TAMPA CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2022
9:00 A.M. SESSION
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09:04:16 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THERE WE GO.
09:04:17 GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
09:04:20 WELCOME TO TAMPA CITY HALL, OLD CITY HALL.
09:04:23 I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO
09:04:24 ORDER.
09:04:27 AT THIS TIME, IF WE CAN JUST HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE
09:04:28 PLEASE.
09:04:30 [MOMENT OF SILENCE]
09:04:36 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:04:40 PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
09:04:54 [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
09:04:56 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
09:04:58 >>BILL CARLSON: HERE.
09:04:59 >>ORLANDO GUDES: HERE.
09:05:00 >>JOSEPH CITRO: HERE.
09:05:01 >>LUIS VIERA: HERE.
09:05:03 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE.
09:05:05 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE.
09:05:08 >>CLERK: WE HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM.
09:05:09 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MR. SHELBY.
09:05:11 >>MARTIN SHELBY: GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS
09:05:13 OF TAMPA CITY COUNCIL.
09:05:16 MARTIN SHELBY, CITY ATTORNEY.
09:05:19 WE ARE HERE FOR A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AND THE
09:05:23 PURPOSE OF THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO SELECT AND
09:05:27 FILL THE VACANCY FOR THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF DISTRICT 3
09:05:29 AT-LARGE CITY COUNCIL SEAT.
09:05:32 THAT PERSON BEING SWORN IN AT THE APRIL 7, 2022
09:05:33 MEETING.
09:05:35 NOW THE PUBLIC AND THE CITIZENS OF TAMPA ARE ABLE TO
09:05:40 WATCH AND VIEW THIS MEETING ON SPECTRUM 640, FRONTIER
09:05:43 CHANNEL 15, AND ON THE INTERNET LIVESTREAMING AT
09:05:47 TAMPA.GOV/LIVESTREAM, ONE WORD.
09:05:53 NOW THIS MEETING DOES INCORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA
09:05:56 TECHNOLOGY PURSUANT TO COUNCIL'S POLICY.
09:06:01 THEREFORE, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT COUNCIL WOULD WAIVE
09:06:04 THE RULES TO INCLUDE THE USE OF CMT IN TODAY'S
09:06:04 PROCEEDINGS.
09:06:06 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: SO MOVED.
09:06:08 >>JOSEPH CITRO: SECOND.
09:06:10 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL IN FAVOR.
09:06:12 ANY OPPOSED?
09:06:13 >>MARTIN SHELBY: THANK YOU.
09:06:15 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND
09:06:18 WE BEGIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE APPLICANTS THAT ARE
09:06:18 HERE TODAY.
09:06:22 THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF DUTY FOR YOUR
09:06:27 COMMITMENT FOR SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY AND GREAT
09:06:27 CITY.
09:06:28 I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
09:06:31 I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO APPLY.
09:06:33 TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC EYE.
09:06:36 TO STAND BEFORE COUNCIL AT THE LECTERN.
09:06:39 PUBLIC SPEAKING IS NEVER EASY.
09:06:42 I WILL TELL YOU THE LAST TIME THIS TOOK PLACE WHEN WE
09:06:45 HAD TWO VACANCIES IN THE COUNCIL IN 2010, I WAS ONE OF
09:06:47 THE APPLICANTS.
09:06:50 AND COUNCILMAN CITRO WAS ONE OF THE APPLICANTS.
09:06:52 SO WE KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE THERE.
09:06:55 AND, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE, YOUR
09:06:58 DEDICATION, YOUR COMMITMENT AND DESIRE TO SERVE.
09:07:00 I KNOW MANY FACES.
09:07:03 I RECOGNIZE MANY FACES, AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE BLESSED
09:07:05 WITH SO MANY WONDERFUL CANDIDATES.
09:07:07 THANK YOU.
09:07:09 ALL RIGHT, HAVING SAID THAT, WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC
09:07:09 COMMENT.
09:07:11 THIS IS NOT FOR THE APPLICANTS.
09:07:14 IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK BUT ARE NOT AN APPLICANT,
09:07:18 PLEASE APPROACH THE LECTERN AND STATE YOUR NAME.
09:07:23 YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
09:07:25 >> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL.
09:07:29 MY NAME IS JAY PASSMORE.
09:07:31 I'M HERE TO SPEAK OF THE VERY IMPORTANT MATTER OF THE
09:07:32 STATE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL.
09:07:40 AS I LOOK AT CITY COUNCIL, I SEE ALL CISGENDER MEN.
09:07:43 AS I LOOK AT CITY COUNCIL, I SEE ONE BLACK PERSON.
09:07:47 THE STATE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL AND THE WAY THAT IT IS
09:07:50 MOVING COULD POTENTIALLY -- IF ONE MEMBER IS FORCED
09:07:55 OUT, THE ONLY BLACK MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL FORCED OUT
09:07:58 LEADS TO AN ALL-WHITE CITY COUNCIL.
09:08:01 CURRENTLY, OUR CITY COUNCIL IS NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE
09:08:06 DIVERSITY OF TAMPA AND ITS RESIDENTS.
09:08:11 I TAKE VERY -- I TAKE OFFENSE TO SOME OF THE ARTICLES I
09:08:15 HAVE SEEN AND SOME OF THE THINGS I HAVE SAID REGARDING
09:08:19 WHEN OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS -- I KNOW WE ARE NOT
09:08:22 ALLOWED TO SAY NAMES, BUT EVERY CITY COUNCILMEMBER
09:08:27 SITTING THROUGH HAS DONE SOMETHING EGREGIOUS.
09:08:29 JUST LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS MET
09:08:33 WITH A KNOWN WHITE SUPREMACIST WHO BEAT BLACK WOMEN IN
09:08:35 THE STREETS.
09:08:37 COMMUNITY PATRIOTS IS WHAT THEY ARE CALLED.
09:08:40 THE FOUNDER OF THAT GROUP WITH THE MOST LAZIEST SEARCH
09:08:44 EVER ON FACEBOOK COULD YOU FIND HIM BRAGGING AND HAVE
09:08:47 PICTURES OF HIM TALKING OF STORMING THE CAPITOL.
09:08:50 YET A CITY COUNCILMEMBER THOUGHT IT WAS IN GOOD
09:08:54 STANDING TO MEET WITH THIS WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUP.
09:08:57 WHEN I TALK ABOUT WHAT CITY -- WHAT THE CITY OF TAMPA
09:09:00 DESERVES AND NEEDS, IT NEEDS PEOPLE WITH EMPATHY, WITH
09:09:04 COMPASSION, AND CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING.
09:09:08 AS I LOOK AND I AM NOT HERE TO SAY IF THE ALLEGATIONS
09:09:11 ARE TRUE OR FALSE SURROUNDING ONE OF OUR CITY
09:09:14 COUNCILMEMBERS, BUT WHEN I SEE A BUNCH OF WHITE MEN
09:09:16 TRYING TO FORCE OUT THE ONLY BLACK PERSON ON COUNCIL
09:09:20 WHO HAVEN'T COME UP AND OWN THEIR WRONGS TO THE
09:09:21 COMMUNITY.
09:09:25 LAST YEAR -- IN 2020, EXCUSE ME, I WAS HIT BY A WHITE
09:09:28 SUPREMACIST AT A PROTEST.
09:09:33 2020, I WAS BEAT AND LEFT UNCONSCIOUS FOR 12 MINUTES BY
09:09:34 TPD.
09:09:38 CURRENTLY, TODAY, MY HIPS ARE NOT ALIGNED.
09:09:41 I AM PERMANENTLY DISABLED FROM THE ACTIONS OF 2020.
09:09:45 ONE CITY COUNCILMEMBER SAY PROTESTS DON'T WORK.
09:09:49 THE LAST TIME I CAME TO CITY COUNCIL, I WAS ASSAULTED
09:09:52 BY A POLICE OFFICER.
09:09:56 AND I TAKE BILL CARSON SAID THAT PROTESTS WORK.
09:09:57 WE DON'T WORK HERE ANYMORE.
09:09:59 HE IS A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER.
09:10:01 THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
09:10:04 YOU SIT HIGH, YOU LOOK LOW, AND YOU DON'T LOOK AT THE
09:10:05 NEEDS OF WHAT PEOPLE NEED.
09:10:07 WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING TO SEE WHO IS GOING TO BE
09:10:11 APPOINTED TO DINGFELDER'S SEAT, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE
09:10:12 NEEDS AND THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.
09:10:17 YOU NEED TO ANALYZE YOUR OWN PRIVILEGE AND UNDERSTAND
09:10:20 WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM AND HOW YOU ARE ACTING AND
09:10:21 THIS IS MY TIME.
09:10:22 THANK YOU.
09:10:27 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:10:33 ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER.
09:10:35 PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
09:10:36 >> GOOD MORNING.
09:10:41 MY NAME IS SALLYESE LEE.
09:10:45 A GREETING TO ALL WOMEN HERE TODAY WHO TOOK A
09:10:50 GRANDSTAND FORWARD TO COME FORWARD, STAND UP, MOVE
09:10:51 FORWARD ON THE ISSUES.
09:10:55 NUMBER ONE, HOMELESS HOUSING TO SHOW CONCERN FOR
09:10:56 ISSUES.
09:11:00 HOMELESS CHANGING AGENDA TO HUMANITY.
09:11:07 KNOWING HOUSING LAWS SET FOR CHANGE AND TRANSPARENCY.
09:11:14 FOR THE PEOPLE TO DO RIGHT BY ALL, KNOW THE EMERGENCY
09:11:17 FOR RENT FREE TO BE CIVIL AND IMPARTIAL.
09:11:20 WE MUST SURVIVE TOGETHER.
09:11:24 HOUSING JUSTICE.
09:11:28 THE PURPOSE OF HOUSING AND HOMELESS RIGHTS TO
09:11:31 AFFORDABILITY MUST BE ANNOUNCED AND APPOINTED.
09:11:32 AMEN, AMEN.
09:11:34 FUTURE JUSTICE NOW BEGINS.
09:11:38 AMEN.
09:11:42 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:11:45 NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
09:11:48 >> GOOD MORNING, JAMES MICHAEL SHAW, JR.
09:11:50 WEST TAMPA RESIDENT.
09:11:54 AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ONE OF THE
09:11:54 APPLICANTS.
09:11:57 I ALREADY E-MAILED YOU WHAT I HAD TO SAY, BUT I WANT TO
09:11:59 READ TO YOU WHAT OTHERS HAD TO SAY THAT COULDN'T BE
09:12:02 HERE THIS MORNING UNTIL THEY STOPPED ME AND THE CLOCK
09:12:03 RUNS OUT.
09:12:07 JADE ALEXANDER CRAIG FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO'S
09:12:10 DISTRICT.
09:12:15 CONNIE BURTON HAS COME FROM AN AREA.
09:12:18 FROM THE ROOTS OF COMMUNITY UNDER AND ADDS A VOICE THAT
09:12:20 NEEDS TO BE ON TABLE.
09:12:23 WHETHER SITTING ON THE OUTSIDE AS AN ACTIVIST, SHE
09:12:26 NEEDS TO BE IN A COLLEAGUE AND DECISION-MAKER.
09:12:30 SHE SAID WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE OUR TIMES AND ADDING HER
09:12:32 TO THE COUNCIL WILL DO JUST THAT.
09:12:36 ROBERT C. WILLIAM, DISTRICT 5, COUNCILMAN GUDES'
09:12:37 DISTRICT.
09:12:41 I KNOW THE YEARS OF TIRELESS EFFORTS OF MISS BURTON
09:12:46 WILL KEEP HER ATTUNED TO THE WORKING-CLASS AND POOR
09:12:47 CITIZENS OF TAMPA.
09:12:52 DEVIN CHEATS.
09:12:55 CONNIE BURTON, A TRUE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
09:12:58 I HAVE THE PLEASURE TO KNOW HER.
09:13:01 SHE IS NOT JUST ONE THAT TALKS THE TALKS BUT WALKS THE
09:13:02 WALKS.
09:13:05 WORKING THE CITY TO SEEK JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
09:13:09 AN ADVOCATE FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN AND TRUE PUBLIC
09:13:12 SAFETY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LIVABLE WAGES AND A
09:13:16 MENTOR TO DOZENS THROUGHOUT TAMPA BAY AREA AND DOESN'T
09:13:19 DO IT FOR NOTE RIGHT BUT PRESERVATION FOR HERSELF AND
09:13:20 HER COMMUNITY.
09:13:24 SHE IS THE TRUTH AND SPEAKS THE TRUTH NO MATTER WHAT
09:13:26 POWER OR NOT.
09:13:28 COUNCILMAN GUDES DISTRICT.
09:13:30 KNOWS HER COMMUNITY COMMITMENT AND REPRESENTS ALL OF
09:13:31 THE PEOPLE.
09:13:36 KNOWN FOR INTEGRITY, HONESTY.
09:13:40 DELIA, A MEMBER OF COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO'S DISTRICT.
09:13:43 A MEMBER AND ADVOCATE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WILL WORK
09:13:44 HARD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
09:13:47 SEBASTIAN, GUDES DISTRICT.
09:13:50 REPRESENT THOSE WHO ARE NOT USUALLY REPRESENTED IN
09:13:50 TAMPA CITY COUNCIL.
09:13:53 STANDS FOR WHAT I WANT IN A CITY COUNCILLOR.
09:13:57 RAMONA JUDGE, COUNCILMAN GUDES DISTRICT.
09:14:00 I MET CONNIE BURTON IN 1995 FIGHTING FOR THE PEOPLE.
09:14:01 A CHAMPION FOR THE COMMUNITY.
09:14:04 BRITTANY, COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO'S DISTRICT.
09:14:08 I SUPPORT HER BECAUSE SHE IS PROGRESSIVE BLACK WOMAN.
09:14:14 CHARDONNAY, COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO DISTRICT.
09:14:17 WE NEED MORE COMMUNITY LEADERS IN ELECTED OFFICE TO PUT
09:14:19 THEIR VALUES TO WORK.
09:14:22 DAVID JONES.
09:14:25 SHE ADVOCATES FOR THE COMMUNITY AND AID AND RESOURCES
09:14:27 FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
09:14:29 THERE IS MANY MORE AND I HAVE TO STOP.
09:14:29 THANK YOU.
09:14:32 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:14:36 [APPLAUSE]
09:14:38 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: NEXT UP, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME,
09:14:39 SIR.
09:14:39 >> GOOD MORNING.
09:14:42 I AM DENNIS LOPEZ.
09:14:44 I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
09:14:49 I AM A LIFE-LONG TAMPA RESIDENT.
09:14:54 I HAD THE OCCASION AND PLEASURE TO MEET SOME OF YOU
09:14:57 FOLKS ON THE COUNCIL.
09:15:02 I TRULY LOVE AND CARE ABOUT THIS CITY OF MINE.
09:15:06 I HAD THE OCCASION TO LIVE IN OTHER PARTS OF THIS
09:15:06 COUNTRY.
09:15:10 AND I THINK THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT TAMPA HAS AND
09:15:12 CAN OFFER OTHERS IS TO BE ADMIRED.
09:15:15 IT IS TO BE TREASURED.
09:15:21 MY PARENTS, BOTH DECEASED, WERE LIFE-LONG TAMPA
09:15:22 RESIDENTS.
09:15:26 ONE OF MY GRANDPARENTS WERE BORN HERE BEFORE 1890.
09:15:32 SO I THINK I HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE HISTORY OF THIS
09:15:33 TOWN.
09:15:38 THE WONDERFUL HISTORY OF WHAT A MELTING POT IT WAS FROM
09:15:39 MANY CULTURES THAT CAME HERE.
09:15:45 MY OTHER THREE GRANDPARENTS IMMIGRATED TWO FROM ITALY,
09:15:48 ONE FROM SPAIN ALL SEEKING A BETTER LIFE.
09:15:51 IF THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN WATCHING AND PAYING ATTENTION
09:15:53 AND I AM SURE YOU HAVE.
09:16:01 TAMPA IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING AN UNPRECEDENTED BOON AND
09:16:01 CHANGE.
09:16:05 I READ THAT 100,000 PEOPLE ARE MOVING INTO THE STATE OF
09:16:06 FLORIDA EVERY YEAR.
09:16:10 TAMPA IS EXPERIENCING SOMETHING THIS WE HAVE NEVER HAD
09:16:10 BEFORE.
09:16:15 I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF THE CANDIDACY OF THIS
09:16:17 VACANCY, AND HER NAME IS MEREDITH FREEMAN.
09:16:21 AND SHE IS SEATED THERE IN THE BACK OF THIS ROOM.
09:16:24 ANOTHER SPEAKER TOUCHED A MOMENT AGO.
09:16:29 LOOKING AT THE PANEL, SUFFICE TO SAY, COULD POSSIBLY
09:16:33 BENEFIT PERHAPS BY A LITTLE DIVERSITY.
09:16:37 MEREDITH IS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN.
09:16:40 SHE LIVED IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA -- WORKED IN THE TAMPA
09:16:43 BAY AREA FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, GOING TO SCHOOL HERE.
09:16:47 ONE OF THE REASONS I ASKED HER WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE ON
09:16:49 CITY COUNCIL.
09:16:51 SHE SAID, I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
09:16:55 AND I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF A TEN-YEAR-OLD SON.
09:17:00 SHE IS AN ATTORNEY WITH A STELLAR REPUTATION AND CAREER
09:17:03 WITH FIRMS HERE IN THE TAMPA AREA -- HIGHLY RESPECTED
09:17:05 FIRMS HERE IN THE TAMPA AREA.
09:17:08 SHE BRINGS A VIEWPOINT, I WOULD SUGGEST, THAT PRESENTLY
09:17:13 MAY BE LACKING ON THE COUNCIL.
09:17:19 FOR THOSE REASONS, IF TAMPA IS STILL DESTINED TO BE
09:17:26 AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT CITY, I WOULD SEVERELY HOPE THAT
09:17:29 YOU WILL GIVE MISS FREEMAN YOUR CONSIDERATION.
09:17:30 THANK YOU.
09:17:36 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:17:37 ALL RIGHT.
09:17:39 NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
09:17:43 PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU APPROACH THE LECTERN.
09:17:46 >> HI, I AM BARBARA KENNEDY GIBSON.
09:17:54 SHE, HER ARE MY PRONOUNS AND I LIVE IN BILL CARLSON'S
09:17:55 DISTRICT.
09:17:57 A PROGRESSIVE BLACK WOMAN.
09:18:01 I LIVED IN TAMPA AND MY PARENT AND GRANDPARENTS ALSO.
09:18:03 AND MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN REAL ESTATE.
09:18:07 AND I THINK THAT I AND MY FAMILY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
09:18:09 SOME OF THE DAMAGE DONE IN THIS TOWN.
09:18:13 AND I THINK SOME REPARATIONS CAN BE DONE GETTING CONNIE
09:18:15 ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
09:18:18 CHRIS MORRISON IN DISTRICT 5.
09:18:21 WE NEED PEOPLE SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
09:18:24 CONNIE DOESN'T BACK DOWN AND PROPER PAIN FOR MANY
09:18:27 PEOPLE IN THE CITY BUT WILL ALWAYS FIGHT FOR WHAT IS
09:18:28 RIGHT.
09:18:31 WHEN YOU HAVE AN ACTIVIST LIKE CONNIE, SHE WILL STEP UP
09:18:32 IN PUBLIC OFFICE.
09:18:34 THAT IS AMAZING.
09:18:36 MANY ACTIVISTS WANT TO CRITICIZE FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT
09:18:39 THE FACT SHE WANTS A SEAT AT THE TABLE SPEAK VERY
09:18:41 HIGHLY OF HER.
09:18:43 MANY THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CITY AND HAS A STRONG
09:18:46 OPINION BUT WHEN SHE GETS IN THE OFFICE SHE WILL
09:18:49 REALIZE HOW COMPLEX THE SITUATION IS AND REALIZE IT
09:18:52 AIN'T EASY AND WE MAY THINK IT IS FROM THE OUTSIDE.
09:18:55 AGAIN, A VERY GOOD THING BECAUSE COMMUNICATE THE
09:18:57 COMPLEXITY BACK TO THE PEOPLE IN HER COMMUNITY.
09:18:59 I WOULD LOVE TO SERVE ON THIS SEAT MORE THAN ANYTHING.
09:19:03 THIS IS TOPHER MORRISON.
09:19:05 WOULD LOVED TO SERVE ON THE SEAT MORE THAN ANYTHING BUT
09:19:09 THE MOMENT I HEARD SHE WAS A POTENTIAL FOR THE SEAT, I
09:19:13 DIDN'T PURSUE IT BECAUSE THIS IS HOW STRONGLY I FEEL
09:19:15 SHE DESERVES THIS POSITION.
09:19:18 IN GOVERNMENT WHAT IS EASY ISN'T RIGHT AND WHAT IS
09:19:20 RIGHT ISN'T EASY.
09:19:24 CONNIE BURTON FOR THE CITY COUNCIL IS WHAT IS RIGHT.
09:19:27 DO WHAT IS EASY FOR YOUR OWN INTEREST OR DO WHAT IS
09:19:29 RIGHT FOR THE GOOD CITY OF TAMPA.
09:19:33 FREDDY WEST HUDSON IN ORLANDO GUDES' DISTRICT.
09:19:37 WE NEED SOMEONE WHO IS FAIR TO ALL AND WILL LISTEN AND
09:19:38 SPEAK THE TRUTH.
09:19:43 NESTER ORTIZ FROM DISTRICT 6, SHE UNDERSTANDS THE
09:19:45 COMMUNITY AND ISSUES IN A WAY THAT MANY PEOPLE CAN'T.
09:19:47 WE KNOW THAT.
09:19:51 MICHELLE WILLIAMS FROM DISTRICT 6, MANISCALCO'S.
09:19:53 A CHAMPION FOR THE COMMUNITY AND OUR ISSUES.
09:19:57 CHRISTOPHER CANO, CONNIE IS A TRUE GRASS-ROOTS VOICE
09:19:59 OF THE NEIGHBORS AND OUR FAMILIES.
09:20:01 SHE SHOULD BE THE VOICE ON THE COUNCIL FOR US.
09:20:04 CHRISTINE LEE SAID I BELIEVE IN HER.
09:20:09 JOSEPH MCCLENNAN SAYS SHE IS AS TAMPA AS TAMPA GETS.
09:20:12 YOU WANT TO KEEP THE SPIRIT OF TAMPA BAY, THIS IS A
09:20:14 STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
09:20:16 AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT.
09:20:20 I WAS -- I WAS INTEGRATED IN PLANT HIGH SCHOOL.
09:20:23 AND I BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH
09:20:25 HAVE SUFFERED.
09:20:27 BLACK PEOPLE I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH HAVE SUFFERED IN
09:20:27 THIS CITY.
09:20:30 AND I WOULD LIKE CONNIE BURTON.
09:20:31 THANK YOU.
09:20:35 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:20:36 ALL RIGHT.
09:20:38 NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.
09:20:39 STATE YOUR NAME.
09:20:43 >> GOOD MORNING, MENTESNOT.
09:20:46 I THINK THIS IS A MOMENTOUS DAY FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA
09:20:50 BECAUSE PEOPLE WE CRITICIZE FROM THE OUTSIDE AND PEOPLE
09:20:56 THAT WERE ADAMANT ABOUT -- HAD ADAMANT FEELINGS ABOUT
09:20:58 THAT IF THEY ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE PEOPLE
09:21:02 WE REPRESENT, WE SAY, HEY, MAYBE THE RIGHT THING ISN'T
09:21:05 DOING DONE AND PEOPLE LEFT OUT -- A PERCENTAGE OF THE
09:21:06 PEOPLE LEFT OUT.
09:21:09 PEOPLE HEARD ME USE THE 26% FIGURE ON NUMEROUS
09:21:10 OCCASIONS.
09:21:14 SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE CITY, THAT
09:21:17 SINCE THE CITY HAS BEEN FORMED PROBABLY IN THE 1850S,
09:21:20 THAT AFRICAN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF.
09:21:22 BLATANTLY LEFT OUT OF TAMPA.
09:21:29 AND IT IS NOT JUST WITH THE POLITICAL MACHINERY OF THE
09:21:29 CITY.
09:21:33 IT'S WITH THE JUDICIAL MACHINERY OF THE CITY.
09:21:38 IT IS WITH THE ECONOMICAL OF THE CITY.
09:21:42 WITH THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF THE CITY.
09:21:47 IT IS WITH RIVER WALK THAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
09:21:53 THAT WHERE YOU SEE THEY TOUTING RIVER WALK, BUT THEY
09:21:56 HAVE DESTROYED WEST TAMPA AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH.
09:22:02 WHEN I SAY "DESTROY" HOWSOEVER DEVELOPERS LOOK AT IT
09:22:04 AND IT IS LIKE GRAVY TRAIN FOR THEM, BUT FOR US AND
09:22:08 PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE US AND PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR AND
09:22:11 DISADVANTAGED, IT IS NOT A GOOD LOOK.
09:22:16 AND NOT THAT THEY CAN'T MAKE IT ANYMORE IN THIS CITY,
09:22:21 IT IS THAT THEY ARE BEING STAMPED OUT.
09:22:23 PEOPLE RENTS ARE BEING PAID FOR ONE PRICE TO ANOTHER
09:22:26 THAT IS PHENOMENALLY UNREEL.
09:22:29 NOT ONLY UNREAL, BUT UNFAIR.
09:22:33 IF THE RIGHT PEOPLE GET AHOLD OF IT, IT IS PROBABLY
09:22:34 ILLEGAL.
09:22:39 BUT THE RIGHT PEOPLE HAVEN'T GOTTEN A -- A HOLD OF IT.
09:22:41 NOW WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY -- A MOMENTOUS DAY IN THE
09:22:44 CITY OF TAMPA BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT
09:22:50 OR ELECT -- WHICHEVER WORD YOU WANT TO USE -- SOMEONE
09:22:54 WHO HAS THE LAST 30 SOMETHING YEARS HAVE STOOD UP
09:22:57 INDEPENDENTLY.
09:23:03 A PERSON WHO PROBABLY NO OTHER PERSON CAN POSSIBLY SAY.
09:23:08 EVEN IF THEY HAD TO STAND BY THEMSELVES YOU CAN PASS
09:23:11 AND SEE THAT PERSON ON THE STREET CORNER BY THEMSELVES
09:23:14 STANDING UP FOR THE PEOPLE.
09:23:17 THAT IS AN INTERESTING PERSON.
09:23:19 THAT IS A VERY INTERESTING PERSON.
09:23:20 THAT ONLY.
09:23:23 THAT IS AN INDICATION.
09:23:24 THAT IS VERIFICATION.
09:23:28 THAT IS AN ENDORSEMENT FOR ONE PERSON ONLY.
09:23:32 I AM NOT EVEN GOING TO CALL THAT PERSON'S NAME.
09:23:34 THAT IS ONE PERSON ONLY.
09:23:40 A PERSON WHO WE KNOW THAT IS NOT FINANCIALLY ENDOWED,
09:23:43 BUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE OUT OF THEIR POCKETS AND
09:23:45 GIVE TO THIS CITY.
09:23:48 IT IS TIME THIS CITY CAN DO SOMETHING FOR HER.
09:23:48 THANK YOU.
09:23:55 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
09:23:57 ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER PUBLIC
09:24:00 SPEAKERS HERE IN PERSON HERE TODAY?
09:24:00 ALL RIGHT.
09:24:02 WE HAVE A FEW THAT ARE REGISTERED ONLINE.
09:24:05 I SEE RICK FERNANDEZ IS THE FIRST SPEAKER.
09:24:06 IS THAT CORRECT?
09:24:10 GO AHEAD.
09:24:11 >> HELLO, CHAIR.
09:24:12 I AM RICK FERNANDEZ.
09:24:15 CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT?
09:24:16 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR, GO AHEAD.
09:24:17 >> THANK YOU.
09:24:18 GOOD MORNING TO ALL.
09:24:23 I FIRST WANT TO ASSOCIATE MYSELF WITH THE COMMENTS OF
09:24:27 CHAIR MANISCALCO AT THE TOP OF THE MEETING.
09:24:28 THANK YOU TO ALL THE APPLICANTS.
09:24:32 I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU PERSONALLY.
09:24:37 AND I, TOO, AM AWARE HOW SCARY IT CAN BE TO BE IN THE
09:24:39 SEATS THAT YOU OCCUPY AT THIS MOMENT.
09:24:42 STEPPING UP IS A COURAGEOUS ACT.
09:24:48 FOR ALL US, FROM ME, THANK YOU, FOR EVEN BEING THERE.
09:24:53 THAT SAID, COUNCIL, I COME TO YOU FROM TAMPA HEIGHTS.
09:24:58 INCORPORATE MY WRITTEN COMMENTS BY REFERENCE.
09:25:00 THEY WERE SUBMITTED LAST WEEK AND I STAND IN MORNING OF
09:25:07 ONE OF YOUR APPLICANTS AMANDA LYNN HURTAK TO FILL THE
09:25:11 DISTRICT 3 CITY COUNCIL.
09:25:15 IN CONSIDERING LYNN'S APPLICANT, PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF
09:25:19 HER RELEVANT RESUME REFLECTING, FIRST OFF, LEADERSHIP
09:25:24 IN THE OLD SEMINOLE HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
09:25:28 IN THAT CAPACITY, SHE HAD THE ABILITY TO MANAGE
09:25:31 RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DEVELOPERS AND RESIDENTIAL
09:25:35 COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR DESIGN
09:25:36 AND INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.
09:25:41 SHE HAS BEEN ON SERVICE ON THE VARIANCE REVIEW BOARD AS
09:25:44 WELL FOR SEVERAL YEARS UNDERSTANDING CITY CODE AND
09:25:47 ORDINANCES, A POSITION VERY RELEVANT TO THE POSITION
09:25:50 THAT ALL OF YOU FILL TODAY.
09:25:53 ALSO, HER SERVICE ON CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION SEVERAL
09:25:55 YEARS AGO.
09:25:58 AND THE FACT SHE IS A MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION
09:26:02 ADVOCATE AND ALL THAT THAT MEANS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
09:26:08 CITY OF TAMPA THAT WE ARE LIVING IN TODAY FOR BETTER OR
09:26:11 WORSE, ALL OF YOU KNOW ME.
09:26:13 AND I SAY THAT ADVISORY.
09:26:15 I KNOW I HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN ON THE SAME SIDE OF
09:26:17 ISSUES WITH ALL OF YOU.
09:26:22 BUT YOU ALL KNOW THE ISSUES THAT MOVE ME TO ACTION THAT
09:26:23 MOMENTS LIKE THIS.
09:26:29 FOR ME, IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT OPPOSING INTERSTATE
09:26:35 EXPANSION TO THE URBAN CORE OF TAMPA.
09:26:37 BROUGHT ME TO THE PUBLIC LIGHT SEVEN YEARS AGO BUT NOT
09:26:40 THE ONLY ISSUE THAT MOTIVATES ME.
09:26:43 IT IS ABOUT ADVOCACY FOR THE CITIZENS OF TAMPA.
09:26:45 OUR HISTORY, OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
09:26:52 IN MY OPINION LYNN HURTAK IS THE ADVOCATE WE NEED IN
09:26:54 THIS MOMENT AND FOR THE CITY.
09:26:57 YOU GENTLEMEN HAVE AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES THIS
09:26:57 MORNING.
09:27:00 THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD APPLICANTS BEFORE YOU.
09:27:05 BUT IN MY OPINION, LYNN HURTAK IS THE CROWN JEWEL.
09:27:09 AND I ASK THAT YOU FOLLOW MY ADVICE AND APPOINT HER IN
09:27:11 JOINING YOUR DAIS.
09:27:12 THANK YOU SO MUCH.
09:27:14 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR.
09:27:18 NEXT CHRISTINA ACOSTA.
09:27:21 >>CLERK: SHE NOT ON LINE.
09:27:26 IN LIEU OF HER APPEARANCE, SHE SENT AN E-MAIL TO
09:27:27 COUNCIL.
09:27:28 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: VERY GOOD.
09:27:30 NEXT IS MICHAEL RANDOLPH.
09:27:31 >> GOOD MORNING.
09:27:33 MY NAME IS MICHAEL RANDOLPH.
09:27:38 I AM WITH THE WEST TAMPA CAC.
09:27:46 I HOPE YOU DO WELL.
09:27:47 CRIME.
09:27:52 AND A STRONG UNDERSTANDING ON THE GROUND LEVEL AROUND
09:27:55 THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
09:27:58 APRIL 26, A NATIONAL MEETING ON WHAT WORKS WITH REGARDS
09:27:59 TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
09:28:03 MY CONCERN IS -- AND YOU SEE THE NUMBER GOES UP, THIS
09:28:07 SUMMIT ONE OF THE VIOLENT SUMMITS PROBABLY IN DECADES.
09:28:11 WE NEED TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF VIOLENT TIME
09:28:13 FROM A DISTANCE PERSPECTIVE.
09:28:15 AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION
09:28:19 BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE
09:28:21 NATION TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THAT
09:28:24 COMMUNITY.
09:28:29 THE CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE -- I WILL NEVER RUN FOR
09:28:31 OFFICE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO RIGHT AND YOU CAN'T DO
09:28:35 WRONG.
09:28:38 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:28:46 OH, NO, WE HAVE ONE MORE, STEPHANIE POYNOR.
09:28:48 >> HI, GOOD MORNING.
09:28:50 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GOOD MORNING.
09:28:54 >> THE PEOPLE OF TAMPA CHOSE COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER FOR
09:28:59 A REASON.
09:29:04 COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER, IN HIS POSITION TO STAND UP FOR
09:29:04 THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
09:29:08 COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER VOTED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT
09:29:10 EVEN WHEN IT WASN'T POPULAR.
09:29:12 THAT BIT HIM IN THE BUTT.
09:29:13 THE CITIZENS ARE WATCHING TODAY.
09:29:19 THEY ARE WATCHING TO SEE IF YOU CHOOSE A YES PERSON.
09:29:21 THEY ARE WATCHING TO SEE IF THAT PERSON CHOOSES TO WORK
09:29:27 WITH THE CITIZENS OR IS IT THEIR PRIORITY TO DO WHAT
09:29:34 THOSE WHO FUND THE PAC FUND BY DEVELOPERS WANT.
09:29:40 REMEMBER, CAC FOLKS, THEY MIGHT VOTE, BUT THEY CAN'T
09:29:42 VOTE IN MASS.
09:29:44 REMEMBER VOTERS ARE THE ONES THAT COUNT.
09:29:46 VOTERS ARE WATCHING.
09:29:47 VOTERS VOTE.
09:29:49 AND THEY ARE WATCHING.
09:29:54 VOTERS CREATE NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT PACS.
09:29:55 VOTERS WILL BE WATCHING.
09:29:57 DO THE RIGHT THING.
09:30:00 ASK EACH APPLICANT IF THEY ARE READY TO FIGHT FOR THE
09:30:04 RIGHT THING EVEN WHEN IT GOES AGAINST THE FLOW.
09:30:08 ASK EACH APPLICANT, IF THEY READ THE FLORIDA ETHICS
09:30:14 DECISION OF 2020-008 AND WILLING TO GIVE UP THEIR LEGAL
09:30:17 ESTATE AND LEGAL CAREERS WHILE IN OFFICE MAKING THE
09:30:20 WHOOPING $53,000 A YEAR THAT YOU GUYS DO.
09:30:22 DO THE RIGHT THING, GENTLEMEN.
09:30:26 PS, TWO MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH FOR EACH ONE OF THESE
09:30:27 CANDIDATES.
09:30:29 THAT WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION WOULD YOU HAVE 100
09:30:30 APPLICATIONS.
09:30:33 GIVE EACH APPLICANT AN ADDITIONAL MINUTE TO SPEAK.
09:30:34 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:30:36 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:30:37 ANYBODY REGISTERED?
09:30:41 SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
09:30:42 COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
09:30:46 >>BILL CARLSON: YEAH, IF I COULD, JUST WANT TO SAY FOR
09:30:49 THE RECORD I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS ABOUT ADDING
09:30:51 DIVERSITY.
09:30:55 WE NEED FEMALES AND MORE AFRICAN-AMERICANS ON THE
09:30:57 BOARD, BUT I WANT FOR THE RECORD SINCE THE MEDIA IS
09:31:01 HERE, THE HISPANIC LATINO COMMUNITY IN TAMPA IS ALSO
09:31:03 VERY IMPORTANT AND HELPED BUILD THIS COMMUNITY, AND I
09:31:07 DON'T KNOW WHICH OF MY COLLEAGUES IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC.
09:31:08 ANY OF YOU ALL?
09:31:11 CHARLIE, ANY --
09:31:19 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MY MOTHER IS FROM CUBA.
09:31:24 >>LUIS VIERA: I IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC.
09:31:28 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MY MOTHER IS BORN IN CUBA.
09:31:30 >>BILL CARLSON: I AM NOT SAYING HISPANIC VERSUS
09:31:35 AFRICAN-AMERICAN.
09:31:38 JUST SAYING THAT IT IS ALL WHITE -- I THINK WE NEED TO
09:31:43 RESPECT AND HONOR OUR HISPANIC HERITAGE IN TAMPA.
09:31:43 I AM NOT.
09:31:46 I AM SWEDISH-AMERICAN, AND I WANT TO IDENTIFY THAT.
09:31:48 THREE OF MY COLLEAGUES SPEAK SPANISH, AND AT LEAST A
09:31:53 COUPLE SPEAK ITALIAN, AND WE SHOULD MAKE SURE WE
09:31:55 ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANT HISTORY THEY HAVE IN TAMPA.
09:31:56 THANK YOU.
09:31:58 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMAN
09:31:58 GUDES.
09:32:00 >>ORLANDO GUDES: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
09:32:04 YOU KNOW WE LOST, IN MY OPINION, A TRUE SOLDIER, MR.
09:32:05 DINGFELDER.
09:32:07 SOMEONE WHO FOUGHT FOR COMMUNITIES.
09:32:14 SOMEONE WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO STAND UP, AND SOMEONE
09:32:17 THINKS THAT KNOW IN MY HEART CARED FOR THE PEOPLE.
09:32:20 I AM JUST GOING TO BE FRANK WITH THOSE APPLICANTS THAT
09:32:22 COME FORWARD BEFORE ME TODAY.
09:32:26 MOST OF YOU KNOW I STAND WITH THE PEOPLE.
09:32:28 I WON'T SUPPORT ANYBODY THAT WON'T STAND FOR THE
09:32:29 PEOPLE.
09:32:33 I WON'T SUPPORT ANYBODY WHO WON'T LOOK AT THE FACTS AND
09:32:37 MAKE A GOOD DECISION FOR THE CITY AND NOT BECAUSE OF
09:32:39 MONEY.
09:32:41 THE CITY MUST GROW.
09:32:44 WE MUST HAVE DEVELOPMENT, OF COURSE, BUT WE HAVE TO
09:32:48 HAVE DEVELOPMENT THAT IS ENCOMPASSING EVERYBODY IN THE
09:32:48 CITY.
09:32:53 I WILL SUPPORT INITIALLY WHO WILL NOT BE A PERSON WHO
09:32:59 WILL STAND UP WHEN THERE IS A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE.
09:33:05 AND SUPPORT ANYBODY WHO ADMINISTRATION IS OUT OF
09:33:08 CONTEXT AND WILL PUT IT BACK IN CONTEXT.
09:33:11 I SUPPORT A PERSON LIKE THAT AND MAKE A DECISION AND
09:33:13 THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE AND NOT BE AFRAID OF
09:33:16 CONSEQUENCES AND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS.
09:33:19 THAT IS THE PERSON BLACK, WHITE, LATINO.
09:33:23 I WANT THE PERSON WHO WILL STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT
09:33:25 THING FOR ALL PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL.
09:33:27 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN VIERA.
09:33:30 >>LUIS VIERA: COUNCILMAN CARLSON, THANK YOU FOR THE
09:33:31 HISPANIC REMARK.
09:33:33 THANK YOU FOR THAT AS I MAY.
09:33:36 I WANTED TO GIVE MY TWO THOUGHTS ON IT.
09:33:43 YESTERDAY EVENING AT AN EVENT AT ALLEN TEMPLE AT AME
09:33:48 CHURCH WITH THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING,
09:33:48 JR.
09:33:50 AND I HAD PRIDE AS AN OFFICIAL.
09:33:53 I SERVED FOR FIVE YEARS, AND WE HAVE ABOUT TWO DOZEN
09:33:57 PEOPLE HERE TODAY WHO ARE GOING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
09:34:00 AND IF -- AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE
09:34:01 HERE WHO TRIED TO APPLY.
09:34:04 I KNOW OF -- AND LATER ELECTED.
09:34:07 I KNOW OF OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS
09:34:09 WHO TRIED TO APPLY IN THE PAST.
09:34:12 DIDN'T MAKE IT AND THEN WERE ELECTED AND WHAT NOT.
09:34:15 IF YOU WERE NOT CHOSEN, YOUR TIME IN PUBLIC OFFICE,
09:34:18 THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE IT IS GOING TO GO -- GOING TO GO
09:34:22 AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO -- GOD WILLING -- HAVE MOMENTS
09:34:27 IN PUBLIC OFFICE THAT YOU LOOK BACK TEN MINUTES LATER,
09:34:30 TEN YEARS LATER AND SAY I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT I DID
09:34:31 THAT DAY.
09:34:33 I AM REALLY PROUD OF WHAT I SAID THAT DAY.
09:34:39 WHETHER IN THE MINORITY, MAJORITY, YOU ARE PROUD THAT
09:34:42 THE TIME YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AND FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES
09:34:45 SAY I KNOW WHY WE DID THAT AND PROUD OF IT.
09:34:47 ALL SIX OF US HAD MOMENTS LIKE THAT.
09:34:50 EVERYBODY IN PUBLIC OFFICE, REGARDLESS OF YOUR PARTY
09:34:52 AFFILIATION HAVE HAD MOMENTS LIKE THAT.
09:34:55 I CAN SAY THE BIGGEST THING THAT I AM LOOKING FOR -- I
09:34:56 SAID THIS MANY TIMES.
09:35:00 I VALUE PHILOSOPHY.
09:35:08 IDEOLOGY -- I SHOULDN'T SAY IDEOLOGY, STRIKE THAT.
09:35:10 I SUPPORT VALUES IN A PERSON.
09:35:11 THAT IS CRITICAL.
09:35:16 CIVILITY WITHIN PEOPLE AND WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER AND
09:35:16 BUILD BRIDGES.
09:35:18 THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME.
09:35:22 I WANTED TO SAY THAT THAT ALL OF YOU ARE GOING FOR
09:35:22 PUBLIC OFFICE.
09:35:27 A LOT OF HEART AND CHUTZPA TO GO OUT FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
09:35:30 YOU PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE IN PUBLIC AND PEOPLE TO
09:35:36 ANALYZE YOU, ETC., ETC., I SALUTE THAT AND, GOD WILLING,
09:35:38 YOU CAN HAVE THAT MOMENT IN PUBLIC OFFICE AND WE ALL
09:35:39 HAVE THAT IN OUR LIVES.
09:35:42 WHEN DO YOU SOMETHING AND YOU ARE PROUD OF THAT.
09:35:43 YOU ARE PROUD OF THAT.
09:35:46 THAT IS WHAT PUBLIC OFFICE IS ALL ABOUT.
09:35:48 BEING A HARRY TRUMAN.
09:35:48 THANK YOU.
09:35:50 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU.
09:35:52 ANYBODY ELSE?
09:35:53 ALL RIGHT.
09:35:55 THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
09:35:59 WE HAVE 23 CANDIDATES THAT HAVE QUALIFIED TO FILL THIS
09:36:02 VACANCY AND WE HAVE ALL THE APPLICATIONS.
09:36:03 I BELIEVE EVERYBODY HERE DOES.
09:36:06 I RECEIVED MINE ON FRIDAY AND I READ EACH AND EVERY
09:36:10 WORD AND EACH AND EVERY ACTION.
09:36:17 BECAUSE I KNOW YOU PUT A LOT OF HEART, EFFORT AND TIME
09:36:17 INTO THIS.
09:36:19 WE LOOKED AT -- I DID.
09:36:21 I LOOKED AT ALL THESE APPLICATIONS.
09:36:23 I HAVE IT BEFORE US.
09:36:25 EACH APPLICANT HAS TWO MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR
09:36:26 PRESENTATION.
09:36:30 THE APPLICANTS WILL BE CALLED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY
09:36:33 LAST NAME AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MAY ASK QUESTIONS
09:36:35 OF INDIVIDUAL APPLICANTS FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION.
09:36:37 I HAVE A QUESTION.
09:36:40 IN LOOKING AT HOW WE ALL CAMPAIGNED TIGER BAY AND
09:36:43 NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FORUM, USUALLY GIVEN 30
09:36:45 SECONDS OR 60 SECONDS TO RESPOND.
09:36:47 I THINK THAT WOULD BE FAIR.
09:36:49 THAT IS JUST MY SUGGESTION.
09:36:52 I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT HOW MANY QUESTIONS A
09:36:53 COUNCILMEMBER ASKS.
09:36:56 GENERALLY ASKED THREE QUESTIONS, TWO QUESTIONS,
09:36:58 DEPENDING ON THE FORUM.
09:37:00 DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY SUGGESTION MOVING FORWARD WITH
09:37:02 REGARDS TO ASKING QUESTIONS OF APPLICANTS AND THEIR
09:37:03 TIME?
09:37:05 COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
09:37:07 >>BILL CARLSON: SHOULD WE -- OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS
09:37:10 FOR ALL 23 OR --
09:37:11 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL 23.
09:37:14 SURE, TO KEEP IT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
09:37:18 A RESPONSE TIME 60 SECONDS PER QUESTION OR 30 SECONDS
09:37:20 PER QUESTION.
09:37:22 >>BILL CARLSON: WHAT HAPPENS IF WE ASK A QUESTION OF
09:37:25 ONE CANDIDATE WE FEEL COMPELLED -- WE HAVE SEVEN
09:37:28 QUESTIONS AT LEAST FOR EACH CANDIDATE.
09:37:29 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: UP TO YOU.
09:37:30 THERE MAY NOT BE QUESTIONS.
09:37:31 IT IS OPEN.
09:37:32 COUNCILMAN VIERA.
09:37:35 >>LUIS VIERA: I DON'T FORESEE MYSELF UNLESS SOMETHING
09:37:38 THAT REALLY NEEDS CLARIFICATIONS ASKING QUESTIONS.
09:37:40 I THINK THAT -- YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING VERY WELL, MR.
09:37:44 CHAIRMAN, WHICH IS THAT A LOT OF FOLKS -- THIS IS VERY
09:37:47 INTIMIDATING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE PRESENT, AND TO ASK
09:37:50 QUESTIONS OF A LOT OF PEOPLE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I
09:37:50 DON'T SEE MYSELF DOING.
09:37:52 I AM NOT COMMITTED TO NOT DOING IT.
09:37:55 ONE THING I WOULD SUGGEST AND SOMEONE SAID -- I THINK
09:38:01 IT WAS MISS POYNOR, GIVE APPLICANTS A 15-SECOND SAFETY
09:38:04 NET.
09:38:10 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MENTIONED AN EXTRA MINUTE.
09:38:12 >>LUIS VIERA: JUST BECAUSE -- 15 SECONDS ISN'T GOING
09:38:13 TO DO ANYTHING.
09:38:14 JUST MY OPINION.
09:38:18 BUT I DON'T FORESEE MYSELF ASKING A TON OF QUESTIONS, I
09:38:21 MAY, BUT I DON'T FORESEE IT.
09:38:22 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
09:38:25 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I DON'T SEE MYSELF ASKING A LOT OF
09:38:26 QUESTIONS.
09:38:29 AND THE REASON IS, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I SEE WITH THE
09:38:32 WAY IT IS DONE, THE ONES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST ARE
09:38:34 GOING TO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE IF WE ASK THE SAME
09:38:37 QUESTIONS AND THE ONES UP FRONT YOU GET AN ANSWER AND
09:38:40 BETTER PREPARED THAN THE ONES UP FRONT.
09:38:43 LIFE IN, FIRST OUT.
09:38:48 AND I AM OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE CLARITY, I AM NOT GOING
09:38:50 TO ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS.
09:38:51 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:38:59 OUR CLERK, MISS SHIRLEY FOXX-KNOWLES, IF YOU WILL TAKE
09:39:09 OVER AND CALL PEOPLE BY LAST NAME ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
09:39:15 >>CLERK: GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, SHIRLEY FOXX-KNOWLES,
09:39:16 CITY CLERK.
09:39:18 I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS TO
09:39:22 FILL THE VACANCY IN DISTRICT 3 AT LARGE.
09:39:27 THE CHAIR HAS NOTED SOME THINGS AS FAR AS THE 23
09:39:28 CANDIDATES.
09:39:32 AND REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS.
09:39:35 THE SELECTION WILL BE MADE BY BALLOT OF THE CITY
09:39:37 COUNCIL CURRENT MEMBERS.
09:39:42 EACH CITY COUNCILMEMBER SHALL SELECT ONLY ONE NAME.
09:39:47 THE APPLICANT WHO RECEIVES FOUR OR MORE VOTES SHALL BE
09:39:50 THE PERSON SELECTED TO FILL THE REMAINING TERM OF
09:39:51 OFFICE.
09:39:57 IN THE EVENT NO APPLICANT RECEIVES THE REQUISITE FOUR
09:40:00 VOTES, ONLY THE APPLICANTS RECEIVING THE GREATEST
09:40:09 NUMBER AND THE NEXT GREATEST NUMBER OF VOTES SHALL BE
09:40:12 ELIGIBLE FOR ANOTHER BALLOT OR RUNOFF.
09:40:15 AFTER EACH BALLOT ROUND, THE VOTE WILL BE COUNTED AND
09:40:20 AN ANNOUNCEMENT MADE REGARDING HOW EACH COUNCIL MEMBER
09:40:21 VOTED.
09:40:25 THE APPLICANT WHO RECEIVES FOUR MORE VOTES SHALL BE THE
09:40:27 PERSON SELECTED.
09:40:31 AND WITH THAT, I WILL PASS OUT THE BALLOTS BEFORE THE
09:40:37 PRESENTATION.
09:41:16 THE FIRST APPLICANT IS DR. SONJA BROOKIN.
09:41:17 >> GOOD MORNING.
09:41:18 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GOOD MORNING.
09:41:22 >> MY NAME IS DR. SONJA BROOKIN, AND I CURRENTLY SERVE
09:41:27 AS THE WATER CONSERVATION SUPERVISOR FOR DISTRICT 4.
09:41:31 I AM THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD
09:41:36 AFTER HAVING SECURED OVER 314,000 VOTES.
09:41:40 I APPEAR BEFORE THIS COUNCIL SEEKING AN APPOINTMENT TO
09:41:43 SERVE AS COUNCILWOMAN.
09:41:47 HOW CAN MY APPOINTMENT ENHANCE THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS
09:41:49 COUNCIL?
09:41:53 THERE ARE TWO REASONS BEYOND THE OBVIOUS FACT OF GENDER
09:41:55 AND ETHNICITY.
09:41:57 MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN.
09:42:02 MY CONNECTION AS A TAMPANIAN AS WELL AS MY ACTIVE
09:42:04 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
09:42:06 I HAVE EXPERIENCE RUNNING AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT
09:42:09 CAMPAIGN FOR OFFICE.
09:42:13 I RAN AS AN UNDERDOG AND WON.
09:42:17 LET'S NOT CHOOSE SOMEONE WHO WILL HAVE TO SERVE THIS
09:42:21 TERM WHILE SOLELY FOCUSED ON THE NEXT CAMPAIGN.
09:42:25 MY INVOLVEMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SPEAKS VOLUMES.
09:42:28 I WALK THE TALK DAILY.
09:42:34 NUMBER TWO, I AM EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS TO TRANSFORM
09:42:38 TAMPA BAY'S TOMORROW EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
09:42:44 THEREFORE, MY ROLE AS AN EDUCATOR HAS EQUIPPED ME.
09:42:47 MY ROLE AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WITH SIGNIFICANT BOARD
09:42:49 EXPERIENCE HAS EQUIPPED ME.
09:42:55 MY ROLE AS A RESIDENT AND ROTARIAN HAS EQUIPPED ME.
09:43:00 MY ROLE HAS CREATED A PREPAREDNESS OF ACUMEN FOR
09:43:01 TODAY'S APPOINTMENT.
09:43:04 SELECTING A CANDIDATE THAT DEMONSTRATED THAT TASK OF
09:43:06 LEADERSHIP WILL NOT SUFFICE SHORT TERM.
09:43:11 THE CITY NEEDS LONGEVITY PAST 2023.
09:43:14 REQUEST YOUR SELECTION OF ME, WE WILL TRANSFORM OUR
09:43:18 CITY AND ENSURE A PLACE OF INNOVATION AND SAFETY FOR
09:43:23 ALL RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS WHILE ENHANCING ECONOMIC
09:43:26 DEVELOPMENT, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE.
09:43:28 THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
09:43:31 AGAIN, MY NAME IS DR. SONJA BROOKIN.
09:43:35 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:43:45 [APPLAUSE]
09:43:53 >>CLERK: THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MISS CONNIE BURTON.
09:43:55 [APPLAUSE]
09:43:55 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM.
09:43:56 GO AHEAD.
09:43:58 >> YES, GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
09:44:05 THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT BECAUSE TODAY WILL DEFINE IF
09:44:10 THIS CITY IS MOVING MORE TOWARD A TWO-TIER SYSTEM OF
09:44:16 THEM AGAINST US OR IS THIS CITY PREPARED UNDER YOUR
09:44:22 LEADERSHIP TO EXPAND DEMOCRACY AND ALSO BE A
09:44:25 TRANSFORMATIVE CITY THAT COULD BE A LIGHTHOUSE FOR
09:44:26 OTHERS TO FOLLOW.
09:44:30 I AM A MOTHER TO A GRANDMOTHER, I DON'T HOLD ANY
09:44:32 SECONDARY DEGREES.
09:44:35 I RESPECT ALL THAT DO, BUT WHAT I DO HAVE IS SOMETHING
09:44:38 THAT MONEY CAN'T BUY.
09:44:41 AND THAT IS LOYALTY AND LOVE TO THE PEOPLE AND THE
09:44:42 COMMUNITY AND THIS CITY.
09:44:46 I HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF SERVICE TOWARD JUSTICE.
09:44:52 I WANT MY BODY OF WORK TO REFLECT THAT I HAVE ADVOCATE
09:44:56 -- I HAVE BEEN A PROUD ADVOCATE AND DEDICATED SERVANT
09:45:01 FOR THE COMMUNITY EVEN AT THE COST.
09:45:06 MY PASSION IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH MY DESIRE FOR THE
09:45:07 BETTERMENT OF ALL PEOPLE.
09:45:12 I DON'T POSSESS A -- A PASSIVE PIECE, BUT I BELIEVE
09:45:16 THAT TAMPA CAN BE TRANSFORMED THAT IT IS ENOUGH IN THIS
09:45:17 CITY FOR EVERYBODY.
09:45:21 I BELIEVE THAT GENTRIFICATION BEING ON THE FRONT LINE
09:45:24 IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS OUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
09:45:30 I BELIEVE THAT THERE, YOU GUYS, KNOW WHAT IS THE RIGHT
09:45:31 THING TO DO.
09:45:35 WHAT IS MISSING IS THAT PERHAPS YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO
09:45:38 SPEND YOUR POLITICAL CAPITAL TO DO IT.
09:45:42 BUT WHAT I AM ASKING IS BASED ON YOUR RESOLUTION THAT
09:45:45 YOU PASSED IN 2020, THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE MOST
09:45:52 MARGINAL GROUP IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT IF THE ATTENTION
09:45:54 WAS PASSED ON TO THOSE COMMUNITIES TO LIFT THOSE PEOPLE
09:45:58 UP AND GIVE THEM A VOICE, THEN EVERYTHING ELSE WILL
09:45:59 FALL IN LINE.
09:46:01 THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY THIS MORNING.
09:46:03 AND I APPRECIATE BEING HERE.
09:46:04 THANK YOU.
09:46:05 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:46:16 [APPLAUSE]
09:46:23 >>CLERK: THE NEXT APPLICANT IS MR. JAMES CHITTENDEN.
09:46:25 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR, GO AHEAD.
09:46:29 >> GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN.
09:46:32 MY NAME IS JAMES CHITTENDEN.
09:46:35 I AM THE FOUNDER AND CHIEF START-UP AND SMALL BUSINESS
09:46:40 STRATEGIST AT ONECLICKADVISOR.COM, THE ENTREPRENEUR'S
09:46:40 BEST FRIEND.
09:46:43 I HAVE HELPED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE START, MARKET,
09:46:47 OPERATE AND FINANCE BUSINESSES IN.
09:46:49 I HAVE ALSO SERVED ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES THAT
09:46:54 ADVISED THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR IN BUDGET, CRA, AND
09:46:57 PUBLIC NUISANCE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS.
09:47:00 WITH THAT SAID, I AM SURE ALL THIS AGREE IT IS PAST
09:47:03 TIME TO LEVEL UP SOME THINGS HERE IN.
09:47:10 I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THOSE WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY TO
09:47:13 RECRUIT BUSINESSES SUCH AS FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES HERE.
09:47:17 AND THE RESPONSES WE GET FROM THOSE CEOS.
09:47:18 WE HAVE BEEN REJECTED.
09:47:21 WE OUGHT TO USE THAT REJECTION AS MEMO PAD REMINDING US
09:47:26 OF SOME THINGS WE NEED TO IMPROVE TO LEVEL UP.
09:47:31 TAMPA HAD CHAMPIONSHIP BIG LEAGUE TEAMS BUT A MINOR
09:47:32 LEAGUE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
09:47:35 LET'S DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO LEVEL UP OUR PUBLIC
09:47:37 TRANSPORTATION.
09:47:41 TAMPA HAS HOUSING PRICE AND COST INCREASES OF LIVING
09:47:46 LIKE CALIFORNIA, BUT WITH WAGES MORE LIKE ALABAMA.
09:47:50 IF TAMPA HAD NEARLY AS MANY SOFTWARE ENGINEERS AND OTHER
09:47:54 TECH PROBLEM-SOLVERS AS IT DID REALTORS AND PERSONAL
09:47:58 TRAINERS, WE WOULD SURPASS SILICON VALLEY AS AN
09:48:00 INNOVATION DESTINATION.
09:48:02 THE RESULT WILL BE A MORE EQUITABLE AND DIVERSE
09:48:04 ECONOMY.
09:48:07 THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF TAMPA GOVERNMENT IS MIRED IN
09:48:11 NEGATIVE POLITIC AND MISPLACED PRIORITIES.
09:48:15 LIKE ALL OF YOU I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE FOCUS OF THE
09:48:17 HANDLING OF THE POLICE CHIEF.
09:48:21 I AM BOTHERED BY THE FOCUS ON JOHN DINGFELDER'S E-MAILS
09:48:23 AND ALL OF YOU -- AND EVERYTHING THAT SPUN OFF OF IT BY
09:48:23 THE WAY.
09:48:26 LIKE ALL OF YOU, I AM BOTHERED BY THE FOCUS OF
09:48:29 ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT.
09:48:31 LET'S LEVEL UP OUR POLITICS.
09:48:32 CHANGE THE CONVERSATION.
09:48:33 GET BETTER RESULTS.
09:48:36 FOCUS ON BETTER THINGS AND GET BETTER RESULTS.
09:48:39 I AM JAMES CHITTENDEN.
09:48:44 THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
09:48:54 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:49:00 >>CLERK: THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS DR. CAROLYN HEPBURN
09:49:04 COLLINS, IF SHE IS HERE.
09:49:07 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: DR. COLLINS, ARE YOU HERE?
09:49:18 THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS THOMAS CONNELLY.
09:49:20 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR, GO AHEAD.
09:49:22 >> CHAIRMAN MANISCALCO, COUNCILMEMBERS, STAFF, FELLOW
09:49:24 APPLICANTS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
09:49:27 UNLIKE MOST APPLICANTS, I DID NOT GROW UP IN TAMPA.
09:49:32 MY DAD WAS A CAREER ARMY OFFICIAL, AND I FOLLOWED IN HIS
09:49:35 FOOTSTEPS AND JOINED THE AIR FORCE AND SERVED FOR THREE
09:49:36 DECADES.
09:49:39 50 YEARS I LIVED AND SERVED ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH
09:49:44 DIVERSE CULTURES, RELIGIONS AND IN WAR AND IN PEACE.
09:49:47 MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT AMERICA'S MILITARY IS A
09:49:51 CROSSSECTION OF SOCIETY, DRESS ALIKE AND LIVE TO SERVE
09:49:53 BUT SOMETIMES THAT IS WHERE THE SIMILARITIES STOP.
09:49:56 50 YEARS TOLD ME TO BUILD TEAMS WITH PEOPLE DIFFERENT
09:50:01 THAN ME, RESPECT OTHERS IN EXPERIENCES AND LIVE AND
09:50:04 BUILD CONSENSUS AND GET THINGS DONE AND NOT JUST THINGS
09:50:05 MY WAY.
09:50:09 WHEN WE RETIRED, MY WIFE AND I PICKED TAMPA BECAUSE OF
09:50:11 DIVERSITY AND HISTORY.
09:50:14 I AM PROUD I LIVE IN TAMPA, BUT REGULARLY LISTENING TO
09:50:17 FELLOW CITIZENS SPEAK AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS I HEARD
09:50:20 FIRST HAND WHAT WE MUST DO BETTER.
09:50:23 I KNOW HOW TO GET THINGS DONE WITH NO-NONSENSE, HARD
09:50:25 WORK, TEAMWORK AND CONSENSUS.
09:50:29 I WANT TO DEVELOP A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT DIRECTS
09:50:32 GROWTH TO BEST SUITED AREAS WHERE IT MAKES SENSE SO
09:50:35 PLANS DON'T ECONOMICALLY DISPLACE PEOPLE FROM THEIR
09:50:38 NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOMES AND DESTROY THE CHARACTER OF
09:50:41 THE UNIQUE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MAKE TAMPA WHAT IT IS.
09:50:45 I WANT TO BUILD RESPONSIBLE GROWTH AMID CLIMATE CHANGE.
09:50:50 ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND NEED FOR REALISTIC PUBLIC
09:50:51 TRANSPORTATION.
09:50:53 TRANSPORTATION IS A QUALITY OF LIFE AND A PUBLIC SAFETY
09:50:53 CONCERN.
09:50:56 IF SELECTED, I WOULD DO BETTER THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP
09:50:58 WITH THE MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION.
09:51:01 PEOPLE WON'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT PEOPLE NEED TO TALK AND
09:51:04 NOT BLINDSIDE EACH OTHER ON DECISIONS THAT IMPACT US
09:51:04 ALL.
09:51:08 LASTLY, I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO READ IN THE NEWS THAT
09:51:10 SOME MEMBERS WILL NOT SELECT A MALE APPLICANT.
09:51:15 I HOPE THIS IS NOT TRUE.
09:51:19 A COUNCIL SHOULD NOT REDUCE TO SEX, GENDER.
09:51:23 TO REDUCE WITH A CATEGORY IS IN ACTUALITY
09:51:24 DISCRIMINATION.
09:51:27 ALL APPLICANTS, EACH OF US, DESERVE EQUAL
09:51:27 CONSIDERATION.
09:51:30 I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THIS CHALLENGE AND THANK YOU
09:51:31 FOR YOUR TIME.
09:51:44 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:51:51 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MR. ROBERT
09:51:53 "PETE" EDWARDS.
09:51:54 >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
09:51:55 I WILL GET RIGHT TO IT.
09:51:58 I AM ROBERT PETE EDWARDS.
09:52:02 MY FOURTH TIME SEEKING AN INTERIM SEAT ON CITY COUNCIL.
09:52:03 THE ORIGINAL ONE WAS AN ELECTION.
09:52:07 I GOT ALL FOUR MAJOR NEWSPAPER ENDORSEMENTS THAT WENT
09:52:09 TO LES MILLER.
09:52:11 FRANK REDDICK WAS ALSO ON THAT SEAT.
09:52:13 DURING THAT TIME, I CONTINUED TO DO WORK IN THE
09:52:14 COMMUNITY.
09:52:17 MY RECORD IN THE COMMUNITY PROFESSIONALLY AND
09:52:19 PERSONALLY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
09:52:22 WHEN I CAME BACK FOR THE SECOND TIME TO GET AN INTERIM
09:52:25 APPOINTMENT, THE WORD WAS OUT THAT, HEY, THE COUNCIL
09:52:28 SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT SOMEONE THAT WAS GOING TO RUN FOR
09:52:29 OFFICE.
09:52:33 MY INTENTIONS THEN AND NOW STILL -- I AM NOT SEEKING A
09:52:35 PERMANENT SEAT.
09:52:38 WHEN I SAW THAT FIRST ONE, I WAS TOLD OFF CHANCE.
09:52:40 BETTY WIGGINS WON THAT SEAT.
09:52:43 ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT THAT ONE, WE HAD A
09:52:45 COUNCILMEMBER WHO MADE IT CLEAR THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED
09:52:48 IN APPOINTING ANY BLACK MAN FOR INTERIM SEAT.
09:52:49 I CAME BACK THE THIRD TIME.
09:52:54 THAT IS WHEN FRAN DAVIN GOT THE SEAT.
09:52:56 I GOT ONE MORE VOTE THAN THE FIRST TIME.
09:52:57 NOW I'M HERE AGAIN.
09:53:00 MY WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
09:53:02 I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE PLANNING OF THE MARION
09:53:03 TRANSIT WAY.
09:53:06 I SERVED ON THAT AS A LAY LEADER ON THAT BOARD WITH
09:53:10 FATHER CANELY TO DEAL WITH ALL THE ISSUES WITH
09:53:11 DOWNTOWN.
09:53:12 I COME BACK.
09:53:16 I WAS IN THE HOUSING BOARD -- THE HOUSING.
09:53:18 MOBLEY PARK.
09:53:21 ALL I AM ASKING IS YOU GOT TO START WORKING WITH PEOPLE
09:53:27 WHO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT MIND, WHO IS A POLICY, AND
09:53:31 WHEN IS IT AGAINST THE LAW THAT YOU CAN'T -- YOU CAN
09:53:32 SERVE BUT NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
09:53:34 I TOOK THE LIBERTY THIS TIME NOT TO CONTACT ANY
09:53:38 COUNCILMEMBER BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
09:53:39 WE GOT TO CHANGE IT.
09:53:42 I CAN GO RIGHT IN TOMORROW AND GIVE YOU 13 THINGS WE
09:53:45 GOT ON OUR PLATE RIGHT NOW THAT HAS BEEN LINGERING FOR
09:53:46 A LONG TIME.
09:53:50 I REALIZE THE DYE HAS BEEN CAST ON THIS ONE LIKE THE
09:53:51 LAST TWO.
09:53:55 EVEN ON THE CRA BOARD WHEN THEY TOLD ME TO APPLY
09:53:58 BECAUSE THE DOWNTOWN CRA BOARD DOESN'T HAVE A BLACK
09:53:59 MEMBER.
09:54:01 APPLIED AND THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP AND THE DEVELOPERS
09:54:04 GOT WHO THEY WANT AND GOT THE SECOND PERSON THE SECOND
09:54:06 TIME I APPLIED FOR THAT.
09:54:07 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
09:54:19 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
09:54:26 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MR. RON FAIR.
09:54:28 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR, GO AHEAD.
09:54:29 >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
09:54:30 MY NAME IS RON FAIR.
09:54:34 I AM A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER LICENSED IN 16 STATES.
09:54:38 A LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR, PETROLEUM CONTRACTOR,
09:54:40 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, PLUMBING CONTRACTOR.
09:54:42 YOU HAVE MY EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE.
09:54:46 IT ALSO INCLUDES ALL THE CHARITIES THAT MY WIFE AND I
09:54:47 SERVE.
09:54:51 I, TOO, LOVE THE CITY BUT I HAVE SEEN THE CITY EVOLVE,
09:54:54 SOME VERY GOOD, AND SOME NOT SO GOOD IN THE 30 YEARS I
09:54:55 HAVE BEEN HERE.
09:54:57 I PULLED A SURVEY OF THE TOP 25 CITIES TO LIVE IN THE
09:55:02 U.S. AND I WAS SAD TO SEE TAMPA IS NOT THERE.
09:55:05 MONEY MAGAZINE TOP 50, TAMPA IS NOT THERE.
09:55:10 I HAD TO GO TO A SURVEY FOR THE TOP 150 TO FIND US IN
09:55:11 8TH.
09:55:12 ST. PETE IS 43.
09:55:14 HIALEAH IS 67.
09:55:19 TALLAHASSEE IS 76 AND MIAMI IS 86.
09:55:23 WE ARE BETTER THAN THEM.
09:55:27 THE GOOD NEWS IS, ECONOMICALLY, WE ARE 16.
09:55:30 THE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH, BUT THEY DON'T LIE.
09:55:35 SADLY, ALSO, ONE OF THE BAD AND NOT SO GOOD THINGS IS
09:55:36 WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY.
09:55:41 SYSTEMATICALLY, THE ISSUE WAS NOT FIXED WITHIN.
09:55:43 IT WAS FIXED EXTERNALLY.
09:55:48 THAT MEANS THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
09:55:52 IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY SOMEBODY IF NOT MYSELF, LIKE
09:55:57 MYSELF WHO IS AN ENGINEER, A BUSINESSMAN, OR AS DIVERSE
09:56:03 A COMPANY HAS ANYBODY AMONGST OUT PEERS.
09:56:06 WE FIX PROBLEMS BY DEFINING THEM.
09:56:11 65 TO 70% OF FIXING A PROBLEM IS DEFINING IT PROPERLY.
09:56:16 YOU GET YOUR SOLUTIONS, YOU PICK THE BEST ONE, YOU
09:56:21 MONITOR IT, YOU HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT, BUT YOU
09:56:24 ALSO HAVE THE HUMILITY IN MONITORING IT THAT IF IT IS
09:56:27 NOT GETTING THE INTENDED RESULTS, YOU FIX IT.
09:56:31 YOU CHANGE THE COURSE.
09:56:35 IN THE WORDS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, WE MUST FOLLOW THE TRUTH
09:56:37 WHEREVER IT MAY LEAD.
09:56:39 I HEARD TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY.
09:56:42 AND I AGREE, BUT IT IS NOT GENDER.
09:56:44 IT IS NOT RACE.
09:56:45 IT IS THE AGENDA OF THOUGHT.
09:56:47 IT IS AN AGENDA OF STRENGTH.
09:56:54 IT IS AN AGENDA OF A WILL TO SERVE AND CHANGE.
09:56:55 I HAVE THAT EDUCATION AND COMMON SENSE.
09:57:00 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
09:57:02 >> THAT MY TIME.
09:57:18 OKAY.
09:57:29 >>CLERK: THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MR. THOMAS E. FEASTER.
09:57:31 >> GOOD MORNING.
09:57:33 THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOU
09:57:34 ON COUNCIL.
09:57:37 MY NAME IS TOM FEASTER.
09:57:41 THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA RECRUITED ME TO TAMPA OVER FOUR
09:57:45 DECADES AGO WHERE I COMPLETED A MASTER'S DEGREE IN
09:57:47 EDUCATION AND SERVED THERE IN A NUMBER OF
09:57:51 ADMINISTRATIVE IN ADMISSION, ATHLETICS AND PUBLIC
09:57:52 AFFAIRS.
09:57:55 I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH CLASSES ON THE PRINCIPLES
09:57:58 OF REAL ESTATE AS WELL.
09:58:04 WHILE SERVING AS UT'S ALUMNI DIRECTOR, MY MISSION WAS
09:58:06 TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR UT FROM THE TAMPA
09:58:07 COMMUNITY.
09:58:11 THIS LED ME TO BEING SELECTED TO ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS
09:58:14 LEADERSHIP TAMPA AND LEADERSHIP TAMPA BAY.
09:58:19 THE MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA RECOGNIZING MY
09:58:22 PASSION FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE SUBSEQUENTLY EMPLOYED ME
09:58:24 OF COMMUNITY OF LIAISON.
09:58:28 WHILE WITH THE MERCHANTS, I SERVED ON A HOST OF
09:58:30 NONPROFIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN ADDITION TO WORKING
09:58:34 WITH BOTH THE CITY OF TAMPA AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA ON
09:58:35 SPECIAL PROJECTS.
09:58:39 CURRENTLY, I SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE STEWART'S
09:58:46 FOUNDATION, INC. WHOSE MISS MISSION IS TO USE TEAMWORK
09:58:48 AND RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN TAMPA.
09:58:54 MY PASSION FOR IMPROVING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION LED ME
09:58:57 TO RUN AND BE ELECTED AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED
09:58:59 STATES ROWING ASSOCIATION.
09:59:04 DURING MY NINE-YEAR TENURE, I TOOK A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN
09:59:07 FORMING A U.S. ROWING TASK FORCE THAT LED TO THE
09:59:10 HIRING OF ITS FIRST DIRECTOR OF INCLUSION.
09:59:13 ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT WHILE A DIRECTOR WAS
09:59:16 BEING SELECTED TO SERVE AS CHAIR.
09:59:21 THIS COMMITTEE CHAMPIONED A PROGRAM ENCOURAGED BY THE
09:59:24 UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE CALLED SAFE SPORT,
09:59:28 WHICH FOCUSED ON THE ELIMINATE OF BAD BEHAVIOR IN THE
09:59:29 SPORT.
09:59:33 TO DEAL WITH SUBJECTS SUCH AS BULLYING, HARASSMENT AND
09:59:36 SEXUAL MISCONDUCT.
09:59:37 I AM PROUD TO REPORT THAT THE TRAINING AND COMPLIANCE
09:59:41 WITH SAFE SPORT HAS NOW BECOME AN INSTITUTIONAL PART OF
09:59:43 ALL OLYMPIC SPORTS.
09:59:58 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
10:00:03 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MISS MEREDITH
10:00:11 A. FREEMAN.
10:00:12 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
10:00:13 >> GOOD MORNING.
10:00:15 MY NAME IS MEREDITH FREEMAN.
10:00:17 A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND AN HONOR TO SPEAK WITH YOU
10:00:18 TODAY.
10:00:23 MORE THAN ANYTHING, I APPLIED BECAUSE I WANT MY
10:00:27 TEN-YEAR-OLD SON TO SEE MORE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME IN
10:00:28 THE HALLS OF POWER.
10:00:30 HE IS WATCHING ME.
10:00:34 AND I WANT HIM TO KNOW AND OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE TO KNOW
10:00:39 THAT TAMPA IS A PLACE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE.
10:00:44 AS A SISTER OF A FIRE FIGHTER, I AM A PROUD SUPPORTER
10:00:47 OF FIRST RESPONDERS.
10:00:53 AND I AM A MOTHER WHO IS RAISING A BLACK MAN.
10:00:57 I WANT MY SON'S INTERACTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
10:01:00 THE INTERACTIONS OF OTHER BLACK MEN TO BE SAFE AND TO
10:01:02 BE POSITIVE.
10:01:06 AS A DAUGHTER OF A RETIRED TEACHER WHO LIVES IN TAMPA,
10:01:13 I AM ACUTELY AWARE OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.
10:01:15 I AM COMMITTED TO ROBUST INVESTMENTS TO TACKLE THIS
10:01:17 ISSUE.
10:01:21 I AM A LIFE-LONG ATHLETE, AND I FOUND MY WAY THROUGH
10:01:23 SPORTS, THROUGH PARKS AND REC.
10:01:28 I AM COMMITTED TO FULLY FUNDED PARKS AND REC IN EVERY
10:01:29 AREA IN.
10:01:33 SOMEWHERE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THERE IS A YOUNG WOMAN
10:01:38 WHO WILL BE A LEADER AND WILL BE CONFIDENT BECAUSE SHE
10:01:39 PLAYED SPORTS.
10:01:42 AS A BOARD CERTIFIED ATTORNEY, A BOARD CERTIFIED
10:01:45 CONSTRUCTION ATTORNEY, I BRING A SKILL SET THAT IS
10:01:47 NECESSARY DURING THIS TIME.
10:01:52 FINALLY, AS A WOMAN WITH A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO A
10:01:58 MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, IN GIVING MY TIME AS THE CRISIS
10:02:00 CENTER OF TAMPA BAY AS MEMBER OF THAT BOARD.
10:02:02 THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.
10:02:14 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:02:18 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MISS CONNIE
10:02:24 GAGE.
10:02:30 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MISS FOXX-KNOWLES, I BELIEVE THAT
10:02:32 IS DR. COLLINS IN THE BACK.
10:02:39 AFTER CONNIE GAGE, CAN WE GO TO DR. COLLINS.
10:02:43 >> GOOD MORNING, I AM CONNIE GAGE, THIRD GENERATION
10:02:44 TAMPA NATIVE.
10:02:47 A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE TO LET YOU KNOW WHY I BELIEVE I
10:02:51 AM THE RIGHT PERSON TO FILL THIS VACANCY ON TAMPA CITY
10:02:51 COUNCIL.
10:02:54 I SPENT MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE VOLUNTEERING AND SERVING
10:02:57 MY COMMUNITY IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS HELPING PEOPLE FROM
10:02:58 ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
10:03:01 RECENTLY SERVING TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS FOR CHAIRMAN OF
10:03:04 THE BOARD FOR THE SOUTH TAMPA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
10:03:08 MANAGING THE METROPOLITAN MINISTRIES HOMEBOUND TO
10:03:11 FAMILIES OUT OF THEIR LOGISTIC WAREHOUSE AFTER THE
10:03:14 FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE COVID SHUTDOWNS AND NUMEROUS
10:03:18 BOARDS THAT I HAVE VOLUNTEERED AND SERVED IN LEADERSHIP
10:03:18 CAPACITY.
10:03:21 I SERVED A SIX-YEAR TERM FOR THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
10:03:25 LAND USE APPEALS BOARD WHERE I LEARNED THE POLICIES AND
10:03:28 PROCEDURES THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE FAIR AND JUST
10:03:31 DECISIONS FOR THE RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS OF OUR
10:03:35 COMMUNITY BASED ON THE SITUATIONS BROUGHT BEFORE THAT
10:03:35 ENTITY.
10:03:38 I FEEL THAT EXPERIENCE WILL ALSO BE A BENEFIT IN THIS
10:03:39 ROLE.
10:03:42 I HAVE BEEN IN SOME TYPE OF SERVICE INDUSTRY PROFESSION
10:03:45 SINCE THE AGE OF 14 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE LEARNED AND I
10:03:48 KNOW HOW TO RELATE TO ALL DIFFERENT PERSONALITY TYPES,
10:03:51 I THINK IS A QUALITY THAT IS NEEDED IN THIS POSITION AS
10:03:52 WELL.
10:03:54 I WANT TO WORK WITH THE CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO
10:03:57 MAKE THEM FEEL HEARD AND FIND OUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
10:03:59 I WILL LISTEN TO THOSE WHO COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL
10:04:02 WITH FAIRNESS AND AN OPEN MIND WHILE WORKING WITH
10:04:06 FELLOW COUNCILMEMBERS TO BRING A RESOLUTION TO THIS
10:04:10 SITUATION BASED ON WHAT THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT BE.
10:04:11 TAMPA IS MY HISTORY.
10:04:13 TAMPA IS MY FUTURE.
10:04:16 I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY ABILITY TO UPHOLD THIS
10:04:17 POSITION IN THE HIGHEST REGARD.
10:04:19 THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
10:04:31 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:04:35 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS DR. CAROLYN
10:04:45 HEPBURN COLLINS.
10:04:47 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
10:04:48 >> GOOD MORNING.
10:04:58 MY NAME IS DR. CAROLYN HEPBURN COLLINS, LASALLE
10:05:02 STREET. AND ALMOST A LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF TAMPA,
10:05:02 FLORIDA.
10:05:05 I RAISED FROM MY PERSONALITIES IN THE PROJECTS UNTIL
10:05:06 THEY BUILT A HOME.
10:05:09 MY SPOUSE AND I SELECTED TAMPA AND BUILT OUR HOME IN
10:05:13 CARVER CITY TO RAISE OUR TWO BOYS.
10:05:16 LEFT THIS TOWN IN A SENSE OF SPEAKING THREE TIMES.
10:05:18 I WAS BORN IN NEW YORK.
10:05:20 WENT BACK TO TAMPA IN A YEAR.
10:05:22 I LEFT TO GO TO COLLEGE.
10:05:25 AND I LEFT WHEN MY HUSBAND JOINED THE VETERANS
10:05:29 ASSOCIATION TO BECOME GAINFULLY EMPLOYED AS A
10:05:31 KINESIOTHERAPIST.
10:05:35 I PRESENT MY LIFE EXPERIENCE FROM A MULTITUDE OF
10:05:37 ORGANIZATIONS THAT I WILL NOT MENTION THEM.
10:05:39 AND COUNTLESS SO MANY OTHERS.
10:05:42 BUT TO SERVE A GREAT CITY IS YET ANOTHER CAPACITY AND
10:05:43 THAT IS WHY I APPLIED.
10:05:47 I AM PREPARED TO SERVE WITH A POLICYMAKING LEGISLATIVE
10:05:49 BRANCH WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA, THE GROWTH OF THE
10:05:52 COMMUNITY TO DO THE BEST THINGS TO REPRESENT THE
10:05:55 CONSTITUENCIES AND WE HAVE -- TO MEET THE NEED OF OUR
10:06:00 CITY AND OUR COLLECTIVE DUTIES FOR THE PURSUIT OF GOOD
10:06:00 WORK.
10:06:03 OUR CITY HAS A MYRIAD OF WORK TO DO A PURSUIT OF BEING
10:06:05 THE NEXT GREAT CITY.
10:06:08 A PLETHORA OF PROJECTS ON THE DOCKET FROM SAFETY TO
10:06:12 MULTIYEAR INVESTMENT, NOISE ORDINANCE THAT MEETS THE
10:06:15 NEED OF THE CITIZENS AND PEOPLE, RENT COST AND HOME
10:06:18 PRICES ESCALATING THE NEED TO CONTROL HOMELESSNESS,
10:06:21 HUNGER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SO
10:06:22 MANY OTHERS.
10:06:25 I WANT TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH EACH OF YOU
10:06:30 DISTINGUISHED COUNCILMEMBERS TO ACHIEVE IT BUT LET ME
10:06:32 SKIP DOWN SO I DON'T LOSE TIME AND SKIP OVER SOMETHING
10:06:36 I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO SAY WILLIAM WADSWORTH SAY SMALL
10:06:37 SERVICE IS TRUE SERVICE.
10:06:40 I PARALLEL THAT TO ONE OF MY FAVORITES TO SAY THE
10:06:42 SERVICE THAT WE GIVE IS NOT ABOUT ME, BECAUSE I AM NOT
10:06:43 THAT IMPORTANT.
10:06:46 IT IS ACTUALLY NOT ABOUT YOU AND ALL THESE OTHER GREAT
10:06:47 CANDIDATES THAT HAVE APPLIED.
10:06:49 IT IS ABOUT OUR BABIES.
10:06:52 OUR BABIES ARE YET UNBORN.
10:06:54 SO IT IS UP TO US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
10:06:57 MY CHALLENGE TO EACH OF YOU IN THE CHALLENGE OF THIS
10:06:59 MORNING IS JUST DO THE RIGHT THING.
10:07:00 THANK YOU AND BLESS YOU.
10:07:06 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:07:08 WE HAVE A CANDIDATE WHO IS APPEARING VIRTUALLY,
10:07:10 CORRECT?
10:07:10 SHE IS ON?
10:07:13 OKAY.
10:07:17 YES, MA'AM.
10:07:25 >>CLERK: THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS NATASHA GOODLEY.
10:07:27 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
10:07:28 >> GOOD MORNING.
10:07:29 CAN YOU HEAR ME?
10:07:31 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, WE CAN.
10:07:33 GO AHEAD.
10:07:34 WE CAN HEAR.
10:07:37 >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
10:07:37 THANK YOU.
10:07:41 GOOD MORNING, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING PRESENT,
10:07:43 UNFORTUNATELY, I AM IN NEW ORLEANS.
10:07:48 AND IT WAS A TRIP THAT WAS SCHEDULED FAR IN ADVANCE AND
10:07:51 COULD NOT BE RESCHEDULED.
10:07:54 I AM APPLYING -- I WILL JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF MY
10:07:55 BACKGROUND.
10:07:59 I AM ORIGINALLY FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, THE UNIVERSITY OF
10:08:00 SOUTH CAROLINA.
10:08:08 AND MIGRATED TO THE STETSON COLLEGE OF LAW.
10:08:11 FROM STETSON, I WORKED IN LAW AND AT PRIVATE UNIVERSITY
10:08:14 AND OVER THEIR SATELLITE CAMPUS.
10:08:19 I TAUGHT COLLEGE, AND THEN -- AND AN ENTREPRENEUR.
10:08:23 AND IN THAT ROLE, I HAVE HELPED COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS
10:08:25 CREATE BUSINESSES.
10:08:28 HELP PEOPLE GROW THEIR BUSINESSES AND ESTABLISH
10:08:30 FINANCIALLY WITH THEIR BUSINESS.
10:08:33 I HAVE HELPED COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS RUN FOR OFFICE AND
10:08:37 GET ELECTED OR AT LEAST GET THE EXPERIENCE THEN LOOKING
10:08:37 FOR.
10:08:39 IN THE PAST, I HAD SOME LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
10:08:42 I SERVED THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION
10:08:46 PARTNERSHIP AS THE CHAIR OF THE CAC.
10:08:50 I AM CURRENTLY SITTING AT THE PUBLIC NUISANCE ABATEMENT
10:08:52 BOARD AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD.
10:08:55 ONE THING I CAN SAY IS EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT I HAVE
10:09:00 BEEN INVOLVED WITH, I HAVE WORKED TO SOMEHOW CREATE
10:09:02 CHANGE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
10:09:05 AND I WILL SAY POSITIVE CHANGE.
10:09:10 SO RUNNING FOR THIS SEAT FOR ME, I BELIEVE WE NEED
10:09:12 SOMEONE THAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO IN.
10:09:18 HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND HELP THINGS RUN SMOOTHLY.
10:09:21 BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I BELIEVE WE NEED SOMEONE WHO
10:09:25 MIGHT NOT BE COMMITTED TO RUNNING FOR A SECOND TERM.
10:09:30 BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW THIS POLITICS, ONE OF THE FIRST
10:09:34 THINGS YOU DO WHEN YOU GET ELECTED IS TO GET REELECTED.
10:09:37 IF WE HAVE SOMEONE FOCUSING ON GETTING REELECTED WE ARE
10:09:40 NOT FOCUSSED ON HANDS LING THE MATTERS OF THE CITY.
10:09:41 YOU HAVE MY COMMITMENT.
10:09:44 I AM TRULY GOING IN TO FULFILL THE ROLE RIGHT NOW AND
10:09:48 NOT TRYING TO RUN FOR REELECTION WHICH GIVES EVERYONE
10:09:54 WHO WANTS TO STEP INTO THIS ROLE A CHANCE TO RUN ONCE
10:09:57 IT COMES AND HAVE A FAIR SHOT OF TAKING OVER THIS
10:09:57 POSITION.
10:09:58 THANK YOU.
10:10:05 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:10:17 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS DC GOUTOUFAS.
10:10:20 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR, GO AHEAD.
10:10:23 >> THANK YOU.
10:10:25 THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
10:10:27 MY NAME IS DC.
10:10:32 THE LAST NAME SOUNDS LIKE GO-TO-FAST, WITHOUT THE
10:10:32 T.
10:10:36 A GREEK NAME.
10:10:46 MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN TAMPA SINCE 1887, 135 YEARS AGO.
10:10:50 MY GREAT GRANDFATHER BECAME THE FIRST GREEK IN THIS
10:10:50 TOWN.
10:10:53 SO I DO HAVE DEEP ROOTS.
10:10:57 AND KEEN INTERESTS IN MY COMMUNITY.
10:11:01 WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE IS BACKGROUND,
10:11:05 QUALIFICATIONS, AND LIFE EXPERIENCE.
10:11:12 WHEN I WAS FOUR, I LOST MY HEARING LIKE THAT.
10:11:17 AND MY MOM WAS A TEACHER AND SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO READ
10:11:18 LIPS.
10:11:22 IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME.
10:11:25 GRAND THERE I BECAME THE FIRST DEAF PERSON WHO
10:11:30 GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA.
10:11:30 [APPLAUSE]
10:11:37 AND AFTER THAT, I STARTED WORKING AT THE BANK.
10:11:42 AND I MOVED UP AND BECAME THE BRANCH MANAGER OF BANK OF
10:11:50 AMERICA AND IN WACHOVIA DOWNTOWN ON ASHLEY DRIVE.
10:11:55 I WAS ALSO INVOLVED WITH -- WITH OTHER BOARDS WITH THE
10:12:03 CITY OF TAMPA, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ELEMENT BOARD AND AS
10:12:09 WELL AS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE.
10:12:15 YOU NOTICE THESE CLOSED CAPTIONING BOXES.
10:12:18 WASN'T THERE BACK IN 1991.
10:12:26 SO I CAME HERE AND PROPOSED IT AND I MADE IT HAPPEN.
10:12:28 >>JOSEPH CITRO: ONE MORE MINUTE.
10:12:32 >> I ALMOST DID NOT APPLY FOR THIS POSITION -- AND HE
10:12:37 WOULD LIKE ME TO READ THIS OUT LOUD NOW CLOSING.
10:12:40 I ALMOST DID NOT APPLY TO THIS APPOINTMENT DUE TO
10:12:44 STATEMENT BY A CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HE WILL NOT
10:12:46 VOTE FOR A MALE APPOINTEE.
10:12:48 IN THE END, I DID NOT LET THAT STOP ME.
10:12:50 I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR REPRESENTATION OF MINORITY
10:12:53 GROUPS WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN THE INTENTION OF THE
10:12:54 COUNCILMAN.
10:12:57 WHATEVER THE INTENTIONS WERE, THE FACT IS THAT THE
10:12:59 STATEMENT REJECTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSIDERATIONS OF
10:13:02 OTHERS WITH SMALLER OR BETTER QUALIFICATIONS, INCLUDING
10:13:05 MINORITY GROUPS AND OTHER THAN GENDER.
10:13:05 TAKE A LOOK AROUND.
10:13:10 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE THE MOST UNDERREPRESENTED
10:13:11 GROUP.
10:13:12 EQUALITY IS IMPORTANT.
10:13:14 I THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT
10:13:15 THE APPLICATION FOR APPOINTMENT.
10:13:19 AS YOU CAN SEE, I CLEARLY HAVE A EXTRAORDINARY
10:13:21 QUALIFICATIONS TO SERVE IN THIS POSITION.
10:13:23 IF I GET THE HONOR TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS
10:13:26 APPOINTMENT, TAMPA WILL BE PAVING THE WAY FOR NEW
10:13:29 CHAPTER TOWARD BEING ONE OF THE MOST INCLUSIVE AND
10:13:31 DIVERSE CITIES IN AMERICA.
10:13:34 I WILL SERVE WITH DEDICATION, COMMITMENT AND HONOR,
10:13:35 THANK YOU.
10:13:36 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:13:39 COUNCILMAN VIERA?
10:13:40 [APPLAUSE]
10:13:41 >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
10:13:45 >>LUIS VIERA: IF I MAY MR. GOUTOUFAS, IF I MAY, SIR, I
10:13:46 JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
10:13:48 THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.
10:13:50 THANK YOU.
10:13:52 I -- OH, YES, SIR.
10:13:56 I FOLLOWED YOUR RACE FOR PROPERTY APPRAISER, AND YOU RAN
10:13:58 A GENTLEMAN'S RACE.
10:14:01 CABELLERO AS IN TAMPA.
10:14:04 IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT HERE -- I WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH
10:14:08 YOU AND ASKING MY WONDERFUL AIDE, BRANDON, TO COME AND
10:14:09 GET YOUR INFORMATION.
10:14:11 IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT, I WOULD LOVE TO MEET YOU BECAUSE
10:14:14 WE WANT TO GET YOU INVOLVED IN THIS CITY, SIR.
10:14:15 THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEART.
10:14:16 THANK YOU.
10:14:18 >> THANK YOU.
10:14:24 [APPLAUSE]
10:14:26 >> THEY ARE GOOD FRIENDS NOW.
10:14:30 >>LUIS VIERA: LIKE I KNOW, A GENTLEMAN.
10:14:31 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:14:37 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, OUR NEXT CANDIDATE MISS ALISON
10:14:44 A. HEWITT.
10:14:47 >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, CITY COUNCILMEN.
10:14:51 I AM THIRD GENERATION FROM TAMPA, HAVING ATTENDED ST.
10:14:55 PETER AND ST. LAWRENCE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND
10:14:57 CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL.
10:15:00 BECAUSE OF MY PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE I WILL
10:15:01 BE READY DAY ONE TO SERVE.
10:15:04 MAJOR ISSUES COMING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, THE 2023
10:15:07 BUDGET, THE CHARTER REVIEW, TRANSPORTATION FUNDS AND
10:15:08 THE HOUSING CRISIS.
10:15:10 AND MANY MORE.
10:15:13 I HAVE DIRECT HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH PUBLIC,
10:15:16 NONPROFIT AND GOVERNMENTAL BUDGETS, PUBLIC POLICY,
10:15:18 ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
10:15:22 I HAVE SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE HART BOARD, MANAGED
10:15:24 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR CRAS AND REPRESENTED THE PORT
10:15:29 OF TAMPA, THE AIRPORT, AND ZOO TAMPA BEFORE BEFORE THE
10:15:31 STATE, THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
10:15:33 I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CREATING, DEBATING AND
10:15:37 PROMOTING PUBLIC POLICY IN THE FIELDS OF ECONOMIC
10:15:39 DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM AND TRANSPORTATION WITH THE HEART
10:15:43 AND DEDICATION OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN MY COMMUNITY,
10:15:46 MY CITY, AND MY STATE.
10:15:49 COUNCIL WORK IS NOT EASY NOR IS IT MEANT BE TOO PLACE
10:15:52 WHERE EVERYONE HOLDS HANDS AND SINGS FROM THE SAME
10:15:53 HYMNAL.
10:15:56 A PLACE FOR RESPECTFUL, INTENSE, PASSIONATE DISCUSSION
10:15:57 AND DEBATE.
10:16:01 ULTIMATELY IF DONE CORRECTLY, YOU HAVE SOME ACTIONABLE
10:16:04 AND MEANINGFUL ACTIONS.
10:16:08 WHEN OFF BODY AS DIVERSE AS -- AS CITY OF TAMPA, THE
10:16:11 PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT IT MUST REPRESENT THAT DIVERSITY
10:16:12 TOO.
10:16:14 WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.
10:16:17 IF I AM FORTUNATE TO BE SELECTED, I WILL SERVE WITH
10:16:21 HONOR, INTEGRITY AND A HEART FOR ALL THOSE I REPRESENT.
10:16:22 THANK YOU.
10:16:24 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:16:35 [APPLAUSE]
10:16:38 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, OUR NEXT CANDIDATE IS PARKER
10:16:44 ALEXANDER HOMANS.
10:16:45 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR.
10:16:46 GO AHEAD.
10:16:48 >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEN.
10:16:51 FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ENERGY YOU
10:16:54 NEWT THIS PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT YOU SELECT THE RIGHT
10:16:56 PERSON TO SERVE ALONGSIDE YOU ALL.
10:17:00 WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 2013, I DOVE HEAD FIRST INTO THIS
10:17:01 THRIVING COMMUNITY.
10:17:04 I SERVED ON THE TAMPA HUMAN RIGHTS BOARD AND DEDICATED
10:17:07 MYSELF TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE HUMANE
10:17:12 SOCIETY OF TAMPA BAY, QUALITY FLORIDA AND THE TAMPA
10:17:16 LBGTQ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO NAME A FEW.
10:17:20 MAYOR JANE CASTOR APPOINTED ME TO BE ON THE TAMPA
10:17:22 HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
10:17:25 I TOOK ON THIS CHALLENGE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT
10:17:27 AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST PRESSING
10:17:28 ISSUES.
10:17:32 AS A TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY COMMISSIONER, WITH EVERY
10:17:35 BEEN HONORED TO BE ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE WEST
10:17:38 RIVER DEVELOPMENT, CREATION OF THE ROME YARD AND
10:17:42 PLANNING OF REDEVELOPMENT.ROBLES PARK VILLAGE AND MOUNT
10:17:46 ZION PARK TO A TRANSFORMATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD.
10:17:50 AS OUR CITY GROWS, IT IS VITAL WE DEVELOP CONCRETE AND
10:17:53 EFFECTIVE PLANS FOR AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY SO
10:17:56 WE DO NOT SHUT OUT LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WHO EITHER HAVE
10:17:59 BEEN HERE THEIR ENTIRE LIVES OR WISH TO MOVE HERE.
10:18:03 MY EXPERIENCE ON THE THA BOARD WILL BRING ADDITIONAL
10:18:07 EXPERTISE TO COUNCIL TO PLAN OUR YOUTH TO BE INCLUSIVE
10:18:10 OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
10:18:13 FINALLY, AS A YOUNG PERSON AND A MEMBER OF OUR LBGTQ
10:18:16 COMMUNITY, I WILL BRING A NEW LEVEL OF DIVERSITY TO THE
10:18:18 COUNCIL AND A FRESH AND INFORMED PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT
10:18:22 COMES TO ISSUES LIKE TRANSIT, GROWTH AND TECHNOLOGY.
10:18:24 I BRING A PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING WHAT MAKES A YOUNG
10:18:28 PERSON WANT TO STAY HERE OR ATTRACTS THEM TO MOVE HERE.
10:18:32 FINALLY, AS OUR CITY TRANSFORMS AND NEW BUSINESSES
10:18:36 ARRIVE HERE DAILY, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT OUR CITY
10:18:37 LEADERSHIP REPRESENT ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
10:18:42 I CAN HELP YOU DO THIS AND BE HONORED TO SIT NEXT TO
10:18:46 YOU AND LEAD THIS COMMUNITY AS COHESIVE AND EMPOWERING
10:18:47 CITY COUNCIL.
10:18:47 THANK YOU.
10:18:50 >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:18:59 [APPLAUSE]
10:19:03 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS AMANDA LYNN
10:19:08 HURTAK.
10:19:11 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
10:19:13 >> GENTLEMEN, I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME.
10:19:15 IN YOUR CONSIDERATION OF MY APPLICATION FOR THE VACANT
10:19:20 CITY COUNCIL SEAT, I ASK YOU TO EXAMINE THREE THINGS.
10:19:22 WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME?
10:19:24 WHERE IS THE RIGHT PLACE?
10:19:28 AND WHO IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE TAMPA'S NEXT CITY
10:19:29 COUNCILMEMBER?
10:19:31 FIRST, THE RIGHT TIME.
10:19:34 WITH OUR CITY IN A PERIOD OF BOTH MOUSING CRISIS AND
10:19:38 ONE IN WHICH HOME VALUES ARE OUTPACING PERSONAL
10:19:41 INCOMES, IT IS VITAL THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS PROVEN THE
10:19:43 ABILITY TO FIND SOLUTIONS BETWEEN DEVELOPERS AND
10:19:47 NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS BE SEATED TO COUNCIL.
10:19:50 I AM PROUD OF THE WORK I HAVE DONE IN OLD SEMINOLE
10:19:54 HEIGHTS TO BRING ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO THE TABLE.
10:19:57 WITH THE RESULT BEING MULTIPLE LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS
10:20:01 THAT WERE SUCCESSFUL FOR DEVELOPERS, RETAIN THE
10:20:04 HISTORIC CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SPURRED
10:20:08 MUCH-NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.
10:20:11 I AM CONFIDENT THAT I CAN BRING THAT SUCCESS TO ALL OF
10:20:13 TAMPA'S NEIGHBORHOODS.
10:20:16 SECOND, THE RIGHT PLACE.
10:20:18 I HAVE ALREADY BEEN SITTING THROUGH FOR TWO AND A HALF
10:20:22 YEARS AS A VRB MEMBER AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR COUNCILMAN
10:20:24 CITRO'S RECOMMENDATION OF ME.
10:20:28 AND I THANK MAYOR JANE CASTOR FOR TWICE APPOINTING ME
10:20:29 TO THE BOARD.
10:20:30 I KNOW THE PROCESS.
10:20:32 I KNOW THE RULES.
10:20:36 AND I KNOW HOW THINGS WORK IN THIS CHAMBER.
10:20:39 FINALLY, THE RIGHT PERSON.
10:20:41 YOU ALL KNOW ME.
10:20:44 MANY OF YOU SERVED ON THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION
10:20:46 WITH ME.
10:20:51 YOU KNOW I AM A DEEPLY ETHICAL PERSON.
10:20:54 DEDICATED TO PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS THAT WILL MAKE TAMPA A
10:21:00 BETTER, MORE INCLUSIVE AND MORE PROSPEROUS CITY.
10:21:02 THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME.
10:21:04 THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE.
10:21:08 AND I AM THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE TAMPA'S NEXT CITY
10:21:09 COUNCILMEMBER.
10:21:11 THANK YOU.
10:21:24 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:21:31 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MISS JULIE
10:21:34 JENKINS.
10:21:36 >> HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS.
10:21:38 MY NAME IS JULIE JENKINS.
10:21:40 I HAVE BEEN SERVING TAMPA OVER 30 YEARS.
10:21:43 IT IS MY HOME AND COMMUNITY.
10:21:46 I AM APPLYING FOR THE NEXT -- TO BE THE NEXT MEMBER OF
10:21:50 TAMPA CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE THE COUNCIL HAS AN IMPACT ON
10:21:52 PEOPLE'S LIVES.
10:21:55 I AM READY TO SERVE THE CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES OF
10:21:56 TAMPA.
10:22:00 I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME SPECIFICS IN HOW I
10:22:03 BELIEVE I AM THE MOST QUALIFIED FOR THE CITY COUNCIL
10:22:03 POSITION.
10:22:07 MY BUSINESS BACKGROUND, I WORKED OVER 15 YEARS IN
10:22:10 CORPORATE SALES WITH VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS.
10:22:15 I PROMOTED TAMPA AS A DESTINATION BOTH IN THE LEISURE
10:22:16 AND CORPORATE MARKET.
10:22:19 MANY PEOPLE COMING TO TAMPA CONTRIBUTED TO OUR LOCAL
10:22:20 ECONOMY.
10:22:22 I WAS ALSO A BIG ADVOCATE FOR THE RIVER WALK WHEN
10:22:25 PEOPLE AND POLITICIANS WERE NOT.
10:22:29 DURING THE PANDEMIC, I HIGHLIGHTED AND PROMOTED OVER
10:22:34 300 SMALL BUSINESSES TO ASSIST WHEN HELP WAS NEEDED IN
10:22:36 THOSE DIFFICULT TIMES.
10:22:37 NEIGHBORHOODS AND SCHOOLS.
10:22:41 I HAVE AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND WORKING WITH NEIGHBORS
10:22:44 AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO REDUCE CRIME AND BRING
10:22:45 NEIGHBORS TOGETHER.
10:22:48 I HAVE STARTED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND ALWAYS BEEN
10:22:51 INVOLVED TO IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THE
10:22:53 BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.
10:22:57 IN REGARDS TO YOUTH, BESIDES RAISING MONEY FOR OUR
10:22:59 PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I ALSO WORK FOR ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S
10:23:03 OLDEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCHOOLS LOCATED RIGHT HERE IN
10:23:08 TAMPA, ST. PETER CLAVER.
10:23:11 KIDS IN NEED OF HELP.
10:23:12 WORK I AM QUITE PROUD OF.
10:23:16 STRONG ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES AND WORKED MANY WEEKENDS
10:23:18 ON OUR TAMPA RIVER WALK.
10:23:22 I BRING A TEMPERAMENT AND WORK ETHIC THAT THE PEOPLE OF
10:23:23 TAMPA CAN COUNT ON.
10:23:26 I PROMISE THE CITY COUNCIL THAT I WILL BE A GOOD
10:23:29 LISTENER AND WORK TO FIND COMMON GROUNDS.
10:23:38 30 YEARS WITH NO TITLES OR HONORIFICS USUALLY WHEN
10:23:41 NOBODY WAS LOOKING.
10:23:45 I BELIEVE IN THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, AND I HOPE
10:23:46 IT GIVE BACK.
10:23:46 THANK YOU.
10:23:55 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:23:58 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS KELLA
10:24:04 MCCASKILL.
10:24:05 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM, GO AHEAD.
10:24:07 >> MY NAME IS KELLA MCCASKILL.
10:24:08 I AM A NATIVE OF TAMPA.
10:24:10 WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE
10:24:11 THIS MORNING.
10:24:13 I WOULD ALSO CONSIDER IT AN HONOR TO CONTINUE IN THE
10:24:16 LEGACY OF FORMER COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER.
10:24:19 AS A NATIVE, I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO SERVE THE GREATER
10:24:23 TAMPA BAY AREA IN THE MORTGAGE LENDING AND THE REAL
10:24:24 ESTATE INDUSTRY FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.
10:24:27 I LOVE TAMPA, BECAUSE AS A RESULT, BEING GROOMED BY MY
10:24:31 FAMILY, THE CULTURE, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THE TAMPA
10:24:34 EXPERIENCE AFFORDED ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE REAL
10:24:37 ESTATE PROFESSIONAL COMING FROM THE INNER CITY TO BE
10:24:40 THE REAL ESTATE CHOICE FOR WORLD-CLASS ATHLETES.
10:24:43 I MEAN SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS IN MY HOME CITY.
10:24:46 AS A WAY TO GIVE BACK, I RECENTLY LAUNCHED A NONPROFIT
10:24:49 WHERE THE OVERARCHING THREAD IS COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND
10:24:52 SERVICE, WHICH RAISES THE AWARENESS OF THE NEEDS IN THE
10:24:53 COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE.
10:24:57 WHICH IS HOW THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS REACHED ME AND
10:25:00 ASKED FOR ME TO REPRESENT THEM AS THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL
10:25:02 MEMBER HERE IN DISTRICT 3.
10:25:06 THEY LABELED ME AS THE AMBASSADOR FOR CHANGE IN
10:25:07 COMMUNITIES, ONE ZIP CODE AT THE TIME.
10:25:10 AS THE NEXT CITY COUNCILMEMBER, I WILL SPEND THIS TERM
10:25:12 TRIAGING THIS HOUSING CRISIS.
10:25:15 AS MANY OF YOU KNOW WE ARE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND
10:25:17 DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING COULD IMPACT US ALL.
10:25:21 WE CAN'T JUST BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF IT, WHICH IS WHY I
10:25:23 WOULD APPROACH THIS HOUSING CRISIS WITH SHORT AND
10:25:27 LONG-TERM -- SHORT AND LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE WHICH
10:25:29 INCLUDES NEIGHBORHOOD AND DEVELOPMENT FRIENDLY
10:25:31 OBJECTIVES.
10:25:32 IT WILL CONTINUE.
10:25:35 WE ARE THE THIRD MOST POPULATED CITY IN FLORIDA BEHIND
10:25:37 JACKSONVILLE AND MIAMI.
10:25:40 THE CITY IS ON FIRE AND I FEEL WE ARE ON TOP BEST TEN
10:25:42 LIST EVERY SINGLE LIST.
10:25:44 EVERYTHING IS GOING UP, BUT THE SALARIES ARE THE SAME.
10:25:47 MY QUEST TO FIND A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT.
10:25:49 I AM COMPELLED TO FIND WAYS TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE YET
10:25:52 PRESERVE THE CHARACTER OF THE CITY YOUR GENTRIFYING.
10:25:55 AS A COUNCILMEMBER, I WANT MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR
10:25:57 FROM THE DISTRICT TO GIVE VOICE TO THEIR CONCERNS AS
10:25:58 WELL AS THEIR NEEDS.
10:26:02 THE GREAT URBAN PLANNER JANE JACOBS SAID THE CITY HAS
10:26:04 THE CAPABILITY OF PROVIDING SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.
10:26:08 ONLY BECAUSE AND WHEN THEY INCLUDE AND CREATED BY
10:26:08 EVERYBODY.
10:26:11 IN CLOSING, I AM THRILLED AT THE LEVEL OF INTEREST IN
10:26:11 THIS VACANCY.
10:26:16 A ROOM FULL OF SKILLED TALENT USED COLLECTIVELY WHETHER
10:26:19 IN THE SEAT OR NOT TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD.
10:26:21 I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF REACHING WITH EACH
10:26:22 OF YOU.
10:26:22 THANK YOU.
10:26:24 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:26:32 [APPLAUSE]
10:26:38 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MR. PATRICK
10:26:43 MURPHY.
10:26:45 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR, GO AHEAD.
10:26:46 >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
10:26:47 I AM PATRICK MURPHY.
10:26:51 I LIVE IN TAMPA WITH MY WIFE, LEX AND TWIN
10:26:53 TWO-YEAR-OLDS, MAX AND MILES.
10:26:56 I AM SEEKING APPOINTMENT TO THE VACANCY BECAUSE THIS IS
10:26:57 OUR HOME.
10:27:03 MY WIFE'S FAMILY MOVED HERE FROM CUBA.
10:27:07 MARRIED AT SACRED HEART.
10:27:10 TGH AND MY BOYS WERE BORN THERE.
10:27:12 AND TAMPA GROWN FOR 20%.
10:27:15 A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE OUR CITY AND
10:27:17 LEAVE IT BETTER FOR OUR CHILDREN.
10:27:19 THE COUNCIL HAS A CHANCE TO MAINTAIN OUR STRONG
10:27:23 COMMUNITY AND CULTURAL VALUES, TO MANAGE THE BOOMING
10:27:26 ECONOMY AND GROWTH OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND MAKE
10:27:30 SURE WE DEVELOP OUR NEIGHBORHOODS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
10:27:32 OUR EXPANDING POPULATION.
10:27:34 AND TO AID THE COUNCIL, MY PAST EXPERIENCE WILL BE A
10:27:35 VALUABLE ADDITION.
10:27:39 THE FLORIDA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD THE MOST OF
10:27:40 TIME AND RESOURCES.
10:27:42 TRAIN ONTO A FRACTION OF TIME AND BUDGET.
10:27:45 THE SAME STANDARDS AS THE ACTIVE-DUTY ARMY.
10:27:47 RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE AND STEWARDSHIP OF
10:27:50 MULTIMILLION DOLLAR WORTH OF EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY
10:27:53 TAX-PAYING FLORIDIANS.
10:27:58 MY TIME AT THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE TO FACILITATE FOR
10:28:00 CITY RESIDENTS DURING TRYING TIMES.
10:28:03 RESPECT ON THE STRUGGLES BY MANY MEMBERS OF OUR
10:28:05 COMMUNITY AND HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE OF THE
10:28:07 PROBLEM AND HOW THE CITY CAN INTERVENE.
10:28:10 MY WORK IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET AS A LICENSED BROKER,
10:28:14 HELP ME FAMILIARIZE WITH THE ISSUES FACING HOMEOWNERS,
10:28:15 TENANTS AND BUSINESSES.
10:28:19 AS A PARTNER IN A FAMILY FIRM -- I APOLOGIZE.
10:28:21 AS PARTNER IN A FAMILY FIRM, I FEEL I HAVE SEEN WHERE
10:28:25 THE CITY CAN HELP AND HINDER SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
10:28:27 I BELIEVE THESE EXPERIENCES WILL TRANSLATE TO A
10:28:30 DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY WITH THE FOCUS ON SERVICE
10:28:33 AND STEWARDSHIP AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S
10:28:35 TIME AND ATTENTION AND HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER ME FOR
10:28:37 THE VACANCY.
10:28:39 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:28:40 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
10:28:52 [APPLAUSE]
10:28:58 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS REVEREND
10:29:01 THOMAS SCOTT.
10:29:03 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: BISHOP THOMAS SCOTT.
10:29:08 >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND TO THIS AUGUST BODY AND
10:29:08 BOARD.
10:29:09 THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
10:29:12 I DON'T HAVE TO RUN DOWN THE LIST OF MY QUALIFICATIONS
10:29:14 BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHO I AM.
10:29:15 YOU KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE.
10:29:17 YOU KNOW I SERVED ON HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION FOR
10:29:18 TEN YEARS.
10:29:19 SERVED THREE TIMES AS CHAIRMAN.
10:29:22 YOU ALREADY KNOW I SERVED ON THIS BOARD WITH SOME OF
10:29:26 YOU AND SERVED IT THREE TIMES AS CHAIRMAN.
10:29:29 YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THE CRA IN EAST TAMPA WAS CREATED
10:29:31 BY ME AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION.
10:29:34 YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT BEING ON THIS BOARD, I WORKED
10:29:37 WITH THE BOARD REWRITING THE SBE AND THE MBE ORDINANCE
10:29:39 THAT YOU ARE NOW FUNCTIONING AND OPERATING UNDER.
10:29:44 YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT THE HILLSBOROUGH AFFORDABLE
10:29:49 HOUSING TASK FORCE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND OPERATE
10:29:51 BASED ON THAT WHICH WE ESTABLISHED.
10:29:52 I COULD GO ON.
10:29:56 I COULD TALK ABOUT 40TH STREET THAT WE PUT IN $7
10:30:00 BILLION TO PULL DOWN $100 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL
10:30:04 GOVERNMENT TO PULL DOWN 40TH STREET.
10:30:05 I HAVE A TRACK RECORD.
10:30:09 A TRACK RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT A TRACK RECORD
10:30:11 OF LOVING PEOPLE AND UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE.
10:30:13 I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF WORKING AND BUILDING
10:30:15 CONSENSUS.
10:30:17 I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF BEING ABLE TO LISTEN TO WHAT
10:30:21 THE ISSUES ARE AND TRY TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THOSE
10:30:22 PROBLEMS.
10:30:24 AND TO THOSE NEEDS.
10:30:25 YOU KNOW WHO I AM.
10:30:27 YOU KNOW MY RECORD.
10:30:30 YOU KNOW I WILL WORK TO BUILD CONSENSUS.
10:30:32 YOU KNOW I WILL WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WORKING
10:30:35 TOGETHER AND THAT WE MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD.
10:30:38 A LOT OF TALENT IN THIS ROOM.
10:30:42 BUT BE MINDFUL OF THIS, YOU HAVE ONE YEAR TO LEARN THAT
10:30:43 POSITION.
10:30:44 ONE YEAR.
10:30:46 AND YOU KNOW BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE IT TAKES MORE
10:30:49 THAN A YEAR TO LEARN WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
10:30:52 AND SO CONSIDER THE EXPERIENCE THAT I BRING.
10:30:54 AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS TIME.
10:30:56 AND GOD BLESS YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
10:30:57 THANK YOU.
10:30:58 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:31:07 [APPLAUSE]
10:31:11 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS MISS TAMARA
10:31:15 SHAMBURGER.
10:31:16 >> GOOD MORNING.
10:31:17 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GOOD MORNING.
10:31:19 >> MR. CHAIRMAN, COUNCILMEN, GOOD MORNING.
10:31:22 SO GLAD TO SEE EACH OF YOU TODAY.
10:31:23 I AM TAMARA SHAMBURGER.
10:31:25 A VERY PROUD TAMPA NATIVE.
10:31:28 FOURTH GENERATION TAMPANIAN.
10:31:35 THE GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER OF CUBAN MIGRANTS TO MIGRATES
10:31:38 WHO IS THE FINEST OF CIGAR ROLLERS.
10:31:43 BORN AT MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE TO NORMAN AND DOROTHY
10:31:43 SHAMBURGER.
10:31:47 BUT BY CHOICE I DEDICATED MY LIFE PERSONALLY,
10:31:49 PROFESSIONALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY.
10:31:49 I AM TAMPA.
10:31:53 AS A FORMER ELECTED OFFICIAL, I AM UNIQUELY POSITIONED
10:31:54 FOR THIS SEAT.
10:31:56 I HAVE BROAD EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING
10:32:01 WORKING WITH VERY LARGE BUDGETS, POLICY GOVERNANCE AND,
10:32:03 OF COURSE, STAFF OVERSIGHT.
10:32:05 AS THE FORMER CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL
10:32:08 BOARD I AM WELL VERSED IN RUNNING A BUSINESS MEETING IN
10:32:10 THE PUBLIC EYE.
10:32:12 COUNCILMEN, FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, I DEEPLY
10:32:16 REFLECTED IN MY TIME AS A PUBLIC SERVANT AND EMERGED
10:32:19 STRONGER AND WISER, WELL SUITED AND MORE EQUIPPED TO BE
10:32:22 AN EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC LEADER.
10:32:24 YOU SEE, I BELIEVE THAT A STRONG TAMPA CITY COUNCIL IS
10:32:26 ONE THAT IS WELL BALANCED.
10:32:29 I AM A BLACK WOMAN WITH THE NEEDED EXPERIENCE TO HELP
10:32:34 ENSURE THAT EVERY DECISION SYSTEMS TO BE MADE WITH
10:32:36 WELL-INFORMED DIVERSE OPINION AND INPUT.
10:32:39 A BLACK WOMAN NEEDS TO BE A PART OF EVERY DECISION MADE
10:32:41 HERE ON THIS COUNCIL.
10:32:44 COUNCIL, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH NO ALLEGIANCES
10:32:48 OR NO ALLIANCES OR NO BEEFS OR GRUDGES FOR THAT MATTER
10:32:53 NOR STAND WITH ANY SOLID POSITION.
10:32:55 I VOW TO BE FAIR AND NEUTRALITY IN EVERY DECISION HERE
10:32:56 ON COUNCIL.
10:33:00 I AM READY TO WORK WITH YOU ON SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUE
10:33:04 THAT'S CORRECT COUNCIL, SMART DEVELOPMENT, WATER,
10:33:06 HOUSING AND OTHER ISSUES.
10:33:09 OFF GRAND OPPORTUNITY BEFORE TO YOU MAKE A DECISION TO
10:33:11 APPOINT A PERSON WHO IS READY, THAT IS READY TO HELP
10:33:14 YOU CONTINUE THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY OF TAMPA MOVING
10:33:15 WITHOUT INTERRUPTION.
10:33:19 I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATIONS.
10:33:22 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:33:31 [APPLAUSE]
10:33:34 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS -- EXCUSE ME
10:33:38 FOR THE PRONUNCIATION, VIBDA SHEVADE.
10:33:51 >> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEN.
10:33:57 THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY AND CONSIDERATION.
10:33:59 I AM VIBDA SHEVADE.
10:34:05 I BELIEVE THE CITY COUNCIL DESERVES MORE DIVERSITY AND
10:34:08 PRESENTATION OPINION WITH MY IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCE IN
10:34:11 HOUSING AS A REAL ESTATE BROKER FOCUSSING ON HUMANS
10:34:12 OVER HOUSES.
10:34:17 I SEE HOW HOUSING HAS BEEN A STRESSFUL SITUATION WITH
10:34:20 FIRST-TIME BUYERS AND RENTERS.
10:34:22 NEW RESIDENTS MOVING INTO TAMPA, WE EXPERIENCE
10:34:24 CHALLENGES IN THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
10:34:30 I WANT TO SERVE EACH EQUALLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
10:34:33 I WORKED HARD FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS SERVING THE
10:34:35 RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA BY PROVIDING DIRECT
10:34:38 SERVICES TO STUDENTS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION WORKING FOR
10:34:39 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS.
10:34:42 SERVING ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND
10:34:43 FINANCE.
10:34:46 AS THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S INDIAN ADVISORY
10:34:50 COUNCIL FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, I SERVED AS A PAST
10:34:51 PRESENT.
10:34:56 SERVED ON THE SHOOTING REVIEW BOARD AND SERVED ON THE
10:34:57 BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
10:35:00 I HAVE THE ABILITY TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL, COMPETITIVE
10:35:04 CAMPAIGN WHICH I DID IN 2019 FOR THE SAME SEAT,
10:35:06 DISTRICT 3.
10:35:08 WHICH MAKES ME UNIQUE AMONG THE APPLICANTS.
10:35:12 VOTERS VOTED FOR ME BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO SEE ME IN
10:35:13 THIS SEAT.
10:35:16 THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS CHOSE ME AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE
10:35:18 FOR THE VERY SEAT.
10:35:21 THIS OPPORTUNITY WOULD SATISFY THEIR CHOICE.
10:35:25 I HOLD THE SAME QUALIFICATION AS EACH COUNCILMAN, AND
10:35:28 THAT IS THE ABILITY TO LISTEN AND FIND SOLUTIONS.
10:35:32 I AM A SOLUTION-ORIENTED PERSON AND I GET THE JOB DONE.
10:35:35 I BUILT MANY RELATIONSHIPS ALONG THE WAY AND I
10:35:37 UNDERSTAND HOW THE DECISIONS WE HAVE TO MAKE IMPACT
10:35:40 EVERYONE'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
10:35:41 I AM APPROACHABLE.
10:35:43 AND I DO LISTEN.
10:35:46 AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, EMPOWERING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
10:35:48 IS THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS.
10:35:49 THANK YOU.
10:35:49 QUESTIONS.
10:36:04 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:36:08 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE NEXT CANDIDATE IS A. KENDALL
10:36:12 TROSKY.
10:36:13 >> GOOD MORNING.
10:36:14 I AM KENDALL TROSKY.
10:36:17 I AM A LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF TAMPA AND
10:36:21 THREE OTHER GENERATIONS IN MY FAMILY ARE ALSO TAMPA
10:36:23 RESIDENTS.
10:36:25 I AM INVESTED IN THIS CITY.
10:36:28 I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING REVIEWED MY APPLICATION FOR THE
10:36:30 VACANCY OF CITY COUNCIL.
10:36:33 MY YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AS A BROKER
10:36:36 ASSOCIATE REALTOR AND MY ASSOCIATION IN SERVICE ON
10:36:40 COMMITTEES AND BOARDS AT VARIOUS LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE
10:36:42 COMMUNITY HAS GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW AND
10:36:46 UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY.
10:36:46 SAFETY.
10:36:51 REASONABLE GROWTH, ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY, AS WELL
10:36:56 CITY STRUCTURE, ORGANIZATIONS AND PROTOCOL.
10:36:57 I WORKED WITH THE CITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON NEW
10:37:00 CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATIONS AND AT TIMES ZONING WAS
10:37:04 INVOLVED, BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS.
10:37:07 MUTUAL RESPECT AND CONTINUED COMMUNICATION AMONGST MY
10:37:11 COLLEAGUES AND CLIENTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY MANTRA.
10:37:16 I FEEL CONFIDENT IN MY ABILITY TO CONFER AMICABLY WITH
10:37:18 OTHERS, LISTEN TO THEIR OPINIONS, OPTIONS AND IDEAS TO
10:37:21 COME UP WITH THE CONSCIOUS DECISION WITHIN A GROUP
10:37:22 SETTING.
10:37:24 THESE QUALITIES HAVE SUSTAINED MY MARKETING CONSULTING
10:37:26 BUSINESS FOR OVER 23 YEARS.
10:37:30 I AM EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THIS
10:37:31 AT-LARGE POSITION.
10:37:34 I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN ALL OF MY
10:37:39 ENDEAVORS AND I KNOW I CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE LEADER ON
10:37:40 THIS CITY COUNCIL AS WELL AS A VIABLE REPRESENTATIVE
10:37:42 FOR THE CITIZENS OF OUR CITY.
10:37:44 I AM NOT A CONSERVATIVE.
10:37:46 I AM NOT LIBERAL.
10:37:47 I AM REASONABLE.
10:37:50 THANK YOU.
10:37:51 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU.
10:38:01 [APPLAUSE]
10:38:05 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, OUR LAST CANDIDATE THIS MORNING IS
10:38:20 CARROLL "CARRIE" WEST.
10:38:21 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GOOD MORNING.
10:38:22 GO AHEAD.
10:38:23 >> GOOD MORNING.
10:38:27 NYE MY NAME IS CARRIE WEST, AND I WOULD LIKE TO APPROACH
10:38:30 YOU AND SAY THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO
10:38:31 FILL THIS POSITION.
10:38:33 I AM A 42-YEAR RESIDENT OF TAMPA.
10:38:38 MY PARTNER AND I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 44 YEARS TOGETHER.
10:38:40 AND I GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, ALSO
10:38:45 THE ALUMNI OF THE YEAR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA --
10:38:46 USF.
10:38:52 AND PROUD VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AND
10:38:54 ALSO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WITH THE UNITED STATES
10:38:55 AIR FORCE.
10:38:59 PROUD MOMENTS HAVE BEEN MOST RECENTLY AS BRING -- BEING
10:39:03 A CO-PERSON -- BRINGING IN THE MULTIBILLION DOLLAR
10:39:06 CORPORATION HERE IN FLORIDA, THAT BEING THE KROGER
10:39:10 CORPORATION LAST YEAR, IN BRINGING THEM INTO FLORIDA
10:39:13 AND ALSO BEING PART OF TAMPA PRIDE.
10:39:17 AND SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF.
10:39:19 BRINGING IN AND BRINGING TOGETHER PEOPLE IS ONE OF THE
10:39:22 MAJOR THINGS THAT I LIKE TO DO IN PARTNERSHIP AND ALSO
10:39:24 IN REASONING.
10:39:28 I HAVE ALSO BEEN -- HELPING WITH THE CRA, THE YBOR CITY
10:39:31 DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND THE BARRIO LATINO
10:39:35 COMMISSION AS BEING ONE OF THE THINGS.
10:39:37 A LOT OF THE THINGS I LIKE TO DO IS ALSO HELPING WHERE
10:39:39 THE YOUTH IN THE AREA.
10:39:42 BEING ON THE YBOR YOUTH CLINIC AND A LOT OF OTHER
10:39:45 ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ON, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN
10:39:46 ON MY RESUME.
10:39:49 BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO IS
10:39:52 GOING OUT THERE AND LOOKING FOR AFFORDABILITY IN
10:39:53 HOUSING.
10:39:56 THE OTHER ONE AS FAR AS TRANSPORTATION.
10:39:59 A TRANSMIT THE SYSTEM IS NEEDED.
10:40:01 I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BE CREATING -- AND
10:40:02 HELP CREATE TAMPA IN ITS GROWTH.
10:40:06 WE LOOK MANY YEARS AGO AND WE SAID WE NEED TO KEEP THE
10:40:07 YOUTH IN TAMPA.
10:40:08 GUESS WHAT, THEY ARE SAYING NOW.
10:40:11 WE HAVE TO GO AND FIND PLACES FOR THEM AND THE OUTREACH
10:40:14 OF TRYING TO FIND BETTER PLACES FOR THEM TO LIVE AND
10:40:17 ALSO BETTER PLACES FOR THEM TO TRAVEL AND ALSO
10:40:18 ECONOMICALLY.
10:40:20 GIVE THEM A PLACE TO HAVE A GREAT TIME.
10:40:23 AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING HAVE TO DO IN OUR TIME.
10:40:27 I APPRECIATE GOLDEN GATE TIME AND CARRIE WEST AND I AM
10:40:31 LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO.
10:40:31 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:40:32 BYE-BYE.
10:40:35 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:40:39 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, WILL YOU COMPLETE YOUR BALLOT AND
10:42:22 PASS THEM DOWN.
10:42:26 >>LUIS VIERA: MOTION FOR A 20-MINUTE RECESS -- JUST
10:42:30 KIDDING.
10:42:35 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MR. SHELBY, THE FIRST VOTE IS
10:42:36 TALLIED.
10:42:37 THE FIRST PERSON WHO GETS FOUR VOTES WILL BE ELECTED
10:42:39 COUNCILMEMBER.
10:42:41 >>MARTIN SHELBY: ACTUALLY, COUNCIL.
10:42:42 THAT WILL BE YOUR SELECTION.
10:42:45 YOUR APPOINTMENT, ITEM NUMBER 2 WOULD BE A RESOLUTION
10:42:49 THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO YOU TO ACTUALLY APPOINT THE
10:42:50 PERSON TO THE VACANCY.
10:42:52 THAT WILL BE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
10:42:54 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ONCE THERE IS A
10:42:57 COUNCILMEMBER-ELECT, THAT PERSON FALLS UNDER THE
10:43:00 SUNSHINE LAWS AND BASICALLY IS -- BEFORE THEY ARE SWORN
10:43:01 IN ON THURSDAY.
10:43:04 >>MARTIN SHELBY: THAT'S CORRECT.
10:43:08 ONCE YOU MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT AND SELECTION, THE
10:43:10 SUNSHINE LAW APPLIES AND I SEE MY COUNCILMEMBERS
10:43:12 NODDING IN AGREEMENT.
10:43:18 SO WHOEVER THE PERSON SELECTED IS AND CERTAINLY I AM
10:43:20 HAPPY TO ADVISE THEM ABOUT THAT.
10:43:26 BUT -- THANK YOU, COUNCIL, FOR BEING MINDFUL OF THAT,
10:43:26 THANK YOU.
10:43:27 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THAT INDIVIDUAL WILL BE SWORN IN
10:43:28 ON THURSDAY.
10:43:30 OUR NEXT MEETING.
10:43:59 IT WOULDN'T BE TODAY.
10:44:06 >>CLERK: COUNCIL, THE RESULTS ARE AS FOLLOWS.
10:44:13 MR. CARLSON VOTED FOR AMANDA HURTAK.
10:44:20 MR. GUDES VOTED FOR TAMARA SHAMBURGER.
10:44:25 MR. CITRO VOTED FOR AMANDA HURTAK.
10:44:30 MR. VIERA VOTED FOR MEREDITH FREEMAN.
10:44:36 MR. MIRANDA VOTED FOR MEREDITH FREEMAN.
10:44:44 AND MR. MANISCALCO VOTED FOR JULIE JENKINS.
10:44:48 THE INDIVIDUALS MOVING FORWARD IS MEREDITH FREEMAN AND
10:44:54 AMANDA HURTAK.
10:44:58 WE WILL HAVE A ROUND TWO.
10:45:01 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: DO YOU HAVE TO PRINT UP THE NEW
10:45:01 BALLOTS?
10:45:02 WE HAVE IT.
10:47:42 YOU ARE QUICK.
10:47:45 >>CLERK: COUNCIL --
10:47:47 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: SIR [GAVEL SOUNDING]
10:47:51 >>CLERK: CARLSON VOTED FOR AMANDA HURTAK.
10:47:55 GUDES ALSO VOTED FOR AMANDA HURTAK.
10:47:58 CITRO VOTED FOR AMANDA HURTAK.
10:48:02 VIERA VOTED FOR MEREDITH FREEMAN.
10:48:07 MIRANDA VOTED FOR MEREDITH FREEMAN.
10:48:11 AND MANISCALCO VOTED FOR AMANDA HURTAK.
10:48:15 AND AMANDA HURTAK IS THE WINNER.
10:48:23 [APPLAUSE]
10:48:25 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
10:48:29 MR. SHELBY, WHAT IS PROTOCOL NOW?
10:48:31 >>MARTIN SHELBY: COUNCIL, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE TAKE A
10:48:35 FIVE-MINUTE RECESS OR LESS.
10:48:37 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE ARE IN RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES.
10:48:40 THANK YOU.
11:01:51 [GAVEL SOUNDING]
11:01:53 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WELCOME BACK.
11:01:56 I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS CITY COUNCIL BACK TO ORDER.
11:01:57 ROLL CALL PLEASE.
11:01:59 >>BILL CARLSON: HERE.
11:02:00 >>ORLANDO GUDES: HERE.
11:02:01 >>JOSEPH CITRO: HERE.
11:02:02 >>LUIS VIERA: HERE.
11:02:05 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE.
11:02:07 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL RIGHT.
11:02:10 THAT WAS MUCH QUICKER THAN EXPECTED PROCESS.
11:02:14 WE HAVE OUR NEW COUNCILMEMBER-ELECT HURTAK.
11:02:17 IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO APPROACH THE PODIUM AND ASA FEW
11:02:17 WORDS.
11:02:20 YOU WILL BE SWORN IN ON THURSDAY AND YOU WILL BE UP
11:02:21 HERE WITH US.
11:02:22 YES, MR. SHELBY.
11:02:23 >>MARTIN SHELBY: MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
11:02:27 COUNCIL, YOU ARE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER 2 ON YOUR AGENDA.
11:02:29 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR, I WANTED TO ALLOW THE
11:02:32 COUNCILMEMBER-ELECT TO SPEAK BEFORE WE MOVE THE
11:02:33 RESOLUTION.
11:02:34 >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
11:02:36 WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
11:02:40 AND LIKE YOU KNOW THAT I AM DEEPLY ETHICAL, AND I AM
11:02:45 REALLY WILLING TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU ON EVERYTHING.
11:02:47 I AM EXCITED TO BE HERE.
11:02:50 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WELL, WELCOME.
11:02:52 COUNCILMEMBER-ELECT HURTAK.
11:02:54 YOU ARE CLEARLY IN MY OPINION THE MOST QUALIFIED
11:02:57 INDIVIDUAL THAT APPLIED TODAY.
11:03:01 PEOPLE MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE TO THAT, VARIANCE REVIEW
11:03:05 BOARD, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, NEIGHBORHOOD
11:03:06 INVOLVEMENT.
11:03:09 MAKES ME THINK OF MYSELF BECAUSE I WAS ON CITY BOARDS
11:03:12 AND NEIGHBORHOODS ASSOCIATIONS AND YOUR APPLICATION
11:03:15 REFLECTED THAT ON TOP OF THE SUPPORT FROM THE
11:03:19 COMMUNITY, ENDLESS -- I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PHONE CALLS
11:03:21 AND E-MAILS THAT CAME IN.
11:03:23 CAME IN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN WE SAY HIT THE GROUND
11:03:26 RUNNING, YOUR APPLICATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AND YOUR
11:03:28 SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY DOES.
11:03:30 SO CONGRATULATIONS.
11:03:33 ANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBER HAVE ANYTHING.
11:03:35 COUNCILMAN VIERA AND THEN CITRO.
11:03:37 >>LUIS VIERA: I WANT TO SAY WELCOME ABOARD.
11:03:40 WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO
11:03:41 AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
11:03:45 I KNOW YOU ARE A PASSIONATE PERSON WHO HAS BEEN
11:03:49 INVOLVED ON A LOT OF THINGS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO
11:03:51 WORKING WITH YOU AND DOING GREAT THINGS FOR THIS CITY.
11:03:55 CONGRATULATION POPS GO IN THERE -- I REMEMBER IN 2011,
11:03:58 I THINK IT WAS THE LAST OPENING THAT WE HAD LIKE THIS,
11:04:01 AND I -- I BRIEFLY THOUGHT OF PUTTING MY HAT IN THE
11:04:05 RING, AND I SAID TO MYSELF, JUST TOO MUCH.
11:04:05 BUT YOU DID IT.
11:04:07 AND SO CONGRATULATIONS.
11:04:09 TAKES A LOT OF HEART.
11:04:11 SO CONGRATULATIONS.
11:04:14 >> THANK YOU.
11:04:17 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN CITRO AND COUNCILMAN
11:04:17 GUDES.
11:04:21 >>JOSEPH CITRO: YOU AND I MET EACH OTHER AND SERVED ON
11:04:21 A BOARD TOGETHER.
11:04:22 CONGRATULATIONS.
11:04:24 NOW IT IS UP TO YOU.
11:04:27 YOU GOT THE VOTES TO BE HERE.
11:04:30 NOW YOU HAVE TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
11:04:33 YOU HAVE TO TELL THE PEOPLE WHO YOU ARE.
11:04:34 WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT.
11:04:37 YOU NEED TO GO TO CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.
11:04:40 YOU NEED TO GO TO THE UNIONS.
11:04:44 YOU NEED TO GO TO THE PLACES OF THE RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY.
11:04:46 YOU NEED TO BE OUT IN THE PUBLIC.
11:04:52 PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU REPRESENTED SEMINOLE HEIGHTS.
11:04:55 NOW YOU REPRESENT ALL OF TAMPA.
11:04:59 AND YOU NEED TO BE WITH ALL THE PEOPLE.
11:05:02 LYNN, IT'S UP TO YOU NOW.
11:05:04 GO PROVE YOURSELF.
11:05:06 THANK YOU.
11:05:08 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN GUDES.
11:05:12 >>ORLANDO GUDES: MY FRIEND, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO PROVE.
11:05:14 YOU WORKED WITH THREE OF US ON THIS BOARD BEFORE.
11:05:15 I KNOW YOU ARE QUALIFIED.
11:05:16 I KNOW YOU WILL STAND UP.
11:05:18 I KNOW YOU WILL FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.
11:05:21 WE NEED SOMEBODY TO MAKE SURE WE ARE FIGHTING THE GOOD
11:05:22 FIGHT.
11:05:26 AIN'T GOING TO BE EASY, LYNN.
11:05:29 UP HERE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT
11:05:30 PEOPLE DON'T LIKE SOMETIMES.
11:05:33 WORKING WITH YOU BEFORE, YOU MADE THE DECISION, ME,
11:05:34 BILL AND JOE.
11:05:36 WEREN'T POPULAR BUT WE DID IT.
11:05:37 WELCOME ON BOARD.
11:05:39 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA AND COUNCILMAN
11:05:40 CARLSON.
11:05:43 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: YOU AREN'T ASKING FOR ADVICE, BUT
11:05:46 MY ONLY THING TO TELL YOU IS, SURE IT IS NOT EASY.
11:05:49 BUT NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU VOTE, YOU CANNOT MAKE
11:05:50 EVERYBODY HAPPY.
11:05:51 AND THIS IS ABOUT YOU.
11:05:54 YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST FOR THE WHOLE
11:05:55 CITY.
11:05:58 AND THAT'S HOW YOU BECOME ACCEPTED.
11:06:00 YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOTE.
11:06:02 I WILL NEVER QUESTION YOUR VOTE.
11:06:07 IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU INHERITED BY THIS VOTE TODAY.
11:06:11 AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND MUCH MONEY.
11:06:11 [LAUGHTER]
11:06:14 BUT I -- I COMMEND YOU FOR BEING HERE AND DOING WHAT
11:06:17 YOU ARE DOING; HOWEVER, THE NEXT VOTE THAT YOU ARE
11:06:20 GOING TO FACE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BECAUSE IT WILL BE
11:06:22 THE VOTE OF THE PUBLIC.
11:06:24 SO THE ONLY ADVICE I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU WITHOUT YOU
11:06:26 ASKING FOR IT IS JUST BE YOURSELF.
11:06:28 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
11:06:30 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN CARLSON.
11:06:33 >>BILL CARLSON: THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND
11:06:34 VOLUNTEERING.
11:06:36 YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THAT IN A LOT OF CAPACITY BUT
11:06:39 IMPORTANT THAT YOU STEPPED UP AND THE OTHER 22 STEPPED
11:06:42 UP TO OFFER TO HELP AT THE TIME THAT CITY COUNCIL IS
11:06:44 UNDER ATTACK, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE HONEST,
11:06:47 ETHICAL GOVERNMENT, AND I AM GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT IN
11:06:50 YOUR PRESENTATION AND FROM YOUR TIME ON THE CHARTER
11:06:52 REVIEW COMMISSION, I KNOW YOU WILL WORK ON THAT.
11:06:53 YOU WILL BE THOROUGH.
11:06:56 AND YOU WILL LOOK LIEU THE DOCUMENTS.
11:07:00 AND -- AND DO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY
11:07:02 REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER THREATS ARE OUT THERE.
11:07:05 SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STEPPING UP.
11:07:07 AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
11:07:11 UNFORTUNATELY, NONE OF US CAN TALK TO YOU NOW UNLESS IN
11:07:13 THESE CHAMBERS.
11:07:15 THAT IS ONE OF THE FRUSTRATING THINGS.
11:07:17 I BELIEVE IN SUNSHINE AND IT IS HARD BECAUSE WE ALL
11:07:20 KNOW -- WE KNEW EACH OTHER PREVIOUSLY TOO.
11:07:21 SO THANK YOU.
11:07:23 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
11:07:25 NOW MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THE RESOLUTION.
11:07:27 >>ORLANDO GUDES: MOTION.
11:07:29 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: SECOND.
11:07:30 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL IN FAVOR.
11:07:31 OPPOSED?
11:07:34 WE WILL SEE YOU THURSDAY.
11:07:37 >>LUIS VIERA: WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE TOGETHER.
11:07:39 >>MARTIN SHELBY: ANNOUNCEMENT OF THAT VOTE FOR THE
11:07:39 RECORD.
11:07:42 >>CLERK: YOU WANT TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
11:07:43 >>MARTIN SHELBY: NO.
11:07:47 >>CLERK: MOTION BY COUNCILMAN GUDES AND SECONDED BY
11:07:48 COUNCILMAN MIRANDA.
11:07:49 PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
11:07:50 >>MARTIN SHELBY: THANK YOU.
11:07:51 >>JOSEPH CITRO: MR. CHAIR, IF I MAY.
11:07:53 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR.
11:07:57 >>JOSEPH CITRO: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, WHAT OTHER FEMALES
11:08:00 WERE AT-LARGE ON COUNCIL.
11:08:02 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GWEN MILLER.
11:08:06 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: GWEN MILLER WAS THE FIRST TO RUN
11:08:07 CITYWIDE AND GET ELECTED.
11:08:09 BUT, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK.
11:08:11 IN THE OLD DAYS, IT WAS LITTLE DIFFERENT.
11:08:14 YOU HAD TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT AND RUN CITYWIDE.
11:08:16 IT WAS HAPPENING IN '74.
11:08:18 YOU CAN CHECK THE RECORD.
11:08:20 I THINK I AM CORRECT, BUT I AM NOT SURE.
11:08:23 LIVE IN A DISTRICT AND RUN CITYWIDE.
11:08:24 BUT I THINK THAT CHANGED.
11:08:25 >>MARTIN SHELBY: I BELIEVE THAT WAS CHALLENGED IN
11:08:26 COURT.
11:08:30 >> IT WAS CHALLENGED IN A LOT OF COURTS.
11:08:34 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE BEGIN MONDAY -- SORRY, NOT
11:08:36 MONDAY, THURSDAY, 9 A.M.
11:08:38 YOU KNOW THE DRILL.
11:08:40 YOU WILL HAVE YOUR NAME IN A PARKING SPACE.
11:08:42 YOUR OFFICE IS IN THE BACK AND YOU WILL GET SWORN IN
11:08:45 TOP OF THE MEETING AND THAT'S IT.
11:08:46 SO CONGRATULATIONS.
11:08:47 >> THANK YOU.
11:08:49 >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE.
11:08:51 >>JOSEPH CITRO: SECOND.
11:08:52 >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL IN FAVOR.
11:08:54 WE ARE ADJOURNED.
11:08:56 [GAVEL SOUNDING]
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