CAPTIONING OCTOBER 25, 2007 BOCC TOWN HALL 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. >>JIM NORMAN: GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S TOWN HALL MEETING, AND IF EVERYONE AT THIS TIME WILL PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE AND THE PRAYER, CONDUCTED BY COMMISSIONER BLAIR. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>BRIAN BLAIR: HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THIS COMMUNITY. FATHER, I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TONIGHT, GIVE US WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, AND UNDERSTANDING, AND HELP US TO HELP THIS COUNTY TO BE A BETTER PLACE. LET US TAKE THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM THE CITIZENS THAT HAVE SHOWN UP HERE AND TURN THEM INTO GOOD, POSITIVE THINGS TO AFFECT THE QUALITY OF OUR LIFE IN A POSITIVE WAY. FATHER, WE PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE SUFFERING NOW IN CALIFORNIA, AND WE PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE FIGHTING THE FIRES, THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH THEM AND KEEP THEM SAFE. FATHER, WE PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE FIGHTING ACROSS THE WATERS AND THOSE HERE ON OUR OWN GROUNDS, THAT YOU WOULD KEEP THEM SAFE, FATHER, AND LET THEM FIGHT AND WIN THE WAR THAT THEY ARE EMBARKING ON. FATHER, WE PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS HERE. WE THANK ALL THOSE WHO ARE HERE IN ATTENDANCE, AND WE PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE AT HOME AND ALL THOSE THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WE WISH THEM HEALTH, HAPPINESS, AND ALL OF YOUR BLESSINGS. IN YOUR NAME, LORD, WE PRAY. AMEN. >>JIM NORMAN: PLEASE BE SEATED. WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE AREA 1 DISTRICT TOWN HALL MEETING TONIGHT. WE ARE IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO LISTEN TO YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS AND TALK WITH YOU ABOUT WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON COMMUNITY ISSUES. WE'RE ESPECIALLY PLEASED TO BE HOLDING TONIGHT'S MEETING AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK PRINCIPAL DANIEL BONILLA AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL BOB MORGAN FOR ALLOWING US TO USE THIS FACILITY. TONIGHT'S MEETING IS BEING TELEVISED LIVE BY HTV22. AS ALWAYS, WE WILL BE REPLAYING THE VIDEOTAPE OF THE MEETING A NUMBER OF TIMES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. FOR THOSE CITIZENS WHO HAVE TUNED IN TO HTV22 WISHING TO ASK A QUESTION, PLEASE CALL THE NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR TV SCREEN, 272-5275, OR BEGINNING TONIGHT, YOU CAN E- MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO US AT WWW.TOWNHALL@HILLSBOROUGHCOUNTY.ORG. WE WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS TONIGHT AS THEY ARE RECEIVED. IF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA FIRST, AND THEN WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM EVERYONE ELSE AS THEY, ONCE AGAIN, COME IN IN THE ORDER THEY COME IN. WHETHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TONIGHT OR NOT, PLEASE WRITE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND E-MAIL ADDRESS ON THE SIGN-IN SHEET, AND THE STAFF -- AT THE STAFF TABLE BEHIND OUR AUDIENCE. WE WILL BE MAILING OUT A NEWSLETTER THAT SUMMARIZES AND PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION GATHERED AFTER TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND WE WANT TO BE CERTAIN YOU GET A COPY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CALL OR SEND E-MAIL, A NEWSLETTER WILL ALSO BE MAILED TO YOU IF YOU WILL PROVIDE US WITH YOUR HOME AND/OR E-MAIL ADDRESS. NOW, LET US BEGIN WITH COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO, FIRST OF ALL, GO TO OUR STAR UP HERE FOR DISTRICT 1 TONIGHT, COMMISSIONER ROSE FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND I'D LIKE TO ADD MY THANKS TO THE CHAIRMAN'S THANKS FOR MR. BONILLA TO ALLOW US TO BE HERE AND TO BE A FINE HOST. WE APPRECIATE IT. THIS PARTICULARLY IS -- IS GOOD FOR ME. I'VE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THIS TOWN HALL MEETING BECAUSE WE'RE COMING UP ON JUST ABOUT A YEAR THAT I HAVE SERVED AS YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER, AND THIS IS OUR FIRST DISTRICT 1 TOWN HALL MEETING. SO CERTAINLY IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO REKINDLE THE FRIENDSHIPS AND THE REPRESENTATION I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE FOR EIGHT YEARS AS -- FOR MANY OF YOU AS YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND NOW THE CIRCLE HAS WIDENED, AND I HAVE MANY UNINCORPORATED CONSTITUENTS AND FRIENDS THAT I ALSO REPRESENT. I LOOK FORWARD TO TONIGHT BEING ABLE TO, WITH MY COLLEAGUES, OF COURSE, AND WITH THE STAFF THAT NEVER GETS ENOUGH GRATITUDE FOR WHAT THEY DO, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AND PERHAPS COME UP WITH SOME RESOLVE. I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW THAT WE'RE COMPETING A LITTLE BIT WITH THE WORLD SERIES AND THAT BOTHERS ME TOO, BUT I THINK TIMING WILL BE SUCH THAT WE WILL BE ON TIME AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO WATCH THAT. AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE, AND AS I ADD MY THANKS TO YOUR BEING HERE, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE BACKBONE OF MY DEPARTMENT AND MY OFFICE, AND THAT'S MY TWO FRIENDS AND MY LEGISLATIVE AIDES, DELLA CURY IS HERE, AND I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW HER FROM OUR SERVICES AT THE CITY COUNCIL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. SANDY OTTINO WAS OUTSIDE VISITING AAA AND IS ON HER WAY BACK DOWN. SHE HAD SOME CAR ISSUES, BUT SHE'S HERE. THEY CERTAINLY MAKE ME LOOK GOOD AND ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT TEAM I CAN HAVE, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL, SANDY AND DELLA. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT. THANKS. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. [APPLAUSE] NEXT COMMISSIONER WE'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE IS TO THE FAR LEFT HERE, COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: THANK YOU, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. I REPRESENT DISTRICT 4, WHICH IS INTERSTATE 75 ALL THE WAY WEST TO POLK COUNTY, UP TO ABOUT I-4, THE NORTHERN PART OF THE BOUNDARY, TO HIGHWAY 39, AND IT'S JUST NICE TO COME OUT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CITY SIDE AND TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE ISSUES THAT FACE YOU THAT WE SHARE AS A COMMUNITY. AGAIN, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, SO I'LL KEEP MY REMARKS VERY BRIEF. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: AND OUR NEXT COMMISSIONER -- [APPLAUSE] -- THAT WILL INTRODUCE HIMSELF IS COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: MY NAME IS COMMISSIONER MARK SHARPE. I'M ONE OF THE THREE COUNTYWIDE COMMISSIONERS, BUT THIS IS MY HOME AS WELL. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 1, AND YOU'RE WELL REPRESENTED BY ROSE FERLITA, BUT I KNOW ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AS WELL ARE WORKING HARD AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR ISSUES. I KNOW THAT CANALS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND WE'LL BE HEARING ABOUT THAT THIS EVENING, I'M SURE, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATION, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR COMMENTS AND HOPEFULLY PROVIDING SOME SOLID ANSWERS. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: AND OUR NEXT COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER BRIAN BLAIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH AS I WENT TO TAMPA BAY TECH, THIS WAS ONE OF OUR ARCH NEMESIS WAY BACK IN THE DINOSAUR DAYS, I GUESS. I'M ONE OF YOUR COUNTYWIDE COMMISSIONERS IS DISTRICT 6, AS IS COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND COMMISSIONER NORMAN, AND WHEN COMMISSIONER FERLITA NEEDS A HAND, WE'RE CERTAINLY THERE. YOU ACTUALLY ALL HAVE FOUR COMMISSIONERS, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT WE CAN SERVE YOU AS A COUNTYWIDE COMMISSIONER. MY AIDES, STEVE HALL -- IS STEVE AROUND? -- AND CHRIS CASTELLANO, IF YOU'D STAND. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO ASK CHRIS OR STEVE. THEY REALLY ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR OFFICE. WHEN YOU SEND YOUR E-MAILS AND FAXES, THEY'RE THERE, AND WE RESPOND AND WE LIKE TO GIVE YOU GREAT, GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. AND OUR NEXT COMMISSIONER TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF IS COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN. >>KEN HAGAN: WELL, GOOD EVENING. I'M KEN HAGAN. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. I REPRESENT DISTRICT 2, WHICH IS PRIMARILY THE NORTHERN PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO JOIN US THIS EVENING TO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS AND WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO COME OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN BE OF SERVICE AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE. SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: AND I'M COMMISSIONER NORMAN, AND I'VE HAD A GRAND OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT THE TOWN 'N COUNTRY AREA NOW GOING ON 15 YEARS, SO I KNOW MANY OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE, AND IT'S A PLEASURE SEEING -- REALLY, AS I KNOW COMMISSIONER FERLITA SAID -- OLD FRIENDS BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE, THE FOLKS THAT CONTINUE TO COME BACK AND COME BACK AND COME BACK WANT TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY GREAT. AND IT'S A PLEASURE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SPEND TIME OVER THE YEARS TO TRY TO MAKE TOWN 'N COUNTRY JUST A GREAT COMMUNITY TO LIVE IN, AND IT'S A PLEASURE THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP AND WORK WITH YOU AND TRY TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE MY AIDES. BEN KELLY IS HERE, AND ALSO I HAVE JOY KINNEY, AND BOTH MY AIDES HAVE BEEN WITH ME, LIKE I SAID, 15 YEARS, SO THEY KNOW THE ISSUES, THEY WORK HARD ON THE ISSUES, AND IT'S A PLEASURE THAT THEY'RE HERE WITH US TONIGHT ALSO. AND NEXT I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR ADMINISTRATOR, WHO ALSO IS A PERSON THAT'S WELL KNOWN IN OUR COMMUNITY, MS. PAT BEAN. [APPLAUSE] >>PAT BEAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. YEAH, I SEE A LOT OF FACES IN THIS AUDIENCE THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME AS WELL, AND IT'S A DELIGHT ALWAYS TO HAVE A CHANCE TO RECONNECT WITH THOSE OF YOU THAT WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER ON VARIOUS ISSUES, BUT I BROUGHT A WHOLE BUNCH OF OUR STAFF WITH US TONIGHT BECAUSE WHILE WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR VERY BEST TO BE SURE THAT YOU GET YOUR ANSWERS, A LOT OF THAT HAS TO COME FROM THE FOLKS WHO ARE TOILING EVERY DAY TO MAKE THIS THE BEST COUNTY IN THE NATION, AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE ALL OF THE COUNTY STAFF FOLKS WHO ARE HERE PLEASE STAND SO THE CITIZENS THAT ARE HERE CAN SEE WHO YOU ARE, AND LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE] AND HOPEFULLY -- IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION TONIGHT, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET YOU AN ANSWER VERY QUICKLY IN A FOLLOW-UP NEWSLETTER THAT WILL GO OUT, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE SURE THAT YOU SIGNED UP OUT FRONT IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS TO SEND THOSE ANSWERS, SO BE SURE TO DO THAT IF YOU DIDN'T BEFORE YOU CAME INTO THE MEETING. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. AND OUR NEXT PERSON I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE IS MR. DON ODOM, WHO'S OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY TONIGHT, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, BUT ALSO SERGEANT OF ARMS. HE MAKES SURE THAT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING WRONG WHILE WE'RE UP HERE, SO MR. ODOM. >>DON ODOM: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO DELIVER REGRETS FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, RENEE LEE, WHO IS REPRESENTING THE COUNTY AT A DIFFERENT FUNCTION TONIGHT, BUT MY FUNCTION HERE IS TO HELP THE BOARD OUT AND HELP THE CITIZENS OUT WITH ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT COME UP. THE BOARD IS VERY INTERESTED IN ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SAY, AND THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN ALL OF YOUR ISSUES WITH ONE CAVEAT. I'D LIKE YOU NOT TO ASK THE BOARD ABOUT ANY PENDING ZONING APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO LEGAL OPINIONS THAT SAYS THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS CANNOT HAVE EX PARTE COMMUNICATION ABOUT CERTAIN PENDING ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS OUTSIDE OF THE HEARING PROCESS. SO IF YOU START TO TALK ABOUT A PENDING ZONING APPLICATION, I MAY HAVE TO INTERRUPT, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE MY RESPONSIBILITY, AND HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T HOLD IT AGAINST THE BOARD MEMBERS. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, DON. AND BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT COMMISSIONER WHITE LET ME KNOW AT THE LAST MOMENT THAT HE GOT CALLED AWAY ON AN UNEXPECTED ISSUE THAT HE HAD TO DEAL WITH TONIGHT, SO THAT'S WHY HE'S NOT WITH US. BUT ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT'S ALSO IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, IT'S THE SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AIDE FOR MICHAEL SCIONTI -- SCIONTI -- I'LL GET IT RIGHT -- JOHN RODRIGUEZ. JOHN, ARE YOU WITH US? THERE HE IS. [APPLAUSE] YEAH. WHY DON'T YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND TELL US WHAT MIKE'S DOING RIGHT NOW AND VERY QUICKLY WHY HE NOT IN ATTENDANCE WITH US TONIGHT. >> I'LL TELL YOU-ALL THAT I'M AUTHORIZED TO TELL YOU HE'S CURRENTLY OVERSEAS ON MILITARY DEPLOYMENT. FORTUNATELY I GOT AN E-MAIL FROM HIM THIS PAST WEEKEND THAT SAID THAT HE'S DOING FINE. HE MENTIONED -- I GUESS I CAN TELL YOU THAT HIS BIRTHDAY WAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, SAID THAT IT WAS A DAY LIKE ANY OTHER DAY EXCEPT SOME OF THE LOCALS FIRED OFF SOME FIREWORKS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ON HIS BEHALF. [LAUGHTER] >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE THE -- JANELLE BUCK WALKLEY, THE SCHOOL'S OUTSTANDING NIGHT PRINCIPAL IS WITH US, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE HER DOWN TO PLEASE GIVE US SOME OPENING COMMENTS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US BE IN YOUR WONDERFUL FACILITY TONIGHT. >> WELL, THANK YOU. AND ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL THIS EVENING, AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL HAVE A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND INFORMATIVE MEETING. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] NOW YOU KNOW WHY SHE'S THE PRINCIPAL. SHE GETS RIGHT TO THE POINT, DOESN'T SHE? NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TONIGHT, AND WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS BE CALLING FOLKS UP AS THEY HAVE SIGNED UP, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO MAKE COMMENTS TO THE BOARD, AND WE WILL BRING STAFF UP TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AND THIS IS ALSO TONIGHT -- WE HAVE SPANISH INTERPRETERS IF THAT'S A NEED, SO WE ARE PREPARED FOR THAT. TALKING ABOUT MIKE, ONE THING I DID WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT, THAT I'M SO PROUD OF OUR BOARD AND HOW WE HAVE ADDRESSED THE MILITARY SITUATION WITH MacDILL AIR FORCE BASE BEING IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR BOARD IS THE ONLY BOARD THAT I'M AWARE OF IN AMERICA THAT ACTUALLY IS PAYING THE PROPERTY TAXES FOR ALL THE MILITARY THAT'S FIGHTING ON THE FRONT LINE IN AMERICA, SO WE ARE PAYING -- [APPLAUSE] -- IF THEY ARE FIGHTING AND LIVING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE ARE PAYING THEIR PROPERTY TAXES. NO OTHER COMMUNITY IN AMERICA HAS STEPPED UP LIKE OUR BOARD HAS, AND FOLKS, THAT'S OVER 500 PEOPLE NOW, 500 FAMILIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND IF WE HAVE A TRAGEDY OF A SOLDIER DYING IN ONE OF OUR COMBAT ZONES, OUR BOARD HAS ALSO STEPPED UP THAT WE'RE PAYING THEIR PROPERTY TAXES FOR FIVE YEARS TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE FAMILIES THAT HAVE GIVEN THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, SO THIS COUNTY AND THIS BOARD CARES ABOUT OUR SOLDIERS, AND WE NOT ONLY TALK THE GAME, WE ACTUALLY STEP UP AND DO WHAT WE CAN BECAUSE WE LOVE WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR COUNTRY. SO I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT. [APPLAUSE] THE FIRST PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP TONIGHT IS NADIA PALMERO. IS THAT CLOSE? OKAY. AND LIZA CRUZ, AND GLORIA WHITE. WELCOME. >> HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NADIA PALOMINO, AND I AM REPRESENTING THE FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY STUDIES OR FICS FOR SHORT. YOU HEARD FROM US LAST MONTH. WE GAVE YOU GUYS OVER 200 LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM OUR CENTER, BUT WE'RE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT. FICS IS THE ONLY GRASS-ROOT COMMUNITY-BASED CENTER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE WORK WITH AND REPRESENT TARGET POPULATIONS ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING TOWN 'N COUNTRY, SOUTH COUNTY, AND EAST COUNTY. OUR MULTICULTURAL FAMILY CENTER IS LOCATED IN TOWN 'N COUNTRY AT 6704 HANLEY ROAD AND ALSO INCLUDES PROJECT PREVENTION, WHICH IS AN HIV AND DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE FOR YOUTH 10 TO 18 YEARS OLD. WE ALSO HAVE A FREE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES DANCE, DRAMA, AND DRUMS FOR YOUTH 7 TO 17 MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, AND WE ALSO HELP THE KIDS WITH HOMEWORK AT THE CENTER AFTER SCHOOL. WE WANT TO JUST INVITE YOU, ONCE AGAIN, TO COME OUT TO OUR CENTER AND SEE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE WITH THE DIFFERENT YOUTH, AND YOU KNOW, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU GUYS WOULD COME OUT AND CHECK OUR CENTER OUT. PROJECT PREVENTION HAS ALSO A STRONG COLLABORATION WITH THE PARKS AND RECS, AND WE ARE URGING YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT YOUTH-BASED PREVENTION PROGRAMS LIKE OURS, THE PARKS', AND OTHERS WHEN THE TIME COMES AROUND. WE ALSO INVITE YOU TO COME OUT TO OUR FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY THAT WE'RE HAVING ON DECEMBER 7th AT OUR CENTER, 6704 HANLEY ROAD, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] LIZA CRUZ. WELCOME. >> WOW, SHE'S TINY. [LAUGHTER] YEAH, THANKS. IT'S ACTUALLY LISA. I'M ALSO HERE REPRESENTING FICS. NADIA TOLD YOU WE WORK WITH TARGET POPULATIONS ACROSS THE STATE INCLUDING TOWN 'N COUNTRY, SOUTH AND EAST COUNTIES, WHICH IS WIMAUMA, RUSKIN, DOVER, AND PLANT CITY AREAS. WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH, AND WE REALLY WANT TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING THESE PROGRAMS WHEN THE TIME COMES AROUND. IN THE PAST WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH THE BETHEL MISSION IN WIMAUMA AND GULF COAST JEWISH TO IMPLEMENT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS AN ANTIGANG PROGRAM WITH THE YOUTH IN WIMAUMA AND DOVER AREAS. WE ALSO -- LIKE NADIA SAID, WE COLLABORATED WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARKS AND REC TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT PREVENTION, WHICH IS AN HIV AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR KIDS IN OUR AREA, WHICH IS TOWN 'N COUNTRY. I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO COME OUT TO OUR CENTER, AND ALSO, WE ARE HAVING SOME EVENTS COMING UP. ON NOVEMBER 21st WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A THANKSGIVING COMMUNITY POTLUCK. EVERYBODY'S INVITED, AND THAT'S ON NOVEMBER 21st. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FIFTH ANNIVERSARY FUNDRAISER FOR FICS, AND IT'S ALSO AN OPEN HOUSE, SO COME OUT AND SEE OUR CENTER, EVERYBODY. COME OUT AND SEE THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH OUR KIDS. THE KIDS ARE GREAT. THEY KEEP YOU YOUNG. AND IN SOUTH COUNTY IN JANUARY IS THE THREE KINGS CELEBRATION IN WIMAUMA, WHICH IS -- I MEAN, THE COMMUNITY COMES OUT. WE'VE HAD HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COME OUT THERE, SO, YEAH, WE INVITE YOU TO COME AND SEE US, AND PLEASE KEEP US IN MIND. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>BRIAN BLAIR: CAN I -- >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER BLAIR. [APPLAUSE] >>BRIAN BLAIR: I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT WORK. I WENT TO WEBB MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT WAS WEBB JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL THEN, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROGRAMS LIKE THAT, AND THE LETTERS THAT YOU GUYS GAVE TO THE -- ALL THE BOARD WERE VERY TOUCHING, AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED THE FACT -- YOU DIDN'T MENTION THE FACT THAT YOU HELP TEACH IMMIGRANTS THAT COME HERE TO SPEAK ENGLISH, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY NICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JIM NORMAN: GLORIA WHITE AND CARLTON LEWIS, JR. GLORIA WHITE. WELCOME, GLORIA. >> YEP. >>JIM NORMAN: YEP. [LAUGHTER] >> GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS GLORIA WHITE, WHICH YOU ALREADY KNOW. THE PROBLEM I'VE BEEN HAVING IS DRIVER'S LICENSE PLACE. PEOPLE CAN GO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE, USE AN EMPTY HOUSE FROM YOUR ADDRESS OR MY ADDRESS, GO GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE. WE NOW FOUND OUT BECAUSE SOMEBODY FROM BLOCKBUSTER SENT A LETTER TO MY HOUSE WANTING THEM TO RETURN THE TAPES THAT THEY HAD RENTED. I TOLD THEM NOBODY BY THAT NAME LIVED THERE. I DON'T KNOW THEM. HE SAID THEY DON'T REQUIRE IDENTIFICATION, SO THEY ISSUED THE TAPES TO SOMEBODY WHOM I DON'T KNOW, SO I DID A LITTLE INVESTIGATING ON MY OWN. SO I WENT TO THE DRIVER'S LICENSE PLACE, AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T REQUIRE ANY IDENTIFICATION. SO I TOLD HER WHAT HAPPENED. WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ADDRESS THEY USED ON THE APPLICATION, SO I WENT TO THE POST OFFICE BOX WHERE I KEEP MY POST OFFICE BOX AND I PAY THE RENT, AND SO THE GUY TOLD ME AT THE POST OFFICE THEY ONLY REQUIRE -- NO, THEY DON'T REQUIRE ANY IDENTIFICATION, ONLY THE PERSON THAT'S USING MY ADDRESS CAN CHANGE IT. I SAID, WELL, I'M PAYING RENT FOR THIS BOX. I DON'T KNOW THE GUY WHO'S USING MY ADDRESS. ONLY HE CAN CHANGE IT. SO I TOOK FURTHER STEPS. SO I WENT TO THE DRIVER'S LICENSE PLACE AND ASKED THEM TO PUT A FLAG ON IT. THEY SAID THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THEY GO TO THE POLICE STATIONS. THE POLICE STATION, THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT EITHER. SO WHOEVER IS USING MY ADDRESS AT THE POST OFFICE, ONLY THAT PERSON CAN CHANGE THE ADDRESS, NOT ME. AND THAT'S MY BOX AND I'M PAYING RENT FOR IT. HAD IT FOR 30-SOME-ODD YEARS. AND SO WHEN I WENT TO THE POLICE STATION, I DIDN'T GET ANYWHERE, SO I ASKED WOULD THEY PUT A FLAG ON MY ACCOUNT. THEY SAID WE DON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I TALKED TO THE MANAGER. SO I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE, SO I WENT TO AAA, AND THE SUPERVISOR CALLED MAJOR McNAMARA. HE CAME OUT, TOOK HIS COMPUTER, SAID YEP, HE'S USING YOUR ADDRESS ALL RIGHT. I SAID, WELL, I DON'T -- I SAID, HE MIGHT BE A MURDERER. HE COULD BE SOMEBODY SELLING DRUGS. HE SAID YOUR HOUSE IS GOING TO BE THE ONE WE GOING TO COME -- THE POLICE ARE GOING TO COME TO YOUR HOUSE TO GET HIM BECAUSE THAT'S ON THE DRIVER'S LICENSE. I SAID, WELL, I DON'T WANT YOU OUT HERE BECAUSE YOU ALL BELIEVE IN SHOOTING TO KILL ANYWAY. I SAID I CAN'T LOSE MY LIFE FOR SOMEBODY I DON'T KNOW, NOT EVEN SOMEBODY I DO KNOW. SO THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IF THEY CAN GET TWO PROOFS OF RESIDENCE, IF THEY LIVE WITH SOMEBODY, THEN THE PERSON WITH WHOM THEY'RE LIVING WITH SHOULDN'T MIND GIVING THEM SOME TYPE OF PROOF, LIKE A WATER BILL, LIGHT BILL, OR SOME TYPE OF DOCUMENTATION THAT'S BEEN NOTARIZED. >>JIM NORMAN: YES, MA'AM. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO -- IS THERE SOMEONE HERE THAT CAN SIT DOWN AND TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND FOLLOW UP THAT TRAIL TO -- IT SOUNDS LIKE, MA'AM, THAT IS -- A LICENSE ISSUE IS A STATE OF FLORIDA ISSUE, AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASSIST YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT EITHER -- MAYBE THE TAX COLLECTOR -- IS SOMEONE FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE HERE? YES. THIS YOUNG LADY WILL -- SHE WORKS FOR THE TAX COLLECTOR. THEY DEAL WITH LICENSING AND SO ON. MAYBE THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU. >> WELL, I'VE TAKEN EVERY STEP I KNEW TO TAKE EXCEPT THE TAX COLLECTOR. I WENT TO CIRCUIT COURT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JIM NORMAN: OKAY. >>PAT BEAN: SHE'S JUST GOING TO TRY TO HELP OUT. SHE'S ONE OF OUR VERY GOOD EMPLOYEES, AND SHE'LL HELP HER TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. >>JIM NORMAN: SHE'LL GET YOU TO THE RIGHT PLACE. >> OFFICER McNAMARA PUT HIM IN THE COMPUTER. WHAT HE DID, HE SUSPENDED HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE. SO HE CAN'T USE MY ADDRESS ANYMORE. I DON'T THINK HE IS ANYWAY. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: ALL RIGHT. CARLTON LEWIS AND ED COOLEY. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS CARLTON LEWIS. I LIVE AT 9510 LETTERSTONE COURT. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT THE COUNTY'S BEEN DOING, THE BEST COUNTY IN THE NATION, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS. WE RECENTLY HAD A SENIOR ZONE PUT IN ON WATERS AVENUE. GREAT CONCEPT, BUT THE NO -- NO SIGN IS GOING TO ARREST ANYBODY OR NO SIGN'S GOING TO STOP THOSE PEOPLE FROM SPEEDING. IF IS DANGEROUS OVER THERE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO COME OUT THERE BECAUSE IF YOU'RE DROPPING DOWN FROM 45 MILES PER HOUR TO 35 MILES PER HOUR, SOMEBODY'S RIGHT IN YOUR HIP POCKET, AND PEOPLE ARE SHOOTING PAST THERE. WE'VE HAD SOME LAW ENFORCEMENT OUT THERE, BUT I DON'T THINK ENOUGH. AND AS I WAS DISCUSSING IT WITH MEMBERS HERE TONIGHT, EVEN SUGGESTED, A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT SENIOR ZONE, THAT THEY SHOULD SLOW DOWN, AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE ONE OF THOSE BILLBOARD THINGS SAYING -- FLASHING LIGHTS. WE GOT AN ORANGE FLASHING LIGHT, BUT A MARQUEE OR SOMETHING OR ONE OF THOSE RADAR SENSITIVE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW HOW FAST THEY'RE TRAVELING, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE GET WITH LAW ENFORCE. BECAUSE NO LAW IS ANY GOOD WITHOUT ENFORCEMENT. YOU CAN PUT UP ALL THE SIGNS YOU WANT. IF IT'S NOT BEING ENFORCED, IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING, AND I HATE TO SEE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED BECAUSE THE SENIOR ZONE WAS PUT THERE. IT'S A GREAT IDEA, IT'S FOR THE SAFETY OF THE SENIORS, AND IT'S A GOOD CONCEPT, BUT WE NEED ENFORCEMENT. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN -- [APPLAUSE] -- AND I THINK CARLTON'S RIGHT IN TERMS OF ENFORCEMENT, AND I GUESS YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO TRY TO HELP HIM WITH THAT, BUT I JUST WANT TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO SAY THANKS. HE'S ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS. HE RECENTLY GOT AN AWARD AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU. THANKS. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>MIKE McCARTHY: COMMISSIONERS, GOOD EVENING. MIKE McCARTHY, TRAFFIC SERVICES DIVISION. WE ADMINISTER THE SENIOR ZONE PROGRAM, AND I WILL TAKE A LOOK AT SOME SPEED FEEDBACK SIGNS AND ALSO TALK TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ABOUT SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT THERE TO HELP. >>JIM NORMAN: IS IT ON THE ROAD LIKE IT IS IN FRONT OF -- ON FLETCHER? >>MIKE McCARTHY: YES, SIR. >>JIM NORMAN: IT'S ALL PLASTERED ALL OVER THE ROAD? >>MIKE McCARTHY: YES. WE HAVE MARKINGS ON THE PAVEMENT AS WELL AS DOUBLE-POSTED SIGNS FOR THE SPEED CHANGES OUT THERE AND ADVANCED WARNING SIGNS AND SO FORTH, SO WE CAN PUT OUT A VARIABLE MESSAGE SIGN IN ADDITION, BUT WE DID DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO JOHN KNOX VILLAGE AREA, SO THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ED COOLEY AND NORMAL WETZEL. WELCOME. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. ED COOLEY FROM TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I ACTUALLY JUST SIGNED UP AS A RESOURCE TONIGHT BECAUSE IF THERE'S ISSUES THAT COME UP RELATING TO TAMPA INTERNATIONAL OR PETER O. KNIGHT AIRPORT, WHICH IS ALSO MY RESPONSIBILITY, I'LL BE HERE TO RESPOND TO THOSE, SO THAT'S MY PURPOSE HERE TONIGHT. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. NORMAN WETZEL, WILSON ROBERTSON, JR., AND TOM CHAPMAN. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS NORM WETZEL. MY WIFE AND I, DOROTHY AND I, RESIDE AT 8451 FLAGSTONE DRIVE IN BAY CREST. IT WAS WITH CONSIDERABLE INTEREST I READ THE ARTICLE IN THE TAMPA TRIBUNE BY REPORTER ANTHONY McCARTHY COMMENTING THAT BRIAN BLAIR WANTS $40 MILLION AS ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES IN THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE PROGRAM DEDICATED TO PARKS AND RECREATION. ALTHOUGH I RECOGNIZE THIS MAY BE A GREAT PROGRAM, WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THE COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR THE 6,235 TAXPAYERS AS, QUOTE, LIVING ON THE WATER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WHERE ARE THE PRIORITIES FOR THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE TO UTILIZE THE WATERWAYS THE WAY THEY PAY EXCESSIVE TAXES TO LIVE ON THAT ARE PRESENTLY POLLUTED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STREET AND SHOPPING CENTER RUNOFF, FAULTY SEPTIC SYSTEMS RUNNING INTO THE WATER WAYS, AND GENERAL LACK OF CONCERN FOR THE POLLUTION THIS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CANALS, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF HABITAT, CRABS, FISH, DUCKS, AND THE GENERAL DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF THE WATERWAYS, EVEN DISCOURAGING SWIMMING OR WADING IN THEM? THE TAXPAYERS HAVE SPENT OVER $22 MILLION TO CONSTRUCT THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL AND ANOTHER TWO OR THREE MILLION A YEAR TO MAINTAIN AND SUPPORT IT WITH, FRANKLY, A VERY, VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF USAGE, AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY ARE TAXPAYERS, RENTERS, OR VISITORS, YET WE LIVING ON WATER PAYING OUR TAXES GET NO CONSIDERATION AND SEE OUR DOLLARS BEING SPENT FOR OTHERS WHEN WE WOULD LIKE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE CONSIDERED AS WELL AS THE QUALITY OF OUR WATERWAY, CANALS, AND BAYS RETURNED TO WHERE THEY WERE WHEN WE MOVED TO THIS WATER-RELATED COMMUNITY 15 YEARS AGO. IF $40 MILLION IS AVAILABLE FOR QUALITY-OF-LIFE PROGRAMS, HOW ABOUT A COUPLE MILLION TO DREDGE OUT THE CHOKE POINTS IN THE CANALS IN BAY CREST PARK AND DANA SHORES TO ALLOW THE NORMAL TIDAL FLOW TO ASSIST IN CLEANING OUT MUCH OF THE POLLUTION. IT WOULDN'T COST 40 MILLION BUT SURE WOULD IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE LIVING ON THE WATERWAYS. THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SHOULD RECOGNIZE THIS IS A WATER-BASED COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEND SOME OF THE TAXPAYERS' MONEY TO ENSURE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR WATER-BASED RESIDENTS MEETS THE SAME PRIORITIES THEY GIVE TO THE TRAILS AND PARK SYSTEMS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR OURSELVES AND THE 385 FAMILIES IN BAY CREST LIVING ON CANALS. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE QUICK THING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF DIALOGUE. BUT I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE. MR. WETZEL, THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR PARTICIPATION. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, BOTH IN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY. WE HAD DISCUSSION AT THE END OF SUMMER, AND I WAS HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL PICK THIS CONVERSATION UP AGAIN NOW THAT WE'RE AT THE END OF THE BUDGETARY CONSTRAINT SEASON OR AFTER JANUARY WHEN WE HEAR WHAT ELSE THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO DO. DELLA CURY AND MYSELF, AS A MATTER OF FACT -- SO WE HAD SOME COOPERATIVE IDEAS BACK AND FORTH -- ATTENDED THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL MEETING THIS MORNING TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE OFFERING IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS OF RESOLVE. WE WALKED AWAY WITH SOME IDEAS. THEY DIDN'T COME TO ANY AGREEMENT AT THE END. THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING, A RESOLUTION, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, BUT COLLECTIVELY MAYBE THERE'S SOME IDEAS THAT CAN BE DONE. AGAIN, WHEN WE CAME BACK, I TALKED TO MS. LEE -- RENEE LEE IS OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY TO WORK ON THAT. CERTAINLY IT'S AN ONGOING ISSUE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED. OUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT HERE IS BASICALLY ALL WATERWAY, AND SO THAT'S PARTICULARLY CONCERN TO YOUR COMMISSIONER THAT REPRESENTS YOU. JACK BERLIN IS HERE, AND HE AND THE CANAL COMMITTEE DID A LOT OF WORK FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND CAME BACK TO US WITH A LOT OF GOOD IDEAS. IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GOING FAST ENOUGH, BUT BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU IT'S STILL ON THE RADAR SCREEN, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT AND BRING IT BACK TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON COMMISSION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU, SIR. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. WILSON ROBERTSON, TOM CHAPMAN, AND ROSEMARIE MIDDLETON. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS WILSON ROBERTSON, JR. I LIVE HERE IN THE WESTSHORE DISTRICT, AND AS YOU-ALL KNOW, IT HAS BEEN IMPACTED TREMENDOUSLY BY DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE EXPECTING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POPULATION GROWTH IN THE COMMUNITY, AND MY CONCERN IS THIS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE. I DON'T JUST THINK THAT WE ARE EQUIPPED RIGHT NOW TO TAKE ALL THE INCOMING TRAFFIC AND NEW RESIDENTS COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY. AT THIS PRESENT TIME, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY TEN TO 12 NEW DEVELOPMENTS COMING IN THIS COMMUNITY. WESTSHORE DISTRICT, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 37 YEARS. THERE IS NOTHING THAT'S COMING IN TO HELP US TO ACCOMMODATE THE TRAFFIC, THE NOISE LEVEL, THE POLLUTION, THE ROADS, THE STORM DRAINAGE, THE SEWER LINES. WE ALSO HAVE A LIFT STATION IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THESE ARE SOME OF OUR CONCERNS IN THIS AREA, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO ADDRESS MY QUESTION -- MY FIRST QUESTION TO COMMISSIONER FERLITA. SHE MIGHT HAVE SOME COMMENTS. ALSO, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE, HOW WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THE TRAFFIC. WE'RE LOOKING FOR AT LEAST 10- TO 12,000 MORE PEOPLE COMING INTO THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE JUST NOT -- DON'T HAVE THE SUFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW RESIDENTS WHO ARE COMING INTO THIS COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY -- MUCH IMPACT FEES ARE BEING PAID TO THE CITY, BUT WE'RE NOT RECEIVING ANY OF THIS INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US TO BLEND IN WITH WHAT IS COMING IN THIS AREA. I JUST WOULD LIKE FOR SOMEONE TO COMMENT ON THAT. WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR WATER, OUR AIR, OUR SOIL. WE KNOW THE INTERSTATE IS GOING TO TAKE A FIVE- OR SIX-YEAR PROJECT IN THIS AREA. THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY. WHATEVER AFFECTS THIS COMMUNITY CERTAINLY AFFECTS THE COUNTY. I WOULD LIKE SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO RESPOND ON THAT. THANK YOU. >>MARK SHARPE: I'D LIKE TO START BY -- FIRST OFF, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT STATEMENT. THE COMMISSION RECOGNIZES MANY OF THE CHALLENGES YOU'VE ADDRESSED. IN PARTICULAR WE'LL START WITH TRAFFIC. I THINK THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS OVER THE LAST THREE DECADES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF GROWTH INTO OUR COUNTY, APPROXIMATELY 24- TO 26,000 PEOPLE A YEAR MOVING INTO THE COUNTY, AND WHAT THIS BOARD HAS BEEN DOING IS WORKING HARD TO TRY TO COME UP WITH THE RESOURCES TO PAY FOR THE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH ARE INCREASINGLY EXPENSIVE. COMMISSIONER HAGAN RECENTLY CHAIRED A TASK FORCE WHICH IS LOOKING BOTH AT OUR SHORT-TERM TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND OUR LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, AND WAS ABLE -- WORKING THROUGH THE TASK FORCE AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE BOARD, WE WERE ABLE TO APPLY $500 MILLION TO TRY TO REMEDY SOME OF OUR ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS, BUT REMEMBER, WE'VE GOT A $6-BILLION DEFICIT IN ROADS, SO $500 MILLION, IT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT IT'S A START, AND COMMISSIONER HAGAN IS ALSO WORKING ON A MUCH MORE CHALLENGING SECOND PHASE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE THE MASS TRANSIT COMPONENT, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO -- WE WERE ORIGINALLY HOPING WE COULD APPLY $1.5 BILLION TOWARDS MASS TRANSIT, WHICH WOULD BE BUS RAPID TRANSIT AS WELL AS YOUR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, AND POSSIBLY EVEN, IF IT'S WARRANTED, LIGHT RAIL, BUT THE CHALLENGE THERE IS WITH ALL THE TAX REDUCTION INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE HAVING IN TALLAHASSEE AND THE REDUCTION IN THE REVENUE THAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO BRING IN FROM THE CIT, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO APPLY $1.5 BILLION TO THAT PROBLEM WITHOUT COMING BACK TO THE VOTERS AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WITH A COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT WILL REQUIRE POTENTIALLY A NEW TAX, SO IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF MONEY. >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. NORMAN. MR. ROBERTSON, YOU ASKED ME TO GIVE MY COMMENTS TO YOU, AND I WILL, AND IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU MY FRIEND. >> YES, ALWAYS. >>ROSE FERLITA: YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE ARE ISSUES THAT I TALKED ABOUT WHEN I INTRODUCED MYSELF AT THE BEGINNING, AND OF COURSE, SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK IT'S EITHER CITY REPRESENTATION OR COUNTY REPRESENTATION, AND SOME OF THOSE LIE WITHIN THOSE LINES OF JURISDICTION. YOUR FIRST CONCERN, CERTAINLY, I CAN APPRECIATE HAVING BEEN A CITYWIDE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND OF COURSE, IN THE WESTSHORE AREA, YOU HAVE YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE ALREADY THERE. I TOOK THE SAME PRINCIPLES TO COUNTY COMMISSION THAT I HAD WHEN I WAS REPRESENTING YOU HERE, AND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT OVERGROWTH IN AREAS WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE CAN'T HANDLE IT ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, AND ALTHOUGH WE INTERACT WITH YOUR CITY COUNSEL MEMBERS, THAT'S KIND OF UNDER THEIR JURISDICTIONAL PURVIEW BUT WITH INFLUENCE FROM OTHER LEGISLATORS LOCALLY. THAT WOULD BE US. THE ONE -- I GUESS THE ONE FORMULA FOR ME HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE CANNOT TOLERATE THE GROWTH, THEN THE GROWTH IS TOO DENSE FOR THAT AREA, AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU CERTAINLY SHOULD CONTINUE IMPRESSING ON YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AT CITY COUNCIL, AND WE INTERACT ON MANY OCCASIONS, ALTHOUGH WE CAN'T SAY ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE WESTSHORE AREA. YOUR SECOND POINT ABOUT WATER AND AIR QUALITY AND THINGS THAT CERTAINLY TRANSCEND ANY BARRIER BETWEEN A CITY ISSUE AND A COUNTY ISSUE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I THINK THAT THE CITIZENS SPOKE LOUD AND HARD AND CLEAR NOT VERY LONG AGO WHEN THEY ASKED US TO SUPPORT WHAT EPC DOES FOR US. THERE ARE SOME SERVICES THAT THE CITY PROVIDES FOR THE CITY, THERE ARE SOME SERVICES THAT WE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PROVIDE FOR ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, CITY OR UNINCORPORATED, AND THAT WOULD BE TO WHAT THE GENTLEMAN BACK THERE, DR. GARRITY, RICK TSCHANTZ, ET CETERA, AND EPC DO. THAT IS A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSION, THINGS THAT THEY CHAMPIONED ABOUT THE WETLANDS AREA, WETLANDS DIVISION, ET CETERA. THAT CAME OUT TO BE A WIN-WIN WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS TOWARDS EFFICIENCY, AND SO THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON WITH YOUR CITY LEADERSHIP, BUT PLEASE ALWAYS FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO DUPLICATE YOUR CONCERNS TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND YOUR COMMISSIONER. THAT WOULD BE ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE, AND I KNOW THAT YOU-ALL CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT YOUR CITIZENS. MOST OF THE CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE SENIOR CITIZENS, AND THEY HAVE WORKED HARD. WE WANT TO LEAVE A HERITAGE FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, SO AGAIN, COMMISSIONER FERLITA, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND THANK YOU, THE PANEL. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] TOM CHAPMAN, ROSEMARIE MIDDLETON. TOM. OKAY. ROSEMARIE MIDDLETON. WELCOME. >> I'M ONE OF THE SHORT ONES. >>JIM NORMAN: AND THEN S. GRAY. >> MY NAME IS ROSEMARIE MIDDLETON. I RESIDE AT 7003 EDENBROOK COURT. I'M A PRESIDENT OF THE TWELVE OAKS CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND A TRUSTEE IN OUR SPECIAL TAX DISTRICT. TWELVE OAKS IS A LARGE COMMUNITY, BUILT IN THE EARLY 1970s IN THE TOWN 'N COUNTRY AREA. WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT MUST RELY ON COUNTY AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, SOLID WASTE, ANIMAL SERVICES, AND PUBLIC WORKS FOR HELP IN RESOLVING VARIOUS PROBLEMS AND VIOLATIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AGENCIES HAVE MADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE TWELVE OAKS A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE THROUGH DILIGENT VISITS AND INSPECTIONS IN AND AROUND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALSO BY PROVIDING EXCELLENT SPEAKERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND BY SUPPLYING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. I ESPECIALLY WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TODAY PAUL MORALES, CODE ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATOR; LLOYD HUMPHREY FROM SOLID WASTE; NANCY RUBIN, NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONS; FRED HIGGINS, WEST SERVICE UNIT; AND THE CRDs FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DISTRICT 3. THESE INDIVIDUALS STRIVE TO SEE THAT TWELVE OAKS IS A DESIRED COMMUNITY IN WHICH TO LIVE. THEY PROVIDE HELP AND SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY VALUES IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN SPITE OF THE RECENT BUDGET CUTS, I BELIEVE THAT MOST COUNTY AGENCIES CONTINUE TO PUT FORTH GOOD EFFORT IN PERFORMING A VERY DIFFICULT JOB. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR TIME AND FOR THEIR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, FOR PROVIDING GRANTS SUCH AS THE COMMUNITY CLEANUP GRANT, THAT BENEFIT ALL COMMUNITIES. MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO AND RESPONDING TO THE RESIDENTS OF OUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] S. GRAY AND THEN ALAN -- YOU GOT TO HELP ME ON THIS ONE -- PRESTIGIACOMO. >> GOOD EVENING. I'VE GOT A PRETTY DIRECT QUESTION, EVEN THOUGH I'M GOING TO PROBABLY ADD A LITTLE COMMENTARY AFTERWARDS. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE WORKING WITH THE VARIOUS CITIES WITHIN OUR AREA TO IMPROVE THE STATE OF RECREATION AND PARKS? I ASK THIS QUESTION FOR KIND OF A VERY DIRECTED REASON. YOU STARTED OFF THE SESSION TODAY SAYING WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR VETERANS, AND THAT IS BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE -- EXCUSE ME, NOT VETERANS BUT OUR SERVICE MEMBERS WHO ARE DEPLOYED OVERSEAS. I DON'T THINK THAT IF WE CONTINUE ON OUR PRESENT TRACK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE LUXURY OF DOING THINGS LIKE THAT. BY NOT PROVIDING PROPER RECREATION FOR CHILDREN, SPECIFICALLY KIDS UP TO I'D PROBABLY SAY THE THIRD GRADE AND ON, WE'RE GOING TO BASICALLY BE INCUBATING CRIMINALS. I'M SPEAKING FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCES, BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO SHARE A TITLE OF A BOOK THAT I THINK THAT ALL OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SHOULD BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH. THE BOOK'S CALLED "FREAKONOMICS," AND IT'S BY STEVEN LEVITT AND STEPHEN DUBNER. WHAT IT BASICALLY TALKS ABOUT IS HOW WE ARE WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND IT TALKS ABOUT A LOT OF OUR SOCIETY ISSUES. I HEARD THE GENTLEMAN THAT CAME UP IN FRONT OF ME TALK ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. I MYSELF THINK I'M ON THE VERGE OF BEING A CITIZEN -- SENIOR CITIZEN. I'M 50 YEARS OLD. I'VE BEEN IN TAMPA SIX YEARS, AND AS I TELL ALL MY NEIGHBORS, I PLAN TO DIE IN MY HOUSE. I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH US NOT HAVING AN AMPLE TAX BASE BECAUSE MANY OF OUR KIDS ARE GOING ASTRAY, AND IF WE DON'T PROVIDE AS A GOVERNMENT AND AS A CITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO KEEP OUT OF TROUBLE, WE WON'T HAVE TAXPAYERS, WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE PAYING TAXES FOR. IN SUMMARY, I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO IMPROVE OUR RECREATION AND PARKS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE YOUTH OF OUR CITY. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER HAGAN. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: WELL, SIR, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I AGREE WITH YOU AS FAR AS THE NEED TO PROVIDE ENOUGH RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN. I'VE OFTEN SAID THAT SOME OF LIFE'S GREATEST LESSONS CAN BE LEARNED ON THE PLAYGROUNDS, AND I SAY THAT AS A FORMER BASEBALL PLAYER IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, AS AN ASSISTANT PARK DIRECTOR GROWING UP, AND AS SOMEONE THAT ALSO COACHES MY SON'S BASEBALL TEAM, WHICH I'M ACTUALLY MISSING HIS GAME RIGHT NOW FOR THIS TOWN HALL MEETING, BUT AS FAR AS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE THREE CITIES, I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT I WILL SAY ONE THING THE COUNTY HAS DONE. THIS BOARD HAS ALLOTTED OVER $9 MILLION IN THE NEW TAMPA AREA, WHICH IS PROBABLY 80% TO 90% CITY RESIDENTS, TO PROVIDE PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN THAT AREA. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY AS FAR AS CREATING A JOINT COUNTY-CITY PARK UP IN THAT AREA AS WELL, SO PERHAPS WE DO NOT HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT THIS BOARD CERTAINLY HAS STEPPED UP IN THE NEW TAMPA AREA, WHICH PRIMARILY SERVICES CITY RESIDENTS. >>MARK SHARPE: I WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT THE SPEAKER IS A UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY GRAD AND I KNOW WORKS WITH YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GOING TO THE ACADEMY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND MARK THORNTON, I'M NOT SURE -- I WAS -- I'M SURE THE CHAIRMAN IS -- >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, YEAH, MARK, COME ON DOWN. ACTUALLY THERE IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, A LONG-RANGE PLAN FOR THE COUNTY; HOWEVER, IT'S BASED ON THERE BEING AN ADEQUATE FUNDING STREAM THAT WILL BE A LONG-TERM FUNDING STREAM FOR PARKS AND RECREATION. >>MARK THORNTON: MARK THORNTON, DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION, AND CONSERVATION. AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING OUR COMPREHENSIVE PARKS PLAN. WE PUT IT ON HOLD JUST TO GET THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. WE ARE BACK UP WORKING ON THAT TO COMPLETE IT. IT WILL HAVE AN ISSUE ON FUNDING, WHICH IS WHY WE PUT IT ON HOLD, TO SEE WHERE WE WERE GOING TO END UP, BUT IT ALSO IDENTIFIES THE NEED. WE DID A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY IN THE SPRING. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF OUR DATA COLLECTION. WE NEED TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, BRING IT TO THE BOARD HOPEFULLY IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT IT IS COMPREHENSIVE. IT DID NOT INCLUDE THE CITIES' PLANS, BUT WE DID COORDINATE WITH THE CITY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE THREE CITIES AND THE COUNTY. >>BRIAN BLAIR: LET ME SAY THIS, THAT NOBODY ON THIS COMMISSION HAS DONE MORE FOR KIDS THAN COMMISSIONER NORMAN. COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S GOT MORE DOLLARS TO BUILD PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS THAN ANYBODY HERE, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SERVE WITH COMMISSIONER NORMAN, AND NORM, YOU JUST MENTIONED SOMETHING A MINUTE AGO. YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO TAKE COMMISSIONER NORMAN'S -- THE DOLLARS THAT HE WAS ABLE TO -- THAT ARE STILL IN RESERVE RIGHT NOW AND FIND SOME WAY THAT'S PALATABLE TO BE ABLE TO FULFILL THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT AS COMMISSIONER NORMAN ALSO MENTIONED, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO FUND THE OPERATING EXPENSES, AND ALSO, I GOT $500,000 FOR YOU. REMEMBER THE E-MAILS WE SENT BACK AND FORTH FOR THE CLEANUP OF THE CANALS. SO THAT'S MORE THAN-MORE THAN NOTHING. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>BRIAN BLAIR: YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, I REALLY -- I CAN'T HAVE A GOING BACK AND FORTH. I APOLOGIZE, BUT -- I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. 100% I'M BEHIND YOUR COMMENTS. ALAN. I'M GOING TO MESS UP YOUR LAST NAME REALLY BAD, SO I'M NOT GOING TO TRY AGAIN. >> THAT'S OKAY. MOST PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME THE FIRST TIME. >>JIM NORMAN: BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT ON THE BACK OF A JERSEY. >> THE NAME IS PRONOUNCED PRESTIGIACOMO. I'M A RESIDENT OF DAVIS ISLAND. AND I'D LIKE TO, FIRST OF ALL, THANK ROSE FERLITA AND HER ASSISTANT, DELLA CURY. I'M SORRY. DELLA CURY HELPED IN REMOVING SOME OF THE HIGH-INTENSITY LIGHTING ACROSS FROM SEDDON CHANNEL THAT WERE SHINING BACK ONTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAPPENED A WHILE BACK, AND I ASKED ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT WE HAVE ON THE ISLAND, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO THE PETER O. KNIGHT AIRPORT EXPANSION. FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE DO SUPPORT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO SAFETY THERE WITH SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE RUNWAY CONFIGURATIONS, BUT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NOISE LEVEL INCREASE BECAUSE OF THE VOLUMES THAT ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF THAT -- THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. THERE'S HANGARS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ADDED TO THE SITE, WHICH IS GREAT FOR THE FLIGHTS THAT COME IN THERE. I'VE FLOWN IN THERE SEVERAL TIMES, AND IT'S VERY CONVENIENT TO DOWNTOWN, ET CETERA, BUT THE INCREASED VOLUME'S GOING TO BRING INCREASED NOISE, AND WE ASK THAT THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY HELP US WITH TRYING TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WITH AS LITTLE IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS POSSIBLE. I TALKED WITH ED COOLEY FROM THE AUTHORITY EARLIER, AND HE WAS VERY HELPFUL IN ANSWERING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS. WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCREASED NIGHTTIME OPERATIONS, FEEL THAT THE -- THAT FLIGHTS SHOULD REALLY BE LIMITED TO DAYTIME OPERATIONS WITH THE ONLY -- ONLY EXCEPTION WOULD BE WEATHER DELAYS. WE'VE LOOKED AT THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS DONE, AND WE'RE CONCERNED THAT THE VOLUMES THAT WERE PROJECTED BASED ON YEAR 2000 -- I KNOW WHEN -- I HAVE WORKED ON MASTER PLANS OF OTHER SORTS BEFORE, AND FIVE-YEAR DATA IS WAY TOO OLD, AND THIS IS EIGHT-YEAR DATA, SO WE FEEL THAT THE PROJECTIONS ARE REALLY LESS THAN THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO BE AND THAT THERE OUGHT TO BE A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF OPERATIONS OR FLIGHTS, TAKE-OFFS, AND LANDINGS THAT COME INTO THE AIRPORT. AND FINALLY I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HANGARS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUT IN THERE FOR THE AIRCRAFT. THEY'RE VERY LARGE, IMPOSING STRUCTURES. WE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM LIMITED, REDUCED IN NUMBER, AND BUFFERED WITH LANDSCAPING TO SOFTEN THE IMPACT OF THOSE, AND WE JUST ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO INFLUENCE ANY DECISIONS THAT THE AIRPORT MAKES REGARDING THE EXPANSION SO THEY'LL CONTINUE TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND OUR SLEEPY NEIGHBORHOOD WON'T BECOME OVERSHADOWED BY AN INDUSTRIAL ZONE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >>KEN HAGAN: SIR, I'D LIKE TO ANSWER YOUR -- THAT WASN'T ME. >>BRIAN BLAIR: WAKE-UP CALL. >>KEN HAGAN: I'M THE BOARD'S APPOINTMENT ON THE AVIATION AUTHORITY, AND DURING OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE HAD A BRIEFING ON THE EXPANSION THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE AT THE AIRPORT, AND I RAISED THOSE VERY SAME CONCERNS, ALTHOUGH I DO NOT REPRESENT THAT AREA. WE'VE HAD SIMILAR CONCERNS ON ROAD PROJECTS IN MY DISTRICT AND THROUGH THE COUNTY WHENEVER THERE'S BEEN A WIDENING OF A ROAD WHERE THE ROAD HAS EITHER BEEN -- BEEN WIDENED CLOSER TO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHENEVER THE ROAD HAS BEEN RAISED UP A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FEET, WHICH IS ALSO GOING TO TAKE PLACE HERE, AND THE AVIATION AUTHORITY -- THEY PRESENTED INFORMATION ON TESTING THAT WAS DONE ON THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE NOISE, AND WHILE I DIDN'T SAY THAT I -- DIDN'T NECESSARILY DISAGREE WITH THE ANALYSIS, I HAD TO QUESTION IT BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE COUNTY, AND I ASKED THEM TO PLEASE DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MITIGATE NOT ONLY THE NOISE -- INCREASED NOISE LEVELS BUT ALSO THE VISUAL BLIGHT THAT WILL TAKE PLACE, SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT AT LEAST THEY'RE AWARE OF OUR CONCERNS, AND I'M CONFIDENT THEY WILL WORK TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AND MR. HAGAN, I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I'M HAPPY THAT YOU'RE REPRESENTING US ON THE AVIATION AUTHORITY. ALAN, ACTUALLY, OF COURSE, YOU GUYS ARE COMING TO ME BECAUSE WE KNOW EACH OTHER AND I REPRESENTED YOU BEFORE AND I'M YOUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE. MR. COOLEY, I MUST SAY, HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE. LORI ASKED US SOME QUESTIONS, WE ASKED RENEE LEE, BUT IT WAS NOT WITHIN HER JURISDICTIONAL PURVIEW TO GIVE THE RESPONSES. SO MR. COOLEY, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF OPERATIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY OUT THERE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, VERY COOPERATIVE, AND I KNOW HE'S TRIED TO INTERACT WITH DIFFERENT CONCERNS REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE YOU'RE ON WITH DAVIS ISLAND CONSTITUENTS. SO ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT IN OUR PARTICULAR PURVIEW -- AND GENTLEMEN, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE GOTTEN ANY OF THESE OR NOT, BUT IF NOT, THIS IS A GOOD, QUICK UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON. THOSE ARE SOME CONCERNS. I KNOW IT'S WITHIN THE JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY OF THE AVIATION AUTHORITY. I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM, I WILL ATTEND THE MEETING I THINK THAT'S COMING UP NEXT MONTH WHERE I BELIEVE MR. COOLEY HAS COMMITTED TO ATTEND, AND ALL OF THOSE CONCERNS CERTAINLY I WILL ALSO PASSAGE OVER TO MR. HAGAN WHO IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE AVIATION AUTHORITY. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME RESOLVE AND IT WILL BE A COMMUNITY THING THAT CAN BE EMBRACED, AND MR. COOLEY WILL BE THE POINT PERSON IN BETWEEN, AND I DON'T -- MR. COOLEY, I GUESS -- WHERE ARE YOU? I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT. I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS IN FRONT OF THIS MEETING, BUT YOU WILL BE THE PERSON WE WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH IN CASE WE HAVE OTHER CONCERNS FROM ALLEN, FROM LORI, FROM SOME OF THE OTHER RESIDENTS ON DAVIS ISLAND, BUT YOUR POINTS ARE WELL TAKEN, ALLEN, AND WE WILL INTERACT AND TRY TO BE A CONDUIT AS MUCH AS WE CAN. DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? NO, I MEAN BEHIND YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >> NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY UP TO THIS POINT. WE'VE HAD TWO GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE DAVIS ISLAND CIVIC ASSOCIATION. WE WILL BE ATTENDING THAT MEETING ON NOVEMBER THE 6th, I BELIEVE IT IS, AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE AS WELL, SO WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS ON ISSUES RELATING TO THE CONCERNS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS, AND IN FACT, WE'RE GOING TO DELAY BRINGING INFORMATION BACK TO THE AVIATION AUTHORITY BOARD TO DECEMBER TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WORK ON THOSE ISSUES. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. COOLEY. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, COULD I HAVE YOUR NAME. >>ROSE FERLITA: AS THAT REPRESENTATIVE, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, COULD I HAVE YOUR NAME. >> I'M SORRY. >>JIM NORMAN: I NEED YOUR NAME AGAIN. >> ED COOLEY, I'M SORRY. AVIATION AUTHORITY. >>JIM NORMAN: THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. LYNETTE PEEL AND BRIAN GARY. WELCOME, LYNETTE. >> AM I READY? >>JIM NORMAN: YES, MA'AM. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR EVENING HOURS TO SANCTION A FORUM SUCH AS THIS FOR OUR CONVENIENCE. MY MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTIVE THIS EVENING IS TO PUBLICLY THANK THIS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN APPROVING OUR APPLICATION FOR A MINIGRANT WHICH HELPED MY ASSOCIATION IN BAY CREST IN HOSTING AN EVENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY RECENTLY. MY SECOND OBJECTIVE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE FIRST IN THAT I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AND RECOGNIZE MANY OF OUR COUNTY STAFF FOR THE EXCELLENT SERVICE THEY PROVIDE AND FOR THE SUCCESSFUL RESPONSE TIME AND PARTNERSHIP OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT THEY SHARE WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD: SHELLEY BLOOD AND HER STAFF OF OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONS; PAUL MORALES OF CODE ENFORCEMENT FOR PUTTING IN MILES OF TIRELESS HOURS; JOHN McGEE OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT; JAMES RANSOM AND LLOYD HUMPHREY OF SOLID WASTE; ALAN KOUVERAS OF ANIMAL SERVICES; BARBARA MOTTE OF EPC; MY DISTRICT 3 SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT STAFF, I CAN'T GO WITHOUT SAYING THANKS; THE COUNTY WATER DEPARTMENT UNDER THE VERY WATCHFUL EYE OF PAUL VANDERPLOOG; TO JOHN NEWTON OF PUBLIC WORKS AND FRED HIGGINS OF THE WEST SERVICE UNIT FOR THEIR TIME AND PATIENCE WITH MY BELABORING CALLS FOR HELP; BRIAN JOHNSON OF CITIZEN ACTION CENTER; AND NOT LEFT OUT IS FELIX McKINNEY OF THE GREAT CITY OF TAMPA WATER DEPARTMENT. TO ALL THESE AMAZING AND GROOVY BUT PATIENT PEOPLE I PUBLICLY EXTEND MY PERSONAL THANKS AND THAT FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I APOLOGIZE IF I OMITTED ANYONE. I DIDN'T MEAN IT INTENTIONALLY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU. MAY GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS THIS AMERICA. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: BRIAN GARY, AND THEN RICHARD NORGRAT, AND THEN ROY PERRY. COME ON, BRIAN. YOU'RE IN THE THIRD ROUND. [LAUGHTER] >> THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND THE DISTRICT 1 COLLEAGUES OF OURS. AND OF COURSE, OUR ESTEEMED LEADER, OUR JOAN D'ARC, MRS. ROSE -- OR MS. ROSE FERLITA WHO HAS PICKED UP THE STANDARD BEAR FOR US FOLLOWING KATHY CASTOR'S RISE TO DC. WE STARTED THIS PROCESS WITH SOCS, SAVE OUR CANALS, BACK IN 2004 IN MAY. AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO TONIGHT IS TALK TO YOU, MY FELLOW AMERICANS, FELLOW TAXPAYERS, HOMEOWNERS, COUNTIANS, AND, OF COURSE, FLORIDIANS. WE CARRY THE WHITE SOCK TO REMIND US OF THE WATER QUALITY THAT ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO SEE HERE IN THE BAY AREA ESTUARY. IT HASN'T BEEN THIS WAY FOR 60 OR 70 YEARS. I'M GOING TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT TO THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE A PROBLEM RIGHT HERE IN RIVER CITY. IT RHYMES WITH "T" AND IT STARTS WITH "P," AND IT STANDS FOR "POLLUTION." POLLUTION. POLLUTION, AND NOT THE KIND THAT'S CAUSED BY DEARS AND DUCKS AND GEESE AND GOATS, BUT THE KIND THAT'S CAUSED BY PEOPLE, P-E-O-P-L-E, LIKE ME, LIKE YOU, LIKE ALL OF US. THAT'S THE PROBLEM. HOW MANY PEOPLE SAW TODAY'S TAMPA TRIBUNE, THE METRO SECTION? THERE WAS A VERY SHOCKING ARTICLE IN HERE TODAY ABOUT SAFER WATER COMES WITH BIG PRICE TAGS. WELL, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU TONIGHT THAT IT DOESN'T. SOME OF THIS ARTICLE WAS MISUNDERSTOOD, MISREPRESENTED, AND LIKE THE PRESS, NOT EXACTLY ON POINT. FIRST OF ALL, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT MY NAME IS BRIAN GARY. I LIVE AT 8703 COBBLESTONE DRIVE. BEEN HERE 30 YEARS, LOVE FLORIDA, AND A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THIS COMMISSION RIGHT HERE. THIS IS THE FIRST COMMISSION IN 50 YEARS THAT HAS STEPPED FORWARD, AND THEY HAVE SPENT $281,000 OF YOUR MONEY TO STUDY AND HAVE A 20-MONTH STUDY CALLED THE "CANAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE STUDY" TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS OF POLLUTION AND THE MUCK AND THE DEGRADATION OF OUR COASTAL WATERWAYS ALL THE WAY FROM RACE TRACK ROAD CLEAR DOWN TO RIVERVIEW AND DOWN TO APOLLO BEACH AND THAT AREA. WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEMS IN THE WORK AREAS. ALONG WITH THAT, AS BRIAN BLAIR HAD JUST MENTIONED, THEY SET ASIDE $500,000 FOR THE WORK -- FIRST WORK PROJECT AREA. IT HASN'T STARTED YET. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE THREE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW. TAXES IS ONE OF THEM. TWO -- THOSE TAXES I REFER TO IS THE AD VALOREM, THE REAL ESTATE TAXES. TWO IS THE COST OF INSURANCE. THREE IS OBVIOUSLY THE WATERWAYS BECAUSE THE VALUATIONS OF YOUR PROPERTIES BY ROB TURNER IS CREATED BY OUR NEAR PROXIMITY OF ALL OF US LIVING IN THIS WONDERFUL PARADISE AREA. >>JIM NORMAN: BRIAN, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO -- YOU HAVE TO CLOSE. >> I THOUGHT WE HAD THREE MINUTES. >>JIM NORMAN: YOU DID, SIR. >> THAT'S THREE MINUTES? [LAUGHTER] WELL, LET ME DO THIS. I WANT TO CLOSE BY SAYING THAT THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND 20 YEARS AGO INSTALLED THESE SYSTEMS, OKAY. THE SYSTEM HERE IS CALLED A "STORMWATER INFILTRATION SYSTEM." IT'S A CARBON FIBER RING RIGHT HERE. THIS PICKS UP ALL THE LIGHTER-THAN-WATER SOLUBLES, SUCH AS GASOLINE, DIESEL, AND ANTIFREEZE. WHAT WE DID -- WERE SUCCESSFUL IN DOING BY GETTING A GRANT FROM POLLUTION RECOVERY FOR $41,000, WE BOUGHT 39 OF THESE AND INSTALLED THEM IN OUR 91 STORM SEWER SYSTEMS. WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO PUT THEM IN 39. WE TOOK OUT SIX TONS -- >>JIM NORMAN: BRIAN, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CUT YOU. I'M SORRY. I'VE GOT A WHOLE HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK. >>MARK SHARPE: BRIAN, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. MY OFFICE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THE GREEN ARMADA. THEY WANT TO PUT ANOTHER 50 OF THOSE DEVICES OR SOMETHING SIMILAR WHICH COSTS APPROXIMATELY $2500 A DEVICE OUT. WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED ARE CITIZENS TO HELP MAN THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO HELP CLEAN THEM OUT, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. THE CANAL COMMITTEE HAS DONE AN AWFUL LOT OF GOOD WORK. WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT WORK GO TO WASTE. IT IS A FACTOR OF DOLLARS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SIT DOWN AND I BELIEVE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO AT LEAST CLEAN OUT -- BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE CANALS DON'T CLEAN OUT THEMSELVES AND IT DOES AFFECT PROPERTY VALUES. WE UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK HARD ON TRYING TO ERADICATE THE PROBLEM. >> VERY GOOD. AND WE VOLUNTEER TO DO THAT TYPE OF WORK ALSO. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER FERLITA. [APPLAUSE] >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, VERY QUICKLY. AS WELL, THANK YOU FOR WHAT THE GROUP IS DOING WITH SOCS, AND LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE -- AND I SAW MARIANNE CUFONE. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID AT CITY COUNCIL. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS I FELT SICK AND STAYED HOME, AND WE'RE ADDICTED TO PUBLIC ACCESS, SO I WAS WATCHING CITY COUNCIL, AND I KNOW THAT YOU REACHED OUT TO THEM IN TERMS OF PARTNERING, AND I KNOW YOU HAD AN EXHIBIT LIKE THAT THAT THEY -- THEY UNDERSTOOD, AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU TOO, AND SO I, IN TURN, HAVE TALKED TO SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A COLLECTIVE EFFORT. IT IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE OUT THERE TRYING TO DO, SO THANKS TO YOU, THANKS TO MARY, THANKS TO EVERYONE. >>JIM NORMAN: RICHARD NORGRAT, ROY PERRY. RICHARD. WELCOME, SIR. >> GOOD EVENING. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER AND I LIVE AT 4213 SALTWATER BOULEVARD IN THE DANA SHORES AREA, AND I THINK I MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANSWER FOR YOUR -- MOST OF YOUR PROBLEMS ARE RESOURCE-BASED, YOU LIKE TO SAY IT. IT MEANS YOU NEED MONEY; RIGHT? WELL, YOU'VE GOT THE BIGGEST ASSET IN THE COUNTY RIGHT IN YOUR FACE WITH THESE WATERFRONT PROPERTY HOMES. DO YOU KNOW THAT BOATING IS A LARGER INDUSTRY IN FLORIDA THAN CITRUS INDUSTRY? DID ANY OF YOU REALLY KNOW THAT? I'M IN THE MARINE BUSINESS, SO I KNOW THAT, PLUS THERE'S A TREMENDOUS SLIP SHORTAGE IN THE COUNTRY, IN FLORIDA, BOAT STORAGE. IT'S AT A PREMIUM. THESE HOUSES IN DANA SHORES AND ALL OVER, THEY'D BE WORTH TWO TO THREE TIMES MORE VALUE IF THE CANALS WERE FIXED, AND THAT'S MONEY IN THE COUNTY'S COFFER. IT'S LIKE FINDING IT ON THE STREET. AND THEN YOU GIVE MONEY TO THESE PROGRAMS, WORTHWHILE THINGS FOR DRUG REHABILITATION AND ALL THESE WONDERFUL PRODUCTS THAT PEOPLE NEED, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING THE GOOSE THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG RIGHT IN THE EYE. YOU'RE NOT FEEDING THE GOOSE THAT'S LAYING THE GOLDEN EGGS. THAT'S THE GUY WITH THE EXPENSIVE HOME. INSTEAD OF HIM PAYING TAXES ON A $600,000 HOME -- IF YOU FIXED THE CANALS, HE'D BE PAYING TAXES ON A $2-MILLION HOME. HE MIGHT NOT LIKE THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYBODY. >>JIM NORMAN: THERE'S A SAVE OUR HOMES CAP, SO -- >> YOU'RE WRONG. I BET 20% TO 30% OF THESE PEOPLE AREN'T HOMESTEADED. MOST OF US SELL OUR HOMES, EVERY FIVE YEARS A HOME CYCLES. THAT'S THE AVERAGE MAXIMUM THAT PEOPLE LIVE IN A HOME AND THEN IT WILL GO UP AGAIN. I TRAVEL ALL OVER THE WORLD AND ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, AND OUR HOME -- IF OUR HOME WAS IN CALIFORNIA ON THE WATER, IT WOULD BE TWO OR THREE MILLION DOLLARS, MAYBE MORE. I DON'T KNOW. IT WOULD BE CRAZY. YOU GUYS COULD HAVE MONEY TO FIX 99% OF ALL YOUR PROBLEMS AND RESOURCES IF YOU'D FIX THE CANALS. YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAS TAKEN TWICE AS MUCH TAX MONEY THAN THE GUY ISN'T ON THE WATER FOR 30 YEARS FROM THESE PEOPLE, AND THEY HAVEN'T REINVESTED IT IN WHAT THEY TOOK IT FROM. YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A -- EQUIPMENT OR ANY RESOURCE OR BUSINESS, YOU'VE GOT TO PUT SOME MONEY -- YOUR PROFITS BACK IN YOUR BUSINESS TO KEEP ON GOING. YOU CAN'T JUST WEAR OUT YOUR BUSINESS OR EQUIPMENT. YOU'RE A PHARMACIST, AREN'T YOU, COMMISSIONER? YOU HAVE TO REINVEST IN THE COMMUNITY, AND COUNTY HASN'T REINVESTED IN THE PLACE THAT'S PAYING THE TAXES. I WOULD BE PAYING 6,000 A YEAR INSTEAD OF 10,000 OR 12,000, BUT YOU GUYS AREN'T GIVING THE MONEY BACK, YOU JUST KEEP TAKING, AND IF MY WATER ACCESS GOES AWAY, WHICH IT HAS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE $6,000 A YEAR FROM ME. IT'S SIMPLE MATH. I DON'T THINK THE COUNTY CAN AFFORD NOT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. IT'S COSTING YOU A LOT OF MONEY NOT TO FIX IT, AND EVERY DAY YOU WAIT IT'S LESS MONEY FOR THE KIDS ON DRUGS OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OTHER PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO PAY THE MONEY IF YOU PROVIDE THE SERVICE, SO IT'S UP TO YOU. IF YOU DON'T DO IT, YOU GUYS ARE BEING NEGLIGENT IN YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, SIR. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: ROY PERRY, LENOX STEVENS. ROY PERRY, LENOX STEVENS, THEN ALAN STINSON. >> I'M NOT SURE REALLY WHAT TO SAY TO YOU PEOPLE. YOU'RE AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE. CITY COUNCIL IS A DISGRACE. YOU-ALL ARE AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE. YOU CONTINUE TO FAIL US DAY IN, DAY OUT. YOU GOT THE BIG SALARIES, AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU PEOPLE SEEM TO BE JACK OF ALL TRADES INSTEAD OF COAT AND TIES. YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING, AND THE REST OF THESE PEOPLE IN HERE TOO THAT WORK FOR THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, THE MAJORITY OF THEM DON'T HAVE A CLUE ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THE ONLY ONES THAT REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING ARE THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THE STREETS, AND WHEN YOU ASK THEM THE QUESTION ARE YOU FAILING US, THEY SAY YES, AND SO FAR YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING RIGHT. YOU THREW AWAY A MILLION AND A QUARTER -- D.O.T. BUILDS A POND AND NOT ANYBODY SAID ONE THING ABOUT IT. I MEAN, SO FAR ALL YOU'VE DONE IS FAIL US, RUN YOUR MOUTH, TELL US HOW GREAT YOU ARE, BUT YOU CONTINUE TO FAIL US IN EVERY SHAPE, FORM, AND WAY. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH COPS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA. WE NEED 100, 150 COPS, AND EVERYBODY SEES IT. EVERY DAY PEOPLE ARE RUNNING RED LIGHTS, AGGRESSIVE DRIVING. WHY? BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH COPS. EVERYBODY KNOWS THERE'S NOT ENOUGH COPS, AND YOU CONTINUE TO FAIL US DAY IN AND DAY OUT. YOU'RE A DISGRACE, EVERY ONE OF YOU. WE'VE GOT A MAN HERE WHO USED TO BE A WRESTLER, AND NOBODY RESPECTS HIM. YOU CAN'T RESPECT HIM. YOU WORKED IN A FREAK SHOW. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, PLEASE DON'T BE PERSONAL. >> HEY, GOT TO BE PERSONAL. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR. >> IT'S PERSONAL WITH US. WE'RE THE TAXPAYERS. >>JIM NORMAN: YES, SIR. BUT -- >> I'M VOICING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, WE'RE GOING TO RUN A CIVIL MEETING, AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE PERSONAL. YOU CAN HAVE YOUR COMMENTS BUT DO NOT ATTACK AN INDIVIDUAL PERSONALLY. >> WELL, SEE, HERE'S THE PROBLEM. YOU'VE BEEN SITTING SO LONG IN THE AIR CONDITIONING THAT YOU FORGOT WHAT IT'S LIKE, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM. YOU FAILED US MISERABLY, AND EVERYBODY KNOWS IT, BUT YOU ALL DON'T SEEM TO GET IT. AND THE CITY EMPLOYEES AGREE WITH ME. YOU ASK THEM, THEY'LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH. YOU HAVE FAILED US MISERABLY. YOU'VE BEEN FAT CATS FOR TOO LONG, PERIOD. YOU HAVE FAILED US IN EVERY SHAPE, FORM, AND WAY. WE NEED COPS. WE GOT COPS? NO. YOU'VE FAILED US. YOU'RE AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE, AND ALL THIS IS APPARENTLY HERE IS FOR THE COUNTY AND THE CITY TO COME IN HERE AND SAY WE'RE SO GREAT AND WE'RE SO GOOD. NO, YOU'RE NOT. YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY FAILED US WITHOUT QUESTION. YOU CAN'T DO ONE THING RIGHT. NAME ONE THING THAT YOU'VE DONE RIGHT, THE PEOPLE ARE REALLY PROUD OF. THIS TOWN IS NOT GOING TO BE GREAT, THIS CITY, THIS COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO BE GREAT. >> THAT'S ENOUGH. >> YOU CAN'T DO THE JOB. >> MOVE ON. >> THAT'S ENOUGH. >> AND EVERYBODY KNOWS IT. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, HE'S GOING TO HAVE HIS COMMENTS, FOLKS. >> I'M DONE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT. A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE -- ONLY 16% OF THE PEOPLE VOTED, AND THE REASON THE REST OF THEM DIDN'T VOTE, NO CONFIDENCE WHATSOEVER. IT WASN'T ABOUT BEING LAZY. THEY HAD NO CONFIDENCE IN YOU WHATSOEVER. 16% OF THE PEOPLE ONLY VOTED. THAT'S PATHETIC. >> WHO ARE YOU, SIR? >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR, FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: LENOX STEVENS, ALAN STINSON, AND TARA TORRES. WELCOME. >> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. I'M LENOX STEVENS FROM 4704 WEST BALLAST POINT BOULEVARD, SOUTH TAMPA, JUST SOUTH OF GANDY. I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A SITUATION THAT WE'VE HAD IN OUR AREA AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NOW FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF. WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS FOR SOME TIME WITH THE PLANES COMING OUT OF TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AND THE PLANES LANDING AT TAMPA INTERNATIONAL. WELL, ANYWAY, WE HAVE ATTENDED MEETINGS, WE'VE CONTACTED OFFICIALS AT THE AIRPORT, HAD DIFFERENT MEETINGS WITH THEM WHERE WE'VE LOGGED THOUSANDS OF AIRPLANES COMING OVER OUR HOMES. IN THE BEGINNING WE TOLD THEM THAT THE PLANES WERE COMING UNTIL 1:30, 2:00 IN THE MORNING WHEN ORIGINALLY ALL THESE PLANES WERE GOING OVER THE WATER. WELL, THE ANSWERS THAT WE GOT FROM THEM WAS THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, CRANES THAT WERE -- HAD TO BE AVOIDED AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIND OF LIKE SAID, OKAY, FINE, THIS IS UNDERSTANDABLE, AND IT WENT ON, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS WAS THEY WERE ALSO FLYING THESE PLANES OVER OUR HOMES DURING THE DAYTIME, AND YET, ACCORDING TO THEIR RECORDS AND WHAT THE HEAD OF THE AIRPORT, MR. MILLER, HAD SAID WAS THAT THE CONSTRUCTION'S ONLY BEING DONE BETWEEN 11:00 P.M. AND 6:00 A.M. IN THE MORNING. WELL, LIKE I SAY, THOUSANDS OF THESE PLANES HAVE BEEN LOGGED OVER OUR HOMES, OKAY. WE PRESENTED THIS INFORMATION TO THEM, AND THEY TOLD US THAT WE WERE NOT TELLING THEM THE TRUTH, THAT WE WERE BASICALLY MAKING UP STORIES AND THINGS. WELL ANYWAY, WE WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM. WE FINALLY GOT ONE OF THEM ON THE BOARD TO ADMIT THAT SHE HAD MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT THESE PLANES OVER OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. SHE IS EVIDENTLY THE MANAGER OF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS. AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS TWO MEETINGS AGO SHE ADMITTED THIS AND ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAD DONE IT TO CONSERVE FUEL WITH NO CONCERN FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OR ANY OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WENT ALONG WITH THAT, THE -- YOU KNOW, THE NOISE AND ANNOYING UNTIL 1:30 IN THE MORNING. WELL, ANYWAY, AT THE LAST MEETING SHE DENIED THAT. WE QUESTIONED HER ABOUT IT. SHE DENIED EVER SAYING IT, OKAY, SO WE JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. THEY SEEM TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN RULES. THERE ISN'T ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SEEM TO PUT A FINGER ON ANYTHING. THEY TELL US WHAT -- THEY DECIDE WHAT'S, QUOTE, AN EARLY TURN, WHICH IS WHAT COMES ACROSS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE TIME, AND THEY MAKE UP THE RULES AS TO WHAT'S ALLOWABLE, WHICH PLANES CAN BE EARLY TURNS AND WHICH CAN'T, WHEN ACCORDING TO A LETTER THAT THEY WROTE -- SOME KIND OF AN AIRMAN LETTER, ALL PLANES ARE SUPPOSED TO TURN SOUTH OF MacDILL AIRPORT AND COME IN ALONG THE WATER, WHICH THEY ALWAYS DID UNTIL A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. SO ANY HELP THAT YOU COULD GIVE US IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED OR ANY RULES OR REGULATIONS THAT YOU COULD MAKE BECAUSE THEY MAKE UP THEIR OWN RULES. THEY DECIDE WHAT'S EARLY TURNS AND WHAT'S NOT. THEY DECIDE WHAT PLANES CAN GO THROUGH THERE AND WHAT CAN'T, AND THEN THEY REPORT THE FIGURES MUCH LOWER THAN WHAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE, AND WE CAN PROVE THAT. THAT'S ALL. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. STEVENS AND I TALKED BEFORE THE MEETING, AND HE IS COMMITTED TO GIVE US THE DETAILS. WE WILL WORK WITH THE AVIATION AUTHORITY AND ALSO ASK COMMISSIONER HAGAN TO HELP IF THAT'S NECESSARY. PLEASE FOLLOW THROUGH. I APPRECIATE YOU TELLING IT TO ALL OF US SO ALL OF US KNOW, BUT AS YOUR REPRESENTATIVE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO INTERCEDE. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING DOWN. ALAN STINSON, TARA TORRES, AND I'M GOING TO -- MR. ROJAS, GREGORY ROJAS. >> GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, MS. BEAN, MR. ODOM. WELCOME TO DISTRICT 1. YOU-ALL NEED TO COME BACK HERE MORE OFTEN. I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER WHEN THE LAST TIME WE HAD ONE IN DISTRICT 1. >>JIM NORMAN: OH, I CAN TELL YOU. >> I'M NOT GOING TO -- IT'S NOT A POP QUIZ. [LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY RARE -- >>JIM NORMAN: WELL, I WAS GOING TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR MEMORY. >> HEY, YOU'RE IN MY THREE MINUTES NOW. PLEASE, COME ON. [LAUGHTER] IT'S RARE THAT THE CITY -- I THINK IT'S RARE THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN FORCES TO GET SOMETHING DONE, AND I'M GOING TO -- WHAT I'M REFERRING TO TONIGHT IS BRIGHT HOUSE'S PLAN TO MOVE THE PEG CHANNELS UP TO THE DIGITAL TIER. LAST I HEARD, THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT A MINIMUM OF 40,000 PEOPLE JUST WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF TAMPA. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH AFFECT IT'S GOING TO HAVE IN THE OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, AND ON THE 18th CITY COUNCIL MADE A MOTION, IT WAS PASSED, THAT THEY CONTACT THE MAYOR, THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND COMMISSIONER -- FORMER COMMISSIONER SCOTT NOW COUNCILMAN SCOTT, ADDED TO THAT MOTION THAT THEY MAKE CONTACT WITH THE COUNTY AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THE COUNTY ONBOARD TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET BRIGHT HOUSE TO QUIT THIS BECAUSE IT JUST -- THERE'S PEOPLE -- IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. I'VE ALREADY GOT DIGITAL CABLE, BUT THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PUT THAT DIGITAL BOX IN, SO I PLEAD WITH YOU TO WORK WITH THE CITY ON THIS AND SEE IF WE CAN'T GET BRIGHT HOUSE -- I KNOW THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY GOTTA GO DIGITAL BY 2009, BUT THIS IS STILL 2007, AND TO ME IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE A LITTLE PREMATURE. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO STANDARDIZE IT WITH OTHER COUNTIES, HERNANDO AND OTHERS. MY QUESTION IS HOW MANY SUBSCRIBERS HAVE THEY GOT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS OPPOSED TO THE SUBSCRIBERS THEY'VE GOT IN HERNANDO COUNTY. SO ANY -- IF YOU CAN GET ONBOARD WITH THAT. I HAVE A COPY OF DAVID SMITH'S LETTER TO THE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF BRIGHT HOUSE THAT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PUT IN THE RECORD IF I CAN, AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO JOIN FORCES WITH THE CITY AND SEE IF WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. [APPLAUSE] >>ROSE FERLITA: AL, I KNOW THAT THE CITY WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AND SO ARE WE. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT WE CAN DO, BUT LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. I MET WITH ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THAT COMPANY, FROM BRIGHT HOUSE, ALONG WITH MR. ANDERSON, STEVE ANDERSON, WHO REPRESENTS THEM, AND ALSO WITH MR. DINGFELDER, COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER, TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES AND TRY TO TALK THROUGH WHAT THEY CAN DO AND WHAT WE WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD DO. I IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT MEETING WENT BACK TO RENEE LEE, WHO IS OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, AND ASKED HER TO LOOK AT THIS AND SEE WHAT SHE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO. SO FAR WE HAVEN'T DEFINED WHAT WE CAN DO. WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF -- SOMETIMES YOU CAN DO SOMETHING, BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY -- IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT, BUT A DOLLAR FOR A GRAY BOX AND A DOLLAR FOR ANOTHER TV, IT'S A PROBLEM TO SOME PEOPLE FINANCIALLY. I KNOW THE STATE SET THE STAGE, AND WE'RE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT ANYMORE THAN YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE ON CITY COUNCIL, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S FAIR TO GIVE IT TO MR. ODOM. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, DON, PLEASE DO SO, BUT I KNOW THAT RENEE LEE IS LOOKING AT IT, AND WE'RE JUST AS CONCERNED FOR OUR RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 1 HERE AND IN UNINCORPORATED, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, BUT THEY GOT THAT MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR AT THAT MEETING THAT WE WERE NOT HAPPY EITHER. >> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. AND I DO HAVE ONE OF THOSE LETTERS ALREADY, BUT YOU CAN TURN IT IN FOR THE RECORD. >>JIM NORMAN: LET ME JUST SAY -- >> THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. 14 IS BETTER THAN SEVEN. >>JIM NORMAN: THERE WAS A CALL TO ARMS WHENEVER THERE WAS A STATE LAW BEING PASSED LAST YEAR THAT WAS TAKING AUTHORITY AWAY FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SHIFTING IT TO THE LEGISLATURE, AND THIS IS WHAT A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS THAT I'M SURE OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY WILL TELL YOU -- WE TRIED TO GET LOCAL PEOPLE TO RISE UP AND SAY THEY'RE TAKING AUTHORITY AWAY FROM DIFFERENT KIND OF CONTRACTING AUTHORITIES THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, AND THEY PASSED THAT LAW LAST YEAR. IT WAS EVEN EDITORIALIZED IN THE NEWSPAPER SEVERAL TIMES THAT THIS WAS GOING ON, AND NO ONE SEEMED TO HAVE MUCH OF A PROBLEM THEN. WELL, NOW YOU SEE THE RESULTS WHEN WE TRIED TO TELL EVERYBODY WHAT -- THE ACTIONS THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS TAKING, YOU'RE SEEING RESULTS OF THAT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF MR. ODOM WANTS TO SPEAK TO THAT LAW THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, BUT THEY LITERALLY TOOK THE POWER AWAY FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. >>DON ODOM: I AM AWARE THAT THE ASSIGNMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED IN THE OFFICE AND IT IS BEING RESEARCHED, AND WE WILL -- I'LL TALK TO MS. LEE AND SEE IF WE CAN EXPEDITE THE ANSWER ON THAT. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] TARA TORRES AND MR. ROJAS. TARA TORRES. TARA TORRES. GOING ONCE. OKAY. GRANARY ROJAS. THAT WAS PRETTY BAD, WASN'T IT? >> YOU'RE CLOSE. IT'S GIOVANNI. >>JIM NORMAN: I'M IN THE BALLPARK. GRANARY. IS THE ROJAS PART RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] >> ROJAS IT'S SPANISH. YOU ROLL THE "R." ROJAS. [LAUGHTER] >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >> MY NAME'S GIOVANNI ROJAS. I LIVE IN 8810 AUBURN WAY IN TOWN 'N COUNTRY, AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF NEXT TIME YOU GUYS PLAN TO BUILD A RECREATION OR A PARK FOR YOUTH, MAYBE THE YOUTH HAVE A VOICE IN WHERE YOU PUT THE BUDGET TOWARDS. [APPLAUSE] AND I REPRESENT FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY STUDIES, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO START. ARE YOU GUYS WILLING TO WORK WITH US, THE YOUTH, TO DECIDE WHAT THE BUDGET IS TOWARDS OR USED TOWARDS? I'M SORRY. >>JIM NORMAN: THAT WAS A LOT OF THE PLANS, YES, SIR. AND I KNOW THAT OUR PARKS BOARD IS LOOKING IN THAT DIRECTION, TO HAVE A LOT OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE LEAGUES AND THE KIDS PARTICIPATE, AND THAT WAS A LOT OF THE PLANS AS WE MOVE FORTH IN THIS OVERALL BUDGET PLAN, YES, SIR. >> WHO ARE YOU GUYS WORKING WITH? >>JIM NORMAN: WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS ALL FIELDS IN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A PARKS BOARD THAT HAS THAT COMMISSION OF SETTING THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR OUR PARKS. >> AND IT'S DIRECTLY YOUTH WHO ARE SPEAKING? >>JIM NORMAN: YES. >> ALL RIGHT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>MARK THORNTON: I'M JUST GOING TO CONNECT WITH HIM. >> THANKS. >>MARK THORNTON: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: JOANNA WILLIAMS. JOANNA WILLIAMS, GREGORY CARR, AND GLORIA MILLS. WELCOME. >> HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOANNA WILLIAMS. I AM A LOCAL REPORTER, BUT I AM HERE BECAUSE I'M A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST INVITE ALL THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS UP THERE TO VISIT OUR WEEKLY ORIENTATION. WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM CALLED "JOBSFORFELONS.COM." WE GUARANTEE ANY EX-OFFENDER A JOB NATIONWIDE. WE LAUNCHED THIS PROGRAM IN MIAMI, FLORIDA AT THE FIRST RIGHTS RESTORATION EVENT, AND I WILL BE PARTICIPATING AT THE LOCAL RIGHTS RESTORATION EVENT. REPRESENTATIVE BETTY REED'S OFFICE JUST CALLED ME THE OTHER DAY TO PARTICIPATE COMING UP NEXT SATURDAY. WE DO OFFER ANY EX-OFFENDER A JOB, AND WE WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO COME BY OUR ORIENTATION. IT'S EVERY MONDAY AT 1:00 P.M. BUT I'M HERE REALLY TO SPEAK ON A PROBLEM THAT'S PLAGUING OUR COUNTRY. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY -- STATE -- OR ASK -- IT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION, IF THERE WAS A WAY TO HELP ELIMINATE CRACK COCAINE, WOULD THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER SUPPORT IT? I'M SURE YOU WOULD. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OFFICE IS SUPPORTING AND FUNDING A METH WEB SITE, AND ANTIMETH COMMERCIALS. I'M LETTING YOU GUYS KNOW -- YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW, AND THE AUDIENCE AND THE PEOPLE VIEWING THIS, THAT NOT -- WE'RE NOT DENOUNCING ARM & HAMMER. BAKING SODA IS WHAT IS 99% USED TO MANUFACTURE CRACK COCAINE. RIGHT NOW -- AND THIS IS NOT -- PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T RUSH ME. THIS IS JUST SOAP. THIS IS JUST A MOCK DEMONSTRATION. IT IS WHAT IS 99% USED TO PRODUCE AND MANUFACTURE CRACK COCAINE. RIGHT NOW, LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT HAS SANCTIONED SUDAFED OFF THE SHELVES BECAUSE IT IS DEEMED AS BEING USED TO MANUFACTURE THE ILLEGAL DRUG CRYSTAL METH. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER BOARD IS ALREADY SUPPORTING THE ANTIMETH WEB SITE. CRACK IS THE NUMBER ONE DRUG IN THE U.S. THIS WILL 90% REDUCE -- IT'S CALLED NO BAKING SODA EQUALS NO CRACK LAW. I HAVE BEEN -- HAVE A MEETING WITH THE MAYOR, PAM IORIO, I'VE BEEN TO THE SENATORS HERE. I HAVE KNOCKED ON EVERYONE'S DOOR. RECENTLY I JUST STARTED CONTACTING THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE, SO YOU WILL BE RECEIVING E-MAILS. SO I'M HERE TO IMPLORE YOU THAT YOU WOULD HELP OUR CITY AND OUR NATION BY BEING THE FIRST TO STAND UP AND SUPPORT NO BAKING SODA EQUALS NO CRACK LAW, AND WHAT IT SIMPLY WOULD DO IS REMOVE THIS PRODUCT AND PUT IT BEHIND THE COUNTER, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO USE A PHOTO I.D. TO PURCHASE IT. IT WOULD NOT AFFECT ANYONE'S LIVES OTHER THAN DRUG DEALERS, SO THIS IS A WAY TO GUARANTEE TO HELP. YOU HAVE SO MUCH MONEY GOING TOWARDS POLICE BUDGETS. THEY MEET EVERY DAY TO DO DRUG RAIDS. IF YOU CANNOT PRODUCE CRYSTAL METH -- I'M SORRY -- CRACK COCAINE -- IF YOU CANNOT MANUFACTURE IT, IT CANNOT BE PURCHASED. ALSO, I'D LIKE -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE POLICIES REGARDING NTAs, NOTICE TO APPEAR. TAMPA STANDS FOR TODAY'S AGENDA MORE PEOPLE ARRESTED, AND WE'D LIKE TO HELP STOP THAT. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, MA'AM. GREGORY CARR -- [APPLAUSE] -- GLORIA MILLS, AND LEO ALVAREZ. >> THIS QUESTION IS DIRECTED -- >>JIM NORMAN: WELCOME. >> -- TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ALL OVER AS WELL AS THE ONE THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR GIBSONTON. LIVE IN THE CARRIAGE POINT SUBDIVISION. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING QUITE A LONG FIGHT TO GET OUR AMENITIES PUT IN. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN LAST MARCH. YOU-ALL WILL NOT LET LENNAR BUILD THEM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PUT TURN LANES INTO THE ROAD. THE COMMUNITY IS TOTALLY BUILT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PUT THE LANES IN. YOU MISSED YOUR CHANCE WHEN YOU GAVE ALL THESE HOMES A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO BUILD THESE HOMES. THE ONLY PEOPLE YOU'RE AFFECTING BY NOT PUTTING THE AMENITIES INTO THE COMMUNITY IS THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. >>JIM NORMAN: IS SOMEONE FROM ROAD AND STREET PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THAT? IS SOMEONE HERE? >>PAT BEAN: BOB. >>JIM NORMAN: BOB OR PETER. PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT. >>PETER ALUOTTO: I'LL TAKE THE GENTLEMAN'S INFORMATION, AND WE'LL GO BACK TO THE OFFICE AND WORK ON IT. WE'RE AWARE OF IT. WE HAVE A -- WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GRANTING COs BEFORE THE OFF-SITE IMPROVEMENTS ARE COMPLETE. >> YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM BUILDING MY HOUSE. [INAUDIBLE] >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, LET HIM ANSWER THE QUESTION. >>PETER ALUOTTO: WE'RE CHANGING OUR POLICY AND REEVALUATING OUR POLICY TO BE SURE THAT THE OFF-SITE IMPROVEMENTS ARE COMPLETED BEFORE THE COs ARE ISSUED. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND TRY TO AMEND WHATEVER SITUATION WE HAVE TO MAKE THE DEVELOPER COMPLY. >> THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COMPLY. THE COMMUNITY'S ALREADY BUILT. THEY HAVE SOLD THE OTHER LAND. THE ONLY THING LEFT TO BE BUILT IS YOU'VE GOT THEM SITTING WITH MONEY TO BUILD THIS -- TO BUILD THE CENTER. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, HE SAID HE'S GOING TO GO BACK AND HE'S GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. >> BUT IT'S NOT BEEN ADDRESSED FOR A YEAR. >>JIM NORMAN: HE'S NOW -- YOU'RE HERE. HE'S HEARD YOUR CONCERN, AND HE'S GOING AWAY TO DO THAT. >> YOU'RE NOT DOING NOTHING, THOUGH. >>BRIAN BLAIR: I'D LIKE TO ASK -- I'M A COUNTYWIDE -- CHRIS, WRITE THAT DOWN. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW UP ON THAT RIGHT AWAY. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JIM NORMAN: GLORIA MILLS. GLORIA MILLS. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> I'M GLORIA MILLS, 4123 HENDERSON BOULEVARD, DISTRICT 1. I'M THANKFUL THAT YOU CAME TO OUR DISTRICT TONIGHT. IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE ALL OF YOU, AND I WANT TO SAY THAT YOU DO A GOOD JOB. WE DON'T ALWAYS GET -- >>JIM NORMAN: WOULD YOU SAY THAT AGAIN. [LAUGHTER] I'M SORRY. >> YOU DON'T ALWAYS DO EVERYTHING WE WANT, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE TAMPA METROPOLITAN AREA, WHICH IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND PINELLAS COUNTY, WE PROBABLY HAVE ONE OF THE WORST TRANSITS OF THE WHOLE NATION WHEN IT COMES TO GOOD TRANSIT, AND ALL THE BABY BOOMERS -- I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT GETTING OLDER, SOME OF THEM SHOULDN'T EVEN BE DRIVING ANYMORE. I NOTICED IN THE PAPER THE OTHER DAY THAT A LADY IS TURNING 62 ON JANUARY 1st APPLIED FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DRIVING THAT SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING, BUT THEY DRIVE BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CONVENIENT WAY. I TALKED TO A LADY THE OTHER DAY WHO WORKS IN CLEARWATER -- EXCUSE ME -- LIVES IN CLEARWATER AND WORKS AT TAMPA GENERAL, AND SHE SAYS, I SEE ALL THESE CARS WITH ONE PERSON DRIVING OVER THE BRIDGE TO TAMPA. THAT IS A LOT OF POLLUTION AND A LOT OF WASTE AND A LOT OF GAS THAT COULD BE SAVED, AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS TIME IF THERE IS A REFERENDUM TO GET A SALES TAX OR WHATEVER HAPPENS -- I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT THE ONE THING THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED, THE $500,000, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. TUESDAY I WENT TO A LUNCHEON. I BELIEVE THAT COMMISSIONER NORMAN WAS THERE. THE GREEN DIVIDEND ABOUT HOW IF YOU MAKE TRANSIT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE, 30% WILL USE IT. NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO GIVE UP THEIR CAR. THIS IS A FREE COUNTRY, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME PEOPLE WHO HATE DRIVING OR WHO CAN'T DRIVE OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THEM OFF THE ROAD AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. IT'S GOING TO MAKE A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MORE PEOPLE. I'M WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED "HAFIT," HILLSBOROUGH ADVOCATES FOR IMPROVED TRANSIT. I HOPE THAT YOU ARE HEARING MY MESSAGE, AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME AND SPEAK TO YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, GLORIA. [APPLAUSE] GLORIA'S BEEN QUITE AN ADVOCATE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE HER COMING, AND SHE COMES TO BOARD MEETINGS AND TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND MAKE US AWARE OF HER ISSUES, AND THANK YOU AGAIN, GLORIA. LEO ALVAREZ, BRUNO SMITH, AND JUAN HERNANDEZ, JR. WELCOME, SIR. DID I GET YOUR NAME RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] >> YOU GOT IT. YOU GOT IT. LEO ALVAREZ. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON AND JOINING IN WITH US AND ALLOWING US TO SPEAK, AND THANK YOU FOR THE JOB YOU DO DO FOR US. I APPRECIATE IT. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >> AGAIN, MY NAME IS LEO ALVAREZ. I'M A THIRD-GENERATION TAMPA NATIVE. I LIVE IN WEST TAMPA AND WORK IN THE WEST TAMPA AREA. AND WHAT BRINGS ME OUT THIS EVENING IS TO DISCUSS AN IDEA REGARDING THE HISTORIC CENTRO ESPANOL BUILDING IN WEST TAMPA ON HOWARD AVENUE. NOT GOING INTO GREAT DETAILS REGARDING THE CENTRO'S RECENT HISTORY, I WOULD LIKE FOR THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER A REQUEST THAT A SMALL PORTION OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX FUNDS BE PLACED IN AN ESCROW BY THE COUNTY TO ALLOW US, A GROUP OF WEST TAMPA COMMUNITY LEADERS, TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN OF USE AND RESTORATION FOR THE CENTRO ESPANOL THAT WILL WORK TO MEET APPROVAL OF THE COUNTY. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PROVIDE US WITH A TIME FRAME OF ABOUT SIX MONTHS. IF WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME NOTHING IS TRANSPIRED, THE FUNDS CAN BE REALLOCATED AT THE COUNTY'S DISCRETION. AGAIN, I'D JUST ASK YOU PLEASE CONSIDER THIS FOR THIS TREASURED LANDMARK IN WEST TAMPA. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] BRUNO SCHMIDT, JUAN HERNANDEZ, JR., AND MITCHELL TURNER IT LOOKS LIKE. WELCOME, SIR. >> HI. I'M BRUNO SCHMIDT. I LIVE AT 5836 PORTSMOUTH AVENUE. I SERVED ON THE CANAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND I'M ALSO PRESIDENT OF SAVE OUR CANALS, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION. I'M HERE TODAY BASICALLY -- I'VE BEEN HERE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD, SAY, THREE OR FOUR TIMES. I BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION THE BACTERIA COUNT THAT WE FOUND -- THAT ACTUALLY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOUND IN THE STORMWATER SYSTEM. DURING THE KATRINA PROBLEM, WE HAD COUNTS HIGHER IN OUR STORMWATERS THAN THEY HAD IN KATRINA IN NEW ORLEANS. I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THERE ARE OVER 120,000 SEPTIC TANKS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THE FEDERAL EPA ESTIMATES THAT NATIONWIDE 15% ARE IN BAD REPAIR AND NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I ALSO SENT TO MS. -- MRS. BEAN A COMPREHENSIVE SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION PROGRAM THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING DONE IN CINCINNATI. I DON'T KNOW -- YOU KNOW, WE DON'T INSPECT OUR SEPTIC TANKS. I MEASURE THE POLLUTION -- YOU KNOW, I'M JUST A COMMON GUY. I MEASURE THE POLLUTION IN OUR BAY, IN OUR WATER COMMUNITY, BY HOW MANY TIMES BEN T. DAVIS BEACH IS CLOSED FOR FECAL COLIFORM. FOR ME, THAT'S -- FECAL COLIFORM IS POLLUTION, IT'S SEWAGE. I HAVE YET TO SEE IT GO DOWN IN A SUMMER, I JUST SEE IT GO UP OR REMAIN THE SAME. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY THAT THERE'S ONE SUMMER THAT BEN T. DAVIS BEACH IS NOT CLOSED FOR FECAL COLIFORM COUNTS. NOW, TALKING ABOUT THE CANALS, ON THE -- WE DID A -- ALMOST A TWO-YEAR SURVEY AT THE CAC, AND I SPENT -- EVERY MONTH I WENT THERE, PUT MY TIME IN, AND WE CAME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. THE -- WE FOUND THAT IT ONLY TAKES $15 MILLION FOR 43 MILES OF CANALS TO BE DREDGED AND CLEANED UP SO WE GET PROPER FLUSHING. $1.5 MILLION A YEAR. NOW, EVERY TIME I SEE IN THE PAPER THAT WE'VE SPENT $2 MILLION ON THE TRAIL, WE'VE SPENT 200,000 FOR A STOPLIGHT TO STOP TRAFFIC SO PEOPLE CAN WALK ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE TRAIL, I GET A LITTLE UPSET BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT MONEY SPENT ON A TRAIL THAT'S ONLY OPEN FROM DUSK TO DAWN, AND I SEE NOTHING SPENT OR NOTHING BEING DONE ON THE CANALS, WHICH ARE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FOR FISHERMEN, FOR PEOPLE. TAMPA BAY BAY IS A WATER COMMUNITY. I SEE POLLUTION IN THE -- IN MY CANAL. I'VE SEEN REPORTS OF PEOPLE THROWING FECAL MATTER INTO THE CANAL, DOGS, WHATEVER. I'D LIKE TO KNOW, NUMBER ONE -- >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >> -- IS THERE GOING TO BE A -- >>JIM NORMAN: SIR. >> -- SEPTIC TANK INSPECTION THING -- >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, SIR. >> -- EVER? >>JIM NORMAN: DO WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO -- >>PAT BEAN: WE HAVE LOOKED INTO THAT, AND WE HAVE NOT BROUGHT THAT FORWARD AT THIS POINT IN TIME. I'LL TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT IT AND EXPLAIN SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH IT, BUT WE HAVE YOUR INFORMATION AND WE HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON IT. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] DR. GARRITY. >>RICK GARRITY: COMMISSIONERS, RICK GARRITY WITH EPC. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE, OVER THE PAST YEAR, HAVE FOUND TWO LEAKS AT THE FORCE MAIN NEAR THE BEN T. DAVIS BEACH AND ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA TO GET THOSE FIXED, SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP WITH THE FECAL COLIFORM CONCENTRATION IN THAT AREA, AND ALSO, AS PART OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WE AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE OTHER GOVERNMENTAL BODIES ARE TRYING TO LOOK AT HOT SPOTS FOR SEPTIC TANKS. WE DISCUSSED THAT AT OUR BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK. SO I THINK THAT IS ON THE AGENDA FOR US ALL TO BE LOOKING AT. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JIM NORMAN: NO, SIR. I'VE GOT A LIST HERE I'VE GOT TO GET THROUGH. JUAN HERNANDEZ, JR., MITCHELL -- >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JUAN HERNANDEZ, JR. I AM PRESIDENT OF THE PALMA CEIA WEST HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, AND AFTER VIEWING THE FIRES IN CALIFORNIA BROUGHT THIS QUESTION UP TO MIND. I LIVE IN DISTRICT 1, BUT I ALSO -- IT ALSO CONCERNS ALL THE DISTRICTS. MY QUESTION IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE STATUS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE HYDRANTS. THE CONTRACTORS MAY SAY THAT 85% OF THEM MAY BE SERVICEABLE AND 15% ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR. MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT 15% IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD? I LIVE -- THE NEAREST FIRE HYDRANT IS TWO BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE HOMES AROUND ME IF THERE WAS TO BE A FIRE AND THAT HYDRANT WAS NOT SERVICEABLE. THE ASSOCIATIONS -- THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE FACT WHICH HYDRANTS ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR. IF MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS ALL OF THEM A HUNDRED PERCENT, THEN I'M HAPPY, BUT IF IT'S NOT, THEN I WILL FOLLOW UP, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHICH FIRE HYDRANTS ARE AT. I APPROACHED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I ASKED THAT QUESTION. THE FIREMAN THAT WAS THERE SAYS IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM, THEY HAVE CONTRACTORS. WELL, MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THAT HYDRANT IS OPERABLE? WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL WE GET THERE. SO MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE A CODE, COLOR THEM RED IF THEY'RE SERVICEABLE, GREEN IF THEY'RE NOT, ORANGE IF THEY'RE UNDER REPAIR SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW. OUR MAIN CONCERN IS IS THAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE FIRES THAT ARE IN CALIFORNIA IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, LET ME SAY -- >> THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: -- LET ME SAY WE DID HAVE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS, AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY SERVICING THESE FIRE HYDRANTS AND ALERTED US THAT THEY WERE ALL IN WORKING ORDER. WE WENT BACK AND DOUBLE-CHECKED THEM OURSELVES AND FOUND THERE WERE SEVERAL THAT WERE NOT AFTER THEY HAD CHECKED THEM OFF AS SERVICEABLE AND WORKABLE. WE ACTUALLY FIRED THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND BLACK LISTED THEM THAT THEY COULD NO LONGER WORK IN THIS COUNTY. WE HAVE NOW TURNED THAT OVER TO OUR WATER DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN AND MAKE SURE ALL ARE IN WORKING ORDER, AND ALSO, TO TELL YOU HOW REALLY PREPARED OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS, WHEN THEY GO TO A SITE, THEY BRING ACTUALLY A WATER TRUCK WITH THEM THAT IS -- THERE WILL BE NO DOWN TIME AS FAR AS WATER GOING ON THE FIRE TILL THEY CAN GET TO A WORKING HYDRANT WITHIN THE GENERAL AREA THAT WILL FEED THE FIRE TRUCK, SO THEY ARE VERY PREPARED. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT OUR FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE INFORMED AND VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE OF HOW THEY EDUCATE US TO HOW THEY DELIVER THAT SERVICE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF OUR -- DOES SOMEONE HERE WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT AT ALL, ONE OF OUR -- VANDERPLOOG OR MR. VANDERPLOOG. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, LET ME JUST ASK SOMETHING, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THAT OVERLAPS, BUT I BELIEVE YOU LIVE IN PALMA CEIA, WHICH IS IN THE CITY. >>JIM NORMAN: THAT MAY BE THE CITY, I KNOW. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND IF I CAN GIVE ADVICE ON THIS. JUAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN PALMA CEIA. I'M SORRY THAT THAT FIREFIGHTER RESPONDED TO YOU LIKE THAT. I CAN TELL YOU IN MY YEARS AT THE CITY OF TAMPA WHEN CHIEF JONES BECAME CHIEF OF FIRE RESCUE, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING HE NEVER WOULD HAVE TOLERATED. WHAT I MIGHT SUGGEST -- AND EVERYTHING THAT MR. NORMAN SAID IS CORRECT. FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY UMBRELLA-WISE, WE DID MAKE SURE WE TOOK ACTION AND DEALT WITH THE CONTRACTOR WHO WASN'T DOING A GOOD JOB. THE CITY HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUES. WHAT I MIGHT SUGGEST, SIR, IF YOU'LL COME OVER HERE, OR DELLA, YOU CAN GO OVER THERE, SHE WILL TAKE YOUR NAME AND NUMBER AND WE WILL GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU SO YOU CAN DISPERSE IT TO YOUR MEMBERS IN PALMA CEIA, AND I PERSONALLY WILL FOLLOW IT UP, THAT CHIEF JONES WILL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THEY'RE DOING THE APPROPRIATE THINGS, JUST LIKE THIS BOARD DID IN THE COUNTY, TO MAKE SURE THOSE FIRE HYDRANTS ARE WORKING, THEY'VE BEEN TESTED, AND THAT NO CONTRACTOR IS COLLECTING ON SERVICE THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING. I PROMISE YOU. I WAS AN AVID FAN AND CONTINUE TO BE OF PUBLIC SAFETY. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH CHIEF JONES AND YOU TO GET YOU THE INFORMATION, SO IF YOU DON'T MIND GIVING DELLA YOUR INFORMATION, WE WILL FOLLOW UP AND GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: AND SIR, WE AGREE WITH YOU. THAT'S A NO-NONSENSE ISSUE. THEY HAVE TO WORK. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. >> THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: MITCHELL TURNER. [APPLAUSE] WELCOME, SIR. >> I'M MITCHELL TURNER. I LIVE AT 9205 TUDOR DRIVE IN TUDOR KAY CONDOMINIUMS, AND I HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT OUR MEMBERS HAVE ADDRESSED OR HAVE QUESTIONED. THE PRIMARY IS THE TRAFFIC AND THE SAFETY ON HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE JUST WEST OF SHELDON ROAD THERE WHERE WE ARE. THERE'S A LOT OF SPEEDING THAT GOES ON. WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS, OF PEOPLE GETTING HIT AS THEY TRY TO TURN INTO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE SPEEDING. ALSO BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS AT THE INTERSECTION OF MEMORIAL, HILLSBOROUGH, AND SHELDON ROAD THERE'S A BACKUP - - ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNINGS -- THAT GOES WELL PAST OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS PROBABLY A QUARTER OF A MILE AWAY FROM THAT INTERSECTION WHERE THAT BACKS UP, AND I'VE TALKED TO ONE OF YOUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERS HERE TODAY AS A RESULT OF -- MAYBE WE CAN GET SOMETHING DONE THERE. THEY PROMISED US WHEN HOME DEPOT WENT IN THAT THAT INTERSECTION WOULD BE WORKED ON, AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE, AND THAT'S BEEN FIVE OR SIX YEARS THAT HOME DEPOT HAS BEEN THERE. ANOTHER ISSUE, OF COURSE, IS THE CANAL BEHIND US, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S BEEN ADDRESSED, AND WE ARE ANXIOUS TO SEE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THE SILT BUILDUP AND THE POSSIBLE POLLUTION IN THAT CANAL. WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOME DRUG DEALING AND ISSUES OF PEOPLE COMING IN AND USING OUR COMMUNITY TO GET OFF THE STREET AND DO THINGS THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING, AND SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS OR REASONS OF COMING HERE TONIGHT WAS TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF OUTREACH YOU CAN DO TO ADDRESS THE 262 UNITS AND WELL OVER 500 PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN OUR PARTICULAR CONDOMINIUM. IS THERE SOMEPLACE WE CAN GO, A ONE-STOP SHOP THAT WILL HELP US INTERFACE WITH THE COMMISSION AND/OR THE STAFF AND WORKERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES? WE HAVEN'T BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN CONTACTING THE COMMUNITY SERVICES, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND WHERE WE CAN GET AHOLD OF THEM. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SENIOR CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY ARE STRAPPED AT THE POINT OF THE TAXES AND INSURANCE AND OUR OWN COMMUNITY FEES. WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THINGS GO UP, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF CUTTING TAXES AND, THEREFORE, CUTTING SERVICES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO PEOPLE. AND FINALLY, JUST SOMETHING THAT'S PERSONAL TO ME IS THE ELDER SERVICES. I WAS A INVESTIGATOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. PLEASE DON'T CUT THE ELDER SERVICES AND THE HEALTH CARE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DEPEND ON HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: SIR, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS FOR YOU. I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS ONE-STOP SHOPPING, BUT I BELIEVE YOU'RE IN OUR DISTRICT -- IN MY DISTRICT. MS. CURY WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE YOU ONE OF MY CARDS. WHY DON'T YOU ITEMIZE ALL OF THOSE CONCERNS, AND INSTEAD OF YOU GOING FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO THE NEXT DEPARTMENT TO THE NEXT DEPARTMENT, PERHAPS maybe WE CAN INTERCEDE, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY DO THAT, NOT PERHAPS. IN TERMS OF YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT OUR GERIATRIC POPULATION, ABSOLUTELY. AS A PHARMACIST, THERE WAS A GREAT PORTION OF MY PHARMACY, AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW -- AND YOU'RE NODDING YES. SO AS WE ALSO TAKE CARE OF KIDS AND WE TALK ABOUT RECREATION ACTIVITIES, ET CETERA, SO SHOULD WE TAKE CARE OF OUR ELDERLY. THEY HAVE DESERVED IT AND, THEY HAVE EARNED IT, AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF ENCOURAGING ANY KIND OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, AGAIN, I'M YOUR COMMISSIONER, I'LL BE HAPPY TO INTERCEDED WITH THAT. SO IF YOU CAN WORK WITH DELLA TO GIVE HER THOSE LIST OF THINGS, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, SIR. JAN GROH, TOMMY CASTELLANO, AND TOM HOLCOMB. JAN, COME ON DOWN. WELCOME, JAN. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JAN GROH. I LIVE AT 3329 WEST PINE STREET -- THAT'S MacFARLAND PARK SUBDIVISION -- 33607. MY CONCERN IS -- IT'S A REALLY BIG ONE, THE PROPOSED JET FUEL PIPELINE THAT WILL START AT THE PORT OF TAMPA, THROUGH YBOR CITY, TAMPA HEIGHTS, AND OLD WEST TAMPA TO THE AIRPORT. THE COMPANY TO BUILD THIS PIPELINE IS KINDER MORGAN. THEY HAVE A DISMAL RECORD OF LEAKS, EXPLOSIONS, FIRES, AND DEATHS AS FAR NORTH AS CANADA. RICHARD KINDER IS THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF ENRON -- IS A FORMER PRESIDENT. MY GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, LILLIANA IS 15 MONTHS OLD. SHE'S THE SEVENTH GENERATION OF MY FAMILY TO LIVE IN OLD WEST TAMPA. THE CITY -- MacFARLAND PARK IS BUILDING A BEAUTIFUL WATER PARK FOR THE CHILDREN, AND FROM WHAT I SAW ON TELEVISION, THAT PIPELINE IS GOING RIGHT THROUGH THE PARK. I MEAN, IT IS JUST RIGHT THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, IT'S RIGHT THROUGH OUR FRONT YARDS, AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY PLEASE DON'T LET KINDER MORGAN, WITH THEIR DISRESPECT FOR LIFE AND THEIR ARROGANCE, GO THROUGH WITH THIS PROJECT. THAT'S ALL. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >>ROSE FERLITA: MA'AM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TO MAKE TO THAT. OF COURSE, IT'S IN WEST TAMPA, AND THAT'S PART OF MY DISTRICT AND THE CITY. WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PORT AUTHORITY, WHICH I AM FOR NOW STILL THERE. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I LOOKED AT SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS, AND I RESEARCHED THEM. THERE ARE NO PERMITS THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED OR APPLIED FOR THROUGH THE PORT AUTHORITY, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU TO LOBBY THE PORT AUTHORITY IN TERMS OF A PERMIT. WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS IT'S GOING FROM HOOKER'S POINT THROUGH MANY OF THE COMMUNITIES' NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THAT CONCERNS ME AND THAT HAS OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED SOME OF YOUR REPRESENTATION ON CITY COUNCIL. THE FLIP SIDE IS, WELL, THAT MAKES IT SAFER THAN TRUCKERS COMING THROUGH, BUT -- I'M NOT SURE I SUBSCRIBE TO THAT. >> CHARLIE MIRANDA SAID THAT. >>ROSE FERLITA: YES, CHARLIE SAID THAT. I KNOW. >> BUT I THINK IF CHARLIE HAD IT THROUGH HIS NEIGHBORHOOD, HE MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY. >>ROSE FERLITA: BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GOING TO BE TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT, IS THIS SAFER OR IS THAT SAFER, BUT IT COMES DOWN TO THIS: I RECOMMEND THAT YOU CONTINUE TO LOBBY YOUR REPRESENTATIVE ON COUNCIL, WHETHER THEY'RE YOUR DISTRICT REP OR NOT, AND ALSO SEND YOUR CONCERNS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. AND I'M NOT TRYING TO FLIP AN ISSUE HERE, BUT WHERE IT LIES NOW IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY OF TAMPA AGREES TO A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THEM AND THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT. IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEN IT WILL NOT TRANSPIRE, AND THEN I THINK YOUR CONCERN WILL BE ADDRESSED. SO YOU REALLY, REALLY NEED TO LOBBY THEM. I'M CERTAINLY ONBOARD WITH IT. I'VE GOT SOME LITERATURE RIGHT HERE ON PIPELINE BECAUSE I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE A CONCERN. THAT'S WHO YOU NEED TO LOBBY AT THIS POINT. >> MAY I GIVE YOU THIS AND YOU CAN MAKE COPIES. >>ROSE FERLITA: YES. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MA'AM. TOMMY. WELCOME, SIR. >> TOMMY CASTELLANO. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. AFTER 38 YEARS OF MARRIAGE, IT'S VERY SELDOM I GET TO SAY ANYTHING. [LAUGHTER] I HAVE TO SUBMIT A REQUEST -- >>JIM NORMAN: WHAT'S YOUR CLUE THERE TO GET SOME TIME? WHAT'S YOUR CLUE? HELP US OUT. >> BASICALLY, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN WEST TAMPA. MY BUSINESS IS LOCATED AT 2206 NORTH ARMENIA AVENUE, AND IT IS MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE, ACTUALLY, THAT WAS LIVING THERE. ONE OF OUR CONCERNS IS I GREW UP IN WEST TAMPA. WHEN I WAS A BABY, IT WAS A TWO-LANE -- IT WAS TWO-WAY HIGHWAY, AND NOW CONCERNS ARE TO REVERT IT BACK TO TWO WAY, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. I BECAME THE WEST TAMPA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT, AND BEING THE PRESIDENT, WE'VE REALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW. WE WENT FROM ABOUT 18 MEMBERS FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO TO ABOUT 100 MEMBERS RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE -- MOST OF THE INVESTMENT IS FROM WEST TAMPA -- IN WEST TAMPA HAS COME FROM PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, PRIVATE INVESTORS. FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, FOR 35 YEARS I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN IN WEST TAMPA BECAUSE WE'RE THE GATEWAY TO THE COMMUNITY. YOU GO TO HYDE PARK, YOU'RE COMING THROUGH WEST TAMPA. YOU GO DOWNTOWN, YOU'RE COMING THROUGH WEST TAMPA. YOU'RE COMING FROM THE AIRPORT, YOU'RE COMING THROUGH WEST TAMPA. BEING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE THE HOST OF THE 2009 SUPER BOWL AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE -- WE HAVE A PROJECT WE'RE TRYING TO BEAUTIFY WEST TAMPA, AND SOME OF THE BUSINESSES HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER. SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE, WE'VE UNITED AND WE HAVE A CALENDAR OF EVENTS WE'RE DOING, AND BASICALLY DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING IN, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IT'S NICE SOLID FAMILY BUSINESSES. FOR ONE WOULD BE BAKER & COMPANY, WHICH IS LIKE AN ANTIQUE SHOP AND CURIO SHOP IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN -- IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN THERE. BASICALLY WHAT WE WOULD LIKE IS TO SEE IF THE COUNTY CAN HELP US OUT WITH SOME INVESTMENT DOLLARS. I KNOW LEO ALVAREZ WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ESPANOL BUILDING, AND ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN WORK OUT A DEAL TO TAKE THAT OVER AND MAKE IT FEASIBLE FOR THE COUNTY AND THE CITY TO MAKE IT A VIABLE SITUATION WHERE IT'S JUST NOT SITTING THERE VACANT AND GETTING MORE DAMAGED. BUT WE NEED TO BEAUTIFY THE GATEWAY TO THE CITY WHERE ALL OUR VISITORS ARE COMING, AND ONE OF THEM IS MAYBE PUTTING SOME STREET SIGNS AND -- MAYBE A LITTLE BIT NOSTALGIC STREET SIGNS, AND WE WANT TO COME TO THE COUNTY TO HELP OUT WITH THAT THERE. I KNOW THAT AFTER HEARING ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT EVERYBODY'S HAVING WITH THE WATER, THE NOISE POLLUTION, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I FEEL KIND OF GUILTY ABOUT ASKING FOR THAT, BUT MOST OF THE STUFF WE'RE DOING IS COMMUNITY INVOLVED AND MOST OF IT IS THROUGH PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE MAY NEED JUST A FEW BUCKS TO SEE IF YOU CAN HELP US OUT. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I'VE GOTTEN SOME DIALOGUE BACK AND FORTH AND REPORTS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN COURTEOUS ENOUGH TO TELL ME ABOUT. I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT -- AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, SOMEONE, THAT HILLS -- THAT ARMENIA AND HOWARD ARE COUNTY STREETS? IS THAT RIGHT, BOB? >> [INAUDIBLE] >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF AT SOME POINT -- I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS, BUT MIGHT YOU TALK TO TOMMY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO AND HOW WE MIGHT BE INVOLVED. AND JUST A WORD OF ADVICE TO YOU, SIR, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A COUSIN WHO IS A FORMER COLLEAGUE OF MINE ON CITY COUNCIL, MS. ALVAREZ. BEFORE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK OR NOT TO SPEAK AT HOME BECAUSE IT MIGHT GET BACK. >>JIM NORMAN: YOU NOTICE WHO DOES ALL THE TALKING UP HERE. [LAUGHTER] >>ROSE FERLITA: THAT IS CERTAINLY CORRECT, OLLY. [LAUGHTER] >>JIM NORMAN: TOM HOLCOMB, TONY BARNA. HOLCOMB? TOM HOLCOMB. OKAY. TONY. IS TONY WITH US, B-A-R-N-A. BARNA. WELL, COME ON DOWN, AND KLAUS BARNA. YOU-ALL MUST BE RELATED. >> HI. I LIVE IN TOWN 'N COUNTRY. >>JIM NORMAN: WELCOME. >> AND I LIVE IN THE -- AT THE PORTION OF SHELDON AND WATERS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING BRUSHY CREEK RESTORED TO ITS NATURAL COURSE AND FLOW. CURRENTLY THE CREEK IS DATED -- IS DAMMED JUST NORTH OF HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE AND CUT OFF FROM THE NORTH END OF OLD TAMPA BAY, NO LONGER EXPOSED TO THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE NATURAL WATER MOVEMENT OF THE BAY, FED BY UNCONTROLLED STORMWATER RUNOFF AND OTHER POLLUTANTS AND TRASH. THE DAM UP-PORTIONS OF BRUSHY CREEK IS BECOME NUTRIENT AND A TRASH-RICH WATER HOLE. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO CHANGE THIS? AS WELL, MS. FERLITA, WILL TOWN 'N COUNTRY TAXES BE SPENT ON TOWN 'N COUNTRY UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP? AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >>JIM NORMAN: IS SOMEONE HERE TO ADDRESS THE CREEK ISSUE? >>PAT BEAN: BRUSHY CREEK. >>JIM NORMAN: MR. GORDON. >>BOB GORDON: WE'LL TAKE -- BOB GORDON, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. WE'LL TAKE MORE INFORMATION FROM HER. I BELIEVE SHE'S TALKING ABOUT SALINITY BARRIER ON THE CREEK THERE, SO WE PROBABLY -- >>JIM NORMAN: COULD YOU MAYBE MEET SOME OF THOSE FOLKS THERE ON-SITE? >>BOB GORDON: YES, WE CAN DO THAT. >>JIM NORMAN: AND MA'AM, IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE IN YOUR AREA AND WOULD LIKE TO MEET MR. GORDON AND HIS STAFF OUT THERE TO SHOW HIM PERSONALLY, THEY'LL MEET YOU OUT THERE. OKAY? KLAUS. KLAUS BARNA. WELCOME. >> MY NAME'S KLAUS BARNA. I LIVE AT 8308 WOODLAKE PLACE, IN TAMPA, FLORIDA. I'M MARRIED TO THE LOVELY LADY THAT PRECEDED ME. I WOULD LIKE TO -- YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE A LITTLE MORE GENERAL, BUT THE ISSUE I REALLY HAVE IS -- AND THE REASON -- THE RECENT INCREASES OF PROPERTY TAXES. I HAD -- I HAVE A LITTLE WEDGE OF LAND WHICH IS REALLY A LEFTOVER. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PASSAGEWAY, AND IN THE LAST THREE YEARS IT'S WENT FROM $400 TO $76,000. UNTIL THE COUNTY REALIZED THAT THEY HAD MISAPPRAISED THE PROPERTY -- IN OTHER WORDS, THEY CATEGORIZED IT AS A BUILDABLE LOT WHEN IT WASN'T. IT'S JUST A LITTLE WEDGE OF LAND, AND SINCE IT'S BORDERING ON ROCKY CREEK, IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS CANAL-FRONT, AND -- [LAUGHTER] -- BUT ANYWAY, THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS I DEALT WITH THEM, THEY CORRECTED IT BY REDUCING IT SOMEWHAT; HOWEVER, IT'S BEEN PUT INTO THE BUREAUCRACY TO BE REFUNDED TO ME OF SORTS, AND I HAVE RECEIVED REFUNDS FOR '84 AND '86. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY REMAINING REFUND, AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT I CAN'T JOIN THAT PIECE OF LAND TO MY PROPERTY BECAUSE THERE'S STILL AN OUTSTANDING ISSUE. WITHOUT GOING INTO PERSONAL ISSUES, IT CREATES PROBLEMS, AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF SOMEBODY COULD MAYBE CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND SAY, HEY, HOW MUCH -- >>JIM NORMAN: SIR, WE'RE GOING TO ASK -- >> HOW CAN WE RESOLVE THIS ISSUE? >>JIM NORMAN: WE'RE GOING TO ASK OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY TO PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THIS BECAUSE THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING WE CAN TRY TO REFER OVER. >> I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN IT TO MY LAND -- >>JIM NORMAN: I UNDERSTAND. >> -- RESOLVE THAT ISSUE, MOVE ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF MY LIFE AND JUST TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF. >>JIM NORMAN: IF WE CAN POSSIBLY HELP, SIR, OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY WILL TAKE YOUR NAME AND NUMBER AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOU TOMORROW. >> I APPRECIATE IT. >>JIM NORMAN: BOARD MEMBERS, LET ME TELL YOU, I'VE GOT FIVE CARDS REMAINING. I'VE BEEN TOLD TO PULL THE PLUG HERE. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS LET THESE LAST FIVE FOLKS GET THEIR COMMENTS ON THE RECORD. I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM TWO MINUTES PER PERSON. PLEASE, IF WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANYMORE COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS. I'M MAKING AN ATTEMPT TO LET THESE FOLKS MAKE SURE THEY GET THEIR ISSUES ADDRESSED BEFORE THE BOARD WHERE OUR STAFF CAN GO OFF AND TRY TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM AFTER THIS MEETING, SO THE FIRST PERSON I HAVE IS MARIANNE CUFONE, ANN JOHNSON, MARK WALDBAUM. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JIM NORMAN: THERE YOU GO. MARIANNE. >> IT'S ALL GOOD. HI, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS MARIANNE CUFONE. I HAVE, IN MY TIME IN TAMPA, LIVED IN PARKERS LANDING, BAY CREST, AND ALSO CARROLLWOOD. I'M HERE TO BEAT THAT DEAD HORSE ABOUT THE CANALS, OF COURSE, AND I THINK IT'S HILARIOUS, OF COURSE, THAT MY CARD CAME UP RIGHT WHEN YOU WERE CUTTING DOWN THE TIME TO TWO MINUTES, BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE YOU'VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR, LIKE, FOUR YEARS NOW, AND REALLY, THAT'S THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE. I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR FOUR YEARS NOW, AND PEOPLE'S PATIENCE ARE RUNNING OUT, SO MY PITCH TONIGHT IS NOT FIX THE CANALS, CLEAN UP THE POLLUTION, MAKE SURE THERE'S NO MORE CLOSURES OF BEN T. DAVIS BEACH, MY PITCH TONIGHT IS LET'S GET A REAL DIALOGUE GOING, NOT WITH STAFF, NOT WITH HANDPICKED PEOPLE FROM NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THIS AND YOU-ALL, THE ACTUAL COMMISSIONERS WHO CAN MAKE DECISIONS, AND LET'S MEET FOR AN HOUR ONCE A MONTH FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS AND TRY AND GET SOMETHING DONE BECAUSE PEOPLE'S PATIENCE ARE RUNNING OUT, AND I PROMISE YOU YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LAWSUIT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY TIRED OF TALKING ABOUT THIS WATER ISSUE, AND IT'S ENOUGH TALKING, IT'S ENOUGH DELAY, IT'S ENOUGH DEATH BY COMMITTEE, IT'S ENOUGH $281,000 IN A STUDY AND $500,000 IN AN ACCOUNT THAT HASN'T BEEN TOUCHED. IT'S ENOUGH. LET'S JUST DO IT. STOP TALKING. LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS AND GET IT DONE. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: ANN JOHNSON, MARK WALDBAUM, LORI ANN DIAZ. WELCOME. >> THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SOUTH TAMPA. GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU. FIRST OF ALL -- [BUZZER RINGING] >>JIM NORMAN: IT'S OVER. [LAUGHTER] >> MY NAME IS ANN JOHNSON, AND I LIVE AT 4625 LONGFELLOW IN SUNSET PARK. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE SUNSET PARK AREA HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION FOR THE MINIGRANT WE RECEIVED TO STRAIGHTEN OUR SIGNS, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE TO HEAR THE OPENING REMARKS, BUT I WAS IN CLEARWATER ATTENDING THE CONSUMER FIREWORKS TASK FORCE, AND WE WERE AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE STATE THAT WERE THERE TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE ILLEGAL FIREWORKS GOING OFF IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE ALL HAD A LITTLE SESSION AFTER THE MEETING, AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHO DIDN'T SUPPORT THE FIREWORKS ORDINANCE. I WAS VERY HAPPY TO TELL THEM, SO WATCH OUT COME ELECTION TIME. BUT ANYWAY, IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING MEETING. I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE KNOW THE STATE LEGISLATURE APPOINTED A CONSUMER FIREWORKS TASK FORCE. ON THAT TASK FORCE SITS THREE MEMBERS OF THE FIREWORKS INDUSTRY, SO WE KNOW WHERE THAT'S GOING. SO ANYWAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT. WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH PEOPLE AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND, OF COURSE, THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT FIREWORKS ARE NOT MADE LEGAL IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND TO STRENGTHEN THE STATUTE 791. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING AND THANK YOU FOR OUR MINIGRANT. NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU AGAIN. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >> AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, ROSE, FOR ALL YOU DO FOR DISTRICT 1. >>JIM NORMAN: MARK WALDBAUM. >> YES, SIR. MY NAME IS MARK WALDBAUM. I'M ARGUABLY STILL THE PRESIDENT OF TAMPA BAPTIST MANOR TENANTS ASSOCIATION. OUR ADMINISTRATOR, JUDY MORRIS, CLAIMS THAT SHE DISBANDED US BY LETTER SEPTEMBER 21st, BY MY READING, TOTALLY AGAINST HUD REGULATIONS, WHICH STATE THAT WE ARE INDEPENDENT OF MANAGEMENT. WHEN I WENT TO SEE HER, SHE TOOK ALL MY NOTES AND NOTICES AND PLASTERED THEM ON MY DOOR AS IF TO SAY I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU, YOU DON'T EXIST ANYMORE. SO I'VE BEEN TO HUD A COUPLE TIMES. THEY DON'T -- YOU CALL THEIR NUMBER, THEY DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE, THEY DON'T ANSWER THE MESSAGE YOU LEAVE. YOU LEAVE NOTES FOR THEM, THEY DON'T GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU, SO MY FEELING ABOUT HUD IS THEIR SILENCE IS DEAFENING. THIS IS FROM SHELLEY BLOOD. SHE'S THE GREATEST. SHE FUNDED OUR TENANTS ASSOCIATION THANKSGIVING PARTY, WHICH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVED. SHE CALLS ME UP A COUPLE DAYS AGO AND SAYS, MARK, WE HAVE A LITTLE SNAFU IN YOUR FUNDING. I SAID, OH, NO, SHELLEY, DON'T TELL ME. SHE SAYS MR. LIMPSKY FROM THE CHURCH IS GOING TO MEET WITH YOU AND ME, AND THAT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE I CAME HERE, SO WHEN JUDY REALIZED SHE COULDN'T CLOSE US DOWN, SHE SENT ME AN EVICTION NOTICE FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN UP TO BAY AREA LEGAL SERVICES BEFORE THE MEETING WITH SHELLEY AND MR. LIMPSKY. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE SEQUENCE -- IT JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON, AND I JUST WANT -- I TOLD MR. LIMPSKY, I SAID, YOU- ALL HAVE -- OH, FIRST, JUDY CLAIMS SHE DID NOT SIGN THE LETTER SEPTEMBER 21st. I SAID, JUDY, LOOK AT THIS SIGNATURE. IS THAT YOURS? SHE SAID, NO, I DIDN'T SIGN IT, I DIDN'T WRITE IT. I SAID, WHO WROTE IT? SHE SAID, A TENANT WROTE IT. I SAID, YOU SIGNED IT, YOU WROTE IT. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU, SIR. >> ANYTHING YOUR -- SHELLEY LEANS TOWARDS THAT WE EXIST, SIR, AND YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON IF SHE APPROVES IT FOR YOU TO APPROVE HER APPROVAL. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. LORIANN DIAZ, AND ED TURANCHIK. >> I GOT IT. FIRST OF ALL, I'D REALLY LIKE TO THANK ROSE FERLITA RIGHT UP FRONT. RUN FOR MAYOR. [APPLAUSE] AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'D DO WITHOUT YOU. YOU ARE THE MOST TRUSTWORTHY PERSON I KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY I WENT THROUGH YOU TO GET SOME ANSWERS FOR THE PEOPLE OF DAVIS ISLAND. I RECEIVED A MASTER PLAN YESTERDAY, AND I HAVE COPIES ON A CD FOR ANY OF MY NEIGHBORS THAT WOULD LIKE A COPY. I ONLY GOT A CHANCE TO SKIM THROUGH IT TODAY, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT POINTS THAT I'D LIKE TO GO OVER PERTAINING TO WHAT THE AIRPORT PLANS TO DO. BEFORE I START, I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO DO THIS, BUT BECAUSE THE PLANE CRASH WITH THE TATES AFFECTED ME PERSONALLY -- TATE DOESN'T KNOW THIS, BUT I GUESS AFTER THIS TELEVISED VIEWING, SHE WILL. THIS IS MY BEST FRIEND LISA COHEN WHO DIED SEVERAL YEARS AGO FROM CANCER. IN THIS PHOTO, SHE HAD HAIR. AFTER SHE DIED, WE TOOK OVER HER DOG MADDIE. WE INHERITED HER. I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THAT THE FUMES FROM THE PLANE CRASH CAUSED THIS DOG TO DIE A FEW DAYS AFTER THE PLANE HIT THE HOUSE. THIS IS MY OTHER DOG RIGHT HERE, AND HIS EYES SWELLED UP, AND IT'S BELIEVED THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE FUMES FROM THE PLANE. OF COURSE, I TOOK CARE OF ALL THE VET BILLS, AND IT WAS JUST TRAUMATIZING TO SEE THIS HAPPEN TO OUR DOGS, PARTICULARLY MY BEST FRIEND, AND THIS IS MY BEST FRIEND RIGHT HERE WHO DIED. THERE'S A COUPLE OF POINTS I WANTED TO GO OVER WITH THIS MASTER PLAN AND A FEW THINGS THAT I READ THAT I'M CONCERNED OVER, AND I REALLY THANK MR. COOLEY AND THE BOYS FOR COMING HERE TONIGHT TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND IN THIS MASTER PLAN WERE THE FOLLOWING: THERE'S GOING TO BE A 20% INCREASE, WHICH IS GOING TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF NOISE. THAT WAS WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK. THE OTHER THING IS THE -- >> OH, MY TWO MINUTES ARE ALREADY UP. I REALLY HAD SOME POINTS ABOUT THE -- THE RUNWAY EXPANSION, AND WE'RE AFRAID THAT LARGE AND MORE POWERFUL PLANES WILL BE COMING IN, AND WE ALSO HAD CONCERNS OVER THE HANGARS AND THE SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE TATES WITH THE FENCE. >>JIM NORMAN: AND MA'AM, IF YOU GIVE THAT LIST TO OUR COUNTY FOLKS BACK HERE, THEY WILL GET ANSWERS THE BEST THEY CAN FOR YOU. >> YES, SIR. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. >>JIM NORMAN: ED TURANCHIK, FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1. >> YES. HI. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY HELLO TO THE COUNTY STAFF WHO I HAVEN'T SEEN IN YEARS. >>JIM NORMAN: YOU GOT A LITTLE GRAY, ED. WHAT HAPPENED? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M HERE IN THREE ORGANIZATIONS TONIGHT. TWO ARE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITIES AND MIGHT NEED ONE MORE MINUTE. I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK ABOUT IT. FIRST OF ALL, I AM THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE WEST TAMPA VOLUNTEERS LAND USE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. THAT IS A COMMITTEE THAT WAS FORMED AS AN OUTGROWTH OF THE WEST TAMPA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN. THAT PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION. THE COUNTY COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED IT, AS DID THE CITY COUNCIL. RECENTLY THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION AT CITY COUNCIL ABOUT TWO-WAYING HOWARD AND ARMENIA, AND YOU'VE HEARD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT TONIGHT. COUNCILMAN MULHERN HAD A MEETING IN WEST TAMPA, AND I THINK SHE WAS EXPECTING TO GET SUPPORT FOR TWO-LANING, AND IN FACT, IT CAME OUT VERY DIFFERENT THAN THAT. THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF THE WEST TAMPA LAND USE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE IS TO REQUEST THE COUNTY ASSIST IN THE BEAUTIFICATION AND TRAFFIC CALMING OF HOWARD AND ARMENIA, COUNTY ROADWAYS. WE'D LIKE TO WORK WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVES HERE, AND THEN WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING TO SOME OF THE COUNTY STAFF. WE'D LIKE TO SEE IF THAT CAN GET DONE BEFORE SUPER BOWL 2009. THAT'S A DANGEROUS ROAD. I'VE PERSONALLY SEEN PEOPLE DIE ON IT. I THINK THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH SOLID GROWTH MANAGEMENT POLICIES. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVING IN WEST TAMPA, AND THIS IS A FAIRLY DE MINIMIS EXPENDITURE, BUT IT IS A COUNTY ROADWAY, AND WE COULD USE YOUR HELP. NUMBER ONE, THAT'S A REQUEST FORMALLY FROM THAT GROUP COMING OUT OF THAT STUDY, WHICH YOU HAVE ADOPTED. NUMBER TWO, I AM CHAIRMAN OF THE WEST TAMPA MARKETING COMMITTEE, AND WE APPRECIATE THE HELP THE COUNTY HAS GIVEN TO CENTRO ESPANOL. I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE BUILDING, BUT IT'S A SPECTACULAR BUILDING, AND WE BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE A STUNNING CULTURAL ASSET FOR ALL OF THE COUNTY. YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR CHAMBER PRESIDENT TONIGHT, OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TONIGHT ASKING THE COUNTY TO FORMALLY PARTICIPATE AND HELP THE COMMUNITY FIGURE OUT A REUSE PLAN FOR THAT FACILITY. >>JIM NORMAN: YES, SIR. GET TO THREE. >> ONE MORE MINUTE, PLEASE. >>JIM NORMAN: PLEASE. I'VE CUT EVERYBODY OFF. PLEASE GET TO IT VERY QUICKLY. >> UNDER THE COUNTY RULES, THE THINK ORGANIZATIONS GET FIVE MINUTES. I HAD TWO ORGANIZATIONS. >>JIM NORMAN: NOT UNDER MY RULE. GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU. I AM ALSO THE PRINCIPAL OF A COMPANY CALLED IN-TOWN HOMES, AND WE'LL BE BUILDING ABOUT $25-MILLION OF HOMES IN WEST TAMPA. >>JIM NORMAN: OKAY. >> I ATTENDED A MEETING OF THE HILLSBOROUGH FINANCE ASSOCIATION -- >>JIM NORMAN: OKAY. >> -- OR AGENCY YESTERDAY, AND I'M OFFICIALLY REQUESTING THE COUNTY COMMISSION, IF YOU WILL, FOLLOW UP ON A MOTION THAT WAS MADE AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING TO IMPLEMENT -- >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU. >> -- A REBATE PROVISION TO REBATE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES FOR AFFORDABLE HOMES. >>JIM NORMAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ED. >> THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO YOU ON THAT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JIM NORMAN: YOU KNOW WHY? I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THAT FOR YEARS. [LAUGHTER] COMMISSIONER FERLITA, CLOSE -- START CLOSING US OUT. >>ROSE FERLITA: OKAY. MY CLOSING COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO SAY AT THE BEGINNING. FIRST OF ALL, OBVIOUSLY, THANKS TO YOU FOR BEING HERE AND TAKING YOUR TIME TO LISTEN TO US. IT'S STILL THERE, AND I APPRECIATE IT FROM ALL MY CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT 1 AND OUT OF DISTRICT 1. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A BEAUTY OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS BECAUSE WE GET TO KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY THINK AND WHAT YOU REALLY FEEL, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ALL THE WONDERFUL COMPLIMENTS THAT MS. MILLS GAVE US -- SHE LEFT -- AND THE GENTLEMAN BACK THERE THAT DIDN'T GIVE US ANY COMPLIMENTS AT ALL -- AND I'M SORRY THAT BOTH OF THEM ARE NOT HERE -- I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS AN EFFORT EVERY SINGLE DAY YOU'RE HERE AND EVERY SINGLE DAY WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH YOU TO MAKE IT BETTER. IN 1999 I WON CITYWIDE BY EXACTLY ONE VOTE, AND AS LONG AS YOU HAVE ME IN OFFICE, THAT WILL ALWAYS BE MY MODEL TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE DON'T KEEP OUR CONSTITUENTS HAPPY, SOMEBODY ELSE WILL SIT UP HERE. WE LEARN FROM PEOPLE CRITICIZING, WE DON'T LIKE TO HEAR IT, WE GOT IT TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE IN SOME REGARDS WE CAN DO BETTER. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT THINK WE'RE DOING AN OKAY JOB, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT SUPPORT AS WELL. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. [APPLAUSE] >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER HIGGINBOTHAM. >>AL HIGGINBOTHAM: AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE TONIGHT. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR THE POSITIVE AND THE NEGATIVE. I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INPUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE NEXT ONE. >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: I WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL. I'LL ASK MARIANNE IF YOU WOULD GET YOUR GROUP TOGETHER, CONTACT ERIC LARSON, WHO'S MY AIDE, AND WE'LL MORE THAN HAPPY TO TAKE YOU UP ON THE MEETING ONCE A MONTH OR TWICE A MONTH OR HOWEVER MANY IT TAKES. ED, I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE TWO-LANER, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AS WELL WITH THAT. AND I JUST APPRECIATE ALL THE INPUT. THIS IS A VERY VALUABLE EFFORT, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK OF THE CHAIRMAN WHO HAS TO WORK THROUGH THESE MEETINGS, AND -- YOU'VE DONE A SUPER JOB. AND YOU DIDN'T GET ANY CREDIT. THE TAX REDUCTION THAT WENT TO THE SOLDIERS THAT YOU SPOKE OF AT THE FIRST, THAT WAS YOUR IDEA, AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID IN BRINGING THAT TO THE BOARD. THANK YOU. >>JIM NORMAN: COMMISSIONER BLAIR. [APPLAUSE] >>BRIAN BLAIR: AGAIN, JUST TO ECHO EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU, OUR PHONE NUMBER IS 272-5730. PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CALL. WE LOVE TO GIVE GREAT CONSTITUENTS -- OR I CALL IT CUSTOMER SERVICE BECAUSE YOU PAY OUR PAYCHECKS, AND WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT, AND OUR STAFF AS WELL, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOD BLESS YOU, AND FOR ALL THE PEOPLE AT HOME, DITTO. TAKE CARE. >>JIM NORMAN: LET ME JUST SAY THIS IS A GREAT COMMUNITY, AND WE REALLY DO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT AND GIVING YOUR TIME. YOU'VE LEFT YOUR FAMILIES TONIGHT TO COME OUT AND LET US KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT A BETTER COMMUNITY, AND I KNOW I KIDDED COMMISSIONER TURANCHIK THERE FOR A MINUTE. WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE PASSION OF PEOPLE THAT LEAVE THIS BOARD. HE'S CHAIRMAN OF THREE DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF A WEST TAMPA AREA, STILL GIVING OF HIS TIME. IT'S AN HONOR THAT WE CAN SERVE, AND MANY OF US LEAVE THESE JOBS AND CONTINUE TO SERVE JUST AS YOU DO EVERY DAY TO TRY TO MAKE HILLSBOROUGH AND THE CITY OF TAMPA THE BEST IT CAN POSSIBLY BE, AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR STICKING THROUGH THIS, AND STAFF, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING. FOLKS, WE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THEM. WE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE POLICYMAKERS, BUT THESE PEOPLE ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND WORK THEIR TAILS OFF EVERY DAY, AND I PERSONALLY THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU, AND YOU-ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. [APPLAUSE] 1