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CRA MEETING
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2026, 9:00 A.M.

DISCLAIMER:
THIS FILE REPRESENTS AN UNEDITED VERSION OF REALTIME
CAPTIONING WHICH SHOULD NEITHER BE RELIED UPON FOR COMPLETE
ACCURACY NOR USED AS A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT.
ANY PERSON WHO NEEDS A VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT OF THE
PROCEEDINGS MAY NEED TO HIRE A COURT REPORTER.

9:09:00AM >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS TAMPA CRA MEETING TO ORDER.
JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.
BOARD MEMBER MIRANDA WILL BE LATE.
BOARD MEMBER HURTAK, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, IS SICK.
BOARD MEMBER VIERA IS ON HIS WAY.
HE'S RUNNING LATE.
SO I'LL HANDLE IT FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL THEY SHOW UP.
AT THIS TIME, I YIELD TO BOARD MEMBER YOUNG FOR THE
INVOCATION.
9:09:23AM >>NAYA YOUNG:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
TODAY FOR OUR INVOCATION, WE HAVE MR. JALEN BRYAN, WHO IS AN
8th GRADE STUDENT AT FRANKLIN BOYS PREPARATORY ACADEMY.
HE IS GOING TO ATTEND ARMWOOD COLLEGIATE ACADEMY NEXT YEAR.
HE WANTS TO ATTEND FAMU OR HARVARD FOR COLLEGE.
HE'S A STUDENT LEADER ON HIS CAMPUS SERVING AS EXECUTIVE
OFFICER.
HE ENJOYS PLAYING THE SAXOPHONE AND THE BASS DRUM.

HE HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE MLK PARADE AND TAMPA BAY TECH
BATTLE OF THE BANDS.
AND HE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS.
HE'S JOINED TODAY BY HIS PRINCIPAL, MR. BRENT WILLIAMS, AND
ONE OF HIS TEACHERS, MS. KAITLYN ZIMMERMAN.
JALEN, WOULD YOU LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION, PLEASE?
9:10:10AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
PLEASE STAND.
9:10:15AM >> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS JALEN BRYAN.
I AM 8th GRADE STUDENT AT FRANKLIN MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL.
I SERVE AS EXECUTIVE HOUSE OFFICER FOR THE HOUSE -- WHICH
REPRESENTS INTEGRITY.
AT FRANKLIN WE SAY INTEGRITY IS DOING THE RIGHT THING WHILE
NO ONE IS WATCHING, WHICH I REALIZE MIRRORS THIS COUNCIL'S
EFFORTS TO SERVE THE CITY.
IN TIMES OF GREAT UNEASE IN OUR COUNTRY, LORD, WE LOOK TO
THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY TO DO SO WITH CONSTITUENTS IN
MIND.
FATHER, WE CALL YOU TO GUIDE THESE SERVANTS TO THEIR
RESPECTIVE DISTRICTS TO MAKE CHOICES THAT EMPOWER AND SERVE
THE PEOPLE OF TAMPA TO THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL.
PLEASE ALLOW YOUR GRACE TO EMBED IN EACH SEPARATELY IN ORDER
TO SERVE THE WHOLE.
GOD, PROVIDE THEM WITH THE STRENGTH TO CONCEPTUALIZE WHAT IS
NECESSARY AND EXTRACT FROM THE TANGLING WEBS WITH WHICH THEY

ARE OFTEN PRESENTED.
FATHER GOD, ALLOW THIS COUNCIL TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES
AND THEIR FAMILIES' MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH SO THEY ARE
BETTER EQUIPPED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITY.
FATHER GOD, PROVIDE THIS COUNCIL WITH TOOLS NECESSARY TO
CREATE AN EVEN MORE VIBRANT TAMPA.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
SORRY.
9:11:23AM >> AMEN.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
9:11:47AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:11:51AM >>BILL CARLSON:
MAY I SAY ONE THING?
JALEN, I'M GOING TO ASK DARLENE IF SHE DOESN'T MIND TO TAKE
MY CARD TO YOU.
FOR ANYBODY ELSE WATCHING, WE NEED MORE KIDS FROM TAMPA TO
GO TO IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS AND THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU OR YOUR FRIENDS DO THAT, IT'S
REALLY TOUGH TO GET IN THOSE SCHOOLS, BUT HARVARD, FOR
EXAMPLE, THERE ARE A GROUP OF ALUMNI AND THEY'LL COACH YOU
STARTING NOW TO HELP YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO PREPARE AND WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN THEY'LL INTERVIEW YOU AS YOU APPLY.
YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE LOTS OF HELP.
BUT IF YOU DON'T, LET ME KNOW.
I'M HAPPY TO PLUG YOU IN.

AND FOR ANYBODY ELSE WATCHING THAT WE CAN HELP WITH, WE ALSO
CAN WRITE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION ON OUR LETTERHEAD IF
THAT'S HELPFUL.
9:12:35AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
DO YOU WANT TO COME UP FOR A PICTURE?
LET'S ALL GET A PICTURE.
I HEARD THE VOICE OF VIERA SO HE'LL TAKE OVER FROM HERE.
WE'LL WAIT FOR COUNCILMAN VIERA TO WALK IN.
I BELIEVE HE'S OUTSIDE.
THERE HE IS.
9:14:18AM >>LUIS VIERA:
ROLL CALL.
LIKE, YOU MEAN -- OH, CALL FOR THE ROLL.
HAVE AT IT.
9:14:26AM >> MIRANDA?
MANISCALCO?
9:14:27AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
HERE.
9:14:28AM >> HURTAK?
CLENDENIN?
9:14:30AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
HERE.
9:14:31AM >>BILL CARLSON:
HERE.
9:14:32AM >> YOUNG?
VIERA?
9:14:34AM >>LUIS VIERA:
HERE.
9:14:35AM >>THE CLERK:
WE HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM.
9:14:37AM >>LUIS VIERA:
WE HAVE NOT REVIEWED THE AGENDA, CORRECT?
LET'S DO SO, IF WE MAY.

FIRST, LET'S SEE, ANY COMMENTS ON ITEMS 1 THROUGH 6?
ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY HERE?
MR. McCRAY.
GOOD, SIR.
9:14:56AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
CEDRIC McCRAY, TAMPA CRA DIRECTOR.
JUST ONE ADJUSTMENT, IF WE COULD MOVE ITEM NUMBER 9 TO UNDER
STAFF REPORTS.
9:15:03AM >>LUIS VIERA:
YES, SIR.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO, SECONDED BY
BOARD MEMBER CARLSON.
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
OKAY.
DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE ON THAT, SIR?
WANT TO TAKE IT AFTER 6?
9:15:16AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
THAT WOULD BE FINE.
9:15:17AM >>LUIS VIERA:
OKAY.
ANY REFORMS TO THE REQUIRED APPROVALS FROM STAFF OR BOARD
MEMBERS?
OKAY.
SO WE WILL JUST HEAR THEM AS WE TRADITIONALLY DO.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND BEGIN.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.
SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER CARLSON.

ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
9:15:40AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
[INAUDIBLE]
9:15:43AM >>LUIS VIERA:
YES, SIR, WE DO.
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.
SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER CARLSON.
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
GREAT.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND BEGIN, IF WE MAY, WITH ITEM NUMBER 1.
9:15:59AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.
AND WE HAVE ONE REGISTERED SPEAKER.
9:16:03AM >>LUIS VIERA:
NOT DOING WELL THESE DAYS.
PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF YOU ARE HERE TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
IF YOU ARE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND
SO WE CAN KNOW.
WE HAVE A COUPLE.
GO AHEAD, MA'AM.
9:16:19AM >> GOOD MORNING.
CONNIE BURTON.
WHEN YOU LATE, YOU GET RATTLED.
9:16:24AM >>LUIS VIERA:
YEAH.
9:16:25AM >> I WANT TO REALLY APPRECIATE THE YOUNG MAN IN HIS PRAYER
THIS MORNING FOR JUST SAYING HOW, AS A SERVANT LEADER,

THINGS THAT WE ARE OBLIGATED TO DO.
ONE OF THE OBLIGATIONS I SEE ALWAYS IS THE APPLICATION FOR
THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH I HAVE GIVEN OVER 40 YEARS FOR, AND
THAT'S EAST TAMPA.
I'M GOING TO AWAIT MR. JOHNSON'S REPORT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU
OVER THE 20-PLUS YEARS, THE RESIDENTS OF EAST TAMPA HAVE
BEEN VERY, VERY CLEAR OF THE THINGS THAT THEY KNOW THEY
NEEDED.
WE NEED AN ECONOMIC ENGINE.
WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT.
WE NEEDED A MAJOR, ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK OF THE ABILITY TO SAY
LEGACY, PEOPLE THAT HAVE INVESTED IN EAST TAMPA.
WHEN NOBODY LOOK IN THAT DIRECTION, WHEN LAND OVER THERE WAS
-- NOW WE HAVE HOMES OVER THERE COSTING UP TO A QUARTER
MILLION OF DOLLARS.
RESIDENTS LIVING THERE IN EAST TAMPA NOW, THEY NEED A MAJOR
REHAB.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, TO ALL OF THE TIME DELAYED WHEN THE
EAST TAMPA CAC STAFF BOUGHT INTO THE FACT THAT WE WERE
ALMOST A CITY WITHIN A CITY AND HAD TO TAKE UP, IN MY
OPINION, MAJOR OBLIGATIONS THAT THE CITY NEGLECTED IN EAST
TAMPA.
SO RIGHT NOW AS THE CLOCK SPIN, AND WE ARE ALMOST TO OUR
30-YEAR MARK IN EAST TAMPA, WE STILL LOOK LIKE A DIVIDED
CITY.

WE STILL NEED TIME TO BRING THAT PART OF THE CITY UP TO CODE
SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE REAL DIGNITY IN LIVING.
WHAT WE NEED ALSO IS ALL OF THE MONIES THAT YOU GOT -- I
MEAN, THE CITY ALLOCATE TO NONPROFITS AND OTHER ENTITIES, WE
NEED REAL CHECKS AND BALANCES.
BECAUSE THESE SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE ILLS IN OUR COMMUNITY
IN TERMS OF THE DOUBLE-DIGIT UNEMPLOYMENT THAT WE HAVE, THE
DELINQUENCY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THOSE ARE
SOLVABLE THINGS, IN MY OPINION.
LASTLY, AS YOU MOVE TOWARD THIS NEW VENTURE FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, I WANT YOU TO KEEP IN MIND THAT IN THE STATE OF
FLORIDA, MINIMUM WAGE IS ABOUT UP TO $15.
SO AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR US WOULD NOT BE PEOPLE THAT HAVE
THE ABILITY TO HAVE A STARTING SALARY AT $61,000.
THAT WOULDN'T BE AFFORDABLE.
SO LET'S DON'T PLAY THE SHELL GAME AND MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYBODY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FAIR AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN THIS CITY, AND THAT THOSE THAT MAKE BELOW THE POVERTY
LEVEL IS NOT THE ONES THAT RECEIVE THE LEAST HOUSING AS YOU
MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
9:19:13AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
NEXT, PLEASE.
9:19:17AM >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
JULIE McGILL.

IF THE CITY WERE A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, THEY WOULD FAIL
EVERY INSPECTION.
AS A CONTRACTOR, BEFORE YOU BUILD ANYTHING, YOU TEND TO NEED
TO KNOW WHAT'S EXISTING.
I HAVE STUDIED THE DRAINAGE, AND I KNOW I E-MAILED EACH AND
EVERY ONE OF YOU.
SOUTH TAMPA HAS A VIRTUAL SPIDER WEB OF DRAINAGE CULVERTS,
SWALES, RETENTION PONDS THAT I FEEL WERE NOT FULLY
INVESTIGATED BEFORE YOU STARTED LOOKING AT THE SOUTH HOWARD
FLOOD PROJECT.
WHEN WAS THE LAST INSPECTION DONE ON ANY OF THESE?
I KNOW THAT THEY DO A COUPLE HERE AND A COUPLE THERE, BUT
I'M TALKING THE WHOLE SOUTHERN PENINSULA.
WHEN WAS THE LAST INSPECTION OR MAINTENANCE OR PUMPS?
PUMPS, MOST OF THEM AREN'T WORKING.
WE KNEW THAT DURING THE HURRICANE.
WE NEED TO KNOW THE METHOD THAT THEY DECIDED THAT ALL THESE
DRAINS COULDN'T HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF WATER.
BEFORE SPENDING THIS MASSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY ON THE SOUTH
HOWARD PROJECT, WE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATING WHAT WE ALREADY
HAVE.
WE'RE GOING TO CAUSE A HUGE DISRUPTION ON HOWARD AVENUE.
ALL THOSE BUSINESSES, MY HEART GOES OUT TO THEM.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL PEOPLE IN SOUTH TAMPA THAT FLOODED.
I DO UNDERSTAND PARKLAND ESTATES AND PALMA CEIA PINES HAVE A

VESTED INTEREST IN THIS.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO THEM BUT THE REST OF SOUTH TAMPA, ALL
THE HOUSES I HAD TO FIX AFTER THE FLOODS.
IT'S A PENINSULA-WIDE, NOT JUST A CERTAIN SECTION.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, WE MAY ALREADY HAVE THE SYSTEM IN PLACE
TO HELP EVERYONE.
SO WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THAT, AND I HOPE THAT YOU DO.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE E-MAILS OR WANT ANY MORE FROM ME,
JUST LET ME KNOW BECAUSE I'VE BEEN STUDYING THIS.
AS A CONTRACTOR, I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:21:14AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU.
NEXT, PLEASE.
9:21:18AM >> GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M JOHN SHUFFLE, REPRESENTING GASPARILLA ARTS, WHICH IS THE
PARENT ORGANIZATION FOR THE GASPARILLA FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS.
I WAS HERE IN DECEMBER TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL
MURAL THAT WE WERE CREATING IN EAST TAMPA.
ON THE CDC BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN DEDICATED IN JANUARY.
THE MIRROR CELEBRATES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SIX REMARKABLE
AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN FROM EAST TAMPA'S HISTORY.
IT'S INCORPORATED TEN GIRLS FROM THE PACE CENTER FOR GIRLS.
THEY WERE A PART OF AN EDUCATION PART, LEARNING ABOUT A
CAREER IN THE ARTS.

THEY ALSO HELPED PAINT PART OF THE MURAL.
AND THE DEDICATION WAS REALLY AMAZING.
THE GIRLS WERE JUST OVERWHELMED BY IT.
TO HEAR THEM BEING RECOGNIZED ON THE STAGE BY SO MANY
POWERFUL PEOPLE JUST WAS SOMETHING THEY NEVER EVEN FATHOMED
AND THEY FELT SEEN, WHICH IS SOMETHING THEY NEVER FELT
BEFORE.
AS BOARD MEMBER YOUNG, YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO BE THERE SINCE
IT WAS ON A THURSDAY AND YOU HAVE MEETINGS, BUT WE DO HAVE A
PIECE WE WANT TO GIVE TO YOU.
THE ARTIST MICHELLE SAWYER CREATED.
I'LL GIVE IT TO DARLENE.
9:22:35AM >>NAYA YOUNG:
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
9:22:42AM >>LUIS VIERA:
IT'S VERY NICE AND THOUGHTFUL.
VERY NICE.
THANK YOU, SIR.
GO AHEAD, MA'AM.
9:22:49AM >> HELLO.
MY NAME IS ASHLEY MORROW.
I WILL BE SHARING TAMPA'S BLACK HISTORY.
TODAY, I'M GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON LAND OWNERSHIP.
MY iPAD IS DEAD.
1862 HOMESTEAD ACT ALLOWED ANY U.S. CITIZEN OR INTENDED
CITIZEN, INCLUDING WOMEN AND FREED SLAVES OVER 21 WHO HAD
NOT FOUGHT AGAINST THE UNION TO CLAIM 160 ACRES OF PUBLIC

LAND.
APPLICANTS PAID A SMALL FEE, LIVED ON THE LAND FOR FIVE
YEARS AND CULTIVATED TO GAIN THE TITLE.
SO IN TAMPA, NEAR DOWNTOWN, THIS WAS CONSIDERED LIKE THE
CITY AT THAT POINT THAT RED AREA.
THIS WAS FORT BROOKE.
SO IT WAS LIKE MILITARY RESERVATION.
AND THESE BLACK PIECES OF LAND, THE BLACK AREAS WERE PIECES
OF LAND OWNED BY BLACK PEOPLE.
CYRUS CHARLES, I SPOKE ABOUT HIM BEING THE FIRST BLACK
COUNCILMAN.
FORTUNE TAYLOR, THOMAS JACKSON, WILLIAM J. McKNIGHT
FURTHER OUT THERE.
JOHN MATTHEWS, HENRY HOPKINS AND RICHARD HAMILTON.
THOMAS JACKSON IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST ONE.
HE WAS RIGHT HERE ABOVE WHERE OAKLAWN IS CURRENTLY NOW.
OAKLAWN IS A CORNER, AND HE WAS ABOVE IT.
THAT WAS HIS PIECE OF LAND.
CYRUS CHARLES AND FORTUNE TAYLOR I BELIEVE -- NO, WILLIAM
McKNIGHT OUT THERE TOWARDS YBOR.
HE OWNED THIS PIECE OF LAND RIGHT HERE.
YOU HAD CYRUS CHARLES.
THIS WAS HIS LAND GRANT DOCUMENT THERE.
AND YOU HAVE FORTUNE TAYLOR WHO WAS THE ONE THAT YOU ALL
KNOW.

AND HER PLAN I GUESS WAS AROUND WHERE THE BARRYMORE STRAZ
IS, I BELIEVE, AND THEN HENRY HOPKINS UP TOP.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT THERE.
THAT WAS HIS LAND THERE.
THEN YOU HAVE RICHARD HAMILTON AND JOHN MATTHEWS, WHICH
ARMATURE WORKS IS RIGHT THERE ON THAT CORNER.
GIVE YOU ALL SOME REFERENCE.
SO YOU MAY BE WONDERING ABOUT THE SCRUB.
WHAT ABOUT THE SCRUB?
THE SCRUB WAS OWNED BY A WHITE MAN NAMED SAMUEL MITCHELL WHO
WAS GRANTED THE LAND BECAUSE HE PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR.
THIS IS HIM RIGHT HERE.
AND HE WAS GRANTED THIS LAND.
HE WAS A FLORIDA VOLUNTEER IN THE FLORIDA WAR.
AND THIS IS THE PIECE OF LAND RIGHT HERE, PLATTED OUT.
NOW, HE SOLD TO WHITE MEN, AND THE ONE THAT I WANT TO POINT
OUT HERE IS MUGGE.
ROBERT MUGGE.
HE ACTUALLY CAME AND SPOKE AT THE HISTORY CENTER LAST YEAR
ABOUT HIS ANCESTRY.
WROTE A BOOK ABOUT HIM.
THESE ARE THE PLOT OF LANDS THAT HE SOLD IT TO.
THE BLACK PEOPLE HE SOLD IT TO.
SHE WAS THE TRUSTEE OF ANOTHER YOUNG BLACK GIRL.
I HAVEN'T FOUND ANY DOCUMENTS WITH HER NAME AS THE OWNER OF

ANY OF THE LAND, BUT HER FAMILY OWNED A LOT OF THE LAND IN
THAT SUBDIVISION.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BLACK SUBDIVISIONS IN TAMPA.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
9:25:56AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU AS ALWAYS.
NEXT, PLEASE.
9:26:01AM >> HI.
VALERIE BULLOCK, PONCE De LEON, COLLEGE HILL.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CRA, BUT FIRST I HAD TO SEND YVETTE
LEWIS.
SHE SAID GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY, NAACP, THEY ARE HAVING A
HEALTH EXPO ON THE 28th OF MARCH.
WE'LL BE GIVING AWAY FITBITS AND EVERYWHERE.
YOU ALL ARE WELCOME.
AT THE NAACP, GARY HIGH SCHOOL.
THE MOBILES IN THE BACK.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT EAST TAMPA CRA.
EAST TAMPA CRA IS SO FAR BEHIND THE OTHER CRAs.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE SO FAR BEHIND,
MOST OF THE OTHER CRAs, THEY HAVE PROFESSIONALS ON THEIR
SEATS.
THEY HAVE ARCHITECTURE.
THEY HAVE BUILDING.
URBAN PLANNERS, BUSINESS PEOPLE.

AND THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS JUST LIKE
CHANNELSIDE.
OKAY.
THE AQUARIUM IS PART OF THEIRS.
AND EAST TAMPA, WE JUST HAVE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND
NOTHING WRONG WITH EVERYDAY PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THEM.
BUT WE DO NEED BUSINESS PEOPLE ON THE CRA BOARD ALSO, LIKE
URBAN PLANNERS AND ARCHITECTS SO THAT WE CAN BE GUIDED INTO
THE FUTURE.
BECAUSE IT'S A VERY SAD DAY.
YOU GO DOWN 22nd STREET AND LOOK THE SAME FROM 1970.
AND EVERYWHERE ELSE I SEE CRANES.
CENTRAL PARK, TAMPA HEIGHTS.
YOU SEE PEOPLE ARE BUILDING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING, BUT IF YOU CAN PUT A
LITTLE MORE EFFORT IN IT AND GET US SOME ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN EAST TAMPA, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
BECAUSE WE LIKE THE PRETTY HOUSES BUT WE CAN'T BUY THEM.
THE APARTMENTS YOU ARE BUILDING, WE CAN'T MOVE IN THERE.
MOST OF THEM, NO SUCH THING AS 30% NO MORE.
I SEE ON CHANNELSIDE, 80, 100, 120, 140 AMI.
WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST SAY HELPING BUILD MILLIONAIRES.
THE PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP THE MOST THEY ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND
AND THIS IS A PATTERN IN EAST TAMPA.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO REMOVE THE BARRIERS AND TO FILL

IN THE GAPS.
WHEN I SEE PEOPLE ON MY STREET MOVING OUT OF THEIR MOM
HOUSE, THE DAUGHTER AND THE GRANDDAUGHTER, THEN I SAY, OH,
WE MAKING PROGRESS IN EAST TAMPA.
BUT UNTIL THEN, WE ARE NOT MAKING NO PROGRESS.
AND THE CRA, IT DEFINITELY NEED TO BE EXTENDED.
I REMEMBER WHEN THEY DID THE PLAN FOR 22nd STREET, IT
HAVEN'T BEEN IMPLEMENTED YET.
SO IF WE GOT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
BUILT, WE MIGHT NEED TO DO AN EXTENSION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE 22nd STREET MODERNIZED LIKE RIVERWALK,
LIKE WATERFRONT AND THE ARMATURE WORKS.
AND I REALLY DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO SEE IT IN MY LIFETIME.
I THINK IT IS A PATTERN WHERE THE POWERS THAT BE CONTINUE TO
SAY NO, NO, NO, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE DEMOGRAPHICS WHERE WE
WANT IT YET.
THANK YOU.
9:29:05AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU.
NEXT, PLEASE.
9:29:09AM >> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOING TO -- I WANTED TO MAKE SURE -- I'M SURGRET DOSS,
BY THE WAY.
I WANTED TO GIVE A HEARTY SHOUT-OUT TO MS. DRISKELL FOR
INTRODUCING HOUSE BILL 235, WHICH IS FLORIDA'S VERSION OF

THE CROWN ACT WHICH GIVES DIGNITY TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY
HAVE HAIR TEXTURES THAT DON'T SEEM TO MEET WITH THE
STANDARDS OF SOME OTHER PEOPLE.
I'LL TRY TO REFRAIN BECAUSE I KNOW MY HONOR IS WATCHING.
ALSO, TO MR. EDMONDS WHO PRESENTED A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD
ALLOW VETERANS IN FLORIDA TO RECEIVE DENTAL CARE WITHOUT
HAVING TO HAVE A 100% DISABILITY RATING, AND THAT'S
SOMETHING VERY MUCH NEEDED.
CRAZY ENOUGH -- NOT CRAZY.
I ALSO WANT TO SHOUT-OUT A RECENT CLARIFICATION THAT CAME
FROM THE HIGHEST COURT ABOUT WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE PROBABLE
CAUSE -- ACTUALLY, REASONABLE SUSPICION FOR DETENTION DOES
NOT CONSTITUTE PROBABLE CAUSE FOR AN ARREST IN THAT THE
NECESSARY ELEMENTS FOR THE PROBABLE CAUSE MUST ALL BE MET.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU PROBABLY THOUGHT QUITE A BIT ABOUT MY
WRITING.
I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK, SOMETHING CAME UP YESTERDAY.
I WAS OVER AT THE 700 TWIGGS BUILDING AND A COUPLE OF
SHERIFF CHRONISTER'S SUBCONTRACTED PEOPLE SAID THERE IS
ACTUALLY A POLICY THAT PROHIBITS VETERANS FROM GOING
UPSTAIRS OR PEOPLE IN GENERAL -- HE SAID PEOPLE IN GENERAL,
BUT THAT KIND OF LEFT AT THE END OF MY ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE
SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ME, WALKED BEHIND WITHOUT
BEING DETAINED IN THE LOBBY OF THE 700 TWIGGS BUILDING.
SPECIFICALLY, LIEUTENANT MURPHY SAID SOMEWHERE IN THE 88

PAGES OF HIS SOP AS HE WAS TAKEN UP BY MR. CRUZ, I HEARD OF
THEM GIVING CERTAIN PEOPLE A DIFFICULT TIME ACCESSING THAT
BUILDING.
I DIDN'T HAVE CONTEXT UNTIL YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY I GET THERE A LITTLE EARLIER TO TAKE CARE OF
BUSINESS AND I WAS DETAINED IN THE LOBBY UNTIL I COULDN'T GO
TO THE THIRD FLOOR AND WAIT AT THE SERVICE BUILDING, AT THE
SERVICE ENTRANCE FOR THE SHERIFF UNTIL 9:00.
ODDLY ENOUGH WHAT HAPPENED WAS SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T LOOK LIKE
ME WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND DIDN'T GET DETAINED THERE.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW JUST FOR CLARITY, I'M HOPING THE CITY
DOESN'T HAVE THAT SIMILAR POLICY THAT YOU CAN'T GO UP INTO
THE WAITING ROOM AND WAIT.
I'M GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE DETAILS ARE, AND I'LL DO A
PROPER REQUEST FOR THAT INFORMATION.
BEYOND THAT, I THINK -- I'M HOPING THAT THIS CITY DOES TAKE
THE CONCERNS OF THE EAST TAMPA RESIDENTS SERIOUSLY.
SHOUT-OUT, GREATEST INSTITUTE OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THE CITY
OF TAMPA, THE UNIVERSITY OF THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL.
9:31:54AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE HERE IN PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?
OKAY.
THERE BEING NONE, DO WE HAVE ANY VIRTUAL?
LET'S HAVE AT IT, SIR.
9:32:06AM >> GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS MICHAEL RANDOLPH.
I'M WITH THE WEST TAMPA CDC.
TODAY'S TOPIC IS ON THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE EXPANSION IN WEST
TAMPA.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PREPARING WHAT MANY ARE CALLING
OPPORTUNITY ZONE 2.0, A ROUND OF OZ DESIGNATIONS AND
INVESTMENTS, TAKING EFFECT IN 2007.
THE DEADLINE IS JULY THE 1st 2026 WHEN GOVERNMENTS MUST
SUBMIT NOMINATIONS FOR THE NEW ZONE.
WEST TAMPA MUST BE PART OF THAT NOMINATION.
ALONG NORTH BOULEVARD AND MAIN STREET, WE ARE SEEING RAPID
LAND SPECULATION, RISING DISPLACEMENT, AND DECLINING
AFFORDABILITY FOR LONGTIME RESIDENTS.
EXPANDING THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE TO NORTH BOULEVARD DIRECT
MORE FEDERAL INCENTIVE TO THE -- WHERE VULNERABILITY IS THE
GREATEST.
THE EXPANSIONS ALIGN WITH THE -- PARTIES, THE CRA GOALS, AND
THE COMMITMENT TO THE ROME YARD BENEFIT AGREEMENT.
IT ALSO CREATE A UNIFIED -- ZONE MAIN STREET TO COLUMBUS
DRIVE.
SUPPORTING COORDINATED INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT.
WITH THE RIGHT SAFEGUARDS, WEST TAMPA CAN ATTRACT LONG-TERM,
MISSION ALIGNED CAPITAL.
CDFIs, IMPACT FUND, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

PARTNERS WHO WORK TOGETHER TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AS A
WHOLE INSTEAD OF SHORT-TERM PROFITS.
WE'RE REQUESTING YOUR SUPPORT ALONG WITH THE STATE AND
FEDERAL PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT WEST TAMPA IS INCLUDED IN
FLORIDA'S 26 OZ ZONE NOMINATION.
THIS IS A ONCE IN A DECADE TO SECURE INVESTMENT AND
STRENGTHEN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT DISPLACING PEOPLE
THROUGH BUILDING.
NEXT, SUCCESS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THROUGH THE REZONING.
I'M SORRY.
REDISTRICT OUTCOME CONFIRMED THAT THE WEST TAMPA BLACK VOTE
AND THE BOARD OF BLACK AND BROWN COALITION REMAIN STRONG.
THE SUCCESS WAS MADE POSSIBLE WITH PARTNERS ON EAST SIDE,
WEST SIDE AND SULPHUR SPRINGS IN THE WEST TAMPA CDC
TOGETHER.
EMERGENCY MEETING CALLED BY THE WEST TAMPA CDC TO RESIDENTS
AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THE SAME ROOM FOLLOWED BY
MASS OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO INFORM AND MOBILIZED THE
COMMUNITY.
DRIVE THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE EFFORT.
SHOUT-OUT TO ROBIN LOCKETT FOR HER BID STATE REPRESENTATIVE
AND PROVEN LEADER AND NO NONSENSE LEADER AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:35:08AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, INCLUDING FOR THE

ENDORSEMENT.
9:35:16AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
MICHAEL RANDOLPH.
MY DOGS HAVE A JOB, CUTE AND GIVE ME KISSES ALL DAY.
I ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING ELSE.
MOTION TO MOVE ITEMS 7 AND 8 AND 10-13.
9:35:30AM >>LUIS VIERA:
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT.
9:35:37AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
7, 8, 10 THROUGH 13.
9:35:40AM >>LUIS VIERA:
DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
9:35:43AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
I'LL SECOND.
9:35:45AM >>LUIS VIERA:
TAKE A LOOK, BOARD MEMBERS.
EVERYBODY GOOD TO VOTE?
9:35:51AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
10 THROUGH 13.
9:35:54AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
WE MOVED 9 TO STAFF REPORTS.
9:35:58AM >>LUIS VIERA:
DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
9:36:06AM >>BILL CARLSON:
I WANT TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT.
NEXT WEEK WE'RE OUT ON SPRING BREAK, BUT MS. CONNIE HAS A
BIG BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK WITH A ZERO AT THE END OF IT.
I WON'T SAY WHAT IT IS.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ALL HARD WORK AND ADVOCACY IN THE
COMMUNITY.
9:36:25AM >>LUIS VIERA:
GREAT.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE'LL GO FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER 1, CAC CHAIR

FOR EAST TAMPA, JEFFREY JOHNSON.
9:36:37AM >> FELIX NU EZ, EAST TAMPA CRA MANAGER.
IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE REVEREND DR. JEFFREY
JOHNSON THIS MORNING.
HE WILL TALK ABOUT ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS GOING ON IN EAST
TAMPA.
9:36:48AM >>LUIS VIERA:
GREAT.
THANK YOU, SIR.
JUST SO THAT WE KNOW, ROUGHLY HOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU'LL
NEED FOR YOUR PRESENTATION?
9:36:59AM >>JEFFREY JOHNSON:
7 TO 10 MINUTES.
9:37:01AM >>LUIS VIERA:
GIVE YOU 10, IF YOU NEED A COUPLE MORE -- GO
AHEAD, SIR.
9:37:05AM >>JEFFREY JOHNSON:
GOOD MORNING TO EACH OF YOU, MR. CHAIR,
AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS.
ON BEHALF OF THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, I
WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE.
ALLOW ME TO GO THROUGH SOME WRITTEN POINTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
I CAN HIGHLIGHT THEM ABOUT OUR EAST TAMPA AREA.
FIRST, THE HIGHLIGHT WAS, FIRST HIGHLIGHT IS THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ATTEND THE CRA CONFERENCE IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR
CRAs, AS WELL AS HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH OUR CITY TO DO
EXTENDED WORK.
THE CAC IS READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WAY FINDING

PROJECT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION PHASE NOW THAT THE BOARD
HAS ADOPTED THE FINAL CONCEPT.
THIS PROJECT IS INTENDED TO IMPROVE NAVIGATION, STRENGTHEN
DISTRICT IDENTITY, AND SUPPORT PLACE-MAKING THROUGHOUT THE
EAST TAMPA AREA, SO THAT IS EXCITING.
THE CAC IS ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION
OF THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THE COMMITTEE BELIEVES THAT THE UPDATED CRP WILL PROVIDE
IMPORTANT FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE REDEVELOPMENT PROPERTIES --
PRIORITIES, RATHER, AND FUTURE INVESTMENTS WITHIN THE
DISTRICT.
AT OUR MOST RECENT MEETING LAST WEEK, THE CAC UNANIMOUSLY
RECOMMENDED THAT THE CRA BOARD AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF A
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION RFQ FOR A MASTER DEVELOPER FOR THE
GATOR BUILDING.
IN FACT, THIS IS GIVING MOVEMENT TO IT, BUT THERE WAS ALSO
PLEASURE OF THE BOARD TO SEE THIS MOVE A LITTLE QUICKER.
I THINK BASED ON SOME OF THE SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATIONS, IT
MAY STILL BE A THREE-YEAR PROCESS.
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT BUILDING WAS PURCHASED AT THAT AROUND
TEN YEARS, IF IT GOES TO 2029.
WE DEFINITELY NEED TO SEE MOVEMENT QUICKER THAN THAT.
WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT DEFINITELY NEED
SUPPORT TO SEE HOW THAT CAN BE A QUICKER PROCESS SO THE
COMMUNITY CAN SEE REVITALIZATION ON 22nd STREET.

THE CAC ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE CRA BOARD APPROVE THE RFP
TO UNDERTAKE A CORRIDOR STUDY THAT WILL LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT
OF COMPREHENSIVE PROJECTS AND A MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THE GOAL OF THIS EFFORT IS TO ALIGN THE CORRIDOR
REDEVELOPMENT WITH GOALS OF THE CRP AND ESTABLISH A CLEAR
STRATEGY FOR HOW EAST TAMPA CORRIDORS CAN DEVELOP OVER THE
NEXT 8 TO 13 YEARS.
I BELIEVE THIS COMES ON THE AGENDA IN MAY.
SO IF YOU WOULD KEEP A NOTE ON THAT TO EVALUATE THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE PLANNING INITIATIVES, THE CAC RECENTLY
RECOMMENDED TWO HOUSING PROJECTS THROUGH THE UNIT CREATION
AND CONVERSION PROGRAM, HELPING THOSE WHO ARE LEGACY
HOMEOWNERS.
ONE PROJECT INVOLVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIXED USE APARTMENT
COMPLEX ON 34TH STREET AND 21st AVENUE.
THE SECOND IS A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN
YBOR HEIGHTS.
BOTH PROJECTS RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM THE CAC AND EXPECTED TO
COME BEFORE THE CRA BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION IN MAY.
HOUSING CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR FOCUS WITHIN EAST TAMPA.
AS OF FEBRUARY 28 OF LAST MONTH, EAST TAMPA HAS EXPANDED
APPROXIMATELY 1.14 MILLION IN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND
APPROXIMATELY 2.3 MILLION THROUGH HOMEOWNER REHABILITATION.
WITH ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS CURRENTLY PENDING APPROVAL.
SO WE ARE SEEING FAMILIES RECEIVE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AS

WELL AS SOME HOUSING REHAB.
THE CAC ALSO CONTINUES TO RECEIVE UPDATES ON ADDITIONAL
REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE 12th AND OSBORNE AND
PALIFOX AND 19th PROPERTIES, WHERE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS
ARE CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW AND EXPECTED TO MOVE FORWARD
SOON.
PHASE ONE OF THE EAST TAMPA INFILL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
IS ALSO ANTICIPATED TO MOVE FORWARD IN AN RFP PROCESS SOON
WITH PLANNING UNDER WAY TO DEVELOP IN THAT FASHION.
FINALLY, JANUARY 6 -- INTERESTING DATE -- BUT JANUARY, OUR
CAC MEETING, WE VOTED FOR THERE TO BE THE BEGINNING OF A
PROCESS TO HAVE AN EXTENSION OF OUR SUNSET DATE IN EAST
TAMPA.
WE ARE SUGGESTED NOW TO END SEPTEMBER 30, 2034, BUT
UNANIMOUSLY THE CAC VOTED TO START THE PROCESS FOR AN
EXTENSION TO SEPTEMBER 30 OF 2039 IN WHICH EXTENSIONS HAVE
BEEN GRANTED.
WE WANT TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS FOR AN EXTENSION
TO TAKE PLACE.
I DO WANT TO SHARE IN THE FEW MINUTES I HAVE REMAINING AND
THEN ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE, THERE ARE A FEW
RESIDENTS THAT SPOKE TODAY ABOUT THE DISPLEASURE OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN EAST TAMPA.
AND I DO HOPE THAT YOU WILL PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS BEING
SAID.

WHILE SOME FAMILIAR FACES MAY COME, THEY DO REPRESENT A GOOD
PORTION OF THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY FEEL DISENFRANCHISED ABOUT
THE LACK OF MOVEMENT AND WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE.
THEY ARE MORE COMFORTABLE.
THEY HAVE THE TIME TO COME AND SPEAK BEFORE THE CHAMBERS TO
SHARE THE DISPLEASURE OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE REASON WHY THE EXTENSION IS SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE
THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE BEHIND.
BECAUSE I DON'T WORK FOR THE CITY, I DON'T KNOW THE REASON
WHY CERTAIN THINGS HAVE BECOME DELAYED IN PROCESS.
BUT WE DO KNOW BY VISUAL PRESENTATION, LOOKING AT THE EAST
TAMPA CRA COMPARED TO THE OTHER CRAs, THERE HAS BEEN
FORWARD PROGRESSION AND MOVEMENT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE AT A
FURTHER PROGRESSIONAL PLACE THAN EAST TAMPA, AND THAT REALLY
NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I STOOD HERE AND ASKED, I BELIEVE THE
LAST CRA MEETING, THAT THERE BE A TOWN HALL IN EAST TAMPA
JUST TO LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL.
THERE ARE MORE RESIDENTS THAN THOSE THAT COME HERE THAT HAVE
CONCERNS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
THE BIGGER ISSUE IS, IF WE LOOK AT PAST -- I WON'T SAY
ADMINISTRATIONS -- BUT THOSE THAT ARE IN EAST TAMPA AND
THOSE THAT REPRESENTED US, WE CAN'T PINPOINT ONE CHAMPION
THAT SAYS THAT THEIR PROJECT IS TO SEE PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD
IN EAST TAMPA.

I THINK THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS
ARE SAYING COMPARED TO OTHER CRAs, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
NOTABLE CHAMPIONS THAT SAY I'M GOING TO TAKE UP THIS ISSUE,
TO LOOK AT THE BLIGHT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY
AND ENSURE THROUGH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT EAST
TAMPA BECOMES THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. McCRAY, AND HE'S
LET ME IN ON SOME CONVERSATIONS.
SOMEONE SAID TODAY ABOUT 22nd STREET.
WELL, THERE ARE SOME PERSONS THERE WHO DON'T WANT TO SELL
THEIR PROPERTIES, BUT I KNOW THE CITY DOES HAVE SOME
SUGGESTIVE MAYBE TACTICS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SELL.
I IMPLORE THAT HAPPENS.
THEY ARE A NUISANCE ON 22nd STREET.
THERE ARE STORES THAT ARE THERE SELLING BAD ITEMS.
I WENT INTO ONE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND A STORE THAT WAS
OPEN AND A RAT RAN ACROSS MY FOOT WHILE I WAS IN THAT STORE.
THIS IS IN EAST TAMPA.
I'M WONDERING HOW THESE STORES GET PAST HEALTH CARE
INSPECTIONS AND CODE VIOLATIONS.
SOMEBODY IS DOING SOMETHING.
THERE ARE SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE BEHIND
THE SCENES BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN
SOUTH TAMPA, IN SOME OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A DEEP DIVE INTO WHY CITIZENS AND THE

RESIDENTS OF EAST TAMPA CONTINUE TO FEEL THIS WAY.
ON BEHALF OF MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES THAT SIT ON THE BOARD, I
BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE VERY MUCH VESTED.
HOMEOWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THEY REALLY BELIEVE IN
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN EAST TAMPA, BUT WE'RE VOLUNTEERS.
WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE.
AND WE SOMETIMES FEEL AS IF WE ARE THE LONE WOLF STANDING IN
THE BACKGROUND SHOUTING, DO YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?
DO YOU SEE WHAT IS NOT HAPPENING HERE?
AND THEN THE LAST THING, A FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBER WANTED TO
TALK ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP, THE EAST TAMPA PARTNERSHIP.
SOME YEARS AGO, THOSE MEETINGS WERE COMBINED FOR THE CAC AND
THE PARTNERSHIP, BUT SINCE THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE CAC,
THEY ARE NO LONGER SUBCOMMITTEES AND THE PARTNERSHIP IS
FIZZLING OUT.
THAT MAY BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THERE IS A BUSINESS
ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED IN EAST TAMPA IF THERE
IS A STRUCTURED DESIGN FOR BUSINESS OWNERS TO BE A PART OF A
PARTNERSHIP AND DEFINITELY NEED THE CRA BOARD TO HELP
FACILITATE THAT TO SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.
I BELIEVE THOSE ARE ALL OF MY HIGHLIGHTED POINTS ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE DOING GREAT AND SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO CONTINUE
TO MOVE THE BALL FORWARD IN EAST TAMPA.
9:46:12AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, SIR.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR WORK.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS BY BOARD MEMBERS?
GREAT PRESENTATION, SIR.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU.
9:46:22AM >> IS THAT IT?
NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
9:46:27AM >>LUIS VIERA:
IT WOULD APPEAR NOT.
THANK YOU, SIR.
9:46:30AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
MAN, YOU SHOULD GIVE A CLASS TO EVERYBODY
ELSE THAT GIVES REPORTS, REALLY REFLECT WHAT THE BOARD
BROUGHT BACK.
I THINK YOU DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
9:46:42AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, SIR.
WE APPRECIATE YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:46:51AM >>BILL CARLSON:
JUST QUICKLY, FOLKS FROM EAST TAMPA
PARTICIPATED IN THE PAST WITH THE PLANS WE HAVE DONE FOR THE
CRA OVERALL.
WE HAVE DETAILED PLANS, AND WE HAVE IDEAS THAT SHOULD BE
IMPLEMENTED.
ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN DONE INTERACTIVELY WITH THE COMMUNITY.
IF FOR SOME REASON -- IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU THINK SOME OF IT IS
NOT -- PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN CHANGE TO TRY TO GET
IT DONE AND WE'LL WORK ON IT.
9:47:22AM >> I DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS WOULD BE, BUT I BELIEVE SOME

TYPE OF TOWN HALL.
I KNOW THAT OUR BOARD MEMBERS CANNOT BE IN THE SAME SPACE
OUTSIDE OF THE CHAMBERS TO HAVE COMMENT.
BUT TO CREATE A SPACE FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE
ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM THAT
CANNOT GET HERE, FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY
FEEL NEEDS TO BE DONE WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPMENT.
A LOT OF TIMES, WE HAVE IN MIND WHAT WE THINK PEOPLE WANT,
AND WE NEVER STOP TO REALLY ASK THEM.
WE SOMETIMES HAVE FOCUS GROUPS, BUT THEY ARE MORE OR LESS
COORDINATED TO GET TO AN END OBJECTIVE INSTEAD OF SAYING,
HEY, WHAT IS IT, WE ARE HERE, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
WHAT IS IT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS BETTER?
I THINK THAT TOWN HALL WOULD BE GREAT.
9:48:09AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, SIR.
BOARD MEMBER YOUNG.
9:48:12AM >>NAYA YOUNG:
I WOULD JUST SAY, ONE THING THAT I'VE ALWAYS
SAID IS I'VE ENCOURAGED PEOPLE TO CALL MY OFFICE.
PLENTY OF TIMES.
I WOULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THAT.
AS FAR AS THE TOWN HALL, I'M ACTUALLY ALREADY WORKING ON
THAT.
BUT I WOULD ALSO, AGAIN, IF THERE ARE ISSUES IN THE
COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS SAID, WE HAVE A VERY
OPEN-DOOR POLICY, OPEN-PHONE POLICY.

DARLENE AND I ARE IN THE OFFICE ALL THE TIME.
I'VE SAID THAT TO MANY, MANY RESIDENTS.
I CAN'T MAKE PEOPLE CALL ME AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME,
BUT I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING
TO WORK WITH ME.
COLLABORATION IS A BIG PART OF WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT.
BUT YOU CAN'T COLLABORATE WITH SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T WANT TO.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO REACH OUT.
I'VE PUT IT OUT THERE MULTIPLE TIMES.
BUT IF YOU DON'T CALL, THEN WE DON'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO
ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION.
9:49:03AM >>JEFFREY JOHNSON:
YEAH, NOT TO PSYCHO ANALYZE THIS, BUT YOU
ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME THAT MAY FEEL WE'VE DONE THAT
BEFORE, NOT BEFORE YOU OR WHATEVER, AND THEY GET THE SAME
RESULT.
SO WE'RE DEALING WITH A LITTLE OF THE HISTORY THERE, FOR
YEARS THAT PREDATES MANY OF US AND THOSE OF YOU SITTING
THERE, OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT IN THAT COMMUNITY.
I MOVED TO EAST TAMPA IN 2004, THAT'S 22 YEARS AGO, AND MANY
OF THE THINGS SEEM AND LOOK THE SAME, ONCE AGAIN, BECAUSE
THERE HASN'T BEEN A DISTINCT CHAMPION TO SAY THIS IS WHAT
I'M GOING TO DO.
YOU MAY HAVE A CHAMPION FOR YBOR CITY AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE
GOING TO PUT ALL OF OUR RESOURCES HERE.

THAT PERSON WILL REMAIN NAMELESS FOR THE GREAT THINGS THAT
HE'S DOING FOR YBOR CITY.
BUT WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY SEEN THAT FOR EAST TAMPA.
I THINK UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, WHETHER THAT IS SOMEONE FROM A
PRIVATE SECTOR OR PUBLIC SECTOR, TO SAY THIS IS OUR DUTY TO
MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THE PLANS ARE FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR EAST TAMPA, WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET
IT GO UNTIL IT HAPPENS, AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD EVERYBODY
ACCOUNTABLE.
THANK YOU.
9:50:14AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, SIR.
9:50:18AM >>NAYA YOUNG:
YOU'LL NEVER KNOW ANYTHING OR WHAT'S GOING ON
IF YOU DON'T CALL AND TALK.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT TO YOU.
I'M SAYING THAT TO ANYBODY, BECAUSE I PUT THAT OUT MULTIPLE
TIMES.
AS ALWAYS, I'M ALWAYS WILLING AND READY TO WORK WITH ANYBODY
THAT WANTS AND IS WILLING AND READY TO WORK WITH ME.
THAT'S MY JOB.
9:50:41AM >>JEFFREY JOHNSON:
THANK YOU.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS BEFORE.
I'M SPEAKING AS A BROADER SENSE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THERE IS JUST THAT PAST TRAUMA OF COMMUNITY HURT.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PUSH THEM TO THAT, TO CALL
YOUR OFFICE AND SHARE WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS WHAT THEIR

CONCERNS ARE.
9:50:58AM >>NAYA YOUNG:
ABSOLUTELY, PLEASE.
I MAKE TIME.
IF YOU NEED TO GET ON THE CALENDAR, I'M SAYING THIS TO YOU
TO PASS ON TO WHOEVER ELSE.
COME AND SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AS FAR AS YOU KNOW PAST THINGS.
I WASN'T THERE, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT PREDATE
ME.
I'M ONLY BEEN HERE FIVE MONTHS.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THAT I
WASN'T THERE FOR THAT.
BUT WHAT I'VE DONE, AND WHAT I HAVE SAID, AND WHAT I HAVE
SAID TO MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, I WANT TO WORK.
I WENT TO MIDDLETON.
I'VE SEEN THE SAME 22nd STREET.
I'VE SEEN IT.
I'VE ASKED THE QUESTIONS MYSELF.
BUT I'M ALWAYS WILLING AND READY TO WORK WITH ANYBODY THAT
WANTS TO SIT DOWN AND WORK WITH ME.
I'M SAYING THAT ON THIS DAIS BECAUSE WHOEVER WATCHES THIS
MEETING AND WHOEVER YOU SPEAK TO IN THE COMMUNITY, IF THEY
WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME AND HAVE -- PLEASE,
BRING THEM TO ME.
COME AND TALK TO ME.

JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION.
THAT'S ALL I ASK.
9:52:06AM >>JEFFREY JOHNSON:
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
9:52:08AM >>LUIS VIERA:
BOARD MEMBER CARLSON.
9:52:09AM >>BILL CARLSON:
TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT --
9:52:19AM >> [INAUDIBLE]
9:52:20AM >>BILL CARLSON:
WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, IF -- IF -- BACK
THAT UP IN A SECOND.
I THINK THERE ARE SOME SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO
ADDRESS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG, IF YOU PUT
TOGETHER A TOWN HALL, COULD YOU PLEASE HAVE STAFF SET IT UP
IN A WAY THAT IF IT'S PUBLICLY NOTICED AND WE TAKE MINUTES,
THEN THE REST OF US CAN ATTEND.
THERE ARE NO CRA DISTRICTS IN MY DISTRICT IN SOUTH TAMPA,
BUT THE FOLKS IN SOUTH TAMPA LOOK AT THE CRA DISTRICTS AS AN
INVESTMENT.
APART FROM SOUTH TAMPA, TO BE HONEST, THE PLACES THAT DON'T
HAVE CRAs ARE FUNDING CRAs IN OTHER AREAS.
IN CASE ANYBODY DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, DOWNTOWN,
WHO IS PAYING DOWNTOWN'S POLICE AND FIRE?
THE PLACES THAT DON'T HAVE CRA ARE PAYING THAT.
THE WAY PEOPLE OUTSIDE CRA DISTRICTS, IT'S AN INVESTMENT.
WHAT ARE THOSE AREAS GIVING UP?

THEY ARE GIVING UP ROADS WITH POTHOLES, PARKS THAT HAVE
PROBLEMS AND OTHER THINGS SO THEY CAN INVEST IN THOSE
DISTRICTS.
IF THE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICTS AREN'T HAPPY, THEN THE FOLKS
WHO ARE HELPING INVEST ARE NOT HAPPY EITHER.
I THINK WE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN MAKING SURE THESE ARE
SUCCESSFUL.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LISTEN TO IT AND WANT TO BE
ABLE TO SUPPORT COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG'S EFFORTS IN HER
DISTRICT.
SHE HAS GREAT CONNECTIONS AND IS WELL LIKED IN THE DISTRICT.
SHE'S BETTER CONNECTED IN EAST TAMPA THAN I AM BUT I NEVER
HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT HER SERVICE.
THE ISSUES THAT I'VE HEARD IN THE PAST, AND THESE ARE
SYSTEMIC, IS THAT THE MAYOR'S PROJECTS GET FAST-TRACKED AND
THEN THE COMMUNITY'S PROJECTS AND CRA PROJECTS GET SLOW
WALKED.
BIGGEST EXAMPLE IS THE EDC, MOST PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY
BELIEVE IS A BOONDOGGLE, TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY AND
UNSUCCESSFUL.
HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH MONEY TO DO TREE TRIMMING
AND BASIC THINGS LIKE THAT BUT SUDDENLY FAST TRACKED IS
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON A PROJECT THAT THE EDC PUSHES WHERE
WE SHOULD HAVE DIRECTLY GONE TO THE COMMUNITY.
INSTEAD OF A GROUP FROM DOWNTOWN TO COME UP WITH THEIR IDEAS

ABOUT HOW EAST TAMPA SHOULD BE AFFECTED, WE SHOULD HAVE
INVESTED DIRECTLY IN ORGANIZATIONS IN EAST TAMPA.
SOMEHOW WE HAVE A WORKSHOP COMING UP ON PROTOCOL IN THE
CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CRA AND THE CITY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO FIX
THE SYSTEMIC PROBLEM.
BECAUSE ALL THE PROJECTS OF THE CRA AND THE COMMUNITY ACROSS
THE CRA DISTRICTS ARE GETTING SLOW-WALKED, WHERE THE MAYOR'S
PROJECTS ARE GETTING FAST-TRACKED.
SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO BUILD TRUST.
THE OTHER THING IS WE NEVER FIXED THE COMMUNICATION PROBLEM.
SINCE THE LAST MEETING EVEN, WE HAD COMMUNICATION FROM THE
CRA GO OUT ON THE CITY'S COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS AND NOT ON
THE CRA PLATFORM.
I'M GOING TO ASK FOR WHEN WE HAVE A WORKSHOP BAN ON THE CITY
COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT SENDING OUT ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS ON
THE CRA.
WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING IS REPOSTING THE ANNOUNCEMENTS
FROM THE CRA, NOT TAKING CREDIT FOR EVERYTHING.
IT'S CONFUSING THE PUBLIC.
THE PUBLIC THINKS THAT THE PROJECTS IN THE CRA ARE BEING
FUNDED IN LIEU OF INVESTING IN OTHER THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY
BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR IT.
IF WE WERE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
DECIDED TO SEND OUT PRESS RELEASES FOR US, WE CERTAINLY
WOULD SHUT THEM DOWN.

NO REASON WE CONTINUE TO LET THEM DO THAT.
MAYBE AS CITY COUNCIL WE NEED TO PROHIBIT IT.
BUT AS THE CRA, WE'RE PAYING FOR STAFF TO DO THIS.
WE'RE PAYING FOR SERVICES.
WE SHOULD NOT HAVE THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT DO IT
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE CRA.
IF WE ARE WORKING ON A CRA PROJECT, IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY
COMMUNICATED AS A CRA PROJECT FROM CRA CHANNELS. THANK YOU.
9:56:17AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, LET'S DO FIVE MINUTES AND THREE MINUTE
FOLLOW-UP, JUST SO WE HAVE ORDER.
WE'RE STILL ON ITEM NUMBER 1.
9:56:31AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
I'LL KEEP HITTING THIS UNTIL IT RESONATES.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INVESTMENT AND SPECIFICALLY IN EAST
TAMPA CRA, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIVE IN THE EAST
TAMPA CRA.
WHAT IS THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF GOOD FOR THE GREATEST AMOUNT
OF PEOPLE?
I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM I HEAR IS THAT -- WHICH IS VERY
DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER CRAs, BECAUSE THE OTHER CRAs
ARE RELATIVELY HOMOGENEOUS AND ALL FOCUSED KIND OF IN THE
SAME TYPE OF DIRECTION.
LIKE PAVING OF 7th AVENUE IN YBOR CITY OR DOING THESE TYPE
OF IMPROVEMENTS.

WATER STREET IS TRYING TO DO.
THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS AND, OF COURSE, DOWNTOWN, THE
CULTURAL ART CENTER.
EAST TAMPA IS A VERY DIFFERENT BEAST.
I HATE HEARING THE COMPARISONS OF CRAs BECAUSE THEY ARE
VERY DIFFERENT ANIMALS.
AND THEY NEED TO BE BECAUSE WHAT EAST TAMPA NEEDS AS A CRA
IS TO FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE.
WE DON'T NEED TO FOCUS ON CREATING A WATER STREET AND EAST
TAMPA CRA.
IF WE CREATE A WATER STREET AND EAST TAMPA CRA, WE'RE
CREATING AN AREA OF UNAFFORDABILITY.
CREATING AN GENTRIFICATION ENGINE.
I'LL KEEP BANGING THIS DRUM.
OWNER REHAB.
KEEPING SENIOR CITIZENS IN THEIR HOUSES.
REPLACING ROOFS.
DOING SMALL PROJECTS TO ACTUALLY HELP THE PEOPLE THAT
CURRENTLY LIVE IN THIS AREA SO THAT THEY -- AND MAINTAINING
CURRENT HOUSING STOCK.
WE DON'T WANT TO REPLACE HOUSING STOCK, BECAUSE WHEN WE
REPLACE HOUSING STOCK, WE'RE TAKING AN AFFORDABLE UNIT AND
TURNING IT INTO AN UNAFFORDABLE UNIT.
THAT IS THE FUTURE AND THE BENEFIT OF MAINTAINING EAST TAMPA
CRA FOR THE PEOPLE OF EAST TAMPA CRA.

OTHERWISE, IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
IF WE USE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF A CRA TO TRY TO CREATE WHAT
YOU SEE IN SOME OF THESE OTHER DISTRICTS, YOU'RE GOING TO
LOOK BACK IN 15 YEARS AND NOBODY LIVING THERE IS GOING TO BE
THERE.
THEY WILL BE OUT IN PASCO COUNTY OR OUT IN EAST TAMPA OR
EAST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THEY WILL BE PUSHED OUT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE PEOPLE LIVING
THERE.
THERE'S DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME HOME OWNERSHIPS
TO CREATE A BALANCE, BECAUSE BALANCE ALWAYS MATTERS IN A
COMMUNITY.
YOU WANT THIS NUMBER OF THIS TYPE OF HOUSING STOCK.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOME MONEY SO THAT
THEY CAN CREATE RETAIL ENVIRONMENTS AND EVERYBODY CAN ENJOY,
BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT BALANCE REALLY IS FOCUSED ON
PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN EAST TAMPA, PERIOD, BLANK, THE END.
LET'S STOP TALKING ABOUT WHAT DOWNTOWN IS DOING OR WHAT
CHANNELSIDE IS DOING.
LET'S FOCUS ON WHAT CAN EAST TAMPA DO?
LET'S CREATE A LITTLE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT SO YOU HAVE A
LITTLE PIZZA PARLOR, DRY-CLEANING SHOP AND COFFEE SHOP THAT
YOU CAN GO TO.
CREATE SOME ARTIST SPACE, BLACK ARTISTS HAVE A PLACE TO

THRIVE IN EAST TAMPA WITH THE CULTURE, THE STUDENTS THAT
LIVE THERE CAN WALK DOWN THERE AND SEE THE ARTISTIC
OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN EAST TAMPA IS MAKING EAST
TAMPA FOR EAST TAMPA.
THANK YOU.
9:59:33AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, SIR.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
9:59:36AM >>JEFFREY JOHNSON:
WE'RE GOOD THIS TIME?
9:59:38AM >>LUIS VIERA:
YES, SIR.
9:59:40AM >>JEFFREY JOHNSON:
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.
HAVE A GREAT DAY.
9:59:42AM >>LUIS VIERA:
MOVING FORWARD, ITEM NUMBER 2, CRA DIRECTOR'S
REPORT, MR. McCRAY, GO AHEAD, SIR.
9:59:48AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
GOOD MORNING AGAIN, BOARD MEMBERS.
CEDRIC McCRAY, TAMPA CRA DIRECTOR.
YOU AS CUSTOMARY HAVE RECEIVED THE PROJECTS, GRANTS AND
RESIDENTIAL TRACKERS.
I WILL CONTINUE.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SALCINES PARK.
ANTICIPATING RIBBON CUTTING FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF APRIL.
HERMAN MASSEY, ANTICIPATED APRIL 21st FOR THE RIBBON
CUTTING.
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK BY AND TAKE A LOOK YESTERDAY.

SPEAK TO SOME OF THE FOLKS CONDUCTING THE WORK AND THINGS
LOOK VERY PROMISING.
THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING ON FRANKLIN STREET.
THINGS ARE MOVING AHEAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT -- WE DISCUSSED THIS DURING
THE WORKSHOP LAST FRIDAY.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND.
THOUGHT IT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE.
BUT WANTED TO ALSO SHARE THAT WE WERE LOOKING BECAUSE THERE
WAS A MOTION THAT WAS MADE PREVIOUSLY RELATED TO THE
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND THE SERVICES AGREEMENT.
THE DATE WE WERE LOOKING AT WAS APRIL 14.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A CALENDAR INVITE FOR THAT.
I BELIEVE A MAJORITY HAVE RESPONDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
BUT THAT LOCATION WOULD BE HERE IN THE CHAMBERS BETWEEN 9
AND 12 P.M.
ANY QUESTIONS?
10:01:10AM >>LUIS VIERA:
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS?
THANK YOU, SIR.
10:01:15AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
ALL RIGHTY.
THERE ALSO WAS A REQUEST DURING THE WORKSHOP FOR A WALK-ON
ITEM THIS MORNING.
I BELIEVE MS. HURTAK WAS GOING TO BE THE ONE TO INTRODUCE
IT.
BUT I HAVE CORRESPONDED WITH SOTOQUINTANA WITH THE CLERK'S

OFFICE.
AND THAT WAS RELATED TO THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT ITEM, ITEM 65 ON
YOUR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA LAST THURSDAY, AND I KNOW THAT YOU
ALL HAVE RECEIVED THE INFORMATION, AND MS. ROSHAVEN OR I
WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE
RELATED TO THAT SPECIFIC ITEM.
10:01:48AM >>LUIS VIERA:
ANY QUESTIONS?
10:01:55AM >> [INAUDIBLE]
10:01:55AM >>LUIS VIERA:
WE HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN.
SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.
ANY DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
THANK YOU.
ANYTHING FURTHER, SIR?
10:02:08AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
YES.
I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT WE DID HOST THE CAC ORIENTATION THIS
PAST MONDAY AND HAD ABOUT 16 OR 17 INDIVIDUALS FROM VARIOUS
CACs OR CRAs IN ATTENDANCE.
SO IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAD A FEW PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP THAT HAVE A LEVEL OF
INTEREST IN SERVING BUT NOT ACTIVELY ON A COMMUNITY ADVISORY
COMMITTEE FOR CRA.
ONE ITEM I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, AND I WOULD
LIKE TO SUBMIT FOR THE RECORD THE WEST TAMPA CHAIR, MR.

ROBINSON SHARED A FEW DOCUMENTS THAT HE WANTED AND REQUESTED
BE SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD.
THE FIRST DOCUMENT WAS MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 13, 2025,
CRA BOARD MEETING.
HE IS HIGHLIGHTING ITEM NUMBER 6 RELATED TO THE APPROVAL OF
COMMERCIAL GRANT POLICY FOR STANDARD GRANTS.
SO THAT IS THE FIRST ITEM.
THE SECOND ITEM WAS A DOCUMENT FROM JANUARY 22, 2020.
ETHICS OPINION ON ACCEPTANCE OF EAST TAMPA TREE TRIMMING
GRANT WHILE SERVING AS CHAIR OF THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY
ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE THIRD DOCUMENT WAS A MEMO THAT WAS SENT TO OUR CRA BOARD
ATTORNEY SHEPARD RELATED TO YBOR CITY CRA CAC MEMBER.
IT WAS BELIEVED THERE WAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT.
AND THIS MEMO CAME FROM ATTORNEY TYLER HUDSON.
WANTED TO SUBMIT THOSE THREE DOCUMENTS FOR THE RECORD.
10:03:45AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, SIR.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OR BOARD MEMBERS?
10:03:53AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
AS IT RELATES TO ITEM 65 THAT WAS WALKED
ON, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ALL HAD QUESTIONS OR
WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT AT THIS TIME.
10:04:02AM >>LUIS VIERA:
ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM 65?
BOARD MEMBER CARLSON.
10:04:05AM >>BILL CARLSON:
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED TO THE
PUBLIC SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT IT IS.

ONLY WAY WE DESCRIBED IT IS AS ITEM 65.
10:04:12AM >> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS ANDREA ROSHAVEN.
I AM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST WITH THE CRA
COMMERCIAL GRANTS TEAM.
I'M HERE TO PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE AS-NEEDED DESIGN
ASSISTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CONSULTATION FOR CRA COMMERCIAL
PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENTS
SCHEDULED FOR CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL ON APRIL 2nd.
THE CRA IS SECURING AS-NEEDED SERVICES FROM FIVE LOCAL
FIRMS.
EACH CONTRACTED THROUGH THE CITY'S CONSULTANTS COMPETITIVE
NEGOTIATION ACT PROCESS TO PROVIDE ARCHITECTURAL AND
ENGINEERING SERVICES EXPERTISE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE CRA
COMMERCIAL PREDEVELOPMENT GRANT.
THE PREDEVELOPMENT GRANTS WERE INITIALLY APPROVED IN JUNE
2024 AS PART OF THE GRANT PORTFOLIO REALIGNMENT AND UPDATES
TO THIS GRANT WERE APPROVED BY THE CRA BOARD IN NOVEMBER OF
2025.
FUNDING FOR THE PREDEVELOPMENT GRANT HAS BEEN INCLUDED AS
INDIVIDUAL LINE ITEMS IN THE APPROVED CRA AREA BUDGETS
DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS.
THESE FIRMS WERE SELECTED THROUGH THE STANDARD CITY REQUESTS
FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND CCNA PROCEDURES, INCLUDING
PARTICIPATION IN THE EQUAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM

REPRESENTATIVE AND THE SCORING AND REPRESENT A RANGE OF
SIZES AND EXPERIENCE LEVELS, INCLUDING TWO CERTIFIED SMALL
LOCAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FIRMS.
THE CONSULTANT UTILIZATION AND PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE
BASED ON THE PREDEVELOPMENT GRANT APPLICATIONS PROVIDED TO
THE CRA AND THE FUNDING IS ALLOCATED ANNUALLY IN EACH AREA.
ANNUAL FUNDING FOR THIS PREDEVELOPMENT GRANT IS CAPPED AT --
BY YOUR CRA GRANTS AND FUNDING POLICY, MOST RECENTLY
APPROVED IN NOVEMBER.
AND THE ANNUAL BUDGET ADOPTED BY EACH CRA AREA.
BASED ON THE POLICY LIMITATIONS, THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW $10 MILLION OVER THE THREE-YEAR
CONTRACT PERIOD, SUBJECT TO ANNUAL BUDGET APPROVAL AND
APPROPRIATIONS.
AGAIN, THIS IS AN AS-NEEDED CONTRACT.
WE WERE SUGGESTED TO WRITE THE AGREEMENT FOR THE MAXIMUM
AMOUNT OF MONEY WE EXPECTED THAT WE COULD LEGALLY SPEND ON
THIS PROJECT, BUT IT WILL BE DRIVEN BY THE ANNUAL APPROVED
BUDGETS AND THE APPLICATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY FOR THIS
GRANT.
$2.8 MILLION REPRESENTED IN THE AGREEMENT FOR FY '26 IS
MONEY ALREADY IN THE APPROVED BUDGET.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PROPERTY OWNERS INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT
AND WAITING FOR THE AVAILABILITY OF THIS PROGRAM.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

10:06:44AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
BOARD MEMBER CARLSON.
10:06:46AM >>BILL CARLSON:
WHY WOULDN'T WE JUST OFFER A GRANT TO
SOMEONE AND THEY HIRE THEIR OWN CONSULTANTS?
HOW COME THE CITY HAS TO BE INVOLVED IN IT?
10:06:56AM >> SO IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY -- OR THE CRA
ATTORNEY AND WITH THE CONTRACT ADMIN, IT WAS RECOMMENDED
THAT WE PROVIDE THIS AS A SERVICES GRANT.
SO IT'S VALUE, $150,000 VALUE, SO WE CAN CONTROL THE QUALITY
AND THE TYPE OF PRODUCT, AND WE RETAIN THE OWNERSHIP OF THE
PLANS.
ONE OF THE PARTS OF THIS AGREEMENT IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THIS PROJECT, IF WE PAY FOR IT, MOVES TO A COMPLETED
IMPROVEMENT AND JUST DOESN'T SIT AS A PLAN.
ONE OF THE WAYS TO DO THAT WAS FOR US TO OWN THE PLANS.
10:07:33AM >>BILL CARLSON:
I JUST PHILOSOPHICALLY OBJECT WITH THIS,
FIRST OF ALL, THIS ADMINISTRATION BEING INVOLVED IN CRA
ACTIVITIES BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEEM TO DO A GOOD JOB AND THEY
SEEM TO PRIORITIZE THE PROJECTS THEY WANT RATHER THAN WHAT
THE COMMUNITY WANTS.
NUMBER TWO, I JUST BELIEVE THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN FIND
THEIR OWN CONSULTANTS.
THE CITY USUALLY GETS MUCH HIGHER PRICES THAN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR GETS.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD AT LEAST ONE ISSUE IN THE PAST.

I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THIS BECAUSE I OBJECT TO THE CITY
MICROMANAGING WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIVATE SECTOR DECISION.
10:08:04AM >> OUR GRANTS ARE STRUCTURED AS REIMBURSEMENT GRANTS
TYPICALLY.
AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED TO US,
THAT THIS IS HOPING TO SOLVE, IS THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
OR SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS DON'T TYPICALLY HAVE THE CASH FLOW
OR THE CASH AVAILABILITY TO HIRE CONSULTANTS ON THEIR OWN TO
BE DONE AS REIMBURSEMENT BASIS.
IN THIS CASE, WE CAN ELIMINATE THAT HURDLE BY US PAYING THE
CONTRACTORS DIRECTLY THROUGH THIS GRANT.
10:08:29AM >>BILL CARLSON:
I THINK THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER SOLUTION
BESIDES HAVING THE CITY MICROMANAGE WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIVATE
SECTOR DECISION.
THANK YOU.
10:08:39AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE ON COUNCIL OR CRA?
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
10:08:49AM >> [INAUDIBLE]
10:08:50AM >>LUIS VIERA:
BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO, SECONDED BY BOARD
MEMBER CLENDENIN.
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
10:08:56AM >>BILL CARLSON:
NAY.
10:09:00AM >>THE CLERK:
MOTION PASSES WITH CARLSON VOTING NO AND

MIRANDA AND HURTAK BEING ABSENT.
10:09:07AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD, SIR.
10:09:08AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
YES, THAT CONCLUDES THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
10:09:11AM >>LUIS VIERA:
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR
McCRAY?
WE THANK YOU AS ALWAYS, SIR.
ALWAYS A PLEASURE.
NEXT WE GO FORWARD, ITEM NUMBER 3.
10:09:27AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
ITEM 3 IS -- YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY APPROVED
THE FUNDING PREVIOUSLY.
THIS IS JUST THE FUNDING AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF THE MOTION
THAT WAS MADE, ANYTHING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WOULD BE
BROUGHT TO YOU DURING STAFF REPORTS.
THE AGREEMENT AS WRITTEN IS FOR $15 MILLION OVER THREE
YEARS.
AND THIS IS FOR WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE AT THE FLORIDA
AQUARIUM.
10:09:51AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
SO MOVED.
10:09:52AM >>LUIS VIERA:
WE HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.
SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER YOUNG.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
ALL IN FAVOR?
AYE.
ANY OPPOSED?

THANK YOU, SIR.
10:10:03AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
ITEM NUMBER 4 IS RELATED TO THE FUNDING
AGREEMENT FOR THE 701 WHITING LLC.
AND THIS ITEM CAME BEFORE YOU ALL IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
IT WAS FOR $4 MILLION FOR 22 AFFORDABLE UNITS.
10:10:19AM >>LUIS VIERA:
OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS?
10:10:21AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 4.
10:10:23AM >>LUIS VIERA:
BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO MADE A MOTION.
SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN.
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
NEXT ONE.
10:10:31AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
ITEM NUMBER 5 IS IN THE EAST TAMPA CRA,
ALSO CAME BEFORE YOU IN THE NOVEMBER 2025 MEETING.
CLONTS PROPERTIES.
IT WAS FOR $1.75 MILLION.
INITIALLY DURING THE PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE IT WAS SHARED
THAT THERE WERE GOING TO BE 12 UNITS CREATED.
BUT WE RECEIVED AN UPDATE ROUGHLY ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO 14 UNITS ON-SITE AND THE
DOLLAR AMOUNT WILL NOT CHANGE.
WE'RE SUGGESTING -- STILL SUGGESTING THE 1.75 MILLION.
10:11:05AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
[INAUDIBLE]
10:11:06AM >>LUIS VIERA:
BOARD MEMBER CARLSON.

10:11:07AM >>BILL CARLSON:
I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, WE SHOULD SAY HOW MANY UNITS AT WHAT PERCENTAGE
AMI.
THERE WAS A RECENT -- I THINK IT WAS THE ARMY NAVY YARD,
WHICH SAID THAT IT WAS GOING UP TO 140% AMI, WHICH MARKET
RATE RIGHT NOW IS 80% AMI, AT LEAST IN PARTS OF SOUTH TAMPA.
140% AMI IS, AS I RECALL, ABOUT 146,000 FOR A FAMILY OF
FOUR.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE SUBSIDIZING ABOVE HUNDRED PERCENT
AMI.
REALLY WE SHOULD NOT BE FUNDING ABOVE 80% AMI.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO AT LEAST DISCLOSE BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT
OF TALK ABOUT FUNDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT IF IT'S 140% AMI, IT REALLY ISN'T AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE TERM WORKFORCE HOUSING IS BEING THROWN OUT.
BUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING THEY WANT 30 TO 50% AMI,
NOT 140%.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO JUST DISCLOSE IT BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE
GOING TO GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ANYWAY.
I'M IN FAVOR OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
OBVIOUSLY, I MADE THE MOTION YEARS AGO, BUT ANYTHING ABOVE A
HUNDRED PERCENT AMI I'LL VOTE AGAINST.
10:12:12AM >>LUIS VIERA:
BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO MADE A MOTION.
10:12:17AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
MS. PARKS REMINDED ME THIS IS 80%.
10:12:23AM >> B. PARKS, FOR THE RECORD.

THIS IS GOING TO BE 80% AND BELOW.
10:12:26AM >>BILL CARLSON:
SO I'LL VOTE YES.
10:12:28AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
[INAUDIBLE]
10:12:29AM >>LUIS VIERA:
SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER YOUNG.
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
ITEM 6.
10:12:37AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
ITEM 6, MEMO SUBMITTED RELATED TO THE
REQUESTED MONTHLY UPDATE FOR TAMPA UNION STATION.
10:12:43AM >>LUIS VIERA:
BOARD MEMBER, CARLSON, ANYTHING ON THIS?
10:12:46AM >>BILL CARLSON:
NO.
I WOULD ASK THE MAYOR'S ADVISORS TO GET OUT OF THE WAY AND
LET US FIX THIS IMPORTANT LANDMARK.
IT'S FALLING APART.
THIS MEMO IS THE BEST OF THE ONES WE'VE GOTTEN.
SITTING HERE SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, I THINK THE COMMUNITY IS
GOING TO REVOLT AND THE MAYOR IS GOING TO HAVE MORE THAN
JUST THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AFTER HER.
THANK YOU.
10:13:04AM >>LUIS VIERA:
GREAT.
OKAY.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THAT?
LET'S GO FORWARD THEN TO ITEM NUMBER 9.
10:13:19AM >> GOOD MORNING.
MELISA MARTINEZ, SENIOR PROJECT SUPERVISOR WITH THE TAMPA

CRA.
I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT ONE OF THE FOUR FUNDING REQUESTS
THAT I HAVE LEFT FROM THE PREVIOUS COMMERCIAL GRANT POLICY.
MICHELLE SMITH, AND SHE IS WITH TAMPA ARTS ALLIANCE.
SHE WILL DO A PRESENTATION AND COME BACK FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU.
10:13:47AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
IF WE CAN BRING UP THE PRESENTATION,
PLEASE.
10:14:01AM >> THERE WE ARE.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, AND GOOD MORNING, CRA BOARD MEMBERS.
I AM MICHELLE SMITH, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE TAMPA ARTS
ALLIANCE.
WE APPRECIATE THE CRA'S PARTNERSHIP IN ADVANCING THE
DOWNTOWN ARTS CENTER.
10:14:15AM >>LUIS VIERA:
NAME.
HOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU NEED FOR TIME?
10:14:21AM >> THREE MINUTES.
10:14:22AM >>LUIS VIERA:
WE'LL GIVE YOU FIVE.
10:14:26AM >> SO THE OWNERS OF THE FIFTH THIRD TOWER, FARLEY WHITE
INTERESTS, THEY HAVE GIFTED THE ALLIANCE A MULTIYEAR ZERO
DOLLAR USE OF 5,000-SQUARE-FOOT SPACE OF PRIME REAL ESTATE
RIGHT IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.
RIGHT NEXT DOOR ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE BUILDING A CULTURAL ASSET THAT
ADVANCES THE CRP GOALS, PROVIDES OUTSTANDING RETURN ON YOUR

INVESTMENT, STIMULATES ECONOMIC GROWTH DOWNTOWN AND BENEFITS
THE ENTIRE CITY.
OUR TAMPA ARTS DIRECTORY IN THIS PRESENTATION HAS CATALOGED
OVER 200 CULTURAL SPACES IN TAMPA FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT.
LOCATED AT THE VERY CENTER BOTTOM IS THE CENTER THAT WE ARE
INTENDING TO BUILD.
IT WILL ACT AS A VISIBILITY AMPLIFIER FOR THE ENTIRE ARTS
ECOSYSTEM.
WE WILL LEVERAGE THE ACCESS TO HIGH DENSITY VISITORS,
RESIDENTS, AND WORKERS IN DOWNTOWN TO SPREAD AWARENESS TO
ALL OF THE ART THAT IS MADE HERE BY PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR DOWNTOWN AND CITYWIDE PARTNERS,
THIS INITIATIVE WILL AT TIMES ALSO SPILL INTO THE PARKS WITH
PUBLIC ACTIVATIONS.
THE CENTER ALIGNS WITH THE CRP GOALS BEAUTIFULLY.
LUED GOAL NUMBER 2, PROMOTES ECONOMIC GROWTH.
THE CENTER ATTRACTS VISITORS TO DOWNTOWN AND ENCOURAGES
CULTURAL TOURISM THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
PSQ GOAL NUMBER ONE, QUALITY OF LIFE AND COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT.
THE CENTER SERVES AS A WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE GATHERING SPACE,
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY IDENTITY THROUGH ARTS PROGRAMMING,
EXHIBITIONS, AND ACTIVATIONS.
PSQ GOAL NUMBER 3, CONNECTIVITY AND ACTIVATION OF PUBLIC
SPACES.

ACTIVATING ADJACENT AREAS SUCH AS POE PLAZA AND LYKES
GASLIGHT PARK WITH INNOVATIVE ARTS PROGRAMMING.
THE PROJECT PROVIDES ACCESS TO CULTURAL AMENITIES AND
STRENGTHENS DOWNTOWN AS A DESTINATION.
SOME VISUALS OF THE SPACE AS IT IS RAW RIGHT NOW.
IT IS REALLY LOVELY.
ALL OF THIS IMPACT IS AVAILABLE BY FULLY FUNDING OUR SPECIAL
PROJECT GRANTS REQUEST OF 700,000.
WE ARE MATCHING THOSE FUNDS WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT SO WE CAN
START A BUILD-OUT ANTICIPATING FOR THIS SPRING.
ON BEHALF OF THE TAMPA ARTS ALLIANCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CRA STAFF FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT
AND KNOWLEDGE.
THANK YOU TO THE DOWNTOWN CAC FOR THEIR THOUGHTFUL INQUIRIES
AND THEIR ENTHUSIASTIC ENDORSEMENT OF THE SPACE.
AND THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU CRA BOARD MEMBERS FOR ALL YOUR
SUPPORT OF THE ARTS IN TAMPA.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH YOU TO CREATE A
CULTURAL SPACE THAT HONORS AND INSPIRES OUR CITY.
10:17:33AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU.
MA'AM, WERE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING?
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU THINK YOU'LL NEED?
10:17:40AM >> JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE MEMO YOU HAVE IN FRONT

OF YOU.
YOU SHOULD HAVE A PACKAGE -- SO THE PROJECT COST IS 1.4
MILLION.
PER OUR COMMERCIAL GRANT POLICY, WE REQUEST A 50% MATCH FROM
THE APPLICANT.
SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS 700,000, BUT THE APPLICANT
REQUESTED A MILLION DOLLARS.
I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT BECAUSE IT'S ON YOUR MEMO.
10:18:06AM >>LUIS VIERA:
I SEE VARIOUS LIGHTS ON.
WHO WAS FIRST?
GO AHEAD, SIR.
10:18:11AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT.
I THINK IT'S EXCITING.
I KNOW LIKE MANY OF MY FELLOW COUNCILPERSONS, DEFINITELY
SUPPORT THE ARTS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THAT SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND HAVE THE ACTIVATION THAT YOU GUYS ARE PLANNING IN THAT
SPACE IS INCREDIBLE.
ABLE TO WORK WITH THE LANDOWNER TO BE ABLE TO GET IT FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY.
BECAUSE THIS IS CONSIDERED A COMMERCIAL GRANT -- WEIRD
SITUATION.
CULTURAL ASSET.
700 VERSUS A MILLION DOLLAR REQUEST.
IF THERE IS A WAY OF BEING ABLE TO GRANT THE FULL REQUEST.

I SPOKE TO STAFF.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO REPROGRAM TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR FULL
REQUEST OF ONE MILLION.
I WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE GIVING THEM A FULL MILLION THAT WE
ARE ASKING FOR.
10:19:00AM >>LUIS VIERA:
MAKE A MOTION, SIR?
10:19:03AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
I DO.
MOTION TO GRANT THE FULL AMOUNT.
10:19:05AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, SIR.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN.
WE'LL TAKE IT UP AFTER COMMENT.
I ANTICIPATE IT WILL PASS.
MANISCALCO, CARLSON.
10:19:13AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WALK PAST THIS SPOT -- I MEAN, IT'S ACROSS THE STREET.
I WALK PAST IT DAILY, ALMOST DAILY.
MY QUESTION IS, ALL YOU SEE IS THE MIRROR FRONTAGE.
WILL YOU BE REPLACING THE GLASS SO PEOPLE CAN SEE IN OR JUST
THE REFLECTION AS IS EXISTING PER THE DESIGN OF THE
BUILDING?
10:19:34AM >> WE'RE WORKING WITH THE BUILDING ON THAT.
BUT LIKELY DUE TO THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE BUILDING, WE WILL
NOT BE ABLE TO AFFECT THE GLAZING ON THE WINDOWS.
HOWEVER, WE DID RECENTLY EXPERIMENT WITH HAVING A NEON SIGN,
AND IT IS FANTASTIC.

IT'S HIGH VISIBILITY.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE OWNERS TO SEE IF WE CAN ARTISTICALLY
PROGRAM SOME OF THE WINDOWS TO GET MORE VISIBILITY.
IN ADDITION, AT NIGHT, YOU SEE STRAIGHT IN.
IT WORKS AS A WONDERFUL ADVERTISEMENT PIECE.
OUR FLEXIBLE DISPLAY SYSTEM WILL TURN OUT TOWARD THE WINDOWS
AND BE LIT FROM BELOW.
THAT IS A CONSTANT VISIBILITY TO ALL THE CROWDS GOING TO
LIGHTNING GAMES AND TO THE PARKS TO SEE THIS AS A SPACE
THAT'S ACTIVATED WITH ART.
10:20:15AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
GREAT.
I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL SPOT BECAUSE WE'RE IN A PART OF
DOWNTOWN WHERE YOU HAVE THE POLICE MUSEUM ACROSS THE STREET,
AND THEN YOU HAVE CURTIS HIXON AND THE MUSEUM OF ART AND THE
CHILDREN'S MUSEUM FAR AWAY.
IT'S WALKABLE, BUT, AGAIN, FOR PEOPLE AND THE PHOTOGRAPHY
MUSEUM THEY MOVED TO YBOR CITY.
SO THERE IS THAT GAP IN BETWEEN.
I THINK THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE, FIRST, YOU HAVE HIGH TRAFFIC
DOWN TAMPA STREET, ON KENNEDY BOULEVARD.
IF IT IS LIT UP AT NIGHT, AS YOU MENTIONED, PEOPLE WILL SEE
IT, PEOPLE WALKING TO GAMES OR OTHER EVENTS.
I KNOW AT ONE POINT IT WAS A BANK, RIGHT?
BANK VAULT THAT I THINK WILL BE REPURPOSED.
10:20:55AM >> YES.

10:20:55AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
BUT THIS IS A BETTER USE.
BETTER INVESTMENT.
NOW THAT WE HAVE MANY MORE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS DOWNTOWN,
THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
AGAIN, THERE IS THE GAP BETWEEN THE HISTORY CENTER AND
CURTIS HIXON AND THE MUSEUM OF ART AND NOW YOU HAVE THIS.
IT IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SUPPORT THE MILLION-DOLLAR REQUEST, IF
THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN UP.
BUT THIS IS A VERY WORTHY INVESTMENT.
I'M GLAD AND THANKFUL YOU BROUGHT THIS UP.
THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
10:21:24AM >>BILL CARLSON:
MR. SHEPARD, ARE YOU ON?
THE CRA ATTORNEY?
10:21:29AM >>CLIFF SHEPARD:
YES, I'M HERE.
10:21:30AM >>BILL CARLSON:
SO ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS ASKED IF I HAVE
A CONFLICT BECAUSE I SIT ON THE BOARD OF THE TAMPA ARTS
ALLIANCE.
I ALSO CONTRIBUTE MONEY TO THEM.
I HAVE NO BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM OTHER THAN I
DONATE MONEY.
I CHECKED WITH YOU.
I CHECKED WITH MARTIN SHELBY WHO ALSO CHECKED WITH MARCY
FROM CITY STAFF.
CAN YOU JUST CONFIRM, PLEASE, ON THE RECORD THAT I DON'T

HAVE A CONFLICT?
10:21:56AM >>CLIFF SHEPARD:
YES, THAT IS CONFIRMED.
YOU HAVE NO SPECIAL PRIVATE GAIN OR LOSS, WHICH IS THE
STANDARD, BASED ON YOUR VOTING ON THIS MATTER.
10:22:03AM >>BILL CARLSON:
THANK YOU.
JUST A COMMENT.
FOR A LOT OF REASONS, INCLUDING POLITICS, I WAS VERY
INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOWNTOWN ST. PETE WHILE TAMPA
WAS DEVELOPING PARALLEL, ALTHOUGH I'VE ALWAYS LIVED IN
TAMPA.
ST. PETE STARTED WITH THE ARTS AND BUILT THE BUILDINGS
AFTER.
TAMPA STARTED WITH THE BUILDINGS AND NOW IS BUILDING THE
ARTS.
WE HAD BIG ART ASSETS, BUT NOW WE'RE BUILDING THE
CONNECTIVITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAS REALLY BEEN MISSING IN DOWNTOWN.
I CALL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE.
IN ST. PETE THEY STARTED WITH THE SOFTWARE AND THEN THE
HARDWARE CAME.
IN TAMPA WE STARTED WITH THE HARDWARE AND NOW THE SOFTWARE
IS COMING.
THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF SOFTWARE BECAUSE IT WILL
PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY NOT JUST IN THIS FACILITY, BUT WITH
ADJACENT PARKS, WITH ALL KINDS OF ARTS ACTIVITIES.

OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE CRA HAS INVESTED IN EXPANDING
AND REFURBISHING THE STRAZ CENTER, TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART, THE
PARKS AROUND IT, TAMPA THEATRE, UNION STATION, IF THAT EVER
GETS OFF THE GROUND, THE JACKSON HOUSE, AND NOW THIS.
ACROSS THE STREET AT TAMPA CITY CENTER IS THE VISIT TAMPA
BAY WELCOME CENTER.
CONCEIVABLY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, IF YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN THE ARTS, THIS IS A GATEWAY TO TALK ABOUT THE
ARTS, PLUS ALL KINDS OF ACTIVATIONS AND ARTISTS OF ALL KINDS
THAT HOPEFULLY WILL SHOW OFF THE GREAT NATIONALLY AND
INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN ARTISTS WE HAVE OF TAMPA AND ALSO THE
ONES THAT ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE KNOWN.
MICHELLE WAS A LEADER AT THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, AND SHE'S
BEEN RUNNING THIS ARTS ALLIANCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
SHE IS A GREAT VISIONARY LEADER WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO BUILD
CONSENSUS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK HER FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
10:23:44AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, SIR.
10:23:47AM >>NAYA YOUNG:
I WANT TO SAY I WENT TO THE -- I GUESS IT WAS
LIKE THE OPEN HOUSE.
YOU CAN ALREADY SEE THE VISION IN THE SPACE, SO I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO SEE IT COME TO FRUITION.
I LOVE, IT WAS THE MEDITATION ROOM OR SOMETHING THAT WAS
THERE.
I THINK THIS WILL BE REALLY AWESOME.

I'VE WORKED WITH MANY ARTISTS.
JUST CONTINUE TO SEE THESE SPACES COME WHERE THEY CAN
DISPLAY THEIR ART I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
10:24:18AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN, WOULD THIS SUFFICE FOR PASSING ITEM
9 WITH A REQUEST TO PUT IT UP TO A MILLION, CORRECT?
10:24:30AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
I MOVE ITEM NUMBER 9 WITH AMENDING THE
AMOUNT AWARDED TO $1 MILLION.
10:24:36AM >>LUIS VIERA:
I HAVE A REQUEST THAT WILL COME AFTERWARDS.
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN TO PASS ITEM NUMBER 9 WITH
ADDITIONAL 300,000.
SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
ONE THING I WAS GOING TO SAY, IF I MAY, IT DAWNED ON ME,
WHICH -- YOU KNOW MacDONALD TRAINING CENTER, RIGHT?
THEY DO WONDERFUL ART.
WOULD YOU GUYS BE AMENABLE TO HAVING A DISPLAY THERE FOR
PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN ARTWORK?
I ASSUME SO.
GREAT.
WHAT I'LL DO, SEBASTIAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND TO GET THESE NICE

FOLKS IN TOUCH WITH PHYLLIS GUTHMAN AND FOLKS AT MacDONALD
TRAINING CENTER AND HAVE A SPACE THERE, I THINK THAT WOULD
BE GREAT.
THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
LIKE TO MAKE A PART OF THE OFFICIAL ITEM NUMBER 9, BUT TOO
LATE.
YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY A GOOD PERSON.
I KNOW YOU'LL DO THAT.
PUT YOU IN TOUCH.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD AGREE TO DO, I ASSUME?
10:25:37AM >> ABSOLUTELY.
I CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL AND
GET STARTED.
AND WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR OUR PROGRAMMING AND MAKE SURE
THIS IS A RESOURCE THAT REALLY SERVES THE ENTIRE CITY, ALL
OF OUR RESIDENTS.
10:25:47AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU.
I'LL HAVE, IF I MAY, SEBASTIAN, IF YOU DON'T MIND, GIVE HER
YOUR CARD, SIR.
WE'LL CONNECT YOU WITH THAT AND SET UP A CALL.
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU.
10:25:57AM >>ALAN CLENDENIN:
INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS AND HER
VISION ON THIS, YOU'LL HAVE A LIVING SPACE.
GOING TO BE NOT JUST ONE TYPE OF ART, BUT PERFORMANCE ART.

THESE THINGS WILL EVOLVE AND ROTATE THROUGH.
ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW IN THE SPACE.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO EXCITING.
10:26:15AM >>BILL CARLSON:
ONE OTHER THING.
YOU TALKED ABOUT STUDENT ARTISTS AND SPECIAL ABILITIES
ARTISTS.
THERE ARE GREAT ARTISTS ALL THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
THE MAIN MISSION OF THE ARTS ALLIANCE IS TO TRY TO FIND
THEM.
SO IF ANY ARTISTS ARE WATCHING THIS AND YOU'RE NOT
CONNECTED, OR IF YOU KNOW OF ARTISTS, I MENTIONED A FEW
MONTHS AGO THIS GUY FERRY, DO YOU KNOW HIM?
I KNEW HIM AS A STUDENT AT USF, AND HE WAS PAINTING
PORTRAITS AND STUFF.
HE HAD AN EVENT WITH A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE AT THE
ADDITION A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
HE'S SELLING HIS STUFF ALL OVER THE PLACE AT REALLY HIGH
PRICES.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN -- ANNIKA IS ANOTHER ONE, SELLING TIME
MAGAZINE COVER AND ALL THESE GREAT THINGS.
DEAN MITCHELL, SO MANY GREAT ARTISTS HERE WHO ARE SELLING
THINGS EVERYWHERE AROUND THE WORLD.
WE REALLY NEED TO CELEBRATE IT.
BUT FOR THE ONES WHO ARE STUDENTS OR KIND OF STARVING
ARTISTS WHO WANT TO GET PLUGGED IN, PLEASE CONTACT MICHELLE.

10:27:18AM >> THANK YOU.
CAN'T WAIT TO COLLABORATE.
10:27:20AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
WE APPRECIATE YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT FINISHES OUR AGENDA, CORRECT, SIR?
GO AHEAD, SIR.
10:27:31AM >>CEDRIC McCRAY:
GOOD MORNING AGAIN.
CEDRIC McCRAY, TAMPA CRA DIRECTOR.
IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION VIA E-MAIL THAT MR. ROBINSON
HAD ONE OTHER DOCUMENT HE WANTED TO SUBMIT FOR THE RECORD.
IT IS A MEMORANDUM THROUGH THE FORMER CITY ATTORNEY ANDREA
ZELMAN ON OCTOBER 10, 2020, RELATED TO ORDINANCE REVISING
THE CITY OF TAMPA ETHICS CODE TO COMPLY WITH THE FLORIDA
CONSTITUTION, FLORIDA STATUTES CODE OF ETHICS AND LETTER TO
MAYOR CASTOR, ETHICS COMMISSION, CURRENT PRACTICES, AND TO
MODIFY THE CITY'S VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS.
I'M TOLD FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO
REQUEST THAT A MOTION BE MADE TO RECEIVE ALL FOUR DOCUMENTS.
10:28:17AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
[INAUDIBLE]
10:28:19AM >>LUIS VIERA:
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.
SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN.
ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS?
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?

THANK YOU, SIR.
MOTION TIME.
BOARD MEMBER CARLSON, ANYTHING, SIR?
INFORMATION REPORTS.
BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN?
BOARD MEMBER YOUNG?
ARE YOU SURE?
OKAY.
BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.
10:28:42AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
ALL RIGHT.
I MADE THIS MOTION AT A REGULAR MEETING, BUT I WANTED TO PUT
IT IN THE CRA AGENDA BECAUSE IT'S CRA RELATED.
THIS IS A REQUEST BY VINCE PARDO WHO WORKED WITH THE CITY
AND WITH THE CRAs.
IT WAS FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 9, JUST FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THE MAYOR OF CIANCIANA, SICILY IS VISITING.
IT'S PART OF LIKE AN ITALIAN HERITAGE WEEK.
THAT MAYOR HAS AN APPOINTMENT OR A MEETING WITH THIS MAYOR,
OUR MAYOR, FROM 9 A.M. TO 9:30.
IT'S A CRA DAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE HIM FOR FIVE MINUTES RIGHT AFTER.
CAN'T BE EARLIER THAN NINE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IN SESSION YET,
BUT TO HAVE THAT MAYOR JUST COME AND SAY HELLO WITH
MR. VINCE PARDO AGAIN.
10:29:33AM >>LUIS VIERA:
WE HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.

SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS?
ALL IN FAVOR?
ANY OPPOSED?
MA'AM, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
10:29:52AM >>NAYA YOUNG:
I HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT JUST TO -- I
WOULD SAY THESE NOW.
JUST TO KIND OF ALSO, I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE I PUT OUT
THERE, IF YOU ARE IN DISTRICT 5, AND YOU HAVE A QUESTION, A
COMMENT, CONCERN, OR ANYTHING, CALL MY OFFICE.
PLEASE.
PLEASE.
AND ALSO, I JUST WANT TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT IN
TERMS OF THE CORNER STORES, OUR OFFICE ALREADY CONTACTED
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMUNITY SERVICES,
THE DIVISION OF FOOD SAFETY, AND THEY ARE ALREADY COMING
OUT, AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE INSPECTING THOSE STORES.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY IN ADDITION TO THAT, FOR THE CORNER
STORES, BIG CONVERSATION, HAS NOT STOPPED, WE HAVE CONTINUED
TO WORK ON THAT, AND WE HAVE OUR LEGAL TEAM THAT HAS BEEN
REVIEWING ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION THAT WE'VE BEEN
RECEIVING.
AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING OUT TO VISIT SOME OF THOSE
STORES THEMSELVES.

SO I WOULD URGE YOU, PLEASE, TO GIVE OUR OFFICE A CALL, HAVE
A CONVERSATION, COME AND MEET WITH ME.
I'M ALWAYS READY AND WILLING TO WORK WITH ANYBODY THAT WANTS
TO AND IS WILLING AND READY TO WORK WITH OUR OFFICE.
I HAVE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF
COLLABORATING AND DOING THINGS TOGETHER BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO
EVERYTHING BY OURSELVES.
AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO HARP ON THAT, AND I'M GOING TO
CONTINUE TO SAY AND EXPRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO WORK WITH
PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING AND WANT TO WORK WITH YOU.
SO IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, COMMENT, OR CONCERN AND WILLING
TO WORK, BECAUSE ON THIS SIDE, WE'RE WORKING.
WE'RE ON THE WORK BUS.
SO IF YOU WANT TO WORK WITH ME, GIVE ME A CALL SO WE CAN DO
WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDS IN THE
COMMUNITY AND I NEED PARTNERS AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO WORK.
THANK YOU.
10:32:00AM >>LUIS VIERA:
THANK YOU, MA'AM.
ANYTHING ELSE?
10:32:04AM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO:
MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE.
10:32:05AM >>LUIS VIERA:
MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.
SECONDED BY --
10:32:07AM >> [INAUDIBLE] [MICROPHONE NOT ON]
HERE WE ARE AT 10:30 IN THE MORNING.
10:32:18AM >>LUIS VIERA:
WE HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MANISCALCO.

SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER CLENDENIN.
ANY DISCUSSION?
NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR?
OPPOSED?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

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