(5/25/00 Charter Review Board)
                                
**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.

>>JAN SMITH:  GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETING OF MAY THE 25TH.
WOULD -- DEE WILLIAMS, WOULD YOU LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE THIS
EVENING, PLEASE.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE].
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
MAY WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE.
>> CERTAINLY.
[ROLL CALL TAKEN]
>> YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
MEMBERS, YOU RECEIVED THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING OF THURSDAY, MAY
11TH.
HAVE YOU READ THEM, AND IS THERE ANY -- ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR
ADDITIONS?
YOU HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THEM, MA'AM --
MADAM CHAIR.
COULD WE POSTPONE THE MINUTES TO A LATER PART OF THE MEETING?
I GOT THEM ON THE COMPUTER, BUT I COULDN'T OPEN THEM UP.
>>JAN SMITH:  WE CAN DO THEM AFTER BREAK.
>>GERALD WHITE:  ALSO RELATED TO THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING,
THERE ARE SOME CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE ON THOSE AS WELL.
>>JAN SMITH:  I THINK THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING WERE APPROVED, SO
IF YOU CAN SPECIFY WHAT THE CORRECTIONS ARE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE, WE
CAN RECONSIDER THOSE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
CAN WE DO THAT AT THE SAME TIME?
>>JAN SMITH:  SO WE WILL HOLD THOSE UNTIL RIGHT AFTER THE BREAK.
ALSO, I DO HAVE A LETTER FROM MR. LaBOUR DATED MAY 23RD.
I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MAY 25TH MEETING OF THE CHARTER
REVIEW BOARD.
I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN ATTENDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONFERENCE IN
PHOENIX.
I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD READ THE REASON FOR MY ABSENCE.
THANK YOU.
STEVE LaBOUR.
WE HAVE FOUR GUESTS THIS EVENING, BUT AS USUAL, WE WILL BEGIN WITH
PUBLIC COMMENT.
EACH PERSON THAT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY SPEAK
FIVE MINUTES.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND REMEMBER THAT IF YOU SPEAK
NOW, YOU WILL NOT BE AFFORDED THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING AGAIN AT THE
END OF THE MEETING.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME?
PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
>> GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KENNETH HOYT.
I LIVE AT 4610 WEST FORD CIRCLE IN CARROLLWOOD.
I'M APPEARING TONIGHT, REALLY, IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.
ONE IS AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
TWO, AS A MEMBER OF THE VILLAGE WEST HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS
PART OF THE CARROLLWOOD AREA ASSOCIATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND ALSO AS A MEMBER OF THE HC CUBED OR THE HILLSBOROUGH CONFERENCE
OF COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF -- I AM GOING TO SPEAK NEXT WEEK AT YOUR
REGULAR MEETING.
WE, I BELIEVE, HAVE FIVE MINUTES ON THE AGENDA, AND IT WON'T BE POSSIBLE
AT THAT TIME FOR ME TO GO THROUGH THE RATHER EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION
THAT WE HAVE PREPARED, WHICH IS ABOUT THAT SIZE WITH SOME 50-PLUS
CHARTS, SO I AM GOING TO ARRANGE FOR IT TO BE E-MAILED TO YOUR WEB SITE
THROUGH YOUR E-MAIL, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE IT.
WE ARE STILL MAKING SOME CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS AND SO FORTH, SO IT
WILL BE LATE ON WEDNESDAY BEFORE WE ACTUALLY FINISH IT ALL UP.
SO I AM JUST HERE AS A LITTLE BIT OF AN ADVANCED PARTY TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT WE HAVE BEEN THINKING VERY SERIOUSLY ABOUT COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
WE HAVE LOOKED MUCH MORE AT OUTCOMES THAN AT PROCESS.
WE HAVE LOOKED MUCH MORE AT FUNCTION THAN AT FORM.
MY OBSERVATION IS, FROM FOLLOWING YOUR PROCEEDINGS, THAT YOU HAVE
TENDED TO GO IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WITH YOUR CONCERNS OF THE
THINGS WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT.
MOST OF ALL, WE'VE BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE SIZE OF THIS COUNTY
AND WITH TWO-THIRDS OF THE POPULATION LIVING IN AN UNINCORPORATED
AREA, WHICH FORCES THE COUNTY TO ACTUALLY PERFORM TWO LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT.
ONE IS COUNTY LEVEL, AND THE OTHER IS A MUNICIPAL LEVEL.
AND WE ARE KEENLY AWARE FROM OUR WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
THERE IS A SENSITIVITY ISSUE HERE.
THE GRANULARITY OF WHICH A SEVEN-MEMBER BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS -- IS VERY COARSE.
THE GRANULARITY THAT GOES ON TO SATISFY THE NEEDS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE
IS VERY FINE.
WHERE DOES THAT SIDEWALK GO?
WHAT DOES THAT INTERSECTION LOOK LIKE?
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS TOO BIG, TOO BUSY, AND
JUST PLAIN AND SIMPLE CAN'T TACKLE.
AND SO THE THRUST OF OUR PRESENTATION NEXT WEEK IS GOING TO BE TO
ADDRESS THE ROLE OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT WITHIN A CHARTER COUNTY
AND HOW TO BRING HOME RULE TRULY TO THE PEOPLE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THAT TIME.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS MOMENT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
LET ME ASK, PLEASE, AS SOON AS YOU CAN GET YOUR REPORT DONE THAT YOU
GET IT TO BARBARA MERRITT, THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR.
SOME OF OUR MEMBERS MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO E-MAIL, AND THAT WAY SHE
COULD PERHAPS GET IT COPIED AND GET IT TO THEM BEFORE THE MEETING
THURSDAY.
>> RIGHT.
I JUST DID NOT WANT YOU TO THINK IT WOULD COME EARLY IN THE WEEK.
MONDAY IS A HOLIDAY, AND SO IT WILL BE SOME TIME LATE WEDNESDAY, BUT
THAT SHOULD GIVE BARBARA A CHANCE TO GET IT PREPARED.
>>JAN SMITH:  DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE COME TO GO THAT
MEETING, HOW MANY CIVIC GROUPS, IF TIME PERMITS, WE WILL EXTEND TIME FOR
PEOPLE TO SPEAK.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COURTESY.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
GRANT WALTERS.
DENISE LAYNE.
>> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M DENISE LAYNE, HERE TONIGHT FROM HILLSBOROUGH FOUNDER OF
CONFERENCE COMMUNITIES.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE HAD A MEETING TODAY, AND A CONSENSUS AMONG --
WE HAD 19 ISSUES WE IDENTIFIED AS COMMUNITY LEADERS WE REALLY WERE
ALL INTERESTED IN.
WHAT WE DID WAS TOOK THE TOP THREE FROM EACH COMMUNITY, WHAT THEY
THOUGHT WERE IMPORTANT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO PASS ON TO YOU THE EIGHT
THAT WE CAME UP WITH AS THE MOST IMPORTANT OUT OF 19.
I WILL PRESENT, AND EACH COMMUNITY ITSELF WILL PRESENT ITS OWN LIST.
THIS IS A CONSENSUS OF THE GROUP THAT MET TODAY ON ISSUES WE WOULD
TRULY LIKE TO SEE ADDRESSED ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITIES IN THIS
COUNTY AND CITY, AND ALSO THEN LISTEN TO EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY AS
COMMUNITIES ON OUR SPECIFIC NEEDS, AND I WILL SAY NO MORE.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CHARTER REVIEW
BOARD AT THIS TIME?
OKAY.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE RIGHT INTO BUSINESS.
WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE WITH US THIS EVENING FOUR GENTLEMEN WHO PLAY A
VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, EACH IN THEIR OWN
REGARD, AND FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU MR. ROB TURNER, OUR
PROPERTY APPRAISER.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS.
ROB TURNER, YOUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER.
I GUESS JUST A REFLECTION FOR A MOMENT, JUST TO BE SURE EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS MY ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE THAT WE REVALUE
ALL OF THE REAL ESTATE AND ALL OF THE BUSINESS ASSETS THROUGHOUT
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
BARBARA MERRITT IS DISTRIBUTING AN INFORMATION PACKAGE WHICH COVERS
MANY OF THE ASPECTS OF WHAT WE DO IN THE OFFICE.
IT IS REALLY NOT MY INTENTION TO TAKE YOU ALL THROUGH THIS ON A
PAGE-BY-PAGE BASIS, BUT TO PROVIDE YOU THIS INFORMATION FOR ANY
BACKGROUND AND SUPPORT.
AS YOU REVIEW IT, EITHER NOW OR AT SOME LATER DATE AND HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT, THEN THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED HERE, I
CERTAINLY WILL BE GLAD TO ADDRESS ANY OF THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES.
BUT BASICALLY, THIS GIVES AN OUTLINE OF OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY HERE
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS -- AS A PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS AND SOME THINGS THAT I WILL NOTE.
HERE IN THE COUNTY, OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, OUR INDIVIDUAL TAX ROLL
HAS GROWN MORE THAN $7 BILLION, GIVEN ALL OF THE -- I GUESS --
UNPRECEDENTED DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH IN CONSTRUCTION THAT WE
HAVE HAD IN THIS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THOSE APPRECIATIONS AND THOSE
INCREASES OF VALUE BASED ON THE DEMAND FOR PROPERTY AND FOR HOMES
HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
YOU ALL ARE PROBABLY EXPERIENCED NOW IN THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT
SOME OF THE PROPERTIES IN SOME AREAS OF THIS COMMUNITY ARE SELLING
WITHIN HOURS OF THE TIME THAT THEY ARE PUTTING -- BEING PUT UP FOR SALE
ON THE MARKETPLACE.
I'M ALSO HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS WHO ARE
TELLING ME THAT THERE IS BIDDING WARS GOING ON WHEN SOME OF THESE
HOUSES GET ON THE MARKET.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE SOME VERY POSITIVE ASPECTS GOING ON IN OUR
COMMUNITY AS FAR AS THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE HAVE HERE AND THE
DEMAND FOR PEOPLE TO RELOCATE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
ONE OF THE OVER ISSUES THAT WE MANAGE, OBVIOUSLY, IS ALL OF THE
EXEMPTIONS AND PROPERTY CLASSIFICATIONS.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO DO WITH HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, WIDOWERS'
EXEMPTIONS.
WE NOW HAVE THE SENIORS EXEMPTION THAT WAS APPROVED ON THE LAST
BALLOT, WAS APPROVED AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND IT WAS APPROVED HERE IN
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
AND THEN WE HAVE GREENBELT CLASSIFICATION FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS
WHERE THE PRIMARY USE OF THE PROPERTY IS FOR COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL
USE.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT I DO EACH AND EVERY DAY
WITH THE SOME $50 BILLION IN VALUE AND SOME 417,000 PARCELS THAT WE NOW
HERE -- HAVE NOW IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS OR ISSUES THAT YOU ALL
WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS OR HAVE ASKED ME TO ADDRESS.
>>JAN SMITH:  DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
YOU WANT TO READ ALL THIS, RIGHT?
MS. LASHER.
>>DENISE LASHER:  WELL, I GUESS I WILL ASK YOU, MR. TURNER, THE SAME
QUESTION THAT WE HAVE -- MANY OF US HAVE ASKED THE ELECTED
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED TO ME THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE
WANTED THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD TO LOOK AT WAS TERM LIMITS FOR
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
WE HAVE TERM LIMITS FOR THE GOVERNOR AND FOR LEGISLATIVE BODIES IN THE
STATE, AND CERTAINLY THE COUNTY COMMISSION.
I THINK TODAY THE CITY OF TAMPA CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSED ACTUALLY
PUTTING ON THE BALLOT REMOVING TERM LIMITS FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY
COUNCIL.
SO THERE IS A MOVEMENT GOING TOWARDS TERM LIMITS IN SOME COMMUNITIES,
AND THEN DEPENDING ON POPULARITY OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, THERE SEEMS TO
BE A MOVEMENT GOING AWAY FROM TERM LIMITS.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TERM LIMITS FOR OUR
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
>> WELL, IN GENERAL, TO GIVE YOU ALL AN OVERVIEW, AND MAYBE THIS IS
INFORMATION YOU HAVE NOW, THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS THROUGHOUT
THE STATE GENERALLY ARE NOT SUBJECT TO TERM LIMITS.
NOW, THAT WAS CHANGED IN PINELLAS COUNTY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND I
THINK THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS IN PINELLAS COUNTY ARE SUBJECT TO
TERM LIMITS.
GET TO THE CHASE -- AND THIS MAY SEEM QUITE BIASED, BUT I PERSONALLY DO
NOT BELIEVE IN TERM LIMITS.
I BELIEVE THAT THE OFFICES THAT WE HOLD AS CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS ARE
OF A HIGHLY ADMINISTRATIVE NATURE, AND IT DOES TAKE TIME TO MAKE SURE
THAT, YOU KNOW, WE FULLY UNDERSTAND OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES,
AND THEN TO BE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON THAT ASPECT.
I WOULD TELL YOU THAT IT HAS BEEN MADE CLEAR TO ME -- AND WHY I AM
STANDING HERE TODAY IS THAT THE VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHEN THOSE
OFFICERS ARE NOT PERFORMING THEIR JOBS AS THEY SHOULD BE, AND THEY
WILL, EVERY FOUR YEARS, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REINTERVIEW, IF YOU
WILL, THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND DECIDE IF THAT'S TRULY, YOU
KNOW, A PERSON THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE IN THAT ROLE.
SO I DO NOT THINK THAT IT IS, I GUESS, A GOOD MOVE TO INVOKE TERM LIMITS
HAVING TO DO WITH THESE OFFICES.
>>DENISE LASHER:  ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON ANY CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO
SEE THIS BOARD DISCUSS REGARDING THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY,
WHETHER IT BE COUNTY MAYOR OR HAVING OTHER OFFICES CREATED, THINGS
LIKE THAT?
>> WELL, I KNOW THE ISSUE OF COUNTY MAYOR HAS BEEN, I GUESS, OFFERED, AND
I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS ARE DEALING WITH NOW.
THESE ARE VERY, VERY COMPLICATED, VERY INVOLVED ISSUES, AND AT ANY ONE
TIME, IT CAN SEEM THAT THE INTERACTION BETWEEN BOARD MEMBERS MAY
SEEM, I GUESS, MORE ADVERSARIAL THAN COHESIVE, AND YET TO PUT ONE
INDIVIDUAL IN A POSITION OF HAVING TO ACT IN A CAPACITY OF SOLOMON, IF
YOU WILL, IN TRYING TO DECIDE A FINAL OUTCOME FOR MANY OF THESE
DECISIONS HAVING TO DO WITH TRANSPORTATION AND WATER AND ALL OF
THOSE THINGS THAT FACE US TODAY, I AM NOT A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THAT
POSITION, AS FAR AS THE COUNTY MAYOR POSITION.
THE ISSUE OF, I GUESS, MAINTAINING THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS IN THE
CAPACITY THAT THEY ARE NOW I THINK MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
BECAUSE OF THE, I GUESS, THE SEPARATE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS HAVE AND NEED TO PERFORM FALLING OUTSIDE OF
THE, I GUESS, DIRECT REPORT TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU AS AN EXAMPLE.
THE PROPERTY APPRAISER OR THE PERSON THAT HOLDS THAT POSITION IN
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, IS AN APPOINTED POSITION.
RIGHT NOW, THAT PERSON IS GOING THROUGH A SITUATION WHERE HALF OF THE
BOARD IS UP FOR REELECTION, AND THEY ARE GIVING -- GIVEN THE PROPERTY
APPRAISER THERE IN CHARLOTTE THE GUIDANCE.
THEY DO NOT WANT TO HAVE ANY PROPERTY VALUES OR ASSESSMENTS
INCREASED AT ALL BECAUSE IT'S NOT A GOOD TIME FOR THEM IN THEIR
REELECTION TIME.
THE OTHER HALF OF THE BOARD IS STANDING AND IS NOT UP FOR REELECTION,
AND YET THEY NEED TO HAVE THE FUNDS TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN OPERATE
THE COMMUNITY AND GROW IT AND DO THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE A NEED
FOR.
SO THE OTHER HALF OF THE BOARD WANTS AND IS PUTTING, I GUESS, INFLUENCE
TO ENSURE THAT KNOWS ASSESSMENTS ARE PUT AT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL.
SO YOU HAVE IMMEDIATELY, I GUESS, A CONFLICT OF TRYING TO DETERMINE FOR
THAT PROPERTY APPRAISER WHICH DIRECTION, AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD
CAUSE SOME ISSUES.
AND THAT CAN RELATE TO ANY OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS IN MAKING
SURE THAT WE CAN PERFORM OUR RESPONSIBILITIES OUTSIDE OF ANY INFLUENCE
OR ANY BIAS WHATSOEVER FROM THE BOARD HERE.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. HURLEY.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  COUPLE QUESTIONS.
COULD THAT STILL BE AN ELECTED POSITION, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT ALL BE
BUDGET-WISE AND EVERYTHING CONSOLIDATED WITHIN THE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT?
I UNDERSTAND THAT EACH -- I WAS ON THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE, SO I GOT A
LITTLE MORE EDUCATION THAN I REALLY WANTED ABOUT A LOT OF THAT STUFF,
BUT IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WERE SEVERAL DIFFERENT BANKING RELATIONSHIPS,
AND THINGS WERE -- ECONOMIES OF SCALE WERE NOT BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE
OF BY THE VARIOUS CONSTITUTIONALS.
WHAT'S YOUR THINKING ON THAT?
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, WE'VE -- AT LEAST IN THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS,
WHICH HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, WE DO REGULARLY MEET IN ORDER TO TRY
AND FORM, I GUESS, WHATEVER RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE CAN TO PARTNER IN
THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING, I GUESS, THE BEST ADVANTAGE
FOR THE TAXPAYER HERE IN SUPPORTING THESE OFFICES.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE COULDN'T DO MORE OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS THERE WAS A DISCUSSION HELD AT ONE TIME IN A MEETING
HAVING TO GO DO WITH TRYING TO INTEGRATE SOME COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND
UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER WE DID AN ANALYSIS, ALL OF OURS ARE SO DIFFERENT
THAT IT WOULD COST SUBSTANTIALLY MORE TO TRY TO WORK OUT A
COMMONALITY THERE THAN IT WOULD TO MAINTAIN THEM AS THEY ARE NOW.
AND ALSO, BECAUSE THEY PERFORM DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS -- SO MUCH OF A
DIFFERENT FUNCTION.
SO WE DO TRY TO FIND WAYS IN ORDER TO, I GUESS, ASSIST ONE ANOTHER, AND
THERE PROBABLY COULD BE MORE OF THAT THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE.
WE MET REGULARLY WITH, I GUESS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND WE STILL HAVE AN
ONGOING DIALOGUE TO TRY TO FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE THOSE
IMPROVEMENTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS BUDGET THAT I JUST -- I GUESS I'M
PRESENTING TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL
YEAR WILL BE LESS FOR MY OFFICE THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR, AND IT'S LESS THAN
THE BUDGET FOR THIS OFFICE BACK IN '94-'95.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE AND
TO TIGHTEN THE BELT STRINGS, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT THERE'S AS MANY WAYS
AS SOMEONE MAY THINK FOR US TO DO THAT.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  I AM AWARE OF YOUR REDUCTION IN BUDGET.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.
MY WALLET APPRECIATES THAT.
THE COMPUTER THING YOU BROUGHT UP IS PROBABLY A PRIME EXAMPLE.
I MEAN, IN MY BUSINESS, I SEND FILES TO ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY.
THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM READING THEM.
WE CAN COMMUNICATE.
TO KNOW WE HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS HERE IN THE COUNTY THAT CAN'T
COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHERS' COMPUTERS JUST BOGGLES MY MIND.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT KIND OF BOTHERS ME.
>> IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, AND YOU LOOK, I GUESS, AT OTHER AGENCIES, THAT
DISCONNECT IS PROBABLY MORE TYPICAL THAN IT IS WHERE THERE IS ONE
COMMON PLATFORM, AND I KNOW IN TALKING TO OTHER PROPERTY APPRAISERS
WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE INDUSTRY FOR MANY YEARS, THEY HAVE
GONE THROUGH CYCLES OF AT ONE TIME BEING OR HAVING SO MANY COMMON
INTERESTS AS FAR AS THE COMPUTER ASPECTS, AND THEN, I GUESS, MOVING
AWAY FROM THAT.
I GUESS IT'S BEEN THROUGH A CYCLE OF TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE
BEST APPROACH TO TAKE IN THAT REGARD.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  I THINK ESPECIALLY YOUR GIS SITUATION.
I KNOW WE HAVE ARC INFO AND GEOMAP.
AND IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THE WHOLE COUNTY COULD AT LEAST BE ON ONE.
COULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR THE CONSULTANTS.
OF COURSE, I'M ALWAYS FOR MAKING IT EASIER FOR THE CONSULTANTS.
THOSE ARE ISSUES I THINK THAT SOMEHOW -- AND MAYBE THESE MEETINGS NEED
TO BE MORE FORMAL AND MORE FREQUENT BEFORE YOU COULD GET THAT DONE,
BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY A CONCERN FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE A PROBLEM OR ANY RELUCTANCE -- AT
LEAST NOT FROM MY OFFICE OR -- YOU CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE THE
COOPERATION TO CONTINUE THAT PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, I GUESS WE ALL LOOKED AT THE BLUE RIBBON ISSUE AS -- AT LEAST
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED -- A PROCESS, NOT JUST A PROJECT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE AND TO FIND WAYS WHENEVER IT'S
POSSIBLE FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER IN THAT REGARD.
AND IT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE NECESSARILY WITHIN
THIS BUDGET CYCLE, BUT AT LEAST IT WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTINUE WORKING IN THOSE THINGS FOR FUTURE BUDGET CYCLES.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. BELTRAN.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. WHITE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  MR. TURNER, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY.
I'M VERY PLEASED WITH YOUR SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, AND I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO FIELD A CANDIDATE TO
CHALLENGE YOU BASED ON THE OUTSTANDING WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR
OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>>GERALD WHITE:  COMMISSIONER CHAIRWOMAN PAT FRANK WAS OUR FIRST
SPEAKER, AND THE ISSUE THAT SHE RAISED RELATED TO THE CONSTITUTIONALS
WAS EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
I LOOKED AT THE TOTAL FUNDS THAT THE CONSTITUTIONALS RECEIVE ALONG
WITH THE PROPERTY -- ALONG WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER AND THE STATE
ATTORNEY, AND IT COMES TO ABOUT $250 MILLION, WHICH IS A LARGE SUM OF
TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.
AND THIS IS -- THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL DOCUMENT HERE, AND IT OUTLINES EXACTLY
WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR OFFICE, AND I LOOKED AT THE SHERIFF.
HE PRODUCES AN ANNUAL REPORT.
IN A WAY, SHOWS SOME ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE TAX FUNDS THAT HE
RECEIVES.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REALLY PUSHING TO INFRINGE ON CONSTITUTIONALS'
AUTHORITY AND THE POWER THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR OFFICE, BUT I'M ASKING
FOR A VOLUNTEER EFFORT TO PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT SUCH AS WHAT THE
SHERIFF PRODUCES TO SHOW SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS OF
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
>> WELL, THE INFORMATION THAT'S CONTAINED WITHIN THIS DOCUMENT, I
GUESS, WOULD CERTAINLY PROVIDE SOME BASIS AND SUPPORT FOR EXACTLY
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT
THE KIND OF PERFORMANCE THAT'S GOING ON WITHIN OUR OFFICE OR ANY OF
THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS CAN BE DOCUMENTED AND TO TRY TO MAKE
SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN AWARENESS.
I USE MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION FOR PURPOSES OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND I
GUESS HAVING BEEN OUT TO OVER 200 SPEAKING EVENTS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE PUBLIC TRULY UNDERSTANDS THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I GET CALLED TAX ASSESSOR, WHICH IS NAME IT USED TO BE.
ACTUALLY, I GET CALLED A LOT OF NAMES, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER SUBJECT.
THE WHOLE ISSUE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHAT WE DO
AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT.
A SCORECARD, IF YOU WILL, OF THE ACTIVITIES GOING ON WITHIN THIS
ORGANIZATION.
NOW, YOU KNOW, I'VE TAKE CONTINUE TO THIS LEVEL AS FAR AS THE
INFORMATION AND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH PRODUCING SUCH A REPORT IN
HOPES THAT IT FALLS SHORT OF BEING SUCH A -- I GUESS A -- COULD BE
CONSIDERED SOME SORT OF A SELF-PROMOTIONAL KIND OF PIECE FOR THE
OFFICE.
THIS NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION AND INFORMATION RATHER THAN
PROMOTIONAL OF, YOU KNOW, OF THAT KIND.
BUT THIS IS, I THINK, A STEP FOR US AT LEAST IN THAT DIRECTION, HAVING COME
FROM NONE -- NO INFORMATION WHATSOEVER BEING PROCESSED TO THIS POINT.
SO WE'RE MAKING GROUND ON IT.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
MY OTHER QUESTION RELATED TO THE BUDGET.
COMMISSIONER FRANK DID TALK ABOUT HAVING A GREATER ROLE IN PREPARING
THE BUDGET.
DURING YOUR PRESENTATION TO THE ADMINISTRATION, ARE YOU SATISFIED
WITH THE PROCESS, THE WAY THAT YOU RECEIVE YOUR FUNDS?
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS IORIO TALKED ABOUT THE PRIVATE SESSION THE
CONSTITUTIONALS HAVE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE WORKSHOP THAT YOU'RE HAVING WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION AND GETTING THE FUNDS THAT YOU NEED?
>> YOU KNOW, I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY RESISTANCE WHATSOEVER FROM EITHER
THE ADMINISTRATION OR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE -- COMMISSION
MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, TO HOLD AN AUDIENCE WITH ME ABOUT ISSUES THAT WE
NEED TO TALK ABOUT, WHETHER OR NOT THOSE ARE BUDGET ISSUES OR, YOU
KNOW, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE
COUNTY AND OUR AGENCY.
I HAVE, I GUESS, BEEN VERY IMPRESSED BY THE VERY OPENNESS AND
WILLINGNESS FOR US TO MEET IN AN APPROPRIATE FORUM, WITH THE SUNSHINE
LAWS, BUT IN A FORUM THAT WOULD ALLOW ME TO SPEAK OPENLY AND WITH
VERY DIRECT CANDOR.
I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM IN MY THREE-PLUS YEARS BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS
THOSE ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT RELATE WITH MY OFFICE AND THE COUNTY
COMMISSION.
>>GERALD WHITE:  MY LAST THOUGHT, MADAM CHAIR.
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WAS HERE IN OUR LAST MEETING, AND HE ADVISED
US TO ASK THE PEOPLE THAT USE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
DO YOU USE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SERVICES?
>> YES, WE DO.
NOW, WE USE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR MATTERS OF EMPLOYEE
ISSUES BECAUSE THEY ALSO SUPPORT THE CIVIL SERVICE, AND I GUESS I FIND
THAT VERY COMPETENT.
THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ALSO REPRESENTS THE VALUE ADJUSTMENT BOARD, AND
SO THERE -- THERE COULD BE A CONFLICT THERE BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE, AND SO I HAVE AN INTERNAL GENERAL
COUNSEL THAT HANDLES ALL OF OUR PROPERTY AD VALOREM-RELATED ISSUES,
BUT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, THEIR STAFF GIVE US TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FOR
ALL EMPLOYEE-RELATED ISSUES.
THEY REVIEW CONTRACT AND LEASE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE COME BEFORE US,
ISSUES OF PROPERTY CONDEMNATION.
THEY SUPPORT US IN THAT REGARD.
SO I GUESS, BASICALLY, I'M USING THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EVERY
OPPORTUNITY I CAN, ALBEIT THOSE ISSUES THAT COULD BE A CONFLICT WITH
THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. TUTTLE.
>>MARY LOU TUTTLE:  MR. TURNER.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>>MARY LOU TUTTLE:  YOU STATED THAT MOST OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL
OFFICERS, IF NOT ALL OF THEM, HELD REALLY ADMINISTRATIVE JOBS THAT,
RATHER THAN POLITICAL JOBS, AND SO, THEREFORE, THE TERM LIMITS DIDN'T
SEEM TO BE AS NECESSARY.
BASED ON THIS FACT THAT IT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE JOB, DO YOU FEEL THE
NECESSITY FOR PARTISANSHIP IN SUCH AN ADMINISTRATIVE JOB?
I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF SCHOOL BOARD AND CURRENTLY SOME OTHER THINGS
THAT ARE NONPARTISAN.
SINCE YOU ARE -- HOLD AN ADMINISTRATIVE JOB AND YOUR JOB IS TO KEEP
EVERYBODY MAD AT YOU EQUALLY, NOT JUST SOME OF US.
ACROSS THE BOARD.
DO YOU THINK THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO BE NONPARTISAN?
JUST FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW.
>> I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY THE CASE THAT WE ARE TO PERFORM THESE ROLES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN A NONPARTISAN MANNER.
I MEAN, ONCE YOU RAISE YOUR HAND, YOU ARE PROMISING TO SUPPORT
EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF THAT.
I KNOW THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH ALL OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, AS ALL
ELECTED OFFICERS ARE.
BUT THE -- THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT THE VOTERS OF THE COUNTY WISH TO
HAVE THAT PARTISANSHIP TO ASSIST THEM IN DETERMINING THE
QUALIFICATIONS OR THE BACKGROUND OR THE ISSUES OR THE, I GUESS, THE
BELIEFS OF A CANDIDATE IS SOMETHING THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED.
I DON'T CONSIDER IT ONCE YOU'VE TAKEN OFFICE TO BE ANY FACTOR
WHATSOEVER.
BUT WHETHER OR NOT IT IS AN ADVANTAGE FOR THE VOTERS IN ORDER TO HELP
THEM TO QUALIFY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT
ONE CANDIDATE OVER ANOTHER, THAT MAY EXIST.
ONE OF THE ISSUES -- AND CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS DO TALK ABOUT THIS FROM
TIME TO TIME -- IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IS IT, IN FACT, CHANGING THAT ISSUE OF
PARTISANSHIP, IS THAT A STEP TOWARD MAKING OTHER ADJUSTMENTS THAT
MAY, IN FACT, REMOVE SOME OF THE OTHER AUTONOMY THAT THE PROPERTY
APPRAISER OR THE SHERIFF OR OTHERS HAVE AS CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, AND
I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T USE PARTISANSHIP OR SHOULD NOT ONCE
YOU'RE IN OFFICE, IT MAY BE A TOOL FOR THE VOTERS IN MAKING THEIR DECISION
ON WHO THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN A PARTICULAR OFFICE.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
SORRY.
NUMEROUS OCCASIONS PEOPLE HAVE COME TO ME AND SAID TRANSLATE THIS
FOR ME.
DO YOU PUBLISH ANY MATERIAL IN SPANISH FOR THE 22 PERCENT OF THE
POPULATION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WHERE THEY UNDERSTAND
INFORMATION YOU GIVE THEM?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND IN THE PACKAGE THAT YOU HAVE THERE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THINGS,
INCLUDING A GENERAL OFFICE BROCHURE THAT IS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND IN
SPANISH.
MOST OF THE IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION THAT IS WE SPEND OUT TO THE PUBLIC
WE DO PUT IN BOTH ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH, OR AT LEAST IF WE ARE NOT ABLE
FOR ANY PARTICULAR REASON TO PRODUCE THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT IN SPANISH,
WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A SECTION THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT
GOVERNMENT INFORMATION.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO TRANSLATE OR TO READ THIS OR TO UNDERSTAND THIS,
TO CALL US.
AND WE ARE, I GUESS, POISED WITH BILINGUAL SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
CAN TALK PEOPLE THROUGH THOSE ISSUES.
THIS WAS REALLY -- AND I HAVE FOUND IT TO BE MORE OF A FOCUS THAN I
BELIEVED IT MIGHT BE, BUT YOU-ALL MAY RECALL THE ISSUE OF REQUIREMENT
FOR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS ON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES.
WE DID AN ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHERE WE WERE NOT RECEIVING THAT
INFORMATION, AND IT -- THAT INFORMATION WAS NOT COMING FROM WHAT I
WOULD CALL TRADITIONAL HISPANIC AREAS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT.
WE SENT OUT BILINGUAL REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR OFFICE TO GO DOOR TO
DOOR IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD EXPLAIN THIS AND
WHY WE NEEDED THIS INFORMATION AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT, YES, WE ALL NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT BECAUSE I WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY IMPORTANT PROPERTY APPRAISER -- THIS KIND OF
INFORMATION I'M SENDING OUT -- CAN, IN FACT, BE -- YOU KNOW, BE INTERPRETED
AND READ BY ANYONE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. BEDKE.
>>MIKE BEDKE:  WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST SYSTEMIC
PROBLEM YOU ENCOUNTER IN PERFORMING YOUR JOB FUNCTION?
>> YOU MEAN FROM THE COMMUNITY STANDPOINT?
>> RIGHT.
>> IT'S EDUCATION AND UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS THAT IS OUT THERE.
WE HAVE EVERY DAY, BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND PROFESSIONALS WHO TRULY
DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, THE VALUATION PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, I AM REGULARLY ASKED ABOUT WHY THEIR TAXES OR SOMEONE'S
PROPERTY OWNER'S TAXES ARE SO HIGH.
IT REALLY DOES -- YOU HAVE TO DISSECT THE PROCESS IN ORDER TO HELP THEM
UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT FINAL TAX BILL COMES FROM.
SO IN MY THREE AND A HALF YEARS GOING OUT, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE IS
GENERALLY NOT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING FROM A GREAT DEAL OF THE PUBLIC,
AND EVEN A NUMBER OF PROFESSIONALS IN THE BUSINESS.
WE HAVE REGULAR CALLS FROM REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED IN THE BUSINESS FOR YEARS WHO HAVEN'T QUITE GOTTEN TO THE
POINT OF UNDERSTANDING THE AMENDMENT 10 PROCESS, THAT WHEN SOMEONE
BUYS A HOME, IT MAY HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN CAPPED UNDER THE AMENDMENT
10 CEILING FOR ASSESSMENTS, BUT ONCE THAT PROPERTY IS TRANSFERRED, THAT
CEILING GOES AWAY.
WE HAVE FOUND REGULARLY THAT PROPERTY OWNERS WILL PURCHASE THAT
WITH AN UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PROFESSIONAL HELPING THEM THAT THERE
IS -- THAT'S -- WHATEVER THEIR TAXES ARE OR WHATEVER THEIR ASSESSMENT IS
RIGHT THEN IS WHAT IT WILL BE NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER AND THE YEAR
AFTER THAT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH THOSE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND
WE'RE SENDING OUT INFORMATION TO COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS, AND I AM
SPEAKING ANY TIME AND ANYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO
HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF
-- THERE'S SOME 250,000 CALLS WE GET INTO OUR OFFICE EVERY YEAR, WE CAN
HELP PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WHOLE PROCESS WORKS.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. BALLARD.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  ON YOUR BUDGET, ROUGHLY $9 MILLION, THAT'S THE
INCOME.
DOES THAT COME OFF OF FEES OR -- I DON'T HAVE ONE.
I CAN'T LOOK AT HIM THAT WAY.
ON THE -- ROUGHLY IN HERE IT WAS SAYING ABOUT 9.
IN THE TERM NET CORE BUDGET.
>> YES, SIR.
>> THE EXPENSES WOULD BE THERE.
BUT YOU ALL DON'T BREAK THEM DOWN ANYWHERE IN HERE, THE EXPENSES IN
YOUR BUDGET.
>> ACTUALLY, THE NET CORE BUDGET, THAT NUMBER IS SOMETHING JUST SHY OF
$9 MILLION, IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE
COUNTY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT OUR ACTIVITIES THERE.
WE DO RECEIVE INCOME FROM OTHER SOURCES OTHER THAN THIS $8,997,000 ON
THE SALE OF SOME MAPS AND SOME INFORMATION AND SO FORTH.
THAT'S SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR THAT WE WOULD GET IN THAT
KIND OF INCOME.
BUT THIS AMOUNT IS WHAT WE PRODUCE.
WE SUBMIT IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR THEIR APPROVAL, AND
INTENSE SCRUTINY, AND THEN THEY SEND IT TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS FOR, I GUESS, FOR THEIR APPROVAL OR CONCURRENCE WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE'S, YOU KNOW, REQUEST FOR FUNDING OF THIS
AMENDMENT FOR OUR OFFICE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS OTHER FEES, I'M NOT LIKE THE TAX COLLECTOR WHO
SELLS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF LICENSES AND LICENSE PLATES AND THOSE
KINDS OF THINGS TO GENERATE A GREAT DEAL OF REVENUE.
THE REVENUE THAT WE RECEIVE IS RELATIVELY MINOR, A FEW THOUSAND
DOLLARS A YEAR IS BASICALLY WHAT THAT AMOUNTS TO.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE AS FAR AS A NUMBER IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE ARE
REQUESTING AND REQUIRE TO FUND THE OPERATIONS OF OUR OFFICE.
>> FROM THE COUNTY?
>> YES, SIR.
YES, SIR.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A BUDGET BREAKDOWN IN THIS
DOCUMENT HERE?
I WAS LOOKING FOR IT A WHILE AGO AND DIDN'T SEE IT.
>> YOU MEAN HOW WE DISBURSE THE $9 MILLION?
>> YEAH.
LIKE THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL, PARCELS PER PERSONNEL, I WAS JUST
WONDERING --
>> IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE, WHERE IT SAYS LOWER THAN '94, '95,
THAT INFORMATION IS BROKEN DOWN BASED ON THOSE PAST BUDGET YEARS.
LAST YEAR, THE NUMBER OF TOTAL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, 162 EMPLOYEES AND
SO FORTH.
BUT -- SO THAT'S -- I GUESS THAT'S THE BREAKDOWN AS FAR AS THAT $9 MILLION
THAT WE HAVE FUNDED FROM THE B.O.C.C.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  OKAY.
A WHILE AGO YOU MENTIONED THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.
HOW DO THEY FIT INTO THE PICTURE?
DO THEY SEND THE BUDGET DOWN OR --
>> WELL, THE PROCESS RUNS LIKE THIS:  THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS -- WELL,
I GUESS IT'S THE PROPERTY APPRAISER, THE TAX COLLECTOR, AND PERHAPS --
WELL, NO.
THE SHERIFF IS A SEPARATE ENTITY.
BUT THE TWO OF US PREPARE OUR BUDGET.
WE SUBMIT IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, AND THEY HAVE APPROVAL
AUTHORITY OVER THE BUDGETS FOR THE PROPERTY APPRAISER AND THE TAX
COLLECTOR.
ONCE THEY ANALYZE IT, AND THAT'S DUE TO THEM ON JUNE THE 1ST, SO WE JUST
SENT THAT OUT TO THEM TODAY.
ONCE THEY ANALYZE IT, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE HAS APPROVED
THAT BUDGET, THEY THEN SEND IT BACK APPROVED, AND IT IS THEN SUBMITTED
FOR RATIFICATION BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION.
NOW, IF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER
CHOOSES NOT TO FUND THE BUDGET, THEN I HAVE APPEAL AUTHORITY TO THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S EVER HAPPENED IN THIS COUNTY.
SO THAT'S THE PROCESS, IT'S ACTUALLY APPROVED, THE CONSTITUTIONAL
OFFICERS, AT LEAST PROPERTY APPRAISER AND TAX COLLECTOR, OUR BUDGETS
ARE APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE HAS GENERAL OVERSIGHT FOR ALL OF THE PROPERTY
APPRAISERS AND ALL OF THE TAX COLLECTORS IN THE STATE.
THEY ALSO PERFORM INTENSIVE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ON HOW WE ARE
PERFORMING OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY AS PROPERTY APPRAISER, SUCH AS
THE LEVEL OF ASSESSMENTS AND SO FORTH.
SO THEY ALSO ACT IN THAT CAPACITY.
I GUESS WHAT WOULD AMOUNT TO AN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF THE
PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE IS CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  THANK YOU.
>> YES, SIR.
>>JAN SMITH:  WILL THERE ANY -- ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, BOARD
MEMBERS?
MR. TURNER, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE AND GOING
THROUGH THIS.
I'M SURE IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU.
NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, MR. RICHARD AKE,
AND THIS IS THE MAN TO TALK TO ABOUT AUDITS AND INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
AND THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES.
MR. AKE, THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
>>RICHARD AKE:  THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
MY NAME IS RICHARD AKE.
AND I'M ONLY GOING TO NEED HALF OF ROB'S FIVE MINUTES.
>> I TOLD HIM FIVE MINUTES.
>>RICHARD AKE:  I DIDN'T BRING A HANDOUT BECAUSE WHEN YOU ALL ARE
FINISHED, YOU WRAP IT ALL UP AND GIVE IT TO ME TO STORE FOR 5,000 YEARS, SO
I DON'T WANT YOUR PRODUCT TO BE ANY LARGER THAN IT IS.
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK
AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE.
CLERKS OF THE CIRCUIT COURT ARE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS WHO DERIVE
THEIR AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES FROM BOTH CONSTITUTIONAL AND
STATUTORY PROVISIONS.
SINCE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST CLERK IN 1821 BY PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR
ANDREW JACKSON, THE PRIMARY JOB OF THE CLERK HAS BEEN RECORDKEEPING.
SIDE NOTE.
THE FIRST OFFICER THAT GOVERNOR JACKSON APPOINTED WHEN HE REACHED
FLORIDA WAS HIS AIDE TO BE THE CLERK.
SO THE CLERK IS, I GUESS, THE OLDEST OFFICE IN FLORIDA GOVERNMENT.
WE LIKE TO BRAG ABOUT THAT.
THINGS IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE THAT ARE OLD ARE VERY GOOD.
THE CLERK DOES NOT MAKE JUDICIAL DECISIONS BUT DOES KEEP THE RECORDS
OF THOSE DECISIONS.
THE CLERK DOES NOT NORMALLY BUY AND SELL LAND BUT DOES KEEP RECORDS
OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS.
THE CLERK DOES NOT DECIDE HOW TO SPEND THE COUNTY'S REVENUE BUT DOES
MAKE AND KEEP A RECORD OF HOW THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COME TO THAT DECISION, AS WELL AS MAKING AND KEEPING ALL OFFICIAL
ACCOUNTING RECORDS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
MANY VIEW THIS ROLE OF THE CLERK AS THE INDEPENDENT MAKER AND KEEPER
OF THE RECORD AND ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL WAY THAT IS WE CAN ASSURE TO THE
PUBLIC THAT A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES EXISTS IN COUNTY
GOVERNMENT.
THE CLERK IS AN OFFICER OF THE COURT, SERVES IN AN ADMINISTERIAL
CAPACITY.
THE CLERK DOES NOT HAVE THE DUTY OR THE POWER TO DECIDE THE
SUFFICIENCY OF A COMPLAINT.
THE DUTIES OF THE CLERK INVOLVE A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES ESSENTIAL TO THE SMOOTH OPERATION OF
JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS WHICH RESULT IN GOOD GOVERNMENT.
I SERVE THE COURTS BY KEEPING THE COURTS' RECORDS AND SEAL, MAINTAINING
ITS DOCKETS BY ISSUING PROCESS, ENTERING JUDGMENTS AND MAINTAINING
COPIES OF THE RECORD AND OTHER DUTIES.
I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING, ACCOUNTING FOR, AND DISPENSING
DISBURSEMENTS AS DIRECTED BY THE COURT.
MY OFFICE IS BOTH CIRCUIT AND COUNTY COURT, WHICH INCLUDES
ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS FOR CIVIL, PROBATE, GUARDIANSHIP, TRUST AND
ADMINISTRATION, MENTAL HEALTH, JUVENILE, TRAFFIC.
ALSO INCLUDED ARE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROCESSING APPELLATE CASES FOR
CIVIL, CRIMINAL, AND PROBATE ACTIONS AND NONJUDICIAL ACTIONS FROM
ISSUING MARRIAGE LICENSES TO ISSUING VARIOUS OATHS AND AFFIDAVITS.
THE CLERK IS THE OFFICIAL RECORDER OF ALL INSTRUMENTS THAT BY LAW MUST
BE RECORDED IN THE COUNTY WHERE HE IS CLERK.
I AM REQUIRED TO RECORD ALL INSTRUMENTS IN ONE GENERAL SERIES OF BOOKS
CALLED THE OFFICIAL RECORD.
THESE MUST BE READILY ACCESSIBLE AND CONVENIENT FOR USE BY BOTH MY
OFFICE AND THE PUBLIC.
UNDER THE CONSTITUTION IS THE CLERK'S OFFICIAL DUTY TO AUDIT ALL
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF THE COUNTY AND TO REFUSE TO SIGN AND
DELIVER A CHECK FOR ANY UNLAWFUL EXPENDITURE, EVEN THOUGH APPROVED
BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
IN ADDITION TO THE CLERK'S PREAUDIT FUNCTION, SINCE 1992, THE CLERK HAS
HAD A COUNTY AUDIT DEPARTMENT WHICH DOES FINANCIAL AND COMPLIANCE
AUDITS OF DEPARTMENTS UNDER THE BOARD AND MAY DO PERFORMANCE
AUDITS UPON REQUEST OF THE BOARD.
I WILL TALK MORE ABOUT AUDITS LATER.
AS EX OFFICIO CLERK TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, I AM
RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE OFFICIAL MINUTES AND ACCOUNTS OF THE
BOARD AND FOR PERFORMING ALL OTHER DUTIES AS THE BOARD DIRECTS.
WE MUST BE PREPARED TO ACCOMMODATE CHANGING CONDITIONS AND MAKE
TIMELY RESPONSES TO IMMEDIATE INFORMATION NEEDS.
THE CLERK IS THE BOARD'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
I HAVE THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE -- FOR ACCOUNTING AND
DISBURSING OF FUNDS FOR ALL COUNTY OPERATIONS UNDER THE BOARD'S
CONTROL.
THIS RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY AUDITOR AND CUSTODIAN OF ALL COUNTY
FUNDS ALLOWS US TO SERVE AS A CHECK AND BALANCE FUNCTION ON BEHALF OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THE CLERK AS ESTABLISHED BY THE CONSTITUTION, INDEPENDENT FROM THE
BOARD, PROTECTS THE BUDGET FROM BEING OVERSPENT, ENSURES THAT THE
SPENDING IS FOR LEGAL PURPOSES, AND PROTECTS THE PUBLIC'S PURSE BY
DIRECT ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC.
TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
OUR EMPLOYEES ARE DEDICATED AND TAKE PRIDE IN THE JOB THAT THEY DO.
WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES WELL TRAINED AND PROVIDE
THEM WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB.
WE HAVE A WELLNESS PROGRAM MANAGED BY EMPLOYEES AND A TRAINING
DEPARTMENT WHICH FOCUSES ON PROVIDING TRAINING TO HELP OUR
EMPLOYEES IN PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES, BOTH OF WHICH WE BELIEVE RESULTS
IN SAVINGS TO THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
ADDITIONALLY, I REGULARLY MEET WITH OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS TO
EXPLORE WAYS TO REDUCE DUPLICATION BY COMBINING SERVICES AND SHARING
EXPERTISE, THUS REDUCING COST.
WE ARE ALSO A VERY COMMUNITY-MINDED ORGANIZATION.
WE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN FIVE FUND-RAISERS EACH YEAR FOR THE
FOLLOWING CHARITIES:  UNITED WAY, MARCH OF DIMES, DIABETES FOUNDATION,
THE AMERICAN HEART FOUNDATION, AND METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES.
WE LOOK FOR WAYS TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO THE
PUBLIC, PARTICIPATING IN QUARTERLY TOWN HALL MEETINGS WITH THE BOARD
AND HAVING A BOOTH AT JOB FAIRS THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THESE ARE EXCITING TIMES IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
IN FEBRUARY 1998, WE IMPLEMENTED A NEW RECORDING SYSTEM THAT UTILIZES
STATE-OF-THE-ART IMAGES TECHNOLOGY.
THIS ENABLES US TO MAKE IMAGES OF RECORDED DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE TO
THE PUBLIC WITHIN 24 HOURS OF RECORDING.
IT ALLOWS TO US STORE AND RETRIEVE A MASSIVE NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS
QUICKLY AND AT A RELATIVELY LOW COST.
APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO WE BEGAN PLANNING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE
COURT SYSTEM, WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY.
ON JANUARY 24TH OF THIS YEAR, WE COMPLETED THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS
PROJECT WHEN WE WENT LIVE WITH BOTH CRIMINAL MISDEMEANOR AND FELONY
COURTS.
THIS CJIS OR CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM IS USED JOINTLY BY THE
OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF, STATE ATTORNEY, PUBLIC DEFENDER, AND THE COURTS.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS THESE WILL FURTHER ALLOW US TO EXPAND
SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS AND, IN FACT, WE HAVE, THIS MONTH, OPENED OUR
FIRST BRANCH RECORDING OFFICE IN PLANT CITY COUNTY BUILDING.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATION FOR CITIZENS TO PAY CERTAIN TYPES OF
TRAFFIC FINES BY PHONE OR INTERNET USING CREDIT CARDS.
WE HOPE TO SOON HAVE AVAILABLE OUR OFFICIAL RECORDS ON THE INTERNET
AND BELIEVE COURT RECORDS AND ELECTRONIC FILINGS WILL SOON FOLLOW.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I WORKED IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE FOR 39 YEARS SERVING
AS CLERK SINCE 1985.
I'VE SEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHANGE FROM A RURAL COUNTY TO AN
URBAN COUNTY WITH DEMANDS FOR SERVICES THAT ARE MORE SOPHISTICATE
AND COMPLEX.
I RESPECT AND ADMIRE INDIVIDUALS FOR WHOM PUBLIC OFFICE IS A WAY TO GIVE
BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT IN MY YEARS OF
GOVERNMENT, MOST OF THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM I'VE WORKED HAVE BEEN
HONORABLE IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH ME AND HAVE THE GOAL OF MAKING OUR
COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
I'VE REVIEWED YOUR DISCUSSION LIST PROVIDED TO ME BY MS. MERRITT AND
FIND THAT TWO OF THE EIGHT DIRECTLY RELATE TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND
WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THOSE TWO.
ON THE ISSUE OF COUNTY INTERNAL AUDITOR, I HAVE REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL
THAT I BELIEVE IS BEFORE YOU.
I AM SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO A DOCUMENT LABELED "DRAFT" THAT IS NOTED
AS BEING DRAFTED BY RON GLICKMAN IN 1995 AND MODIFIED BY RAFFLE HUGHES
IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR.
I DO NOT BELIEVE -- RALPH HUGHES IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR.
I DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IS A DUPLICATION OR IN CONFLICT
WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF MY OFFICE.
THE ONE CONFLICT IS IN THE TITLE.
BY STATUTE, I AM THE COUNTY AUDITOR.
WE USE INTERNAL AUDITOR AS A WORKING TITLE.
THE PROPOSAL SEEMS TO ADDRESS PERFORMANCE AUDITS, AND I WOULD
RECOMMEND IT BE ADDRESSED AS THE COUNTY PERFORMANCE AUDITOR AND
NOT THE INTERNAL AUDITOR.
AS TO THE PROPOSAL ON THE STATUS OF CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, I WOULD
RECOMMEND NO CHANGES AT ALL.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU, MR. AKE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE IT HAD BEEN 39 YEARS.
>> 39 YEARS IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO THINK ANDREW JACKSON APPOINTED ME IN THE
ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT, BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.
I CAME MUCH LATER.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE GETTING TO.
YOU SAID YOU WERE AN OLD CLERK.
>> I AM AN OLD CLERK.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  ON THE APPOINTED AUDITORS WE HAD IN THAT THING WHICH
WOULD APPOINT THE B.O.C.C., HOW DOES THAT BECOME INDEPENDENT?
WOULD YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH THAT PERSON?
I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FINANCIAL AND
COMPLIANCE AUDIT AS OPPOSED TO PERFORMANCE.
>>RICHARD AKE:  MR. HURLEY, I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, BUT FOR THE OTHERS, I
CURRENTLY OPERATE AN AUDIT DEPARTMENT UNDER THREE-PARTY
CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENT WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
IT PROVIDES THE SCOPE OF WHAT MY AUDITS WILL BE, AND BASICALLY, IN
LAYMAN'S TERMS, THEY ARE COMPLIANCE FINANCIAL AUDITS.
IT DOES ALLOW IF THE BOARD SHOULD CHOOSE THAT I CAN DO PERFORMANCE
AUDITS.
THE REASON THAT WE DON'T DO IS BECAUSE THE BOARD HAS NEVER CHOSEN TO
ASK US TO DO SO, AND WE HAVEN'T STAFFED AND AREN'T REALLY IN POSITION TO
DO PERFORMANCE AUDITS WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF OUTSIDE EXPERTISE.
THE BOARD CHOSE, INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE CONTRACT WITH ME, TO
ESTABLISH A PROCESS BY WHICH IT CONTRACTS THROUGH THE COUNTY
ADMINISTRATOR FOR PERFORMANCE AUDITS BASED ON THE BOARD'S NEED.
AS I READ THIS PROPOSAL, WHAT I SEE IS THAT SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, NOT IN THE
PROCESS THAT I'M CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT THAT'S THE WAY I READ
THE PROPOSAL.
WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BY MR. GLICKMAN, IT WAS A DIRECT
CONFLICT.
IT HAS BEEN ALTERED.
>> MY QUESTION IS SINCE YOU DO ALL THE AUDITS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, DOES
ANYBODY EVER AUDIT YOUR OFFICE, AND IF THEY DO, WHO DOES IT?
>>RICHARD AKE:  I AM PROBABLY THE MOST AUDITED PERSON.
WE HAVE AN ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDIT THAT'S REQUIRED BY CHAPTER 11
FLORIDA STATUTES.
AND BY THE WAY, WE DO PREPARE A COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL REPORT THAT
INCLUDES ALL AGENCIES OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS PREPARED BY LAW, BUT IS PRIMARILY FOR USE BY OUR BONDING
AGENCIES AND PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND MUST, IN FACT,
CONFORM WITH STANDARDS BY THE AICPA.
AND THIS DOES INCLUDE THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, AS WELL AS
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES.
ANYONE WHO DEPENDS ON THIS TAX BASE IS INCLUDED IN THAT GROUP.
IT'S INCLUDED IN THE CAFR.
THAT IS AVAILABLE.
IT IS AN ACCOUNTANT'S DOCUMENT.
IT IS NOT A USER-FRIENDLY DOCUMENT THAT YOU ARE TALKING TO A COMMON
CITIZEN WOULD PROBABLY NOT WANT TO READ THAT.
CANDIDATES FOR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS USUALLY COME BY AND
PICK IT UP AND SAY THEY'RE GOING TO READ IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
THEY EVER ACTUALLY DO OR NOT.
BUT IT DOES, IN FACT, BRING EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE
COUNTY ON WHICH THE TAXPAYERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR INTO ONE PLACE SO
THAT OUR CREDITORS CAN EVALUATE OUR FINANCIAL POSITION.
EXCUSE ME.
I GOT TO TALKING AND FORGOT YOUR -- OH, WHO ELSE AUDITS ME?
>> IF ANYONE AUDITS YOU, WHO DOES IT?
>>RICHARD AKE:  I AM AUDITED BY THE SUPREME COURT AS IT RELATES TO MY
AREAS OF COURT.
EVERY YEAR YOU READ WHERE THE SUPREME COURT HAS SUBMITTED TO THE
LEGISLATURE A LIST OF NUMBER OF JUDGES, NEW JUDGES THAT ARE NEEDED.
THESE COME FROM STATISTICS THAT ARE DEVELOPED IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND
ARE AUDITED BY THE COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COURTS ARE
INDEPENDENT OF THE JUDGES THEMSELVES.
WE ARE AUDITED IN EACH OF THE PARTICULAR AREAS THAT WE GO.
WE ARE AUDITED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AS IT RELATES TO THE
INTANGIBLE TAX THAT WE COLLECT FOR RECORDING.
WE ARE AUDITED BY THE BOARD.
AND IN FACT, THE INTERNAL AUDIT OF THE CLERK'S DEPARTMENT DOES, IN FACT,
AUDIT DEPARTMENTS OF THE CLERK'S OFFICE BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST ANYBODY.
I WATCH EVERYBODY.
BUT OUR PRIMARY AUDITOR IS THE -- IS THE -- RIGHT AT THE MOMENT IS ERNST &
YOUNG, AND IT'S A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT PERMITTED BY THE BOARD.
>>DENISE LASHER:  THANKS FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
I GUESS I HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON MS. WILLIAMS' QUESTION.
WHO AUDITS THE OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS?
>>RICHARD AKE:  EACH OF THEM ARE AUDITED BY ERNST & YOUNG.
WHEN I PREFER THE CAFR, I DO SO FROM AUDITED DATA.
I WOULD NOT PUT INTO A COUNTY DOCUMENT NUMBERS THAT HAD NOT BEEN
VERIFIED INDEPENDENTLY OR WERE NOT, IN FACT, PRODUCED BY MYSELF.
SO EACH OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS ARE, UNDER CHAPTER 11, AUDITED
BY A FIRM HIRED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, IT'S ERNST & YOUNG.
WE CHANGE EVERY FIVE YEARS.
>>DENISE LASHER:  THAT'S AN ANNUAL AUDIT?
>>RICHARD AKE:  THAT'S AN ANNUAL AUDIT AND REQUIRED BY LAW.
CHAPTER 11 ALSO PROVIDES THAT THE AUDITOR GENERAL CAN, IF THEY CHOOSE,
AUDIT ANY COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
THE REALITY IS THEY DON'T BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO DO
SO.
>>DENISE LASHER:  AND JUST ONE OTHER QUESTION.
HOW ABOUT PERFORMANCE AUDITS?
ARE THOSE --
>> THE LAW PROVIDES THE BOARD CAN CAUSE CONSTITUTIONALS TO HAVE
PERFORMANCE AUDITS.
CLEARLY THE CONSTITUTIONALS DON'T ANSWER TO THE BOARD.
THAT'S NOT THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT WE HAVE.
BUT THE BOARD DOES FUND, IN SOME WAY, MOST OF IT.
SO IN ITS ROLE OF FUNDING US, IT HAS THE RIGHT TO EVALUATE HOW WISELY
WE'RE USING THE MONEY.
THEY CAN, AT THEIR DISCRETION, PERFORM PERFORMANCE AUDITS OF ANY OF
THE CONSTITUTIONALS.
THEY HAVE NEVER DONE THIS.
THAT'S A FAIRLY RECENT LAW THAT PASSED FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO.
BUT -- AND THERE IS A VALID REASON.
IF WE HAD A PERFORMANCE AUDIT AND IT SAID WE THINK RICHARD SHOULD PUT
MORE PEOPLE IN ONE DEPARTMENT AND LESS PEOPLE IN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT,
THE BOARD CAN'T DO THAT.
THAT'S UP TO RICHARD TO DO THAT.
HE IS THE ONE CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GETTING THE WORK OUT,
AND SO OTHER THAN VALIDATING THAT THE MONEY IS BEING USED PROPERLY
AND WISELY, I DON'T KNOW THE ROLE THAT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT WOULD
HAVE.
>>DENISE LASHER:  WELL, I GUESS WE DO PERFORMANCE AUDITS OF, YOU KNOW,
MANY DIFFERENT COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I GUESS IT COULD BE KIND OF A REPORT CARD FOR THE CITIZENS OF
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IF ONE WERE TO BE DONE.
I GUESS THAT'S WHAT THE POSITION SOME PEOPLE WOULD TAKE OF
PERFORMANCE AUDITS, IT'S A WAY FOR THE CITIZENS TO SEE WHAT KIND OF JOB
THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE DOING IN THOSE CAPACITIES, AND ALSO FOR THE
HEAD OF THOSE OFFICES TO GAUGE IF THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
THAT, I GUESS, WOULD BE THOSE WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF THEM, THAT PROBABLY
WOULD BE ONE --
>>RICHARD AKE:  THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THOSE THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF SAY.
WHEN THEY FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST, THEY FIND OUT IT'S
SOMETHING THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THIS YEAR.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. WHITE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE WITH HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY, YOU WERE INVOLVED IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT BEFORE THE CHARTER
WAS PUT IN PLACE, AND YOU'VE BEEN IN SERVICE SINCE IT'S BEEN IN PLACE.
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE CHARTER?
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO SEE CHANGED IN THIS CHARTER?
>>RICHARD AKE:  IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE, WE ARE THE INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY.
WE ARE PROBABLY THE LAST TO CHANGE, AND THERE'S SOME REAL GOOD
REASONS WHY WE SHOULD BE THAT.
OUR ROLE IS BASICALLY TAKING WHAT IS GIVEN TO US BY THE LEGISLATIVE OR
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND DOING THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN WITH IT.
WHERE I WOULD DENOTE A PROBLEM OR A REASON TO COME TO THE CHARTER
REVIEW AND RECOMMEND A CHANGE WOULD BE IF I COULD NOT DO MY JOB AND
DO IT EFFECTIVELY, AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT IS THE CASE.
I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE IN MY ABILITY TO DO MY JOB WITHIN THE
CONSTRAINTS CURRENTLY PROVIDED BY THE CHARTER.
>>GERALD WHITE:  JUST ONE CONCERN, NOT WITH YOU AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL
INDIVIDUAL, BUT ONCE YOU MOVE ON AND RETIRE AND SOMEONE ELSE TAKES
YOUR PLACE, THIS CONCERN HAS BEEN RAISED TO ME.
IF SOMEONE WANTED TO HOLD THE PURSE SPRING, NOT RELEASE THE MONEY,
BECAUSE THEY ARE A CONSTITUTIONAL, THEY CAN DO THAT.
IS THAT TRUE?
>>RICHARD AKE:  THEY CAN DO THAT UNTIL THE GOVERNOR REMOVED THEM
FROM OFFICE, YES, WHICH TAKES ABOUT 24 HOURS.
IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A VALID REASON.
BY LAW, I'M CHARGED WITH DOING THAT IF IT'S AN UNLAWFUL EXPENDITURE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A TRUE HOME RULE CHARTER IF A
CONSTITUTIONAL CONTROLS THE MONEY.
IS THAT TRUE?
>>RICHARD AKE:  I WOULD NOT AGREE WITH THAT.
WHAT HOME RULE ISSUE IS MISSING?
>>GERALD WHITE:  WELL, CONTROL OF THE MONEY.
>>RICHARD AKE:  HOW DOES CONTROL OF THE MONEY COME UP LACKING NOW?
>>GERALD WHITE:  IT DOESN'T.
I JUST -- I AM NOT SPEAKING TO YOU.
I'M JUST -- IT WAS A CONCERN RAISED TO ME, AND I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE
IT -- BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND GET A RESPONSE.
>>RICHARD AKE:  GOOD GOVERNMENT IS GOOD PEOPLE, AND HOW YOU ATTRACT
THEM MAY BE SOMETHING THAT THE CHARTER COULD VERY WELL BE A POSITIVE
OR A NEGATIVE FORCE ON.
CERTAINLY I THOUGHT THE CHANGES ON THE COMMISSION DISTRICTS WAS A
GOOD CHANGE, AND IT'S PROVEN TO WORK WELL.
IT DOESN'T GUARANTEE GOOD PEOPLE NO MORE THAN STATUTORY OR
CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES GOOD PEOPLE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  IN MY MIND, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WAS THAT A TRUE LOOP
IN THE SYSTEM.
>>RICHARD AKE:  A LOOP?
>>GERALD WHITE:  YEAH.
>>RICHARD AKE:  I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT LOOP MEANS.
YOU MEAN A HOLE?
>>GERALD WHITE:  A HOLE.
IF THE CONSTITUTIONAL WANTED TO HOLD UP MONIES, THEY COULD.
>>RICHARD AKE:  I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS A HOLE IN THE SYSTEM OR HAS EVER
CREATED A PROBLEM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN MY TIME WITH ANY OF THE
CONSTITUTIONALS.
>>GERALD WHITE:  I AM SPEAKING RELATED TO THE CLERK AND AS TREASURER,
AS THE HOLDER OF MONIES.
>>RICHARD AKE:  YOU FEEL IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF I WERE APPOINTED BY THE
CHARTER AS OPPOSED TO THE CONSTITUTION?
OR IF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HAD THE MONEY INSTEAD OF THE CLERK?
>>GERALD WHITE:  WELL, I'M SAYING THAT, YES, IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
THE LOOP WOULD BE CLOSED.
THE POSSIBILITY WOULD NOT EXIST IF THE FUNDS WERE -- IF THE CHECK WAS
WRITTEN WITHIN THE CHARTER VERSUS OUTSIDE THE CHARTER.
>>RICHARD AKE:  WE SEE THE INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED CLERK AS BEING A
CHECK AND BALANCE AND A POSITIVE THING, NOT A NEGATIVE THING.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT --
>>GERALD WHITE:  MY LAST THOUGHT.
RELATED TO PUBLIC RECORDS, TAPES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ARE THOSE
CONSIDERED TO BE UNDER YOUR CONTROL, PUBLIC RECORDS?
>>RICHARD AKE:  MOST PUBLIC RECORDS ARE IN MY OFFICE, YES.
THEY ARE NOT ALL THERE.
AND MOST RECORDS IN MY OFFICE ARE PUBLIC, BUT NOT ALL.
SOME THINGS ARE PROTECTED BY LAW.
JUVENILE RECORDS, HEALTH RECORDS, THESE TYPE OF THINGS, POLICE
DEPARTMENT ADDRESSES, THESE CANNOT BE MADE PUBLIC, BUT THE BULK OF
RECORDS I KEEP ARE SPECIFICALLY GIVEN TO ME FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING
THEM AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
>>GERALD WHITE:  ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS RELATED TO
YOUR OFFICE?
>>RICHARD AKE:  NEVER SATISFIED WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT YES, THE
BOARD TREATS ME VERY FAIRLY.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. BEDKE.
>>MIKE BEDKE:  JUST ONE QUESTION.
DOESN'T REALLY PERTAIN TO THE CHARTER, BUT A COMMENT YOU JUST MADE
MADE ME THINK OF IT.
DO YOU SEE A POTENTIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERN WHEN -- WHETHER IT'S
ONE OF OUR PROCEEDINGS OR A BOARD PROCEEDING -- PEOPLE GET UP AND STATE
THEIR NAME AND THE ADDRESS AT WHICH THEY LIVE?
>>RICHARD AKE:  WE DO THIS FOR PURPOSES OF THE RECORD TO BE ABLE TO
IDENTIFY THEM.
MOST PEOPLE DO NOT ACTUALLY GIVE US THEIR ADDRESS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES
THAT ARE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE ANGRY.
THEY SAY I'M SO-AND-SO AND I LIVE IN NORTH TAMPA OR SOMETHING TO THIS
EFFECT.
WE DO NOT PURSUE THEM ON THAT.
WE DO NOT REQUIRE THEM.
WE ASK THAT THEY PROVIDE US WITH ENOUGH OF AN ADDRESS AND NAME THAT
WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT THEY DO.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THIS PARTICULAR AREA HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM.
>>JAN SMITH:  ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>>GERALD WHITE:  I DO HAVE ONE I WANT TO MAKE SURE I ASK THIS.
YOU USE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY?
>>RICHARD AKE:  DO I USE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY?
MY FUNDING COMES FROM ABOUT 60 PERCENT FROM THE COUNTY, ABOUT 40
PERCENT FROM FEES.
FOR THOSE AREAS FUNDED BY THE COUNTY, MY FIRST ATTORNEY IS THE COUNTY
ATTORNEY.
HOWEVER, MANY TIMES SHE DETERMINES THAT SHE IS IN CONFLICT.
MOST FREQUENTLY, MY QUESTION ABOUT CAN THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS DO WHAT THEY JUST DID, AND SHE ALREADY HAS A CLIENT IN
THAT ISSUE, AND SO SHE WILL CONFLICT OUT ON THAT, AND IN THAT CASE, WILL I
USE MY OWN IN-HOUSE COUNSEL.
I DO NOT USE OUTSIDE COUNSEL UNLESS THERE IS AN AREA OF LAW THAT WE'RE
DEALING WITH THAT I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH USING.
IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED.
>>GERALD WHITE:  SOME CITIZENS HAVE REQUESTED THAT THE COUNTY
ATTORNEY REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?
>>RICHARD AKE:  MY PERSONAL OBSERVATION IN LITIGATION WITH ME, SHE
DOES.
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS
HER FIRST CLIENT.
SHE MAKES THAT VERY CLEAR.
AND AS IT SHOULD BE.
BUT ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE BOARD AND I JOINTLY, SHE DOES REPRESENT
ME AND REPRESENT ME VERY COMPETENTLY.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. AKE, MR. BEDKE'S ISSUE IS SORT OF LIKE MINE.
I'M CURIOUS AS TO HOW YOU DEAL WITH THE NUMEROUS TIMES THAT YOU MUST
RECORD PEOPLE'S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS AND HOW THEY ARE PROTECTED
WITHIN YOUR SYSTEM.
>>RICHARD AKE:  IT'S DIFFICULT.
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS ON O.R. DOCUMENTS, THINGS RECORDED -- ONE OF
THE REALLY GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE OFFICIAL RECORD IS WHEN YOU PUT
SOMETHING IN, THERE'S NO WAY TO EVER TAKE IT OUT.
AND AN OFFICER'S ADDRESS OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER THAT WAS CONTAINED
ON A RECORDED DOCUMENT, A JUDGMENT, AND NOW THEY ARE REQUIRED FOR
CHILD SUPPORT JUDGMENTS, WHEN PUT INTO THE O.R. CAN'T COME OUT.
IF YOU KNOW ABOUT IT PRIOR TO THE RECORDING, YOU CAN BLOCK IT OUT OR
YOU CAN MANAGE TO KEEP IT FROM BEING PUBLIC, BUT IF A DOCUMENT IS ON
FILE, IF YOU BOUGHT A HOUSE TEN YEARS AGO AND NOW YOU TAKE A JOB AS A
POLICE OFFICER AND WANT ME TO SUPPRESS YOUR ADDRESS, I CAN'T DO IT.
I MECHANICALLY CAN'T DO IT.
SO IT BECOMES AN ISSUE.
I'M CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO LAWS.
ONE THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OUT AND ONE THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T GIVE IT.
IN MOST AREAS, WE KNOW IN ADVANCE THE TYPE OF INFORMATION.
BIRTH CERTIFICATES USED TO -- OR EXCUSE ME -- DEATH CERTIFICATES USED TO
INCLUDE CAUSE OF DEATH.
A FEW YEARS AGO, IT WAS REQUIRED THAT THAT BE REMOVED FROM THE PUBLIC
RECORD.
SO CURRENTLY THERE ARE TWO DEATH CERTIFICATES ISSUED; ONE THAT
INCLUDES THE CAUSE OF DEATH, WHICH IS FOR GENERAL USE FOR THE PERSON,
AND ONE THAT SPECIFICALLY DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CAUSE OF DEATH THAT IS
USED TO RECORD IN THE OFFICIAL RECORD.
SO WE HAVE DEALT WITH IT ON AN INSTANT-BY-INSTANT ISSUE, AND EACH YEAR
WHEN THE LEGISLATURE MEETS, THEY WILL TWEAK IT A LITTLE BIT BY EITHER
MAKING SOMETHING THAT WASN'T PUBLIC PUBLIC OR BY MAKING SOMETHING
THAT IS NOW PUBLIC NOT PUBLIC.
SO IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT TECHNOLOGY IS SUCH A WONDERFUL BOON TO
THE CLERK'S OFFICE BECAUSE WE CAN NOW DO THINGS WITH COMPUTERS THAT
WE COULDN'T DO WITH MICROFILM OR WITH OTHER SYSTEMS.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. AMBLER.
>>KEVIN AMBLER:  JUST A BRIEF QUESTION, OFF A LITTLE BASE FROM THE
CHARTER ISSUE, BUT A COUPLE OF SIDE ISSUES HAVE COME UP DEALING WITH
YOUR OFFICE.
THE COUNTY COMMISSION JUST RECENTLY PASSED A LIEN ORDINANCE
APPLICABLE TO ALL PRIVATE HOSPITALS, AND THAT LIEN ORDINANCE WOULD
CALL, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE PRIVATE FACILITY WOULD RECORD A
LIEN IN PUBLIC RECORDS CONTAINING CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT PATIENT
BILL AND HOW MUCH THEY OWED AND SO FORTH.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FEELINGS ABOUT THE PRIVACY ISSUES INVOLVED IN
RECORDING, AS YOU SAY, IN THESE OFFICIAL PUBLIC DOCUMENTS CANNOT BE
REMOVED, INFORMATION REGARDING A PATIENT'S MEDICAL CARE AND THE
CHARGES THEREFORE?
>>RICHARD AKE:  AS YOU KNOW, MEDICAL RECORDS ARE GENERALLY NOT
PUBLIC.
OUR ATTORNEY IS, IN FACT, LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AS IT RELATES
TO THE LIEN ORDINANCE, ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE
CONTAINED IN THAT ORDINANCE.
AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I DON'T -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR POSITION WILL
BE, BUT IT WILL BE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AND STILL DO WHAT IS REQUIRED OF
US.
USUALLY WORKING WITH THE ELECTIVE BODY, IF WE KNOW IT IN ADVANCE, WE
CAN AVOID THIS KIND OF CONFLICT.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. BALLARD.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  JUST ON PUBLIC RECORDS LAW, WHEN THE STAFF OF THE
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MEETS WITH THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS, MAYBE
SETTING POLICY OR SOMETHING IN THAT, THAT NEVER MAKES IT TO THE PUBLIC
RECORDS OR DOES IT?
>>RICHARD AKE:  IT DOES NOT, NOT UNLESS THEY'RE MEETING WITH THE BOARD
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR WITH AN ELECTED BODY.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  SO THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATOR'S SIDE, THERE IS NO
RECORDS OR ANYTHING?
>>RICHARD AKE:  THE COUNTY ATTORNEY COULD ADDRESS THE SUNSHINE LAW
BETTER THAN I, BUT AS THE CLERK TO THE BOARD, WE DON'T RECORD STAFF
MEETINGS.
WE DON'T KEEP ANY RECORDS OF THAT TYPE OF THING.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. AKE?
>>GERALD WHITE:  I HAVE ONE THOUGHT BASED ON THE CONFLICT WITH THE
COUNTY ATTORNEY.
IF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WAS INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED, WOULD YOU STILL
BELIEVE YOU WOULD HAVE A CONFLICT IN USING THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S
SERVICES?
>>RICHARD AKE:  I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE A CONFLICT.
SHE BELIEVES I HAVE A CONFLICT.
WE TRUST HER TO MAKE THE JUDGMENT CALL AS TO WHETHER SHE FEELS HER
CLIENT, THE BOARD, IS IN CONFLICT WITH MY BEING HER CLIENT IN IT
PARTICULAR INSTANT.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. AKE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
I THINK YOU ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN OUR MINDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>RICHARD AKE:  THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  BOB HUNTER HAS DEFERRED TO MR. ROGER STEWART, SO MR.
STEWART, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU NEXT, IF YOU WOULD JOIN US.
THIS GENTLEMAN HAS BEEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 1968.
HE WAS HEAD OF THE POLLUTION RECOVERY AGENCY, A DEPARTMENT OF THE
COUNTY, AND THEN BECAME THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE E.P.C. HERE, AND I
DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER SEEING HIM ON 60 MINUTES, BUT
THIS IS A VERY FAMOUS PERSON IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WE'RE ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE THIS EVENING.
>>ROGER STEWART:  ACTUALLY, THAT EXPERIENCE, IF I SEE THAT FILM TODAY,
I'M ALL CHOKED UP.
IT WAS -- THOSE TIMES WERE VERY TRAUMATIC FOR ME.
DON'T REMIND ME.
PLEASE.
>>JAN SMITH:  BUT LOOK WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE OF THAT.
>>ROGER STEWART:  PLEASE DON'T SAY THAT.
TELL ME I'VE BEEN BAD.
I DON'T TAKE PRAISE TOO WELL.
I'M HAPPY TO COME BEFORE YOU.
I HAVE A COUPLE -- I'D LIKE TO GO INTO A LITTLE BECOME GROUND OF E.P.C.
THE E.P.C., THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION, WAS FORMED BY
STATE LEGISLATIVE ACT, SPECIFICALLY 67-1504 OF THE LAWS OF FLORIDA, AND
OBVIOUSLY IN 1967.
I CAME ON IN EARLY '68.
THE LAW WAS RECODIFIED, AS THE LAWYERS SAY, AND BECAME 84-446.
THE LAW, AMONG OTHER THINGS, PROVIDES FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE
ENVIRONMENT AND PROVIDES THAT THE -- WHOEVER IS SITTING AS A MEMBER OF
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WILL PUT ON A DIFFERENT HAT AND
BECOME A MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION.
THE -- IF I MIGHT, A LITTLE ASIDE ON THAT SUBJECT, THIS HAS BEEN AN
EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS.
I DON'T MIND SAYING THAT WHEN THIS WAS FIRST FORMED, NOBODY COULD
SEEM TO FIND THE OTHER HAT, BUT IT'S WORKING NICELY TODAY.
BUT THE MAIN THING ABOUT THE ACT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED -- AND BY THE
WAY, WE ARE THE ONLY LOCAL PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA
CONSTITUTED BY SUCH AN ACT.
AND I MIGHT SAY THAT TO ME, THAT ACT HAS BEEN VITAL TO ANYTHING WE
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE YEARS, AND I LIKE TO THINK THAT WE'RE A
MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO THE PROPERTY VALUES MR. TURNER TALKED ABOUT.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT.
THE ACT EMPOWERS THE MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
COMMISSION SPATIALLY WITH BROADER AUTHORITY THAN THEY HAVE AS BOARD
OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE THE ACT INCLUDES THE CITY OF TAMPA,
TEMPLE TERRACE, AND PLANT CITY, AND EVERYTHING IN IT, INCLUDING THE
COUNTY GOVERNMENT ITSELF.
UNLIKE MOST OTHER LOCAL PROGRAMS WHICH ARE CONSTITUTED BY LOCAL
ORDINANCES UNDER THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, OR IN SOME CASES, RELATED
TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AS INCIDENTALLY, WE WERE IN THE VERY EARLY
DAYS, WE ARE INDEPENDENT OF ANYONE WITH REGARD TO THE REGULATION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION HAS AUTHORITY UNDER THIS
ACT TO ADOPT RULES, AND THEY HAVE, OVER THE YEARS, ADOPTED AND
OCCASIONALLY REVISED RULES THAT DEAL WITH ALL OF THE COMMON THINGS
YOU THINK OF AS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING NOISE, SOLID WASTE,
AIR POLLUTION, WATER POLLUTION THE DESTRUCTION OF WETLANDS, AND THIS
SORT OF THING.
INCIDENTALLY, I'M NOT PREPARED TO GIVE YOU PRECISE DETAILS ON CERTAIN
ASPECTS OF OUR OPERATION LIKE FINANCIAL.
I CAN GENERALIZE VERY WELL, BUT IF YOU SHOULD WISH MORE SPECIFIC
INFORMATION ON ANY AREA OF WHAT WE DO, I'M MOST HAPPY TO PROVIDE IT.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME IN THE CHARTER, AND THIS HAS BEEN TRUE
TO ME THROUGHOUT ITS EXISTENCE, IS SECTION 9-10 -- 9.10.
ALTHOUGH TO A LAYPERSON -- IT REALLY DOESN'T SAY THIS IN COMMON
EVERYDAY TERMS -- LEGALLY I'M TOLD THAT THIS STATEMENT CLEARLY MAKES
US A SEPARATE BODY FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
I PROPOSE TO YOU THAT BY VIRTUE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE REGULATORY
AUTHORITY AND DO, IN FACT, EXERCISE IT JUST AS WE WOULD ANYWHERE ELSE
OVER THE COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH AND ITS ADMINISTRATION AND THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR OF TAMPA AND PLANT CITY
AND TEMPLE TERRACE AND THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE DULY CONSTITUTED
GOVERNMENTS, THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE, ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY THAT WE BE
A SEPARATE ENTITY AND, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNT FOR OUR ACTIVITIES AS
APPROPRIATE, BUT STILL NOT BE BEHOLDING TO THE FOLKS I MENTIONED.
TO ME, THIS IS ALONG WITH THE LEGISLATIVE ACTS, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF
ALL THIS, IS THE SECRET OF THE SUCCESS OF OUR AGENCY, AND I -- WITHOUT
BEING BOASTFUL, I URGE YOU THAT OUR AGENCY IS EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, HAS
DONE WHAT IT'S SUPPOSE TODAY DO, HAS KEPT UP WITH THE TIMES, AND
SOMETIMES HAS GOTTEN AHEAD OF THE TIMES ANTICIPATING WHAT THE
FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT ARE GOING TO DO.
OUR RELATIONSHIPS PRIMARILY ARE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT.
THE E.P.A. AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
WE ARE WELL THOUGHT OF BY THESE PEOPLE, HAVE BEEN CALLED UPON BY THE
YEARS MANY TIMES TO PIONEER CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.
YOU MENTIONED COMPUTERS, AND AN INTEREST OF THOSE, EARLY ON, THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FUNDED US FOR WAYS TO COMPUTERIZE THE RECORDING
AND ANALYSIS OF AIR POLLUTION, AND ACTUALLY, THE MEASUREMENT OF AIR
POLLUTION.
WE ALSO PIONEERED WITH OUR ASSISTANTS THE REMOTE MANIPULATION OF THE
INSTRUMENTS THAT MEASURE POLLUTION ON A 24-HOUR, 365-DAY-A-YEAR BASIS.
AN AWFUL LOT HAS BEEN SAID BY SOME PEOPLE THAT WE'RE DUPLICATING
THINGS, AND THAT IT'S NOT VERY EFFICIENT, BUT I WANT TO SUGGEST TO YOU
QUITE THE OPPOSITE.
OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE EARNED THE TRUST OF BOTH THE STATE AND THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IN FACT, HAROLD BROWNER, WHO FORMALLY WAS HEAD OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WAS THE FIRST ONE TO
SEE THE PROPRIETY AND THE VALUE OF FULLY DELEGATING A STATE PROGRAM
TO A LOCAL PROGRAM.
AND SHE DELEGATED TO US FULL AUTHORITY TO ADMINISTER WHAT IS REQUIRED
BY STATE LAW, THE PROCESSING AND ISSUANCE OF PERMITS FOR ANY SOURCE OF
AIR POLLUTION.
WE HAVE HAD THAT FUNCTION FOR MANY YEARS, AN BY VIRTUE OF OUR LOCAL
INTEREST -- AND WE'RE NOT SPREAD OUT VERY MUCH -- WE, I THINK, ARE CAPABLE
OF DOING A MORE -- A MORE PRECISE JOB OF ADMINISTERING THE PERMITS.
THERE'S NOT SO MUCH SLIPPAGE.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE HOLD THEM TO THE RULES PRETTY
PRECISELY, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T EXCEED THE RULES.
BUT I THINK IT WORKS WELL.
MORE RECENTLY, THE STATE HAS SOUGHT TO GIVE US FULL AUTHORITY OVER
SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITIES.
AND EVEN MORE RECENTLY, GIVEN US AUTHORITY OVER LIQUID DISCHARGES
FROM INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES.
THE ONE MAJOR ISSUE THAT I WISH WE HAD FULL DELEGATION FOR, AND I CAN'T
GET IT, IS THE ADMINISTRATION OF WETLAND PROTECTION, WHICH HAS BEEN
GIVEN TO THE WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, AND WE'VE TALKED TO THEM FOR
MANY YEARS, BUT I GUESS THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
IT FORCES US INTO -- DUPLICATING THIS FUNCTION BECAUSE WE'RE A -- BLUNTLY
AND FRANKLY, WE ARE NOT ALWAYS SATISFIED WITH THEIR ADHERENCE TO THE
STANDARDS IN THIS REGARD, AND THESE ARE NATIONWIDE STANDARDS, NOT
SOMETHING WE DREAMED UP LOCALLY.
AND SO WE FEEL TO PROTECT THE WETLANDS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE
HAVE TO DO IT.
INCIDENTALLY, THE WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, I REMIND YOU, WAS
ORIGINALLY CONSTITUTED AS A FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WHOSE MISSION WAS
TO GET THE WATER OFF THE LAND.
WE, AMONG OTHERS, FOUGHT THE HELL OUT OF THAT UNTIL IT FINALLY TURN
AROUND, AND THEY FINALLY DECIDED WHAT WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF TODAY,
AND I WISH WE HAD MORE OF, IS KEEPING THE WATER UP THE HILL AND NOT
PUTTING OUT THE END OF THE PIPE.
AND THAT'S MUCH OF THE LOGIC BEHIND OUR PROTECTION OF WETLANDS.
I'M PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION.
YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST IN BUDGET.
LET ME TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF PEOPLE AS ROB
TURNER.
WE HAVE ABOUT 160.
OUR BUDGET IS ABOUT THE SAME AS HIS.
IT'S ABOUT 10 MILLION.
BUT A LONG TIME AGO -- AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE --
AMONG OTHERS, RODNEY COLSON AND WHOEVER WAS IN OFFICE WITH HIM AT
THE TIME DIRECTED US, AS OUR BOARD, AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
COMMISSION, QUIT ASKING FOR AD VALOREM MONEY, WHICH IS, BY LAW, THE
BASIC SOURCE OF OUR FUNDING.
IT SAYS THAT THE COUNTY WILL FUND US WITH AD VALOREM MONEY AS
NECESSARY TO DO THE JOB.
WELL, RODNEY AND OTHERS SAID, YOU KNOW, QUIT ASKING US FOR MONEY.
GO GET YOUR MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAVE GROWN A GREAT DEAL OVER THE YEARS, BUT OUR AD VALOREM MONEY
HAS NOT CHANGED FOR PROBABLY THE LAST EIGHT TO TEN YEARS.
IT REMAINS AT ABOUT 4 MILLION, VERY CLOSE TO IT, AND WE GET THE OTHER 6
MILLION BECAUSE WE DO CONTRACT WORK FOR THE STATE, FOR THE FEDS, AND
ACTUALLY FOR THE LEGISLATURE, THE UNDERGROUND STORAGE LEAKAGE
PROGRAM IS A LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED THING, WHICH JUST RECENTLY HAS
BEEN DOUBLED, AND WE ARE GOING TO GET TWICE AS MUCH MONEY, HAVE TO
HIRE SOME NEW PEOPLE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE INSPECTING AND
REMEDIATE -- SUPERVISING THE REMEDIATION OF A LOT MORE SITES WHERE
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE ENVIRONMENT.
OVER THE YEARS, A LOT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH TWO
IMPORTANT FACTIONS IN THIS COUNTY:  ONE, AGRICULTURE; AND THE OTHER,
THE HOME BUILDERS.
INCIDENTALLY, IF YOU SEE THE HOME BUILDERS, JOE NARKIEWICZ AND I HAVE
BUTTED HEAD LOTS OF TIMES, AND HE WROTE ME A NICE LETTER IN HIS LAST
BULLETIN.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
THE TRUTH IS WE DON'T DEAL WITH HOME BUILDERS.
WHAT WE DEAL WITH IS CONSULTANTS WHO DO WORK FOR BUILDERS,
GENERALLY.
WE RUN AFOUL WITH THOSE FOLKS BECAUSE OF OUR PROTECTION OF WETLANDS,
PRIMARILY.
THE CONSULTANTS WHO KIND OF SNIP AT US BECAUSE MAYBE THEY DIDN'T GET
THEIR PERMIT ON TIME, I LIKE TO REMIND THEM THEY WOULD NOT BE IN
BUSINESS IF WE DIDN'T PUSH THE ISSUE.
THEY ARE THERE BECAUSE WE CREATED A DEMAND FOR THE CONSULTING
BUSINESS FOR PEOPLE IN PERSONAL ENTERPRISE WHO NEED PROFESSIONAL
ADVICE.
AGRICULTURE.
SOME PEOPLE IN AGRICULTURE -- VERY FEW THESE DAYS -- WILL TELL YOU THAT
WE'VE BEEN A PROBLEM.
LET ME TELL YOU THAT FOR THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, I'VE BEEN
PARTICIPATING IN A STATE-SPONSORED PROGRAM CALLED THE WHOLE FARM
PROGRAM.
WE HAVE -- THEY SELECTED ONE FARM, WHO VOLUNTEERED TO BE THE SUBJECT
OF THIS.
THE WHOLE OBJECT WAS TO MINIMIZE THE MESS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE COMING
DOWN, WANTING PERMITS -- REQUIRING PERMITS OR INSPECTIONS.
AND WE WERE ALL FOR THAT.
IN ORDER TO GET A START ON THAT PROGRAM, CONSULTANTS DID A COMPUTER
RUN OF EVERY PERMIT THAT AN AGRICULTURAL PERSON HAS TO FILL OUT.
THERE'S A LONG LIST.
I THINK THERE WAS ONLY ONE OUT OF LITERALLY HUNDREDS THAT HAD TO DO
WITH US, AND THAT WAS, AGAIN, A STATE-MANDATED PROGRAM THAT WE
ENSURE THAT ABOVE-GROUND TANKS DON'T LEAK ALL OVER THE GROUND.
THERE WAS ANOTHER LITTLE PROBLEM, AND FRANKLY I'M -- I KIND OF FORGET
WHAT IT WAS, BUT IT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE COMMITTEE, THE WHOLE FARM
COMMITTEE, WHICH IS MADE UP OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, D.E.P.,
AND MANY OTHERS, AND IN A SENSE, THEY WERE ALL PEOPLE DOWN IN THE
RANKS THAT ATTEND THESE MEETINGS, BUT I'M THE BOSS OF THE E.P.C., AND SO I
WAS ABLE -- AND THIS IS A VIRTUE OF A LOCAL PROGRAM.
I CAN MAKE A DECISION ON A REASONABLE AND SENSIBLE REQUEST ON THE SPOT
AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW, AS RICHARD AKE SAID, IT'S WITHIN THE LAW AND THAT
SORT OF THING.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO COME DOWN FROM TALLAHASSEE FROM OTHER AGENCIES
HAVE TO GO BACK AND I DON'T HAVE TO SAY MUCH MORE ABOUT THAT.
SO THERE IS A REAL VIRTUE, FIRST OF ALL, TO COMING TO US EXCLUSIVELY FOR
YOUR AIR, SEWAGE TREATMENT, OR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PERMIT.
THERE IS A REAL VIRTUE OF US BEING LOCAL AND ACCESSIBLE, ANYBODY THAT
WANTS TO SIT DOWN AND TALK TO US.
NOW, THE CRUX OF ALL OF THIS WITH REGARD TO THE CHARTER IS ONE LITTLE
PARAGRAPH THAT INDICATES TO ME -- OR MY ATTORNEY TELLS ME VERY
CLEARLY THAT WE ARE INDEPENDENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL TO OUR FUNCTIONING, SUCCESS, AND OUR
FUTURE EXISTENCE FOR THE MOST PART.
NOW, WITH THAT, AS LONG AS YOU KEEP US INDEPENDENT, WHICH WAS THE
INTENT OF THE COMMITTEES BEFORE YOU -- YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER JIM
SHIMBERG, I THINK, CHAIRED ONE OF THESE.
I DON'T RECALL THE OTHERS.
BUT THAT IS -- THAT AND OUR LEGISLATIVE ACT AND THE FACT THAT WE
OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY AS FAR AS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IS
CONCERNED FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS VITAL TO OUR SUCCESS.
YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT COUNTY ATTORNEY.
IF YOU ASK ME THAT, WE DEFINITELY USE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY FOR THINGS
WHICH ARE -- YOU BE MIGHT SAY HOUSEKEEPING THINGS.
IF ONE OF MY PEOPLE -- ALL OF OUR VEHICLES BELONG TO HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY.
OUR BUILDINGS BELONG TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, OUR PROPERTY.
IF ONE OF MY PEOPLE HAS AN AUTO ACCIDENT -- AND I HAD TO DEAL WITH ONE OF
THOSE JUST TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY -- THERE IS AN ATTORNEY IN THE COUNTY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHO IS AN EXPERT IN DEALING WITH THOSE THINGS, AND
CLEARLY THAT IS NOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL THING, SO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY
DOES THAT.
WE COUNT ON THE COUNTY'S PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
IT'S FOOLISH FOR US TO HAVE A SMALL INDEPENDENT PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
IT'S INEFFICIENT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.
THE HUMAN RESOURCES MATTERS.
THEY JUST BEAUTIFULLY PROCESSED MY RETIREMENT.
I'M SURE THAT THE LADY WHO DOES THAT DESERVES A METAL.
GRACE BERMEISTER.
HAPPY TO MENTION HER NAME.
BUT THERE ARE SOME ISSUES -- AND I HAVE THREE ATTORNEYS FULL TIME ON
STAFF, AND AN EVER INCREASING NUMBER OF ISSUES WHICH ARE REGULATORY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THINGS AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION OF JUST ANY ORGANIZATION.
THEY ARE UNIQUE TO THE PROCESS OR THE FUNCTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION, AND THESE DAYS, YOU KNOW, I USED TO GO OUT IN FRONT OF THE
TV CAMERAS, HOLD UP A DEAD FISH, AND THAT PRETTY WELL TOLD A STORY.
THOSE DAYS ARE GONE FOREVER.
THE ISSUES ARE LEGAL, AND ARE DEALT WITH LARGELY ON THAT LEVEL.
AND SO OUR THREE ATTORNEYS ARE VERY BUSY.
I MIGHT ADD THAT WE HAVE BEEN, FOR MY PART, VERY UNWILLINGLY, TAKEN IN
TO THE AGREEMENTS THAT WERE NEGOTIATED WITH TAMPA BAY WATER.
AND WE DIDN'T DO THAT BEFORE.
THAT WAS A S.W.F.W.M.D. THING.
WATER QUANTITY.
WE ARE NOW PART OF THE AGREEMENT, AND TO PROTECT OURSELVES, WE HAVE
GEARED UP, AND WE LOOK AT EVERY PROJECT WITH GREAT SCRUTINY.
I'M HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AS A SEPARATE
SIGNATORY TO THAT AGREEMENT, AND THEY HAVE A TEAM, SO-CALLED WATER
TEAM.
BUT I AM EVEN MORE HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT ALTHOUGH THERE IS A
POSSIBILITY FOR US TO CONFLICT BECAUSE THEY ARE A WATER CONSUMER AND,
YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, I AM VERY HAPPY
TO TELL YOU THAT UP TO THIS POINT, THE TWO TEAMS ARE WORKING
COMPLETELY IN SYNC, AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THEM.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU THAT THE CONSULTING
BUSINESS HAS BEEN AROUND EVEN LONGER THAN RICHARD AKE.
>> ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING.
I SHOULD HAVE QUALIFIED THAT.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. WILLIAMS.
>> I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE INDEPENDENT, YET YOU ARE -- OR
WHOEVER IS GOING TO --
>>JAN SMITH:  MIKE.
>> I AM SORRY.
I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE SET UP UNDER THE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT, AND DOESN'T THE COUNTY COMMISSION APPOINT YOU?
>> NO.
I DON'T SERVE THE COUNTY COMMISSION.
I DON'T REPORT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
I REPORT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION.
>> COMMISSIONERS WITH THEIR HAT ON BACKWARDS.
OKAY.
NOW, YOU SAY YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE RULES?
>>ROGER STEWART:  NO.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKES
RULES.
>> WHERE DO THEY GET THAT AUTHORITY?
>>ROGER STEWART:  FROM THE LEGISLATIVE ACT, 84-446.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. TUTTLE.
>>MARY LOU TUTTLE:  MR. STEWART, BACK TO A SIMILAR QUESTION.
THE COUNTY COMMISSION DOES THINGS THAT YOU OBJECT TO, AND THEN YOU
GO TO THE E.P.C. MEETING, AND THEY ARE THERE AGAIN, BUT NOW THEY ARE THE
E.P.C.
YOU ARE ASKING THEM A LOT OF TIMES TO SUE THEMSELVES OR STOP
THEMSELVES FROM DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER, MUCH BETTER -- AND I REALIZE THIS
WOULD OPEN UP HAVING TO CHANGE YOUR LEGISLATIVE CHAPTER AND YOU
DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY OTHER THAN HAVING THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, SINCE THIS IS COUNTYWIDE, INCLUDING ALL
THREE CITIES, HAVING OTHER PEOPLE SIT AS THE E.P.C.?
BECAUSE I KNOW MANY, MANY TIMES, I HAVE SEEN YOU YELL, HOLLER, SCREAM,
DO EVERYTHING BUT HOLD UP A DEAD FISH, AND YOU HAD A DIFFERENT BOARD
TO DEAL WITH EACH TIME.
WITH A WOULD BE YOUR POSITION?
>>ROGER STEWART:  AS OF LATE, I HAVE BEEN SATISFIED WITH IT, BUT FOR YEARS
AND YEARS I PONDERED THAT QUESTION.
I DID NOT ALWAYS GET ALONG WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSION AS SOME OF YOU
MAY KNOW.
ON THE OTHER HAND, AT THE PRESENT TIME, I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION IS
AND WHAT IT HAS TO DO I THINK HAS EVOLVED TO THE POINT WHERE THE
ELECTED OFFICIALS OF THIS COUNTY ARE FULLY COGNIZANT OF IT, FULLY
RESPECTFUL OF IT.
MY ROUTINE -- THE LAW WAS CHANGED ONE TIME.
ORIGINALLY I COULD TAKE SOMEBODY TO COURT, CIVIL COURT.
AND IT WAS CHANGED SO THAT I HAVE TO ASK THE AUTHORITY OF MY BOARD,
THE E.P.C., TO TAKE SOMEONE TO COURT.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE ROUTINELY REQUEST AUTHORITY TO TAKE
APPROPRIATE -- QUOTE, UNQUOTE, APPROPRIATE LEGAL ACTION TO KIND OF
SPEED THE PROCESS UP.
WE'RE NOT ANXIOUS TO GO TO COURT, AND REALLY THAT AVOIDS COURT ACTION
MORE THAN IT PRECIPITATES IT.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT MY BOARD, THE E.P.C., WHO AT OTHER TIMES SIT AS
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WHEN I REQUEST AUTHORITY TO TAKE
APPROPRIATE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH, THE
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THEY APPROVE IT.
THEY HAVE NEVER ONCE DISAPPROVED IT.
OF COURSE, WE NEVER HAD THEM IN COURT BECAUSE WE GOT THEM TO SETTLE.
>>MARY LOU TUTTLE:  EXCUSE ME.
MAY I FOLLOW UP WITH THAT?
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PARTICULAR PERSONALITIES HERE, THOUGH, NOT THE
LAW ITSELF WHICH DEMANDS THAT THEY BE YOUR BOARD AND THEY ALSO BE
THE COUNTY COMMISSION BOARD.
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE SUCH A GOOD RAPPORT WITH NOW WILL CHANGE,
AND YET THERE'S NOTHING IN THE LAW TO PROTECT THE E.P.C.
THAT'S THE -- THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, NOT PERSONALITY, BUT THE
LAW.
>>ROGER STEWART:  I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND THEY ARE DIFFERENT
PERSONALITIES, BUT I THINK WHAT MAKES THE WHOLE THING WORK IS WHAT
MAKES EVERYTHING OR SHOULD MAKE EVERYTHING WORK, AND RICHARD AKE
KIND OF ALLUDED TO THIS.
THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY MAKE IT WORK.
OKAY?
I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF HERE 30 YEARS AGO IF IT WASN'T FOR THE PEOPLE OF
THIS COUNTY.
AND I THINK THAT'S TRUE OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.
>>MARY LOU TUTTLE:  I WON'T DO THIS ANYMORE.
ONE UNRELATED QUESTION.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS JUST PASSED A LAW THAT DOES AWAY WITH THE AIR
MONITORING IN THE COUNTIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY --
>>ROGER STEWART:  THE AUTO INSPECTIONS.
>>MARY LOU TUTTLE:  THE AUTO INSPECTIONS.
WHAT'S YOUR FEELING ON THAT?
>>ROGER STEWART:  I HAVE TRIED TO GET THEM TO DO THAT FOR ABOUT THREE
YEARS.
THE FACT IS IN THIS COUNTY, ABOUT 400 TONS OF NITROGEN OXIDE ARE EMITTED
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE BY ALL KINDS OF -- ANY COMBUSTION SORTS, POWER
PLANTS, AUTOMOBILES.
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE LAW, IT WAS EFFECTIVE.
WE HAD OLD CARS.
THEY HAD SORT OF ADD-ON POLLUTION CONTROL THINGS.
AND PEOPLE USED TO TAMPER WITH THE CARS WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED
PUTTING THEM ON BECAUSE THEY REDUCED THE EFFICIENCY.
THE LAW GAVE US AUTHORITY TO GO INTO DEALERSHIPS AND MAKE SURE THEY
DIDN'T FOOL AROUND WITH THE POLLUTION CONTROL DEVICES, MAKE SURE THEY
HAD EVERYTHING ON THEM.
EARLY ON IT WAS EFFECTIVE.
IT MEANT SOMETHING.
YOU COULD MEASURE A -- YOU KNOW, A BENEFIT.
TODAY, OUT OF THE 400 TONS, VERY OPTIMISTICALLY, 2 TONS PER DAY CAN BE
CREDITED TO THE AUTO INSPECTION PROGRAM, AND THAT'S GENEROUS.
AND REMEMBER THAT IT'S BOILING DOWN TO ONLY TWO COUNTIES, PINELLAS
AND HILLSBOROUGH WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO THAT.
WE TRIED FROM THE VERY FIRST WHEN SENATOR KAISER OF PINELLAS COUNTY
SPONSORED THE LEGISLATION -- AND HE WANTED THIS -- THAT IT BE STATEWIDE.
BUT I DON'T THINK EVEN THOUGH PENSACOLA TODAY IS THE MOST POLLUTED --
MORE THAN US.
MORE THAN WE ARE.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES IN
THE PANHANDLE OR OTHER PARTS OF THIS STATE.
I EVEN TRIED TO SELL IT OVER IN POLK AND PASCO COUNTY.
OF COURSE, THEY DRIVE INTO HILLSBOROUGH EVERY DAY.
SO IT'S A VERY INEQUITABLE PROGRAM.
AND IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING ENVIRONMENTALLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT
OF THE FACT YOU ALL KNOW FEDS IN THE STATE HAVE HAD A SETTLEMENT WITH
TECO.
THE REDUCTION IN NITROGEN OXIDE AND OTHER POLLUTANTS FROM THAT
ALONE WILL SO FAR OVERSHADOW THE AUTOMOBILE, THAT IT'S -- IT BECOMES --
THE AUTOMOBILE BECOMES DE MINIMUS.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS ONGOING.
CERTAIN UPGRADING OF BOTH THE CITY AND COUNTY INCINERATORS.
AND OTHER THINGS ONGOING WHICH WILL MAKE -- OH.
ANOTHER ONE, THE FEDERAL PEOPLE -- AND WE'VE BEEN BEHIND THIS AND TRIED
TO GET SENATOR HARGRETT TO PUSH SOME LEGISLATION ON THIS -- THE FEDERAL
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MANDATE LOW-SULFUR FUEL, WHICH WILL MAKE A BIG
DENT IN WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THE IDEA OF HAVING AN AUTOMOBILE OWNER IN THIS COUNTY GO TO AN
INSPECTION STATION FOR A -- WHAT I PERSONALLY BELIEVE IS A QUESTIONABLE
INSPECTION AND PAY $10 -- I'VE BEEN TOLD TO MY FACE BY STATE LEGISLATORS,
$6 OF THAT 10 GOES TO THE CONTRACTOR, AND HE HAS AMORTIZED HIS
INVESTMENT MANY YEARS AGO.
THE OTHER 4 GOES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR
VEHICLES.
I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO MY FACE THAT, LOOK, WE BELIEVE YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT IF
WE TAKE THIS OUT, THAT $20 MILLION WE GOT TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO
SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES.
THE POLLUTION EFFECT OF THIS IS DE MINIMUS.
THE BURDEN ON THE PUBLIC IN MY MIND IS INAPPROPRIATE.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. WHITE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON THE MANY
YEARS OF SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE BETWEEN YOU AND COMMISSIONER PLATT, YOU'VE MADE THE CITIZENS
-- HAVE EDUCATED THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
ENVIRONMENT.
SO YOU'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB, AND MYSELF AND MY FAMILY, WE
APPRECIATE IT.
>>ROGER STEWART:  THANK YOU, SIR.
WE'VE TRIED TO SERVE YOU AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
>>GERALD WHITE:  WE HAD THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HERE IN OUR LAST --
>>ROGER STEWART:  I'M HOLDING MY EAR NOT BECAUSE YOUR MIKES ARE NO
GOOD, BUT I AM AN OLD AIRPLANE PILOT, PRETTY OLD, AND I CAN'T HEAR TOO
WELL.
>>GERALD WHITE:  A QUICK QUESTION.
WE HAD THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HERE, AND HE LAID OUT SOME IDEAS FOR
US TO CONSIDER.
ONE OF THEM WAS AN ELECTED COUNTY CHAIRMAN.
AND OF COARSE, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SITS AS THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION, AND LOOKING AT THE
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF THIS ELECTED CHAIR, IF WE WERE TO DECIDE
TO GO THAT WAY, WOULD YOU -- HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT HAVING ONE
PERSON CONTINUALLY SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION COMMISSION?
>>ROGER STEWART:  I THINK THAT -- I HOPE THAT THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERING
THAT THIS ELECTED CHAFER WOULD ALSO BE THE HEAD OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION COMMISSION.
THAT WOULD NOT WORK.
THAT CANNOT WORK.
YOU BREAK UP THAT SO-CALLED SEPARATION OF AUTHORITY.
>>GERALD WHITE:  MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ON THAT, IF THE BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS WERE TO EXPAND AND THE LAW, EIGHT, FOUR, FOUR, SIX, THE
WAY I SEE IT ALL THOSE COMMISSIONERS WILL SIT -- CONTINUE TO SIT AS THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION.
>>ROGER STEWART:  I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY, BUT I WOULD ON THE SURFACE
THINK SO.
AND IF YOU ELECTED AN ADMINISTRATOR, HE WOULD NOT BE INVOLVED.
WE REGULATE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
>>GERALD WHITE:  MY QUESTION IS IF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
WANTS TO EXPAND TO, SAY, TEN NUMBERS, TWELVE NUMBERS, DO YOU SEE A
PROBLEM WITH TEN PEOPLE VERSUS THE SEVEN PEOPLE NOW SITTING AS THE
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION?
WHAT NUMBER DO YOU SEE AS A SATISFACTORY NUMBER TO GET THE JOB DONE?
>>ROGER STEWART:  I THINK THERE'S SAFETY IN NUMBERS, BUT TAKE IT FROM ME,
WORKING FOR FIVE OR SEVEN BOSSES IS NOT AN EASY TASK, AND THEY ARE
INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES.
IF YOU HAVE TEN OF THEM -- AND I TRY TO SERVE EVERYBODY.
MY BOSS, I TRY MY BEST TO DO THEIR COLLECTIVE -- AND I EMPHASIZE
"COLLECTIVE" -- BIDDING.
AND AS LONG AS THEY GIVE ME COLLECTIVE ORDERS AS A BOARD, I CAN HANDLE
IT.
I DON'T CARE HOW MANY THERE ARE.
BUT I THINK THAT GETTING UNANIMITY AMONG THAT MANY PEOPLE MAY BE A
BIT DIFFICULT.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THAT AREA.
>>GERALD WHITE:  MY LAST THOUGHT, AS A CITIZEN OF TAMPA, I'M KIND OF
SHOCKED THAT THE MAYOR OF TAMPA DOES NOT SIT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION COMMISSION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?
>>ROGER STEWART:  I'VE OFTEN WONDERED WHY THEY DIDN'T DEMAND A SEAT
AND WHY TEMPLE TERRACE AND PLANT CITY DIDN'T DEMAND A SEAT.
I THINK TO SOME EXTENT, THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERED SOME INVOLVEMENT, AND
HAVE NOT CHOSEN TO REALLY GET INTO IT.
THERE ARE REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL OF THESE GOVERNMENTS THAT SIT ON
THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
COMMISSION.
AND YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND TOLD THEM THAT IN
TRUTH, I SERVE THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND, YOU KNOW, THE
BOARD OF PLANT CITY AND TEMPLE TERRACE, EXACTLY THE WAY -- EXACTLY
THE WAY I SERVE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY.
IF THEY HAVE A CONSTITUENT WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM, WE ARE
GOING TO GET INTO IT.
AN WE HAVE DONE THAT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE CITY OF TAMPA VIOLATES ONE OF OUR CODES, WE'RE
AFTER THEM RIGHT AWAY.
WE DON'T LET THE CITY OR THE COUNTY OR ANYONE VIOLATE THE CODES.
AND BELIEVE ME, WE'VE COLLECTED A LOT OF MONEY FROM -- INCLUDING FROM
THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT THESE ARE OUT-OF-COURT, MONETARY, AGREED-TO
SETTLEMENTS.
OKAY?
NOT LEGAL JUDGMENTS.
I CAN'T -- I CAN'T FINE ANYBODY.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. BALLARD.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  YES.
MR. STEWART, ON THE WATER, WHICH IS ONE OF MY CONCERNS RIGHT NOW,
FROM EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THERE'S WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS
THE CONE RANCH OVER THERE, AND THEY ARE GOING TO DRAW DOWN.
WHERE IN THE PAST HISTORY, IN PASCO COUNTY, THE LARGE DRAWDOWNS OF
WATER HAS DRIED UP THE LAKES AND THE WETLAND AREAS, AND I'M AFRAID
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THESE OTHER AREAS.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE COULD PROTECT SOMETHING IN THE CHARTER?
APPARENTLY S.W.F.W.M.D. HAS THE CONTROL OF THIS.
OR DO YOU ALL HAVE INPUT INTO IT?
>>ROGER STEWART:  WELL, S.W.F.W.M.D. HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH SETTING
SO-CALLED MACHINE NUMBER FLOWS AND LEVELS FOR LAKES AND STREAMS.
WE HAVE BEEN -- ESPECIALLY WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER, BUT OTHER
AREAS TOO -- CONSIDERABLY AT ODDS WITH THEIR EFFORTS AND THEIR
CONCLUSIONS.
LET ME TELL YOU THAT I HAVE LONG BEEN A MEMBER OF A LOT OF OTHER
GROUPS, YOU KNOW, PROPER GROUPS, AND ONE OF THEM IS THE GREENWAYS
TASK FORCE, WHICH HAS LOOKED INTO THE UPPER HILLSBOROUGH RIVER BASIN,
INCLUDING THE CONE RANCH.
ONE OF THE CONCEPTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT DIVERSIFIED VOLUNTEER GROUP
-- NOT ALL OF THEM IN GOVERNMENT.
MANY OF THEM CITIZENS -- IS THE SO-CALLED SPONGE CONCEPT.
NOW, THE CONE RANCH HAS BEEN DREDGED -- HAS BEEN -- THE CANALS HAVE
BEEN DUG THROUGH IT, SO-CALLED STREAMS HAVE BEEN IMPROVED AND
DEEPENED TO DRAIN THE LAND.
OKAY?
AND THE SPONGE CONCEPT SAYS IF YOU PLUG UP THOSE DRAINS AND LET THE
CONE RANCH HYDRATE AS IT USED TO BEFORE THEY DRAINED IT, THAT WILL BE A
SOURCE OF WATER THAT WE DON'T HAVE NOW.
NOW, GIVEN THE NEED FOR WATER, MY PERSONAL VIEW IS THAT TAMPA BAY
WATER CAN USE THE WATER FROM THE CONE RANCH, BUT ONLY INSOFAR AS WE
CAN RAISE THE LEVEL.
THEY CAN TAKE IT BACK DOWN TO WHERE IT IS TODAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY
CAN'T TAKE IT BELOW THAT BECAUSE THEY DESTROY THE SWAMPS AND CYPRESS
HEADS IN THAT RANCH.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY OVER DEEP WELLS, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY --
WE TRIED FOR YEARS TO MAKE A CASE OF DRAWDOWN SOMETHING SUCH AS
HAPPENED IN PASCO COUNTY BY POINTING TO THE WELL.
I SIMPLY AM NOT IN THE WATER QUANTITY BUSINESS.
I DON'T HAVE THE STAFF.
WE HAVE TO RELY ON S.W.F.W.M.D. DATA TO TRY TO MAKE A CASE.
BUT IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DIRECTLY RELATE THE DRAWDOWN OF THE
SWAMP, EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING, TO THE
OPERATION OF A WELL.
AND MY STAFF, I'VE TRIED TO DO THAT FOR YEARS.
I'LL TELL YOU WITH CONE RANCH, WE CAN RAISE A LOT OF HELL.
I'M TELL YOU THAT.
AGAIN, THE SPONGE CONCEPT WOULD GIVE TAMPA BAY WATER A SUBSTANTIAL
NUMBER OF ACRE FEET OF WATER AND WOULDN'T HURT THE SWAMPS.
I LIVE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE CONE RANCH OUT IN THE BOONIES.
EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
INCIDENTALLY, I HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT OF PUTTING A COW ON MY TEN ACRES
AN GETTING GREENBELT.
MANY OF MY -- WELL, MANY FOLKS AROUND THAT PART OF THE COUNTY HAVE
DONE SO.
I HAVE NOT DONE SO, NOT SO MUCH IN DEFERENCE TO MR. TURNER'S INTERESTS,
BUT IN I DON'T LIKE TO KILL COWS.
SO I'VE NEVER DONE IT, AND I AM KIND OF GLAD THAT HE IS GETTING INTO THAT
PERSONALLY.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. AMBLER.
>>KEVIN AMBLER:  I HAVE A CONCERN, AND IT TIES IN TO WHERE YOUR
JURISDICTION IS UNDER BOTH THE CHARTER AND THE STATE LAW.
A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO I HAD A CLIENT COME TO ME AND CLAIM SHE HAD A
CONSIDERABLE HEALTH PROBLEM ARISING FROM POOR AIR QUALITY AT GAITHER
HIGH SCHOOL.
I LOOKED INTO THIS, AND IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE NOT ONLY WAS A
PROBLEM AT GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL, BUT ALSO BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL, AND
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SICK BUILDING SYNDROME --
>>ROGER STEWART:  INSIDE THE BUILDING?
>> YEAH.
SICK BUILDING SYNDROME CASES.
I DID A PUBLIC RECORDS CASE AND TO MY SHOCK LEARNED THERE WAS A GOOD
DEAL OF MOLD PROBLEM IN THE VENTILATION SYSTEM.
MY QUESTION DO YOU HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOL
BOARD, AND IF SO, DO YOU HAVE THE JURISDICTION THEN TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS
ON THEM IF YOU WERE TO GO IN AND DO AN INDEPENDENT AIR QUALITY AUDIT
AND FIND THAT THERE WERE A PROBLEM?
>>ROGER STEWART:  IF THEY GO OUT AND TRY TO PUT IN A NEW SCHOOL ON A
PIECE OF LAND AND FILL A WETLAND, I HAVE JURISDICTION.
IF THEY THROW OUT TRASH OR MAKE SMOKE, SOMETHING OUTSIDE -- OUTSIDE OF
THE BUILDING.
INSIDE OF THE BUILDING, I HAVE NO AUTHORITY.
THAT'S THE HEALTH AUTHORITIES, AND IF IT'S A LABOR-RELATED THING, IT'S
O.S.H.A.
NOW, WE OFTEN GO OUT ON CASES LIKE THAT.
WE'RE PRETTY EXPERIENCED -- AND ADVISE PEOPLE, BUT I HAVE NO AUTHORITY
OVER WHAT'S INSIDE OF THE BUILDING.
>> THE EXPERIENCE THAT I FOUND WAS WHEN YOU APPROACH THE SCHOOL
BOARD ABOUT IT, OF COURSE, THERE IS A RELUCTANCE TO WANT TO COOPERATE
BECAUSE THEIR POTENTIAL TARGET AS A DEFENDANT ALONG WITH THE
CONTRACTORS, BUT THEY FEEL THAT THEY KIND OF HAVE AN INTEREST AT
HEART.
THEY DON'T REALLY WANT TO PUSH FOR BEING COOPERATIVE.
I FEEL LIKE IF YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE
STUDENTS AND CHILDREN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IT'S REALLY QUITE A
SERIOUS CONCERN WITH THE LARGE NUMBER OF KIDS GOING THROUGH THOSE
PARTICULAR CAMPUSES.
>>ROGER STEWART:  WE DO A LOT OF SAMPLING OF A LOT OF THINGS.
ONE THING I COULD HAVE MENTIONED IS THAT WE ARE DELEGATED THE LOCAL
ASBESTOS PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT CONTRACTORS AND PRACTITIONERS
PROPERLY DISPOSE OF ASBESTOS, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXPERTS IN ANALYZING
FOR IT MICROSCOPICALLY, SO WE CAN DO THAT SORT OF THING, AND WE DO DO
VARIOUS ANALYSES, BUT AGAIN, I HAVE NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY INSIDE OF
THE BUILDING.
THAT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH AND AN O.S.H.A. MATTER.
>> IF YOU WERE TO ACQUIRE THAT TYPE OF AUTHORITY, WOULD THAT HAVE TO
BE A STATUTORY CHANGE?
>>ROGER STEWART:  I THINK SO.
I WANT TO URGE YOU THAT IN MY EARLY DAYS OF THIS BUSINESS, I WAS AFTER
EVERYTHING, INCLUDING -- I'LL ADMIT IT -- INCLUDING UGLY SIGNS A ALONG THE
HIGHWAY.
I THINK AESTHETICS ARE A BASIC ENVIRONMENT THING, BUT I LEARNED THE
HIGHWAY.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW NOW THAT IF WE TRY TO SPREAD OUR AUTHORITY TOO FAR, I
PRESUME YOU ARE AN ATTORNEY -- WE'RE GOING TO GET CHEWED UP AND SPIT
OUT.
WE ARE MUCH BETTER STICKING TO WHAT WE DO BEST AND STAYING -- AND WE
DO STAY WITHIN THE LIMITS OF OUR LAW.
FOR INSTANCE, I DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC RELATIONS PEOPLE.
EDUCATION IS VITAL.
I THINK EDUCATION, JUST AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, IS MORE VITAL TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
I LIKE TO TELL SCHOOL KIDS TO GO BACK HOME AND TALK TO THEIR PARENTS
ABOUT IT.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOCAL INTEREST, LOCAL INFORMAL AGENCIES LIKE BAY
WATCH, COMMISSIONER PLATT'S AGENCY ON BAY MANAGEMENT HAVE BROUGHT
-- THAT'S WHAT THEY DO BEST.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.
THEY KEEP IT IN THE PUBLIC EYE.
IF -- YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T PAY FOR ME.
IT WOULD BE KIND OF -- I DON'T BELIEVE IN TRYING TO BLOW OUR OWN HORN.
WE'RE NOT GOOD AT IT.
THESE PEOPLE -- THE PUBLIC DOES IT BETTER THAN WE DO.
BECAUSE OF THIS ATTENTION, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITY IN THIS COUNTY
HAS DRAWN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
I POINT OUT THE NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM, WHICH WE WERE SELECTED TO
PARTICIPATE IN, AND IT'S NOW THE TAMPA BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM.
WE'RE ON OUR OWN.
BUT THERE ARE COUNTLESS RESEARCH PROJECTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MY PEOPLE DO AND HAVE DONE SINCE 1972 IS
MEASURED WATER QUALITY IN TAMPA BAY BECAUSE PROGRAMS DO NOT EXIST.
THERE ARE PROGRAMS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SCOPE WE DO IN PINELLAS
AND MANATEE COUNTY.
MY LAST STATION IS EGMONT KEY.
THESE DATA BECOME SO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT THAT ALL SORTS OF
RESEARCH PROJECTS USE THEM.
E.P.A. USES THEM, ACADEMIA, AND LOCAL PEOPLE FOR VARIOUS THINGS.
SO WE SERVE KIND OF A BASIC FUNCTION THAT DOESN'T GET A LOT OF
ATTENTION ANYMORE.
I DON'T HOLD UP DEAD FISH ANYMORE.
IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD.
OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING IT, AND THEY'RE LARGELY CITIZEN-DRIVEN ACTIVITIES
WHICH SERVE THAT PURPOSE MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN HIRE A PR PERSON AND
GIVE YOU A LOT OF SLICK STUFF.
>>JAN SMITH:  ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
MR. STEWART, YOU TALKED EARLIER ABOUT YOUR AUTHORITY OVER SEWAGE,
AND YET THE SEPTIC TANKS ARE REGULATED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
>>ROGER STEWART:  THAT'S CORRECT.
>>JAN SMITH:  AND YET THE SEPTIC TANK SYSTEMS, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS
WHERE THEY'RE DRAINED BY RIVERINE SYSTEMS, AND I'LL GO RIGHT INTO
HILLSBOROUGH RIVER, THE SOURCE OF THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY.
IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT WE DON'T TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WATER,
THE SEWAGE SYSTEM, AND THE WETLANDS AND PUT IT ALL IN THE SAME PLACE.
WOULD IT BE YOUR CONTENTION THAT THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, IF THEY
SHOULD SO DESIRE, COULD ADD WITHIN THE CHARTER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
WETLAND MANAGEMENT, OR WOULD THAT HAVE TO BE A STATE STATUTE?
>>ROGER STEWART:  WETLAND MANAGEMENT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE BY RULE.
WE WERE THE FIRST -- THE SO-CALLED HENDERSON ACT -- I HAVE FORGOTTEN THE
YEAR IT WAS ADOPTED BY THE STATE -- WE WERE IN THE WETLAND PROTECTION
BUSINESS A COUPLE YEARS BEFORE THAT.
OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH WETLANDS WAS THE APOLLO BEACH
DEVELOPMENT.
THEY TOOK SOME KIND OF A MACHINE AND WIPED OUT 40 ACRES OF MANGROVE.
WE FILED A CASE AGAINST THEM AND WENT THROUGH THE COURTS.
WE FINALLY GOT SHOT DOWN BY THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS WHO SAID
THAT WE HAD GONE BEYOND OUR AUTHORITY.
I USED A LITTLE COLLOQUIALISM.
THE LAW DIDN'T QUITE FIT WHAT THEY HAD DONE.
THE LAW SAYS YOU CAN'T RUN, DRAIN, AND SO FORTH SOMETHING INTO THE
ENVIRONMENT.
I ACCUSED THEM OF RUNNING THESE BULLDOZERS INTO THE MARSH, THAT KIND
OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE DIDN'T FLY.
IT CAUSED US TO GET A CHANGE IN OUR ACT WHICH CLEARLY PROTECTED
WETLANDS.
AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF IT.
INCIDENTALLY, THAT PARTICULAR CASE ON 40 ACRES, I TOOK ONE OF THE
REPORTERS FROM CHANNEL 13 DOWN.
THIS IS A DEAD FISH STORY.
AND IN MY BOAT, AND I JUMPED OUT IN THE SO-CALLED UPLAND.
THIS WAS DESIGNATED AS UPLAND, JUMPED OUT UP TO MY -- YOU CAN'T SEE IT
BEHIND THIS.
AND I REACHED DOWN, PICKED UP AN OYSTER, TOOK MY KNIFE, OPENED IT AND
ATE IT IN FRONT -- THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS DONE IN THE OLD DAYS, BUT IT'S
EFFECTIVE, AND IT'S THE TRUTH.
SO WE HAD A CHANGE IN OUR LAW.
MORE RECENTLY, THE BOARD HAS ADOPTED A RULE, AND WE ENFORCE THAT
RULE.
AND WE ARE -- NOW, SEPTIC TANKS TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT.
IF IT'S OVER A CERTAIN SIZE, IT BECOMES SOMETHING ELSE.
WE GET INTO IT.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH A SEPTIC TANK IF IT'S PUT IN THE RIGHT PLACE
AND OPERATED PROPERLY.
IF YOU PUT ONE DOWN NEAR THE RUSKIN INLET WHERE THE WATER TABLE IS
ONLY ABOUT SIX INCHES BELOW THE SURFACE AND YOU BURY A SEPTIC TANK, IF
IT DOESN'T FLOAT OUT OF THE GROUND, THE LIQUID FROM IT CANNOT GO DOWN.
IT'S GOING TO GO LATERALLY.
IN MY OLD DAYS AS A STAFF BIOLOGIST, I MANY TIMES MEASURED EXTREMELY
HIGH BACTERIA COUNTS IN THE RUSKIN INLET BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS ON
SEPTIC TANK, AND IT ALL RAN INTO THE CREEK.
I AM ON A SEPTIC TANK OUT IN THE BOONIES OUT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
I RECYCLE MY WATER.
IT GOES INTO THE SEPTIC TANK.
IT DOESN'T CAUSE ANY PROBLEM, AND IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE EXCEPT BACK
INTO THE GROUND.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH A PROPERLY OPERATED SEPTIC TANK, BUT IF
YOU PUT A HUNDRED OF THEM WITHIN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE ACRES, YOU GOT A
PROBLEM.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES REGULATE THEM.
WE HAVE BEEN CALLED IN ON SOME, LIKE A TRAILER PARK WHERE IT'S COMING
OUT ON THE GROUND, AND WE WORK COOPERATIVELY WITH THE HEALTH
AUTHORITIES.
I'M NOT SO SURE THAT WE OUGHT TO, AS I WAS TRYING TO TELL YOU BEFORE,
THAT WE OUGHT TO SPREAD OUT, ALTHOUGH THESE AREAS ARE VERY DESIRABLE.
REGULATION OF THE SCHOOL SITUATION AND THE SEPTIC TANKS ARE VERY
DESIRABLE.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD IF WE GREW FROM 160 TO 500 PEOPLE
AND WERE GIVEN A LOT MORE AUTHORITY.
THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF SCALE HERE, AND I THINK WE'RE PRETTY EFFECTIVE THE
WAY WE ARE.
>>JAN SMITH:  WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE THIS EVENING, AND
WE APPRECIATE THE DEDICATED, DILIGENT, AND DETERMINED LEADERSHIP
YOU'VE SHOWN AT E.P.C. THESE LAST MANY YEARS.
EVEN THOUGH SOME OF YOUR POSITIONS MAY HAVE BEEN CONTROVERSIAL OR
ADVERSARIAL OR DIFFICULT, I THINK IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAD THE COURAGE TO
TAKE THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THE STEPS INTO THE FUTURE.
I REMEMBER -- WAS IT 1969 OR '70 OUT IN TOWN 'N COUNTRY, AND THE
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, AND NOW HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, 19986,
BIMODAL BOND ISSUES, BUILT ADVANCED WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS.
IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THAT ACTION, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE HAD THE
COURAGE TO TAKE THOSE STEPS WHEN WE DID.
IT COSTS MONEY.
WE'VE SPENT MONEY, BUT WE'VE DONE WHAT WAS RIGHT.
AND I -- I DON'T THINK ANY OF US CAN THANK YOU QUITE ENOUGH FOR THE
LEADERSHIP YOU'VE SHOWN HERE.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING THIS EVENING.
>>ROGER STEWART:  THANK YOU.
IT WAS MY PLEASURE.
IF I CAN SAY A WORD ABOUT THE SEWAGE TREATMENT.
IN THE EARLY DAYS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DID NOT HAVE A UTILITY SYSTEM.
DEVELOPERS AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE CITY RELIED ON THE CITY OF
TAMPA TO SERVE THEM.
BUT THEY HAD A SEWER PLANT THAT WAS ALREADY OVERLOADED.
SO NOW HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS A DARN GOOD UTILITY SYSTEM, AS YOU
POINT OUT.
MY PLEASURE.
I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
PLEASE KEEP US INDEPENDENT.
WE SERVE YOU BEST THAT WAY.
>>JAN SMITH:  GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR RETIREMENT.
HOPE YOU'LL COME BACK AND SEE US.
>>ROGER STEWART:  IT'S A TOUGH THING TO DO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JAN SMITH:  GOOD NIGHT.
LAST ON OUR LIST OF SPEAKERS THIS EVENING IS MR. ROBERT HUNTER, THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION,
AND THIS GENTLEMAN HAS SERVED IN THIS CAPACITY 13 OR 14 YEARS NOW.
I THINK --
>> MY NOTES SAY 14.
>>JAN SMITH:  WE ARE DELIGHTED YOU COULD COME THIS EVENING.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN AND CHARTER REVIEW BOARD
MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS BOB HUNTER.
I HAVE SOME PREPARED REMARKS IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, BUT I AM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WHAT EVERYONE CALLS THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
CITY-COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE CALL IT THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE
PLANNING COMMISSION AND ABOUT PLANNING.
IT'S, IN MY OPINION, A VERY UNIQUE ANIMAL, NOT ONLY HERE, BUT IN ALL PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY.
FOR SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT ME, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A PRETTY
COMPREHENSIVE QUICK OVERVIEW OF PLANNING, NOT ONLY IN THE STATE, BUT
AS WE DO IT HERE LOCALLY.
AS THE CHAIRMAN SAID, I'VE BEEN IN MY POSITION HERE FOR 13 YEARS.
BEFORE THAT, BEFORE COMING TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I WAS PLANNING
DIRECTOR IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.
PLANNING DIRECTOR IN RENO, NEVADA.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE HAD THE UNIQUE, I THINK, OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH INDEPENDENT PLANNING COMMISSIONS, THOSE THAT WERE NOT THAT
INDEPENDENT.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR STRONG MAYOR FORMS OF
GOVERNMENT, WEAK MAYOR FORMS OF GOVERNMENT, STRONG ADMINISTRATOR
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT, AND WEAK ADMINISTRATOR FORMS OF GOVERNMENT IN
THIS CAPACITY, AND I CONSIDER THAT UNIQUE, BUT ALSO BENEFICIAL AS IT
DEALS WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION HERE.
I'VE ALSO WORKED IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE IN
CALIFORNIA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, LOUISIANA, AND ILLINOIS.
I'VE ALSO SERVED ON THE TEXAS AND FLORIDA AMERICAN PLANNING
ASSOCIATION BOARDS AND WAS RECENTLY ELECTED TO SERVE ON THE NATIONAL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION.
WITH THAT AS SOME BACKGROUND, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT IS THE
PLANNING COMMISSION.
AND I WILL PROVIDE THESE COMMENTS TO YOUR STAFF FOR DISTRIBUTION AS
SOON AS WE CAN GET THE ELECTRONIC THINGS WORKING DOWN IN OUR SHOP.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION -- SIMILAR TO ROGER, ROGER DOES IT SO MUCH
BETTER.
I GUESS HE'S BEEN HERE LONGER AND CAN REMEMBER IT A WHOLE LOT BETTER
THAN I, BUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS CREATED ALSO BY A SPECIAL ACT
OF THE LEGISLATURE IN 1958 TO CONDUCT -- AND THE TERM IS CONTINUOUS
PLANNING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
CREATING THE PLANNING COMMISSION THEN WAS A FAR-SIGHTED STEP BY THE
LEGISLATURE BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF
TAMPA AT THAT TIME TO COOPERATE.
A CRITICAL NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING THROUGHOUT THE STATE
DEVELOPED IN THE 1970s, AND THE LEGISLATURE ADOPTED THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1985, WHICH REQUIRES LOCAL PLANNING AGENCIES TO
EXIST THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
IN 1985, WHEN THE PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ADOPTED THE COUNTY
CHARTER BY REFERENDUM, IT MANDATED A SINGLE LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY
TO COORDINATE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES.
ROGER SPOKE OF SECTION 9.10.
I AM SPEAKING OF SECTION 9.09.
IT'S THE PARAGRAPH JUST BEFORE.
WE -- AND BY THAT I REFER TO THE APPOINTED PLANNING COMMISSION BOARD
AND STAFF -- CARRY OUT THE MAJORITY -- I SAY MAJORITY -- OF OUR MANDATE TO
DEVELOP AND COORDINATE PLANNING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
OUR ROLE IS A BIT DIFFERENT WITH COMPARABLE PLANNING AGENCIES IN THE
COUNTRY, AND I'LL COVER THAT IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
A BRIEF OVERVIEW, THOUGH, ABOUT OUR AGENCY MIGHT HELP.
THANKS TO THE LEGISLATURE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AS ROGER SAID, IS AN
INDEPENDENT -- AND I STRESS THAT WORD TOO -- NONPOLITICAL, CONSOLIDATED
CITY-COUNTY PLANNING AGENCY.
IT SERVES THE CITIES OF TAMPA, TEMPLE TERRACE, PLANT CITY, AND
UNINCORPORATED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE LOCAL PLANNING AGENCIES, AS I SAID EARLIER,
BY STATE LAW, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, AND THE
PLANNING COMMISSION IS THE LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY IN HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY.
THUS THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS CHARGED WITH THE DEVELOPING AND
CONTINUALLY UPDATING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS FOR THOSE GOVERNMENTS
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLORIDA REQUIREMENTS.
THOSE FOUR GOVERNMENTS.
REAL QUICKLY, AND I AM GOING TO COVER THIS NOT TO BORE YOU, BUT TO LET
YOU KNOW THE CONTEXT OF COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING.
THE STATE LAW REQUIRES -- I'M SORRY.
STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE NOT JUST DOING PLAN AMENDMENTS, BUT
IT CALLS FOR US TO GUIDE FUTURE GROWTH, LIMITING URBAN SPRAWL,
ENSURING AVAILABILITY OF PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS ROADS, WATER, SOLID
WASTE, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IS PART OF THE MANDATE, PROTECTING
THE NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ENCOURAGING THE MOST APPROPRIATE USE OF
LAND, WATER, AND RESOURCES CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC PRIORITIES AND
PUBLIC INTEREST.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION CONDUCTS TRANSPORTATION PLANNING IN
CONJUNCTION WITH ITS COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING RESPONSIBILITIES.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE DO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.
BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT STAFF OR STAFF TO THE M.P.O., THE
TRANSPORTATION -- METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS
MANDATED BY FEDERAL AND STATE LAW.
THAT'S A GOOD USE OF STAFF.
IT CONSOLIDATES THEM INTO ONE ENTITY WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO DO LAND USE
AND TRANSPORTATION AT THE SAME TIME IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE STAFF A STATE-MANDATED TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED
COORDINATING BOARD TO ASSIST RESIDENTS WHO HAVE A UNIQUE
TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGE.
WE ALSO CONDUCT HILLSBOROUGH RIVER PLANNING BY STAFFING A SEPARATE
BOARD, THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER INTERLOCAL PLANNING BOARD, WHICH IS
ALSO CREATED BY STATE LAW.
WE CONDUCT RESEARCH AND SOMEBODY SAYS, OKAY, HERE YOU GO, SPENDING
MORE TIME DOING RESEARCH, WHAT DO YOU REALLY DO.
THAT IS A REQUIREMENT, AS YOU DO PLANNING.
YOU JUST CAN'T COME UP WITH A NUMBER AND SAY, WELL, WAS THIS WE'RE
GOING TO PLAN FOR.
WE CONDUCT RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF A PLANNING FUNCTION IN THE AREAS OF
POPULATION PROJECTIONS, TRANSPORTATION, AND BY THAT, I MENTION
BICYCLES.
I MENTION PEDESTRIANS.
I ALSO TALK ABOUT AUTOMOBILE AND RAIL.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, SOCIOECONOMIC TRENDS, CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS, UTILITIES, AND PREPARE AND REVIEW PLAN AMENDMENT
REQUESTS AND PROPOSED LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS FOR CONSISTENT
WITH THE ADOPTED COMPREHENSIVE PLANS OF EACH OF THE FOUR
GOVERNMENTS, NOT JUST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
ANOTHER STATE REQUIREMENT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS TO ENSURE
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
THAT'S SPECIFICALLY STATED IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S ENABLING
LEGISLATION AND SAID VERY STRONGLY.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION TAKES THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THE PUBLIC INVOLVED IN ANY OF THE
PLANNING COMMISSION'S PUBLIC MEETINGS AND ALL OF OUR MEETINGS ARE
PUBLIC AND PUBLISHED.
NOW, FOR A VERY VERY OVERVIEW OF THE STATE PLANNING LAW TO SORT OF PUT
SOME THINGS IN CONTEXT, BECAUSE YOU READ ABOUT THINGS, YOU TALK TO
SOMEBODY, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION.
THE STATE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT REQUIRES ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS,
THAT MEANS CITIES AND COUNTIES IN FLORIDA TO ADOPT THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLANS TO MANAGE FOR GROWTH.
NOW, THAT SAYS THAT EVERY ONE OF THESE PLANS SHALL HAVE IN IT A FUTURE
LAND USE DOCUMENT, INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION, CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS, PORTS, AVIATION, IT GOES ON TO TRANSPORTATION, SOLID
WASTE, SANITARY SEWER, POTABLE WATER, 15 MANDATED ITEMS.
COMPANY DEPARTMENT DATA AND ANALYSIS MUCH SUPPORT THE PLANNING
OBJECTIVES FOR EACH OF THESE ITEMS.
FURTHER MANDATES INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOALS -- THAT'S NICE AND
THAT'S EASY TO DO.
MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES.
WHAT ARE MEASURABLE, WE CAN COVER THAT LATER.
AND POLICIES TO SUPPORT EACH OF THESE SUBJECTS.
THE LAW FURTHER REQUIRES -- AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, THAT LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ADOPT LEVELS OF SERVICE FOR THE FOLLOWING SIX SERVICES: 
RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE, TRANSPORTATION, STORM WATER, SOLID WASTE,
SANITARY SEWER, AND POTABLE WATER.
AN IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS THAT IT MANDATES EACH LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO
ADOPT A LOCAL LEVEL OF SERVICE.
IT DOESN'T TELL -- THE STATE DOESN'T TELL THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT YOU
SHALL HAVE 80 GALLONS PER CAPITA PER DAY OF WATER OR 200 GALLONS PER
CAPITA PER DAY OF WATER.
THAT'S A LOCAL DECISION.
THE REASON THEY LEFT THAT TO THE LOCAL DECISION IS BY LAW, THEN LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ARE MANDATED TO PROVIDE THE CAPITAL FACILITIES FOR THAT
ADOPTED LEVEL OF SERVICE.
AND EACH OF THE FOUR GOVERNMENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAVE
DIFFERENT ADOPTED LEVELS OF SERVICE FOR THOSE SIX.
DON'T ASK ME WHAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, BUT I'LL BE GLAD TO SUBMIT IT TO
YOU IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET BORED.
HOW DOES THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORK?
A PROFESSIONAL STAFF OF 60, THAT INCLUDES TECHNICAL EXPERTS AND ALL
ASPECTS OF PLANNING, MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO A 10-MEMBER PLANNING
COMMISSION.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A LAY BOARD.
LAY BOARD MEANS CITIZENS.
THAT'S DONE ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS WAY.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE -- I KNOW VERY KNEW HAVE ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS ON IT.
BUT IT WAS SET THAT UP WAY BECAUSE THE LAY CITIZENS ARE TO REVIEW THE
IMPACTS, ANALYSIS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS COMPOSED OF FOUR MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, NOT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
THEY'RE APPOINTED BY FOUR MEMBERS OF THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL.
FOUR MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL, NOT THE MAYOR.
ONE MEMBER IS APPOINTED BY THE TEMPLE TERRACE CITY COUNCIL AND ONE
MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE PLANT CITY COMMISSION.
I REPORT TO 10 MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ELECTED
OFFICIALS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS NOT THE FINAL AUTHORITY.
THEY ONLY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OF EACH OF THE FOUR GOVERNMENTS MAKE THE FINAL
DECISION AS THEY SHOULD.
AND I WON'T GO INTO PLAN AMENDMENTS.
I HAVE THAT WRITTEN HERE, BUT THERE'S A PLAN AMENDMENTS AND HOW THE
PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWS PLAN AMENDMENTS AND MAKES
RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT IT IS STILL UP TO EACH OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
WHEN THEY HEAR A PLAN AMENDMENT TO MAKE A DECISION ON IT.
AND IT SHOULD BE.
THEY ARE THE ELECTED LOCAL OFFICIALS AND IT SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY
MAJORITY ROLE.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION?
WE WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH CITIZEN GROUPS, CIVIC GROUPS, SERVICE DELIVERY
AGENCIES, ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUSINESS, AND INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS FOR EACH OF THE FOUR GOVERNMENTS.
THIS ENSURES A BROAD-BASED AND INCLUSIVE PLANNING AND COST-EFFECTIVE
USE OF THE RESOURCES.
WE HAVE ONE AGENCY THAT'S WORKING WITH FOUR.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY MOBILE COMMUNITY AND JURISDICTION -- I MEAN,
PEOPLE DON'T STOP AT JURISDICTIONAL LINES.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHY THE PLANNING COMMISSION SERVES WELL THE FOUR.
RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES BENEFIT FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
PROCESS IN SEVERAL WAYS, BY TAKING AN AREAWIDE NONPOLITICAL APPROACH.
AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IT CUTS ACROSS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION
IS ABLE TO -- AND IS ABLE TO EXAMINE THE ADEQUACY OF PUBLIC SERVICES,
ASSESS INTERJURISDICTIONAL GROWTH ASPECTS, SEEK WAYS TO COORDINATE
AREAWIDE PLANNING, AND THAT'S NOT ONLY JUST BETWEEN CITY LIMITS AND
COUNTY LIMITS, THAT'S ACROSS COUNTY LIMIT LINES AND ENSURE THAT
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES WORK WELL TOGETHER.
RECOMMEND ORDERLY GROWTH, COORDINATE LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION
AND A FEW OTHERS.
CONCERNING -- AND I'VE NOTICED YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT AUDITORS AND
ANNUAL REPORTS AND THINGS, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT AN
ORGANIZATION SUCH AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION BE ACCOUNT TO BELIEVE
THE CITIZENS AND THE GOVERNMENT IT SERVES.
EACH YEAR, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DEVELOPS A VERY DETAILED PER
PERSON HOUR EFFORT WORK PROGRAM FOR EACH OF THE GOVERNMENTS THAT
WE'RE PROVIDING A SERVICE TO.
AND THE OTHER BOARDS THAT I MENTIONED.
AND IT IDENTIFIES THE SERVICES WE'RE ANTICIPATING AND OUR ANTICIPATED
RESOURCES.
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FUNDS THE PLANNING COMMISSION
THROUGH THE COUNTYWIDE AD VALOREM TAX BASE.
THAT'S THE BASE COMING FROM ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY.
RELATIVE TO THE STAFF, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION
STAFF HAS ACCOMPLISHED A LOT.
THEY'VE RECEIVED MANY NATIONAL AWARDS OF WHICH I'M VERY PROUD OF
THEM, BUT ALSO LOCAL AWARDS AND THEY'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED NOT ONLY
NATIONALLY, BUT A LARGE MAJORITY OF THEM, THE PLANNERS ARE CERTIFIED IN
THEIR PROFESSIONAL FIELDS.
I HAVE REGISTERED ARCHITECTS, REGISTERED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS,
CERTIFIED PLANNERS AND MANY OTHERS, AS I SAID, IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL
FIELDS.
CONCERNING THE AUDITS THAT YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT, THE PLANNING
COMMISSION WENT THROUGH AN AUDIT IN 1996.
I THINK I'VE BEEN HERE 13 YEARS, I THINK WE'VE BEEN THROUGH FIVE OR SO
DIFFERENT AUDITS, WHETHER YOU CALL THEM PERFORMANCE AUDITS, THEY
WEREN'T FISCAL AUDITS.
I GUARANTEE YOU THAT.
THE PERFORMANCE AUDIT CONDUCTED BY AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR OF THE
PLANNING COMMISSION LAUDED THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH THE
FOLLOWING FINDINGS:  QUOTE, THE PUBLIC FEELS THAT THE PLANNING
COMMISSION STAFF WAS EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE AND HAD AN EXTENSIVE
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS, UNQUOTE.
I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
QUOTE, THE STAFF OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS RECOGNIZED AS HIGHLY
COMPETENT, HARD WORKING AND DEDICATED, UNQUOTE.
ONE OTHER QUOTE, QUOTE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS PERFORMING ITS
MISSION IN A RESPONSIVE, EFFECTIVE, AND GENUINELY EFFICIENT MANNER,
UNQUOTE.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD, I THINK, FROM AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AGAIN, BUT I'M SURE IT'S A
DECISION OF NOT ONLY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT ALSO THE BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR ANY OF THE OTHER THREE CITIES WE SERVE.
ABOUT BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS AN EXCELLENT RECORD OF FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY WHILE EXPANDING SERVICES TO A GROWING POPULATION.
FOR THE MOST PART, THE PLANNING COMMISSION ENJOYS A VERY CLOSE
WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IT SERVES.
TO THE EXTENT THAT WE EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES WITH HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY, THEY ARE GENERALLY LIMITED TO FUNDING ISSUES.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FULFILL THE MAJORITY OF OUR
MANDATE, BUT NOT ALL OF IT.
AN INSUFFICIENT BUDGET IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WE ARE NOT
ADEQUATELY ABLE TO PURSUE ALL OF OUR MANDATES.
WHAT I'M ABOUT TO TELL YOU MAY SURPRISE YOU, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU
SOME NUMBERS THAT MIGHT PERK YOU UP AFTER MY PRESENTATION.
IN 1990, IF YOU'LL LISTEN TO THESE NUMBERS, THE POPULATION OF
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WAS 834,000.
TEN YEARS AGO.
IN TEN YEARS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S POPULATION HAS GROWN 18%.
890,000.
AGAIN, FROM 834 TO 980,000.
THAT'S NOT THE SURPRISE.
I THINK YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF GROWTH IN THIS
COMMUNITY.
IN 1990, THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S BUDGET WAS 4.8 MILLION.
TEN YEARS LATER, TODAY IT'S 4.7.
IN 1990, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD 76 EMPLOYEES.
IN THE YEAR 2000, DUE TO BUDGET CUTS, WE EMPLOY JUST 60 TO SERVE THE
EXPANDING POPULATION.
WHAT MAY BE SURPRISING TO YOU IS THAT THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND WAS IN
1990, 286 MILLION.
THAT FIGURE MORE THAN DOUBLED NOW TO NEARLY 600 MILLION.
THERE IS A DISSIMILARITY OF FIGURES OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS BETWEEN THE
GROWTH OF THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND AND HOW THE PLANNING
COMMISSION HAS BEEN FUNDED.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, THOUGH, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO RETURN
ABOUT 80% OF THE MONEY WE RECEIVE FOR THE MPO FROM THE FEDERAL AND
STATE BACK TO THE COUNTY'S GENERAL FUND FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.
I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
IF I HAD A WISH LIST FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT WOULD BE TO FIND A
METHOD TO STABILIZE OUR FUNDING AND REMOVE THIS VERY CONTENTIOUS
ISSUE.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF IDEAS, AND I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR IDEAS ON THIS ISSUE AS
WELL.
CURRENTLY, WE DRAFT AND SUBMIT A BUDGET TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
IT IS THEN REVIEWED, CHANGED, AND SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS FOR CONSIDERATION WITHIN THE COUNTY'S BUDGET.
IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR OUR BUDGET REQUEST TO BE REDUCED WITHIN THE SAME
YEAR THAT THE COUNTY'S BUDGET HAS BEEN EXPANDED AND ENHANCED.
WE HAVE SUFFERED A LOSS OF SOME VERY TALENTED PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS
AS A RESULT OF THE INSTABILITY OF OUR BUDGET.
THIS CONCERNS ME.
I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST, PERHAPS, AN OPEN PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SOME
ALTERNATIVES HERE.
THIS COULD INCLUDE ESTABLISHING A BASE BUDGET FOR THE PLANNING
COMMISSION AND EITHER ADJUSTING IT ANNUALLY FOR POPULATION INCREASES
OR, PERHAPS, ADJUSTING IT TO HAVE PARITY WITH WHATEVER CHANGES IN THE
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S BUDGET.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR FAIRNESS AND PARITY.
AND EQUALITY ON THIS ISSUE.
THERE MAY BE OTHER METHODS THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT THE PLANNING
COMMISSION WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET OUR FULL SCOPE OF OUR MANDATE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THESE ISSUES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
IN YOUR DISCUSSION.
IN CLOSING, AND I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT LIMITING GROWTH.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLANNING FOR GROWTH.
AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK AHEAD OF US.
OUR TOP PRIORITIES INCLUDE PREPARING A COST ANALYSIS OF SERVICES
PROVIDED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS A BASELINE FOR DISCUSSION.
WHAT SERVICES PROVIDED, WHO PROVIDES THE SERVICE, AT WHAT COST, WHAT
ARE THE SOURCES OF FUNDING FORT SERVICES, IS THE SERVICE SELF-SUPPORTING
OR ARE OTHER REVENUES OR SUBSIDIES NECESSARY AND WHY?
AND IF THEY ARE NECESSARY, WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?
WE'RE ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS WE THINK THIS WILL ALLOW THE ELECTED
OFFICIALS THE REAL OPPORTUNITY TO WHAT I CONSIDER GOOD, POSITIVE
DECISION CONCERNING THIS COMMUNITY AND COUNTY SERVICES.
BUT PRIMARILY, THOSE THAT ARE GROWTH DEMANDING.
THEN OBJECTIVELY ASSESS WHO BENEFITS AND WHO PAYS.
AND THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF PLANNING.
I WANT TO ASSIST IN CREATING WHAT WE CALL A BRIGHT FUTURE THAT
REFLECTS THE VALUES OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE USE OF LAND AND OTHER
LIMITED NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU.
AND I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG, BUT I FELT THESE POINTS HAD TO BE SAID.
>>JAN SMITH:  DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. HUNTER?
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. WILLIAMS.
>>DEE WILLIAMS:  YOU MENTIONED THAT IN 1990, YOU HAD 76 EMPLOYEES.
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, MA'AM.
>>DEE WILLIAMS:  IN 2000, YOU HAVE 60 EMPLOYEES.
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, MA'AM.
>>DEE WILLIAMS:  AND THAT THE DEMANDS ON YOUR DEPARTMENT BECOME
MORE AND MORE AS MORE PEOPLE COME IN HERE AND YET THE PROPERTY
APPRAISER IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS REDUCED HIS EMPLOYEES FROM 193 TO
162 AND I'M SURE THAT HIS RESPONSIBILITY AS THIS COUNTY GROWS BECOME
GREATER TOO.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BEING SHORTCHANGED WITH EMPLOYEES, YET HE
CONTINUES TO REDUCE HIS.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AS I UNDERSTOOD IS WHAT HE SAID.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE BUDGET WAS REDUCED OR NOT TO ANSWER THAT
QUESTION.
WE HAVE REDUCED NOT ONLY OUR BUDGET, BUT OUR NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.
THAT'S RARE.
>>DEE WILLIAMS:  WELL, I GUESS HE REDUCED HIS BUDGET TOO.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I DON'T KNOW.
AND PERHAPS HE DID.
AND IF HE DID, I THINK HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB OF IT.
>> BUT HIS HAS BEEN OVER A PERIOD OF, LIKE, THREE TO FOUR YEARS AND YOURS
IS OVER A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS.
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES, MA'AM.
WELL, PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS, AS IT
DEALS WITH PLAN AMENDMENTS AND DATA COLLECTION IS THAT WE HAVE HAD
MORE RESPONSIBILITIES BECAUSE OF PLAN AMENDMENTS AND REVIEW OF THE
REZONINGS.
THEY ARE INCREASING ALL THE TIME.
SO MY STAFF, EVEN THOUGH BEING REDUCED, HAS A GREATER WORK BURDEN.
I CAN'T COMPARE MYSELF TO THE PROPERTY APPRAISER.
I'M SORRY.
>>DEE WILLIAMS:  OKAY.
THANKS.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  THE LAST MEETING, PAM IORIO TOLD US THAT THE MAYOR OF
TAMPA DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ZONING IN THE CITY OF TAMPA,
THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER REGARDING THAT.
I RECOGNIZE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ZONING AND LAND USE PLANS.
COULD YOU ADDRESS WHAT THE CITY OF TAMPA'S MAYOR, DICK GRECO AND
EVEN PREVIOUS MAYORS HAVE HAD TO DO WITH THE LAND USE AND LAND
DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY?
>>BOB HUNTER:  I'LL DEAL WITH ZONING FIRST.
THE MAYOR IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE CITY OF TAMPA.
THE STAFF WORKS FOR HIM.
THE STAFF THAT REVIEWS REZONINGS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA WORK FOR HIM.
AND THAT STAFF MAKES A RECOMMENDATION TO THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL.
TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  SO HAS HE BROUGHT ANYTHING FORWARD IN THE LAND USE
PLAN AMENDMENTS?
DID THEY BRING ANY OF THOSE IN?
>> THE MAYOR?
CONCERNING -- ZONING SEPARATE FROM COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING.
>>DAVID HURLEY: -- IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, WHERE DID THAT ORIGINATE?
>>BOB HUNTER:  WHERE DID WHAT --
>>DAVID HURLEY:  THE LAND USE PLAN.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THE PLANNING COMMISSION --
>>DAVID HURLEY:  COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THE PLANNING COMMISSION PREPARED TAMPA'S
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS WE DID THE COUNTY'S IN 1989.
IT HAS BEEN UNDER CONTINUOUS AMENDMENT PROCESS, BUT THE PLANNING
COMMISSION HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO PREPARE AND RECOMMEND THE PLAN TO
EACH OF THE FOUR GOVERNMENTS.
THEN WE WORK WITH THOSE WHO WISH TO AMEND THE PLAN, WHETHER IT'S
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR AN INDIVIDUAL OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE MAYOR AT TIME AND HIS STAFF HAVE RECOMMENDED PLAN AMENDMENTS
AS HAVE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION.
I THINK THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS A VERY POSITIVE WORKING
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAYOR.
AND THE OTHER THREE JURISDICTIONS AS IT DEALS WITH NOT ONLY PLANNING,
BUT ALSO THE REVIEW OF ZONING.
BUT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO SEPARATE THE ISSUE OF ZONING FROM THE PLANNING
ISSUE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS A RESPONSIBILITY FOR AMENDMENTS.
WE WORK WITH THEIR STAFF AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAKES
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO THE CITY COUNCIL, NOT
TO THE MAYOR.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  PROBABLY GOT IT.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING UP WITH REGARD TO BUDGET, YOU'VE
TALKED ABOUT POPULATION, BUT SINCE WE ARE PLANNING AREAS, I WOULD
POINT OUT THAT IN 1980, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAD 1,072 SQUARE MILES.
AND IN 1990 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS 1,072 SQUARE MILES AND YET IN 2000
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS 1,072 SQUARE MILES.
MORE AND MORE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED SO PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE SHOULD
GET EASIER SINCE THERE'S LESS LAND TO DEVELOP AND PLAN FOR.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I HOPE YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT.
YOU WOULD BE OUT OF WORK, WOULDN'T YOU?
>>DAVID HURLEY:  IT'S AN INVERSE THING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T THINK RELATING EVERYTHING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES
STRICTLY TO POPULATION, I'M NOT CERTAIN THAT'S AN INDICATOR.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I JUST OFFERED UP SOME BENCHMARKS BECAUSE THERE HAS TO
BE SOME.
WHETHER IT'S AN INCREASE IN THE TAXES COLLECTED OR AN INCREASE IN THE
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET OR POPULATION, WHICH WE
DON'T DETERMINE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA DOES, OR SOME OTHER BASE.
THAT'S ALL I'M SEARCHING FOR IS PARITY.
THANK YOU.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  IN TRYING TO GET MY MIND, THERE'S A DEPARTMENT IN THE
COUNTY, I THINK IT'S PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT.
THEIR BUDGET HAS GONE FROM 13 MILLION TO 17 MILLION.
IS THIS A DUPLICATION OF SERVICES?
BECAUSE USED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION HANDLED A LOT OF THINGS.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE THIS DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY HAD THE PLANNING AND GROWTH.
>>BOB HUNTER:  SINCE '82.
>> IT HAD A DIFFERENT NAME BEFORE THAT.
>>JAN SMITH:  STARTED OUT WITH 11 EMPLOYEES AND BUDGET OF 250 --
>> IS THERE A DUPLICATION OF SERVICES BETWEEN YOUR ALL'S AGENCY AND
THIS?
>>BOB HUNTER:  NO, SIR.
THEY ARE -- IT'S A MISNOMER, I THINK, BY THE NAME.
THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY ZONING AND BUILDING BECAUSE ABOUT HALF THAT
STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING PERMITS AND THE OTHER STAFF IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT ONLY REVIEWING AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON
REZONINGS, BUT MANY OTHER TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT PERMITS IN THE COUNTY.
WE DON'T DO THAT.
ZONING IS DIFFERENT THAN LAND USE, AND WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
LAND USE AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW AND THE COUNTY CHARTER.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECEIVED ITS AUTHORITY FROM THE COUNTY
CHARTER AND THE SPECIAL ACT OF STATE LEGISLATURE.
YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK THE COUNTY STAFF WHERE THEY RECEIVE THEIR
AUTHORITY.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
MS. LASHER.
>>DENISE LASHER:  YOU JUST DESCRIBED THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF PLANNING
AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT.
AND YET THEY ARE DOING PLANNING, REASONABLE DOUBT THEY, IN DEVELOPING
THE COMMUNITY PLANS, I GUESS, FOR THE NORTHWEST SEGMENT --
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES.
>>DENISE LASHER: -- AND THEY ARE GOING TO DO TOWN 'N COUNTRY AND
THEY'RE DOING A COMMUNITY PLAN FOR, IS IT, BRANDON?
THERE'S ANOTHER AREA IN THE COUNTY.
SO WOULD THAT NOT BE A PLANNING VERSUS STRICTLY A REZONING.
>>BOB HUNTER:  IT GETS INTO A DEFINITIONAL PROBLEM.
YES, IT WOULD BE.
AND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION CONCERNING WHO SHOULD BE DOING
PLANNING.
WHEN I READ THE STATE LAW AND THE COUNTY CHARTER, IT SAYS WE HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTINUOUS PLANNING PROCESS.
I CONSIDER THAT ALL ENCOMPASSING.
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FUNDED THE PLANNING AND GROWTH
MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT TO DO I BELIEVE $450,000 TO DO THREE THINGS.
ONE WAS NORTHWEST COMMUNITY PLAN.
ANOTHER ONE WAS THE BRANDON PLAN, AND ANOTHER ONE WAS TO DEVELOP
DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT HAD BEEN CALL THE FOR -- CALLED FOR OVER
THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY USED THAT MONEY FOR.
BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON WHO SHOULD BE DOING THAT
PLANNING.
>>DENISE LASHER:  AND IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF
DISCUSSIONS THAT GO ON IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT REGARDING GROWTH
MANAGEMENT WHICH INVOLVES MORE THAN JUST REZONINGS BUT INVOLVES
PLANNING AND THE COUNTIES INVOLVED -- COUNTY STAFF IS INVOLVED A LOT IN
THAT.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THERE IS EITHER SOME
OVERLAP OR THAT THERE'S -- OR THE COUNTY IS DOING MORE AND MORE
PLANNING -- COUNTY STAFF IS DOING MORE AND MORE PLANNING FUNCTIONS
VERSUS YOUR DEFINITION OF, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ENABLING LEGISLATION FOR
THE PLANNING COMMISSION ENCOMPASSES, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THERE NEEDS
TO BE MORE CLARIFICATION, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HAS TO OCCUR ON A
LEGISLATIVE LEVEL.
YOU PRESENTED AN INTERESTING PROPOSAL TO US THIS EVENING TO CONSIDER
LOOKING AT SOME STABILIZED FUNDING.
YOU'RE DOING -- PLANNING NOT ONLY FOR UNINCORPORATED HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY, BUT FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTY AND YET YOUR BUDGET
COMES STRICTLY THROUGH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
SO SOME OF YOUR WORK PRODUCT THAT YOU DO BENEFITS THE MUNICIPALITIES
BUT ALL YOUR FUNDING IS BASICALLY DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS WHO COLLECT TAXES FROM EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE
COUNTY.
>>BOB HUNTER:  YES.
>>DENISE LASHER:  SO I IMAGINE YOU KEEP TRACK OF HOW MUCH TIME YOU
SPEND WORKING WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND
WORKING WITH THE COUNTIES.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THESE
MUNICIPALITIES?
HOW DO YOU GO BACK TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND SAY, OKAY, I'VE DONE
THIS MUCH WORK FOR UNINCORPORATED.
I'VE DONE THIS MUCH WORK FOR THESE MUNICIPALITIES.
I IMAGINE IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS.
>> WELL, SOMETIMES IT'S VERY QUICK AND SURPRISING.
WE DON'T GO BACK TO THE JURISDICTIONS BECAUSE OUR BUDGET COMES FROM
THE COUNTYWIDE.
IT'S DETERMINED BY THE BOCC, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT ROGER SAID ON EPC.
BUT WE'VE GONE BACK AND ANALYZED OUR WORK ACTIVITIES AND THE WORK
THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR EACH OF THE JURISDICTIONS COMPARED TO THE
POPULATION OF THE JURISDICTION AND COMPARED TO THE AD VALOREM THAT
THAT JURISDICTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE WHOLE.
AND IT COME OUT ALMOST WITHIN TWO TO FIVE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION OF
THE JURISDICTION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF AD VALOREM COLLECTED.
IT'S A VERY FAIR PROCESS WHEN YOU AVERAGE A YEAR OR TWO.
TWO PERCENT OF THE EFFORT GOES FOR TEMPLE TERRACE AND THREE PERCENT
GOES TO PLANT CITY.
IT'S SURPRISING.
AT TIMES WE GO BACK TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SUCH AS WHEN WE'RE TRYING
TO DO -- YOU PROBABLY READ ABOUT IT, WE WEREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CENSUS EFFORT.
WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING OUT THE HARD-TO-FIND INDIVIDUALS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ADDED TO OUR BUDGET AT OUR
REQUEST 45,000 AND THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL ADDED TO OUR BUDGET 20,000 TO
HELP US IN THAT EFFORT.
AND WE REPORTED BACK TO THEM ON EVERYTHING THAT WE DID WITH THE
MONEY.
BUT WE WENT OUT AND TRIED TO GET PEOPLE TO SAY, TRUST US, GIVE US YOUR
NAME AND ADDRESS BUT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CENSUS
EFFORT.
AT TIMES WE HAVE GONE BACK TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS FOR FUNDING.
YOUR ORIGINAL QUESTION AS IT DEALS WITH COMMUNITY PLANNING, I THINK
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION THAT DOES NOT BENEFIT THIS COMMUNITY
ON WHO SHOULD BE DOING THE COMMUNITY PLANNING.
AS I SAID EARLIER, I THINK OUR MANDATE IS QUITE CLEAR.
WE HAVE THE LEGAL MANDATE CREATED BY STATE LAW AND THE VOTE
HOMEOWNERS APPROVE THE CHARTER WHO SAID WE DO CONTINUOUS PLANNING.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE ANYONE ELSE DERIVES THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
>>DENISE LASHER:  SO IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
IS IT A LEGAL SOLUTION?
>>BOB HUNTER:  TO BE VERY HONEST, I'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CONCERNING THIS.
AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSER.
I'VE USED THE EXAMPLES OF HOW WELL THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKS
WITH THE THREE MUNICIPALITIES WHERE WE DO THEIR COMPREHENSIVE
PLANNING, THEIR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING.
THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF THE THREE CITIES HAVE TAKEN UP WHAT I THINK IS
THE REAL ROLE WHICH IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND I MUST SAY RICK SMITH AND MAYOR GRECO, THEY ARE DOING A
TREMENDOUS JOB BECAUSE THEY HAVE TAKEN EVERY GOAL, OBJECTIVE, AND
POLICY IN THE PLAN, AND THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED WHO'S GOING TO BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR IT WHEN IT IS GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED AND HOW MUCH
WILL IT COST.
AND THEY HAVE A 20-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS WHICH IS HOW THE
PROCESS SHOULD WORK.
SO WE'RE TALKING.
DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION YET BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE I HOPE.
>>DENISE LASHER:  ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION REGARDING -- YOU THREW OUT
THIS IDEA OF A STABILIZED FUNDING.
HOW DO YOU PROPOSE WE DISCUSS THAT?
WHAT FORMAT DO YOU WANT US TO FOLLOW --
[INAUDIBLE]
>> JUST CONSIDER A PHRASE BECAUSE, AGAIN, MY ISSUE IS PARITY.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE PLANNING
COMMISSION.
AGAIN, REMEMBER, WE ONLY RECOMMEND.
SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, PERHAPS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S
RECOMMENDED BUDGET OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S REQUESTED BUDGET
SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BY THE
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR IN THE BALANCED BUDGET.
SOME OF YOU AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE DETAILS, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS WH