1 (2/8/01 CHARTER REVIEW BOARD) **NOTIFICATION: **This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the **following meeting. It should be used for informational **purposes only. This document has not been edited; **therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words that **did not translate. [ GAVEL SOUNDING ] >>JAN SMITH: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 8th, 2001. THIS IS, IN FACT, THE FINAL MEETING OF THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD WHICH WAS CONVENED ONE YEAR AGO TODAY. SO YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING LONG AND HARD, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE -- FEBRUARY 9th, ACTUALLY. MR. HURLEY CORRECTED ME. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK DENISE LASHER TO LEAD ME IN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >>JAN SMITH: MS. POUPART, MAY WE HAVE THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE. [ ROLL CALL TAKEN ] YOU HAVE A QUORUM. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO FOR THE MOMENT IS INSTEAD OF STARTING PUBLIC COMMENT RIGHT AWAY, I THINK WE'LL HEAR OUR TWO REPORTS ONLY SO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT -- WE'RE GOING TO WAIT ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND SEE IF ONE OF OUR MEMBERS MAKES IT HERE FOR THE MEETING. THERE WAS A DESIRE TO HAVE A GROUP PHOTO OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. 2 AND SO AS NOT TO INTERRUPT YOUR FLOW OF THOUGHTS AND YOUR COMMENTS WHEN WE BEGIN THE PUBLIC HEARING -- PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS. IF THAT'S OKAY, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S REPORT. MR. TINKLER AND MS. CAMPBELL. >>KENNETH TINKLER: GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. KEN TINKLER, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY. JUST BRIEFLY, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL RECEIVED THE FINAL SIGNED COPY OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION. WE HAD EXTRAS IF NOT EVERYONE RECEIVED THAT. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, WE WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM. >>JAN SMITH: MS. CAMPBELL, DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? >>GERALD WHITE: I DID HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION TO THE ATTORNEY RELATING TO -- HAD THERE BEEN ANY ISSUES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA RELATED TO COUNTY RIGHTS VERSUS STATE RIGHTS? WITH THESE CHARTERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THERE HAS BEEN ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT HAS CHALLENGED BASED ON CHARTER RIGHTS SO TO SPEAK? WE HAVE THIS ISSUE IN AMERICA NOW WHERE YOU HAVE STATES' RIGHTS. AND I'M WONDERING IF THIS HAS TRICKLED DOWN WHERE COUNTIES ARE NOW CHALLENGING THE STATES TO SELF-GOVERN, IF YOU WILL. >>KENNETH TINKLER: OFFHAND, I HAVEN'T HEARD OF RECENT MATERIALS AS FAR AS THE COUNTY CHALLENGING THE STATE. THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT COMES UP EVERY TIME THERE IS A CONSTITUTION REVISION COMMISSION THAT IS LOOKED AT TO SEE IF 3 THERE IS HOME RULE AUTHORITY UNDER THE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT THAT SPECIFICALLY SHOULD ENTAIL. THAT'S THE MAIN TIME I HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT COMING UP AT COUNTIES VERSUS STATE AUTHORITY. >>GERALD WHITE: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>KENNETH TINKLER: YOU'RE WELCOME. >>JAN SMITH: MS. MERRITT, DO YOU HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT? YOU PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF PAPERWORK TO FINISH UP WITH US. >>BARBARA MERRITT: GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. I FIRST WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE AS YOUR DIRECTOR THIS YEAR. IT WAS A CHALLENGING YEAR, AND I THINK -- I WAS MORE EXCITED ABOUT BEING ON THIS PART OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, BUT I DID MISS BEING AT THIS PART TOO. SO I JUST WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE AMOUNT OF WORK WE COVERED THIS YEAR. I THINK WE COULD HAVE REWRITTEN THE WHOLE CONSTITUTION FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA. I KNOW WITH THE AMOUNT OF PAPER SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS I HAVE SENT, WE MAY HAVE. I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS TO THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. STEVE VALDEZ, PATRICK MURRAY IS HERE. HE'S GOING TO TAKE OUR PICTURE TONIGHT. THEY WERE THE ONES THAT WOULD BRING YOUR COURIER PACKETS WHEN I COULDN'T GET YOU. 4 THE PLANNING COMMISSION GAVE ME A WHOLE NEW RANGE OF COMPUTER SKILLS THAT I WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN. THE CLERK'S OFFICE, I COULDN'T SAY ENOUGH FOR ALL THE HELP YOU HAVE GIVEN US. THANK YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. WHEN I HAVE THE FIRST DRAFT, I ANTICIPATE PROBABLY A WEEK TO TEN DAYS I WILL GET IT OUT TO YOU SO YOU CAN LOOK AT IT. ANY CORRECTIONS, DELETIONS OR WHATEVER. WHAT I DIDN'T PASS OUT IS -- THIS IS THE WAY THE COUNTY WEB SITE FOR OUR CHARTER LOOKS. IT WILL STAY ON THE WEB SITE UNTIL AFTER THE 2002 ELECTION. THE ONLY THING THAT WILL CHANGE IS WHEN WE HAVE THE FEBRUARY 1st AND THE FEBRUARY 8th MINUTES. THEY WILL BE ADDED TO THE SITE AND THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. AS YOU WILL SEE, WHAT'S ON THERE, IT WILL BE STILL AN ACTIVE LINK. NOW THE MINUTES FOR THE 1st ARE STILL IN DRAFTING; WE WERE HOPING TO GET THEM TODAY, BUT THEY ARE A LITTLE BACKED UP. I WILL GET THOSE MINUTES OUT TO ALL OF YOU. AND BEFORE JAN SIGNS OFF ON THEM, I WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO -- IF THERE ARE ANY CORRECTIONS OR WHATEVER, IF WE HAVE TO MAKE ANY CORRECTIONS, WE'LL DO THAT AND WORK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE. OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSING DOWN PROBABLY IN TWO TO THREE WEEKS. I WILL BE TRANSFERRING ALL OF OUR RECORDS TO THE CLERK OF THE COURT. 5 AND IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, I'VE GIVEN YOU A TELEPHONE NUMBER ON HOW TO REACH THE CLERK IF YOU NEED TO GET ANYTHING AFTER I'M GONE. AND I THINK THAT'S -- OH, I HAD TO DO THIS. OUR NEXT BOARD WILL MEET IN 2005. >>JAN SMITH: MR. LaBOUR. >>STEVE LaBOUR: I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. FIRST OF ALL, NOT DIRECTED TO BARBARA, BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE END TONIGHT, ARE -- MS. MERRITT STILL GETS PAID IF SHE PUTS IN TIME, CORRECT? >>JAN SMITH: SHE CAN BE PAID UP UNTIL 60 DAYS PAST THE COMPLETION OF OUR WORK SO THAT SHE HAS TIME TO GET EVERYTHING COMPLETED. >>STEVE LaBOUR: I WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE -- >>BARBARA MERRITT: THANK YOU. >>STEVE LaBOUR: THE SECOND THING IS IF THE CHAIR WOULD BE AMENABLE TO SEND A THANK YOU LETTER TO ATTORNEY MARSHA RYDBERG. WE DID NOT HAVE TO UTILIZE HER -- HER TALENTS, BUT WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HER PUTTING FORTH HER TALENTS IF WE NEEDED THEM. AND I JUST THINK A THANK YOU FROM ALL OF US THROUGH YOU WILL BE APPROPRIATE. >>JAN SMITH: I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. >>STEVE LaBOUR: BARBARA, YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PUT UP WITH US. >>BARBARA MERRITT: I REALLY HAVE ENJOYED THIS BOARD. 6 I BRAG ABOUT YOU A LOT BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE THE BEST ARGUMENTS OUT OF ANY BOARD BECAUSE WE COME TO A CONCLUSION. I REALLY HAVE ENJOYED THIS. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ASKED MS. MERRITT AND ME TO DO AT THE LAST MEETING WAS TO INVITE MR. FOERSTER TO OUR MEETING TONIGHT. HE HAD ANOTHER COMMITMENT THIS EVENING AND COULD NOT BE HERE, BUT HE DID WRITE A LETTER. IT IS IN YOUR PACKET IT AND IT EXPLAINS HOW WE WILL PROCEED AND HOW HE WILL WORK WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO KEEP OUR WEB SITE UP AND RUNNING. ALSO, THE MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T APPROVED. BARBARA WILL SEND THEM OUT TO ALL OF YOU AND -- >>BARBARA MERRITT: MARY HELEN JUST GAVE ME THE 1st -- >>JAN SMITH: WHAT WE'LL DO IS IF YOU HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS THAT YOU WANT, YOU WILL PHONE THEM INTO BARBARA. AND IF THERE AREN'T ANY, I WILL JUST APPROVE THE MINUTES AS THEY ARE PRESENTED TO US SO THAT THEY CAN GO IN OUR FINAL DOCUMENTS. >>GERALD WHITE: MADAM CHAIR, WE DID RECEIVE THE LAST ONE SET OF MINUTES. >>JAN SMITH: BUT THE ONES FOR FEBRUARY 1st WERE JUST COMPLETED. >>GERALD WHITE: THE ONES BEFORE -- >>JAN SMITH: THEY ARE GOING TO BE PASSED OUT BEFORE -- >>GERALD WHITE: JANUARY 25th. 7 >>JAN SMITH: JANUARY 25th YOU HAVE. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE ONES FOR FEBRUARY 1st. AND YOU WON'T HAVE THE ONES FOR TONIGHT UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS. >>GERALD WHITE: WE CAN APPROVE THE JANUARY 25th MINUTES? >>JAN SMITH: RIGHT. WE WILL DO THAT. AND JUST TO COVER A COUPLE OTHER THINGS. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK MARY HELEN CAMPBELL AND KEN TINKLER AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY STAFF FOR SUCH AN EXCELLENT JOB. THE TIME YOU HAVE SPENT HERE, ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE SALARIED NO MATTER WHAT AND YOU HAVE BEEN HERE ON LONG AND DIFFICULT NIGHTS WHEN YOUR FAMILIES HAVE HAD OTHER COMMITMENTS. YOUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ILL OR HAD PROGRAMS. AND YOU HAVE SPENT YOUR TIME HERE WITH US. WE COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A MORE DEDICATED, HARD-WORKING GROUP OF ATTORNEYS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH BOTH FROM THE ENTIRE BOARD. [ APPLAUSE ] WE ALSO HAD GREAT ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTY'S COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT. AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE NAMES -- >>DENISE LASHER: WE ARE GOING TO INTERRUPT YOU FOR A MINUTE, MADAM CHAIR. I KNOW YOU ARE THANKING EVERYBODY. WE WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING UP WITH EACH AND 8 EVERY ONE OF US IN GIVING US AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR VIEWPOINTS. AND LEADING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS. [ APPLAUSE ] >>DENISE LASHER: I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT. >>STEVE LaBOUR: THERE ISN'T ANY POISON IVY IN THERE. >>JAN SMITH: PUSH THEM IN FRONT OF MY FACE FOR A MINUTE HERE. THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY LOVELY, AND IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU. I KNOW WE'VE ALL STATED OUR OPINIONS RATHER FIRMLY, ONE AT A TIME. BUT WE'VE ALL LISTENED AND AT TIMES WE HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE FEISTY. LOOK AT THIS, THIS EVENING WE ARE GOING TO FINISH OUR WORK AND ALL WALK OUT OF HERE FRIENDS AND I DON'T THINK THERE IS A GREATER COMPLIMENT TO A BOARD OF PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS AND DIFFERENT THOUGHTS THAN TO SAY THAT YOU CAN DO THAT TONIGHT. AND I THINK YOU CAN. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR -- YOUR COMING TO ALL OF THE MEETINGS. I THINK THE ATTENDANCE OF THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD HAS PRETTY -- BEEN REAL PHENOMENAL. REALLY HAS. SOME PEOPLE DO NOT TAKE IT QUITE AS SERIOUSLY AS YOU ALL DID. AND THE PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY OWE YOU A DEBT OF GRATITUDE. 9 THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SIT HERE AND CALL YOUR NAMES AND GIVE YOU ALL THE OPPORTUNITY. YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB STATING YOUR POSITIONS. AND I THINK THAT THE COUNTY WILL BE LUCKY IF THEY HAVE OTHER CIVIC GROUPS, CITIZEN GROUPS, THAT ARE AS DEDICATED, LOYAL, AND AS VOCAL AS YOU ALL ARE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB FOR US. MIKE FOERSTER, STEVE VALDEZ, PATRICK MURRAY, KAREN MATCHES, HELEN R. BAKER, CINDY JONES, STACEY WILLIAMS, DONNA OLMSTEAD AND GERI FREEMAN. ASSISTED US IN THE NOTICES, THE WEB PAGES, FAXING, MAILINGS, ALL OF THAT PAPERWORK WE COULD NEVER HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ON OUR OWN AND MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR BARBARA TO DO THE WORK THAT SHE DID FOR US. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE FROM HTV. GREG VAWTER, JOE DUVAL. OLGA MENDOZA AND THE STAFF AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE EACH EVENING TO MONITOR THE FLOOR AND KEEP THE MEETINGS GOING. MR. HUNTER AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF FOR THE RESEARCH AND COMPUTER HELP THEY GAVE US ON THE SURVEY, THE CLERK'S OFFICE, GALE, SUE, JULIA AND JUDITH, ALL OF THEM -- AS I THINK SOME OF YOU SAID LAST WEEK, JUST STAYING AWAKE DURING OUR MEETINGS. WE APPRECIATE IT AND THANK YOU SAUL OF -- ALL OF YOUR WORK OF GETTING THE MINUTES TO US AS TIMELY AS YOU COULD. 10 FINALLY, THE COUNTY COMMISSION STAFF. THE MEMBERS OF THE DIFFERENT STAFFS THAT STAYED IN TOUCH WITH US. MARTHA BINGHAM, WILL CRAIG AND CHARLOTTE EMRICK. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME OUT OF YOUR SCHEDULES TO BE HERE AND TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT. WE WERE GOING TO TAKE OUR PICTURES. MR. BALES IS STILL NOT HERE. >>GERALD WHITE: HE USUALLY ARRIVES ABOUT 6:30, MADAM CHAIR. >>JAN SMITH: WHERE IS OUR PHOTOGRAPHER, IS HE STILL HERE? MAYBE HE TOOK A BREAK. I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO THEN IS WE WILL BEGIN THE PUBLIC COMMENT. IF SOMEONE IS SPEAKING, WE WILL ALLOW TO YOU FINISH YOUR COMMENTS BEFORE WE -- BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INTERRUPT IT FOR THIS GROUP PHOTO FOR THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD REPORT. THE FIRST PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP -- AND, OH, IT'S FIVE MINUTES THIS EVENING. YOU EACH GET FIVE MINUTES. IF YOU NEED IT ALL, TAKE IT; AND IF YOU DON'T, DON'T. MR. MIKE CARDUCCI IS FIRST AND THEN VINCENT FERRARO. >> YOU READ IT RIGHT LAST TIME. IF YOU GET 4, YOU TAKE 5; IF YOU GET 5, YOU TAKE 10. MADAM CHAIR, CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS, MY NAME IS MIKE CARDUCCI, 1427 CLARION DRIVE IN VALRICO. 11 I THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH ME IN MY CIVICS LESSONS OF LAST PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I HEARD SO MANY PEOPLE QUESTION THE VALUE AND WHY WE SHOULD HAVE REPRESENTATION WITH -- FAIR REPRESENTATION WITH POPULATION. IT AMAZES ME THAT ANYONE WOULD CONSIDER THAT AS A QUESTIONABLE TENET OF OUR GOVERNMENT, BUT APPARENTLY THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT FEEL THAT WAY. TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE DIFFERENT ATTACK AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS AND CONTINUE THE TEACH EXERCISE AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL BEAR WITH ME BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR LAST PUBLIC MEETING. AND YOU 14 PEOPLE, BARBARA MERRITT AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS AND OTHERS INVOLVED WITH THIS BOARD, HAVE TAKEN LONG, HARD WORK FOR 12 MONTHS. AND YOUR EFFORTS SHOULD WELL BE ACKNOWLEDGED. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO CREDIT MR. RALPH HUGHES FOR BEING HERE EVERY WEEK TO SPEAK. BUT IT'S A COMMENDABLE JOB, AND THE COUNTY, I DON'T SPEAK FOR THEM OBVIOUSLY, BUT CERTAINLY SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS HONORABLE ACTIVITY AND WE, AS CITIZENS, SHOULD APPLAUD IT, EVEN IF WE DON'T AGREE SOME OF YOUR CONCLUSIONS ARE. IT WILL BE MOST UNFORTUNATE IF YOU LEAVE TONIGHT WITHOUT MAJOR WORTHWHILE EFFORTS THAT SHOW A RESULT. LOOK AT THE ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE RESOLVED AND ASK YOURSELF, IS THAT WORTH THE TIME WHEN YOU AND THIS BLUE RIBBON GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVE FINALIZED THESE DECISIONS NOT THAT THEY ARE IN EFFECT, BUT ONLY THE DECISION TO PUT IT ON A REFERENDUM TO 12 ALLOW THE PEOPLE TO VOTE ON IT. ASK YOURSELF, DID I ANALYZE THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE? AND ALTHOUGH YOU AS INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE ALTERNATIVES REQUESTED BY SUBSTANTIAL GROUPS, SHOULD THE ALTERNATIVE BE ON THE BALLOT IN 2002? DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AND CLEAR CONSCIENCE TO KEEP THIS ALTERNATIVE FROM THE CITIZEN VOTE? YOU MAY ASK IF IT IS NOT BROKE AND DON'T FIX IT. MAY I TELL YOU THAT THIS IS AN AXIOM OF FAILURE AND A THEORY OF PROCRASTINATORS WHO REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR CHANGE AND UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM; THEREFORE, CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR CHANGE. AS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT, THE VERY FIRST REASON WHEN I GO INTO THE FAILING COMPANY WHO FELT IF IT ISN'T BROKEN, DON'T FIX IT BECAUSE THEY ARE GENERALLY THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION HAS EXPLAINED IN NEW WAYS ALMOST EVERY DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT. THE LEGISLATURE, IN ALMOST EVERY VARIATION IN THEIR AMENDMENTS, ALTER AND REDEFINE THE CONSTITUTION. EVERY MAJOR BUSINESS REVIEWS ANNUALLY THE RIGHTS AND WRONGS IN THEIR BUSINESS PLANS AND GOALS. NOT THEIR DIRECTIONS NOR THEIR GOALS, BUT THE STRUCTURE AND TACTICS ARE ALWAYS ANNUALLY REVIEWED. NOW WE ARE SAYING TONIGHT, IF THE LAST FIVE YEARS SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND THE FIVE YEARS THAT WILL SUCCEED THIS BOARD AND THE FOUR YEARS THEREAFTER TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM, YOU'RE WILLING TO SIT IN A STATUS QUO POSITION FOR ALMOST 15 13 YEARS WITH THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH OF OUR COUNTY? IF THAT IS YOUR DECISION, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU I AND MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO QUESTION THE WISDOM OF THAT DECISION. AS YOU VOTE FOR NO ALTERNATIVES, WHICH YOU HAVE DONE, THE VOTE IS FOR STATUS QUO. IF YOU ARE SAYING TO ME AND OUR GROUP AND THIS COUNTY TONIGHT, THAT THIS COUNTY SHOULD STAY PUT FOR 15 YEARS IN A STATUS QUO, I TELL YOU SOMEONE IS GOING TO QUESTION THAT POSITION. I AM NEVER SURE OF NUMBERS WITHOUT ANALYSIS, BUT THAT, ALONE, MAY BE THE GROUP THAT SUGGESTED MAY BE SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT PUTTING IT ON THE BOARD. I WILL GIVE YOU, AS A FOR INSTANCE. WE RECOMMENDED AS F.A.I.R. SEVEN SINGLE DISTRICTS WITH A FACILITATOR-TYPE CHAIR. I REVIEWED THE TAPES, AND YOU KNOW I WATCH THE TAPES EVEN AFTER I LEAVE HERE, THAT DR. HORTON OF THE NAACP REQUESTED THAT STRUCTURE. YOU HEARD SOBAC REQUEST THAT STRUCTURE. YOU HEARD THREE OR FOUR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE SUGGEST THAT STRUCTURE. YOU HEARD GORDON COMMEE REQUEST THAT STRUCTURE. YOU HEARD ALMA GONZALEZ HASKINS REQUEST THAT FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY. RON WOLF AND HIS CONSTITUENTS REQUEST THAT STRUCTURE. I'M NOT SURE IF THE NUMBERS ALONE WILL SUFFICIENTLY CARRY THE VOTE IN 2002, BUT I THINK THE NUCLEUS IS ALMOST THERE. YET EVERY WEEK OUR GROUP ENLARGES. 14 I ASK YOU, AGAIN, PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR RIGHT, YOUR OPTION TO MAKE THE CITIZENS VOTE ON THIS DECISION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT. MR. VINCE FERARRA WILL EXPLAIN WHY THE PARTS FOR THE UNINCORPORATED AREA IS BROKEN FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE IN TAMPA AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS BROKEN. IT'S NOT A TOTAL BREAKDOWN, BUT IT IS A PART BREAKDOWN, AND I REFER THOSE TO VINCE. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR BEING SO KIND AND LETTING US TO SPEAK AND THAT IS DEMOCRACY AT BEST EVEN IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH US AT TIMES. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. MR. FERARRA. >> THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SPEAK. OVER THE SEVERAL MONTHS. I KNOW YOU ARE TIRED OF HEARING US, BUT WE ARE GOING TO GO AT IT ONE MORE TIME. THE PREAMBLE OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HOME RULE CHARTER READS, WE, THE PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN GREATER LOCAL SELF-DETERMINATION TO EXERCISE MORE CONTROL OVER OUR OWN DESTINY, TO CREATE A MORE RESPONSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT AND TO GUARANTEE EQUAL CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS TO ALL, SO AVAIL OURSELVES TO THE OPPORTUNITY AFFORDED BY THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION TO BECOME A CHARTERED COUNTY AND DO HEREBY ORDAIN TO ESTABLISH BY THIS HOME RULE CHARTER A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT OF AND FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. 15 HOW ARE WE DOING IN THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY WITH HOME RULE? FIVE OF SEVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LIVE WITHIN A FEW MILES OF EACH OTHER IN SOUTH TAMPA. THE CITY OF TAMPA SERVES A NEED FOR THE TAMPA AREA. FIVE OF SEVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REPRESENTING THE COUNTY LIVE IN TAMPA SERVICE AREA. TWO OF THE SEVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LIVE WITHIN 64% OF THE POPULATION IN NONTAMPA AREA. HARTLINE, AND ALMOST ALL TAMPA BUS SERVICE, IS PAID BY THE COUNTYWIDE TAXES. REMEMBER THE PAVILION FIASCO VARIANCE ALLOWING RESIDENTIAL HOMES IN A COMMERCIAL AREA NOW AS A HIGHWAY GOES THROUGH THE CENTER. DESPITE VIOLENT LOCAL CITIZENS REJECTIONS, ZONING ALLOWS SULFUR SMELTING, CEMENT PLANTS, ROSIN BOARD PLANTS, USING ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY. SOBAC AND RESIDENTS OBJECTED TO THE RISK OF WATER SHORTAGE. LOW AQUIFER CAUSES SINKHOLES IN CONTAMINATED WELLS IN SOUTH COUNTY. DESAL PLANT WITH RISK OF CONTAMINATION APPLIES TO BUILDING ON APOLLO BEACH. SAME AREA APPROVED FOR SCHOOLS AND HOMES. SOBAC OBJECTED. JAILS AND RECYCLED PLANTS BUILT IN THE HCC AREA. FISHHAWK. STARTS HOMES WITH NO MAJOR ROADS TO MOVE THE TRAFFIC. TWO SUPERMARKETS ON LITHIA-PINECREST ROAD AND BLOOMINGDALE 16 RIGHT ON THE CORNER AND A THIRD ONE BEING BUILT IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS CREATING TRAFFIC MESSES. CITIZENS HAVE COMPLAINED. SELMON EXPRESSWAY APPROVES A PLAN TO DROP UP 30,000 CARS AT LUMSDEN AND PAULS. NO ADDED ROADS WERE PLANNED TO MOVE THE TRAFFIC FROM THAT CONGESTED AREA. THE SAME AREA WHERE THE REGIONAL MALL DUMPS ONTO HIGHWAY 60. GREAT PLANNING PROCESS. THE MAIN STREET PROJECT IS ALSO IN THE SAME AREA IN A HIGHLY CONGESTED AREA OF 30,000 CARS BEING DUMPED DAILY. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A QUARTER OF A MILE TO A HALF A MILE DIFFERENCE OF EXTENDING THE CROSSTOWN IS GOING TO RELIEVE THE TRAFFIC WHEN YOU ARE PUSHING IT INTO MORE RESIDENTIAL AREAS WITH LESS ACCESS ROUTES. READ THE NEWSPAPER AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE OTHER FIASCOES GOING ON AROUND IN OUR COMMUNITY. IF WE LIVED IN TAMPA, I WOULDN'T CARE. NOT IN MY BACKYARD. THAT'S THE REASON FOR HOME RULE. PLANNING BOARDS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND ZONING BOARDS SHOULD BE FORCED TO LIVE WHERE THEIR WISDOM DECISIONS. WE, HEREBY, REQUEST THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER -- RECONSIDER THE SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS WITH A FACILITATOR SELECTED BY THEIR PEERS. THIS IS THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR THE FUTURE OF -- THAT THE PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO VOTE FOR. 17 THE CONSTITUTION STATES THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE. EXCEPT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE GOVERNMENT IS BY AND FOR THE SELECT FEW WHO ARE ABLE TO CONTROL. WE ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. FERRARO. ED PASILLO AND THEN RALPH HUGHES. IS ED HERE? YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEAK? OKAY. THANK YOU. RALPH HUGHES. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. RALPH HUGHES, TAMPA. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU FIVE GOOD SOLID REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE TONIGHT TO PLACE A PROPOSAL ON THE BALLOT THAT WILL GIVE THE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY SUPPORT PLACING A LIMIT ON THE ANNUAL INCREASE ON A PORTION OF OUR COUNTY'S ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. I BELIEVE ANY ONE OF THESE FIVE REASONS JUSTIFIES YOUR VOTING YES TO THIS PROPOSAL. I ASK THAT YOU PICK THE REASON OR REASONS YOU PREFER AND VOTE YES. THE FIVE REASONS ARE, ONE, YOU ASK THE PEOPLE TO COME FORTH AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WANTED. 18 THEY DID SO. IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROPOSAL BY A MARGIN OF OVER TWO TO ONE. AND THOSE WHO SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THIS PROPOSAL WERE SOME OF THE MOST HIGHLY RESPECTED AND INFORMED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. TWO, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION THAT HAS CAUSED SOME OF YOU CONCERN SHOULD NOT BE A CONCERN. I, AS CHAIRMAN OF A MAJOR CORPORATION IN OUR STATE, WITH EXTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT IN LEGAL MATTERS OVER THE YEARS, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT I HAVE WRITTEN PORTIONS OF LOCAL AND STATE LAWS, STAND HERE TO SAY TO YOU, WITHOUT RESERVATION, THAT THIS IS THE POOREST EXCUSE FOR A LEGAL OPINION I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR QUESTION. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A 3% BUDGET CAP. WE ARE, INSTEAD, TALKING ABOUT A LIMIT ON THE ANNUAL INCREASE IN A PORTION OF OUR COUNTY OPERATING BUDGET BASED ON A COMBINATION OF OUR INFLATION RATE AND POPULATION GROWTH RATE. YOU WILL NOTE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RESPONSE CITED THREE CASES, MARION COUNTY, DADE COUNTY, AND CHARLOTTE COUNTY. EACH OF THESE CASES PERTAINED TO MILLAGE RATES, OUR SETTING A CAP ON MILLAGE RATES. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A CAP ON MILLAGE RATES OR ABOUT MILLAGE RATES PERIOD OR ABOUT A CAP. THIS, QUOTE, LEGAL OPINION SIMPLY IS NOT GERMANE TO THE PROPOSAL WE ARE CONSIDERING. THREE, I BELIEVE THIS LEGAL OPINION IS WORTHLESS AND WILL SOON PROVE TO BE SO. 19 IF YOU DO NOT VOTE TONIGHT TO PUT THIS PROPOSAL ON THE BALLOT, WE WILL LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO FOR FIVE YEARS OR MORE. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU VOTE YES TONIGHT AND FOR SOME UNFORESEEN REASON THAT I CANNOT IMAGINE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION IS UPHELD, AND IT WON'T BE, WE CAN ALWAYS TAKE IT OFF THE BALLOT. FOUR, SOME FEAR IF THIS GOES ON THE BALLOT AND THE PEOPLE APPROVE IT, IT WILL BE CHALLENGED IN COURT. I DO NOT THINK SO FOR A SIMPLE REASON. IT WILL COST UP TO A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO CHALLENGE THE DECISION OF THE PEOPLE. PLUS, AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF MONEY SHOULD THE CHALLENGER LOSE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST OF THE COUNTY DEFENDING THIS ACTION. JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. A CHALLENGE SIMPLY WILL NOT TAKE PLACE. FIVE, IF YOU VOTE TONIGHT TO PLACE THIS ISSUE ON THE BALLOT, EVEN IF TEN OF YOU DO NOT, YOU WILL BE SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE THAT WOULD BE LOUD AND CLEAR, NOT ONLY TO OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, BUT TO OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT YOU ARE RESPONDING TO THE PLEAS FROM THE PUBLIC. AND THAT THEY WOULD BE WISE TO GOVERN THEMSELVES ACCORDINGLY. PICK ANY OR ALL OF THE FIVE REASONS I HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU AND VOTE TO PLACE THIS LIMITATION ON THE ANNUAL INCREASE AND A PORTION OF OUR COUNTY'S OPERATING BUDGET ON THE BALLOT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SPEAK TO IT NOVEMBER 2002. 20 I THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND A PERSONAL THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE OF YOUR TIME AND ENERGY FOR ONE FULL YEAR TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY AS YOU COMPLETE YOUR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE TONIGHT. GODSPEED. I WISH THE VERY BEST FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. HUGHES. AND THIS BOARD IS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE TIME YOU'VE SPENT HERE AND IN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THIS BOARD TO HELP THEM MAKE DECISIONS. WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE GIVEN EVERY NIGHT OF THE LAST YEAR THAT THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETS, AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT. MS. BETTY CRISLIP AND THEN PIERRE MATHURIN. >> THANK YOU. BETTY CRISLIP, 4405 WEST PLATT, TAMPA. IN THE YEAR THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN SO GENEROUSLY OF YOUR TIME, MANY OF YOU, MOST OF YOU, AND MANY OF THE PUBLIC HAVE COME TO YOU WITH WHAT THEY BELIEVE ARE PERCEIVED PROBLEMS. AND I HAVE SAID AND OTHERS HAVE SAID THAT THE CAUSE OF WHAT IS PERCEIVED AS PROBLEMS ROUGHLY FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES. ONE IS A LACK OF POLITICAL WILL AND THE OTHER THE CAUSE IS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT IN GOVERNMENT. I SUBMIT, AGAIN, TO YOU THAT THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED ARE MOSTLY ALMOST ENTIRELY A MATTER OF POLITICAL WILL. 21 WHETHER IT BE THE NEED FOR VISION, WHETHER IT BE A PROBLEM WITH RESIDENCY OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, OR WHETHER IT BE LIMITS ON BUDGET INCREASES. THOSE ARE ALL PROBLEMS FROM A LACK OF POLITICAL WILL OF THE CITIZENRY. AND THE ONE PROBLEM THAT YOU PERCEIVED AS STRUCTURAL CORRECTLY WAS THE MATTER OF AN AUDITOR. BECAUSE THE COUNTY COMMISSION DOES NEED AN INDEPENDENT VOICE ANSWERABLE ONLY TO THEM ON BUDGET MATTERS. YOU HAVE DONE THESE. NOT TO MAKE CHANGES. I HOPE YOU SEE, AND I THANK YOU FOR NOT RUSHING IN TO MAKE CHANGES. AND I HOPE YOU WON'T FEEL THAT NOT DOING SO IS A FAILURE OF FAILURE ON YOUR PART. I SEE IT AS A SIGN OF GREAT MATURITY ON YOUR PART AND YOU REALIZE THAT JUST TINKERING WITH GOVERNMENT IS REALLY NO SOLUTION AT ALL. AND AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO PUT THINGS ON THE BALLOT AS SIMPLY LIKE A SURVEY OR REFERENDUM, THAT IS REALLY NOT A SOLUTION EITHER. WE KNOW THAT FROM THE MATTER OF THE RAPID RAIL THAT PASSED. AND SOME OF US ALSO FEEL THAT ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHY YOU SHOULDN'T PUT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT IS THE C.I.T., AND WE HAVE A STADIUM WHICH WE ARE PAYING FOR. AND SO JUST A REFERENDUM IS NOT A GOOD IDEA UNLESS YOU PERCEIVE THAT THERE IS A STRUCTURAL FLAW IN GOVERNMENT. 22 I THINK YOU'VE MADE THE MATURE CHOICES. YOU'VE GONE WITH THE AUDITOR. YOU'VE SAID THE OTHERS ARE POLITICAL WILL. AND IF YOU THINK THAT THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE CAPPED OR PEOPLE NEED TO BE ELECTED MORE FROM THE UNINCORPORATED AREA, THAT IS A QUESTION TO GET CITIZENS AROUSED AND TO COME DOWN AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND THAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. YOU'VE TAKEN A MATURE COURSE, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR IT. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MS. CRISLIP AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING. MR. PIERRE MATHURIN. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PIERRE MATHURIN, 3409 WEST CARACAS. I FIRST OF ALL WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU SITTING ON THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. I KNOW IT IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO ALLOCATE A YEAR OF YOUR TIME TO THIS NOBLE CIVIC FUNCTION. I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT DOING SOME VOLUNTEER WORK FOR THE COUNTY THAT IT CAN BE A SOURCE OF GREAT PERSONAL FULFILLMENT AND AT THE SAME TIME, IT COULD BE VERY FRUSTRATING. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. THEY MAY NOT -- MAY OR MAY NOT FIT IN THE OVERALL SCHEME OF THINGS. I NOTICED THAT SOME OF THE ISSUES HAVE SORT OF BEEN RESOLVED 23 BY YOUR BOARD. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT IF WE MAINTAIN THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF THIS COUNTY, THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY CONSIDER INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION TO AT LEAST NINE MEMBERS TO FULLY REFLECT THE POPULATION INCREASE THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS EXPERIENCED OVER THE YEARS. KEEPING IT AT SEVEN COMMISSIONERS, THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF CONSTITUENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT -- THAT ONE COMMISSIONER WILL HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR. ANOTHER THING IS, I FEEL -- AND I MUST AT LEAST QUALIFY MY STATEMENTS, BECAUSE I DO LIVE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, THAT THE NEEDS OF A GREAT MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY RESIDENTS IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY ARE NOT BEING MET FROM WHAT I CAN GATHER FROM MY TRAVELS AND TALKING TO PEOPLE. WE SHOULD -- THE STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTY -- OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A CITY. AND IN THAT RESPECT, I FULLY SUPPORT THAT COMMUNITIES SUCH AS BRANDON, SUCH AS CARROLLWOOD, SUCH AS TOWN N' COUNTRY BE STRONGLY URGED TO FOLLOW A PROCESS TO LEAD TO INCORPORATION INTO CITIES FOR THEMSELVES SO THEY HAVE MORE LOCAL CONTROL OVER MATTERS SUCH AS ZONING, TRAFFIC, AND WHATNOT. GIVEN THAT, I KNOW I HAVE WRITTEN YOUR BOARD AS TO A PROPOSAL I HAD TO SPLIT THE COUNTY INTO THREE SEPARATE COUNTIES, MUCH LIKE HOW PINELLAS COUNTY WAS SPLIT OFF IN 1912 AND FORMED ITS OWN COUNTY. ORIGINALLY PINELLAS COUNTY WAS PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. PERHAPS THAT MIGHT BE A SOLUTION. 24 I KNOW IT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT TIME, BUT IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS UNTIL THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETS AGAIN. I SUGGESTED THREE, MAYBE EVEN TWO -- TWO SEPARATE COUNTIES, AN EASTERN AND A WESTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH DISAGREEMENT ABOUT REPRESENTATION, ABOUT THE PEOPLE FEEL THAT TAXES COLLECTED IN THEIR AREA ARE BEING SPENT ON OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY, AND PERHAPS SPLITTING THIS COUNTY MIGHT ULTIMATELY PROVIDE SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF THESE -- SOME OF THESE NEEDS AND CONCERNS THAT MANY OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE VOICED OVER THE YEARS. SO I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT. AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS OVER THE PAST YEAR. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. MATHURIN. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN THIS EVENING. MR. KARL WARREN AND ELLA COFFEE. >> GOOD EVENING. KARL WARREN, TAMPA, FLORIDA. FIRST, I WANT TO COMMEND THIS BOARD FOR ITS DEDICATION, ITS TIME, AND ITS COMMITMENT TO THIS YEAR-LONG PROCESS. WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT I MUST SAY, THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HARDEST-WORKING BOARDS THAT I HAVE SEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY IN A LONG TIME. AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND YOUR ATTORNEYS, KEN AND MARY, 25 FOR YOUR HARD WORK. DESPITE SOME OF THE FEISTINESS AT TIMES, I THINK THIS BOARD REALLY REPRESENTED DEMOCRACY IN ACTION. SO I COMMEND YOU ON THAT; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT DESPITE WHAT I CONSIDER THE WORK -- THE LIMITED WORK -- THE WORK PRODUCT, IT HAS BEEN AN IMPROVEMENT OVER PREVIOUS BOARDS, AT LEAST WE GOT SOMETHING OUT OF HERE. AND THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT. YOU TAKE ONE STEP, YOU MIGHT EVENTUALLY WALK A MILE. BUT I STILL BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME ISSUES HERE. I STILL BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF SYSTEMATIC SANCTIONING OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTION TO REDEPLOY LARGE BLOCKS OF BLACK POPULATION INTO AREAS THAT ARE BASICALLY 5-TO-1 RATIO. FIVE WHITES TO ONE BLACK, THAT THIS SITUATION BEGS FOR SOME CONSIDERATION OF FAIR AND EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT. GENTRIFICATION HAS OCCURRED. MOST OF THE INNER CITY HAS BEEN REDEPLOYED OUT INTO THE COUNTY AREA. THE VOTING STRENGTH OF THE BLACK POPULATION OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS BEEN SYSTEMATICALLY DILUTED BY SANCTIONING AND UNDER THE AEGIS OF GOVERNMENT ACTION. I SAY TO THIS BOARD TONIGHT, I SUSPECT THIS IS GOING TO END UP IN LITIGATION PROBABLY SOONER THAN WE THINK BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME CONSIDERATION. I HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT NUMBERS. 26 AND YET CHICAGO HAS ABOUT 46 ALDERMEN, AND THEY GET THINGS TAKEN CARE OF. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 46. NOW IF THEY CAN DO IT, WHY CAN'T WE AT LEAST CONSIDER BROADENING AND ENLARGING SO THERE COULD BE BETTER REPRESENTATION. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO GET A HOLD ON SPENDING IN THIS COMMUNITY. WHEN WE CAN REMEMBER THE VOTERS VOTED DOWN THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, BUT SOMEHOW IT GOT FUNDED, DESPITE WHAT THE VOTERS WANTED. THE AQUARIUM, THE VOTERS DIDN'T NECESSARILY WANT THE AQUARIUM, BUT IT GOT DONE. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STADIUM OUT THERE, WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT DEAL. WE KNOW THAT THE AFFLUENT, THEY ARE ABLE TO COME TO GOVERNMENT, MAKE GOVERNMENT A TIT FOR THEM TO SUCK ON FOR THE TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR THEIR PLAY TOYS AND THEIR CULTURAL EXCESSES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CULTURAL EXCESSES WHILE THERE ARE MANY NEEDS IN THIS COMMUNITY GOING UNATTENDED. I BELIEVE THIS FACT BEGS FOR SOME KIND OF FISCAL LIMIT PLACED ON GOVERNMENT IN A STRUCTURE SENSE. AND I AGREE. THIS MAY NOT BE THE FORUM TO ATTEND THIS. AND I WILL BE WORKING HARD TO GET TO THE RIGHT FORUM TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN, BUT I SAY, THERE WAS A GOOD PLACE FOR 27 DISCUSSING THAT PROBLEM IN THIS COMMUNITY AND NEED TO HAVE HAD A PLACE TO DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IT'S GETTING OUTRAGEOUS. OKAY. TAXPAYERS ARE STEADILY PICKING UP THE TAB FOR EXCESSES OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD THEIR OWN PLAY TOYS. AND WE CAN NO LONGER CONTINUE THAT IN THIS COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE THAT SOME GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS IF YOU KEEP UP WITH YOUR CURRENT EVENT. WE'RE GETTING READY TO BUILD A MUSEUM, ASKING THE COUNTY FOR $17 MILLION. WE ARE GETTING TO BUILD $100 MILLION THING DOWNTOWN AND EVERYTHING. COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO PICK UP PART OF THAT TAB. I'M SAYING WE CAN'T -- WE CAN'T TELL CITY GOVERNMENT HOW TO DO IT -- ITS THING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GO TO THEIR CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. -- YES, I'M CLOSING. I'M SAYING TO THIS COUNTY CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, WE SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND, AGAIN, I COMMEND ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR GREAT WORK. AND YOU ALL HAVE DONE SOME GOOD WORKS. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. AND MR. WARREN, WE THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH EVERY CHARTER AND CHARTER 28 REVIEW BOARD WE'VE HAD IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE THANK YOU FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US. >> THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: MS. ELLA COFFEE AND GRANT WALTERS. IS ELLA HERE? I DIDN'T SEE HER. OKAY. GRANT WALTERS. I'M SORRY, YES, YOU DID. CAN'T READ. MR. RON WOLF. >> THIS EVENING I'M SUCKING ON A THROAT LOZENGE SO YOU HAVE TO BEAR WITH ME. THIS IS THE FINAL MEETING OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, AND I'M SURE MOST OF YOU ARE VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING THESE MEETINGS COME TO A CLOSE, BUT I'M NOT. AND I'M NOT BECAUSE I THINK THERE REMAINS ON THE TABLE SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS. NOW THIS CHARTER THAT WE'VE ALL BECOME VERY FAMILIAR WITH HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR 15 YEARS, AND THE QUESTION IS, WITH THE CHANGES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY IN UNINCORPORATED AREA, IS THERE A REASON FOR CHANGE? NOW, THE F.A.I.R. -- I'M A CO-FOUNDER OF F.A.I.R., THE F.A.I.R. RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH THOUSANDS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITIZENS, ONE ON ONE AND SMALL GROUPS AND WE HAVE RECEIVED UNIVERSAL ENDORSEMENT OF ACCEPTANCE. 29 HOW CAN SO MANY CITIZENS BE WRONG? NOW, YOU ALL RECEIVED COPIES OF THE F.A.I.R. RECOMMENDATIONS PAPER RECOMMENDING THINGS FOR CHANGE. WHILE WE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THE 7-0 TO THE 6-1 STRUCTURE, WE DID APPRECIATE THE MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS. WE WERE PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH THE COMMENTS MADE BY MR. BALES AND MR. BEDKE WHEN THEY DESCRIBED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SUBORDINATE THEIR PERSONAL VIEWS TO WHAT THEY RECOGNIZED AS THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE THEY HEARD FROM DURING THESE DELIBERATIONS. VICE-CHAIR HURLEY APPARENTLY HEARD THESE SAME VOICES. MR. LaBOUR SHOWED GREAT LEADERSHIP BY PREPARING AND DISTRIBUTING HIS MEMORANDUM TO CRB MEMBERS IN OCTOBER LISTING OPTIONS 1-A, 1-B, AND 1-C. PRIOR TO THIS, A SUBCOMMITTEE HAD WORKED UP A STRUCTURE CALLING FOR NINE COMMISSIONERS, AN EXPANSION OF THE COST OF GOVERNMENT. NOW MOST SEEMED TO AGREE THAT INCREASING THE TAXPAYERS' COST OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA. SO IT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. MS. TUTTLE MADE AN ELOQUENT STATEMENT REMINDING FELLOW CRB MEMBERS THAT THEIR MISSION WAS TO PLACE SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT, TO ALLOW THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO DECIDE. AND SHE VOTED TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. MS. WALDRON TOOK A SIMILAR POSITION. 30 FINALLY, MR. WHITE REMINDED EVERYONE THAT DR. HORTON OF THE NAACP FAVORED THE F.A.I.R. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER COMMISSIONERS AND A CHAIR ELECTED BY THEIR PEERS. AS YOU KNOW THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD DID NOT CONSIDER AND RIGOROUSLY DEBATE THIS OPTION. LET'S KEEP IN MIND THAT F.A.I.R. WILL NOT DECIDE THE BEST STRUCTURE FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD WILL NOT MAKE THIS DECISION EITHER. NOW WHETHER YOU HAVE DEEP-SEATED PERSONAL BELIEFS OR ARE INFLUENCED BY THE VIEWS OF THE COMMISSIONERS WHO PLACED YOU ON THIS BOARD OR HAVE ADOPTED THE MAJOR POLITICAL PARTY LINE, IT IS IRRELEVANT. YOUR ONLY PURPOSE IS TO DECIDE WHETHER THERE IS SUFFICIENT INTEREST SHOWN BY THOSE WHO WOULD HAVE APPEARED BEFORE YOU TO ALLOW YOU TO VOTE TO PLACE THIS ON A REFERENDUM FOR 2002 SO THAT THE VOTERS, THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CAN DECIDE. AS I WAS LEAVING THE OFFICE, I HEARD MY FAX MACHINE GO OFF, AND IT IS ANOTHER ENDORSEMENT FROM AN ORGANIZED GROUP THAT WE HAVE BEEN SOLICITING, THAT IS F.A.I.R., FROM THE APOLLO BEACH CIVIC ASSOCIATION. AND I WON'T READ THE WHOLE LETTER, BUT IT READS OUR MEMBERSHIP COMPRISED OF 60 BUSINESS VOTERS TO ADOPT THE F.A.I.R. REPRESENTATION BY COMMITTING THE SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS IN LIEU OF THE THREE AT-LARGE DISTRICT. SHOULD BE MANDATORY FOR EACH DISTRICT TO BE REPRESENTED BY A 31 COMMISSIONER THAT RESIDES IN THAT DISTRICT. IN SUMMATION, WE SUPPORT F.A.I.R.'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE BY PLACING THIS ON A COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM IN NOVEMBER OF 2002. VERY TYPICAL, AND THIS I SEE IT WAS ADDRESSED TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. I'M SURE YOU HAVE ALL RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS PLUS OTHER ENDORSEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AS A RESULT OF THE EFFORTS OF F.A.I.R. TO GET OUT THE INFORMATION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITIZENS. SO I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT F.A.I.R. AND ITS MANY SUPPORTERS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THIS INTEREST THAT I SPEAK OF. AND I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU CONDUCT A RECONSIDERATION VOTE. I REALIZE THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO INSERT THE 7-0 OPTION PREFERRED BY F.A.I.R. THEREFORE, F.A.I.R. AGREES TO SUPPORT THE 6-1 STRUCTURE, KNOWN AS 1-C, AND TO WORK HARD TO COMMUNICATE THE BENEFITS OF THIS STRUCTURE TO ALL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITIZENS. WE NOW NEED THREE MORE VOTES TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. WOLF, WE APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'VE HAD A PHONE CALL FROM BETH KALICKY FROM VALRICO. SHE STATES THAT SHE SUPPORTS THE F.A.I.R. RECOMMENDATIONS AND 32 PLEASE RECONSIDER VOTE ON GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS WITH FACILITATOR-TYPE CHAIR. MR. BALES, WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU JOINED US. AND PATRICK HAS BEEN WAITING TO TAKE OUR PICTURE, SO WE ARE GOING TO INTERRUPT -- >> EXCUSE ME, MADAM, I'M SIGNED UP. >> YOU ARE BUT WE HAVE KEPT PATRICK WAITING FOR ALMOST AN HOUR TO DO THE PICTURE. ARE YOU GOING TO WAIT TEN MORE MINUTES? OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE MARILYN SMITH AND AL DAVIS AND THE END OF THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP. IF SOMEBODY'S NAME IS NOT ON THE LIST, PLEASE LET BARBARA KNOW. MS. SMITH. >> IT'S THE END. MARILYN SMITH, GRANDMOTHER AT LARGE. STRANGER TO NONE OF YOU, DON'T THINK. HI, JOHN. YOU MADE IT. I GO BACK TO THE SUMMARY PAGE, SOME REALLY IMPORTANT ITEMS ON HERE AND I THINK PERHAPS MAYBE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY MISUNDERSTOOD THE INTENT OF THE OPERATING LIMIT BUDGET. WE NEVER, EVER TALKED ABOUT PUTTING A CAP ON AD VALOREM TAXES OR MILLAGE. 33 YOU KNOW, YOU ASKED A QUESTION IN ANTICIPATION OF AN ANSWER THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SPENDING MONEY, NOT COLLECTING MONEY. IT'S DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, IT GOES IN AND IT GOES OUT. IT'S THE OUT PART THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT. IT IS GOING OUT WAY TOO FAST AND IN NOT PROPER METHODS BECAUSE OF BAD MANAGEMENT. HOWEVER, I DON'T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO CHANGE YOUR MINDS ON THAT BECAUSE IT IS ALREADY SCREWED UP, AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO UNSCREW IT. WE WILL LEAVE IT ALONE. THEY MADE A BAD DECISION BECAUSE YOU GOT A BAD ANSWER AND A BAD ANSWER FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND I WILL SPEAK -- I'LL ADDRESS THAT SUBJECT LATER. WITH THEM. SO WE'RE GOING TO JUST DO AWAY WITH NUMBER 4 RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE INCREASING OF THE OPERATING SPENDING. BUT NUMBER 5 ON YOUR SUMMARY IS WHAT I GUESS WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE GOING WITH, WHICH IS A VERY GOOD POSITIVE MOVEMENT. RATHER THAN, OH, SHOULD WE HAVE EVERY FIVE YEARS OR EVERY EIGHT YEARS ON OUR CHARTER REVIEW. WITH THE WAY OF DYNAMICS OF THIS COUNTY, WE SHOULD STICK TO EVERY FIVE, I TELL YOU THAT AGAIN JUST SO YOU DON'T FORGET BECAUSE WAITING IN EIGHT YEARS COULD MAKE A DISADVANTAGE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE GROWTH OF OUR WHOLE AREA. 34 WE DO NEED THE COUNTY AUDITOR SLASH AMENDED TO ALSO READ BUDGET ANALYST. IF YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT WENT ON JUST THIS LAST WEEK AT OUR BOARD MEETING YESTERDAY, THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY DOUBT IN YOUR MIND WHY WE SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT. THERE'S BEEN AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY GOING IN WRONG DIRECTIONS TO DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE TOTALLY WASTEFUL, HAVE NEVER ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING. WE'VE ALSO GOT MONEY GOING TO THE LIKES OF THE TAMPA CHAMBER. AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU FOLKS ARE BIG ON THE CHAMBER. WELL, I'M NOT. NOT WHEN THEY COME UP HERE AND THEY TELL ME THAT WE NEED TO PASS A PROGRAM THAT THEY'VE COME IN WITH A COMPANY THAT IS GOING TO NOT ONLY TAKE ALL MY WATER BUT POLLUTE MY AIR. BUT IT'S GOOD. ONE OF THEM WAS GOING TO HIRE A WHOLE 16 PEOPLE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IS GOING TO PUT TONS, TONS OF POLLUTION INTO THE AIR AND TAKE -- TRY TO TAKE MORE POTABLE WATER. THEY ARE NOT ON ALL RECLAIMED WATER. YOU GOT TO READ THE FINE PRINT. AS YOU LAWYERS WILL KNOW THAT UP THERE, THE FINE PRINT. BUT THE POINT BEING, THE CHAMBER GETS PAID TO BRING IN PEOPLE TO HURT OUR ENVIRONMENT. NOW I AM NOT A TREE HUGGER IN ANY WAY. BUT THE POINT IS, I'M VERY SIDUOUS ABOUT IT. AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF THIS AREA IS GOING DOWNHILL AND IT IS CRITICAL. 35 I DON'T THINK WE GIVE THE CHAMBER MONEY TO RUN OUT AND DO IT TO US, WE ARE INVITING DISASTER. PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE ANYWAY BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHY? WE'VE GOT CHEAP LABOR. BUSINESS LIKES CHEAP LABOR. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE GOING TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES, BIG LABOR. BIG DRESS MANUFACTURERS ARE SUBBING OUT THEIR MANUFACTURING TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES. CHEAP LABOR. FLORIDA HAS CHEAP LABOR. PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE UNINVITED. SO WHY DO WE HAVE TO PAY SOMEBODY TO GO OUT AND SAY, HEY, YOU NEED TO MOVE HERE. THEY'RE COMING HERE ANYWAY. TO ME THAT'S STUPID. IT'S A WASTE OF OUR MONEY. WE CAN'T PUT UP A GATE AND TELL THEM, HEY, YOU WEREN'T INVITED BY A PARTICULAR GROUP, THEREFORE YOU CAN'T COME IN. THEY COME ACROSS THE SHORES TO COME HERE. IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE, BUT WE WANT TO KEEP IT A GREAT PLACE TO BE. WE DON'T WANT TO DEFILE AND IMPUTREFY IT BY ALLOWING PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TO INVITE THE WRONG KINDS OF INDUSTRY. NOTHING WRONG WITH BRINGING IN NEW BUSINESS. WE NEED THAT. BUT WE NEED CLEAN BUSINESS, NOT THE KIND THAT'S GOING TO DESTROY OUR WATER AND THE KIND THAT'S GOING TO WRECK THE AIR 36 AND BELIEVE ME I'M LIKE THE CANARY, i KNOW WHEN THE AIR ISN'T GOOD. I START COUGHING. WE KNOW WE ARE IN TROUBLE. THE POINT IS, I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS. YOU HAVE WORKED VERY HARD. I KNOW THIS ISN'T FUN, BUT YOU HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW SOME VERY INTERESTING PEOPLE ALSO, NOT ONLY OF THE POPULATION, OF AMONGST YOURSELVES, I'M SURE. SO WITH THAT I'LL SAY, LET AT LEAST GET ONE GOOD AMENDMENT GOING ON THERE. IF NOTHING ELSE, YOU'VE GOT ONE GOOD AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MRS. SMITH. EVERYONE ALWAYS BENEFITS FROM MARILYN'S COMMENTS. MR. AL DAVIS. >> MADAM CHAIRMAN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, GREETINGS. AL DAVIS, 3724 EAST WILDER. MADAM CHAIRMAN, TWO QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE TO POSE, AND FOR CLARITY, AND I WANT TO KNOW FIRST, WILL THAT COUNT AGAINST THE FIVE MINUTES THAT I HAVE EVEN THOUGH I MAY NOT USE IT? >>JAN SMITH: WHY DON'T YOU MAKE YOUR COMMENTS AND WE'LL LET YOU ASK YOUR QUESTIONS IF TIME PERMITS. >> THANK YOU. I DISADVANTAGED MYSELF TONIGHT BECAUSE I LEFT MY GLASSES, AND I WOULD -- YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE PERHAPS BEEN ABLE TO SEE A 37 LITTLE BIT. BUT ANYWAY. THE FIRST QUESTION IS, HOW MANY METHODS ARE THERE AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO AMEND THAT CHARTER? >>JAN SMITH: THERE ARE THREE. >> OUTSIDE OF THE BOARD. >>JAN SMITH: TWO OTHER FORMS. THE CITIZENS' INITIATIVE IS ONE, AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BY A VOTE OF 5-2 CAN PUT SOMETHING ON A REFERENDUM. >> OKAY. SO THE CITIZEN INITIATIVE -- >>GERALD WHITE: LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION. >>JAN SMITH: BUT THAT'S NOT DEFINED IN OUR CHARTER. THAT'S A WAY THAT IT COULD BE DONE. THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A CITIZENS INITIATIVE PROBABLY. MR. DAVIS. >> SO THE -- THOSE TWO THAT YOU MENTIONED BESIDE THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE THE -- NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL, WHAT THEY CALL IT, AN OFF YEAR TO BRING A MATTER TO THE CITIZENS FOR A CONSIDERATION? >>JAN SMITH: I BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE. >> NEXT QUESTION, MADAM CHAIR, IS I GUESS LAST MEETING WAS THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING OF WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR THIS BOARD TO CONDUCT TO MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHAT MAY BE SUBSEQUENT PLACED IF THEY DO ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT. >>JAN SMITH: YES. 38 IT WAS THE TWO MEETINGS IN JANUARY WERE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. PLUS -- PLUS WE HAD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS BACK IN THE SUMMER ON THE AUDITOR. >> OKAY. NOW -- MAYBE I MISSED IT, AND COULD VERY WELL BE THAT I DIDN'T READ IT QUICK ENOUGH, BUT THERE ARE THOSE ISSUES THAT THIS BOARD HAS CONSIDERED TO BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT. HAD THAT BEEN DECIDED YET? >> I'M SORRY. I WAS LOOKING AT THE PAPERS. WOULD YOU SAY YOUR QUESTION AGAIN? >> OKAY. THOSE ISSUES, IF ANY, TO BE DECIDED, TO BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT, HAD THIS BOARD MADE A DECISION YET? >>JAN SMITH: I BELIEVE THAT SEVERAL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE TOOK TO PUBLIC HEARING, WE'VE DECIDED NOT -- AS -- AT LEAST AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME NOT TO TAKE TO THE REFERENDUM. ONE, THE INTERNAL AUDITOR/BUDGET ANALYST IS GOING TO GO TO THE BALLOT UNLESS SOMETHING DRASTICALLY CHANGES THIS EVENING. AND THERE IS THE ISSUE OF THE SPENDING CAP THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN DECIDED. >> OKAY. SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE, IF ANYTHING, THE 3% CAP -- OR THE CAP THAT IS -- MAYBE GIVEN SOME SERIOUS CONSIDERATION OF BEING PLACED ON THE BALLOT. >>JAN SMITH: THIS EVENING, YES. >> THE REASON I ASKED, MADAM CHAIR, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE 39 SURE THAT I SPEAK TO, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE, IF THAT IS THE CONSIDERATION THAT YOU'RE GIVING. SO NOW MY TIME STARTS TICKING I GUESS. AND I COMMEND, MADAM CHAIRMAN, YOU AND THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND YOUR HARD WORK. I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD IN THE PAST, AND AS A CITIZEN AND ALSO AS AN OBSERVER, I REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, YOUR TIME, AND I BELIEVE I CAN SPEAK THE SENTIMENT OF THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR JOBS THAT YOU HAVE DONE. AND IF YOU DO DECIDE TO PLACE ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT, OBVIOUSLY THAT IS YOUR PREROGATIVE, THEN IF YOU DO DECIDE NOT TO PLACE ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT, DON'T FEEL BAD. YOU KNOW, WE LIVE IN A DYNAMIC COMMUNITY, THAT IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND WE ARE FOREVER GROWING AND THERE ARE CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING. BUT WE WANT TO HAVE A SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE THAT IS FLEXIBLE AND RESPONSIVE. IF -- >>JAN SMITH: YOU HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT. 30 SECONDS. >> I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THAT YOU PUT THAT CAP ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE YOU WILL BE RESTRICTING YOURSELF -- I MEAN, -- YOU WILL BE RESTRICTING GOVERNMENT. AND THOSE THREE PARTS OF GOVERNMENT, LEGISLATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE OR EXECUTIVE, I THINK IT WILL BE MORE OF A 40 BURDEN, BUT YOU DO HAVE THE OPTION, AND WE CAN DO IT IF IT'S NECESSARY IS GO BY INITIATIVE IF WE FEEL THAT SOMETHING THAT IS BROKEN NEEDS FIXING AND SO FAR, I'M NOT CERTAIN IF I SEE THAT YET, MADAM CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING. WE'VE HAD ANOTHER PHONE CALL FROM SHIRLEY MAY OF APOLLO BEACH THAT SUPPORTS THE F.A.I.R. RECOMMENDATIONS AND ASKS US TO ELIMINATE THE LARGE BOCC SEATS. FEELS THAT PROPER ATTENTION IS NOT GIVEN TO SOUTH COUNTY AND CANNOT HAVE FAIR REPRESENTATION WITH CURRENT STRUCTURE. WE HAVE NO VOICE. >>GERALD WHITE: MADAM CHAIR. >>JAN SMITH: WAIT JUST A MOMENT, PLEASE. ANYONE ELSE HERE THIS EVENING WHO WISHES TO TALK DURING OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING. OKAY, BEING THAT THERE IS NO ONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK, MAKE YOUR COMMENT BRIEF SO WE CAN GET UP AND GET THE PICTURE TAKEN. >>GERALD WHITE: I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. I NEED TO KEEP MY MIND ON LOCK TONIGHT AND MR. DAVIS RAISED A CONCERN. WE'VE HAD SOME CITIZENS TONIGHT REQUEST THAT WE READDRESS STRUCTURE. WE'VE TAKEN PREVIOUS VOTES ON THOSE ISSUES. AT OUR LAST MEETING, 13 OUT OF THE 14 CHARTER REVIEW BOARD 41 MEMBERS VOTED FOR ONE FORM OF CHANGE OR ANOTHER. CAN WE READDRESS THESE STRUCTURE ISSUES? CAN WE REVOTE THESE ISSUES? >>KENNETH TINKLER: KEN TINKLER, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY. THE THREE MOTIONS THAT FAILED LAST TIME CONCERNING STRUCTURE EACH FAILED BY -- NEITHER -- NONE OF THEM CAME UP WITH TEN VOTES. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN RENEW THAT MOTION AND RETAKE THAT MOTION AGAIN. SINCE IT DID NOT PASS ORIGINALLY, THAT COULD BE RENEWED AT THIS MEETING UNDER ROBERT'S RULES. NOT AN ACTION THAT THE BOARD HAS TAKEN. IT IS NOT A RECISION ISSUE BUT A RENEWAL ISSUE AT THIS POINT BUT WILL STILL REQUIRE TEN -- >>GERALD WHITE: I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, MADAM CHAIR, FOR THE PUBLIC. >>JAN SMITH: WHEN WE GET INTO THE BOARD DISCUSSION, WE WILL DO THAT. BOARD MEMBERS, PATRICK HAS WAITED A LONG TIME. WE APPRECIATE IT. WE WILL HAVE A RECESS FOR JUST ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. >>JAN SMITH: I HAVE THREE RESOLUTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED THIS BOARD SO WELL. THE FIRST ONE, IF I MAY READ IT TO YOU, IS "A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION PRESENTED TO MARY HELEN CAMPBELL, IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ITS 42 CITIZENS BY PROVIDING INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE AND COUNSEL TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, SIGNED THIS 8th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2001." [ APPLAUSE ] >>KEVIN AMBLER: WE WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU A PLAQUE, BUT WE ARE SAVING MONEY. [ LAUGHTER ] >>JAN SMITH: AND A SECOND CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION TO MR. KEN TINKLER, IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, ITS CITIZENS, BY PROVIDING INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE AND COUNSEL TO THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD, SIGNED THIS 8th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2001. AND, AGAIN, WE COULDN'T HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT THE TWO OF YOU. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. [ APPLAUSE ] >>JAN SMITH: AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BARBARA MERRITT, AND WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT HER THAT HASN'T BEEN THOUGHT OR SAID ALREADY. SHE HAS BEEN DILIGENT, HARD-WORKING, LOYAL TO THIS BOARD, MOVED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING ALL OF HER WORK DONE, AND HAS A FEW MORE HOURS TO SPEND WHEN WE'RE FINISHED. BUT IT HAS BEEN A TRUE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HER. AND I KNOW THAT EACH OF YOU FEELS THAT SHE HAS MADE YOUR SERVICE ON THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND KEPT US ALL INFORMED. MS. MERRITT, THIS CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION IS PRESENTED TO YOU IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ITS CITIZENS BY SERVING AS EXECUTIVE 43 DIRECTOR OF THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. AND MAY I SAY, SHE ALSO DID A MARVELOUS JOB OF CREATING ALL OF THESE FOR US. [ LAUGHTER ] [ APPLAUSE ] >>JAN SMITH: JUST LOOK AT HIM. >>BARBARA MERRITT: THANK YOU, PATRICK. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU. OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS, NOW -- WE COULD LET HER TAKE THE REST OF THE DAY OFF, BUT I DON'T THINK SO. MR. WOLF, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE, PLEASE? CERTAINLY. >> I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH THE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED BY THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD REGARDING THE PERFORMANCE OF BARBARA MERRITT. IT HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T PROVIDE INPUT FROM CITIZENS WHO RELIED UPON HER FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION TIMELY AND ACCURATELY. I MIGHT ADD TO THAT, I SEEM TO RECALL AT A PREVIOUS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEETING SOME MENTION OF, HEY, LET'S LOOK AT THE BUDGET, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME FUNDS LEFT OVER FOR DISCRETIONARY NATURE. IF THAT PROVES TO BE A CASE, AS A CITIZEN AND TAXPAYER OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE 44 CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO SOME FORM OF A PERFORMANCE BONUS FOR BARBARA MERRITT. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. WOLF. NOW, BOARD MEMBERS, IT'S ALMOST 7:30. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A BREAK, WE'LL DO THAT. IF IT'S THE SENTIMENT OF THE BOARD OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL DO THAT. BUT THERE ARE GOODIES IN THE BACK. IF YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO GO STALE OR WE CAN MAYBE SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN 20 AND 30 MINUTES AND THEN TAKE A BREAK. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO THAT? THE BOARD MEETING IS NOW OPEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT. MR. HURLEY AND THEN MR. AMBLER. >>DAVID HURLEY: MADAM CHAIR, I WAS READING OUR -- IT'S NOT THE MINUTES BUT IT IS THE TRANSCRIPT -- THE TRANSLATION THAT GOES ALONG THE -- FOR THE HEARING-IMPAIRED THIS WEEK, AND TRYING TO SEE WHERE WE WENT AND HOW THINGS WERE GOING LAST WEEK, AND I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE WERE CONSIDERING THREE ISSUES AT ONE TIME AND AS FAR AS STRUCTURE, IT MAY HAVE DELUDED SOME THOUGHT AS FAR AS THE DIRECTION. AND I WOULD LIKE TO RENEW THE BOARD'S POSITION ON WHAT WE CALLED 1-C, WHICH IS THE 6-1 FORMAT. >>GERALD WHITE: SECOND. >>JAN SMITH: WE HAVE A MOTION TO RENEW THE BOARD'S POSITION ON THE 1-C, WHICH IS THE SIX SINGLE MEMBERS AND AN ELECTED 45 CHAIRMAN. THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE BY MR. HURLEY AND SECONDED BY MR. WHITE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY, MS. WALDRON. >>ARLENE WALDRON: FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE -- THAT WE RECONSIDER THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY HEARD FROM CITIZENS WHERE THIS -- THIS DOES AFFECT PEOPLE. AND I AGREE MARY LOU TUTTLE MADE A WONDERFUL COMMENT AT THE LAST MEETING. I MEAN, YOU DID. YOU SAID THAT YOU -- WHAT SHE SAID, YOU MAY RECALL, SHE SAID I COME ONTO THIS BOARD A YEAR AGO THINKING THAT WE NEEDED NO CHANGES IN STRUCTURE. AND I REMEMBER THAT. I REMEMBER YOU SAYING THAT. AND SHE CONFESSED THE LAST MEETING, SHE GOES, BUT YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT ME BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE CITY AND I HAVE A COUNCIL -- CITY COUNCILWOMAN THAT LIVES UP THE STREET, BUT SHE GOES, I'VE LISTENED AND I'VE HEARD AND THE CITIZENS FEEL THEY ARE NOT BEING REPRESENTED. AND I THINK THAT -- I JUST RESPECT YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THAT COMMENT BECAUSE YOU DID LISTEN, YOU HAD AN OPEN MIND, AND EVEN THOUGH THIS ISSUE DOES NOT AFFECT YOU PERSONALLY, YOU HAD THE COURAGE TO SAY IT DOES AFFECT OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY. I MEAN, IT AFFECTS ME BECAUSE I LIVE IN BRANDON. 46 SO I -- I KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT. BUT I JUST HIGHLY RESPECT THE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE BECAUSE YOU ARE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF SPENDING A YEAR STUDYING AN ISSUE AND BEING OPEN-MINDED AND SAYING, OKAY, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT ME BUT I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THIS COUNTY THAT I WANT THE CITIZENS WHOM IT DOES AFFECT TO HAVE THIS COMMUNITY TO VOTE. I JUST ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT AND JUST KIND OF PUT ASIDE MAYBE YOUR FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS AND AT LEAST BE VERY OPEN-MINDED TO WHAT THE CITIZENS OF UNINCORPORATED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAVE SAID TO US. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: MR. BALES. >>JOHN BALES: I, AGAIN, WANT TO PUT MY -- MY SUPPORT BEHIND THIS. I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS BOARD. I'M HOPING THAT EACH OF YOU WILL CONSIDER, AGAIN, YOUR VOTE FOR OR AGAINST, BUT THINK HARD ABOUT IT AND THINK LONG, AND GIVE THE CITIZENS A CHANCE TO VOTE ON THIS ISSUE. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE HAS KEPT AN OPEN MIND. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS LOOKED AT THESE ISSUES. I HOPE THAT PERSONS HAVE HEARD THE DESIRE OF THE CITIZENS TO WANT TO HAVE THE SIX SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS SO THAT IT REDUCES THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS FOR EACH COMMISSIONER, AND I HOPE WE'VE ALL HEARD THE CITIZENS -- ESPECIALLY TONIGHT -- SAYING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS "C," WHICH HAS THE COUNTY CHAIR. ONCE AGAIN, I -- PLEASE WHOLEHEARTEDLY CONSIDER IT AND PLEASE 47 CONSIDER SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: MR. HURLEY. >>DAVID HURLEY: YES. I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL OF THE LEGISLATORS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND THEY -- IN DEFERENCE TO THE LEGISLATORS, I WILL QUOTE THEM BUT I WON'T TELL TO WHO THEY ARE BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE UNSEEMLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SAID IN CONFIDENCE. THEY HAVE DESCRIBED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S FORM OF SELECTING THEIR CHAIR ANNUALLY THROUGH A -- THEIR COLLEGIAL THING. THE WAY IT WORKS OUT THE WAY THEY DESCRIBE IT AS SCHIZOPHRENIC. I DON'T MEAN THAT AS A DETRIMENT TO ANYONE WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS, BUT A DESCRIPTION I'VE HEARD OF IT. THEY DON'T SEE THAT AS A MANDATE FROM THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT IS SELECTED INTERNALLY AMONG SEVEN PEOPLE AND NOT POPULARLY AT LARGE BY THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE COUNTY. THE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IS WHAT THE REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT IS, THAT'S WHAT WE DID WHEN WE ESTABLISHED THE UNITED STATES. WE SAID WE WOULD HAVE REPRESENTATIVES, AND THOSE REPRESENTATIVES WOULD GO REPRESENT US AND WHEN WE HAVE THE REPRESENTATIVES IN SUCH A MISH-MASH WHEN WE HAVE THE THREE AT-LARGE, IT CREATES AN ISSUE, I THINK, THAT DOES NOT BODE WELL, AND WE DO NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION AT THE LOWER LEVEL INDIVIDUALLY. I ALSO, ALTHOUGH I NOW LIVE IN TAMPA, I SPEND A THIRD OF MY 48 TIME IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY LIVING IN APOLLO BEACH AND A THIRD OF MY TIME LIVING IN BRANDON AND A THIRD IN SOUTH TAMPA. SO I THINK I HAVE A GOOD FEEL FOR THE COUNTY. I WAS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSKIN CHAMBER AT ONE TIME. I HAVE BEEN QUITE ACTIVE AND I AM STILL ACTIVE DOWN THERE. I THINK I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT OWNS A TUX, SO I HAVE TO DO THE AWARDS BANQUET EVERY YEAR. BUT WE -- I BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE THERE NEED THAT OPPORTUNITY. THEY DESIRE IT, AND I THINK THEY OUGHT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT. AND I PERSONALLY BELIEVE, BECAUSE I'VE STUDIED THESE DIFFERENT FORMS OF GOVERNMENT. I THOUGHT THAT OUR ADMINISTRATOR, MR. KLEMAN, DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF EDUCATING US TO SOME OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOVERNMENT WE COULD LOOK AT. I DID A LOT OF READING ON THIS OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE 6-1 FORM THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE FOR COMING UP WITH SOMETHING. IF THE PEOPLE DON'T VOTE FOR IT, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE THIS OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. IT WILL BE THE PEOPLE COMING TO THE POLLS TO MAKE THIS IN 2002 AND NOT YOU OR ME. BUT I DO BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE ON THE BALLOT. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: MR. LaBOUR. >>STEVE LaBOUR: I, TOO, WON'T BENEFIT FROM THIS IN THE SENSE 49 I AM A RESIDENT OF TAMPA AND EVEN WORSE, I LIVE IN SOUTH TAMPA, THAT HORRIBLE PLACE THAT HAS BEEN PORTRAYED SOMETIMES. BUT SERIOUSLY, I -- I'VE GONE BACK OVER THIS LAST WEEK AND I'VE LOOKED AT THE POPULATION STATISTICS AND WHERE OUR POPULATION IS MIGRATING TO, AND I JUST -- I THINK -- I COMMEND F.A.I.R. AND THEIR WORK AND QUITE FRANKLY, A YEAR AGO WHEN I STARTED THIS -- THIS TENURE ON THE BOARD, I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANY CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT. THE ONLY THING THAT I LIKED THAT I HEARD WAS MS. WILLIAMS' SUGGESTION THAT WE HAVE GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS AND I THOUGHT THAT IS PROBABLY AS FAR AS I WANTED TO GO. I COMMEND THOSE THAT REALLY CAME DOWN AND GAVE US THE RESEARCH. I ALSO OFFERED THE 6-1 AS A COMPROMISE BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF FOLKS THAT REALLY FELT STRONGLY ABOUT AN ELECTED CHAIR, AND I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE A WAY OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE OUR BOARD BE ABLE TO COME WITH A COMPROMISE POSITION. IT WAS TO MY SURPRISE AT OUR LAST MEETING THAT THIS STRUCTURE WAS THE ONE THAT GOT CLOSEST OF BEING PASSED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE THE LEAST POPULAR. AND SO I WAS -- WHILE I WAS -- I FELT GOOD ABOUT THAT, I'M DISAPPOINTED WE DIDN'T ULTIMATELY GET THE ADDITIONAL THREE VOTES. AND I JUST ASK THOSE WHO VOTED AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL TO PLEASE RE-EXAMINE IN YOUR HEART AND YOUR MIND AGAIN AS TO REALLY WHY IT WOULD BE SO TERRIBLE IF WE DID OFFER THIS TO THE VOTERS TO 50 TAKE A LOOK AT. IF IT'S CLEARLY NOT THE DIRECTION THAT THIS COUNTY SHOULD GO, WE WILL HEAR -- IT IS SO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW. WE WILL HEAR FROM THE VOTERS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY FEEL IT'S WRONG. AND I THINK THAT WE OWE THEM THAT -- THAT OPPORTUNITY GIVEN THE WAY THIS COUNTY IS GROWING AND THE -- THE AMOUNT OF TESTIMONY WE HEARD OVER A YEAR OF PEOPLE JUST FEELING THEY ARE GETTING FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY FROM THEIR GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK WE OWE IT TO THE VOTERS OF THIS COUNTY TO MAKE THAT -- TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS -- WHAT WOULD BE, I'M SURE, CALLED A RADICAL CHANGE, AND IF -- LIKE I SAID, IF IT WAS NOT RIGHT FOR THIS GOVERNMENT TO DO THAT, IT WILL BE VOTED DOWN OVERWHELMINGLY. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: MR. AMBLER. >>KEVIN AMBLER: I'LL TRY TO KEEP MY COMMENTS UNDER FOUR PAGES. [ LAUGHTER ] AS WAS POINTED OUT TO -- BY ME -- FROM MR. HURLEY FROM OUR LAST MEETING. I WISH WE HAD AN OPTION 1-D, BECAUSE IF I COULD PUT MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS ASIDE FOR A MOMENT AND SAY YOU WANTED TO GIVE THE VOTERS THE BEST OPTION OF SOMETHING TO CHANGE TO, WHAT I HAVE HEARD IN LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS AN OPTION THAT WOULD BE SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS. I DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD AN OUTCRY IN THE LAST SEVERAL 51 MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD THROUGH ALL OUR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE COUNTY ELECTED CHAIR. I KNOW THAT THIS BOARD BECAME CONSUMED WITH THAT DISCUSSION, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR THAT AS AN OUTCRY FROM THE PEOPLE. SO THE REAL ISSUE THAT WAS COMING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE FROM GROUPS LIKE F.A.I.R. WAS TO COMPLETELY MAKE THIS A FAIR REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, YOU WANT TO SPREAD OUT THAT REPRESENTATION AMONG THE SMALLEST GROUP OF POPULATION SO THAT THOSE COMMISSIONERS ARE CLOSEST TO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. THAT'S WHAT I HEARD THEIR MISSION STATEMENT TO BE. THAT COULD ONLY BE ACHIEVED UNDER THE -- A SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT PLAN AND DOESN'T REQUIRE AN ELECTED COUNTY CHAIR. IT REQUIRES -- IT COULD FUNCTION UNDER THE SAME INTERNALLY ELECTED CHAIR ISSUE THAT WE HAVE NOW OR SYSTEM FOR -- ON THE ONE-YEAR TURNAROUND CYCLE. IF YOU LIKE THAT CHAIR AND THEY ARE A CONSENSUS BUILDER, YOU CAN ELECT THEM AGAIN. THE PROBLEM THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE WITH THE 6-1 PROPOSITION IS THAT IT NECESSARILY REQUIRES ME TO VOTE FOR THE ELECTED CHAIR. AND SO I'M GOING TO DIRECT A FEW OF MY COMMENTS TO WHAT I HAVE AS A PROBLEM WITH THAT PARTICULAR COMPONENT OF THE 1-C PROPOSAL. FIRST, I AM CONCERNED THAT WITH AN ELECTED CHAIR, THAT I COULD BE STUCK WITH SOMEBODY FOR FOUR YEARS, AND I THINK THAT YOU COULD DO A LOT OF DAMAGE IN FOUR YEARS. IF THEY ARE SUPPOSEDLY THE LEADER AND THE DIRECTION THEY TAKE US IS IN A POOR DIRECTION, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SUFFER 52 THROUGH IT. NOW, WHAT -- WHAT COULD LEAD TO THAT POOR PERFORMANCE? YOU CAN HAVE A VERY ENTHUSIASTIC IDEALISTIC INDIVIDUAL WITH A MISSION STATEMENT, WITH GOOD INSIGHT AT PROVIDING A VISION FOR THE COUNTY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE WAY WE HAVE STRUCTURED THE ELECTED COUNTY CHAIR POSITION, WE DIDN'T TACKLE IT; WE COMPROMISED, BUT WHAT WE ARE LEFT WITH IS A VERY WATERED-DOWN SET OF DUTIES THAT ESSENTIALLY LEAVES THAT CHAIR WITH NO REAL SUBSTANTIVE POWER DIFFERENCE THAN THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS. AND THEN BY DOING SO, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE AN ELECTED CHAIR IN NAME ONLY, YOU WANT THEM TO BE THE COUNTY LEADER, YOU HAVE THAT POWER NOW WITH THE INTERNALLY ELECTED CHAIR. BUT IF YOU ARE TRYING TO ELEVATE THIS PERSON TO SOME HIGHER INTEREST, YOU HAVE SET THEM UP FOR FAY YOUR BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN THEM THAT POWER AS PART OF OTHER CHANGES TO THE CHARTER THAT WILL GIVE THEM THE POWER TO, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE A VETO OR AN OVERRIDE. NOW I BELONG STRONGLY IN THE SEPARATION OF POWERS IN GOVERNMENT. THERE ARE REASONS WHY OUR FOUNDING FATHERS SET UP A FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT HAD AN EXECUTIVE, A LEGISLATIVE, AND A JUDICIAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. I WAS VERY PROUD OF THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL -- WELL, SOME CALLED IT A DEBACLE, I CALLED IT THE SPECTER OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THAT FOLLOWED AFTER THE BALLOTS WERE CONTESTED. I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE AMERICAN PROCESS IN ACTION. 53 BUT THAT'S BECAUSE YOU SAW WITHOUT ANARCHY, THE LEGISLATIVE, THE JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE FORMS OF GOVERNMENT ALL TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER TO WORK WITH THE ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES SET UP TO SOLVE IT. NOW IF YOU THINK THERE IS SOMETHING BROKEN WITH OUR GOVERNMENT, THEN WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED AND I REGRET WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME TO DO THAT TONIGHT IS OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY, THEN WE SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED SERIOUSLY CHANGING OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT TO LOOK AT AN EXECUTIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT WITH A COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY ELECTED CHAIR THAT WAS IN A SEPARATE BRANCH, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND THIS BOARD AS A GROUP DECIDED NOT TO GO THAT DIRECTION. SO WE ARE STUCK WITH WHAT WE HAVE. AND OPTION 1-C LEAVES US WITH A WATERED-DOWN ELECTED CHAIR POSITION WHICH I THINK IS DOOMED FOR FAILURE, AND THAT FAILURE, UNFORTUNATELY, THE REST OF US AS CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH IN BLOCKS OF FOUR-YEAR TERMS. SO I SUPPORT AN INTERNALLY ELECTED CHAIR, ONE THAT CAN BE ELECTED ON A ONE-YEAR ROTATING BASIS, SUCH THAT IF YOU LIKE HIM, YOU CAN KEEP THEM, IF YOU DON'T, GET ON A FAST TRACK TO CHANGING. WE'VE HEARD PLENTY OF DATA IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, MUCH OF IT SUBMITTED BY RALPH HUGHES, TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO BE PROUD OF IN OUR COUNTY. OTHER COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ARE LOOKING TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS A MODEL OF HOW TO DO THINGS RIGHT. SOME MAY DISAGREE, AND ON SOME POINTS, MAYBE THAT'S TRUE, BUT 54 I THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF IN OUR PRESENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT. AND SO, AGAIN, MY CONCLUDING COMMENT IS, IF YOU REALLY WANTED A TRUE OPTION TO TAKE TO THE VOTERS, I THINK THAT OPTION WOULD HAVE BEEN A SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS FORMAT AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION TO MAKE AS FAR AS WHAT I KNOW GIVEN THE LIMITATIONS AS TO HOW WE WENT TO PUBLIC COMMENT. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. AMBLER. MR. WHITE. >>GERALD WHITE: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, 13 CHARTER REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS VOTED TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 13 OF US. I DECLARE AS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STRUCTURE GOVERNMENT IS BROKEN. BASED ON THE FACT THAT 13 MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD VOTED TO CHANGE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S STRUCTURE. NOW I DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE HERE TONIGHT WITHOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE DECLARED THROUGH OUR VOTE THAT STRUCTURE IS BROKEN. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SPECIAL APPEAL TO THE PLANT CITY RESIDENTS THAT ARE A PART OF THIS BOARD. TO BE HONEST, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED THAT THE "NO" VOTES CAME FROM THE COUNTY RESIDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THIS CHARTER REVIEW BOARD. HOW COULD THE PLANT CITY PEOPLE NOT WANT THEIR OWN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE? 55 I'M ASKING YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR VOTE. I'M ASKING YOU TO THINK BACK OVER THE 12-MONTH PERIOD WE'VE HEARD FROM SENATOR HARGRETT TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF REPRESENTATION FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED AREA. HE TALKED ABOUT THE REGRESSION -- THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY. WE HEARD FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION TALK ABOUT THE GROWTH. WE HEARD FROM REPRESENTATIVE BRADLEY. WE'VE HEARD DYNAMIC TESTIMONY WHY WE SHOULD MAKE THIS CHANGE. MR. BELTRAN, YOU KNOW, I WILL MAKE A SPECIAL APPEAL TO YOU ON BEHALF OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY. WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO SEE A HISPANIC BE A PART OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION IN A SINGLE-MEMBER SETTING? YOU CAN HAVE THAT. THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT IS TO CREATE A SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT. DO THAT FOR YOUR PEOPLE. WE HAVE SEVEN VOTES. ALL WE NEED IS THREE. MADAM CHAIR, YOU HAVE LED THIS BOARD. 13 OF YOUR MEMBERS VOTED FOR CHANGE. YOU WERE THE ONLY DISSENTING VOTE. >>JAN SMITH: AND I'M PROUD OF THE WAY I VOTED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WOULD CAST THAT VOTE AGAIN. >>GERALD WHITE: I'M ASKING TO YOU ACCOMMODATE THE 13 MEMBERS THAT ASK FOR CHANGE. >>JAN SMITH: IT ONLY TAKES A 10-4 VOTE. 56 MY VOTE COULD BE INSIGNIFICANT. IF YOU ARE FINISHED -- >>GERALD WHITE: I'M NOT THROUGH, MADAM CHAIR. I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT 13 OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS VOTED TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT. MS. LASHER, YOU WANT BRIGHT FUTURE IN POLITICS IN THIS COMMUNITY, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, HISPANIC COMMUNITY IS VERY IMPORTANT. I'M ASKING YOU TO GIVE THE MINORITY COMMUNITY A SHOT. IT'S NOT THE END -- THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO TO THE POLLS AND VOTE. ALL I'M ASKING YOU TO DO IS SHOW SOME POLITICAL LEADERSHIP BY PROVIDING THE COMMUNITY A CHANCE AT THE BALLOT. AND I WILL TELL YOU, IT WILL GO A LONG WAY FOR YOUR POLITICAL FUTURE. MR. AMBLER, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT ME TO VOTE FOR THIS CAP. THAT I DON'T TOTALLY AGREE WITH -- >>JAN SMITH: THIS SHOULD NOT BE A DEAL-MAKING SESSION HERE. >>GERALD WHITE: MADAM CHAIRMAN, I'M NOT MAKING DEALS; I'M TALKING. >>JAN SMITH: PLEASE CONFINE YOUR ISSUES TO THE ISSUES AND DON'T ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF BOARD BECAUSE THIS THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINIONS. >>GERALD WHITE: I PRAYED OVER THIS FOR WEEKS AND THESE ARE MY THOUGHTS. MR. AMBLER, I DON'T WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE BUT I AM GOING TO 57 MEET YOU HALFWAY AND VOTE FOR YOUR PROPOSAL AND I WANT YOU TO MEET ME HALFWAY AND VOTE FOR MINE. ALL YOU ARE DOING IS ASKING CITIZENS TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE. I'M ASKING YOU TO GIVE THE CITIZENS A CHANCE ON THIS 6-1 PLAN. MS. WILLIAMS, YOU'RE BRIGHT, DYNAMIC WOMAN -- >>JAN SMITH: MR. WHITE, I HAVE TO ASK YOU TO STOP SINGLING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD -- >>STEVE LaBOUR: WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I BELIEVE THAT ANY MEMBER, WHETHER WE AGREE WITH -- >>JAN SMITH: BUT I THINK THAT -- >>STEVE LaBOUR: I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO -- >>JAN SMITH: NOT TO PICK ON PEOPLE. THAT'S UNFAIR WHITE WHO IT I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T MEAN TO BE PICKING ON ANYONE. I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM ALL OF YOU, I REALLY HAVE. I BELIEVE I AM A BETTER MAN BECAUSE I HAVE SERVED WITH YOU ALL. I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH. AND NOW I'M JUST TRYING TO REITERATE WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM YOU. MS. WILLIAMS, ALL I'M ASKING IS JUST TO GIVE THE PEOPLE A SHOT, GIVE THEM A CHANCE. THAT'S IT. GIVE THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO ELECT A REPRESENTATIVE OF THEIR CHOICE. >>JAN SMITH: WE'RE GOING TO GO AROUND THE WAY THE HANDS WERE RAISED, PLEASE. 58 >>GERALD WHITE: I'VE HEARD OVERWHELMING TESTIMONY. AND WE CANNOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE REALITY THAT 13 MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD SAID THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS BROKEN. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. JUST THIS LAST OPPORTUNITY. JUST GIVE THE VOTERS A CHANCE. >>JAN SMITH: MS. LASHER AND THEN MR. BEDKE AND THEN MR. BELTRAN. >>DENISE LASHER: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND, MR. WHITE, YOU HAVE MADE SOME PASSIONATE PLEAS TO EVERYBODY HERE. AND I DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY THE COMMENTS YOU'VE MADE. I DON'T THINK THEY WERE MEANT DEROGATORY, BUT I'VE STATED BEFORE WHEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING MINORITY REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD THAT I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION OF OUR DIVERSE POPULATION ON THE BOARD. AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS CAME ABOUT I THINK WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT DISCUSSING EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS. BUT, AGAIN, AS I STATED BEFORE, THERE'S NEVER, NEVER A GUARANTEE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN ON THE BOARD, NOR THAT WOULD YOU HAVE A HISPANIC, NOR AN ASIAN, NOR A MALE, NOR A FEMALE, NEVER A GUARANTEE NO MATTER HOW YOU DRAW THE DISTRICTS. IT DEPENDS ON WHO RUNS FOR THOSE SEATS AND WHETHER THE PEOPLE IN THAT PARTICULAR DISTRICT WANT A PARTICULAR PERSON TO BE THEIR COMMISSIONER AND WHOEVER GETS THE MOST VOTES WINS. AND IT MAY BE MINORITY, AND IT MAY BE A MALE, IT MAY BE A 59 FEMALE, IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHO THE INDIVIDUALS ARE THAT ARE RUNNING. YOU CAN HAVE A MINORITY RUNNING IN A DISTRICT WHERE THE MINORITIES ARE TRULY IN THE MINORITY OF OUR REGISTERED VOTERS. SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE MINORITY AND THAT PERSON CAN WIN BECAUSE THAT PERSON WOULD BE THE BEST CANDIDATE OF ALL THOSE RUNNING, AS FAR AS THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTERS WOULD SEE. SO THERE'S NO GUARANTEE NO MATTER HOW YOU DRAW UP THE DISTRICTS. THERE'S NEVER ANY GUARANTEE. I THINK AREAS IN OUR COUNTY DO HAVE ALREADY A SINGLE-MEMBER COMMISSIONER. WHEN YOU SAY PLANT CITY, WOULDN'T YOU LOVE TO HAVE ONE. WELL, THEY HAVE A SINGLE-MEMBER COMMISSIONER, AND THAT PERSON IS RONDA STORMS. CURRENTLY THAT'S THEIR SINGLE-MEMBER COMMISSIONER IF I UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICTING CORRECTLY. I HAVE LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE, AND I AGREE WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT MR. AMBLER HAS MADE THIS EVENING THAT WHAT WE'VE HEARD WAS A 7-0. AND I WAS OPPOSED TO THAT WHEN I FIRST THOUGHT ABOUT IT. I MEAN, WHEN THESE DISCUSSIONS WENT ON. AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE -- WE'RE HAVING THIS DEBATE A LITTLE TOO LATE. AND I WOULD HAVE -- I WOULD CONSIDER IT FURTHER, BUT THE RESERVATIONS I HAVE WITH GOING TO SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS ARE THAT I'M AFRAID THAT WE'LL BECOME VERY PAROCHIAL. 60 BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO DELIVER, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THEM RELATE TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND AREAS OF THE COUNTY, NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION. WHO IS GOING TO GET THOSE DOLLARS WHEN THE COMMISSIONERS GET UP THERE TO MAKE THAT DECISION OF WHERE THAT $5 MILLION IS GOING TO BE SPENT OR THAT $20 MILLION. EACH ONE OF THEM IS GOING TO SAY, I HAVE A NEED IN MY AREA. EVEN THOUGH THEY DEPEND ON STAFF TO GIVE THEM RECOMMENDATIONS, IT'S STILL ULTIMATELY LEFT UP TO THEM TO DECIDE WHERE THAT MONEY IS SPENT. AND MY FEAR IS THAT EACH COMMISSIONER WOULD WANT THOSE PARTICULAR FUNDS, WHETHER IT BE FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION, WHETHER IT BE FOR LIBRARIES, FOR SIDEWALKS, FOR NEW PARKS, FOR FIRE STATIONS, THEY ARE GOING TO WANT THOSE SERVICES AND THOSE PARTICULAR CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THEIR DISTRICT. AND THE WAY WE HAVE IT NOW, WE HAVE THREE AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS THAT REPRESENT EVERYBODY. AND SO THEY ARE NOT -- THEIR JOB IS TO LOOK AFTER THE NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY. AND THE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS. AND I THINK THAT THEY ALL DO A GOOD JOB; I REALLY DO. I KNOW THAT MANY AREAS FEEL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT, AND THEY'VE FELT THAT WAY FOR SOME TIME, AND THERE ARE TRULY SOME ISSUES THERE. AND I THINK THAT THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TELLING US FOR THE LAST YEAR AND THAT 61 WE'VE BEEN HEARING NOT JUST THE LAST YEAR, BUT I'VE BEEN HEARING THESE COMMENTS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT PEOPLE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA FEEL LIKE THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT BEING MET. AND I REALLY HOPE THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSION TAKES A LOOK AT THIS AND FIGURES OUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. AND I'M NOT SO SURE THAT GOING TO SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS WILL SOLVE IT. I THINK IT CREATES SOME ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE, AND THAT IS, THE PAROCHIALISM THAT OCCURS WHEN YOU HAVE SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS. AND THE COMMENT WAS MADE THAT THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION DOESN'T LIKE HOW WE ELECT OUR CHAIR. WELL, THEY ELECT THEIR OWN CHAIR. THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION EVERY YEAR ELECTS THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL CHAIR. AND THAT'S HOW THEY DO IT. AND MY OTHER CONCERN WITH HAVING A CHAIR THAT'S ELECTED FOR FOUR YEARS. IT COULD BE SOMEBODY WHO HAS NEVER SERVED ON THE COUNTY COMMISSION BEFORE. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF JOB THEY WOULD DO. AND I PREFER THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ELECT THEIR OWN CHAIR UNLESS WE GO TO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT FORM OF GOVERNMENT WHERE YOU HAVE A MAYOR TYPE OF CHAIRMAN. THEN THAT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT SITUATION. BUT I WOULD -- I JUST HAVE FEARS OF HAVING AN ELECTED CHAIR 62 THAT WILL SERVE FOR FOUR YEARS. CHANCES ARE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE SERVED ON THE COMMISSION BEFORE, AND WE WOULD HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF JOB THEY WOULD DO LEADING THIS COMMISSION AS A CHAIRMAN. THOSE ARE MY RESERVATIONS. I LIKE THE IDEA. THERE IS DEFINITELY SOME ADVANTAGES THAT I WOULD SEE GOING TO SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I SEE TOO MANY DISADVANTAGES TO WHAT OUR CHOICES -- WHAT THE CHOICES HERE. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU MY RESERVATIONS WITH IT. BUT I -- I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE CITIZENS IN UNINCORPORATED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND HOW THEY FEEL SERVICES AND HOW THEY ARE BEING DELIVERED AND HOW THEIR NEEDS ARE BEING MET. I LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND I HAVE SOME OF THOSE SAME FRUSTRATIONS, AND I THINK SERIOUS STUDY NEEDS TO BE MADE OF THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: MR. BEDKE. >>MIKE BEDKE: THANK YOU. I UNFORTUNATELY DOUBT THAT MANY MINDS WILL BE CHANGED THIS EVENING, BUT I CHANGED MY MIND OVER THE COURSE OF OUR DELIBERATIONS. I CAME ON THIS BOARD SUPPORTING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A FOUNDING PRINCIPLE OF OUR CURRENT CHARTER, AND THAT WAS THAT EACH VOTER HAD THE ABILITY TO ELECT A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD. AND I LIKED THAT FOR MANY OF THE REASONS THAT WERE STATED BY 63 YOU, DENISE. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PAROCHIALISM. UNFORTUNATELY, AND I HATE TO SAY THIS, I HAVE NOT SEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STATESMANSHIP BY THE BOARD OVER THE YEARS. SO I'M WILLING TO GIVE UP A LITTLE BIT OF THAT POWER AS A VOTER TO GO WITH THIS PLAN. AND IT'S MAINLY BECAUSE WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW MUCH WE VALUE DIVERSITY IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THIS PLAN FOSTERS DIVERSITY. THE VOTERS HAVE CRIED OUT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. AND I THINK IT MAKES THIS -- THIS PLAN MAKES IT EASIER TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE BY BRINGING GOVERNMENT CLOSER. EARLY IN OUR PROCEEDINGS, WE HEARD A LOT, A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. AND PEOPLE ASKED US TO TRY TO WRESTLE WITH THAT, AND WE FOUND OUT THAT CONSTITUTIONALLY, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT MOVING TOWARDS THIS PLAN WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR SOMEBODY TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN WITHOUT A TREMENDOUS WAR CHEST, AND I THINK WOULD GIVE US, AS VOTERS, A BETTER OR AT LEAST A GREATER CHOICE OF CANDIDATES. ANOTHER OF THE CONCERNS, AND I THINK DEE VOICED THIS VERY ELOQUENTLY EARLY ON, WAS ABOUT THE POWER AND PUTTING TOO MUCH POWER IN AN ELECTED CHAIR OR A POPULARLY ELECTED CHAIR. AND I WEIGHED THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT I THINK THAT I'VE CONCLUDED THAT THE POWER REALLY COMES FROM THE PEOPLE. AND THIS INDIVIDUAL, A POPULARLY ELECTED COUNTY CHAIR, WOULD 64 DERIVE HIS OR HER POWER FROM BEING THE ONLY PERSON ELECTED COUNTYWIDE. I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE A PLATFORM OR AN AGENDA THAT TO SOME EXTENT WOULD BE VOTED UP OR DOWN. FINALLY, THE LAST COMMENT I'LL MAKE IS ABOUT EXPERIENCE AND BEING STUCK WITH SOMEBODY FOR FOUR YEARS THAT WE DON'T LIKE. I'VE LIVED WITH ANY NUMBER OF ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT I HAVEN'T LIKED FOR LONGER THAN FOUR YEARS. AND, DENISE, I THINK -- THERE'S A GOVERNOR THAT COMES TO MIND THAT I THINK YOU AND I BOTH LIKE WHO NEVER HELD ELECTED POSITIONS BEFORE. BUT I THINK HE'S DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB. AND I DON'T WANT TO FALL INTO THAT TRAP, BECAUSE I THINK ON THE ONE HAND, WE CAN'T SAY WE WANT TO REFORM AND WANT TERM LIMITS AND SICK AND TIRED OF THE SAME OLD PEOPLE AND SICK AND TIRED OF THEM PASSING AROUND THAT CHAIR POSITION THAT CONVENIENTLY GENERALLY THEY GET WHEN THEY'RE UP FOR THEIR TERM, AND THEN ARGUE WE WANT THIS EXPERIENCED BODY. SO, WHILE I DOUBT ANY MINDS WILL BE CHANGED THIS EVENING, I HOPE A COUPLE ARE. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. BEDKE. MR. BELTRAN. >>HENRY BELTRAN: I CONCUR WITH MR. AMBLER, BECAUSE EVERYBODY THAT HAS COME OVER HERE TO SPEAK TO US AND TO THE COMMUNITY HAVE ASKED REPRESENTATION. AND WHAT A BETTER WAY OF DOING IT THAN HAVING SEVEN 65 SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS. SO THAT EACH ONE WILL HAVE RESIDENCE IN THE AREA, SO EACH ONE HAS THEIR OWN REPRESENTATION HERE. AND BY DOING THIS, THAT COMPLAINT WILL END BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO REPRESENTATION IN THAT AREA. THIS WAY, THEY SHOULD HAVE IT. AND I FEEL THAT THE ELECTED CHAIR SHOULD BE ELECTED WITHIN THE GROUP OF THE SEVEN COMMISSIONERS SO THAT THEY CAN CHANGE IT, THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO OUR COUNTY. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. BELTRAN. MR. HURLEY. >>DAVID HURLEY: THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF F.A.I.R. IS SITTING OUT HERE AND HE SAID THAT THE 6-1 ALTERNATIVE WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO GIVE A BIT OF A GO TO SEE IF THAT WOULD WORK. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT COMMISSIONER STORMS, ALTHOUGH SHE DOES REPRESENT PLANT CITY, AND SHE'S DOING A GOOD JOB OF IT, HAS ABOUT 400 SQUARE MILES, ABOUT THE THIRD OF THE SIZE OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE FOR HER DISTRICT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU ARE REAL FAMILIAR WITH THAT PART OF THE COUNTY, IN MY BUSINESS, I AM. I HAVE DRIVEN TO FORT LONESOME AND BEYOND. AND IT'S APTLY NAMED. SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO -- ANYBODY WHO LIVES IN FORT LONESOME, 66 I'M NOT TRYING TO SLAM YOU. IT IS A LONG WAY OUT THERE. BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, BUT A LONG WAY OUT THERE. IF YOU COME THROUGH THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY THROUGH KEYSVILLE THROUGH PLANT CITY, YOU CAN BE DRIVING FOR QUITE A WHILE AND DRIVE ON SOME OF THOSE ROADS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND NOT SEE ANYBODY, BUT IT IS A BIG DISTRICT AND ALTHOUGH I THINK SHE'S DOING A GOOD JOB, I THINK SHE HAS A VERY VARIED DISTRICT. IT IS VERY DIFFERENT. THE LEGISLATURE MAY ELECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. IT DOES NOT ELECT THE GOVERNOR. AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO KEEP IN MIND, ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT MAKING A STRONG EXECUTIVE HERE, WE ARE SETTING UP A DIFFERENT SPOT. AND MIKE ALREADY GOT AHEAD OF ME ABOUT HAVING A GOVERNOR THAT HAS NEVER BEEN ELECTED TO OFFICE BEFORE. I WAS ALSO ACTIVE IN SOUTH COUNTY. I LIVED IN THAT DISTRICT FOR WHEN THE SECESSION MOVEMENT CAME UP A FEW YEARS AGO, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT YEAR IT WAS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I WENT TO SOME MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD -- ONE OF THEM WAS AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN GIBSONTON, AND I THOUGHT, BOY, THIS IS IN A CHURCH. AND THERE WERE SOME HOT PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE GETTING THEIR REPRESENTATION. A COUPLE OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THERE THAT I HAD TO SAY I 67 ADMIRED THEM BECAUSE THEY HAD THE COURAGE TO GO IN THERE AND TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE. I THINK THERE WAS ONE EITHER AT EAST BAY OR ONE OF THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS, ONE DOWN IN THAT AREA AS WELL. AND THAT AREA OF THE COUNTY IS VERY HOT TO SEE SOME CHANGE. AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF WE DON'T BRING IT OUT -- AND I -- UNFORTUNATELY, I'M PROBABLY LIKE MIKE, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF CHANGES TO SEE THREE PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR MIND, THAT WE WOULDN'T SEE THOSE PEOPLE PUSHING REAL HARD ON A REFERENDUM ON A -- TO GET THE PEOPLE MOVING BEHIND IT. AND I GUARANTEE, IF YOU GET THE PEOPLE MOVING BEHIND IT, IT WILL CHANGE. AND SO -- AND I THINK IT WILL BE EASIER TO GET NEW PEOPLE INTO GOVERNMENT WITH A SMALLER DISTRICT. I DON'T THINK THAT THE SIX DISTRICTS IS REAL SMALL. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO GONE TO EIGHT SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT AND ONE ELECTED CHAIR. WITH THE SIX SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS MAKE IT A WHOLE LOT EASIER FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY, YEAH, I CAN KNOCK ON THAT MANY DOORS. IT IS INCLUSIVE AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPRESENTATION. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD GIVE THIS A CHANCE. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: THANK YOU, MR. HURLEY. MR. BALLARD AND MS. WALDRON. >>TERRY BALLARD: MR. AMBLER, I RECKON, SAID IT THE BEST OF MY VIEWS. 68 I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE 7-0; HOWEVER, THAT -- THE COUNTY ATTORNEY MAY WANT TO ADDRESS IT, BUT I DON'T THINK -- WE DIDN'T HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS ON IT, SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GO WITH IT. I'VE HEARD THE MOST ABOUT NOT HAVING AN ELECTED CHAIR. SO THE ONE THAT I DID VOTE FOR, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, I DID VOTE FOR ONE OF THEM WAS NUMBER 1-A, AND THAT WAS THE REASON OF IT, IS TO SPREAD THE AT-LARGE AROUND IN THE COUNTY. SO THAT ONE FAILED, AND SO THIS -- AND WHAT I'VE HEARD MOSTLY IN THE PUBLIC HEARING IS TO HAVE THE SEVEN-MEMBER DISTRICTS. AND IT'S A DRASTIC CHANGE. I LIKE THE WAY IT IS NOW, BUT IT IS ANOTHER ONE THAT THE VOTERS COULD LOOK AT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION. THANK YOU. >>JAN SMITH: MS. WALDRON. [ INAUDIBLE ] >>KEVIN AMBLER: SHE'S GOING TO LET ME GO FIRST. >>JAN SMITH: TWO PAGES. >>KEVIN AMBLER: I WILL. WELL, FIRST, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON ONE COMMENT ABOUT THE SEVEN-MEMBER DISTRICTS AS OPPOSED TO THE ELECTED CHAIR ISSUE. YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING UNDER THAT OPTION, AND I'M SURPRISED IT ULTIMATELY DID NOT GET ON OUR FINAL SHEET, BECAUSE THAT OPTION CREATES SELF-IMPOSED TERM LIMITS. WITH SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS, YOU CAN'T RUN FOR AN AT-LARGE. 69 ONCE YOU REACHED YOUR TERM LIMIT, YOU'RE DONE. THIS PLAN DOESN'T SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. THE PLAN OF 6-1. ALL RIGHT. WHAT IT WILL ALLOW IS A SCENARIO WHERE SOMEONE RUNS FOR A SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT, SERVES OUT THEIR EIGHT-YEAR TERM AND RUN OSEN A PLATFORM I'M AN EXPERIENCED SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT COMMISSIONER AND NOW WANTS TO RUN FOR COUNTY CHAIR AND SERVES ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS AND IS IN FOR 16. YOU CAN DO THAT NOW BUT WHAT I AM SUGGESTING IF WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM WITH GREATER REPRESENTATION AND I KNOW THAT F.A.I.R. ALSO SUPPORTS TERM LIMITS, THEN ONLY A SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT FORMAT WITHIN THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT WE PRESENTLY HAVE WOULD ACCOMPLISH THAT. BUT THAT ISN'T ON THE TABLE. AND I WASN'T PART OF THAT COMMITTEE THAT ENDED UP PUTTING THE OPTIONS. I DID VOTE FOR ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WAS ON THE TABLE. I DIDN'T VOTE TO LEAVE STATUS QUO. ALL RIGHT. SO I WANT TO COME BACK TO GERALD'S COMMENTS. FIRST, 13 OF US DID MAKE A VOTE, BUT IT WASN'T THE VOTE THAT YOU REPRESENTED IT TO BE. WE DIDN'T SAY IT WAS BROKEN. WHAT WE SAID WAS, 13 OF US SAID WE WOULD BE OPEN-MINDED TO EXAMINING THE OPTIONS FOR A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE. AND IT WAS REFERRED TO A COMMITTEE. 70 AND I REMAINED OPEN-MINDED THROUGHOUT THAT ENTIRE PROCESS TO LISTEN TO THAT, AND I WANTED TO GO TO PUBLIC HEARING AND HEAR WHAT THE OUTCRY WAS. AND I THINK AS I SPOKE IN MY LAST COMMENTS, I THINK THE OUTCRY WAS FOR THE 7-0, NOT FOR THE 6-1. SO WE ARE TRYING TO SUGGEST HERE THAT IS THE BEST OF THE ALTERNATIVES WE HAVE LEFT. BUT LET ME SUGGEST TO YOU, I VOTED FOR OPTION 1-A. I VOTED FOR THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT ACCOMPLISHED TWO THINGS. OPTION 1-A WAS TO CREATE THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR THE THREE AT-LARGE. NOW, THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD THAT ARGUED THAT BY DOING THAT, YOU'RE CREATING ESSENTIALLY OTHER SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS. WELL, I SUGGEST -- SUBMIT TO THOSE OF YOU THAT VOTED THAT WAY THAT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE REASON -- AND THAT ARE SUPPORTING OPTION 1-C, THAT WAS A REASON TO SUPPORT OPTION 1-A. IF THAT'S WHAT YOU FEEL IN YOUR MIND. NOW I DON'T HAPPEN TO FEEL THAT RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS DOES CREATE A NEW SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT. WHAT I HAD SUGGESTED IN MY SUPPORT OF OPTION 1-A WAS BY IMPOSING A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS, YOU SPREAD OUT THE DEMOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A FACT OF LIFE THAT YOU KNOW BEST WHAT IS AROUND YOU. AND SO, IF YOU HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT YOU HAVE LIVED IN FOR 71 MANY, MANY YEARS IN ONE PART OF THE COUNTY, YOU ARE GOING TO KNOW THAT PART OF THE COUNTY BETTER THAN THE OTHERS. NOW YOU REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COUNTY, BUT IT'S JUST A FACT OF LIFE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO KNOW YOUR PART OF THE COUNTY BETTER AND THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS WAS TO SPREAD OUT THAT GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS. SO THAT -- SO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A GREATER SENSITIVITY AMONG YOUR AT-LARGE COMMISSIONERS, NOT THAT THEY WERE REPRESENTING ONE PERSON LESS. THEY STILL REPRESENTED EVERY SINGLE VOTER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BUT YOU WERE BRINGING TO THE TABLE THAT INSIGHT THAT YOU GET FROM DEMOGRAPHICALLY BEING LOCATED GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTY. THAT'S WHY I SUPPORTED THAT AS A CHANGE. THAT WAS A CHANGE. WE DON'T HAVE THAT NOW. ALL RIGHT. NOW, MINORITY REPRESENTATION WAS ONE OF YOUR PITCHES, GERALD, AND I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THIS. AT PRESENT, EVERY VOTER IN THIS COUNTY, INCLUDING MINORITIES HAVE A SAY-SO IN VOTING FOR A MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION. YOU GIVE UP THAT RIGHT WHEN VOTING FOR THIS 6-1 PLAN. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S A CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGE IN OUR GOVERNMENT. FINALLY, I'LL JUST MAKE THIS COMMENT. I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT OR APPROPRIATE THAT ANY OF US TRADE 72 VOTES OF ONE MEASURE FOR ANOTHER AS A COMPROMISE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. I THINK YOU NEED TO VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT. IF YOU THINK THAT MY BUDGET LIMITATION IS WRONG, THEN VOTE THAT WAY. I'M NOT GOING TO -- I'M NOT GOING TO PERSUADE YOU OTHERWISE, BUT YOU VOTE BECAUSE YOU HAVE HEARD THE ARGUMENTS, YOU'VE HEARD THE PEOPLE SPEAK, AND YOU ARE VOTING YOUR CONSCIOUS. YOU ARE VOTING FOR TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE BARGAINED AWAY FOR A DIFFERENT MEASURE. I APPRECIATE THE PLEA FOR US -- EACH ONE OF US THAT HAD VOTED AGAINST MEASURE 1-C TO CHANGE OUR MINDS -- >>GERALD WHITE: JUST ASKED YOU TO MEET ME HALFWAY, THAT'S ALL. >>KEVIN AMBLER: I UNDERSTOOD THAT. I RATHER YOU VOTE FOR EACH MEASURE ON ITS OWN MERIT. IF YOU DON'T THINK MY MEASURE HAS MERIT, THEN DON'T VOTE FOR IT. AFTER YOU HEAR MY ARGUMENTS TONIGHT, AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION. I ASK YOU TO AT LEAST STAY OPEN-MINDED LIKE I DID ON THIS TO HEAR THE FINAL ARGUMENTS ON THAT BEFORE YOU CAST YOUR VOTE. [ LAUGHTER ] >>JAN SMITH: MS. WALDRON AND THEN MR. LaBOUR. >>ARLENE WALDRON: BEFORE SOMEONE CALLS THE QUESTION, AND I 73 BET AT 8:00, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO CALL THE QUESTION, I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION THAT I LEARNED TODAY AND PERHAPS MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ALREADY KNOW THIS, BUT WHEN THE -- WHEN THE CENSUS IS COMPLETED, IT APPEARS THAT THERE WILL BE SOME ADDITIONAL HOUSE DISTRICTS ADDED. AND THEY ARE ESTIMATING THAT THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS WILL BE REPRESENTING ABOUT 600,000 RESIDENTS. THE SENATE DISTRICTS WILL BE REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 400,000, AND THE NEW HOUSE DISTRICTS WILL BE REPRESENTING 133,000. WITH OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE, A SINGLE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS IS CURRENTLY -- WILL BE REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 250,000 RESIDENTS, AND OUR AT-LARGE DISTRICT -- COMMISSIONERS ARE REPRESENTING A MILLION PEOPLE. SO IF YOU JUST KIND OF KEEP THOSE NUMBERS IN MIND IN COMPARISON, YOU KNOW, IT JUST MIGHT ADD SOME VALUE OF INCREASING THE SINGLE DISTRICTS. IN CONCLUSION, WE ALL HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL VOTE. WE ALL HAVE OUR CITIZEN VOTE THAT WE COULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CAST, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE JUST ARE ASKING TO LET THE CITIZENS CAST THEIR VOTE, TO JUST GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY. IT WILL BE TWO YEARS OF DEBATE, EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, AND IF NOTHING ELSE, THAT'S A PLUS RIGHT THERE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE GETTING INVOLVED. AND JUST LET THE CITIZENS HAVE THEIR FINAL VOTE. THANK YOU. 74 >>JAN SMITH: MR. LaBOUR AND THEN MS. TUTTLE. >>STEVE LaBOUR: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MS. WALDRON. YOU TOOK A COUPLE OF THE COMMENTS I WAS GOING TO MAKE. BUT I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO APOLOGIZE TO F.A.I.R. AND I ALSO WANT TO CORRECT THE RECORD. WHILE IT APPEARS THAT NOW WE HAVE TEN VOTES FOR SEVEN SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICT WHICH IS WHAT A SHOCK AND SURPRISE BECAUSE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE OPTIONS, IF YOU'LL RECALL, I AT THE LAST MINUTE THREW IN 1-C, AND IT WAS NOT POPULAR. BUT I GOT AT LEAST THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE'LL THROW IT IN THE MIX TO TAKE A LOOK. THERE WAS NO ONE ON THIS BOARD WHO IS NOW -- WHO SEEMS TO BE SO FUNDAMENTALLY SUPPORTIVE OF 7-0, BUT GOSH DARN IT, I JUST DON'T LIKE THAT CHAIRMAN THAT NOW THEY JUST CAN'T VOTE FOR 6-1. I THINK IT IS DISINGENUOUS AND ALMOST DISHONEST. AND SO WITH F.A.I.R., I SAY I APOLOGIZE. THIS IS GOING TO GO DOWN AGAIN TONIGHT. BUT I WANT TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO SIGN YOUR PETITION AS YOU START A CITIZENS PETITION TO GET THIS ON THE BALLOT. AND I WILL EVEN SIGN IT AT 7-0, EVEN THOUGH I TECHNICALLY DON'T SUPPORT IT. I KNOW TONIGHT, NOW, HOW EACH OF US WILL VOTE WHEN THAT COMES TO WHATEVER REFERENDUM.