City of Tampa
January 7, 2016
9:00 a.m.
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09:05:18 [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
09:05:19 >>FRANK REDDICK: Good morning, and happy new year.
09:05:21 We're going to call this meeting to order.
09:05:23 I'll yield to Councilwoman Capin.
09:05:27 >>YVONNE CAPIN: We are going to welcome Sherry
09:05:28 Silk to the podium.
09:05:30 Sherry has worked as an animal -- in animal
09:05:34 welfare over 34 years and is the Chief Executive
09:05:37 Officer of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
09:05:39 She was operations manager for the Michigan Humane
09:05:43 Society in Detroit prior to coming to Tampa.
09:05:46 She is currently on the board of the Florida
09:05:48 Association of Animal Welfare organizations, a
09:05:50 statewide coalition of animal welfare and
09:05:52 protection agencies, and also serves on the Humane
09:05:54 Society of the United States Champion Animals
09:05:57 Advisory Council representing the State of
09:05:59 Florida.
09:06:00 She is married and has two adult children.
09:06:02 She shares her home with two terrier mixes and two
09:06:06 cats, which are all adopted.
09:06:08 Please stand for the invocation and remain
09:06:11 standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.
09:06:12 Thank you.
09:06:13 >> Good morning.
09:06:14 Let us pray, please.
09:06:15 We give thanks for the creatures who live
09:06:17 alongside us as companions and friends, for their
09:06:21 love and trust enrich our lives and give us joy.
09:06:25 May we all learn the value of kindness, the power
09:06:29 of mercy, the strength of gentleness and a new
09:06:32 spirit of humility.
09:06:33 Amen.
09:06:37 [Pledge of Allegiance]
09:06:51 >>FRANK REDDICK: All right.
09:06:53 Good to see everybody made it back.
09:06:56 Roll call.
09:06:59 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: Here.
09:07:01 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Here.
09:07:03 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Present.
09:07:04 >>HARRY COHEN: Here.
09:07:05 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: Here.
09:07:08 >> Montelione?
09:07:13 >>FRANK REDDICK: Here.
09:07:13 We'll go to ceremonial activities, and I'll call
09:07:14 upon Ms. Capin.
09:07:21 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
09:07:22 Welcome to City Hall.
09:07:35 Some of you are regulars, I know. Okay.
09:07:42 We're here today to present a commendation -- I
09:07:50 will read the commendation and then Susan Johnson
09:07:57 will have a few words about her late husband.
09:08:00 Tampa City Council is proud to honor posthumously
09:08:01 Theo Wujcik for his extraordinary culture and
09:08:09 artistic contributions to Tampa.
09:08:10 Born in Detroit in 1936, Theo studied printmaking
09:08:13 in New York City's creative graphic workshop and
09:08:16 trained as a master printer at the Tamarind
09:08:19 Lithographic Workshop in Los Angeles.
09:08:21 He arrived in Tampa in 1970 to oversee printmaking
09:08:25 at the University of South Florida Graphicstudio
09:08:25 and after one year became a USF Art Department
09:08:30 professor teaching drawing, painting, and
09:08:33 printmaking.
09:08:35 Many generations of artists were inspired by
09:08:38 Theo's 33 years of teaching.
09:08:40 Theo quickly became one of Tampa Bay's best-known
09:08:44 artists and was internationally recognized for his
09:08:47 work.
09:08:47 His art works are collected by major museums
09:08:50 nationally, including the Museum of Modern Art,
09:08:52 Whitney Museum of American art, Los Angeles County
09:08:56 Museum of Art, the Library of Congress, and the
09:08:59 Tampa Museum of Art, the St. Petersburg Museum of
09:09:01 Fine Arts.
09:09:02 It is with honor that the Tampa City Council
09:09:05 acknowledges the passion, dedication, influence,
09:09:09 and outstanding work of Theo Wujcik.
09:09:12 We thank his family for sharing their beloved
09:09:16 brilliant artist with the citizens of Tampa.
09:09:19 Theo was one of Tampa's treasured cultural assets.
09:09:23 And his legacy will continue to inspire and impact
09:09:26 Tampa forever.
09:09:27 Dated this 7th day of January, 2016.
09:09:34 And I present it to his daughter and his wife.
09:09:39 Thank you.
09:09:45 [ APPLAUSE ]
09:09:58 >> I'm Susan Johnson.
09:09:59 Thank you so much for Councilwoman Capin and
09:10:02 fellow Council members.
09:10:03 Our daughter, Frankie and I, are humbled and
09:10:07 honored to accept this gracious award on behalf of
09:10:10 Theo and the family.
09:10:11 In 1991 I met Theo and after a lengthy courtship,
09:10:15 three weeks, we were married.
09:10:17 Together we invested our time, resources and
09:10:19 interests to the Tampa Bay arts community.
09:10:22 I am now dedicated to archiving and preserving
09:10:25 Theo's rich legacy.
09:10:27 These efforts also preserve a unique history of
09:10:30 Tampa and Ybor City.
09:10:31 Theo's contributions to the cultural landscape in
09:10:36 our city run deep and wide.
09:10:38 He has worked with and formed lasting friendships
09:10:41 with some of America's most prominent artists.
09:10:44 As Yolie mentioned and I'll probably refute a few
09:10:50 things, Theo in the mid '60s trained at the
09:10:55 lithography workshop in Los Angeles.
09:10:57 He returned to Detroit where he taught lithography
09:11:00 and printmaking at the College of Creative
09:11:02 Studies.
09:11:02 In 1970, he was brought down to Graphicstudio by
09:11:07 Don Saff, director and founder, and listed Theo as
09:11:12 shop director.
09:11:13 During his tenure there, he quickly gained a
09:11:16 national reputation as one of the best printers
09:11:19 anywhere to work with.
09:11:20 In 1972, he began teaching painting, drawing and
09:11:24 lithography at USF college of fine arts.
09:11:26 By now, his reputation continues to grow not only
09:11:30 as a printmaker but as a brilliant portrait artist
09:11:34 whose works are now in many of America's most
09:11:37 distinguished museums.
09:11:39 As a professor and artist, Theo was encouraging,
09:11:44 engaging, demanding and experimental.
09:11:47 He was generous with his time, often working with
09:11:50 students into the WEE hours of the evening.
09:11:53 In the 1980s, Theo became a staple in the punk
09:11:57 music scene here.
09:11:58 He shifted from drawing and printmaking to
09:12:01 painting, dumpster diving for mixed media
09:12:04 installations, performance and culture.
09:12:07 It was not unusual to see Theo's iconic 10-foot by
09:12:11 12-foot paintings hanging in some of the nightclub
09:12:15 walls.
09:12:15 He loved to share his work with the public.
09:12:18 Theo almost always said yes when asked to
09:12:21 participate in one cause or another, whether he
09:12:24 donated a work, posed for a picture, painted a
09:12:28 turtle, designed a public banner or had Frankie
09:12:31 painting a bowling ball, all for a good cause.
09:12:34 He loved to help and contribute.
09:12:35 Theo himself was an artistic visionary, the
09:12:39 trajectory of his career weaved through many of
09:12:42 the most distinctive art movements in America.
09:12:46 Early American modernism, the playful and
09:12:50 rambunctiousness of the L.A. artist, pop,
09:12:53 conceptualism, abstract vision, post modernism
09:12:57 performance, and his ability to be drawn to many
09:12:59 techniques nearly lost, lithography --
09:13:10 More than anything, Theo was a happy person.
09:13:15 He loved his life here.
09:13:16 He was known to tell his students that you don't
09:13:20 have to live in New York City to be a New York
09:13:21 City artist.
09:13:23 He had everything he ever needed right here.
09:13:27 Great studio and living spaces in Ybor, great
09:13:31 clubs to go dancing and a wonderful support
09:13:33 network from some of Ybor's business leaders.
09:13:43 For example, providing great studio space.
09:13:48 I invite you all to come to Ybor and visit his
09:13:51 studio before I have to give it up in the coming
09:13:54 weeks.
09:13:55 I have three major projects in the works.
09:13:57 A survey exhibition, a major monograph, and a
09:14:01 documentary that all will be needing funding.
09:14:05 As I continue to work on his legacy, I look to the
09:14:07 city and community for support of these endeavors.
09:14:10 I am convinced that Theo's place in the broader
09:14:14 art world will serve as a shining example of a
09:14:18 city that supports and encourages the growth of a
09:14:21 vibrant arts community.
09:14:23 Again, thank you so much for this wonderful
09:14:26 recognition.
09:14:28 >>YVONNE CAPIN: And thank you for sharing him with
09:14:29 us.
09:14:29 Thank you.
09:14:30 [ APPLAUSE ]
09:14:38 >>FRANK REDDICK: All right.
09:14:38 We'll go to item number 2.
09:14:40 Will yield to Ms. Montelione.
09:15:00 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Good morning, everyone.
09:15:01 So this morning, I don't know if any of you have
09:15:12 seen the newspaper stories about the many awards
09:15:16 that this young man has gotten, but I'll tell ya,
09:15:20 a true inspiration.
09:15:23 It's amazing how dedicated and focused you are and
09:15:28 have been since you were, what, just a little
09:15:31 toddler.
09:15:34 And it's just amazing how you recognized an act
09:15:42 that someone bestowed upon you and decided at,
09:15:47 what, six, five?
09:15:49 >> Five.
09:15:50 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Five.
09:15:51 Decided that he needed to do the same thing for
09:15:56 others. It's just amazing.
09:15:58 I'm going to read this because it talks a little
09:16:00 bit about what Mr. Jackson has accomplished in his
09:16:05 short time already.
09:16:07 A lot to live up to for the rest of us.
09:16:10 Tampa City Council proudly recognizes N'Jahri
09:16:15 Jackson for his countless acts of selflessness and
09:16:18 compassion toward children undergoing treatment at
09:16:21 our local hospitals.
09:16:22 The Council admires your passion for it has
09:16:26 brightened the lives of young patients and
09:16:28 galvanizes your family, friends and neighbors to
09:16:31 act charitably as well.
09:16:33 You live your life in service to others, and you
09:16:36 have set a shining example for us to follow.
09:16:39 Your ability to garner support of your local
09:16:43 Boyscout troop, family, friends and community to
09:16:46 raise money celebrate the capacity to lead that is
09:16:49 seldom found.
09:16:51 Additionally, your use of this money to provide
09:16:53 care packages to children with prolonged hospital
09:16:56 stays is laudable.
09:16:57 These care packages containing everything from
09:17:00 snacks and stuffed animals to E-readers and
09:17:03 iPods have alleviated the suffering of
09:17:06 thousands of children in the Tampa Bay region and
09:17:09 across the country.
09:17:09 We at Tampa City Council commend you for your
09:17:12 altruism and leadership, your actions have
09:17:15 impacted the lives of thousands of young people in
09:17:18 our community and have inspired others to your
09:17:21 cause.
09:17:22 You're a remarkable young man and this Council
09:17:24 recognizes your work.
09:17:26 >> Thank you.
09:17:26 >>LISA MONTELIONE: You're welcome.
09:17:28 [ APPLAUSE ]
09:17:28 Not only does he serve children, but also he's
09:17:40 made many trips to fisher house at the VA and
09:17:46 delivered blankets and little things that people
09:17:50 don't realize but make so much of an impact.
09:17:55 >> Thank you.
09:17:56 >>LISA MONTELIONE: You're welcome.
09:17:57 >> I would like to say thank you for this
09:17:59 commendation.
09:18:00 It's a great experience.
09:18:02 I can't believe I'm here right now.
09:18:03 I would like to thank my school, my Boyscout
09:18:08 troop, troop 142, and all the amazing
09:18:11 organizations I've got to work with over the years
09:18:15 and my loving family and friends just supporting
09:18:18 me all the way through.
09:18:20 It just means a lot.
09:18:24 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Tell people what -- I didn't
09:18:27 actually say what happened or what the act was
09:18:29 that inspired you.
09:18:32 >> Well, when I was being hospitalized at the age
09:18:35 of 5, I found out that my friend, Brice, was in
09:18:39 the room upstairs.
09:18:41 When I went to see him, doctors stopped me and
09:18:45 said he's not allowed to have any visitors.
09:18:47 He's too sick.
09:18:48 Recently, I had been given a big Clifford stuffed
09:18:53 animal.
09:18:54 When I saw the look on his face, I knew he needed
09:18:57 it a lot more than I did.
09:18:58 I left that Clifford dog with him, and the
09:19:02 reaction he got was incredible.
09:19:06 It just warmed my heart so much that I felt, well,
09:19:10 he's not the only one who needs comfort in a
09:19:13 situation like this.
09:19:14 That's when I took off and started doing it all
09:19:17 around the world.
09:19:18 >>LISA MONTELIONE: At five.
09:19:19 Thank you so much.
09:19:22 What you've done for people is amazing.
09:19:28 We appreciate it.
09:19:31 >>FRANK REDDICK: Mr. Jackson, would you introduce
09:19:33 your mother?
09:19:35 >> This is my mom.
09:19:37 Asheena Lewis.
09:19:39 She is the main supporter.
09:19:42 [ LAUGHTER ]
09:19:43 I'd like to thank you for driving me to all my
09:19:49 activities.
09:19:51 I love you, mom.
09:19:54 [ APPLAUSE ]
09:19:59 >>FRANK REDDICK: All right.
09:20:00 Ms. Montelione, you probably want to stay down
09:20:05 there.
09:20:06 Got a ten-minute presentation from --
09:20:10 >>LISA MONTELIONE: [ Microphone not on ]
09:20:12 Oh, microphone.
09:20:12 This morning we have with us the Executive
09:20:22 Director and also -- Sandy, are you going to come
09:20:28 up or just watch --
09:20:30 >> In the background.
09:20:32 >>LISA MONTELIONE: In the background.
09:20:33 From the crisis center, to talk to us a little bit
09:20:35 about the work that the crisis center does and
09:20:38 what they have planned in 2016.
09:20:43 They service a lot of the individuals in our
09:20:47 community at the most desperate times in their
09:20:51 life.
09:20:51 And they do it to help people just get through,
09:21:00 and I was there to take a tour of the facility and
09:21:04 talk with them a little bit and wanted to share
09:21:06 with the rest of the city the work that they do if
09:21:09 you're not already familiar.
09:21:11 >> Thank you so much for this opportunity to be
09:21:12 here today.
09:21:13 I'm Clara Reynolds, CEO at the Crisis Center of
09:21:16 Tampa Bay.
09:21:16 We do have a PowerPoint presentation.
09:21:18 Fabulous.
09:21:19 Thank you so much.
09:21:20 Again, I want to thank you guys so much for this
09:21:23 opportunity.
09:21:23 Since 1972, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has
09:21:25 been working to meet our mission.
09:21:27 And that mission is so that no one in our
09:21:30 community has to face a crisis alone.
09:21:32 So as we start this tour, if you will, I'll start
09:21:35 with our 211.
09:21:36 This is an information and referral line.
09:21:38 Last year, over 97,000 people in Hillsborough
09:21:40 County received information and referral from over
09:21:45 4,000 services and supports.
09:21:48 The crisis center is also home to the suicide
09:21:52 prevention hotline for this area.
09:21:54 We answer over 50 calls a week from individuals in
09:21:57 our community contemplating taking their life.
09:21:59 We're also the statewide drug and alcohol hotline.
09:22:03 We provide a veteran's hotline as well.
09:22:06 That hotline is answered by veterans to help our
09:22:09 veterans in the community navigate through all of
09:22:11 the supports that are available to them.
09:22:13 And we have volunteers that provide 170 phone
09:22:16 calls every day to individuals in our community
09:22:20 who are homebound, disabled and elderly, to make
09:22:23 sure they are okay.
09:22:24 211 also provides a service called care
09:22:29 coordination.
09:22:30 And this care coordination is really a lifeline
09:22:33 for individuals in our community that have
09:22:36 contemplated taking their life.
09:22:37 These care coordinators provide support and
09:22:40 reassurance.
09:22:41 And last year, over 1500 individuals participated
09:22:44 in our care coordination program.
09:22:46 I just want to take a few minutes to talk about
09:22:49 one individual in particular.
09:22:51 Gentleman's same is Sam.
09:22:52 He is a 50-year-old man.
09:22:54 He has been married for over 24 years, employed,
09:22:58 active in his church.
09:22:59 But what nobody knew is for the past ten years he
09:23:02 had been suffering with depression and suicidal
09:23:05 ideation.
09:23:06 He had found the crisis center and would call us
09:23:10 occasionally for support.
09:23:10 One night he gave us a call.
09:23:13 Kelly, one of our care coordinators answered the
09:23:16 call and Sam told us he was in his car.
09:23:19 He was in a parking lot, and he had a gun in his
09:23:22 glove box and he was going to take his life.
09:23:24 Kelly recognized immediately that we needed to
09:23:26 intervene.
09:23:27 Got law enforcement.
09:23:28 I believe it was Tampa police, actually, to
09:23:30 respond on scene.
09:23:31 Sam was baker acted and was able to get treatment.
09:23:34 But in addition to that treatment, he also was
09:23:37 able to disclose to his wife, who he had never
09:23:40 told what was going on with him.
09:23:43 Together, those two helped him to find recovery.
09:23:46 Sam still calls us to this day to let us know that
09:23:48 that intervention saved his life.
09:23:50 And I just wanted to share that with you.
09:23:53 The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is also
09:23:56 Hillsborough County's only rape crisis center.
09:23:58 Last year, we performed over 353 forensic exams.
09:24:03 This means that individuals don't have to go to an
09:24:06 emergency room when a sexual assault occurs.
09:24:08 They come to our location, and they are met by a
09:24:11 trained nurse as well as an advocate.
09:24:13 And together, those individuals perform not only
09:24:16 the medical exams but also provide social support
09:24:20 to individuals who have experienced this type of
09:24:23 crisis.
09:24:24 And we're so pleased to let you know about our
09:24:27 partnership with Tampa Police Department, we go
09:24:28 over there a couple of times a week and work with
09:24:32 detectives who are still working through processes
09:24:33 of victims that have gone through a sexual assault
09:24:37 to be able to provide them with support and
09:24:38 services.
09:24:39 So we want to thank you for that opportunity.
09:24:41 We also provide a program called family
09:24:45 stabilization.
09:24:45 And it is a financial education assistance
09:24:48 program.
09:24:48 And we want to stabilize members of our community
09:24:52 who are facing acute financial crisis, and we also
09:24:55 want to prevent homelessness.
09:24:58 Our case managers are designed to help meet basic
09:25:01 needs, including paying rent assistance, helping
09:25:03 with utilities and those kinds of things.
09:25:05 Last year, over 500 individuals participated in
09:25:09 family -- in financial literacy program and over
09:25:13 4,000 households found a path to self-sufficiency
09:25:16 thanks to our family stabilization program.
09:25:19 I want to talk to you a little bit about the
09:25:22 Corbett Trauma Center.
09:25:23 We provide trauma counseling.
09:25:25 We are experts in trauma counseling, and that's
09:25:28 all that the Corbett Trauma Center does.
09:25:30 All of our trauma counseling is evidence-based.
09:25:34 And for many individuals, they can find help in as
09:25:37 few as 12 to 14 sessions.
09:25:40 We have locations here in the West Tampa community
09:25:44 as well as North Tampa, and also out in Brandon.
09:25:47 And we'll see anywhere between 500 and 600 clients
09:25:50 a year.
09:25:51 In addition to all the other things I just talked
09:25:54 about, I want to let you know about our ambulance
09:25:57 service called TransCare.
09:25:58 TransCare is the only CAAS accredited ambulance
09:26:02 service here in Hillsborough County, and that's
09:26:04 really the gold standard for ambulance services.
09:26:06 We provide basic 911 -- basic life support to the
09:26:13 City of Tampa, but we also provide Baker Act
09:26:15 transportation for individuals who are a danger to
09:26:18 themselves or others, getting them humanely to a
09:26:21 crisis stabilization unit.
09:26:23 For us, TransCare really is a core mission for us
09:26:29 because as you can imagine, there's no bigger
09:26:31 crisis than when you have to call 9111 because of
09:26:35 a medical emergency.
09:26:37 Our staff is also very unique in that we can
09:26:39 respond to somebody's medical crisis, but also to
09:26:41 the emotional crisis that they are facing at the
09:26:43 same time.
09:26:44 And so our ENTs connect those individuals to the
09:26:48 services at the crisis center.
09:26:49 So once the medical emergency is handled, we can
09:26:52 also deal with their emotional trauma and the
09:26:55 impact of that as well.
09:26:57 Last year, we performed over 8,000 baker act
09:27:01 transportation and transported over 36,000
09:27:03 individuals to the hospital.
09:27:04 In our TransCare not only provides a very valuable
09:27:10 service to the community, it is also a social
09:27:11 enterprise for the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
09:27:14 We bill insurance and proceeds from that go to
09:27:18 support the organization.
09:27:19 Last year, over a million dollars was able to be
09:27:21 reinvested into the crisis center to provide
09:27:24 services to our community.
09:27:25 We, however, do so much more.
09:27:29 The additional supports that we provide are around
09:27:32 training and education.
09:27:34 We provide programs to students and schools.
09:27:38 And I noticed on your agenda a topic that will
09:27:41 come up today that we're very excited to be able
09:27:44 to partner with the Ybor City businesses.
09:27:46 It's a program called green dot bystander
09:27:50 training.
09:27:50 We've been funded by the Department of Health to
09:27:52 provide a very comprehensive program to help
09:27:54 reduce violence and sexual assault in Ybor City.
09:27:57 I'm going to stick around today to hear more about
09:28:00 what's happening in the community around that so
09:28:03 we'll be able to partner closer as our time comes
09:28:05 to implement that.
09:28:06 We have many partners to do this work because
09:28:10 there's no way we could do this without the
09:28:12 support of everybody in the community.
09:28:14 And I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the
09:28:16 City of Tampa so much for their support in the
09:28:19 past, primarily through community development
09:28:21 block grants, that help support our family
09:28:24 stabilization program and our current partnership
09:28:26 that we have with Tampa Housing Authority
09:28:29 providing financial literacy and support in the
09:28:31 beautiful encore community not too far away from
09:28:34 here.
09:28:35 As I've talked, we're doing so many great things
09:28:39 in the community, but as you all are aware, we
09:28:42 still continue to have many, many challenges.
09:28:44 Challenges being able to meet needs of individuals
09:28:47 calling our 211.
09:28:48 We know we're only reaching about a third of the
09:28:51 victims of sexual assault, and we have to turn
09:28:53 away families every year for family stabilization
09:28:56 services.
09:28:56 And I'm sure you guys are very aware, there are
09:29:00 many individuals that we would like to be able to
09:29:02 provide more counseling to, but because of copays
09:29:05 and different insurances, they can't afford it.
09:29:09 We certainly ask for support from across the
09:29:11 community to help us not have to turn anyone away.
09:29:13 You have seen in our PowerPoint a little bit of
09:29:17 our financial shortfalls.
09:29:19 About $249,000 a year.
09:29:21 And we really look to the community to help us to
09:29:24 assist those shortfalls.
09:29:25 So there's still so much to be done.
09:29:29 So many things we need to do in the community.
09:29:31 And like Councilwoman Montelione, I want to invite
09:29:35 to you come out and see the crisis center and be
09:29:37 my guest.
09:29:38 I think you have to walk through the hallways and
09:29:41 actually see us in action to really understand
09:29:43 what we do.
09:29:44 So I'd love for you all to come and take a tour.
09:29:47 I want to thank you so much for everything that
09:29:50 you do in our community.
09:29:51 I look forward to partnering with you to meet both
09:29:53 the urgent and long-term needs of members of our
09:29:56 community.
09:29:57 Thank you, and I welcome to answer any of your
09:30:00 questions.
09:30:00 >>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions from Council?
09:30:02 Mr. Suarez.
09:30:06 >>MIKE SUAREZ: A couple of questions.
09:30:07 First of all, what are the statistics as to the
09:30:11 type of things that drive people to call you or to
09:30:16 even think about suicide?
09:30:17 Is it primarily mental imbalance, bipolar issue or
09:30:23 emotional issues?
09:30:24 Have you followed up to know what those statistics
09:30:26 look like?
09:30:27 >> Yes, sir, and thank you so much for that
09:30:29 question.
09:30:30 When we talk about suicide and we talk about the
09:30:32 50 calls a week we get, it is definitely people
09:30:36 who are at the most vulnerable, most hopeless time
09:30:38 in their life.
09:30:39 Sometimes it's around economic issues.
09:30:42 They've been homeless for a long period of time or
09:30:45 maybe they are newly homeless.
09:30:47 They don't see any hope.
09:30:48 We have some individuals struggling with chronic
09:30:51 mental illness, chronic substance abuse.
09:30:53 We have some individuals who have faced a trauma
09:30:55 at some point in their life.
09:30:57 That trauma was never resolved and they have been
09:31:00 experiencing the symptoms over and over again, and
09:31:03 they are just to the point that they feel like
09:31:05 they can't go on.
09:31:06 Our job is really to help kind of be that beacon
09:31:09 of hope because you can't do anything unless you
09:31:11 have hope for the future.
09:31:12 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Have you gotten numbers in terms of
09:31:14 what that breakdown is?
09:31:17 Is it primarily economic conditions that are
09:31:20 forcing them into that?
09:31:22 I mean, in terms of follow-up, do you know
09:31:23 percentage-wise what that is?
09:31:26 >> I don't off the top of my head but I'm more
09:31:28 than happy to get that information to you.
09:31:30 So many data points.
09:31:33 >>MIKE SUAREZ: I'm sure.
09:31:34 There's lots of causation points you'd have to
09:31:37 look at as to whether or not a mental issue led to
09:31:40 a substance abuse issue and so on.
09:31:42 >> Right.
09:31:42 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Second question, do you do
09:31:44 counseling for those individuals that answer your
09:31:47 phones on a periodic basis?
09:31:50 I assume you do.
09:31:51 I was curious.
09:31:53 >> We call it vicarious trauma because you're
09:31:55 listening to these traumatic incidences that
09:31:58 occur.
09:31:59 We have not only clinically trained staff
09:32:03 answering the phones but clinical supervisors and
09:32:08 directors that work close to health care.
09:32:10 If you take the tour, you can see in actual vivid
09:32:13 color what self-care looks like.
09:32:15 We have all sorts of opportunities for people to
09:32:17 decompress.
09:32:19 For people to actually get counseling right after
09:32:23 a stressful call, because our job is to make sure
09:32:26 that our employees who oftentimes are very young,
09:32:28 fresh out of school and this is their first job
09:32:32 opportunity, making sure they have the care they
09:32:34 need so they can continue to answer the phone.
09:32:36 >>MIKE SUAREZ: I have been on a tour probably
09:32:38 about three and a half years ago.
09:32:40 Probably time to go back again.
09:32:42 Sandy is looking out from behind you.
09:32:44 She says, yeah, I remember doing the tour with
09:32:46 you.
09:32:47 I'd love to go again at some point and appreciate
09:32:50 what you're doing for the community and keep up
09:32:52 the good work.
09:32:53 >> Thank you very much.
09:32:54 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Thank you, chair.
09:32:55 >>FRANK REDDICK: Before we go to Mr. Montelione,
09:32:56 Mr. Cohen.
09:32:57 >>HARRY COHEN: I want to ask one question.
09:33:00 You made the statement that because of some of the
09:33:03 resource shortfall, you're forced to turn people
09:33:07 away from family stabilization services.
09:33:09 >> Yes, sir.
09:33:10 >>HARRY COHEN: Where do you send people when you
09:33:12 turn them away?
09:33:14 >> As you know, there are many programs in our
09:33:18 community.
09:33:19 So we will look to our database system,
09:33:21 particularly if it's an immediate need, we'll
09:33:24 connect people to metropolitan ministries.
09:33:26 We'll certainly connect people to some of our
09:33:28 faith-based programs, Catholic charities being one
09:33:32 of them, St. Vincent de Paul being another.
09:33:35 We really try to make sure that we can get an
09:33:38 individual to another series of support.
09:33:41 We rely on some federal funding that oftentimes
09:33:44 has very interesting windows.
09:33:46 So when those dollars aren't available, we really
09:33:49 try to make sure that we're continuing to case
09:33:52 manage people and help them get their utilities
09:33:54 paid and those kinds of things.
09:33:55 We really try to navigate for individuals across
09:33:58 the variety of services.
09:34:00 >>HARRY COHEN: There are actually times of the
09:34:01 year when services ebb and flow based on the flow
09:34:06 of federal dollars.
09:34:07 >> Yes, sir.
09:34:08 Thank you.
09:34:10 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
09:34:12 Clara, one of the things that really struck me
09:34:14 when I visited was a big empty room.
09:34:17 There is a unit that had been utilized to counsel
09:34:24 children, and that shortfall of funding means that
09:34:28 that facility at the crisis center is not being
09:34:35 used to its fullest capacity.
09:34:39 >> Right.
09:34:40 >>LISA MONTELIONE: And that's tragic.
09:34:41 Because we all know that children, if they don't
09:34:46 have their trauma resolved, grow up to either
09:34:53 repeat the trauma that occurred to them or end up
09:34:58 calling your hotline for reasons of despair and
09:35:04 depression and suicide.
09:35:06 >> Absolutely.
09:35:06 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Can you tell us a little bit
09:35:08 about that particular facility and why -- what
09:35:12 happened to the funding?
09:35:15 >> Thank you so much.
09:35:16 I wanted to real quickly say, I'm a social worker
09:35:19 by training.
09:35:19 I was born and raised in Tampa.
09:35:21 I spent 20 years working with the population of
09:35:24 children, children that have severe emotional and
09:35:26 behavioral health issues.
09:35:28 That was one of the reasons why I came to the
09:35:30 crisis center to be able to help kids at that
09:35:32 moment of crisis.
09:35:33 So funding is always an issue.
09:35:36 It's certainly always something that we struggle
09:35:38 with.
09:35:39 That room in particular, we've had various grant
09:35:43 funding.
09:35:44 In that case, specifically, we were a part of a
09:35:48 national institute of mental health federal grant.
09:35:51 Those grant dollars ran out.
09:35:53 We applied for a different grant opportunity.
09:35:56 Some of them are in process.
09:35:57 Some of them just the funding wasn't there.
09:35:59 So I rely upon sandy to be honest with you to help
09:36:04 meet those fund-raising goals. I talk about
09:36:07 TransCare and what TransCare was able to do.
09:36:10 TransCare really does provide the administrative
09:36:12 funding to fund the organization so that every
09:36:16 dollar that we have that comes in through grants
09:36:18 and through fund-raising, about 99% of it goes
09:36:22 back to meeting those shortfalls.
09:36:23 But as you can imagine, crises are everywhere,
09:36:27 trauma is everywhere, and so we will continue to
09:36:30 have to work towards finding additional resources
09:36:33 to support our programs.
09:36:37 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Thank you.
09:36:38 I just think it is vitally important.
09:36:40 We all see the newspapers and watch the news every
09:36:42 day, and mental health care is one of those
09:36:46 segments that is not being funded.
09:36:52 The tragedies that we see are often mental health
09:36:55 related.
09:36:56 So if anyone has the opportunity to provide
09:37:01 assistance, financial assistance, to the Crisis
09:37:05 Center, please do so.
09:37:08 Every dollar counts.
09:37:10 Even if it is a $5 or $10 donation, don't think
09:37:14 that you don't have the means to help.
09:37:18 Because until we realize as a country that mental
09:37:26 health care and the provision of services really
09:37:31 is a savior to a lot of tragic stories in our
09:37:38 communities locally.
09:37:40 The president spoke about it just yesterday or the
09:37:44 day before, I believe it was.
09:37:46 I'm glad that finally someone has stepped up to
09:37:52 recognize the mental health providers and the
09:37:57 mental health community.
09:38:00 So many other things, physical illnesses could be
09:38:05 prevented.
09:38:06 >> Absolutely.
09:38:07 >>LISA MONTELIONE: And some of the gun violence
09:38:10 that we see on a too regular basis can also be
09:38:14 prevented.
09:38:14 There is a gentleman in the back of the room --
09:38:17 he's not paying attention right now so he doesn't
09:38:19 know I'm going to say this -- but Mr. Worley who
09:38:23 comes and speaks to us regularly during public
09:38:27 comment is out there on the streets one on one
09:38:30 helping and trying to find homeless individuals
09:38:36 the help that they need.
09:38:38 You know, he's one man and so many other people
09:38:43 like him go out and one on one try to find the
09:38:47 services, but without the funding for programs
09:38:51 like yours and so many others, there's not a
09:38:54 lot.of hope to get individuals the counseling and
09:38:58 the care that they need.
09:39:00 So thank you very much for the work that you do.
09:39:02 Appreciate it.
09:39:03 >> Thank you.
09:39:04 And thank you again for this opportunity.
09:39:05 Have a great day.
09:39:11 >>FRANK REDDICK: There's been a huge influx of
09:39:14 human trafficking going on in the state.
09:39:20 Are you receiving individuals coming to the crisis
09:39:23 center requesting assistance in regards to that?
09:39:26 >> Yes, sir.
09:39:26 And, in fact, we are oftentimes the entry point
09:39:31 for individuals.
09:39:31 They will come to us via law enforcement.
09:39:35 Sometimes they will walk in off the street.
09:39:37 They've had one sexual assault too many and they
09:39:39 are then ready.
09:39:40 They are ready to take that next step.
09:39:42 So our advocates will work with our human sex
09:39:46 trafficking partners to get that individual to
09:39:48 safety.
09:39:49 And we worked very closely with redefining refuge,
09:39:53 for instance.
09:39:54 We provide actual therapists that go out to the
09:39:57 facility to provide individual therapists for each
09:40:01 one of those residents in that facility.
09:40:02 But it's oftentimes we are that entry point, that
09:40:05 individual has had it, to be honest with you.
09:40:12 They are ready for a change in their life.
09:40:15 >>FRANK REDDICK: On average, could you say how
09:40:21 many come into your facility on an annual basis?
09:40:26 >> That have been trafficked?
09:40:27 I do not have that data, but I'm more than happy
09:40:27 to get that for you.
09:40:28 But I have been given examples by which
09:40:31 individuals, again, they've come to us, and we've
09:40:33 been able to get them to safety.
09:40:35 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
09:40:36 Any other questions?
09:40:37 Appreciate your presentation.
09:40:39 >> Thank you so much.
09:40:39 >>FRANK REDDICK: We go to the next five-minute
09:40:44 presentation, introduced by Ms. Capin.
09:40:46 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Yes, Ms. Sherry Silk.
09:40:50 Ms. Silk is the chief executive officer of the
09:40:53 humane society of Tampa Bay.
09:40:57 She's here to bring us an update regarding the
09:40:59 state of the humane society of Tampa Bay.
09:41:02 Thank you, Ms. Silk, for being here.
09:41:04 >> Sure.
09:41:04 Good morning again.
09:41:05 So this year, the humane society of Tampa Bay
09:41:07 turns 104 years old.
09:41:09 So we're quite old.
09:41:11 Stable organization.
09:41:12 Last year, we broke our record of saving 7,547
09:41:17 lives.
09:41:17 That's mostly dogs and cats, but a few rabbits and
09:41:21 guinea pigs are thrown in there as well.
09:41:24 We actually adopt more animals than any of the
09:41:26 local shelters in the Tampa Bay area.
09:41:27 We treated 49,000 owned animals at our
09:41:32 full-service hospital.
09:41:33 That's 942 animals every single week that our
09:41:39 veterinarians see.
09:41:41 It is a very, very busy place.
09:41:45 We continue our life-saving work for stray and
09:41:45 feral cats.
09:41:45 And we sterilized just under 7,000 feral cats last
09:41:48 year.
09:41:49 We gave away over 200,000 pounds of free food to
09:41:56 those in need.
09:41:57 7,000 citizens have come through us in 2015,
09:41:57 sometimes just wanting one bag of dog food.
09:42:01 Sometimes they just lost their job and need help
09:42:04 for two or three or four months until they find
09:42:07 another job.
09:42:08 It's our goal that they don't have to give up
09:42:09 their pet because they can't afford to feed them,
09:42:12 and we certainly don't want animals to go hungry.
09:42:15 We held another shot clinic.
09:42:17 Free shot clinic in partnership with Hillsborough
09:42:19 County pet resource center who we work with side
09:42:21 by side trying to save animals.
09:42:23 We now employ 106 staff members and 11 of those
09:42:27 are full-time veterinarians.
09:42:29 I did pass out our newsletter for those of you
09:42:32 that couldn't come to tuxes and tails last year,
09:42:36 it talks about our great event at the convention
09:42:38 center.
09:42:39 We had 966 people, which is the most we ever had.
09:42:42 It is really cool to dress up in your tux and come
09:42:45 and celebrate the saving of homeless pets in the
09:42:48 Tampa area.
09:42:49 This year, we'll be at the Gasparilla Children's
09:42:51 Parade.
09:42:51 Our Bark in the Park is going to be March 19th
09:42:54 at the Cotanchobee Park, which we love that park
09:42:58 for that particular event.
09:42:59 This year -- and I hope people will mark this down
09:43:02 in their calendars -- October 22 will be again at
09:43:05 the convention center.
09:43:06 They did a great job for us.
09:43:07 That is, again, a lifesaving event for us.
09:43:10 It is our largest fund-raiser.
09:43:12 We just found out yesterday that some of the Tampa
09:43:15 Bay Lightning wives who are animal lovers will
09:43:17 host an adoption event on Valentine's Day and a
09:43:20 food drive.
09:43:21 We really appreciate the community support.
09:43:23 A lot of people relate to animals.
09:43:25 They have a dog or cat that they share their home
09:43:27 with and they are concerned about the homeless
09:43:29 animals here in Tampa Bay.
09:43:31 You will hear I'm sure if you haven't already
09:43:33 heard, that we are going to kick off a capital
09:43:35 campaign for our shelter.
09:43:37 We do a great job for animals in the community,
09:43:40 but it's too small, not the capacity we need and
09:43:45 literally falling apart.
09:43:46 We can't serve all those that need our help.
09:43:48 So our dream and our goal is to build a
09:43:51 42,000-square-foot shelter.
09:43:53 Again, we love Tampa.
09:43:54 We certainly love West Tampa.
09:43:56 We'll stay right at the same location.
09:43:58 We hope and we really believe that the community
09:44:00 will support us so we can get the new shelter and
09:44:02 double the capacity so we can help even more
09:44:05 animals.
09:44:05 Thank you so much for letting me present and I'll
09:44:08 answer any questions you have.
09:44:09 >>FRANK REDDICK: Please invite Mr. Maniscalco.
09:44:12 He already got his tux.
09:44:13 He's ready to go.
09:44:14 >> I know.
09:44:15 He looks awesome.
09:44:17 Actually, he did come and visit our shelter.
09:44:19 We really appreciate that.
09:44:20 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: If I may, I want to say, I
09:44:23 toured the facility not too long ago.
09:44:25 Very impressive.
09:44:26 I'm born in West Tampa, so I've driven by you, I
09:44:30 don't know, 15, 20 thousand times.
09:44:33 But it's really great.
09:44:34 You employ a lot of people.
09:44:36 You do great for the community.
09:44:39 I'm just glad that you are here with us and all
09:44:42 your hard work.
09:44:44 That's really it.
09:44:45 It's very tempting going in there and not wanting
09:44:49 to adopt a dog.
09:44:51 >> That's the whole point.
09:44:55 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: It works.
09:44:55 I go in there and have to control my emotions.
09:44:58 Thank you for all you do.
09:45:00 Really great for the community.
09:45:01 >> I think most of you have been there.
09:45:03 If you haven't, we're always expanding.
09:45:06 We have no space left on Armenia.
09:45:10 We need to build a two-story building to do
09:45:13 everything we need to do.
09:45:15 >>HARRY COHEN: Thank you very much.
09:45:16 I wanted to remind everyone that this Council some
09:45:19 time back expanded the number of rescue dogs that
09:45:22 people are allowed to have or rescue animals that
09:45:24 people are allowed to have in their own homes.
09:45:27 It was for lots of people in the community that
09:45:32 asked for it.
09:45:34 Let me ask you, though, to please tell everyone
09:45:37 since you're on television and have the
09:45:39 opportunity, if they want to adopt an animal, they
09:45:41 want to take animals in, how can they contact you
09:45:43 and what should they do?
09:45:45 >> We have a wonderful website that's easy to use
09:45:47 or call us.
09:45:48 Old-fashioned phone call.
09:45:51 It's easy to adopt from us.
09:45:53 We do open adoptions.
09:45:55 We don't make you jump through a lot of hoops.
09:45:58 You don't have to be a perfect person.
09:45:59 We want to you love that pet.
09:46:01 If you can't keep that pet.
09:46:03 We're called manage and mission or no kill for
09:46:05 space.
09:46:06 I can't take your dog or cat in if I'm already
09:46:09 full, so we may have to say to you, you have to
09:46:11 wait a week or two until we adopt animals out.
09:46:14 But if we have the space, we'll take your animal
09:46:16 in, do all the medical that's necessary so we can
09:46:19 give it another home.
09:46:20 We're not going to euthanize one animal to take in
09:46:24 another animal, which is why I think the community
09:46:27 supports us so much.
09:46:28 >>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions from Council?
09:46:30 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Quick question.
09:46:31 How the heck did you get the cat to sit there and
09:46:34 get that kind of photograph?
09:46:37 >> I little bit of a tranquilizer.
09:46:42 >>MIKE SUAREZ: That's like the most perfect kind
09:46:44 of Christmas picture.
09:46:46 On a serious note, you mentioned about expanding,
09:46:49 are you looking at expanding at the current
09:46:51 location?
09:46:52 >> Yeah.
09:46:52 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Are you purchasing land adjacent to
09:46:54 you?
09:46:55 >> We just purchased a lot kind of catty-corner
09:46:58 from our shelter for parking.
09:47:02 That's almost finalized.
09:47:04 It will be on the location towards the Armenia
09:47:07 side.
09:47:07 Once that's built -- because it will have to be
09:47:10 two stories because we need about 42,000 square
09:47:11 feet -- they will knock the existing shelter down
09:47:13 because there's really nothing to save in that
09:47:16 building, and that will become parking.
09:47:19 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Probably put offices on the second
09:47:21 floor --
09:47:23 >> We do critter camp for kids.
09:47:24 We do all kinds of things for the community, so
09:47:27 that will be on the second floor.
09:47:29 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Thank you so much.
09:47:30 Keep up the good work.
09:47:31 >> And, Yolie, thank you, again, for being on our
09:47:34 advisory Council and helping us out.
09:47:35 >>YVONNE CAPIN: My pleasure.
09:47:37 You did not say the website and the phone number.
09:47:41 >> It's humanesocietytampa.org.
09:47:45 You can find all of the information on our
09:47:47 website.
09:47:47 That is the best way to do it.
09:47:49 Sometimes the phone calls, you have to leave
09:47:51 messages and we call back.
09:47:53 >>YVONNE CAPIN: It is my pleasure to be on there.
09:47:55 The humane society has always been a go-to for our
09:48:00 pets at home.
09:48:01 My daughter is 37 years old, and she was two years
09:48:04 old when we adopted her first pet, previous to our
09:48:08 other pets.
09:48:09 And now my grandson, 35 years, now my grandson is
09:48:14 three years old and we're starting the third
09:48:16 generation.
09:48:17 >> That's wonderful.
09:48:18 They are like members of the family.
09:48:19 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Thank you so much for what you do.
09:48:21 >> Thank you all very much.
09:48:22 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
09:48:23 We will go to approval of the addendum to the
09:48:33 agenda.
09:48:33 Item number 13 is requested by Ms. Montelione to
09:48:40 be pulled.
09:48:41 Request a motion to move the addendum to the
09:48:48 agenda.
09:48:49 >> So moved.
09:48:49 >>FRANK REDDICK: Motion from Mr. Miranda.
09:48:51 Seconded by Ms. Montelione.
09:48:54 All in favor?
09:48:56 Opposed?
09:48:57 All right.
09:48:57 Those items have been approved.
09:48:59 >>THE CLERK: [Microphone not on]
09:49:06 >>MARTIN SHELBY: If I can, I would ask that you
09:49:07 hold that until we take public comment, the
09:49:10 adoption of resolutions.
09:49:15 >>FRANK REDDICK: All right.
09:49:18 At this time, we'll go to public comment.
09:49:21 Anyone wishing to speak, you have three minutes.
09:49:27 Please state your name and address.
09:49:31 Three minutes.
09:49:37 >> I'm Ed Tillou from -- I live in Sulphur
09:49:41 Springs.
09:49:43 Okay, first, this is no longer in the theaters,
09:49:46 but you should try to get the DVD.
09:49:49 It wasn't kept very long, maybe a week or two.
09:49:52 Just isn't New England where it's probably doing
09:49:57 very well.
09:49:58 But this still is in the theaters.
09:49:59 I brought this up in the past.
09:50:01 This is concussion.
09:50:02 And I gave you about the fellow who was the
09:50:07 principal person played by will Smith.
09:50:09 And this gives you a sense of what is so important
09:50:13 to the county commission so we don't have money
09:50:16 for transportation and such.
09:50:17 Because it's spent on football and football
09:50:25 stadiums.
09:50:25 Okay.
09:50:26 I alluded to -- I have this.
09:50:28 This will be on your handout.
09:50:36 This is interesting to me.
09:50:37 It very much improves the flavor of food, and so
09:50:41 much so that I got twice.
09:50:47 One week and then the following week which I was
09:50:50 able to get meat on the bone which is hard for
09:50:53 loin chops, and it really improves them a lot.
09:50:56 Loin is a form of pork that isn't that bad.
09:51:00 Not that USF college of public health is going to
09:51:02 come dashing in here to your rescue.
09:51:05 I don't know if you realize, but the president of
09:51:08 USF, her family are big meat packers.
09:51:11 And what goes with that, they are in Ohio.
09:51:13 And you don't see a lot of beef.
09:51:16 You don't see a lot of fish.
09:51:18 You don't see a lot of chicken and turkeys coming
09:51:21 from Ohio, but you do see a lot of pork.
09:51:23 It's like college of public health at USF is
09:51:26 probably not going to address the central problem
09:51:28 which is causing the high coronary rate in the
09:51:34 American south, the southeast.
09:51:36 Steak 'n Shake is a very good chain.
09:51:43 You have to pay extra for the cheese.
09:51:45 I'm a rotten guy.
09:51:46 They treated me very nice in Wisconsin, but cheese
09:51:49 is bad.
09:51:50 Two slices of cheese is 90 pounds a decade.
09:51:55 That's where you get the three and four hundred
09:51:58 pound people.
09:52:00 It's a genetic problem.
09:52:01 Their bodies are probably more efficient than the
09:52:03 use of food, but 90 pounds a decade when they are
09:52:07 40 odd years old, how much do they weigh?
09:52:09 The raw material for that has to come from
09:52:12 somewhere.
09:52:12 The problem with Steak 'n Shake, they have this,
09:52:14 and all of the chains are putting this in thanks
09:52:18 to Baconalia.
09:52:23 All the chains are putting this in.
09:52:23 This is death on wheels.
09:52:25 This is the worst of them.
09:52:27 In the few seconds I have left, also for nitwits
09:52:32 to not buy because it's starting to look like Iran
09:52:37 and Saudi Arabia might have it out.
09:52:41 See what that's going to do to the gas supply.
09:52:44 So people better buy volts and be on board for
09:52:49 this.
09:52:49 Things like this -- it's just aggravating the
09:52:55 problem.
09:52:55 >>FRANK REDDICK: We thank you.
09:52:56 Next speaker.
09:53:25 >> New setup up here.
09:53:28 Kelly Grimsdale at 2701 North 9th Street.
09:53:33 I'm here today on behalf of the VM Ybor
09:53:34 Neighborhood Association as president as well as
09:53:36 on my own behalf as an extremely concerned
09:53:39 resident.
09:53:39 This is certainly not the first time that I stood
09:53:42 before most of you speaking about our concerns
09:53:44 regarding the concentration of predatory
09:53:47 individuals in VM Ybor.
09:53:48 This has been listed as one of VM Ybor's main
09:53:51 issues since 2011.
09:53:52 That is the same year that we first sat down with
09:53:55 Councilman Reddick and Cedrick McCray to
09:53:57 discuss.
09:53:58 What has allowed this concentration to proliferate
09:54:01 is a complete disregard for the zoning codes by
09:54:04 code enforcement and the Florida building code by
09:54:07 the fire marshal.
09:54:09 What other area in Tampa would allow 36
09:54:11 individuals to reside in a 3200-square-foot
09:54:14 structure and then times this by two.
09:54:16 If the city would have led a force two of the
09:54:18 rooming houses on Nebraska avenue to comply with
09:54:21 the code enforcement magistrate's 2014 decision,
09:54:27 we could have reduced the allowable number of
09:54:29 people in these rooming houses to be 32 total
09:54:32 between the two property.
09:54:34 Instead, you have a City Attorney and the fire
09:54:36 marshal making a side deal with the property owner
09:54:40 to arbitrarily allow 30 people per each of the
09:54:44 structures.
09:54:44 The rooming houses have historically been the
09:54:46 initial residence for the new sexual predators and
09:54:49 offenders in VM Ybor.
09:54:51 After having experienced the awful living
09:54:54 conditions there, they then find other slumlords
09:54:56 in the area to rent from causing a general
09:54:59 increase in overall numbers.
09:55:00 I have 75 predatory people living within a quarter
09:55:02 mile of my house.
09:55:03 Most of their victims were under 12.
09:55:05 Like I've asked in the past, when is too many just
09:55:09 plain too many?
09:55:10 Logic would tell me that if you put 25 people in
09:55:12 one residence that have all participated in tax
09:55:14 fraud schemes in the past, you would end up with
09:55:17 25 tax fraud experts as they share the tricks of
09:55:20 their craft with one another.
09:55:22 Unfortunately, residents are not privy to the
09:55:24 probation terms of these individuals.
09:55:26 When they do violate their specific charges, which
09:55:29 is rather quite often, we are not privy to this
09:55:31 information either.
09:55:32 Are they simply caught somewhere where they
09:55:34 shouldn't be or did they actually violate someone
09:55:37 else?
09:55:38 I am asking for the Hillsborough County ordinance
09:55:39 regarding clustering of predatory people to be
09:55:42 enforced in the city.
09:55:43 By limiting each property to one of these
09:55:45 individuals, it would significantly cut down the
09:55:47 number in VM Ybor.
09:55:50 Where will these people go?
09:55:51 That is not our neighborhood's problem as it
09:55:54 wasn't prior to 2009 when the first rooming house
09:55:56 owned by James Primmer came into existence.
09:55:58 The recidivism rate is pretty high for predatory
09:56:00 people and per the footnotes on the county
09:56:03 ordinance 08-21, research shows that most
09:56:06 convicted sexual offenders have committed many,
09:56:08 many crimes before they are caught.
09:56:10 They are also indiscriminate as to their victims,
09:56:13 whether adult or child, male or female.
09:56:15 Are you willing to continue to put our residents
09:56:17 at risk?
09:56:17 Again, I am asking for relief for our neighborhood
09:56:21 from the very serious problem and that the
09:56:23 Hillsborough County ordinance be enforced.
09:56:25 I do have commitment from the county that they
09:56:26 will come into VM Ybor and enforce the code.
09:56:30 I'm asking the city departments to step up to the
09:56:32 plate.
09:56:32 Thank you.
09:56:33 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
09:56:35 Next speaker.
09:56:38 [ APPLAUSE ]
09:56:39 All right.
09:56:39 Now, we're not at a football game where you cheer.
09:56:42 This is a City Council meeting.
09:56:44 We expect you to do your due diligence.
09:56:47 Let's be nice.
09:56:47 Thank you.
09:56:48 Next speaker.
09:56:51 >> Hi.
09:56:52 Judy Greer. 1314 East 15th Avenue.
09:56:55 I'm not as close to the problems as Kelly is.
09:56:58 She will give you the exact amount of predators
09:57:01 that are within a quarter mile, within a half
09:57:03 mile.
09:57:04 And a big part of the problem, thanks to you and a
09:57:07 lot of organizations affiliated with the city,
09:57:11 what have you, have brought in Trinity Cafe.
09:57:16 Not only do we house these people unbelievably in
09:57:21 great quantities, but now we feed them.
09:57:23 The Tampa health department comes in and brings
09:57:26 their big truck.
09:57:28 Gives them all the health things they need so
09:57:31 where else would they want to go?
09:57:33 In other words, they'll stay there because it is a
09:57:35 nice place for them to be.
09:57:37 I think Kelly brought up the best thing, the
09:57:39 anti-clustering ordinances have to be enforced.
09:57:43 They can't all be in VM Ybor, as most of them are.
09:57:47 I would like to contribute to buses or whatever to
09:57:50 take them to North Tampa, back down to Hyde Park,
09:57:54 West Tampa, I don't care.
09:57:55 Something that gives us a little bit of relief.
09:57:59 Thank you.
09:57:59 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
09:58:00 Next speaker.
09:58:09 >> My name is Frank R. Williams, Senior located
09:58:13 1112 East Scott Street.
09:58:15 Paradigm Missionary Baptist Church.
09:58:20 I know you all won't give me but three seconds.
09:58:24 I'll try to speak as fast as I can because I have
09:58:27 a lot on the agenda.
09:58:28 Basically, we have to understand why we don't have
09:58:32 more black peoples here because I can tell you
09:58:35 why.
09:58:36 Because basically you-all don't represent black
09:58:38 folks.
09:58:39 I must be firm.
09:58:40 I came down here for many years hoping that
09:58:44 somebody would come down and talk with me
09:58:46 individually.
09:58:47 Nobody seems to care.
09:58:49 I came down here one time to read the script out
09:58:52 of the Bible, Charlie Miranda told me, no, I can't
09:58:57 do that.
09:58:58 And I'm a preacher.
09:59:00 But yet a Mormon can come down here and read out
09:59:03 of the Quran and nobody say nothing about it.
09:59:07 So we are prejudiced against God's children.
09:59:10 But I have to stand up for, regardless of whether
09:59:13 or not they want to hear me or not.
09:59:15 God says we must go out and tell the world, preach
09:59:18 the gospel, teaching them to observe everything.
09:59:21 But something you all hinder me from doing, and
09:59:25 yet you're trying to destroy my church located at
09:59:28 1112 east Scott street.
09:59:30 I went down there to meet with Buckhorn and he
09:59:34 never called me back.
09:59:35 Yet understand, we are taxpayers.
09:59:40 You all are living off our money.
09:59:43 And you got to understand, you're supposed to
09:59:46 represent all people.
09:59:47 The Mexicans, the Jews, the Indians, the so-called
09:59:51 black folk, and all the colored folks as well as
09:59:55 the white folks.
09:59:56 You all don't want to put that on your agenda.
09:59:59 You all want to represent white folks only.
10:00:05 I must tell you all, I want to tell you all happy
10:00:08 new year, but you all got to understand, you have
10:00:13 to be obedient to God to rejoice a happy new year.
10:00:18 Miranda, God bless you, but you shouldn't reject
10:00:21 me reading the script of God.
10:00:25 Damnation will come upon all us.
10:00:30 We are here today because we are still breathing
10:00:33 God's air.
10:00:34 All of us, whether they are believers or not,
10:00:40 ought to give God some glory and give God some
10:00:43 praises.
10:00:44 And thank God for your life and try to help people
10:00:48 that is down and out.
10:00:50 I had a woman come up here talking about suicide.
10:00:53 Practically everybody in Tampa, if you all handle
10:00:58 them like you handle me would commit suicide, but
10:01:01 I'm not a suicidal person.
10:01:03 I'm a believer in Jesus Christ and I am a lover of
10:01:07 God, and I thank God for letting me be here to see
10:01:10 another year, 2016.
10:01:12 I have a lot of other things that I wanted to talk
10:01:15 about.
10:01:15 I know you all won't give me the privilege to talk
10:01:19 about, but when other people come up here, they
10:01:21 hold them up here, asking them questions, why
10:01:25 don't you ask me questions?
10:01:26 No, it won't happen.
10:01:28 God bless you all.
10:01:29 >>FRANK REDDICK: Next speaker.
10:01:35 >> Hi.
10:01:36 My name is Lizz Cannon.
10:01:37 I recently moved to 3202 North 12th Street.
10:01:41 I'm here to speak on topic 6, which is the issue
10:01:44 of the concentration of sexual predators in the
10:01:46 neighborhood.
10:01:47 First and foremost, I would like to say I actually
10:01:51 am of the opinion that I don't have a problem with
10:01:55 people living wherever they are living.
10:01:58 I feel that we often castigate people who have a
10:02:02 former record of any sort, but especially when it
10:02:08 comes to people who have some kind of sexual
10:02:10 predator application put upon them by the justice
10:02:12 system, right or wrong.
10:02:14 I have worked with departments of correction, and
10:02:18 I have done volunteer work, and I can say that
10:02:21 many people who are in these situations have
10:02:25 mental health issues that have to be dealt with.
10:02:28 What I'm here to say to you as a City Council, I
10:02:32 think you should be very mindful of the
10:02:37 regulations, statutes, and laws that you have on
10:02:39 the books, and it sounds like you're not being.
10:02:41 I don't know.
10:02:42 I'm not privy to all the statistics.
10:02:44 But I also will say that as a person living in
10:02:47 that neighborhood, I feel that people have a right
10:02:49 to have a home.
10:02:51 They have a right to have a safe place to live.
10:02:53 And there's some place in the middle where the
10:02:57 City of Tampa can do something to be helpful for
10:02:59 the people in the neighborhood.
10:03:01 It is interesting to me that since I have moved
10:03:02 into that neighborhood, I've gotten opportunities
10:03:04 to deal with people in crisis.
10:03:06 For whatever interesting reason, I've had many of
10:03:09 my neighbors come to me asking me for help perhaps
10:03:13 because they know I'm an attorney.
10:03:14 The word gets out, oh, she's an attorney.
10:03:17 She can help you.
10:03:18 The very interesting thing is when I try to help
10:03:20 them and find places to get things like paying
10:03:23 their electric bill, no one can help.
10:03:25 The funding isn't there.
10:03:27 I think all of these things do play a role
10:03:30 together.
10:03:30 They are all interconnected.
10:03:32 And I would hope that the City Council listens to
10:03:37 VM Ybor very closely.
10:03:38 If you're not following the rules, not following
10:03:41 the law, it's a problem.
10:03:42 Also, let's all keep in mind that people do have
10:03:46 human rights and we want to be respectful of that
10:03:49 as well.
10:03:50 I think we do have an opportunity to have a happy
10:03:54 meeting ground if we all try.
10:03:55 Thank you.
10:03:57 >> Thank you, next speaker.
10:04:02 >> Good morning.
10:04:02 My name is Terry Grimsdale, 2701 North 9th
10:04:07 Street.
10:04:08 I've lived here ten years and I've watched the he
10:04:11 be and the flow of the neighborhood that has
10:04:13 transitioned when we first moved in in that area,
10:04:16 there was a lot of prostitution, a lot of drugs.
10:04:19 Everything that goes with that and to the help of
10:04:22 Tampa PD, the Neighborhood Association, the
10:04:25 neighbors in general.
10:04:27 Cleaned up dramatically.
10:04:30 I've got two children.
10:04:34 So the issues of the sexual predators is sort of
10:04:38 high on my list.
10:04:41 It goes against my best parenting to have them out
10:04:49 on the streets when I've got sexual predators in
10:04:54 my neighborhood.
10:04:56 Unfortunately, now that we've done away with most
10:04:59 of the prostitution and most of the drugs, now we
10:05:03 have a new problem and that is the sexual
10:05:04 predators.
10:05:05 I've got 97 predatory alerts in four years, since
10:05:12 2012.
10:05:12 So that equals two possible every day.
10:05:16 I'm sorry, every month.
10:05:18 It's a huge, huge concentration.
10:05:23 I think we probably have the highest concentration
10:05:28 of sexual predators in the City of Tampa.
10:05:31 In fact, I know we do.
10:05:32 I would suspect we also have the highest
10:05:36 concentration of sexual predators in the county.
10:05:38 I would like to see the city step up.
10:05:46 I'd like to see, like the lady said prior to me,
10:05:50 it's not an issue of them being sexual predators.
10:05:52 It's an issue of the amount that we have in such a
10:05:56 small area.
10:05:57 Thank you.
10:06:04 >> Good morning.
10:06:05 Debra Ramos.
10:06:06 I am a resident at 2606 north 12th street.
10:06:10 I am a landlord at 1023 east Columbus Drive.
10:06:13 I've invested a considerable amount of money and
10:06:15 time into VM Ybor.
10:06:17 I've spoken before this Council before on other
10:06:19 issues, and I know that you are tired of hearing
10:06:22 from us and I know that the Neighborhood
10:06:23 Association is vocal about our concerns and I know
10:06:25 it was our choice to move into this up-and-coming
10:06:27 neighborhood.
10:06:28 But in the time since I've been in the
10:06:29 neighborhood, I have seen the concentration of
10:06:31 these individuals increase.
10:06:32 Just yesterday at work when I was saying that I
10:06:34 was taking time off to speak to you, I pulled up
10:06:37 the map on the concentration, and the difference
10:06:39 between concentration in VM Ybor and anyone else's
10:06:41 neighborhood was drastic.
10:06:42 All we're asking for is fair and equitable
10:06:46 consideration of the regulations that are already
10:06:47 on law.
10:06:48 I'm asking for enforcement of division 5 child sex
10:06:53 crime prevention section 36-304 to be enforced on
10:06:56 those properties on Nebraska avenue, the same way
10:06:59 it would be enforced in Hyde Park or in
10:07:01 Carrollwood or in Westchase.
10:07:02 Thank you.
10:07:08 >> I'm Alexandra Byk at 1410 East 23rd Avenue.
10:07:13 My question is why the DOC allows so many sexual
10:07:17 predators to move in our neighborhood.
10:07:19 That's really what I'd like to know.
10:07:22 I've been living there for the last ten years, and
10:07:24 I've seen the situation getting worse, as you can
10:07:29 imagine, none of you would like to have that many
10:07:31 around, and we really don't want to see it
10:07:38 continue that way.
10:07:44 >> Lena Young Green, 3406 North Avon Avenue.
10:07:47 I want to wish the Council all the best for 2016
10:07:52 and hope that we can work together very
10:07:54 effectively to keep our communities safe and
10:07:59 improved.
10:07:59 Today, I am here on behalf of my neighborhood,
10:08:03 Tampa Heights, in support of VM Ybor.
10:08:05 We have to start making our decisions with things
10:08:12 linked together.
10:08:12 The issues that VM Ybor is addressing are some of
10:08:15 the same issues that our other urban core
10:08:20 neighborhoods are addressing.
10:08:20 It's unfair, all the concentration of one group of
10:08:26 people in one area.
10:08:28 That is just not fair.
10:08:30 And we have to make decisions connecting these
10:08:35 issues together.
10:08:36 We have worked for years and years and years with
10:08:39 you and with the community in improving these
10:08:43 areas that 30, 40 years ago were suffering from
10:08:48 some of these same issues.
10:08:49 Over the years, we had concentrated our efforts,
10:08:52 and we have improved them, but if we make
10:08:56 decisions that continue to focus and place a
10:09:01 concentration of one group or different groups in
10:09:04 one area, all the work that we are trying to do,
10:09:07 all the work that we've done in the past will not
10:09:10 be beneficial.
10:09:11 There are many decisions that are made that are
10:09:14 impacting the poor and the more urban
10:09:19 neighborhoods.
10:09:19 And I ask you today to look at these issues from a
10:09:23 broader perspective and determine how we could
10:09:26 impact and improve the entire City of Tampa, not
10:09:30 just certain areas that are impacted by certain
10:09:37 investments.
10:09:37 So that's what I'm asking today.
10:09:41 I ask that you continue to think about these
10:09:45 decisions and connect these issues as we try to
10:09:49 work together in this year and the years coming.
10:09:53 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
10:09:54 Next speaker.
10:10:02 >> Good morning.
10:10:03 James Worley, homelesslivesmatter.org.
10:10:08 I would like to speak to you today about
10:10:11 homelessness and crisis.
10:10:13 I'm glad that you're here.
10:10:17 Beth Ross of Blanket Tampa Bay alerted me of a man
10:10:20 that was on the bench at the corner of Armenia and
10:10:23 Hillsborough that was definitely in crisis and
10:10:26 should have been recognized as being in crisis.
10:10:29 However, police officers just drove by, drove by,
10:10:33 drove by and ignored that man as well as they do
10:10:36 other people that are on the streets, homeless
10:10:39 people especially.
10:10:41 This is the man right here.
10:10:42 This man's name was Charles Janz.
10:10:49 Born in 1950, he worked for Pinellas County School
10:10:52 Board 22 years, no arrest record.
10:10:56 His life fell apart when his parents died, his
10:10:59 wife died, and he lost his home last year to a tax
10:11:04 foreclosure auction.
10:11:04 He gave up.
10:11:06 I sat the other night, all night with this man
10:11:10 talking to him.
10:11:11 I learned a lot about him.
10:11:13 He just told me he wanted to die.
10:11:15 He told me he would die on that bench.
10:11:17 It took two calls, one to officer Whitney of the
10:11:26 Tampa Police Department who told Beth Ross to call
10:11:30 the nonemergency number.
10:11:31 She called the nonemergency number.
10:11:33 They called the crisis unit ambulance that came
10:11:36 out.
10:11:39 I arrived when the crisis unit was there and they
10:11:44 were speaking to Charles.
10:11:48 And here's him right before they left.
10:11:51 Four times they had the man sign the iPad with
10:11:55 his finger to make sure they had a good signature
10:12:01 that he was refusing service.
10:12:02 Anyway, the question I have about them is how
10:12:07 trained are they to recognize a medical emergency,
10:12:12 whether this person -- this man right now is in
10:12:14 the hospital with a fractured hip and kidney
10:12:18 failure.
10:12:19 They should have recognized that.
10:12:21 And if he refused the service, then call the
10:12:24 police department back and said this man needs to
10:12:26 be baker acted instead of just having him sign and
10:12:29 leave him there.
10:12:30 That was not right for anybody.
10:12:32 I would expect more than that out of them for
10:12:36 anybody, for you, for me, any citizen.
10:12:42 As for the conversation about the area of Nebraska
10:12:46 avenue, somebody had brought up Trinity Cafe.
10:12:49 And I agree.
10:12:52 Cindy, I told Cindy Davis myself that I believe
10:12:55 Trinity Cafe should have been in the middle of a
10:12:57 400-bed facility and served the homeless
10:13:00 population.
10:13:00 As for the woman with the homeless, the animals,
10:13:04 that wants a bigger shelter, maybe they should do
10:13:10 that and turn the old one into a homeless shelter.
10:13:16 >>LISA MONTELIONE: I was alerted to the plight of
10:13:21 Charles shortly after Mr. Worley was.
10:13:30 The power of Facebook is an interesting thing.
10:13:32 So I contacted officer Dan McDonald, who went
10:13:37 out and spoke to Charles within an hour of my
10:13:45 calling him, he was out there with Charles and
10:13:47 spoke to him.
10:13:47 Charles did not want to be moved that night.
10:13:50 He requested that he be left alone on that bench.
10:13:56 Officer McDonald informed him he would be back
10:13:59 in the morning.
10:14:00 That he would honor his request not be -- not to
10:14:04 be moved so as not to anger him or upset him even
10:14:09 more than he was.
10:14:10 Went back the next morning, and Charles was
10:14:12 transported to St. Joseph's Hospital, which is
10:14:15 where he is right now.
10:14:16 Just wanted to let everybody know that he is in
10:14:21 the hospital.
10:14:22 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
10:14:23 Next speaker.
10:14:32 >> Derek Chamblee.
10:14:33 Google D-E-R-E-K-C-H-A-M-B-L-E-E St. Paul.
10:14:40 Derek Chamblee, Google Derek Chamblee, federal
10:14:44 lawsuit.
10:14:45 Google Derek Chamblee Jeb Bush, Prescott bush,
10:14:50 Adolf Hitler, Nazi party, Republican party,
10:14:54 derogatory.
10:14:56 I first wanted to mention an award of sorts.
10:15:02 The end of the year, you might have read about it
10:15:05 in the Tampa Bay times selected Mayor Bob Buckhorn
10:15:12 as the biggest loser of the year.
10:15:15 And we know that we face this calendar ahead with
10:15:23 the seating of the police civilian review board.
10:15:28 And we know that there's an ongoing federal
10:15:32 action.
10:15:34 As to whether or not the Tampa police violated
10:15:40 people's civil rights, had racial profiling in the
10:15:43 taking of the bicyclist.
10:15:44 And this is expanded to include their contacts
10:15:47 with the poor and the homeless, threatening the
10:15:50 poor and the homeless constantly with arrests,
10:15:53 putting them in jail constantly on cases that the
10:15:57 state attorney does not want to bring to trial
10:15:59 because they know that they cannot win the case
10:16:03 against the homeless.
10:16:04 Once again, you'll revisit more laws on
10:16:13 soliciting, but the county ordinance that says
10:16:19 that you can solicit on the sidewalks and you can
10:16:21 old your political signs on the sidewalks for
10:16:24 whatever cause that's allowed.
10:16:27 So we're not going to retreat again from the
10:16:29 sidewalks.
10:16:31 On the crosswalks for Kennedy Boulevard between
10:16:33 Kennedy and Howard and Kennedy and willow, we need
10:16:39 those crosswalks, and every time, you know, I'm
10:16:42 told, well, that's the Department of
10:16:43 Transportation.
10:16:45 That's the state Department of Transportation.
10:16:47 It's been a year now.
10:16:50 That's four fatalities there.
10:16:51 We need those crosswalks.
10:16:53 You know, I mentioned to one of the mayors --
10:16:58 Mayor's guards that, you know, maybe the Mayor
10:17:01 needs to win the governorship to get the
10:17:04 crosswalks in his own city from the D.O.T.
10:17:07 But according to, you know, the Tampa Bay times,
10:17:09 Mayor Bob Buckhorn was one of the biggest losers
10:17:13 of the year and he can forget about running for
10:17:15 governor.
10:17:16 We'll continue to build the volunteer recall
10:17:20 committee until we get enough to have the
10:17:23 signatures to bring a special election.
10:17:26 We need a new Mayor.
10:17:27 We need a Mayor that's going to, for instance,
10:17:30 build the stadium here for the rays.
10:17:37 I'll cover the other stuff in my next speech.
10:17:40 Thank you very much.
10:17:40 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
10:17:42 Anyone else wishing to speak at this time?
10:17:44 Mr. Shelby, you mentioned about we need to wait
10:17:48 until public comment in order to vote on the
10:17:50 resolutions.
10:17:51 >>MARTIN SHELBY: Yes.
10:17:52 You have two resolutions that are before you as
10:17:56 walk-on.
10:17:57 If the Council wishes to take action.
10:17:59 >>FRANK REDDICK: We have two resolutions that was
10:18:03 walk-on.
10:18:03 One dealing with the cross licensing agreement
10:18:06 between Google and the City of Tampa.
10:18:08 Do we have a motion for that.
10:18:10 Got a motion from Ms. Montelione.
10:18:12 Seconded by Mr. Cohen.
10:18:14 Any discussion of the motion?
10:18:15 All those in favor, aye.
10:18:17 Opposed?
10:18:17 Second new business item, resolution designating
10:18:21 Sulphur Springs neighborhood within Tampa city
10:18:27 limits.
10:18:28 Motion from Mr. Maniscalco, seconded by
10:18:30 Ms. Montelione.
10:18:31 All in favor, aye.
10:18:33 Opposed?
10:18:34 Just for the record, I got an e-mail that just
10:18:37 came in that item number 58 and 59, they are
10:18:40 requesting that that be withdrawn.
10:18:46 >> I move to withdraw that from the agenda.
10:18:50 >>FRANK REDDICK: 10:30.
10:18:52 We'll wait.
10:18:52 Do we have any requests for reconsideration of
10:18:59 legislative matter?
10:19:00 Not seeing any, item number 5.
10:19:03 We have a motion to continue?
10:19:08 Mr. Miranda made a motion to continue.
10:19:18 Seconded by Mr. Cohen.
10:19:19 All in favor of the motion.
10:19:27 >> Why don't we say March 3rd.
10:19:29 Why don't we say March 17th?
10:19:34 >>FRANK REDDICK: Question.
10:19:37 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Thank you.
10:19:38 Jan, can you explain why you're asking for the
10:19:47 continuance?
10:19:48 >> Yes, ma'am.
10:19:49 The matter is in pending litigation, so the city
10:19:54 has filed a chapter 120 petition in order to be a
10:19:57 party to the proceeding, and be a part of any kind
10:20:01 of negotiations that may occur.
10:20:05 >>LISA MONTELIONE: So it's not a pending lawsuit.
10:20:09 We just filed a request to be part of?
10:20:15 >> No.
10:20:16 It's a lawsuit.
10:20:17 Chapter 120 Florida statutes lawsuit and
10:20:20 administrative challenge.
10:20:20 It's litigation.
10:20:22 >>LISA MONTELIONE: But the challenge is just for
10:20:23 us to be added to the hearing?
10:20:27 >> It's a full challenge, but we did it in support
10:20:30 of the department and the district.
10:20:33 >>LISA MONTELIONE: What is it exactly that we're
10:20:35 challenging?
10:20:35 >> The proposed agency action to issue the water
10:20:38 use permit.
10:20:45 >>LISA MONTELIONE: So the agency, S.W.F.W.M.D. or
10:20:49 D.E.P. is going to issue a permit for water use or
10:20:57 withdraw and we're challenging the issuance of it?
10:21:04 >> Maybe it would be better if I just did a status
10:21:07 of the issue.
10:21:09 The water management district, S.W.F.W.M.D.,
10:21:11 applied for a water use permit to the department.
10:21:14 The department issued a notice of --
10:21:16 >>LISA MONTELIONE: The department you're speaking
10:21:17 of, Department of Environmental Protection.
10:21:19 >> Department of Environmental Protection.
10:21:21 Sorry.
10:21:21 Publish notice of intent to issue that water use
10:21:25 permit.
10:21:26 Once that occurs, that opens what we call a
10:21:29 chapter 120 window.
10:21:32 So if anybody wants to challenge that agency
10:21:35 action, the agency would be the Department of
10:21:37 Environmental Protection.
10:21:40 You have to file a petition within 21 days of the
10:21:44 publication.
10:21:47 Whether you oppose it or support it, that is your
10:21:50 only window of opportunity.
10:21:51 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Which side are we on, the
10:21:54 opposing or the support?
10:21:56 >> We have petitioned in support of the
10:21:57 department's agency action.
10:21:58 So at this point in time, that starts a litigation
10:22:04 window, so we are a party to that proceeding, and
10:22:08 we are in a litigation status.
10:22:15 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Just so everyone knows, the
10:22:16 city of Temple Terrace has passed a resolution
10:22:21 opposing the issuance of the permit.
10:22:25 The Hillsborough River interlocal board of which I
10:22:29 am the chairperson also sends a letter opposing
10:22:35 the issuance of that permit.
10:22:37 I'm not sure if Hillsborough County has taken
10:22:42 action, but, this they have -- I'm getting
10:22:46 confirmation that they have taken action.
10:22:48 The board of county commissioners I believe also
10:22:51 opposes the issuance of that permit.
10:22:54 We're the only ones in support of the issuance of
10:22:59 that permit.
10:23:00 And I wanted to have a discussion here at Council
10:23:05 as to why we are in support of that permit when it
10:23:07 seems that everyone else around us is against it.
10:23:09 But we're prevented now because of the action that
10:23:14 our Legal Department has taken with the filing of
10:23:20 that notice of support from even discussing the
10:23:24 issue.
10:23:24 I just wanted to put that on the record.
10:23:26 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: Let me say this.
10:23:28 May I?
10:23:29 >>FRANK REDDICK: Yes, sir.
10:23:29 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I don't believe it's the Legal
10:23:31 Department.
10:23:32 I think there is a process that has to go through,
10:23:34 and this is the item that's in the process.
10:23:36 But to say that the Legal Department is doing this
10:23:38 or that this Council can't speak of it, I think
10:23:42 it's a little erroneous at this time.
10:23:43 Well, you can't speak on it because there is a
10:23:47 process that they are going through to join one
10:23:50 side or the other side.
10:23:54 >>JULIA MANDELL: Julia Mandell, City Attorney.
10:23:58 Regardless of the position that whether or not
10:23:59 this Council agrees or disagrees with the position
10:24:01 that we have taken in this litigation, it is
10:24:03 important and appropriate for us to not have the
10:24:05 discussion on the record.
10:24:06 Ms. McLean can be available to speak to any of
10:24:10 you off the record to discuss the reasons and the
10:24:13 thought process behind the action we've taken and
10:24:16 certainly if another action needs to be taken,
10:24:17 that's something that can occur.
10:24:19 But I think, as we say, anytime litigation has
10:24:22 been filed, and a lot of times there are time
10:24:24 frames and you have to go ahead and move forward,
10:24:28 it is appropriate and important for us to not have
10:24:30 this discussion on the record.
10:24:31 So I would say Ms. McLean will go ahead,
10:24:35 schedule time to meet with each one of you and
10:24:38 discuss exactly where we are, what is happening,
10:24:40 and the reasonings behind where we are.
10:24:42 Thank you.
10:24:43 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: Let me also say, not Temple
10:24:46 Terrace, not Hillsborough County donates one drop
10:24:49 of water for the minimum flows and levels of the
10:24:52 Hillsborough River.
10:24:52 Thank you.
10:24:54 >>FRANK REDDICK: Any other comments or questions?
10:24:55 We have a motion on the floor from Mr. Miranda, I
10:25:03 think seconded by Mr. Cohen.
10:25:05 >>HARRY COHEN: Yes, I believe it was for an update
10:25:08 on March 17.
10:25:09 Staff report.
10:25:09 >>FRANK REDDICK: Discussion of the motion?
10:25:10 All in favor of the motion, aye.
10:25:12 Opposed?
10:25:13 >> Aye.
10:25:14 >>THE CLERK: Montelione voted no.
10:25:17 >>FRANK REDDICK: Let's go to item number 6.
10:25:29 >> Ruben Delgado with the Tampa Police Department.
10:25:33 We're here to have the discussion about the sexual
10:25:35 predators in the VM Ybor neighborhood.
10:25:38 I brought with me this morning Detective Pickett
10:25:40 and Detective Guzina.
10:25:42 They are the two detectives that actually run our
10:25:43 criminal tracking unit, and part of that is the
10:25:46 sexual predator monitoring for the citywide.
10:25:48 They'll be able to brief you on specifics as far
10:25:51 as details with numbers and specifically VM Ybor
10:25:54 citywide.
10:25:55 So they have the information, and they will give
10:25:58 you a quick overview of what they do on a
10:26:01 day-to-day basis.
10:26:02 >> Good morning.
10:26:03 I'm Detective Pickett.
10:26:06 This is my partner John Guzina.
10:26:08 We work in the criminal tracking unit, which
10:26:13 involves basically the monitoring and maintaining
10:26:16 of compliance of roughly 850 sex offenders, slash,
10:26:21 predators within the City of Tampa.
10:26:23 We maintain all aspects of their compliance, and
10:26:28 it can be as simple as registering cars, e-mail
10:26:31 addresses, obviously locations, residences, and
10:26:36 mainly what we do is address verifications.
10:26:40 Make sure that they are living where they say
10:26:42 they're living, where they are telling the state
10:26:44 and where they are telling the department of
10:26:46 highway safety and motor vehicles on their
10:26:49 driver's license.
10:26:51 I'd be more than happy to answer any questions.
10:26:53 We strictly enforce all the compliance issues.
10:26:56 Over the past two years, we've made roughly 240
10:26:59 felony arrests for those compliance issues.
10:27:01 These are not arrests for new sex offenses.
10:27:04 These are arrests for offenders that are found out
10:27:08 of compliance.
10:27:09 Rough estimate from two other agencies roughly our
10:27:14 size in the area, we're over double the arrests
10:27:18 that they've made.
10:27:20 We take pride in staying on top of things.
10:27:24 We spend a lot of time in all areas of the city.
10:27:28 >>FRANK REDDICK: Provide a sample of some of the
10:27:30 arrests that are made.
10:27:31 >> I'm sorry?
10:27:32 >>FRANK REDDICK: What is the cause, the arrest?
10:27:34 >> A majority of them are when an offender or a
10:27:39 predator tells the state or sheriff's office that
10:27:45 he's living in one place and he's not and he's
10:27:47 living somewhere else.
10:27:48 He may be doing that because he's not allowed --
10:27:51 whether it's housing or section 8, and he's not
10:27:54 allowed to do that.
10:27:55 And he's basically deceiving the State of Florida.
10:28:02 We investigate that.
10:28:02 All the enforcement we take are felonies.
10:28:08 There are a lot of rules and regulations set on
10:28:10 these guys.
10:28:11 And we strictly enforce them.
10:28:13 But to give you an example, most of the time it's
10:28:16 either absconding, just leaving the area, not
10:28:19 telling anybody where they are at or somehow
10:28:21 trying to deceive where they are at.
10:28:23 Those are the majority of our arrests.
10:28:25 There are others as far as not reporting where
10:28:28 they are working correctly.
10:28:29 Not reporting a vehicle that they own.
10:28:34 They need to report that to the state.
10:28:35 There are lots of issues that we can deal with.
10:28:38 But to answer your question, the majority is of
10:28:43 them simply not being where they are supposed to
10:28:48 be.
10:28:48 >>FRANK REDDICK: Back in 2006 when I served on
10:28:50 this Council as an interim City Council person, I
10:28:55 asked TPD to give me a report of areas where most
10:28:59 of the sexual predators live in the City of Tampa.
10:29:02 Majority of them and over 85 to 90 percent of the
10:29:09 sexual predators lived in my district, which most
10:29:12 of them were living in Sulphur Springs.
10:29:15 And then they moved into the VM Ybor.
10:29:18 They move into other areas, but all of them seem
10:29:20 to be centralized in my district.
10:29:24 What bothered me, and I think what bothered the
10:29:27 residents of this community, 2016, we end the year
10:29:37 in 2015 and nothing changed.
10:29:40 All of them still in my district and they are
10:29:46 still basically in the same area.
10:29:47 I'm wondering -- and I understand people have the
10:29:53 right to move and find livable homes, but the
10:30:00 problem that bothers me is I wonder if all of them
10:30:05 have been centralized in a certain location and
10:30:09 was this planned or not, because all of them seem
10:30:13 to be in my district.
10:30:14 I understand that the city doesn't have an
10:30:22 ordinance.
10:30:22 The city already called me.
10:30:29 [ LAUGHTER ]
10:30:29 And I'm just concerned that when you have such an
10:30:36 influx of sexual predators and we do not have a
10:30:40 city ordinance, and I heard the comments, and I
10:30:44 want to be mindful that I understand -- there is a
10:30:49 county ordinance.
10:30:49 But we've got to do a better job than what is
10:30:57 being done now.
10:30:58 Because if this many people have been arrested,
10:31:03 and if they are sexual predators, we need to have
10:31:07 some policy, some ordinance in place to address
10:31:13 those issues, because I just cannot understand
10:31:20 that one neighborhood or two neighborhoods in
10:31:23 certain areas of the city has to deal with the
10:31:28 burden and responsibility of having predators in
10:31:30 their community.
10:31:31 And it has saddened me that back in 2006, when I
10:31:35 brought this up, here I am sitting here again in
10:31:40 2016 and I'm addressing the same issue.
10:31:44 Before I move for addressing the county ordinance,
10:31:55 and I know legal is going to say something about
10:31:58 it, but I want to address county ordinance because
10:32:04 if we have this ordinance on the books and it's
10:32:10 not being enforced, then why have the ordinance?
10:32:14 So, before I get to that point, I want to see if
10:32:19 my colleagues want to say anything, and then I'm
10:32:23 going to challenge the city on why we're not
10:32:28 enforcing the county ordinance.
10:32:30 If we're not going to enforce it, then, hell, we
10:32:34 have to put one in place ourselves for the city.
10:32:37 Someone has to give me answers today before we
10:32:40 leave pertaining to the county ordinance and why
10:32:42 we're not enforcing it or -- I make a motion for
10:32:45 the one in place for the city.
10:32:47 So it can be enforced.
10:32:50 Mr. Maniscalco.
10:32:51 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: Sure.
10:32:52 We received countless numbers of e-mails.
10:32:55 We've had many people come here today.
10:32:57 I mean, this is really hindering the
10:32:58 neighborhoods, the people that are trying to
10:33:00 revitalize these neighborhoods.
10:33:02 And I do agree with the Chairman.
10:33:04 Something needs to be done.
10:33:06 If we can't enforce the county ordinance, we have
10:33:10 to do something via the city, but we have to
10:33:11 address the issues.
10:33:11 Many years have gone by, just as he mentioned when
10:33:14 he was here the first time, and nothing has really
10:33:15 changed.
10:33:16 These neighborhoods are really coming back strong.
10:33:19 Things are different from ten years ago till now.
10:33:21 But, you know, I would support -- you know, if the
10:33:23 county ordinance can't be enforced, if we can look
10:33:27 with the Legal Department to see about doing
10:33:29 something with the city.
10:33:31 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Couple of questions.
10:33:33 Detective, the concentration of sexual predators
10:33:37 is something that we don't necessarily control
10:33:39 other than with the ordinance that has been
10:33:41 mentioned before.
10:33:42 Are you familiar with the Hillsborough County
10:33:43 ordinance that has been mentioned previously?
10:33:47 >> Yes, sir, somewhat, yes.
10:33:48 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Has that been something that we've
10:33:50 enforced or something that we've looked at in
10:33:52 terms of how we enforce it?
10:33:54 >> It has not.
10:33:55 And the legal advisors and the legal community can
10:33:59 discuss whether it will be.
10:34:00 I completely understand that.
10:34:02 My partner and I enforce Florida statutes.
10:34:06 We're enforcing felonies strictly on the offenders
10:34:11 and the predators.
10:34:11 We have not enforced the Hillsborough County
10:34:14 ordinance.
10:34:16 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Do you know if your counterparts on
10:34:20 the Hillsborough sheriff's office is actually
10:34:23 enforcing that particular ordinance?
10:34:25 >> From what I am told, they are not.
10:34:27 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Part of the problem, and I think
10:34:29 that my colleagues would understand it, and I
10:34:31 think that, Chairman Reddick, you're correct.
10:34:33 From 2006 until now, it is an issue that has to do
10:34:38 a lot with economic conditions.
10:34:39 We have a neighborhood that's up and coming, but
10:34:41 we still have a large number of landlords who are
10:34:47 catering to these specific types of folks, meaning
10:34:51 that if they have broken down or older homes, they
10:34:55 will do anything to rent them out.
10:34:56 And they tend to rent it to anyone who has money.
10:35:00 And if those sexual predators, unfortunately, find
10:35:03 places that are put up in there, and I think this
10:35:05 is something that the neighborhood I've talked
10:35:07 about with them several times, which is as these
10:35:11 neighborhoods change, that transition period, you
10:35:14 know, goes to where people will do anything to
10:35:17 rent out their homes.
10:35:19 They do not put money into them typically.
10:35:28 We've had this discussion with the difference
10:35:29 between a flophouse and a bed and breakfast when
10:35:29 people were trying to make that as a case.
10:35:30 The Trinity Cafe issue is something entirely
10:35:33 different, but something that when it came up, we
10:35:36 tried to discuss and fight against.
10:35:38 Unfortunately, we did not have the right to keep
10:35:41 that from happening over there.
10:35:45 The enforcement issues are something that we'll
10:35:47 really have to deal with.
10:35:48 I'd like to ask our attorney, is Ms. Mandell still
10:35:52 here any thought I saw her a moment ago.
10:35:55 Question, and this goes to procedural questions
10:35:59 concerning a county ordinance that's on the books
10:36:02 versus a city ordinance.
10:36:03 If we want, we can just continue or -- excuse me,
10:36:07 continue or to start enforcing the county
10:36:10 ordinance, is that correct?
10:36:12 >>JULIA MANDELL: Julia Mandell, City Attorney.
10:36:14 Generally, yes, if there is a county ordinance of
10:36:18 countywide jurisdiction, specifically, and we
10:36:21 don't have an alternative ordinance in the city,
10:36:23 we can enforce it.
10:36:24 However, I'm going to ask Mike Schmid, who has had
10:36:27 direct conversations with the County Attorney's
10:36:30 office regarding the county ordinance to come talk
10:36:33 to you and explain exactly what we're being told
10:36:35 from the county's perspective on their ordinance.
10:36:37 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Is he here?
10:36:43 >> Good morning, Mike Schmid, Assistant City
10:36:45 Attorney.
10:36:45 When we got the complaint about the ordinance not
10:36:53 being enforced, we immediately started reading the
10:36:56 ordinance, looking into the ordinance.
10:36:57 We met with TPD.
10:36:59 We all sat down.
10:37:00 We all reviewed the ordinance.
10:37:02 At that point, we set up a meeting with the County
10:37:04 Attorney's office to discuss the ordinance because
10:37:06 it is, in fact, their ordinance.
10:37:07 There were some questions that we wanted to
10:37:10 discuss with the county.
10:37:11 We met with three assistant county attorneys, and
10:37:15 this happened, I would say, early December.
10:37:20 And both officers here were present.
10:37:24 After the meeting, the county received our
10:37:27 questions, and they contacted us again later, and
10:37:30 they were aware of today's meeting, and they asked
10:37:34 us to relay to you that the county is currently
10:37:37 looking into this ordinance.
10:37:38 I can't tell you what exactly that means.
10:37:46 It is what it is and I can only tell you what I
10:37:48 was told.
10:37:48 I was told by the county that they are looking
10:37:50 into the ordinance.
10:37:51 That they are considering this ordinance.
10:37:52 And they asked us to relay that to City Council.
10:37:55 >>MIKE SUAREZ: If I could, Mr. Schmid, let me get
10:37:58 this straight, when was this ordinance passed?
10:38:01 What number it was, how long has it been on the
10:38:05 books?
10:38:06 >> It's been on the books since 2008.
10:38:08 >>MIKE SUAREZ: It's been on the books since 2008.
10:38:10 Did you ask them if they were enforcing it now or
10:38:13 if there were any legal issues around the
10:38:16 enforcement of it or if there are any legal issues
10:38:19 around enforcing it?
10:38:20 >> That was one of our questions and concerns that
10:38:24 we want to know.
10:38:26 Obviously, that is an important issue.
10:38:30 It's my understanding they are looking into those
10:38:34 issues themselves, meaning they don't
10:38:37 necessarily -- and I do not want to speak for the
10:38:42 county today and I'm trying not to.
10:38:45 It's my understanding that the county does believe
10:38:47 this is a lawful ordinance, however, whether or
10:38:49 not it's currently being enforced is really
10:38:53 probably a better answer for the county.
10:38:54 I don't want to speak --
10:38:56 >>MIKE SUAREZ: I totally understand.
10:38:58 I wasn't sure if that was part of your discussions
10:39:00 or what had come up.
10:39:01 Obviously for us, the biggest issue is you know,
10:39:03 we don't want to replow fertile ground that's
10:39:07 already there.
10:39:08 If there's an ordinance on the books that meets
10:39:10 our muster, meets our criteria in terms of what we
10:39:13 want to do in order to break up clusters of sexual
10:39:16 predators, then we don't want to have to pass
10:39:19 another ordinance.
10:39:19 Doesn't make sense to do so.
10:39:21 But if they are not even enforcing it, it goes to
10:39:24 the idea that maybe it has some either legal
10:39:27 issues that are not or haven't been tested or
10:39:30 there may be some superseding state law that has
10:39:33 already been put on the books.
10:39:36 I don't know the answer to that.
10:39:37 I don't think you do either.
10:39:38 Because if they don't have any answers for you and
10:39:42 they are the ones that are supposed to be looking
10:39:43 at these county ordinances, I don't know how we're
10:39:46 going to be able to answer the question about why
10:39:48 we're not enforcing it ourselves if the county is
10:39:50 not even doing that.
10:39:51 You're caught between a rock and a hard place
10:39:53 because this is something that has come up.
10:39:56 Nobody has any answers.
10:39:58 You don't have any answers from them.
10:40:00 You don't have answers for us.
10:40:01 No offense to you.
10:40:02 I hope you know that.
10:40:03 We're stuck, too, as to what the next steps are.
10:40:06 I'm not sure, and I will say this to my
10:40:08 colleagues, we start the process of a city
10:40:10 ordinance, if there's some other issues going on
10:40:13 with the county ordinance, I think that we really
10:40:15 need to take a hard look at this.
10:40:17 I believe that we probably can do some ordinance
10:40:20 that will break up clusters of sexual predators,
10:40:24 and I'm positive that there's probably something
10:40:27 on the books, if not the one that we already have
10:40:29 with the county, but from the state, that would
10:40:32 allow us to do some of this.
10:40:34 Because I know that this has come up periodically
10:40:37 over the years in terms of what to do with sexual
10:40:40 predators that are clustering in specific areas.
10:40:43 And it is because, primarily, of economic issues,
10:40:46 as I mentioned before.
10:40:47 Chair, I won't have any other questions.
10:40:49 I appreciate, Mr. Schmid, in terms of you coming
10:40:54 up here and being honest in terms of your
10:40:56 conversations with the county.
10:40:57 Hopefully we can figure something out going
10:40:59 forward.
10:40:59 Thank you.
10:40:59 >>FRANK REDDICK: Ms. Montelione.
10:41:03 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Thank you.
10:41:03 They are in my district as well.
10:41:05 I just pulled the map from FDLE.
10:41:13 We have three citywide individuals.
10:41:15 You can claim that everyone is in your districts.
10:41:17 As far as areas of the city, so we're talking
10:41:21 about district 7 and district 5.
10:41:24 The north and northwest areas of the city.
10:41:28 So, I guess, my question is, where are they going
10:41:35 to live?
10:41:36 If we don't want them in district 5 and we don't
10:41:39 want them in district 7, I'm sure they are not
10:41:42 wanted in district 4 or district 6.
10:41:44 So it begs the question, what would be the right
10:41:49 thing to do?
10:41:50 And I agree, Mr. Suarez, that a lot of the reason
10:41:54 that people live where they do, whether they are
10:41:57 sexual predators, offenders, or anybody else, I
10:42:00 mean, every single one of us lives where we live
10:42:04 more or less because of economic conditions.
10:42:06 If you're released from jail and you don't have a
10:42:10 lot of employment options, and you have a very
10:42:14 limited income, you're going to move to an area
10:42:19 where housing is very, very inexpensive.
10:42:22 I'm not familiar with the ordinance.
10:42:29 Can you or Mr. Schmid or somebody tell us exactly
10:42:33 what that ordinance says?
10:42:35 >> I'd rather have Mr. Schmid do that.
10:42:38 I can address some of the other issues like in
10:42:41 respect to what Mr. Reddick brought up as far as
10:42:45 just sheer numbers.
10:42:46 For example, if you take the center or the 2800
10:42:51 block of Nebraska, that's VM Ybor, as of this
10:42:57 morning, there's 139 within one square mile.
10:43:01 Actually, the radius of a mile, there's 139.
10:43:07 Now, Detective Guzina spent a lot of time in all
10:43:14 these neighborhoods and we know a lot of these
10:43:16 guys.
10:43:17 I pick another neighborhood, a random
10:43:19 neighborhood, I picked 9201 north 12th street.
10:43:22 That's North Tampa.
10:43:23 That encompasses part of Sulphur Springs, Copeland
10:43:29 Park area, there are 140 there.
10:43:32 So there's one more there than there is in the
10:43:34 2800 block of Nebraska.
10:43:36 In regards to enforcement -- well, let me back up,
10:43:45 as detectives in the unit, we don't play any role
10:43:49 in recommending or advising these guys where to
10:43:55 live.
10:43:55 What we do is, we basically respond to where they
10:43:57 have decided to live, and we, then, do our thing,
10:44:04 which is mandate strict compliance with the law.
10:44:07 Once they end up there, whether there's 15 of them
10:44:10 there or there's one there, we make sure that they
10:44:15 stay in compliance.
10:44:16 As far as where they go, I just want to be clear,
10:44:22 we don't even recommend, we don't have any issue
10:44:25 with that.
10:44:25 And if they were all to go somewhere else, we
10:44:28 would have no issue.
10:44:41 >> Mike Schmid again.
10:44:43 It was ordinance 08-21 passed by the county.
10:44:47 It has been -- it's now under section 36-304.
10:44:55 The title of it is the Child Sex Crime Prevention
10:44:57 Ordinance.
10:44:58 Generally, what the ordinance does is it prohibits
10:45:06 sexually related individuals who have committed
10:45:08 certain sexually related crimes from being
10:45:10 present, loitering, or prowling within 300 feet of
10:45:13 a specified location.
10:45:14 In addition -- and I think what some of the
10:45:17 concerns were from the citizens -- were there's
10:45:20 also residency requirements, no more than certain
10:45:25 individuals, sexual predators can live in one
10:45:27 location.
10:45:29 >>LISA MONTELIONE: When you say "one location,"
10:45:33 you mean one building.
10:45:34 So one address, not one location as in one
10:45:40 neighborhood.
10:45:41 >> I believe it's one property.
10:45:42 Yes, one building, one residence.
10:45:44 Under one roof.
10:45:48 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Right.
10:45:49 >> And there are numerous exemptions in this.
10:45:52 I mean, it's a fairly long ordinance with a lot of
10:45:56 details.
10:45:57 So that's why it requires some careful reading.
10:46:00 There are a lot of exemptions to allowing certain
10:46:04 individuals to reside in one location if they meet
10:46:07 these exemptions.
10:46:08 So not only do we have to first find out, does a
10:46:12 person qualify as a sexual offender, predator
10:46:15 according to the ordinance.
10:46:19 Do they have this many people living at this
10:46:23 location?
10:46:23 Do they meet any of the exemptions, which are
10:46:26 quite long?
10:46:29 And then you go into other issues such as, do we
10:46:31 have the jurisdiction?
10:46:33 Can we enforce it?
10:46:34 So that's sort of how we were looking at it, the
10:46:38 ordinance.
10:46:40 We got to the jurisdiction, the enforcement
10:46:43 concerns while we were continuing to, TPD as well
10:46:48 as code enforcement was conducting some
10:46:51 investigation when we've all met, it's safe to say
10:46:55 that it's obviously prudent for the city to meet
10:46:58 with the county since it's a county ordinance, and
10:47:01 we wanted to have some discussions with the county
10:47:04 about the enforcement of this before we proceeded
10:47:07 to enforce a county ordinance, and that is why we
10:47:11 had the meeting I was discussion.
10:47:13 That is why the county is looking into the
10:47:16 ordinance to specifically decide what they are
10:47:19 going to do with this ordinance.
10:47:23 >>LISA MONTELIONE: I guess what I don't understand
10:47:25 is we have the street solicitation ordinance,
10:47:28 otherwise known as the panhandling ordinance,
10:47:32 which we recently removed from our code because we
10:47:39 are -- what's the word -- we are abdicating that
10:47:44 power to the county.
10:47:45 And we have the ability to enforce that ordinance
10:47:51 because it's a county ordinance.
10:47:52 So this is as well a county ordinance.
10:47:57 Why wouldn't we have the ability to enforce this
10:47:59 ordinance just like we enforce others?
10:48:01 There are the others about, you know, the sale of
10:48:07 certain substances in -- not grocery stores -- in
10:48:13 convenience stores.
10:48:14 We have the ability to enforce that ordinance, and
10:48:17 it's not our ordinance.
10:48:18 It's a county ordinance.
10:48:19 So why are we picking and choosing which
10:48:22 ordinances to enforce and which ones not to?
10:48:27 >> First off, we only enforce county ordinances
10:48:31 where the county would give us the jurisdiction.
10:48:34 Typically, an ordinance is written that says in
10:48:36 the unincorporated parts of Hillsborough County,
10:48:39 every once in a while --
10:48:40 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Does this one say that?
10:48:43 >> No.
10:48:43 And I was going to get to that.
10:48:44 But I was trying to provide an overall answer.
10:48:47 So when a county ordinance passes, if they intend
10:48:52 to include the City of Tampa, they usually would
10:48:53 put language like including the incorporated area
10:48:56 of the City of Tampa.
10:48:59 This doesn't have that exact language, although it
10:49:01 does have the following language that I can
10:49:05 provide to you.
10:49:06 Unless there's been a municipal ordinance duly
10:49:09 enacted to the contrary, the provisions of this
10:49:12 county ordinance shall be uniformly enforced
10:49:14 throughout Hillsborough County by all state local
10:49:16 law enforcement agencies and code enforcement
10:49:17 agencies.
10:49:17 >> [ Inaudible - Microphone not on ]
10:49:18 >> That does give us the initial, in my opinion,
10:49:26 jurisdiction to enforce it.
10:49:29 >>JULIA MANDELL: Julia Mandell, City Attorney, the
10:49:32 only reason I'm bumping into this is because you
10:49:34 did raise lift station right-of-way ordinance,
10:49:37 which I was very involved with.
10:49:38 I want you to be aware that prior to what's coming
10:49:40 to you on a recommendation to remove your
10:49:42 ordinance and have the -- have us enforce the
10:49:46 county ordinance, we went to the county to make
10:49:48 sure that they felt that they would be in a
10:49:50 position to defend that ordinance.
10:49:52 >>LISA MONTELIONE: Right, I understand that.
10:49:56 >>JULIA MANDELL: It is up to the county to defend
10:49:58 the underlying language.
10:49:59 We enforce it in terms of we would be citing, we
10:50:02 would be the ones taking the action.
10:50:05 Our law enforcement would be the ones taking the
10:50:06 action.
10:50:07 However, it would be up to the county, both in the
10:50:10 solicitation of the right-of-way ordinance and in
10:50:12 this ordinance, to defend it.
10:50:14 What mike has said is after his meeting, he was
10:50:18 not necessarily being told that the county would
10:50:22 be in a position to defend the existing ordinance.
10:50:24 It hasn't been enforced in the county, from what
10:50:27 I've been told, for a very long period of time.
10:50:30 It hasn't been enforced here for a very long
10:50:33 period of time.
10:50:33 And, in fact, I can't tell you with any level of
10:50:38 comfort that if we were to move forward under the
10:50:40 county ordinance and our law enforcement was to
10:50:42 move forward and take action under that county
10:50:44 ordinance that the county would stand with us to
10:50:47 defend that.
10:50:47 That would be a problem.
10:50:50 >>LISA MONTELIONE: What do you mean by defend it?
10:50:54 If we go out and enforce an ordinance, our
10:50:57 officers show up at a building and there are 14
10:50:59 people who are sexual predators or offenders
10:51:01 living under one roof, which is not allowed, and
10:51:04 we move in to evict those people or instruct them
10:51:08 that they have to find another place to live --
10:51:11 >>JULIA MANDELL: In the event, and I think it's
10:51:13 highly likely that there was not just a challenge
10:51:15 to the person, say, okay, I got the citation.
10:51:18 I want to say why I shouldn't be held criminally
10:51:22 liable for that, but a challenge to the
10:51:25 overarching ordinance, what we call a facial
10:51:28 challenge to the ordinance or even as applied.
10:51:31 But it's actually challenged to the underlying
10:51:33 ordinance, not to the action the police officers
10:51:36 would take.
10:51:36 We would defend the action the police officers
10:51:38 take in moving forward to issue a citation or to
10:51:41 arrest somebody.
10:51:43 But the county would be responsible for defending
10:51:46 whether or not the underlying ordinance is legally
10:51:48 sufficient.
10:51:48 If the underlying ordinance is legally
10:51:51 sufficient -- is not legally sufficient, then
10:51:54 we're liable for any violation that comes out of
10:51:57 it.
10:51:58 That's why prior to coming to you on the lift
10:52:00 station and the right-of-way, I wanted to make
10:52:02 sure the county felt very comfortable and strongly
10:52:05 and would participate in the defense of that
10:52:08 ordinance.
10:52:08 They have told us they will, and they will.
10:52:10 We're not being told the same thing in this
10:52:13 instance.
10:52:13 That's the concern.
10:52:20 >>HARRY COHEN: You did make the point.
10:52:21 I have to tell you that with all due respect, this
10:52:24 conversation to me is almost ridiculous.
10:52:28 I am very sympathetic to what the Council members
10:52:32 from the districts were saying is a problem and is
10:52:36 concentrated, because the fact of the matter is
10:52:38 it's not just unfair that it's concentrated, it's
10:52:41 not smart that these people are all concentrated
10:52:45 in one place.
10:52:45 Before we get back to the issue that was just
10:52:48 raised, though, I just want to ask one question.
10:52:51 I'm not sure if anyone knows the answer to this or
10:52:54 not.
10:52:54 Does the department of corrections take absolutely
10:52:56 no interest or role in having any control over
10:53:02 where these people are released?
10:53:04 Are they not even looking at that when they are
10:53:06 making the decision to parole and furlough people
10:53:10 out of the criminal justice system?
10:53:13 >> They are sending --
10:53:16 >>HARRY COHEN: I'll get to your question that you
10:53:18 asked in the public comment.
10:53:20 >> John Guzina, detective in the sex offender
10:53:23 unit.
10:53:24 Been with the unit three years.
10:53:26 Just a couple of statistics that we passed over
10:53:28 here.
10:53:29 Since 2010, Hillsborough County, the entire county
10:53:32 is up 30%.
10:53:33 We went from around 1500 to 2,000 sex offenders.
10:53:38 The answer to your question, sir, when these
10:53:41 individuals are released, if they are released on
10:53:45 probation and under the supervision of the
10:53:46 department of corrections, and they have
10:53:48 restrictions to where they can live, thousand-foot
10:53:51 rule from a park, day care or school, those areas
10:53:58 in the incorporated City of Tampa are very few.
10:54:02 So when these probation officers are telling them
10:54:06 you are on probation for this amount of time,
10:54:09 there's limited areas in the city and in the
10:54:11 county that these individuals can go.
10:54:13 The answer to your question is, yes, the
10:54:15 Department of Corrections does have the say.
10:54:17 This is a nationwide problem.
10:54:20 As we grow with more laws that create these
10:54:23 individuals once they are released with the status
10:54:26 of sex offender, sex predator.
10:54:28 Then have the registration requirements for life.
10:54:33 We're seeing that as these individuals get
10:54:35 released, they are either staying for economic
10:54:37 reasons in certain areas, or they are staying
10:54:40 based on a probationary or a department of
10:54:43 corrections sanctioned area where they have to be
10:54:47 within a certain thousand-foot radius.
10:54:49 And again, if you pull a thousand-foot radius from
10:54:54 parks, schools and day cares in the City of Tampa,
10:54:57 there are very few.
10:55:02 >>HARRY COHEN: Your answer enlightens us as to why
10:55:06 it is as bad as it is.
10:55:08 My impression of this, listening to the
10:55:12 frustration that everyone has expressed, is that
10:55:15 if this county ordinance has been on the books
10:55:18 since 2008 and there's any question about whether
10:55:24 it can be enforced or whatever, then we need to
10:55:28 move on and pass our own ordinance, because there
10:55:31 is a community interest in getting some control
10:55:33 over this.
10:55:34 This is not -- I'm very comfortable that we can
10:55:40 identify lots of reasons why it's necessary for
10:55:46 permissible purposes to pass an ordinance covering
10:55:49 something like this.
10:55:50 My comment would be, look, if we can't determine
10:55:53 that we'll be supported from the county, we should
10:55:56 move on and not wait another ten years to do
10:56:01 something about it.
10:56:02 If my district or some of the others have to
10:56:04 absorb something additional, you're right.
10:56:06 They may not be happy about it, but just like
10:56:09 everything else in the city, we really all need to
10:56:12 bear the burden for each other and not pass things
10:56:16 off.
10:56:16 So that's where I stand on moving forward on doing
10:56:22 something about this if we can't come to a quick
10:56:26 resolution.
10:56:27 >>FRANK REDDICK: Ms. Capin.
10:56:28 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
10:56:29 This has been extremely enlightening,
10:56:32 unfortunately.
10:56:32 We're looking at 139, 140, and the explanation of
10:56:37 the thousand foot from a park or a school.
10:56:42 Maybe in these neighborhoods we need to open more
10:56:45 parks and move them.
10:56:46 But we need to absolutely have to disperse the
10:56:52 clusters.
10:56:52 I looked at it and I said, at first I thought,
10:56:56 well, this is easier for law enforcement if they
10:56:58 are all within a one-mile radius to keep track of
10:57:03 them, because if they are dispersed all over the
10:57:06 city, it's not as easy to track them or as
10:57:09 convenient.
10:57:09 Let me put it that way.
10:57:12 When you have them all on Nebraska, 2800 block of
10:57:15 Nebraska and you have them on north 12th street,
10:57:17 immediately I thought of that.
10:57:20 I thought, well, this is how you can more
10:57:23 conveniently -- and have less people on it because
10:57:28 they are concentrated, which is bad for the
10:57:30 neighborhood where they are concentrated at.
10:57:32 Although I know that this is not -- it's not
10:57:36 recommended by us, and then the local number,
10:57:45 property numbers, you gave us a total of 2,000 in
10:57:49 the county.
10:57:49 How many are in the city?
10:57:51 >> Approximately 850 to 870.
10:57:54 There is a fluctuation.
10:57:58 >>YVONNE CAPIN: How many detectives are on the
10:58:01 870?
10:58:02 >> Myself and detective Pickett are the two
10:58:05 detectives in the unit.
10:58:06 We have analysts that help us with the statistics.
10:58:12 >>YVONNE CAPIN: And how --
10:58:20 >> Depending on their status as an offender or
10:58:23 predator, they are required to be verified
10:58:24 biannually or quarterly.
10:58:26 They are also required to go to the sheriff's
10:58:28 office biannually or quarterly, and also within 48
10:58:33 hours of any change of their status, their
10:58:36 location, residents, vehicles.
10:58:38 That type of information.
10:58:40 I would be remiss if I didn't say that to monitor
10:58:47 these individuals, which I've done for three
10:58:50 years, and detective Pickett made mention of the
10:58:53 noncompliance arrests we have made, that we are
10:58:56 able to better monitor them, to better see
10:59:01 successful prosecution in the courts when we have
10:59:04 state's witness.
10:59:05 By state's witness I mean a landlord, or a
10:59:08 resident or a roommate that will sign basically a
10:59:13 sworn statement saying this individual is gone.
10:59:15 If these locations -- and as you said, if they are
10:59:21 dispersed, there will be a significant proportion
10:59:24 of homeless, general transient, sex offenders, sex
10:59:29 predators in the city.
10:59:30 For us to enforce them and do our checks and our
10:59:33 verifications, even though as transients a new law
10:59:36 was passed in October of 2014 that every 30 days
10:59:39 they have to update their transient status.
10:59:41 It's difficult with us to work with the state
10:59:44 attorney's office to bring a case to prove that an
10:59:48 individual is no longer --
10:59:51 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Excuse me, you said if they are
10:59:53 dispersed we would have an inordinate number of
10:59:56 homeless.
10:59:57 Did I understand that?
10:59:58 >> With any --
11:00:00 >>YVONNE CAPIN: That's your assumption.
11:00:01 >> My assumption is -- my assumption is that these
11:00:04 individuals will go elsewhere, and there will be a
11:00:07 portion of them that will be homeless and
11:00:09 transient.
11:00:10 If these individual places that house them for a
11:00:13 certain amount of money are no longer available,
11:00:15 they are going to be dispersed.
11:00:17 In what way, I do not know.
11:00:19 The point I want to make, for us to make
11:00:22 noncompliance arrests, for us to more than,
11:00:25 Jessica Lunsford Act was basically the premise was
11:00:28 that we have eyes on you.
11:00:33 We're watching you.
11:00:34 We're checking where you are staying.
11:00:35 We'll be here today.
11:00:36 The state law says we can come back tomorrow if we
11:00:39 feel that maybe you're not being totally honest
11:00:41 with us.
11:00:41 If they are transient, it goes without saying they
11:00:44 are more difficult to supervise.
11:00:47 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Getting to the county ordinance,
11:00:50 and what I gathered from it and I agreed with my
11:00:54 colleague, Mr. Cohen, in that the conversation
11:00:57 almost seemed ridiculous.
11:00:59 In order not to -- our move is to do nothing.
11:01:05 Our move is to do nothing on that ordinance in
11:01:09 order to avoid litigation.
11:01:17 It's almost absurd.
11:01:18 It's almost absurd.
11:01:20 So then in that case, to me, it makes a perfect
11:01:23 argument for us moving forward in the city in
11:01:27 order to be able to control this.
11:01:33 >>JULIA MANDELL: Julia Mandell, City Attorney.
11:01:35 Given the comments I've heard and I'm assured
11:01:38 there will be additional conversation, you
11:01:40 certainly have the legal authority to pass an
11:01:44 ordinance in city limits so long as we have the
11:01:48 sufficient data and analysis to support it.
11:01:50 The decision was made in 2008, from what I
11:01:54 understand to just allow ourselves to be bound by
11:01:58 the county ordinance, but that was a decision that
11:02:00 was made in 2008.
11:02:01 There was a lot of discussion --
11:02:04 >>YVONNE CAPIN: Maybe we'll get the county's
11:02:05 attention if we do this, because we definitely
11:02:07 did, when we passed the solicitation.
11:02:09 >>JULIA MANDELL: That's exactly what my
11:02:11 recommendation is going to be to you.
11:02:13 If that is your intent, that is certainly within
11:02:16 your purview.
11:02:17 You certainly can ask the Legal Department and TPD
11:02:20 to work together to provide the necessary data and
11:02:23 analysis to create what I hear is something
11:02:25 similar to within the county.
11:02:27 I'll call it an anti-clustering ordinance and
11:02:30 allow that to go through your ordinance process.
11:02:33 That is certainly within your purview.
11:02:35 >>YVONNE CAPIN: I'm going to defer to our chair
11:02:37 who mentioned an ordinance before we started this.
11:02:40 I just want to thank you for that, adding that,
11:02:46 that, yes, we should move forward and get the
11:02:49 attention, somebody's attention in order to -- I
11:02:52 mean, it's been very long.
11:02:54 I'm looking at a letter just to finish off here,
11:02:57 dated Monday, January 5, 2015, almost a year to
11:03:02 the state, same subject.
11:03:04 And we all have those.
11:03:07 I know that -- I commend you all.
11:03:11 You all do your job.
11:03:12 You are doing an exceptional job with the amount
11:03:17 of workload that is there.
11:03:21 And we want to help you.
11:03:24 We want to help the neighborhood.
11:03:25 We want to help everyone.
11:03:27 I am citywide.
11:03:28 These districts fall under my district.
11:03:36 And it's very important that we help you with
11:03:40 this.
11:03:41 Thank you.
11:03:41 I'm done.
11:03:44 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you, both.
11:03:47 >>HARRY COHEN: I just wanted to add one thing to
11:03:50 what councilwoman Capin said.
11:03:53 This is in no way intended disrespectful to either
11:03:56 the Legal Department or TPD or code enforcement,
11:03:59 because this problem is very similar to a lot of
11:04:02 other problems.
11:04:03 It's a great way to start the new year, because
11:04:07 the fact of the matter is, we have a major problem
11:04:10 in this city.
11:04:11 We passed ordinances and we do not have the
11:04:14 resources to enforce the ordinances that we
11:04:16 passed.
11:04:16 I am all for passing something and getting
11:04:20 something on the books, but we are going to have
11:04:22 to get to the fundamental question with this and
11:04:26 with everything else we do up here, that it's not
11:04:30 enough to just pass the ordinance.
11:04:32 You have to give the resources to the city
11:04:33 departments to be able to enforce them.
11:04:38 When you say it is the two of you handling almost
11:04:40 a thousand individuals, it's not -- it shouldn't
11:04:46 be a surprise to anyone that we're having these
11:04:48 types of problems.
11:04:49 I see Mr. Slater, and I know that this extends to
11:04:54 things that are unrelated to sexual predators.
11:04:57 Things like code enforcement violations on
11:05:00 structures and all of the different things that we
11:05:05 try to address here.
11:05:07 We can pass an ordinance, but we have got to look
11:05:10 at the resources that we are putting toward
11:05:13 enforcement if we want to make a difference.
11:05:15 >>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
11:05:15 I'll turn the gavel to you.
11:05:19 At this time, I want to make a motion at this time
11:05:22 and that is to instruct our City Attorney, Council
11:05:26 attorney to work with the Legal Department as well
11:05:29 as TPD to develop a recommendation through an
11:05:37 ordinance on how we can come up with an ordinance
11:05:42 about the clustering of sexual predators in the
11:05:45 City of Tampa that will be enforceable and
11:05:49 identify the resources that might be needed to
11:05:52 assist TPD in carrying out the duty and
11:05:56 responsibility and report back to Council on
11:05:58 February the 18th under staff reports.
11:06:01 >> Second.
11:06:03 >>HARRY COHEN: We have a motion from Councilman
11:06:05 Reddick.
11:06:06 We have a second, I believe it was Councilwoman
11:06:09 Capin in a close vote with Councilman Maniscalco.
11:06:12 Before we get to a vote, Councilman Suarez wants
11:06:15 to speak.
11:06:16 >>MIKE SUAREZ: Thank you, chair.
11:06:17 If I could make a friendly amendment to research
11:06:20 and look into not only making it sexual predators
11:06:24 or offenders could not be within a thousand feet
11:06:27 of schools, but also fire stations, police
11:06:34 department locations and annexes, any city
11:06:37 building, and any place designated as a safe haven
11:06:41 for runaways and other children that are looking
11:06:45 for help, if you could look into that as to
11:06:50 whether or not we can put that in the ordinance
11:06:51 and whether or not it would pass muster with state
11:06:53 law in addition to any other city or county
11:06:55 ordinance.
11:06:56 Did you get that, sir?
11:06:59 Thank you.
11:07:01 >>FRANK REDDICK: And I accept that amendment.
11:07:03 If you want to start, start at Pasco County,
11:07:05 because they have one that is very good over in
11:07:07 Pasco County that met all muster.
11:07:13 If you're going to look at it, look at Pasco
11:07:16 County.
11:07:17 I second the amendment.
11:07:20 >>HARRY COHEN: It looks like the motion, the maker
11:07:22 and seconder are both on board with the amendment.
11:07:24 Are there any other comments from Council members
11:07:26 before we vote on the motion?
11:07:27 If not, all those in favor please indicate by
11:07:30 saying aye.
11:07:30 Opposed?
11:07:31 All right.
11:07:32 >>FRANK REDDICK: We go to item number 7.
11:07:34 Thank you all for coming.
11:07:43 >> Good morning, members of Council, Jake Slater,
11:07:47 neighborhood empowerment administrator.
11:07:49 First of all --
11:07:49 >>FRANK REDDICK: Mr. Slater, hold on for a second.
11:07:52 Let them clear out so we can hear you.
11:07:58 They were making a little noise and couldn't hear
11:08:01 you.
11:08:03 >>JAKE SLATER: Jake Slater, neighborhood
11:08:05 empowerment administrator.
11:08:07 Happy new year to all Council members.
11:08:10 We've been asked to come back to give an update on
11:08:13 the code enforcement enforcement practices dealing
11:08:16 with the two areas.
11:08:17 One is how things are going with these areas on
11:08:28 repeat violations and also chronic violators.
11:08:32 Just to refresh everybody's memory, here are the
11:08:34 definitions for the repeat violations and also for
11:08:37 the chronic violators.
11:08:39 Just to let everybody know, it is actually working
11:08:43 out very, very well for us.
11:08:46 Provides another tool in the toolbox for us.
11:08:49 Under repeat violations, we had that on the books
11:08:54 for several years.
11:08:57 I asked Sal to come here and give an update about
11:09:01 the number of cases.
11:09:03 On the chronic violator, that was just passed back
11:09:08 last year in April, so we really haven't had a lot
11:09:12 of time yet.
11:09:13 If you look at the definitions, a violator who has
11:09:17 within 365 days been issued either three
11:09:21 citations, three notices of violations, or any
11:09:28 combination thereof without correcting the
11:09:32 violations within a period specified by the notice
11:09:35 for the same code violations on the same property,
11:09:38 excluding overgrowth.
11:09:39 If you recall, that was a topic of discussion back
11:09:43 in March and April for us.
11:09:45 But, again, this is actually working.
11:09:48 It is a good, good tool for us.
11:09:50 I'm very happy to have it in our toolbox.
11:09:58 I'll ask Sal to come up and give an overview about
11:10:01 the number of cases.
11:10:07 >> Good morning.
11:10:08 Sal Ruggiero, Operations Manager, Neighborhood
11:10:11 Empowerment.
11:10:12 First of all, I would like to say thanks for
11:10:28 passing the code, because it really is going to
11:10:30 work.
11:10:30 I feel good about it.
11:10:32 Became effective April of 2015.
11:10:35 We had a couple of things that we had to work
11:10:37 through.
11:10:38 First off, we had to train the code officers on
11:10:41 the process because it's a different process than
11:10:44 just issuing a notice to get somebody in the
11:10:47 court, they have to fill out an affidavit.
11:10:49 So we got everybody trained.
11:10:54 Then the second phase of the training was getting
11:10:58 certain police officers from within TPD to help us
11:11:02 serve these affidavits.
11:11:03 So that process is in place.
11:11:05 We have a process where we conduct the
11:11:09 investigation.
11:11:11 We fill out the paperwork, and then TPD in their
11:11:15 crime-free unit, which is six police officers, two
11:11:18 in each district, assist us in serving the
11:11:21 affidavit when these cases start coming forward.
11:11:24 Also, the solid waste inspectors that augment our
11:11:29 operation, they were trained in this also.
11:11:32 So that took us to about June to get all that
11:11:38 done, vacations and all that.
11:11:39 Everybody is trained.
11:11:40 The process in place.
11:11:43 As of right now for 2015, we had six repeat cases
11:11:47 for the year.
11:11:49 And those are going through some phase of
11:11:53 prosecution right now.
11:11:55 The chronic, we're still within that year.
11:11:58 Became effective April, so we have -- we're still
11:12:02 monitoring that to develop some cases.
11:12:04 We've had two success stories in the courts right
11:12:07 now that involve repeat offenders.
11:12:12 One, and these are the worst of the worst.
11:12:16 It's not going to happen every time.
11:12:17 We had one where the person failed to come into
11:12:22 compliance.
11:12:23 They were repeat.
11:12:25 Kind of gave the judge a tough time.
11:12:26 The judge gave the offender a night in jail for a
11:12:30 code violation.
11:12:31 That's an eye-opener.
11:12:32 That's not going to happen every time.
11:12:35 We have another one where this is a very chronic
11:12:38 repeat violator.
11:12:40 The judge ordered him to come into compliance
11:12:44 within 30 days.
11:12:45 If he doesn't, he'll spend 30 days in jail.
11:12:50 We're getting some backing from the courts.
11:12:52 We got great backing from Council, great backing
11:12:55 from the Mayor.
11:12:57 I think we're moving forward positively, and we
11:13:00 have a process in place, and I think things are
11:13:02 going to move along smoothly.
11:13:08 >>HARRY COHEN: Do you get the sense that word is
11:13:12 spreading that you can actually find yourself
11:13:15 spending the night in jail if you don't clean
11:13:18 these things up?
11:13:21 >> Yes, sir.
11:13:22 I think so, because when we go into a courtroom,
11:13:24 you have multiple cases there.
11:13:25 They are all there for the same code violation, so
11:13:28 they are seeing this.
11:13:29 I think it does have an effect, even if it's just
11:13:32 one case, the word is out now, you could spend the
11:13:35 night in jail.
11:13:35 The other thing is, our code enforcement officers
11:13:38 are doing a great job in the neighborhood.
11:13:41 We have the area smaller.
11:13:44 We have more personal contact with citizens, and I
11:13:47 think we're working things out better.
11:13:49 As a matter of fact, for 2014, because I haven't
11:13:53 done the stats for 2015 yet, we're about 75%
11:13:56 compliance at the initial phase of the
11:13:59 investigation, where they get a notice saying
11:14:01 that, hey, you need to cut your grass or you need
11:14:04 to do something, we're getting 75% compliance
11:14:07 right there.
11:14:07 So I think that personal touch is working.
11:14:15 >>HARRY COHEN: Thank you very much.
11:14:16 Thank you for being here.
11:14:19 >> Thank you very much for all of your support.
11:14:21 It means a lot to us.
11:14:28 >>BRAD BAIRD: Good morning, City Council.
11:14:30 Brad Baird public works and utilities services
11:14:35 manager.
11:14:35 I'm here to talk about item 8 regarding a plan for
11:14:38 future sea level rise and what expected
11:14:42 improvements in infrastructure that we will be
11:14:48 looking at, what work would be needed to develop a
11:14:50 needs assessment, and then if there are any grants
11:14:53 associated with that.
11:14:54 So, we first must understand sea level rise
11:15:02 projections, assess what that means to Tampa, and
11:15:07 then the vulnerability of our assets.
11:15:11 In particular, our infrastructure, utility
11:15:15 infrastructure.
11:15:16 Before you develop a plan to protect against sea
11:15:21 level rise.
11:15:21 First, let me talk about the grant opportunities,
11:15:25 so I'll go to the third item of that motion.
11:15:28 A needs assessment and a vulnerability assessment
11:15:32 is the first step, as you've indicated in your
11:15:37 motion.
11:15:37 Our grants coordinator, Charisse Wilks, has done
11:15:45 extensive research on grant opportunities for
11:15:47 needs assessments or vulnerability assessment
11:15:50 associated with sea level rise over the last
11:15:52 couple of months.
11:15:53 She is here today.
11:15:55 She just stepped out.
11:15:56 Hopefully she will be back in a minute, but if you
11:15:58 have any detailed questions on that, save them for
11:16:04 the end, even though she just walked right back
11:16:07 in.
11:16:07 Unfortunately, grant opportunities are limited for
11:16:12 vulnerability assessments.
11:16:13 And qualifying criteria is much broader than just
11:16:18 sea level rise.
11:16:19 But I will go through the three areas or three
11:16:23 potential grant opportunities.
11:16:24 The first one is with the natural -- National
11:16:27 Science Foundation, science engineering and
11:16:31 education for sustainability of coastal systems.
11:16:34 The second one is the National Science Foundation
11:16:38 as well, and it is water sustainability and
11:16:42 climate change.
11:16:45 The third one is national oceanic and atmospheric
11:16:51 administration, better known as NOAA, which has a
11:16:55 national sea grant.
11:16:57 So there are three opportunities out there.
11:16:58 However, since grant opportunities are limited,
11:17:03 that promise -- that prompted us, excuse me, to
11:17:07 look at other opportunities and other tools that
11:17:10 may be out there.
11:17:11 And we found one.
11:17:12 Turns out that the U.S. EPA partnered with 23
11:17:17 communities to develop a tool, and the tool is
11:17:21 called climate resilience evaluation and awareness
11:17:25 tool CREAT is the acronym.
11:17:29 So this tool has been used already and developed
11:17:34 by these 23 communities and it could be used to
11:17:37 help Tampa understand potential climate change
11:17:42 impacts of which sea level rise is one of them.
11:17:44 The good news is, it's free.
11:17:46 It's version 2.0.
11:17:51 Unfortunately, right now, you can't download it
11:17:54 because they are going through changes on their
11:17:56 website, but we will get our hands on it and using
11:18:02 in-house staff, our in-house engineering staff to
11:18:09 start going through that process.
11:18:13 So that's the first step.
11:18:16 Further, okay, so a different subject off of the
11:18:23 grants, we are preparing to partner with
11:18:25 University of South Florida, the Patel college of
11:18:29 global sustainability on climate change research,
11:18:33 more to come on that.
11:18:34 We'll be lining up a meeting later on this month
11:18:39 with that group and see where that goes in terms
11:18:41 of research associated with climate change.
11:18:45 Next, I would like to back up into your motion, if
11:18:50 you will, and cover some known risks that we
11:18:56 know -- or risks we know already associated with
11:19:00 our infrastructure, and what we've accomplished so
11:19:02 far and future plans in three areas.
11:19:06 Water, wastewater, and stormwater.
11:19:07 And the good news is, significant amount of work
11:19:13 has been done and is planned to be done to
11:19:15 mitigate the impacts of sea level rise, but I want
11:19:18 to stress these improvements were not done with
11:19:22 sea level rise being the driver.
11:19:24 They were done for other reasons, but I think they
11:19:27 are worthy of mention so that, you know, what
11:19:31 the -- so that you know what the city is doing in
11:19:34 these areas.
11:19:34 First with wastewater, the known risks are in
11:19:39 three areas -- the coastal pumping stations.
11:19:43 Obviously, the ones next to the bay or next to the
11:19:45 river.
11:19:49 Increased infiltration and inflow into that
11:19:52 wastewater system.
11:19:53 Infiltration of groundwater and inflow of
11:19:57 stormwater.
11:19:58 And then third, an increase in salts in the
11:20:03 wastewater effluent, namely chlorides.
11:20:10 Coastal pumping stations, what we have done
11:20:13 already is we've already construct for the last 30
11:20:18 years or so our control panels, which are the
11:20:22 electrical controls for the station at elevation
11:20:24 11, even if they are right next to the water.
11:20:28 Increased infiltration and inflow, what we call
11:20:36 I & I, to reduce that into the system, we have
11:20:40 implemented an extensive pipeline lining program
11:20:45 called version liner.
11:20:46 Since FY '13, we have lined approximately 40 miles
11:20:52 of pipeline, counting the ones that we're going to
11:20:54 line this year, or 10 miles a year.
11:20:57 And that is significant in that it can reduce that
11:21:01 inflow into the system, that inflow of groundwater
11:21:06 which sea level rise can make that groundwater
11:21:09 become more and more salty, you know, in the next
11:21:14 decades.
11:21:15 It isn't a silver bullet, however, because we
11:21:20 still have the lateral pipelines or those house
11:21:23 connections that can leak and bring us groundwater
11:21:26 and stormwater if they unscrew their caps, which
11:21:33 they are not supposed to do.
11:21:35 Third, the increase in chlorides I mentioned could
11:21:39 necessitate treatment or operational changes at
11:21:42 the Howard F. Curran wastewater treatment plant
11:21:46 and lower reclaimed water value if that becomes
11:21:48 more salty, making it less desirable.
11:21:51 Nothing has been done in this area.
11:21:53 No work nor is anything planned at this point.
11:21:56 The fourth thing the wastewater department is
11:22:00 doing is they have partnered with Columbia
11:22:03 University and the water environment research
11:22:09 foundation on a research project.
11:22:10 And they are quantifying fugitive greenhouse gas
11:22:15 emissions from biofilm systems, so our lab out at
11:22:18 the plant is working with those two entities on
11:22:21 that.
11:22:21 I'll move on to stormwater.
11:22:28 Stormwater department has been -- or
11:22:31 transportation of stormwater services department
11:22:33 has been implementing methodologies to stem tidal
11:22:37 influence into city right-of-way and private
11:22:40 property for over 15 years.
11:22:42 First, two major areas.
11:22:46 First, we have installed flap gate, sleeve valves
11:22:51 and duckbills at different locations to minimize
11:22:54 that saltwater intrusion onto the roadway, mainly.
11:22:57 But also it can be onto private property.
11:23:01 What that is, it is a valve at the end of the
11:23:04 outfall pipe that will allow stormwater to flow
11:23:07 out, but does not allow the seawater to flow in.
11:23:12 And then secondly, we have constructed a couple of
11:23:16 pumping stations.
11:23:18 You're familiar with a couple of those in
11:23:22 low-lying areas that have flooding due to high
11:23:25 tides and or extreme rain events and then
11:23:29 opportunities for construction of additional
11:23:30 pumping stations and upgrading pumping stations
11:23:33 are being considered.
11:23:34 And, of course, the stormwater department, the
11:23:38 engineering division will continue to collaborate
11:23:42 with the state agencies, federal government to
11:23:46 assist in that threat and see where the other
11:23:49 opportunities are.
11:23:50 Water, the third area, is probably where we've
11:23:52 done the most work.
11:23:55 And are well positioned for issues associated with
11:23:58 climate change, not just sea level rise.
11:24:01 First, the water supply.
11:24:05 Unlike many entities across the United States or
11:24:09 utilities, I should say, sea level rise does not
11:24:12 impact and will not impact Tampa's primary source
11:24:16 of drinking water in the Hillsborough River.
11:24:18 In other words, the seawater cannot get past the
11:24:22 dam.
11:24:23 Saltwater intrusion can't go past the dam that
11:24:29 created the Hillsborough River reservoir.
11:24:32 Further, Tampa Water Department, and I've said
11:24:35 this before here in front of the City Council, is
11:24:38 the only utility that I know of has full
11:24:41 redundancy with regard to its water supply.
11:24:44 Thank you, Councilman Miranda.
11:24:48 And that's unique.
11:24:49 That is very unique.
11:24:52 We self-supply up to 82 million gallons a day from
11:24:55 the Hillsborough River.
11:24:56 During drought conditions, we buy water from Tampa
11:24:59 Bay Water.
11:25:00 You know, Tampa Bay Water was formed in 1998.
11:25:04 We made the decision at the time to be a member
11:25:06 government.
11:25:07 They have a broad portfolio of water supply
11:25:11 sources, including well fields, the reservoir, a
11:25:15 surface water plant and a desalination plant.
11:25:18 The lower Hillsborough River and Sulphur Springs
11:25:25 minimum flows.
11:25:25 This again, was not done with sea level rise in
11:25:30 mind.
11:25:31 But we have adopted in 2007 minimum flow for these
11:25:37 water bodies and a recovery strategy.
11:25:40 And the recovery strategy identifies five projects
11:25:46 that we are moving forward with, and we've
11:25:49 completed two of them and are proceeding with the
11:25:51 other three.
11:25:52 And those projects will be operated in
11:25:58 coordination to create a freshwater zone
11:26:01 downstream of the dam so regardless of sea level
11:26:05 rise, that freshwater zone will be there 24 hours
11:26:08 a day, 365 days a year.
11:26:11 So in summary, five items.
11:26:15 Climate resilience, evaluation and awareness tool
11:26:18 from EPA.
11:26:19 We're going to move ahead with that using in-house
11:26:23 engineers.
11:26:23 We're going to partner with USF on some climate
11:26:27 change research.
11:26:30 More to come on that.
11:26:31 We will finish implementing minimum flows for the
11:26:34 lower Hillsborough River, continue to line
11:26:38 wastewater pipelines at a rate of about 10 miles
11:26:41 per year, and then continue to look for
11:26:44 opportunities in other areas.
11:26:45 With that, I'll open it up for questions.
11:26:48 >>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions from Council?
11:26:56 >>HARRY COHEN: I just wanted to make a couple of
11:26:59 comments.
11:26:59 And thank you for that.
11:27:00 That was very comprehensive, and it's good to know
11:27:02 in a lot of areas we're making progress in at
11:27:05 least assessing what some of our vulnerabilities
11:27:08 are and some of what we can do.
11:27:10 I don't think any of us -- maybe I'm wrong -- I
11:27:13 don't think any of us believe actions we can take
11:27:16 as a City Council are going to hugely impact the
11:27:21 larger climate change issue and the issue of sea
11:27:24 level rise, but I do think it's very important as
11:27:27 elected officials and as a public body
11:27:30 representing a city that was recently named number
11:27:32 one most vulnerable to storm surge in the United
11:27:36 States, that we put this issue out front and that
11:27:41 we really heavily lobby the state and federal
11:27:43 government to take much more aggressive action in
11:27:46 dealing with it.
11:27:47 I don't know if anyone read the article in the
11:27:50 New Yorker magazine at the end of the year about
11:27:52 Miami Beach.
11:27:54 I thought when I opened the magazine it was going
11:27:57 to be about hotels and Art Basel and all these fun
11:28:02 things.
11:28:03 It was not.
11:28:03 It was about how the groundwater is now coming up
11:28:07 through the aquifer and actually, the water table
11:28:11 is actually rising within the city itself.
11:28:14 It's no longer a question of the ocean coming over
11:28:17 the beach and flooding through the seawall.
11:28:20 The seawater is actually coming up through the
11:28:23 ground.
11:28:23 And it is really a harbinger of things to come
11:28:29 every place in the state of Florida.
11:28:31 And we, I think, have a responsibility to put this
11:28:34 at the very top of our agenda in terms of what we
11:28:37 want our federal and state representatives to
11:28:40 focus on in coming years.
11:28:42 The one question I have for you is, how can we do
11:28:46 that?
11:28:46 What is it that we can do to lobby and to get
11:28:50 money?
11:28:53 I think more for research and development than
11:28:55 anything else.
11:28:57 Because one of the conclusions that this article
11:28:59 came to was, no, you're not going to be able to
11:29:02 solve this problem in the short term, but if you
11:29:04 can do some things to buy time, you might be able
11:29:07 to then have a window where you can look at some
11:29:09 other options.
11:29:10 So what can we lobby for to help us buy some time
11:29:13 on this?
11:29:13 >>BRAD BAIRD: You know, as I said earlier, at this
11:29:17 point, the opportunities for grants are limited.
11:29:21 So, you know, the first thing, I suppose, would be
11:29:24 to lobby for additional monies to be available for
11:29:30 a vulnerability assessment.
11:29:32 However, from what I saw so far on the EPA tool,
11:29:38 it's pretty comprehensive.
11:29:39 And I think at the end of that tool, it issues a
11:29:46 report to yourself, your own staff has generated.
11:29:51 So, you know, you have skin in the game that
11:29:55 showed you what your risks are, where you are most
11:29:58 vulnerable, where should you spend your money
11:30:00 first.
11:30:00 Almost in all cases, you're not only mitigating
11:30:09 that problem, you're helping in other areas.
11:30:11 When you can do that, to leverage your capital to
11:30:19 solve two or three problems, that's a good thing.
11:30:21 So that's the plan is to over the next six months,
11:30:27 to have the three engineering staffs in the three
11:30:29 areas I talked about, get that tool, start loading
11:30:33 in the data.
11:30:34 There's already a lot of data that 23 communities
11:30:37 put in there, and the EPA set up.
11:30:40 In other words, those assets in the typical
11:30:43 wastewater and water and stormwater system, they
11:30:46 are already loaded in there.
So you load yours in, your proximity to the ocean.
All kind of things.
Your climate.
Your inspected projections on what the climate is
going to do over the next few decades.
And then at that point the tool spits out a report
where to start.
And that's really what you need to know.
And that's where the real money comes in.
>>HARRY COHEN: Can you give some suggestions like
the types of things New Orleans wished it would
have done prior to Hurricane Katrina?
Does it show you how you can -- like MacDill
Air Force Base that has so much water on the bay?
>>BRAD BAIRD: Everything within the city limit, so
that would -- our analysis would probably not
include MacDill.
The first thing I think New Orleans wishes it
built the city above sea level, but they have
taken a lot of steps, as you read, I'm sure, about
how the to hard-nose the levies and bolster the
pumps that they have in there.
Yeah, I mean, a lot -- from what I read, after you
made the motion, it appears that utilities in
particular, the infrastructure leaders, are
starting to look at this seriously.
You know, what do we need to do now?
We are not -- some started two, three, four years
ago looking at this, these 23 communities did, and
they were all sizes, by the way.
So it's not too late to start looking at this by
any means.
You know, we are not -- you know, this 3,000
cities out there and we are the last one to look
at it.
We are still early in the game.
>>HARRY COHEN: I want to close my questions by
saying I hope you will include MacDill Air
Force Base in terms of what you are looking at
because it is a tremendous asset to this
community, and it's probably more vulnerable than
any other part of the city.
Thank you.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Thank you.
Mr. Suarez, at the Florida League of Cities, when
there was a presentation by the public works
director of the city of Ft. Lauderdale, and she
included Miami in her slide presentation, and she
showed pictures, photographs of the water coming
up through the street, through the manhole covers,
and at the doorstep.
So that was eye opening.
And as is this.
I ran into somebody from Sierra Club yesterday
when I was at county commission, and he told me
that -- and I am going to read it.
It says from 1996 through 2005 the average rate of
increase and the difference between the normal
predicted tide level and the actual observed tides
were 7.5 inches per year.
From 2006 to 2005, so far that rate -- to 2015, a
typo -- from 2006 to 2015 so far that rate of
increase has doubled to 15% per year average
annual increase for the entire ten-year period.
So this is getting worse, and it's getting worse
rapidly.
And I'm glad that we brought this up, and you went
looking and found that free tool, and I think on
the MPO -- and I'm sure Mr. Cohen will remember --
a report that was delivered to us on the
vulnerability assessment of our roadways in all of
the county, and it included a quite detailed
account of which roadways would have to be
protected or rerouted for emergency traffic in the
area.
So I would suggest that you get in touch with
someone over at the MPO and get a copy of that
report, because it was very, very detailed, and
took quite a long time to put together.
I also attended the EPC, and some of our staff was
there last year.
They held a forum to discuss all of the different
agencies and what work is being done.
So there is a movement in our region to address
these issues.
And I want to make sure that we maintain a keen
eye on these things and start budgeting, look into
your budget.
If there's no grant money available, we need to
budget it ourselves and get this work done so that
we can protect ourselves.
And we all spent a lot of time talking about
stormwater over the past several months, and
without having the ability to address our existing
problem, we are not going to fare very well with
the on coming high tides and issues that arise
over the next ten years even.
So I really thank you for going out and digging up
this new tool.
I hope that when it's completed you can give us a
report on what you found and what our
vulnerabilities are.
And the Sierra Club meeting is coming up, and I
was looking for the date, where they are going to
have an expert in the field to be at the meeting,
and I'll share that with you when I find out what
date and time that is.
>>BRAD BAIRD: Thank you.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Thank you.
As far as MacDill Air Force Base is concerned,
I cannot imagine that they do not have part of
their overall plan, considering where they are
located.
But as we saw with the failed banking of 2008, our
government can be asleep at the wheels.
So it wouldn't hurt to ask them what plans do you
have?
>>BRAD BAIRD: I will.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Yes, never assume.
That was all.
When MacDill came up, I thought about them not
having a plan, and then I thought about, well,
that's possible, but hopefully not.
So thank you for the tool that you found, and
hopefully we'll get some result.
>>CHARLIE MIRANDA: Mr. Baird, I appreciate
everything you have received today.
And the only advice that I am going to tell you
about when I was in your shoes I sent somebody to
Holland because they knew how to fix this problem.
>>BRAD BAIRD: Yes.
They did fix the problem.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: And you may want to check into,
Brad, Jacobson used to be the chair of county
commission who is now a state representing that
county.
She had a tricounty agreement between three
counties, Palm Beach, prouder -- Broward and
Miami-Dade, specifically going to climate change
and climate change issues.
You may want to give her a call, contact her about
that and how they worked it through, because they
all had memorandum of understanding from each one
of the groups in terms of specific ways to reduce
climate change effect.
She made a speech at the Gulf could coast League
of Cities last month and it was a fascinating
presentation on how governments can get together
to talk about some of the things they are already
doing and connect together and figure out how they
can help each other.
So I would suggest that doing that, she would be
glad to talk to you about it.
It's something that she's pushing in the state
legislature for local governments in order to work
together.
So --
>>BRAD BAIRD: That's a good idea.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: [Off microphone.]
>>FRANK REDDICK: Ms. Capin.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: As far as Holland is concerned,
yes, it is very expensive and the entire country
of Holland.
Everyone helps.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you, sir.
We appreciate you come.
Item number 9.
>>BOB McDONAUGH: Economic development.
There was a motion by Ms. Montelione and Ms.
Capin, Council Members Capin and Montelione --
excuse me.
We were attempting to do a permanent installation
of something that originally came on Lights on
Tampa.
And one of the important things for us was being
able to maintain it at a good standard.
As you remember, when we installed the lights on
the bridges, we had lots of starts with
Appaloosas, maintaining them, so we spent a fair
amount of time this time not only with artists but
also the City of Tampa's facilities department to
make sure we were able to maintain this.
And as we continued to work on it, the costs
started to approach the amount of $200,000.
And at that point, being that we have a very
powerful and extravagant lighting capacity for the
Riverwalk, we abandoned our efforts to make that a
permanent exhibition.
Again, with what we have with the Riverwalk, the
lighting system that we have, the addition of that
one underwater picture was deemed to be too
expensive and difficult to maintain.
And so we have abandoned our approach on trying to
make that a permanent installation.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Ms. Capin.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: So we did not know that before we
erased everything that was on there, but when
didn't know it was going to approach that amount
of money when the council was asked to erase
the ---or paint over the rowing art that was on
there?
>> No, ma'am, this is finishing.
This is the -- there were two questions asked.
One was about this lighting installation, which
was a temporary installation for Lights on Tampa.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: The lighting installation was
specific to that wall.
That's all we were asking.
Ms. Montelione, when I seconded it, that's what I
understood it to be.
Specific to that wall.
What happened to the lighting, and where is the
photography preservation that we asked for?
>>BOB McDONAUGH: And with that, there are high
resolutions, photographs of every single piece of
that art.
The City of Tampa's Parks Department has a copy.
The City of Tampa economic department has it and
the city of -- the history museum also has a copy
of all of that art.
And if you would like, I can certainly get you a
thumb drive with all of those pictures because all
of that was preserved as directed by council.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Okay.
And now what's on the wall?
>>BOB McDONAUGH: It doesn't look like that.
It doesn't look like that.
Doesn't look like that.
That one section where we got council's permission
has been painted over.
But as directed -- excuse me.
That's what it looked like.
And that's what it looks like now.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: And the purpose to paint it over
was what?
>>BOB McDONAUGH: We were building a Riverwalk
immediately adjacent to it and a lot of the things
that were on there were objectionable to some
people.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: You just showed us the photographs
of what was taken off the wall, and it is just
rowing art.
What was the purpose of painting it over?
What was going to be installed there?
>> It was never planned to put anything back on
that wall.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Yes, there was.
Okay, I'm going to -- wait, I'm going to --
because --
>>BOB McDONAUGH: This is what it looks like now.
The original thing that I showed you was
Appaloosas which were underwater, not on the
water.
It was never an intent to put that on the water.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Right, underwater, but it's not
there.
>>BOB McDONAUGH: That's correct.
>> So you erased it for the underwater lighting
because it would reflect on this objectionable --
objectionable rowing art that now the installation
is not there.
So in my estimation, we were duped into thinking
that we were doing something in order -- and we
agreed so that the art would be preserved and
photographed, and that this lighting would take
place.
>>BOB McDONAUGH: Mrs. Capin, I respectfully
disagree and I would be happy --
>>YVONNE CAPIN: You disagree that we were duped,
but here is the thing.
The reason for -- we can pull up the transcripts.
And the reason for bringing it up to paint that
over was because we were going to put underwater
lighting, and it would reflect, and it would be
objectionable.
We objected to it being taken down, but because it
was being preserved, we agreed -- the art water --
underwater lighting installation was going right
there, right in between the walk and the wall.
And I'm going to let, you know, Ms. Montelione,
since she made the motion and I seconded it.
And I think we -- I know we are in agreement as to
why this all took place.
And now we don't have the installation, but we did
paint over the rowing art.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We can go back and pull up that transcript.
Because what I specifically remember is not only
was it going to be the Appaloosas, the underwater
lighting, but there was supposed to be -- and the
reason why we were told that the graffiti had to
go, and interactive and reactive lighting display,
so that when people -- and I remember like it was
yesterday -- being told that when people walked
along the arrive walk, that lighting would react
to those people walking along the Riverwalk, and
the images would change, and the lighting would
change along that wall.
And if the graffiti was there it wouldn't give the
same effect.
And we can go back and check that transcript.
But I remember that's what we were told.
And that there was objectionable graffiti on that
wall in addition to the rowing art, but we could
have taken care of just the objectionable pieces
and painted over those objectionable pieces or,
you know, done something to remove the words that
we would rather not have, you know, children or
guests seeing in particular.
But to tell us that the entire wall of graffiti --
I haven't seen anything objectionable, because
this is row art.
You are talking about competition here.
We had a lot of discussion over preserving the art
and the history of our city and having something
that is unique to the Hillsborough River and that
section of the river, and it being a conversation
piece and something to be proud of, not something
to whitewash over, and we were told the reason to
whitewash over it was because of that intraactive
lighting display by we don't have.
And the other thing I asked for during that
meeting, during that discussion, was not only for
the photographs to be taken and filed away
somewhere, but for the photographs to be taken and
then put on display, much as we were having the
discussion of the BRO bowl and preserving that,
and it wouldn't be in its current location but
would be relocated somewhere else.
That's what we ended up doing because of the
community of skaters who pushed the administration
into doing something about the bro bowl.
But my vision was to take these pieces of art and
have them displayed as close as possible to this
section of the river in Curtis Hixon park,
somewhere where it would be seen, not that it
would be in a file somewhere or you have to pay
admission to the history museum to go in and
actually see it.
So I will go back to the transcripts, and I will
pull that discussion, and we can bring this back
and talk about exactly what was supposed to happen
as opposed to what did happen.
>>BOB McDONAUGH: Okay.
As you can see that section of wall is --
>>LISA MONTELIONE: It's illuminated but it's not
the interactive display that was supposed to take
place so that it would be taking art that was
there and replacing it with a different kind of
art.
Having different colored lights, I can go to my
house and exchange the light bulbs on my front
porch with an orange bulb or a blue bulb or
something else and call it an installation, and
which is what we got on the Riverwalk.
That's not the interactive display of art that we
were supposed to get.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: Thank you, chair.
Mr. McDonaugh, I'm in agreement with my
colleagues.
There was a lot of discussion about it.
In fact I remember a former colleague, Ms.
Mulhern, saying she didn't have a problem with the
graffiti because we were going to have the
interactive light display and she opined that it
would add to the interactive light display.
It's separate, I believe.
And I may be wrong.
I'm going to tell you, I may have misremembered
and you may misremember and we misremember
together, okay, which is there was going to be an
interactive light display there which is separate
from the water lighting, or if I'm wrong and it
was supposed to light up the wall, okay, but there
was supposed to be a more interactive light
display there.
And to the point that Ms. Montelione made about
what we were talking about when it came to the
rowers art specifically, I envisioned -- and I
thought we were going to do -- and it may not have
been clearly stated by anybody here on council
because we were dealing with so many other
issues -- that it would be displayed somewhere
along the Riverwalk to kind of show this is what
is there, this is kind of a historical piece as a
part of the river.
You can't see it now but at the same time here is
what it represented.
And I think that I was in agreement.
And I think the administration agreed with us in
terms of compromise, hey, look, we don't mind, you
know, doing this, but we do want to preserve some
of that quirkiness of the river and what that
meant to us.
So again, I can't remember, I can't remember
specifically.
I do remember specifically Ms. Mulhern's comments
concerning that.
I do believe there was an interactive lighting
display.
I do agree with Mrs. Capin and Mrs. Montelione.
So it's not there.
I don't know in terms of the underwater lighting
what that meant, if it was separate or not.
And I apologize if I don't know it.
And maybe I am wrong but I think we are all in
kind of agreement because it's starting to come
back and germinate in my head after what they
said.
>>BOB McDONAUGH: I'm happy to pull the transcript
and see exactly what was agreed to and I'll be
back to council.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: It may not specifically of what we
agreed to but I know we talked significantly about
the interactive light display.
We need to figure out what that is.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Yes, we'll pull the transcript for
you.
Don't worry, we'll get it.
And I remember specifically, I brought up the idea
that cities all over the country that have this
rowing art make this part of their history, and we
had a wonderful rowing history, and at the time,
the history museum -- and I think it still does --
has the display, I will say, of rowing in Tampa.
That's how important it was.
So we have here -- and when we talk about colored
lights -- and I love what Ms. Montelione said --
look, yesterday I want lighting under my cabinet.
I went to one of the big box stores.
I bought strip lighting that remotely I can change
the color anytime I want under my cabinet.
That is not what this discussion was about.
And we do not have in place with this discussion.
You say it costs too much money, it was going up
to 200,000.
You know, I am almost sure that the public arts
department knew how much this was heading toward
when we went into this.
So that being said, we'll go to the transcript and
really -- it really is, again, in my estimation,
the administration pulling the wool over our eyes
and we did not get what was discussed.
You know, the audience spoke on it.
We had people in here. This was an issue that was
very important to our community.
And the compromise was reached in order to accept
the art, the lighting art and preserve the rowing
art.
And with that we will pull up the transcript and
we will get to the bottom of this.
>> [Off microphone.]
>>BOB McDONAUGH: I'm sorry, I didn't hear what
you said.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
Thank you.
>>HARRY COHEN: I would like to make a motion to
extend till 12:30.
Hopefully we can get the agenda done.
>>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I am going to have to go to
lunch.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Before you go --
>>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I only have one item.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Are we going to go to committee
reports?
Mr. Miranda.
>>CHARLIE MIRANDA: Item 10 under Public Safety
Committee, I move the resolution.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Seconded by Mr. Cohen.
All in favor?
Opposed?
Parks and recreation.
Mr. Maniscalco.
>>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I would move items 11 through
17.
>>CHARLIE MIRANDA: And 13 be pulled.
>>GUIDO MANISCALCO: Wait, 11 through 12 and 14
through 17.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Seconded by Mr. Cohen.
All in favor?
Opposed?
All right.
Public works.
Mr. Suarez.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: I move item 18 through 25.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mr. Suarez.
Second by Mr. Cohen.
All in favor?
Opposed?
Finance Committee.
Mr. Cohen.
>>HARRY COHEN: Move items 26 through 29.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion by Mr. Cohen.
Second by Mr. Suarez.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed?
Building and zoning.
Ms. Montelione.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Move items 30, 31 and 32, 36
through 41.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: All right, got a motion from Mrs.
Montelione, seconded by Mr. Cohen.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed?
Okay.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: I move the substitute
resolutions for 33, 34 and 35.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mrs. Montelione.
Second by Ms. Capin.
All in favor?
Opposed?
Transportation committee.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: I move items 42 and 43.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mrs. Capin.
Seconded by Mr. Cohen.
All in favor?
Opposed?
Mrs. Montelione?
>>HARRY COHEN: I just want to make my motion
again to extend till 12:30.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Seconded by Mr. Maniscalco.
All in favor of that motion say aye.
Opposed?
All right.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Mrs. Mandell, I pulled item
number 13.
We had the discussion yesterday before this.
And my concern -- and really I'm pulling the item,
because I don't see that our participation in this
type of production -- a show that highlights drama
at a time when so many people in our town are
working to bring up our stature and remained
people how safe particularly Ybor City is or
coming to the Gasparilla parades, or living and
working here.
We are number two in the entire country for
bicycle and pedestrian deaths.
I don't want to be reminding people or
highlighting that we have -- I mean, everybody
knows in every town across the country.
I just don't feel that it's advantageous for us to
put it on TV and highlight it on a TV show.
>>JULIA MANDELL: City attorney.
The only thing I can respond to is the question of
whether or not it's a general matter, is it a good
or bad decision to move forward with this type of
activity.
And it's really a policy question between the
administration and City Council.
I can tell you that we from the city attorney's
office perspective, we took the agreement that we
were sent by -- I can't remember the name of the
production company -- which was the agreement that
they had in New Orleans.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: We did not feel it was legally
sufficient.
We were able to negotiate some additional
protection to ensure that not only did we have a
chance to review all of the material prior to it
going on air or being part of an episode, but we
made sure we put protections in there that we had
rates to say of that is not appropriate for that
to be placed on the air, and we felt that the
contract that we received from them, which is the
one they used in New Orleans, didn't have as many
protections as I felt comfortable advising was
appropriate.
But other than that I would encourage you to maybe
ask the representatives of the administration to
discuss, you know, whether or not it's a good or
bad idea because that is really a policy question.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Thank you, Councilwoman Montelione
for bringing this up.
You know, just today, when we were talking about
Ybor, I thought, okay, there's more, more, more,
more negative, negative, negative.
I agree.
This is not good for our city.
And I won't be voting for it either.
Thank you.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Anyone else?
Mr. Cohen?
>>HARRY COHEN: My understanding from the briefing
I had about this is that it was sort of the
opposite, that this is more about showcasing the
acts of our first responders.
I would like to hear from the administration about
it, because that was the distinction that I
thought was relevant.
>> Ashley Bauman, public affairs director.
It is about highlighting our first responders, in
a time where so many first responders are looked
upon poorly.
We want to look at ours as the example for the
rest of the country and nation to follow.
I have also had conversations with New Orleans
where they have told me that they had an influx of
applications as well as letters from around the
world of people praising them and how they
interact with people saying, I didn't realize that
this was your job, that it's this tough.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: When we highlight our first
responders, what are they responding to?
>> Crime.
That's their job.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: I know.
That's exactly the issue here.
It's not that they don't.
You know, we have a thousand police officers in
this city.
We should be close to zero crime.
So the fact that they respond to crimes, it's
highlighting exactly whatever it is, homelessness,
whatever it is, that we are highlighting.
When we need to move forward.
Yes, they do their job.
Do we have to advertise they do their job?
They get paid to do their job.
We get paid to do the Job.
The attorneys that are out there are paid to do
their job.
And nobody is -- nobody is filming our city
attorney for the job that they do.
So I just can't -- I just can't agree with this.
Thank you.
>>FRANK REDDICK: All right, any other questions?
Mr. Suarez?
>>MIKE SUAREZ: Thank you, chair.
I disagree with my colleagues.
I understand the fear if we are shown in a bad
light.
I read the contract.
I saw that we do have quite a bit of broad
discretion as to what gets on the air.
Thereof may be issues that we may not want to show
to the rest of the country because of different
liability issues and legal issues, and I think the
agreement is solid enough that it will protect us.
And I will say this.
If you look at where Miami was back in the late
70s and early 80s that one Scarface and Miami
Vice the public consciousness, not only did it em
fa sights what was going on in the city at that
time, which was, you know, rampant crime
concerning drugs, but it actually proved people
down there, not that anyone has answered but at
the same time it advertised Miami no way that
could never be done by a Chamber of Commerce film.
Again, I don't see that there's going to be an
absolute negative to this.
There will be negative aspects of it.
I think when we see it on air, we are a large city
and we do have a lot of problems that large cities
have.
But I don't think that all in all it will be
negative for us.
So I will be supporting it.
I agree with my colleagues that we need to be
careful as to the way we portray our city and
hopefully with our city attorney and
administration and everyone else that we show it
in the best light.
Thank you, chair.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Anyone wish to comment?
Mrs. Montelione.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: So as Ms. Capin said when you
are highlighting the great job that our first
responders do because they are responding to crime
and to very difficult often devastating
incidences, and I want to read for everybody a
short description of the episode, or the first
episodes from New Orleans.
This is from the show's website.
In the new season of night watch the overnight
shift in the city of New Orleans continues to
bring extreme and complex incidents to the EMS
team.
Season 2 highlights include a dire situation at
Mardi Gras for EMTs when they must race to save
and 18-year-old who suffered through and through
gunshot wound to the head.
SWAT officers Jay and alley turn it into a
high-speed chase that becomes potentially
devastating when one driver in pursuit opens fire
on them and things take a bizarre turn when
officer Keeley respond to a woman whose eyeball
has been bitten out in a street fight.
But when one of their own, a beloved officer is
killed on duty, the whole city comes together in
true New Orleans fashion to celebrate his life and
years of service.
I don't think that they are going to be promoting
how wonderful our officers are.
I think they are going to be promoting the blood,
gore and guts which gets ratings on TV.
And that's my concern.
And whether or not, you know, we compare ourselves
to New Orleans, which has one of the most corrupt
police departments in the entire country and they
want to put themselves on the show how great they
are now as opposed to how corrupt they are is not
our problem.
So I think New Orleans might have had a different
motivation for putting their police officers in a
polite than we do.
So I just hope that if this does pass -- and Mr.
Suarez, those were fictional accounts of Miami.
Those were not real events that were being
broadcast on TV. And I think everybody knows the
difference between, you know, what was going on in
Scarface and actual reality, even though they were
based on real events.
>> Councilwoman Montelione, if I can, I would like
to pose a few questions to the complexity of first
responders to the police and fire, because I think
we have spoken to Chief Ward, we have also spoken
to Chief Forward, and we look forward to
highlighting, if this passes, our first
responders.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Look forward to highlighting
the first responders.
I just disagree.
It on the arts and entertainment network, A&E.
>> I don't get that.
(Laughter).
>> We have basic cable.
>> Also on YouTube, I believe.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Who in the administration is going
to monitor what's going in here?
Who is going to nix the bad stuff, quote-unquote?
>> Steve Hegarty, PIA for the Tampa police.
Thanks for the opportunity to speak.
The way the contract is written is they would come
up with their footage, they would provide us with
a certain amount of time, I think it's three days
to review it, and to tell them very, very
specifically what we want taken out.
As Ms. Mandell pointed out, our contract is very
different from the New Orleans contract.
A lot more protections in there.
And if I could point something out.
We have done shows in the past, previous to my
being here at TPD, and we didn't suffer any
adverse consequences as a result of that.
It also would not only focus on crime clearly.
What you read was very dramatic and the shows were
very riveting and very traumatic but there were
rescues as well.
And remember that it is our job to put our city in
the best possible light, so we have had these
discussions just as you are having now, and done
the cross benefit analysis.
We wouldn't have brought it to you if we didn't
think it was a good idea.
>> I'm Jason Penny, public information officer for
Tampa Fire Rescue.
Councilwoman Montelione, I understand your concern
and the other Councilwoman.
That's our job to kind of spitball this and look
at every angle, so those are our concerns, because
obviously we want to do what is best for our
organization and what's best for the City of
Tampa.
And I read your e-mail and I think your concerns
are legitimate.
So one of the things that you mentioned was all
the hard work that people did to enhance the image
of the City of Tampa.
I would say that you are absolutely right about
that.
For anyone who is concerned about the crime or any
issues regarding public safety in the City of
Tampa, let them look and see how we respond.
You mentioned also the description of the show
where it talked about very heinous stuff.
Here in the City of Tampa, the citizens are going
to find out before that have been anyway when the
media report on it.
In this instance, they get to see the side of the
first responders, and that aspect of it which
rarely gets portrayed in media. So I think this
is something that I'm proud of Tampa Fire Rescue
as far as what we are able to do to support our
citizens.
I'm proud of what Tampa Police Department and what
they are able to do to support our citizens.
And I think this is an unprecedented amount of
control, if you will, with regard to how it gets
portrayed, and it's something that we as a city,
as a city government, should take advantage of
because things like this don't come around that
off.
And that's my two cents.
It also has the support of the fire chief as well.
Thank you.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Can you council the contract if
you feel it is not something --
>> I believe that's something that she would be
able to answer.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Just to add, we are all very
proud of our police and fire department.
I'm not trying to block this show because I don't
want people to have see what you do every day.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: And it shows in the budget.
>> And Jared Pinson of our office is actually the
one that participated in the issues and brought up
a lot of the points, been able to revise it.
>> Jared Pinson, assistant city attorney.
I believe the question was about the right to
review.
>>FRANK REDDICK: The contract.
>> Our ability to terminate the contract?
>>FRANK REDDICK: Right.
>> There's a notice provision.
We can terminate the contract upon any breech that
they might make.
We are required to give them know, and then we can
terminate upon the notice within, I believe, it's
45 days.
With regard to the right to review that was our
biggest concern, also, that we felt that the New
Orleans contract was very limited in how the city
was able to review the footage before it was
aired.
So the legal department really sought to expand
our ability to have of a review right, sort of
veto powers, what we are kind of calling it, and
we felt like we were able to expand it to a level
that we were comfortable with, that we were going
to be able to protect the integrity of the
department as well as safety of the victims and a
few other things that were not included in the New
Orleans contract.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Ms. Capin.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Thank you, Mr. Chair, very
quickly.
Do we have an estimate as to what it's costing us
to look at this and monitor it and -- what is the
cost to the city?
>> I can't speak to that directly.
There is a provision in the contract that says
that if there are any costs that we will be
reimbursed.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: What do you mean if there's any
costs?
Of course there are costs.
They are doing something that they Nevada did
before. This is an added responsibility.
Somebody has got to be looking at this film.
Who is it?
>> I understand.
I don't know any that has been done on that as far
as what those are going to be.
Obviously, we have taken time to review the
contract, and obviously there's been some time
expended on this, and I don't know what the
estimates are as far as that cost.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: And what are they paying the city
for this privilege?
>> There's been no consideration exchanged at this
point although there is provision in the contract
that allows us to discuss that, and we are to be
reimbursed for reasonable costs.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: I suggest that we go back and tell
them, sure, we'll do it, you make X amount of
dollars on your commercials, you pay the city.
We need to reimburse our citizens.
This is their tax dollars being used.
So we need to have recouped sewing, and then even
then I am not sure I would even want to go down
this route, this road.
Even then.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Let me ask a question, because I
didn't know we were going to spend this much time
on this one issue.
But it seems a lot of your concern, there are a
lot of issues here that have been raised.
What is the time frame?
How come you need this approval?
Before you do that --
>> [Off microphone.]
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Somebody said previously.
>>JULIA MANDELL: I think given the number of
questions and concerns that have been raised, why
don't we go ahead and cost it for two weeks?
That shouldn't be a problem timewise.
And that way we can meet with you again
individually an APS your questions ahead of time.
Then again, if this becomes a question of whether
or not you want to approve the contract the way
it's in front of you, let's go ahead and continue
this for two weeks then.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Ms. Capin, let's set a date for
that.
>> I want to a question before.
>>FRANK REDDICK: What is your question?
>>LISA MONTELIONE: I'm not sure who said there
was a cost benefit analysis done.
So if was a cost benefit analysis done, Mrs. Capin
should have gotten an APS to her question.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Thank you.
>> What I meant by --
>>FRANK REDDICK: Put your name on the record
again.
>> Steve Hegarty, PIA for the Tampa police.
It is our job to put the city in the best light
possible.
How could it hurt the city?
How could it help the city?
That's what I was preferring to.
As far as what the cost might be, it will be our
job to look and review, looked through the prism
of our policies and everything else and decide
what needs to be taken out.
We do that with media every single day.
We get a call from CNN, that's part of our job.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: But this is going to be a
designated, you know, ongoing process. This isn't
reacting to a news story. This is something that
we are willingly and consciously going into.
And I would suggest to the finance and revenue
department, when they are reviewing these items --
and I had asked that there be projected costs of
fiscal impact statements put on every agenda item,
a couple of years ago, and I noticed that quite
often it says fiscal impact and projected costs
are nothing.
And that's simply not true.
There will be a cost associated with, so the idea
that the fiscal impact statement on here says N-A
is a little confusing.
>>FRANK REDDICK: All right.
We have got a request from staff to continue this
for two weeks.
I think that would be January 21 under staff
reports.
>> January 21st at 9 a.m.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mrs. Montelione.
Second by Mrs. Capin.
Further discussion?
Seeing none -- January 21st.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed?
Thank you.
We'll see you in two weeks and I hope you make an
effort to meet with as many councilmen has
possible to answer any questions that they have.
Number 44.
Can we get a motion to schedule the hearing for
the 18?
Motion by -- February 18th.
All in favor.
We go to second reading item 45 through 46.
>>HARRY COHEN: I'm going to make a motion to open
the public hearings from 45 to 62.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mr. Cohen, seconded by
Ms. Montelione. All in favor say aye.
Opposed?
Okay.
Item 45.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Is anybody here?
You have to pay attention.
>>TONY GARCIA: Planning Commission and planning.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item 45.
Any comments?
>>TONY GARCIA: No comments, sir.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Ms. Montelione.
Anyone from the public wish to speak on item
number 45?
Seeing none.
Motion to close by Mr. Suarez.
Second by Mr. Cohen.
Mrs. Montelione?
>> Move an ordinance being presented for second
reading and adoption, an ordinance amending the
Tampa comprehensive plan to provide an update for
the City of Tampa comprehensive plan entitled
Tampa comprehensive plan building our legacy: A
livable city, and rename the plan, "Imagine 2040:
Tampa comprehensive plan," providing for repeal of
all ordinances in conflict, providing for
severability, providing an effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion by Mrs.
Montelione.
Seconded by Mr. Suarez.
Please record your votes.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Ordinance number 46.
>>HARRY COHEN: Just for record I'm abstaining
voting on this because it located across the
street from property owned by my family.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Okay.
Item number 46.
>> Mark Bentley, 201 North Franklin representing
applicant.
I'm here to answer any questions that you may
have.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Questions from council?
Anyone in the public wish to speak on item number
46?
>> Move to close.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion from Mr. Suarez.
Seconded which Mrs. Montelione.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed?
Mr. Maniscalco.
>>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I have an ordinance being
presented for second reading and adoption, an
ordinance amending the Tampa comprehensive plan,
future land use map, for the property located at
405 north Oregon Avenue from residential 20, R-20,
to community mixed use 35, CMU 35, providing for
repeal of all ordinances in conflict, providing
for severability, providing an effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion are from Mr. Maniscalco.
Seconded by Mr. Suarez.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Cohen abstaining
and Miranda being absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item 47 through 52.
If you plan on speaking to any of those items,
please stand to be sworn in.
(Oath administered by Clerk)
>> Item number 47.
>>ABBYE FEELEY: Land development.
Item 47 through 57, those items that require
certification have been certified as provided to
the clerk.
Item number 58, we received a card this morning
from the agent for item 58 and 59, development
agreement, and those items have been requested for
withdrawal.
I believe that information was provided to you as
well.
Everything else is certified.
I stand for any questions.
>>HARRY COHEN: Move to withdraw 58 and 59 and we
also have a request to withdraw number 61 and 62.
So maybe I'll make the motion for all four of
those items as well.
>>FRANK REDDICK: We have a motion by Mr. Cohen.
Second by Mrs. Montelione.
All in favor?
Opposed?
All right.
Number 47.
Petitioner.
>> Craig Barnhill, petitioner, here to answer any
questions.
>> Any questions by council?
Anyone in the audience wish to speak on item
number 47?
>> Move to close.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Got a motion from Mrs. Capin.
Seconded by Mrs. Montelione.
All in favor?
Opposed?
Okay, Mr. Cohen.
>>HARRY COHEN: I move an ordinance being
presented for second reading and adoption, an
ordinance repealing ordinance number 2015-1,
approving a special use permit S-2 for alcoholic
beverage sales, small venue, on premises
consumption and retail package sales offpremises
couples and making lawful the sale of beverages
regardless of alcoholic content, beer wine and
liquor on that certain lot, plot or tract of land
located at 6428 and 6430 North Florida Avenue,
Tampa, Florida as more particularly described in
section 3, that all ordinances or parts of
ordinances in conflict are repealed, providing an
effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion by Mr. Cohen.
Second by Mrs. Montelione.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Okay, item number 48.
>> Grace Yang, Greg Robinson law firm, 401 East
Jackson Street suite 2272, Tampa, Florida, I'm
here to answer any questions.
I have been sworn.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Anyone wish to shall speak on
item number 48?
>> Move to close.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion to close.
All right.
Motion to close by Mrs. Capin.
Seconded by Mr. Cohen.
All in favor?
Opposed?
All right.
Ms. Capin, read item number 48.
>> >>YVONNE CAPIN: An ordinance repealing
ordinance number 2007-220, approving a special use
permit S-2 for alcoholic beverage sales, large
venue, on premises consumption and retail package
sales off-premises consumption making lawful the
sale of beverages regardless of alcoholic content,
beer wine and liquor, on that certain lot, plot or
tract of land at 3605 and 4500 east Bougainvillea
Avenue, Tampa, Florida as more particularly
described in section 3, that all ordinances or
parts of ordinances in conflict are repealed,
providing an effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mrs. Capin.
Seconded by Mrs. Montelione.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item number 49.
>> Truett Gardner, 400 North Ashley drive.
As Abbye mentioned, all the revisions in the site
plan were made.
Mr. Grandoff told me he's here to restate his
objections before and I would like to acknowledge
those and if you have any questions we are here to
answer them.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Okay.
Anyone in the audience wish to speak on item null
49?
>>JOHN GRANDOFF: Hill, Ward, Henderson firm, suite
3700 Bank of America Plaza.
My firm represents impact properties which is the
neighboring property for the Westin Hotel.
There is currently a lawsuit as to the
enforceability of effects of development of the
petitioner's property being rezoned.
My appearance this morning is simply to reiterate
and restate our objections from December 10, and
that they be incorporated into the record this
morning, and that we continue our objection to the
project, and also I would like to incorporate that
objection to item 60, which is the development
agreement.
And I won't come on item 60 but let you know we
are objecting to that as well.
That's all we have this morning.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Thank you.
Anyone else in the audience that wishes to speak
on item number 49?
>> Before we took those two together in the
interest of time.
I would like to open up 49 and 60.
>>FRANK REDDICK: We already opened them.
All right.
Item number 49.
>> Motion to close.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mr. Suarez.
Seconded by Mrs. Capin.
All in favor of the motion of the motion say aye?
Opposed?
Mr. Suarez.
>> I present an ordinance for second reading and
adoption, an orthopedics rezoning property in the
general vicinity of 3015 north Rocky Point drive
in the city of Tampa, Florida and moral
particularly described in section 1 from zoning
district classification PD planned development,
residential multifamily, to PD, planned
development, residential multifamily, providing an
effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion by Mr. Suarez.
Sended by Mrs. Capin.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda and
Montelione being absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: We'll go to item number 60.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: Do you need me to move the
resolution?
>>MARTIN SHELBY: You can ask if anybody wants to
speak to that again.
>>FRANK REDDICK: We already stated anyone going to
speak and he was the only one.
The only one --
>> Motion to close.
>> Second.
>> Motion by Mr. Suarez.
Seconded by Mrs. Capin.
All in favor?
Opposed?
All right.
>> We simply move it?
I move item number 60.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Moved by Suarez, seconded by Ms.
Capin.
Please record your vote.
We don't have to do that?
All in favor of the motion say aye.
Opposed?
All right.
We go back to 50.
Item number 50.
>> Matt Newton, Singer & O'Donniley, on behalf of
the applicant, here in Tampa.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions from council?
Anyone in the audience wish to speak on item 50?
I see none.
Motion to close by Mrs. Capin.
Second by Mr. Cohen.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed?
Ms. Montelione.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: I move an ordinance presented
for second read and adoption, an ordinance
rezoning property in the general vicinity of 11316
and 11326 north 46th street in the city of
Tampa, Florida and more particularly described in
section I from zoning district classifications IH
industrial heavy to PD planned development,
residential single-family attached, single-family
detached, single-family semi-detached and
multifamily, providing an effective date.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mrs. Montelione.
Seconded by Mr. Maniscalco.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item number 51.
>> President of TFC company, Inc., Tampa, Florida
363-3601 here to answer any questions you may
have.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions from council?
Anyone in the audience wish to speak on item 51?
Seeing none.
>> Move to close.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion from Mrs. Montelione.
Seconded by Mrs. Capin.
All in favor?
Opposed?
All right.
Mr. Maniscalco, item 51.
>>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I have an ordinance being
presented for second reading and adoption, an
ordinance rezoning property in the general
vicinity of 63701 South MacDill Avenue in the city
of Tampa, Florida and more particularly described
in section 1 from zoning district classifications
RS-60 residential single-family to PD planned
development, residential single-family detached,
providing an effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion from Mr.
Maniscalco, seconded by Mr. Suarez.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item number 52.
>> Jeffrey Haskins, applicant, here to answer any
questions.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions by council? Anyone
in the audience wish to speak on item 52?
>> Move to close.
>> Second.
>> Motion by Mrs. Montelione.
Seconded by Mr. Maniscalco.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed?
All right.
Mr. Cohen, item number 52.
>>HARRY COHEN: I move an ordinance rezoning
property in the general vicinity of 5116 North
Armenia Avenue and 2504 and 2504½ west crest
Avenue in the city of Tampa, Florida and more
particularly described in section 1 from zoning
district classifications PD planned development,
office, business/professional to PD, planned
development, office, business/professional and
residential, single-family detached, providing an
effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion from Mr. Cohen,
seconded by Mr. Maniscalco.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item number 53.
Item number 53.
Anybody here to speak on item 53?
All right.
Item 53.
Anyone in the public wish to speak on item number
53?
>> Move to close.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion from Mr. Suarez.
Seconded by Mrs. Montelione.
All in favor say aye.
Opposed?
Okay.
Ms. Capin, item 53.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: An ordinance rezoning property in
the Jess general vicinity of 4202, 4204 and 4206
west Carmen street and 4201 and 4203 West Gray
Street in the city of Tampa, Florida and more
particularly described in section 1 from zoning
district classifications RS-50 residential satisfy
and PD planned development to RM-18 residential
multifamily, providing an effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion from Mrs. Capin.
Seconded by Mr. Suarez.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent at vote.
>>HARRY COHEN: Mr. Chairman, an additional 15
minutes.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mr. Cohen.
Seconded by Mrs. Montelione for an additional 15
minutes.
All in favor?
Okay.
Item 54.
>>GINA GRIMES: Hill, Ward, Henderson, Kennedy
Boulevard, here to answer any questions.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Questions by council?
Anyone in the audience wish to speak on item
number 54?
>> Move to close.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mr. Suarez.
Seconded by Mrs. Montelione.
All in favor?
All right.
Mr. Suarez.
>> I move a substitute ordinance being presented
for second reading and adoption, an ordinance
rezoning property in the general vicinity of 1519,
1525, 1529 and 1535 south Dale Mabry highway in
the city of Tampa, Florida and more particularly
described in section 1 from zoning district
classifications CG commercial general, RS-75
residential single-family, and PD planned
development, strip shopping center, restaurant,
retail sales, bar/lounge and all CG uses, to PD,
planned development, retail sales, shoppers' goods
strip shopping center and all CG uses except for
restaurant and bar/lounge providing an effective
date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion from Mr. Suarez,
second by Mr. Cohen.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda absent
at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item 55.
>>GINA GRIMES: Hill, Ward, Henderson, 101 East
Kennedy Boulevard, here if you have any questions.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions from council?
Anyone in the audience wish to speak on item
number 55?
>>FRANK REDDICK:
>> move to close.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mr. Suarez.
Seconded by Mrs. Montelione.
All in favor?
Opposed?
Mrs. Montelione.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: Move an ordinance for second
reading and adoption, an ordinance approving a
special using permit S-2 approving a school in an
RS-50 residential single-family zoning district in
the general vicinity of 8412 north 13th street
in the city of Tampa, Florida and more
particularly described in section 1 hereof
providing an effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion from Mrs. Montelione.
Seconded by Mr. Suarez.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item number 56.
>> Mark Donald, project manager for WMNF radio
doing business as WMNF radio, and request approval
on 56.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions from council?
Anyone in the audience on 56?
>> Move to close.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mrs. Montelione.
Seconded by Mr. Cope.
All in favor?
Opposed?
Mr. Maniscalco, item number 56.
>>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I have an ordinance being
presented for second reading and adoption, an
ordinance approving a special use permit S-2
approving a commercial communication tower in
SH-CG Seminole Heights commercial general zoning
district in the general vicinity of 1210 east Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in the city of
Tampa, Florida and as more particularly described
in section 1 hereof providing an effective date.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion from Mr. Maniscalco,
seconded by Mrs. Montelione.
Please record your vote.
>>THE CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being
absent at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Item number 57.
Julie Harvey, a request for vacating of an
alleyway.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Any questions by council?
Anyone in the audience wish to speak on item
number 57?
>> Move to close.
>> Second.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion from Mrs. Montelione.
Seconded by Mr. Suarez.
All in favor say aye.
Those opposed?
All right.
Mr. Cohen.
>>HARRY COHEN: I move an ordinance being
presented for second reading and adoption, an
ordinance vacating, closing, discontinuing,
abandoning an alleyway lying south of Juneau
street north of bird street east of 14th
street and west of Mulberry street in Sulphur
Springs addition to Tampa, Florida a subdivision
in the City of Tampa, Hillsborough County Florida
the same being more fully described in section 1
hereof providing an effective date.
>>FRANK REDDICK: All right.
We have a motion from Mr. Cohen.
Seconded by Mr. Maniscalco.
Please record your vote.
>>CLERK: Motion carried with Miranda being absent
at vote.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Information and new business.
Mrs. Montelione.
>>LISA MONTELIONE: This public announcement for
the League is an event that is sponsored by the
New Tampa Rotary Club, and it is a bicycle
collection for God's Pedal Power Ministry on
Saturday between the hours of 10 and 2 and held in
Oliver Cycle Sports which is 18055 Highwoods
Preserve Parkway.
They recycle old used bicycles to be distributed
by Pedal Ministry to people in our community who
need transportation to work, health care
appointments and to fulfill basic life
necessitates.
If you are not available on the 9th you can
drop off your old bike at Oliver's and they will
donate it for you.
So if you have a bike laying around, you replaced
with a new one or have given up cycling in 2016,
then bring it to Oliver's on Highwoods Preserve
Parkway.
Thank you.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Mr. Maniscalco.
>>GUIDO MANISCALCO: Happy New Year.
I'm glad to be back.
Of course, I missed you all.
(Laughter).
>> Not as much as we missed you.
(Laughter).
>> Look forward to a wonderful year.
>>HARRY COHEN: Happy new year to everyone.
Two items.
First of all, I would like to make a motion to
have Gina d'Angelo, Opera Tampa, come February
4th at 9 a.m. during ceremonial activities and
give us a five minute presentation on Opera
Tampa's program for this coming season, for
February and March will be the height, the
different festivals going on in the city, and we
want to make sure everyone is aware of them.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion by Mr. Cohen.
Seconded by Mr. Maniscalco.
All in favor?
Opposed?
All right.
>>HARRY COHEN: There has been a move afoot in
many municipalities throughout the state to look
at the issue of decriminalizing marijuana
possession in small amounts, and perhaps to take
it under a civil citation program.
And I wanted to make a motion to ask our legal
department and/or TPD to come back on February
18th under staff reports at 9 a.m. to talk to
us about the issue about what some of the other
municipality have done to talk broadly about how
much resources in our city are being devoted to
this type of crime prevention, what impact it
might have on the criminal justice system if this
were moved to a civil citation program, and also
to specifically discuss about the issues of
preemption by either federal or state law that may
prevent or allow us to pass such an ordinance.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I have a motion from Mr. Cohen,
seconded by Mrs. Capin.
Any discussion on the motion?
All in favor of the motion say aye.
Opposed?
Okay.
Anything else, sir?
>>HARRY COHEN: That's it.
Thank you.
>>YVONNE CAPIN: Very quickly, good-bye 2015, hello
2016.
(Laughter)
>>FRANK REDDICK: And all the beautiful light.
>>FRANK REDDICK: I can't wait to turn my lights on
under my kitchen cabinets.
I'm going to take photos.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Mr. Suarez.
>>MIKE SUAREZ: Well, since Ms. Capin is the
interior decorator of City Council, nothing, sir.
Thank you very much.
>>FRANK REDDICK: Motion to receive and file all
document.
All in favor of the motion say aye?
Opposed?
We stand adjourned.
>> (Meeting adjourned.)
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