CAPTIONING JULY 28, 2010 BOCC WORKSHOP 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. >>MARK SHARPE: GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO THE BUDGET WORKSHOP FOR JULY 28th, 2010. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH SOME OPENING REMARKS BY OUR INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MIKE MERRILL. >>JIM NORMAN: PLEDGE. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, LET'S DO THE PLEDGE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: BOW YOUR HEADS. O GOD, WE ASK YOU FOR INSIGHT, COMPASSION, AND WISDOM AS WE REVIEW AN AREA OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE ALL TAKE SO SERIOUSLY, AND THAT'S OUR BUDGET AND OUR FINANCES. PLEASE HELP US CONDUCT OURSELVES IN A MANNER WHICH IS HONORABLE AND RESPECTFUL. GIVE ME GUIDANCE TO CONDUCT MYSELF IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR TEACHINGS. AMEN. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. OKAY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NORMAN. AND NOW LET'S GO TO MR. MERRILL. >>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. COMMISSIONERS, GOOD MORNING. THIS IS YOUR RECONCILIATION BUDGET WORKSHOP, AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKSHOP IS TO DEAL WITH THE HANDFUL OF FLAGGED ITEMS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AT THE LAST WORKSHOP, AND AT THE END OF THIS MEETING WE'LL ASK YOU TO SET THE TRIM RATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE. TO BEGIN, THOUGH, HOWEVER, AT THE BOARD'S REQUEST AT THE LAST WORKSHOP, WE ARE PREPARED TO MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION CONCERNING HIGH-SPEED RAIL FUNDING, AND I WILL ASK LUCIA GARSYS TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM FDOT, HART, TBARTA PERHAPS, WHO ARE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL ASK LUCIA TO ACTUALLY PRESENT THIS ITEM TO YOU. >>LUCIA GARSYS: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. LUCIA GARSYS, ADMINISTRATOR FOR PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS RESPONDING TO A REQUEST THAT WAS MADE AT YOUR BUDGET HEARING LAST -- ON THE 15th OF JULY, AND WHAT YOU ASKED US TO DO IS LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERHAPS SUPPORTING HIGH-SPEED RAIL TO THE AIRPORT THROUGH A RESOLUTION OR SOME OTHER MECHANISM, BUT SINCE YOU MET ON THE 15th, A NUMBER OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. I'D LIKE TO REPORT THOSE TO YOU, KIND OF WHERE WE ARE. WE DO HAVE FOLKS HERE TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS. WE'RE COGNIZANT OF YOUR TIME, SO WE THINK WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS WITH AN OVERVIEW. SINCE YOU MET, THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL ENTERPRISE MET THE FOLLOWING MONDAY ON JULY THE 19th AND REALLY DID IDENTIFY THAT HIGH-SPEED RAIL WAS NOT THE APPROPRIATE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION TO THE AIRPORT FOR REALLY THREE REASONS. ONE IS AN ENGINEERING REASON, AND THAT IS JUST THAT THE TRAINS ARE TOO BIG TO MAKE THE TURNS AND TO ACTUALLY GO IN TO THE AIRPORT. THE OTHER WAS, THOUGH, THAT THE CURRENT FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE THAT IT YOU DESCRIBED IS REALLY NOT FOR PLANNING BUT FOR CONSTRUCTION, AND SO SHOULD WE PURSUE PLANNING OR START LOOKING AT THE PROJECT FROM DOWNTOWN, THE SEVEN-MILE PIECE FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE AIRPORT COULD POTENTIALLY JEOPARDIZE THE EXISTING PROJECT FROM DOWNTOWN TAMPA TO ORLANDO. YOU RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MAYOR IORIO. SHE HAD A LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO HER FROM KEVIN THIBAULT OF THE FLORIDA HIGH-SPEED RAIL ENTERPRISE, AND THAT, I THINK, SUMMARIZES THE ISSUES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH RUNNING HIGH-SPEED RAIL FROM DOWNTOWN TAMPA TO THE AIRPORT. BUT IN ADDITION, DURING THAT SAME TIME PERIOD HART MET -- THE HART BOARD MET, AND THE HART BOARD IDENTIFIED AND EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS TO ACTUALLY INCLUDE THE LINK ALL THE WAY UP TO THE AIRPORT, SO HART WILL NOW BE LOOKING AT THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS TO INCLUDE THE PIECE TO THE AIRPORT, AND SHOULD YOU WANT TO SCHEDULE A MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION ON THAT, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT FOR YOU. ALL OF THE PLAYERS, THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY, FDOT, MPO, TBARTA, ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THE APPROPRIATE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE AIRPORT IS THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM. I KNOW YOU HAD A CONCERN ABOUT A DEADLINE, A FILING DEADLINE. THAT DEADLINE IS AUGUST THE 6th, AND SO SHOULD YOU WANT TO ENTER INTO ANY KIND OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR SUCH, IT WOULD BE AUGUST THE 6th THAT WE WOULD -- BEFORE AUGUST THE 6th THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECT IF YOU WISH TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION. KEVIN THIBAULT WAS GOING TO BE HERE TODAY. HE IS NOT. WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM FDOT. I KNOW DAVID ARMIJO IS ON HIS WAY HERE, BUT AS I SAID, IF YOU WANT TO EXPLORE THE DETAIL OF THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS AND WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE SCOPE FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE AIRPORT, WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT IN A WORKSHOP FORMAT FOR YOU. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TODAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO PURSUE THIS IN ANY ADDITIONAL MANNER, WE'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. >>MARK SHARPE: I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. MERRILL. >>MIKE MERRILL: COMMISSIONERS, THE NEXT ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA WOULD BE AN UPDATE ON THE FY 11 BUDGET. I'LL ASK ERIC JOHNSON TO PRESENT THAT. >>ERIC JOHNSON: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS OUR LAST WORKSHOP, AND THERE'S -- AS MIKE INDICATED, THERE'S TWO ISSUES THAT WE NORMALLY ADDRESS AT THIS WORKSHOP IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET THAT WE CARRY FORWARD TO PUBLIC HEARINGS IN SEPTEMBER. ONE IS TO BRING BACK ANY ITEMS THE BOARD HAS FLAGGED FOR CONSIDERATION, AND THOSE ARE CHANGES TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET THAT YOU RECEIVED IN JUNE. WE HAVE SINCE JUNE BROUGHT YOU AT YOUR LAST WORKSHOP A SERIES OF ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT SO THAT WHEN WE MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS IN SEPTEMBER, ANY ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENTS REFLECTING FINE- TUNING OF REVENUES, RESPONDING TO ANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE PROVIDES US BASED ON THEIR AUDIT ARE ADDRESSED, BUT WE HAVE FIVE FLAGGED ITEMS TODAY, AND THEN THE MOST CRITICAL THING THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO DO TODAY IS TO SET THE TRIM RATES OR TRUTH IN MILLAGE RATES. THOSE ARE THE MILLAGE RATES THAT WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE TRIM NOTICES THAT THE PROPERTY APPRAISER SENDS OUT IN AUGUST. THOSE FORM THE BASIS OF THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE MILLAGE RATES THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED AT THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS IN SEPTEMBER, BOTH ON THE 15th AND THE 23rd, AND THERE IS A MILLAGE MOTION THAT'S REFLECTED IN YOUR PACKET ON PAGE 19, SO BEFORE WE CONCLUDE THE MEETING, THAT'LL BE THE MOST CRITICAL ITEM TO ADDRESS TODAY. I THINK MAYBE ONE CLARIFICATION FOR THE PUBLIC IS THESE ARE NOT THE FINAL CHANGES TO THE BUDGET. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO START TO MAKE YOUR CHANGES TO THE BUDGET THAT YOU'VE BEEN PRESENTED, BUT OBVIOUSLY, THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS IN SEPTEMBER ARE FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO ASK ABOUT CHANGES IN THE BUDGET AND FOR THE BOARD TO REACT TO THOSE, SO THESE CERTAINLY AREN'T THE LAST CHANGES THAT THE BOARD WILL MAKE TO THE BUDGET, BUT IT'S THE BOARD'S FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO START TO MAKE THIS THE BOARD'S BUDGET AS OPPOSED TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S BUDGET. SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU TAKE UP YOUR FLAGGED ITEMS. WE HAVE PRESENTED YOU IN A PACKET WE SENT OUT LAST FRIDAY RESPONSES TO THREE INFORMATION ITEMS, SO WHILE THE FLAGGED ITEMS APPEAR ON PAGE 18 OF THE PACKAGE, THE RESPONSE TO EACH OF THE INFORMATIONAL REQUESTS APPEAR -- AND I'LL JUST GO THROUGH THAT LIST SHOULD YOU WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON ANY OF THOSE ITEMS TODAY. ON PAGE 3 YOU HAVE INFORMATION RELATED TO YOUR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON LIBRARY PROJECTS, AND WE'RE PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THAT TODAY. INFORMATION ITEM 2, WHICH APPEARS ON PAGE 14, RELATED TO THE VETERANS PARK SHADE AND THE RESPONSE TO THAT ISSUE THAT HAD BEEN RAISED AT YOUR LAST WORKSHOP. YOUR THIRD INFORMATION ITEM, WHICH APPEARS ON PAGE 16, RELATES TO INFORMATION YOU ASKED -- ASKED US TO PROVIDE RELATED TO THE USE OF FURLOUGHS BY VARIOUS AGENCIES, SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THOSE TO YOUR ATTENTION. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU MOVE TO PAGE 18 AND ADDRESS THE FLAG LIST, BUT SHOULD YOU WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON ANY OF THOSE INFORMATION ITEMS OR ANY OTHER ITEMS, CERTAINLY TODAY IS THE DAY TO DO THOSE. >>MARK SHARPE: WANT TO BEGIN WITH THE FIRST ITEM? >>ERIC JOHNSON: THE FIRST ITEM COMMISSIONERS, F-1, WOULD BE TO INCREASE THE VETERANS COUNCIL FUNDING TO A LEVEL OF $7,000, AND PART OF THAT FLAG WAS TO DESIGNATE IT AS A NONCOMPETITIVE SOCIAL SERVICE FUNDING RECIPIENT. WHAT THAT ESSENTIALLY MEANS IS THAT IN FUTURE CYCLES THEY WOULD STILL FILL OUT AN APPLICATION, BUT THEY WOULD NOT GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, AND OVER THE YEARS THE BOARD HAS IDENTIFIED VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AS BEING DESIGNATED AS NONCOMPETITIVE AND ESSENTIALLY NOT HAVING TO COMPETE AGAINST OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES. THAT IS A COUNTYWIDE FUNDING ITEM, AND THE IDENTIFIED COST IS $2,537 TO RAISE THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO THAT $7,000 FUNDING LEVEL. >>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, I'LL SEE IF I CAN GET SUPPORT FOR THE ADDITIONAL $2500 AS A FIXED NONCOMPETITIVE, AND I TRIED TO MAKE THE POINT BEFORE. NOT ONLY DOES THIS KEEP OUR INVESTMENT SOLID OUT AT VETERANS PARK, BUT IT'S THE VOLUNTEERS AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT COME TOGETHER AT THAT SITE THAT THEN TRANSCEND ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HALEY HOSPITAL AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT -- ALL THOSE VOLUNTEERS THEN GIVE OF THEIR TIME, SO I THINK WE SHOULD SUPPORT THEM AT THIS LEVEL AND CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM THAT WE HAVE AT VETERANS PARK FOR THE -- OUR VETERANS, AND I WOULD HOPE I WOULD GET SUPPORT FOR THE ADDITIONAL $2500. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: [INAUDIBLE] >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. WE'VE GOT -- >>JIM NORMAN: AND ALSO TO MOVE IT TO THE NONCOMPETITIVE. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE? COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I THINK EVERYBODY'S CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT THIS REPRESENTS, AND GIVEN OUR SITUATION, THIS IS JUST A COMMENT, CERTAINLY NOT TO HAVE A RESPONSE FROM MIKE MERRILL, BUT IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PUTTING ASIDE FOR THEM, MR. NORMAN, IS -- IS NOTHING. I MEAN, IT'S TOO BAD THAT WE CAN'T DO MORE, AND AS WE GO FORWARD, AT LEAST THE UPCOMING -- >>JIM NORMAN: AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S A COMPLIMENT TO THEM. >>ROSE FERLITA: I THINK IT'S PITIFUL WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS MEASLY BIT. >>JIM NORMAN: THEY WENT, THEY LOOKED AT THEIR SITUATION, THEIR SCENARIO, AND THE NUMBERS THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING -- THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO BE GREEDY. THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION OF VETERANS THAT RECOGNIZES THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN; HOWEVER, THEY NEED A LEVEL THAT THEY CAN COUNT ON YEAR AFTER YEAR TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE HOURS TO THESE OTHER SERVICE OUTFITS, SO -- >>ROSE FERLITA: WELL, AND I DON'T WANT TO BE PRESUMPTIVE, BUT I THINK ALL THE WAY AROUND THIS DAIS YOU'RE SPEAKING TO THE CHOIR. I AGREE WITH YOU. IT'S NICE THAT THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH US IN TIMES WHEN THINGS ARE A LITTLE TOUGH, BUT AS THINGS GO FORWARD, I CAN'T IMAGINE A BETTER FOCUS THAN INCREASING THE AMOUNT WE GIVE IN TERMS OF FUNDING TO OUR VETERANS, SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR THE LEADERSHIP ON THIS, AND CERTAINLY I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>JIM NORMAN: I THANK STAFF FOR FINDING THAT. THERE WAS ALSO A LITTLE AMENDMENT, TWO FANS AND A SHELTER, CANVAS SHELTER WHERE THEY HAVE THE EVENTS. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>MARK SHARPE: APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE THERE, COMMISSIONER NORMAN, ON THE -- FOR VETERANS. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT ITEM. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, THE NEXT ITEM IS F-2, WHICH IS TO RESTORE FUNDS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION TO ELIMINATE PLANNED FURLOUGH DAYS IN FY 11. IT'S A COUNTYWIDE FUNDING SOURCE OF 292,000, AND AS A CLARIFICATION, THE ONE INFORMATION ITEM ON FURLOUGHS HAD INDICATED THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR EPC WAS 453,000, AND TO CLARIFY THAT, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE NUMBERS REFLECTS THE FACT THAT IN A GRANT FUND EPC HAD AS A BUDGET BALANCER INCLUDED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF A FURLOUGH ADJUSTMENT, SO TECHNICALLY IN THE SYSTEM TODAY THEY SHOW A SUBSTANTIAL FURLOUGH SAVINGS REQUIRED IN THE PETROLEUM GRANT, BUT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH US TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATE WAYS TO BALANCE THE GRANT WITHOUT THE USE OF FURLOUGHS, SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 453,000 THAT THE BUDGET REFLECTS TODAY FOR EPC AND THEIR REQUEST FOR THE $292,000, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM HAVING IDENTIFIED 12 FURLOUGH DAYS AS WHAT THEY THOUGHT IT TOOK TO BALANCE THEIR GENERAL FUND BUDGET. THEY MAY NOT NEED ALL OF THAT. I BELIEVE THEY'VE GOT A LITTLE OVER $60,000 THAT THEY'VE FREED UP ALREADY IN TRYING TO FINE-TUNE THEIR BUDGET, BUT THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 292 ON F-2 AND THE 453,000 THAT WE RESPONDED TO YOUR INFORMATIONAL REQUEST FOR EPC. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: NO, I [INAUDIBLE] I WAS CALLING MY OFFICE. >>KEN HAGAN: OH, OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY BOARD COMMENTS ON THE FLAGGED ITEM? COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS -- THE EPC HAS DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY -- WORKED EXTRAORDINARILY HARD TO REDUCE THEIR BUDGET TO COME IN TO LINE WITH -- IN FACT, FAR EXCEEDED AS FAR AS WHAT OTHER AGENCIES ARE DOING, SO I WANT TO COMMEND THEM AGAIN FOR THAT, AND DR. GARRITY HAD MADE MENTION THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THEY PROBABLY -- AS MR. JOHNSON HAD MENTIONED, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL 60,000 THAT THEY ALSO WILL BE ABLE TO REIN IN, SO THAT AMOUNT IS -- PROBABLY WILL BE REDUCED BY THAT, SO I WOULD JUST MOVE THAT WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND ALLOW TO ALLOCATE THAT AMOUNT TO RESTORE THE -- THE EMPLOYEES BACK TO WORK AS OPPOSED TO FURLOUGH DAYS. >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YES. MR. MERRILL, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THIS. IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING EFFICIENCIES, HAD YOU HAD A DISCUSSION WITH DR. GARRITY -- AND IS DR. GARRITY -- I KNOW I SAW HIM -- OKAY. GOOD. ON THE EFFICIENCIES, IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THESE FUNDS AND BRING IT BACK INTO COMPLIANCE LIKE YOU'VE ASKED THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO DO, AS THAT TAKEN PLACE YET? >>MIKE MERRILL: THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE EITHER FOUND THE EFFICIENCIES OR THEY'VE EXECUTED THE SO-CALLED 12-MONTH PLANS TO FIND THE SAVINGS IN THE FUTURE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS DONE THAT, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS DONE THAT, AND WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT FORMALLY WITH EPC, BUT I THINK TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE WAY WE'VE APPROACHED THIS, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE THE SAME TACK HERE, AND THERE'S TWO WAYS TO DO THAT. ONE IS SORT OF DO THE SAME PROCESS, ENTER A 12-MONTH PLAN, OR ALLOW THE PLANNING -- ALLOW EPC TO CONTINUE TO WORK OFF THE AMOUNT OF THE FURLOUGH DAYS OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS AND THEN SEE WHERE WE ARE AT THAT POINT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SO WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN YET, IS THAT -- >>RICK GARRITY: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. RICK GARRITY, EPC. WE HAVE ACTUALLY SAVED ABOUT $1.9 MILLION IN THE TWO-YEAR BUDGET CYCLE, FY 10 AND 11 IN EFFICIENCIES. WE'VE REDUCED OUR BUDGET BY THAT MUCH, $1.9 MILLION, AND WHAT I HAD ASKED ACTUALLY WAS THE 12-MONTH PLAN. WE DID NOT EXPECT THIS TO BE A CONTINUING ITEM IN THE BUDGET. I ASSUMED THIS WAS BEING HANDLED THROUGH THE 12-MONTH PLAN, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT ERIC IS RIGHT, WE HAVE SAVED ANOTHER $64,000, SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE $292,000 ANYMORE. THE CORRECT AMOUNT, IF MY FIGURES ARE CORRECT, IS $227,087 IS THAT WE'RE ASKING TO BE FLAGGED. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: BUT HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS IS WHAT I'M HEARING IS A YES OR NO. >>MIKE MERRILL: NO, WE HAVE NOT EXECUTED A 12-MONTH PLAN YET. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. AS FAR AS HIS BUDGET PROCESS, I KNOW THAT EPC VOTED BACK IN MARCH OF '07, I THINK, TO ADOPT THE BOCC POLICIES. ARE WE FOLLOWING THOSE POLICIES AS FAR AS SUBMITTING THE BUDGET? >>RICK GARRITY: THE POLICIES ACTUALLY REQUESTED THAT WE BRING YOU A COST RECOVERY PROPOSAL, WHICH WE DID THROUGH FEE ADJUSTMENTS, BUT I RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD THAT WE FORGO THAT AND IMPLEMENT THE 12-MONTH PLAN, WHICH I THOUGHT -- IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU, MIKE, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT WE HAD AGREED UPON. IT IS A 12-MONTH PLAN. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. BASED ON THIS RIGHT NOW -- AND I'M JUST ONE OF THE SEVEN DAY -- I CAN'T SUPPORT THE MOTION BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT -- GET BACK WITH MR. MERRILL AND WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF EFFICIENCIES, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR IT TODAY BECAUSE I JUST -- WITH -- IF WE DO IT FOR YOU, THEN, YOU KNOW, OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL SAY, WELL, WHY HAVE WE LET ONE DEPARTMENT HEAD OFF THE HOOK IN COMING UP WITH THIS PROCESS, AND WHERE -- YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE START AND STOP, SO MY SUGGESTION -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE MOTION FOR THE FLAGGED ITEM WILL PASS OR FAIL TODAY, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR IT, AND THE REASON IS THAT WE'VE GOT A PROCESS TO FOLLOW FOR BUDGET, AND I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU GUYS PUT YOUR HEADS TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH THAT PLAN. WE STILL HAVE TIME BETWEEN NOW AND FINAL DECISION TO COME UP WITH THAT PLAN. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT THE GUYS AT THE TOP NEED TO PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND COME BACK AND JUST BE CONSISTENT WITH OUR BUDGET PROCESS. SO I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THE FLAG ITEM TODAY. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: MIKE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD OF YOU WHEN WE TALKED, THAT EPC WOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY WITH EVERYBODY ELSE, THAT -- AND YOU, I THOUGHT, TOLD ME THAT, YES, THEY WERE, THAT -- IS THERE SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE? >>MIKE MERRILL: WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY BE TREATED THE SAME, AND RICK AND I HAD -- RICK AND I HAD TALKED ABOUT IT. WHAT -- WHAT I SAW HAPPENING AT THE LAST WORKSHOP WITH THIS FLAG WAS -- AND MY INTERPRETATION WAS THAT WE WANTED TO BASICALLY FUND IT, WIPE OUT THE FURLOUGH DAYS, AND NOT HAVE AN OBLIGATION FOR EPC TO COME BACK AND TELL US HOW THEY'RE GOING TO RECOUP THAT MONEY, AND SO THAT'S WHAT I HEARD AT THE LAST WORKSHOP, BUT TO BE CONSISTENT, AS YOU SAY, WE OUGHT TO HAVE A FORMAL WRITTEN PLAN WITH EPC TO FIND A WAY TO RECOUP THIS MONEY. >>JIM NORMAN: AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT YET? >>MIKE MERRILL: NO, NOT YET. WE HAD DISCUSSIONS, BUT WE NEED TO ACTUALLY FORMALIZE THAT. >>JIM NORMAN: SO THE MOTION TODAY, THOUGH, IS IGNORE THAT AND JUST PUT IT BACK IN? >>KEVIN BECKNER: NO. THE MOTION TODAY IS TO BE CONSISTENT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AGAINST -- ACROSS -- WITH OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS. WE'RE -- >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, THAT'S WHAT I -- >>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH, WE'RE WIPING THE FURLOUGH DAYS. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING AS I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH DR. GARRITY THAT -- AND EVEN FROM THE LAST WORKSHOP -- THAT THIS WAS PART OF THE 12-MONTH PLAN, AND THEY HAD ACTUALLY - - AND IT WAS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT PART OF THE PLAN TO RECOUP SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS WERE WITH SOME OF THE RECOMMENDED -- LOOKING AT SOME OF THE FEE ADJUSTMENTS WHICH DR. GARRITY FELT THAT BUDGETWISE THEY COULD PUT OFF FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO -- WITH THE ECONOMY THAT'S GOING, SO, IT'S MY INTERPRETATION THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING THE PLAN AND THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD. >>JIM NORMAN: I WAS WANTING TO -- >>MIKE MERRILL: OKAY. >>JIM NORMAN: -- KEEP EVERYBODY CONSISTENT, AND I KNOW -- AND I DON'T THINK HE -- COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM GOT HIS ANSWER THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IN '07 WAS SAY ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS WOULD HAVE TO GIVE THEIR BUDGETS AND YOU ANALYZE THAT, AND I DIDN'T HEAR THAT. DID YOU GET -- WE TRIED TO SET AN EARLY TIME PERIOD THAT EVERYBODY WOULD SUBMIT EARLY, NOT HOLD OUT TILL THE 12th HOUR, AND I MEAN, WE TRIED TO SET IT UP WHERE WE COULD HAVE CLEAR AND DECISE DECISION-MAKING UNITS WITH ALL THE INFORMATION, AND I -- DID THAT OCCUR, AND I GUESS AT THIS POINT WITH WHAT YOU'VE JUST TOLD ME, DO YOU RECOMMEND SUPPORT OF THIS NOW OR SHOULD WE DELAY IT UNTIL YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO ANALYZE IT? >>MIKE MERRILL: NO, I WOULD RECOMMEND BASED ON COMMISSIONER BECKNER'S STATEMENT THAT THIS -- THAT WE'RE GOING TO TREAT THEM THE SAME WAY AND MOVE FORWARD AND DO THIS ON A 12-MONTH PLAN. I WOULD -- >>JIM NORMAN: RECOMMEND THAT? >>MIKE MERRILL: -- BE WILLING TO DO THAT, YES. >>JIM NORMAN: HAVE YOU GOTTEN THE INFORMATION AS WE'VE ASKED ALL DEPARTMENTS TO DO THIS? >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, COMMISSIONERS, GOING BACK A YEAR AND A HALF, I THINK THE ANSWER IS NOT REALLY. I THINK THAT WAS PART OF THE DISCUSSION A YEAR AGO IN TERMS OF SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT CHOSE TO KIND OF HOLD THEIR CARDS AND NOT GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF PRIORITIZATION SO THAT WE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF VARIOUS LEVELS OF CUTS WOULD BE, SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND EPC HAD SOMETHING OF ARBITRARY DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND THAT'S PART OF THE CONFUSION WHY FROM TIME TO TIME PEOPLE THINK THAT THERE WAS AN ACROSS-THE-BOARD CUT. THERE WASN'T. THERE WERE PERCENTAGES AND THE ASSOCIATE DOLLARS GIVEN TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANTED TO HOLD OFF TILL LATER IN THE PROCESS TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES WOULD BE AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT ARISE, SO TECHNICALLY, NO, THEY -- THEY WITHHELD SOME OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROCESS. >>ROSE FERLITA: WITHHELD? >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS MIKE'S GOT TO DELIVER A BALANCED BUDGET TO THIS BOARD, AND AT THIS POINT I'M GOING TO SUPPORT YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO DELIVER THAT BUDGET AS A BALANCED ITEM, BUT NOW YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND DETERMINE WITH THIS 12-MONTH PLAN IF THE DOLLARS ARE AVAILABLE OR NOT AND MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION AT THE END OF THE DAY TO US. >>MIKE MERRILL: YES, AND WE CAN DO THAT AS LONG AS THE UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY WILL BE ON THE 12-MONTH PLAN AND WILL HAVE TO FIND -- COME BACK TO US IN 12 MONTHS AND IDENTIFY HOW THEY'RE GOING TO REPAY THAT -- ESSENTIALLY THAT LOAN THAT WE'RE MAKING THEM TO HELP COVER THEIR FURLOUGH DAYS. >>JIM NORMAN: I WOULD JUST SAY, DR. GARRITY, YOU KNOW, AS OUR EARLIER MOTION, I WISH THAT YOU-ALL WOULD GET ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT GIVING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD KNOW IMPACTS AND WE WOULD KNOW -- WHERE THERE'S NOTHING HELD BACK LIKE THAT. I JUST WISH THAT OUR -- OUR FINANCIAL PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY YES, YOU HAVE COMPLIED. >>RICK GARRITY: I AGREE, COMMISSIONER, AND I THOUGHT WE HAD COMPLIED, SO I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED AT HIS ANSWER. I WOULD SAY ALSO TO YOU AT -- WHEN YOU MET AS THE EPC BOARD, MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU WAS TO SUBMIT THIS TO THE BOCC ITEM TO BE FLAGGED AS THE 12-MONTH PLAN. THAT WAS MY RECOMMENDATION, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO DO. >>KEN HAGAN: MIKE, YOU'RE -- CLARIFY SOMETHING FOR ME. I WANT TO SUPPORT RESTORING THE FUNDS; HOWEVER, I DO AGREE THERE SHOULD BE CONSISTENCY AND THERE SHOULD BE A FORMAL WRITTEN PLAN. MAYBE BECAUSE I GOT HERE LATE, I'M NOT FOLLOWING WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. DO YOU SUPPORT WHAT -- COMMISSIONER BECKNER'S MOTION, AND THEN SECONDLY, IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE OR IS THERE ANY VALUE OF US WAITING OR HAVING YOU GUYS COME UP WITH THIS WRITTEN PLAN BETWEEN NOW AND THE FIRST AND THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING WHEN WE CAN OFFICIALLY, YOU KNOW, ADOPT IT THEN? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE BEST ROUTE TO TAKE? I WANT TO SUPPORT IT. >>MIKE MERRILL: RIGHT. >>KEN HAGAN: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY. >>MIKE MERRILL: NO, I THINK YOU CAN -- I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU SUPPORT IT TODAY BASED ON THIS DISCUSSION, BASED ON THE COMMITMENT THAT WE'LL WORK OUT THE PLAN. WE'LL TREAT IT JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT. THERE WILL BE ONE-TIME FUNDING THAT WILL CARRY IT FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, AND THEY'LL BE CONSISTENT IN THAT WAY. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND IT WAS CLEAR -- AND I HAD THEM PULL IT, MARCH 15th, 2007, THE BOARD -- THE EPC BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO FOLLOW THESE POLICIES, SO DON'T IGNORE THEM, PLEASE. >>RICK GARRITY: ABSOLUTELY. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I SENSE THE BOARD WANTS TO MOVE THIS FORWARD WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING, BUT NOW IF I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS, YOU TWO ARE GOING TO SIT DOWN AND COME UP WITH YOUR PLAN. >> YES. >> ABSOLUTELY, YES. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY. AND I'M STILL AT A LOSS AS TO WHY YOU DIDN'T DO THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN I GO BACK TO MARCH 15, 2007, AND SEE THAT IT WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR WE WERE TO FOLLOW THIS PROCESS. >>RICK GARRITY: I THINK, COMMISSIONER, FROM MIKE'S AND MY CONVERSATION, WE WERE BOTH ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH. MAYBE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT REQUIRED A SIGNATURE ON A PAGE, BUT MY SIGNATURE IS THERE AS SOON AS I GET THE PIECE OF PAPER FROM MIKE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SO REPEAT THE MOTION BEFORE I VOTE YES. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THIS WOULD BE -- AND I'LL AMEND THE MOTION TO STATE THE AMOUNT THAT DR. GARRITY HAD REFLECTED, THAT THIS IS A MOTION TO RESTORE $227,087, IS THAT CORRECT, DR. GARRITY? >>RICK GARRITY: THAT'S CORRECT. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THIS IS TO COVER -- RESTORE THE EMPLOYEES -- BRING THEM BACK TO WORK AND TO REMOVE THE FURLOUGH DAYS FROM YOUR BUDGET; IS THAT CORRECT? >>RICK GARRITY: YES. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THAT WOULD BE -- AND THEN ALSO THIS WOULD BE PART OF THE 12-MONTH PLAN, AND I'LL JUST MAKE ONE STATEMENT FROM THERE. I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF SURPRISED WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET ON A FEW DIFFERENT OCCASIONS DURING OUR EPC MEETINGS LAST SPRING, SO I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS QUITE TRANSPARENT. THEY HAD PRESENTED DIFFERENT PLANS ON HOW THIS WAS GOING TO BE COVERED, AND WE HAVEN'T FULLY ADDRESSED THAT YET, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING AS FAR AS WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PRESENTED, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY CRYSTAL CLEAR TO ME AND TRANSPARENT AS FAR AS -- I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THE EPC BUDGETS FROM MY RECOLLECTION SINCE EARLY THIS PAST SPRING, SO ANYWAYS, THAT'S THE MOTION THAT I'LL BRING FORWARD. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND I ALREADY SECONDED IT, BUT I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. MR. BECKNER, YOUR RECOLLECTION OF THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT MY RECOLLECTION IS, THAT I THINK WE WENT THROUGH THIS, AND OF COURSE, EPC HAS THE OPPORTUNITY, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, TO PERHAPS REVIEW FEES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN INCREASED IN A LONG TIME, AND AS THE BALANCE IS WITH ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT -- I'M NOT DIMINISHING EVERYBODY ELSE'S IMPORTANCE HERE IN TERMS OF THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT EITHER THEY RAISE THE FEES OR THEY CAN'T GIVE PEOPLE THE SERVICE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, AND I THINK THAT WAS THE CRUX OF THE CONVERSATION. THIS WAS A WAY TO TRANSITION. I THINK DR. GARRITY REALIZES THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX, IF YOU WOULD, IN TERMS OF WHAT I APPLAUD AS MR. MERRILL'S 12- MONTH TRANSITION, BUT I THINK IT WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR TO ME TOO, AND SO I'M KIND OF NOT SO MUCH SURPRISED OR DISAPPOINTED THAT PERHAPS MAYBE SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS WON'T VOTE FOR THIS -- WHETHER THEY DO OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW -- BUT JUST THE TONE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU OFF THE HOOK, YOU WITHHELD EVIDENCE. I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS -- WAS ON THE UP AND UP IN TERMS OF YOUR APPROACH ABOUT WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO, SO THAT BEING SAID, IF THERE'S SOME DETAILS PERHAPS THAT -- THAT YOU AND MR. MERRILL NEED TO LOOK OVER AGAIN BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THIS PROCESS, THAT'S FINE, BUT I THINK -- I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GO AWAY HARBORING THAT ATTITUDE ABOUT YOU WITHHELD EVIDENCE. THIS IS STARTING TO SOUND LIKE A CRIMINAL CASE, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT, FINE, BUT I AGREE WITH MR. BECKNER THAT WE'VE HASHED THIS AROUND FOR HOWEVER LONG WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS, SO LET'S HOPE THE OUTCOME IS NOT SO ADVERSARIAL AS I FEEL THE SPIRIT IS THIS MORNING. I THINK EPC SERVES AN IMPORTANT SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND AS EVERYBODY ELSE, HARDSHIPS ARE HARDSHIPS FOR DEPARTMENTS, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REDUCING THEIR BUDGET AND THEIR STAFF, PERCENTAGEWISE IT'S A BIG AMOUNT OF WHAT THEY HAVE. I WAS CERTAINLY OF A DIFFERENT IMPRESSION OR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT DR. GARRITY HAS BEEN VERY HARD AT WORK TRYING TO DO, SO HOPEFULLY THE OUTCOME WILL BE POSITIVE, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT DISCUSSIONS ARE ABOUT. BUT I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, DR. GARRITY. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND ALSO -- EXCUSE ME. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO WHAT I SAID OR ANYBODY ELSE SAID? LET ME GIVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY. >>RICK GARRITY: I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK CHERYL ARENDS AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE BUDGET STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US. WE HAD THAT LITTLE GLITCH OF AN ISSUE YESTERDAY WITH THE GRANT MONEY, AND CHERYL DID MIRACLES WORKING WITH US YESTERDAY. OUR COMMITMENT IS TO DO AWAY WITH ALL FURLOUGH DAYS BECAUSE AS A MANAGER, I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S A THING OF THE PAST, SO WE WILL HAVE NO FURLOUGH DAYS IN ANY OF OUR PROGRAMS, AND CHERYL HELPED US ACCOMPLISH THAT. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. AND DO WHAT YOU CAN JUST TO CLARIFY ANY THINGS THAT PERHAPS PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE CLEAR ON IN TERMS -- >>RICK GARRITY: YES. >>ROSE FERLITA: -- OF WHAT YOUR FOCUS IS, OKAY. THANKS, DR. GARRITY, TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: FINE. AND I UNDERSTAND THE MOTION AND WON'T SUPPORT IT TODAY, AND THE REASON IS NOT THAT I FAIL TO RECOGNIZE YOUR HARD WORK AND THAT OF THE STAFF AND THAT I DON'T CHERISH AND HOLD THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE'VE GOT A PROCESS OF WORKING, GETTING THIS CLEARED UP BEFORE WE COME, SO MY VOTE IS A SIGNAL TO YOU AND STAFF TO DO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO DO BACK ON MARCH 15th AND WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS, SO MY VOTE TODAY WILL BE NO, BUT IT'S NOT FOR LACK OF SUPPORTING THE ENVIRONMENT BUT TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT WE'VE GOT RULES THAT YOU NEED TO -- AND A PROCESS TO WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR AND BUDGET FOLKS, AND LET'S DO THAT, SO -- >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. MOTION COMMISSIONER BECKNER, SECOND COMMISSIONER FERLITA. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-2. COMMISSIONERS HIGGINBOTHAM AND SHARPE VOTED NO. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, DR. GARRITY. NEXT ITEM. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, THE NEXT ITEM IS F-3, WHICH IS TO RESTORE ARTS COUNCIL REGRANTING FUNDS. THE SPECIFIC AMOUNT THAT HAD BEEN FLAGGED FOR THAT ITEM WAS $200,000, SO IT'S A CLARIFICATION. THIS IS NOT RESTORING THE ARTS COUNCIL FUNDING TO THE LEVEL OF THIS YEAR. THIS IS CONTINUING THE CURRENT LEVEL OF RECOMMENDED FUNDING FOR STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND THEN ADDING BACK 200,000 SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE REGRANTING PROGRAM. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS -- AS WE LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THE ARTS HAS ON THE COMMUNITY AND THE VALUE THAT IT BRINGS, THIS ALSO JUST ISN'T JUST ABOUT RESTORING FUNDING JUST TO THE ARTS COUNCIL, THIS IS ABOUT ALSO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALSO ARE FUNDED BY THE ARTS COUNCIL WHICH ARE VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND SO I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WITH THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND WHAT THEY -- WHAT THEY DO AS A WHOLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, IT WARRANTS THAT WE RESTORE AT LEAST $200,000 IN FUNDING, AND THAT WOULD BE MY MOTION. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. QUESTION HERE. IN RESTORING THAT WE STILL HAVE IN PLACE THE FUNDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, COMMISSIONER BECKNER, IS JUST GETTING MONEY FOR THEM TO -- TO GIVE IN A REWARD IN GRANTS? I'M -- MR. JOHNSON OR MR. MERRILL. >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES. THEY HAVE -- THE $487,000 IN RECOMMENDED FUNDING IS THE AMOUNT THAT WAS INTENDED TO RETAIN ALL OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS OF THE ARTS COUNCIL. THE 200,000 WAS ADDING BACK A PORTION OF THE REGRANTING FUNDS THAT WERE NOT PART OF OUR RECOMMENDED BUDGET. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND THE HISTORY OF THIS, WE CREATED THIS LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TO MAKE THESE GRANTS RATHER THAN HAVE THE COMMISSION ITSELF GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS? SO IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, WE'D HAVE 400,000 APPROXIMATELY IN MONEY TO GIVE IN GRANTS? >>ERIC JOHNSON: I THINK THAT THE ANSWER WOULD BE YES. THE KEY WOULD BE YOU'D NEED TO HAVE THE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE REGRANTING PROCESS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS IF ANY ENTITY OTHER THAN THE ARTS COUNCIL PERFORMED THAT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER BECKNER, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT TODAY, AND THE REASON IS I'D LIKE US TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK, MAYBE NOT IN THIS CYCLE BUT THE NEXT, AND SEE IF WE'RE NOT JUST TOP-HEAVY WITH ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE AND WE'RE LEAVING TOO MUCH MONEY AT THE TOP AND NOT GETTING IT TO WHERE IT'S INTENDED, WHICH MAYBE -- THE ORIGINAL START WAS TO GET THIS OFF OUR PLATES AND PASS IT ON TO SOMEONE ELSE, AND THERE MAY BE SOME HISTORY, AND I'M LOOKING DOWN AT HISTORY THAT COULD GIVE SOME MORE INSIGHT AS TO WHY -- WHY THAT WAS DELEGATED, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY FOR ADMINISTRATION TO BE GIVEN TO ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT THEY'RE USING TO AWARD THESE GRANTS. I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE AT THIS POINT. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND I DON'T MEAN TO JUMP IN, BUT I SEE MR. KEEBLE IS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. MR. KEEBLE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP AND PERHAPS ADDRESS THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM? >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M ART KEEBLE, DIRECTOR OF THE ARTS COUNCIL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE ARE A CREATURE OF YOU. IN 1989 YOU CREATED US WITH AN ORDINANCE, AND WE'VE BEEN OPERATING AS A QUASI-COUNTY AGENCY EVER SINCE. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT YOU CREATED US WAS TO TAKE THAT GRANTS-MAKING FUNCTION OFF YOUR BACK AND GIVE IT TO PEOPLE WHOSE BUSINESS IT IS TO FUND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM ME. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, OF ALL THINGS, I'M PROBABLY NOT THE ARTS GUY ON THE BOARD, BUT WHAT MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MIKE MERRILL WERE ALL ABOUT WAS WITH A LEAN, LEAN BUDGET, YOU HAVE TO HAVE INVESTMENTS, YOUR ITEMS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT, AND THAT'S FROM -- TO SCRUB THIS BUDGET TO SEE HOW MANY OUR INVESTMENT -- IS IT BRINGING BACK FIVE TO ONE, FOUR TO ONE, THREE -- WHATEVER IT IS, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A POSITIVE CASH FLOW ON THOSE INVESTMENTS, AND -- AND MIKE, YOU CAN ATTEST I HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE TRY TO RECOVER OUR ECONOMY, THAT GOVERNMENT CAN'T GET US OUT OF THESE PROBLEMS, BUT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THIS OR OTHER INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING THROUGH TDC OR WHATEVER, THAT THAT'S KEEPING OUR PEOPLE VERY BUSY OUT THERE AND ALSO HAVING TOURISM AND HAVING THINGS THAT ARE FILLING UP OUR RESTAURANTS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. SO THAT'S WHY I WAS SUPPORTIVE. MIKE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD A CREATIVE WAY TO FUND THIS ITEM, AND I WAS DEPENDING ON HIM, ONCE AGAIN, THE SAME CONCEPT, THAT HE WOULD BRING AND DELIVER HIS BUDGET TO US WITH THAT CONCEPT OF INVESTMENT AND RETURN ON INVESTMENT, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND I'LL BE LISTENING ATTENTIVELY TO MIKE'S CREATIVE IDEAS, AND I THINK YOU'VE GIVEN US SOME IDEA OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS. MR. NORMAN, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU'RE RIGHT. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH OF OUR DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES HERE AS A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, LOOK AT IT MORE AS A BUSINESS APPROACH TO THE BUDGET, BUT WHEN WE LOOK ON WHAT RETURNS THE MOST TO OUR COMMUNITY, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, CERTAINLY TOURISM, AGRICULTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS IN ADDITION WITH THE ARTS. IT'S AMAZING, I SAT JUST YESTERDAY WITH MS. LISI, AND AS ALWAYS, I'M PLEASANTLY SURPRISED ABOUT WHAT THE ARTS ARE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SOME PEOPLE DON'T LOOK AT THAT AS AN ASSET. IT'S HUGE. IT'S HUGE. IT'S JUST NOT WELL-KNOWN ENOUGH AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. THAT BEING SAID, IN TERMS OF THE ARTS COUNCIL -- AND ART, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH OF A RIPPLE EFFECT -- YOU TALK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO GET SMALL, SMALL AMOUNTS OF OUR BUDGET, MS. METCALF WITH LIFE ENRICHMENT CENTER, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, SO IT'S NOT ONE POT GOING TO ONE ENTITY AND NOBODY ELSE BENEFITS, IT IS JUST SPLIT UP MANY, MANY WAYS, AND IF WE CUT OFF THE FUNDS TO THIS, THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT GET SMALL AMOUNTS THAT ARE GOING TO SUFFER AS WELL, SO I NOT ONLY SUPPORT RESTORING THIS, I HIGHLY SUPPORT IT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS ON THE RIPPLE EFFECT AND HOW IT IS DISPERSED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, AND MY VOTE WILL BE NO IN GREAT PART TO SEND A SIGNAL AS WE COME TO THE NEXT BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE LOOK TO MAKE SURE ARE WE TOP HEAVY AND HOW DO WE PARE DOWN SO THAT WE GET AS MUCH MONEY OUT OF THE BACK-ROOM OPERATIONS - - AND I'M NOT IMPLYING, ART, THAT IT'S A BACK-ROOM OPERATION BUT THAT WE LOOK AT EACH AREA OF ACTIVITY IN ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING AS MUCH MONEY TO CREATE THE BIGGEST RIPPLE AS POSSIBLE, BUT FOR TODAY, I'M GOING TO VOTE NO. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. I'M GOING TO -- I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THE ITEM. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE ARTS COUNCIL'S PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS IS PROFOUND, SO I WILL SUPPORT THE ITEM. THE MOTION'S BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: SECOND COMMISSIONER FERLITA. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-2. COMMISSIONERS HIGGINBOTHAM AND SHARPE VOTED NO. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT ITEM. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, YOUR NEXT ITEM, F-4 IS TO - - >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. JOHNSON, CAN I JUST MAKE A COMMENT ON SOMETHING WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED? I'M SORRY TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE WERE IN THE HEAT OF THE ARGUMENT ABOUT EPC AND THE 12-MONTH PLAN. LET ME JUST MAKE AN EDITORIAL COMMENT ABOUT THAT. FIRST OF ALL, MIKE -- AND I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO DIRECT YOUR WAY LATER, BUT EXTRACTING THAT PARTICULAR ONE ABOUT THE 12-MONTH PLAN, AGAIN, YOU KNOW THAT I APPLAUD YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. IT'S AS SMOOTH A TRANSITION AS WE CAN OFFER OUR -- OUR EMPLOYEES AND OUR -- AND ORGANIZATION GIVEN THE SITUATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE FINANCIAL IMPACT, BUT I THINK GOING FORWARD, IT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL TO THE COMMISSIONERS THAT STILL WILL BE HERE AND SOME THAT WILL NOT, SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT IT -- AND MAYBE THIS IS PART OF YOUR PLAN, BUT I WANT TO VERBALIZE IT. WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT 12-MONTH PLAN, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A COMPONENT IN THERE THAT MAYBE THERE IS GOING TO BE AN AUTOMATIC -- UNLESS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ASKS FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT, A PERIODIC REPORTING OF THE STATUS OF THAT PLAN SO THEN, YES, PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S A TRANSITION AND YOU'RE GIVING THEM LIKE A FLOATING DEVICE TO SURVIVE THIS, BUT THEY NEED TO BE AWARE AS WE GO FORWARD CLOSER TO THE 12-MONTH END THAT THIS IS WHERE IT IS, GIVEN THIS, GIVEN THAT. THERE ARE GOING TO BE FACTORS THAT CHANGE FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF THE 12 MONTHS, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD, PROACTIVE POSITION FOR YOU AS OUR ADMINISTRATOR TO LET PEOPLE KNOW QUARTERLY OR WHATEVER YOU WANT WHERE WE ARE, IS IT BETTER THAN WE THOUGHT, WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT, SO THAT THEY CAN KIND OF APPROPRIATELY ADJUST SO WE WON'T HAVE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND THAT'S JUST A SUGGESTION. >>MIKE MERRILL: YES. THAT'S A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION. I'M ACTUALLY ASSEMBLING NOW A STATUS REPORT WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE WEB PAGE FOR THE BUDGET PROBABLY IN THE NEXT WEEK ON ALL THE TRANSITION PLANS AND WILL GIVE YOU MONTHLY UPDATES, AND SO THIS WOULD APPLY ALSO TO EPC, SO WE'LL KEEP YOU-ALL INFORMED. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. NEXT ITEM. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, F-4 IS TO RESTORE THE LAND USE OMBUDSMAN FUNCTION IN THE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. THIS IS AN UNINCORPORATED GENERAL FUND PROGRAM. THE COST IS $122,720. >>MIKE MERRILL: IF I MIGHT JUST MAKE A COMMENT. WE SENT -- OR I SENT YOU A MEMO ON -- EARLIER THIS WEEK ADDRESSING A COUPLE OF ISSUES. ONE WAS THIS ISSUE OF THE LAND USE OMBUDSMAN, AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I APPRECIATED ALL OF THE COMMENTS, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, AND I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT IT, TALKING ABOUT IT, TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE BEST APPROACH IS, AND WHAT I'VE COME TO IS SORT OF MY OWN REALIZATION THAT THERE'S NO ONE POSITION AND THERE'S NO ONE PERSON IN THIS ORGANIZATION THAT MAKES US SUCCESSFUL, AND THAT INCLUDES ME. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT -- MANY, MANY DEDICATED, HARDWORKING FOLKS IN PGM WHO HAVE BEEN FULFILLING THE ROLE OF AN OMBUDSMAN EVEN THOUGH THEY MAYBE DON'T HAVE THE TITLE. OVER THE YEARS THEY HELPED ANY NUMBER OF CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM, GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF HISPANIC-SPEAKING COUNSELORS IN PGM. I THINK THE MEMO INDICATES ABOUT 20, WHICH IS 12% OF THE STAFF. WE HAVE A HISPANIC LIAISON THAT REACHES OUT THROUGH THE MEDIA AND HAS DONE SO, AND SO I THINK THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT WE HEARD PEOPLE AT THE PUBLIC HEARING TALK ABOUT AND WE CAN PROVIDE IT AT A HIGH LEVEL AND WE CAN GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED, BUT AT THIS POINT I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY RECOMMENDATION WITH RESPECT TO THE POSITION AND TO THE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH SHE MAY BE HARDWORKING. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO ARE HARDWORKING AND HAVE BEEN LAID OFF BEFORE IN THE LAST ROUND AND THIS ROUND, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE DISRESPECTFUL TO THOSE EMPLOYEES TO SINGLE ONE PERSON OUT IN THIS PROCESS, SO I'LL OFFER THOSE COMMENTS TO YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MR. MERRILL, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU ON SEVERAL ISSUES, THAT NO ONE -- THAT NO ONE EMPLOYEE IS ANYMORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE AS FAR AS HARDWORKING AND DOING A GREAT DUE DILIGENCE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HERE THIS MORNING IS OUR RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT, AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL BUT THE -- THE INDIVIDUAL IN THIS POSITION. THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE HAD THE OTHER NIGHT, WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR -- AND IT'S NOT JUST FROM THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY. I MEAN, THERE WERE THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, THE ANGLO COMMUNITY, THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THAT THIS POSITION IS A GREAT ASSET TO THIS COUNTY. THIS PERSON IN THIS POSITION HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB IN OUTREACH AND REACHING ACROSS THE AISLES, REACHING ACROSS ALL ETHNICITIES AND EVEN ALL CULTURES, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO PGM AND OUR COUNTY TO ELIMINATE THIS POSITION AT THIS TIME WHEN WE HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL, SMOOTH OPERATION GOING, AND I THINK TO DISRUPT THAT WOULD BE MORE DISRUPTIVE TO COUNTY GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS TO PGM, SO RESPECTFULLY, I WILL HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH YOU ON THAT, AND I HOPE THAT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THIS BOARD WILL SEE THE IMPORTANCE AND THE VALUE OF THE POSITION IN WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT -- I'M NOT SPEAKING OF ONE INDIVIDUAL, BUT IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS MADE THIS PARALLEL AND THIS CROSSOVER BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT BY MAKING THAT BOND AND THAT LIAISON MUCH MORE PALATABLE FOR THE AVERAGE EVERYDAY JOE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT CAN'T NAVIGATE OR DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY THAT WE DEAL WITH EVERY DAY. SO I WOULD BE MAKING A MOTION TO RESTORE THE FLAGGED ITEM, F-4, THE LAND USE OMBUDSMAN POSITION. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO RESTORE THE LAND USE OMBUDSMAN POSITION BY COMMISSIONER WHITE. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. MERRILL, I KNOW THIS IS A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR YOU. I HAVEN'T HEARD ENOUGH OF THE DETAILS ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD ADDRESS THIS IF THIS MOTION DOESN'T GO FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY I HAVE SPOKEN MY PIECE, AND I AM SUPPORTIVE OF IT, AND I UNDERSTAND THE SENSITIVITY TO OTHER EMPLOYEES AS OPPOSED TO THAT PARTICULAR POSITION. REGARDLESS OF HOW THIS -- THE OUTCOME TURNS OUT ON THIS PARTICULAR MOTION, THERE'S PROBABLY -- WHETHER THIS GOES FORWARD OR NOT -- AND I HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF IT -- DEPENDING ON THE WILL OF THIS COMMISSION, REALLY, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SORT OF DEFINITION OR ELABORATION OF WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IN THIS CATEGORY, WHETHER IT'S MS. MEDRANO OR SOMEONE ELSE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE CONFUSION. ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT OFFER EMPLOYEES WHO ARE BILINGUAL AND CAN HELP SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE DEFINITION IS THERE ABOUT, OH, YEAH, THIS SAYS THIS PERSON'S GOING TO HELP ME AND WHERE DO I GO. TONY MOREJON, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WHO DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HE'S BEEN ASKED TO WEIGH IN ON THIS. AND THIS IS AN ISSUE GOING FORWARD. IF IT PASSES, IT MIGHT BE A TRANSITION APPROVAL, IT MIGHT NOT BE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THERE AGAIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JOB DESCRIPTIONS, AND IF THOSE THINGS IN MANY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES ARE ELABORATED IN TERMS OF DEFINITION, WE WON'T HAVE SO MUCH DEBATE ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED AND YOU AS ADMINISTRATOR GOING FORWARD WOULD SAY, RIGHT, THIS IS THE JOB DESCRIPTION, THIS IS HOW WE CAN GET IT DONE. IT TAKES AWAY THE FACE OF A PERSON, AND I THINK IT WILL ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THOSE PROBLEMS GOING FORWARD. AGAIN, IT'S INPUT. I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS. PEOPLE ARE PANICKED. WE SAW THE OUTCRY, AND I APPLAUD THEM FOR BEING HERE AND I APPLAUD HER FOR WHAT SHE DOES, BUT THERE MIGHT BE BETTER WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE TO AVOID ISSUES LIKE THIS. >>MIKE MERRILL: I THINK THERE ARE BETTER WAYS, AND I THINK COMMISSIONER WHITE RAISES A GOOD POINT, THAT WHAT WE DID LEARN IS WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR EXISTING RESOURCES BETTER FROM A SERVICE POINT OF VIEW AND TO INTEGRATE, REALLY, ALL OF THOSE PIECES. IT'S NOT JUST THE HISPANIC LIAISON, IT'S THE ASIAN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN, AND AS WELL AS JUST THE FUNDAMENTAL PLANNING SERVICE THAT WE OFFER TO CUSTOMERS, AND THAT WOULD BE MY OFFER TO THE BOARD, THAT WE INTEGRATE BETTER FROM A SERVICE POINT OF VIEW THE RESOURCES WE ALREADY HAVE TO ACHIEVE WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS ASKED US TO DO. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. AND YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT IN FOLLOWING YOUR RECOMMENDATION HERE THAT WE'VE GOT ADEQUATE SUPPORT STAFF HERE IN THE MEDIA RELATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE TRANSLATION SERVICES IN PLACE, AND I GUESS THE OTHER IS THAT WITH THIS OMBUDSMAN FOR LAND USE ISSUES, WITH THE DOWNTURN IN THE MARKET, THERE'S NOT THE ACTIVITY RIGHT NOW TO SUPPORT THAT. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M LOOKING AT AS WELL, AND I WILL -- I'M GOING TO SUPPORT YOUR RECOMMENDATION, I THINK, BUT I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. DO YOU -- DO YOU FEEL WE'VE GOT ADEQUATE DEPTH ON THE BENCH? >>MIKE MERRILL: WE HAVE ADEQUATE DEPTH, WE HAVE ADEQUATE EXPERIENCE. WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING THE SERVICE. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER IS, AS I SAY, TO FOCUS IT, GIVE AN ENTRY POINT, A PORTAL FOR PEOPLE, MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WHERE THEY COME INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WE -- WE HOLD TO OUR COMMITMENT TO DELIVER SERVICE TIMELY AND REPORT BACK ON THAT, AND SO THAT -- THAT IS THE THING THAT WE CAN DO BETTER, BUT WE DO HAVE THE RESOURCES, YES. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YOU COULD APPLY YOUR SKILLS AS YOU HAVE WITH TRIPLE BOND RATINGS AND SEE TO IT THAT WE EXTRACT THE BEST ABILITIES AND BRING -- BRING TO THE TOP THE BEST ABILITIES OF THE STAFF YOU HAVE WITH THESE CUTS? >>MIKE MERRILL: YES, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING ALL THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION, ASKING PEOPLE TO DO MORE WITH LESS AND NOT JUST DO MORE WITH LESS BUT TO FOCUS ON SERVICE, TO FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER. WE HAVE TO LOVE OUR CUSTOMERS. WE HAVE TO DO THE BEST WE CAN FOR THEM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: WELL, I WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS. FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. MERRILL, AS FAR AS PERSONALIZING THE POSITION. I DO NOT LIKE THAT. I'VE NEVER LIKED THAT. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO ALL OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO RIFs IN THE PAST; HOWEVER, I DO VALUE AND RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE HISPANIC AND THE SPANISH-SPEAKING COMMUNITY. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT I THINK IT GOES TO THE BROADER ISSUE THAT PERHAPS WE NEED TO REEXAMINE AND POSSIBLY RESTRUCTURE OUR SERVICES HERE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU TOUCH ON SOME OF THAT HERE IN YOUR MEMO. YOU PARTICULARLY SAY TOWARD THE LAST -- ACTUALLY THE LAST SENTENCE, THE HISPANIC LIAISON AND THE COUNTY'S INTERPRETER WILL CONTINUE TO ROUTINELY SPEAK ON RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAMS AND TO SPANISH-SPEAKING GROUPS AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO MR. MOREJON, OUR HISPANIC LIAISON, ABOUT THIS, MY FEELINGS ARE THAT WE ARE NOT ADEQUATELY UTILIZING HIS TALENTS. I'VE SEEN HIM IN ACTION IN THE COMMUNITY AS RECENTLY AS A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH HURRICANE PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN SOUTH COUNTY. I'VE SEEN HIM ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, AND I THINK WE CAN -- I KNOW WE CAN DO BETTER. >>MIKE MERRILL: YES, WE CAN. >>KEN HAGAN: I FEEL THAT HE'S TALENTED IN THAT REGARD WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND OUTREACH, AND WE NEED TO UTILIZE THAT. I DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE POSITION OF PLACING TONY AGAINST, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT OMBUDSMAN. I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO ALL THAT STUFF, BUT IN THE BROADER SCOPE, I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER IN THAT AREA, AND I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER OR -- GOING DOWN THAT PATH. >>MIKE MERRILL: YES, WE WILL. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE TRANSITIONAL ATTITUDE, AND IT'S NICE THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING AN ADVERSARIAL DISCUSSION. WE KNOW THE REALITY OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND HOW WE NEED TO ADAPT TO STILL GIVE CORE SERVICES, AND THAT'S OUR MISSION, AND IN THIS CASE, I AGREE WITH YOU. I HAVE SEEN MR. MOREJON IN ACTION. SCARY. NO, I'M KIDDING. BUT, I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE NOT UTILIZING HIS TALENTS ENOUGH, AND I REMEMBER THE LAST CYCLE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT -- AND I THINK UNDER MS. BEAN'S WATCH, THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY MAYBE FOR YOU TO BE ELIMINATED, YOUR POSITION, TONY, AND THAT WOULD BE SEVEN MILES BACKWARDS. I MEAN, LOOK AT THE HISPANIC -- AND NOT TO DIMINISH ANY OF THE OTHER LIAISONS IN THE DIFFERENT ETHNIC COMMUNITIES, BUT HISPANIC COMMUNITY IS HUGE, MAYBE 28%, 30% OF OUR COUNTY, ABOUT THAT MUCH OR MORE IN MY PARTICULAR DISTRICT, SO I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS -- AND I'M GOING TO SECOND THE MOTION, BUT IF THIS GOES FORWARD, THEN THIS IS YET ANOTHER 12-MONTH OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE FOCUS, INCORPORATE WHAT TONY DOES SO THAT MAYBE THE NEXT TIME THIS GROUP OR ANY GROUP GETS TOGETHER, THEY CAN LOOK AT IT IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT. TONY, YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN ANYBODY THAT I KNOW OF THAT FALLS BACK IN TERMS OF MORE RESPONSIBILITY, SO IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS MORE EFFICIENT, THEN I'M SURE THAT THE ATTITUDE IS GOING TO BE HERE, WHETHER THIS PASSES OR NOT, FOR YOU TO TAKE ON MORE. YOU'VE NEVER, NEVER -- I MEAN, WEEKDAY, WEEKEND, NIGHTS, YOU'VE NEVER SAID NO TO INTERACTING WITH THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN THEM AND THEY BELIEVE IN YOU AS THEIR LEADER. SO I THINK THE BEST WORK PRODUCT HERE WOULD BE TO INCORPORATE BOTH THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND LET YOU TAKE THE LEAD ON SOME THINGS THAT PERHAPS WE HAVEN'T ASKED YOU TO DO BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOMETHING ELSE. SO I THINK IT CAN BE A WIN-WIN AT THE END, AND THAT BEING SAID, I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, I GUESS EVERYBODY KNOWS THE TALENTED IMPACT OF MR. MOREJON, BUT LET ME SAY WE'VE ALL SAT HERE WHEN THERE ARE EFFORTS AFOOT TO HAVE A POLITICAL PROCESS ABOUT AN EMPLOYEE COME BEFORE THIS BOARD. TO ME WE EMPOWER THE ADMINISTRATOR TO RUN THE EVERYDAY OPERATIONS OF THIS ORGANIZATION. FOR US TO GO DOWN AND SPECIFICALLY TARGET AN INDIVIDUAL IN ANY DEPARTMENT IS MICROMANAGING, AND IF WE WANT TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN A DEPARTMENT, WE FEEL THAT THAT DEPARTMENT IS NEEDING MORE INVESTMENT, YOU GIVE HIM THE MONEY TO HAVE THE WISDOM OF ENHANCING THAT DEPARTMENT. YOU DON'T -- DO NOT SAY HIRE, FIRE. THAT'S A VIOLATION OF THE CHARTER. HE IS OUR PROFESSIONAL MANAGER AT THIS POINT. WE EMPOWER HIM TO RUN THIS ORGANIZATION, AND THIS CANNOT BE -- THIS CANNOT TURN IN TO A FREE-FOR-ALL POLITICAL PROCESS OF HAND SELECTING EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED TO SAVE OR FIRE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THE SAME KIND OF THING, PEOPLE COMING IN HERE SAYING FIRE, FIRE, FIRE. WE DON'T TAKE ANY ACTION ON THAT. WE LEAVE IT UP TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. WE NEED TO BE CONSISTENT, AND I BELIEVE THAT HE HAS A VERY GOOD HANDLE ON HIS APPROACH TO IT'S NOT FAIR TO ALL THE OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE FACED THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES AND DO NOT HAVE A POLITICAL ENGINE TO STAND UP AND COME BEFORE THIS BOARD AND DO THE SAME THING, SO I SUPPORT HIM, I SUPPORT OUR BEING A POLICY BOARD, AND AT THIS POINT SELECTING ONE INDIVIDUAL TO DIRECT OUR ADMINISTRATOR TO CHANGE HIS RECOMMENDATION IS THE WRONG APPROACH. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, AS WE ALL KNOW, THESE ARE EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT TIMES, CHALLENGING TIMES WITHIN OUR BUDGET, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE STRONG MEASURE, AND THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS. AS OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID, THE SERVICE AND OUTREACH IS ESSENTIAL. MR. MOREJON, WHO IS -- I'VE KNOWN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS -- IS AN EXTRAORDINARY EMPLOYEE, AND I'M CERTAIN THAT WITHIN THE STRUCTURE OF WHAT YOU'RE BEGINNING TO BUILD, WE CAN FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BUT WITHIN YOUR PLAN. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER NORMAN ON HIS POINT AS WELL. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN WARY WHEN WE'VE STARTED DOWN THIS PATH OF TRYING TO PROTECT A PARTICULAR JOB, AND LISTEN, I DEEPLY RESPECT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED, BUT I THINK IF THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY INTEGRITY TO THIS PROCESS, WE'VE GOT TO RESPECT THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT, SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE INTERIM COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND AGAIN, MY MESSAGE TO EVERYONE, WITH ALL THE VOTES THAT WE'VE CAST HERE, IS THAT, LOOK, GUYS, THINGS HAVE CHANGED, AND WE BETTER BE PREPARED AND COME IN HERE WITH OUR ACT TOGETHER READY TO SAVE SOME MONEY, AND SO I'LL BE VOTING NO. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WHITE, SECOND COMMISSIONER FERLITA. NO OTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 4-3. COMMISSIONERS HIGGINBOTHAM, NORMAN, AND SHARPE VOTED NO. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT ITEM. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, F-5 IS A COMMITMENT TO HAVE A CONTINUED FUNDING LEVEL OF $1 MILLION FOR THE COMBAT GRANT PROGRAM. THAT IS A COUNTYWIDE PROGRAM. AS INDICATED HERE, THERE'S NO COST TO THIS. I THINK THE KEY IS THAT THE ITEM WAS FLAGGED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE HUNDRED MILLION -- THE $1-MILLION FUNDING LEVEL WAS A FACTOR IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROGRAM, THAT WE WOULD COMMIT THAT LEVEL. >>JIM NORMAN: SAME KIND OF THING BEFORE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE FINANCIAL IMPACT WILL BE PROBABLY IN THE NEXT 12 OR WHATEVER MONTHS, BUT IT'S BASICALLY JUST TO STAY CONSISTENTLY OF THE $1 MILLION. WE DO NOT KNOW THE DEPLOYMENT OF OUR SOLDIERS, BUT I WANTED THIS BOARD TO CONTINUE OUR COMMITMENT THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE LEVEL OF THE MILLION DOLLARS, AND IF IT'S A MILLION- ONE, THERE WILL BE AN ADJUSTMENT BROUGHT BACK. IF IT'S -- THE DEPLOYMENT -- YOU KNOW, AND BLESS US ALL IF THE DEPLOYMENT'S DOWN, AND IF THERE'S ONLY $600,000, BLESS US ALL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THIS BOARD LIVES UP TO THAT COMMITMENT THAT WE'VE MADE TO OUR SOLDIERS, AND THAT WAS MY FLAG. >>MARK SHARPE: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN, SECOND COMMISSIONER SHARPE. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, THAT'S THE END OF THE FLAGGED ITEMS. THE ONLY OTHER ITEM YOU HAVE TO DO TODAY IS THE SETTING OF THE TRIM RATES. NOT TO STEER YOU TOWARDS ANY SPECIFIC ACTION, BUT I THINK THAT THE LIBRARY ITEM, WHICH CONSTITUTES A MAJORITY OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDED YOU IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTIONS AT THE LAST WORKSHOP -- IF YOU WANTED TO ACT ON ACCELERATING THE LIBRARY CAPITAL PROGRAM, YOU COULD CONSIDER THAT AGAIN. IT'S NOT OUR INTENT TO INITIATE A FLAG OURSELVES, BUT YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT THAT. THERE IS INFORMATION. WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITIES OF ACCELERATING PROJECTS, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, YOU COULD DISCUSS. OTHERWISE, THE ONLY OTHER ITEM THAT YOU NEED TO DO TODAY, AS I INDICATED, WAS TO ADOPT THE MOTION SETTING THE TRIM MILLAGES. >>KEN HAGAN: WELL, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM IS UP FIRST. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT ACCELERATING THE LIBRARY PROGRAM WAS MY ITEM, AND I AM INTERESTED IN DOING THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF TODAY IS THE DAY TO -- FOR US TO GET INTO THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT. I'LL DEFER TO YOUR RECOMMENDATION, BUT I AM INTERESTED IN GOING FORWARD ON THAT, BUT I'LL LET COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM GO FIRST. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. AND AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THIS IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO TRIM, BUT I WANT US TO COME BACK WITH SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE UNFUNDED MANDATES. I THINK THAT'S TO ABOUT THE TUNE OF 70 MILLION THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS DROPPING IN THE LAPS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAXPAYERS. IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE, AND I KNOW THAT YOUR STAFF IS WORKING ON THAT FOR THIS MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT -- I THINK THAT WE'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND 70 MILLION, BUT IF WE COULD COME BACK WITH MAYBE FINAL NUMBERS, IT WON'T AFFECT THIS BUDGET, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT IN THE UPCOMING CYCLE, AND MAYBE THERE'S GOING TO BE A WAY TO EXPLORE SOME WAYS WE CAN SEND THESE BACK TO TALLAHASSEE BECAUSE I KNOW I HEAR FROM CITIZENS WHO ARE TIRED OF THE LEGISLATURE SENDING THESE REQUIREMENTS DOWN TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE REST OF THE COUNTIES, SO THAT'S JUST A REQUEST I HAVE ON THAT TODAY. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. MR. MERRILL, I HAD ASKED OUR CHAIRMAN EARLIER -- I APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING GOTTEN HERE A FEW MINUTES LATE, AND I HAVE SOME JUST COMMENTS THAT DON'T REALLY NEED A RESPONSE, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE THOSE AFTER THE TRIM ISSUE THAT WE DEAL WITH, BUT THERE ARE SOME COMMENTS I'D LIKE TO ASK ABOUT BEFORE THAT DO REQUIRE AN ANSWER. IN TERMS OF THE LIBRARY FUND -- AND I KNOW THAT MR. HAGAN LED THAT IN TERMS OF ACCELERATING STUFF BECAUSE IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD IN TERMS OF RESERVES, HOW DOES THIS FIT IN TO THAT WHOLE PLAN? HAVE WE LOOKED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL IMPROVE SERVICES WITHOUT INCREASING OPERATING COSTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE GET IN TROUBLE. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF A PROPRIETARY PROBLEM WITH LIBRARIES, FOR INSTANCE, BEING ABLE TO CHECK OUT EBOOKS, KINDLES, NOOKS, THAT TYPE OF STUFF. I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT. ARE THEY DOING THAT, COULD WE DO THAT? I MEAN, THAT IS CERTAINLY A WAVE OF THE FUTURE, AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RESERVES, I'M JUST WONDERING IF MAYBE THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY THAT WE NEED TO CAPITALIZE ON, AND I WANTED YOUR THOUGHTS OR ERIC'S THOUGHTS. >>MIKE MERRILL: I KNOW THAT TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT IS ONE OF JOE STINES'S MAJOR FOCUSES -- >>ROSE FERLITA: AND JOE, CERTAINLY WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TO WEIGH IN TOO. I'M NOT IGNORING YOU, OKAY. >>MIKE MERRILL: IS HE HERE? >>ROSE FERLITA: GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY, MIKE. >>MIKE MERRILL: OH, THERE HE IS. >>ROSE FERLITA: YEAH. >>MIKE MERRILL: AND -- YEAH. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, CULTURE IS CHANGING, THE WAY LIBRARIES GET USED IS CHANGING. THEY'RE BECOMING MORE COMMUNITY MEETING PLACES THAN NECESSARILY PHYSICALLY REMOVING BOOKS. MORE PEOPLE ARE BRINGING LAPTOPS, SO YES, IN TRYING TO REDUCE COSTS AND CONTAIN COSTS, AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDE SERVICES THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CURRENT CULTURE IS WHAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON, SO MORE MONEY ON TECHNOLOGY. THEY'RE UPGRADING THEIR -- THEIR -- I FORGET THE NAME OF IT, THE SYSTEM THAT THEY USE TO -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: RADIO FREQUENCY I.D., RFID. >>MIKE MERRILL: YES. BUT JOE, PLEASE COME UP AND ADD ANYTHING THAT -- >>ROSE FERLITA: AND WHILE JOE IS COMING UP TOO, I MEAN, IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THE TREND, LIKE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE READERS INSTEAD OF KIDS CARRYING ALL THESE BOOKS. IT'S JUST AMAZING. JOE, GOOD MORNING. >>JOE STINES: JOE STINES, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES. TECHNOLOGY IS AMAZING BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN FRED KARL FUNDED OUR FIRST ELECTRONIC CATALOG. WE HAD A CARD CATALOG WHEN I FIRST BECAME DIRECTOR, AND IT'S CHANGING VERY, VERY MUCH. THERE'S AN ARTICLE IN THE TIMES ABOUT A LITTLE LIBRARY OVER IN PINELLAS COUNTY THAT'S LOANING OUT KINDLES AND EBOOKS, AND WE'VE JUST INCREASED THIS YEAR IN OUR MATERIALS BUDGET $100,000 SPENT ON EBOOKS. WE HAVEN'T INVESTED HEAVILY IN THE ACTUAL EQUIPMENT TO LOAN OUT BECAUSE THE MARKET HASN'T SETTLED DOWN, AND WE DON'T WANT TO GO THE WRONG WAY. THE LIBRARY BOARD'S BEING CONSERVATIVE, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF ELECTRONIC RESOURCES THAT PEOPLE CAN DOWNLOAD, NOT ONLY FROM COMING TO THE LIBRARY BUT FROM THEIR HOME COMPUTERS AS WELL. THAT IS CRUCIAL. I MEAN, OUR LIBRARIES ARE NOW OPEN 24/7 IF YOU HAVE A COMPUTER AT HOME BECAUSE THERE'S THAT MUCH THERE. IN -- IN MIKE'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET THE LIBRARY BOARD HAD REQUESTED, AND HE HAS INCLUDED THAT, ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING TODAY AS FAR AS THE CAPITAL IS A TOTAL COMPLETION OF OUR RADIO FREQUENCY. MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE GONE TO OUR LIBRARIES AND DONE THE SELF-CHECKOUT. THIS WILL -- AND THAT WAS SOMETHING WE PLANNED INTO ALL THOSE LIBRARIES THAT WE'VE BUILT SINCE WE OPENED UPPER TAMPA BAY AND BLOOMINGDALE, AND MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET HAS AGREED TO ALLOW US TO WORK THAT INTO THAT. THIS WILL FINISH IT. ALL THE OLDER BRANCHES THAT WERE BUILT PRIOR TO THAT TIME WILL NOW HAVE THE RADIO FREQUENCY. THAT IS ALLOWING US TO NOT SO MUCH ELIMINATE POSITIONS, BUT AS VACANCIES COME ABOUT, WE'VE DOWNGRADED, SO WE'RE SAVING -- IN FACT, I PREDICT WE'RE GOING TO SAVE THE ENTIRE OPERATING COST OF THAT RADIO FREQUENCY JUST IN DOWNGRADES OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF. SO THAT'S IN PLACE. ALSO, OUR COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT FRED KARL HELPED US FUND MANY YEARS AGO IS NOW APPROACHING 20 YEARS OLD AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. A REPLACEMENT FOR THAT IS ALSO IN MIKE'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO YOU. SO WE HAVE HEAVILY INVESTED IN TECHNOLOGY, AND I THINK THAT'S WELL COVERED IN THE PROPOSED FY 11 BUDGET. THE EXPANSIONS HAVE COME ABOUT BECAUSE THE LIBRARY BOARD CONSTANTLY IS BEING BOMBARDED AT EVERY MEETING. WE EVEN HAD TO MOVE THE LIBRARY BOARD MEETINGS TO A LARGER ROOM AT THE JOHN F. GERMANY LIBRARY BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY CITIZENS COMING EVERY TIME WE MEET BECAUSE OUR -- WE NEED MORE PEOPLE SPACE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH MANAGE THE AND BUDGET ON IS A PLAN THAT WOULD NOT ADD TO OUR OPERATING COSTS AT A LARGE LEVEL BECAUSE WE KNOW THE REVENUES ARE STILL DOWN AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT WILL CONTINUE BUT TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE SPACE TO USE WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GOT WITHIN SOME OF THOSE LIBRARIES. THE LIBRARY BOARD RESPONDED. THEIR LAST TWO YEARS THAT LIST HAS NOT WAVERED. THE TOP THREE PROJECTS ON THEIR UNFUNDED LISTS ARE EXPANSIONS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE SPACE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COME AND USE OUR LIBRARIES THAT WILL MAKE USE OF ALL THIS GREAT TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADD TO THE LIBRARY. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, JOE. COMMISSIONER FERLITA, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR -- >>ROSE FERLITA: I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT, AND I DO HAVE SOME OTHER COMMENTS, BUT LET'S DEAL WITH THIS FIRST. JOE, OBVIOUSLY THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE IT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COMMISSIONER FERLITA ON THIS ONE BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT AN INVESTMENT THAT HAS A PAYBACK, THIS ONE DOES. I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER BECKNER HAS A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT HE'LL HAVE AT THE LIBRARIES AT TIMES. I'VE GONE OUT TO THE LIBRARIES, AND THEY'RE ALWAYS FULL AND PACKED. KIDS ARE USING THEM TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK, KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY THAT ARE NOW, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO DO ALL SORTS OF WORK, YOU KNOW, IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT IS VERY CHALLENGING AND DEMANDING AND REQUIRING OF A LOT OF OUR KIDS, SO I JUST APPRECIATE THAT, AND I HOPE YOU'LL BE AS INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE AND USE ALL THE TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE BECAUSE THERE IS A TREMENDOUS DEMAND. THANK YOU, JOE. >>KEN HAGAN: AND JOE, SINCE YOU'RE HERE AND COMMISSIONER FERLITA BROUGHT THIS FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD, PASS THE GAVEL, AND MAKE THE MOTION OF THE ITEM THAT I BROUGHT UP LAST TIME, AND I SEE IN THE BACKUP THAT THE LIBRARY BOARD MADE A RECOMMENDATION WHICH INCLUDES MOVING UP, FAST- TRACKING THE SAUNDERS LIBRARY, AND THEN -- >>KEVIN WHITE: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: AND THEN TO HAVE THE 9.4 MILLION MOVED FROM OPERATING RESERVES TO CAPITAL PROGRAMS, GO AHEAD WITH THE EXPANSIONS OF THE TOP THREE LIBRARIES, SO I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND -- I'M ASSUMING YOU AGREE -- >>JOE STINES: OH, YES. >>KEN HAGAN: -- OR RECOMMEND THIS AS WELL, SO BASED ON THE LIBRARY BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS, YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, I'LL PASS THE GAVEL AND MAKE THAT MOTION. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION MADE BY THE CHAIRMAN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR THE ACCELERATION OF THE SAUNDERS LIBRARY AND THE OTHER THREE AS WELL? >>KEN HAGAN: EXPANSIONS OF THE THREE. >>MARK SHARPE: EXPANSIONS. OKAY. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: I HAD A FEW COMMENTS. >>MARK SHARPE: OH, COMMISSIONER BECKNER. SORRY. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. STINES, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU DO IN OUR LIBRARY SYSTEMS. I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. I THINK I HEARD THE ANSWER TO THIS WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EXPANSIONS, THAT WITH THESE THREE EXPANSIONS THERE'S NO ANTICIPATED INCREASE IN OPERATIONAL COST; IS THAT CORRECT? >>JOE STINES: WELL, THERE'S A SMALL -- I THINK MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET HAS PUT A LIST TOGETHER, SOMETHING AROUND 58,000 ANNUAL. THAT'S FOR PRIMARILY ELECTRICITY AND SO FORTH. THE SIZE OF OUR BRANCHES -- IF WE WERE TO ADD 20,000 MORE TO EACH OF THESE BRANCHES, I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE MORE STAFF FOR SECURITY AND FOR SAFETY, BUT WITH 10,000 SQUARE FEET, I'VE GOT ENOUGH STAFF IN THERE, AND THAT'S THE OTHER BIG OPERATING COST, AND SO THERE ARE NO STAFF ATTACHED TO ANY OF THESE THREE EXPANSIONS. WE NEED PEOPLE SPACE. AND ONE POINT I DO NEED TO MAKE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TECHNOLOGY. WE'RE SEEING A HUGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BRINGING THEIR OWN LAPTOPS TO THE LIBRARY. WE'VE HAD WIFI FOR SOMETIME. IT IS FILTERED JUST LIKE THE REST OF OUR COMPUTER SYSTEMS, BUT WE NEED SPACE FOR PEOPLE. THEY'RE STARTING TO ARGUE OVER THE ONE OR TWO OUTLETS THAT'S AVAILABLE, AND WE NEED MORE SPACE FOR PEOPLE WHO BRING THEIR OWN LAPTOPS IN AND GARNER INFORMATION FROM OUR SOURCES AND THEN LEAVE WITH THEIR DIGITIZED INFORMATION, SO THAT -- THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK, AND THE OPERATING COSTS ARE VERY MINIMAL FOR THOSE THREE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: NOW, WITH THE SAUNDERS LIBRARY, WHAT WOULD BE THE ESTIMATED TIME FRAME THAT THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED BY? >>JOE STINES: THE -- I BELIEVE THE LIBRARY BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY -- AND WE'VE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH THEM THIS YEAR. THERE WAS THAT BIG SCARE. THERE WAS A GROUP WHO WANTED TO TAKE THOSE FUNDS OR RECOMMEND TO YOU TO TAKE THOSE FUNDS FOR SOMETHING ELSE. THE LIBRARY BOARD TOTALLY DISAGREED WITH THAT. WOULD TO -- BASICALLY IT ADDS ONE MORE YEAR TO THE DESIGN PHASE, AND I THINK WE NEED THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN MUCH MORE OF AN INTERACTIVE -- THEIR SPACES WILL BE DIFFERENT. WE NEED TO DESIGN SOMETHING TO MEET THAT COMMUNITY'S NEED THAT IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER BRANCH OF THAT SIZE IN THE COUNTY, SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED THAT EXTRA YEAR OF PLANNING. I THINK THE END DATE, I BELIEVE, IS AROUND MAYBE OCTOBER OF '14, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT THE BEGINNING OF FY 15, SO IT HASN'T CHANGED, JUST BEGINNING EARLIER AND GET INTO THE DESIGN PHASE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THEN WITH THAT ADDITION OF THAT PARTICULAR LIBRARY, THEN, HAVE YOU BUDGETED OUT THE OPERATIONAL COSTS AND HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THE BUDGET? >>JOE STINES: YES. YES. AND THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERED BY MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET IN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL THAT WAS FUNDED IN THE PAST FOR THAT PROJECT. >>KEVIN BECKNER: WHAT IS THAT AMOUNT? >> [INAUDIBLE] >>ERIC JOHNSON: IT'S $335,000, AND THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A BOARD POLICY THAT WE DON'T COMMIT TO PROJECTS WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, AND AS JOE HAS INDICATED, THAT'S ALREADY FACTORED IN. WHEN WE DO A FIVE-YEAR FORECAST -- WE'VE ALREADY FACTORED IN THE OPERATION OF THE SAUNDERS LIBRARY. THE KEY HERE IS THAT BY ACCELERATING THE START, JOE HAS MORE TIME FOR THE PLANNING PHASE, BUT WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL OPERATING COSTS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT OPENING THE LIBRARY EARLIER. OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU GET INTO THE PROJECT, IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY AND YOU THINK IT'S AFFORDABLE, YOU CAN CONSIDER THAT AT A FUTURE POINT, BUT WE HAVE RUN THE -- RERUN THE MODEL WITH THE ACCELERATION OF THE EXPANSIONS, AND AS YOU INDICATED AND ASKED ABOUT, THE -- THE SMALL AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL OPERATING COSTS OF ACCELERATING THOSE, THERE IS NO IMPACT IF WE DON'T ACCELERATE THE COMPLETION DATE OF THIS, BUT APPRECIATE YOUR BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE THAT'S AN ITEM THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF OUR FOCUS TO KNOW THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO GO FORWARD WITH CAPITAL PROJECTS. >>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY. AND THEN YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE SAUNDERS OBVIOUSLY GOING -- AS FAR AS THE -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: WE ARE. AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU THE FORECASTS THAT WE'VE RUN USING OUR MODEL DOESN'T SHOW THAT THERE AREN'T CHALLENGES FOR THE LIBRARY SYSTEM, BUT THE LIBRARY SYSTEM PROBABLY HAS OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES THAT ARE MODEST IN COMPARISON WITH WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN OUR TWO GENERAL FUNDS, SO AS JOE TALKED -- AS THEY CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT TECHNOLOGY, AS THEY HAVE TURNOVER, THEY HAVE SOME CHALLENGES, BUT THEY'RE FAIRLY MODEST OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT WE FACE IN OUR MAJOR OPERATING FUNDS. >>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>MARK SHARPE: I'M SORRY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. CONTINUING IN MY REQUEST FOR SOME CLARIFICATION, JUST YESTERDAY, AS A MATTER OF FACT, I SAT AND SPOKE WITH MR. ROGOFF, AND MR. ROGOFF, I'M NOT THROWING YOU ANY CURVES. I DIDN'T SEE THIS TILL LAST NIGHT, AND I HAVE A QUESTION. YOU MIGHT WANT TO RESPOND, YOU MIGHT NOT, SO JUST HOLD TIGHT FOR A SECOND. ERIC, THIS IS KIND OF A QUESTION TO YOU. YOU KNOW, LAST CYCLE WE TALKED ABOUT THE REAL IMPORTANCE -- AND THIS TIME I THINK IT HOLDS TRUE MORE THAN LAST TIME -- OF NOT TRYING TO DEPLETE THE RESERVES FOR OUR INDIGENT HEALTH CARE AND TRAUMA CENTER FUND, AND I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED. HAD I NOTICED THIS YESTERDAY, I WOULD HAVE ASKED YOU, DAVID, BUT I'M HOPING EITHER I'M MISREADING IT OR IT'S A TYPO OR SOMETHING, BUT ON PAGE -- AND JUST YESTERDAY, MR. ROGOFF AND I SPENT THE AMOUNT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE TRANSITIONS IN HEALTH CARE AND HOW THIRD-PARTY PAYERS ARE GOING TO BE MORE IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF HOW WE STRUCTURE THIS. 343, PAGE 343, INDIGENT HEALTH CARE AND TRAUMA FUND. WE WENT FROM 83 MILLION IN '08 DOWN TO 59, DOWN TO 32 MILLION IN '10, AND NOW IN FY 11 RECOMMENDED 788,000? WHAT IS THAT? >>DAVE ROGOFF: DAVE ROGOFF, DIRECTOR OF FAMILY AND AGING. ACTUALLY, WE MET WITH THE STAFF. THERE IS A CHANGE BEING MADE. THERE WAS A WAY THAT WAS HANDLED THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING, AND SO -- AND ERIC CAN TALK ABOUT THAT MORE. THAT WILL BE CHANGED BECAUSE THAT'S NOT CORRECT. >>ROSE FERLITA: I DIDN'T THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SAT SO CALMLY TALKING ABOUT OTHER ITEMS IF THAT WAS THE CASE. >>DAVE ROGOFF: NO. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. SO COULD YOU GIVE ME -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: YOU'RE VERY OBSERVANT, COMMISSIONER. THE KEY IS THAT WE HAD A PROGRAM THAT WAS SPENDING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN IT WAS TAKING IN AS A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT WE'VE GOT HEAVIER UTILIZATION DUE TO THE ECONOMY AND FALLING REVENUES BASED ON THE SOURCE OF SALES TAX PAYING FOR THE PROGRAM. THE WE IS THAT ACTUALLY THE BOARD INITIATED CORRECTIVE ACTION LAST YEAR TO HAVE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WORK TO LOOK AT HOW TO DEFINE THE PROGRAM IN ORDER TO NARROW THAT GAP BETWEEN THE MONEY COMING IN AND THE MONEY GOING OUT, SO I WAS ALARMED BY THAT SAME NUMBER. WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION, AND DAVE'S STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON FINE-TUNING BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MOST CURRENT MONTHS AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING EARLIER IN THE YEAR WHEN WE WERE SPENDING -- THE GAP BETWEEN SPENDING AND INCOME WAS MUCH GREATER, SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF REVISING THAT, UPDATING THAT. IT WAS CERTAINLY MY OBJECTIVE THAT BEFORE YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER THAT DOESN'T SCARE EVERYONE THAT LOOKS AT IT, AND CERTAINLY THE SUGGESTION THAT BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR -- OR EXCUSE ME, GOING IN TO NEXT YEAR WE'D ONLY HAVE $788,000 FOR A PROGRAM OF THIS SCALE WAS -- WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CONCERNING, BUT WE ARE ON THAT PATH. DAVE CAN GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS, BUT THE KEY IS TO LOOK AT THE MORE RECENT MONTHS' -- >>DAVE ROGOFF: RIGHT. >>ERIC JOHNSON: -- PATTERN OF REVENUE FROM THE SALES TAX VERSUS THE ACTUAL SPENDING PATTERN ON THE MONTH-TO-MONTH BASIS. >>DAVE ROGOFF: YEAH. IN ESSENCE, THE ISSUE IS THAT -- RIGHTFULLY SO -- THE BUDGET WAS PUT TOGETHER BASED ON HISTORY, BUT IT WASN'T REFLECTING THE -- OVER THE LAST FIVE, SIX MONTHS THE SUCCESS OF THE INTERVENTIONS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE CONCRETE RESULTS, SO AS A RESULT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WHAT WE'RE SEEING ACTUALLY HAPPENING CHANGES THAT NUMBER, AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A CHANGE ON THAT PROJECTION. I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH WE'RE NOW -- AS A RESULT OF IMPLEMENTING THE CHANGES IN THE WAY WE'RE HANDLING PHARMACY, WE WERE SEEING CLOSE TO 800,000 TO A MILLION A MONTH LESS THAN LAST YEAR, AND SO THAT -- THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY WAS NOT REFLECTED IN THE PROJECTION IN THE BUDGET, SO THAT'S BEING ADJUSTED. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. AND IT CONCERNED ME, DAVE, DEPENDING -- YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU SAID. I FEEL BETTER, I MEAN, BECAUSE OF WHERE HEALTH CARE IS GOING, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE HAD OUR DIFFERENCES, BUT FULL CIRCLE, BASED ON WHAT'S COME OUT OF THIS PROGRAM, IT'S INCREDIBLE. I THINK MR. NORMAN HAS BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ITS INSTITUTION AND ALSO TO PRAISE IT ALONG THE WAY. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE HEALTH CARE PROGRAM. WE NEED IT NOW MORE THAN EVER BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY, AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE PROTECTED IT ALONG THE WAY, SO I DIDN'T SEE YOU OVERREACTING, BUT WHEN I SAW THIS, IT DIDN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE. SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO, AND THANKS FOR THE EXPLANATION. >>ERIC JOHNSON: AND COMMISSIONER, JUST AS MY FINAL COMMENT ON THIS, AT YOUR LAST WORKSHOP, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE TO THE BUDGET WAS INCREASING THE FUND BALANCE IN THIS PROGRAM, AND AGAIN TODAY ON PAGE 22 OF YOUR HANDOUT YOU'LL SEE THAT WE FURTHER INCREASED THE ESTIMATED RESERVES FOR THAT PROGRAM BY AN ADDITIONAL $8.3 MILLION, SO I'M ADVISED THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE NOW REFLECT IN OUR SYSTEM, WE ANTICIPATE THAT AT THE END OF FISCAL '11 WE WOULD HAVE $23.4 MILLION AVAILABLE IN RESERVES IN THAT PROGRAM. THAT'S AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR AS OPPOSED TO THE NUMBER THAT SUGGESTED THAT THEY WOULD START OUT THE YEAR WITH LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS IN RESERVES, SO WE'RE CERTAINLY UPDATING THE ESTIMATES BASED ON THE CURRENT EXPERIENCE OF THE PROGRAM, AND WE'LL FINE-TUNE IT FURTHER IF AS WE WORK THROUGH THE REMAINING MONTHS OF THIS YEAR WE SEE EVIDENCE OF AGAIN A NARROWING OF THE GAP MONTH BY MONTH AND THE ABILITY TO RETAIN THOSE RESERVES BECAUSE THAT'S CRITICAL FOR A PROGRAM OF THIS TYPE -- >>ROSE FERLITA: OH, ABSOLUTELY. >>ERIC JOHNSON: -- TO ALWAYS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF RESERVES. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND THIS WAS SO AGAINST WHAT WE HAD IN CONVERSATION LAST TIME, BUT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND MY CONCERN WHEN I SEE THIS LINE ITEM ON 343. THANK YOU. >>DAVE ROGOFF: CAN I GIVE ONE LAST QUICK COMMENT ON THAT? >>ROSE FERLITA: YES. >>DAVE ROGOFF: THE NUMBER THAT ERIC REFLECTED, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, IS CONSISTENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE ENTIRE BOARD, AND WE'RE ON TARGET IN IMPLEMENTING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. >>MARK SHARPE: YEAH. WE -- THE -- I THINK THE INDIGENT HEALTH CARE TASK FORCE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MORE PRODUCTIVE ENDEAVORS THAT I'VE PARTICIPATED IN. THE WORK THAT WAS DONE BY DAVE AND HIS STAFF IN FINDING EFFICIENCIES AND SAVINGS AND LOOKING -- WE LOOKED FOR THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT AND WERE ABLE TO FIND THEM. I WILL ADD, NOT WANTING TO CREATE A NEW DEBATE HERE AT THIS TIME, BUT IT HAS BEEN MY BELIEF -- AND I THINK OTHERS HAVE DISCUSSED THIS -- THAT AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THOUGH, BEGINS TO BECOME MORE ENGAGED IN THIS ISSUE AND AS THE CITIZENS ARE FINDING THEMSELVES TAXED, THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON THE LOCAL TAXPAYER THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. THERE ARE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS THAT COME FROM THIS PROGRAM. MEDICAID MATCH IS ONE OF THEM REQUIRED BY THE STATE. MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAVES TO DIP INTO PROPERTY TAXES. WE DON'T BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS PROGRAM. SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS TO THE PROPERTY TAXPAYER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE LOOKING AND WILL LOOK AT THE -- AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY REDUCTIONS THAT CAN BE MADE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO DOUBLE TAX PEOPLE FOR HEALTH CARE. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. AND THERE'S ONE MORE CLARIFICATION. I THINK WE'RE DONE ON THAT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. DAVE, THANK YOU. MR. JOHNSON, EXPLAIN THIS TO ME, AND THIS WAS ONE OF MY PASSIONS LAST TIME, AND I BELIEVE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, MR. NORMAN WAS NICE ENOUGH TO -- TO SECOND THAT SUPPORT. BACK TO VICTIMS ASSISTANCE, AND WE HAD A LONG DISSERTATION ABOUT THAT. WE DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, BUT ON PAGE 332 YOU'VE GOT A VICTIM ASSISTANCE TRANSITIONAL FUNDING. WE'VE COMMUNICATED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, ERIC, BUT I JUST WANT SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE RECORD NOW. FY 11 RECOMMENDED 62,351, BUT THEN IF YOU GO BACK TO 295, RECOMMENDED BUDGET ELIMINATES THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THERAPIST, SO I'M -- I'M KIND OF CONFUSED. IS THAT IN OR IS IT NOT IN OR DO I HAVE TO PERHAPS DO SOME WORK AND TRY TO FIND SOMETHING IN OUR BUDGET THAT WILL COMPENSATE FOR THAT KEY, KEY POSITION IN TERMS OF VICTIMS, AND -- THOSE ARE TWO CONFLICTING ENTRIES. >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES. COMMISSIONER, AS OF LAST YEAR THAT POSITION WAS FUNDED FOR ONE YEAR. WHAT WE DID AS PART OF OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WAS TO SET ASIDE FUNDS, AS YOU INDICATED, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO RESTORE THAT SPECIFIC POSITION. THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS WORKING ON TIGHTENING ACTUALLY THE BUDGET OF VICTIMS ASSISTANCE. THEY ARE RECOMMENDING SOME RIFs. THERE'S A SERIES OF CHANGES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING TO US. I DON'T BELIEVE THE NUMBERS ARE FINAL, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN TURNING OVER ROCKS TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING AT THE LEVEL NECESSARY BUT AT THE SAME TIME LOWERING THEIR REQUIREMENT FOR DOLLARS, SO AT THIS POINT I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THERAPIST POSITION IS CONTINUED, AND WE HAD, WITHOUT HAVING A DECISION FROM THEM, SET ASIDE MONEY AS MIKE RECOMMENDED A BUDGET TO YOU THAT WOULD ALLOW US -- >>ROSE FERLITA: AS A STOPGAP IN CASE? >>ERIC JOHNSON: -- TO RESTORE THAT AT LEAST ON A STOPGAP BASIS, BUT OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM IS THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO YOU I BELIEVE ON A RECURRING BASIS A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS. WE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL NUMBER TODAY. I THINK IT'S IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THEY'RE WORKING TO STREAMLINE THAT ORGANIZATION, BUT IT'S MY BELIEF THAT WE BOTH INTEND TO HAVE THAT THERAPIST POSITION FUNDED GOING FORWARD, SO -- >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. AND JUST LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF EDITORIAL COMMENTS HERE. I THINK NOW MORE THAN EVER -- AND I APPRECIATE THAT. IT LOOKS LIKE ALMOST WE HAVE A STOPGAP PLAN "B." WITH NO DISCOURTESY TO MARK OBER, I RESPECT HIM MORE THAN I CAN TELL YOU, JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO HIM, BUT BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY, BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE VICTIMS, I MEAN, NOW MORE THAN EVER WE NEED THAT THERAPIST POSITION FUNDED FROM SOMEPLACE, SO THANKS FOR THE HELP ON THAT TO YOU AND TO MR. MERRILL, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THAT AS A FINALIZED REINSTATEMENT. >>ERIC JOHNSON: AND THAT SHOULD BE -- WE SHOULD BE BRINGING THOSE CHANGES AT YOUR PUBLIC HEARING IN SEPTEMBER. AS I SAID, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING AHEAD OF THEM AS THEY FINALIZE WHAT THEIR SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOR FUNDING, BUT THEY PLAN TO REDUCE THE COST FOR THAT PROGRAM. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. AND -- THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON AGAIN. AND MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU MIGHT AFFORD ME THE OPPORTUNITY AFTER WE DO THE TRIM, I JUST HAVE SOME COMMENTS THAT REALLY DON'T WARRANT A LOT OF DISCUSSION, BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT THEM ON RECORD. OKAY? >>KEN HAGAN: SURE. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: NOW WE'RE GOING TO SET THE TRIM RATES. DOES THIS NEED -- DOES THIS MOTION NEED TO BE READ, THE ENTIRE THING? OKAY. ERIC, DO YOU WANT TO -- DO YOU MIND READING IT, AND THEN WE'LL JUST HAVE A COMMISSIONER MAKE THE -- MAKE THE MOTION. >>ERIC JOHNSON: THE MOTION WOULD READ AS REFLECTED ON PAGE 19 OF YOUR HANDOUT. MOTION TO BE PASSED SETTING THE TRIM MILLAGES. THE [INDISCERNIBLE] COMMISSION WOULD MOVE THAT WE SET THE FOLLOWING PROPOSED OPERATING AND DEBT SERVICE MILLAGES FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE TRIM NOTICES AND SET THE DATE, TIME, AND PLACE OF THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FISCAL YEAR 2011 BUDGET. COUNTYWIDE MILLAGES, OPERATING FOR THE GENERAL REVENUE FUND 5.7407 MILLS. COUNTYWIDE DEBT SERVICE FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDS 0.0604 MILLS. TOTAL COUNTYWIDE MILLAGE 5.8011 MILLS. >>MARK SHARPE: SO MOVED. >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. >>ERIC JOHNSON: I NEED TO -- IF I CAN READ THE REST, THERE'S NO REASON TO BIFURCATE THE VOTE. >>KEN HAGAN: YEAH. >>ERIC JOHNSON: NONCOUNTYWIDE MILLAGES, OPERATING GENERAL PURPOSE MUNICIPAL SERVICES TAXING UNIT 4.3745 MILLS, LIBRARY SERVICES DISTRICT 0.5583 MILLS, NONCOUNTYWIDE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE FOR PARKS AND RECREATION BONDS 0.0259 MILLS. THE PROPOSED PERCENT CHANGE OF THE AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE FROM THE AGGREGATE ROLLED-BACK MILLAGE RATE AS DEFINED BY STATE STATUTE IS A DECREASE OF 12.12% AND IS SHOWN ON LINE 27 DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FORM DR-420. THE DATE, TIME, AND PLACE OF THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET WILL BE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th, 2010, AT 6:00 P.M. IN THE COUNTY CENTER SECOND FLOOR BOARDROOM, 601 EAST KENNEDY BOULEVARD, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33602. BY APPROVING THIS MOTION, THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIAL IS AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FORMS. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. COMMISSIONER BECKNER, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THE MOTION? >>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND MR. JOHNSON -- BECAUSE I'VE RECEIVED COMMUNICATIONS ON THIS AND WE ALWAYS GET QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO TRIM BACK SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. CAN YOU JUST FOR THE LISTENING PUBLIC GIVE A ESTIMATED -- WHAT THAT WOULD LEAD TO AS FAR AS AN ESTIMATED OVERALL IMPACT ON THE COUNTY BUDGET DOLLARWISE? >>ERIC JOHNSON: $100? COMMISSIONER, LET ME JUST CONFIRM. I THINK THAT THE IMPACT OF THE MILLAGE REDUCTION IS BASED ON A $100,000 REDUCTION IN REVENUE. LET ME JUST CONFIRM THAT. YES, THAT'S CORRECT. >>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY. >>ERIC JOHNSON: SO THE KEY IS THERE IS A MILLAGE REDUCTION. IT'S A VERY, VERY SMALL MILLAGE REDUCTION. IT'S THE SAME AS LAST YEAR. IT REFLECTS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE A STATEMENT TO THE COMMUNITY ON THE BOARD'S INTENT NOT ONLY NOT TO RAISE THE MILLAGE BUT TO LOWER IT, AND THE SPECIFIC MILLAGE INFORMATION APPEARS ON PAGES 20 AND 21 OF YOUR HANDOUT TODAY. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THEN HOW ARE THE -- THE REDUCTION, HOW IS THAT ABSORBED SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, WELL, DOESN'T THAT EQUATE -- YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LAYING OFF PEOPLE, A JOB HERE AND THERE, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND TO SERVICES AND THINGS THAT WE OFFER. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW -- WHAT THE IMPACT IS TO THAT? >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES, COMMISSIONER. THE $100,000 WAS DEEMED TO BE AN ABSORBABLE AMOUNT. OBVIOUSLY IT HAS AN IMPACT BECAUSE IT MEANS THERE'S $100,000 LESS REVENUE THAT WE CAN BUDGET. AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE DEALING WITH A $65-MILLION LOSS OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FROM THIS YEAR TO THE NEXT, SO IN OUR ESTIMATION, IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE A NOTICEABLE ADDITION, BUT CLEARLY, THERE IS A $100,000 IMPACT. DEPENDING ON THE POSITION, IT COULD BE EQUAL TO ONE POSITION OR TWO POSITIONS IN TERMS OF ONGOING REVENUE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND THAT LOSS YOU SAID WAS 65 MILLION? >>ERIC JOHNSON: $65 MILLION IS THE IMPACT OF THE 11% REDUCTION IN THE SIZE OF THE TAX BASE FROM THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR TO NEXT FISCAL YEAR. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND THE UNFUNDED MANDATES WERE ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT; RIGHT? I'M JUST MAKING A POINTS. >>ERIC JOHNSON: I DON'T HAVE THAT POINT. THE NUMBER THAT WAS REFERENCED EARLIER WAS A LARGER NUMBER, AND I THINK OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF IS UPDATING THAT SCHEDULE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. >>KEN HAGAN: THE ONE THING I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS -- AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AS WELL AS OTHER BOARD MEMBERS -- THE COMMITMENT THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS CONSISTENTLY MADE THROUGH THE YEARS TO LOWER TAXES, AND IT'S A COMMITMENT, FRANKLY, THAT NO OTHER GOVERNMENT IN THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY HAS DONE. THIS IS OUR 18th YEAR IN A ROW, AND I BELIEVE, MR. JOHNSON, YOU GAVE US A NUMBER LAST YEAR THAT IF YOU LOOK -- IF YOU COLLECTIVELY ADD UP THE MILLAGE INCREASES THAT IT RESULTS IN I BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT $1,000 A YEAR OFF OF THE AVERAGE PERSON'S HOME FOR PROPERTY TAXES. I'M GOING BY MEMORY -- DO YOU RECALL THAT NUMBER OR -- BASED ON A 200,000 -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONER, I DON'T HAVE THAT, I DON'T BELIEVE, WITH ME TODAY. >>KEN HAGAN: -- BASED ON A $200,000 HOME OR -- DO YOU REMEMBER THAT -- THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES, SIR. >>KEN HAGAN: -- THAT IF YOU COLLECTIVELY ADDED THEM ALL UP, IT RESULTED IN A VERY BIG NUMBER. >>MARK SHARPE: A $200,000 HOME, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY $476, SOMETHING ALONG THAT EFFECT. I HAD -- >>KEN HAGAN: I THOUGHT IT WAS CLOSER TO A THOUSAND WHEN YOU ADD THEM ALL UP, BUT I JUST -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: I'LL CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP AND BRING THAT NUMBER TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING SO YOU CAN STATE THAT PUBLICLY. I DO KNOW IF YOU LOOK AT THE MILLAGE REDUCTIONS IT'S $3.19 IN TOTAL MILLAGE REDUCTION CONSIDERING ALL THE MILLAGES THAT THE BOARD LEVIES ON EVERY THOUSAND DOLLARS OF TAXABLE VALUE, SO EVERYONE CAN KIND OF APPLY THAT TO THEIR OWN TAX BASE -- THEIR OWN TAXABLE VALUE. >>KEN HAGAN: JUST THE POINT IS IF YOU LOOK AT AN INDIVIDUAL YEAR, IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THE -- THE -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES, SIR. >>KEN HAGAN: -- TAX CUTS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH THE YEARS, IT COMES UP TO A VERY BIG NUMBER TO THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER, AND AGAIN, IT JUST SHOWS THAT IT'S A PRIORITY FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES, SIR. >>KEN HAGAN: -- UNLIKE ALL OTHER GOVERNMENTS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. OKAY. WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE, SECOND COMMISSIONER FERLITA. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA, DO YOU HAVE SOME OTHER COMMENTS YOU WANT TO MAKE? >>ROSE FERLITA: YES, MR. CHAIRMAN. I'VE GOT SOME COMMENTS AND THEN I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS. AND MR. MERRILL, AGAIN, THESE ARE MAYBE COMMENTS THAT I SHOULD HAVE SAID AT THE BEGINNING, AND I'VE SCRIBBLED TO ELABORATE ON THEM, SO THEY'RE OPENING COMMENTS AT THE END OF OUR MEETING. HOW'S THAT? >>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S GOOD. >>ROSE FERLITA: THE FIRST THING STARTS WITH ADDRESSING YOU PARTICULARLY AS OUR NEW ADMINISTRATOR, AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN SEEN BY MANY AND CERTAINLY BY US HERE AS A VERY, VERY SMOOTH BUDGET PROCESS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I MEAN, AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY DUE TO -- AND DESPITE ALL THESE SIGNIFICANT SHORTFALLS AND CHALLENGES IN DEALING WITH THE REDUCTION IN REVENUE, YOU'VE STILL DONE VERY, VERY WELL BY ME. YOUR BUSINESS APPROACH TO THE BUDGET IS VERY REFRESHING. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY AN UNDERLYING TONE OF LEADERSHIP. YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. I'VE GOT SOME COMPLAINTS AFTER, SO DON'T GET -- THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO CATCH YOUR ATTENTION. >>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU. I WAS WAITING FOR THAT. >>ROSE FERLITA: NO, BUT ALL KIDDING ASIDE -- AND FORGIVE ME FOR READING MY SCRIBBLING HERE, BUT IMPROVED COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING PEOPLE ACROSS FLORIDA AVENUE, ANYPLACE ELSE WE CAN DO. I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WORKING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTS. YOU HAVE DONE THAT. AND AT THE SAME TIME, YOUR EMPHASIS HAS HELD STRONG TO OUR CORE MISSIONS AND SERVICES. NOT THE ATTITUDE OF MAKING THE CITIZEN FEEL THE PAIN, AND THAT WAS THE INTERPRETATION SOMETIMES. PEOPLE WOULD SAY, WELL, THEY'RE GOING TO SCOLD US BECAUSE NOW ON TUESDAY WE NEED TO GO DOWN THERE; THAT'S MY DAY OFF FROM WORK AND THEY'RE CLOSED, AND WE'RE ELIMINATING THAT. I THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD IDEA IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT WE TRY THINGS AND IF THEY'RE RIGHT, THEY'RE RIGHT, AND IF THEY'RE NOT, WE GO ON, SO -- AND THERE ARE NOT JUST ANY SIMPLISTIC CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO REDUCE. YOU'RE CONSIDERING ISSUES, PERCENTAGES, NEEDS IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. I MEAN, IT'S VERY COMPREHENSIVE, IT'S VERY THOROUGH. A COUPLE THINGS IN DOING THAT THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MERGING THE -- OR INTEGRATING THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, THE SUPPORT STAFF. I THINK WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT CAREFUL THERE. I KNOW THAT THAT SHOULD LEAD TO MORE TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE IF I'M AN ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT WORKS FOR RENEE, THEN I'M OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT SERVES HER DEPARTMENT BEST, AND SO THAT KIND OF TAKES THAT FAVORITISM OUT OF THE WAY, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE AS WE DO THAT THAT WE DON'T STRETCH THAT TOO THIN SO WE DON'T HAVE THE PRODUCTIVITY. IT'S ALL ABOUT CUTTING COSTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT IN SOME CASES WE MIGHT HAVE SOME OVERSIGHT THAT ULTIMATELY LEADS TO COMPLIANCE ISSUES AND STUFF, AND I DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK THAT AS WE TRY TO STREAMLINE OUR PROCESS. DO YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING WITH THAT, MIKE? >>MIKE MERRILL: UH-HUH. YES, I DO. >>ROSE FERLITA: TOO MUCH IS TOO MUCH. THERE'S THE MODERATE AMOUNT. A COUPLE THINGS, PARTICULARLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE INTRO TO OUR BUDGET THAT'S JUST FROM THE STANDPOINT OF CAUTION, PAGE 29. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CONTINUED SUSPENSION OF PAID ADJUSTMENTS AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ELIMINATION OF FURLOUGHS AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS YOU'RE DOING, LET'S MAKE SURE -- WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NO ORGANIZATIONALWIDE PAY INCREASES; HOWEVER, THERE ARE LIMITED PAY ADJUSTMENTS BUDGETED DUE TO PAY EQUITY ISSUES AND POSITION RECLASSIFICATIONS, THEN PEOPLE START EDGING IN TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, ALL MANAGEMENT, FAVORITISM. THAT'S A BAD MESSAGE TO ALIGN EMPLOYEES IN TERMS OF RESULTING IN BAD MORALE AND UNDERMINING YOUR ENTIRE BUDGET PLAN. THESE ARE -- YOU KNOW, LOOK AT PERCENTAGE INCREASES. AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CHALLENGE THAT WHEN PEOPLE DO MORE, ALTHOUGH EVERYBODY'S DOING MORE, AND ONE PERSON ABSORBS ENOUGH OF A JOB DESCRIPTION THAT IT ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR ANOTHER FULL POSITION, OF COURSE, OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO COMPENSATE THAT, BUT GIVEN THE HISTORY THAT WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED, PLEASE BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT THAT. NOT THAT I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD, MIKE, BUT AS I'M READING THIS, I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO COME BACK AND BE REEVALUATED UNDER THE MICROSCOPE, SO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT. I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED REALLY ADDRESSED SOME OF MY QUESTIONS. THERE'S ONE LAST THING, AND OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING, SO GENTLEMEN, PLEASE JUST INDULGE ME FOR ONE SECOND. MR. JOHNSON, ON PAGE 327, THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE ABOUT TIF DOLLARS, ET CETERA, AND THE CITIES AND THE COUNTY AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT JUST -- NOT DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING ELSE HOW IT'S DECREASED PRETTY HEAVILY FROM EIGHT TO NINE TO 10 TO 11, AND JUST FOR MY OWN INFORMATION, YOU THINK THAT'S PRETTY REALISTIC? I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE CHALLENGES OF THE CITY, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT'S AN ACCURATE FIGURE? >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, COMMISSIONER, THESE NUMBERS -- WE HAVE ADJUSTED THOSE NUMBERS SINCE JUNE BASED ON THE FINAL NUMBERS. IT'S ACTUALLY THE PROPERTY APPRAISER THAT DETERMINES THE VALUE WITHIN THE TAX INCREMENT DISTRICTS, SO THESE HAVE GONE DOWN AND THEY'VE GONE DOWN BASED ON THE SPECIFIC VALUES OF INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES WITHIN THOSE AREAS. THE CHALLENGE THAT EACH OF THE CITIES FACE IS THAT THEY'VE MADE THESE REDEVELOPMENT COMMITMENTS WITHIN AREAS, AND TO SOME EXTENT, THEY MAY ACTUALLY FARE WORSE DURING THE SLOWDOWN OR DOWNTURN OF THE ECONOMY THAN OTHER AREAS, SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY NO SAY IN HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE PAYING EACH OF THESE JURISDICTIONS. >>ROSE FERLITA: OH, YEAH, THAT'S DEFINED, BUT I JUST WANTED YOUR OPINION. >>ERIC JOHNSON: BUT I THINK THAT IT PRESENTS A CHALLENGE CERTAINLY TO THE CITIES IN TERMS OF THEIR REDEVELOPMENT PLANS, AND I KNOW THAT TEMPLE TERRACE JUST KICKED OFF THEIR DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT, AND THE CHALLENGE THAT THEY HAVE IS DOING THAT IN THIS ECONOMY AND WITH SOME OF THE REVENUE THAT THEY ANTICIPATED NOT MATERIALIZING. >>ROSE FERLITA: BUT THEY'LL HAVE OPPORTUNITIES. I'M HOPEFUL THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO REFINANCE THE DEBT IF THAT'S -- RIGHT? >>ERIC JOHNSON: THE PLANS HAVE EXPIRATION DATES, SO THAT BECOMES ONE OF THEIR CHALLENGES IS THEY HAVE A SHRINKING PERIOD OF TIME TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT HAD BEEN INTENDED. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CHALLENGE FOR EACH OF THE -- >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. THANKS, ERIC. >>ERIC JOHNSON: -- THE JURISDICTIONS. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. THANKS, MR. CHAIRMAN. I JUST HAD A QUESTION AND WANTED HIM TO CLARIFY IT. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS? MIKE, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON STEPPING IN AT A VERY DIFFICULT TIME AND REALLY LEADING US THROUGH. I THINK IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. YOU'VE GOT A HARD TASK AHEAD OF YOU, AND -- BUT YOU'RE UP TO IT, AND I THINK THAT -- I WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE HERE, YOU-ALL STEPPED UP. EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, BUT, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN BEING GLUM, HEADS DOWN, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS A LOT OF ENTHUSIASTIC, MOTIVATED EMPLOYEES WHO ARE GOING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK, AND WE'RE GOING TO SERVE THE CITIZENS WHO PAY OUR BILL OR PAY OUR -- PAY OUR FEES AND -- WE'RE GOING TO SERVE THEM, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN A MANNER WHICH I THINK IS RESPECTFUL TO THEM AND RESPECTFUL TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LIMIT TO HOW MUCH WE CAN SPEND, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN STEPPING IN AND DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB. >>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR KIND WORDS, AND I WANT TO ALSO THANK ALL THE STAFF THAT STEPPED UP AND ESPECIALLY THANK ERIC FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE BUDGET. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, ERIC. >>MIKE MERRILL: AND IN THAT VAIN, IF I COULD JUST FOR A MOMENT, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR BUDGET MANAGERS, JOSE SANCHEZ, WHO IS GOING TO BE RETIRING AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS WORKING ON THE BUDGET BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT HE IS ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT JUST MAKES EVERYTHING COME TOGETHER. [APPLAUSE] WE'D LOVE TO SEE YOU STAY WITH US FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT I KNOW RETIREMENT IS BECKONING, AND AS ERIC POINTED OUT TO ME, JOSE WAS THE ONE WHO HIRED ERIC, AND SO WE CAN THANK JOSE FOR -- >>ROSE FERLITA: OR NOT. >>MIKE MERRILL: OR NOT. I WASN'T GOING TO SAY THAT. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, IF I COULD ADD -- AND THE TIMING WAS GOOD, BUT AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, WE SUBMIT OUR BUDGET TO A PEER REVIEW PROGRAM, AND WE RECEIVED AGAIN NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT, AND WE RECEIVED SPECIAL CAPITAL RECOGNITION IN YEAR WHICH HAS ONLY BEEN PROVIDED TO ABOUT A DOZEN JURISDICTIONS OUT OF THE THOUSAND THAT ARE RECOGNIZED AND OUT OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GOVERNMENTS THAT ACTUALLY PRODUCE A BUDGET, MOST OF WHICH DON'T SEEK THE PEER REVIEW, BUT I WANT TO REALLY THANK JOSE BOTH FOR HIRING ME IN 1986, TEACHING ME ABOUT GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING BECAUSE I WAS AN ECONOMIST, NOT AN ACCOUNTANT, AND IF YOU DON'T APPRECIATE THAT DECISION, YOU CAN PRIVATELY LET HIM KNOW THAT, BUT IT'S ALMOST TOO LATE. [LAUGHTER] BUT I APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP THAT HE'S SHOWN THROUGH THE YEARS, AND HE'S SERVED SO MANY -- I GUESS ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS, BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT HE'S DONE, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY HE GAVE ME. I THINK IT'S FITTING THAT WE GOT THIS NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM BEFORE HE EXITED, AND I MISS HIM ALREADY. >>MIKE MERRILL: AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE NO OTHER ITEMS FOR YOU TODAY. THANK YOU. 1