CAPTIONING
AUGUST 16, 2007
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION
PUBLIC HEARING - CONTINUATION
AFTERNOON SESSION




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


>>BRIAN BLAIR:  GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME BACK TO OUR 
AUGUST 16th EPC MEETING, AND WE WILL HAVE THE CONTINUATION 
OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
MR. KOULIANOS, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  OKAY.
THE NEXT THREE SPEAKERS WILL BE KENT SAFRIET, JANET KOVACH, 
AND JOSEPH NARKIEWICZ.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS KENT SAFRIET, I'M WITH THE LAW FIRM OF HOPPING 
GREEN & SAMS IN TALLAHASSEE, HERE ON BEHALF OF MR. STEVEN 
DIBBS, TO SUPPORT THE ELIMINATION OF EPC WETLANDS RULES.
BASED ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS EARLIER, IT CERTAINLY APPEARS 
THE HYBRID PLAN IS WHERE THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO END UP, 
SO I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE HYBRID PLAN AND ITS 
EFFECTIVENESS.
THE QUESTION THIS GOVERNMENTAL BODY SHOULD BE ANSWERING IS 
DOES IT PROVIDE VALUE TO THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY.
WE SUGGEST NOT, THAT THE HYBRID PLAN DOES NOT PROVIDE 
VALUE, NOR DID THE EPC WETLANDS DIVISION.
THERE'S BEEN NO EVIDENCE PROVIDED BY ANYBODY ANYWHERE, 
OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE, THAT $2.4 MILLION BEING SPENT OF 
TAXPAYER MONEY PROVIDES ANY BENEFIT ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT 
DEP OR SWFWMD ALREADY PROVIDES AND WHAT TAXPAYERS ALREADY 
PAY FOR, SO THE QUESTION IS WHY SPEND $2.4 MILLION TO HAVE 
A LOCAL PROGRAM THAT DOES NO MORE THAN WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE 
IS DOING.
AND THE HYBRID MODEL DOESN'T CHANGE ANY OF THAT.
IN FACT, IT FURTHER DUPLICATES WHAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE BY 
SWFWMD AND DEP.
I POINT TO SEVERAL PARTS OF THE HYBRID PLAN.
IT'S CERTAINLY A CARBON COPY, IF YOU WILL, OF SWFWMD'S 
PLAN.
BASIS OF REVIEW.
SWFWMD ALREADY HAS THOSE.
IT'S A BIG BOOK ABOUT THAT THICK.
CLASSIFICATION OF WETLANDS, UMAM, ALREADY ON THE BOOKS IN 
THE FLORIDA STATUTES.
CLASSIFICATION OF WETLANDS, ALREADY BEEN DONE.
AGSWM, IT'S A PROGRAM THAT THE DISTRICT HAS ALREADY DONE.
NOW THE EPC PROPOSES TO ADOPT IT.
OMBUDSMAN'S, BEEN DONE.
THE DISTRICT'S DONE IT.
WHY RE-CREATE THE WHEEL AT A COST OF $2.1 MILLION.
THE PLAN HAS BEEN PRESENTED AS A COST SAVINGS OF 360, BUT 
IT STILL SPENDS $2.1 MILLION NEEDLESSLY.
AFTER THIS COMMISSION MEETING AND IF THE HYBRID PLAN IS 
ADOPTED, THE HYBRID PLAN'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING.
AS SOON AS THE POLITICAL PRESSURE DIES DOWN SEVERAL WEEKS 
LATER, IT'S GOING TO BE BUSINESS AS USUAL.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE NEW RULES, THERE'S GOING TO BE NEW 
LANGUAGE, THERE'S GOING TO BE ALL THESE NEW THINGS, AND 
IT'S GOING TO BE DRESSED UP DIFFERENTLY, BUT THE BOTTOM 
LINE IS THE PERMITTING PROCESS WILL STAY THE SAME.
IT'S THE SAME SONG, IT'S THE SAME DANCE.
NOTHING IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S BEING ACCOMPLISHED IS THE EPC IS 
TRYING TO BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AT BEING UNPRODUCTIVE 
BECAUSE THE PROGRAM DOESN'T PRODUCE ANY BENEFITS.
IN SHORT, THE PROGRAM DOES NOTHING MORE BUT REARRANGE THE 
DECK CHAIRS, AND REARRANGING THE DECK CHAIRS ON THE TITANIC 
DOESN'T FIX THE LEAK, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THE HYBRID PLAN DOESN'T FIX THE LEAK, AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOT 
TO BE DONE, AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS TO ELIMINATE THE 
WETLANDS RULES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MR. SAFRIET.
JANET KOVACH.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JANET KOVACH.
I RESIDE AT 8214 REVELS ROAD IN RIVERVIEW, FLORIDA.
I CAME HERE, AND I'VE ALWAYS SPOKEN OUT AND BEEN VERY 
ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I'M A FARMER'S DAUGHTER, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED 
ABOUT AGRICULTURE.
I'M A REALTOR.
I'VE WORKED FOR INDUSTRY.
I'M A PLANNER.
I'VE WORKED WITH BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS.
AND I'M A NATURALIST, AND WHEN I SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE TURN 
OUT LIKE COMMISSIONER SELVEY OR COMMISSIONER HART OR 
SENATOR STORMS OR COMMISSIONER PLATT AND EVERYONE HAS 
CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, I THINK WE NEED TO LISTEN.
COMMISSIONER NORMAN, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I REALLY 
APPRECIATED YOUR REMARKS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS, AND 
I'M A BIG PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS PERSON, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, 
THAT THERE'S LAWS ON THE BOOKS AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO 
UTILIZE THEIR PROPERTY THE WAY THEY CAN.
I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT WHEN YOU'RE HAVING EPC DEFINE 
"REASONABLE USE," PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT SWFWMD DOES THAT.
I TRIED TO GET THEM TO DO THAT THE WHOLE TIME I WAS ON THE 
BOARD.
THEY LACK SOME DEFINITION AS WELL.
ALSO, I'M NOT SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH STAFF.
THEIR SCOPE HAS GOTTEN LARGER, AND LESS STAFF MEANS LONGER 
PERMIT TIMES.
I'VE WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE AG COMMUNITY AND STAFF, 
EPC STAFF, AND I WANT TO COMMEND ALL OF THEM.
THEY HAVE DONE A FABULOUS JOB OF COMING TO CONSENSUS AND 
WORKING ON SOLUTION, AND I SUPPORT THE HYBRID MODEL THAT 
HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WITH THEM.
YES, DID EPC HAVE PROBLEMS?
ABSOLUTELY.
ARE THEY WORKING ON IT?
ABSOLUTELY.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING THEM A YEAR.
YOU MADE SOME COMMENTS TO THE AG COMMUNITY THAT WERE 
DIFFERENT THAN THAT, THAT YOU WANTED TO GRADE THEM BEFORE A 
YEAR BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE AN ELECTION PROCESS, BUT NOW I 
WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS.
OKAY?
WE'RE LOOKING TO YOU GUYS AS LEADERS, AND THE PUBLIC HAS 
LOST TRUST IN INDIVIDUALS WHO SAY WE WANT A PRESENTATION TO 
MAKE A DECISION, THEN NO PRESENTATION; ANSWER PHONE CALLS; 
COME BACK IN, RECONSIDER VOTES, CHANGE VOTES; INDIVIDUALS 
WHO SHUT DOORS AND DO NOT ALLOW THE PUBLIC IN AN OPEN 
PUBLIC FORUM.
THIS IS A PROBLEM.
I WAS NOT GOING TO MENTION ANY OF THIS, BUT WHEN I -- I 
SIGNED UP THIS MORNING, EVERYONE WAS SIGNING THESE SHEETS, 
AND I SAID, DON'T WORRY, YOU'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
THEY WERE ALL SIGNING THE SHEETS.
I SAID IT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN A REASONABLE MANNER.
I SIGNED THE SHEET DIRECTLY AFTER DAVID STORCK, AND SEVERAL 
OF US WERE NOT CALLED.
I THINK IT WAS BY DESIGN, ABSOLUTELY 110% BY DESIGN.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO PUT THAT ON ALL OF YOU, I'M GOING TO 
PUT THAT ON YOU, COMMISSIONER BLAIR, AS THE HEAD OF THIS 
ORGANIZATION, THAT IT WAS BY DESIGN.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS, I'M GOING TO PUT THE UGLY ON THE TABLE.
I'VE WATCHED YOU STUMBLE THROUGH MEETINGS, I'VE WATCHED YOU 
USE BAD JUDGMENT, AND I BELIEVE PERSONALLY YOU DO NOT HAVE 
THE SKILL SETS TO STAY ON THIS COMMISSION.
INSTEAD OF ELIMINATING THE WETLANDS, I THINK YOU NEED TO 
ELIMINATE YOURSELF AND STEP DOWN.
I BROUGHT A BOOK CALLED "ETHICS 101."
I'M NOT SURE IF IT WILL HELP YOU.
I RECOMMEND YOU READ IT.
AND I BROUGHT YOU A COPY OF THE SUNSHINE LAW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  JOSEPH --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  MS. KOVACH, LET ME JUST SAY THAT WHEN THOSE 
SHEETS WERE TURNED OVER TO ME, THEY WERE TURNED TO ME BY 
MR. -- BY MR. TOM KOULIANOS IN A VERY -- IN A STACK OF 
PAPERS, AND NOTHING WAS DONE PURPOSELY.
THAT'S WHY I GAVE THEM BACK TO MR. KOULIANOS.
IF YOU'RE MAKING A CAMPAIGN SPEECH NOW, THAT'S FINE.
FEEL FREE TO.
>> THEY WERE TURNED BACK IN TO MR. KOULIANOS BECAUSE I WENT 
AND COMPLAINED.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND AS FAR AS THE SUNSHINE LAW, THAT WILL 
BE DEALT WITH.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
ABSOLUTELY.
I HOPE HE LOOKS INTO IT.
>>RICK GARRITY:  COMMISSIONER BLAIR, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAYBE 
CLARIFY SOMETHING ABOUT THE MEETING, I GUESS IT WAS MONDAY.
IT WAS A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
THAT'S A MEETING I ACTUALLY HAD INVITED YOU TO ACCOMPANY ME 
TO I THINK THE FRIDAY BEFORE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THAT'S CORRECT.
>>RICK GARRITY:  AND WHAT I -- IN FACT, WHY I INVITED YOU, 
I DIDN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS.
I JUST SAID I'M GOING TO MEET WITH SOME AG PEOPLE, WOULD 
YOU LIKE TO COME WITH ME.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  EXACTLY.
>>RICK GARRITY:  SO WHATEVER HAPPENED AT THAT MEETING, I 
THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONFUSION ABOUT EXACTLY WHO THE 
GROUP WAS.
IN FACT, I HAD MY ATTORNEY THERE, ANDY ZODROW, AND HE DID 
NOT EXACTLY KNOW WHO THE GROUP WERE -- WAS.
HE KNEW IT WAS A BUNCH OF AG PEOPLE THAT WE WERE TALKING 
ABOUT, SO I REALIZE THERE'S AN ISSUE HERE THAT'S BEING 
TALKED ABOUT.
I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSION THERE ABOUT 
WHO THE GROUP WAS OR WHETHER OR NOT SUNSHINE APPLIED.
I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY, SO I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M JUST TELLING 
YOU THAT I INVITED YOU THERE, AND SO YOU WERE SORT OF MY 
GUEST COMING ALONG WITH ME, AND WHATEVER YOU -- IF YOU HAVE 
A NEED TO TALK WITH ANY GROUP AND YOU DON'T -- AND YOU WANT 
TO TALK WITH THEM ALONE, I THINK THAT'S YOUR BUSINESS, SO 
I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE I CAME TO 
FACILITATE YOU.
>>RICK GARRITY:  RIGHT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND UPON YOUR REQUEST, AND BECAUSE OF THE 
CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD, WE'VE GOTTEN EVERYBODY TO THIS 
POINT AND TO AGREE TO THE HYBRID PLAN, SO IT WAS VERY 
PRODUCTIVE, AND I THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.
>>RICK GARRITY:  YES.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YES, SIR.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  NEXT WOULD BE JOSEPH NARKIEWICZ FOLLOWED 
BY DOMINIC GAIBA AND JEANETTE DOYLE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
JOSEPH NARKIEWICZ, REPRESENTING THE TAMPA BAY BUILDERS 
ASSOCIATION, 2918 WEST KENNEDY BOULEVARD.
FIRST OF ALL, COMMISSIONER NORMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR 
PUTTING SOME FACTS ON THE TABLE.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.
CERTAINLY THE MEDIA HASN'T PUT ALL THE FACTS OUT.
I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN STOKING THE POT AND STIRRING THE POT 
AND HAVE BEEN RUNNING ALL SORTS OF ARTICLES BUT STILL 
FAILED TO PUT ALL THE FACTS IN THE ARTICLES, BUT THANK YOU 
VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT OUT.
AND COMMISSIONER BLAIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING 
EVERYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN A FORUM SUCH AS THIS.
IN AMERICA EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO SPEAK, AND I JUST WISH 
THAT PEOPLE COULD PERHAPS ADDRESS THE ISSUES RATHER THAN 
VICIOUS ATTACKS AND INSULTS, BUT THERE IS AMERICA, AND I 
GUESS EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO SAY WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
THAT SAID, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, 
THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE, AND I THINK THE PUBLIC 
SHOULD BE THANKFUL THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS 
PARTICULAR ISSUE BOTH FOR AND AGAINST.
IT GIVES EVERYONE A CHANCE TO AIR THEIR VIEWS.
I THINK SOME OF THE DISCUSSION BRINGS OUT SOME POINTS THAT 
EVEN I DID NOT CONSIDER PREVIOUSLY, BUT SPEAKING TO THE 
ISSUE ITSELF, THE HYBRID PLAN IS SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT 
WE HAD BEFORE.
AT LEAST WE HAVE SOME PROCESS THAT'S IDENTIFIED IN WRITING.
AT LEAST THERE ARE TIMELINES INVOLVED IN IT.
IS IT A PERFECT DOCUMENT?
NO, IT'S NOT.
THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED.
NONETHELESS, THE ISSUE HAS TORN THE COMMUNITY APART, AND I 
THINK WE NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION AND MOVE ON AND SET THIS 
BEHIND US.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. NARKIEWICZ.
AND NEXT, TOM, NEXT THREE.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  DOMINIC GAIBA, I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING 
THAT CORRECTLY, JEANETTE DOYLE, AND W. KINDRED POWELL.
>> IT'S DOMINIC JEBIA.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  SORRY.
>> A ONE-MINUTE OR THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT IMPOSED ON THE 
PROTESTORS AT THE COUNTY HEARINGS SEEM TO HAVE NO IMPACT ON 
SOME OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHEN THEY ARE AGAINST 
DEVELOPERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THE FACT OF THIS THAT IN THE 
1980s FOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WERE JAILED FOR DOING THE 
BIDDING OF SOME OF THE DEVELOPERS.
I HOPE WE DO NOT SEE THIS AGAIN.
IT'S BETTER TO HAVE THE EPC LAW ON WETLANDS THAN A WEAKER 
STATE LAW IN THE LONG RUN.
THE EPC LAW WILL SAVE US MONEY BY NOT HAVING TO DEAL WITH 
FLOODING IN AREAS.
THE DEVELOPERS WHO WANT TO BUILD ON WETLANDS AND THEN 
REPLACE THE WETLANDS ELSEWHERE WILL DO -- THEY KNOW IT DOES 
NOT WORK, AND SO DO YOU COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
IT HASN'T WORKED IN THE PAST, AND I DOUBT VERY MUCH IT'S 
GOING TO WORK IN THE FUTURE.
THAT'S ABOUT IT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. JEBIA.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  JEANETTE DOYLE.
>> SHE ALREADY SPOKE.
>> SHE SPOKE.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  W. KINDRED POWELL, GRANT WALTERS, AND 
THEN AFTER THAT WE'LL HAVE WILLIAM BRILEY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME'S GRANT WALTERS.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE UPPER TAMPA BAY ALLIANCE BOARD --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME.
>> -- AND THE CIVIC PARK ASSOCIATION BOARD.
I'M NOT REPRESENTING THEM AT THE MOMENT, BUT I'D LIKE YOU 
TO KNOW THAT ANYWAY.
THIS BUSINESS ABOUT BAD PROJECTS GETTING THROUGH -- NOT 
GETTING THROUGH THE SYSTEM, I HAPPEN TO HAVE MATERIALS THAT 
WAS PRODUCED BY ONE OF OUR CITRUS PARK PEOPLE, LINDA 
GADBAW, THAT SHOWS THAT WETLAND DELINEATION MAP THAT SHOWED 
A SPRING, OF WHICH NO DISCUSSION HAS BEEN MADE WHATSOEVER 
ABOUT A SPRING TODAY AS THE SMALLEST POTENTIAL ITEM FOR A 
SOURCE OF WATER.
THE SPRING WAS OMITTED FROM A LAND DEVELOPMENT -- OF A 
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT, EXCUSE ME, IN CITRUS PARK.
AND THEREFORE, THE ACTUAL PETITION WAS ACTUALLY VOTED ON 
AND SIGNED BY EPC.
IT WAS DISCOVERED LATER THAT THIS LAND HAD TO IT A PARKING 
LOT PUT OVER THE TOP OF THE SPRING, AND, THEREFORE, LETTERS 
WERE THEN BEGAN TO BE WRITTEN AND WAS DISCOVERED IN A 
HANDWRITTEN LETTER TO THE EPC THAT THE ATTORNEY FOR THE EPC 
SAID THIS WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA, AND, THEREFORE, YOU HAD TO 
CORRESPOND TO ALL OF THE REGULATIONS OF THE EPC, OF WHICH 
WE -- I SAT WITH LINDA AND WE REWROTE THIS LETTER.
ACCORDING TO THE DETAILS NEEDED, THERE WERE 11 DIFFERENT 
PIECES.
THE REASON THAT THIS THING IS SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE A NEW 
REVISED VERSION OF A HIGHER DENSITY TO THAT PROPERTY SHOWED 
A TOWN HOUSE ON TOP OF THE SPRING.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, IN THE LATE '90s, THIS COMMISSION, THE 
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, CHANGED THE URBAN SERVICE 
AREA TO INCLUDE CITRUS PARK.
CITRUS PARK HAS BEEN ON WATER, WELL, AND SEWER THEIR ENTIRE 
TIME.
THEREFORE, THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS PARTICULAR SPRING 
ALONGSIDE OF ONE THAT HAD BEEN DESTROYED ABOUT TWO YEARS 
BEFORE IN THE INSTALLATION OF THE PUBLIX SUPER MARKET NEXT 
DOOR, SHOWS THAT THERE WOULD BE A CONTAMINATION POSSIBILITY 
OR A LOSS OF WATER IN THE CITRUS PARK AREA AND THAT THE 
COUNTY IN THIS CASE HAS MADE NO EFFORT WHATSOEVER TO 
PROVIDE STREETLIGHTS, SEWER, WATER, SIDEWALKS, OR ANY OTHER 
FACILITY TO CITRUS PARK EXCEPT FOR REZONING, AND THAT 
REZONING CALLED FOR A HIGHER F.A.R. TO THE POINT THAT 
BASICALLY NOTHING COULD BE BUILT IN THE COMMUNITY.
WHAT I'M BASICALLY SAYING IS THAT WE HAVE INDICATION HERE 
THAT DEVELOPERS CAN PROVIDE INACCURATE INFORMATION TO THE 
COUNTY AND HAVE THAT REVIEWED AS THE FACT WHEN, IN FACT, 
THEY HAD THIS INFORMATION THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD BETTER 
RESOURCES FOR.
I WISH IN THIS CASE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER KEEPING THE 
EXISTING FORM OF THE EPC IN PLACE BECAUSE IT INVOLVES 
PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HAVE A COMMUNITY LOOKED AT CAREFULLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  WILLIAM -- WILLIAM BRILEY, CLAY COLSON, 
AND RON BENNETT.
OKAY.
MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
MARK NASH.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  OH, OKAY.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> IS IT RON BENT?
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  NO, IT'S RON BENNETT.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  YEAH, I'M SURE.
>> HIS NAME IS BENT.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  BUT IT SAYS BENNETT.
>> I CAN TAKE HIS POSITION IF HE'S NOT HERE.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD FOR HAVING ME, DR. GARRITY AND 
ALL THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH.
OUR WETLANDS ARE SAFE, AND THEY WILL BE PROTECTED.
THEY'RE NOT IN JEOPARDY OF -- THEY'RE NOT IN JEOPARDY IF 
EPC WETLANDS DIVISION DUTIES ARE TERMINATED.
I RESPECT EACH ONE OF YOU FOR THE JOB YOU HAVE TO DO UP 
THERE.
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A DIFFICULT JOB IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU ARE FACED WITH A BIG RESPONSIBILITY OF SAVING OUR TAX 
DOLLARS.
THIS MEANS MAKING CUTS THAT HELPS OUR GOVERNMENT TO BE MORE 
EFFICIENT, USING OUR TAX DOLLARS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY.
WHAT BETTER REASON CAN YOU HAVE THAN TO DISCOVER THAT 
THERE'S MULTIPLE AGENCIES ARE DUPLICATING, DOUBLING UP 
UNNECESSARILY, AND DOING THE SAME JOB WITH NO MAJOR 
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT?
LET US NOT KEEP TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE DOING THE SAME THING.
IN ANY ORGANIZATION, WASTEFUL DUPLICATION IS THE NUMBER ONE 
SIGN OF BAD MANAGEMENT AND A DRAIN OF PRODUCTIVE RESOURCES.
IF YOU CANNOT MAKE A CUT WHEN YOU HAVE AN OBVIOUS REDUNDANT 
DUPLICATION PROCESS AND MAKING THESE CUTS WILL NOT 
JEOPARDIZE OUR ENVIRONMENT, HOW WILL YOU JUSTIFY IN THE 
FUTURE MAKING CUTS TO OTHER PROGRAMS THAT MAY NOT HAVE A 
DUPLICATION?
AN ADDITIONAL POINT THAT I HAD IS IT IS VERY SUSPICIOUS AND 
DISTURBING TO SEE THAT WITHIN A FEW WEEKS EPC'S WETLAND 
RULES THAT THEY STOOD ON WITH CONVICTION FOR 20 YEARS, IS 
SUPPOSEDLY PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT FOR OVER 
20 YEARS ARE NOW EASILY DROPPED AND EXEMPT WHILE THESE SAME 
RULES WERE USED TO BEAT DOWN AND SLOW DOWN AND STOP AND 
BANKRUPT POSSIBLY HUNDREDS OF PROJECTS AND JEOPARDIZING THE 
LIVELIHOOD OF MANY FAMILIES HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
OVER THE YEARS.
WHAT OTHER TRUTHS ARE BEING HID FROM US IN THE NAME OF 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION?
THANK YOU.
>> SIR, COULD I GET YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
>> RON BENT, B-E-N-T.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MR. BENT.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  IS MARK NASH IN THE AUDIENCE?
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  OKAY.
CAROL AND DIMITRI ARTZIBUSHEV, BILL LUTSINGER.
KEITH BRICKLEMYER, AMANDA BOWERS, KEITH BIRCHFIELD.
GOING QUICK.
PAM PRYSNER.
VIV BACCA.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  HOLD IT.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  PAM'S HERE AND THEN VIV BACCA AFTERWARDS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
PAM PRYSNER, 18335 LITHIA TOWN ROAD IN LITHIA.
I ALSO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE RURAL LITHIA AREA 
NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENSE CIVIC ORGANIZATION, ALSO KNOWN AS 
RLAND.
THERE WAS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE PUBLISHED LAST MONTH BY 
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ABOUT LAKE OKEECHOBEE.
THE LAKE HAD ALWAYS BEEN A COLLECTOR OF FRESHWATER THAT WAS 
THEN SLOWLY RELEASED DURING DRY SPELLS.
IT SERVES AS THE BACKUP DRINKING WATER SOURCE FOR MILLIONS 
IN THE SOUTH OF FLORIDA.
BUT NOW THE WATER LEVEL OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE HAS BEEN HITTING 
RECORD LOWS EVERY WEEK.
THE KISSIMMEE RIVER, THE LAKE'S MAIN ARTERY, HAS NOT FLOWED 
INTO IT FOR OVER 260 DAYS.
FIVE FEET OF RAIN ARE NEEDED TO BRING THE LAKE BACK TO ITS 
NORMAL LEVEL.
PEOPLE POINT TO THE DROUGHT AS THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, 
BUT IT'S NOT THE DROUGHT THAT HAS PUT THE LAKE INTO ITS 
CURRENT CONDITION.
IT IS MAN'S MANIPULATION OF THE EVERGLADES.
OVER THE YEARS, DEVELOPMENT IN AND AROUND THE EVERGLADES 
HAS CREATED AN UNNATURAL SITUATION.
WETLANDS THAT ONCE STORED WATER AND SERVED AS FEEDERS TO 
LAKES AND RIVERS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED AS DEVELOPMENT 
OCCURRED IN WHAT WERE FLOODPLAINS.
NOW THE ENGINEERS OF THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT 
DISTRICT, A STATE AGENCY, ARE SCRAMBLING TO CORRECT PAST 
MISTAKES.
THERE WAS EVEN TALK OF INTRODUCING POLLUTED WATER INTO THE 
LAKE IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING UP THE WATER LEVEL, BUT NATURE 
CAN'T BE RE-CREATED.
FOR TRUE RESTORATION TO OCCUR -- OCCUR, STORMWATER MUST BE 
ABLE TO ONCE AGAIN NATURALLY OVERFLOW THE FLOODPLAINS INTO 
THE WETLANDS, BUT THE FORMER FLOODPLAINS ARE NOW HIGHWAYS, 
COMMUNITIES, AND BUSINESSES, AND THE WETLANDS DON'T EXIST.
AND HOW DOES THIS DIRE SITUATION AFFECT HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY?
IT EXEMPLIFIES THE DOMINO EFFECT OF MANIPULATING FLORIDA'S 
WETLANDS.
IT'S A HARBINGER OF OUR FUTURE IF WE DO NOT USE EVERY TOOL 
AVAILABLE TO US IN THE PROTECTION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
YOU HAVE A DUTY TO ASSURE THAT WE HAVE A LOCAL AGENCY TO 
PROTECT WHAT SWFWMD DOES NOT.
YOU HAVE AN IRREPLACEABLE TOOL IN THE WETLANDS DIVISION TO 
HELP PROTECT OUR WATER SUPPLY.
I ASK THAT YOU BECOME THE CHAMPIONS OF HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY'S ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
DO NOT DISBAND THE EPC WETLANDS DIVISION OR DIMINISH THEIR 
OVERSIGHT.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAD INTENDED TO SAY, BUT SINCE I HAVE A 
LITTLE TIME LEFT, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS 
IN ADDITION.
WHEN WE BROKE FOR LUNCH, DAVID CAMPO WAS SUPPOSED TO SPEAK 
NEXT, AND INSTEAD WE HAD A LAWYER FROM A TALLAHASSEE LAW 
FIRM SPEAKING TO US, NOT EVEN A RESIDENT OR A CITIZEN OF 
OUR COUNTY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE TYPE OF THING THAT ADDS 
SUSPICIONS TO OUR CITIZENS AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS 
MOTIVATING OUR COMMISSION AND WHO IS BEHIND WHAT'S 
HAPPENING WITH OUR WETLANDS DIVISION.
IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT, AND I KNOW YOU'VE ALL TAKEN -- 
NOT ALL OF YOU, BUT FOUR OF YOU HAVE TAKEN A REAL BEATING 
LATELY, BUT SOME OF THAT MAY BE SELF-IMPOSED.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  VIVIAN BACCA, GAIL SCOTT, JESSICA 
CHAPMAN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, PAM, AND WELCOME, VIVIAN.
>> VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE, BRANDON.
ONE MINUTE, 60 SECONDS, TICKTOCK.
LOOKING BACK, IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE THAT WE GOT 60 SECONDS 
TO SPEAK ABOUT THE EPC WETLANDS MANAGEMENT DIVISION AT THE 
MEETING ON JULY 26th.
ONE SECOND FOR EACH PENNY THAT WE CALCULATED THE DIVISION 
WAS COSTING TAXPAYERS EACH YEAR.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH 60 SECONDS?
NOT MUCH, YOU MIGHT THINK.
YOU'D BE WRONG.
IT TAKES LESS THAN 60 SECONDS TO PRESS THE BUTTON TO VOTE.
PLEASE VOTE TO SAVE OUR LOCAL WETLAND REGULATIONS.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, VIVIAN.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  GAIL SCOTT AND JESSICA CHAPMAN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, MS. SCOTT.
>> HI.
JESSICA HAD TO GO HOME.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OH, OKAY.
>> MY NAME IS GAIL SCOTT.
I LIVE IN LITHIA, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE DORMAN 
BROWNING CROSSING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, QUITE A WORD.
WE WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU CONSIDER 
VOTING NO -- SINCE I'VE SPOKEN TO THE ATTORNEY AND HE TELLS 
ME YOU ONLY -- YOU CANNOT NOT MAKE A MOTION BUT YOU MUST 
VOTE NO NOW -- TO ALLOW THE EPC TO CONTINUE TO FUNCTION AT 
ITS CURRENT LEVELS AND LEAVE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
WETLAND STANDARDS INTACT.
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD KNOWS FIRSTHAND OF THE GOOD WORK DONE BY 
THE EPC IN PROTECTING A NINE-ACRE CREEK RESPONSIBLE FOR 
MUCH OF THE DRAINAGE INTO THE ALAFIA RIVER FROM OUR 
PROPERTIES AFTER SWFWMD HAS REFUSED TO COME OUT.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT JUST THE CATTLE PONDS THAT HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY EPC IS PROTECTING, AND AS TO THOSE CATTLE PONDS, 
WE'VE SEEN REPERCUSSIONS OF THESE BEING FILLED IN IN OUR 
NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN WE HAVE NOT CALLED EPC BECAUSE WE DON'T 
LIKE TO CALL ON OUR NEIGHBORS.
LOCAL FLOODING NOW OCCURS IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF OUR 
NEIGHBORHOOD DUE TO THE DUMPING OF FILL TO ELEVATE 
PROPERTIES ADJACENT TO WETLANDS.
EPC IS THE ONLY AGENCY THAT RESPONDED TO OUR CALLS FOR 
ACTION BEFORE THE PROPERTY COULD BE COMPLETELY ALTERED.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES WAITED THREE MONTHS TO COME 
OUT, AND TEN INCHES OF FILL HAD BEEN DUMPED AT THAT TIME.
THE PERMEABILITY OF THE SOIL IS ALTERED AND THE UPLAND 
TREES REMOVED.
PLEASE DO NOT DIMINISH THE ONLY EFFECTIVE AGENCY THAT WE 
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEAL WITH IN THE COUNTY.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  GERARD KATTICK, CHRIS HART, MARY MULHERN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
GERARD KATTICK, INMAN AVENUE, TAMPA, FLORIDA, SON OF A 
FARMER.
WE'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE CLAIMING A FARMING BACKGROUND.
YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY GUESSED NOT A FLORIDA NATIVE.
[LAUGHTER]
BUT I HAVE LIVED IN TAMPA NOW FOR 20 YEARS, AND THERE'S 
BEEN A LOT OF TALK TODAY ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BEING DIVIDED, 
CITIZENRY BEING ANGRY, AND I WANTED TO SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS 
WITH YOU ABOUT WHY WE'RE SO ANGRY AND WHY WE'RE SO DIVIDED.
BECAUSE I AM PARTICULARLY ANGRY TODAY.
I'VE BEEN PULLED OUT OF RETIREMENT.
I USED TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD -- AND COMMISSIONER NORMAN 
WILL REMEMBER ME WELL -- WHEN IT WAS JIM SELVEY, CHRIS 
HART, ED TURANCHIK, PHYLLIS BUSANSKY, PHYLLIS CAMPBELL, 
SOME OLD NAMES, AND I USED TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD AND 
FIGHT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND SUPPORTED EPC BACK THEN, 
AND FOR THE LAST FIVE OR PLUS YEARS I KIND OF PULLED MYSELF 
OUT OF THE PUBLIC ARENA.
I HAD HAD ENOUGH OF COMING DOWN AND SPENDING A WHOLE DAY 
HERE, BUT I'VE BEEN PULLED OUT TODAY, AND THAT'S WHY I'M 
ANGRY.
I DIDN'T WANT TO COME DOWN HERE TODAY, I DIDN'T WANT TO 
COME AND TALK TO YOU, I DIDN'T WANT TO COME AND FIGHT ON 
BEHALF OF OUR WETLANDS, I WANTED TO STAY HOME, STAY AT 
WORK.
I HAD OTHER THINGS I'D RATHER BE DOING TODAY.
SO I'M ANGRY ABOUT BEING PULLED OUT OF RETIREMENT.
I'M ANGRY ABOUT BEING LIED TO.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SPIN.
IT WASN'T SPIN THIS MORNING, IT WAS OUTRIGHT LIES.
THIS WAS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE EPC BETTER OR MORE 
RESPONSIVE.
THE MOTION WAS TO ELIMINATE THE WETLANDS DIVISION, CLEAR 
AND SIMPLE.
IT WAS NOT ABOUT MAKING IT BETTER OR MORE RESPONSIVE.
DON'T LIE TO US, PLEASE.
SECONDLY OR THIRDLY, IN FACT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GOING THE 
EXTRA MILE.
SOME OF YOU WENT THE EXTRA MILE RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE.
ONE OF YOU WENT ON A MARATHON.
[LAUGHTER]
ISN'T THAT WHAT WE EXPECT?
WE EXPECT DUE DILIGENCE.
YOU'RE MEANT TO RESEARCH THESE ISSUES.
THAT'S YOUR JOB.
THAT'S YOUR DUTY AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, TO RESEARCH AND 
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES BEFORE YOU.
IF YOU'RE NOT DOING THAT, THEN YOU SHOULDN'T BE SITTING 
BEHIND THAT DAIS.
WE EXPECT YOU TO RESEARCH THE ISSUES.
LASTLY WHY AM I ANGRY?
YOU'RE ALL BEING PAID TO LISTEN TO THIS.
YOU'RE BEING PAID TO GO THE EXTRA MILE, TO DO THE MARATHON 
OF RESEARCH THAT WE'VE ALL DONE.
WE'VE ALL WASTED A WHOLE DAY TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES, SO 
PLEASE DON'T PATRONIZE US.
DON'T GRANDSTAND ABOUT YOUR GOOD INTENTIONS.
WE DON'T BELIEVE YOU.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE ANGRY.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE, AND I URGE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING 
FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY -- [APPLAUSE] -- THE ENVIRONMENT, 
AND WE'RE WATCHING.
WE KNOW WHO SUPPORTS IT AND WE KNOW WHO DOESN'T, AND YOUR 
TIME WILL COME.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  CHRIS HART, MARY MULHERN, AND LARRY 
PENDARVIS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MR. PADDOCK.
WELCOME, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
I'M MARY MULHERN.
I LIVE AT 2527 WATROUS IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY.
I AM THE DISTRICT 2 CITY COUNCILWOMAN, AND DISTRICT 2 
COVERS ALL OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I'M NOT HERE AS A CITY OF TAMPA -- CITY COUNCIL 
REPRESENTATIVE, I'M HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF MY 
CONSTITUENTS, TAXPAYERS, IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHO ARE 
AFFECTED BY THE EPC WETLANDS DIVISION, AND I'M HERE 
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF MY JOB, WHICH IS TO PROTECT THE 
HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF MY CONSTITUENTS, AND WE 
DEPEND ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION FOR OUR 
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, FOR HELPING US WRITE THE CODE FOR OUR 
ZONING, FOR PROTECTING OUR HILLSBOROUGH RIVER, WHICH GIVES 
US OUR DRINKING WATER AND PROTECTING THE BAY, WHICH 
SURROUNDS THE CITY OF TAMPA, THE BAYS, THE ESTUARIES.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I'M NOT HERE TO CRITICIZE, I'M JUST HERE TO GIVE THE INPUT.
THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON 
GIVE INPUT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS.
I'M READING -- THIS IS -- MR. NORMAN CALLED THIS THE BIBLE, 
AND THIS IS OUR CITY OF TAMPA -- THE SECTION OF OUR 
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THIS BIG -- THIS IS 
THE SECTION FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 
THAT HAS TO DO WITH POLICIES, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES 
REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENT AND SPECIFICALLY WETLANDS.
I WENT THROUGH HERE BECAUSE I HAD A LOT OF TIME TODAY, AND 
BY THE WAY, WE DIDN'T HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.
IT WAS CANCELED.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I'M NOT PLAYING HOOKIE FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA.
BUT ONE OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPHS IN THIS SECTION READS, THE 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION WAS CREATED BY FLORIDA 
STATUTE AND IS NOT ADMINISTERED BY NOR DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE 
TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR THE COUNTY 
ADMINISTRATOR.
WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS THAT THIS SHOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT 
ENTITY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION, AND I 
THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO READ.
WHEN I GO THROUGH THIS, I FOUND IN JUST THIS PART OF OUR 
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 78 MENTIONS OF WETLANDS, THE WORD 
"WETLANDS" WITHIN THE POLICIES IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO ANY CHANGE -- NOT TO MENTION AN ELIMINATION OF THE 
WETLANDS DIVISION -- IS GOING TO AFFECT THE CITY OF TAMPA, 
OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND OUR CODE, AND OUR ZONING, SO I 
WAS GLAD TO BE HERE AT THE BEGINNING THIS MORNING WHEN 
COMMISSIONER PLATT SUGGESTED A BLUE RIBBON PANEL, AND I 
THINK THE WAY THAT WE COULD DO THIS, AS SHE SUGGESTED, TO 
GET THE POLITICS, THE EMOTION OUT OF IT, AND SO YOU 
WOULDN'T BE UP HERE HAVING TO FACE THESE KINDS OF 
ACCUSATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU'RE NOT BEING 
OBJECTIVE -- IF YOU HAD A BLUE RIBBON PANEL, IF YOU HAD THE 
AGENCY ON BAY MANAGEMENT APPOINT THAT PANEL, THERE COULD BE 
NO DOUBT THAT THIS WOULD BE A -- AN INDEPENDENT PANEL TO 
SUGGEST HOW WE CAN GO FORWARD.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU.
>> SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY, AND I HOPE 
THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME INPUT, THE CITY OF TAMPA, 
AND --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING.
SORRY.
I WANT TO SPEAK ALSO FOR THE CITY OF TEMPLE TERRACE AND 
PLANT CITY BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY THIS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK --
>> AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HAVE A VOICE IN ANY OF 
THIS EITHER.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  CHRIS HART.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. CHAIRMAN, I WONDER IF I COULD MAKE A 
COMMENT TO COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN IN CASE SHE'S NOT HERE AT 
THE END.
I KNOW THAT SHE'S HERE REPRESENTING DISTRICT 2, WHICH WAS 
OBVIOUSLY MY DISTRICT AS WELL BEFORE WE CHANGED SEATS HERE, 
AND SHE WAS MY FORMER OPPONENT AND NOW MY CURRENT 
COLLEAGUE.
I WANT TO THANK HER AND THE REST OF MY FORMER COLLEAGUES ON 
CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR STRONG SUPPORT AND THEIR STRONG 
WEIGHING IN ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CITIES IN OUR COUNTY 
SHOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS, AND 
OF COURSE, THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY, BUT I 
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THEIR LEADERSHIP, AND I THANK HER FOR 
BEING HERE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  MR. HART.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS, I'M CHRIS HART, 1101 
CHANNELSIDE DRIVE, TAMPA, IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, 
AND I'M PRIVILEGED TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND TELL YOU I 
WHOLLY ENDORSE DR. GARRITY'S RECOMMENDATION TO YOU FOR THE 
HYBRID SYSTEM, AND I WILL TELL YOU I DEFINITELY HAD TO 
REWRITE MY COMMENTS SINCE THIS MORNING BECAUSE I DIDN'T 
KNOW HOW THIS WAS GOING TO BE PROCEED, BUT I'M ELATED THAT 
WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.
I KNOW IT WAS KIND OF COYOTE UGLY AT SOME POINT DURING THE 
LAST OF THIS PROCESS, AND IT KIND OF REMINDS ME A LITTLE 
BIT OF REMARKS I REMEMBER FROM PRESIDENT REAGAN IN THE 
WHITE HOUSE WHEN THE REPORTER CAME TO HIM AND SAID, WHAT'S 
GOING ON WITH YOUR PARTY?
HE SAID, THE PROBLEM IS THE RIGHT HAND DOESN'T KNOW WHAT 
THE FAR RIGHT HAND IS DOING, AND IN THIS CASE, THOUGH, I 
DIDN'T KNOW HOW THIS BOARD WAS GOING TO VOTE, SO I WAS 
SIMPLY GOING TO COME AND REITERATE SOME OF THE COMMENTS OF 
WHY I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT THE EXTREME TO THE 
LEFT OR EXTREME TO THE RIGHT, THAT THIS IS THE HIGH GROUND, 
AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF THE SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS 
THAT HAVE SPOKEN TO THIS.
LET ME JUST REITERATE A FEW THINGS.
ONE, I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THIS IS THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION 
BECAUSE IT'S THE GOVERNMENT CLOSEST TO IT -- TO US THAT'S 
THE MOST EFFECTIVE.
COULD YOU IMAGINE PUBLIC HEARINGS LIKE THIS AT SWFWMD OR 
DEP?
NO.
I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM, AND I'VE STARTED IN THIS PROCESS OVER 
THE PERMITTING PROCESS IN 1988 AS A COMMUNITY BANKER HERE 
IN TAMPA THAT CAME TO CITY OF TAMPA AND TO HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND SAID THE PERMIT 
SYSTEM IS BROKEN IN 1988, AND IT WASN'T ME PERSONALLY, IT 
WAS THE COMMITTEE OF 100 THAT I SPOKE FOR AND WORKED ON, SO 
I'VE GOT SOME LONG INVOLVEMENT ON THIS.
BUT LET ME TALK ABOUT -- SINCE THINGS HAVE CHANGED, LET ME 
TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT GOING FORWARD, AND I 
APPRECIATE, MR. CHAIR, WHAT YOU DID EARLIER THIS MORNING 
AND THE CONTEXT WITH WHICH YOU PUT IT.
I KNOW IT'S NOT BEEN EASY FOR YOU OR YOUR FAMILY WITH THOSE 
CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WE ALL HATE THAT TYPE OF VENOM THAT WE 
HAVE SEEN, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT GOING FORWARD.
I THINK BETWEEN THE EPC BOARD -- THAT'S YOU -- THE CITIZENS 
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, AND THE WETLANDS TASK FORCE, YOU 
CAN PUT THIS TOGETHER IN THIS YEAR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK IF YOU WILL SET -- AND I THINK IT'S CLOSE TO WHAT I 
WOULD HAVE DONE, OUTLINED THAT IN SEPTEMBER EPC STAFF WILL 
COME BACK TO YOU WITH MORE DEFINITIVE THINGS FOR YOU TO SET 
THE GUIDANCE AND THE MILESTONES FOR MONTHLY AND QUARTERLY 
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF WHAT'S GOING ON SO AT THE END OF THE 
DAY IT ACHIEVES THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT THIS BOARD 
HAS SET FOR POLICY.
AND SO -- I KNOW I GUESS THAT GIVES ME, WHAT, 30 SECONDS?
WITH 30 SECONDS, LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT I'M GLAD WE ARE 
WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
IF YOU'D PLEASE PUT ON THE ELMO.
IT'S SIMPLY A PICTURE -- WHEN IT COMES UP -- OF PLANET 
EARTH.
THIS IS AN ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS OUR WORLD BANK.
INVEST IT WISELY.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HART.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  LARRY PENDARVIS, ROBERT ANDERSON, AND 
C.H. CHAPMAN.
NOPE.
STEVE ALLISON.
OKAY.
PEGGY HAND.
>> I'M PEGGY LAND.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, PEGGY.
COULD YOU MOVE THE MICROPHONE THERE.
THANK YOU.
>> I'M PEGGY LAND.
I RESIDE AT 6115 SCOONER WAY.
EXCUSE ME.
I ABOUT LOST MY VOICE.
I'LL TRY TO TALK UP.
I'M A FORMER BUILDER AND DEVELOPER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
MY HUSBAND AND I BUILT FOR 40 YEARS -- AT LEAST 40 YEARS.
HE WAS THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY 
LICENSING BOARD FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG ENVIRONMENTALIST, AND I AM FOR A 
STRONGER WETLAND PROTECTION, NOT A WEAKER ONE.
WHEN DR. GARRITY SOUGHT THIS JOB -- WAS IT FIVE YEARS 
AGO? -- I WAS ONE OF THOSE THAT RECOMMENDED HIM FOR THE 
JOB.
IT HASN'T BEEN AN EASY JOB, BUT I THINK HE HAS DONE AN 
EXCELLENT JOB.
I THINK THAT THE PROPOSAL TO DO AWAY WITH THE WETLANDS 
DIVISION WAS ILL CONCEIVED.
I COULDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND AFTER THE ACTION THAT WAS 
TAKEN -- I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT OSCAR COOLER PARK 
HAD -- THAT THE FUNDING HAD BEEN RESTORED TO OSCAR COOLER 
PARK TO THE TUNE OF $3.7 MILLION.
THIS DOESN'T -- DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT YOU WOULD DO 
AWAY WITH THE WETLANDS DIVISION AND REINSTATE FUNDING FOR A 
PARK.
SO I WONDER IF THIS IS ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH THE WETLANDS 
OR WHETHER IT HAS TO DO WITH MONEY.
I THINK THE FUNDS ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR WHAT THE BOARD WANTS 
TO DO.
I SUPPORT AN INDEPENDENT BLUE RIBBON PANEL AS HAS BEEN 
SUGGESTED, AND I HOPE THAT THIS BOARD WILL BE OPEN TO THAT.
I ALSO HAVE A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PASS -- OR 
LEAVE.
MELANIE HUBBARD WAS NOT ABLE TO STAY FOR THE AFTERNOON, AND 
ALSO DEE HOOD HAS ASKED ME TO PUT SOME THINGS ON THE 
RECORD.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. LAND.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  ELIZABETH BELCHER, HUGH GRAMLING, SHAWN 
CROCKER.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WHO'S UP?
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  HUGH GRAMLING, SHAWN CROCKER.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, MR. GRAMLING.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS HUGH GRAMLING, 1311 SOUTH PARSONS AVENUE, 
SEFFNER, FLORIDA.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION'S AGRICULTURAL 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
I COME TO YOU TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT THE ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL HAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN SUPPORT OF THE 
HYBRID PLAN, AND WE ANXIOUSLY AWAIT TO SEE THE 
RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE RULE CHANGES THAT DR. GARRITY IS 
PROPOSING, AND WE HAVE UTMOST CONFIDENCE IN HIM AND BOB 
STETLER TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE EXEMPLIFIED IN THAT 
HYBRID PLAN, AND WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE YEAR-END 
WHEN WE KNOW THAT ALL OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE 
COMPLETED.
NOW, FOR MY PAYING JOB, I'M ALSO EXECUTIVE OF THE TAMPA BAY 
WHOLESALE GROWERS, AND WE ALSO SUPPORT THE HYBRID PLAN IN 
THE SAME MANNER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MR. GRAMLING.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  SHAWN CROCKER, CHARLOTTE NELSON, AND 
ROBERT NELSON.
>> MUCH LIKE MY FRIEND, HUGH, I'M SHAWN CROCKER.
I'M PRESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FARM BUREAU AND 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FLORIDA STRAWBERRY GROWERS 
ASSOCIATION.
MY ADDRESS IS 13138 LEWIS GALLAGHER ROAD, DOVER, FLORIDA.
I TOO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MY FELLOW AGRICULTURISTS, MR. 
GRAMLING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY THAT I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN OF 
THIS COUNTY.
WE HAVE A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN PLACE.
WE AS HUMAN BEINGS ARE NOT PERFECT; WE AS A COMMISSION ARE 
NOT PERFECT; AND WE AS A CITIZENSHIP ARE NOT PERFECT, BUT 
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO -- AND I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE 
TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE -- IS A TOOL THAT WE CAN WORK 
WITH TO GET ALL THOSE INTERESTS CONCERNED OF US AS A 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS ACCOMPLISHED.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION, THE EPC 
IN THE HYBRID PROGRAM.
WE DO SUPPORT THE TOOL AS IT IS TODAY AND WORKING WITH THAT 
TOOL AND TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING THAT TRULY HELPS US 
GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE, WHICH IS HELPING AGRICULTURE, 
OUR CITIZENS, OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND ALL THOSE STAKEHOLDERS 
INVOLVED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  CHARLOTTE NELSON AND ROBERT NELSON.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  OKAY.
>> COMMISSIONER BLAIR --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME.
>> -- COMMISSIONERS, MINE IS SHORT.
COMMISSIONERS, YOU CAN BE HERE ALL DAY LISTENING TO THE 
PROs AND CONs, THE NEED FOR THE WETLANDS, BUT UNTIL EACH OF 
YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE CHARGED WITH THE GOOD STEWARDSHIP 
OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ITS LANDS, WILL YOU BE ABLE TO 
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION?
THAT IS A MUST FOR YOU TO PROTECT THE WETLANDS AND THE 
PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
REMEMBER, RULES ARE ONLY MADE FOR THOSE WHO KNOWINGLY DO A 
WRONG THING.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. NELSON.
MR. KOULIANOS.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  OKAY.
AMANDA BOWERS.
OKAY.
GO AHEAD.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  COULD YOU NAME --
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  CHARLOTTE, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK?
I'M SORRY.
I THOUGHT HE WAS SPEAKING FOR YOU.
I'M SORRY.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
COMMISSIONERS, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TO PLANT CITY TOWN HALL 
MEETING.
WE ENJOYED HAVING YOU.
DR. GARRITY HAS PROPOSED --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE, FOR THE 
RECORD.
>> OH, I'M SORRY.
CHARLOTTE BUTLER-NELSON.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, CHARLOTTE.
>> DR. GARRITY HAS PROPOSED SENSIBLE CHANGES TO THE 
WETLANDS RULES, WHEREAS THIS COMMISSION HAS VOTED TO 
ELIMINATE THE DIVISION.
DR. GARRITY AND HIS TEAM HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE WATER, AND 
THEY WITNESSED IT TEAMING WITH LIFE, WHEREAS THIS 
COMMISSION A HASN'T SEEN THE WATER AT ALL.
THE 22-YEAR-OLD WETLANDS RULE WAS DEVELOPED BY THE PEOPLE, 
FOR THE PEOPLE, AND TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY.
THIS STEWARDSHIP IS OUR LEGACY.
COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TODAY TO DO THE RIGHT 
THING AND BE A PART OF THAT LEGACY BY VOTING TO RETAIN THE 
WETLANDS DIVISION.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  AMANDA BOWERS, AND THEN JAY MUFFLY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS AMANDA BOWERS.
I APOLOGIZE.
I WAS HERE AT 7:40 THIS MORNING, AND THEN I MISSED THE 
OPPORTUNITY WHENEVER HE CALLED MY NAME.
THE FIRST COMMENT THAT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT YOU HAVE A 
SERIOUS PROCEDURAL PROBLEM.
HYPOTHETICALLY, OKAY, WITH THE SIGN-UP PROCESS THAT WE 
DEALT WITH THIS MORNING -- AND I KNOW SOMEBODY HAS ALREADY 
BROUGHT THIS UP, BUT I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING.
HYPOTHETICALLY, SOMEONE COULD VERY EASILY DUPLICATE ONE OF 
THE FORMS, THEY COULD FILL IT OUT IN ADVANCE FAVORING 
WHATEVER SIDE THEY CHOOSE, AND THEN THEY COULD SIMPLY PUT 
IT ON TOP OF THE STACK SO THEIR POINT OF VIEW WAS 
REPRESENTED ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE'S.
I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE FUTURE ISSUES ARE GOING TO ARISE, 
AND YOU NEED TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER HOW YOU HANDLE THESE 
THINGS IN THE FUTURE.
IN A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE LIKE THIS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT 
YOUR LIST BE NUMBERED ONE THROUGH WHATEVER, 500, HOWEVER 
MANY SLOTS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THE DAY.
THEY SHOULD BE NUMBERED AND THEN GONE IN PLACE, STAPLED 
TOGETHER.
THEY SHOULD BE GUARDED.
ONE PERSON SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM, SO IF THEY GO TO 
THE CHAIRMAN OR WHOEVER SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION AND 
EVERY PERSON IS ACTUALLY GIVEN THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
WHEN I SIGNED UP THIS MORNING, I WAS NUMBER 19.
OKAY.
SO I WOULD THINK I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK.
ANYWAY, SO THAT'S ENOUGH ON THAT.
I WOULD JUST ADVISE YOU IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY ON 
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES LIKE THIS, TO PLEASE RETHINK THIS 
PROCESS AND LET TODAY'S DISASTER OF SUCH BE TAKEN INTO 
ACCOUNT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WE APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, AMANDA.
>> I KNOW.
IT'S OKAY.
EVERYBODY'S BUSY.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE TODAY, NO MATTER WHAT COLOR 
SHIRT WE'RE WEARING, WE ALL TOOK TIME OUT OF OUR BUSY LIVES 
TO COME AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE ISSUE.
SO IN REGARDS TO THE ISSUE AT HAND TODAY, I WANT TO SAY I 
HONESTLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY PERSON HERE WANTS TO 
COMPROMISE OUR ENVIRONMENT.
I KNOW THAT I CERTAINLY DON'T.
I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY, AND I WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING 
BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEXT GENERATION THAT WE HAVE TO BE 
THINKING ABOUT; HOWEVER, THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE AND THE 
CHOICE YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS TO EITHER ELIMINATE 
THIS EPC WETLANDS DIVISION AND RETAIN THE REDUNDANCY, WHICH 
IS HOW I SEE IT, OR DECLARE SWFWMD OR SOME OTHER AGENCY 
SIMILAR TO THAT INCOMPETENT.
IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO DO EITHER, THEN I HONESTLY DON'T 
KNOW HOW FISCALLY YOU JUSTIFY KEEPING THEM BOTH.
THE EPC HAS BEEN A MESS, NO OFFENSE TO DR. GARRITY.
THIS IS NOT PERSONAL, BUT IT'S BEEN A MESS FOR YEARS, AND 
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY PROMISE, OH, GIVE US A YEAR, AND 
WE'RE GOING TO GET IT ORGANIZED.
THAT'S ALL WE NEED.
IT'S LIKE, I'M SO SORRY, OUR PROCESS DIDN'T WORK.
WE DIDN'T HAVE AN APPLICATION.
OH, WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET 
IT DONE.
WITH ALL OF THE THINGS YOU THINK THEY'VE LEARNED ALREADY, 
WHY DOES IT TAKE THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR FOR A DEVELOPER 
TO GET A PERMIT.
I THINK THIS DESERVES AN ANSWER AND SOLUTION.
I DON'T THINK THE EPC OR THIS NEW HYBRID MODEL CAN DO THIS 
WITHOUT CONTINUING THE INEFFICIENCY.
IN THE UNFORTUNATE EVENT YOU CHOOSE TO RETAIN THE EPC 
WETLANDS DIVISION, I WOULD HOPE THAT AT THE VERY LEAST YOU 
GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO REEVALUATING THE LEADERSHIP 
AND THEIR OPERATIONS IN AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS APPROPRIATELY 
ALL OF THE CONCERNS THAT NOT ONLY YOU'VE HEARD HERE TODAY 
BUT ALL THE MANY LETTERS AND E-MAILS THAT EACH ONE OF YOU 
HAVE RECEIVED.
IF IT'S RETAINED, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THEY BE ABSORBED 
BY ANOTHER AGENCY LIKE PLANNING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT 
BECAUSE THE EPC IS BROKEN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MS. BOWERS.
THANK YOU, MS. BOWERS.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  JAY MUFFLY, TOM ADERHOLD, BARBARA 
DOWLING.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  SEE, SHE HAD A RED SHIRT ON, AND I DIDN'T 
CALL HER.
>> OH, WELL, I GOT A GREEN ONE ON.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
WE LOVE YOU TOO.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
JAY MUFFLY, LUTZ.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  HEY, JAY.
HOW YOU DOING, BUDDY?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSION.
JIM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT EPC NOW.
[LAUGHTER]
JIM AND I HAD A MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT.
I'VE REWRITTEN WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT A HUNDRED 
TIMES BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING EVERYBODY ELSE IS SAYING.
I AM FOR WETLANDS PROTECTION.
YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY, MY FAMILY'S AN OLD LUTZ FAMILY, AND 
I'VE SEEN TOO MUCH CHANGE, AND WE NEED TO PROTECT WHAT WE 
CAN.
THAT BEING SAID, PROCESS.
I WORKED IN BUSINESS FOR 38 YEARS, AND WE WERE CONSTANTLY 
CHANGING, IMPROVING PROCESSES FOR PRODUCTIVITY GAINS, AND I 
THINK MAYBE WITH THAT WE HIT THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM.
I DO WORK IN THE PRINTING BUSINESS.
I TALK TO A LOT OF DEVELOPERS AND BUILDERS OR THEY COMPLAIN 
ON MY SHOULDER, EITHER WAY YOU WANT TO PUT THAT.
SO I THINK WE CAN TAKE CARE OF BOTH WORLDS.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE I WAS LIKE THE OTHER GENTLEMAN, I WAS 
ANGRY.
TIME HAS A WAY OF RATIONALIZING YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS, AND 
YOU START TO LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THINGS, WHICH IS 
WHAT I THINK EVERYONE HAS BEEN DOING THIS LAST THREE WEEKS.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
PROTECT THE WETLANDS, AND GOD BLESS YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, JAY.
>>JIM NORMAN:  JAY, YOU STILL WANT THAT PARK OUT THERE IN 
LUTZ, THOUGH?
>> YES.
[LAUGHTER]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  TOM ADERHOLD, BARBARA DOWLING, PHIL 
COMPTON.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, MR. ADERHOLD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
TOM ADERHOLD, 5215 WILCOX ROAD, THAT'S SOUTHWEST 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE KEYSTONE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, WHICH 
OCCUPIES ABOUT 35 SQUARE MILES OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, 
WHICH IS ALSO WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA.
WE SUPPLY DRINKING WATER FOR THE COUNTY AND REGION.
WE HAVE NUMEROUS LAKES AND WETLANDS.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PROTECTING EVERY BIT OF 
WATER PRODUCTION AND WATER CONTROL AND QUALITY ISSUES.
WE SUPPORT ANYTHING.
WE CAN START WITH DR. GARRITY'S PROPOSAL AND GO FORWARD AND 
REFINE IT, DEVELOP IT, WHATEVER IT TAKES.
LET'S IMPROVE THE MACHINE, LET'S NOT TEAR IT APART.
BEFORE I READ -- AND I HAVE SOME MATERIAL FOR THE RECORD 
ARE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS, BUT 
BEFORE I DO THAT, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON A COUPLE OF THINGS 
THAT I HEARD THIS MORNING.
COMMISSIONER NORMAN WANTED TO CHASTISE DR. GARRITY FOR NOT 
BEING AGGRESSIVE IN REFINING THE PROCESS.
I WILL REMIND COMMISSIONER NORMAN, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE 
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THAT HE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO 
DIRECT DR. GARRITY TO DO WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO, SO IT 
HAS -- YOU CAN'T BLAME GARRITY FOR NOT DOING SOMETHING HE 
HAS NOT BEEN CLEARLY INSTRUCTED TO DO.
YOU CAN FIND ALL THE FAULTS YOU WANT.
COMMISSIONER WHITE, LIKEWISE, SIR.
YOU AND NORMAN PLEASE PUTTING SPINS ON THINGS -- PERCEPTION 
IS REALITY.
WE ALL SIT HERE AND REBUKE YOUR STATEMENTS THIS MORNING 
BECAUSE IT'S A SPIN.
COMMISSIONER HAGAN HAS NOT ASKED ONE QUESTION OR MADE NOT 
ONE COMMENT.
WITH THAT THOUGHT IN MIND, LET ME READ YOU THIS FOR THE -- 
FOR THE RECORD.
WHEREAS, YOU HAVE EACH STATED SPECIFIC CRITICISMS ABOUT THE 
WETLAND DIVISION RULE AND ITS PROCESSES; WHEREAS, FLORIDA 
STATUTE 373.441 PROVIDES FOR STRICTER ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS 
AND STATE STANDARDS AND DELEGATION BY COUNTIES; WHEREAS, 
SPECIAL ACT CHAPTER 84-446 REQUIRES YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL 
DIRECTOR, DR. GARRITY, TO BE YOUR TECHNICAL RESOURCE; 
WHEREAS, NONE OF YOU SITTING HERE TODAY ON THE COMMISSION 
POSSESS THE EDUCATION OR TECHNICAL EXPERTISE OF YOUR 
DIRECTOR AND STAFF THAT IS NEEDED TO SATISFY THE TECHNICAL 
MANDATES OF CHAPTER 84-446; AND WHEREAS, DR. GARRITY, 
ACCORDINGLY AND IN RESPONSE TO YOUR DECLARED CRITICISMS AND 
YOUR INSTRUCTIONS, HAVE CRAFTED PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO RULE 
1.11, WHICH HE TODAY STATES ADDRESSES AND SOLVES YOUR 
CRITICISMS; NOW, THEREFORE, YOU INDIVIDUALLY DO NOT -- ANY 
OF YOU WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SOLUTION TO YOUR SPECIFIC 
CRITICISM, YOU'RE OBLIGATED TO RESTATE YOUR CRITICISM.
FURTHER, YOU MUST ACCEPT DR. GARRITY'S PROPOSAL OR A 
DEMONSTRATIVELY BETTER ONE, AND FURTHER TO CAST ANY VOTE OF 
REJECTION NOW WOULD BE EVIDENCE THAT YOU HAVE A MOTIVE THAT 
HAS NOT BEEN DECLARED, DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF 
FLORIDA STATUTE 373.441, AND DOES NOT SERVE THE EPC'S TRUE 
CUSTOMERS WHO ARE THE 1.1 MILLION PEOPLE WHO BUY AND USE 
THE DEVELOPERS' PRODUCTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  BARBARA DOWLING, PHIL COMPTON, AND LYNN 
McGARVEY.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, BARBARA.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
I WAS HERE ON JULY 26th, AND I ASKED YOU-ALL WHAT WERE YOU 
THINKING WHEN YOU VOTED TO ELIMINATE THE WETLANDS DIVISION?
AND NOT ONE OF YOU GAVE ME AN ANSWER UNTIL TODAY.
YOU'VE CAUSED YOUR OWN ANGST TODAY.
YOU'VE CAUSED THIS COMMUNITY TO BE DIVIDED.
IF YOU HAD STATED YOUR REASONS BACK ON JULY 26th, MAYBE IT 
WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN AS NASTY AS IT DID OVER THE PAST 
COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND SOME OF YOU ASKED HOW YOU GET RESULTS IN JUST TWO 
WEEKS.
IT WAS A MAGIC TWO WEEKS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A GUN TO YOUR HEAD, YOU CAN 
REALLY LEARN TO DANCE PRETTY FAST.
[LAUGHTER]
WITH THAT SAID, I DON'T WANT TO ELIMINATE THE WETLANDS 
DIVISION.
IN FACT, I WANT TO MAKE IT STRONGER.
I WANT HIGHER STANDARDS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
I DON'T WANT LESSER STANDARDS.
I WANT TO MAKE THIS RESTRICTIVE.
I WOULD LIKE -- I'M ASKING YOU TO KEEP THE WETLANDS 
DIVISION AS IT IS.
I'D ALSO LIKE FOR YOU TO REINSTATE THE FIVE POSITIONS THAT 
WERE CUT BECAUSE -- [APPLAUSE] -- PLEASE REMEMBER THE EPC, 
AS DR. GARRITY SAID, IS THERE FOR US 24/7.
SOMEBODY STATED TODAY THAT THERE WAS NO VALUE TO THE 
CITIZENS OR TO THE TAXPAYERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
I DISAGREE.
WHERE WOULD I BE TODAY IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE EPC TO CALL 
WHEN SOMEBODY WAS BULLDOZING WETLANDS ON A FRIDAY, 
SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY?
OH, GEE, NOT DURING THE WEEK.
IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE WETLANDS DIVISION TO CALL, THEY WOULD 
BE LONG BULLDOZED OVER.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF US LIKE FOOTBALL, AND IN FOOTBALL 
PARLANCE, THE WETLANDS DIVISION TO ME IS OUR A-TRAIN.
IT'S OUR GO-TO PEOPLE, IT'S OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
PLEASE DON'T CUT THEM, PLEASE DON'T ELIMINATE THEM, AND LET 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SET A HIGHER STANDARD FOR EVERY OTHER 
COUNTY IN THE STATE.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, BARBARA.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  PHIL COMPTON, LYNN McGARVEY, AND WOFFORD 
JOHNSON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
PHIL COMPTON, 1430 PARK CIRCLE TAMPA, CHAIR OF THE FRIENDS 
OF THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER.
LIKE TO SECOND WHAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE SAID TO US THIS 
MORNING.
TWO YEARS AGO NEW ORLEANS WAS UNDERWATER.
THAT CITY MAY NEVER RECOVER.
IT HAPPENED LARGELY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PROTECT THEIR 
WETLANDS.
NOW, OUR GEOGRAPHY ISN'T QUITE THE SAME AS THEIRS, BUT THE 
PROTECTION THAT OUR WETLANDS GIVES US HERE IS NO LESS 
CRITICAL.
THAT GOES CONTRARY TO WHAT THE ATTORNEY FROM TALLAHASSEE 
AND THE TAXWATCH PEOPLE SAID IN THEIR STATEMENTS, BUT 
THAT'S NOT TRUE.
NOW, MAYBE YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WETLANDS TO FISH IN 
WILDLIFE, THAT'S OKAY, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT YOU'D CARE 
ABOUT HOW THEY KEEP THE DRY LAND THAT PEOPLE LIVE ON FROM 
BECOMING WETLAND BY ACTING LIKE ENORMOUS SPONGES.
FILL THEM IN, REPLACE THEM WITH THOSE MAN-MADE WETLANDS 
THAT WE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, THAT MAY 
NOT WORK, AND ONE DAY WE'LL HAVE AS BIG A DISASTER AS NEW 
ORLEANS DID.
NOW, AFTER NEW ORLEANS, YOU KNOW WE ARE THE NEXT BIG 
DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN WHEN A STORM COMES, AND HOW BAD 
IT WILL BE ALL OVER OUR COUNTY, NOT JUST ALONG THE SHORE, 
WILL DEPEND LARGELY ON HOW WELL WE HAVE PROTECTED OUR 
WETLANDS PROPERTY DEFENSE SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT 
WETLANDS ARE.
THEY'RE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PROTECT PRIVATE PROPERTY 
IN THE COUNTY.
NOW, SOME OF YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF POLITICAL CONSERVATIVES; 
RIGHT?
THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO PROTECTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY 
WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN THE NATURAL SYSTEM THAT GOD GAVE US TO 
KEEP OUR HOMES INTACT ON DRY LAND INSTEAD OF BEING RUINED 
AND LOST BECAUSE THEY'RE NO LONGER PROTECTED BY OUR NATURAL 
WETLANDS PROPERTY DEFENSE SYSTEM.
MAN-MADE WETLANDS MAY OR MAY NOT WORK.
WE KNOW THAT WHAT GOD CREATED HERE FOR US DOES WORK.
DON'T PUT PROPERTY OWNERS AT RISK BY ALLOWING THIS CRITICAL 
SYSTEM TO BE DESTROYED.
KEEP RULES IN PLACE THAT ARE AS STRONG AS THEY ARE NOW AND 
CONTINUE TO STEER DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE WETLANDS.
TO DO ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE ASKING FOR A DISASTER HERE IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  LYNN McGARVEY, WOFFORD JOHNSON, AND ANN 
JOHNSON.
>> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS -- AFTERNOON.
BAD PENNY COMES BACK TO HAUNT YOU.
I WOULDN'T HAVE COME THIS FAR FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
I WAS A MEMBER OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY BACK IN THE '90s, 
AND IN FACT, COMMISSIONER NORMAN APPOINTED ME, AND I WAS 
THE CHAIR AT THE TIME THAT I WAS REPLACED.
I HAVE A REAL INTEREST IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY I HAVE TWO GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE 
GROWING UP HERE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
AS A LOCAL AGENCY CREATED IN '67 BY THE LEGISLATURE TO 
PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT, THE EPC HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING 
JOB.
I NOTICE THAT BOTH LOCAL PAPERS HAVE BEEN VOCAL IN THEIR 
SUPPORT.
SITTING AT THE EPC, YOU ARE THE ELECTED STEWARDS OF OUR 
ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS, NOT JUST FOR TODAY BUT FOR GENERATIONS 
TO COME.
IF ANY OF YOU HAD STATED BEFORE THE ELECTION THAT YOU FELT 
YOU WERE EMPOWERED TO MAKE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCESSIONS TO THE 
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT YOU WOULD HAVE 
BEEN ELECTED.
THE PRESSURES FROM GROWTH ARE FAR STRONGER NOW THAN THEY 
WERE IN 1967.
WHY WOULD YOU LESSEN THE PROTECTION OF OUR PRECIOUS 
WETLANDS NOW?
I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN DEVELOPERS BUY LAND THAT 
THEY'RE GOING TO DEVELOP, THEY CLEARLY KNOW THAT THERE ARE 
WETLANDS PRESENT BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT PRETTY WELL 
DOCUMENTED, AND THEY CAN PUT THAT INTO THEIR PLANNING AND 
THEIR COST.
I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE GONE BELLY UP 
BECAUSE THEY HAD A ONE-QUARTER-ACRE WETLAND THAT THEY HAD 
TO WORK AROUND.
I WILL NOT LIST ALL THE FUNCTIONS OF WETLANDS.
THE PAPERS HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF THAT.
THE LOSS OF THESE WETLANDS WOULD HAVE CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 
OVER THE YEARS.
I URGE YOU TO PROTECT THIS ENVIRONMENT TO THE HIGHEST 
DEGREE WITH YOUR LOCAL EPC AND KEEP THE GOAL OF A 
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
DO NOT ELIMINATE THE WETLANDS DEPARTMENT OR GUT THE RULES, 
AND I ALSO WANT TO BEMOAN THE LOSS OF SOME EXCELLENT 
SCIENTISTS FROM THE EPC BECAUSE OF THIS COST CUTTING.
YOU ARE LOSING WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH FOR 
PROBABLY TEN YEARS.
[APPLAUSE]
AND IT IS A SAD DAY, AND THEY'RE GOING TO WORK FOR OTHER 
PEOPLE FOR MORE MONEY, AND MOST OF THEM HAD THEIR HEART 
REALLY HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
LET DEVELOPERS KNOW THAT YOU WILL FULLY SUPPORT THESE 
RULES.
GOOD DEVELOPERS WILL ACCEPT THIS, AND THE RESULT WILL BE 
BETTER DEVELOPMENTS.
JUST WHEN DOES A VISION OF HILLSBOROUGH TOMORROW BECOME 
PROFIT TODAY?
OH, I WANT TO SAY ONE MORE THING.
I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND COMMISSIONER 
FERLITA.
I FEEL THAT THEY HAVE GROWN IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE 
VALUE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND YOU ARE WELL APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MS. McGARVEY.
>> WOFFORD JOHNSON, ANN JOHNSON, ANN PAUL.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, WOFFORD.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M WOFFORD JOHNSON, 4625 LONGFELLOW AVENUE IN TAMPA.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A SURPRISE TO YOU THAT THERE'S LOTS OF 
OUTRAGE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE WETLANDS ISSUE, 
AND BELIEVE ME, IT GOES WAY BEYOND WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AND 
HEARD HERE IN THIS ROOM TODAY AND PREVIOUSLY.
THOUSANDS ARE UPSET, AND THEY CAN'T BELIEVE THIS WOULD 
HAPPEN.
I WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS REGARDING SOME COMMENTS 
I'VE HEARD.
FIRST OF ALL, FROM THE DEVELOPERS, THEY TALK IN TERMS OF 
HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WELL, MY OBSERVATION HAS BEEN THAT THEY WILL BUY A TRACT OF 
LAND AND THEY SIT ON IT FOR TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS, 
AND THEN THEY DECIDE, WELL, IT'S TIME FOR US TO START THE 
DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN THEY START -- DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY 
THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR PERMIT YESTERDAY.
SO I DON'T HAVE LOTS OF EMPATHY FOR THEM.
THE OTHER THING IS THE REALTORS.
THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE REALTOR -- FROM THE REAL ESTATE 
ASSOCIATION MADE THE COMMENT THIS MORNING THAT THEY DID NOT 
SUPPORT THIS -- THE CONTINUATION OF THE WETLANDS DIVISION.
IT JUST SEEMS STRANGE TO ME THAT IN PROBABLY THE WORST REAL 
ESTATE MARKET -- I THINK THE PAPERS SAID IT'S BEEN 16 YEARS 
SINCE THE LOW EBB OF THE HOUSING MARKET RIGHT NOW -- WHY 
THEY WOULD COME IN AND IN FACE OF THE OUTRAGE THAT'S OUT 
THERE, AMONG THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS THEY WOULD 
COME IN AND SUPPORT SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY THOSE CITIZENS 
DON'T SUPPORT.
MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR US TO START CALLING BUY OWNER.
[LAUGHTER]
ON THE ISSUE OR COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE REGARDING THE 
POSSIBILITY OF -- OR AT LEAST THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE 
ABOUT YOU BEING IN THE POCKET OF DEVELOPERS, I THINK THAT 
MUCH OF THIS PERCEPTION IS DUE TO THE LARGE CAMPAIGN 
CONTRIBUTIONS SOME OF YOU RECEIVE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT 
INDUSTRY.
I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF YOU ARE NAIVE ENOUGH TO THINK THAT 
THIS IS JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT GOOD GOVERNMENT.
THEY WANT YOUR VOTE.
BELIEVE ME -- AND THIS IS NOT A THREAT, IT'S JUST A 
STATEMENT OF FACT.
IF YOU VOTE TO ELIMINATE OR WEAKEN THE LOCAL WETLANDS 
OVERNIGHT -- OVERSIGHT, THE OUTRAGE IS NOT GOING TO GO 
AWAY, IT'S GOING TO BE -- IT'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR YEARS 
TO COME.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, WOFFORD.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  ANN JOHNSON, ANN PAUL, AND DEBORAH COPE.
>> ANN JOHNSON, 4625 LONGFELLOW AVENUE.
FIRST OF ALL, COMMISSIONER BLAIR, SO SORRY TO HEAR THAT 
YOUR HOME HAS BEEN VANDALIZED.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, ANN.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
IF THEY WANT TO THROW A FEW FIREWORKS ON YOUR LAWN EVERY 
NIGHT, THAT WOULD SUIT ME JUST FINE.
ANYWAY, DR. GARRITY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE GIVEN CLASS A WHOLE NEW MEANING.
YOU HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL.
YOU CAN SEE YOU HAVE SO MANY THOUSANDS OF FRIENDS IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH.
AND I WAS LISTENING TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THIS MORNING, 
AND I HAD -- IT REMINDED ME OF A QUOTE BY RALPH WALDO 
EMERSON.
WHAT YOU ARE SPEAKS SO LOUD I CAN'T HEAR WHAT YOU SAY.
AND ROSE FERLITA, WE LOVE YOU, WE LOVE YOU, WE LOVE YOU.
YOU'RE WONDERFUL.
SHE SERVED AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, BOARD MEMBER FOR EIGHT 
YEARS, AND SHE LISTENED TO US.
SHE WAS SUCH A FRIEND OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I CAN TELL 
YOU THERE ARE SO MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, EVERYBODY WHO LOVE YOU 
DEARLY, AND THANK YOU.
AND I'M A REPUBLICAN.
I'M ASHAMED OF YOU REPUBLICANS UP THERE, TO THINK YOU COULD 
DO SOMETHING LIKE YOU'RE DOING.
YOU KNOW, I'M DEVASTATED.
THIS IS MY PASSION.
THE WETLANDS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
SO PLEASE SUPPORT KEEPING THE REGULATIONS HERE IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
AND I JUST -- ROSE, AGAIN, THANK YOU.
AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, 
THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING TO OUR E-MAILS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, ANN.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  ANN PAUL, DEBORAH COPE, BEV GRIFFITHS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS ANN PAUL.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT AUDUBON OF FLORIDA AND THE TAMPA 
AUDUBON SOCIETY.
THE ISSUE OF THE WETLANDS DIVISION OF EPC HAS PROVED TO BE 
HIGHLY DIVISIVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE 
ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR CAPACITY AS A COMMUNITY TO 
REACH A SCIENTIFICALLY BASED SOLUTION THAT PROVIDES THE 
CRITICAL WETLANDS POLICY THAT WE NEED HERE.
SO AUDUBON SUGGESTS THAT YOU DO TAKE NO ACTION TO DISSOLVE 
THE WETLANDS DIVISION.
DO NOT DISMANTLE AN AGENCY THAT HAS WORKED FOR HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY FOR OVER TWO DECADES IN TWO MONTHS, PLEASE.
INSTEAD, WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CREATE A TASK FORCE OR A 
BLUE RIBBON PANEL TO DISCUSS WETLANDS PROTECTION IN A 
RATIONAL FASHION.
THE -- A PANEL LIKE THAT COULD DEVELOP A WETLANDS APPROACH 
THAT INVOLVES OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THAT PROTECTS OUR 
WETLANDS, THAT'S SCIENTIFICALLY BASED, THAT PROTECTS THE 
NATURAL HERITAGE, THE BIRDS, THE WILDLIFE, THE PLANTS, OUR 
COMMUNITY, AND DEVELOPS A SIMPLIFIED, CLEAR POLICY THAT ALL 
CAN FOLLOW.
IN YOUR WISDOM AS THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR COUNTY SITTING AS 
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION, I APPEAL TO YOU TO 
FIND A LOGICAL SOLUTION TO OUR CONFRONTATION AND TO HELP US 
ALL AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR BIOLOGICAL HERITAGE 
AND OUR RESOURCES THAT'S SO CRITICAL TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE 
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, ANN.
[APPLAUSE]
DEBORAH.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  DEBORAH COPE, BEV GRIFFITHS, AND JOE 
REDNER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M DEBORAH COPE, PAST CHAIR OF THE TAMPA BAY SIERRA CLUB, 
CURRENT GROWTH MANAGEMENT CHAIR, AND A MEMBER OF CEAC.
ABOUT SEVEN HOURS AGO, MY COMMENTS SEEMED A LITTLE MORE 
RELEVANT BASED ON SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN HEARING, BUT 
I'M GOING TO GO FOR IT ANYWAY, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW.
I URGE YOU NOT TO VOTE TO ELIMINATE THE EPC WETLANDS 
DIVISION.
THIS IS AN EXTREMELY CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE, AND A 
DECISION OF THIS MAGNITUDE REQUIRES MORE RESEARCH AND 
DELIBERATION.
THE WETLANDS DIVISION IS INTERWOVEN INTO SO MANY ASPECTS OF 
OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
EPC IS REQUIRED FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT 
CODE AND COMPREHENSIVE CODE, THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODES OF 
THE CITIES OF TAMPA AND TEMPLE TERRACE, THE COMPREHENSIVE 
PLAN FOR PLANT CITY, AND THE TAMPA PORT AUTHORITY ENABLING 
ACT.
IN ADDITION, THE DIVISION PERFORMS COMMENTING REVIEW OF 
MANY OTHER ITEMS, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE OVERHEAD.
I WON'T LIST THEM ALL OUT FOR YOU.
AND IN OCTOBER, THE EPC RECEIVED DELEGATION FROM DEP TO 
OVERSEE MANGROVE TRIMMING AND PRESERVATION.
YES, THIS IS A LONG LIST, AND WITH PROBABLE BUDGET CUTBACKS 
AT OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, IT'S QUESTIONABLE HOW OTHER 
AGENCIES COULD TAKE ON THESE RESPONSIBILITIES IF THE 
WETLANDS DIVISION IS ELIMINATED OR EVEN, FOR THAT MATTER, 
WEAKENED.
THE CONSEQUENCES ARE FAR TOO REACHING TO MOVE SO HASTILY.
THERE IS NO URGENT BUDGET CONSIDERATION.
EPC HAS ALREADY MADE THE REQUIRED BUDGET CUTS LEAVING THE 
WETLANDS DIVISION INTACT.
THE SUPPOSED DUPLICATION BETWEEN STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES 
HASN'T BEEN SHOWN AND IS ALSO NOT AN URGENT MATTER.
THE RULE IS REASONABLE AND HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN PROTECTING 
MORE OF OUR WETLANDS THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESERVED WITHOUT 
IT.
DR. GARRITY HAS BEGUN THE PROCESS OF IMPROVING EPC'S 
OPERATIONS, INCREASING EFFICIENCY, AND ADDRESSING 
LANDOWNERS' COMPLAINTS WITH HIS HYBRID PLAN.
IT'S A GOOD START BUT MUST BE CAREFULLY AND THOUGHTFULLY 
IMPLEMENTED WITH THE APPROPRIATE OVERSIGHT AND INDEPENDENT 
REVIEW.
IN FACT, THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS IN THE PLAN THAT PROBABLY 
SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN MORE CONSIDERATION BEFORE BEING 
IMPLEMENTED.
AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE TO MOVE SO QUICKLY.
IT IS YOUR DUTY UNDER EPC LEGISLATION -- AND YOU'VE HEARD A 
LOT OF OTHER SPECIAL ACTS AND LAWS QUOTED EARLIER TODAY -- 
TO PROTECT ALL WETLANDS, INCLUDING WETLANDS UNDER ONE-HALF 
ACRE, AND YOUR DUTY TO REVIEW AND COMMENT TO OTHER 
GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES ON WETLAND IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT 
APPLICATIONS AND PLAN AMENDMENTS.
WHEN YOU SIT AS THE EPC BOARD, YOUR JOB IS TO BE STEWARDS 
OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT JOB.
YOU'RE PROTECTING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, OUR WILDLIFE, AND 
OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY.
YOU'RE ENSURING THIS COUNTY IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO 
LIVE AND RAISE THEIR FAMILIES.
PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, DEBORAH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  BEV GRIFFITHS, JOE REDNER, GAYE TOWNSEND.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, BEV.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS BEV GRIFFITHS.
I'M CHAIR OF SIERRA CLUB TAMPA BAY GROUP SPEAKING ON BEHALF 
OF OUR 2100 MEMBERS THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
SIERRA CLUB SUPPORTS LOCAL CONTROL OF WETLAND PERMITTING.
WE STRONGLY OBJECT TO ANY ACTION BY THIS BOARD THAT WOULD 
RESULT IN ELIMINATION OF EPC'S WETLANDS DIVISION.
WE ARE OPPOSED TO ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE HYBRID PLAN THAT 
WEAKEN THE EPC OR OUR CURRENT WETLAND PROTECTIONS.
COMMISSIONER BLAIR, AS CHAIRMAN OF THIS BOARD, WE REQUEST 
THAT YOU SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME, FACT-FINDING, 
AND PUBLIC INPUT BEFORE FORCING A DECISION THAT AFFECTS OUR 
DRINKING WATER, OUR SAFETY, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND OUR 
WILDLIFE.
WE DO NOT SEE THE DUPLICATION THAT HAS BEEN ALLEGED.
IT HAS NEVER BEEN PROVEN.
LOSS OF LOCAL CONTROL WILL RESULT IN MORE OF OUR SMALL AND 
SEASONAL WETLANDS BEING FILLED, MORE WETLANDS WOULD BE 
IMPACTED BY DEVELOPMENT, WE WOULD BECOME TOTALLY RELIANT 
UPON THE STATE, THERE WOULD BE A REDUCTION IN COMPLIANCE 
MONITORING, AND RESPONSE TIME TO CITIZENS' COMPLAINTS WOULD 
TAKE LONGER.
REMEMBER THAT SWFWMD DOES NOT HAVE THE STAFF TO HANDLE THE 
NEW DEMANDS THAT WOULD BE PLACED ON THAT AGENCY.
YOU NEED ONLY LOOK TO PASCO COUNTY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT 
HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE NOT STRONGER LOCAL CONTROLS IN 
PLACE.
SWFWMD AND ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PERMITTED DEVELOPERS OF 
CYPRESS CREEK TOWN CENTER TO BULLDOZE AND DESTROY OVER 50 
ACRES OF HIGH-QUALITY WETLANDS ADJACENT TO CYPRESS CREEK.
HAD EPC BEEN INVOLVED, DEVELOPERS WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED 
TO AVOID AND MINIMIZE IMPACTS TO WETLANDS.
AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT YEARS AGO SWFWMD ISSUED PERMITS 
ALLOWING ST. PETERSBURG TO PUMP WELLFIELDS NORTH OF THE 
CITY IN ANTICIPATION OF MORE DEVELOPMENT.
OVERPUMPING CAUSED THE LAKES OF HILLSBOROUGH AND PASCO 
COUNTY TO GO DRY.
IN THE END, EPC PROVIDES THE BEST VALUE FOR OUR TAX DOLLARS 
AND GREATER PROTECTION FOR WATER UPON WHICH ALL OF LIFE 
DEPENDS.
FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, LEGISLATION HAS BEEN PROPOSED TO 
ELIMINATE -- STATE LEGISLATION HAS BEEN PROPOSED TO 
ELIMINATE LOCAL CONTROL OF WETLANDS.
THIS YEAR THE BOARD REFUSED TO ALLOW EPC TO DEFEND 
THEMSELVES AGAINST THESE ATTACKS.
IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GO ON THE 
RECORD THAT THIS BOARD WILL SUPPORT OUR EPC WETLANDS 
DIVISION AGAINST ANY STATE -- ANY STATE LEGISLATION THAT 
WOULD ELIMINATE OR WEAKEN OUR LOCAL CONTROL OF WETLANDS?
AND THAT'S MY QUESTION TO YOU AS A BOARD.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, BEV.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  JOE REDNER, GAYE TOWNSEND, DEE HOOD.
>> GAYE TOWNSEND, 19905 LONGLEAF DRIVE, LUTZ, AND NOW THAT 
YOU'VE MADE ME SIT, I'M NICE AND HYPER, SO LET'S GO.
FIRST OF ALL, DOES THIS COUNTY OR DOES NOT THIS COUNTY HAVE 
AN OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE POTABLE DRINKING WATER TO 
CITIZENS, NOT ONLY DEVELOPERS AND AG?
ANSWER ME THAT.
COMMISSIONER NORMAN, HE'S NOT IN THE ROOM, BUT I REMEMBER 
HIM STANDING WITH ME IN BIG FISH DRIED UP LAKE SIDE BY SIDE 
WHILE ANOTHER COMMISSIONER RODE OFF ON HIS TRUSTY STEED 
SAYING, DO NO HARM TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
THIS COUNTY SET A PRECEDENT ON WETLAND PROTECTION WHEN THIS 
LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF THIS COUNTY SPENT A MILLION DOLLARS 
MORE OR LESS IN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS AND LEGAL 
CHALLENGING, PROVING THE OVERPUMPING OF THE WELLFIELDS 
CAUSED ENVIRONMENTAL HARM, ADVERSE CHANGE, OR CHANGE, 
HOWEVER THE DETERMINATION CAME OUT.
YOU ALSO HOSTED ALL THE NEW WATER PROJECTS IN THIS COUNTY.
THIS VERY BOARD PROMISED THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY THEY 
WOULD WITH PROTECT THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES, THEIR WATER 
SUPPLY, AND LET US NOT FORGET IN THAT GRANDIOSE GOVERNMENTS 
AGREEMENT, THERE IS NO PROTECTION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HARM OR 
FOR CITIZENS' HARM TO THEIR OWN LAND.
I REMEMBER THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY BEGGING YOU FOR 
RELIEF, BEGGING YOU FOR NEW SUPPLIES.
YOU HAVE THOSE SUPPLIES.
THE RIVER IS NOT SUSTAINING THE FLOW.
THE LAKES IN THE NORTHWEST ARE STRESSED.
THE DESAL PLANT WAS NOTHING BUT A CONSULTANT'S DREAM.
IT DOESN'T WORK.
YOU HAVE NO STAND-ALONE DROUGHT-PROOF SOURCES, SO YOU TELL 
ME HOW YOU ARE GOING TO PROVIDE DEMAND MANAGEMENT FOR WATER 
SUPPLY.
TELL ME THAT.
WHERE ARE YOUR DEVELOPER FRIENDS GOING TO BE WHEN YOU 
CANNOT SUPPLY THEM WATER?
I AM ON A POTABLE WELL.
MY WATER QUALITY IS NOT GOOD.
DO YOU -- DO YOU FIX IT?
NO, YOU DO NOT.
ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPLYING WATER, PROTECTING THE 
ENVIRONMENT?
YES, YOU ARE.
YOU SET THE PRECEDENT, I DIDN'T, AND THE INDEPENDENT 
MONITORING SYSTEM FOR THE BAY, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WAS 
DONE WITH A PERFORMANCE BOND THROUGH LEGAL CHALLENGE WITH 
SOBAC.
I WANT THAT QUESTION ANSWERED.
SO -- AND AS FAR AS THESE PEOPLE SUPPORTING THIS HYBRID -- 
WHAT A NAME, HYBRID -- YOU KNOW, I JUST WONDER ABOUT THAT.
THOSE PEOPLE --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU.
>> IF THEY SUPPORT IT, I DON'T.
I'VE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES, I'VE BEEN IN THE WATER WARS, I 
FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTY, I SPENT A LOT OF MY LIFE, MY TIME, 
AND LEGAL PURSUIT ON THAT, SO AS MY DAUGHTER SENT ME DOWN 
HERE AND SAID, MOM, I'M PROUD OF YOU, TELL COMMISSIONER 
BLAIR, I'M A SCIENCE TEACHER.
TEACH THE CHILDREN TO SAVE THE WETLANDS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, GAYE.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  DEE HOOD, CARLA HOLDING, AND DR. MELANIE 
HUBBARD.
OKAY.
HARRIET WRIGHT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  HOLD ON.
I THINK SOMEBODY'S COMING.
WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
KARLA HOLDING, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, RESIDENT OF THAT GREAT 
AGRICULTURAL AREA OF DOVER, AND I HAPPEN TO HAVE A WETLANDS 
IN MY BACKYARD.
I'M ALSO THE GRANDDAUGHTER, GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, GREAT-
GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, ET AL, ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE 1750s 
OF FARMERS, SO I KNOW VERY WELL FIRSTHAND WHAT GOOD FARMERS 
USING GOOD AG PRACTICES CAN DO, AND THEY WOULD SAY NOT TO 
WEAKEN THE WETLANDS AT ALL.
NEVER AGAIN CAN YOU SAY THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE 
PRIORITIES IF YOU VOTE TO PUTREFY THEIR WATER SUPPLY.
NEVER AGAIN CAN YOU TELL A ROTARY CLUB OR CHAMBER OF 
COMMERCE THAT YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR A VIBRANT ECONOMY FOR 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHEN BUSINESS CAN'T INDUCE WORKERS TO 
STAY IN AN AREA OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION.
NEVER AGAIN CAN YOU TOUT THE AREA AS A TOURIST PARADISE 
BECAUSE TOURISTS AS WELL AS FISHERMEN, BOATERS, AND OUTDOOR 
ENTHUSIASTS FIND THE STENCH OF ROTTING FISH CARCASSES, 
ALGAE BLOOMS, AND SEWAGE IN THE PONDS, LAKES, AND BAY TO BE 
LESS THAN PARADISE.
NEVER AGAIN CAN YOU REFER TO YOURSELVES AS GOOD STEWARDS OF 
THE PUBLIC MONEY BECAUSE WITHOUT WETLANDS PLAYING THEIR 
VITAL ROLE, HOMES AND BUSINESSES WILL FLOOD OR SUFFER 
DAMAGE FROM SINKHOLES AS WELL AS ROADS, BRIDGES, AND ALL 
MANNER OF INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE RESULTING LAWSUITS WILL 
BE A BURDEN THE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE TO BEAR.
NEVER AGAIN CAN YOU CLAIM NOT TO BE THE BOUGHT-AND-PAID-FOR 
INDENTURED SERVANTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT FEW TO THE DETRIMENT 
OF THE MANY, AND WHEN FACED WITH YOUR NAMES ON THE BALLOT 
IN A FUTURE, THE ELECTORATE WILL SAY RESOUNDINGLY, NEVER 
AGAIN.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  DR. MELANIE HUBBARD, HARRIET WRIGHT, AND 
THOMAS LEFUNC.
>> I'M HARRIET WRIGHT.
I LIVE IN CARROLLWOOD, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, HARRIET.
>> AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE SUNCOAST CHAPTER OF THE 
FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY.
AND OUR MISSION, THE MISSION OF THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, 
IS TO PROMOTE THE PROTECTION OF OUR NATURAL COMMUNITIES, 
AND OF COURSE, THAT INCLUDES WETLANDS, AND SO I THINK, DR. 
GARRITY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT ME IN THE GROUP WHO 
ARE NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR PLAN BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IT WILL 
WEAKEN OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS.
WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS STRENGTHEN THEM.
THE WETLAND -- THE SERVICES THAT WETLANDS PROVIDE ARE 
ABSOLUTELY FREE OF CHARGE.
THEY COST NOTHING.
BUT THEY'RE VERY VALUABLE.
STORAGE OF WATER, FILTRATION OF CONTAMINANTS, RECHARGE OF 
GROUNDWATER, BUFFERS AGAINST WIND AND SURGE OF VIOLENT 
STORMS, NOT TO MENTION RECREATION AND JUST THE AESTHETIC 
BEAUTY OF THEM.
COMMISSIONERS, I DON'T THINK WE ELECTED YOU IN ORDER TO DO 
AWAY WITH THESE VALUABLE, FREE SERVICES IN ORDER TO 
ELIMINATE THEM OR COMPROMISE THEM.
WHAT WE ELECTED YOU TO DO WAS TO REPRESENT THE GOOD OF THE 
COMMUNITY, NOT A FEW INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SO SHORTSIGHTED 
THAT THEY DON'T SEE BEYOND THEIR PERSONAL AND SELFISH 
INTERESTS.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOU WILL -- WE DID 
ELECT YOU TO -- AS TRUSTEES OF OUR -- OF THE PUBLIC GOOD, 
AND NOW WE'LL FIND OUT IF YOU WILL -- IF YOU WILL -- 
WHETHER OR NOT YOU WILL BETRAY THAT TRUST.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  THOMAS LA FOUNTAIN, DOTTIE GROOVER, AND 
NOAH SANCHEZ.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS THOMAS LA FOUNTAIN, 9804 NORTH 54th STREET IN 
TEMPLE TERRACE.
I'D LIKE TO KIND OF SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, EPC HAS BEEN LOOKING AT WETLANDS LONG BEFORE 
SWFWMD WAS.
SWFWMD WAS ENACTED IN 1960 TO LOOK AT FLOOD CONTROL, NOT 
WETLANDS OR WETLANDS PROTECTION.
EPC WAS DOING WETLAND PROTECTION SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 
1967.
EPC HAD A WETLAND RULE.
IT HAD A METHOD FOR DEFINING WETLANDS.
SWFWMD DID NOT HAVE A METHOD FOR DEFINING WETLANDS NOR DID 
IT HAVE A METHOD FOR MITIGATION.
THEY HAD A RATIO THAT WOULD BE APPLIED BY SCIENTISTS.
EPC HAD A WETLAND MITIGATION RULE OF ONE TO ONE FOR 
IMPACTS.
EPC HAD A METHOD IN WRITING FOR HOW YOU DELINEATED 
WETLANDS.
SWFWMD DID NOT.
SWFWMD WAS USING SOMETHING THAT THE STATE HAD, THE WARREN 
HENDERSON.
EPC HAS BEEN DOING THESE THINGS SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
SWFWMD HAS ONLY RECENTLY STARTED.
WE ARE BEING DUPLICATED, NOT US DUPLICATING SWFWMD.
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT, AND THEY COME HERE AND THEY'LL 
TELL YOU FROM TALLAHASSEE WE'RE BEING DUPLICATIVE.
THAT'S WRONG.
WE'RE NOT.
EPC HAS BEEN DOING THIS BEFORE SWFWMD.
THEY WERE THE AGENCY THAT WAS DOING IT HERE IN THE COUNTY.
ANOTHER THING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, HALF-ACRE WETLANDS.
PLEASE NOTE IN THAT HALF-ACRE WETLANDS IF -- IF ENDANGERED 
OR THREATENED SPECIES ARE FOUND.
MOST OF THE REPORTS ARE BASED ON A ONE-DAY OR ONE-TIME SITE 
VISIT.
THEY ARE NOT BASED ON A LONG-TERM OBSERVATION WHERE YOU CAN 
MAKE A SOUND SCIENTIFIC JUDGMENT.
THERE IS NO PROTECTION FOR THOSE HALF-ACRE WETLANDS OUTSIDE 
OF THIS COUNTY.
IF WE DO NOT PROTECT THEM -- THEY ARE A VITAL SOURCE FOR 
WILDLIFE.
THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED.
THEY WILL NOT BE PROTECTED IF YOU DO AWAY WITH THE EPC 
CHAPTER 1-11.
I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THAT YOU KEEP 1-11.
I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT YOU KEEP THE FIVE POSITIONS.
THEY ARE NEEDED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  DOTTIE GROOVER, NOAH SANCHEZ, AND BRIAN 
SCHADTS.
>> HI.
I'M DOTTIE GROOVER, AND I LIVE IN CARROLLWOOD.
I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH MY LIFE THAT EVENTUALLY TRUTH WILL 
PREVAIL AND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD AND 
THAT I BELIEVE THAT VICIOUS PERSONAL ATTACKS ARE NOT THE 
ANSWER TO THIS PROCESS, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT AN 
INDEPENDENT TASK FORCE WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THIS 
PROCESS.
OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMICS ARE DRIVEN BY MUCH MORE THAN 
DEVELOPMENT.
OUR FARMERS ARE VERY, VERY CRUCIAL TO THE HEALTH OF OUR 
COMMUNITY, TO PROVIDE FRESH FRUITS AND PRODUCE TO OUR 
COMMUNITY, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE VERY GOOD 
STEWARDS OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH.
SO TODAY I'M VERY ENCOURAGED WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT 
I'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMISSION, THAT FROM THIS POINT 
FORWARD WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE WORKING THROUGH THE 
WETLANDS DIVISION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 
COMMISSION TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR FAMILIES.
OUR FAMILIES ARE STILL TRUSTING YOU.
MY SON AND I, WHO IS HERE WITH ME TODAY, WE ARE STILL 
TRUSTING IN YOU, AND HE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY 
TO SAY WHAT'S ON HIS MIND.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, YOUNG MAN.
>> MY NAME IS THOMAS, AND I LIVE IN CARROLLWOOD.
I COMPARE THE WETLANDS TO WHEN I PANNED FOR GOLD LAST 
SUMMER IN WYOMING.
THE PAN HAD A SCREEN THAT LET THE GOOD STUFF STAY AND THE 
BAD STUFF I DIDN'T WANT LEAVE.
THE PERSON WORKING AT THE MINE HELPED ME KEEP THE GOOD 
STUFF WITHOUT -- AND WITHOUT HIM THERE TO HELP, I MIGHT 
HAVE LOST THE GOOD ROCKS, THE GOLD.
KEEP THE WETLANDS DIVISION, KEEP OUR PAN OF GOLD, AND ALSO 
PLEASE PROTECT US.
GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.
HE DOESN'T MAKE MISTAKES.
HE CREATED OUR AREA WETLANDS JUST WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
THEY PROTECT US FROM HARMFUL STUFF LIKE CONTAMINATION AND 
POLLUTION.
WITH LOTS MORE BUILDINGS AND ROADS BEING BUILT AND LOTS OF 
NEW FAMILIES MOVING HERE WHO NEED LOTS OF MORE PROTECTION 
OF OUR WETLANDS SO KIDS LIKE ME DON'T GET SICK FROM OUR 
WATER, PLEASE PROTECT ME.
THANK YOU.
AND -- AND ALSO FOR THE FOOD CHAIN, IF YOU COVER UP OUR 
WETLANDS, ANIMAL -- THE GRASS AND STUFF MIGHT DIE OUT, AND 
THE FOOD CHAIN WILL BE SORT OF RUINED.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  NOAH --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YOUNG -- THOMAS, YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
YOU MOMMY OUGHT TO BE VERY PROUD OF YOU.
WE ARE.
GREAT JOB.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  NOAH SANCHEZ, BRIAN SCHADTS, AND TERRY 
NEV.
TERRY.
GO AHEAD.
TERRY.
GO AHEAD.
THE OTHER TWO AREN'T HERE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, TERRY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
EXCUSE ME.
I'VE GOT TO PUT MY GLASSES ON.
TERRY NEAL, 4703 EAST RIVER HILLS DRIVE, TAMPA, FLORIDA.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
THIS IS THE LONGEST I'VE WAITED TO TALK TO ALL OF YOU.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A COUPLE STORIES.
ONE DAY I WAS JOGGING DOWN MY STREET AND THERE WAS A VACANT 
PIECE OF LAND, AND I LOOKED OVER AND I SAW THE SIGN THAT 
GOES UP WHEN THE CITY OF TAMPA ISSUES A BUILDING PERMIT.
I LOOKED INSIDE.
THERE'S HOUSE PLANS.
I THOUGHT, OKAY, THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD A NICE HOUSE HERE.
NEXT DAY I WAS JOGGING DOWN THE STREET AND THERE WAS A 
CRANE IN THAT -- ON THAT PROPERTY AND AN OLD RICKETY OLD 
TRUCK, AND I WENT OVER TO THE MAN IN THE TRUCK AND I LOOKED 
INSIDE THE TRUCK AND THERE WERE BATTERIES IN THE TRUCK, OLD 
BATTERIES.
I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THOSE BATTERIES?
HE SAID I'M HAULING OUT TO THE COUNTRY.
AND THEN I GOT TO THINKING, I'M NOT MAYBE THE SMARTEST BIRD 
THAT EVER FLEW IN THE SKY AND I'M NOT THE DUMBEST EITHER, 
AND I GOT TO THINKING TO MYSELF, THERE'S BATTERIES IN THE 
GROUND, THIS GUY'S TAKING THEM OUT TO THE COUNTRY, AND 
THEY'VE GOT A HOUSE PERMIT HERE.
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG.
SO I CALLED THE CITY OF TAMPA AND SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, 
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE, AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME TO 
TAKE A HIKE.
I CALLED DEP, I CALLED SWFWMD.
BOTH OF THEM SAID IT WAS OUT OF THEIR JURISDICTION, BUT 
THEY SAID THAT I SHOULD CALL THE EPC, THEY'D BE ABLE TO 
HELP ME.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS THAT THIS PIECE OF LAND 50 YEARS AGO 
HAD BEEN A SITE FOR DUMPING OLD BATTERIES, AND EVEN FOUR 
YEARS AGO THE SOIL WAS TOXIC AND AN ONGOING BATTLE HAD BEEN 
TAKING PLACE BETWEEN THE EPA'S SUPER FUND -- IT WAS AN EPA 
SUPER FUND SITE THE SITE WAS SO CONTAMINATED.
THE CITY OF TAMPA HAD ISSUED A BUILDING PERMIT.
THEY WERE GOING TO PUT A HOUSE THERE.
I'M GLAD I CALLED THE EPC BECAUSE WITHIN THREE MONTHS, 
WITHIN THREE MONTHS AFTER TEN YEARS OF EPA LITIGATION, THE 
EPC HAD THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OUT THERE NOT ONLY REMOVING 
THOSE BATTERIES BUT CLEANING THE DIRT OF ALL THE TOXICITY.
OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION.
THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS ON THE RIVER RIGHT NEXT TO 
WETLANDS.
I LIVE ON THE RIVER.
I HAVE A WELL.
I HAVE SEEN RAW SEWAGE BEING DUMPED INTO THE RIVER, AND 
EVERY TIME THAT I'VE CALLED DEP, SWFWMD, THEY'VE REFERRED 
ME TO THE EPC, AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE ONES THAT HAVE 
COME OUT AND BEEN DILIGENT AND HAVE MADE SURE THAT MY 
ENVIRONMENT IS SAFE, AND I THANK THEM VERY MUCH FOR THAT, 
AND I THINK WE OWE THEM A BIG DEBT.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, TERRY.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  RICH BROWN, HERB BERMAN, AND GLENDA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, YOU-ALL.
I'M DR. RICH BROWN.
I'M HERE TODAY AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE 
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND YES, 
THERE ARE REAL MEN IN THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
THE LEAGUE IS A GROUP THAT FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE PROCESS 
OF DEMOCRACY; HOWEVER, FROM TIME TO TIME THE LEAGUE DOES 
TAKE A POSITION ON NONPARTISAN LOCAL ISSUES.
DON'T DO IT VERY OFTEN.
THERE'S USUALLY A LOT OF DEBATE, DISCUSSION.
THERE WASN'T MUCH DEBATE ON THIS ONE.
WE'VE HAD A POSITION ON THIS FOR YEARS.
THE POSITION CLEARLY IS TO KEEP OVERSIGHT OF WETLANDS IN 
THE EPC AND IN THE COUNTY.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  HERB BERMAN, GLENDA PIASECKI.
>> I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT WE HAD A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE 
WHO WANTED TO SPEAK, AND HERB IS ONE OF THEM.
HE HAD AN APPOINTMENT.
HE'S A SENIOR CITIZEN.
BECAUSE OF THE WASTED TIME AND YOU-ALL DOING WHATEVER YOUR 
SPINNING THINGS THAT YOU WERE DOING THIS MORNING, WE LOST 
VALID SPEAKERS.
NOW, THIS DOESN'T MAKE FOR PLACATING, THIS MAKES FOR ANGER, 
AND I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'VE WAITED A LONG TIME.
I TOOK A DAY OFF OF MY RANCH WORK.
ENOUGH SAID.
ABOUT EPC.
WE HAD OUR CREEK ALL OF A SUDDEN IN THIS DRY WEATHER WAS UP 
TEN TO 20 FEET.
WE CALLED SWFWMD.
NOTHING.
WE CALLED EPC.
OUT IMMEDIATELY.
IT WAS ONE OF OUR MANY BORROW PITS DUMPING ILLEGAL WATER 
INTO OUR CREEK, CARLTON LAKE CREEK, WHICH RUNS INTO NONE 
OTHER THAN THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER AND INTO THE GULF.
WITHOUT EPC AND THIS DILUTION, THIS HYBRID STUFF -- YOU 
ALL, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION, AND MR. WHITE, I DON'T 
UNDERSTAND YOUR LOGIC ABOUT MOVING TO ELIMINATE WETLANDS.
IF THIS WAS TO JUST GET ACTION -- BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT 
THIS -- YOU-ALL ARE DOING SOMETHING HERE TODAY THAT IS VERY 
DETRIMENTAL.
I BELIEVE WHAT JAN PLATT SAID, WHAT THE OTHER 
COMMISSIONERS -- FORMER COMMISSIONERS HAVE SAID.
GET SOMEBODY.
DON'T GET JUST -- AND THERE'S A WORD THAT YOU-ALL USED IN 
THIS PACKET, AND I CAN'T THINK OF IT, A NEW WORD, STEWARD 
OR --
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> WHATEVER.
AND I SAID WHAT IS THAT?
>>JIM NORMAN:  OMBUDSMAN.
>> AND THEY SAID IT'S DEVELOPERS AND A FEW CITIZENS.
YOU-ALL, LET'S GET REAL AND GET SOME BIPARTISAN PEOPLE IN 
HERE AND REALLY DO SOMETHING THAT WILL -- YOU-ALL HAVE GOT 
ANGRY CONSTITUENTS.
ALSO, MR. NORMAN, YOU STATED IN ALL YOUR THING THIS MORNING 
ABOUT THAT THE PLANNING AND GROWTH COMMISSION STAMPED 
ALMOST 99% OR SOMETHING AND YOU-ALL DIDN'T DO BUT 80%.
MR. NORMAN, EVERY TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN UP HERE BEFORE YOU, 
YOU-ALL -- NOT THE PLANNING -- NOT THIS BUT THE 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION HAS TAKEN THE INITIATIVE -- 
THE PLANNING -- PGM COMES UP AND THEY SAY, WE DENY THIS, 
THIS IS NOT COMPLEMENTARY TO THE AREA, IT'S AGAINST THIS, 
IT'S AGAINST THAT.
THEY'VE DONE ALL THEIR STUDIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, JUST 
LIKE I'VE SEEN EPC DO, AND YOU, MR. NORMAN, TELL THEM GO 
BACK AND REDRAW AND MAKE IT FIT.
SO WE GO BACK AND WE SIT DOWN WITH THEM.
YEAH, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY AFTER YOU'VE WATERED THEM 
DOWN -- THIS IS DUPLICATION OF SERVICE.
THIS IS DUPLICATION OF SERVICE.
IF YOU HIRE ALL THESE EXPERTS AND THEY TELL YOU IT'S A NO-
GO, IT'S NOT ACCORDING TO THE PLANS, IT'S NOT CONTINGENT, 
IT'S NOT -- IT DOESN'T FIT IN THE AREA, YOU KNOW, NO, NO, 
NO, NO, NO, AND THE COUNTY COMMISSION COMES UP AND SAYS GO 
AND REWORK IT UNTIL IT DOES, THAT'S DUPLICATION OF WORK.
DO YOU AGREE?
THAT'S DUPLICATION OF WORK.
YOU'RE HAVING THEM DO ONE RESEARCH THAT THEY COME UP WITH, 
PLANNING COMMISSION PLUS PLANNING AND GROWTH SAID NO-GO, 
AND YOU SAID NO, GO REWORK IT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MA'AM.
>> SO YOUR FIGURES, MR. NORMAN, ARE BECAUSE YOU'VE SENT THE 
PLANNING AND GROWTH BACK TO DO YOUR WORK BECAUSE YOU WANTED 
A DIFFERENT ANSWER.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> SO THAT'S DUPLICATION.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MA'AM.
>> I ASK YOU -- I KNOW WORDS --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> COULD I HAVE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
>> GLENDA PIASECKI FROM BALM, FLORIDA.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  LORETTA HODGSON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
BETWEEN 1962 AND 1971 THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 
CHANNELIZED THE KISSIMMEE RIVER AND CREATED A 300-FOOT-
WIDE, 56-MILE-LONG DRAINAGE CANAL.
WHY?
BECAUSE A FLOODPLAIN WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO DEVELOPING THE 
SURROUNDING AREA.
THE CHANNELIZATION CAUSED A DECLINING OF WILDLIFE DEPENDENT 
ON THE RIVER AND FLOODPLAIN.
MARSHES NO LONGER HELPED FILTER AND REDUCED RUNOFF WHICH 
WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO LAKE OKEECHOBEE, THE HEART OF THE 
EVERGLADES, WHICH SHOULD FEED INTO FLORIDA BAY AND THE 
COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.
DUE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, MANY ASPECTS OF OUR 
FLORIDA LIFESTYLE WERE AFFECTED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED 
TO THE COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY, SPORT FISHING, AND 
OTHER AQUATIC RECREATIONAL AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES LINKED TO 
TOURISM AND FLOODING.
THE KISSIMMEE RIVER IS NOW BEING RESTORED AT A COST OF WELL 
OVER $90 MILLION.
AND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.
THE CROSS FLORIDA BARGE CANAL WAS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR 
FEDERAL TAX-FUNDED PROJECTS.
PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
PLEASE HAVE THE FORESIGHT TO PROTECT THE WETLANDS OF 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
NOTHING STANDS IN ISOLATION.
OUR WETLANDS ARE LINKED TO MANY THINGS, NOT JUST 
DEVELOPMENT.
PROTECT OUR WETLANDS FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
LET'S NOT BE ANOTHER KISSIMMEE RIVER.
LET HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY LEAD, NOT FOLLOW.
KEEP OUR EPC.
LET THEM DO THEIR JOB.
WE MUST HAVE LOCAL CONTROL.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND WORK TOWARDS THE ENVIRONMENT.
LET US REMEMBER MS. PLATT'S SUGGESTION OF A BLUE RIBBON 
PANEL.
WE NEED TO PROCEED WITH CAUTION FOR NOW AND ESPECIALLY FOR 
THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU.
MY NAME'S LORETTA HODGSDON, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  MONTE BELOTE, JAN SMITH, AND PATRICIA 
SMITH.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS JAN SMITH.
I FEEL SORT OF LIKE JED KATTICK.
I'VE BEEN IN RETIREMENT A COUPLE YEARS.
LAST TIME I WAS DOWN HERE, JANET, I THINK YOU HAD BROWN 
HAIR.
NOW WE'RE BOTH BLONDS.
MY NAME IS JANET SMITH.
I LIVE IN LUTZ.
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE BEEN IN A PROCESS WHERE THE 
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAS ATTEMPTED TO EITHER GUT 
THE EPC OR GET RID OF ROGER STEWART, SO I'VE HAD A LOT OF 
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROCESS, AND I MUST SAY TODAY'S HAS 
BEEN ABSOLUTELY THE WORST.
FOR TEN YEARS, AS PRESIDENT OF THE LUTZ CIVIC ASSOCIATION, 
I DEFENDED THAT COMMUNITIES, OUR LAKES, OUR STREAMS, OUR 
CREEKS, AND OUR WETLANDS, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE ZONING AND 
LAND USE PROCESSES.
I WAS REFERRED TO AS AN OBSTRUCTIONIST.
AS A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, A MEMBER OF THE 
ELAPP COMMITTEE, AND THE SITE SELECTION TEAM, CHAIRMAN OF 
THE LAST ELAPP CAMPAIGN THAT WON BY A 74% VOTE, MEMBER OF 
THE FRIENDS OF THE PARKS, I STILL DEFEND OUR WETLANDS AND 
OUR COMMUNITY.
I GUESS I'M STILL AN OBSTRUCTIONIST.
THE FIRST THING I LEARNED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH 
FLORIDA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS IN THE ACCOUNTING PROGRAM WAS 
THAT THE REASON TO BE IN BUSINESS WAS TO MAKE A PROFIT.
FROM THE HOMEBUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS, WE FREQUENTLY HEAR 
THE LAMENT TIME IS MONEY.
THEY SPEND THEIR TIME ON THEIR BUSINESS AND THEIR PROJECT, 
AND THEY POCKET THE MONEY, BUT EVERY TIME YOU PERMIT ANY 
DEVELOPMENT OR LAND ALTERATION, YOU TAKE MONEY OUT OF MY 
POCKET AND THE POCKET OF ALL THE OTHER TAXPAYERS.
SO I ASK YOU TO SPEND MY MONEY WISELY.
PROTECT OUR WETLANDS.
CREATE A BLUE RIBBON PANEL TO WORK WITH MR. GARRITY AND ALL 
OF THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS SITUATION AND COME BACK WITH A 
COST-EFFECTIVE PROPOSAL THAT STRENGTHENS OUR WETLAND 
PROTECTIONS AND PROTECTS THIS COMMUNITY FAR INTO THE 
FUTURE.
I'VE GIVEN THE GENTLEMAN SOME MAPS, AND I DON'T KNOW 
WHETHER YOU-ALL CAN SEE THEM.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THEY'RE RIGHT HERE, JANET.
>> BUT WHEN I MOVED TO LUTZ IN 1976 FROM TOWN 'N COUNTRY, 
NORTH DALE MABRY WAS A FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY UP TO EHRLICH.
FROM EHRLICH ROAD IT WAS A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY.
THE LAST STREET LIGHT ON DALE MABRY WAS AT OLD CARROLLWOOD 
OR ORIGINAL CARROLLWOOD, HOWEVER YOU REFER TO IT.
THERE WAS NO DEVELOPMENT NORTH OF THERE EXCEPT FOR ONE 
COMMERCIAL BUILDING THAT IS NOW A MEDICAL OFFICE, BUT IT 
HAS BEEN RESTAURANTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I DON'T BELIEVE -- AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THOSE MAPS -- THAT 
ENFORCING WETLAND RESTRICTIONS, PROTECTING OUR WETLANDS, 
PROTECTING OUR RIVERINE SYSTEMS HAS DONE ANYTHING TO DENY 
OUR SLOW DOWN DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S AN AERIAL FROM 2007.
LOOK AT THE GROWTH.
I ASK YOU PLEASE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
SUPPORT OUR WETLANDS.
PROTECT THEM.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, JAN.
WELCOME, MONTE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS MONTE BELOTE.
I LIVE FOR THE RECORD AT 11004 FOREST HILLS DRIVE IN TAMPA.
I GUESS I'M ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE KIND OF 
BEEN PULLED OUT OF HIDING BECAUSE OF THIS BECAUSE I HAVE 
SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR AND THAT IS OUR 
ENVIRONMENT.
I'M A NATIVE FLORIDIAN.
I WANT TO KEEP MY FAMILY'S LAND FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE AS 
WELL.
AND HAVING SERVED ONCE ON THE CEAC, I GAVE UP A DAY'S PAY 
IN ORDER TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION COMMISSION STAFF AND TO THANK SPECIFICALLY 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE, COMMISSIONER FERLITA, COMMISSIONER 
HIGGINBOTHAM.
WE KNOW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOO OFTEN DOES NOT 
PROTECT OUR WETLANDS.
AS WE'VE HEARD BY SEVERAL PEOPLE OVER THE COURSE OF TODAY, 
JUST ASK THE RESIDENTS OF NEW ORLEANS.
THANKS TO OUR FLORIDA LEGISLATURE, ALL TOO OFTEN THE 
LETTERS D-E-P ACTUALLY SPELL DON'T EXPECT PROTECTION.
ALL POLITICS ARE LOCAL.
COMMISSIONER WHITE, YOU'RE MY COMMISSIONER, AND I RESPECT 
AND BELIEVE WHAT YOU TOLD US TODAY AS YOUR INTENTIONS, AND 
I CERTAINLY KNOW MY NEIGHBOR, BRIAN BLAIR, HAS GOOD 
INTENTIONS IN PROTECTING YOURS AND MINE NEIGHBORHOODS LAKES 
AND WETLANDS.
ALL I ASK AS A CONSTITUENT IS TO FOCUS ON PROTECTING OUR 
ENVIRONMENT AND OUR WETLANDS AND NOT RUSH TO THE LOWEST 
COMMON DENOMINATOR.
WHILE MUCH OF THE HYBRID PLAN LOOKS VERY GOOD, I DO 
QUESTION THE PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE UP TO FIVE POSITIONS 
WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY ADD NEEDS FOR STAFF TO MAKE 
THIS HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT NINE MONTHS.
AND YOU KNOW, IN FINAL THOUGHTS, IF BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS 
ARE CONTINUING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT WETLANDS REGULATIONS, YOU 
KNOW, THERE IS A REALLY SIMPLE SOLUTION, AND THAT'S SIMPLY 
JUST DON'T PAVE OVER THEM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MONTE.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  PATRICIA METZ, MONICA METZ, AND KELLY 
CORNELIUS.
OKAY.
DARLENE HALL, VANESSA GOODMAN -- OR GOODRUM, AND MARY 
McGINNIS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS DARLENE HALL.
I LIVE AT 19259 BLOUNT ROAD IN LUTZ.
COMMISSIONER FERLITA, I REALIZE YOU CHANGED YOUR COAT 
COLORS.
I MIGHT LEAVE SOME OF YOU GUESSING FOR A FEW MOMENTS, BUT 
AFTER I SPEAK, HOPEFULLY YOU WILL KNOW WHERE I STAND.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A -- IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME FOR A 
MOMENT, I'D LIKE TO INDULGE YOU TO LISTEN TO A SHORT LITTLE 
EXPLANATION OF WHAT HAPPENED PERSONALLY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, 
MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
I LIVE IN A SMALL SUBDIVISION WITH THREE INTERCONNECTED 
LAKES AND ADJACENT WETLANDS.
I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND FLOODING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ONTO 
STREETS AND UP TO THE DOORSTEPS OF PROPERTIES.
WETLANDS WERE FILLED FOR STREETS AND HOUSES WERE BUILT ON 
WETLANDS STARTING IN 1960.
THAT WAS BEFORE THE EPC WAS PUT IN ACTION.
CONSTRUCTION IS NOW UNDERWAY TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.
THE PROJECT IS CALLED LAKE VIRGINIA, LAKE ELLEN DRAINAGE 
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, CIP NUMBER 41-901.
I HAVE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BLUEPRINTS RIGHT HERE.
I WANT YOU TO KEEP IN MIND THE COST ON THIS ONE PROJECT TO 
CORRECT THIS DRAINAGE PROBLEM IS $725,000.
THIS PROJECT IS BEING BUILT RIGHT ON ADJACENT LAKE TO ME 
RIGHT NOW.
I WAS TOLD THAT -- MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE EPC WETLAND 
DIVISION COSTS ABOUT 701,000 A YEAR WITH -- AFTER FEE 
REVENUES.
TO ME IT'S A NO-BRAINER.
THIS REMINDS ME OF A SAYING MY MOM USED TO SAY.
IT SEEMS PENNY WISE, DOLLAR FOOLISH TO GET RID OF AN AGENCY 
THAT HELPS PREVENT THESE FLOODING PROBLEMS.
THAT CAN BE MUCH MORE COSTLY DOWN THE ROAD.
IS SWFWMD OVERSIGHT ENOUGH?
FROM MY EXPERIENCE, NO.
I DEALT WITH SWFWMD.
I HAD A HARD TIME GETTING ANY ANSWERS FROM THEM.
I HAD TO GO ON A CAMPAIGN.
I HAD TO GET PETITIONS TO GET ONE ANSWER.
EPC WAS THERE TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS, ADDRESS MY CONCERNS.
WE NEED OUR LOCAL EPC OVERSIGHT AND PROTECTION LEVEL TO 
AVOID ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH DRAINAGE, RUNOFF, AND 
FLOODING.
KEEPING OUR LOCAL EPC MAKES FINANCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL 
SENSE.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, DARLENE.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  VANESSA GOODRUM, MARY McGINNIS, JIM 
WILSON.
JEAN --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  MR. WILSON'S HERE.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  OH, I'M SORRY.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  HELLO, JIM.
>> GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS JIM WILSON.
I LIVE IN FOREST HILLS.
WE'VE WASHED A LOT OF LAUNDRY TODAY, AND THAT TAKES A LOT 
OF WATER, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WETLANDS.
[LAUGHTER]
ROSE, I SEE YOU HAD TO CHANGE CLOTHES.
JUST KIDDING.
JUST KIDDING.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  WE CAN USE A LITTLE LEVITY TODAY, SIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> IT'S BEEN A LITTLE TOUGH TODAY, BUT I WILL TELL YOU 
THERE WAS A SMALL WETLAND BEHIND MY HOUSE THAT THE 
NEIGHBORS HAD BEEN PROBLEM WITH FOR 47 YEARS, AND I CALLED 
EPC, AND THE LITTLE OLD LADY FROM EPC -- I FORGOT HER 
NAME -- SHE COMES OUT THERE, AND THEY WORKED FOR TWO WEEKS 
WITH ABOUT A DOZEN BULLDOZERS AND CLEANED THAT AREA UP, SO 
IF I HADN'T HAVE CALLED THEM AND THE LITTLE LADY HADN'T 
HAVE COME OUT THERE, WE'D STILL HAVE CHEMICALS AND STUFF 
OUT OF A BOAT PRODUCTION OR A BOAT-BUILDING PLACE COMING 
INTO OUR LAKE, SO DR. GARRITY, I SUPPORT ANYTHING YOU WANT 
TO DO.
IT DON'T MATTER.
[LAUGHTER]
JUST CALL ME.
I'LL SAY IT'S GOOD.
[LAUGHTER]
SERIOUSLY, DR. GARRITY CAN ONLY DO WHAT YOU GIVE HIM THE 
DIRECTION AND RESOURCES TO DO.
SO LET'S NOT KID OURSELVES.
YOU-ALL ARE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT.
YOU-ALL WERE ELECTED TO DO A JOB.
I THINK YOU CAN DO IT, AND I'M DEPENDING ON YOU.
AND NEXT TIME YOU TAKE A DRINK OF WATER, IT MAY HAVE COME 
FROM WETLANDS.
THINK ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  JEAN ZILSTRA, EDWARD SCHOERING, AND JEAN 
COTHRIN.
CHRIS SCHADT.
WILLIAM LORENZEN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELCOME, CHRIS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME'S CHRIS SCHADT, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL 
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR A FEW MINUTES TODAY.
I'M A VOTER, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN CONCERNED ENOUGH ABOUT AN 
ISSUE TO ACTUALLY COME TO AN EPC MEETING, SO THANKS AGAIN 
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT EACH OF YOU COMMISSIONERS ARE HERE AS 
PUBLIC SERVANTS BECAUSE YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE A POSITIVE 
DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I -- OF COURSE, WE ALL 
HAVE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND OPINIONS ON WHAT WE SHOULD 
DO WITH THIS ISSUE, BUT I WANT TO EXPRESS MY OPINION AND 
REQUEST THAT YOU VOTE TO RETAIN THE WETLANDS DIVISION OF 
THE EPC, AND I ALSO WANT TO BRING UP THAT SINCE IT'S 
HURRICANE SEASON, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THE 
IMPORTANT ROLE THAT WETLANDS PLAY IN FLOOD CONTROL, AND I 
WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER SHARPE FOR BRINGING THAT UP 
EARLIER TODAY, THE EXAMPLE OF HURRICANE KATRINA, BECAUSE IT 
IS -- IT'S SCARY, AND IF WE CAN PREVENT THIS WITH SIMPLY 
LEAVING OUR WETLANDS INTACT WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR 
COSTLY MAN-MADE PROJECTS, WE SHOULD DO ALL THAT WE CAN.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M RELIEVED BY THE PRELIMINARY 
VOTE THAT WAS TAKEN EARLIER TODAY, AND AGAIN URGE YOU TO 
PLEASE RETAIN THE EPC WETLANDS DIVISION BECAUSE IT'S NOT 
JUST A WATER-QUALITY ISSUE, IT'S A QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUE, 
AND I ALSO WANTED TO -- SINCE I HAVE A COUPLE MORE SECONDS, 
I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ON BEHALF OF MR. MARK WALDBAUM.
HE HAD SIGNED UP EARLIER TODAY, BUT HE HAD TO LEAVE.
HE SAID HE WAS IN FAVOR OF RETAINING THE WETLANDS DIVISION 
AS WELL, AND HE SAID A VOTE AGAINST THE PEOPLE MEANS A VOTE 
AGAINST A COMMISSIONER, SO THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  WILLIAM LORENZON, MARK KLUTHO, AND 
THERE'S BRUCE K -- I CAN'T READ THE LAST NAME.
SAMUEL GORE.
ANNETTE MILLIAS.
RUTH DEAN AND BYRON DEAN.
AL DAVIS.
SALLY FLYNN.
GETTING NEAR THE END.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME'S AL DAVIS.
I'M A NEIGHBOR OF YOURS OVER AT GULFPORT, FLORIDA, PROBABLY 
THE ONLY RESIDENT OF GULFPORT THAT I BELIEVE OWNS A PARKING 
METER IN TAMPA NOW.
IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING DAY.
[LAUGHTER]
I'M IN FAVOR OF THE BLUE RIBBON PERSPECTIVE ON THE 
PROPOSAL.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RETAIN LOCAL INVOLVEMENT.
A BIT OF BACKGROUND.
MY WIFE CINDY AND I HERE IN THE BACK LIVE NEXT TO A 
WETLAND, AN ESTUARY.
WE HAVE YEARS OF DEALING WITH SWFWMD.
SOMEBODY SAID EARLIER WOULD SOMEBODY APPROVE THEM OR 
DECLARE THEM INCOMPETENT.
I WILL DECLARE THEM INCOMPETENT.
IN OUR DEALINGS, WE WISH WE HAD SOMEBODY LOCAL THAT WAS AS 
RESPONSIVE.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH AN AREA THAT'S BEEN SLATED FOR 
RESTORATION FOR THE LAST 13 YEARS.
IT CONTINUES TO SIGNIFICANTLY DECLINE.
QUESTIONS WERE RAISED EARLIER ABOUT ROLES OF VARIOUS 
FACTIONS TO INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT.
I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THAT.
I'M NOT A DEVELOPER, BUT I AM INVOLVED IN A CITIZENS GROUP 
THAT ATTEMPTS TO CONNECT THE DOTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE DO AUDUBON BIRD COUNTS, AS I MENTIONED, WE SEE INDICATOR 
SPECIES LIKE THE GREBES AND OYSTER CATCHERS GOING FROM 19, 
20, 60 IN SOME CASES A FEW YEARS AGO, TO ZERO THE LAST 
COUPLE YEARS.
THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.
WE KNOW WE'RE DEALING WITH TOXIC ISSUES.
WE WENT TO THE COASTAL STATE'S ORGANIZATION EVENT DOWN IN 
MARCO ISLAND A WHILE BACK.
IT WAS THE ONLY DISCUSSION IN THE ENTIRE SOUTHEAST UNITED 
STATES ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO PROPOSE LEGISLATION TO 
CONGRESS.
IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT NOT ONE CITY MANAGER, NOT 
ONE MAYOR, AND ONLY ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL FROM THE ENTIRE 
SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES CARED ENOUGH TO GO TO THAT MEETING.
FORTUNATELY THAT WAS BOB WORTHINGTON FROM OUR CITY.
WE ALSO WENT TO THE AGENCY ON BAY MANAGEMENT, AND WE WERE 
AT THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING OFFICE THIS LAST MONDAY.
WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT THAT WAS THAT THE 
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES RAISED THIS MORNING -- THIS IS A COPY 
OF BAY SOUNDINGS, THE CURRENT EDITION, AND IN THERE IS AN 
ARTICLE FEATURING MR. DON WHITE, WHO'S INVOLVED WITH 
ORGANIZATIONS YOU PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH, FISHHAWK RANCH, 
MIRABAY, [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] BAY -- RANCH RATHER.
THEY HAD A BRIEFING ON A THING CALLED "REALITY CHECK" AND A 
THING CALLED "OUR ONE BAY," AND THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU MAY 
OR MAY NOT BE AWARE OF IS GROWTH IN THIS AREA OF 3.2 
MILLION PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DECADES, 3.2 MILLION, 
AND OF THE HUNDRED OR SO PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, A QUESTION WAS 
ASKED, WHAT ABOUT THE WATER?
AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER.
THAT BRIEFING DID NOT ADDRESS WATER IN ANY SHAPE, MANNER, 
OR FORM, AND THE SWFWMD REPRESENTATIVE THERE HAD NOTHING TO 
SAY.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
I HOPE YOU KEEP IT.
YOU'VE GOT VERY LITTLE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT LEFT, AND WE'RE 
GOING TO HAVE A HECK OF LOT LESS OF IT WHEN THESE 3.2 
MILLION ARRIVE.
THANK YOU.
>>TOM KOULIANOS:  THANK YOU, SIR.
SALLY FLYNN, MARY BRIGHT, KARIN HOPPMANN.
THERE WERE TWO NAMES ON ONE OF THE LISTS THAT I COULD NOT 
READ.
I'M SORRY.
THERE ARE TWO NAMES I HAVEN'T CALLED.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  LET ME SAY THIS.
IF THERE IS ANYBODY THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THAT HASN'T 
SPOKEN, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND STAND UP, AND WE WILL KNOW THAT 
YOU'RE HERE AND WE WON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
JUST GO ONE BY ONE.
THANK YOU.
>> COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS KARIN HOPPMANN.
I THINK I WAS THE LAST OFFICIAL PERSON ON THE LIST FOR 
THOSE OF YOU WONDERING HOW LONG THIS WAS GOING TO TAKE.
I CAME HERE TODAY WITHOUT ANY PREPARED REMARKS.
THIS IS ALSO MY FIRST, UNFORTUNATELY, APPEARANCE BEFORE THE 
COUNTY BOARD, BUT LIKE SEVERAL OTHERS IN THE AUDIENCE, THIS 
WAS JUST TOO IMPORTANT TO MISS.
I TOOK OFF OF WORK, LIKE I BELIEVE EVERYONE ELSE HERE DID, 
AND I WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OBSERVATIONS AS A NEOPHYTE TO 
THE PROCESS.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THIS PROCESS IS MOSTLY THROUGH 
THE PAPERS, SO I APOLOGIZE IF IT'S BEEN ONE-SIDED.
I'VE TRIED TO EXPAND MY KNOWLEDGE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE 
OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS, BUT TIME AND AGAIN THE COMMENT 
HAS BEEN MADE THAT IN IS DIVISIVE ISSUE, AND IT SEEMS TO ME 
IT HAS NOT BEEN DIVISIVE BUT COHESIVE.
THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND THE PEOPLE THREE WEEKS AGO, 
MANY, MANY PEOPLE WHO DID TAKE OFF OF WORK, WHO CAME HERE 
SEEM VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF ONE POSITION, AND I'M REMINDED 
OF A STATISTIC THAT I'VE HEARD QUOTED AGAIN AND AGAIN BY 
BUSINESSES.
THAT IS IF ONE PERSON WRITES A LETTER, ONE PERSON STANDS 
UP, THAT PERSON IS EQUAL TO 11,000 CONSUMERS.
I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT BEHIND EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM 
IS PERHAPS 11,000 MORE PEOPLE WHO COULD NOT TAKE OFF OF 
WORK TODAY, WHO COULD NOT LEAVE THEIR CHILDREN WITH SOMEONE 
TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU, AND I'D LIKE YOU TO REMEMBER THEM 
AS WELL.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE JUST A COMMENT ABOUT OUR 
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.
MY POSITION, IF YOU HAVEN'T GUESSED, IS TO RETAIN THE EPC.
I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION, BUT I 
UNDERSTAND THAT MAY BE A SEPARATE VOTE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE ASKED YOU TO BE OUR 
REPRESENTATIVES, AND WE HAVE INDEED DELEGATED THAT 
RESPONSIBILITY TO YOU, THAT WE HAVE ENTRUSTED YOU WITH 
THAT, BUT I BELIEVE THE MORE LOCAL THE GOVERNMENT GETS, THE 
CLOSER WE COME TO A DIRECT DEMOCRACY, AND THIS PROCEEDING 
HAS OBVIOUSLY TOUCHED A NERVE ON -- OF MANY, MANY OF YOUR 
CONSTITUENTS, HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND 
I WANT TO SAY TO YOU THAT THERE IS NO SHAME IN CHANGING A 
POSITION IN LIGHT OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS' WISHES, THAT IF 
THERE HAS BEEN A MISTAKE MADE, THERE IS NO SHAME AND THAT 
THERE NEED BE NO EXPLANATION WHEN PEOPLE COME BEFORE YOU 
AND SAY, I'M SORRY, THAT'S A MISTAKE, PLEASE LISTEN.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS MADE SOUNDED LIKE A VERY 
WELL-REASONED PROPOSAL AND CERTAINLY IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT 
DIRECTION, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU TO LISTENING TO ALL OF 
OUR VOICES TODAY.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>> HI, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS CICI McKIERNAN, AND I HAD ACTUALLY SIGNED UP 
SOMEHOW ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND YOU SAID WE COULDN'T 
TALK ABOUT THE WETLANDS ISSUES, SO I DON'T WANT TO 
PERPETUATE ANY CONSPIRACY THEORIES HERE.
I WANT TO SAY I'M HERE NOW SPEAKING, AND I DON'T MIND 
BATTING CLEANUP, IF THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, SO I'M 
READY TO GO.
PLEASE GIVE VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO THE SIGNIFICANT 
DECISION YOU ARE ABOUT TO MAKE.
THIS IS A PIVOTAL POINT IN THE HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
AS YOU KNOW, WETLANDS FILTER OUR WATER, PROTECT US FROM 
FLOODING, RECHARGE THE GROUNDWATER, AND PROVIDE HABITAT FOR 
WILDLIFE.
WHAT MAKES BETTER SENSE WHEN ADDRESSING ALL THESE IMPORTANT 
BENEFITS?
A QUICK REACTION OR A WELL-THOUGHT-OUT PLAN?
NO ONE CARES MORE ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAN YOU DO.
YOU REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY.
THINK ABOUT THIS.
WHO WILL RESPOND FASTER WHEN A CALL COMES IN ABOUT 
MANGROVES BEING CUT DOWN ILLEGALLY, A LOCAL AGENCY OR A 
STATE AGENCY WITH SEVERAL COUNTIES TO RESPOND TO?
ISN'T IT BETTER TO HAVE THE CONTROL LOCAL SO HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY CAN MAKE ITS OWN DECISIONS AND RESPOND EXPEDITIOUSLY 
TO REPORTED WETLAND VIOLATIONS?
WE MUST ADDRESS THE SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COUNTY BEFORE 
IT'S TOO LATE.
THIS DECISION WILL BE PART OF YOUR LEGACY.
KEEP THE EPC WETLANDS PROGRAM INTACT AS IT IS NOW AND 
INITIATE AN INDEPENDENT STUDY OR THROUGH DR. GARRITY'S 
HYBRID PLAN IF YOU MUST AND PROTECT OUR WETLANDS AND WATER 
SUPPLY FOR YOUR FAMILIES' FUTURES.
YOUR PERSONAL ACTION TODAY WILL HAVE A LOCAL AND GLOBAL 
EFFECT.
START TO HEAL THE PLANET NOW.
DO NOT INJURY IT FURTHER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
MARIELLA.
WELCOME.
>> HI.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS MARY ANN 
CUFONE.
I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY HERE IN FLORIDA, AND YOU KNOW 
I'VE BEEN UP HERE MANY TIMES ON BEHALF OF MANY DIFFERENT 
ORGANIZATIONS.
TODAY I WAS ASKED TO COME HERE ON BEHALF OF THE WETLANDS 
AND THE WILDLIFE AND THE FISH BECAUSE THEY CLEARLY DO NOT 
HAVE A STRONG ENOUGH VOICE IN THIS COUNTY.
SO I AM THEIR VOICE TODAY ALONG WITH ALL OF THESE OTHER 
PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN ON BEHALF OF THE WETLANDS, AND YOU 
KNOW, OVER TIME I HAVE SAID I AM DISAPPOINTED, I AM SAD, I 
AM ANGRY, AN ASSORTMENT OF DIFFERENT EMOTIONS UP HERE.
TODAY I AM JUST DEEPLY CONCERNED.
I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT WE ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO 
THE VOICES IN THIS COUNTY.
TODAY THE DISCUSSION WAS OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT OF THE 
EPC.
I HAVE NOT EVER SEEN A TURNOUT LIKE THIS ON AN ISSUE LIKE 
THIS, AND I HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A WHILE.
I JUST ASK YOU TO TAKE A STEP BACK, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE 
DOING TODAY, LISTEN TO THE VOICES IN THIS ROOM, AND ACT 
RESPONSIBLY AND WITH REASON AND IN ACCORD WITH THE LAW THAT 
HAS BEEN SET UP IN THIS COUNTY.
THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, MARY ANN.
[APPLAUSE]
OKAY.
WITH NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT -- ANYBODY ELSE?
LAST TIME.
OKAY.
WE'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO -- [APPLAUSE] -- [LAUGHTER] -- I 
GUESS.
THAT WAS ABOUT WHAT, SEVEN HOURS, SIX HOURS?
ANYWAY, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING SO PATIENT AS WE 
MOVED THROUGH THE THREE MINUTES PER PERSON, AND NOW I'D 
LIKE TO TURN THE MEETING OVER TO DR. GARRITY.
HE HAD A COUPLE COMMENTS.
>>RICK GARRITY:  YES, COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONERS, I WOULD JUST GO BACK TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION 
IS TO GIVE DIRECTION TO PROCEED WITH THE HYBRID PLAN AND TO 
ADOPT TODAY'S PROPOSED RULE CHANGES, WHICH BEGIN THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PLAN, AND THOSE RULE CHANGES ARE THE 
ONES THAT WERE SUMMARIZED BY OUR ATTORNEY, ANDY ZODROW.
AND SECONDLY, TO READDRESS THE PLAN AT THE AUGUST 2008 EPC 
MEETING TO DETERMINE AT THAT TIME IF IT HAS BEEN FULLY 
IMPLEMENTED AND HAS ACHIEVED MEANINGFUL RESULTS, AND I 
THINK ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT RECOMMENDATION IS TO ASK THE 
COUNTY INTERNAL AUDITOR TO WORK WITH US TO REVIEW THE 
PROCESS BETWEEN EPC AND PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT.
AND COMMISSIONERS, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO 
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE IN LISTENING TO US.
COMMISSIONER BLAIR, YOU'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
AND COMMISSIONER WHITE, YOUR DESCRIPTION OF OUR MEETINGS 
BEFORE IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR 
HELP AND ADVICE ALSO.
SO THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION, COMMISSIONERS, AND WE'RE 
STICKING WITH IT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
WE'LL NOW GO TO BOARD COMMENT.
COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING THAT I COMMITTED 
TO DOING.
JADELL KERR, WHO, OF COURSE, WAS A VERY INTEGRAL PART OF 
THIS WHOLE PROCESS, WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, AND I 
COMMITTED TO HER NOT TO READ HER ENTIRE E-MAIL BUT TO 
SUBMIT IT INTO THE RECORD, AND I WILL DO THAT, AND THESE 
ARE MOSTLY, I THINK, EVERYTHING THAT WAS AGAINST KEEPING 
THE EPC.
THESE, OF COURSE, ARE THE E-MAILS THAT WE GOT, AND WE TRIED 
TO ANSWER ALL OF THEM, THAT WILL ARE IN FAVOR, AND HERS ARE 
IN THAT BIGGER GROUP, SO I WANT TO SUBMIT THAT INTO THE 
RECORD AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
SO HERE WE ARE, WE'RE AT OUR FINAL DELIBERATION.
FOR ME THIS HAS NOT BEEN ABOUT POLITICS IN EPC, IT'S ABOUT 
HAVING TRIED TO KEEP POLITICS OUT OF EPC.
22 YEARS OR SO AGO THERE WAS A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
ORDINANCE.
CERTAINLY I WASN'T UP HERE, BUT IT WAS ADOPTED TO DO 
SOMETHING, TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PIECEMEAL LOSS OF 
MARSHLANDS AND TO PROTECT WETLANDS UNDER A HALF ACRE.
THE STATE DID NOT DO THAT THEN AND IT DOESN'T DO IT NOW.
WE HAD A CONVERSATION LAST TIME, AND MOST OF YOU WERE HERE.
IT'S THE SAME THEME AS LAST MONTH.
STEWARDSHIP, STEWARDSHIP, STEWARDSHIP.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO COMMISSIONER BLAIR, LET ME TELL YOU 
WHAT I THINK, AND LET ME TELL YOU WHO I BELIEVE REALLY HAS 
TAKEN THE HEAT AND HAS FALLEN ON THE SWORD, AND THAT WOULD 
BE DR. GARRITY.
HE ANSWERS TO US AS BOCC.
HE ANSWERS TO US AS EPC.
HE HAS TO ANSWER THIS AND HE HAS TO ANSWER THAT, AND THAT 
IS PROBABLY AS CLOSE AS I'VE BEEN TO WHAT LOOKS LIKE A 
TRIAL UP HERE.
NO WONDER WHY WE HAVE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM THE CITY OF 
TAMPA, FROM THE CITY OF TEMPLE TERRACE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE 
THAT REPRESENT THEM -- AND I THINK COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN 
SPOKE TO THAT, ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING 
REPRESENTATION UP HERE FROM THEM FOR THEM SO WE COULD HAVE 
FAIR REPRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND TRY TO GUESS WHY 
ANYBODY JUMPED TO MAKING A MOTION TO JUST WIPE THESE GUYS 
OUT OR WHY SOMEBODY JUST JUMPED TO THE IDEA TO SUPPORT THAT 
MOTION, PERIOD, RATHER THAN THINKING ABOUT A REASONABLE 
APPROACH, RATHER THAN THINKING ABOUT A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY TO 
GET TO SOMETHING THAT WAS A COMPROMISE.
WE'VE DONE THAT WITH EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT THROUGH THESE 
PROCEEDINGS IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS ABOUT BUDGETS, AND WE'VE 
DONE THAT WITHOUT TRYING TO COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THAT 
DEPARTMENT, WITHOUT TRYING TO USE A SCARE TACTIC, AND FOR 
WHOEVER THAT APPLIES TO, GENTLEMEN, I'M SORRY, I DON'T AND 
I CAN'T SUBSCRIBE TO THAT TYPE OF AN IDEA.
IT APPEARS TO ME, COLLEAGUES, THAT SOME OF YOU AND MOST OF 
YOU, HOPEFULLY, WANT TO ADDRESS THE IDEA OF DUPLICATION, OF 
STREAMLINING, OF EFFICIENCY.
I THINK DR. GARRITY'S HYBRID PLAN ADDRESSES EXACTLY THAT.
I TALKED EARLIER VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT A BUDGET THAT THEY HAVE 
TO WORK WITH, A BUDGET OF $2.1 MILLION, AND ALSO BRING IN 
REVENUES FROM USER FEES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, 
OF ABOUT $1.2 MILLION.
THAT NET RESULT -- THINK ABOUT IT.
THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE SPENT AND WE HAVE SPENT.
THAT NET RESULT IS ABOUT A SMALL FRACTION OF 1% OF THE 
GENERAL REVENUE DOLLARS THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH AND 
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TO SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS.
WHAT ARE WE DOING?
WHAT ARE WE THINKING?
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO -- 
OBVIOUSLY, I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT MY OPINION IS, BUT I THINK 
IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD WHY.
YOU CAN'T JUST THINK SOMETHING WITHOUT HAVING A REASON, AND 
I WANT TO SUBSTANTIATE MY POSITION FROM THAT VERY 
STANDPOINT.
LET'S LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I SERVE AS VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE TAMPA PORT AUTHORITY BOARD.
I TALKED TO OUR COUNSEL, CHARLES KLUG, AND I SAID WE'VE 
BEEN TALKING ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS WITH EPC IN ORDER TO 
ADDRESS EXACTLY WHAT YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND MY 
COLLEAGUES AND I ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
HE SENT ME A LETTER TO THAT EFFECT, AND CERTAINLY I'M NOT 
GOING TO READ IT ALL, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE A 
LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR A COUPLE PARAGRAPHS.
DEAR COMMISSIONER FERLITA, PORT AUTHORITY AND EPC HAS BEEN 
WORKING TOGETHER OVER THE PAST YEAR ON THE TERMS AND 
CONDITIONS OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THE DELEGATION OF 
PERMITTING AUTHORITY FOR MINOR WORK PERMITS TO EPC.
THIS TRANSFER IS IMPORTANT TO THE PORT AUTHORITY, TO THE 
RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SINCE IT WILL CREATE A 
ONE-STOP SHOPPING PERMIT PROCESS THAT SHOULD INCREASE 
EFFICIENCY, CONSOLIDATE RESIDENTIAL REVIEWS, ESSENTIALLY 
WITHIN ONE AGENCY, AND ELIMINATE CONFUSION AS TO THE 
RESPONSIBLE AGENT.
IT GOES ON TO SAY, THE PROPOSED DELEGATION SHOULD 
STREAMLINE AND EXPEDITE THE PERMITTING PROCESS BY 
CONSOLIDATING IN ONE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY THE 
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE ISSUANCE OF MINOR WORK PERMITS AND 
INSPECTION FOR WETLAND IMPACTS, THEREBY ELIMINATING 
DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS AND OF RESOURCES.
IN ADDITION, THE DELEGATION SHOULD ELIMINATE CONFUSION AS 
TO WHERE AN APPLICANT IS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR A MINOR WORK 
PERMIT.
THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TERMS INCLUDE THE PORT AUTHORITY 
AND EPC STAFFING CONDUCTING JOINT TRAINING TO ASSURE THAT 
EPC STAFF IS QUALIFIED TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS FOR MINOR 
WORK PERMITS OVER A PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS, THE PORT AUTHORITY 
PROVIDING FUNDING NOT TO EXCEED $80,000 FOR THE FIRST YEAR 
FOR THE TRAINING AND SALARY AND BENEFITS OF DESIGNATED EPC 
STAFF, AND EPC ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY TO MANAGE AND ISSUE 
PERMITS AFTER THE TRAINING PERIOD.
THAT'S ONE ESSENTIAL REASON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 
CONSOLIDATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DUPLICATION.
THERE IT IS.
THEY'VE ADDRESSED IT.
ANOTHER LETTER WE GOT FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TELLING US -- ADDRESSING TO MR. 
BLAIR, ACTUALLY, PROTECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF FLORIDA'S 
HIGH-QUALITY ENVIRONMENT IS VITAL TO THE CONTINUING 
ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF OUR STATE AND TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE 
FOR FLORIDIANS.
IT GOES ON TO SAY, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO 
EXPRESS THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION'S ONGOING SUPPORT FOR ENHANCING THE DEGREE OF 
COOPERATION AND COORDINATION BETWEEN OUR TWO AGENCIES.
PRESENTLY THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 
COMMISSION EFFECTIVELY RUNS THE MANGROVE PROTECTION PROGRAM 
ON BEHALF OF DEP.
THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EPC DIRECTOR DR. 
GARRITY, FURTHER EFFICIENCIES SUCH AS EXPANDED DELEGATION 
OF PORTIONS OF THE STATE'S ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCE 
PERMITTING PROGRAM MAY BE POSSIBLE.
THIS IS PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE WHERE THE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE OF 
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EPC CAN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE TO 
THE PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THROUGH STREAMLINING 
PERMITTING WITH NO LOSS OF ENVIRONMENT.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS CERTAINLY FAMILIAR WITH THE CRITICAL 
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION, AND IT GOES 
ON TO CONTINUE TO COMPLIMENT HIM, AND IT'S SIGNED BY THE 
SECRETARY OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION, MICHAEL SOLE.
ONE LAST ONE I'D LIKE TO REFERENCE.
DEAR COMMISSIONER FERLITA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRONG 
SUPPORT OF WETLANDS OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT JURISDICTION 
OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 
COMMISSION.
AS A FORMER EPC CHAIR, I UNDERSTAND THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT 
THE PROTECTION OF WETLANDS PLAYS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE STRONG WETLANDS 
PROTECTIONS THAT DO NOT DUPLICATE THE FUNCTIONS OF OTHER 
AGENCIES.
EPC WETLANDS OVERSIGHT HAS SAVED TAXPAYERS SIGNIFICANT SUMS 
OVER THE YEARS.
IN ADDITION, DISMANTLING OF WETLANDS PROTECTION IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUTS FEDERAL FUNDS AT RISK.
I AM FIGHTING FOR LOCAL WATER PROJECT FUNDING AT THE 
FEDERAL LEVEL, AND ELIMINATION OF THE LOCAL PROTECTIONS 
WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPAIR THE COUNTY'S CHANCES.
IT GOES ON, AND IT IS SIGNED SINCERELY, KATHY CASTOR, 
UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT 11.
[APPLAUSE]
SO IN CLOSING, THESE ARE MY LAST TWO CENTS ABOUT THIS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE GROUNDSWELL OF PEOPLE THAT ARE 
HERE TODAY IS IMPRESSIVE.
I MEAN, LOOK AROUND.
LOOK AT THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WORK, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO HOMEWORK, 
AND YOU'VE SHOWN US UP ON MANY CASES ABOUT KNOWING THE 
DETAILS OF EVERY SINGLE ISSUE WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING AND 
WHY WE'VE GOTTEN HERE.
WE'VE GOT ENVIRONMENTALISTS HERE, WE'VE GOT 
NONENVIRONMENTALISTS HERE, WE'VE GOT REPUBLICANS, WE'VE GOT 
DEMOCRATS, WE'VE GOT NONPARTY AFFILIATION.
THIS IS BECAUSE THE PASSION AND THE EMOTION YOU SHOW TELLS 
ME THAT IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR YOU TO BE HERE, TO SKIP 
WORK, TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR CHILD CARE, ET CETERA, ET 
CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO YOU OBVIOUSLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND SO DO I.
DR. GARRITY HAS MADE IT EASY FOR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES TO 
LOOK AT A GOOD REASON TO CHANGE THEIR POSITION.
MANY SPEAKERS HAVE SAID THE SAME THING.
AND TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE 
COMPROMISE, I'M NOT EITHER, BUT WE'RE GIVEN TWO CHOICES 
TODAY, AND REMEMBER THAT IF WE DON'T DO THIS, CONSIDER THE 
RISK.
AT LEAST IF WE GET ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR THE COMPROMISE, THE 
BOARDS TO FOLLOW AFTER US -- ALL OF US OR SOME OF US -- 
WILL AT LEAST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON THIS BABY 
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PUT IN PLACE 
HOPEFULLY WITH A POSITIVE VOTE.
IN CLOSING, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
MR. TSCHANTZ, THANK YOU.
YOUR STAFF.
YOU GUYS ARE TRULY THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BROUGHT US HERE, 
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I KNOW THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT 
BLUE RIBBON PANEL COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED SEPARATE AND DIVORCED FROM 
THIS SO WE DON'T CONFLICT WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING 
TODAY, AND I THINK THE OUTCOME IS THAT LOCAL RULE IS THE 
BEST PROTECTION FOR LOCAL ISSUES, AND I THANK YOU FOR BEING 
HERE AGAIN, AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE HYBRID 
PROPOSAL IN ANTICIPATION TO LOOKING AT IT AGAIN IN THE 
YEARS TO COME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  I LOOK AT TODAY AS BEING A DAY OF 
UNITING AND COMING TOGETHER.
IT'S BEEN A MELDING OF HOPES AND DREAMS AND VISIONS AND 
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, AND THE MEMBERS HERE AT THIS PANEL 
AND THIS COMMISSION HAVE WORKED WITH DR. GARRITY AND DR. 
GARRITY'S WORKED WITH US TO COME UP WITH A HYBRID THAT IS 
GOING TO TAKE US INTO THE FUTURE, THAT'S GOING TO ELIMINATE 
THE AMBIGUITY, CREATE A PLAN WHERE WE'RE INSPECTING WHAT IS 
EXPECTED TO BE INSPECTED AND TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM THAT 
EVERYONE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, WHETHER WE'RE -- WHATEVER 
OUR BUSINESS PATHS AND QUESTS AND PROFESSION IS.
IT WOULD SEND US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING MOTION THAT WE'LL BE 
BRINGING BACK OFF THE TABLE FOR, I GUESS, FURTHER 
DISCUSSION OR MAYBE A FINAL VOTE TODAY, BUT ONE THING I DO 
KNOW IS AS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER AND PUTTING 
TOGETHER THE OUTLINE FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, I'VE HEARD THE 
COMMENTS ABOUT NEEDING A BLUE RIBBON PANEL OR A COMMITTEE.
I KNOW THAT IN THIS OUTLINE ALREADY IN THE HYBRID, WE DO 
INCORPORATE THE THREE MUNICIPALITIES, BUT WE MAY WANT TO -- 
NOT GETTING INTO CHANGE -- MAJOR CHANGE TODAY, BUT AS WE 
PUT TOGETHER THAT FINAL PANEL, WE MAY WANT TO MAKE SURE 
THAT WE APPOINT SOMEONE FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES BECAUSE 
THAT WILL ANSWER THE THINGS THAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED THAT 
WOULD COME UP TODAY, WHETHER THE AGENCY OF BAY MANAGEMENT 
OR THE AUDUBON OR SIERRA CLUB.
WE'VE GOT THOSE ALREADY IN HERE, AND THANKS TO YOUR GOOD 
WORK AND JOINT EFFORTS HERE, WE HAVE THAT, AND I JUST WOULD 
LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT AS YOU MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS THAT 
-- FROM THE DIFFERENT CITIES.
GENTLEMEN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WELL, I WANT TO THANK THE CITIZENS FOR 
COMING OUT HERE AND STICKING WITH US THROUGH THIS ENTIRE 
PROCESS.
WE'VE LISTENED TO YOUR COMMENTS.
I KNOW I'VE LISTENED TO YOUR COMMENTS.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD FORMER COMMISSIONERS, 
COMMISSIONER HART, COMMISSIONER PLATT, AND OTHERS -- WE 
HAVE A CITY COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN AND OTHERS WHO'VE COME OUT 
HERE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DIALOGUE, AND I THINK WE'VE ALL 
BENEFITED FROM IT.
AS I'VE SAID AT THE BEGINNING, I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A 
VALUE -- A -- AN IMMEASURABLE VALUE THAT COMES FROM THE 
PROTECTION OF OUR WILDLIFE, FROM THE PROTECTION OF OUR 
WETLANDS, AND THE MAINTENANCE OF A WETLANDS DIVISION.
I'VE BELIEVED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT IT WAS A 
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE STEP FOR THIS BOARD TO TAKE TO MAKE 
THE VERY SMALL EXPENDITURE THAT WE MAKE TO PROTECT THIS 
DIVISION, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY SAVE US, I THINK, 
SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE FUTURE IN DOLLARS AND CENTS AS WE LOOK 
AT NOT HAVING TO PAY TO REPAIR DAMAGE THAT MIGHT OCCUR AS A 
RESULT OF THE DAMAGE TO THE WETLANDS, AND AS COMMISSIONER 
HART HAD BROUGHT OUT IN A LETTER THAT HE HAD WRITTEN TO THE 
BOARD AND IT WAS PRESENTED TO THIS BODY AT THE LAST 
MEETING, THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THE STATE IS SPENDING 
NOW TO REPAIR DAMAGE THAT HAS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF 
DAMAGE TO THE WETLANDS, AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, SO I 
THINK WE OUGHT TO LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES THAT HAVE BEEN 
MADE IN THE PAST, AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL DO 
THAT, AND I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER HART AND THE OTHERS FOR 
MAKING THOSE POINTS.
BUT EVEN IF WE WEREN'T SAVING MONEY, I THINK THAT THE VALUE 
THAT WE PLACE IN PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT IS SOMETHING 
THAT YOU REALLY JUST CAN'T -- YOU CAN'T PUT A DOLLAR AND 
CENTS TAG ON IT.
MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT, TEDDY ROOSEVELT, HAS -- HE TALKED 
ABOUT -- AND I'M TERRIBLE AT REMEMBERING QUOTES, BUT HE DID 
SAY THAT THE -- PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE SAVED 
BECAUSE OF REASONS UNCONNECTED WITH ANY RETURN IN DOLLARS 
AND CENTS.
NOW, THIS IS ROOSEVELT.
HE SAID, A GROVE OF GIANT REDWOODS OR SEQUOIAS SHOULD BE 
KEPT JUST AS WE KEEP A GREAT AND BEAUTIFUL CATHEDRAL.
NOW, THIS IS A WARRIOR, A STATESMAN, A BUILDER.
HE BUILT THE UNITED -- HE BUILT THE NAVY, AND I'M A NAVY 
MAN, SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY HE'S MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT, BUT 
HE UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF A NAVY, HE UNDERSTOOD THE 
VALUE -- HE BUILT THE PANAMA CANAL, SO HE UNDERSTOOD THE 
VALUE OF BUILDING, AND I WANT TO SEE US BUILD A GREAT 
COMMUNITY, I WANT TO SEE US BUILD A THRIVING COMMUNITY, 
THRIVING BUSINESSES, I WANT TO SEE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME 
HERE, WHO WANT TO LIVE HERE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO 
HAVE TO WATER QUALITY, WATER PROTECTION, WE'RE GOING TO 
HAVE TO HAVE FLOOD MITIGATION, AND I THINK WE CAN DO THAT 
THROUGH A STRONG ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION AND 
WETLANDS DIVISION, SO WITH THAT SAID, I WANT TO -- AND 
ALSO, AGAIN, REMEMBER, FOLKS, LOOK AT THE CENSUS DATA.
BY 2011 WE'RE GOING TO BE THE THIRD LARGEST STATE IN THE 
NATION.
WE ARE ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING COUNTIES IN THE STATE, IF 
NOT NATION, SO WE'RE GROWING, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO GROW 
SMARTLY AND GROW WITH THE PROTECTION THAT THIS AGENCY 
AFFORDS US.
I DO NOT LIKE REDUNDANCY, BUT AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, AND I 
THINK COMMISSIONER HART AND OTHERS KNOW, IN THE MILITARY 
THERE'S A PURPOSE BEHIND SOMETIMES HAVING REDUNDANT 
SYSTEMS, CHECKS AND BALANCES, TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T SLIDE 
OFF THE CLIFF AND MAKE MISTAKES LATER.
THERE IS A VALUE.
EVEN IF THERE ARE REDUNDANCIES, THERE IS A VALUE WITH 
MAKING SURE AND BEING CAREFUL.
THIS HYBRID PROPOSAL IS NOT PERFECT, BUT IT'S A GREAT STEP 
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I WILL SUPPORT IT, I WILL -- I'M HOPEFUL -- DO WE NEED TO 
MAKE A MOTION TO BRING IT BACK TO THE TABLE?
THIS IS A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BLAIR, SECONDED BY 
COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  YES, WE DO.
WE NEED A MOTION TO TAKE IT FROM THE TABLE, AND THAT MOTION 
HAS TO BE SECONDED, AND IT CANNOT BE --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO MOVE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SECOND.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I DO BELIEVE -- AND WE'LL DISCUSS THIS 
SEPARATELY, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE -- AND THE 
GREAT THING ABOUT THIS HYBRID IS WE'VE GOT THE IPA -- I 
BELIEVE COMMISSIONER BLAIR MADE THAT SUGGESTION AND OTHERS 
THAT WE HAVE AN -- WE HAVE PEOPLE AUDITING THE PROCESS, BUT 
I DO BELIEVE THAT WE OUGHT TO ALSO HAVE -- WE TALK ABOUT 
THIS BLUE RIBBON PANEL OF SOME SORT.
IF WE CAN HAVE A -- WHEN WE -- I WILL BE BRINGING BACK A 
RECOMMENDATION THAT WE LOOK AT PERHAPS HAVING THE AGENCY ON 
BAY MANAGEMENT IN A DUAL TRACK -- I DON'T WANT US TO 
DISRUPT WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE, I DON'T WANT TO CREATE A 
PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTION HERE, BUT I WILL BE BRINGING THAT 
BACK.
WE AT LEAST CAN DISCUSS IT, BUT LET'S BRING THIS BACK TO 
THE TABLE.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  WE NEED A VOTE ON THAT MOTION, WHICH 
WAS SECONDED TO BRING IT BACK OFF THE TABLE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SECOND.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  PARDON ME?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  IT WAS HIS MOTION AND I SECONDED.
IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  CAN WE GO AHEAD AND HEAR FROM THE 
COMMISSIONERS FIRST --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SURE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  -- THEN WE'LL BRING IT OFF THE TABLE.
COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  IT'S GETTING LATE.
I DON'T WANT TO GO OVER A LOT OF SAME THINGS I SAID 
EARLIER, BUT SOMEHOW WHEN YOU TRY TO SAY THINGS -- YOU 
WRITE THEM DOWN AND TRY TO SAY THEM AS CLEARLY AS YOU 
POSSIBLY CAN, I DON'T SEE HOW THEY'RE MISUNDERSTOOD.
IS ANYBODY HERE FROM SWFWMD TODAY?
YES, MA'AM, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD FOR A SECOND.
AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT I MET 
WITH.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS LETTER IS CORRECT, AND 
I'LL READ THE PARAGRAPH ONCE AGAIN.
IMPORTANTLY, THE ONE-HALF-ACRE THRESHOLD APPLIES ONLY TO 
ISOLATED WETLANDS.
IF A ONE-HALF-ACRE WETLAND IMPACT WERE TO OCCUR TO A 
CONTIGUOUS WETLAND SYSTEM GREATER THAN ONE-HALF ACRE IN 
SIZE, THE DISTRICT REQUIRES FULL ASSESSMENT AND 
JUSTIFICATION FOR SUCH ACTIVITY.
IS THAT TRUE?
>> CORRECT.
>>JIM NORMAN:  AND ALSO, FURTHERMORE, ISOLATED WETLANDS 
UTILIZED BY THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE PROTECTED 
BY THE DISTRICT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>>JIM NORMAN:  I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD 
THAT CORRECTLY, THAT IT'S BEEN SAID MANY, MANY TIMES HERE 
TODAY THAT YOU-ALL DO NOT LOOK AT ANYTHING THAT'S INVOLVED 
WITH THE HALF-ACRE WETLAND.
>> WE DON'T LOOK AT WETLANDS -- ISOLATED WETLANDS LESS THAN 
HALF AN ACRE --
>>JIM NORMAN:  ISOLATED?
>> -- UNLESS THEY HAVE ENDANGERED SPECIES.
>>JIM NORMAN:  YOU WERE THERE WITH ONE OF THE SCIENTISTS, 
ONE OF THE ONES, THAT THERE'S NO SCIENTIFIC DATA THAT YOU 
WERE AWARE OF OR HE WAS AWARE OF THAT YOU COULD DETERMINE 
AN ISOLATED WETLAND IMPACTED THE AQUIFER?
>> NOT ANY MORE THAN ANY OTHER PIECE OF LAND, CORRECT, 
UNLESS IT'S DIRECTLY CONNECTED.
YEP.
>>JIM NORMAN:  OKAY.
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
>> MAY I HAVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
>> ALBA MOSS.
I'M DIRECTOR OF THE TAMPA REGULATION DEPARTMENT OF THE 
WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  ALBA, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, 
PLEASE.
>>JIM NORMAN:  WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
LET ME FINISH MY QUESTIONS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  GO AHEAD.
>>JIM NORMAN:  THAT'S ONE THING I WANTED TO HAVE REALLY 
UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT WE'RE KILLING THE 
WETLANDS AND NOBODY'S LOOKING AT THEM, AND THAT'S NOT THE 
FACT, AND I WANTED TO REALLY HAVE THAT -- I MEAN, THIS IS 
NOT A VERY POPULOUS POSITION TO ACTUALLY DEAL IN FACTS WITH 
THIS, AND I -- I'M TRYING -- YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK AND READ 
THE MOTION, AND THE MOTION SAID THAT WE WOULD GO ALONG ON 
DUPLICATE TRACKS IN DETERMINING -- SO TO SAY THAT WAS A LIE 
AND IT WAS A SPIN, I DON'T GET THAT, BUT ALSO, IT WAS SAID 
THAT DON'T KNOW WHY THAT A COMMISSIONER WOULD VOTE ON A 
TRACK OF ELIMINATION.
WELL, ACTUALLY, COMMISSIONER HART MAY REMEMBER THIS.
COMMISSIONER HART EXPRESSED -- THIS WAS BACK IN 1995.
COMMISSIONER HART EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT DUPLICATIONS OF 
EFFORT AMONG COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
ON DOWN, COMMISSIONER CHILLURA AND POTENTIAL DUPLICATIONS 
OF EFFORT AMONG THE PLANNING COMMISSION, PLANNING 
DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION COMMISSION WOULD BE LOOKED AT PER COMMISSIONER 
HART'S COMMENTS.
I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT, COMMISSIONER, AND THE 
REASON -- THERE WAS NEVER A VOTE TO LOOK AT ANYTHING 
BECAUSE IT DIED AFTER -- THERE WAS NEVER FOUR VOTES TO GET 
US TO A POINT OF GETTING A GOOD PRODUCT.
SINCE '95 FORWARD COMMISSIONERS HAVE MADE MOTIONS, HAVE 
TRIED TO GET SOME ATTENTION, AND LET ME JUST TELL YOU, AS 
CHAIR OF -- AND I BELIEVE THERE'S SIX OTHER MEMBERS HERE 
THAT WILL AGREE WITH THIS -- I CAN'T DIRECT DR. GARRITY AS 
A COMMISSIONER TO CHANGE THE WETLANDS DIVISION.
THAT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.
I'M SORRY.
THAT'S WHY IT TAKES FOUR VOTES TO DO THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
THIS MORNING I HAD THIS WRITTEN DOWN, AND I'LL READ IT 
AGAIN, THAT -- I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE PEOPLE DON'T THINK 
BAD DEVELOPMENTS ARE COMING FORWARD, BUT WITH THE STANDARDS 
OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, 
DEVELOPED BY EPC, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND APPROVED BY 
HEARING MASTERS, EPC'S AT 98%, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT 
94.5%, AND THE NEWSPAPER PRINTED RIGHT HERE GOING BACK FIVE 
YEARS, THE COUNTY COMMISSION'S AT 80%.
BUT YET WE'RE -- YOU KNOW, THAT OUGHT TO PROVE THAT WE'RE 
NOT IN THE POCKETS OF DEVELOPERS BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING NO A 
LOT OF TIMES WHERE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND EPC AND ALL 
THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT.
I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S FUNNY TO YOU, BUT WE ARE -- WE HAVE TO 
FIND A CREATIVE WAY THAT WON'T BE OVERTURNED IN COURT.
WHEN EVERY PROFESSIONAL AGENCY BRINGS YES TO -- A UNANIMOUS 
APPROVAL RATING FROM ALL AGENCIES, WE HAVE TO DEFINE WHY 
THAT PROJECT SHOULDN'T GO FORWARD OR THEY WALK ACROSS THE 
STREET, AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S LAWS, THAT WE JUST CAN'T NOT 
LIKE YOU AND APPROVE SOMETHING.
THE AGENCY THAT YOU'RE -- YOU KNOW, THAT GOT SKINNED AS 
WELL AS US HERE TODAY ALSO STATED -- AND I SAID EARLIER -- 
THEY WANTED TO PURSUE THIS HYBRID AGREEMENT TO GO FORWARD.
THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD POINT TO START AND WORK FROM.
THAT HAPPENED AFTER WE WERE COLLEGIAL ENOUGH TO SIT HERE 
AND LISTEN TO DR. GARRITY'S PRESENTATION, AND IT WAS 
PRESENTED TO SWFWMD IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND THEY APPROVED 
MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
THAT WAS THE DATA THAT WE ALL WORKED ON.
NOW, ALSO, THERE WAS DISCUSSIONS TODAY FROM THE COMMENTS 
ABOUT THE NORTHWEST PLAN AND THE WATER WARS.
I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT.
I WORKED WITH DR. GARRITY TO GO AND FIGHT FOR HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY AND THOSE -- THOSE OVERPUMPINGS.
AND DR. GARRITY, LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
THIS IS SEPARATE AND -- AM I WORKING WITH YOU AND HAVE 
WORKED WITH YOU TO RETAIN THE POSITIONS, TO FIGHT THE 2010 
ONSLAUGHT OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT'S GOING TO COME AFTER OUR 
WETLANDS AGAIN IN 2010, HAVING VISION ENOUGH, KNOWING WHAT 
THE SYSTEM IS, THAT YOU HAVE KEPT IN PLACE THE PEOPLE WHO 
WILL BE ABLE TO FIGHT THE PERMITS WITH TAMPA BAY WATER IN 
2010?
WAS IT ME THAT'S BEEN WORKING WITH YOU ON THAT?
>>RICK GARRITY:  YES, COMMISSIONER.
>>JIM NORMAN:  IT'S NOT AN ATTACK ON WETLANDS AND IT'S NOT 
AN ATTACK ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE ALL ARE COMING FROM THIS AT A VERY PROFESSIONAL WAY, I 
HOPE, AND MY TAKE ON THIS IS THAT THIS PLAN SHOULD HAVE 
BEEN IN PLACE EARLIER, AND I STILL BELIEVE THAT.
WE HAD ALL THE COMPONENTS OF IT OCCURRING YEARS AGO, GOING 
ALL THE WAY BACK WHAT I BELIEVE THE REAL FOUNDATION IS, THE 
AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD WITH SWFWMD IN '05, AND I'M GOING TO 
SUPPORT IT, AND I WILL TELL YOU I BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD 
HAVE NEVER GOT HERE UNLESS THOSE FOUR VOTES WERE CAST AND 
COMMISSIONER BLAIR WOULD HAVE -- DID LEAD IN HIS LEADERSHIP 
TO GET US HERE, AND I KNOW IT'S BEING IGNORED GREATLY, BUT 
IT WAS A -- IT WAS A BOLD, HARD MOVE IN HIS -- IN HIS 
PROTECTION OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND LET ME ALSO ASK THE MAKER OF THE MOTION JUST ONE 
QUESTION THAT SEEMS TO BE MISSED.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- AND I BELIEVE I HEARD YOU 
RIGHT -- THAT WE'RE GOING TO WRITE -- WE'RE GOING TO WRITE 
THE CHAIR OF SWFWMD AND ASK THAT OUR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR 
WORK WITH THEIR EPC PERFORMANCE AUDITOR FOR SOME OVERSIGHT 
OF THIS PROGRAM.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND THAT'S RIGHT.
AND I'LL EXPLAIN THAT WHEN I GET TO MY --
>>JIM NORMAN:  BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS THE CRITICAL MOVE 
THAT THE STATE DOES HAVE THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD IS THAT 
THROUGH THEIR AUDITOR GENERAL IN -- IN THIS STATE STATUTE 
THAT THE AUDITOR GENERAL HAS OVERSIGHT, AND THEY HAVE HIRED 
AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, THAT THEIR REPORT IS 
SUBMITTED TO THE AUDITOR GENERAL FOR COMPLIANCE AND MAKING 
SURE THAT ALL THE REGS AND RULES AND THINGS THAT HAVE 
HAPPENED OVER THE '80s AND '90s ARE CONTEMPLATED IN THEIR 
ASSESSMENT OF THE WETLANDS, AND I JUST THINK THAT'S SO 
IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE OVERSIGHT BECAUSE -- I'M NOT GOING 
TO READ ALL THESE, BUT I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, FOLKS, FROM 
'94 --
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  PLEASE, PLEASE, NO COMMENTS FROM THE 
AUDIENCE.
WE'VE BEEN COURTEOUS AND LISTENED TO YOUR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JIM NORMAN:  '94, AND I HAVE COMMISSIONER HAGAN HERE, 
WHERE HE SAYS, EVER SINCE MY FIRST CAMPAIGN, I'VE HEARD 
NOTHING BUT COMMENTS TO THE EFFECT OF DUPLICATION OF 
RESPONSIBILITY.
I MEAN, I'VE GOT STACKS AND STACKS OF COMMISSIONERS HAVE 
SAID DUPLICATIONS AND TIMELINESS AND YEARS OF PEOPLE 
BORROWING MONEY AND CAN'T GET A -- JUST CAN'T GET AN ANSWER 
AT ALL FROM EPC, AND I KNOW DR. GARRITY IS NOW ADDRESSING 
THAT IN THIS PLAN, AND HE'S ADMITTED THAT, AND ONE OTHER 
THING I WANT YOU TO SAY IN MY LAST -- YOU'RE SAYING IN YOUR 
PROFESSIONAL OPINION, THIS PLAN IS SOLID FOR THE 
ENVIRONMENT?
>>RICK GARRITY:  ABSOLUTELY.
>>JIM NORMAN:  THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COMMISSIONER -- WHO'S NEXT?
COMMISSIONER HAGAN.
>>KEN HAGAN:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I WANT TO START OUT BY SAYING THAT I THINK THE HYBRID 
OPTION IS A GOOD START.
AS COMMISSIONER SHARPE INDICATED, IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT 
THESE ARE ALL IMPROVEMENTS THAT I SUPPORT.
I LIKE THE ONE-STOP PERMITTING, THE AUDIT OF THE 
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS, THE ON-LINE APPLICATION, THE 
WETLANDS OMBUDSMAN.
THOSE ARE ALL SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS; HOWEVER, I FULLY 
AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER NORMAN, AND EVEN THE TAMPA TRIBUNE 
EDITORIAL BOARD.
I BELIEVE IT WAS SUNDAY WHEN THEY SAID IT REALLY SHOULD NOT 
HAVE COME TO THIS IN ORDER FOR THE HYBRID PROPOSAL TO COME 
FORWARD, SO DR. GARRITY, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO SUCCESSFUL 
IMPLEMENTATION.
I DO WANT TO SAY QUICKLY, UNLIKE THE COMMENT FROM ONE OF 
THE SPEAKERS EARLIER, I HAVE SPOKEN ON THIS ISSUE; HOWEVER, 
I HAVE PRIMARILY CONCENTRATED MY COMMENTS ON THE FACT THAT 
THE BUDGET CUTS AT THE STATE LEVEL HAVE FORCED US TO MAKE 
CHANGES THROUGHOUT OUR GOVERNMENT.
I KNOW TODAY WE'RE DISCUSSING EPC AND THE WETLANDS 
DIVISION, BUT WE'VE ALL RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT E-MAILS AND 
PLEAS TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, EDUCATION 
CHANNEL, PARKS, FIRE STATIONS, HEAD START, THE LIST GOES ON 
AND ON, AND I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD 
JAN'S PROPERTY TAX INITIATIVE PASS, IT WILL AMOUNT TO 
PROBABLY ABOUT ANOTHER $150-MILLION REDUCTION IN OUR BUDGET 
OR APPROXIMATELY 20%.
IN FACT, IN PAT'S THREE PROPOSALS THAT SHE PASSED OUT, 
SHE'S RECOMMENDING AN ADDITIONAL 7% CUT IN THE EPC BUDGET 
SHOULD THIS PROPERTY TAX INITIATIVE PASS IN JANUARY, SO THE 
REALITY IS WE'LL BE BACK HERE AGAIN.
IT WILL NOT BE DISCUSSING THE WETLANDS, BUT WE WILL BE 
REVISITING EVERY DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY IN COUNTY 
GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING THE EPC, AND SOME MAY NOT LIKE TO 
HEAR THAT, BUT THE CUTS ARE REAL, THEY'RE DEEP, AND THEY 
WILL PERMEATE ALL OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT SHOULD THIS PASS IN 
JANUARY, SO WE ALL NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HAGAN.
COMMISSIONER WHITE.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
AGAIN, IT'S BEEN SAID WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW CITIZENS DOWN 
HERE TODAY, AND I PERSONALLY FROM THIS COMMISSIONER'S 
STANDPOINT, WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU 
IRREGARDLESS OF THE SIDE THAT YOU SPOKE ON FOR TAKING TIME 
OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO LET US KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU, 
THE PEOPLE WE REPRESENT, FEEL.
SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK DR. GARRITY AND RICK TSCHANTZ 
FOR MEETING WITH ME.
EVERY TIME I CALLED THEM, DR. GARRITY WAS AT MY BECK AND 
CALL.
I CALLED, HE WAS HERE.
HE CALLED ME AND SAID WHEN HE NEEDED TO SPEAK WITH ME.
I WAS THERE FOR HIM.
I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIS PROCESS THROUGH THIS PROCESS, 
BUT I HONESTLY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD NOT 
BE TO THIS PROCESS TODAY OF TRYING TO COME TOGETHER, OF 
TRYING TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TRYING 
TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENT FOR THE EPC IF 
THIS HAD NOT TAKEN PLACE.
NOW, THE PROCESSES THAT DR. GARRITY OUTLINED IN HIS HYBRID 
PROPOSAL, HE AND I AND MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF SAT IN MY 
OFFICE AND WE WENT OVER THIS PAGE BY PAGE, ITEM BY ITEM.
A LOT OF THE THINGS WERE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.
SOME OF THE THINGS I HAD CONCERNS WITH.
DR. GARRITY ALSO EXPRESSED TO ME SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT 
ARE STRONGEST ENVIRONMENTALLY PROTECTIVE HAVE ISSUES AS 
WELL.
HE EVEN SAID TO ME, COMMISSIONER WHITE, THIS IS NOT GOING 
TO BE A WIN-WIN FOR ME EITHER, BUT GIVE THIS A CHANCE.
I TOLD HIM THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROCESS THAT -- FROM WHAT I 
HAD EXPLAINED TO UP TO THIS POINT IN TIME, UNTIL JANUARY -- 
OR JULY 23rd, THIS WAS A PROCESS THAT NEEDED A FIX.
HELP ME HELP YOU.
IF YOU HELP ME TO SHOW THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN 
DO, THAT WE CAN PUT ON THE TABLE TO TRY AND HELP EVERYONE 
INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, I'M WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
HE DID THAT.
I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, HE DOESN'T AGREE WITH 
EVERYTHING, YOU-ALL CERTAINLY DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, 
NO MATTER WHAT SIDE IT'S ON, BUT IT'S A STARTING POINT, 
IT'S A FOCAL POINT.
WE CAN BUILD FROM HERE.
THERE'S -- THERE'S ISSUES THAT HAD NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED.
THERE'S PROCESSES THAT HAD NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED.
THERE ARE PROCESSES THAT HAD NEVER EVEN BEEN OUTLINED THAT
THERE WERE AMBIGUOUS, UNCLEAR, AND SUBJECTIVE TO INDIVIDUAL 
INTERPRETATION.
HE HAS WORKED ON THAT, AND I TOLD HIM THAT WAS MY MAIN 
CONCERN WITH THE WAY THE DIVISION WAS SET UP NOW.
I THINK THE HYBRID PROPOSAL CLEARS UP ALL OF THE -- THE 
GREAT MAJORITY OF THE AMBIGUITY, PUTS A PROCESS IN PLACE 
THAT AN APPLICANT CAN NOW COME UP WITH A SET OF RULES AND A 
SET OF GUIDELINES AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO FOLLOW.
NOW, FOR SOME REASON, IF I DON'T GET MY APPROVAL AND IT'S 
IN BLACK AND WHITE ON THESE PROCESSES, THEN WE HAVE A 
PROBLEM, BUT BEFORE THAT, THEY COULD GO TO A MEMBER OF 
STAFF, AND THERE'S A -- THERE'S AN APPROVAL AND THEN 
THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE THAT'S SAYING, NO, I DON'T THINK IT'S 
THIS WAY, BUT NOW WE WILL HAVE CLARITY.
IT WILL BE BLACK -- IN BLACK AND WHITE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR THE 
E-MAILS AND PHONE CALLS.
WE GOT BOMBARDED, AS EACH COMMISSIONER WILL LET YOU KNOW, 
AND ON THE SIDES OF PROs AND CONs, AND I'M TELLING YOU WITH 
A THOUSAND OR -- WE COULDN'T GET TO EVERYBODY, BUT WE TRIED 
TO SEND A BRIEF STATEMENT THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH DR. 
GARRITY AND HIS GROUP.
THE GENTLEMAN'S GONE NOW.
I DON'T SEE HIM, I'M ASSUMING HE'S GONE, PHIL COMPTON.
PHIL COMPTON CORNERED ME IN THE GYM TWO DAYS AGO, AND -- 
I'M SORRY, IT WAS MONDAY, MONDAY AFTERNOON, AND HIS OPENING 
QUOTE TO ME, AS I'M WORKING OUT ON THE MACHINE, OH, YOU 
WORKING OUT FOR THURSDAY, HUH, TRYING TO GET STRONG FOR THE 
CROWD THAT'S COMING?
AND I SAID, WELL, PHIL, I SAID, I'LL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, 
EVERY DAY IS A TOUGH DAY WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH ISSUES 
BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY IN THIS JOB, AND 
I'VE HAD A LOT OF TOUGH JOBS THAT I REALIZE THAT YOU'LL 
NEVER MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY, BUT WHEN YOU CAN WALK AWAY AT 
THE END OF THE DAY AND YOU CAN GO INTO A SITUATION WITH AN 
OPEN MIND AND REALLY AGREE TO DISAGREE AND AGREE THAT IF 
YOU CAN BRING ME A PROCESS AND MEAN IT TO SAY IF YOU CAN 
CHANGE MY MIND OR CONVINCE ME THAT THIS IS THE WAY WE OUGHT 
TO BE CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND MEAN THAT AND STICK TO YOUR 
GUNS AND STICK TO YOUR CONVICTIONS, I THINK THE PROCESS 
ITSELF WORKS OUT INVALUABLY, AND DR. GARRITY, WITH THIS 
HYBRID PROPOSAL AS WELL AS THE YEAR-IN-REVIEW PROCESS AND 
THE TIMELINES THAT YOU HAVE LAID OUT, YOU'VE EARNED MY 
SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM.
>>RICK GARRITY:  THANK YOU.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  AND I ASKED DR. GARRITY ABOUT THE TIMELINE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN QUESTIONS I ASKED HIM BEFORE WE 
EVEN GOT TO THAT LAST PAGE ON THE -- ON THE POWERPOINT 
PRESENTATION THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO.
I SAID, WHAT WAS YOUR -- WHAT'S YOUR DROP-DEAD DATE 
GUIDELINE THAT IF THIS HYBRID PROPOSAL WAS PUT IN PROCESS 
THAT WE COULD SAY THAT IMPLEMENTATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE IN 
A POSITIVE MANNER WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, WHERE 
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY CAN COME TO THIS BOARD AND SAY, 
HEY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WORKING OR, HEY, IT'S STILL 
COMPLETELY BROKE?
HE SAID, WE WILL HAVE SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS WITHIN A YEAR, 
AND HOPEFULLY SOME WAY BEFORE THAT, AND WITH THAT, I FELT 
COMFORTABLE.
I AM NOT HERE TO DISBAND, DISMANTLE, ANYTHING, BUT I DO 
KNOW -- AND I FEEL THIS WHOLEHEARTEDLY -- IF IT HAD NOT 
BEEN PUSHED TO THIS LEVEL AT THIS TIME, NONE OF US WOULD 
HAVE EVER COME TOGETHER, AND WE STILL WOULD HAVE BEEN 
ARGUING AND BICKERING ABOUT A MACHINE THAT HAS BEEN BROKEN, 
BUT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TO A HEALING PROCESS.
DR. GARRITY, YOU HAVE BEEN AN ABSOLUTE GEM TO WORK WITH.
YOU HAVE BEEN A CONSUMMATE GENTLEMAN, AND YOU HAVE DONE 
EVERYTHING YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO, AND I THANK YOU FOR 
SAYING THAT I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT I SAID I WOULD DO, 
AND WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE, AND I WILL BE IN FULLHEARTED 
SUPPORT OF THE HYBRID.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. WHITE.
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN.
FIRST, LET ME THANK EVERYBODY THAT'S SAT HERE FOR SO LONG.
I DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
YOUR TIME IS VERY VALUABLE, AND FOR THOSE THAT LEFT EARLY, 
MAYBE I MADE A COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING THAT MIGHT HAVE RAN 
THEM OFF.
BUT EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, I 
PROMISED PEOPLE THAT I WOULD CHALLENGE GOVERNMENT, AND I'VE 
KEPT MY PROMISE.
I HAVE ALWAYS CHALLENGED GOVERNMENT, AND FROM THE VERY 
FIRST DAY THAT THAT MOTION WAS PASSED, I SAID, YOU SHOW ME 
A MORE EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT HERE AT EPC, AND I 
WILL CHANGE MY VOTE, AND THAT IS ON RECORD.
AND I WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT -- ALBA, I DON'T WANT TO PUT 
YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT WOULD YOU COME UP FOR A MINUTE, ALBA 
MOSS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN MANY NEGATIVES SAID ABOUT SWFWMD, 
AND ALBA, DO YOU HONESTLY -- I KNOW THIS IS A TOUGH 
QUESTION, BUT THERE'S NO PERFECT BUSINESS.
I MEAN, I OWNED MY OWN BUSINESSES.
I'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR OVER 21 YEARS.
THAT'S A BUSINESS IN ITSELF, BUT WHAT -- ARE THERE THINGS 
THAT -- ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE CAN NOW MAXIMIZE -- WE PAY A 
HALF A MILL TO YOU.
THESE HARD-PAYING TAXPAYERS PAY A HALF A MILL IN PROPERTY 
TAXES TO SWFWMD.
WE NEED TO MAXIMIZE -- YOU'VE HEARD EVERYTHING TODAY, AND 
WE NEED TO MAXIMIZE, AND I THINK YOU NEED TO BE A 
MESSENGER.
IF -- IF SWFWMD IS AS BROKEN AS SOME PEOPLE SAID IT IS, 
OBVIOUSLY THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS, BUT IF IT IS, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE 
RESPONSIBLE, AND NAMELY OUR GOVERNOR, CHARLIE CRIST.
THAT'S HIS RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT SWFWMD, AND I WANTED YOU 
TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, IF YOU WANT IT -- ONLY IF YOU 
WANT -- TO DEFEND WHO YOU WORK FOR.
IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE HEARD THAT IS CONTRARY TO 
YOUR BELIEFS, PLEASE SAY SO.
>> COMMISSIONER BLAIR, I DID HEAR A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I 
FELT LIKE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT SAID THAT THE DISTRICT 
WAS NOT RESPONSIVE IT'S BECAUSE OUR MEMORANDUM OF 
UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION, 
THEY FOLLOW UP ON COMPLAINTS FOR US.
SO I TOOK NO OFFENSE BY THAT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YES, DR. GARRITY.
>>RICK GARRITY:  COMMISSIONER BLAIR, I KNOW ALBA VERY WELL.
I'D LIKE TO SAY SHE IS A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL.
I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR HER AND HER STAFF, AND BOTH OF OUR 
STAFFS WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER, AND WHAT YOU HAVE BY HAVING 
BOTH OF US IS THAT YOU HAVE A SYNERGY AND YOU HAVE 
SOMETHING MUCH BETTER THAN THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO.
YOU HAVE -- I ENJOY WORKING WITH YOU, ALBA.
SHE DOES A GREAT JOB.
>> THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THAT'S GREAT.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY, ALBA, AND I 
APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE FROM SWFWMD.
>> CERTAINLY.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS QUESTIONS FOR ALBA, 
I'M SURE SHE'LL BE HERE, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO WHAT I JUST WANT TO SAY IS DEP AND SWFWMD, IF THEY'RE 
BROKEN, WE NEED TO TELL THE GOVERNOR IF THEY'RE BROKEN, IF 
YOU REALLY FEEL THAT, AND IF THEY'RE NOT, WE NEED TO DO 
EITHER ONE OF TWO THINGS.
WE NEED TO LEGISLATIVELY ASK FOR PART OF OUR HALF A MILL 
BACK AND GIVE IT TO EPC TO DO THE JOB -- LET THERE BE A 
ONE-STOP SHOP.
MAYBE WE COULD SOMEDAY GET TO THAT POINT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A GREAT GOAL FOR THE FUTURE 
FOR VISIONARIES.
WHEN I FIRST BUILT ONE GYM, I HAD A VISION OF BUILDING 
MORE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
WE WORKED HARD, AND MY WIFE AND I, WE GATHERED EMPLOYEES 
AND WE BUILT A VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS TOGETHER.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO -- I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS 
THAT HAVE STOOD BY ME.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THEM.
CERTAINLY SOME THINGS HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE 
THINGS THAT WERE SAID IN THE MEDIA.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, BY THE WAY, FOR 
MAKING A CLARIFICATION.
YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A BIG PERSON OR A BIG COMPANY TO SAY I'M 
SORRY, MAYBE I'VE MADE A MISTAKE, AND I'M NEVER AFRAID TO 
SAY I'M SORRY, MAYBE I'VE MADE A MISTAKE, MAYBE I'VE HURT 
SOMEBODY.
MAYBE I'VE SAID SOMETHING WRONG.
I SAID THAT TO AL HIGGINBOTHAM A WHILE AGO BECAUSE IT TRULY 
WAS, AND IT WAS THE WRONG THING TO SAY, BUT THAT HAPPENS 
WITH ALL OF US IN LIFE.
AND ENOUGH OF -- OF THE PHILOSOPHY, JUST, THOUGH, EVEN 
TODAY I TRIED TO DO A GOOD DEED WITH DR. GARRITY, AND 
SOMEBODY WROTE A BAD STORY ABOUT ME IN THE PAPER THAT WAS 
COMPLETELY FALSE.
IT'S JUST -- IT'S A SHAME THAT THAT HAPPENS, BUT WE SIT UP 
HERE -- AND I'M GOING TO SIT IN THIS SEAT AND I'M GOING TO 
CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR EVERY NICKEL AND EVERY DIME OF YOUR 
HARD-EARNED TAX DOLLARS, AND I WILL FIGHT FOR THIS 
ENVIRONMENT, AND I WILL FIGHT FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S GOOD, 
AND IT WILL ALWAYS SAY WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME, PROMISES MADE, 
PROMISES KEPT BECAUSE I WILL ALWAYS KEEP MY PROMISE TO YOU.
NOW, WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS GAVEL, TURN IT 
OVER, AND REPEAT MY MOTIONS.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YES.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  FOR POINT OF ORDER, WE HAVE A MOTION 
AND A SECOND TO TAKE YOUR MOTION OFF THE TABLE.
WE NEED THAT VOTE FIRST.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  ALL IN FAVOR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE, WAS IT, AND A 
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
PLEASE VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  ALL RIGHT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  BEFORE WE VOTE?
OKAY.
WELL, THEN COMMISSIONER -- COMMISSIONER FERLITA'S IN LINE 
THEN FIRST.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  NO, JUST SIMPLY -- I KNOW THAT WE 
REACTIVATED THE MOTION THAT WAS ON THE TABLE, AND I WAS 
GOING TO REQUEST WHEN YOU FINISHED YOUR COMMENTS, MR. 
BLAIR, THAT MR. HIGGINBOTHAM TAKE THE GAVEL SO THAT YOU 
COULD CONTINUE -- SO YOU COULD REPEAT IT, BECAUSE BASED ON 
THE INTERPRETATION THAT I HEARD FROM MR. NORMAN, I WASN'T 
REAL CLEAR ON WHAT YOUR SPECIFIC MOTION WAS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO IF MR. SHARPE -- ALL WE'RE DOING IS 
BRINGING IT BACK UP, MARK, SO NOW I THINK IT'S FOR HIM -- 
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. VICE CHAIR, TO RESTATE IT SO 
WE MAKE SURE WE'RE IN KEEPING WITH THE MOTION AND SUPPORT 
IT OR NOT.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  BRING IT BACK OFF TABLE, AND I'M GOING 
TO ASK MR. BLAIR TO RESTATE HIS MOTION, AND THEN WE'LL CALL 
THE QUESTION.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
AND ALSO COMMISSIONER NORMAN, THEN, WOULD BE NEXT.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING RELATED -- OKAY.
THE MOTION IS THAT I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT DR. GARRITY'S 
HYBRID PLAN WITH THE PROVISION THAT OUR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR 
WORK WITH EPC, WHICH IS ALREADY IN -- I JUST WANTED TO 
RESTATE THAT -- IT IS IN THE HYBRID PLAN -- WORK WITH EPC 
TOWARD THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WE ALL SEEK, WHICH IS A 
MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE EPC, AS WELL AS PROTECTING OUR 
ENVIRONMENTS AND OUR WETLANDS, IN, AGAIN, THE MOST 
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANNER POSSIBLE AND THAT THIS BOARD 
AUTHORIZE ME TO WRITE A LETTER TO SWFWMD ASKING THEIR 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR TO WORK WITH OUR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR TO 
ACHIEVE THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT I JUST STATED.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  ALL RIGHT.
MR. SHARPE AND I THINK MR. NORMAN AND THEN MS. FERLITA.
>>JIM NORMAN:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE:  YEAH.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I JUST -- OKAY.
THAT ADDS TO MY CONFUSION THEN.
MR. TSCHANTZ, BASED ON EVERYTHING THAT --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND I DID TALK TO DR. GARRITY -- 
>>ROSE FERLITA:  -- MR. BLAIR ITERATED AND REITERATED, IS 
THAT A SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATION FROM THE TWO CHOICES THAT WE 
HAVE, ALL THOSE OTHER PARTS HE SAID?
I KNOW WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN SWFWMD AUDITORS, 
AND WE ADDRESSED SWFWMD AUDITORS ON ALL THE CHECKS THAT WE 
WERE DOING, BUT ALL THE OTHER STUFF, I'M NOT SURE -- YOU 
TELL ME.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  TWO THINGS I WANT TO SAY TO THAT.
ONE, IT'S NOT A SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATION.
WE ASKED FOR A PERFORMANCE AUDIT.
THE TWIST IS TO INVOLVE THE SWFWMD PERFORMANCE AUDITOR TO 
BE INVOLVED.
NOW, THE -- IT'S NOT A SUBSTANTIAL DEVIATION FROM WHAT 
WE'RE HERE TO DO TODAY BECAUSE IT'S JUST PART OF THE 
HYBRID, SO THE QUESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE IS IN -- AND THE 
CONCERN I HAVE IS JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT WE WANT THE SWFWMD 
AUDITOR TO BE DOING.
IS IT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT AND A STREAMLINING AUDIT?
BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AND ACCEPTABLE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  EXACTLY.
RIGHT.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  IF IT IS AN AUDIT THAT WE WOULD -- WE 
COULD -- THE RULES, THEN IT WOULD NOT FIT WITH WHAT WE'RE 
NOTICED TO DO TODAY.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  NO, NO, IT IS NOT.
IT'S STRICTLY TO MAXIMIZE OUR EFFICIENCIES, MAXIMIZE -- 
OBVIOUSLY, YOU AND ALBA HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP.
WE JUST HEARD THAT.
SO THAT YOU -- SO THAT WE COULD WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE 
THAT WE OBVIOUSLY MAXIMIZE THE TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS WITHOUT 
WEAKENING THE RULE.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  YES.
AND THEN THE LAST POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS I THINK THE 
MOTION -- IT COULD BE SEPARATE, IT COULD BE PART OF IT, BUT 
IT NEEDS TO ADOPT THE RULES THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR PHASE I 
OF THE HYBRID.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  ABSOLUTELY, AND I KNEW YOU WOULD SAY THAT.
SO GO AHEAD.
WE CAN BRING THAT IN NOW.
DO YOU WANT TO --
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THE 
MOTION INCLUDES THE ADOPTING OF THE RULES TO CHAPTER 1-
11.09, 10, AND 11.
THAT WILL BE THE FIRST PHASE OF HYBRID IMPLEMENTATION.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THAT'S CORRECT.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  LET'S COME BACK TO THE PERFORMANCE 
AUDIT HERE FOR JUST A MINUTE BECAUSE I THINK THAT -- I'M 
TRYING TO SEE THE LIGHTS --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  LET -- I DON'T KNOW IF I STILL HAVE THE 
FLOOR.
DOESN'T MATTER.
MR. SHARPE, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE THE SAME CONFUSED LOOK.
YOU GO AHEAD AND ASK, AND I'LL LISTEN.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE AND CONCERN 
THAT I HAVE.
I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH AUDITORS TALKING TO EACH 
OTHER, OUR INTERNAL AUDITOR TALKING WITH THE SWFWMD 
AUDITOR, BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT TO HAVE NOW IS THE AUDITORS 
DRIVING THE TRAIN OR SETTING THE RULES.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  RIGHT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WE HAVE STRICTER STANDARDS, AND I DON'T 
WANT TO HAVE A BACK DOOR OPENED UP WHERE NOW THEY CAN COME 
IN AND SUDDENLY WHERE'S SWFWMD, AND THIS IS NOT, ALBA, IN 
ANY WAY TO BE DEROGATORY TO SWFWMD.
WE LIKE THE COOPERATION AND THE COORDINATION, BUT I JUST 
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS -- THIS DISCUSSION, I THINK, AS 
RICK TSCHANTZ OUR LEGAL HAS JUST SAID, IS THAT THE AUDITORS 
WOULD BE THERE TO TALK ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN CONTINUE 
TO REFINE THE PROCESS AND TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT BUT NOT 
TO SET THE RULES; IS THAT CORRECT?
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THAT'S EXACTLY HOW I STATED IT, AND IF YOU 
READ THE WHOLE HYBRID PLAN THOROUGHLY, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT 
RELIES ON THE AUDITOR A LOT.
OUR AUDITOR DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE 
WETLANDS DIVISION, SO OBVIOUSLY SINCE WE DO WORK WITH 
SWFWMD VERY CLOSELY, THEY CAN SHARE INFORMATION, AND IT 
WILL REDUCE THE LEARNING CURVE VERY, VERY MUCH, IS MY 
THOUGHT.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  IF I MIGHT MAKE --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THAT'S WHAT I SHARED WITH DR. GARRITY 
EARLIER.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  IF I MIGHT MAKE A SUGGESTION TO THE 
MAKER OF THE MOTION THAT WE SEPARATE THESE INTO TWO 
SEPARATE MOTIONS.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  GREAT IDEA.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WE COULD DO THAT.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  AND THEN WE'VE GOT MR. NORMAN.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  LET ME KIND OF SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S 
SOMETHING I THOUGHT WAS VERY UNIQUE THAT EPC -- OR EXCUSE 
ME -- SWFWMD HAD THAT THEY IDENTIFIED THAT PERFORMANCE -- 
HAVING A -- FIRST OF ALL, IT STARTED BACK WITH THE AUDITOR 
GENERAL MAKING SURE THAT THERE WASN'T A VAGUE UNDERSTANDING 
OF INTERPRETATIONS AND WHATEVER THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED OVER 
THE YEARS, THAT -- WHEN THEY CAME IN THAT ALL LEGISLATIVE 
RULES AND LAWS WERE APPLIED EQUALLY ACROSS THE BOARD TO 
EVERYBODY FAIRLY AND THAT THEN, JUST AS -- AND YOU MAY HAVE 
NOT SAID IT OR WHATEVER, BUT IN THE ARTICLE WHERE TAXWATCH 
CAME IN AND SAID THERE WAS ALL THIS DUPLICATION, YOUR 
COMMENT WAS -- I BELIEVE WAS THAT THEY JUST DON'T 
UNDERSTAND, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND, REALLY, THE WORKINGS OF 
EPC TO MAKE THOSE KIND OF COMMENTS ABOUT DUPLICATION.
I BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT.
>>RICK GARRITY:  YES, SIR.
>>JIM NORMAN:  OKAY.
SEE, WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS WHERE THAT COMMENT WOULDN'T BE 
MADE IS THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, AND 
THAT'S WHAT HE IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH.
HE'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE STATE STATUTES, HE'S VERY 
FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THE SECTIONS OF 373, HE'S VERY 
FAMILIAR WITH THE EPC RULES, AND HAVING -- IF WE JUST 
INVOLVED OUR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, THE SAME THING IS GOING 
TO BE SAID, HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND EPC, BUT HAVING A -- A 
PERSON THAT IS BLESSED BY THE AUDITOR GENERAL'S OFFICE 
SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT IS IN PLACE THAT 
CAN -- WOULD GIVE A FAIR ASSESSMENT.
NOW, I GOTTA TELL YOU, I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GUY, 
AND HE IS 100% ENVIRONMENTAL FIRST, AND HIS COMMENT BACK TO 
ME WAS IF -- IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PLAN AND IT WAS 
EVER ADOPTED THAT THEY COULD WORK TOGETHER WITH THEIR 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR -- HE SAID IT'S A WIN-WIN-WIN, AND 
THAT'S IF THEIR BOARD -- AND THIS IS WHY I ASKED THE MAKER 
OF THE MOTION OR STATED EARLIER IF -- IF THEIR BOARD HAS TO 
BLESS IT FIRST, AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED WAS THAT IN THE 
MOTION THAT WE WRITE THE CHAIRMAN OF SWFWMD THAT THEY HAVE 
TO BLESS THE ASSOCIATION.
BUT SEE, FOR ME IT MAKES SENSE.
LET ME TELL YOU WHY.
THIS IS A LEGISLATED CREATED DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PASSING DOWN ALL OF THESE FUNCTIONS OF 
SWFWMD THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE THE PERSON THAT LOOKS AT 
COMPLIANCE AND ALL THESE KIND OF THINGS, IT MAKES ALL THE 
SENSE IN THE WORLD THAT SOMEBODY THAT'S AN AUDITOR 
GENERAL -- WORKING WITH THE AUDITOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, 
UNDERSTANDS THE ENVIRONMENT, AND IS A PERFORMANCE AUDITOR 
WORK WITH OUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS ACCOUNTABLE.
THAT'S ALL WHAT WE'RE HOPEFULLY LOOKING FOR HERE IS 
ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THAT'S WHAT GOT ME TO THIS PLAN IS IF 
SOMEONE IS INDEPENDENT -- AND I BELIEVE THEY ARE BECAUSE 
THEY SUBMIT THEIR DOCUMENTS TO THE AUDITOR GENERAL'S 
OFFICE, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PHONY THEM UP.
THAT GOT ME TO THE POINT OF EVERYTHING THAT I'M AWARE OF 
OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, SOMEBODY THAT IS OUTSIDE WITH AN 
INDEPENDENT EYE MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE RULES ARE BEING 
FOLLOWED.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  VERY GOOD.
AND MAKER OF THE MOTION AGAIN, YOU'RE FINE WITH HAVING TWO 
SEPARATE MOTIONS?
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  SURE, WE CAN HAVE TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS.
ABSOLUTELY.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  VERY GOOD.
LET'S GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
COUNSELOR.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  WHICH TWO?
THE --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WE'RE GOING TO SEPARATE --
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  ACCEPT THE HYBRID AND MOVE FORWARD 
WITH THE HYBRID RULES, AND THEN SEPARATE --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND THEN AUTHORIZE THE LETTER.
OKAY.
SO --
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  DO WE NEED TO RESTATE IT?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YES, RESTATE THE MOTION, MR. CHAIRMAN, 
PLEASE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT DR. GARRITY'S HYBRID 
PLAN WITH THE -- WELL, THAT WE ACCEPT DR. GARRITY'S PLAN, 
AND WOULD YOU LIKE TO STATE THE --
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  AND MOVE FORWARD --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WITH RULE NUMBER --
TSCHANTZ YEAH, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FIRST PHASE OF THE 
HYBRID RULES THAT IMPLEMENTS THAT PLAN, WHICH IS 1-11.09, 
.10, AND .11 THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  EXACTLY.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, RECORD YOUR VOTES.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND THE SECOND MOTION WOULD BE THAT WE HAVE 
OUR -- THAT THERE'S A PROVISION THAT OUR PERFORMANCE 
AUDITOR WORK WITH EPC TOWARDS THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT 
HAVE BEEN LAID OUT IN THE HYBRID PLAN; THAT IS, TO PROTECT 
OUR ENVIRONMENT, NOT TO WEAKEN IT, AND OUR WETLANDS, NOT TO 
WEAKEN THAT, IN THE MOST EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE MANNER, AND 
TO AUTHORIZE ME TO -- AS THE CHAIRMAN TO WRITE A LETTER TO 
SWFWMD ASKING THEIR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR TO WORK WITH OUR 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR TO HELP ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.
AND AGAIN, WHAT THIS DOES IS IT'S GOING TO HELP KEEP OUR 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR FROM HAVING TO GO THROUGH A DRASTIC 
LEARNING CURVE AS WELL.
>>JIM NORMAN:  SECOND.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT GOING TO GO IN THERE AND 
KNOW WHAT SWFWMD'S AUDITOR KNOWS, HE CAN LEARN RIGHT AWAY.
THEY KNOW THE RULES.
WE DON'T -- I MEAN, THEY CAN GO RIGHT TO THE PAGES AND SHOW 
HIM, AND THAT'S COMPLETELY IN LINE, DR. GARRITY, WITH THE 
PLAN THE WAY YOU'VE WRITTEN THE PLAN OUT AND THE WAY YOU'VE 
EXPLAINED TO ME HOW YOU WANTED TO USE THE INTERNAL 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR.
>>RICK GARRITY:  AND COMMISSIONER, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND 
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT IT WOULD HELP US JUST BE ABLE TO 
IMPLEMENT THE HYBRID PROPOSAL WHICH YOU'VE JUST ADOPTED IN 
THE MOST EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  RIGHT.
CORRECT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  LET ME ASK A QUESTION.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  MR. SHARPE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF YOU TO 
GET EVERYTHING DONE WITH YOUR TIMELINES THAT YOU'VE SAID, 
SO YOU SAID THAT WOULD BE A VALUABLE TOOL, AND I'M TRYING 
TO GIVE US ANOTHER TOOL TO GET THERE.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  MR. SHARPE, YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>>MARK SHARPE:  I WANT TO ASK DR. GARRITY, WITH REGARD -- 
BECAUSE I -- WE HAD DISCUSSED ALSO THIS IDEA OF A -- OF AN 
INDEPENDENT BLUE RIBBON PANEL THAT WOULD LOOK AT THIS 
PROCESS AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE -- AS 
COMMISSIONER PLATT SAID AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE DAY 
AND OTHERS HAVE SAID ON BOTH SIDES THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING 
THIS PROCESS CLOSELY.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- HOW WILL THIS -- HOW WILL 
THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT COMMISSIONER NORMAN HAS MADE -- I 
MEAN, THE -- THE INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR IS GOING TO 
SIT DOWN NOW AND WORK WITH -- UNDER THIS -- UNDER THIS 
SEPARATE MOTION -- THE SWFWMD ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITOR TO MAKE 
SURE THAT WHAT?
THAT OUR RULES COMPORT WITH STATE LAW?
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  LET'S GO -- IF YOU GO BACK TO THE THING, 
THERE'S ALREADY A COMMITTEE BEING ESTABLISHED, NUMBER ONE, 
WITHIN THE HYBRID PLAN.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO ARTICULATE ON THAT SO PEOPLE KNOW THERE 
WILL BE A COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE THAT KNOW HYDROLOGY AND 
THINGS LIKE THAT WITHIN THE PLAN, THAT'S SPELLED OUT.
THE INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN FROM 
THE SWFWMD AUDITOR.
IT'S NOT -- THERE'S NO INTENTION TO WEAKEN THE RULES AT 
ALL.
>>RICK GARRITY:  COMMISSIONERS, MAYBE --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  SO IF THAT'S THE CONCERN, THERE IS NO 
INTENTION THERE.
IT WILL HELP US GET THROUGH A LEARNING CURVE.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF I WANT TO LEARN ABOUT WETLANDS, WHICH 
BELIEVE ME, I'VE LEARNED A LOT LATELY, RATHER THAN GOING TO 
AN ENCYCLOPEDIA AND LOOKING UP EVERYTHING, I CAN GO TO THE 
PEOPLE THAT -- THE REGULATED COMMUNITY, THE ENVIRONMENTAL 
COMMUNITY, TO DR. GARRITY, TO HIS STAFF AND FIND OUT THE 
QUESTIONS AND SAVE ME A TON OF TIME.
>>RICK GARRITY:  I THINK -- IN OUR HYBRID PLAN WE CALLED 
FOR THE INTERNAL AUDITOR TO HELP US SPECIFICALLY IN THE 
AREA LOOKING AT OUR INTERACTION WITH PLANNING AND GROWTH 
MANAGEMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS, AND I THINK 
THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY HELPFUL.
YOUR COMMENTS AND COMMISSIONER NORMAN SAYING THAT THE 
AUDITOR AT SWFWMD KNOWS MORE ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IS 
PROBABLY VERY CORRECT.
SO IF WE COULD TAKE THEIR BRAINPOWER AND ADD IT TO OUR 
INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR'S BRAINPOWER --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  EXACTLY.
>>RICK GARRITY:  THE OTHER ISSUE OF THE BLUE RIBBON PANEL I 
THINK CAN ALSO FIT IN NICELY TO TRY TO WORK WITH -- IF THAT 
IS SET UP BY THE AGENCY OF BAY MANAGEMENT OR BY THIS BOARD, 
WE CAN WORK WITH THEM TOO.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  ALL RIGHT.
I SEE IN THE SPIRIT OF DEBATE HERE, I'VE GOT A NUMBER 3 
LIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN BLANKED OUT.
THAT'S MARK.
THEN WE GO TO MS. FERLITA, THEN MR. NORMAN.
DO YOU HAVE --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YOU WANT ME TO GO FIRST?
OKAY.
SO WE'VE GOTTEN THIS OFF THE TABLE IN TERMS OF ACCEPTING 
THE HYBRID, END OF STORY ON THAT ONE; RIGHT?
>> UH-HUH.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OKAY.
IN TERMS OF THE SECOND MOTION THAT MR. BLAIR HAS PRESENTED, 
I'M NOT GOING TO -- I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT.
NOW, I SUSPECT THAT IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION YOU GUYS 
KNOW WHO THE AUDITOR IS OF SWFWMD AND IT'S A PRESUMPTION ON 
MY PART, BUT I BET YOU GUYS GET ALONG REALLY WELL.
IS THAT RIGHT, MR. TSCHANTZ?
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  I KNOW WHO HE IS.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND YOU HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE COOPERATIVE.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN THE UNDERLYING THEME OF EVERYTHING 
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A FEW WEEKS HERE.
WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMITTEE, WE'RE TALKING 
ABOUT THE BLUE RIBBON PANEL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR 
INTERNAL AUDITOR, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AUDITOR OF 
SWFWMD.
I WOULD CERTAINLY EXPECT THAT SINCE WE'RE ALL INTERESTED IN 
THE SAME THING, GOOD GOVERNMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, ET 
CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, PROBABLY THEIR AUDITOR WOULD 
BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIT DOWN AND CONSULT WITH YOU IF 
THERE ARE ISSUES THAT YOU FEEL THAT HE HAS MORE EXPERTISE 
THAN OUR AUDITOR, BUT I THINK IN OUR EFFORTS TO SEPARATE 
STUFF AND LET THE HYBRID GO -- AND WE'VE GOTTEN THERE 
FINALLY -- NOW I THINK WE'RE DOING TOO MUCH INTERMINGLING.
NO DISRESPECT TO SWFWMD, WONDERFUL AGENCY, VERY CAPABLE, 
I'M SURE, BUT I THINK IF I WERE GOING TO SUPPORT SOMETHING 
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO IN CONCERT WITH WHAT WE'RE 
DOING, IT WOULD BE JUST SIMPLY AS A NEIGHBORLY THING TO DO 
AND CONSULT WITH YOU.
I THINK THAT OUR REVIEW PANEL, OUR AUDITORS, OUR BLUE PANEL 
COMMITTEE, MAN, WE'RE GETTING INTO A BUNCH OF STUFF, AND I 
THINK IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SO CLEAN ANYMORE, CLEAN IN THE 
SENSE OF PROCESS, NOT IN THE SENSE OF CLEAN OF ANYBODY, SO 
FOR THAT REASON, I JUST WANT THAT ON RECORD.
I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS.
WE'RE GOING OFF AN ANOTHER TANGENT NOW.
WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
CAN'T SUPPORT IT.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  COMMISSIONER NORMAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  LET ME -- MR. SHARPE, THE WORD "PERFORMANCE 
AUDITOR" IS COMPLIANCE OF STATE STATUTES, COMPLIANCE OF 
RULES, BUT ALSO PERFORMANCE, AND I WILL GIVE YOU AN 
EXAMPLE.
THE -- THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS BETWEEN EPC AND SWFWMD SIGNED 
IN 2005, ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE SECTIONS TALKED ABOUT -- 
I JUST HAD IT HERE -- THAT THEY WOULD MEET AT THE 
EARLIEST -- ANY TIME AN APPLICATION CAME FORWARD, THEY 
WOULD ALL MEET -- I HAD IT OUTLINED HERE.
ANYWAY, THEY WOULD HAVE A MEETING TO GO OVER AT SWFWMD'S 
OFFICE THE EARLY APPLICATION PROCESS, LET EVERYBODY BE ON 
THE SAME PAGE, THAT THEY WOULD HEAR IT, ALL QUESTIONS WOULD 
BE ASKED, AND EVERYBODY WOULD ALL BE IN THE SAME ROOM.
THAT HADN'T OCCURRED UNTIL THIS SHOWED UP, BUT IF WE HAD 
HAD A PERFORMANCE AUDITOR THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAYING THEY 
SHOULD BE IN THE SAME ROOM AND HEAR THE APPLICATION FIRST, 
THEN -- THAT'S WHAT'S IN THIS NOW, BUT THEY HAD AN 
AGREEMENT FOR TWO YEARS THAT IT COULD OCCUR, AND A 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR WOULD HAVE MADE NOTE THAT THIS WOULD 
CUT OUT 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS, WHATEVER OUT OF A PROCESS, AND 
THAT'S WHAT I'M -- WHAT A PERFORMANCE AUDITOR -- THEY WILL 
LOOK AT THIS EXISTING DOCUMENTATION, THIS HYBRID PLAN AND 
SEE AND MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE BEING DONE, AND BASICALLY 
THEY'LL REPORT WHEN IT'S FALLING APART.
IT'S ANOTHER SET OF EYES THAT I BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT IF 
WE'RE GOING TO START ANEW WITH A NEW PROGRAM AND A NEW 
APPLICATION.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
AND COMMISSIONER TSCHANTZ, JUST LET ME SAY THIS TOO.
BESIDES THE SET OF EYES, AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE 
HALF A MILL THAT WE PAY TO SWFWMD.
BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING THEM, I WANT TO GET OUR DOLLARS' 
WORTH.
I MEAN, WHAT HARM IS IT TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS THE 
SYSTEM TEACH OUR PERSON WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED TO DO 
TO -- TO MAKE YOUR DIVISION, OUR DIVISION AS WE ARE BOARD 
MEMBERS AND WE'RE SITTING HERE AS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 
YOU'RE SITTING BASICALLY AS THE CEO, AND WE'RE ASKING YOU 
TO BE AS EFFICIENT AND AS EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT 
WEAKENING THE RULE?
THERE'S NO -- WE DON'T WANT TO WEAKEN THE RULE, WE WANT TO 
STREAMLINE THE PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO DO, AND HERE IN THIS 
HELPS STREAMLINE THE PROCESS IS ALL IT DOES.
>>MARK SHARPE:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>JIM NORMAN:  BEFORE YOU DO THIS, CAN I READ THIS?
I LOST IT.
LET ME JUST SAY, SWFWMD WILL INCLUDE EPC IN ANY DISCUSSIONS 
REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF DISTRICTWIDE 
MITIGATION SUCCESS CRITERIA.
GUIDELINES WILL BE USED TO REVIEW MITIGATION SITES.
THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WEREN'T OCCURRING, SO --
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  OKAY.
DR. GARRITY OR COUNSEL -- COUNSELOR, IF YOU HAVE ANY 
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE I CALL THE QUESTION?
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  I DO.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  YES.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  I WAS LISTENING TO COMMISSIONER 
FERLITA AND COMMISSIONER NORMAN, AND I THINK A COMBINATION 
OF THOSE TWO COMMENTS.
PERHAPS -- WE DO HAVE THIS MOU THAT IS CRITICAL BETWEEN THE 
TWO AGENCIES, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME -- THERE'S BEEN SOME 
DISCUSSION THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY ADHERED TO.
PERHAPS WE COULD HAVE THE PERFORMANCE -- THE MOTION COULD 
SAY THAT THE PERFORMANCE AUDITOR AT SWFWMD WOULD DO A 
PROCESS REVIEW OF THAT MOU BETWEEN THE TWO AGENCIES, AND 
THEN THAT WOULD NARROW THIS TO THE MOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
>>JIM NORMAN:  AND I KNOW I'M -- I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO 
GO FORWARD AND HAVE A RELATIONSHIP.
IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP, PERFORMANCE AUDITORS 
NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR OPERATION, AND AS WE GO FORTH 
AND HAVE A REPORT EVERY YEAR, I THINK THE PERFORMANCE 
AUDITOR AND SWFWMD'S PERFORMANCE AUDITOR NEED TO GIVE A 
REPORT TO SEE HOW THE PLAN'S MOVING FORWARD, AND IT SHOULD 
BE A REVIEW EVERY YEAR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  I THINK IT WOULD BE LIKE PART OF BEST 
BUSINESS PRACTICES.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  DR. GARRITY.
>>RICK GARRITY:  COMMISSIONERS, MY THOUGHT ABOUT HOW WE 
WOULD INTERACT WITH THE INTERNAL AUDITOR IS THAT WE'RE 
LOOKING FOR THEIR HELP IN HELPING US FIND WAYS TO 
STREAMLINE WHAT WE DO.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  EXACTLY.
>>RICK GARRITY:  WHO KNOWS HOW TO DO BETTER THAN A 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, SO MAYBE EVEN THE TERM "PROCESS 
REVIEW," I KNOW COMMISSIONER NORMAN, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE 
WE DO THIS.
WE WILL DO THIS, I CAN ASSURE YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WE CAN ADD THAT.
>>RICK GARRITY:  IT'S LIKE A PROCESS.
[INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS 
IT'S ANOTHER EYE FOR THE PROCESS REVIEW TO HELP YOU 
STREAMLINE THE PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT IN FRONT OF US.
THAT'S THE SAME COST THAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  IS THERE ANOTHER QUESTION?
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  SO THAT'S MY MOTION.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  WAS THERE ANOTHER QUESTION, DR. 
GARRITY, AND THEN I SEE MS. FERLITA.
ARE YOU ON?
OKAY.
YOU HAD ONE MORE QUESTION.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION FOR 
CLARIFICATION.
MR. BLAIR, SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR MOTION, YOUR MOTION DOES 
NOT ABSOLUTELY QUOTE WHAT MR. TSCHANTZ SAID.
YOUR MOTION DEALS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY WITH THE VERBIAGE 
AND THE LANGUAGE AND THE INTENT.
ARE YOU WILLING TO REPEAT EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID FOR YOUR 
MOTION?
IT'S YOUR MOTION, NO PROBLEM.
I'M NOT TRYING TO ENCOURAGE YOU ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
IF IT'S HOW YOU STATED, THEN I'M NOT SUPPORTING IT.
IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND REPHRASE IT BASED ON WHAT MR. 
TSCHANTZ HAS SAID, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD 
BE HELPFUL.
OTHERWISE WE DON'T HAVE TO GET INTO THESE ISSUES ABOUT WHO 
TRUMPS WHOM OR WHAT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THERE'S NO QUESTION OF TRUMPING.
I WANTED TO ADD -- I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ADD WHAT 
MR. TSCHANTZ SAYS, BUT THERE'S MORE WITHIN THE -- WITHIN 
THE SCOPE OF THE HYBRID PLAN THAT CALLS FOR THE PERFORMANCE 
AUDITOR.
WHY WOULD -- WHY WOULD WE MAKE OUR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR GO 
AND LEARN A LOT MORE STUFF IF WE ASKED ALBA AND COMPANY IF 
THEY WOULD MIND IF OUR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR WORK WITH THEIRS 
IN ANY WAY THAT THEY MAY SEE THAT WOULD HELP STREAMLINE THE 
PROCESS?
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR, STREAMLINE THE PROCESS?
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  WELL, I WAS ACTUALLY SAYING NARROW IT 
TO THE MOU AND HAVE A PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF THAT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING, AND YOU'RE GOING A STEP FURTHER.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  I THINK -- YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN A 
BUSINESSPERSON FOR A LONG TIME, AND I THINK IT'S PART OF 
BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES TO DO WHAT I JUST SAID.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH CLEARER -- YOU'RE GETTING A 
FREE SET OF EYES, A FREE -- NOT FREE BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING 
FOR IT, AND WE NEED TO MAXIMIZE THE INVESTMENT THAT WE HAVE 
RIGHT NOW WITH SWFWMD.
I MEAN, IF NOT, IT'S LIKE --
>> YOU'RE WEAKENING THE STANDARDS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  NO, YOU'RE NOT WEAKENING THE STANDARDS.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  EXCUSE ME.
I WANT TO KEEP THE DEBATE WITHIN THE DAIS HERE, PLEASE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST IN ANSWER TO MY 
QUESTION, IF HE STATES IT JUST LIKE HE DID, I THINK WE'RE 
AT THE POINT TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION.
>>JIM NORMAN:  RIGHT.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT 
IS WISE FOR US TO SUPPORT UNLESS IT WAS STRICTLY BY THE 
DEFINITION OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
HE'S WILLING TO ADD WHAT YOU WANT, MR. TSCHANTZ, HE'S NOT 
LIMITING IT TO WHAT YOU HAVE, SO BASED ON THAT, MR. VICE 
CHAIR, I WOULD SAY CALL FOR THE QUESTION, AND I'M NOT 
SUPPORTING IT IN ITS -- IN ITS POSITION AS HE'S STATING IT.
>> WAS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION?
>>JIM NORMAN:  SECOND.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DEBATE, RECORD 
YOUR VOTE.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION FAILED 3-4.
COMMISSIONERS FERLITA, HIGGINBOTHAM, SHARPE, AND WHITE 
VOTED NO.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
THEN I'LL MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE HAVE OUR 
PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, AS MR. TSCHANTZ STATED, TO WORK WITH 
THE LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING, TO WORK WITH THE MOU.
IS THAT HOW YOU PHRASED IT?
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  TO HAVE A PERFORMANCE REVIEW BY THE 
SWFWMD INTERNAL AUDITOR OF THE MOU BETWEEN SWFWMD AND EPC.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  CORRECT.
AND IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU WANT ANYTHING ELSE DONE, PLEASE 
BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.
>> SECOND.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  WE HAVE A MOTION.
WHO MADE THE SECOND?
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO LONG AS IT'S STATED LIKE MR. TSCHANTZ 
SAID, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
SECOND SECRETARY MOTION FAILED 6-1.
COMMISSIONER NORMAN VOTED NO.
>>AL HIGGINBOTHAM:  IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS.
>>RICHARD TSCHANTZ:  WAIT, WAIT.
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED.
I'M SORRY.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  CARRIED 6-1.
YES.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS?
>>RICK GARRITY:  COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU 
KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN BACK IN THE 
ROGER STEWART CENTER WORKING IN THE WETLANDS PROGRAM THAT 
ARE VERY, VERY DEDICATED AND WILL DO A VERY, VERY GOOD JOB 
FOR YOU.
THEY'RE -- SOME OF THEM -- A DELEGATION OF THAT GROUP IS IN 
THE AUDIENCE TODAY, HAS BEEN LISTENING.
THEY'VE SORT OF BEEN ON PINS AND NEEDLESS, AS YOU CAN 
IMAGINE ABOUT THIS.
THEY'RE EXCELLENT MEN AND WOMEN, SCIENTISTS, AND 
TECHNICIANS, AND YOU CAN VERY PROUD OF THEM.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELL, THANK YOU, DOC.
I THANK YOU, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FROM THE 
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY AS WELL THAT CAME OUT HERE.
I'M SORRY.
EXCUSE ME.
COMMISSIONER HAGAN ASKED FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
>>KEN HAGAN:  YEAH.
IT'S NOT EPC OR WETLAND-RELATED, SO I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN 
FROM THE EPC --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
WE WILL NOW ADJOURN EPC.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO REOPEN.
OH, NOW IT'S YOU.
>>JIM NORMAN:  ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL OPEN AS A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY 
COMMISSIONERS.
>>KEN HAGAN:  YES.
BOARD MEMBERS, THIS WILL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT.
I RECEIVED A FEW MINUTES AGO AN E-MAIL ON THE FUNERAL 
ARRANGEMENTS FOR SERGEANT RONALD HARRISON, AND THE FUNERAL 
IS SCHEDULED FOR 1:00 ON TUESDAY, AND I THINK WE SHOULD 
CONSIDER RESCHEDULING OUR LAND USE MEETING THAT DAY.
I DON'T KNOW THE BOARD'S POSITION ON THIS.
I DO -- JUDGING BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA'S COMMENTS IN 
YESTERDAY'S PAPER REGARDING RESCHEDULING OUR WEDNESDAY 
MEETING, I KNOW SHE FEELS IT'S BAD GOVERNMENT AND 
INCONSIDERATE AND WE SHOULD JUST SEND A DESIGNEE OR A CARD.
>>JIM NORMAN:  FOLKS, PLEASE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
>>KEN HAGAN:  I THINK SENDING A CARD OR DESIGNEE --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. HAGAN, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY OUT OF ORDER 
IN TERMS OF THE QUESTIONS OF WHAT I SAID.
THAT IS VERY, VERY UNFAIR.
>>JIM NORMAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA, YOU CAN SPEAK.
>>KEN HAGAN:  I CERTAINLY THINK IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR 
TUESDAY, AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO 
ATTEND SERGEANT HARRISON'S FUNERAL.
AND IT'S THE LEAST WE CAN DO TO SHOW RESPECT FOR THIS MAN.
>>JIM NORMAN:  WELL, COMMISSIONER HAGAN, I'VE ALREADY ASKED 
STAFF IF WE COULD POTENTIALLY MOVE OUR MEETING TO 8:30 AND 
POTENTIALLY GO TO THE FUNERAL IN THE AFTERNOON.
THAT SHOULD BE THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WOULD ASSIGN, AND IF 
THERE'S ANY TIME CERTAINS IN THE AFTERNOON, THEY WOULD BE 
CONTINUED.
THAT WAS OUR PROBLEM, THERE WAS NOT --
>>KEN HAGAN:  SO MOVE THE MEETING UNTIL --
>>JIM NORMAN:  UNTIL THE MORNING STARTING AT 8:30.
>>KEN HAGAN:  AT 8:30.
OKAY.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE DISCUSSION ON THE 
MOTION.
DON'T LET THIS GO WITHOUT ME COMMENTING.
>>JIM NORMAN:  IS THERE A SECOND?
>>KEVIN WHITE:  I WAS GOING TO SECOND THE MOTION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
>>JIM NORMAN:  WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.
COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I THINK, MR. HAGAN, YOUR COMMENTS DIRECTED 
TO ME WERE ABSOLUTELY INAPPROPRIATE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAJORITY OF THIS BOARD GOING TO 
AN INDIVIDUAL FUNERAL OF SOMEBODY YOU HAVE ATTACHMENT TO AS 
OPPOSED TO DECIDING TO HAVE GOVERNMENT CONTINUE WHILE YOU 
PAID YOUR RESPECTS THROUGH A LEADER, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN 
THAT I NOMINATED AS OUR CHAIRMAN TO GO PAY YOUR SYMPATHY 
RESPECTS AND YOU COULD GO DO IT ANOTHER WAY IS HARDLY THE 
SAME AS SAYING THAT COMMENTS FOR FERLITA ABOUT THIS IS BAD 
GOVERNMENT.
SIR, NOBODY IS STRONGER HERE THAN ME FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
I WAS CHAIRMAN DOWN THE STREET OF THAT FOR A LONG TIME, AND 
TO SAY THAT IN THE SAME BREATH -- YEAH, KEEP YOUR SMIRK -- 
TO SAY THAT IN THE SAME BREATH THAT YOU TALK ABOUT THE 
DEATH OF A DEPUTY SHERIFF WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY FOR 
US, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY HITTING BELOW THE BELT, MR. HAGAN.
THAT IS NOT FAIR TO ME, TO THEM, AND TO THE GENTLEMAN WHO 
DIED.
>>JIM NORMAN:  FOLKS, FOLKS, FOLKS.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THAT IS VERY, VERY RUDE.
[APPLAUSE]
>>JIM NORMAN:  FOLKS.
ALL RIGHT.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JIM NORMAN:  COMMISSIONER WHITE.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  THAT WAS UNFORTUNATELY WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO 
SAY.
WITH OUR STAFF, IS THERE ENOUGH TIME TO LEGALLY CHANGE THE 
NOTICE OR DO WE HAVE TO CHANGE IT FOR ANOTHER DATE?
>>JIM NORMAN:  ACTUALLY, I WAS INFORMED BY OUR LEGAL FOLKS 
THAT WE DID NEED TO RAISE THIS EITHER THIS AFTERNOON OR 
TONIGHT.
BECAUSE OF NOTICE PROVISIONS OF OUR LAND USE NEXT WEEK, WE 
NEEDED TO JUST DISCUSS A TIMING ISSUE OF OUR LAND USE, AND 
SO IT WAS APPROPRIATE.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  IF THAT'S THE MOTION AND WE'RE WITHIN THAT 
TIME FRAME [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
I'D SECOND --
>>JIM NORMAN:  IF IT IS POSSIBLE, WE NEED STAFF TO GO TO 
WORK ON IT BECAUSE THERE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED IN 
THAT AFTERNOON, SO THEREFORE, THEY NEED TO BE SEE WHAT CAN 
BE DONE WITH THEM.
>>KEVIN WHITE:  IF NOT, I THINK THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO 
GO ON LATER INTO THE AFTERNOON.
>>JIM NORMAN:  COMMISSIONER HAGAN.
>>KEN HAGAN:  I JUST WANT TO STATE THAT I'M READING 
DIRECTLY FROM THE PAPERS YESTERDAY THAT WE SHOULD -- OTHER 
WAYS TO EXPRESS SYMPATHY SUCH AS SENDING A DESIGNEE FROM 
THE BOARD OR A CARD, AND I'M SIMPLY STATING -- I SIMPLY 
WANT TO SAY THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE, AND THE BOARD SHOULD GO, 
ALL OF US.
>>JIM NORMAN:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. CHAIRMAN, THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT 
ISSUES.
HE'S DIMINISHING THE SERVICE THIS GENTLEMAN GAVE TO PUBLIC 
SAFETY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
WHEN I TELL YOU THAT THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE OF US HAVE A 
PERSONAL REASON TO GO TO SOMETHING, WE HAVE TWO ISSUES, 
PAYING OUR RESPECT ON A PRIVATE SIDE AND ALSO OBLIGING WITH 
OUR RESPONSIBILITY AT THIS BOARD.
FOR MR. HAGAN TO CONTINUE QUOTING ME WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO 
THE SERVICE THAT THIS GENTLEMAN GAVE US, MR. HAGAN, I HAVE 
NO RESPECT FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THAT'S VERY UNFAIR, AND IT DIMINISHES WHAT THIS MAN DID AS 
A PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIRMAN.
I AM TALKING ABOUT PROCEDURE WHEN IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO 
DIFFERENTLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
YOU BETTER CORRECT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING BECAUSE YOU'RE WAY 
OUT OF LINE.
>>JIM NORMAN:  WE HAVE A MOTION TO DIRECT COUNTY STAFF TO 
SEE WHAT WE CAN DO, AND I SEE MS. HARVEY OVER -- SEE IF WE 
CAN ARRANGE ALL THE ITEMS TO BE MOVED TO THE MORNING AND 
DEAL WITH ANY PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THE AFTERNOON, EITHER 
CONTINUING THEM OR SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO AS FAR AS NOTICING 
THE PUBLIC.
YES, SIR.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  COMMISSIONERS, IS THIS -- JUST FOR 
CLARIFICATION, IS THIS MOVING IT TO THE MORNING OF TUESDAY 
OR --
>>JIM NORMAN:  YES.
THE FUNERAL IS AT 1:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  I KNOW THERE WAS SOME THOUGHT ABOUT MOVING 
IT TO THE NEXT DAY, WEDNESDAY, IN THE MORNING.
>>JIM NORMAN:  THERE WERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS, 
AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE REFERRING IT TO YOU-ALL TO FIND THE 
BEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WOULDN'T INCONVENIENCE 
THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME DAY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE 
WERE ATTEMPTING TO DO.
IF YOU CAN'T, WORK ON THE NOTICE PROVISIONS FOR ALL 
CITIZENS AND THEIR ISSUES CAN BE HEARD.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  OKAY.
JUST FOR THE BOARD'S INFORMATION, THERE ARE SEVERAL NOTICED 
PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THE MORNING THAT COULD NOT BE MOVED 
EARLIER IN THE DAY.
IF THE BOARD --
>>JIM NORMAN:  WELL, OUR MORNING SESSION -- WE DON'T HAVE A 
MORNING SESSION ON TUESDAY.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  ON TUESDAY.
WAS -- YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT --
>>JIM NORMAN:  WE HAD MOVED EVERYTHING TO THE AFTERNOON --
>>ADAM GORMLY:  CORRECT.
>>JIM NORMAN:  -- EARLIER ON.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  IS THE BOARD'S MOTION NOW --
>>JIM NORMAN:  TO TRY TO TAKE IT TO THE MORNING.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  THE MORNING OF TUESDAY, THE 21st?
>>JIM NORMAN:  YES, OR THE TIME YOU CAN WORK OUT THE 
AGENDA.
OUR FIRST REQUEST WOULD BE THE MORNING IF POSSIBLE.
IF NOT, GIVE US AN APPROPRIATE BACKUP DATE.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  OKAY.
I BELIEVE THAT THE MORNING OF THE 22nd HAD BEEN REVIEWED 
THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSIONERS' CALENDARS, AND 
THAT WAS A FEASIBLE DATE THAT WOULD WORK, AND THAT WOULD 
ALLOW THE ITEMS THAT WERE SCHEDULED FOR THE AFTERNOON ON 
TUESDAY TO BE CONTINUED TO --
>>JIM NORMAN:  THAT'S FINE.
OUR MOTION IS TO ASSIGN YOU TO PLEASE INFORM US AND THE 
PUBLIC WHAT'S EASIEST FOR US TO BE, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE 
AGENDA ITEMS.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  IF WE COULD JUST ANNOUNCE THE INTENT TO 
SCHEDULE THAT FOR WEDNESDAY MORNING, WHICH IS THE 22nd OF 
AUGUST.
>>MARK SHARPE:  SO MOVED.
>>JIM NORMAN:  IS THERE A SECOND?
>>ADAM GORMLY:  AND IS THIS A 9:00 START?
IT'S A VERY SHORT AGENDA THAT DAY.
>>JIM NORMAN:  9:00.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  THANK YOU.
>>JIM NORMAN:  PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE.
WE'RE NOW --
>>RECORDING SECRETARY:  MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

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