BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE SUNSHINE LINE VERSUS, SAY, HART THAT ALSO HAS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AVAILABLE AND WHAT THE COST DIFFERENTIAL IS, AND DAVE COULD PROBABLY ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW THE TRIPS THAT WERE BEING PROVIDED TO THE AGING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS A CLIENT COMPARE WITH OTHER TRIPS THAT MAY BE PROVIDED TO THOSE SAME CLIENTS UNDER OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS, SO -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK OUR RECOMMENDATION ACTUALLY ENCOMPASSES THAT BECAUSE WE ASKED TO EXPLORE OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO DELIVER NEEDED TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. >>ERIC JOHNSON: AND THAT'S REASONABLE. THAT SHOULD BE WHAT WE DO ANYWAY AS AN ORGANIZATION IS TO LOOK AT WHETHER WE HAVE THE BEST WAY OF DELIVERING THE SERVICE AND WHETHER WE SHOULD BE DOING IT OR WE SHOULD BE CONTRACTING IT OR USING SOME MIXED MODEL, SO -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: RIGHT. I BELIEVE IN MY NOTES HERE I HAVE ACTUALLY THE LAST TIME IT WAS LOOKED UPON WAS OVER THREE YEARS AGO, BUT WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MADAM CHAIR, IF WE COULD HAVE THAT GENTLEMAN COME AND SPEAK WITH US. >>KAY DOUGHTY: SURE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: BRANDON. THANK YOU, SIR. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. OKAY. YES, DANIEL, AND THEN GAYE. >>DANIEL BLAIR: JUST A QUICK COMMENT. I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT IS BEING DONE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE IN-HOME SERVICES -- THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITH IN-HOME SERVICES TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THE -- YOU KNOW, SOMEONE COMING TO THE HOME, TAKING -- YOU KNOW, HELPING PEOPLE WITH EITHER, YOU KNOW -- JUST BASIC -- IN BASIC NEEDS IN A SENSE, YOU KNOW, TO EXIST, AND -- I MEAN, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS SOME ISSUE AS FAR AS -- YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE COSTS AND CUTTING THAT EITHER SUBSTANTIALLY OR COMPLETELY, AND SO I WAS WONDERING IF -- YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS IN PLACE TO CONTINUE THAT. >> OKAY. THE PLANNED BUDGET DID INCLUDE A SUBSTANTIAL CUT TO THOSE DOLLARS FOR THOSE SERVICES. THOSE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN RESTORED FOR FY 11. A MAJOR PORTION OF THOSE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN RESTORED. >>DANIEL BLAIR: SO THAT PROGRAM IS -- >> WILL CONTINUE IN FY 11, YES. >>DANIEL BLAIR: OKAY. EXCELLENT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. YES, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ON THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT -- I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT'S LOOKED AT BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD REFLECT MORE ON YOUR DOLLARS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT WAS KAY THAT SAID TOTAL POPULATION OF 60-PLUS IS MISLEADING BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, AGAIN, THAT ARE 60 AND PLUS AND NOT DEPENDENT ON THIS PROGRAM, SO IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT, THEN THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO ADJUST YOUR DOLLARS BECAUSE IF YOUR DOLLARS ARE BASED ON THAT, THEN THAT'S WAY OFF. >> YEAH, OUR DOLLARS ARE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS THAT WE CAN AND WE HAVE HISTORICALLY SERVED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, AND THE NUMBER THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS SOME DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ON THE NUMBER OF SENIORS IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE OVER 60, WHICH I BELIEVE THE NUMBER IS ABOUT 208,000 SENIORS; HOWEVER, WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL CONTACTS THE -- OUR AGENCY, THEY'RE -- WITH THE REQUIREMENT THEY ARE ASSESSED ACCORDING TO A STANDARD STATE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM AND RATED IN TERMS OF THEIR LEVEL OF NEED, SO THAT'S OUR PROCESS TO DETERMINE THAT RATING, SO WE DON'T GO OUT AND ANALYZE ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT ARE OVER 60 ACCORDING TO THAT RATING SYSTEM. AND WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE IN ORDER TO BETTER REFINE THAT ASSESSMENT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: YEAH, BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE DID -- CAME TO THE CONCLUSION IT WAS A LITTLE MISLEADING. >> YES. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AND THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT STILL HAVE THEIR INDEPENDENT INSURANCE COMPANIES AND ARE INDEPENDENT. THERE'S A LOT OF 60-YEAR-OLDS OUT THERE THAT ARE JUST AS YOUTHFUL AS A 20-YEAR-OLD, SO IT DOES BECOME MISLEADING, SO I HOPE YOU'LL LOOK AT THAT. >> THAT'S PUSHING IT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WHAT? >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S PUSHING IT A LITTLE. [LAUGHTER] >>GAYE TOWNSEND: DIDN'T YOU JUST SEE THIS GRANNY, SHE'S 72 YEARS OLD AND SHE'S GOT HER BLACK BELT IN KARATE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. BEA, YOU HAD A COMMENT. >>BEA BLACK: ACTUALLY, I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAVE YOU -- WHAT PROGRESS YOU'VE MADE SINCE THIS FIRST -- YOU GUYS FIRST APPEARED REGARDING THIS ASSESSMENT AND THE EVALUATION OF YOUR DEPARTMENT. I TOOK ISSUE WITH THE FACT THAT YOU-ALL SAID THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO DETERMINE WHERE YOU WERE, AND SO NOW I'M LOOKING FOR YOU TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER ON WHERE YOU ARE WITH THAT. >> ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WE HAD FUNDS TO HAVE A CONSULTANT COME IN AND DO A STUDY, AND THEY DID AN ANALYSIS, AND THERE WAS A SECOND PHASE OF THAT TO DO A FOLLOW-UP ANALYSIS WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE FUNDS AND HAVE NOT HAD FUNDS TO PROVIDE AT THIS POINT. >>BEA BLACK: AND WHY ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FUNDS TO DETERMINE THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'RE MAKING WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT? I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW -- WHY YOU'RE THINKING THAT THE CONSULTANT IS WHAT NEEDS TO TELL YOU HOW TO MEET YOUR GOALS AND THE BENCHMARKS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT. >> RIGHT. I MISUNDERSTOOD THE QUESTION THAT YOU WERE ASKING. IF YOU'RE RELATING TO INTERNAL GOALS, WE DO THOSE ASSESSMENTS OURSELVES. WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO WAS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE IN REGARD TO USING OUTSIDE AGENCIES TO -- WITH THE FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE THAT -- FOR OUTSIDE AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PROVIDING. >>BEA BLACK: ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT OR WHAT MR. BANKS GAVE TO US? >> YES. YES. >>BEA BLACK: OKAY. >> I CAN ANSWER MOST OF THE QUESTIONS. >>BEA BLACK: OKAY. TO ME THOSE WEREN'T GOALS, THOSE WERE THINGS -- WISHES. THEY WEREN'T GOALS THAT YOU HAD TO MEASURE AND THAT YOU HAD TO MEET. >> OKAY. >>BEA BLACK: AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO CORRECT THAT? >> OKAY. IF YOU COULD RELATE THE SPECIFICS. I DON'T HAVE THE DETAILS IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW. >>BEA BLACK: YOU SAID YOU WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE CHART THAT WAS GIVEN TO US? YOU SAID YES? >> IF I COULD GET A COPY OF THAT. >>BEA BLACK: IT WAS IN REGARDS TO THE BENCHMARKING. I HAD QUESTIONED THE BENCHMARKING CATEGORIES AND HOW THOSE CATEGORIES WERE ASSESSED, AND THEY WEREN'T ASSESSED IN A WAY THAT MET WITH YOUR BUDGET, THEY WERE JUST KIND OF -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK THE TERM THAT WAS USED LAST MONTH, "ASPIRATIONAL." >>BEA BLACK: ASPIRATIONS. THEY WERE ASPIRATIONS, THEY WEREN'T MEASURABLE GOALS THAT COINCIDED WITH YOUR BUDGET, SO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU AND SO YOU CAN REPORT BACK TO YOUR DIRECTOR, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE -- THE CRUX OF THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TO ASSESS -- FOR YOU TO HAVE MEASURABLE GOALS -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND THAT'S THE LAST RECOMMENDATION THAT SAYS, BALANCE, MANAGE, AND BUDGET OPERATIONS, REALIGN DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND CORRELATE GOALS AND MEASURABLES WITH BUDGET DECISIONS. >>BEA BLACK: NO, AND I THINK MAYBE I MIGHT HAVE GIVEN MY COPY TO -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK BRANDON IS LOOKING FOR IT. >>BEA BLACK: OH, IS HE? OKAY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: DOESN'T IT SAY SOMETHING IN HERE? >>KAY DOUGHTY: I DON'T THINK SO. >>BEA BLACK: HERE IT IS, HERE IT IS, HERE IT IS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: [INAUDIBLE] IT'S ON CONDUCT A NEED ASSESSMENT. >>BEA BLACK: THERE WAS A COUPLE OF ONES THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME IN THIS CHART. NOW, THIS IS THE CHART I'M TALKING ABOUT. >> OKAY. >>BEA BLACK: IT'S -- YOU CALLED IT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF AGING RECOMMENDED QUALITY-OF-LIFE MEASURES. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT NOW? >> I'D HAVE TO SEE THAT. IF I CAN GET A COPY OF THAT, I CAN MAYBE REFER TO IT. >>BEA BLACK: OKAY. BRANDON'S -- LET ME -- SOME OF THE ITEMS ARE -- FIRST OF ALL, THERE WAS THINGS LIKE -- YOUR ACTIONS WERE LIKE IMPROVE BY 5% EVERY THREE YEARS. HOW ARE YOU MEASURING THAT? AND THAT'S NOT WHAT'S CLEAR ON HERE, AND I DIDN'T GET THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU-ALL WERE MEASURING THAT KIND OF THING TO KNOW. SOME OF THE -- SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAD HERE WERE THAT YOU SURVEYED THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WERE SERVICING. SO -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: BEA, WHY DON'T WE ASK THAT AGING SERVICES COME BACK AND RESPOND SPECIFICALLY TO THESE BECAUSE IT'S TAKING -- I BELIEVE IT'S TAKING US AWAY FROM JUST THE RECOMMENDATIONS THEMSELVES. >>BEA BLACK: OKAY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? >>BEA BLACK: SURE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BECAUSE THEN WE CAN HAVE MR. BANKS HERE, AND HE CAN SPEND SOME TIME WITH US AND WE CAN GO OVER THE SPECIFICS. >>BEA BLACK: I WAS JUST ASKING HIM BECAUSE HE MADE THE STATEMENT THAT THE -- OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE ALREADY THINGS THAT THEY WERE DOING IN PLACE, SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO GET HIM TO TELL ME WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY DONE OR WHERE THEY'RE MOVING FOR, AND APPARENTLY HE CAN'T TELL ME. >> WELL, JUST IF I CAN, TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION THAT I BELIEVE YOU'RE ASKING IS THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE MEASURES THAT ARE ON THIS REPORT, YOU'RE LOOKING TO RELATE THE PERFORMANCE AND THE QUALITY MEASURES TO OUR -- THE FINANCING AND THE FUNDING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT? >>BEA BLACK: WELL, HOW ELSE WOULD YOU MEASURE YOUR QUALITY? >> RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND. >>BEA BLACK: OKAY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: I JUST HAD A SIDE COMMENT HERE THAT -- IF YOU'LL RELAY TO MR. BANKS THAT WE'D ALSO LIKE AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION FEASIBILITY. >> DEFINITELY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF THERE -- DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. I -- ACTUALLY, I DO HAVE ONE, WHICH I THOUGHT OF, AND THEN AS I WAS LISTENING TO BEA, IT WENT OUT OF MY MIND. ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO PURSUE MEDICAID FUNDING, AND THAT WAS MINE, AND WITH THE CHANGES IN THE NATIONAL -- WITH THE NATIONAL HEALTH CARE REFORM, THERE ARE MANY MORE THINGS THAT ARE BEING COVERED, AND THERE'S LOTS OF INFORMATION COMING OUT THROUGH WEBINARS AND -- IN FACT, I'M ON ONE ALMOST EVERY DAY, AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT SINCE YOU'RE DOING SO MANY IN-HOME SERVICES THAT MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY MAY BE THERAPEUTIC SERVICES THAT COULD QUALIFY FOR REIMBURSEMENT, SO I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT. >> DEFINITELY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BECAUSE BY 2014 THERE'S GOING TO BE MAJOR CHANGES IN PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING EVERYBODY DOES, SO THANK YOU. >> OKAY. >>JAKE PIASCIK: I DO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I APOLOGIZE IF -- YOU'RE NOT THE TARGET OF ANYTHING, AND I DO APOLOGIZE IF WE'RE COMING OFF HARSH ON YOU, AND I HOPE MR. BANKS ISN'T OFF ON VACATION AND SENT YOU UP HERE, BUT IF YOU COULD RELAY THIS INFORMATION, AS THE CHAIRWOMAN STATED, WE'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: HE MAY ALSO REVIEW THE TRANSCRIPTS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. NEXT IS PLANNING -- PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT. THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE ARE DELINEATE SERVICES FOR A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, CONTINUE A FEE STUDY FOR COST RECOVERY, AND MODIFY STAFFING MEASUREMENTS. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OR FOR CHANGES IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS? YES, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: IT'S JUST -- THANK YOU FOR COMING. IT'S JUST A COMMENT. LIKE I TOLD YOU BEFORE WHEN YOU'VE COME, CITIZENS AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT CAN BE VERY COMBATIVE, AND I'VE BEEN ON THERE TOO, BUT YOU'VE CHANGED SOME THINGS AS FAR AS TRYING TO REACH OUT AND WORK WITH THE CITIZENS. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU, WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT TAKE PLANNERS AWAY THAT WILL WORK WITH THE CITIZENS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU HAVE -- AND WITH OUR BILL OF RIGHTS THAT COMMISSIONER CHILLURA DID WITH THE DIFFERENT ASSOCIATIONS, I THINK WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NO RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM INVOLVING THE CITIZENS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES, JAKE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: THANK YOU, MA'AM. SIR, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING BACK OUT. COULD YOU TELL ME -- BECAUSE I REMEMBER LAST TIME WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING SEVERAL ISSUES, BUT COULD YOU TELL ME HOW MANY ACTUALLY OFFICES FALL UNDERNEATH YOU, REPORT BACK TO YOU? >>PETER ALUOTTO: OH, JUST TO ME? >>JAKE PIASCIK: TO YOU. YOU'RE THE HEAD OF THE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT; CORRECT? >>PETER ALUOTTO: YES. >>JAKE PIASCIK: OKAY. AND HOW MANY BRANCHES FALL OUT UNDERNEATH -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: I HAVE FOUR DIVISIONS, THREE -- FOUR DIVISIONS, THREE -- IS THIS ON? >>JAKE PIASCIK: YEAH, YOU'RE ON. >>PETER ALUOTTO: FOUR DIVISIONS AND THREE DIVISION DIRECTORS, AND THEN -- AND THE ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE A DIRECTOR, I HAVE FOUR DIRECT REPORTS, SO SEVEN. >>JAKE PIASCIK: YOU HAVE SEVEN TOTAL -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: SEVEN. >>KAY DOUGHTY: REPORT DIRECTLY -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: -- THAT REPORT DIRECTLY TO YOU? SO UNDER OUR MODIFYING STAFF MEASUREMENTS, AS THE ACTING INTERIM DIRECTOR, MR. MERRILL HAS COMPLETED WITH A LOT OF THE BACK-OFFICE STAFFING BEING CONSOLIDATED. WOULD THAT BE ABLE TO BE USED IN YOUR -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: YES. THE CURRENT -- THE CURRENT PLAN IS TO MERGE THE BACK-OFFICE OPERATIONS OF THE REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, AND PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT, AND IT'S BEING STAGED. THE FIRST TWO MERGERS OF THOSE GROUPS ARE GOING TO OCCUR BETWEEN PUBLIC WORKS AND REAL ESTATE, AND THEN SOMETIME SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT WILL BE ROLLED IN. >>JAKE PIASCIK: DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE WITH THIS ALREADY SET? >>PETER ALUOTTO: THE FIRST -- THE FIRST CONSOLIDATION WILL BE WITHIN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, AND THEN I'M GUESSING WITHIN THE NEXT -- OR PERHAPS NINE MONTHS WHEN YOU FIGURE THE FISCAL YEAR. I'D SAY PROBABLY IN A YEAR, YOU KNOW, 12 TO 18 MONTHS. >>JAKE PIASCIK: 12 TO 18 MONTHS ALL THIS WILL BE -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: THE BACK-OFFICE OPERATIONS WILL BE CONSOLIDATED. >>JAKE PIASCIK: ONE COHERENT, SOLID UNIT? >>PETER ALUOTTO: YEP. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AGAIN, MR. MERRILL, WHEN HE SPOKE TO US FIRST, TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE'S SIGNIFICANT PLANNING THAT MUST GO ON BEFORE BECAUSE, I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH ALL OF THESE DEPARTMENTS WORK WITHIN THE COUNTY, THERE ARE STILL DIFFERENT CULTURES WITHIN EACH DEPARTMENT IN HOW THEY DO THEIR BUSINESS, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO EFFECT, AND AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING PERSONALLY BECAUSE MY AGENCY HAS JUST LITERALLY MOVED PEOPLE. WE ARE -- DO HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ORGANIZATION WITH ANOTHER AGENCY IN PINELLAS COUNTY, AND WE SPENT A YEAR IN PLANNING, AND LITERALLY THREE WEEKS AGO WE COLLOCATED STAFF, SO WE'RE STILL IN THE BABY STEPS OF ACTUALLY THE IMPLEMENTATION. SO I THINK YOUR PROJECTION OF A YEAR TO 18 MONTHS IS PROBABLY PRETTY ACCURATE FROM WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. >>JAKE PIASCIK: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING WITH THIS -- SIR, DOES THIS -- HOW DO YOU SEE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS? >>PETER ALUOTTO: NO, I THINK THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FINE. WE CERTAINLY WILL TAKE THEM TO HEART. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ONE THING PERHAPS BECAUSE I MAY HAVE CREATED A WRONG IMPRESSION THE LAST TIME WHEN I WAS SHOWING ALL THE HISTORICAL DATA. WE DON'T BENCHMARK TILL 2007. YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST PRESENTING SOME HISTORICAL DATA. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET WHERE IT HAS MATRIX OF SERVICES AND THEN PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, ALL OUR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ARE GEARED TO THE UNITS OF WORK THAT A PERSON CAN DO. FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR BUILDING INSPECTIONS, WE'VE DETERMINED ON AVERAGE A BUILDING INSPECTOR CAN DO 17 INSPECTIONS PER DAY, ALLOWING TIME TO DO THE INSPECTION, TRAVEL TO THE NEXT ONE, WRITE THE REPORT, SO WE USE THAT AS THE BENCHMARK BASED UPON OUR WORKLOAD. HOW MANY INSPECTIONS PER DAY, YOU KNOW, TELLS US HOW MANY INSPECTORS WE NEED. LIKEWISE, IN ZONING, YOU KNOW, WE DO SO MANY CASES. IT TAKES SO MANY PERSONS PER CASE, AND SO WE BASE OUR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ON THE ACTUAL UNIT OF WORK AND NOT THE YEAR. PERHAPS I WAS BEING A BIT DRAMATIC WHEN I SHOWED ALL THAT HISTORICAL DATA. >>JAKE PIASCIK: OH, I UNDERSTAND THAT. >>PETER ALUOTTO: WE DON'T BENCHMARK TO THE YEAR SIMPLY BECAUSE REAL ESTATE IS VERY CYCLICAL, GOES UP AND DOWN, AND -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: RIGHT. THAT LEADS ME RIGHT INTO MY NEXT QUESTION SINCE THE HOUSING HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. YOUR INSPECTORS THAT ARE GOING OUT THERE, HAS THEIR WORKLOAD DECREASED? >>PETER ALUOTTO: ACTUALLY, NO. IN THE -- IN RECENT MONTHS IT HAS ACTUALLY GONE UP. VERY OFTEN WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS PEOPLE INSTEAD OF MOVING WILL UPGRADE THEIR EXISTING HOMES, SO PEOPLE INSTEAD OF MOVING WILL ADD ADDITIONS, THEY'LL PUT IN CARPORTS, YOU KNOW, POOLS, SCREENED ROOMS, SO THOSE ACTIVITIES ARE STILL CONTINUING. NONETHELESS, THE NUMBER OF NEW HOMES HAS ACTUALLY GONE UP SLIGHTLY. I WOULDN'T CALL IT A, YOU KNOW, GROUNDSWELL, BUT IT HAS GONE UP OVER OUR LOWEST PERIOD. I THINK I MAY HAVE SAID IN OUR LAST -- MY LAST VISIT THAT WE HAD SOME MONTHS WHERE WE WERE IN DOUBLE DIGITS, YOU KNOW, PER MONTH IN TERMS OF ISSUING PERMITS, LESS THAN A HUNDRED. NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UP INTO THREE DIGITS. WE'RE UP ABOUT 125 A MONTH, AND SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT TREND, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY -- WE'RE IN THE BLACK. WE'RE IN THE BLACK AS FAR AS OUR PERMITTING AND OUR REVENUES. >>JAKE PIASCIK: AND MY LAST QUESTION -- AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, MADAM CHAIR -- THE VERY FIRST ONE, SIR, AS FAR AS SERVICES FOR COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, YOU'VE READ THAT? >>PETER ALUOTTO: YES, SIR. >>JAKE PIASCIK: AND DO YOU AGREE -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: I HAVE NO PROBLEM. >>JAKE PIASCIK: -- AND YOU HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THAT? >>PETER ALUOTTO: NO PROBLEM WITH IT. WE -- IF YOU LOOK AT OUR MONTHLY REPORTS AND OUR ANNUAL REPORTS, YOU KNOW, WE MEASURE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING, AND THIS WOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BEA, YOU HAD A COMMENT? >>BEA BLACK: YES. WHO DO YOU BENCHMARK WITH? >>PETER ALUOTTO: WELL, WE DON'T BENCHMARK TO ANOTHER CITY, WE JUST BENCHMARK AGAINST WHAT -- WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONSULTANTS, MAXIMUS, COME IN AND DO AUDITS, PERFORMANCE AUDITS ON WHAT IT TAKES TO DO A PARTICULAR FUNCTION. WE DID THAT SO THAT WE CAN BASE OUR FEES -- TO CHARGE OUR FEES, WHAT OUR COST IS, AND SO BASED ON THAT -- AND THEY USE -- THEY USE NATIONAL DATA FROM -- THEY HAVE EXTENSIVE - - THEY DO A NUMBER OF CITIES, AND SO WE -- WE GO AGAINST THE CONSULTANT'S REPORT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR TAKING THE TIME. >>PETER ALUOTTO: THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THE LAST RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE IS FOR THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH WHICH THE COUNTY CONTRACTS, AND OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO EVALUATE NONPROFITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR MISSION. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ABOUT THAT? I THINK WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAT A LOT, SO -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: [INAUDIBLE] >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY THAT'S RAISED A HAND, SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL WITH THE ONE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO AMEND BASED ON BRIAN'S LANGUAGE. YES, DEBORAH. >>DEBORAH COPE: I MOVE TO APPROVE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: I WILL SECOND THAT AS LONG AS WE DO HAVE THE -- MR. BANKS IS WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, MA'AM? >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: COMING BACK? >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE MR. BANKS WILL COME BACK. THIS IS FOR OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THERE WAS THE ONE THAT WE CHANGED BASED ON THE DISCUSSION WE HAD WITH ERIC. >>JAKE PIASCIK: WHICH WAS GREAT, YES, MA'AM, AND I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? >>GAYE TOWNSEND: IS IT -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: IS THAT THE ENTIRE PACKAGE HERE WE'RE DOING? >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OKAY. MY ONLY COMMENT IS I THINK EVERYTHING'S WONDERFUL, BUT I COULDN'T AGREE ON THE OUTSOURCING FOR AFTERSCHOOL CARE, SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE NO. [LAUGHTER] >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. I'M SORRY, I -- YOUR VOICE TRAILED OFF AND I ONLY HEARD YOU SAY -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: MY MICROPHONE'S WAY DOWN THE STREET. THIS IS ALL WONDERFUL AND I AGREE WITH IT ALL EXCEPT I CAN'T AGREE ON THE OUTSOURCING FOR AFTERSCHOOL, SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE NO BECAUSE THAT'S MY ONLY ISSUE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. THANK YOU. DEBORAH. >>DEBORAH COPE: I GUESS THE QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW WE INTEND TO ROLL THIS OUT. ARE WE GOING TO -- ARE YOU GOING TO PRESENT THIS DURING THE MEETING AT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SO YOU'RE THERE TO EXPLAIN IT AS CHAIR OR IS THAT WHAT THE INTENT IS FOR US TO DO? OR JUST KIND OF SHIP IT OFF TO THEM AND -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, I -- BRANDON HAS REQUESTED FOR ME TO GO BEFORE THE BOARD ON THE 18th. I CANNOT GO ON THE 4th BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE IN ORLANDO. I'M MAKING A PRESENTATION. AND IT'S A DISCUSSION WE CAN HAVE AFTER WE APPROVE IT AS TO HOW WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IT. I MEAN, I THOUGHT WE HAD AGREED LAST MONTH THAT WE WERE GOING TO SEND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MR. MERRILL, BUT, I MEAN, I -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AND THAT EVERYONE COULD ATTEND THE BOARD MEETING. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY SOMEHOW THAT THAT'S WHY I VOTED NO. I'M NOT VOTING NO ON ALL OF IT, JUST THAT ONE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S FINE. SO LET'S VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS HOW. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: BRANDON, CAN YOU CLARIFY MY NO VOTE? >>BRANDON WAGNER: YES, MA'AM. I'LL MAKE A NOTE IN THE MINUTES THAT YOUR NO VOTE WAS PERTAINING TO THAT PART OF THE REPORT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU. THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: NO. >>KAY DOUGHTY: GAYE. OKAY. NOW TO HOW. THERE -- WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SEND IT WITH A COVER LETTER TO THE BOARD AND TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, WE CAN SEND A LETTER -- I MEAN, I -- AND DEBORAH, CORRECT ME, WE CAN SEND A LETTER TO THE BOARD SAYING THAT WE HAVE FINALIZED THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY WILL BE PRESENTED TO YOU AT THE AUGUST 18th MEETING AND COPIES TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. AND IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER OPTIONS -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: I WOULD -- I AGREE WITH THAT, MA'AM, BUT I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT WE ATTEND THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING TO BE THERE IN CASE THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S FINE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: -- ASKED, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM BEING THERE WITH WHOEVER OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO JOIN ME THAT WILL BUY ME LUNCH. [LAUGHTER] >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I THOUGHT YOU WERE BUYING LUNCH. YOU'RE A BIG BOY. [INAUDIBLE] >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, I CAN TELL YOU SINCE I GO TO THE MICROPHONE, I'M NOT BUYING LUNCH, SO -- BUT YES, I WOULD APPRECIATE HAVING YOU THERE SO IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS -- AND I MEAN, PERHAPS IT'S AN ITEM THAT WAS DEBORAH'S THAT SHE COULD SPEAK TO. >>DON CORYELL: DOES IT HAVE TO BE THERE AT A CERTAIN TIME IN ORDER TO GET ON THE AGENDA? ISN'T THERE -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: I'VE ASKED FOR TIME CERTAIN -- >>DON CORYELL: OKAY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: -- BECAUSE I DID THIS ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO WHEN THEY HAD ME ON THE AGENDA AND I SAT FOR THREE AND A HALF HOURS, AND I WROTE A NICE LETTER OF COMPLAINT AND SAID, I'M SORRY, BUT I HAVE A JOB AND I WOULD APPRECIATE A TIME CERTAIN. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, BECAUSE IF THEY DO HAVE A QUESTION AND I HAVE TO CLARIFY MY NO VOTE, I'D LIKE TO BE THERE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S FINE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AND WHEN IS THAT NOW? >> WHEN IS THAT DATE, YEAH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: 18th -- >> OF AUGUST? >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WHAT TIME? >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND WE DON'T KNOW YET. I ASKED FOR LATE MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON OR ACTUALLY AFTERNOON, BUT -- AND THAT'S JUST FOR MY PERSONAL -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AFTERNOON SEEMS -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: BUT ANYWAY, WHEN I WENT BEFORE, THEY USUALLY HAD IT AS THE FIRST ITEM IN THE AFTERNOON, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH. >> MORNINGS ARE USUALLY PRETTY PACKED. >>DEBORAH COPE: YEAH, PUBLIC COMMENT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AND WE HAVE TO GET JAKE'S LUNCH, SO WE NEED TO GO BEFORE. >>DON CORYELL: WHAT DAY IS THE PRIMARY? >> PRIMARY IS THE 24th. >> AUGUST 24th. >>DON CORYELL: OKAY. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>KAY DOUGHTY: WONDER WHY. [LAUGHTER] SO ARE WE AGREED THAT I'LL COMPOSE A LETTER THAT WILL GO TO THE BOARD INDICATING THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL COME TO THE BOARD ON THE 18th? >> ABSOLUTELY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. I'M SEEING EVERYBODY'S HEAD SHAKE, SO THAT'S GREAT, AND AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE TIME, BRANDON WILL SEND IT OUT SO YOU- ALL HAVE IT ON YOUR CALENDAR. OKAY. BEFORE WE GO ON, AND MARY -- WELL, ACTUALLY, MARY HELEN, SINCE YOU'RE HERE, WHY DON'T YOU COME FORWARD, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THESE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT WE WERE ASKED TO LOOK AT. YES. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: GOOD MORNING. MARY HELEN FARRIS WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. BRANDON ASKED ME TO COME AND GIVE A LITTLE REFRESHER ON THE SUNSHINE LAW. I KNOW, GAYE, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ME DO THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, BUT IT DOESN'T HURT TO GET THE REFRESHER, AND CERTAINLY AS I GO THROUGH THIS, IT'LL ONLY TAKE A FEW MINUTES, LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. FLORIDA, AS YOU MAY KNOW, LEADS THE NATION IN ITS OPEN GOVERNMENT LAWS, BOTH SUNSHINE, AS WE CALL IT -- AND THAT'S THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW -- AND PUBLIC RECORDS, AND THOSE ARE YOUR PUBLIC DOCUMENTS LAW. AND BASICALLY THE WORDING OF THE STATUTE IS THAT ALL MEETINGS OF ANY BOARD, COMMISSION OF ANY STATE AGENCY, COUNTY, MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, AT WHICH OFFICIAL ACTS ARE TO BE TAKEN ARE DECLARED TO BE PUBLIC AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT ALL TIMES, AND NO ACTION THAT'S TAKEN SHALL BE CONSIDERED BINDING UNLESS IT'S TAKEN AT SUCH PUBLIC MEETING, AND THEN THE STATUTE GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE BOARD OR COMMISSION MUST PROVIDE REASONABLE NOTICE. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS JUST TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND GO THROUGH EACH OF THE ELEMENTS SO I CAN EXPLAIN HOW THE JUDICIARY AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS SEEN EACH OF THESE ELEMENTS. NOW, THE FIRST THING IS A MEETING, AND OBVIOUSLY A MEETING SUCH AS THIS, A FORMALLY CALLED MEETING, IS SUBJECT TO THE SUNSHINE LAW, BUT A MEETING IS DEFINED AS ANY TIME TWO MEMBERS OF A BOARD OR COMMISSION DISCUSS ANYTHING THAT MIGHT COME BACK BEFORE THAT BOARD FOR ACTION, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN TWO MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, E-MAILS. IN THE DAY AND AGE OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE NOW, WE'VE GOT TWITTER AND FACE BOOKS AND IMs, AND -- THE COURTS AND THE AG'S OFFICE HASN'T REALLY CAUGHT UP YET WITH HOW THAT INTERFACES WITH OPEN MEETINGS LAW, BUT NO MATTER WHAT MEDIUM YOU USE TO COMMUNICATE, YOU CANNOT DISCUSS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK TO THIS BOARD FOR ACTION, AND THIS -- THIS COMMITTEE IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT HAS SUCH A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME BEFORE IT. IT'S HARD TO TELL AND ANTICIPATE BECAUSE THE COMMISSIONERS REALLY RELY ON YOU FOR ACROSS-THE-BOARD ISSUES, SO I WOULD JUST CAUTION YOU THAT YOU NOT HAVE ANY CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN YOURSELF. THERE'S ALSO THE USE OF A LIAISON. IF YOU USE A STAFF MEMBER TO SAY, WELL, GO TELL, YOU KNOW, THAT COMMITTEE MEMBER I'LL VOTE FOR A WAY IF YOU'LL VOTE, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS SEEM KIND OF OBVIOUS. BUT THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT, IT ALSO APPLIES TO SUBCOMMITTEES, AND SO IF YOU -- IN DOING YOUR WORK, SOMETIMES TO GET A BIG JOB DONE, IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO FORM A SUBCOMMITTEE. THAT WOULD ALSO BE SUBJECT TO THE SUNSHINE LAW. THE REASONABLE NOTICE REQUIRED, SINCE YOU HAVE BRANDON, HE TAKES CARE OF YOUR NOTICING, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A FEW POINTS, IT'S BASICALLY THE DATE, THE TIME, THE PLACE, THE SUBJECT MATTER TO BE DISCUSSED. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO POST AN AGENDA. THAT'S A QUESTION I GET QUITE OFTEN. YOU CAN DISCUSS THINGS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA. SOMETIMES IF THERE'S A BIG ISSUE THAT WOULD GENERATE A LOT OF PUBLIC INTEREST, IT'S OFTEN OBVIOUSLY BETTER TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, PLENTY OF NOTICE FOR THAT. AND I GET ASKED, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE LEAST AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, CAN WE DO IT -- AND 24 HOURS IS KIND OF A BENCHMARK, BUT THE STATUTE SAYS REASONABLE, AND OF COURSE, PEOPLE HATE IT WHEN THE LAWYER SAYS WHAT'S REASONABLE, WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. ONE GOOD EXAMPLE IS SEPTEMBER 11th, THE BOARD MET WITH ABOUT 45 MINUTES NOTICE. OBVIOUSLY, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT WAS REASONABLE. SO YOU JUST -- YOU HAVE TO JUST DEPEND ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT, YOU KNOW, BRANDON WILL TAKE CARE OF THE NOTICE. AND I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS LIKE FIELD TRIPS. WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST. THERE'S A WAY TO PROVIDE NOTICE, TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE CAPACITY FOR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO COME ALONG. GENERALLY SPEAKING, YOU -- IT'S BETTER TO WAIT UNTIL YOU COME BACK HERE TO DO YOUR DELIBERATIONS JUST BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO DO THAT, BUT THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE IF YOU WANT TO DO A FIELD TRIP THAT THAT WOULD COMPLY WITH THE SUNSHINE LAW ITSELF. >>KAY DOUGHTY: MARY HELEN, JUST -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: SURE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: -- BEFORE YOU GO ON TO THE NEXT SECTION, MEETINGS DO NOT HAVE TO BE HELD ON COUNTY PROPERTY? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: CORRECT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THEY CAN BE HELD AT ANY LOCATION AS LONG AS THERE'S NOTICE GIVEN? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: AND I'M GOING RIGHT INTO THAT NOW. THE PART OF THE STATUTE THAT SAYS, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT ALL TIMES, AND THE MEETING FACILITY, CERTAINLY IN THIS BUILDING IT'S A PUBLIC BUILDING, BUT YOU CAN ALSO HAVE MEETINGS, AS KAY SAID, AS LONG AS IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS FROWNED UPON LUNCHEON MEETINGS WHERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY FEEL UNEASY OR THE CHILLING EFFECT FOR THEM TO GO IN, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE A LUNCH OR, YOU KNOW -- SO THOSE ARE DISCOURAGED. MEETINGS IN A PRIVATE LAW FIRM WHERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD BE SCREENED, ASKED FOR AN I.D., MADE TO SIGN IN, ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE DISCOURAGED, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, AS LONG AS IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. THAT PHRASE ALSO WOULD PROHIBIT SECRET VOTING, SECRET BALLOTS, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, AND THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS IS THAT THE PUBLIC CAN BE THERE AND HEAR. I GET ASKED ALSO WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN -- A MEMBER CAN PHONE IN, AND THE BASIC RULE THERE IS AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A FISCAL QUORUM PRESENT, A MEMBER CAN PHONE IN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER SYLVIA KIMBELL YEARS AND YEARS BACK JOINED THE BOARD MEETINGS VIA VIDEO. COMMISSIONER STORMS DID THAT FOR A WHILE, SHE WOULD PHONE IN, AND AS LONG AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMITTEE CAN HEAR THE PERSON PHONING IN AND THE PERSON PHONING IN CAN HEAR -- AND WITH TECHNOLOGY TODAY, WITH VIDEO CONFERENCING, THAT'S NOT DIFFICULT, IT'S EASY TO ACHIEVE, BUT YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FISCAL QUORUM. YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE A TOTAL PHONE BANK. THE STATE HAS BEEN LENIENT NOW ON SOME STATE COMMITTEES WHERE THERE'S MEMBERS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTIES FROM ACROSS THE STATE AND HAS ALLOWED THEM SOME LEEWAY TO DO IT, EITHER VIA INTERNET, BUT THAT'S REALLY AS FAR AS IT'S GONE SO FAR. IT HAS NOT GOTTEN DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL. THE REQUIREMENT FOR WRITTEN MINUTES, QUITE OFTEN MEETINGS ARE TAPED FOR THE EASE OF MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS CAPTURED, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE WRITTEN MINUTES, YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP THE TAPE, AND OF COURSE, WRITTEN MINUTES ARE PUBLIC RECORD. I GET ASKED, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE TAPE? WELL, ONCE YOU GET THE MINUTES, THEN YOU CAN USE THE TAPE AGAIN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP BOTH BECAUSE THE MINUTES WOULD THEN BECOME THE ORIGINAL RECORD THAT IS KEPT AS A PUBLIC RECORD. AND IT -- THE MINUTES DO NOT HAVE TO BE VERBATIM. OBVIOUSLY THE MORE DETAILED, THE BETTER RECORD THAT YOU HAVE. FOR INSTANCE, WHAT -- GAYE'S VOTE AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO PUT IN THE MINUTES BECAUSE SOMEBODY THAT DIDN'T HEAR THE MEETING THAT WANTS TO GO BACK AND READ REALLY CAN UNDERSTAND THE THOUGHT PROCESS, THE REASONINGS BEHIND WHAT ACTION THE COMMITTEE TOOK, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT A GOOD STAFF PERSON HERE THAT DOES YOUR MINUTES, AND OF COURSE, HE KEEPS ALL OF YOUR RECORDS TOO AND YOUR DOCUMENTS THAT ARE HANDED OUT AS EXHIBITS ARE ALL THEN PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD AS WELL. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? YES. >>DEBORAH COPE: I HAVE A QUESTION. HOW -- HOW IS -- HOW ARE VIOLATIONS HANDLED? LIKE IF SOMEBODY SUSPECTS THAT THERE'S BEEN A VIOLATION OF SUNSHINE LAW, WHAT IS -- WHAT CAN THEY DO? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: THE FORUM TO GO TO IS THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND LET ME SPEAK TO THAT FOR A MINUTE. THE WAY THE STATUTE READS, AS I SAID, AND NO FORMAL ACTION SHALL BE CONSIDERED BINDING, TYPICALLY IF THERE'S A MISTAKE THAT'S MADE, THEN WHATEVER ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE BODY IS NULL AND VOID AND YOU'D HAVE TO REDO IT. THERE HAS BEEN SOME, THOUGH. W.D. CHILDERS IS AN EXAMPLE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT CASE UP IN THE PANHANDLE WHERE THERE'S AN INTENTIONAL VIOLATION. THAT CAN HAVE SOME CRIMINAL COMPONENT TO IT, BUT THE PROPER THING TO DO WOULD BE TO GO TO THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN LOOK INTO IT. YOU CAN ALSO -- THERE'S MANY, MANY LAWSUITS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED WHERE THERE'S -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S A VIOLATION OF THE SUNSHINE LAW, AND AGAIN, BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WHATEVER ACTION WAS TAKEN IS UNDONE BECAUSE IT WAS DONE IN VIOLATION OF THE SUNSHINE LAW. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES. >> HOW IS NOTICE GIVEN? IS THERE ANY REQUIREMENT FOR WHERE IT'S POSTED OR ANYTHING? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: AGAIN YOU GET BACK TO THE REASONABLE THE WAY THE COUNTY DOES IT, WE -- NOW -- AND THIS IS JUST - - I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE SUNSHINE LAW. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S STATUTES FOR LAND USE, FOR INSTANCE, WHERE THE STATUTE WOULD REQUIRE PUBLICATION IN A NEWSPAPER. THE SUNSHINE LAW ITSELF DOES NOT, SO THERE MAY BE CERTAIN TYPES OF MEETINGS THERE'S OTHER STATUTES THAT REQUIRE PUBLICATION IN NEWSPAPER, BUT WE HAVE ON-LINE, WE'VE GOT -- LORI HUDSON IN COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT SENDS OUT PRESS RELEASES. YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT -- IT'S EASY TO FIND THE INFORMATION. I'M NOT SURE IF BRANDON WANTS TO ADD ANYMORE DETAILS TO WHAT HE DOES SPECIFICALLY, BUT IT'S A MULTITIERED APPROACH TO GET AS MUCH NOTICE OUT TO THE PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE, AND IT ALSO HELPS THAT YOU HAVE -- YOU MEET ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE SO THAT PEOPLE THAT FOLLOW THIS GROUP AND WANTS TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH CAN KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TYPICALLY WILL HAVE YOUR MEETINGS. >>BRIAN WILLIS: BUT THE STATUTE DOESN'T TYPICALLY DEFINE HOW NOTICE HAS TO BE GIVEN? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: NO. AGAIN, IT JUST LEAVES IT WITH REASONABLE, WHICH IS GOOD IN A WAY BECAUSE SITUATIONS VARY, AND OFTEN THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO REACT QUICKLY TO THINGS THAT HAPPEN, BUT AS LONG AS -- AND MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN MOST OF THE COMMITTEES AND BOARDS AND COUNCILS IN THE COUNTY, THEY WANT AS MUCH PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AS THEY CAN GET AND WELCOME IT, AND THAT'S GOOD FOR THE WHOLE PROCESS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO DO SPECIFICALLY WITH SUNSHINE, BUT AS YOU'RE HERE, COULD YOU LET THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE KNOW WHAT THEY SHOULD DO IF THERE IS A CONFLICT -- THAT THEY HAVE A PERSONAL CONFLICT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE DECIDED, A VOTE? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: THE ETHICS CODE FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES HAS WHAT'S CALLED VOTING CONFLICTS, AND BASICALLY THAT WOULD PROHIBIT YOU FROM VOTING ON A MEASURE THAT WOULD INURE TO YOUR SPECIAL PRIVATE GAIN. IN OTHER WORDS, IF THE -- IF THIS COMMITTEE WAS GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD -- AND I'M JUST THINKING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD -- USE A PARTICULAR APPRAISER, YOU KNOW, TO GET AN APPRAISAL ON SOME PROPERTY THAT THE COUNTY WANTED TO BUY AND YOUR HUSBAND WAS THAT PERSON, THAT WOULD INURE TO YOUR SPECIAL PRIVATE GAIN. IT HAS TO BE PRETTY LOCALIZED, THOUGH, FOR YOU TO HAVE A VOTING CONFLICT, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION ABOUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA OR THAT COMES UP, LET ME KNOW, AND I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH IT. IF YOU DO HAVE A CONFLICT, YOU NEED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD, AND THERE'S A FORM YOU FILL OUT, AND AFTER IT'S FILLED OUT, IT'S FILED WITH THE -- WITH THE MINUTES WITH BRANDON, AND THEN YOU ABSTAIN FROM VOTING. AND THE VOTING -- THE MINUTES WOULD SHOW, YOU KNOW, A VOTE OF, YOU KNOW, 5-1 WITH ONE ABSTENTION. >>JAKE PIASCIK: IF I MAY, MA'AM. WHILE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS -- AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT MADAM CHAIRMAN BROUGHT THIS UP -- IF IT'S A VOTE TO WHERE IT'S LIKE A BID, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY IS TO BID ON -- IN MY LINE OF INDUSTRY, IT'S TRANSPORTATION. SO -- I MEAN, I'M VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THAT, SO IF SOMEBODY WERE TO BID ON IT, I WOULD -- YOU KNOW, OTHER FORMS -- OTHER COMPANIES ARE BIDDING ON -- TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR PARKS AND RECS OR WHATEVER. NOW, AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I CANNOT VOTE ON -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: ONLY IF THAT WOULD INURE -- LIKE IF YOUR COMPANY WAS BIDDING -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: YES. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: -- THEN YOU WOULD HAVE A CONFLICT. IF IT'S GOING TO BE A FINANCIAL GAIN OR LOSS TO YOU PERSONALLY -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: YES, MA'AM. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: -- THEN YOU SHOULD ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THAT. >>JAKE PIASCIK: BUT IT WOULDN'T -- IF I ABSTAINED AND IT WAS STILL THE LOWEST BID, THEN IT WOULD BE FINE? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YOU'RE FINE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: OKAY. THANK YOU, MA'AM. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YES, YES, ABSOLUTELY. >>JAKE PIASCIK: THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE ALL OF US SHOULD -- WHETHER IT'S, I MEAN, A FINANCIAL GAIN OR NOT, WHEN WE'RE ADDRESSING AN ISSUE -- AND I KNOW YOU'VE ALL HEARD ME SAY THIS. I WORK IN THE -- I MEAN, I'VE SAID MANY TIMES I WORK IN THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE INDUSTRY, SO, I MEAN, THIS IS WHERE THIS, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTION IS COMING FROM BECAUSE I THINK IT'S HELPFUL -- PERSONALLY HELPFUL TO THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: ABSOLUTELY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: -- THAT YOU'RE COMING FORWARD. I MEAN, I STILL VOTE ON THINGS BECAUSE IT'S NOT -- PARTICULARLY NOW THAT I WORK IN PINELLAS COUNTY, THE DECISIONS HERE, YOU KNOW, ARE NOT GOING TO AFFECT MY COMPANY, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S HELPFUL THAT WE DO THAT. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: TRANSPARENCY IS A BIG PART OF GOVERNMENT, AND IT'S A GOOD THING. >>KAY DOUGHTY: ARE THERE ANY OTHER -- YES, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: JUST A COMMENT. WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. YOU'VE DONE SUCH A GOOD WHILE. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: IT'S BEEN A WHILE. ALMOST 19 YEARS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: ME TOO. IT'S BEEN -- YEAH. WE STARTED OUT TOGETHER. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND YOU DON'T LOOK ANYWHERE NEAR OLD ENOUGH, MARY HELEN. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: OH, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. I'LL COME BACK NEXT TIME. [LAUGHTER] >>KAY DOUGHTY: ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, THE LITTLE BOOKLETS, DO WE STILL HAVE THOSE? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: THE GUIDE TO THE ETHICS? THEY -- THE LEGISLATURE HAS CUT DOWN ON PRINTING THOSE. YOU CAN GET THEM ON-LINE. IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN -- BRANDON, IF YOU REMIND ME, I CAN SEND HIM THE LINK. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OKAY. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: I REFER TO IT, AND I LIKE THE ELECTRONIC VERSION BECAUSE YOU CAN SEARCH IT, BUT HE CAN SEND THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY. AND THEN IF YOU WANT A PAPER COPY, CAN YOU PRINT IT OUT. IT'S NOT TERRIBLY LONG. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: NO, IT'S NOT. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: BUT IT IS A GOOD GUIDE. IT'S GOT ALL THE RULES RIGHT THERE FOR YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO ADDRESS THAT, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT -- BECAUSE WE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CRITERIA FOR FAVORITE SONS AND DAUGHTERS. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YES. DO YOU WANT TO GO INTO THAT NOW? >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES. I THINK -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: BRANDON HAD SAID THAT YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS. I'M NOT AS SURE -- I HAVEN'T BEEN PRIVY TO YOUR PAST DISCUSSIONS, SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YOUR QUESTIONS ARE. I DO HAVE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, THE QUESTION CAME BECAUSE WE GOT A RECOMMENDATION TO HONOR THE NEW YORK YANKEES, AND SINCE THEY ARE NOT RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PER SE, THE QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, WHERE DOES THAT GO? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: WELL, I DID DO SOME RESEARCH, AND THERE'S -- THE NEW YORK YANKEE FOUNDATION IS A FLORIDA CORPORATION THAT IS HERE LOCALLY INCORPORATED, SO THEY DO HAVE A PRESENCE HERE LOCALLY THAT -- YOU KNOW, IT'S A BOARD POLICY WITH THE BOARD'S GUIDELINES. I THINK GIVEN THAT, IF YOU WANTED TO, YOU COULD FIND THAT BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE A CORPORATE PRESENCE HERE IN THE BAY AREA, BUT I THINK THAT'S REALLY A POLICY DECISION THAT THIS BOARD SHOULD MAKE. YES. >>DANIEL BLAIR: I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE TAMPA YANKEES ARE OWNED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE NEW YORK YANKEES, ISN'T THAT -- IS THAT -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YEAH. THERE'S -- AND I DIDN'T DO THE WHOLE CORP BREAKDOWN. I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF ENTITIES. >>DANIEL BLAIR: IT SEEMS LIKE THE NEW YORK YANKEES UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION IS INVOLVED WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT CHARITIES, SO MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, COMPANIES, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT IF YOU WANT TO INCLUDE THE TAMPA YANKEES OR YOU WANT TO INCLUDE THE FOUNDATION. STEINBRENNER IN HIS OWN RIGHT DID, YOU KNOW, A MILLION DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE NEW YORK YANKEES -- THERE'S -- I MEAN, IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE NEW YORK YANKEES BEING A NEW YORK ENTITY. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: CORRECT. >>DANIEL BLAIR: THERE'S MORE OF A -- THEY DO HAVE A LOCAL PRESENCE IN A SENSE BEYOND JUST A TAMPA YANKEE. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: CORRECT. AND PAST RECIPIENTS HAVE INCLUDED THE BUCCANEERS, HIGH SCHOOLS, SO, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE QUESTION WAS IF IT WASN'T A CITIZEN. YOU HAVE AWARDED THAT TO ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PAST. >>JAKE PIASCIK: MA'AM, I BELIEVE ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING WAS ANY RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >> RIGHT. >>JAKE PIASCIK: NEW YORK YANKEES. I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CORPORATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PLAYERS. I MEAN, I KNOW IT ALL KIND OF FALLS UNDER ONE, AND YES, THE TAMPA BAY YANKEES ARE PART OF THE NEW YORK YANKEES, BUT THEY'RE A SINGLE "A," BUT IT STATES ANY RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THOSE WHO WERE BORN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT ARE NOT A CURRENT RESIDENT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT'S IT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO COMMENT ON. >>JAKE PIASCIK: SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE -- WE'RE KIND OF LYING WITH A CONFLICT, AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WITH MR. STEINBRENNER PASSING AND ALSO THEIR SPEAKER THAT THEY HAD, THE ANNOUNCER FOR SO MANY YEARS, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF TUGS AT YOUR HEART A LITTLE BIT, BUT BY GOING BY THE RULES OF WHAT THIS STATES AND NOT TRYING TO INTERPRET ANYTHING -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: RIGHT. >>JAKE PIASCIK: -- ANY RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. NOW, THEIR ORGANIZATION IS LOCATED IN NEW YORK. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: WELL, THEY HAVE A PRESENCE HERE. >>DEBORAH COPE: YEAH, 1 STEINBRENNER DRIVE, TAMPA, FLORIDA. >>BEA BLACK: BUT THAT'S SEMANTICS. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: I GUESS MY POINT IS IT'S NOT REALLY A LEGAL QUESTION, CAN YOU, CAN YOU NOT. I THINK YOU'VE GIVEN IT TO PLANT HIGH SCHOOL. THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, A RESIDENT AS IN AN INDIVIDUAL, SO YOU'VE GIVEN IT TO AN ORGANIZATION. >>JAKE PIASCIK: YES, MA'AM. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: I REALLY THINK IT'S JUST A POLICY DECISION THAT THIS COMMITTEE NEEDS TO MAKE AND THEN MAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. IF YOU DECIDE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO FOR THESE REASONS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ADVISE THE BOARD THAT WE CONSIDERED THIS BUT WE DID NOT THINK IT FELL WITHIN YOUR GUIDELINES. >> RIGHT. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: OR IF YOU DECIDE THAT YOU THINK IT DID, THEN IT'S REALLY UP TO THE BOARD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WELL -- YOU KNOW, TO TAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND MAKE THEIR DECISION AS WELL, SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU REALLY HAVE SOME LEEWAY, AND -- TO DISCUSS AMONG YOURSELVES IF THAT'S THE WAY YOU WANT TO GO. IS THAT THE ONLY NOMINATION THAT YOU RECEIVED? >>KAY DOUGHTY: NO, THAT WAS THE ONE THAT TRIGGERED ALL OF THIS FOR US. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: ALL RIGHT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: GAYE AND BRIAN. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, IT JUST DAWNED ON ME AFTER THE DISCUSSION WHEN I GOT INTO THE CAR, I SAID, WELL, IT SAYS SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SO USUALLY FAVORITE SONS AND DAUGHTERS ARE BORN IN THE STATE, AND I THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT, AS JAKE SAID, SO -- >>BEA BLACK: IT'S THE SPIRIT OF THE AWARD. >> CORRECT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: IT SAYS THEY WERE BORN IN THE STATE. >>BEA BLACK: TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS. NOW, IF YOU WANT TO EXTEND THAT TO CORPORATIONS, THAT JUST TAKES IT IN A WHOLE 'NOTHER LEVEL. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, I THINK MARY HELEN HAS SAID THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH THE CRITERIA THAT WE FEEL MEET THE INTENT AND THEN SUBMIT THAT TO THE BOARD KNOWING THAT THE BOARD MAY CHANGE IT BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR PURVIEW. >> CORRECT. BRIAN. >>BRIAN WILLIS: AND MY COMMENT IS I THINK THERE'S A NEW YORK YANKEES FOUNDATION THAT'S BASED IN TAMPA THAT'S DOING CHARITABLE WORK IN THE AREA. THAT'S A GREAT -- FOR ME THAT FALLS WITHIN THE INTENT OF RECOGNIZING THE FAVORITE SONS AND DAUGHTERS, AND THE ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS THE REASON FOR NOMINATION, THE FIRST REASON GIVEN IS RECOGNITION FOR WINNING THE 2009 WORLD SERIES, AND TO ME THE FACT THAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING THE NEW YORK YANKEES AND THAT'S THE FIRST REASON GIVEN GOES TO THE FACT THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE RECOGNIZING THE NEW YORK YANKEE'S SPORTS TEAMS BUT PERHAPS THE LOCAL FOUNDATION. >>DEBORAH COPE: THAT WAS MY EXACT COMMENT TOO. MAYBE THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION -- I MEAN, THAT FIRST SENTENCE RIGHT THERE I WOULD SAY DOES NOT FIT OUR CRITERIA, BUT THE REST OF IT DOES, THAT THEY HAVE SPRING TRAINING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THAT THEY HAVE CHARITABLE, AND THAT KIND OF STUFF WOULD MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE I WOULD THINK. >>KAY DOUGHTY: GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE INTENT OF THE AWARD WITH SONS AND DAUGHTERS, RESIDENTS THAT WERE BORN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. >>DEBORAH COPE: TRUE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: ACTUALLY IT SAYS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, EXCUSE ME, THAT DO NOT LIVE THERE. WE HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM ON THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD, MOVING OUT OF STATE. SO THAT'S IT. I MEAN -- AND I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS. THE THING IS I THINK IT SHOULD FOLLOW THE CRITERIA OR IT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED. >>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK -- AND DANIEL -- AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LAST COMMENT BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE MARY HELEN HERE FOR. SHE'S ALREADY GIVEN -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OH, SHE HELPS US. AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO DO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD? >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, SHE IS GOING TO DO IT. THAT'S WHY I WANT TO GIVE HER TIME TO DO THAT. >>DANIEL BLAIR: MY QUICK COMMENT IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE PREVIOUS AWARD RECIPIENTS, IF WE'RE JUDGING IT ON A BASIS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE BORN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THOSE PEOPLE WEREN'T BORN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>DEBORAH COPE: I THINK -- ISN'T THAT AN "OR"? MAYBE I WAS READING IT'S AN "OR." IT SAYS ANY RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, PERIOD, THOSE WHO WERE BORN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT ARE NOT CURRENT, WHICH I'M ASSUMING IS AN "OR." HAS TO BE. >>DANIEL BLAIR: YEAH, I WOULD READ THAT AS AN "OR" AS WELL. I THINK THAT'S THE CONFUSION. I THINK THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE CONFUSION. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, SONS AND DAUGHTERS SAY BORN SOMEPLACE. >>DEBORAH COPE: BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE BOTH. YOU CAN'T BE A RESIDENT AND NOT LIVE HERE, SO IT'S GOT TO BE AN "OR." >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. WE CAN DISCUSS THIS, IN FACT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS THIS SO WE CAN COME UP, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR OWN CRITERIA, AND THEN MARY HELEN IS ALSO GOING TO ADDRESS WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING WITH CHARTER REVIEW. GAYE SENT A REQUEST TO BRANDON OF HAVING A CHARTER REVIEW MEMBER COME FORWARD, AND THE FEELING WAS THAT ONE MEMBER IS ONLY REPRESENTING ONE MEMBER, IS NOT REPRESENTING -- AND THAT MARY HELEN MIGHT BETTER TELL US WHAT'S HAPPENING. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YES. JUST AS A LITTLE BACKGROUND, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHARTER CAN BE AMENDED. THERE'S THREE WAYS TO AMEND IT, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CAN DO SO BY ORDINANCE, THERE'S A CITIZEN INITIATIVE PROCESS THAT CAN PUT AN AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT, AND THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, AND THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETS EVERY FIVE YEARS. EACH COMMISSIONER APPOINTS TWO PEOPLE, SO IT'S A BOARD OF 14 MEMBERS. THEY MEET FOR A YEAR -- UP TO A YEAR. THEY'VE ALWAYS MET FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. AND ANY PROPOSED CHANGES -- AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER THAT THEY COME UP WITH GO DIRECTLY TO THE BALLOT. ONE COMMON MISCONCEPTION IS THAT THEY JUST RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE. IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE BALLOT. THIS IS MY FOURTH CHARTER REVIEW BOARD THAT I'VE BEEN COUNSEL FOR, AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING. THIS BOARD IS VERY DYNAMIC, DIVERSE, A LOT OF DEBATE ON THE ISSUES. RIGHT NOW THERE'S A PROPOSAL THAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT TO REMOVE THE MAYOR VETO POWER. A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THAT, IF YOU RECALL BACK IN '06 THERE WAS A PETITION FOR A COUNTY MAYOR. THERE WAS A SEPARATE PETITION FOR A VETO, SO IT WAS TWO DIFFERENT PETITIONS. THE LANGUAGE OF THE PETITION SAID THE FIRST MAYOR SHALL BE ELECTED IN '08. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE '06 BALLOT. DID NOT MAKE IT IN TIME TO BE ON THE '06 BALLOT, BUT YOU COULDN'T CREATE THE MAYOR AND ELECT THE FIRST MAYOR IN '08 ON THE BALLOT, SO THERE WAS A LAWSUIT. THAT PIECE OF IT WAS TAKEN OFF THE BALLOT. THE VETO MAYOR PETITION PART OF IT WAS ON THE -- WAS ON THE BALLOT AND PASSED. SO WE HAVE IN OUR CHARTER GIVING THE MAYOR VETO POWER AND WE HAVE NO MAYOR. THERE'S ALSO A LEGAL INFIRMITY BECAUSE IT GIVES THE MAYOR VETO POWER OVER THE BUDGET, AND THAT'S INCONSISTENT WITH GENERAL LAW. THAT IS A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOMAIN, SO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD WAS DISCUSSING WHETHER OR NOT JUST TO TAKE THE WORD "BUDGET" OUT OR TO TAKE THE WHOLE THING OUT, AND THEIR THOUGHT WAS IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE NOT HAVING A MAYOR HERE. WHEN PEOPLE SIGNED THE VETO PROVISION, THAT VERSION OF THE COUNTY MAYOR WAS NONPARTISAN. THE CURRENT VERSION IS PARTISAN, AND THEY THOUGHT, WELL, PEOPLE MIGHT NOT HAVE GIVEN THE MAYOR VETO POWER IF HE WAS PARTISAN. WHO KNOWS, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S MAINLY JUST A CLEANUP THING. IF THE MAYOR DOES PASS AT SOME POINT, WHETHER IT BE BY BOARD, CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, INITIATIVE PETITION, CERTAINLY THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT AGAIN. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT AS MAINLY A CLEANING UP. THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF DEBATE AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS CONTINUED TO JULY 30th ON THE IPA OFFICE. THE FIRST PROPOSAL WAS A STRIKE-ALL. THAT DID NOT GET THE TEN VOTES REQUIRED. YOU NEED TEN VOTES TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT. SO WE WENT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, SO TO SPEAK, AND MADE SOME CHANGES THAT WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE OUTSIDE CONSULTANT, RICHARD TARR, THAT APPEARED BEFORE THE BOARD SEVERAL TIMES AND THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THE OFFICE WORK BETTER. ONE THING IS TO ELIMINATE BUDGET ANALYST BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME CONFLICTS WITH THAT AND TO CALL HIM THE INTERNAL AUDITOR AND NOT THE PERFORMANCE, AND THE BOARD IS TAKING THE SAME TRACK ON THE ORDINANCE SIDE OF THINGS TO CREATE -- AND THE PROPOSAL HAS AN AUDIT COMMITTEE WHICH WILL BE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. AND THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRUCTURE, A LITTLE BIT MORE DEFINITION, TO GIVE THE PERSON WHO ULTIMATELY FILLS THE JOB A LITTLE BIT MORE DIRECTION. THAT WAS THE COMPLAINT FROM THE LAST TWO IPAs, AND I THINK IT WAS GENERALLY SHARED BY THE BOARD. WE NEED -- IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE THIS, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE IT WORK BETTER. SO THAT WILL COME OUT PROBABLY ON THE 30th, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL GET THE TEN VOTES TO PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT AS WELL. THERE'S TWO OTHER PROPOSALS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT. ONE HAS TO DO WITH REDISTRICTING. IT HAPPENS -- AS SOON AS WE GET THE CENSUS NUMBERS IN EARLY NEXT YEAR, THEN THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING TO REDISTRICT. TEN YEARS AGO THE BOARD RAN INTO AN ISSUE WHERE IT WAS BASICALLY THE LAST DAY THEY HAD. THEY COULD NOT AGREE ON TWO OF THE MAPS. THEY CAME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL AT THE MEETING. THE NOTICE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS MAY CHANGE, PLEASE COME AND GIVE YOUR COMMENTS, BUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE IS THAT SHOULD THAT HAPPEN AGAIN, THERE'S ANOTHER LITTLE TIME FRAME THAT WHATEVER THEY COME UP WITH AT THE LAST HEARING, WE ADVERTISE THAT AGAIN AND HAVE A SUBSEQUENT HEARING. IT'S JUST KIND OF LIKE A FAIL-SAFE IN CASE WE RUN INTO THE SAME PROBLEM. WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WILL GET ON THE BALLOT IN 2010 BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T GO ON -- IT WILL GO ON THE 2012 BALLOT, AND THEN IT'LL BE ANOTHER DECADE BEFORE WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. THE FINAL THING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS BY TWO, GO TO NINE COMMISSION. RIGHT NOW THE PROPOSAL IS TO HAVE A 5-4 SPLIT, WHICH WOULD MIRROR THE 4-3 THAT WE HAVE NOW, FIVE SINGLE-MEMBER, FOUR AT-LARGE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S GOING THAT OBVIOUSLY TAKES A LOT MORE THOUGHT AND DELIBERATION, AND I DON'T EXPECT THAT TO BE ON THE 2010 BALLOT, PERHAPS IF THEY GET THEIR WORK DONE QUICKLY, BUT I THINK THAT IS GOING TO GENERATE A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, A LOT OF ISSUES, A LOT OF PEOPLE I THINK WOULD REALLY LIKE TO WEIGH IN TO THAT, AND THAT'S A BIG CHANGE, OBVIOUSLY, SO THESE OTHER THINGS ARE MORE JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKING THINGS WORK BETTER, CLEANING THINGS UP. THAT'S MORE OF A -- OBVIOUSLY IS CHANGE TO THE VERY STRUCTURE TO THE GOVERNMENT, AND I WOULD ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WILL GENERATE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, INTEREST. >>KAY DOUGHTY: JAKE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: THANK YOU, MA'AM. WITH THAT -- AND I'M SURE -- I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION, BUT PERTAINING TO GOING FROM SEVEN TO NINE, ARE THEY -- YOU SAID IT WAS A 5-4 SPLIT? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: UH-HUH, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL. >>JAKE PIASCIK: OKAY. AND IS THAT MORE FOR THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: NO, YOU WOULD JUST HAVE -- YOU WOULD HAVE -- YOU WOULD DIVIDE THE COUNTY -- RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY'S DIVIDED INTO FOUR EQUAL IN POPULATION, NOT -- YOU KNOW, EQUAL PIECES. >>JAKE PIASCIK: YES, IN POPULATION. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YOU WOULD THEN JUST DIVIDE IT INTO FIVE SO THAT EVERY CITIZEN COULD ELECT THEIR DISTRICT COMMISSIONER AND THEN FOUR OF THE AT-LARGES. JUST LIKE IT IS NOW, YOU CAN ELECT A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD. YOU CAN ELECT YOUR DISTRICT COMMISSIONER AND THE THREE AT- LARGES, SO YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO VOTE ON FOUR OF THE SEVEN COMMISSIONERS. >> IS THIS AT THE SAME SALARY LEVEL? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YES. AND THERE'S -- I DON'T HAVE IT -- I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT -- I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME. THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD WAS PROVIDED A COPY OF THE COST OF THE SALARIES, AND I THINK IT WAS AROUND $500,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE COSTS FOR BUILD-OUT FOR MORE OFFICES. THE REASON TO DO THIS, THE STATED REASON -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: -- IS THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S GOTTEN SO BIG AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS NOW -- I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER, 180,000 CONSTITUENTS OR SOMETHING -- SOMETHING IN THAT RANGE AND THAT THAT'S JUST TOO MANY PEOPLE. THE AT-LARGES HAVE OVER A MILLION PEOPLE THAT THEY REPRESENT. IT'S REALLY -- IT'S AN INTERESTING DEBATE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IF YOU GO FROM 180,000 TO 130,000, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CUT ONE MORE PIECE OF THE PIE IF THAT'S A REAL DIFFERENCE OR NOT. IT'S INTERESTING DEBATE, AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO GENERATE A LOT MORE INTEREST BECAUSE IT IS A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: BECAUSE -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: EXCUSE ME. I JUST -- WE ARE NO LONGER A COVERED COUNTY, SO THIS WOULD NOT HAVE TO GO TO -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: NO, WE ARE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WE'RE STILL COVERED? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: WE'RE STILL COVERED. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WOULDN'T IT HAVE TO GO TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YES, IT WOULD. YES, IT WOULD. SO TYPICALLY I GET PRECLEARANCE BEFOREHAND, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF DEBATE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: SURE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: -- I'M NOT SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT IDEA. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: SURE. IT'S BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE TRIGGERED BACK IN '72, AROUND THERE -- WE HAD ENOUGH MINORITY, HISPANIC, SPANISH- SPEAKING VOTERS, SO WE ARE A COVERED JURISDICTION, SO ANY TIME WE HAVE A CHANGE AFFECTING VOTING, WE NEED TO SEND A COPY OF THAT CHANGE AND SEND THIS FORM WITH ALL OF THESE -- THIS DATA AND INFORMATION TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO RETROGRESSIVE EFFECT ON OUR MINORITY VOTERS. FOR INSTANCE, THE IPA OFFICE, THAT DOESN'T NEED PRECLEARANCE, THAT DOESN'T CHANGE -- THAT'S NOT A CHANGE AFFECTING VOTING. A 5-4 SPLIT, A COUNTY MAYOR, ANY OF THOSE THINGS DEFINITELY NEED PRECLEARANCE, AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS 60 DAYS TO LOOK AT A PROPOSAL AND INTERPOSE AN OBJECTION OR ASK FOR MORE INFORMATION, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO BUILD IN TO THE TIME FRAME, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY I DON'T SEE THE 5-4. WOULDN'T HAVE TIME. >>KAY DOUGHTY: JUST BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE, WHEN -- I THINK IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE TO LATE '70s I ACTUALLY MET WITH -- THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S 4-3, AND I MET WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ATTORNEY. I MEAN, I WAS PART OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO MET, AND HER CONCERN WAS THAT SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS WERE -- I MEAN, IN FACT, SHE STATED VERY ADAMANTLY THAT SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS WERE ALWAYS FAIRER THAN THE SPLIT OF -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: ALL SINGLE-MEMBER -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: ALL SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: THAT'S ONE OF THE -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS CHANGED THEIR PHILOSOPHY ON THAT, BUT I REMEMBER VEHEMENTLY SAYING I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. IN FACT, YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME THE CONCERN WAS MORE TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS THAN IT WAS TO HISPANICS. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: CORRECT. YEAH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND I REMEMBER SAYING, I DON'T UNDERSTAND. IF WE HAD SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS, WE HAVE 14% OF OUR POPULATION IS AFRICAN-AMERICAN, THAT TECHNICALLY WOULD MEAN ONE DISTRICT WOULD BE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AND WE ACTUALLY HAD AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AT THAT TIME, AND I SAID, SO WE HAVE A SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT WITH AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR THREE MORE. WHY IS ONE BETTER THAN FOUR? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: RIGHT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: I MEAN, I COULDN'T PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT I WOULD HAVE PERSONAL CONCERNS OVER OPENING THAT CAN OF WORMS AGAIN. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BIGGER GOVERNMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE DEBATE. ONE OF THE PROPOSALS IS TO HAVE NINE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OH, JEEZ. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: SO -- BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S REASONS HERE AND THERE'S THINGS, SO IT'S AN INTERESTING -- IT'S AN INTERESTING ISSUE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: MAY I ASK WHO ACTUALLY -- OR NOT WHO, IF THERE WAS AN ORGANIZATION WHO ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP THAT AS FAR AS ADDING TWO MORE, OR IS IT AGAINST THE COUNTY MAYOR THING? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: NO. IT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE COUNTY MAYOR, AND IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE -- JUST AS A SIDE NOTE, THE COUNTY MAYOR PETITION THAT'S BEING CIRCULATED NOW, THE DEADLINE IS THE 31st OF JULY FOR THEM TO GET THE SIGNATURES. WE CERTIFIED IT IN FEBRUARY, AND IT RUNS FOR SIX MONTHS, SO WE'LL KNOW SOON IF IT'S GOING TO -- THEY'RE GOING TO GET ENOUGH SIGNATURES, AND THE LAST I HEARD THEY HAD QUITE A FEW LEFT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY STILL NEEDED. >> THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS AND I MISSED IT. WHEN DOES THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD HAVE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO GET ON THE BALLOT FOR 2010? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: THE BALLOT'S -- ACTUALLY THE 25th OF AUGUST IS -- THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE LEEWAY BECAUSE THEY WILL BE PUTTING THE BALLOT -- THE NOVEMBER BALLOT TOGETHER, BUT LAYING OUT THE BALLOT IS A LOT OF WORK, YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE, TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASILY READ AND CONFORMS WITH ALL THE LAWS, SO I TOLD THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD THAT, YOU KNOW, MID-AUGUST WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE IT DONE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE IT'S ALL DONE ACCORDING TO THEIR VOTE AND GET IT SIGNED BY THE CLERK AND GET IT OVER TO THE SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BRIAN. >>BRIAN WILLIS: IF THE COUNTY MAYOR GETS ON THE BALLOT AGAIN DOES ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE PETITIONING FOR INVOLVE VETO POWER? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: NO. >>BRIAN WILLIS: OKAY. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: NO. IT'S JUST THE CREATION OF THE MAYOR ITSELF, AND THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, AS I SAID, BETWEEN THE FIRST ONE THEY DID IN '06 AND THIS ONE IS THAT THIS ONE IS PARTISAN AND THE OTHER ONE WAS NONPARTISAN. >>BEA BLACK: ARE THE SIGNATURES VERIFIED? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: I'D HAVE TO ASK THE SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE MARY ANN STILES IS THE ONE THAT'S GATHERING THE SIGNATURES. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE IS PLANNING ON BRINGING THEM ALL IN AT ONCE OR IF SHE HAS DONE SOME PIECEMEAL. I REALLY DON'T KNOW. ONCE SHE BRINGS THEM IN -- AND SHE'S GOT UNTIL THE 31st -- THE SUPERVISOR HAS 30 DAYS TO VERIFY THEM, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU HE'S GOING TO HAVE ALL THE HELP HE NEEDS TO GET THAT DONE QUICKLY, SO THEY STAND READY TO GET THE WORK DONE AND GET THEM ALL VERIFIED. THEY HAVE 30 DAYS UNDER THE CHARTER TO DO SO, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT MUCH SOONER THAN THAT. >>BRIAN WILLIS: DO YOU KNOW WHAT PROCESS THEY APPLY TO VERIFY THE SIGNATURES? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: THEY HAVE -- THERE'S -- AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE, AND MAYBE THEY -- SOMEBODY FROM THE OFFICE COULD COME GIVE YOU MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. THERE'S A RANDOM SAMPLING THEY CAN DO RATHER THAN VERIFY EACH AND EVERY ONE, AND THEN THERE'S A COST PER SIGNATURE TO HAVE VERIFIED, I THINK, BUT I'D RATHER HAVE SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS EXACTLY THE PROCESS THAT THEY USE INTERNALLY TO GO BY AND VERIFY THEM. >>DANIEL BLAIR: WELL, I MEAN, IN THE -- AS FAR AS, I MEAN, SIGNATURES TO BE ABLE TO GET ON THE BALLOT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, A POLITICAL POSITION, THERE'S EITHER THE RANDOM SAMPLING AND/OR THE OTHER OPTION IS A NAME-BY-NAME VERIFICATION. I BELIEVE THE RANDOM SAMPLING, IT'S MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME -- >> [INAUDIBLE] >>DANIEL BLAIR: YEAH. -- IT'S MUCH LESS ACCURATE. I THINK IF YOU GO NAME BY NAME, IT'S SOMETHING LIKE TEN CENTS A NAME -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. >>DANIEL BLAIR: -- IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, SO OBVIOUSLY IT IS GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S A LOT MORE EFFICIENT THAN SOME OF THE -- YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO VERIFY SIGNATURES, I MEAN, WE SHOULD DO IT CORRECTLY IN MY OPINION. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: AND THEY VERIFY ALL THE SIGNATURES ON ALL THE ABSENTEES, AND I'VE REPRESENTED THE CANVASSING BOARD AND DONE ELECTIONS SINCE '92. I HAD THE JOY OF BEING WITH PAM IN 2000, AND THAT LASTED FOR YEARS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND THERE'S JUST A COMMENT FOR ANYBODY THAT'S WATCHING BUT ALSO FOR MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE. IF YOU, LIKE I, GOT YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION CARD MANY, MANY YEARS AGO IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, YOUR SIGNATURE MAY HAVE CHANGED, AND SO IT MAY NOT MATCH, AND YOUR VOTE CAN BE THROWN OUT BECAUSE YOUR SIGNATURE DOES NOT MATCH. I MEAN IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, DOING AN ABSENTEE. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YEAH, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THE SIGNATURE DOES NOT MATCH, WE SEND AN UPDATED CARD TO THAT VOTER AND INDICATE TO THEM THAT THEIR SIGNATURE, YOU KNOW, DOES NOT MATCH, AND THAT HAPPENS WITH AGE AND -- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU REGISTER WHEN YOU'RE 18 AND YOU BECOME A DOCTOR, SO TO SPEAK, SO WE DO SEND THAT OUT TO EACH PERSON WHOSE SIGNATURE DID NOT MATCH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK IT WAS SHERIFF GEE THAT DIDN'T MATCH. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: THAT WAS I THINK '06. IT WAS INTERESTING. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT WAS WHEN I FIRST LEARNED ABOUT IT, AND I WAS LIKE, OH, MY SIGNATURE DOESN'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE IT DID WHEN I FIRST REGISTERED. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: [INAUDIBLE] >>JAKE PIASCIK: YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH FINGERPRINTS, SIGNATURES. >>KAY DOUGHTY: I'M JUST A PROBLEM, AND IT'S A GOOD THING THERE'S AN ATTORNEY HERE. [LAUGHTER] >> [INAUDIBLE] >>KAY DOUGHTY: DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >>GAYE TOWNSEND: YES. MARY HELEN, IT WOULD PROBABLY HELP TO INFORM EVERYBODY WHEN THEY DO MEET BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, SO IF YOU HAVE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE ASKED HER AND WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: UH-HUH. THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, THEIR INFORMATION IS ON THE WEB SITE. YOU CAN GO TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WEB SITE, PUT IN CHARTER IN THE SEARCH, AND YOU CAN BRING IT UP. IT'S GOT ALL THE MINUTES FROM THE PAST BOARDS, PROPOSALS, MEETING DATES. THEY WILL MEET THROUGH FEBRUARY, AND THEY'VE BEEN MEETING AT LEAST TWICE A MONTH, IN JULY I THINK THEY HAD FOUR MEETINGS, SO IT'S INTERESTING. IT'S A LOT OF WORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE MEETING DURING THE ELECTION TIME. IT'S GOING TO BE BUSY. >> IT'S ALSO REPLAYED QUITE A BIT ON HILLSBOROUGH TV. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YES. >> I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON THAT ACTUALLY WATCHES IT. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: I'VE BEEN STOPPED IN PUBLIX, AND PEOPLE HAVE MADE COMMENTS ABOUT -- I'M LIKE YOU WATCH THAT? >>JAKE PIASCIK: IS THAT AN APPOINTED POSITION, MA'AM, TO BE ON THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD? >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: YES. EACH COMMISSIONER CAN APPOINT TWO MEMBERS, AND THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN THAT COMMISSIONER'S DISTRICT. OBVIOUSLY THE AT-LARGES CAN LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY, BUT DISTRICT 4, THOSE TWO HAVE TO COME FROM DISTRICT 4. AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE WEB SITE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED. I GUESS I'LL PROBABLY STILL BE AROUND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT ONE AFTER THIS. >>DANIEL BLAIR: IT'S AN INTERESTING BOARD TO WATCH, THOUGH. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: IT IS. IT IS. IT IS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WE WERE FORTUNATE WITH THE LAST CHARTER REVIEW THAT ONE OF THESE MEMBERS WAS ON THE CHARTER REVIEW. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: GERALD. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT'S WHY I KEEP SAYING TO THE COMMISSIONERS TO LOOK AT THIS COMMITTEE THAT REACHES COUNTYWIDE -- >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: SURE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: -- TO SIT ON THESE COMMITTEES BECAUSE IT'S EXTREMELY HELPFUL BECAUSE HE'D COME BACK AND GIVE US REPORTS. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: WELL, ANY TIME YOU NEED AN UPDATE, BRANDON KNOWS WHERE I LIVE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU AGAIN. WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE INFORMATION YOU ALWAYS GIVE WHEN YOU COME. >>MARY HELEN FARRIS: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>JAKE PIASCIK: [INAUDIBLE] >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, SHE'S GREAT. OKAY. BACK TO -- AT THE LAST MEETING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MADE THE SUGGESTION THAT REPRESENTATIVES FROM THIS COMMITTEE ATTEND OTHER ADVISORY BOARDS' COMMITTEES TO LEARN WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO BRING IT BACK BECAUSE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MAKE, AND BRANDON HAS GIVEN US A LIST OF ADVISORY BOARDS THAT HE FELT WERE PERTINENT TO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE, AND SO MY COUNT IS THERE ARE SEVEN, AND I DON'T KNOW -- HE SENT THIS OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND IF ANY OF YOU -- I MEAN, WE -- AGAIN, THESE DECISIONS DON'T HAVE TO BE MADE TODAY, BUT IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT, YOU KNOW, ONE OR MORE OF THE COMMITTEES TO ATTEND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE TIME TO VOLUNTEER. DEBORAH. >>DEBORAH COPE: WELL, I'D VOLUNTEER FOR PARKS AND REC, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION ACTUALLY. BRANDON, IS THERE ANY KIND OF -- I GUESS BESIDES -- I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ANY ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT. DO THEY HAVE ANY KIND OF BOARDS THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR SOMEONE TO SIT IN ON OR -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THEY'VE GOT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT -- >>DEBORAH COPE: RIGHT, THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. >>BRANDON WAGNER: NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. >>DEBORAH COPE: OKAY. >>DON CORYELL: I HAVE A QUESTION, MADAM CHAIRMAN. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF US ARE LOSING OUR COMMISSIONERS THIS FALL, SO ARE WE GOING TO BE -- WHAT'S THE PROTOCOL FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE APPOINTED BY A COMMISSIONER THAT'S NO LONGER A COMMISSIONER? >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. WELL, SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION MULTIPLE TIMES, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMITTEE FOR A LONG TIME, WHAT I PERSONALLY HAVE DONE -- I MEAN, WHEN YOUR COMMISSIONER IS EITHER TERMED OUT OR CHOOSES TO RUN FOR ANOTHER OFFICE OR JUST CHOOSES TO RETIRE FROM ELECTED LIFE, THE NEW COMMISSIONER COMES IN, AND THAT COMMISSIONER CAN APPOINT TWO NEW MEMBERS. HE OR SHE CAN CHOOSE TO KEEP THE ONES THAT WERE IN PLACE, AND THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST, FOR -- IF YOU'RE INTERESTED -- IF THAT'S HAPPENING AND YOUR COMMISSIONER IS LEAVING AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN -- YOU KNOW, YOU FIND THIS TO BE A VALUABLE SERVICE TO THE COUNTY, THEN WHAT I'VE DONE -- BECAUSE I HAVE AND I'VE CONTINUED TO WANT TO STAY ON THE COMMITTEE -- I'VE GONE TO THE COMMISSIONER THAT REPLACED THE ONE THAT APPOINTED ME AND SAID, I'M STILL INTERESTED, OR IN ONE CASE I WENT TO ANOTHER COMMISSIONER THAT WAS APPOINTED AND SAID, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE ANYONE AND YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, APPOINT ME, I'D APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT WAS A PERSONAL FRIEND, BUT THAT WAS THE WAY, I MEAN, THAT I'VE DONE IT, SO -- YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE ELECTION HAS BEEN HELD THAT YOU JUST SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THAT PARTICULAR COMMISSIONER AND JUST SAY, I'VE BEEN SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE. I THINK THAT I PROVIDE VALUABLE INPUT, AND I, YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKE IT IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, ME STAYING ON THE -- BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY -- I MEAN, SAY YOUR COMMISSIONER IS GONE AND YOUR APPOINTMENT ENDS AT THE END OF 2011. THE COMMISSIONER CAN APPOINT SOMEONE ELSE AND THEN YOU JUST ARE NO LONGER ON. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: BUT I THINK WHAT HE MEANT FOR THESE -- THESE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BY SEPTEMBER, SO THEY SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE THE NEW COMMISSION -- >>DANIEL BLAIR: ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THESE OR -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT MAYBE YOU WERE ALLUDING TO. >>DANIEL BLAIR: HE'S MENTIONING THE FACT THAT A FEW OF US ARE APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OR MAY BE RUNNING FOR OTHER OFFICE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, I WAS KIND OF TYING THIS IN TO THIS, OUR RECOMMENDATION. >>DON CORYELL: WELL, IT DOES KIND OF TIE IN BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR ONE OF THESE COMMITTEES -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT YOU MEANT. >>DON CORYELL: -- AND THEN COME ELECTION DAY I'M HISTORY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, YOU COULD VOLUNTEER FOR AS LONG AS YOU'RE ON THE COMMITTEE TO BE THE LIAISON TO THAT COMMITTEE, AND THEN IF SOMEONE ELSE IS APPOINTED, THAT PERSON CAN EITHER CONTINUE THAT OR CHOOSE ANOTHER ONE BECAUSE I WOULD REALLY RECOMMEND, BRANDON, THAT AT OUR JANUARY MEETINGS BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAVE SOME CHANGEOVER THAT WE BRING IT UP AGAIN. >>DANIEL BLAIR: THE QUESTION I HAD ABOUT THIS, WITH THESE COMMITTEES HERE, ARE WE GOING TO BE PART OF THESE COMMITTEES OR -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: NO. >>DANIEL BLAIR: -- OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO BE SITTING THERE ON A ONE-TIME BASIS OR IS THIS -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: LIAISON. >>KAY DOUGHTY: IT'S CONTINUING TO BE A LIAISON TO GO EACH MONTH WHENEVER THEY MEET AND TO -- >>DANIEL BLAIR: [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] >>KAY DOUGHTY: I MEAN, CERTAINLY IN MOST CASES SOMEONE THAT CAME REGULARLY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE INPUT, BUT IT'S MORE TO BE ABLE TO BRING BACK TO US WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR INDICATED WAS WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING, ANIMAL SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE LOOKS AT ANIMAL SERVICES. THEY'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE WEEDS A LOT MORE THAN WE ARE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE A MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT ANIMAL SERVICES THAN THIS WHOLE COMMITTEE WILL BE, AND SO WE CAN TAKE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND SAY, YEAH, WE SEE -- I MEAN, I'M JUST GIVING YOU AN EXAMPLE. WE CAN SAY UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE RECOMMENDING IT, WE DON'T BECAUSE OF THE COSTS TO THE COUNTY OR WHATEVER BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COMPETING INTEREST, THEY'RE LOOKING AT ONE ASPECT. >>DANIEL BLAIR: AND WHAT ABOUT IF WE'RE ALREADY ON ONE OF THESE BOARDS? I BELIEVE WE MENTIONED LAST TIME THAT PERHAPS WE SHOULD CHOOSE A DIFFERENT BOARD. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, SINCE THERE'S ONLY SEVEN AND THERE'S 14 OF US, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE ALREADY ON ONE, THEN YOU'RE A LOGICAL PERSON TO BRING BACK WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME. >>DANIEL BLAIR: OKAY. I WASN'T SURE BECAUSE THERE WAS A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT -- YOU KNOW, HERE -- IN OUR ROLE HERE, WE'RE IN A SENSE LOOKING TO CUT PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS CURRENT TASKING VERSUS ONE OF THESE BOARDS OR COMMITTEES. THEIR ROLE WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, I'M TRYING TO SAVE. >>DEBORAH COPE: WE SPOKE LAST -- I THINK ABOUT THAT, ABOUT CONFLICT OF INTEREST. WASN'T THE RECOMMENDATION EVEN THAT THERE BE A DIFFERENT PERSON ASSIGNED? >>JAKE PIASCIK: UH-HUH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT CERTAINLY CAN BE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: TO ANSWER DON'S QUESTION, DON, I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE FAVORABLE IF YOU WERE TO VOLUNTEER ON ONE OF THESE AND YOUR COMMISSIONER DECIDED TO GO OFF AND DO SOMETHING ELSE AND YOU GOT ANOTHER COMMISSIONER IN THERE AND DO EXACTLY WHAT THE CHAIRWOMAN HAS DONE, AND YOU'RE SHOWING THAT, HEY, I'M INVOLVED IN THIS, I'M SITTING ON THE CAC, YOU KNOW, ALREADY. I -- YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THIS, I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE FAVORABLE FOR YOU, YOU KNOW, TO BE VOLUNTEERED ON ONE OF THESE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND THEN GAYE. >>DEBORAH COPE: BRANDON, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. THESE CAME OFF THE COUNTY -- ARE THESE ALL ON THE COUNTY WEB SITE? LIKE FOR INSTANCE, PARKS AND REC DOESN'T HAVE LIKE A CONTACT PERSON OR A MEETING TIME, SO I GUESS ON-LINE IS THERE SOMEWHERE I CAN LOOK TO FIND OUT WHEN THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE OR SOMEONE TO CONTACT ABOUT THAT? >>BRANDON WAGNER: WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS WHOEVER GETS ASSIGNED TO WHICHEVER COMMITTEES, I'LL GET YOU THE CONTACT PERSON. I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMITTEE KNOWS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE LIAISON. THEY'RE AWARE THAT'S WHERE WE HELP COLLECT THIS INFORMATION, SO WE'LL GIVE YOU SPECIFICALLY THE CONTACTS. NOW, IN THE INSTANCE OF THE PARKS AND REC COMMITTEE, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SET TIME BECAUSE THEY REACT TO THE BOARD, SO IF YOU WANT TO SERVE ON THAT, WE'LL GET YOU THAT CONTACT PERSON AND GET YOU ON THE CONTACT LIST. >>DEBORAH COPE: OKAY. THANKS. >>BRANDON WAGNER: OKAY. SURE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BEA. >>BEA BLACK: IS THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES THE COMBINED ENTITY THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT? >> AGING. >>BRANDON WAGNER: AND I SHOULD HAVE PUT THE NEW NAME ON THERE AND I APOLOGIZE. THE FAMILY AND AGING SERVICES IS NOW THE UMBRELLA, WHICH HAS AGING SERVICES, CHILDREN'S SERVICES UNDER THEM. THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE ADVISORY BODIES WITHIN THAT -- WITHIN THAT NEW SUPER DEPARTMENT, HEALTH CARE ADVISORY TASK FORCE AND THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD. THERE IS AN AGING SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD THAT IS BEING CREATED. IT HAS NOT BEEN FINALIZED YET. WHEN IT IS, I CAN BRING IT BACK TO YOU-ALL, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO ASSIGN A LIAISON TO THAT AT THAT TIME, YOU CAN DO SO. >>BEA BLACK: OKAY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: DEBORAH'S INDICATED AN INTEREST IN PARKS, RECREATION, AND CONSERVATION. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: YOU BEAT ME, DEBORAH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I'LL -- OF COURSE, ANIMAL SERVICES, UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED IN THAT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: KAY, I HAVE A QUESTION. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES, RANDALL. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: NOW, DANIEL, ARE YOU ON ONE OF THESE BOARDS? >>DANIEL BLAIR: YEAH, I'M ON THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES BOARD. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: CAN YOU JUST SPEND 30 SECONDS TALKING ABOUT -- I MEAN DO YOU -- AS FAR AS KIND OF WHAT GOES ON. I'M JUST NOT AS FAMILIAR -- >>DANIEL BLAIR: SURE. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: -- WITH EXACTLY WHAT AN ADVISORY BOARD WOULD DO FOR ONE OF THESE AGENCIES. >>DANIEL BLAIR: WELL, ANY OF THE ADVISORY BOARDS OR JUST THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY? >>RANDALL MARSHALL: WELL, JUST ANY -- I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING THAT IT'S PARALLEL WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT BOARDS, I WOULD THINK. >>DANIEL BLAIR: FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, THEY'RE SIMILAR TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. USUALLY THEY'RE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO HERE, ADVISE ON DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES BOARD. IT'S KIND OF AN UMBRELLA BOARD. IT OVERSEES SOME OF THE DIFFERENT -- BASICALLY EVERYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH CHILDREN'S SERVICES IN THE COUNTY. SIMILAR BUT NOT THE SAME TO THE CHILDREN'S BOARD. THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ENTITY, BUT IT INVOLVES HEAD START, IT INVOLVES A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AS FAR AS RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS, TREATMENT PROGRAMS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: LAKE MAGDALENE. >>DANIEL BLAIR: YEAH, EXACTLY. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: SO, I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD YOU LOOK AT -- LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, OF COURSE, DIVING INTO BUDGET, SO YOU LOOK AT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, OPERATIONS, PERFORMANCE, KIND OF NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE AGENCY ITSELF? >>DANIEL BLAIR: WITH CHILDREN'S SERVICES, IT'S A VERY LARGE BOARD. THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT ARE APPOINTED TO IT AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH ONE OF THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT HEAD, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, TPD, THE HEAD START, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT -- PRETTY MUCH EVERY -- EVERYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH CHILDREN'S SERVICES IN THE COUNTY, AND IT'S BASICALLY A COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF TRYING TO DIRECT OR ADVISE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AS FAR AS WHERE TO GO AND MAKE DECISIONS. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: AND DIRECTIONS, STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS, ET CETERA? >>DANIEL BLAIR: EXACTLY. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: OKAY. THANKS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BRIAN. >>BRIAN WILLIS: I'M ON THE TBARTA CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TAMPA BAY AREA REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY AS WELL, AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THIS. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS YOU GO MUCH MORE IN-DEPTH, AND WE HAVE BRANDON WHO COMES HERE EVERY TIME, BUT YOU HAVE THE SAME STAFF PEOPLE COMING OUT EVERY TIME, SO YOU GET TO INTERACT WITH THEM AND WORK WITH THEM MONTH AFTER MONTH ON PROJECTS OR IDEAS OR STUFF LIKE THAT, SO -- >>RANDALL MARSHALL: OKAY. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. THE SCOPE IS MUCH SMALLER THAN WE HAVE, WHICH IS WHY MANY TIMES WE DON'T GO INTO AS MUCH DEPTH BECAUSE -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I WISH I COULD HAVE GOT ONE THAT'S CLOSER TO HOME, BUT -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY THAT THEY'RE PASSIONATELY INTERESTED IN? >>JAKE PIASCIK: WHAT'S THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ONE HERE? [LAUGHTER] >>GAYE TOWNSEND: ANIMAL SERVICES. PARKS AND REC. >>JAKE PIASCIK: I THINK KAY SAID SHE WANTED TO DO THAT. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: IS IT FAIR THAT WE LOOK AT OUR SCHEDULE MAYBE AND GET WITH BACK WITH YOU? >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, THAT'S OKAY, AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT I WILL DEFER TO ANYONE HERE ABOUT ATTENDING, BUT IF NO ONE WANTS THE HEALTH CARE ADVISORY, I WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO DO THAT JUST BECAUSE OF ALL THE CHANGES IN HEALTH CARE THAT I FOLLOW ANYWAY, SO -- >>BEA BLACK: I HAD A QUESTION ACTUALLY FOR DANIEL. DOES THE HEAD START FALL UNDER YOUR CATEGORY? >>DANIEL BLAIR: THAT'S A DIFFERENT BOARD, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THAT BOARD ARE ON OUR BOARD IN A SENSE BECAUSE CHILDREN'S SERVICES, WE HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF HEAD START, BUT HEAD START ITSELF HAS ITS OWN -- >>BEA BLACK: OKAY. I GOT YOU. >>DANIEL BLAIR: BUT THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD IS OVER-ENCOMPASSING EVERYTHING. [INAUDIBLE] >>KAY DOUGHTY: EVERYTHING THAT'S FUNDED BY THE COUNTY. >>DANIEL BLAIR: PRETTY MUCH, YEAH. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY THE CHILDREN'S BOARD IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING. >>DANIEL BLAIR: THAT'S ITS OWN TAXING ENTITY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: RIGHT. OKAY. RANDALL'S SUGGESTION WAS LOOKING AT CALENDARS AND PERHAPS AT OUR NEXT MEETING MAKING A FINAL DECISION. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT WOULD BE GOOD. >>BEA BLACK: AND THEN BRANDON WILL GET THE OTHER INFORMATION FOR THE ONES THAT ARE TO BE ASSIGNED? BECAUSE THAT'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON WHETHER I CAN SIGN UP. [INAUDIBLE] >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. TIMES, CORRECT. JAKE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: BRANDON, IS TBARTA THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD? >> THERE'S MPO. >> I KNOW THERE'S A HART BOARD, BUT IT'S SORT OF A WEIRD MIX OF COUNTY AND CITY AND EVERYBODY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ACTUALLY A HART CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD OR NOT. >>DANIEL BLAIR: HART IS MAINLY GOVERNMENTAL PEOPLE IN A SENSE. >>JAKE PIASCIK: FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, YEAH. >>DANIEL BLAIR: THERE'S ALSO THE MPO WHICH DOES A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. I MEAN, PLANNING COMMISSION, IT'S KIND OF SORT OF MAINLY I THINK TBARTA, THERE'S HART, MPO. THOSE ARE BASICALLY THE [INAUDIBLE] I THINK. OH, ALSO THERE'S THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY AND OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT -- >>JAKE PIASCIK: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AND BRANDON, FIND OUT IF -- BECAUSE YOU CAN FIND EVERYTHING OUT -- IF THERE IS SOME WAY THAT THERE IS EITHER CITIZENS GROUP OR SOME KIND OF ADVISORY OR SOMETHING THAT THEY DO WORK WITH PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE DONE IT WITH COMMUNITY PLANS AND THINGS BECAUSE I THINK -- OR AT LEAST ONE OF US TO ATTEND ONE OF THEIR PLANNING MEETINGS THAT THEY'RE HAVING SO WE GET SOME KIND OF INPUT BACK FROM THEM OR WE GET INPUT. YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING? >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. AND BRANDON TOLD ME BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED THAT HE WOULD LOOK TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY OTHERS, BUT THESE WERE THE MOST PERTINENT ONES HE IDENTIFIED FOR US. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, I'M THINKING EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE A CITIZENS GROUP, MAYBE THEY DO HAVE A PLANNING MEETING OR BUDGET MEETING WHERE SOMEONE COULD ATTEND TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM TO BRING BACK BECAUSE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK WITH CITIZENS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BRIAN. >>DANIEL BLAIR: A QUESTION I HAD FOR BRANDON, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER AN AGING SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD. I WAS WONDERING, ARE THEY GOING TO BE DOING IT IN SIMILAR FASHION TO ANIMAL SERVICES WHERE EACH COMMISSIONER APPOINTS SOMEONE OR IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE CHILDREN'S SERVICES WHERE IT'S A FULL BOARD? >>BRANDON WAGNER: I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF IT YET. I THINK THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON A RESOLUTION TO TAKE TO THE BOARD FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE. THEY'RE STILL IN THE FORMATION STAGE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: YOU'VE GOT TO BE OVER 60. [LAUGHTER] >>BRANDON WAGNER: BUT AS SOON AS I KNOW, I'LL SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH YOU-ALL. >>DANIEL BLAIR: I WAS JUST CURIOUS. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. WE WILL BRING THIS UP AGAIN; HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE AN ANIMAL SERVICES MEETING THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE WE MEET SO THAT GAYE CAN REPORT ON THAT, AND -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I WILL TRY TO BE THERE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND IF DEBORAH -- IF SOMETHING COMES UP WITH PARKS AND YOU CAN ATTEND, THEN YOU CAN BRING THAT INFORMATION AS WELL SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: BRANDON, WILL THEY TAKE CARE OF MY PARKING? THE CHAUFFEUR WON'T GO DOWN. >>BRANDON WAGNER: I'LL FIND OUT FOR YOU. [LAUGHTER] >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. AND MOVING ON, IF YOU LOOK AT THE AWARDS SECTION, THE PACKET OF INFORMATION IS THERE ON THE MORAL COURAGE AWARDS. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WE HAVE THE -- DON'T HAVE THE NOMINEES YET, DO WE? >>KAY DOUGHTY: NO, NO, NO. THIS IS JUST THE -- >> APPLICATION. >>KAY DOUGHTY: -- APPLICATION FORM. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OKAY. I THINK WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT ONE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: IT'S JUST AGAIN THAT TIME BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY CHANGES, THEN -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: OH, PLEASE, KAY, NO, NO, DON'T DO THAT AGAIN. >>KAY DOUGHTY: I'M NOT RECOMMENDING THAT, I'M JUST SAYING IF. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT WAS TOO LONG, HOW MANY YEARS, THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS? >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS EVERY YEAR WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NOMINATION BUSINESS IT, AND, I MEAN, CERTAINLY SINCE I CHAIRED THAT COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE THEY'RE VERY CLEAR, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ONLY ME. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OF ARGUING ABOUT THAT, SO I THINK IT'S RIGHT THIS TIME. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: CAN SOMEBODY -- YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT BEING NEW TO THIS, IT SAYS THE COURAGE TO CHALLENGE THE ACTIONS OF GOVERNMENT. CAN YOU GIVE SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT BECAUSE PROBABLY THAT COULD BE PRETTY WIDELY INTERPRETED. >>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, AND IT IS. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: OKAY. BY PURPOSE? >>KAY DOUGHTY: YES, IT IS. IT'S GENERALLY BEEN LOOKED AT BY THIS COMMITTEE IS THAT IT'S SOMEONE WHO HAS TAKEN A POSITION THAT IS AGAINST SOME ACTION THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR SOME OTHER BODY HAS MADE, AND IT'S NOT -- I MEAN, WHERE WE'VE -- AND SO -- I'M A CITIZEN, AND THE BOARD DECIDES, WELL -- LET ME USE THIS. SUPPOSE IT WAS CONGRESS AND THEY -- YOU KNOW, AND THEY HAD A MORAL COURAGE AWARD AND THEY CAME UP WITH -- I'LL USE THE TARP EXAMPLE AGAIN WITH THAT, AND I FELT AS A CITIZEN THAT THAT WAS TOTALLY WRONG, YOU KNOW, I READ MY CONSTITUTION AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE CONSTITUTION SAYS THAT, AND I GO FORWARD AND I -- I CHALLENGE IT AND I CARRY IT THROUGH. I MEAN, I MIGHT GET A LAWYER TO GO FORWARD AND -- >>RANDALL MARSHALL: OKAY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: -- AND, YOU KNOW, GO TO THE FACT WHERE, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT THAT'S OVERTURNED BECAUSE OF WHAT I'VE DONE. THE QUESTION THAT I THINK WE RESOLVED SEVERAL YEARS AGO WAS IF IN YOUR JOB YOU REPRESENT AN INDUSTRY AND YOU ARE CONSTANTLY GOING TO -- BEFORE THE BOARD OR THE SCHOOL BOARD OR WHATEVER AND SAYING, WE DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT, WE DIDN'T SEE THAT AS CHALLENGING BECAUSE WE FELT THAT'S YOUR JOB. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: YEAH, LIKE A LOBBYIST. >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, KIND OF THING BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THOSE PEOPLE BEING RECOMMENDED AS RECIPIENTS, AND WE SAID NO, THAT IT HAD TO BE A PRIVATE CITIZEN OR -- AND I WILL DO A LITTLE CLARIFICATION. THE AWARD HAS BEEN GIVEN TO TWO WHISTLE-BLOWERS WHO WORKED WITHIN ENTITIES OF GOVERNMENT WHO IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS WITHIN GOVERNMENT, ACTUALLY HAD REPRISALS AGAINST THEM AND PREVAILED. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: OKAY. PERFECT. >>JAKE PIASCIK: WAS IT TWO SISTERS, THE WHISTLE-BLOWERS? >>KAY DOUGHTY: NO. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: KAY, I'LL GO EXPLAIN IT TO HIM BRIEFLY IN MY INSTANCE. WHEN WE WERE DOING THE BATTLES -- WATER WARS OVER THE WELLFIELDS, THEN THERE WAS 12 OF US THAT PINELLAS COUNTY SUED, WHICH WAS A SLAP SUIT, AND THEY SENT SUMMONSES TO OUR HOUSE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE EITHER AGREED THAT THEY WEREN'T OVERPUMPING THE WELLFIELDS OR THEY'D TAKE EVERYTHING WE HAD EXCEPT THE DOG, THEY WOULDN'T WANT HIM, SO WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL ATTORNEYS, AND THERE ONLY ENDED UP BEING THREE OF US, AND THIS WAS CALLED A SLAP SUIT THAT PROHIBITED CITIZENS' VOICE IN GOVERNMENT, SO WE HAD THE ATTORNEY, WE HAD HIM FOR THREE YEARS -- AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE WENT THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS BECAUSE THEY WERE CONNECTED WITH PINELLAS COUNTY, AND WE WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE APPELLATE COURT IN DAYTONA BEACH BEFORE -- THE NEXT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SUPREME COURT. PINELLAS EVENTUALLY SETTLED WITH US. OUR TERMS WERE $97,000, A PUBLIC APOLOGY, AND WE -- AND WE INTRODUCED A NEW LAW THAT WAS WRITTEN FOR US THAT NO OTHER CITIZEN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WOULD BE SUED. I DIDN'T GET THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD. I WAS NOMINATED, BUT I WAS THRILLED TO HAVE WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED IN -- DONE FOR THE CITIZENS, SO I REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT'S LIKE, AND UNTIL YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE THREATENED, YOUR FAMILY'S RIGHTS ARE THREATENED, IT TAKES A LOT FOR YOU TO GO BACK AND STAND UP AND STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN BECAUSE WE TOOK A BEATING FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, BUT WE DID WIN. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: YEAH. OKAY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND CAM OBERTING -- I MEAN, IT WAS LITERALLY ESTABLISHED BECAUSE OF CAM OBERTING AND THE TAYLOR ROAD LANDFILL AND ALL OF THE POLLUTION THAT WAS THERE, AND SHE SPEARHEADED THE FOLKS OF TAYLOR ROAD, YOU KNOW, REALLY PREVAILING ALL, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE FEDERAL SYSTEM TO GET THE LANDFILL CLEANED UP, AND -- AND THE BOARD FELT THAT SHE OUGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED, AND THEY DID, AND ESTABLISHED THIS AWARD, I MEAN, ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE OF HER. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: SO IT'S THAT KIND OF THING. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: SURE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THE NOMINATIONS HAVE BECOME BETTER. FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WE GOT PEOPLE WHO DID VERY NICE THINGS, VERY WONDERFUL THINGS FOR THE COUNTY, BUT THEY WEREN'T MORAL COURAGE, AT LEAST IN THAT DEFINITION. >> CONTEXT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: SO -- BUT WE'VE REFINED -- I THINK THREE TIMES WE REFINED THE DEFINITIONS AND THE -- YOU KNOW, TO -- TO WEED OUT GETTING 50 APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO BUY THINGS FOR KIDS OR, YOU KNOW -- >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WELL, THEY DO NICE THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S WHAT YOU DO LIVING IN A COMMUNITY AS A CIVIC PERSON, YOU KNOW. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: SURE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: YOU GO DOWN AND FIGHT A DEVELOPMENT OR BETTER STREETLIGHTS OR PUTTING SIDEWALKS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S THE PERSON THAT STANDS UP TO THE GOVERNMENT AND TAKES THE BEATING WITH HARM TO THEMSELVES, THAT REALLY BELIEVES IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISH BENEFITS OTHERS. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: OKAY. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. >>RANDALL MARSHALL: THANK YOU. >>KAY DOUGHTY: BRANDON. >>BRANDON WAGNER: MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS, IF I COULD OUTLINE THE PROCESS FOR YOU AND GET YOUR APPROVAL ON THE TIMELINE, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. THE FORM YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE NOMINATION THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON-LINE OR TO FOLKS WHO REQUEST IT. THE PLAN IS WITH YOUR APPROVAL TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE THIS AFTERNOON, ALLOW FOR -- ALLOW FOR THE NOMINATION PERIOD TO BE OPEN FOR 30 DAYS, ONE MONTH, PROVIDING WEEKLY UPDATES OR WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS REMINDING THE COMMUNITY OF THE AWARD'S AVAILABILITY. WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR THE INFORMATION TO BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, WHO WILL COORDINATE ITS INFORMATION. WE ARE GOING TO ASK THE COMMUNITY LIAISONS TO SHARE IT WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONS DEPARTMENT TO SEND IT THROUGH THEIR CONTACT LIST AS WELL, WEEKLY UPDATES THROUGH THE FOUR-WEEK PERIOD, ASKING THAT THEY BE SUBMITTED BY 5:00 P.M. ON AUGUST 20th. COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT WILL THEN CREATE THE MATRIX OF THE NOMINEES FOR YOU ON MONDAY AND GET THE INFORMATION TO YOU BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON MONDAY, THE 24th, WHICH IS -- OR 23rd, EXCUSE ME, WHICH IS THE MONDAY PRIOR TO YOUR AUGUST 27th CAC MEETING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S ENOUGH -- THAT'S FOUR DAYS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S ENOUGH TIME FOR YOU-ALL TO COMFORTABLY REVIEW THE INFORMATION. IF NOT, WE'LL ADJUST THE TIME FRAME, BUT WE WANTED TO LEAVE THE NOMINATION PERIOD OPEN AS LONG AS POSSIBLE TO GET THE MOST NUMBER OF NOMINEES, AND THE REASON WE'RE PUSHING THE WEEKLY UPDATES IS TO MAKE SURE WE GET SUFFICIENT FEEDBACK. THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS WHERE WE GOT ONE OR NO RESPONSES BACK. WE FOLLOWED THE SAME FORMAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND HAVE GOTTEN A GOOD NUMBER OF RESPONSES. >>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK SINCE WE'VE CHANGED THE WAY WE'VE EVALUATED THEM AND DONE THEM HERE THAT THAT SHOULD BE FINE. I MEAN, IT GIVES US TIME TO READ OVER THEM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER IS IN THE -- IN THE PAST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IS FOR EACH PERSON TO ACTUALLY RANK THE PEOPLE PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND JUST LOOK AT THE TOP THREE, BUT WITH THAT -- THAT TIME FRAME, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT POSSIBLE, SO WE MIGHT WANT TO DO THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETING. I MEAN, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY AS WELL. >>BRANDON WAGNER: DO YOU WANT IT -- ARE YOU OKAY WITH THE TIME FRAME, WOULD YOU LIKE US TO ADJUST IT? >>KAY DOUGHTY: I'M COMFORTABLE WITH IT BECAUSE OF PARTICULARLY JUST THE NOTICE. I LIKE THE TIMING OF IT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ALL THESE TONS OF INTERFERENCE. LIKE I SAID, WE HAD THE ONE YEAR WHERE IT INTERFERED, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER, WITH THE ELECTION OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW. YES. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: AND I BELIEVE SINCE WE TIGHTENED THE CRITERIA AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING AS MANY APPLICATIONS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. THE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING THROUGH THAT, BUT I THINK THAT IS PART OF IT TOO. >> WHAT IS THE DATE FOR THE OTHER AWARDS? DOES THIS COINCIDE WITH THAT OR -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: MOST OF THE OTHER AWARDS ARE JUST AS -- AS -- THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW THAT HAS A SET TIME FRAME. >>BRANDON WAGNER: AND IN YOUR BINDER UNDER THE AWARDS SECTION THERE IS A PACKET WITH EACH OF THE AWARDS THAT YOU- ALL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON WITH THE CRITERIA, INCLUDING IF THERE IS A TIME FRAME THAT'S PROVIDED, BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S GENERALLY DONE AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. >>DON CORYELL: WOULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT HOW THIS IS ADVERTISED, PROMOTED? >>BRANDON WAGNER: YES. THIS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON-LINE. IT WILL BE -- A PRESS RELEASE WILL GO OUT WITH IT THIS AFTERNOON FROM THE COMMUNICATION'S DEPARTMENT. THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ASK OUR COMMUNITY LIAISONS TO SHARE IT WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST, THOSE WHO THEY WORK WITH, AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ASK NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONS TO SEND IT TO THEIR DISTRIBUTION LIST, WHICH INCLUDES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, CIVIC GROUPS, THOSE WHO REALLY DO A LOT OF WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'LL DO WEEKLY REMINDERS THROUGH THOSE CHANNELS AS WELL, REMEMBER THIS AWARD'S AVAILABLE, DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, AUGUST 20th, AND THE INFORMATION OF WHO TO COMMUNICATE WITH TO GET THE FORM OR ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PLUS THE INFORMATION'S AVAILABLE ON HILLSBOROUGHCOUNTY.ORG, THE WEB SITE. MARCIA, WHO WAS HERE EARLIER DOING THE PHOTOGRAPHS, IS GOING TO BE THE STAFFPERSON WORKING WITH ME ON IT. THEY'VE ALREADY UPDATED THE WEB SITE TO FIX THE FORM, THE CONTACT INFORMATION, AND WHENEVER YOU GIVE PERMISSION, IT'LL GO ON-LINE. >>KAY DOUGHTY: SO THAT WOULD BE TODAY ASSUMING WE -- >>BRANDON WAGNER: TODAY IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH IT, OR IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE TIME FRAME, WE'LL ADJUST ACCORDINGLY. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ADVERTISE IT OR PUSH IT ANY OTHER WAY YOU RECOMMEND. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JAKE PIASCIK: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A FORM OF A MOTION, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO HAVE THAT -- AS LONG AS THE FORM WHICH YOU ALREADY STATED IS SET, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TODAY ON-LINE IF POSSIBLE, BRANDON. >> I'LL SECOND IT. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR. [CHORUS OF AYES] OKAY. AND OUR NEXT ITEM IS TO DISCUSS NEXT MEETING. OBVIOUSLY MORAL COURAGE IS A BIG PART OF THAT. >>BRANDON WAGNER: YES, MA'AM. I HAVE MORAL COURAGE AWARD. WE'RE GOING TO INVITE DAVE ROGOFF, THE NEW DIRECTOR OF PLANNING -- OR FAMILY AND AGING SERVICES TO COME IN AND GIVE US AN UPDATE ON HIS TRANSITION PLAN ALONG WITH THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE AND INVITE MR. BANKS FROM AGING SERVICES TO COME BACK, DISCUSS THE ISSUES THAT MS. BLACK HAS BROUGHT UP, AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES FOR HIM. >>KAY DOUGHTY: AND I THINK THAT'S A FULL AGENDA, AT LEAST WHAT I'M HEARING, I MEAN, BECAUSE WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE INVITED FIRST AND THEN RESERVE THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING TO DO MORAL COURAGE. YES, GAYE. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: WE DIDN'T RESOLVE THE FAVORITE SONS AND DAUGHTER AWARD. >>KAY DOUGHTY: THANK YOU. PUT THE FAVORITE SONS AND DAUGHTERS, THE NEW YORK YANKEE'S APPLICATION, AND WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: I JUST HAVE ONE SUGGESTION. EVERYBODY JUST THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE FAVORITE SONS AND DAUGHTERS AWARD, WHY CAN'T WE JUST ADD AND ADOPTIVE. SO -- I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD COVER EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE THE -- WE HAVE THE FAVORITE SONS AND DAUGHTERS THAT WERE BORN HERE AND WE HAVE OUR ADOPTED FAVORITE SONS AND DAUGHTERS. THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. I THINK IT WOULD -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH. EVERYONE THINK ABOUT IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THE CRITERIA OR - - USING THE -- I MEAN THE -- THE DEFINITIONS WE ALREADY HAVE AS TO HOW WE INTERPRET THEM AND THEN JUST PUT TOGETHER THAT. WE CAN MAKE THAT DECISION AND DECIDE ON THAT RECOMMENDATION. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THAT WAY IF THEY ARE THERE'S ADOPTED, THERE'S NO -- >>KAY DOUGHTY: RIGHT. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: -- QUALM ABOUT IT. >> [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THEY DO. THEY BRING US THEIR TAX BILLS. [LAUGHTER] >>KAY DOUGHTY: THERE'S NO ONE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE COMMITTEE FROM ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL THAT WE NEED TO KNOW? I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY. >>JAKE PIASCIK: MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR DISMISSAL. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND FOR ADJOURNMENT? >>BEA BLACK: SECOND. >>KAY DOUGHTY: OKAY. SO MOVED. >>GAYE TOWNSEND: THANK YOU. 1