CAPTIONING OCTOBER 7, 2009 BOCC REGULAR MEETING ***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, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO OUR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7th, 2009, REGULARLY 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: YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH JULY 4th AND THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT IT HAS IN OUR HISTORY, AND MEMORIAL DAY AND LABOR DAY AND D-DAY, BUT THERE'S A DATE IN HISTORY THAT'S FAR MORE IMPORTANT, AND IT'S THE DAY THAT TOOK PLACE IN 1780 ON OCTOBER 7th, THAT THOMAS JEFFERSON SAID WAS THE TURN OF THE TIDE IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. IT'S THOMAS JEFFERSON WHO WROTE THE ACCOUNT THAT SOME OF US KNOW BUT MANY HAVE FORGOTTEN, AND THAT WAS WHEN CORNWALLIS WROTE BACK TO THE KING AND SAID THAT THE SOUTH IS IN OUR HANDS, AND HE WENT NORTH AND MAJOR FERGUSON WENT TO THE SOUTH, AND IT WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WERE CALLED "OVERMOUNTAIN MEN" BECAUSE THEY CAME AND LIVED FROM OVER THE MOUNTAIN AND THEY DID BATTLE, AND IT WAS THAT BATTLE ON OCTOBER 7th IN 1780 WHICH ALLOWS US AND GIVES US THE PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE TODAY. BOW YOUR HEADS. OH, FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THOSE OVER-THE-MOUNTAIN MEN WHO FOUGHT FOR US, WHO HAD NO IDEA WHERE THIS GREAT COUNTRY WOULD GO, WHO HAD NO IDEA HOW WE WOULD TEST AND BE TESTED. WE THANK YOU FOR THEIR SACRIFICES AND ASK THAT YOU LET US AND HELP US MEET THOSE HIGH STANDARDS. AND FATHER, I ASK THAT YOU HELP ME CONDUCT MYSELF IN A MANNER WHICH IS IN ACCORDANCE TO YOUR TEACHINGS. AMEN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. I'D LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD FROM COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE, PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I'M UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S REGULAR BOCC MEETING DUE TO A FAMILY EMERGENCY. PLEASE READ THE REASON FOR MY ABSENCE INTO THE RECORD. THANK YOU. THIS MORNING WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO PRESENT THREE VERY SPECIAL PROCLAMATION, AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER WILL PRESENT THE FIRST ONE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. LAST WEEK I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND PRIVILEGE TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL SPRING BREAKFAST. AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE, THE SPRING ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO ANTIDOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND THERE'S ONE PART ABOUT THE BREAKFAST LAST WEEK THAT CONTINUES TO STICK IN MY MIND AND THAT JUST DOESN'T LEAVE ME. THERE IS -- DEPUTY THELMA GLOVER OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S SHERIFF'S OFFICE SANG A SPECIAL SONG CALLED "REMEMBER ME," AND THERE WERE EMPTY CHAIRS THAT WERE ON THE STAGE THAT REPRESENTED THE PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN KILLED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND EIGHT OF THOSE CHAIRS REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY KILLED OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, AND THAT JUST NEVER LEFT MY MIND, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND THAT THIS BOARD RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WHETHER YOU'RE A MAN, A WOMAN, A CHILD, WE HAVE TO STAND UP AND SAY THAT NO LONGER WILL WE TOLERATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND WE MUST ALL WORK TOGETHER TO END THE SENSELESS VIOLENCE THAT OCCURS IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY, AND SO IT IS TODAY THAT AS THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WE RECOGNIZE "DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH" FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, AND WE HONOR THE ORGANIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE SPRING, THAT WORKS SO HARD TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE TO END -- TO DO THEIR -- TO DO THEIR PART TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. AND SO AT THIS TIME IF I COULD HAVE JOANNE LIGHTER, CEO AND PRESIDENT OF THE SPRING, COME UP HERE TO JOIN ME. JOANNE, I JUST WANT TO SIT HERE AND ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD PERSONALLY THANK YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO READ TO YOU AND TO OUR COMMUNITY THE PROCLAMATION THAT WE HAVE SET FORWARD. WHEREAS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, A PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN, IS A PERVASIVE PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS VICTIMS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE WORKPLACE; AND WHEREAS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS CONTROL BY ONE PARTNER OVER ANOTHER IN A DATING, MARITAL, OR LIVE-IN RELATIONSHIP BY PHYSICAL, SEXUAL, EMOTIONAL AND ECONOMIC ABUSE, THREATS, AND ISOLATION; AND WHEREAS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF INJURY TO WOMEN AGES 15 TO 44; AND WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, EACH YEAR 3.3 MILLION CHILDREN ARE EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE AGAINST THEIR MOTHERS OR FEMALE CARETAKERS. THESE CHILDREN ARE AT RISK FOR DEVELOPMENTAL PROBLEMS, PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, SCHOOL DIFFICULTIES, AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, LOW SELF-ESTEEM, AND THEY ARE AT RISK OF ENGAGING IN FUTURE VIOLENCE AND OF BEING ABUSED THEMSELVES; AND WHEREAS, SIX IN TEN ADULTS REPORT KNOWING A FRIEND OR PEER WHO HAS BEEN HIT, PUNCHED, KICKED, STRANGLED, OR PHYSICALLY HURT BY THEIR PARTNER; AND WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, EVERY 15 SECONDS A WOMAN IS BATTERED IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN 2008, NEARLY 8,000 INCIDENTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WERE REPORTED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND MORE THAN 113,000 INCIDENTS REPORTED IN FLORIDA, RESULTING IN 180 DEATHS. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, DOES HEREBY RECOGNIZE OCTOBER 2009 AS "DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH," AND IN DOING SO, URGES ALL RESIDENTS TO BREAK THE SILENCE, STOP THE VIOLENCE, AND REACH OUT TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. JOANNE, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SHARING A FEW WORDS WITH US AND ALSO LET US KNOW AS A COMMUNITY HOW WE CAN GET INVOLVED THIS MONTH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KEVIN. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS CERTAINLY A SOLEMN MOMENT. WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD NINE DEATHS IN THIS COUNTY SINCE JULY 1, SO THIS IS A PANDEMIC FOR US. OUR AVERAGE AT THE -- IN THE SHELTER HAS BEEN ABOUT 80 TO 90 INDIVIDUALS EVERY NIGHT. LAST YEAR THE SPRING PROVIDED 40,000 NIGHTS -- BED NIGHTS OF SHELTER FOR PEOPLE. SO I DON'T THINK YOU NEED MANY MORE STATISTICS THAN WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TO KNOW THAT THIS IS A GROWING PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTY. THE SPRING IS BEING VERY PROACTIVE. WE ANNOUNCED LAST THURSDAY THE FORMATION OF MEN IN THE MOVEMENT. WE INVITE ALL OF YOU TO COME TO THE MEN'S RALLY ON THE 20th. WE'VE ASKED MEN TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THEIR PEERS, TO OTHER MEN, AND TO SAY WE WON'T PUT UP WITH THIS IN OUR CHURCHES, WE WON'T PUP UP WITH IT IN THE WORKPLACE. SECONDLY, WE KNOW THAT WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND THE SCARE THAT WE HAD THE OTHER DAY AND MANY PLACES -- AND PEOPLE STALK PEOPLE TO WORK. THE DEATH OF SAQUANDA SIMON -- I MEAN, PROSECUTORS ARE TRYING VERY HARD TO PROSECUTE PEOPLE, AND YET WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE KILLED, SO WE GET DAILY EVIDENCE OF THE NEED OF THIS EFFORT AND THE NEED TO SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE PROSECUTORS, AND ALL THE JUDICIARY IN THEIR WORK, SO WE NEED YOU AS OUR PARTNERS AS WELL. THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN ENORMOUSLY GENEROUS TO THE SPRING OVER THE YEARS, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT. WE USE EVERY PENNY OF IT VERY WISELY, VERY EFFICIENTLY, AND WE INVITE ANY OF YOU TO COME AND VISIT US. THANK YOU AGAIN. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION FOR US, AND PLEASE COME AND JOIN US IN THE VARIOUS PUBLIC EVENTS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, WE'RE HAVING A MOTORCYCLE RIDE ON SUNDAY, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE MOTORCYCLISTS. EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT CHIEF INCLUDING THE FBI AND TAMPA INTERNATIONAL, AND OTHERS, JOINED US AS HONORARY CHAIRS, SO IT SHOULD BE A FABULOUS DAY FOR US. THANK YOU AGAIN. THIS IS ENCOURAGING AND HEARTENING TO THOSE OF US WHO SERVE IN THIS DEADLY FIELD. IT'S A HOPE OF A BETTER TOMORROW THAT KEEPS US GOING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KEVIN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. LIGHTER, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AT THE SPRING AND EVERYTHING YOU DO, AND THANKS, COMMISSIONER BECKNER, FOR BRINGING THIS PROCLAMATION FORWARD. I'M VERY PLEASED TO PRESENT THE NEXT PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 4th THROUGH THE 10th AS FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE CHIEF NESMITH TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE. I'M PLEASED TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION INTO THE RECORD. WHEREAS, FIRE IS A SERIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY, AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF ALL THOSE LIVING IN AND VISITING OUR COUNTY; AND WHEREAS, OUR HOMES ARE THE LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE AT GREATEST RISK FROM FIRE, AND IN THE PAST YEAR, HOME FIRES KILLED MORE THAN 3,430 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES RESPONDED TO NEARLY 1.6 MILLION FIRES; AND WHEREAS, COOKING IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF HOME FIRES AND HOME FIRE INJURIES, WHILE HEATING EQUIPMENT AND SMOKING ARE THE LEADING CAUSES OF HOME FIRE DEATHS; AND WHEREAS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S FIRST RESPONDERS ARE DEDICATED TO REDUCE THE OCCURRENCE OF HOME FIRES AND HOME FIRE INJURIES THROUGH PREVENTION AND PROTECTION EDUCATION; AND WHEREAS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO TAKE PERSONAL STEPS TO INCREASE THEIR SAFETY FROM FIRE, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR HOMES, AND RESIDENTS WHO HAVE PLANNED AND PRACTICED THEIR HOME FIRE ESCAPE PLAN ARE MORE PREPARED AND WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO SURVIVE A FIRE; AND WHEREAS, THE 2009 FIRE PREVENTION WEEK THEME, "IT'S FIRE PREVENTION WEEK - STAY FIRE SMART, DON'T GET BURNED," EFFECTIVELY SERVES TO REMIND US ALL OF THE SIMPLE ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE TO STAY SAFER FROM FIRE DURING FIRE PREVENTION WEEK AND YEAR-ROUND. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 4th-10th, 2009, AS FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, AND URGES EVERYONE TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES AND FAMILIES BY HEEDING THE IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGES OF FIRE PREVENTION WEEK 2009 AND TO SUPPORT THE MANY PUBLIC SAFETY ACTIVITIES AND EFFORTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, PRESENTED THIS 7th DAY OF OCTOBER, 2009. AND CHIEF, I'M VERY PLEASED TO COME DOWN AND PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION TO YOU, NOT ONLY AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION BUT ALSO AS SOMEONE WHO AS A YOUNG CHILD WHO EXPERIENCED A HOME FIRE WHERE WE LOST EVERYTHING. I'VE SAID THAT BEFORE, AND I HAVE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR YOU AND ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN IN FIRE RESCUE, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO PROTECT US IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>BILL NESMITH: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. BILL NESMITH, FIRE RESCUE. ON BEHALF OF ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE, I THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. FIRE PREVENTION IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF FIRE RESCUE'S MISSION. FIRE PREVENTION INCLUDES PUBLIC EDUCATION, PLANS REVIEW, BUILDING INSPECTION, AND FIRE INVESTIGATION. LAST YEAR, JUST IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN 2009, WE HAD 179 DEATHS RELATED TO FIRES IN HOMES. WE HAD OVER 1200 INDIVIDUALS THAT GOT INJURED FROM -- FROM FIRES. 300 FIREFIGHTERS GOT INJURED IN FIRES. OVER $500-MILLION WORTH OF FIRE DAMAGE AND PROPERTY. SO YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT AN EXTENSIVE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH WITH -- AS IT RELATES TO FIRES. IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE OVER A THOUSAND MEN AND WOMEN THAT DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB, AND WE'RE SO PROUD OF THEM. WE HAVE A LOT OF REPRESENTATIVES HERE TODAY FROM FIRE RESCUE. IF I COULD HAVE ALL OF THEM STAND. LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND. [APPLAUSE] I HAVE A NUMBER OF CHIEF OFFICERS HERE TODAY, AND ALSO WE HAVE GEORGE SUCARICHI WITH -- REPRESENTING THE FIREFIGHTERS 2294, SO AGAIN, WE'RE EXTREMELY PLEASED FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE FOR DOING AN AWESOME JOB. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, CHIEF. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE JUDGE THARPE AND FIREFIGHTER DAVID RAASCH TO COME FORWARD, PLEASE. JUDGE. BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS ALWAYS A VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR US IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHERE WE CAN RECOGNIZE THE FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR, AND I'M VERY PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE THIS NEXT GENTLEMAN. THE CHET THARPE AWARD WAS CREATED TO HONOR THE FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR. HE WAS WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FROM 1971 TO 1985 AND SERVED AS THE FIRST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL AND FIRE CHIEF. THE CHET THARPE AWARD RECOGNIZES AN OUTSTANDING CAREER OR VOLUNTEER SUPPRESSION MEMBER OR FIRE COMPANY FOR SERVICE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. THIS RECOGNITION CAN BE FOR ACTS OF HEROISM, UNUSUAL DEDICATION, OR SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. FIREFIGHTER DAVID RAASCH DESERVES THE CHET THARPE FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR AWARD BASED ON HIS UNUSUAL DEDICATION TO PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT PERSONS IN NEED OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. FIREFIGHTER RAASCH HAS TAKEN A LEAD ROLE IN THE SINCERELY SANTA PROGRAM FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE AT A TIME WHEN OTHER AGENCIES ARE NO LONGER PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. DAVID CONTINUES TO WORK TIRELESSLY EACH YEAR TO ENSURE THAT AS MANY KIDS AS POSSIBLE RECEIVE A GIFT BAG DURING THE HOLIDAYS. MANY HAVE SEEN THE JOY THAT THOSE GIFT BAGS BRING TO THE CHILDREN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MOST OF US ONLY GET TO SEE THE END RESULT, WHICH IS A CULMINATION OF HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF LABOR BY DAVID RAASCH SOLICITING GIFTS, IDENTIFYING THE DISTRICTS IN WHICH THE KIDS LIVE, AND DISTRIBUTING THE BAGS TO THE STATIONS. ANOTHER PROGRAM IN WHICH DAVID HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IS THE EFFORT TO SUPPORT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE'S MILITARY DEPLOYED PERSONNEL. DAVID, ALONG WITH SHIFT COMMANDER REYNOLDS, HAVE ARRANGED WELCOME-HOME CELEBRATIONS, MAINTENANCE DAYS, AND MEDIA COVERAGE FOR OUR MEN AND WOMEN SERVING IN THE MILITARY. THE EFFORT THAT HE HAS PUT FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE RETURNS FROM A COMBAT ZONE TO A DILAPIDATED HOUSE OR WITHOUT ANY FANFARE HAS BEEN UNPRECEDENTED IN THE HISTORY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE. IN ADDITION TO THOSE PROGRAMS, WHICH EVERYONE IS AWARE, DAVID HAS ASSISTED IN FUNDRAISERS FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE, ARRANGED TOURS FOR SEVERELY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, AND PROVIDED MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS. DAVID ALSO UNDERSTANDS IT IS NEVER TOO LATE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. HE HAS RECENTLY COMPLETED PARAMEDIC SCHOOL IN AN EFFORT TO GROW AS A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE PROFESSIONAL. DAVID'S EFFORTS AND LEVEL OF COMMITMENT TO THESE PROGRAMS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THE MORALE AND IMAGE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE, AND HE IS DESERVING OF THE CHET THARPE AWARD, AND I AM VERY PLEASED AND HONORED TO PRESENT THIS TO FIREFIGHTER DAVID RAASCH. [APPLAUSE] >> MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS PRESENT TODAY, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY ONCE AGAIN FOR MY SISTER, KAREN WEBER, AND I TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESENTATION OF THIS AWARD TO THE CHET THARPE FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR. OUR DAD WAS A FIREFIGHTER HIS ENTIRE CAREER, FIRST WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA AND ULTIMATELY RETIRING AS THE FIRE CHIEF FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AS A RESULT, MY BROTHER, SISTER, AND I GREW UP IN A VERY MODEST LIFESTYLE. AMONG OTHER THINGS, OUR PARENTS TAUGHT US THAT WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL FOR THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO TRY TO BE KIND, CARING, AND THOUGHTFUL TO THOSE THAT ARE NOT AS FORTUNATE AS WE ARE. I KNOW, FIREFIGHTER RAASCH, THAT MY FATHER WOULD BE VERY PROUD TO BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS AWARD BECAUSE OF YOUR UNSELFISH DESIRE TO HELP OTHERS THAT ARE IN NEED. I ALSO KNOW THAT IF HE WERE HERE TODAY, HE WOULD TELL YOU NOT ALL HEROES SAVE LIVES. TO THOSE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHOSE LIVES YOU HAVE TOUCHED, YOU'RE THEIR HERO AND YOU'RE OURS AS WELL. CONGRATULATIONS, SIR. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE IS WHAT MAKES THIS ALL POSSIBLE AND THE REST OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OUT HERE THAT YOU SEE IN UNIFORM. I COULDN'T DO ANY OF THIS BY MYSELF, AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THESE FOLKS WHO STAND BEHIND ME AND HELP ME THROUGH THIS, THEN NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE, SO I APPRECIATE THE AWARD. IT'S TRULY AN HONOR, BUT I BELIEVE IT GOES TO THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE AS A WHOLE WE MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. IT'S NOT JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: BOARD MEMBERS, I'M DELIGHTED TO PRESENT THESE NEXT AWARDS. I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE FOREST HILLS PINTO ALL-STARS TO COME AND STAND HERE AROUND ME. [APPLAUSE] OVER THE YEARS OUR BOARD HAS RECOGNIZED MANY SUCCESSFUL TEAMS IN OUR COUNTY; HOWEVER, THIS TEAM RECOGNIZED TODAY IS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL FOR ME BECAUSE THEY'RE FROM THE SAME PARK THAT I GREW UP PLAYING AT, AND I CURRENTLY COACH MY SON JAKE IN THE SAME DIVISION, THE PINTO LEAGUE, SO -- WE BATTLED THESE PLAYERS AND COACHES DURING THE REGULAR SEASON, SO I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST TO HOW TALENTED THESE BOYS ARE BECAUSE THEY ROUTINELY BEAT UP ON US PRETTY GOOD. [LAUGHTER] WHEN YOU HEAR THEIR STATISTICS, IT'S NO WONDER THAT THEY WERE AS SUCCESSFUL AS THEY WERE AND ADVANCED AS FAR AS THEY DID. THEY HAD A TEAM BATTING AVERAGE OF .655. THEY AVERAGED 17 RUNS A GAME. THEY WON THE TAMPA DISTRICT TITLE, CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTIONAL, NORTH FLORIDA REGIONAL, AND SOUTHERN ZONE TITLE IN SCHERTZ, TEXAS, WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT TO THE WORLD SERIES. THIS TEAM ADVANCED AS FAR AS YOU CAN GO IN PINTO LEAGUE BASEBALL. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OR RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF THE TEAM. ANTHONY ALTIERI, ANDRES CARTAYA, JOSH COLLEDGE, SAM CROWTHERS, JAKOB DRAKE, DAKOTA HARRIS, JAKOB HINES, CRAIG KENNY, YAZEL NUNEZ, RJ PARKER, III, KEATON PETRIE, JAMES ROBERTS, AND JAKE WATKINS. I AM EXTREMELY PROUD AS I KNOW THE ENTIRE BOARD IS OF THESE PLAYERS AND THIS TEAM. WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IS AMAZING. I CAN TELL YOU FROM WHEN I PLAYED AT FOREST HILLS, WE NEVER ADVANCED FURTHER THAN DISTRICTS, AND I KNOW THE SAME FOR COACH NORMAN, WHEN HE COACHED THERE, HIS TEAMS NEVER WENT FURTHER THAN DISTRICTS, ISN'T THAT RIGHT, JIM? [LAUGHTER] >>JIM NORMAN: IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE PLAYERS. [LAUGHTER] >>KEN HAGAN: WE HAVE A LITTLE RUNNING JOKE THERE, SO I SET HIM UP ON THAT ONE. I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MY GOOD FRIEND, MANAGER ROB HINES, THE COACHES, DAVE CARTAYA, DAVID HARRIS, CAMERON PETRIE, AND THE TEAM MOM, JULIE DRAKE. I KNOW HOW HARD THE TEAM MOM WORKS, AND ALSO SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE PARENTS OF ALL THESE -- OF ALL THESE BOYS HERE FOR THE SACRIFICES THAT YOU MAKE AND EVERYTHING YOU DO SO THAT THESE KIDS CAN PLAY BALL. SOME OF LIFE'S GREATEST LESSONS ARE LEARNED ON THE BALL FIELDS, AND WHILE THEY MAY NOT RECOGNIZE IT OR REALIZE IT RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE FORMING MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME. SO AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE COACHES TO COME FORWARD. I'D LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD A CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION AND PRESENT A COUPLE OF AWARDS. I'M PLEASED TO READ INTO THE RECORD A CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARDED TO FOREST HILLS PINTO ALL-STARS. THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS PROUD TO RECOGNIZE THE FOREST HILLS PINTO ALL-STARS DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, WINNING THE DISTRICT TOURNAMENT WITH A FOUR AND ONE RECORD, MOVING ON TO WIN THE SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 3-0, AND ALSO GOING UNDEFEATED 5-0 TO WIN THE ZONE TOURNAMENT IN TEXAS IN JULY. THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY COMMEND THE 13 PLAYERS WHO BEGAN THEIR SEASON IN JANUARY ON NINE DIFFERENT TEAMS AND WERE CHOSEN FROM 101 PINTO PLAYERS TO FORM THE ALL-STAR TEAM. THE ALL-STAR'S VICTORY DEMONSTRATES TEAMWORK AT ITS FINEST, BELIEVING IN AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHER TO PERSEVERE IN THE END. WE EXTEND OUR BEST WISHES TO YOUR ENTIRE TEAM AND THEIR FAMILIES AND WISH YOU CONTINUED ATHLETIC SUCCESS FOR YEARS TO COME. AWARDED THIS 7th DAY OF OCTOBER, 2009, SIGNED BY ALL SEVEN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO READ INTO THE RECORD A PLAQUE THAT WE HAD MADE UP HERE SAYING, CONGRATULATIONS TO FOREST HILLS PINTO ALL-STAR TEAM FOR THEIR 2009 CHAMPION SEASON, PRESENTED BY THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON OCTOBER 7th, 2009, SO I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT THESE TO MANAGER ROB HINES AND THE COACHES HERE, AND I'VE ACTUALLY GOT ONE OTHER THING TO GIVE YOU, BUT I'D LIKE YOU TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS. >> ABSOLUTELY. WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOU-ALL TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THESE 13 WONDERFUL KIDS, TWO OF THEM ARE NOT HERE, RJ PARKER AND ANDRES CARTAYA. THEIR NAMES WERE MENTIONED. BUT THIS SUMMER WAS PHENOMENAL FOR US, LIFETIME MEMORIES. THESE KIDS PLAYED THEIR HEARTS OUT, PLAYED GREAT BASEBALL AGAINST GREAT COMPETITION. WONDERFUL COACHES. WITHOUT THE COACHING STAFF, NOT MYSELF BUT THE COACHES, ALL THE TIME THEY PUT IN, WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN AS FAR AS WE DID, BUT THESE KIDS, ONE THROUGH 13 OF THEM, STEPPED UP IN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WERE AMAZING. NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION WAS, HOW STRESSFUL IT WAS, GAME ON THE LINE, EVERY ONE OF THEM STEPPED UP, PLAYED GREAT BASEBALL, AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT AS FAR AS WE DID AND WERE AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE WERE, SO I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THESE 13 WONDERFUL KIDS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: I'D ALSO LIKE TO -- FOR EACH PLAYER TO COME UP, SAY HIS NAME AND POSITION, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A -- A DVD OF THIS CELEBRATION GIVEN TO EACH -- TO EACH PLAYER AFTERWARD, SO I'D LIKE THEM TO COME UP AND SAY THEIR NAME AND POSITION. >>JIM NORMAN: HEY, KEN, LOWER THE PODIUM AND STUFF. >> JAKE WATKINS, CATCHER. >>JIM NORMAN: THERE YOU GO. >> ANTHONY ALTIERI, FIRST BASE. >> JACOB JAKE, RIGHT FIELD. >> YAZEL NUNEZ, SHORT STOP. >> CRAIG KENNY, PITCHER. >> KEATON PETRIE, LEFT FIELD. >> SAM CROWTHERS, THIRD BASE. >> JAMES ROBERTS, RIGHT FIELD. >> JACOB HINES, THIRD BASE. >> DAKOTA HARRIS, SECOND BASE. >> JOSH COLLEDGE, RIGHT FIELD. >>KEN HAGAN: FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO GET THIS LINE-UP, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE AROUND HERE AND GET A TEAM PHOTO, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO PRESENT A KEY TO THE COUNTY TO THE MANAGERS AND THE COACHES AT THIS TIME. >>JIM NORMAN: HEY, KEN, DO THEY LET YOU TOUCH THE TROPHY, MAN. [LAUGHTER] >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER NORMAN WILL GET HIS AFTER YOU GUYS LEAVE. ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS FOR A SPECTACULAR SEASON. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU. [APPLAUSE] MS. BEAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA. >>PAT BEAN: YES, I'LL -- I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT, COMMISSIONER. FIRST WE HAVE SEVERAL OFF-THE-AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE ITEM B-6, TO RATIFY AND APPROVE THE FY 2010 ARTICLE 13 ECONOMIC PROVISIONS AND ARTICLE 20.1 DEFERRED COMP AND THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN AFSCME LOCAL 167 AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. WE ALSO HAVE ITEM B-7, TO RECEIVE AND FILE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT'S RESPONSE TO THE CLERK'S REPORT CONCERNING COMMUNITY-BASED PLANNING. THIS ITEM ALSO INCLUDES THE RESPONSE FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION. DREW A BLANK. AND WE HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL ITEM THAT IS BEING ADDED THIS MORNING. THAT IS B-8. THAT IS A RESOLUTION THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD THIS MORNING TO INDICATE YOUR SUPPORT FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL IN THE CORRIDOR BETWEEN ORLANDO AND -- AND TAMPA. WE HAVE A DEFERRAL FROM THE AGENDA, ITEM A-20 IS BEING REMOVED. THAT'S THE ITEM TO APPROVE THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT. THAT'S BEING DEFERRED TO OCTOBER 21st. AND ALSO DUE TO THE FACT THAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT ITEM F- 4, WHICH IS THE HEALTH CARE PLAN STUDY COMMITTEE REPORT -- SINCE HE IS THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE, THAT THAT BE DEFERRED, AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE THAT TO -- YOU HAVE A WORKSHOP TIME SET ASIDE FOR A WEEK FROM TODAY, AND WE'D LIKE TO BRING THAT ITEM AT THAT TIME IF AT ALL POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT DONE AND HAVE HIM PRESENT FOR THAT PRESENTATION AT 1:30 ON OCTOBER THE 14th. THE NEXT IS AN ITEM REMOVED FROM CONSENT FOR SEPARATE VOTE. THAT IS ITEM A-46, TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT RENEWAL WITH THE SALVATION ARMY. THAT NEEDS TO BE PULLED BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN IN ORDER TO VOTE SEPARATELY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF CONSENT ITEMS THAT ARE REMOVED FOR HIGHLIGHTING OR COMMENDATION. A-13, TO APPROVE THE ATTACHED LETTER TO CONGRESSMAN GUS BILIRAKIS, WHICH WAS DRAFTED AT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS IN NORTH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE FLORIDA GAS TRANSMISSION LINE. A-17, TO DECLARE AS SURPLUS AND AUTHORIZE DISPOSAL OF 36 ITEMS OF VEHICLES AND MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT FOR THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. THIS ITEM WAS PULLED -- BOTH OF THESE ITEMS WERE PULLED BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA FOR HIGHLIGHTING. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT FOR DISCUSSION, ITEM A-31, TO REALIGN $90,000 IN THE COUNTYWIDE GENERAL FUNDS FROM THE CHILDREN'S SERVICE OPERATING BUDGET TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DEPARTMENT'S OPERATING BUDGET. THAT ITEM WAS PULLED BY COMMISSIONER WHITE FOR DISCUSSION. ITEM A-41, APPROVING A TERMINATION OF LEASE AGREEMENT EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 31st WITH CENTERMALL, LLC, AND A LEASE TERMINATION PAYMENT. THIS IS SPACE PREVIOUSLY OCCUPIED BY THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, AND THAT ITEM WAS PULLED BY COMMISSIONER NORMAN. COMMISSIONER BECKNER, DID YOU ALSO REQUEST TO PULL THAT ITEM? >>KEVIN BECKNER: I DID NOT OFFICIALLY REQUEST THAT, BUT I DO HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION. IT WOULD BE A-24 AND A-25. >>PAT BEAN: OKAY. AND THEN THE LIST OF ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR A TIME CERTAIN INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: AT 10:00 THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL CHECK PRESENTATION BY WASTE MANAGEMENT TO KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE HAD PUT ON THE AGENDA. HE HAS REQUESTED OR HIS OFFICE HAS REQUESTED THIS MORNING THAT WE PROCEED WITH THAT, AND I WILL ASSIST IN THAT. AT 10:15, ITEM B-1, APPROVING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND 17 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR PROVISION OF SPECIALIZED SOCIAL SERVICES. THIS IS UNDER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT. THEN AT 1:45 WE HAVE ITEM F-2, AN UPDATE REGARDING THE SETTLEMENT AND OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO THE OGDEN VS. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND KEVIN WHITE CASE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA. AT 2:00 WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, D-1, TO APPROVE THE HART CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. AND THEN ALSO AT 2:00 D-2, CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO ACCEPT COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT TO THE FY 08-09 AND 09-10 ANNUAL ACTION PLANS. AT 2:10 THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON ITEM B-5 REGARDING THREE PERFORMANCE AUDIT SCOPES OF SERVICE PROPOSED BY DAN POHTO FROM THE CLERK'S DEPARTMENT -- AUDIT DEPARTMENT. AND AT 2:25, ITEM B-2, TO APPROVE THE FLORIDA HOME PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FOR ONE MILLION TWO THIRTY-EIGHT TO FUND THE DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS FOR BAYOU PASS PHASE III. AND THE FINAL ITEM I JUST ASK THAT IT BE DEFERRED AND SCHEDULED FOR A WORKSHOP AT 1:30 ON 10/14. THOSE ARE THE CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, MR. CHAIR. >>KEN HAGAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MS. BEAN, JUST ONE QUICK THING. I WAS LOOKING AT MY ADDENDUM TO CHANGES AND DELETIONS, ET CETERA. BRIEFLY YESTERDAY, IF YOU RECALL, WE TALKED ABOUT FURLOUGH DAYS. DID YOU DO ANYTHING WITH THAT? >>PAT BEAN: YES. >>ROSE FERLITA: JUST -- MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS WAS AN ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY JUDGE DOMINGUEZ, AND AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH PAT BEAN, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE STATUS, SO AT ANY POINT THAT YOU FIND A COUPLE OF MINUTES, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT UP AND GET THAT DONE. >>KEN HAGAN: SURE. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. >>KEN HAGAN: CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CHANGES. >>KEVIN BECKNER: SO MOVE. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO MOVE. SECOND. >>KEN HAGAN: MOTION COMMISSIONER BECKNER, SECOND COMMISSIONER FERLITA. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. >>KEN HAGAN: OKAY. WE'LL NOW GO INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT ANY ISSUE OR CONCERN. YOUR STATEMENTS ARE VALUED IN TERMS OF PROVIDING INPUT TO BOARD MEMBERS; HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU SPEAK, PLEASE DO NOT DIRECT COMMENTS PERSONALLY AGAINST A COMMISSIONER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER THE ISSUES. WE'VE SET ASIDE 45 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, AND EACH PERSON WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES. THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS ARE MARCELLA OSTEEN, TODD SCIME, AND DAVID KEENE. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MARCELLA OSTEEN, BALM. THE 1% RAISE ISSUE. IT'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY, SO PAT BEAN AND COUNTY ATTORNEY RENEE LEE SAID UNDER DURESS THAT THEY WOULD STOP TAKING THE 1% FROM NOW ON. BIG DEAL. THE MONEY, THOUGH IMPORTANT, IS NOT THE MAIN ISSUE HERE. THE MAIN ISSUES ARE HONESTY, INTEGRITY, AND TRUST. I'M CALLING BEAN'S HONESTY AND INTEGRITY INTO QUESTION TODAY. SHE CONCEALED FROM YOU THAT SHE HAD GIVEN TEN TOP-LEVEL STAFF, INCLUDING HERSELF, 1% PAY RAISES, NOT BONUSES, NOT AWARDS, RAISES. SHE USED AN AMALGAM OF AWARDS PROGRAMS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. LOOSEY-GOOSEY, AS COMMISSIONER SHARPE CALLED IT, DOES NOT BEGIN TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED. LISTEN, NO AWARD PROGRAM IN THIS COUNTY FITS WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS DEAL. NO AWARD PROGRAM IS SET UP TO GIVE RAISES. NO AWARD PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR TOP EXECUTIVE LEVEL STAFF. THEY ARE FOR RANK-AND-FILE EMPLOYEES AND AGAIN NOT FOR RAISES. DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE BEAN DID NOT KNOW THAT? SHE KNEW THAT. LEE KNEW THAT, JOHNSON KNEW THAT, AND CERTAINLY HR DIRECTOR WILLIAMS KNEW THAT. WHY DID THEY DO IT? BECAUSE THEY COULD. YES, BEAN TROTTED THE PEOPLE OUT FOR A PHOTO OP, BRAGGING ON HOW THEY SAVED THE COUNTY $17 MILLION, BUT SHE NEGLECTED TO MENTION THAT TINY DETAIL THAT THEY WERE GETTING RAISES FOR THIS, FOR SURE NEGLECTED TO MENTION THAT SHE AND RENEE WERE GETTING RAISES TOO. DEVIOUS, SNEAKY, UNTRUSTWORTHY, AND UNACCEPTABLE. WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, WHO SHOULD BE EVEN MORE ABOVE REPROACH THAN THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. AN ALERT HR EMPLOYEE IF -- ASKED IN AN E-MAIL IF THE THREE CONTRACT EMPLOYEES WERE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS 1% AWARD, AS LEE CALLED IT. BY THE WAY, DR. GARRITY IS THE ONLY ONE WHO DECLINED. WHY? BECAUSE HE DOES HAVE INTEGRITY AND HONESTY. BUT LEE WENT AHEAD AND TOLD THE HR PERSON THAT IT WAS OKAY. NUMBER ONE, LEE OFFERING A LEGAL OPINION ON A MATTER THAT REDOUNDS TO HER OWN PERSONAL MONETARY GAIN IS A HUMONGOUS NO-NO. I THINK IT'S CALLED A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, DO YOU THINK? ALSO THE LEGAL OPINION SHE DID GIVE WAS FAULTY, AND IT DOES NOT DEPEND ON AN INTERPRETATION OF THE WORD "BENEFITS." HEARING HER EXPLAIN HER OPINION ON THE 16th TOOK ME BACK TO BILL CLINTON AND WHAT -- DEPENDS ON WHAT THE MEANING OF "IS" IS. I SUGGEST YOU GET CLAIRE SAADY TO GIVE HER OPINION ON THE LEGAL OPINION, OR BETTER YET ASK THE FLORIDA BAR TO WEIGH IN. BOTTOM LINE, TRUST IS GONE. LESSONS LEARNED? WHAT LESSON, NOT TO GET CAUGHT? IMMATERIAL IF LESSONS ARE LEARNED OR NOT. TRUST IS GONE. IF THE TWO PEOPLE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TRUST IMPLICITLY ACT IN THIS WAY, TRUST IS OUT THE DOOR AND BEAN SHOULD FOLLOW. IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION. I RELY ON YOU TO DO SO. DON'T JUST SIT UP THERE WONDERING IF YOU HAVE AT LEAST FOUR VOTES BEFORE YOU DO THE RIGHT THING, BEFORE YOU STICK YOUR NECK OUT, JUST GO AHEAD AND DO RIGHT. DO RIGHT AND LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY. DO RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS. THE CITIZENS, EMPLOYEES OF THIS COUNTY DESERVE BETTER. WE DEMAND BETTER. AS CHURCHILL SAID, TO KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT AND NOT TO DO IT IS THE WORST COWARDICE. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. TODD SCIME. [APPLAUSE] >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. TODD SCIME. I WANTED TO -- 4706 NORTH THATCHER AVENUE, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33614. THIS MORNING I WANTED TO TOUCH BASE -- YOU KNOW, THIS MORNING WAS A TREMENDOUS MORNING FOR REWARDING THE BEST, AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. THIS IS THE GREATEST COUNTY AND CITY OF TAMPA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN THE GREATEST NATION, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN THE UNIVERSE IN MY OPINION. I'VE SAID THAT SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY AND CAME FROM JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, BUT WHAT -- I WANT TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THIS MORNING. WE REWARD THE BEST, AND SITE REVIEW IS -- AND WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS HERE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT PGM. THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE WAY OUR GOVERNMENT IS SET UP IS THE BOCC, THE BUCK STOPS THERE, AND OF COURSE, THE MAYOR -- STOPS WITH THE MAYOR, AND I WANT TO RECONSIDER OR HAVE YOU LOOK AT PGM MANAGING THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY PLAN SO THAT THAT CAN BE HANDLED BECAUSE THE FUNDING -- I HEAR -- I HEAR MY CRITICS, AND THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND I THANK THEM FOR IT, BUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THAT THE -- THE BOCC FUNDS THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THE PLANNING COMMISSION MUST ANSWER TO THE BOCC, AND SO WITH THIS THE PGM MUST CONTROL THE COMMUNITY PLAN. IT -- IF YOU OWN A PIECE OF PROPERTY NOW, IT -- 99% OF THE TIME YOU HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE BOCC OR ZHM FOR A VARIANCE OR REZONING TO PD OR SOME OTHER USE. IT'S ALMOST -- YOU DON'T -- YOU'RE CONSTRAINED BY THE PROPERTY RIGHTS. WE HAVE LIGHT RAIL COMING, WE HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE ON THAT, AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU COMMISSIONERS DON'T UNDERSTAND -- WE'VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU SINCE 1986. AGAIN, THE COUNTY AND PETER ALUOTTO ARE MAKING SOME GREAT STRIDES IN HELPING STREAMLINE A PROJECT THAT CAN BE BUILT IN THE PARAMETERS OF THE LDC, SO AGAIN, AS WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT THE BEST, I'D LIKE YOU TO RECONSIDER PGM CONTROLLING THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THE PLANNING COMMISSION ANSWERS TO THE BOCC. YOU KNOW, DOUG BELDEN IS THE BEST AT WHAT HE DOES. STEVE GRIFFIN IS ONE OF THE BEST AT WHAT HE DOES, AND LET'S LET THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE BOCC, AND PGM AND STAFF TELL US WHAT THE COMMUNITY PLAN, WHICH CANNOT BE CHANGED FOR TEN YEARS, IS. LET US CONTROL THAT AND THEN WORK WITH THE CITIZENS OF TAMPA. FORECLOSURES ARE ON THE RISE. CONSTRUCTION IS A HUGE INDUSTRY, AND WE NEED TO HELP THE PEOPLE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>KEN HAGAN: DAVID KEENE, BARBARA DOWLING, AND CRAIG EATON. GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M DAVID KEENE. I LIVE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA. I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY FATHER AND HIS NEIGHBORS. MY FATHER LIVES AT 421 EAST COUNTY LINE ROAD ON THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY. I -- RECENTLY I CAME TO YOU AND ASKED FOR YOUR HELP IN A SITUATION WITH THE FLORIDA GAS PIPELINE AND ITS IMPACT ON HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS, AND WE'VE GOT SOME -- WE HAD SOME PROGRESS IN THAT AREA, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, THE COUNTY COMMISSION, AND PAT BEAN AND HER STAFF AND THE LEGAL STAFF, ESPECIALLY MARVA TAYLOR, WHO SET UP A MEETING LAST WEEK WITH THE FLORIDA GAS PIPELINE PEOPLE AND RESIDENTS, AND THE MEETING WENT WELL. I WANT TO REPORT THAT THEY'VE AGREED TO MOVE THIS HUGE PIPELINE TEN TO 15 FEET FURTHER NORTH SO THAT THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE LESS. THEY'VE -- THERE WILL BE VERY LITTLE IMPACT ON HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SIDE OF COUNTY LINE ROAD NOW. THEY WILL STILL HAVE TO REMOVE MOST OF THE TREES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ROAD IN PASCO COUNTY, BUT THEY'VE AGREED TO REPLACE THEM ALL, AND THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WOULD ENTERTAIN PUTTING UP A BARRIER WALL, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I THINK MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WILL LOVE TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT SINCE NOW THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE WIDENING WILLOW BEND PARKWAY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIPELINE FURTHER NORTH, SO I THINK THAT WE'LL STILL MONITOR THIS SITUATION. THEY WROTE A LETTER TO MARVA TAYLOR. I READ IT YESTERDAY, AND IN THAT LETTER THEY FORGOT TO MENTION THE MOVEMENT OF THE PIPELINE FURTHER NORTH AND THE WALL, BUT I -- BUT THEY SAID IT TO ALL OF US, AND WE ALL TOOK NOTES, AND I'M SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE UP TO THAT. SO AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, ESPECIALLY THE LEGAL STAFF, AND JOHN SCHRECENGOST WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND YOUR -- ONE OF YOUR MAIN ARBORISTS, LARRY MORRIS. THEY'VE ALL BEEN VERY HELPFUL AS WELL AS THE COUNTY COMMISSION. THANKS AGAIN. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MR. KEENE, FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND UPDATING US. APPRECIATE IT, SIR. BARBARA DOWLING, CRAIG EATON, AND GEORGE NIEMANN. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. BARBARA DOWLING, TAMPA, FLORIDA. AND THIS IS ON B-7. THE NEWSPAPERS, CITIZENS, AND THE CLERK OF THE COURT AGREE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOULD DO COMMUNITY PLANS AND PG&M SHOULD DO IMPLEMENTATION, AND AFTER READING THE BACKUP ON B-7, I CAN ONLY HOME THAT PGM WILL USE THE SAME SPECIFICITY IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY PLANS AS IT DID IN WORDSMITHING THIS AGREEMENT. I HOPE AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS DOING COMMUNITY PLANS. ITEM 2, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MORAL COURAGE AWARD, AND THIS WAS BACK IN JUNE OR JULY WHEN YOU TOOK THAT MAN'S NAME OFF OF IT. I CALLED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO SEE IF PERHAPS WE COULD GET MRS. HART'S AWARD BACK TO HER. IF YOU RECALL, MRS. HART WAS THE LADY WHO TURNED HER AWARD BACK IN AFTER IT HAD GOTTEN RENAMED. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROCESS IN WHICH TO DO THIS BUT THAT SOMEBODY WOULD GET BACK TO ME. I KNOW EVERYBODY IS VERY BUSY. I DON'T THINK WE NEED A PROCESS TO RETURN THIS BACK TO MRS. HART, AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EITHER. I JUST THINK THIS WOULD BE A REALLY NICE GESTURE IF WE COULD RETURN MRS. HART'S AWARD TO HER, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO FACILITATE IN ANY WAY. ITEM 3, LASTLY, AND SADLY, THE MOST RECENT TV REPORT ABOUT THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WITH HAVING A CAR ALLOWANCE AND A DRIVER AND THIS COMING ON THE HEELS OF FINDING OUT ABOUT THE RAISES FOR HERSELF AND FOR HER STAFF. COMMISSIONERS, I'M VERY CONCERNED AND DISTURBED WITH THIS TYPE OF CAVALIER ATTITUDE TOWARDS OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, MINE AND YOURS. THIS PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR ERODES CONFIDENCE AND TRUST. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND I THINK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DESERVES BETTER. PLEASE DON'T PUT THIS UNDERNEATH THE RUG. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: THANK YOU, MS. DOWLING. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MS. DOWLING, MS. HART ACCEPTED THAT AWARD UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS PRIOR TO WHEN IT WAS MODIFIED, SO I KNOW SHE WAS FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE CHANGE, AND PAT, I DON'T SEE THAT THERE'S ANY PROBLEM IN GIVING HER ANOTHER ONE, IS THERE? >>PAT BEAN: I JUST DOUBLE-CHECKED BECAUSE I HAD TOLD YOU YESTERDAY THAT IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING WE HAVE RETURNED THE AWARD, AND I HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD YES, THAT WE HAVE, TO HER. >>ROSE FERLITA: GREAT. THANK YOU. >>KEN HAGAN: CRAIG EATON, GEORGE NIEMANN, AND VIV BACCA. GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME'S CRAIG EATON, 631 KESTRELRIDGE DRIVE, LITHIA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE COME TODAY TO REQUEST THE COMMISSIONERS TO GRANT A FINAL CO FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS RECENTLY COMPLETED ON THE CAMPUS OF LLT ACADEMY AT 6771 MADISON AVENUE. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AMONG STAFF FOR OVER TWO YEARS TO ADD FACILITIES TO THE CAMPUS SO THAT WE CAN SURVIVE THE BUDGET CUTS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE INCREASED COST TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN IMPOSED BY STATE LEGISLATORS. AS I'VE EXPLAINED IN THE PAST, CHARTER SCHOOLS ONLY HAVE TWO WAYS TO RAISE FUNDS, INCREASE THE STUDENT COUNT OR BAKE SALES. BAKE SALES DON'T CUT IT. THE LARGEST BATTLE WE -- I'M SORRY. THE MOST RECENT IMPROVEMENT WAS JUST SIX TEMPORARY PORTABLE CLASSROOMS; HOWEVER, TO GAIN THAT APPROVAL, WE HAD TO COMPLETE OVER A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF SITE IMPROVEMENTS. THE LARGEST BATTLE WAS WITH TRANSPORTATION IN THE FORM OF SITE ACCESS. ON OR ABOUT MID-FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR WE WERE GRANTED AN APPROVAL FROM TRANSPORTATION. FOR OUR SITE ACCESS ISSUE, WE WERE TO COMPLETE -- WE COULD COMPLETE PHASES 1 AND 1.5 IMPROVEMENTS AS LONG AS WE PAID TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT DIRECT TRAFFIC WHEN SCHOOL WAS DISMISSED. TO DATE WE HAVE COMPLIED WITH THAT REQUIREMENT. I HAVE COPIES OF THAT AGREEMENT IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR SITE WERE CONTINGENT UPON THE COMPLETION OF A DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT TO IMPROVE MADISON AVENUE. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT PART OF NOR HAD ANY CONTROL OVER, WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT AGREEMENT. WE WERE FULLY AWARE THAT THIS DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT WAS COMING; HOWEVER, IT WAS NEVER EXPLAINED THAT IN THE EVENT THE DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT FELL APART, WE WOULD NOT BE GRANTED A FINAL CO, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD MET AND PASSED ALL BUILDING INSPECTIONS. TO OPEN SCHOOL WE WERE FORCED TO OPERATE ON A TEMPORARY CO. THAT CO EXPIRES EVERY 30 DAYS. TO ACQUIRE ANOTHER CO, WE MUST REAPPLY AT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT AND PAY A FEE OF $154 EVERY MONTH. WE HAVE MET WITH STAFF, INCLUDING PETER ALUOTTO, BOB CAMPBELL, HARRY HEUMAN, COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S AIDE ERIC LARSON SEVERAL TIMES, AND IT IS THE CONSENSUS OF ALL THAT AT NO FAULT OF ANYBODY, WE FIND OURSELF WITHOUT A PERMANENT OF CO. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS IS CAUSING US A GREAT CHALLENGE. ON ONE HAND, WE HAVE TWO PROBLEMS. FIRST, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSIDERS US OUT OF COMPLIANCE BY NOT HAVING -- BY HAVING A TEMPORARY CO, AND SECONDLY, THE LENDER FOR THIS IMPROVEMENT IS DENYING OUR LAST DRAW OF $100,000 BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A FINAL CO. WITHOUT THAT LAST DRAW WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PAY THE FINAL INVOICES TO MANY OF OUR SUBCONTRACTORS. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE CAN'T GET A CO BECAUSE DUE TO THE COLLAPSE OF THAT DEVELOPER'S AGREEMENT, THE CODES -- WHICH THE CODES CITE -- AND THE CODE WHICH REQUIRES SITE ACCESS IMPROVEMENT. WE FEEL WE'VE EXHAUSTED ALL OTHER AVENUES AND ARE ASKING YOU IN LIGHT OF THESE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES TO GRANT US A PERMANENT CO FOR THE COMPLETION OF THIS IMPROVEMENT. WE REQUEST SWIFT ACTION. THE LACK OF RESOLUTION ON THIS ISSUE DIGS THIS SCHOOL INTO A DEEPER HOLE EVERY DAY AND RISKS DAMAGE TO OUR CURRENT EXCELLENT REPUTATION. I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER SHARPE WAS GOING TO HOPEFULLY ASK THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THIS THIS AFTERNOON IN MORE DEPTH BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND -- I REALIZE THIS IS NOT THE TIME, SO I REMAIN FOR QUESTIONS. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I SEE COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. MS. BEAN, DO WE HAVE -- IS THERE A REPORT OR SOMETHING PREPARED FOR THIS AFTERNOON THAT WE WERE GOING TO REVIEW OR -- >>PAT BEAN: I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A REPORT ON THE AGENDA TODAY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD GRANT THE CO, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE LATEST FROM PGM IS THAT THEY CANNOT GRANT THE CO UNTIL EVERYTHING IS COMPLETED, AND THERE ARE LIABILITY ISSUES OF CONCERN IF THEY GRANT THE CO PRIOR TO HAVING ALL THE FACILITIES IN PLACE THAT NEED TO BE THERE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: ARE YOU AWARE -- IS STAFF IN A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN COME BACK THIS AFTERNOON AND WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION, OR DO WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND SET AN AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT MEETING? >>PAT BEAN: I JUST GOT A NOD FROM PETER ALUOTTO. WE ARE IN A POSITION. WE'LL COME BACK THIS AFTERNOON AND HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION. >>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY. I WOULD ASK THAT THE STAFF TO DO THAT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU. I WAS GOING TO ASK -- BECAUSE THE LLT ACADEMY IS DOING TREMENDOUS WORK OUT THERE, AND LIKE HE SAID, HE'S DONE OVER A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS IN SITE WORK AND IMPROVEMENTS OUT THERE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND IT'S -- AND THEY'RE A TREMENDOUSLY GROWING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LAW TO HELP THEM EXPAND AND DO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM PROGRESS AND MOVE ALONG, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE US TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK THIS AFTERNOON AND SPEAK ON THAT RATHER THAN MOVING IT FORWARD TO ANOTHER AGENDA. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: YEAH. PAT, SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME REAL COMMON SENSE APPLIED TO CERTAIN ISSUES, AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE ONE THAT A FURTHER DISCUSSION SHOULD BE WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO SEE HOW MAYBE THEY CAN SUPPLY CERTAIN THINGS TO RELIEVE US OF LIABILITY -- >>PAT BEAN: RIGHT. >>JIM NORMAN: -- AND THAT THEY CAN THEN MOVE FORWARD AND GET THEIR COs. WE DON'T WANT KIDS HURT, WE DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HURT WITH LIABILITY, BUT A COMMONSENSE APPROACH TO TRY TO MOVE THIS. YOU KNOW, WE ALL ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF TRYING TO EDUCATE KIDS AND DO GOOD THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IT, SO I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO TAKE THAT EXTRA MILE, OKAY? >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THE NEXT THREE SPEAKERS ARE GEORGE NIEMANN, VIVIAN BACCA, AND TERRY FLOTT. >> GOOD MORNING. GEORGE NIEMANN, DOVER, FLORIDA, MEMBER OF UNITED CITIZENS ACTION NETWORK. IF YOU'LL LOOK AT MY BADGE, IT SAYS WE DEMAND HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. WE REALLY NEED HONESTY AND INTEGRITY RESTORED AT THE TOP LEVELS OF HILLSBOROUGH'S GOVERNMENT. RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT -- ROME IS BURNING, I WOULD SAY, AS FAR AS MORAL AND ETHICS GO WITH ALL THE SCANDALS THAT HAVE RECENTLY OCCURRED, SO LET'S START WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. THE PUBLIC IS BEGGING YOU TO TAKE ACTION. IF YOU READ THE NEWSPAPER, YOU WOULD REALIZE THAT. IF -- IF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT WERE A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, MS. BEAN AND MS. LEE WOULD RIGHT NOW BE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB. BUT IT'S GOVERNMENT, SO MAYBE PEOPLE FIGURE LET'S NOT BOTHER WITH -- WITH UPHOLDING OUR HIGH STANDARDS. TAKING NO FURTHER ACTION WILL REFLECT ON YOUR OWN HONESTY AND INTEGRITY, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU FOLKS WILL DO SOMETHING TO RESTORE THE HONESTY AND INTEGRITY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE IT IN TERMS OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR OR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. THE OTHER SUBJECT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS WE KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER WHITE HAS HAD -- WAS FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN COURT AND YET HE'S REFUSING TO PAY FOR ANY OF THE DAMAGES. I HAVE TO ASK YOU, WHAT IS IT WITH THIS BOARD? ARE YOU GUYS WORKING FOR US? ARE THESE MEETINGS THAT WE ATTEND HERE IN THIS ROOM -- ARE THESE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MEETINGS OR IS THIS SOME KIND OF A MEN'S CLUB OR A SPECIAL ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL COURTESIES TO MEMBERS WHO HAPPEN TO STRAY? THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY THAT YOU MANAGE IS NOT SOME KIND OF A SLUSH FUND THAT YOU CAN USE TO PAY FOR HIS SEXUAL -- HIS SEXUAL DISTRACTIONS. WE WANT THAT MONEY TO BE REPAID, AND IT'S ON YOUR HEADS TO GET THE MONEY BACK. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SETTING ETHICAL STANDARDS BY WHICH YOUR EMPLOYEES WORK. YOU CAN'T JUST TURN YOUR HEAD AND SAY, WELL, WE'LL JUST PAY EVERYBODY OFF AND FORGET IT. IT'S YOUR REPUTATIONS THAT ARE AT STAKE HERE, NOT JUST HIS. DO YOU WANT TO BE KNOWN AS THE COUNTY THAT ALWAYS PAYS HANDSOMELY NO MATTER WHAT ITS COMMISSIONERS GET CAUGHT DOING? ARE YOU ASPIRING TO ACHIEVE THAT DUBIOUS DISTINCTION? WE INSIST ON HONESTY AND INTEGRITY, AND WE WANT IT RESTORED. MAKE HIM PAY FOR THE MONETARY DAMAGES THAT HIS DEVIOUS ACTIONS CAUSED. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. VIVIAN BACCA. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON. CONSIDERING THE COMMUNITY PLANNING ISSUE WAS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY AT SEVERAL PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET LAST MONTH, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY B-7 DIDN'T SHOW UP ON THE REGULAR AGENDA LAST FRIDAY BUT INSTEAD IS ON THE ADDENDUM WHICH WAS NOT POSTED ON-LINE UNTIL 5:07 P.M. YESTERDAY. THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE DATE STAMP ON THE TOP OF THE ADDENDUM. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT THE PUBLIC FROM WEIGHING IN ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE FAILURE OF THE PROCESS. I SUPPORT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AS THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PLANNING AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE REPORT LAST MONTH. IN REGARDS TO F-2, I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER PENNY OF MY TAX DOLLARS SPENT ON FURTHER LAWSUITS REGARDING THE DISGRACEFUL OGDEN/WHITE ISSUE. INSTEAD, I WOULD PREFER THE COUNTY SPEND MONEY ON LEGAL FEES CONTRIBUTING $2500 TO JOIN WITH THE CITY OF WESTON AND OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN CHALLENGING SB 360. JOHN R. FLINT, CITY MANAGER FOR WESTON, SPOKE IN AN ON-LINE SEMINAR RECENTLY AND SAID THAT THEY ARE ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO JOIN IN THE LAWSUIT FOR A CONTRIBUTION OF $2500 WITH NO LIABILITY FOR ADDITIONAL LEGAL FEES. THE CITY HAS ESTABLISHED A WEB SITE FOR CITIZENS TO MONITOR THE LAWSUIT. THIS CHALLENGE WILL HELP PRESERVE 30 YEARS OF IMPORTANT GROWTH MANAGEMENT LEGISLATION AS WELL AS PRESERVING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS' ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS THROUGH THE DRIs. FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE SUSPENSE ITEM RELATED TO THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND COUNTY ATTORNEY DUE ON 9/25/09, LISTED AS A-88 FROM 9/16, PAGE 1 AND 2 OF ITEMS NOT COMPLETED, HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. IT IS NOT LISTED FOR ANY DATE ON THE LIST OF FUTURE ISSUES FOR BOCC CONSIDERATION. I HAVE SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THIS SAYS ABOUT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF ADMINISTRATION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT. AND FINALLY, IN CLOSING, BEST WISHES TO DAVID KULOW, WHO'S IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER EMERGENCY SURGERY FOR HIS QUICK RECOVERY, AND KELLY, I HOPE YOU DIDN'T BREAK YOUR ELBOW. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. TERRY FLOTT, FOLLOWED BY GERALD WHITE AND CHIP THOMAS. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MOST OF THE ITEMS THAT I CAME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS MORNING -- AS I WAS RUNNING VERY LATE -- HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO PUT MY TWO CENTS IN OR MAYBE A PENNY. I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE. BUT THE ISSUE WITH THE AGENDA PROBLEM, I ALSO NOTICED THAT GOING THROUGH THE AGENDA, AND I QUESTION WHEN YOU HAVE THREE WEEKS' NOTICE HOW -- HOW THE ISSUE WITH PG&M AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION CAN COME UP AS AN ADDENDUM ITEM. THAT'S A PROBLEM. I'VE ADDRESSED IT BEFORE. IT APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM AND A PRACTICE THAT SEEMS TO BE GROWING, AND I -- I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ANSWERS TO THAT. ITEM B-7, PG&M AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION RELATING TO PUBLIC -- THE COMMUNITY PLANS, I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THIS IS RESOLVED AND RESOLVED TODAY. AND CLEARLY, AS -- BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS ROOM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S TAKEN SO LONG TO GET TO THIS POINT, BUT WE SUPPORT THE -- MR. POHTO'S REVIEW AND THE FRESH EYES THAT WERE PLACED ON IT, AND I THINK THAT HELPS SUPPORT OUR POSITION AS WELL, SO I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE APPROPRIATE FUNDING IS DIVIDED BETWEEN THE TWO AGENCIES AS WELL. AND FINALLY, I TOO AM VERY DISMAYED WITH THE LATEST EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED AT THE MEETING -- OUR LAST -- THE LAST BOARD MEETING RELATED TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, AND I DON'T THINK THESE ARE -- THIS IS AN ISSUE -- IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE THAN JUST THE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS. THIS HAS TO BE ADDRESSED AND HAS TO BE ADDRESSED OPENLY AND PUBLICLY. THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS COUNTY HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WITH A FULL EXPLANATION OF EXACTLY WHAT AWARD THIS HAPPENED -- OR THE RAISE CAME VIA THROUGH BECAUSE OUR RESEARCH OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS FROM THE MINUTE THAT MEETING STOPPED TO LAST NIGHT HAS INDICATED THERE IS NO SUCH AWARD PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES RAISES. NOW, IF MS. BEAN WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HER STAFF RAISES, THAT'S FINE, BUT THE AWARDS PROGRAM -- IT'S NOT THE EXTRA MILE. WE ALL KNEW THAT. THAT WAS STATED IN THE LAST MEETING, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE PRODUCTIVITY AWARDS, WHICH IS NOT A RAISE, IT'S A BONUS, A ONE-TIME PAYOUT. THIS IS ACCUMULATION OF PROBLEMS, AND IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED AND IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED OPENLY AND PUBLICLY WITH NO DEFLECTION AWAY FROM -- FROM WHO BROUGHT IT FORWARD. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED PUBLICLY. WE -- WE WANT ANSWERS, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY UNTIL WE GET ANSWERS. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] GERALD THOMAS -- EXCUSE ME, GERALD WHITE, CHIP THOMAS, AND GREG POUND. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. GERALD WHITE, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY THERE'S NO BLOOD IN THE WATER HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE CITIZENS CONTINUE TO HAVE STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR PAT BEAN AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY RENEE LEE. WE MUST NOT MUDDY THE WATERS IN OUR COUNTY WITH THESE UNFOUNDED ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE LEADERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. IF THERE IS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION OR A LOOK INTO A MATTER, I'M SURE THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL GOVERN THEMSELVES ACCORDINGLY. THERE IS NO BLOOD IN THE WATER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RELATED TO THE LEADERSHIP AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED AT THIS POINT. BUT I'M HERE, COMMISSIONERS, ON AGENDA ITEM F-4, B-4, AND F-2. FIRST ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE STUDY THAT WAS DONE. I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO BE VERY CAREFUL, AND WHEN YOU RECEIVE THIS REPORT, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT AN ARTICLE -- IF YOU SHOW THIS ARTICLE HERE THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN 2001 IN THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, IT TALKS ABOUT THE -- TOO POOR TO BE SICK AND INDIGENT HEALTH CARE, AND WE MUST REMEMBER THE HISTORY OF THIS PROGRAM AND NOT DO ANY DAMAGE TO THE INDIGENT HEALTH CARE PROGRAM EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF A SHORTFALL RELATED TO FUNDING. WE KNOW THERE'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM COMING, BUT WE NEED TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE POOR. HEALTH IS A MISSION -- A MAJOR MISSION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF THE HISTORY RELATED TO THIS MATTER. B-4 RELATED TO THE ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM, THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, THIS CONSOLIDATION OF SERVICE. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I'M GLAD THAT THIS HAS COME ABOUT THE CITY OF TAMPA, THE CLERK OF THE COURT, AND THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. THIS IS A GREAT MOVE. IT CAN MEAN TREMENDOUS SAVINGS FOR THE ACCIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY, AND THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN CALLING FOR AND LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEING MORE OF CONSOLIDATION OF SERVICES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE OTHER ISSUE IS F-2 RELATED TO THE UPDATE ON THE DISCRIMINATION, SEXUAL HARASSMENT SUIT WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONER KEVIN WHITE. I ONLY THING I JUST WANT THIS BOARD TO REMEMBER AND KEEP IN YOUR MIND OF ALL THE GREAT LEADERS THAT HAS COME OUR WAY RELATED TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ALL OF THIS -- THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE ACT'S SEXUAL HARASSMENT. CIVIL RIGHTS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL THE CITIZENS, AND WE MUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU DELIBERATE TODAY RELATED TO CIVIL RIGHTS. WE'RE NOT A COMMUNITY THAT VIOLATES THE CIVIL RIGHTS BECAUSE OF THE TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, REVEREND [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] ROBERT SAUNDERS, IKE TRIBBLE, MARVIN DAVIS. YOU CAN JUST GO ON AND ON. SENATOR ARTHENIA JOYNER SAT IN AT [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] FOR CIVIL RIGHTS. CIVIL RIGHTS IS PARAMOUNT. AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE BEEN QUESTIONING ME WHY AM I SO STRONG ON THIS? BECAUSE OF SO MANY SACRIFICES THAT'S BEEN MADE UNDER CIVIL RIGHTS, SO I SUPPORT SANCTIONS, I SUPPORT -- OF THIS COMMISSIONER IN ANY REGARDS THAT WOULD BE DEEMED NECESSARY -- >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, MR. WHITE. >> BUT I ALSO WANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO BE BONDED AND INSURED. THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD BE BONDED AND SHOULD INSURE -- BE INSURED. TAXPAYERS SHOULD NOT FOOT THE BILL FOR ANY FAULT -- >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, SIR. >> -- RELATED TO ANY MATTER. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER CHIP THOMAS, GREG POUND, AND MICHELLE WILLIAMS. >> CHIP THOMAS, 1219 EAST HENRY AVENUE, AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PENNY TAX FOR TRANSIT, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ALL SET TO APPROVE FOR REFERENDUM NEXT YEAR, AND THERE MAY BE A BETTER WAY TO RAISE MONEY FOR TRANSIT, A WAY THAT IS MORE FAIR THAN A SALES TAX, WHICH IS HIGHLY REGRESSIVE, AND A WAY THAT DOES MORE TO ENCOURAGE USE OF MASS TRANSIT, OF WHICH THE SALES TAX INCREASE DOES NOTHING, AND THAT WOULD BE TO RAISE THE TAX ON GASOLINE, COUNTY TAX, AS WELL AS HIGHER TAXES ON PARKING SPACES. AND I'M TALKING ABOUT NOT PARKING SPACES FOR RESTAURANTS OR GROCERY STORES BUT FOR EMPLOYERS, ESPECIALLY LARGE EMPLOYERS. MAYBE IT COULD BE ON A PROGRESSIVE SCALE, THE MORE PEOPLE YOU EMPLOY, THE LARGER YOUR PARKING GARAGE OR PARKING SPACE, THE HIGHER RATE OF TAX YOU PAY. THIS AREA'S NOT AT A POINT WHERE IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME. THERE NEEDS TO BE INCENTIVES TO USE MASS TRANSIT FOR IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE DISINCENTIVES TO -- FOR PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THEMSELVES AROUND THE WAY WE DO NOW. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN AREA THAT HAS SUCCESSFUL TRANSIT, PUBLIC TRANSIT THAT DOESN'T HAVE VERY HIGH LEVELS OF CONGESTION, MORE THAN WE DO, AND EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE PARKING FOR WORKERS. AND WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A CENTRAL HUB -- DOWNTOWN IS NOT THE MAIN HUB AS IT IS IN MOST PLACES WHERE YOU HAVE PUBLIC TRANSIT. WESTSHORE I BELIEVE IS, AND DOES ANYONE PAY ANYTHING TO PARK OVER THERE? AND I JUST DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET OUT OF THE HABIT OF DRIVING THEMSELVES TO WORK UNLESS THEY HAVE THAT - - THAT BURDEN OF VERY EXPENSIVE PARKING. AND A SALES TAX IS AN EASY, CHEAP WAY TO GO ABOUT RAISING MONEY FOR THINGS. WE DID IT WITH THAT DUMB STADIUM WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGING THE PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO THE GAMES AND THE ATHLETES WHO PAY THERE -- PLAY THERE. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THAT STADIUM, NOT THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AND THE SAME THING APPLIES -- THE REASON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A NEED FOR TRANSIT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY CARS OUT THERE, SO LET'S CHARGE THE MOTORISTS, THE ONES WHO ARE CREATING THE NEED FOR MASS TRANSIT, LET'S CHARGE THEM TO PAY FOR IT, AND I KNOW LOGISTICALLY, ESPECIALLY THE PARKING TAX ISSUE, CAN GET A LITTLE STICKY, AND POLITICALLY THE SALES TAX OR THE GAS TAX IS GOING TO BE TRICKIER, BUT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY IS WIDE OPEN BECAUSE GAS IS AS LOW AS IT'S BEEN FOR YEARS. SO I HOPE BEFORE YOU BLINDLY JUST PASS THIS -- THIS SALES TAX ISSUE THAT YOU MAYBE DISCUSS A WAY THAT IS MORE FAIR AND MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE IN ENCOURAGING THE USE OF MASS TRANSIT. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, SIR. GREG POUND, MICHELLE WILLIAMS. >> GREG POUND, LARGO, FLORIDA, REPRESENTING FAMILIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THROUGH A WEB SITE CALLED RESCUEMYKIDS.COM. I DIDN'T BRING MY MARKER SO I WROTE WITH A PEN. IT LOOKS KIND OF HARD TO SEE HERE. THE ISSUE THAT I'M DEALING WITH IS -- IS THE CORRUPTION THAT WE HAVE GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE USING CHILDREN. THE STRENGTH OF OUR COUNTRY AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS FAMILIES, AND WHO'S GOING TO BE JUDGED FOR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE FAMILIES? THE BIBLE SAYS HE'S GOING TO HOLD THE MEN RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT LOVING THE WOMEN AND THE CHILDREN. THE REASON YOU MEN ARE LOSING YOUR WIVES, YOUR CHILDREN, AND YOUR POSSESSIONS IS BECAUSE YOU REFUSE TO LOVE WOMEN AND CHILDREN AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND DIE TO YOURSELF, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING IN AMERICA BECAUSE YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR MONEY BEFORE YOUR WIFE AND YOUR CHILDREN, YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR JOB, YOUR POSITION THAT YOU'RE -- AND YOUR GOALS BEFORE YOU EVER FAMILY, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO READ SOMETHING. THIS IS ISAIAH, CHAPTER 10. IT SAYS, WOE UNTO THEM THAT DECREE UNJUST DECREES AND THAT WRITE GRIEVOUSNESS WHICH THEY HAVE PRESCRIBED. TO TURN ASIDE THE NEEDY FROM JUDGMENT, TO TAKE AWAY THE RIGHT FROM THE POOR OF MY PEOPLE, THAT WIDOWS MAY BE THEIR PREY AND THAT THEY MAY ROB THE FATHERLESS. NOW, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON IN THE AMERICA. DESTRUCTION OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY IS GOING TO DESTROY THIS COUNTRY, AND THE BIBLE SAYS GOD HOLDS THE MEN RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT'S GOING ON, NOT THE WOMEN AND THE CHILDREN, AND THAT'S WHY THE MEN ARE IN BIG TROUBLE IN THIS COUNTRY. AND ALL I WANT TO DO IS I WANT TO APPEAL TO YOU. AFTER FIVE YEARS OF TRYING TO GET TRUTH AND JUSTICE -- AS THE COUPLE THAT CAME OVER HERE EARLIER, MRS. OSTEEN, ONE OF THE FIRST SPEAKERS, WHO TALKED ABOUT TRUTH, HONESTY, TRUST, INTEGRITY. THIS IS WHAT -- THESE ARE THE CHARACTER TRAITS THAT WE'RE LACKING. WE HAVE EDUCATED LEADERS BUT THEY HAVE NO CHARACTER. THESE ARE ALL CHARACTERS, HONESTY, TRUST, INTEGRITY, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LACKING IN AMERICA, AND THESE HAVE TO BE WORKED INTO OUR LIVES AS MEN AND SET AN EXAMPLE. THE BIBLE SAYS, IF A MAN LOOKS UPON A WOMAN TO LUST AFTER, HE COMMITS ADULTERY WITH HER ALREADY IN HIS HEART. AND SEE, THAT'S WHERE THE WORK NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS IN OUR HEARTS. WE NEED TO CLEAN OURSELVES UP AS AMERICANS BECAUSE THIS COUNTRY IS IN BIG TROUBLE. WHEN THEY START USING CHILDREN -- WHEN YOU HAVE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MOLESTING CHILDREN LIKE IN ST. PETE FOR OVER TEN YEARS, RAPING LITTLE CHILDREN. AL ZIMMERMAN, SPOKESMAN FOR ALL OF DCF IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, MOLESTING CHILDREN. THERE'S A PROBLEM. AND THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG OF THE CORRUPTION AND THE EVIL THAT'S GOING ON. AND SO WE NEED TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, AND I'M JUST TELLING YOU IF THIS DOESN'T GET CLEANED UP -- IF GOD CLEANS IT UP FOR US, WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN BIG TROUBLE. I MEAN, HE'LL FILL YOU WITH THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT, THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS, THAT YOU CAN LIVE A CLEAN AND A PURE LIFE. HE CAN CHANGE ANYBODY'S HEART. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT THE SITUATION IS, HE CAN TRANSFORM THAT HEART. LIKE KING DAVID SAID, CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD, AND RENEW A STEADFAST SPIRIT WITHIN ME, AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID, AND SO I WANT TO APPEAL -- I JUST WANT TO APPEAL. WE NEED SUPPORT IN GETTING THIS THING STRAIGHTENED OUT, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO CHILDREN, FOR FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING THAT'S COMING IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THE WEB SITE IS CALLED RESCUEMYKIDS.COM, AND SO -- >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, MR. POUND. >> -- WE NEED HELP. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: MICHELLE WILLIAMS, AL DAVIS, AND JANEE -- EXCUSE ME -- AND MARK KLUTHO. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I THOUGHT I WAS THE LAST PERSON, SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST. COMMUNITY ACTIVIST MICHELLE WILLIAMS, P.O. BOX 1295, VALRICO, FLORIDA. THERE ARE FOUR IMMEDIATE CONCERNS THAT HAS BROUGHT ME TO THE BOARD THIS MORNING. NUMBER ONE, THERE ARE TOO MANY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND THE COMMUNITY AT GENERAL THAT STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THE RECENT NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ON THE INCREASE FOR THE INMATE. I'M ASKING THAT THE BOARD PLEASE CONSIDER HOLDING MORE PUBLIC MEETINGS ON THIS ISSUE SO THERE IS MORE CLARIFICATION WITH THIS INCREASE FOR THE INMATES. ALSO, JUST BROUGHT TO ME LAST NIGHT, THE CIVIL CITATION REGARDING THE JUVENILES. THIS IS NOT GOING TO FLY IN MY COUNTY. I WILL GO TO TALLAHASSEE, I WILL DO ANYTHING I HAVE TO DO TO BLOCK THIS FUNDING BECAUSE IT IS NOT GOING TO BE TOLERATED WHERE YOU-ALL SET UP AND GET IN BED WITH DIRTY COMFORTERS TO SET UP THE JUVENILES IN THIS COUNTY. THEY ARE ALREADY HAVING ENOUGH PROBLEMS AND ENOUGH ISSUES WITH BEING HARASSED, COERCED, AND INTIMIDATED WITH RETALIATORY PRACTICES FROM THE TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE, AND ME BEING A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND A STRONG SPINEWARD YOUNG LADY IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE WILL POOL OUR MONEY AND START MAKING WAL-MART A MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR COMPANY IF YOU-ALL AGREE TO THIS. NUMBER THREE, AN INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE SPARKED IMMEDIATELY ON ALL OF THESE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE COME TO THIS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BEGGING AND PLEADING AND CRYING FOR MONEY WHEN THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING FOR THE COMMUNITY. WHOMEVER OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT IS IN CHARGE OF THIS NONPROFIT MONEY THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN, I'M ASKING THAT AN INVESTIGATION BE SPARKED IMMEDIATELY, AND WE NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY COME BEFORE THIS BOARD SAYING WE NEED THIS MONEY TO HELP THE WOMEN, THE MEN, AND THE CHILDREN IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND THEY'VE DONE NOTHING. NUMBER FOUR, I'M ASKING THAT THE COUNTY HOLD OFF ON ANY -- ON ANYMORE FUNDING OR ANY CONSIDERATION OF GIVING ANYMORE MONEY TO THE TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY ON ANY ENCORE PROJECT. WE HAVE SPARKED AN INVESTIGATION ALREADY WITH THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF HUD-FUNDED DOLLARS THAT WAS DUE AND ALLOCATED TO THE MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN, THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN THE HOUSING PROJECTS FOR THE UCA, WHICH STANDS FOR UTILITY CHECK ALLOWANCE. THESE ARE HUD-FUNDED DOLLARS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN TO THESE MEN, WOMEN, AND FAMILIES TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR ENERGY BILLS, AND I'M SURPRISED THAT IT TOOK A LITTLE OLD LADY LIKE ME TO COME FORWARD TO THIS COUNTY AND TO THIS BOARD TO EVEN SPARK THIS. THOSE ARE THE FOUR THINGS THAT HAVE BROUGHT ME HERE THIS MORNING. DON'T LET MY CRIES BE UNHEARD BECAUSE MY VOICE WILL NOT BE SILENCED. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. AL DAVIS, MARK KLUTHO, JANEE MURPHY. >> MR. CHAIRMAN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, GREETINGS. MY NAME IS AL DAVIS, AND I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT MYSELF AFTER I MAKE THIS URGENT PLEA. IF YOU CAN INFLUENCE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO REFUND THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY LEGISLATIVE OFFICE, YOU'LL BE IN GOOD STEAD, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. THE ABSENCE OF THE INDEPENDENT LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION OFFICE REALLY INFRINGES ON MY DUE PROCESS, ON MY RIGHT TO REGRESS, ON MY EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAW, AND I WOULD SUGGEST, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT -- AND I INTEND TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ON THIS MATTER AND HOPEFULLY THAT YOU WOULD AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO REFUND THE LEGISLATIVE OFFICE, AT LEAST UNTIL FY 11. THAT WILL GIVE SUFFICIENT TIME SO THAT THOSE MATTERS ADDRESSED IN THE SEPARATION OF POWERS, THE INTRUSION OF ONE ELEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT INTO THE OTHER TO BE ADDRESSED AND RESOLVED. THAT'S WHAT SPECIFICALLY, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT I WOULD APPEAL TO THIS BOARD TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO DO. NOW, AL DAVIS HAS BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY SINCE AT LEAST 1975. I'VE KNOWN THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION OFFICE SINCE THAT TIME. I'VE SEEN MANY OF YOUR PREDECESSORS COME AND GO. YOU MAY EVEN COME AND GO. I HAVE MANY TIMES SAT IN THIS CHAMBER -- WELL, WHEN YOU WAS IN THE OTHER LOCATION IN THE COURTHOUSE -- DAY IN AND DAY OUT. I'VE SERVED ON THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION TWICE. I USED TO BE QUITE FLAMBOYANT IN EARLIER DAYS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, MOTHER NATURE SAID, AL DAVIS, LOOK, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A REST. I AIN'T GOING TO LET YOU SEE AS GOOD AS YOU USED TO SEE. SO, THEREFORE, MR. CHAIRMAN, I AM LIMITED RIGHT NOW, BUT THE FIRE STILL BURNS, MR. CHAIRMAN. I LIKE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE GOVERNMENT IS AN INSTRUMENT OF THE HIGHER POWER TO HELP MANKIND ON THIS EARTH LIVE A QUALITY LIFE. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. MARK KLUTHO, JANEE MURPHY, DIANNE HART. >> MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. WE HAVE THESE INTEGRITY PEOPLE HERE. OSTEEN GETS UP AND SHE'S COUGHING INTO HER HANDS. I CAN'T COUNT THE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS I'VE SEEN THAT TELLS YOU YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. IT'S LIKE THIS. SHE'S SPREADING ALL KINDS OF POTENTIAL DISEASE ALL OVER THE PLACE. >> COME BACK HERE. I'LL GIVE YOU SOME MORE. >> I MEAN, THIS IS SOME KIND OF MORON. AND DOWNSTAIRS DID YOU NOTICE ALL THE CONDENSATION ALL OVER THE GLASS? AND THIS ARTICLE HERE, HILLSBOROUGH CHEERS OUT. HILLSBOROUGH'S GREEN CZAR, THEY CALL HIM, RANDY KLINDWORTH. HOW PATHETIC. TAXPAYERS' MONEY SHOULDN'T BE PAID TO THIS MAN. AND MANY YEARS AGO I SAID BEAN WAS INCOMPETENT. SHE SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH BOY KLEMAN. APRIL 1st OF '98 THE COMMISSION PASSED A RESOLUTION TO SAY YOU WERE GOING TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS. THAT WAS APRIL 1st OF '98. AND WHAT'S HAPPENED? NOTHING. NOT A THING. AND HERE WE HAVE THIS ARTICLE, CLIMATE CHANGE RATE TOPS PROJECTIONS, STUDY FINDS. SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENTS HAVE OUTSTRIPPED THE PREDICTIONS ISSUED BY THE NOBEL PRIZE WINNING U.N. INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE TWO YEARS AGO. THE SCIENTISTS DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND THEN WE JUST HAD THIS ONE IN THE ST. PETE TIMES, A NEW CLIMATE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY FROM THE VICE ADMIRAL McGINN. WHY THE MILITARY IS PAYING ATTENTION TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND GLOBAL WARMING. IT SAYS HERE, THE CNA MILITARY ADVISORY BOARD FINDS THE TRENDS AND WARNINGS ARE CLEAR. OUR SOBERING CONCLUSION IS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE U.S. ENERGY POSTURE CONSTITUTE A SERIOUS AND URGENT THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY MILITARILY, DIPLOMATICALLY, AND ECONOMICALLY. AND YOU FOOLS CAN'T EVEN GET THE LIGHT BULBS RIGHT. THIS BUILDING ALONE WASTING EASILY A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY. AND BEAN -- YOU KNOW, THE FOOLS FROM INTEGRITY, THEY GET THE PENNY ANTE, BUT THE BIG MONEY YOU PEOPLE IGNORE, AND IT MEANS FLORIDA IS GOING TO GO UNDERWATER, AND SPECIES ARE BECOMING EXTINCT. THIS IS A CRIME. IT'S CALLED MALFEASANCE. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE CRIME. YOU PEOPLE SHOULD ALL BE THROWN IN JAIL. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, MR. KLUTHO. JANEE MURPHY. >> JANEE MURPHY. I DIDN'T EXPECT TO SPEAK TODAY, BUT I FIRST WAS GOING TO COME AND SPEAK ON -- A LINE ITEM THAT YOU HAD ON THE AGENDA WAS A-20, AND I'VE SEEN THAT THAT HAS BEEN PULLED, AND I PERSONALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN BECAUSE COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN LISTENED TO THE COMMUNITY, AND HE LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN REGARDS TO WHAT WOULD BE DONE WITH 2.6 MILLION THAT WAS COMING THROUGH THE RECOVERY ACT. WHY IS THAT CRUCIAL THAT THERE WAS INVOLVEMENT FROM A COMMUNITY? BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS US. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2.6 MILLION THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TOWARDS EMPLOYMENT TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT. RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE A WORK PLAN PUT TOGETHER TO GIVE $308,000 TO WORKFORCE. I'M A FAN OF WORKFORCE, BUT WORKFORCE RIGHT NOW IS RECEIVING MONEY FROM A POT OF 165 MILLION FOR FLORIDA. WHY DO WE NEED TO PAY AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S SUPPOSED TO ALREADY BE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES WHEN WE NEED TO TAKE THAT MONEY AND PUT IT ON THE GROUND? THERE ARE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW THAT NEED JOBS. WE COULD BE STIMULATING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S ECONOMY. WE COULD BE RIGHT NOW HELPING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. 633,000 TO GO TO JARC. YOU'VE ALREADY FUNDED JARC WITH 1.5 MILLION. WHY DOES 633,000 NEED TO GO TO THEM WHEN THEY ARE A FEDERAL GRANT. MY OTHER THING I CAME TO DISCUSS WITH YOU AND I WANT TO PUT IN YOUR MINDS IS CIVIL CITATION, AND I SEE MS. WILLIAMS HERE ALREADY SPOKE TO THAT. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN REGARDS TO THAT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FLORIDA STATUTE, CIVIL CITATION IS NOT AS WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WHERE IT IS PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN AND KEEPING THEM FROM HAVING A RECORD. IT IS AN OFFENSE. WHEN YOU RECEIVE A CIVIL CITATION, THAT IS A COPPING OF A PLEA WHEN YOU SIGN IT. IT IS A MISDEMEANOR. IT GOES IN A SHARED DATABASE. WE ARE TAGGING OUR CHILDREN BEFORE THEY EVEN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A LIFE. NOW, WHY AM I BRINGING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION? BECAUSE YOU'RE FUNDING PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE SITTING ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE MAKING DECISIONS TO WORK WITH YOUR CIVIL CITATION BOARD ON A PILOT OUT THERE IN BRANDON AT A WAL-MART. WHERE IS THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT? WHERE ARE WE AT THE TABLE TO GIVE YOU INPUT? RIGHT NOW THIS FUNDING GOING TO SUCCESS 4 FAMILIES. SUCCESS 4 FAMILIES IS DOING WHAT? WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY DOING? HOW ARE THEY DIRECTLY TOUCHING OUR CHILDREN IN HIGH-RISK AREAS? WE HAVE PASTORS HERE TODAY THAT HAVE AT-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE PROGRAMS THAT DEAL WITH CONFLICT AND RESOLUTIONS. THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY. THERE SHOULD BE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. I AM NOT SEEING THAT, SO WHAT I ASK OF ALL OF YOU IS TO SIT BACK AND LOOK AT WHERE HAVE YOU REALLY HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMUNITY, WHERE HAVE YOU REALLY FOUND OUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, WHERE IS THE COMMUNITY AT THE TABLE, AND WHERE ARE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN USING THESE RECOVERY DOLLARS WHERE IT'S PROBABLY SUPPOSED TO BE USED? THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. AND OUR LAST THREE SPEAKERS ARE DIANNE HART, PASTOR FAVORITE, AND REVEREND DIXON. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DIANNE HART, 5006 EAST CUMBERLAND DRIVE. I TOO, LIKE JANEE MURPHY, IS VERY CONCERNED WITH THE "R" DOLLARS. WE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE COUNTY, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, BUT WHEN THAT INITIAL WORK PLAN CAME FORTH, THERE WAS NO REAL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, BUT AFTER MANY MEETINGS, WE'RE BEING TOLD THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, BUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PLAN THAT WAS GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU, THERE STILL WAS NO DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. IT IS CRITICAL THAT JOBS ARE CREATED WITH THESE DOLLARS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WANT TO HIRE SOME TEMPORARY DURATION POSITIONS FOR THE COUNTY. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO WORK, BUT WHEN YOU EXCLUDE YOUR COMMUNITY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND YOU EXCLUDE THE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO HELP PUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU-ALL IN THESE POSITIONS, WE ARE BEGGING YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THIS PLAN. IT IS NOT SET UP TO REALLY HAVE THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT THAT THE COMMUNITY BELIEVES IS NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD. THE OTHER PROBLEM, CIVIL CITATION. CIVIL CITATION IS CRITICAL TO EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WHO MAY HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE SCHOOL THAT YOU KNOW AND YOU CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT IN THE PAPER, MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL. MIDDLETON HAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGEST COMPLAINTS AS FAR AS PROBLEMS AT THEIR SCHOOL. WELL, ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO GET A CIVIL CITATION IN MIDDLETON WILL BE PUT IN THAT DATABASE. WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO GO INTO THE ARMED FORCES, THEY CANNOT. WE RESEARCHED IT, WE KNOW THAT IT'S TRUE, THAT IT'S PUT INTO THE DATABASE, IT'S PULLED UP BY THE MILITARY, THEY'RE EXCLUDED FROM BEING ABLE TO GET IN THE SERVICES. WE MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS CIVIL CITATION. WE NEED PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY SITTING AT THE TABLE WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND WE JUST WANT TO SAY TO YOU WE HELP PUT PEOPLE IN POSITIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE GOING TO BE PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTENTION. IT'S NO THREAT, BUT WE PROMISE THAT WE WILL NOT BE VOTING FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HELP OUR COMMUNITY AT A TIME WHEN IT IS CRITICAL THAT THEY DO. AND ON THE COMMISSIONER WHITE ISSUE, I TAKE NO ISSUE WITH THE FACT THAT, YES, HE WAS FOUND GUILTY, BUT IF YOU-ALL HAVE SOME MONEY, YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT DOLLAR AND NOT GO WITH LOOKING FOR AN ATTORNEY AND SPEND IT ON PROSECUTION. LET'S PUT SOME OF THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING ON THE GROUND. PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING AT YOUR COUNTY LEVEL FOR JOBS WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. YOU-ALL NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SPEND THAT MONEY ON TRYING TO HELP SOME FOLK RETAIN SOME JOB POSITIONS, BUT PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO OUR "R" DOLLARS AND TO THAT CIVIL CITATION. IT IS CRITICAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. OUR LAST TWO, PASTOR FAVORITE AND REVEREND DIXON. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. GOD BLESS YOU. YOUR JOBS ARE NOT EASY. I'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE CIVIL CITATIONS, AND I'M HERE THIS MORNING REPRESENTING THE PASTORS ON PATROL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND IT IS A GREAT CONCERN OF OURS -- I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT THE COMMISSION CAN DO, BUT WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU WOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT A LOT OF DISPARITIES THAT EXIST IN -- ESPECIALLY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE STATISTICS THAT DEALS WITH INFANT MORTALITY RATES, THAT DEALS WITH HIV AND AIDS EVEN, BUT I WILL -- I WILL SHARE ONE STATISTIC WITH YOU REGARDING THE CIVIL CITATIONS, AND IT IS OF GREAT CONCERN BECAUSE IN -- IN DADE COUNTY WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE OVER 200,000 KIDS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WE HAVE 100,000, BUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GIVES OUT MORE CIVIL CITATIONS THAN DOES DADE COUNTY. IT'S REALLY AN AGGRESSIVE INTERVENTION INTO THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN, AND IT'S -- IT'S PROVEN TO BE A VERY NEGATIVE INTERVENTION BECAUSE YOU HEARD EARLIER THAT THE CIVIL CITATIONS ARE ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE DATABASE, AND THERE - - WE HAVE A SITUATION WE WERE INFORMED OF JUST RECENTLY IN BRANDON WHERE ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS WANTED TO GO INTO THE MILITARY AND WAS TOLD HE COULDN'T BECAUSE OF THE CIVIL CITATION THAT WAS IN THAT DATABASE. IT'S AFFECTING OUR CHILDREN IN AN ADVERSE CAPACITY. WE HAVE CHILDREN WHO WILL NEVER BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY KIND OF FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT. THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EVEN AS IT RELATES TO THE POLICE ACADEMY OR ANY KIND OF ACADEMY THAT DEALS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. A NUMBER OF JOBS ARE BEING ELIMINATED. A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING ELIMINATED. THESE KIDS ARE BEING DEPRIVED, AND IF WE SAY WE LOVE THE CHILDREN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, LET'S MAKE SURE WE LOVE ALL OF THEM EQUALLY AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE VERY BEST THAT WE CAN TO HELP THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE ACTUALLY DYING, THEY ARE -- THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO JAIL BECAUSE WE'VE ELIMINATED THESE OPPORTUNITIES, AND IF YOU ELIMINATE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES, THERE'S ONLY GOING TO BE ONE LEFT. SO WITH THAT SAID, I WANT TO THANK YOU, AND I DO ASK THAT YOU WOULD GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE -- THE ROAD THAT WE'RE TRAVELING AND THE ROAD THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED TO BE ON, AND WE NEED TO HELP THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, PASTOR. REVEREND DIXON. OKAY. COMMISSIONER FERLITA WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT. >>ROSE FERLITA: I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT. REVEREND DIXON, EXCUSE ME FOR A SECOND, SIR. I SPOKE BRIEFLY TO PASTOR FAVORITE, AND I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE CONCERN ON -- ON THE ISSUE ON A-14. I DID ASK THE COUNTY ATTORNEY -- I MEAN, I'M SORRY, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO PERHAPS PULL THIS AND GIVE PASTOR FAVORITE A BRIEF OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH JAN MacLEOD. JAN MacLEOD IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST REASONABLE PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET IN MY LIFE, AND I THOUGHT BETWEEN HERE AND THIS AFTERNOON, PASTOR FAVORITE, MAYBE IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND SHE TO SPEAK, AND YOU CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CONCERNS OF THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN PUBLIC HEARING HERE, THAT MAYBE WE COULD -- WE COULD LOOK AT IT AGAIN. >> SURE. >>ROSE FERLITA: THERE'S NEVER ANYTHING WRONG AT LOOKING AT SOMETHING AGAIN, SO IF YOU -- >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND PASTOR, WE ARE WAY OVER -- EXCUSE ME. I THOUGHT YOU HAD FINISHED. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND IF YOU'RE AMENABLE TO THAT, AND PERHAPS, PAT, IF WE COULD GET HE AND JAN MacLEOD TOGETHER, WOULD YOU BE WILLING AT -- >> I WOULD. >>ROSE FERLITA: -- SOME POINT TODAY TO TALK TO HER? >> YES, I WOULD. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. >>ROSE FERLITA: LET'S SEE WHAT THAT CONVERSATION BRINGS. >> YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: REVEREND DIXON. >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING TO EACH OF YOU. I AM REVEREND WILLIE G. DIXON. I LIVE AT 11004 ULSTER COURT, TAMPA, FLORIDA, AND AS A MINISTER, I AM COMMANDED TO PRAY FOR ALL OFFICIALS, AND SO I DO PRAY FOR EACH OF YOU, AND TIME WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO -- TO SAY THAT IS A CONCERN OF MYSELF AS A -- A VOTER AND A TAXPAYER, BUT I'VE HEARD SEVERAL RESUMES GOING OUT. I'D LIKE TO GIVE MINE. I WAS BORN IN TAMPA IN 1931, SO I'VE SEEN A LOT. I'VE BEEN A PART OF EVERY CIVIL RIGHT MOVEMENT THAT WAS HERE, AND I WAS WITH SOME OF THOSE PERSONS THAT WAS NAMED ALONG WITH THURGOOD MARSHALL, THE LATE THURGOOD MARSHALL. NOW, I JUST ASK THE QUESTION -- AS I LOOK AROUND, I KNOW THAT MOST OF YOU WENT INTO THE COMMUNITIES WHEN YOU WERE SEEKING OUR VOTES, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO GO BACK INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND ASK THE PEOPLE WHAT ARE THEIR CONCERNS. SEE, BECAUSE I SPEAK FOR MYSELF, AND I THINK WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, HE ONLY SPEAKS FOR HIMSELF, BUT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE. THIS IS A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE, SO YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE THINKING AND WHAT ARE THEIR CONCERNS, AND YOU KNOW -- HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE RETURNED BACK TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND ASKED THEM WHAT ARE THEIR CONCERNS, WHAT ARE THEIR CRY, AND WHAT WOULD THEY LIKE FOR YOU TO DO ON THEIR BEHALF? YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO PARAPHRASE A VERY WISE MAN, SOLOMON. HE SAID THAT WHEN THE RIGHTEOUS RULE OR THE PEOPLE DO THE RIGHT THING, THE PEOPLE REJOICE, AND WHEN THE WICKED RULE AND THE PEOPLE DON'T DO THE RIGHT THING, THE PEOPLE WEEP. I ASK YOU A QUESTION. ARE THE PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WEEPING OR REJOICING? AND I THINK YOU SHOULD TAKE YOURSELF BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO DO ON THEIR BEHALF. AND I THANK YOU, AND I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A BLESSED DAY AND THAT YOU DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE OVER. I DIDN'T HAVE A REFERENCE POINT WHEN WE STARTED PUBLIC COMMENT, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. OUR FIRST TIME CERTAIN IS 10:00 A.M. >>JIM NORMAN: I'LL MOVE THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. RECORD YOUR VOTES, PLEASE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>ROSE FERLITA: THAT EXCLUDED A-14. >>PAT BEAN: THAT EXCLUDES A-14 BECAUSE WE PULLED THAT TO HAVE A CHANCE TO GET JAN AND REVEREND FAVORITE TOGETHER. >>JIM NORMAN: THAT'S WHY I SAID REMAINDER OF THE ALL THE ITEMS THAT WERE PULLED -- >>ROSE FERLITA: [INAUDIBLE] >>JIM NORMAN: OKAY. >>PAT BEAN: OKAY. I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND, MR. CHAIR, THAT YOU TAKE UP THE ONE ITEM THAT IS AN ITEM PULLED FOR A SEPARATE VOTE FROM CONSENT, AND THAT'S MR. NORMAN'S ITEM A-46. YOU CAN GO AHEAD -- >>JIM NORMAN: FOR THE RECORD, I JUST WANT TO SAY THE REASON I'M ABSTAINING IS BECAUSE I'VE HAD ASSOCIATION WITH SALVATION ARMY FOR 30 YEARS, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO -- I DON'T HAVE ANY DIRECT CONFLICT WITH THIS PROGRAM, BUT STILL IT'S THE SALVATION ARMY, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I ABSTAINED. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE ON RECORD. WE NEED A MOTION TO MOVE THE ITEM. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>PAT BEAN: AND NOW THE FIRST TIME CERTAIN ITEM. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: EXCUSE ME. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. COMMISSIONER NORMAN ABSTAINED. >>PAT BEAN: THE FIRST TIME CERTAIN ITEM WAS THE ONE THAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE HAD PLACED ON THE AGENDA, AND HIS OFFICE ASKED ME THIS MORNING IF I WOULD INTRODUCE -- IF THESE FOLKS COULD COME FORWARD. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO HEAR FROM SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE CONNECTED WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT, AND I BELIEVE -- COME FORWARD. WE HAVE EVERETT BASS, WHO IS VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY AND MUNICIPAL RELATIONS, ACHAYA KELAPANDA FROM -- WHO IS THE DISTRICT MANAGER, AND WE ALSO HAVE A FORMER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, BRYANT JOHNSON, WHO IS THE MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY AND MUNICIPAL RELATIONS HERE. AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I BRING YOU GREETINGS FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS, THE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS OF WASTE MANAGEMENT. MY NAME IS EVERETT BASS, AND I'M A FORMER RESIDENT OF THIS COUNTY AND WORKED AT USF AND WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA, SO I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK IN -- IN TAMPA. I'M HERE ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES FROM -- FROM TAMPA TO PRESENT A CHECK TO KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL. WE, AS A COMPANY, SUPPORT KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL, SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE JOB THAT THIS AFFILIATE IS DOING HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SO HERE'S A CHECK FOR $10,000 SHOWING OUR SUPPORT FOR THIS IMPORTANT EFFORT. >>PAT BEAN: LET ME ALSO CALL OUT THE NAMES OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE FROM KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL. WE HAVE PAUL HAYS, WHO'S THE PRESIDENT, AND CHRISTINE COMMERCE AND DAISY PACKER HERE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: I'LL BE JUST FINE HERE, BUT I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON YOUR WORK. GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE PHOTO. IT WOULD BE GREAT. MS. COMMERCE, YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB IN ORGANIZING THESE 7,000 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VOLUNTEERS AND WORKING ON EVERYTHING FROM STYROFOAM CONTAINERS TO BANANA PEELS, AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HOW OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS AND HOW WE PUT FORTH OUR BEST AND HAPPIEST DAYS, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MY NAME IS PAUL HAYS, AND I'M -- >>PAT BEAN: PULL THE MIKE UP, PAUL. PULL THE MIKE UP. >> MY NAME IS PAUL HAYS, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ON YOUR SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION, PARTICULARLY COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE PARTICULAR TIME TO THANK SANDY CHAN FOR HER TIRELESS EFFORTS SUPPORTING OUR ORGANIZATION. I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR QUITE GENEROUS DONATION AT THIS TIME WITH THE DIFFICULT TIMES, OF COURSE, AND RECOGNIZE SOLID WASTE FOR THEIR UNENDING TIRELESS EFFORTS SUPPORTING OUR ORGANIZATION, AND PARTICULARLY MR. SIMS. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. MS. COMMERCE. >> I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO THANK BOCC. ON BEHALF OF KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL, WE HAVE SOME TOTE BAGS FROM OUR COASTAL CLEANUP THAT WE'D LIKE TO PASS ON TO YOU SO YOU TOO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND KEEP HARMFUL PLASTICS OUT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. WE HAD OVER 3,000 VOLUNTEERS THAT PICKED UP OVER 65,000 POUNDS OF TRASH ON SEPTEMBER 19th AS PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP EFFORT, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT TURNOUT AND THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT, AND UNFORTUNATELY, COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT HE WAS OUT THERE WITH OVER 500 VOLUNTEERS AT THE COURTNEY CAMPBELL CAUSEWAY PICKING UP LITTER AS WELL, SO WE WANTED TO COMMEND HIM FOR HIS EFFORTS. AND FINALLY, I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET THE COMMISSIONERS KNOW THAT WE HAVE DOUBLED OUR COST-BENEFIT RATIO TO THE COUNTY, SO EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE RECEIVE FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, WE RETURN ALMOST $8 IN COMMUNITY BENEFITS BACK -- BACK TO THE COUNTY AND BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENT, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, AND CONGRATULATIONS. >>PAT BEAN: AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR THIS CONTRIBUTION TO KEEP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEAUTIFUL. IT'S AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT SERVICE THAT'S PROVIDED BY THIS ORGANIZATION, AND WE CERTAINLY VALUE YOUR DECISION TO GIVE MONEY TO HELP THEM DO THAT. THANK YOU. YOUR NEXT ITEM, COMMISSIONERS, IS ITEM B-1. THIS IS TO APPROVE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND PRIVATE NONPROFITS IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, AND VALMARIE TURNER IS HERE TO BRING THIS ITEM FORWARD. >>VALMARIE TURNER: GOOD MORNING. VALMARIE TURNER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF 17 AGREEMENTS FOR NONPROFITS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT. THESE WERE PART OF THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. WE DID GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS, WHEREIN WE HAD INDIVIDUALS FROM -- REPRESENTATION FROM THE UNITED WAY, CHILDREN'S BOARD, WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA ON AGING, THE CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD, AS WELL AS THE ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR HUMAN SERVICES, MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CHILDREN'S SERVICES, AND THE AGING DEPARTMENT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. NEED A -- A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENTS. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO MOVED. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: MOTION BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 4-0. >>VALMARIE TURNER: THANK YOU. >>PAT BEAN: YOUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM B-4, WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY, THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, AND THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD, AND THE CITY OF TAMPA FOR JOINT ACQUISITION, AND DAN KLEIN IS GOING TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. >>DAN KLEIN: THANK YOU, MS. BEAN. DAN KLEIN WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE. I'VE BEEN ASKED BY THE STAKEHOLDERS WITH REGARD TO THIS AGREEMENT TO -- TO DISCUSS IT AND PRESENT IT AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT INVOLVES FOUR PARTIES, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD, AND THE CITY OF TAMPA. THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK, NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE CONSOLIDATION OF SERVICES BUT IN EFFECT RESOURCE SHARING, THE POTENTIAL SHARING OF COMPUTER HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, AND PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT SKILLS AND INTELLIGENCE OF THE STAFFS INVOLVED IN ALL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, TO PROCURE AND IMPLEMENT WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS AN ERP OR AN ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM. THAT IS IN EFFECT THE POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT OF YOUR BASIC ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS, ACCOUNTING, FINANCE, BUDGET, PROCUREMENT, FIXED ASSETS, PERSONNEL, AND PAYROLL. THE ACQUISITION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ERP IS A COMPLEX UNDERTAKING. DOING IT IN A COOPERATIVE AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE MAKES IT EVEN MORE COMPLEX. THE -- IN PROJECT ALSO HAS RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AND ONCE AGAIN, DOING IT IN A COOPERATIVE EFFORT PROVIDES MORE RISK, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE AS FAR AS STAFF ARE HERE TO DO WITH REGARD TO THIS INITIATIVE IS TO DEAL WITH THAT COMPLEXITY AND TO MANAGE AND CONTROL THAT RISK ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PROJECT. THERE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE. WE WILL BE BACK TO YOU AT A LATER DATE WITH A CHANGE ORDER FOR THE COUNTY'S CONSULTANT THAT IS ASSISTING US THROUGH THIS PROJECT AS A RESULT OF THE CHANGE IN SCOPE. DESPITE THE ADDED COMPLEXITY AND RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT AND THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT THE BENEFITS THAT CAN BE ACCRUED TO BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ARE WORTH THIS UNDERTAKING. WITH THAT, I WILL TRY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: AND I GUESS THIS GOES TO OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY. IS THERE A -- I GUESS THIS IS ALL PARTIES. IS THERE A -- A 60-DAY TERM CLAUSE THAT YOU CAN PULL OUT WITHOUT -- WITHOUT CAUSE STILL IN THIS AGREEMENT? >>RENEE LEE: COMMISSIONER, I THINK ON PAGE 11, ARTICLE V OF THE CONTRACT, INDICATES THAT A PARTY MAY TERMINATE ITS PARTICIPATION IN THIS AGREEMENT WITH OR WITHOUT CAUSE UPON A 60-DAY PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE TO OTHER PARTIES. >>JIM NORMAN: SO IF WE PULLED OUT OR -- WITHOUT CAUSE OR WHATEVER, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE OTHER PARTNERS IN THE AGREEMENT? >>RENEE LEE: COMMISSIONER, I THINK WE HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THIS AGREEMENT. I THINK WE ARE INVESTING APPROXIMATELY $20 MILLION IN THIS AGREEMENT, AND IF WE WERE TO PULL OUT, I WOULD THINK THE DEAL MIGHT COLLAPSE. >>JIM NORMAN: OR THE CITY OR THE OTHER -- OR THE CLERK'S OFFICE. WHAT HAPPENS IF A PARTY PULLS OUT TO THE OTHER PARTICIPATING MEMBERS? >>RENEE LEE: I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE TO EITHER REDESIGN THE SYSTEM, ABSORB THE COST. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INTENT WAS OF THE COMMITTEE WHEN THEY DRAFTED -- >>JIM NORMAN: WHY WAS 60 DAYS ESTABLISHED THAT -- ON A NO -- NO -- NO CAUSE PULL-OUT? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT GIVES ANYBODY ELSE A CONCERN, BUT THAT IS A -- THAT IS A MILLION -- MILLIONS OF DOLLARS POTENTIAL LIABILITY ON ANY PARTNER IF -- IF ONE GROUP OR THE OTHER PULLS OUT, AND IT GIVES ME A LITTLE CONCERN THAT -- WHY WOULDN'T YOU STILL HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE AGREEMENT OR -- OR SOMETHING THAT YOU DO NOT -- EVERYBODY ENTERING INTO THIS IN GOOD FAITH AND YOU DON'T -- IN OTHER WORDS -- I WAS LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY TO YOUR WORDS ABOUT MANAGING IT AND -- AND HOW YOU -- YOU KNOW, HOW DICEY IT CAN POTENTIALLY BE. I MEAN, THAT'S -- THAT'S -- I'M TRYING TO GET A SOUND AGREEMENT THAT ALL PARTIES ARE -- 60 DAYS IS A VERY SHORT WINDOW FOR JUST A TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE FOR A MULTI- MILLION-DOLLAR HIT, AND I -- AND I WOULD LIKE IT -- I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE COVERAGE THAN THAT OR MORE CERTAINTY THAN THAT OR -- DOES ANYBODY ELSE HERE HAVE THAT KIND OF CONCERN? I -- YOU KNOW, FOR ME THAT -- THAT'S A -- I WOULDN'T -- YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY WOULDN'T ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT LIKE THAT, AND I'M ASKING THE TAXPAYERS TO. I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PICK UP SOMEBODY'S EITHER REDESIGN OF SYSTEM COST, PICK UP THEIR NONPARTICIPATION COST, OR WHATEVER, SO I GUESS I'LL LISTEN TO THE BOARD, BUT THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT JUMPED OFF THE PAGE TO ME, AND I WAS ASKING THE ADMINISTRATOR HOW SHE FELT AND THE -- AND THE ATTORNEY HOW SHE FELT ABOUT -- AS WE MOVE FORWARD. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OKAY. MR. JOHNSON, AND THEN COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ERIC JOHNSON: COMMISSIONERS, ERIC JOHNSON, MANAGEMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR. COMMISSIONERS, I THINK A KEY -- AND DAN AND I TALKED YESTERDAY. THIS IS AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA. WE DON'T EXPECT TO AWARD A CONTRACT IT A VENDOR UNTIL NEXT SUMMER. I THINK THE BEST ESTIMATE IS AUGUST. THE KEY HERE IS THAT WE ARE -- WE SEE A VALUE OF WORKING WITH THE CITY. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. WE CURRENTLY BOTH HAVE THE SAME SYSTEM. THEY BOUGHT THE SYSTEM AFTER US. WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO -- TO DO AN IMPLEMENTATION AT THE SAME TIME. WE HAVEN'T CHANGED OUR BUDGET FOR THE ACTUAL ACQUISITION OF THE SYSTEM BASED ON WORKING WITH TAMPA. WE HAVE SIMPLY WORKED WITH THEM TO GET THEM TO AGREE TO IMPLEMENT THE SAME MODULES THAT WE PLAN TO IMPLEMENT ON THE SAME TIMELINE THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THEM. HERE'S WHERE WE GO. NEXT AUGUST WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN AWARD TO MAKE TO A VENDOR, IF THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS THAT THAT -- THAT CONTRACT DOESN'T HAVE ADEQUATE SAFEGUARDS FOR SEPARATE INVOICING OF THE CITY OF TAMPA FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THEREFORE SOME RISK, THEN AT THAT POINT WE WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO REVISIT THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT AND STRENGTHEN THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO ADDRESS ANYTHING THAT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE CONTRACT THAT AT THAT POINT WE'D BE ASKING YOU TO SIGN WITH A VENDOR. YOU'RE NOT OUT $20 MILLION AT THIS POINT. AT THIS POINT WE HAVE A VENDOR THAT WE'VE HIRED TO TAKE US THROUGH THIS PROCESS. TAMPA IS HIRING A VENDOR TO HELP THEM AS THEY GO INTO THE PROCESS. AS I -- ATTENDED A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR -- PRESENTED THIS PROPOSAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL, WHAT I MENTIONED IS THAT THIS IS A MARRIAGE IN TERMS OF WORKING TOGETHER AND WHAT WE HAD PROPOSED WAS NO PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT, AND BY THAT I MEANT THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO START TO SET OUT WHO WOULD GET THE DOG AND WHO WOULD GET THE CAT IF THE TWO PARTIES PART. REALLY THE ONLY MONEY WE'RE SPENDING AT THIS POINT IS THE MONEY ON A CONSULTANT WHO IS WORKING WITH US FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE TO DESIGN WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT, HOW DO WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT IT. WE UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS, BUT THE REAL POINT FOR THAT CONCERN, COMMISSIONER, WOULD BE BEFORE WE SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE TO MAKE A $20-MILLION COMMITMENT. AT THIS POINT WE ANTICIPATE THAT TO OCCUR NEXT AUGUST, AND AS I SAID, AT THAT POINT IF YOU'RE CONCERNED THAT THAT CONTRACT DOESN'T PROVIDE ENOUGH GUARANTEE, THAT THE CITY FAILS TO PAY THEIR INVOICE TO A VENDOR, AND AS A RESULT THE VENDOR COMES TO THE COUNTY, THEN I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK AT THE INTERLOCAL AT THAT POINT, BUT AT THAT POINT WE'LL HAVE THE CONTRACT TERMS FULLY IDENTIFIED AND WE'LL KNOW WHAT EXPOSURE WE HAVE, AND THAT'S WHERE THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL HELP US IDENTIFY IF THERE ARE ANY LOOSE ENDS IN THAT CONTRACT WITH THAT OUTSIDE VENDOR, BUT AT THIS POINT WE'RE NOT AWARDING A $20-MILLION CONTRACT, WE'RE SIMPLY DEALING WITH OUR CONSULTANT, AND WE REALLY TRIED NOT TO START TO PUT IN DAMAGES IN AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE CITY. >>JIM NORMAN: YOU'RE APPROVING THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT [INAUDIBLE] >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>JIM NORMAN: [INAUDIBLE] >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. I HAD SOME OF THE SAME CONCERNS, ERIC, BUT IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT NEXT SUMMER WOULD BE THE JUNCTURE AT WHICH WE CAN MODIFY ANY ARTICLES, THEN IT'S FINE, BUT WHY IS IT THAT WE HAVE IT IN HERE NOW? >>JIM NORMAN: YEAH. [INAUDIBLE] >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, WE ARE ESTABLISHING A BASELINE, COMMISSIONER. WE ARE ESTABLISHING THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER ON A JOINT ACQUISITION. THE REASON FOR THE INTERLOCAL IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT TO BID AND WE'RE GOING TO START THE PROCESS OF ENTICING VENDORS TO WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE CITY OF TAMPA JOINTLY. YOU KNOW, IF -- IF THE BOARD IS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN CHANGE IT, BUT OUR PREMISE WAS NOT TO HAVE DAMAGES REFLECTED AT THIS POINT. IT STARTS OUT THE UNION WITH -- WITH A SUGGESTION THAT WE'RE ALREADY MAKING PLANS TO ABANDON THE PARTNERSHIP. >>ROSE FERLITA: I MEAN -- AND -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: AS I SAID, I THINK THE TIMELINE TO MODIFY WOULD BE NEXT SUMMER IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE CONTRACT. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THAT GIVES THAT PERCEPTION BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DETRACT FROM THE CONSOLIDATED PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THESE PROGRAMS, BUT SO LONG AS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY LATER, THEN OKAY. I THINK MR. NORMAN IS OF A DIFFERENT OPINION AT THIS POINT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: MS. LEE, AND THEN MR. NORMAN. >>RENEE LEE: OH. COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANTED TO ASK ERIC SOMETHING BECAUSE I'M NOT A PART OF THE COMMITTEE, AND MAYBE HE CAN CERTAINLY EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE BETTER, BUT I HEARD SOMETHING, ERIC, THAT I DIDN'T KNOW, AND THAT -- THAT SYSTEMS ARE BEING DESIGNED SEPARATELY BY THE CITY AND THE COUNTY? >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO END UP DOING IS HAVING, WE HOPE, ONE VENDOR. WE WILL HAVE STANDARDIZED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT EACH OF THE PARTIES HAS THE ABILITY TO DO SOME CUSTOMIZATION. WE'RE BOTH TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE CUSTOMIZATION, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU SPEND EXTRA MONEY TO MAKE SOMETHING UNIQUE TO HILLSBOROUGH OR UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF TAMPA. THE INTENT WITH THIS IS TO MAXIMIZE THE BANG FOR THE BUCK BY GOING WITH AN OFF-THE-SHELF SYSTEM TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS TRYING TO STANDARDIZE WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT IN THE SYSTEM, AND WE'VE MADE SOME CONCESSIONS IN TERMS OF SLOWING OUR PROCESS. TAMPA'S MADE SOME CONCESSIONS BECAUSE ORIGINALLY TAMPA WAS GOING TO GO OUT FIRST WITH SOME OTHER MODULES. THEY WERE GOING TO FOCUS ON A CODE ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM AS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO PUT IN PLACE. THEY'VE NOW SAID THEY WILL MAKE THE SAME IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BASIC FINANCIAL SYSTEM AT THE SAME TIMELINE THAT WE ARE. >>RENEE LEE: SO THERE'S NO JOINT CONSULTING FEES THAT ARE BEING PAID OR THERE'S NONE -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: NO. WE HAVE OUR CONTRACT WITH NORTH HIGHLAND THE BOARD HAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH NORTH HIGHLAND, AND TAMPA -- HAVE THEY SIGNED A CONTRACT? >>DAN KLEIN: YES, THEY HAVE. >>ERIC JOHNSON: TAMPA'S SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION TO USE THEM AS A CONSULTANT TO ASSIST THEM IN THE PROCESS, SO WE EACH HAVE OUR OWN CONSULTANTS. THERE ARE NO JOINT COSTS UNTIL WE SELECT A VENDOR, AND AS I SAID, THAT'S ANTICIPATED AT THIS POINT FOR AN AWARD IN AUGUST, AND AT THAT POINT IF -- SINCE THE VENDORS WE'RE DEALING WITH ARE INTERNATIONAL VENDORS, DEAL WITH LOTS OF GOVERNMENTS AND LOTS OF BUSINESSES, IF THERE'S SOME STANDARD ELEMENTS OF HOW THEY DO BUSINESS THAT LEADS US TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A RISK THAT TAMPA COULD SOMEHOW SHIFT COSTS TO US, THEN AT THAT POINT WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO REVISIT THE INTERLOCAL BEFORE AWARDING A CONTRACT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION THAT THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN, BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW, AND THE ONLY COST THAT WE'RE GOING TO INCUR IS THE COST OF OUR CONSULTANT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, LET ME JUST -- I DON'T WANT -- AND I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE OUR LEADERSHIP HAS SAID THIS IS WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE COUNTY. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WHERE I DISAGREE WITH YOU IS -- TO PUT THIS IN HERE IS THE PRENUP. TO START OUT WITH A -- IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET MARRIED AND SAY THAT YOU CAN DIVORCE IN 60 DAYS WITHOUT ANY LIABILITY, THAT'S A PRENUP, FOLKS, AND ENTERING INTO AGREEMENTS WITH PULL-OUT WITHOUT CLAUSE -- WITHOUT CAUSE, ALL OTHER PARTIES THAT ARE A PARTY TO THIS, YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW -- THERE'S GOT TO -- WAS THIS DISCUSSED IN THIS MEETING? SOMEBODY HAD TO PUT IT IN THERE. WHO PUT IN -- WHO -- WHO WAS THE DRIVING FORCE TO PUT THE 60-DAY OPT-OUT WITHOUT CAUSE IN THE -- IN THE -- IN THE AGREEMENT? >>DAN KLEIN: IT REALLY WAS A CONSENSUS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE THAT'S WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, BASICALLY TO THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT OF EITHER ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW. THERE MAY COME A POINT IN TIME WHERE THE COUNTY ISN'T HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING -- >>JIM NORMAN: SURE. >>DAN KLEIN: -- AND WANT TO PULL OUT. >>JIM NORMAN: BUT SEE, WE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE CITY HANGING. WE SHOULD NOT BE -- IF WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD AND WE -- WE ALL MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS AND ALL THESE KINDS OF THINGS, WE SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE SOME -- WHAT'S THAT WORD? -- DAMAGES IS THE WRONG THING -- BUT A FULFILLMENT OF THE SYSTEM TO SOME DEGREE THAT THE CLERK'S NOT HANGING OUT THEN -- I MEAN, WE'RE ALL GOING AND STARTING THIS RIGHT, AND I'M JUST CONCERNED WITH ANY PARTY BEING ABLE TO PULL OUT OF A -- A NETWORK WITHOUT CAUSE IF -- IF THERE'S -- THAT'S MY -- AND WE'RE STARTING OUT THIS WAY. >>DAN KLEIN: THE PROVISION IS TO PULL OUT OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. >>JIM NORMAN: YES. >>DAN KLEIN: NOT TO STOP THE PROJECT. IF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT GOES AWAY -- >>JIM NORMAN: I GET THAT. >>DAN KLEIN: -- WE MOVE FORWARD ON OUR OWN, AND WE'VE BEEN PREPARED TO DO THAT FROM DAY ONE. >>JIM NORMAN: I GET THAT. >>DAN KLEIN: YOU LOSE SOME OF THE EFFICIENCIES IN ECONOMY OF SCALE. >>JIM NORMAN: EFFICIENCIES IF YOU BOUGHT A SYSTEM OR IT'S -- AS A FULL SYSTEM AND NOW THE COUNTY PULLS OUT OR THE CLERK PULLS OUT, I -- AGAIN, IF OUR -- IF OUR LEADERSHIP MINDS FEEL THAT THIS IS PUTTING THE -- THE COUNTY IN THE BEST POSSIBLE POSITION, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT IT, BUT I'VE GOT HEARTBURN THAT WE GO INTO AN AGREEMENT ALREADY WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF PULLING OUT. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S A -- THAT IS A GOOD START TO A -- A PARTNERSHIP. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. ERIC, BY THE WAY, WELCOME BACK. DAN, THIS -- THIS IS A QUESTION I HAVE. WE TALK AND TALK AND TALK AND CAMPAIGN ABOUT CONSOLIDATION AND PARTNERSHIPS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A FINE EXAMPLE IF IT GOES TO COMPLETION ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THOSE EFFICIENCIES. IF ONE OF THE THREE PARTIES DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO GO IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, WHAT HAS BEEN -- WHAT HAS BEEN LOST AND WHAT ARE THE REMAINING BENEFITS? WOULD WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE THAT SAME SYSTEM THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING? SAY, IF YOU AND US STAY OR YOU AND THE CITY OF TAMPA STAY OR WE AND THE CITY -- WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS IF SOMEBODY WALKS AWAY? WOULD THIS HAVE BEEN STUFF THAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE ANYWAY TO IMPROVE OUR OWN INTERNAL EFFICIENCY AND THEN MAGNIFY THAT CERTAINLY BY INVOLVING THE OTHER TWO PARTIES? >>DAN KLEIN: WELL, THIS WAS AN ISSUE THAT WE WERE MOVING ON EVEN BEFORE WE HAD IDENTIFIED TAMPA WAS DOING THE SAME THING. WE HAVE A NEED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO REPLACE OUR EXISTING LEGACY SYSTEMS. FOR THE MOST PART, AS -- AS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, THE CLERK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING THE ACCOUNTING FOR THE BOARD. THOSE -- WHILE THAT ACCOUNTING SYSTEM IS -- IS A MAIN FRAME BASE SYSTEM THAT IS ANTIQUATED, YOU KNOW, IT PREPARES THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. IT DOES NOT MEET THE BUDGET AND THE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION NEEDS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IT'LL GENERATE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FINE, BUT THE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM, THE FINANCE SYSTEM NEEDS TO DO MORE IN THIS DAY AND AGE. THE SAME THING WITH PAYROLL. IT ISSUES PAYCHECKS. YOU KNOW, IT DOES ITS JOB. IT DOESN'T DO IT IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER. CIVIL SERVICE HAS RESPONSIBILITY, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY FOR HR. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE A PARTNER. IT WORKS WELL FROM THE -- THE BOARD, THE CLERK'S, AND CIVIL SERVICE PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT'S THE ROAD WE WERE GOING. IT'S -- >>ROSE FERLITA: AND SOME POINT DID SOMEBODY INVITE THE CITY OF TAMPA OR ENTERTAIN THEM BEING ONE OF THOSE PARTNERS? >>DAN KLEIN: WE IDENTIFIED SOMETIME AGO THAT THEY WERE DOING THE SAME THING, THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THEIR NEEDS ASSESSMENT, THEY HAD A NEED TO REPLACE THEIR SYSTEMS AS WELL. AS ERIC INDICATED, WE USE THE SAME FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEM TODAY. THERE ARE -- IS GREAT POTENTIAL, AND AS COMMISSIONER NORMAN SAID, YOU HATE TO START OFF A RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW, ON A NEGATIVE BASIS, AND THAT WAS DISCUSSED. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START INCORPORATING DAMAGES OR LIQUIDATING DAMAGES, YOU'RE STARTING OFF ON A NEGATIVE FOOTING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ANTICIPATING POTENTIAL FAILURE OR DISAGREEMENT, AND AS ERIC HAS SAID, WE'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, COMPROMISED AND -- AND COME TOGETHER IN OUR DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS, AND I EXPECT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. BUT THERE MAY COME A POINT IN TIME WHERE FOR WHATEVER REASON IT IS NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTY AND WE CANNOT AGREE, AND UP TO THE POINT OF AWARDING A CONTRACT TO AN ERP PROVIDER AND THAT CONTRACT WILL GET A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SCRUTINY AND ATTENTION IN DEALING WITH BOTH JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY, WE -- IF -- IF ANY PARTY PULLS OUT OF THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE PREPARED TO GO ON OUR OWN. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. BUT IN TERMS OF THE ARTICLES, PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF TERMINATION, THEN I WOULD EXPECT AND I WOULD EXPECT MOST PEOPLE WOULD EXPECT A VERY HEALTHY, BROAD-SPECTRUM DISCUSSION BEFORE THAT VENDOR IS SELECTED? >>DAN KLEIN: THAT IS CORRECT. AND THAT AGREEMENT WITH THAT VENDOR WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION TO TERMINATION PROVISIONS, OKAY. THAT AGREEMENT IN AND OF ITSELF, WHETHER THAT IS A CONSOLIDATED AGREEMENT WITH BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY OR INDIVIDUAL AGREEMENTS, WILL SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS IN DETAIL TERMINATION. >>JIM NORMAN: AND COMMISSIONER, THIS MAY BE A PREDISCUSSION OF THAT POINT, BUT I WANTED TO -- I ACTUALLY WAS ENTHUSED ABOUT GOING FORWARD BEFORE WE GOT EVER TO THAT DISCUSSION, AND THAT JUST JUMPED OFF TO ME THAT WE'RE STARTING OFF WRONG. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: MS. LEE. >>RENEE LEE: JUST ANOTHER QUESTION, COMMISSIONER, AND MAYBE, DAN, YOU CAN -- THIS MIGHT SHED SOME LIGHT ON IT, BUT IN THE FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT, YOU MENTION THAT THE AGREEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE ERP AND THE CITY OF TAMPA WILL INCREASE THE SCOPE OF WORK BY 338,000. DO THEY PARTICIPATE IN THAT INCREASE? >>DAN KLEIN: NO, MA'AM. AS ERIC INDICATED, THAT IS THE COUNTY'S CONTRACT WITH NORTH HIGHLAND, WHO IS OUR CONSULTANT. THEY HAD -- WE HAD ALREADY GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAD PRETTY MUCH GOTTEN CLOSE TO COMPLETION OF OUR RFP IN ORDER TO GO OUT ON OUR OWN. THE COOPERATIVE EFFORT IN TRYING TO BLEND OUR REQUIREMENTS AND OUR INDIVIDUAL RFPs INTO A SINGLE RFP IS WHAT IS EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF THE COUNTY'S CONSULTANT. AS ERIC INDICATED, THE CITY HAS GONE OFF AND HIRED THEIR OWN CONSULTANT IN ORDER TO HELP ADDRESS THEIR RISK AND SOME OF THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS. WE ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THEIR CONSULTANT CONTRACT, AS THEY ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN OURS. OKAY. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. NO, AND I UNDERSTAND COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S CONCERNS AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER FERLITA'S. I GUESS WHEN I ORIGINALLY LOOKED AT THIS, I DON'T THINK WE ENTER INTO ANY AGREEMENT WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO TERMINATE THE RELATIONSHIP, BUT I THINK -- I THINK IT'S PRUDENT THAT THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT IN THE EVENT A RELATIONSHIP DOESN'T WORK OUT THAT THERE ARE SOME TYPE OF MECHANISMS WHERE PARTIES CAN LEAVE. BUT WHAT I DO THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE DETERMINED -- AND PERHAPS THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO, MR. JOHNSON, WHEN WE GET INTO THE CONTRACTS -- THAT AS WE'RE STARTING TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS THAT I WOULD BE UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE PARTIES WOULD HAVE SOME DEGREE OF COMFORT AS WE'RE GOING FORWARD WITH EACH CONTRACT, BUT THEN WE WOULD ALSO HAVE SOME MECHANISMS IN PLACE THAT IF FOR WHATEVER REASON DOWN THE ROAD WE ENTERED INTO THIS CONTRACT AND SOMETHING UNFORESEEABLE DID NOT WORK OUT THAT WE WOULD KNOW UP FRONT WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE MONETARY DAMAGES THE OTHER PARTIES MIGHT BE ENTITLED TO IF ONE PARTY PULLED OUT, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE ALL THESE ENTITIES INVOLVED WITH THESE CONTRACTS AND THERE'S FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS IF ONE LEAVES, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD LEAVE THE OTHER PARTIES, YOU KNOW, ON THE HOOK FOR MORE UNFORESEEABLE CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENSES THAT THEY MIGHT INCUR, SO I GUESS THAT'S PART OF MY -- WOULD BE MY EXPECTATION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE START GETTING INTO THESE CONTRACTS, IF WE NEED TO PULL OUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE PENALTIES WOULD BE FOR PULLING OUT. >>JIM NORMAN: BUT WHY WOULD YOU NEED THAT NOW? WHY WOULD YOU NEED THAT IN THERE NOW IF IT'S AT THE CONTRACT PHASE? >>KEVIN BECKNER: BECAUSE, COMMISSIONER NORMAN, I VIEW THIS AS JUST SOMETHING THAT AGAIN AS YOU ENTER RELATIONSHIPS, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY INTEND ON DI INVOLVING IT, BUT YOU WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S AT LEAST A SHELL THAT'S IN PLACE, AND SO I DON'T -- I DON'T VIEW THIS AS SOMETHING THAT'S NECESSARILY NEGATIVE TO THE RELATIONSHIP, IT'S JUST SOMETHING SAYING LISTEN, SOMETHING MIGHT NOT WORK OUT, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A MECHANISM THERE, BUT WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT AT THIS POINT, BUT AS THOSE THINGS DEVELOP AND AS WE START GETTING INTO THE CONTRACTS, THOSE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, SPELLED OUT. I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, I JUST -- I JUST LOOKED AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: JUST, YOU KNOW, FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT WE'VE ALL TRIED TO KEEP OUR -- OUR INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY, COUNTY, CITY, ET CETERA, WE ARE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH COMING A GOOD AMOUNT OF WAYS TO PARTNER WITH STUFF. IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE DO HAVE THAT JUNCTURE AT WHICH WE CAN MODIFY ANY OF THESE TERMS, AND GIVEN THAT, GIVEN THE EXPLANATIONS, I'LL MOVE THE ITEM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER FERLITA MADE A MOTION TO MOVE THE ITEM. >>KEVIN BECKNER: I'LL SECOND IT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>DAN KLEIN: THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. >>PAT BEAN: COMMISSIONER, I OVERLOOKED ITEM B-3, SO LET'S GO BACK AND PICK UP ITEM B-3. THAT IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S ITEM TO MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THE AWARD SECTION OF THE BOARD'S POLICY REGARDING AWARENESS AWARDS AND SPONSORSHIP ACTIVITIES SUCH AS WHEN YOU GIVE AWARDS LIKE YOU DID THIS MORNING TO THE YOUNG MEN, SO DEBORA IS HERE TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. >>DEBORA CROMARTIE-MINCEY: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. DEBORA CROMARTIE-MINCEY, COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THIS IS A ROUTINE HOUSEKEEPING ITEM, COMMISSIONERS. MINOR CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE SUBJECT POLICY, AS COMMISSIONER BEAN SPOKE EARLIER, TO MAKE IT CONSISTENT WITH CHANGES MADE TO THE COMPANION ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE. WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL AT THIS TIME. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: NO QUESTIONS, NEED A MOTION. >>ROSE FERLITA: MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >>JIM NORMAN: CAN I ASK A QUESTION? >>ROSE FERLITA: YES. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: DID YOU RFP -- ARE YOU GOING TO RFP THE AWARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? >>PAT BEAN: MAYBE I CAN ANSWER THAT, COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE YOU ASKED ME THAT QUESTION YESTERDAY. I CHECKED WITH STAFF. WE HAVE NOT, BUT WE WILL -- BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, WE'LL GO OUT. TYPICALLY -- >>JIM NORMAN: SO YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET THE COST BELOW THE THRESHOLD? >>ROSE FERLITA: YES, THAT'S CORRECT. >>JIM NORMAN: OKAY. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: IS THIS AN AMENDMENT TO YOUR MOTION? >>ROSE FERLITA: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S THE AMENDMENT. [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] >>JIM NORMAN: THE POINT IS WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE SAME VENDOR AND WE SAY THE PRICE IS THIS WHEN WE NEVER WENT ON THE STREET. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE VENDOR IS. >>PAT BEAN: THEY'VE ACTUALLY GONE TO DIFFERENT VENDORS. DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS HAVE GONE TO DIFFERENT VENDORS, BUT WE'LL PUT AN RFP ON THE STREET. WE'LL SEE WHAT WE GET. WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE CURRENT CHANGES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT VERY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. >>JIM NORMAN: OKAY. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND I THINK I CAN INCORPORATE THAT IN MY MOTION. >>PAT BEAN: YES. >>ROSE FERLITA: I'LL MAKE THE MOTION BUT WITH THAT CONSIDERATION THAT WE DO THAT AS PART OF THE POLICY PROCESS. OKAY? >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: IS THERE A SECOND? >>JIM NORMAN: SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: MOTION MADE BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA, SECOND BY MR. NORMAN. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 6-0. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT -- >> [INAUDIBLE] >>RECORDING SECRETARY: I'LL EDIT THAT. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>PAT BEAN: OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM B-6. THIS IS FOR RATIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND AFSCME, ONE OF OUR BARGAINING UNITS. AFSCME HAS COME TO THE TABLE AND AGREED TO THE CONDITIONS AND TERMS THAT WE HAD ASKED THEM TO CONSIDER, AND WE RECOMMEND YOUR APPROVAL. >>JIM NORMAN: SO MOVED. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO MOVED. >>JIM NORMAN: SECOND. >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. [LAUGHTER] >>RECORDING SECRETARY: I'M VERY SORRY. I NEED TO KNOW THE ITEM NUMBER, PLEASE. >>PAT BEAN: B-6. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: B-6. AND THEN I'LL NEED YOU TO RE-RECORD YOUR VOTES. ONE SECOND, PLEASE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: FOR CLARIFICATION, WE'RE RECORDING OUR VOTE ON -- >>PAT BEAN: B-6. >>JIM NORMAN: WE GOT A MOVE AND A CO-SECOND. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5- 0. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM B-7. THIS IS THE ITEM TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT'S -- >>JIM NORMAN: MOVE THE ITEM. >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: NO DISCUSSION, RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM B-8. HAVE WE GOT THE RESOLUTION HERE YET? >> YES, THERE IS A RESOLUTION. >>PAT BEAN: OKAY. I HAD TOLD THE BOARD EARLIER THAT WE WOULD BE BRINGING TO YOU A RESOLUTION REGARDING HIGH-SPEED RAIL. WE ARE CERTAINLY HOPEFUL BASED ON INFORMATION WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FOLKS IN WASHINGTON, THAT OUR STATE WILL BE ONE OF THE STATES THAT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN ATTRACTING THE DOLLARS THAT WE NEED FOR THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL LINE THAT WOULD GO AND CONNECT THE ORLANDO-TAMPA AREA. >>JIM NORMAN: MOVE THE ITEM. >> SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SEEING NO DISCUSSION, RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>PAT BEAN: I WOULD ASSUME THAT YOU WANT TO HOLD THE APPOINTMENTS UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON WHEN COMMISSIONER HAGAN IS HERE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: YES. >>PAT BEAN: AND IN THAT CASE THEN, WE COULD MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER FERLITA, F-5, THE DISCUSSION REGARDING FURLOUGH DAYS. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MS. BEAN. MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS WAS JUST AN ITEM OF CLARIFICATION AND CONFIRMATION. I REALLY DIDN'T PUT IT ON AS AN AGENDA ITEM. ONE DAY WHEN I WAS ATTENDING THE PSCC MEETING, I WAS ASKED BY JUDGE DOMINGUEZ TO CONFIRM THAT WHAT OUR ADMINISTRATOR HAD PICKED AS FURLOUGH DAYS TO -- TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF EFFICIENCY WOULD BE COMPLEMENTARY TO ISSUES THAT THE COURT SYSTEM WOULD HAVE AND TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE REST OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS. I ASSURED HIM I WOULD BRING THIS UP AT OUR MEETING TO -- TO REDEFINE ANY DATES OR CHANGES THAT WE HAD TO CHANGE, AND IN MY DISCUSSION WITH MS. BEAN YESTERDAY, SHE HAS ASSURED ME - - PAT, YOU MAY JUST WANT TO SAY WHAT YOU DID, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING IS OKAY. YOU HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES, AND -- >>PAT BEAN: YES. >>ROSE FERLITA: -- YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE. I JUST WANT THEM TO KNOW I DID WHAT I SAID I WOULD DO. >>PAT BEAN: YES. THE ORIGINAL LIST THAT HAD BEEN FORWARDED TO THE BOARD BEFORE WE FINISHED THE BUDGET PROCESS THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT -- FROM THE COURTS AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE, AND THE BOARD GAVE ME AUTHORIZATION TO WORK WITH THEM AND THEN TO SET A REVISED SCHEDULE, AND THAT'S WHAT I DID. I SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH THE CHIEF JUDGE AND ALSO WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, AND WE DID CHANGE THE DATES FROM THE DATES THAT WERE IN THE ORIGINAL LIST. TWO OF THE DATES WERE CONCERNS THAT THEY HAD THAT THEY WOULD BE CLOSED BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT HOLIDAY SCHEDULE THAN WE DO. WE HAD NOT ORIGINALLY PUT THOSE TWO DATES ON OUR LIST. WE MODIFIED THE LIST, AND THOSE TWO DATES ARE NOW INCLUDED, AND AS FAR AS I'M AWARE -- I ALSO CONTACTED THE PROPERTY APPRAISER, THE TAX COLLECTOR, THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS, EPC, EVERYONE THAT WORKS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, AND CONFERRED WITH THEM ABOUT THE DATES THAT I HAD -- THE NEW DATES THAT I HAD SELECTED, AND NO ONE CAME BACK WITH ANY PROBLEMS. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. THANK YOU, MS. BEAN. >>PAT BEAN: AND SO I DON'T THINK YOU NEED ANY ACTION OR ANYTHING. I THINK IT JUST CLEARS THE RECORD, UNLESS YOU JUST WANT TO SO MOVE. >>ROSE FERLITA: NO. IT REALLY WASN'T AN ITEM, IT WAS JUST KIND OF CLARIFICATION, AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE THAT, SO CERTAINLY IF THEY HAVE ANY OTHER LATE-ARISING CONCERNS, THEY CAN CONTACT -- >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE A -- I'D LIKE A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF JUDGE OR SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES THAT -- THAT CONCURS WITH YOUR COMMENTS AND THE ADMINISTRATOR, THAT THEY ARE ON THE SAME PAGE THAT LETS ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES FROM THE COURTS AND US. I THINK THAT ADDRESSES -- IF WE ALL GOT A LETTER FROM THE CHIEF THAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE FURLOUGH DAYS. >>ROSE FERLITA: SURE. YOU WANT TO MAKE THAT MOTION? FINE. I'LL SECOND IT. >>JIM NORMAN: NO, GO AHEAD. >>ROSE FERLITA: ALL RIGHT. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION -- >>JIM NORMAN: IT'S YOUR ITEM. SECOND. >>ROSE FERLITA: -- JUST TO PUT THIS ISSUE TO REST. >>JIM NORMAN: RIGHT. >>ROSE FERLITA: THAT'S FINE. >>PAT BEAN: WHY DON'T WE ALSO JUST ASK THE CLERK TO GIVE US ONE TOO SINCE WE'LL -- >>JIM NORMAN: CORRECT OKAY. YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER FERLITA, SECOND BY MR. - - >>JIM NORMAN: AND CAN I JUST SAY AND MAYBE EVEN NEXT YEAR FOR THE OTHER UPCOMING DAYS? >>ROSE FERLITA: OH, SURE. >>JIM NORMAN: OKAY. >>ROSE FERLITA: SURE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT ITEM WOULD BE ITEM G-1. THIS IS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ITEM. IT'S A REPORT REGARDING THE STATUS OF FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING. VALMARIE TURNER'S HERE TO PRESENT THIS. >>VALMARIE TURNER: GOOD MORNING. VALMARIE TURNER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT. THIS REPORT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT THAT WAS DONE AT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IN 2008. TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE WITH SOME OF OUR FUNDING WITH THE HOME PROGRAM, WE HAVE MET OUR COMMITMENT DEADLINE -- I'M SORRY, OUR DISBURSEMENT DEADLINE OF MORE THAN THREE -- WE ACTUALLY EXCEEDED IT BY MORE THAN THREE MILLION, AND THE COMMITMENT DEADLINE, WE'RE HOPING TO MEET THAT TODAY, LATER ON TODAY IF THE BOARD APPROVES THE 1.2 -- $1.2-MILLION AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE FLORIDA HOME PARTNERSHIP. WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WE'VE ALREADY MET OUR TIMELINESS, AND WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOVERY FUNDS OF 1.6. THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM, WE HAVE A REPORT COMING RIGHT AFTER THIS ITEM. WE ARE ANTICIPATING RECEIVING NSP2 FUNDING. WE HOPE TO FIND OUT FROM HUD ON THOSE FUNDS IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR. WE SUBMITTED OUR APPLICATION. WE'RE JUST WAITING TO SEE HOW MUCH WE'LL GET THERE. THE HOMELESS PREVENTION AND RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM, WE'VE SIGNED ALL OF OUR AGREEMENTS WITH THE HOMELESS COALITION AS WELL AS THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES. >>PAT BEAN: ANY QUESTIONS? >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? >>ROSE FERLITA: RECEIVE THE REPORT. >>JIM NORMAN: SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM G-2, WHICH IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT REPORT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM. >>VALMARIE TURNER: I'M GOING TO HAVE LANETTE GLASS DO THIS ITEM. >>LANETTE GLASS: GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I THOUGHT I WAS BACKUP. LANETTE GLASS, THE FORECLOSURE MANAGER WITH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM. I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF NEWS ABOUT IT IN THE PAPERS. ALSO, BY THE WAY, WE JUST HAD AN ARTICLE IN "FLORIDA TREND" THIS MONTH ABOUT OUR PROGRAM AND THE FIRST HOUSE THAT WE PURCHASED BACK IN AUGUST. THIS IS A MONTHLY REPORT THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE BOARD TO JUST GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROGRAM. IT'S, OF COURSE, VERY KEY THAT YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF WHERE WE ARE AND SOME OF THE -- THE HICCUPS THAT WE HIT ALONG THE WAY AND OF COURSE THE GOOD NEWS THAT WE HAVE ALSO AS WE GO. THIS IS FOR AUGUST. WE DID PROVIDE YOU A JULY REPORT BACK IN AUGUST. THIS IS THE AUGUST REPORT, AND IT GIVES YOU A STATUS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE WERE FROM THE JULY REPORT. WE HAD EIGHT PURCHASE OFFERS IN JULY. TWO WERE ACCEPTED, FIVE WERE REJECTED. ONE THE COUNTY ELECTED NOT TO PURSUE. THEN IN AUGUST WE MADE ASSIGNMENTS TO TWO MORE PROPERTIES, A PLANT CITY CDC AND THE COACH FOUNDATION. WE WERE -- WE ARE SEEING A MAJORITY OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE IN THE CLAIR MEL AREA AND ALSO IN THE PLANT CITY AREA. NOW, IN AUGUST WE DID COME BEFORE THE BOARD AND WE BROUGHT FORTH THE THREE NEW TARGET AREAS THAT WE HAD IN OUR PLAN ORIGINALLY. LAST YEAR -- IN FACT, IT'S ALMOST A YEAR TO THE DATE WHEN WE CREATED THE PLAN, LAST -- EARLY OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, WE HAD THE THREE PRIMARY TARGET AREAS SELECTED, WHICH WERE THE USF AREA, THE ORIENT PARK AREA, AND THEN A COMBINATION OF CLAIR MEL, PROGRESS VILLAGE, AND PALM RIVER, AND WE HAD SELECTED THREE ADDITIONAL AREAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO INTO AFTER WE STARTED THE PROGRAM MOVING ALONG, AND WE FIGURED WE WOULD GET INTO THOSE SECONDARY AREAS SIX MONTHS OR SO INTO THE PROGRAM. WE FOUND THAT WE NEEDED TO BRING THOSE -- THOSE AREAS ON- LINE EARLIER, SO WE BROUGHT AN AMENDMENT TO THE BOARD BACK IN AUGUST REQUESTING TO GO INTO THOSE NEW AREAS. THAT NOW IS PLANT CITY, GIBSONTON, AND TOWN 'N COUNTRY. IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE 3 -- SORRY. IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE 3 OF THE REPORT, IT KIND OF GIVES YOU A SYNOPSIS OF WHERE WE ARE. SINCE WE PREPARED THIS REPORT WE'VE CLOSED ON TWO MORE PROPERTIES, SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX PROPERTIES THAT WE'VE CLOSED ON. I HAVE FOUR MORE CLOSINGS SET FOR THIS MONTH, AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THERE MAY BE ONE OR TWO RIGHT AT THE TAIL END OF THIS MONTH AS WELL. IT GIVES YOU A -- THIS APPENDIX KIND OF GIVES YOU A SUMMARY OF WHAT OCCURS WITH THESE PROPERTIES. EACH ONE IS DIFFERENT. WE MAY LOSE THE PROPERTY AS SOON AS IT HITS THE TABLE BECAUSE THERE'S SIX MORE OFFERS ON THE TABLE FOR THE SAME PROPERTY. WE MAY REJECT AN OFFER BECAUSE AFTER WE MADE THE OFFER TO THE ASKING PRICE, THEY COME BACK AND WANT ADDITIONAL MONEY, AND WE KNOW HOW MUCH REHAB IS GOING INTO THE PROPERTY AND WE SAY NO, WE DON'T ACCEPT THE COUNTER. AND THEN, OF COURSE -- THEN SOME, OF COURSE, GO THROUGH, SO -- AND THEN WE HAVE A LOT ON THE TABLE AS WELL. I KNOW TOO WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING A MORE UPDATED REPORT TO THE BOARD AT THE OCTOBER 14th WORKSHOP. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. >> OKAY. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. OR I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. QUESTION. WHAT IS THE TOTAL TO DATE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE SPENT ON THE ACQUISITIONS? WE HAVE A TOTAL -- THERE'S A TOTAL OF 19 MILLION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE SPENT IS IT BY NEXT SEPTEMBER? >> IT'S 19 MILLION TO OBLIGATE BY SEPTEMBER 3rd OF NEXT YEAR. >>KEVIN BECKNER: SEPTEMBER 3rd OF NEXT YEAR. >> TWO MILLION OF THAT IS ADMIN, SO -- >>KEVIN BECKNER: SO AS OF THIS DATE HOW MUCH HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO -- TO OBLIGATE? >> WELL, HOLD ON. WE HAVE AT THE BOTTOM TOTAL CLOSED -- YEAH, LET'S ADD THAT UP. WE ADDED IN THE 90 -- WE CLOSED ON THE PROPERTY, 2219 EAST 133rd, WHICH WAS 92-9, WE CLOSED ON CHURCH STREET, WHICH WAS 29-9. AND THEN WE HAVE -- IT LOOKS LIKE THAT -- THAT DIDN'T ADD UP RIGHT. THAT'S 145 -- ABOUT 190 ON TOP OF THE 92 AND THE 20 AND THE 30. SO FAR ABOUT 350 TO DATE, AND THAT'S AS OF YESTERDAY. I WENT TO A CLOSING YESTERDAY. >>KEVIN BECKNER: SO THAT PUTS US AS FAR AS -- WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PACE GOAL BY SEPTEMBER 3rd, HOW DOES THAT PUT US -- WHAT DOES THAT PUT US IN SHAPE FOR OUR PACE OF WHAT WE NEED TO BE ON? >> WE NEED TO UPDATE OUR PACE. WE NEED TO REALLY GET THAT FLOWING. WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. ONE OF THE -- THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WE CAN'T GET TO THE ASSET MANAGERS FOR THESE LENDERS. WE'VE TRIED TO GET TO THEM, AND THEY REFER US BACK TO THE LOAN SERVICERS, AND SOME OF THE LOAN SERVICERS WILL NOT WORK WITH US, SOME OF THESE WE'VE MADE LOANS ON THE LOAN SERVICER WILL NOT CLOSE WITH OUR TITLE COMPANY, THEY WANT US TO CLOSE WITH A COMPANY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE, AND WE HAVE OUR TITLE COMPANY THAT WE WILL BE USING TO DO THE CLOSINGS AND OUR WIRE TRANSFERS WILL GO TO. WE'RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH TRANSFERRING FUNDS ACROSS THE STATE TO A TITLE COMPANY WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND I SEE SOME OF YOUR INITIATIVES AS FAR AS TO INCREASE THE PACE, BUT IT SEEMS -- I MEAN, AT LEAST FOR ME, WHEN I'M STARTING TO LOOK AT THIS, I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT ALARMED AT THE PACE THAT WE NEED TO BE ON, AND I GUESS AT WHAT POINT DO WE START RAISING THE RED FLAGS AND START RAISING THEM VIGOROUSLY THAT WE NEED HELP OR WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE WE LOSE THESE DOLLARS? >>VALMARIE TURNER: WE ALSO HAVE AN RFP THAT'S OUT FOR A LITTLE OVER $6 MILLION FOR MULTIFAMILY, SO A LARGE PORTION OF THE DOLLARS WILL BE GOING FOR MULTIFAMILY AS WELL. WE HAD A CONVERSATION -- THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ADVISORY BOARD HAD THE SAME CONCERN. WE KIND OF SHARED WITH THEM, YOU KNOW, OUR PROCESS, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE AUTHORITY LEVEL AND WHAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO GET A CONTRACT SIGNED, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT, AND WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH A NATIONAL NONPROFIT THAT WILL -- HAS ALREADY GONE TO THE LENDERS AND HAVE ESTABLISHED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE -- GO DIRECTLY TO THE SERVICER -- TO THE LENDER, EXCUSE ME, AS OPPOSED TO GOING THROUGH THE BROKERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FINDING TAKES A LOT OF TIME. WE'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THE BROKER WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY GO AND MAKE DIRECT DECISIONS WITH THE ASSET MANAGERS. >>KEVIN BECKNER: HOW OFTEN WILL WE BE RECEIVING A REPORT ON THIS? >>VALMARIE TURNER: MONTHLY. >>KEVIN BECKNER: MONTHLY? ALL RIGHT. I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP BECAUSE WE SAT DOWN AND WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES AS WELL, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND INSIGHT, BUT, YEAH, IF YOU COULD ALSO OBVIOUSLY LIST OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING ON A -- ON A REGULAR BASIS IN YOUR REPORTS AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO -- OUR PACE AS FAR AS WHERE WE'RE AT -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: YES. >>KEVIN BECKNER: -- AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE WE NEED TO DO TO CATCH UP WITH THAT PACE BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO COME TO AUGUST AND FIND THAT WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS UNALLOCATED AND WE ARE JUST -- >>VALMARIE TURNER: OH, NO. >>KEVIN BECKNER: -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN NOT GOOD SHAPE. >>VALMARIE TURNER: ONE OF THE THINGS, WE ARE GOING TO GO MORE IN-DEPTH WITH THE PRESENTATION ON THE 14th AT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION'S WORKSHOP WITH SOME OF THE PARTNERS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE 14th, SO YOU'LL HAVE THAT AS WELL. >>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER WHITE. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU. VAL OR MS. GLASS, WHICHEVER ONE, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE WHAT TITLE COMPANY WE USE? ALL TITLE COMPANIES ARE BONDED AND INSURED, AND, I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST LIKE BANKING INSTITUTIONS. THEY'LL ALL ACCEPT WIRE TRANSFERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SO IF WE ARE, YOU KNOW -- I MEAN, I'VE DONE SEVERAL REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS. I PREFER MY OWN TITLE COMPANY, BUT SOMETIMES THE SELLER HAS THEIR OWN TITLE COMPANY THAT THEY PREFER AS WELL. I MEAN, BUT A TITLE COMPANY IN ESSENCE IS A TITLE COMPANY, AND IF -- IF -- IT SOUNDS TO ME THAT WE'RE MISSING OUT ON OPPORTUNITIES, AND YOU CAN PLEASE CLARIFY THIS, BUT BY THE STATEMENT YOU MADE, IT SOUND LIKE WE'VE MISSED OUT ON SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPEND SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS BY NOT OPTING TO GO WITH A DIFFERENT TITLE COMPANY THAT MAY JUST HAPPEN TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE. I DON'T SEE WHAT -- I DON'T SEE WHAT THE HOLDUP WOULD BE FROM THAT. >>VALMARIE TURNER: THIS PROGRAM, THE CLERK'S OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US AS RELATES TO WIRING FUNDS, AND WE'RE -- FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, WE ARE -- THIS IS A NEW TERRITORY FOR THEM. I'M HAVING -- GOING TO CALL -- CALL, BUT I'M SUPPOSED TO MEETING WITH PAT FRANK TO KIND OF EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM TO HER SO SHE'S COMFORTABLE AND SHE REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE PROGRAM BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WIRE FUNDS, WE ALWAYS DID A CHECK. SO -- AND WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. >>KEVIN WHITE: I MEAN, THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT EVEN IF WE'RE STILL USED TO DOING CHECKS, IF WE'RE GOING TO A CLOSING, I STILL DON'T SEE WHY THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE, A GOVERNMENT CHECK. I KNOW MOST TITLE COMPANIES REQUIRE CASHIER'S CHECKS, BUT I THINK ONE COMING FROM COUNTY GOVERNMENT, I THINK THAT WOULD SERVE IN THE SAME CAPACITY OR US GETTING A CASHIER'S CHECK AND GOING TO A DIFFERENT TITLE COMPANY. I STILL DON'T SEE WHY THAT WOULD POSE A PROBLEM. LIKE I SAID, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING FROM WHAT -- THE WAY I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS SAID FROM THAT SIDE OF THE PODIUM, IT'S JUST, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH ANOTHER TITLE COMPANY, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE THAT'S STANDING IN OUR WAY THAT WOULD HINDER US FROM SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND CAPTURING ALL OF THIS MONEY FOR A MUCH-NEEDED PROGRAM RATHER THAN SAYING, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO WIRE OR THEY WON'T ACCEPT A CHECK OR, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF DEAL. >>VALMARIE TURNER: THERE WERE SOME ISSUES INITIALLY AS RELATES TO -- WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR CHOOSING A TITLE COMPANY, AND PART OF THE REASON IS BECAUSE THEY HAD ALL THE INFORMATION ON THAT PARTICULAR TITLE COMPANY, SO THEY WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE IN WIRING THE FUNDS, BUT SOME OF THE -- SOME OF THE TITLE COMPANIES THAT THEY WANT US TO USE, LIKE I SAID, ARE ACROSS THE STATE, THEY'RE NOT EVEN LOCAL. >>KEVIN WHITE: WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH FORECLOSURES ALL OVER THIS COUNTY, THE LENDING INSTITUTIONS ARE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, I MEAN, NOT JUST NECESSARILY IN THIS STATE, SO WE CAN'T JUST SAY THAT THE BANKS ARE JUST HERE AND THIS IS THE ONLY TITLE COMPANY WE CAN USE, SO WE'RE LIMITING OUR POSSIBILITIES, AND SO WE CAN'T -- WE CAN'T TIE OUR HANDS JUST BECAUSE A BANK IN CALIFORNIA WANTS TO DEAL WITH A TITLE COMPANY THAT'S IN TALLAHASSEE OR MIAMI RATHER THAN DEALING WITH ONE IN TAMPA. >> I'D LIKE TO MENTION ONE THING TOO. SOMETHING ELSE I JUST WANTED TO MENTION. SOME OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IS THAT THE PROPERTY'S ARE GETTING PICKED UP BY INVESTORS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CLAIR MEL AREA. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BUY THE PROPERTIES FOR $30-, $40,000. THE INVESTORS ARE GOING IN WITH A CASH OFFER. THEY GO IN, THEY LOOK AT IT IN THE MORNING, THEY PUT AN OFFER IN THE AFTERNOON, AND THEY BUY THE PROPERTY IN TWO WEEKS. THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO GET AN APPRAISAL. A LOT OF TIMES THEY DON'T GET AN INSPECTION. BECAUSE WE HAVE FEDERAL FUNDS INVOLVED HERE, WE HAVE HOOPS WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH. WE HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, AND THAT DOES SLOW US DOWN. NOW, IT'S NOT LENGTHY, IT'S VERY BRIEF. WE CAN USUALLY GET AN OFFER ON THE TABLE -- ONCE WE LEARN OF A PROPERTY, WE CAN GET AN OFFER BACK TO THE SELLER WITHIN A DAY, DAY AND A HALF. THAT'S PRETTY FAST BECAUSE WE'RE -- YOU CAN -- I'M SURE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAN ATTEST WE'RE CHASING HER DOWN AT RETREATS TO GET APPROVAL SIGN-OFFS SO THAT WE CAN PURCHASE THESE PROPERTIES, BUT WE GO TO THE TABLE, AND THERE'S ALREADY SIX OFFERS ON THE TABLE. >>KEVIN WHITE: WELL, I UNDERSTAND. >> SO THAT'S ANOTHER KEY. IT'S NOT JUST THE LOAN SERVICING THAT WE'RE HAVING CHALLENGES WITH AND THE TITLE COMPANY. THERE'S A LOT ALONG THE WAY. >>KEVIN WHITE: WELL, AND I UNDERSTAND THOSE, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TITLE ISSUE ONCE WE'VE ALREADY ACQUIRED THE PROPERTY, HAVE A CONTRACT ON THE PROPERTY, AND GETTING READY TO CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY. IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ACQUISITION. I WASN'T SPEAKING OF THE ACQUISITION PART. >> RIGHT. >>KEVIN WHITE: AND IF WE WANT TO SECURE PROBABLY MORE ACQUISITIONS, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN THE INVESTORS THAT ARE OUT HERE BIDDING ON THE PROPERTIES NOW. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: VERY GOOD. BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO WE NEED A MOTION? >>ROSE FERLITA: MOVE TO RECEIVE THE -- >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. >>JIM NORMAN: SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>PAT BEAN: OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, YOU COULD GO BACK NOW AND PICK UP THE CONSENT ITEMS REMOVED FOR HIGHLIGHTING OR COMMENDATION. THERE WERE TWO REMOVED BY COMMISSIONER FERLITA. A-13 WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE, COMMISSIONER, AND THAT IS THE LETTER TO CONGRESSMAN BILIRAKIS. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MS. BEAN. YES. ACTUALLY, AT OUR DIRECTION THERE WAS A LETTER ATTACHED TO - - OR SENT TO CONGRESSMAN BILIRAKIS OVER THE CONCERN OF CONSTITUENTS, COUNTY RESIDENTS ABOUT THE FLORIDA GAS TRANSMISSION PROPOSED NATURAL GAS PIPELINE ROUTE, AND IN FACT, THIS -- THIS IS ONE OF TWO GOOD-NEWS ITEMS FOR THIS MORNING BECAUSE WITH THE INVOLVEMENT OF OUR RESIDENTS AND ALSO WITH THE COOPERATION OF FLORIDA GAS TRANSMISSION, WE HAD A GOOD ENDING. I THINK THEY HAVE TOTALLY CHANGED THEIR ALIGNMENT, AND I THINK THAT WAS BECAUSE OF SOME NEGOTIATIONS THAT RENEE LEE WAS -- WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN, AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES I THINK PEOPLE THINK IT'S US VERSUS THE UTILITIES OR THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, AND THIS CERTAINLY HAD A GREAT OUTCOME, AND I THANK THOSE TWO PARTIES FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT AND AS WELL AS YOU, MS. LEE, AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO FINISH THAT OFF BECAUSE YOU HAD A GREAT DEAL TO DO WITH THIS. >>RENEE LEE: WELL, I -- THE OFFICE DOES, COMMISSIONER, AND MY THANKS REALLY GOES OUT TO MARVA TAYLOR, A SENIOR ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, WHO TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO MEET WITH FLORIDA GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINE ALONG WITH THE CITIZENS, AND WE HAVE A LETTER TODAY FROM THE ATTORNEYS WHO REPRESENT FLORIDA GAS, AND THEY ARE -- THEY HAVE AGREED TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO THE CITIZENS WITH RESPECT TO TREE REMOVAL AND STORAGE OF THE SOIL AND OTHER THINGS THAT THEY NEED, EQUIPMENT OUT THERE, AND MARVA -- THERE YOU ARE -- IF YOU WILL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MEETING AND TALK ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE CITIZENS. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS MARVA TAYLOR, SENIOR ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY. AFTER THE LAST BOCC MEETING, I MET WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS AND REALIZED THAT THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATION, AND I CALLED THE ATTORNEY FOR FLORIDA GAS TRANSMISSION AND DECIDED TO GET A MEETING TOGETHER. WE MET LAST TUESDAY AT COUNTY CENTER, AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY ACTUALLY BY FGT'S COOPERATION. THEY UNDERSTOOD THE ISSUES. THEY ACTUALLY AGREED TO MOVE THE LINE 15 FEET TO THE NORTH, SO IT'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE RUNNING THROUGH THE RESIDENTS. THERE WERE ABOUT 12 OR 13 RESIDENTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. THEY'RE NO LONGER GOING TO BE AFFECTED. THE TREES ARE NOT GOING TO BE REMOVED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OLD COUNTY LINE ROAD. FGT ALSO AGREED TO POTENTIALLY ENTERTAIN THE IDEA ACTUALLY OF PUTTING UP A WALL IN ADDITION TO THE TREE -- REPLACEMENT OF TREES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE ON THE PASCO COUNTY SIDE, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING. THEY ARE GOING TO HIRE A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND WORK WITH THE RESIDENTS IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE IT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE RESIDENTS WANT TO HELP BUFFER THE NOISE ON WILLOW BEND PARKWAY. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, THE RESIDENTS ARE VERY EXCITED. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE. >>ROSE FERLITA: THAT'S A GREAT OUTCOME, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. >> OH, YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. NEED A MOTION TO MOVE. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO MOVE. >>JIM NORMAN: WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: OH, I'M SORRY. SORRY, MR. NORMAN. >>JIM NORMAN: AND I AGREE, I'M EXCITED ALL OVER THE PLACE HERE, EXCEPT HOW WE GOT HERE WAS THEY MOVED IT ONE TIME BEFORE TO THIS LOCATION, WHICH WAS -- THEY HAD A LOCATION. THEY MOVED IT TO THIS LOCATION, WHICH -- SO IT BEGS THE QUESTION, WHY DIDN'T THEY DO THIS BEFORE, HEARING FROM THE RESIDENTS? ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW WE HAVE THIS -- THIS WARM AND FUZZY MEETING. I GUESS -- I WOULD JUST LIKE TO -- TO HAVE YOU DISTILL THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BUT NOT LET THIS JUST -- AND THIS WALL -- I GUESS THE -- WHAT'S HANGING OUT THERE FOR ME IS THIS ENTERTAINMENT OF A WALL. I WOULD LIKE TO GET A LITTLE MORE FOCUS ON THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THE WALL BECAUSE THAT -- THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE GENTLEMAN AND THOSE CITIZENS OUT THERE, SO BRING THAT A LITTLE MORE INTO FOCUS. >>RENEE LEE: OKAY. >>JIM NORMAN: AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. >>RENEE LEE: WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS, COMMISSIONER. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME CITIZENS THAT HAVE SENT THE BOARD SOME LETTERS ABOUT THIS GOING THROUGH ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD, SO WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO THOSE CITIZENS JUST AS WE DID BEFORE, AND WE'LL BRING A REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S UP. >>JIM NORMAN: OKAY. AND I'LL SECOND YOUR MOTION, COMMISSIONER. >> THANK YOU. >>RENEE LEE: THANK YOU, MARVA. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT ITEM IS A-17, WHICH IS DECLARING SURPLUS AND AUTHORIZING DISPOSAL OF 36 ITEMS OF VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE FLEET MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MS. BEAN. I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL A-17 FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS. I HAD CHECKED TO SEE WHEN WE HAD AVAILABILITY IN TERMS OF COMMENDATIONS, AND I THINK WE GO INTO DECEMBER OR JANUARY, SO THAT WAS A BIT LATE, SO I'M GOING TO USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE OF MANY COMPLIMENTARY THINGS I WANT TO SAY BRIEFLY ABOUT SHARON SUBADAN. I WAS THERE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. MS. BEAN, MS. LEE WERE THERE FOR THEIR STAFF MEETING, AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I HAD GONE OUT TO FLEET, AND I WAS EXTREMELY IMPRESSED. NOT SURPRISED BUT IMPRESSED. AS WE HAVE CONTINUED ON OUR ENERGY GROUP, SHARON CAME ONBOARD, AND SHE HAS BEEN JUST AN INCREDIBLE PART OF THE ENERGY TEAM, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THE EFFICIENCIES THAT SHE INTRODUCES AND ALL THE EXPERTISE SHE BRINGS. WHILE I WAS OUT THERE WE SAW SOME DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT -- THAT WERE IMPRESSIVE, BUT THE BEST THING I -- I ENJOYED EXPERIENCING WAS THE REACTION OR THE INTERACTION WITH HER EMPLOYEES. WHEN SOMEBODY TALKS CANDIDLY ABOUT A DIRECTOR AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S INCREDIBLE ELEVATED MORALE, THAT IS JUST - - THAT'S -- THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY PLEASANT. THEY OBVIOUSLY LIKED WORKING FOR SHARON BECAUSE SHE WORKED WITH THEM. I THINK SHE CALLS IT TEAM FLEET, AND -- AND THEY SUBSCRIBE TO HER LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY, AND THEY BELIEVE IN HER, THEY RECOGNIZE HER THEME. ONE LADY THAT GAVE ME A TOUR I BELIEVE HAS BEEN THERE ALMOST 35 YEARS. I'M SORRY. I FORGOT HER NAME. DO YOU KNOW WHAT HER NAME WAS? >>PAT BEAN: LILA. >>ROSE FERLITA: LILA. SO SHE WAS GIVING ME A TOUR WHILE YOU GUYS WERE IN THE MEETING, AND SHE SAID VERY CANDIDLY, I'VE BEEN HERE AND I HAVE WORKED UNDER NINE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT HEADS OUT THERE, AND BY FAR SHARON IS THE BEST. WE ARE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH OUR ENERGY GROUP GOING TO A -- A REGIONAL FORUM, AND SHE'S GOING TO BE A BIG COMPONENT TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS DONE. AND NOT NECESSARILY JUST WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. I MEAN, SHE CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT LEADERSHIP, AND IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE COMPLIMENTS THAT "GOVERNMENT FLEET" MAGAZINE GIVES TO HER AND TO HER STAFF, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TOPS 100 BEST FLEETS AGAIN, IT IS VERY IMPRESSIVE. PAT, TO YOUR CREDIT, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE HECK YOU STOLE HER FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY, BUT THIS WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BENEFIT, HAS CONTINUED TO BENEFIT, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BENEFIT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE SHE'S AN INCREDIBLE LEADER, AND THE THINGS SHE BRINGS TO FLEET ARE -- ARE SOMETHING THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, OTHER COUNTIES SHOULD LOOK TO FOR -- FOR EXAMPLE BECAUSE IT'S JUST FABULOUS. IT WAS -- IT WAS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, AND I COMMEND HER AND HER TEAM FOR THE TYPE OF JOB THEY DO, AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS SOMETIMES THAT GO UNNOTICED, BUT IT HARDLY COULD GO UNNOTICED THE OTHER DAY. IT WAS FABULOUS, ESPECIALLY THE PART WITH PAT BEAN AND RENEE LEE UP IN THE BUCKET TRUCK, AND I TRIED TO CONVINCE THEM TO LOSE POWER AND YOU GOT TO STAY THERE, BUT SOMEHOW YOU GOT DOWN, SO 00 >>PAT BEAN: WELL, LET'S NOT FORGET THAT YOU AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE ALSO WENT UP IN THE BUCKET TRUCK. >>ROSE FERLITA: ANYWAY, AGAIN, THANKS TO SHARON AND HER STAFF. THAT WAS A VERY PLEASANT TOUR, AND I APPRECIATED THEIR TIME AND THEIR TIME AND THEIR PERFORMANCE. >>JIM NORMAN: THAT BUCKET WAS RUNNING OVER, WASN'T IT? >>ROSE FERLITA: NO, TWO SEPARATE TRIPS, JIM, TWO SEPARATE TRIPS. [LAUGHTER] >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: WE NEED A MOTION ON A-17. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO MOVED. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>PAT BEAN: THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM A-24 AND A-25. I'LL JUST CALL THEM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME, COMMISSIONER BECKNER, BECAUSE THEY ARE RELATED, AND ERIC JOHNSON IS HERE TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MS. BEAN. I PULLED THESE TWO PICK ITEMS BECAUSE AS I WAS GOING THROUGH THE FINANCIAL REPORTS AND OUR RESERVES, THESE TWO ITEMS WHEN THEY CAME UP -- IF YOU NOTICE ON A-24, WE TALK ABOUT THE COUNTYWIDE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WHEN EVERYTHING GETS SAID AND DONE, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, ADOPTED FOR THE RESERVE CONTINGENCY ABOUT 36 MILLION, AND THEN WHEN EVERYTHING WAS SAID AND DONE, AS A BALANCE OF 9/16, WE HAD A LITTLE OVER EIGHTEEN MILLION THREE FORTY-SEVEN, AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO ITEM A-25, IT WAS HIGHLIGHTED AS CORRECTED BUT THEN SAID FOR A BALANCE ON OCTOBER 1st OF THIRTY SIX MILLION ONE SEVENTY-FIVE, SO IT APPEARED LIKE WE WENT FROM EIGHTEEN MILLION THREE FORTY-SEVEN TO THIRTY SIX MILLION ONE SEVENTY-FIVE, AND THEN THERE WAS -- IT WAS SIMILAR ON - - FOR THE UNINCORPORATED FUND, WHICH WHEN WE STARTED ON SEPTEMBER 16th WE HAD A -- IT LISTED A NET BALANCE OF 28 MILLION, AND THAT WAS ON A-24, AND THEN WHEN WE GO INTO A- 25, IT LISTS A BALANCE THEN OF 34 MILLION. SO I GUESS IT'S MORE -- I HOPE THAT THIS IS MORE OF AN ACCOUNTING ISSUE, AND I DID SPEAK WITH -- WITH TOM FESTERMAN ABOUT THIS, AND HE GAVE ME SOME EXPLANATION, BUT THERE WAS STILL SOME UNCLARITY TO ME, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE FOR THE RECORD, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: SURE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: -- HELP CLARIFY THIS. >>ERIC JOHNSON: ERIC JOHNSON, MANAGEMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR. COMMISSIONERS, THIS IS A NEW BUDGET YEAR, AND JUST AS WE IN EFFECT FILL UP THE BUCKET WITH NEW MONEY FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR IN DEPARTMENT BUDGETS, WE ALSO RESTORE THE RESERVE FOR CONTINGENCY IN OUR MAJOR OPERATING FUNDS TO ESSENTIALLY THE SAME LEVEL AS THE YEAR BEFORE, SO WE STARTED OUT IN FISCAL '09 IN OUR COUNTYWIDE GENERAL FUND WITH $36.3 MILLION IN CONTINGENCY, AND WE'LL START THE NEW FISCAL YEAR THAT BEGAN LAST WEEK WITH $36.2 MILLION, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS. NOW, THAT'S A LEVEL THAT, ALONG WITH OTHER RESERVES, IS INTENDED TO KEEP THE FINANCIAL COMMUNITY SATISFIED THAT WE HAVE AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF RESERVES SET ASIDE FOR OUR MAJOR OPERATING FUNDS. ONE POINT THAT DRAWS THE COUNTYWIDE GENERAL FUND DOWN TO THAT $18 MILLION, COMMISSIONER, THAT YOU REFERENCED IS THAT WHEN -- IN THE COURSE OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS THIS SUMMER, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE CAME IN WITH GOOD NEWS AND TOLD US THAT AT YEAR-END THEY WOULD RETURN NOT $30 MILLION BUT $50 MILLION UNSPENT IN OUR TWO MAJOR OPERATING FUNDS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT MONEY THAT THEY WERE GIVING US THIS YEAR AND GO AHEAD AND ACCELERATE THE RETIREMENT OF SOME DEBT. THAT HELPED FACILITATE SAVING SOME PROGRAMS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO WITH OUR CONTINGENCY FUND IS IF WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE REVENUE THAT'S UNEXPECTED BUT THAT UNDER STATE LAW WE CAN'T APPROPRIATE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, WHAT WE CAN DO IS REFERENCING THE FACT THAT WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT UNANTICIPATED REVENUE COMING IN, IN THAT CASE $20,500,000 FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WE WENT AHEAD AND TOOK AN EQUAL AMOUNT OUT OF CONTINGENCY, SO WHEN THE DUST SETTLES ON OCTOBER 1st AND WE SEE HOW MUCH WE ACTUALLY CARRIED FORWARD FROM LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE $20.5 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL MONEY FROM THE SHERIFF. IN THE MEANTIME WE DREW DOWN OUR TWO MAJOR CONTINGENCY RESERVES IN FISCAL '09 TO IN EFFECT START TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MONEY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS GIVING US BACK, SO THERE'S A -- THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS INVOLVED JUST TRYING TO -- TO USE CONTINGENCY IN PLACE OF A REVENUE THAT WE KNEW WE WOULD HAVE BUT THAT UNDER ACCOUNTING RULES WE COULD NOT ACCESS UNTIL YEAR-END. THAT'S WHY THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS ARE SO SIGNIFICANT. BUT REALLY, THE SIMPLEST ANSWER IS SIMPLY WE REFILL THE BUCKET OF THE RESERVE FOR CONTINGENCY AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH YEAR JUST LIKE WE APPROPRIATE A NEW SET OF BUDGET DOLLARS FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT'S PROGRAMS. >>KEVIN BECKNER: AND I -- I UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT. I GUESS WHAT I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR -- AND I THINK I'M HEARING YOU RIGHT WHEN IT SAYS THAT -- WHEN WE'RE REFILLING THIS BUCKET FOR THIS YEAR THAT IT'S COMING FROM THE DOLLARS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT? IS THAT -- IS THAT ACCURATE? >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, IN EFFECT WE NOW UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO MOVE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF -- OF THE ACCOUNTS TO THE REVENUE SIDE BECAUSE RESERVES ARE ON THE -- THE USES SIDE JUST LIKE -- LIKE DEPARTMENT APPROPRIATIONS. WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD WAS THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS GOING TO GIVE US $20 MILLION THAT WE'D CARRY FORWARD FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS NEW FISCAL YEAR, AND WE WANTED TO START USING IT LAST YEAR, SO IT WAS ANTICIPATING THAT $20 MILLION THAT WE ASKED THE BOARD TO APPROPRIATE SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT OF OUR CONTINGENCY. NORMALLY GOING INTO THE HEIGHT OF HURRICANE SEASON, WE'D BE WARY ABOUT DIPPING SIGNIFICANTLY INTO YOUR CONTINGENCY RESERVES, BUT WE DID THAT KNOWING THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD ALREADY GIVEN US THE ASSURANCE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO RETURN MONEY, AND WE WANTED TO ACCESS THAT, BUT UNDER ACCOUNTING RULES WE COULDN'T ACCESS THEIR 20 MILLION, WE COULD ACCESS AN OFFSETTING 20 MILLION OUT OF RESERVES, SO IT'S GOOD ACCOUNTING AND UNFORTUNATELY A LITTLE CONFUSING IN TERMS OF HOW IT SHOWS UP ON THE PIECE OF PAPER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: I THOUGHT, THOUGH, THE MONEY WE WERE GETTING FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE -- DID THAT NOT GO TO PAY OFF BONDS OR DEBT OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAD? >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, IT COULDN'T DIRECTLY BECAUSE WE CAN'T TAKE EXCESS REVENUE IN A YEAR AND APPROPRIATE IT. WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE UNDER OUR CONTINGENCY POLICY IS TO SAY IF WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE EXCESS REVENUE AND THE STATE WILL LET US APPROPRIATE IT, WE WILL TAKE AN EQUAL AMOUNT OUT OF OUR CONTINGENCY RESERVE KNOWING THAT IN EFFECT THAT REVENUE WILL COVER THAT DRAW DOWN OF CONTINGENCY, SO -- SO WE USED THE CONTINGENCY TO PREPAY SOME DEBT. WE DID THAT WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THAT MONEY WAS IN EFFECT GOING TO BE OFFSET BY THIS UNEXPECTED GOOD NEWS FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE 20 MILLION THEY WERE GIVING BACK. >>KEVIN BECKNER: IF YOU -- THIS MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR MYSELF AND THEN ALSO FOR PUBLIC CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY. >>ERIC JOHNSON: SURE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: COULD YOU PERHAPS GET TO ME THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVED OR ARE RECEIVING FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND JUST KIND OF THE ACCOUNTING OF HOW THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING ALLOCATED AND JUST WHAT THE ACCOUNTING LOOKS LIKE -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: SURE. >>KEVIN BECKNER: -- AND THEN HOW -- YOU KNOW, WHERE THE FUNDS CAME TO REFILL OUR BUCKETS? THAT WOULD JUST HELP ME A LOT. >>ERIC JOHNSON: WE'LL BE PLEASED TO DO THAT. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: MOVE THE ITEMS. >> SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: SECOND. WAS THERE A -- OKAY. THERE WAS A SECOND. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>ERIC JOHNSON: THANK YOU. >>PAT BEAN: AND THAT WAS 24 AND 25; RIGHT? >>JIM NORMAN: YES. YES. >>PAT BEAN: OKAY. THE FINAL ONE -- WELL, NO, THERE ARE TWO MORE. UNLESS YOU WANT TO BREAK NOW. WE COULD DO 31 AND 41, UNLESS YOU WANT TO BREAK NOW. >>KEVIN WHITE: 31 SHOULD BE QUICK. >>PAT BEAN: OKAY. LET'S DO 31. A-31 WAS PULLED BY COMMISSIONER WHITE, AND THIS IS AN ISSUE RELATING TO A REALIGNMENT OF FUNDS FROM THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES OPERATING BUDGET TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE FOLKS HERE WHO CAN SPEAK TO THIS. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANKS. MR. HARNESS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP. I'D JUST LIKE AN EXPLANATION. I KNOW THAT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S DEPARTMENT NEEDS -- NEEDS FUNDS TO OPERATE, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE -- WHY WE WOULD BE PULLING $90,000 FROM THE CHILDREN'S SERVICES OPERATING BUDGET TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER, AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT, PLEASE. >>CARL HARNESS: YES, SIR. MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THERE IS ACTUALLY OUR FIRST FULL YEAR OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW FACILITY. OUR ESTIMATES WERE LOW FOR THE ACTUAL UTILITY COSTS. WE CAME IN SHORT. WE ACTUALLY LOOKED FROM -- ACROSS DEPARTMENTAL LINES TO SEE WHERE WE COULD FIND MONEY TO HELP US WITH THE SHORTFALL, AND WE ACTUALLY ENDED UP BEING ABLE TO WORK OUT AN AGREEMENT WITH CHILDREN'S SERVICES. AS I SHARED WITH YOUR OFFICE YESTERDAY, IT WASN'T ACTUALLY PROGRAMMABLE MONEY THAT WE WERE USING FOR THIS. THEY HAD PUT SOME EFFICIENCIES INTO -- INTO -- INTO USE LAST YEAR, WHICH HAD SOME SAVINGS, AND THEY HAD UNDERSPENT SOME OF THEIR OPERATIONAL MONEY, SO WE WERE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY TAKE SOME OF THOSE MONIES AND TRANSFER THEM OVER TO COVER THE SHORTFALL FOR THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE, SO THERE WERE -- THERE WERE NO -- YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT TAKE MONEY FROM ACTUAL PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES FROM ANY OF THE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT. >>KEVIN WHITE: WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHEN WE'RE LAYING OFF PEOPLE IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION -- WERE THERE NO OTHER AREAS IN THE COUNTY THAT SHOWED EFFICIENCIES THAT WE COULD HAVE TAPPED? I JUST HAVE PHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEM TAKING MONEY FROM THE CHILDREN'S PROJECTS AND -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: WELL, COMMISSIONERS, AS MR. HARNESS INDICATED WHAT WE TRIED TO DO -- IT'S INTERESTING WE JUST TALKED ABOUT CONTINGENCY. IF WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT THAT HAS AN UNEXPECTED EXPENSE, OUR ATTEMPT IS NOT TO GO TO YOUR RESERVE FOR CONTINGENCY TO SOLVE OUR BUDGET PROBLEM, SO ESSENTIALLY WE WENT TO OTHER DIDN'T AND SAID WE'RE COMING TO THE END OF THE YEAR. IF YOU HAVE UNSPENT APPROPRIATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH THIS UNEXPECTED COST IN MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT IT, AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES VOLUNTEERED THAT THEY HAD FUNDS. WE'RE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE THAT THEY WOULD MEET ALL THEIR EXPENSES AND HAVE SOME FUNDS LEFT OVER, AND SO THEY VOLUNTEERED IT, AND AS MR. HARNESS INDICATED, WE DIDN'T CURTAIL ANY PROGRAMS. WE WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE END OF THE YEAR TO HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT THEY HAD THE SAVINGS AVAILABLE TO HELP THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE. WE TYPICALLY DON'T COME TO YOU FOR CONTINGENCY TO SOLVE DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL ISSUES. >>KEVIN WHITE: AND THAT'S FINE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT WASN'T GOING TO BE SUFFERING FOR LACK OF ANYTHING, AND THEY CAME FORWARD VOLUNTARILY, AND THERE WERE GOING TO BE NO SHORTFALLS. >>CARL HARNESS: YES, SIR. >>KEVIN WHITE: THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: MOVE THE ITEM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>KEVIN WHITE: MOVE THE ITEM. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO THE SUMMARY, THEN, MR. JOHNSON, WAS THAT WE DID NOT ELIMINATE ANY SERVICES, AND OF COURSE, TOM PAPIN VOLUNTEERED THIS, AND I'M SURE IF IT AFFECTED CHILDREN'S SERVICES THAT -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: HE WOULD NOT HAVE VOLUNTEERED IF HE COULD NOT AFFORD IT. >>ROSE FERLITA: -- HE WOULD NOT HAVE -- KNOWING TOM PAPIN -- >>ERIC JOHNSON: WE CAN REST ASSURED OF THAT, COMMISSIONER. >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND TO THE MOTION. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: 41 IS THE LAST? >>JIM NORMAN: YEAH, THE LAST. I DON'T KNOW THE TIME SENSITIVITY OF THIS. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, I'M GOING TO ASK MAYBE THIS GET CONTINUED UNTIL THE NEXT -- OUR LAND USE MAYBE OR SOMETHING BECAUSE TO WALK AWAY FROM A -- A LEASE AND EAT $600,000 TO ME IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. WE NEED TO DO A BETTER PLANNING JOB OF ORCHESTRATING EITHER USE OF THE -- USE OF THE PROPERTY OR -- JUST TO SAY WE DON'T NEED IT ANYMORE, SETTLE WITH $600,000, I CAN'T SWALLOW THAT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: IS THAT A MOTION TO DEFER THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING? >>JIM NORMAN: IF THEY CAN -- WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS THE ADMINISTRATION TO WORK ON -- EITHER GO BACK TO THE BARGAINING TABLE WITH THESE -- WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, CUT OUR -- CUT OUR LOSSES, COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE USE OF THE PROPERTY WITHIN COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO -- I DON'T WANT TO SEE -- I DON'T WANT TO EAT $600,000. I JUST THINK THAT IS JUST -- I -- THE BOARD MAY WANT TO PASS IT. I CAN'T EAT THAT. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER BECKNER. >>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND I'M GOING TO FOLLOW VERY STRONGLY WITH COMMISSIONER NORMAN. I GUESS WHAT I WOULD ALSO LIKE SOME CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF IS HOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT TYPE OF SETTLEMENT. I SAW A BRIEF OUTLINE, BUT WHEN I STARTED PULLING THE ORIGINAL LEASE AGREEMENTS, I DIDN'T -- IN GOING THROUGH THIS, I DIDN'T SEE WHERE WE WERE COMING UP WITH THAT LARGE OF A -- A LEASE -- OR A PENALTY TO BREAK THE LEASE, SO MAYBE STAFF COULD PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION TO THIS, HOW WE NEGOTIATED THAT AND HOW WE CAME UP TO THAT, BUT I WOULD AGREE, TO JUST WALK AWAY FROM NEARLY $600,000, THAT'S A PRETTY TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW. >>JIM NORMAN: GO BACK, DO BETTER. HOWEVER CREATIVE WAY YOU CAN DO IT, DO BETTER, AND THAT'S MY MOTION TO BRING IT BACK IN A WEEK. >>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO SUPPORT THE MOTION, BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING, MR. KLEIN, DO YOU WANT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? YOU DON'T HAVE TO -- >>DAN KLEIN: JUST BRIEFLY. >>ROSE FERLITA: -- BUT, I MEAN, I JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT - - >>DAN KLEIN: AND COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S RIGHT. IN GOOD PLANNING WE HAD ALL INTENTIONS WHEN THIS LEASE WAS RENEWED TWO YEARS AGO OF CONTINUING TO OPERATE OUR TRAFFIC OPERATIONS AT FLORILAND MALL. IT IS A CRITICAL FACILITY OR WAS A CRITICAL FACILITY FROM A CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSPECTIVE. UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE LAST LEGISLATURE, THE WAY THE CLERKS OF COURT OPERATIONS ARE FUNDED CHANGED. RATHER THAN BEING SUPPORTED BY COURT FINES AND FEES, COURT CLERK OPERATIONS NOW COME UNDER STATE APPROPRIATIONS. THAT RESULTED IN A BUDGET REDUCTION OF 18% OR $6 MILLION. WHILE THE BOARD WAS WILLING TO CONTINUE TO FUND THE FACILITY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT -- AND IT COST WITH RENT, UTILITIES, UTILITIES AND SUCH ALMOST A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO RUN THAT FACILITY -- WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE STAFF TO SUPPORT THE USE ANYMORE. WE ELIMINATED 117 POSITIONS IN THE CLERK'S OPERATIONS, 70 OF WHICH ARE ON THE COURT SIDE. THE POSITIONS THAT WERE LEFT WE BROUGHT BACK DOWNTOWN TO TRY TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE AS EFFICIENTLY AS WE CAN, AND WE JUST -- WE JUST COULDN'T CONTINUE TO JUSTIFY THE USE OF THE BUILDING, AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IT HAS IMPACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE. THE LINES DOWNTOWN ARE MUCH LARGER. AND AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY, WE COULD NOT ANTICIPATE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS GOING TO DO FOR THE CLERKS STATEWIDE. IT -- THE -- WE HAVE -- I KNOW MIKE KELLY AND SUSAN FERNANDEZ HAVE WORKED HARD IN TRYING TO GET US OUT OF THIS LEASE. UNFORTUNATELY, UNLIKE THE OTHER LEASES THE COUNTY HAS NEGOTIATED, THIS ONE DID NOT HAVE A SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION CLAUSE IN IT WHICH WOULD ALLOW YOU TO GET UNDER -- OUT OF THE LEASE UNDER BETTER TERMS IF THE FUNDING IS NOT THERE. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: I JUST WONDERED. DAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT LEASE TERMS AND STUFF, BUT IS THERE ANY KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY OR WOULD THERE BE ANY KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBLEASE IT TO SOMEBODY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME THAT WE HAD IT? >>MIKE KELLY: COMMISSIONERS, MIKE KELLY, REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT. YES. IN FACT, WE ENTERED INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE MEDICAL SCHOOL NEXT DOOR, AND WE ATTEMPTED TO DO THAT, BUT THE FINAL PROPOSAL FROM THE MEDICAL SCHOOL AFTER THE CLERK AND THE COUNTY STAFF REVIEWED IT CREATED A LOT OF POTENTIAL RISK, AND WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IN THE COUNTY'S BEST INTEREST TO PURSUE THAT. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. WELL, THEN WHY DON'T WE JUST DELIBERATE ABOUT THAT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING AS MR. NORMAN SAID. >>JIM NORMAN: YEAH. LET'S TRY TO GO OUT AND DO BETTER. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND LET'S JUST TRY TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, MIKE. OKAY? >>JIM NORMAN: YEAH. I MEAN -- >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, SUSAN, AS WELL. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: DO WE NEED TO REPEAT THE MOTION OR WE UNDERSTOOD? >>JIM NORMAN: NO. >>ROSE FERLITA: NO. DELAY IT UNTIL -- >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: ALL RIGHT. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 5-0. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE'LL RECONVENE AT 1:45. >>PAT BEAN: VERY GOOD. 1