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CAPTIONINGAPRIL 1, 2014

METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

***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.

>>MARK SHARPE: IT'S TUESDAY, APRIL 1st, AND THIS IS A

MEETING OF YOUR HILLSBOROUGH METROPOLITAN PLANNING

ORGANIZATION.

PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE AND PRAYER, BY COMMISSIONER

MILLER.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OUR GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER, WE'RE

SO THANKFUL THAT YOU ALLOWED US TO COME OUT TODAY TO MAKE

DECISIONS TO MAKE THIS COUNTY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF US

TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY.

FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BE WITH US AS WE MAKE DECISIONS TO

TRY TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY.

WE'VE HAD SOME UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN IN THIS

COUNTY, AND WE MUST MAKE DECISIONS TO TRY TO PREVENT THESE

THINGS FROM HAPPENING, FATHER.

BE WITH US AS WE MAKE DECISIONS.

HUMBLE OUR HEARTS AND REGULATE OUR MINDS.

AND FATHER, WHEN WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, WE ASK YOU TO TAKE US

BACK TO OUR HOMES TO FIND EVERYTHING SAFE AND SOUND.

THESE AND ALL BLESSINGS WE ASK IN YOUR NAME.

AMEN.

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>> AMEN.

>>MARK SHARPE: THIS MORNING WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE

SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, MS. LENA YOUNG GREEN, AND

STEELE OLMSTEAD.

MS. GREEN, WELCOME, MA'AM.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK

WITH YOU.

TODAY I AM HERE AGAIN AS A PART OF THE GREEN ARTERY.

AS YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2010 WE STARTED THE GREEN ARTERY, WHICH

WAS AN EFFORT TO CONNECT NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST TO CONNECT

NEIGHBORHOODS BUT TO SAFELY CONNECT NEIGHBORHOODS.

IN 2011 ONE OF OUR CHILDREN FROM MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL WAS

CROSSING HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE IN BETWEEN 30th AND 22nd.

THAT CHILD WAS RAN OVER AND SHE DIED.

HER SISTER WAS NOT WITH HER THAT DAY SIMPLY BECAUSE SHE HAD

TAKEN ANOTHER ROUTE.

THEY USUALLY CROSSED THAT STREET TOGETHER.

IN 2013 WE HEARD ABOUT THE EAST TAMPA STUDY AND AS A PART OF

THE GREEN ARTERY THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS AN EFFORT TO

ACTUALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT

THAT SAME AREA ONGOING.

AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE MAJOR COMMERCIAL AREAS THAT HAVE GROWN

UP IN THAT AREA.

WE HAVE A MASSIVE COMPLEX FOR RESIDENTS THAT IS IN THAT

AREA.

MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO TRY TO CROSS THAT STREET DO NOT GO

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DOWN TO 22nd OR WALK UP TO 30th, THEY TRY TO CROSS RIGHT

THERE IN THE MIDDLE.

OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT'S NOT THE BEST THING TO DO, BUT HAVE

YOU EVER TRIED TO CROSS 22nd AND HILLSBOROUGH WHERE THE

LIGHT IS?

THAT'S A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE BY ITSELF.

ON LAST -- TWO WEEKS AGO, TWO MORE OF OUR MIDDLETON CHILDREN

WERE LEAVING HOME EARLY IN THE MORNING, AROUND 7:00, WHEN

IT'S REALLY DARK, TRYING TO CROSS HILLSBOROUGH AGAIN AT THAT

PLACE RATHER THAN WALKING DOWN THE STREET.

ANOTHER HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WAS ON HER WAY TO

SCHOOL.

THEY'RE DOING THE THINGS THAT WE WANT THEM TO DO, NOT

MISBEHAVING AND DOING BAD THINGS, THEY'RE GETTING TO SCHOOL.

THESE OTHER TWO CHILDREN WERE RAN OVER BY THE HILLSBOROUGH

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, ONE OF WHICH PASSED AWAY, SISTERS, 14

AND 15 YEARS OLD.

MY APPEAL TO YOU TODAY IS -- WHEN WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT

EAST TAMPA STUDY, WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE BEING PROACTIVE

AND WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE A PART OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT

WOULD ACTUALLY HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES ON THAT

STREET, AND WE'VE TALKED WITH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE OTHER STUDIES GOING ON, BUT WE

DON'T WANT ANY MORE OF OUR CHILDREN TO PASS AWAY.

WE DON'T WANT ANY MORE OF THESE ISSUES TO HAPPEN.

WE KNOW THAT EDUCATION IS A PART OF IT, AND WE'RE WORKING AS

THE GREEN ARTERY TO ALSO EDUCATE OUR -- OUR COMMUNITIES AS

WE VISIT THEM, BUT PLEASE HELP US.

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LET US ADDRESS THAT AREA BETWEEN THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, MA'AM.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

I WAS GOING TO BRING THIS UP LATER ON, BUT I GUESS I'LL DO

IT NOW.

AND MS. GREEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING FORTH TODAY,

AND, UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE LOST A NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT

THAT -- BETWEEN -- ON HILLSBOROUGH BETWEEN 22nd AND 30th,

AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THEY WON'T GO WALKING UP TO

22nd, WHICH IS A DIFFICULT STREET TO CROSS ITSELF, I TRIED

IT, OR GO DOWN TO 30th, WHICH IS PROBABLY EVEN WORSE.

I WANT TO ASK D.O.T. A QUESTION.

WHERE ARE WE ON THE STUDY, NUMBER ONE?

NUMBER TWO, I KNOW THAT WHEN THE YOUNG LADY WAS KILLED IN

2012, WHATEVER IT WAS, I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW, YOU PUT A

FLASHING LIGHT THERE.

IT'S NOT WORKING.

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.

THE FLASHING LIGHT'S AROUND 25th OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I

CAN'T REMEMBER, BUT IT'S JUST NOT WORKING.

YOU HAVE A MASSIVE APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT'S BEEN BUILT

ACROSS THE STREET ON THE -- ON THE NORTH SIDE OF

HILLSBOROUGH.

IT'S JUST NOT WORKING.

SOMETHING ELSE HAS TO GO UP THERE, EITHER A -- A LIGHT OR A

PUSH-THE-BUTTON CROSSWALK.

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THEY HAVE ONE ON 40th STREET WHERE WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL IS THAT'S UTILIZED.

SOMETHING ELSE HAS TO GO UP THERE TO ENTICE PEOPLE NOT TO

CROSS THE STREET IN THE MIDDLE -- NOT TO CROSS HILLSBOROUGH

BETWEEN 22nd AND 30th.

WE HAD A STUDY DONE.

WHERE ARE WE ON EVERYTHING?

I JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT.

>>MARK SHARPE: WELL --

>> FIRST -- FIRST, LEE ROYAL, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE LOST CHILDREN

BECAUSE WE IN THE DEPARTMENT HAVE CHILDREN TOO.

WE -- WE HAVE OUR TRAFFIC OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT THAT HAS

GONE OUT TO THAT AREA.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE SCHOOL.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY HAD SOME PROACTIVITY ABOUT HOW TO

CROSS THE ROAD AND THE SAFE AREAS WHERE YOU CAN CROSS

BECAUSE WHEN WE WENT OUT THERE, WE NOTICED THAT THEY WERE

CROSSING WITHOUT ANY -- JUST ANYWHERE ALONG THAT CORRIDOR,

SO WE ARE ACTIVELY OUT THERE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT SOLUTIONS WE CAN IMPLEMENT IN THAT

AREA, AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK TO THE MPO WITH THOSE

SOLUTIONS.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME?

>> HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVERY ASPECT OF --

>> WE ABSOLUTELY ARE LOOKING AT EVERY ASPECT, INCLUDING THE

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EDUCATIONAL PART OF IT TOO.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: I UNDERSTAND THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECT.

I MEAN, YOU JUST CAN'T -- EVEN IF YOU PUT THE CROSSWALK

THERE WHERE YOU PUSH THE BUTTON AND THE LIGHTS COME ON AND

PEOPLE CROSS, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO -- NOT GOING TO MAKE

THEM CROSS THERE IF THEY DON'T WANT TO CROSS THERE.

THE EDUCATIONAL ASPECT IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE FACT OF THE

MATTER, IF IT'S THERE, IT MIGHT ENTICE THEM TO USE SOMETHING

ALONG THOSE LINES.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SAY, WELL, IT'S GOING TO

BACK UP TRAFFIC GOING EAST -- GOING EAST TO WEST ON

HILLSBOROUGH IF WE PUT A LIGHT UP THERE.

SO WHAT.

IT'S BETTER TO STOP THEM AND LET THE PEOPLE CROSS AND HAVE A

LITTLE BACKUP THAN TO HAVE THEM KILLED WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A

BACKUP.

>> WE -- WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL ASPECTS, INCLUDING

ENFORCEMENT, ENGINEERING, AND EDUCATION, AND THAT ALL GOES

HAND IN HAND, SO WE DEFINITELY ARE OUT THERE, AND WE'LL BE

COMING BACK TO YOU WITH THOSE SOLUTIONS.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MILLER.

THANK YOU, MS. ROYAL.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEELE OLMSTEAD.

>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

I'M STEELE OLMSTEAD.

I'M WITH SWFBUD, AND I'M HERE TO INVITE YOU GUYS TO A

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CELEBRATION.

SWFBUD IS SIMILAR TO THE -- IS AN ADVOCACY GROUP, EDUCATION

AND ADVOCACY GROUP FOR BICYCLISTS, AND WE'RE HERE ON THE

SAME -- SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES BECAUSE BICYCLE ISSUES ARE

COEXTENSIVE WITH PEDESTRIAN ISSUES.

WHAT'S SAFE FOR BICYCLISTS IS SAFE FOR PEDESTRIANS.

BUT WHAT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT IS THE BICYCLE BASH.

IT'S THIS SUNDAY, COTANCHOBEE PARK.

EVERYBODY'S INVITED, AND I'M HERE IN THIS PUBLIC FORUM UP ON

THE JUMBOTRON TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN TAMPA KNOWS

ABOUT IT AND EVERYONE IN CITY GOVERNMENT KNOWS ABOUT IT, AND

WHAT I WANT -- WHEN I SAY CELEBRATION, I WANT YOU GUYS TO

UNDERSTAND AND LADIES TO UNDERSTAND THAT TAMPA HAS -- I'M

FROM UP NORTH, TALLAHASSEE.

TAMPA HAS THE BEST WEATHER FOR CYCLING.

NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THE BEST WEATHER, WE HAVE THE BEST

VISITS -- PLACES TO VISIT.

WE'VE GOT YBOR, WE'VE GOT THE OLD CITIES, WE'VE GOT TONS OF

PLACES TO GO, BUT AS YOU KNOW, TAMPA IS NOT THE SAFEST PLACE

FOR CYCLING, SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS I WANT YOU TO COME

OUT TO THE BICYCLE BASH THIS SUNDAY FROM 10:00 TO 6:00, AND

I WANT YOU TO SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REJECTED AUTOMOBILES AS A

MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SELECTED BICYCLES,

AND THERE'S 9,000 OF THEM ON THE GREATER METROPOLITAN AREA

OF TAMPA.

9,000 PEOPLE WHO BICYCLE FOR COMMUTING, GOING TO THE GROCERY

STORE, TAKING THEIR KIDS OUT.

I RUN INTO THEM ALL THE TIME.

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I LIVE IN NEW TAMPA.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO COME OUT AND -- TO THE BICYCLE BASH

AND SEE TEN BICYCLE SHOPS WITH THE LATEST IN BICYCLING GEAR,

ACCESSORIES.

THE COLUMBIA CAFE IS GOING TO BE CATERING.

NO BEER THIS YEAR, SORRY.

I SEE A SMILE OVER THERE ON COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL DO IT NEXT YEAR.

BUT IT'S THE SEVENTH ANNUAL BICYCLE BASH FROM 10:00 TO 6:00

AT COTANCHOBEE PARK, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE MUSEUM OF FLORIDA

HISTORY -- OR TAMPA BAY MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND RIGHT BEHIND

THE TIMES FORUM, SO COME OUT AND SEE WHAT BICYCLING'S ALL

ABOUT AND WHY THIS ORGANIZATION CAN START CONSIDERING

BICYCLES AS A WAY -- AN ALTERNATIVE TO CARS.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

OH.

>>JOE LOPANO: [INAUDIBLE]

I HAVE A QUESTION.

>> YES.

>>JOE LOPANO: SO I RIDE MY BIKE ON BAYSHORE AND THEY HAVE A

BIKE LANE, BUT IT'S JUST A WHITE STRIPE; RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

>>JOE LOPANO: AND SO ON SOME OF THE CURVES, YOU KNOW, YOU

NEVER KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S TEXTING AND THEY MIGHT VEER INTO

THE WHITE STRIPE.

>> EXACTLY.

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>>JOE LOPANO: I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT I WANT TO GET

YOUR POINT OF VIEW.

IS THERE -- WHAT ABOUT PUTTING THESE -- THOSE BUMPS ALONG

THERE SO CARS WILL KNOW THAT THEY'VE VEERED OFF THE ROAD?

IS THAT A STANDARD PRACTICE OR --

>> I DON'T PITCH THIS, BUT I'M ACTUALLY A PERSONAL INJURY

LAWYER AND I SPECIALIZE IN CYCLING INJURIES.

[LAUGHTER]

COMMISSIONER BECKNER KNOWS ME, COMMISSIONER MARK KNOWS ME,

BUT ABSOLUTELY.

IN FACT, I'VE SPOKEN WITH -- WE -- TAMPA, AS YOU GUYS ALL

KNOW, HAS A PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC ENGINEER, CALVIN THORNTON,

WHO'S A BRILLIANT GUY AND HAS GREAT IDEAS, AND THERE ARE

THOSE BUMPS THAT ALLOW -- OR EVEN A RUMBLE STRIP, AND THOSE

ARE JUST SMALL, LITTLE, I THINK ABOUT 4.5 INCHES, ABOUT TWO

INCHES THE LAST TIME I HAD A CASE INVOLVED -- OR A HALF

INCH, AND THEY -- THEY WORK REALLY, REALLY WELL.

THE OTHER THING THAT MR. THORNTON SUGGESTED TO ME IS THESE

UPRIGHTS, AND YOU'VE SEEN THEM -- LIKE, WE'VE GOT THEM IN

DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

THEY'RE UPRIGHTS AND THEY'VE GOT DAY-GLO REFLECTIVE STRIPS

ON THEM.

THOSE ARE INEXPENSIVE, UNBELIEVABLY CHEAP.

THOSE ARE ALSO RELIABLE TOO, AND IT'S ALWAYS ON THE OUTSIDE

OF A CURB WHERE PEOPLE ARE TEXTING.

IN MY CASES, WHEN I HAVE SOMEBODY COME TO ME SAYING, I'VE

BEEN HIT, NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN -- AND IT'S A SURPRISING --

IT'S -- THERE'S SOME TRENDS IN PERSONAL INJURY.

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IT'S VERY SHOCKING TO LEARN -- OR NOT SHOCKING TO LEARN THAT

SOMEBODY WAS DISTRACTED, SO WHENEVER I FILE SUIT, THE FIRST

THING I DO IS I FIND OUT WHO THEIR CARRIER IS, I FIND OUT,

AND SURE ENOUGH, THEY WERE TEXTING.

THEY WERE EITHER GETTING A TEXT OR SENDING A TEXT OUT.

>>JOE LOPANO: THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

SEE YOU-ALL SUNDAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

NEED TO GO TO TALLAHASSEE AND TALK TO THEM TOO.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND I DO -- I'M GOING TO LEAVE SOME FLIERS OUT FRONT IN CASE

ANYBODY --

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

OKAY.

WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND THAT'S GOING TO

BE PRESENTED BY MR. BLAIN.

WELCOME, WALLY.

>>WALLY BLAIN: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF.

IT'S A HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY ON WHAT WAS A SURPRISINGLY COOL

MORNING THIS MORNING.

YOU HAVE A FULL REPORT IN YOUR FOLDER FROM THE COMMITTEES

THAT MET THIS MONTH.

I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

YOU HAVE TWO ACTION ITEMS BEFORE YOU TODAY.

ONE IS A TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT.

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THAT WAS HEARD BY THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHO APPROVED RECOMMENDATION

FOR YOU THIS MORNING.

THERE'S ALSO A STATE ROAD 60 PD&E STUDY THAT YOU'LL BE

HEARING A BRIEFING ON FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

AT THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TECHNICAL

ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE, THEY

PASSED MOTIONS ASKING YOU IN SUPPORT FOR SOME COMMENTS THAT

THEY PROVIDED SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN

SAFETY AS WELL AS THE IMPACT THAT THIS WIDENING PROJECT MAY

HAVE ON THE RURAL AREA OUTSIDE ON THE EAST PART OF

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE

COMMITTEES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, ALL OF THE COMMITTEES HEARD

A BRIEFING ON THE SELMON GREENWAY PROJECT THAT'S BEING

CONSTRUCTED THROUGH DOWNTOWN OVER INTO YBOR CITY, SO PLEASED

TO KNOW THAT WE'RE -- AN UPDATE WAS PROVIDED ON THAT AND

CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN SOON, AS THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY

WORKS WITH THAT PROJECT.

THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO CONTINUES TO HEAR

BRIEFINGS REGARDING THE DESIGN-BUILD PROCESS THAT THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION USES SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO

THE I-275 PROJECT OVER IN THE WESTSHORE AREA.

A COUPLE OTHER THINGS OF NOTE.

THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE AND THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN

ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING PROJECT -- CANDIDATE

PROJECTS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM

PRIORITY LIST.

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THE TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM IS A FEDERAL FUNDING

SOURCE THAT IS FOR BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN SAFETY-RELATED

PROJECTS.

THAT IS A LIST THAT WILL COME TO YOU IN SEPTEMBER FOR YOUR

APPROVAL, SO AGENCY STAFF ARE ALREADY COORDINATING THROUGH

THE COMMITTEES ON CANDIDATE PROJECTS FOR THAT LIST THAT WILL

COME BEFORE YOU LATER.

THE COMMITTEES ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE BRT AND

EXPRESS TOLL LANE STUDY.

THAT'S A STUDY THAT THE MPO IS DOING JOINTLY WITH THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONSIDER TRANSIT IN THE NEW

EXPRESS LANES FOR THE INTERSTATES AS THEY COME ON-LINE.

A BRIEFING WAS ALSO PRESENTED ON THE AIRPORT PEOPLE MOVER

CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE AIRPORT AND WESTSHORE INTERMODAL

CENTER.

FOR SOME UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT ITEM HAS BEEN

DEFERRED OFF OF YOUR AGENDA FOR LATER TODAY.

THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE ALSO THEN HEARD A STUDY

ABOUT -- A COMPLETE STREET STUDY AND PROJECT THAT'S

HAPPENING IN THE WESTSHORE AREA AND GOT A BRIEFING ON THAT.

THAT'S AN UPDATE OF YOUR COMMITTEES THAT MET IN THE MONTH OF

MARCH, AND SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN ADDRESS THOSE

NOW.

>>MARK SHARPE: ANY QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU, MR. BLAIN.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE CONSENT.

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>>LISA MONTELIONE: SO MOVE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO MOVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WE'VE GOT MULTIPLE MOTIONS.

I WOULD SAY COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE, SECONDED BY

COMMISSIONER MURMAN, AND THAT'S FOR CONSENT.

THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

ANY OPPOSED?

MOTION PASSES.

OKAY.

WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH OUR ACTION ITEMS.

MR. BLAIN, YOU'RE BACK UP, SIR.

STATE ROAD 60.

>>WALLY BLAIN: HERE I AM AGAIN.

AS I MENTIONED IN THE COMMITTEE REPORTS, YOUR COMMITTEES DID

PASS MOTIONS AND DRAFTED A LETTER FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

THIS MORNING SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHTING TWO CONCERNS.

ONE IS THE CONSIDERATION OF BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS IN

THE DESIGN OF A FUTURE PROJECT.

THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO HAD CONCERN ABOUT THE

TRUE NEED OF THE PROJECT AND WANTED SOME ADDITIONAL

INFORMATION BACK ON THAT AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT THE

PROJECT MAY HAVE ON DEVELOPMENT IN WHAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE

COUNTY'S URBAN SERVICES BOUNDARY.

STEPHANIE PIERCE, WHO'S WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION, WILL COME AND GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE

STUDY THAT'S ONGOING.

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D.O.T. DID HOLD A PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON THE I BELIEVE IT WAS

18th OF MARCH REGARDING THIS STUDY OUT IN THE STUDY AREA.

AFTER HER PRESENTATION, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND DISCUSS

THE LETTER A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS YOU

HAVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: SUPER.

WELCOME, MS. PIERCE.

>> THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS STEPHANIE PIERCE, AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE STATE ROAD 60 PD&E CORRIDOR

IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

THIS PRESENTATION WILL ALSO INCLUDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE

PUBLIC WORKSHOP THAT WAS RECENTLY HELD ON -- EXCUSE ME --

MARCH 18th.

THE PD&E PROCESS INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION TO

DETERMINE POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT MAY IMPEDE TRAFFIC, OUR

CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, NATURAL, AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT.

THIS STUDY IS DETERMINED -- IS USED TO DETERMINE ANY KIND OF

NEGATIVE IMPACTS AND TO TRY TO ADDRESS THEM EARLY ON.

THE PD&E PROJECT WAS -- PD&E STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE LIMITS

OF STATE ROAD 60 BEGINNING FROM THE VALRICO ROAD AND HEADING

EAST ON STATE ROAD 60 FOR APPROXIMATELY 12.3 MILES AND TO

TERMINATE AT THE POLK COUNTY LINE.

TODAY STATE ROAD 60 IS A FOUR-LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY.

IN EACH DIRECTION THERE ARE TWO 12-FOOT LANES SEPARATED BY A

40-FOOT MEDIAN, THERE ARE FOUR-FOOT PAVED SHOULDERS, AND THE

EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY IS 182 FEET WIDE.

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THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR RANGES FROM

50 TO 65 MILES PER HOUR.

THE STATE ROAD 60 PROJECT IS CURRENTLY NOT INCLUDED ON THE

LRTP COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN; HOWEVER, IT IS ON THE UNFUNDED

NEEDS PLAN FOR BOTH THE LRTP AND THE D.O.T.'S STRATEGIC

INTERMODAL SYSTEMS PLAN.

IN 2012 THE TRAFFIC -- ANNUAL DAILY TRAFFIC ANALYSIS WAS

DONE AND DETERMINED THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 400 -- I'M

SORRY -- 46,000 VEHICLES PER DAY ON THE WEST END OF THE

PROJECT AND TOWARD THE EAST THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 22,000

VEHICLES PER DAY.

IT'S PROJECTED BY THE YEAR 2040 THAT THIS IS TO INCREASE TO

APPROXIMATELY 71,000 VEHICLES PER DAY, WHICH IS ABOUT A 54%

INCREASE.

THE SEGMENT OF STATE ROAD 60 WAS BROKEN INTO THREE PORTIONS.

SEGMENT ONE IS A -- WAS EVALUATED AS A -- A RURAL SECTION,

AND IT RAN FROM -- IT RUNS FROM VALRICO ROAD TO DOVER ROAD.

SEGMENT TWO WAS -- IS EVALUATED AS A SUBURBAN AREA, AND IT

RUNS FROM THE DOVER ROAD TO TURKEY CREEK ROAD.

AND SEGMENT THREE WAS EVALUATED AS A RURAL SECTION, AND IT

RUNS FROM THE TURKEY CREEK -- TURKEY CREEK DOWN TO -- EXCUSE

ME -- POLK COUNTY LINE.

THERE ARE TWO ALTERNATIVE ALIGNMENTS THAT WAS ANALYZED FOR

THIS CORRIDOR.

A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON SHOWS THAT ALTERNATIVE ONE WILL

REQUIRE FULL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ROADWAY.

THIS IS BEING DONE TO CENTER THE RIGHT-OF-WAY WITHIN -- OR

CENTER THE ROAD WITHIN THE EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY.

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THE BENEFIT HERE WILL BE THERE WILL BE NO ADDITIONAL RIGHT-

OF-WAY REQUIRED FOR THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS.

ALTERNATIVE TWO EXERCISED THE PAVEMENT SAVINGS METHOD.

THIS WILL REQUIRE A LITTLE ADDITIONAL RIGHT-OF-WAY, BUT THE

BENEFIT IS THE -- THE COST SAVINGS AND MAINTAINING WHAT WE

DO HAVE BY MINIMALLY RESURFACING THE ROADWAY.

A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE ALTERNATIVE ONE.

WE WILL -- OH, OKAY.

THE SIX-LANE DIVIDED ROADWAY WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR -- UNDER

ALTERNATIVE ONE.

IT'S GOING TO CONSIST OF THREE 12-FOOT LANES IN EACH

DIRECTION SEPARATED BY A 30- TO 40-FOOT MEDIAN, FIVE-FOOT

PAVED SHOULDERS WITH FIVE- TO 6.5-FOOT PAVED BIKE LANES.

THERE WILL ALSO BE SIDEWALKS PROVIDED ALONG THE OUTER EDGES

OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN EACH DIRECTION.

ALTERNATIVE TWO, WHICH IS THE PAVEMENT SAVINGS, IS ALSO

GOING TO BE A SIX-LANE DIVIDED ROADWAY SEPARATED BY A 30- TO

40-FOOT MEDIAN, PAVED SHOULDERS, FIVE- TO 6.5-FOOT-WIDE

SHOULDERS, AND BIKE LANES AND SIDEWALKS IN EACH DIRECTION AS

WELL.

A COMPARISON MATRIX FOR THE BUILD VERSUS NO-BUILD

ALTERNATIVE IS PRESENTED HERE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE IT IDENTIFIED BY THE NO-BUILD

ALTERNATIVE, FULL RECONSTRUCTION, AND A PAVEMENT SAVINGS.

THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN COST HERE WITH THE TWO BUILD

ALTERNATIVES IS RELATIVE TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY COST AND

CONSTRUCTION COST.

AT THIS TIME, THERE IS NO FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE PROJECT

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UNDER THE DESIGN, RIGHT-OF-WAY, OR CONSTRUCTION.

THE D.O.T. IS UNDERGOING THE WORK PROGRAM UPDATE CYCLE, BUT

AT THIS POINT THERE IS NO FUNDING AVAILABLE.

THE PUBLIC WORKSHOP THAT WAS HELD BACK ON MARCH 18th AT THE

STRAWBERRY CREST -- I'M SORRY -- THE STRAWBERRY RIDGE

COMMUNITY CLUBHOUSE IN VALRICO RAN FROM 5:00 P.M. TO

7:00 P.M. AND WAS WELL ATTENDED BY APPROXIMATELY 65 PEOPLE,

EXCLUDING THE STAFF.

THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED THUS FAR SHOWS THAT MOST FOLKS

ARE IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT BEING BUILT.

I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS OUT IN THAT AREA, I LIVE IN THE

AREA, AND AT THE WORKSHOP I HAD A LOT OF NEIGHBORS AND

BUSINESS OWNERS THAT DID ATTEND AND WAS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR

OF THE PROJECT.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC WORKSHOP WILL BE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO TAKE PLACE IN JULY OF 2014.

THEREAFTER, FINAL PD&E DOCUMENTS WILL BE PREPARED AND

SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL.

OKAY.

THIS IS -- CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THEM NOW.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I JUST WANT TO ASK A QUICK QUESTION.

>> MM-HMM.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: IF THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THIS, NUMBER

ONE, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS; AND NUMBER TWO, LIKE, IS THERE

18

SOME GROUP THAT'S PUSHING THIS PROJECT FORWARD?

IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT IT'S A PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.

>> RIGHT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I MEAN, WE'VE GOT SO MANY THINGS GOING ON.

>>MM-HMM.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I COULD LIST OFF QUITE A FEW OF THEM --

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- AND THIS WOULD NOT BE CLOSE TO THE TOP,

SO WHAT'S PUSHING THIS?

>> WHAT'S PUSHING IT?

WELL, IT'S STANDARD FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO DO A PD&E STUDY

EARLY ON IN THE EVENT THAT FUNDING DO BECOME AVAILABLE.

THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT.

IT MAY NOT BE ON A LIST AT THIS POINT AS A COST-AFFORDABLE;

HOWEVER, IT IS A NEED FOR THAT PROJECT TO BE DONE, AND TO

STUDY IT NOW VERSUS LATER IS ACTUALLY A BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS

DATA THAT WE GO THROUGH IS EXTENSIVE AND IT DOES TAKE QUITE

A BIT OF TIME TO VEST IT AND TO GET PUBLIC FEEDBACK, SO TO

DO IT EARLY ON AND PREPARE IN PREPARATION FOR POTENTIAL

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE

START EARLY ON AT THIS POINT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

I -- YEAH.

I GUESS YOU JUST SAID THAT THERE'S REASONS FOR DOING IT.

I'M STILL NOT GETTING A CLEAR INDICATION OF WHAT THOSE

REASONS ARE, BECAUSE I LIKE THE RURAL -- I KNOW THAT AREA

EXTREMELY WELL.

19

I'VE DRIVEN IT MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES --

>> RIGHT.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- AND IT'S JUST THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC,

A LOT OF CONGESTION.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING MORE PEOPLE ONTO 60

INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, SENDING THEM TO THE SELMON OR TO I-4

OR OTHER ARTERIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE DEVELOPED, SO I GUESS

IS -- WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DESTROY THE

KIND OF RURAL CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY BY PUTTING IN A

FOUR-LANE ROAD THAT'S REALLY GOING TO MAKE IT PUSH MORE

TRAFFIC ONTO IT?

>> KIRK BOGEN WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

MAYBE I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.

THIS ROADWAY'S ALSO A PART OF THE STRATEGIC INTERMODAL

SYSTEMS, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT CORRIDOR FOR FREIGHT MOVEMENT

AND PEOPLE AND GOODS MOVEMENT, AND IT IS ALSO ON OUR SIS

PLAN TO BE IMPROVED, AND WE -- WE CONSIDER IT TO BE AN

IMPORTANT CORRIDOR.

AND WHEN WE DO THESE PD&E STUDIES, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT

WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND TURN DIRT ON TOMORROW, BUT WE NEED

TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

SO MANY TIMES WE'RE BEHIND IN OUR PLANNING FOR OUR ROAD

EXPANSIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE AHEAD SO THAT WHEN IT'S NEEDED

THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE ROADWAY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

IF I -- I JUST HAVE A QUICK FOLLOW-UP.

I THINK NOW I'M HEARING WHAT THE REAL REASON IS IS BECAUSE

OF THE FREIGHT.

20

I'VE GOTTA TELL YOU PEOPLE IN VALRICO, THEY DON'T WANT MORE

FREIGHT TRUCKS ON 60, AND ACTUALLY, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHY WE

DID THE I-4 CONNECTOR, TO PUSH ALL THE TRUCKS ONTO I-4 SO

THAT THEY WOULD GET ON THE CONNECTOR AND GO, YOU KNOW,

INLAND INTO OUR PORT AREA, SO I GET -- I -- I'M NOT FOR

PUSHING MORE TRUCKS ONTO 60.

I THINK THAT'S A BAD IDEA, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC.

>> WE MUST CONSIDER PARALLEL ROUTES TO I-4.

WE CAN'T FORCE ALL THE TRUCKS, AND BEING A STATE FACILITY --

STATE ROAD FACILITY, WE CANNOT LIMIT THE TRUCKS ON A STATE

ROAD FACILITY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'LL BE WATCHING

THIS CLOSELY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION WHEN COMMISSIONER

MURMAN WAS BRINGING UP FUNDING.

WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF A PD&E STUDY ONCE IT'S BEEN

PERFORMED?

>> WELL, FEDERAL HIGHWAY REQUIRES THAT WE AT LEAST HAVE ONE

SEGMENT OF THE ROADWAY FULLY FUNDED FOR DESIGN, RIGHT-OF-

WAY, AND CONSTRUCTION OR ALL SEGMENTS FUNDED FOR DESIGN IN

THE COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN, AND THEN THEY WILL GIVE US

APPROVAL, AND BEFORE WE CAN PROCEED INTO RIGHT-OF-WAY OR

CONSTRUCTION -- RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION OR CONSTRUCTION, WE

WILL HAVE TO DO A REEVALUATION OF THE STUDY, SO THERE WILL

BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REEVALUATION WITH EACH ADVANCEMENT OF

EACH SEGMENT OF THE ROADWAY.

21

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION, THEN --

BECAUSE, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IT STRIKES ME THAT -- AND I

UNDERSTAND -- I FULLY GET THE PLANNING ASPECT, I'M JUST

WONDERING ONCE WE CONDUCT THAT PD&E, IF THERE ARE CURRENTLY

NO FUNDS AVAILABLE, IS THERE A POINT IN TIME WHERE THAT PD&E

BASICALLY EXPIRES AND WE HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE THING AGAIN IF

FUNDING DOESN'T BECOME AVAILABLE?

>> WELL, YES.

IF WE CANNOT GET APPROVAL, THEY -- FEDERAL HIGHWAY WILL NOT

APPROVE THE DOCUMENT WITHOUT THAT INITIAL FUNDING BEING IN

PLACE IN THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO, THEN, THE PD&E, THEN, GENERALLY IS

GOOD FOR HOW LONG BEFORE IT HAS TO BE REEVALUATED FOR

CONSIDERATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING?

>> IT IS -- ONCE IT'S APPROVED BY FEDERAL HIGHWAY, IT IS

GOOD UNTIL ALL SEGMENTS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED WITH THOSE

REEVALUATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO CHANGES IN THE

ENVIRONMENT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: BUT IN ORDER FOR IT TO GET INITIAL

APPROVAL, THERE HAS TO BE SOME FUNDING THAT'S IN PLACE; IS

THAT RIGHT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO IF THERE'S -- IF -- HOW MANY YEARS HAS

TO LAPSE WITHOUT FUNDING BEFORE THE PD&E HAS TO BE TOTALLY

REDONE?

>> WELL, IN THAT CASE, WE WOULD PROBABLY CONVERT IT TO A

STATE DOCUMENT, WHICH THOSE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT AS

STRINGENT AS THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY, AND WE WOULD -- HOPEFULLY,

22

WHEN FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE AND IF WE USE FEDERAL FUNDS,

WE WILL CONVERT THE DOCUMENT TO A FEDERAL DOCUMENT WITH

UPDATES AND REEVALUATION OF THE CORRIDOR.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, SIR.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: IS THIS PART OF HIGHWAY 60 GOING

THROUGH MOSTLY AGRICULTURAL AREAS?

>> AGRICULTURAL?

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: AGRICULTURAL AREAS.

>> THERE IS --

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: AND IF SO, HOW DOES THAT -- WAS

THAT A CONSIDERATION IN THE -- IN THE STUDY?

>> WAS IT A CONSIDERATION IN WHAT WAY?

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: FOR FARM VEHICLES, SLOW-MOVING

VEHICLES ON THIS PART OF THE -- ON THIS -- EACH OF THESE

THREE SEGMENTS LEADING OVER TO THE POLK COUNTY LINE?

>> YEAH.

THERE ARE CERTAIN SEGMENTS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE -- WE WOULD

CONSIDER MORE RURAL THAN IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS WHERE YOU

HAVE FARMING, STRAWBERRY FIELDS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO; CORRECT?

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: [INAUDIBLE]

>> YEAH, AND THAT'S TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, ABSOLUTELY.

AS WE STUDY THE CORRIDOR, IT'S STUDIED WITH EVERY PORTION OF

THE PROJECT IN MIND, EVERY -- EVERY ASPECT OF THAT CORRIDOR

23

IS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: THE REASON I ASKED IS BECAUSE YOU

PROJECTED UP TO 70,000 VEHICLES A DAY IN THE FUTURE, AND I

WAS WONDERING IF YOU ACTUALLY BROKE THAT OUT INTO WHAT'S

JUST -- JUST MORE TRAFFIC VERSUS THE AGRICULTURAL VEHICLES

THAT MIGHT BE USING THIS PART OF THE STATE ROAD 60 ALSO.

>> I'M NOT SURE OF HOW IT WAS BROKEN DOWN.

I THINK IT'S JUST AN OVERALL ACCOUNT OF HOW MANY TRAFFIC --

VEHICLES ARE OUT PER DAY.

I MEAN, THERE'S A -- THE STUDY THAT'S DONE, THEY USUALLY PUT

OUT A STRIP, AND WHENEVER A CAR -- A VEHICLE TIRES CROSS

THIS POINT, IT'S A COUNT, SO -- IT DOESN'T COUNT WHAT TYPE

OF VEHICLE THAT IS, IT JUST COUNTS THE -- OH, YOU HAVE ONE?

>> WE DO HAVE TRUCK VEHICLES, WE HAVE, LIKE, 8% TO 12% OF

TRUCKS, AND THAT'S HOW WE SEPARATE THE VEHICLES, FROM HEAVY-

DUTY TRUCKS AND VEHICLES, SO IT'S 8% TO 12% TRUCKS, AND THAT

INCLUDES THE FARMING EQUIPMENT.

THEY MIGHT WANT TO USE THAT.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: I GUESS WHAT I WAS GETTING AT ALSO

IS THERE ARE TRACTORS AND OTHER TYPES OF FARM VEHICLES THAT

USE THIS PORTION OF THE ROADWAY ALSO, AND -- I MEAN, DOES

THAT -- IS THAT --

>> WELL, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE THE FACILITY WITH THE

PROPER DEVICES UPON THEIR MACHINERY, THE TRIANGLE, THE SLOW-

MOVING VEHICLE, SO THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE IT.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: OKAY.

OKAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MR. GREEN.

24

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?

IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE LETTER

INDICATING OUR CONCERN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: SO MOVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE HAVE A SECOND.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SECOND.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

NO OTHER COMMENT, THOSE IN FAVOR OF SUBMITTING THE LETTER OF

COMMENT SUPPORTED BY THE BPAC, TAC, AND LRC SAY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

ANY OPPOSED?

OKAY.

WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT LETTER.

WE HAVE THE T.I.P. AMENDMENT, AND THAT'S -- IS THAT

MR. PRICE?

WELCOME.

>>JOE PRICE: GOOD MORNING.

JOE PRICE, MPO.

I HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOUR REVIEW ON AN AMENDMENT

TO THE FY 14 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

THE MPO'S BEEN REQUESTED TO ADD A PROJECT TO THE

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BY FDOT.

THIS IS AN INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

FDOT HAS ADDED FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY FUNDS TO AN

INTERSECTION PROJECT THAT'S BEING MANAGED BY HILLSBOROUGH

25

COUNTY.

THE COUNTY'S INSTALLING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL WITH MAST ARMS,

RESTRIPING AN INTERSECTION, AND ADDING TURN LANES.

THE LOCATION OF THIS PROJECT IS HARNEY ROAD AND 78th

STREET/STEAMBOAT LANE.

THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IS A SPLIT BETWEEN FEDERAL

HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION SAFETY FUNDS AND LOCAL FUNDS

COMMITTED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

SO THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS $1,439,700, AND THE SPLIT IS

$539,200 IN LOCAL FUNDS WITH $900,500 COMING FROM FEDERAL

FUNDS.

THE FUNDING FOR THIS IS CONTINGENCY FUNDS ON THE FEDERAL

SIDE FOR SAFETY PROJECTS, AND IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO NOTE

THAT ADDING THIS PROJECT DOES NOT IMPACT ANY PROJECTS

CURRENTLY LISTED IN THE T.I.P. OR THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY

OF THE T.I.P.

OKAY.

AND OUR RECOMMENDED ACTION ON THIS AMENDMENT IS THAT THE

AMENDMENT BE ADOPTED VIA A ROLL CALL VOTE, I BELIEVE IT IS.

>>MARK SHARPE: YEAH, THE ROLL CALL VOTE, YES, SIR.

>> SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

>>MARK SHARPE: ANY BOARD QUESTIONS?

IF NOT, CAN I HAVE A MOTION?

>>LES MILLER, JR.: SO MOVE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: [INAUDIBLE]

>>MARK SHARPE: MOTION OF APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MILLER,

SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO

THE ROLL CALL VOTE.

26

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: LOPANO.

>>JOE LOPANO: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: CHILLURA.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: SHARPE.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: SUAREZ.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: COHEN.

>>HARRY COHEN: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: POLZIN.

>>STEVE POLZIN: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: WAGGONER.

>>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MONTELIONE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: YES.

>>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. PRICE.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

>>MARK SHARPE: NOW WE ARE GOING TO OUR STATUS REPORTS.

27

THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED BY TOM PHILLIPS OR,

AS I LIKE TO CALL HIM, TOM TERRIFIC FROM POLK COUNTY.

DO YOU REMEMBER THAT CARTOON?

>> I DO NOT.

>>MARK SHARPE: YOU'RE TOO YOUNG.

YOU'RE WAY TOO YOUNG.

>> I APOLOGIZE.

>>MARK SHARPE: I'M SHOWING MY AGE.

>> I WAS ON THE CUSP OF --

>>MARK SHARPE: I REMEMBER TOM TERRIFIC.

>> -- OF POWER RANGERS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, SO ...

MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU TODAY.

FOR MANY OF YOU, THIS IS GOING TO BE A REPEAT PERFORMANCE,

SO IF YOU WANT TO CLOSE YOUR EYES, I UNDERSTAND, BUT TO

QUOTE NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF, HE TELLS HIS TROOPS SOMETHING 100

TIMES, THEY'LL SAY THEY HEAR IT ONCE.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES.

>> SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

PROVIDERS IN POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA.

WE HAVE THE CITRUS CONNECTION THAT PROVIDES SERVICE TO THE

CITY OF LAKELAND, WHICH IS THE LARGEST CITY IN POLK COUNTY

AT OVER 100,000 INDIVIDUALS, AND IT PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY

1.2 MILLION TRIPS A YEAR.

WE HAVE OUR SISTER COMPONENT, WINTER HAVEN AREA TRANSIT.

THAT'S REALLY OUTGROWN ITS NAME.

THAT REALLY SERVICES THE ENTIRE EAST SIDE OF POLK COUNTY,

WINTER HAVEN, FORT MEADE, FROSTPROOF, HAINES CITY,

DAVENPORT, AND POINCIANA, AND HAD ITS BEST YEAR EVER AT OVER

28

615,000 RIDES.

AND THEN WE HAVE TWO LESSER-KNOWN SERVICES FUNDED THROUGH

OUR BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

THAT'S THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED PROGRAM AND THE

MEDICAID PROGRAM.

AND JUST TO PUT INTO REFERENCE, THE TRANSPORTATION

DISADVANTAGED PROGRAM IN POLK COUNTY -- WE HAVE 606,000

RESIDENTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE ALSO HAVE THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE

SEVENTH-MOST IMPOVERISHED SUBURBAN AREA IN THE U.S.

ACCORDING TO THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTE, 17.7% OF OUR

POPULATION IS AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, WHICH MEANS THAT

17.7% OF OUR POPULATION IS ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION

DISADVANTAGED.

SO I'M GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT HOW

WE GET PREMIUM TRANSIT USERS TO USE THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, BUT

ULTIMATELY, LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT THAT OTHER LARGE SEGMENT

OF THE POPULATION.

SO WHEN COMING UP WITH WHAT OUR COUNTYWIDE TRANSPORTATION

VISION WAS, THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO WAS RECOGNIZE WHAT

IS POLK COUNTY.

209,000 SQUARE MILES.

THAT MAKES US LARGER THAN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

WE HAVE 17 MUNICIPALITIES, RANGING FROM 500 TO 100,000.

WE HAVE THIS INTERESTING SITUATION IN POINCIANA WHERE WE

HAVE 85,000 RESIDENTS, NO MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, 45,000 OF

WHICH LIVE ON THE POLK SIDE.

SO WE DECIDED RATHER THAN DOING, NO OFFENSE, WHAT GOVERNMENT

29

TYPICALLY DOES BEST, WHICH IS GOING INTO A BACK ROOM AND

CREATING A PLAN AND SAYING, TRUST US, THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED,

WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY ASK PEOPLE

WHAT DOES GOOD-QUALITY TRANSIT LOOK LIKE TO YOU.

WE HELD 31 LISTENING SESSIONS IN 60 DAYS.

WE WENT OUT TO ALL 17 MUNICIPALITIES.

WE WALKED GROCERY STORE AISLES, WE WENT TO COFFEE SHOPS, WE

WENT TO MALLS, AND WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN STAFF, AND WE

ACTUALLY ASKED PEOPLE WHAT DOES GOOD-QUALITY TRANSIT LOOK

LIKE TO YOU.

WE TALKED TO OVER 10,000 RESIDENTS, AND THE ANSWERS WE GOT

WERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

FROM THAT, MY RIDE WAS BORN.

MY RIDE IS A COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION THAT MEETS

THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INDICATORS OF EACH OF OUR 17

MUNICIPALITIES BASED ON THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INDICATORS

RATHER THAN WHAT'S GOING ON NEXT DOOR, ONE RECOMMENDATION

SPECIFICALLY FOR POINCIANA, RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAVE 45,000

RESIDENTS ON OUR SIDE OF THE COUNTY LINE, AND THEN ONE FOR

HOW WE LINK WITH THE TAMPA AND ORLANDO MARKETS SPECIFICALLY

THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS.

SO IF WE LOOK AT THE MY RIDE SOLUTION FOR WINTER HAVEN,

FLORIDA, THE SECOND-MOST POPULOUS CITY, IT FOCUSES ALMOST

EXCLUSIVELY ON GETTING PEOPLE TO AND FROM THE NEW EMPLOYMENT

CORRIDORS OF THE CSX INTERMODAL LOGISTICS CENTER AND THE 3-

TO 6,000 JOBS THAT THAT IS PROPOSED TO BRING, AND LEGOLAND,

FLORIDA.

THE MY RIDE SOLUTION FOR AUBURNDALE FOCUSES ON THE VERY

30

REALISTIC POSSIBILITY THAT AUBURNDALE IS STRATEGICALLY

LOCATED TO BE THE BEDROOM COMMUNITY FOR THE POLYTECHNIC.

YOU MAY HAVE ALSO READ THAT THE CITY OF AUBURNDALE AND THE

CITY OF LAKELAND ARE ACTUALLY PURCHASING THE BUS FOR THE

POLYTECHNIC TO GET STUDENTS INTO THE DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR AS

SOON AS SCHOOL STARTS.

ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES WE HAVE IN POLK COUNTY IS WE DON'T

HAVE THE POPULATION DENSITIES TO SUPPORT RUNNING BUSES PAST

10:00 AT NIGHT, BUT WE HAVE THIS MASSIVE NEED OF SECOND- AND

THIRD-SHIFT WORKERS.

IT DOESN'T HELP IF YOU'RE A CUSTODIAN OR A NURSE AT LAKELAND

REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, WHICH EMPLOYS 6500 PEOPLE, IF YOU

CAN TAKE THE BUS TO WORK AT NOON BUT WHEN YOU GET OFF AT

MIDNIGHT, THERE'S NO BUS TO TAKE YOU BACK.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED IS A TAXI ACCESS PROGRAM WHERE

THE TRANSIT SERVICE WOULD SELL VOUCHERS FOR $5 TO THE

GENERAL CITIZENS.

THE GENERAL CITIZEN WOULD RIDE THE BUS TO OR FROM WORK, AND

THEN FOR THE SECOND LEG, THEY WOULD HAND THAT TAXI VOUCHER

TO THE TAXI PROVIDER OF THEIR CHOICE AND THE TRANSIT SYSTEM

WOULD PAY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE $5 CUSTOMER SUBSIDY AND

UP TO $15 ON THE METER AFTER WE'VE HAD THE CHANCE TO AUDIT

THE TAXI DRIVER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE TAKEN THE MOST

EFFICIENT ROUTE BACK.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT

WE HAVE TWO MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS AND TWO MAJOR

EMPLOYMENT CORRIDORS TO OUR EAST AND OUR WEST, AND SO ONE OF

THE THINGS WE HEARD FROM THE PREMIUM TRANSIT USERS IS, GET

31

US TO THE TAMPA AIRPORT AND GET US TO THE ORLANDO AIRPORT IN

AN AFFORDABLE WAY.

SO WE HAVE EXPRESS BUSES PROPOSED.

THE EXPRESS BUS TO TAMPA WOULD LEAVE LAKELAND, IT WOULD

LEAVE EVERY OTHER HOUR, IT WOULD BE $8 EACH WAY TO TAMPA

AIRPORT, WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 RIDING FOR FREE

WITH AN ACCOMPANYING ADULT, BUT BEFORE STOPPING OFF AT THE

TAMPA AIRPORT, IT WOULD STOP OFF AT THE JAMES HALEY VA TO

CONNECT WITH THE HARTLINE BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO

THE 60,000 VETERANS IN POLK COUNTY WHO CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ACCESS TO THE JAMES HALEY VA AND THEN

CONTINUING ON TO THE AIRPORT TO MEET UP WITH JOE'S -- JOE'S

FLIGHTS.

THE OTHER IS A PROPOSED ORLANDO EXPRESS SERVICE THAT WOULD

BE $10 EACH WAY, LEAVING WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA, AND IT WOULD

STOP OFF AT DISNEY ON THE WAY TO THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL

AIRPORT, BECAUSE THROUGH THIS PROCESS WE LEARNED POLK COUNTY

IS THE SECOND-MOST POPULOUS COUNTY FOR DISNEY CAST MEMBERS.

IT'S OSCEOLA, THEN POLK, NOT OSCEOLA, THEN ORANGE, SO WE

NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE SERVICE WORKERS TO AND FROM

THEIR JOBS.

LAKELAND, OBVIOUSLY, HAVING THE MOST ROBUST SOLUTION.

WE HAVE SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, FLORIDA SOUTHERN

UNIVERSITY, NOW WE HAVE THE POLYTECHNIC.

SO HOW DO WE DRIVE THOSE COLLEGE STUDENTS?

QUITE FRANKLY, I LOVE CHIPOTLE, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE I

SEEM TO BE ABLE TO RUN INTO COLLEGE STUDENTS.

HOW DO WE GET THEM INTO DOWNTOWN VENDORS SO THAT THEY'RE

32

SPENDING MONEY LOCALLY AND GETTING THEM OFF CAMPUS?

BUT WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF A SUCCESSFUL

REFERENDUM TO TRY TO DO MORE WITH LESS.

I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE OUR UNIVERSAL ACCESS PROGRAM.

THE 20,000 STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF OF POLK STATE

COLLEGE, OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CAN NOW RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM

FOR FREE THANKS TO DR. HOLDEN AND HER ADMINISTRATION PAYING

FOR THEIR FARES THROUGH THE BOOKSTORE FEES.

WE'VE GONE FROM 2400 RIDES A MONTH TO 15,800 RIDES A MONTH

AMONGST POLK STATE COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND IT'S NOT THAT POLK

STATE COLLEGE STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE $3 TO RUB TOGETHER FOR A

DAY PASS.

WHAT THIS SHOWS, I BELIEVE, IS THAT WHEN YOU REDUCE THE

BARRIERS TO TRANSIT ACCESS, WHETHER THAT BE HOW DO I GET MY

ROUTE OR WHAT IS THE FARE, STUDENTS WILL TRY IT, AND ONCE

THEY TRY IT, THEY LIKE IT, AND NOW THEY'RE USING IT MORE AND

MORE.

IT WORKS FOR A COMMUTER COLLEGE, BUT DOES IT WORK FOR A

COLLEGE WHERE STUDENTS LIVE ON CAMPUS?

YES.

WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, EVEREST

UNIVERSITY, EXPLORATIONS V CHILDREN'S MUSEUM -- THESE ARE

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO MEET THE PUBLIC TRANSIT BUS

WITH A CHAPERONE EVERY DAY TO RIDE DOWNTOWN TO RECEIVE

TUTORING AT OUR AFTERSCHOOL MUSEUM -- LEARNING RESOURCE

CENTER.

THE 1300 EMPLOYEES OF LEGOLAND CAN RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM FOR

FREE BECAUSE MERLIN ENTERTAINMENT IS PAYING FOR THEIR FARES.

33

I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE LEGOLAND EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

IS A FIVE-DAY-A-WEEK WINTER HAVEN AREA TRANSIT BUS RIDER.

POLK WORKS, WE HAVE A CONTRACT FOR VETERANS IN POLK COUNTY

THAT CAN RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM FARE-FREE THANKS TO PRIVATE

FUNDING.

PACE CENTER FOR GIRLS.

BEFLY BIKE TOURS, IF YOU RENT A BIKE -- I KNOW SOMEBODY WAS

HERE FROM THE BIKING COMMUNITY.

IF YOU RENT A BIKE FROM BEFLY BIKE TOURS, YOU NOW RECEIVE A

TRANSIT DAY PASS THAT YOU CAN USE BUS AND PED.

SOUTHERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE, LAKELAND HOUSING AUTHORITY --

COMMISSIONER BECKNER, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING YOU AND I

HAVE DISCUSSED.

WE ARE ONLY THE SECOND TRANSIT AGENCY IN THE U.S. TO HAVE A

FEDERALLY COMPLIANT CONTRACT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, SO NOW

THE 25,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF POLK COUNTY CAN RIDE THE

BUS SYSTEM FARE-FREE BECAUSE THE SCHOOL BOARD IS PAYING FOR

THEIR FARES.

AND COMMISSIONER BECKNER, I KNOW YOU'VE ASKED US A LOT ABOUT

WHAT HAS THE COST SAVINGS BEEN TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND

WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE IN GETTING THOSE EXACT

NUMBERS, BUT I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT SUPERINTENDENT

LEROY OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD HAS ANNOUNCED A VERY AGGRESSIVE

SUMMER PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENTS.

SHE DID NOT HAVE TO BUDGET FOR ANY YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES OVER

THE SUMMER FOR THESE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES BECAUSE THE

STUDENTS WILL BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE COLTS PROGRAM, SO

34

THAT IS A DOCUMENTED COST SAVINGS THAT SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO

INCUR THROUGH THE SCHOOL BOARD, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THEY'RE

PAYING US A NOMINAL FEE, THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE THE YELLOW

SCHOOL BUSES OFF THE ROAD AND PUT THAT INTO SUMMER

ACTIVITIES.

NONE OF THIS MATTERS IF WE'RE NOT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE

TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE IT IS $11 AN HOUR CHEAPER TO OPERATE A

BUS IN POLK COUNTY THIS YEAR THAN IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO.

THAT'S AN 8.6% DECREASE IN THE COST TO OPERATE THE BUSES,

BUT OUR RIDERSHIP IS UP 38.8% OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, SO WE

WERE ABLE TO RETURN $100,000 IN UNUSED FUNDS TO THE BOARD OF

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND THEY SHARED THAT WITH THE

MUNICIPALITIES.

ALL OF THAT AND SOME POLLING LED TO OUR NOVEMBER REFERENDUM.

I'M VERY EXCITED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO PUT OUR ISSUE ON THE BALLOT.

BEFORE I EXPLAIN THE FUNDING MECHANISM, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN

WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

IN MOST OF THE UNITED STATES ROADS AND TRANSIT ARE ALWAYS IN

COMPETITION FOR MONEY, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN POLK

COUNTY IS BREAK THAT PARADIGM, AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY

PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE TO LOOK AT

IF WE APPROPRIATELY FUND ROADS AND WE APPROPRIATELY FUND

MASS TRANSIT, WE CAN FIND THAT EQUILIBRIUM WHERE THEY CAN

LIVE TOGETHER, AND THAT'S THE MY RIDE/MY ROADS PROGRAM.

THAT'S MOVING THE COST OF COUNTY ROADS, BRIDGES, AND PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION AWAY FROM THE EXCLUSIVE TAXATION OF THE HOME

35

AND BUSINESS OWNER COMMUNITY OF POLK COUNTY AND ON TO A

SALES TAX-BASED SYSTEM THAT'S SHARED FOR BY TOURISTS,

VISITORS, AND EVERYONE EQUALLY, SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO WHAT

THEY'RE PROPOSING IN PINELLAS.

CURRENTLY IN POLK COUNTY ALL HOMEOWNERS PAY A ONE MILL

PROPERTY TAX FOR COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES, IT'S CALLED THE

ONE MILL FOR ROADS, AND THE CITIZENS IN THE LAKELAND AREA

MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT PAY AN ADDITIONAL HALF MILL PROPERTY

TAX.

THROUGH RESOLUTIONS WE -- AND THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED

BY THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE TRANSIT BOARD.

WE WOULD REDUCE THE COUNTYWIDE MILLAGE RATE BY ONE MILL AND

REDUCE THE MILLAGE RATE WITHIN THE CITY OF LAKELAND, THE

MOST POPULOUS CITY IN POLK COUNTY, BY 1.5 MILLS AND

IMPLEMENT A ONE-CENT SALES SURTAX WHERE HALF OF THE PROCEEDS

WOULD GO TOWARDS PUBLIC TRANSIT, MY RIDE, AND HALF OF THE

PROCEEDS WOULD GO TOWARDS COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES, MY

ROADS, RECOGNIZING THAT IF YOU DON'T USE TRANSIT, YOU

PROBABLY USE THE ROADS.

SO THE POSITIVES ARE, OBVIOUSLY, FOR THE COMMERCIAL AND

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE MARKETS.

THERE'S EXPANDED ROADS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BUSINESSES.

THERE'S REGIONAL MOBILITY OPTIONS FOR ALL 17 MUNICIPALITIES

AND POINCIANA.

EVERY SINGLE MUNICIPALITY -- AND WE HAVE PRESENTED THIS TO

THE MAYORS AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS -- CAN HOLD WHAT THEY

WOULD GET IF THIS REFERENDUM PASSES IN THEIR HANDS RATHER

THAN IT BEING SOME NEBULOUS DOCUMENT.

36

SOME PEOPLE SEE SALES TAX AS A FAIRER TAX.

20% OF ALL OF OUR SALES TAX IN POLK COUNTY IS PAID FOR BY

TOURISTS AND VISITORS WHO ARE USING OUR ROADS, USING OUR

TRANSIT, AND CURRENTLY NOT PAYING FOR IT THROUGH THE

PROPERTY TAX.

SALES TAX DOES NOT INCLUDE UTILITIES, RESIDENTIAL RENT,

MORTGAGES, PRESCRIPTIONS, NONPREPARED FOODS, MACHINERY FOR

NEW OR EXPANDED BUSINESSES.

I READ ALL THESE BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS

IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR BUSINESS.

IT IS A PROPOSED SALES SURTAX, SO IT'S ON THE FIRST $5,000

OF A PURCHASE ONLY.

SO WHETHER YOU'D BE PURCHASING A $5,000 USED CAR OR A

$50,000 MERCEDES BENZ, THE MAXIMUM SALES SURTAX EXPOSURE

WOULD BE $50, AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HOUSE

BILL 7007 TAKES EFFECT MARCH OF 2015, WHICH PROVIDES A

THREE-YEAR EXISTING MANUFACTURING SALES SURTAX EXEMPTION TO

GO INTO ACCOUNT MARCH OF 2015.

SO THE QUESTION IS WHY MY RIDE, WHY NOW?

WHY DID OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FEEL IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DO

THIS?

AND LARGELY, IT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN HILLSBOROUGH

AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN OSCEOLA COUNTIES.

WE RECOGNIZE WITH SUNRAIL, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN TAMPA AND

THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN PINELLAS THAT

IF WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON BEING THE BELT BUCKLE BETWEEN

TAMPA AND ORLANDO, WE CANNOT BE A PASS-THROUGH.

WE NEED A GOOD RUBBER-WHEELED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

37

AND ROADS NETWORKS THAT ALLOWS US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE

THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORTS, THAT ARE

HAPPENING AT THE PORT OF TAMPA, THE PORT OF MANATEE, THE

PANAMA CANAL, AND WITH SUNRAIL.

IT IS THE BIRTH OF CENTRAL FLORIDA RIGHT NOW, AND IT IS OUR

RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT

WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN POLK COUNTY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: MAN, GREAT PRESENTATION.

DIRECTOR LOPANO.

WE'LL JUST KIND OF GO THIS WAY.

>>JOE LOPANO: YOU PROBABLY FIGURED I'D HAVE SOME COMMENTS

ON THIS ONE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, TOM.

THAT'S GREAT ENERGY THAT YOU BRING TO YOUR COUNTY AND YOUR

ROLE AS HEAD OF TRANSIT, BUT A FEW QUESTIONS.

WHEN WILL THE BUS START COMING TO TAMPA INTERNATIONAL?

>> SO THE PARK-N-RIDE RIDE LOT IS GOING TO CONSTRUCTION BID

IN TWO WEEKS, AND IT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY, I BELIEVE, TWO

TO THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY THREE MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

SO ONCE THE PARK-N-RIDE LOT FACILITY IS UP AND RUNNING, OUR

BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS ASKED US NEXT MONTH TO COME WITH THEM

WITH A LIMITED TAMPA PROPOSAL SO THAT IF THE REFERENDUM DOES

NOT PASS THAT WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO RUN SOME TYPE OF

LIMITED SERVICE TO YOUR AIRPORT.

>>JOE LOPANO: OKAY.

>> SO THE GOAL WOULD BE NOVEMBER TO JANUARY EITHER WAY, IT

38

JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THE SERVICE WOULD LOOK LIKE.

>>JOE LOPANO: OKAY.

AND HOW WOULD YOU --

>> AND THE PARK-N-RIDE -- JUST TO BE CLEAR, JOE, THE PARK-N-

RIDE LOT IS INDEPENDENTLY FDOT FUNDED UP TO $750,000.

IT'S A 1.3-ACRE TRIANGULAR PARCEL OF LAND THAT WAS LEFT OVER

FROM I-4 RIGHT-OF-WAY, SO WE'RE BUILDING THE PARK-N-RIDE LOT

REGARDLESS.

>>JOE LOPANO: MM-HMM

>> THE PROPOSED SERVICE TO THE POLYTECHNIC WILL COME INTO

THAT PARK-N-RIDE LOT; OUR ROUTE 1, WHICH IS ONE OF THE

BUSIEST ROUTS, WILL COME INTO THAT PARK-N-RIDE LOT; AND THEN

WE USED CITY IMPACT FEES WITH A MAJOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPER.

THEY ARE PURCHASING US A BUS AND FUNDING A COMMUNITY

CIRCULATOR FOR FIVE YEARS WITH IMPACT FEES, AND SO THAT WILL

ALSO COME INTO THAT PARK-N-RIDE LOT, SO IT'LL BE A WELL USED

PARK-N-RIDE LOT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT ITS --

>>JOE LOPANO: YEAH.

>> -- 1.3-ACRE SIZE, BUT THAT'LL BE A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.

>>JOE LOPANO: FOLLOW-UP.

HOW DID YOU FUND THIS BUS?

>> WHICH BUS?

>>JOE LOPANO: THE BUS THAT'S GOING TO COME TO THE AIRPORT.

>> WE ARE ONE OF ONLY A FEW TRANSIT AGENCIES IN THE U.S.

THAT HAS A TRIP SCORING INDEX, SO WE MEASURE EVERY SINGLE

TIME A BUS GOES FROM POINT "A" TO POINT "B" AND HOW MANY

PASSENGERS WE PICK UP ALONG THE WAY.

39

>>MARK SHARPE: WHOA.

YOU MEASURE THINGS?

>> EVERYONE MEASURES SOMETHING, BUT -- BUT THE POINT I WAS

TRYING TO MAKE IS WE'RE NOT ONE OF ONLY TWO TRANSIT AGENCIES

THAT MEASURE.

WE ARE ONLY ONE OF TWO TRANSIT AGENCIES THAT I KNOW OF THAT

PUBLISH THAT INFORMATION ON A WEB SITE, AND THEN WE ALLOW

THOSE DECISIONS, AS MUCH AS TITLE VI COMPLIANT, TO DETERMINE

WHERE WE ADD OR TAKE AWAY SERVICE, SO IT WOULD BE TAKING

EXISTING SERVICE THAT IS NOT MEETING THE TAXPAYERS' NEEDS

NOR MEETING OUR RIDERS' NEEDS, AND THEY'RE BOTH, RIGHT,

THEY'RE INTERCHANGEABLE, AND REINVESTING THAT MONEY IN AN

AREA WHERE WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE RIDERSHIP, SO I GUESS

THE BEST TERM I COULD USE WOULD BE "CANNIBALIZATION," BUT

I'D PREFER TO CALL IT REINVESTMENT.

>>JOE LOPANO: REINVESTMENT.

>> THE BEST EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE IS THE DUFF ROAD SHUTTLE, AND

NONE OF YOU KNOW WHERE DUFF ROAD IS, I'M GUESSING, IN

LAKELAND, BUT WE HAD A SERVICE THAT WAS RUNNING A 30-MINUTE

CIRCULATOR.

IT WAS RUNNING THAT 30-MINUTE CIRCULATOR IN 42 MINUTES.

>>JOE LOPANO: MM-HMM.

>> WE WEREN'T MEETING OUR CUSTOMERS' EXPECTATIONS AND WE

WEREN'T MEETING THE TAXPAYER EXPECTATIONS, AND, AGAIN,

THEY'RE INTERCHANGEABLE, AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE SAID WE

ARE GOING TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISION, WE ARE GOING TO

BACK THAT SERVICE -- WE'RE GOING TO CUT IT IN HALF, WE'RE

GOING TO GO TO AN HOUR SERVICE, BUT AT LEAST WE'LL MEET OUR

40

CONSTITUENTS' NEEDS, AND THEN WHAT WE ARE GOING DO AT THE

SAME TIME IS REINVEST THAT MONEY IN OUR ROUTE 3 MEDICAL

CORRIDOR THAT SERVICES WATSON CLINIC, THE LAKELAND REGIONAL

CANCER CENTER, AND LAKELAND REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER BECAUSE

WE KNOW THAT IF WE REDUCE -- WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT OUR

DATA TOLD US THAT IF WE CAN REDUCE THE TRAVEL TIME FROM AN

HOUR TO HALF HOUR IN THE MEDICAL CORRIDOR, THE SENIORS WILL

BE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE THE BUSES TO AND FROM THEIR MEDICAL

APPOINTMENTS.

WE HAVE OVER DOUBLED THE SERVICE IN THE MEDICAL CORRIDOR,

BUT THE REALLY COOL THING IS THE DUFF SHUTTLE RIDERSHIP IS

ALSO UP, SO WE CUT THE SERVICE BY 50% BUT RIDERSHIP'S UP

BECAUSE WE'VE BECOME MORE RELIABLE.

SO IT'S NOT A TOUGH DECISION, IT'S MANAGING THAT PROCESS.

>>JOE LOPANO: ONE LAST QUESTION.

WILL THE BUS HAVE WIFI ON IT?

>> IF THEY CAN SHOW STAFF AND I THAT THE WIFI CAN HANDLE A

MODERN USER, YES.

>>JOE LOPANO: OKAY.

>> BUT I NEED TO SEE THAT THE WIFI HANDLES MORE THAN E-MAIL

BECAUSE IF A COUPLE OF KIDS ARE GOING TO GET ON THERE AND

START STREAMING NETFLIX AND CRASH THE SYSTEM, I'D RATHER NOT

HAVE IT ON THERE.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, I JUST -- I LOVE YOUR ENTHUSIASM,

AND I HOPE IT'S INFECTIOUS.

>> SO DO I.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: AND I'D SAY, LOCK THE DOORS, DON'T LET HIM

41

OUT OF THIS BUILDING.

[LAUGHTER]

CALL THE SHERIFF, DON'T LET HIM OUT.

NO, GREAT PRESENTATION.

I THINK YOU'RE VERY FORWARD-THINKING, AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW

MANY CIRCULATORS DO YOU HAVE?

>> TRUE CIRCULATORS OR --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: MM-HMM.

>> -- OR TOTAL BUS ROUTES?

TRUE CIRCULATORS --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE.

I'M NOT SURE.

>> SURE.

A CIRCULATOR'S JUST -- YOU KNOW, RUNS A LOOP, IT DOESN'T

RUN --

>>SANDRA MURMAN: YEAH, RIGHT.

>> -- NORTH-SOUTH.

WE HAVE 32 FIXED-ROUTE BUS SYSTEMS THAT OPERATE FROM 30-

MINUTE HEADWAYS TO 60-MINUTE HEADWAYS TO 90-MINUTE HEADWAYS.

ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 50 ROUTES,

AND WE DO APPROXIMATELY 750,000 ADA PARATRANSIT TRIPS.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

SO -- OKAY.

THAT'S GOOD.

AND YOU PAY -- THAT'S VERY -- I HAVEN'T HEARD OF PAYING FOR

CIRCULATORS WITH IMPACT FEES, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT

IDEA.

>> RAMCO-GERSHENSON, IT'S A MICHIGAN-BASED COMPANY -- AND,

42

REALLY, I MEAN, I THINK WHAT IT WAS WAS A BUSINESS DECISION

FOR THEM.

IT WAS LOOKING AT DO WE WANT TO BUILD MORE PARKING SPACES

AND THE DRAINAGE AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH

THAT OR WOULD WE RATHER FUND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, BUILD

SMALLER PARKING LOTS, AND GET PEOPLE TO AND FROM THERE.

NOW, AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE OPERATING WILL BE OUR

RESPONSIBILITY AS A TRANSIT AGENCY, BUT WE ARE VERY EXCITED

ABOUT THAT AND SO IS THE RETAILER.

SO THAT WILL BE UP AND RUNNING PRIOR TO THE CHRISTMAS

HOLIDAY THIS -- I'M SORRY, THE WINTER HOLIDAY THIS YEAR.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: BECAUSE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH, WE HAVE A

LOT OF DEVELOPERS IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT HAVE A LOT OF --

HAVE BEEN PILING UP IMPACT FEE CREDITS, AND THEY REALLY JUST

HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE THEM, SO THIS MAY BE AN AREA THAT

WE CAN EXPLORE.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: YES, MA'AM.

COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

MR. PHILLIPS, I NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU, SO

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY -- I'M GLAD TO MEET YOU FOR THE FIRST

TIME, AND YOU'RE REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

I'VE GOT A QUESTION TO ASK ABOUT YOUR REFERENDUM.

IT'S ON THIS NOVEMBER?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: AND IT'S CALLED SWAP, IS THAT WHAT IT'S

CALLED?

43

>> NO, SIR.

IT'S CALLED THE MY RIDE -- WELL, IT IS A 1% SALES SURTAX FOR

COUNTY ROADS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

AND YOU'RE REDUCING THE MILLAGE TO HOMEOWNERS BY 1.5 MILLS?

>> WITHIN THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT, WHICH

REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 185,000 INDIVIDUALS, AND --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: SO IT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE IN THE COUNTY?

>> A 1.5 MILL REDUCTION WITHIN THE LAKELAND AREA MASS

TRANSIT DISTRICT --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

>> -- AND A ONE MILL PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION FOR EVERYONE

ELSE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

AND DO YOU IDENTIFY IN THIS REFERENDUM WHERE THOSE DOLLARS

WILL BE UTILIZED?

I THINK YOU SAID PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND SOMETHING ELSE.

>> AND ROADS.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: ROADS, BRIDGES?

>> YES, SIR.

THE -- THE FLORIDA STATE LAW PROHIBITS YOUR ABILITY TO

PROPOSE THE SUPPLANTATION OF ONE TAX FOR ANOTHER --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: RIGHT.

>> -- SO IT IS SIMPLY A 1% SALES SURTAX FOR PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION.

A BIG PART OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION IS LETTING PEOPLE KNOW

THAT THESE RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN PASSED TO REDUCE THE

PROPERTY TAX.

44

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, SIR.

THE BALLOT LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY STATES THE 50/50 SPLIT.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

HAVE YOU-ALL IDENTIFIED THESE BRIDGES AND ROADS AND THINGS

ALONG THOSE THINGS?

>> THERE IS A MY ROADS PLAN AND THERE IS A MY RIDE PLAN,

YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: HAVE YOU TAKEN THAT TO THE PUBLIC IN

POLK COUNTY?

>> I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSIT SIDE.

THE ROAD SIDE IS AN APPENDIX, YES, AND THE COUNTY IS

STARTING THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: HOW DID YOU GET THE MESSAGE OUT?

>> LOOK AT MY SHOES.

I HAVEN'T CHANGED THEM SINCE THE REFERENDUM.

[LAUGHTER]

SWEAT EQUITY.

WE HELD THESE 31 LISTENING SESSIONS IN 60 DAYS, SO WE ASKED

PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANTED FIRST, WE DIDN'T SUPPOSE ANYTHING,

AND THEN BASED ON WHAT THEY TOLD US, WE HANDED IT OVER TO

THE MODELERS AND THE PLANNERS, AND THANK GOD THEY ARE WHO

THEY ARE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT ME, AND THEY SAID BASED ON WHAT

THE PEOPLE TOLD US AND HERE'S OUR PROJECTS, THIS IS MY RIDE,

THIS IS MY ROADS.

THEN WE TOOK THAT OUT THROUGH WHOLE 'NOTHER PROCESS.

WE WENT OUT TO EVERY MUNICIPALITY, ALL 17 MAYORS, ALL THE

CITY COMMISSIONERS.

WE SAID, THIS IS YOUR MY RIDE PLAN, THIS IS YOUR MUNICIPAL

45

SOLUTION.

WE'RE NOT ASKING TO YOU FORMALLY ENDORSE IT YET, BUT IS OUR

COMPASS POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND THE ANSWER WAS

YES, THAT THIS IS THE SOLUTION WE NEED FOR OUR COMMUNITY,

AND THAT PROCESS CONTINUES TO GO ON, KIWANIS, ROTARY, LEAGUE

OF WOMEN VOTERS, 9/12 GROUPS, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS,

INDEPENDENTS.

IF YOU'VE GOT AN ORGANIZATION IN POLK COUNTY THAT'S WILLING

TO HEAR OUR MESSAGE, WE BRING THAT OUT THERE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: HOW LONG HAVE YOU-ALL BEEN WORKING ON

THIS?

>> ABOUT TWO YEARS.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: ABOUT TWO YEARS?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: WHAT'S -- AND YOUR COUNTY COMMISSION

UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THIS?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: WHAT'S THE POLITICAL MAKEUP OF YOUR

COUNTY COMMISSION?

>> I BELIEVE THEY RUN NONPARTISAN, SIR, BUT --

>>LES MILLER, JR.: YOUR COUNTY COMMISSION RUNS NONPARTISAN?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: [INAUDIBLE]

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THEY'RE ALL REPUBLICAN?

>> [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]

YEAH.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: AND THEY VOTED FOR IT?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THEY'RE ALL REPUBLICAN AND THEY VOTED TO

46

PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT?

>> YES, SIR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: GOOD GOD.

THERE'S A --

>>MARK SHARPE: TOM TERRIFIC.

MR. BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. --

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER BECKNER.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE, TOM --

>> YES, SIR.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- AND GREAT TO HEAR YOUR PRESENTATION

AGAIN BECAUSE WE ALWAYS DO PICK UP DIFFERENT NUGGETS WHEN

YOU HEAR SOMETHING TWICE.

A QUESTION I HAD.

WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR REFERENDUM AND YOU'RE SWAPPING OUT

PART OF THE PROPERTY TAX FOR THE SALES TAX, WHAT IS -- HAVE

YOU FIGURED ABOUT WHAT IS THE NET RESULT AS FAR AS DOLLARS

GO FROM WHAT AN INCREASE OR DECREASE IN FUNDING YOU WOULD

RECEIVE?

>> SURE.

SO -- AND THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THE AVERAGE HOME'S ASSESSED VALUE

IN UNINCORPORATED POLK COUNTY, OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF

LAKELAND, AFTER MORTGAGE AND HOMESTEAD AND THE AVERAGE

DEDUCTIONS IS $62,202, SO A ONE MILL PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION

TO THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER IS GOING TO BE $62.02.

WITHIN THE CITY OF LAKELAND, BECAUSE IT INCLUDES A BIG SOUTH

47

PART OF POLK COUNTY, EVEN THOUGH IF YOU DRIVE AROUND

LAKELAND, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO FIND THIS NUMBER, THE

AVERAGE HOME'S ASSESSED VALUE IN THE LAKELAND AREA MASS

TRANSIT DISTRICT IS $57,000, BUT BECAUSE OF THE 1.5 MILL

REDUCTION, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE ABOUT A $75 PROPERTY TAX

REDUCTION.

AS FAR AS THE SALES SURTAX INCREASE, THAT DEPENDS ON YOUR

PARTICULAR SPENDING HABITS, SO WE CAN TELL YOU WHAT YOUR

PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION IS GOING TO BE, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU A

COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.

A NUMBER ONE BIG MAC VALUE MEAL IS GOING TO COST YOU FOUR

CENTS MORE, AN 800 WATT GE MICROWAVE IS GOING TO COST YOU A

DOLLAR MORE, AND A 50-INCH FLAT-SCREEN VIZIO TV WILL RUN YOU

$4.33 MORE.

NOW, IF WE TAKE THAT SAME BIG MAC VALUE MEAL, NUMBER 1, AND

YOU GO TO PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS AND YOU BUY THE BEEF, THE

BUNS, THE CHEESE, THE LETTUCE, THE TOMATOES, AND YOU MAKE

THAT BURGER AT HOME, THAT'S NOT GOING TO COST YOU A PENNY

MORE BECAUSE THAT'S ALL NONPREPARED FOOD, AND THAT'S SALES

SURTAX EXEMPT.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: SO -- BUT WHAT ARE YOUR ESTIMATES?

>> BETWEEN $7 AND $12 A MONTH WOULD BE -- FOR THE AVERAGE

RESIDENT WOULD BE THE INCREASE.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: BUT, I MEAN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR POOL OF

MONEY -- AND I KNOW IT BASES ON CONSUMPTION --

>> IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY A $20-MILLION NET INCREASE --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

>> -- WITH $8 MILLION OF THAT COMING FROM TOURISTS AND

48

VISITORS.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: WHAT WAS YOUR RATIONALE FOR HAVING A MORE

OF A PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION IN THE LAKELAND AREA VERSUS

THE --

>> WELL --

>>KEVIN BECKNER: -- OTHER AREAS?

>> -- IT WAS A SELF-DRIVING DECISION.

THE CITIZENS OF THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT 30

YEARS AGO CHOSE TO INCUR A HALF MILL FOR THE PROVISION OF

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

GOTCHA.

>> BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING HOW WE CHOSE -- ANOTHER QUESTION MAY

BE HOW DID YOU PICK INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAX -- OR, I'M

SORRY -- SALES TAX OVER INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAX, AND WE

DID THAT THROUGH POLLING.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

>> WE ASKED THE RESIDENTS OF POLK COUNTY --

>> POLLING.

>> POLLING.

>> POLLING.

>> -- WE ASKED THE RESIDENTS OF POLK COUNTY DO YOU FEEL THE

CURRENT RATE OF PROPERTY TAX OR SALES TAX IS MORE EQUITABLE,

AND AMONGST REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, AND INDEPENDENTS,

EVERYONE FELT THAT CURRENT RATE OF SALES TAX WAS MORE

EQUITABLE TO PROPERTY TAX, SO THAT'S WHY WE PULLED THAT

TRIGGER.

49

>>KEVIN BECKNER: AND THE FINAL THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS

YOUR -- I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY GENIUS THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT

YOU ARE FORMING BETWEEN OTHER CORPORATIONS, THE PUBLIC

SCHOOL ENTITIES, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS,

ESPECIALLY IN OUR AREA, WHEN YOU HAVE NOT GROWN UP IN MASS

TRANSIT AND IT HAS NOT BECOME CULTURALLY ENGRAINED YET THAT

YOU NEED TO BUILD A CULTURE OF PEOPLE GETTING USED TO RIDING

MASS TRANSIT, AND I FIND NO BETTER WAY THAT YOU CAN BUILD

THAT CULTURE, NUMBER ONE, WHEN YOU'RE STARTING WITH

STUDENTS, AND IF YOU'RE GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE

THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR FREE, THAT STARTS A CULTURE

FOR THE NEXT GENERATION AND GENERATIONS TO COME OF USING

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND THEN WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE

CORPORATE WORLD, INTRODUCING THEM, I THINK IT SOLVES A

COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

NUMBER ONE, FOR BUSINESSES THAT HAVE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES,

I THINK IT'S A GREAT PERK THAT THEY CAN OFFER TO THEIR

EMPLOYEES, AND THEN, AGAIN, ONCE YOU GET PEOPLE RIDING THE

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, I THINK YOU -- YOU GIVE AN

OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ALSO GET THAT ENGRAINED IN THEIR --

IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY THINGS THAT THEY DO AND ALSO ENGRAIN

THAT INTO THEIR FAMILY.

AND SO I'M REAL EXCITED -- AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD

THIS -- THAT THE HART STAFF IS WORKING AND LOOKING AT --

LOOKING AT PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM

HERE, AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING SOME OF

THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE LEARNED THERE AND ENGRAIN THEM HERE

IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SO I WANT TO -- I WANT TO THANK YOU

50

FOR -- FOR THOSE IDEAS AND YOUR INPUT ON THAT.

>> WELL, CERTAINLY, WE DIDN'T INVENT THEM, SO I'LL -- AND

IT'S THE STAFF THAT GETS THE CREDIT FOR ALL THE

IMPLEMENTATION.

IT'S EASY TO HAVE THE IDEA.

SO WHAT WORKS IN POLK MAY NOT WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH, BUT WE

FIND IN POLK COUNTY OR HAVE FOUND THAT WHETHER IT BE THE

BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE SOCIAL SERVICE COMMUNITY, OR THE

EDUCATION COMMUNITY, IF OUR BUSES ARE ALREADY RUNNING PAST

YOUR FACILITIES, THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

WE AS A TRANSIT SYSTEM NEED TO DO MORE TO REDUCE THE

BARRIERS SO THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO USE THE SERVICE IN AN EASIER

WAY, WHETHER THAT BE A FUNDING ARRANGEMENT OR SHELTERS OR

WHAT IT MAY BE, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT JUST -- JUST RUNNING

PAST ISN'T ENOUGH OR AT LEAST IT ISN'T IN POLK.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

>> PEOPLE DON'T SEE THE PERCEIVED VALUE IN THE BUS PASSING

THEM, IT NEEDS TO STOP.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: YEAH.

AND FINAL QUESTION IS YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE

LOOKING FOR A NEW DIRECTOR AT OUR HART AGENCY COMING UP,

THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN OPENING.

[LAUGHTER]

>>MARK SHARPE: ANY -- OKAY.

>> NEXT QUESTION.

[LAUGHTER]

>>MARK SHARPE: I'M READY TO MAKE -- WELL, NEVER MIND.

TO MY LEFT, ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS SIDE?

51

>>MIKE SUAREZ: TOM, THANKS AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE SEEN IT.

I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO COME BACK TO

TAMPA TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, YOU ARE AN ENTHUSIASTIC, YOU KNOW, CHEERLEADER FOR

THIS PROJECT, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT.

OUT OF CURIOSITY, I THINK -- HOW MANY BUSES DO YOU HAVE NOW

IN POLK, IS IT ABOUT 50, AM I RIGHT, OR SOMEWHERE AROUND

THERE?

>> YEAH, THAT SOUNDS RIGHT ABOUT RIGHT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: THE -- WHAT'S YOUR BUDGET WITH POLK TRANSIT?

>> WE OPERATE A $10.8-MILLION BUDGET AT THE LAKELAND AREA

MASS TRANSIT DISTRICT; THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS,

THROUGH THE WINTER HAVEN AREA TRANSIT AND THE TRANSPORTATION

DISADVANTAGED, IS RIGHT AROUND ANOTHER EIGHT MILLION, SO

IT'S ABOUT -- JUST ABOUT A $19-MILLION BUDGET BY THE TIME

YOU LOOK AT THE [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] COSTS TO THE COUNTY.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: SO THIS REFERENDUM WILL ESSENTIALLY -- IS IT

GOING TO DOUBLE --

>> IT'S ALMOST GOING TO DOUBLE --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: IT'S ALMOST GOING TO DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES BY

HAVING A REFERENDUM?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT'S A QUESTION THAT COMES UP, RIGHT, AND PEOPLE ARE

NERVOUS ABOUT THIS MASS EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT, AND I WOULD

SAY THIS: POVERTY IS NOT IN OUR DNA AND IT SHOULDN'T BE IN

OUR DNA.

WE ARE THE SEVENTH-MOST IMPOVERISHED SUBURBAN AREA IN THE

52

U.S.

WE HAVE 2,009 SQUARE MILES TO COVER, 17 MUNICIPALITIES.

WE ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

SOLUTION FOR THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.

WE JUST HAPPEN TO CALL IT POLK COUNTY.

SO IT IS GOING TO TAKE THAT KIND OF INVESTMENT TO GET CAUGHT

UP AND TAKE ADVANTAGES OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE AIRPORTS,

THE PORT OF TAMPA, THE PORT OF MANATEE, AND WITH SUNRAIL, SO

THIS IS SIMPLY OWNING OUR LEGACY, WHICH IS NOT POVERTY, BUT

CATCHING UP SO THAT WE CAN TAKE OUR RIGHTFUL PLACE.

WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BUILD A GOLDEN BELT BUCKLE BUT ONE OUT

OF BRASS THAT'S GOING TO HOLD UP TO WHAT'S GOING ON TO OUR

EAST AND WEST, SO IT DOES -- I DON'T WANT TO BACK AWAY FROM

THE FACT THAT IT'S A MASSIVE INVESTMENT, BUT IT'S ONE THAT

WE NEED TO MAKE TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE

CURRENTLY IN.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: OH, BELIEVE ME, YOU'RE PREACHING TO THE

CHOIR WITH ME, SO, YOU KNOW -- BUT I'M NOT ON THE COUNTY

COMMISSION --

>> NO, BUT IT'S --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: -- SO I CAN'T PUT ANYTHING ON A REFERENDUM,

BUT THE -- THE --

[LAUGHTER]

THAT WAS NOT MEANT FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN MY OWN OPINION.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FIND WITH TRANSIT

PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, TO EXPAND

PROJECTS -- AND I THINK YOU -- YOU POINTED A FEW THINGS OUT

WHICH ARE VERY SPECIFIC, THAT IF WE WANT TO HAVE SPECIALIZED

53

TYPE OF TRANSIT, WHETHER IT'S FROM POLK COUNTY TO THE

AIRPORT OR PROVIDING OTHER TYPES OF THINGS LIKE THE LEGOLAND

SITUATION THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PLACE, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE

THOSE PARTNERS FROM -- FROM THAT COMPANY IN ADDITION TO

HAVING YOUR BUSES.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE -- NOTHING'S FOR FREE, YOU KNOW,

IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHO WANTS THAT

SERVICE, WHO'S GOING TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, AND WHO'S

GOING TO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE, AND I THINK THAT SOMETIMES --

AND, UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THAT THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION

THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROVIDE ANY KIND OF SERVICE --

>> RIGHT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: -- ANYWHERE FOR ANY REASON.

I THINK YOU HAD MENTIONED -- WAS IT -- IT'S TITLE 6?

>> CORRECT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: AND THAT -- THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS WHEN

YOU HAVE FEDERALLY FUNDED --

>> I DON'T --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: -- DOLLARS THAT GO IN, AND NOT -- THIS IS

NOT TO BELABOR OR ANYTHING BUT JUST THAT YOU'RE AT THAT SAME

SITUATION.

PART OF THE REASON WHY YOU WANT TO HAVE A REFERENDUM IS SO

THAT YOU CAN EXPAND IT.

IT'S A LOT EASIER USING LOCAL DOLLARS THAN IT IS TO USE

FEDERAL DOLLARS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OTHER STRINGS

ATTACHED TO THE FEDERAL DOLLARS.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, AND IF YOU LOOK AT LEGOLAND, FOR EXAMPLE -- AND I

54

DON'T WANT TO MONOPOLIZE ALL THE TIME TODAY AND RESPECT IT,

BUT WE WERE ALREADY RUNNING THE FRONT GATES OF LEGOLAND --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: SURE.

>> -- PRIOR TO -- IN CYPRESS GARDENS.

WE WERE DOING 64 EMPLOYEE RIDES A MONTH, NOW WE DO ABOUT

1900 EMPLOYEE RIDES A MONTH.

WE DIDN'T CHANGE THE SYSTEM AT ALL, BUT WE DID WAS WE

UNDERSTOOD WHERE -- I THINK WE DID -- WE UNDERSTOOD WHERE

LEGOLAND'S COSTS WERE --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: RIGHT.

>> -- AND ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST COSTS WAS EMPLOYEE TURNOVER,

AND SO WHEN WE WENT AND MET WITH THEM, WE DIDN'T SELL

TRANSIT SERVICE, WE SELLED -- WE SOLD AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT,

IF YOU SUBSIDIZE THEIR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RIDES, YOU MAY

SEE A DECREASED TURNOVER IN YOUR EMPLOYEE TURN RATE BECAUSE

WHEN THAT CARBURETOR BREAKS, INSTEAD OF NEEDING THREE WEEKS

OFF OR HAVING TO TERMINATE THEM, MAYBE THEY JUST USE THE

LEGOLAND EMPLOYEE RIDE FREE PROGRAM JUST FOR THAT THREE

WEEKS WHILE THEY SAVE UP THEIR CARBURETOR AND REPAIR THAT.

NOW THEY'RE BACK IN THEIR PERSONAL-USE CAR, THEY'RE FEELING

GOOD ABOUT YOU AS AN EMPLOYER YEAR-ROUND BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE

TO PROVIDE AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT JUST LIKE DENTAL OR VISION,

I'M GETTING THE INCREASED RIDERSHIP, AND LEGOLAND'S PAYING

RATHER THAN YOU, SO EVERYBODY WINS.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: RIGHT.

NO, AND THAT'S MY POINT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, BY FINDING OUT

WHAT THEIR REAL NEEDS ARE, IT MARRIES SPECIFICALLY YOUR --

YOUR SERVICE WITH THEIR NEEDS, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE

55

ALWAYS TALK ABOUT, I KNOW WE DO AT HART, WHICH IS WHAT IS IT

THAT BUSINESSES NEED?

WE DID A STUDY FOR CIRCULATOR SERVICE IN WESTSHORE, AND WE

SHOWED THAT THERE COULD BE SOME BENEFITS TO THESE

BUSINESSES.

NOBODY WANTED TO BUY INTO IT.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A SALES JOB OR JUST THAT THEY

FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF IT, IT'S SORT OF

THE SAME THING, WHICH IS HOW DO WE LEVERAGE IT, HOW DO WE

PUT IT TOGETHER.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND COMING ON OVER HERE AND TELLING

US THIS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER

QUESTION?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: WELL, I GUESS I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU, I

NOTICE -- I JUST SAW RECENTLY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS

EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE PLAN, AND I'M SURE YOU

COMMUNICATED WITH THEM BEFORE --

>> YEAH.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- THIS, SO WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE --

>> SURE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: -- YOUR COMMUNICATION AND RECENTLY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE HELD A MASS TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT WITH THE TAMPA BAY

PARTNERSHIP, AND THE CENTRAL FLORIDA PARTNERSHIP CAME OUT,

AND, CERTAINLY, WE APPRECIATE THE POSITION STATEMENT FROM

THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTING THE REFERENDUM.

56

OF THE 150 PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE, THREE INDIVIDUALS SPOKE

UP, AND THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT BEING THE HIGHEST SALES

SURTAX RATE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND WE TALKED A LITTLE

BIT ABOUT PROPERTY TAX VERSUS SALES TAX AND TALKED A LITTLE

BIT ABOUT WHAT IS SALES SURTAX EXEMPT, SO I THINK THERE'S A

RECOGNITION THAT NOT EVERYONE IS SINGING THE SAME SONG AND

THERE ARE GOING TO BE CONCERNS.

THE REAL QUESTION IS, IS -- AND I THINK THIS WAS ADDRESSED

IN THE MEETING -- IS, IS THAT FOUR CENTS FOR THAT NUMBER 1

VALUE MEAL OR THAT $4.33 FOR THAT VIZIO FLAT-SCREEN TV -- IS

THAT REALLY GOING TO DRIVE PEOPLE EITHER TO THE INTERNET OR

IS IT GOING TO DRIVE THEM TO DRIVE TO HILLSBOROUGH TO BUY

THAT TELEVISION SET?

I DON'T THINK $4.33 -- AS MUCH AS YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR

THIS, I HOPE THEY DON'T DRIVE HERE TO BUY THAT TELEVISION TO

SAVE $4.33, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE A DEBATE BECAUSE SALES

TAX, PROPERTY TAX, THERE ARE GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO FEEL

DIFFERENT WAYS, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS

CONVERSATION AND OPEN DEBATE AND DIALOGUE NOW AND NOT DOING

IT IN OCTOBER WHEN PEOPLE SAY, WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON?

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

SO IN ESSENCE, THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OF THE PLAN, NOT THE

MECHANISM?

>> EXACTLY.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: OKAY.

GOT IT.

>> AND I THINK -- I HOPE THAT CAME THROUGH IN THE ARTICLE.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: GREAT.

57

THANK YOU.

>> YES.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: GO AHEAD.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: I'LL GO.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: MR. PHILLIPS, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE

HEARD YOUR PRESENTATION.

IT'S CERTAINLY VERY IMPRESSIVE.

IT CERTAINLY GOT MY ATTENTION.

A COUPLE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR YOU IS HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO

COME UP TO MOLD THIS PLAN?

>> A YEAR.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: A YEAR?

>> YES, SIR.

>>MARK SHARPE: ONE YEAR.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: OKAY.

WHEN YOU DID --

>> APPROXIMATELY.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: HOW WAS THE POLLING CONDUCTED?

DID YOU GET A -- AN AGENCY DID IT, WAS IT DONE BY THE

COUNTY?

WHO CONDUCTED THE POLLING?

>> THE POLK TRANSIT AUTHORITY CONDUCTED THE POLLING.

IT WAS PUBLIC EDUCATION DOLLARS.

IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, WE CLEARED ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THROUGH

TALLAHASSEE, AND WE USED FLORIDA OPINION RESEARCH, SO WE

USED A PROFESSIONAL FIRM TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS

STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, PLUS OR MINUS 4.9%, AND THAT WAS

PRESENTED TO AN UNPRECEDENTED MEETING OF THE ENTIRE BOARD OF

58

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE LAKELAND AREA MASS TRANSIT

DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THE POLK TRANSIT AUTHORITY

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND WE DID THAT IN A PUBLIC MEETING WITH

OVER 100 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, AND WE PRESENTED EVERY SINGLE

POLL QUESTION AND WHAT THE RESPONSES WERE.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: HOW MANY POLLS WERE TALLIED OR --

>> ONE.

WE DID ONE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT POLL.

IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 40 QUESTIONS.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: HOW MANY PEOPLE DID THAT REACH OUT TO

OR --

>> IT WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT TO PLUS OR MINUS 4.9%,

AND I BELIEVE IT WAS 500 REGISTERED VOTERS.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: OKAY.

AND THAT'S ALL OVER THE BOARD, IT WASN'T JUST A --

>> CORRECT.

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, AND INDEPENDENTS LOOKING AT THE

VOTING OF THE '8, '10, AND '12 ELECTIONS.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: WHAT IS THE CURRENT SALES TAX?

>> 7%.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: 7%.

OKAY.

SO THAT COULD TAKE IT TO --

>> 8%.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: -- 8%?

>> CORRECT.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: OKAY.

>> SAME PROPOSAL AS PINELLAS AS FAR AS SALES SURTAX RATE.

59

AND IT IS -- AGAIN, I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THE SALES SURTAX

RATE BECAUSE THE -- OUR PENNY WOULD ONLY BE ON THE FIRST

$5,000 OF ELIGIBLE PURCHASES ONLY.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: OKAY.

WELL, I CERTAINLY COMMEND YOU ON YOUR VISION AND

CAPITALIZING ON APPARENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE

AND PROVIDING -- AT THE SAME TIME, PROVIDING A CONVENIENCE

TO YOUR CITIZENS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

YOU SEE AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU'VE CAPITALIZED ON IT, AND YOU'RE

TRYING TO PROVIDE A CONVENIENCE TO THE CITIZENS OF YOUR

COMMUNITY, SO THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.

>> WELL, AND CERTAINLY, IT'S THEIR PLAN, NOT MINE.

I'M JUST THE CONDUIT THAT BROUGHT IT FORWARD, BUT

ULTIMATELY, THE OTHER PART OF THE CONVERSATION I LIKE TO SAY

IS THIS IS JUST AS MUCH -- THE COUNTY WILL GET THERE WITH

THE COUNTY MANAGER, BUT THIS IS JUST AS MUCH ABOUT PROPERLY

FUNDING COUNTY ROADWAYS AND BRIDGES AND SIDEWALKS AND

GUTTERS AND CURBS AND CULVERTS AS IT IS ABOUT PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE MY RIDE MIGHT NOT BE PUBLIC TRANSIT,

MY RIDE MIGHT BE MY ROADS, SO IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT WE

BALANCE THESE TWO THINGS SO THAT WE HAVE PROPER CAPACITY FOR

THE ROADWAY INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: WELL, THANK YOU FOR --

>> YES, SIR.

>>FRANK CHILLURA: -- A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: BOY.

COMMISSIONER BECKNER, COMMISSIONER MILLER, COUNCILWOMAN

60

MONTELIONE.

YOU DO THIS EVERY TIME YOU SPEAK.

GO AHEAD.

>>KEVIN BECKNER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

AND I JUST WANT TO JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT TO FOLLOW UP TO

COMMISSIONER MURMAN'S COMMENTS, AND I THINK THIS IS THE

DEBATE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE FACING HERE, AND I THINK THAT

YOU GOING ABOUT IT THE RIGHT WAY, SEEKING INPUT FROM THE

CITIZENS, IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT IF WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT BUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO

PAY FOR IT.

WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE NEED

OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE

OUT A WAY TO PAY FOR IT.

THIS STUFF DOESN'T COME FREE, AND SO EVERYBODY THAT'S

LISTENING OUT THERE NOW, THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER,

THE DIFFERENT FUNDING OPTIONS AND HOW TO PAY FOR IT.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR ANY EXPANSION HERE

USING ANY EXISTING REVENUES THAT WE HAVE HERE BECAUSE IT'S

JUST NOT SUFFICIENT, SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A TIMELY

CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, NOT ONLY WITH OUR PEOPLE

BUT ALSO WITH OUR ELECTED BODIES, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE

TO HAVE THIS ADULT CONVERSATION AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE

GOING TO PAY FOR IT, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK

AT YOUR PLAN, ESPECIALLY THE DIVISION -- EVEN THOUGH WE'VE

HAD DIVISION HERE AS FAR AS PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTED AND

FEEL WE NEED TO INVEST IN ROADS -- AND THAT IS TRUE, WE

DON'T HAVE ENOUGH REVENUES COMING IN TO ADEQUATELY FUND ALL

61

THE ROAD PROJECTS, SO THERE HAS TO BE A REVENUE STREAM FOR

THAT.

THAT IS ALL PART OF THE TRANSIT AND IT NEEDS TO BE ALL PART

OF THE CONVERSATION, AND THEN YOU FIGURE OUT THE OTHER

FUNDING PIECE.

SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND FOR POINTING THAT

OUT AND THEN HAVING THAT PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MILLER.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN.

>>MARK SHARPE: SURE.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: I KNOW WE'VE GOT TO BRING THIS IN FOR A

LANDING.

YOU SAID -- MAYBE YOU NEED TO CLARIFY THIS -- YOU-ALL POLLED

500 PEOPLE?

>> CORRECT.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: THAT'S IT?

YOUR POLL WAS 500 PEOPLE, AND HAD YOU A MARGIN OF ERROR OF

4.9%?

>> WELL, IT WAS 5,000, BUT IT WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT

TO PLUS OR MINUS 4.9%.

WE TARGETED REGISTERED VOTERS IN ASKING THEIR OPINION, SO

I'LL HAVE TO GET YOU THE EXACT DETAILS, AND OBVIOUSLY, THE

POLL IS OPEN TO PUBLIC RECORD, SO I'LL MAKE SURE TO GET YOU

THE STATISTICS BECAUSE I MAY HAVE MISQUOTED THE SAMPLE SIZE.

MAYBE IT WAS 50,000.

AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I WILL GET THAT CLARIFICATION TO

THE CHAIRMAN AND HE CAN DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: YOU KNOW, 500 PEOPLE BEING POLLED IS NOT

62

A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> YEAH.

AND, AGAIN, WHAT STICKS IN MY MIND AND I'M POSITIVE ABOUT IS

THE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANTLY TO PLUS OR MINUS 4.9%, SO I

MAY BE OFF ON THE TOTAL NUMBER BECAUSE I WANTED IT TO BE

UNDER 5% MARGIN OF ERROR.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: OKAY.

WHAT WAS YOUR TOTAL OUTREACH NUMBERS?

>> WE TALKED TO OVER 10,000 RESIDENTS THROUGH THE INITIAL MY

RIDE PROCESS THROUGH THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL LISTENING

SESSIONS, AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE GIVEN THE MY RIDE/MY ROADS

PRESENTATION OVER 200 TIMES.

>>LES MILLER, JR.: MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT NUMBER.

I'M QUITE SURE -- I HOPE YOU DID MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE.

>> I WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE IT GETS TO THE

STAFF AND DISSEMINATED.

AND I'LL -- ACTUALLY, I'LL SEND THE ENTIRE POLL SO YOU CAN

TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

>>MARK SHARPE: COUNCILWOMAN MONTELIONE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

I'M GOING TO REITERATE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID.

YOUR ENTHUSIASM IS FANTASTIC, AND YOU'VE BEEN STANDING UP

THERE QUITE A WHILE, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN WORN DOWN YET, YOU

STILL GOT THAT ENERGY LEVEL UP.

I GOTTA SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON PUTTING THIS TOGETHER IN THE

TIME FRAME THAT YOU DID IT, IN THE METHOD THAT YOU DID IT.

I'M CURIOUS ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT COMMISSIONER

MILLER HAD ASKED AND THAT WAS THE PLANS THAT YOU HAVE IN

63

PLACE FOR BOTH THE ROAD PROJECTS AND THE TRANSIT EXPANSION,

HOW DID THOSE PLANS COME TO BE?

>> SURE.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: I MEAN, WERE THEY EXISTING PLANS THAT

YOU TOOK AND USED, THEY WERE NEW PLANS?

>> NO.

IT'S A GREAT STORY.

I LOVE TELLING THIS STORY.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: GOOD.

>> SO I WAS HIRED TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.

I GOT HERE IN AUGUST, AND IN SEPTEMBER THE POLK TRANSIT

AUTHORITY BOARD LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, SHOULD WE JUST CLOSE

UP SHOP AND FORGET ABOUT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AND JUST GO

BACK TO A SEPARATE SYSTEM?

AND SO I SAID, WELL, WHY DON'T WE -- WE'VE GOT A TDP, A

TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT PLAN, PROCESS THAT IS TO BE

LAUNCHED, LET'S GO THROUGH THIS TDP PROCESS, AND IF THROUGH

THE TDP PROCESS WE FIND THAT WE DON'T NEED REGIONAL

TRANSPORTATION, THEN YES, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND WE'LL

CLOSE UP SHOP.

SO WE STARTED FROM SCRATCH AND TOOK THIS ENTIRE PROCESS

THROUGH THE LAST 12 OR 18 MONTHS TO GET THE ISSUE ON THE

BALLOT, SO WE DID START FROM SCRATCH.

FROM THE ROADS PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS MUCH MORE HISTORY

BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE GOT PAVING SCHEDULES OF, YOU

KNOW, 20, 30, 40, 50 YEARS, EVEN FDOT TODAY AND WHAT YOU'RE

LOOKING AT WITH ROUTE 60, ALL OF THAT WAS -- ALL THAT

INFRASTRUCTURE WAS ALREADY THERE.

64

>>LISA MONTELIONE: EXISTED.

>> SO WE REALLY KIND OF BROUGHT MY ROADS FORWARD -- I'M

SORRY, WE BROUGHT THE ROADS PROJECTS FORWARD AND KIND OF

CALLED THEM MY ROADS.

MY RIDE WAS TAKEN FROM NOTHING TO WHAT IT IS TODAY.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: GOT IT.

AND THAT'S -- THAT'S COMMENDABLE THAT YOU STARTED FROM THE

POINT OF, HEY, IF THIS DOESN'T WORK OUT, WE'RE GOING TO

CLOSE IT UP.

I ALSO THINK IT'S COMMENDABLE THAT -- I HEARD YOU

CONCENTRATE AND TALK MORE ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT AND

THAT YOU'RE CONCENTRATING ON EXISTING BUSINESSES AND TRYING

TO HELP EXISTING BUSINESSES SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS.

I THINK OFTEN WE TALK ABOUT EXPANDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

AND BRINGING EMPLOYERS IN, BUT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT SERVICING

THE EMPLOYERS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, AND -- AND TRYING TO --

FOR US, AS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN SUAREZ POINTED OUT --

TRYING FOR US TO CONVINCE OUR EMPLOYERS THAT ARE ALREADY

HERE TO INVEST IN A TRANSIT SYSTEM IS THE BEST WAY, AND I

LOVE HOW YOU PUT IT THAT IT'S AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT JUST LIKE

HEALTH OR DENTAL OR, YOU KNOW, ANY OTHER BENEFIT THAT IS

OFFERED BY AN EMPLOYER, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO

CONCENTRATE IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND AS A COUNTY, WE MAY DIFFER IN SOME WAYS THAN POLK

COUNTY, BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

FROM YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR

COMING AND SHARING IT WITH US.

>> THANK YOU ALL.

65

>>MARK SHARPE: I THINK -- I THINK WE'RE DONE WITH QUESTIONS

AND COMMENTS, SO I THINK, RAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO --

>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YES.

I JUST WANT TO SUMMARIZE.

I THINK IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR SINCE WE MET, AND I WANTED TO

GET TOM IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD, AND I THINK THE TIMING'S

PERFECT.

WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN.

SOME COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, OUTREACH AND THE POLLING ARE TWO

DIFFERENT THINGS.

WHEN WE DID THE POLLING HERE FOR THE POST-REFERENDUM

ANALYSIS, WE GOT A 3.5 RATIO OF ACCURACY WITH 800 SELECTED

REGISTERED VOTERS.

THE KEY IS NOT SO MUCH THE SIZE OF THE NUMBER, IT'S GETTING

THE RIGHT MIX THAT MATCHES YOUR COMMUNITY EXACTLY, AND

THAT'S WHAT WE DID, AND, OF COURSE, THE OUTREACH IS EVEN

BIGGER.

BUT I THINK A LOT OF THINGS CAN BE LEARNED.

I THINK WHATEVER WE DO WE HAVE TO INCLUDE ROADS AS AN

IMPORTANT COMPONENT, WE HAVE TO BE FAIR TO OUR CITIES HERE

AND THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY, ALL THE THINGS WE KIND OF

MISSED THE MARK ON LAST TIME, BUT GREAT IDEAS, AND I THINK

WE SHOULD CONSIDER USING SOME OF THEM IN OUR EFFORT THAT

WE'RE PROCEEDING ON.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING THAT

WILL -- IF ANYBODY GETS ANGRY, DON'T DIRECT YOUR DARTS AT

TOM, DIRECT THEM AT ME, BUT I -- WHEN I FIRST MET YOU, I WAS

INSPIRED BY YOUR PASSION.

66

I WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF YOUR NUMBERS.

YOU TALKED ABOUT THE AVERAGE REDUCTION IN COST PER HOUR.

>> 8.6%, YES, SIR.

>>MARK SHARPE: AND THE INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP?

>> 38.8%.

>>MARK SHARPE: 38 -- I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE RIDING INCREASES OF

14%, 15%, 16%, SOME A LITTLE BIT LESS, AND TOUTING IT, AND I

THINK IT'S FANTASTIC BECAUSE IT'S AN INCREASE, BUT THIS IS

REAL INCREASE.

YOU TALKED ABOUT A DIFFERENCE IN LEGOLAND FROM 64 RIDERS TO

1900 RIDERS?

>> RIDES.

>>MARK SHARPE: RIDES?

>> YES.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WELL, 64 RIDES --

>> CORRECT.

>>MARK SHARPE: -- TO 1900?

NOT DIRECTED AT ANYBODY -- NOT DIRECTED AT ANYBODY -- LIKE

MY FAVORITE MOVIE, "TALLADEGA NIGHTS," WHERE YOU SAY, WITH

ALL DUE RESPECT AND THEN YOU GO AND YOU SAY SOMETHING, BUT

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO EVERYONE OUT THERE, IT -- IN MY

MIND, THIS BOILS DOWN TO LEADERSHIP.

IT BOILS DOWN TO INSPIRED LEADERSHIP.

THERE'S A BOOK THAT'S COMING OUT -- I ALWAYS HAVE TO TALK

ABOUT A BOOK.

>> IS THAT YOUR BOOK?

>>MARK SHARPE: I DIDN'T WRITE IT NOW.

67

-- "CREATIVITY, INC." -- BUT THE GUY THAT PUT TOGETHER

PIXARS -- THE GUY THAT -- THE GUY THAT WITH JOBS AND OTHERS

CREATED PIXARS, THERE'S A QUOTE THAT HE HAS, WHICH IS

SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF, IF YOU GIVE A GOOD IDEA TO A

MEDIOCRE TEAM, THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH BAD RESULTS --

AND HE DOESN'T USE THE WORD "BAD" -- BUT IF YOU GIVE A

MEDIOCRE IDEA TO A REALLY TRULY INSPIRATIONAL TEAM, THEY'RE

GOING TO FIX IT OR MAKER IT BETTER.

AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IS YOU'VE GONE OUT THERE AND YOU'VE TAKEN

IDEAS WHICH OTHERS ARE USING -- YOU SAID THERE'S NO MAGIC

HERE WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT IT'S THE WAY YOU APPROACH

THE BUSINESSES, IT'S THE WAY YOU WALK IN AND TALK ABOUT HOW

WE CAN DO CERTAIN THINGS.

SOME FOLKS WILL ALWAYS SAY, WELL, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, YOU

CAN'T, AND THERE'S A LOT OF [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] OUT THERE,

BUT I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AND TRYING TO FIND

WAYS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AND YOU'RE REALLY BEING, I

THINK -- POLK HAS BEEN WELL SERVED BY YOU, AND HOPEFULLY

YOU'LL BE SUCCESSFUL IN NOVEMBER.

>> THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU.

>>LISA MONTELIONE: AND HOPEFULLY HIS HEAD IS NOT BIG -- YOU

KNOW, TOO BIG TO GET OUT THE FRONT DOOR NOW.

>>MARK SHARPE: HE'S A GROUNDED MAN.

>> THE PROOF IS IN NOVEMBER.

IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

WITH THAT, WE HEAD TO POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION OF

68

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED SERVICES.

CAN YOU TOP THAT, JAY?

>> NO.

I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT WHERE YOU FALL ON THE AGENDA SETS

THE TONE, BUT I'M GOING TO BE --

>>MARK SHARPE: WELCOME.

>> -- BRINGING THE TONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

MY NAME IS JAY GOODWILL.

I'M WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA CENTER FOR URBAN

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH OR CUTR.

APPROXIMATELY IN LATE 2012, WE WERE -- I WAS CONTRACTED WITH

THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAMILY AND AGING SERVICES DEPARTMENT

TO TAKE A LOOK AT SPECIFICALLY WHETHER -- WHAT THE

FEASIBILITY OR RAMIFICATIONS OF CONSOLIDATING THE HARTPLUS

ADA SERVICE WITH THE COUNTY'S SUNSHINE SERVICE.

THE -- THE IDEA -- IT WAS A -- WHAT WE CALL -- I'D CALL A

MACRO REVIEW.

IT LOOKED AT EXISTING DATA, IT REALLY DIDN'T CREATE NEW DATA

OR NEW RESEARCH, BUT IT WAS EXISTING REPORTS AND DATA AND

THEN INTERVIEWING STAFFS OF BOTH AGENCIES ON THE MATTER.

TO JUST KIND OF GIVE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT MANY OF

THIS -- YOU'RE -- I'M SURE YOU'RE WELL AWARE, BUT SUNSHINE

LINE IS A SERVICE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

IT'S FOCUSED MORE ON PEOPLE BECAUSE OF DISABILITY, AGE, OR

INCOME HAVE -- ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE OR PURCHASE

TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.

IT'S REALLY A DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE, BUT IT DOES HAVE A BIG

COMPONENT WHERE IT PURCHASES OR SUBSIDIZES BUS PASSES ON THE

69

HART SERVICE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN USE THAT

SERVICE, AND IT'S SERVED AS THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR UNDER THE FLORIDA

TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED PROGRAM.

THE HARTPLUS SERVICE IS PROVIDED BY THE -- THE HILLSBOROUGH

AREA REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM.

IT'S CALLED COMPLIMENTARY ADA PARATRANSIT SYSTEM THAT'S

REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR EVERYWHERE YOU HAVE

REGULAR BUS SERVICE.

IT'S A DOOR-TO-DOOR.

IT'S LIMITED TO A -- RESTRICTED TO A THREE-QUARTER-MILE ON

EACH SIDE OF A CORRIDOR OF EXISTING ROUTES, IT HAS TO HAVE

COMPARABLE SERVICE TO THE OTHER HART SERVICES, AND THEN

THERE'S REALLY NO LIMITATIONS ON TRIP PRIORITIES OR TRIP

RESTRICTIONS, SO IT'S A [INAUDIBLE]

THIS IS THE HARTPLUS SERVICE AREA, WHICH IS THE THREE-

QUARTER-MILE ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROUTES, AND I'LL FOCUS BACK

ON THAT IN A MINUTE.

THIS IS -- THE HARTPLUS FOCUSES ON PEOPLE WITH FUNCTIONAL

DISABILITIES.

IT'S NOT AN INCOME-BASED, BUT IT'S PEOPLE WITH FUNCTIONAL

DISABILITIES WITHIN THAT SERVICE AREA THAT ARE UNABLE TO --

UNABLE TO USE THE HART BUSES TO PROVIDE SERVICE, EITHER

MIGHT NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE BUS OR JUST THE INABILITY TO

USE IT.

IT HAS A SERVICE AREA OF ABOUT 243 SQUARE MILES, AND BOTH

THE ORIGIN AND DESTINATION OF THAT TRIP NEED TO BE WITHIN

THE SERVICE AREA, SO IT'S ...

70

THE SUNSHINE LINE, AS I MENTIONED, FOCUSED ON THE

TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED POPULATIONS, AND IT'S A

COUNTYWIDE SERVICE WITH REALLY FOUR TIMES THE SERVICE AREA

OR OVER 1,000 SQUARE MILES.

SO I'M GOING TO START KIND OF CONTRASTING THE TWO WHERE

THERE'S SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES.

THE SERVICE HOURS, THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.

THE HARTPLUS FOLLOWS THE SAME HOURS AS THE REGULAR HART

SERVICES.

IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO -- IT'S 22 -- 21.5 HOURS DURING THE

WEEKDAYS AND LONG SERVICE SPANS EVEN ON THE WEEKENDS, PRETTY

MUCH ALL DAY LONG AND ALL EVENING.

THE SUNSHINE LINE IS ESSENTIALLY FROM 6:00 IN THE MORNING

UNTIL 5:00 P.M. MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

THERE'S NO WEEKEND SERVICES AVAILABLE.

THE FARES, THE HARTPLUS FARE TO THE PASSENGER IS $4 PER

TRIP, WHICH IS TWICE THE FIXED-ROUTE FARE OF $2, AND IN

FISCAL 2012 IT GENERATED ABOUT $390,000 OF FAREBOX REVENUE.

SUNSHINE LINE IS -- FARES -- THERE'S NOT AS BIG A FOCUS, AND

IT'S BASED MORE ON A SLIDING SCALE BASED ON INCOME, AND

THEIR TOTAL REVENUE -- FAREBOX REVENUE FOR THE SAME PERIOD

IS JUST OVER 42,000.

AS I MENTIONED, THE HARTPLUS, THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS

PROHIBIT PRIORITIZING ANY TRIPS BY PURPOSE, SO A TRIP TO THE

HAIR PARLOR OR HAIR SALON VERSUS TO THE LOCAL BAR VERSUS A

MEDICAL TRIP ALL MUST BE TREATED EQUALLY.

AND WHERE THE SUNSHINE LINE CAN -- CAN PRIORITIZE TRIPS AND

DO -- THE LIFE-SUSTAINING TRIPS ARE GIVEN TOP PRIORITY, AND

71

THEN THE OTHER TRIPS BASED ON -- ARE REALLY MET BASED ON

EXISTING -- OR FUNDING AVAILABILITY.

THE SERVICE -- SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS IS

THE HARTPLUS HAS CURRENTLY A 30-MINUTE PICKUP WINDOW,

MEANING IF I'VE SCHEDULED TO PICK YOU UP AT 8:00, THE BUS

MAY GET THERE A HALF HOUR EARLY OR A HALF HOUR LATE AND

STILL BE CONSIDERED ON TIME.

AND THIS -- THIS IS TIGHTENED -- AND, AGAIN, IT'S RELATED TO

THE EXISTING HART SERVICE, WHERE THE SUNSHINE LINE HAS A

WINDOW OF -- YOU HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE 90 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR

SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT.

THE -- THE UNION OR EMPLOYEE IMPACTS ALSO IMPACT ON THIS

DECISION.

THE HARTPLUS ARE MEMBERS OF ATU LOCAL 1593 AND UNDER THE

LABOR PROVISIONS OF THAT, AND AS PART OF THAT, THERE'S

FEDERAL LABOR PROTECTION REQUIRE -- OR PROVISIONS THAT --

THAT IN THE EVENT THOSE -- THOSE EMPLOYEES' JOBS WERE TAKEN

THAT HART WOULD HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE -- ASSIMILATE THEM IN

OTHER -- INTO OTHER JOBS OR FINANCIALLY TRAIN THEM.

THE SUNSHINE LINE ARE NOT -- DRIVERS ARE NOT IN AN ORGANIZED

BARGAINING UNIT.

THE WAGES -- THE WAGE RATES ARE VERY SIMILAR.

THE -- HART STARTS ABOUT $1.50 MORE PER HOUR AND THEN AFTER

FOUR MONTHS OF SERVICE GOES UP TO $253 -- $2.53 -- I'M

SORRY -- $2.53 AN HOUR MORE THAN THE SUNSHINE LINE, BUT THE

BIG THING IS THEY -- IT'S A PROGRESSIVE PAY SCALE BASED ON

YEARS OF SERVICE, SO AFTER EIGHT YEARS, THEY TOP OUT AT THE

$16.77 FOR THE PARATRANSIT OR VAN DRIVERS, WHERE SUNSHINE

72

LINE STARTS, AND THEN THEIR ANNUAL INCREASES ARE BASED ON

EITHER MERIT OR COST OF LIVING THAT THE COUNTY GRANTS THEIR

EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THE SUNSHINE LINE OPERATORS.

THE FLEETS ARE COMPARABLE.

THE HART BUSES TEND TO BE SMALLER IN SIZE BECAUSE OF THE --

JUST THE SERVICE OPERATION.

THEY DON'T DO AS MANY MULTILOADS BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTENED

TIME FRAMES.

THEY RANGE FROM THREE TO TEN WITH AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT EIGHT

SEATS PER VEHICLE.

THEY'RE DIESEL POWERED.

THE SUNSHINE LINE HAS 64 VEHICLES, AND BOTH FLEETS ARE

TOTALLY WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.

THE SEATING CAPACITY AVERAGES 12 ON THE SUNSHINE LINE, AND

THEY'RE GASOLINE POWERED, WHICH ...

FROM A TECHNOLOGY, THEY -- ALL THE VEHICLES HAVE AUTOMATIC

VEHICLE LOCATORS, MOBILE DATA TERMINALS, WHICH IS VERY GOOD.

THE RESERVATION SYSTEMS ARE TWO DIFFERENT -- HARTPLUS USES

THE TRAPEZE AND SUNSHINE LINE USES ROUTE MATCH.

THE REVENUE SOURCES, HART HAS THE LOCAL SUPPORT FAREBOX

REVENUE AND THEN THE FLORIDA D.O.T. BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM AND

THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION FUNDING SOURCES, PRELIMINARY THE

5307 FORMULA FUNDING.

THE SUNSHINE HAS MULTIPLE GRANTS, INCLUDING THE

TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED FUNDS, THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT

SUPPORT FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY

COMMISSIONERS, AND, AGAIN, SOME FAREBOX REVENUE BUT SOMEWHAT

MINIMAL.

73

AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, AS PART OF THE SUNSHINE LINE, THEY

DO PURCHASE BUSES, SO THERE IS THAT COOPERATIVE EFFORT, AND

YOU HAVE PEOPLE USE HART WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE BECAUSE THOSE

TRIPS ARE SO MUCH MORE COST-EFFICIENT IF YOU'RE ABLE TO USE

IT.

BUDGETWISE THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR.

TOGETHER THEY'RE ONE POINT -- OR $8.6 MILLION OF INVESTMENT.

THE SUNSHINE LINE PASSENGER PRIORITY AND PASSENGER LOADING

ARE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN HARTPLUS DUE TO THE ABILITY TO DO

MORE MULTILOADING OR MORE PEOPLE ON COMMON TRIP DESTINATIONS

OR ORIGINS.

OPERATING COSTS PER HOUR ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR, BUT ON A PER-

COST TRIP, THE SUNSHINE LINE IS ABOUT 80% -- OR 70% OF

HARTPLUS, SOMEWHAT DO TO THE MULTILOADING AND ALSO,

GENERALLY, THE LOWER OPERATOR RATES.

ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WOULD ENTER INTO THIS DECISION WOULD BE

THE COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR DESIGNATION, AND

EACH COUNTY HAS TO HAVE A DESIGNATED COORDINATOR UNDER THE

FLORIDA TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COMMISSION.

OF THE -- THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAS BEEN THE DESIGNATED

COORDINATOR SINCE 1990, AND OF THE -- COMPARING THE OTHER 29

COUNTIES THAT HAVE THE FIXED-ROUTE OR TRADITIONAL BUS

SYSTEMS, THREE-QUARTERS ARE ALSO THE CTC OR THE COORDINATOR

AND THE OTHERS ARE NOT, AND IT'S QUITE OFTEN THE ONES THAT

ARE INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES, SO THERE'S NO -- THERE'S A

MIXED BAG, BUT QUITE OFTEN, IF THE CITY OR COUNTY ARE

OPERATING THE BUS SYSTEM, THEY QUITE OFTEN ASSUME THE CTC

ROLES AS WELL, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

74

THE -- WHAT WE TRIED TO LOOK AT IS DIFFERENT WAYS TO -- THIS

COULD BE APPROACHED, AND THE NEXT SLIDE KIND OF GOES INTO

THE OPTION.

I LOOKED AT -- ONE WOULD BE THE STATUS QUO, BASICALLY

KEEPING THE -- THE ORGANIZATIONS AS THEY ARE NOW, SEPARATED

WITH SOME COOPERATION AND NOT CHANGING THE DESIGNATIONS.

THE SECOND OPTION WOULD BE TO MOVE THE COMMUNITY

TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR ROLE FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR

SUNSHINE LINE OVER TO HART AND HAVE SUNSHINE LINE MAINTAIN

THE OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES THEY PROVIDE.

THE OTHER IS TO HAVE ALL THE CURRENT SUNSHINE LINE GO TO

HART, AND THEN THE OTHER WAS TO MOVE -- TO CONSOLIDATE

EVERYTHING WITH SUNSHINE.

SO IT'S KIND OF JUST MOVING ONE FUNCTION OR MOVING ALL TO

ONE ORGANIZATION OR THE OTHER.

THESE ARE KIND OF THE THINGS THAT DROVE -- AND I'VE GONE

THROUGH MOST OF THESE ALREADY -- HAS KIND OF IMPACTED THE

DECISION OR RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CAME UP WITH, AND OUR

RECOMMENDATION WHEN IT WAS ALL DONE, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE

SIMILARITIES, THERE'S ENOUGH DIFFERENCES THAT WE FELT THAT

TO MAKE ANY DRASTIC CHANGES WAS NOT JUSTIFIED OR THE BEST

COURSE, AND IT WAS BASED ON SEVERAL FACTORS.

ONE IS THE -- THE EXISTING MODEL'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL

YEARS.

BOTH HAVE -- SEEM TO BE OPERATING IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL AND

COST-EFFICIENT MANNER.

THE MISSIONS -- THE PRIMARY MISSIONS ARE -- SEEM TO BE

ALIGNED WITH -- WITH THE -- THE ORGANIZATIONS, WHERE THE

75

SUNSHINE LINE IS MORE OF A SOCIAL SERVICE, TRANSPORTATION

DISADVANTAGED NEED FOCUS AND SUPPORT SOME OF THE OTHER

COUNTY DEPARTMENTS IN THAT AREA.

AND THEN ALTHOUGH THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENCES IN SERVICE

AREAS, SERVICE HOURS, SOME OF THE OPERATING STANDARDS, TRIP

DENIALS, THE LABOR ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE A MAJOR IMPACT,

SHIFTING PEOPLE OVER TO HART WOULD PROBABLY -- WOULD REQUIRE

SOME NEGOTIATION, REQUIRING SLIGHTLY HIGHER LABOR RATES FOR

THE SUNSHINE -- FOR THOSE OPERATORS THAT WOULD MOVE OVER.

AND THE POTENTIAL COMMINGLING OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND ADA,

BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT OPERATING RULES AND REGULATIONS,

MAY BE LIMITED, ALTHOUGH THAT, I THINK, COULD BE OVERCOME.

SO -- THEN THE OTHER IS THE POSSIBLE DISCONNECT WITH SOME OF

THE SOCIAL SERVICE COMMUNITY WITH THE SUNSHINE LINE IF IT

WAS MOVED OVER TO HARTPLUS.

AND THEN IN THE END, IT WAS -- ALTHOUGH ANYTHING WOULD BE

POSSIBLE, IT JUST SEEMED THERE WEREN'T ANY REAL MAJOR

POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS.

THERE COULD BE DISRUPTION OF SERVICES AND -- THAT -- IF --

THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO DO ANY OF THESE

MOVES I THINK COULD BE BETTER SPENT ON OTHER MATTERS.

SO THAT WAS OUR RECOMMENDATION.

IT WAS PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPED THROUGH MYSELF, SO --

AND THAT'S IT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, MR. GOODWILL.

ANY QUESTIONS?

COUNCILMAN COHEN.

76

>>HARRY COHEN: JUST A COMMENT.

IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT, AND WE CERTAINLY SPEND AN

AWFUL LOT OF OUR TIME HERE GRAPPLING WITH THE BIG CHALLENGES

THAT WE HAVE.

I KNOW THAT -- I CHAIR THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED

COORDINATING BOARD, AND THERE IS WIDESPREAD AGREEMENT AMONG

THAT GROUP AND OTHERS THAT THE SUNSHINE LINE REALLY PROVIDES

A TERRIFIC SERVICE AND IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY APPRECIATED

IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO I PERSONALLY APPLAUD YOU FOR HAVING THE

COURAGE TO SAY THAT IF IT AIN'T BROKE, WE SHOULDN'T FIX IT,

AND WE SHOULD, OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO TRY TO IMPROVE, BUT

IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING.

>>MARK SHARPE: CHAIRMAN SUAREZ.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: OF HART.

I WAS LIKE, WHAT AM I CHAIR OF TODAY?

MR. GOODWILL, QUICK QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE OPTIONS OF SUNSHINE LINE

OPERATING SIMILAR SERVICES THAT HARTPLUS DOES, IS THAT A

POSSIBILITY?

IS THERE ANY LIMITATION TO THAT OTHER THAN BOCC MAKING THE

DETERMINATION TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR NOT OR --

>> WELL --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: LET ME JUST -- BEFORE I FINISH -- BUT NOT

TAKE IT -- ALL THE SUNSHINE BUSES OUT OF CIRCULATION BUT

MAYBE A PORTION OF IT?

LET'S SAY WE TOOK -- OF THOSE 64, WE TOOK 20 OF THEM AND

SAID WE'RE GOING TO ADD THEM AS HARTPLUS TYPE SERVICES BUT

IT'S STILL RUNNING UNDER SUNSHINE LINE, DID YOU ALL LOOK AT

77

THAT -- IF THERE WERE ANY EFFICIENCIES DOING THAT OR NOT

OR --

>> NOT SPECIFICALLY.

ALTHOUGH DURING THE CONVERSATIONS PRIOR TO -- BOTH STAFFS

HAD MOVED SOME OF THE DIALYSIS TRIPS FROM THE SUNSHINE LINE

OVER TO THE HARTPLUS FOR THOSE IN THE HARTPLUS SERVICE AREA.

THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE.

YOU KNOW, THE BUS PASS PROGRAM IS ANOTHER EFFICIENCY.

THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE TWO

ORGANIZATIONS.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: OKAY.

>> BUT --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: BUT THERE WAS NO THOUGHT TO JUST SAYING,

WELL, LOOK, IF WE PUT THESE 20 SUNSHINE LINE BUSES THAT ARE

PROVIDING THE SAME SERVICES THAT HARTPLUS IS -- MEANING

PROVIDING EXACTLY THOSE SERVICES -- THERE'S NO LIMITATION TO

DOING THAT OTHER THAN BOCC REGULATION; CORRECT?

BECAUSE HART HAS DIFFERENT REGULATION IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY

CAN AND CANNOT PROVIDE VERSUS WHAT SUNSHINE LINE CAN.

>> RIGHT.

THERE WOULD BE NO -- THERE WOULD BE NO LIMITATIONS --

>>MIKE SUAREZ: RIGHT.

>> -- TO EXPLORE THAT.

THE SCHEDULING AND COMMINGLING OF THE TRIPS, BECAUSE OF

THE -- THE HART'S SMALLER DELIVERY WINDOW, THERE MAY NOT BE

AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME THAT'S WITHIN THE

HARTPLUS SERVICE AREA.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY THING --

78

>> THERE'S NOTHING TO PROHIBIT THAT OPTION.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY THOUGHT THAT I HAD IN

TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, NOT ESSENTIALLY A CONSOLIDATION BUT A

HYBRID OF SOME KIND, WHICH, YOU KNOW, SUNSHINE MAY FIND

THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER TRIPS THAT HARTPLUS NEEDS TO

PROVIDE AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO BECAUSE THEY ONLY HAVE 44

BUSES AND RESTRICTIVE; WHEREAS, YOU COULD KIND OF PROVIDE

SOME OF THE SAME SERVICES WITHOUT IT --

>> RIGHT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: -- NECESSARILY BEING CONSOLIDATED.

>> YEAH.

THE -- ONE OF THE NOT NECESSARILY DANGERS BUT POSSIBLE

IMPACTS IS SINCE SUNSHINE LINE NOW IS ONLY 6:00 IN THE

MORNING UNTIL 5:00 AT NIGHT, IF IT WAS IN WITH HART BUSES,

THEN THERE MIGHT BE SOME PRESSURE TO EXPAND THE HOURS OF

SERVICE, WHICH WOULD BE A BUDGET IMPACT.

>>MIKE SUAREZ: GOT IT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

>>MARK SHARPE: COMMISSIONER MURMAN.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: THANK YOU.

AND I KNOW WE'RE GETTING SHORT ON TIME.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU PUT INTO THIS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>SANDRA MURMAN: I THINK THE ISSUE -- YES, IT WOULD BE EASY

TO TRANSFER AND GO BACK AND FORTH.

I FOLLOWED THE DIALYSIS PILOT VERY CLOSELY, AND IT ENDED UP

THAT WE PUSHED MORE PEOPLE OVER TO THE HARTPLUS PROGRAM

79

THROUGH THAT EFFORT, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO REALLY

SUPPORT THAT, AND THEN IF WE DID MOVE SUNSHINE LINE BUSES

OVER TO HARTPLUS, YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IS

THE BOCC FUNDING GOING TO FOLLOW THOSE BUSES?

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL -- IT'S ALL TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE

LOW-INCOME AND DISABLED, AND I THINK -- I WOULD JUST LIKE TO

SEE BETTER COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS, BETTER

COMMUNICATION, TRY TO ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES IF AND WHENEVER

POSSIBLE, BUT AS A LEGISLATOR IN TALLAHASSEE WHO HAD TO

PROVIDE FUNDING FOR DISADVANTAGED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THIS

IS A VERY NEEDED SERVICE.

I DON'T WANT TO ROCK THE BOAT BECAUSE PEOPLE'S LIVES WOULD

BE SHAKEN, OBVIOUSLY, BY ANY MOVE WE WOULD MAKE, AND THAT

WOULD HAVE TO BE UNDER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.

NOW, I DO HAVE -- I DO HAVE OUR STAFF WORKING BECAUSE THERE

IS -- FOR SOME REASON, WE ARE NOT USING ALL OF OUR SUNSHINE

LINE BUSES RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE STAFF WORKING ON THAT.

I KNOW I'M WORKING WITH MICHELE OGILVIE ON THIS ISSUE, SO I

HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT RESOLVED SOON AND SEE

WHERE THAT GOES, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.

FANTASTIC PRESENTATION.

AND THE FINAL STATUS REPORT IS UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM

UPDATE, MS. McKINLEY.

YOU ARE NOT MS. McKINLEY.

80

>>RICH CLARENDON: I AM NOT SARAH.

RICH CLARENDON WITH THE MPO STAFF.

SARAH COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, SO I'M GOING TO COVER THIS

FOR HER.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

>>RICH CLARENDON: THERE WE GO.

THANK YOU.

I KNOW THIS HOUR IS GROWING LATE, SO I'M GOING TO SPEED

THROUGH THE FIRST FEW SLIDES HERE.

I THINK THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN ON THE MPO BOARD CERTAINLY

KNOW WE HAVE THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM, AND IT DOES

SORT OF SET FORWARD FOR A TWO-YEAR PERIOD THAT STARTS IN

JULY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS,

WHAT WE ANTICIPATE IN TERMS OF TASKS, AND HOW MUCH MONEY,

GRANT DOLLARS, WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO DO THOSE

TASKS.

SO JUST TO REMIND YOU-ALL, THESE ARE SORT OF THE STANDARD

WORK ELEMENTS THAT ARE IN THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM.

IT RANGES FROM, YOU KNOW, TECHNICAL, DETAILED WORK RELATED

TO DATA, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN

UPDATE, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BE LARGELY THROUGH THE

TECHNICAL PROCESS BY THE TIME JULY GETS HERE, THE

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

THESE ARE SORT OF STANDARD BREAD-AND-BUTTER PRODUCTS THAT

THE MPO PRODUCES ON A REGULAR BASIS.

IT ALSO COVERS OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND PARTICIPATION

PROGRAM.

AND IMPORTANTLY, WE ALSO BRING IN TASKS THAT HART AND THE

81

FLORIDA D.O.T. EXPECT TO BE DOING OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM.

SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, THIS IS SORT OF A QUICK RUNDOWN OF

WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU KNOW,

SOME OF WHICH YOU'VE SEEN, SOME OF WHICH ARE ONGOING, YOU

MAY BE AWARE OF BUT HAVEN'T SEEN A FINAL PRODUCT ON, AND WE

WILL BRING THOSE FORWARD TO YOU WHEN WE COMPLETE THEM.

ONE THING I WANTED TO FOCUS ON IS WHAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED

THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEES AND OUR OUTREACH TO YOUR STAFFS IN

TERMS OF WHERE WE CAN HELP LOCAL JURISDICTIONS.

THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ONGOING ACTIVITIES, ONE-WAY PAIRS

STUDY, NOT PARIS STUDY, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE LOCATION

OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE HAVE SOME ONE-WAY STREETS AND IS IT

REASONABLE TO CONSIDER PERHAPS CONVERTING THOSE BACK TO TWO-

WAY OPERATIONS; LOOKING AT SOME CONGESTED CORRIDORS, GUNN

HIGHWAY, FOR EXAMPLE, FOWLER AVENUE IN TEMPLE TERRACE; THE

GREEN ARTERY PROGRAM, WHICH YOU'RE AWARE OF -- AND MS. YOUNG

GREEN WAS HERE EARLIER TALKING ABOUT -- WE HAVE A PHASING

PLAN THAT WE WANT TO DO FOR THAT.

THE -- YOUR BPAC, BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE,

RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE STUDY FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTY.

SOME OF THE JURISDICTIONS ALREADY -- WE HAVE HAD COMPLETE

STREETS STUDIES DONE FOR SOME OF THE JURISDICTIONS; LOOKING

AT MULTIUSE TRAILS CONNECTING US BOTH TO PINELLAS AND ALL

THE WAY DOWN TO MANATEE, BASICALLY FOCUSING ON GAPS THAT

WOULD PREVENT US FROM HAVING COMPLETE CONNECTIVITY AND

SYSTEM; FOLLOW-UP FREIGHT AND GOODS MOVEMENT STUDIES AND A

TRUCK ROUTE PLAN UPDATE FOR THE COUNTY; AND THEN BASIC

82

TRAFFIC COUNTS AND LEVEL-OF-SERVICE DATABASE.

THIS IS KIND OF WHERE A LOT OF THE DATA THAT WE USE IN OUR

STUDIES COMES FROM.

SO THAT'S A VERY QUICK RUNDOWN OF WHAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IN

YOUR PLANNING WORK PROGRAM FOR THE UPCOMING TWO YEARS.

THIS IS A DRAFT AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE STILL WORKING TO FINALIZE SOME OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.

THIS IS -- THESE ARE VERY PRELIMINARY NUMBERS IN TERMS OF

WHAT WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AVAILABLE TO US, TOTALING

AROUND $2.2 MILLION.

I REALIZE THIS IS PROBABLY A LITTLE HARD TO SEE, BUT WE DO

HAVE A BUDGET ASSOCIATED WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE LINE ITEMS

AND TASKS.

IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO WHAT WE EXPECT TO SPEND BOTH FOR IN-

HOUSE STAFF WORK AS WELL AS WHAT WE EXPECT TO ASSIGN TO OUR

GENERAL PLANNING CONSULTANTS AS CONSULTANT TASKS.

AGAIN, THESE ARE PRELIMINARY AT THIS POINT.

WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK TO YOU A COMPLETE DRAFT FOR YOUR

ADOPTION AT YOUR NEXT MEETING IN MAY, AND IF THERE'S

QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER

THEM.

>>MARK SHARPE: THANK YOU, RICH.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.

EXCELLENT.

>>RICH CLARENDON: THANK YOU.

>>MARK SHARPE: OKAY.

OLD OR NEW BUSINESS.

WE'LL TAKE YOUR REPORT.

83

>>RAY CHIARAMONTE: OKAY.

I'VE HANDED OUT WHAT -- MY ACTIVITIES.

I'M JUST GOING TO FOCUS ON THREE THINGS, AND THAT'S TO

REMIND YOU THE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING BEING HELD

APRIL 29th AT 9:00 A.M. AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION

BOARDROOM, NEXT MPO MEETING WILL BE MAY 6th AT 9:00 A.M.

HERE IN THE BOCC CHAMBERS, AND THIS FRIDAY WE'RE HAVING THE

TAMPA BAY TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT AREA MEETING, THAT'S

PASCO, PINELLAS, AND HILLSBOROUGH REPS, THIS FRIDAY,

APRIL 4th, 9:30, AT ATKINS CONSULTING ON BOY SCOUT

BOULEVARD.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

>>MARK SHARPE: WE STAND ADJOURNED.