CAPTIONING FEBRUARY 4, 2009 BOCC REGULAR MEETING MORNING SESSION ***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. >>KEN HAGAN: GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY 4th, 2009, REGULAR SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE AND INVOCATION, GIVEN BY OUR CHAPLAIN, COMMISSIONER AL HIGGINBOTHAM. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: WELCOME, AND PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] OH, GOD, LET THIS SHORT TIME OF SILENCE COMPLETE PEACE, OPEN OUR EARS, BRING CLARITY TO OUR EYES SO THAT WE MAY SEE THE SINCERITY IN ONE ANOTHER'S HEART. HELP US ALL TO CONDUCT OURSELVES IN A MANNER WHICH IS DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTFUL TO ONE ANOTHER. HELP ME TO CONDUCT MYSELF IN A MANNER WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH YOUR TEACHINGS. AMEN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. THE BOARD TAKES TIME AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR MEETINGS TO RECOGNIZE CITIZENS AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY OR RECEIVED SPECIAL RECOGNITION FROM ANOTHER ORGANIZATION. TODAY WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE -- TO MAKE SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS, AND OUR FIRST ONE WILL BE BY COMMISSIONER JIM NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WHAT A GREAT WAY TODAY TO OPEN OUR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING BY ACTUALLY HONORING ONE OF OUR LOCAL HEROES, AND I SAY THAT SINCERELY, THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST HONORS THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S BEING ABLE TO BESTOW ON ONE OF OUR WONDERFUL CITIZENS, AND LET ME GO RIGHT INTO IT. THIS AWARD IS CALLED THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR AWARD, AND I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY INVITE UP CAPTAIN PATRICK OSBORNE. WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD. [APPLAUSE] EACH YEAR THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT HONORS ITS TOP VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER WITH THE JEFF HOLT VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR AWARD. THE RECIPIENT FOR 2008 IS CAPTAIN PATRICK OSBORNE, WHO WORKS OUT OF STATION NUMBER 24 IN LUTZ. HIS PLAQUE READS -- AND I WANT TO READ RIGHT OFF THE PLAQUE -- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE ASSOCIATION 2008 VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION TO CAPTAIN PATRICK OSBORNE FOR HIS DECISIVE ACTIONS ON WILDLAND DEPLOYMENT RESULTING IN PROPERTY PRESERVATION AND HIS DEDICATION CONTRIBUTING ENDLESS HOURS OF TIME TO VOLUNTEER WORK, AND FOLKS, WITH OUR WIDE RANGE OF AREA IN THIS COUNTY, WITHOUT GREAT LEADERS LIKE THIS, WE COULD NOT PROTECT ALL THE CITIZENS THE WAY WE DO, AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE FINEST MEN AND WOMEN OUT THERE DOING THIS KIND OF WORK, AND I AM SO PROUD TO PERSONALLY BE ABLE TO GIVE THIS TO CAPTAIN OSBORNE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR. >> THANK YOU, SIR. I APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INVITE DOWN COMMISSIONER HAGAN, OUR CHAIR, WHO WOULD LIKE TO ALSO PRESENT SOMETHING VERY VALUABLE THAT WE DON'T GIVE OUT TO A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE, AND IT ONLY -- ONLY YOU HAVE IT FOR THE DAY. IT'S THE KEY TO OUR COUNTY. [LAUGHTER] PAT, LOCK UP THE -- [LAUGHTER] >>KEN HAGAN: WELL, IT'S MY DISTINCT HONOR AND PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE KEY TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: AND ONE OTHER THING. I DON'T KNOW IF -- IT WASN'T IN THE SCRIPT, BUT THIS ALSO CAN BE WORN NOW HONORING HIM FROM NOW ON AS OUR VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNER, AND I HOPE YOU WEAR THAT PROUDLY BECAUSE WE ARE VERY, VERY EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU, SIR, AND WE'D LOVE YOU TO SAY SOMETHING. >> I'LL TRY AND KEEP THIS BRIEF. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY HERE TODAY FOR PRESENTING ME WITH THIS AWARD. IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE HERE STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU-ALL IN THIS SITUATION. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE LUTZ VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE FOR BESTOWING THIS ON ME AND MY PEERS AND COWORKERS FOR NOMINATING ME FOR THESE AWARDS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GUYS. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: NOW COMMISSIONER FERLITA WILL MAKE THE NEXT PRESENTATION. >>ROSE FERLITA: [INAUDIBLE] IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? [INAUDIBLE] THANKS, JOHN. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, AND CAPTAIN OSBORNE, CONGRATULATIONS AND MY THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO AS WELL. I GUESS THIS BRINGS US TO FULL CIRCLE IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY. FIRST WE'VE HONORED OUR FIREFIGHTER TODAY, AND NOW IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MAJOR PAUL DAVIS, AND PERHAPS CHIEF DOCOBO COULD COME UP AND SHERIFF GEE, AND THE REST OF YOU GUYS COULD COME BACK HERE AND STAY WITH US TOO IF YOU'D LIKE. >>JIM NORMAN: ROSE, BE GOOD. THE SHERIFF'S PACKING TODAY. [LAUGHTER] >>ROSE FERLITA: SO AM I. [LAUGHTER] PAUL, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE BITTERSWEET TIMES WHEN I GET TO DO THIS BECAUSE AS A FRIEND, I'M CERTAINLY SORRY THAT WE'RE LOSING YOU, BUT CERTAINLY THIS WARRANTS MORE CELEBRATION THAN WE'RE GIVING IN TERMS OF GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. AND IT WAS CERTAINLY TELLING, WHEN YOU HAD YOUR RETIREMENT PARTY, I GOT THERE A LITTLE BIT LATE AND COULDN'T FIND A PARKING SPACE, AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THERE THAT WANTED TO THANK HIM. I DID PARK ILLEGALLY, BUT NO SHERIFF WAS OUTSIDE, SO I DIDN'T GET TOWED AWAY. ANYWAY, THANK YOU. PLEASE ALLOW ME TO READ THIS, AND THEN PERHAPS AFTER THAT, SHERIFF, IF YOU WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS, AND CHIEF, I KNOW YOU'VE HAD YOUR SPEECH PREPARED FOR HOURS AND HOURS BECAUSE YOU LOVE PUBLIC SPEAKING. SO PAUL, PLEASE, ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES [INAUDIBLE] OKAY. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION PRESENTED TO MAJOR PAUL C. DAVIS. THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONGRATULATES AND COMMENDS YOU ON YOUR MORE THAN 32 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THOSE WE SERVE IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE BEEN A VALUABLE AND DEVOTED LEADER AMONG THOSE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HAVE CONTINUALLY STRIVED TO SUPPORT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AT THE COUNTY, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. AS A MENTOR, YOU HAVE USED YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO IMPROVE THE INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES USED BY ALL OFFICERS, SPECIFICALLY IN THE FIELD OF NARCOTIC IDENTIFICATION AND UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE NUMEROUS BOARD POSITIONS THAT YOU HELD IN BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS DURING YOUR TENURE, YOU WERE A CONSULTANT ON VARIOUS LEGISLATIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT-RELATED PROJECTS WITHIN THE STATE WHICH FOCUSED ON STRENGTHENING OUR LAWS AND IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY. YOUR CREATIVE ABILITIES HAVE SET THE HIGHEST STANDARDS AMONG OTHERS IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY, AND YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS AS A GRADUATE OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT SENIOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, THE UNITED STATES DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION DRUG UNIT COMMANDER SCHOOL, AND THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE DIGNITY PROTECTION PROGRAM ARE NOTABLE AND COMMENDABLE. THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICES AND WISHES YOU THE VERY BEST UPON THE OCCASION OF YOUR RETIREMENT. THIS IS SIGNED PROUDLY ON FEBRUARY 4th BY OUR CHAIRMAN, MR. HAGAN, AND MY COLLEAGUES AND MYSELF, AND PAUL, AGAIN, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, WE ARE GOING TO MISS YOU TREMENDOUSLY, BUT WHAT YOU'VE LEFT BEHIND YOU IS A LEGACY. THAT SAME NIGHT WHEN WE WERE CELEBRATING, YOUR SON WAS UP THERE AND HE WAS SO PROUD. IT WAS -- YOU SAW A LOT OF BIG MEN CRY, AND ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES UP HERE THAT PROTECT US, GENTLEMEN, LADIES, WE ABSOLUTELY ARE JUST SO THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU DO. WE JUST DON'T GET ENOUGH TIMES TO SAY THANK YOU, SO SINCERELY FROM ME AND THE GUYS BEHIND ME, THANK YOU, AND ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT, AND WE APPRECIATE IT. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? >> I'M ALWAYS GLAD TO SPEAK. NO, I WANT TO TAKE ONE MINUTE JUST TO SAY THAT -- I SAID IT IN MY RETIREMENT. 32 YEARS AGO I PINNED ON THE BADGE AS A DEPUTY WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I LEFT IN DECEMBER AND RETIRED, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WAS SO PROUD THE DAY I PINNED THAT BADGE ON. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK I SLEPT THAT NIGHT, BUT REFLECTING BACK, WHEN I RETIRED AFTER 32 YEARS I WAS MORE PROUD TO WEAR THAT BADGE THAN I HAD BEEN 32 YEARS EARLIER, AND THAT'S A TRIBUTE TO THE SHERIFF, DAVID GEE, THE CHIEF DEPUTY, JOE DOCOBO, AND THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE BACK THAT COMPRISES THE STAFF, THAT MAKE UP THE STAFF OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE THEY WORK TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT YOU, ME, AND I WAS PROUD TO BE PART OF THE INNER WORKINGS, AND I NEVER SAW THEM NOT CONSIDER HOW THEY AFFECTED EVERYBODY WITH EVERY DECISION THEY MADE, SO YOU CAN BE PROUD OF THEM, AND THIS COUNTY COMMISSION, I'VE SPOKEN HERE MANY TIMES, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY AMENABLE AND HELPED US IN EVERY WAY. SO FOR ALL OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN SITTING IN THIS FRONT ROW, IF YOU'RE THINKING OF A GOOD JOB AND YOU DON'T WANT TO WORK FOR THE FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, WHICH IS WHERE I'M AT NOW -- [LAUGHTER] -- PLEASE LOOK FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE I PROMISE YOU IT'S A GREAT ORGANIZATION TO WORK FOR, IT'S RUN BY GREAT PEOPLE, AND THEY DO CARE ABOUT YOU, SO THANK YOU, MA'AM. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, PAUL. [APPLAUSE] >>DAVID GEE: HARD TO TOP THAT. LET ME JUST SAY THAT IN 30-SOMETHING YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU RUN ACROSS SOMEBODY WHO'S THE REAL DEAL, AND THAT WAS CERTAINLY PAUL DAVIS. PAUL WAS KNOWN FOR HIS EXPERTISE IN DRUG OPERATIONS, UNDERCOVER OPERATIONS, AND HE WAS THE ARCHITECT OF MANY OF THE MAJOR STING OPERATIONS THAT YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IN THIS COUNTY TAKING GUNS OFF THE STREET THAT WERE BEING USED BY VIOLENT CRIMINALS, ALSO A LOT OF THE REAL PROBLEM SPOTS, SOME OF THE ADULT USE ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT REDUCED SOME OF THESE TROUBLE SPOTS, PAUL WAS THE PERSON BEHIND ALL THAT, VERY MUCH A GO-TO PERSON. IF YOU GAVE IT TO HIM, GAVE HIM A CITIZEN COMPLAINT, YOU USUALLY WEREN'T GOING TO GET ANOTHER CALL BECAUSE HE WORKED REAL HARD TO TRY TO DELIVER THE SERVICE THAT PEOPLE DESERVE OUT THERE. HE'S A GREAT GUY. WE'RE GOING TO MISS HIM, AND YOU-ALL HELP HIM OUT ON HIS NEW JOB AND COME OUT TO THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL AND SAY HELLO TO HIM THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERLITA, AND MAJOR DAVIS, WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR SERVICE, SO THANK YOU, SIR. WELL, WE HAVE SOME VERY SPECIAL GUESTS HERE THIS MORNING. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THE FIRST THREE ROWS ARE OCCUPIED BY SOME BOYS AND GIRLS PROUDLY WEARING THEIR TEAM UNIFORMS. IT'S MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE AND PRESENT KEYS TO THE COUNTY TO TWO TEAMS FROM THE CITRUS PARK LITTLE LEAGUE. YOU MAY RECALL SEVERAL MONTHS AGO READING AND HEARING ABOUT THESE TWO TEAMS FROM THE SAME LEAGUE WHO MADE IT TO THE WORLD SERIES. SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE MANY YEARS AGO, MOST TEAMS IN LEAGUES NEVER MAKE IT OUT OF DISTRICTS MUCH LESS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN THE WORLD SERIES, AND THE CITRUS PARK LITTLE LEAGUE HAD TWO TEAMS MAKE THE WORLD SERIES IN THE SAME YEAR, AND SURELY THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED ACCOMPLISHMENT. THE FIRST TEAM I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ARE THE MEMBERS FROM THE CITRUS PARK BIG LEAGUE DIVISION GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM. I'D LIKE TO INVITE COACH AL BOWMAN AND HIS TEAM OF SOUTH REGION CHAMPIONS TO COME FORWARD TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. COACH, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE MAKING A HABIT OF THIS. SEVERAL -- WHICH IS A GOOD THING. SEVERAL YEARS AGO YOUR TEAM WON THE -- IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE SENIOR LEAGUE WORLD SERIES, AND WE, THE COUNTY COMMISSION, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT TEAM, AND IT'S OUR PRIVILEGE TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO DO THAT AGAIN. THIS TEAM OF YOUNG LADIES WON BOTH THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE SOUTH REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS TO EARN A BERTH IN THE LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES, WHICH WAS HELD IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, THIS PAST SUMMER, AND THIS TEAM ULTIMATELY CAME UP FIFTH IN THE WORLD. COACH, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE TEAM FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING, AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO COME DOWN AND PRESENT TO YOU THE KEY TO THE COUNTY, AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AT THE LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: IF YOU COULD PLEASE SAY A FEW WORDS AND INTRODUCE THE TEAMMATES. >> THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE US. THE GIRLS SPENT A LOT OF TIME THIS SUMMER. THEY REPRESENTED THEIR PARK AND THE AREA WELL ON THE FIELD AND OFF THE FIELD. IT'S A HUGE COMMITMENT, NOT JUST ON THE PLAYERS BUT ON THEIR FAMILIES, A LOT OF TIME OFF WORK, FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS, ET CETERA. IT'S -- IT WAS -- THE GIRLS HAVE PLAYED THE SPORT A LONG TIME, THIS PARTICULAR TEAM, TO FINALLY REACH WHAT -- I THINK EVERY LITTLE LEAGUER GOAL IS, IS TO PLAY IN THE WORLD SERIES, SO THEY CAME CLOSE SEVERAL YEARS, DIFFERENT CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES, BUT FINALLY PUT IT TOGETHER THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THEM. THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME THIS SUMMER WORKING, AND I THINK I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY AT THE PARK AND THEIR FAMILIES WHEN -- TO SAY THAT IT WAS A GREAT JOB. WE WERE VERY PROUD OF THEM THIS SUMMER. WITH US WE HAVE SOME GIRLS THAT AREN'T -- THEY'RE IN COLLEGE NOW, BUT WE HAVE TO MY RIGHT ALYSSA HOBDAY, ERICA BOWMAN, LANIE NOFSINGER, TO MY LEFT NICOLE CLINEBELL, CHELSEA OGLEVIE, BRITTANY JOHNSON, MYA ANDERSON, AND CHELSEA CARTER. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER GIRLS ON THE TEAM, BUT THEY COULD NOT BE PRESENT. LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE IN SCHOOL OR HAD CONFLICTS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GIRLS, NICE JOB. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COACH BOWMAN. WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM. THE SECOND TEAM I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE IS FROM THE CITRUS PARK BOYS LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM. THIS TEAM OF 11 AND 12-YEAR-OLDS ALSO WON AT THE STATE AND REGIONAL LEVEL TO EARN A SPOT AT THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES IN WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, THIS SUMMER. MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED SOME OF THEIR GAMES BECAUSE THEY WERE FEATURED NATIONALLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT DURING THIS RUN, THIS TEAM WAS THE TALK OF THE TOWN IN SPORTS RADIO, TALK RADIO, AND IN FACT, AT ONE -- ONE BUCCANEER GAME I WAS AT, DURING THE HALFTIME I WAS WALKING AROUND TALKING TO FRIENDS, AND THEIR GAME WAS SHOWN ON THE TV IN THE -- AT THE STADIUM, AND THE FANS WERE FOCUSING MORE ON THIS TEAM THAN THE BUCCANEERS THAT DAY. IN THIS, THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE AT THE SERIES, THE BOYS MADE THEIR WAY TO THE SEMIFINAL ROUND. THIS TEAM HAS BEEN CROWNED THE SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL CHAMPIONS, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THEIR COACHES AND TEAMMATES, COACHES JOE McGUIRE AND DOUG GILCREASE, TO COME FORWARD ALONG WITH THEIR PLAYERS. [APPLAUSE] COACH McGUIRE'S SON PLAYS ON THE TEAM, AND HIS DAUGHTER ALSO PLAYS ON THE GIRLS TEAM THAT WE JUST RECOGNIZED AND AS WELL AS ONE OF MY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES, WHO'S NOT HERE THIS MORNING, BUT BUD MERRELL, HIS SON PLAYS ON THIS TEAM AS WELL. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT NOT SINCE 1989 HAS A TAMPA AREA TEAM MADE IT TO THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES, AND I THINK MR. GREG MILLS, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF CITRUS PARK LITTLE LEAGUE -- AND I BELIEVE HE'S HERE THIS MORNING. GREG, ARE YOU -- >> YES. >>KEN HAGAN: STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] I THINK HE SAID IT BEST WHEN HE STATED THAT IT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED TO A NICER BUNCH OF BOYS AND A NICER GROUP OF PARENTS, SO COACH, PLEASE ACCEPT THIS KEY WITH OUR GRATITUDE, AND IF YOU WOULD PLEASE INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM AND SAY A FEW WORDS. >> THANK YOU. WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE. WE APPRECIATE IT. I'LL GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE THE TEAM FIRST. THIS IS KEVIN MERRELL, AUSTIN McCULLERS, LEE HUCKABY, DANIEL LASTRA, LEVI GILCREASE, MICHAEL McGUIRE, RYAN McCULLERS, MILLER IN THE BACK THERE, OUR FUNNY GUY, BRETT WILKOSZ, LEVI -- I MEAN WYATT REID, AND FINALLY DANIEL MARTIN, AND THAT'S COACH DOUG GILCREASE IN THE BACK. [APPLAUSE] I WAS ASKED TO SAY SOME WORDS ABOUT THESE GUYS. THIS AGE GROUP FROM CITRUS PARK FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS IN ALL STARS, THEIR COMBINED RECORD WAS 46 AND 4. I DIDN'T EVEN DO THE RUNS DIFFERENTIAL BECAUSE IT WAS ASTRONOMICAL, BUT THEY LOST TWO GAMES AS NINE- AND TEN- YEAR-OLDS, ONE IN THE STATE, OUR FIRST GAME IN STATES, AND ONE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL UP IN WEST VIRGINIA. LAST YEAR WE WERE UNDEFEATED. I THINK WE WERE 16-0 GOING TO DISTRICT SECTIONALS AND STATE, AND THEN THIS PAST YEAR WE LOST TWO GAMES UP IN WILLIAMSPORT, SO THAT'S A PRETTY PHENOMENAL RECORD FOR THESE GUYS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. EVERYWHERE WE WENT EVERYBODY ALWAYS LIKED THE KIDS, WE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE PARENTS OR KIDS. WE TRAVELED FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT GAMES, WE HAD TO TRAVEL DOWN TO SOUTH FLORIDA, EAST COAST, WEST COAST, STAY AT HOTELS. WE NEVER HAD ANY KIND OF INCIDENTS ANYWHERE. WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN RECOGNIZED, AND WE'VE HAD PEOPLE CALL US FROM TEAMS THAT WE BEAT, YOU KNOW, WISHING US GOOD LUCK AT THE NEXT LEVEL. IT'S REALLY BEEN A WONDERFUL GROUP OF KIDS, THE PARENTS ARE GOOD. THESE KIDS ALL MAKE As AND Bs IN SCHOOL, THEY'RE GOOD KIDS, THEY DON'T GET IN TROUBLE, AND THEY'RE REALLY GOOD BASEBALL PLAYERS. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE PARENTS. LIKE AL SAID, IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK, IT'S A LOT OF HOURS OF PRACTICE, AND I DIDN'T WORK FROM JUNE 15th ALL THE WAY TO SEPTEMBER 1st THIS PAST SUMMER BECAUSE OF ALL THE STUFF WITH BASEBALL, BUT THANKS FOR HAVING US, AND IT'S A GREAT - - A GREAT GROUP OF KIDS. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: AND IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW PROUD -- I KNOW SPEAKING FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD -- HOW PROUD WE ARE OF BOTH TEAMS TO MAKE IT AS FAR AS YOU DID. SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE, I KNOW HOW MUCH HARD WORK AND EFFORT IT TAKES TO MAKE -- TO ATTAIN THIS LEVEL, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU AND YOUR PARENTS FOR THEIR SACRIFICE AND DEDICATION TO GETTING YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY. THESE ARE MEMORIES THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET, AND I CAN -- AGAIN, FROM EXPERIENCE MANY YEARS AGO I STILL REMEMBER MAJOR LEAGUE PITCHER DWIGHT GOODEN STRIKING ME OUT IN DISTRICTS YEARS AGO, SO WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN NEXT YEAR, SO CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER HAGAN, I REMEMBER A LOT OF PEOPLE STRIKING YOU OUT. [LAUGHTER] >>MARK SHARPE: MR. CHAIRMAN, I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY AS WELL -- I WANT TO THANK THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO'VE COME HERE TODAY. YOU-ALL ARE JUST GREAT DIPLOMATS AND ROLE MODELS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I APPRECIATE WHAT THE COACH SAID ABOUT THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN BOTH NOT GETTING IN TROUBLE AND LOOKING SO SHARPE AND DOING SO WELL. WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. MS. BEAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? >>PAT BEAN: YES, I WILL. COMMISSIONERS, THERE IS ONE ITEM THAT IS -- UNDER RULE 13 REQUIRES THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION FOR ADDITION TO THE AGENDA. THAT IS ITEM F-4, WHICH IS BROUGHT TO THE BOARD FROM COMMISSIONER FERLITA, AND HER REQUEST IS TO DIRECT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, RENEE LEE, TO FORWARD THE ERNST & YOUNG AUDIT TO ALL APPROPRIATE AGENCIES AND REQUEST AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION OF THE FORMER SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, BUDDY JOHNSON. WE HAVE SEVERAL OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE B-3, AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO MAKE SPENDING CUTS THROUGH A REDUCTION IN FORCE TO ADDRESS THE ADVERSE EFFECTS THAT THE CONTINUED DECLINE IN BUILDING ACTIVITY IS HAVING ON THE BUILDING SERVICES FUND. WE HAVE ITEM B-4, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR 11:30 TO APPROVE BY SUPERMAJORITY VOTE AN FY 09 BUDGET AMENDMENT OF $2,184,711 TO INCREASE THE BUDGET OF THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS. WE HAVE ITEM E-1 AT 10:45, A PRESENTATION AT THE REQUEST OF COMMISSIONER FERLITA BY THE FCC TO DISCUSS THE UPCOMING ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERSION. THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BY JERRY ULCEK. G-2, RECEIVE THE REPORT FROM THE PARKS, RECREATION, AND CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT REGARDING PROGRESS VILLAGE 78th STREET SPORTS COMPLEX. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING DEFERRALS AND DELETIONS. ITEM A-3 IS DELETED FROM THE AGENDA. IT'S APPROVING AMENDMENT 1 TO CONTRACT HKIF114 WITH HILLSBOROUGH KIDS, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2007, AND -- THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2009, FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER CARE PROGRAM. A-17 IS DEFERRED TO THE FEBRUARY 18th MEETING. THIS IS TO REDUCE THE FY 09 BEGINNING FUND BALANCE AND OFFSETTING RESERVE BUDGETS BY A TOTAL OF $14,061,813 TO ALIGN BUDGETS WITH ACTUAL BEGINNING FUND BALANCE IN THE FOLLOWING RESTRICTED FUNDS. AND THEN ITEM A-29 DEFERRED TO THE FEBRUARY 18th MEETING TO AWARD FILE NUMBER T-0105-09 AND EXECUTE THE SYSTEM AGREEMENT AND STATEMENT OF WORK FOR THE SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF VERIZON EMERGENCY DISPATCH CENTER UPGRADE TO VERIZON BUSINESS NETWORK SERVICES, INC. AND A-41 DEFERRED TO FEBRUARY 18th, APPROVAL OF ADJUSTMENTS TO ALIGN BEGINNING FUND BALANCE BUDGETS WITH FY 09 BEGINNING FUND BALANCES TO COMPLY WITH THE COUNTY ORDINANCE 06-28 AND RESOURCE RECOVERY BOND REQUIREMENTS. ITEM A-56 IS DELETED FROM THE AGENDA. I NEED TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE TO COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM FOR THAT ITEM BEING PUT ON THE AGENDA. IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE AGENDA TO BEGIN WITH, AND IT WILL NOT BE COMING BACK TO THE AGENDA. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. B-2, RESCIND THE OCTOBER 1, 2003, AND JANUARY 19, 2005, APPROVALS OF THE PORTION OF THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL ALIGNMENT THROUGH THE PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS FOLIO NUMBER 2512.0000. THIS IS DEFERRED TO FEBRUARY 18. AND G-1, RECEIVE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ECONOMIC STIMULUS TASK FORCE PROPOSAL, IS ALSO DEFERRED TO FEBRUARY 18. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT FOR DISCUSSION. ITEM A-8, APPROVE A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, INC. AND THEN ITEM -- AND THAT'S PULLED BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA. AND THEN ITEM A-37, APPROVING A BUDGET AMENDMENT REALIGNING $415,000 WITHIN THE REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, RENOVATION, AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. THAT'S ALSO PULLED BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE SCHEDULED FOR A TIME CERTAIN. AT 10:15, ITEM F-3 WILL BE HEARD. THIS IS A SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD CHAIRMAN JAN PLATT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHRISTINE COMMERCE. AT 10:30, ITEM F-1, REQUESTING A TIME CERTAIN TO RECEIVE THE REPORT FROM BILL ARMSTRONG, DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES, REGARDING THE FREE SHOT CLINIC THAT WAS HELD IN SULPHUR SPRINGS RECENTLY. AT 10:45, ITEM E-1, A PRESENTATION AT THE REQUEST OF COMMISSIONER FERLITA BY THE FCC. AND THEN AT 11:30, ITEM B-4, WHICH IS THE ITEM BROUGHT TO THE BOARD ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENT BY THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS. THOSE ARE THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MR. CHAIR. >>ROSE FERLITA: MOVE THE CHANGES, MR. CHAIRMAN. >> SECOND. >>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THE CHANGES AND A SECOND. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: COMMISSIONER SHARPE, THE VOTING SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. THEY'RE WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW, SO WE HAVE TO DO ORAL VOTES. >>MARK SHARPE: PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. THANK YOU. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL BE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS. YOUR OPINIONS ARE VALUED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING INPUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS; HOWEVER, IS REQUESTED AT THE SAME TIME WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD THAT COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A COMMISSIONER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. THIS PROVIDES A MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC. THE BOARD SETS ASIDE A 45-MINUTE PERIOD IN THE MORNING AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE AGENDA FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS ARE MICHELLE WILLIAMS, VIVIAN BACCA, AND MARILYN SMITH. >> GOOD MORNING. >>MARK SHARPE: GOOD MORNING, MA'AM. >> I'M HERE -- MICHELLE WILLIAMS, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST -- WITH REGARDS TO AGENDA ITEM G-2, PARKS, RECREATION, CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT, REGARDING PROGRESS VILLAGE 78th STREET SPORTS COMPLEX. WE HAVE BEEN BACKWARDS AND FORWARD WITH THE BOARD, SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS, REGARDING OUR SPORTS COMPLEX. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SOMETHING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TODAY AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GOOD REPORTING, BUT I HAVE TO KEEP ASKING MYSELF IF THIS WAS ANY OTHER AREA, WOULD WE BE FIGHTING TO GET A SPORTS COMPLEX FOR OUR CHILDREN? COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM SAID SOMETHING SO WONDERFUL IN HIS PRAYER THIS MORNING, CLARITY TO OUR EYES. WHEN WILL OUR EYES BE OPEN TO CERTAIN ISSUES IN CERTAIN AREAS OF TOWN? PROGRESS VILLAGE HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG OVERLOOKED AFRICAN- AMERICAN COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO END. ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS THAT WE GET OUR SPORTS COMPLEX, AS THE MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN EARMARKED FOR US, AND I WANT TO SEE SOME CONSTRUCTION STARTING. COMMISSIONER NORMAN, LISTEN TO WTMP ON SATURDAY. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME FREE ADVERTISING. >>JIM NORMAN: COULD I ALSO SAY ONE THING? >>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR. >>JIM NORMAN: I FOUGHT VERY HARD FOR THAT FUNDING, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT PARK IS NOT -- HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT ALONG LIKE FISHHAWK AND A LOT OF THE OTHER COMPLEXES. WHEN WE DID THE FUNDING OF -- I DID A LOT OF BLOODLETTING TO HAVE THAT -- THAT FUNDED, AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO COMMISSIONER SCOTT. I MEAN, I REMEMBER THOSE DAYS OF GETTING THAT IN THERE, AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY TODAY IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT BROUGHT FORWARD, AND WE'LL HEAR IT LATER, BUT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW THAT. I SUPPORT COMMISSIONER WHITE'S ASPECT OF TRYING TO GET THIS HEARD TODAY. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NORMAN. COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO TELL MS. WILLIAMS IF SHE WOULD HANG AROUND BECAUSE WE WILL BE SPEAKING ABOUT THAT TODAY, AND I HAVE SOME UPDATES ON WHAT STAFF HAS BEEN GIVING US, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE FOLLOWING ALONG WITH THEIR PLANS AND GUIDELINES, SO -- >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WHITE. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS VIVIAN BACCA AND THEN MARILYN SMITH AND GENA TORRES. >> GOOD MORNING. VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU'RE PULLING AGENDA ITEMS A-8 AND A- 37 FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS DID SEEM TO BE A LITTLE CURIOUS. A-8, $60,000 FOR CONSULTANTS TO DO WORK THAT IT WOULD APPEAR THAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OTHER PEOPLE, AND A-37, THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY EXPLANATION AS TO WHY WE WERE DECREASING THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL BY $102,105. I WONDERED IF THAT MIGHT HAVE RELATED TO B-2, WHICH WAS PULLED FROM THE AGENDA FOR A LATER DISCUSSION. I ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT B-3. SINCE THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS' FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WHAT IMPACT, IF ANY, WILL THE RESULTS OF THE ERNST & YOUNG AUDIT ON THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS HAVE ON OUR COUNTY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND ON OUR BOND RATING? WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE THESE GREAT RESERVES, WE HAVE WONDERFUL, YOU KNOW, CLEAN OPINION AUDITS, AND NOW WE'VE GOT THIS MESS OVER AT THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS WITH ALL SORTS OF COMMENTS ON THE ERNST & YOUNG STATEMENTS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND ARE JUST NOT TO BE RELIED UPON FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE AT THIS POINT, BUT I AM DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ISSUE. THANK YOU. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MS. BACCA, AND I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED WITH MS. FERLITA'S ITEM. >>ROSE FERLITA: YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I JUST TALKED TO ERIC JOHNSON BRIEFLY, AND I ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT LATER IN OUR AGENDA WHAT EFFECTS THAT WILL HAVE AND WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE OR COULD HAVE OR WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THOSE DOLLARS, BUT HE'LL ADDRESS THAT, VIVIAN. THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THE AGENDA SO CLOSELY. >>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE MARILYN SMITH AND THEN GENA TORRES -- >> YES, WE DO. >>MARK SHARPE: -- AND THEN PAM CLOUSTON. >> MARILYN SMITH, P.O. BOX 66, SYDNEY, GRANDMOTHER AT LARGE. I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. THIS IS AN INJURY TO AN OLD LADY. A PLANT FELL ON MY FOOT. OF COURSE IT WAS MY FAULT I WAS IN THE BUILDING. EDITH TOLD ME I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, SHE'S YET TO APOLOGIZE, AND I DON'T LIKE HER ARROGANT BEHAVIOR. THIS MORNING SHE LAUGHED WHEN SHE SAW MY LEG. WHAT A GREAT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER WE HAVE. THIS AGAIN IS NOT THE GREATEST COUNTY IN THE WORLD, ALTHOUGH THE RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT HAS RESPONDED VERY WELL. I CANNOT SAY THAT FOR YOUR PR PEOPLE OR YOUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT. THEY NEVER SAID I'M SORRY. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS RATHER CUTE AS I ROLLED OUT ON A GURNEY, I GUESS. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A-8. WE HAVE NO BUSINESS HIRING ANOTHER -- YET ANOTHER CONSULTANT. WE HAVE A USELESS $91,000 GUY UPSTAIRS GIVING ADVICE WHO DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DEBT MANAGEMENT OR HOUSING. I WANT TO READ YOU HIS PERFORMANCE REPORT. IT SAYS IN THERE HE FOLLOWS THE RULES. WELL, WHEN DO YOU FOLLOW RULES WHEN YOU OPEN UP A SIGNED, SEALED, AND DELIVERED AND OKAYED-BY-HUD PACKAGE ACTION PLAN AND SCREW IT AROUND SO YOU LOSE $2 MILLION? THAT AIN'T FOLLOWING THE RULES, AND HUD TOLD HIM THAT, BUT THAT'S OKAY. HE'S MRS. BEAN'S BUDDY. AND HE INHERITED A MESS HE STATES IN HERE. WELL, IF HE IS SO GOOD AT SOLVING PROBLEMS, AS IT SAYS FARTHER DOWN HERE IN HIS REPORT, HOW COME HE COULDN'T NEVER IDENTIFY THAT? WE -- THE MESS CAME FROM NOWHERE. THEY HAD A PREVIOUS MANAGER. HIS NAME WAS DEXTER BARGE. WHY DIDN'T HE GO TO DEXTER AND SAY, GIVE ME A LITTLE IDEA WHY THIS IS A MESS? NOBODY SEEMED TO DO THAT BUT BLAME IT -- LET'S BLAME IT ON STAFF DOWN HERE. FORGET THE MANAGEMENT THAT GETS PAID TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. NOW, WE ALSO HAVE -- WE HAVE THE OTHER GRANT THAT HE LOST. THE 732,000 WENT FROM RAINBOW OASIS. THAT WAS HOWIE. THAT WAS HOWIE. WE HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT HE'S DONE, $83,000 THAT HE DECIDED THAT SYLVIA ALVAREZ OUGHT TO GET WHO WANTS ANOTHER 50 FROM US. SHE SHOULDN'T GET THAT EITHER, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WE CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER AMOUNT OF OUR MONEY AT 250 AVERAGE DOLLARS GOING OUT, AND BY THE TIME WE GET TO 60 GRAND, WE WON'T HAVE THAT MANY HOURS BUT WE WON'T HAVE AN ANSWER EITHER, I GUARANTEE YOU. WE'VE GOT TOO MANY PEOPLE MAKING TOO MANY CONSULTATIONS AND THEN NOBODY WILL TAKE THE BLAME. THAT'S THE PATTERN IN THIS COUNTY, AND IF YOU FAIL, SHE'LL GIVE YOU MORE MONEY AND A BIG PROMOTION. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. SMITH. >> SHE BEING BEAN. >>KEN HAGAN: THE NEXT THREE SPEAKERS, GENA TORRES, PAM CLOUSTON, AND KELLY CORNELIUS. MS. TORRES, ARE YOU PRESENT? OKAY. PAM CLOUSTON, KELLY CORNELIUS, AND DAVID BROWN. GOOD MORNING. >> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS. I AM SORRY THAT I PUT ON MY SPEAKING CARD SOMETHING THAT GOT PULLED OFF THE AGENDA, BUT AT QUARTER TO 6:00 THIS MORNING IT WAS STILL ON THERE, I THINK, UNLESS I OVERLOOKED IT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A-56 THAT WAS PULLED ABOUT COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM'S LETTER TO THE BRANDON CHAMBER. I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE SAW THIS, BUT COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM WARNED MEMBERS OF THE BRANDON -- GREATER BRANDON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LAST WEEK, WHICH I GUESS WAS LIKE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, ABOUT A GROUP OF ADAMANT LITHIA RESIDENTS THAT COULD DERAIL YEARS OF EFFORTS TO PERSUADE THE COUNTY TO APPROVE LITHIA-PINECREST ROAD. I'M NOT GOING TO GO ON ABOUT THE ARTICLE BECAUSE I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WITH REGARD TO THE LITHIA-PINECREST PD&E STUDY, AND YOU KNOW, IT -- ALL THIS ISSUE STARTED BECAUSE WE WERE TOLD ONE THING AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING ELSE ROLLS OUT, AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT A PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT OUR COUNTY BOUGHT BACK ON SEPTEMBER 17th, 2008. THIS WAS AN ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. IT SAYS, THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THIS TRANSACTION IS $975,000 THAT CAN BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THE PROJECT'S BUDGET. THAT'S QUITE INTERESTING TO ME SINCE WHEN WE STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT, WE RECEIVED A RESPONSE VERY KINDLY FROM COMMISSIONER HAGAN THAT SAYS, THE COUNTY HAS NOT COMMITTED ANY FUNDING BEYOND THE PD&E STUDY TO THE WIDENING OF LITHIA-PINECREST SOUTH OF ADELAIDE AVENUE, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY ONE AND ONE-HALF MILES. THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAS ALWAYS AUTHORIZED AND FUNDED THE DESIGN OF THE SEGMENT FROM STATE ROUTE 60 TO BLOOMINGDALE. WELL, IF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ONLY AUTHORIZED FOR DESIGN, WE'VE GOT A RIGHT-OF-WAY PURCHASE. WHEN ASKING WHERE THAT CAME FROM, WE FOUND OUT THAT IT ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE CRITICAL ACCIDENT MITIGATION FUND, WHICH IS NOT WHAT THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM SAYS IT CAME FROM. IT SAYS IT CAME FROM THE PROJECT'S BUDGET, BUT WE DIDN'T AUTHORIZE ANY MONEY PAST DESIGN, WHICH I THINK LAND ACQUISITION, RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION ACTUALLY COULD BE CONSIDERED PART OF THAT. THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY WAS TALKED ABOUT IN 2006 BEFORE WE EVEN HAD A CONTRACT FOR THE PD&E STUDY. THERE'S LOTS OF E-MAILS BACK AND FORTH ABOUT PREDETERMINATION, AND THE BOTTOM-LINE RESULT OF THIS IS THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS ALMOST MILLION-DOLLAR PURCHASE, AND THERE -- I DROVE PAST IT YESTERDAY. THERE'S STILL A BRIAN BLAIR SIGN ON THAT PROPERTY, AND I'M NOT SURE WHEN THAT WENT UP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU. CAN YOU ALSO STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. >> YES. I'M SORRY. PAM CLOUSTON, 1621 THOMPSON ROAD. I REPRESENT RLAND. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. KELLY CORNELIUS, DAVID BROWN, AND THEN ALAN SNEL. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. KELLY CORNELIUS. MY ADDRESS IS 18732 DORMAN ROAD IN LITHIA, STILL BYPASS FREE. I CAN SEE LITHIA-PINECREST FROM MY HOUSE. I'M HERE REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM A-56 AS WELL WHICH WAS CONVENIENTLY DELETED. I TOO READ THE PAPER THAT PAM WAS TALKING ABOUT WHERE COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM STATES TO THE BRANDON CHAMBER WARNING THEM THAT WE MIGHT DERAIL THE STUDY. THE MPO'S MAKING A DECISION BASED ON 41 E-MAILS AND CONSIDERING DROPPING THE STUDY. YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT FRONT. AND LATER HE SAYS, THIS GROUP OF RESIDENTS HAS EXPRESSED ENOUGH CONCERN TO DERAIL THE ENTIRE THING. SO IT'S DISTURBING THAT THERE'S PITTING OF ONE PART OF THE DISTRICT AGAINST THE OTHER. I MEAN, I THINK WHAT'S IN ORDER IS AT LEAST FAKING A LITTLE OBJECTIVITY ON SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING HAVE TO ULTIMATELY MAKE A DECISION ON. THERE ARE VERY VALID CONCERNS THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORTH REGARDING THIS STUDY, AND -- AND YOUR DECISION ON THAT AFFECTS NOT JUST US IN THE RURAL AREA -- AND NOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO IT, IT GOES WAY BEYOND THAT. IT GOES INTO THE MISUSE OF TAX DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, SPENDING A MILLION -- ALMOST A MILLION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. IT SEEMS TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO HIDE SINS, THAT CONSENT AGENDA. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S WHERE BUDDY JOHNSON'S 2.3 MILLION FIRST STARTED OUT TOO. BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY TODAY ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED, AND IN ISN'T SOMEONE THAT LIVES IN THE RURAL AREA. THIS IS SOMEONE THAT LIVES IN SECTION "B," MR. ROONEY. HE'S 88 YEARS OLD. HE FOUGHT FOR YOU, HE FOUGHT FOR ME TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOM. HE HAS A SILVER STAR, HE HAS A PURPLE HEART. HE'S LIVED THERE FOR 30 YEARS. HE BUILT HIS DREAM HOME THERE, AND HE HAS LIVED OFF OF LITHIA-PINECREST FOR 30 YEARS, SO IF YOU DON'T LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE THING BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION ON THIS, MR. ROONEY COULD LOSE HIS HOME. IT'S YOUR DUTY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO NOW FIGHT FOR MR. ROONEY AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE IN EVERYTHING INTO CONSIDERATION. HIS HOUSE IS UNDER A BIG "R." THAT STANDS FOR RELOCATION WHEN YOU PULL UP THE STUDY'S WEB SITE, SO I URGE YOU TODAY TO TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. THIS ISN'T ABOUT JUST PROTECTING OUR RURAL AREA, THIS GOES WELL BEYOND THAT NOW. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. CORNELIUS. NEXT THREE SPEAKERS, DAVID BROWN, ALAN SNEL, AND CARRIE GRIMAIL. WELCOME, MR. BROWN. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DAVID BROWN. I'M FROM SUN CITY CENTER. AND IN A FEW MINUTES WRS WILL PRESENT THEIR AGENDA A-52 REPORT WHICH WILL REJECT THE IDEA OF USING USF STUDENTS TO CONDUCT A WATER SYSTEM CENSUS. AS UNACCUSTOMED AS I AM TO PRAISING THE ETHICS AND ACTIONS OF THE PEOPLE AT WRS, TODAY I AM DOING AN ABOUT FACE AND PRAISING THEM FOR REJECTING THE CENSUS PROJECT. THE CENSUS WOULD HAVE COST WELL OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS. IT HAD NO ACTUAL USE EXCEPT TO MAKE A DIRECTORY OF VICTIMS FOR A KICKBACK SCHEME, AND HAVING KIDS TRESPASSING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY WOULD HAVE CREATED ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS AND SUBJECTED YOU TO ALL KINDS OF LIABILITY. WISELY, WRS HAS REJECTED THE IDEA OF A CENSUS. ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE A-52 DOCUMENT, WRS WANTS TO MAKE AUTOMATIC METER READING WATER METERS, AMRs, THE MAJOR PLAYERS IN THEIR BACKFLOW PREVENTION PROGRAM. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS CONCEPT BECAUSE IT WILL GET RID OF RPZs IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS. UNFORTUNATELY THE A-52 DOCUMENT ALSO PROPOSES THE DELAY OF AMRs IN THE TRISTAR PROGRAM FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF FUNDING. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LISTEN TO THEIR PLEAS FOR FUNDING OR JUST LOAN THEM THE MONEY. AMRs ARE A TERRIFIC INVENTION. THEY RANK RIGHT UP THERE WITH SLICED BREAD, AND AMRs ARE A TERRIFIC INVESTMENT. THEY WILL REDUCE THE BUDGET BY OVER $2.5 MILLION EVERY YEAR FOREVER. A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED. I ALSO INFERRED FROM A-52 THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE RESIDENTIAL RPZs INSTALLED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THAT ONCE THE FLORIDA DEP FINISHES ITS RULE CHANGES AND THE COUNTY'S RPZ ORDINANCE BECOMES THE COUNTY'S AMR ORDINANCE AND THE TRISTAR PROGRAM COMMENCES, THEN EVERYBODY INVOLVED CAN CLOSE THE BOOK ON RESIDENTIAL RPZ VALVES. WHEN A-52 COMES UP IN A FEW MINUTES, I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD GET A CONFIRMATION THAT RPZ VALVES ARE OUT THE DOOR SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS TO RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ETHICS AND ACTIONS OF WRS. AND WHEN YOU GET THEIR PRESENTATION IN A FEW MINUTES, ACT PLEASED. PRAISE THEIR DECISION NOT TO DO THE CENSUS, AND PLEASE SUPPORT THEIR FUNDING REQUEST FOR AMRs SO THAT WE CAN DO AWAY WITH RPZs FOREVER, AND HOPEFULLY FOR THE LAST TIME, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. BROWN. >> THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: ALAN SNEL, CARRIE GRIMAIL, AND BILL COOK. GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING, FOLKS. MY NAME IS ALAN SNEL. I LIVE AT 1203 EAST POWHATAN AVENUE, TAMPA. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF SWFBUD, SOUTHWEST FLORIDA BICYCLE UNITED DEALERS. WE REPRESENT BICYCLIST' INTERESTS. WE PROMOTE BICYCLING AS A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND AS AN EFFECTIVE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. LAST YEAR I ACTUALLY APPEARED BEFORE YOU FOLKS SEVERAL TIMES TO URGE YOU TO SIMPLY FUND SOMETHING THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS SAID YOU WOULD DO FOR YEARS, AND THAT IS CONNECT THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL WITH THE SUNCOAST TRAIL. IT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE NUMBER ONE REGIONAL BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IN THE COUNTY, AND AFTER YOU FOLKS FAILED TO FUND THE PROJECT THIS GO-AROUND, SEVERAL PEOPLE CONTACTED ME TO INFORM ME OF SOMETHING THAT I REALLY NEED TO REMIND YOU, AND THAT IS WHEN THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX WAS ADOPTED AND WHEN THE SALES TAX TO BUILD THE BUCCANEERS FOOTBALL STADIUM WAS ADOPTED, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT WAS CITED AS A SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT WOULD BE BUILT, SO WHEN I COME HERE ON BEHALF OF BICYCLISTS AND THE BIKE STORES, I'M NOT REALLY ASKING FOR ANYTHING ABOVE WHAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS NOT ALREADY COMMITTED AND PROMISED TO DO. IN FACT, IT WAS USED TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO APPROVE THE SALES TAX TO BUILD THE FOOTBALL STADIUM, AND THIS PROJECT STILL HAS NOT BEEN BUILT. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE JUST ONE STEP BACK AND JUST GIVE YOU THE BIG PICTURE, AND THAT IS I'VE LIVED AROUND THE COUNTRY, I'VE BICYCLED LITERALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY SEVERAL TIMES, I'VE SEEN ROADS, I'VE SEEN TRAILS. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WOEFULLY IS BEHIND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IN THIS REGARD, AND SUPER BOWLS ARE WONDERFUL, THEY HAD A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT IN THE END IT'S ABOUT THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES OF WHY WE LIVE HERE. I WENT TO AN MPO PLANNING SESSION, IT WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING. I SAT AROUND, AND BASED ON THE LACK OF BICYCLE FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTY, I JUST FELT THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE NO -- THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY THOUGHTS AROUND THE TABLE IN FAVOR OF BICYCLE FACILITIES, AND AS I LISTENED TO PEOPLE'S COMMENTS, THE FOLKS AT THESE PLANNING SESSIONS SAID THEY WANTED A SAFE PLACE TO WALK AND THEY WANTED A SAFE PLACE TO RIDE THEIR BICYCLES. I'M ASKING YOU FOLKS WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF CREATING KIND OF A HOLISTIC INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN TO CONTINUE ON THIS PROJECT, GET IT DONE, CONTINUE PUTTING BIKE LANES ON THE ROADS, AND CREATE A HOLISTIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT HAS BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. SNEL. >>MARK SHARPE: MR. CHAIRMAN. >>KEN HAGAN: YES, COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: MR. SNEL, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I'VE ASKED STAFF TO COME BACK AT A FUTURE DATE NOT YET DETERMINED WITH A COMPLETE REPORT ON OUR TRAILS AND BIKE PATHS, AND AS WELL I WOULD SUGGEST WITH THE REFERENDUM THAT POTENTIALLY WILL BE MOVING FORWARD IN 2010 YOU ENGAGE IN THE DISCUSSION ON THE WHOLE -- OUR MOBILITY PLAN BECAUSE INCLUDED IN THAT WE HOPE WILL BE FUNDING FOR CONNECTING OUR TRAILS AND BIKE PATHS AS WELL. AND I AGREE WITH YOU. WE'RE BEHIND WHERE WE SHOULD BE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, BUT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN DO. >> RIGHT. I MEAN, THIS PROJECT WAS PROMISED. >>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR. I UNDERSTAND. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. SNEL. CARRIE GRIMAIL, BILL COOK, AND LOUISE BRAVO. WELCOME. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CARRIE GRIMAIL, AND I'M WITH PEOPLE AGAINST CELL TOWERS AT SCHOOL. I LIVE AT 4423 WEST ESTRELLA STREET IN TAMPA. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US. WE KNOW YOU HELD PUBLIC MEETINGS ON LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT 08-0975. TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, WE, LIKE MOST AVERAGE CITIZENS, DO NOT READ THE LEGAL ADS OR NOTICES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON AMENDMENTS TO LAND DEVELOPMENT CODES AND MISSED YOUR DISCUSSIONS. WE'RE RAISING FAMILIES, RUNNING BUSINESSES, AND VOLUNTEERING IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND AT OUR SCHOOLS. WE COUNT ON YOU, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, TO PROTECT US AND OUR PROPERTY AND OUR BEST INTERESTS. WE COUNT ON YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL ZONING STAFF TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS IN ZONING CODE. IN FACT, YOUR PROFESSIONAL ZONING STAFF WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE ON ZONING MATTERS RECOMMENDED DENYING THE AMENDMENT. THAT PROFESSIONAL ZONING STAFF TOLD YOU THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, AND YET YOU UNANIMOUSLY PASSED IT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KEVIN BECKNER, WHO WAS NOT ON THE COMMISSION THEN. MAYBE YOU JUST DIDN'T REALIZE THE NET EFFECT OF YOUR DECISION. THE AVERAGE CITIZEN WAS NOT EXPECTING YOU, OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE WHICH WOULD RESULT IN EMPLOYEES OF A LANDOWNER BECOMING THE SOLE AUTHORITY ON LAND USE APPROPRIATENESS. WHEN DID OUR PRINCIPALS BECOME LAND USE ATTORNEYS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND PLANNERS? THIS IS EXACTLY THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE AUTHORITY THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO THEM. YOU'RE ASKING THE FOX IF THE HENHOUSE SHOULD HAVE A LOCK ON IT. ADDITIONALLY, NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT BEING NOTIFIED BY THE PRINCIPALS ABOUT THESE TOWERS, AND NOW THAT THEY ARE LEGALLY NOT REQUIRED TO DO SO, THEY WON'T. IN FACT, AS YOU'LL HEAR, MANY PRINCIPALS ARE ONLY NOTIFYING PARENTS AFTER THEY'VE MADE THE DECISION TO PUT THE TOWERS IN. THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH RELYING ON THE PRINCIPAL TO INFORM THE PARENTS AND NEIGHBORS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PARENTS ARE RELYING ON STACY FRANK, THE OWNER OF THE TOWER COMPANY, TO INFORM THE PARENTS ON THE TOWER'S SAFETY AND BENEFITS. WHAT SHE GIVES THEM IS NOT INFORMATION, IT IS A SALES PITCH, IT IS BIASED. IS A USED CAR SALESMAN GOING TO TELL YOU IT'S A LEMON? OF COURSE NOT. I AM SURE THAT YOUR STAFF AND THE SCHOOL BOARD'S STAFF WILL TELL YOU, AS THEY TOLD US, IT'S ALL PERFECTLY LEGAL. LEGAL DOESN'T EQUAL SAFE, IT DOESN'T EQUAL GOOD, AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T EQUAL RIGHT. WHETHER IT'S LEGAL HAS NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED, YET IT MAY BE AND MAYBE IT'S NOT. IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T SERVE THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT. WE ASK YOU TO RETHINK THIS DECISION AND REESTABLISH SOME SANITY TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MRS. GRIMAIL. I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND JUST REFER THIS OVER TO STAFF, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS THAT ARE GOING TO SPEAK ON THE SAME TOPIC, AND I'D JUST LIKE MS. GRIMAIL AS WELL AS THE OTHER SPEAKERS TO KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY ON THIS ITEM AND ASKED FOR HIM TO COME BACK WITH ANY POTENTIAL CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS AS WELL AS ANY LIMITATIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE ON WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO, SO IF WE CAN JUST REFER IT OVER AND HAVE IT COME BACK WITH THAT. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. I WAS GOING TO ASK MUCH THE SAME, AND AS YOU DO THAT, PLEASE HIGHLY NOTE THAT ONE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS A REQUIREMENT WAS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD REQUIRE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS PRIOR TO IT GOING UP. NOW, THE REQUIREMENT -- WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IN CONJUNCTION WITH MR. HAGAN'S REQUEST IS WHETHER OR NOT THAT SHOULD BE NOTICED. IT WAS MY ASSUMPTION THAT IT WAS, AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR SPEAKER SAID THAT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S JUST UP TO THE PRINCIPAL, AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A GUIDELINE THAT THEY HAD TO COMPLY WITH IN TERMS OF NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS. OBVIOUSLY NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS WITH NO WEIGH-IN ARE -- SERVE NO PURPOSE, SO IF YOU COULD CHECK THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANKS, MR. HAGAN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU. BILL COOK, LOUISE BRAVO, AND RAY ALZAMORA. WELCOME, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS BILL COOK. I RESIDE AT 4704 WEST NEPTUNE STREET IN TAMPA. I'M VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION. TIME WON'T PERMIT ME FULL DISCUSSION OF THE COMPLEX ISSUES SURROUNDING THE CELL TOWER ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. THOSE WHO'VE COME BEFORE ME IN PRIOR MEETINGS HAVE TOLD A WONDERFUL STORY OF HOW TOWERS ARE 100% SAFE AND ARE DESIRED AND ARE COMPLETELY A COMMON GOOD. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. THE OTHER PART OF THE STORY YOU DIDN'T HEAR WAS THAT THERE IS A GROWING BODY OF PROMINENT SCIENTIFIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS CONCERNED ABOUT RF RADIATION AND MOST ESPECIALLY ON CHILDREN. WHAT THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU IS THAT DR. GEORGE CARLO, WHO HEADED UP THE WIRELESS INDUSTRY'S FIVE-YEAR $28-MILLION STUDY ON THE SAFETY OF RF EMISSIONS, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, HAS COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT, IN FACT, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH ISSUES AND THAT THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE SHOULD AND MUST BE APPLIED. WHAT THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU IS THAT DR. RONALD HERBERMAN, WHO IS THE HEAD OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH'S CANCER CENTER, JUST THIS SUMMER ISSUED A CANCER ADVISORY ABOUT RF EMISSIONS AND TESTIFIED BEFORE THE U.S. CONGRESS JUST THIS PAST SEPTEMBER ON THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. WHAT THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU IS THAT THE FCC STANDARDS USED TO REGULATE RF EMISSIONS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE 1,000 TIMES TOO WEAK. THAT'S 1,000 TIMES TOO WEAK. AND IF YOU THINK OUR GOVERNMENT IS ALWAYS RIGHT ABOUT WHAT'S BEST FOR US, I'VE GOT SOME SUBPRIME MORTGAGES I WOULD LOVE TO SELL YOU. WHAT THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU IS THAT THE MONEY BEING GENERATED -- BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT MONEY -- FOR SCHOOLS IS .0082% OF THE SCHOOL BUDGET. THAT'S 75 CENTS A STUDENT. THAT'S ALL IT IS. IT IS A PALTRY SUM OF MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS AT A SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THESE SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN'S POTENTIAL HEALTH. AND FINALLY, WE ARE NOT ALONE. IT IS IRONIC THAT TODAY YOU WERE PRESENTING AN AWARD TO CAPTAIN OSBORNE FOR HIS SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. FIREFIGHTERS HAVE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT THEM. THE SINGLE LARGEST ONE IS THE INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION. THEY HAVE WEIGHED IN ON THIS ISSUE. THESE ARE BRAVE MEN WHO ARE THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO GO INTO BURNING BUILDINGS TO SAVE LIVES. THEY'RE NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING. IT TURNS OUT THEY ARE. THEY'RE AFRAID OF CELL TOWERS. THE INTERNATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION HAS PASSED A RESOLUTION BANNING CELL TOWERS ON ANY FIREHOUSE. THEY STATED JUST THIS PAST WEEK TO US IN A MEMO, OUR POSITION REMAINS THAT CELL TOWERS ARE DETRIMENTAL TO HUMAN HEALTH, PARTICULARLY WHEN EXPOSURE IS OF LONG DURATION. RESEARCH CONTINUES ON THIS TOPIC. NONE OF THE CURRENT DATA HAS CONVINCED US TO REMOVE THE MORATORIUM ON CELL TOWERS -- I'M ALMOST DONE -- ON FIRE STATIONS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. WE ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS DECISION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. COOK. LOUISE BRAVO, RAY ALZAMORA, AND CYNTHIA SHELLABARGER. GOOD MORNING, MS. BRAVO. >> HI. I'M GOING TO GO REALLY FAST. I'M SORRY. MY NAME IS LOUISE BRAVO, 2643 BROOKVILLE DRIVE. I VOTED MOST EVERY ELECTION SINCE I TURNED 18 IN 1983. I AM HERE PROTESTING THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT 08-0975 TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO TAKE EFFECT FEBRUARY 1st, 2009. THIS CONCERNS SU 08-1424, CIMINO CELL TOWER, AS WELL AS ALL SCHOOL TOWERS ON -- EXCUSE ME -- OR WCSSs, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SUPPORT STRUCTURES. I REPRESENT MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS BEHIND CIMINO, LOMA VISTA, HIDEAWAY, TELAVO, CULBREATH, BROOKVILLE, ALLWOOD, DONNEYMOOR. THERE'S MANY MORE, I JUST HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO GET TO THEM ALL. WE MUST HAVE CELL TOWERS, WE ALL AGREE, BUT PLACEMENT MUST BE RESPONSIBLY REGULATED. THE ONLY -- THE ONLY CONTROL WE HAVE AS CITIZENS OVER PLACEMENT IS COUNTY ORDINANCES. THROUGH ZONING AND PERMITTING IT IS VITAL YOU AS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RETAIN YOUR POWER BY HAVING PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE BOCC HAS IN PLACE A CHECK-AND-BALANCE SYSTEM. AMENDMENT 08-0975 CIRCUMVENTS THAT SYSTEM TO BENEFIT ONE COMPANY AT THE MERCY OF ONE PRINCIPAL. THE COUNTY MUST HAVE OVERSIGHT AND DEVELOP A RESPONSIBLE CELL TOWER NETWORK SYSTEM AND NOT CELL TOWER CLUSTERING NOR CELL TOWER SPRAWL. IN A FOUR-MILE RADIUS OF CIMINO THERE ARE 44 TOWERS AND ANTENNA. THE RESIDENTS 100 FEET FROM THE BASE OF THE TOWER HAD NO IDEA A 100-FOOT OR 160-FOOT CELL TOWER WAS BEING BUILT ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, AND THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO INPUT OR PRIOR NOTICE. WE WERE MISLED BY A SPECIAL USE SIGN PLACED ON A DEAD-END STREET TO A SCHOOL THEIR CHILDREN ARE NOT ZONED FOR. THEY LIVE MOMENTS AWAY -- THEY CAN'T GO TO THE SCHOOL -- ON ONE SIDE, AND ON THE OTHER SIDE IS A SIGN THAT THE COMMUNITY AVOIDS BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC TO THE SCHOOL, BUT IT WOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED BECAUSE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS DOESN'T HAVE TO NOTIFY ANYBODY. IT'S PERFECTLY LEGAL. NO SUCH HEARING EXISTED BECAUSE THE COMPANY AMENDED THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND LOWERED THE HEIGHT OF THE TOWER. BUT BECAUSE OF COLLOCATION, ONCE THE TOWER IS BUILT WITHOUT A PUBLIC HEARING, THEY CAN GO WITH A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION TO A ZONING HEARING MASTER AND RAISE THE TOWER TO 160 FEET, WHICH IS WHAT CIMINO TOWER IS CURRENTLY REGISTERED FOR AND WHAT I ALSO BELIEVE HAPPENED AT PRIDE. IT'S 160 FEET, AND I DON'T THINK THEY EVER HAD A PUBLIC HEARING. THEREBY BUILDING A 160-FOOT TOWER ON SCHOOL PROPERTY WITH NO PUBLIC HEARING. THIS IS NOT A GAME, IT'S NOT A FUNDRAISER, THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. OUR SCHOOL IS OUR INVITED GUEST. WE DID NOT PROTEST THE ZONING CHANGE IN 2001 TO BUILD THE SCHOOL, BUT BOY, WE ALL WISH WE DID. PLEASE AMEND THE AMENDMENT 08-0975 AND GO ONE STEP FURTHER AND TIGHTEN COUNTY ORDINANCES TO REQUIRE ALL CELL TOWERS TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDLESS OF HEIGHT, NOTIFY ALL SURROUNDING RESIDENTS, AND REQUIRE GREATER SETBACKS WHEN PROPERTIES ABUT A PROPOSED CELL TOWER. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO THIS. PLEASE DO THIS. I CAN HELP YOU. I WILL PARTICIPATE IN ANY AND ALL HEARINGS YOU HAVE FROM HERE ON IN. I WILL BE LOBBYING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN HILLSBOROUGH AND TALLAHASSEE TO INTRODUCE STATE BILLS, HOUSE BILLS TO PROTECT RESIDENTIAL AREAS FROM CELL TOWER CLUSTERING AND TO BUILD A RESPONSIBLE CELL TOWER NETWORK SYSTEM SO NO ONE CAN CIRCUMVENT SPECIAL LAND USE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND PLACE INDUSTRIAL -- >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. BRAVO. >> THANKS. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT THREE SPEAKERS, RAY ALZAMORA, CYNTHIA SHELLABARGER, AND LISA WILLIAMS. GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> GREETINGS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS RAY ALZAMORA. I URGE YOU TO IMMEDIATELY PUT A STOP TO CELL TOWER APPLICATION PRAPPLICATIONS, THE NEW AMENDMENTS ALONG WITH PREVIOUS ZONING REQUIREMENTS, TO ALSO PUT IN PLACE GUIDELINES THAT PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA AND REQUIRE THE NEED TO HAVE PUBLIC NOTICE AND HEARINGS FOR EVERY CELL TOWER. IN PARTICULAR NEED OF EXAMINATION ARE SETBACKS AND THE AUTO APPROVED CLAUSE OF AMENDMENT 08-0975, SECTION 6.11.29, ITEM "D," NUMBER 3. IN AN E-MAIL FROM A COMMISSIONER'S AIDE, QUOTE, WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THE INTENT OF THE BOCC WHEN THE LDC WAS AMENDED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE DESIRE WAS TO REDUCE POLITICIZING OF THESE APPLICATIONS AND PUT THE MATTER INTO THE HANDS OF THE PERSON WHO'S ARGUABLY THE CLOSEST TO BOTH THE IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY AND THE STUDENTS, THAT BEING THE PRINCIPAL, UNQUOTE. PRINCIPALS GENERALLY DO NOT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THEIR SCHOOL, THEY DO NOT KNOW THE MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS, AND MANY RESIDENTS DO NOT EVEN HAVE CHILDREN IN THEIR SCHOOLS. IN JANUARY, A MEETING WAS HELD AT CIMINO. THE TOPIC WAS THE PROPOSAL OF A CELL TOWER. INCLUDED IN THE DISCUSSION WERE THE FACTS THAT THE CELL TOWER WOULD NOW BE INSTALLED AT 100 FEET IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE NEED FOR A SPECIAL USE HEARING. THE PRINCIPAL WAS ASKED, HAS THE DECISION TO INSTALL A CELL TOWER ALREADY BEEN MADE? THE REPLY, NO. THERE WERE FEW IN ATTENDANCE. THE PRINCIPAL HAS NOT AGREED TO FURTHER GROUP MEETINGS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. WITHIN A DAY OR TWO, THE SIGN FOR A SPECIAL USE HEARING OF 2/17 CAME DOWN. A DOCUMENT PROVIDED TO ST. PETE TIMES STATES AS OF NOVEMBER 7th, 2008, CIMINO IS ONE OF 15 SCHOOLS THAT HAVE LEASED PROPERTY TO CELL PHONE CARRIERS. WHEN ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION, I WAS REFERRED TO FACILITIES. NO WORD YET. AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE TOLD THAT WCSS ZONING HAS CHANGED, AND IF THE SCHOOL DOES NOT INSTALL A TOWER, A NEIGHBOR LIKELY WILL. GET THE MONEY WHILE YOU CAN IS THE PREMISE. I HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT NOW ANYONE WITH A 20-BY-30 SPOT OPPOSITE THEIR PROPERTY IS NOW ELIGIBLE TO HAVE A CELL TOWER INSTALLED. EXHIBIT "A" TO AMENDMENT 08-0975, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT RECOGNIZES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AND IMPACT BETWEEN LOCATED A WCSS ON A LARGE TRACT OF LAND HOUSING AN INSTITUTIONAL USE AND A NEW WCSS LOCATED ON A SMALLER PARCEL IN A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. WE'RE NOT TALKING LARGE TRACTS OF UNDEVELOPED LAND OR EVEN COMMERCIAL AREAS. IN THIS CASE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SCHOOL THAT IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA CONSISTING OF SINGLE- FAMILY HOMES. PLEASE REVERSE THIS TREND AND TEMPTATION TO INSTALL CELL TOWERS IN RESIDENTIAL ZONES. IT'S CLEAR THAT ANY SINGLE PERSON CAN EASILY MAKE A DECISION THAT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND IN CASES LIKE THIS, THE COMMUNITY THEN HAS LITTLE OR NO RECOURSE. IT IS ALSO NOT FAIR TO PUT THIS KIND OF CONTROVERSIAL DECISION ON A PRINCIPAL. THIS IS A CIVIC ISSUE, IT IS NOT AN EDUCATIONAL ISSUE. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. ALZAMORA. NEXT THREE SPEAKERS, CYNTHIA SHELLABARGER, LISA WILLIAMS, AND MIKE ROTHENBERG. WELCOME. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CYNTHIA SHELLABARGER, AND I LIVE AT 4313 WEST WATROUS AVENUE IN TAMPA. AND I'M A FORMER HEALTH EDUCATION TEACHER IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR 19 YEARS, AND NOW I'M A STAY-AT-HOME MOM WHO BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE PROTEST AGAINST THE CELL PHONE TOWER AT COLEMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND SINCE THAT TIME I'VE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL REGARDING AMENDMENT 08-0975 TO LDC 6.11.29. THE ABOVE REFERENCED AMENDMENT TO THIS SPECIFIED SECTION OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE EFFECT FEBRUARY 1st, 2009. THIS AMENDMENT GRANTS UNPRECEDENTED POWERS TO A PRINCIPAL OF BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO ALLOW CELL PHONE TOWERS TO BE PLACED INDISCRIMINATELY AND WITHOUT SAFEGUARDS ALLOWED AND REQUIRED BY THE COUNTY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. I'M ADVISED STAFF HAD ORIGINALLY RECOMMENDED DENIAL FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: NUMBER ONE, THE AMENDMENT CREATED SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS NOT AFFORDED TO OTHER ENTITIES, INCLUDING THE COUNTY ITSELF. TWO, THE AMENDMENT BYPASSES CITIZENS' INPUT INTO THE PERMITTING PROCESS. THREE, THE AMENDMENT CREATES COMPATIBILITY ISSUES, PRIMARILY BY ALLOWING THE TOWERS IN TRADITIONALLY PROHIBITED AREAS SUCH AS RESIDENTIAL. FOUR, THE AMENDMENT DOES NOT PROTECT THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WERE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS PRIOR TO ITS PASSAGE. THERE WERE -- THERE WAS NO OPPOSITION, AND THE VOTE WAS UNANIMOUS, EVEN OVER THE STRONGLY WORDED ADVICE OF STAFF TO DENY THE REQUEST. THIS AMENDMENT WAS SPONSORED BY THE SINGLE COMMERCIAL ENTITY WHO HAS ENTERED INTO A MONOPOLISTIC AGREEMENT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE AMENDMENT OVERWHELMINGLY BENEFITS THAT ONE PERSON AT THE EXPENSE OF MANY OTHERS IN THAT IT HAS THE EFFECT OF REMOVING FROM NEIGHBORHOODS ANY VOICE IN THE PLACEMENT OF TOWERS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS. PERSONALLY I WOULD APPRECIATE IF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WOULD REVISIT THIS AMENDMENT, FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF THEIR STAFF, AND NOT SILENCE THE PUBLIC VOICES THEY ARE ELECTED TO HEAR. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, M SHELLABARGER, AND AS STATED EARLIER, WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO COME BACK WITH ANY AND ALL OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST ONE QUICK COMMENT, AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU COMING DOWN THIS MORNING AND TALKING ABOUT CELL TOWERS. LET ME JUST SAY ONE THING. THERE WAS CERTAIN CRITERIA AND WE LOOKED AT IT, AND OBVIOUSLY WE VOTED BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAD. NOTHING TRUMPS THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN. THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF OUR SYSTEM. YOU DISAGREE WITH WHAT WE DID, WE TAKE THAT TO HEART, WE ASK FOR A REVISIT ON THE ISSUE, SO IT'S A GOOD PROCESS AND I THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF IT AND I CONTINUE TO WELCOME YOUR E-MAILS, AND WE'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO. YOU'VE ELECTED US, AND WE SOMETIMES WON'T VOTE IN THE WAY YOU WANT US TO VOTE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T RECONSIDER IT AND LOOK AT IT IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT, SO THAT'S WHAT I CAN OFFER YOU TODAY, AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR FRUSTRATION AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE DOWN HERE TELLING US WHAT YOU THINK WE SHOULD KNOW AND WHAT YOU WANT US TO KNOW, SO THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. NEXT THREE SPEAKERS, LISA WILLIAMS, MIKE ROTHENBERG, AND LISA LEDBETTER. WELCOME. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LISA WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT 4718 WEST ESTRELLA STREET IN TAMPA. I'M A TAXPAYER AND A VOTER. I HAVE THREE LITTLE BOYS. THEY ARE SO CUTE, AND THEY'RE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. TWO OF THEM ARE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE THIRD WILL BE NEXT YEAR, PRE-K4. I'M INVOLVED WITH THE SAME GROUP, PARENTS AGAINST CELL TOWERS, WHICH WE CALL PACT. MOST OF OUR GROUP WORKS. IN FACT, 90% OF OUR GROUP WORKS. I WORK. SEVERAL -- ONLY A FEW OF OUR MEMBERS ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO BE HERE. THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY PTA MEETING CONCERNING THIS AT PRIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WAS I GUESS PUT ON THE LAST MINUTE, AND SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS ARE THERE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. BUT I'M NOT ONLY HERE REPRESENTING MY LITTLE BOYS AND MY CHILDREN, I'M REPRESENTING ALL THE CHILDREN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND I'M ALSO HERE REPRESENTING OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO SIGNED THIS PETITION AGAINST CELL PHONE TOWERS, SO MOST OF US, LIKE I SAY, ARE AT WORK. IN FACT, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE IN MUNICH, GERMANY, RIGHT NOW. I'M A FLIGHT ATTENDANT, AND A MUNICH TRIP IS WORTH ABOUT $700, AND FORTUNATELY MY HUSBAND HAS A BUSINESS AND HE IS ABLE TO PAY MOST OF OUR BILLS, SO I'M ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT THIS IS COSTING ME $700 TODAY TO NOT MAKE MY MUNICH TRIP. MY POINT IS -- WITH THAT IS THAT NOT EVERYBODY'S ABLE TO BE HERE, BUT I AM BECAUSE I LOVE MY CHILDREN AND I LOVE -- FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE CHILDREN, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I LOVE MY CHILDREN. I'M SURE IF I MET YOUR CHILDREN, I WOULD PROBABLY GIVE THEM HUGS, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE'S HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE PAPER TODAY IN THE ST. PETE TIMES. IT'S ON PAGE 1-B. HAVE YOU GUYS HAD A CHANCE TO READ THIS? I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE AN ELMO OVER THERE. IT'S REALLY GOOD, AND IT'S TITLED, "PARENTS PROMISE TO PROTEST CELL PHONE TOWERS." WE -- OUR GROUP HAS -- IS COMPRISED OF DOCTORS, SCIENTISTS, LAWYERS, A COUPLE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, TEACHERS, LOTS OF ATTORNEYS, AND WE HAVE CONTACTS WITH THE MEDIA. I'VE ACTUALLY JUST INTERVIEWED WITH THE BBC OVER IN EUROPE ABOUT THIS, AND THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE BECAUSE I'M FORTUNATELY ABLE TO GO TO EUROPE A LOT. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE ONLY THING THAT THIS IS GOING TO BENEFIT WITH THIS ZONING IS STACY FRANK. IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP ANYBODY ELSE. THIS IS GOING TO HELP HER MAKE MORE MONEY. I KNOW I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME. I'M NOT SURE IF SHE EVEN HAS CHILDREN, I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT HERE TO BASH HER. SHE IS CONSIDERED OUR ENEMY RIGHT NOW IN THIS FIGHT, BUT I'M JUST HERE, AND I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND MY GROUP ISN'T GOING ANYWHERE, AND WE HAVE THE FUNDS AND THE TIME TO DO THIS, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS. MIKE ROTHENBERG, LISA LEDBETTER, AND GEORGE NIEMANN. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MIKE ROTHENBERG. I'M AT 1512 SOUTH TRASK STREET, AND I'M NOT VERY [INCOMPREHENSIBLE]. [LAUGHTER] WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CELL TOWERS IN THE SCHOOLS. WHILE WE WERE WATCHING THE SUPER POLL THIS WEEKEND, THOSE CHANGES WENT INTO EFFECT. THE BARN DOORS OPENED. I'M SURE APPLICATIONS ARE UPSTAIRS ON THE 19th FLOOR AS WE SPEAK. WHAT WE WEREN'T DOING OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS WAS MONITORING THE LOBBYING EFFORTS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE CELL TOWER DEVELOPERS. AS SUCH, WE REALLY HAVE COME HERE TODAY FIGURATIVELY HAVING MISSED THE BUS. DURING THE AMENDMENT HEARINGS, YOU WERE TOLD THIS WOULD BE A WELCOME CHANGE TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE FOR SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. IN FACT, IT APPEARS THESE STANDARDS WERE ACTUALLY LOWERED, AND I'VE GOT A BRIEF MATRIX HERE IF THE ELMO IS AVAILABLE. >>KEN HAGAN: YES, SIR. >> PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE USE ADD LITTLE BIGGER PRINT. YOU'LL NOTE THERE ARE SEVERAL SPECIFIC CHANGES. ANY OTHER LANDOWNER IN THE COUNTY NEEDS A SPECIAL USE HEARING TO SITE A CELL TOWER IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. NOT SO IN SCHOOLS. NOW, PRINCIPALS SHOULD AND DO ENJOY THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF RESPECTS FOR THE POSITIONS THEY HOLD, BUT THEY'RE NOT LAND USE PLANNERS, LAND USE LAWYERS, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY NOT ELECTED OFFICIALS. THEY ARE, HOWEVER, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE LANDOWNER, AND USUALLY ASSIGNED TO A SCHOOL FOR ONLY A TWO- TO FOUR-YEAR PERIOD OF TIME. THEY MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THE SENTIMENT OF THE PARENTS. IN FACT, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT THAT THEY DO, AND THE PRIDE AND CIMINO PARENTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY COULD TELL YOU PERHAPS THEY DON'T, BUT DOES BEING A PRINCIPAL MEAN THAT THEY CAN GAUGE THE SENTIMENT OF THE PARENTS? WHAT ABOUT ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE NO CHILDREN ATTENDING THAT SCHOOL? AS STEVE OTTO WROTE, IT ISN'T FAIR TO HANG THIS RESPONSIBILITY ON A PRINCIPAL EITHER BY THIS BOARD OR BY THE SCHOOL BOARD. YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE UP THERE THE SETBACKS ARE REDUCED BY A THIRD FOR ANY TOWERS UNDER A HUNDRED FEET. I THINK MOST TOWERS ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE BETWEEN A HUNDRED AND 200 FEET, BUT THE COLEMAN CELL TOWER WAS ACTUALLY DESIGNED TO BE A HUNDRED FEET. THAT ONE-FOOT DIFFERENTIAL COULD MAKE AN AWFUL LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE SETBACK REQUIREMENTS. IMPORTANTLY -- NOW, FOR TOWERS OVER A HUNDRED FEET THEY ARE EXTENDED TO AN ADDITIONAL 250. UNFORTUNATELY, CAMOUFLAGE REQUIREMENTS ARE NO LONGER MET IF A FEW SIMPLE CONDITIONS EXIST. BUFFERING AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS ARE ELIMINATED BY A SIMPLE CHAIN-LINK FENCE SURROUNDING THE EQUIPMENT. TOWERS ARE ALSO ALLOWED IN PD ZONING DISTRICTS WITHOUT BENEFIT OF A LAND USE HEARING. WE DON'T BELIEVE CELL TOWERS BELONG ON SCHOOL SITES IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. CELL TOWERS BELONG IN COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL USE DISTRICTS, BUT AT LEAST ALLOW THE PUBLIC SOME INPUT, THE LIKES OF WHICH YOU'VE SEEN TODAY, AND YOUR COMMENTS ARE CERTAINLY APPRECIATED. WE'VE BEEN TOLD IT TAKES A YEAR TO REQUEST A CHANGE TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. BY THEN YOU'LL SEE MANY OF THESE TOWERS RISING AND MANY MORE CONCERNED AND FRUSTRATED CITIZENS BEFORE YOU. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. ROTHENBERG. LISA LEDBETTER, AND THE LAST SPEAKER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TIME FOR THIS MORNING IS GEORGE NIEMANN. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? YOU-ALL LOOK SO HAPPY TO BE LISTENING TO YET ANOTHER PERSON ABOUT CELL PHONE TOWERS. I'M NOT GOING TO BE AS ELOQUENT OF A SPEAKER AS SOME OF THE ONES BEFORE ME BECAUSE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE FOUND MYSELF POISED IN THE GLORIOUS POSITION OF SPEAKING AT A COUNTY MEETING TOTALLY UNPREPARED, SO I'M GOING TO WING IT WITH MY HASTILY JOTTED DOWN NOTES. I AM HERE TO REPRESENT YET ANOTHER SCHOOL, BUCKHORN ELEMENTARY, OR THE STUDENTS OF BUCKHORN ELEMENTARY. MOST PARENTS TO THIS DAY DO NOT KNOW THAT A CELL PHONE TOWER WILL BE ERECTED AT THE HORIZON CHRISTIAN CHURCH 50 FEET FROM OUR CAMPUS. THE SPECIAL ZONING APPLICATION WAS FILED OCTOBER THE 23rd. BY LAW AND ORDINANCE ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN A MERE 300 FEET ARE TO BE NOTIFIED, BUT THE OWNER OF 2420 BUCKHORN SCHOOL COURT IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, AND THEY DID NOT SEE A NECESSITY TO INFORM ANY PARENTS. AND I HAVE BEEN CALLING THIS SCHOOL BOARD AND COUNTY COMMISSIONER OFFICES, AND I HAVE BEEN BOUNCED BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT WOULD BE TO NOTIFY THE PARENTS. WE ARE A POPULATION THAT HAS FALLEN BETWEEN THE CRACKS. THERE IS NO ORDINANCE OR LAW THAT PROTECTS OUR RIGHTS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR BACKYARDS, AND I FEEL IT'S AN INJUSTICE TO THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS. WITHOUT NOTICE OR RIGHTS TO CHOOSE AND VOICE OUR OPINIONS OR CONCERNS, WE FEEL THAT THOSE HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY. I URGE YOU TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN AND PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS. THE FCC TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW OF 1996 DOES PROHIBIT LEGISLATION TO OPPOSE ERECTING A CELL PHONE TOWER BASED ON POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS; HOWEVER, THERE COULD BE SAFEGUARDS, CERTAINLY FOR OUR SCHOOLS, OUR PRESCHOOLS, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. DID YOU REALIZE THAT 133,200 CELL PHONE TOWERS ARE REGISTERED WITH THE FCC? HOWEVER, ANY COMPANY CAN ERECT ANOTHER CELL PHONE TOWER AND NOT REGISTER IT, AND WITHOUT THAT REGISTER, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THE CELL PHONE TOWER COMPANIES ARE GOING TO MEET THE FCC REGULATIONS? AND DO YOU REALIZE ALSO THAT EVERY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL IS NOW RED FLAGGED FOR A CELL PHONE TOWER? THAT'S A LOT OF CELL PHONE TOWERS. AND I WAS AT THE CIMINO MEETING, AND YES, IT IS TRUE THAT IF YOU REDUCE YOUR CELL PHONE TOWER HEIGHT TO 150 FEET YOU BYPASS THAT SPECIAL ZONING, AND THEREFORE, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO NOTIFY ANY NEIGHBORS, AND I TAKE PERSONAL OFFENSE TO THAT BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED IN MY BACKYARD. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: WELL STATED, MS. LEDBETTER, DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF WINGING IT, AS YOU SAID. [LAUGHTER] COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, LET ME INTERRUPT YOUR AGENDA ONE MORE TIME. SIR, WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING I WAS LISTENING, I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING TO MS. LEE ABOUT THINGS YOU WERE BRINGING UP, SO DON'T THINK I WAS DISCOUNTING WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. I APPRECIATE IT. AND I THINK YOU SAID IT'LL TAKE A YEAR TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS ASKING MS. LEE. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE GOOD -- OUR CHAIRMAN HAS ALREADY ASKED THAT WE REVISIT THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR YOU GUYS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS WILL BE SO THAT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE WHEN IT'LL COME BACK, AND IF SHE COULD GIVE US A VERY QUICK RUN-THROUGH ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BASED ON THE CHAIRMAN'S RECOMMENDATION. >>RENEE LEE: COMMISSIONER, BASED ON THE CHAIRMAN'S DIRECTION, IT WILL COME BACK BEFORE THE BOARD AS AN AGENDAED ITEM OR REPORT SO THAT THE BOARD CAN HAVE DISCUSSION AND DIRECT STAFF WHAT IT WANTS TO DO ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT. IF THERE IS A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REVIEWED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND SUBJECT TO TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, SO IT -- THE PROCESS WILL TAKE A WHILE. IT SHOULD BE LESS THAN A YEAR, THOUGH, I SUSPECT. >>KEN HAGAN: BUT WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO A LENGTHY DISCUSSION THIS MORNING, BUT AS FAR AS WHAT OPTIONS, IF ANY, WHAT LIMITATIONS, IF ANY, WE HAVE, AND SO FORTH. >>RENEE LEE: WE WILL BRING THAT BACK NEXT WEEK OR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, COMMISSIONER. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: I'D BRING IT BACK AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. ONE OF THE THINGS OUR BOARD COULD DO AS A LETTER TO THE CHAIR OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS ASK FOR A STAY. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >>RENEE LEE: IF YOU'D LIKE, WE'D PREPARE THAT FOR THE CHAIR'S SIGNATURE. >>KEN HAGAN: PLEASE. >>RENEE LEE: YES. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. THE LAST SPEAKER THIS MORNING IS GEORGE NIEMANN, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ALSO SIGNED UP. PER THE POLICY OF THE BOARD, I'M HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THE CONCLUSION OF OUR MEETING THIS AFTERNOON. MR. NIEMANN. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I HAVE MY BACK TO THIS GROUP, SO I THINK IT'S BETTER THAT I DISARM. OKAY. NOW I FEEL A LITTLE BIT SAFER. GEORGE NIEMANN, 4711 DOVER CLIFF COURT, DOVER, FLORIDA. THE SUBJECT I WOULD HIKE TO COMMENT ON TODAY IS -- ACTUALLY AT THE -- WE'RE ALL VERY BUSY. THERE'S SO MANY THINGS GOING ON, AS USUAL, THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC AND THIS BOARD DOESN'T FORGET OR LOSE TRACK OF SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ACTUALLY UP IN TALLAHASSEE. THERE IS A MATTER, AND IT INVOLVES DUE PROCESS, IT'S A LEGAL MATTER, AND IT'S BEING HANDLED UP IN TALLAHASSEE, AND I -- I JUST -- RIGHT NOW IT'S CONFIDENTIAL, SO THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC IS NOT ALLOWED TO GET ANY DETAILS, BUT THOSE DETAILS OF THIS MATTER WILL BE RELEASED FOLLOWING THE HEARING THAT WILL OCCUR ON FEBRUARY 26th, AND AT THAT TIME THE OUTCOME OF THE HEARING WILL BECOME PUBLIC. IT'S AN IMPORTANT MATTER BECAUSE IT INVOLVES -- IT INVOLVES ONE MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, ONE OF YOU SITTING UP HERE, IS INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR MATTER. THE OUTCOME OF IT REALLY WILL SPEAK A LOT TOWARD INTEGRITY AND TRUST FROM THE PUBLIC, SO I JUST WANT -- I WILL REPORT BACK TO YOU WHEN THE MATTER BECOMES PUBLIC. IT'S SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 26th, AND THE TOPIC HANDLED BY THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION DEALS WITH VIOLATIONS OF FINANCE INVOLVING THIS LAST ELECTION THAT OCCURRED, SO ONE OF YOU IS -- HAS A HEARING SCHEDULED, AND WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE -- IT WILL BE ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THE 26th OF FEBRUARY -- I WILL REPORT BACK TO YOU, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME IS. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. NIEMANN. OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA THIS MORNING. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSENT? >>KEVIN WHITE: SO MOVED. >>JIM NORMAN: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WHITE, SECOND COMMISSIONER NORMAN. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>MARK SHARPE: AR WE RAISING OUR HAND? >>RECORDING SECRETARY: THE SYSTEM'S STILL NOT WORKING. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>KEN HAGAN: MS. BEAN. >>PAT BEAN: YES. YOUR FIRST ITEM THIS MORNING IS ITEM F-3, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR 10:15. THIS WAS A SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD CHAIRMAN, JAN PLATT, AND I'M NOT SURE IF SHE HAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF -- >>MARK SHARPE: SHE DOES. SHE DOES. >>PAT BEAN: IS SHE HERE? >>KEN HAGAN: COME ON DOWN, COMMISSIONER PLATT. >>PAT BEAN: GOOD. SO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL BOARD, CHRISTINE COMMERCE, IS ALSO HERE. >>KEN HAGAN: WELCOME. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. >> WELL, IT WAS NICE TO SEE YOU, AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU WITH WHAT WAS JUST DISCUSSED. COMMISSIONER NORMAN, I KNOW YOU REMEMBER THE TRANSMISSION LINES OUT IN NORTHWEST HILLSBOROUGH. IT WAS SORT OF REMINISCENT OF THAT, BUT ANYWAY, I'M HERE TO SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD, I SERVED AS THE BOARD'S REPRESENTATIVE ON KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL, AND SO THEN WHEN I'VE LEFT THE BOARD, ONE OF MY VOLUNTEER JOBS IS I HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO BE A BOARD MEMBER ON KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL, JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SUCH A WORTHWHILE ORGANIZATION, AND SO I'VE BEEN THE PRESIDENT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THIS YEAR WE WERE NAMED THE NUMBER ONE AFFILIATE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL, AND SO I'VE COME TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM OVER THE YEAR AND TO YOUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN SO HELPFUL IN BRINGING ABOUT THE FRUITION OF OUR PROGRAM, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO SORT OF START THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU CAN CREATE MORE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS BECAUSE YOU CONTRIBUTE -- WE'RE A 501(C)(3). YOU CONTRIBUTE TO US, AND THEN WE GET VOLUNTEERS TO DO A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO DO. WE HAD ABOUT 10,000 VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE BEEN CLEANING UP THE STREETS, CLEANING UP THE SHORELINES, COLLECTING RECYCLABLES. WE HAD I THINK OVER 100,000 POUNDS OF RECYCLABLE THINGS SO THAT -- IT'S SORT OF A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, A PRIVATE NONPROFIT, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. THEN WE GO OUT AND GET SPONSORS AND THEN SCOUT TROOPS, CHURCH GROUPS, SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO -- FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE, GRANDPARENTS ALL GET OUT AND HELP DO WHAT GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO DO IF -- IF THESE VOLUNTEERS WEREN'T DOING IT, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN THE KEY TO HELPING US DO THAT, AND SO AS WE RECEIVED THIS NUMBER ONE AFFILIATE IN THE UNITED STATES BY KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL, WE WANTED TO COME AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US OVER THE YEARS AND FOR YOUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT WHO HAS KEPT A CAREFUL EYE ON OUR EXPENDITURES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING THE PUBLIC'S MONEY IN A PROPER WAY, AND WE HAVE -- WE ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPONSORS TOO BECAUSE, AGAIN, AS A 501(C)(3), WE'RE ABLE TO GET CORPORATIONS TO ALSO HELP FUND THE PROGRAM, SO IT -- SPEND SOME TIME THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU CAN DO THIS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES BECAUSE AS TIME GOES ON, YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUSHED TO DO THIS KIND OF THING, AND YOU DID IT AT A TIME WHEN YOU WEREN'T PUSHED TO DO IT, SO I'VE JUST COME TO SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS, AND OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHRISTINE COMMERCE, AND RICHARD MIMS HERE HAS THIS WONDERFUL PLAQUE. NOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE THE PLAQUE TO YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OFFICE, AND SO IT'S GOING TO GO IN OUR PLACE, BUT WE WANTED TO SHOW IT TO YOU SO THAT AT LEAST WE COULD SHARE THAT WITH YOU. CHRISTINE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING, AND MAYBE RICHARD? >> SURE. IF YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER SEEN OUR OFFICE, IT'S VERY SMALL, SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE EVEN GOING TO PUT THAT AWARD. THERE'S THREE OF US CRAMMED INTO THIS LITTLE OFFICE, BUT I JUST WANT TO -- >> WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THAT. WE -- IF THE COUNTY HAS ANY EXTRA SPACE, WE WOULD BE GLAD TO ACCEPT IT BECAUSE -- >>MARK SHARPE: WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT. >> -- AS THE GOVERNMENT IS SHRINKING, I WOULD THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME EXTRA SPACE FOR A PRIVATE NONPROFIT. >> THANK YOU. IT'S ACTUALLY SMALLER THAN THIS LITTLE AREA WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE JAN PLATT'S SENTIMENTS AND THANK THE BOCC FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR ORGANIZATION. WE REALLY COULDN'T HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS WITHOUT YOU GUYS, AND I WAS UP IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IN DECEMBER TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD, AND IT WAS A GREAT PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO DO THAT, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU JUST SOME OF OUR STATS OVER THE PAST YEAR THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH OVER 8,000 VOLUNTEERS, 8,235 VOLUNTEERS, WE'VE CLEANED UP 614 MILES AND 442 ACRES, COLLECTING 180,393 POUNDS OF TRASH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR BEAUTIFICATION AND RECYCLING PROGRAMS. WE'VE PLANTED 235 TREES, 599 FLOWERS, AND 700 PLANTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. WE'VE ALSO DIVERTED 108,270 POUNDS OF RECYCLABLES THROUGH - - FROM THE COUNTY LANDFILL THROUGH OUR SCHOOL RECYCLING GRANT PROGRAM, AND IN ADDITION, WE'VE EDUCATED OVER 5300 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS THROUGH OUR ANTILITTER EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING YOUR MONEY'S WORTH, FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE RECEIVE FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WE RETURN $3.98 IN COMMUNITY BENEFITS, SO YOU'RE QUADRUPLING YOUR INVESTMENT IN OUR ORGANIZATION, SO I JUST WANT TO ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR ORGANIZATION, THANK COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM AND HIS TREMENDOUS STAFF FOR HIS PAST SERVICE ON OUR BOARD, AND WE WELCOME BACK COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE ON OUR BOARD, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ONCE AGAIN, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE VOLUNTEERISM AND THE SUPPORT TO GROW IN 2009 FOR KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL AS WE ALL WORK TOWARDS ONE COMMON GOAL OF CLEANING UP OUR ENVIRONMENT AND IMPROVING THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE LIVE. >> RICHARD MIMS. I REPRESENT THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, AND WE THANK KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL FOR CONTINUING TO DO A GREAT JOB FOR US. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: FORMER COMMISSIONER PLATT, THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A LEADER IN THIS, AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, FOR SERVING ON THAT BOARD AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD, AND COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM, I KNOW YOU SERVED A LOT OF THIS THROUGH YOUR TENURE, BUT EXTRA KUDOS TO COMMISSIONER PLATT. SHE NOT ONLY TAKES THE LEAD AS THE PRESIDENT OF THIS, BUT SHE LEADS HEAD START, SHE DOES JUST MULTIPLE THINGS. SHE'S OUT IN YBOR CITY, YOU KNOW, AND -- SELLING GOODS AND VEGETABLES, AND -- [LAUGHTER] DOES YOUR HUSBAND LIKE BEING CALLED FIRST DUDE, THOUGH? [LAUGHTER] BUT REALLY, THANK YOU. YOU'RE JUST ABSOLUTELY -- JUST LEAVING THIS BOARD AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ALL OF US IS TERRIFIC. I JUST ADMIRE YOU FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU DO, I REALLY DO. AND KEEP UP YOUR GREAT WORK. AT LEAST -- YOU KNOW, COMING IN HERE LIKE THIS LOBBYING, IT'S BENEATH YOU. [LAUGHTER] >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I'M HONORED TO BE BACK ON THE BOARD. I THANK COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM FOR LETTING ME COME BACK AND WORK WITH YOU-ALL. I KNOW I DID ONE OF THE WALKS WITH SOME OF MY KIDS SEVERAL YEARS BACK, AND WE REALLY SHOULD BE DOING MORE. I WOULD URGE -- IN FACT, WHEN IS THE NEXT KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL -- THERE'S A VOLUNTEER DAY ON SATURDAY, AND I'M SIGNED UP TO DO THIS, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GET THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS -- I KNOW BECKNER WILL COME OUT. WE'LL GET THE OTHERS TO COME OUT AND PICK UP SOME WASTE, AND WE'LL GET JIM AND OTHERS. >> WELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT -- APRIL 18th IS THE NEXT BIG GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP, BUT BETWEEN THEM WE HAVE SMALLER COMMUNITY CLEANUPS SCHEDULED. >>MARK SHARPE: APRIL 18th? >> YES. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. AND WHERE DO YOU-ALL NORMALLY MEET? >>JIM NORMAN: MY YARD. >> ALL OVER THE COUNTY WE CLEAN UP. [LAUGHTER] >>MARK SHARPE: WE'LL START AT JIM'S HOUSE AND WORK OUR -- >> WE BASICALLY HAVE 20 TO 40 LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, SO -- ALL OF OUR LOCATIONS ARE CHOSEN BY OUR VOLUNTEER SITE CAPTAINS, SO IF YOU'RE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM RIGHT NOW AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING YOUR COMMUNITY CLEANED UP, PLEASE CONTACT OUR ORGANIZATION. BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU, PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPLIES TO HELP CLEAN UP YOUR COMMUNITY. >>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER PLATT. >> GANDY BOAT RAMP. >>MARK SHARPE: YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM. THAT'S WHERE I THINK I WAS. >> COURTNEY CAMPBELL CAUSEWAY, ACTUALLY. YOU WERE THERE ALSO. >>MARK SHARPE: THE OTHER THING THAT I ABSOLUTELY -- FIRST OFF, COMMISSIONER NORMAN IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN JUST A VALUABLE PUBLIC SERVANT WHILE YOU WERE SERVING, AND YOU CONTINUE TO THIS DAY TO DO THE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GET A SPACE, AND I KNOW THAT OUR STAFF IS WORKING WITH THE REAL ESTATE STAFF TO FIND A LOCATION FOR YOU TO WORK BECAUSE WHAT -- WHAT COMMISSIONER PLATT SAID IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. WITH REVENUES DECLINING BUT THE NEED GROWING, THERE HAS TO BE A WAY FOR GOVERNMENT TO WORK WITH PRIVATE INTERESTS TO KEEP OUR COUNTY BEAUTIFUL, AND SO WE'LL WORK WITH YOU. WHEN YOU COME BACK NEXT YEAR, I HOPE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE'VE LOCATED A SPOT. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT ROOM FOR WHERE WE HOLD PENS AND -- I MEAN, WE'LL FIND A PLACE WITH A PHONE AND COMPUTER AND ALLOW YOU TO WORK WITH ALL THE OTHER AGENCIES. ARE YOU WORKING WITH THE CITY? WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY? MAYBE COMMISSIONER -- YES, MA'AM. >> WE HAVE TRIED TO GET THE CITY TO BE A PART OF OUR PROGRAM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS FALLEN ON DEAF EARS. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. THAT'S TWO THINGS WE'LL GET DONE. WE'LL WORK -- WE WILL WORK WITH THE CITY, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS, AND WE'LL GET YOU A SPOT. ALL RIGHT. YES, MA'AM. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. JAN, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME APOLOGIZE FOR MY COLLEAGUE HERE. HE COMES UP WITH COMMENTS SOMETIMES -- I THINK HE GOT UP TOO EARLY THIS MORNING OR TOO LATE, I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA, BUT I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO REPHRASE THIS. I MEAN, WE TAKE TURNS THANKING YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE WHILE IN OFFICE AND AFTERWARDS, AND I -- I KIND OF THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS APPROPRIATE OR NOT, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT ANYWAY. WHEN I WAS THINKING, CONTEMPLATING ABOUT RUNNING FOR DISTRICT 1, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WAS -- IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER IT, I CERTAINLY DO -- HAD BREAKFAST WITH YOU AT PATCHES, AND WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW RIGHT UP FIRST OFF, AND I SAID JAN, I'M NO FOOL, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT RUNNING FOR DISTRICT 1, I CAN MAYBE GO DO SOMETHING LIKE SELL GREETING CARDS BECAUSE I'M NOT RUNNING AGAINST YOU, AND YOU SAID, NO, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED, BUT I'M GOING TO ENJOY MY RETIREMENT, GRANDCHILDREN, FISHING, ET CETERA, AND I THINK YOU'RE DOING ABOUT JUST AS MUCH NOW AS WHEN YOU WERE IN OFFICE, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED TENURE IN TERMS OF HELPING THIS COMMUNITY. YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUAL. I WISH I COULD DESCRIBE IT BETTER, BUT JUST -- WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND I RESPECT YOU, AND I JUST CONTINUE TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU CONTINUE TO DO. >> WELL, THANK YOU, AND I JUST LOVE THIS COUNTY AND I LOVE THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR IT. >>JIM NORMAN: YOU MAKE ME PROUD THAT I NOMINATED THAT LIBRARY. [LAUGHTER] >> AND I WAS REALLY FIRM AGAINST THE COUNTY MAYOR, SO YOU'LL SEE ME ON THAT STUMP AGAIN. >>KEN HAGAN: THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK ON THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE WORKED ON BOTH SIDES, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND WE HAVE THE ULTIMATE RESPECT FOR YOU, SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PLATT. >> THANK YOU ALL. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. YOU-ALL HAVE A NICE DAY. >> THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: NEXT ITEM. >>PAT BEAN: YES. YOUR NEXT ITEM IS F-1, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR 10:30, AND THAT'S AN ITEM THAT IS TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM BILL ARMSTRONG -- HERE HE COMES TO THE MIKE RIGHT NOW -- REGARDING THE FREE SHOT CLINIC IN SULPHUR SPRINGS. >>KEN HAGAN: WELCOME, BILL. >>BILL ARMSTRONG: GOOD MORNING. BILL ARMSTRONG, DIRECTOR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES. I'D LIKE TO ASK SHERRY SILK, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY -- SHE'S GOING TO HAND OUT A FEW ITEMS TO THE COMMISSIONERS -- TO TALK ABOUT THE SHOT CLINIC THAT REALLY WAS SPEARHEADED BY SHERRY AND THE HUMANE SOCIETY, WHICH WAS HELD IN THE SULPHUR SPRINGS AREA -- ZIP CODE 33604 WAS TARGETED -- TO PROVIDE THESE FREE SHOTS, AND WE PROVIDED RABIES TAGS FROM ANIMAL SERVICES. IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT, AND I THINK IT'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW FORMER COMMISSIONER PLATT AND THE WONDERFUL THING THAT WE JUST HEARD ABOUT, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER, I THINK, EXCITING AND GREAT EXAMPLE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND NOT-FOR-PROFITS, IN THIS CASE THE HUMANE SOCIETY. WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIP, AND WE WE'RE ABLE TO PARTNER ON THIS AND HELP OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF PET OWNERS, THAT ARE NOW VACCINATED. THE PET OWNERS -- THE PETS ARE SAFER, AND THE COMMUNITY IS BETTER OFF FOR WHAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF SATURDAYS AGO. SO I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK IF SHERRY WOULD COME UP AND JUST MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT HOW THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. >>KEN HAGAN: WELCOME. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. BILL'S GOING TO SHOW US, I THINK, SOME PICTURES ON THE OVERHEAD AS WELL. AND I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER FERLITA FOR ONCE AGAIN SERVING ON OUR ADVISORY BOARD. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. >>ROSE FERLITA: MY PLEASURE. >> WHEN WE HAD OUR SHOT CLINIC ON JANUARY 10th AT SULPHUR SPRINGS PARK, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL. WE HAD NO IDEA JUST HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WOULD BE. WE HAD SCHEDULED IT TO BE AT 10:00. THERE WERE PEOPLE -- 36 PEOPLE WERE IN LINE BY 6:00 IN THE MORNING. PEOPLE WERE THAT EXCITED ABOUT GETTING FREE VACCINATIONS FOR THEIR DOGS, AND AS I HAD SAID TO YOU A MONTH OR OH AGO, WE DID IT FOR TWO REASONS. NUMBER ONE, WE WANT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. NOW ALL THOSE ANIMALS ARE VACCINATED FOR RABIES, AND WE WANT TO KEEP OUR ANIMALS HEALTHY. THOSE ANIMALS ALL RECEIVED A DISTEMPER SHOT, WHICH IS A REAL PROBLEM IN SHELTERS, AND PARVO VACCINATION. ALL IN ALL, WE VACCINATED 705 ANIMALS -- THE LINE WAS INCREDIBLE -- FOR RABIES AND DISTEMPER. THERE WERE 605 DOGS AND A HUNDRED CATS. I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT. I KNEW THERE WOULD BE SOME CATS, BUT I WAS SURPRISED BY THE NUMBER. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 441 HOUSEHOLDS PRESENT, AND 130 OF THOSE FAMILIES CAME DIRECTLY FROM THAT ZIP CODE. I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT 40% OF THE ANIMALS WERE STERILIZED, THAT WAS A GOOD THING, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK. 60% OF THOSE DOGS AND CATS WERE UNSTERILIZED. THERE WERE 364 LICENSES THAT WERE GIVEN OUT OR SOLD. WE GAVE OUT A TON OF INFORMATION ON SPAY/NEUTER AND ON OUR COUNTY VOUCHER SYSTEM AND LOTS AND LOTS OF FREE FOOD. WE HAD A PICKUP TRUCK BED LINED WITH FOOD, AND WE RAN OUT OF FOOD EARLY. NEXT TIME WE'LL HAVE A BIGGER TRUCK. WE HAD SEVEN VETERINARIANS FOR THOSE THAT WORK FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY. THAT'S ACTUALLY DR. SANTONZIO IN THAT SLIDE WHO ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED HER TIME, AND SHE WORKS AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, THEY WERE FANTASTIC, AND 40 VOLUNTEERS. SOME SURPRISES FOR ME PERSONALLY, THAT WHOLE FAMILIES SHOWED UP. WE HAD WOMEN WITH THEIR, YOU KNOW, BABY CARRIAGES AS WELL AS THEIR DOGS IN TOW. WE EXPECTED LOTS OF PIT BULLS AND SOME OF THE MACHO BREEDS, LOTS OF ROTTWEILERS, BUT BOY, THERE WERE LOTS OF CHIHUAHUAS AND LITTLE DOGS AND, AGAIN, LOTS OF CATS. ANOTHER SURPRISE TO ME IS HOW GREAT SHAPE MOST OF THESE DOGS WERE. ANIMAL SERVICES WAS ON HAND IF THERE WERE, LET'S SAY, PIT BULLS WITH SCARS, THINGS LIKE THAT. WE DIDN'T SEE THAT. THESE DOGS WERE IN GOOD SHAPE, MOST OF THEM OF GOOD WEIGHT. THERE WERE A FEW HEALTH ISSUES THAT WE COUNSELED PEOPLE ON THAT THEY NEED FOLLOW-UP VET CARE. AND AGAIN, THE OVERALL ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT AND THANKFULNESS OF THE PEOPLE, I MEAN, THEY THANKED US IN BEGINNING OF THE LINE AS WE WERE REGISTERING THEM, THEY WERE THANKING THE VETERINARIANS, THEY WERE SHAKING PEOPLE'S HANDS AS WE WERE GIVING AWAY FREE FOOD. PEOPLE REALLY, REALLY NEEDED THIS. OUR PHONE HAS BEEN RINGING OFF THE HOOK SINCE THE SHOT CLINIC. WE ARE COMMITTED TO DO ANOTHER ONE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 28th. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE CITY PERMITS YET, SO DON'T HOLD ME TO THAT. BUT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER FREE SHOT CLINIC BECAUSE THE NEED IS OVERWHELMING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I CAN'T THANK ANIMAL SERVICES ENOUGH TO PARTNER WITH US BECAUSE WE GAVE THE SHOTS OUT, BUT THEY WERE THERE TO GIVE OUT INFORMATION ON BEING A GOOD, RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER AND AGAIN GAVE OUT LICENSES SO IF THOSE DOGS OR CATS GET LOOSE, THEY CAN BE RETURNED TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, SO IT WAS A WIN-WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY AND CERTAINLY FOR THE ANIMALS, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. BILL, WERE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE? I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU. >>BILL ARMSTRONG: NO, I THINK IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, AND IT'S GREAT WHEN WE CAN GET MY OFFICERS OUT AND MY OTHER STAFF AND BE IN A PROACTIVE NONENFORCEMENT MODE MEETING WITH THE CITIZENS AND SHOW THAT WE CAN COOPERATE TO WORK IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE AND TAG AND STUFF, SO SUPER EVENT. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, INDULGE ME FOR A MINUTE. A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. SHERRY, IT WAS SO NICE TO HEAR SOME OF THE DETAILS AT OUR LAST MEETING. SEVERAL ARTICLES WERE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS, BUT ONE IN PARTICULAR I PULLED AND HIGHLIGHTED BECAUSE I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH HIM. MARTIN CLEAR -- MARTY CLEAR, WHO'S A TIMES CORRESPONDENT AND WAS A RESIDENT OF THAT AREA FOR ABOUT 37 YEARS, COINCIDENTALLY A PATIENT OF MINE AT ROSE DRUGS, SO HE CERTAINLY UNDERSTOOD THE CLIMATE IN 33604 -- MY DRUGSTORE WAS IN 33603, AND IT WAS MUCH THE SAME THING. NOT -- TO SAY IT POLITELY, NOT A VERY AFFLUENT AREA BUT REAL PEOPLE, REAL PEOPLE NONETHELESS, AND THAT'S WHY THEY WENT TO THIS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEIR ANIMALS GET TAKEN CARE OF. THEY CAN'T AFFORD THOSE SHOTS, THEY CAN'T AFFORD SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO FORTIFY YOUR PETS LIKE FOOD, ET CETERA, BUT THEY WERE THERE BECAUSE THEY DEEPLY CARED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THEIR PET. I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD POLITICAL STATEMENT, BUT NONETHELESS, IT NEEDS TO BE SAID. I KNOW THAT PERHAPS AT LEAST SOME OF THE VETERINARY COMMUNITY WAS IN CONFLICT WITH THIS, LET'S SAY, BUT I HOPE THAT THOSE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS UNDERSTAND THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WENT TO THIS WERE NOT PEOPLE OR PATIENTS OF THEIRS OR POTENTIAL PATIENTS OF THEIRS THAT WOULD HAVE GONE TO THEIR OFFICES TO GET THE SHOTS. THEY COULDN'T AFFORD IT, AND THAT'S WHY THEY CAME OUT SO LOUD AND CLEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE DOING. OTHERWISE THEIR PETS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. WE'VE SEEN THIS. WE'VE SEEN THIS AT ANIMAL SERVICES, WE'VE SEEN THIS AS THE HUMANE SOCIETY. PEOPLE WITH BROKEN HEARTS COME AND BRING THEIR DOGS AND CATS TO YOU BECAUSE THEY CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THEM. THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY. THAT'S WHY THEY WERE OUT THERE SO EARLY IN THE MORNING. THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THEIR PETS. IT HELPED THEM IN TERMS OF FEES THEY COULDN'T AFFORD, IT HELPS THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE DISEASES THAT PERHAPS ONE DOG WOULD SPREAD TO ANOTHER OR EVEN TO HUMANS IN SOME CASES WAS PREVENTED, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, ONE QUOTE FROM ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS INVOLVED HERE, AT TIMES LIKE THIS WE'RE APPRECIATIVE. WE'RE PLANNING TO RECIPROCATE, NOT BY DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT, BY VOLUNTEERING. MY GOD, THAT'S WONDERFUL. I THINK THIS WAS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE DEAL TO PUT OUT THERE, AND I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN. I JUST AM SO GRATEFUL THAT SO MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED. KEVIN, I KNOW YOU ATTENDED THE FUNCTION, I UNDERSTAND, BUT ANYWAY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE 3/28 POTENTIAL DATE, AND SHERRY, IF YOU'LL LET US KNOW MORE OF THE DETAILS AS THEY COME FORWARD, PERHAPS MAYBE WE CAN HELP PUBLICIZE IT MORE. >> GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU FOR THE PARTNERSHIP YOU HAVE WITH US, AND BILL, FOR THE PARTNERSHIP YOU HAVE WITH THE HUMANE SOCIETY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. BASICALLY THE SAME SENTIMENTS. I WON'T PROLONG THE HOUR, BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. WHEN I PULLED UP AND I SAW THE LINE WAS STRETCHED FROM -- ALL THE WAY FROM ONE SIDE OF THE SULPHUR SPRINGS POOL AREA TO THE OTHER AND HOW EVERYONE WAS SO ORDERLY AND PATIENT IN WAITING FOR THE SERVICES THAT YOU-ALL WERE PROVIDING, AND LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A MUCH-NEEDED SERVICE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD THE SERVICE, AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO ROWLETT PARK AND OUR NEXT EVENT IN SOUTH COUNTY, SO CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD JOB. >> THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT ITEM. >>PAT BEAN: MR. CHAIR, OUR NEXT ITEM IS AN ITEM SCHEDULED FOR 10:45, AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION AT THE REQUEST OF COMMISSIONER FERLITA BY THE FCC, AND I BELIEVE THE -- JERRY ULCEK IS COMING FORWARD TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. WE SUGGESTED THIS LAST TIME, AND YOU GUYS SUPPORTED IT, AND I APPRECIATE IT. THEN WE WENT BACK AND FORTH -- AND LORI, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THIS. THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION THAT PERHAPS THE -- THE DATE CHANGE FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL WAS GOING TO BE CHANGED AND MOVED INTO THE SUMMER, AND I GUESS THAT HAS NOT BEEN ACTED ON IN TERMS OF WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PREFERENCE WAS, SO I HAD ASKED THAT WE DELAY THIS. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR BEING HERE. WE ASKED THAT THIS BE DELAYED, AND THEN, OF COURSE, THAT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED, SO I MEAN IT MIGHT BE EARLIER THAN THE DEADLINE, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS, BUT IT'S STILL A PUBLIC SERVICE OFFERING TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, SO THANKS FOR FOLLOWING THAT AND BRINGING THAT BACK. SIR, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >>KEN HAGAN: WELCOME. >> >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERLITA, AND ALSO THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME AND GIVE THIS UPDATE AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DIGITAL TRANSITION. MY NAME IS JERRY ULCEK, AND I'M WITH THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION. I WORK OUT OF THE FCC'S TAMPA, FLORIDA, FIELD OFFICE, AND WE'RE GOING THROUGHOUT THE STATE, ACTUALLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, EDUCATING CONSUMERS ON THE UPCOMING TRANSITION, AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE A LITTLE UPDATE ON HOW THAT'S PROCEEDING. IN FEBRUARY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THIS MONTH, WE ARE PROPOSING TO HAVE THE CHANGEOVER OCCUR. NOW, WE LIKEN THIS TRANSITION TO WHEN THE BROADCASTERS WENT FROM BLACK AND WHITE TO COLOR. NOW, MIND YOU, WE'RE NOT GOING FROM BLACK AND WHITE TO COLOR, BUT AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE OLDER TVs THAT ARE BLACK AND WHITE, THEY STILL WORK, AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT YOUR CURRENT TVs ARE ALL STILL GOING TO WORK. I DON'T WANT ANYONE CONVINCING YOU OTHERWISE BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG SCAM, SO TO SPEAK, THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SAY YOU NEED A NEW TV, YOU NEED A NEW TV. NO, YOU DON'T NEED A NEW TV. THE REASON THIS PICTURE'S UP HERE IS IT SHOWS A TRANSITION FROM BLACK AND WHITE TO COLOR. THIS IS BASICALLY A TRANSITION FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL, AND THE VIEWERS WILL BE ABLE TO NOTICE QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCE WHEN THEY SEE THE TRANSITION. OOPS. THE DATE IS FEBRUARY 17th WHEN THIS IS GOING TO OCCUR; HOWEVER, THAT IS IN THE PROCESS OF POTENTIALLY BEING CHANGED TO JUNE 12th; HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT ALL THE VIEWERS, EVERYONE THAT IS UTILIZING TV, TO NOT THINK OF IT AS GETTING EXTENDED BECAUSE THAT'S STILL GOING TO BE GOING IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE TOMORROW, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, TO GET APPROVED ON WHETHER THAT TRANSITION DATE IS GOING TO BE CHANGED. THERE IS AN ADDENDUM IN THAT BILL SUCH THAT THE BROADCASTERS CAN, IN FACT, TRANSITION BEFORE THAT, SO EVEN THOUGH THE DATE MAY SAY JUNE 12th, IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR OPTION IF THEY WANT TO TRANSITION ON FEBRUARY 17th, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY PLANNED. SO WITH THAT SAID, THE DATE -- LET'S JUST CONCENTRATE ON FEBRUARY 17th. THAT'S WHAT COUNTS. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? THERE'S THREE MAIN REASONS. THE FIRST REASON IS THAT THE ANALOG SPECTRUM IS BEING USED FOR OTHER THINGS, THE FIRST AND FOREMOST BEING IT'S GOING TO BE USED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITIES. THE EXISTING PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITIES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, AND RESCUE HAVE ADEQUATE MEANS OF SPEAKING TO THEIR -- YOU KNOW, THEIR COHORTS WITH THEIR TWO-WAY RADIOS AND THEIR HANDHELD RADIOS; HOWEVER, WHEN YOU GET A MAJOR DISASTER SUCH AS A HURRICANE OR A TORNADO WHERE YOU MAY BE CALLING IN OTHER HEALTH AND SAFETY AGENCIES SUCH AS POLICE, FIRE, AND RESCUE FROM OTHER COUNTIES OR EVEN OTHER STATES, THEY MAY HAVE TROUBLE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM. THE BANDWIDTH THAT THE BROADCASTERS ARE GOING TO BE VACATING, SOME OF IT'S GOING TO BE TURNED OVER FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE NEW CHANNELS THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN TIMES OF INCLEMENT DISASTERS. SECOND REASON IS DIGITAL IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT. YOU GET A MUCH BETTER PICTURE QUALITY. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO AND BUY A HIGH DEFINITION TV, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE PICTURE QUALITY'S MUCH BETTER. SECONDLY, YOU DON'T NEED AN HDTV TO WATCH THIS NEW PROGRAMMING. YOU JUST NEED A CONVERTER BOX OR A TV WITH A DIGITAL CONVERTER IN IT. ONE THING YOU WILL NOTICE IS IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY WATCHING YOUR TV OVER THE AIR, IN OTHER WORDS YOU'RE WATCHING YOUR TV WITH AN ANTENNA OR -- FOR EXAMPLE, I BRING THIS LITTLE PROP -- A PAIR OF RABBIT EARS SUCH AS THIS, WHICH BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT USE THESE, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT YOU GET MORE CHANNELS THAN YOU HAVE IN THE PAST BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING MULTICASTING. IF YOU GO TO YOUR NORMAL -- ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU'RE WATCHING YOUR TV CHANNEL, CHANNEL 3, IF YOU'RE WATCHING WITH A DIGITAL TUNER, IT'S NO LONGER JUST 3 DOT -- CHANNEL 3, IT'S 3.1, BUT THERE'S ALSO 3.2, 3.3, 3.4. THERE'S FOUR NEW CHANNELS JUST FOR THE PBS STATION, THE LOCAL PBS STATION, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SWITCHING TO GETTING THE CONVERTER BOXES AND GETTING RID OF THEIR CABLE OR SATELLITE BECAUSE IT'S FREE TV LIKE WE ALL GREW UP WITH, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. AND FINALLY, THE THIRD REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IS THE ANALOG SPECTRUM IN SOME CASES IS GOING TO BE GIVEN OFF TO ADVANCED SERVICES SUCH AS WIRELESS INTERNET. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO BE READY? WELL, FOR THE MOST PART, 80 TO 85 -- ACTUALLY, 85% TO 90% OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS ALREADY READY, THEY'RE SUBSCRIBED TO CABLE TV OR SATELLITE, SO THEY DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING. IT'S GOING TO BE SEAMLESS. KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT APPROXIMATELY 85% TO 90% OF YOUR RESIDENTS AREN'T GOING TO NEED TO DO ANYTHING. THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT NEED TO DO ANYTHING ARE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE, ONCE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, USING A PAIR OF RABBIT EARS OR HAVE AN ANTENNA ON THEIR ROOFTOP, OR THEY HAVE -- AND THEY HAVE AN OLDER TV, A TV THAT DOESN'T HAVE A DIGITAL TUNER. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO NEED TO GET A CONVERTER BOX, WHICH IS THE OTHER OPTION. YOU CAN GET YOURSELF A CONVERTER BOX OR YOU CAN GET YOURSELF A NEWER TV, BUT ONCE AGAIN, YOU DON'T NEED THAT IF YOU'RE SUBSCRIBING TO CABLE OR SATELLITE, ONLY IF YOU'RE GETTING YOUR SIGNAL OVER THE AIR. I POINT THIS EXAMPLE OUT AS -- TWO EXAMPLES IS THE TYPICAL ANTENNAS THAT YOU SEE. THE TOP ONE IS, FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT WE ALL GREW UP WITH OR A LOT OF US GREW UP WITH. IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT, YOU HAD A PAIR OF RABBIT EARS ON YOUR TV, EXCEPT THAT IT PROBABLY HAD A LOT OF TINFOIL ON IT, BUT IN THIS CASE, THE TOP ANTENNA IS JUST BASICALLY AN ANTENNA THAT'S USED TO PICK UP THE TV SIGNAL. THE BOTTOM ANTENNA IS A MORE MODERN VERSION OF IT. NOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO CABLE OR SATELLITE, THERE'S A COUPON PROGRAM. THE COUPON PROGRAM IS STILL IN EFFECT; HOWEVER, THERE IS A WAITING LIST NOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO DISCUSS. THE -- IF YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A CONVERTER BOX, WE RECOMMEND THAT EVERYONE APPLY BECAUSE YOU CAN GET UP TO TWO COUPONS PER HOUSEHOLD. YOU CAN APPLY OVER THE INTERNET, YOU CAN APPLY OVER AN 800 NUMBER, AND THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE SHOWN ON THE SCREEN IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT FOR THE BIGGEST REASON THAT I CAN SUGGEST IS THAT YOU APPLY NOW. THE REASON BEING IS THAT EVEN IF YOU APPLY NOW, THOUGH, MOST LIKELY YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET YOUR COUPONS IN TIME FOR FEBRUARY 17th BECAUSE YOU WILL BE PUT ON A WAITING LIST; HOWEVER, THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE ARE ALSO VOTING ON A STIMULUS PACKAGE WHICH WILL INCLUDE EXTRA MONEY FOR THESE TYPES OF -- FOR THE COUPON PROGRAM ITSELF. WE WANT YOU TO APPLY FOR THE COUPONS, GET THE COUPONS, BUY THEM, AND THEN HOOK THE CONVERTER BOXES UP AND START USING THEM BECAUSE THEY WORK AS WE SPEAK BECAUSE THE BROADCASTERS ARE BROADCASTING IN DIGITAL RIGHT NOW. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A TRANSITION FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL, NOT A TRANSITION FROM ANALOG TO HIGH DEFINITION, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. DO NOT -- WE RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU DO NEED A NEW TV AND YOU CAN'T AFFORD ONE OF THESE HIGH DEFINITION TVs, YOU DON'T NEED IT, OKAY. AT WORST YOU'D NEED A CONVERTER BOX, WHICH WILL MAKE YOUR OLD TV WORK JUST LIKE NEW; HOWEVER, IF YOUR OLD TV BREAKS AND YOU NEED A NEW TV, ONCE AGAIN, YOU DON'T NEED A HIGH DEFINITION TV. DO NOT GET CALLED IN -- OR DON'T GO TO ONE OF THESE BIG BOX STORES AND HAVE THE SALESPEOPLE SAY -- TELL THEM THAT, OH, I NEED A NEW TV, AND THEY SAY, OH, YOU DON'T JUST NEED A NEW TV, YOU NEED ONE OF THESE NEW HIGH DEFINITION 60-INCH PLAZA TVs FOR $6,000 AND I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU FOR 5,000. NO, YOU DON'T NEED THAT. SOME OF US MAY WANT ONE OF THOSE, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR THIS TRANSITION TO DIGITAL. AT WORST, IF YOU'RE NOT HOOKED UP TO CABLE OR SATELLITE, YOU WOULD NEED A CONVERTER BOX OR A TV WITH A DIGITAL TUNER IN IT. THAT'S IT. IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO CABLE, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTACT YOUR CABLE PROVIDER. THE CABLE SERVICES MOST LIKELY IN THE FUTURE WILL ALSO BE GOING ALL DIGITAL IF THEY AREN'T ALREADY. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CABLE PROVIDERS MAY REQUIRE YOU TO GET A SET-TOP BOX FROM THEM. THAT'S NOT A CONVERTER BOX, MIND YOU, IT'S A CABLE BOX, TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT WE ASK FOR YOU TO CONTACT YOUR CABLE PROVIDER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT. AND FINALLY, WITH RESPECT TO SATELLITE, SAME THING THERE. MOST OF YOUR DISH NETWORK, DIRECT TV, AND SO ON, IF YOU WANT THE LOCAL CHANNELS, GENERALLY YOU PAY EXTRA FOR THEM. SOME PEOPLE DO NOT PAY EXTRA, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY USE AN OUTSIDE ANTENNA TO RECEIVE THEIR LOCAL BROADCASTS. IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, THEN YOU TOO WILL NEED A CONVERTER BOX OR YOU'LL HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE EXTRA FROM YOUR SATELLITE PROVIDER TO GET THOSE OFF-AIR CHANNELS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, ONCE AGAIN, HERE'S A WEB SITE. IT'S WWW.DTV.GOV, OR YOU CAN CALL THIS 800 NUMBER. IT'S 1-88-CALL-FCC. IT'S C-A-L-L-F-C-C. WITH THAT SAID, IF ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: YEAH. I WAS ACTUALLY WALKING THE OTHER DAY AND RAN INTO A FAMILY THAT GOT INTO THIS WAITING LIST THING, AND THAT'S A REAL CONCERN FOR ME. I MEAN, I ACTUALLY CAUGHT IT PRETTY HARD, THAT THEY APPLIED, THEY TOLD ME ABOUT A WAITING LIST. IT'S FEEDING THAT FRENZY OF THEY'VE GOT TO BUY ANOTHER KIND OF TELEVISION BECAUSE THEY DON'T -- THE INFORMATION THEY'RE NOT GETTING BACK IS THE LENGTH OF THESE WAITING PERIODS, AND YOU EVEN SAID IT'S NOT EVEN FUNDED YET. WE HAVE A MISCONNECT, IF YOU WILL. IF PEOPLE TODAY GO TO YOUR WEB SITE, THEY APPLY, WHAT IS YOUR -- WHAT IS YOUR BEST GUESS ON RESPONSE? BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S NONE AVAILABLE. >> YEAH. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IF PEOPLE CAN ACCESS THE INTERNET TO APPLY ON-LINE BECAUSE THEY WILL BE PUT -- ONCE AGAIN, THEY'LL BE PUT ON A WAITING LIST; HOWEVER, THEY CAN CHECK BACK PERIODICALLY AND GET A DATE WHEN THOSE COUPONS WILL BE MAILED. KNOW OF NOW, THE QUESTION IS AS FAR AS IS THERE GOING TO BE MORE MONEY. WELL, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOT THE COUPONS, THEY NEVER USED THEM. THOSE COUPONS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING -- SINCE THEY WEREN'T USED, THAT MONEY'S GOING TO BE PUT BACK INTO THE PROGRAM. UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, THEY CAN'T DO IT OVERNIGHT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH -- THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT THIS HE HAVE TO DO IN CONGRESS TO OFFICIALLY BE ABLE TO REALLOCATE THAT MONEY AGAIN, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THERE IS MONEY BEING REALLOCATED FOR THE COUPON PROGRAMS, AND ALSO THEY ARE IN THE UPCOMING STIMULUS PACKAGE, THEY'RE PROPOSING ANOTHER 600-PLUS MILLION DOLLARS. >>JIM NORMAN: WORST-CASE SCENARIO, IF THEY DIDN'T GET THE MONEY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION THAT CAN'T APPLY AND CANNOT -- THEY WILL JUST HAVE TO FACE VALUE, TELEVISION OR HAVE TO PAY OUTRIGHT FOR THE CONVERTER. >> YEAH, THEY MAY HAVE TO PAY FACE VALUE; HOWEVER WE SUGGEST -- THEY MAY HAVE FRIENDS, THEY MAY HAVE SOME OTHER PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS AND SO ON, THEY MAY HAVE COUPONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE NOT USED THAT THEY CAN ASK FOR. THOSE COUPONS ARE FULLY TRANSFERABLE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO -- YOUR NAME IS NOT ON THEM, SO IF YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR COUPON TO SOMEBODY THAT NEEDS IT, YOU CAN DO THAT. THAT'S ALSO AN OPTION OUT THERE FOR SOMEONE. >>JIM NORMAN: WHENEVER -- AND SEE IF THIS IS STILL A LEGITIMATE STATEMENT. WHENEVER THIS WAS ROLLED OUT HERE -- AND I WAS WITH YOU-ALL AND A LOT OF THE TELEVISION STATIONS AND EVERYTHING -- ONE OF THE COMMENTS MADE TO ME WAS THIS BAY AREA IN FLORIDA WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXPOSED AREAS FOR THIS PROBLEM TO EXIST IS THAT STILL ACCURATE? >> I WOULDN'T SAY THAT THE TAMPA/ST. PETE -- I MEAN, THIS DMA, DESIGNATED MARKET AREA, WAS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE'VE BEEN CONCENTRATING ON. WE'VE BEEN CONCENTRATING OVER A YEAR AND A HALF NOW WITH GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. WE'VE BEEN GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR SO TO SPEAK TO GET THE WORD OUT. BECAUSE OF THAT, I CAN'T SAY WE'VE HIT -- KNOCKED ON EVERY DOOR. I WILL NOTE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE SINCE, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AS TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT DO KNOW, AND THIS AREA'S NO LONGER CONSIDERED AN AREA THAT IS UN -- THAT HASN'T BEEN UNREACHED. IN OTHER WORDS, THE NUMBERS HAVE COME DOWN QUITE A BIT AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF CONSUMERS THAT NO LONGER -- THAT DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE UPCOMING TRANSITION. >>JIM NORMAN: BECAUSE ACTUALLY WE'LL BE THE ONES GETTING THE CALLS WHENEVER THEIR TELEVISIONS QUIT, AND AS FAR AS THE COUPON THING, I THINK THAT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT OUR OUTREACH AND OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE OR SOMEONE HAS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, I GUESS, INVENTORY IF THIS COMES AVAILABLE FOR THESE COUPONS. >> YEAH. LIKE I SAID, WE ARE ENCOURAGING THE CONSUMERS, IF YOU DO NEED A CONVERTER BOX -- BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, YOU ARE RECEIVING YOUR RECEPTION OVER THE AIR -- EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COUPON, WE ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO -- IF YOU HAVE TO JUST BUY ONE, TO BE SAFE BY FEBRUARY 17th, TO JUST BE PREPARED BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THE BROADCASTERS, IT IS GOING TO BE THEIR OPTION IF THEY WANT TO CONVERT EARLY AS OPPOSED TO -- ONCE AGAIN, IT HASN'T PASSED YET, BUT IF IT DOES PASS TO JUNE 12th, THE BROADCASTERS WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF CONVERTING BEFORE THEN, AND MOST LIKELY THEY -- A LOT OF THEM WILL, SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I THINK THIS CLEARS UP A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAD. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DMA THAT COMMISSIONER NORMAN IS REFERRING TO, BUT IF IT'S BASED ON THE NIELSON CRAFTED OUT, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND SOME DIFFERENT REACTIONS FROM SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS OF THIS SAME DMA. MS. SILVA CAME TO A PROGRAM THAT I HOST CALLED "TAKING SIDES," AND WE DEDICATED THE ENTIRE PROGRAM TO THIS, AND AS A RESULT OF HER INFORMATION, MUCH THE SAME AS YOURS, YOU'D BE VERY SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE THANKED US BECAUSE THEY WERE CONFUSED. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CONVERTER BOX AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE, BRIGHT HOUSE'S DOLLAR-A-MONTH BOX THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SEE DIFFERENT CHANNELS, AND THEY WERE VERY CONFUSED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE TWO BOXES, AND SHE EXPLAINED THAT AS WELL AS YOU HAVE, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE FACT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE GETTING -- THE CHARLIE HOUSEHOLD, AS YOU SAID OR DIDN'T SAY EXACTLY, BUT THAT WHEN THEY WOULD GO IN, THEY WOULD AUTOMATICALLY THINK THEY HAD TO THROW EVERYTHING ELSE AND BUY A BRAND-NEW HIGH DEFINITION TELEVISION, AND THAT'S NOT SO OBVIOUSLY BY YOUR COMMENTS HERE. SO WHETHER THIS BECOMES THE TRANSITION MONTH OR WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GOING TO BE IN JUNE, THE 12th OF JUNE, YOU SAID? >> YES. >>ROSE FERLITA: NONETHELESS, THIS IS WONDERFUL INFORMATION. AND KIND OF A FOLLOW-UP TO JIM'S QUESTION, ON THE COUPONS THAT ARE NOT USED, CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW LONG IT TAKES TO CANCEL THOSE OUT? IS IT A 90-DAY EXPIRATION DATE? >> YES. IT IS -- ONCE THE ISSUES ARE ISSUED FROM OUR COUPON EXPO CENTER OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED, ONCE IT'S SENT FROM THERE, THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING, AND THERE'S 90-DAY EXPIRATION ON IT, SO MOST LIKELY BY THE TIME YOU GET IT, IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY CLOSER TO 80 DAYS BECAUSE IN THE PAST THE COUPONS WERE SENT OUT VIA THIRD-CLASS MAIL; HOWEVER, THERE'S -- ONCE AGAIN, THERE'S WORD SUCH THAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF COUPONS WILL BE SENT OUT FIRST-CLASS MAIL, SO THEY'LL COME IN A MUCH SHORT TIME, BUT THERE IS AN EXPIRATION DATE ON THEM, AND IT'S POSTED DIRECTLY ON THE COUPON ITSELF WHEN IT EXPIRES, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE CONSUMER USE IT -- >>ROSE FERLITA: OR SOMEBODY -- >> OR SOMEONE, OR PASS IT ON TO SOMEONE THAT MAY NEED IT. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING DOWN HERE, LORI, THANKS FOR SETTING IT UP, AND COLLEAGUES, THANKS FOR ALLOWING IT TO BE VIEWED. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE THE UPDATE. NEXT ITEM. >>PAT BEAN: YOUR NEXT ITEM WOULD BE ITEM B-1. THIS IS TO ADOPT THE LISTED ITEMS AS PART OF THE 2009 FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS. AND EDITH STEWART IS COMING FORWARD TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. >>KEN HAGAN: WELCOME, EDITH. >>EDITH STEWART: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. EDITH STEWART, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER. THIS MORNING I'M JUST BRINGING YOU SOME UPDATES TO YOUR STATE AND LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS -- STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS. WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE FERRY WATERBORNE TRANSPORTATION FEASIBILITY STUDY BACK ON THE FEDERAL PROGRAM. TBARTA HAS NOW LISTED IT AS AN ITEM OF INTEREST, AND THIS IS A RESTRICTED GRANT PROGRAM. THE MONEY ONLY GOES TO FERRY STUDY, AND SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD ITEM FOR YOU TO HAVE IN CASE CONGRESS FUNDS IT. ADDITIONALLY, AT THE BOARD'S REQUEST, WE ARE INCLUDING THE INDIAN GAMING REVENUE SHARING FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, AND THAT STUDY IS ONGOING IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THIS WEEK. AND THE CONTINUED STATE FUNDING OF STATE PARK PERSONNEL FOR EGMONT KEY, WHICH FORTUNATELY WAS NOT TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION, BUT WE JUST WANT TO BE PREPARED IN CASE IT IS PUT UP FOR CUTS AGAIN. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE INCLUDED THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE EXCLUDED SOME OF THOSE ITEMS WHICH BOARD POLICY CONTRADICTS. >>KEN HAGAN: ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR EDITH? COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: YEAH. AND I THINK -- AND I WANT TO GET A LETTER THAT -- LAST WEEK I SENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER TO BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND OUR FINANCIAL OFFICER. BOARD MEMBERS, AS YOU-ALL SERVE ON A LOT OF BOARDS, I ALSO DO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS IS A LOT OF COMPANIES FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND RECENTLY, AS A MATTER OF FACT, A COUPLE KEY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FAILED IN OUR INVESTMENTS WITH THE SPORTS AUTHORITY. IT TRIGGERED ME TO CONTACT MIKE MERRILL, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS EVERYONE KNOWS -- AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY ACTION OR ANYTHING. I JUST -- THIS IS INFORMATION THAT -- WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE PERSON HERE, YOU-ALL SHOULD KNOW THIS. THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ACTUALLY AS AN EDITORIAL IN MONDAY'S PAPER IN THE TAMPA TRIBUNE THAT SPOKE OF OUR -- THE STATE'S 401Ks AND LIKE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES' 457s. EVERYONE KNOWS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FDIC STEPPED IN LAST YEAR AND CHANGED THE AMOUNTS OF PROTECTIONS FOR PEOPLE'S BANK ACCOUNTS FROM 100,000 TO 250,000. MY RESEARCH -- AND I CONFIRMED IT WITH MIKE MERRILL -- THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN ADDRESSING OF A PROTECTION LEVEL OF COMPANIES THAT DO BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR THE 401Ks OR THE 457s, AND THAT'S COVERED ACTUALLY IN STATUTES 361, PART 3, THAT LIMITS THE PROTECTION AT $100,000. THIS IS JUST SOMETHING I INDIVIDUALLY JUST GRASPED INTO, STARTED LOOKING INTO, AND THAT MEANS RETIREES, PEOPLE THAT ARE DEPENDING ON LONG-TERM SOLVENCY THROUGH THEIR RETIREMENT, IF ONE OF THESE INSTITUTIONS GOES UNDER, THEY'RE ONLY PROTECTED AT $100,000, WHICH COULD BE A DEVASTATION TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND PEOPLE WITH 401Ks AROUND THE STATE. I WROTE THE GOVERNOR AND I WROTE ALEX SINK SAYING THAT I BELIEVE THAT THIS NEEDS -- IS THIS THE PROPER AMOUNT OF COVERAGE FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE WITH RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS TO HAVE THAT LOOKED AT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD WANTS -- AND I'LL PASS THIS OUT. IT GIVES THE DETAILS OF THIS, AND AGAIN, I CLEARED IT THROUGH OUR FINANCIAL PEOPLE TO CONCUR THAT ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS ACCURATE, BUT AGAIN, I BELIEVE THAT FAMILIES CAN FAIL IF THEIR -- IF ALL THEIR SAVINGS IS TAKEN AWAY DOWN TO $100,000, SO WITH EDITH HERE TODAY -- I WAS GOING TO PASS THIS OUT AT THE END OF THE DAY IN NEW BUSINESS IN CASE ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WANTED TO BRING IT UP OR TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN, BUT COINCIDENTALLY SHE'S HERE, AND I JUST BELIEVE THE STATE NEEDS TO PROTECT ALL FAMILIES WITH ALL THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE FACING FINANCIAL CRISIS AND ALL THE BANKRUPTCIES AND BANKS WENT UNDER. THIS IS THE -- THIS IS A NEW DAY, AND PROTECTIONS NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE, SO FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, BOARD MEMBERS, I'M JUST BRINGING THAT TO ATTENTION. I AS AN INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONER GOT ENGAGED, BUT IF YOU-ALL WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AND ASK EDITH TO PURSUE A FOLLOW- UP, THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD MEMBERS. >>KEN HAGAN: EDITH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT? >>EDITH STEWART: I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE, AND OF COURSE, IF IT IS THE BOARD'S DESIRE, WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I'M WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF CITIZEN GROUPS AS WELL AS RAYME KNUCKLES AND DAVE ROGOFF REGARDING A BETTER COORDINATION OF OUR HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND ALSO A BETTER WAY TO FACILITATE MONEY THAT MIGHT COME DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR STATE GOVERNMENT SO THAT WE CAN WORK WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS HERE LOCALLY THAT WANT TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS. I UNDERSTAND THAT SENATOR VICTOR CRIST -- AND I SPOKE WITH HIM ABOUT A WEEK AGO -- IS SPONSORING LEGISLATION, AND I BELIEVE THE COSPONSOR IS REPRESENTATIVE CULP, AND HE INDICATED TO ME THAT WE NEEDED TO GET ANY INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO SHARE WITH HIM FOR THE LEGISLATION HE HAS REGARDING THIS -- THIS, AT THE STATE LEVEL, EFFORT TO BETTER COORDINATE FUNDS FOR THE HOMELESS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, BUT I'VE BEEN MEANING TO SPEAK WITH YOU, SO HERE YOU ARE, AND I WAS GOING TO ASK IF YOU COULD GET WITH SENATOR CRIST'S OFFICE, FIND OUT WHAT THIS LEGISLATION IS. I DO WANT TO SUPPORT IT, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY, AND THEN WE CAN TALK AFTER WE FIND OUT FROM SENATOR CRIST IF HE NEEDS ANY ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM US. >>EDITH STEWART: I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH HIM IN THE PAST, AND RAYME KNUCKLES AND OUR HOMELESS STAFF HAVE BEEN IN CONCERT WITH THAT. >>MARK SHARPE: RIGHT NOW, AS YOU UNDERSTAND, WITH THE DIMINISHING DOLLARS, THE NEED TO BETTER COORDINATE ALL THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, AND SO I KNOW THE CRISIS -- THE SENATOR'S INVOLVED WITH SOME OF THIS, BUT WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SITUATION TO HELP BRING THESE ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER. >>EDITH STEWART: YES, SIR. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MA'AM. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK ALTHOUGH THEY'RE RELATED, THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE ISSUES THAT THE TWO GENTLEMEN HAVE BROUGHT UP. I THINK, EDITH, IF YOU WOULD -- CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT BOTH AND HOW WE WOULD GO FORWARD IN SUPPORTING THE ISSUE THAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE BROUGHT UP AND THEN LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER IN TERMS OF COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S IDEA. I MEAN, IT'S BOTH -- BOTH ISSUES ARE DIFFERENT, BUT THEY'RE BOTH FOCUSED ON THE PROTECTION OF OUR CITIZENS, AND NOW MORE THAN EVER WE NEED THAT, SO WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE, GENTLEMEN? I DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY YOU WANT TO GO WITH THIS, BUT I'D LIKE TO TALK WITH YOU, AND THEN WHATEVER YOU DECIDE FROM GETTING SOME SORT OF A CONSENSUS FROM ALL OF US ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO APPROACH OUR COMMITMENT TO TRYING TO GET THIS DONE AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S ISSUES DONE. >>EDITH STEWART: CERTAINLY, COMMISSIONER. I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: I'LL JUST REFER THIS OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION, THEN, AS A FOLLOW-UP BECAUSE -- AT LEAST WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND ALEX SINK'S OFFICE, AND I'LL MAKE THAT AS A REFERRAL. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE'LL REFER THAT OVER AS WELL AS ADOPT THE -- >>JIM NORMAN: CORRECT. >>KEN HAGAN: -- THE ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED HERE. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >>MARK SHARPE: SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>EDITH STEWART: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. >>PAT BEAN: OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, YOUR NEXT ITEM WOULD BE ITEM B-3, WHICH IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE AND THE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT OFFICE. THIS CONCERNS THE REDUCTION IN FORCE THAT I HAD EITHER TALKED TO EACH OF YOU OR LEFT MESSAGES WITH YOUR STAFF TO GET TO YOU ABOUT THE REDUCTION IN FORCE THAT'S REQUIRED AT THIS TIME IN THE BUILDING SERVICES DIVISION OF PGM. >>KEN HAGAN: WELCOME, PETER. >>PAT BEAN: AND PETER'S HERE TO BRIEFLY BRING THIS REPORT. >>PETER ALUOTTO: GOOD MORNING. PETER ALUOTTO, GROWTH MANAGEMENT. I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING NOT TO BE HERE TODAY ASKING YOU TO APPROVE ANOTHER REDUCTION IN FORCE IN THE BUILDING SERVICES DIVISION OF PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT. REGRETTABLY, CONDITIONS IN THE MARKETPLACE ARE SUCH THAT OUR PERMIT FEES UPON WHICH WE DEPEND UPON FOR OUR OPERATIONS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN CURRENT STAFFING LEVELS. WE BEGAN THE FISCAL YEAR IN OCTOBER WITH AN ADOPTED BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY 14.4 MILLION, AND BASED ON OUR FIRST QUARTER PERFORMANCE, WE'RE PROJECTING ONLY 10.2 MILLION IN REVENUE AGAINST $13 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES, YIELDING A DEFICIT OF ABOUT 2.75 MILLION. IF WE TAKE NO REMEDIAL ACTION, THE DEFICIT WILL REDUCE OUR FUND BALANCE TO JUST 1.3 MILLION, WHICH IN CASE OF EMERGENCY WOULD BARELY AMOUNT TO ABOUT SIX WEEKS' WORTH OF CONTINUED OPERATIONS. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT TAKES AT LEAST THAT LONG TO DISCERN A TREND, AND IT TAKES THAT LONG TO COME UP WITH A REMEDIAL PLAN AND THEN, OF COURSE, BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE NEED THIS -- AT THE BARE MINIMUM WE WOULD NEED IN RESERVE. HOW DO I GET THIS SLIDE UP ON THE -- IT'S ON MY COMPUTER, BUT I DON'T -- >> [INAUDIBLE] >>PETER ALUOTTO: OH, OKAY. WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A SLIDE SHOWING OUR BUILDING DIVISION SERVICES REVENUE, AND IF I CAN SLIDE THAT OVER JUST A BIT - - >>MARK SHARPE: WE'RE NOT GETTING IT ON THE SCREEN. >> THERE WE ARE. >>PETER ALUOTTO: OKAY. LET ME JUST SLIDE THAT OVER, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS OUR REVENUE STREAM FOR THE PAST 24 MONTHS, AND THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS FISCAL YEAR WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS DIP. WE NEEDED TO BE SURE THAT THIS JUST WASN'T THE GARDEN VARIETY WINTER CYCLICAL, AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT. THE REDUCTION IN FORCE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WOULD SAVE APPROXIMATELY A MILLION DOLLARS, TOGETHER WITH AN EXPECTED WORKERS' COMPENSATION REFUND OF APPROXIMATELY 1.4 MILLION, WE CAN MAKE UP 2.4 MILLION OF THE PROJECTED DEFICIT WITH THE REMAINDER COMING FROM OUR FUND BALANCE. THE RECOMMENDATION TO REDUCE OUR STAFFING LEVEL COMES AFTER SEVERAL THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATIONS. FIRST, WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF BUILDING PERMITS THAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED AND ARE WAITING TO BE PICKED UP. APPROXIMATELY 236 ARE RESIDENTIAL AND 20 ARE COMMERCIAL. WE REGARD THESE AS APPROVED INVENTORY, WHICH AT CURRENT ABSORPTION RATES REPRESENTS A TWO-MONTH SUPPLY. LOOKING AHEAD TO SPRING AND SUMMER, OUR TRANSPORTATION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION SURVEYED THE OWNERS OF EVERY PROJECT WE APPROVED IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, A TOTAL OF 147 RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROJECTS, TO ASCERTAIN HOW MANY OF THEM MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO PROCEED TO PERMITTING. LACK OF FINANCING, LACK OF ADVANCED LEASING, LACK OF DEMAND HAS CAUSED MANY DEVELOPERS TO SUSPEND THEIR PLANS INDEFINITELY. INDEED, THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR PROJECT TIME EXTENSIONS ON UNSTARTED PROJECTS IS INCREASING. THIS INDICATES TO US THAT BUILDING ACTIVITY IS NOT LIKELY TO IMPROVE ANYTIME SOON. THE NEXT SLIDE IS A REPRESENTATION OF OUR SINGLE-FAMILY PERMITTING. I'LL JUST SLIDE THAT OVER HERE. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE HEARTBEAT IN PRIOR MONTHS IS NOW FLATLINING AROUND 100 A MONTH. COUNTY POLICIES REQUIRE US TO CONSIDER A FEE INCREASE WHEN OUR REVENUES ARE INSUFFICIENT TO COVER OUR EXPENSES. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE INDUSTRY, WE'VE DECIDED NOT TO SEEK A FEE INCREASE BECAUSE WE HAD JUST HAD A FEE ADJUSTMENT LAST YEAR, AND THE FEES WOULD HAVE TO BE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 21%, WHICH IS A BURDEN THE INDUSTRY COULDN'T BEAR AT THIS TIME. WE ALSO CONSIDERED A FURLOUGH PROGRAM ALONG THE SAME LINES AS WE DID LAST YEAR. UNLIKE LAST YEAR, HOWEVER, SUCH A FURLOUGH WOULD HAVE TO BE MORE THAN TWICE AS LARGE AND REMAIN IN PLACE FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE STABILITY IN THE FUND. THIS IS BECAUSE THERE ARE FIXED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH POSITION, SUCH AS BENEFITS, WHICH WE CANNOT CONTROL, SO EVEN THOUGH WE WOULD -- YOU KNOW, WE WOULD PUT POSITIONS ON FURLOUGH, THAT WOULD NOT -- IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE DOUBLE THE SAVINGS THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR. WE ALSO WERE NOT ABLE TO PREDICT WHAT IMPACTS SUCH A PROGRAM WOULD HAVE ON THE INDUSTRY, OUR EMPLOYEES, OR LEVELS OF SERVICE. BEFORE CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT WE'VE MET WITH THE BUILDING DIVISION'S EMPLOYEES, WE EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THE PROPOSED CUTS COME FROM ALL SECTIONS WITHIN THE DIVISION, AND WERE MADE WITH LONG-TERM CONTINUITY OF SERVICE IN MIND. THIS DOESN'T MEAN, HOWEVER, THAT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE WILL BE MAINTAINED IN ALL CASES. THE PLANT CITY OFFICE, FOR INSTANCE, WILL CLOSE, AND OUR CAPACITY FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO DISASTER RECOVERY WILL BE IMPAIRED, BUT THESE IMPACTS ARE UNAVOIDABLE. THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU THE STATUS OF OUR REDUCTION IN FORCE BEGINNING WHEN IT -- WHEN IT FIRST STARTED. WE -- WHEN I ARRIVED WE HAD 188. THE FIRST RIF BROUGHT US DOWN TO 141. CURRENT NUMBER OF POSITIONS IS 117, AND AFTER TODAY, WE'LL BE DOWN TO 81. IF YOU APPROVE THIS REQUEST, THE TARGET EFFECTIVE DATE WOULD BE MARCH 13th, 2009. THIS WILL GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES AT LEAST 30 DAYS' NOTICE, WHICH EXCEEDS CURRENT COUNTY POLICY BY TWO WEEKS. AFFECTED EMPLOYEES WILL BE CONTACTED BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, AND THE EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE THEIR RIGHTS AND OPTIONS EXPLAINED TO THEM AT THAT TIME. AT THIS POINT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AS YOU REALIZE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH SOME EXTRAORDINARY DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES, AND I GUESS MY QUESTION THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW IS HOW MUCH CUSHION IS BUILT INTO THIS BEFORE WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER FURTHER REDUCTIONS WITHIN THIS DEPARTMENT? HOW MUCH FURTHER WOULD REVENUES HAVE TO DECREASE BEFORE WE'D HAVE TO MAKE FURTHER CUTS? >>PETER ALUOTTO: WELL, IF -- IF WE DON'T MEET OUR PROJECTED REVENUE OF 10 MILLION -- AND -- SEE, THIS DATA IS COLLECTED ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND SO THERE'S A LAG BY THE TIME WE RECEIVE IT AND FIGURE IT OUT. I'M GUESSING AT LEAST ANOTHER QUARTER, MAYBE -- MAYBE TWO MONTHS TO BE -- TO BE SURE, BUT I WANT TO ADD THAT THIS ADDITIONAL TIME THAT WE'RE BUYING HERE, HOPEFULLY WE WON'T GET THERE, BUT WE ARE COMING PRECARIOUSLY CLOSE TO OUR MINIMUM SERVICE LEVEL. I MEAN, THERE IS A CERTAIN POINT -- THERE'S A CERTAIN MINIMUM NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES YOU NEED TO HAVE TO PROVIDE A SERVICE AND KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. >>KEVIN BECKNER: WHAT IS THAT NUMBER RIGHT NOW? >>PETER ALUOTTO: WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU. WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING OUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO. WE ESTABLISH A MINIMUM SERVICE LEVEL, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, BUT HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS EXERCISE, I CAN TELL YOU WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE. I HAVE MY DIVISION DIRECTOR HERE, MY BUILDING OFFICIAL HERE, WHO CAN TELL YOU HOW MANY REMAINING POSITIONS ARE ON THE TEAM, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY HARD FOR ME TO GIVE YOU AN ABSOLUTE NUMBER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU. MR. ALUOTTO, I GUESS A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I GUESS SEGUE INTO SOMETHING ELSE THAT I WAS ASKING OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I WAS PLANNING TO ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT OUR PERMITTING HAS SLOWED DOWN, WE STILL HAVE MORE PEOPLE ACCORDING TO YOU THAN WE HAVE FUNDS FOR, SO THEREFORE, THAT MEANS WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAN WORK; CORRECT? >>PETER ALUOTTO: YES. >>KEVIN WHITE: AND YET WHEN THIS NEWS COMES OUT, WE HAVE MORE COMPLAINTS FROM THE INDUSTRY REGARDING THE EXPEDIENCY OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS, AND THAT'S -- THAT'S ONE OF THE -- THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT -- THAT I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD RUSH THESE -- NOT RUSH, BUT IF WE CAN EXPEDITE SOME OF THESE PERMITS THROUGH, MAYBE FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO INCREASE. ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE PRIMARY QUESTIONS I WANTED TO ASK AS FAR AS THE -- WHEN PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY HAVE THEIR PERMITS -- WHEN THEY APPLY FOR THEIR PERMITS, THEN THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH REVIEW AND THEN COME BACK FOR REVISIONS. THE REVISION DATE IS THE DATE THAT'S ON THEIR PERMIT, SO THERE'S REALLY NO EFFECTIVE WAY TO TRACK HOW LONG THESE PERMITS HAVE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM. I'VE HAD COMPLAINTS OF PERMITS BEING IN THE SYSTEM FOR OVER TWO YEARS. THESE ARE CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE HAD BANK LOANS AND HAVE HAD PROJECTS APPROVED, THEY'RE SHOVEL-READY PROJECTS, THEY'RE JUST WAITING ON PERMITTING, BUT WHEN -- BUT WHEN I HEAR THAT NUMBER, I'M LIKE, OH, MY GOD, I'M FLABBERGASTED, AND THEN YOU GO BACK AND PULL THE PERMIT AND YOU JUST SEE THE LAST REVISION DATE, AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO EFFECTIVELY TRACK EFFICIENTLY HOW LONG THAT PERMIT HAD BEEN IN THE PROCESS, AND ONE OF MY QUESTIONS TO YOU, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN CORRECT AND AMEND THAT PROGRAM? I KNOW WE CAN, BUT -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: WELL, LET ME SUGGEST THIS, COMMISSIONER. WE HAVE VERY, VERY DETAILED RECORDS OF WHEN EVERY PROJECT COMES IN THE DOOR AND WHEN THEY GO OUT THE DOOR, AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE MAYBE HUNDREDS OF APPROVED PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PICKED UP. >>KEVIN WHITE: WELL, I REALIZE THAT. AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PICKED UP BECAUSE ACCORDING TO SOME - - AND THERE'S TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY, BUT THAT'S -- THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO LOOK INTO. YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PICKED UP BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM SO LONG BECAUSE THE BANK LOANS HAVE NOT -- HAVE EXPIRED AND THE PROJECTS AREN'T READY TO GO FORWARD, SO, I MEAN, IT'S A TWOFOLD SITUATION. THAT'S NOT THE CASE ON EVERY SITUATION, AND BELIEVE ME, I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S COMPLETELY YOUR DEPARTMENT'S FAULT, BUT I'M SURE THERE COULD BE A LITTLE MORE EXPEDIENCY ON THE DEPARTMENT SIDE, BUT NOT ONLY THAT BUT JUST INFORMATION DISSEMINATED TO THE BUILDER SIDE AS WELL, SO THAT -- THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. I MEAN, I'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE SAY THEY CAN'T EVEN GET THEIR ORIGINAL DATE THAT IS IN -- THAT THE PERMIT CAME IN THE SYSTEM. YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S ALL READILY AVAILABLE. IF THAT IS, THEN I'M GOING TO TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT NOW, BUT I'D LIBRARY -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: WE PUBLISH IT MONTHLY. >>KEVIN WHITE: I'D LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU, AND WE'LL FIND THAT OUT AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, I THINK THAT'S A DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAM THAT COULD -- WE COULD POTENTIALLY BE LOOKING AT IS -- IS MISSED OPPORTUNITIES. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: I KNOW WE DON'T EVEN HAVE OUR ECONOMIC COMMITTEE FORMED YET, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT -- IT SEEMS TO ME WE'RE STILL DOING BUSINESS AS USUAL TO ME. WE'VE GOT THE SAME THINGS IN PLACE, WE'RE JUST ELIMINATING PEOPLE. IF WE -- PAT, IF WE HAD -- IF WE WERE HIT BY A HURRICANE AND THIS COMMUNITY WAS WIPED OUT, YOU WOULD CALL BASICALLY A STATE OF EMERGENCY, YOU WOULD STREAMLINE THINGS BEYOND BELIEF, YOU WOULD GET OUR COMMUNITY RESTARTED AGAIN. WHAT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS BOARD AT SOME POINT'S GOING TO HAVE TO CREATE SOME SORT OF A STATE OF AN EMERGENCY, AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER THE THINGS THAT IF WE WERE IN A HURRICANE SITUATION, WHAT WE WOULD DO TO TRY TO STREAMLINE THINGS TO GET REPAIR. WE ALMOST ARE AT THAT POINT TO HAVE AN ECONOMIC STATE OF EMERGENCY, THAT WE REFER THAT STATE OF EMERGENCY TO OUR ECONOMIC TEAM TO -- IF WE GOTTA GO IN AND GRAB OUR -- MAYBE SOMEBODY'S DOING IT BETTER IN THE STATE THAN WE ARE. I -- YOU KNOW -- I'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS OVER THE YEARS, JUST AS COMMISSIONER WHITE WAS JUST MENTIONING, BUT AT SOME POINT -- WE'RE IN AN ECONOMIC STATE OF EMERGENCY, FOLKS, AND WE CAN'T DO THINGS LIKE WE USED TO, AND I WAS ACTUALLY UP AROUND THE CAPITOL YESTERDAY, AND THEY'RE TALKING THOSE KIND OF THINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REFER OVER TO OUR ECONOMIC TEAM THAT -- GET IT GOING, YOU KNOW. I KNOW THEY'RE HERE LAYING PEOPLE OFF TODAY AND THERE'S A TREMENDOUS IMPACT, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT GOING IS GET THOSE PEOPLE TO PICK THOSE PERMITS UP, TO GET -- TO GET THEM IN A WAY THAT GOVERNMENT'S NOT IMPEDING THE PROGRESS OF THINGS GOING FORWARD AND -- I MEAN, COMMISSIONER HAGAN, I KNOW YOU'RE ON THAT BOARD. AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO ALMOST DECLARE THAT STATE OF EMERGENCY OF ECONOMICS HERE THAT WILL CHANGE HOW GOVERNMENT THINKS, THAT -- GO BACK TO IF WE WERE WIPED OUT, WHAT WOULD WE DO. WE'RE ALMOST AT THAT POINT ECONOMICALLY. SO -- AND AGAIN, I KNOW YOU'RE FORMING THAT TASK FORCE, I KNOW IT'S COMING QUICKLY, BUT WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO PUT ROAD BLOCKS, BARRIERS, TIME -- YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S STAMPED IN, WHEN IT'S NOT STAMPED IN. YOU KNOW -- HOLY COW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT -- WE CAN'T BE IN THE WAY ANYMORE. GOVERNMENT CAN'T OPERATE IN THAT WAY ANYMORE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE THAT -- AND I RECALL THE COMMENT YOU MADE, COMMISSIONER HAGAN, OPEN FOR BUSINESS. BY DECLARING THAT STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR OUR ECONOMY, WE WANT TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. >>KEN HAGAN: WE HAVE SOME OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WANT TO SPEAK, BUT I WANT TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S COMMENTS. COMMISSIONER NORMAN ESSENTIALLY ECHOED TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS AND MOTIONS THAT I BROUGHT TO THE BOARD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MEETINGS. IF YOU RECALL A FEW MEETINGS AGO, I BROUGHT TO THE BOARD AND WE APPROVED GETTING -- HAVING STAFF COMING BACK WITH AN ECONOMIC PREPAREDNESS PLAN SO THAT WE WOULD BE IN A SITUATION TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE EITHER AN ECONOMIC DISASTER OR A SUSTAINED PERIOD OF ECONOMIC CRISIS, SO THE STAFF ACTUALLY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BROUGHT THAT BACK TO US, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE GETTING THAT VERY SOON, AND THEN SECONDLY, AS FAR AS CREATING THE -- THE ECONOMIC TASK FORCE, WHICH, AGAIN, WE SHOULD HAVE APPROVED THIS MEETING, BUT FOR PROCESS REASONS, I GUESS WE WERE UNABLE TO DO SO, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO APPROVE BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS DURING OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING AND HAVE THE TASK FORCE ADDRESS COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S CONCERNS AS WELL, SO -- COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. IF I COULD JUST HAVE THE BOARD'S PLEASURE FOR A MOMENT TO ENTERTAIN A LETTER THAT I JUST -- WE JUST ACTUALLY -- ALL OF US JUST RECEIVED FROM THE BUILDING SERVICES DIVISION AND CONSIDER THIS AS A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE THAT'S COMING FROM THE ACTUAL EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY OUR LAYOFFS. WE, THE EMPLOYEES OF THE BUILDING SERVICES DIVISION OF THE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, DO HEREBY REQUEST THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO A FURLOUGH AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE PLANNED REDUCTION OF OUR DIVISION STAFFING LEVELS. THE REASONS FOR OUR REQUESTS ARE AS FOLLOWS: TO ENABLE OUR DIVISION TO RETAIN OUR TRAINED STAFF AS WELL AS THEIR INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE; TO ENABLE OUR STAFF TO MEET OUR MANDATE TO PROVIDE TIMELY REVIEW, PERMITTING, AND INSPECTIONS TO BOTH INDUSTRY AND THE CITIZENS WHOM WE SERVE; TO ENABLE OUR STAFF TO MEET OUR LESS WELL-KNOWN BUT EVEN MORE CRITICAL MANDATE TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS SO THAT WE MAY OPERATE EFFECTIVELY DURING POST-DISASTER RECOVERY EFFORTS; TO ENABLE OUR STAFF TO EFFECTIVELY MONITOR THE LIFE SAFETY ISSUES, WHICH ARE AT THE HEART OF THE TWO PREVIOUS MANDATES. TO THIS END WE PROPOSE AN INDEFINITE FURLOUGH, SAID FURLOUGH TO CONSIST OF TWO DAYS OF UNPAID LEAVE TO BE TAKEN EACH TWO-WEEK PAY PERIOD. THE PROPOSED FURLOUGH, IF ADOPTED, WILL RESULT IN A 20% REDUCTION IN SALARY PAID. THE PROPOSED FURLOUGH SHOULD ALSO RESULT IN ADDITIONAL SAVINGS THROUGH THE REDUCTION OF OPERATING EXPENSES SUCH AS THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH UTILITIES, VEHICLE, MAINTENANCE, AND FUEL. THE SAVINGS REALIZED BY THE ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSED FURLOUGH MAY EQUAL OR EXCEED THE PROJECTED DEFICIT REDUCTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPOSED REDUCTION IN WORKFORCE. THE BENEFIT TO OUR EMPLOYEES IS THAT THEY WILL RETAIN THEIR JOBS AND THEIR BENEFITS. BY EXTENSION, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM THEIR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE. TO BENEFIT TO OUR -- THE BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT ONCE THE ECONOMY AND BY EXTENSION THE BUILDING INDUSTRY REBOUNDS, WE WILL HAVE TRAINED STAFF IN PLACE THAT WILL BE EQUIPPED TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF INDUSTRY. AS YOU MAY RECALL, DURING THE BUILDING BOOM OUR DIVISION WAS NOT ABLE AT TIMES TO EFFECTIVELY MEET OUR MANDATE TO PROVIDE TIMELY REVIEW, PERMITTING, AND INSPECTIONS, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE INABILITY TO PUT IN PLACE ADEQUATE STAFF. THIS RESULTED AT TIMES IN PERMITTING TIMELINES OF TEN WEEKS OR MORE WITH CONSTANT ROLLOVERS OF INSPECTIONS ONCE THE PERMITS WERE ISSUED. WHILE THE HEIGHTS OF THE BUILDING BOOM MAY NOT BE RETURNING, WE MUST STILL BE PREPARED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AS THEY ARISE. A [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] BUILDING INDUSTRY IN A REBOUNDING ECONOMY WILL BE TOO VULNERABLE TO ENDURE UNNECESSARY BUREAUCRATIC DELAY. AS FOR OUR MANDATE TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY IN A POST-DISASTER ENVIRONMENT, THE NEED TO RETAIN TRAINED STAFF CANNOT BE OVERSTATED. DURING WHAT WAS BASICALLY A NEAR MISS FOR OUR COUNTY AND FOR NEIGHBORING MUNICIPALITIES DURING THE 2004 STORM CYCLE, IT WAS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S EMPLOYEES WHO RESPONDED TO OUR NEIGHBORS' REQUEST FOR AID. OUR STAFFING LEVELS ARE SUCH NOW THAT STAFF -- THAT STAFF PRIVATELY WONDERS WHETHER WE CAN RESPOND WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY SHOULD WE HAVE A LIKE SEASON OR WORSE. SHOULD WE NOT BE EQUIPPED TO MEET THIS LAST MANDATE, THE RESULT WILL BE CITIZENS BEING KEPT OUT OF THEIR HOMES WHILE THEY WAIT ON OUR STAFF TO INSPECT AND PERMIT THEIR DAMAGED HOMES, AND MORE LIKELY, THE RESULT WILL BE CITIZENS RESIDING IN POTENTIALLY UNSAFE CONDITIONS WHILE AN UNDERSTAFFED DIVISION STRUGGLES TO MEET ITS LIFE SAFETY MANDATE. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE FURLOUGH WILL ALLOW THE RETENTION OF STAFF SO THAT CHALLENGES SUCH AS THOSE NOTED IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPHS WILL BE MET. IN CONCLUSION, WE REALIZE THIS PROPOSAL MAY MEET WITH INITIAL RESISTANCE FROM INDUSTRY AND FROM A PERCENTAGE OF CITIZENS WHOM WE SERVE. WE ARE RESOLVED, HOWEVER, THAT WE WILL BETTER -- WE MAY BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY BY BEING AN EXEMPLARY ORGANIZATION FOUR DAYS A WEEK THAN A MEDIOCRE ORGANIZATION FOR FIVE. WE ARE FORTHRIGHT IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND WE ARE TRANSPARENT IN OUR REASONING. WE BELIEVE THAT THESE CHALLENGES MAY YET PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO BOTH INDUSTRY AND OUR CITIZENS AND BUILD A DEEPER PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY. YOURS IN SERVICE, THE EMPLOYEES OF THE BUILDING SERVICES DIVISION. IS THIS AN OPTION THAT WE COULD CONSIDER? HAVE WE LOOKED AT THIS, HOW THIS MAY IMPACT OUR BUDGET? >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, ERIC JOHNSON, MANAGEMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR. WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH THE CONCEPT OF A FURLOUGH BEFORE COMING TO THE BOARD WITH THE PROPOSAL FOR A RIF, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS OF THE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR INTEREST THAT WE LOOK AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS I THINK ARE EMBEDDED IN THAT MEMO THAT MAYBE THE EMPLOYEES HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER. ONE OF THOSE IS THAT -- AND ACTUALLY, THEY MAY HAVE CONSIDERED IT. MANY OF OUR BENEFITS WOULD REMAIN IN PLACE FOR AN EMPLOYEE FURLOUGHED WORKING FOUR DAYS A WEEK, AND SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS TO SAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF DOLLARS TO DEAL WITH THE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE FACING IN THE BUILDING SERVICES FUND, WE'D HAVE TO LET MORE EMPLOYEES -- WE'D HAVE TO ACTUALLY REDUCE OUR WORKFORCE BY A GREATER EXTENT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD ALL RETAIN THE BENEFITS THAT THEY CURRENTLY RECEIVE WHILE WORKING FOUR DAYS A WEEK, SO WE END UP HAVING A LOWER LEVEL OF STAFFING AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY TO ACHIEVE THE SAME DOLLAR SAVINGS. SO WE DID CONSIDER THAT. WE DID CONSIDER THE FACT THAT IF THIS WERE A VERY SHORT- TERM ISSUE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, IF WE ANTICIPATED THE BUILDING INDUSTRY TO RECOVER WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, CERTAINLY WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A FURLOUGH AND WE'D BE CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WE WOULDN'T SAVE AS MUCH BECAUSE OF THE COSTS OF THOSE BENEFITS FOR THE FURLOUGHED EMPLOYEES, BUT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS COMING BACK. AS WE'LL TALK TO YOU NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS INDUSTRY WILL COME BACK BECAUSE IT'S REALLY BEING DRIVEN BY NATIONAL CREDIT MARKETS, NOT BY LOCAL PHENOMENON. THE OTHER ISSUE THAT THE EMPLOYEES RAISED, CERTAINLY THE CONCERN ABOUT POST-DISASTER RECOVERY, THEY POINTED OUT THE FACT THAT WE PROVIDED POST-DISASTER RECOVERY TO OTHER AREAS, AND OUR GAME PLAN IS TO RELY ON OUR NEIGHBORS AND OTHERS IN THE STATE AND THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST TO COME TO OUR ASSISTANCE IN THE EVENT OF A DISASTER, JUST AS TECO DOESN'T RELY ON THEIR OWN WORK CREWS TO RESTORE UTILITIES WITHIN AN AFFECTED AREA. THEY RELY ON THE ENTIRE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES, IN FACT, BEYOND THAT TO COME TO THEIR ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO QUICKLY RESPOND. WE HAVE NEVER ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD RELY EXCLUSIVELY ON OUR EMPLOYEES TO RESPOND IN THE EVENT OF A DISASTER, AND IN FACT, THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS IS SPECIFICALLY SET UP SO THAT WHEN OTHERS PROVIDE MUTUAL AID TO US OR WHEN WE PROVIDE MUTUAL AID TO OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND THE UNITED STATES THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THOSE COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES, SO THEY RAISE SOME ISSUES, BUT THEY ARE ISSUES THAT WE WERE WELL AWARE OF AND CONSIDERED PRIOR TO REACHING THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS ADDITIONAL REDUCTION IN FORCE WAS NECESSARY. WE APPRECIATE THEIR INTEREST, AND WE CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, CAN EXPLAIN IN FURTHER DETAIL TO THE AFFECTED EMPLOYEES, BUT WE DID CONSIDER THOSE ISSUES PRIOR TO BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO THE BOARD TODAY. WE DO FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE DRAWING DOWN BALANCES, AND HAS BEEN RAISED, COMMISSIONER, THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. WE COULD SEE FURTHER REDUCTION. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING IS FIXED COSTS VERSUS VARIABLE COSTS. WE HAD SOME FIXED COSTS OF OPERATION THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR US AT THESE LOW LEVELS OF ACTIVITY, BUT WE HAVE CONSIDERED THOSE ISSUES, AND I'VE REVIEWED THE SPECIFIC MEMORANDUM THAT YOU READ. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I'LL KEEP MY COMMENT QUICK, BRIEF. GOING BACK TO COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S COMMENTS -- AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY. I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S ITEM, WHICH WILL BE -- WILL IT COME ON THE 18th? >>PAT BEAN: UH-HUH. >>MARK SHARPE: BUT WHERE I SLIGHTLY DISAGREE IS THAT I THINK THE PROBLEM THAT WE'VE -- WE'VE GOT A -- WE'VE GOT A LONG-TERM PROBLEM THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED WITH QUICK FIXES, AND IN FACT, MANY OF THE TIMES WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM FOLKS IN THE PAST -- I WENT TO A CONFERENCE NOT TOO LONG AGO AND I HEAD THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T WORRY, THE OLD FLORIDA WILL BE BACK, WE'LL BE BACK TO BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THE SUBDIVISIONS AND STRIP MALLS. THAT'S NOT THE SOLUTION. AND SO I'M GOING TO ASK AGAIN AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE HAVE THIS COMMITTEE THAT MEETS -- WE NEED TO BE THINKING LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, BOTH IN TALLAHASSEE AND HERE. ONE OF THE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL PROVIDE A REMEDY, IS -- AND I'VE ASKED -- I BELIEVE MY OFFICE HAS CONTACTED YOU TO CONTACT HART TO BEGIN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE LANGUAGE FOR A REFERENDUM THAT WOULD GO ON THE BALLOT IN 2010 THAT WOULD INVOLVE TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME DIRECTION AS TO WHAT WE'RE BUILDING. IF WE JUST RUSH THROUGH PERMITS AND WE START BUILDING EVERYWHERE AGAIN, BUILDING WHERE THERE'S NO DEMAND OR BUILDING WHERE WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON FOLKS TO GO, THEN WE'RE GOING TO CREATE NEW PROBLEMS WHICH FUTURE COMMISSIONS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SOLVE, LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW -- AND CONCURRENCY, SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BEGIN DISCUSSIONS AND LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, COMMISSIONER NORMAN, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN TO PROVIDE A DIRECTION -- THAT'S WHAT THE I-4 CORRIDOR STUDY WAS ABOUT -- LONG-TERM, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY BE TRANSPORTATION ALONG WITH AN EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE, AND THE AREAS BEING ALONG WHERE YOU'LL HAVE THE MOBILITY SYSTEMS, WHETHER IT'S THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT OR POTENTIALLY, IF THE ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS BEARS OUT, A -- AN ACTUAL RAIL LINE. THAT'S WHERE THE GROWTH IS GOING TO GO, AND, YOU KNOW -- SO, YOU KNOW, I RECOGNIZE WE'VE GOT TO ACT TODAY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL TAKE ALL THESE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, INCLUDING VISIONING, AND TIE IT TOGETHER, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF IS PREPARED WORKING WITH HART SO THAT WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE READY TO GO THIS SPRING OR SUMMER AT THE LATEST FOR THE REFERENDUM THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED REGARDING TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THIS WHOLE QUESTION REGARDING HOW WE'RE GOING TO TURN OUR ECONOMY AROUND. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MR. ALUOTTO, OBVIOUSLY ALL OF US UP HERE ARE NOT HAPPY EITHER ABOUT THIS DISCUSSION, AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. IT'S A LITTLE BIT LONGER-TERM. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS TO ERIC, BUT JUST A COMMENTARY AT FIRST. IN FRONT OF ME I'VE GOT MY MOTION TO DO AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION ON SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS BUDDY JOHNSON. THE MIDDLE OF MY PAPERWORK I'VE GOT THE B-4 ITEM, AND I SEE PHYLLIS BUSANSKY IN THE AUDIENCE. THEN WE LOOK AT HAVING TO ELIMINATE SOME POSITIONS. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ELIMINATING PEOPLE'S JOBS AND AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE IN A POSITION THAT MR. JOHNSON PUT US IN TO HAVE TO -- TO DRAW DOWN GENERAL -- COUNTYWIDE GENERAL FUNDS TO THE TUNE OF $2.184 MILLION, AND I THINK THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR A LOT MORE THINGS, SO THIS CONTINUES TO BE SOMETHING THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING RESOLVED BECAUSE THIS IS PITIFUL. WE'RE FIRING PEOPLE AND THEN WE'RE GIVING OUT TWO-POINT- SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WE HAVE TO, TO MAKE THAT BUDGET WHOLE. WE COULD HAVE SAVED A LOT OF JOBS WITH THIS. I KNOW THAT'S EDITORIALIZING, BUT IT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING AND AN INSULT TO OUR VOTERS. BUT BACK TO THIS QUESTION, ERIC. I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE RESEARCHED -- JUST RECENTLY MY AIDE SENT ME MUCH THE SAME THING ABOUT THE FURLOUGH, NOT FROM THE EMPLOYEES BUT FROM THE LISTENING AUDIENCE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE REVIEWED THAT. THE -- AND PAT AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT WHEN SHE WAS BRIEFING ME YESTERDAY. THE LAST TIME WE LOOKED AT THIS, THERE WAS -- I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT FIGURES -- 400-PLUS EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAD TO ELIMINATE THEIR JOBS, BUT THERE WERE SOME OTHER OPEN POSITIONS, PAT, RIGHT, IN OTHER AREAS, AND WE SAVED HOW MANY? >>PAT BEAN: WE SAVED THE LARGEST MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS THAT WOULD HAVE HAD TO GO OUT THE DOOR, BUT YOU'RE TALKING THE BROADER REDUCTION, NOT JUST -- >>ROSE FERLITA: RIGHT. REFERRING BACK TO WHAT WE'VE HAD TO DO IN THE PAST. SO WE'VE SAVED THE MAJORITY OF THAT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. I KNOW THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF OPEN POSITIONS NOW -- OR NOT A LOT BUT SOME THAT WE WILL IN THE PROCESS OF THIS, I ANTICIPATE, LOOK AT TO MAYBE PERHAPS SAVE SOME EMPLOYEES AND REPOSITION THEM IN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, NOT BUMPING SOMEBODY ELSE BUT PUTTING THEM IN OPEN POSITIONS AS THEY EXIST NOW. I MEAN, WE'RE ALL STRUGGLING. THE EMPLOYEES WERE STRUGGLING WHEN THEY SENT US THAT LETTER. I'M STRUGGLE, THEY'RE STRUGGLING. WHAT WOULD BE THE POSSIBILITY OF REVERSING WHAT WE DO? WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE THESE POSITIONS, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT EMPLOYEES IT'S GOING TO AFFECT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT REPOSITIONING THEM IN CURRENTLY OPEN POSITIONS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS. WOULD THIS HELP AT ALL JUST -- I WANT YOUR THOUGHTS, ERIC. WOULD IT HELP AT ALL IF WE LOOKED AT THE POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN, TRY TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE OF THESE 30 OR 40 THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ELIMINATE INTO THOSE POSITIONS AND THEN AT THE NEXT MEETING COME BACK AND SAY THESE ARE THE ONLY OPENINGS, THIS IS WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THIS ONE, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED HERE, THEN WHAT ARE WE REALLY LOOKING AT INSTEAD OF SAYING 30 BUT REALLY IT MIGHT BE 12? I MEAN, MAYBE THEN WE COULD CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AND MAYBE NOT ACCOMPLISH IT BUT AT LEAST TRY EVERY ERNEST EFFORT THAT WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE REALLY ARE LEFT WITH WHEN THEY GO TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS? >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONER, I THINK WE'RE ON THAT SAME PATH. WHAT WE'RE ADVISING YOU IS THAT WE'RE ELIMINATING POSITIONS IN A PARTICULAR DIVISION OF A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT, BUT IT'S A COUNTYWIDE RIF, WHICH MEANS THAT THE EMPLOYEES IN THAT PARTICULAR AFFECTED DIVISION WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR BUMPING RIGHTS BASED ON LONGEVITY AND PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ORGANIZATION. WE WILL BE LOOKING AT PLACING THEM INTO VACANT POSITIONS. IN SOME CASES, THE ACTUALLY IMPACTED EMPLOYEE CURRENTLY RESIDES IN SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT. WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH -- OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT IS GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS AS WE SPEAK TO IDENTIFY WHERE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLACE EMPLOYEES OR WHERE THE ACTUAL IMPACTED EMPLOYEE MAY WORK ELSEWHERE IN THE ORGANIZATION. AS YOU'VE INDICATED, WE HAD A TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL EFFORT LAST YEAR OF PLACING PEOPLE. I THINK WE HAD LESS THAN TWO DOZEN EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY WALK OUT THE DOOR AFTER WE'D GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF PLACING PEOPLE. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, ERIC. I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT -- AND THE BUMPING RIGHTS, THAT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD BECAUSE INSTEAD OF FIRING JONES, YOU'RE FIRING SMITH. IT DOESN'T MATTER. BUT WOULD THIS BE LESS TRAUMATIC TO THE EMPLOYEES INVOLVED IF WE KNEW BEFORE WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION OR WHEN WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AGAIN, IF THAT'S THE CASE, HOW MANY WE COULD REALLY REPOSITION IN OPEN POSITIONS? I MEAN, LIKE, IF I WERE GETTING A PINK SLIP, I'D RATHER KNOW THAT EVERYTHING WAS DONE, AND IF THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE AVAILABLE, THEN YOU'VE DONE WHAT YOU COULD DO AS ADMINISTRATION, BUT INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM THE SLIP AND THEN THINKING MAYBE I CAN GET REPOSITIONED, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT ALTERNATIVE FIRST. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONER, THE PROCESS WE HAVE IS TO GIVE THE EMPLOYEE THE MOST NOTICE POSSIBLE. WE DON'T KNOW YET EXACTLY WHO POTENTIALLY IS GOING TO BE LAID OFF. WE'VE STARTED THROUGH THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING WHO IS IN A POSITION THAT IS IMPACTED BUT NOT WHETHER THEY'LL BE THE PERSON THAT GOES OUT THE DOOR. THAT -- THAT NOTIFICATION HASN'T OCCURRED YET. THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY CAN'T BE PLACED WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING WHO HAS SENIORITY OVER SOMEONE ELSE IN TERMS OF RETENTION POINTS. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND WHAT DO YOU THINK, ERIC, WOULD BE KIND OF A -- I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GIVE ME AN EXACT, BUT AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT TIME FRAME WOULD BE? ANY IDEA, PAT? >>PAT BEAN: I THINK WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH 30 POSITIONS, IT'S A WHOLE LOT EASIER THAN WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH, LIKE, 400 POSITIONS IN THE LAST RIF, SO I THINK THIS CAN BE DONE FAIRLY QUICKLY, AND WE DO NEED TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS BECAUSE THERE IS A PRESCRIBED PROCESS THAT WE USE, AND WHEN YOU START DEVIATING FROM THAT PROCESS, THEN YOU GET SUBJECT TO ALL KINDS OF -- >>ROSE FERLITA: THAT'S FINE, BUT I GUESS AT LEAST WE CAN - - WE CAN HURRY THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT THE REPOSITIONING, EVEN IF WE FOLLOW THE PROCESS -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: THAT'S OUR INTENT, COMMISSIONER, AND WE STARTED THAT PROCESS LAST WEEK IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING RETENTION POINTS. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND LIKE PAT SAID, IT'S GOING TO CERTAINLY BE EASIER FOR THIS THAN THE 400 PLUS, BUT AGAIN, I HAVEN'T HEARD AN IDEA OF WHEN JUST FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN YOU COULD KIND OF SAFELY BE ABLE TO TELL THEM WHAT POSITIONS ARE OPEN AND HOW QUICKLY YOU CAN REPOSITION THE ONES THAT MIGHT BE -- >>PAT BEAN: I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S PROBABLY POSSIBLE TO BEGIN TALKING TO CERTAIN PEOPLE AS -- AS THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES GOES THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAPPEN THAT CHANGE THE FIRST PERSPECTIVE TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE RIF PROCESS WORKS. IT'S A VERY DEFINED PROCESS. A MONTH MAYBE. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. WELL, THEN, PIGGYBACK ON THAT. PIGGYBACK ON THAT, AND MR. CHAIRMAN, I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, OKAY. IF WE DID THAT -- NOW, YOU WERE TALKING A WHILE AGO ABOUT IF THEY TOOK FURLOUGHS, THEY WOULDN'T BE WORKING "X" NUMBER OF DAYS, BUT STILL WE WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO GIVE THEM THE BENEFITS, AND THE BENEFITS ARE COSTLY. NOW, WHEN YOU DROP YOURSELF DOWN TO A PART-TIME POSITION, YOU'RE GETTING SOME INCOME, BUT YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE BENEFITS. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU LOOKED AT IN THE EQUATION WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE REPOSITIONING? >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONER, THE FURLOUGH THAT WAS PROPOSED, THE 20% REDUCTION, WORKING FOUR DAYS A WEEK, WOULD STILL QUALIFY THE EMPLOYEE FOR VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE BENEFITS COSTS, SO THAT'S WHY I SAID IT TAKES MORE PEOPLE WORKING A TOTAL OF FEWER HOURS THAN WE'RE PROPOSING TO ACHIEVE THE SAME DOLLAR SAVINGS. TO SAVE THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT IS REFLECTED WITHIN THIS RIF WOULD REQUIRE US STAFFING OFFICES FEWER HOURS A WEEK BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE'D HAVE TO IMPACT MORE EMPLOYEES TO GET TO THE SAME NUMBER OF -- OF DOLLAR SAVINGS. >>ROSE FERLITA: EVEN IF SOME OF THEM WENT TO A PART-TIME STATUS? >>ERIC JOHNSON: YES, BECAUSE WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED -- UNLESS WE DROPPED THEM DOWN TO A LEVEL WHERE ESSENTIALLY THEY'D HAVE TO FIND A SECOND JOB TO MAKE ENDS MEET, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'D, I BELIEVE, HAVE TO GO TO SAVE ON THE BENEFIT COSTS. THE LOWER THE SALARY OF AN EMPLOYEE, THE GREATER THE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR TOTAL COMPENSATION COMES FROM THAT BENEFIT PACKAGE -- >>ROSE FERLITA: I UNDERSTAND. >>ERIC JOHNSON: -- AND THAT'S OUR CHALLENGE. >>ROSE FERLITA: YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE JUST -- I MEAN, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BENEFITS, THEY'D HAVE TO MAYBE GO TO SOME COBRA THING IN THE INTERIM. WE'RE STRUGGLING TRYING TO FIND ALTERNATIVES, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE AREN'T ANY. >>ERIC JOHNSON: WE UNDERSTAND. THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE FACING, COMMISSIONER, IS THAT NEXT WEDNESDAY WE'RE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD TO GIVE YOU THE FIRST GLIMPSE AT OUR FORECAST FOR OUR GENERAL FUND, AND AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, WITH THE ECONOMY HITTING US THIS YEAR VERSUS TAX REFORM, WE'VE GOT A SIGNIFICANT HOLE TO BALANCE ACROSS THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION, AND SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE -- WE'RE STILL FINALIZING THAT INFORMATION TO DISSEMINATE PRIOR TO YOUR MEETING, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FACING OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. WE'RE NOT DONE WITH THE RIF PROCESS CLEARLY AT THIS POINT. >>ROSE FERLITA: WELL, AND PAT, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU-ALL WOULD DO WITHOUT ME OR ANY COMMISSIONER ASKING, IF YOU CAN JUST HURRY THAT REPOSITIONING PROCESS -- >>PAT BEAN: WE WILL. >>ROSE FERLITA: -- AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. >>PAT BEAN: WE WILL. WE ARE VERY EMPATHETIC OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING THIS HANGING OVER PEOPLE'S HEADS. WE WILL DO THE BEST WE CAN TO EXPEDITE IT. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR THE EXPLANATION. >>KEN HAGAN: PETER I WANT TO JUMP IN. I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN IS THE REASON WE HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES; HOWEVER, COMMISSIONER WHITE DID MAKE SEVERAL EXCELLENT POINTS, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PERMITS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PICKED UP, YET AT THE SAME TIME, IN SOME SITUATIONS THEY'VE BEEN IN THE SYSTEM FOR VERY, VERY LONG PERIODS OF TIME, YOU KNOW, SO IS IT THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG IS THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE FACED HERE. SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD IT HAS BEEN A FREQUENT NEARLY INCESSANT COMPLAINT ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TIME IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS, SO THAT NEEDS TO IMPROVE. I WANT TO SAY, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT ERIC JOHNSON JUST MENTIONED, I'M FEARFUL THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE REDUCTIONS AND CUTS THAT WE'RE ULTIMATELY GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE AS A RESULT OF THIS SUSTAINED ECONOMIC CRISIS, AND I THINK HE'S ALREADY INDICATED IT COULD BE A -- UPWARDS OF A $50-MILLION OR MORE REDUCTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE, SO I'M FEARFUL THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: YEAH, AND THIS IS JUST AN EDITORIAL KIND OF THING, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, A PACKAGE OF THIS EMERGENCY -- LET ME JUST TELL YOU, THE GOVERNOR'S GOING THAT WAY, COMMISSIONER SHARPE. HE'S ALREADY DECLARED AND GOING IN THAT DIRECTION, AND IF WE WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT AND STUDY AND WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT, LET ME TELL YOU THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN -- IF WE CENTER OUR WHOLE ECONOMIC FUTURE ON A 2010 BALLOT QUESTION THAT CAN'T EVEN BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL 2012 OR 2014, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO -- WE'RE COMPOUNDING FORECLOSURES, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE OUT OF WORK. WE GOTTA DO WHAT WE CAN NOW WITHOUT A BALLOT QUESTION, AND, YOU KNOW, CREATIVE THINGS LIKE EVERY ONE OF THOSE HUNDRED PEOPLE YOU SAID HADN'T PICKED UP EVERYTHING, YOU GET THE 26th FLOOR, YOU BRING EVERY ONE OF THEM IN THERE AND SAY LIKE A -- IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT A PERMIT BUILDER SUMMIT AND SAY, OKAY, GUYS, YOU HAVE A HUNDRED PERMITS HERE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THOSE HUNDRED PERMITS -- IS THERE ANYTHING? MAYBE THERE'S 25 YOU CAN PICK UP AND START GETTING THEM OUT THE DOOR. I MEAN, BEING AGGRESSIVE IN THAT PERSPECTIVE IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. WE CAN'T JUST WAIT AND DO NOTHING. >>PETER ALUOTTO: HOW ABOUT WE BRING A REPORT BACK TO YOU ON THIS, AND I'LL GET BACK WITH THE INDUSTRY, AND MAYBE WE'LL HAVE -- >>JIM NORMAN: BRING THEM ALL UP -- SIT THEM ALL IN A ROOM. HAVE A SUMMIT WITH EVERYBODY IN HERE. CATCH EVERYTHING THEY GOT TO SAY THAT TELLS US HOW WE AS GOVERNMENT CAN HELP GETTING OUR SLUGGISH ECONOMY MOVING. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE, THEN WE NEED TO VOTE. >>MARK SHARPE: AND COMMISSIONER NORMAN, I ABSOLUTELY AGREE. YOU KNOW, WHEN THE SUN WAS SHINING SEVERAL YEARS BACK, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, THERE WERE THINGS WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT WOULD HAVE MADE OUR ECONOMY MORE RESILIENT THAT WE DIDN'T DO BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, AND NOW WE'RE SITTING IN A MESS GOING WE'VE GOT TO ACT, AND I WOULD ABSOLUTELY AGREE. I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING. GET EVERYBODY DOWN. YOU KNOW, MAKE THE PHONE CALLS. IF THERE'S A PERMIT SITTING THERE AND SOMEBODY HASN'T COLLECTED IT, LET'S CALL. LET'S FIND OUT -- AND WE ARE IN A CRISIS. WHAT I AM SAYING, THOUGH, IS THE SOLUTION IS NOT GOING TO BE MORE OF THE SAME. WHAT'S SO FRUSTRATING IS WE KEEP DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND THINKING WE'RE GOING TO GET A DIFFERENT OUTCOME, AND WE'VE GOT TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY, SO MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS WHETHER IT'S JUST ONE SMALL STEP AND OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH THE SAME MESS 10, 20 YEARS AGO. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. AND WE NEED A MOTION ON THE ITEM. >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, HE SAID -- WHAT WAS YOUR LATEST COMMENT? I WANT TO BLEND THAT IN WITH -- >>PETER ALUOTTO: I'D BE HAPPY TO BRING BACK A REPORT TO SHOW YOU, YOU KNOW, THE CALLS WE MADE AND MAYBE BRING SOME OF THE INDUSTRY IN, AND THEY CAN EXPLAIN WHAT THE -- >>JIM NORMAN: I WOULD MOVE TO GIVE THE ADMINISTRATOR THE AUTHORITY TO MOVE FORWARD BUT DO THE THINGS CREATIVELY THAT MAYBE YOU CAN FIND SOME LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IF YOU BROUGHT EVERYBODY IN, MAYBE YOU CAN GET THINGS MOVING, MAYBE YOU CAN SAVE SOME JOBS, YOU KNOW. I WOULD MOVE TO GIVE THEM THE AUTHORITY BUT TRY TO BE CREATIVE, PICK UP SOME THINGS THAT COMMISSIONER FERLITA -- YOU KNOW, JUST -- MOVE TO GIVE THE AUTHORITY, BUT YOU KNOW OUR CONCERNS, AND I BELIEVE THERE IS SOME OTHER STONES WE CAN TURN OVER. THAT'S MY THOUGHT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I WOULD JUST SAY MAKE IT -- I THINK NORMAN'S SUMMIT IDEA IS A GOOD IDEA. I MEAN, LET'S NOT COME BACK UNTIL THERE HAS BEEN THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE BUILDING COMMUNITY. >>PAT BEAN: HE'S JUST SAID HE'S GOING TO DO THAT. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >>JIM NORMAN: [INAUDIBLE] >>MARK SHARPE: YEAH, I'M SECONDING. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: WITH SOME DISCUSSION HERE. WE'RE GETTING READY TO MAKE A MOTION, AS I UNDERSTAND, TO GIVE THE ADMINISTRATOR THE AUTHORITY. LET'S BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS, BUT LET'S BE CRYSTAL CLEAR ON WHAT THIS AUTHORITY IS WE WANT HER TO DO SO WE DON'T HAVE AN UNNECESSARY DELAY LIKE WE DO RIGHT NOW WITH STAFF SAYING WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT IT WAS, THE DIRECTIVE WAS, SO LET'S OUTLINE IT SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. >>JIM NORMAN: IT IS THEIR RECOMMENDATION, BUT THESE STEPS THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK AT, WE'RE ASKING AS A BOARD FOR THEM TO LOOK AT THESE STEPS BEFORE -- MAYBE THERE'S A LIGHT AT THE ENDS OF THE TUNNEL THAT ALL THE LAYOFFS DON'T HAVE TO OCCUR. THAT'S MY -- >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND MS. BEAN, YOU'RE CRYSTAL CLEAR ON THE STEPS HERE? BECAUSE THAT SOUNDED A LITTLE VAGUE. THAT'S WHERE I'M GETTING AT. I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND, SOME OF US UNDERSTAND, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S MAKING IT ALL THE WAY DOWN THE TABLE HERE. >>PAT BEAN: MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE ARE GIVEN AUTHORITY TO PROCEED TO BEGIN TO WORK THIS PROCESS THROUGH THAT'S PROPOSED OF THE RIF, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GOING TO ALSO CALL IN REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE INDUSTRY AS WIDESPREAD AS WE CAN TO HAVE THEM EXPLAIN TO US WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP THEM TO GET BUSINESS GOING. I THINK PETER IS INDICATING HE'S ALREADY MADE PHONE CALLS, BUT WE'LL DO PHONE CALLS AGAIN TO THOSE WHO HAVE PERMITS WAITING TO GET THEM IN HERE IF WE CAN GET THEM TO GET BUSY AND GET STARTED, BUT I THINK WHAT I HEAR COMMISSIONER NORMAN SAYING IS SOMETHING THAT ULTIMATELY WE'LL HAVE TO BRING BACK TO THE BOARD FOR YOU TO AUTHORIZE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AUTHORIZATION, AND I DON'T THINK I WANT YOU TO GIVE IT TO US TODAY, TO START DOING THINGS WITHOUT FOLLOWING ALL THE RULES AND ALL THE PROCEDURES THAT WE CURRENTLY FOLLOW UNTIL WE KNOW THAT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. >>JIM NORMAN: AND COMMISSIONER, THE REASON I SAID THAT, CALL THEM, I'M GOING TO JUST THROW A LITTLE STUFF OUT. YOU KNOW THE MALL IN SOUTH COUNTY, WE FINALLY APPROVED GOING FORWARD, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, BY THE TIME IT GOT THROUGH OUR PROCESS -- >> THEY'RE GONE. >>JIM NORMAN: -- THE KEY TENANTS PULLED OUT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: RIGHT. >>JIM NORMAN: IF WE WOULD HAVE DONE THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW, THEY WOULD HAVE SIGNED THOSE CONTRACTS, THAT MALL WOULD HAVE GONE FORWARD. THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF I'M TALKING ABOUT. YOU KNOW, GET THEM IN A ROOM, MAN, AND -- >>PAT BEAN: WE'VE COMMITTED TO DO THAT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SO YOU'RE CLEAR ON THE -- OKAY, THE DIRECTION. I HAD A MEETING ON MONDAY WITH A GROUP WHO HAD A PERMIT TIED UP IN EPC, AND THEIR STORY THERE WAS, WELL, WE HADN'T HEARD BACK FROM THEM, AND THOSE FOLKS JUST GOT FRUSTRATED WITH THE SYSTEM AND WALKED, AND THEY WEREN'T ASKING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN JUST FOLLOW THE PROCESS, SO AS LONG AS WE'RE CLEAR ON -- AND YOU'RE CLEAR ON WHAT THIS MOTION IS - - >>PAT BEAN: WELL, I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS GIVES ME THE AUTHORIZATION TO ASK EPC TO EXPEDITE THE PERMITS THAT THEY MAY BE WORKING WITH AND ALSO TO TRY TO GET SWFWMD TO EXPEDITE BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THIS COUNTY DIVISION OF BUILDING SERVICES, IT'S ALL THE OTHER REVIEW PROCESSES THAT ARE INVOLVED. >>JIM NORMAN: OF COURSE. LET'S KEEP JOBS. LET'S GET BUSINESS GOING. YEAH. YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY. >>PAT BEAN: THAT'S WHAT I ASSUME I DO. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THAT WAS AN UNINTENDED AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION TO ADD EPC IN THERE, BUT AS LONG AS WE'RE CLEAR, THAT WAS THE INTENTION OF MY DISCUSSION. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. THE MOTION IS BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN, SECOND COMMISSIONER SHARPE. PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE HAVE AN 11:30 TIME CERTAIN. >>PAT BEAN: YES. WE HAVE AN 11:30 TIME CERTAIN, AND THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS IS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND I BELIEVE SHE'S STARTING TO GET UP TO COME FORWARD AS WE SPEAK. SHE'S HERE TO PRESENT A REQUEST FOR A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR THE BOARD ALREADY. >>KEN HAGAN: WELCOME, MS. BUSANSKY. >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: WELL, IT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW BECAUSE IT'S SAD. I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK BASICALLY ABOUT THE PREMIER TWO POINT -- $2,184,000 SETTLEMENT. WE'RE ALL CONCERNED AND ANGRY ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT RIGHT NOW. THIS IS CRITICAL WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW. WHEN I TOOK OFFICE -- AND I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WAS FOUR WEEKS AGO -- I FORMED AN I.T. COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY CRAIG LATIMER TO REVIEW THE PROBLEMS DURING OUR RECENT ELECTION AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO US AND TO YOU FOR HOW TO IMPROVE THAT PROCESS. AT THE SAME TIME WE STARTED TALKING TO PREMIER AND MADE THEM AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WE NEEDED TO NEGOTIATE A REALLY FAIR AGREEMENT. WE DID. THEIR BILLS ARE OVERDUE. THEY HAVE GIVEN US A $500,000 CREDIT, 240,000 TO PAY UNPAID INVOICES SO FAR THIS YEAR, AND THEN 140 -- 130 FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THIS IS REALLY A FAVORABLE SETTLEMENT, AND I DON'T WANT TO JEOPARDIZE IT. I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE TABLE WITH THEM. WE ARE STILL FINALIZING THE AMENDMENT. WE NEED YOUR APPROVAL FOR THAT, AND ONCE YOU APPROVE IT, WE WILL FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES AND GO THROUGH THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT. IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE FINALIZING A SECOND AUDIT. I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE ABOUT AN HOUR AGO WITH KURT BROWNING, WHO HAS BEEN TERRIFIC. WE'RE FINALIZING A SECOND AUDIT TO YOU GO THROUGH THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER 1st THROUGH JANUARY 5th, AND HE WILL BE TALKING TO THE AUDITOR GENERAL AND OTHER APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES ONCE THE SECOND AUDIT IS THROUGH. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO LET THE PROCESS BE THE PROCESS. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO LET US KNOW AND THEN FOR US TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TOTALLY, SO, I MEAN, I'M PLEASED THAT SECRETARY BROWNING IS, YOU KNOW, INTERESTED AND ALERT AND AGREES WITH THE SECOND AUDIT AND AGREES WITH GOING TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES AFTER THAT IS DONE OR DURING THE PROCESS AND SEEING WHAT HE REALLY NEEDS TO DO TO TAKE ACTION. AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT I WILL BE BACK AGAIN. I'M SORRY, BUT I'M GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP, I REALLY AM, IN MAKING THIS OFFICE WHOLE BECAUSE WE CANNOT FORGET AND ELIMINATE OUR FOCUS ON MAKING THIS ELECTION PROCESS RIGHT. OUR BUDGET AS OF OCTOBER 1st ALLOCATED $3 MILLION FOR OPERATING COSTS. WE HAVE AS FAR AS WE KNOW NOW $300,000, RIGHT, IN UN -- IT'S AN UNAUDITED NUMBER, FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR. SO YOU WILL SEE ME TWICE. YOU WILL SEE ME WHEN I GIVE YOU THE REPORT ON THE SECOND AUDIT, AND YOU WILL SEE ME WHEN I COME BEFORE YOU TO ASK YOU TO HELP MAKE THIS OFFICE WHOLE. THERE'S TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO START OFF AND DO THIS RIGHT, AND AS I SAID TO SOMEONE, WE HAVE NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP, BUT I NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUR HELP, AND I - - I APPRECIATE THE WORK -- THE QUICK WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR, AND I THINK THAT THE COMMENT THAT I SAID EARLIER, YOU'VE REALLY ACTED ON THAT, AND I WANT TO THANK CRAIG AND THE OTHERS, BUT WE WANT YOU TO MOVE WITH SPEED, BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPEED IS WITH ACCURACY AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT THAT WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING IS WHAT'S NEEDED, THAT THE AUDITS WERE THOROUGH, AND THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE THEIR DAY AS FAR AS GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT, BUT TO CLEAN -- TO CLEANING UP THIS MESS. I GUESS, YOU KNOW -- COMMISSIONER NORMAN STRESSED THE ECONOMIC CRISIS WE'RE IN. WE ARE IN AN ECONOMIC CRISIS, WE'RE IN A BUDGETARY CRISIS, AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK OF YOU IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU TURN OVER EVERY STONE TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THINGS. WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRUST THAT THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS IS READY TO CONDUCT FUTURE ELECTIONS AND TO DO IT PROPERLY. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, WHETHER IT'S HOW WE TRAIN PEOPLE, THE FACILITIES THAT WE USE, THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE PURCHASE -- I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE AS FRUGAL AS POSSIBLE IS WHERE I'M GOING. >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: AND I PROMISE YOU WE WILL, AND WE WILL RETURN ANYTHING THAT WE CAN RETURN, WHETHER IT'S IN THE GRANT FUNDS OR WHATEVER. IF ANYTHING CAN COME BACK TO YOU, WE WILL GET IT BACK TO YOU. >>MARK SHARPE: AND WE DON'T NORMALLY GET THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS BEFORE US, BUT YOU'RE HERE AND I'M HONORED TO SPEAK WITH YOU. I UNDERSTAND PREMIER IS GOING TO WORK WITH YOU, BUT TEST, TEST, AND RETEST. >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: TEST, TEST, AND RETEST, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER BIG DEMO IN ANOTHER FEW WEEKS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR IT BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP IF IT'S GOING TO WORK AND IT'S IS GOING TO WORK. >>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >>KEVIN WHITE: CAN YOU RETURN SOME OF THE PENS? >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: THE PENS HAVE GONE TO A CHARITY, I BELIEVE, IN AFRICA. >> OH, REALLY? >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: YES, THEY HAVE. >> GOOD. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU, MS. BUSANSKI, FOR COMING IN TO TALK WITH US, AND I THANK YOU, CRAIG, AND THE STAFF FOR TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED, AND IT CERTAINLY OUR INTENTION, AT LEAST MY INTENTION THAT WE GET THIS MATTER BEHIND US SO WE CAN GO FORWARD AND RESTORE INTEGRITY TO THE ELECTION PROCESS, SO YOU CERTAINLY HAVE OUR SUPPORT AS FAR AS GETTING THE PAST BEHIND US, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT THIS -- TO ME THIS MATTER IS NOT ABOUT STROKING A CHECK AND THEN PUTTING EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH THE RUG, THIS IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I BELIEVE THAT -- AND I KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE DILIGENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THROUGH THE AUDITING PROCESSES THAT YOU WILL BRING FORTH AND SHED LIGHT AND THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW AND THIS BOARD WILL KNOW HOW THOSE DOLLARS THAT WE ALLOCATED TO THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OFFICE IN THE PAST WERE SPENT AND THAT, AGAIN, MORE LIGHT WILL BE SHED AND AGAIN THAT IN THE END ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTEGRITY WILL BE RESTORED TO THE SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE, SO AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THIS RESOLVED. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >> THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO RUGS. >>ROSE FERLITA: I THINK WHAT COMMISSIONER BECKNER'S SAYING IS IT'S ALREADY ON ITS WAY. WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR IS GOING TO ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY, AND THE INTEGRITY THAT YOU AND CRAIG AND THE REST OF YOUR STAFF HAVE ALREADY SHOWN, I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY EFFICIENT SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OFFICE, SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD IN A LONG TIME, AND TO MAKE LIGHT OF A VERY HORRIBLE STORY HERE, PIGGYBACKING ON MR. WHITE'S HUMOR, WHEN WE WERE IN PHARMACY SCHOOL, IF WE WANTED TO WIPE OUT SOME OF THE STUFF, WE WOULD USE ACETONE, SO IF YOU HAVE ANYMORE ADDITIONAL STUFF UP THERE THAT CARRIES THE TITLE OF BUDDY JOHNSON THAT YOU CAN RECYCLE, USE ACETONE AND WIPE IT OFF AND REUSE THE THING, THE PENS, THE PINS, WHATEVER. ANYWAY, THANKS FOR YOUR HELP, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU WORKING WITH US. >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: PHYLLIS, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, AND I BELIEVE THAT SINCE THE FIRST AUDIT REVEALED SOME THINGS, I BELIEVE THAT GOING FORWARD WITH THE SECOND AUDIT WILL REVEAL EVEN MORE. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AM STILL AM BEWILDERED THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION STOOD RIGHT BEFORE THIS BOARD AND THIS BODY AND TOLD US ALL THE BILLS WERE PAID AND THEY HAD INVOICES FOR ALL THE BILLS THAT WERE PAID AND THAT THE MONEY THAT WAS REQUESTED AT THAT POINT IN TIME WAS TO DO NOTHING BUT MAKE YOU AND THE NEW OFFICE WHOLE, AND THEN WE COME TO FIND OUT THESE SITUATIONS THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT US IN, AND ON TOP OF THAT, HERE WE ARE, AS WAS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, SITTING UP HERE POTENTIALLY LETTING COUNTY EMPLOYEES GO. I KNOW THAT $2 MILLION WAS IN YOUR BUDGET, BUT IT'S STILL IN THE COUNTY'S BUDGET. IT'S THE TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS THAT JUST DOES NOT NEED TO BE SPENT FOR THIS TYPE OF FOOLISHNESS AND IRRESPONSIBILITY. I -- I WISH YOU WELL IN THIS ENDEAVOR. I KNOW THAT AS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY STATED AGAIN THAT I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN YOU AND YOUR NEW ADMINISTRATION, THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND DO THE BEST WE CAN AT THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS OFFICE, AND YOU HAVE THIS COMMISSIONER'S, AS I'M SURE EVERY OTHER COMMISSIONER'S UP HERE, FULL PLEDGE AND SUPPORT. AND WITH THAT, IF THERE'S -- I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE ITEM B-4 FOR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENT. >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: GREAT. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: PHYLLIS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER A LONG TIME. I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE THE TENACITY YOU'VE SHOWN TO GO BACK AND RENEGOTIATE THAT AND SAVE THE $500,000. THAT SHOWS YOUR COMMITMENT AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AS FUTURE SERVICE, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND AGAIN, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH THE REVIEWS AND AUDITS TO DETERMINE WHERE EVERYTHING WAS SPENT, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT TO KEEP IT ON TRACK TODAY, TO GET YOUR OFFICE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, TO FUND YOUR SHORTFALLS, I'M SURE THIS BOARD WILL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT, AND APPRECIATE YOU SHOWING UP TODAY AND REQUESTING THIS. >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: AND I'LL SECOND IT. >>KEN HAGAN: AND JUST IN CLOSING, PHYLLIS, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ATTAINING THE COST REDUCTION THAT COMMISSIONER NORMAN INDICATED WITH PREMIER AS WELL AS YOUR LEADERSHIP IN CLEANING UP THE NIGHTMARE IN THAT OFFICE, SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND PHYLLIS -- >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>ROSE FERLITA: -- YOU REALLY THINK YOU HAVE $300,000 STILL, HUH? >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: I DO. BUT I ALSO WANT TO TELL YOU YOU HAVE A GREAT TEAM WORKING FOR YOU. I MEAN, RENEE HAS BEEN FABULOUS, PAT HAS BEEN FABULOUS, THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT. I CAN'T EVEN NAME NAMES BECAUSE -- OUR CHIEF NEGOTIATOR HAS BEEN FABULOUS. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW CRAIG AND OUR TEAM, WHICH IS TOTALLY FABULOUS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND HAVING MARY HELEN BACK, I MEAN, SHE -- THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION SHE HAD IS INCREDIBLE. >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] BUT THEY HAVE SAM HAMILTON WHO IS A GOOD CONTRACT PERSON AND ORLANDO PEREZ. YOU'VE GOT A GOOD GROUP THERE, REALLY. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU. >>PHYLLIS BUSANSKY: THANK YOU. >>PAT BEAN: COMMISSIONER, I THINK COMMISSIONER FERLITA MIGHT LIKE TO DO HER ITEM VERY QUICKLY. >>ROSE FERLITA: BUT IT WOULDN'T TAKE VERY LONG, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>KEN HAGAN: SURE. >>ROSE FERLITA: IT SHOULDN'T TAKE LONG AT ALL, BUT I THINK CERTAINLY IT PIGGYBACKS ON THIS, BUT FOR EACH OF THE REASONS WE'VE STATED INDIVIDUALLY, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON F-4, TO DIRECT THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, RENEE LEE, TO FORWARD THE ERNST & YOUNG AUDIT TO ALL APPROPRIATE AGENCIES AND REQUEST AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION OF THE FORMER SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, BUDDY JOHNSON. >> SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE'VE GOT A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WHITE. ANY BOARD COMMENTS? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 7-0. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. >>PAT BEAN: AND NOW WE WILL -- I THINK THE BOARD WILL RECESS FOR LUNCH. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. HOW MANY ITEMS DO WE HAVE -- HOW MANY ITEMS DO WE HAVE IN THE AFTERNOON? >>PAT BEAN: WELL, LET'S SEE. >>JIM NORMAN: [INAUDIBLE] >>PAT BEAN: FOUR. >>KEN HAGAN: WE WANT TO COME BACK AT 1:30 OR 2:00? WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE A FEW ITEMS. >>KEVIN WHITE: IF WE ONLY HAVE A FEW ITEMS, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WAS JUST -- MS. WILLIAMS HAS BEEN HERE. IF WE COULD GET THE PARK ISSUE. I DON'T THINK THAT WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES. >>KEN HAGAN: THAT'S FINE. >>KEVIN WHITE: IF NOBODY ELSE -- IF EVERY OTHER ITEM IS GOING TO BE QUICK, I'D BE AMENABLE TO STAY AND WORKING FOR THE NEXT 20, 30 MINUTES AND JUST BREAK RATHER THAN COME BACK AT 1:30 -- >>KEN HAGAN: I DO HAVE TO BE SOMEWHERE AT NOON, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO THIS ITEM IF IT'S QUICK. >>ROSE FERLITA: DO IT, DO IT, DO IT. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE -- HERE HE IS. HE'S COMING FORWARD. THE ISSUE OF THE PROGRESS VILLAGE PARK. I HAVE A TIMELINE HERE. WE STARTED DEALING -- MR. THORNTON AND I AND A LOT OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS FROM THE PROGRESS VILLAGE AREA HAD A MEETING ON JULY OF '07 REGARDING THE PROGRESS VILLAGE PARK AND ITS DESIGN AND THE WHOLE GAMUT OF THE PARK AND ITS ARRAYS OF AMENITIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. ON 6/19 WE MET AND HAD THE LATEST CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS OF THE PARK IN WHICH WE GAVE TO TBE, AND ON 8/22 TBE HAD ADVISED THAT THEY WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY TWO TO THREE MONTHS TO FINALIZE THE DESIGN PROJECT. NOW, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT IS ALREADY FUNDED AND IS READY TO BE BUILT AND STARTED. ON 6/24 WE HAD THE LATEST CONCEPTUAL PLANS THAT WERE RETURNED TO US AND -- FROM TBE AND MARKED AS REVISED. ON 7/9 OF 2008 WE HAD ANOTHER MEETING ABOUT MORE REVISIONS OF THE SITE PLAN, WHICH WE CAME TO AGREEMENT ON. THEN JULY OF '08 THERE WAS ANOTHER E-MAIL THAT WAS SENT THAT SAYS THAT THE CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS WERE ACCEPTED AND -- TO BE -- TO PROCEED WITH. NOVEMBER OF '08, COULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US A QUICK STATUS AND AN UPDATE ON THE PARK? 11/12, THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT IS A GO AND SHOULD BE READY TO GO TO PERMITTING, AND HERE WE ARE STILL A YEAR AND FIVE, SIX MONTHS INTO THE PROJECT FOR A PROJECT THAT'S ALREADY FUNDED. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S -- I DON'T KNOW IF TBE'S OUR HOLDUP, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OUR COUNTY STAFF THAT'S A HOLDUP, AND THAT'S WHY I WANT MR. THORNTON HERE TO GIVE THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY AN UPDATE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, SOMETHING THAT WAS APPROVED AND READY ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, AND WE STILL HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN THE CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS OUT OF TBE'S HANDS TO OUR PERMITTING DEPARTMENT AS OF YET, AND AGAIN, WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THAT BECAUSE EVERY TIME THAT WE'VE MET, WE HAVE A PROJECTED DATE, AND THAT PROJECTED DATE KEEPS GETTING PUSHED OUT FURTHER AND FURTHER AND FURTHER, AND I NEED TO KNOW IF IT'S TBE'S FAULT. MAYBE WE NEED TO TAKE THE PROJECT OUT OF THEIR HANDS AND GET IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE'S, OR IF IT'S COUNTY STAFF'S FAULT -- AGAIN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DELAYS EARLIER. JUST GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THAT, PLEASE. >>MARK THORNTON: SURE, COMMISSIONERS. MARK THORNTON, DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION, AND CONSERVATION. THERE WAS A -- THE INITIAL DESIGN THAT WAS DONE THAT WAS PRESENTED -- AND WE REPORTED TO THE BOARD IN JANUARY OF '08, MUCH LIKE I'M DOING TODAY, THAT WE HAD STRUCTURED THE MEETINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY. THAT MEETING WAS HELD JANUARY 28th AND WASN'T -- THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WITH THAT, SO WE WENT BACK TO THE BOARD OR WENT BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES, VARIOUS GROUPS THAT WERE INTERESTED OR HAD CONCERNS, AND CAME BACK TO THE COMMUNITY MEETING AT -- IN MAY OF '08, AND THE PLAN WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THOSE IN ATTENDANCE, SO WE STRUGGLED WITH THAT -- THE OVERALL DESIGN. NOW, LET ME JUST SAY THE -- THAT THERE WAS -- THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM -- WHEN THEY SAY THEY WERE DONE WITH THOSE, THE ENGINEERING OF THAT DESIGN HAD NOT STARTED ON ANY OF THESE PROJECTS, BUT WE WERE -- WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE THIS PROJECT FIT WITHIN THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL VARYING ASPECTS OF WHAT WAS EXPECTED. THROUGH THE HELP OF YOUR STAFF, THROUGH CEDRIC McCRAY, WE WERE ABLE TO COMPROMISE WITH ALL GROUPS AND GOT THAT FINAL CONCEPT APPROVED IN JULY, AS YOU JUST MENTIONED. THE ENGINEERING OF THAT, WE FINISHED OUR GEOTECHNICAL WORK ON THE SITE, AND THE ENGINEERING BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER, AND THAT IS -- IT'S ACTUALLY -- AS WE WERE PREPARING FOR THIS REPORT WITH THE ENGINEERING FIRM, WHILE THEY WOULD PROBABLY ON A NORMAL PROCEDURE HAVE BEEN THROUGH APRIL OF DOING THEIR ENGINEERING FOR THE PROJECT, THEY'RE AT 90% AND ARE SUBMITTING FOR FULL PERMITS NEXT WEEK. NOW, IN THE MEANTIME, TRYING TO CHANGE THE PROCESS OF WHAT WE NORMALLY HAD DONE IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF OTHER PROJECTS IN PAST HISTORY, WE'VE MET WITH PGM AND WE HAVE WORKED OUT THROUGH THIS BOARD ALSO THE LIGHTING PERMITTING ISSUES, THE TURN LANE AND OFF-SITE PERMITTING ISSUES, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT HAD HELD UP OTHER PROJECTS IN THE PAST. WE HAVE RESOLVED THOSE ON THIS PROJECT, AND IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH PETER ALUOTTO, WE'RE VERY COMFORTABLE THAT WE WILL GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS AT A MUCH FASTER PACE WITHOUT -- WITH VERY LITTLE DELAY, IF ANY. WE DON'T CONTROL SWFWMD OR EPC, BUT I'M GLAD THAT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN OFFER SOME HELP THERE BASED ON OTHER ACTION. THE INITIAL DESIGN HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY AND THE INITIAL PHASING HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY FROM LAST JANUARY UNTIL NOW. AGAIN, TB & E -- OR TBE HAS -- WE'VE PUSHED THEM TO GET THEM UP TO A BETTER TIME FRAME, AND I ESTIMATE THEY'RE NOW THREE MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AND WORKING WITH REAL ESTATE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES TO HOPEFULLY MOVE UP THE CONSTRUCTION TIME SCHEDULE, BUT IF WE GET A PERMIT -- WHEN WE GET OUR PERMITS, WE'RE STILL FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS THROUGH PROCUREMENT SERVICES BEFORE IT'S GOING TO START CONSTRUCTION, AND WE ALWAYS USE SIX MONTHS FOR PERMITTING, AND I DON'T THINK IT'LL TAKE THAT LONG, BUT I CAN'T STAND HERE AND SAY THAT IT WON'T. WHENEVER -- >>KEVIN WHITE: IF WE CAN GET THEM TO THEM BEFORE THE LAYOFFS, I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THERE THAT ARE READY TO ROCK AND ROLL AND CAN GET IT THROUGH THERE RATHER QUICKLY. >>MARK THORNTON: SURE. ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WHEN WE FINISH WITH OUR DRAWINGS -- AND WE ARE AT 90% -- THAT'S WHERE WE HOLD THEM AT BECAUSE IF ANY PERMITTING CHANGE IS REQUIRED, ANY DESIGN, WE CAN FINALIZE THAT BASED ON THE PERMITTING RESPONSES, BUT TYPICALLY WHAT -- AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT FRUSTRATES ME AS MUCH AS ANYONE AND CERTAINLY THE PUBLIC, WHEN WE FINISH OUR WORK WITHIN OUR STAFFING AND ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, WE'RE TEN MONTHS AWAY FROM CONSTRUCTION, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF PERMITTING AND PROCUREMENT PROCESSES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL. WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO TRY TO SHORTEN THAT, BUT I CAN'T -- I CAN'T SAY THAT WE WILL. I JUST KNOW THAT THAT TEN MONTH -- AND IN MOST CASES, IT'S BEEN A LOT LONGER. OSCAR COOLER IS ONE THAT WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH, AND -- FOR MANY, MANY YEARS PRACTICALLY, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. >>KEVIN WHITE: LET ME SEE IF I GET YOU RIGHT. YOU SAY YOU'RE AT 90% NOW. >>MARK THORNTON: WE'RE AT 90%. WE'RE SUBMITTING ALL OF OUR PERMITS -- OR FOUR PERMITS THE WEEK OF THE 9th, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK. >>PAT BEAN: WELL, MARK, LET ME JUST BE SURE. BE PERFECTLY CLEAR WHAT YOU'RE 90% DONE WITH. >>MARK THORNTON: THAT'S OUR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING OF THIS PROJECT. THAT'S WITH TBE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THE WEEK OF THE 9th YOU WILL BE SUBMITTING THE 90% FOR ALL OF THE PERMITS? >>MARK THORNTON: FOR ALL OF THE PERMITS, YES. >>KEVIN WHITE: NOW -- AND FROM THE TIME OF ISSUANCE OR FROM THE TIME OF SUBMISSION FOR PERMITS -- >>MARK THORNTON: TEN MONTHS. >>KEVIN WHITE: FROM SUBMISSION? >>MARK THORNTON: YES. THAT'S GIVING AN ALLOTMENT OF SIX MONTHS FOR PERMITTING AND FOUR MONTHS FOR PROCUREMENT. >>KEVIN WHITE: OKAY. SO NOW THIS IS FEBRUARY, WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY ON THE OUTSIDE AGAIN -- >>MARK THORNTON: OCTOBER-NOVEMBER CONSTRUCTION START AND THEN EIGHT MONTHS -- I WOULDN'T -- WOULDN'T WANT TO ALLOW MORE THAN EIGHT MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION. >>KEVIN WHITE: AND I UNDERSTAND, BUT LET ME GET MY FRUSTRATION, THE COMMUNITY'S FRUSTRATION, BUT WHEN WE HAD THE MEETING BEFORE WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING DESIGN, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD BE BREAKING GROUND BY NOVEMBER OF '09. >>MARK THORNTON: THAT WAS WHEN WE HAD THE DRAWING IN JANUARY THAT HAD -- HAD BEEN THE DRAWING FOREVER -- >>KEVIN WHITE: OKAY. >>MARK THORNTON: -- CHANGED, AND IT CHANGED DRAMATICALLY, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IS I BELIEVE WEAVE AVENUE GOT A GOOD -- A DRAWING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD MORE THAN WE NEED, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD LESS THAN WE NEED, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A DESIGN OF WHICH I BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT IN ONE PHASE RATHER THAN TWO PHASES. >>KEVIN WHITE: OKAY. THE ONLY OTHER THING IS WILL YOU COME BACK TO THE BOARD AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING AND LET US KNOW THAT THE PERMITS HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR? >>MARK THORNTON: SURE. I CAN, AND IF YOU'D LIKE, I COULD JUST THROUGH MEMO TO THE ADMINISTRATOR AND SHE CAN DISTRIBUTE THAT. >>KEVIN WHITE: ABSOLUTELY. THAT WILL BE FINE. >>MARK THORNTON: SO WE DON'T TAKE UP YOUR TIME. >>KEVIN WHITE: ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S FINE. >>MARK THORNTON: I DO WANT TO SAY ONE QUICK THING. WE HAD PREBID FOR A PROJECT FOR OSCAR COOLER LAST WEEK, AND WE -- WHEN WE BID FISHHAWK, WE HAD FIVE BIDDERS. THAT WAS AN $8-MILLION PROJECT, AND OSCAR COOLER IS ABOUT A $4-MILLION, IT'S EQUAL TO THIS ONE, AND WE HAD OVER 60 -- WE HAD OVER 80 CONTRACTORS WANTED AT THE PREBID. WE HAD TO TURN PEOPLE AWAY. THE ROOM WASN'T LARGE ENOUGH. WE'VE NEVER HAD THAT. SO WE WANT TO GET THESE PROJECTS OUT AS SOON AS WE CAN BECAUSE THE CONTRACTING COMMUNITY IS HUNGRY, AND WE'RE GETTING BETTER BIDS BECAUSE OF IT OR LOWER BIDS, SO WE'RE GOING TO PUSH THIS AS HARD AS WE CAN AMONG ALL OF OUR PROJECTS. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU. MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >>MARK SHARPE: YES. COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: MARK, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU WEREN'T EVEN THE PARKS DIRECTOR WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT. BOARD MEMBERS, THE CONCEPT WAS WE HAD THE ED RADICE FACILITY, AND WE WERE SO UNDER FIELD IN THIS COUNTY FOR KIDS, IT WAS RIDICULOUS. YOU GO TO OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND, AND WE DID NOT HAVE IT HERE. THE CONCEPT -- WHAT I TRIED TO GET THE BOARD TO SUPPORT WAS WE WOULD TRY TO HAVE THE FOUR CORNERS, HUNDRED-ACRE FACILITIES FOR KIDS ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT WOULD BRING US UP TO AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, COMPETITIVE AROUND FLORIDA, NATION, OR WHATEVER. HE'S -- YOU-ALL REMEMBER THE LIGHTING ISSUE? THAT'S JUST ONE LITTLE HICCUP THING THAT -- WE'RE IMPEDING OURSELVES FROM STOPPING HELPING FAMILIES AND KIDS OUT THAT -- THAT NEED IT THE MOST DURING THESE TIMES, YOU KNOW, AND -- YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAID BEFORE ABOUT HAVING LIKE AN EMERGENCY HEARING OFFICER -- JUST GET IT DONE, I MEAN, THE SAME ARGUMENT WE WERE MAKING ABOUT THE BUILDING -- THE SERVICES EARLIER. WE'RE DOING OUR -- THE SAME THING TO OURSELVES HERE, THE SAME THING. THAT'S WHAT'S SLOWING A LOT OF THIS DOWN. YOU HEARD THE LIGHTING THING. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK TO GET THAT? I MEAN, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE BUREAUCRACY WHEN SOMETHING'S THIS IMPORTANT THAT WE CAN'T SEEM TO GET IT DONE, AND I'M GLAD IT'S FINALLY RISEN TO THIS BOARD LEVEL. BEFORE IT WAS ME JUST CRYING FOUL, AND THE OTHER -- THE OTHER PARKS GUY WOULDN'T EVEN LISTEN TO ME ABOUT GETTING IT MOVED FORWARD, AND -- BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS. IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE INTERIM? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN CREATIVE IN THE PAST IS, LIKE, OKAY, WE CAN'T HAVE THE PARK YET, WE CAN'T HAVE THE PERMITS YET, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE HAVE LIKE CLEARING MACHINERY THAT CAN LEVEL THINGS OUT AND STUFF LIKE THAT THAT THE COMMUNITY MIGHT NOT HAVE THE FIELDS YET, BUT AS THE PERMITS ARE GOING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, CAN THEY HAVE PRACTICE FACILITIES, CAN THEY USE THE FIELD TO PRACTICE ON? I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU KNOW THESE LITTLE LEAGUE THINGS AND YOU KNOW THE FOOTBALL THINGS AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF, THEY -- THEY'RE IN LITTLE CORNERS OF EVERYTHING TRYING TO -- YOU KNOW, CLEAR OUT -- CLEAR OUT 20 ACRES AND LET THEM USE IT. IT'S NOT THE -- IT'S NOT THE REAL BEAUTIFUL THINGS, THE LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING YET, BUT TRUST ME, COACHES AND KIDS WILL REALLY -- YOU KNOW, SHOW THEM -- SHOW THEM AN EFFORT THAT IT'S COMING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU HAVE THESE KIND OF THINGS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU KNOW, THAT HELPS A LOT, AND YOU KNOW AS THE PARKS GUY - - I MEAN, LET'S BE CREATIVE AND DO SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE LIKE THAT THAT GETS OUR KIDS OUT AND OFF THE STREETS AND ACTUALLY HAVING THE COACHES THE ABILITY OF PRACTICING AND STUFF -- >>MARK THORNTON: [INAUDIBLE] >>JIM NORMAN: -- AND THEN THEY CAN GO TO THEIR OTHER FIELDS AND PLAY. HUH? >>MARK THORNTON: WHERE WE NEED THOSE THINGS, WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT. FORTUNATELY IN THIS CASE WE HAVE OLDER FIELDS AT PROGRESS VILLAGE PARK THAT ARE IN PLACE. THEY'RE NOT THE NEW ONES, SO WE HAVE THE FIELDS AVAILABLE, AND THERE'S ENOUGH FIELDS FOR THAT LEAGUE, BUT ANYPLACE THAT WE HAVE -- AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT UP AT NEW TAMPA WHERE WE HAVE A BUSTING AT THE SEAMS SITUATION WHERE WE CAN CREATE PRACTICE ZONES AND PRACTICE AREAS. WE ARE DOING THAT. >>JIM NORMAN: GO TO THESE LEAGUES AND GO TO THESE COACHES AND SAY, HEY, CAN WE DO SOMETHING QUICK FOR YOU NOW? IT'S COMING, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR THING OR 18 MONTHS. LET'S SHOW THEM SOME PROGRESS, LET'S SHOW THEM SOME LOVE, OKAY. >>MARK THORNTON: AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMISSION, WITH YOU, AND WITH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT ESPECIALLY WITH -- I GAVE MS. WILLIAMS MY PHONE NUMBER SO SHE KNOWS BECAUSE WHEN THEY DON'T HEAR THINGS FOR SIX MONTHS, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE WORKING ON THEM, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WE CAN GIVE THEM MONTHLY UPDATES, BUT NOW THAT IT'S WITHIN PERMITTING, WE CAN PUSH IT THROUGH, AND I DO WANT TO THANK PETER ALUOTTO FOR BEING VERY COOPERATIVE WITH US. HE HAS CLEARED A LOT OF HURDLES FOR US AND A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WERE HOLDING US UP AND A LOT OF FINAL COs AND THINGS, AND I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK HIM FOR BEING COOPERATIVE BECAUSE HE'S REALLY VOWED TO WORK WITH US AND MADE OUR LIVES A LITTLE BIT EASIER. >>JIM NORMAN: SO IT WOULDN'T BE IN MY LIFETIME IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN; RIGHT? >>MARK THORNTON: DO WHAT? I HOPE SO. >>JIM NORMAN: I MEAN, IF HE SPEEDED THINGS UP -- YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE SAID THAT. >>MARK THORNTON: MAYBE THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A ROADBLOCK. WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES, BUT WE'VE RESOLVED A LOT OF ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN DELAYS IN THE PAST. >>KEVIN WHITE: HURRY UP BEFORE WE LOSE OUR FUNDING. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. MS. WILLIAMS, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO SPEAK, BUT JUST MAKE SURE YOU'RE SATISFIED. COMMISSIONER WHITE, ARE YOU SATISFIED? >>KEVIN WHITE: WELL, I'M AS SATISFIED AS I CAN BE. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE INFORMATION TO MS. WILLIAMS? >> YES. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. THANK YOU. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>MARK SHARPE: 2:00. >>PAT BEAN: 2:00. >>MARK SHARPE: WE STAND ADJOURNED UNTIL 2:00. 1