Charter Review Board, 3-15-00 **NOTIFICATION: **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. [SOUNDING GAVEL] >>JAN SMITH: THIS MEETING OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15TH IN THE YEAR 2000 WILL PLEASE COME TO ORDER. WELCOME YOU ALL HERE AND WOULD LIKE TO ASK MR. STEVE LaBOUR IF HE WOULD LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>JAN SMITH: MS. WEST, MAY WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? [ROLL CALL] >>RECORDING SECRETARY: YOU HAVE A QUORUM. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. I HAVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING THAT WERE COPIED AND GIVEN TO ME THIS EVENING. SO I'M GOING TO HOLD THEM FOR APPROVAL TILL OUR NEXT MEETING BECAUSE THEY ARE A FEW PAGES LONG. AND SO I'LL JUST PASS THEM OUT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE STAFF IF IN THE FUTURE, CAN WE GET THE MINUTES A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING WITH THE AGENDA AT ONCE? OKAY. THANKS. MR. HURLEY. >>DAVID HURLEY: IF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE E-MAIL, IF THEY COULD E-MAIL TO US WOULD MAKE IT VERY SIMPLE AND VERY EASY FOR THEM. >> ALL THOSE PAGES? >> MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, HELEN LEVINE, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER. THE MINUTES THAT WE PROVIDED YOU WERE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE. SO I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE CLERK. I'M NOT SURE IF THOSE ARE AVAILABLE ON E-MAIL OR NOT, MR. HURLEY. BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF E-MAIL WITHIN COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. SO I JUST CAN'T -- DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER FOR THE CLERK, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO GET THEM DISTRIBUTED TO YOU WHEN WE SEND OUT THE AGENDA. WE'LL WORK WITH WHEN YOU SELECT YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WE'LL WORK WITH HIM OR HER TO HELP THEM LEARN THE ROPES. IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE BY E-MAIL WE'LL DO IT THAT WAY. >>JAN SMITH: I KNOW THE MINUTES ARE AVAILABLE FOR A LOT OF ADMINISTRATION, AND A WEEK TO GET THE MINUTES OUT A WEEK IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING MIGHT BE PUSHING IT. IF IT IS, WE'LL JUST RUN A WEEK BEHIND ON -- OR TWO-WEEK CYCLE BEHIND. >>HELEN LEVINE: I WOULD GUESS IT IS AMBITIOUS BECAUSE OF THE WORKLOAD THAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAS, BUT WE'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH THEM AND GET A CLARIFICATION AND BE SENSITIVE TO YOUR REQUEST. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. DID EVERYONE GET A COPY ALL THE WAY AROUND? I WANT TO TELL YOU A THOUGHT I'VE HAD ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE IT LISTED AS NUMBER TWO. IT'S MY EXPERIENCE THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL WANT TO COME DOWN HERE, BUT NOT SPEND THE EVENING WITH US. AND IF WE MEET TILL 9:00 AND THEY COME FROM WORK, THEY DON'T WANT TO WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING TO SAY THEIR PEACE. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS HAVE A FEW MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, THREE-MINUTE TIME FRAME. LET THE PEOPLE HAVE THEIR SAY ABOUT WHATEVER THAT RELATES TO THE CHARTER. AND THEN HAVE COMMENT AT THE END ON ISSUES THAT WERE DISCUSSED THAT EVENING. BUT I DON'T WANT TWO BITES OF THE APPLE. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY SPEAKING THREE MINUTES BEFORE AND THREE MINUTES AFTER. SO I THINK AT EITHER TIME, THEY CAN ADDRESS ANY ISSUE OF THE CHARTER, BUT IF THEY STAY TILL THE END OF THE MEETING AND WANT TO DISCUSS SOMETHING THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA, THEY CERTAINLY WOULD BE FREE TO DO THAT. SO I THINK IT'S A FAIR WAY TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO COME DOWN HERE AND KNOW THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO SIT TILL 9:00 IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? OKAY. THEN WE'LL FOLLOW THAT. >>DAVID HURLEY: THE ONLY THING WOULD BE THE TIME. IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME -- >>JAN SMITH: YEAH, WE CAN ALWAYS LET THE TIME GO LONGER IF IT'S -- IN FACT, I THINK IT'S FIVE MINUTES IN HERE AND THREE MINUTES IF -- >>DAVID HURLEY: IF THEY HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS. >>JAN SMITH: AND DID EVERYONE RECEIVE THE COPY OF THE RULES THAT WE'RE GOING TO OPERATE UNDER? WONDERFUL. SO AT THE MOMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT TO PUBLIC COMMENT TO ANYONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE EVENING. MR. HUGHES, IF YOU'RE STAYING TILL THE END OF THE MEETING, DON'T DO IT NOW. THIS MEANS MR. KRICK IS GOING BACK TO TOWN 'N COUNTRY EARLY. >> GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MADAM CHAIR. MY NAME IS STAN KRICK. I RESIDE AT 7710 WEST ELM IN TOWN 'N COUNTRY. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT, VOTER, AND TAXPAYER FOR 30 PLUS YEARS OUT THERE. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I'VE ATTENDED A GOOD QUANTITY OF THE PREVIOUS CHARTER REVIEW MEETINGS OVER THE YEARS. AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE A SUPERIOR JOB BY ELECTING YOUR CHAIRMAN. SHE HAS BEEN AROUND. I'VE KNOWN HER FOR 25 YEARS, AND SHE HAS ONE INTEREST IN MIND, AND THAT'S THE GOOD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THEIR CITIZENS. MS. LASHER I KNOW SLIGHTLY, BUT THE NEXT LADY, MS. MARY LOU, I'VE KNOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. SHE WAS OUR BOARD LIAISON WHEN I WAS ON THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. SHE HAS A VERY HELPFUL ATTITUDE, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT ASSET. THE REST OF YOU I'VE SEEN BEFORE. I DO NOT KNOW YOU. AND THAT'S MY LOSS. BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT TO BE GOOD FOR YOUR COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE PICKED YOU TO GIVE OF YOUR TIME AND YOUR TALENT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY A FEW OTHER THINGS. NUMBER ONE, I ATTENDED THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHERE THE LEGISLATORS OR THREE SENATORS WANTED TO PUT THE COUNTY MAYOR PLAN AS A BILL BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE. I ALSO HEARD THEM STATE THAT IF YOU ALL DIDN'T DO THE WAY THEY WANTED, THEY'D BRING IT BACK NEXT YEAR. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT BEING THREATENED, BUT I THINK THAT WAS A THREAT. I DO NOT TAKE KINDLY TO THREATS. I WAS HIGHLY INSULTED THAT THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE ELECTED BY US EVEN MADE THE COMMENT OF THAT. AND I FEEL THAT THIS BOARD DOES NOT NEED ANY THREATS. YOU ALL ARE GOOD AND QUALITY PEOPLE. AND I THINK IT IS AN INSULT TO YOU AND TO THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT THIS COMMENT WAS MADE. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH SEVERAL IDEAS NOT ONLY THE COUNTY MAYOR PLAN. I'M NOT SURE THAT I LIKE IT, BUT I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT. BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER ITEMS, I'M SURE, THAT YOU WILL ALSO KNOW ABOUT AND CHECK ON. SO ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS WHAT ARE -- MY COMMANDING OFFICERS USED TO TELL US BEFORE WE GO TO THE FIELD, AND THIS WAS WITH THE SECOND ARMY HELL ON WHEELS DIVISION, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. KRICK. >> MADAM CHAIRMAN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, GREETINGS. I'M AL DAVIS. I'M AT 3724 EAST WILDER AVENUE, TAMPA, FLORIDA. I WANT TO COMMEND YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR CONSIDERING INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU KNOW, AT BEGINNING AND ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END. BECAUSE, INDEED, THAT GIVES THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING YOU SOME IDEAS AND THEN AFTER LISTENING TO YOURS, THEN THEY MAY HAVE SOME OTHER RESPONSES. MADAM CHAIRMAN, DO YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION HAVE NOT SWORN TO SUPPORT, DEFEND, AND UPHOLD THE CHARTER OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY? THEY HAVEN'T BEEN. THEY HAVEN'T SAID THEY WOULD EITHER. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF THE OATH OF OFFICE. I'VE ATTENDED A NUMBER OF THE CEREMONIES, YOU KNOW, INDUCTING THE MEMBERS, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD SUPPORT, DEFEND, AND UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE LAWS OF FLORIDA AND SAID NOTHING ABOUT THE CHARTER OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MAYBE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, MADAM CHAIRMAN, FOR YOU ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PROVISION AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO INCLUDE THAT PORTION OF INCLUDING THE CHARTER OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS PART OF THEIR OATH OF OFFICE. I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. I'VE MADE SOME EARLY INQUIRIES ABOUT THIS, AND THE RESPONSE THAT I GOT WAS, WELL, MAYBE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE LAWS OF FLORIDA WOULD BE INCLUSIVE, BUT I WANT TO BE SPECIFIC. I THINK SPECIFIC WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. THE CITY OF TAMPA WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR OATH OF OFFICE, THEY DO INCLUDE THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF TAMPA IN THEIR OATH OF OFFICE. SO THAT WILL BE MY SUGGESTION THAT IF YOU HAVE AN ITEM YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT CONCERNING, YOU KNOW, THE VIABILITY OF OUR CHARTER TO HAVE THOSE COMMISSIONS SWEAR AND UPHOLD AND DEFEND IT. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING OBSERVATION. GO AHEAD, MARILYN. >> MARILYN SMITH. I MAY OR MAY NOT HANG AROUND DEPENDING ON HOW EXCITING IT GETS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT WE WILL BE, "WE" YOU KNOW, SEVERAL. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE URGED ME TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS. THERE ARE THINGS IN OUR CHARTER THAT ARE THERE AND PEOPLE HAVE VOTED ON THEM WHEN THEY VOTED IN OUR CHARTER. SOME OF THE POWERS OF OUR CHARTER HAVE BEEN DILUTED. THEY'VE BEEN DILUTED VIA A MASTER PLAN AND AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. WE STATED AT THE TIME YOU ARE TAKING AWAY THE POWER OF THAT CHARTER THAT WAS VOTED ON BY THE PEOPLE. YOU CANNOT DO THAT WITHOUT GOING BACK TO THE PEOPLE. SO I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE MASTER DISASTER PLAN THAT WE ARE GOING TO -- BECAUSE THEY DISMANTLED OUR GOVERNMENT AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED. WE CANNOT DEFEND OURSELVES AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK TO YOU WHAT WE OFFERED FIVE YEARS AGO, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO HEAR FROM THE DELEGATION ABOUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING. I THINK THAT AN APPOINTED AUDITOR WORKING UNDER THE BOARD WAS THE BEST THING. WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT FIVE YEARS AGO. WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ALL THIS OTHER STUFF BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, THE ADMINISTRATOR WOULD HAVE TO BE DOING HIS JOB INSTEAD OF TREADING WATER AND GIVING US OBFUSCATIONS AND OUTRIGHT MANDACIOUS ACTION. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MARILYN. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? >> CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS. GRANT WALTERS, 13726 STAGHORN ROAD IN TAMPA, 33626. I'M VERY NEW TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'VE LIVED IN PASCO COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME. BEING IN THE AVIATION BUSINESS, IT WAS A COME-AND-GO TYPE THING. I'M VERY NEW TO THIS CHARTER HERE. AND I'VE BEEN EMPOWERED IN AN UNOFFICIAL WAY TO SEE IF WE CAN PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE NEW TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THERE ALWAYS HAS BEEN. SO I WISH YOU WELL AND I HOPE IN THIS CASE THAT SOME OF THE POSITIVE RESULTS THAT WE EXPECT FROM THE REVIEW BOARD WILL NOT BE OVERRIDDEN BY THE STATE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE HE WILL WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK BEFORE WE GO ON WITH OUR BUSINESS? SEEING NONE. THE NEXT ISSUE WAS -- ON OUR AGENDA IS TO DISCUSS MEETINGS AND TIMES. I HAVE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' SCHEDULE FOR THESE ROOMS, AND I'M GOING TO PASS THEM DOWN TO YOU. >>GERALD WHITE: WE HAVE A NEW BOARD MEMBER HERE TONIGHT. >>JAN SMITH: I APOLOGIZE. MR. WILKES, THAT'S UNFORGIVABLE OF ME. AND I'M SURE YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE LAST WEEK. AND HE IS HERE THIS WEEK. AND MR. WILKES, WELCOME, AND HOPE YOU'LL JUMP RIGHT IN WHEN I DON'T DO WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO. THANK YOU, MR. WHITE. THANK YOU. TO THE MEETING SCHEDULE, WE HAD HAD A BRIEF DISCUSSION IN OUR RULES. IT SAYS THAT WE WILL MEET NO MORE -- NO LESS THAN TWICE A MONTH. I THINK FOR EVERYONE'S SCHEDULE, IT'S NICE IF WE CAN PICK THE DAYS AND GO WITH IT. THERE WILL BE NIGHTS WHEN ANY ONE OF US MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE HERE. BUT ON THE WHOLE, I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT THURSDAYS. AND AS I WENT THROUGH HERE AND HIGHLIGHTED THEM, THIS ROOM WAS PRETTY MUCH AVAILABLE ON THURSDAYS WHICH WOULD MAKE IT EASY FOR ALL OF US AND THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE. DOES ANYONE HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR FIRST AND THIRD OR SECOND AND FOURTH? MR. LaBOUR, YOU HAD A PROBLEM AT THE LAST MEETING. >> JUST FOR SECOND WEDNESDAY. >>JAN SMITH: SECOND WEDNESDAY. >> MY PERSONAL SCHEDULE I KNOW FIRST AND THIRD WILL WORK BETTER, BUT NIGHT WORK BETTER FOR EVERYONE ELSE. >> ARE WE STUCK WITH THURSDAY? >>JAN SMITH: THURSDAY REALLY WORKS OUT WITH THE COUNTY'S -- THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS', THEIR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ALL. IF WE WERE TO USE THIS ROOM FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR MEETINGS. >> DID YOU SAY FIRST AND THIRD? >>JAN SMITH: FIRST AND THIRD OR SECOND AND FOURTH. IT'S UP FOR DISCUSSION IF ANYBODY HAS -- >> I'M -- MAYBE I'M NOT READING THIS CORRECTLY. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE EVENING PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THURSDAY, THE THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH. >>JAN SMITH: THAT IS, IN FACT, CORRECT. AND THAT NIGHT WE WILL HAVE TO GO UPSTAIRS. I WAS LEANING TOWARD -- AS I READ THIS, I HAD -- IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE SECOND AND THE FOURTH WORKED BETTER WITH THE SCHEDULES. BUT IT MAY NOT WORK WELL WITH YOUR SCHEDULES. SO IF WE GO FOR THE FIRST AND THIRD, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE 26TH FLOOR ON SOME EVENINGS. >> ARE WE BEGINNING WITH APRIL? >> I WAS HOPING TO BEGIN WITH APRIL. >> ONE THING I WAS -- LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR, YOU HAVE THE EASTER HOLIDAY FALLING ON THE SUNDAY, THE 23rd, I BELIEVE, AND THE PASSOVER HOLIDAY STARTS, I THINK, ON THURSDAY, THE 20TH. SO IT MAY BE -- YOU HAVE AN EVENING MEETING SHOWING FOR THE 13TH. SO YOU MAY WANT TO DO THE 6TH AND THE 27TH. >>JAN SMITH: IF THAT'S THE SUGGESTION FOR THE FIRST MONTH AND THEN TRY TO GET IT TO BE MORE OF A CONSISTENT -- >> RIGHT. YOU JUST HAVE THOSE HOLIDAYS THAT KIND OF THROW THINGS OFF. >>JAN SMITH: DOES THAT HOLIDAY -- DO THE HOLIDAYS IN APRIL -- I DON'T OFTEN GO ANYWHERE, SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DATES. IF ANYONE HAS PROBLEM, COULD THEY STATE IT AND WE CAN TRY TO RESOLVE IT. >> THE 6TH AND THE 27TH? >> THAT WAY WE'RE NOT IN CONFLICT -- YOU SAID PASSOVER BEGINS ON THE 20TH. >> I THINK IT BEGINS ON THE 20TH. IT MIGHT EVEN BE WEDNESDAY. >> I THINK THE SECOND -- >>JAN SMITH: SO FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, WE WOULD GO THE 6TH AND THE 27TH. SO THAT'S AGREEABLE WITH EVERYONE? SO IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD INTO THE OTHER MONTHS, THE SECOND AND FOURTH LOOKS TO BE THE BEST. BUT HOW DO YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT THAT? >> IT WORKS FOR ME. >>JAN SMITH: THE SECOND AND FOURTH. >> SO THAT WILL BE MAY THE 11TH AND THE 25TH. >>JAN SMITH: YES. AND THEN IT WOULD BE THE 8TH. AND THEN I HAVE A "T" IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT ONE. AND THAT'S A TOWN HALL MEETING. AND WHEN THE BOARD DOES TOWN HALL MEETINGS THEY GO TO THE COMMUNITY. SO THE ONE -- THE 29TH -- >> WAIT A MINUTE. YOU HAVE JUNE -- THE FIRST THURSDAY OF JUNE IS ON THE 1ST. SO THE SECOND THURSDAY OF JUNE IS THE 8TH AND THE 22ND. >> AND THE FOURTH ONE IS THE 22ND. >> THAT TOWN HALL MEETING WOULD BE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO IT WOULDN'T BE HERE. SO THAT WOULD LEAVE THIS ROOM AVAILABLE. >>DAVID HURLEY: I'LL BE IN WASHINGTON D.C. THAT WEEK. >>JAN SMITH: WOULD YOU ALL GO THROUGH, PERHAPS THROUGH DECEMBER OR THROUGH NOVEMBER AND SEE IF THOSE SECOND AND FOURS WORK FOR YOU PRETTY MUCH. IF THEY DO, THEN WE CAN ESTABLISH THAT AS POLICY AFTER APRIL. >>DAVID HURLEY: JULY, YOU HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP STARTING -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME THAT IS. >>JAN SMITH: AND THAT MAY BE A TIME WHERE WE JUST MOVE TO THE 26TH FLOOR. >> I THINK THEY ARE DURING THE DAY, MADAM CHAIRMAN. >>JAN SMITH: HEARINGS ARE AT NIGHT. BUT THE WORKSHOPS ARE -- IF THEY WENT LONG. >> WORKSHOP WOULD NEVER GO LONG. >>JAN SMITH: IT MIGHT GO FOR WEEKS ON END. SO IS EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH APRIL THE 6TH AND THE 27TH? AND THEN THEREAFTER, THE SECOND AND FOURTH THURSDAYS, 6:00. NOW, HOW LATE DO YOU WANT TO WORK? HAVING BEEN IN A POSITION WHERE I WORKED ALL DAY AND THEN WENT TO PUBLIC HEARINGS, BY 10:00 I WAS REALLY, REALLY GIDDY. SO I THINK -- WE SHOULD GO TO 11. DO YOU ALL WANT TO SAY 9:00 AND THEN IF WE'RE IN A MIDDLE OF A DISCUSSION AND THE BOARD PREFERS TO CONTINUE, WE CONTINUE. AND IF NOT, WE TRY TO END IT THERE. I KNOW SOME OF YOU DRIVE -- MS. WILLIAMS, YOU DRIVE QUITE A DISTANCE TO GET HERE. WHICH MEANS IF YOU DON'T LEAVE TILL 9:00, YOU DON'T GET HOME TILL 10. >> THE ONE OBSERVATION I HAVE IS THAT IF EVERYONE KNOWS WHEN A MEETING IS GOING TO END AND THERE'S BUSINESS YOU WANT TO GET DONE, YOU HAVE MORE OF A TENDENCY TO GET TO IT AND GET IT DONE AS OPPOSED TO AN OPEN-ENDED TIME. >>JAN SMITH: SO ARE YOU ALL AGREEABLE? 9:00? , 10:00? OKAY. 9:00. >> WHY DON'T WE LOOK AT 9:00. IF WE'RE IN A MIDDLE OF A DISCUSSION, GO AHEAD AND FINISH THAT PARTICULAR ITEM. >>JAN SMITH: IF EVERYBODY AGREES, THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR PROCEDURES AND THEN OUR PLACES. AND IF THE ROOM -- IF WE NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE LIKE THE 26TH FLOOR, I THINK THE STAFF WILL LET US KNOW SOON ENOUGH AND PERHAPS EVEN GET IT ON TV SO PEOPLE WOULD KNOW. WE CAN ALWAYS POST A SIGN. >> MADAM CHAIRMAN, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE FOURTH THURSDAY IN NOVEMBER IS -- IT APPEARS TO BE THANKSGIVING. >> HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE DONE BY THANKSGIVING. >>JAN SMITH: WE'LL HOLD THAT UP -- YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE STILL HERE AND STILL WORKING, MAYBE WE CAN CHANGE THE NIGHT. I'M NOT GOING TO WANT TO COME DOWN HERE -- >>JAN SMITH: DO YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT NOW? >> I THINK WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND HAVE IT ON THE CALENDAR FOR THE 30TH INSTEAD OF THE 23rd. >>JAN SMITH: THAT'S WHAT I HIGHLIGHTED. THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT. IF THAT'S OKAY, THE LAST MEETING IN NOVEMBER WILL BE ON THE 30TH. AND SINCE I DON'T DO TURKEYS, MS. TUTTLE, I WON'T ASK YOU TO DO COOKIES. OUR SCHEDULES ARE SET. IF THAT INFORMATION CAN BE POSTED ON THE TV ON GOVERNMENT ACCESS, ET CETERA. AND ANY OF THE CHANGES, PERHAPS A CALENDAR COULD COME OUT CLEAR TO EVERYONE WITH THE MEETING DATES ON IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE. >> MADAM CHAIRMAN, REGARDING THE DATES THERE, HAVE WE DISCUSSED THAT MAYBE TAKING IT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY LIKE MAYBE MEETING IN PLANT CITY ONE OF THOSE TIMES AND DIFFERENT ONES, THEN YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT IT AND COME BACK TO US AND MAYBE TRY TO BE HERE ONE NIGHT OUT OF THE MONTH AND THEN OUT ON THE ROAD THE OTHER NIGHT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, AT LEAST BE HERE ONCE A MONTH. >>JAN SMITH: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW IS -- THAT WE NEED -- THAT WE WILL NEED TO DO AS THE PROCESS MOVES FORWARD IS HAVE HEARINGS. AND I THINK AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS OF THINGS WE WANT TO TAKE TO THE PUBLIC, THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO TRY TO GO INTO EACH OF THE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS AND HAVE A MEETING. AND THAT MAY BE THE LAST FOUR MEETINGS WE HAVE MAY BE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND THEY MAY BE IN THE COMMUNITY. SO -- AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO INTO EACH OF OUR DISTRICTS. AND AT SOME POINT, WHEN WE GET CLOSE TO THAT TIME TO SET THOSE FAR ENOUGH IN ADVANCE. AND AGAIN, HOPEFULLY THEY WOULD OCCUR ON THE SAME NIGHTS THAT WE'VE SCHEDULED FOR MEETINGS. AND THERE WILL BE ONE IN SOUTH COUNTY, NORTHEAST, THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THE FOUR COMMISSION DISTRICTS. AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE FAIR TO THE PUBLIC AND CERTAINLY FAIR TO THIS BOARD. BUT I DON'T THINK -- I THINK WE CAN WAIT A WHILE TO SCHEDULE THOSE. >> YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST LOOK AT IT AND MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. >> OKAY. AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT. IT'S LESS COST -- A COST BURDEN FOR THE COUNTY IF WE SORT OF STAY WHERE THEY'RE SET TO OPERATE FOR A WHILE. BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES. AND IF YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO SHOOT AT, YOU MAY GET MORE INTEREST THAN IF WE JUST GO IN WITH, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE, TALK TO US. AND I NEED TO ASK MS. CAMPBELL TO ADMINISTER THE OATH TO MR. WILKES. >> YES, YOUR OATH OF OFFICE. >>GERALD WHITE: WE WERE A FEW MINUTES -- I WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE, AND I BELIEVE SOMEONE ELSE WAS A FEW MINUTES LATE AT THE LAST MEETING. AND I WAS NOT ADMINISTERED THE OATH. SO I WOULD LIKE -- >>JAN SMITH: PLEASE JOIN. YOU CAN DO IT TOGETHER. >> IF YOU COULD PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME. I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL SUPPORT, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT I AM DULY QUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY PERFORM THE DUTIES OF MEMBER OF CHARTER REVIEW BOARD ON WHICH I AM ABOUT TO ENTER, SO HELP ME GOD. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU ALL. WISH YOU WELL ALONG WITH THE REST OF US. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JAN SMITH: WE MAY CHANGE IT. THAT'S OUR ALTERNATIVE. >> MADAM CHAIR, BEFORE WE MOVE OFF OF THE MEETING SCHEDULE, I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP ONE GERMANE SUBPOINT. AS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE COMMENT ABOUT GOING OUT INTO THE SINGLE DISTRICTS AND MAKING OURSELVES AVAILABLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT I'D BRING UP NOW EARLY ON SO WE COULD LOOK INTO IT. SO EVEN IF WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THIS, TECHNICALLY, SEVERAL MONTHS AHEAD, WE CAN HAVE THE LOGISTICS WORKED OUT. WOULD BE THE POSSIBILITY, YOU CAN HAVE REMOTE SITE LIKE TELECONFERENCING TYPE OF THING WHERE ALL OF US CAN BE SITTING HERE, AND YOU CAN HAVE THE GROUP OF PHOTOGRAPHERS OR THE COUNTY PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL PEOPLE SET UP AT THE REMOTE SITES WITH MONITORS AND THE PEOPLE CAN COME TO THE MEETING. THEY'LL ACTUALLY SEE US ON THE MONITOR THERE, BUT THEY CAN ENGAGE IN PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THAT REMOTE SITE. AND SO THE IDEA IS TO GET AS MUCH PUBLIC INPUT AS POSSIBLE. SO SOMETIMES THIS IS THE CORRELATOR TAKING MOHAMMED TO THE MOUNTAIN OR BRINGING THE MOUNTAIN TO MOHAMMED. IF WE HAVE THE TECHNICAL CAPABILITY OF HAVING THOSE MONITORS SET UP IN THOSE REMOTE SITES WITH THE TELEVISION CAMERAS, THOSE FOLKS CAN PARTICIPATE AND YET ALL OF US AS A GROUP WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO BE HERE AT THE COUNTY BUILDING, PEOPLE THAT WANT TO STILL COME DOWN HERE COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS. BUT IT WOULD GIVE US MULTIPLE SITE ACCESS. AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GO ELABORATE, YOU'RE NOT LIMITED TO HAVING ONE REMOTE SITE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. I MEAN, ON A GIVEN NIGHT, YOU COULD HAVE A REMOTE SITE SET UP AT TWO OR THREE LOCATIONS AND BE RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT FROM ALL OF THOSE PLACES SO THAT YOU'RE NOT RESTRICTED GEOGRAPHICALLY TO HAVING TO MOVE THE ENTIRE BOARD AROUND TO THESE VARIOUS LOCATIONS. WE CAN BE GETTING AS MUCH GROUP INPUT FROM AROUND THE COUNTY AS POSSIBLE. SO I JUST THROW THAT OUT AS A POSSIBILITY OF USING OUR TECHNOLOGY OF TODAY TO BE A LITTLE MORE PROGRESSIVE IN NECESSARILY BRINGING FOLKS IN AND GETTING THEIR INPUT WITHOUT HAVING US TO ALL GO OUT. >>JAN SMITH: MS. LEVINE, PERHAPS YOU CAN JUST RAISE THAT ISSUE WITH MR. KLEMAN AND SEE WHETHER THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF DOING THAT. I KNOW WHEN WE HAVE A STAFF DIRECTOR -- AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, THAT THAT PERSON WILL ON MANY OCCASIONS RESOLVE THESE ISSUES FOR US AND BRING THEM BACK WITH ANSWERS. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IF YOU COULD SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY. >>HELEN LEVINE: HAPPY TO DO THAT. I THINK THAT WE HAVE -- HTV IS ABLE TO PROVIDE A LOT OF SERVICE -- NOT QUITE SURE IF WE CAN DO THE MULTIPLE SITES, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO EXPLORE WITH THE CHAIRMAN AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHEN HE OR SHE COMES ON BOARD WHAT THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD WOULD WANT AND SEE THAT -- YOU'RE DISCUSSING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS EVENING, BUT CERTAINLY HTV CAN BE A GREAT RESOURCE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK CAN BE WELL USED. >>JAN SMITH: AND WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING INFORMATION PUT ON AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS WITH THE TELEPHONE, FAX LINE, E-MAIL, ET CETERA. AND ONCE THAT IS DONE, I'M SURE THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL BE COMING BACK TO US AT EACH MEETING WITH QUESTIONS, COMMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO COME THROUGH THAT WAY. BUT I THINK ANY WAY WE CAN REACH OUT IS CERTAINLY GOOD. AND WHEN YOU -- MAYBE AT OUR NEXT MEETING YOU COULD GIVE US SOME RESPONSE TO -- >> WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN PARTICULARLY IS THAT IF WE HAVE A REMOTE SITE, LET'S SAY YOU'RE OUT IN PLANT CITY AND THE PEOPLE ARE SITTING THERE AND THEY ARE COMING UP TO THE MIKE TO TALK, NOT ONLY CAN THEY SEE US ON THEIR MONITORS, BUT WE'LL HAVE A MONITOR, A LARGE-SCREEN MONITOR HERE IN THIS ROOM, AND WE CAN SEE THEM TALKING LIVE. SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT -- IT'S KIND OF THE EQUIVALENT OF VIDEO CONFERENCING DIRECT. >>JAN SMITH: OR IF NOT, WE COULD EVEN DO SOMETHING WITH CALL-INS. WE COULD SET A TIME FOR THE LAST 15 MINUTES OF THE MEETING FOR SOMEONE TO CALL IN AND ASK A QUESTION. AND WE COULD -- YOU KNOW, THE GROUP COULD DEBATE IT OR WE COULD JUST ANSWER THEM AND SAY, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING, WHATEVER. BUT THAT'S AN OPTION TOO. >>HELEN LEVINE: DELIGHTED TO HAVE STAFF LOOK AT WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE AND BRING THEM BACK TO YOU AT YOUR NEXT MEETING. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DENISE LASHER HAS SOME INFORMATION THAT SHE'S ACCUMULATED HERE AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH ALL OF US. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS IT THIS EVENING. WE'RE JUST GOING TO PASS IT OUT. IT'S FOR YOUR INFORMATION. >>DENISE LASHER: I THINK AT OUR LAST MEETING IT WAS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT BROWARD COUNTY IN THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY THEY HAD, THEY HAD THREE DIFFERENT BALLOT INITIATIVES THAT WERE AFFECTING THEIR CHARTER. THE FIRST WAS SHOULD THE COUNTY BE GOVERNED BY COMMISSIONERS ELECTED FROM SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS AND AN ELECTED EXECUTIVE MAYOR? THAT ONE OVERWHELMINGLY FAILED. AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS COUNTY TO BE GOVERNED BY NINE COMMISSIONERS FROM SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS WITHOUT AN ELECTED MAYOR. AND THAT ONE DID PASS WITH A MARGIN OF 51 YESES, AND 49% NO. SO IT WAS VERY CLOSE. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE THIRD QUESTION THEY HAD PROPOSED TO THEM WAS THE TERM LIMITS FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO BE THREE CONSECUTIVE FOUR-YEAR TERMS. IN BROWARD COUNTY, THEY HAD NO TERM LIMITS. SO NOW THAT ONE DID PASS, 80% IN FAVOR, AND 20% AGAINST. SO JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS ON THEIR BALLOT THIS YEAR. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE RESULTS FROM THAT PARTICULAR ITEM. >>JAN SMITH: AS ANY OF YOU COME ACROSS INFORMATION LIKE THIS, PLEASE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE IN BRINGING IT IN. WE CAN ASK THE STAFF TO COPY IT AND PASS IT OUT. YOU WILL FIND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL WANT TO TALK TO YOU AS THEY SEE YOUR FACES HERE AND GET TO KNOW YOU AND PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION AND BE HAPPY TO TAKE IT AND MAKE SURE THE REST OF US GET TO SEE IT TOO. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I CALLED EVERYONE. THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON THAT I COULD NOT REACH. AND YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED COPIES OF THE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS. AFTER I SPOKE WITH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, I HAD REAL MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT COMING IN AND TELLING YOU WHAT I THOUGHT WE OUGHT TO DO. I HAVE A GROUP OF THREE THAT I THINK ARE EXCELLENT. I HAVE ANOTHER ONE -- ACTUALLY, FOUR. IN FACT, THEY WERE ALL VERY GOOD APPLICATIONS. I THINK IT WAS SURPRISING TO ME THE DIFFERENCE OVER THE YEARS IN HOW MANY PEOPLE REALLY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS AND SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST TELL YOU ABOUT A COUPLE AND MY REACTIONS TO THEM. AND THEN ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT AND BRING A COUPLE OF THESE PEOPLE INTO THE NEXT MEETING. THAT'S WHAT WE DID AGREE TO DO. BUT ONE PERSON HAD A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TAKE ON WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. AND THAT PERSON FELT THAT HE HAD WATCHED THIS PROCESS BEFORE AND FELT THAT WE WERE SLIPSHOD AND HAPHAZARD IN THE WAY THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD CONSIDERED THE INFORMATION, MADE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND MOVED FORWARD. I WASN'T HAPPY TO HAVE THEM SAY THAT TO ME SINCE I'VE DONE IT TWICE BEFORE. BUT I UNDERSTOOD WHERE HE WAS COMING FROM. AND THIS GENTLEMAN'S NAME IS CURT SPITZER. AND HIS IS THE ONE THAT STARTS WITH THE KSA AT THE TOP. AND I WOULD TELL YOU FIRST OFF WHEN I START TALKING TO HIM, I HAD A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT I ASK EVERYBODY SO THAT I COULD GET A FEEL FOR EACH PERSON. THE FIRST QUESTION ON THE LIST IS, ARE YOU AWARE OF THE SALARY, THAT IT'S PART-TIME, AND THERE ARE NO BENEFITS? AND HIS REACTION WAS THE SALARY WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. HE UNDERSTOOD NO BENEFITS. AND HE PROCEEDED TO SORT OF TELL ME THINGS DIFFERENTLY. FROM WHAT WE HAD SET OUT. HE FELT THE PROCESS FOR THE REVIEW IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WAS IN DESPERATE NEED OF CHANGE. AND HE FELT THAT A FACILITATOR WOULD DO A BETTER JOB OF HELPING US TO GET WHERE WE WANT TO GO THAN FOR THE BOARD TO SIT AND HASH OUT THE ISSUES AND DISCUSS THEM AND PUT SOMETHING FORWARD. HE ESPECIALLY WANTED TO COME HERE FOR AN INTERVIEW. HE IS FROM TALLAHASSEE. HE IS A REGISTERED VOTER IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. HE HAS QUITE AN INTERESTING RESUME. HE SAID VERY CLEARLY THAT OUR MODEL FOR THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS DOESN'T WORK. AND I SAID, WELL, IF YOU -- IF YOU WERE OF A MIND OF THE MAJORITY OF THE LAST TWO CHARTER REVIEW BOARDS, THEY, IN FACT, FELT THAT IT DID WORK. THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS. THEY MADE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ONE DID NOT GET TO THE BALLOT AND ONE DID. BUT HE FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT OUR MODEL DOESN'T WORK. AND I THINK -- IN MY OPINION, THERE TRULY WASN'T A MODEL. EACH BOARD COMES TOGETHER DIFFERENTLY WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS AND THOUGHTS. SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. HE DID SAY THAT HE KNOWS MANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE STAFF AND IS PARTICULARLY FOND OF MS. TUTTLE. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT POLK COUNTY JUST WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND HE GUIDED THEM THROUGH IT. AND THE COST FOR THAT CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, AND THIS WAS TO PROPOSE THE FIRST HOME RULE CHARTER. THIS WAS NOT TO AMEND A CHARTER. THIS WAS TO PUT A CHARTER IN FRONT OF THEM. AND THEY SPENT $160,000 ON THEIR CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. HIS EXPENSES TO DO THAT WERE IN EXCESS OF $30,000 PLUS TRAVEL AND EXPENSES WHILE HE WAS HERE. HE FELT THAT THERE WAS A GREAT NEED FOR A STAFF PERSON TO HELP BUILD CONSENSUS AND UNDERSTANDING AMONGST THE BOARD HERE. HIS POSITION WAS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN SERVING AS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AS IN THE LAST TWO BOARDS WHERE THEY MOSTLY RESPONDED TO QUESTIONS FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, RESPONDED TO THE PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC THAT ASKED FOR INFORMATION AND WROTE THE END REPORTS. I ASSUME KEPT MINUTES AND PROVIDED INFORMATION TO PEOPLE WHO REQUESTED IT. SO I'M THROWING THAT OUT BECAUSE HE WAS SO DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS. AND IT'S A DIFFERENT WAY OF APPROACHING IT. BECAUSE WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT IS SOMEWHAT ESTABLISHED, WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER ASKING THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IF, IN FACT, WE WANTED TO GO IN THE VEIN OF HAVING A FACILITATOR. THAT ALL BEING SAID AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL HAVE THE TIME TO READ HIS RESUME AND COMMENTS AND HIS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU FOR MY TOP THREE CHOICES FOR US TO BRING IN -- AND I LEFT HIM HANGING BECAUSE I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO SAY. BARBARA MERRITT, LINDA SMITH, AND JOHN PETRIMOULX. I DID TALK TO EVERYONE. I FELT THAT THESE THREE SEEMED TO HAVE EXCELLENT RESUMES, GREAT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, AND JUST WHEN I TALKED TO THEM, SEEMED TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUNSHINE LAW, THE CHARTER, WANTED TO BE INVOLVED, AND ALL OF THEM HAVE GOOD COMPUTER SKILLS, TV, RADIO, PAPER, E-MAIL, FAX MACHINES, EVERYTHING. PART OF THE DISCUSSION AS TO THE JOB WAS THAT WE WANTED SOMEBODY WHO COULD BE IN THIS BUILDING ON A SEMI-ROUTINE BASIS SO THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT PERSON. NOW, CLEARLY IT WOULD BECOME A SERIOUS COST ISSUE TO CONSIDER THIS ONE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR HIM TO COME DOWN HERE EACH TIME AND ALL. BUT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WANT TO PROCEED. AND I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE BEFORE WE EVEN SELECT THIS DIRECTOR. DO YOU WANT SOMEBODY THAT TAKES US ALL TO TASK. PUTS US ALL TOGETHER AND FACILITATES A MEETING, OR DO YOU WANT SOMEBODY WHO JUST CARRIES OUT OUR WISHES? SO I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT HAS TO COME FIRST. SO, MR. WHITE. PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIKE. >>GERALD WHITE: OKAY. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE GUIDE FOR CHARTER COMMISSION THAT WAS GIVEN TO US BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. AT OUR LAST MEETING, BUT ON PAGE 10, IT SAYS, IT CANNOT BE STRONGLY EMPHASIZED THAT THE EARLIER THE COMMISSION GET A CONSULTANT, THE MORE IT WILL GET FOR ITS MONEY AND BETTER USE AND MAKE OF ITS OWN TIME. SO I'VE READ THE ENTIRE BOOK. IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL. IN THE REAL SENSE, I THINK WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY HERE. WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS EMINENTLY QUALIFIED, NOT ONLY TO SERVE AS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BUT PERFORM A UNIQUE FUNCTION FOR THIS BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY AS A CONSULTANT, EMPHASIZING ALL OF THE ABILITIES AND ALL OF THE DESIRES EACH ONE OF US WOULD HAVE AS IT RELATE TO DIGGING INTO THE CHARTER. I WOULD BE MORE INCLINED TO HAVE SOMEONE DO THE CLERICAL WORK AND HAVE THIS INDIVIDUAL COME ON BOARD AS A CONSULTANT TO OUR GROUP. I THINK IT'S A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY. AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LET IT GET AWAY. >>DAVID HURLEY: WELL, I UNDERSTAND WHERE HE'S COMING FROM, BUT THIS BOOK WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CONSULTANT, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST PROPOSED CHART THEY WERE GOING TO CREATE, WHICH IS WHAT THEY DID FOR POLK COUNTY. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I THINK AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT, WE'VE HAD A CHARTER HERE SINCE THE '70s -- '74. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT'S BEEN REVIEWED. AND I THINK WE HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE LIVING HERE IN THE COUNTY, THERE'S NOT A PERSON HERE, MR. WILKES OR MR. BALES BEFORE I HAVE NO MET. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY HERE BASHFUL THAT'S NOT WILLING TO SPEAK UP. HAVING A PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT COME IN JUST KIND OF TURNS ME BACK IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. I DON'T WANT HIM TELLING US WHAT TO DO OR MOVING US ALONE. I WOULD RATHER US MOVE ALONE. THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION. >> I HAD HARDLY GOTTEN PAST THE FIRST PAGE OF HIS RESUME WHEN I THREW IT ASIDE. HE KIND OF INDICATED THAT HE THOUGHT WE NEEDED SOMEONE TO WRITE A CHARTER. WE DON'T NEED ANYONE TO WRITE A CHARTER. HE SEEMED TO WANT TO PROPOSE INSTEAD OF DISPOSE, WHICH I THINK THAT'S WHAT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS SUPPOSED TO DO. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE MORE THING, TOO. WHEN I LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF THESE RESUMES, THESE PEOPLE WERE SO OVERQUALIFIED, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. I THOUGHT IF I HAD ALL THIS, I WOULD BE WORKING SOMEWHERE AT A SIX-FIGURE SALARY AND I WOULDN'T BE LOOKING FOR A PART-TIME JOB AT $25,000. AND I WILL REMIND YOU THE LAST TIME WE HAD AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THAT WAS JUST THE CASE. HE WAS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB AND GOT ONE. DIDN'T EVEN FINISH THE YEAR. WE HAD TO HAVE THE COUNTY FINISH UP OUR CLERICAL WORK AND ALL THE PAPERWORK ON OUR CHARTER. SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER SOMEBODY THAT IS PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND WILL BE HERE A YEAR FROM NOW TO DO THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE DONE. AND I THINK WE NEED -- FROM WHAT I OBSERVED ON THIS FIVE YEARS AGO, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN A PAPER SHUFFLER. THEY DID WHAT WE DIRECTED THEM TO DO. AND TO ME, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THIS TIME. >>HENRY BELTRAN: I FEEL THAT I AGREE WITH HER, THAT WE NEED TO -- I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD GET SOMEBODY WHO IS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE THE STRUCTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR SOCIETY WHICH ARE FOUND OVER HERE. AND I FEEL THAT SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO COME FROM THE OUTSIDE TO CHANGE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE DONE. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. MS. WALDRON. >>ARLENE WALDRON: I THINK THAT WE REALLY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES HERE. I THINK HE'S OVERQUALIFIED AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR JOB DESCRIPTION AND SEE WHO MEETS THAT DESCRIPTION. THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE HIRE A CONSULTANT I THINK IS A SEPARATE ISSUE. SO MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT IT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS. >> MY OBSERVATION IN THIS IS THAT IN HIS LETTER, HE REFERS TO SEVERAL TIMES "WE." SO WE WOULD BE HIRING A CORPORATION, NOT AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. AND I THINK WE NEED AN INDIVIDUAL. AND THAT'S THE WAY I AM INTERPRETING THIS. >>STEVE LaBOUR: I THINK FAIRNESS TO HIM AND I AGREE WITH MS. WALDRON, I THINK, QUITE FRANKLY, HE'S NOT APPLYING FOR AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S POSITION. I THINK HE'S USING IT TO OPEN THE DISCUSSION. AND HE COULD VERY WELL BE SOMEONE VERY VALUABLE TO US. I WAS ACTUALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE THAT HE DOES HAVE. BUT I THINK AS AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I DON'T THINK HE WOULD ACCEPT OUR JOB AS WE'VE WRITTEN IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION. SO I SEE IT AS TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES AS WELL. >>JAN SMITH: HE WAS REASONABLY CLEAR ABOUT THAT AND EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD GO TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND ASK FOR MORE FUNDING. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT -- >> I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE. >>JAN SMITH: WHEN HE FIRST TOLD ME WE WERE DOING IT WRONG, I WAS TAKEN ABACK. WE DID HAVE A DISCUSSION AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT I SAID TO HIM -- HE WOULD COME DOWN FOR FREE FOR THE INTERVIEW. ANYTHING AFTER THAT WOULD BE A PAID TRIP. AND IT REMEMBER, IT IS HIS BUSINESS. ALSO, I SAID THAT THERE MIGHT COME A TIME WHEN WE GET FURTHER INTO THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE MIGHT WANT HIM TO COME. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, WITH THE FUNDING WE HAVE, TO BRING PEOPLE IN FROM DIFFERENT AREAS. WE HAVE IN THE PAST. WE BROUGHT LINDA CHAPIN IN FROM ORLANDO. WE'VE BROUGHT PEOPLE BEFORE THE BOARD TO TALK. AT SOME POINT, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO. SO LET ME LEAVE IT AT THAT THEN. MR. AMBLER, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? >> JUST BRIEFLY. I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I REALLY VIEWED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S SPOT, DESPITE THE TITLE, AS BEING AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, BECAUSE WE NEED SOMEBODY DEDICATED TO THIS GROUP THAT COULD IMPLEMENT FOLLOWING UP ON PHONE CALLS, TAKING CARE OF THE ADMINISTERIAL TASKS. AND THE SALARY IS COMMENSURATE WITH AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT. >>JAN SMITH: LET ME TELL YOU THE ANSWERS I GOT TO THE QUESTIONS. FIRST, ON BARBARA MERRITT, I THOUGHT HER RESUME AND HER RECOMMENDATIONS WERE EXCELLENT. SHE HAS TREMENDOUS COMPUTER SKILLS. THE SALARY AS SOMETHING SHE WAS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH. AND SINCE BARBARA IS FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW HER. SHE IS VERY WELL VERSED IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT, IN FACT, RECENTLY, RECEIVED NICE RECOGNITION IN THE TRIBUNE FOR THE WORK SHE PUT FORTH OUT AT THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS. AT FIRST, I THINK PEOPLE WEREN'T REAL HAPPY WITH HER. AND SOMETIMES THAT'S THE WAY GOVERNMENT SOLVES PROBLEMS IS SHE RAISED ISSUES TO THEM. AND THEY WERE RESOLVED. SHE HAS ALL THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO DO THIS JOB, NOT ONLY AT HOME, BUT WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK IT OUT HERE. SHE'S WELL VERSED IN THE SUNSHINE LAW. SHE'S A REGISTERED VOTER AND A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT. I ASKED HER HOW SHE WOULD DEAL WITH A BOARD THAT MIGHT GET FEISTY AND DEMAND A LOT OF INFORMATION. PUBLIC GROUPS THAT MIGHT GET TO HER, PERHAPS CIVIC GROUPS AND ALL THAT WOULD COME. AND SHE SAID THE VERY FIRST THING I WILL DO IS LISTEN TO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR OR THEY ARE ASKING FOR. AND THEN SHE WOULD AFTER LISTEN, SHE WOULD SAY SHE COULD PROVIDE INFORMATION OR DO WHATEVER, AND SHE WOULD GIVE THEM A TIME AND A PLACE WHERE IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY RATIONED APPROACH. SO I THINK BARBARA MERRITT WAS ONE OF THE THREE I WOULD RECOMMEND TO YOU. THE NEXT ONE IS A LADY NAMED LINDA SMITH. SHE HAS BEEN A FREE-LANCE WRITER AND A MARKET RESEARCHER. SHE HAS DONE MANY NEWSLETTERS. SHE HAS WORKED AS AN INTERVIEWER FOR A FOR TUNE 100 COMPANY. AND IN THE PAST HAS DAWN GREAT DEAL OF TRAVELING. EAST SHE CURRENTLY HAS HER OWN BUSINESS AND ARRANGES HER SCHEDULES HERSELF, AND SHE DOES A LOT OF THESE INTERVIEWS AND NEWSLETTERS AND RESEARCH FOR VARIOUS COMPANIES. SO SHE IS LOCAL RIGHT HERE IN TAMPA. SHE HAS SUPERVISED AND ACTUALLY DONE PRESS RELEASES. SHE'S FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE NEWSPAPER REPORTERS AS SHE USED TO WORK FOR ONE OF THE NEWSPAPERS HERE. SHE WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE SUNSHINE LAW. SHE'S A REGISTERED VOTER AND A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR 23 YEARS. SHE SEEMED GENUINELY INTERESTED IN THE JOB AND THE ISSUE AT HAND. AND THE LAST ONE, JOHN PETRIMOULX, IS AN EXECUTIVE, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM DOING VARIOUS THINGS AND HAS QUITE A WORLDWIDE EXPERIENCE. HE WAS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE HOURS. IT APPEARS THAT HE IS NOT NECESSARILY WORKING FULL-TIME OR LOOKING FOR A FULL-TIME POSITION. SO THIS REALLY FIT THE BILL.. HE LIVES OUT IN CARROLLWOOD. HE IS VERY INTERESTED IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. HE HAD THE COMPUTER SKILLS AND THE E-MAIL PRESS, ALL OF THAT EXPERIENCE. HE WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE SUNSHINE LAW AND HAD QUITE A FEW ISSUES TO RAISE WITH ME ABOUT IT. HE ALSO HAD A RESPONSE VERY SIMILAR TO MS. MERRITT'S OVER HOW TO DEAL WITH THINGS THAT MIGHT GET TESTY AND THE PUBLIC AND SEEMED VERY AT EASE. SO I REALLY DID LIKE THOSE THREE. MR. TILLMAN, I THINK ALSO IS AN EXCELLENT -- HE HAS AN EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION HERE. HE'S DONE INTERNET RESEARCH. HE'S DONE A GREAT DEAL OF PRESS WORK MORE AS A FRONT PR PERSON, WHICH IS THE ONE REASON WHY I DIDN'T LOOK AT HIM AS STRONGLY AS -- I MEAN, HE'S MORE OF A SPEAKER FOR REPRESENTING GROUPS AS OPPOSED TO SOMEONE I FELT WHO WOULD BE INTO DOING RESEARCH AND ALL. HE IS A RESIDENT OF ST. PETERSBURG. HE TEACHES A WEB DESIGN COURSE AT ONE OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSITIES. HE'S A REGISTERED VOTER. HE HAD GOOD ANSWERS TO ALL OF THE QUESTIONS. AND THE REASON HE ONLY WANTS A PART-TIME POSITION IS HE IS WRITING A BOOK -- I THINK THIS IS THE ONE -- IS HE THE ONE OR WAS IT -- NO. I THINK MAYBE I HAVE THE WRONG ONE. ONE OF THEM -- I WAS SURE IT WAS HIM. HE HAS A RELATIVE, BILL TILLMAN'S LEGENDARY LAWMAN AND HE IS WRITING A BOOK ABOUT HIM. SO HE WANTED SOMETHING, BUT HE DIDN'T WANT A FULL-TIME AND HE UNDERSTOOD NO BENEFITS. ACTUALLY, I THOUGHT THOSE FOUR WERE REALLY EXCELLENT. MY FIRST THREE WERE MS. MERRITT, MS. SMITH, AND JOHN PETRIMOULX. AND I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD REACT TO MR. SPITZER, SO I WAS LEAVING THAT ONE OPEN. I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT OF US TO INTERVIEW THREE, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INTERVIEW MR. SPITZER, FOUR. AND I WOULD -- I THINK THEY WOULD ALL BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE NEXT MEETING. AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHERS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS OR FELT DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THESE, LET'S HEAR FROM. >> I CAN'T FIND MY COPY OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION. DID WE INDICATE THAT WE WERE PREFERRING SOMEONE THAT HAD CHARTER REVIEW EXPERIENCE? AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT KNOWING THAT MUCH ABOUT BARBARA MERRITT. WHEN SHE INDICATES SHE'S PARTICIPATED IN EVERY CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, EXACTLY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? >> SHE HAS ALWAYS COME TO THE MEETINGS, LISTENED TO THE DISCUSSIONS. AND ON OCCASION, WHEN THE TIME WAS APPROPRIATE, VOICED HER OWN OPINIONS AND CONCERNS. SO SHE -- IN FACT, I CAN'T THINK OF A MEETING THAT SHE DIDN'T ATTEND AT THE CHARTER REVIEW. I'M SURE THERE WERE SOME SHE DIDN'T COME, BUT SHE'S BEEN INTERESTED IN IT EVER SINCE THE COUNTY HAD CHARTER REVIEW BOARDS. SO SHE DOES HAVE A GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THE BOARD WORKS. >> YOU REMEMBER, SHE APPLIED FOR THIS JOB AT THE LAST CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. AND FOR SOME REASON, MR. -- I THINK HIS NAME WAS SMITH -- WAS SELECTED. >>JAN SMITH: MARSHALL SMITH. >> RIGHT. AND I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO OBSERVE BARBARA FOR THIS PAST FIVE YEARS, AND YOU ARE RIGHT. SHE PARTICIPATES IN EVERYTHING, AND SHE KNOWS THIS COUNTY LIKE THE BACK OF HER HAND. AND IN HINDSIGHT, I REGRETTED LATER THAT WE DIDN'T HIRE HER INSTEAD OF THE ONE WE DID. >> I THINK LAST TIME THERE WAS JUST A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AND MR. LEE JUST MADE -- HE CAME IN AND SAID WHO IT WAS GOING TO BE. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS KIND OF AN AGREEMENT AS TO WHO IT WOULD BE. THANK YOU. THIS IS A COPY OF THE AD INFORMATION THAT WENT OUT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ IT. DID THE REST OF YOU SEE IT? MS. WALDRON, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT. >>GERALD WHITE: IF WE HAVE A DESIRE TO MOVE ON SOMEONE, DO WE AGREE TO CONTINUE ON WITH AN INTERVIEW PROCESS. IF THERE'S ONE OF THESE APPLICATIONS THAT WE WANT TO JUST GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON. LIKE I'M PREPARED TO VOTE FOR -- >> WELL, DON'T SAY THAT YET. I UNDERSTAND -- I MEAN, DON'T TELL ME WHO YOU WANT TO VOTE ON YET. BUT LET ME SEE WHAT THE REST OF THE BOARD WANTS TO DO AND PERHAPS THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO. MR. LaBOUR. >> I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND BRING THE THREE THAT YOU LISTED TO INVITE THEM TO OUR NEXT MEETING SO WE COULD TALK WITH THEM. >>DENISE LASHER: I WAS GOING TO CONCUR. I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION BECAUSE THERE -- YOU KNOW, SOME OF US MAY HAVE SOME PARTICULAR QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THEIR RESPONSE, OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, THE BROAD QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED. I DO APPRECIATE YOU CALLING EVERYONE AND DOING THAT INTERVIEW AND KIND OF SCREENING THESE APPLICANTS AND I'M IMPRESSED WITH THE QUALITY OF APPLICANTS THAT WE GOT CONSIDERING THE PAY AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED OF THIS PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL. >> SOUNDS LIKE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ME. >>JAN SMITH: IS THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? >> YES, MA'AM. >>JAN SMITH: WE HAVE A MOTION -- AND YOU'RE AGREEABLE WITH THE FIRST THREE THAT I RECOMMENDED. -- TO BRING MS. MERRITT, LINDA SMITH, AND JOHN PETRIMOULX TO OUR NEXT MEETING AND EVERYONE HAVE A COMFORT LEVEL WITH INTERVIEWING THEM AND THEN WE'LL MAKE A SELECTION. >> DO WE WANT TO DO THIS AS A BOARD, DRAG THEM UP HERE AND QUESTION THEM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS. ALL THREE OF THEM ARE ACCEPTABLE TO ME. I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD GET A COMMITTEE OF TWO OR THREE AND JUST INTERVIEW THEM. >>JAN SMITH: LET ME TELL YOU WHY I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA AND WHY I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION. CHARTER REVIEW BOARDS ARE A VERY INTERESTING ANIMAL. AND I THINK IF FOR EACH ONE OF YOU TO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HOW THINGS ARE DONE AND HOW WORK IS ACCOMPLISHED FOR US, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS OF SELECTING. I THINK IN THE END, EVERYONE HOPEFULLY WILL BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE END PRODUCT IF WE ALL HAVE WORKED TO SELECT THAT PERSON AND WE ALL FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT PERSON. AND THAT PERSON IS COMFORTABLE WITH ALL OF US. IT'S A PERSONAL FEELING ON MY PART THAT I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE -- THIS PERSON IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU TO MAKE THE DECISION AS TO WHO YOU WANT TO TAKE ON THIS RESPONSIBILITY, I THINK IS REALLY APPROPRIATE. >> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT I INTERVIEWED A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT SECRETARIAL JOBS AND DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS AND THINGS THAT I'VE SERVED ON OVER THE -- IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, AND THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE HAVING TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD DEMONSTRATES A PERSON'S PEOPLE SKILLS. A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE A WAY OF REPRESENTING THEMSELVES ON A PIECE OF PAPER IN A RESUME, BUT WHEN YOU PUT THEM TO THE TEST AND HAVE THEM DEMONSTRATE THEIR PEOPLE SKILLS, THEY MAY BE LACKING. THIS IS OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE FOLKS TO COME IN FRONT OF US, LET ALL OF OUR CONCERNS BE AIRED, THINGS THAT YOU MAY THINK OF I WOULDN'T HAVE AND VICE VERSA. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT IN SESSION AND MEETING HERE THIS PERSON WE SELECT IS KIND OF GOING TO BE OUR EYES AND EARS AND OUR VOICE. AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE THE PERSON INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC. AND I WANT TO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THE PERSON THAT IS DOING THAT JOB HAS THE RIGHT DEMEANOR, HAS THE RIGHT PRESENTATION SO THAT THEY CARRY OFF THE IMAGE AND IMPRESSION THAT THIS COMMISSION OR THIS BOARD IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE. AND THAT IS THAT WE'RE SOLICITING INPUT AND WE'RE OPEN-MINDED AND THAT WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE'S IDEAS AND COLLECT THEM AND THEN PUT IT TOGETHER IN A COHESIVE PACKAGE THAT MAY END UP ON THE BALLOT. SO THIS PERSON, WHOEVER THEY ARE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM BEFORE I END UP HAVING THEM SELECTED. >> ON THE MECHANICS, WHEN THEY APPEAR BEFORE THE BOARD, ARE WE GOING TO RATE THEM AS LIKE THE FIRST CHOICE, SECOND OR THIRD? OR HOW IS THIS -- >>JAN SMITH: I SUSPECT THAT WE WOULDN'T DO IT IN FRONT OF THEM. BUT AFTER THEY LEAVE THE ROOM, SOMEONE WILL MAKE A MOTION AS TO WHO THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE. THERE WOULD BE A SECOND, AND WE WOULD VOTE IT UP OR DOWN. >> BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE TWO DISAPPOINTED ONES. >> YES. AND I WILL MAKE SURE THAT CORRESPONDENCE GOES TO ALL THOSE THAT SENT APPLICATIONS. I WILL TELL THAT YOU THREE CAME IN LATE. I DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THEM. THERE WAS A DEADLINE IN THE PAPER. THE REST OF THEM MET IT AND I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS FAIR TO GO BEYOND THAT. SO THERE ARE THREE I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT. WE HAVE EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT APPLICATIONS HERE. MS. LASHER. >> REGARDING THE PROCESS, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE DO WHAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES WHEN THEY GO TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES. IF NO ONE GETS A MAJORITY -- >> YOU MEAN GO AND THE ROOM AND CALL THE NAME. >> IF THERE'S THREE WE'RE VOTING ON AND EACH PERSON CAN SELECT THEIR TOP AND IF NOT -- IF NO ONE OF THOSE THREE GETS A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES, THEN YOU TAKE THE TOP TWO AND THEN YOU VOTE ON THE TOP TWO JUST AS ANOTHER IDEA FOR A PROCESS. I THINK IT'S EXCELLENT THAT YOU ASK THAT QUESTION SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR IN OUR MIND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT FINAL VOTE. THE OTHER WAY IS FINE, BUT THAT'S JUST ANOTHER OPTION THAT YOU COULD CONSIDER FOR THE FINAL SELECTION. >> I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT AS A PUBLIC BODY AND MAKE CHOICES BEFORE IN THE PUBLIC WHERE YOU'RE MAKING EVERYBODY THIS AND EVERYBODY WANTS THE JOB. AND IT'S USUALLY WITH THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS. AND WHAT WE DID WAS JUST RATE THEM AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THEM AND OF COURSE THAT'S PUBLIC RECORDS. ONCE YOU MAKE, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF RECORD OF IT. AND THEN YOU LOOK AT IT. THEN EVERYBODY COMES BECAUSE TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY TO AGREE ON ONE INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO BE TOUGH. >> I THINK WE CAN ALSO GO AROUND THE DAIS AND EVERYBODY CAN SAY THE NAME OF THE PERSON THEY WANT AND WE COUNT UP THE NUMBERS. WE END UP WITH TOO HIGH, WE CAN DO IT AGAIN OR WE CAN MAKE A MOTION. I SUSPECT THAT AFTER YOU INTERVIEW THEM, THAT YOU'LL BE PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH ONE OF THE THREE. I CERTAINLY HOPE SO. BECAUSE AMAZINGLY, THEY ARE ALL, I BELIEVE, WELL QUALIFIED. MS. TUTTLE, YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I AGREED WITH MS. LASHER. THE BOARD DOES THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND IT WORKS OUT FINE. >>JAN SMITH: SO I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE EASIEST WAY. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. >> I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD GIVE THEM AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES TO MAKE A PRESENTATION OF THEIR OWN AND THEN GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS SO THEY KNOW IN ADVANCE WHAT THEY SHOULD PREPARE FOR. I THINK FIVE MINUTES WOULD BE FAIR. >>JAN SMITH: I WOULD LIKE TO TELL THEM UP TO FIVE MINUTES, NO MORE. RATHER THAN THEM MAKE A PRESENTATION, JUST SAY UP TO. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO ASK MS. BARBARA MERRITT, MS. LINDA SMITH AND MR. JOHN PETRIMOULX TO COME BEFORE THIS BOARD AT THE NEXT MEETING FOR AN INTERVIEW AND THEN WE'LL MAKE A DECISION AFTER THEY ARE OUT OF THE ROOM. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION. ANYONE OPPOSED? THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. THE SELECTION OF THE CONFLICT ATTORNEY IS -- I'M GOING TO LET MS. CAMPBELL PRESENT THAT. SHE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS SHE GOT IN AND WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT MORE. >> GOOD EVENING, MARY HELEN CAM PELL -- CAMPBELL WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE ONLY RECEIVED TWO APPLICATIONS WHICH WAS SHA SURPRISING TO US. BOTH ATTORNEYS I KNOW. THEY ARE BOTH VERY GOOD ATTORNEYS. ONE WAS STEWART EGGERT AND THE OTHER WAS MARSHA RYDBERG. BOTH ARE WELL QUALIFIED. THEY PROPOSE FEES OF 185 AND 175 RESPECTFULLY PER HOUR. AT THE LAST CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, WE HAD MANY MORE APPLICATIONS AND WE HAD ONE ATTORNEY THAT CAME FORWARD AND OFFERED TO OFFER SERVICES PRO BONO, AND IT TURNED OUT THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, I BELIEVE HE ONLY HAD TO PREPARE ONE MEMO, WHICH BASICALLY SUPPORTED AN OPINION THAT MY STATEMENTS THAT HAD I PREVIOUSLY MADE TO THE BOARD. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS ASK IF I COULD GET THE BOARD TO AGREE TO LET US MAYBE DO A LITTLE BIT MORE DIRECT MARKETING TO SOME ATTORNEYS. WE WON'T NEED A CONFLICT ATTORNEY UNTIL YOU REALLY GET INTO YOUR DELIBERATIONS. AND THEN ONLY IN THE EVENT THAT A CONFLICT SHOULD ARISE. SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PUT IN PLACE IMMEDIATELY. BUT I WOULD BE PREPARED AT THE NEXT MEETING. KEN TINKLER AND I CAN PUT MORE TIME INTO IT, MAYBE MAKE SOME MORE DIRECT CONTRACTS. IF WE CAN'T GET ANY MORE INTEREST, WE'LL GO WITH WHAT WE HAVE, BUT MAYBE WE CAN ADD MORE NAMES TO THE LIST AND MAYBE GIVE YOU A BETTER POOL TO SELECT SOMEONE FROM. >>DAVID HURLEY: WAS THERE A DATE A CUTOFF DATE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEIR THINGS IN? >> YES, THERE WAS. >>DAVID HURLEY: THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT, THERE WAS A DATE TO PUT IT IN. WE HAD THREE APPLICATIONS FOR DIRECTOR THAT WERE PASSED TO DATE THAT WE NOT CONSIDERED OR READ WHICH I DON'T DISAGREE WITH MS. SMITH ON THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW THE ONE ATTORNEY. I'VE OBVIOUSLY KNOWN MARSHA RYDBERG FOR SEVERAL YEARS. BUT I THINK THEY ARE QUALIFIED AND THE RATES BASED ON THE ATTORNEY FEES I'VE BEEN PAYING LATELY DON'T SEEM OUTRAGEOUS. THEY SEEM OUTRAGEOUS BUT NOT AS OUTRAGEOUS AS SOME I HAVE PAID LATELY. I'M NOT SURE I WOULD CONCUR TO GO AHEAD AND LOOK FOR MORE DIRECT MARKETING. IF WE HAVE TO GO KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR TO GET THEM TO PUT IN AN APPLICATION I'M NOT SURE I WANT THEM TO PUT ONE IN. >> THERE MAY BE ATTORNEYS OUT -- WE ADVERTISED AND THE LIST OF PLACES THAT WE HAD ATTACHED. AND PERHAPS FOR SOME REASON THEY WEREN'T AWARE OR DIDN'T HAPPEN TO SEE IT. IT WAS JUST AN OPTION WE WERE GOING TO GIVE TO THE BOARD. >> ONE OF THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEYS IS MAKING THIS REQUEST. I DON'T THINK IT'S A ROBBERY NOT TO EXTEND THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS WHEN YOU REACH OUT, REACH OUT AND CONTINUE THE DIVERSITY. AND I'M SURE THAT YOU WILL. AND I'M PREPARED TO SUPPORT THAT. >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: WHAT KIND OF CONFLICTS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? AND HOW OFTEN? >> GENERALLY THAT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER UP FRONT. IN THE PAST, IF THERE WAS A PROPOSAL TO, FOR INSTANCE, CHANGE THE CHARTER SECTION DEALING WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THERE WAS A LEGAL QUESTION TO SAY CAN WE RIGHT NOW, OUR OFFICE REPRESENTS BOTH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD. AND IF THERE WAS A QUESTION -- AND WE ALSO REPRESENT CONSTITUTIONALS AT THE REQUEST. IF THAT WAS LEGAL QUESTION OR EVEN DRAFTING LANGUAGE THAT MIGHT CHANGE THAT, WE WOULD NOT WANT TO BE IN THE POSITION OF DOING THAT WORK. IT MAY NOT COME UP. >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: WOULD THERE BE MANY OTHER INSTANCES? >> THAT IS THE MAIN ONE THAT COMES TO MIND, AND THAT I THINK PROBABLY WOULD BE THE ONE THAT MIGHT OCCUR, IF IT DOES, IN FACT, COME UP. >>JAN SMITH: WE DID HAVE AN ISSUE ONE TIME WHERE TWO ATTORNEYS, IN FACT, THE TWO ATTORNEYS THAT WERE WORKING WITH THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, MR. LAWSON, CAME IN WITH ONE OPINION AND I THINK THROUGH MR. KARL AND STAFF WE ENDED UP WITH ANOTHER OPINION. AND IT RELATED TO THE STATE STATUTES AND THE FORMS OF GOVERNMENT THAT WHEN YOU'RE CREATING A CHARTER, YOU MAY CHOOSE. AND THEY ARE SPELLED OUT IN THE STATE STATUTES. THEY DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT AMENDING A CHARTER. SO COULD YOU AMEND A CHARTER AND CREATE A HYBRID. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU COULD CREATE A HYBRID. BY THAT, IN MOST CASES, WHEN YOU HAVE A STRONG MAYOR FORM OF GOVERNMENT, YOU HAVE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS. COULD HAVE YOU A MAYOR AND THE SETUP OF DISTRICTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. IF YOU READ THE STATE STATUTES, YOU CAN'T DO THAT WHEN YOU CREATE A CHARTER. BUT, AGAIN, IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT AMENDING IT. SO COULD YOU DO THAT AND THERE WAS A DISAGREEMENT THERE. >> THE OTHER POINT, IF I COULD, I THINK -- THAT WAS THE '90, '91 CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. THE WAY THAT WAS SET UP AS FAR AS MY UNDERSTANDING IS, THAT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE SAT AS GENERAL COUNSEL AND WE HANDLED PROCEDURAL QUESTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. MR. LAWSON WAS THE ATTORNEY THAT ACTUALLY DID THE SUBSTANTIVE WORK AND RESEARCH. SO YOU KIND OF STARTED OFF WITH TWO ATTORNEYS, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT SITUATION HERE. BUT, AGAIN, IT'S REALLY HARD TO FORESEE WHAT MAY COME UP WITH THE FUTURE. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD BE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT CONFLICT COUNSEL WOULD BE ASKED TO DO WOULD BE THAT GREAT. >>JAN SMITH: I DID ASK, MS. CAMPBELL, IF ANYBODY HAD CONTACTED MR. GONZALEZ WHO DID THIS PRO BONO LAST TIME AND TO HER KNOWLEDGE, SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER ANYBODY HAD CONTACTED HIM. AND I THINK THAT, AS MUCH IS A COURTESY TO HIM, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO. MR. LaBOUR. >> I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE COUNCIL'S -- COUNSEL'S REQUEST. I'M TROUBLED ABOUT TARGETING SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS. I THINK IF WE DO A GENERAL ADVERTISEMENT -- AND I THINK CANDIDLY, WE PROBABLY DIDN'T GIVE THE LEGAL COMMUNITY LONG ENOUGH TO REALLY FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS THAT OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE. AND I ALSO DON'T WANT IT TO BE A REFLECTION WHATSOEVER ON THE TWO CANDIDATES WE HAVE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT BOTH OF THEM ARE QUALIFIED AND I DON'T WANT THEM TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T PICK ONE OF THE TWO. BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S UNREASONABLE FOR US TO TRY TO ADVERTISE, BUT I'M A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE TARGETING SPECIFIC ATTORNEYS TO ASK IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING. >> SINCE THERE'S NO REAL URGENCY TO FILL THIS POSITION AT THIS TIME, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR IN EXTENDING IT MAYBE ANOTHER 30 DAYS, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET IT AT NO CHARGE. >> I WOULD SECOND THAT IF THAT'S A MOTION. >>JAN SMITH: MOTION BY MS. WALDRON, SECOND BY MR. LaBOUR. EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE MOTION. >> I GUESS THE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS, COULD WE CONTACT THESE TWO ATTORNEYS AND ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD DO IT PRO BONO? >> IF I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. >> BECAUSE WE HAD A CERTAIN CRITERIA AND A DEADLINE FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR -- >>JAN SMITH: THAT'S CERTAINLY A MORE URGENT POSITION. >>DENISE LASHER: I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THAT WAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. >> CERTAINLY, THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED. >>DENISE LASHER: I KNOW THAT MARSHA RYDBERG HAS DONE A LOT OF PRO BONO WORK. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT STEWART EGGERT. I'M SURE HE HAS TOO. >> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO CONTACT THEM AS WELL. >>DENISE LASHER: THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION SINCE THEY DID MEET THE DEADLINE AND THROW THAT OUT TO THEM AND SEE IF THEY WOULD DO IT PRO BONO. CHANCES ARE WE WON'T NEED THEIR SERVICES AT ALL. IF WE DO, IT WOULD BE A MINOR TASK, MORE THAN LIKELY. >> CORRECT. >>DENISE LASHER: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, PERSONALLY. >>JAN SMITH: DO WE WANT TO AMEND THE MOTION OR VOTE ON THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? >> I REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM ASKING BECAUSE THEY PUT THAT FEE IN THERE. IF THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT FOR FREE, I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE SAID THAT. >>GERALD WHITE: I'M IN FAVOR OF THE EXTENSION OF THE 30 DAYS, BECAUSE WE MAY GET MORE ATTORNEYS THAT MAY WANT TO DO IT PRO BONO AS WELL AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A POOL AND HAVE A SELECTION. SO I CALL FOR THE QUESTION. >>JAN SMITH: LET'S VOTE ON THE CALL OF THE QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE CALL OF THE QUESTION, AYE. OKAY. THE MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR TO RECOMMEND THE 30-DAY EXTENSION. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? >> AYE. >> AYE. >>JAN SMITH: OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE, IN WEST. START WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE ALPHABET. >> MR. BALES. YEA. >>HENRY BELTRAN: YES. >>DAVID HURLEY: NAY. >>STEVE LaBOUR: YEA. >>DENISE LASHER: NAY. >>JAN SMITH: YEA. >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: YES. >>ARLENE WALDRON: YEA. >>GERALD WHITE: YES. >> YES. >>DEE WILLIAMS: YES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: THE MOTION CARRIED 11 TO 3. >>JAN SMITH: 11 TO 3? I HAVE 10-4. COULD THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED NO PLEASE RAISE THEIR HANDS. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT MS. LASHER SAID YES. >>JAN SMITH: MAYBE WE'LL SAY YES AND NO AND THAT WILL BE CLEARER IN THE FUTURE. >> CLARIFICATION OF THE MOTION IS 30 DAYS FROM THE MOTION DATE, NOT FROM THE DEADLINE DATE. >> I BELIEVE THAT'S THE INTENT OF THE MOTION IS 30 DAYS, TO EXTEND IT 30 DAYS. >>JAN SMITH: SINCE I SORT OF PUT THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS OUT OF ORDER WHEN I ASKED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THERE THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED. WE HAD TALKED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING ABOUT EACH OF YOU PERHAPS MAKING A LIST OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU -- YOU KNOW WHAT, I KNOW WHAT THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS IS. THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE. PARDON ME. PAST CHARTER REVIEW BOARDS HAVE INVITED VARIOUS GUESTS TO SPEAK TO THEM. GENERALLY SPEAKING, WITH A TIME LIMIT ON A TIME THAT THEY WOULD SPEAK AND THEN A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD. IN THE PAST WE HAVE INVITED COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MR. KARL CAME. WE'VE HAD PROFESSORS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, THE VARIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, THE MAYORS OF THE THREE MUNICIPALITIES. AND AS I SAID AN INVITED GUEST, LINDA CHAPIN FROM ORLANDO. WHICH COULD MEAN MAYORS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES OR WHATEVER. SO MY FEELING IS THE BEGINNING OUGHT TO BE WE INVITE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. THAT'S THE BOARD THAT WE ARE TECHNICALLY, I SUPPOSE, WORKING FOR. AND I THINK WE SHOULD EXTEND AN OFFER TO THE CHAIRMAN AND THEN THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO COME AND SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH MEETING. HANDLE WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, HOUSEKEEPING WE NEED TO HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THEN LET THOSE PEOPLE HAVE A TIME FRAME. SOMETIMES IT'S A GREAT WAY TO BE INTRODUCED TO THIS ENTIRE ISSUE AND TO HEAR WHAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM THINK AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM. AND WE COULD, I THINK, ALSO BECAUSE THE CHARTER ADDRESSES THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY EXTEND INVITATIONS TO THE HEADS OF THOSE OFFICES AND AGENCIES ALSO. AND IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU WOULD PARTICULARLY LIKE TO INVITE, WE SHOULD, IN FACT, DO THAT. SO I'M INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD IS. MR. HURLEY. >> I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE FRED MARQUIS FROM PINELLAS COUNTY. I KNOW MR. MARQUIS WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE TO BE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HERE. BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS UNDER THE CHARTER. WHICH HASN'T BEEN -- HAS NOT IMPEDED THINGS IN THE PAST BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD A COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DIDN'T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS DURING THE CHARTER. UNTIL APPOINTED TO THIS BOARD, I HAD NOT READ THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHARTER. AND HAVING READ IT, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED BY A FEW THINGS AND SAID, HMM, ISN'T THAT INTERESTING, I SHOULD HAVE READ THAT A LONG TIME AGO. I THINK THAT FRED MARQUIS WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT PERSON TO BRING. >>DENISE LASHER: THERE ARE TWO GROUPS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COME BEFORE US. ONE IS FLORIDA TAXWATCH. WHEN I SERVED ON THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE FOR COUNTY FINANCES, THEY MADE A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD BE -- WHICH WE WOULD NEED TO CHANGE IN OUR CHARTER IF WE WANTED TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THEY ARE VERY WELL VERSED IN HOW OTHER COUNTIES ARE ORGANIZED. AND I THINK THAT THEY COULD ENLIGHTEN US TO SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT OTHER COUNTIES HAVE MADE WITHIN THEIR COUNTY ORGANIZATION. THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK THEY COULD BE INVALUABLE WITH THE INFORMATION THEY CAN PROVIDE TO US. THE OTHER GROUP THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM IS THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. THEY ARE NONPARTISAN GROUP. THEY ARE VERY INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT, IN ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNMENT, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GET SOME INPUT FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. AND, YOU KNOW, FIND OUT WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE ALSO REGARDING THE COUNTY CHARTER. >>JAN SMITH: MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MONITORS THESE MEETINGS A GREAT DEAL AND FREQUENTLY COMES TO THE MEETINGS AND SPEAKS AS PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE CAN -- -- I THINK THAT THAT'S A GROUP THAT YOU MAY FIND IT BETTER TO HANDLE THAT WAY AS THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS. FLORIDA TAXWATCH AND FRED MARQUIS, I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD SUGGESTIONS TO ADD. SO WHAT I WILL ASK THE COUNTY STAFF AT THE MOMENT, HELEN LEVINE, AND MARY HELEN CAMPBELL IF THEY WOULD GO ABOUT SETTING UP SCHEDULES. I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME OF THE SPEAKERS IN AND OUT SO THAT IT'S NOT A LONG, DRAWN OUT PROCESS. AND REMEMBER, IF YOU HAVE SEVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ELECTED FOR PEOPLE HERE, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO SAY. SO IF WE CAN GET THEM RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING. IF WE CAN SUGGEST A TIME LIMIT TO THEM TO LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS AND THEN ASK IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS I THINK WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE IT. I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU CUT OFF THAT LISTING WE JUST, SOMEBODY MADE A COMMENT IN THE BEGINNING HOW THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION WAS PERCEIVED AS MAKING A THREAT. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE CHAIR OF THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO COME IN AND PRESENT -- ROB WALLACE TO COME IN AND PRESENT WHAT IS GOING THROUGH THEIR MIND AND THAT PERHAPS SEE HOW WE CAN WORK WITH EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF AGAINST EACH OTHER OR UNDER ANY THREAT. >>JAN SMITH: I MUST TELL THAT YOU I HAD THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION ON MY LIST. I JUST HAVE MISPLACED MY LIST. AND GIVE -- YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST ONE SIDE FROM THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION. I THINK WE COULD HEAR FROM THEM. WE MAY REDUCE THE, YOU KNOW, THE TIME FRAMES THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE GET THROUGH THE PROCESS, YOU MAY NOT WANT PEOPLE TO SPEAK FOR 10 OR 15 MINUTES AND THEN HAVE A 15-MINUTE -- YOU KNOW, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW IT GOES. BUT I CERTAINLY THINK ROB WALLACE IS ONE WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM. BUT YOU REMEMBER THAT IT WAS SENATOR GRANT THAT PUT THIS PROPOSAL TOGETHER. AND PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM HIM AND PERHAPS YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM A MEMBER OF THE DELEGATION THAT'S FROM THE OTHER -- FROM A DIFFERENT PARTY AFFILIATION. SO I THINK THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN SLOWLY TRY TO WORK OUT. I WOULD LIKE TO START, THOUGH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE VICE-CHAIRMAN, AND THEN THE OTHERS AS THEY CAN WORK IT OUT. I DON'T THINK I'D WANT TO HAVE MORE THAN THREE SPEAKERS ON A GIVEN EVENING, BUT IT WILL BE AN INFORMATION FOR YOU AT THE BEGINNING BEFORE WE GET INTO DELIBERATIONS, MR. LaBOUR. >> I DON'T KNOW IF HOW YOU'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST, BUT IT SEEMS THAT ONE OF THE WAYS WE COULD DO THIS IS WE COULD HAVE THREE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COME ONE EVENING, EACH OF THEM WOULD HAVE X AMOUNT OF MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE -- IN ESSENCE, THEY ARE A PANEL. THEY ARE A PANEL OF THREE. AND THEN EACH OF US CAN ASK THE QUESTIONS OF WHOMEVER. THEY CAN ALL THREE CHIME IN IF THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PARTICULAR QUESTION. WE CAN HAVE A PANEL -- IF WE WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, THEN WE CAN DO A BLANKET INVITATION TO THREE OR FOUR AND ASK THEM TO COME AND DO IT AS A PANEL VERSUS EACH INDIVIDUAL. >>JAN SMITH: I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION. SO WE'LL LET OUR STAFF WORK ON PUTTING IT TOGETHER. AGAIN, I THINK ANY MORE THAN THREE IN AN EVENING IS GOING TO BECOME DIFFICULT, AND IT WILL CERTAINLY MAKE THE EVENING PERHAPS A LITTLE LONGER. SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT 9:00, I THINK THREE IS PROBABLY THE MOST WE CAN HANDLE IN A GIVEN NIGHT. >>GERALD WHITE: I HAVE SEVERAL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE AS WELL HAVE COME. DR. SAM HORTON WITH THE NAACP. JOANNA TOKLEY WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY URBAN LEAGUE. I WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO HAVE THIS PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA -- LET ME SPELL HER NAME FIRST. J-A-M-I-L AND THE LAST IS J-R-E-I-S-A-T. PROFESSOR FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA. >>JAN SMITH: DID YOU WANT TO PRONOUNCE THAT LAST NAME FOR US? OH, HE SPOKE BEFORE. YES, HE CAME HERE. >> I'VE BEEN READING HIS COMMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SENATOR HARGRETT AS WELL. BECAUSE DURING THAT PUBLIC MEETING OF THE DELEGATION, HE MADE SOME -- >>JAN SMITH: HE'S PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, SO WE'LL INCLUDE HIM ON THE LIST. >>GERALD WHITE: OKAY. BECAUSE HE MADE SOME VERY INTERESTING COMMENTS THAT RELATED TO SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTING RELATED TO THE CENSUS THAT I WOULD LIKE HIM TO EXPAND ON A LITTLE BIT. >>JAN SMITH: NOW. I HAVE THE LIST, IF YOU ALL -- DO YOU ALL HAVE THE LIST? I'LL GO OVER IT WITH YOU LATER. ANYONE ELSE, MR. BALLARD? >> YES, MA'AM. A COUPLE OF THINGS, THE WAY I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS. WE'RE INVITING ALL THESE PEOPLE UP HERE AND THEY ARE TO TELL US WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CHARTER OR IF THEY LIKE IT OR CHANGES IN THIS BECAUSE AS AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF CHANGES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AND IF I BRING IT OUT EARLY ON, THEN THEY COULD MAKE COMMENTS ON IT. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN -- >>JAN SMITH: I THINK YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS LIKE THAT. IF THERE'S SOMETHING, YOU CAN SAY HOW DO YOU FEEL. AS LONG AS WE'RE IN THE SUNSHINE AND A PUBLIC MEETING, YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DO THAT. I WOULD HOPE THAT ALL OF US ARE DOING THAT. >> I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF WHAT ARE WE TRYING -- YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE, LISTEN TO GO TO EVERYBODY AND THEN PUTTING SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA. >> I THINK WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THESE PEOPLE YOU WILL GET MANY, MANY DIFFERING OPINIONS, IDEAS. THEY WILL COME IN. THEY'LL HAVE IDEAS. THEY'LL WANT TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER. SO IT'S REALLY MORE OF AN INFORMATION GATHERING STAGE OF THIS PROCESS. MS. WILLIAMS, YOU WENT THROUGH IT BEFORE. I SEE SOME VALUE IN THAT. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT? >> SAME THING. AND THEN -- THEY ARE NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO TELL YOU HOW THE PROCESS WORKS AS OPPOSED TO HOW THEY THINK IT SHOULD WORK, THEN WE GET A CHANCE TO QUESTION THEM. I THINK MR. BALLARD WOULD BE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH IT ONCE THEY SPEAK BECAUSE IT WILL TRIGGER WHERE HE'S COMING FROM. >> AND YOU'RE GOING TO AGREE AND DISAGREE WITH EVERY ONE OF THEM ABOUT SOMETHING. SO IT REALLY GIVES YOU JUST A PERCEPTION AND MORE INFORMATION TO ULTIMATELY MAKE WHATEVER MOTIONS ANYONE HERE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES TO THE CHARTER. >> I THINK YOUR QUESTION, THOUGH, IS GOING MORE TO -- YOU'RE NOT RESTRICTED TO JUST THE TOPIC AREAS THAT THEY COVER IN THEIR TALK. YOU CAN ASK THEM ABOUT ANYTHING THAT'S ON YOUR MIND. >> ANYTHING THAT RELATES TO THE CHARTER. >> AND I'M READY -- MY HAND ANY TIME YOU WANT TO HEAR MY VIEWS ON IT. BUT SOMEWHERE IN THE TIMETABLE OF THE MEETINGS WE'VE SET ASIDE, IS THERE A TIMETABLE OF GETTING THE PUBLIC INPUT OF WHAT THEY THINK IS WRONG WITH THE CHARTER OR ANY CHANGES THAT SHOULD BE MADE AND THEN WHEN AS BOARD MEMBERS, WE CAN HAVE INPUT TO IT AND THEN, YOU KNOW SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON IT. >> WE DO HAVE TO ADJOURN SINE DIE ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE WE WERE SWORN IN. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE MUST MEET THAT DEADLINE. IT CAN BE SOONER. IT CAN'T BE LATER. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS -- AND I HOPE THAT HAVING THESE SPEAKERS HERE WILL NOT PRECLUDE US AFTER THEY ARE GONE FROM DISCUSSING ISSUES THAT THEY RAISED OR THAT MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD HAVE RAISED AND PERHAPS TAKING A STRAW VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO CONSIDER ISSUES THAT ARE RAISED DURING THE MEETING. A GREAT DEAL OF THIS WILL COME TO SORT OF A CONSENSUS AS WHAT YOU ALL BELIEVE ARE THE IMPORTANT ISSUES AND THE ISSUES THAT WE CAN PROPOSE AMENDMENTS FOR. AND I DO THINK THAT THAT WILL COME FROM THESE DISCUSSIONS. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT AFTER WE LISTEN TO THREE AND HAVE A DISCUSSION AFTER THEY LEAVE, THAT THAT WILL TRIGGER YOU ALL TO RAISE ISSUES AND SAY THIS IS, I BELIEVE, IS A PRIORITY ITEM AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN EVENING WHERE WE DISCUSS THIS ISSUE. AND I THINK THAT'S HOW IT WILL SLOWLY UNFOLD. AND IT WILL START SLOWLY, AND THEN IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW A ROCK ROLLING DOWN A MOUNTAIN. AND IT WILL SORT OF JUST GET CARRIED AWAY. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL ALL GET CARRIED AWAY RIGHT WITH IT. [SWITCHING CAPTIONERS] >>JAN SMITH: -- THEY PROBABLY WILL NOT TAKE A POSITION ON OUR WORK UNTIL OUR WORK IS COMPLETE. THEY WILL PROBABLY PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF THEIR PAST EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE, BUT I -- I THINK AS AN ORGANIZATION OF THAT TYPE THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE MORE INTERESTED IN -- IN A FINAL DOCUMENT. AND THAT'S THE WAY THEY FUNCTION. THEY TAKE AN ISSUE AND STUDY IT DILIGENTLY AND THEN TAKE A POSITION ON IT. AND I THINK THERE WILL BE A WAY FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS THAT WILL GIVE THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY. I MEAN, THERE ARE GOING TO BE 20, 26 MEETINGS OF THIS BOARD, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY WILL BE HERE. IF SOMEONE FROM THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS DOES ASK -- AND WE CAN CERTAINLY LET THEM KNOW IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THIS LIST, I DON'T SAY THAT I WOULDN'T INCLUDE THEM, BUT I THINK MY PAST EXPERIENCE WITH THEM IN OTHER FORUMS AND THE WAYS THEY PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN -- THAN HAVING THEM COME IN AND MAKE A PRESENTATION. MR. LaBOUR. >> I WOULD ACTUALLY CONCUR WITH MS. LASHER. I THINK WE SHOULD OFFER THEM AN INVITATION. >>JAN SMITH: DOES IT COST YOU MORE MONEY TO BE A MEMBER? I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHERS. FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THERE'S EVERY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP IN THE WORLD. IF WE START MAKING A LONG LAUNDRY LIST AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE CONCERNED THAT WE DIDN'T -- WHEREAS THE SIERRA CLUB, HOW COME THEY WEREN'T INVITED, AND HOW COME OTHERS? SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL. I WAS INTERESTED IN THOSE WHO CERTAINLY ARE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE CHARTER AND BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. >>JAN SMITH: I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. BY OPENING THE DOOR, YOU WILL HAVE EVERY ORGANIZATION DOWN HERE. YOU'LL HAVE EVERY CIVIC GROUP WANTING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. YOU'LL HAVE THE HOME BUILDERS AND N.A.O.P. AND EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT WANTS TO COME IN HERE AND MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION. I THINK THAT PART NEEDS TO COME DURING OUR DISCUSSION IN PUBLIC COMMENT. I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST WE ALREADY HAVE, WE'RE SIX MONTHS GONE. IF WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW ALL THESE SPEAKERS. I THINK A LOT OF IT WILL TAKE PLACE AS -- AS PUBLIC COMMENT. MR. AMBLER. >>KEVIN AMBLER: THERE WERE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHICH I THOUGHT WERE RATHER CRITICAL TO THE PROCESS AND WHAT OUR TASKING WAS. IF YOU ALL LOOKED AT THE BOOK WE WERE GIVEN, MODEL COUNTY CHARTER REVISED EDITION, THERE WERE TWO INDIVIDUALS IN THERE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE STILL DOING THIS WORK. THERE IS TERRILL BLOGIT, PROFESSOR OF URBAN MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS -- IN AUSTIN AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MODEL CHARTER REVISION COMMITTEE AND THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE AND WILLIAM CASSELLA JUNIOR, WHO IS THE COORDINATOR OF THE MODEL CHARTER REVISION PROJECT AND FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. I DON'T KNOW IF THESE GENTLEMEN -- THIS WAS COPYRIGHTED 1990, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL IN PLACE, BUT THEIR EQUIVALENTS, THEIR SUCCESSORS, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TASKED WITH THIS PROJECT THAT PUT OUT THIS FINE PUBLICATION THAT REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF THE MECHANICS OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO I THINK WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE TO HEAR FROM THAT TYPE OF OUTSIDER, AND I, FOR ONE, WOULD BE WILLING TO EXPEND SOME OF OUR BUDGET TO FLY SOMEONE LIKE THAT, OF THAT CALIBER, IN TO GIVE US SOME REAL GUIDANCE ON HOW WE SUCCESSFULLY GET SOME SOLID AMENDMENTS ONTO OUR CHARTER. >>JAN SMITH: I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY LOOK INTO THE ORGANIZATION THAT PUBLISHES THAT AND -- >> I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE, AND THEIR DIRECTOR WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, AND IF THE CHAIRMAN EXPLAINED TO THE DIRECTOR WHAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN, I'M SURE THEY COULD PROVIDE US WITH SEVERAL OPTIONS. >>JAN SMITH: THERE'S ALSO AN ORGANIZATION -- AND I'M NOT SURE I CAN TELL YOU THE NAME OF IT. IT'S AN ORGANIZATION OF COUNTY MANAGERS, COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS. THEY HAVE A TECHNICAL NAME. AND SOME OF THEM WORK UNDER ONE FORM OF GOVERNMENT OR ANOTHER, AND THEY MAY BE -- WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO -- JUST TO TALK PROS AND CONS AT SOME TIME. SO I THINK -- MR. BEDKE, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE? >>MIKE BEDKE: YES, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ADD A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL NAMES, ONE BEING SUSAN McMANUS FROM USF, AND FRANKLY, ALTHOUGH I AGREE WITH THE CONSENSUS NOT TO BRING HIM DOWN TO INTERVIEW AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I THINK WE OUGHT TO EXTENT CURT SPITZER AN INVITATION TO SPEAK TO US. AND FINALLY, I THINK IN A PROCESS SUCH AS THIS, AND PARTICULARLY IN A PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY, WE OUGHT TO INVITE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HEADS OF BOTH LOCAL PARTIES, FRANKLY, TO ADDRESS THE GROUP. >>JAN SMITH: I WILL TELL YOU THEY COME. ABOUT THE TIME THAT YOU TAKE YOUR WORK TO PUBLIC HEARING. ONCE YOU MOVE FORWARD ON IT, THEY WILL BE HERE, AND THEY WILL PARTICIPATE THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS. AND -- AND USUALLY THEY DON'T -- MY -- THEY HAVEN'T WANTED TO COME THROUGH ALL THE DELIBERATIONS AND WORKING TO THE WORK PRODUCT, BUT ONCE THERE'S A WORK PRODUCT ON THE TABLE THAT YOU ARE READY TO TAKE TO PUBLIC HEARING IS WHEN THEY LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS. SO -- MS. WALDRON. >> MADAM CHAIR, DO WE NEED TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS DOING PRESENTATIONS OR PERHAPS MAKE THAT DECISION NOW SO THAT WE DON'T RUN INTO ANY PROBLEMS OR RUN -- YOU KNOW, RUN INTO HAVING EVERYBODY WANTING TO DO IT BUT MAYBE INCLUDE THEM IN THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION? >>JAN SMITH: I THINK THE -- THE ONE PERSON THAT I DIDN'T MENTION ON THIS LIST, TO GET AROUND TO YOUR QUESTION, IS THE COUNTY'S BUDGET MANAGER, MIGHT BE AN INTERESTING PERSON TO BRING HERE. I ALSO HAD EARLIER FELT THAT MR. SPITZER WOULD BE A GOOD PERSON TO COME AS WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO TRYING TO PUT OUR WORK TOGETHER SOMEHOW. I -- I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. I THINK THE -- THE CIVIC GROUPS AND ALL, AS WE BEGIN AT OUR NEXT MEETING TO REALLY LISTEN TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED GOVERNMENT IN -- AS EITHER AN ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIAL OR ANY OF THESE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE NAMED THIS EVENING, THAT THE CIVIC GROUPS ARE GOING TO BE HERE. THEY WILL EITHER BE MONITORING IT HERE AND SPEAKING, OR THEY WILL BE WATCHING IT ON TV AND SENDING WRITTEN COMMENTS OR COMING DOWN AT THE NEXT MEETING, AND I DO THINK IT'S WISE NOT TO CONTINUE TO -- NOT TO ADD A LOT OF SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS BECAUSE ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THEN WE'RE -- YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO OR THREE YEARS, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME. MR. WHITE. >>GERALD WHITE: THIS IS THE LIST WE ARE GOING TO WORK OFF OF? >>JAN SMITH: YES. IF SOMEBODY COMES UP WITH A SUGGESTION IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE HAPPY TO -- TO -- PLEASE SEND YOUR REQUEST TO THE COUNTY STAFF, AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN RUN IT -- WE CAN EVEN BRING THOUGHTS BACK TO THE BOARD. THIS IS -- DOESN'T MEAN THAT THIS IS THE ONLY GROUP. THERE MAY BE OTHER PEOPLE OVER TIME THAT YOU WANT TO CONSIDER, AND THERE MAY ALSO BE THE POSSIBILITY SOME OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO COME. SO REMEMBER THAT NOT EVERYBODY WILL WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS. THERE MAY BE, IN FACT, PEOPLE WHO ARE NO LONGER HOLDING ELECTIVE OFFICE THAT WILL COME AND SAY WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY IN THE FIVE-MINUTE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS. SO THAT'S OPEN. AND IF SOMEBODY COMES THAT WAY, WE'LL TRY TO GET THEM TO THE BEGINNING OF THE -- ASK THEM TO SIGN IN, HAVE THEM CONTACT ME OR THE STAFF AND SAY SO-AND-SO WOULD LIKE TO BE HERE FIVE MINUTES, AND THAT CAN BE HANDLED. MS. LASHER. >>DENISE LASHER: I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION FROM MS. WALDRON. ON THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS, WERE YOU SAYING THAT -- THEN PUT THEM ALL UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT AND -- IF THEY'RE REPRESENTING A GROUP AND THEY WANTED A FEW MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES BECAUSE WE'VE ADDED SEVERAL SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS TO THIS LIST, AND I JUST WANTED FURTHER CLARIFICATION EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEANT. I WASN'T REAL SURE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK PERHAPS WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION SO THAT WE DON'T RUN INTO A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE WILL REACH A POINT WHERE WE WILL HAVE TO SAY NO TO SOMEBODY, AND THAT COULD GET US INTO TROUBLE. SO PERHAPS WE MAKE A DECISION NOT TO PUT SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS ON THE AGENDA FOR A PRESENTATION, BUT CERTAINLY INVITE EVERYONE AT EVERY TIME TO ATTEND. >>JAN SMITH: EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC IS -- THESE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ANYONE CAN COME. IT IS GOING TO BE OUR OBLIGATION TO LISTEN. YOU KNOW, WE ARE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO SIT AND LISTEN A LOT. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD WORKING GROUP TO START WITH. WE CAN TRY TO START SCHEDULING SOME OF THEM. IF YOU THINK OF SOMEONE THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ADD TO THIS LIST, BRING THEM BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING. THERE'S GOING TO BE SEVERAL MONTHS OF THIS GOING ON, SO THERE WILL BE EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER PEOPLE. BUT, AGAIN, PEOPLE DO HAVE THAT PUBLIC PROCESS TO SPEAK, AND YOU CAN ASK THEM QUESTIONS JUST AS WELL AS ASKING THE SPEAKERS THAT COME. MR. LaBOUR, AND THEN -- >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WE ARE NOT CLOSING IT OUT TO ANY SPECIAL INTEREST. I DON'T WANT ANYONE LISTENING TO BELIEVE THAT. I THINK WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AFTER THEY SPEAK, SO IF THERE IS -- FOR INSTANCE, IF MR. BALLARD IS -- WHATEVER HIS ISSUE IS -- AND WE ARE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING TO HEAR WHAT THAT ISSUE IS -- IF HE WANTS TO ASK ALL SPEAKERS WHO COME ABOUT THAT ISSUE, HE CAN DO THAT. BUT FOR THE RECORD, I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR. I LIKE THE LIST BECAUSE WITH -- THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH -- BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A GOOD CROSS SECTION. I DON'T FIND THAT THE NAACP IS A SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP. I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT HISTORICALLY, THEY HAVE HAD TO TAKE A VERY ACTIVE ROLE IN THE STRUCTURE OF OUR GOVERNMENT, AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF OUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND HAVING TO FORCE THE COUNTY TO GO TO COURT WE HAVE OUR PRESENT SYSTEM TODAY. >>JAN SMITH: ABSOLUTELY. >> SO THEY ARE NOT A SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP. THEY CLEARLY ARE A GROUP THAT'S VERY INTERESTED, AND I WANT TO HEAR THEIR PERSPECTIVE. >>JAN SMITH: THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE FROM THAT ORGANIZATION THAT WILL COME TO EVERY MEETING, AND THEY WILL SAY SOMETHING AT EVERY MEETING, SO EXPECT IT. THEY WILL BE HERE. MR. WHITE. >>GERALD WHITE: WELL, THE ONLY -- THE ONLY -- THE ONLY GROUP THAT I DON'T SEE THAT'S ON THE LIST, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANYONE AT THIS TIME, SOMEONE FROM THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. SO I WOULD JUST REQUEST THAT -- >>JAN SMITH: DO YOU COUNT YOURSELF IN THAT, SIR? >>GERALD WHITE: YES. SOME OF THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCHES IN OUR COMMUNITY. JUST GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT ON WHO, YOU KNOW, MIGHT WISH TO MAKE -- >>JAN SMITH: THERE WERE SOME ISSUES THAT BECOME RATHER PERSONAL THAT CAN GET INVOLVED IN A CHARTER DISCUSSION, AND THEY WILL BE HERE. I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THAT. SO OUR PUBLIC PROCESS, WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH WHAT WE HAVE HERE, WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS EVENING. IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BRING ANOTHER NAME OR SOME ORGANIZATION BACK, AND YOU TALK ABOUT SPECIAL INTERESTS, THEY REALLY WILL BE HERE. THEY REALLY WILL. AS THINGS GO ON, YOU WILL HEAR FROM EVERYONE, AND YOU MAY HEAR MORE THAN YOU WANT TO HEAR. >> JUST SO WE HAVE A GUIDE, ARE THE MINUTES GOING TO REFLECT THIS -- THE VARIOUS NAMES THAT WE JUST WENT DOWN AND -- SO THAT WE HAVE THAT AS A GUIDEPOST TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, IF WE WANT TO ADD SOMEBODY, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND SAY THEY ARE ALREADY ON THE LIST? >> YES, SIR. >> OKAY. >>JAN SMITH: SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ISSUES TO STUDY AND UNDERSTAND. IF YOU WANTED TO ATTEMPT TO DO THIS THIS EVENING, WE CAN. IF YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO THE DISCUSSIONS AS THEY COME ABOUT AND ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT TO YOU AND THEN DO THAT AT A LATER DATE, WE CAN DO THAT. I THINK THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME BIG ISSUES THAT ARE ON THE TOP OF EVERYBODY'S MIND RIGHT NOW, AND WE PROBABLY MOST OF US KNOW WHAT THOSE ISSUES ARE GOING TO BE. I WAS THINKING THAT IT MIGHT BE AN INTERESTING WAY TO APPROACH THIS TO ASK EACH OF YOU TO LIST FIVE ISSUES THAT YOU BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES TO DISCUSS, AND THEN WE CAN COUNT THEM UP, AND WE CAN MAYBE PRIORITIZE SOME OF THE ISSUES TO GET STARTED WITH AS THE MEETINGS PROGRESS. AND, OF COURSE, THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE ANY ISSUE FROM -- ANY ISSUE THAT RELATES TO THE CHARTER COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS FAIR GAME. ANYTHING CAN BE ADDED. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN MAYBE SOME SENTIMENT EXPRESSED THAT THEY WOULD -- THAT THIS BOARD SHOULD ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING BEFORE JUNE AND GET IT DONE AND GET IT ON THE FALL BALLOT. I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE IS DISCUSSION ABOUT TAKING THE TIME TO DILIGENTLY AND DELIBERATELY STUDY THIS GOVERNMENT AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND IT PROBABLY WOULD NOT GET COMPLETED IN THROUGH JUSTICE THIS YEAR BUT WOULD BE ON THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT. SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO COME BEFORE US AS TO HOW -- HOW YOU CHOOSE TO PROCEED. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I -- [INAUDIBLE] >>KEVIN AMBLER: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUMPS TO MY MIND IS FOR THIS GROUP TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE SIT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ONE YEAR MAX AND WE HAVE TWO MEETINGS A MONTH -- >>JAN SMITH: MINIMUM. WE CAN ADD. >>KEVIN AMBLER: IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT, BUT IT ISN'T FOR THE TASK WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. I THINK FOR OTHER GROUPS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, ONE OF THE MOST BENEFICIAL THINGS IS TO BRAINSTORM, GET OUT ALL YOUR IDEAS, LOG THEM ALL DOWN, BUT THEN START HONING IN ON YOUR TOP FOUR OR FIVE, AND THAT MAY BE A LOT, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON THAT. WE CANNOT TAKE ON EVERY ISSUE. WE WILL NEVER GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED IF WE TRY TO TACKLE 30 ISSUES. >>JAN SMITH: IF EACH MEMBER WANTS TO SUBMIT A LIST OF FIVE OR TEN, AND THEN WE'LL JUST COLLATE THEM AND SAY THESE ARE THE TOP TEN THAT CAME OUT, AND WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THESE TEN AND SEE HOW FAR WE CAN GET. AGAIN, IT WOULDN'T PRECLUDE ANYONE FROM RAISING ANOTHER ISSUE THROUGH THE PROCESS. >>KEVIN AMBLER: ARE THERE ANY THAT WE CAN BRING UP OR THROW OUT TONIGHT TO JUST KIND OF START OFF THAT PROCESS WITHOUT A LOT OF ELABORATION? >>JAN SMITH: I THINK IF EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT AND YOU WANT TO BE BRIEF, IT'S FINE. >>KEVIN AMBLER: I HAD JUST A FEW, AND I KNOW THAT THE PRESS HAS KICKED AROUND THE IDEA, THE COUNTY MAYOR IDEA, SO I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT ON THE SIDE FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WILL COME UP, BUT THESE ARE LITTLE LESS OBVIOUS ISSUES THAT I THINK HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE PAST AND KIND OF DIED A LONESOME DEATH BUT ARE KIND OF NEAR TO MY HEART AS A LAWYER, SO I KNOW I THINK WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HERE. HER EARS SHOULD PERK UP AT THIS. ONE OF THE IDEAS I'D LIKE TO HAVE DISCUSSED AND LOOKED INTO WOULD BE THE IDEA OF BRINGING OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY UNDER THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS INSTEAD OF UNDER THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. I FEEL THAT IN THAT MANNER, WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET A MORE OBJECTIVE OPINION -- NOT THAT THE OPINIONS AREN'T OBJECTIVE NOW, BUT I THINK THAT IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOUR BOSS IS WHEN YOU'RE A LAWYER TRYING TO WRITE A LEGAL OPINION OR GIVE YOUR -- OR SPEAK YOUR MIND. AND I THINK IT WILL BRING A LITTLE MORE COMPLETENESS, MORE FAIRNESS TO THE PROCESS IF THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT COULD BE CORRECTED. THE OTHER THING IS, I GUESS ALONG THE LINE OF LEGAL ISSUES, WOULD BE TO PROVIDE SWORN TESTIMONY WHEN -- WHEN WE HAVE FOLKS COME AND PROVIDE TESTIMONY AT HEARINGS, WE DON'T HOLD THEM UP TO THE SAME OATH THAT WE WOULD REQUIRE OF THEM IN COURT, AND I THINK THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE A SMALL ITEM, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT ITEM. I THINK THAT SWORN TESTIMONY, WHEN PEOPLE ARE MAKING THEIR PRESENTATIONS, WILL HOLD A CERTAIN LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO THEIR PRESENTATIONS. >>JAN SMITH: LET ME JUST SAY THAT WILL BECOME A VERY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE, JUST -- NOT THAT NONE OF THESE OTHERS AREN'T, BUT -- AND THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT YOU SHOULD RAISE WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHEN THEY COME HERE. >>KEVIN AMBLER: OKAY. WELL, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING FOR US TO ADDRESS THOUGH. >>JAN SMITH: YES, BUT I THINK IF YOU ASK THEM HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE PUBLIC PROCESS, IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING. >>KEVIN AMBLER: TWO OTHER QUICK ISSUES WHICH HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THROUGH SOME PUBLIC INPUT, AND I THOUGHT WERE GOOD ENOUGH IDEAS TO JUST THROW OUT ON THE TABLE FOR US TO CONSIDER IS THE IDEA OF PERHAPS LIMITING THE INCREASE IN THE COUNTY BUDGET TO NO MORE THAN 3 PERCENT. I FIND THAT WHEN YOU'RE GIVEN A CERTAIN MEANS, YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS, AND IF YOU HAVE AN UNLIMITED BUDGET OR YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE NO CAP TO WHAT YOUR BUDGET CALLS FOR, THEN THERE'S A TENDENCY -- WE HAVE HAD A PRETTY FISCALLY PRUDENT COMMISSION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF LARGE INCREASES, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE CASE, AND IF IT'S ACTUALLY WRITTEN INTO OUR CHARTER THAT YOU HAVE A MAXIMUM INCREASE, IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO EXCEED THAT. SO I'D JUST THROW IT OUT AS AN IDEA. I'M SURE THESE THINGS -- >>JAN SMITH: MS. WILLIAMS AND I ARE SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD BEFORE. SO WE ARE GIVING PROS AND CONS IN OUR HEAD AS WE ARE LISTENING TO YOU. >>KEVIN AMBLER: THE LAST IDEA I THOUGHT I WOULD THROW OUT ON THE TABLE WOULD BE FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. PINELLAS COUNTY HAS A VERY SIMPLE, EASY-TO-FOLLOW REQUIREMENT THAT IT'S THE PERSON QUALIFIED IN MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION. AND THEN IT LEAVES IT UP TO THE FOLKS -- IT DOESN'T REQUIRE -- >>JAN SMITH: WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FRED KARL TO BE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. >>KEVIN AMBLER: IT WOULD HAVE. I GUESS THE POINT I AM MAKING, FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE BACKGROUND ON THIS, RIGHT NOW THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I BELIEVE, HAVE A DEGREE -- MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IN A JOB LIKE THAT FOR 20 OR 30 YEARS AND BE PHENOMENALLY QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND WE CANNOT CONSIDER THEM BECAUSE -- >> [INAUDIBLE] >>KEVIN AMBLER: AND THAT'S RIGHT. FRED MARQUIS OVER IN PINELLAS COULD NOT WORK HERE. AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT PERSON IS GOING TO GET SELECTED, BUT IT MEANS IT OPENS UP THE FIELD OF CANDIDATES THAT THIS COUNTY CAN CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE WITHOUT LIMITING THE AVAILABLE POOL OF APPLICANTS TO SOMEONE THAT'S ONLY MAJORED AND GOTTEN A DEGREE, A MASTER'S DEGREE, IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. >>JAN SMITH: I'D REALLY PREFER NOT TO GO INTO THE DISCUSSION OF EACH ISSUE. >>KEVIN AMBLER: I JUST THOUGHT -- THESE ARE JUST TO PUT ON THE ISSUE. >>JAN SMITH: ARE THERE MORE? >>KEVIN AMBLER: NO, THOSE ARE THE FOUR. >>STEVE LaBOUR: I THINK WE CAN GO AROUND THE DAIS AND DO THIS TONIGHT, EXCEPT I THINK THERE ARE TWO WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN LOOK AT OUR PROCESS. ONE IS THAT CERTAINLY ALL OF US HAVE -- AROUND THIS DAIS HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WERE SELECTED BECAUSE OF OUR INTEREST AND OUR VOLUNTEER TIME AND COMMITMENT, BUT I THINK WE ALSO RUN A RISK WHEN WE RAISE TOO MANY ISSUES UP FRONT, BEFORE WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC. I MEAN, CANDIDLY, I HAVE A LOT OF OPINIONS ABOUT HOW I'D LIKE TO SEE THE CHARTER, BUT I DON'T SEE THAT THAT'S MY JOB AT THIS POINT. I THINK THAT I WANT TO DO MORE LISTENING RIGHT NOW THAN I WANT TO DO SUGGESTING BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE LABELED AS A BOARD THAT IS PREDISPOSED TO CERTAIN ISSUES, AND IT MIGHT NOT -- IT MIGHT GIVE THE APPEARANCE THAT WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO ALL ISSUES. I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BE SUGGESTED AREN'T IMPORTANT OR THAT THE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS AT ANY GIVEN MEETING CAN'T THROW IT OUT AND SAY, BY THE WAY, THESE ARE THE THINGS I AM INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT, BUT I WANT -- I DON'T WANT OUR DISCUSSION OF ANY DETAIL -- MY PERSONAL OPINION -- TO TAKE PLACE UNTIL WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF THE PUBLIC. >>JAN SMITH: I WILL SAY THAT I BELIEVE EACH OF THESE ITEMS THAT MR. AMBLER HAS ADDRESSED HAVE BEEN ISSUES THAT PREVIOUS CHARTER REVIEW BOARDS HAVE, IN FACT, ADDRESSED. THERE'S GOING TO BE MANY MORE. BUT I STILL THINK IT WOULD BE TO OUR ADVANTAGE TO HAVE EACH OF YOU SUBMIT A LIST, FIVE OR TEN, LET US COLLATE THEM AND COME UP WITH THE NUMBERS. AND WE MIGHT WANT TO GO WITH WHAT ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE THINK IS, PERHAPS, THE EASIEST ISSUES TO WORK THROUGH THOSE FIRST. AND I THINK THAT WILL COME OUT IN DISCUSSIONS. IT WILL COME OUT IN QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASK. IT WILL COME OUT IN ISSUES THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC RAISE AND MEMBERS -- AND PEOPLE THAT WE'VE INVITED TO SPEAK TO US RAISE. AND I THINK YOU WILL SEE SORT OF A -- A CONSENSUS ON SOME OF THE ISSUES. AND I THINK SOME YOU WON'T SEE THAT ANY TIME AND MAYBE LATER. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE TO OUR ADVANTAGE FOR EACH OF YOU TO SUBMIT A LIST OF ISSUES. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THERE ARE JUST SO MANY. IT -- REMEMBER THAT IT'S EVERY ISSUE IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. EVERYTHING. NUMBERS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. DISTRICTS. TERM LIMITS. PARTISAN, NONPARTISAN. THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES OUT THERE FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THAT I THINK BEFORE WE GO FULL BORE EACH OF US GOING AROUND THE TABLE DOING THAT, I THINK IT MIGHT BE OF BENEFIT FOR EACH OF US TO DO A LIST. WE'LL BRING THE LIST BACK TO EVERYBODY. NO QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT WE'LL COLLATE IT AND PASS IT OUT TO EVERYBODY HERE. MS. TUTTLE? >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: MS. SMITH, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THIS TO YOU? DO YOU WANT E-MAIL? TO MARY HELEN? >>JAN SMITH: MARY HELEN OR HELEN LEVINE. AND I'LL GO DOWN, THEY'LL PUT IT TOGETHER, AND I'LL LOOK AT IT AND HAVE IT SENT OUT TO EVERYBODY. >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: WHAT'S OUR DEADLINE? THIS WEEK? >>JAN SMITH: I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT -- IT COULD BE IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. I DON'T THINK WE NEED THAT UNTIL, PERHAPS, TWO MEETINGS DOWN THE ROAD. SO YOU COULD HAVE THE SAME 30 DAYS THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THE ATTORNEYS. I THINK THAT'S PLENTY OF TIME. AND IN THAT TIME LIMIT, I'M SURE THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU IS GOING TO COME -- YOU ARE DOING THIS PRO BONO, ABSOLUTELY. >> YOU KNOW, WHAT MADAM CHAIRMAN, THE THING IS, THE EARLIER WE GET SOME KIND OF LISTING IN FRONT OF US, WE ARE NOT LIMITED TO THAT. WE COULD, LET'S SAY, TWO MONTHS HENCE, ADD TO THAT AND GET A LIST AGAIN. IT HELPS WHEN YOU GET ALL THESE PEOPLE TO THESE MEETINGS TO HAVE A CHECKLIST IN FRONT OF YOU OF SOME OF THE ISSUES ON THE VARIOUS MEMBERS' MINDS. BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE HAVING THESE PANEL DISCUSSIONS, WE HAVE SOME AREAS TO HIT ON AND DIRECT OUR QUESTIONS BY SEEING THE ISSUES THAT ARE ON THE VARIOUS BOARD MEMBERS' MINDS. LET'S REMEMBER, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT REQUIRES TEN VOTES OF THIS BOARD TO PASS ANYTHING TO GET IT ONTO THE BALLOT. SO IF WE CAN'T NARROW DOWN OUR LIST AND AT LEAST GET A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE EVEN CENTERING ON -- TEN OF US CENTERING ON WHAT THE TOPICS ARE WE'RE EVEN GOING TO DISCUSS, WE ARE NEVER GOING TO GET -- >>JAN SMITH: I THINK WHEN YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COME IN, AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST FEW PEOPLE THAT COME HERE, THEY ARE GOING TO OPEN UP YOUR MINDS TO EVEN MORE THAN YOU HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT, ANY OF US, EVEN THOSE OF US WHO HAVE SERVED HERE BEFORE BECAUSE THINGS HAVE CHANGED. AND THE ONLY REASON I SAID WE DIDN'T NEED IT BECAUSE THE SECOND MEETING IS THE NEXT MEETING WE'VE ALREADY GOT SUBSTANTIAL WORK ON OUR PLATE TO -- TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO INTERVIEW CANDIDATES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE HERE TO SPEAK TO US, AND I THINK IT -- YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY CAN GET IT IN IN THE NEXT WEEK AND THE COUNTY STAFF CAN GET IT OUT -- >>KEVIN AMBLER: IF IT'S DUE BY THE 6TH, IT WILL TAKE YOU THAT TWO WEEKS IN BETWEEN UNTIL THE 27TH TO COLLATE IT, AND IT WOULDN'T GET PASSED OUT UNTIL -- >>JAN SMITH: I THINK I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GIVE EVERYBODY THE TIME BECAUSE THEY MAY WANT TO TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE. I THINK IF WE HAVE THAT LIST IN 30 DAYS, WE WILL BE IN GREAT SHAPE TO ASK QUESTIONS. 30 DAYS IS GOING TO BE THE SECOND GROUP OF SPEAKERS COMING IN. I JUST BELIEVE THAT YOU -- WE HAVE THE TIME TO DO THIS. AND I THINK TO -- YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I'VE HAD A TRAGEDY IN MY LIFE THE LAST WEEK. MY LIFE HAS BEEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, AND I NOT ONLY HAVE THAT TO DEAL WITH, BUT I'VE GOT MY JOB AND MY OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES. I THINK I COULD PUT A LIST TOGETHER RIGHT HERE THIS EVENING OF TEN AND HAND IT TO MARY HELEN, BUT SOME OF YOU MAY WANT MORE TIME. YOU MAY WANT TO DISCUSS IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, AND I THINK IF WE HAVE IT IN -- IF THEY CAN GET IT OUT TO US WITH THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING THAT WILL BE THE END OF APRIL, THAT WILL BE -- NOT THE NEXT MEETING, BUT THE MEETING THEREAFTER, AND I THINK WE'D HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR -- IS -- YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO -- BOARD MEMBERS, SAY SOMETHING TO ME. >>KEVIN AMBLER: IF THAT'S DUE IN, THOUGH, YOU WANT ENOUGH LEAD TIME SO THAT STAFF HAS A CHANCE TO COLLATE THAT AND GET IT INTO OUR AGENDA PACKAGE FOR THE 27TH. >>JAN SMITH: IF IT'S IN BY THE 15TH, THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME. >>KEVIN AMBLER: OKAY. >>JAN SMITH: WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TRY TO BE SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE WITH OUR FUNDING AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING GETS MAILED OUT IN A SINGLE PACKET, A SINGLE MAILING, SAVE THE STAFF THE PROBLEM. SO IF WE CAN HAVE IT FOR THAT MEETING, AT THE END OF THE MONTH, IT WILL GO OUT PERHAPS A WEEK BEFORE THAT. SO EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE THE INFORMATION IN, I WOULD SUGGEST -- >>KEVIN AMBLER: BY APRIL 20TH. >>JAN SMITH: YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD DATE. IS EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? WE DON'T NEED IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING, BUT BY APRIL 20TH TO HAVE YOUR LIST IN TO THE COUNTY STAFF. MR. WHITE. >>GERALD WHITE: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, I WAS HOPING EARLY WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY -- I KNOW WE HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING. I WAS HOPING IN SOME WAY WE CAN HAVE AN ADVERTISEMENT, HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH THE COMMUNITY, A PUBLIC HEARING EARLY AND INVITE THE PUBLIC, INVITE THE SPECIAL INTERESTS, INVITE ALL TO COME AND -- AND GIVE US THEIR OPINIONS. IF THEY HAD SOME IDEAS, IF THEY HAVE A LIST, THEY WANTED US TO ADDRESS, PUT IT ON THE TABLE EARLY. >>JAN SMITH: THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN YET THIS EVENING IF WE GET THERE. IT REALLY IS. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING. >>GERALD WHITE: I WAS REALLY HOPING WE COULD HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, THE WHOLE MEETING DEDICATED EARLY JUST FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. INVITE THE PUBLIC IN, HAVE IT AT A REASONABLE HOUR, INVITE EVERYBODY AND ALL IN THE PUBLIC TO COME IN AND SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY. THAT WAY -- BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS -- I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT DOING SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC DON'T WANT. AND ONE OF THE GAUGES TO KNOWING A PROPOSAL THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO PRESENT IS HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC EARLY ON. AND ADVERTISE THAT. WE WANT YOU TO COME IN. WE ARE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING, AN OPEN DIALOGUE. BRING IT TO US. WE WANT TO HEAR IT. >>JAN SMITH: I AM GOING TO TAKE TWO MORE COMMENTS, AND THEN WE ARE EITHER GOING TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND PUT THIS MEETING TO BED, OR WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK AND THEN COME BACK AND CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION. MS. TUTTLE, AND THEN MR. LaBOUR. >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: MY ONLY CONCERN WAS THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS LIST UNTIL THE APRIL, THAT ONLY LEAVES MAY AND JUNE, AND THAT'S FOUR MEETINGS, TO DO EVERYTHING IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT. AND THAT SEEMS -- >>JAN SMITH: THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I SUSPECT SOMEBODY -- I KNOW I HAVE IT ON MY LIST -- DO I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IN TWO MONTHS, OR DO I WANT -- >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: IT WON'T BE POSSIBLE. >>JAN SMITH: THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT HAS TO BE HAD. >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE TO SEE -- THE ONLY OTHER REASON I'D LIKE TO SEE THE LIST OUT EARLIER IS THAT HAVING A LIST WILL CREATE A LOT OF CONCERN WITH THE PEOPLE, AND THEY WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO AGREE WITH OR AMEND OR DISAGREE WITH WHEN THEY COME TO SPEAK. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED, BUT THEY COULDN'T POSSIBLY THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT GET -- THE MISCHIEF WE MIGHT GET INTO, AND THEN THEY CAN TELL US FORGET IT OR GO AHEAD WITH IT, WHATEVER. >>JAN SMITH: I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT. MR. LaBOUR. >>STEVE LaBOUR: I GUESS I TAKE THE OPPOSITE VIEW. I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC COME -- I THINK BY DOING A LIST, IN ESSENCE, WE ARE ASKING RIGHT FROM THE -- RIGHT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THAT -- I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU. THE ONLY LIST I AM INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM ARE THE FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO STAND AT THAT PODIUM. I RESPECT ALL MY BOARD MEMBERS, AND THERE ISN'T ANYBODY SHY HERE. AND IF WE HAVE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND YOUR ISSUE IS LIMITING THE INCREASE OF A BUDGET BY 3 PERCENT, YOU ARE GOING TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, AND APPROPRIATELY SO. AND I AM GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING IDEA. I AM GOING TO JOT IT DOWN IF I LIKE IT, OR I'LL THINK OF SOME THINGS WHY I MIGHT WANT TO INVESTIGATE IT. BUT IF WE PUBLISH A LIST, THEN WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SPECIAL INTERESTS COMING DOWN HERE AND SAYING DON'T YOU DARE DO "A" AND "C," AND NUMBER 7 SHOULDN'T BE DONE AT ALL. THAT'S NOT AN OPEN DIALOGUE. THAT'S NOT -- I WANT TO HEAR THEIR LIST. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I'M NOT GOING TO SUBMIT A LIST. >>JAN SMITH: LET ME GO BACK TO THE FIRST TIME I SERVED ON A CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, AND THERE WAS A DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE CHARGED WITH PUTTING SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE SOMEBODY TOLD YOU TO OR DOING A DELIBERATE STUDY. YOU HAVE -- EACH OF YOU WILL COME TO THIS CONCLUSION A DIFFERENT WAY. THERE WILL BE MANY ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE YOU. THERE WILL BE THINGS THAT YOU LIKE AND DON'T LIKE. THERE WILL BE -- YOU WILL VOTE YEA OR NAY DEPENDING ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL PERCEPTION OF WHAT WAS SAID. BUT YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAS TO STUDY IT. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAS TO LISTEN, UNDERSTAND, TRY TO SEE IT IN PLACE, AND COME TO A CONCLUSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ITS THE BEST DECISION FOR THIS COMMUNITY. THE MORE PUBLIC INPUT WE HAVE, THE MORE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO REACH THOSE DECISIONS. BUT YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT JUST BECAUSE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE COME DOWN THERE AND SAY THAT YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT. YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO STUDY THIS DILIGENTLY, INTELLIGENTLY, CONSIDER IT, DISCUSS IT, DEBATE IT, AND THEN DECIDE WHAT IS REALLY BEST, IN YOUR MIND. YOU DON'T REPRESENT, IN MY OPINION, ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC. YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE THEIR TESTIMONY, AND YOU ARE GOING TO LISTEN, BUT ULTIMATELY, THE BURDEN IS GOING TO BE ON YOU. EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE HAS BROUGHT YOU HERE, AND YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON ALL OF THAT AND WHAT YOU HEAR HERE. SO I -- I THINK THAT A LIST, TO ME, IS NEITHER HERE NOR THERE. I CAN DEAL WITH IT EITHER WAY. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE AN ADVANTAGE TO US TO TRY TO PRIORITIZE ISSUES WE MIGHT WANT TO DISCUSS. >>STEVE LaBOUR: MADAM CHAIR, I DON'T THINK I DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING YOU SAID. YOU ARE MAKING MY ARGUMENT. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION -- >>JAN SMITH: LET'S MAKE A DECISION. HOW DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS? >>STEVE LaBOUR: YOU ARE ASKING US TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS BEFORE WE EVEN HEARD THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT. >>JAN SMITH: LET ME ASK MR. HURLEY AND DEE WILLIAMS, AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO EITHER CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION OR TAKE A BREAK. MR. HURLEY. >>DAVID HURLEY: I WOULD LIKE TO -- I LIKE YOUR SUGGESTION SUBMITTING THESE. I THINK IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK, TO GET INTO SOMETHING. MR. AMBLER HAS A PERSPECTIVE. MR. BEDKE, MR. WHITE HAVE PERSPECTIVES THAT I DON'T HAVE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THEIR EXPERIENCE, THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE. MINE IS VERY UNIQUE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET ALL THOSE ON TABLE EARLY, AND JUST BECAUSE WE BRING IT UP ON A LIST AT THE FRONT DOESN'T EVEN MEAN WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT IN TWO WEEKS. IT ALSO DOESN'T LIMIT US BRINGING SOMETHING UP LATER. EACH OF US WERE SELECTED BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR A WHILE AND WE DO HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. SO I WOULD SAY THAT I LIKE YOUR IDEA OF SUBMITTING A LIST, AND I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE A LIST OF OUR CONCERNS. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE THREE, FIVE, TEN -- I DON'T THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A NUMBER ON IT. IF SOMEONE HAS CONCERNS, AS MR. AMBLER PUT FOUR DOWN THERE REAL QUICKLY, WE PUT THEM ON A LIST, AND IF SOMEONE DOESN'T WANT TO SUBMIT ANY, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT EITHER. BUT I LIKE THE IDEA. >> I WAS GOING TO SECOND THAT, THAT WE DO HAVE A LIST TO WORK FROM AND SOME TARGETS BECAUSE YOU REMEMBER, LAST TIME WE SPENT EIGHT MONTHS, AND ALL WE TALKED ABOUT WAS WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE AN ELECTED COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. NEVER TALKED ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. I SAID WHEN I WAS APPOINTED, I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO STUDY THIS LITTLE 11-PAGE BOOK AND DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT WORKED. IF IT DID WORK, FINE. IF IT DIDN'T WORK, LET'S CHANGE WHAT DIDN'T WORK. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO NOW. WE OUGHT TO ELIMINATE EVEN DISCUSSING WHAT WORKS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOUCH AND THEN HAVE AN AGENDA OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO TOUCH, AND PLEASE DON'T SPEND EIGHT MONTHS ON TALKING ABOUT A COUNTY MAYOR. >> LET'S GIVE YOU A FRAMEWORK TO DO THAT. >> RIGHT. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A YEAR HERE. >>JAN SMITH: -- GO BY SECTION BY SECTION OF THE CHARTER AND JUST MOVE THROUGH IT THAT WAY. SO -- >> THERE'S A LOT -- >>JAN SMITH: LET'S LEAVE IT AT THIS. ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SUBMIT A LIST OF ANYTHING FROM ONE TO ONE THOUSAND AND ONE ISSUES, PLEASE SUBMIT THEM TO THE COUNTY STAFF, AND WE'LL TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIST THE ONES THAT WERE MOST FREQUENTLY DISCUSSED AND HAVE NUMBERS AFTER THEM AS TO HOW -- AND THE REST OF THEM WILL JUST BE ISSUES THAT MAY BE DISCUSSED. HOW'S THAT? >> YOU GOT TO NARROW YOUR FRAMEWORK SOME TIME. >>JAN SMITH: WE'LL NARROW IT DOWN AS TIME GOES BY. >> LET'S PUT IT ON A LIST AND THROW DARTS AT IT. >>JAN SMITH: MR. BALLARD AND MR. WHITE. I AM GOING TO STOP THIS. >> AS THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPEAR UP HERE, AND IF THEY KNOW THESE THINGS HERE, WHICH HAS MERIT, THAT THEY CAN ANSWER THEM WITHOUT HIM HAVING TO ASK QUESTIONS, OR EVERY ONE OF US BRINGING OUR, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS TO THEM, AND WE CAN CUT DOWN TIME THAT WAY. >>JAN SMITH: YES. YOU WILL SEE THAT HAPPENS. THE COMMISSIONERS ARE GOING TO COME IN HERE -- >> THEY CAN HAVE THAT LIST, AND THEY CAN SEE THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP. >>JAN SMITH: BELIEVE ME, THE COMMISSIONERS AREN'T GOING TO NEED OUR LIST. MR. WHITE. YES, THEY CAN CERTAINLY HAVE IT. >>GERALD WHITE: IF WE ARE GOING TO SUBMIT A LIST, EVERYONE SHOULD SUBMIT A LIST. YOU KNOW -- >>JAN SMITH: I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND SEE WHERE WE'D GO. >>GERALD WHITE: I'D LIKE TO PUT IT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION THAT EACH MEMBER OF THIS BOARD SUBMIT A LIST OF WHAT WERE YOUR SUGGESTION -- >>JAN SMITH: ANYTHING FROM ONE TO A THOUSAND. I ORIGINALLY SAID FIVE. >>GERALD WHITE: WELL, SUBMIT YOUR LIST BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO BE THE ONLY ONE SUBMIT A LIST AND NOBODY ELSE ON THIS BOARD SUBMIT A LIST. I THINK THAT'S UNFAIR. SO I PUT -- >>JAN SMITH: THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THIS BOARD TO SUBMIT A LIST TO THE COUNTY STAFF SO THAT WE CAN COLLATE IT AND COME UP WITH ISSUES AND A LIST SORT OF JUST A WORKING DOCUMENT TO MAKE SURE WE COVER ALL BASES. IS THERE A SECOND TO THE MOTION? >> I SECOND IT. >>JAN SMITH: WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. BELTRAN. IT'S A MANDATED LIST THE WAY IT'S WORDED. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MS. WALDRON. >> I THINK IT'S OUR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT WHEN WE DO CHOOSE WHAT ISSUES ARE TO BE DISCUSSED THAT WE HAVE -- WE HAVE LISTENED, WE ARE AWARE THAT WE'RE NOT SELFISH WHEN WE COME UP TO THIS LIST, AND YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE TALKED TO OR THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OR THAT WE WANT TO TALK TO, MAYBE TAKE IT UPON OURSELF TO TALK TO SOME ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, AND THEN BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN WE CHOOSE THE LIST AS A WORKING DOCUMENT TO JUST GET THIS -- JUST GET THIS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. >>JAN SMITH: IS THERE ANY FURTHER COMMENT? MS. TUTTLE. >>MARY LOU TUTTLE: I DIDN'T, I -- IN ALL FAIRNESS, MR. WHITE, I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD MANDATE THAT ANYONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO SUBMIT A LIST SHOULD HAVE TO BECAUSE IT JUST -- I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST YOUR MOTION BECAUSE OF THAT. >>GERALD WHITE: IT'S NOT MANDATED. MAY I PLEASE SPEAK ON THE MOTION? IT'S NOT A MANDATE, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT AS A PART OF A MOTION, AND THEN IF SOMEONE DIDN'T PARTICIPATE, THAT'S THEIR RIGHT, BUT WE ARE DOING IT AS A PART -- >>JAN SMITH: YOUR VERBIAGE WOULD BE EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD MAY SUBMIT A LIST OF PRIORITIES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO DISCUSS TO THE COUNTY STAFF. >>GERALD WHITE: YES. >> I THINK THE REAL ESSENCE WAS IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A LIST AND YOU ARE GOING TO SUBMIT ONE, I THOUGHT THE MORE POINT YOU ARE MAKING IS WHEN IS THAT DUE? >>JAN SMITH: MARILYN SMITH THINKS WE'RE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. YOU NOTICE THAT? SHE'S OUT THERE JUST -- >> IF YOU ENTERTAIN A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION THAT IF BOARD MEMBERS ARE GOING TO SUBMIT A LIST THAT THEY DO SO NO LATER THAN APRIL 20TH. IF YOU ARE GOING TO PUT THIS IN A FORM OF A MOTION, THEN THE DEADLINE HAS TO BE THERE SO THAT STAFF HAS SUFFICIENT TIME TO TAKE ALL THAT INFORMATION, TYPE IT UP, AND GET IT OUT INTO OUR PACKETS. >>GERALD WHITE: I ACCEPT THAT. >> AND POINT OF ORDER. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE CAN EVER PASS A MOTION THAT REQUIRES A BOARD MEMBER TO DO AN ACTION. WE ARE HERE -- >>JAN SMITH: HE HAS CHANGED THE VERBIAGE. >> I AM JUST MAKING SURE IT'S CLEAR SO IN THE FUTURE WE DON'T RUN INTO THAT PROBLEM. >>JAN SMITH: ALL RIGHT. SO YOU MAY SUBMIT A LIST, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DISCUSSION MUST BE IN TO THE COUNTY STAFF BY APRIL 20TH SO THAT IT CAN COME OUT WITH THE AGENDA AND THE MINUTES, IF AVAILABLE, FOR THE NEXT MEETING. >> AND THE PENALTY IF WE DON'T -- >>JAN SMITH: -- IS DEATH. [LAUGHTER] ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED, PLEASE SAY NO. OKAY. THEY'RE GOING TO SUBMIT -- WE ARE GOING TO SUBMIT A LIST. >> FOR THE RECORD, I NEED TO KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED NO. THAT WAS -- OKAY. CHAIRMAN SMITH, MR. BEDKE, AND MR. BALES, MR. LaBOUR, AND -- >>JAN SMITH: THREE NOS. MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. >> NO. WE HAVE THE OPTION. >>JAN SMITH: YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF NOT DOING IT BECAUSE YOU MAY OR MAY NOT. IT'S NOT A "SHALL." IT'S A "MAY." WELL, ALL OF THAT BEING ACCOMPLISHED, REALLY, YOU ARE 50 MINUTES EARLY. YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BOARD MEMBERS. I SEE RIGHT IN THE FRONT ROW A GENTLEMAN THAT WILL BE HERE AT EVERY MEETING UNLESS OTHERWISE DETAINED, AND I AM SURE HE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY, MR. HUGHES. >> ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE A BREAK? >>JAN SMITH: WOULD YOU LIKE TO LET HIM TAKE HIS FULL FIVE MINUTES? OKAY. PLEASE GO RIGHT AHEAD. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, RALPH HUGHES, TAMPA. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DO NOT REALIZE THAT WE'RE GOVERNED BY THE DICTATES OF OUR COUNTY CHARTER. OUR COUNTY CONSTITUTION IS REALLY WHAT IT IS. WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN 1983 AND HAS NEVER BEEN CHANGED. OBVIOUSLY IT'S RIPE FOR REVIEW. FURTHER, OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT EVEN REMOTELY FAMILIAR WITH OUR CHARTER'S CONTENTS, EVEN THOUGH THE STIPULATIONS IN OUR CHARTER HAVE A TREMENDOUS EFFECT ON THEIR DAILY LIVES. WE, THE RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, HAVE THE POWER TO DETERMINE THE LAWS UNDER WHICH WE ARE GOVERNED PROVIDED THESE LAWS DO NOT CONFLICT WITH STATE OR FEDERAL LAW. TONIGHT I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE AWESOME POWER THAT'S BEEN VESTED IN THIS 14-MEMBER CHARTER REVIEW BOARD THAT YOU CAN EXERCISE SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE VOTERS, AND I'M NOT SURE YOU REALIZE THE POWER THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR THE PEOPLE. I SHOULD MENTION HERE THAT I HAVE REVIEWED THE CHARTERS OF BROWARD, PINELLAS, SARASOTA, PALM BEACH, CHARLOTTE, AND ALACHUA COUNTIES, AND MANY OF THE PROVISIONS THAT I WILL SPEAK TO ARE IN SOME, IF NOT ALL, OF THE COUNTIES' CHARTERS. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE ACTION THAT WILL, ONE, CAUSE ALL VOTERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO BECOME VERY FAMILIAR WITH OUR CHARTER, OUR CONSTITUTION, AND WITH FUTURE CHARTER REVIEW BOARDS BY MAKING OUR CHARTER REVIEW A CONTINUING PROCESS. A CHARTER REVIEW BOARD THAT WILL BE SUBJECT TO CONVENE -- SUBJECT TO THE CALL OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD CHAIRMAN OR SUBJECT TO THE CALL OF 30 PERCENT OF ITS MEMBERS ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS AT ANY TIME. INSTEAD OF SOME FIXED YEARLY SCHEDULE. TWO, CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF ANNUAL INCREASES IN OUR TAXES, RATES, AND FEES THAT CAN BE IMPOSED ON OUR COUNTY BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. NOW, THERE'S BEEN COMMENT ABOUT THAT ALREADY, SO OBVIOUSLY SOME OF YOU HAVE REALLY DONE SOME HOMEWORK. THREE -- AND SOME OF THESE OTHERS HAVE BEEN COMMENTED ON, BUT I'D LIKE TO REPEAT THEM -- CONTROL THE INTEGRITY OF OUR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARINGS TO ENSURE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH WILL BE TOLD BY THOSE WHO SPEAK AT THE B.O.C.C. MEETINGS. AND WE DO THAT NOW AT OUR ZONING HEARING MASTER. AND OTHER COUNTIES DO IT TOO. I'LL GET TO THAT. FOUR, RESULT IN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY BEING APPOINTED BY AND REPORTING TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION INSTEAD OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AS NOW REQUIRED. I HAVE MORE COMMENTS ON THAT. FIVE, EXPOSE ALL WASTE AND INEFFICIENCIES THAT EXIST IN OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND DO SO ON A REGULAR, CONTINUING BASIS. SIX, APPOINT THE BEST PERSON TO BECOME OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, THEREBY ELIMINATING A PROVISION IN OUR CHARTER THAT PLACES SEVERE LIMITATIONS ON OUR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' ABILITY TO APPOINT THE BEST QUALIFIED PERSON TO THIS POSITION. NOW, I WILL DISCUSS SEVERAL OF THESE SIX ISSUES TONIGHT AS MY TIME WILL ALLOW. LET ME BEGIN WITH ISSUE NUMBER SIX. QUALIFICATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. OUR CHARTER SEVERELY LIMITS OUR OPTIONS FOR ELECTING -- FOR SELECTING -- EXCUSE ME -- THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. OTHER COUNTIES REQUIRE THAT THIS PERSON BE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE, PERIOD. PINELLAS COUNTY IS ONE THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY GO BY. OUR CHARTER LIMITS US TO THOSE WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, MANAGEMENT OR RELATED FIELD, WITH THREE YEARS OF EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. THIS LIMITATION HAS NOT SERVED US WELL. I BELIEVE IT'S THE REASON OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS HAVE SERVED ONLY SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. I AM NOT REFERRING TO DAN KLEMAN. HE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB. I'M NOT REFERRING TO HIM AT ALL. I AM TALKING ABOUT OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME SINCE OUR CHARTER CAME INTO EXISTENCE. IS THAT FIVE MINUTES? >> [INAUDIBLE] >> OKAY. I AM NOT GOING TO GET TOO FAR THEN. I AM SURE YOU KNOW PINELLAS COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN OUR STATE. THEIR ADMINISTRATOR IS A RETIRED GENERAL, FRED MARQUIS, AND HE HAS SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS. COUNTY ATTORNEY. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS SELECTED BY, REPORTS TO, AND SERVES AT THE PLEASURE OF THE B.O.C.C. IN EACH OF THE OTHER REFERENCED COUNTIES. IN OUR COUNTY, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MAKES HIS CHOICE WITH THE CONSENT OF THE B.O.C.C. MAY I FINISH -- >>JAN SMITH: PLEASE FINISH THAT ONE. >> THANK YOU. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS THE SILENT POWER IN OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THE B.O.C.C. SETS POLICY, AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CARRIES OUT THE B.O.C.C.'S POLICY; HOWEVER, I HAVE SEEN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SIDE WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, THEREBY SIDING WITH HIS OR HER BOSS, AND CAUSE THE B.O.C.C. TO BACK OFF OF ITS POSITION. THE B.O.C.C. ESTABLISHES POLICY, AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTERS THAT POLICY -- IMPLEMENTS THAT POLICY. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SHOULD REPRESENT THE POLICYMAKERS, NOT THOSE WHO IMPLEMENT THE POLICY. WE SHOULD ADOPT THE POLICY OF THOSE COUNTIES AND HAVE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT TO AND SERVE AS THE B.O.C.C. AND WHEN I COME BACK TO NEXT MEETING, I'LL GET INTO THE OTHER FOUR. >>JAN SMITH: START RIGHT WHERE YOU LEFT OFF NEXT TIME. >> YES, I WILL. >>JAN SMITH: MR. LaBOUR. >> YES, I WILL. >>STEVE LaBOUR: MR. HUGHES, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR SINCE YOU RAISED IT, AND YOU CAN SUPPLY THE ANSWER IN WRITING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS TONIGHT, BUT WOULD YOU -- WOULD YOU BE SUGGESTING A MINIMUM SET OF REQUIREMENTS? I MEAN, HOW -- IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THE REQUIREMENT IS TODAY IN THE CHARTER, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? >> I WOULD SUGGEST EXACTLY WHAT'S IN PINELLAS COUNTY'S CHARTER, AND THAT IS THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WILL SELECT AND APPOINT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BASED ON HIS OR HER QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE. PERIOD. >>STEVE LaBOUR: OKAY. THANK YOU. >> I THINK THEY ARE VERY CAPABLE OF DOING THAT. >>STEVE LaBOUR: THANK YOU. >>GERALD WHITE: MADAM CHAIR. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. HUGHES. MR. WHITE. >>GERALD WHITE: THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE ADMINISTRATOR'S ACADEMIC REQUIREMENT, I DO BELIEVE YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF FORMAL TRAINING TO DO THIS JOB, TO MANAGE A $2 BILLION BUDGET. BUT YOU LOOK AT EXAMPLES IN OUR COMMUNITY, SUCH AS BETTY CASTOR, WHO CAME IN AND TOOK OVER THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND DID A DYNAMIC JOB, IT DOES RAISE THE QUESTION, WHAT EXACTLY IS REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB. >> BETTY CASTOR IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. SHE DID NOT HAVE THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND TO BE PRESIDENT OF USF, BUT SHE WAS APPOINTED BECAUSE THOSE IN AUTHORITY FELT SHE WAS VERY QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED TO DO A GOOD JOB, PARTICULARLY WITH A STATE LEGISLATURE WHEN IT COMES TO RAISING FUNDS FOR USF. I TRUST THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO HAD THE WISDOM TO APPOINT GERALD WHITE CERTAINLY HAS THE WISDOM TO APPOINT THOSE WHO ARE QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED TO MANAGE A $2.2 BILLION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM HIRE SOMEONE WHO HAS BUSINESS BACKGROUND IS MY PREFERENCE, THAT HAS GONE INTO ORGANIZATIONS AND CORPORATIONS AND -- THAT WERE INEFFICIENT AND IN DANGER OF NOT SUCCEEDING AND THROUGH GOOD MANAGEMENT PRACTICE CHANGE THINGS AND TURN THINGS AROUND TO CAUSE THAT COMPANY OR CORPORATION TO BE VERY EFFICIENT AND TO MOVE FORWARD. AND FRED MARQUIS, AS I'VE ALREADY SAID, IS NOT -- DOES NOT HAVE A DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. GOING ON 20 YEARS. HE IS HIGHLY RESPECTED, IF NOT THE MOST HIGHLY RESPECTED COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WE ALL KNOW HOW EFFICIENT THEIR GOVERNMENT IS. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. HUGHES. MS. MERRITT. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M BARBARA MERRITT. I JUST HAVE A SIMPLE REQUEST. PERHAPS THE BOARD WOULD DEVELOP A PUBLIC COMMENT FORM, LEAVE THE BLANKS IN THE BACK SO IF SOMEBODY CAN'T STAY, THEY CAN FILL OUT THE FORM. HAVE IT AVAILABLE MAYBE ON E-MAIL. AND I KNOW MS. LEVINE IS PROBABLY GOING TO CRINGE WHEN I SAY THIS. THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF MAIL THAT GO OUT A DAY TO ALL KINDS OF GROUPS, SPECIAL INTEREST, HOMEOWNERS, WHATEVER. PUT THAT PUBLIC COMMENT SHEET IN THERE, AND THEN HAVE IT COME BACK, AND THEN YOU WILL GET A VERY GOOD CROSS SECTION. MY OTHER SUGGESTION WOULD BE MAYBE TO HAVE IT IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE CAN'T COME TO MEETINGS BUT IF THEY CAN GET TO A COMPUTER THERE -- THE PUBLIC INFORMATION FORM IS AVAILABLE, THEY CAN FILL IT OUT. THE AGENDAS ARE AVAILABLE THAT WAY IN THE LIBRARIES. MAYBE JUST ANOTHER WAY TO JUST BRING SOME OF THE GOVERNMENT TO PEOPLE IN AREAS THAT YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT TO FIND IT. >>JAN SMITH: EXCELLENT IDEA, AND IT MIGHT EVEN PUT THEM SOMEPLACE IN THE LOBBY OF THIS BUILDING SINCE SO MANY PEOPLE GO IN AND OUT OF THIS BUILDING SO THEY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE. THERE MIGHT HAVE TO BE SOME DISPLAY. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHETHER IT'S LEGAL TO DO THAT IN THIS BUILDING IN THE LOBBY, BUT WE CAN FIND OUT. >> AND I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY SAVE SOME POSTAGE THAT WAY BECAUSE IF YOU ARE GOING TO SEND OUT ONE, YOU CAN GET THE SECOND FORM IN THERE WITHOUT ANY EXTRA POSTAGE. >>JAN SMITH: PUT A SUGGESTION BOX, NO TELLING WHAT WE'D GET. MR. DAVIS. MR. DAVIS, DID YOU SPEAK EARLIER THIS EVENING? >> YES, MA'AM, AND YOU KNOW, IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT DISCUSSION -- >>JAN SMITH: IN THE FUTURE, WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THIS BECAUSE I SAID IT WAS ONE PERSON, ONE SHOT AT SPEAKING. I AM GOING TO LET YOU DO -- DO IT THIS EVENING. YOU EITHER SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING OR THE END IN THE FUTURE. OKAY? >> IN OTHER WORDS, THE PERSON DOESN'T HAVE THE OPTION OF SPEAKING TWICE. I THOUGHT THE IDEA WAS YOU GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO PRESENT SOMETHING -- I HOPE MY TIME AIN'T RUNNING -- TO SPEAK -- YOU KNOW, AS TO MAYBE SOME IDEAS, AND THEN IF THEY -- >>JAN SMITH: THE INTENT WAS TO ALLOW PEOPLE NOT TO HAVE TO STAY HERE ALL EVENING, AND THEN PEOPLE WHO HAD NOT SPOKEN COULD SPEAK AT THE END ABOUT EITHER DISCUSSIONS THAT WERE HELD HERE OR ANYTHING THEY WANTED. BUT WE ARE GOING TO LET YOU DO IT TONIGHT. OKAY? BUT NEXT TIME IT'S ONLY ONE TIME. >> ALL RIGHT. I MAY HAVE TO PROTEST. >>JAN SMITH: OKAY. >> BUT ANYWAY -- >>JAN SMITH: WE'LL PROBABLY ACCEPT A PROTEST. >> AGAIN -- >>GERALD WHITE: EXCUSE ME, MADAM CHAIR, BEFORE HE SPEAKS BECAUSE HE RAISES A VERY INTERESTING COMMENT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT MAKING IT TO MEETINGS. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT A SPEAKER CAN RECEIVE TIME FROM ANOTHER CITIZEN? >>JAN SMITH: IF THE CITIZEN -- YOU KNOW, WE HAVE -- I DON'T THINK THAT -- THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO BRING IN 10 OR 12 PEOPLE, AND THEN ONE PERSON GET UP THERE AND SAY SO-AND-SO AND SO-AND-SO AND SO-AND-SO DONATED THEIR TIME. I THINK WE NEED TO TRY VERY HARD TO LISTEN ATTENTIVELY FOR THE FIVE MINUTES THAT WE HAVE AND THE THREE OR WHATEVER, IF WE DECIDE TO CHANGE IT, OR IF WE LENGTHEN IT. BELIEVE ME, MR. DAVIS HAS NOT MADE HIS LAST APPEARANCE IN FRONT OF THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. MR. DAVIS, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONTINUE. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE BOARD MEMBERS, IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY AND -- GOT THEIR INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 802. DURING YOUR DISCUSSION ON YOUR CALENDAR, I DIDN'T HEAR -- MAYBE I MISSED IT -- IN TERMS OF IF YOU, INDEED, HAVE AN ISSUE, AT WHAT POINT IN TIME DURING THIS CALENDAR DO YOU CONTEMPLATE PRESENTING IT, YOU KNOW, TO THE PUBLIC FOR CONSIDERATION, AND THEN YOU'RE HAVING THE OPTION TO VOTE ON IT SO WE'LL KNOW IN SUFFICIENT TIME AS TO WHAT MATTERS MAY COME BEFORE US, YOU KNOW, ON THE GENERAL ELECTION. AND SPEAKING ABOUT THE TIME FOR WHICH YOU MAY PRESENT AN ITEM, MAYBE YOU WANT TO HAVE IT ON THE SPECIAL ELECTION. YOU KNOW, AS MR. HUGHES HAS MENTIONED, THIS BOARD HAS A TREMENDOUS POWER -- >>JAN SMITH: I DON'T THINK THAT'S ALLOWED. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN IT A SPECIAL ELECTION. IT MUST BE A GENERAL ELECTION. >> IT'S REQUIRED TO BE GENERAL. >> YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE CHARTER? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AMENDING IT. >>JAN SMITH: UNDER THE PRESENT CHARTER, TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR CHANGE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE THAT IS PRESENTLY IN PLACE TO GET TO THAT CHANGE. >> THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. YOU CAN REWRITE THIS WHOLE CHARTER AS AN AMENDMENT. >>JAN SMITH: THAT'S CORRECT. AS AN AMENDMENT, YOU COULD DO THAT. >> WE DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD ANYONE, MR. DAVIS, AND WE'LL HOLD YOUR TIME. WE DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD ANYONE THAT WE COULD SUGGEST THAT CHANGE, AND WE COULD THEN GO AHEAD AND DO A SPECIAL ELECTION. I DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN DO THAT. >>JAN SMITH: WE CANNOT DO A SPECIAL ELECTION. MUST BE GENERAL ELECTION. >> BECAUSE THE CHARTER SAYS SO? >>JAN SMITH: RIGHT. >> IT'S IN THE CHARTER THAT YOU ARE LIMITING IT TO GENERAL ELECTION. >>JAN SMITH: YES. YOU COULD CHANGE THAT, BUT YOU COULDN'T CHANGE IT FOR THE VOTE -- LIKE, IF WE WERE TO PUT THAT OUT, IT COULDN'T BE, LIKE, THE DECISION IS ALREADY MADE SO THAT IT TAKES EFFECT AFTER THE NEXT VOTE. IT HAS TO BE VOTED ON BY THE PUBLIC. >> YEAH, IN A GENERAL ELECTION. >> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. >>JAN SMITH: YOU COULD DO THAT AFTER THE FACT IF THE PUBLIC VOTED FOR THAT AMENDMENT. >> THAT WAS A GIVEN, I THOUGHT. >>JAN SMITH: YES, YES. >> SOMETHING ELSE YOU MAY WANT TO DO. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT COUNTY GOVERNMENT, EVERYBODY IS EXCLUDED EXCEPT THOSE THAT'S UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MAYBE YOU WANT TO REALLY LOOK AT RESTRUCTURING THIS COUNTY THAT IT REALLY WILL BE A CHARTERED COUNTY. AND ONE LAST THING, MADAM CHAIRMAN. YOU KNOW, REAPPORTIONMENT IS COMING UP SOON, YOU KNOW, BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE. WOULD YOU-ALL CONSIDER EXPRESSING AN OPINION OR DESIRE THAT THEY DO NOT CHOP UP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY LIKE THEY DONE THE LAST GO-AROUND. RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT DON'T EVEN LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DICTATING AND REPRESENTING THIS COUNTY, AND WE'RE LARGE ENOUGH TO HAVE ALL OF OUR DELEGATION -- >>JAN SMITH: ARE YOU REFERRING, MR. DAVIS, TO THE PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT ARE IN A DISTRICT THAT INCLUDES SOME PEOPLE FROM ST. PETERSBURG/PINELLAS COUNTY? >> [INAUDIBLE] ANYWAY -- >>JAN SMITH: REMEMBER THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS CONTROL OVER THAT BY THE CENSUS AND BY THE -- GERRYMANDERING IS THE WORD I HEARD OVER HERE, BUT HOW TO -- I GUESS THAT'S A GOOD WORD TO USE. I WAS GOING TO TRY TO AVOID THAT WORD, BUT I THINK IT'S THERE. >> BUT WE CAN EXPRESS A DESIRE -- >>JAN SMITH: MR. DAVIS, I THINK YOUR FIVE MINUTES ARE UP, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT OUR NEXT MEETING. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. AGAIN, YOU ARE ALL GOING TO HAVE SOME FUN BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT YEAR. YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, YOU JUST WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? I LET YOU SPEAK EARLIER, AND I AM GOING TO LET YOU DO THE SAME, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO THIS IN THE FUTURE. >> GRANT WALTERS. MY NAME IS GRANT WALTERS. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT WE HAD CERTAIN CONDITIONS OF NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER EIGHT ON HERE. I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE NEXT TIME AN AGENDA IS PUT OUT THAT AT LEAST TWO FUTURE MEETINGS ARE PUT ON THIS. THIS MEETING DATE BUSINESS TONIGHT HAS BEEN SO CONFUSING, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'RE MEETING ON THE 4TH OF JULY OR -- >>JAN SMITH: THAT'S WHY IT CAME UP BECAUSE THIS IS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING TO SET THOSE. THAT'S WHY IT WAS LIKE THAT THIS EVENING. >> WILL THIS EVER BE IN ALL OF THE MINUTES AS WELL? >>JAN SMITH: WE CAN, IN THE FUTURE, PUT AT THE BOTTOM OF EVERY AGENDA WHEN THE NEXT MEETINGS ARE. THAT'S NO PROBLEM AT ALL. >> FINE. FINE. IN THE MATTER OF THE BRAINSTORMING IDEAS THAT WERE THOUGHT HERE, SOME PEOPLE, OF COURSE, LIKE THAT IDEA. OTHERS DON'T. MOST BRAINSTORMING IDEAS DON'T WORK WELL IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT GOES WITH THEM AND PRIORITIZED IN THIS CASE. AND IN SOME CASES, MENTIONED OVER HERE BY MRS. WILLIAMS, THERE OUGHT TO BE A MILESTONE THAT GOES WITH THAT. FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING TONIGHT, YOU'RE ALL PREPARED TO HEAR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF OPINIONS IN THIS CASE, AND HOW YOU ARE GOING TO BOIL THOSE DOWN WITHOUT A DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND A MILESTONE IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. FORTUNATELY, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING HERE TONIGHT, IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD WITH ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO HELP OUT IN THAT LINE. I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR RUNNING A BOARD INSTEAD OF RULING OR RUINING A BOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. OTHER THAN MR. HUGHES, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO US THIS EVENING? [LAUGHTER] MR. HUGHES, YOU'LL GET FIVE MINUTES AT THE NEXT ONE AT THE BEGINNING OR THE END. DID YOU REALLY HAVE SOMETHING YOU FELT YOU NEEDED TO TELL US YET THIS EVENING, NOT TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR LIST, BUT -- NO? OKAY. >> I WAS JUST KIDDING. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD THIS EVENING? I SEE NO ONE ELSE. IS THERE ANY BUSINESS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP AT THIS TIME? I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY MR. AMBLER AND A SECOND BY MS. TUTTLE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION PLEASE SAY AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED?