hillsborough county, florida€¦ · web viewa lot of people aren't going to hear about...

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CAPTIONINGNOVEMBER 21, 2014

CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

***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.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO THE

NOVEMBER 21 MEETING OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO

THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

WE WILL CALL FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND SPENCER.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

THANK YOU.

AND MS. LOWRY, WOULD YOU READ THE EXPLANATION?

>>LEE LOWRY: CERTAINLY.

THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THIS COMMITTEE

SHALL BE THE FOLLOWING: TO REVIEW AND EVALUATE COUNTY

ISSUES AS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR

BY THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR; TO INITIATE PROPOSALS AND

FORWARD THEM TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THANK YOU.

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NOW I THINK WE'LL START GOING AROUND THE ROOM, IF YOU WOULD

INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WHO APPOINTED YOU.

SPENCER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START?

>>SPENCER KASS: SURE.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

SPENCER KASS, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER SANDY MURMAN.

>> KIMBER WILLIAMS, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN.

[LAUGHTER]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK IT WAS VICTOR CRIST.

>> [SPEAKER OFF MIC]

>> JOE WICKER, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER AL HIGGINBOTHAM.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: BARBARA ADERHOLD, APPOINTED BY

COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>> KAY DOUGHTY, APPOINTED BY FORMER COMMISSIONER MARK

SHARPE.

>> LEE LOWRY, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN.

>> ROIA BARRIOS, APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER BECKNER.


I WANT TO READ FOR THE RECORD THAT WENDELL AND GAYE WILL NOT

BE ABLE TO ATTEND THIS MORNING'S MEETING.

AND NEXT UP IS PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH I REALLY THOUGHT WE

WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING, BUT

SEEING NONE, WE WILL GO TO THE REVIEW OF THE MEETING RECAP.

IT'S IN YOUR FOLDER.

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IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AT IT, THEN

WE'LL ENTERTAIN A VOTE OR A MOTION.

>>SPENCER KASS: MOVE TO APPROVE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DO I HEAR A SECOND?

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR.

OKAY.

GOOD.

WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS MORNING THE COMMITTEE -- WHAT

WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND MEET ABOUT IN 2015.

WE HAVE A SPEAKER COMING AT 9:00, AND THEN, OF COURSE, AT

10:00, BUT I THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME PLANNING DONE

BEFORE WE HEAD INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

SO IN OUR FOLDER, WE HAVE OUR TENTATIVE MEETING SCHEDULE,

WHICH REALLY STICKS TO THE FOURTH FRIDAY OF THE MONTH, AND

THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TENTATIVE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE CAN TALK

ABOUT, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT.

DO I HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY ON WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO

HEAR, SEE?

SPENCER.

>>SPENCER KASS: SURPRISE, SURPRISE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I AM, I AM SHOCKED.

>>SPENCER KASS: I GUESS I CAN'T DO UNDERGROUNDING BECAUSE

THE COUNTY PASSED AN UNDERGROUNDING ORDINANCE.

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JUST SO WE ALL KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY DID THAT.

I WON'T DO LED BECAUSE KIMBER WILL BEAT ME.

BUT THIS IS THE BIG BUDGET YEAR FOR THE COUNTY.

SO WHAT I WAS THINKING WAS, ESPECIALLY BEFORE WE GET TO OUR

JOINT MEETING, MAYBE WE WANT TO HAVE, SAY -- AND ESPECIALLY

SINCE WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM MR. MERRILL HOW THE COUNTY IS

OUT OF MONEY IN A COUPLE MINUTES -- MAYBE WE WANT TO DO

DEPARTMENTS COMING DOWN HERE TWO AT A TIME STARTING WITH

WHATEVER THE LARGEST -- LARGER BUDGET ONES ARE, COME DOWN

HERE, TELL US WHAT THEY DO, LET THEM SHOW US THEIR ORG

CHARTS --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: KIND OF LIKE THE BUSINESS PLANS THAT

THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE DONE?

>>SPENCER KASS: YEAH, THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE

IMPLEMENTED.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD I LOOK TO SEE WHICH OUR FORMER

CHAIRMAN DISCUSSED IS EVERY YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN CUTS TO

THESE DEPARTMENTS, AND YET THINGS STILL FUNCTION FINE.

THIS YEAR THERE WEREN'T THE CUTS; THERE WERE RAISES AND

GROWTH IN I THINK VIRTUALLY EVERY DEPARTMENT.

SO MAYBE WE WANT TO HAVE THEM COME DOWN WITH PLANS.

SORT OF LIKE THE COUNTY AND THE CITY USED TO DO WELL, WHERE,

IF WE REDUCED IT 3%, 5%, 10%, THIS IS HOW WE'D STILL

OPERATE.

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BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

BUT IT WILL BE SORT OF A TIME CRUNCH TO GET THROUGH

EVERYTHING.

THAT MIGHT TIE UP LITERALLY ALL OF OUR MEETINGS -- IF WE DO

TWO DEPARTMENTS, IT WILL PROBABLY TIE US UP PROBABLY UNTIL

THE JOINT MEETING.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE'S THOUGHTS ARE.

I JUST WANT TO GET THROUGH .

>>KAY DOUGHTY: COULD I FOLLOW UP ON THAT?

I THINK WE SHOULD ASK MR. MERRILL.

THAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST WHERE EITHER THE BOARD OR

ADMINISTRATOR HAS HAD AREAS OF CONCERN.

BUT FOLLOWING UP ON THE POINTS YOU MADE -- AND ONE OF THE

CONCERNS I'VE HAD IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DISCUSSED UNDER OUR

PREVIOUS CHAIR WAS THAT RECESSIONS FORCE GOVERNMENTS TO

OPERATE LIKE BUSINESSES AND TO MAKE THOSE CUTS, AND WHEN

MONEY IS FLOWING, THEN THINGS JUST EXPAND.

AND YOU KNOW, WE -- I THINK WE EXPRESSED FAIRLY CLEARLY OUR

CONCERN OVER THAT ISSUE; THAT AS --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THE MONEY COMES BACK --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU KNOW, AS THE GOVERNMENT GOT MORE

EFFICIENT, THEN LOOKING AT WAYS OF BECOMING MORE EFFECTIVE

WITH FEWER PEOPLE AND WHATEVER, THAT THEY DIDN'T JUST

AUTOMATICALLY EXPAND.

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>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I WONDER IF -- DEPENDING ON WHERE WE GO

WITH THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION -- THAT WHERE WE WERE BEFORE

THE RECESSION, DURING THE RECESSION, AND NOW WHERE WE ARE

GOING FORWARD IN 2015.

WOULD THAT GIVE A PICTURE?

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT'S A GOOD POINT, BARBARA.

I MEAN, WE MIGHT START WITH MR. MERRILL.

WHAT ARE HIS PROJECTIONS?

WHERE DOES HE SEE CHANGE AND WHY?

>>SPENCER KASS: SO MAYBE JANUARY WE HAVE MR. MERRILL COME

HERE AND SPEND A FULL SESSION WITH US, AND THEN AS HE GOES,

WE CAN PICK AND CHOOSE DEPARTMENTS FOR FEBRUARY, MARCH, AND

APRIL, AND THEN BY THE TIME WE ARE UP TO OUR JOINT MEETING,

WE CAN EXPRESS OUR OPINIONS TO THE JOINT MEETING, MAYBE.

>> MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK HIM AT THIS MEETING, AND THEN WE CAN

GET STARTED AND GO DOWN.

>>SPENCER KASS: THAT'S FINE.

I THINK HE IS GOING TO SAY HE IS NOT PREPARED, BUT --

>> OH, GIVE HIM SOME CREDIT.

>>SPENCER KASS: OKAY.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THAT UP, I WOULD LIKE THE

SHERIFF TO PRESENT BECAUSE HE'S -- THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE

RECESSIONARY PERIOD, SHERIFF GEE HAS REALLY BEEN A TEAM

PLAYER IN LOOKING AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND MAKING

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SIGNIFICANT CUTS AS WELL AND WHAT ARE HIS PLANS, BECAUSE

THAT'S A BIG PART OF OUR BUDGET.

>>SPENCER KASS: SO MAYBE WE JUST HAVE ONE DAY FOR THE

SHERIFF AND MAYBE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: CONSTITUTIONALS.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: CRISTAN?

>>CRISTAN FADAL: I WAS GOING TO SAY THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.

AS WE GO FORWARD, WHERE DOES THE COUNTY SEE THE COST OF

MAINTAINING THE BUILDINGS AND WHAT MAYBE FUTURE UTILIZATION

OF THOSE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES AND STUFF FOR OTHER

PURPOSES OR ADDITIONAL PURPOSES.

SO I'D BE CURIOUS TO FIND THAT OUT.

I CAN ASK MIKE MERRILL NOW, BUT WHAT'S THE LONG-TERM PLAN

FIVE, TEN YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY

DIGITAL, BOOKS AND -- WHAT BECOMES OF THOSE FACILITIES, AND

HOW IS THE COUNTY PLANNING FOR THOSE?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ANYBODY ELSE HAVE SOME INPUT ON THIS

ONE?

I LOVE ALL THESE IDEAS.

WHAT I THINK BETH AND I CAN WORK ON, TALK TO MR. MERRILL,

AND THEN COME UP WITH A LIST OF ITEMS AND THEN SEND IT BACK

OUT.

>>SPENCER KASS: I MEAN, WHAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL, AT LEAST

TO ME, IS IF YOU ARE GOING TO SHOW DEPARTMENTS THAT COULD

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POTENTIALLY COME DOWN HERE, ALSO JUST LOOKING AT WHAT THEIR

BUDGETS ARE RELATIVE TO THE WHOLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, SO IF WE HAVE, SAY, ONE MEETING WITH

CONSTITUTIONAL GROUPS, ONE WITH SMALLER GROUPS LIKE THE

LIBRARY, ANIMAL CONTROL, YOU KNOW, THOSE LITTLER GROUPS, AND

THEN ONE WITH THE BIGGEST, YOU KNOW -- AND I DON'T KNOW

WHERE THAT BREAKS DOWN IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THEIR SPENDING

IN THE BUILDING.

MAYBE THAT GETS US SOMEWHERE.

BECAUSE -- AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM FOCUSING ON THE SMALLER

STUFF, BUT THERE PROBABLY ISN'T THAT MUCH MONEY TO LOOK INTO

THERE; WHEREAS, THE BIGGER ONES, I'M SURE THERE'S --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, ONE AREA, YOU KNOW, IS THE COUNTY'S

HEALTHCARE PLAN AND WHERE DOES THAT STAND NOW THAT THE

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS GOING FORWARD.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: OKAY.

I LISTENED TO MR. MERRILL AT THE MPO, MAYBE IT WAS LAST

WEEK, AND HIS STATEMENT WAS TWO-THIRDS OF THE BUDGET GO TO

PUBLIC SAFETY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND BASIC UTILITY SERVICES.

AND THAT'S $3 BILLION, I THINK, IS THE BUDGET.

SO WE'RE DOING -- SO HAVING THE SHERIFF, THE FIRE, AND THE

CONSTITUTIONALS, IF THEY AGREE TO COME, I THINK IS

SOMETHING --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THEY USUALLY DO.

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THERE'S NOT USUALLY A PROBLEM.

I MEAN, THE SHERIFF -- I MEAN, WE KNOW THE SHERIFF BECAUSE

THAT'S THE JOB IS GOVERNMENT IS THE PROTECTION OF THE

CITIZENS, SO I MEAN, THAT'S --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I GUESS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WILL BE WHAT

IS CONSIDERED BASIC UTILITY SERVICES?

AND THE REMAINDER GOES TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

SO I'D LIKE TO FIND THAT ANSWER OUT AS WELL.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION REAL QUICK, SINCE I'M NEW.

IS THERE A COPY OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET SOMEWHERE THAT I COULD

LOOK AT IT JUST --

>> ONLINE.

>> IT IS ONLINE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK JUST GO ON, AND UNDER THE

SEARCH, JUST SAY COUNTY'S BUDGET, AND WATCH YOUR COMPUTER

EXPLODE AS IT STARTS TO --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY BETH MIGHT BE ABLE TO

GET A CD OF IT FOR YOU.

>> I'LL TRY ONLINE.

>>SPENCER KASS: ALWAYS REMEMBER WITH THE COUNTY BUDGET, IT'S

A TWO-YEAR BUDGET, SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS OUR BIG YEAR IF

THERE ARE GOING TO BE ANY ADJUSTMENTS.

HOPEFULLY, SOME OF THOSE, WE HAD GOTTEN A PRESENTATION EARLY

IN THE YEAR, THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE CHANGES TO HOW THEY

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BOOK SOME OF THESE THINGS.

THAT WOULD BE IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET BOOK.

SO WE WILL SEE IF THEY WILL HAVE THE COURTESY OF COLOR

CODING IT AND SHOWING WHAT'S ON SCHEDULE, WHAT'S OFF

SCHEDULE, WHAT'S GETTING ACCOMPLISHED.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LEFTOVER MONIES.

TOM WAS DOING THAT ONE.

[OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS]

>> WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE IF THEY FINALLY DID THAT CHANGE FOR

THE NONPROFIT.

THAT'S STILL A BUG IN MY BONNET.

YOU KNOW?

WITH HIS LED LIGHTS, I'M STILL STUCK ON NONPROFIT.

>>SPENCER KASS: I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THAT.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WE CAN -- OUR HEAD IS GOING TO EXPLODE.

>> I KNOW.

GOING TO WATCH IT GO PING!

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK IT'S A TOPIC FOR WHEN THE

COMMISSIONERS -- WHAT'S THE TERM?

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: THE BOARD RETREAT?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YES, THE BOARD RETREAT.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: THEY ARE GOING TO GO RETREAT AND TALK

ABOUT MY NONPROFITS?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: JUST BECAUSE OF YOU, KIM, THAT'S THE WAY

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IT WAS WORKING.

YEAH?

>> THEY HAVE THEIR BOARD RETREAT NEXT MONTH, AND I WAS TOLD

THAT IS AN ITEM ON THEIR LIST FOR DISCUSSION.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: WHAT NUMBER AM I?

>> NUMBER ONE, KIMBER.

[LAUGHTER]

SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATE THE BEGINNING OF NEXT

YEAR ON THE NOT-FOR-PROFITS.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR ME TO

SAY MY LITTLE MANTRA THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THIS COMMITTEE

TAKES TWO OR THREE YEARS TO HAPPEN.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I'VE NOTICED.

IT'S A LITTLE SLOW FOR ME.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WELL, JUST HAVING BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG

TIME.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: MAYBE TWO YEARS IS CONSIDERED QUICK.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW THAT.

>> ONE THING WE DISCUSSED LAST YEAR THAT I THOUGHT WAS

HELPFUL WAS BACK WHEN WE HAD THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- I

THOUGHT THAT WAS IN FEBRUARY OR MARCH AFTER -- OR MAYBE

BEFORE -- I FORGOT WHEN WE HAD IT, BUT THAT WOULD BE -- I

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THOUGHT WE ALL LIKED THAT.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: YEAH, WE DID LIKE THAT.

YOU WILL BE GETTING READY TO GO UP AGAIN; RIGHT?

>>BETH PYTLIK: I WILL BE GOING UP.

SESSION STARTS THE FIRST TUESDAY OF MARCH.

WE ALREADY HAVE THE PROGRAM COMPLETED.

IT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD ON OCTOBER 2.

THEN I WILL BE GOING UP IN MARCH AND BE BACK THE BEGINNING

OF MAY.

SO I CAN LET YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THE PROGRAM BEFOREHAND, AND

THEN THE RESULTS AFTERWARD.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

AND WHEN IS THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION DAY?

>>BETH PYTLIK: DECEMBER 9.

DECEMBER 9.

I CAN SEND OUT THE INFO ON THAT MEETING TO EVERYONE AS WELL.

IF YOU GO TO HILLSBOROUGHCOUNTY.ORG/LEGDEL, HAS ALL THE

MEETING INFORMATION AND A WAY, IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME

SPEAK, YOU CAN JUST DO AN ONLINE FORM AND HIT "SUBMIT."

IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE HCC DALE MABRY CAMPUS AT 9:30 IN THE

MORNING.

I CAN SEND OUT ALL THE INFO TO YOU.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

THANK YOU.

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>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WHEN IS THEIR RETREAT, THE

COMMISSIONERS' RETREAT?

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: BARBARA AND I ARE GOING TO STOP BY, MAKE

SURE THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE AGENDA.

>> IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I KNOW.

I WASN'T JOKING.

>>SPENCER KASS: IT WILL BE UP IN TALLAHASSEE NOW.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: LET ME TEXT EVERYBODY.

LET'S CHANGE THAT DATE.

[LAUGHTER]

>>KAY DOUGHTY: GOVERNMENT IN THE SUNSHINE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: OF COURSE IT IS.

OF COURSE.

AND IT'S RECORDED, SO EVEN IF WE DON'T GO -- OF COURSE, THEY

WILL BE SO HAPPY TO SEE US.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I THINK SO.

BRING A LITTLE ENERGY.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SO BUDGET SEEMS TO BE THE BIG TOPIC.

BRING IN THE CONSTITUTIONALS, THE LIBRARY, HEALTHCARE PLAN,

NONPROFITS, LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

I THINK WE'LL BE BUSY.

>> ONE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD SOMEONE FROM THE PORT COME?

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I KNOW WE HAD --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LAST YEAR, I THINK IT WAS.

>> I KNOW WE HAD THE ONE PORT PERSON THAT TALKED -- LIKE DID

THE SHIPS, THE --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THE PILOT.

>> I DON'T KNOW, WITH ALL THE CHANGES GOING ON DOWN THERE,

WHAT -- I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE REALLY COULD SPEAK TO IT

BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL PRIVATE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: PORT, AND ALSO THE AIRPORT AND ITS

EXPANSION.

>> THAT WAS PRETTY BIG, YEAH.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YEAH.

>>CRISTAN FADAL: MAYBE THAT'S LATER IN THE YEAR OR

SOMETHING.

>> THE LED LIGHTING AS WELL.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I FORGOT THE LED.

MA'AM?

>>BETH PYTLIK: BOARD RETREAT IS ON DECEMBER 5.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DECEMBER 5.

WHERE?

>>SPENCER KASS: DO YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS?


>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMITTEE OUGHT TO

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CONSIDER AT SOME POINT IS HEARING FROM THE CHILDREN'S BOARD,

SINCE THE REFERENDUM IS GOING TO COME UP FOR REAUTHORIZATION

OF THE SALES TAX THAT SUPPORTS THE CHILDREN'S BOARD.

AND WE REALLY OUGHT TO HEAR FROM KELLY PARIS, WHO IS THE NEW

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OF WHAT HER VISION IS AND WHERE THE

BOARD IS GOING ON THAT.

BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE REAUTHORIZED, AND IF IT'S NOT, THEY

DISAPPEAR AND ALL THE PROJECTS THEY FUND DISAPPEAR.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WHAT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING IS IF

THERE IS A TRANSPORTATION -- DARE I SAY THAT WORD -- TAX,

WILL COME UP AT THE SAME TIME AS THE CHILDREN'S BOARD TAX.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH.

YEAH.

I HAD TO LAUGH AT THIS MORNING'S PAPER -- SPEAKING OF THE

TAX -- THAT HAD -- THAT A POLL INDICATES THAT IT WAS THE

SALES TAX THAT DEFEATED GREEN LIGHT PINELLAS.

I AM LIKE OH, REALLY?

BECAUSE THAT WAS THE POINT OF THE REFERENDUM.

[LAUGHTER]

DIDN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS.

MAYBE OFF THE RECORD INSTEAD.

I KNOW.

OKAY.

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CHILDREN'S BOARD.

WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS ON THE PLATE, BETH.

YOU AND I WILL PUT TOGETHER A SCHEDULE.

WE'LL HEAR FROM MR. MERRILL AND WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE TO SAY.

AND WE'RE SET TO GO.

EVERYBODY OKAY WITH THE DATES?

NO CHANGES?

KEEP THE TOUR IN OCTOBER?

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK WELL IF WE'RE

GOING TO DO ANYTHING OUTSIDE.

I MEAN, THIS ONE WASN'T OUTSIDE, BUT --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: AFTER THAT -- I THINK THE PORT ONE,

WHICH WAS FREEZING.

EGMONT KEY.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS WHILE WE WAIT FOR OUR 9:00 SPEAKER?

HE IS HERE; ISN'T HE?

>>SPENCER KASS: IF WE ARE JUST GOING TO DISCUSS THINGS IN

GENERAL, JUST SO EVERYBODY IS AWARE, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THE

COUNTY DID PASS AN UNDERGROUNDING ORDINANCE FOR

UNDERGROUNDING THE UTILITIES, SO THAT DID PASS THE COUNTY

COMMISSION.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WOW.

WHEN?

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>>SPENCER KASS: 30 DAYS AGO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD KNOW OR ANY GROUP OR AREA

THAT'S INTERESTED IN -- THAT'S IN THE COUNTY, NOT WITHIN THE

CITY OF TAMPA.

BUT IF YOU LIVE OUT IN THE COUNTY AND YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST

IN THAT, YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE COUNTY, AND THEY CAN START

HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU ABOUT HOW IT WORKS AND WHAT THE

PROCESS IS.

AND IT'S QUITE A COMPLEX PROCESS.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: IS IT LIKE SPEED HUMPS?

>>SPENCER KASS: IT'S WORSE THAN THAT, ACTUALLY, BELIEVE IT

OR NOT.

THE AREA WANTED IT PASSED AS IS BECAUSE THEY WANTED

SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS, WHICH I WAS FINE WITH.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE -- I TOLD THEM I THINK IT'S GOING

TO BE A BIT ROUGH GOING, BUT THEY WANT TO GIVE IT A SHOT IN

DANA SHORES.

AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THEY'VE ALREADY KIND OF STARTED

DOWN THE PATH OF HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

THE COUNTY HAS TO COME UP WITH SOME DETAILED PROCEDURES AND

PROCESS MANUALS THAT GO WITH THE ORDINANCE.

THEY WILL BE WORKING ON THAT INTERNALLY.

BUT AS I SAID, IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA IN THE COUNTY THAT HAS

ANY INTEREST IN THAT, YOU SHOULD FEEL FREE.

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AS FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL SOONER OR

LATER GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND START WORKING ON IT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: CONTACT PUBLIC WORKS DO WE THINK?

>>SPENCER KASS: YEAH, I WOULD START THERE.

YEAH, IF YOU DON'T GET ANYWHERE THERE, ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO

CALL MIKE MERRILL'S OFFICE AND ASK THEM.

BUT IT IS THERE, IT'S PASSED.

IT'S A START.

I AT LEAST GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.

SOMETHING IS THERE.

THE COMMISSIONERS WORKED VERY HARD ON IT, AS WELL AS DANA

SHORES, WHO REALLY KNOCKED THEMSELVES OUT.

THEY GOT A LITTLE HELP FROM US, BUT THEY REALLY -- IT'S

DONE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: AND THAT WAS A YEAR?

WAS IT A YEAR OR TWO YEARS?

>>SPENCER KASS: IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS AND RUNNING.

IT'S BEEN FOREVER THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT DONE.

SO IT'S THERE, AND HOPEFULLY -- I WISH THEM NOTHING BUT THE

BEST OF LUCK.

I TOLD THEM IF THEY NEED TO COME TO US AND NEED HELP IN ANY

WAY, THEY CAN ALWAYS FEEL FREE TO COME TO THIS BOARD, AND WE

CAN ALWAYS TRY TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN DO.

I DID MAKE THAT PROMISE ON OUR BEHALF.

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>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: TERRIFIC.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU KNOW, BARBARA, JUST SAYING THAT, WE JOKE

ABOUT THE THREE YEARS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE POLITICAL

ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS WE MAKE.

WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE THEM IN WHAT WE SEE IS THE BEST

INTEREST OF CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

THEY'VE GOT TO BE POLITICAL ABOUT IT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YEAH, WE DON'T.

WE ARE APPOINTED.

AND BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JUST AS A NOTE, SEVERAL OF YOU --

YES, MA'AM?

YEAH, IF YOU WOULD.

>>BETH PYTLIK: JUST AN UPDATE, SINCE THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS

ABOUT COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S LEAVING AND APPOINTMENTS, AND

THERE ARE SOME FOLKS TERMING OUT ON DECEMBER 31.

I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS'

OFFICE, THE POINT PERSON THAT DOES THESE COMMITTEES.

THE INVESTITURE, AS YOU KNOW, WAS JUST ON TUESDAY, SO

EVERYTHING'S STILL KIND OF SETTLING IN.

SO JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I AM WORKING ON IT,

BUT I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU QUITE YET.

SO AS SOON AS I DO, I WILL SHOOT YOU AN EMAIL.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: AND IF YOU KNOW YOU ARE UP, I WOULD SAY

TO CHECK WITH YOUR COMMISSIONER AND SAY WHATEVER YOU WOULD

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LIKE TO DO.

PLEASE REAPPOINT ME OR ... [LAUGHTER]


>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: NO, NO, NO.

I THINK EVERYBODY GOT A RAISE FOR 2015.

2.5?

YEAH.

SO THAT'S GOOD.

THAT'S GOOD.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WE GET AN EXTRA HOUR OF MEETING TIME.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE START.

THERE IS A COPY OF A LETTER FROM MR. MERRILL TO US ON THE

EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PACKAGES THAT WE DISCUSSED IN JULY,

AND IT'S IN FRONT OF YOU NOW.

WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS, BETH?

>>SPENCER KASS: MOVE TO APPROVE.

>> SECOND.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ALL IN FAVOR.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

OKAY.

THAT WILL GO OUT TODAY.

>>CRISTAN FADAL: WE ALREADY REQUESTED THIS, OR IS THIS

ACTUALLY A SECONDARY REQUESTS?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THIS IS THE OFFICIAL REQUEST, THE

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OFFICIAL REQUEST.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET THE LETTER OUT.

I DIDN'T.

THANKFULLY, SPENCER REMINDED ME, AND HERE IT IS.

YEAH, SOMETIMES YOU NEED A BIGGER PUSH.

>>CRISTAN FADAL: YEAH, OKAY.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WHAT CAN I SAY?

OKAY.

ANY OTHER TOPICS?

AT 9:00, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE -- MA'AM?

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THIS JUST REMINDED ME OF ONE OF THE QUESTIONS

WE MIGHT WANT TO ASK MR. MERRILL AT SOME POINT IS WHAT

ACTIONS THE COUNTY HAS TAKEN WITH THE CHANGES WITH CIVIL

SERVICE OR THE ALLOWED CHANGES WITH CIVIL SERVICE.

BECAUSE, I MEAN, THE COUNTY WAS BEHIND THAT, AND SO.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: GOOD QUESTION.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I LOOKED AT THIS AND WAS LIKE, OH, THAT'S

RIGHT.

>> I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT SPENCER WAS TALKING

ABOUT OR NOT, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IS THE

PREVIOUS CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS ABOUT DURING RECESSIONARY

PERIODS, GOVERNMENTS TIGHTENING THE REINS AND LOOKING FOR

AREAS TO CUT, AND THEN THAT NOT OCCURRING WHEN THE SALES TAX

22

REVENUE IS INCREASING OR DURING NORMAL ECONOMIC PERIODS.

SO CAN WE ASK, THEN, WHAT IS THE COUNTY'S PLAN FOR FUTURE

AREAS THAT THEY CAN CUT WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AND WHETHER OR

NOT THERE ARE THOSE AREAS?

SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, PERSONALLY, IS A RESPONSE BACK

AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE GOING TO BE ANY OR NOT.

I MEAN, HOW THEY GO ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT

WE NECESSARILY NEED TO SEE ALL OF THAT, BUT JUST WILL THERE

BE ANY ADDITIONAL REVIEWS OF DEPARTMENTS, AND ARE THERE ANY

AREAS THAT ARE STILL OVERLAPPING THAT THEY CAN FIND SOME

EFFICIENCIES ON THAT OR NOT?

AND WILL THAT OCCUR IN 2015-2016?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SO IF I HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL AREAS TO CUT

BACK, AND THEN ANY DUPLICATIVE DEPARTMENTS?

>>KAY DOUGHTY: IT'S LIKE IF THEY ARE EXPANDING BECAUSE THERE

WERE AREAS CUT, WHAT'S THE RATIONALE FOR EXPANDING?

>> AS AN EXAMPLE, THERE MAY BE AN EXPANSION THAT'S NOT AN

INCREASE IN STAFF, BUT IT'S AN INCREASE IN, YOU KNOW, LABOR

COSTS, AS AN EXAMPLE.

I MEAN, SO THAT'S DIFFERENT --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: WE ALL DEAL WITH THAT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: YEAH, THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM AN ACTUAL

INCREASE IN THE STAFF OR THE LEVEL OF THE SIZE OF A

DEPARTMENT OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

23

SO I GUESS THE GENERAL QUESTION, ARE THERE ANY CUTS SLOTTED

FOR BUDGET YEAR 2015-16?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH ENCOMPASSES THE

QUESTION.

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION ON THE TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH HOMELESS

INITIATIVE, AN TOW YO BYRD.

WELCOME.

I KNOW YOU HAVE AN EXCITING PROGRAM TO TELL US ABOUT THIS

MORNING.

>> ANTOINETTE TRIPLETT IS THE CEO.

SHE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY, SO I AM MAKING A

PRESENTATION TO YOU ALL.

I GUESS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO IS TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

THE NEW TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH HOMELESS INITIATIVE.

OPERATION REVEILLE, THE EVENT WE DID ON VETERANS DAY, AND TO

KIND OF RECAP THAT QUICKLY WITH HOW THHI WILL BE FUNCTIONING

MOVING FORWARD.

THHI, OUR -- I GUESS I WILL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW

I GOT HERE, AND THAT WILL KIND OF HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE

DIRECTION IN WHICH WE WILL BE MOVING IN IN THE FUTURE.

MR. MERRILL, OFFICIALS FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA, AND THE BOARD

PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION TRAVELED TO ST. LOUIS BACK IN

FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR TO COME AND LOOK AT OUR SERVICES IN

24

ST. LOUIS AND TO -- THEY WERE RECOMMENDED BY A HOMELESS

OFFICIAL THAT WORKED ON THE THREE PRESIDENTS.

AND SO UNDER THAT RECOMMENDATION, THEY TRAVELED, AND WE

HOSTED THEM FOR THREE TO FOUR DAYS, KIND OF EXPLAINING HOW

WE RAN OUR CONTINUUM OF CARE IN ST. LOUIS.

FROM THAT, WE DID THREE MONTHS OF CONSULTING HERE IN

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND FROM THAT ENDEAVOR, WE WERE OFFERED

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAD UP THE INITIATIVE.

SO WHEN ME AND ANTOINETTE CAME, PART OF OUR 90-DAY PLAN WAS

TO GO THROUGH OUR OBSERVATION PERIOD.

IT WAS NOT OUR EXPECTATIONS TO REALLY IMPLEMENT ANY MAJOR

CHANGES OR DO ANY MAJOR PROJECTS, BUT BECAUSE WE DID

OPERATION REVEILLE IN ST. LOUIS AND HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS

WITH IT, INDIVIDUALS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WERE

EXTREMELY EAGER TO GET THAT PROJECT GOING HERE AS WELL.

SO MY CEO, ANTOINETTE, RECEIVED A CHALLENGE FROM A

COUNTERPART WITH THE CITY TO DO IT THIS YEAR ON VETERANS

DAY, AND WE, LIKE -- THAT'S LIKE LESS THAN TWO MONTHS.

LONG STORY SHORT, IT CAME TOGETHER.

IT REALLY COULD NOT BE BETTER.

OPERATION REVEILLE WAS PIONEERED IN ST. LOUIS, AND THE

CONCEPT IS TO GET THE PRIVATE SECTOR, LOCAL, FEDERAL

NONPROFIT AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER FOR ONE COMMON GOAL, AND

FOR THAT PURPOSE TO HOUSE IN HOMELESSNESS FOR HOMELESS

25

VETERANS.

THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT IT IS A LOT OF TIMES THE FUNDING

SOURCES THAT COME WITH DIFFERENT NONPROFITS AND FEDERAL

AGENCIES DON'T FIT NEATLY INTO A WORKING RELATIONSHIP, SO WE

FIND AN UNORTHODOX WAY OF GETTING THEM TO WORK TOGETHER.

SO NOT NECESSARILY BLENDING THE FUNDING BUT PARALLELING THE

FUNDING SO THAT THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER.

SO IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN

WHAT WE DID IN ST. LOUIS.

IN ST. LOUIS, WE HEADED UP THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION

FOR THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, SO WE WERE AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND WE RECEIVED ALL OF THE HOMELESS FUNDS FOR THE ST. LOUIS

METROPOLITAN AREA.

SO COC, ESG, TAX REVENUE DOLLARS, CDBG, ALL OF THOSE THINGS,

AND WE OPERATED LIKE A $14 MILLION BUDGET.

BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO FINAGLE THE FUNDING EASIER.

HERE IT WASN'T THAT EASY.

SO WE HAD -- BECAUSE THE FUNDING IS HELD BY SO MANY PEOPLE,

WE HAD VA WITH THEIR SFVF FUNDING, VOUCHERS; WE HAD THE CITY

AND COUNTY THAT GOT DIFFERENT POTS; THEN WE GOT THE COC

MONEY.

SO WHAT WE DID, INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE POT, WE HAD TO

PARALLEL THE FUNDINGS TOGETHER.

SO YOU HAVE THE VET COME INTO THE PROGRAM UNDER GENERAL

26

REVENUE FUNDS, WHICH YOU CAN KIND OF HOUSE EVERYBODY WITH

THAT, SO THERE'S NO FEDERAL REGULATIONS OR ATTACHMENTS TO

IT.

SO FROM THE GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS, THE LEAD AGENCIES --

WHICH IS ACTS -- MAKES THE DETERMINATION FOR EACH VETERAN,

WILL THIS VETERAN -- AND WHEN I SAY "VETERAN," UNDER

OPERATION REVEILLE, THAT'S A PERSON WITH AN HONORABLE

DISCHARGE, A PERSON WITH A DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE, OR OTHER

DISCHARGE.

SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU GOT KICKED OUT OF THE MILITARY

BECAUSE INSUBORDINATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU STILL

QUALIFY FOR OPERATION REVEILLE IF YOU SERVED OUR COUNTRY.

THE VA STATUS IS IF YOU HAVE AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE AND YOU

QUALIFY FOR VA MEDICAL BENEFITS PER SE.

SO OPERATION REVEILLE DEFINITION IS A LITTLE BROADER THAN

WHAT THE VA USES.

SO THAT LEAD AGENCY WILL MAKE THE DETERMINATION, ARE YOU

ELIGIBLE FOR VA SERVICES, WHICH IS SSVF AND HUD'S DASH?

IF NOT, ARE YOU CHRONICALLY HOMELESS?

YOU WILL GO TO COC FUNDING.

THEN IF YOU DON'T MEET EITHER OF THOSE CRITERIAS, THEN YOU

WILL BE HOUSED UNDER ESG FUNDING.

SO THAT'S HOW --

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: COULD I JUST ASK?

27

>> YES, MA'AM.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ESG?

>> I AM SORRY.

PLEASE STOP ME IF I DO A LOT OF THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE

TALK, IN ALPHABET SOUPS.

SO ESG IS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT >>KAY DOUGHTY: IF YOU

WOULD GO OVER ALL OF THE ALPHABET SOUP.

>> ESG IS EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT.

THAT'S FUNDED UNDER HEAD AS WELL, TYPICALLY THROUGH THE CDBG

AVENUE.

THEN COC IS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT -- ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE

CONTINUUM OF CARE AS IT IS THE NETWORK OF AGENCIES, BUT

SINCE 2012, HUD ACTUALLY CALLS WHAT USED TO BE CALLED

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAM, THEY NOW CALL THAT COC FUNDING.

SO THEY CHANGED THE NAME OF IT.

SO COC CAN COME UP IN TWO DIFFERENT TERMS.

SO IT CAN COME UP IN THE NETWORK OF AGENCIES, AND IT ALSO

CAN COME UP IN THE ACTUAL POT OF MONEY, THE FUNDING SOURCE.

AND CDBG IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: AND SSVF?

>> SSVF, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: IT SOUNDS LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

ADMINISTRATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

28

>> SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

>> EXCUSE ME, ANTONIO.

COULD YOU HELP US OUT?

I APPRECIATE THE ACRONYMS.

COULD YOU HELP US OUT BY BREAKING DOWN THE FLOW OF THE

FUNDING?

AS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING SOURCES AND BEFORE YOU GET

DOWN ANY FURTHER DOWN THAT ROAD, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHERE

THE MONEY IS COMING FROM AND WHERE IT'S ALLOCATED TO, SO

THERE'S THE FEDERAL, THE LOCAL, AND HOW YOU ARE INVOLVED IN

THAT?

THANK YOU.

>> SO THE FLOW I JUST GAVE YOU IN THE DETERMINATION CRITERIA

IS THE FLOW OF THE FUNDING.

SO THE FIRST POT OF MONEY IS THE GENERAL REVENUE FUND, SO

THAT POT IS COMING FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SERVICES

DEPARTMENT.

THEY CALL IT BRIDGE HOUSING OR BRIDGE FUNDING HERE.

AND SO THAT'S -- THE DIFFERENT POTS -- IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT

1.7 MILLION ALTOGETHER.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF WHERE ALL THE

DOLLARS CAME FROM AT THE MOMENT.

SO THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING, WE HAVE TWO AGENCIES THAT

RECEIVE THOSE AWARDS.

29

THAT'S CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND ACTS.

ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT INCORPORATED.

AND THEN OUR TWO VA, SSVF AGENCIES, ARE ST. VINCENT de PAUL

AND TAMPA CROSSROADS.

SO THEY RECEIVE VOUCHERS PER SE TO HOUSE INDIVIDUALS THAT

ARE ELIGIBLE FOR VA.

A SOME OF THOSE RECEIVE ROUGHLY 100 BEDS, CATHOLIC CHARITIES

150 BEDS.

SO WE GOT ROUGHLY ALMOST 500 BEDS BETWEEN THE FOUR AGENCIES.

AND DURING OPERATION REVEILLE, WE HAD 79 VETERANS IDENTIFIED

OUT OF THE 90, AND 51 RECEIVED HOUSING ON THAT DAY.

SO MOVING INTO THAT, I WILL SHOW YOU THREE CLIPS.

THE FIRST CLIP IS THE PSA THAT WENT OUT WHERE COMMISSIONER

MURMAN AND MAYOR BUCKHORN DID TOGETHER, IN WHICH TURNED OUT

REALLY, REALLY WELL.

FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE CITY

AND COUNTY EVER PROJECTED INFORMATION TOGETHER, SO WE WERE

REALLY PLEASED WITH THAT.

THEN THE SECOND CLIP I WILL SHOW YOU IS A RETROACTIVE CLIP

PRIOR TO OPERATION REVEILLE, BASICALLY THE WAY THAT SERVICES

EXISTED PRIOR TO MINE AND ANTOINETTE'S ARRIVAL, BUT IT'S

STILL CURRENTLY THE WAY IT'S OPERATING.

THEN THE LAST CLIP I WILL SHOW YOU IS THE RECAP OF OPERATION

REVEILLE, SO YOU WILL HEAR FROM SOME OF THE CLIENTS THAT

30

RECEIVED HOUSING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THAT WILL HELP ME

WITHIN THE LAST THREE TO FIVE MINUTES KIND OF EXPLAIN TO YOU

HOW THHI WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR ADDRESSING

THE NEEDS OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION.

HOW DO YOU GET SOUND?

>>SPENCER KASS: CAN THE CABLE PEOPLE SEND SOMEBODY DOWN HERE

TO PLEASE HELP?

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I CAN'T EVEN GET MY DVR TO WORK, SO

ABSOLUTELY.

THERE WE GO.

[INAUDIBLE VIDEO BEING PLAYED]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WE CAN HEAR THAT.

THEY ARE WORKING ON IT.

[INAUDIBLE]

[LAUGHTER]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

OKAY.

>> [INAUDIBLE]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YOU NEED TO BE ON THE MICROPHONE.

>> SO EVEN THOUGH THHI IS THE LEAD AGENCY FOR THE CONTINUUM

OF CARE, IT IS NOT IDENTIFIED AS THE UNIFIED FUNDING AGENCY.

AND UNIFIED FUNDING AGENCY, BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS

THHI WILL BE THE SOLE GRANTEE FOR ALL FUNDS COMING FROM HUD.

RIGHT NOW, SOME AGENCIES ARE THEIR OWN GRANTEES, SUCH AS THE

31

HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND THAT GRANTEE BASICALLY MEANS THHI HAS

PROJECTS THAT ARE SUBCONTRACTED TO AGENCIES.

WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY ARE NOT A SUBCONTRACTOR;

THEY ARE THEIR OWN GRANTEE.

SO HUD WOULD HAVE TO MONITOR THE PROJECTS THAT THHI IS

FUNDING, AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO GO AND MONITOR THE

HOUSING AUTHORITY.

SO AS A UNIFIED FUNDING AGENCY, HUD WOULD ONLY HAVE TO

MONITOR ONLY THHI, AND WE WILL, IN TURN, MONITOR ALL THE

AGENCIES THAT ARE FUNDED WITH THE COC CONTINUUM OF CARE

FUNDS.

IF THAT MAKE SENSE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SPENCER.

>>SPENCER KASS: LET ME ASK YOU, WOULD THAT, THEN, MAKE IT

MORE EFFICIENT OR MAKE IT SO THAT THERE'S MORE FUNDS

AVAILABLE, NOT GOING TO OVERHEAD COSTS, BUT GO TO THE

PROGRAMS THEMSELVES?

>> YES, SIR, AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THHI

IS CURRENTLY GETTING A LITTLE PAY FROM IT, BUT THE WAY WE

WILL GET PAY FROM IT IS WITH THE ADMIN DOLLARS.

SO UNDER THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING, ADMIN IS 5%, AND IT

CAN BE SPLIT 50/50 BETWEEN THE GRANTEE AND SUBGRANTEES, SO

BASICALLY 2.5%.

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW A LEAD AGENCY GETS PAID.

32

EVEN THOUGH THHI IS A NONPROFIT, WE WILL NOT BE DOING ANY

FUND-RAISING EFFORTS TO GO TOWARDS OUR STAFFING OR

ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS.

IF WE DO ANY FUND-RAISING, IT WILL BE FOR PROJECTS SUCH AS

OPERATION REVEILLE OR ANY FUTURE PROJECTS SO THAT THOSE

FUNDS WILL GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LEE, YOU HAD A QUESTION?

>>LEE LOWRY: YEAH, I ACTUALLY SAT ON THE YOUTH TASK FORCE

FOR THE INITIATIVE LAST YEAR.

I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, ENOUGH TO BE DANGEROUS, I'M

SURE.

FIRST OF ALL, I KNOW ST. LOUIS IS REALLY THE MODEL FOR DOING

IT RIGHT, SO IT'S GREAT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE COME HERE TO

BRING YOUR MODEL.

>> THANK YOU.

>>LEE LOWRY: BUT I KNOW WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN THIS, THERE

WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESS.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>>LEE LOWRY: SO CAN YOU JUST GIVE US -- BECAUSE I KNOW THAT

THERE'S FUNDING THAT GOES ALONG WITH DEPENDING -- ALL THAT

SORT OF STUFF.

SO CAN YOU GIVE US A DEFINITION?

I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

>> YES.

33

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO YEAH, SO THERE ARE SEVERAL DEFINITIONS OF HOMELESSNESS

OUT THERE.

WHAT I CAN PULL UP RIGHT NOW IS THREE DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS.

SO THE FIRST DEFINITION OF THE McKINNEY VETO ACT, YOU HAVE

THE SCHOOL BOARD DEFINITION, WHICH IS BASICALLY A FAMILY OR

CHILD THAT DOES NOT HAVE A HOUSEHOLD OF THEIR OWN, THAT THEY

ARE BASICALLY COUCH SURFING.

SO ONE MINUTE THEY ARE AT THEIR GRANDMA'S, NEXT MINUTE THEY

ARE AT THEIR UNCLE'S, AND WITH THE COUCH SURFING, IT HINDERS

THEIR PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL, BASICALLY AFFECTS THEIR

ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC ABILITY.

THE SECOND DEFINITION IS SIMILAR TO THE SCHOOL BOARD BUT

WHAT THE GENERAL POPULATION CALLS HOMELESS, AND AGAIN,

THAT'S BASICALLY AN ADULT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A HOUSEHOLD OF

THEIR OWN, AND THEY ARE LIVING WITH THEIR FRIEND OR, YOU

KNOW, THEIR COUSIN, AND THEN THEY SAY, OH, I DON'T HAVE A

PLACE, SO I AM HOMELESS.

AND THEN THERE IS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE DEFINITION THAT HUD

USES, WHICH IS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS LITERALLY LIVING ON THE

STREETS IN A PLACE NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION AND

EMERGENCY SHELTER OR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS CONSIDERED TO

BE HOMELESS.

SO YOU HAVE TO LITERALLY BE ON THE STREETS TO BE HOMELESS

34

UNDER HUD CONTINUUM OF CARE DEFINITION.

SO THHI FOCUS IS TO TARGET SERVICES FOR THAT PARTICULAR

POPULATION.

THAT'S THE PRIMARY, I GUESS, TARGET POPULATION.

THE SECONDARY PRIMARY TARGET POPULATION IS THE OTHER

INDIVIDUALS THAT FIT WITHIN THOSE DEFINITIONS.

AND THE BEST WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THOSE

INDIVIDUALS IS THROUGH PREVENTION EFFORTS.

SO STILL UTILIZING -- UTILIZING EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT

FUNDS OR GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS.

BASICALLY USE PREVENTION DOLLARS TO, ONE, EITHER PROVIDE

MEDIATION ASSISTANCE, WHETHER IT'S TENANT-LANDLORD MEDIATION

TO KEEP A PERSON WITHIN THEIR HOME, AND THAT'S BASICALLY

BRINGING RENT UP TO GOOD STANDING, OR IT'S HAVING A

CONVERSATION WITH A CHILD'S PARENT TO KEEP THEM IN THE

HOUSEHOLD.

AND THEN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IS RELOCATING THAT PERSON,

IF A PERSON IS IN A HOME THAT IS GOING TO BE CONDEMNED OR

THE LANDLORD IS NOT KEEPING THE UNIT UP TO CODE, THEN WE CAN

UTILIZE SOME OF THESE PREVENTION FUNDS TO REHOUSE THAT

INDIVIDUAL IN A FUNCTIONING UNIT.

SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THE PREVENTION SERVICES WORKS.

>>LEE LOWRY: AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS THE COUNT.

DO YOU GUYS HAVE A PLAN FOR THE COUNT, AND DO YOU HAVE SOME

35

DIFFERENT WAYS TO SORT OF SEEK THOSE PEOPLE OUT AND GET A

REALLY SOLID NUMBER?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WAY, I GUESS, WE DO THE COUNT UP

NORTH AS IT RELATES TO DOWN SOUTH, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER

CONDITIONS ARE DIFFERENT, IS THAT UP NORTH WE DO HOT SPOT

COUNTING.

SO OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS ON THE AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEDS,

EMERGENCY SHELTER, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, AND WE STILL COUNT

OUR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND PERMANENT HOUSING BEDS

AS WELL JUST TO HAVE THAT NUMBER FOR REPORTING PURPOSES.

BUT THE FOCUS IS ON THE EMERGENCY SHELTERS, TRANSITIONAL

HOUSING, AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AGENCIES.

THEN THE SECOND PHASE OF THAT IS AT LUNCH SITES.

IN ST. LOUIS, WE HAVE A LOT OF LUNCH SITES, CHURCHES, AND WE

PRETTY MUCH IDENTIFIED ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS.

SO WE'LL HAVE A TEAM STRUCTURED JUST TO GO TO THAT FACILITY

AND COUNT THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

AND THEN THE THIRD IS THE STREET COUNT.

SO THE STREET COUNT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IN THE

PAST -- AT LEAST I KNOW FROM THE LAST POINT IN TIME COUNT

THEY DID -- THEY BLANKET THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, THEY DID THE COUNT.

I THINK THEY SPENT MAYBE TEN HOURS COUNTING PEOPLE.

36

THAT IS A BAD STRATEGY TO COUNT BECAUSE HUD'S FOCUS IS ON A

POINT IN TIME.

THE NATIONAL POINT IN TIME IS 11 A.M. TO 1 P.M. ACROSS THE

COUNTRY.

AND THEN ALSO, THE OTHER DIFFERENCE IS THAT BECAUSE OF

GASPARILLA -- I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT -- [LAUGHTER] -- I'VE

HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT THAT.

BECAUSE OF THAT, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GETS PERMISSION TO HAVE

OUR POINT H IN-TIME COUNT DONE IN FEBRUARY INSTEAD OF IN

JANUARY WHEN THE NATIONAL COUNT IS HAPPENING, LAST WEEK OF

JANUARY IS WHEN IT HAPPENS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE TO DECREASE THE TIME IN WHICH

THE COUNT IS TAKING PLACE, SO TRY TO FOCUS IN ON THAT 11 TO

1 P.M. TIME.

OR MAY HAVE TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT SPENDING TEN

HOURS MAKING THE COUNT.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO COUNT EVERYBODY.

I THINK WHEN YOU BLANKET, YOU ARE LITERALLY TRYING TO COUNT

EVERYBODY.

AND IT'S NOT MEANT TO HAPPEN THAT WAY.

THE SECOND THING IS THAT EVEN IF YOU DO TRY TO COUNT

EVERYBODY, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE DUPLICATIONS BECAUSE YOU

ARE SPENDING TEN HOURS COUNTING, WHICH MEANS THAT IF YOU

37

DON'T HAVE A TEAM DEDICATED TO GO STRICTLY TO A LUNCH SITE

AND STAY THERE AND YOU HAVE THEM KIND OF LIKE, OH, THIS IS

OUR AREA AND THAT'S HOW THEY DO IT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH

COUNTY, SO IF THEIR AREA IS IN THE BRANDON/RIVERVIEW/RUSKIN

AREA, SO YOU'VE GOT A TEAM OF LET'S JUST SAY 40 PEOPLE AND

IT'S THEIR JOB TO BLANKET THAT ENTIRE AREA, SO YOU HAVE

PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME IN AND OUT OF THE LUNCH SITES.

SO YOU RUN INTO THE RISK OF COUNTING THEM ON THE STREETS AND

INSIDE THE BUILDING BY THE TIME YOU GET IN THERE.

IF YOU HAVE A TEAM GO DIRECTLY TO THE LUNCH SITES, THEY ARE

THERE FROM 11 TO 3 OR WHATEVER THE TIME MAY BE, IT'S

FOCUSED, IT'S ISOLATED.

THEN YOU HAVE THE PEOPLE DO THE STREET COUNT.

IT KIND OF MINIMIZES THE DUPLICATION.

AND THEN UTILIZING DATA.

THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU CAN -- THE PURPOSE OF

THE POINT H IN-TIME COUNT IS TO TELL A STORY.

IT'S HARD TO TELL THE STORY IF YOU CAN'T TELL PEOPLE HOW THE

NUMBER HAS DECREASED OR INCREASED.

SO HAVING SOME STRATEGY BEHIND IT INSTEAD OF JUST TRYING TO

COVER THE ENTIRE COUNTY TO SAY WE COUNTED EVERYBODY.

BUT WHEN YOU FOCUS IN ON HOT SPOTS, LUNCH SITES, THEN THE

AGENCIES THEMSELVES, HAVING THE AGENCIES ACTUALLY PULL THAT

INFORMING OUT OF THE HMIS DATABASE, HOMELESS MANAGEMENT

38

INFORMATION SYSTEM, HAVING THEM PULL THAT INFORMATION OUT

WOULD HELP WITH THE COUNT.

SO THAT'S HOW WE WILL BE DOING THE COUNT MOVING FORWARD.

>>LEE LOWRY: THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU.


>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YES.

>> THANK YOU.

THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY ENJOY ABOUT BEING HERE IN

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AT LEAST FOR THE PURPOSES OF OPERATION REVEILLE, THINGS ARE

DONE ON A GRANDER SCALE.

LIKE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO IT REALLY MAKES IT WORTHWHILE WHEN YOU PUT ON A PROJECT

LIKE THAT.

SO THE NEXT ONE I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU ALL IS THE

RETROACTIVE VIDEO FROM OPERATION REVEILLE.


>> SO FAR, OPERATION REVEILLE HAD 350 VOLUNTEERS FROM

CITIZENS, LOCAL AGENCIES, NONPROFIT, THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

ASHLEY FURNITURE DONATED ALL THE FURNISHINGS FOR ALL 50

UNITS.

WE HAD THE TAMPA BAY RAYS WERE THE FIRST PRIVATE

ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR OPERATION

39

REVEILLE.

THEN WE HAD TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING AS WELL.

I MEAN, ALL THE WAY FROM McDONALD'S TO HOOTERS, I MEAN,

EVERYBODY WAS REALLY INVOLVED.

THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHELLED OUT FOR THIS PURPOSE.

AND EVEN THOUGH OPERATION REVEILLE'S FOCUS IS TO TARGET IN

ON THE VETERANS, IT IS NOT THE END OF THE CONCEPT OF WHAT WE

DID, WHICH IS RAPID REHOUSING, TAKING AN INDIVIDUAL DIRECTLY

OFF THE STREETS AND PUT THEM IN A HOUSE WITHIN EIGHT HOURS.

THIS CONCEPT WILL ROLL OVER TO TARGET OTHER POPULATIONS,

SUCH AS THE YOUTH POPULATION, THE CHRONIC HOMELESS

POPULATION, AND THEN ALSO THE POPULATION WHERE INDIVIDUALS

ARE NOT CHRONICALLY HOMELESS AND THEY DON'T FIT NEATLY INTO

A UNIQUE CATEGORY, SUCH ADDS BEING A VETERAN.

BUT A MOTHER THAT IS PREGNANT WITH A CHILD OR A HUSBAND AND

WIFE THAT JUST FELL ON HARD TIMES, THIS IS THE MODEL THAT

THHI WILL BE UTILIZING MOVING FORWARD.

OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO GET INDIVIDUALS OFF THE STREETS AS

QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO MINIMIZE THE FUNDING USED IN OTHER

AREAS, SUCH AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS VISITING THE EMERGENCY

ROOM FREQUENTLY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO

PROPERLY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.

WE LIKE TO SAY THAT HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE, THAT -- IN THE

RETROACTIVE VIDEO YOU HEARD, WHICH WAS PRIOR TO OPERATION

40

REVEILLE, THOSE INDIVIDUALS TALKED ABOUT HOW THEIR HEALTH

INCREASED BECAUSE THEY HAD A STABLE PLACE TO LIVE.

YOU CAN TAKE YOUR MEDICATIONS REGULARLY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO

WORRY ABOUT THEM GETTING STOLEN OR THROWN AWAY BECAUSE

YOU'RE STASHING THEM IN A PARK OR AN ENCAMPMENT.

THEY FIND JOBS AND GET HEALTH BENEFITS.

SO IT REDUCES THE COST FOR EVERYBODY IN THE HEALTHCARE

SECTOR, THE POLICE CAN THEN UTILIZE THAT TIME AND ENERGY

TOWARDS OTHER AREAS, ACTUALLY FIGHTING CRIME AND NOT

SPENDING TIME RESPONDING TO NUISANCE.

SO IT WAS RFP, RECENTLY PUT OUT -- REQUEST FOR FUNDING

PROPOSALS, RECENTLY PUT OUT A [INAUDIBLE]

THAT IS ANOTHER CONCEPT THAT ANTOINETTE AND I CAME UP WITH.

BASICALLY, IT'S PUTTING THE OPERATION REVEILLE CONCEPT INTO

A BUILDING, MAKING IT A PART OF THE NORMAL I WITH A OF DOING

BUSINESS, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST ON A ONE-DAY EVENT OR

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND OPERATION REVEILLE IS STILL ONGOING.

EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THAT GRAND EVENT ON THAT DAY, WE ARE

STILL HOUSING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ELIGIBLE ON THAT

DAY.

SO EVEN THOUGH 51 VETERANS GOT HOUSED THE DAY OF THE EVENT,

WE HAD TWO OF THOSE REMAINING 27 PEOPLE GET HOUSED WITHIN

THE LAST WEEK.

41

SO IT IS AN ONGOING EFFORT.

IT DOESN'T END.

WE WILL FOCUS IN ON THE 51 VETERANS, THEN WE ARE LOOKING TO

DO OPERATION REVEILLE -- I AM THINKING WE MAY ONLY HAVE TO

DO IT ONE MORE TIME TO GET THE JOB DONE SO THAT WE CAN MEET

THE NATIONAL GOAL OF ENDING VET HOMELESSNESS BY 2015.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY THE VETERAN POPULATION IS A

PRIMARY TARGET RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE THE DEADLINE IS SOONER.

CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS IS 2016, TO END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.

I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'LL EXCEED THAT EXPECTATION IN TERMS OF

GETTING THAT DONE BEFORE 2016.

WE'LL HAVE IT DONE.

THEN THE LAST THING I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT WE ARE LOOKING

TO ESTABLISH A CENTRALIZED INTAKE HOTLINE.

RIGHT NOW, IF A PERSON IS LIVING ON THE STREETS IN

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE A NUMBER THAT

THEY CAN PICK UP AND CALL AND GET IMMEDIATE SERVICES OR BE

REFERRED TO IMMEDIATE HELP, WHETHER IT'S -- ANY TYPE OF

SOCIAL SERVICES THAT THEY MAY NEED.

SO THE FUTURE ASPECT IS WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH AN

AGENCY TO OPERATE THE HOTLINE SO WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL CALLS,

THAT AGENCY CAN LOOK INTO THE HOMELESS DATABASE AND SEE WHAT

AGENCIES HAVE WHAT BEDS.

RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CALL 211, ALL THEY CAN GIVE YOU IS A LIST

42

OF AGENCIES, AND THEN HAVE YOU GO TO EACH INDIVIDUAL AGENCY.

SO THAT CAN BE EXHAUSTING FOR A PERSON THAT IS DESPERATELY

SEEKING HELP, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A CHILD AND YOU ARE ON

THE STREETS, THEN I GOT TO GO KNOCK ON ALL THESE DOORS JUST

TO GET HELP, INSTEAD OF JUST COME TO ANTONIO, I CAN PICK UP

THE PHONE, AND I CAN SEE EVERYBODY AND THEN TELL YOU, OKAY,

THIS PERSON HAS, YOU KNOW TWO BEDS, AND THEN ACTUALLY MAKE

THE REFERRAL IN THE SYSTEM AND TELL THAT PERSON YOU GOT 24

HOURS TO GET THERE.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL

I HAVE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: KAY, I KNOW YOU HAD A QUESTION.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YEAH, I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON LEE'S -- LEE,

THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT THE DEFINITIONS.

I WORK FOR A SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT AGENCY, AND I

ATTENDED A MEETING ON TUESDAY, A STATEWIDE MEETING, WHERE

THE WHOLE ISSUE OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND THE DEFINITION

OF HOMELESS CAME UP, AND I WAS INTERESTED IN YOU SAYING ONE

OF THE DEFINITIONS SAYS IF YOU ARE IN A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING

FACILITY, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN TREATMENT OFTEN GO TO

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, YOU KNOW, TO REINTEGRATE INTO THE

COMMUNITY.

AND THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO WHEN THEY LEAVE TRANSITIONAL

43

HOUSING, BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD WITH THE FUNDING THAT THE

STATE IS GIVING -- I MEAN, HAS ALLOCATED FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE

AGENCIES OR OTHERS TO SET UP TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS THEY

ARE NOT HOMELESS.

AND SO I WONDER IF YOU'VE HAD THAT KIND OF THING, WHERE

DEFINITIONS -- AND THEN ALONG WITH THAT, BECAUSE SO MUCH OF

THIS IS FEDERAL MONIES THAT YOU ARE WORKING WITH, IS THERE

ANY LIMITATION ON PEOPLE'S CRIMINAL RECORD FOR ALLOWING THEM

TO USE THAT?

BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE DEAL WITH ALL THE TIME.

>> YES.

SO WHAT I AM HEARING IS A TWO-PART QUESTION.

SO ONE IS ADDRESSING THE DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS AS IT

RELATES TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: CORRECT.

>> AND THEN THE SECOND PART IS LIMITATIONS PERTAINING TO A

PERSON BEING ABLE TO ACCESS SERVICES BECAUSE OF THEIR

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND.

THAT'S CORRECT?

SO THE FIRST PART IS ONE THING THAT I NOTICED WHILE BEING IN

TAMPA -- AND THIS IS WITHIN THAT THREE-MONTH CONSULTING

PERIOD UNTIL CURRENTLY -- IS THAT SOME AGENCIES HAVE A

DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

HUD'S DEFINITION OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS 24 MONTHS WITH

44

WRAPAROUND SERVICES.

SO THE OLD MODEL WAS YOU GO TO EMERGENCY SHELTER, AND THEN

IN THE EMERGENCY SHELTER OR EVEN BRIDGE HOUSING, THEY ARE

TRYING TO GET YOU DOCUMENT READY.

THAT'S A GOOD THING, BUT THE OTHER THING, IT SLOWS THAT

PERSON DOWN AS WELL BECAUSE THAT PERSON, IF THEY ARE NOT AN

INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS THE CAPABILITY OF GOING DIRECTLY INTO A

HOUSING UNIT, THEN I WOULD IMMEDIATELY PUT THEM IN

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND LET THEM BECOME DOCUMENT READY

THERE.

SO I HAVE COME ACROSS AGENCIES THAT SAY THEY ARE A

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM, BUT THE LIMITATIONS IS EIGHT

MONTHS.

UNDER THE HUD DEFINITION, THAT IS NOT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

I MEAN, IT'S TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR THE AGENCY, BUT THEY

COULDN'T RECEIVE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FUNDS THROUGH HUD

BECAUSE THE REQUIREMENT IS 24 MONTHS.

SO WITHIN THAT 24-MONTH TIME, IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE

AGENCY TO GET THAT FAMILY AS CLOSE TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AS

POSSIBLE AND THEN MAKE THE REFERRAL TO PERMANENT HOUSING IF

THEY ARE THERE OR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IF THEY HAVE

SOME FORM OF DISABILITY WHERE THEY RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY

AND GET THAT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING.

THE SECOND PART IS THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND.

45

AS LONG AS THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING FRAUDULENT AS IT

RELATES TO FEDERAL FUNDING, THEY QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM.

WHAT WE FIND IS A LOT OF TIMES THESE AGENCIES PUT ALL OF

THESE BARRIERS UP.

IT'S NOT HUD FUNDING THAT IS CAUSING THE BARRIERS.

IF AN AGENCY -- IT DOESN'T MATTER IF A PERSON HAS A CRIMINAL

BACKGROUND OR NOT.

THEY CAN GO.

IF YOU HAVE HOUSING RESTRICTIONS, IT MAY HINDER YOUR ACCESS

TO ONE PARTICULAR PROGRAM OVER ANOTHER.

>> WHAT WE NORMALLY TRY TO GET IS SECTION 8, AND YOU CAN'T

HAVE ANY CRIMINAL HISTORY.

>> AND THE REASON WHY IS WITH SECTION 8, EVEN THOUGH IT'S

HUD FUNDING, IT'S A DIFFERENT POT.

WE MOSTLY DEAL WITH THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDS AND THE

EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS FUNDS.

SO THOSE FUNDS DO A LOT FOR THEM, BUT SECTION 8 DOESN'T

BECAUSE IT'S VOUCHER BASED.

SO THEY WON'T.

IT'S JUST LIKE FOOD STAMPS.

THEY WON'T ALLOW PEOPLE WITH --

>>KAY DOUGHTY: DO YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS TO SOAR, SSI AND DSI?

>> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CLEARLY DEFINE

THE SOAR REPRESENTATIVE HERE IN TAMPA.

46

THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE WORKING ON BECAUSE IN ST. LOUIS, WE

BELIEVE IN SOAR.

WE HAD OVER 11 AGENCIES IDENTIFIED TO DO SOAR TRAINING.

SO WE HAD SOAR TRAINING ALMOST EVERY MONTH.

IT WORKS.

IT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET IT DONE.

SO WE WILL BE IDENTIFYING A SOAR REP.

IF THERE IS NO SOAR REP HERE IN TAMPA, WE WILL MAKE SURE

THAT WE CAN GET A PERSON TRAINED.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I DON'T REMEMBER THE ACRONYM.

I JUST KNOW THE PROGRAM.

>> SOMETIMES I CAN REMEMBER, SOMETIMES I CAN'T.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I KNEW YOU KNEW WHAT IT WAS.

>> IT'S LONG.

I CAN'T CALL IT UNLESS I LOOK IT UP ON MY CELL PHONE.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: IT'S A WAY OF GETTING PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS

CONNECTED WITH SSI AND SSDI BENEFITS.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THE S STANDS FOR SSI/SSDI, BUT THAT'S ALL I

REMEMBER.

>> YEAH, ME TOO.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.

YOU SAID ASHLEY FURNITURE DONATED ALL THE FURNITURE

NECESSARY?

47

>> THEY DID.

>> ARE THESE VETERANS GETTING ANY ELECTRONIC STUFF, IN OTHER

WORDS, A TV AND STUFF LIKE THAT?

>> ASHLEY FURNITURE DID DONATE ALL THE FURNITURE, SO WE HAVE

50 -- NOW WE HAVE 54 VETERANS ALREADY IN HOUSING.

AND THEY DID -- THE ONLY ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS THAT THEY GOT

IS A COMPUTER FROM COMPUTER MENTORS.

THEY DONATED A COMPUTER TO EACH UNIT.

BUT THE VET DID NOT GET A TV OR DVD PLAYERS OR ANYTHING LIKE

THAT.

WELL, SOME MAY HAVE BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT A -- WE CALLED

INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ASSISTING THE VETERANS BUDDIES, SO

ONE -- IT WAS A COUPLE THAT HAD A VET, AND THEY WERE THE

BUDDY FOR THE VET, THEY ACTUALLY DID DONATE A TV TO THAT

VETERAN.

SO SOMETIMES YOU HEAR VETS THAT GOT THINGS THAT OTHER VETS

DIDN'T GET BECAUSE THE VOLUNTEER THEMSELVES GAVE THOSE

THINGS, WHETHER IT'S A COFFEE POT OR IT WAS A TV OR VIDEO

GAME SYSTEM, AND THEN THEY LIKE, OH, I DIDN'T GET -- THAT

PERSON GOT A TV.

I DIDN'T GET -- OH, THAT WASN'T PART OF THE PROGRAM.

BUT THROUGH OPERATION REVEILLE, NO, THEY DIDN'T GET A TV,

JUST A COMPUTER.

48

>> I WANT TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION.

WHAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT DO YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE LIKE ASHLEY

FURNITURE WHO DONATES ALL THAT STUFF?

>> YES, SO OUR PROMOTION PIECE OF THAT WAS WE HAD T-SHIRTS.

ALL OF THE SPONSORS -- ACTUALLY, ALL OF THE PARTNERS WENT --

EVERY PERSON THAT WAS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN OPERATION

REVEILLE WAS PUT ONTO THE BACK OF A T-SHIRT.

AS WELL, WE HAD HUGE POSTERBOARDS, AND THAT'S A THING I

LOVE, LIKE THE POSTER BOARDS ARE BIGGER THAN THE SIZE OF THE

BOARDS BEHIND YOU.

SO WE HAD A HUGE POSTERBOARD THIS HAD ALL THOSE PARTNERS ON

IT.

BUT THEN WE HAD A BOARD SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED FOR THOSE

INDIVIDUALS THAT DONATED OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SO ASHLEY FURNITURE WAS AT THE TOP.

WE DID IT BASED OFF THE MILITARY RANKING, SO WE HAD, YOU

KNOW, FOUR STAR, THREE STAR, TWO STAR, ONE STAR, SO WE DID

THAT AS WELL.

AND ALL OF THE MEDIA COVERAGE, WHICH IS THIS -- THIS IS

ACTUALLY AN OLD LIST ALREADY BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO GET A NEW,

UPDATED DOCUMENT, BUT THIS IS ALL THE MEDIA COVERAGE THAT

TOOK PLACE AROUND OPERATION REVEILLE.

YEAH, I KNOW YOU ALL CAN'T SEE THAT.

I AM SORRY.

49

BUT IT'S A FULL-PAGE DOCUMENT THAT HAD ALL THE MEDIA

COVERAGE IN IT.

AND SO IN THAT COVERAGE, WE ALSO MENTIONED ASHLEY FURNITURE,

THE RAYS AND LIGHTNING, THE BIG CONTRIBUTORS, AND EXPLAINING

WE HAD OVER 50 PARTNER AGENCIES AND MENTIONING SOME OF THOSE

INDIVIDUALS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SPENCER?

>>SPENCER KASS: TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.

IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU, THE OTHER PHASES FOR OTHER POPULATION

GROUPS, YOU WILL BE [INAUDIBLE]

THE NEXT TWO YEARS?

>> YES, SIR.

>>SPENCER KASS: I KNOW YOU DISCUSSED THE COUNTY'S

CONTRIBUTION OF GENERAL FUNDS.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION?

>> SO THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION WAS GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS AND

ESG FUNDS.

AND THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION WAS ESG FUNDS.

>>SPENCER KASS: THANK YOU.

>> YES, SIR.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: KIMBER.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I HAVE TO APPLAUD YOU VERY MUCH.

I AM A WIFE OF A VETERAN.

50

THIS IS CLOSE TO THE HEART.

AND MY HUSBAND OWNS HIS OWN COMPANY, SO WE TRY TO EMPLOY

VETERANS AS WELL.

SICKENS ME TO FIND OUT THAT THESE MEN AND WOMEN GO OVER AND

DEFEND OUR COUNTRY, AND WE'RE UNABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM

WHEN THEY GET BACK.

SO I WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU TO FIND OUT HOW WE MIGHT BE

ABLE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR VENTURE HERE.

AT THE SAME TIME, DO YOU ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH THE 50 PEOPLE

THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PLACE TO SEE IF THEY DO FIND A JOB,

YOU KNOW, THAT THEY STAY ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

BECAUSE SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, LIFE CONTINUES TO THROW

YOU A FEW HARD KNOCKS OR WHATNOT, AND YOU FALL BACK TO WHERE

YOU MAY HAVE STARTED BEFORE.

SO OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM TON TO BE ABLE TO

GET A JOB AND SURVIVE IN SOCIETY BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME BACK

AND THEN HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOCIETY NOT ACCEPTING YOU BACK,

YOU KNOW -- I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING.

>> ABSOLUTELY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING THAT BECAUSE

THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THAT.

I FOCUS SO MUCH ON THE BIG PICTURE, AND THAT'S JUST HOW I

THINK, SO SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE PEOPLE TO

ASK THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LOGISTICAL --

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: THE LITTLE PICTURE?

51

>> WELL, IT'S STILL BIG, BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT

PIECES THAT MAKE THE PICTURE COME TOGETHER.

AND THAT IS THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THE VETS WILL BE

RECEIVING.

SO AGAIN, LIKE I WAS TALKING ABOUT, ACTS IS THE PRIMARY

AGENCY AT THIS MOMENT, AND THEN WHEN THE VETS GET REFERRED

TO THE VETERAN OR THE CONTINUUM OF CARE AGENCIES, AND I HAD

TALKED ABOUT THE FOUR DIFFERENT AGENCIES, TWO WERE VA FUNDED

AND TWO WERE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDED.

SO WHEN A VET GETS REFERRED TO THOSE AGENCIES, THE REFERRAL

IS FOR THE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

SO THAT CASE MANAGER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE

THAT THE VETS STAY ON THE PATH, DEVELOPING A GOAL PLAN.

SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE RECEIVING BENEFITS, SO NOT

NECESSARILY -- YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY INCREASE THEIR INCOME, YOU

KNOW, IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MORE VA BENEFITS.

WE DO HAVE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE

THAT SPECIALIZES IN DOING THAT, BUT ALSO IF THEY WANT TO GO

GET A COMPUTER CLASS OR ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO, THAT

IS THE JOB OF THE AGENCY AND THE CASE MANAGERS TO ASSIST

THOSE VETERANS WITH THAT.

AND THEN THE ULTIMATE GOAL, AGAIN, IS TO GET THEM TO SELF-

SUFFICIENCY, SO LIKE WE DID WITH OPERATION REVEILLE, WE JUST

BROUGHT AUTOPSY OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES TOGETHER, AND THEN

52

THEY ARE ALREADY CONNECTED, SO DENTAL EXAMS AND CLEANINGS,

THAT'S ALREADY SET UP.

SO EVERY VET WILL RECEIVE FREE DENTAL TREATMENTS, CLEANINGS,

SOME WILL RECEIVE ORAL SURGERY, AND SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF

THINGS.

STILL JUST TRYING TO THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD

NEED.

SOCIAL SECURITY IS AT THE TABLE, SO IF A VET NEEDS TO GET

TEMPORARY ID CARD AND GET A NEW SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, THEY

CAN GET THAT.

WE HAVE DMV ON SITE, SO SOME VETS GOT IDs THE DAY OF THE

EVENT.

I MEAN, ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY ON

THE RIGHT PATH.

BUT IT WILL BE ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT THAT REALLY WILL BE

THE GAME CHANGER IN KEEPING THE VETS ON THE RIGHT PATH.

I THINK THE IDEA OF THEM COMING ANYWAY GIVES US GREAT HOPE

THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH BECAUSE IT'S

EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET SOME OF THEM TO COME TO THE DOOR

AND SAY, HEY, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE A KEY FOR THEM AND YOU

HAVE A HOME, SOMETIMES IT GETS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY ARE

AFRAID, AND THEY HAVE BEEN FAILED SO MANY TIMES.

AND SO THE FACT THAT YOU ARE TELLING THEM I GOT A KEY -- I

53

HAVE A KEY AND A HOUSE FOR YOU, IT SEEMS LIKE TALK.

FOR SOME OF THEM, IT DIDN'T BECOME REAL FOR THEM UNTIL THEY

WENT INTO THAT DOOR AND MAYBE EVEN WHEN THEY SLEPT IN THAT

UNIT THAT NIGHT THAT, WOW, THIS REALLY HAPPENED.

BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE KEY.

THAT'S REALLY -- THAT'S WHEN THE PROGRAM STARTS.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: GREAT.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: JOE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

>>JOSEPH WICKER: ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. BYRD.

SO I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

HOW MANY -- BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING THE

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SUCCESSFULLY, AND I IMAGINE YOU HAVE

SOME THAT LEAVE UNSUCCESSFULLY.

BUT HOW MANY NEW HOMELESS ARE COMING INTO THE SYSTEM, FOR

LACK OF A BETTER TERM, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS?

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?

>> I DON'T.

AS YOU KNOW, THE LAST -- IF THE LAST TWO POINT-IN-TIME

COUNTS WERE, I WOULD SAY, IN GOOD STANDING, THEN I WOULD BE

ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME

54

ISSUES AROUND THE POINT-IN-TIME COUNT PRIOR TO THE LAST ONE,

THEN IT MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GIVE THAT TYPE OF

NUMBER.

SO THE ONLY NUMBER I HAVE TO GO OFF OF IS THE LAST POINT-IN-

TIME COUNT, WHICH THE COMMUNITY AND -- I WOULD SAY THE

COMMUNITY DEEMED THAT THAT WAS THE CLOSEST TO THE MOST

ACCURATE POINT IN TIME COUNT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: AND HOW MANY PAID STAFF DOES YOUR

ORGANIZATION HAVE?

>> YES, SIR, IT'S ACTUALLY TEN OF US, SO IT'S THE CEO AND

MYSELF, WE HAVE OUR CFO, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR OFFICE

MANAGER, WHICH IS THE ASSISTANT.

AND THEN WE HAVE THREE HMIS BECAUSE OUR ORGANIZATION FUNDS

AND OPERATES THE HOMELESS INFORMATION -- HOMELESS MANAGEMENT

INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SO WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED

TO THAT.

AND WE HAVE SOME OTHER PROGRAM STAFF THAT OVERSEE, LIKE COC

AND SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF.

AND THAT'S THE THING.

THHI CURRENTLY -- AND THIS IS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE

HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE TIME BECAUSE WE WERE SO CAUGHT INTO

OPERATION REVEILLE AND DOING THAT -- AND THIS WAS DONE

WITHIN OUR 90-DAY PROBATIONAL PERIOD.

SO AGAIN, THAT WAS OUR FOCUS WAS TO OBSERVE AND BE ABLE TO

55

MAKE THOSE CHANGES.

BUT BECAUSE WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF DOING OPERATION REVEILLE

EARLY WITHIN THAT FIRST 90 DAYS, WE ARE TAKING THE TIME TO

KIND OF EXAMINE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION AS IS, AND

WE WILL BE MAKING CHANGES TO IT TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT TO

FIT THE PLAN THAT, AS I EXPLAINED TO YOU ALL, TO OPERATION

THAT WAY IN THE FUTURE AS A UNIFIED FUNDING AGENCY.

SO CURRENTLY, WE ARE DOING SOME DIRECT SERVICES, WHICH IS

DIFFICULT TO BE THE ADMINISTRATOR AND PROVIDE DIRECT

SERVICES.

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU HAVE

AGENCIES THAT NEED TO GET PAID AND THEY ARE SUBMITTING

REIMBURSEMENTS TO YOU AND THEN YOU HAVE CLIENTS THAT ARE

COMING IN, IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

SO YOU EITHER GOT TO BE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF FUNDS OR YOU

ARE GOING TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES.

OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE TO BE THE ADMINISTRATOR, PROVIDE

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE AGENCY, AND BRING COLLABORATIONS

TOGETHER.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: OKAY.

THEN AS FAR AS VOLUNTEERS GO, DO YOU HAVE CERTAIN NUMBER OF

VOLUNTEERS?

I AM SURE THAT PROBABLY FLUCTUATES.

>> WE USE A SYSTEM CALLED CONSTANT CONTACTS, AND WE HAVE

56

OVER 1600 VOLUNTEERS ON THAT LIST.

SO FOR OPERATION REVEILLE, WE HAD 350 SHOW UP, AND THAT WAS

IN -- THE HOMES GOT STAGED WITHIN, REALLY, TWO DAYS.

THE MAJORITY OF THE UNITS WERE STAGED ON SATURDAY PRIOR TO

VETERANS DAY.

BUT WE CAN ALWAYS USE MORE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

[LAUGHTER]

SO ONE OF THE -- I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF AN ECONOMIC UNIVERSAL

RULE THAT IF YOU TAX SOMETHING, YOU GET LESS OF IT, AND IF

YOU SUBSIDIZE SOMETHING, YOU TEND TO GET MORE OF IT; RIGHT?

SO ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS IS THAT WHEN

AN AGENCY IS SET UP AND THERE'S FUNDING INVOLVED AND IT HAS

A GOAL, REGARDLESS OF HOW NOBLE THE GOAL MAY BE, WHICH IS

TYPICALLY TO END A PROBLEM; RIGHT?

THAT'S WHY GOVERNMENT IS GETTING INVOLVED.

IF THERE'S FUNDING ATTACHED TO IT, THEN PEOPLE THAT BECOME

EMPLOYED BY THE AGENCY HAVE A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR THE

FUNDING TO CONTINUE.

RIGHT?

SO THEREFORE, THE PROBLEM TO NEVER GO AWAY.

THAT'S ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH SOME AGENCIES.

SO MY QUESTION IS IF YOUR GOAL IS TO END HOMELESSNESS, THEN

ISN'T IT TRUE TO SAY THAT YOUR PURPOSE IS TO KIND OF WORK

57

YOURSELF ALMOST OUT OF A JOB?

>> OUT OF A JOB.


TO THE POINT TO WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS MUCH SMALLER IN

SIZE AND IN FUNDING; CORRECT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT.


>> IN ST. LOUIS, OUR OFFICE IS THE SAME SIZE, EVEN THOUGH WE

OPERATED A $14 MILLION OPERATION.

BUT WE HAD OVER 50 AGENCIES AND 60 CONTRACTS THAT WE

MANAGED.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL, I MEAN -- A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULDN'T SAY

IT -- AND I UNDERSTAND -- BECAUSE THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT

THEIR LIVELIHOOD, BUT YOU CAN -- EVEN THOUGH I AM SAYING TO

YOU TODAY, IF YOU ASK THIS QUESTION PRIVATELY WITH

ANTOINETTE TRIPLETT, THE CEO, SHE WOULD SAY THE SAME THING.

OUR PHILOSOPHY IS TO WORK OURSELVES OUT OF A JOB.

YOU KNOW, I WANT TO END THIS THING WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS

AND START A CONSULTING FIRM AND JUST WORK ON PREVENTION

STUFF, YOU KNOW, HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.

BUT OUR JOB IS TO WORK OURSELVES OUT OF A JOB.

WILL IT PRIMARILY DECREASE THE STAFFING?

I DON'T KNOW.

IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS.

58

IT ALL CAN HAPPEN AT ONE TIME, BUT THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO

REDUCE.


SO A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.

SO, THEN, WHAT ARE THE GOALS THAT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE

STARTING TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE, WHAT GOALS DO THEY HAVE TO

MEET TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THEIR

OWN INDEPENDENCE?

I AM ASSUMING THERE'S SOME ACCOUNTABILITY THERE OF SOME

SORT.

>> YES, SIR.

THE INDIVIDUAL GOALS AT TIMES ARE SET BY THE AGENCY.

SO WHENEVER AN AGENCY SUBMITS A PROPOSAL AND THAT PROPOSAL

IS SUBMITTED TO HUD, THE MAIN GOAL IS SELF-SUFFICIENCY, SO

THAT IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF HUD HOUSING INDIVIDUALS.

OVER THE YEARS -- I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER TEN YEARS,

AND HUD HAS BEEN PUTTING LESS DOLLARS INTO SUPPORT SERVICES.

THE ONLY REASON WHY THEY ARE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE THEY WANT

TO -- THEY REALLY WANT TO FOSTER COLLABORATIONS.

IF AN AGENCY IS RECEIVING FUNDS TO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT

OR WHETHER IT'S MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE

TREATMENT, THEN THEY WOULD RATHER THE AGENCY SEEK THAT

PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT AGENCY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES THAN

HUD PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES.

59

SO THE GOAL CAN VARY, BUT IT IS TO HELP AN INDIVIDUAL BECOME

SELF-SUFFICIENT.

SO IF IT'S A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM, IT'S TO GET 90%

AND ABOVE EVERY INDIVIDUAL COMING OUT OF TRANSITIONAL

HOUSING INTO A PERMANENT HOUSING, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

THEN A LOT OF IT GOES UP, FOR PERMANENT HOUSING AND

PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, IT'S THE ULTIMATE GOAL TO GET

A PERSON TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT WHERE THEY EXIT THE PROGRAM.

WILL THAT HAPPEN FOR EVERYBODY?

NO, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE A DISABILITY AND WILL PROBABLY

NEVER BE ABLE TO BE FULLY SELF-SUFFICIENT.

SO WHAT THE AGENCY CAN DO TO DECREASE FUNDING IS DECREASE

CASE MANAGEMENT.

WE ARE STILL HERE FOR YOU, NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT WE ARE

NOT GOING TO COME VISIT YOU EVERY WEEK.

THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE.


MY LAST QUESTION WOULD BE -- I JUST WANT TO END BY SAYING

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

AS A COMBAT VETERAN OF THE IRAQ WAR MYSELF, I KNOW THAT

THERE ARE SOME VETERANS THAT STRUGGLE IN REACHING OUT, I

THINK, SOMETIMES, AND I CAN SEE WHERE SOME PEOPLE CAN WAKE

UP ONE DAY AND FIND THEMSELVES IN REAL TROUBLE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU BEFORE I ASK

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YOUR LAST QUESTION HERE IS I KNOW THAT VETERANS ARE --

THEY'RE FIERCELY LOYAL TO ONE ANOTHER.

ALMOST TO A FAULT.

SO THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OPPORTUNITIES, AND GOVERNMENT

AGENCIES HAVE TO HAVE RULES AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE

PROCEDURES, SO SOMETIMES THAT'S GOOD, BUT THEN OTHER TIMES

IT SLOWS THINGS DOWN.

I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED INSTANCES WHERE SOMETHING POPPED

UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA LOCALLY HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

ABOUT, HEY, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT THIS GUY, THIS IS THE

SITUATION, HE IS A VETERAN, HERE'S HOW I KNOW HIM, HERE'S

HIS CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH

AND HELP THIS GUY GET UP ON HIS FEET; WHO CAN HELP?

PEOPLE JUST START MEETING THAT NEED IMMEDIATELY.

SERVICES START COMING IN, PEOPLE START VOLUNTEERING, AND

THEN PEOPLE PUT CASH OUT THERE TO JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I HAVE SEEN A VETERAN IN THIS AREA GET INTO A PLACE AND HAVE

FULL FURNISHINGS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME OF THE NICER

THINGS, YOU KNOW, FULL FURNISHINGS TO MAINTAIN HIMSELF

WITHIN 24 HOURS BECAUSE THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS KIND OF DOWN ON

HIS LUCK GOING THROUGH SOME MEDICAL STUFF.

SO THE POWER OF VETERANS TO JUST COME IN AND MEET THE NEED

IS HUGE.

I AM SURE YOU ARE TRYING TO LEVERAGE THAT SOMEHOW, BUT I

61

JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IT BECAUSE IT'S NOTHING FOR

ME TO DRIVE DOWNTOWN AND JUST MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN FOR

ANOTHER VETERAN.

AND VETERANS CAN ASK DIRECT QUESTIONS TO THAT PERSON AND

KNOW WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH WHERE

THEY'VE BEEN, WHAT THEY'VE DONE, AND HOW THEY GOT HERE;

RIGHT?

SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND

ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TRYING TO GET MORE VETERANS

INVOLVED IN YOUR ORGANIZATION.

AND NOW THAT I KNOW ABOUT YOU AS WELL, I'LL REACH OUT TO

YOU.

SO HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS WITH YOUR PROGRAMS?

>> I WOULD SAY TAKING THAT I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE FOR THREE

MONTHS -- [LAUGHTER] -- THE ONLY MEASUREMENT I HAVE SO FAR

IS OPERATION REVEILLE.

THAT WAS MY SUCCESS.

WITH THAT, IT WAS TO LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES, AND THAT'S THE

BEAUTY OF IT IS THAT -- AND ANOTHER THING, TOO, IS THAT WE

HAD LOCAL CITIZENS ACTUALLY DONATE UNITS TO WHERE THEY PUT

UP MONEY, YOU KNOW, IT COST ROUGHLY ABOUT $11 HUNDRED TO

FULLY FURNISH A UNIT, AND WE DID HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT

STEPPED FORWARD TO FURNISH THOSE UNITS.

62

SO --

>>JOSEPH WICKER: SO IS SUCCESS DEFINED BY THE NUMBER OF

PEOPLE THAT COME OFF THE STREET INTO A CERTAIN LEVEL OF

HOUSING AND THEN CONTINUE ON?

I MEAN, THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME METRIC.

>> IN THE LONG-TERM GOAL, AS IT RELATES TO OPERATION

REVEILLE, THE SUCCESS MEASUREMENT IS ONE NOT NECESSARILY THE

NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU GET OFF THE STREETS, BUT IT IS.

WAY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HAPPY IF IT WAS 25 PEOPLE BECAUSE --

OR EVEN IF IT WAS ONE PERSON.

GETTING ONE PERSON OFF THE STREETS IS A SUCCESS TO ME.

BUT THE REAL SUCCESS COMES IN AFTER 12 MONTHS HOW MANY

VETERANS WE STILL HAVE IN HOUSING.

TO ME, THAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF MEASURING SUCCESS IS

THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AT LEAST 85% TO 90% OF THE

VETS STILL HOUSED AFTER A YEAR OF BEING HOUSED.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LEE?

>>LEE LOWRY: AND I KNOW WE ARE UP AGAINST TIME.

I AGREE WITH JOSEPH THAT SOMETIMES STRUCTURES CAN BE CREATED

THAT ARE SELF-PERPETUATING, EVEN IF CREATED FOR THE RIGHT

REASONS.

I THINK YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT STORY -- I FIND IT A

WONDERFUL STORY -- THAT THERE WAS A STRUCTURE IN PLACE THAT

63

WAS THAT KIND OF THING WHERE THE AGENCIES THEMSELVES WERE

PERPETUATING, AND THERE WASN'T A LOT OF SOLUTION GOING ON.

OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, I BELIEVE WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND

THE REASON WHY THEY ARE HERE IS THAT WAS DISBANDED, THAT

GROUP.

THEY FORMED THIS INITIATIVE INSTEAD.

AND THEN THROUGH THAT PROCESS, BROUGHT THESE GUYS ON TO

CONSULT AND EVENTUALLY TO COME IN AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>>LEE LOWRY: THE LITTLE I KNOW ABOUT THAT STORY, I AM PRETTY

HEARTENED BY THE FACT IT'S EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE.

IT'S A REAL TESTIMONY TO WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN COMMUNITY

LEADERS -- THAT'S REALLY WHO IT WAS -- GOT INVOLVED, SORT OF

SAW THAT FOR WHAT IT WAS, BROKE IT DOWN, AND HAVE STARTED

SOLVING IT.

>> YES, MA'AM.

THAT'S WHAT MADE ST. LOUIS SUCCESSFUL IS WE DID HAVE THE

POLITICAL WILL.

IT WAS THE AGENDA OF OUR MAYOR TO REDUCE AND END

HOMELESSNESS FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WITHIN OUR CITIZENS.

IT'S EASY TO PUT THEM IN A DROP-IN CENTER AND HIDE THEM AWAY

FROM EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THE TOURISTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT BECAUSE I COME FROM A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I UNDERSTAND

BOTH AVENUES.

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I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC PIECE AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THE

NONPROFIT, THE HUMANITY END OF IT AS WELL, TO DO -- I MEAN,

WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THOSE VETERANS IS RIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S JUST HOW WE FEEL, THAT EVERY HOMELESS PERSON WE SERVE

WILL, IN TURN, BENEFIT THE ECONOMIC ABILITY OF THE

COMMUNITY.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ONE LAST QUESTION, JOE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: THIS IS A COMMENT.

IS IT A POSSIBILITY THAT THE COUNTY COULD DONATE A PLAQUE

FOR THESE PEOPLE, LIKE WHO DONATE $1100 FOR 50 HOMELESS

PEOPLE?

A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THIS, BUT IF A

PLAQUE IS HANGING IN THEIR STORE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE

IT.

IT HAS TO BE CRAFTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE -- YOU KNOW, THEIR

SERVICE, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

>> I KNOW THHI IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING FOR THOSE BIG

PLAYERS.

WE ARE GOING TO DO RECOGNITION LUNCHES FOR EVERYBODY THAT

PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION REVEILLE, BUT IN PARTICULARLY FOR

THOSE THAT REALLY MADE IT HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, CAME WITH THOSE

BIG CONTRIBUTIONS.

AS FAR AS A PLAQUE, WE GOT TO TALK TO MR. MERRILL ABOUT

THAT.

65

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: OH, AND HE JUST HAPPENS TO BE HERE.

>> WHEN WE SEE MR. MERRILL, WE'LL ASK HIM.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: AT THE MINIMUM, THEY COULD BE PUT UP FOR THE

YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE AWARDS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

I MEAN, THAT'S PART OF OUR ROLE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: EXCELLENT.

>> I WISH I CAN GIVE A BIG PLAQUE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

FROM A PERSON THAT'S NOT -- YOU KNOW, ONLY BEEN HERE THREE

MONTHS, IT'S OVER A YEAR THAT PLANNED OUT IN ST. LOUIS.

IT WAS THREE MONTHS HERE.

I STILL GET GOOSE BUMPS THINKING ABOUT THAT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: IT'S PHENOMENAL.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

I HOPE YOU COME BACK AND VISIT US NEXT YEAR, AND WE CAN TALK

ABOUT THE 50 VETS AND HOW WELL THEY ARE DOING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE COVERAGE AROUND IT AS WELL.

AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME SCOUTING CONSULTANTS TO DO THAT EXACT

THING, TO FOLLOWING THE PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR SO THAT

WE CAN BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK THE SUCCESS, THE FAILURES.

AND I WILL SAY THIS TO YOU ALL IS THAT ANTOINETTE AND

MYSELF, WE ARE EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT AND AGGRESSIVE PEOPLE.

WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOMEONE TELLING US THAT WE

SHOULD HAVE DID SOMETHING -- WHETHER YOU SAY RIGHT OR

66

WHATEVER.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO DO IT BETTER.

AND WHEN YOU GET THAT FEEDBACK, THAT CRITICISM, IT IS -- THE

GOAL OF IT IS TO GET BETTER.

WE CAN'T GET BETTER UNLESS WE RECEIVE THAT.

I AM NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED IT, LIKE WE ARE DOING GREAT,

THEN YOU KNOW, LET IT BE THAT.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS WANT TO DO EVERYTHING BIGGER AND

BETTER.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THAT'S GREAT.

WELCOME.

WELCOME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND NOW THE GENTLEMAN THAT WE CAN ASK ABOUT THE PLAQUE --

[LAUGHTER] -- AND HE'S SO GOOD HE BROUGHT IT WITH HIM.

>>SPENCER KASS: DO YOU WANT TO GIVE THE PEOPLE IN THE

AUDIENCE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PICK IF THEY WANT TO GO BEFORE

MR. MERRILL OR AFTER JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN SITTING

HERE FOR SUCH A --


>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: YEAH, I THINK WE'RE ON A TIME --

YEAH, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER, SO WE'LL DO IT.

NEXT WE HAVE OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MIKE MERRILL.

WELCOME.

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I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION

OPPORTUNITIES.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DEVELOPMENT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: SURE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WELCOME TO THE LION'S DEN.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OH, THIS AIN'T BAD.

I HAVE BEEN ON THE CIRCUIT NOW.

I GUESS THE QUESTION IS REALLY WHAT IS IT YOU WANT ME TO

COVER, GIVEN THE TIME?

I COULD GO ON FOR TWO HOURS AND GIVE YOU A LOT OF DETAIL,

BUT IS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR?

YOU JUST WANT AN UPDATE?

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'D LIKE ME TO HELP YOU WITH?

>>SPENCER KASS: GIVEN THE TIME, LET'S TRY TO KEEP IT SHORT

FOR MR. MERRILL'S PRESENTATION BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF IT

HAVE SEEN IT, AND GET INTO QUESTIONS IF YOU CAN.

I KNOW YOUR TIME IS SHORT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S FINE.

I CAN SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS YOU NEED.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED, WHAT YOU ARE ASKING

FOR.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT AN OVERVIEW OF

THE TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHERE THAT'S

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GOING, WITH LOOKING AT TRANSIT INITIATIVES IN LIGHT OF WHAT

HAPPENED AT RED LIGHT PINELLAS NOW -- IT'S NOT A GREEN

LIGHT -- AND HOW THIS AFFECTS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: OKAY.

SURE.

WELL, WHERE TO BEGIN.

I THINK PROBABLY JUST TO KIND OF FRAME THIS FOR YOU AND

REALLY, IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN PINELLAS -- AND I

KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY ON EVERYONE'S MIND, SO LET ME JUST DEAL

WITH THAT FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF REMOVE THAT

DISTRACTION.

SO WHAT I TOLD THE MPO BOARD LAST WEEK AS KIND OF A LITTLE

CLEVER PLAY ON WORDS IS THE FAILURE OF GREEN LIGHT IN

PINELLAS DOESN'T SIGNAL A RED LIGHT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WHAT HAPPENED IN PINELLAS HAS REALLY NOTHING TO DO WITH

HILLSBOROUGH EXCEPT THAT WE CAN ALWAYS LEARN LESSONS FROM

OTHERS.

IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT COUNTY.

IT WAS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT APPROACH.

IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT INITIATIVE.

THEIR COUNTY IS MORE URBANIZED.

OURS IS LESS URBANIZED.

THEIRS IS MORE LINEAR.

OURS IS MORE SPREAD OUT.

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AND IN FACT, THE APPROACH THAT WE ARE TAKING IS COMPLETELY

DIFFERENT.

THE EXIT POLL DATA THAT WAS RELEASED YESTERDAY -- AND I

SPEND A GOT DEAL OF TIME TALKING [INAUDIBLE] -- BOILS DOWN

TO ONE THING.

HANDS DOWN THERE WAS ONE REASON WHY IT DIDN'T PASS.

PEOPLE DID NOT FEEL THAT THEY WERE GETTING VALUE FROM THAT

ASK TO PASS A TAX.

THAT WAS IT.

THERE WERE A LOT OF OTHER SORT OF ANCILLARY REASONS, BUT IT

CAME DOWN THAT PEOPLE JUST DID NOT FEEL THEY WERE GETTING

VALUE PERSONALLY BY PAYING THAT TAX.

FOR ME, THAT VALIDATES THE APPROACH THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING

BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING -- I HAVE SPENT -- I'VE SPOKEN

TO PROBABLY 30 GROUPS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, AND THERE WILL

BE ANOTHER 200 BEFORE NEXT MARCH, AND IT RANGES FROM

BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS TO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS.

I WAS AT BAY COMMITTEES CIVIC ASSOCIATION LAST NIGHT.

AND REALLY, OUR APPROACH IS TO FIND OUT FROM AS MANY PEOPLE

AS WE CAN IN THE COMMUNITY WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WANT OR

NEED.

OR FIRST OF ALL, REALLY, TO FIND OUT DO FOLKS REALLY BELIEVE

THAT WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM?

70

SO LET'S START AT THE BASIC QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, DO YOU FEEL THAT WE HAVE A TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM?

BECAUSE THAT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

AGAIN, A VERY LARGE COUNTY, VERY DIVERSE, VERY DIVERSE

NEEDS.

AND I WILL TELL YOU BASED ON FOCUS GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN

DONE, THERE ARE RESIDENTS THAT DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE A

TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM THAT RISES TO THE LEVEL OF ASKING FOR

A SALES TAX OR ANY OTHER FUNDING TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

SO THE WAY THAT I HAD BEEN APPROACHING THIS, AGAIN, REACHING

OUT TO GET INPUT, BEFORE WE EVEN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT A SALES

TAX -- SO THE REVENUE SIDE OF IT IS SOMETHING WE NEED

TO.AWARE OF, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE REALLY

FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE COULD BE OTHER

SOLUTIONS.

BUT FOR US, IT'S NOT ABOUT PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING

FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT PROBABLY THERE ARE THREE THINGS, THREE

ESSENTIAL THINGS, THAT HELP ASSURE QUALITY OF LIFE AND

ECONOMIC WELL-BEING IN ANY COMMUNITY.

ONE IS CLEAN POTABLE WATER.

GOT TO HAVE WATER; OTHERWISE WE DON'T EXIST.

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THE SECOND IS HAVING A SKILLED WORKFORCE, A WELL-EDUCATED

WORKFORCE, WELL-EDUCATED COMMUNITY.

THE THIRD, REALLY, IS TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE WITHOUT THE

ABILITY TO MOVE PEOPLE AND GOODS RELIABLY, CONSISTENTLY,

AFFORDABLY, A COMMUNITY'S ECONOMY BEGINS TO ERODE VERY

QUICKLY.

YOU CAN'T RETAIN OR ATTRACT BUSINESSES.

WITHOUT BUSINESSES, YOU CAN'T GENERATE JOBS.

AND SO ON AND SO ON AND SO ON.

SO REALLY, IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE WE MAINTAIN A GOOD

QUALITY OF LIFE AND JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT IS REALLY, AGAIN, FOR

INDIVIDUALS, WHAT HAS THE MOST VALUE?

SO WHAT I HEAR FROM VARIOUS GROUPS IN THE COUNTY IS THAT

IT'S ACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE THINGS.

IT'S SIDEWALKS THAT NEED REPAIR, SIDEWALKS THAT THEY HAVE

BEEN ASKING FOR -- TO BE COMPLETED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

IT'S FIXING POTHOLES.

IT'S MORE TRAILS, MORE BIKE/PED PATHS.

IN SOME CASES, IT'S EXPANDING EXISTING ROADWAYS.

SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THINK SAY, HEY, WE JUST NEED A

CIRCULATOR BUS.

PLANT CITY, FOR EXAMPLE, JUST GIVE US A CIRCULATOR BUS.

A CIRCULATOR BUS JUST RUNS IN A CIRCLE, TYPICALLY AROUND

72

DOWNTOWN SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET TO THE GROCERY STORE, TO

DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS, HIRE STYLISTS, WHATEVER.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, TALKING TO THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS,

WESTSHORE AND DOWNTOWN, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT VALUE

PROPOSITION BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHAT THEY DO.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS ALL COMES

TOGETHER OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AS WE GATHER MORE INPUT,

AS WE BEGIN TO PUT TOGETHER AN INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION

SOLUTION, A MOBILITY SOLUTION FOR THE COUNTY THAT WILL HAVE

MANY COMPONENTS, AND PART OF THAT, THEN, WILL BE ONCE WE'RE

SURE PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY HAVE OWNERSHIP AND THAT THEY'RE

SEEING VALUE, THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT REVENUE

SOLUTIONS.

BUT THAT IS ESSENTIALLY HOW WE ARE APPROACHING IT.

THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT WAS DONE HERE IN 2010.

SO WE HAVE PROBABLY LEARNED MORE FROM WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN

2010 THAN WE'VE LEARNED FROM WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN PINELLAS.

SO THE LESSONS LEARNED ARE THAT WE NEED TO DO A LOT OF THE

OUTREACH THAT I DESCRIBED.

WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY HAS NEEDS

THAT HAVE VALUE.

REALLY, FROM A TRANSIT POINT OF VIEW, WE SHOULD NOT BE

FOCUSING RIGHT NOW ON TALKING ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR MODE OF

TRANSPORTATION.

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WHAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON ARE THE CORRIDORS.

WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE CUSTOMER SERVICE SIDE OF IT.

SO WE CAN IDENTIFY THE MAJOR CORRIDORS THAT ARE GOOD TRANSIT

OPPORTUNITIES, SO HIGHWAY 60 BRANDON TO DOWNTOWN, WESTSHORE

TO DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN TO USF, BUS RAPID TRANSIT DOWN TO

SOUTH COUNTY.

THERE ARE MAJOR CORRIDORS THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY BECAUSE, YOU

KNOW, WE ARE NOT REALLY GEOGRAPHICALLY WELL SUITED TO STAND

UP A TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

IT'S JUST TOO BIG.

AGAIN, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE WITH PINELLAS, VERY LINEAR,

URBAN, MADE MORE SENSE TO TALK ABOUT RUNNING SOME SORT OF

TRANSIT FROM NORTH TO SOUTH.

SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO AS PART OF THIS EFFORT IS TO BEGIN TO

CHANGE -- LOOK AT CHANGING OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, OUR

LAND DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES SO THAT IF THE COMMUNITY WANTS

TO BE -- WANTS TO SEE MORE TRANSIT, OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT

CODE AND OUR ZONING BEGIN TO INCENTIVIZE DENSER, MORE

WALKABLE, MORE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY FOSTER

TRANSIT AND SUPPORT TRANSIT.

AND SO THAT IS A SIDE-BY-SIDE KIND OF DISCUSSION WITH

TRANSIT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

SO WE ARE NOT -- SO IT WILL PROBABLY COME NOT AS ANY BIG

74

SURPRISE TO YOU -- WE ARE NOT A MATURE TRANSIT CULTURE IN

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WE ARE SIMPLY NOT.

THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING, IT'S NOT A BAD THING; IT'S JUST

WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

WE HAVE A GOOD BUS SYSTEM.

IT DOES A GOOD JOB.

BUT BASICALLY, IT SERVES -- I AM GENERALIZING -- IT

BASICALLY SERVES PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO CHOICE.

AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THOSE FOLKS NEED TO GET TO WORK TOO,

AND THEY NEED TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, AND WE NEED

TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND STAND UP A GOOD, SOLID BUS

SYSTEM.

BUT THE QUESTION FOR THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF QUALITY OF

LIFE AND JOBS IS DO WE WANT TO BECOME A TRANSIT-ORIENTED

CULTURE?

THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.

BECAUSE IT MEANS CHANGING OUR BEHAVIORS.

IT MEANS CHANGING OUR LAND USE.

IT MEANS CORPORATIONS HAVE TO STAND UP AND HELP INCENTIVIZE

THEIR EMPLOYEES TO USE TRANSIT.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A THRESHOLD QUESTION FOR US, AND IT'S

REALLY WHY WE DON'T WANT TO START THE DISCUSSION TALKING

ABOUT WHETHER IT'S A TRAIN OR BUS OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO

75

BE.

SO IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THEN THE KEY TO THAT -- AND EVERY

COMMUNITY HAS GONE THROUGH THIS THAT HAS A SUCCESSFUL

TRANSIT PROGRAM -- YOU NEED TO GET PEOPLE LIKE ME OUT OF MY

CAR.

AND HOW DO WE DO THAT?

BECAUSE I AM A CHOICE RIDER.

PROBABLY MOST OF YOU OR ALL OF YOU ARE CHOICE RIDERS.

YOU CAN DRIVE OR TAKE A BUS, BUT PROBABLY RIGHT NOW, I

PERSONALLY WOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION TO TAKE A BUS.

SO THE CLOSEST BUS STOP TO MY HOME IN CARROLLWOOD IS A

CONCRETE BENCH ON THE SIDE OF DALE MABRY THAT KIND OF SITS

LIKE THIS.

THERE'S NO SHELTER.

AND I AM PROBABLY NOT GOING TO TAKE A BUS.

SO WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR ME TO GET OUT OF MY CAR?

WELL, BEFORE I CAME TO THE COUNTY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, I WORKED

IN EUROPE FOR THREE YEAR, AND BEFORE I WENT TO EUROPE FROM

MILWAUKEE, I REALLY HADN'T HAD MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH TRANSIT.

I RODE THE BUS IN MILWAUKEE, AND THAT WAS ABOUT IT.

I WAS UNSURE WHEN I GOT TO EUROPE HOW TO USE IT, WHETHER IT

WAS A GOOD THING.

I STILL WANTED TO HAVE MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL.

IT FELT GOOD.

76

IT WAS HOW I GREW UP.

BUT VERY QUICKLY I SAW THAT IN THAT KIND OF A SCENARIO,

TRANSIT WAS THE BETTER CHOICE, WHETHER IT WAS THE TUBE,

WHETHER IT WAS BUSES, WHETHER IT WAS A TRAIN, WHETHER IT WAS

A TAXI SERVICE.

BUT IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO ADAPT TO IT.

I THINK THAT'S THE SAME SORT OF LEARNING CURVE THAT WE ARE

GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH HERE, AND LIKE ANY BUSINESS --

AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU OWN BUSINESSES -- TRANSIT'S NO

DIFFERENT.

SO WHEN YOU OPEN A BUSINESS, IT'S VERY UNUSUAL THAT ALL THE

CUSTOMERS SHOW UP ON THE FIRST DAY WITH THEIR WALLETS IN

HAND READY TO SPEND MONEY.

WHEN YOU OPEN A BUSINESS, YOU HAVE TO BUILD A BRAND, A BRAND

PROMISE.

YOU HAVE TO BUILD LOYALTY.

YOU HAVE TO BUILD A CUSTOMER BASE.

TRANSIT IS NO DIFFERENT.

IF WE ARE GOING TO GO DOWN THIS PATH, WE HAVE TO BUILD

RIDERSHIP, AND THE BEST WAY TO BUILD RIDERSHIP THAT YOU SEE

IN SUCCESSFUL TRANSIT AGENCIES IS TO START WITH YOUR BUS

SYSTEM.

BUS RAPID TRANSIT IS A MUCH LESS COSTLY, A MUCH MORE

FLEXIBLE CHOICE IF YOU ARE TRYING TO BUILD RIDERSHIP.

77

RAIL IS VERY EXPENSIVE.

RAIL IS ABOUT $100 MILLION A MILE TO BUILD, DEPENDING ON

RIGHT-OF-WAY, PLUS OR MINUS, ABOUT 30 MILLION A YEAR TO

OPERATE.

VERY EXPENSIVE.

DENVER NOW IS GOING THROUGH -- THEY ARE EXPERIENCING

SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN'T REALLY FIGURE OUT YET.

THEIR TRAIN RIDERSHIP IS DOWN TO 17% OF CAPACITY.

SO THAT'S NOT AN INDICTMENT OF RAIL.

IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO RAIL.

IT SIMPLY SAYS WE NEED TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE

CHOICE THAT IS WE MAKE IF WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A TRANSIT-

BASED COMMUNITY.

SO LET ME JUST STOP THERE FOR A MOMENT.

I CAN TAKE YOU THROUGH A QUICK VIDEO THAT KIND OF SHOWS YOU

SOME OF THE OPTIONS FOR TRANSIT.

WE DO HAVE A LOT OF SPECIFICITY AT THIS POINT.

OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP

HAS BEEN WORKING ON DIFFERENT OPTIONS, THE POLICY LEADERSHIP

GROUP BEING SEVEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THREE MAYORS, AND

THE CHAIR OF HART, AND YES, THEY HAVE ALL SHOWN UP TO THE

MEETINGS, HAVE ALL BEEN THERE AND ENGAGED BECAUSE THAT WAS

REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO OWN THIS FROM THE VERY

78

BEGINNING.

SO IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE -- I THINK THEY MAY HAVE HANDED

OUT SOME MATERIALS, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE,

HILLSBOROUGHCOUNTY.ORG/TED, THERE ARE SOME 650, 700

INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, SIDEWALKS, TRAILS, ROADS, THAT HAVE ALL

BEEN COSTED, THEY HAVE ALL BEEN PUT THROUGH A FILTER, BUT

RIGHT NOW, I WOULD DESCRIBE IT MORE LIKE A MENU OF OPTIONS.

IT'S REALLY NOT AN INTEGRATED PLAN OR SOLUTION PER SE.

SO WE'VE HIRED PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF, ENGINEERING FIRM, TO

HELP US DO TWO THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, TO HELP US WITH THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND MARKET

RESEARCH SO WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE WANT.

THEY ARE CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUPS.

BASED ON THAT, THEY WILL HELP US TAKE THAT MENU OF PROJECTS

AND BEGIN TO MELD THEM INTO SOMETHING THAT LOOKS MORE LIKE

AN INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION FOR THE COMMUNITY,

TAKING THE FEEDBACK FROM WHAT WE ARE HEARING THROUGH PUBLIC

OUTREACH.

ROUND ABOUT MARCH OF NEXT YEAR, THE PLAN IS TO BRING BACK TO

THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP THE RESULTS OF THE PUBLIC

OUTREACH AND A DRAFT OF THE PLAN.

AND AT THAT POINT, THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP WILL EITHER

SAY WE NEED MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO OUT, DO MORE

OUTREACH, OR IT MAY BE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO MAKE DECISIONS

79

ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH DISCUSSIONS ABOUT REVENUES, A

REFERENDUM IF THERE IS TO BE ONE, BUT THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU

A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE IN TIME HERE.

A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS SO FAR.

A LOT OF WORK REMAINS AHEAD OF US.

WE ARE NOT TAKING ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.

WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY ASSUMPTIONS UNTIL WE HAVE MORE

FEEDBACK.

SO LET ME JUST STOP THERE AND SEE IF THERE'S QUESTIONS.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION?

JOE?

>>JOSEPH WICKER: THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL.

OF ALL THE OPTIONS HERE, LOOKING AT THE COST AT THE UPPER

CORNER OF THE SLIDE HERE, THE FERRY IS THE CHEAPEST OPTION

BY FAR, IT APPEARS.

I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE CONTINUING OPERATING COSTS, BUT I AM

ASSUMING THIS IS THE CAPITAL COSTS.

SO BY FAR, IT'S THE CHEAPEST OPTION.

I CAN'T POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE INTRICACIES OF ALL THE

REST OF THE COUNTY, BUT I ACTUALLY DO OWN A HOME AND HAVE

LIVED IN APOLLO BEACH BEFORE, AND I KNOW THAT -- AND I KNOW

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT GO TO MacDILL, AND OF COURSE, THERE

ARE PEOPLE THAT EVEN TRAVEL TO SOUTH TAMPA.

I RECENTLY HAPPENED TO TAKE A FERRY -- I GUESS IT WAS THREE

80

WEEKS AGO -- BUT THAT WAS IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

AND I WAS VERY CURIOUS OF MY EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT

WAS SOMETHING YOU ALL HAD LOOKED AT.

IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

IT WAS SIMPLE.

YOU ARE GETTING ON AND HANG OUT TILL THE THING GETS TO THE

PORT.

I MEAN, IT WAS SIMPLE AND PRETTY QUICK, DEFINITELY, BUT IT

WAS EXPENSIVE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: HOW MUCH?

>>JOSEPH WICKER: I THINK IT WAS $18.

WE ONLY WENT ONE WAY, SO IT WAS 18 BUCKS ONE WAY.

I THOUGHT GOSH.

I WAS TALKING TO MY WIFE ON THIS.

I WAS TRYING TO DO THE MATH ON HOW MUCH TIME DID WE SAVE,

WHAT'S IT COST IN FUEL AND ALL THAT, AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT

WAS PERHAPS A WASH.

I WASN'T FOR CERTAIN.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WHAT WAS THE DISTANCE OR TIME THAT YOU WERE

ON THE TRIP?

>>JOSEPH WICKER: NO LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES.

I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

MY WIFE WAS TRYING TO SAY, WELL, THE DRIVE, DEPENDING ON THE

HOUR OF THE DAY, HAD IT HAD BEEN PEAK TIME, THE DRIVE WOULD

81

HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY AN HOUR AND A HALF.

I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

FROM A CONVENIENCE FACTOR IT CERTAINLY MAKES SENSE.

I AM JUST NOT SURE FINANCIALLY I WOULD DO IT EVERY DAY.

BUT I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNOW -- DO YOU KNOW THE TIME LENGTH

THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THIS TYPE OF FERRY SYSTEM?

I MEAN, DO YOU KNOW THE TIME OF THE FERRY SYSTEM THAT WOULD

BE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?

IS IT LIKE -- IT'S NOT FAR.

I DON'T THINK IT'S AS FAR AS SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES WHERE

FERRIES EXIST, TO GO FROM APOLLO BEACH TO SOUTH TAMPA?

>>MIKE MERRILL: TO SOUTH TAMPA -- YOU MEAN FROM SOUTH TAMPA

TO DOWNTOWN?

THERE'S REALLY THREE PROPOSED ROUTES.

ONE IS FROM SOUTH COUNTY FROM THE AREA IN SOUTH COUNTY TO

MacDILL.

THAT WAS THE INITIAL LINE WE TALKED ABOUT TO ACCOMMODATE

FOLKS WHO WORK AT MacDILL.

THAT'S REALLY A LOSS LEADER BECAUSE WHAT THAT DEPENDS ON IS

A SUBSIDY THAT'S PAID BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO WORKERS

AT MacDILL.

WHAT REALLY MAKES IT ATTRACTIVE IS THE LINE THAT GOES FROM

SOUTH COUNTY TO CITY OF ST. PETE.

ST. PETE CITY COUNCIL HAS TAKEN A VOTE TO INCLUDE IN THEIR

82

NEW PEER PROJECT A BERTH FOR THE HIGH-SPEED FERRY.

THE OTHER LEG WOULD BE TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

THOSE THEN BECOME THE COMMERCIAL LINES THAT BEGIN TO HELP

PAY FOR IT, BUT ONE THING WE ALL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS NO

TRANSPORTATION PAYS FOR ITSELF.

ROADS DO PAY FOR ITSELF, BUSES, TRAINS, OR A FERRY.

THERE'S ALWAYS SOME SUBSIDY THAT HAS TO OCCUR.

SO THE QUESTION IS ONCE WE DECIDE ON A SITE FOR THE TERMINAL

AT SOUTH COUNTY -- AND WE ARE NARROWING THAT DOWN -- WE'LL

COMPLETE A RIDERSHIP STUDY THAT WILL LOOK AT, OBVIOUSLY,

RIDERSHIP, BUT ALSO AT POTENTIAL COST PER TRIP IN TIME AND

DISTANCE.

BUT THE TRIP TO MacDILL IS ABOUT A 20- TO 30-MINUTE TRIP,

ROUGHLY.

DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE PORT AT THE TIME.

SO WE ARE NOT REALLY READY TO EVEN TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT

WOULD COST, LET ALONE THE LINE TO ST. PETE OR TO DOWNTOWN

TAMPA.

BUT THE FERRY IS GOING TO BE EVALUATED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO

BUSES AND TO EXPANDING ROADS BECAUSE IT REALLY -- THAT --

BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE MONEY, AND IT'S LIKE A BUS ON WATER.

SO THE QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE MORE RIDERSHIP, AND IS IT MORE

COST-EFFECTIVE TO RUN A FERRY SERVICE THAN TO ADD LANES TO

THE HIGHWAYS OR RUN A NEW -- RUN A BUS LINE FROM SOUTH

83

COUNTY?

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE ANALYSIS.


WHAT I NOTICED WAS THE COST, SO I JUST THOUGHT TO MYSELF, MY

GOODNESS, IF IT'S THAT MUCH CHEAPER THAN EVERY OTHER

PROPOSAL -- AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT WOULD BE REPLACEMENT FOR I

DON'T KNOW IF YOU CALL THEM HOV LANES OR HIGH-SPEED LANES OR

WHATEVER.

I JUST KNOW THAT FROM MY OWN -- IN MY OWN DAILY COMMUTE I

USED TO MAKE, MY CONSTANT THOUGHT WAS THAT THIS AREA COULD

PROBABLY GROW A LOT MORE IF THERE WAS A BETTER SOLUTION THAN

TAKING 41 ALL THE WAY UP AND OVER OR 75 UP AND OVER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: IT'S AN ASSET WE'VE NEVER USED.

IT HAS HIGH POTENTIAL.

THE ANALYSIS IS NOT SO MUCH ON THE ABSOLUTE DOLLAR AMOUNT;

IT'S ON THE COST PER TRIP AND COST PER RIDER.

SO EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE 25 MILLION, WHICH SEEMS LOW, BY

THE TIME WE NEGOTIATE THE OPERATING COSTS AND CONCESSIONS

THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY, THE COST PER TRIP OR RIDER COULD

BE HIGHER.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: RIGHT.

SO PERHAPS THE ONGOING OPERATING EXPENSES ARE MUCH MORE THAN

SOME OTHER METHOD.

>>MIKE MERRILL: COULD BE, BUT THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED YET.

84

AND THE FEDS DID GIVE US A $5 MILLION GRANT TO HELP PAY FOR

THE CAPITAL, SO WE'VE ALREADY BEEN AWARDED THAT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: FROM A START OF A DECISION TO DO IT UNTIL

IT STARTS RUNNING, HOW LONG WOULD THAT TAKE?

DO YOU KNOW?

>>MIKE MERRILL: SINCE THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR IT NOW, IT IS

IN THE POT WITH ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING

PRIORITIZED.

SO OTHER THAN THE 5 MILLION FOR -- THAT WE GOT FROM THE

FEDS, THERE IS NO MONEY RIGHT NOW TO FUND ANY OF THE

PROJECTS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE, ANY OF THE PROJECTS

ON THE LIST.

SO IT WOULD BE PLACED IN THE QUEUE WITH THE REST OF THE

PROJECTS FOR FUNDING.

SO AGAIN, WE ARE LOOKING POSSIBLY A COUPLE YEARS OUT.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.

I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING BECAUSE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE

FERRY TOO.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WATER FERRY IS A PASSENGER

FERRY, NOT AN AUTO FERRY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: AND I HAVE QUESTIONED REPEATEDLY IN MY OWN

MIND TAKING A FERRY FROM APOLLO BEACH TO ST. PETERSBURG AND

NOT HAVING A VEHICLE WHEN I AM IN ST. PETERSBURG BECAUSE I

85

DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A CONTINUAL SUPPLY OF RIDERSHIP FROM

APOLLO BEACH TO ST. PETERSBURG THAT'S GOING TO MAINTAIN ANY

LEVEL IN THIS FERRY.

I MEAN, I'VE TRAVELED THE SEATTLE FERRY ON MY CAR AND HAVING

THE CAR, AND IN FACT, IT SEEMS PROBLEMATIC TO ME -- MacDILL

NO BECAUSE THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE MILITARY BUSES THAT WOULD

TRANSPORT PEOPLE TO THE THING, BUT I SEE THE SAME THING

COMING INTO DOWNTOWN TAMPA UNLESS -- I MEAN, IN YOUR CASE --

EVEN IN YOUR CASE, MR. MERRILL, I DON'T THINK YOU SIT IN

THIS BUILDING ALL THE TIME.

>>MIKE MERRILL: NO.

HARDLY.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: THEN WHAT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

IT NOT ONLY APPLIES TO THE FERRY, BUT IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL

QUESTION FOR ALL TRANSIT.

THAT'S CALLED THE FIRST MILE AND THE LAST MILE PROBLEM.

SO YOU CAN HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL TRAIN SYSTEM OR BUS

SYSTEM OR FERRY SYSTEM, BUT IF YOU CAN'T SOLVE THE FIRST

MILE AND LAST MILE, IT WILL FAIL.

AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT?

IT MEANS THAT, TAKING MY EXAMPLE, IF I CAN GET ON AN EXPRESS

TRANSIT SERVICE FROM CARROLLWOOD TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA, I AM

SURE AS HECK NOT GOING TO GET OFF THAT TRAIN OR THAT BUS AND

86

WALK IN THE HEAT ADDRESSED LIKE THIS OR IN THE RAIN TO GET

TO MY OFFICE.

NOW, OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE SOLVED THAT.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO DO THAT THAT ARE VERY

INEXPENSIVE, COMMERCIAL VENTURES THAT CAN PROVIDE SERVICE

FOR THAT FIRST MILE/LAST MIGHT.

AND SO THAT WOULD APPLY TO CITY OF ST. PETE AS WELL.

THAT'S WHY THIS HAS TO BE VIEWED AS A SEAMLESS SYSTEM.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT MY TRIP, I'VE GOT TO GET IN MY CAR.

I'VE GOT TO GO TO SOMEPLACE TO GET ON TRANSIT.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS AT THAT TRANSIT STOP, I WOULD LIKE

THERE TO BE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

I WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE A STARBUCKS, A DRY CLEANERS, A

FLORIST, WHATEVER, TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT.

I'VE GOT TO GET ON THE TRANSIT.

I'VE GOT TO GET DOWNTOWN.

I'VE GOT TO GET FROM MY OFFICE.

THEN I HAVE TO HAVE SOME WAY, AS YOU SAID, IF I'VE GOT TO GO

OUT DURING THE DAY, TO EITHER TAKE ADDITIONAL TRANSIT OR

HAVE A VEHICLE READY.

SO IT'S A PRETTY COMPLICATED NETWORK.

>> SO MY BACKGROUND, I LIVED IN CHICAGO FOR A NUMBER OF

YEARS, SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A MUCH BIGGER CITY.

BUT I THINK WHAT I REALLY REALIZED THERE IS EVEN THOUGH YOU

87

DIDN'T -- SAY YOU DIDN'T LIVE IN THE CITY, YOU STILL HAD THE

METRO THAT WOULD TAKE YOU IN.

IT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A CARROLLWOOD, YOU WOULD GO TO

THOSE STOPS, THEY WOULD PARK -- IT WAS A PARK-AND-RIDE,

BASICALLY PARKED, GOT ON THE METRO, AND TOOK OFF.

BUT WHEN YOU GOT TO ONE OF THE STATIONS, COULD YOU TAKE THE

L AROUND TO GET WHERE YOU NEEDED TO IN DOWNTOWN.

ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK AT LEAST -- MAYBE I AM MISSING

IT -- IS RIGHT NOW I LIVE WITHIN THE CITY.

I DON'T SEE ANY TYPES OF THESE PLANS TALKING ABOUT

LIMITING -- PROVIDED OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY,

WITHIN THE URBAN CORE -- AND I AM TALKING THE NEIGHBORHOODS

AROUND THAT URBAN CORE, SOUTH TAMPA.

WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS TO HELP THEM BE ABLE TO NOT USE THEIR

CAR, WHICH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, DENSITY IS BUILDING DAILY IN

DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

AND SO IF MORE PEOPLE -- OR NOT JUST DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

CHANNELSIDE, ALL AROUND.

HOW DO WE PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION THAT'S NOT CAR

BASED WITHIN THAT URBAN CORE?

ALL OF THESE THINGS I SEE AS WE ARE GOING TO GO TO

WESTSHORE, FROM WESTSHORE TO D.O.T., BRING ALL THESE THINGS

IN, BUT WITHIN THAT URBAN CORE AREA, HOW DO WE SAY, LOOK,

DON'T TAKE YOUR CAR BECAUSE THERE'S TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS

88

HERE, AND THAT WAY IT FREES UP MAYBE MORE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE

TO DRIVE INTO THE --

>>MIKE MERRILL: AND IT IS TRICKIER FOR CITIES ALREADY BUILT

OUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIMITED RIGHT-OF-WAY.

FOR EXAMPLE, HOWARD AVENUE HAS BEEN A PARTICULAR STREET THAT

FOLKS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR SOLUTIONS.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOWARD AVENUE, THERE ISN'T MUCH ROOM TO

GO THIS WAY.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ARE ALTERNATIVES TO TAXI SERVICE.

ELEVATED PEOPLE MOVERS.

CSX IS DOING A FREIGHT CAPACITY STUDY FOR US TO DETERMINE

WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN RUN COMMUTER SERVICE ON THEIR FREIGHT

TRACK.

SO THE LINE THAT GOES ACROSS KENNEDY AND KIND OF GOES SOUTH,

YOU KNOW WHICH ONE I AM TALKING ABOUT, COULD BE A POTENTIAL

ROUTE FOR SOME SORT OF COMMUTER SERVICE.

BUT WE HAVE TO DO THAT FREIGHT ANALYSIS FIRST.

AND ANOTHER POTENTIAL SOLUTION IS A MODERN STREETCAR.

MODERN STREETCARS ARE PARTICULARLY GOOD BECAUSE THEY STOP

MORE FREQUENTLY, AS LITTLE AS A QUARTER MILE.

THEY ALSO ARE VERY ADAPTABLE TO TRANSIT-ORIENTED

DEVELOPMENT, SO THEY HELP SPUR REDEVELOPMENT AND HELP TO

CONCENTRATE NEW DEVELOPMENT.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES WOULD BE TO SCRAP

89

THE EXISTING STREETCAR THAT IS RUNNING IN CHANNELSIDE, USE A

MODERN STREETCAR THAT I CAN SHOW YOU PICTURE OF WHAT THAT

LOOKS LIKE THAT WOULD RUN FROM CHANNELSIDE ALL THE WAY

DOWNTOWN UP TO CYPRESS, DOWN CYPRESS, ALL THE WAY TO

WESTSHORE.

THAT WOULD PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO REDEVELOP CYPRESS, MUCH

SHORTER STOPS.

IT WOULD RUN MORE SLOWLY, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE TOP SPEED OF

35 MILES AN HOUR.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS YOU HAVE TO KIND OF WEAVE

TOGETHER A WEB TO MAKE IT CONVENIENT.

YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE EVERYONE'S PROBLEMS.

BUT YOU CAN DO A LOT WITH COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY.

MOTE ROW B IS A CUP OUT OF ORLANDO THAT RUNS MORE PREMIUM

BUS SERVICE THAT THEY'RE SMALLER, KIND OF LIKE THE SHUTTLES

THAT FOLKS USE TO GET TO THE AIRPORT.

THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION.

SO THERE ARE OPTIONS.

YOU KNOW.

>>CRISTAN FADAL: I GUESS WHAT I AM TRYING TO GET AT IS ARE

THOSE THINGS IN THE CURRENT PLAN?

PART OF WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM IS I HAD A CONVERSATION

WITH I GUESS IT WAS THE MPO, AND I GUESS THEY ARE WORKING ON

THEIR WHOLE STUDY.

90

I THINK THEY PRESENTED A STUDY.

AND IT DIDN'T REALLY -- I DIDN'T FEEL IT REALLY TOOK INTO

CONSIDERATION THE SOUTH TAMPA MARKET AT ALL.

IT WAS LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE OF RUNNING THESE LINES TO

USF AND ALL THAT.

YES, OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S DENSITY IN THOSE AREAS, AND PEOPLE

WORK DOWNTOWN, THEY COME FROM USF, BUT I JUST DON'T SEE -- I

THINK THE WONDERFUL IDEA, AT LEAST WHEN I WAS IN CHICAGO, IS

YOU DIDN'T NEED A CAR WHEN YOU WERE IN THE CITY OR WHEN YOU

WERE WITHIN THE WHOLE CITY CENTER, WHICH WAS HUGE.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN.

I DON'T SEE A PLAN GOING IN TO TRY TO SAY HEY, FOLKS, HERE'S

OTHER OPTIONS WE TRULY HAVE.

WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THAT PLAN TO DO IT.

IT'S MORE OF -- NOT TO BE RUDE.

IT'S JUST A FERRY GOING FROM APOLLO BEACH, WHICH I WOULD

LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THE DENSITY IS IN APOLLO BEACH OF PEOPLE

GOING FROM APOLLO BEACH TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

LET ME GET BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER.

AT THIS POINT, WHAT WE WANT TO IDENTIFY ARE THE CORRIDORS,

AND SOME OF THE CORRIDORS ARE KENNEDY AND CYPRESS AND, YOU

KNOW, WESTSHORE TO DOWNTOWN AND USF.

THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE IMPORTANT

91

DETAILS THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT AS PART OF AN

ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS FOR TRANSIT.

SO IF THE COMMUNITY DECIDES WE WANT TO HAVE A ROBUST TRANSIT

SYSTEM, HARTLINE, THAT'S THEIR JOB.

IT'S THEN TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, HERE IS, THEN, WHAT WE HAVE TO

DO, ALL THE THINGS YOU JUST DESCRIBED TO MAKE THAT NETWORK

WORK FOR PEOPLE.

THAT'S NOT THE LEVEL WE ARE AT AT THIS POINT.

BUT YES, IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE ULTIMATE PLAN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY TAKES A LOT MORE STUDY.

AT THIS POINT, WE ARE NOT -- WE DON'T WANT TO GET --

[TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES]

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE CITY OF TAMPA WITH CONTRIBUTE 50

MILLION, THE COUNTY WOULD CONTRIBUTE 50 MILLION.

OTHER THAN THAT, WE ARE NO LONGER CONTRIBUTING TO THE

DOWNTOWN CRAs.

THAT WAS THE AGREEMENT.

>>SPENCER KASS: THE DOWNTOWN CRA.

YOU CREATED A WEST TAMPA CRA?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE CITY ASKED US TO DO THAT.

>>SPENCER KASS: YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THAT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, AND THE AGREEMENT APPROVED WAS VERY

SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT THE PERCENTAGES WOULD BE.

I AM HAPPY TO GET YOU THE AGREEMENT.

92

IT TALKS ABOUT ALL OF THE CRAs THAT WERE RENEWED.

IT TALKS ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTION.

BUT THAT HAS ALL BEEN APPROVED IN THE AGREEMENTS.

>>SPENCER KASS: THAT'S GOING TO COST YOU 50 MILLION COUNTY

DOLLARS; RIGHT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: IT'S $50 MILLION THAT OTHERWISE WOULD

HAVE -- IF WE HAD NOT RENEWED -- IF WE HAD NOT RENEWED, IT'S

THE SAME MONEY, THE SAME MONEY THAT WOULD HAVE GONE INTO THE

CRAs ANYWAY.

IT'S NOT OTHER -- LET ME DO IT THIS WAY.

LAST YEAR, FY 14, WE PUT $7.5 MILLION INTO THE DOWNTOWN

CRAs.

SOP WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS,

WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE 20%.

IT WILL CONTINUE TO GO INTO THE DOWNTOWN CRAs UNTIL WE'VE

CONTRIBUTED 50 MILLION.

SO IT'S THE SAME CRA DOLLARS.

>>SPENCER KASS: BUT I GUESS THE DOWNTOWN CRA WAS GOING TO

EXPIRE.

SO IF YOU WOULD HAVE JUST LET IT EXPIRE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE MADE THAT OFFER TO THE CITY.

THE CITY WANTED TO EXTEND IT.

>>SPENCER KASS: OF COURSE, IF YOU CAN HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE'S

FREE MONEY, WHO WOULDN'T?

93

>>MIKE MERRILL: YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, SPENCER.

WHAT I AM SAYING IS WE EXTENDED IT, BUT WE ARE KEEPING --

>>SPENCER KASS: THE BULK OF IT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND.

WE ARE ON DIFFERENT ALPHABETS NOW.

YOU WERE ON CRA.

WE ARE ON TDD.

>>SPENCER KASS: I WANT TO POINT OUT, THE REASON IS BECAUSE

EVEN IF YOU GIVE UP 20% OF $7.5 MILLION A YEAR, THAT'S

MONEY, AND THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR THESE

TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

THAT'S WHERE YOU GET --

>>MIKE MERRILL: IT CAN'T.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: SPENCER, SOMEHOW WE LEFT FOR

TRANSPORTATION, LEFT FOR ALL OF FIVE SECONDS, CAME BACK, WE

ARE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.

BUT WHAT YOU ARE DISCUSSING IS NOT WHAT THE REST OF US

WANTED TO DISCUSS YET.

SO MR. MERRILL HASN'T GOTTEN THERE YET.

SO DO YOU THINK MAYBE WE COULD GO BACK TO TRANSPORTATION FOR

JUST A LITTLE BIT?


HE MADE THE POINT OF THERE ISN'T MONEY -- MR. MERRILL

STARTED OFF -- YOU MATE HAVE BEEN BACK --

94

>> I WAS GONE FOR FIVE SECONDS.

>>SPENCER KASS: THE POINT HE MADE IN THOSE FIVE SECONDS IS

THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR PEOPLE TO

SIT THERE AND SAY LET'S TAKE GENERAL FUND MONEY AND FUND

THESE.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I WILL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM, AND

WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION LATER.

UNTIL THEN, LET'S GET BACK ON TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE I AM

SURE ALL OF US HAVE QUESTIONS WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK HIM, AND

YOU CAN DUKE IT OUT LATER.


I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP AND

STUFF.

THAT'S TRANSPORTATION STUFF.

CAN I ASK THAT ONE?

EVERYBODY ELSE GOT -- IN ALL HONESTY -- AS LONG AS IT'S ON

TRANSPORTATION, ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S START WITH THE POLICY

LEADERSHIP GROUP.


>>SPENCER KASS: WE WERE TOLD THE POLICY LEADERSHIP GROUP HAD

AGREED TO GO OUT -- NOT YOU, THE GROUP ITSELF AS A WHOLE --

TO THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES BECAUSE IT WASN'T NECESSARILY

COMING IN FOR EVERYBODY.

ARE THEY STILL DOING THAT?

95

DO THEY PLAN ON DOING THAT?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST

COUPLE OF MONTHS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT OVER THE NEXT

FIVE MONTHS THROUGH MARCH, YES.

>>SPENCER KASS: I GIVE YOU CREDIT, BUT I AM TALKING ABOUT

THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WE WERE TOLD ORIGINALLY WERE GOING TO

GO -- MR. CHIARAMONTE TOLD US THEY WERE GOING TO GO OUT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THEY HAVE.

COMMISSIONER MILLER WAS WITH ME LAST NIGHT.

-- YES, THEY HAPPEN.

>>SPENCER KASS: NOT AS A WHOLE GROUP?

>>MIKE MERRILL: NOT AS A WHOLE GROUP.

AT SOME POINT WHEN WE BEGIN SCHEDULING TOWN HALL MEETINGS,

WHICH IS PART OF THE PUBLIC OUTREACH, THEY WILL BE THERE AS

A BODY, YES.


NOW, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR INCREASED DENSITIES IF

YOU ARE GOING TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS.

I MEAN, THAT'S SORT OF -- TRANSIT.

FOR INCREASED RESIDENTIAL FOR ZONING THINGS, STUFF LIKE --

THERE'S NO REASON WHY THE CITY OR COUNTY COULDN'T PASS THOSE

RULES NOW FOR THESE AREAS AND SAY WHEN THE TRANSPORTATION

THING GOES INTO EFFECT, THIS IS WHAT IT WILL BE; RIGHT?


96

>>SPENCER KASS: IS THERE ANY INTENTION UPON THE CITY OR THE

COUNTY DOING THAT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT AREAS YOU ARE

TALKING ABOUT?

I CAN TELL YOU IN MY OWN AREA, I'VE SEEN WHERE ON A STREET

WITH 20 HOUSES WHERE SOMEBODY TRIES TO HAVE THE 21st HOUSE,

I MEAN, ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.

I AM JUST CURIOUS AS TO WILL THEY BE DOING THAT AND WHAT'S

THE TIMEFRAME.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW -- THE COUNTY AND

THE CITIES -- OF EMBARKING ON THE COMP PLAN, THE NEW

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND PART OF THAT EFFORT WILL BE TO

ADDRESS LAND USE CHANGES THAT ENCOURAGE MORE DENSE,

WALKABLE, LIVABLE COMMUNITIES, SO THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE

PLAN PROCESS AND THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ALL OF THAT

ACTIVITY, THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE SUBJECTS THAT'S DISCUSSED,

YEAH.

>>SPENCER KASS: YOU TALKED ABOUT IN THE COUNTY, THE CONCERN

SEEMS TO BE POTHOLES BEING FIXED AND SIDEWALKS BEING BUILT.

POTHOLES BEING FIXED, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT MORE EFFICIENT WAYS

TO DO THINGS LIKE POTHOLES?

I MEAN, I REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE

AUTOMATED TRUCKS THAT DIDN'T NEED THREE PEOPLE TO FILL A

POTHOLE, IT'S ONE PERSON, THEY DRIVE BY AND IT DUMPS THE

STUFF.

97

WHERE DOES THAT STAND?

>>MIKE MERRILL: JOHN LYONS HAS BEEN LOOKING AT TWO THINGS.

ONE IS HOW THE REPAVEMENT GETS DONE BY WORKERS, BUT ALSO THE

ACTUAL MATERIALS.

THERE ARE MATERIALS NOW THAT ACTUALLY CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF

THE ROAD AFTER YOU PATCH THE PAVEMENT, WHICH WE HAVE NOT

USED IN THE PAST, SO YEAH, WE ARE LOOKING AT BOTH OF THOSE.

>>SPENCER KASS: DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE TIME FRAME IS?

>>MIKE MERRILL: I KNOW THEY ARE LOOKING AT THEM RIGHT NOW.

AS SOON AS WE CAN SATISFY OURSELVES ON THE SPECS, WE'LL

BEGIN USING NEW MATERIALS.


ONE OF THE THINGS THE CITY IS DOING IS THEY ARE GOING TO BE

PURCHASING AN IMPROVED AUTOMATED TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM, USES

MORE COMPUTERS AND STUFF.

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THAT IN THE COUNTY, DO YOU ALREADY HAVE

THAT, IMPLEMENTATION?

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE HAVE THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

PART OF THE LIST OF PROJECTS INCLUDES ABOUT 250 MILLION FOR

INTELLIGENT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE

COUNTY, AND THAT'S WHAT SPENCER IS TALKING ABOUT, THROUGH

THE USE OF DIGITAL CAMERAS AND TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE THE

THROUGHPUT OR THE FLOW THROUGH INTERSECTIONS.

WE ESTIMATE THAT IF WE DID THAT LEVEL OF INTELLIGENT TRAFFIC

98

MANAGEMENT, WE COULD REDUCE CONGESTION BY UP TO ABOUT 30%.

FAIRLY REASONABLE COST.

YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE THEN YOU SEE DIMINISHING RETURNS.

SO ADDING SOME TURN LANES, CAMERAS, THAT DOES HELP.

>>SPENCER KASS: AND IS THERE A TIME PLAN OR SOMETHING TO

ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THAT?

ARE YOU CONSIDERING THAT PART OF THIS?

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN.

WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE,

RETROFITTING SOME OF OUR EXISTING INTERSECTIONS.

>>SPENCER KASS: THEN IN TERMS OF --


>>SPENCER KASS: GO AHEAD, LET THEM.

THAT'S FINE.


>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I THINK ALL OF US DID.

YOU ARE LAST ON THE LIST.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: LEE WAS NEXT.

>>LEE LOWRY: MINE WAS KINDS OF -- MAYBE IT'S ABOUT PUBLIC

PERCEPTION, BUT IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO ME THAT IT'S REALLY FUN

TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO THESE OTHER CITIES, SAN FRANCISCO

AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S VERY UNHELPFUL

BECAUSE WE ARE NOTHING LIKE THEM.

SO THERE'S THAT.

99

BUT THEN IS THERE A COMMUNITY OR ARE THERE PARTS OF OUR

COMMUNITY THAT YOU GUYS LOOK AT AND GO THIS WORKED THERE,

THIS COULD WORK HERE?

IS THERE A MODEL SOMEPLACE ELSE YOU COULD LOOK AT, OR ARE WE

JUST TOO UNIQUE?

>>MIKE MERRILL: NO.

THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED SOMEONE LIKE PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF TO

HELP US BECAUSE THEY DO STUFF ALL OVER THE WORLD, ALL OVER

THE COUNTRY.

AND THERE ARE SOME COMMONALITIES THAT CAN BE OVERLAID, SO WE

DON'T HAVE TO RE-CREATE THE WHEEL, BOTH IN TERMS OF

TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS, BUT ALSO HOW WE APPROACH THIS

CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO FUND TRANSPORTATION.

SO THAT WILL COME OUT OF THE WORK WE ARE DOING AS WE ARE

PUTTING TOGETHER THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, YES.

BUT IT'S MORE THE CASE THE COMMUNITIES ARE MORE UNIQUE THAN

THEY ARE THE SAME.

SO YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN, YOU KNOW, TO BE COMPARED TO

DENVER OR CHARLOTTE OR CLEVELAND, THERE ARE SOME GOOD THINGS

WE CAN DRAW FROM THAT.

FOR EXAMPLE, CLEVELAND, WITH THEIR TRANSIT SYSTEM CONNECTING

TO THE HOSPITAL, THE MAJOR HOSPITAL THERE, WE HAVE

SIMILARITIES IN TERMS OF USF AREA, MOFFITT, [INAUDIBLE]

AND THEN TGH ON THE OTHER END, WHICH WOULD POSSIBLY CREATE A

100

NICE CORRIDOR FOR REALIZING SOME OPPORTUNITIES.

SO YEAH.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I AM GOING TO LET KIMBER GO BECAUSE

YOU'VE ALREADY ASKED A QUESTION.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I REALLY DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I GUESS I AM JUST KIND OF CONFUSED.

BECAUSE I MEAN, THAT'S THE REASON WHY I AM NOT A POLITICIAN

BECAUSE HE HAS TO BE NICE AND EVERYTHING, AND I DON'T.

BUT I AM JUST LIKE -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT PART OF THE

COMMUNITY'S ISSUES ARE.

I COME FROM SAN FRANCISCO, AND I KNOW WE CAN'T COMPARE PART

OF THAT, BUT I KNOW I CAN'T STAND BEING STUCK ON 275.

I CAN'T STAND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND HOW

LONG IT'S TAKING D.O.T. TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS STUFF.

IT DRIVES ME CRAZY.

THEN I DO GO TO THESE LARGER CITIES, AND I UNDERSTAND THEY

ARE LARGER CITIES, BUT I LIKE THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO NOT

HAVE TO DRIVE, I CAN JUST PARK MY CAR.

THEN YOU SIT THERE AND PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE

SALES TAX, I SEE AT THE END IT'S A PENNY.

REALLY?

HOW MANY PEOPLE GO TO STARBUCKS AND ARE WILLING TO SPEND $3

FOR A STINKING CUP OF COFFEE, BUT WE'RE NOT WILLING TO BE

THINKING LARGER, AND WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE TEN YEARS FROM

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NOW WITH OUR OWN CHILDREN?

I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH KRISTEN.

IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU DO ONE PROJECT, YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER

PROJECTS.

AS YOU GUYS ARE BEGINNING THIS, YOU ARE GOING TO REALIZE,

OKAY, WHAT ABOUT KENNEDY?

KENNEDY IS HORRIBLE TO BE ON CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.

IF WE COULD HAVE A QUICK RAILWAY THAT WENT DOWN.

SO I GUESS MY POINT IS THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING AND THE

COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE THINKING IN A LARGER CAPACITY, LIKE

WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE IN TEN YEARS, AND HOW IS IT THAT ONE

PENNY IS GOING TO AFFECT ANYBODY?

BECAUSE IF IT IS, THEN YOU ARE NOT LIVING CORRECTLY.

YOU KNOW?

I NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE I WANT IT TO BE FOR MY GIRLS.

I WANT PEOPLE TO COME.

I AM SURE YOU HAD ISSUES AS THE AIRPORT WAS GOING THAT THEY

DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE AIRPORT EXPAND.

NOW WE ARE KNOWN AS NUMBER ONE, AND A EVERYBODY LOVES OUR

AIRPORT.

WHY?

BECAUSE WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT PAINFUL PERIOD TO GET IT

TO WHERE IT IS AND NOW THEY LOVE IT.

SO WHY ARE PEOPLE UNWILLING TO LIVE THROUGH THE PAIN RIGHT

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NOW OF EXPANDING OUR COMMUNITY, GETTING ON THE TRAINS,

HAVING THE PEOPLE MOVERS, HAVING THE FERRIES.

OKAY.

YOU WERE TALKING, JOE, ABOUT THE FERRY.

WAS THAT YOU AND YOUR WIFE?

SO IT WAS ACTUALLY LIKE $6 PER PERSON TO SAVE YOU 30

MINUTES?

GO SIT ON 27 5 AT 5:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

I WILL PAY THE $6 BECAUSE I AM ROAD RAGE WOMAN, LIKE ON THE

VET, 275, MY GOSH.

I WISH EVERYONE WOULD PUT MORE OF A FORWARD THINKING, AND I

ADMIRE YOU FOR HAVING TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THESE PEOPLE

COMING AT YOU IN REGARDS TO WHY THIS, WHY THAT, BECAUSE

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE NOT LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE, NOT

LOOKING WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE TAMPA IN THE NEXT 10, 20

YEARS.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO LAP.

WE CAN LOOK AT OUR FREEWAYS RIGHT NOW.

HOW MANY YEARS HAS THAT BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION?

>>MIKE MERRILL: WELL, THIS IS NOT SCIENTIFIC.

ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THE EXPERIENCE OF NOW HAVING TALKED TO

30 DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WHEN I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, TAKE

THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN KIND OF LARGER DIMENSIONS TO

THIS, FOLKS REALLY DO GET IT.

103

SO WHAT I HEAR IN SOUTH COUNTY AND SUN CITY CENTER IS THAT,

YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND THE GREATER GOOD, AND WE DON'T

REALLY CARE IF THE CITY OF TAMPA GETS A TRAIN.

AND WE REALLY DON'T CARE SO MUCH ABOUT PAYING A SALES TAX.

BUT WE HAVE NEEDS HERE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND.

SO WHAT IT IS, IT'S NOT AN EITHER/OR BECAUSE THAT'S THE

DILEMMA WE GOT INTO IN 2010.

IT WAS JUST ONE SERVING AT THE TABLE, AND THERE WAS NOTHING

ELSE TO EAT FOR ANYBODY.

SO WHAT I AM HEARING IS PEOPLE ARE OKAY WITH THAT LARGER

CONCEPT, BUT POLITICS IS PERSONAL.

EVERYTHING IS PERSONAL.

THERE ISN'T A DAY THAT GOES BY I DON'T WALK MY DOGS IN THE

NEIGHBORHOOD, AND MY NEIGHBOR IS SAYING, HEY, WHAT ABOUT

THAT SIDEWALK?

WHAT ABOUT THE LIGHT DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION?

AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THAT IS -- HAS AS MUCH VALUE TO

THOSE RESIDENTS AS A TRAIN DOES TO THE CITY OF TAMPA.

IT HAS TO.

IN THE END, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE ARE GOING TO GET THE

REVENUE IS THAT IF -- AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE THE FAILURE

OF GREEN LIGHT WAS IN THE EXIT POLLS.

PEOPLE DIDN'T FEEL THEY WERE GETTING VALUE BY PAYING A SALES

TAX BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T GETTING THEIR SIDEWALKS TAKEN CARE

104

OF, THEY WEREN'T GETTING THEIR ROADS REPAVED.

BUT IT ISN'T EITHER/OR.

YOU CAN DO THAT AND YOU CAN STAND UP A DECENT TRANSIT

SYSTEM.

I AM PRETTY HEARTENED WITH WHAT I SEE AT THIS POINT.

WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND WE SHOULD BECAUSE THIS IS

REAL IMPORTANT.

I'M NOT TOO DISHEARTENED AT THIS POINT.

IT'S A BIG CULTURE CHANGE FOR US HERE.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I CAN'T STAND THOSE STINKING POTHOLES.

BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.

I GO AROUND IT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

THE FOCUS GROUPS, FOLKS WHO SAID THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THERE

WAS A REAL TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM, WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN INTO

THAT, IT'S BECAUSE THEY FOUND WAYS TO WORK AROUND IT.

I DID YESTERDAY WHEN I HAD TO GET FROM CARROLLWOOD TO

WESTSHORE FOR A PRESENTATION.

I GOT JAMMED ON DALE MABRY.

I ENDED UP TAKING A BUNCH OF SIDE ROADS BECAUSE I HAPPEN TO

KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

BUT THE QUESTION REALLY IS -- IS VERY PERSONAL.

SO WHEN I TALK TO GROUPS, I SAY, OKAY, IF YOU ARE HAVING

TROUBLE CONNECTING THIS DISCUSSION TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL

105

LIFE, LET'S GO THROUGH SOME EXAMPLES.

IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY

MEDICAL VEHICLES CAN GET TO YOU TIMELY WHEN YOU NEED THEM,

OR DO YOU WANT THEM STUCK IN TRAFFIC?

WE HERE IN THIS COUNTY ARE UNFORTUNATELY AT THE TOP OF THE

WRONG LIST.

THE MOST BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN INJURIES AND DEATHS IN THE

COUNTRY.

DO YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE SAFE ON THE ROADS?

DO YOU WANT TO BE SAFE?

DO YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO RIDE YOUR BIKE?

IS IT MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY

AND YOUR CHILDREN OR SPEND YOUR TIME IN THE CAR ON 275?

AND HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR JOB TO YOU?

BECAUSE AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, IF WE DON'T ADDRESS

TRANSPORTATION, COMPANIES WHO ARE HERE WILL BEGIN TO LEAVE,

AND WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTRACT NEW COMPANIES.

THERE WAS A STUDY THAT WE HEARD JUST YESTERDAY AT THE EDC,

THEY SURVEYED I BELIEVE IT WAS A THOUSAND CORPORATIONS,

CEOS, MANY OF WHOM WERE THE TOP 500 CORPORATIONS.

WE GOT VERY HIGH MARKS -- THEY COMPARED US TO FIVE OTHER

CITIES.

WE GOT VERY HIGH MARKS ON 10 OF THE 20 CRITERIA, AND ALL THE

CEOs HAD GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY EXCEPT

106

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM SAID WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT

YOUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM?

THESE ARE COMPANIES THAT CAN MOVE THEIR HEADQUARTERS

ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

THEY LIKE US.

THEY THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TO OFFER.

BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT TRANSIT?

BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ATTRACTING AND RETAINING

WORKFORCE.

AND YOU KNOW, IN THIS TECHNOLOGY, AGE OF TECHNOLOGY, WORKERS

WHO HAVE THOSE SKILLS ARE TYPICALLY YOUNGER WORKERS, THE

MILLENNIALS, SO CALLED, AND WHAT THOSE STUDENTS AND

MILLENNIALS ARE TELLING US HERE IN TAMPA IS THAT WHEN THEY

GRADUATE FROM UT AND THEY GRADUATE FROM USF, THEY ARE

PROBABLY NOT GOING TO STAY HERE.

THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT TO LIVE IN

BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE TRANSIT, IT'S NOT SAFE TO RIDE

BIKES, THERE'S NOT PREDOMINANTLY DENSE, WALKABLE

COMMUNITIES.

>>KIMBER WILLIAMS: I AGREE WITH YOU.

MY DAUGHTER IS IN THAT BOAT, AND SHE HAS ALSO SAID THE EXACT

SAME THING, WHICH MAKES ME HAVE TO RELOOK AT THE FUTURE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT IT IN THOSE TERMS, THEN

PEOPLE CAN SAY, NOW I CAN SEE FROM A LARGER COMMUNITY

107

PURPOSE AND GOOD, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PROBABLY A CONVERSATION

WE NEED TO HAVE.

SO WE ARE JUST KIND OF AT THE BEGINNING OF IT.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THIS JOE IS UP NEXT.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL, FOR WHAT YOU ARE

DOING.

ON THE EMPLOYEE PIECE, I HAVE EMPLOYEES TOO, AND I THINK

EVERY EMPLOYER WANTS TO REWARD THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND YOU WANT

TO KEEP THEM.

SO I UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE THAT YOU ARE UNDER.


>>JOSEPH WICKER: BUT OF COURSE, PART OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE

IS YOU ARE SERVING, SO SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO BITE THE

BULLET ON THAT.

I WANT TO AGREE WITH ONE OF THE THINGS CRISTAN SAID.

I USED TO LIVE IN APOLLO BEACH, I LIVED IN NORTH, BUT I NOW

LIVE ON THE EAST END.

I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY THERE WOULDN'T BE A FOCUS ON SOUTH

TAMPA.

AS A LAYMAN, AN OUTSIDER'S VIEW, I DON'T SEE HOW IT GROWS

WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT.

THERE'S CERTAINLY THE DENSITY, BY FAR, MORE SO THAN EAST

COUNTY.

I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE IN EAST COUNTY -- AND THAT'S

108

WHERE I LIVE AND WHO I AM SORT OF REPRESENTING, I GUESS,

HERE -- IS THAT IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT AN UNWILLINGNESS TO

SPEND MONEY, WHERE IT BE INITIALLY IN A SMALL TAX PER SE OR

IN PEOPLE SPENDING THEIR OWN MONEY TO TAKE OTHER FORMS OF

TRANSPORTATION, BUT I THINK WHERE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS

REVOLVE AROUND IS ACTUALLY A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN

GOVERNMENT.

SO WHEN THE QUESTION IS POSED DO YOU WANT THIS THING, A LOT

OF PEOPLE SAY YES.

ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR IT?

NO.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT.

OF COURSE, THAT'S A PROBLEM GOVERNMENT CAN'T SOLVE.

IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING, IT'S HARD TO

ASK FOR IT.

BUT A LOT OF IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO A LACK OF CONFIDENCE.

I KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY JUST A CHALLENGE THAT YOU AND THE

ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE, AND THERE'S NO EASY SOLUTION TO

THAT.

BUT IN GENERAL, PEOPLE, AT LEAST IN EAST COUNTY, ARE JUST

DISTRUSTFUL THAT THE INCREASE IN TAXATION IS GOING TO

ULTIMATELY DELIVER.

TO THAT POINT -- AND KIMBER, I DON'T TAKE MY WIFE TO WORK,

SO IF I HAD A FERRY, IT WOULD BE $18 FOR ME.

109

OKAY?

SO I DON'T -- SHE DOESN'T COME TO WORK WITH ME.

[LAUGHTER]

BUT THE -- I OWN NO STOCK IN FERRY COMPANIES.

I JUST NOTICED AS A CHEAP OPTION.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I PERSONALLY WAS EXCITED ABOUT FROM A

TRANSPORTATION STANDPOINT WAS WHEN THE SELMON/I-4 CONNECTION

WAS CREATED.

I WAS WAITING FOR THAT.

OKAY?

AND YOU KNOW, I DID THE ANALYSIS, AND I AM WILLING TO PAY

FOR IT.

OKAY?

I THOUGHT -- I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE -- I JUST

THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS GOING TO USE IT.

I JUST THOUGHT WHY WOULD YOU NOT?

WHY WOULD YOU GO DOWN 275 AND CITY IN THAT AND DEAL WITH IT?

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?

TO ME, IT'S WORTH IT.

BUT I UNDERSTAND, I AM JUST ONE PERSON, BUT SO I'M SPENDING

THE MONEY TO TAKE THAT EVERY -- FIVE DAYS A WEEK BACK AND

FORTH.

OKAY?

AND WHAT I AM NOTICING -- AND I HAVE ACTUALLY TESTED IT.

110

I'VE DRIVEN DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY.

DURING RUSH HOUR, DURING THE PEAK TIMES, IT IS VERY COMMON

FOR ME TO BE ONE OF FIVE CARS AS FAR AS I CAN SEE ON THAT

CONNECTION.

I AM LIKE HOW IS THIS NOT BEING UTILIZED MORE?

SO BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE OF MY REAL EXPERIENCE I AM

HAVING THERE DRIVING EVERY DAY, AND NO ONE ELSE BEING AROUND

ME DURING RUSH HOUR, IS IT -- IS IT PART OF -- IS IT PART OF

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY TO DO ANY ANALYSIS ON HOW

THAT TRANSPORTATION IS NOW BEING USED NOW THAT MONEY HAS

BEEN SPENT AND NOW THAT IT'S BEEN BUILT?

HAS THERE BEEN ANY ANALYSIS ON WHETHER THAT'S REDUCED THE

TRAFFIC FROM 275?

I MEAN, IS THERE ANY -- IS THERE ANYTHING TO SHOW WHETHER OR

NOT THAT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE?

BECAUSE I WOULD THINK THAT WHATEVER RESULTS COME FROM A

STUDY OF THAT CONNECTOR, THAT THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO

KNOW GOING FORWARD WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE NEXT TYPE OF

TRANSPORTATION EXPENDITURE.

BECAUSE IF PEOPLE AREN'T USING IT, I WAS SHOCKED BY IT, BUT

IT APPEARS THAT THEY ARE NOT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, IT'S ALL YOURS.

I'LL FIND OUT FROM THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY.

THEY WOULD BE THE ONES TO HAVE DONE THAT ANALYSIS.

111

I WOULD OFFER MAYBE AN ALTERNATIVE VIEW.

A LOT OF TIMES -- AND THIS IS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

SOMETIMES -- IS TO DO BIG PROJECTS IN A FORWARD-LOOKING WAY.

I WOULD OFFER THAT THE VALUE OF THE VETERANS AND THE I-4

CONNECTOR WILL BE REALIZED ONCE [INAUDIBLE] STANDS UP HIS

DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN.

IT WAS WAITING FOR THAT KIND OF DEVELOPMENT WHERE NOW YOU

ARE GOING TO BE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING INTO DOWNTOWN

AND A LOT MORE TRAFFIC COMING FROM AROUND THE COUNTY TO AN

ENTERTAINMENT CENTER AND TO A BUSINESS CENTER DOWNTOWN.

MY SPECULATION.

I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA TO BACK IT UP.

BUT KNOWING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN DOWNTOWN BETWEEN THE

PORT'S MASTER PLAN AND THAT DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S GOING TO BE

A LOT OF TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.

THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE CAPACITY BEING TAKEN UP, I BELIEVE.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: BARBARA, COULD I JUST MAKE ONE STATEMENT

ABOUT THAT?

JOE MENTIONED THE LACK OF TRUST.

AND THE CONNECTOR, LIKE THE CROSSTOWN, ARE EXAMPLES OF WHY

THAT EXISTS.

MUCH OF WHAT I READ PRIOR TO THE CONNECTOR BEING BUILT,

DURING THE CONNECTOR BEING BUILT, WAS HOW MANY TRUCKS WERE

GOING TO BE ON THE CONNECTOR, AND IT WAS GOING TO MOVE

112

TRUCKS OFF THE STREET.

I DON'T TRAVEL THE CONNECTOR BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO, BUT I

DRIVE THE CROSSTOWN TWICE A DAY, AND I COUNT.

I DO THAT.

THE NUMBER OF CARS I SEE ON THE CONNECTOR AS I GO AT HOWEVER

FAST OR SLOW I AM ABLE TO GO THAT DAY ON THE CROSSTOWN.

AND IT'S RARE THAT I CAN COUNT MORE THAN FIVE VEHICLES, AND

NOT MANY TRUCKS.

AND THE CROSSTOWN WAS THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT WAS

BUILT.

AND THE CROSSTOWN IS HEAVILY USED NOW, AND YOU KNOW, IT HAS

BECOME A WAY AND PEOPLE USE IT.

PEOPLE GET -- I -- I WILL SPEAK SOLELY FOR ME -- I GET

REALLY IRRITATED WHEN I READ ALL THIS AND THEN I SEE THE

REALITY IS THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: TRUE.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: I THINK THAT AS YOU ARE DOING YOUR

PRESENTATIONS, YOU'VE GOT TO BE SAYING EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST

SAID.

WE HAVE TO DO THIS FOR THE FUTURE, AND IT WILL TAKE TIME,

AND YOU KNOW, YOU SPOKE EARLY ON THAT YOU HAVE TO BUILD IT.

BUSINESSES DON'T OPEN WITH THEIR BUSINESS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT

THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED.

OR AT LEAST THAT'S NOT WHAT I HEAR OR READ.

113

>>MIKE MERRILL: I GET TO LOOK AT THE VETERANS EVERY DAY

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW, AND I ASK THE SAME QUESTION.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO GET MORE DETAIL ON IT, I AM NOT THE

COMPETENT AUTHORITY ON IT.

JOE WAGNER WOULD BE.

BUT ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THIS IS WHEN THEY BUILT THE

INTERSTATE SYSTEM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUILT THE

INTERSTATE SYSTEM THAT WE NOW DEPEND ON SO MUCH, THERE

WASN'T MUCH USE OF IT.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST -- I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE

SAYING.

IT'S A HARD CONCEPT TO CONVEY.

BUT IF WE HADN'T BUILT THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM, WHERE WOULD WE

BE TODAY?

AND YOU CAN USE THOSE EXAMPLES.

>>KAY DOUGHTY: YOU CAN USE THOSE EXAMPLES, AND YOU KNOW, I

THINK PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND IT.

BUT AT LEAST, AGAIN, I WILL ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND PEOPLE

THAT I KNOW -- THERE IS A LACK OF TRUST BECAUSE IT APPEARS

THAT THERE WAS THIS OVERSELLING OR SOMETHING.

>>MIKE MERRILL: SO YOU KNOW I HAVE BEEN HERE AT THE COUNTY

FOR 25-PLUS YEARS, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I TOOK OVER FIVE YEARS

AGO, MY MISSION WAS TO CHANGE THAT -- CHANGE IT BY JUST DAY-

TO-DAY CUSTOMER SERVICE, MAKING IT BETTER BECAUSE THAT'S THE

114

WAY THAT YOU BUILD TRUST, CUSTOMER BY CUSTOMER, DAY BY DAY.

WE HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS.

WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

IT'S LIKE ANY RELATIONSHIP.

WE KNOW THE OLD METAPHOR OF A BANK ACCOUNT FOR TRUST; RIGHT?

AND YOU HAVE TO BUILD UP THAT BANK ACCOUNT, AND IT DOESN'T

HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

I TOLD THIS TO THE BAY CREST CIVIC GROUP LAST NIGHT.

I SAID, YOU KNOW, AFTER ALL OF THE MEETINGS WE HAVE, AFTER

ALL THE POLLS, AFTER ALL THE FOCUS GROUPS, IF THERE ISN'T

SUFFICIENT TRUST AND THERE ISN'T A REAL DESIRE TO GO FORWARD

WITH THIS, WE WON'T GO FORWARD WITH IT.

IT'S UP TO THE COMMUNITY, TRULY.

WE CAN DO SOME THINGS, GOING BACK TO SPENCER'S POINT.

IF THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T WANT TO GO DOWN THE BIG ROAD, WE

WILL HAVE TO FIND A WAY, FRANKLY, TO REALLOCATE DOLLARS,

EITHER FROM THE CRA OR FROM OTHER MONIES, TO CONTINUE TAKING

CARE OF OUR ASSETS.

I MEAN, WE CAN'T LET -- WE HAVE $750 MILLION IN BACKLOG

REPAVING PROJECTS IN THIS COUNTY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT

WE'VE SPENT $1.3 BILLION ON TRANSPORTATION OVER THE LAST 20

YEARS.

950 MILLION OF THAT WAS FOR ROADS.

115

THE PROBLEM IS -- GOING BACK, AGAIN, TO WHAT SPENCER SAID,

LAND USE -- WE'VE BEEN GROWING THIS WAY.

7,000 MILES OF ROADS TO TAKE CARE OF.

THE MORE WE CONTINUE TO GROW THIS WAY, THE MORE COSTLY IT

WILL BE TO DELIVER WATER AND SEWER, FIRE RESCUE, SCHOOLS,

LIBRARIES, AND ROADS.

WE ARE AT A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION POINT IN THIS COMMUNITY

ABOUT -- NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE TRANSIT STOPS AND MODE OF

TRANSPORTATION.

WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY DO WE WANT TO BE?

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS A REFERENDUM ABOUT, TRULY.

THE REST OF IT IS DETAILS.

THEY ARE IMPORTANT DETAILS, BUT YOU CAN FIGURE OUT THE REST

OF IT IF EVERYONE SAYS YEAH, WE WANT MORE DENSE, WALKABLE

COMMUNITIES.

WE WANT TO BE TRANSIT ORIENTED.

WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE.

WE WANT TO BE SAFE.

HECK, WE'VE GOT LOTS OF PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN FIGURE OUT

HOW TO SOLVE IT.

AS LONG AS THERE IS TRUST, WE ARE READY TO GO.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DO YOU HAVE TIME FOR ANOTHER QUESTION?

JOE?

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: MR. MERRILL, DO YOU HAVE ANY DIALOGUE WITH

116

WHAT'S GOING ON ON COUNTY LINE ROAD?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YOU MEAN PASCO?

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: WELL, IT'S PASCO ON ONE SIDE AND THE CITY

OF TAMPA ON THE OTHER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: PERSONALLY, NOT MUCH, BUT MAYBE I CAN ANSWER

YOUR QUESTION.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: I HAVE ASKED FOR SIDEWALKS AND

STREETLIGHTS.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ASKED FOR STREETLIGHTS ON THE

COMMUNICATION THAT THEY SENT OUT.

WE'VE GOT 40-SOMETHING ACRES THERE.

THEY ARE GOING TO BUILD A PRIVATE SCHOOL THAT'S GOING TO BE

OWNED BY FLORIDA HOSPITAL, K-12.

THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE 660 STUDENTS, AND THESE STUDENTS ARE

NOT GOING TO COME IN ON A BUS.

MOMMY IS GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THEM TO SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S

A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

THERE WON'T BE ANY BUS TRANSPORTATION -- I DON'T THINK SO.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, WE HAVE PASCO COUNTY.

THEY ARE PUTTING A RED LIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO NORTHWOOD

OFF OF COUNTY LINE ROAD.

THEY'VE ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT, IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPER.

PETE BRECK, WHO USED TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY, HAS BEEN

INVOLVED, AND I TALKED TO HIM MANY, MANY TIMES WHEN HE

117

ANSWERS HIS PHONE.

BUT WE NEED STREETLIGHTS AND SIDEWALKS.

WE JUST ANNEXED 444 BUILDING LOTS NEXT TO WHARTON HIGH

SCHOOL, AND THAT'S ALL GOING TO FUNNEL OUT ONTO COUNTY LINE

ROAD.

THERE'S NO OTHER WAY OUT BECAUSE ON BRUCE B. DOWNS, THEY OWN

LAND, BUT IT'S WET.

THEY CAN'T GO THROUGH THERE.

THE COUNTY'S GOT TO GET INVOLVED.

WHERE THE TELEPHONE POLES ARE, I WANTED STREETLIGHTS THERE.

BUT THAT IS OWNED BY THE COUNTY, NOT THE CITY.

IT'S A MIXED BAG, AND IT'S GOT TO BE SETTLED.

IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.

THEY DO HAVE A BICYCLE LANE THERE THAT'S THIS WIDE.

YOU SEE PEOPLE RIDING THAT AT NIGHT.

I PITY THEM TO RIDE THERE AT NIGHT.

IT'S THEIR ONLY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH, JOE, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THAT,

BUT BETH WILL FOLLOW UP WITH LUCIA GARSYS.

WE WILL GET YOU ALL AN ANSWER.

I JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A CONCERN, THOUGH.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: IT'S NEEDED, AND THERE'S MORE GROWTH

COMING IN.

118

GRAND HAMPTON ITSELF IS APPROACHING A THOUSAND HOMES.

YOU HAVE 550 HOMES WHERE TAYLOR MORRISON IS GOING TO BUILD

THOSE 454 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.

YOU CAN'T PUT PEOPLE THERE.

IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CARS, THEY WALK TO THE

SUPERMARKET.

>>MIKE MERRILL: RIGHT.

IT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF --

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: I HAVE PICTURES OF THE PATH THEY HAVE MADE

ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

IT'S NOT SAFE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: NO, I KNOW.

IT'S NOT SAFE, ABSOLUTELY.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: I WENT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR

BRUCE B. DOWNS TO ASK FOR THE ACCIDENT REPORTS.

WELL, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR EACH ONE.

I AM NOT GOING TO PAY FOR IT.

I JUST WANT TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE COUNTY THAT THEY'VE GOT TO

FINISH BRUCE B. DOWNS BOULEVARD.

YOU'VE GOT FOUR LANES, THEN IT GOES TO THREE AND A HALF

LANES, THEN IT GOES TO TWO LANES.

AND YOU'VE GOT MORE ACCIDENTS, REAR-END COLLISIONS, PEOPLE

GETTING HURT AND DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.

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>>MIKE MERRILL: BRUCE B. DOWNS IS IN THE COMPLETION PHASE,

SO WE JUST STARTED THE LAST PHASE.

THAT I KNOW.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: THAT'S IN TAMPA PALMS FROM THE POST

OFFICE.

BUT THE OTHER END HAS NOT BEEN PUT OUT TO BID YET.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I THINK WE ARE GOING TO DOUBLE-DECKER

BRUCE B. DOWNS; RIGHT?

ISN'T THAT IN THE PLAN, TO DOUBLE-DECK?

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE CAN'T GO THIS WAY, SO WE ARE GOING TO GO

UP.

ABSOLUTELY.

[LAUGHTER]

MAY BE THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR DALE MABRY.

>>JOSEPH CAETANO: MAYBE WE NEED THE EAST-WEST ROADWAY ALSO.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THERE YOU GO.

BRING IT BACK.

[LAUGHTER]

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I TOLD SPENCER YOU COULD HAVE ONE

QUESTION.

>>SPENCER KASS: ONE QUESTION, THEN THE REST I WILL QUICKLY

ROLL OFF AND MR. MERRILL CAN GET BACK TO ME.

IN TERMS OF TAXES AND FEES, I AM OPPOSED TO ALL OF IT, BUT

IN THE COUNTY, YOU CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A TAX ON YOUR

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ELECTRIC UTILITY BILLS; CORRECT?


>>SPENCER KASS: AND THE CITY DOES?


>>SPENCER KASS: IF YOU WANTED A NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE TO DO

COUNTY PROJECTS, AND THEY SEEM, AS YOU SAID, RECEPTIVE TO A

NEW TAX, THAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF REVENUE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES, IT COULD.

>>SPENCER KASS: WOULD YOU BE ABLE DO, PERHAPS, GET US A

REPORT SHOWING ON A YEARLY BASIS WHAT KIND OF FUNDS THAT

WOULD GENERATE FOR THE COUNTY?

>>MIKE MERRILL: YES.


TWO OTHER FEES THAT YOU ALL MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER ARE -- I

SAW A LOT OF SPORTS TEAMS WERE SUPPORTING WHEN GREEN LIGHT

WAS GOING ON, THEY HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

YOU KNOW, THEY DONATED MONEY AND EVERYTHING.

I AM SURE THAT THEY FEEL VERY BAD THAT THERE'S NO SALES TAX

CHARGED ON THE SALES OF THEIR TICKETS.

IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN YOU BUY TICKETS FOR THE

BUCKS OR THE LIGHTNING, YOU DON'T PAY SALES TAX ON THAT.

THEY GOT A SPECIAL LITTLE EXEMPTION ON THAT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: I DON'T KNOW.

>>SPENCER KASS: I KNOW BACK WHEN I USED TO GET BUCKS

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TICKETS.

IF THEY DID, WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER SOME SORT OF FEE

EQUAL TO THE 8% AND SEE HOW MUCH MONEY THAT WOULD GENERATE.

OR ON THEIR PARKING SPACES, WHICH I KNOW THE CITY OF TAMPA

SUBSIDIZES AT A LOSS, WHAT KIND OF REVENUE COULD BE

GENERATED.

SO THOSE ARE THREE SOURCES OF POTENTIAL REVENUE.

>>MIKE MERRILL: ACTUALLY, WHAT I WILL GET YOU IS BONNIE WISE

AND HER FOLKS DID A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT TAXES THAT WE

CURRENTLY LEVY AND TAXES WE DON'T LEVY, SO THAT WILL GIVE

YOU -- IF YOU CAN JUST REMEMBER THAT, BETH, WE WILL GET THAT

FROM BONNIE.

>>SPENCER KASS: AND TWO THINGS THAT CONCERN ME, WHICH I

DON'T KNOW YOU WILL HAVE THE ANSWER TO RIGHT NOW, IF THE

SALES TAX WAS TO BE INCREASED, WOULD THAT -- SINCE MOST

SMALL BUSINESSES PAY SALES TAX ON RENT -- WOULD THAT

INCREASE THEIR SALES TAXES ON THEIR RENT?

AS I SAID, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THE ANSWER.

YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GET THAT FROM MR. FLETCHER.

>>MIKE MERRILL: I DON'T KNOW.

I WILL GET THAT FOR YOU.

DOES THE CIT GET CHARGED ON -- BECAUSE WE DO SOMETHING

SIMILAR TO THE CIT.

>>SPENCER KASS: I DON'T HONESTLY KNOW.

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I KNOW WHEN YOU JUST PAY GENERAL SALES TAX, TO THE DEGREE

YOU ARE A LANDLORD AND YOU COLLECT RENT FROM A TENANT, YOU

COLLECT AN EXTRA 1% IN THE CITY OF TAMPA THAT THEN GETS

REDISTRIBUTED.

AND ALSO, ONE LAST CONCERN THAT I HAD WAS IF ANY OF THIS

STUFF WAS TO GET BUILT, TAKING OF PRIVATE LANDS TO DO

THIS -- BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IN THE PREVIOUS PROPOSAL WHAT SOME

OF THE ROUTES WERE, A LOT OF THIS TENDS TO RUN THROUGH SORT

OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES, AND PEOPLE CAN'T NECESSARILY -- SO

I WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE SOME ASSURANCE THAT

PRIVATE LAND -- I MEAN, I REALIZE YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR

IT -- BUT THAT PRIVATE LANDS WOULDN'T BE TAKEN, AND IF THEY

WERE, WHAT THAT'S GOING TO SORT OF LOOK LIKE.

BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU SOME OF THE STREETS THAT WE LOOKED AT

FOR TRANSIT ROUTES, SUCH AS CYPRESS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU ARE

TALKING ABOUT -- I MEAN, I DON'T SEE HOW IT WOULD WORK

OTHERWISE.

YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO TAKE A GIANT SECTION OF THESE

PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS.

OR THEY DON'T REALIZE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS HALF THEIR FRONT

YARDS.

THESE ARE ALL MINORITY PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO

HAVE THOSE HOMES.

AND HONESTLY, TO HAVE EITHER THE TRAFFIC LANES PUSHED OUT

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INTO THEIR FRONT YARDS -- SO THERE COULD BE -- AS I SAID,

THAT'S PROBABLY A QUESTION OF MR. FLETCHER OR SOMEBODY.

I DON'T KNOW.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH, WE WOULD, OF COURSE, FOLLOW ALL OF THE

EMINENT DOMAIN LAWS AND TRY TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT -- I MEAN,

TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN, YOU WOULD WANT TO RUN DEDICATED

TRANSIT DOWN THE CENTER OF --

>>SPENCER KASS: RIGHT, WHICH THEN WOULD PUSH THE LANES OUT.

>>MIKE MERRILL: POTENTIALLY.

>>SPENCER KASS: YEAH, POTENTIALLY.

THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE CONCERNS I'VE HEARD AS SOMEONE

WHO WORKS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

>>MIKE MERRILL: WE WILL GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.


>>MIKE MERRILL: YEP.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: JOE.

>>JOSEPH WICKER: MR. MERRILL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING

IN, FOR YOUR SERVICE.

HAVING HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND KIND OF LOOKED

AT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE, AND NOW THAT

I -- WHEN I MOVED HERE, I DID NOT THINK ABOUT

TRANSPORTATION.

HONESTLY, IT WAS NOT A DETERMINING FACTOR FOR ME BECAUSE I

GREW UP IN ATLANTA, SO I ASSUMED IT WOULD BE BETTER

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REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE.

BUT THE -- IF THE RESIDENTS OF -- I JUST WANT TO LEAVE YOU

WITH THIS AS YOU GO INTO THE NEXT YEAR OF PLANNING.

IF THE RESIDENTS OF EAST COUNTY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, BE IT

FINANCIAL OR JUST WHATEVER THE CHOICES ARE -- HAVE DECIDED

THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO UTILIZE THE I-4 CROSSTOWN

CONNECTOR TO GET DOWNTOWN, IF THEY'VE DECIDED THAT THEY ARE

NOT GOING TO DO THAT, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PAY $1.50 OR $2

OR WHAT HAVE YOU TO USE THAT OPTION, THEN IT WOULD LEAD ME

TO BELIEVE THAT COMMON SENSE WOULD DICTATE THAT ANY

ADDITIONAL FORM OF TRANSPORTATION THAT GOES OUT, EXTENDS OUT

INTO EAST COUNTY -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GET MUCH FASTER

THAN THE CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR, BUT IF IT IS IN ANY WAY

SIMILAR OR AT ALL SLOWER, YOU WOULD THINK COMMON SENSE WOULD

BE THAT IF THE PEOPLE WON'T PAY $1.50, $2 TO TAKE THE

CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR A METHOD

THAT THEY LOSE CONTROL OF THEIR TRANSPORTATION AND MOVE

SLOWER.

SO I JUST LEAVE YOU WITH THAT.

MY CONCERN IS THAT ANY OTHER TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION THAT'S

ATTEMPTED LIKE THAT IN EAST COUNTY WILL PROBABLY FAIL IF

THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO SPEND $1.50 OR $2 TO TAKE THE

CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE POINT IS WELL TAKEN.

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WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM THE DISCUSSIONS I'VE HAD IN EAST

COUNTY IS THAT THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN A BUS RAPID

TRANSIT EXPRESS BUSES.

THAT'S WHERE THE CROSSTOWN COULD BE VERY -- THE SELMON COULD

BE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE CURRENTLY A LARGE

CAR CAPACITY, SO YOU NOW REALLY TRULY HAVE BUSES, SO YOU

EXTEND THE REACH OUT FURTHER TO EAST COUNTY SO PEOPLE WOULD

HAVE A WAY, THEN, TO GET TO BUS SERVICE THAT THEN WOULD TAKE

AN EXPRESS DOWNTOWN.

SO THAT'S ONE POSSIBILITY.

BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.

THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

>>MIKE MERRILL: MY PLEASURE.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: I APPRECIATE ALL THE INFORMATION.

I KNOW WE WILL BE CONTACTING YOUR OFFICE ABOUT FUTURE ITEMS

INTO JANUARY, ESPECIALLY THE BUDGET.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEAH.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: SO YOU CAN --

>>MIKE MERRILL: ON THAT POINT, THE BOARD IS HAVING THEIR

ANNUAL RETREAT IN DECEMBER, DECEMBER 12, AND A BIG PART OF

THAT DISCUSSION ON THE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE ABOUT POLICY-

LEVEL GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR FINANCES AND BUDGET, SO ONCE WE

COMPLETE THAT RETREAT, WE CAN BETTER FIGURE OUT WITH YOU HOW

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YOU WANT TO FOLD INTO THAT AS WE START THE BUDGET PROCESS.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: OKAY.

>>SPENCER KASS: AS LONG AS YOU ARE HERE, CAN YOU GET US AN

EMAIL ON WHERE THINGS STAND WITH THE -- WELL, OKAY -- THE

JOINT COMPUTER SYSTEM.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THE ERP?

>>SPENCER KASS: YES.

>>MIKE MERRILL: YEP.


>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WITH THAT, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?

WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU.

>>MIKE MERRILL: THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. MERRILL.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT; RIGHT?

>>BETH PYTLIK: YES, WE HAVE TWO FOLKS POUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

I WILL GO ALPHABETICALLY.

WE WILL START WITH CHARLOTTE GREENBERG.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: WELCOME, MISS GREENBERG.

>>BETH PYTLIK: IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND

ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

>> TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LEFT, THANK YOU.

CHARLOTTE GREENBARK, 2807 COASTAL RANGE WAY, LUTZ, FLORIDA.

I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE BEEN RUNNING LATE, BUT THIS IS KIND OF

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ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE YOUR POINT MADE,

IF YOU WANTED PUBLIC COMMENT AND LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, YOU

GOT TO WAIT TO LISTEN TO THEM, AND IF THE MEETING GOES LATE,

WELL, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES.

SO JUST A HEADS-UP ON HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THINGS.

I AM A REFUGEE, AS THEY LIKE TO CALL IT, FROM DADE AND

BROWARD.

[LAUGHTER]

WE MOVED HERE, IT WILL BE A YEAR IN FEBRUARY.

IN DADE -- BECAUSE WE MOVED THERE IN 1969 -- WE HEARD

PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF IN THE EARLY '70s TALK ABOUT METRO

RAIL, WHICH WE LOVINGLY CALLED METRO FAIL BECAUSE THAT'S

EXACTLY WHAT IT DID, IT FAILED.

THEY, AT THE BLESSED [INAUDIBLE]

COUNTY COMMISSIONER ADMITTED TO US AFTER THE DEBACLE WAS

BUILT, NOBODY RODE IT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE BECAUSE

NOBODY WANTED TO GO TO HIALEAH, THEY WANTED TO GO TO THE

AIRPORT AND SEAPORT, HE ADMITTED THAT THEY DIDN'T GIVE US

PROJECTIONS TRUTHFULLY.

AND IT TOOK A LOT FOR HIM TO ADMIT THAT.

PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF THEN CAME BACK UP, CAME UP TO BROWARD

SOME YEARS LATER, TO TRY TO SELL BROWARD ON FIXED RAIL, AND

BROWARD -- THEY DIDN'T EVEN GET TO A VOTE BECAUSE WHEN THEY

WENT AROUND THE COUNTY, THEY REALIZED THAT THEY WEREN'T

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GOING TO GET ANY SUPPORT FOR FIXED RAIL.

THE THING THAT THEY TOLD THEM TO DO WAS PLEASE FIX THE

BUSES, USE JITNEYS, USE SMALLER, SPEEDIER JITNEYS LIKE THEY

USE TODAY HAVE YEARS AGO, ON A VERY FREQUENT BASIS, YOU

NEVER HAD TO WAIT MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES FOR A JITNEY.

I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT A SALES TAX, AND I UNDERSTAND

KIMBER, MS. WILLIAMS, IS NOT HERE.

IT'S NOT JUST A PENNY.

IT IS THE MOST REGRESSIVE TAX YOU CAN LEVY.

THE POOR PAY MORE FOR THAT TAX THAN THE AFFLUENT ELITISTS

WHO SAY IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT MUCH.

IT IS THAT MUCH IF YOU ARE POOR.

BECAUSE IT'S A BIGGER PERCENTAGE OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND,

AND THEY TAKE A HIT.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A PENNY.

IT ISN'T JUST A PENNY.

THIS -- WHAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING SOUNDS PRETTY FRAGMENTED.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PLANNING IS -- YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF

DIFFERENT GROUPS DOING THINGS IN KIND OF SILOS.

THAT'S NOT HOW YOU PLAN SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE BECAUSE

I'VE BEEN DOWN THE ROAD WITH ALL OF THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS

AND WATCHING IT PLAN, WATCHING IT FAIL MOSTLY.

THIS ISN'T SAN FRANCISCO.

FLORIDA ISN'T CALIFORNIA.

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FLORIDA IS A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE.

I LIVE IN THE OUTSKIRTS.

I LIVE IN THE BOONDOCKS DELIBERATELY.

WE MOVED OUT THERE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO LIVE IN THE

BOONDOCKS BECAUSE WE'D HAD ENOUGH OF THE CONGESTION OF

BROWARD COUNTY.

EVEN WITH 595, EVEN WITH THE REVERSE LANES -- WHICH, BY THE

WAY, ISN'T A BAD IDEA.

THEY REVERSE THE LANES ON 595, AND IT'S WORKING PRETTY WELL

IN THE RUSH HOUR.

BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS THE RUSH HOUR.

I CAME DOWN HERE ON 41, I LEFT MY HOUSE AT ABOUT QUARTER TO

9:00, AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONGESTION AT ALL.

I CAME STRAIGHT DOWN 41, AND I'LL GO STRAIGHT BACK ON 41.

HOWEVER, WHEN I WANTED TO GET TO THE NEW TAMPA EYE CLINIC AT

RUSH HOUR, IT WAS A TWO-HOUR DRIVE FOR THE SAME KIND OF

DISTANCE, JUST A LITTLE BIT FARTHER NORTH.

I THINK YOU ARE OPTIMISTIC AIMING FOR 2016 IF YOU WANT TO

PUT ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT.

I THINK YOU NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER FIRST.

YOU'VE GOT TO ELIMINATE YOUR SILOS AND PUT TOGETHER A PLAN

THAT PEOPLE CAN THINK ABOUT AND TRUST IN.

WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS RAIL.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THIS IS WHAT WE FIRMLY BELIEVE.

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NO MATTER HOW YOU TALK ABOUT BUSES OR REVERSE LANES OR

JITNEYS, WE BELIEVE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IS FIXED REAL, AND

WHAT WE BELIEVE -- BECAUSE MY COUSIN USED TO RIDE UMPTA, HE

WAS THE CHIEF ANALYST FOR THAT, BUT NONE OF YOU ARE OLD

ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THAT.

BUT WHEN DADE WAS DOING METRO RAIL, HE SAID, YOU KNOW,

TRANSIT IS GREAT FOR 1914, NOT FOR -- FIXED RAIL -- NOT FOR

2014.

HE HOPED THAT IT WOULD FAIL.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT PASSED BY 2500 VOTES IN A COUNTY THE SIZE

OF DADE, AND THEY'VE BEEN PAYING THE PRICE EVER SINCE

BECAUSE THEY HAD TO CONSTANTLY ADD LINES TO TRY TO GET

PEOPLE TO RIDE IT BECAUSE NOBODY WAS RIDING IT BECAUSE THEY

DIDN'T PLAN IT WELL.

SO ALL I AM ASKING YOU TO DO IS LISTEN TO THE FOLKS, NOT

JUST THE FOLKS WHO THINK THEY ARE GOING TO GET SOMETHING,

BUT THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT AND THE FOLKS WHO

DON'T LIVE IN THE CONGESTED AREAS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE ARE NOT

GOING TO GET ANYTHING FROM IT.

AND THAT'S ALL I AM ASKING.

I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE.

I REALLY, REALLY DO.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> THANK YOU.

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>> THANK YOU.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

>> AND MR. DAVID WILSON, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME

AND ADDRESS.

>> DAVID WILSON.

I PREFER TO SAY MY CITY AND STATE, VALRICO, FLORIDA.

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW, YOU CAN READ IT ON THERE.

FOR THE REFERENDUM, I WILL WRITE TO ELIZABETH, AND THEN SHE

CAN DISTRIBUTE IT TO YOU ALL HERE.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION IS COMING UP IN

DECEMBER.

ONE THING I WANT TO PRESENT TO THEM ON TEXTING AND DRIVING.

YOU HEARD FROM OUR COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR PEDESTRIANS

BEING HIT ON BICYCLES.

WE ARE EXTREMELY HIGH.

INSTEAD OF HAVING A SECONDARY OFFENSE, LET'S MAKE IT A

PRIMARY OFFENSE BUT LOWER THE REPERCUSSION, SO IF THERE'S A

FINE, LOWER THE FINE.

AS FAR AS AMENDING THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING

TIMES, I WENT THERE.

THE ONLY PEOPLE THERE ARE EITHER RETIREES OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE

A STAKEHOLDER, AKA LOBBYISTS.

LET'S CHANGE THE TIME PERIOD SO PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WORK CAN

ATTEND AS WELL.

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THANK YOU.


THANKS FOR COMING DOWN.

>> THANKS, DAVID.

>>BARBARA ADERHOLD: ANY OTHER BUSINESS?

SOMEBODY SAY NO.

MOVE TO ADJOURN?

>> MOVE TO ADJOURN.

>> SECOND.

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