CITY OF TAMPA
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019
5:01 P.M.
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5:03:08PM >>LUIS VIERA: CITY COUNCIL IS CALLED INTO SESSION.
5:03:11PM ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
5:03:15PM >> DINGFELDER?
5:03:17PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: HERE.
5:03:19PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE.
5:03:21PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: HERE.
5:03:22PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE.
5:03:24PM >>BILL CARLSON: HERE.
5:03:24PM >>LUIS VIERA: HERE.
5:03:25PM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
5:03:25PM MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING?
5:03:28PM WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
5:03:30PM SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GUDES.
5:03:32PM ALL IN FAVOR?
5:03:33PM ANY OPPOSED?
5:03:34PM TO OUR HIGHLY ESTEEMED FINANCE CHAIR, COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, IF
5:03:38PM YOU COULD PLEASE DO THE READING OF THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING
5:03:41PM STATEMENT, SIR.
5:03:41PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
5:03:42PM THIS IS THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA,
5:03:48PM FISCAL YEAR 2020 BUDGET, THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE OF 6.2076
5:03:52PM MILLS, WHICH IS 6.69 MORE THAN THE ROLLED-BACK MILLAGE OF
5:03:57PM 5.8181 MILLS.
5:04:00PM THE PROPERTY TAX FUNDS ARE USED TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL FUND
5:04:04PM OPERATING THE BUDGET OF THE CITY.
5:04:05PM THIS FUND INCLUDES SUCH DEPARTMENTS AS THE FIRE RESCUE,
5:04:13PM POLICE, HUMAN RESOURCES, PARKS AND RECREATION.
5:04:16PM >>LUIS VIERA: OKAY.
5:04:19PM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
5:04:20PM FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE ADMINISTRATION
5:04:22PM PRESENTATION AND THEREAFTER THE CITIZEN BUDGET ADVISORY
5:04:25PM PRESENTATION.
5:04:25PM SINCE I THINK A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS ARE VERY LIKELY GOING
5:04:29PM TO BE RUNNING CONCURRENT, WE'LL WAIT UNTIL BOTH
5:04:33PM PRESENTATIONS ARE DONE FOR QUESTIONS.
5:04:34PM IF THE ADMINISTRATION WISHES TO GO FORWARD, YOU MAY.
5:04:37PM THEN AFTER INITIAL QUESTIONS, WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
5:04:49PM >>JOHN BENNETT: GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN.
5:04:51PM GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL.
5:04:51PM AND GOOD EVENING, COMMUNITY.
5:04:53PM MY NAME IS JOHN BENNETT, CHIEF OF STAFF, CITY OF TAMPA.
5:04:56PM NORMALLY I GO OFF THE CUFF AND FROM THE HEART, WHICH IS THE
5:04:59PM WAY I LIKE IT, BUT TONIGHT I HAVE A FEW PREPARED COMMENTS.
5:05:02PM THEY'LL BE BRIEF.
5:05:03PM AFTER THAT, WE'LL ASK OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, DENNIS
5:05:06PM ROGERO, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY IN SUPPORT, SAL TERRITO, TO
5:05:11PM COME UP AND GIVE SOME SPECIFICS ABOUT TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
5:05:14PM THANK YOU FOR THAT.
5:05:15PM AS YOU WELL KNOW, WE'RE GATHERED HERE TONIGHT FOR THE SECOND
5:05:18PM PUBLIC HEARING OF THE 2020 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET FOR THE CITY
5:05:20PM OF TAMPA.
5:05:22PM FIRST, HOW ABOUT A LITTLE CONTEXT BEFORE WE GET STARTED?
5:05:24PM MAYOR JANE CASTOR STOOD HERE A SHORT 32 BUSINESS DAYS AGO
5:05:28PM AND PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF
5:05:31PM THIS CITY COUNCIL A BALANCED AND RESPONSIBLE BUDGET.
5:05:34PM THIS SERVES OUR NEAR 400,000 CITIZENS, AS WELL AS THOSE
5:05:39PM BEYOND LIVING, COME HERE FOR WORK, EDUCATION, AND PLAY EACH
5:05:42PM AND EVERY DAY.
5:05:43PM IT WAS ONLY DOUBLE THAT TIME OR 64 SHORT BUSINESS DAYS PRIOR
5:05:48PM TO THAT BUDGET PRESENTATION THAT ALL OF YOU WERE SWORN IN ON
5:05:52PM MAY 1st TO THIS NEXT CHAPTER OF TAMPA'S BRIGHT FUTURE.
5:05:56PM THE MAYOR ALSO REMINDED ALL OF US THAT TAMPA WILL MOST
5:05:59PM LIKELY UNDERGO MORE CHANGE OVER THE NEXT DECADE THAN IT HAS
5:06:02PM IN PREVIOUS DECADES, WHICH IS NO SURPRISE BETWEEN OUR
5:06:05PM VIBRANT AND DIVERSIFIED COMMUNITIES.
5:06:07PM SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED RELEVANT TO THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WHAT
5:06:12PM OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY THIS EVENING AS A COUNCIL AND
5:06:15PM ADMINISTRATION, AND MOST OF ALL, THE COMMUNITY.
5:06:18PM FIRST, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE BUDGET IS A PLAN.
5:06:20PM WHILE A PLAN MUST HAVE FOCUS AND FLEXIBILITY TO ADAPT TO
5:06:25PM STRATEGIC CHANGE, IT MUST ALSO HAVE RESILIENCY TOWARD
5:06:29PM ECONOMIC RISK AND THOSE RISK FACTORS TO PROTECT OUR ULTIMATE
5:06:32PM TRUST, WHICH IS OUR CITIZENS.
5:06:34PM TO SIGNIFY THIS POINT, I MARKED A PAGE DURING THIS PROCESS
5:06:37PM IN ONE OF MY TEN TOP LEADERSHIP BOOKS, WHICH IS GENERAL
5:06:42PM COLIN POWELL'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY THAT TALKS ABOUT WHERE HE
5:06:48PM DENOTES CLARITY, CONSISTENCY, AND COMMITMENT THAT MAKE OUR
5:06:51PM PLAN ABOUT SERVING THE PEOPLE WHICH TRANSLATES TO THE PUBLIC
5:06:53PM AND OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS AS WELL.
5:06:55PM NEXT, IN CONCERT WITH WHAT I JUST SHARED, THIS IS EXACTLY
5:07:00PM WHAT MAYOR CASTOR HAS FOCUSED ON -- THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE
5:07:02PM PLAN.
5:07:03PM BY EXAMPLE, WITHIN THE BUDGET SHE PRESENTED ON AUGUST 1st,
5:07:06PM THE FOCUSED, FLEXIBLE, AND STILL RESILIENT BUDGET OFFERS A
5:07:10PM COLLECTIVE PATHWAY TOWARD THESE STRATEGIC GOALS.
5:07:13PM FIRST, NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT.
5:07:14PM NEXT, TRANSPORTATION.
5:07:16PM THIRD, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
5:07:18PM FOURTH, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY.
5:07:21PM LASTLY, FINANCIAL STABILITY.
5:07:22PM AS WELL AS LAUNCHING FOUR OF THE FIVE ADVISORY TEAMS FOR
5:07:27PM ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS ON TRANSPORTATION, WORKFORCE
5:07:30PM DEVELOPMENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
5:07:33PM UNDER THE TRUSTED LEADERSHIP OF OUR TRANSITION LEADER, CAROL
5:07:37PM POST AS THE CHAIR, HONORABLE HARRY COHEN, AND OUR FORMER CFO
5:07:42PM SONYA LITTLE AS CO-CHAIRS.
5:07:43PM LASTLY, WITHIN THE REALM OF FLEXIBILITY, THE ADMINISTRATION
5:07:46PM ACTED UPON MOTIONS MADE BY YOU AS CITY COUNCIL IN THE FIRST
5:07:50PM BUDGET HEARING.
5:07:52PM TONIGHT, OUR CFO WILL OUTLINE THE REQUESTED BUDGET
5:07:55PM AMENDMENTS TO THE FIRST LINE ITEM OF $108,000 TOWARDS THE
5:07:58PM NONPROFIT COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT ENHANCED MESSAGING TOWARD THE
5:08:02PM CITY'S MISSION OF INCREASING AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF
5:08:04PM LIFE.
5:08:05PM BY EXAMPLE, WE EXPECT TO HEAR SOME DELIVERABLE CONCEPTS FROM
5:08:10PM BOTH THE TBAE AS WELL AS THE CULTURAL ASSETS COMMISSION FOR
5:08:13PM THE INTENDED USE OF SOME OF THESE DOLLARS TO BETTER SERVE
5:08:16PM OUR COMMUNITY.
5:08:16PM SECOND, AS MOTIONED UNANIMOUSLY BY CITY COUNCIL, POSITIONING
5:08:20PM $1 MILLION VIA THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX, OR WHAT WE CALL
5:08:24PM CIT, WILL BE IN SUPPORT OF THE ALREADY $400,000 THAT THE
5:08:31PM ADMINISTRATION POSITION FOR A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW TOWARD
5:08:33PM EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE, AND EQUITABLE, AS WELL AS INCLUSIVE
5:08:36PM PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS.
5:08:38PM THIRD, ALBEIT, NOT NECESSARILY A MOTION, BUT A REQUEST THAT
5:08:43PM THE ADMINISTRATION WITHIN THE BALANCED BUDGET WILL BE
5:08:46PM FUNDING AN INCREASED LEVEL OF EMS SERVICE BASED OUT OF
5:08:50PM STATION 16 WHILE THE ADMINISTRATION WORKS WITH OUR FIRE
5:08:54PM RESCUE CHIEF TOWARD THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN OF ENSURING
5:08:56PM COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC SAFETY DELIVERABLES OVER THIS AND
5:08:59PM SUBSEQUENT FISCAL YEARS.
5:09:02PM AS I WRAP UP, WE ARE ALL HARD AT WORK DURING THIS COMPRESSED
5:09:06PM PLANNING PERIOD FOR FY 2020.
5:09:09PM PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT A GOOD PLAN CAN BE AGILE WHILE
5:09:11PM STILL BEING EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, AND EQUITABLE.
5:09:14PM AS I TURN THE PODIUM OVER TO OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND THEN
5:09:16PM OUR CFO FOR SOME BRIEF HOUSEKEEPING AND TECHNICALITIES OF
5:09:20PM WHAT I MENTIONED, THE COMMUNITY LOOKS FORWARD TOWARD YOUR
5:09:22PM SUPPORT OF THE CITY'S PLAN THROUGH THE FY 2020 BUDGET.
5:09:25PM THANK YOU.
5:09:32PM >>SAL TERRITO: SAL TERRITO, LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
5:09:35PM I JUST WANT TO MENTION TO YOU SINCE ALL THE CHANGES THAT YOU
5:09:39PM REQUESTED HAVE BEEN MADE, THERE WERE NO IMPEDIMENTS TO YOU
5:09:42PM CONTINUING TONIGHT ON YOUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING.
5:09:43PM YOU'RE FREE TO GO FORWARD BASED ON WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN
5:09:47PM TOLD TO YOU.
5:09:48PM PROCEDURALLY, YOU'RE OKAY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE SECOND
5:09:52PM HEARING, THE SECOND BUDGET MEETING TONIGHT.
5:09:54PM THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY.
5:09:58PM >>LUIS VIERA: ANYONE ELSE IN THE ADMINISTRATION?
5:10:04PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: DENNIS ROGERO, INTERIM CHIEF FINANCIAL
5:10:07PM OFFICER.
5:10:07PM JUST TO EXPAND ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THE CHIEF OF STAFF
5:10:10PM SAID, PRESUMING WE GO FORWARD TONIGHT WITH THE CHANGES THAT
5:10:12PM THE CHIEF OF STAFF REFERENCED, WE WILL BRING YOU APPROPRIATE
5:10:16PM AMENDING BUDGET RESOLUTIONS IN YOUR FIRST CITY COUNCIL
5:10:20PM MEETING IN OCTOBER.
5:10:21PM THESE WILL INCLUDE APPROPRIATION FROM THE COMMUNITY
5:10:24PM INVESTMENT TAX FOR BOTH THE ASSET ASSOCIATED WITH EXPANDED
5:10:28PM E.M.S. SERVICE IN TAMPA, EAST TAMPA, AND AN APPROPRIATION
5:10:32PM FROM THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX FOR A CULTURAL CENTER IN
5:10:36PM EAST TAMPA, AS, AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS OF THE
5:10:40PM MASTER PLAN FOR PARKS AND RECREATION.
5:10:42PM I UNDERSTAND AND REMEMBER THERE WAS TALK ABOUT ANOTHER
5:10:49PM SOURCE OF FUNDING IN CRA, AN EQUAL AMOUNT FOR THAT.
5:10:52PM I DON'T BELIEVE A MOTION WAS MADE AT THE CRA BOARD, SO THAT
5:10:55PM IS STILL IN PLAY TO THE BEST OF MY UNDERSTANDING.
5:10:57PM THAT WILL BE THE EXPANDED E.M.S. SERVICE IN EAST TAMPA, THE
5:11:01PM CULTURAL CENTER IN EAST TAMPA, AND THEN, OF COURSE, AS YOU
5:11:03PM HEARD THE CHIEF OF STAFF, THE TBAE.
5:11:06PM BECAUSE THAT IS AN INCREMENTAL PAYOUT THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL
5:11:10PM YEAR, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THAT
5:11:13PM APPROXIMATE 108,000 THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND IN QUARTERLY
5:11:20PM SEGMENTS WE'LL FIND THE FUNDING.
5:11:22PM YOU'LL SEE ALL THIS IN A SERIES OF BUDGET CHANGES AGAIN IN
5:11:24PM YOUR FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER.
5:11:25PM THANK YOU.
5:11:40PM >>LUIS VIERA: ANYONE ELSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION?
5:11:42PM WE'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE CITIZENS ADVISORY
5:11:42PM COMMITTEE GOES TO DO ANY QUESTIONS, SO THEN WE'LL TAKE THEM
5:11:42PM ALL AT ONCE.
5:11:42PM ANYONE ELSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION?
5:11:42PM OKAY.
5:11:42PM CITIZENS ADVISORY, COME FORWARD.
5:11:45PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: MAY I ASK THAT HE INTRODUCE THE MEMBERS
5:11:47PM OF THE CITY ADVISORY WHO ARE HERE WITH THE CHAIR TODAY?
5:11:51PM AND THE CHAIRMAN, STEVEN LYTLE, AND ANYONE HERE, LIKE TO
5:11:55PM RECOGNIZE HIM.
5:11:55PM AND ALSO AT THIS TIME LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK
5:11:58PM FOR DOING THE HARD WORK AND THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT
5:12:02PM WAS NEEDED FOR THE CITY'S BUDGET -- CITY ADVISORY BUDGET
5:12:06PM COMMITTEE DURING THE YEAR.
5:12:07PM SHE IS THE AIDE TO COUNCILMAN CITRO.
5:12:09PM >>LUIS VIERA: YES, SIR.
5:12:11PM WELL SAID.
5:12:12PM >> COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE
5:12:14PM YOU TONIGHT.
5:12:15PM WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION, A PowerPoint HERE, THAT WILL
5:12:18PM HELP GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO
5:12:20PM HAVE TONIGHT.
5:12:22PM ECHOING WHAT COUNCILMAN MIRANDA SAID, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF
5:12:26PM MEMBERS HERE, VIBHA AS WELL AS CRAIG.
5:12:31PM IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE THEIR SUPPORT AND VERY THANKFUL FOR
5:12:33PM THEM TO BE HERE.
5:12:34PM THE WAY THIS COMMITTEE WORKS IS OBVIOUSLY EACH OF YOU
5:12:36PM APPOINT A COMMITTEE MEMBER AND WE HAVE VERY ROBUST
5:12:39PM CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS THROUGHOUT THE
5:12:41PM YEAR.
5:12:41PM THIS YEAR BEING A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANOMALY GIVEN THE
5:12:44PM ELECTIONS AND THE EXPEDITED TIME FRAME WE HAD TO MOVE
5:12:47PM FORWARD WITH.
5:12:48PM AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED IN
5:12:50PM DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.
5:12:51PM WE HAVE FOUR WHO ARE BRAND NEW.
5:12:53PM THANK YOU BOTH FOR MY TWO PEERS FOR BEING HERE THAT ARE NEW.
5:12:56PM LEARNING MORE AND BEING VERY ACTIVE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
5:12:58PM WE ALSO HAVE JOE, WHO WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCILMAN VIERA, AND
5:13:02PM MISSY MARTIN, WHO WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO,
5:13:05PM WHO HAVE SOME TENURE ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
5:13:07PM I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS THE COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR
5:13:10PM FOUR YEARS.
5:13:10PM I THINK THIS YEAR WILL BE MY LAST AS WE ALLOW FRESH BLOOD TO
5:13:13PM GET IN AND SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
5:13:16PM I'LL STILL SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE BUT I WANT TO SEE THE
5:13:19PM OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST.
5:13:20PM WE DO HAVE SUPPORT FROM BOTH MIKE PERRY AS WELL AS LORRAINA,
5:13:23PM WHO HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS ASSETS TO US THROUGHOUT
5:13:25PM THIS PROCESS, HELPING US TO UNDERSTAND THE BUDGETING PROCESS
5:13:28PM AND ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGS
5:13:31PM THAT WE NEED.
5:13:33PM WE DID VISIT WITH QUITE A FEW DEPARTMENTS.
5:13:34PM YOU CAN SEE THOSE LISTED ABOVE.
5:13:36PM I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT WE DID MISS.
5:13:38PM HR BEING ONE OF THEM, AND I BELIEVE FIRE, BECAUSE WE DID
5:13:42PM HAVE AN EXPEDITED TIMELINE, WHEN WE ONLY HAD 60 DAYS TO MEET
5:13:47PM WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT ESPECIALLY WHEN
5:13:50PM WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE THERE AND
5:13:52PM PRESENT AND HAVE A VOICE IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
5:13:54PM IN THE PAST, THE CITIZENS BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS MADE
5:13:57PM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
5:14:00PM AND SO HERE YOU'LL SEE CITY FLEET IN '15 FISCAL YEAR.
5:14:06PM SOME OF THOSE REPEATED IN '16.
5:14:08PM WE'VE SEEN PARKS AND RECREATION MAINTENANCE UP THERE MANY
5:14:10PM TIMES.
5:14:11PM WE'VE SEEN STORMWATER, WHICH WE SAW CHANGES TO THAT A FEW
5:14:13PM YEARS AGO.
5:14:14PM WE TALKED ABOUT THE MILLAGE RATE IN FISCAL YEAR '18.
5:14:17PM LAST YEAR, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE MASTER PLANS, THE NEW
5:14:19PM TAMPA HEALTH CLINIC, THE HEALTH CLINIC UP IN NORTH TAMPA, A
5:14:23PM PARKING AUDIT WHICH IS TAKING PLACE AND HUMAN RESOURCES AND
5:14:25PM PERSONNEL COSTS.
5:14:27PM YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THESE ARE REPEATED YEAR OVER YEAR BECAUSE
5:14:29PM WE DO FEEL THEY ARE PRIORITIES WITHIN THE BUDGET, BUT YOU'LL
5:14:32PM ALSO NOTICE IN '15, THE EVOLUTION OF OUR BUDGET ADVISORY
5:14:35PM COMMITTEE WAS IN FISCAL YEAR '15 WHEN I FIRST JOINED, WE
5:14:39PM WERE GIVEN A LITANY OF OPTIONS FOR YOU GUYS IN TERMS OF
5:14:42PM WHERE WE WANTED YOU TO ALLOCATE MONEY.
5:14:44PM AND I KIND OF COMPARE THAT TO WHEN YOU HAVE A CHILD AND
5:14:47PM THANKFULLY I'M A DAD OF A TEN-MONTH-OLD AND SHE DOESN'T DO
5:14:50PM CHORES YET BUT WHEN SHE DOES, YOU GIVE HER CHORES, A LIST OF
5:14:54PM TEN TO FIFTEEN AND TWO OR THREE DONE AND PROBABLY THE
5:14:57PM EASIEST ONES.
5:14:58PM WE DETERMINED WE NEEDED TO EVOLVE OUR COMMITTEE TO NOT ONLY
5:15:01PM PRIORITIZE WHAT ACTUALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT ALSO TO
5:15:05PM CONSIDER WHERE WE FIND REVENUE -- EXCUSE ME, INCREASED
5:15:09PM REVENUE AS WELL AS COST SAVINGS.
5:15:12PM AND SO SOME OF THESE AS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE YEARS WITH
5:15:14PM THE PARKING AUDIT WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION FEES, WITH
5:15:19PM THE HEALTH CLINIC, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THEM ARE SPEND BUT
5:15:22PM SOME OF THEM ARE A COST SAVINGS AS WELL.
5:15:24PM THESE ARE SOME OF THE SUCCESSFUL RECOMMENDATIONS WE'VE MADE
5:15:27PM ON THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS IN '16 AND '17.
5:15:32PM ECSTATIC TO SEE THE NORTH TAMPA HEALTH CLINIC ON THE FISCAL
5:15:35PM YEAR PLAN FOR THIS YEAR.
5:15:37PM PARKING RATE STUDIES UNDERWAY.
5:15:38PM OBVIOUSLY, YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT THE MASTER PLANS.
5:15:40PM THAT'S ALL BEEN A PART OF THIS.
5:15:42PM OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO ALLOCATIONS,
5:15:45PM REVENUES, AND SAVINGS, AND ALSO FUTURE PLANNING.
5:15:48PM FUTURE PLANNING WAS SOMETHING THAT WE ADDED LAST YEAR DURING
5:15:50PM OUR TRANSITIONAL COUNCIL BECAUSE WE KNEW THERE WOULDN'T BE A
5:15:54PM WHOLE LOT WE COULD INFLUENCE BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE
5:15:57PM CONSIDERED THAT YEAR OVER YEAR AS WELL.
5:15:58PM WE KNEW THE IMPACT AND WE WERE MAKING RESPONSIBLE
5:16:01PM DECISION-MAKING AS IT RELATES TO OUR BUDGET.
5:16:03PM SO OUR FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS YEAR REGARDS CITY EMPLOYEE
5:16:09PM POPULATION.
5:16:10PM WITH OVER 4500 EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE A LOT OF INTERNAL AND
5:16:13PM EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE MEET THE LEVEL OF
5:16:16PM SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S FIRE, POLICE.
5:16:18PM WHETHER IT'S WASTEWATER.
5:16:19PM WHETHER IT'S SOLID WASTE, CODE ENFORCEMENT OR EVEN HR.
5:16:21PM AND LAST YEAR, YOU SAW US COME UP HERE AND SPEAK PRETTY
5:16:25PM SIGNIFICANTLY ABOUT HR AS IT RELATES TO OVERTIME COST,
5:16:28PM CONTRACTED SERVICES.
5:16:29PM SO OVERTIME COSTS -- EXCUSE ME, OVERTIME COSTS, CONTRACTED
5:16:33PM SERVICES, SIMILAR TO FLEET.
5:16:38PM CONTRACTOR COST.
5:16:40PM CREDIT GOES TO VERY TIMELY SHOWING UP, MR. DINGFELDER, FOR
5:16:42PM ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT HR LAST TIME WHEN WE HAD THE HEARING
5:16:45PM BECAUSE HE TALKED ABOUT THE CONTRACTING COST.
5:16:47PM I KNOW THERE WAS A RECENT RFP FOR CONTRACTORS.
5:16:50PM SO WE LOOK AT KNOWS. LAST YEAR, WE THOUGHT SOME OF THOSE
5:16:52PM RATES MIGHT BE A LITTLE HIGH FOR WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR
5:16:55PM CONTRACTORS.
5:16:55PM SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE DO PROPOSE A WORKFORCE
5:17:00PM PLANNING AUDIT TO IDENTIFY HEAD COUNT NEEDS BY DEPARTMENT,
5:17:03PM THE OVERTIME COST AND CONTRACT EMPLOYEE COST AND CONTRACT
5:17:06PM SERVICES COSTS.
5:17:07PM THE REASON FOR THIS BEING IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN
5:17:10PM LAST YEAR, MANY TIMES WE HEAR ABOUT OVERTIME COSTS AND IT'S
5:17:14PM ASSOCIATED WITH VACANCIES.
5:17:15PM WHEN YOU GO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND LOOK AT METRICS, WE
5:17:18PM SEE FROM FIRE, WE SEE THEM FROM POLICE, WE SEE THEM FROM
5:17:21PM SOLID WASTE.
5:17:21PM WE SEE THEM FROM FLEET, BUT THERE ARE NO METRICS FOR HR.
5:17:24PM WHAT IS THE TIME TO FILL?
5:17:27PM WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY TO FILL THE
5:17:29PM POSITIONS AND PREVENT OVERTIME COSTS?
5:17:31PM WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF AUDIT THERE, WORKFORCE
5:17:34PM PLANNING, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DECREASING TOTAL OVERALL
5:17:36PM COST AND CREATING METRICS THAT CREATE RESPONSIBILITY IN THAT
5:17:40PM MANNER.
5:17:41PM ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID OBVIOUSLY WITH THOSE CONTRACTORS
5:17:43PM AND CONTRACT COSTS.
5:17:44PM WE DON'T INCUR THE PENSION OR THE HEALTH CARE COSTS, SO SOME
5:17:48PM ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO THAT.
5:17:49PM THE NEXT ONE IS I KNOW SOMETHING WE PROBABLY CAN'T DISCUSS
5:17:53PM IN DETAIL HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE UNIONS ARE
5:17:55PM CURRENTLY IN ASSOCIATION, BUT WE DID FEEL THAT IT WAS
5:17:58PM PREVALENT OR PRUDENT TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT THERE HAVE
5:18:02PM BEEN PROPOSALS FOR A HEALTH CARE TRUST.
5:18:04PM OUR JOB AS A COMMITTEE IS NOT ONLY TO FIND AREAS WHERE WE
5:18:07PM CAN ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND
5:18:09PM THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY, BUT ALSO WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE A COST
5:18:12PM SAVINGS.
5:18:13PM ALTHOUGH WE CAN'T PROVIDE THOSE NUMBERS UP HERE TODAY, I
5:18:15PM THINK THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THERE -- IF THERE WAS AN
5:18:19PM IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE CITY THAT WE SHOULD CHECK
5:18:21PM OUT AND EXPLORE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEALTH TRUST, FOR TOO
5:18:25PM MANY FIRE RESCUE OR TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
5:18:27PM THE REASON FOR THIS BEING IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPHIC
5:18:29PM BELOW, WHICH COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, IN
5:18:32PM NINE YEARS, WE'VE ACTUALLY INCREASED $20 MILLION IN OUR
5:18:35PM HEALTH CARE COSTS ALONE.
5:18:37PM I KNOW THAT THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF WHAT'S GOING ON NATIONALLY,
5:18:41PM BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON AND
5:18:44PM IDENTIFY ANY OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THERE ARE POTENTIAL COST
5:18:46PM SAVINGS.
5:18:47PM WE DO THINK WHILE IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE OR TO
5:18:51PM AT LEAST EXPLORE, AWARENESS SHOULD BE PAID TO WHAT THE
5:18:54PM IMPACT WOULD BE ON THE GENERAL EMPLOYEE POPULATION AND THE
5:18:57PM LONG-TERM FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS.
5:18:58PM FURTHERING THAT, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE CAN SAVE
5:19:02PM SOME MONEY OR WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE SOME MONEY FOR YOU GUYS.
5:19:05PM AND THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS A P-CARD PROGRAM THAT I'M SURE
5:19:08PM YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT ALLOWS PURCHASES OF UP TO
5:19:11PM ALMOST $2,000.
5:19:12PM EACH YEAR WE GET BACK -- I THINK THE NUMBER IS 3% OF THE
5:19:14PM NUMBERS THAT ARE USED ON THE P-CARD.
5:19:16PM WE LOOK AT THAT AND WE SEE THE SMALL-DOLLAR PURCHASES EQUATE
5:19:19PM TO ABOUT $300,000 A YEAR.
5:19:21PM AND SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE CITY EXPAND THE
5:19:23PM CURRENT P-CARD PROGRAM TO INCUR -- TO INCLUDE LARGER
5:19:27PM PURCHASE LIMITS AND POTENTIALLY THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR
5:19:29PM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT COSTS USING THE P-CARD.
5:19:32PM WHEN WE SAT DOWN WITH THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, I THINK
5:19:35PM INITIALLY WE HEARD, OH, WELL, WE COULD GO FROM $300,000 TO
5:19:38PM NEARLY A MILLION.
5:19:39PM BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW THAT THEY CURRENTLY ARE IN A PILOT
5:19:41PM SINCE WE MET WITH THEM, AND THE INCREASED REBATES WAS MORE
5:19:45PM REALISTICALLY AROUND $600,000.
5:19:47PM SOME OF THESE THINGS MAY BE SMALL NUMBERS, $300,000 THERE,
5:19:50PM OR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THERE, BUT WHEN YOU THINK
5:19:53PM ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT ONE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD HAVE, IF YOU
5:19:56PM HAD $300,000 TO THEM OR HUNDRED THOUSAND TO ANOTHER
5:19:59PM NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
5:20:00PM EVERY DROP IN THE BUCKET IS IMPORTANT FOR US.
5:20:02PM I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FUTURE PLANNING AND MAKING
5:20:06PM SURE THAT WE'RE REFLECTING RESPONSIBLE DECISION MAKING
5:20:08PM WITHIN THE BUDGET, AND WHILE ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS
5:20:11PM AGREE THAT AT LEAST TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE UNANIMOUS IN THE
5:20:14PM FACT THAT WE BELIEVE THAT POLICE BODY CAMERAS ARE A GREAT
5:20:19PM OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ASSURE ACCOUNTABILITY WITH CITIZEN
5:20:22PM INTERACTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.
5:20:23PM WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE LONG-TERM COMMITMENT AND
5:20:26PM FUTURE FUNDING SOURCES FOR BODY CAMS.
5:20:28PM WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, THERE'S A MILLION-DOLLAR
5:20:31PM DONATION THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL HELP OUT A LITTLE BIT TO
5:20:33PM ALLEVIATE THE COST.
5:20:34PM BUT THE INITIAL ANTICIPATED COST FOR OFFICER FOR THE
5:20:36PM HARDWARE IS ABOUT $545,000.
5:20:39PM THE ADDITION HEAD COUNT NEEDED FOR BODY CAMERA ANALYST ALONE
5:20:42PM IS $245,000.
5:20:43PM AND YOU HAVE 1.3 MILLION IN ANNUAL COSTS FOR DATA STORAGE.
5:20:47PM ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS RECOMMENDED WHETHER THERE'S AN
5:20:52PM OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT DATA STORAGE WITH THE CITY VERSUS
5:20:55PM PAYING A MILLION-DOLLAR ANNUAL COST FOR THAT.
5:20:57PM ALSO, CONSIDERING HOW IS THAT RFP WRITTEN?
5:21:00PM IS IT WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT COMPANY?
5:21:02PM WE'VE SEEN RFPs LIKE THE 30-FOOT CHRISTMAS TREE WHERE IT
5:21:06PM HAS TO HAVE 1,412 LIGHTS.
5:21:08PM THERE'S PROBABLY ONE COMPANY THAT HAS THAT CHRISTMAS TREE
5:21:10PM WITH 1,412 LIGHTS.
5:21:12PM WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF HOW WE WRITE THAT RFP IN MAKING
5:21:15PM SURE WE GIVE OPPORTUNITIES AND SEE WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO DO
5:21:17PM THAT, WHETHER IT'S WORKING WITH VENDORS OR WORKING DIRECTLY
5:21:22PM WITH THE WAREHOUSE THAT STORES THOSE.
5:21:24PM THE OTHER THING ABOUT FUTURE PLANNING IS WE ALL KNOW THAT
5:21:28PM THE CITY OF TAMPA IS GROWING AND DOWNTOWN IS GROWING AT AN
5:21:32PM EXPONENTIAL RATE.
5:21:33PM 1.5 MILLION BY 2021 IN TERMS OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR WATER
5:21:39PM STREET.
5:21:39PM 32% GROWTH IN DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN THE LAST TWO
5:21:42PM YEARS.
5:21:42PM 18 NEW BUILDINGS, 4,000 RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
5:21:45PM THAT'S JUST AMAZING NUMBERS AND IT SHOWS WHAT WE'VE DONE
5:21:50PM WITH OUR CITY.
5:21:51PM THAT GROWTH IS ALSO HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY.
5:21:53PM OUR FOCUS RIGHT HERE IS REALLY ABOUT THE IMPACT ON TAMPA
5:21:57PM FIRE RESCUE GIVING THE AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WILL BE
5:22:00PM ADDED TO DOWNTOWN.
5:22:01PM BUT AS WE'VE HEARD IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS WITH COUNCILMAN
5:22:04PM GUDES IT SEEMS THERE ARE NEEDS FOR THE OTHER PARTS OF THE
5:22:08PM CITY WHETHER EAST TAMPA OR WHETHER IT'S BUSCH GARDENS.
5:22:11PM WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FUTURE PLANNING ALLOWS THE CITY TO
5:22:13PM MAINTAIN A SUPERIOR LEVEL OF SERVICE.
5:22:15PM >>LUIS VIERA: LET ME INTERRUPT YOU.
5:22:17PM HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE?
5:22:19PM >> MINUTE AND A HALF.
5:22:20PM >>LUIS VIERA: OKAY.
5:22:21PM >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FUTURE PLANNING ALLOWS FOR A
5:22:23PM SUPERIOR LEVEL OF SERVICE TO RESPONSE TIME TO TAMPA FIRE
5:22:26PM RESCUE WHILE MITIGATING THE NEEDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
5:22:28PM COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL GROWTH, NOT JUST DOWNTOWN, BUT
5:22:30PM EVERYWHERE, WHILE THE FOCUS IS PRIMARILY ON DOWNTOWN NOW.
5:22:33PM FINALLY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY WE'VE NOTICED AND
5:22:37PM I THINK COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO, MIRANDA, AND VIERA ARE
5:22:41PM PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS AND COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER IN HIS
5:22:43PM PAST EXPERIENCES WITH BUDGET, BUT WE NOTICED OVER THE LAST
5:22:46PM FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, OFTENTIMES WE COME HERE AND WE HAVE
5:22:48PM CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET.
5:22:49PM AND WE'LL ASK ABOUT CHANGES TO THE BUDGET.
5:22:53PM WE'LL ASK ABOUT CHANGES TO THE MILLAGE RATE.
5:22:56PM A LOT OF TIMES THE CONVERSATION THAT COMES UP IS, WHAT IF WE
5:22:59PM DON'T APPROVE THIS?
5:23:00PM MANY TIMES THE PUSH-BACK IS, WELL, WE'RE MANDATED BY THE
5:23:02PM STATE TO APPROVE IT BY OCTOBER 1st, AND THAT IS -- THAT IS
5:23:05PM BY STATE STATUTE.
5:23:06PM BUT IT DOESN'T MANDATE HOW EARLY YOU CAN BEGIN THOSE
5:23:09PM CONVERSATIONS.
5:23:09PM AND OFTENTIMES JUST LIKE WE SAW TWO WEEKS AGO, WHEN WE WANT
5:23:12PM TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE BUDGET, WE'RE RELYING ON A
5:23:15PM RESOLUTION, BECAUSE THE BUDGET WAS PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS 32
5:23:20PM DAYS AGO.
5:23:20PM THEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR -- YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE
5:23:23PM ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING THE BUDGET HEARINGS.
5:23:24PM YOU HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN.
5:23:26PM YOU CAN'T MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BASED ON FEEDBACK.
5:23:29PM SO OUR SUGGESTION IS THAT WE MOVE THE BUDGET PROCESS AHEAD
5:23:32PM OR BACK TWO TO FOUR WEEKS TO ALLOW FOR MORE ROBUST
5:23:36PM CONVERSATION AND CHANGES AS NECESSARY.
5:23:38PM AND I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE
5:23:41PM CONCERNS THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS,
5:23:43PM SPECIFICALLY.
5:23:43PM THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS TODAY IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE
5:23:46PM DOING FROM A BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS.
5:23:48PM THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
5:23:51PM APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
5:23:52PM THANK YOU GUYS THAT ARE NEW TO COUNCIL THIS YEAR, FOR
5:23:56PM FINDING US NEW MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE BUDGET ADVISORY
5:23:59PM COMMITTEE.
5:23:59PM I FOUND THAT ALL OF THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO
5:24:02PM COMMITTEE HAVE BEEN VERY VALUE-ADDED AND HAVE SERVED
5:24:06PM WONDERFULLY.
5:24:06PM I LOOK FORWARD NEXT YEAR TO BRINGING OUR PRESENTATION IN A
5:24:09PM LITTLE BIT EARLIER WITH LESS THAN 60 DAYS OR PROBABLY 45
5:24:13PM DAYS WHEN WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN YOU GUYS WERE ANNOUNCED INTO
5:24:16PM OFFICE, IT GAVE US AN EXPEDITED TIME FRAME.
5:24:19PM IT WAS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT THIS YEAR.
5:24:21PM BUT I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING
5:24:23PM YOU IN THE FUTURE.
5:24:24PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
5:24:25PM I KNOW COUNCILMAN GUDES AND COUNCILMAN CARLSON WANTED TO
5:24:29PM SPEAK.
5:24:29PM NOW IS THE TIME TO INQUIRE AND ASK QUESTIONS.
5:24:31PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: I WOULD LIKE HIS COMMITTEE TO COME UP SO
5:24:34PM PEOPLE CAN SEE WHO WAS ON THE ROBUST COMMITTEE AND MADE THE
5:24:39PM FABULOUS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL.
5:24:41PM STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
5:24:43PM I SEE JOE JOHNSON IN THE BACK.
5:24:47PM ANYONE ELSE, MR. LYTLE, ON THE COMMITTEE?
5:24:50PM WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THESE FINE FOLKS FOR WHAT THEY HAVE
5:24:53PM DONE.
5:24:53PM I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
5:24:56PM I KNOW MR. NEWMAN.
5:24:57PM I KNOW MR. JOHNSON, AND I KNOW THEY'VE WORKED HARD TO PUT
5:25:01PM SOME THINGS IN THIS PACKET THAT WE PROBABLY CAN UTILIZE AND
5:25:05PM LOOK FORWARD TO PROBABLY IMPLEMENTING.
5:25:07PM I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT PROCUREMENT AND TALKED ABOUT THE
5:25:10PM LEVEL OF SAVINGS AND SOME OF THE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN
5:25:16PM FLUX 40%, WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
5:25:19PM I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
5:25:21PM >>LUIS VIERA: IF I MAY, COUNCILMAN, BEFORE, I WANTED TO ASK
5:25:25PM EACH MEMBER TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
5:25:27PM YOU MAY BEGIN.
5:25:29PM >> GOOD EVENING.
5:25:30PM I'M VIBHA SHEVADE, APPOINTED BY COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER.
5:25:34PM >> I'M CRAIG NEWMAN.
5:25:37PM I WAS APPOINTED BY BILL CARLSON.
5:25:42PM >> JOSEPH JOHNSON.
5:25:44PM I WAS APPOINTED BY COUNCILMAN GUDES.
5:25:47PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
5:25:47PM AND THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE ON HERE.
5:25:50PM I CAN TELL YOU THIS BEING -- I GUESS IT IS MY THIRD BUDGET
5:25:55PM ROUND AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I ALWAYS NOT JUST LOOK
5:25:57PM FORWARD TO YOUR ALL'S PRESENTATION, BUT I PAY IT A LOT OF
5:26:01PM DEFERENCE.
5:26:01PM I REALLY DO.
5:26:02PM MY FIRST YEAR ON COUNCIL, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT RAISING
5:26:05PM THE MILLAGE RATE AND YOU GUYS CAME OUT STRONGLY FOR THAT
5:26:07PM ADJUSTMENT, YOU ALL JUST WON A LOT OF CREDIBILITY WITH ME
5:26:13PM AND THAT CONTINUES UNTIL THIS DAY.
5:26:14PM I MEAN THAT.
5:26:15PM COUNCILMAN GUDES, COUNCILMAN CARLSON, AND THEN COUNCILMAN
5:26:17PM DINGFELDER.
5:26:19PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: I'M FINISHED.
5:26:20PM >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND THEN COUNCILMAN
5:26:21PM DINGFELDER.
5:26:22PM >>BILL CARLSON: THANK YOU ALSO TO ALL OF YOU AND TO THE
5:26:26PM FOLKS WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT TONIGHT.
5:26:27PM THE LAST RECOMMENDATION THAT MR. LYTLE MADE ABOUT CHANGING
5:26:30PM THE SCHEDULE, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
5:26:32PM WE TALKED ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES.
5:26:34PM AND MAYBE MR. BENNETT, CHIEF BENNETT, MAYBE WE CAN WORK ON A
5:26:41PM SCHEDULE.
5:26:42PM I KNOW WE'RE BUSY DOING A MILLION OTHER THINGS, BUT WE
5:26:44PM TALKED ABOUT STARTING IT IN APRIL, ACTUALLY.
5:26:48PM SO MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT NOW BUT MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT
5:26:51PM THAT SCHEDULE AND STARTING EARLY ON.
5:26:53PM WE HAD TALKED ABOUT INSTEAD OF EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY
5:26:55PM GOING, WE COULD HAVE A FORUM WHERE WE PHILOSOPHICALLY
5:26:58PM DISCUSS THE BUDGET MAYBE IN APRIL.
5:27:04PM >> PLANNING MAKES GREAT SENSE FOR ALL OF US.
5:27:06PM I'M USED TO A LONGER PLANNING BUDGET CYCLE.
5:27:09PM I'LL TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
5:27:10PM >>BILL CARLSON: THIS ONE HAS BEEN DISRUPTED A LITTLE BIT
5:27:14PM BECAUSE WE'RE HERE AT THE END.
5:27:15PM AS SOMEONE STATED, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO CRAM A LOT OF TIME.
5:27:19PM >>JOHN BENNETT: WELL, WE HAD THE HURRICANE THREAT THE DAY
5:27:22PM BEFORE OUR FIRST BUDGET HEARING.
5:27:23PM >>BILL CARLSON: IF I HEARD YOU RIGHT, YOU MENTIONED 108,000
5:27:27PM FOR TBAE AND YOU SAID ALSO THE CULTURAL ASSETS COMMISSION.
5:27:32PM >>JOHN BENNETT: THAT'S THE SAME 108,000.
5:27:36PM >>BILL CARLSON: IS IT ALL FOR TBAE?
5:27:38PM >>JOHN BENNETT: YES, ALL FOR TBAE.
5:27:41PM >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER.
5:27:43PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE AND ITS CHAIR.
5:27:46PM VERY GOOD JOB, VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
5:27:47PM I HAVE TO SAY I'M A LITTLE JEALOUS.
5:27:50PM I WAS TALKING TO MS. SHEVADE AND SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT
5:27:58PM THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT EACH DEPARTMENT CAME AND CHATTED
5:28:00PM WITH THE COMMITTEE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE BUDGET.
5:28:05PM I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THIS COUNCIL NEXT YEAR AS
5:28:09PM PART OF OUR PROCESS AND NEW PROCESS, MR. BENNETT.
5:28:13PM MAYBE ONE OR TWO DEPARTMENTS COULD COME IN IN THE MONTHS
5:28:19PM LEADING UP SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE NEED.
5:28:21PM THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
5:28:22PM THIS IS WHY WE'RE SO EFFICIENT, ET CETERA.
5:28:25PM MR. LYTLE, AS MUCH AS IT MIGHT PAIN YOU, I AGREE WITH MANY
5:28:31PM OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
5:28:33PM THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
5:28:41PM >>LUIS VIERA: ANYONE ELSE?
5:28:43PM I AGREE 110%.
5:28:44PM AGAIN, THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR SERVICE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
5:28:47PM IF I MAY, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR OPENING OF PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
5:28:51PM OPERATING -- YES, SIR.
5:28:57PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: [MICROPHONE NOT ON]
5:28:59PM >>LUIS VIERA: YES, YOU MAY.
5:29:00PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: MR. BENNETT, CHIEF OF STAFF, AND THE
5:29:02PM FINANCIAL OFFICER.
5:29:03PM SOME CLARIFICATION POINTS.
5:29:09PM I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR.
5:29:10PM WE HAVE A PACKED HOUSE HERE TODAY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
5:29:12PM KNOW CERTAIN WORDS AND JARGON.
5:29:14PM I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR BECAUSE I KEEP HEARING LIKE
5:29:17PM DOUBTS.
5:29:18PM I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU MENTIONED THE CRA.
5:29:21PM THE CRA CAME TO US.
5:29:23PM THOSE MINUTES WERE ALREADY SENT TO THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE
5:29:28PM THAT SAID IT WOULD MATCH WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO AS FAR AS THE
5:29:32PM CULTURAL ENRICHMENT CENTER IN EAST TAMPA.
5:29:35PM THERE ARE ALSO OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
5:29:38PM CALLING IN REFERENCE TO THAT.
5:29:39PM I DON'T WANT ANY DOUBT -- PEOPLE THINK WE HAVE DOUBTS HERE.
5:29:43PM THIS IS A PROJECT.
5:29:44PM YOU SEE THE AUDIENCE.
5:29:45PM THEY ARE HERE TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
5:29:47PM I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR MILLION
5:29:49PM DOLLARS.
5:29:50PM LET'S TALK AGAIN, WHERE IS IT COMING FROM?
5:29:52PM WHERE WILL IT BE HELD SO WHEN IT'S TIME TO MOVE, WE'RE READY
5:29:55PM TO MOVE.
5:29:57PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: YES, AGAIN, OUR PREFERRED METHOD WOULD BE
5:29:59PM AT YOUR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING IN OCTOBER.
5:30:01PM WE'LL BRING YOU A RESOLUTION REQUESTING APPROPRIATION FROM
5:30:03PM THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX FOR $1 MILLION.
5:30:12PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: THANK YOU FOR THAT ON ITEM 1.
5:30:14PM ITEM 2, CLARITY ABOUT THE ASK IN REFERENCE TO THE RESCUE CAR
5:30:20PM FOR EAST TAMPA FULL-TIME.
5:30:22PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: YES, SIR, AGAIN, WE ANTICIPATE WE COME TO
5:30:27PM YOU IN YOUR FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER, AND WE REQUEST TWO
5:30:30PM APPROPRIATIONS.
5:30:31PM ONE FROM THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX FOR PURCHASE OF THE
5:30:34PM ASSET.
5:30:35PM THE SECOND, AND IT WOULDN'T BE AN APPROPRIATION INSOMUCH AS
5:30:40PM A REDISTRIBUTION OF WHAT IS ALREADY CONTAINED IN THE BUDGET,
5:30:43PM APPROXIMATELY $400,000 FOR THE STAFFING OF THAT ASSET TO
5:30:46PM EXPAND THE E.M.S. SERVICE IN EAST TAMPA.
5:30:50PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: MAKE SURE WE HAVE IT CLEAR.
5:30:52PM FULL-TIME E.M.S. UNIT IN EAST TAMPA, CORRECT?
5:30:55PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: I DEFER TO THE CHIEF OF FIRE, IF THAT'S A
5:30:59PM FULL-TIME.
5:31:00PM MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S A PEAK SERVICE.
5:31:07PM >> PEAK SERVICE UNIT.
5:31:09PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: EXPLAIN TO THE CROWD WHAT A PEAK SERVICE IS
5:31:12PM SO WE CAN GET AN UNDERSTANDING.
5:31:14PM TO ME THAT'S NOT A FULL-TIME SERVICE.
5:31:15PM THAT IS A HOT-ZONE-TYPE ISSUE FOR A CAR TO COME OUT DURING A
5:31:20PM HOT TIME.
5:31:21PM I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN ARE THOSE HOT TIMES BECAUSE
5:31:23PM ANYBODY COULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK, HAPPEN AT ANY SECOND.
5:31:29PM EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS.
5:31:30PM >> SURE.
5:31:30PM THE WAY THAT THE SYSTEM WORKS CURRENTLY IS THAT WE HAVE AN
5:31:35PM ALS SYSTEM IN THE CITY OF TAMPA.
5:31:37PM IN THAT ALS SYSTEM, THERE ARE ALS ENGINES THAT PROVIDE
5:31:42PM ADVANCE LEVEL OF CARE, MEDICINES AND DEFIBRILLATION,
5:31:46PM ELECTRICAL THERAPY FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED.
5:31:48PM THE ENGINE COMPANIES ROLL OUT IN CONCERT WITH THE RESCUE
5:31:53PM UNITS.
5:31:53PM NOT EVERY STATION WOULD HAVE A RESCUE UNIT ASSIGNED TO THAT
5:31:58PM STATION.
5:31:58PM WE MATCHED THE RISK WITH THE RESOURCES, THE DENSITY.
5:32:01PM THERE'S SEVERAL AVENUES THAT WE CURRENTLY VALIDATE AND
5:32:06PM REVIEW ON A CONSISTENT BASIS FOR THAT.
5:32:08PM WHAT THE PEAK UNITS DO, IF THERE IS A RISE IN ANY PARTICULAR
5:32:13PM AREA OR SYSTEM, WE HAVE THE AVAILABILITY TO PLACE A RESCUE
5:32:18PM UNIT IN THE AREA OR AREAS FOR CERTAIN PERIODS OF TIME WHILE
5:32:26PM THE BUSY PART OF THE DAY GOES ON.
5:32:29PM WE HAVE ESTABLISHED TWO OF THESE UNITS PREVIOUSLY WITH GREAT
5:32:34PM SUCCESS IN THE NORTH TAMPA AREA, AND THEY ARE STAGGERED
5:32:37PM STARTS.
5:32:38PM ONE STARTS AND GOES FROM 8:00 IN THE MORNING TILL 8:00 IN
5:32:40PM THE EVENING.
5:32:41PM AND ONE STARTS AT 10 AND GOES TILL 10 P.M.
5:32:44PM NOW, WHAT IT DOES, IT SHUNTS THE USE OF THE REGULAR RESCUE
5:32:51PM CARS.
5:32:52PM IT PUTS THINGS BACK TO SCALE.
5:32:54PM SO ONE DISTRICT IS NOT OUT OF LINE OR OUT OF SERVICE FOR ANY
5:33:00PM EXORBITANT LENGTH OF TIME.
5:33:02PM COUNCILMAN, YOU'RE CORRECT.
5:33:03PM IT'S NOT A 24 HOUR, BUT I BELIEVE THAT ANY CONSIDERATION FOR
5:33:09PM A PLUS OF SERVICE, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND HOW HARD THE MEN
5:33:13PM AND WOMEN WORK ON TAMPA FIRE RESCUE AND ANY PLUS OF SERVICE
5:33:15PM IS A GOOD THING.
5:33:16PM AND I THINK THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND THIS PLUS OF
5:33:20PM SERVICE, THIS ADDITIONAL UNIT, IT IS ADDITIONAL UNIT THAT
5:33:23PM WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY AND BENEFICIAL TO THE AREA
5:33:26PM OF EAST TAMPA.
5:33:28PM I BELIEVE THAT A PLUS SERVICE OF A PEAK UNIT IS VIABLE AND
5:33:33PM IS A GREAT PLACE TO START.
5:33:35PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT THE LACK OF
5:33:36PM NON-SERVICE OR PEAK SERVICE FOR OVER 15 YEARS, POSSIBLY 15
5:33:41PM YEARS IN EAST TAMPA, I GUESS THAT STICKS OUT WITH ME.
5:33:43PM AND THEN, TWO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL PEAK, WHICH
5:33:47PM MEANS THREE PEAK UNITS AND IT'S OVERTIME, CORRECT?
5:33:51PM >> YES, SIR, IT IS.
5:33:52PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: WE'RE TALKING OVERTIME, I DON'T UNDERSTAND
5:33:55PM WHY WE NOT HAVING TALK ABOUT A FULL UNIT VERSUS PAYING THREE
5:33:59PM PEAK UNITS AT OVERTIME PRICE.
5:34:01PM BUT MY BIG ISSUE IS THAT I LOOK AT WE HAVE AN AMBULANCE
5:34:05PM SERVICE THAT WE CHARGE OUR TAXPAYERS.
5:34:07PM EVERY TIME A TAXPAYER TAKES A RIDE, THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT 800
5:34:11PM BUCKS A RIDE, IS IT NOT?
5:34:13PM >> YES, SIR.
5:34:13PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: 800 FOR OUR CITIZENS.
5:34:16PM THE CITY BEING SELF-INSURED, THOSE WHO MAY HAVE INSURANCE OR
5:34:19PM MAY NOT HAVE INSURANCE, WE'RE STILL COLLECTING THOSE PEOPLE
5:34:23PM WHO DON'T HAVE INSURANCE AND GETTING THE CHANGE OUT OF THEIR
5:34:25PM POCKET TO PAY APPROXIMATELY 800 BUCKS FOR A RIDE, CORRECT?
5:34:29PM >> YES, SIR.
5:34:29PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: LAST YEAR, THESE NUMBERS, WE RAISED THE
5:34:33PM INCREASE FROM '18 TO '19.
5:34:36PM WE'RE SAYING OUR MILEAGE IS $14 A MILE, IS THAT CORRECT?
5:34:40PM >> THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.
5:34:41PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: WHY DO THE NUMBERS OF YEARS '17 AND '18, I
5:34:45PM KNOW '18 IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF MONEY, BECAUSE LAST YEAR,
5:34:47PM ROUGHLY, ABOUT $10 MILLION FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES?
5:34:50PM SO ROUGHLY $10 MILLION.
5:34:53PM FOR YOU TO TELL ME OR STAFF TO TELL ME THAT MY CITIZENS, MY
5:34:56PM TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING ROUGHLY OVER $10 MILLION AND THEY ARE
5:34:59PM BEING CHARGED A SERVICE AND THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN
5:35:02PM AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THE DISTRICT, THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME.
5:35:05PM AND THAT SHOULD BE A CONCERN TO YOU AND STAFF AND TO YOU AS
5:35:09PM THE FIRE CHIEF.
5:35:11PM WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING?
5:35:12PM IS IT GOING TO THE GENERAL FUND?
5:35:14PM IF OUR CITIZENS ARE PAYING THIS MONEY, IT SHOULD BE IN SOME
5:35:17PM TYPE OF TRUST OR ANOTHER OFFSHORE ACCOUNT TO WHERE WE SAY
5:35:20PM THIS MONEY SHOULD BE REPLENISHING OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT,
5:35:23PM REPLENISHING THE RESCUE CARS, FIRE ENGINES AND SO FORTH AND
5:35:27PM WE'RE GETTING THOSE TYPE OF DOLLARS.
5:35:28PM TO ME, I'M KIND OF -- YOU BEING THE FIRE CHIEF.
5:35:32PM NO DISRESPECT, BEING THE FIRE CHIEF AND WE'RE GETTING THIS
5:35:35PM KIND OF MONEY.
5:35:36PM I'M WONDERING, HOW ARE WE SAYING WE CAN'T AFFORD A RESCUE
5:35:39PM CAR?
5:35:40PM >> WELL, EVERY YEAR WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS JUST
5:35:43PM LIKE YOU HEAR THE BUDGET PROCESS, AND WE CERTAINLY PRESCRIBE
5:35:47PM THE NEEDS WE HAVE IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
5:35:49PM IT GOES TO -- IT IS NOT OF THE CHIEF'S MAKING TO DECIDE THE
5:35:53PM MONEY FLOW AND DECIDE WHICH BUCKET THAT GOES INTO.
5:35:56PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: I UNDERSTAND.
5:35:57PM >> BUT WHAT THE CHIEF DOES DO IS MAKE SURE THAT HE MAKES
5:36:00PM SURE THAT THE SERVICE OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE GOES UP.
5:36:04PM AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO AND I'M TRYING TO CONVEY
5:36:07PM THAT.
5:36:07PM AGAIN, I LOOK AT IT AS A PLUS SERVICE FOR THAT.
5:36:11PM I UNDERSTAND THE POINT THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT THE BILLING AND
5:36:15PM THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
5:36:16PM I DO.
5:36:17PM THEY ARE LEGIT.
5:36:18PM BUT ALL I'M LOOKING FOR IS IT IS -- I'M VERY ECSTATIC THAT
5:36:25PM THE MAYOR HAS TAKEN UPON HERSELF TO LOOK AT THIS AS A PLUS
5:36:28PM SERVICE.
5:36:29PM I'M ECSTATIC THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT THIS AS A
5:36:32PM PLUS SERVICE AND THAT WE CAN ADD SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS.
5:36:39PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: WELL, AND I UNDERSTAND CHIEF AND I
5:36:42PM UNDERSTAND THE DEPARTMENT.
5:36:44PM I UNDERSTAND THE DECISIONS ARE NOT OF YOUR MAKING.
5:36:46PM I UNDERSTAND THAT.
5:36:47PM BUT AS THE COUNCILMAN FOR THE DISTRICT AND FOR THE CITY,
5:36:49PM WHEN I MAKE A DECISION OR VOTE, I VOTE FOR THE WHOLE CITY AT
5:36:52PM TIMES.
5:36:53PM BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FOLKS IN EAST
5:36:55PM TAMPA, AND I HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING AND LOOK
5:36:59PM AT WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING AND TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE A RESCUE
5:37:03PM IN THAT DISTRICT, IT UPSETS ME, I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH
5:37:06PM YOU.
5:37:06PM I'VE GOT SOME CONCERNS ABOUT MY REQUEST FOR A FULL-TIME
5:37:13PM SERVICE NOT BEING IMPLEMENTED IN THE BUDGET.
5:37:15PM CHIEF OF STAFF, YOU CAN RESPOND TO IT.
5:37:17PM WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, BUT WHEN I GET THESE NUMBERS, HOW
5:37:22PM DO WE NOT HAVE THAT?
5:37:24PM I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING.
5:37:25PM >>JOHN BENNETT: I WANT TO MAKE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
5:37:27PM I KNOW WHEN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET PRESENTATION, WHICH WAS
5:37:29PM REALLY BEFORE I STARTED ON AUGUST 1st, I WANT TO SAY THAT
5:37:33PM THERE WAS -- THAT THERE WERE NINE RESCUE UNITS GOING BACK
5:37:38PM INTO SERVICE.
5:37:38PM I BELIEVE WE CAN PULL UP THE SLIDE OR THE DATA, BUT I JUST
5:37:42PM WANT TO CLARIFY, THERE IS AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THE DISTRICT.
5:37:45PM AND THE CHIEF COULD PROBABLY SOLIDIFY THAT.
5:37:50PM IT'S NOT LIKE THERE'S NONE AND THEN THERE WILL BE ONE.
5:37:53PM I THINK AS MANY AS FIVE UNITS ARE GOING INTO THE DISTRICT.
5:37:56PM THIS IS AN ENHANCED LEVEL OF SERVICE ON THE OUTER EDGES OF
5:37:59PM THE DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS
5:38:03PM KEEPING UP WITH THE PACE OF THE CALLS AS THE CHIEF ALLUDED
5:38:06PM TO.
5:38:08PM I WANTED TO CLARIFY IT'S NOT GOING FROM ZERO TO ONE, IT'S
5:38:11PM GOING FROM MANY TO AN ADDITIONAL ONE.
5:38:16PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: BUT THOSE CARS ARE CARS THAT WILL BE TAKEN
5:38:19PM OUT OF SERVICE -- AM I CORRECT?
5:38:21PM THE CARS WE'RE ALLOCATING?
5:38:23PM >> THE CARS ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET ARE REPLACEMENT
5:38:25PM VEHICLES, YES, SIR, THEY ARE.
5:38:26PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: REALLY, NOT GETTING A REPLACEMENT FOR THE
5:38:30PM EAST SIDE.
5:38:31PM YOU'LL TAKE ONE OF THOSE THAT YOU'LL DO A REPLACEMENT, SAY
5:38:34PM WE'LL GIVE THEM A CAR AND IT WILL BE A PEAK CAR.
5:38:39PM THAT'S HOW I READ IT.
5:38:40PM >> ONE OF THE NEW CARS WILL BE A PEAK CAR, YES, SIR, IT
5:38:43PM WILL.
5:38:44PM AGAIN, IT IS NOT -- THE SERVICE IS THERE FOR THAT.
5:38:49PM NOW THERE MAY NOT BE AN AMBULANCE IN THAT AREA AT STATION
5:38:53PM 16, BUT THE SERVICE IS THERE.
5:38:55PM AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO BRING IT ALL UP TOGETHER, BUT WE
5:38:58PM CONSTANTLY LOOK AT THAT.
5:39:00PM WE'RE AN ACCREDITED AGENCY.
5:39:02PM WE HOLD ISO 2, AND YOU CAN'T GET THAT WITHOUT HAVING -- WITH
5:39:07PM HAVING DISPARATE SECTIONS OF RESPONSE.
5:39:10PM BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
5:39:12PM AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THERE.
5:39:14PM AGAIN, I LOOK AT IT AS A PLUS SERVICE FOR THAT.
5:39:16PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: I UNDERSTAND, CHIEF.
5:39:18PM I LOOK AT ME BEING A PERSON IN PUBLIC SERVICE, SITTING THERE
5:39:21PM WAITING FOR -- YOU GET AN ENGINE THERE BUT STILL WAITING FOR
5:39:24PM A RESCUE CAR TO GET THERE.
5:39:26PM I UNDERSTAND BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM.
5:39:28PM NOT LIKE I'M NEW TO THE GAME.
5:39:30PM I UNDERSTAND THE GAME.
5:39:31PM I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NOW I'M SITTING IN THIS CHAIR I'M
5:39:35PM GETTING A GOOD DECK OF CARDS SO I CAN PLAY WITH MY COMMUNITY
5:39:37PM AND THE CITY OF TAMPA AS A WHOLE.
5:39:39PM I SEE THE UNION IS HERE.
5:39:40PM I ASKED THEM A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AS WELL IN REFERENCE
5:39:44PM TO --
5:39:44PM >>LUIS VIERA: BEFORE YOU DO THAT, I KNOW COUNCILMAN MIRANDA
5:39:47PM HAD A QUESTION.
5:39:48PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THERE WAS SOMETHING, CHIEF, AND
5:39:50PM MR. GUDES, THAT I HEARD ABOUT BILLING.
5:39:52PM AS I UNDERSTAND IT IN THE PAST, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS NOW,
5:39:55PM WHEN SOMEONE USES IT AND DOESN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY AND
5:39:59PM THEY ARE BILLED, DO YOU MEAN THAT ALL THE BILLS ARE PAID OR
5:40:02PM THEY STOP AFTER THE SECOND TIME THEY NOTICE THEM, THEY DON'T
5:40:05PM MESS WITH THEM ANYMORE?
5:40:07PM >> THEY ARE NOTICED.
5:40:08PM I WOULD DEFER TO THE CFO.
5:40:12PM THERE ARE MULTIPLE TIMES TO COLLECT ON THE PAYMENT.
5:40:15PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WANT TO MAKE SURE.
5:40:17PM YES, SIR.
5:40:18PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: EXACTLY WHAT THE FIRE CHIEF SAID.
5:40:21PM WE ATTEMPT TO GET PAYMENT WHEN WE'RE BILLING THOSE SERVICES.
5:40:24PM WE ATTEMPT REPEATEDLY.
5:40:28PM WE DO IT INTERNALLY AND IN CONNECTION WITH A THIRD-PARTY
5:40:30PM VENDOR.
5:40:31PM BUT TO CLARIFY, OF THE SEVEN OR EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS IT
5:40:35PM COSTS TO PROVIDE AMBULANCE SERVICE, WE TYPICALLY ONLY
5:40:38PM RECEIVE A LITTLE UNDER 400, LESS THAN HALF OF THAT DUE TO
5:40:43PM INDIGENT CITIZENS, WRITE-OFFS, NONPAYMENT, ET CETERA.
5:40:47PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU.
5:40:49PM >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN CARLSON, AND THEN WHAT I WAS
5:40:51PM ACTUALLY GOING TO DO, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN
5:40:53PM ISSUES IN DISPUTE, AFTER YOUR-ALL'S PRESENTATION, I WAS
5:40:57PM GOING TO GIVE A FEW MINUTES TO MR. GRECO AND OTHER FOLKS
5:41:00PM OVER THERE, MAYBE FIVE MINUTES OR SO TO SPEAK AND THEN WE
5:41:03PM CAN ASK THAT QUESTION.
5:41:04PM IS THAT OKAY?
5:41:04PM THANK YOU.
5:41:05PM >>BILL CARLSON: I WANT TO QUICKLY -- CHIEF BENNETT.
5:41:09PM I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH
5:41:14PM IT, WOULD YOU MIND TELLING US WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE WAS IN
5:41:18PM PINELLAS AND -- WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE --
5:41:23PM WHAT YOU PLANNED ON DOING OVER THE NEXT YEAR WITH THAT
5:41:25PM RESPONSE?
5:41:26PM >>JOHN BENNETT: CERTAINLY, MY FIRST RESPONSIBILITY IS TO
5:41:28PM SUPPORT THE STANDARDIZED LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT IS REQUIRED
5:41:30PM BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CITYWIDE.
5:41:32PM AND THAT MEANS JUST LIKE THE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES,
5:41:35PM EVERY DOORSTEP, EVERY INTERSECTION IS GETTING A STANDARDIZED
5:41:39PM LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT MEETS THE BEST PRACTICES, WHICH WE
5:41:43PM RELY ON THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE THOSE TO US.
5:41:45PM THE PINELLAS MOTTO IS UNIQUE IN A SENSE BECAUSE WE HAD 18
5:41:49PM FIRE DEPARTMENTS, BUT THE COUNTY ALSO HAD ITS OWN AMBULANCE
5:41:52PM SERVICE.
5:41:52PM SO THERE WAS ALMOST A DUAL LEVEL OF RESPONSE.
5:41:55PM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE FIRST ON SCENE, MUCH LIKE WHAT
5:41:59PM THE FIRE CHIEF SPOKE ABOUT, THAT AN ENGINE COULD GET THERE,
5:42:02PM PROVIDE THOSE LIFESAVING SERVICES, GET THE RESPONSE TIME ON
5:42:06PM TARGET, AND THEN THE AMBULANCE RIDE COULD EITHER BE ADVANCED
5:42:08PM LIFE SUPPORT OR BASIC LIFE SUPPORT AFTER THE INITIAL
5:42:11PM RESPONSE.
5:42:11PM PINELLAS WAS A DIFFERENT MODEL.
5:42:15PM BASICALLY ABOUT 600 TRANSPORTS A DAY.
5:42:17PM WE HAD A VERY STRONG BILLING MODEL.
5:42:19PM THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE CHIEF AND I HAD A CHANCE TO
5:42:21PM TALK ABOUT IN MY WHOPPING 22 DAYS ON THE GROUND.
5:42:24PM AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS.
5:42:27PM AND JUST TO REITERATE WHAT HE SAID, OUR HOPE WAS TO INCREASE
5:42:32PM THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IN EAST TAMPA BASED ON WHAT'S BEEN
5:42:34PM DISCUSSED SINCE THE BUDGET WAS PRESENTED AND THEN REALLY GET
5:42:37PM INTO IT STRATEGICALLY AFTER THE 1st OF OCTOBER AND GET THE
5:42:40PM LEVEL OF SERVICE CITYWIDE AS TO THE CHIEF'S STRATEGIC PLAN.
5:42:45PM >>BILL CARLSON: I THINK THE POINT IS THE END THING THAT YOU
5:42:49PM IN THIS BUDGET, YOU ALL ARE PROVIDING A HIGHER LEVEL OF
5:42:52PM SERVICE THAN ORIGINALLY BUDGETED, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND
5:42:56PM THE NEXT YEAR EVALUATING THE ENTIRE STRATEGY AND THE ENTIRE
5:42:59PM PROCESS.
5:42:59PM I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH.
5:43:00PM >>JOHN BENNETT: NO, ABSOLUTELY.
5:43:02PM I THINK THE TRIFECTA AT LEAST WILL BE THE FIRE CHIEF, HIS
5:43:06PM DEPARTMENT, THE CFO OR MYSELF WITH 35 YEARS OF PUBLIC SAFETY
5:43:10PM BACKGROUND ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER ALONG WITH ANYBODY WHO
5:43:13PM WANTS TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE IT'S
5:43:16PM TRANSPARENT.
5:43:16PM BUT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET THE SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS
5:43:20PM CITYWIDE.
5:43:21PM I THINK THIS IS A COMMITMENT TO SHOW THAT PROGRESS TONIGHT
5:43:25PM BY ADDING, BY THE MAYOR ADDING THE ADDITIONAL PEAK SERVICE
5:43:28PM UNIT UNTIL WE CAN EXPLORE THAT FINAL NUMBER AND MAKE SURE
5:43:32PM THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN TODAY, BUT AS THE
5:43:35PM CITY IS PROGRESSIVELY GROWING, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE
5:43:41PM LEVEL OF SERVICE STANDARD IS MET IN ALL PUBLIC SAFETY
5:43:43PM ASPECTS, JUST LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE'VE ALREADY TALKED
5:43:45PM ABOUT.
5:43:45PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
5:43:46PM COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER?
5:43:47PM >> I'LL WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE PUBLIC.
5:43:49PM >>LUIS VIERA: OKAY.
5:43:49PM ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATION FROM COUNCIL?
5:43:54PM JUST QUICK, IF I MAY.
5:43:57PM I KEEP ON HEARING DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
5:43:59PM THE COSTS ON THE FULL-TIME STAFF SOUGHT VERSUS PEAK, WHAT IS
5:44:07PM YOUR POSITION ON WHAT THAT IS?
5:44:09PM >> THE COST -- WELL, I KNOW WHAT WAS BUDGETED.
5:44:13PM HE HAS THE ACTUAL COST.
5:44:15PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: THE PEAK SERVICE COST FOR STAFF IS JUST A
5:44:17PM LITTLE UNDER $400,000, WE ANTICIPATE.
5:44:20PM THE FULL-TIME SERVICE IS $1.1 MILLION.
5:44:23PM >>LUIS VIERA: OKAY.
5:44:23PM SO THE DIFFERENCE IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 700,000.
5:44:30PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: YES, SIR.
5:44:31PM >>LUIS VIERA: OKAY.
5:44:31PM JUST MAKING SURE.
5:44:31PM THAT FOR ME IS AN ISSUE.
5:44:32PM I TALKED ABOUT IT WITH FOLKS BEFORE, WHERE IS THAT MONEY
5:44:35PM GOING TO COME FROM?
5:44:36PM PUBLIC SAFETY.
5:44:37PM WE ALL AGREE OBVIOUSLY.
5:44:38PM CHIEF BENNETT, CHIEF NICK, MAYOR CASTOR, FORMER CHIEF
5:44:42PM CASTOR, WE ALL AGREE THE PUBLIC SAFETY IS A BIG ISSUE.
5:44:45PM STEP NUMBER TWO IS WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING TO COME FROM?
5:44:48PM HOW CAN I CALL IT A DISMISSIVE TYPE OF RESPONSE TO THE
5:44:55PM RESERVES, FOR EXAMPLE, I DON'T THINK SHOULD FLY HERE
5:44:58PM TONIGHT.
5:44:58PM WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH THAT.
5:44:59PM WHERE IF WE TAKE THIS FORWARD, IF WE ARE, AND IF IT SHOWS
5:45:02PM THAT IT IS A PUBLIC SAFETY NECESSITY, THERE'S GOT TO BE
5:45:07PM MATHEMATICS APPLIED.
5:45:08PM I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
5:45:10PM WHAT IS THE RESPONSE TIME OUT THERE?
5:45:11PM IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S KNOWN AT THIS TIME?
5:45:14PM >> WELL, THE RESPONSE TIME, ESPECIALLY IN THE 16 AREA, I DID
5:45:18PM DO SOME RESEARCH.
5:45:22PM THE RUNS ARE EXTENT FOR THE BOXES THAT ARE ALL COVERED, FOR
5:45:27PM AREAS OF 10 AND 16.
5:45:28PM BUT FOR MEDICAL PRIORITY CALLS, AND A FIRST UNIT RESPONSE,
5:45:33PM FIRST ON SCENE, WHAT WE WANT, WHAT WE WANT IS 8 MINUTES AND
5:45:37PM 30 SECONDS.
5:45:39PM 8 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS OR LESS.
5:45:41PM THAT IS THE RESPONSE TIME.
5:45:42PM CURRENTLY, WE'RE RIGHT AT SEVEN, ALMOST 7:30.
5:45:49PM WE'RE UNDER THAT CURRENTLY NOW WITH FIRST UNIT RESPONSE.
5:45:54PM SERVICE IS BEING MET.
5:45:55PM I HEARD ALL OF WHAT IS SAID, BUT WE ARE PROVIDING THE
5:45:57PM SERVICE THERE.
5:45:58PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
5:45:59PM COUNCILMAN CITRO.
5:46:00PM THEN I'LL ASK MR. GRECO.
5:46:02PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
5:46:03PM WHEN YOU'RE PULLING FROM ANOTHER STATION FOR EMERGENCY
5:46:06PM VEHICLE, 2, 10, OR 16, DOES THAT LEAVE THAT STATION
5:46:10PM VULNERABLE?
5:46:10PM WILL ANOTHER EMERGENCY VEHICLE HAVE TO COME FROM OUTSIDE OF
5:46:17PM THAT AREA?
5:46:18PM IS IT A DOMINO EFFECT?
5:46:20PM >> YES, OF COURSE.
5:46:21PM IT IS SURGE.
5:46:22PM THAT'S WHAT THE PEAKS TRY TO HELP TO DO.
5:46:24PM GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY DO NOT HAVE THE LATITUDE TO
5:46:27PM PUT A STATION ON EVERY CORNER, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
5:46:30PM AND MR. GUDES UNDERSTANDS FROM HIS PREVIOUS LIFE ABOUT A
5:46:33PM SURGE AND WHEN YOU GET THINGS OUT OF DISTRICT, SO TO SPEAK.
5:46:36PM AND THAT DOES HAPPEN.
5:46:37PM YOU WILL GET THOSE POLES.
5:46:41PM WE FOLLOW WHAT ISO REGULATES.
5:46:44PM THAT'S WHY THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE FIRE STATIONS ARE SO
5:46:46PM IMPORTANT.
5:46:47PM MILE AND A HALF RADIUS FOR ENGINE COMPANY ACCESS.
5:46:49PM AND IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE FIRE GROWTH AND MAKING SURE
5:46:53PM WE RESPOND CLOSELY.
5:46:55PM IT WILL DRAW THOSE OUT.
5:46:56PM THIS IS WHY THE PEAK PLAN HAD HELPED IN THE NORTH TAMPA AREA
5:46:59PM AS TO NOT GET THOSE UNITS DISPERSED TO WHERE YOU HAVE A
5:47:04PM LONGER RESPONSE TIME CATCHING A UNIT FROM A SOUTHERN AREA,
5:47:07PM SO TO SPEAK, YES, IT DOES IMPACT.
5:47:10PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: CHIEF, NO DISRESPECT TO YOU, BUT HOW MANY
5:47:13PM RESCUE CALLS ARE MADE PER DAY IN THE AREA OF EAST TAMPA,
5:47:20PM SPECIFICALLY STATIONS 10 AND 16?
5:47:23PM THREE?
5:47:23PM FOUR?
5:47:24PM FIVE?
5:47:25PM SIX?
5:47:26PM >> NO.
5:47:26PM THERE'S PROBABLY CLOSE TO 60 CALLS A DAY, SOMETHING LIKE
5:47:30PM THAT.
5:47:32PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: SPECIFICALLY FOR THE AMBULANCE.
5:47:33PM >> 40 TO 60 IS PROBABLY A GOOD ESTIMATION.
5:47:37PM NOW, ALL THOSE MAY NOT BEAR A TRANSPORT.
5:47:39PM THOSE ARE ALL KINDS OF CALLS.
5:47:41PM IN TOTALITY, BECAUSE IN A YEAR'S TIME, SOME OF THOSE, YOU
5:47:46PM KNOW, AS FAR AS THE DISTRICT FOR 16, YOU MAY HAVE 3,000
5:47:51PM CALLS.
5:47:51PM IN ALL OF THOSE AREAS.
5:47:54PM BUT THE CALL NUMBER IS NOT THE SOLE FACTOR.
5:47:57PM IT'S SPECIFICALLY WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN AS TO WHAT THE ITEMS
5:48:00PM ARE.
5:48:01PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: CAN YOU GIVE US THE STAFFING ON EACH
5:48:04PM EMERGENCY VEHICLE?
5:48:04PM YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LIEUTENANT.
5:48:07PM >> TALKING A RESCUE UNIT, YOU HAVE A LIEUTENANT AND A
5:48:10PM PARAMEDIC, YES.
5:48:11PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: JUST THOSE TWO PEOPLE.
5:48:13PM >> YES, SIR.
5:48:14PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: DO WE HAVE ENOUGH STAFF FOR AN EMERGENCY
5:48:17PM VEHICLE TO BE AT EITHER 10 OR 16 FULL-TIME?
5:48:21PM >> WE DON'T CURRENTLY.
5:48:24PM WE DON'T.
5:48:25PM OUTSIDE OF THE PEAK UNITS WE HAVE OPENINGS FOR POSITIONS OF
5:48:30PM PARAMEDIC AND OFFICERS THAT WE DON'T HAVE THEM FILLED YET
5:48:34PM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE BODIES FOR THAT.
5:48:37PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: DO WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE RIGHT NOW
5:48:39PM FOR EITHER STATION 10 OR 16?
5:48:41PM >> WE HAVE RESERVES.
5:48:42PM WE HAVE RESERVE VEHICLES THAT WE COULD UTILIZE FOR THAT,
5:48:45PM YES, WE DO, IN LIEU OF THE NEW UNIT COMING IN, YES, WE DO.
5:48:51PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU.
5:48:52PM ANYONE ELSE?
5:48:53PM COUNCILMAN GUDES.
5:49:01PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: I GUESS I LOOK AT MEDICAL PRIORITY.
5:49:03PM SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY A PERSON SHOT, PERSON HAVING A HEART
5:49:12PM ATTACK, A PERSON SCRAPING THEIR KNEE.
5:49:15PM AGAIN, I GO BACK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE GET UPSET WHEN THEY CALL
5:49:22PM IN ON OUR 911 SYSTEM AND GET FRUSTRATED.
5:49:25PM THEY DON'T KNOW.
5:49:25PM ALL THEY KNOW IS I GOT AN EMERGENCY.
5:49:30PM CITIZENS GET UPSET BECAUSE THEY FEEL, WHERE IS THE
5:49:33PM AMBULANCE?
5:49:34PM THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE ALS UNIT OR WHAT ALS UNIT STANDS
5:49:39PM FOR.
5:49:39PM ALL THEY KNOW, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SERVICE.
5:49:42PM ALSO, PEOPLE HAVE TO BE EDUCATED A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR
5:49:45PM SERVICE AND WHY WE HAVE AN ALS UNIT RESPOND AND WHY A BLS
5:49:49PM UNIT RESPOND AND THE DIFFERENCE.
5:49:51PM PEOPLE GET ON THE PHONE, ASKING A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.
5:49:54PM ALL THEY CARE, YOU AIN'T GETTING HERE FAST ENOUGH.
5:49:57PM WHAT I SAY, CHIEF, WE NEED TO MARKET BETTER ON THAT ASPECT
5:50:00PM AS WELL SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND SO THEY DON'T GET
5:50:02PM FRUSTRATED AND WE GET CALLS.
5:50:03PM MY OFFICE, ABOUT THE AMBULANCE SERVICE.
5:50:07PM AND I GET BUDGETS.
5:50:08PM I GET THAT.
5:50:09PM I UNDERSTAND, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S
5:50:13PM CRITICAL.
5:50:13PM I KNOW THEY HOLLER ABOUT THE RESERVES.
5:50:18PM I UNDERSTAND RESERVES.
5:50:19PM JUST LIKE YOU HAVE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT AT YOUR HOUSE, WHEN THE
5:50:22PM AC COMES OUT OR YOU NEED AN AC UNIT, YOU HAVE TO GO INTO
5:50:26PM YOUR RESERVE, YOUR SAVINGS TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
5:50:30PM THIS IS TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS.
5:50:32PM WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT OUR RESERVE HAS AND WHEN I LOOK ACROSS
5:50:35PM THE COUNTRY, AND I TALK TO BOND PEOPLE, MAKE CALLS AND I
5:50:38PM LOOK AT WHAT THEY TELL ME, THEY CALL SUPER, SUPER RATE.
5:50:43PM WE'RE AT 23%.
5:50:45PM THEY LOOK AT WITH THE BONDS AT 16.5 SOMETHING.
5:50:48PM SO WHEN PEOPLE TELL ME ABOUT THE BOND, ABOUT RESERVES, AND I
5:50:52PM SAY WE GOT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY AND WE HAVE HOUSEHOLD CHORES
5:50:55PM WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF, THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT IT.
5:50:58PM I LOOK AT IT LIKE IT WAS MY HOME AND MY MONEY.
5:51:01PM BECAUSE WHEN SOMETHING BREAKS IN YOUR HOME, SOMETIMES YOU
5:51:04PM CAN'T WAIT TO FIX IT.
5:51:05PM YOU HAVE TO FIX IT.
5:51:06PM SO TALK ABOUT RESERVES.
5:51:08PM WE HAVE A ROBUST RESERVE.
5:51:10PM IT IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
5:51:15PM ASSETS TO LIABILITY, WE ARE A SUSTAINABLE CITY WITH WHAT WE
5:51:17PM HAVE.
5:51:18PM AND WE HAVE WELL ENOUGH MONEY IF WE HAVE THINGS TO TAKE CARE
5:51:21PM OF, WE CAN TAKE CARE OF.
5:51:23PM THE RESERVES AND THE BONDS, TO ME, THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR ME.
5:51:27PM THANK YOU.
5:51:27PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
5:51:28PM ANYONE ELSE?
5:51:29PM NEXT, I WANTED TO ASK, CENTRAL IN DISPUTE HERE IS THIS FIRE
5:51:33PM ISSUE, JUST TO COME FORWARD FOR QUESTIONS, MR. GRECO.
5:51:38PM >> JOE GRECO, PRESIDENT OF THE TAMPA FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 754.
5:51:41PM ANDREW CARTER, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL.
5:51:43PM WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT NUMBERS.
5:51:45PM THESE ARE REAL NUMBERS --
5:51:46PM >>LUIS VIERA: WHEN WE DISCUSSED, JOE, YOU SAID A COUPLE,
5:51:49PM THREE, FOUR MINUTES?
5:51:50PM >> WELL, YOU GAVE QUITE A BIT OF TIME.
5:51:52PM I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS OUR SIDE.
5:51:56PM >>LUIS VIERA: IS FOUR MINUTES GOOD?
5:51:58PM >> WHATEVER YOU GIVE.
5:51:58PM >>LUIS VIERA: WE HEREBY BEQUEATH IT.
5:52:01PM >> THIS DIDN'T COME OUT IN THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
5:52:03PM THIS CAME UP AFTER THE ORIGINAL BUDGET.
5:52:05PM WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL UNITS AND TRYING TO GET
5:52:08PM MORE PEOPLE IN PLAY AND TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO WE PUT
5:52:11PM THESE TWO PEAK UNITS IN SERVICE.
5:52:12PM THEY HAVEN'T BECAME FULL-TIME FOR SOME REASON.
5:52:15PM AND THE NUMBERS HAVEN'T CHANGED.
5:52:18PM STATION 13, STATION 18 ARE WELL OVER 4,000 CALLS PER
5:52:23PM STATION.
5:52:23PM THOSE PEAK UNITS HAVEN'T ALLEVIATED AND KEPT THE BURDEN OFF.
5:52:29PM IT'S KEPT THEM FROM RUNNING 5,000 CALLS A YEAR.
5:52:31PM THOSE UNITS ARE PART-TIME AND THEY ARE DESIGNATED -- THEY
5:52:33PM LEAVE FROM A CERTAIN PLACE BUT THEY GO WHERE THE CALL LOAD
5:52:37PM IS.
5:52:37PM WHAT THIS NEW PEAK UNIT IS DOING, IT MIGHT LEAVE OUT OF
5:52:41PM STATION 16 BUT IT'S GOING TO GO WHERE THE CALL VOLUME IS.
5:52:44PM TO SAY IT'S DESIGNATED THERE, IT'S A PART-TIME UNIT THAT'S
5:52:49PM STAFFED WITH OVERTIME PERSONNEL THAT GET OVERTIME MONEY, AND
5:52:53PM IT'S NOT GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
5:52:54PM WE TRIED TO FIX SOME OF THE PROBLEM.
5:52:56PM THOSE TWO CARS, ONE OF THEM RAN 1300 CALLS PART-TIME.
5:53:00PM THE OTHER RAN A THOUSAND CALLS PART-TIME.
5:53:02PM THAT'S TO DATE.
5:53:03PM THAT'S NOT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
5:53:05PM THOSE NUMBERS ARE REAL.
5:53:06PM 1300 CALLS AND A THOUSAND CALLS, 12 HOURS A DAY, FIVE DAYS A
5:53:10PM WEEK.
5:53:10PM NOTHING ON SUNDAY.
5:53:11PM NOTHING ON MONDAY, WHICH ARE TWO VERY BUSY DAYS.
5:53:14PM SO THEY DIDN'T ELIMINATE ANYTHING IN NORTH TAMPA.
5:53:16PM THEY JUST KEPT THE TWO UNITS UP THERE THAT ARE RUNNING 4300
5:53:19PM CALLS AND 4100 CALLS FROM RUNNING 5,000 CALLS, WHICH
5:53:23PM ANYTHING OVER 3,000 IS RIDICULOUS, BUT 4,000 CALLS AT
5:53:28PM STATION 20 -- STATION 13 AND 4,000 CALLS AT STATION 18,
5:53:32PM WHICH IS THE UNIT THAT CHIEF OF STAFF SAID WOULD BE CROSSING
5:53:36PM IN THOSE ONES THAT CROSS OVER INTO STATION 16 AREA IS
5:53:40PM STATION 18 FROM 30th AND HILLSBOROUGH.
5:53:42PM THE OTHER UNIT IS STATION 4 IN YBOR CITY, WHICH IS THE SIXTH
5:53:45PM BUSIEST RESCUE IN THE CITY RUNNING JUST OVER 3500 CALLS A
5:53:49PM YEAR.
5:53:49PM WE DID A STUDY JUST ON CHARLIE, DELTA AND ECHO RESPONSE
5:53:53PM WHICH IS WITH A FIRE TRUCK.
5:53:55PM IT'S A SERIOUS CALL.
5:53:56PM WE DIDN'T DO ANY OF THE OTHER CALLS THEY WOULD BE RUNNING OR
5:53:59PM STATION 16 RUNNING ANYBODY ELSE'S CALLS.
5:54:01PM WE ONLY DID ONES IN THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.
5:54:05PM THEIR FIRST ALARM AREA.
5:54:06PM LET'S LOOK AT THOSE.
5:54:07PM >> RIGHT HERE IS A ROUGH APPROXIMATION OF STATION --
5:54:10PM >>LUIS VIERA: STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
5:54:12PM >> ANDREW CARTER.
5:54:13PM THIS IS A ROUGH APPROXIMATION OF STATION 16 FIRST ALARM
5:54:18PM TERRITORY.
5:54:19PM THE BLACK NUMBERS ARE OUR STATIONS.
5:54:21PM 16, 10, 4, AND 18 ARE THE MAIN ONES THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK
5:54:24PM AT RIGHT HERE.
5:54:25PM SO STATION 16 AND 10 ONLY HAVE ENGINES.
5:54:28PM SO THEIR TERRITORIES ARE SPLIT BETWEEN RESCUE 18 AND RESCUE
5:54:32PM 4.
5:54:33PM HOWEVER, STATION 4 AND STATION 18 ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN
5:54:38PM RESPONSE AREAS.
5:54:38PM SO THEY SPLIT TWO DIFFERENT STATIONS SO THEY HAVE ROUGHLY
5:54:41PM TWO ENTIRE STATIONS WORTH OF FIRST-ALARM TERRITORY.
5:54:46PM SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, WE ASKED STAFF FOR A REPORT
5:54:49PM OF THE CHARLIE, DELTA AND ECHO CALLS.
5:54:52PM WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THERE'S A -- YOU WOULDN'T CATCH ALL
5:54:55PM OF IT.
5:54:56PM I'M SORRY.
5:54:56PM SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THERE IS A FIRE TRUCK AND AMBULANCE
5:55:01PM DISPATCHED TO THIS CALL.
5:55:03PM CHIEF SAID, MIGHT NOT RESULT IN TRANSPORT, MIGHT BE DOWN
5:55:07PM GRADE TO BLS.
5:55:08PM STAFF GAVE US A NUMBER OF 1827.
5:55:11PM WHEN WE DID OUR CALCULATIONS AND THE CALLS THAT THE UNITS
5:55:15PM RUN, NUMBER OF 1737.
5:55:17PM SO THEY ARE VERY CLOSE.
5:55:21PM THOSE CALLS, THAT ADDITIONAL 90 COULD COME FROM STATION 18
5:55:25PM RESPONDING INTO THAT AREA, STATION 4 RESPONDING INTO THAT
5:55:28PM AREA.
5:55:29PM WE SAY THOSE NUMBERS ARE RELATIVELY EQUAL.
5:55:32PM STATION 10'S TERRITORY SHOULD GET REDISTRICTED.
5:55:36PM IT SHOULD BE STATION 4 WITH RESCUE 4, RESCUE 16 AND RESCUE
5:55:40PM 10.
5:55:41PM WHEN YOU ADD IN THE QUARTER OF CALLS THAT ARE YET TO COME,
5:55:45PM RESCUE 16 WOULD RUN APPROXIMATELY 1800 CALLS.
5:55:48PM THAT WOULD PLACE IT AT THIS ORANGE LINE.
5:55:52PM EVERY CAR BELOW IT WOULD RUN LESS CALLS THAT AN FULL-TIME
5:55:57PM CAR AT RESCUE 16.
5:55:58PM THESE ARE APPROXIMATE NUMBERS THAT WE RETRIEVED FROM OUR OWN
5:56:02PM RUN DATABASE.
5:56:05PM >> SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING, STATION 16, IF YOU PUT A FULL-TIME
5:56:09PM RESCUE THERE, WOULDN'T BE THE SLOWEST CAR ON THE BLOCK.
5:56:12PM IT WOULD BE THE SIXTH SLOWEST CAR ON THE BLOCK.
5:56:15PM THE TWO PEAK UNITS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT ARE STAFFED
5:56:17PM WITH OVERTIME PERSONNEL, THEY ARE WELL BELOW AT 1300 AND A
5:56:21PM THOUSAND, AND THEY'RE PART-TIME, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
5:56:25PM YOU PUT A RESCUE CAR AT 16 FULL-TIME, IT'S GOING TO RUN 1800
5:56:30PM CALLS FOR THE YEAR AND THOSE ARE ONLY CHARLIE, DELTA AND
5:56:33PM ECHO, WHICH ARE THE MORE SERIOUS.
5:56:34PM THEY GET A FIRE TRUCK WITH THEIR RESPONSE, POTENTIALLY ALS
5:56:38PM CALL.
5:56:38PM THAT STATION WOULD THEN BE THE SEVENTH FROM -- THE SEVENTH
5:56:44PM SLOWEST RESCUE.
5:56:45PM THERE -- THAT BUZZER MESSED ME UP.
5:56:49PM FIRST OF ALL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THOSE PEAK UNITS ARE STAFFED
5:56:53PM WITH VOLUNTARY OVERTIME.
5:56:55PM IF THEY DON'T GET A VOLUNTEER, THEY DON'T GO IN SERVICE.
5:56:58PM IF THEY ARE DOWN FOR ANY REASON OUT OF SERVICE, WE DON'T PUT
5:57:01PM THEM IN SERVICE.
5:57:02PM SO STATION 16 WOULDN'T HAVE A RESCUE ALL THE TIME.
5:57:05PM JUST BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING WE'RE PUTTING ANOTHER PEAK UNIT IN
5:57:08PM SERVICE --
5:57:10PM >>LUIS VIERA: I'LL GIVE YOU ALL 20 SECONDS TO END.
5:57:13PM BUT BEFORE THAT, I WANT TO ASK EVERYBODY IN THE CROWD TO
5:57:15PM PLEASE NOT MAKE ANY COMMENTS, ET CETERA.
5:57:18PM WE'RE RUNNING A MEETING.
5:57:19PM IF YOU ALL WOULD PLEASE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
5:57:21PM 20 SECONDS TO FINISH UP.
5:57:22PM >> REAL QUICK.
5:57:23PM THAT PEAK UNIT, WOULDN'T BE DESIGNATED AT STATION 16.
5:57:27PM IT MIGHT LEAVE THE STATION OUT OF 16 BUT WOULDN'T BE
5:57:31PM DESIGNATED.
5:57:32PM WOULDN'T BE IN SERVICE ALL THE TIME.
5:57:34PM WHICH IT DOES MOST OF THE TIME GET A VOLUNTEER FOR THAT, BUT
5:57:36PM IT'S NOT MANDATORY.
5:57:37PM IT'S VOLUNTEER.
5:57:38PM AS THE BURNOUT HAPPENS, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THOSE PEOPLE.
5:57:41PM ONLY A DEFINED AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WORK THAT.
5:57:43PM LIEUTENANT, PARAMEDIC, THAT WORK THAT OVERTIME.
5:57:45PM WHEN THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO WORK IT, THAT SERVICE
5:57:48PM WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.
5:57:50PM YOU ALREADY GOT TWO CARS THAT ARE VERY BUSY RUNNING INTO
5:57:52PM THAT AREA.
5:57:53PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
5:57:54PM THANK YOU, SIR.
5:57:55PM >> QUESTIONS.
5:57:57PM I GOT QUESTIONS.
5:58:01PM >>BILL CARLSON: I'M TOTALLY CONFUSED BY WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
5:58:04PM >> WHICH ONE?
5:58:06PM >>BILL CARLSON: CAN I ASK YOU A SIMPLE QUESTION?
5:58:09PM WHAT ARE YOU RECOMMENDING?
5:58:10PM >> THE CITY IS IN NEED OF FULL-TIME RESCUE CARS FOR A LONG
5:58:13PM TIME.
5:58:13PM AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE FAILURE HAS BEEN AT.
5:58:16PM I DON'T WANT TO BLAME ANYBODY, WHETHER CITY STAFF OR FIRE
5:58:18PM DEPARTMENT STAFF.
5:58:19PM BUT WE'RE WELL BEHIND IN ORDERING -- IN PUTTING NEW
5:58:22PM FULL-TIME RESCUE CARS IN PLACE.
5:58:24PM IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS ON HOW MANY CALLS THESE
5:58:26PM STATIONS ARE RUNNING, OUR STATION 20 IS RUNNING
5:58:29PM APPROXIMATELY 20 CALLS A DAY.
5:58:30PM >>BILL CARLSON: SO YOU'RE RECOMMENDING FULL-TIME SERVICE,
5:58:33PM NOT JUST IN THIS AREA --
5:58:35PM >> THERE ARE OTHER PLACES I'M SURE THE CHIEF WOULD AGREE
5:58:37PM THAT STATION 13, IN THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, THEY'LL HAVE TO
5:58:40PM DO SOMETHING THERE BECAUSE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
5:58:42PM THERE'S ONLY SO MANY RUNS YOU CAN RUN IN A DAY.
5:58:45PM 20 IS MORE THAN ENOUGH.
5:58:47PM THERE WAS ONE DAY NOT TOO LONG AGO, THEY RAN 46 SEPARATE
5:58:50PM CALLS OUT OF STATION 13.
5:58:51PM 40 SEPARATE RUN NUMBERS OUT OF THE STATION.
5:58:54PM IT'S OUT OF CONTROL.
5:58:56PM >>BILL CARLSON: SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT CITYWIDE.
5:58:59PM IF YOU HAD TO PUT ONE MORE FULL-TIME SERVICE, WHERE WOULD
5:59:03PM YOU PUT IT IN THE CITY?
5:59:05PM >> IT'S BEEN WAY OVERDUE IN STATION 16 AREA.
5:59:08PM THAT CAR CAME OUT OF THERE 17 YEARS AGO.
5:59:10PM IT NEVER WENT BACK.
5:59:11PM IT WENT TO HANNA AND NEBRASKA TO BACKFILL -- I TALKED TO THE
5:59:16PM CHIEF IT WAS IN PLACE WHEN HE TOOK IT OUT.
5:59:18PM TODAY I TALKED TO CHIEF BOTTO, RESCUE AT THE TIME WAS
5:59:21PM RUNNING CRAZY.
5:59:22PM IT WAS THE ADVICE OF DR. CARUBA TO MOVE THE RESCUE CAR FROM
5:59:26PM 10, WHICH IS IN, OF COURSE, EAST TAMPA.
5:59:29PM THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE RUNNING INTO 16, TO MOVE TO
5:59:31PM STATION 7 TO HELP BACKFILL WHEN RESCUE 11 WAS OUT.
5:59:34PM WE'VE GROWN A LOT SINCE THEN.
5:59:36PM WE WENT FROM RUNNING 60,000 CALLS IN TO ALMOST 90,000 CALLS.
5:59:41PM NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN JUST 16'S AREA, EVERY DAY,
5:59:44PM CHARLIE, DELTA, ECHO RESPONSES WOULD BE FIVE CALLS A DAY,
5:59:47PM JUST CHARLIE DELTA AND ECHO, IN THEIR GEOGRAPHIC AREA, NOT
5:59:50PM TO MENTION THE CALLS THAT THEY WOULD RUN INTO 4'S AREA, 18'S
5:59:54PM AREA AND ALL THE OTHER PLACES.
5:59:56PM BECAUSE WE'RE ALL STILL GOING TO CROSS-TRANSFER.
5:59:58PM WE'LL STILL ALL GO INTO OTHER DISTRICTS OR INTO OTHER AREAS.
6:00:01PM YOU NEVER SIT IN YOUR DESIGNATED GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION.
6:00:03PM YOU GO TO WHERE THE CALL IS AND WHEREVER THE AVAILABILITY
6:00:06PM IS.
6:00:06PM SO WE'RE CLOSEST UNIT RESPONSE.
6:00:09PM IF 16 IS DESIGNATED IN EAST TAMPA, IT'S GOING TO RUN CALLS
6:00:12PM IN YBOR CITY.
6:00:13PM IT'S GOING TO RUN CALLS IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA.
6:00:15PM AND COMING VERY SOON IN THE SPARKMAN'S WHARF DISTRICT WHEN
6:00:20PM ALL THE TOWERS ARE FULL DOWN THERE, IT WILL BE RUNNING DOWN
6:00:23PM THERE THAT WE HAVEN'T PLANNED FOR.
6:00:25PM SO A DESIGNATED UNIT AT 16 FULL-TIME IS WHAT'S CALLED FOR
6:00:30PM HERE.
6:00:30PM YOU CAN SAY THAT PUTTING A PART-TIME UNIT IN PLACE IS TRYING
6:00:33PM TO HELP.
6:00:34PM IT'S NOT HELPING.
6:00:34PM IT'S MAKING PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY OVERWORKED WORK OVERTIME
6:00:38PM MORE.
6:00:38PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
6:00:39PM ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. CARLSON?
6:00:41PM COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER.
6:00:52PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
6:00:54PM PRESENTATION.
6:00:55PM AND MR. GRECO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION.
6:00:57PM >> YES, SIR.
6:00:58PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: WE KNOW YOU LOVE THIS CITY, AND WE KNOW
6:01:00PM YOU LOVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
6:01:02PM I HAD A QUESTION.
6:01:07PM HANG AROUND ON THE SIDE IN CASE SOMEBODY ELSE HAD A
6:01:10PM QUESTION.
6:01:10PM BUT I HAD A QUESTION FOR EITHER CHIEF BENNETT OR CHIEF OF
6:01:14PM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, ONE OR THE OTHER, WHOEVER WANTS TO TAKE
6:01:17PM THE QUESTION.
6:01:18PM CHIEF, SOMEBODY MENTIONED CHIEF BOTTO, I THINK MR. GRECO
6:01:24PM DID.
6:01:24PM HE'S HOME RECUPERATING.
6:01:27PM WE ALL SEND HIM OUR BEST.
6:01:29PM HE TEXTED ME AND, OF COURSE, HE WAS CHIEF FOR A LONG TIME,
6:01:34PM AND HE GOT HIS 30-PLUS YEARS IN WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
6:01:38PM HE TEXTED ME AND HE SAID BACK WHEN HE WAS CHIEF, WE HAD A
6:01:43PM FOUR-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME OR FOUR AND A HALF MINUTE RESPONSE
6:01:46PM TIME, AND HE SAID NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOUBLE THAT, EIGHT
6:01:49PM AND A HALF MINUTES.
6:01:50PM OF COURSE, HE FEELS THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
6:01:57PM I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT'S FAIRLY ACCURATE FROM THE CITY'S
6:02:03PM PERSPECTIVE.
6:02:03PM MR. GRECO, YOU CAN CHIME IN AS WELL AFTERWARDS.
6:02:09PM AND HOW WE FEEL ABOUT IT.
6:02:11PM LISTEN, I'M NOT DELUSIONAL THINKING WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE
6:02:14PM THIS TONIGHT.
6:02:15PM BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF IT'S ON OUR MENU TO BE SOLVING IT
6:02:20PM AND GETTING TO A BETTER PLACE OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO OR
6:02:24PM WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS OUR PLAN TO GET BACK TO THESE NUMBERS,
6:02:31PM FOUR-, FIVE-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME IF THAT'S OUR GOAL.
6:02:35PM A LOT OF QUESTIONS THERE.
6:02:36PM PLEASE, ENLIGHTEN ME.
6:02:38PM >> THANK YOU.
6:02:38PM PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR ACCREDITATION PROCESS ALLOWS
6:02:43PM REALLY IT'S COMMUNITY BASED AND COMMUNITY FED.
6:02:46PM AND THE WHOLE PROCESS OF THAT IS THAT IT'S WHAT -- WHAT DOES
6:02:52PM THE COMMUNITY WANT AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT AND WHAT CAN WE
6:02:55PM AFFORD TO DO THAT WITH?
6:02:58PM LOVE CHIEF BOTTO, AND, YES, MANY YEARS AGO, WE DID HAVE A
6:03:02PM FOUR-, FIVE-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME.
6:03:04PM AND WE'RE GOING FROM 38, 40 THOUSAND CALLS TO 88, 89
6:03:09PM THOUSAND AND SOME CHANGE, AND MANY, MANY DIFFERENT MILES
6:03:14PM HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE CITY.
6:03:16PM WE HAVE DIFFERENT AREAS TO COVER, AND IT MAKES AN EXTREME
6:03:21PM STRETCH.
6:03:21PM SO CAN WE GET THERE?
6:03:23PM IT TAKES STAFFING AND MONEY TO GET THERE TO DO THAT.
6:03:26PM WE ARE MAKING THE STANDARD ON THE BENCH MARK THAT WE SET.
6:03:31PM IT IS NOT OUT OF REALM WITH ACCREDITATION, AND THEY LOOK AT
6:03:36PM FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
6:03:38PM ONE OF 220 SOME ODD FIRE DEPARTMENTS INTERNATIONALLY
6:03:43PM ACCREDITED AND THEY GO THROUGH EVERYTHING AND VET THROUGH
6:03:46PM EVERYTHING.
6:03:46PM IT DOESN'T RAISE THE FACT.
6:03:48PM THEY ALWAYS WANT US TO MOVE THE NEEDLE --
6:03:51PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: IS THERE A NATIONAL STANDARD RESPONSE
6:03:53PM TIME OR GOAL FOR RESPONSE TIME FOR URBAN AREAS LIKE OURS?
6:03:59PM >> WELL, IT'S A CONSENSUS DOCUMENT -- THEY HAVE RESPONSE
6:04:05PM TIMES AND THEY ARE VERY, VERY TIGHT.
6:04:08PM MORE LIKE THE FOUR-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME, SIX-MINUTE RESPONSE
6:04:12PM TIME, FOUR-MINUTE TRAVEL TIME.
6:04:13PM TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO REALLY MAKE YOUR STATIONS A LOT MORE
6:04:17PM DENSE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT TRAVEL TIME.
6:04:19PM WITH THAT IT TAKES MORE UNITS AND IT TAKES MORE STAFFING IF
6:04:22PM THAT'S THE DEAL.
6:04:23PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: IT SEEMS TO ME BEFORE YOU START BUILDING
6:04:25PM MORE STATIONS AT LEAST YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THE CARS THERE
6:04:29PM ARE IN THE STATIONS THAT YOU HAVE, CORRECT?
6:04:34PM >> RIGHT.
6:04:34PM WELL, WE DO.
6:04:36PM AND THAT IS THE REASON --
6:04:37PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: WELL, NO, I MEAN IN TERMS OF MAXING THEM
6:04:40PM OUT.
6:04:40PM I KNOW YOU'RE MOVING THEM AROUND AND THAT SORT OF THING.
6:04:43PM AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE THIS TONIGHT.
6:04:46PM >> I UNDERSTAND.
6:04:46PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I'M JUST SAYING, WELL, IT'S AN
6:04:50PM INTERESTING DISCUSSION.
6:04:52PM I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE.
6:04:55PM MR. GRECO, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD?
6:04:58PM >> I DO.
6:05:00PM CHIEF LoCICERO IS RIGHT.
6:05:03PM JOE GRECO, CHIEF LoCICERO IS RIGHT.
6:05:06PM WE DO GET TO EVERY CALL.
6:05:07PM WE INITIATE CARE AT AN ALS LEVEL WITH ALL THE ALS ENGINES IN
6:05:10PM THE CITY.
6:05:12PM IT'S THE TRANSPORTS THAT WE'RE FAILING AT.
6:05:14PM IT'S NOT THAT THE STAFF DOESN'T WANT IT.
6:05:17PM IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MOVED THE NEEDLE IN THE LAST 16
6:05:20PM YEARS.
6:05:20PM WE HAVEN'T ADDED THOSE RESCUES THAT HAVE BEEN REQUIRED.
6:05:24PM WE'RE RELYING ON THESE RESCUES TO RUN SO MANY CALLS A DAY
6:05:28PM THAT YOU'RE GETTING DECREASED LEVEL OF CARE JUST BECAUSE
6:05:31PM THEY ARE SO WORE OUT.
6:05:33PM NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, BUT WHEN YOU'RE UP 24 HOURS, ALL
6:05:37PM THAT CARE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN, TEN CALLS IS GOING TO BE
6:05:40PM DIFFERENT THAN AT 20 CALLS JUST BECAUSE OF YOUR LEVEL OF
6:05:44PM TIREDNESS.
6:05:45PM WE DO GET TO THE CALLS.
6:05:46PM IT'S NOTHING HAVING TO DO WITH STAFF SAYING THEY DON'T WANT
6:05:50PM IT.
6:05:50PM WE NEED TO START MOVING IT BECAUSE THE CITY IS GROWING AND
6:05:53PM WE'RE BEHIND NOW ON RESCUE CARS.
6:05:55PM WE HAVE SUFFICIENT ENGINES TO COVER THE CITY.
6:05:57PM WE HAVE SUFFICIENT TOWER TRUCKS TO COVER THE CITY.
6:06:01PM WE DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT RESCUE CARS TO HAUL THE BODIES OR
6:06:04PM WE WOULDN'T HAVE RESCUE CARS RUNNING 4300 CALLS AND 4400
6:06:08PM CALLS A YEAR.
6:06:08PM THOSE ARE REAL NUMBERS.
6:06:10PM YOU CAN GO AND -- CHIEF LoCICERO CAN PROVIDE THOSE TO YOU.
6:06:14PM THESE CARS ARE RUNNING CRAZY.
6:06:16PM WE NEED SOME MORE TRANSPORT CALLS.
6:06:17PM AND PUTTING ANOTHER PEAK CAR IN PLACE IS, LIKE I SAID LAST
6:06:21PM TIME, A BAND-AID ON A BULLET HOLE.
6:06:23PM IT'S OVERTIME FROM PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE TO WORK IT.
6:06:26PM IT'S VOLUNTARY.
6:06:27PM THAT MEANS WHEN THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK IT, IF THERE ISN'T
6:06:31PM ENOUGH PEOPLE TO STAFF IT, IT DOESN'T LEAVE THE STATION.
6:06:33PM THEN ORLANDO GUDES' STATION 16 DOESN'T HAVE A RESCUE CAR OR
6:06:37PM STATION 12 OR WHEREVER ELSE IT WAS.
6:06:38PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, MR. GRECO.
6:06:40PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD, MR. CHAIRMAN,
6:06:42PM I HEARD -- NOT FOR YOU -- MR. CHAIRMAN, I HEARD A COMMENT
6:06:46PM EARLIER FROM SOMEBODY, AND I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
6:06:48PM MR. GRECO THAT SAID THAT A LOT OF THIS TIME IS FILLED BY
6:06:56PM OFF-DUTY FOLKS OR OVERTIME.
6:07:00PM AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS ISSUE -- OUR EFFICIENCY IN USING
6:07:06PM OVERTIME.
6:07:08PM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH THE
6:07:11PM BUDGET AND I WAS ASKING QUESTIONS, WE HAVE SOME BIG OVERTIME
6:07:13PM NUMBERS.
6:07:14PM I THINK IT WAS 7, 8, 9 MILLION DOLLARS OF OVERTIME AND A LOT
6:07:19PM OF THAT IS IN POLICE AND FIRE.
6:07:20PM MOST OF IT IS IN POLICE AND FIRE.
6:07:22PM AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS TONIGHT, ANY OF THOSE
6:07:26PM ISSUES.
6:07:26PM BUT I'M CONFIDENT MR. BENNETT WILL BE ADDRESSING THOSE OVER
6:07:29PM THE NEXT YEAR WITH US.
6:07:31PM >> ONE MORE STATEMENT.
6:07:32PM ONE QUICK ONE.
6:07:33PM WHY IS IT --
6:07:34PM >>LUIS VIERA: WAIT, MR. GRECO.
6:07:35PM LET'S HOLD OFF ON THAT.
6:07:37PM LET'S DO MORE QUESTIONS.
6:07:38PM COUNCILMAN GUDES.
6:07:41PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: WHAT CONCERNS ME NOW MORE THAN EVER AS WE
6:07:45PM TALK ABOUT OVERTIME, AND WE TALK ABOUT WHEN PEOPLE DON'T
6:07:49PM WANT TO WORK.
6:07:49PM IF YOU'RE SAYING THERE ARE PEAK CARS AND PEOPLE DON'T WANT
6:07:52PM TO WORK, THEN THERE'S NO CAR THAT'S LEAVING THE HOUSE.
6:07:55PM SO MY QUESTION, AGAIN, IF WE DON'T HAVE A FULL-TIME STAFF,
6:08:01PM THEN WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE GETTING SERVICE IN A COMMUNITY.
6:08:04PM I'D LIKE CHIEF LoCICERO TO COME UP.
6:08:07PM IS WHAT MR. GRECO SAYING IS TRUE, WE'RE RUNNING FIVE DAYS,
6:08:10PM DON'T RUN TWO, BUT IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WORK THEN THOSE
6:08:13PM CARS DON'T RUN?
6:08:15PM >> LET ME ADDRESS IT REAL QUICK.
6:08:16PM >>LUIS VIERA: CHIEF, WAIT.
6:08:18PM >> I'M SORRY.
6:08:22PM >> THE PEAK DAYS AND TIMES WERE PICKED JUST BECAUSE THEY
6:08:26PM WERE PEAK DAYS AND TIMES.
6:08:27PM THOSE VARY.
6:08:29PM WE CONTINUALLY LOOK AT THEM, BUT THAT WAS ORIGINALLY WHY IT
6:08:32PM WAS SET IN THE MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS.
6:08:34PM THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT IS VOLUNTARY.
6:08:37PM I DO AGREE.
6:08:38PM IT'S TOTALLY VOLUNTARY FOR THEM.
6:08:39PM WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES WITH SERVICEABILITY OF THOSE.
6:08:45PM REALLY ON ANY GREAT SCALE.
6:08:47PM I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER, AND WE WOULD -- YOU
6:08:50PM KNOW, I WOULD ANSWER THAT BY SAYING I WOULD JUST LOOK AT
6:08:53PM THAT AND WE WOULD MANAGE THAT AS WE WOULD.
6:08:55PM WE WOULD ADJUST.
6:08:57PM ADJUST OUR DEPLOYMENT ALL THE TIME TO FIT THE NEED OF WHAT
6:09:01PM THE CIRCUMSTANCE IS AND WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT.
6:09:03PM I DON'T SEE THAT TO BE A PROBLEM.
6:09:06PM IT COULD BE A PROBLEM BUT WE WOULD ADJUST.
6:09:10PM >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
6:09:11PM THEN AFTER YOUR QUESTION, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO PUBLIC
6:09:13PM COMMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING
6:09:15PM FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
6:09:16PM THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TIME AFTERWARDS TO ENGAGE AND
6:09:19PM ASK QUESTIONS, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE LAST QUESTION,
6:09:21PM SIR, BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT.
6:09:25PM >>BILL CARLSON: MR. GRECO, WE HAVE A NEW CHIEF OF STAFF, A
6:09:30PM NEW MAYOR.
6:09:33PM THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND THE MAYOR ARE GOING THROUGH, I THINK,
6:09:35PM EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY LOOKING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AT
6:09:38PM HOW TO IMPROVE IT AND THEY ARE MAKING A LOT OF CHANGES.
6:09:42PM CHIEF BENNETT HAS SAID HE'S GOING TO LOOK AT THIS DEPARTMENT
6:09:47PM AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.
6:09:49PM DO YOU THINK THAT -- WHAT YOU SAID IS -- WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
6:09:54PM IS A BAND-AID.
6:09:56PM SEEMS LIKE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS SYSTEMICALLY AND THE
6:09:59PM UNION NEEDS TO PARTNER WITH THE FIRE CHIEF AND THE CHIEF OF
6:10:01PM STAFF AND THE MAYOR.
6:10:02PM IS IT POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT YEAR THAT YOU ALL CAN ALL
6:10:05PM PARTNER AND LOOK AT THIS SYSTEMICALLY AND COME BACK WITH A
6:10:07PM RECOMMENDATION EARLIER?
6:10:10PM WE GOT STUCK WITH THIS AT THE LAST MINUTE, AND IT SOUNDS
6:10:14PM LIKE THERE ARE ISSUES WE NEED ADDRESSED BUT WE NEED TO LOOK
6:10:16PM AT THEM IN A STRATEGIC WAY SO THAT IT'S SOLVED OVERALL.
6:10:23PM >> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS GOTTEN ANY TRACTION.
6:10:26PM THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME BROUGHT UP WHETHER THROUGH LABOR
6:10:28PM MANAGEMENT OR ANYTHING ELSE.
6:10:29PM I'VE BEEN HERE THROUGH THREE MAYORS AND QUITE A FEW CHIEFS
6:10:32PM OF STAFF.
6:10:34PM WE'VE BEEN KICKING THE CAN LONG ENOUGH.
6:10:36PM WE'RE AT THE LEVEL WHERE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
6:10:38PM IF ANYBODY WILL PUT A NUMBER, IF I HEAR THAT SAYING ONE MORE
6:10:41PM TIME, WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS
6:10:44PM FOREVER.
6:10:45PM THIS ISN'T JUST SOMETHING THAT POPPED UP.
6:10:46PM THAT RESCUE CAR IS NEEDED.
6:10:48PM THE NUMBERS ARE THERE TO PROVE IT.
6:10:50PM YOU CAN PUT ANOTHER PEAK UNIT IN, BUT YOU ONLY GOT A DEFINED
6:10:57PM AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT CAN RIDE THAT RESCUE CAR.
6:10:59PM WHEN THEY ARE DONE, WHEN THEY ARE BURNED OUT, WHICH THEY
6:11:01PM ARE, WHEN THEY ARE DONE, THE PEAK UNIT DOESN'T RUN ANYMORE
6:11:04PM BECAUSE IT'S NOT MANDATORY.
6:11:05PM IT'S VOLUNTARY.
6:11:06PM IT'S ASKING.
6:11:07PM IT'S NOT TELLING.
6:11:08PM IT'S NOT THE FIX.
6:11:10PM IT IS A QUICK FIX TO A BIG PROBLEM, BUT IT'S NOT THE FIX.
6:11:14PM IF YOU'RE SAYING WORK WITH STAFF TO GET IT ON THE HANDSHAKE
6:11:17PM DEAL, I'D LOVE TO.
6:11:19PM I'D LOVE TO HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION THAT MEANS SOMETHING
6:11:22PM AND THINGS GET DONE.
6:11:23PM HERE RECENTLY THINGS AREN'T GETTING DONE.
6:11:24PM I SPOKE TO MR. BENNETT TODAY.
6:11:26PM I'D LOVE GOOD HANDSHAKE DEALS AGAIN TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
6:11:30PM DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT YEAR, MAYBE SOMETHING
6:11:32PM TANKS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW IT'S GONE AGAIN.
6:11:35PM YOU CAN'T RELY ON HAVING GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND HANDSHAKE
6:11:38PM DEALS ANYMORE TO MAKE ANYTHING -- TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO
6:11:41PM TALK ABOUT IT.
6:11:43PM IT'S THROUGH TALKING.
6:11:44PM YOU HAVE PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF THE RESCUE DIVISION BECAUSE
6:11:46PM THEY CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE.
6:11:47PM IT IS THE ONLY TIME IN MY CAREER HERE THAT I'VE SEEN MORE
6:11:50PM PEOPLE TRYING TO GET OUT OF RESCUE THAN TRYING TO GET INTO
6:11:53PM RESCUE.
6:11:53PM WHEN I CAME ON, YOU COULDN'T GET THE PEOPLE OUT OF RESCUE.
6:11:56PM THEY LOVED RESCUE.
6:11:57PM NOW THEY DON'T LOVE RESCUE.
6:11:59PM BECAUSE WE'RE BEATING THEM UP EVERY SINGLE DAY.
6:12:02PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, MR. GRECO.
6:12:03PM I HAD MISSED COUNCILMAN MIRANDA BEFORE.
6:12:05PM GO AHEAD, SIR, LAST QUESTION.
6:12:07PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
6:12:08PM AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE
6:12:11PM UNION REPRESENTATIVE AND ALSO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT
6:12:13PM CHIEF BENNETT HAS.
6:12:15PM IN MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HERE, NO ONE HAS BEEN AS
6:12:19PM ACCOMMODATING TO EVERYONE, AND I MEAN THIS SINCERELY.
6:12:22PM I DON'T FLATTER PEOPLE, AS CHIEF BENNETT.
6:12:24PM HE HAS BEEN VERY ACCOMMODATING.
6:12:28PM HE DOES IT IN A WAY THAT HE'S NOT INSULTING TO ANYONE.
6:12:31PM HE'S VERY SOFT SPOKEN.
6:12:32PM THE ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE ABOUT HIM, HE IS A LEFT-HANDED
6:12:35PM STRONG PITCHER AND I COULD NEVER HIT HIM.
6:12:38PM ASIDE FROM THAT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AND I'M ASKING BOTH THE
6:12:41PM UNION AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND REALLY THE WHOLE CITY.
6:12:43PM YOU SEE, WHEN YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF SOMEPLACE, YOU HAVE TO
6:12:47PM HAVE A PLAN, WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
6:12:49PM AS I LOOK AT THE PLAN, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN TEN YEARS?
6:12:54PM YOU GOT TO HAVE A TEN-YEAR PLAN.
6:12:57PM I HAD IT ALL MY LIFE WHAT I WANTED TO DO IN THE NEXT TEN
6:13:01PM YEARS.
6:13:01PM WHETHER I FAILED OR SUCCESS, DEPENDS WHO YOU ASK.
6:13:05PM BUT IN SAYING THAT I MEAN THIS, IN 2026, AND I HEARD
6:13:09PM MENTIONED CIT TAX.
6:13:12PM GUESS WHAT IT IS OVER.
6:13:13PM GONE.
6:13:14PM UNLESS YOU PASS ANOTHER ONE, WHICH I DOUBT IT WILL PASS.
6:13:20PM WHAT DOES THAT MEAN THEN?
6:13:21PM YOU'RE TALKING NOW ABOUT FIRE RESCUE ENGINES.
6:13:26PM PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE.
6:13:27PM WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO BE DRIVING?
6:13:28PM A FIRE ENGINE IS NOT INEXPENSIVE.
6:13:32PM IT'S ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
6:13:34PM AN AMBULANCE IS ABOUT 500,000, FULLY EQUIPPED.
6:13:42PM WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO THEN? YOU BETTER START THINKING
6:13:44PM NOT FOR TODAY, NOT FOR THAT CAR, BECAUSE THAT CAR IS NEEDED.
6:13:47PM THERE'S NO DOUBT.
6:13:48PM HOWEVER, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO THEN?
6:13:50PM WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM?
6:13:52PM THE CITY IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW, AND I'VE HAD E-MAILS
6:13:54PM TODAY THAT SAY STOP EVERYTHING, NO MORE.
6:13:57PM NO MORE PEOPLE COMING IN.
6:13:58PM STOP BUILDING.
6:13:59PM I CAN'T BUILD THE WALL AND I'M NOT IN CONGRESS.
6:14:02PM IF I WAS THERE -- LET ME SAY THIS, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN
6:14:07PM TEN YEARS?
6:14:08PM NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO THINK OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO
6:14:11PM THIS FOUR YEARS, CHIEF, THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, WHAT'S GOING TO
6:14:14PM HAPPEN IN 2026?
6:14:16PM YOU HAVE TO THINK WAY, WAY FAR IN ADVANCE, AND YOU MAY HAVE
6:14:22PM TO MAKE SOME CALCULATION CHANGES BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE
6:14:24PM PROJECTIONS.
6:14:25PM BUT IN DOING THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT THE NEEDS ARE
6:14:29PM GOING TO EXTENSIVELY GROW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A 35,
6:14:33PM 40 PERCENT INCREASE IN POPULATION.
6:14:35PM THAT'S WHAT THE CENSUS SAID.
6:14:40PM WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
6:14:41PM ARE YOUR ROADS READY?
6:14:42PM WHO KNOWS.
6:14:43PM BUT THE SUPREME COURT -- WHO KNOWS WHAT THE SUPREME COURT IS
6:14:46PM GOING TO DO ON THAT TAX FOR ROADS.
6:14:47PM IT MAY GO UP AND IT MAY GO DOWN.
6:14:49PM AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS?
6:14:51PM WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT TAX IS NOT PASSED?
6:14:52PM YOU'LL HAVE FIRE ENGINES, WHAT, ON POTHOLES?
6:14:55PM I WENT TO A FUNCTION SUNDAY.
6:15:01PM I WAS APPROACHED BY ABOUT TEN PEOPLE.
6:15:03PM AND NINE OF THE TEN TALKED TO ME ONLY ABOUT ROADS.
6:15:08PM ONE LADY TALKED TO ME ABOUT WATER.
6:15:10PM I ASKED HER WHERE SHE LIVES.
6:15:12PM SHE SAID SARASOTA.
6:15:14PM [ LAUGHTER ]
6:15:14PM TRUE.
6:15:15PM AIN'T LYING TO YOU.
6:15:16PM NAME IS VEGA.
6:15:17PM WHAT I'M SAYING IS, TODAY -- AND I'M NOT TRYING TO LEAD
6:15:22PM ANYTHING.
6:15:23PM I BELIEVE IN TRUST AND VERIFY.
6:15:27PM I'VE SAID THAT MANY TIMES HERE.
6:15:30PM IN THE CASE OF THE CHIEF, I'VE SEEN AND WATCHED EVERYTHING
6:15:33PM THAT'S ASKED OF HIM AND IT WAS ON TRUST AND IT WAS VERIFIED,
6:15:38PM BECAUSE EVERYTHING HE SAID UP TO THIS DATE HE'S COME RIGHT
6:15:42PM THROUGH.
6:15:42PM THAT THIRD PITCH WAS A STRIKE ON THE OUTSIDE CORNER.
6:15:44PM SO HE'S DONE EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO WHAT HE SAID.
6:15:50PM HE'S EARNED MY TRUST.
6:15:51PM THE VERIFICATION IS FOR THE UNIONS AND THE CHIEF AND THE
6:15:56PM ADMINISTRATION TO GET TOGETHER, NO TO THE PLAN FOR NEXT
6:15:59PM YEAR, BUT YOU BETTER HAVE A PLAN FOR TEN YEARS, BECAUSE THAT
6:16:02PM GROWTH IS COMING, WHETHER YOU WANT IT.
6:16:04PM I DON'T WANT IT.
6:16:06PM GUESS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TAMPA.
6:16:07PM THE GRANDKIDS USED TO GO TO COLLEGE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND STAY
6:16:10PM THERE.
6:16:10PM THE GRANDKIDS ARE GOING TO COLLEGE AND COMING BACK.
6:16:13PM AND THANK GOD THEY ARE BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD AN AIRPLANE
6:16:16PM TICKET.
6:16:16PM SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
6:16:21PM YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT ABOUT THE CITY OF TAMPA.
6:16:23PM IT'S SO BAD THAT IT'S GOING TO GROW BY 40%.
6:16:27PM THAT'S HOW TERRIBLE IT IS.
6:16:28PM AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE THINGS WE DO AND I'M NOT GOING TO
6:16:32PM GET TO THINGS WE DON'T DO, BUT IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THE SEVEN
6:16:36PM OF US TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT MAN HAS A JOB TO DO AND SO FAR
6:16:42PM HE HASN'T LET ME DOWN AND HASN'T LET THE CITIZENS DOWN.
6:16:45PM SO I TRUST HIM UNTIL TOMORROW DEPENDING ON WHAT HE DOES.
6:16:49PM I APPRECIATE WHAT HE'S DONE.
6:16:50PM I APPRECIATE HIS MANNERISMS AND HIS LACK OF CHARISMA.
6:16:55PM YOU'RE NOT SELLING ANYTHING.
6:16:57PM YOU'RE SELLING THE FACTS.
6:16:58PM THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS CHIEF.
6:16:59PM I'M WILLING TO LISTEN FURTHERMORE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE
6:17:04PM GOING TO SAY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I THINK WE'RE
6:17:07PM HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
6:17:08PM I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THE UNION HAS BROUGHT UP.
6:17:10PM ALL FACTUAL AND TRUTH.
6:17:12PM BUT YOU ALSO BETTER PLAN FOR TEN YEARS.
6:17:14PM >> WE BETTER PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR.
6:17:16PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: IF YOU PLAN FOR TEN YEARS, SIR, YOU'RE
6:17:19PM PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR WITHIN THE TEN YEARS.
6:17:21PM YOU PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR ONLY, YOU'VE GOT NINE YEARS YOU'RE
6:17:24PM GOING TO LOSE BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT READY FOR IT.
6:17:28PM THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN LIFE.
6:17:29PM AND THAT'S HOW IT IS TODAY.
6:17:32PM SOCIETY HAS CHANGED.
6:17:33PM PEOPLE HAVEN'T CHANGED.
6:17:36PM THE SYSTEM HAS CHANGED.
6:17:38PM THEY GET ELECTED TO RAISE MONEY.
6:17:40PM I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT US.
6:17:43PM DON'T GET ELECTED, THEY KEEP THE MONEY.
6:17:46PM I NEVER SAW THAT WHEN I WAS LIVING -- NEVER HEARD OF
6:17:51PM ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
6:17:51PM MY FATHER TOLD ME THINGS WHEN I WAS A KID THAT I THOUGHT HE
6:17:54PM WAS NUTS.
6:17:55PM NOW I'M GOING TO GO TO THE GRAVE AND TALK TO HIM BECAUSE HE
6:17:59PM WAS RIGHT.
6:17:59PM I WAS THE GUY THAT WAS NUTS.
6:18:01PM BUT HE ALSO HAD MUCH MORE EXPERIENCE THAN I DID.
6:18:05PM SO I SEE WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO DO AND I APPRECIATE
6:18:10PM BOTH.
6:18:10PM CERTAINLY YOUR PRESENTATION WAS MORE THAN SUPERB.
6:18:13PM IT WAS TO THE POINT, AS CHIEF LoCICERO ALSO.
6:18:18PM TWO DIFFERENT VIEWS ARRIVING AT THE SAME CONCLUSION.
6:18:22PM I UNDERSTAND.
6:18:23PM I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.
6:18:24PM THERE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE DIFFERENCES UNLESS YOU LIVE
6:18:26PM SINGLE.
6:18:27PM IF YOU LIVE WITH A WIFE, SHE'S GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
6:18:31PM THANK GOD THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY AND THE CITY HAS GOTTEN
6:18:36PM WHERE IT IS TODAY.
6:18:37PM IT GOT HERE BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE IN TAMPA WANTING TO MAKE
6:18:39PM IT BETTER FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO STAY HERE.
6:18:41PM THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
6:18:42PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
6:18:43PM I ALSO WANT TO ECHO COUNCILMAN MIRANDA'S COMMENTS AS TO
6:18:48PM MR. BENNETT THAT I'VE ONLY DEALT WITH HIM, I GUESS, 22 DAYS
6:18:52PM OR SO.
6:18:54PM YEAH, I'M A PERSON OUTSIDE OF MY CITY COUNCIL JOB, I'VE BEEN
6:18:57PM A LAWYER FOR 15, 16 YEARS, OFTEN DEALING IN REALLY MUCH
6:19:02PM LARGER CASES.
6:19:03PM YOU KIND OF LEARN AT MY AGE, I'M 41 YEARS OLD, IN MY
6:19:08PM PRACTICE ON WHO TO TRUST AND WHO NOT TO TRUST.
6:19:11PM SO FAR NOT ONLY HAVE I NOT HAD ANY REASON NOT TO TRUST JOHN
6:19:14PM BENNETT, BUT I'VE HAD EVERY REASON TO TRUST HIM.
6:19:16PM YOU KNOW WHO I TRUST JUST AS MUCH AS JOHN BENNETT?
6:19:19PM JOE GRECO.
6:19:20PM THOSE ARE TWO MEN THAT I TRUST A WHOLE LOT.
6:19:23PM SO THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE I DO HOPE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF
6:19:26PM COOPERATION AND A LOT OF WORK TOGETHER TO BE DONE.
6:19:29PM AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN CARLSON SAID IS VERY
6:19:32PM TRUE, WHICH IS THIS IS A CITYWIDE ISSUE.
6:19:34PM WE TALK ABOUT STATION 13.
6:19:36PM WE TALK ABOUT EAST TAMPA.
6:19:37PM THIS IS A REAL CITYWIDE ISSUE.
6:19:40PM AND IT LEADS ME TO THE BELIEF THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA DOES
6:19:43PM NOT HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM.
6:19:47PM WE HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM.
6:19:48PM WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS THAT SURPASS OUR REVENUE.
6:19:51PM THAT IS A DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD TWO YEARS AGO, AND THAT'S A
6:19:53PM DISCUSSION WE NEED TO HAVE AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
6:19:55PM NO ONE LIKES TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S A FACT.
6:19:58PM THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT IS A PREFERENCE.
6:20:02PM THIS IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
6:20:03PM THIS IS POLICE.
6:20:04PM THIS IS FIRE.
6:20:04PM THIS IS SOMEBODY IS HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND YOU GOT TO GET
6:20:08PM E.M.S. OUT THERE.
6:20:09PM SOMEBODY IS A VICTIM OF A CRIME.
6:20:11PM YOU HAVE TO GET A POLICE OFFICER OUT THERE.
6:20:13PM THESE ARE NEEDS.
6:20:13PM THESE ARE NEEDS.
6:20:14PM AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
6:20:16PM WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
6:20:18PM IF EVERYONE, PLEASE, WHO IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING TONIGHT ON
6:20:21PM THE ITEM, IF YOU COULD PLEASE JUST SO THAT WE HAVE AN IDEA,
6:20:24PM RAISE YOUR HANDS.
6:20:25PM OKAY.
6:20:27PM GOOD.
6:20:28PM NOW, FURTHERMORE, AFTER RAISING YOUR HAND, IF YOU COULD
6:20:31PM PLEASE COME FORWARD TO MY LEFT, YOUR RIGHT, LINE UP AGAINST
6:20:34PM THE WALL IF YOU'RE ABLE TO DO SO.
6:20:37PM GET IN LINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THREE MINUTES A PERSON AND
6:20:40PM PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR NAME.
6:21:02PM >> THANK YOU.
6:21:07PM GOOD EVENING MY NAME IS ELLA COFFEE.
6:21:11PM CITIZEN OF THE CITY OF TAMPA.
6:21:12PM I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE NEED OF SERVICES IN EAST
6:21:15PM TAMPA.
6:21:16PM EAST TAMPA NEEDS A FULL-TIME RESCUE SQUAD.
6:21:18PM WE LOST A RESCUE SQUAD AND OUR COMMUNITY SEEMS TO CONTINUE
6:21:22PM TO LOSE THINGS AND I DON'T HAVE THE GREAT CONFIDENCE THAT
6:21:25PM WE'RE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REPLACING.
6:21:28PM NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE THE RESCUE SQUAD IN
6:21:33PM EAST TAMPA.
6:21:34PM IT NEEDS TO BE OUR TOP PRIORITY BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT SAFETY.
6:21:38PM IT IS ABOUT TRANSPORTING PEOPLE IN THEIR TIME OF NEED, THEIR
6:21:43PM CRISIS, WHEN THEY NEED CITY SERVICES THE MOST.
6:21:45PM MR. MIRANDA, COUNCILMAN MIRANDA SPOKE ABOUT 40% GROWTH.
6:21:52PM IF THERE'S 40% GROWTH HAPPENING IN TAMPA, THEN TAXES ARE
6:21:55PM INCREASING HERE IN TAMPA.
6:21:56PM WE'RE COLLECTING MORE MONEY.
6:21:58PM SO WE SHOULDN'T HAVE THE ISSUE ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY IS
6:22:00PM GOING TO COME FROM.
6:22:01PM IF WE'RE SPENDING $400,000 ON A PEAK TIME, PART-TIME CAR,
6:22:09PM AND DOUBLE IT PLUS MAYBE ANOTHER 20% GIVES US A FULL-TIME,
6:22:14PM SEVEN DAYS, 24 HOURS, THAT IS A MUCH BETTER FIT FOR THE CITY
6:22:17PM OF TAMPA.
6:22:18PM WE'VE GOT TO STOP KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
6:22:23PM WE HAVE FIVE UNITS GOING INTO THIS AREA TO HELP.
6:22:27PM IF IT HAD ITS OWN RESCUE SQUAD, IT'S GOING TO BE THE SEVENTH
6:22:31PM BUSIEST RESCUE SQUAD HERE IN THE CITY.
6:22:32PM IT'S NOT AN A+ SERVICE WITH THE PEAK.
6:22:35PM IT'S A SERVICE.
6:22:35PM THESE ARE SERVICES THAT THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE, AND
6:22:39PM WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING EQUALLY THROUGHOUT THE
6:22:42PM ENTIRE CITY NO OTHER PART OF THE CITY LOSES SERVICES LIKE
6:22:47PM EAST TAMPA.
6:22:47PM AND WE'RE IGNORED.
6:22:48PM I ASK THAT YOU-ALL CONSIDER THE FULL-TIME VERSUS THE PEAK
6:22:53PM BECAUSE WE HAVE FULL-TIME PEOPLE THAT GET SICK AND THEY NEED
6:22:58PM SERVICES WHEN THEY NEED SERVICES.
6:23:00PM WE MAY NOT CHOOSE TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK ON TUESDAY AT 12:00
6:23:03PM WHEN WE HAVE A PEAK SERVICE.
6:23:04PM IT MAY HAPPEN SUNDAY NIGHT AT 11 P.M.
6:23:07PM AND IF WE'RE NOT THERE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES I'M AFRAID
6:23:10PM THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO BE SUED WHEN A FAMILY LOSES THEIR
6:23:13PM FAMILY MEMBER OR THEIR LOVED ONE BECAUSE WE WEREN'T THERE TO
6:23:18PM PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
6:23:19PM THANK YOU ALL.
6:23:19PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
6:23:20PM NEXT, PLEASE.
6:23:21PM >> HI.
6:23:25PM MY NAME IS BETTY J. BELL, B-E-L-L.
6:23:31PM I LIVE AT 3003 STAR STREET, TAMPA, 33605.
6:23:34PM I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING ALL SENIORS LIVING IN EAST
6:23:37PM TAMPA.
6:23:38PM WE HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED OF SENIOR EXERCISE AND COMMUNICATION
6:23:42PM FOR MANY YEARS BY HAVING TO LEAVE THE VARIOUS REC CENTERS
6:23:48PM WHEN CHILDREN ARE RELEASED FROM SCHOOL.
6:23:50PM SPEAKING ONE GROUP, THE JAZZY SENIORS, WE WERE BLESSED TO
6:23:53PM GET PERMISSION TO USE RAGAN CENTER ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO
6:23:57PM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE AT 12 NOON, OUR MEMBERSHIP
6:24:02PM HAS GROWN TO OVER 180 PLUS SENIORS.
6:24:05PM WE MEET ON MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND FRIDAY.
6:24:07PM WE HAVE MANY ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN ONE BIG ROOM.
6:24:12PM EXAMPLE, SHUFFLEBOARD, BINGO, CARDS, DOMINOES, ARTS AND
6:24:18PM CRAFTS, DANCING, AEROBICS, EXERCISE TWO DAYS A WEEK,
6:24:24PM COOKING.
6:24:25PM WE GO OUTINGS ALSO.
6:24:26PM WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF A MULTICULTURAL CENTER THAT WOULD
6:24:30PM BENEFIT SENIORS AS WELL AS CHILDREN AND THE CENTRAL LOCATION
6:24:35PM WOULD BE AL BARNES PARK.
6:24:36PM EAST TAMPA NEEDS AN AMBULANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
6:24:42PM IT IS SORELY NEEDED FOR SEVEN SQUARE MILES, WE NEED THAT.
6:24:47PM WE NEED AN INDOOR SHUFFLEBOARD COURT IN THE CENTER THAT WE
6:24:51PM ARE ASKING FOR AND SEPARATE ROOMS FOR DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES
6:24:55PM HOUSED IN THIS NEW CENTER.
6:24:56PM PRAYER IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR SENIORS.
6:25:00PM WE HAVE TWO CHAPTERS.
6:25:01PM WE CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS EVERY THREE MONTHS.
6:25:04PM WE CATER -- WE HAVE CATERED FOOD AND GIFTS FOR EACH PERSON.
6:25:08PM HOSPITAL STAYS ARE GIVEN $25.
6:25:11PM IMMEDIATE DEATHS IN A FAMILY, THEY ARE GIVEN $50.
6:25:14PM VISITING NURSING HOMES DURING HOLIDAYS, SINGING AND GIFTS
6:25:19PM ARE GIVEN.
6:25:20PM FOUR DIFFERENT T-SHIRTS ARE USED IN THIS GROUP, THE JAZZY
6:25:23PM SENIORS.
6:25:25PM AND I LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE COUNCILMEN AND
6:25:28PM ESPECIALLY TO COUNCILMAN ORLANDO GUDES WHO HAS SAID PROMISES
6:25:35PM MADE AND PROMISES KEPT.
6:25:36PM WE HAVE SENIORS FROM ALL OVER THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AREA.
6:25:40PM WEST TAMPA, RIVERVIEW, PROGRESS VILLAGE, CARROLLWOOD,
6:25:44PM RUSKIN, BRANDON, GIBSONTON.
6:25:46PM THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
6:25:48PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.
6:25:49PM NEXT PLEASE.
6:25:50PM >> HEY, I'M HALAYMUS SMUDE.
6:25:55PM I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE TBCN PUBLIC ACCESS CABLE STATION.
6:25:59PM I'M NOT HERE FOR THE ONE-YEAR PLAN BUT FOR THE TEN-YEAR
6:26:02PM PLAN.
6:26:03PM IF WE CAN INCORPORATE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT OR POLICE
6:26:05PM DEPARTMENT TO KIND OF LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS NOT AN
6:26:09PM EASY THING, YOU KNOW, THAT IT TAKES MONEY, TIME, EFFORT,
6:26:12PM VOICES TO GET THE MONEY TO THE AREAS THAT ARE NEEDED.
6:26:17PM YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I'M HERE FOR IS TO SUPPORT THEM.
6:26:20PM I CAME HERE FOR A DIFFERENT REASON BUT AFTER HEARING
6:26:23PM EVERYTHING AND THE GUY SPEAK ABOUT WHERE MONEY IS LACKING,
6:26:27PM IDEA CAME UP TO INCORPORATE.
6:26:30PM EVERY KID I KNOW IN THESE COMMUNITIES WHEN THEY GROW UP,
6:26:33PM THEY WANT TO BE A POLICEMAN OR FIREMAN.
6:26:36PM THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT TAKES NO IDEA HOW MUCH IT COSTS
6:26:39PM AND THE EFFORT IT TAKES TO GET THESE THINGS DONE.
6:26:42PM THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
6:26:44PM AND THANK YOU.
6:26:44PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
6:26:46PM NEXT, PLEASE.
6:26:53PM >> HI.
6:26:54PM LUIS THOMPSON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY
6:26:57PM NETWORK, A SERVICE OF SPEAK UP TAMPA BAY PUBLIC ACCESS
6:27:00PM TELEVISION.
6:27:02PM IN THE EARLY 1980s, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY RESIDENTS EACH
6:27:06PM RECEIVED THREE CHANNELS FROM THE CABLE COMPANY.
6:27:11PM THE GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL, THE PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL,
6:27:14PM AND THE EDUCATION ACCESS CHANNEL.
6:27:16PM THESE THINGS WERE RUN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA CAMPUS
6:27:22PM SINCE THE EARLY '80s, AND THEY WERE RUN BY THE CABLE
6:27:25PM COMPANIES.
6:27:26PM THE CHANNEL TRAINED PEOPLE IN TV PRODUCTION AND HELPED
6:27:31PM RESIDENTS AND NONPROFITS HAVE A VOICE ON TV.
6:27:34PM THE CHANNELS WERE OPERATED BY THE CABLE COMPANY UNTIL 2000
6:27:38PM WHEN BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ASKED OUR NONPROFIT, SPEAK
6:27:42PM UP TAMPA BAY, TO MANAGE THE CHANNELS.
6:27:44PM SINCE THEN, WE HAVE FEATURED THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND
6:27:48PM NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
6:27:51PM WE'VE IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF THE CHANNELS AND ALSO EXPANDED
6:27:59PM ON TO THE INTERNET, MAKING VIDEO PRODUCTION TRAINING OUR
6:28:02PM SIGNATURE PROGRAMMING, AND ALSO DOING WEB STREAMING AND
6:28:06PM PROVIDING ON-DEMAND PROGRAMMING AND PODCASTING.
6:28:11PM PEOPLE WE'VE TRAINED ARE EMPLOYED BY THE LOCAL NETWORK
6:28:14PM AFFILIATES, THE OTHER ACCESS CHANNELS, AND MANY STARTED
6:28:17PM THEIR OWN PRODUCTION COMPANIES, HELPED ON LOCAL FILMS,
6:28:21PM ET CETERA.
6:28:22PM WE HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY IN THE AMOUNT OF 550,000
6:28:25PM ANNUALLY FOR MANY YEARS.
6:28:27PM THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE SUFFERED MANY CUT BACKS AND IN
6:28:32PM 2017, WHEN FORMER MAYOR BUCKHORN DEFUNDED US AND THE
6:28:35PM EDUCATION CHANNEL, WHICH I'M GLAD YOU GUYS HAVE PUT BACK IN
6:28:39PM THE BUDGET, WE WENT DOWN TO $207,600.
6:28:43PM THE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED US WITH SOME MONEY FOR THE TRAINING
6:28:47PM OF RESIDENTS, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE CITY'S MONEY,
6:28:50PM TOO.
6:28:50PM THERE'S MONEY.
6:28:55PM IT'S THE 17 MILLION THAT IS COMING FROM THE COMMUNICATION
6:28:59PM SERVICES TAX, WHERE THE CABLE COMPANIES PUT THEIR MONEY.
6:29:03PM IN OTHER CITIES AND STATES, THEY HAVE DESIGNATED THAT SOME
6:29:06PM PORTION OF THAT MONEY COMING INTO MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD GO
6:29:09PM TO THE OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT
6:29:12PM ACCESS CHANNELS.
6:29:13PM WE CURRENTLY HAVE 511 STUDENTS, SOME YOU'LL MEET TONIGHT.
6:29:20PM IN THE PAST YEAR, OUR STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN 1851 CLASSES.
6:29:26PM WE HAVE AN ENORMOUS DEMOGRAPHIC OF MINORITIES, AND LAST BUT
6:29:32PM NOT LEAST, WE'VE CUT BACK EVERYTHING WE COULD.
6:29:34PM NO ONE HAS HAD A BONUS OR RAISE IN EIGHT YEARS TO KEEP THIS
6:29:40PM GOING.
6:29:40PM WE'RE DOWN TO FOUR EMPLOYEES FROM 15.
6:29:42PM SO WE REALLY NEED THIS MONEY, IF YOU COULD ASK AGAIN FOR
6:29:46PM SOME MONEY.
6:29:47PM LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I NOTICED IN A STATE STATUTE THAT THE
6:29:52PM OPERATION OF PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNELS
6:29:57PM ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MUNICIPALITY OR COUNTY.
6:30:01PM AND SO YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE AND I HOPE YOU'LL HELP
6:30:06PM US.
6:30:07PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
6:30:07PM NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
6:30:12PM >> HI.
6:30:13PM THANK YOU.
6:30:13PM MY NAME IS JOSHUA LYNCH.
6:30:15PM THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TODAY.
6:30:17PM I'M HERE ALSO TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY NETWORK
6:30:21PM AS WELL.
6:30:22PM AND MY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM AND THE EDUCATION THAT THEY'VE
6:30:24PM PROVIDED ME.
6:30:25PM I'VE BEEN WITHIN THE FILM INDUSTRY FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS
6:30:30PM NOW.
6:30:30PM I'M NOW DOING FULL-TIME A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT JOB,
6:30:35PM INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR THROUGH THAT.
6:30:37PM I SPENT TWO YEARS IN COLLEGE FOR FILM SCHOOL.
6:30:43PM I NEVER GOT TO TOUCH A CAMERA.
6:30:45PM I NEVER GOT ON-HANDS EXPERIENCE.
6:30:47PM AND THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY NETWORK WAS ONE OF THE MANY
6:30:50PM PEOPLE THAT I MADE COLD CALLS TO, AND THEY PROVIDED ME WITH
6:30:54PM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THEIR EDUCATION SYSTEM TO BE A
6:30:57PM CERTIFIED TELEVISION PRODUCER.
6:31:00PM AND THROUGH THAT, I'VE HAD MORE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITHIN
6:31:03PM THE LAST TWO, THREE MONTHS THAN I'VE HAD WITH ANY EDUCATION
6:31:07PM THROUGH FILM, AND THAT INCLUDES FILM SPECIFIC CLASSES FROM
6:31:12PM RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN, A VERY, VERY PRESTIGIOUS
6:31:16PM COLLEGE FOR ALL OF THE ARTS AND SUCH.
6:31:19PM IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT HAS HELPED ME THROUGH GETTING TO
6:31:27PM WHERE I WANT TO BE, GETTING TO THE CAREER THAT I'VE WANTED
6:31:29PM TO GET TO, IT HAS BEEN THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY NETWORK.
6:31:33PM AND I REALLY WISH THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO
6:31:36PM THIS FOR OTHERS AND FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T ABLE TO AFFORD
6:31:40PM EXPENSIVE FILM SCHOOLS THAT WON'T PROVIDE THEM WITH NEARLY
6:31:44PM AS MUCH AS THIS COMMUNITY HAS.
6:31:46PM THANK YOU AGAIN, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WOULD BE
6:31:51PM ABLE TO COME TO SOMETHING TO HELP THIS BUDGET FOR THESE
6:31:55PM PEOPLE.
6:31:56PM I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY, GUYS.
6:31:58PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
6:31:59PM NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
6:32:03PM >> THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME.
6:32:05PM ROBIN FORD.
6:32:07PM I AM ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF TBCN.
6:32:11PM I'VE GRADUATED FROM THERE.
6:32:12PM I'M A CERTIFIED TV PRODUCER.
6:32:14PM SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE MY OWN SHOW ON THEIR
6:32:18PM NETWORK AS WELL AS EXPAND ONTO YouTube.
6:32:20PM AFTER DOING THAT, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR THE PAST TWO
6:32:24PM MONTHS, BUT THIS MONTH, I USUALLY HAVE A SHOW ONCE A MONTH,
6:32:27PM BUT I CAN'T DO IT THIS MONTH BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD IT.
6:32:32PM AND THE REASON I CAN'T AFFORD IT IS BECAUSE IT COSTS 200
6:32:36PM PLUS DOLLARS TO ACTUALLY RENT OUT THEIR STUDIO AND THEIR
6:32:41PM CONTROL ROOM.
6:32:42PM YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHY DOES IT COST THAT MUCH.
6:32:45PM THAT'S BECAUSE THE STUDIO HAS TO CHARGE PEOPLE NOW BECAUSE
6:32:48PM THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING.
6:32:50PM IF THEY WERE TO HAVE THAT FUNDING THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE
6:32:53PM THE CLASSES FOR FREE AS THEY DID IN THE PAST.
6:32:55PM PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF AND OTHERS WHO WANT PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE
6:33:00PM TO HAVE THEIR OWN SHOWS, WHO WANT TO JUST REALIZE THEIR OWN
6:33:03PM DREAMS, WOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT AT A WHIM, ESSENTIALLY.
6:33:08PM SO FILMING ALONE ISN'T THE ONLY THING THAT PEOPLE CAN
6:33:18PM BENEFIT FROM HERE, AND NOT JUST -- IT'S NOT JUST THAT.
6:33:22PM THERE'S ALSO THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM IT AS WELL.
6:33:26PM BECAUSE WHEN DOING TV PRODUCTION, YOU CAN ASK FOR
6:33:29PM SPONSORSHIPS FROM DIFFERENT COMPANIES, DIFFERENT SMALL
6:33:32PM BUSINESSES.
6:33:32PM AND BY DOING SO, THE PRODUCER WILL BE ABLE TO HELP PROMOTE
6:33:38PM THEIR BUSINESSES AND HELP TRAFFIC GO TOWARDS THOSE
6:33:42PM ESTABLISHMENTS, WHICH, OF COURSE, HELPS THOSE BUSINESSES
6:33:45PM PROSPER AND GROW.
6:33:48PM LISTEN, I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO MIKE MICROECONOMICS AND
6:33:51PM GIVE YOU ALL THE DETAILS ON THAT, BUT JUST BEING ABLE TO
6:33:56PM HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND GIVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OTHER
6:34:00PM PEOPLE WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO ME.
6:34:02PM IT WOULD MEAN A LOT NOT ONLY TO MYSELF BUT EVERYONE ELSE WHO
6:34:05PM IS HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF TBCN.
6:34:08PM I LOVE THIS PLACE.
6:34:10PM THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A HOME.
6:34:11PM THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A NEW LIFE.
6:34:14PM TO HAVE THEM BE FUNDED AGAIN WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME, LIKE I
6:34:19PM SAID.
6:34:19PM IT WOULDN'T HELP JUST ME.
6:34:21PM IT WOULD HELP SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE.
6:34:22PM THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'VE GOT TO SAY.
6:34:24PM THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
6:34:25PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
6:34:26PM WE APPRECIATE IT.
6:34:27PM NEXT, PLEASE.
6:34:30PM >> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.
6:34:31PM MY NAME IS BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY.
6:34:34PM I'M THE PASTOR OF TRINITY AND FAITH MINISTRY.
6:34:38PM MANY MEMBERS OF MY CONGREGATION LIVE IN EAST TAMPA, WEST
6:34:41PM TAMPA, BELMONT HEIGHTS.
6:34:44PM YOUR ZIP CODE SHOULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF SERVICE OR
6:34:49PM HOW MUCH SERVICE YOU RECEIVE.
6:34:51PM WE SHOULD HAVE A PERMANENT -- A PERMANENT FIRE STATION WITH
6:34:56PM THE PARAMEDICS.
6:34:58PM I'M HEARING THEM SAYING THAT IT'S VOLUNTEER.
6:35:03PM THAT TIMES COME WHEN PEOPLE MAY OR MAY NOT BE THERE.
6:35:06PM COUNCILMAN GUDES, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
6:35:08PM IF WE PAY OVERTIME, WE NEED -- IT'S MORE TO PAY FOR OVERTIME
6:35:12PM THAN TO STAFF THAT -- HAVE THAT STAFF THERE.
6:35:15PM ALSO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE LIVES, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID,
6:35:19PM YOU CAN'T DICTATE WHEN A HEART ATTACK, STROKE, OR SOMEBODY
6:35:22PM IS BEING SHOT IN THE COMMUNITY.
6:35:24PM ONE MINUTE COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN A PERSON'S LIFE.
6:35:29PM I HAVE A NEPHEW WHO IS BRAIN DEAD BECAUSE HE COULDN'T GET
6:35:32PM OXYGEN TO HIS BRAIN.
6:35:34PM EVERY LIFE IS VALUABLE.
6:35:36PM WE CANNOT SIT HERE AND WAIT FOR THE STAFF TO COME BACK AND
6:35:39PM SAY HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE PEOPLE, YOUR RESPONSE TIME
6:35:42PM WAS THAT SHORT.
6:35:43PM WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TAXPAYERS, WE'RE PAYING THE SAME MONEY.
6:35:47PM THEY DON'T CHARGE THE PEOPLE IN EAST TAMPA ANY LESS THAN
6:35:50PM THEY DO OVER IN DAVIS ISLANDS.
6:35:51PM SO THEY SHOULD NOT RECEIVE ANY LESS SERVICE THAN WHAT ANYONE
6:35:56PM ELSE IS RECEIVING.
6:35:57PM WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY CENTERS, I'M
6:36:01PM SICKENED AT THE FACT THAT YOU WANT TO PIT PEOPLE FROM THE
6:36:06PM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
6:36:08PM EVEN PUTTING THE CHIEF, THE FIRE CHIEF AND JOE GRECO, THEY
6:36:11PM ARE UP HERE.
6:36:12PM WHO TRUSTS WHOM.
6:36:13PM NO, THE REALITY IS THAT WE ALL NEED SERVICE, AND IT'S LONG
6:36:18PM OVERDUE, AS COUNCILMAN GUDES, YOU STATED QUITE ELOQUENTLY,
6:36:24PM IS LONG OVERDUE.
6:36:25PM WHEN YOU LOOK AT PROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE OVER THE
6:36:28PM YEARS, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT FAIR OAKS.
6:36:31PM WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE MULTICULTURAL CENTER, AND WE NEED
6:36:34PM TO FUND ALL OF THESE THINGS AS A PRIORITY.
6:36:37PM AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO COME HERE TIME
6:36:39PM AND TIME AGAIN AND BEG AND PLEAD FOR WHAT IS DUE US.
6:36:44PM WE ARE DUE BECAUSE WE ARE TAXPAYERS.
6:36:47PM WE ARE CITIZENS.
6:36:48PM YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE SUPER BOWL COMING.
6:36:49PM YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALL THESE GRAND THINGS COMING TO THE CITY.
6:36:53PM I PRAY THIS IS NOT NATIONALLY TELEVISED BECAUSE IT SEEMS
6:36:56PM LIKE WE'RE IN SOME FOREIGN COUNTRY WHERE YOU DON'T CARE
6:36:59PM ABOUT ALL OF THE CITIZENS.
6:37:00PM AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT WHEN PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES AND EACH
6:37:04PM ONE OF YOU ALL COME TO OUR COMMUNITY, SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DO
6:37:07PM SOMETHING, AND THEN WE GET HERE, IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF
6:37:10PM FLUFF.
6:37:10PM THE FLUFF NEEDS TO STOP, AND PEOPLE NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE
6:37:13PM OF.
6:37:14PM I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING, AND THIS COUNCIL, I HAVE
6:37:18PM TRUST IN YOU ALL.
6:37:19PM I HAVE TRUST IN YOU ALL THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT
6:37:22PM THING AND DON'T GIVE ME THAT EXCUSE, THE BUDGET WAS ALREADY
6:37:26PM MADE UP AND YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
6:37:28PM THIS IS THE TIME THAT YOU CAN DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE BUDGET
6:37:30PM HAS NOT BEEN PASSED.
6:37:31PM THANK YOU.
6:37:32PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.
6:37:33PM [ APPLAUSE ]
6:37:35PM [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
6:37:35PM LET'S PLEASE HOLD APPLAUSE.
6:37:39PM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
6:37:40PM GO AHEAD, MA'AM.
6:37:41PM >> HI.
6:37:41PM I'M RUBY LOU CARR.
6:37:45PM I'M A RECENT TBCN VIDEO-PRODUCING GRADUATE FROM THEIR
6:37:50PM TRAINING PROGRAM.
6:37:51PM I'M A LONGTIME TAMPA RESIDENT.
6:37:53PM AND I'M A VOTER WHO VOTES IN EVERY SINGLE ELECTION.
6:37:58PM TBCN IS WORTH TAMPA'S FINANCIAL AND PUBLIC SUPPORT.
6:38:10PM [ENCODER DROP]
6:38:26PM -- AT LEAST A GOOD REFERENCE FOR THE RESUMÉ.
6:38:36PM AND IT'S EVEN UNLIKE ENLIGHTENED BUSINESSES THAT RECOGNIZE
6:38:41PM THE VALUE OF FURTHERING THEIR EMPLOYEES' EDUCATION.
6:38:46PM TBCN OFFERS SOMETHING VERY UNIQUE.
6:38:50PM THEY OFFER AN IN-HOUSE VENUE WHERE GRADUATES CAN CREATE,
6:38:57PM PRODUCE, GET EXPERIENCE, AND START EARNING INCOME SHORTLY
6:39:02PM AFTER GRADUATION.
6:39:04PM A FINANCIALLY HEALTHY TBCN OFFERS SOMETHING EVEN MORE
6:39:11PM VALUABLE TO PEOPLE OF MY GENERATION.
6:39:15PM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSITION TO A NEW CAREER, TO CONTINUE
6:39:21PM PRODUCING GOODS AND SERVICES TO WHAT'S CALLED REFIRE, NOT
6:39:28PM RETIRE, AND BE A DRAIN ON THE ECONOMY.
6:39:31PM REFIRED PEOPLE COST LESS.
6:39:37PM AND IF COST AND PRICE ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU -- I ASSUME THEY
6:39:42PM ARE -- NOTE THE WORD "LESS."
6:39:45PM WE COST "LESS."
6:39:47PM REFIRED PEOPLE ADD VALUE.
6:39:52PM WE ADD GOODS AND SERVICES.
6:39:55PM IF GOODS AND SERVICES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU, NOTE THE WORD
6:40:00PM "ADD."
6:40:01PM WE "ADD," YOU, WE, GET MORE FOR OUR MONEY.
6:40:06PM I'M DEVELOPING A 12-WEEK TALK SERIES TO BE ON TBCN TO
6:40:15PM SHOWCASE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH MAJOR LIFE CHANGES AND
6:40:21PM SPONSORED BY LOCAL, SMALL BUSINESSES.
6:40:24PM THAT ADDS VALUE.
6:40:28PM TBCN ADDS VALUE.
6:40:32PM IT'S WORTH TAMPA'S FINANCIAL AND PUBLIC SUPPORT.
6:40:35PM THANK YOU.
6:40:35PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.
6:40:37PM NEXT, PLEASE.
6:40:39PM >> HELLO.
6:40:41PM I'M ANTONIA McCUTCHEON.
6:40:43PM I'M THE PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR FOR TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY
6:40:46PM NETWORK.
6:40:46PM I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF WHO WE
6:40:51PM ARE.
6:40:53PM AND EVEN WHY WE'RE IMPORTANT.
6:40:56PM YES, WE DO PROVIDE EXCELLENT TRAINING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
6:41:04PM OUR STUDENTS COME AND THEY GET FULL-FLEDGED TRAINING WITH
6:41:07PM HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND BECOME PRODUCERS.
6:41:09PM BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES US IMPORTANT.
6:41:14PM THE OTHER THING IS WE PROVIDE VIDEO SERVICES TO THE
6:41:17PM COMMUNITY, TO BUSINESSES, TO NONPROFITS, AND TO ESPECIALLY
6:41:24PM SMALL BUSINESSES.
6:41:24PM I'M GOING TO READ YOU SOMETHING THAT I PUT TOGETHER.
6:41:26PM A THRIVING COMMUNITY IS ONE THAT HAS AN EFFECTIVE
6:41:30PM COMMUNICATION BASE.
6:41:31PM TBCN HELPS BUILD THE CORE STRENGTH OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH
6:41:34PM THE PRODUCTION AND CONTRIBUTION OF VIDEOS BECAUSE AS
6:41:38PM STATISTICS AND TRENDS HAVE SHOWN US, VIDEO OWNS THE INTERNET
6:41:41PM AND THE WORLD.
6:41:42PM AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, 80% OF ALL TRAFFIC ON THE INTERNET IS
6:41:46PM VIDEO, AND BY 2022, THAT PERCENTAGE IS EXPECTED TO RISE TO
6:41:50PM ALMOST 85%.
6:41:51PM VIDEO IS AN EXTREMELY POWERFUL MEDIUM AND STUDIES HAVE SHOWN
6:41:55PM THAT A COMMUNITY THAT EFFECTIVELY USES VIDEO BECOMES
6:41:59PM STRONGER ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY.
6:42:01PM DID YOU KNOW THAT BUSINESSES WHO USE VIDEO IN THEIR
6:42:04PM MARKETING REPERTOIRE GROW 50% FASTER THAN BUSINESSES WHO
6:42:07PM DON'T?
6:42:08PM TBCN WANTS TO CONTINUE BEING THAT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES
6:42:13PM TAMPA BAY WITH ALL THEIR VIDEO NEEDS BECAUSE VIDEO
6:42:16PM PRODUCTION AND VIDEO MARKETING IS NO LONGER A LUXURY, BUT A
6:42:20PM NECESSITY.
6:42:21PM WE ARE NOT JUST A TELEVISION STATION.
6:42:25PM WE ARE EVERYTHING VIDEO, ESPECIALLY INTERNET VIDEO.
6:42:29PM I MYSELF AM AN INTERNET VIDEO SPECIALIST.
6:42:32PM THE COMMUNITY NEEDS US.
6:42:33PM SMALL BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS, INDIVIDUALS, THEY NEED US.
6:42:39PM PLEASE DON'T ALLOW ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCES IN
6:42:41PM THE COMMUNITY TO GO AWAY.
6:42:43PM WE WOULD ONLY BE GOING BACKWARDS.
6:42:45PM THANK YOU SO MUCH.
6:42:47PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.
6:42:48PM NEXT, PLEASE.
6:42:52PM >> GOOD EVENING.
6:42:53PM MY NAME IS -- TEASLEY.
6:42:55PM I'M A CITIZEN IN ONE OF THE GREATEST CITIES IN THE WORLD,
6:42:58PM TAMPA BAY.
6:42:58PM I'M HERE TO SHOW MY SUPPORT FOR THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY
6:43:00PM NETWORK.
6:43:01PM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
6:43:02PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
6:43:04PM NEXT, PLEASE.
6:43:08PM >> GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL.
6:43:09PM MY NAME IS FRAN TATE.
6:43:12PM I RESIDE AT 3405 CLAY STREET FROM THE DISTRICT OF 5.
6:43:16PM I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE JACKSON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD
6:43:19PM ASSOCIATION AND CRIME WATCH.
6:43:21PM WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US THIS EVENING AND
6:43:26PM SHARING OUR -- WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO
6:43:29PM US THIS EVENING.
6:43:30PM WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNWAVERING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS OUR NEEDS
6:43:35PM AND MAKE PROVISIONS.
6:43:36PM NEED NUMBER ONE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT A 24-HOUR RESCUE UNIT
6:43:45PM BE STATIONED IN EAST TAMPA.
6:43:48PM WE ALL KNOW A HEART ATTACK, A STROKE, AN ASTHMATIC,
6:43:55PM DIABETIC, OR EPILEPTIC EPISODE, OR EVEN IN MY CASE, A
6:44:00PM HYPERTENSIVE EVENT IS NEVER SCHEDULED.
6:44:05PM THIS AMBULANCE WILL OFFER IMMEDIATE LIFESAVING TO THE
6:44:09PM RESIDENTS OF EAST TAMPA.
6:44:11PM WE ARE SURE IF ONE WAS LOCATED 24 HOURS IN EAST TAMPA, IT
6:44:14PM WOULD CUT DOWN ON THE RESPONSE OF 8 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS.
6:44:19PM WE'RE TALKING LIFESAVING TIME.
6:44:21PM TIME IS OF ESSENCE.
6:44:23PM WHEN IT'S MEANT TO SAVE A LIFE.
6:44:29PM I'M SORRY.
6:44:29PM NEED NUMBER TWO, AS A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN, WE ARE CHARGED
6:44:36PM WITH MAKING PROVISIONS FOR OUR SENIORS AND OUR CHILDREN.
6:44:41PM OUR CITY, AS IT MOVES FORWARD, AS IT ADVANCES, WE ARE IN
6:44:49PM DESPERATE NEED OF A MULTICULTURAL OR A COMMUNITY CENTER,
6:44:54PM WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, WE'RE IN DESPERATE NEED OF
6:44:58PM THAT IN EAST TAMPA.
6:44:59PM THIS CENTER WILL PROVIDE AMPLE SPACE FOR OUR SENIORS, AND
6:45:06PM OUR CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO ORGANIZE AND PARTICIPATE IN
6:45:10PM ORGANIZED DAILY ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS MRS. BELL STATED,
6:45:15PM AEROBICS, SHUFFLEBOARD, SEWING CLASSES, ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR
6:45:20PM THE SENIORS.
6:45:21PM AND FOR OUR CHILDREN THERE WILL BE ENOUGH ROOM IN THIS
6:45:26PM MULTICULTURAL BUILDING FOR THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CLASSES
6:45:29PM SUCH AS KARATE, JUDO, MODERN DANCE, STEP, BALLET, SOME OF
6:45:39PM THE THINGS MY CHILDREN WERE EXPOSED TO.
6:45:42PM THERE'S SO MUCH THAT THEY COULD RECEIVE IF WE HAD THAT
6:45:47PM BUILDING.
6:45:48PM I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
6:45:50PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.
6:45:51PM NEXT, PLEASE.
6:45:55PM >> GOOD EVENING, COUNCILMEN.
6:45:57PM MY NAME IS TYLER MARTINOLICH.
6:45:59PM I'M THE FILM COMMISSIONER FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
6:46:00PM I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ON BEHALF OF BOTH THE TBCN AS WELL AS
6:46:05PM TBAE, WHICH I WAS EXTREMELY PLEASED TO HEAR WAS PART OF THE
6:46:09PM BUDGET PROPOSAL AT THE BEGINNING OF TONIGHT'S SESSION.
6:46:11PM DECADES AGO, THE FCC CREATED PROVISIONS TO ENSURE CABLE
6:46:15PM COMPANIES PROVIDE SPACE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT
6:46:18PM PROGRAMMING OTHERWISE KNOWN AS PEG.
6:46:21PM GOVERNMENT IS ALREADY WELL SERVED BY DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS
6:46:24PM TAMPA'S OWN CTTV.
6:46:26PM BUT THE VOICE OF THE PUBLIC AND EDUCATION IS ENDANGERED IF
6:46:30PM TBCN AND TBAE ARE NOT SUPPORTED.
6:46:32PM WHILE IT MIGHT SEEM QUAINT TO THINK THAT SOMETHING LIKE
6:46:35PM PUBLIC ACCESS STILL EXISTS OR IS NEEDED, I ASSURE YOU IT IS.
6:46:39PM THERE ARE SEGMENTS OF OUR CITY THAT ARE STRATIFIED
6:46:47PM ECONOMICALLY OR OF A CERTAIN AGE WHERE NEW TECHNOLOGIES,
6:46:50PM LIKE YouTube, BECOME INTIMIDATING AND THUS PREVENTIVE.
6:46:56PM IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING A PLATFORM TO VOICE AND SHARE
6:47:00PM INFORMATION PERSONAL TO THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES AND INTERESTS,
6:47:03PM BOTH TBCN AND TBAE PROVIDE COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERN
6:47:08PM AND TRAIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S RESIDENTS.
6:47:09PM WHILE I'M NOT SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TODAY ON BEHALF OF
6:47:12PM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I CAN SAY THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOTTED
6:47:15PM MONEY, SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY OF TBCN OVER THE PREVIOUS
6:47:18PM FISCAL YEARS TO ADMINISTER AN AMAZINGLY WELL-RECEIVED
6:47:21PM TRAINING PROGRAM.
6:47:22PM AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS TODAY.
6:47:24PM IF YOU ARE A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT, YOU CAN TAKE
6:47:28PM THESE TRAINING CLASSES FREE OF CHARGE THANKS TO THIS FUND
6:47:32PM PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY.
6:47:34PM UNFORTUNATELY, THAT ONLY SERVICES A SMALL SEGMENT OF THE
6:47:37PM POPULATION, AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR GOOD
6:47:41PM WORK WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
6:47:43PM THAT FUNDING WOULD ALSO HELP PROPEL BOTH ORGANIZATIONS WELL
6:47:46PM INTO THE FUTURE AND HELP THEM MODERNIZE THEIR TECHNOLOGY TO
6:47:50PM ADAPT TO MORE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS.
6:47:53PM SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN I'M IN SUPPORT OF
6:47:58PM FUNDING BOTH TBCN AND TBAE.
6:47:59PM I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER MAKING THEIR BUDGETS PART OF YOUR
6:48:04PM FORTHCOMING BUDGET FOR THIS COMING FISCAL AND ALSO WELL INTO
6:48:07PM THE FUTURE.
6:48:07PM THANK YOU.
6:48:08PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
6:48:09PM NEXT, PLEASE.
6:48:10PM IS THIS THE LAST INDIVIDUAL HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT OR IS
6:48:13PM THERE ANYONE ELSE?
6:48:14PM NO?
6:48:15PM OKAY.
6:48:16PM GO AHEAD, MA'AM.
6:48:17PM >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
6:48:17PM MY NAME IS CYNTHIA FEW.
6:48:19PM I RESIDE AT 4506 NORTH 29th STREET, TAMPA.
6:48:23PM I HAVE LIVED IN TAMPA FOR 71 YEARS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT I
6:48:31PM WAS AFFORDED ACTIVITIES AND A PLACE TO GO AFTER SCHOOL OR
6:48:38PM AFTER WE GOT OUT OF SCHOOL, WE ALWAYS WERE ABLE TO EITHER GO
6:48:43PM TO SOUTH FLORIDA FOR ACTIVITIES OR WE WENT ON FIELD TRIPS.
6:48:50PM BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE IN EAST TAMPA RIGHT NOW THAT
6:48:55PM AFFORD OUR CHILDREN THE SAME ACTIVITIES.
6:49:00PM AND THIS IS WHAT BRINGING A MULTICULTURAL BUILDING TO EAST
6:49:06PM TAMPA WOULD DO FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
6:49:09PM IT WOULD KEEP THEM OFF THE STREET.
6:49:11PM IT WOULD GIVE THEM SOMETHING POSITIVE TO DO WITH THEIR
6:49:15PM LIVES.
6:49:15PM AND THEN MAYBE THEY WOULD MAKE IT TO 71.
6:49:19PM I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE PAY TAXES.
6:49:25PM AND OUR TAXES SHOULD AFFORD US AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE THAT IS
6:49:32PM FULL-TIME, NOT PART-TIME.
6:49:35PM SINCE WE PAY TAXES WHEN WE ARE ASSESSED THEM, WE NEED THE
6:49:40PM SERVICES.
6:49:42PM I HAVE A NEPHEW WHO HAS SEIZURES.
6:49:46PM IF HE DOESN'T GET THE NECESSARY HEALTH BENEFITS, THEN HE
6:49:52PM WILL NOT LIVE.
6:49:53PM SO WE NEED THE EMERGENCY VEHICLE, SINCE WE PAY FULL-TIME
6:49:58PM TAXES, WE NEED THE FULL-TIME EMERGENCY VEHICLE IN OUR AREA.
6:50:03PM THANK YOU.
6:50:03PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.
6:50:05PM NO ONE ELSE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?
6:50:07PM [ APPLAUSE ]
6:50:08PM PLEASE, NO CLAPPING.
6:50:09PM [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
6:50:09PM THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMPLYING.
6:50:11PM NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FURTHER COUNCIL
6:50:19PM COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, BEFORE WE READ THE MILLAGE RATE.
6:50:22PM COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER.
6:50:24PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THANK YOU.
6:50:25PM THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
6:50:30PM MR. ROGERO, I JUST WANTED A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION.
6:50:37PM I THINK YOU SPOKE TO IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER BUT I WANTED
6:50:40PM SOME MORE DETAIL.
6:50:41PM I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE CRA, AND WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE NOT
6:50:46PM HEADED THERE.
6:50:47PM BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE AN ASSUMPTION.
6:50:50PM LET'S SAY ASSUMING THE CRA APPROVES A MILLION DOLLARS TOWARD
6:50:57PM THE EAST TAMPA REC CENTER.
6:50:58PM ASSUMING THAT'S THE CASE, HOW DO YOU SEE THIS C.I.T. ISSUE
6:51:09PM PLAYING OUT IN OCTOBER AND SPECIFICALLY WOULD THAT ENTIRE
6:51:17PM $2 MILLION BE -- ASSUMING WE GET THE MILLION FROM THE CRA --
6:51:20PM ENTIRE $2 MILLION BE APPROPRIATED FOR THE FIRST YEAR OR FOR
6:51:25PM SEVERAL YEARS?
6:51:26PM HOW DO YOU WORK THAT?
6:51:28PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS BOTH
6:51:31PM MILLION, TWO MILLION WOULD BE APPROPRIATED IN FISCAL YEAR
6:51:34PM '20.
6:51:34PM ONCE WE GET APPROVAL TONIGHT, AGAIN, AT THE FIRST MEETING IN
6:51:39PM OCTOBER, WE'LL BRING YOU A RESOLUTION APPROPRIATING
6:51:42PM COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX IN THE AMOUNT OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
6:51:45PM AS SOON AS THE CRA BOARD TAKES AN ACTION THAT WE CAN ACT
6:51:48PM UPON, WE'LL BRING YOU ANOTHER RESOLUTION APPROPRIATING THAT
6:51:51PM FUNDING TO THE SAME PROJECT.
6:51:54PM YOU'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF $2 MILLION IN THAT PROJECT FROM TWO
6:51:57PM DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.
6:51:59PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: OKAY.
6:52:01PM SO THAT'S -- DOES THAT HAVE A DISCREET NAME THAT SAYS THE
6:52:07PM EAST TAMPA -- NEW EAST TAMPA REC CENTER OR THE ORLANDO GUDES
6:52:11PM CENTER OR --
6:52:14PM [ LAUGHTER ]
6:52:14PM I'M JUST TEASING.
6:52:18PM BUT SOMETHING THAT DISCREETLY DEFINES IT AS OPPOSED TO
6:52:25PM GENERAL PARK MAINTENANCE MONEY.
6:52:27PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: YES, SIR.
6:52:28PM IT WILL HAVE A SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION SO EVERYBODY WILL BE
6:52:31PM CLEAR AS TO WHAT THAT FUNDING IS FOR.
6:52:33PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THANK YOU.
6:52:33PM >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
6:52:36PM >>BILL CARLSON: I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO ON ANY
6:52:39PM OF THIS, BUT ONE THING I THINK WE NEED TO DO NEXT TIME WE
6:52:43PM TALK ABOUT CHANGING THE PROCESS, I HOPE THAT THROUGH OUR
6:52:46PM PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS STARTING IN APRIL THAT WE'LL GET
6:52:49PM MORE OF THIS EARLIER INSTEAD OF LATER.
6:52:50PM I WISH WE HAD THE CONVERSATIONS AT THE LAST MEETING, INSTEAD
6:52:54PM OF THIS MEETING.
6:52:55PM NUMBER TWO, I'M IN FAVOR OF ALL OF THE THINGS PEOPLE WANT.
6:52:57PM THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS WE NEED.
6:52:59PM THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO PUT MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND
6:53:01PM RESERVE.
6:53:02PM I BELIEVE THAT THE LAST MAYOR WAS FISCALLY RECKLESS IN
6:53:06PM SPENDING DOWN HALF OF THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE, AND ALTHOUGH
6:53:10PM OUR BOND RATINGS ARE HIGH AND IT LOOKS GOOD, MR. ROGERO HAS
6:53:16PM EXPLAINED TO US THAT THE BOND AGENCIES --
6:53:21PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: CREDIT RATING.
6:53:24PM >>BILL CARLSON: -- CREDIT RATING AGENCIES ARE EXPECTING THAT
6:53:26PM WE'RE GOING TO BE CONSISTENT.
6:53:28PM AND SO MY FEAR IS THAT WE GO INTO RECESSION THE NEXT COUPLE
6:53:32PM OF YEARS, TWO, THREE YEARS FROM NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY
6:53:35PM TO COVER BASIC SERVICES, AND WE CAN'T PULL DOWN THOSE -- WE
6:53:39PM CAN'T PULL DOWN THE RESERVES THAT ARE TIED TO BONDS BECAUSE
6:53:41PM THAT WILL AFFECT OUR RATINGS AND OUR INTEREST RATES ON
6:53:46PM THOSE.
6:53:47PM IT ALSO SOUNDS LIKE WE CANNOT PULL DOWN THIS GENERAL FUND
6:53:50PM RESERVE BECAUSE THAT WILL AFFECT OUR RATINGS AS WELL.
6:53:53PM SO WHATEVER WE PUT INTO THIS ACCOUNT NOW ABOVE THE 23% OR
6:53:58PM THIS IS, I THINK, KEEPING US EVEN WITH 23%, WHATEVER WE PUT
6:54:01PM IN IS GOING TO HELP US COVER BASIC SERVICES WHEN THE
6:54:05PM REVENUES ARE GOING DOWN POTENTIALLY IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
6:54:08PM I THINK WE HAVE TO FIERCELY DEFEND THAT AND WE CAN'T DO THE
6:54:10PM SAME THING THE LAST MAYOR DID AND SPEND ALL THE MONEY.
6:54:14PM SO WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO PROPOSE
6:54:20PM THAT WE FUND ANY OF THESE THINGS, I THINK THEY ARE ALL GREAT
6:54:22PM THINGS.
6:54:23PM IF YOU WANT TO PROPOSE THINGS, PLEASE TELL US WHERE WE CUT
6:54:27PM OR WORK WITH STAFF TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE CUT BECAUSE I
6:54:29PM DON'T THINK WE CAN PULL DOWN THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE ANY
6:54:33PM MORE.
6:54:35PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: GENTLEMEN, YOU SAW TONIGHT, YOU SAW FIVE
6:54:38PM DIFFERENT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS HERE.
6:54:41PM SAW JACKSON HEIGHTS CAME UP.
6:54:44PM YOU SAW COLLEGE HILL.
6:54:46PM YOU SAW PINES.
6:54:49PM I SEE THE FAIR OAKS GROUP IS BACK THERE IN THE BACK, WHICH
6:54:53PM SOMEBODY TRIED TO PIT MY COMMUNITIES AGAINST ONE ANOTHER
6:54:56PM FROM OUR COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH THAT DIDN'T WORK.
6:54:58PM THEY ARE HERE.
6:55:00PM THEY SAID WHAT THEY WANTED.
6:55:02PM THEY TOLD ME WHAT THEY WANTED.
6:55:04PM IT WAS MY JOB TO DELIVER IT, HOWEVER I COULD DELIVER IT.
6:55:07PM IT WAS MY JOB TO BRING IT TO THIS BOARD ABOUT THAT COMMUNITY
6:55:10PM CENTER.
6:55:10PM I'M NOT -- I'M A PRAYING TYPE PERSON.
6:55:14PM IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
6:55:15PM GOD WILL GIVE US A BLESSING.
6:55:17PM WE'LL GET THAT CENTER FOR OUR SENIORS.
6:55:19PM THEY'VE BEEN WANTING FOR YEARS AND BEEN ASKING.
6:55:22PM I DON'T CARE ABOUT HEARING ABOUT THE RESERVES.
6:55:23PM I RESPECT WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID ABOUT RESERVE, RATINGS.
6:55:27PM WHEN IT COMES TO A CERTAIN SECTION, IF THIS WAS DOWNTOWN, IF
6:55:31PM THIS WAS CHANNELSIDE, THIS WAS ANYPLACE ELSE, WE WOULDN'T BE
6:55:37PM HOLLERING ABOUT RESERVES.
6:55:39PM WE'D TRIED TO FIND A WAY TO FUND IT.
6:55:41PM WE TALK ABOUT AN AMBULANCE SERVICE.
6:55:44PM THEY ARE HERE.
6:55:44PM MY CONCERN, NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PEAK UNIT WHICH
6:55:48PM REALLY IS A PART-TIME UNIT IF -- DOESN'T HAVE STAFF.
6:55:53PM DOESN'T COME ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS.
6:55:55PM PEOPLE GET SICK ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, THE LAST TIME I
6:55:59PM CHECKED.
6:56:00PM I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
6:56:01PM I REALLY DON'T.
6:56:01PM BUT WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND IS THIS.
6:56:05PM AND I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT A BRAND-NEW UNIT.
6:56:08PM ALREADY GOT TWO PEAK UNITS RUNNING.
6:56:10PM THAT $500,000 FOR THAT UNIT COULD GO TO PAY FOR THOSE
6:56:14PM EMPLOYEES TO WORK THE TWO UNITS YOU ALREADY HAVE AS A PEAK
6:56:17PM UNIT FOR A FULL-TIME UNIT.
6:56:19PM THAT MAKES COMMON SENSE TO ME UNTIL WE CAN AFFORD TO GET IN
6:56:22PM NEXT BUDGET A UNIT BECAUSE ALL YOU DID WAS YOU ALLOCATED
6:56:26PM DOLLARS TO REPLACE UNITS.
6:56:28PM I NEED YOU -- THOSE PEAK UNITS YOU GOT, RUNNING 50 AND 51,
6:56:35PM PUT THOSE BACK IN SERVICE AT 16.
6:56:37PM TAKE THAT MONEY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUYING THAT ONE
6:56:40PM RESCUE CAR.
6:56:41PM DON'T BUY THE RESCUE CAR.
6:56:42PM PUT THAT FOR SALARIES TO GET A FULL-TIME UNIT FOR THE PEOPLE
6:56:46PM OF EAST TAMPA.
6:56:47PM THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY CAN COME FROM, MR. CARLSON.
6:56:50PM TO ME, THAT'S A FIX.
6:56:52PM TO ME THAT'S A FIX.
6:56:53PM IT'S A SERVICE.
6:56:53PM WHEN IT'S TIME FOR MOTIONS, I'M GOING TO MAKE MY MOTION
6:56:58PM LATER ON.
6:56:58PM I RESERVE MY -- I THINK THERE IS A WAY.
6:57:02PM THERE IS A WILL.
6:57:03PM WE CAN GET IT DONE.
6:57:04PM THIS COUNCIL CAN DO IT.
6:57:06PM >>LUIS VIERA: LET ME, IF I MAY, SAY SOMETHING.
6:57:08PM [ APPLAUSE ]
6:57:09PM [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
6:57:09PM PLEASE, GUYS, PLEASE, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME.
6:57:13PM WE'RE TRYING TO RUN A MEETING HERE.
6:57:15PM PLEASE RESPECT THE COUNCIL.
6:57:17PM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
6:57:17PM I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING WITH REGARDS TO THAT WHICH ARE THE
6:57:23PM THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL JUST SITTING HERE IN THE LAST TWO,
6:57:25PM THREE WEEKS HAS ALREADY DONE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD AND
6:57:30PM TO HAVE REAL GREAT PROGRESS, PARTICULARLY FOR EAST TAMPA, I
6:57:33PM BELIEVE IF I'M READING THE NUMBERS RIGHT, WHENEVER IT COMES
6:57:35PM TO THE INCREASED SERVICE FOR EAST TAMPA FOR FIRE, THERE IS
6:57:37PM AN INCREASED INVESTMENT OF ABOUT $800,000, GIVE OR TAKE.
6:57:40PM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THIS COUNCIL, EVERYBODY, 7-0, 110%
6:57:46PM STANDING BY IN EAST TAMPA APPROPRIATED $1 MILLION FROM CITY
6:57:51PM BUDGET, AND THEN TO BE APPROPRIATED, MILLION DOLLARS FROM
6:57:54PM CRA FOR THAT.
6:57:55PM SO I DON'T THINK THE ISSUE OR THE NEEDS OF EAST TAMPA OR
6:57:58PM NORTH TAMPA OR SOUTH TAMPA OR NORTH TAMPA, ET CETERA, THE
6:58:02PM ISSUE IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT?
6:58:06PM PUBLIC SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE, BUT MATHEMATICS AND GETTING TO
6:58:10PM THOSE DOLLARS THAT PAY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
6:58:13PM IT'S ONE THING TO PROPOSE AN IDEA.
6:58:16PM IT'S ANOTHER THING TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO PAY FOR IT.
6:58:19PM WHEN IT COMES TO PAYING FOR ANYTHING FLIPPANTLY OUT OF THE
6:58:23PM RESERVE, PERFECT EXAMPLE, EARLY ON IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS,
6:58:27PM THERE WERE NUMEROUS REQUESTS THAT I MADE.
6:58:29PM ONE OF THEM WAS FOR AN AUTISM SENSORY FRIEND PARK THAT WOULD
6:58:36PM COST SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS.
6:58:37PM SOMETHING THAT IF YOU'RE RAISING A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS,
6:58:39PM IT'S A NEED.
6:58:40PM IT'S A REAL NEED.
6:58:41PM THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WASN'T IN THE BUDGET AS PROPOSED BY
6:58:43PM THE ADMINISTRATION.
6:58:44PM WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING ON THAT NEXT YEAR, BUT I'M NOT
6:58:47PM GOING TO PUSH THAT FORWARD THIS YEAR AND GO, HEY, LISTEN,
6:58:50PM LET'S JUST TAKE IT OUT OF THE RESERVES, ET CETERA.
6:58:52PM WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY IN THE FUTURE HOW TO TAKE CARE OF
6:58:55PM THAT, BUT IF I WERE TO I'D WANT TO HAVE MATHEMATICS THAT
6:58:59PM ADDS UP ON THAT PROPOSAL, AND THAT'S ALL I'M LOOKING FOR
6:59:02PM HERE TONIGHT IS FOR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
6:59:08PM WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT WE TAKE AND IF COUNCIL IS SO
6:59:10PM AMENABLE, A TEN-MINUTE BREAK FOR CITY COUNCIL.
6:59:14PM FIVE- OR TEN-MINUTE BREAK.
6:59:16PM IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO HOURS.
6:59:18PM FOLKS CAN TALK SEPARATELY.
6:59:21PM AND ENGAGE.
6:59:24PM >>BILL CARLSON: CLARIFYING QUESTION, CHIEF LoCICERO, I
6:59:27PM THINK WHEN WE MET, YOU SAID THAT THE -- TO HAVE A FULL-TIME
6:59:31PM SERVICE IS A MILLION TWO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
6:59:35PM HOW MUCH IS IT?
6:59:41PM >> YES, IT'S $1.1 MILLION IN OPERATING EXPENSES.
6:59:45PM THAT WOULD BE -- ORIGINATE FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
6:59:47PM >>BILL CARLSON: IS THAT IN ADDITION TO WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED
6:59:49PM FOR THE PART-TIME?
6:59:50PM OR THE PEAK ONE.
6:59:52PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: IT IS SEPARATE AND APART.
6:59:54PM IF I MAY, LET ME BACK UP FOR JUST A SECOND.
6:59:57PM THE PEAK SCENARIO, WHEREIN WE PROVIDE ABOUT $400,000 IN
7:00:02PM COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS AND $200,000 AS AN ASSET, STILL
7:00:08PM MAINTAINS THE BALANCED GENERAL FUND BUDGET THAT YOU'VE BEEN
7:00:11PM PRESENTED WITH, WHILE PULLING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE
7:00:15PM COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX.
7:00:16PM THE FULL-TIME SCENARIO WOULD IMBALANCE THE GENERAL FUND
7:00:21PM BUDGET THAT YOU'VE BEEN PRESENTED WHILE TAKING, AGAIN, FROM
7:00:24PM THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX FOR THE ASSET, FOR THE RESCUE
7:00:27PM VEHICLE.
7:00:29PM SO THE PEAK UNIT CAN BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT'S
7:00:31PM BEEN PRESENTED.
7:00:32PM THE FULL-TIME CANNOT.
7:00:33PM >>BILL CARLSON: I WOULD JUST SAY, AS I STATED BEFORE, I
7:00:42PM THINK WE NEED THESE SERVICES, BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO CUT?
7:00:45PM I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO CUT
7:00:48PM BECAUSE I'M NOT WILLING TO VOTE FOR SOMETHING THAT REDUCES
7:00:50PM THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE.
7:00:52PM MR. VIERA TALKED ABOUT WHAT HE ASKED FOR.
7:00:56PM I ASKED FOR NOTHING EXCEPT FOR THE MAYOR TO PUT IN THE
7:00:59PM GENERAL FUND RESERVE.
7:00:59PM IF WE DON'T AT LEAST DO THAT, I THINK WE'RE BEING FISCALLY
7:01:04PM RECKLESS AGAIN.
7:01:06PM WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS LOOK SYSTEMICALLY AT THE SERVICES
7:01:11PM THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
7:01:12PM THERE'S MONEY I BELIEVE THAT WAS WASTED IN PURCHASING,
7:01:14PM THINGS LIKE $12 MILLION BOATHOUSES JUST STUPID THINGS THAT
7:01:17PM MONEY WAS SPENT ON THAT THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS GOING
7:01:19PM THROUGH, LOOKING AT ALL THE LINE ITEMS, LOOKING AT ALL THE
7:01:22PM BUDGETS.
7:01:22PM WE'RE MORE CAREFULLY LOOKING AT IT.
7:01:23PM I THINK WE ALL PARTLY INHERITED THIS BUDGET.
7:01:28PM WE'VE ALL COMMITTED, AS MR. VIERA SAID, TO SUPPORT EAST
7:01:31PM TAMPA.
7:01:31PM I ASKED FOR NOTHING SO THAT WE COULD FOCUS MORE ENERGY ON
7:01:34PM EAST TAMPA.
7:01:35PM WE'VE PUT A MILLION DOLLARS AND WE'RE PROPOSING TO PUT
7:01:38PM ANOTHER MILLION.
7:01:39PM I'M COMMITTED TO FOCUSING A LOT OF ENERGY.
7:01:41PM IT'S NOT MY DISTRICT, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN FOCUSING A LOT
7:01:45PM OF EFFORTS IN THAT AREA.
7:01:49PM BUT THE ONLY THING I ASK IS LET'S NOT ERODE OUR GENERAL FUND
7:01:53PM RESERVE BECAUSE WE DESPERATELY NEED THAT.
7:01:55PM IF WE GET TO TWO YEARS FROM NOW AND WE'RE CUTTING BASIC
7:01:58PM SERVICES, IF WE'RE CUTTING BACK EVEN FROM WHERE WE ARE NOW
7:02:01PM IN THESE BASIC SERVICES, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR 300 PEOPLE
7:02:05PM COMPLAINING IN THIS AUDIENCE.
7:02:06PM WE NEED TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
7:02:08PM WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT TO CUT?
7:02:11PM >>DENNIS ROGERO: MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I MAY ALSO OFFER A
7:02:14PM CLARIFICATION JUST SO THERE'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO
7:02:16PM MISUNDERSTANDING.
7:02:17PM I LIVE AND BREATHE THIS STUFF.
7:02:18PM I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT EVERYBODY ELSE
7:02:20PM DOES, TOO.
7:02:21PM THE EAST TAMPA CULTURAL CENTER DOES NOT IMPACT THE BALANCED
7:02:25PM BUDGET AS YOU'VE BEEN PRESENTED EITHER.
7:02:26PM BOTH THOSE FUNDING SOURCES ARE NON-GENERAL FUND.
7:02:29PM THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX AND THE POTENTIAL FUNDING
7:02:33PM SOURCE FROM THE CRA.
7:02:35PM >>LUIS VIERA: OKAY.
7:02:35PM THANK YOU.
7:02:36PM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A BREAK.
7:02:38PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: JUST SOME GENERAL COMMENTS.
7:02:41PM I'VE BEEN QUIET FOR THE LAST FEW HOURS.
7:02:44PM FIRST, MR. BENNETT, YOU'VE BEEN WONDERFUL IN COMMUNICATING.
7:02:48PM YOU'RE ACCESSIBLE.
7:02:49PM YOU ANSWER RIGHT AWAY.
7:02:50PM YOU CALL BACK RIGHT AWAY.
7:02:52PM THE SAME GOES FOR MAYOR CASTOR.
7:02:54PM I SAID BEFORE WE BEGAN THIS MEETING TONIGHT, BECAUSE I SPOKE
7:02:57PM WITH HER TODAY, I SAID I'VE NEVER -- BOB BUCKHORN WAS VERY
7:03:00PM NICE WITH ME.
7:03:01PM HE WAS A VERY KIND MAN IN THAT REGARD, BUT CASTOR IS ON TOP
7:03:07PM OF THINGS NONSTOP.
7:03:08PM ALWAYS COMMUNICATING, ALWAYS ASKING WHAT I THINK, HOW I
7:03:11PM FEEL, ANY OTHER IDEAS.
7:03:12PM SHE'S VERY MUCH ENGAGED.
7:03:14PM I APPRECIATE THAT.
7:03:16PM LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET, MY BIGGEST THING WAS THE SWIMMING
7:03:22PM POOLS, AND THE PRICE TAG FOR ONE CAME IN AT ALMOST
7:03:26PM $4 MILLION FOR A BRAND-NEW ADA COMPLIANT FACILITY,
7:03:29PM STATE-OF-THE-ART, NEW, YOU KNOW, DONE THE RIGHT WAY.
7:03:33PM IN THE BUDGET THEY PUT $100,000 TO STUDY, NOT JUST THE
7:03:38PM SEMINOLE HEIGHTS POOL, BUT THE ONE IN WEST TAMPA.
7:03:40PM SO IT'S A START.
7:03:41PM WE HAD THE CONVERSATION GOING SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE LOOK AT
7:03:43PM ALL SOURCES OF FUNDING TO GET THAT DONE.
7:03:46PM AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
7:03:46PM I ASKED FOR SOME ROADS TO BE REPAVED SPECIFICALLY IN WEST
7:03:50PM TAMPA.
7:03:51PM AGAIN, THE ADMINISTRATION RESPONDED.
7:03:54PM THEY HELPED PRIORITIZE SOME OF THOSE ROADS THAT ARE VERY
7:03:57PM BADLY NEEDED.
7:03:59PM ONE LADY THAT LIVES ON THE CORNER OF ONE OF THOSE STREETS,
7:04:02PM 92 YEARS OLD SAID, BEFORE I DIE, I'D LIKE MY ROAD PAVED.
7:04:05PM SOUNDS RIDICULOUS, BUT IT'S A ROAD PAVING, AND YOU
7:04:09PM DELIVERED.
7:04:10PM EAST TAMPA AND THIS COMMUNITY CENTER, CALL IT MULTICULTURAL
7:04:13PM CENTER, I'VE HEARD THE JAZZY SENIORS COME YEAR AFTER YEAR
7:04:17PM ASKING, AND, YOU KNOW, THE ACTION WAS TAKEN THIS YEAR WITH
7:04:22PM THE LEADERSHIP OF COUNCILMAN GUDES AND SUPPORT OF THIS
7:04:25PM COUNCIL AT ALMOST, WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS TONIGHT AND
7:04:28PM THEN WE ASSUME THE CRA ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS, THAT'S A
7:04:31PM HUGE WIN.
7:04:32PM AGAIN, YOU RESPONDED.
7:04:34PM WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RESCUE VEHICLE.
7:04:36PM IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT, AGAIN, YOU RESPONDED.
7:04:40PM YOU'RE HERE.
7:04:40PM YOU'VE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN COME
7:04:43PM TO A CONSENSUS ON THAT.
7:04:44PM BUT YOU'VE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.
7:04:46PM IT'S NOT THAT WE'VE BEEN IGNORED.
7:04:48PM I CERTAINLY HAVEN'T FELT IGNORED.
7:04:50PM AND THINGS ARE GETTING DONE.
7:04:52PM NOT EVERYTHING I WANTED, NOT THE 4 MILLION POOL, I HAVE TO
7:04:56PM BE REASONABLE.
7:04:57PM BUT YOU'RE DOING THE BEST THAT YOU CAN.
7:04:59PM AND I THINK WE'RE BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE IN LOOKING AT,
7:05:02PM ESPECIALLY A MILLION DOLLARS.
7:05:04PM WE MADE THE MOTION, AND IT WAS SUPPORTED.
7:05:06PM THAT'S A HUGE INVESTMENT.
7:05:07PM SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS BUDGET.
7:05:11PM I'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THIS BREAK, BUT YOU GUYS ARE
7:05:14PM GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.
7:05:15PM I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
7:05:17PM THAT'S IT.
7:05:17PM THANK YOU.
7:05:18PM >>LUIS VIERA: MR. SHELBY.
7:05:19PM >>MARTIN SHELBY: YES, COUNCIL, JUST BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR
7:05:21PM RECESS, I KNOW COUNCIL KNOWS THIS BUT ALSO SAYING THIS FOR
7:05:24PM THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC.
7:05:25PM THIS RECESS IS FOR YOU TO DISCUSS INDIVIDUALLY THAT THE
7:05:29PM SUNSHINE LAW DOES APPLY.
7:05:31PM THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING.
7:05:32PM ANYTHING THAT YOU DISCUSS CANNOT BE WITH OTHER COUNCIL
7:05:35PM MEMBERS OR THE PRESENCE OF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS RELATED TO
7:05:38PM CITY BUSINESS.
7:05:39PM I KNOW COUNCIL KNOWS THAT.
7:05:40PM I'M ASKING FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF THAT AS WELL.
7:05:42PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
7:05:43PM WE APPRECIATE.
7:05:44PM WE'LL RECESS AND BE BACK IN TEN MINUTES.
7:05:47PM THANK YOU.
7:05:47PM [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
7:05:49PM [RECESS]
7:26:52PM >>LUIS VIERA: CITY COUNCIL IS IN SESSION.
7:26:54PM PLEASE ROLL CALL.
7:26:59PM >>THE CLERK: [MICROPHONE NOT ON]
7:27:02PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE.
7:27:03PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: HERE.
7:27:04PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE.
7:27:10PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: DINGFELDER IS HERE.
7:27:11PM >>LUIS VIERA: HERE.
7:27:12PM I KNOW, COUNCILMAN, MIRANDA, YOU WANTED TO --
7:27:14PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU.
7:27:15PM I BELIEVE THAT THE GENTLEMAN SITTING UP FRONT, FIRST ROW TO
7:27:21PM MY LEFT, CHIEF LoCICERO, CHIEF OF STAFF BENNETT AND
7:27:26PM MR. GRECO FROM THE POLICE WOULD COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
7:27:30PM YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DILEMMA IS ALL THREE OF YOU, ABOUT
7:27:37PM THE STAFFING AND THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
7:27:40PM AND THE NEEDS ALSO TO KEEP THE CITY IN THE BEST FINANCIAL
7:27:44PM ABILITY WITHOUT GOING TO THE RESERVES.
7:27:46PM WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
7:27:47PM IF YOU GO INTO RESERVES, YOU'LL PAY HIGHER INTEREST FOR WHAT
7:27:51PM YOU HAVE GETTING LESS SERVICES.
7:27:52PM SO THAT'S A DOUBLE WHAMMY.
7:27:55PM I UNDERSTAND, MR. CARLSON, THAT'S WHY I APPRECIATE WHAT HE
7:27:57PM SAID.
7:27:58PM HAVE YOU GENTLEMEN DISCUSSED THIS AND COME TO ANY CONCLUSION
7:28:02PM HOW TO RESOLVE THE AMBULANCE FOR THE EAST TAMPA?
7:28:04PM SOMETHING THAT CAN BE WORKED OUT WITHIN TWO OR THREE MONTHS
7:28:12PM AFTER WE PASS THE BUDGET SO GOOD PEOPLE IN EAST TAMPA CAN
7:28:15PM HAVE FULL SERVICE?
7:28:19PM >>JOHN BENNETT: SURE.
7:28:20PM SINCE, OBVIOUSLY HAD TIME TO WORK WITH BOTH PARTIES, LET ME
7:28:23PM KIND OF TELL YOU WHERE I'M AT IN MY ROLE AS CHIEF OF STAFF
7:28:26PM WORKING WITH THE CFO.
7:28:28PM AS I MENTIONED, AND I DON'T MEAN TO REITERATE THIS FOR ANY
7:28:31PM OTHER REASON THAN WHAT MR. CARLSON SAID EARLIER ABOUT
7:28:34PM PLANNING CYCLES IS A REAL THING.
7:28:36PM YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION
7:28:41PM GOT A START ON MAY 1, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL BASED ON
7:28:44PM THE ELECTION CYCLE.
7:28:45PM SO WHEN THE BUDGET GETS PRESENTED, LITERALLY 64 BUSINESS
7:28:50PM DAYS LATER AND THEN 32 MORE BUSINESS DAYS LATER, HERE WE ARE
7:28:55PM TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND HEARING.
7:28:58PM THAT'S NOT A LOT OF TIME TO REALLY PEEL BACK THE ONION AND
7:29:03PM SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
7:29:03PM BUT I ALSO HEAR THAT THE HISTORY OF SUPPORTING THE EVOLVING
7:29:07PM PART OF THE CITY AND ITS PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES IS IN NEED
7:29:10PM OF TREMENDOUS FOCUS.
7:29:11PM I'VE WORKED WITH CHIEF LoCICERO FOR MANY YEARS ON THE
7:29:15PM FRONT LINES OF THE STREETS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR TACTICAL DAYS.
7:29:19PM SO I KNOW HIS WORK ETHIC.
7:29:21PM I KNOW HIS ANALYSIS LEVEL.
7:29:22PM I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE WITH
7:29:25PM MR. GRECO.
7:29:27PM HE'S PASSIONATE.
7:29:28PM WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THREE INGREDIENTS TO GET THIS DONE.
7:29:31PM IT'S PASSION, CAPACITY, AND FUNDING.
7:29:33PM IT'S THE PART I KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS WILLING TO
7:29:36PM LOOK AT TO REALLY DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT FUNDING.
7:29:40PM BUT I THINK THE THING THAT ALLOWED ME TO COME IN TONIGHT AND
7:29:46PM READ MY OPENING COMMENTS AND TALKING ABOUT MOVING THE NEEDLE
7:29:49PM OF THE INITIAL LEVEL OF SERVICE AROUND STATION 16 WAS THE
7:29:54PM IDEA THAT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO MOAT A LEVEL OF SERVICE
7:29:58PM CITYWIDE AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT ON OCTOBER 1st, THE DAY
7:30:03PM THE BUDGET KICKS IN, THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL INITIATE
7:30:06PM THAT INCREASED LEVEL OF SERVICE.
7:30:10PM UNTIL WE PEEL BACK THIS ONION AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET NOT
7:30:14PM ONLY 16, BUT ANY STATION THAT NEEDS ADDITIONAL LEVELS OF
7:30:18PM SERVICE TO CREATE A FULL-TIME UNIT TO GET US WHERE WE NEED
7:30:21PM TO BE, YOU HAVE -- AND AGAIN, I AGREE WITH WHAT CHARLIE SAID
7:30:26PM EARLIER.
7:30:27PM IT'S TRUST AND VERIFY.
7:30:28PM IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT I HAVE 35 YEARS OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
7:30:31PM THE MAYOR HAS THE SAME AMOUNT IN HER PUBLIC SAFETY.
7:30:34PM WE KNOW PUBLIC SAFETY DEPLOYMENTS.
7:30:36PM WE PLAN ON WORKING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN VERY SHORT
7:30:39PM ORDER TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS NEEDS TO GO.
7:30:42PM AND WE HAVE TO GET THE FULL-TIME UNITS IN PLACE, BUT I KNOW
7:30:47PM ONE THING, IF THE BUDGET GETS APPROVED, WE'RE IN A POSITION
7:30:51PM TO START CHANGING THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE ON OCTOBER 1 THE WAY
7:30:55PM IT'S BEEN PROPOSED WITHOUT AFFECTING THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE
7:30:58PM BUDGET WITH AN IMMEDIATE FOCUS ON GETTING THESE THINGS IN A
7:31:02PM FULL-TIME STATUS.
7:31:02PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: IF I MAY, MR. CHAIRMAN.
7:31:04PM THANK YOU, AND CERTAINLY MAYOR CASTOR.
7:31:06PM YOU SAID IT RIGHT.
7:31:07PM WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DAYS YOU'VE HAD TO TAKE OVER A COMPLETE
7:31:12PM UNIT OF OVER 4500 EMPLOYEES, AND DO THE THINGS BOTH OF YOU
7:31:16PM HAVE DONE, ALONG WITH YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF AND ALONG WITH
7:31:20PM YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC
7:31:23PM WORKS WITH ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
7:31:25PM YOU HAD TO UNDERSTAND IT WASN'T JUST ONE DEPARTMENT.
7:31:28PM NOW YOU HAVE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS UNDER YOU WITH MUCH
7:31:33PM GREATER RESPONSIBILITY.
7:31:34PM I DON'T SEE HOW IN THE WORLD ALL OF YOU GOT TOGETHER TO
7:31:37PM ACCOMPLISH THIS IN A SHORT TIME.
7:31:38PM BECAUSE THIS WAS AN ADDITIONAL RUNOFF IN THE ELECTION.
7:31:41PM YOU LOST TWO, THREE WEEKS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE GAINED TIME.
7:31:44PM YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT LUXURY THIS TIME.
7:31:46PM I UNDERSTAND THAT.
7:31:46PM MR. GRECO, CAN I ASK YOU, DO YOU AGREE WITH THE CHIEF'S
7:31:51PM PRESENTATION?
7:31:51PM >> FIRST, I WANT TO THANK BOTH THE CHIEFS FOR LEVEL OF
7:31:54PM COMMITMENT TO GETTING THIS UNIT UP TO FULL-TIME.
7:31:58PM WE DID BRING IT IN LATER IN THE TALKS OF THIS THING.
7:32:01PM AND I BELIEVE IF WE CAN GET THE BUDGET PASSED WITH WHAT
7:32:03PM WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, I KNOW THAT AFTER SPEAKING TO
7:32:07PM COUNCILMAN GUDES, WE WANT A FULL-TIME UNIT THERE.
7:32:11PM THEY HAVE BOTH COMMITTED TO WORKING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
7:32:14PM I DON'T THINK IF WE DON'T PASS THE BUDGET AND DON'T GET THIS
7:32:17PM THING MOVING FORWARD -- ONE IS, I DON'T KNOW IT HAPPENS
7:32:19PM OCTOBER 1st UNLESS WE GET IT DONE.
7:32:21PM BUT A FULL-TIME UNIT IS WHAT'S NEEDED.
7:32:24PM IT'S WHAT IS NECESSARY.
7:32:26PM IT'S WHAT THE NUMBERS CALL FOR.
7:32:27PM PUTTING THE 12-HOUR CALL IN SERVICE NOW AND HOPEFULLY
7:32:30PM KEEPING IT IN THE AREA TO RUN THE CALLS IN THAT AREA SO
7:32:32PM OTHER PEOPLE CAN GET SOME RELIEF IS WHAT WE CAN -- THAT'S
7:32:36PM WHAT WE CAN GET ACCOMPLISHED TODAY.
7:32:38PM I DON'T KNOW, YOU STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE MOTION.
7:32:41PM AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO ANSWER THE
7:32:43PM CALLS FOR SERVICE IN ALL THE AREAS OF THE CITY, SERVE THE
7:32:47PM CITIZENS OF TAMPA WITH THE HIGHEST -- HIGHEST ABILITY AND BE
7:32:50PM ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, DO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR SO LONG.
7:32:53PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
7:32:55PM I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ONE OTHER FAVOR BETWEEN THE THREE OF
7:32:58PM YOU.
7:32:58PM I'M FROM THE OLD SCHOOL.
7:32:59PM A HANDSHAKE TO ME IS JUST AS GOOD AS SOMETHING IN THE PAPER.
7:33:04PM [ APPLAUSE ]
7:33:08PM >>LUIS VIERA: WELL SAID.
7:33:09PM VERY OLD-SCHOOL.
7:33:11PM GOOD JOB.
7:33:12PM LIKE A GENTLEMAN.
7:33:16PM COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND THEN COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER.
7:33:19PM >>BILL CARLSON: I SPENT PART OF THE BREAK, A SHORT PART OF
7:33:22PM IT TALKING TO CFO, MR. ROGERO.
7:33:26PM I HAD GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET, SO I SUGGESTED A COUPLE OF
7:33:29PM IDEAS FOR CUTTING.
7:33:30PM WE JUST, BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAST MEETING, IT'S TOO LATE TO
7:33:36PM MAKE A QUICK DECISION ON CUTTING SOMETHING, BUT IT SOUNDS
7:33:39PM LIKE -- I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IF
7:33:42PM WE GO THROUGH AND HAVE SUGGESTIONS, THEY ARE OPEN TO
7:33:45PM LISTENING TO SUGGESTION.
7:33:46PM I WOULD SAY THAT FIRST.
7:33:47PM THE SECOND THING IS JUST TO REITERATE WHAT WAS JUST SAID
7:33:55PM WITH COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, CAN YOU JUST AGAIN EMPHATICALLY SAY
7:33:58PM THAT YOU PLAN TO WORK TOWARD FULL-TIME SERVICE?
7:34:01PM YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE THE INITIAL SERVICE, BUT YOU'RE GOING
7:34:05PM TO WORK TOWARD IT.
7:34:07PM NUMBER TWO, CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE
7:34:10PM WHOLE THING SO WE CAN PROVIDE -- MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE, IF WE
7:34:13PM CAN, AN EVEN GREATER LEVEL OF SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE CITY?
7:34:16PM IS THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK -- YEAH, WHOEVER.
7:34:21PM >>JOHN BENNETT: LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NO PROBLEM TAKING THE
7:34:24PM ADMINISTRATIVE LEAD ON THIS DISCUSSION FOR THAT MATTER.
7:34:29PM I'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH 18 FIRE DEPARTMENTS
7:34:31PM OVER THREE YEARS IN A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE.
7:34:35PM I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THE FIRE CHIEF FOR MANY
7:34:38PM YEARS.
7:34:38PM I REALLY ENJOYED MY DIALOGUE WITH THE UNION OVER THE PAST
7:34:42PM COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
7:34:43PM I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE COMMITTED TO MAKE
7:34:45PM SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF SERVICE IN THE ENTIRE
7:34:49PM CITY BECAUSE I KNOW EAST TAMPA IS IN FOCUS RIGHT NOW, AND
7:34:52PM COUNCILMAN GUDES, DOING HIS HOMEWORK AND MAKING SURE EAST
7:34:57PM TAMPA IS PROPERLY SERVED TO MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS ARE
7:35:00PM GETTING THEIR RESPONSE TIME IS WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING
7:35:02PM ABOUT, BUT IT'S ALSO A CITYWIDE ANALYSIS.
7:35:05PM I HATE TO REVERT BACK TO OLD SCHOOL, BUT WE SET OUT TO
7:35:09PM REDUCE CRIME IN EVERY SQUARE INCH OF THE CITY, NOT JUST THE
7:35:13PM EASY ONES.
7:35:14PM WE DID IT FROM NEW TAMPA TO SOUTH TAMPA TO EAST TAMPA TO
7:35:17PM WEST TAMPA.
7:35:17PM WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.
7:35:20PM IT'S ALONG THOSE SAME LINES THAT WE WANT TO DELIVER THE SAME
7:35:22PM LEVEL OF FIRE RESCUE SERVICE AS WELL.
7:35:25PM >>BILL CARLSON: AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, CHIEF BENNETT, YOU'VE
7:35:29PM ONLY BEEN ON A SHORT TIME.
7:35:31PM SO FAR EVERY COMMITMENT YOU HAVE MADE IS TRUE.
7:35:34PM MR. ROGERO, SAME THING WITH ME.
7:35:36PM I TRUST THEY'LL DO THAT.
7:35:37PM I THINK WE NEED TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THEM.
7:35:39PM I'M VERY COMMITTED TO THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY.
7:35:43PM IT'S NOT MY DISTRICT AND I'M NOT CITYWIDE.
7:35:46PM IF MY COLLEAGUE, MR. GUDES, IN ADDITION TO THE BUDGET
7:35:51PM TONIGHT WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE A MOTION TO SPECIFICALLY ASK
7:35:56PM THEM TO DO WHAT WE JUST ASKED THEM SO WE PUT IT -- SO WE ALL
7:35:59PM VOTE ON IT, I'M HAPPY TO SECOND IT AND VOTE FOR IT OR I CAN
7:36:03PM MAKE A MOTION.
7:36:04PM MY FEAR IS THAT IF WE HOLD UP THE WHOLE BUDGET AT THIS POINT
7:36:07PM THAT WE COULD THROW A WRENCH IN EVERYTHING.
7:36:10PM YOU KNOW THAT --
7:36:19PM >> WOULD YOU DO THE BUDGET PROPER STUFF FIRST AND THEN MAKE
7:36:21PM THE MOTION?
7:36:22PM >>BILL CARLSON: AFTERWARDS.
7:36:24PM >>SAL TERRITO: THAT'S ALL I WAS GOING TO SAY.
7:36:25PM >>BILL CARLSON: THANK YOU.
7:36:26PM IF THEY DON'T DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY'LL DO, THEN THEY CAN
7:36:29PM NEGOTIATE AS WE GO ALONG THE WAY.
7:36:31PM I THINK WE COMMITTED WITHOUT ANY PREPARATION A COUPLE OF
7:36:34PM WEEKS AGO, WE ALL SAID, YES, WE WANT TO PUT A MILLION
7:36:37PM DOLLARS EXTRA IN EAST TAMPA EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T GET ANY OF
7:36:40PM OUR PROJECTS DONE.
7:36:41PM WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN IN THE CRA AND DO THAT AGAIN ON
7:36:43PM OTHER THINGS.
7:36:44PM I WANT THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT, I
7:36:46PM THINK, SEVEN VOTES UP HERE AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE DEDICATED,
7:36:51PM THIS WHOLE GROUP INHERITED SOME OF THIS BUDGET AND WE
7:36:54PM INHERITED WHATEVER THE SPENDING PRACTICES WERE IN THE PAST
7:36:56PM AND NOW WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE EVERYTHING GOING FORWARD AND
7:37:00PM STICK TO OUR COMMITMENT WE'RE MAKING TO THE COMMUNITY.
7:37:02PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
7:37:03PM COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER AND THEN COUNCILMAN CITRO, I BELIEVE.
7:37:06PM AND THEN COUNCILMAN GUDES.
7:37:07PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
7:37:09PM A COUPLE OF THINGS, ONE, I DON'T WANT TO IGNORE THE CITIZENS
7:37:13PM AND EMPLOYEES OF THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY NETWORK, TBCN,
7:37:19PM SPEAK UP TAMPA BAY.
7:37:21PM I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS AWARE THAT THEY HAD BEEN COMPLETELY
7:37:26PM CUT OUT OF THE CITY BUDGET AT THE SAME TIME THAT TBAE DID,
7:37:32PM WAS.
7:37:32PM BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THE COUNTY IS STILL FUNDING THEM TO A
7:37:36PM CERTAIN EXTENT.
7:37:38PM I WOULD URGE TBCN TO WORK WITH OUR ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS
7:37:45PM COUNCIL TO TRY AND JUSTIFY OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO TO
7:37:50PM PERHAPS GET BACK IN THE BUDGET, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT
7:37:53PM LIKE TBAE THEY OFFER A GOOD SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY IN
7:37:58PM REGARD TO TRAINING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND THAT SORT OF
7:38:01PM THING.
7:38:01PM NEXT YEAR.
7:38:03PM IN REGARD TO THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, MR. BENNETT AND CHIEF
7:38:09PM CICERO SPOKE TO, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, I AGREE WITH YOU
7:38:15PM COMPLETELY, CHIEF.
7:38:16PM WE CAN'T LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS NOT JUST AN EAST TAMPA ISSUE.
7:38:19PM OBVIOUSLY, IF OUR LEVEL OF RESPONSE HAS DROPPED FROM MAYBE
7:38:24PM WHAT IT WAS 10, 15 YEARS AGO AT 5 MINUTES AND NOW WE'RE AT 8
7:38:29PM MINUTES, SOMEBODY MENTIONED ABOUT THAT TAKES AN INVESTMENT,
7:38:33PM JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, TO KEEP A PROPER AND APPROPRIATE
7:38:37PM LEVEL OF SERVICE TAKES A LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, A LEVEL OF
7:38:41PM COMMITMENT FROM THIS COUNCIL AS WELL AS FROM THE
7:38:44PM ADMINISTRATION.
7:38:45PM IT'S NOT AN OVERNIGHT THING.
7:38:47PM MAYBE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE TRY AND
7:38:51PM IMPROVE 30 SECONDS OR A MINUTE EACH YEAR AND SET OUR GOALS.
7:38:55PM SET OUR GOALS HIGH SO WE CAN, I GUESS, SET OUR GOALS LOW, SO
7:39:01PM WE CAN GET BACK DOWN TO THE FIVE-MINUTE RESPONSE TIME THAT
7:39:05PM CHIEF BOTTO HAD REFERRED TO.
7:39:09PM THAT'S NOT TONIGHT, BUT THAT'S DOWN THE ROAD.
7:39:12PM LET'S WORK TOGETHER ON THAT.
7:39:14PM MR. GUDES, I'M THRILLED TO HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
7:39:23PM YOUR EFFORTS.
7:39:26PM I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO ON THIS.
7:39:29PM THAT'S YOUR CALL.
7:39:30PM I THINK THAT YOU'VE DONE A YEOMAN'S JOB FOR YOUR DISTRICT
7:39:36PM AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR
7:39:38PM YOUR DISTRICT HELPS THE ENTIRE CITY.
7:39:41PM I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO SAY THAT ORLANDO GUDES IS JUST
7:39:44PM WORRIED ABOUT HIS DISTRICT BECAUSE HE'S NOT.
7:39:46PM YOU'RE HERE WITH US WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT VOTING ON CITYWIDE
7:39:50PM THINGS, THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE WHOLE CITY.
7:39:53PM YOU AND I USED TO WORK TOGETHER, TOTALLY DIFFERENT PART OF
7:39:57PM THE CITY.
7:39:58PM YOU DO CARE ABOUT THE WHOLE CITY AND YOU CARE PASSIONATELY
7:40:01PM ABOUT THE DISTRICT AS WELL, AND YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN A
7:40:05PM SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.
7:40:07PM THANK YOU.
7:40:07PM >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN GUDES, IF YOU WANT TO GO, SIR.
7:40:11PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SAYING, A CLOSED MOUTH
7:40:17PM DOESN'T GET FED.
7:40:19PM THAT'S TRUE FOR MY DISTRICT AND FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
7:40:24PM IF MY MOUTH HAD STAYED CLOSED, SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE
7:40:30PM PASSED WOULDN'T HAVE GOT FED.
7:40:33PM THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS SAY WE'RE HUNGRY.
7:40:35PM WE'RE HUNGRY.
7:40:37PM THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
7:40:40PM SOMEONE HAS TO PUT IT ON THE TABLE.
7:40:43PM SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT.
7:40:44PM NOW ME PUTTING ABOUT THE RESCUE CAR, IT OPEN UP A WHOLE
7:40:49PM 'NOTHER BOX ABOUT THE WHOLE CITY AS A WHOLE.
7:40:52PM YOU KNOW, I WORKED THE CITY.
7:40:54PM PEOPLE CAN'T COME AND JUST TELL ME ANYTHING SOMETIMES
7:40:57PM BECAUSE I KNOW BETTER.
7:40:58PM I KNOW BETTER.
7:40:59PM I KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE AND WHAT CAN'T BE DONE.
7:41:02PM I KNOW HOW THE POLITICS ARE PLAYED.
7:41:04PM IT'S LIKE A FOOTBALL GAME.
7:41:06PM I'M GOING TO CALL IT A TIE TONIGHT.
7:41:14PM CALL IT A TIE WITH THE COMMITMENT THAT IF WE DON'T DO WHAT
7:41:17PM WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO, I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A REMATCH.
7:41:20PM I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A REMATCH.
7:41:22PM AND BRING IT UP AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
7:41:24PM ANY ISSUE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE CITIZENS OF TAMPA OR
7:41:29PM IMPORTANT TO MY DISTRICT, I'M GOING TO FIGHT EVERY TIME,
7:41:33PM WHETHER THEY PASS OR NOT, IT'S GOING TO COME BACK TO THE
7:41:37PM TABLE UNTIL WE CAN RESOLVE AN ISSUE, A COMPROMISE, THAT
7:41:41PM PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION.
7:41:45PM IT'S NOT ABOUT THE COUNCIL.
7:41:47PM IT'S ABOUT THE TAXPAYERS GETTING THEIR DUE JUST NO MATTER
7:41:52PM WHERE THEY LIVE AND ESPECIALLY THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, AND
7:41:56PM WILL RAISE HELL EVERY TIME IF I FEEL THERE'S AN INJUSTICE.
7:42:01PM THAT'S WHAT 27 PRECINCTS IN MY DISTRICT TOLD ME TO DO.
7:42:07PM BUT 27.
7:42:13PM YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES.
7:42:15PM YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES.
7:42:18PM IF I DON'T GET THE ISSUE ON THE TABLE THAT THEY TOLD ME THEY
7:42:22PM WANT TO HEAR, THEN WHAT GOOD AM I?
7:42:24PM I HAVE TO BRING THE ISSUES FORWARD.
7:42:28PM I'M NEVER GOING TO HAVE MY COMMUNITY FIGHTING AGAINST ONE
7:42:31PM ANOTHER.
7:42:31PM THAT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
7:42:33PM I KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO KIND OF -- THE MESS WITH THE CAC BOARD
7:42:40PM AND OUR FAIR OAKS GROUP, BUT THEY WERE HERE TONIGHT.
7:42:44PM THEY SHOWED UP.
7:42:45PM I WON'T HAVE ANYBODY -- ANYBODY COME TO TRY TO DESTROY MY
7:42:49PM NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MY PEOPLE INFIGHTING.
7:42:52PM I AM THE LEADER OF DISTRICT 5.
7:42:54PM I AM THE LEADER OF DISTRICT 5.
7:42:56PM THAT'S WHO THE VOTERS EMPOWERED ME TO CARRY THE TORCH.
7:43:00PM I IMPLORE HELP FROM ANY COUNCIL MEMBER TO HELP ME CARRY THAT
7:43:04PM TORCH, BUT I WON'T LET ANYBODY INFILTRATE TO HAVE INFIGHTING
7:43:07PM WITH THE FOLKS IN DISTRICT 5.
7:43:09PM I KNOW WHAT THEY TOLD ME TO DO.
7:43:11PM I'M AT EVERY COMMUNITY MEETING, EVERY EVENT IN EAST TAMPA
7:43:15PM I'M AT OR IN THE CITY, PEOPLE SAY, MAN, IT'S A FULL-TIME JOB
7:43:18PM FOR YOU.
7:43:19PM YEAH, IT IS.
7:43:20PM BECAUSE I'M EVERY PLACE ALL THE TIME.
7:43:24PM SOMEBODY CAN COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND TELL ME SOMETHING
7:43:27PM THAT AIN'T TRUE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE.
7:43:31PM SOMEBODY THAT I KNOW GIVE ME A PLACE SO I CAN MAKE THAT CALL
7:43:35PM OR BE AT THE NEXT MEETING SO I CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FACTS
7:43:38PM WERE.
7:43:38PM BECAUSE I WAS AT THE FAIR OAKS MEETING MONDAY NIGHT.
7:43:41PM I WAS THERE.
7:43:42PM SO WHAT I WOULD SAY, GENTLEMEN, I HOPE -- MR. MIRANDA IS
7:43:47PM OLD-SCHOOL.
7:43:47PM I'M OLD-SCHOOL GUY.
7:43:49PM A HANDSHAKE, BUT I KNOW HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS SOMETIMES.
7:43:52PM HAND SHAKES CAN SAY ONE THING BUT IT CAN GET TURNED.
7:43:56PM AT THE END, ONCE WE POSSIBLY GET PAST THIS BUDGET PROCESS
7:44:01PM AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THE
7:44:04PM TRUST IS THERE AND THE COMMITMENTS ARE HONORED.
7:44:06PM THAT'S ALL I ASK.
7:44:08PM JOHN HAS BEEN ON THE JOB 22 DAYS.
7:44:11PM I CAN SAY HE'S DONE A HELL OF A LOT OF STUFF IN 23 DAYS.
7:44:17PM I HAVE TO GIVE THE MAN PROPS.
7:44:19PM HE'S WORKED HIS ASS OFF.
7:44:21PM HE ANSWERED, EVERY TIME I CALLED AND TOLD HIM -- PARKS.
7:44:26PM I HAVE A WHOLE LIST ABOUT PARKS.
7:44:28PM JOHN WENT OVER THERE AND HAD A MEETING.
7:44:30PM I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
7:44:32PM THAT'S IN DISTRICT FIVE, TOO.
7:44:34PM NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT PALMETTO BEACH.
7:44:36PM THEY ARE A FORGOTTEN PLACE, TOO.
7:44:38PM BUT THEY ARE IN 5.
7:44:39PM BUT THEY ARE IN 5.
7:44:41PM SO I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR THOSE PLACES THAT PEOPLE DON'T
7:44:45PM KNOW.
7:44:46PM SILVER SPRINGS WILL BE CALLING, TOO.
7:44:47PM GOT ISSUES THERE.
7:44:49PM GENTLEMEN, IT AIN'T JUST THE EAST.
7:44:51PM I TELL PEOPLE, I HAVE THE MOST DIVERSE DISTRICT WITH ALL
7:44:54PM KIND OF PEOPLE.
7:44:55PM MOST OF THEM ARE POOR.
7:44:57PM SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ME YELL OR SCREAM.
7:45:01PM IT'S NEVER PERSONAL.
7:45:03PM IT'S NEVER PERSONAL.
7:45:05PM IT'S ABOUT BUSINESS AND GETTING THE JOB DONE FOR THE PEOPLE.
7:45:08PM THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
7:45:09PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
7:45:11PM COUNCILMAN CITRO.
7:45:12PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
7:45:14PM WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE, AND WHEN I SAY "WE," THANK YOU,
7:45:19PM MADAM MAYOR.
7:45:20PM THANK YOU TO OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
7:45:23PM THANK YOU, CHIEF LoCICERO, CHIEF ROGERO, THANK YOU.
7:45:27PM THANK YOU TO THE FIRE UNION.
7:45:29PM THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY WHO HAS COME OUT AND SPOKE.
7:45:34PM WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED HERE TONIGHT IS DIALOGUE CAN SOLVE
7:45:38PM EVERYTHING.
7:45:39PM I'M GLAD TO SEE THE COHESIVENESS BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION
7:45:44PM AND BETWEEN THE COUNCIL.
7:45:45PM THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO KEEP TAMPA GROWING AND
7:45:50PM MAKE TAMPA BETTER.
7:45:56PM LET'S WORK TOGETHER, LET'S MAKE THIS EVEN BETTER IN THE NEXT
7:46:00PM COMING YEARS.
7:46:00PM THANK YOU.
7:46:01PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: RESPOND TO COUNCILMAN GUDES, I HAVE TO
7:46:04PM GIVE YOU PROPS.
7:46:05PM YOU'VE BEEN AN EXCELLENT REPRESENTATIVE.
7:46:07PM BEEN HERE FOR A FEW MONTHS TOGETHER, BUT YOU HAVE A LOT OF
7:46:11PM COURAGE, AND YOU STAND UP FOR THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS A
7:46:16PM COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN IGNORED.
7:46:18PM I SAID IT BEFORE BUT TRUE.
7:46:20PM EAST TAMPA IS VERY DIVERSE BUT PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT IT.
7:46:22PM YOU MENTIONED PALMETTO BEACH.
7:46:23PM IT IS A FORGOTTEN AREA AND SO MANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
7:46:26PM I RESPECT THE FACT THAT YOU FIGHT, AND YOU DO WHAT YOU WERE
7:46:31PM ELECTED TO DO, AND THAT IS YOU SPEAK.
7:46:33PM YOU LISTEN, AND AS YOU SAY, YOU ARE HUNGRY, AND RIGHTFULLY
7:46:37PM SO, BECAUSE EAST TAMPA IS THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT.
7:46:42PM I THINK WE'LL SEE A LOT OF CHANGES HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW
7:46:44PM YEARS.
7:46:45PM I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING YOU.
7:46:46PM I CAN'T PROMISE EVERY SINGLE TIME, AND BRINGING WHAT IS DUE
7:46:51PM TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
7:46:52PM I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS VERY MUCH.
7:46:54PM THANK YOU.
7:46:56PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU.
7:46:56PM JUST ON MY OWN END, FOR COUNCILMAN GUDES, SOMETHING THAT WE
7:47:01PM TALKED ABOUT CHIEF BENNETT'S BACKGROUND IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
7:47:06PM OBVIOUSLY, MAYOR CASTOR IS BACK -- COUNCILMAN GUDES SERVED
7:47:11PM FOR ABOUT THREE DECADES IN THE TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
7:47:14PM SO WHENEVER IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, THIS IS SOMETHING
7:47:16PM THAT THIS MAN FEELS IN HIS HEART.
7:47:19PM THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A FIGHT VERY CLOSE TO HIM.
7:47:22PM I THINK WHENEVER WE LOOK AT THE ISSUES INVOLVING EAST TAMPA
7:47:24PM AND WHY THIS COUNCIL STUCK THEIR NECK OUT FOR THAT EXTRA
7:47:28PM MILLION DOLLARS, IT WASN'T JUST AS A FAVOR TO A NICE GUY.
7:47:33PM COUNCILMAN GUDES CERTAINLY IS A NICE GUYS AND WE'RE ALL
7:47:35PM FRIENDS WITH HIM AND HE IS A VIGOROUS FIGHTER FOR HIS
7:47:38PM DISTRICT, IT'S ALSO BECAUSE OF THE ACUTE, HISTORICAL ISSUES
7:47:40PM THAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT EAST TAMPA.
7:47:42PM EAST TAMPA IS WHERE IT'S AT NOT BECAUSE OF HAPPENSTANCE.
7:47:46PM IT'S BECAUSE OF INTENTIONAL STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER
7:47:49PM THE LAST 50, 100 YEARS.
7:47:51PM WE KNOW WHAT THOSE STEPS ENTAILED.
7:47:54PM IT'S OUR DUTY PRESENTLY TO NOT JUST KNOW THOSE STEPS, BUT TO
7:47:58PM TAKE STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE ON OUR OWN END TO REMEDY THOSE
7:48:01PM INJUSTICE BY GIVING THAT AREA OF TAMPA RESPECT.
7:48:05PM SO FOR ME, ISSUES LIKE THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY A NO-BRAINER 110%.
7:48:09PM I'D LIKE TO, AND OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT MAKING A MOTION IN THIS
7:48:12PM REGARD, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, HAVE THE PARTIES COME BACK IN
7:48:15PM A HUNDRED DAYS, BECAUSE THIS IS AN ISSUE.
7:48:17PM I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DISPUTE THAT THIS AREA WOULD
7:48:20PM BENEFIT FROM THE FULL-TIME SERVICE AS OPPOSED TO PEAK HOUR
7:48:24PM SERVICE.
7:48:25PM I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DISPUTE ABOUT THAT.
7:48:26PM THE DISPUTE IS WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET THE MONEY FROM?
7:48:29PM I WANT TO, AND I WOULD SUGGEST THE PARTIES COME BACK IN A
7:48:33PM HUNDRED DAYS AND TO REPORT NOT ONLY ON EAST TAMPA, BUT ALSO
7:48:37PM THERE WAS A MENTION OF STATION 13.
7:48:39PM I MEAN, EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN IN, WE ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT THE
7:48:42PM PROBLEMS AT STATION 13 WITH THE TERRACE PARK, BUSCH
7:48:45PM BOULEVARD, NORTH TAMPA COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT
7:48:48PM AREAS IN THE CITY THAT OBVIOUSLY NEED THAT HELP.
7:48:50PM WHEN I TAKE A LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND NOT JUST DEALING WITH
7:48:53PM PUBLIC SAFETY BUT AS A WHOLE, I SEE IT AS A HOPEFUL PREFACE
7:48:57PM FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS.
7:48:59PM WE ALL WENT OUT THERE AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO
7:49:02PM DO FOR NEIGHBORHOODS, FOR ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE CITY
7:49:05PM OF TAMPA.
7:49:06PM I HOPE THAT WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE FUTURE BUDGETS THAT
7:49:09PM WE'RE GOING TO SEE REAL ROBUST INVESTMENTS IN ALL OF OUR
7:49:13PM NEIGHBORHOODS.
7:49:13PM IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE PAID A LOT OF ATTENTION TO
7:49:15PM DOWNTOWN.
7:49:16PM IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERY 21st CENTURY CITY TO HAVE A
7:49:20PM VIABLE RESIDENTIAL DOWNTOWN.
7:49:21PM BUT BEGINNING IN 2017, WE BEGAN TO SHIFT AWAY FROM THAT AND
7:49:26PM THE TALK ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
7:49:29PM THAT WAS THE YEAR WE TALKED ABOUT, AND WE PASSED
7:49:31PM IMPROVEMENTS WITH WILLIAMS PARK, VILA BROTHERS PARK, NEW
7:49:34PM TAMPA RECREATION CENTER, ET CETERA.
7:49:36PM YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT -- AND I BROUGHT PICTURES
7:49:39PM AND AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT -- AND IT'S FUNNY.
7:49:41PM THIS COUNCIL TONIGHT IN MANY WAYS A POSITIVE DIALOGUE ABOUT
7:49:47PM CHIEF BENNETT.
7:49:47PM YOU KNOW, WE HAD PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS ON GREAT CONCERNS THAT
7:49:51PM I HAD IN A COUPLE OF AREAS OF MY DISTRICT THAT HAVE BEEN
7:49:55PM VERY IGNORED.
7:49:56PM WE WERE TALKING ABOUT COPELAND PARK AND I'LL SHOW A PICTURE
7:49:59PM HERE ON SOMETHING THAT THIS BUDGET BEGINS TO REMEDY.
7:50:02PM COPELAND PARK, COUNCILMAN GUDES KNOWS THAT.
7:50:04PM YOU HAVE SOME PROPERTIES HERE.
7:50:06PM IF YOU ALL DON'T MIND -- YOU KNOW WHAT, IF YOU DON'T MIND,
7:50:12PM YEAH.
7:50:12PM I APPRECIATE IT.
7:50:13PM THANK YOU, MR. SHELBY.
7:50:16PM THAT RIGHT THERE, THERE IS A BOARDWALK THAT IS IN COPELAND
7:50:18PM PARK THAT HAS BEEN IN GROSS DISREPAIR FOR SOME TIME.
7:50:22PM AND MR. SHELBY IS GOING TO PUT UP A PICTURE.
7:50:25PM THAT IS WHAT WAS UP FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE WHENEVER THE
7:50:28PM GOOD WORKING PEOPLE OF COPELAND PARK WENT TO THAT AREA ON
7:50:31PM THAT BOARDWALK.
7:50:32PM CAN YOU IMAGINE SEEING THAT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
7:50:35PM WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE DOES THAT SEND ABOUT WHAT THE CITY OF
7:50:37PM TAMPA THINKS ABOUT COPELAND PARK.
7:50:39PM MARTY, IF YOU COULD PUT THE NEXT ONE UP.
7:50:41PM I FEEL LIKE I'M IN TRIAL HERE.
7:50:43PM THAT IS HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW.
7:50:45PM THAT'S CERTAINLY AN IMPROVEMENT FROM KEEP OUT WITH SPRAY
7:50:47PM PAINT.
7:50:48PM NOW, MARTY, IF YOU COULD TAKE THE NEXT ONE UP THERE.
7:50:51PM THESE ARE PICTURES I TOOK MYSELF, I GUESS IT WAS THE SUNDAY
7:50:54PM BEFORE WE DID THE FIRST READING ON THE BUDGET.
7:50:56PM SENT THEM OVER TO MR. BENNETT.
7:50:58PM IF YOU COULD PUT A COUPLE MORE PICTURES, MARTY, I'D
7:51:00PM APPRECIATE IT.
7:51:01PM AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT THAT COMMUNITY HAS TO SEE.
7:51:04PM WHAT KIND OF A MESSAGE DOES THAT SEND?
7:51:06PM THIS BUDGET BEGINS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO GET THE DREDGING
7:51:09PM PROCESS BECAUSE -- AND I'LL GET ON THAT ONE NEXT, TO TAKE
7:51:14PM CARE OF THAT BOARDWALK OVER AT COPELAND PARK.
7:51:18PM ADDITIONALLY, THIS BUDGET INCLUDES $25,000 FOR
7:51:20PM BEAUTIFICATION OF COPELAND PARK.
7:51:22PM THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I SOUGHT AFTER THE FACT, AS WELL AS
7:51:25PM REPAIR OF THAT BRIDGE.
7:51:26PM THAT IS TAKOMAH PARK.
7:51:27PM FOR THE GOOD PEOPLE OUT THERE AT TERRACE PARK AND BUSCH
7:51:29PM BOULEVARD, LOOK AT THE PARK, HOW MUCH DISREPAIR IT IS.
7:51:32PM THIS BUDGET INCLUDES, FROM MY MEETINGS WITH MR. BENNETT AND
7:51:35PM THE MAYOR, $25,000 FOR BEAUTIFICATION OF THE PARK.
7:51:39PM I SPOKE TO THE TERRACE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LAST
7:51:41PM NIGHT, TOLD THE FOLKS ABOUT IT AND WE'LL HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD
7:51:44PM PARK ENHANCEMENT PARTY OUT THERE.
7:51:46PM WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
7:51:47PM I HOPE THAT FUTURE BUDGETS TAKE THIS AS A DOWN PAYMENT ON
7:51:51PM PARKS, ON FAMILY LIFE IN THIS CITY, AND ON PUBLIC SAFETY IN
7:51:54PM THE CITY.
7:51:55PM YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I RAN FOR OFFICE IS TO INVEST IN OUR
7:52:00PM NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE ISSUES THAT I CARE ABOUT.
7:52:02PM THE PRESENTATION -- AND THANK YOU, MARTY, FOR THAT -- THE
7:52:03PM PRESENTATION THAT WAS DONE A WEEK AGO WHEN IT COMES TO
7:52:07PM ENHANCEMENTS AND ACCESSIBILITY IN ALL OF OUR CITY PARKS FOR
7:52:10PM CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THANK YOU VERY
7:52:12PM MUCH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ABOUT $2 MILLION, AND THE NEXT SEVEN
7:52:16PM YEARS, WE CAN MAKE THAT GO DOWN 110% BY DEDICATING TWO,
7:52:20PM THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.
7:52:25PM WE CAN DO THAT.
7:52:26PM IF YOU HAVE A KID WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THAT MEANS A LOT TO
7:52:29PM YOU.
7:52:29PM IF YOU DON'T HAVE A KID WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THAT SHOULD MEAN
7:52:31PM A LOT TO YOU BECAUSE OF COMMON EMPATHY AND HUMAN DECENCY.
7:52:36PM I SEE THIS BUDGET AS A DOWN PAYMENT ON THAT TO BEGIN TO MAKE
7:52:38PM IT THE RIGHT WAY.
7:52:39PM IT IS IN SOME WAYS A NO THRILLS AND NO FRILLS BUDGET.
7:52:43PM IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE PUT A COUPLE OF FRILLS.
7:52:46PM I USE THAT TERM INAPPROPRIATELY.
7:52:48PM THESE AREN'T FRILLS.
7:52:49PM THESE ARE BASIC NEEDS.
7:52:50PM SO WE'RE GETTING THERE AND I THINK THAT'S A POSITIVE THING.
7:52:53PM ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS BEFORE WE TAKE MOTIONS,
7:52:56PM ET CETERA?
7:52:56PM NEXT WE'RE GOING TO DO THE READING OF THE MILLAGE RATE
7:53:08PM RESOLUTION.
7:53:08PM I WOULD ASK FOR THAT TO BE DONE BY OUR FINANCE CHAIR,
7:53:11PM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
7:53:11PM YES, MA'AM.
7:53:14PM I'M SORRY.
7:53:15PM >>MARTIN SHELBY: ACTUALLY.
7:53:16PM I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SKIP THAT STEP.
7:53:18PM WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION BUT WE'LL MOVE ON TO
7:53:20PM THE TECHNICAL PARTS NOW.
7:53:22PM >>LUIS VIERA: WE DON'T DO THAT.
7:53:25PM >>SAL TERRITO: YOU'RE CLOSING THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE
7:53:27PM OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET.
7:53:29PM >>MARTIN SHELBY: WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT BY MOTION.
7:53:31PM WE JUST ANNOUNCE THAT.
7:53:32PM >>SAL TERRITO: I THINK TAKE A MOTION.
7:53:35PM >>MARTIN SHELBY: JUST TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
7:53:37PM >>LUIS VIERA: MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CITRO.
7:53:39PM SECOND BY COUNCILMAN GUDES.
7:53:41PM ANY IN FAVOR?
7:53:45PM ANY OPPOSED.
7:53:45PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: MR. CHAIRMAN, A RESOLUTION LEVYING AN AD
7:53:48PM VALOREM TAX RATE OF SIX AND TWO THOUSAND, SEVENTY-SIX TEN
7:53:55PM THOUSANDTHS OR 6.2076 MILLS UPON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL
7:53:59PM TAXABLE PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF TAMPA FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
7:54:02PM 2020, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR, THE CITY CLERK TO CERTIFY SUCH
7:54:08PM MILLAGE; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
7:54:11PM BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TAMPA,
7:54:14PM FLORIDA.
7:54:15PM >> SECOND.
7:54:15PM >>LUIS VIERA: WE HAVE A MOTION BY --
7:54:18PM >>MARTIN SHELBY: ENTIRE THING.
7:54:23PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: BELIEVE ME, IT'S LONG.
7:54:25PM THAT AN AD VALOREM TAX RATE OF SIX AND TWO THOUSAND,
7:54:31PM SEVENTY-SIX TEN THOUSANDTHS (6.2076) MILLS TO RAISE THE
7:54:37PM AMOUNT OF MONEY AS FIXED IN THE RECOMMENDED OPERATING AND
7:54:40PM CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, FOR THE FISCAL
7:54:42PM YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2019 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30,
7:54:47PM 2020, FOR THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION
7:54:50PM OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, IS HEREBY LEVIED AS PROVIDED
7:54:53PM BY LAW ON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXABLE FOR THAT
7:54:57PM PURPOSE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.
7:54:59PM THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY CLERK, AS THE PROPER AUTHORITIES
7:55:04PM OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, ARE DULY AUTHORIZED AND EMPOWERED AND
7:55:09PM DIRECTED TO CERTIFY TO THE PROPERTY APPRAISER OF
7:55:12PM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, THE MILLAGE TO BE LEVIED FOR
7:55:15PM ALL PURPOSES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2020 IN THE CITY OF
7:55:19PM TAMPA, FLORIDA, TO WIT: 6.2076 MILLS, WHICH EXCEEDS THE
7:55:25PM ROLLED-BACK RATE OF 5.8181 MILLS AS DEFINED IN SECTION
7:55:32PM 200.265 (1) OF THE STATUTES OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA BY
7:55:40PM 6.69%.
7:55:41PM AND THAT REQUEST THE LEVY OF MILLAGE AS SET FORTH UPON ALL
7:55:46PM REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, AS
7:55:49PM ABOVE SET FORTH IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE
7:55:52PM CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
7:55:54PM THAT ALL PROPER OFFICERS OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA,
7:55:59PM AUTHORIZED TO DO ALL THINGS NECESSARY AND PROPER IN ORDER TO
7:56:02PM CARRY OUT AND MAKE EFFICIENT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF
7:56:06PM THIS RESOLUTION WHICH SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE AND IMMEDIATELY
7:56:09PM UPON ITS ADOPTION.
7:56:12PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
7:56:13PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THERE IS A MOTION -- AM I CORRECT, MOTION
7:56:18PM MADE TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE.
7:56:19PM >>LUIS VIERA: THAT WAS IT, CORRECT?
7:56:20PM WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
7:56:23PM SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CITRO.
7:56:25PM ALL IN FAVOR?
7:56:25PM ANY OPPOSED?
7:56:26PM NEXT, IF OUR FINANCE CHAIR, COUNCILMAN CHARLIE MIRANDA COULD
7:56:30PM READ THE ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING.
7:56:34PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I MOVE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE BUDGET
7:56:36PM OF THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2019, AND ENDING
7:56:40PM SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 AS PRESENTED BY THE MAYOR, PROVIDING FOR
7:56:44PM THE LEVY AS PROVIDED BY LAW OF A TAX AND ALL TAXABLE
7:56:50PM PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND FIXING THE MILLAGE WITHIN
7:56:52PM SAID CITY; MAKING APPROPRIATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
7:56:57PM PROVISIONS OF SAID BUDGET; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE
7:57:00PM MAYOR AND CITY CLERK, AS THE PROPER AUTHORITIES OF THE CITY
7:57:03PM OF TAMPA TO CERTIFY TO THE PROPERTY APPRAISER OF
7:57:06PM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, THE MILLAGE HAS BEEN LEVIED
7:57:09PM FOR ALL PURPOSES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2020, IN THE CITY OF
7:57:13PM TAMPA; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
7:57:15PM >>LUIS VIERA: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
7:57:17PM A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO.
7:57:19PM ALL IN FAVOR.
7:57:20PM DO WE NEED TO TAKE ROLL CALL?
7:57:22PM I APOLOGIZE.
7:57:25PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: YES.
7:57:28PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: AYE.
7:57:29PM >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES.
7:57:31PM >>LUIS VIERA: YES.
7:57:31PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: AYE.
7:57:33PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: YES.
7:57:35PM >>BILL CARLSON: YES.
7:57:36PM >>THE CLERK: THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
7:57:38PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I MAKE A MOTION ALSO TO ADOPT THE CAPITAL
7:57:41PM IMPROVEMENT AND BUDGET RESOLUTION.
7:57:43PM >>LUIS VIERA: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
7:57:44PM A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO.
7:57:46PM ALL IN FAVOR?
7:57:47PM ANY OPPOSED?
7:57:47PM OKAY.
7:57:48PM NOW, BEFORE WE DO A MOTION TO CLOSE, I WANT TO TAKE, IF I
7:57:51PM MAY, MOTIONS AS THEY APPLY TO FUTURE REPORTING AS TO
7:57:56PM TONIGHT'S BUDGET.
7:57:57PM I KNOW COUNCILMAN GUDES, DID YOU WISH TO MAKE ANY, SIR?
7:58:02PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: LED US INTO IT.
7:58:04PM MAKE A MOTION FOR STAFF TO COME BACK WITHIN A HUNDRED DAYS
7:58:12PM AS IT RELATES TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICE.
7:58:17PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: SECOND.
7:58:19PM >>MARTIN SHELBY: MORE SPECIFICALLY THE FULL-TIME --
7:58:21PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: I'M GETTING TO THAT.
7:58:23PM REFERENCE TO CITYWIDE SERVICE AND ALSO THE FULL-TIME UNIT IN
7:58:26PM EAST TAMPA, STATION 16.
7:58:29PM >>LUIS VIERA: MAY I HAVE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THAT, IF I
7:58:32PM MAY, TO ALSO INCLUDE STATION 13 IN THAT?
7:58:34PM >>ORLANDO GUDES: SURE.
7:58:35PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
7:58:36PM I APPRECIATE IT SIR.
7:58:37PM WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GUDES.
7:58:40PM A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
7:58:41PM ALL IN FAVOR?
7:58:43PM ANY OPPOSED?
7:58:43PM OKAY.
7:58:44PM >>THE CLERK: DO YOU WISH TO PUT A DATE, HUNDRED DAYS?
7:58:53PM >>LUIS VIERA: THAT WOULD BE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER,
7:58:56PM PROBABLY THE FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR.
7:59:10PM >> [INAUDIBLE]
7:59:12PM >>LUIS VIERA: OKAY.
7:59:12PM ANY OTHER MOTIONS AS IT RELATES TO THE BUDGET?
7:59:17PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE SECOND
7:59:19PM PUBLIC HEARING.
7:59:19PM >>LUIS VIERA: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
7:59:21PM SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO.
7:59:22PM ALL IN FAVOR?
7:59:23PM ANY OPPOSED?
7:59:23PM OKAY.
7:59:27PM TONIGHT'S HEARING IS ADJOURNED.
7:59:28PM [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]
7:59:28PM I APOLOGIZE.
7:59:29PM INFORMATION AND REPORTS.
7:59:31PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: NEW BUSINESS.
7:59:33PM THANK YOU.
7:59:33PM MR. CHAIRMAN, VERY SAD AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY IS AWARE --
7:59:41PM >>LUIS VIERA: IF EVERYBODY DOESN'T MIND, WE HAVE MAYBE ABOUT
7:59:43PM THREE MORE MINUTES.
7:59:44PM THANK YOU.
7:59:44PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: VERY SAD, I'M SURE EVERYBODY IS AWARE
7:59:46PM THAT THIS PAST WEEKEND WE LOST ONE OF OUR GREAT CIVIC
7:59:51PM ACTIVISTS AND A WONDERFUL FRIEND, VICKI POLLYEA.
7:59:57PM OUR DEEPEST REGRETS GO OUT TO HER HUSBAND ARCHIE AND ANY
8:00:01PM FAMILY MEMBERS.
8:00:03PM I WON'T GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT VICKI.
8:00:08PM SHE SPOKE FOR HERSELF.
8:00:10PM A GREAT CHAMPION FOR HER NEIGHBORHOOD, BAYSHORE GARDENS, FOR
8:00:17PM ALL NEIGHBORHOODS AND SHE WAS UP IN FRONT OF THIS PODIUM AND
8:00:20PM SPEAKING IN FRONT OF US INDIVIDUALLY FOR THE LAST 15, 20
8:00:23PM YEARS.
8:00:23PM WE'RE ALL GOING TO MISS HER DEEPLY.
8:00:25PM WITH THAT SAID, MY MOTION IS TO -- AND I THINK MR. CITRO
8:00:31PM ACTUALLY ALREADY DID A COMMENDATION FOR HER, BUT MY MOTION
8:00:36PM IS ACTUALLY TO GO A LITTLE FURTHER.
8:00:38PM I TALKED TO HER HUSBAND.
8:00:39PM SHE HAD A GREAT AFFINITY FOR FRED BALL PARK ON BAYSHORE,
8:00:44PM TINY POCKET PARK.
8:00:45PM SPECIFICALLY, THERE IS A GAZEBO THERE.
8:00:49PM WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS REQUEST THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND
8:00:54PM I'M SURE THE ADMINISTRATION KNEW VICKI AND THAT MAYOR CASTOR
8:01:01PM KNEW VICKI, THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO NAME THAT GAZEBO.
8:01:06PM IT DOESN'T HAVE A NAME RIGHT NOW, BUT NAME THAT GAZEBO AFTER
8:01:10PM MS. POLLYEA AND PERHAPS PUT UP AN APPROPRIATE SIGN OR
8:01:13PM PLAQUE.
8:01:13PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
8:01:14PM COUNCILMAN CITRO.
8:01:16PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: COUNCIL MEMBERS, I DID SPEAK WITH THE MAYOR
8:01:18PM TODAY AT THE WEST TAMPA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING.
8:01:22PM MAYOR CASTOR IS FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
8:01:24PM THANK YOU, JOHN.
8:01:28PM GREAT IDEA.
8:01:29PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
8:01:30PM WE HAVE A VERY THOUGHTFUL MOTION BY COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER, A
8:01:34PM SECOND BY A VERY THOUGHTFUL SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO.
8:01:37PM ALL IN FAVOR?
8:01:38PM ANY OPPOSED?
8:01:38PM ANYTHING ELSE, SIR?
8:01:40PM >>JOHN DINGFELDER: NO, THANK YOU.
8:01:41PM >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN GUDES, ANYTHING?
8:01:44PM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO?
8:01:45PM COUNCILMAN CITRO?
8:01:46PM >>JOSEPH CITRO: NOT AT THIS TIME.
8:01:47PM >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
8:01:48PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: ONE, SIR.
8:01:50PM MOTION TO PRESENT A COMMENDATION TO COACH BOBBY DIAZ WHO
8:01:53PM RECENTLY RETIRED AS COACH OF CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL.
8:01:56PM HE'S BEEN A COACH FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS.
8:01:58PM I'D LIKE TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION COMMENDATION ON THURSDAY,
8:02:00PM OCTOBER 17th, 2019.
8:02:02PM >>LUIS VIERA: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
8:02:04PM A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO.
8:02:06PM ALL IN FAVOR?
8:02:06PM ANY OPPOSED?
8:02:07PM ANYTHING ELSE, SIR?
8:02:08PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: NO, SIR.
8:02:08PM >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, SIR.
8:02:10PM I HAVE NOTHING.
8:02:11PM RECEIVE AND FILE.
8:02:11PM >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: SO MOVED.
8:02:12PM >>LUIS VIERA: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO.
8:02:14PM A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
8:02:15PM ALL IN FAVOR?
8:02:16PM ANY OPPOSED?
8:02:17PM COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED.
8:02:17PM THANK YOU.
8:02:18PM AND EVERYONE OUT THERE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
8:02:20PM PATIENCE.
8:02:20PM THANK YOU.
8:02:21PM [ADJOURNMENT]
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