CHARTER REVIEW
                            06/01/00

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

>>JAN SMITH:  GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETING FOR JUNE 1st, THE YEAR 2000.
WELCOME ALL THE CIVIC GROUPS THAT ARE HERE THIS EVENING AND THOSE WHO
ARE WATCHING ON TV.
PLEASE CONTACT THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD IF YOU'RE WATCHING ON TV AND
WOULD LIKE TO LEARN ANYTHING EXTRA FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE VARIOUS WAYS FOR YOU TO REACH US THROUGH FAX NUMBERS, PHONE
NUMBERS, AND E-MAIL.
AND WE'LL GIVE THOSE TO YOU LATER ON IN THE EVENING.
MR. WILKES, WILL YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, PLEASE?
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. POUPART, MAY WE HAVE THE ROLL PLEASE.
[ROLL CALL TAKEN]
YOU HAVE A QUORUM.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAD SOME MINUTES FROM A PREVIOUS MEETING DATED
APRIL THE 27th THAT WE WERE GOING TO RECONSIDER.
IS THAT STILL NECESSARY OR WERE THE ERRORS TYPE ERRORS?
MS. MERRITT?
DID WE LOSE HER?
SHE WENT THAT WAY.
MR. WHITE, DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK WITH HER ABOUT THOSE?
YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE SOME CORRECTIONS TO THOSE MINUTES?
>>GERALD WHITE:  NO, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE -- I DIDN'T TALK TO HER.
I FIGURED WE WOULD TAKE IT UP AT THIS MEETING.
>>JAN SMITH:  FIRST WE NEED A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THOSE MINUTES.
>>GERALD WHITE:  I WILL STATE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE MINUTES OF
APRIL 22nd.
>>JAN SMITH:  WHO WAS THE SECOND.
MR. LaBOUR IS THE SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE, OPPOSED SAME SIGN.
TELL US WHAT ON THOSE MINUTES YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CORRECTED?
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
FIRST, OF COURSE, WAS THE TIME THAT THE MEETING ADJOURNED.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CORRECT TIME THAT WE ADJOURNED, BUT I KNOW IT
WASN'T 6:55 P.M.
>>JAN SMITH:  I THINK IT WAS 8:55.
>>GERALD WHITE:  I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT CORRECTED.
ALSO THERE WAS A MOTION THAT SAID MR. WHITE MOVED IN THAT THE
CHAIRMAN SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING OUTSIDE THE SCHEDULE TO ALLOW
ALL INVITED GUESTS AND THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE.
AND IT WAS SECONDED BY MS. WALDRON.
THE TALLY OF THE VOTES NEED TO BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
IT WAS THREE YESES AND THE REMAINDER OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT VOTED
THAT DAY WERE NOS.
>>JAN SMITH:  IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT ONE?
I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.
>>GERALD WHITE:  AND THE MOTION BEFORE THAT -- BEFORE THAT MOTION WAS
MADE BY --
>>JAN SMITH:  WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON?
>>GERALD WHITE:  IT'S NOT NUMBERED, PAGE -- OH, YES IT IS.
PAGE 4, I BELIEVE.
MR. AMBLER MOVED TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC AND INVITE TO SPEAK
MORE THAN ONE HOUR, CLARIFY THE MOTION, INPUT WAS NEEDED SO THERE
WOULD BE TIME TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE.
MR. WHITE SECONDED THE MOTION.
AND THEN TO CONTINUE ON THE DISCUSSION.
WITH THAT VOTE, JUST THE OPPOSITE.
THE NOS NEED TO BE YES AT THE BOTTOM.
A MOTION FAILED 4 TO 9 WITH MEMBER AMBLER, HURLEY, -- [INAUDIBLE] -- AND
WHITE.
THE OTHER WAS VOTED NO.
SO IT'S JUST A VOTE THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.
>>JAN SMITH:  I'M NOT SURE -- YOU MADE A MOTION -- LET'S SEE.
MR. LaBOUR CALLED THE QUESTION.
THE MOTION FAILED 4 TO 9 -- I'M NOT SURE THAT ISN'T WORDED CORRECTLY?
>> EXCUSE ME, IT SAYS WITH THE EXCEPTION -- AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S
CONFUSING.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE FOUR PEOPLE LISTED ACTUALLY VOTED YES AND ALL
OTHERS VOTED NO.
IT SAYS "FAILED 4 TO 9 WITH ALL EXCEPT THE FOUR MEMBERS VOTING NO."
SO ACTUALLY, I BELIEVE, THE VOTE IS CORRECT.
>>JAN SMITH:  IT IS WORDED --
>> IT WOULD HAVE PASSED IF IT WAS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WAS WRITTEN.
I BELIEVE IT'S THE SAME SITUATION WITH THE SECOND -- I THINK HER WORDING
IS JUST CONFUSING.
>>JAN SMITH:  PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE DO THOSE, WE NEED TO PUT THE
VOTE AND THEN SAY THE MOTION EITHER FAILED OR THE MOTION WAS PASSED
SO THAT IT IS MORE CLEAR.
WHEN A VOTE IS MADE TO DO SOMETHING AND IT'S A NEGATIVE, AND THEN YOU
GET THE VOTES FOR IT, IT TURNS IT AROUND.
>> AND IF I COULD EXPLAIN, WHEN WE ANNOUNCE A VOTE, WE ALWAYS
ANNOUNCE THE YES VOTES FIRST.
SO IT FAILED 4 TO 9, THE MAJORITY VOTED NO.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
I STAND CORRECTED ON THAT POINT.
>>JAN SMITH:  OKAY.
BUT THE TIME IS -- DOES NEED TO BE CORRECTED.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
>>JAN SMITH:  THAT IS THE ONLY CORRECTION TO THE MINUTES OF APRIL 27th
THAT WE ARE VOTING ON.
>>GERALD WHITE:  BOTH OF THOSE MOTIONS IS WORDED CORRECTLY?
IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?
OKAY.
>>JAN SMITH:  OKAY.
SO I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>>BOARD MEMBER:  WE MIGHT WANT TO ADD THAT THE MOTION FAILED OR THE
MOTION PASSES, AS YOU SUGGESTED AND THEN CONTINUE THAT PRACTICE FROM
THIS POINT FORWARD.
>>JAN SMITH:  I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
WE NEED A MOTION TO -- WELL, WE NEED A MOTION TO CORRECT THE MINUTES.
SO WE NEED A MOTION TO CORRECT THE MINUTES.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  MOVE TO CORRECT THE MINUTES.
>>GERALD WHITE:  SECOND.
>>JAN SMITH:  MOTION BY MR. HURLEY, SECOND BY MR. WHITE.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
OKAY.
DID WE HAVE MEETINGS OF ANOTHER MEETING THAT WE DIDN'T DO?
OR ARE WE UP TO SPEED?
I THINK WE HAD THE MAY 11th MINUTES.
I DON'T THINK WE APPROVED THOSE LAST TIME.
SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES OF
MAY 11th?
>>GERALD WHITE:  MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM MAY 11th.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  SECOND.
>>JAN SMITH:  A MOTION FROM MR. WHITE AND A SECOND FROM MR. HURLEY TO
APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MAY 11th.
THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
THANK YOU.
AND I DO THINK IT WILL MAKE IT CLEAR -- AND EVEN FOR OTHER PEOPLE THAT
MAY PICK UP OUR MINUTES ONE OF THESE DAYS AND DECIDE IF THEY CAN FIGURE
OUT WHAT WE DID.
THANK YOU, MR. HURLEY.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE ROUTINE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE HAVE.
IF YOU SPEAK AT THIS PART OF THE MEETING, THEN YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE
SPEAKERS GROUP THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD
FOR UP TO FIVE MINUTES, NOT PART OF ONE OF THE CIVIC GROUPS THAT IS HERE
THIS EVENING?
MR. HUGHES, I HAVE A CARD FOR YOU.
SO ARE YOU --
>> THAT'S WHAT I GAVE YOU THE CARD FOR.
DID I -- I WAS TOLD TO SIGN A CARD IF YOU WANTED TO SPEAK.
>>JAN SMITH:  GOTCHA.
>> IS THAT OKAY?
>>JAN SMITH:  BUT IF EVERYONE IS HERE THAT SIGNED A CARD, I HAD THEM IN
ORDER.
I DON'T -- WHERE IS SHE?
OH, THERE SHE IS.
I DIDN'T REALIZE SHE WAS COMING THIS EVENING.
COMMISSIONER STORMS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CHARTER REVIEW
BOARD, PLEASE COME UP.
MR. HUGHES -- I HAVE THE CARDS IN AN ORDER THAT THEY WERE GIVEN TO ME.
>> WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
I'M CONFUSED?
>>JAN SMITH:  IF YOU WOULD HAVE A SEAT FOR A MOMENT.
>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO.
>>JAN SMITH:  WE HAVE YOU FOR 6:30, BUT SINCE YOU ARE HERE NOW, WE'LL DO
IT NOW.
>>RONDA STORMS:  ANYWAY YOU WANT TO DO IT, IF THE CITIZENS WANT TO GO
HOME.
I LIVE HERE.
I HAVE A COT IN THE BACK.
>>JAN SMITH:  WE ARE DELIGHTED THAT YOU ARE HERE AND WE'LL LET YOU GO
SO YOU CAN GO HOME TO YOUR BABY.
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH.
MADAM CHAIR, FOR THE RECORD, I AM COMMISSIONER RONDA STORMS.
I SIT WHERE MIKE BEDKE SITS -- ACTUALLY, I'VE MOVED AND SIT WHERE DENISE
SITS NOW.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP A LOT OF YOUR TIMES.
I APPOINTED TWO WONDERFUL MEMBERS WHO BOTH REPRESENT 900-POUND
GORILLAS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
PLANT CITY FOR DANNY AND SUN CITY CENTER FOR DEE.
AND I JUST -- WELL, LET ME JUST SAY, I READ A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL
ARE DOING, AND MY PERSPECTIVE IS, YOU ALL DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM THE
ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE YOUR TIME.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I TRUST THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO
YOUR WORK.
I TRUST THAT YOU ARE ALL QUALIFIED PEOPLE, BUT BECAUSE YOU ASKED ME TO
COME AND ADDRESS YOU, I DIDN'T WANT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL.
SO I'M SUMMONED.
SO HERE I AM.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT TO ANSWER, BUT
IT'S NOT MY SHOW.
IT'S YOURS.
>>JAN SMITH:  COMMISSIONER STORMS, I THINK IF YOU HAD SOMETHING WITH --
AS ONE OF THE NEWER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,
YOUR EXPERIENCE ON THE BOARD AS IT RELATES TO THE STRUCTURE OF
GOVERNMENT.
IF YOU HAD ANY INSIGHT THAT YOU WANTED TO SHARE WITH US, WE WOULD BE
HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.
IF YOU PREFER TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, WE WILL CERTAINLY DO THAT TOO.
>> IF YOU WANTED TO ASK ME ANYTHING SPECIFIC BECAUSE OTHERWISE, THERE
ARE PROVISIONS IN THE CHARTER FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO ADDRESS
CHANGES IF WE WANTED TO MAKE CHANGES.
AND I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO BRING UP THOSE CHANGES BEFORE
THE COMMISSION.
SO IT'S NOT MY JOB HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT Y'ALL THINK IS IMPORTANT.
IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU WANT MY OPINION OR DIRECTION ON
SOMETHING, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BLINDSIDE -- WHATEVER THE
WORD IS -- BLINDSIDE YOU, YEAH.
I'M NOT TRYING TO FAKE YOU OUT.
IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION, I'M HAPPY TO TELL YOU WHAT IT IS, WHAT MY
PERSPECTIVE IS.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. HURLEY IS GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
HE'S DYING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  THANK YOU FOR COMING, COMMISSIONER STORMS.
THE SITUATION WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WORKING FOR THE COUNTY
ADMINISTRATOR AS OPPOSED TO WORKING FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
YOU ARE AN ATTORNEY, SO I WONDER WHAT YOUR BELIEF WAS ON THAT OR
WHAT YOUR VIEW OF THAT IS.
>>RONDA STORMS:  WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THAT QUESTION.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS GIVEN ME PAUSE.
I THINK THAT IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT HAVING THE
COUNTY ATTORNEY REPORT TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S A RELATIVELY UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS THE
ATTORNEY FOR THE CLIENT AND WE'RE THE CLIENT, AND YET, THE COUNTY
ATTORNEY DOESN'T REPORT TO US.
SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF YOU ALL HAVE EVER HAD A SITUATION WHERE YOU
HAD TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY, IT'S AN UNUSUAL SITUATION THAT I'M NOT SURE, YOU
KNOW, IS BEST ADDRESSED IN THE WAY THAT IT IS CURRENTLY ADDRESSED.
SO THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE ON THERE.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  IT DID.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. BEDKE.
>>MIKE BEDKE:  YES, ALONG SOMEWHAT SIMILAR LINES.
SOME FOLKS HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE
COMMISSION -- COMMISSIONERS THAT THERE WOULD BE A COUNTY AUDITOR, AN
INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE BOARD, AS
OPPOSED TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD A BE A GOOD IDEA OR A BAD IDEA?
>>RONDA STORMS:  I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING ME ABOUT THAT.
NO QUESTION.
I THINK WE SPENT OVER -- I DON'T HAVE THE FIGURES EXACTLY ON THE TOP OF MY
HEAD, BUT I THINK WE SPENT OVER A MILLION DOLLARS ON PERFORMANCE
AUDITS AND OTHER THINGS.
SURELY, WE CAN PAY SOMEBODY FOR SLIGHTLY UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS TO
PERFORM THOSE.
AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I JUST -- I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR US TO HAVE
SOMEBODY TO TURN TO THAT WE KNOW IS -- ONLY HAS OUR AGENDA AT HEART,
AND WE CAN SAY TO THAT PERSON, HERE IS THE DEAL.
WE WANT YOU TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND JUST TELL US.
SOMEBODY THAT WE CAN TRUST.
I MEAN, THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT -- I JUST CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE
TO THE CITIZENS AND THE PEOPLE THE AMOUNT OF PAPERWORK -- IT'S JUST
MIND-BOGGLING.
IT JUST WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN TURN TO AND
SAY, OKAY, TAKE THIS APART, PUT IT BACK TOGETHER AND TELL US WHICH END
IS UP AND WHICH OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE
USE OF THE MONEY.
AND BY THE WAY, REMEMBER WHEN THIS PERFORMANCE AUDIT WAS DONE, YOU
HAVE ALL OF THAT IN YOUR HEAD.
HOW IS THIS BUDGET REQUEST IN LINE WITH THAT PERFORMANCE AUDIT.
AND THAT'S ALL STORED IN ONE PERSON'S HEAD, OR -- I DON'T WANT TO MAKE
THIS PERSON MORE ABLE THAN WHAT THEY ARE, BUT IT IS AT LEAST STORED
SOMEWHERE SO THIS PERSON HAS READY ACCESS TO IT, AND THEN THEY CAN GO
COMPARE IT.
AND THERE IS SOME INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY THERE.
WHEREAS NOW YOU MAY HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO ARE PERFORMING AUDITS,
FOR INSTANCE, IN CONSULTANTS AND THERE IS NO INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY UNLESS THEY ACTUALLY GO RESEARCH IT.
SO, ANYWAY, THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE ON THAT ISSUE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
MS. LASHER.
>>DENISE LASHER:  AGAIN, THANKS FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
>>RONDA STORMS:  THANKS, DENISE.
>>DENISE LASHER:  ONE OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE COME UP FOR
DISCUSSION IS THE QUALIFICATIONS OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND OUR CURRENT CHARTER IS VERY EXACT.
I BELIEVE IT'S SOMETHING TO DO WITH PUBLIC -- MASTERS IN PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION DEGREE AND THERE'S BEEN SOME DEBATE ABOUT MAYBE
THAT'S TOO NARROW OF A REQUIREMENT.
WE HAD IN THE PAST, I BELIEVE, AN INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR, FRED KARL -- I
DON'T KNOW WAS HE INTERIM?
>>JAN SMITH:  HE WAS INTERIM, BUT THEY MADE HIM FULL TIME.
>>DENISE LASHER:  AND HE BECAME THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, BUT DIDN'T
HAVE THAT SPECIFIC DEGREE.
SO THERE'S BEEN SOME DEBATE AS FAR AS WHETHER WE SHOULD TAKE -- OPEN
THAT UP FOR PUBLIC DEBATE AND HAVE THAT POTENTIALLY GO ON THE BALLOT
THIS FALL AS FAR AS QUALIFICATIONS OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
CERTAINLY, MANY PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH DAN KLEMAN, BUT HE WON'T BE
AROUND FOREVER.
HE'S GOING TO RETIRE ONE DAY OR MAY MOVE ON TO GREENER PASTURES AND
THERE WILL BE AN OPENING AND IT MAY HINDER THE ABILITY TO REPLACE MR.
KLEMAN.
>>RONDA STORMS:  WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THIS PAST MONDAY, I WAS DOWN IN
SUN CITY CENTER FOR MEMORIAL DAY.
I'M ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
I'M GETTING THERE.
I WAS DOWN IN SUN CITY CENTER FOR MEMORIAL DAY, AND THERE WAS THIS
MILITARY MAN WHO IS IN CHARGE OF -- HE'S THE COMMANDER OF ALL OF THE
SPECIAL OPERATIONS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, AND HE'S RETIRING.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS A DEGREE IN ADMINISTRATION.
HE'S NOT LOOKING FOR A JOB.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I AM SAYING SO DAN DOESN'T HAVE TO SWEAT IT, BUT I'M
SAYING IF SOMEONE WITH HIS VAST AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE, WORLDWIDE
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE WAS SOMEBODY WHO -- AND WE HAD AN OPENING
AND HE WAS SOMEBODY WHO APPLIED, THEN I WOULD THINK THAT THERE ARE
OTHER MEASURES THAT YOU COULD MAKE THEN THOSE SPECIFIC TYPES OF, WHAT
DOES IT SAY AFTER THE COMMA.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS, AND IF THE PERSON MEETS
THOSE GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS, I THINK THAT'S SATISFACTORY.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THERE IS EVER GOING TO BE A TIME WHEN THE BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WOULD EVER APPOINT SOMEBODY WHO WAS, YOU
KNOW, ACADEMICALLY UNQUALIFIED.
THERE ARE PARTICULAR CREDENTIALS -- I MEAN, SOMEBODY HAS TO BE
CREDENTIALS.
THE REASON I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL, NECESSARILY, WASN'T NECESSARILY TO BE
A PRACTICING ATTORNEY, IT WAS SO I WOULD BE CREDENTIALED.
I DIDN'T FEEL CREDENTIALED WITH MY B.A.
SO THERE ARE STANDARDS, BASIC STANDARDS THAT A PERSON OUGHT TO HAVE,
BUT I THINK IF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE
LOOKING FOR AND HAS QUALIFIED CANDIDATES THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE
CORRECT SUB DEGREE STUDY, THEN THEY SHOULD -- YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD
BE ABLE TO CONSIDER ALL QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
DENISE, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>>DENISE LASHER:  YES, IT DOES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>RONDA STORMS:  A LITTLE LENGTHY.
>>DENISE LASHER:  THE QUESTION WAS LENGTHY ALSO.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. POUPART, WILL YOU LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT MR.
BALES ARRIVED.
>> AS MY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 4, IF I HAVE A COMPLAINT, I'M GOING TO YOU.
>>RONDA STORMS:  YOU AND ABOUT 200,000 PEOPLE.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M AFTER, CITIZEN COMPLAINTS.
AND I RECKON THEY CAN CALL THE ADMINSTRATION, BUT MOST PEOPLE LOOK TO
THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THEN YOU PROBABLY HAVE TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE TO
GET ANSWERS.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT IT BE SPEEDED UP, OR DOES IT WORK LIKE IT SHOULD?
>> WELL, TERRY, LET ME TELL YOU.
THERE IS HONEST DEBATE AMONGST THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THAT.
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT MY PERSPECTIVE IS.
WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT AT OUR BOARD RETREATS, ET CETERA.
WE GET TOGETHER AND SHOOT IDEAS APART, AND FLOAT IDEAS OUT AND TRY TO
TALK THINGS -- AND THAT'S BEEN MY PERSPECTIVE.
I SAID, LISTEN, AND THE POINT I MADE, IF McDONALDS CAN DO IT FOR 99 CENT
HAMBURGER, WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.
THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE.
A LOT OF COMPANIES DO IT AND PAY A WHOLE LOT LESS THAN WHAT WE ARE
DOING IT FOR.
CAN'T WE GET WITH THE PROGRAM.
HERE IS THE EXAMPLE THAT I USED.
AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU BOTH PERSPECTIVES.
AND I THINK I CAN BE INTELLECTUALLY HONEST OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS
THAT HAVE A DIFFERENT IDEA THANE DO.
THEIR IDEA IS THIS, WE DON'T WANT SEVEN ELECTED MAYORS WHO EACH
REPRESENT A DISTRICT AND GO TO EACH STAFF MEMBERS AND SAYING, LISTEN,
SO AND SO NEEDS THEIR GARBAGE PICKED UP, BY THE WAY, CAN WE GET SO AND
SO ROAD PAVED AND SO AND SO'S KID INTO THE PUBLIC PARK PROGRAM?
WE DON'T WANT SEVEN ELECTED MAYORS AND DON'T WANT PEOPLE ABUSING
POWER AND HAVING THEIR OWN LITTLE DISTRICT.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS SEPARATE THE CHARTER BECAUSE WE SET POLICY AND
THE ADMINISTRATOR IS SUPPOSED TO CARRY THAT OUT.
WE ARE GOING TO DIRECT THAT TO THAT PERSON.
THAT PROTECTS, IN THEIR OPINION, AGAINST ABUSE.
BUT I THINK WHAT PROTECTS AGAINST ABUSE -- AND THAT'S -- THOSE ARE SOME
COMMISSIONERS WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD QUITE A LONG TIME.
THEY HOLD THOSE VIEWPOINTS.
MY PARTICULAR OPINION IS, THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET ME GIVE YOU THE
EXAMPLE THAT I GIVE -- THE EXACT EXAMPLE THAT I GAVE IN OUR RETREAT.
I SAID, LET ME ASK YOU THIS, COMMISSIONER, ARE YOU SAYING TO ME, FOR
INSTANCE, I HAD A LADY WHO CALLED ME AND SAID, HER GARBAGE DID NOT GET
PICKED UP.
HERE IT IS AT 3 O'CLOCK ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND HER GARBAGE DID NOT
GET PICKED UP.
SO WHAT THIS COMMISSIONER IS SAYING, YOU ALWAYS MUST FOLLOW THE
PROCESS.
YOU ALWAYS MUST WRITE A REFERRAL.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW, IF SOMEBODY CALLS OUR OFFICE, WE
WRITE AN E-MAIL REFERRAL.
MRS. SMITH CALLED AND HER GARBAGE DIDN'T GET PICKED UP, PLEASE RESPOND.
THAT'S THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE.
MRS. SMITH CALLS OUR OFFICE AND I WANT TO TELL YOU -- YOU CAN CHECK THE
PIE CHARTS OF HOW MANY CALLS WE GET IN.
MY OFFICE GETS BOMBARDED ALL THE TIME.
MY DISTRICT IS VERY ACTIVE.
IF WE'RE NOT NUMBER ONE, WE ARE NUMBER TWO BETWEEN US AND JIM
NORMAN'S -- MY OFFICE AND JIM NORMAN'S.
MRS. SMITH CALLS ME AT 3:30, SHE CALLS ME AND TELLS ME MY GARBAGE
DOESN'T GET PICKED UP.
ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT I WRITE A LETTER AND FIND OUT WHY MY GARBAGE
DIDN'T GET PICKED UP?
SHE DOESN'T CARE A HILL OF BEANS.
SHE WANTS HER GARBAGE PICKED UP.
WE CALL DARYL SMITH IN SOLID WASTE AND WE SAY, DARYL, HERE IS THE STORY.
MRS. SMITH'S GARBAGE DIDN'T GET PICKED UP.
BETTER YET, SOMETIMES WE CALL THE GARBAGE COLLECTORS.
OUR OFFICE SAYS, HEY, YOU ALL MISSED X, Y, Z PERSON AND THEY GET OUT
THERE -- IT HAPPENS QUITE BEAUTIFULLY, THEY'LL GO OUT THERE AND GET THEIR
GARBAGE PICKED UP.
I'LL WADE IN THE MUCK WITH PEOPLE AND IF THEY HAVE A DRAINAGE PROBLEM,
I SEE.
AND IF THEY SAY THEY DON'T LIKE THE PAVING JOB, THEN I GO OUT WITH OUR
PUBLIC WORKS PEOPLE, BERNARDO GARCIA, AND I TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND I SAY,
HERE THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND HERE IT IS.
WE TRY TO DO THAT.
APPROXIMATE IF PEOPLE WANT THEIR ROADS PAVED, WE GO OUT AND TAKE A
LOOK.
IF BERNARDO SAYS IT IS NOT IN THE C.I.P. PROJECT, -- I'M TELLING LET'S GET IT IN
THE PROCESS BUT FOR IMMEDIATE THINGS, I DO SAY THAT GET IT OUT THERE,
MAKE THOSE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS GET OUT THERE AND PICK UP THE GARBAGE.
THE OTHER COMMISSIONER WILL SAY TO ME, THAT IS NOT YOUR JOB.
THAT IS NOT YOUR JOB TO DO THAT.
YOUR JOB IS TO DO THIS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SITTING UP THERE AND MAKING DECISIONS.
THAT'S -- THAT IS MY JOB BY THE CHARTER, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, MY
CONSTITUENTS DON'T THINK THAT'S MY JOB.
THEY THINK IT IS MY JOB TO BE A CONDUIT.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
THAT'S WHAT I THINK MY JOB IS.
MY JOB IS -- THIS ISN'T WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS, OKAY.
WHAT I SEE IS WHAT I WAS ELECTED TO DO IS TO SAY TO PEOPLE, I'M GOING TO
HOLD ON TO THIS END, WHICH IS THE CONSTITUENT'S SIDE.
SOME OF THESE ARE UNSOPHISTICATED, UNEDUCATED PEOPLE, NO TEETH AND
CUTOFFS.  THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT I'M THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEY
DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THROUGH THIS SYSTEM.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE RIGHT NUMBER TO CALL.
I AM HOLDING THIS END AND I HAPPEN TO KNOW THE BUREAUCRATS THAT HOLD
THIS TOGETHER.
I HOOK THEM UP.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK MY JOB IS.
IF IT MEANS USING SOME INFLUENCE TO GET THIS STUFF DONE, THAT SHOULD BE
GETTING DONE?
THAT'S WHAT I THINK MY JOB IS.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO FOR VERY GOOD REASONS THINK
THAT'S NOT MY JOB.
BUT --
>>BOARD MEMBER:  IN LOOKING AT THE SEPARATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE --
EXECUTIVE POWER AND LEGISLATIVE POWER, BUT THE PEOPLE I THINK THAT
LOOK TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS, TO GO TO THEM, YOU
KNOW, IF I HAVE A PROBLEM, THAT'S WHO I'M GOING TO FIRST.
>> LET ME JUST SAY, TOO, Terry, MY CONSTITUENTS -- I HAVE HAD CONSTITUENTS
WHO ARE -- I MEAN, SOPHISTICATED POLITICAL ACTIVIST GADFLY PEOPLE SAY TO
ME THIS.
I THINK THIS IS PECULIAR TO THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES.
THE AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS, PEOPLE PERCEIVE THEM DIFFERENTLY.
WHEN I GO TO WAL-MART, PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND THEY TELL ME AND
EXPECT ME TO GET THINGS DONE.
I HAVE PEOPLE SAY, RONDA, WE LOOK TO YOU AS OUR MOTHER OR OUR FATHER.
YOU'RE THERE TO HELP US.
YOU HAVE TO GET US THROUGH THIS AND BE OUR ADVOCATE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THEY ARE NOT MAKING THAT UP.
PEOPLE THINK THAT ABOUT THEIR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT ABOUT THEIR AT-LARGE
REPRESENTATIVE, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR POUR IS DELUDED.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, AND YOU ASK ANY OF THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
THIS, YOU'LL GET -- IF YOU ASK THE ADMINISTRATOR THIS TOO BECAUSE THE
OFFICES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE KNOW THIS, THAT IN GENERAL, CONSTITUENTS FEEL
MORE TERRITORIAL ABOUT THEIR ELECTED DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE.
THEY FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY REPRESENTATIVES.
THESE OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THE AT-LARGE PEOPLE ARE MY
REPRESENTATIVES TOO, BUT NOT LIKE RONDA.
SHE'S MY -- NOT LIKE JIM OR TOM OR BEN, YOU KNOW.
I MEAN THESE PEOPLE -- THAT'S THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON THEIR DISTRICT
REPRESENTATIVE.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THEY'LL GET DIFFERENT CALLS AND DIFFERENT
REFERRALS.
I MEAN, I GET SWAMPED ALL THE TIME.
YOU KNOW, I'M FOREVER CALLING CAL HENDERSON AND THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENTS.
PEOPLE CALL US AND REPORT CRIMES TO US.
WOULD YOU EVER CALL A COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND REPORT A CRIME?
WE HAD A PERSON THAT WROTE A LETTER AND TOLD YOU THAT HER NEXT-DOOR
NEIGHBOR WAS TRYING TO MURDER?
AND GUESS WHAT, HER NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR WAS TRYING TO MURDER HER.
AND WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A REFERRAL AND THEY
WERE ABLE TO SOLVE THAT CRIME.
WOULD YOU EVER THINK TO CALL YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER?
BUT FOR SOME REASON, THEY SAID CALL RONDA OR CALL YOUR DISTRICT
COMMISSIONER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OF THE OTHER DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS, BUT IT'S
ALWAYS TRUE OF MY OFFICE.
I'M ALWAYS ON THE PHONE WITH MY -- I'M SORRY I SAID I HAD NOTHING TO SAY.
>>BOARD MEMBER:  NEXT QUESTION.
ANYTHING IN THE CHARTER THAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS THAT?
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TONIGHT.
>> I HAVE AN OPINION ON ALMOST ANYTHING, TERRY.
>> I'VE NOTICED.
>>RONDA STORMS:  LET ME SAY THIS.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT THAT PINELLAS COUNTY JUST SWITCHED TO
DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES.
I THINK HAVING DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES LIKE WE HAVE THEM IS THE MOST
-- DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES WITH THE ABILITY TO GET THINGS ACCOMPLISHED,
WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CAST MEANINGFUL VOTES.
I THINK THAT IS -- I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUGHT NOT TO BE TINKERED
WITH BECAUSE THAT IS -- THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE TAKE VERY
SERIOUSLY, AND THE FACT THAT PINELLAS COUNTY JUST SWITCHED TO THAT
SYSTEM REALLY INDICATES HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT NOT HAVING A VOICE.
THEY DO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND AN IN-ROAD WITH THEIR
DISTRICT COMMISSIONER.
SO, ANYWAY, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>>BOARD MEMBER:  I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANYTHING TO PUT IN
THE CHARTER TO RESOLVE SOME OF THAT.
LIKE, AN INSPECTOR OR MAYBE THE AUDIT COULD HAVE A FUNCTION LIKE THAT
OR INSPECTOR GENERAL WHAT WE USUALLY HAD IN THE MILITARY.
>>RONDA STORMS:  YEAH, IN FACT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS -- YEAH, AND
I SAID THE INSPECTOR GENERAL IS WHAT WE NEED.
I THINK WE NEED AN INSPECTOR GENERAL.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT WILL CHANGE PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION, BUT I THINK WHAT IT
WILL DO IS HELP US BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE.
I MEAN, AGAIN, I WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT OUR CONSTITUENTS
COMING UP TO PGM OR TO THE WATER DEPARTMENT OR EVEN TO MY OFFICE AND
FIND SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, STAND THERE, CHEWING HIS CANDY BAR, ALL
RIGHT, WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
YOU KNOW, THAT OUGHT NOT TO HAPPEN.
I MEAN, I'VE HAD -- OUR COUNTY STAFF -- LET ME JUST SAY THIS, OUR COUNTY
STAFF, I BELIEVE -- I HAD A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AS A CANDIDATE THAN I DO
NOW.
IT WAS EASY TO BEAT UP ON STAFF AS A CANDIDATE.
NOW THAT I AM ON THE INSIDE AND I SEE THIS STUFF.
I SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING HARD BY AND LARGE BUT SOMETIMES WHEN IT IS
ONE PERSON AFTER ANOTHER, FOLKS HAVE TO BE REMINDED, WAIT A MINUTE
HERE, THESE ARE CUSTOMERS.
AND WE CAN DO THIS.
WE CAN DO IT WITH A SMILE.
WE CAN DO IT QUICKLY, AND WE CAN DO IT EFFICIENTLY.
SOMETIMES FOLKS JUST NEED TO BE REMINDED ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT AN INSPECTOR GENERAL WOULD DO, OR AN AUDITOR,
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
I THINK IT WILL HELP PROVIDE THAT REMINDER, BUT AS TO CHANGING PUBLIC'S
PERSPECTIVE, I'M NOT SURE THAT WILL HAPPEN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE
TERRITORIAL.
LOCAL POLITICS IS DIFFERENT.
>>BOARD MEMBER:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. LA BAUER.
>>STEVE LaBOUR:  THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME TO US AND APPEAR
BEFORE US TONIGHT, COMMISSIONER.
YOUR ANSWER TO MR. BALLARD'S QUESTION SEGUES WELL TO MY QUESTION.
AND I HAVE A -- TWO QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT STRUCTURE.
AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS, IF
YOU WILL.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT A CHANGE OF HAVING ALL OF THE COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS ELECTED SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT?
AND WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT ABOUT THE COUNTY MAYOR CONCEPT?
>>RONDA STORMS:  I DON'T THINK I WOULD SUPPORT -- HERE IS WHY.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS ARE ELECTED TO BE PAROCHIAL.
I GET ALL THE TIME, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE BEST INTEREST OF THE WHOLE
ENTIRE COUNTY AT HEART.
WELL, YEAH, BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT, I WASN'T ELECTED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE IN -- OUTSIDE OF MY DISTRICT TO LOOK AT -- IF THEIR INTERESTS ARE
COMPETING TO MY DISTRICT'S INTEREST, I'M ELECTED TO DEFEND AND PROTECT
AND TO BE A PIT BULL FOR MY DISTRICTS, IF WE HAVE COMPETING INTERESTS
HERE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS ELECTED TO DO.
I'M SHAMELESSLY PAROCHIAL.
I TELL PEOPLE, NO, NO, THIS IS WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO.
BUT I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY, AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS PROVIDE A BALANCE TO
THAT.
THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, OKAY, I'M GOING
TO BALANCE THIS AGAIN THIS -- AGAINST THIS, AND SOMETIMES THEY PROVIDE
EXACTLY THE RIGHT BALANCE.
MUCH THAT I HATE IT BECAUSE SOMETIMES I HAVE BEEN AT THE 4-3 SIDE WITH MY
AT-LARGE PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE ARE OTHER TIMES, TOO, THAT I SAY IT'S IN MY BEST
INTEREST FOR MY DISTRICT TO ARGUE FOR MY DISTRICT AND TO FIGHT FOR MY
DISTRICT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MY DISTRICT WANTS.
YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A MAJOR ROADWAY AND A MAJOR ARTERY IN MY
DISTRICT THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE, I'M GOING TO PUSH FOR IT AND GOING TO
FIGHT FOR IT.
THERE HAS BEEN TIMES THAT MY DISTRICT HAS LOST AND I SAID THAT IT'S
PROBABLY BEST FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS ELECTED TO DO.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
LET ME SAY THIS.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING ELECTED TO BE PAROCHIAL.
THAT'S WHY WE SEND CONGRESS TO DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE U.S. SENATORS.
EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR SYSTEM FROM FEDERALISM -- WHEN THE FOUNDING
FATHERS WENT BY TO CONCEPTUALIZE THIS.
STATE RIGHTS VERSUS LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND FEDERAL CONTROL BECAUSE
THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT PAROCHIALISM IS OKAY.
PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY HAVE DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES, AND WE HAVE TO GET THEIR VIEWPOINTS HEARD.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR VIEWPOINTS HEARD.
WE CAN ALL BE HOMOGENIZED.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, WHAT MY PERSPECTIVE IS. IT'S OKAY TO
BE SHAMELESSLY PAROCHIAL.
IN FACT, IT IS HONORED BY THE FOUNDING FATHERS.
I THINK THE AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS PROVIDE A BALANCE.
AS FOR THE ELECTED COUNTY MAYOR AND DO I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, NO.
I DON'T.
I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT MY DISTRICT WOULD NOT BE REPRESENTED WELL.
MY DISTRICT -- I MEAN, I HAVE THREE 900-POUND GORILLAS IN MY DISTRICT.
I HAVE COMMUNITY WISE.
I HAVE THE PLANT CITY AREA, I HAVE THE GREATER SUN CITY AREA, AND THEN
I HAVE THE BRANDON AREA.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I THINK, JUST BETWEEN US AND OFF THE RECORD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
THIS IS WHAT I THINK.
I THINK MOSTLY MY MIDDLE-CLASS SOPHISTICATED PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE
OKAY.
THEY KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THE SYSTEM.
THEY KNOW HOW TO DO WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
THEY KNOW WHO TO CALL.
AND IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHO TO CALL, THEY KNOW WHO TO CALL TO FIND OUT
WHO TO CALL.
BUT YOU KNOW FOR THE VAST MAJORITY IN MY DISTRICT, THEY ARE
UNSOPHISTICATED -- NOT THE VAST MAJORITY, BUT SOME OF MY POPULATION IS
UNSOPHISTICATED AND POWERLESS IN A LOT OF WAYS.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE HEARD.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, I'M THE ONLY COMMISSIONER ON THIS BOARD
WHOSE WATER IS HOOKED UP TO WATER THE COWS.
MY DAUGHTER'S FIRST BIRTHDAY THE OTHER DAY, THE LITTLE POOL PARTY, ALL
THE COWS CAME OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE BACKYARD.
I HAVE TO WALK TWO ACRES DOWN TO GET MY MAIL.
I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA.
I'M THE ONLY COMMISSIONER THAT LIVES -- LIVES, YOU KNOW, IN THE RURAL
AREA.
AND THAT KNOWS WHAT THAT VIEWPOINT MEANS.
I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE IN A RURAL AREA AND TO HAVE RULES LIKE, THERE ARE
NO BROWNOUTS -- THERE ARE NO BLACKOUTS DURING POWER SHORTAGES AND
NEVER TURN OFF THE WATER IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS BECAUSE WHEN IT
FREEZES, THEY HAVE TO HAVE GENERATORS OUT THERE AND THEY HAVE TO RUN
THE WATER TO SAVE THE BERRIES.
I KNOW WHAT ALL THAT IS ALL ABOUT.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT BEING OUT THERE AND
HAVING THAT DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE THAT THAT IF YOU HAVE ONE PERSON
IN CHARGE, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHERE THAT PERSON IS GOING TO BE
ELECTED FROM, I'LL TELL YOU WHERE IT IS, IT IS GOING TO BE SOUTH TAMPA, AND
SOMEWHERE HERE IN TAMPA.
AND JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, FOLKS, I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY IT, BUT
YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T GO TO STUFF -- MY HUSBAND AND I AREN'T PARTY
PEOPLE.
WE ARE NOT SOCIAL PEOPLE.
WE DON'T GO TO COUNTRY CLUBS.
YOU KNOW, OUR IDEA OF GOOD TIME IS GOING HOME AND HAVING SOME TIME
AND JUST BEING TOGETHER, MAYBE GOING ON A LITTLE WALK AROUND THE
PROPERTY OR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT SOCIALIZERS, AND WE ARE NOT SOCIALITES.
I AM NOT TRYING TO GET INTO THE POPULAR CROWD AND INTO THE LITTLE POWER
STRUCTURE IN TAMPA.
YOU KNOW WHAT, MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT AREN'T LIKE THAT.
THEY ARE TRYING TO GO TO LITTLE LEAGUE OR TRYING TO GO TO THE 4-H THING
OR THE FAA THING.
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING.
PEOPLE WHO AREN'T LIKE ME, AND I'M NOT SAYING THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG
WITH THAT, WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RAISED IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND
HAVE BEEN PART OF THE POWER STRUCTURE AND GONE TO I HAVEY LEAGUE
COLLEGES AND COME BACK IN THEIR SILK STOCKINGS AND THREE-PIECE SUITS
AND CARRYING BRIEFCASES.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO, BUT YOU KNOW SOMETHING, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT
I'M TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT MY EXPERIENCES ARE AND THEY REALLY DON'T
KNOW HOW TO HELP PEOPLE IN THE SAME WAY I CAN HELP PEOPLE BECAUSE IT'S
MY EXPERIENCE.
THIS IS ME.
IT'S WHO I AM.
I AM NOT FAKING IT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE SOMETHING I'M NOT, I'M JUST MYSELF.
AND THAT'S WHAT I BRING TO MY DISTRICT.
YOU GET SOMEBODY FROM DOWNTOWN TAMPA WHO IS SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT,
YOU KNOW, THE GUY WHO LIVES IN A MOBILE HOME, WANTS TO LIVE IN A MOBILE
HOME, AND PERFECTLY SATISFIED LIVING IN A MOBILE HOME, AND NOW WANTS
TO SUBDIVIDE HIS PROPERTY SO HIS DAUGHTER CAN LIVE IN A MOBILE HOME
RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SAY ALL MOBILE HOMES ARE BAD,
AND WE WANT TO GET THEM OUT OF THE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE IN THIS COUNTY THAT SAYS
THAT'S OKAY.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE LIKE IT.
WE LIKE IT.
IF YOU CAN'T RELATE TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY DISTRICT
REPRESENTATIVES ARE SO IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE WOULD LOSE IN AN ELECTED MAYOR.
AND I'LL TELL YOU KNOW THING, TOO, IN AN ELECTED MAYOR.
I WAS OUT AT WAL-MART THE OTHER DAY, I WAS WRITING MY CHECK, AND THIS
LADY WAS LOOKING AT ME OVER HERE.
I WAS ALL HARRIED.
THE BABY WAS ON MY HIP.
THIS LADY WAS LOOKING AT ME AND -- SHE CAME OVER TO ME AND SAID AREN'T
YOU RONDA STORMS.
AND I SAID YES, I AM.
SHE SAID YOU KNOW WHAT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE LOVE YOU.
WE KNOW YOU HAVE A BABY.
AND WE KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART AND I BELIEVE YOU
ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING THAT WILL HURT US.
YOU KNOW I DON'T THINK THAT AN ELECTED COUNTY MAYOR WOULD GET THAT
KIND OF STUFF.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE DICK GRECO GETS IT.
I DON'T THINK HE WOULD EVER GO TO WAL-MART, THOUGH.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BUT, ANYWAY, THAT'S MY EXPERIENCE AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE
FOR PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT.
AND I'M GOING TO DEFEND THAT.
I WILL DEFEND MY DISTRICT.
>>STEVE LaBOUR:  ONE LAST QUESTION.
PARTISAN RACES.
THAT ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP SHOULD WE CHANGE TO NONPARTISAN
RACES, SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY HAVE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?
>>RONDA STORMS:  I THINK IF YOU GO TO A NONPARTISAN, THEN YOU ARE GOING
TO GO HAVE A SECRET PARTISANSHIP.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S SILLINESS.
EVERYONE KNOW WHO IS THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ARE.
AND THEY LINE UP ACCORDING TO PARTY OF THOSE NONPARTISAN RACES.
THAT'S SILLY TO NOT REALLY BE WORTHY OF MERIT.
PEOPLE WHO ARE SOPHISTICATED IN POLITICS KNOW, I MEAN, COME ON, DEE, HOW
MANY PEOPLE DO YOU KNOW RUNNING IN NONPARTISAN RACES.
YOU KNOW THAT PARTY AND EVERY PERSON KNOWS THAT PARTY.
AND THE MONEY LINES UP BEHIND THOSE TWO PARTY PEOPLE.
AND THE MESSAGE GETS OUT OR DOESN'T GET OUT BASE ON THE PARTIES.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH PARTIES.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH PARTY AND NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING
PARTISAN.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT IT REPRESENTS?
IT REPRESENTS DIFFERENCE OF IDEAS.
AND THAT'S HEALTHY, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
IN MY OPINION, I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH BEING PARTISAN.
IT'S HEALTHY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK WHAT REALLY WORKS ON BOARD IS
THE IDEA OF DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES ON THE BOARD.
EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR HIS OR HER VIEWPOINT EXPRESSED.
YOU MAY NOT LIKE THE OUTCOME, BUT GUESS WHAT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE
PHILOSOPHY OUT THERE.
YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR IT.
IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE JUST IN LIGHT READING, READ THE "FEDERALIST
PAPERS" AND SOME OF THE REAL -- I HATE TO KEEP DOING IT.
I'M INTERESTED IN FEDERALISM AND CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE
THAT.
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS SPECIFICALLY SAY THIS IS OKAY TO DO THAT.
THEY COULD HAVE OUTLAWED IT.
ANYWAY, WHAT PEOPLE REALLY DON'T LIKE IS THE OPPOSING VIEWPOINT.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE.
AND THEY ARE THINKING THEY WILL GET AWAY FROM THAT AND WILL BE ABLE
TO GET AWAY FROM THAT.
THE OTHER THING THEY DON'T LIKE IS THE PARTY IN CONTROL RIGHT NOW,
WHOEVER THAT PARTY IS IN CONTROL, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER IS THE FLAVOR OF
THE MONTH GOING TO BE, THEN PEOPLE SUDDENLY WANT TO SWITCH TO
NONPARTISAN RACES, WHICH IS KIND OF COMICAL.
SO, ANYWAY.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. WALDRON.
>>ARLENE WALDRON:  COMMISSIONER STORMS, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON
ADDING MORE DISTRICTS?
>>RONDA STORMS:  WELL, LIKE A COMMITTEE OF 99?
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, I THINK -- MY DISTRICT IS DEMOGRAPHICALLY THE LARGEST BY
LANDMASS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL -- THERE'S MY DISTRICT THERE.
DISTRICT 4, FROM THE PASCO COUNTY LINE -- SEE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE TOP?
OVER THERE TO THE POLK COUNTY LINE.
DOWN HERE TO THE MANATEE COUNTY LINE, AND I GUESS, I SUPPOSE IF YOU TOOK
IT ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE WATER, YOU CAN TOUCH PINELLAS COUNTY TOO. 
LOOK AT THAT DISTRICT.
I MEAN I HAVE A THIRD OF THE POPULATION IN MY DISTRICT.
I THINK IF YOU BROKE IT DOWN ACCORDING TO POPULATION, WHICH CENSUS WILL
PROBABLY TAKE CARE OF, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT.
THE REASON MY DISTRICT HAPPENED THE WAY IT HAPPENED IS IT ONCE WAS VERY
RURAL AND EVERYBODY SAID -- YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAID, LET'S MOVE OUT
TO THE COUNTRY AND INCIDENTALLY, NOW THEY ARE SAYING SHUT THE GATE
NOW THAT WE'RE HERE.
THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE.
BUT ANYWAY, SO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY MOVED OUT THERE, LIKED THE LIFESTYLE, AND GUESS
WHAT, THEY'RE STILL COMING.
SO I THINK THE CENSUS IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT, AND I THINK THEY'LL
GET THAT -- YOU KNOW WHAT?
I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, ARLENE.
BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS REALLY THE FLAVOR OF YOUR QUESTION.
I GET THIS ALL THE TIME AND THIS IS WHAT I TELL PEOPLE.
I WAS AT -- I'LL USE BRANDON BECAUSE BRANDON IS THE SAFEST EXAMPLE TO
USE, BUT I GET IT ALL THE TIME.
I WAS AT THIS BRANDON LUNCHEON THING AND I WAS GIVING A SPEECH.
AND SOMEBODY CAME UP TO ME FROM THE BRANDON CHAMBER NO LESS AND
SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WHERE ONLY BRANDON HAS A
VOICE.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST THE REDHEADED STEPCHILDREN OF COUNTY
POLITICS.
AND, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE NEVER GET OUR FAIR SHARE.
WE ARE THE REDHEADED STEPCHILDREN.
I LOOKED AT THAT PERSON AND I SAID, WELL, THAT CAN'T BE TRUE BECAUSE AS
EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S THONOTOSASSA.
AND IF IT'S NOT THONOTOSASSA.
THEN EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S SUN CITY.
IF IT IS NOT SUN CITY.
EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S RUSKIN.
AND IF IT'S NOT RUSKIN, EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S LUTZ.
IF NOT LUTZ, PLANT CITY.
IF NOT PLANT CITY, EVERYBODY KNOWS ITS KEYSVILLE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
EVERYBODY THINKS -- IT CAN'T ALL BE TRUE.
EVERYBODY CAN'T BE THE REDHEADED STEPCHILDREN.
THE DEAL IS, EVERYBODY IS GETTING A PIECE OF THE PIE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT,
NOBODY IS SATISFIED WITH THE PIE.
YOU KNOW WHY THAT IS?
IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES.
IT'S A SIMPLE ANSWER.
YOU KNOW I'M NEVER SATFIED WITH MY BUDGET EITHER.
I WANT TO BE A MILLIONAIRE.
BUT I'M NOT.
SO I HAVE TO LIVE IN THE BUDGET.
>>ARLENE WALDRON:  I'M SORRY, WAS THE ANSWER YES OR NO AS FAR AS ADDING
MORE DISTRICTS?
>>RONDA STORMS:  NO.
NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
>>JAN SMITH:  ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER STORMS?
>>GERALD WHITE:  I HAVE A QUESTION RELATED TO ADDITIONAL DISTRICTS.
ONE OF MY GREATEST CONCERNS AS A PART OF THIS BOARD IS
AFRICAN-AMERICAN PARTICIPATION ON THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
AND ONCE THE CENSUS IS DONE, IF THE NUMBERS DROP IN DISTRICT 3
SPECIFICALLY, AND --
>>RONDA STORMS:  WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
YEAH.
I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING THIS WEEKEND, GERALD.
I WAS THINKING, HOW IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN?
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET VOICES REPRESENTED ON THE BOARD?
I MEAN -- BECAUSE, I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
HOW -- IF -- I MEAN, LOOK AT MY DISTRICT.
THEY ARE GOING TO CARVE WHAT?
WHO IS GOING TO TAKE WHAT?
I WAS THINKING, OKAY, TOM IS PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE SOME OF MY DISTRICT.
IF HE GOES OUT HERE, WHERE IS HE GOING TO GO?
YOU KNOW, THERE IS NOT A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK COMMUNITY THAT HE CAN
-- THAT HE CAN -- AND PRESERVE THAT VOICE.
IN COUNTY POLITICS.
SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
ARE THEY GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE SLIVER ALL THE WAY OUT TO BEESVILLE AND
JUST WIDEN IT OUT?
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO GET DONE.
BUT THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY
ATTENTION AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S VOICE IS HEARD.
THAT'S RIGHT.
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE A HISPANIC PERSON GET ELECTED.
>>GERALD WHITE:  SO WOULD I.
TO REMEDY THAT, THE POSSIBILITY --
>>RONDA STORMS:  NOT IN MY SEAT, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I'M NOT HISPANIC.
>>GERALD WHITE:  THE REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM MAY BE ADDING ADDITIONAL
SEATS IF THAT'S THE CASE TO HAVE HISPANIC AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN
PARTICIPATION ON THE BOARD.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT THAT?
>>RONDA STORMS:  YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TWO MORE SEATS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO ADD MORE SEATS, YOU HAVE TO ADD AT LEAST TWO.
NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT YOU'D BE VERY EFFICIENT WITH GETTING TWO MORE SEATS
ON.
I THINK THE BETTER PART OF VALOR IS TO SAY, LET'S GERRYMANDER.
I'M NOT FOR GERRYMANDERING.
THAT GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING I'M SAYING.
>>GERALD WHITE:  ONE SEAT WILL SATISFY THE PROBLEM?
TO SOMEWHAT OF A REMEDY?
>>RONDA STORMS:  IF EVERYBODY BALANCES.
IF EVERYBODY BALANCES, THEN OTHER PEOPLE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
THERE ARE SOME TAMPA DISTRICTS THAT COULD REPRESENT -- THAT COULD
ELECT IF THEY WANTED TO A HISPANIC VOTE.
THEY'VE GOT THE VOTES.
FOR SOME REASON, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT ALL BEHIND THAT
PERSON.
BUT ANYWAY, AT LEAST AS I UNDERSTAND IT, MAYBE NOT.
BUT ANYWAY.
>>GERALD WHITE:  ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT IS HEADED YOUR WAY IS THE -- THIS
BOARD PASSED A RESOLUTION FOR THE OATH OF OFFICE.
AND I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD SUPPORT THAT WHEN IT REACHED THE
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
WE PASSED A RESOLUTION TO -- WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR OATH OF OFFICE, THAT
YOU WOULD UPHOLD THE CHARTER OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
>>RONDA STORMS:  OKAY.
WELL -- I HAVE THE OATH OF OFFICE IN MY OFFICE.
AND I KEEP IT ON MY BULLETIN BOARD JUST TO REMIND ME OF WHAT I AM
SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
CUT AND PASTE MY DISCUSSIONS OVER HERE ON THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
SEE, I MEAN, I DON'T WANT SOME COMMISSIONER RUN TO HAVE AN ETHICS
OPINION AGAINST ME BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK THEY DON'T THINK WHAT I
SHOULD BE DOING AND VIOLATING THE CHARTER.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?
I'M SAYING I AM GOING TO UPHOLD THE OATH OF OFFICE AND DO WHAT I'M
SUPPOSED TO DO.
IF YOU TAKE IT WITH SOME PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THEY SAY MY JOB IS
AND SAYING I AM NOT UPHOLDING THE CHARTERS AND MAKING SURE HER
GARBAGE IS PICKED UP AND NOT FINDING OUT WHY IT WASN'T PICKED UP.
GERALD, I'M AFRAID OF THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN.
NOT EVERYTHING IS BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS INTERESTED IN INTEGRITY.
SOME THINGS ARE JUST INTERESTED IN POLITICS.
>>GERALD WHITE:  THE ONLY RESPONSE TO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A CITIZEN CAN
FILE AN ETHICS COMPLAINT AT ANY MOMENT --
>>RONDA STORMS:  I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A CITIZEN.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, BY THE WAY, TO ME.
>>GERALD WHITE:  ANYONE COULD DO THAT.
AND I WOULD HOPE THE PUBLIC AND THE PRESS WOULD JUMP ALL OVER A
FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINT.
AND I'M SURE THEY WOULD.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. WHITE, GO AHEAD.
BOARD MEMBERS, I DID NOT ANTICIPATE THAT COMMISSIONER STORMS WAS
GOING TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.
AND YOU UNDERSTAND THE PLAN THAT WAS LAID OUT FOR THIS EVENING.
SO FINISH THAT QUESTION.
THEN I WOULD LIKE REALLY TO MOVE AHEAD, UNLESS ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY
MORE QUESTIONS.
>>GERALD WHITE:  I HAVE JUST TWO MORE QUESTIONS, MADAM CHAIR.
AND I WASN'T EXPECTING YOU TO BE HERE THIS EVENING AS WELL.
>>RONDA STORMS:  DIDN'T I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT?
ISN'T THIS THE NIGHT THAT YOU CALLED AND ASKED ME TO BE HERE?
>>JAN SMITH:  I DID NOT HAVE IT ON MY AGENDA.
AND I'M SORRY, I WAS UNAWARE THAT YOU WERE COMING THIS EVENING.
>>RONDA STORMS:  I THOUGHT I WAS ASKED.
SORRY.
>>JAN SMITH:  YOU WERE DEFINITELY ASKED TO BE HERE.
WE SCHEDULED THIS EVENING AND THE LAST MEETING OF THE MONTH TO LISTEN
TO THE CIVIC GROUPS ONE NIGHT, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ONE NIGHT.
>>RONDA STORMS:  I SEE AND NOW YOU HAVE SOME POLITICAL UP HERE YACKING
AWAY.
I SEE IT.
>>JAN SMITH:  WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE THIS EVENING.
>>GERALD WHITE:  WE HAD THE PLANNING COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HERE AT OUR LAST MEETING AND HE'S SUGGESTING THAT HE HAVE A DIRECT FEED
TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS IT RELATES TO THE BUDGET.
>>RONDA STORMS:  BET HE WOULD SINCE WE CUT HIS BUDGET.
>>GERALD WHITE:  HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
>>RONDA STORMS:  I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
ON MY BRIEF EXPERIENCE ON THE YEAR AND A HALF -- THIS ISN'T ANYTHING THAT
I HAVEN'T SAID IN MEETINGS TO THEM.
WHAT I FIND IS THAT -- THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB,
ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY THINK THEIR AGENDA IS.
BUT I FIND THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOING THINGS THAT'S NOT WITHIN THEIR
JOB DESCRIPTION TO DO.
AND THEN THEY WILL -- THAT ARE GOOD AND WORTHY THINGS TO DO.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?
I MEAN, THEY SEE A NEED AND SAY, HERE I AM TO SAVE THE DAY, AND HERE I AM,
AND I'M GOING TO DO THIS.
AND THEY DO THAT TASK.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S NOT WITHIN THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION.
THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING IT.
AND THESE ARE THINGS -- VERY SPECIFIC THINGS I HAVE SAID TO THEM.
AND THEN THEY COMPLAIN AND SAY, HOW CAN YOU DO THIS?
YOU ARE CUTTING OUR BUDGET.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT US?
I SAY MULTIPLE THINGS.
THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THIS.
CUT THOSE THINGS OUT, THE BUDGET CUT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED, YOU ARE NOT
GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH.
IF YOU START DOING THINGS OUTSIDE OF YOUR DESCRIPTION -- LIKE BASEBALL.
YOU DON'T SEE THAT LEFT FIELDER THAT SAYS THAT BALL IS GOING TO FIRST
BASE, I'M GOING TO GO OVER THERE QUICKLY AND GET IT.
THEY PLAY THEIR POSITION.
PITCHER, SECOND BASE.
EVERYBODY PLAYS THEIR POSITION.
IF YOU ARE NOT PLAYING YOUR POSITION BECAUSE YOU ARE RUNNING ALL OVER
THE FIELD, THEN YOU DON'T SAY, LISTEN I NEED SOMEBODY ELSE TO HELP COVER
THIS BASE.
YOU SAY, STICK TO HOME BASE.
THEY BETTER STICK TO HOME BASE.
THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE AND YOU WILL GET A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FROM THE
PLANNING COMMISSION.
>>GERALD WHITE:  WE DEFINITELY DID.
>>RONDA STORMS:  IF YOU WOULD LIKE INFORMATION, I CAN GIVE YOU SPECIFIC
EXAMPLES OF THINGS.
>>GERALD WHITE:  WE HAD COMMISSIONER PAT FRANK HERE AND SHE TALKED
ABOUT HAVING A ROLE -- AN EARLIER ROLE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
>>RONDA STORMS:  OH, YES.
>>GERALD WHITE:  HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
>>RONDA STORMS:  I CAN'T -- I TRUST PAT -- WHATEVER PAT SAID, DITTO.
I'M SURE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT SHE SAID, BUT WE HAVE BEEN IN THE BOARD
DISCUSSION ABOUT BUDGET THINGS AND BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, AND HE AND I
HAVE ECHOED THE EXACT SAME FRUSTRATIONS.
WE'VE SAID SOME OF THE EXACT SAME THINGS.
IT'S JUST NOT EFFICIENT WHATSOEVER.
AND IT REALLY DOESN'T PROVIDE US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH THINGS.
WE'RE NOT REALLY IN THE PROCESS OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, OKAY, THIS IS A
PRIORITY THIS IS A PRIORITY.
THEY ARE COMPETING PRIORITIES, AND WE HAVE LIMIT RED SOURCES, WHICH ONE
ARE WE GOING TO BALANCE?
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE DOING.
IT'S BASICALLY A FREE-FOR-ALL.
THERE'S THE BONE.
ALL SEVEN OF US DOGS ARE GOING TO GO FIGHT FOR IT.
THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT IT IS.
THERE DOESN'T FEEL LIKE -- MAYBE THERE IS, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT TO ME
THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE SETTING PRIORITIES AND WE SAY, OKAY, HERE IS A
PRIORITY AND THIS IS IT.
THIS IS WHAT WE STICK.  TO IT'S NOT WHAT IT IS.
I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.
WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE MOSI CAME US TO AT LIKE 9 O'CLOCK IN THE
MORNING -- ACTUALLY IT WAS 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND ASKED US FOR
$1.4 MILLION TO BUY A PIECE OF PROPERTY THEY HAD TO CLOSE ON AT 5 O'CLOCK.
HERE WE JUST GOT DONE -- YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING, 1.4 MILLION
DOLLARS.
WE JUST HAD THAT COMMITTEE OF 99 AND EVERYBODY SAID TRANSPORTATION
IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE AND WE HAVE TO DO IT.
SUDDENLY TRANSPORTATION IS NOT THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE AND MOSI IS THE
NUMBER ONE ISSUE AND WE ARE GOING TO GIVE THEM IN THIS 45-MINUTE
DISCUSSION 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS?
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
WE DIDN'T DO IT AND WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING IS MAKING THEM TAKE A
FORWARD GRANT OF THEIR C.I.T. ALLOCATION, WHICH THEY WERE ALREADY
GOING TO GET.
WE MADE THEM USE IT FROM THERE.
BUT YOU UNDERSTAND?
THERE'S THAT KIND OF BATTLE ALL THE TIME.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS THE BUDGET IS REALLY NOT ABOUT SETTING PRIORITIES
AND STICKING TO IT AND ALLOCATING SCARCE RESOURCES TO THOSE PRIORITIES.
>>GERALD WHITE:  I HAVE ONE LAST THOUGHT.
>>JAN SMITH:  THIS IS THE LAST QUESTION, MR. WHITE.
THIS IS THE THIRD LAST QUESTION.
IT IS 7 O'CLOCK.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
GO AHEAD.
>>GERALD WHITE:  WHERE WAS I?
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT SAY
THERE IS A LACK OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP ON THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS AND NOT A COUNTY MAYOR, BUT ONE PERSON ON THE BOARD
TO BE THE LEADER, SPECIFICALLY MOVING TO SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS AND
HAVING ONE PERSON ELECTED AT LARGE OR WITH THE SYSTEM WE HAVE IN
PLACE NOW AND ONE OF THOSE BOARD MEMBERS ELECTED.
IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH POLITICAL LEADERSHIP ON THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS?
>>RONDA STORMS:  I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT FEEL THAT WAY, BUT I DON'T
FEEL THAT WAY.
I THINK THAT WHAT YOU HAVE IS SEVEN VERY STRONG PERMITS WITH SEVEN
VERY DISTINCT PHILOSOPHIES.
AND WHAT I THINK IS THIS.
PEOPLE MISTAKE NOT -- IF THE VOTE ISN'T "YES" THEN PEOPLE THINK NOTHING
HAS BEEN DONE.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU, I THINK IT'S A VICTORY MANY TIMES TO HAVE SOMETHING
DEFEATED.
I WIN.
MY DISTRICT WINS.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
ON THAT GAS TAX THING, AND THE HALF CENT, WHEREVER YOU STOOD ON THAT,
HALF-CENT SALES TAX, THE GAS TAX, AND THE IMPACT FEE THING, WE DIDN'T
PASS THAT.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
I THINK WE GOT SOMETHING DONE.
AND I THINK WE DEMONSTRATED POLITICAL LEADERSHIP.
AND YOU KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE WE DID WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED US TO DO.
AND AT LEAST IN MY DISTRICT, I HAVEN'T HAD PEOPLE WRITE ME AND SAY THAT'S
IT FOR YOU.
YOU DIDN'T PASS THAT GAS TAX.
NO, NO, NO.
IN FACT, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
AAA WROTE A LETTER -- THEY SEND OUT THESE LITTLE MAGAZINE ARTICLES.
AND IN THIS LETTER, THEY ARE TELLING ALL THEIR CONSTITUENTS SAYING WE
HAVE BEEN FIGHT ON YOUR BEHALF TO REDUCE GAS TAXES.
WE ARE MEETING WITH SECRETARY BILL RICHARDSON AND TRAVELING TO
WASHINGTON AND SEEING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SEE FEDERAL TAXES
REDUCED AND TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO REDUCE GAS PRICES HERE IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT I DID?
I WROTE THEM BACK A LETTER.
SAYING, MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO TELL YOUR CONSTITUENTS EVERYTHING YOU ARE
DOING TO RAISE GAS TAXES BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU ALL PERSONALLY
VISITED US AND ASKED US TO RAISE GAS PRICES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR
5 CENTS.
AND YOU ASKED US TO LEVY THE ONE PENNY FOR POTHOLES.
THAT'S SIX CENTS.
THOSE ARE DOUBLE STANDARDS THERE.
THEY KNOW THE MESSAGE IS TO REDUCE GAS TAXES.
NOT JUST RONDA STORMS SAYING THAT.
THE MESSAGE NATIONWIDE.
WASHINGTON IS DEALING WITH THAT.
EVERYONE IS SAYING THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
SOMEHOW, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION DOESN'T PASS THE GAS TAX AND
EVERYBODY IS SAYING THERE'S NO POLITICAL LEADERSHIP.
EVERYBODY ELSE KNOWS YOU CAN'T GO AROUND TALKING ABOUT GAS TAXES
AND STILL RAISE YOUR HEADS BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT IT.
I THINK THAT'S A VICTORY.
NOT A FAILURE OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, THAT, MY FRIENDS, IS DEMOCRACY,
IMAGINE THAT, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
WE LIKE IT.
THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE.
>>GERALD WHITE:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRIVILEGE.
>>JAN SMITH:  OKAY.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY MORE QUESTIONS?
DOES ANYONE DARE TO ASK A QUESTION?
MS. STORMS, THANK YOU.
I'M SURE YOU NEED A DRINK OF WATER.
THAT'S 45 MINUTES.
WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING.
>>RONDA STORMS:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND SO THAT --
>>JAN SMITH:  AND, SO I CAN EXPLAIN WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW, IF EVERYBODY
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT.
I DID NOT ANTICIPATE THAT MS. STORMS WOULD BE HERE THIS EVENING.
AND SHE WAS NOT SCHEDULED, BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS HERE, I THINK IT WAS
ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO ACCOMMODATE HER SCHEDULE, BUT I AM NOT GOING
TO CHANGE THE SCHEDULE FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING.
WE HAVE INVITED THESE CIVIC GROUPS HERE, AND WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM
THEM.
AND THAT MEANS IT'S GOING TO BE A LATE NIGHT.
SO WE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS -- THAT WAS 45 MINUTES THAT WAS
UNINTENDED ON THIS AGENDA.
SO REALIZE THAT WE ARE BEHIND THE 8-BALL.
AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO CATCH UP.
SO I AM GOING TO, IN DEFERENCE TO THAT, THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THOSE PEOPLE
WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK, THAT ARE NOT PART OF CIVIC GROUPS, THAT WANT --
THAT CAN SPEAK NOW OR AT THE END OF THE MEETING, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK
YOU TO REDUCE YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES SO WE CAN MOVE
FORWARD.
MR. RALPH HUGHES.
>> MADAM CHAIR, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WE HAD FIVE MINUTES, AND I'VE
PREPARED ABOUT FOUR.
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO COME IN --
>>JAN SMITH:  WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE MEETING AND
HAVE YOUR FULL FIVE MINUTES?
>> NO, BECAUSE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS IMPORTANT TO WHAT Y'ALL ARE GOING
TO DISCUSS TONIGHT.
AND IF I SAY IT AFTER THE FACT, IT'S GOING TO BE --
>>JAN SMITH:  ALL RIGHT.
MR. HUGHES, SPEAK QUICKLY.
>>JAN SMITH:  WE'LL GIVE YOU FOUR.
MS. POUPART, A TIMER FOR FOUR MINUTES.
GO FOR IT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ARE YOU READY FOR ME TO START?
NOW YOU KNOW WHY EVERYBODY LOVES COMMISSIONER STORMS AND WHY SHE
WILL BE ELECTED AND REELECTED AS OFTEN AS SHE WANTS TO RUN FOR OFFICE,
AND I INCLUDE MYSELF IN THAT.
RALPH HUGHES, TAMPA.
I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW PLEASED I WAS AT OUR MEETING LAST WEEK
TO HEAR OUR CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, RICHARD AKE, STATE THAT A
PROPOSAL FOR CHARTER CHANGE BASED ON RON GLICKMAN, DATED AUGUST 15,
1995, AND MODIFIED BY ME APRIL 27, 2000, DOES NOT REPRESENT A CONFLICT WITH
THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HIS OFFICE.
MR. AKE DID RECOMMEND THAT THE TITLE OF THIS OFFICE BE CHANGED FROM
"COUNTY INTERNAL AUDITORS" TO COUNTY INTERNAL AUDITORS.
I AGREE AND CONSIDER THIS A CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGE.
WHY DO WE NEED THIS POSITION?
I HAVE PREPARED A FOUR-POINT ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION.
ONE, WE HAVE SPENT WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FOR OUTSIDE
INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDITS, AND THESE AUDITS, WITH ONE EXCEPTION,
HAVE LANGUAGE ON THE SHELF.
A COUNTY INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR APPOINTED BY AND APPOINTED
DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WILL NEVER ALLOW THIS
TO HAPPEN.
THIS OFFICE WILL BE ON TOP OF THIS EVERY DAY, ALL DAY, AS THAT WOULD BE
THE PRIME REASON FOR THE EXISTENCE OF THIS OFFICE.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS OFFICE WOULD RESULT IN THE SAVINGS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF OUR TAXPAYERS' MONEY.
TWO, THIS ENTITY WILL RESULT IN THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
HAVING THE BUDGET ASSISTANCE THEY BADLY NEED.
THE COUNTY'S ANNUAL $2.2 BILLION BUDGET WILL THEN BE TAKEN APART,
CHALLENGED AND PUT BACK TOGETHER BY THIS OFFICE AS WELL AS ANY AND
ALL OTHER BUDGET REQUESTS BEFORE THE BOCC THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
YOU WILL RECALL PAT FRANK, CHAIR OF THE BOCC, TOLD YOU AT ONE OF THE
PRIOR MEETINGS THAT THE BOCC DESPERATELY NEEDS THIS ASSISTANCE.
COMMISSIONER RONDA STORMS TOLD YOU THE SAME THING TONIGHT.
THINK ABOUT IT, THE BOCC HAS A TWO-FEET STACK HIGH OF BUDGET DOCUMENTS
AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE $2.2 MILLION BUDGET AS BEST THEY CAN IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
THIS OFFICE WOULD PROVIDE THIS MUCH-NEEDED ASSISTANCE.
I BELIEVE THIS PROCESS WILL RESULT IN AN ANNUAL SAVINGS OF MILLIONS MORE
OF OUR TAX DOLLARS.
THREE, BOTH PALM BEACH AND BROWARD COUNTY CHARTERS HAVE
ESTABLISHED AN OFFICE OF APPOINTED COUNTY AUDITOR.
PALM BEACH COUNTY TOOK THIS ACTION IN 1985.
I SHOULD MENTION THAT THESE TWO COUNTIES AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX
RATE IS 5% TO 20% BELOW OURS, AND THEIR SALES TAX RATE IS 6% COMPARED TO
OUR 6 AND THREE QUARTER PERCENT.
ARE THERE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE TAX DOLLARS TO BE SAVED?
THINK ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE "A," THE HIGHEST IMPACT FEES IN THE STATE "B," THE SECOND HIGHEST
AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES IN THE STATE.
"C," WATER AND SEWER RATES TWO AND A HALF HIGHER THAN POLK AND
PINELLAS COUNTY AND 63% HIGHER THAN THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE.
"D," A SALES TAX RATE 12 AND A HALF PERCENT HIGHER THAN OTHER COUNTIES
AND SUCH MEDIUM-SIZED COUNTIES AS LEE, COLLIER, AND VOLUSIA COUNTIES.
OUR COUNTY BUDGET HAS INCREASED AT AN AVERAGE ANNUAL RATE OF 5.4%
EACH YEAR FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS WHILE OUR POPULATION HAS INCREASED
ONLY 1.8% FOR EACH OF THESE THREE YEARS.
THINK ABOUT IT.
THE POPULATION INCREASE IS ONLY 1.8%, YET THE BUDGET INCREASE IS 5.4%.
THREE TIMES THE POPULATION GROWTH RATE.
ASK YOURSELF.
AND IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE HAS INCREASED AT A
RATE OF ONLY 1 AND A HALF PERCENT FOR EACH OF THREE YEARS.
IS THAT THE WARNING?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE HAS INCREASED AT A RATE OF 1 AND A HALF
PERCENT FOR EACH OF THREE YEARS.
ASK YOURSELF, IF WE HAVE THE HIGHEST TAXES, RATES, AND FEES IN THE STATE,
WHY IS IT THAT WE HAVE NO MONEY FOR TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS OR
ANYTHING ELSE?
I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT A CHARTER CHANGE THAT WILL RESULT IN THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A COUNTY INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR WILL BE A
MAJOR STEP IN RESOLVING THIS DILEMMA AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
TAXPAYERS' MONEY WILL BE SAVED LEADING TO A SUBSTANTIAL DEDUCTION IN
OUR EXCESSIVE TAXES, RATES, AND FEES.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANKS TO MR. HUGHES SPEAKING FOR FOUR MINUTES, I AM GOING
TO ALLOW ANYONE ELSE THE SAME.
JANET WILSON, SHE'S NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN ORGANIZATION?
YOU ARE HERE ON YOUR OWN?
OKAY.
THAT'S FINE.
THE "WEEKLY PLANET"?
SHARON --
>> I'LL PASS.
>>JAN SMITH:  ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
AL DAVIS?
AL HAS GONE?
[INAUDIBLE]
>>BARBARA MERRITT:  HE WASN'T FEELING WELL TONIGHT, AND HE'S BEEN
WATCHING ON TV, AND I TOLD HIM THAT WE'LL SEND HIM ALL THE BOARD
PACKETS.
HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE COULD GET BOARD PACKETS AND HE WISHES
YOU ALL WELL.
>>JAN SMITH:  REMEMBER THAT MR. DAVIS WAS A MEMBER OF TWO PREVIOUS
CHARTER REVIEW BOARDS AND HE IS STILL INTERESTED IN WHAT WE ARE DOING.
GRANDMOTHER AT LARGE, MARILYN SMITH, FOUR MINUTES.
>> I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO RAISE A LOT OF STUFF IN THREE, SO I'LL GO FOR FOUR.
MARILYN SMITH, GRANDMOTHER AT LARGE.
FIRST OF ALL, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HISTORY BUFFS RAND WORRIED ABOUT
THE CONDITION OF OUR COUNTY AND OUR STATE, I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR YOU
TO READ "AMERICAN AURORA."
IT'S VERY ENLIGHTENING.
GIVE YOU A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE OF HOW FAR WE'VE COME.
SECONDLY, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW SINCE WE HAVE THE -- AND WE MIGHT
AS WELL PERFORM SOME MICRO AND MACRO SURGERY.
AMONG THOSE THINGS ARE, THIS IS TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DOESN'T WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN
THE BUDGET.
THIS IS THE REASON WHY HE SLAMS IT IN, VERY LITTLE BACKGROUND, AND THEY
HAVE TO STRAIN IN -- IT'S UNBELIEVABLE WHAT THEY HAVE TO GET TO TO GET
ANSWERS.
IT'S TRULY UNBELIEVABLE.
NOW, PART OF THE REASON WHY THAT IS IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE A COUNTY
ADMINISTRATOR WHO HAS BEEN ALLOWED, THROUGH A WEAK CHAIR, NOT THE
CURRENT CHAIR, BUT THROUGH WEAK PAST CHAIRS, THAT HAVE DECIDED IT'S
OKAY.
HE DOESN'T NEED A WRITTEN CRITERIA OR BENCHMARKS FOR PERFORMANCE.
SO FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND IT HAS GONE ON FOR THREE YEARS NOW,
HE GOES IN AND SCHMOOZES THEM AND CHATS WITH THEM AND HOW
DISCIPLINED HE WAS AND HE SHOULD HAVE A RAISE AND EXTENSION OF
CONTRACT.
THAT'S THE WAY IT IS DONE.
YOU TELL ME IN THE REAL WORLD, IF YOU ARE NOT PERFORMING, IT HAS TO BE IN
WRITING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
AND HE HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH IT AND GET RAISES.
HE DOESN'T PERFORM, TRUST ME.
HE'S WORRIED AGAIN.
IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS AND WANT TO SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE ON THE WRITTEN
PERFORMANCE.
NOW, I WANT TO GO ON FROM THERE.
WE HAD -- YEAH, DAVID, I MINUTES WORDS, DON'T I?
-- MINCE WORDS, DON'T I?
>>DAVID HURLEY:  LET US KNOW HOW YOU REALLY FEEL.
>> WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM HERE AND I THINK WE CAN SOLVE IT
TONIGHT.
WE NEED TO MAKE IT VERY OPEN.
WE HAVE AGENCIES THAT ARE ENABLED BY THE LEGISLATURE THAT WE HAVE TO
CARRY ON WITH AND AMONG THOSE ARE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT ISN'T A LITTLE MORE FIRM,
BECAUSE AN ADMINISTRATOR HAS TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY WHEN HE FINALLY
GETS THE JOB.
IT SHOULD THE SAME THING FOR EXECUTIVES OF THESE AGENCIES, BECAUSE IF
YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR MY ENVIRONMENT OR MY PLANNING, YOU
ARE GOING TO SUFFER IT -- THE FATE OF WHAT YOUR DECISIONS ARE.
AND WE HAVE A NEW -- HE'LL BE COMING IN IN JULY AND I WANT HIM TO MOVE
FROM POLK COUNTY AND GET HIS BODY OVER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
IT'S ONLY RIGHT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY RIGHT AND FAIR THING TO DEVELOPMENT THE
LAST THING I WANT TO RUN REAL QUICK WITH ARE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS.
WE HAVE LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF THOSE.
THIS COUNTY IS HELD UP AND HELD LIABLE FOR MANY TIMES.
THEY SHIFT THE BENEFITS BECAUSE SOMEONE IS NOT ABLE TO HOLD UP THEIR
END.
JUST HERE -- LET ME GO OVER THIS RIGHT QUICK.
THIS REALLY DOES BEAR LOOKING INTO IT.
WHAT WE HAVE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, THE ELECTRIC CAR AGREEMENT HERE
WITH THE CITY.
NOW, WHEN THESE THINGS FALL APART -- THAT'S HARTLINE, BY THE WAY, AND WE
ARE THE MAJOR BACKER OF HARTLINE.
THEY HAVE AGREEMENTS AND CAN COME BACK AND GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BEING HELD CAPTIVE BY A WHOLE LOT OF INTERLOCAL
AGREEMENTS.
THERE IS NO SUNSET IN SOME OF THEM?
THAT'S NOT STATE LAW.
STATE LAW SAYS EVERY TEN YEARS YOU MUST HAVE AN AUDIT AMONG OTHER
THINGS.
SOME OF THESE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS AREN'T BEING LOOKED AT REAL WELL.
WHEN YOU CAN TAKE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, FOR INSTANCE, ALL THIS
TAMPA BAY WATER STUFF, THE BIG INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, THERE WAS ASSETS
MOVED AROUND.
THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY NEVER GOT ONE WHIFF OF WHY OR WHY NOT, AND
WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T GET -- IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REFERENDUMED WHEN YOU
ARE TALKING ABOUT ASSETS OF THAT MAGNITUDE.
AND WE GOT SHAFTED ON THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU, GRANDMOTHER AT LARGE.
THE NEXT PERSON WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD
UP TO FOUR MINUTES IS ANN WHITE.
>> GOOD EVENING.
I'M ANN, AND I HAVE BEEN BEFORE THE BOARD I THINK AT YOUR FIRST MEETING,
I BELIEVE.
AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FOLLOW THE PROGRESS AND WORKS OF THE BOARD
FROM THAT INITIAL DATE.
AND THAT INITIAL MEETING.
I HAD TWO CONCERNS TONIGHT THAT I WROTE ON THE CARD.
ONE IS THE PROGRESS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD AND THE PROGRESS, AS
IT WOULD RELATE TO BRINGING FORTH ISSUES THAT WOULD BE OF PRIMARY
CONCERN TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, BOTH IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE CITY.
BECAUSE ALL RESIDENTS ARE A PART OF THE COUNTY AT LARGE, AND WE ARE
ALL CONCERNED WHETHER WE LIVE IN THE CITY OR WHETHER WE LIVE
ACTUALLY IN THE COUNTY AREAS.
I THINK WE WANT TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU SOMETHING OF SUBSTANCE, I GUESS
I MIGHT SAY, IF I CAN BE DIRECT, WHICH WOULD RELATE TO SOME OF THOSE
ISSUES THAT YOU SPECIFIED EARLIER.
I NOTED FROM ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS THAT YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF BRINGING
IN A LISTING OF ITEMS THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSED DURING YOUR VARIOUS
MEETINGS.
AND IN MY FOLLOWING OF YOUR MEETINGS, I HAVE NOT HEARD MANY OF THOSE
ISSUES DISCUSSED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A TIMETABLE FOR DISCUSSING THOSE ISSUES OR IF YOU
HAVE THEM ON THE BACK BURNER FOR A CERTAIN REASON, BUT I THINK AS
RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, WE WANT TO KNOW THAT ISSUES THAT
ARE OF CONCERN TO US, CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE MADE, OR ANY ISSUES THAT
ARE RELEVANT TOWARDS THE PROGRESS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AT LARGE,
THAT THEY BE BROUGHT FORTH SO THAT WE CAN HEAR THEM, SO THAT WE CAN
SEE THEM IF WE ARE VIEWING BY CABLE, AND SO THAT WE CAN BRING IN OUR
OWN PERSONAL FEEDBACK AND RESPONSE TO THOSE ISSUES THAT YOU RAISE.
SO I WOULD -- THAT YOU WOULD -- WITH SOME SENSE OF -- NOT -- I DON'T WANT
TO PUSH YOU, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE IS AN URGENCY HERE JUST TO HEAR
SOMETHING FROM THE BOARD.
IF YOU HAVE ISSUES, THEN I THINK YOU SHOULD AT LEAST BRING THEM FORWARD
SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHERE YOU STAND.
ALSO MY SECOND ISSUE IS, THE AIRING OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD
MEETINGS, BOTH IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE CITY.
SINCE THE CHARTER IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ALL OF US, NOT JUST PEOPLE
WHO LIVE IN THE COUNTY -- I LIVE IN THE CITY.
AND I WANT TO SEE THESE MEETINGS.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I THINK, AS A CITIZEN, AND A TAXPAYER, I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT
THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD IS DOING, AND IF THESE MEETINGS ARE ONLY BEING
AIRED FROM TIME TO TIME.
I SAW ONE MEETING.
AND AFTER THAT, I'VE BEEN FLIPPING THROUGH THE CHANNELS, TRYING TO FIND
WHERE THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD IS AND ON WHICH CHANNEL.
NOW MAYBE THAT'S A CABLE ISSUE.
I'M ON THE CABLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND I STILL CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY
YOU'RE NOT BEING SEEN, UNLESS YOU ARE BEING SEEN AT REMOTE TIMES, TIMES
WHEN PEOPLE ARE ASLEEP, THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, FOUR O'CLOCK IN
THE MORNING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SCHEDULING IS, BUT I THINK THE RESIDENTS AND THE
CITIZENS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT TIMES THESE MEETINGS ARE GOING TO
BE AIRED, WHEN, THE DATES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, SO THAT WE CAN BE IN TUNE
TO WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY DOING.
AND IF YOU'RE DOING THINGS THAT WE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JAN SMITH:  REGARDING THE AIRING OF CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETINGS,
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES ALLOW THIS BOARD TO BE
BROADCAST LIVE IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BUDGET HEARINGS OR ANYTHING
GOING ON THAT PREEMPT THIS.
AND THEN THEY'LL RUN IT ACCORDING TO A SCHEDULE THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS
HAVE IN THE CITY.
THE CITY HAS THE OPTION TO RUN TAPED-DELAYED MEETINGS AT THEIR, YOU
KNOW, WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO DO IT, AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN
CONTROL.
>>GERALD WHITE:  I WAS TOLD, MADAM CHAIR -- AND THANK YOU, MS. WHITE, I'M
SURPRISED THAT SHE SPOKE, BUT HIV SOME COMPLAINTS THAT THE CITIZENS OF
TAMPA, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT PLANT CITY AND TEMPLE TERRACE, THEY HAVEN'T
SEEN -- IT'S ONLY ONE MEETING THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT HAS BEEN BROADCAST.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM SOME CITIZEN COMPLAINTS, THAT THEY HAVE
NOT SEEN NOT ONE OF OUR MEETINGS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, TEMPLE TERRACE,
AND PLANT CITY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT --
>>JAN SMITH:  CALL MR. GRECO AND HAVE A CHAT WITH HIM.
HIS NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON -- CONTACT HIS NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON.
MR. LaBOUR, IS IT -- JULIE HARRIS.
YEAH, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT JULIE HARRIS HEARS FROM US.
>>BOARD MEMBER:  MADAM CHAIR, IN PLANT CITY, IT WAS LIVE ONE TIME AND
ONE TIME IT WAS AT 3 O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.  I'M NOT ON CABLE SO MY
NEIGHBOR TELLS ME.
>>JAN SMITH:  I'LL ASK THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE WHO HANDLES
COMMUNICATIONS TO GIVE US A LIST OF THE TIMES THEY ANTICIPATE RUNNING
THOSE DELAYED TAPES TO BOARD MEMBERS IN DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION ALSO
HAVE A WAY OF FINDING OUT WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO BE ON.
THAT IS THE END OF THE SPEAKERS.
SO WE'RE -- WE'RE NOW AT 6:20.
LOOK AT YOUR CLOCK.
OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, KEN TINKLER.
HE HAS A FEW QUICK COMMENTS TO MAKE AND THEN START WITH OUR SPEAKERS.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, KEN TINKLER, ASSISTANT COUNTY
ATTORNEY.
JUST QUICKLY, I'VE PASSED OUT TWO PAST LEGAL OPINIONS ON THE ISSUE OF THE
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR QUALIFICATIONS AS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD LAST
TIME.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE REMAINDER OF REQUESTS YOU MADE LAST TIME,
AND SHOULD HAVE MORE TO REPORT AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JAN SMITH:  ANY QUESTIONS?
>>GERALD WHITE: CAN WE GET HIM TO EXPLAIN THIS, THE WAY YOU SEE IT?
CAN YOU VERBALLY EXPLAIN THIS?
>> SURE.  THEY FOUND UNDER SECTION 5036 THE CHARTER, IT REQUIRED A
MASTER'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, MASTERS, OR RELAYED FEE.
THEY FOUND THAT A JUSTICE IRS DOCTORATE DEGREE MEETS THE QUALIFICATION
OF RELATED FIELD.
>>GERALD WHITE:  REALLY, THE PROVISION IN THE CHARTER IS AN ACADEMIC
QUESTION?
>> YES.
>>GERALD WHITE:  OKAY.
AND THESE PARTICULAR DEGREES MEET THE VERBIAGE?
>> THEY FOUND THAT A J.D. DEGREE IS AN ADVANCED DEGREE.
AND GOING BACK AND FINDING OUT WHY THAT SECTION WAS PUT IN, THAT WAS
THE REASON FOR AN ADVANCED DEGREE AS AN APPLICABLE CHAIR.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT.
I'VE READ THROUGH THOSE OPINIONS AND WHAT THEY SEEM TO FOCUS SON
SPECIFICALLY FRED KARL AND HIS QUALIFICATIONS MET THE CRITERIA OF THE
CHARTER AS WAS CURRENTLY DRAFTED.
THE OPINION WENT ON TO COVER THE FACT NOT ONLY DID FRED KARL HAVE A
JURIS DOCTORATE DEGREE, BUT BECAUSE OF HIS UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IN
WORKING WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND BEING AN ASSISTANT COUNTY
ATTORNEY AND DRAFTING CHARTERS AND ALL THOSE VARIOUS THINGS
DISCUSSED IN THAT OPINION RELATIVE TO HIS PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE, THAT IT
WOULD MEET THE EQUIVALENCY OF THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION.
I DIDN'T TAKE IT FROM READING THAT OPINION THAT ANYONE WITH A JURIS
DOCTORATE DEGREE WOULD NECESSARILY HAVE AN EQUIVALENT EXPERIENCE
LEVEL TO MEET THE COUNTY CHARTER REQUIREMENTS.
>> THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONED ASKED AT THIS TIME WAS DID FRED KARL MEET
THOSE REQUIREMENTS?
THAT'S WHY IT WAS PHRASED TO SEE IF MR. KARL COULD MEET THOSE
REQUIREMENTS.
THE BOARD COULD SEEK TO CLARIFY THIS SECTION OF THE CHARTER IF YOU YOU
WISH -- THEY WERE TAKING IT FROM, CAN FRED KARL MEET IT?
AND THEY FOUND THAT AS PART OF IT, THE J.D. DID INCLUDE THE ADVANCED
DEGREE REQUIREMENT.
>>JAN SMITH:  OKAY.
THANK YOU, MR. TINKLER.
WE APPRECIATE YOU STAYING HERE.
AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE WE WOULD NORMALLY TAKE A BREAK AT 7:30.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK.
IT IS ONLY GOING TO BE 5 MINUTES.
YOU ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET 7.
AT 25 AFTER.
I APOLOGIZE TO THE CITIZENS' GROUP.
I DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OVER MY AGENDA THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
>>JAN SMITH:  THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD IS BACK IN SESSION.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE SEVERAL GROUPS THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THIS
EVENING.
THEY HAVE BEEN PLANNING TO BE HERE FOR ABOUT A MONTH.
BARBARA CONTACTED SEVERAL HUNDRED ORGANIZATIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO START THIS EVENING THIS THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, MIMI OSIASON, DENA LEVINGOOD.
PULL THAT MIKE DOWN.
>> YEAH.
I'M MIMI OSIASON, AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN
VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR SERVING IN THIS
CAPACITY AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE EXTRA EFFORTS YOU HAVE MADE TO GIVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK.
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS A VERY
LONGSTANDING INTEREST IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HOME RULE CHARTER.
IN 1983-'84, OUR MEMBERSHIP STUDIED AND EVALUATED CHARTER GOVERNMENT
AND CAME UP WITH THE YARDSTICK OF HOW TO MEASURE THE PROPOSED
CHARTER.
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOUND THAT THE PROPOSED CHARTER ESSENTIALLY
MET OUR CRITERIA.
WE WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FORM OF A COALITION THAT WORKED ACTIVELY
FOR AS SAGE.
I WORKED AS CHAIRMAN OF THAT CAMPAIGN THAT WON APPROVAL BY A
THREE-TO-ONE MARGIN OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS BELIEVES IN OUR
REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
IF YOU PLACE A PROPOSAL ON THE BALLOT, YOU ARE ASSERTING THAT THE
CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE HAS STUDIED THAT PROPOSAL, INCLUDING THE
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT CHANGE.
YOU ARE ASSERTING THAT THAT COMMITTEE BELIEVES THAT PROPOSAL IS AN
IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PRESENT SYSTEM AND IS RECOMMENDING IT TO THE
CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT WE BELIEVE DESERVE YOUR STUDY AND
CONSIDERATION.
WHILE IT MAY NOT BE FEASIBLE TO STUDY THEM ALL WE FEEL THIS IS A GOOD
LIST TO CHOOSE FROM.
FIRST, CONSOLIDATION.
WE HAVE NO POSITION ON CONSOLIDATION.
WE DO HAVE A POSITION ON CONSOLIDATION OF SERVICES, AND WE ATTEMPTED
TO GO THAT ROUTE IN 1996 TO NO AVAIL.
THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE THE NEXT STEP SHOULD BE EXPLORED.
THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION CANNOT PUT CONSOLIDATION ON THE
BALLOT.
ONLY THE LEGISLATURE CAN DO THAT.
HOWEVER, THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE TO RAISE THE ISSUE AND CAN ASK TO
BE APPOINTED AS A SPECIAL CHARTER COMMISSION.
SECOND, APPOINTED RATHER THAN ELECTED CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE NO POSITION ON THIS ISSUE; HOWEVER, THE CONSTITUTIONAL
OFFICERS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUDGET
AND THE AUTHORITY OF EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BODIES.
THIRD, CHARTER REVIEW EVERY EIGHT YEARS RATHER THAN FIVE.
I COULD NOT REMEMBER TODAY, NOR I COULD FIND ANYBODY WHO COULD
REMEMBER WHETHER OR NOT WE TOOK A POSITION ON THAT BACK IN 1996 WHEN
IT WENT ON THE BALLOT.
SO I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS WILL HOLD
WATER, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I THINK -- THE POSITION THAT I THINK
WOULD ADHERE TO LEAGUE PRINCIPLES.
THIS PROCESS TAKES GENERALLY ABOUT 18 MONTHS.
EXPANDING THE YEARS BETWEEN THE PROCESS WOULD ENCOURAGE AN IN-DEPTH
STUDY AND MAY AVOID ADDITIONAL BODIES BEING APPOINTED AS HAVE BEEN IN
THE PAST, MANY -- SEVERAL OF WHICH SOME OF YOU HAVE SERVED ON AND I
HAVE SERVED ON.
IT FAILED IN 1996, 148,00039 TO 1 -- FOURTH, PARTISAN VERSUS NONPARTISAN
COMMISSIONERS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE NO COMMISSION.
FIFTH, COUNTY MAYOR OR ELECTED CHAIR.
WE HAVE NO POSITION ON THIS EITHER.
THIS DEBATE, HOWEVER, HAS DOMINATED DISCUSSIONS OVER SEVERAL CHARTER
REVIEW BOARDS.
IT SEEMS TO GET IN THE WAY OF EXPLORING OTHER ISSUES.
THERE IS LITERATURE TO SUPPORT AND OPPOSE BOTH SIDES AND NOTHING TO
INDICATE A CLEAR ADVANTAGE TO CHANGING OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WE DO HAVE A STRONG POSITION IN SUPPORT OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION
WITH ENOUGH INDEPENDENCE AND AUTHORITY TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AND
EFFICIENTLY.
WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT THESE COMMISSIONS ARE PROTECTED BY OUR
CHARTER.
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS A DELIBERATIVE BODY.
WE BELIEVE THAT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT DEPENDS UPON THE INFORMED
AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF ITS CITIZENS AND REQUIRES THAT
GOVERNMENTAL BODIES PROTECT THE SIT ZENS' RIGHTS TO KNOW OF GIVING
ADEQUATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED ACTIONS.
WE OPPOSE RUSHING TO CONCLUSION IN TIME FOR THE 2000 ELECTION.
WE ARE WILLING TO DIRECT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION STUDY, WHICH
WOULD REQUIRE A CONTRIBUTION, AND/OR WILL FOLLOW THE STUDY FOR OUR
MEMBERS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A POSITION BY THE TIME ANY ISSUE GOES ON
A BALLOT.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
BOARD MEMBERS, WHAT I -- WHAT MY PROPOSAL FOR THIS EVENING IS THAT WE
LISTEN TO EACH GROUP SPEAK FIRST.
I WOULD ASK EACH ONE OF YOU TO WRITE DOWN A SINGLE QUESTION AND TO
WHOM YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT ADDRESSED AS WE GO THROUGH ALL OF THE
GUESTS THIS EVENING.
AND THEN WE WILL START AROUND THE TABLE WITH MR. BELTRAN -- BELTRAN.
WE WILL GO AROUND THE DAIS AND ASK WHOEVER THEY WISH THAT ONE
QUESTION.
THE NEXT SPEAKERS ARE FROM THE CARROLLWOOD AREA CIVIC ASSOCIATION --
THE ASSOCIATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I HAVE MR. JONES AND MR. HOYT.
>> GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS TOM JONES, AND I LIVE AT 4508 VIEW RIDGE WAY, TAMPA, FLORIDA,
33624.
I'M THE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE CARROLLWOOD ASSOCIATION OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
CONFERENCE OF COMMUNITIES.
C.A.N. IS AN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION.
BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 41 YEARS.
HAVE HOME ORGANIZATIONS AND CIVIC GROUPS IN IT.
OUR AREA THAT WE HAVE DEFINED, AS THE COUNTY HAS DEFINED FOR US, IS
FROM I-275 IN THE EAST, TO THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY IN THE WEST, VAN DYKE
ROAD IN THE NORTH, DOWN TO LINEBAUGH IN THE SOUTH.
SO IT'S A PRETTY LARGE AREA.
TONIGHT, KEN HOYT FROM VILLAGE WEST WILL GIVE OUR COMMENTS TO YOU,
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO INTRODUCE KEN AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS KENNETH HOYT.
I RESIDE AT 4610 WESTFORD CIRCLE IN CARROLLWOOD.
I DO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE VILLAGE WEST, THE CARROLLWOOD AREA
ASSOCIATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS, AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY CONFERENCE OF COMMUNITIES.
WE APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO US.
BECAUSE FOR NEARLY SIX MONTHS, WE HAVE REFLECTED ON COUNTY
GOVERNMENT.
WHY IT APPEARS TO HAVE SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT IT DOES, AND HOW
SOME FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES MIGHT IMPROVE THOSE THINGS.
THE RESULT IS THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR DESK, THANKS TO
THE COPYING BY BARBARA MERRITT.
IT'S CALLED "NEW TOWNS, EXTEND HOME RULE AND NEW SHARES TO ALL OUR
COMMUNITIES."
BECAUSE IT'S 47 PAGES IN LENGTH, AND WILL TAKE SOME SERIOUS READ TO GO
DIGEST IT ALL, TONIGHT I AM SIMPLY GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE
IMPORTANT CONCEPTS CONTAINED IN THAT DOCUMENT.
FIRST, GOOD GOVERNMENT DEPENDS ON GOOD PEOPLE.
YES, PROCESSES AND STRUCTURES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT GOOD PEOPLE MAKE THE
DIFFERENCE.
IT IS VITAL THAT WE CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NUMEROUS GOOD
PEOPLE OUT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ARE NOT IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT TO
PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, THE CORNERSTONE OF
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
FROM THAT COME THE POOL OF PEOPLE TO FILL THE POSITIONS IN COUNTY, STATE,
ELECTED OFFICE.
IN SHORT, WE DON'T NEED ONE MAYOR, WE NEED A DOZEN MAYORS.
WE DON'T NEED A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WITH SEVEN PEOPLE, WE
NEED 70 CITY COUNSELORS WHO ARE ACTING EVERY DAY TO BRING LOCAL
GOVERNMENT BACK TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MAKE UP THIS WONDERFUL
COUNTY.
SECOND, WE OBSERVE THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS LARGER IN POPULATION
THAN TEN STATES.
ONE OF THOSE IS RHODE ISLAND, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT LARGER IN SIZE, BUT HAS
ABOUT THE SAME POPULATION.
RHODE ISLAND HAS THREE COUNTIES AND 43 DIFFERENT CITIES WITH 5,000 OR
MORE PERSONS.
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS UNIQUE IN AMERICA WITH
MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF OUR NEARLY ONE MILLION RESIDENTS LIVING IN AN
UNINCORPORATED AREA OF JUST UNDER 900 SQUARE MILES.
IN YOUR PACKAGE, YOU'LL FIND THIS INFORMATION ON CHART 21.
BY ITSELF, THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WILL BE THE
25th LARGEST CITY IN ALL OF AMERICA, AND YET, IT IS BEING ADMINISTERED AS
AN UNIDENTIFIABLE APPENDAGE OF THIS COUNTY.
THE CITY OF TAMPA TODAY NEARLY CLEAVES HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN HALF.
IN THE NORTHWEST, THERE ARE SIX IDENTIFIABLE NEIGHBORHOODS OF SIZE AND
SUBSTANCE, WITH STRONG CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNITY.
IN THE EAST AND SOUTH COUNTY, THERE ARE 17 MORE SUCH COMMUNITIES.
THESE ARE LISTED IN THE CHART -- IN CHART 30, AND THAT DATA WAS PROVIDED
BY THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONS.
THIRD, WE BELIEVE THAT THE UNINCORPORATED AREA LIES AT THE HEART OF THE
PROBLEMS THAT EXIST WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS TRYING TO BE NOT
JUST A COUNTY GOVERNMENT, BUT A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TOO.
WITH NO CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHICH IS WHICH, HOW THEY DIFFER, AND
WHAT PROCESSES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR EACH OF THEM.
EVEN WORSE, THE CITIZENS ARE EFFECTIVELY DISENFRANCHISED.
THE BOCC IS SIMPLY NOT A FUNCTIONING CITY COUNCIL FOR THESE 660,000
PEOPLE.
THEY DON'T HAVE A MAYOR.
THEY DON'T HAVE A CITY HALL.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY OF THE TRADEMARKS OF A LOCAL MUNICIPALITY THAT
ONE FINDS ACROSS THIS GREAT COUNTRY AND EVEN IN MOST OF THE CIVILIZED
WORLD.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER CONSEQUENCES, AND NOT VERY MANY OF THEM ARE
POSITIVE.
LOOK AT THE ORGANIZATION CHART OF THIS COUNTY.
YOU CAN'T FIND A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, BUT IT'S THERE.
LOOK AT THE BUDGET.
YOU'LL SEE $230 MILLION FOR THE MSTU GENERAL FUND.
BUT THERE'S NO TRANSPARENCY ABOUT THOSE MUNICIPAL SERVICES, HOW MUCH
THEY COST, WHAT THEY DELIVER, HOW EFFECTIVE THEY ARE, OR WHO YOU CALL
FOR SOMETHING.
IN FACT, AROUND THE COUNTY, THERE ARE JUST TWO FORESTERS FOR ALL THE
TREES ON 441 LAND PARCELS.
THERE ARE TOO FEW DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS WITH TOO FEW TOOLS TO HAVE AN
IMPACT.
TWO OR THREE STREET SWEEPERS FOR ALL OF THE STREETS AND ROADS IN THE
RURAL AREAS AND IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA THE COUNTY.
PUBLIC LANDSCAPING REMAINS IN THE DARK AGES, SO OUR THOROUGHFARES
TAKE ON A TACKY LOOK AND FEEL.
THE ZONING PROCESS IN THE MINDS OF MOST CITIZENS APPEAR IRRETRIEVABLY
BROKEN, AND UNABLE TO RESPOND TO THE ASPIRATIONS OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO
DEVELOP AND PRESERVE THEIR DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS.
A $1 BILLION BUDGET JUST SIMPLY DOESN'T ABLE TO BE STRETCHED TO MEET OUR
NEEDS.
THE JOB OF THE BOCC HAS BECOME SO BIG AND SO COMPLEX, TO TRY TO DELIVER
THE FINE GRAND HEART OF SENSITIVITY REQUIRED ON NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES
THAT THEY PLAN AND SIMPLE CAN'T DO THE JOB.
THE DEVELOP OF TOWN CENTERS ARE STUNTED, AS IS INNOVATION AND ZONING,
IN ARCHITECTURE, IN SIGN ORDINANCES, IN DEVELOPMENT, AND ESPECIALLY IN
RELATING OUTCOMES TO TAX LEVIES.
DIVERSITY IN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SACRIFICED ON THE ALTER OF A
MONOCULTURE DRIVEN BY PROS SPECIES THAT CANNOT BE ALLOWED FOR
MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS, UNIQUE SOLUTIONS THAT BENEFIT INDIVIDUAL
NEIGHBORHOODS.
THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THE APPROPRIATE SOLUTION FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
IS TO SEPARATE THE MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY FUNCTIONING.
THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREA
OF THIS COUNTY INTO A SERIES OF EIGHT OR TEN NEW TOWNS, AMALGAMATED
FROM THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS IDENTIFIED BY THE COUNTY.
WE PROPOSE THAT EACH OF THE NEW TOWNS HAVE AT LEAST 50,000 PERSONS.
I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT GAINESVILLE FLORIDA AND CHAPEL HILL, NORTH
CAROLINA, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE 50,000 PEOPLE, CERTAINLY HAVE THE RIGHT
ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND ARE HIGHLY GOVERNABLE COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE SUGGESTED ON ANOTHER CHART IN YOUR PACKAGE, CHART 31, SOME
POSSIBLE GROUPINGS OF 26 OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MAKE UP OUR COUNTY
TODAY.
BUT EACH AREA WOULD HAVE TO MAKE ITS OWN CHOICES, FORM ITS OWN
CHARTER COMMITTEE, AND DEVELOP ITS OWN PROPOSAL TO BECOME A
MUNICIPALITY.
WHAT WE ASK YOU TO DO ON THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD IS TO ADD SOME
LANGUAGE TO OUR CURRENT COUNTY CHARTER TO FACILITATE THE CREATION
OF NEW TOWNS AND TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSIMILATION INTO THE ONGOING
CONDUCT OF LOCAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT THIS IS ALL COVERED IN THE
FLORIDA STATUTES IN SECTION 165, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE CREATION AND
DISSOLUTION OF MUNICIPALITIES.
AND YOU'LL FIND THAT ON CHART 35 IN THE PACKAGE.
IT MAY BE INTERESTING TO NOTE ON APRIL 13th OF THIS YEAR, BONITA SPRINGS,
BECAME THE NEWEST TOWN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
THE PROCESS IS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN A FOUR-YEAR
PERIOD.
THE KEY DOCUMENT IS SHOWN IN CHART 36, A FEASIBILITY STUDY, WHICH IS
DERIVED FROM DATA WHICH SHOULD EXIST WITHIN THE COUNTY TODAY.
ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE FROM THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES AND FROM
MANY OTHER SOURCES.
THIS PLAN FOR EACH NEW TOWN THEN GETS THOROUGHLY SCRUBBED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS IN TALLAHASSEE, AND THEN THE
LEGISLATURE PASSES A SPECIAL ACT, WHICH IS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.
AFTER THAT, WE HAVE LOCAL ELECTIONS, AND THE NEW TOWNS SPRING TO LIFE.
THE TIMETABLE FOR, FOR AN EXAMPLE, IS SHOWN ON CHART 39.
NOW THESE NEW TOWNS DO NOT HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE EVERY SINGLE
MUNICIPAL SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S POLICE OR WATER AND SEWER OR ANYTHING
ELSE.
THEY EACH HAVE THE CHANCE TO DECIDE WHICH ONES BEYOND ZONING AND
CODE ENFORCEMENT AND A FEW OTHER BASIC RIGHTS OF MUNICIPALITIES.
THEY WANT TO TAKE THIS IS WHAT I CALL GOVERNMENT LIGHT.
AND IT MEANS THAT WE TAKE THE EXISTING MUNICIPAL SERVICES TAXING UNIT
WITHIN THE COUNTY AND CONVERT IT INTO A COOPERATIVE, WHICH WILL WORK
WITH THE VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES TO DELIVER THE SERVICES THAT THEY WISH
TO SUBSCRIBE TO AT PRICES THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY.
THIS, OF COURSE, IS A NEW PARADIGM FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
, ONE THAT RELIES ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL
COOPERATION TO DELIVER SERVICES FASTER, CHEAPER, AND BETTER, WITHOUT
RESORTING TO THE ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL SOLUTIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE
COUNTY CENTER.
FIFTH, WE BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE GREAT BENEFITS OF NEW TOWNS IS VASTLY
EXPERIENCED POOL OF CANDIDATES FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND
OTHER COUNTY OFFICES, FOR THE STATE ADMINISTRATOR, AND TO SERVE ON THE
BOARD OF THE SPECIAL ACT ENTITIES.
THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS OF THE NEW TOWN ALSO LEARN THE
PRACTICAL ASPECT AND PROCESSES OF NEW GOVERNMENT.
THEY WILL DEVELOP A COLLEGIAL STYLE IN ADDRESSING REAL ISSUES OF THEIR
IMMEDIATE COMMUNITIES BEFORE SEEKING HIGHER OFFICE, IMPACTING THE
COUNTY AND STATE.
THEY WILL BE TESTED IN FULL VIEW OF THE VOTERS THAT HAVE A CHANCE TO
ASSESS THEIR -- BEFORE PROMOTING THEM TO A HIGHER OFFICE.
DEMOCRACY WILL BE STRENGTHENED IMMEASURABLY.
SIXTH, IN CONCERT WITH THE NEW TOWNS PROPOSAL, WE HAVE ALSO MADE
SUGGESTIONS ABOUT EXPANDING THE SIZE OF THE B.O.C.C., GOING TO
SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS, WITH EACH ONE REPRESENT BEING 50,000 PERSONS
MAXIMUM, AND CONDUCTING A COUNTYWIDE ELECTION FOR A CHAIRMAN.
APPOINTING A PERFORMANCE AUDIT OR, PHASING OUR BOCC MEMBERSHIP ON
SPECIAL ACT AND OTHER OUTSIDE BOARDS.
ABANDONING AIDES WHO ARE MIDDLE MEN BETWEEN ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR CITIZENS.
AND COMPLETE SEPARATION OF MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY FUNCTIONING IS GOING
TO MAKE ALL OF THAT POSSIBLE.
THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE IS TOTALLY ARTIFICIAL
AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE CHARTER IN FAVOR OF MAKING THE
ADMINISTRATOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
WHICH IS THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
FURTHER, I THINK YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT RECODIFICATION OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.
IT IS LONG OVERDUE.
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE THERE TO BE AN EXPLICIT OBLIGATION OF THE BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE ADMINISTRATOR TO FOSTER FISCAL
RESTRAINT AND TRANSPARENCY IN ALL THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COUNTY, WHICH
ARE SERIOUSLY LACKING AT THIS TIME.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS DONE, WE URGE THAT YOU REFLECT A MUCH-GREATER
FOCUS ON TWO THINGS, UNIT COST ACCOUNTING AND OUTCOME MEASURES.
AND I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT IN ANY OF YOUR DISCUSSIONS TO DATE.
BUT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THESE REGARDING EACH OF THE 300 DIFFERENT
SERVICES WHICH THIS COUNTY ATTEMPTS TO RENDER TO THE CITIZENS, IN ORDER
TO BETTER RELATE THE TAX LEVIES TO THE REAL-LIFE RESULTS.
THE HIGHLY DESIRABLE OUTCOME OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT YOUR BOCC WON'T BE
MEETING SO OFTEN.
THE MEETINGS WILL BE SHORTER.
THERE WILL BE MORE EFFICIENT, AND THERE WILL BE MANY MORE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH FAR LESS ACRIMONY AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS.
THESE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES WILL BRING ABOUT VAST IMPROVEMENTS, BOTH
IN THE PERCEPTION AND THE REALITY OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
SO, IN CONCLUSION, WE ASK YOU TO REALLY WORK WITH THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE THERE IN BRANDON AND RUSKIN AND APOLLO BEACH.
THEY ARE THERE IN CARROLLWOOD.
THEY'RE THERE IN LUTZ.
THEY CAN BE THERE IN ALL OF THE REST OF THE COUNTY.
INCORPORATE THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
HELP THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION, NOT A
QUICK FIX.
WHAT WE PROPOSE TO YOU TONIGHT IS A PROCESS CALLED "DEVOLUTION."
NOT REVOLUTION, BUT THE ORDERLY MOVEMENT OF POWER AND AUTHORITY
AND CONDUCT OF GOVERNMENT DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO THE STATE
TO THE MUNICIPALITIES, WHERE IT'S CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE.
THE PRINCIPAL PELL THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD OCCUR AT THE CLOSEST LEVEL
TO THE PEOPLE WHERE THE NECESSARY TRADE-OFFS CAN BE MADE BEST
ACCORDING TO NEED, PREFERENCE, AND COST.
IN OTHER WORDS, UNLOCK THE DOOR TO DIVERSITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
OUR COMMUNITIES.
HELP US CREATE THE NEW TOWNS THAT WILL PROSPER AND BRIGHTEN OUR
COUNTY'S FUTURE.
FREE THE BOCC TO FOCUS ON SIGNIFICANT COUNTYWIDE AND REGIONAL ISSUES
THAT CONFRONT US IN SO MANY AREAS, BUT ESPECIALLY IN TRANSPORTATION
AND DELIVERY OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
WE URGE YOU TO MAKE THE LEGACY OF YOUR LEADERSHIP TO BE THAT YOU
INCORPORATE THE UNINCORPORATED.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, AND WE'LL ALWAYS BE WILLING TO COME AND TALK
WITH YOU, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND CERTAINLY WORK FURTHER TO
DEVELOP THESE IDEAS.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION.
WE'RE GOING -- THE NEXT GROUP IS LAURA SWAIN FROM THE KEYSTONE CIVIC
ASSOCIATION.
>> GOOD EVENING.
LAURA SWAIN.
I LIVE AT 1824 WAYNE ROAD IN ODESSA.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE KEYSTONE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, AND OUR
ASSOCIATION IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNCIL OF
COMMUNITIES.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY, THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT MR. HOYT'S IDEA AT OUR
GENERAL MEETING LAST WEEK.
AND IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED.
LIKE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE'RE MAD AS
HELL.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT BOILS DOWN.  TO WE JUST FINISHED
SPENDING TWO YEARS DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY PLAN THAT GOT TORPEDOED
BY A BOARD THAT DIDN'T SO MUCH AS EVEN READ IT.  AND WE ARE TIRED OF
THAT.
WE ARE TIRED OF THE TIME WE ARE SPENDING IN -- ON BOARDS THAT DON'T GET
LISTENED TO.
LIKE YOU FOLKS DO.
I HAVE SEEN ALL OF YOU SITTING ON BOARDS, BUT I DON'T KNOW BUT, BUT I GET
TIRED OF BEING ASKED TO PUT IN MY TIME AND MY EFFORT AND MY HEART AND
MY SOUL INTO MAKING THIS COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE, AND HAVING
WHATEVER RECOMMENDATIONS THESE GROUPS AND STEERING COMMITTEES AND
TASK FORCES TAKE FORWARD, NOT HAVING ANYTHING DONE WITH IT.
I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST BEING SET OFF TO DO A LOT OF BUSY WORK.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY FEEL THE SAME WAY.
SO FOR THAT REASON, WE VERY STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE IDEA OF
DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK THAT MUNICIPALITIES CAN FORM IS A VERY GOOD
ONE.
DO I SEE US BEING ABLE TO TAKE IT AND CARVE IT UP?
NO, I DON'T.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S AN IDEA THAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS AND WE HAVE TO LOOK
AT BECAUSE THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY TO GET THESE DECISIONS BACK INTO THE
COMMUNITY LEVEL.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THAT SEVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE
DEALING WITH STACKS OF BUDGET THIS HIGH KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY
LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD.
TO THE POINT THAT I WANT THEM TO BECAUSE THEY ARE MAKING DECISIONS
ABOUT THE FABRIC AND THE FUTURE OF MY COMMUNITY.
ON A FEW OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT CAME UP, ONE THAT WE FEEL STRONGLY
ABOUT IS AN INDEPENDENT FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION
AND THE E.P.C.
IT IS BOTH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DONE SO MUCH TO PRESERVE
THE INTEGRITY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT, AND TO
HELP US IN THE COMMUNITY'S PLANNING EFFORTS, AND HELPING US SHAPE THE
WAY WE WANT OUR COMMUNITIES HOPE TO BE.
DON'T CARE WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE SOMETHING ON THE PART OF
ADMINISTRATION THAT DOESN'T WANT TO FUND THESE AGENCIES.
AND I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN CIVIC ACTIVISM WORK FOR TEN YEARS NOW, AND EVERY
TIME THE BUDGETS COME UP, THIS HAPPENS.
AND YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, THESE AGENCIES ARE GETTING CUT.
AND I WOULD ARGUE WITH COMMISSIONER STORMS THAT THE PLANNING
COMMISSION IS NOT JUST GOING WILLY-NILLY INTO DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS TAKING OUT THE PROVERBIAL GARBAGE OF PLANNING.
WHEN PLANNING ISSUES COME UP IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT NEED TO GET
SOLVED, IT IS THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT CAN STEP IN AND DO IT.
AND THEY DO IT WELL.
AND SO I WOULD URGE TO YOU CONSIDER COMING UP WITH AN INDEPENDENT
FUNDING SOURCE.
THIS JUST DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN.
IT IS A LEGISLATIVE BODY.
IT IS REQUIRED TO BE THERE.
LET'S FUND IT AND STOP ARGUING ABOUT IT.
PERHAPS IT WOULD TAKE A QUARTER OF AN INCH OFF THE STACK OF BUDGET
MATERIAL THEY HAVE TO READ.
WE ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE IDEA OF A MAYORAL SYSTEM HERE IN THIS
COUNTY.
IF SEVEN PEOPLE CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN IN OUR
COMMUNITY, I DON'T THINK ONE PERSON CAN.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS WHETHER THE ELECTION SHOULD BE PARTISAN OR
NONPARTISAN.
WHAT I'VE SEEN OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS OF BEING IN FRONT OF THE BOARD A
LOT IS MORE AND MORE AND MORE PARTISAN POLITICS HAPPENING.
I DON'T KNOW IF TURNING IT INTO A NONPARTISAN ISSUE IS GOING TO SOLVE
THAT?
PERHAPS IT WON'T.
PERHAPS THE PARTIES WILL CONTINUE TO ALIGN AS THEY DO NOW.
BUT I DO KNOW IT IS REALLY FRUSTRATING WATCHING AT TIMES WHEN THERE
ARE VERY, VERY STRONGLY POLITICIZED ISSUES THAT THE BOARD HAS TO DEAL
WITH.
I OFTEN FEEL AS IF THERE IS A LOT OF PARTY PRESSURE BEING PUT ON THE
COMMISSIONERS THAT I WOULD HOPE MIGHT BE GONE IF THAT NO LONGER IS
PART OF THE EQUATION.
AND I GUESS OTHER THAN THAT, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN
INVOLVED IN TRYING TO MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE FOR 30 YEARS.
WE FEEL AT THIS POINT ALL WE ARE DOING IS SEEING OUR GOVERNMENT GROW
AND GROW AND THE EFFECT OF OUR VOICES GROW LESS AND LESS.
WE VERY STRONGLY FEEL THAT WE NEED A WAY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A
STRONG VOICE IN WHAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY WAY FOR THIS BOARD TO EVEN TAKE UP ONE OTHER
CONCEPT, AND THAT IS THE COMMUNITY PLANNING EFFORTS.
IT WAS REALLY FRUSTRATING GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AND I WAS -- AND,
AGAIN, I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T BEEN TO MORE OF YOUR MEETINGS TO KNOW WHAT
THE FRAMEWORK IS THAT YOU CAN WORK ON, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS
WONDERING WAS, IF THE BOARD APPROVES THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE
COMMUNITY PLANS, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO BRING IT FORWARD WHERE WE
DON'T GO THROUGH THIS TORPEDO PROCESS?
IS THERE A WAY WITHIN CHANGING THE CHARTER THAT -- TO DIRECT ITSELF
TOWARDS SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY PLANNING EFFORTS?
BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY COMMUNITY THAT'S
INVOLVED IN CARES SO MUCH ABOUT.
AND WE JUST -- WE FEEL AS IF -- THAT WE'RE COMING TO THE ENDS OF THESE VERY
LENGTHY PROCESSES AND NOT BEING HEARD BY OUR BOARD.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU, MS. SWAIN MUCH THE LUTZ CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
PRESIDENT DENISE LAYNE.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD.
Y'ALL WILL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME.
I HAVE A RAGING HEADACHE IN ABOUT EIGHT PLACES IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW.
I AM DENISE LAYNE, PRESIDENT OF THE LUTZ CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
I HAVE BEEN FOR FOUR YEARS, AND PROBABLY AS OF TUESDAY, IT WILL BE MY
FIFTH.
OR IS IT THREE AND FOUR?
HEADACHE.
EXCUSE ME.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS.
LISTEN TO US.
WE ARE IN IT THE TRENCHES.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF TIME INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN I SAY "COMMUNITY," THE COUNTY.
DON'T MISS US.
DON'T PUT SPECIAL INTEREST ABOVE US.
PUT IT EQUAL TO.
PUT EVERYONE'S CONCERNS -- KEEP THE BALANCE IN MIND.
I BELIEVE IN CONTROLLED MANAGED PROPER GROWTH.
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER MILLION PEOPLE IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS COMING INTO THIS
COUNTY.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP THAT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP THE GROWTH.
IT'S COMING, GUYS, AND IT'S COMING FULL SPEED AHEAD.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS ANY CONTROL OVER IT RIGHT NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY FORESIGHT GOING INTO WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT ALL IS BEHINDSIGHT.
AND WE ARE PUTTING TOO MANY -- IT IS ALL HINDSIGHT.
WE ARE PUTTING TOO MANY UNBALANCED THINGS BEHIND THE COMMUNITY.
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU LIVE IN IN COMMUNITY.
YOU ARE A PART OF IT.
SHOULD THE ECONOMICS OUTWEIGH THE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF OF WHAT'S GOING
ON?
NO.
WE HAVE TO START THINKING, THE COUNTY AND CONSTITUTE -- WE ARE A
THREE-LEGGED STOOL.
AND THOSE THREE LEGS ARE BALANCING ECONOMY WITH THE ENVIRONMENT
WITH THE SOCIAL ASPECTS.
IF YOU REMOVE ANY ONE OF THOSE LEGS, IT DOESN'T WORK AND IT FALLS OVER.
IF YOU SUPPORT TWO OF THEM, THE THIRD ONE USUALLY COMES RIGHT ALONG
WITH IT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO STRIVE FOR IS MORE BALANCE, A LOT MORE BALANCE.
AND WE ARE NOT GETTING THAT BALANCE IN THIS COUNTY.
SO I'M ASKING TO YOU KEEP THE BALANCE IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT
HOW OUR GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BE USED FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WHAT
IS GOING TO GO INTO OUR CHARTER.
DO NOT RUSH INTO WHATEVER DECISIONS YOU'RE MAKING.
YOU ARE CHARGED BY THIS CHARTER TO TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THE
ISSUES.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU NEED TO RUSH INTO A REFERENDUM.
YOU ARE THREATENED BY STATE LEGISLATORS.
GET SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT OR ELSE.
THERE IS NO URGENCY FOR THAT.
YOU'VE GOT UP TO A YEAR YOU CAN MEET, AND WE'RE ASKING YOU, AS CITIZENS,
FELLOW CITIZENS, PLEASE, IF IT TAKES THAT YEAR, YOU TAKE THAT YEAR.
BUT YOU DO THIS RIGHT.
AND YOU DO IT WELL THOUGHT-OUT, AND YOU DO IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
NOW, BRIEFLY, I'VE GOT -- AND, MADAM CHAIR, I GAVE YOU A LIST OF 16 ISSUES.
AND I NEED TO PREFACE THIS FIRST.
I ASKED AT OUR MEMBERSHIP MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU
AND LUTZ WANTS TO SEE FROM THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD?
THE ONLY THING THEY ASKED WAS, CAN YOU GET RID OF OUR COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS.
AND I SAID, ACTUALLY, YES, YOU PROBABLY COULD, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO END
UP WITH A COUNTY MAYOR AND MIGHT END UP WITH SOMETHING YOU WILL NOT
LIKE LIKE.
NOT BEING FACETIOUS, BUT THESE ARE ISSUES THAT WE DISCUSSED TRULY OVER
THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AS I HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT IN THIS ORGANIZATION
AND I AM BRINGING THEM TO A CULMINATION FOR YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE ON NUMBER 1.
EVERY BUSINESS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH, AND MY SISTER IS ONE OF THESE, AS
A MATTER OF FACT, FOR JACO CORPORATION IN INDIANA.
SHE'S A TROUBLESHOOTER.
SHE IS NOT THE ADMINISTRATOR.
SHE IS NOT THE EXECUTIVE.
THERE IS A PROBLEM.
BOTH OF THOSE GO TO HER AND SAY SOLVE IT.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE IN THIS COUNTY?
YOU CAN CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A TROUBLESHOOTER.
OUR ADMINISTRATOR DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO GET EVERY NITPICKING LITTLE
SQUIB HE WILL SQUABBLE THAT COMES THROUGH THE COMMISSIONERS' DESK
AND HE HAS TO DELEGATE IT.
THAT TAKES HIM AWAY FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITIES.
LET'S GET A TROUBLESHOOTER OF SOME SORT SO THESE COMMISSIONERS DON'T
HAVE TO DO WHAT COMMISSIONER STORMS HAS TO, TO BE RUNNING DOWN THE
STAFF.
LET'S HAVE SOMEONE ACTUALLY DOING THAT.
AND IT SHOULD NOT BE SOMEBODY, LIKE I SAID, THAT IS AT THE TOP ECHELON OF
THIS GOVERNMENT.
WE NEED TO, I THINK, SEPARATE BETTER THAN WE HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE
AND EXECUTIVE ROLES.
YOU'VE HEARD SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS ARE OVERSTEPPING THEIR
CHARTERED BOUNDS, WHICH IS THEIR EXECUTIVE DUTIES.
THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR NOSES INTO THE ADMINISTRATIVE.
IT TAKES TIME -- TAKES TIME AWAY FROM VERY GOOD AND VERY PROPER THINGS
THEY NEED TO BE DEDICATING THEIR TIME TO.
INSTEAD OF TRACKING DONE GARBAGEMEN, READING A COMMUNITY PLAN.
SECONDLY, SHOULD OUR COMMISSION BE NONPARTISAN?
IT IS NOT GOING TO STOP POLITICS.
IT IS NOT GOING TO STOP THE PARTIES, HECK, NO.
BUT PARTISANSHIP IS SOMETHING TO GET SOME KIND OF CAMPAIGN REFORM IN
THIS COUNTY.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY IT TAKES TO YOU SIGN UP TO PUT YOUR NAME ON
THE BALLOT, YOU ARE GOING TO DECREASE THAT AMOUNT THAT HAS TO BE PUT
IN THERE TO BE ON THE BALLOT BY AT LEAST 3%, IF NOT MORE.
YOU'VE STARTED CAMPAIGN REFORM.
ANOTHER THING THAT HAS CAUSED A HORRIBLE CONFLICT BESIDES
PERSONALITIES IS THE FIGHT OVER THE PLANNING RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS
COUNTY AND CITY.
WE HAVE A PLANNING COMMISSION MANDATED BY LAW TO BE IN PLACE.
THEY DON'T WATCH JUST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THEY WATCH CITY OF TAMPA, CITY OF PLANT CITY, AND CITY OF TEMPLE
TERRACE.  WHO BETTER THAN THE ONE AGENCY THAT OVERSEES ALL FOUR
JURISDICTIONS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY SHOULD INTEGRATE OR NOT
INTEGRATE.
LET'S PUT BACK A MISTAKE WE MADE 15 YEARS AGO, WHICH WAS SETTING UP A
SECOND PLANNING DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT, PUT THEM BACK TO
THE BUILDING.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BUILDING INSPECTORS AND PERMITTING.
PUT THE ZONING AND PUT THE BUILDING UNDER THE PLANNING AND GROWTH
MANAGEMENT WHERE IT WAS AND WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
BUT THE LAND-USE PLANNING NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOT A VISION
BEYOND JUST THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT JURISDICTION.
AND IT GETS LARGER THAN THAT -- AND WE ARE GOING TO HEAR THIS FROM DCA
AND THE STATE FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT LOCAL POWER, LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THAT'S WHY WE SUPPORT THIS WHOLE CONCEPT OF MUNICIPALITIES.
YOU WANT LESS GOVERNMENT; YOU PUT THE GOVERNMENT CONTROL AND THE
LAND USE CONTROL BACK INTO THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY BELONG, AND
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO NEED THIS HUGE BUDGET.
YOU WON'T NEED THIS MANY PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNMENT.
YOU WILL START TAKING CARE OF A PROBLEM WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT TO DO WITH FOR YEARS.
IT'S CALLED "TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT."
IT WILL REDUCE IT AND PUT IT BACK AT THE MICROLEVEL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE.
SECONDLY -- OR NEXT IS REITERATING AGAIN THE FUNDING FOR PLANNING
COMMISSION AND E.P.C.
THEY ARE MANDATED BY LAW TO THEREBY.
THEY ARE RIGHT NOW AT THE WHIM OF THE PERSONALITIES OF THE BOCC.
IF YOU'VE GOT A BOARD THAT LIKES THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE E.P.C.,
THEY GET FUNDED OUT THE WAZOO.
IF YOU HAVE SOME PERSONALITY CONFLICTS BETWEEN THEM AND SOME
MEMBERS OF ONE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, THE ONLY WAY THEY KNOW THEM
IS TO STRANGLE THEIR BUDGET.
BY GOD, THEY'RE OF IT, AND THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT.
AND THEY'RE DOING IT.
SO THIS TAKES THE PERSONALITY OUT.
THIS IS WHAT WE DON'T WANT.
WE DON'T WANT PERSONALITY GOING INTO THE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THE
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY.
KIND OF HAND IN HAND WITH THE TAXATION OR THE BUDGETARY ITEM IS THE
CONFLICT OF INTEREST HAVING OUR BOCC SITTING AS THE E.P.C. BOARD HAS
PRESENTED OVER THE YEARS.
THAT BOARD -- THE E.P.C. BOARD SHOULD BE FIGHTING FOR ITS PERSONNEL, ITS
BUDGET, ITS RESOURCES, THE THINGS IT ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO KEEP GOING.
YOU DON'T HEAR THAT HAPPEN ON THE E.P.C. BOARD.
YOU DON'T HEAR ONE OF THEM COMING BEFORE THEMSELVES AS A BOCC -- I
MEAN, THINK ABOUT WHAT I'M SAYING.
COME BEFORE YOURSELF, HELLO, I NEED MONEY, NOW DON'T.
WELL, YOU'VE GOT -- WE'VE GOT TO HAVE IT.
THEY DON'T EVEN DO THAT.
THEY DON'T EVEN GIVE THE AGENCY AS AN OPPORTUNITY, AS A BOARD,
PROTECTING WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE, THE FUNDING PROCESS.
THEY NEED THE FUNDS, AND THEY ARE NOT THERE FIGHTING FOR IT.. THERE'S A
CONFLICT THERE.
THERE IS A HUGE CONFLICT THERE.
AND THERE IS A CONFLICT SOMETIMES WITH ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION AND
WHAT THE BOCC PLAN IS.
IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE.
LET'S LOOK INTO MAYBE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WISH YOU ALL WELL WITH THIS.
YOU'VE GOT A BIG JOB AHEAD OF YOU.
I URGE YOU TO PLEASE START IDENTIFYING MAYBE THREE ISSUES AND GET
STARTED ON THEM.
TAKE THREE AT A TIME.
SET YOUR SELVES SOME GUIDELINES, BUT GET MOVING.
DON'T WAIT SIX, EIGHT MONTHS AND BE THROWING 22 ISSUES.
YOU HAVE BEEN HIT WITH A LOT OF ISSUES.
I HAVE BEEN LISTENING AND WATCHING EVER SINCE THIS STARTED.
A LOT OF ISSUES.
PLEASE START AT SOME POINT.
LET'S TAKE THE TOP THREE WE HAVE HEARD THE MOST FROM EVERYONE.
START WORKING ON THEM.
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THREE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
DR. ROBERT L. McCROWSKI FROM SUN CITY CENTER.
>> GOOD EVENING.
MADAM CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I DO NOT ENVY YOU THE TASK
THAT YOU HAVE.
I WISH YOU WELL WITH IT.
I'M GOING TO REDUCE MY COMMENTS CONSIDERABLY, AND BY THE WAY, THESE
ARE ALL NONSCIENTIFIC, SMALL SAMPLE, PERSONAL OPINION KINDS OF THINGS.
SO I WANT TO COMMENT IN THREE AREAS.
ONE IS IN GROWTH MANAGEMENT, ONE THE GENERAL AREA OF INTEGRITY, AND
THE OTHER LONG-RANGE PLANNING.
THE FIRST -- I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT APPEARS TO ME AND SOME OF THE
FOLKS THAT I HAVE TALKED TO TO BE SORT OF UNBRIDLED EXPANSION BY
DEVELOPERS WITHOUT REGARD TO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO
SUPPORT IT.
AND AN EXTREME EXAMPLE OF THAT A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS IN THE
NETHERLANDS AND THE BERGERMEISTER DECREED HOW MANY BAKERS THERE
COULD BE AND HOW MANY DOCTORS AND DENTISTS THERE COULD BE BECAUSE
THE COMMUNITY WOULD ONLY SUPPORT A CERTAIN NUMBER.
AND PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY PROHIBITED FROM STARTING A BUSINESS BECAUSE
THE COMMUNITY WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT.
THAT'S KIND OF AN EXTREME EXAMPLE, BUT AT LEAST THEY WERE CONSIDERING
THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE AND THE LIVING AND THE
QUALITY OF LIFE THAT THE FOLKS WOULD HAVE IN THAT COMMUNITY.
THE SECONDARY JUST DEALS WITH INTEGRITY.
I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE THAT THIS IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CYNICISM
ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE AND THE HONESTY, THE INTEGRITY, THE
INFLUENCE PEDDLING THAT TAKES PLACE.
AND I WOULD SIMPLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GIVE SOME ATTENTION TO THAT.
PROVIDE SOME SAFEGUARDS, IF POSSIBLE.
COMMENT MUCH MORE BRIEFLY THAN I HAD PLANNED IN THE INTEREST OF YOUR
TIME AND NONDUPLICATION OF COMMENTARY, I THINK THE LONG-RANGE
PLANNING AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT HERE WOULD BE ENHANCED WITH A CEO
ARRANGEMENT.
AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT BASICALLY AT THAT.
EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THE TERM OF OFFICE OF SUCH AN INDIVIDUAL SHOULD BE
SUFFICIENT THAT THERE'S TIME FOR PROGRESS TO TAKE PLACE.
A FOUR-YEAR SPAN OF TIME, MAYBE A SIX-YEAR SPAN, I DON'T KNOW.
I ALSO KNOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE OFFER SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX PROBLEMS,
THAT APPEAR TO BE SIMPLE, IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY REALLY DON'T
UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH.
AND I KNOW THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND FULLY THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU'RE
FACING.
AND HEAVEN KNOWS, I WISH YOU WELL WITH IT.
GOOD LUCK.
I DO NOT ENVY YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN, ALL THE WAY FROM SUN CITY THIS EVENING.
JOYCE SMITH FROM THE TOWN N' COUNTRY ALLIANCE.
>> GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS JOYCE SMITH, I LIVE AT 7201 DAIQUIRI LANE.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE TOWN N' COUNTRY ALLIANCE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN FOR A MOMENT WHAT THE ALLIANCE IS.
IT'S AN UMBRELLA GROUP LIKE THE CARROLLWOOD ASSOCIATION OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT SERVES THE GREATER TOWN N' COUNTRY AREA, THE WEST AND NORTHWEST
SECTION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
IT INCLUDES BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, NEIGHBORHOOD AND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS,
AND ALSO CHURCHES.
AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS WORK ON ISSUES AFFECTING THE GREATER
TOWN N' COUNTRY AREA.
SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'VE WORKED ON TO TRY TO IMPROVE OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, TO BUILD OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'RE GETTING A HIGH SCHOOL OUT IN TOWN N' COUNTRY.
THANKS TO -- EVEN CERTAIN BOARD MEMBERS HERE.
DENISE LASHER, THANK YOU.
SHE HELPED US A LOT.
A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
YOU KNOW, WE FIND THAT WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS ALL THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO NETWORK AND WORK
TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO GET RECREATION CENTERS OUT THERE, WE WORK ON
TRANSPORTATION, WE WORK ON DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, INCLUDING ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A BETTER COMMUNITY VIA INFRASTRUCTURE
AND WE HAVE A COMMUNITY PLAN COMING UP THIS SUMMER THAT WE'RE VERY
EXCITED ABOUT.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THAT.
I WILL MENTION THAT THE ALLIANCE IS A NONPARTISAN GROUP.
WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS OF OURS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO MONITOR
THESE MEETINGS AND COME TO THE CHARTER REVIEW MEET TO GO LET US KNOW
WHAT THEY ARE HAPPENING.
THE MEMBERS ARE GRANT WALTERS.
HE'S ALSO MONITORING FOR THE CITRUS PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.
STAN KRICK, WHICH I KNOW MOST OF YOU KNOW, AND MARY LAZARUS.
WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED ANY OF THE CHARTER REVIEW ISSUES YET.
THEY HAVE ONLY REPORTED A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON.
WHAT WE REALLY NEED FROM YOU IS JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, ON THIS BOARD, THE
ALLIANCE HAS VARIOUS ISSUES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEMBERS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE
VOICES.
AND IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW FROM YOU WHAT WE NEED TO
DISCUSS BECAUSE OUR MEMBERS THAT ARE MONITORING THIS ARE COMING BACK
AND SAYING, WELL, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT ISSUES, BUT, YOU
KNOW, WE CAN'T DISCUSS EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE ALL MEETING TWO HOURS -- OR, EXCUSE ME, TWO NIGHTS
A MONTH, AND YOU'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD REALLY ASK, BECAUSE I, AS THE CHAIR, CAN'T REALLY
COME TO YOU AND SAY WHAT THE ALLIANCE POSITION IS ON -- ON ANY ISSUE
UNTIL YOU REALLY GIVE US SOME SUBSTANTIAL ISSUES THAT WE CAN DISCUSS.
WE NEED -- LIKE I SAID, INPUT FROM YOU.
WE NEED CERTAIN SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT YOU CAN LET US KNOW THAT WE CAN
GIVE YOU AN OPINION ON, AND THEN MAYBE AFTER THAT, BEFORE YOU
ACTUALLY VOTE TO PUT IT TO A REFERENDUM, MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE
ANOTHER MEETING.
OR WE CAN COME AT PUBLIC COMMENT AND, YOU KNOW, JUST DISCUSS, YOU
KNOW, WHAT THE POSITION OF OUR GROUP IS.
WE DON'T MIND DOING THAT LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE MEMBERS HERE AT ALMOST
EVERY MEETING.
SO THERE IS A FEW THINGS THAT THE ALLIANCE OR OTHER GROUPS LIKE THE
ALLIANCE, INCLUDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS I BELIEVE
REALLY DO FEEL THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
AND I WILL DISCUSS THOSE JUST FOR A MOMENT.
ALL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS, ALL CIVIC GROUPS, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS,
THEY WANT ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT.
THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THEIR VOICE IS HEARD.
THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN GO TO
AND THAT THEY CAN TRY AND GET SOME RESULTS FROM.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK EXAMPLE.
IN TAMPA, AT THEIR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT SHOWN
ON PUBLIC ACCESS.
THEY'VE NOT ALLOWED IT TO BE -- BE HEARD.
THEY CUT IT OFF.
IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT AN AGENDA ITEM, THAT'S FINE.
SO I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN, BECAUSE I THINK
IN PUBLIC COMMENT, WHAT WE GET FROM PUBLIC COMING TO SPEAK AND GIVE
YOU IDEAS IS WE LEARN WHAT ALL THESE DIFFERENT ISSUES ARE IN
CARROLLWOOD AND LUTZ AND SUN CITY AND BRANDON, AND THEN WE FIND OUT
WE MIGHT HAVE THE SAME ISSUES, AND THEN WE ARE ABLE TO PICK UP THE
PHONE AND I CAN CALL DENISE AND SAY, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S LUTZ DOING.
OR WE CAN REALLY WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME
SOLUTIONS.
THERE'S DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON A MAYOR ISSUE.
LIKE I SAID, IT HAS NOT BEEN DISCUSSED AT OUR GROUP.
WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE MAYOR IF THAT WOULD
BE ONE ISSUE THAT YOU TAKE UP.
I WONDER HOW MUCH ACCESS THE AVERAGE CIVIC ASSOCIATION GETS TO -- YOU
KNOW, TO THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF TAMPA.
YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT CERTAIN MEMBERS ON YOUR BOARD, STEVE LaBOUR
WILL DEFINITELY KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CONCERN.
WE WANT ACCESS.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO PEOPLE.
WE WANT REPRESENTATION.
AND WE NEED REPRESENTATION FROM ALL THE AREAS.
I WILL MENTION THE AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS WORK WITH OUR AREA QUITE A
BIT.
COMMISSIONERS HART, FRANK, AND JAN PLATT; ALL THREE OF THEM COME TO
OUR MEETINGS, THEY WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE COME TO DIFFERENT
ISSUES.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL FROM US.
WHAT I'LL MENTION ABOUT THE CARROLLWOOD PRESENTATION I FOUND VERY,
VERY INTERESTING.
WHEN COMMUNITIES FEEL THEIR VOICES AREN'T HEARD, A LOT OF TIMES, YOU
START TALKING ABOUT INCORPORATING.
AND I KNOW TOWN N' COUNTRY HAS DISCUSSED IN THE PAST INCORPORATION.
STAN KRICK GOES IN FRONT OF THAT BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS -- I
THINK HE HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS -- ASKING THEM HOW MUCH
MONEY DOES TOWN N' COUNTRY PAY IN TAXES AND GIVE TO THE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT AND WHAT ARE WE GETTING BACK IN THE SERVICES?
SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
THEY WANT TO KNOW WE'RE PAYING ALL THIS MONEY IN, YOU KNOW, WE WANT
THE SERVICES BACK ALSO.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK, WELL THIS AREA IS GETTING MORE
THAN THIS AREA.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE GOING TO LEAD INTO SOME -- SOME PROBLEMS THERE.
SO REPRESENTATION IS SO, SO VERY IMPORTANT, AND LIKE I SAID, WE RELY ON
OUR AT-LARGE -- OUR AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS, AND I WILL SAY, ALL THREE OF
THEM HAVE REALLY DONE WELL FOR TOWN N' COUNTRY.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW,
MONEY DO DIFFERENT AREAS CONTRIBUTE.
I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES CERTAIN AREAS MIGHT NOT WANT SO MANY SERVICES.
THEY MIGHT NOT WANT SIDEWALKS, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT NOT WANT
ROADS, BUT -- [ LAUGHTER ] -- I WASN'T GOING TO MENTION SCHOOLS.
BUT IN TOWN N' COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT EVEN
SUBURBAN ANYMORE.
WE ARE DEFINITELY URBAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE URBAN NEEDS.
AND THOSE URBAN NEEDS REQUIRE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
SOME OTHER AREAS MAYBE IN THE EAST AND SOUTH COUNTY WHERE, YOU KNOW,
YOU ARE NOT AS URBANIZED DON'T REQUIRE THE SAME SERVICES.
SO I KNOW IT'S HARD TO ACHIEVE A BALANCE.
BUT I WOULD JUST ASK THAT ALL AREAS ARE REPRESENTED.
TOWN N' COUNTRY HAS -- I THINK IT'S LIKE OVER 100,000 RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA.
WESTCHASE HAS JUST JOINED US.
CITRUS PARK HAS JUST JOINED OUR ASSOCIATION.
LIKE I SAID, WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER.
SO I'D HOPE THAT MAYBE WHEN YOU HAVE SOME ISSUES DOWN, I'LL BE HERE OR
GRANT OR STAN WILL COME UP AND THEY'LL TELL YOU WHAT OUR OPINIONS ARE.
BUT UNTIL THAT TIME, WE REALLY NEED YOU TO GIVE US SOME REAL FEEDBACK
THERE.
I SEE THAT YOU HAVE YOUR BUSINESS AND AGRICULTURAL ISSUES FORUM NEXT
TIME.
AND I'M SURE THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY INTERESTING, AND THEY ARE
GOING TO HAVE SOME GREAT INPUT.
I WILL SAY WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR QUITE A WHILE WAITING FOR -- YOU KNOW,
TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK.
IT HAS BEEN OVER TWO HOURS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A MENTION.
I HOPE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT THAT LONG.
BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS OPPORTUNITY AND LISTENING TO
OUR CONCERNS.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY MORE ORGANIZATIONS HERE THAT HAVE REPRESENTATIVES
THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD?
I HAVE CARDS STILL FOR DETECTIVE RICK ELDRIDGE WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
ALSO, STEVE JONES.
THANK YOU.
AND WE'RE BACK TO THE "WEEKLY PLANET."
AND THEN JANET WILSON, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK?
>> JANET WILSON.
I'M SPEAKING AS AN ADVOCATE FOR CITIZENS' ISSUES.
I'M NOT REPRESENTING SUN CITY CENTER.
I HAVE SPOKE BEFORE YOU MANY TIMES AND FOLLOWED -- THIS IS THE THIRD
CHARTER REVIEW.
I DON'T THINK OUR ASSOCIATION SENT ANYONE FROM THE ASSOCIATION.
I LIKE WHAT I HEARD TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY FROM MR. HOYT, AND I HOPE YOU PAY
CLOSE ATTENTION TO IT.
THIS COUNTY IS FAR TOO LARGE AND TOO DIVERSE TO TRY TO BE RULED BY ONE
MAYOR OR EVEN A BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
LET'S FACE IT.
IT'S STILL AN 'OL BOY NETWORK OF DEVELOPERS AND THE TIMES ARE CHANGING.
ONE OF YOUR SPEAKERS SAID SHE IS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF ONE VOICE FOR
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND MADE THE POINT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
STARTED AS AN AGRICULTURAL COUNTY, BUT IS NOW A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING
METROPOLITAN COUNTY.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN MY OCEANS, THEY DON'T WANT TAMPA TO BE TAMPA BUT
BECOME NEW YORK CITY OR SOMETHING.
THE SAME ECONOMIC CHANGES THAT SHE SPOKE OF, WHICH WAS PAM IORIO, BY
THE WAY, HAS TAKEN PLACE IN THE WHOLE NATION.
DOES THAT MEAN WE CHANGE OUR DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF
GOVERNMENT TO A MORE EFFICIENT CONCENTRATION OF POWER THAT CAN
EASILY OPERATE AS A DICTATORSHIP.
MOST OF MY COMMENTS TONIGHT ARE PHILOSOPHY, AND HAVE BEEN COVERED
BY RONDA STORMS OR MR. HOYT.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO OR THREE THINGS I HAVE HEARD HERE TONIGHT FROM THE
OTHER SPEAKERS THAT I DISAGREE WITH, ONE HERE AND ONE THERE.
ONE, THERE'S NO GRASS-ROOTS OUTCRY TO CHANGE TO AN ADMINISTRATOR
ELECTED AT-LARGE WITH A CENTRALIZED CONCENTRATION OF POWER FROM THE
TOP DOWN.
THERE IS, AS YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, A GRASS-ROOTS OUTCRY FROM
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THEIR VOICE TO BE HEEDED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF
GROWTH, FOR PROTECTION OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS,
AND FOR THE REQUIREMENT OF CONSENSUS FOR GOVERNMENT FROM THE PEOPLE
UP.
IF YOU CAN DO SOMETHING IN OUR CHARTER TO HELP THAT.
I'M GOING TO LIST MY SUGGESTIONS, HAVING FOLLOWED THE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT AND GROWTH IN SOUTH COUNTY NOW FOR 14 YEARS AND HAVING
APPEARED ON BEHALF OF SUN CITY CENTER, ITS GOVERNMENT STUDY GROUP,
AND HELPING OTHER COMMUNITIES IN OUR AREA AND LIKE MOST IN THE COUNTY,
HAVING MOVED TO THE COUNTY, NOT TAMPA THIS IS MY IMPRESSION OF HELPFUL
TWEAKING THAT COULD BE MADE.
AND I THINK IT'S BEEN COVERED BY MR. HOYT AND OTHERS.
>> TAMPA HAS A COUNCIL WHOSE REPRESENTATIVES ARE ELECTED ONLY BY
THOSE LIVING IN TAMPA AND NOT THOSE LIVING IN THE COUNTY.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO SET COUNTY TAXES, COUNTY FEES, COUNTY
POLICIES, AND SO FORTH, SHOULD LIVE IN THE COUNTY AND SHOULD BE ELECTED
BY COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY OUTSIDE OF TAMPA.
THERE IS NOW AN IMBALANCE OF FOUR COMMISSIONERS LIVING IN SOUTH TAMPA.
AND THEN EVERYONE SAYS, OH, BUT, YOU CHARGE -- AND YOU SET TAXES FOR
TAMPA.
LET TAMPA SET THEIRS.
LET THE MUNICIPALITIES SET THEIRS.
LET THE COUNTY DO WHAT WHAT'S COUNTYWIDE, AND THEN LET THEM GET
TOGETHER WITH AGREEMENT FOR THOSE THINGS.
THERE IS PROBABLY A LARGE UNDERLYING DESIRE BY MANY TO CONSOLIDATE,
AND THERE IS JUST AS MANY OF US, AND MORE IN THE COUNTY, WHO ARE GOING
TO RESIST THAT AS TO THE END.
TAMPA AND THEIR MAYOR HAVE A GREAT EFFECT ON THE COUNTY AND ITS
RESIDENTS.
BUT WILL COUNTY RESIDENTS HAVE ANY VOICE IN DECIDING TERM LIMITS AND
A PERMANENT ONE-MAN GOVERNING FOR LIFE?
NO.
BUT WILL THEY HAVE A VOICE IN SETTING TERM LIMITS FOR THE COUNTY?
YES.
THAT'S UNDEMOCRATIC.
PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT.
IT LET'S YOU KNOW WHERE THE PERSON IS COMING FROM.
THE OTHER IS JUST GOING TO CREATE DISHONESTY.
OR WOULD YOU HAVE 12 OR 15 OR MORE CANDIDATES THAT DO YOU IN SOME
GOVERNMENTS?
THE COMMISSIONERS NEED MORE DIRECT POWER TO OVERCOME BUREAUCRATIC
GOVERNANCE BY STAFF, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MR. -- I LOST HIS NAME.
-- HE'S PUSHING FOR THE AUDITOR WHICH WE DID DURING THE LAST GOVERNMENT
-- OR CHARTER REVIEW.
THEY DO NEED AN AUDITOR.
THEY NEED PROFESSIONAL AIDES.
THEY NEED AN ATTORNEY DIRECTLY TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
THEY NEED MORE POWER.
AND ONE THAT'S NOT DIRECTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR.
AND SOMEONE TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET.
IS THE TIME UP?
>>JAN SMITH:  I THINK THAT WAS YOUR --
>> OKAY.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE GIVEN A COPY TO BARBARA FOR YOU -- FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE REPRESENTING AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD?
OKAY.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE GOING TO START WITH MR. BELTRAN.
MR. BELTRAN, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OF ANYONE WHO SPOKE WHO, IN FACT,
IS STILL HERE?
>>HENRY BELTRAN:  NO I DON'T.
I UNDERSTAND THEIR REQUEST VERY WELL BECAUSE I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH
THE COUNTY AND WAIT THE COUNTY HAS GROWN.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ONE COMMISSIONER TO REPRESENT SUCH A BIG AREA.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.
AND I HOPE THAT SOMETHING CHANGES IN THE FUTURE SO THAT WE CAN HELP
THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY RECEIVE THE SERVICE THEY NEED.
>>JAN SMITH:  THANK YOU, MR. BELTRAN.
MS. WILLIAMS.
>>DEE WILLIAMS:  I ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION.
MR. McCROSKY.
YOU DIDN'T SAY WHAT ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENTED HERE TONIGHT.
YOU DIDN'T REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
DID YOU?
[INAUDIBLE]
>>JAN SMITH:  WOULD YOU PLEASE COME UP TO THE MIKE?
>> IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION OF WHETHER I REPRESENTED THE COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION AT SUN CITY CENTER, THE ANSWER IS NO.
I WAS SIMPLY REPRESENTING OUR HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.
>>DEE WILLIAMS:  OKAY.
THE REASON I ASK IS I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CA BOARD OF DIRECTORS WAS
SENDING A REPRESENTATIVE TONIGHT.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF IT WAS YOU.
>> I WAS NOT AWARE THAT I WAS ANOINTED TO THAT POSITION.
>>DEE WILLIAMS:  OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. BALLARD.
>>TERRY BALLARD:  GENERAL STATEMENT AND KIND OF A QUESTION TO THE
CARROLLWOOD ASSOCIATION.
THE MUNICIPALITIES WILL BE THE BEST WAY TO GO, BUT ONCE YOU GOT THE
MUNICIPALITIES, YOU WOULD PROBABLY NEVER HAVE CONSOLIDATION COME UP
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AGAIN.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE REASON IT WILL NEVER GO THROUGH.
THE -- IN THE MUNICIPALITIES, THAT'S THE CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE.
AND I'M AN EX-MAYOR OF PLANT CITY, SO I'M TELLING YOU THE WAY I SEE IT.
BUT IT WAS MY THOUGHT, AND I NOTICE THAT PINELLAS COUNTY HAS A LOT OF
MUNICIPALITIES AND THEIR SYSTEM WORKS OVER THERE WITH THE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT.
AND IT'S TO CREATE A MUNICIPALITY.
IT TAKES AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE, AND I DON'T SEE HOW THERE IS ANYTHING
THAT WE CAN DO TO PUT THAT THROUGH.
AND EITHER ONE OF YOU CAN RESPOND TO IT.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
WE'VE ALREADY STARTED.
WE'VE TALKED TO COMMISSIONER WALLACE -- REPRESENTATIVE WALLACE, I'M
SORRY, AND REPRESENTATIVE -- SENATOR MURMAN.
WE ARE ASKING TO GO BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO PRESENT OUR
VIEWS.
THERE WAS BOTH -- BOTH OF THE REPRESENTATIVES DIDN'T HAVE ANY -- VOICE
ANY OBJECTIONS OBVIOUSLY AT THIS TIME AND ENCOURAGED US TO PRESENT
THIS TO THE DELEGATION.
THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. WALDRON.
I'M SORRY, MR. BALLARD, WERE YOU FINISHED?
>>TERRY BALLARD:  WAS WANTING TO RESPOND TO IT ALSO.
>> I WOULD AGREE TO YOU THAT MUNICIPALIZATION OF UNINCORPORATED AREA.
THAT'S ALL OF IT SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY GERRYMANDER PIECES LEFT WOULD
PRETTY MUCH HAVE THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION, WHICH IS CONSOLIDATION.
IT IS NOT WELL KNOWN, BUT THE STATUTES THAT CREATE -- THAT ALLOW FOR THE
CREATION AND DISSOLUTION OF CITIES OPERATE VERY EFFECTIVELY, AND EVERY
YEAR, THERE ARE NEW TOWNS BORN IN FLORIDA AND OLD TOWNS DISAPPEAR.
THEY ARE DISSOLVED.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DORMANT CHARTERS AND SO FORTH.
THE PROCESS DOES WORK.
I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE PEOPLE IN BONITA SPRINGS WHO ARE THE MOST RECENT
ONES TO GO THROUGH THIS EXERCISE.
THEY DID IT FOR A TOWN OF 33,000 PEOPLE, SEVERAL BILLION DOLLARS OF
ASSESSED VALUATION, AND THEY RECEIVED GREAT COOPERATION FROM THEIR
COUNTY COMMISSION, WHICH JUST HELPED THEM PUT TOGETHER ALL OF THE
NUMBERS THAT THEY NEEDED.
THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO INVOKE THE DCA PRESSURE IN ORDER TO OPEN UP
THE BOOKS AND GET THE KIND OF RESPONSE THAT THEY WANT.
IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF WORK TO PUT TOGETHER THE FEASIBILITY PLAN, BUT A
GROUP OF 20 TO 30 PEOPLE CAN DO THAT VERY EFFECTIVELY OVER THE COURSE
OF ABOUT 18 MONTHS.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S -- I DON'T THINK IT'S HOPELESS AT ALL, BUT I DO APPRECIATE
YOUR POINT THAT ONCE THAT'S DONE, IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY THAT YOU WOULD
GO TO A FULL DUVAL COUNTY STYLE OF CONSOLIDATION, WHICH WE THINK IS
VERY OBVIOUSLY THE WRONG DIRECTION.
BUT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS.
THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, THOUGH.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. WALDRON.
>>ARLENE WALDRON:  MY QUESTION IS TO MIMI.
I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T GET YOUR LAST NAME.
>> OSIASON.
>> YES, THAT WOULD BE IT.
YOU HAD MADE REFERENCE TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETING EVERY
EIGHT YEARS IN LIEU OF FIVE YEARS.
I DO BELIEVE IT IS ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF THE
CHARTER REVIEW BOARD BEING IN EXISTENCE FOR THREE YEARS AND THEN
COMING BACK EVERY EIGHT YEARS.
I BELIEVE WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THAT TONIGHT.
I WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER YOU HAD AN OPINION ON THAT.
>> I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BE IN EXISTENCE FOR THREE YEARS?
>>ARLENE WALDRON:  INSTEAD OF A ONE-YEAR TIME LIMIT.
WE WOULD IMMEDIATE FOR THREE YEARS TO STUDY THE CHARTER MORE
COMPREHENSIVELY AND THEN CHANGE THAT TO EIGHT YEARS.
I DO BELIEVE WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THAT TONIGHT.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, MY GUT REACTION TO THAT IS IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT
TO GET PEOPLE TO BE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE FOR A THREE-YEAR STUDY.
THAT MAY BE -- THAT MAY BE A LITTLE LONGER THAN YOU CAN INTEREST
VOLUNTEERS TO COME DOWN HERE AND DO THAT.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANY REAL OBJECTION.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S NECESSARY.
>>ARLENE WALDRON:  DO YOU THINK A YEAR IS AN ADEQUATE TIME FRAME?
>> WELL, IT DEPENDS WHAT YOU'RE MEASURING.
I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM IS, YOU HAVE TO GET A TIME FOR AN ELECTION IN
THERE.
IN 1996, WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT EIGHT YEARS, ONE OF THE REASONS FOR
THAT SO IT COULD GO ON A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR BALLOT, AND,
THEREFORE, YOU WOULD HAVE A GOOD TURNOUT.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR GOING TO EIGHT
YEARS.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A MAGIC PERIOD OF TIME, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE WAY
IT OCCURS NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU GET OUT OF ONE AND YOU GO TO ANOTHER,
AND THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIME FOR CONSIDERING IT.
RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING ON THE 2000 BALLOT, AND YOU, IN
MY OPINION, DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ADEQUATE TIME TO DO JUSTICE TO WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
SO IF YOU HAD A LITTLE MORE TIME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MAGIC NUMBER
IS, BUT IF YOU HAD A LITTLE MORE TIME, AND MORE TIME IN BETWEEN, I THINK
THAT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL FOR WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
>>ARLENE WALDRON:  OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPINION.
>>JAN SMITH:  MR. AMBLER.
>>KEVIN AMBLER:  MS. OSIASON, SINCE YOU ARE ALREADY UP THERE, I FIGURED
I WOULD DIRECT MY QUESTION TO YOU, BUT ACTUALLY THE QUESTION COULD BE
ANSWERED BY ANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS THAT SPOKE, AND I WANT TO THANK
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR SPENDING YOUR EVENING WITH US AND
SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND VIEWS.
I WAS VERY INTRIGUED BY A LOT OF THE PROPOSALS AND IDEAS THAT I HEARD
TONIGHT.
AND ACTUALLY, QUITE SURPRISED ABOUT THE FOCUS OF THE COMMENTS.
IT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE DIRECTION OF SOME OF THE ISSUES I THOUGHT
WOULD BE DISCUSSED.
IN ANY EVENT, TO MY QUESTION.
RECENTLY, THERE'S BEEN A FLURRY OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND DISCUSSION
WITHIN THE CITY OF TAMPA ABOUT THE ISSUE OF TERM LIMITS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAS TERM LIMITS THAT AFFECT THE COUNTY
COMMISSION.
DOES THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, AND DO YOU PERSONALLY HAVE A VIEW
ON WHETHER IT'S TIME TO REVISIT THE ISSUE OF TERM LIMITS AND IF THEY ARE
A GOOD OR BAD THING.
>> WELL, I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT THE LEAGUE'S POSITION ON TERM
LIMITS WAS --
[ LAUGHTER ]
-- AND I KNOW LOCALLY -- WE HAVE NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
ORGANIZATION.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE WE HAVE ONE ON THE STATE AND/OR NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT
I DON'T WANT TO EXPRESS IT BECAUSE I CAN'T REALLY SAY.
I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO LOOK IT UP WHAT IT IS.
MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THAT TERM LIMITS CAUSE AS MUCH -- AS MANY
PROBLEMS AS THEY SOLVE.
I THINK WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE THIS PAST
YEAR BECAUSE AS ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE, LEGISLATORS THAT WERE NOW
BECOMING SUBJECT TO THE TERM LIMITS, IT HAS CAUSED SOME ADDITIONAL
PROBLEMS IN THE OUTCOME OF SOME LEGISLATION AND THE INFLUENCE ON THE
LEGISLATORS.
SO I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO BALANCE THAT.
WHAT I THINK IS MORE IMPORTANT, HOWEVER S THAT WE HAVE THEM NOW.
I DON'T THINK FLIPPING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THINGS IS A GOOD IDEA.
IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING AS GIVING THE CHARTER COMMITTEE A LONGER
TIME TO STUDY AND HAVE BETWEEN.
WE'VE DONE IT.
IT'S A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND I CAN'T SEE AN ADVANTAGE OF
FLIPPING BACK NOW.
IF IT'S GOING TO WORK, LET'S GIVE IT SOME TIME TO WORK AND LET'S SEE WHAT
HAPPENS.
BUT THAT IS A PERSONAL OPINION.
>>KEVIN AMBLER:  THANK YOU.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. OSIASON, PERHAPS BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH ISN'T
UNTIL THE END OF JUNE, YOU MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE TO CHECK WITH THE
LEAGUE, AND IF THEY HAVE --
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>>JAN SMITH:  -- IF THEY HAVE SORT OF A WRITTEN OPINION.
>> THERE ARE WRITTEN BOOKS, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH
THEM.
>>JAN SMITH:  IF YOU COULD GET A COPY TO THE BOARD OR A COPY TO BARBARA
MERRITT, SHE CAN SEND THEM TO ALL OF US.
WE CERTAINLY LIKE WHAT THE LEAGUE DOES AN AND THE INVESTIGATION THEY
DO TO GET TO THEIR CONCLUSION.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  I AM AMAZED MIMI DIDN'T KNOW THAT SHE KNOWS
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.
I THINK EVERYBODY DID A GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING THEIR POSITION.
WHETHER I AGREE WITH THEM OR DISAGREE HE WITH THEM, I APPRECIATE THEM
COMING HERE AND TELLING US ABOUT IT.
ONE THING I WAS -- THIS IS A QUESTION FOR DENISE LAYNE.
YOU MENTIONED THERE IS A MILLION PEOPLE COMING IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, YET
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, OUR GROWTH RATE, OUR POPULATION GROWTH RATE IS
RUNNING AT 1.8% A YEAR WITH TWO-THIRDS OF THAT BEING BORN HERE.
SO OUR EXTERNAL GROWTH IS ONLY 6 TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT AND THAT COMES
OUT TO BE 4 O 0,000 PEOPLE.
AND TO GET A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS MEANS WE WOULD HAVE
TO DOUBLE THE GROWTH RATE TO 3.6%.
WHERE DID YOUR FIGURES COME IS FROM.
>> IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU TALK TO AND WHO YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION
FROM.
THAT'S ONE I HEARD AS LOW AS 300 AND AS HIGH AS 1.2 MILLION.
PICK A NUMBER IN BETWEEN, DAVID.
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS.
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS.
THEY PROJECTED BACK IN 1990 THAT WE'D BE WAY PAST WHERE WE ARE RIGHT
NOW AND WE ARE NOT.
THE LAST TWO, THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN ACCELERATED GROWTH.
WE ARE STARTING A TECHNOLOGY CORRIDOR THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE
MARKETING SUPER FAST HARD TIME.
IT'S GOING TO BRING A LOT OF JOBS.
IT'S GOING TO BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE INTO THIS COUNTY.
WE ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT SMALL ORGANIZATIONS, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT MULTIBILLION DOLLAR ORGANIZATIONS.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  SO THE MILLION WAS -- THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW.
>> IT'S AN ARBITRARY FIGURE JUST LIKE YOUR 400 IS.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  THE PERCENTAGE IS THE HISTORY.
>> IT DEPENDS ON WHAT PERIOD OF TIME YOU ARE LOOKING AT AS WELL.
IT IS NOT THE 1.8 OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS.
IT HAS BEEN HIGHER THAN THAT.
>>DAVID HURLEY:  CHECK ON THAT.
>>JAN SMITH:  MS. LASHER.
>>DENISE LASHER:  MS. LAYNE, IF WOULD COME UP AGAIN.
I THOUGHT THE CHAIR WAS GOING TO BE NEXT.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE EXTENSIVE LIST.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MOST OF OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT IS THAT THEY
WANT US TO GO AHEAD AND PICK A FEW ISSUES AND START STUDYING THEM AND
THEN WE'LL HEAR BACK FROM THE CITIZEN GROUPS AND THE CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS
ON WHAT THEIR POSITIONS ARE.
AND YOU GAVE US A, YOU KNOW, RATHER EXTENSIVE LIST OF THINGS TO
CONSIDER, AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO PROVIDE THAT FOR US.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THE LUTZ CIVIC ASSOCIATION HAS TAKEN A POSITION
ON ANY OF THESE 16 ITEMS?
OR WERE THESE JUST ITEMS THAT THEY WANTED US TO THINK ABOUT?
AND, YOU KNOW, DO YOU KNOW, DO THEY SUPPORT ANY OF THESE IN
PARTICULAR?
>> I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY FOUR YEARS WITH BEING WITH THE ASSOCIATION
THAT THESE ARE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED OR COME UP.
THAT'S WHAT THE LIST WAS COMPRISED OF ARE JUST ISSUES THAT HAD BEEN
DISCUSSED OR WANTING TO BE DISCUSSED OF INTEREST TO THE LUTZ
COMMUNITY.
IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE BEEN VERY STRONG SUPPORTERS OF THE PLANNING
COMMISSION, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DEALING WITH BOTH AGENCIES.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN DOWN HERE ON BUDGET ITEMS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER
YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL VOTE, NO.
BUT I CAN TELL THAT YOU THOSE TWO AGENCIES, ALMOST MEETING EVERY
MONTH, ARE DISCUSSED IN ONE WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, ON GROWTH
MANAGEMENT ISSUES OUT THERE.
>>DENISE LASHER:  OKAY.
SO, AT THIS POINT, YOU DON'T -- THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION DOESN'T HAVE ANY
PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US TO CONSIDER?
>> YOU KNOW, YET THAT CAME BACK TO ME WAS, WHAT DO THEY WANT -- WHAT
ARE THEY ACTUALLY GOING TO LOOK AT?
WE ARE NOT GOING TO ARM YOU DOWN THERE WITH A WHOLE LAUNDRY LIST OF
THINGS WE DEFINITELY WANT OR INTERESTED IN.
NARROW IT DOWN AND WE'LL -- BRING IT BACK AND THEN WE'LL START
DISCUSSING IT.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE HEARING FROM A
LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
WE WILL BE MORE PARTICIPATORY IF WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO FOCUS
IN AND NARROW IT DOWN TO OVER THE NEXT FEW PLANTS.
>>DENISE LASHER:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>MIKE BEDKE:  WAIT, WAIT.
I WANTED TO SAVE YOU A COUPLE OF STEPS THERE.
IN YOUR COMMENTS, YOU ALLUDED TO THE NEED FOR A TROUBLESHOOTER.
AND A NUMBER OF FOLKS THIS EVENING AND IN PRIOR EVENINGS HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THE NOTION OF AN INDEPENDENT INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR.
WOULD THAT AT LEAST BE A PARTIAL CURE TO YOUR NEED FOR OR YOUR BELIEF
THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE A TROUBLESHOOTER OR ON INSPECTOR GENERAL?
>> I DON'T BELIEVE IN GROWING GOVERNMENT MORE THAN IT