CAPTIONING JULY 15, 2010 BOCC PUBLIC HEARING BUDGET ***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate. >>KEN HAGAN: WELL, GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO OUR JULY 15th, 2010, BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING FOR FISCAL YEAR '11 AND ALSO THE RECOMMENDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR '11 THROUGH '15. THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT THE BOARD WILL TAKE -- WILL TAKE PLACE THIS YEAR, AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MR. MERRILL, TO GIVE US A FEW OPENING REMARKS, AND THEN I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TELL YOU HOW THINGS WILL FLOW TONIGHT. MR. MERRILL. >>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, AS YOU MENTIONED. WE HAD A BUDGET WORKSHOP THIS AFTERNOON THAT I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THE BUDGET. AT THIS POINT THERE IS A RECOMMENDED SMALL MILLAGE DECREASE IN THE BUDGET, AND VIRTUALLY ALL -- IN ALL CASES, SERVICES ARE NOT BEING AFFECTED. EVEN THOUGH WE ARE STREAMLINING GOVERNMENT, CUTTING COSTS, WE'RE -- WE'RE STILL PROVIDING SERVICES AT THE SAME LEVEL. THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS IN SEPTEMBER. NO OTHER WORKSHOPS ARE PLANNED AT THIS TIME, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK TO THE CHAIRMAN. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND CIP -- PUBLIC INPUT ON THE BUDGET AND THE CIP. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS EVENING, SO IN ORDER TO GIVE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT PUBLIC COMMENT TO TWO MINUTES. ALSO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIST HERE, MOST -- MOST OF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE OMBUDSMAN AND THE ARTS COUNCIL. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT -- JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT TOOK PLACE AT OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP THIS AFTERNOON, THE BOARD FLAGGED BOTH OF THESE ITEMS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AT OUR BUDGET RECONCILIATION MEETING OF JULY 28th, AND WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THE BOARD HAS GIVEN DIRECTION THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN RESTORING THE FUNDING FOR THESE ITEMS, SO ON JULY 28th WE'LL DISCUSS AND ULTIMATELY VOTE ON EACH OF THESE, SO I WANTED TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED OF WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE WITH RESPECT TO THE ARTS COUNCIL AND OMBUDSMAN AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL ISSUES THIS AFTERNOON. SO NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN THIS EVENING ON THESE POSITIONS -- ON THESE ISSUES BECAUSE WE TOOK THE ACTION THIS AFTERNOON. SO IF THERE ARE FOLKS HERE THAT ARE WITH A GROUP OR REPRESENT A GROUP, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE SPEAK ON BEHALF. EACH PERSON WILL BE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK. AT A MINUTE AND A HALF, THE BUZZER WILL GO OFF INDICATING THAT YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS REMAINING. I'M GOING TO CALL FIVE NAMES AT A TIME, AND I WOULD ASK YOU IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK TO PLEASE LINE UP SO WE CAN KEEP THINGS MOVING AND FLOWING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S COOPERATION THIS EVENING SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING, JOANNE O'BRIEN, OLIVER GIBBS, HARRY VANDEN, DAVID WILSON-WOLFE, AND RONNA METCALF. >>MIKE MERRILL: MR. CHAIR, WHILE THE FIRST SPEAKER'S COMING UP, I FORGET TO MENTION THAT THERE WAS ONE REQUEST MADE OF OUR STAFF FOR A SPANISH TRANSLATION ASSISTANT, SO WE DO HAVE SOMEONE HERE WHO CAN PROVIDE TRANSLATION ASSISTANCE IF ANYONE NEEDS IT. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MS. O'BRIEN. >> GOOD EVENING. JOANNE O'BRIEN, 6916 THRASHER DRIVE, TAMPA 33610. I'M HERE FOR ANIMAL SERVICES/CODE ENFORCEMENT. ANIMAL SERVICES, I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE GOING TO BE CUTTING A NIGHT PERSON THAT WOULD GO OUT PICKING UP SICK OR INJURED ANIMALS, AND I CAN'T SEE AN ANIMAL LYING IN THE STREET DYING. THEY FEEL PAIN JUST LIKE YOU AND MYSELF. I THINK IT'S A VERY HORRIBLE THING. I'VE BEEN AT ANIMAL SERVICES FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS, AND IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART THERE WHAT I HAVE SEEN. IT'S JUST HORRIBLE, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN'T SEE YOU GUYS CUTTING ANY FURTHER FROM THAT BUDGET, AND ALSO ALONG WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, THAT SHOULD MAYBE BE INTERTWINED WITH ANIMAL SERVICES IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. THEY'RE CUTTING OFFICES FROM THAT, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES OUT THERE WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT. PEOPLE ARE DUMPING ON THE ROAD SIDES AGAIN. I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH THAT, AND WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY BE LOSING DAVE DEFARIA. HE'S DOWN IN 33619. HE USED TO BE IN 33610, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO FIGHT LIKE HECK TO GET HIM BACK BECAUSE HE'S ONE HECK OF A GREAT OFFICER. HE ALWAYS ANSWERED OUR CALLS OUT THERE, AND I WISH YOU GUYS WOULD CONSIDER THAT. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. O'BRIEN. NEXT, PLEASE. >> YEAH, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I WAS JUST GOING TO ANNOUNCE THIS. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS, AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. MY NAME'S HARRY VANDEN. I'M A PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, AND I WANT TO SPEAK VERY STRONGLY -- I'VE ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF -- OF INTERACTING ACADEMICALLY WITH COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND VICE CHAIRMAN. I WANT TO SPEAK VERY STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF MAINTAINING AND REINSERTING THE POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN IN THE BUDGET. I KNOW THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT TIMES. WE ALL KNOW THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT TIMES, BUT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT WHO FACILITATE ACCESS ON THE PUBLIC. THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO HELP. THEY'RE POSITIONS THAT ARE KEY. THE POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN, INDEED, WAS CREATED TO INCREASE ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT AND TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO HIRE EXPENSIVE LAWYERS, WHO MAY SPEAK OTHER LANGUAGE, WHO MAY COME FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES. I THINK IT'S TERRIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN THIS POSITION, AND I WOULD NOTE THAT MANY OF US ARE QUITE CONVINCED OF NOT ONLY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE POSITION BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PERSON WHO'S OCCUPYING THIS LINE, ONE MS. MEDRANO, WHO HAS THE ABILITY NOT ONLY AS A TRAINED PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR -- AND INDEED SHE HAS A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA BUT ALSO HAS THE LINGUISTIC ABILITY AND CULTURAL SENSITIVITY TO WORK WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COUNTY RESIDENTS, SOMETHING THAT SHE'S DONE VERY WELL. WE VERY MUCH, THEN, WANT TO PETITION, REQUEST, THAT THIS POSITION AND INDEED THIS PERSON BE MAINTAINED IN IT, BUT IT IS NOT JUST THE SMALL GROUP. THERE ARE MANY OF US. INDEED, I HAVE A PETITION HERE SIGNED BY SOME 4,040 PEOPLE REQUESTING OF YOU THAT YOU MAINTAIN THIS POSITION AND YOU MAINTAIN HER IN IT. WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST AND YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND WE ARE MOST CHEERED BY THE FACT THAT COMMISSIONER FERLITA WAS KIND ENOUGH TO INTRODUCE THEN THIS IDEA OF REINSERTING THIS POSITION IN THE BUDGET, AND WE VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WILL BE THE CASE. WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OF US HERE -- >> THANK YOU, MR. VANDEN. >> -- WHO SUPPORT THIS POSITION. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: OLIVER GIBBS, DAVID WILSON-WOLFE, RONNA METCALF, PAULA STAHEL, AND JACKIE EVERIDGE. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> GOOD EVENING, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS OLIVER GIBBS. I'M HERE TO REQUEST YOU TO REVIEW YOUR INTENT TO CANCEL THE POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN. CASE IN POINT, I HAVE WORKED WITH MRS. MEDRANO ON TWO OCCASIONS IN OPENING ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, AND SHE HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE GREAT HELP TO US. HER PROFESSIONALISM AND KNOWLEDGE OF HER JOB REMAINS LASTING AS AN ETCHED -- LASTS FOREVER IN MY MEMORY. THEREFORE, I REQUEST IF YOU ARE GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING, THE ONE CHANGE I WOULD RECOMMEND IS TO CHANGE THE PERSON'S NAME FROM OMBUDSMAN TO LIAISON TO THE COMMISSION -- COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THAT WAS THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION THAT I WOULD HAVE. OTHERWISE, THE PERSON IS QUITE CAPABLE AND SUITABLE FOR THE JOB. WHEN I LOOKED THROUGH THE AGENDA, I SAW ON PAGE 13 A LITTLE GRAPHIC THAT YOU HAVE THERE, IDENTITY. WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO ANALYZE THE WHOLE GRAPH, I WAS ABLE TO ATTACH TEN OF THE POINTS DIRECTLY TO HER. SHE IS A MODEL EMPLOYEE, AND I CAN CALL HER AN ASSET TO THE COMMISSION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. GIBBS. DAVID WILSON-WOLFE, RONNA METCALF, PAULA STAHEL, JACKIE EVERIDGE, AND MARISSA ALOYO. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, GENTLEMEN. MY NAME'S DAVID WILSON-WOLFE, AND I'M ACTUALLY A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO'S HAD SOME -- WELL, MARICELA'S ACTUALLY HELPED ME. I'VE BEEN IN THE COUNTRY NOW FOUR YEARS. I CAME OVER FROM THE UK, AND WITHOUT MARICELA'S ASSISTANCE, THE OMBUDSMAN'S ASSISTANCE, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE CLOSED MY BUSINESS DOWN AND GO BACK TO THE UK, BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST TWO YEARS I WAS ACTUALLY OVER HERE, I KNEW NOTHING OF THE REZONING LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS. TO ME IT WAS ALL CONFUSING, AND THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION PLAYS AN IMPORTANT KEY ROLE FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WITH LANGUAGE BARRIERS, IMMIGRANTS LIKE MYSELF WHO ARE NOT AWARE OF LOCAL REGULATIONS. SINCE MARICELA'S HELP, OUR BUSINESS HAS GROWN, AND WE NOW GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. PLEASE THINK REALLY HARD ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT LOSING THIS POSITION WOULD BE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] >> MY NAME IS RONNA METCALF, AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER IN TAMPA, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEE'S CHAIRMAN T.J. COUCH, JR., AND OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT EACH OF YOU RECEIVED A LETTER EARLIER TODAY REGARDING OUR SITUATION AND THE ARTS COUNCIL GRANT. WE'RE ASKING THAT FUNDING FOR THE ARTS COUNCIL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BE RESTORED TO INCLUDE THEIR REGRANTING PROGRAM FOR 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER. WE PROVIDE THE ONLY KIND OF PROGRAM LIKE THIS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. WE'RE ALSO A NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MODEL SENIOR CENTER. WE OPERATE ON AN EXTREMELY LIMITED BUDGET. OUR IN-KIND DOLLARS AND VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE GREATER -- A GREATER VALUE EVEN THAN OUR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GRANT AND OUR ARTS COUNCIL GRANT COMBINED, SO WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO LEVERAGE DOLLARS. WE APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THAT THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TIME FOR -- FOR ALL OF US AND CERTAINLY FOR THE DECISIONS THAT YOU ARE HAVING TO MAKE, AND -- HOWEVER, WE URGE YOU TO RESTORE THE FUNDING FOR THE ARTS COUNCIL GRANT PROGRAM AND KEEP THE ARTS A VIBRANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. METCALF. PAULA STAHEL, JACKIE EVERIDGE, MARISSA ALOYO, AND MARY JAMES. GOOD EVENING. >> HI. I'M PAULA STAHEL, AND I HAVE BEEN A TEACHER AT THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER FOR THE PAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, AND I SEE FIRSTHAND WHAT RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY COMES FROM THE DOLLARS THAT ARE INVESTED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION THROUGH THE ARTS FUNDING. PEOPLE COME TO THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER FOR SOMETHING TO DO. THEY END UP FAR MORE HEALTHY, MORE VIBRANT, AND MORE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHICH SAVES MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. AT A TIME -- AT A STAGE OF LIFE WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEING TOLD THEY'RE TOO OLD TO CONTRIBUTE, THEY HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, THEIR PHYSICAL CAPACITY MAY BE BEGINNING TO DIMINISH, THEY FEEL A SENSE OF LOSS OF CONTROL, PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED THROUGH THE ARTS FUNDING REVERSE THAT. I WITNESS THIS EVERY TIME I TEACH A CLASS. PEOPLE COME IN. THEY FEEL I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO CONTRIBUTE, I'M NOT THIS, I'M NOT THAT. BY THE END OF THE EIGHT-WEEK SESSION THESE PEOPLE ARE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY EMPOWERED. ONE INSTANCE IN PARTICULAR, AN ELDERLY WOMAN WHO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SCHOOLTEACHERS -- SHE WAS THE FIRST SCHOOLTEACHER IN CALIFORNIA TO TEACH ON TELEVISION IN HER 80s. HER DAUGHTER WAS WORRIED BECAUSE SHE WAS BECOMING A RECLUSE. SHE WAS DEPRESSED. GAVE HER MOTHER A CLASS AT THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER. AT THE END OF THE EIGHT WEEKS THIS WOMAN WAS COMPLETELY REVITALIZED, SHE WAS COMING OUT OF THE DEPRESSION, SHE BECAME ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AGAIN AND BECAME A RESOURCE. SHE SAVED MONEY BY REEMPOWERING HERSELF. ANOTHER WOMAN WHO TAKES THE DANCE CLASS HAD A STROKE AND WAS TOLD SHE WOULD NEVER WALK AGAIN. SHE SAYS OF SAID, YOU'RE WRONG. SHE'S NOW BACK IN THE DANCE CLASS, AND SHE PERFORMS WITH A FOREVER MOVING GROUP. THE MONEY THAT YOU INVEST IS WISELY INVESTED BECAUSE THESE PROGRAMS BRING HEALTH BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT SAVES MONEY IN OTHER PLACES, AND I'LL TELL YOU, IF YOU JUST TURN OFF THE LIGHTS IN THE LIBRARIES ON THE DAYS THAT THEY'RE CLOSED, YOU COULD SAVE A LOT OF CASH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. STAHEL. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. I AM JACKIE EVERIDGE, AND I AM SPEAKING FOR THE PLANT CITY CHILDREN'S THEATER AND THE ARTS COUNCIL OF PLANT CITY. WE SERVICE THE UNDERPRIVILEGED, HANDICAPPED, SPECIAL NEEDS, THE CHILDREN'S HOMES, ADULT DAY CARES, JAMES RANCH, AND THE NURSING HOMES. MR. ART KEEBLE AND THE ARTS COUNCIL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THEY DESERVE EVERY REWARD THAT ANYONE COULD GIVE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS. THEY PROVIDE GRANTS FOR THREE HOURS A WEEK, NOT JUST A VISIT ON CHRISTMAS OR LIKE MOTHER'S DAY, THREE HOURS A WEEK DONATED BY 30 PEOPLE THAT SERVICE 300. ALL OF THESE GROUPS ARE CERTAINLY -- HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT CARES. WE DON'T SHUT PEOPLE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS OR WAREHOUSE PEOPLE AND NOT LOOK BACK. WHEN LIFE BECOMES BETTER FOR THE MOST FRAGILE AMONG US, WE ALL BENEFIT. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE ONE OF THE GIRLS THAT HAS BENEFITED FROM THESE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. MS. MARISSA ALOYO. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. EVERIDGE. >> HI. I'M MARISSA ALOYO. I HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE PLANT CITY CHILDREN'S THEATER FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, AND IT HAS DEFINITELY INFLUENCED MY LIFE. IT HAS TAUGHT ME TO BE PATIENT, USE GOOD TIME MANAGEMENT, AND BE THE BEST THAT I CAN BE. IT HAS REALLY INFLUENCED ME IN MY EDUCATION AS WELL. THIS YEAR I GRADUATED SEVENTH IN MY CLASS. I WAS THE TOP HISPANIC STUDENT WITH A GPA OF 6.5, AND I DO OWE A LOT OF THIS TO WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN THE THEATER. I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE THE YOUNGER GENERATION NOT GROWING UP WITH THE ARTS, AND THE PLANT CITY CHILDREN'S THEATER DEFINITELY INFLUENCES UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN, THOSE CHILDREN THAT CAN'T PAY FOR DANCE LESSONS OR ACTING LESSONS OR THEY CAN'T TRAVEL TO THE TAMPA BAY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. PLANT CITY CHILDREN'S THEATER HAS BEEN THERE FOR THEM, AND I THINK THAT THE ARTS IS SOMETHING EVERY CHILD, NO MATTER WHAT SOCIAL BACKGROUND THEY COME FROM, SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE, AND I JUST WISH THAT YOU GUYS WOULD CONSIDER THAT WHEN COMING UP WITH THE BUDGET. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. ALOYO. MARY JAMES, SHELLY GLENNON, MARK JAMES, AND VICTOR DAVILA. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MARY JAMES, AND I'M HERE FOR THE OMBUDSMAN, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE MARICELA. SHE HELPED MY SON AND I WITH SOME THINGS THAT CAME UP AGAINST OUR PROPERTY, AND WE HAD BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT 43 YEARS, AND WE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION WHEN IT CAME FORTH, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE MARICELA, AND PLEASE KEEP THE OMBUDSMANS ALIVE. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. JAMES. [APPLAUSE] SHELLY GLENNON, MARK JAMES, VICTOR DEVILA, KHALED ALSHROUF. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SHELLY GLENNON, AND I TOO AM HERE ON BEHALF OF PRESERVING THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION. AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND YOU, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF HISPANIC MINORITIES REPRESENTED HERE THAT ARE TRYING TO SAVE MARICELA'S JOB, AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT MARICELA DOESN'T JUST REPRESENT MINORITIES, SHE DOES REPRESENT THE MINORITY OF THE LAYMAN. SHE'S HERE FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTY WHO NEEDS ACCESS TO THE GOVERNMENT. I CONSIDER MYSELF A WELL-EDUCATED PERSON. I HAVE SEVERAL DEGREES. I'M AN INSTRUCTOR AT BLOOMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL. I'M ALSO WELL ABOVE AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE. I'M NOT A DUMMY, BUT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT NO MATTER HOW INTELLIGENT A PERSON IS, THEY CANNOT GET THROUGH THIS SYSTEM IF THEY'RE A LAYMAN. THAT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE. AND I UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SET UP IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE COUNTY AND PROTECT OUR RESOURCES FROM BIG BUSINESSES, BUT THAT'S FINE FOR PEOPLE LIKE M/I HOMES AND U.S. HOMES AND RYLAND HOMES, BUT THIS DOESN'T WORK FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON WHO SIMPLY WANTS TO -- FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR POSITION, WE WERE TRYING TO SUBDIVIDE MY FATHER'S PROPERTY. MY FATHER HAD OWNED THIS PROPERTY FOR 30 YEARS, AND HE SIMPLY WANTED TO GIVE MY BROTHER AND MYSELF AN ACRE SO THAT WE COULD BUILD OUR HOMES NEXT TO MY FATHER. I SPENT A YEAR AND A HALF, AND I HAVE A GYM DUFFLE BAG FULL OF PAPERWORK THAT I HAD TO NAVIGATE TO GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM, AND IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR MARICELA MEDRANO'S HELP, THAT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. SO I BESEECH OF YOU ON BEHALF OF THE AVERAGE JOE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, PLEASE SAVE OUR OMBUDSMAN POSITION FOR EVERYONE. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. GLENNON. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: MARK JAMES, VICTOR DEVILA, KHALED ALSHROUF, REBECCA ARMIJO, AND ARUN PERUMPRAL. >> YES. MY RESPECTS TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MARICELA MEDRANO. WITHOUT HER HELP, AS MY MOTHER SPOKE EARLIER, WE'D PROBABLY NOT HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE. I DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE ZONING CODES OR ANY -- ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE. WITHOUT HER HELP -- SHE TOLD ME HOW TO GET THE EVIDENCE IN WHICH I NEEDED TO PROVE MY INNOCENCE. THE JUDGE STATED IN A LETTER I'D BEEN ADJUDICATED GUILTY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW, AND I RESPECT MARICELA, AND JUST PLEASE, COMMISSIONERS, I BEG OF YOU, LET'S PLEASE KEEP HER AS OMBUDSMAN. >>KEN HAGAN: MR. JAMES, COULD YOU GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> MY NAME IS MARKIE CARROLL JAMES, 14615 FRANKLIN AVENUE, DOVER, FLORIDA. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: VICTOR DEVILA, KHALED ALSHROUF, REBECCA ARMIJO, ARUN PERUMPRAL. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS VICTOR DEVILA. I'M IN FAVOR OF MARICELA MEDRANO IN THE POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN TO PLEASE KEEP THAT POSITION. I'M A RESIDENT OF FLORIDA, OR I LIVE HERE IN YBOR CITY. [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE HER HERE OR TO HAVE THE POSITION FOR THE HISPANIC AND LATINO COMMUNITY HERE IN TAMPA. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> HOW YOU DOING? YES, SIR. MY NAME IS KHALED ALSHROUF. I WISH YOU UNDERSTAND MY ENGLISH, BUT MY ENGLISH IS A LITTLE BIT -- >>KEN HAGAN: SOUNDS GREAT. >> THANK YOU. I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY IN 1987. I START WORKING IN THE OPEN -- BIG COMPANY FOR ELECTRONIC. THE LAST THREE YEARS, YOU KNOW, THE ECONOMY IS BAD. I LOST MY COMPANY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY FAMILY. I GOT THREE KIDS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF JOB I DO. I'M 45 YEARS OLD. I FIND A NICE LOCATION IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, FOR FRUIT STAND, AND I DID THE MISTAKE LIKE EVERYBODY, I JUST WENT TO THE COUNTY OVER THERE AND I HAVE OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE. I THOUGHT THAT'S ALL. I MAKE BIG BUILDING, I SPEND ALL MY MONEY FOR THAT BUILDING, AND I FIND OUT FROM THE SHERIFF I CANNOT STAY OVER THERE. I CAME TO THIS BUILDING HERE, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FROM THE -- I START FROM THE INFORMATION TILL I GET -- TILL I MEET MARICELA, AND SHE GIVE ME THE RIGHT WAY AND SHE TEACH ME HOW I DO MY FRUIT STAND LICENSE RIGHT AND I HAVE HEARING LAST 17 MAY, MAY 17 I MEAN, AND I HAVE THE FIRST APPROVE, I GUESS, AND I FEEL -- I FEEL REAL GOOD. I WISH YOU KEEP THIS LADY IN HER POSITION, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE] REBECCA ARMIJO, ARUN PERUMPRAL, GUADALUPE CONCEPCION, AND EDWIN RIVERA. GOOD EVENING. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> MY NAME IS CARMEN -- REBECCA CARMEN ARMIJO. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I'M HERE TO -- TO SUPPORT THE POSITION OF MARICELA MEDRANO. >>KEN HAGAN: CAN YOU GIVE HIM THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> IT'S AN IMPORTANT POSITION FOR THE BAY OF TAMPA. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> SHE'S AN INVESTMENT -- IN THE INVESTMENT BUSINESS, SHE'S AN INVESTOR IN THIS BAY. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I MAKE INVESTMENTS IN PROPERTY AND I NEED TO BE ABLE TO ARRANGE THINGS SO I CAN MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> AND THIS IS AN EXCELLENT WORKER FOR HILLSBOROUGH. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> AND FOR THIS BAY AREA. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. ARMIJO. [APPLAUSE] ARUN PERUMPRAL, GUADALUPE CONCEPCION, EDWIN RIVERA, OSCAR SANTOS, AND JOSE ARREOLA. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ARUN PERUMPRAL. I'M A SALES ASSOCIATE FROM PEOPLE CHOICE REALTY. I'M HERE TO REQUEST THE COMMISSIONERS TO KEEP MARICELA'S JOB. THE NUMEROUS TIME I WAS IN THE COUNTY OFFICE, SHE HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY. MY BROTHER ALSO OWN A SMALL BUSINESS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. HE HAD ZONING ISSUES WITH THE CAR WASH. MARICELA HELPED HIM TO GET HIS ZONING CHANGED, AND HE IS RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS NOW. SO I WOULD ASK THE COMMISSION AGAIN TO CONSIDER THIS POSITION. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS REVEREND EDWIN RIVERA. MY ADDRESS IS 1221 TUXFORD DRIVE IN BRANDON. I'M HERE IN REPRESENTATION OF MARICELA ALSO TO SPEAK ON HER BEHALF. WE BELONG TO A CHURCH THAT HAS ABOUT 1500 MEMBERS. WE BOUGHT A NEW BUILDING AND WE WERE GETTING INTO A NEW BUILDING PROJECT. OBVIOUSLY NOT KNOWING ALL THAT THE BUILDING CODES AND PERMITTING REQUIRES, SHE BECAME A GREAT ASSET FOR US, NOT ONLY IN HER EXPERTISE, BUT SHE WAS ALSO THERE TO MOTIVATE US AND TO ALWAYS GIVE US A WORD OF ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THROUGH THE PROCESS. THANKS TO HER, WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF OR SO WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING IN THE NEW FACILITIES, AND WE ARE MORE THAN GRATEFUL FOR HER POSITION, AND WE ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER AND KEEP THAT POSITION AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF US. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, REVEREND RIVERA. [APPLAUSE] GUADALUPE CONCEPCION, OSCAR SANTOS, JOSE ARREOLA, RAUL HERNANDEZ. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> GOOD EVENING TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I HAD A PROBLEM WITH A HOUSE THAT I BOUGHT THAT HAD A GARAGE ATTACHED TO IT, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT GARAGE WAS IN THE NEIGHBOR'S LAND. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I CAME TO THE COUNTY BUILDING AND I MET WITH MARICELA. SHE HELPED ME A LOT. SHE'S A LADY WHO DOES LOTS OF THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> SHE HELPED ME OBTAIN A VARIANCE THAT TOOK ALMOST A YEAR TO GET THROUGH. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> PEOPLE LIKE HER NEED TO CONTINUE IN HER POSITION. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> AND THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: WHAT WAS HIS NAME? >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. CONCEPCION. OSCAR SANTOS, JOSE ARREOLA, RAUL HERNANDEZ, AND ROBERT PACADELA. GOOD EVENING. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I WAS A PERSON WHO INVESTED IN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PROPERTIES WHEN I MOVED HERE, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHOM TO SPEAK TO OR WHAT TO DO. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I MET MARICELA MEDRANO, AND SHE WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN ALL AREAS OF VARIANCES AND PERMITS. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I AM VERY SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICES I HAVE RECEIVED FROM HER, AND NOT ONLY THAT, SHE HAS HELPED MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> AS A RESIDENT OF TAMPA, I THINK WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE THAT WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY AND THE ABILITY OF SPEAKING BOTH LANGUAGES. [APPLAUSE] >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> THAT IS ALL. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. SANTOS. JOSE ARREOLA, RAUL HERNANDEZ, ROBERT PACADELA, TED GRABLE, AND LLOYD GARMON. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOSE ARREOLA. [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I'M HERE TO EXPRESS ALL THE HELP I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MARICELA MEDRANO. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I'VE HAD A SMALL BUSINESS FOR FOUR YEARS. >> I MOVED HERE FROM THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I ARRIVED HERE KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT HOW TO SET UP A BUSINESS, ALL THE PERMITS THAT WERE NEEDED. I CAME HERE, AND MARICELA WAS SO GLAD TO HELP ME WITH EVERY SINGLE PERMIT THAT I NEEDED TO START MY BUSINESS. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> WE HOPE SHE CONTINUES IN HER POSITION, AND THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> YES, GOOD EVENING FOR EVERYBODY HERE. MY NAME'S RAUL HERNANDEZ, AND I LIVING IN 7407 ALMARK STREET, TAMPA 33625. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW MARICELA MEDRANO FOR TEN YEARS BEFORE, AND I THINK -- IT'S MY OPINION SHE'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY, HISPANIC IN THIS COUNTY, SO I THINK IT'S THE POSITION YOU NEED TO OPEN BECAUSE SHE'S A BEAUTIFUL PERSON AND VERY PROFESSIONAL IN EVERYTHING, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND APPRECIATE IT. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. HERNANDEZ. [APPLAUSE] ROBERT PACADELA, TED GRABLE, LLOYD GARMON, DANIEL OCEGVERA, AND CANDY OLSON. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> YEAH. MY NAME IS ROBERT PACADELA. I LIVE ON 3307 STONEBRIDGE TERRACE, VALRICO, FLORIDA 33596. I COME TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER THE MAINTAINING THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION IN THE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, MS. MARICELA MEDRANO, AND BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE, I WAS LOST AND USING THE WRONG PROFESSIONAL ADVICE, AND AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS AND TRIPS TO THE COUNTY CENTER, I WAS DIRECTED TO MRS. MARICELA WHO STEP BY STEP [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] THROUGH THE [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] PROPERTY REZONING. MS. MEDRANO KNOWLEDGE [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] IN OUR DIFFERENT CASES, AND THE ONLY REPRESENTATION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP ALL CITIZEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] MS. MEDRANO IS OMBUDSMAN TO HELP YOU GUYS, COMMISSIONER. WITHOUT MEDRANO, THE OMBUDSMAN, THE COMMISSIONER WILL FACE ALL TROUBLED CITIZEN WHERE HAVING -- WHEN TRYING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE COMPLICATED COMPLIANCE [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] AND PERMIT PROCESS. SPANISH SPEAKER AND POPULATION OF CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTRY NEED MARICELA MEDRANO TO BE HERE IN THE COUNTY CENTER BUILDING. FOR BENEFIT OF YOU, COMMISSIONERS, AND CITIZEN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, PLEASE MAINTAIN IN THE POSITION THE OMBUDSMAN MARICELA MEDRANO. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. HERNANDEZ. NEXT, PLEASE. ROBERT PACADELA, TED GRABLE, LLOYD GARMON, DANIEL OCEGVERA, AND CANDY OLSON. DON'T BE SHY. PLEASE, JUST COME FORWARD IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED. >> YEAH, I'M LLOYD. >> SORRY, COMMISSIONERS. GOOD EVENING. I'M TED GRABLE. CHANGING THE SUBJECT A LITTLE BIT WITH YOU, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ASKING YOU TO FUND THE EXPANSION OF THE BLOOMINGDALE REGIONAL LIBRARY. I'M HERE THIS EVENING WITH PAT BOODY, WHO IS ON THE BOARD OF THE BLOOMINGDALE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY. I'M ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF CAROL JONES, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE BLOOMINGDALE FRIENDS, AND SHE'S ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF FRIENDS, AND ALSO FOR CANDY MARTIN, WHO IS A LOCAL RESIDENT AND WHOSE FAMILY ORIGINALLY PIONEERED THE LAND THAT THIS BRANCH THE LIBRARY IS ON, AND IN 2003 WHEN THE COUNTY ACQUIRED THAT PROPERTY MADE AN A DONATION OF AN ADDITIONAL ACRE OF LAND TO HELP MAKE THAT A MORE APPROPRIATE SITE FOR A BRANCH LIBRARY. I'VE BEEN A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE BLOOMINGDALE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I'M A NATIVE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND A RESIDENT OF BLOOMINGDALE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 25 YEARS. THE BLOOMINGDALE LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I THINK AS A COMMUNITY AND AS A COUNTY WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT AREA. IT'S A HUGE COMMUNITY. BLOOMINGDALE'S DRI IS OVER 5,000 HOMES, AND WE FINAL GOT A LIBRARY. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT THAT I HAVE PROVIDED YOU, THE BLOOMINGDALE REGIONAL LIBRARY IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST REGIONAL BRANCHES IN THE COUNTY WITH THE HIGHEST -- ACTUALLY SECOND AND THIRD CIRCULATION, BUT FROM A RESOURCE PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE TIED FOR SEVENTH IN SQUARE FOOTAGE OF REGIONAL LIBRARIES, AND WE ARE IN SIXTH PLACE FOR THE NUMBERS OF VOLUMES OF BOOKS. WE KNOW THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE, WE KNOW THAT YOU SET THIS ASIDE FOR FLAGGING EARLIER TODAY, BUT WE JUST WANT TO REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS EXPANSION PROJECT. WE BELIEVE WE ARE IN THE FIRST PLACE OF THE BOARD'S -- THE LIBRARY BOARD'S EXPANSION FOR THIS LIBRARY. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. GRABLE. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE] LLOYD GARMON, DANIEL OCEGVERA, CANDY OLSON, ART KEEBLE, AND STEPHANIE ARBOLEDA. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> GOOD EVENING. HOW YOU DOING, SIR? >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD. >> CHRIS WORK FOR YOU? IS IT YOUR OFFICE? >>KEN HAGAN: NO, SIR. >> I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF THE NAME OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN MY AREA, BUT I LIVE IN ODESSA. 16137 ARMISTEAD LANE, AND MY NAME IS LLOYD GARMON. I'M HERE FOR MS. MEDRANO. THE GENTLEMAN I -- YOU GUYS -- YOUR POSITION WITH OUR COUNTY AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, I DRIVE A RIG. MY FATHER WAS A MINISTER HERE IN TAMPA FOR 68 YEARS, AND I'VE WATCHED AN AWFUL LOT OF THINGS GO ON IN TAMPA. AS A KID GOING UP THROUGH, MY FAVORITE MAYOR WAS MAYOR NICK NUCCIO. THAT WAS AN INTERESTING MAYOR, YOU KNOW. IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, YOU HAD A PROBLEM, YOU'D CALL THE MAYOR, HE'D TAKE CARE OF IT. AND THAT PERSONAL ATTENTION MADE HIM A VERY POPULAR MAYOR. FOR YEARS YOU COULD SEE SEATS, BENCHES THAT HAD HIS NAME ON IT ALL AROUND OF STUFF THAT HE WOULD DO, AND AS OUR COUNTY GETS LARGER, IT GETS MORE IMPERSONAL -- PERSONABLE, AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH A VARIANCE SITUATION A COUPLE TIMES BACK IN THE '90s. A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF HARRY HEUMAN HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY AND ALLOWED ME TO COME BY HIS HOUSE, AND WE WORKED TILL LATE IN THE EVENING A COUPLE OF TIMES TO GET MY VARIANCE THROUGH BACK IN THE '90s, AND THIS PLANNER THAT I HAD THIS TIME, I DIDN'T KNOW WHO SHE WAS. I GOT AN E-MAIL FROM SOMEBODY AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THE PERSON WAS, AND THE -- UNTIL THE MEETING THAT I HAD IN FRONT OF THE LAND HEARING OFFICER, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW HER. NOW, I DEALT WITH OTHER PLANNERS, BUT THE ONE PERSON THAT HELPED ME THROUGH EVERYTHING WAS MS. MEDRANO. YOU NEED PEOPLE LIKE THIS. YOU JUST INCREASED YOUR PRICE OF -- FOR A VARIANCE BY, WHAT, TWICE, ALMOST DOUBLING IT? YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, SOMEBODY HELPING TO JUSTIFY TO THE PEOPLE THAT COST. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. GARMON. >> AND SHE'S -- SHE'S TOP-NOTCH, GUYS. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN. NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DANIEL OCEGVERA. I DO NOT REPRESENT ANYBODY. I JUST CAME TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE OMBUDSMAN BECAUSE WE BELIEVE WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE HER TO HELP NOT JUST THE SPANISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITY, BECAUSE SHE HELPS EVERYBODY, AS YOU CAN SEE, AS YOU WILL HEAR EVERY SINGLE PERSON SAYING THE SAME THING BECAUSE WE NEED HER. THERE'S A NEED OF A LIAISON WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE COMMUNITY. NORMALLY ALL THE -- ALL THE PROCEDURES TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT, THEY ARE VERY [INCOMPREHENSIBLE], THEY ARE VERY LENGTHY, AND IT TAKES SO LONG TIME FOR PEOPLE TO FINISH WITH THEIR WORK THEY HAVE TO DO, SO PLEASE TRY TO CONSIDER THAT, TRY TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST TO -- TO LOOK FOR SOMEBODY TO HELP THEM BUT TO MAKE IT EASIER. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE I SEND YOU AN E-MAIL TO ALL OF YOU, AND SOME OF YOU ANSWER ME, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR IT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU REALLY CARE FOR WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS THINKING ABOUT. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE] CANDY OLSON, ART KEEBLE, STEPHANIE ARBOLEDA, LUCIANO FERNANDEZ, AND DAVID MOORE. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M CANDY OLSON, 901 EAST KENNEDY BOULEVARD. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ARTS COUNCIL REGRANTING FUNDS. I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE YOU LISTEN TO ALL THE RESEARCH, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THERE'S A TON OF IT THAT SAYS THAT CHILDREN WHO GROW UP IN AN ARTS RICH ENVIRONMENT ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL, THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN RISKY BEHAVIORS, DRUGS, BULLYING, GANGS, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS OUR CHILDREN 18% OF THEIR LIVES. WE CAN DO SOME PROVIDING OF ARTS EDUCATION, BUT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE COLLABORATION REALLY WORKS VERY WELL WHERE YOU HAVE SMALL ARTS GROUPS, INDEPENDENT ARTISTS PROVIDING EXAMPLES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, AND I WOULD JUST SUGGEST TO YOU THAT IF WE WANT OUR KIDS TO GROW UP AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE TAX BASE RATHER THAN BE A DRAIN ON IT, THIS WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD THING TO KEEP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. OLSON. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING, MR. KEEBLE. >> GOOD EVENING. ART KEEBLE WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL. I'D REALLY LIKE TO TELL THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THEIR COMMENTS BECAUSE I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE A CLIENT OF THEIRS SOONER THAN I WOULD LIKE. [LAUGHTER] IN FRONT OF YOU YOU HAVE A PACKET THAT HAS -- THEY'RE PETITIONS. IT LOOKS LIKE MARIELLA WON IN THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES, BUT WE HAVE OVER 1500. YOU ALSO HAVE A REPRINT FROM ERNEST HOOPER'S COLUMN IN THIS MORNING'S ST. PETE TIMES, WHICH I HOPE EACH OF YOU WILL READ. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT IN THE PAST OVER THE YEARS AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL SEE FIT TO CONTINUE FUNDING OUR REGRANTING PROGRAM SO WE CAN HELP OVER 25 CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND MANY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. KEEBLE. [APPLAUSE] STEPHANIE ARBOLEDA, LUCIANO FERNANDEZ, DAVID MOORE, EDGAR VALLEJO, AND RON RAMPOLLA. GOOD EVENING. >> HI. I'M STEPHANIE ARBOLEDA, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE MARICELA MEDRANO TONIGHT. SHE HELPED MY FATHER A GREAT DEAL. HE'S 70 YEARS OLD, AND LIKE A LOT OF HISPANICS TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, OVERCOMING THE LANGUAGE BARRIER IS A HUGE DIFFICULTY IN ITSELF. SHE HELPED MY DAD OVERCOME VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES WITH REZONING ISSUES. SHE HELPED HIM SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS ON HIS PROPERTY, AND MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER THEY SPEAK SPANISH OR NOT, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS IN ITSELF IS VERY, YOU KNOW, INTRICATE, SO I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO RECONSIDER HER POSITION AND -- NOT ONLY FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY TONIGHT BUT FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ON -- YOU KNOW, AS A WHOLE FOR ALL THE CITIZENS. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> MY NAME IS LUCIANO FERNANDEZ. I'M -- I WILL SAY EX-PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER FROM SOUTH AMERICA. I'M LIVING THIS COUNTRY HERE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. SINCE I CAME HERE IN THIS COUNTRY, I'VE BEEN COACHING YOUTH SOCCER LEAGUES, AND NOW I'M STARTING TO BUILD WITH FRIEND OF MINE -- WE BUILDING OUR OWN COMPLEX TO HELP CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND SOCCER GAMES, AND SINCE WE START WORKING IN DOING OUR BUILDINGS, WE HAVE MET MARICELA, AND THIS LADY, AS EVERYBODY ELSE ALREADY SAY SO MUCH GOOD THING ABOUT HER, I WILL SAY THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH HER AT ALL BY GOING ON PROFESSIONAL WORDS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BUILD OUR COMPLEX. MARICELA IS A PERSON WHO CAN COMMUNICATE VERY WELL IN SPANISH, AND SHE MAKES ME AND FRIEND OF MINES TO UNDERSTAND OUR NEED HOW WE HAD TO DO, HOW WE HAD TO HANDLE ALL THE FACILITY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE IT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PERSON, MARICELA, IS A HIGH EDUCATED PERSON, VERY HIGH EDUCATED PERSON BEING BILINGUAL AND WORKING FOR THE CITY. I BELIEVE THAT SHE HAVE TO BE HERE IN THIS POSITION. I AM REALLY APPRECIATE HER WORK, AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF KEEPING HER IN HER POSITION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. DAVID MOORE, EDGAR VALLEJO, RON RAMPOLLA, ALVARO MONTEALEGRE, AND MELINDA CHAVEZ. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS DAVID MOORE, 601 WINHAM STREET IN PALM RIVER. I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE PALM RIVER CIVIC ASSOCIATION THIS EVENING. AT OUR MEETING LAST MONTH WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR 33619, DAVID DEFARIA, WILL NO LONGER HAVE A JOB WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CODE ENFORCEMENT AS OF THE END OF SEPTEMBER, AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITY. IN OUR COMMUNITY PLAN WE CALL FOR ADEQUATE AND PROACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT. OUR COMMUNITY PLAN WAS APPROVED BY THIS COMMISSION. I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE HANDOUT I GAVE TO YOU. IT SEEMS TO ME WE HAVE A LOT OF CHIEFS AND NOT A LOT OF INDIANS ON THE STREETS. WE SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE LIKE PIGS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED YOUR HELP. PLEASE, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO FOR MR. DEFARIA. HE'S AN EXCELLENT EMPLOYEE. HE'S A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I CAN'T SPEAK HIGHLY ENOUGH OF THE MAN. I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND PLEASE HELP US CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. MOORE. APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE PALM RIVER COMMUNITY. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS EDGAR VALLEJO. I AM FROM LITHIA, FLORIDA, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION, AND I -- I WAS GOING TO TELL MY STORY, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES. I WANT TO SAY THIS. THIS POSITION AFFECT MY LIFE IN A WAY THAT AFFECT OTHER LIVES. THROUGH THIS PERSON I WAS ABLE TO GET PERMITS AND EMPLOY SEVEN MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THIS, SO IT HAS AN ECONOMIC EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY, SO I JUST -- I'M HERE TO PLEASE ASK YOU TO KEEP THIS POSITION AND KEEP THIS PERSON AS THE OMBUDSMAN PERSON, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] RON RAMPOLLA, ALVARO MONTEALEGRE, MELINDA CHAVEZ, HAMPTON DOHRMAN, AND KYMBERLY McMAKEN-BAKER. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RON RAMPOLLA. I LIVE AT 11503 CARROLLWOOD DRIVE, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33618. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MARICELA AND THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION. SHE'S A GREAT ASSET TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SHE WAS GREAT WHEN SHE WAS WITH THE CITY, AND SHE'S REALLY BLOSSOMED NOW THAT SHE'S WITH THE COUNTY. BASICALLY, WITH THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE ZONINGS AND THE REGULATIONS THAT IMPACT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERSHIP, IT SEEMS THAT AS BIG AS THE COUNTY IS NOW THAT WE'RE ETHICALLY BOUND TO HAVE SOMEBODY JUST THE AVERAGE PERSON NAVIGATE THE COMPLEXITIES OF THAT, AND I JUST WANT YOU TO CONSIDER THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. RAMPOLLA. NEXT, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALVARO MONTEALEGRE, A RESIDENT OF TAMPA. I WANTED TO BRING TO LIGHT A GREAT CONCERN FELT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OVER THE PROPOSED TERMINATION OF THE POSITION OF HILLSBOROUGH LAND OMBUDSMAN AND MS. MARICELA MEDRANO WHO HAS IN EXEMPLARY FASHION HELD THE POST FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. BEFORE THAT SHE WAS CITY PLANNER FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA FOR MANY YEARS. THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION IS ONE OF THE IF NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT OFFICE FOR THE HOMEOWNERS AND TAXPAYERS OF THE COUNTY. BEWILDERMENT IS OFTEN THE REACTION OF PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN THE NEED TO RESOLVE MATTERS RELATED TO THE VERY COMPLICATED LAND USE REGULATIONS. NUMEROUS PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY -- IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SOME PRESENT HERE, HAVE TOLD US OF THE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND HOME-SAVING RULE MARICELA MEDRANO AND HER OFFICE HAVE PLACED IN THEIR CASES -- HAVE PLAYED IN THEIR CASES. LAND USE OMBUDSMAN IS ONE POSITION IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT TRULY HELPS PEOPLE AND HELPS THE COUNTY. ON BEHALF OF A LARGE SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS, I URGE YOU TO KEEP THE LAND USE OMBUDSMAN AND MARICELA MEDRANO IN THE POSITION. THERE IS GREAT SUPPORT, AS IS EVIDENCED, FOR THE COUNTY OMBUDSMAN. AS MENTIONED BEFORE, OVER 4,000 SIGNATURES WERE GATHERED IN SUPPORT OF -- IN SUPPORT OF THE POSITION BY PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM WERE HELPED AND SUPPORTED BY HER. I URGE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER OR RECONSIDER A LOWER-LEVEL DECISION TO TERMINATE THE POSITION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. MELINDA CHAVEZ, HAMPTON DOHRMAN, KYMBERLY McMAKEN-BAKER, BARBARA WOLFE. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M MELINDA CHAVEZ, AND I LIVE IN TAMPA, AND I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTS AND CULTURE THAT IN THOSE PLACES AND ESPECIALLY IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA BUT ALSO AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA AREA AND OTHER PLACES, WHERE YOU HAVE A CONCENTRATION OF CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, YOU ALSO HAVE A VERY VIBRANT BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL OUTLETS AND OTHER PLACES LIKE THAT BENEFIT GREATLY FROM A STRONG CULTURAL COMMUNITY, SO I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS YOU WEIGH THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. CHAVEZ. NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS HAMPTON DOHRMAN. I'M AN ARTS CONSULTANT AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR BASED IN YBOR CITY. I AM ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL FUNDING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET, IT'S NOT JUST A SINGLE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT. THAT REPRESENTS A NUMBER OF SMALLER GRANTS THAT GO TO EXCEPTIONAL CREATIVE ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN YOU INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY IN THAT WAY, YOU'RE ABLE TO NOT ONLY LEVERAGE DOLLAR AMOUNTS BUT LEVERAGE THE PASSION AND THE CREATIVITY OF THE PEOPLE AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE MONEY GOES TO. IN A TIME WHERE THINGS ARE LEAN, THIS BOARD SHOULD BE LOOKING TO GET THE MOST OUT OF ITS INVESTMENTS AND MAKE THE BUDGET GO AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. INVESTMENTS IN THE ARTS COUNCIL AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT THE ARTS COUNCIL MAKES IN THE COMMUNITY ARE A RARE OPPORTUNITY WHERE YOU CAN ADD ONE AND ONE TOGETHER AND GET THREE. ALSO, FOR ME PERSONALLY, WHAT THE ARTS COUNCIL AND THIS GRANT PROGRAM MEAN IS THAT I LIVE AND WORK IN A COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS THE ARTS. IT MEANS THAT THE PASSION AND DEDICATION THAT I HAVE FOR DEVELOPING THIS COMMUNITY IS SHARED BY OTHERS, AND IF THIS BOARD IS CONCERNED WITH ATTRACTING AND RETAINING THE YOUNG CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL TALENT, THOSE OF US WHO ARE GOING TO BE THE FUTURE CIVIC LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY, THEN THE INVESTMENTS IN THE ARTS COUNCIL ARE A GOOD PLACE TO START. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. DOHRMAN. KYMBERLY McMAKEN-BAKER, BARBARA WOLFE, WALTER PIMENTEL, AND CRUZ HERNANDEZ. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS AND MR. MERRILL. MY NAME IS KYMBERLY McMAKEN-BAKER, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY I'M THE CHAIR FOR THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOCC'S HEAD START POLICY COUNCIL, AND FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY THIS EVENING IS CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE ONE OF THE TOP TEN NATIONALLY RATED HEAD START PROGRAMS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF AND YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN A PART OF THE BOCC SINCE 1965. IT'S NICE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT'S WORKING. WE HAVE HAD OUR BUDGET CHALLENGES FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND WITH THE LEADERSHIP AND THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HEAD START PROGRAM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OVERCOME THOSE CHALLENGES. THE REASON I'M ACTUALLY ADDRESSING YOU TONIGHT IS I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BE IN A REORGANIZATIONAL PHASE IN THE NEXT SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS, AND BECAUSE WE ARE UNDER THE BOCC, WE ARE A FULL-DAY, FULL-YEAR PROGRAM. WE SERVICE 3500 PARENTS. IF WE MAKE CHANGES TO IT BEING A FULL-YEAR, FULL-DAY PROGRAM, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR 3500 PARENTS BECAUSE THEY RELY ON THAT PROGRAM FOR A FULL DAY. SO JUST TO KEEP IN MIND -- WHEN YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE REORGANIZATION PROCESS FOR HEAD START UNDER BOCC, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE'RE DEFINITELY WATCHING THAT AND KEEPING THAT IN MIND, AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, KYMBERLY. APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP. BARBARA WOLFE, WALTER PIMENTEL, CRUZ HERNANDEZ, CARMEN BRACHE, AND PATRICIA BOODY. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BARBARA WOLFE, AND I LIVE AT 17920 BURNSIDE LANE IN LUTZ, FLORIDA. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A PERSON WHO HAS PARTICIPATED IN A PROGRAM AT THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER, WHICH HAS RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE ARTS COUNCIL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. IN 2009 I SIGNED UP FOR A WRITING COURSE TAUGHT BY PAULA STAHEL, WHO SPOKE TO YOU EARLIER, CALLED "PAGES OF MY LIFE." THERE WERE TEN OF US. ALL OF US BUT ONE A SENIOR CITIZEN. EARLIER THIS YEAR I TOOK THE CLASS FOR THE SECOND TIME, AND AS A RESULT OF THE SECOND CLASS -- IT IS THE RESULT OF AN ANTHOLOGY CALLED "PAGES OF MY LIFE," WHICH I WOULD THINK MOST OF YOU -- ALL OF YOU ON THE BOARD HAVE RECEIVED; RIGHT? THREE OF MY STORIES ARE IN IT. MY CLASSMATES' STORIES ARE AS VARIED AS IS THE POPULATION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE VARIETY OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER IS WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A RICH EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF US. IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER IT STATES THAT IT PROVIDES A VIBRANT ARTS -- VIBRANT AND REWARDING CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS IN THE GREATER TAMPA BAY AREA. WE HAVE A LARGE ARTS PROGRAM. PEOPLE COME FOR PAINTING CLASSES, FOR WRITING, TO DANCE, TO LEARN TO SPEAK SPANISH, TO DO TAI CHI, AND GET ACQUAINTED WITH THE COMPUTERS. WE HAVE NO BINGO. WE COME TO STRETCH OUR MINDS. SOME OF US PROBABLY FIND IT A STRETCH TO AFFORD THE $100 FOR AN EIGHT-WEEK CLASS. WITHOUT FUNDING FOR THE ARTS COUNCIL, THERE WOULD BE EVEN MORE STRETCHING. PLEASE CONSIDER WHAT THE ARTS, IN PARTICULAR IN MY PRESENT VIEW THE PROGRAMS OF THE LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER, HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OVER 20,000 PEOPLE A YEAR -- >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. WOLFE. >> -- FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. WE ASK YOU TO FIND A WAY TO RESTORE GRANTS, GRANT FUNDING FOR THE ARTS COUNCIL THAT WILL HELP SUPPORT THE COMING YEAR. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. WOLFE. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. WALTER PIMENTEL, CRUZ HERNANDEZ, CARMEN BRACHE, PATRICIA BOODY, AND ROBERT EDWARDS. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS WALTER PIMENTEL. I'M GOING TO BE VERY SHORT, DIRECT. I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE THE PEOPLE GOT THE POWER, AND WE ARE HERE TO ASK YOU TO KEEP THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION, NOT ONLY BECAUSE MARICELA MEDRANO IS A GREAT PERSON WHO REPRESENTS YOU VERY WELL AND OUR COMMUNITY, OKAY. IF YOU SUPPRESS THAT POSITION, YOU'RE GOING TO LIMIT OUR HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS BY NOT EASY THE WAY WE ACCESS OUR AUTHORITIES, OKAY, AND ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING SHE'S AN ASSET FOR YOU, YOU DON'T SEE IT, BUT WHEN YOU REZONE YOUR PROPERTY FROM RESIDENTIAL OR ANY OTHER TO COMMERCIAL, THERE IS A GAIN FOR THE COUNTY. HOW MANY PROCESS SHE HAS HELPED US? IF YOU GO TO YOUR RECORD, YOU WILL SEE A LOT, OKAY. I THINK SHE GOT WELL DESERVED ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT IS, BUT I THINK IT'S WAY LESS THAN WHAT SHE DESERVES. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CRUZ HERNANDEZ, AND I LIVE IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE OMBUDSMAN DEPARTMENT. I CONSIDER THAT THIS DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE KEPT OPEN BECAUSE LIKE MYSELF, MANY CAN SEEK FOR THE HELP. THEY NEED THE OMBUDSMAN DEPARTMENT BUT MOST OF ALL WITH HELP OF MARICELA MEDRANO. MS. MEDRANO MADE MY DREAMS COMES TRUE. WITH HER HELP AND ADVICE, I ACCOMPLISHED ONE OF MY MANY GOALS. I BELIEVE THAT WITH THE HELP OF THIS DEPARTMENT OFFERS MANY SMALL BUSINESS CAN FLOURISH HELPING THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMY. AND MY PERSONAL OPINION, IF YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET, WITH THIS POSITION AND WITH THIS HARDWORKING LADY CAN HELP TO OPEN MANY OTHER'S SMALL BUSINESS, AND WITH THIS CAN IMPROVE THE ECONOMY TOO, SO IT'S SAME AS THE BUDGET. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. HERNANDEZ. CARMEN BRACHE, PATRICIA BOODY, ROBERT EDWARDS, LEONCIO TREVINO, AND JOE AQUINO. >> HELLO EVENING. MY NAME IS CARMEN BRACHE. I'M COMING HERE TO REPRESENT AND SUPPORT MARICELA MEDRANO TO SERVE IN HER POSITION. WHEN I MOVED HERE FROM MASSACHUSETTS, I CAME AS A REAL ESTATE INVESTOR, AND I'M STILL BRINGING MORE FRIENDS TO MOVE DOWN HERE NOW THAT THE HOUSES ARE AT THE PRICES THAT THEY ARE TODAY, SO MY MOTIVATION TO BE DOING THIS WAS BECAUSE I FOUND THIS HONEST PERSON THAT EVERY TIME THAT WE FIND PROBLEMS IN THE PROPERTIES, SHE WAS HELPING US HOW TO GO THROUGH THE LEGAL AND HONEST WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM, SO AS A TAXPAYER FROM THIS COUNTY AND HAVING A GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO ARE INVESTING IN THIS COUNTY, I PLEASE IMPLORE YOU TO KEEP HER IN THAT POSITION. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> HI. FIRST OFF, MY NAME IS PATRICIA BOODY, B-, AS IN BOY, O-O-D, AS IN DAVID, -Y, NOT WITH A "T." THANK YOU. WELCOME. I WANT TO PASS ALONG MY APPRECIATION TO THE FOLKS HERE AT THE COMMISSION. I KNOW. I GET A LOT OF KIDDING ABOUT IT, AS EVERYBODY COULD IMAGINE. AT ANY RATE, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE FLAGGING OF THE BLOOMINGDALE LIBRARY EXPANSION FOR CONSIDERATION, AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT. I'M A PAST PRESIDENT AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FRIENDS OF THE BLOOMINGDALE REGIONAL LIBRARY, ALSO ON THE FRIENDS OF THE GERMANY LIBRARY AND A PATRON OF VERY MANY OF THEM. WE HAVE THE LAND THANKS TO A GENEROUS DONATION BY THE McLANE FAMILY. WE HAVE THE STAFF. THE CURRENT WORKLOAD ALREADY REQUIRES THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ONBOARD, AND WE HAVE THE DEMAND. THE CIRCULATION, PROGRAMMING, COMPUTER USE, ALL OF THAT IS EQUIVALENT OR HIGHER TO THE LARGE REGIONAL LIBRARIES, AND WE'RE IN A SPACE THAT'S AT LEAST 40% SMALLER, MAYBE EVEN MORE THAN THAT. OUR LIBRARY IS BUSTING AT THE SEAMS, AND WE ARE VERY EAGER TO MEET THE DEMAND AND INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS FROM THAT PART OF THE COUNTY, FROM BLOOMINGDALE, VALRICO, VALRICO, FISHHAWK, AND EVEN IN BRANDON. WE HAVE A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE TARGETED FROM TODDLERS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS. WE'VE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL LIFE STORY WRITING PROGRAM VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THE OTHER LADY TALKED ABOUT. OVER 325 PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, AND THEY MEET MONTHLY, EIGHT DIFFERENT WRITING GROUPS, SO I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO FIND US A LITTLE BIT MORE SPACE AND HELP US MAKE OUR DREAMS COME TRUE FOR BLOOMINGDALE. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. BOODY. ROBERT EDWARDS, LEONCIO TREVINO, JOE AQUINO, DR. MEHRANI, AND FRED HEARNS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M HERE IN THE CAPACITY AS MEMBER AND ALSO THE HISTORIC ST. PAUL AME CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA, WHICH WAS THE SPIRITUAL INSTITUTION FOR THE LATE ROBERT W. SAUNDERS. ON BEHALF OF THE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP AND ALL, WE'RE ASKING YOU-ALL TO CONSIDER MOVING UP THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE EXPANSION OF THE ROBERT W. SAUNDERS LIBRARY. THAT MONEY HAS BEEN FUNDED FOR A WHILE. THE OPERATING COSTS IS THERE, AND IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR THE COUNTY. AS YOU KNOW, IN THAT AREA THE ENCORE PROJECT IS GETTING STARTED AND ALL, AND IT'S A WIN-WIN BECAUSE IT WOULD ACCEPTED A MESSAGE TO ALL THE CITIZENS THAT THE COUNTY IS NOT LAGGING BEHIND IN BRINGING NEW EFFORTS TO THAT AREA, SO I HOPE YOU -- I KNOW YOU-ALL TALKED ABOUT IT BRIEFLY, BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT A WINNER IN THIS COUNTY TO SHOW OUTSIDE THE COUNTY THAT EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE, IT WOULD BEHOOVE YOU TO MOVE THAT CONSTRUCTION UP SO WE WON'T GET CAUGHT LAGGING BEHIND, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THAT IF WE DON'T DO IT, THAT THE MONEY WILL BE TAKEN, SO PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. EDWARDS. NEXT, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING. >> GREETINGS TO EACH ONE OF YOU. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I COME BEFORE YOU, AND I FEEL MYSELF PRIVILEGED. MY NAME IS LEO TREVINO, 226 BELFORT PLACE, VALRICO 33594. I AM A BISHOP FOR THE NORTH REGION OF THE CHURCH OF GOD, THE SPANISH OFFICE, AND I REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 30 CHURCHES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND OUR MEMBERS HAVE BEEN -- BENEFITED FROM THE HELP OFFERED BY THE OMBUDSMAN AND MRS. MARICELA MEDRANO. IF HER POSITION IS -- OR THIS POSITION AND DEPARTMENT IS CLOSED, I'M CONCERNED THAT OUR HELP -- OUR MEMBERS ARE NOT GOING TO RECEIVE THE HELP THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED FROM YOU THROUGH THIS DEPARTMENT. I ALSO -- IN THE TIME WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR PROPERTIES BECAUSE OF UNEMPLOYMENT, MY CONCERN IS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING, AND IT WILL BE A TRAGEDY FOR THEM TO HAVE -- CONTINUE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THEIR PROPERTIES IN THIS TIME, HARD TIME, SO I REALLY CONSIDER -- AND I APPEAL TO YOU TO CONSIDER HER POSITION AND THIS DEPARTMENT OPEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. TREVINO. JOE AQUINO, DR. MEHRANO, FRED HEARNS, TOY MARTINEZ, AND RON JONES. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> GOOD EVENING, MR. HAGAN, TO ALL OF YOU COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO MAKES THE COUNTY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND TO DO BUSINESS WITH AND COMMISSIONERS WHO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. MY NAME IS JOHN AQUINO IN 5802 CAUSEWAY BOULEVARD, TAMPA 33619. IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO STAND BEFORE YOU. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE OMBUDSMAN, IN PART, MARICELA MEDRANO. FIRST OF ALL, AS A COMMON MAN, WHEN I APPLIED FOR REZONING AND TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THIS, IT WAS -- I WAS GIVEN A NEGATIVE PICTURE ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. I WAS OVERWHELMED AND OVERBEARING AT THAT. MY THOUGHTS WERE WHENEVER YOU DEAL WITH GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY, IT'S A HASSLE, I WAS TOLD, BUT THESE THOUGHTS SUBSIDED WHEN ACTUALLY ONE OF THE OMBUDSMEN, MARICELA, IN PARTICULAR, HELPED ME FILL OUT ALL THE PAPERWORK, EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT I NEEDED TO DO. SEE IN SHORT, UNCOMPLICATED, EVERYTHING, MADE IT SIMPLE, AND IT WAS VERY PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IS HITTING EVERYONE, BUT YET YOUR BEST RESOURCES IS THE COMMON PEOPLE LIKE ME AND ALL OF THIS IN -- IN THE AUDIENCE. NOW, THE JOB OF THE OMBUDSMAN WAS QUITE -- THEIR OBJECTIVE IS TO HELP PEOPLE, AND MARICELA MEDRANO DID JUST THAT FOR ME, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER HER POSITION. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. AQUINO. [APPLAUSE] DR. MEHRANI, FRED HEARNS, TOY MARTINEZ, RON JONES, AND THOMAS ABRAHAM. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. I AM DR. EBRAHIM MEHRANI, LIVING AT 19614 DEER LAKE ROAD, LUTZ. I'M HERE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOU PRESERVE THE OMBUDSMAN'S POSITION FOR MARICELA MEDRANO. I HAVE HEARD SO MANY STORIES ABOUT MARICELA HELPING PEOPLE AND AFFECTING THEIR LIVES, BUT TO SUBSTANTIATE MY OWN REQUEST TO YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE VARIANCE PROCESS. ON FEBRUARY 10th, 2010, I SENT -- I SENT AN E-MAIL TO YOU WITH A LETTER ATTACHED. THE LETTER MEANT TO BE A STATEMENT OF MY APPRECIATION FOR GOING THROUGH A VARIANCE PROCESS THAT WAS JUST A BIT SHORT OF A NIGHTMARE. I HAVE A COPY OF THAT LETTER I SENT YOU, AND I WILL LEAVE IT HERE IN CASE YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO READ IT. I REQUESTED FOR A VARIANCE FOR GOLF DRIVING RANGE, AND HEARING WAS SCHEDULED IN AUGUST 2009. THE RESULT OF HEARING WAS INCONCLUSIVE. TO US IT WAS RESCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 2009, AND MY REQUEST WAS GRANTED IN JANUARY 2010. NOW, I WILL BRIEFLY PRESENT TO YOU AN EXCERPT OF THE LETTER. OF COURSE, THE REST OF IT YOU CAN READ WHEN I LEAVE A COPY OF IT HERE. WHAT IF I HAD NOT COME ACROSS MARICELA MEDRANO? I WAS LUCKY THAT MY VARIANCE WAS NOT TOTALLY DENIED THE FIRST TIME, AND I HAD THE CHANCE WITH MARICELA MEDRANO ASSISTANCE TO PRESENT IT AGAIN AND SUCCEED. MY THOUGHTS TURNED TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT DID NOT COME ACROSS MARICELA MEDRANO AND THEIR VARIANCES WERE DENIED. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. MEHRANI. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. >> MY TIME'S UP? >>KEN HAGAN: YES, SIR. >> I'M SORRY. >>KEN HAGAN: NO, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN. THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MR. HEARNS. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND GOOD EVENING TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND STAFF. MY NAME IS FRED HEARNS. I LIVE AT 18017 VILLA CREEK DRIVE IN TAMPA, AND I'M HERE AS PRESIDENT OF THE ROBERT W. SAUNDERS LIBRARY FOUNDATION. MANY OF YOU NEW MR. SAUNDERS WHO PASSED AWAY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT, STARTED THE EEO PROGRAM HERE. THE FORMER YBOR CITY LIBRARY WAS RENAMED FOR HIM ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, AND ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO THIS COMMISSION APPROVED $7.8 MILLION FOR EXPANSION OF THAT LIBRARY, AND I THINK WE'VE BEEN SORT OF IN A HOLDING PATTERN WAITING UNTIL OPERATING FUNDS WERE IN PLACE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING NOW THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE. CONSTRUCTION MONEY WAS APPROVED YEARS AGO. WE'RE ASKING THAT IF YOU COULD NEXT YEAR, THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR, 2011, BEGIN THE PLANNING PROCESS. THAT'S GOING TO PROBABLY TAKE ABOUT A YEAR. CONSTRUCTION MAY TAKE A YEAR AND A HALF. WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO COINCIDE COMPLETION OF THAT LIBRARY POSSIBLY IN 2012, WHICH WILL COMPLEMENT THE ENCORE PROJECT WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, HAS ALREADY BROKEN GROUND, AND WE DO HAVE LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM JEROME RYANS WITH THE TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY; THOMAS SCOTT, CHAIR OF TAMPA CITY COUNCIL; STATE REPRESENTATIVES DARRYL ROUSON, BETTY REED; AND ALSO DR. SHELL RODRIGUEZ, AND WE HAVE PACKETS, ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL -- THE COMMISSION, RATHER, TODAY FOR YOU TO CONSIDER AND ALSO FOR MR. MERRILL. WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN BEGIN THE PLANNING PROCESS THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR, GET STARTED, AND ENHANCE THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH BOOKER T. WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHICH WE'VE DEVELOPED, WHICH IS REALLY HELPING THOSE KIDS, AND SUPPORT THE ENCORE PROJECT, WHICH IS GOING TO BRING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO THE CENTRAL AVENUE AREA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. HEARNS. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE] TOY MARTINEZ, RON JONES, THOMAS ABRAHAM, SIGRID TIDMORE, AND SHERIFF IGUARAN. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE PLANNING AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW ROBERT SAUNDERS LIBRARIES AND MOVING -- LIBRARY AND MOVING THAT DATE UP FROM 2014 TO 2012. AS THE PRINCIPAL OF BOOKER T. WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY, THIS IS A VITAL PARTNERSHIP FOR MY SCHOOL, AND IT LITERALLY ALLOWS US TO WALK OUT OUR BACK DOOR TO GO TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. THIS NEW LIBRARY OPENING SOONER WILL ALLOW MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MY STUDENTS TO READ, CHECK OUT BOOKS, USE THE TECHNOLOGY, AND ATTEND THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE THERE FOR US WEEKLY. I'M EXCITED, AND I'M ANXIOUS FOR THE SOONER-THAN-LATER OPENING OF THE NEW ROBERT W. SAUNDERS LIBRARY. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: AND MA'AM -- MA'AM, WILL YOU GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. >> TOY MARTINEZ, 6006 JOHNS ROAD, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33634. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. MARTINEZ. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT, PLEASE. >> HI. I'M RON JONES, 5020 WESLEY DRIVE IN TAMPA. I'M DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, SO YOU CAN GUESS WHAT I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO. WE KNOW THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES, AND ALL OF US ARE VERY SYMPATHETIC TO THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAVE AND THE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU, BUT TOUGH DECISIONS ARE THE MOMENT WHEN THE REAL VALUES THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR A GOVERNMENT ENTITY DEMONSTRATE, AND THOSE VALUES HAVE TO BE THE RIGHT ONES. THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA HAS 47,000 STUDENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA HAS SEVERAL THOUSAND STUDENTS, AND THE HILLSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS A NUMBER OF STUDENTS, ALL ROUNDED OUT ABOUT 55,000 IN THE HILLSBOROUGH AREA. THEY WILL BE THE LEADERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN THE FUTURE, AND YOU ARE SETTING THE -- THE MODEL, YOU'RE SETTING THE KIND OF SENSE OF WHAT IS VALUED AND WHAT IS NOT VALUED. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE, ALTHOUGH IF YOU'D GIVE ME ABOUT TWO HOURS, AS A PROFESSOR I'D TAKE THAT TIME TO DEMONSTRATE TO YOU IN LOGIC AND REASON WHY THE ARTS ARE REALLY CENTRAL TO THE HEALTH OF A COMMUNITY AND TO THE HEALTH OF -- OF THE FUTURE OF A COMMUNITY, BUT I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT. I THINK IT'S JUST TOUGH DECISIONS, BUT TOUGH DECISIONS REQUIRE TOUGH POSITIONS, AND YOUR POSITION HAS TO BE DRIVEN BY VALUES, AND I'D RECOMMEND THAT YOU DEMONSTRATE TO ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE STUDYING, SHOW THEM WHAT -- WHAT REAL VALUE IS IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS BY SUPPORTING THOSE THINGS THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY THE FUTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. JONES. [APPLAUSE] THOMAS ABRAHAM, SIGRID TIDMORE, SHERIFF IGUARAN, ED ROSS, AND MATTHEW LAKEEMA. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS SIGRID TIDMORE. I AM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF HEALTHY TOGETHER TAMPA BAY, AND I'M ALSO A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST, AND I GUESS I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING YOU IN YOUR WISDOM FOR FLAGGING THE ARTS BUDGET BECAUSE IT REALLY IS ONE OF THE MOST DESERVING, HIGH RETURN AREAS IN YOUR ENTIRE BUDGET. I AM A GUEST ARTIST AND A VOLUNTEER TEACHER FOR COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES, WHICH IS A PROGRAM THAT SERVES THE YOUTH IN SULPHUR SPRINGS, WHICH ALL OF YOU KNOW IS ONE OF TAMPA'S VERY POOREST AREAS, AND THE VERY SMALL PITTANCE OF MONEY THAT COMES DOWN, STARTS AT THE ARTS COUNCIL AND GOES OUT AND SPREADS THROUGH ALL THESE PROGRAMS, THAT LITTLE PITTANCE LITERALLY CHANGES LIVES IN A VERY, VERY HUGE WAY. ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF ART IS TO SAY WHAT CAN'T BE SAID BY THE REST OF US WHEN WE ARE JUST UP HERE SPEAKING. ART IS HUGELY EXPRESSIVE. WHERE ARE MY TWO YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY WITH ME? LAKEEMA. YOU'VE GOT SOME THINGS TO SHARE? CAN I PLEASE HAVE THEM, THE POSTERS AND THE LETTERS? >> [INAUDIBLE] >> YOU ALREADY PASSED IT OUT? GREAT. I'M SO GLAD THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT TEACHING CHILDREN THE ARTS IS ABOUT CRAYONS AND POSTER PAINTS. THESE ARE NOT CHILDREN, THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE SOON GOING TO BE VOTERS, AND THESE YOUNG PEOPLE CREATED THIS POSTER, EIGHT FOOT BY EIGHT FOOT, AND ARE SENDING IT TO PRESIDENT OBAMA TO TELL HIM WHAT WE THINK ABOUT THIS GULF OIL SPILL. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO VOTE SOON. THIS IS CHANGING THEIR LIVES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. PLEASE HELP THEM CONTINUE TO DO THIS. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. TIDMORE. THOMAS ABRAHAM, SHERIFF IGUARAN, ED ROSS, MATTHEW LAKEEMA, YVENEL CASSEIDE, I BELIEVE. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SHERIFF IGUARAN, AND I LIVE IN THE EAST PART OF THE TOWN IN SEFFNER, FLORIDA. AND I CAME HERE NOT ON BEHALF OF ANYBODY, JUST ON BEHALF OF ME TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT MARICELA MEDRANO, BUT I HAVE HEARD SO MUCH THAT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HER. GENTLEMEN, NOBODY HAVE TOLD YOU THIS. ANY INDUSTRY, ANY COMPANY, ANY ORGANIZATION, ANY FOUNDATION WHO HAS AN EMPLOYEE LIKE THIS LADY MUST BE PROUD TO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE LIKE HER. SHE'S JUST NOT A PROFESSIONAL, SHE'S JUST A CIVIC -- CIVIC EMPLOYEE. AND THE SECOND THING IS 15 DAYS AGO I TALKED TO HER REGARDING THIS ISSUE, AND THIS IS WHAT I HEARD. SHE WANTS TO BE HERE, SHE WANTS TO KEEP BEING PART OF YOU, SHE WANTS TO REPRESENT YOU FOLKS. PLEASE [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] COMMISSIONER THAT YOU HAVE BEEN NAMED, THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU FIRE THIS LADY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: LAST CALL FOR THOMAS ABRAHAM, THEN ED ROSS, MATTHEW LAKEEMA, YVENEL CASSEIDE, PAT BENJAMIN, AND ALLEN DANH. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> GOOD EVENING. HELLO AGAIN. MY NAME IS ED ROSS, AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE ARTS COUNCIL. I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR OVER -- ALMOST 35 YEARS, AND DURING THAT TIME, I HAVE SEEN WITH MY OWN EYES, MY OWN HANDS, MY OWN HEART WHAT THE -- THE CHANGES IN CHILDREN AND YOUTH LIVES IN THIS COMMUNITY, IN THIS ENTIRE PLACE. IF YOU GO TO SEFFNER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH THE ARTS COUNCIL -- I WENT OUT THERE AND THEY DEVELOPED A MURAL THAT WAS MADE OUT OF CLAY, AND IT WAS THE FIRST THROUGH FIFTH GRADE SPECIAL STUDENTS. IT'S SPECTACULAR. IT WOULD HOLD UP WITH ANYBODY, AND THESE ARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS. I'VE WORKED WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS IN WHICH THEY FOUND THEIR VOICES TO SPEAK AT DIFFERENT PLACES THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS PUBLIC ART PIECES. MUCH OF THIS WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE ARTS COUNCIL AT ALMOST NOTHING, NOTHING CLOSE TO THE COST OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO. WHEN YOU SAVE CHILDREN OR YOUTHS' LIVES WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY, YOU ARE INVESTING IN A FUTURE AND IN PEOPLE WHO WILL RETURN THAT INVESTMENT MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES OVER. THIS IS NOT JUST AN INVESTMENT IN SOME KIND OF OBJECT, IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN A LIFE. IN OUR COMMUNITY 85% OF THE ADULTS HAVE NOT COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL OR HAVE A GED. ANY KID THAT'S BEEN WITH US TWO YEARS OR LONGER IS ON COLLEGE TRACK, AT LEAST GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL. THAT'S A MAJOR, MAJOR INVESTMENT IN A LIFE, AND IF YOU THINK WHAT IT COSTS TO DO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THEY HAD NOT HAD THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, THINK ABOUT IT. I CAN MAKE $600 A DAY DOING DRUGS OR I CAN WORK FOR MINIMUM WAGE. THINK ABOUT IT. THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT CHOICE WOULD BE. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU. YOU HAVE SUPPORTED THE ARTS, BUT YOU'VE ALSO SUPPORTED MANY, MANY, MANY SCHOOLS, PEOPLE, AND LIVES THROUGH THE ARTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. ROSS. >> AND YOU-ALL TAKE CARE. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT, PLEASE. >> OH, AND THESE ARE MY STUDENTS. SOME OF MY STUDENTS WILL SPEAK ABOUT A PROGRAM. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT, PLEASE. >> HI. >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD EVENING. >> HI. MY NAME IS LAKEEMA MATTHEW. I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES SINCE I WAS ABOUT -- AWKWARD. OKAY. I'VE BEEN A PART OF COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES FOR ABOUT, LIKE -- ABOUT SIX YEARS. I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE I WAS ABOUT 14 YEARS OLD. I'M 20 NOW, AND WITH COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES -- THE ART COUNCIL HAS BROUGHT MONEY FOR OUR PROGRAM, AND GROWING UP I HAVE BEEN HAVING JUST LIKE THE ROUGH TIME. I DIDN'T LIKE SCHOOL OR ANYTHING, AND WITH COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES, THEY TAUGHT ME AND ENCOURAGED ME THAT I SHOULD GO TO SCHOOL, AND FROM THAT I STARTED BRINGING UP MY GRADES, GETTING A HIGH HONOR ROLL, AND NOW -- I STARTED OFF AS A STUDENT THERE THAT THEY TAUGHT, AND NOW I'M A TEACHER, AND THEY GIVE US OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE A JOB INSTEAD OF BEING OUT IN THE STREETS. WE'RE IN SULPHUR SPRINGS, ONE OF THE MOST POOREST NEIGHBORHOODS IN TAMPA, AND WITH THIS -- THIS -- THIS GRANT MONEY, IT HAS REALLY HAD -- CHANGES OUR LIVES AND GOT US OUT OF TROUBLE BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY TIMES WHERE I FELT LIKE DOING OTHER THINGS, BUT ED WOULD KEEP ON JUMPING ON OUR CASE AND JUST KEEP PUSHING US TO GO FARTHER IN JUST LIKE FULFILLING OUR EDUCATIONS, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR JUST LISTENING TO US, AND I JUST HOPE THAT YOU JUST -- FROM THIS YOU'LL -- YOU'LL CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT TAKING THAT GRANT AWAY FROM US. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS YVENEL CASSEIDE, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE ARTS COUNCIL AS A STUDENT AND NOW INSTRUCTOR AND SUPERVISOR AT COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES. I'VE BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT SIX AND A HALF PLUS YEARS OF MY LIFE, SINCE THE AGE OF 11, AND AT THE BEGINNING I CAN PRETTY HONESTLY TELL YOU I DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF COLLEGE AND MY GRADES WERE TERRIBLE, QUITE TERRIBLE, AND SINCE COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES, SINCE THEY INTRODUCED ME TO ART AND WHAT ART CAN DO, MY PASSION FOR ART HAS GROWN TO IMMENSE PROPORTIONS, AND NOW WHERE I HAD A GPA OF MAYBE LET'S SAY 1.3, IT'S NOW GONE UP -- IT'S NOW GONE UP TO OVER 3.2 IN, YOU KNOW, JUST A FEW YEARS, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES. I NEVER HAD ASPIRATIONS TO GO TO COLLEGE, AND NOW I WANT TO ATTEND RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART DESIGN IN SARASOTA, AND I AM DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO GAIN SCHOLARSHIPS TO GO THERE, AND IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR COMMUNITY STEPPING STONES, THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I LIKE TO THINK THAT I'M LIVING PROOF OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTS IN THE LIFE OF A YOUTH, AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER CUTTING THE ARTS FUNDING TO THE ARTS COUNCIL. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] PAT BENJAMIN, ALLEN DANH, TAVCILA PIMENTAL, DR. MERCEDES MONTEALEGRE. YES, SIR. >> YES. MY NAME IS ALLEN DANH. I'M HERE FOR THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION THAT MS. MARICELA MEDRANO IS HOLDING. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY STORY. IN DECEMBER 2009, WHILE I WAS BUILDING TWO HOUSE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I WAS STOPPED BY THE INSPECTOR BECAUSE THE SETBACK PROBLEM IN THE FRONT YARD OF THE HOUSE. I WAS -- I WAS VERY UPSET BECAUSE I WAS BUILDING THE HOUSE ACCORDINGLY TO THE APPROVED PLAN BY THE COUNTY. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO UNTIL I WENT TO THIS BUILDING AND I MET WITH MS. MARICELA. SHE HELPED ME PUT TOGETHER THE PACKET FOR A VARIANCE REQUEST FOR THE TWO HOUSE. WE GOT IT APPROVED FOR THE VARIANCE, AND I FINISH -- ABLE TO FINISH UP MY TWO HOUSE. FURTHERMORE, JUST LAST MONDAY I CAME TO SEE HER BECAUSE ONE OF THE -- MY MOTHER IS LIVING IN ONE OF THE HOUSE, AND SHE NEEDS AN OFFICE FOR HER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO HELP THE LOW-INCOME SENIOR CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTY AND AROUND THE COUNTRY AS WELL. I SPOKE WITH HER, AND SHE HELPED ME PUT TOGETHER THE CONDITIONAL USE FOR AN OFFICE, AND IT'S GOING THROUGH VERY WELL. I ALSO OVERHEAR THE RUMOR THAT THEY SAYING THAT CALLING HER A HISPANIC OMBUDSMAN. TO ME THAT IS NOT TRUE. REGARDLESS OF RACE, NATIONALITY, COLOR, SHE HELP EVERYBODY, WHOEVER NEEDS HER HELP. IN FACT, I'M NOT HISPANIC. I DO NOT SPEAK SPANISH, BUT SHE HELP ME ALL THE WAY TOO. [APPLAUSE] ALL THE COMMISSIONER, PLEASE, THIS POSITION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY TO THE MINORITY COMMUNITY. PLEASE CONSIDER THE POSITION TO KEEP HER. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. DANH. >> THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE] PAT BENJAMIN, TAVCILA PIMENTAL, DR. MERCEDES MONTEALEGRE, JIMMY PIZARRO, AND LEONOR MACIAS. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M PAT BENJAMIN. I'M PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY OF SEMINOLE HEIGHTS. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PROCESS AND THE STARTING OF OUR NEW LIBRARY. IT'LL CERTAINLY BE A YEAR BEFORE IT'S FINISHED, BUT WE'RE VERY HAPPY. I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE PASS THE LIBRARY BUDGET. ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE LIBRARIES IS SO IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE, TODDLERS TO PEOPLE MUCH OLDER THAN I. PLEASE PASS THE LIBRARY BUDGET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. BENJAMIN. NEXT, PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING, COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS TAVCILA PIMENTAL, AND I HAVE COME HERE TO REPRESENT THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY OF WIMAUMA AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THE COUNTY HAS GIVEN TO US TONIGHT TO EXPRESS OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR NEEDS. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE BEST OUTCOMES ARE RESULTS OF GOOD FAITH AND GOOD COMMUNICATION. I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH -- FOR THIS COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS AS A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATE AND COMMUNITY EDUCATOR. I HAVE DEVELOPED DIFFERENT KINDS OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND I'M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW WELL AND HOW CLOSE I KNOW THIS COMMUNITY. I AM AWARE OF THE FEARS AND THE STRUGGLES THAT THEY MUST OVERCOME TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND WHEN THEY FINALLY ACHIEVE ONE OF THEIR GOALS, WHICH IS OWNING A HOME, THEY REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT AND DIFFERENT THE CODES ARE WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGE -- MAKING CHANGES IN THEIR HOUSES. IT'S BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THESE PROCESSES THAT WE MET THE OMBUDSMAN, MRS. MARICELA MEDRANO, WHO HAS REPRESENTED THE COUNTY VERY WELL THROUGH EDUCATIONAL TALKS AND MANAGING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CASES. SHE HAS MADE OUR PROCESSES EASIER AND HAS HELPED US FIX PROBLEMS WITH THE COUNTY. SHE HAS BEEN A BLESSING FOR US THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS. THE COMMUNITY OF WIMAUMA KNOW HER AND TRUST HER, AS SHE HAS GAINED OUR CONFIDENCE. YET IN THE LAST MONTH WE HAVE BEEN WORRIED THAT THIS POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN MAY BE CLOSED, AND FOR THIS REASON, ON BEHALF OF WIMAUMA COMMUNITY, I AM STANDING HERE TO ASK YOU COMMISSIONERS TO LET THIS POSITION CONTINUE AND LET US CONTINUE HAVING NOT ONLY GOOD COMMUNICATION BUT ALSO WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE GOOD FAITH THAT MRS. MEDRANO HAS REFLECTED -- >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. PIMENTAL. >> -- FROM OUR COUNTY THROUGH HER COMPASSIONATE AND HARD WORK. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: DR. MERCEDES MONTEALEGRE, JIMMY PIZARRO, LEONOR MACIAS, MARILYN SMITH, AND JERRY BICKEL. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE TIRED BY NOW. I AM HERE ALSO ON BEHALF OF MARICELA MEDRANO AND TO SPEAK TO YOU TO TRY TO PLEASE HAVE YOU RECONSIDER CLOSING DOWN THE POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN. I AM A PHYSICIAN HERE IN TAMPA. I GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, SO I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF AN UNINTELLIGENT PERSON, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT, COMPLEX PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO GET ZONING DONE. I OWN MY OWN OFFICE COMPLEX AND SEVERAL OTHER PROPERTIES, AND IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR MARICELA MEDRANO AND THE POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO -- THE HELP THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET FROM MARICELA. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS MANY, MANY PEOPLE BEING HELPED BY HER, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THAT SHE IS NOT JUST HELPING THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN TELL, I AM VERY PROFICIENT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, BUT I KNOW THAT SHE HAS HELPED MANY OTHER PEOPLE -- I MEAN MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND SO AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO PLEASE RECONSIDER AND THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY HER HELP AND HER POSITION. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, DR. MONTEALEGRE. [APPLAUSE] JIMMY PIZARRO, LEONOR MACIAS, MARILYN SMITH, JERRY BICKEL, AND DONNA McBRIDE. GOOD EVENING, SIR. >> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS JIMMY PIZARRO. I LIVE IN 17881 SAILFISH DRIVE IN LUTZ, FLORIDA, AND I HAVE OTHER PROPERTY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] A JOURNALIST IN TAMPA AREA FOR HISPANIC MEDIA. I AM HERE TO GIVE MY SUPPORT TO MRS. MARICELA MEDRANO FOR OMBUDSMAN POSITION BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN EXCELLENT CITIZEN, AND I BEAR WITNESS THAT SHE HAS DONE GREAT, GREAT JOB IN HER CURRENT POSITION. PLEASE, COMMISSIONERS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION FOR ALL COMMUNITY, THE HISPANIC, OTHER ETHNIC COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS LEONOR MACIAS. I RESIDE IN 9078 MOONLIT MEADOWS LOOP, RIVERVIEW, FLORIDA 33578. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SUPPORT THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION. AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, YOU KNOW, I COME TO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT SHE IS FOR THE COMMUNITY, ALL SPANISH AND NONHISPANIC. AT THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE PROPERTY THAT MY HUSBAND BOUGHT, AND SHE TREMENDOUSLY HELPED US, YOU KNOW, TO FILL OUT APPLICATIONS. ALL THE PROCESS WAS MUCH EASIER. YOU KNOW, TONIGHT I CAME TO SPEAK ABOUT HER POSITION, YOU KNOW, HER PERSON, YOU KNOW. MS. MEDRANO IS A PERSON OF HIGH INTEGRITY, YOU KNOW, MORALS, AND IT'S HARD TO FIND NOWADAYS PEOPLE LIKE THAT, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND THROUGHOUT THE HEARING I CHANGED MY MIND ABOUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT HER, BECAUSE I CAME TO REALIZE AND IT DAWNED ON ME THAT SHE IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT FOR US, THE PEOPLE, SHE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU, THE COMMISSIONERS, THE COUNTY, THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE SHE TAKES A LOAD OFF MANY PEOPLE'S BACK, AND I SAW THAT, YOU KNOW. SHE -- SHE ALWAYS TOOK -- I ALWAYS SAY THAT THERE'S -- THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORDINARY PEOPLE AND EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE IS THE EXTRA, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE IS, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT SHE HELPS. SHE'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS BECAUSE SHE ALWAYS GOES THE EXTRA MILE, AND NOT EVERYBODY DOES THAT. SO WE PRAYED A LOT FOR HER, YOU KNOW, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THE WISDOM AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT SHE'S IMPORTANT, THOUGH YOU'RE IN A TOUGH SITUATION. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE, BUT CONSIDER HER. SHE'S MOST IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. MARILYN SMITH, JERRY BICKEL, DONNA McBRIDE, JUSTIN VON FISCHER, AND SANTOS NORIEGA. GOOD EVENING, MS. SMITH. >> OKAY. MARILYN SMITH, GRANDMOTHER-AT-LARGE, P.O. BOX 66, SYDNEY, FLORIDA. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MONEY YOU STILL GOT IN THE BUDGET FOR SPORTS COMMISSION. LOOKS LIKE WE GOT $750,000 THERE BETWEEN THE TWO FUNDINGS. AND HOW ABOUT THE TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER? A MERE MILLION. MY GOODNESS. CAN'T BE TOO BROKE. AND ALTHOUGH ALL WE PAY TO THE TAMPA PARTNERSHIP IS $40,000 FOR MEMBERSHIP, THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME ANY KIND OF ANSWER ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY HAVE OR WHERE THEY GET IT. THEY GET MONEY FROM US, BUT THEY DON'T EVER LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DO, JUST LIKE THE CONVENTION CENTER PEOPLE. THEY CONSIDER THAT ABOVE THEM. THEY DON'T NEED TO ANSWER TO THE PUBLIC BUT THEY USE OUR MONEY. NOW, ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING TROUBLE. LET ME TELL YOU, FOLKS, WHEN I CAME HERE, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I CAME FROM TEXAS, AND THAT MIGHT AS WELL BE A FOREIGN LAND. [LAUGHTER] IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT HERE, AND IT WAS LIKE HAVING A FORK IN A BOWL OF SOUP. I HAD TO LEARN MY WAY THROUGH HERE, AND WHENEVER POSSIBLE, I HELP PEOPLE WITH LANGUAGE PROBLEMS. WHEN I GO TO A FOREIGN LAND, I TRY TO LEARN THEIR LANGUAGE. WE DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND HERE, WHEN YOU COME HERE -- WE HAD A MAN TELL ME HE'S BEEN HERE 64 YEARS AND HE WANTED AN INTERPRETER? WHAT KIND OF GARBAGE IS THAT? YOU COME HERE, THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY. YOU DON'T REFER TO ANOTHER PLACE THAT'S YOUR COUNTRY. YOU'RE AN AMERICAN. WHAT'S THIS ABOUT ANOTHER COUNTRY? I THINK YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS LITTLE TRAIN THAT YOU- ALL ARE THINKING IS SO GREAT, TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP TAKES MY MONEY AND THEN SPENDS IT TO TELL US HOW GREAT IT IS FOR SOMETHING WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER PENNY SALES TAX. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT. WE'RE ALREADY DEFICIT SPENDING. WE DON'T HAVE ANYMORE MONEY, BUT YOU WANT TO GIVE BREAKS TO PEOPLE. YOU CAN'T MANUFACTURE MONEY, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IT. THE CHAIRMAN THINKS HE CAN GIVE -- >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. SMITH. >> -- GIVE DEFICIT SPENDING AND SURVIVE. >>KEN HAGAN: APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. >> AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. SMITH. JERRY BICKEL, DONNA McBRIDE, JUSTIN VON FISCHER, SANTOS NORIEGA, AND LORENA GUTIERREZ. >> HIP, HIP, HEY. [SINGING] HE'S JERRY BICKEL, LIVES IN DOVER, FLORIDA, 33527, AND I LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF CHILDREN ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, 30 YEARS, IN FACT. EVERY DAY WE AND OTHER ARTISTS WORK WITH CHILDREN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WHAT DO WE DO, WE TEACH THEM LIFE'S POSITIVE MORALS, WE TEACH THEM TO HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT AND HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE, WE HOPE. WELL, LIFE SHOULD BE SWEET. NOW, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WHAT IS THIS IDEA DELETING AN ARTS COUNCIL REGRANTING PROGRAM? THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT REACHES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS EVERY YEAR. THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT TEACHES US TO SMILE AND ENJOY LIFE, AND MY FRIENDS, LIFE IS SWEET. IT TAKES LIFE TO LOVE LIFE, SO PLEASE KEEP THIS ARTS COUNCIL PROGRAM ALIVE AND LET US LOVE THE PLACE THAT WE ALL LIVE AND CALL HOME. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. BICKEL. [APPLAUSE] DONNA McBRIDE, JUSTIN VON FISCHER, SANTOS NORIEGA, LORENA GUTIERREZ, AND AMY CHIRINOS. >>JIM NORMAN: I BET YOU'RE LOVING FOLLOWING THAT, AREN'T YOU? >> [INAUDIBLE] HELLO, COMMISSIONERS. IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, AND YES, THAT IS A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. I'M DONNA McBRIDE. I'M THE GRANTS DIRECTOR OF THE STRAZ CENTER FOR THE PERFORM AGO ARTS WHERE WE ALSO HAVE THE PATEL CONSERVATORY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE COUNTY'S LARGEST EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, DELIVERING A GREAT NUMBER OF OUTREACH PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS TO TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES FROM SULPHUR SPRINGS TO RUSKIN, WIMAUMA, AND THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY AT NO COST. THIS IS WHAT YOU FUND AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER THROUGH THE ARTS COUNCIL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT GRANT. ONE THING THAT WE HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM IS THAT WE CAN ALSO PROACTIVELY RECRUIT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE EVEN MORE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE ARTS TO COME TO THE PATEL CONSERVATORY AND CONSIDER FURTHERING THEIR AMBITIONS, POSSIBLY CAREERS, OR AT LEAST SETTING GOALS AND LEARNING WHAT A CHALLENGE IS AND LEARNING HOW TO PRESENT THEMSELVES. MY FRIEND JUSTIN HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT AND WILL SPEAK TO YOU IN A MINUTE. THE HANDOUT THAT YOU GOT, THE FIRST ONE WITH ALL THE DOTS ON THE MAP, THAT'S OUR TICKET SALES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. THERE'S YOUR SYMBOL OF ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. THE STRAZ CENTER REPRESENTS 600,000 PEOPLE A YEAR THAT ARE PART OF THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT. THE OTHER PIECE THAT YOU HAVE IS A REPORT THAT WE JUST COMPLETED, PROCESSING DATA ON THESE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AND YOU WILL SEE A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT BETWEEN PRE- AND POST-EXPERIENCES IN THESE PROGRAMS. I'M GOING TO LET JUSTIN SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND PLEASE FIND IT WITHIN YOUR BUDGET TO CONTINUE FUNDING THIS REGRANTING PROGRAM. >> GOOD EVENING. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN LISTENING ABOUT BUSINESS FOR A GOOD WHILE NOW, AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE OF A PERSONAL SIDE ON IT. I'VE -- THREE YEARS AGO I MET A WOMAN NAMED WENDY LEE THROUGH MY MOM, AND SHE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT THE STRAZ CENTER, AND I WAS INTERESTED BECAUSE I WAS PLAYING MUSIC AT THE TIME AND I WANTED ANYTHING THAT I COULD POSSIBLY GET TO CONTINUE TO PLAY MUSIC, SO I STARTED OFF GOING TO THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, AND I FIGURED AT THE BEGINNING THAT, YOU KNOW, I GET THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR FREE, I MIGHT AS WELL TAKE IT, AND IT TURNED OUT TO GIVE ME A LOT MORE THAN THAT. IT SHAPED MY CHARACTER AND IT SHAPED MY PERSONALITY INTO THE WAY I AM TODAY. I'VE CHANGED A LOT BASED ON THE EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE HAD AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, AND I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND, BEN MERCADO, AND HE'S DOING VERY WELL FOR HIMSELF. HE STARTED AS A STREET DANCER, AND HE WENT TO THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ON A SCHOLARSHIP, AND NOW HE'S WORKING THERE PART-TIME AND GOING TO COLLEGE, AND I'M INTERNING THERE PART-TIME FOR FREE. I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT -- THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IS MOLDING PEOPLE INTO ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THIS -- OF THIS COMMUNITY, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BUT WE WANT TO. THEY CALLED ME YESTERDAY ASKING IF I WOULD TALK TO YOU GUYS, ASKING FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU GUYS TO CONTINUE GIVING US MONEY, AND I JUMPED AT THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE THERE. THEY'RE A COMMUNITY, AND ALL OF THEM ARE REALLY GOOD PEOPLE, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS, AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. SANTOS NORIEGA, LORENA GUTIERREZ, AMY CHIRINOS, HEVIA CHANTAL, AND M. REYNOSO. >> YES. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SANTOS NORIEGA, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MARICELA MEDRANO. I MEAN, WHAT CAN I SAY THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID ALREADY FOR THIS VERY WONDERFUL WOMAN? SHE IS THAT KIND OF PERSON THAT -- THAT HELPS THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND HELPING THEM IN ANY WAY THAT SHE CAN. SHE IS A PERSON THAT WOULD WALK YOU THROUGH PROBLEMS, AND SHE WOULD WALK YOU THROUGH THE RIGHT WAY, NO SHORTCUTS, NO CUTTING CORNERS, DOING IT RIGHT. SHE IS A PERSON THAT HISPANIC PEOPLE CAN TALK TO WITHOUT BEING AFRAID ON, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT COULD HOLD THEM BACK FROM ANYTHING. SHE IS A PERSON THAT WOULD GO THE EXTRA MILE. IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT YOU COULD COUNT ON, IT'S ALWAYS HER. YOU KNOW, SHE IS A WONDERFUL PERSON INSIDE THE OFFICE, AND I HOPE THAT SHE CAN KEEP ON DOING WHAT SHE'S DOING NOW IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. NORIEGA. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. YEAH. MY NAME IS LORENA GUTIERREZ. I RESIDE AT 3300 BOOT BAY ROAD IN PLANT CITY, FLORIDA. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TELL YOU A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE OMBUDSMAN POSITION. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOME BUDGET ISSUES, SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE -- YOU'RE LOOKING INTO CUTTING SOME POSITIONS. BUT CUTTING THIS POSITION WOULD BE A GREAT MISTAKE. MY HUSBAND AND I AND SOME OF HIS FAMILY, YOU KNOW, HAVE SEEKED HELP WITH MS. MARICELA MEDRANO FOR FARMWORKING HOUSING, AND, YOU KNOW -- AND GETTING IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL THAT. I, IN FACT, KNOW THAT WITH EVEN ME SPEAKING ENGLISH IS DIFFICULT TO EVEN GO THROUGH SOME OF THIS PROCESS BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT. WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN UNTIL SOME OF THE -- SOME PEOPLE THAT WE KNEW IN PLANT CITY HAD ALREADY RECOMMENDED US TO HER. THEY HAD ALREADY SEEKED HELP WITH HER, AND THEY WERE VERY PLEASED. SHE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY WORKER. SHE EXPLAINS EVERYTHING STEP BY STEP, THE WHOLE PROCESS, AND TOOK THE TIME TO EVEN ACCOMPANY US TO THE HEARING. HER KNOWLEDGE MADE THIS THING -- THIS PROCESS EASIER UNDERSTANDING AND COMPLETING THE PROJECT. I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN -- WHEN -- IN ONE OF MY EXPERIENCE THAT I WAS VISITING HER AT HER OFFICE, HER PHONE WOULDN'T STOP RINGING, AND THERE WAS PEOPLE WAITING JUST TO SEE HER, SO THAT CAN TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT A PERSON. SHE IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, SO I ASK OF YOU NOT TO CUT THIS POSITION AND PLEASE LEAVE MS. MARICELA MEDRANO WITH US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. GUTIERREZ. [APPLAUSE] AMY CHIRINOS, HEVIA CHANTAL, M. REYNOSO, YZACYELA REYNOSO, AND MAURICIO DOMINGUEZ. GOOD EVENING. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS AMY CHIRINOS. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF BAKAS HORSES FOR HANDICAPPED. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL NEEDS. I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE NOT ONLY TO YOU REALIZE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SPECIAL NEEDS RESIDENTS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BUT BAKAS ALSO SPONSORS THE REGIONAL AND STATE GAMES FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS, WHICH HAS A RIPPLING EFFECT, NOT ONLY IN THIS AREA BUT THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND WE -- LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAM. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. CHIRINOS. NEXT, PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M CHANTAL HEVIA. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE YBOR CITY MUSEUM SOCIETY. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE FUNDING THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US IN THE PAST. IT MEANS SUCH A GREAT DEAL TO A SMALL ORGANIZATION LIKE OURS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION TO BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS THROUGH YOUR FUNDING. WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING IN THE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT WHICH MAKES IT VERY UNIQUE FOR US TO TELL OUR STORY. IT IS A CHARACTER OF THIS AREA. IT'S A CHARACTER THAT -- WHERE TAMPA BEGAN, SO YOUR FUNDING HAS HELPED US TO EXPAND AND SPREAD THAT STORY AROUND. I THINK YOU'VE HEARD TODAY WHAT ALL THIS MEANS TO CHILDREN. I HAVE TO COMPLIMENT THE ARTS COUNCIL BECAUSE THEY HAVE ENCOURAGED US TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH THOSE COLLABORATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE PARTNERED WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER MUSEUMS LAST YEAR, AND CHILDREN WERE ABLE TO COME TO THREE MUSEUMS THAT THEY WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE SEEN. WE'VE CREATED LESSONS THROUGH HISTORY THAT AREN'T JUST ABOUT HISTORY, THEY'RE ABOUT THE VISUAL AND THE PERFORMING ARTS, THEY'RE ABOUT MATH, THEY'RE ABOUT ECONOMICS, THE CIGAR INDUSTRY, THEY'RE ABOUT THE ROOTS OF OUR AREA, THEY'RE ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF THE FIVE ETHNIC GROUPS THAT MANAGED TO WORK AND LIVE TOGETHER IN YBOR CITY, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT, AND IT'S EVEN ABOUT HEALTH CARE BECAUSE OF THE MUTUAL AID SOCIETIES THAT DEVELOPED THERE. SO I HOPE THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH YOUR FUNDING. AGAIN, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO US WHEN WE HAVE THAT FUNDING, AND I HOPE YOU'LL CONTINUE THE REGRANTING PROGRAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. M. REYNOSO, YZACYELA REYNOSO, MAURICIO DOMINGUEZ, AND JOHN DAUSMAN. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MARICELA MEDRANO BECAUSE SHE'S AN EXCELLENT WORKER THAT YOU HAVE HERE IN THE COUNTY. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> SHE HAS THE WILL TO HELP EVERYONE NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE FROM. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I PLEASE ASK YOU TO KEEP HER IN HER POSITION. I BELIEVE THAT SHE HAS EARNED HER POSITION WITH HER HARD WORK. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> IT WOULD TAKE ME A LOT OF TIME TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO HER AND ALL THE THINGS THAT SHE'S DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT, PLEASE. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MARICELA MEDRANO. I TRULY BELIEVE SHE GIVES HER HEART, NOT ONLY TO EVERYONE WHO COMES TO SEE HER BUT ESPECIALLY TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> WE THANK YOU FOR HAVING SUCH A SPECIAL PERSON WORKING FOR THE COUNTY. SHE ALWAYS TAKES VERY GOOD CARE OF US AND WORKS VERY HARD FOR EVERYBODY. AND THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] MAURICIO DOMINGUEZ, JOHN DAUSMAN, GERALD WHITE, NORENE MILLER, AND THE LAST SPEAKER THIS EVENING WILL BE HILDA CASTILLO. GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S MAURICIO DOMINGUEZ. I LIVE IN 4809 SOUTH 23 AVENUE. I LIVE HERE IN THE AREA IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I HAVE A DIFFERENT PROPERTY, I HAVE A DIFFERENT BUILDING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO EVERYBODY FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY. [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] FOR MARICELA MEDRANO [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] POSITION. I SEE YOU THERE, AND THE LADY THAT SHOW EVERYBODY THE PROPERTY. HE TEACHING IN THE RADIO IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND EVERYBODY FOR THE PERMIT, FOR EVERYTHING, AND ONCE UPON A TIME ONE TIME SHE HELPED ME TO SHOW ME EVERYTHING FOR WE PAY FOR THE PERMIT, FOR EVERYTHING. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY GUARD THE POSITION. PLEASE. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MR. DAUSMAN. >> GOOD EVENING. COULD YOU TRANSLATE INTO SPANISH FOR ME? >> I CAN DO THAT. NOT A PROBLEM. >> IF YOU WANT. MY NAME IS JOHN DAUSMAN. I LIVE AT 4703 RIVER HILLS DRIVE. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CAPITAL BUDGET. I MAY BE THE ONLY SPEAKER ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET TONIGHT. YOUR HANDOUT TONIGHT, PAGES 29 THROUGH 35, GIVE YOU A LIST OF THE PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S CAPITAL BUDGET. I HOPE YOU'RE WELL AWARE THAT THIS LIST IS NOT THE WHOLE LIST, IT'S NOT EVEN HALF THE LIST. THE $645 MILLION OF ACTIVE PROJECTS IN THIS DOCUMENT COULD BE IMPRESSIVE, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE HART -- THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WEB SITE, WHICH I DID LAST NIGHT, LOOK UNDER MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND LOOK AT THE BIG CIP DOCUMENT, THE 8 MEG ONE, AND TRY TO FIND WHAT IS OUR TOTAL CAPITAL BUDGET FOR ACTIVE PROJECTS. YOU WON'T FIND IT. YOU WON'T FIND IT IN ANY OF THE FOUR LAST ADMINISTRATORS. THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW IT TO BE DONE. I DID IT FOR YOU. I COPIED THEM OFF. THE TOTALS FOR FIRE SERVICES, GOVERNMENT FACILITIES, LIBRARY, PARKS, SOLID WASTE, STORMWATER, TRANSPORTATION, WATER UTILITY TOTALS, ACTIVE PROJECTS ONLY, NOT COMPLETED, $2,081,971,000. $2 BILLION OF UNCOMPLETED PROJECTS. THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE THIS -- YOU COULD PROVIDE TO THIS COUNTY. WHAT YOU ALSO WON'T FIND OF HOW MUCH OF IT IS NOT COMPLETED YET. I KNOW IT BECAUSE IT WAS MY JOB. MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS. AND THE RATE OF COMPLETION HAS BEEN SHRINKING FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF BECAUSE WE'RE LAYING OFF THE EMPLOYEES THAT COULD GET IT DONE. THE LARGEST NUMBER OF CUTS OUT OF THE 200 PEOPLE IS 68 PEOPLE IN PUBLIC WORKS. THERE'S A LOT MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW, BUT I THINK I GOT YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. DAUSMAN. GERALD WHITE, NORENE MILLER, AND HILDA CASTILLO. GOOD EVENING. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> WE HAVE A SMALL FARM IN PLANT CITY. I'M HERE -- FIRST OF ALL, SHE SAID I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MARICELA MEDRANO. WE HAVE A SMALL FARM IN PLANT CITY, AND THANKS NOT ONLY TO HER ABILITY TO SPEAK SPANISH BUT OF HER CAPACITY AND HER KNOWLEDGE, SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP US IN EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH PERMITS AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE OUR FARM. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> SOMETIMES LANGUAGE IS KIND OF A DIFFICULT BARRIER IN ORDER TO FULFILL AND TO GET THINGS THAT WE NEED, AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE ASKING YOU TO PLEASE HAVE MARICELA STAY IN HER POSITION TO CONTINUE TO SERVE NOT ONLY ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COMMUNITIES BUT ALSO THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY. >> [SPEAKING SPANISH] >> IT WOULD HELP COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND ESPECIALLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BUSINESSES IN ALL OUR AREA. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE] GERALD WHITE AND NORENE MILLER. GOOD EVENING, MR. WHITE. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. GERALD WHITE, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. FIRST I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET. IN PAGE 20, I'LL START THERE. I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT ON JUNE THE 11th AS CITED IN THIS BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT EMPLOYEES ARE BEING LAID OFF BEFORE -- BEFORE THE CITIZENS CAN EVEN SPEAK AT THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW THESE CUTS IN SERVICES AND EMPLOYEES IS GOING TO AFFECT THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND IT'S REALLY NOT CLEAR ON THE TEN - - I GUESS IT'S $10 MILLION TOTAL IN CUTS OR ELIMINATION ON PAGE 15 OF THIS BUDGET DOCUMENT, AND SO I'M REQUESTING FOR GREATER EDUCATION TO THE PUBLIC EXACTLY HOW THE OVERALL CUTS ARE GOING TO AFFECT US. WE RECOGNIZE THAT SOME THINGS HAS TO CHANGE, BUT IT'D BE GREAT TO UNDERSTAND AND HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING HOW THESE CUTS ARE GOING TO AFFECT THE CITIZENS AND WHETHER OR NOT IN THE VERY END WE WANT TO ELIMINATE A SERVICE OR ELIMINATE DEPARTMENTS OR COMBINE DEPARTMENTS, AND SO -- THE SOLID NUMBER IN THE CUT IS JUST NOT STRONG ENOUGH, AND SO WE'D APPRECIATE A LITTLE GREATER -- MORE EDUCATION, AND I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ON PAGE 17, THE 12-MONTH PLAN. WE WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE IN ADVANCE OF THE BUDGET PASSING, WE DON'T WANT ACTIONS TAKEN OR WHAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE AFTER THE BUDGET, WE WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE, SO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATION. AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT AGING SERVICES AND HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- COMMISSIONER WHITE, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THE SERVICES THE MOST IS NOT HURT THE MOST WHEN THE BUDGET IS DONE. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. WHITE, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. NOREEN MILLER. IS SHE HERE? OKAY. THAT CLOSES THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND THE CIP. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING DOWN AND SHARING YOUR CONCERNS AND YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR '11 BUDGET. OUR NEXT WORKSHOP IS AT 9:00 WEDNESDAY, THE 28th, AND OUR NEXT BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 15th. ANY -- ANYTHING YOU NEED TO ADD, MR. MERRILL? >>MIKE MERRILL: NO, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THIS EVENING. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: MR. CHAIRMAN, REAL QUICK. NOTHING ON THE BUDGET. I JUST WANTED TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF SOMETHING I HEARD ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER TODAY WHERE THE CITY OF TAMPA -- TAMPA CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO APPLY FOR -- IT APPEARS THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL $2 BILLION IN GRANT MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PENNY SALES TAX, BUT THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED TO COME THROUGH TAMPA, AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS APPLYING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING OUT OF THAT $2-BILLION GRANT TO HAVE AN EXTENSION RUN FROM THE DOWNTOWN PORTION OF THAT RAIL TO THE AIRPORT, AND I WAS JUST THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE PENNY SALES OR THE -- THE PENNY SALES TAX IS GOING TO PASS OR NOT, BUT WE DO KNOW THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL IS GOING TO COME TO TAMPA, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE -- BEHOOVE US TO TRY TO CAPTURE A PORTION OF THAT $2 BILLION TO TRY TO HAVE A CONNECTION FROM THE DOWNTOWN AREA OUT TO THE AIRPORT, SO BASICALLY WITH -- WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T WANT TO -- I DON'T WANT TO DRAG -- I KNOW I JUST BROUGHT THIS UP, AND I DON'T WANT TO DRAG THIS OUT TONIGHT, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE -- TO DIRECT STAFF TO LOOK INTO POTENTIALLY APPLYING FOR PIGGYBACKING OR MAKING A RESOLUTION TO TRY AND APPLY FOR A PORTION OF THAT FUNDING TO TRY AND MAKE THAT CONNECTION POSSIBLE SINCE THAT PARTICULAR RAIL SYSTEM IS ALREADY IN PLACE, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYTHING MORE THAN ASKING FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPLYING FOR AND TRYING TO HELP ENHANCE THE SYSTEM THAT'S ALREADY COMING TO OUR AREA. >>KEN HAGAN: WELL, TYPICALLY THE BOARD DOESN'T TAKE ACTION DURING PUBLIC HEARINGS. I GUESS THE QUESTION, IS THERE ANY SENSE OF URGENCY? I MEAN, WE CAN ADD IT TO OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK TO HAVE A DISCUSSION. I SUPPORT HAVING A DISCUSSION. I REALLY DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO A DISCUSSION ON THAT -- ON ANY ISSUE OTHER THAN THE BUDGET THIS EVENING BECAUSE IT WASN'T ON THE AGENDA OR WASN'T ADVERTISED. >>KEVIN WHITE: I DON'T -- MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SENSE OF URGENCY AT ALL. I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT ON THE RADAR, AND MAYBE IF STAFF KNOWS IT'S ON THE RADAR, THEY CAN AT LEAST LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY SENSE OF URGENCY, BUT I'D LIKE IT TO COME BACK AS AN AGENDA ITEM -- >>MARK SHARPE: AUGUST 1st. >>KEVIN WHITE: -- ON AUGUST 1st. >>MARK SHARPE: AUGUST 1st IS THE DEADLINE. >>KEVIN WHITE: OH, AUGUST -- OKAY. SO WHAT'S THE DATE OF OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING? >>KEN HAGAN: OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS AUGUST 4th. IF WE WANT TO AGENDA IT FOR THE LAND USE MEETING NEXT WEEK, THEN THAT'S -- >>KEVIN WHITE: YEAH, THEN, I'D LIKE -- WELL, LET'S DO THAT, THEN, IF AUGUST 4th IS THE DEADLINE, SO -- I MEAN AUGUST -- YEAH -- 4th. SO THERE WOULD BE A SENSE OF URGENCY. >>KEN HAGAN: EITHER THAT OR THE NEXT BUDGET WORKSHOP OF THE 28th. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK THAT WOULD BE WISE, AND I APPRECIATE WHAT MR. WHITE IS BRINGING FORWARD, BUT IF THERE ARE OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, IF WE DO, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULE IT FOR EITHER ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, WE'LL STILL, YOU KNOW, MEET THAT DEADLINE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK WE'LL BE MORE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE AND WHAT WE SHOULD DO, SO IF -- IF -- IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, MR. WHITE, WE CAN COMPLETE THAT DISCUSSION AT ONE OF THE NEXT MEETINGS, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE PRUDENT. >>KEVIN WHITE: WHATEVER OUR NEXT -- IF IT'S GOING TO BE THE LAND USE, I WOULD RATHER PUT IT ON THAT AGENDA THEN, AND THEN WE CAN ALL GET INFORMATION SINCE WE'RE TALKED ABOUT IT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD ALSO IF WE'RE HAVING THAT CONVERSATION -- I KNOW THERE'S PROPONENTS OF IT, AND THERE'S ALSO -- I THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION, SO PERHAPS WE COULD HAVE SOME PEOPLE, I KNOW, THAT -- FDOT I THINK IS INVOLVED WITH THAT AND THE MPO, AND SO PERHAPS WE CAN HAVE EXPERTS ON BOTH OF THE SIDES BE HERE TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION AROUND THAT. >>ROSE FERLITA: WELL, LET ME -- BECAUSE WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY IS I THINK THAT IF WE BRING THAT SUBJECT UP, IT'S GOING TO BRING UP SOME OTHER TOPICS THAT ARE RELATED TO THAT, LIKE FOR ME I WOULD, -- YOU KNOW, IN THE CONVERSATION I'M SURE I WOULD GO TO THE FACT THAT I THINK THAT OUR LIGHT RAIL FIRST LEG CONNECTOR SHOULD BE TO THE AIRPORT INSTEAD OF USF. SOMEBODY ELSE WILL HAVE ANOTHER OPINION, SO I THINK LET'S - - LET'S GIVE IT THAT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND I GUESS THE CHAIRMAN WOULD DECIDE WHO WE NEED TO HAVE HERE SO WE CAN HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION. DOES THAT SOUND FAIR, MR. MERRILL? >>MIKE MERRILL: YES, THAT'S FINE. >>KEN HAGAN: IF IT'S GOING TO BE A LENGTHY -- LENGTHY DISCUSSION WITH A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, IT MIGHT MAKE THE MOST SENSE TO DO IT AT THE RECONCILIATION MEETING. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE START AT 9:00. THERE'S REALLY NOT GOING TO A NUMBER OF ITEMS. IT SHOULD BE A RELATIVELY HOUR MEETING, A SHORT MEETING. SO THAT WOULD -- WE BLOCK OFF THE WHOLE DAY. TYPICALLY IT'S ON OUR CALENDARS BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, EXPECT THE WORST. >>ROSE FERLITA: WHO IS GOING TO CONTROL HOW MANY SPEAKERS? WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THIS A FULL SEMINAR. >>KEN HAGAN: NO, ABSOLUTELY. I WOULD ASSUME, YOU KNOW, MR. CHIARAMONTE, MAYBE SOMEONE AT FDOT, BUT THIS DOESN'T NEED TO BE, I DON'T THINK -- >>MARK SHARPE: [INAUDIBLE] >>KEN HAGAN: IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A SEVERAL-HOUR-LONG DISCUSSION, BUT CERTAINLY -- >>KEVIN WHITE: MAYBE WE SHOULD PUT A TIME LIMIT ON IT. >>KEN HAGAN: YOU KNOW, FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THEY'RE GOING TO BE HAVING SOME DISCUSSIONS AT CITY COUNCIL ON THIS I THINK AT THEIR NEXT MEETING, SO I IMAGINE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN THERE SPEAKING TO THE SUBJECT, SO IF THEY'RE SPEAKING THERE, PERHAPS THOSE INDIVIDUALS COULD SPEAK HERE AS WELL TOO IF THEY'RE THE EXPERTS IN THOSE AREAS. >>KEN HAGAN: I THINK FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT AS WELL AS PROVIDING ENOUGH TIME FOR THE SCHEDULE AND PROVIDING ENOUGH OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE TO GET HERE, PERHAPS TUESDAY MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH TIME ANYWAY, SO I'M LEANING TOWARD DOING IT ON THE RECONCILIATION MEETING UNLESS THE BOARD OBJECTS TO THAT. >>KEVIN WHITE: THAT'S FINE. WHAT'S THE ACTUAL DATE. >>KEN HAGAN: JULY 28th. >>KEVIN WHITE: 28th. >>KEN HAGAN: IS THAT OKAY WITH THE BOARD? >>KEVIN WHITE: I'M FINE WITH THAT. >>KEN HAGAN: WE'LL DO IT IN THE MORNING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE RECONCILIATION. WITH THAT, WE'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN. 1