TAMPA CITY COUNCIL CRA

Thursday, June 12, 2014

9:30 a.m.

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09:07:12 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Good morning.
We will call the Community Redevelopment Agency
meeting to order.
And would yield to Councilman Cohen.
09:07:27 >>HARRY COHEN:
Thank you very much.
Our guest this morning to give the invocation is
no stranger to this Council.
Pastor Essie Sims, Jr., senior pastor of Telling
the Truth Ministries and an eight-year employee of
the City of Tampa parks and recreation department.
Is the chair of both the East Tampa Community
Advisory Committee and the East Tampa Community
Revitalization Partnership.

Please join him for the invocation and also rise
for the Pledge of Allegiance.
09:07:53 >> Good morning.
It's always a pleasure and honor to stand before
God's people and give an invocation.
Father, most holy and high, we don't want to come
before your presentation rushing without saying
thank you.
We thank you for another blessed day you've
allowed us to be a part of here today.
We pray your special blessing upon this agency
right now and each one of the members that
represent our city, Lord God, as they deliberate
the issues of our communities.
That Father you will give them the wisdom from
above, knowledge from above and the understanding
from above to make prudent decisions that will
benefit the masses of the East Tampa as a whole.
We pray continually for Bob McDonaugh and his
staff as they work closely with our neighborhoods,
as they work with each other and with the presence
of those communities, that we continue to uplift
East Tampa and Lord we just pray that you will
just continue to guide our parks, give us the
wisdom, O God, that will please you at the end of

the day and after everything's been said and done,
that you will get all the glory, get all the
praise and get all the honor.
It's in Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
09:09:19 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Roll call.
[Roll Call]
09:09:21 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
Here.
[Inaudible, no mic]
09:09:31 >>HARRY COHEN:
Here.
09:09:33 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Here.
09:09:34 >>FRANK REDDICK:
All right, Mr. Bob.
09:09:39 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
Good morning, Council, Bob
McDonaugh, economic development.
As is our custom, we are honored with the presence
of one of the presidents of the CAC to give a
report on activities within their area.
And this week, or this month rather, it is someone
from the Drew Park and Mr. Humberto Garcia will be
addressing us.
09:09:58 >> Good morning.
The Grady Avenue project has been completed.
It really looks great.
We have had a lot of compliments.
And it shows real well in the city.

At the advisory committee, we have been toying
with the idea we feel that maybe we need to do
something about Grady in terms of maybe four-way
stop signs.
It was taken up in front of transportation
division and they said that we didn't meet the
standards for that.
I just hope that the standards doesn't include a
bunch of accidents.
We think that if we could do it before hand, might
would work.
Lois Avenue is progressing, looks like it's going
to be just like Grady, is going to be a great
addition to Drew Park.
The intersection of Lois and MLK will be closed
for another month.
The project is on track for completion on
July 2015.
The final design and selection materials for the
markers, for community markers has been completed.
And it will depict the aviation history and
destination of Drew Park.
Hillsborough Community College is beginning
negotiation with the Westshore Alliance and the
partners for the amateur sports complex on Dale

Mabry campus.
I don't know how far along this is, but that's
what we get.
Facade program has so far been approved for where
the city has spent $320,409, which has leveraged
$633,000 in private investors.
So that represents close to a million dollars in
aesthetic improvements of the buildings in Drew
Park.
With the improvement that's gone on in Grady, a
lot of people that have now looking at this
program that maybe get involved with.
I think that's going to be great.
Crime prevention, Tampa Police Department is
continuing the operations of enforcing compliance
with city codes with adult uses.
And we hope that that continues.
Now with Lois kind of open and having stop signs,
maybe little more vigilance should be placed on
that.
A lot of people that travel Lois up to now are not
used to having a stop sign.
So, they just fly right by and again, we don't
want accidents to show us the way.
This is really all I have for this.

But if I may, I want to say something personally.
My tenure as chairman of the advisory committee
will come to an end fairly soon.
So, I probably will not have the honor to address
this body again.
I passed the time?
[ Laughter ]
09:13:45 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
You didn't get thrown out.
09:13:50 >> Well, I tried.
But couldn't make it.
With that in mind, I would like to take a moment
to publicly express my gratitude to Jeanette
Fenton, who has, for making participation in this
process very painless and very rewarding.
Addressing this body, representing my neighbors
and friends has given me the opportunity to
proudly participate beyond voting election time in
this great democratic experiment that we live by
and we all hold so dear to our heart.
As an immigrant who has been the recipient of many
of the privileges that our system of government
bestows upon us all, and being very much aware of
the corresponding responsibilities that comes with
it, I hope that in some small way my participation
in the advisory committee represents the gratitude

that I feel in my heart for the benefits that my
family and I have received from this great
country.
Thank you and God bless America.
09:14:47 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
I just want to thank Mr. Garcia
for his service.
Not that you're leaving us.
I know you're not.
You mentioned Jeanette Fenton's name.
And Mr. Chairman, I didn't know she was so close
to Hall of Fame people.
Yesterday, she was hobnobbing with Hall of Famer
Tony La Russa out there at the park.
There's a witness.
I saw it.
And I looked at him, he looked at me, said, I just
want to speak to her.
[ Laughter ]
09:15:19 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
And he spoke.
I had to leave.
In front of 17,000 people he just told me bye.
[ Laughter ]
09:15:28 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Well, you can't win them all,
chair.
09:15:33 >> Thank you very much.

09:15:37 >>YVONNE CAPIN:
Thank you.
Mr. Garcia, I'm sorry -- the gratitude is ours.
Gratitude is ours and your service and your
volunteerism for your neighborhood.
And for the City of Tampa.
So thank you very much.
09:15:53 >> My pleasure.
Thank you very much.
09:15:55 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
Mr. Suarez?
09:15:58 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
Thank you.
Mr. Garcia, don't leave.
For somebody who wanted to say how grateful they
were, you want to get off the stage pretty quick.
We like having you here.
Listen, we do want to thank you.
The city, with all our advisory committees, all of
our citizen, you know, boards, it's very
gratifying to know that someone enjoyed their time
on a citizen advisory board.
And I will tell you that it's not an easy job.
I spoke to a school group a couple weeks ago and I
told them that if you don't get involved, you
become invisible to people.
And you being on this board, you said it very
succinctly, which is this is a great experience

about democracy.
It has to have participation in order for it to
work.
And you are a great example of that.
We really appreciate your help.
Now, I have a question for you.
That was a fun part.
Now let me ask you a question.
About -- this is going to be an easy question.
The markers along Dale Mabry, what has DOT said in
terms of timeframe?
If anything?
09:16:56 >> I don't think that I have any answer for that.
09:17:00 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
You're supposed to blame Jeanette
when you don't know the answer.
[ Laughter ]
09:17:05 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
That's what we do here on Council.
09:17:07 >> I can't thank her and blame her.
09:17:10 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
We blame the staff all the time.
09:17:12 >>YVONNE CAPIN:
That's done here all the time.
We thank them and blame them at the same time.
[ Laughter ]
09:17:17 >> DOT, you know, it's nothing that we can even
predict.
09:17:23 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
Well, we know that too.

Don't feel bad about it.
I was just curious.
09:17:27 >> So the application is being prepared for their
approval.
That's where we are.
09:17:32 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
I see the Hall of Famer there in
the crowd.
She is going to come and tell us something.
You know, when you hobnob with Hall of Famers,
sometimes you get a little big headed and forget
what you're supposed to do in the morning session
after being with some Hall of Famers.
Ms. Fenton, what is the analysis of the DOT
timeframe?
09:17:50 >> Good morning, Jeanette La Russa Fenton.
09:17:54 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
Now you say La Russa Fenton.
You didn't say that.
09:17:58 >> Still on cloud nine from last night.
Mr. La Russa was very gracious to pose with my
family and I.
Yes, the application to FDOT is being prepared.
We will present it to them in draft form probably
within the next couple of weeks.
Because it actually gets turned into an agreement,
which will come before you.

So, we want to make sure they're already in
agreement and fully approved of it before we bring
it to you.
And then I don't -- I'm being optimistic.
I think once we submit the application, I'm hoping
within a couple of months we would get some kind.
09:18:34 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
The application is for the final
design for the markers?
No problems with the reflective nature about the
markers?
09:18:41 >> Right.
We have now the final design and the materials
and -- it's everything.
All the finished product that we can go to bid
with once they approve it and once you approve it.
09:18:51 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
Thank you, Ms. Fenton.
Thank you, Mr. Garcia, again.
09:18:55 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Anything else, Mr. Garcia?
Anything else?
09:18:59 >> No I'm fine.
09:19:00 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Thank you for your service.
All right.
Number two.
09:19:06 >> Good morning, Bob McDonaugh again.
I think that, I don't think anybody has said it

more succinctly and so accurately.
The power of having these neighborhood people
involved in directing funding and activities in
their neighborhood.
And it's a very powerful part of what we do.
Just talking about some of the activities here.
Ybor City, Hillsborough County is working with
YCDC, locating their entrepreneur collaboration
center in Ybor City, which includes their SBIC.
They'll be leasing somewhere between 8 and 10,000
square feet.
And working with a lot of those techy companies
that are looking in Ybor City.
So, it's a very positive assistance by
Hillsborough County in that effort.
I met with the recent owners of three properties
in Ybor last week.
One of which is the Oliva building.
They are planning on building some residential.
Converting several buildings that have either sat
vacant or have been underutilized over the last
few years.
And again, it's a welcome investment in the
community and what was interesting to me is that
these are local folks that are talking about

long-term investment.
And owning and maintaining.
And again, I think it's another step in the right
direction for Ybor City.
We hopefully will, in the not too distant future
will see Ashley furniture taking a bigger presence
in Ybor.
They are an investor in the Centro Ybor and have
talked about moving some office in there.
So we should be seeing something around there, in
the not too distant future.
In the channel district, Michael and his board and
some of the local residents took a walking tour,
soliciting ideas for this year's budget, some
things that might be done temporary fixes while
waiting for long-term fixes.
We have had recent noise complaints about the
construction of SkyHouse.
We reached out to the contractor.
He has offered to meet with the person who's
acting as the central point for that.
They got pushed back with some of their work with
the rain and they're meeting with -- excuse me.
Their folks have noise meters.
The police are coming by to check.

And they're meeting with the residents.
So, hopefully a dialogue was able to address some
of these issues.
09:21:42 >> Mr. McDonaugh, I think we all were copied on
the e-mails from the resident in Channelside.
And the concern about the noise meters, what he
raised was that taking the levels of sound at
ground level is different than taking the levels
of where, you know, the, his condo is.
I'm not sure on what floor.
But, with the, you know, you might get one reading
at ground level and you might get a different
reading you know at the really vacation.
09:22:15 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
They're taking noise readings at
the level where the work is being performed.
Up on the third level.
Actually, they're on the fourth floor right now.
And one of the things that their contractor points
out is by July 4th, the work will actually be
above any of the residents' levels and hopefully
they're going to start skin the building.
And their work will be above any of the windows of
the local residents.
So hopefully that will also help with the noise
abatement issues that we have.

09:22:44 >>LISA MONTELIONE:
Arrangements could be made to
take the meter readings at the level of the
generality's condo or some of the other residents.
So -- that might prove out to be different than
where they currently taking the readings.
Just a though.
09:23:03 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
Okay.
On the 24th, if you recall, there was a request --
excuse me.
To have the port authority's consultants here to
address the board today.
And they asked if they could wait until after they
met with the general populous, so they can come
back with a little more educated presentation to
this board.
And so they'll be coming back next month to do a
presentation on some of the information that
they've gotten.
And the public is invited to a meeting at the
history center on the 24th.
Between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.
Again, to solicit -- open for that long a period
of time because sometimes people have difficulty
getting there right after work or maybe they work
at nights.

And so it's an opportunity for people to come and
talk about what they'd like to see in the port's
property.
Eye need a motion for continuance on this.
09:24:06 >> So moved.
09:24:07 >> Second.
09:24:07 >>FRANK REDDICK:
All right.
Motion from Mr. Miranda, seconded by Mr. Suarez.
Any discussion of the motion?
All those in favors say aye.
Opposed in.
All right.
09:24:17 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
Following the master plan for the
community, we are beginning improvements on
Madison street and they will begin at the end of
this month.
And that is including the burying of power lines
association streetscape improvements and adding
some more sidewalks to that area.
In Drew Park, you heard from Mr. Garcia about some
of what's going on there.
One thing he did not mention is that they are
working right now with HART for the location and
design of more bus shade structures.
So that people there to use buses in Drew Park.

East Tampa, there is a hurricane expo at the
34th street NFL center.
And is a that's on July 19th.
And that is sponsored by the East Tampa
partnership and our emergency response people here
in the City of Tampa.
Again, hurricane season is upon us.
We recently in our city newsletter sent out a link
to the state, which is a checklist for small
businesses to make sure that they have these,
certain documents set aside so in case there is a
storm they can bundle them up and will have them
after the storm.
It's an important record keeping thing that people
really need to be aware of.
Central Park, you had requested a meeting in
Central Park.
And we have worked with the various aides and
right now, there is a tentative meeting set up for
Central Park on August 26th from 6:00 to 7:30.
And that is at the Ella --
09:25:55 >>HARRY COHEN:
So, our offices were surveyed about
what dates we were available.
And five of us said August 26th.
I did not.

I want to tell everyone why.
That is the election day for judges and school
board members.
And not only will there be lots of events going on
around that, but, I just -- I think with the
returns coming in that night, all the primaries
are going to be that night.
I didn't know if everyone realized that was the
same night.
And I just didn't think that that was really the
best night to have this type of a meeting.
And that's why I did not think that was a good
idea.
So, I just want to let everyone know that.
09:26:37 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Basically what he's telling you,
he's going to be at one of those.
[ Laughter ]
09:26:42 >>HARRY COHEN:
I just thought, given all the
different option that is we have, why we would
pick that particular night so far in advance.
It just didn't seem like...
09:26:51 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Anyone else want to comment?
09:26:57 >>HARRY COHEN:
I think they surveyed us.
So there may be another night that we were
available.

09:27:03 >> If it's' Council's pleasure, I'd be glad to go
back out and see if we have an alternative date.
We'll start on that today.
Absolutely.
But Tampa housing authority is more than happy to
host this there.
And they'll also be there to give an update on
what's going on with their community.
Because they'll have, the end of this month, early
July, they'll have a grand opening for one of
their other buildings as well.
That concludes my report.
Any questions?
09:27:28 >>FRANK REDDICK:
All right.
Public comments?
Anyone wishing to speak at this time, you have
three minutes.
Need to come forward.
All right.
Ain't got all day now.
09:27:58 >> Good morning, Mr. Chairman and other members of
the Community Redevelopment Agency.
I'm a fan of the Community Redevelopment Agency
because I take a look at not only the activity
going on in my own individual redevelopment area.

I like the broad view of really what's going on.
And there's a lot going on.
Mr. Chairman, I'm a little puzzled about a couple
of things that the -- I'm sure maybe the agency is
aware of and that is the implication that it
seemed to have reflected that the leadership of
the East Tampa redevelopment area is very limited.
To the extent that we have to make exception
before the opportunity for others to demonstrate
their leadership capability.
And I'm even further puzzled by the implication
that the City of Tampa employee can take on the
role of leadership of both the area community
redevelopment and also the two organizations that
supposed to be involved at the community advisory
Council as well as the larger group, the East
Tampa partnership.
Now, maybe someone in, that has wiser vision than
I could see what's going -- what precedent is set,
you know, down the road.
I always feel, I always feel that I can't make a
contribution, you know, to our community
involvement, but by the same token I look at it
this way, you stick your finger in some water, and
if the water stays parted, then you are a power to

be.
But if it comes back together, then that shows you
how significant you might be.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
09:31:24 >> So many things to go over in a short time.
You'll remember I brought one of these in at the
last meeting.
And this is a planning tool I guess you'd say
because it's a traffic improvement tool, which is
what there was some -- there was some fall out--
09:31:42 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Give us your name first.
State your name.
09:31:45 >> Oh, I'm Ed Tillou.
So anyway, the thing is that, the way turns are
made maybe this could be used.
So I get accolades, so to speak, for opposing the
Mayor on that getting more money for these
intersections.
Okay, this is -- I gave something out about pit
houses.
And some of them are both out of mammoth bones.
And all right, you know, this was in the last ice
age because I feel, there always might be another
one.
In the last ice age, a 800 mammoth.

There was actually -- this is in the central
Ukraine, dating back 15,000 years.
But, there was one in north Tampa and I looked and
had a bronze plaque on the outside and it says
Charles Miranda.
Charles Miranda county commissioner.
So, maybe he could go back there because that
place is now jammed and needs cleaning up.
But if a lady from here has health problems,
that's unfortunate and she might not want to take
that on.
But in any case, movie Hercules will be out soon.
He routed a river through.
So you could route the Hillsborough River through
the county commission.
So, I gave something out about alum because again,
things I tried to say, the alternative, that
probably doesn't cause Alzheimer's.
But, it would cost about $10.
Then later I thought $5 a month more on the water
bills.
Well, I think that's a very important question
that should be put to referendum.
Whether people want to be consuming alum.
Aluminum in the form of alum.

This is about a planning consideration -- I don't
know how to make this go down.
But I don't have time.
Oh, here it is.
Anyway, thing is I included this because Tampa
fundamentally is based on tourism.
And yet sycophants come here and say this is a
progressive administration.
I don't think that's progressive.
I mean a progressive administration would say hey,
we have got a serious problem with the roads,
emergency calls to Dick Greco, it would say that
we have got an emergency problem with respect to
transportation, an emergency call to Ed Turanchik
and bring them on board.
That would be a progressive administration.
Unfortunately, we have the same old, same old, oh,
we built another hotel and another hotel and
another hotel.
Well, thing is a lot of people can't afford
tourism any more because more and more of the is
being wealth is being concentrated in a few greedy
hands.
And this is what that cartoon is about.
It's asking the recession hit Tampa harder than

most big cities?
Well, when you have tourism and everybody, nobody
has money to be a tourist.
And noise might be contributing to this.
And I don't mean static source noise.
I mean vehicles.
So, that's got to get --
09:35:00 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Thank you, sir.
09:35:01 >> Michael Barnes, East Tampa resident.
I'm here today to talk about CAC in East Tampa.
The first time the president and the
vice-president is being, their terms are being
extended.
Something that has never happened.
After you serve your term, you're out and you
become an ex-officio.
This is a city employee.
Once again, which I think is basically a conflict
of interest because now we have all city employees
running East Tampa partnership.
Now, this happens all because of whoever is in
office at the time, you, this attorney sit here
and told you, we are different.
We're not the same.
You didn't stop until you prodded him and prodded

him until he says okay, if they want to come under
the CRA policy.
We didn't have to come up under CRA.
We were a community-based group.
Now, it's a city-ran program.
Big difference.
Big difference.
You've taken -- the city has come here -- I have
never, never seen the city take a community
organization and chose their bylaws.
And make them do what the city wants them to do.
Now, I have seen you guys operate and once you
found something is wrong, you have the wisdom and
abilities to change it.
I believe that you should put East Tampa community
group back to where it was, where the community
controls it, not the city.
Now, that's just my opinion.
You do what you want to do.
Once again, the roundabout, you spent millions of
dollars, paid three or four times the amount for
some guy's property, and now Mr. Reddick and
others have come down and stopped DOT from making
this roundabout work.
Who's going to be responsible for all of this

money being spent?
Who's going to be responsible?
Who's going to stand up and say something about
it?
We don't have a million dollars just to waste.
The roundabout where it sits now, it serves no
purpose whatsoever.
It's a traffic calming device.
DOT removed the stop signs so it could work.
Then other political leaders come in and say oh,
the community wants to hold this box, a relic of
something.
Put it back.
So they bowed to political pressure.
That was wrong.
I think this body should pass an ordinance that no
community, no group, no race or anybody should be
able to approach DOT within the city limits
because it is a state roadway.
They should -- no community, no race or anybody
should be able to decide what DOT has done.
They're the engineers.
They're the one that is put the stuff together.
And then we sit here and we design their roads?
09:38:42 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Well, we thank you for your

comments.
Your time has expired.
Mr. Reel, since your name was mentioned, you want
to make any comments?
09:38:52 >> Not really.
Only comment was [Inaudible] was proper, their
bylaws were proper.
That's all I have to say.
09:39:01 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Thank you.
Ms. Mulhern?
09:39:13 >>MARY MULHERN:
I wanted to say that I agree with
both of the speakers about the advisory committee.
That the bylaws should be determined by the
committee.
I'm not sure exactly what the problem with that
was.
But I also agree, although I have a lot of respect
and admiration for Mr. Sims, I do believe that it
is a conflict of interest for us to have city
employees acting as, on -- as officers of the -- I
don't know if it's called Community Advisory
Committee or citizens advisory committee, but I do
think that the idea was that it would be the
neighborhood input to the board that we were
looking for.

So I'm just saying that -- I don't know if anyone
else agrees with me on that but I think we should
look at it.
09:40:09 >>FRANK REDDICK:
It's called Community Advisory
Committee.
09:40:12 >>MARY MULHERN:
Community.
And I do agree with the idea that the terms should
be limited as they are.
09:40:20 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Mr. Cohen?
09:40:22 >>HARRY COHEN:
You know, I -- just to clarify
something that you said, because I think I might
disagree with you.
I don't think that a person should be prohibited
from serving on a Community Advisory Committee in
their neighborhood, or community where they have
either owned property or have an interest of some
kind, just because they happen to be a city
employee.
I understand the, where -- there might be some
specific rules in terms of how they might
interact.
But I don't think that that should necessarily be
a disqualifying factor, but if someone -- if
there's going to be some analysis done on it, I
certainly will wait to hear what everyone has to

say.
09:41:05 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Ms. Mulhern?
09:41:07 >>MARY MULHERN:
I'm not saying they can't
participate or be a member of the committee.
I'm saying they shouldn't be a voting officer of
it.
They have officers, right?
President, I believe.
So, I do think it is considering that we have
given the administration of the CRAs over to the
city, now we have, you know, if you have citizens
advisors that are employed by those same people,
they're not, you know -- difficult for them to not
be swayed by their, you know, employers, in their
decision.
09:41:52 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Mr. Miranda?
09:41:55 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
I just feel differently.
Just my feeling that just because you're a city
employee does not prohibit you from voting for
anyone or serving in any capacity that you might
in your neighborhood, does that mean you're a city
employee, you can't vote in an election for the
city?
Of course not.
I'm just using that as a basis that I say that a

city employees are welcome to participate in their
neighborhood.
They're welcome to be part of anything they want,
just like any employee that worked for any
employer, including those that are self-employed
certainly have the right to appear and present
their feelings and put their name on a ballot for
anything else that they so choose.
This is a free and Democratic society.
And I believe that's the way it should stay.
09:42:39 >>FRANK REDDICK:
All right.
Any other comments?
Mr. Cohen?
09:42:44 >>HARRY COHEN:
Just following that.
The comment that was made about DOT, any citizen
has the right to say anything to DOT that they
want about the condition of any road or public
thoroughfare and DOT is going to make whatever
professional determination they think is
appropriate.
So, I don't think anyone's first amendment rights
to give their opinion to the government can be
constrained.
And I think that was part of the statement that
was made.

09:43:11 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Mr. Suarez?
09:43:12 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
Yes, sir.
I agree with everything that's been said about the
participation level of any city employee that's
out there.
The only thing I would do and we may want to
clarify this I think that when you are in direct
line in terms of your job being directly related
to CRA activities, we could probably have some
kind of language put in there so as an example,
Mr. McDonaugh, you know, in his palatial condo
he might live in over in Channelside may not
probably be an officer of the Channelside CRA.
I mean, I think there may be a way that you
clarify that, because there is some conflict of
interest.
And I think that's what you have to look at.
The conflict of interest between what you do for
the city versus what your responsibilities are as
a citizen advisory.
Again, they're going to have an inordinate amount
of say so only because they're in line with what
is going on with the city and the CRA.
So, if we're going to clarify anything, I think
it's a conflict of interest rules more than

participation rules.
So, that's where I would fall down.
I don't know if that's splitting the baby or not,
but it's pretty damn close.
Thank you, chair.
09:44:21 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Mr. Territo, and how this board
feel, is it possible that we get a legal opinion
on the conflict of interest of city employees?
09:44:33 >> You can do that.
You may or may not know.
But any of the people that join any advisory
committees -- first I should say they're advisory.
They have no final say.
That's your decision.
Anyone who serves on the advisory committee is
bound by the ethics code which prohibits them
voting on anything that inures to their personal
benefit.
So if you're an owner in a condominium, using
Mr. Suarez as an example, and that benefits you
specifically, you can't vote on it.
If you want to make that stronger, you certainly
may.
But they are bound by the city and state's ethics
code.

09:45:07 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
I think the clarification is, it's
not -- that wouldn't fit my scenario because of
course if you are a employee of the city and
you're also, and you work specifically in
developing CRAs or you know, part of your job is
that and be the president, let's say, of a
community advisory committee, that in and of
itself creates the conflict.
Not necessarily that you benefited directly.
And so I think that opens -- that's too broad.
I think it would have to be narrowed if we were
going to do anything.
Again, I don't foresee that problem happening in
the future, but at the same time I understand the
concern that is some people might have.
Mr. Sims is not in direct, direct line position
concerned with CRAs in the city parks of what he
does.
So, that's where the --
09:46:02 >> I.
09:46:04 >>SAL TERRITO:
I understand your concern.
You choose the people to go on these committees
and you wouldn't choose Mr. McDonaugh to be on
that committee if you thought the there was a
conflict.

09:46:12 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
A lot of reasons we wouldn't choose
Mr. McDonaugh.
[ Laughter ]
09:46:17 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
I agree.
That would be an awful long list.
[ Laughter ]
I like to asked, since you can't make a motion
right now, Mr. Chairman, I understand the
direction in which you are leaning, and that is to
ask the legal department of the CRA this morning
to ask if the conflict of interest and how it
applies and how it governs.
I also would understand that not only anyone
that's an employee of the city, but anyone that
sits on this board and would have a vested
interest in a piece of property or some other
enterprise within those guidelines certainly has
conflict of interest if he or she were to sit on
those boards and make decisions for benefits of
themselves or family member our anyone else
related to them.
But other than that, I see no reason for it.
But I'm not lawer it might be reasons, it might be
understandings of fact that I'm not comprehending
at this time.

But I missed part of the presentation made by the
gentleman, so whatever statements were made of
him, of accusation that is the legal department
answer those statements in writing to us in a time
fashion of 30 days or so, if that's possible,
Mr. Territo.
I apologize again for not listening to all the
statement because I came in in the middle of it.
But I want clarity, I want the thing to be spelled
out and a right is right and wrong is wrong.
If we need to fix something, we will.
But at this time, I make that motion.
09:47:42 >> Second.
09:47:44 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Motion from Mr. Miranda, seconded
by Ms. Mulhern.
Any further discussion on the motion?
All right.
You got the timeframe?
[Inaudible]
09:47:56 >> Clerk has a question.
09:47:58 >>THE CLERK:
Mr. Chairman, if the motion could
just be formally stated for record.
09:48:04 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
Well, let me see if I can
remember myself.
Let me rewind my brain.

I stated that first of all the conflict of
interest -- the accusations that were made by the
gentleman here earlier in the day -- Sims?
Mr. Farmer.
And here he is.
I want those clarified by the legal department as
to whatever the statements were.
I apologize to you because I was only in for the
last half, not the first half.
So I want those items to be brought to Mr. Territo
and that he give us back that on the date that
Mr. Cohen made, July 24th in our regular session
or the CRA.
All of them be addressed as to accusations that
were made or the reasons for it.
There's no accusations really, but some clarity of
the facts of the CRA.
And that those be given to us at the July 24th --
whatever the statements were, to be answered to
this board so that clarity can once and for all
settle these issues.
09:49:06 >>FRANK REDDICK:
All right.
Hearing the motion, any additional discussion?
All those in favor of the motion say aye.
Opposed?

Motion carries.
All right.
Mr. Bob.
09:49:19 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
For the board's approval, we have
a facade grant in Drew Park for $5,700 for the
improvements being done on a restaurant in Drew
Park.
09:49:30 >> So moved.
09:49:31 >> Second.
09:49:32 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Moved by Mr. Miranda, seconded by
Mr. Cohen.
Any further discussion?
Or any discussion?
Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.
Opposed?
09:49:42 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
We have an alternative date,
August 20th.
The issue is August the 20th was that Mr. Reddick
was not available.
If it suits the board's purpose, we can do it on
August 20th or if you would rather wait to later
date when we can get everybody to do that, we'd be
more than happy to do that.
09:50:02 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
I would make the motion -- are
you in the next meeting, after August 20th?

09:50:09 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Yes.
09:50:10 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
Mr. Cohen, I hate to refer to
you, but you're the gentleman.
09:50:14 >>HARRY COHEN:
He's talking about the special
meeting that we are trying to schedule in Central
Park.
Which is Mr. Reddick's district.
09:50:27 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
Which is why I was deferring to
say.
We had a date on the 20th and didn't work because
Mr. Reddick was not available.
So the next date was August 26th and as you
appointed out is an election evening.
09:50:39 >>HARRY COHEN:
Maybe we should look at the next
week or two after that.
09:50:44 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
You know, we are off the week
previous to August 20th.
We do not have a Council meeting.
Maybe on August 12th of that week, you know, we're
not in session at that time.
And it might be the best way of doing it.
Unless I think -- 0.
09:51:02 >>HARRY COHEN:
I think people were planning around
that.
09:51:04 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
Never mind.

I apologize.
09:51:07 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
That week was explicitly because
of the hiatus.
Okay.
I will go back to the drawing board and contact
again, come up with some alternatives.
09:51:17 >> Maybe September.
09:51:18 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Okay.
09:51:20 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
That concludes my report.
09:51:24 >>FRANK REDDICK:
All right.
Did we do the resolution number 4?
09:51:30 >>MR. McDONAUGH:
Yes, sir.
09:51:34 >>FRANK REDDICK:
All right.
Information report, Mr. Suarez?
09:51:39 >>MIKE SUAREZ:
None, sir.
09:51:41 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Mr. Miranda?
09:51:41 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA:
None, Mr. Chairman.
09:51:43 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Ms. Mulhern?
Mr. Cohen?
09:51:47 >>HARRY COHEN:
No thank you.
09:51:48 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Ms. Montelione.
09:51:49 >>LISA MONTELIONE:
No, thank you.
09:51:53 >>FRANK REDDICK:
Moved by Mr. Miranda, second by
Mr. Suarez to receive all documents.
All those in favor aye.

Opposed?
Any other business to come before us at this time?
We stand adjourned.
Thank you.
(Thereupon, the CRA meeting adjourned.)

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