Joseph Citro 09:03:27AM
Good morning, everyone. Are we ready? Everything has gone in? And welcome to City Council meeting held this day on January 19, 2023. Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 09:03:48AM
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. My pleasure this morning to welcome a -- a frequent visitor here to Tampa City Council to give the invocation. Pastor Nance who is a friend to many of US and a familiar face whom you know. Sir, if you would like to come to the lectern and please stand for the invocation and remain standing for the pledge. Our Father, we just want to thank you so much for your grace and kindness upon US and Lord, we want to thank you for your multitude of blessings. Faster, we thank you for the City Of Tampa and how you have blessed US and, Lord, how you just protected US and kept US in so many ways and we look to you and praise your name for that. Lord, as we come to the City Council, Lord, we know that this is a body that makes many decisions. And discerns the direction of our city and, Lord, we pray that you will Grant them wisdom and favor and help. And Lord, I just pray that you give them, Lord, what they need. I pray that you will be with our Mayor. I pray that you will be with our law enforcement. I pray that you would bless their homes. Bless their lives. And father, we just want to thank you for the love that you have for US and the protection that you give US to on a daily basis. Lord, if there are special burdens in this room, Lord, I ask you to pray and Minister to those. We love you and thankful for you in jesuss name we pray. Amen. [Pledge of allegiance]
Joseph Citro 09:05:33AM
Thank you. Please be seated. Roll call.
Bill Carlson 09:05:40AM
Here.
Guido Maniscalco 09:05:43AM
Here.
Lynn Hurtak 09:05:43AM
Here.
Orlando Gudes 09:05:45AM
Here.
Charlie Miranda 09:05:46AM
Here.
Joseph Citro 09:05:47AM
Thank you very much.
Clerk 09:05:49AM
You have a physical quorum.
Joseph Citro 09:05:51AM
Have a motion to accept the minutes from January 5. Motion by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. Any discussion? Any changes? All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? Motion has passed. Lets go through the approval of the agenda. Excuse me -- I am sorry. Mr. Shelby.
Martin Shelby 09:06:19AM
Just very briefly. Good morning, mr. Chairman. Members of City Council. Martin Shelby, City County Council. To waive the rules to continue cmt as set forth in the notice on the agenda. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 09:06:31AM
A motion made by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Gudes. All in favor. Any opposed? Thank you very much. All right, we will go through the agenda item now. First we will hear -- not at this time, but we are going to have conversations with Zoo Tampa administrative updates. I have -- we are going to have two things come up first. Administrative updates. We will be discussing the proposed charter changes. Also we have our Black history month, I believe, is also going to be administrative for agenda item number 2. Then we will be moving up agenda item number 8 and 37 to be discussed during the administrative updates. Chief Bennett.
John Bennett 09:07:29AM
Good morning, Council. John Bennett, chief of staff. Good morning to our public as well. My understanding from the agenda review yesterday -- and I dont know if Mr. Shelby can help US here, but several walk-on items. We had sent a memo in to have item 2, 37, brought up to two and item 8 brought up to two to support Chief Tripp's timeline. Whatever pleasure is Council between the walk-ones and item 2, we will hear this report. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 09:08:03AM
A motion to move items 8 and 37 up and to have discussion of the charter -- charter amendments and -- Councilwoman Hurtak. Oh, I am sorry. I thought -- motion made by Councilman Gudes. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor, say aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Resolution for agenda item 3 and 4. We have resolutions for 5 and 6. And I believe Mr. Bhide will be with US and we will hear those at the same time. Also resolution for agenda item number 7. Agenda item number 8, which is Councilman Carlson, are we still going to be having a live in person?
Bill Carlson 09:08:57AM
Moving that to number two.
Joseph Citro 09:09:01AM
Number 9. Number 10, Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 09:09:05AM
Yes, please.
Joseph Citro 09:09:08AM
Number 11.
Lynn Hurtak 09:09:10AM
Absolutely.
Joseph Citro 09:09:13AM
Miss Duncan will be talking 12 and 13. And 27 and 28 will also be discussed at that time. And agenda item number 13, Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 09:09:31AM
13. Yes. 13, 14, Yes, 15, 16, Yes.
Joseph Citro 09:09:38AM
Maker of the motion for 17. Yes, please and thank you. Number 18, Councilman Carlson. I believe that has been requested to be moved to February 23.
Bill Carlson 09:09:49AM
So moved.
Guido Maniscalco 09:09:50AM
Second.
Joseph Citro 09:09:51AM
A motion made by Councilman Carlson. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor.
Guido Maniscalco 09:09:57AM
Move to approve the agenda. And the addendum.
Joseph Citro 09:10:04AM
And the addendum. Motion by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor. Any objection.
Guido Maniscalco 09:10:12AM
Mr. Chairman, I dont know if we will do it now or then but item number 59, a request to be continued April --
Joseph Citro 09:10:20AM
That is a 1:30 meeting. We will have to come back after lunch.
Guido Maniscalco 09:10:25AM
You got it.
Joseph Citro 09:10:26AM
Okay. Everything set? Lets do critter talking. I believe we have representatives from Zoo Tampa here. I am Joe Couceiro, the CEO of Zoo Tampa, and I have the privilege of working with a bunch of good people and neat animals as well. Ronnie Allen who manages our ambassador program that reaches up to all of our guests with up-close encounters not just the zoo but auto outreach capacity like this one. Ronnie, tell everybody what friends you May be playing with today?
Martin Shelby 09:11:04AM
If you wouldnt mind, it would be easier for the cameras to pick you up and get to the microphone as well. This morning. My name is Ronnie, like Joe said. And this is my teammate. She is a porcupine. And this is Sylvio. He is an anteater. Zoo Tampa, our ambassador program our goal is to inspire guests and in a up-close and personal way just like we are doing with you today. Our privilege to be here. These animals are both native to south america. And they are over 500 species native to south america that are currently endangered. A huge goal of ours to connect people with wildlife and try to connect them with ways they can help their species either from Florida or wherever they May come from. Any questions on our critters?
Joseph Citro 09:12:14AM
Councilman, please -- Councilmembers.
Charlie Miranda 09:12:18AM
I just want to say about The Zoo in general, these things wouldnt be possible without your leadership and everyone under You. Every time I visit The Zoo, even from the -- walking in where the people greet You at first. They are all first class. They smile and say good morning, good afternoon and good evening and treat You with dignity and honor. Without that, The Zoo couldnt have done what it did and I am sure You will speak about it. And I am not trying to steal your thunder or anyones thunder. All of your employees, everybody who visits there have set records. I will let You talk of the records later on. I am not going to go there. An amazing thing and I hope that The Zoo continues to grow. When I started in Council back in the '70s. Not that I stayed all the way '70s to here. Let me clarify that. People who come to vacation -- never a destination point. We made a destination because of the aquarium, The Zoo and Straz. Nothing in downtown but Straz and the jail when I started. What You have done You need to be commended to. The gratitude from people all over the country and all over the world really is amazing thing off this on it and made the Tampa citizens much happier, much enthused, much involved in the climate of the world and You guys are to be recognized for a lot more than this. But I want to say thank You to each and every one of You for doing what You have done, what You will continue to do and what You will do. Thank You very much.
Joseph Citro 09:13:52AM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 09:13:53AM
I want to say thank you for all your leadership and all the companies and people who sponsor the zoo. You know, when -- when this zoo was designed I dont know how many years ago, it was a very innovative design. Similar to the airport. Something that makes people in Tampa proud and gives US a great name all over the world. People when they talk of great zoos and great facilities, they talk about it. So thank you for all you do. And thank you for -- John if you are going to talk about expansion plans today, but thank you for innovating and evolving because more of the story to tell. And I know you all have some exciting plans. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 09:14:33AM
Anyone else? Please. I heard a -- a figure or statement. Besides the attractions, which is Disney, Busch Gardens and Lego Land, Zoo Tampa is the number one destination, attraction in the State of Florida. Did I hear that correctly at some point? State of Florida. Zoos, Aquorums and so forth.
Joseph Citro 09:15:03AM
Amazing right in our city. I remember back in the '70s when I was in high school going to Zoo Tampa and the expansion and the growth with the big cat exhibit You guys have had. I hear there are other things that are planned like rescues and hospitals. I cant wait to see the outcome of that. Thank You very much for bringing your staff and everyone back in the back there. And these wonderful animals for US to see. Thank You very much. We -- We are here today to just kind of give You a snapshot of where We are as far as the Zoo is concerned and We are going. We also will give You an update on some of the work We have done with John Bennett and Nicole Travis and her staff in order to be able to update a lease that has been outdated for years. And We finally, I think, made progress to the point where You will be able to have that presented to You and hopefully approved going forward and taking care of some items. So We will get into a little bit more detail in a minute. First of all, let me just talk about who We are. And maybe more importantly than who We are, why We are. Next slide, please. Our vision. Everyone We touch is motivated to join US in taking action to protect and preserve wildlife. You know, You sit down in meetings and spend five hours coming up with every word and comma and so forth in a vision. I kind of believe I want to show You what this means rather than tell You what it means. With that, You can be patient with a minute and a half, We have a video to show You.
Joseph Citro 09:16:39AM
Do We have sound? In the human world, together is how We bind one generation to the next. It is how We learn, how We play, and how We create the memories that make US a family. Together is at the heart of everything We do at Zoo Tampa. We bring animals from all around the world together so We can protect them, care for them, and ensuring their survival for years to come, but We also bring people together so they can see these amazing animals up close and learn more about our unique relationship with them here in environments carefully created to meet the needs of each species. The furry alongside the feathered. The savage beside the gentle. And largest creatures in the world never cease to amaze the smallest. Different animals from all over the world together. Different people from all walks of life together. Connecting with each other to each other in the way that nature always intended. Together. Plan your visit to Zoo Tampa today and discover our world together. Words on a page. We have the privilege and working in that environment every day and welcoming guests every single day and the quality of the presentation needs to be the same at very high level every single day. We need to make sure that We continue to progress. And when I arrived a number of years ago about seven years ago, the Zoo had about 700,000 people in attendance and about $15 million in operating revenue. Now at $1.2 Million and $45 million in operating revenue. So We are making progress. But We feel We can do a lot more. And lets first start with where We are so you can get an idea of the progress We have made and We will talk a little bit about where We would like to go going forward. Karen Jubrail is our CFO and will take you through the next stage of the presentation. Will briefly take you through key accomplishments and performance trends. As was already mentioned, We had another record year in attendance and the most highly attended cultural institution. In addition, We continue to provide manatee care leadership during an unprecedented year. We were very honored to be named tampas 2022 employer of the year by the Mayor's Alliance Of Persons With Disabilities. Next slide, please. And I hope that all of you had an opportunity to see US on "secrets of the Zoo Tampa." This is a highly rated series on Nat Geo Wild and Disney Plus. We premiered in 2020, and We are airing our fourth season now and a total of 36 episodes. We do reach a global audience. And not only increases the awareness of the zoos mission but also brought a diversified audience base to the Zoo which is also a boon to The City Of Tampa. This attendance graph is basically a high level or big picture snapshot of the attendance trend, historically or our projected attendance trends through 2026. What this shows is that back in fiscal year '15, We were around 700,000 guests and through fiscal year '22, We have grown to almost $1.2 Million. And We are were jected to grow to $1.3 Million in fiscal year '26. And that is just in the next four years. Our operating revenue trend show back in fiscal year '15, We were at around $15 million in revenue. We have grown to almost $45 million. And We project to grow to around $54 million by 2026. And this is a compound annual growth rate of 11.6%. So I told you I would be brief, so that is what I have. I would love to turn it over to Scott Rose, our coo. Thank you. I am Scott Rose. I am chief operating officer for Zoo Tampa. As Joe mentioned earlier, We have been working with City Staff to revise the Zoo lease that We have with The City. First of all, I would like to thank the staff for collaborating with US to get US -- We are just at about the finish line here and We will have that to you very soon for your review and ask for the approval of it. As you May know, the original lease dates back to the 1980s. The last time it was revised was in 2011. It was time for a revision for that. First and foremost, We deleted outdated provisions and updated and simplified the language that is in the lease to more concisely summarize the leases history and eliminate provisions that no longer apply like language on construction of the original Zoo facility. It also eliminates ambiguity regarding ownership of animals. The original lease included an animal inventory of animals initially provided to the Zoo. Through the years that ownership has transitioned to the Zoo. And now all of the animals as clearly stated in the lease, all the animals are under the ownership of the Zoo and only the Zoo is licensed to hold and care for these animals. Updates insurance provisions. The City has improved its insurance requirements over the years and this update will incorporate those and bring those standards to todays standards of the new requirements. Also, it includes adding a parcel of land to the lease. This is a -- the parcel of land where the band shell is currently sitting. A four-acre parcel that runs from hamilton creek south to the corner of sligh avenue and n. Boulevard. This is important for US because it will allow US to then do some much-needed renovations and improvements to our parking lot. Which really addresses a number of issues. One issue it addresses is safety. We have a number of safety initiatives part of this parking lot improvement including the removal of the band shell. The band shell is in disrepair. Its nonoperational. It havent been used in about eight years. And provides US with a real safety issue that We have there. It is the site of where a lot of the School Kids have their lunches and families visiting the Zoo have their lunches. And also, We plan to remove that. And rebuild that whole picnic area around there. Real nice facility for School Kids and families visiting the school. Other safety issues it will address is vehicle traffic through the parking lot, pedestrian traffic, safety railings, improved sidewalks and improved crosswalks. Really just to address and make it a safer and much more enjoyable experience in parking. And the other thing it allows US to do is expand parking into that parcel. There is a small parking lot there now. We intend to expands that and connect it to the main lot. Parking is a real challenge. We run out of parking on many days of the year as Karen indicated. Our attendance has grown significantly. We are looking for a number of ways to improve the parking capacity for our -- for our guests. Once We finish all of those improvements, We will be partnering with The City to manage the parking lot and add the park mobile system which The City has in all the parking areas here downtown and other areas. So We will be -- partnering with The City on that. A revenue share model and projections will deliver a revenue stream to The City of approximately $200,000 per year, which will continue to grow as our attendance grows. So once again, We are finalizing the language in the lease. And We will be delivering it to you for review and approval very soon. Happy to entertain any questions.
Joseph Citro 09:25:44AM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 09:25:46AM
Yeah, thank you for doing that. And thanks -- this is the first time hearing about all the details of it. Thanks to the Administration for being open to changing this. You know, one of the issues is that -- sorry to mix metaphors but the animals have been a political football over the 10 to 20 years. The last Administration used that as leverage against The Zoo. I am glad this Administration is open to fixing that. Absurd requirement that the city would own animals that were born at The Zoo. So thank you to anyone for working on this. I look forward to seeing this. The Zoo is important. We need enlightened leaders to think ahead. I didnt say this before, my kids grew up going to The Zoo back when I was at the University of Tampa in 1985 or '86. I filmed my movie for a class project at The Zoo. I think it was passage to India and I had to shoot Zoo animals and pull it together. The Zoo has been a part of my life for a long time and I look forward to have my grandkids and others go there to participate. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 09:26:58AM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 09:26:59AM
Real quick, we love the zoo ever since I was a kid. I take My Stepdaughter there. My Oldest Stepdaughter. She will go day after day. Some weeks if we can, My Wife will take her Monday through Friday. And She loves the animals. She loves what -- you what it is. You know, for kids to enjoy. But also as -- you know, as Tampa grows and you have touched upon -- or it has been touched upon before the attendance, the amount of people who come here. I think we beat out -- are we the largest in the State of Florida by attendance?
Guido Maniscalco 09:27:36AM
The interest is there. I think the investment is worthy. I know that we talked about expansion and I have seen video on the projects and what not, but it is -- it is a very significant community asset and expanding upon that will only benefit this community. So I am happy to support, you know, The Zoo and its plans moving forward in whatever we can do. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 09:28:00AM
Anyone else? Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 09:28:02AM
I want to say thank You. And growth has a benefit of any business that satisfied with the constant same attendance is in essence dying. Because somebody is going to take the other share. So what You have done is amazing, all of You. And besides that, if anyone listening is having a bad day and You feel like You dont feel so good. If You can find a parking spot, go visit the zoo.
Charlie Miranda 09:28:30AM
I am trying to get to where I am going. If you feel that way, find a parking spot, park, dont even go in. Stand in the exit door and when you see the kids smiling and how they feel, your day becomes a better day, because you see all this glory and all this feelings of what they have seen and heard about and maybe seen it on television. But when they get there and they actually see the animals, they are in a different world. And when they come out, you will be in a different world and the expression of feeling not too well becomes positive when you see that. Thank you for being here. Exciting expansion plans. And turn it back over to Joe to tell you all about it.
Joseph Citro 09:29:13AM
Excuse me, Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 09:29:15AM
I want to say thank You for the work -- one thing I havent heard mentioned is the work with rescue. Especially manatees. The last couple of years a struggle to keep manatees alive. I went to visit the Zoo, You had just released two manatees who can fend for themselves and You brought another one in. And I am glad to hear You will be doing the expansion for rescue and rehabilitation as well. A big part of what we do. Major focus for US.
Joseph Citro 09:29:46AM
I have seen some amazing shows at that Band Shell over the years, everything from a Punk Band to everybodys childhood and Melanie who did the brand-new roller skates. Eight years. I havent seen anything in eight years. Maybe time for a change. Chief Bennett, do you have something you want to add?
John Bennett 09:30:13AM
I will wait until they are done. The good news is that We set a goal for ourselves. We worked hard at it. We put together a business plan and strategic plan and put together a master plan. We achieved our vision, if you will, for the first few years that the Current Administration at the Zoo has been there, but We do have a bigger vision. So some of you have seen this and some of -- when We talk of a bigger vision, not just simply about the Zoo itself, it is about manatee rescue. We are adding two new pools to increase our capacity for more manatee patients. We are adding more outreach vehicles so We can go in the field and take care of these manatees. Not just manatees, but Florida Panthers. Any native Florida wildlife We can rescue. Our brand essence, We call it "unforgettable natural connections." You saw the unforgettable natural connections with what Ronnie and her team do every day. Unforgettable natural connections of the animal staff and manatees as they try to care for them. Animal connection is a Little Girl feeding the giraffe for the first time and making a life-long memory they will never forget. Another unforgettable natural connection is Mom watching her Little Girl doing that and a memory they wont forget. We know perfectly well that our goal here is that We need to continue to provide those unforgettable natural connections and We need to take care of Florida wildlife as best We can and inspire others to take action. Going forward, We have -- We want to serve the needs of the Tampa community I said that line five, six years ago at a social function. Every city deserve as great Zoo. And We are a great Zoo and We can be greater. Tampa is a great city and can be greater. And We want to share our vision for the future. Higher standards. In entertainment, education, conservation and most importantly, in making vital connections between Guests and the natural world. Now as our resilient Tampa Bay area transforms, so does Zoo Tampa. A visionary plan that began with the transformation of the Florida realm. The opening of roaring springs. And now a totally reimagined Florida wilds. Nowhere is the zoos conservation mission more deeply expressed than here, a sanctuary for Florida wildlife including gators, Black bears, and the ruler of the realm, the Florida panther. Friends and families will experience up-close moments as panthers roam across an expanded habitat with unforgettable face-to-face encounters creating a bond with the rare and endangered species. A story of connection that continues with, Manatee Rescue Center. The jury begins with a new manatee overlook that offers a birds-eye view of these majestic sea mammals and the opportunity to learn what threatens their survival, from the dedicated team who care for and return injured, sick, and orphaned manatees back to Florida waters. Already the largest nonprofit manatee critical care center in the world, the new Manatee Rescue Center will expand the zoos acute care capacity with the addition of a nursery pool for the most dire and vulnerable patients. The adventure conditions as Guests step into a wondrous world of aquatic marine life from seeing manatees graciously swimming under water to answer count We are stingrays and otters up close in their own river bank oasis. An unforgettable journey of discovery with the goal of inspiring Guests to help preserve floridas oceans, coastal environments and sea life for future generations. From here the transformation continues into south america. It is a new realm with an expansion that will bring the Zoo to the Hillsborough County river. Delivering an entirely new way of connecting with wildlife. Cultural roots. A century-long heritage that comes to life as Guests are transported through the sights are, aromas, tastes and feel of the continent. Visitors will take in memorable encounters with sea lions, giant river otters, jaguars, and a wide range of over incredible south american species culminated with a dining experience with cuisines and a margarita or a mojito. Only thing to top the experience is a rival from the river. A new level of enjoyment but one that never loses site of the conservation mission and critical role in inspiring action to help protect wildlife and wild places. That commitment to conservation that takes US further into the future. To the expanded africa realm, boldly reimagined home for some of the worlds most majestic species. Here Guests encounter giraffes, elephants, zebras, rhinos, all together in an expanded multispecies habitat that rotates daily and a new experience with every visit. Made even more memorable with a cabana rental at the edge of the savannah. A home base for the day and campers sleep within a lions roar. The africa realm ensures that endangered animal show pieces thrive and are appreciated at every level. The all-new gorilla habitat, red river hawks at ground level. Climbing higher with side-by-side encounters with gorillas, and eye-level moment with a variety of primates high in the tree tops. Every step in the track leads to lasting connections and an understanding of critical ongoing conservation efforts. A similar takeaway is found a short stroll and a continent away amidst the species and habitats of the transformed Asian realm. Here overhead paths blur the line between visitors and animal habitats. One never knows when or where an orangutan or tiger might show up delivering amazing nose-to-nose encounters. A wonderfully remarge of imagined homes with improved environments befitting a Zoo that remain true to its high standards. Confident going forward. The Tampa Bay area continues its remarkable journey, Zoo Tampa forges a vision beyond the horizon. Join US at Zoo Tampa the future is now! Things clear. Number one, this is not in the lease. The lease incorporates what Scott talked about earlier. This is for ongoing discussion. A little bit more complicated issue. Number two, a 20-year plan that will cost $125 million. Not asking for any money through the city. We are planning to fund it through other sources and find a way to do that over the 20-year period. The important part here is that We also want to respect the integrity of Lowry Park and so We are not looking to infringe upon the public access -- any public access of Lowry Park. Those are the disclaimers We have. Hopefully you can kind of get an idea where We would like to go in the future. We would like to do this with why you are involvement. We would like to do it with why you are feedback. We would like to do it with community meetings We have with our neighbors to get their feedback. A work in progress and We are excited and optimistic We can get this done. Any questions?
Joseph Citro 09:38:45AM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 09:38:47AM
Thank You very much. First, this is spectacular. A wonderful idea and a wonderful way to activate the riverfront. You see that property is where we have our vehicles and storage. I go through that area and it is not very well-kept. You all You know that because You work right there. You answered one of my questions how much money You want in public dollars. You are saying You are funding it through a variety of sources not public funds from US. Year. Besides that.
Guido Maniscalco 09:39:25AM
Besides that. Anything.
Guido Maniscalco 09:39:30AM
I think this is a great use and way to activate the riverfront over there. The rendering were there. The access points. My question is this. Lowry Park. The public access part that the City Of Tampa has, I have requests and complaints regarding the docks and everything. Will you be willing as part of this project to take over the maintenance or the rehabilitation of that area?
Guido Maniscalco 09:40:00AM
That is about a million dollars. That is the figure I received and what we would budget for to fix that, but at the same time, there is an empty area which is parking the dirt area on the lot. East of boulevard. Will that be parking? Area that is currently parking that will remain parking so if we have any events on that side of the park, we are not asking people to park on one side and travel to the Zoo to get to the other side. Because connected over n. Boulevard with a tree top boardwalk. Parking for events. River access to work with the Water Taxi Folks. Troy is here today. We have been work with them to try to create access that will be facilitated by this design. Let US know you what we have in mind. Mark. Pink, sort of here to the right. And that is -- the area we are talking about for the actual Zoo expansion is in the green primarily so this is -- this will be potentially public access with restaurants. We sort of like to look at it as maybe riverwalk north and extending the riverwalk up to this part of the city.
Guido Maniscalco 09:41:27AM
Okay, so You will be protecting the existing parking for public access. You would be taking over the maintenance or rehabilitation of the docks or what not I was just mentioning. What else. You are not asking for public funds from US --
Guido Maniscalco 09:41:46AM
From the city. Basically You are asking for the land, which is being used for storage of vehicles and maintenance and all that stuff. So it is -- as the deal would be, the land swap. You would take over. You would fund everything. You would take over the -- the existing Lowry Park dock area and fix that. That is million dollars I dont have to chase in the budget. And thats really it. I mean I -- I know You need the public input and You are going to be reaching out to folks, but I think this is a great and worthy community benefit that takes the burden off US in many ways. It maintains the public access point and the park and improves upon that and expands upon that and not causing the taxpayers -- meaning the City Of Tampa. You are not asking for money from our budget to fund this. My questions are answered. Thank You very much.
Joseph Citro 09:42:43AM
Councilwoman Hurtak. No? Councilman Gudes.
Orlando Gudes 09:42:47AM
Interim Director shaking her head. She has comments and shaking her head like -- I want to make sure we are clear on the deal. By any means.
Joseph Citro 09:43:00AM
This is not a ask today.
Nicole Travis 09:43:03AM
I was going to say, Nicole Travis, Director Of Development And Economic Opportunity. The presentation for you today was to give you an update on where the Zoo is. And kicking off their renovations and expansion. This -- everything east of boulevard is not a done deal. Things we have to work out. To say that we are -- that it is only a million dollars. We would have to relocate city facilities. We dont have land or the resources to do that now. Something we are working out in talking to the Zoo about. Several different iterations and processes as joe mentioned earlier that we need to go through. So the land is -- May not have a dollar amount, but there is a monetary figure associated with that. But we are working on the lease amendment. That should be coming to you very soon and this kicks off for the Zoo what they are hoping to endeavor in the next several years as they expand and move forward. Several more steps to come before that -- to be able to get there. And this will come before you at another time. Relocate and all of that. So we are working with nicole and her team and the mayors office to see how we can best do that.
Joseph Citro 09:44:15AM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 09:44:17AM
Thank you very much. I -- I always have been told speak your mind. So I am thinking about what my mind is going to say to that. Let me put it this way. If today that parcel of land we were just discussing was to be reviewed by some other higher agencies Brown Field doesnt have enough money to clean it up. So the population of the property of that land right now has got to be for some purpose we are talking about related to. And let me say this. When we talk about monies. It is amazing how some events cost the city $250,000 every time there is an event by contract. It is also fun for me to say the first $2 million of some agency doing something and that property goes to somebody other than the city. That is a fact. I can go on and on and on. Not only that event, all events. So here is something that creates an ambience not only for the kids, not only for the parents, but it is one of the driving engines. This and the aquarium is all we had. We had a convention center which was very nice. As beautiful as it was and almost as old as I am. So when you look at those things, with that convention hotel, we were losing millions every year. So now those things are built out. The convention centers making itself profitable. It was last time I looked. And why? Because we -- we helped make it that way by bringing in one hotel, that brought in competition from another one and from another one and another one that makes the aquarium and dont forget the street car that was done under the Greco Administration. I think the cost about $11 million to $13 million. I am not sure of that. That the people could ride. We used to roll up the streets at 5:00 in the afternoon. I was here when that happened. The crews no longer working because, what? We changed from being what we were to something that the kids of the parents and grandparents who live here were living somewhere else. And now because of the University of South Florida, University of Tampa. University of Tampa gone to 1200 students few years back to 12,000. Bigger than wake forest and princeton for enrollment. Now what are we thinking of? An opportunity, fair opportunity to have fair negotiations on both sides. Not one one side or the other side, but when it comes to some agreement and this is not an agreement we are working on today. Just a talk of what the zoo has accomplished on their own. No CRA in the zoo. No $5 until or $50 million or $20 million going to the zoo. These individuals are going to make it themselves. And thats what it is all about. So I am not saying we shouldnt have done what we did, but I am saying a vast difference when you compare the apples to the oranges. Not a fair comparison. Thank you very much.
Joseph Citro 09:47:27AM
Anyone else? My -- my girlfriends eight-year-old grandson, who is a gamer, has the vr goggles and -- I looked at him and I said, hey, lets go to the zoo. The graphics are wonderful. You should see it. [Laughter] thank you for this presentation. And I look forward to the next time you come in here and giving US hopefully more good news. Thank you for giving US the time you have today. We appreciate it. Before, I want to make it very clear right now, the lease takes care of the immediate needs. You saw a snapshot where we are financially and presently and we are in good shape. The video is something that is a work in progress as Nicole pointed out. We felt it was a better idea to take care of the immediate needs on the lease and go back to this going forward. So many things to work out. So many obstacles to get through. I am a persistent kind of guy and I am pretty sure we can make it happen. We May find a hurdle or two but we will get through it. I said it earlier but I want to thank John Bennett. I want to thank Nicole, I want to thank the team because they helped get US here. Going forward, we look forward to working with you collectively and individually. Thank you very much.
Joseph Citro 09:48:46AM
Chief, did you want to add something now?
John Bennett 09:48:50AM
Good morning, Council. John Bennett, chief of staff. Just briefly. It was covered when Nicole Travis came up, but we wanted to mention we appreciate Council recognizing the creative collaboration. I have a special working relationship with the zoo for -- for dozens of years. Mostly in protected measures and support of the environment. And I just want to thank the legal team, Nicole Travis, Dennis Rogero, all the work they are doing to get US through these phased goal lines. A team sport and I appreciate Council recognizing the fact we are working together to get it done. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 09:49:27AM
Gentlemen, somebody in the back that you want to introduce that is a Colleague now? No? And isnt dustin with you? No?
Joseph Citro 09:49:44AM
We all know him from prior commendations and I thought maybe You would want to introduce him. Good morning, Council. Troy, owner of Starship Dining Cruises and water taxi and bay rock and a couple of other floating attractions downtown. Dustin Fortillo. The new director of pr. Started this week. A great start for this week. And Zoo Tampa, You look at the investment. I agree with everything You said. A world-class Zoo. The reason We have record visitation here in Tampa it is the reason hoy tells are doing as well they are. We are having record bed tax. We are committed of supporting the transportation corridor to the Zoo. We have a beta test, the express running up to the Zoo. We learned a lot in the beta test. We spent the last year to have a water taxi to make the transit from downtown to the Zoo. A catamaran with only eight feet of vertical clearance which is a challenging it is a tock get to hillsborough and columbus bridges without them opening to transit to the school, capable of getting up to higher speeds to make the transit more timable, low weight, environmentally friendly, and that vessel is under construction here in Tampa by Tampa workers at our maintenance facility. So We are committed to invest well over $1 million in water taxi construction. This is the first of two We are building. We expect to launch it by the end of the year and We expect to stand up the Zoo express route at the end of the year, early next year at the latest question will start that connectivity again. You are absolutely right, connecting the Aquarium and the Zoo together is essential. Creates a great all-day experience. What We learned in the bay at that test. We have full taxis going to the Zoo. Empty taxis coming back. Now We are fill them both ways with visiting both cultural attractions. We are very excited about that opportunity. If You have any questions, I am happy to discuss that.
Joseph Citro 09:51:58AM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 09:52:00AM
I dont have a question. Thank you for everything you have done to help people and make Tampa like it is. Hotel occupancy one of the highest in the country. 88% or 9% occupancy. One of the highest. Because you have something to go to. You have movement around the river and entrance to to the bay; however, when I had a lot of people call me -- and I can have them call you if you would like. North of the columbus drive bridge, individuals that own property on the riverfront, and they are very much concerned because the wake doesnt go far enough, they say. And this is what they are saying. Whatever we are going to do with the zoo, we me to make sure it is time-wise feasible that we dont have any -- not your boats but other boats that are going high speed and we have to have more vigilant patrol. I know you are not going to do that, but others might. So we have to have conference of the minds of the Legal Department and review the wake zone in that area. Thank you very much.
Joseph Citro 09:53:00AM
Anyone else? Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 09:53:02AM
Congrats, Dustin.
Bill Carlson 09:53:05AM
Troy, thanks for your entrepreneurialship on this. What You have done with the pirate taxi and other things changed the way that people experience the city by seeing it and experiences it from the riverwalk. When You started the taxi a lot of people including me thought it wouldnt succeed but now widely successful. And thank You for your leadership with the Maritime Community. You and your family have been very involved. We appreciate it.
Joseph Citro 09:53:32AM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 09:53:34AM
I also want to say thank you. I love that you all are a viable and growing alternate transit. So I really just want to say thank you for that. I see people it all the time. I ride it myself. I really enjoy it. I think it is a great part of this city. Thank you for continuing to want to grow and to try to allow people to just park once and be able to -- to move about our city in different ways, thank you.
Joseph Citro 09:54:05AM
Thank you for your new form of transportation which is not really new, but around for 10, 15 years.
Joseph Citro 09:54:16AM
The Water Taxis.
Joseph Citro 09:54:19AM
Six years old. A huge success. Thank you for what you do. Mr. Portillo, great to see you back in Council Chambers.
Joseph Citro 09:54:31AM
At this time, we will now be taking public comment. Anyone in chambers who wish to give public comment at this time, please form a line on my left, your right. And you will be given three minutes to give your comments. My name is Al Lucas. Came to Tampa in 1958. And I went to -- with my Mom and went to Tink Irelementary School, gorrie and wilson and plant and graduated from the University of South Florida. Mom married Bill -- remarried Bill, and he was once the president of the Junior Achievement Commercial here in Tampa and was also the chemist in World War II in Tampa my job is to introduce my friend David Cornell, CEO of Low Cost Web Site. And he is interested in the Black experience and wants to help with the renovation and restoration of the ray charles building on zack and Nebraska. He has -- he is writing a book about that. About that. And wants -- he is very interested in pursuing with you as you -- as we understand you have that as part of your agenda the restoration of the ray charles building. So without any further ado, I will introduce David Cornell. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 09:56:20AM
Good morning. House off of Nebraska and zack. As the Council May be aware of, it was at one time for Black musicians to go there and live. That house has been in a state of disrepair for some time now. I believe 20 to 25 years. What I propose before this Council at a minimum to consider a plaque in honor of Ray Charles who did indeed go there. In this town, there is a mural, a fine mural, that honors Ray Charles and Ray Charles boulevard, which he didnt live there by the way. But he did live in the jackson house with the other wonderful muse significanceses of that time. So I will ask the Council at a minimum consider a plaque in honor of Ray Charles. Maybe a little bit more. Maybe a statute of some sort. A humble statue showing him playing the piano right in front of the jackson house. Also as the CEO of Low Cost Web Site Llc in the same zip code of the jackson house, I know people worldwide and nationwide are interested in this particular project. I understand the fine universities have established a plan for the jackson house. Once again, it is a state of disrepair. I do not wish to countermand that, but a company in California called -- I have the contact information here if you all wish to see it. Mbsap Llc, a very well established company in California, and they have connections in India and Singapore and Saudi Arabia. A particular Architect -- as I conclude, a particular Architect that has information he would like from Saudi Arabia to facilitate with that project. So I ask the members to -- at a minimum consider that plaque. And also a statue of some kind, whatever way Ray Charles May have dwelled and consider getting some information so this Architect might be able to contribute. Thank you so much.
Joseph Citro 09:58:43AM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 09:58:46AM
When Ray Charles came to Tampa and lived here for a time. He stayed on a house on short emory street. He did stay at the jackson house, but the house he spent more of the time and where some songs were written have been demolished, but the property is there. I believe it is right next to the existing church. I can take you there and show you. Who I would contact -- I can connect you is with Dr. Carolyn Collins. And she would be the contact person there for the jackson house and restoration and renovation. If you want, I can step out and give you a business card. And we will help with you that. Also please consider that plaque and the statue in homage -- not much in -- homage to mr. Ray Charles. Thank you very much.
Joseph Citro 09:59:35AM
Thank you. Uhuru, means freedom in swahili. We as african people. We dont want to talk about jackson house or Ray Charles. We dont want to talk of no Black People singing and dancing and eating watermelon. We dont want to talk of Black People playing basketball and who got hurt on the football field and the Buccaneers and Tom Brady or tax incentives. Black People need to talk about reparations. Black People need to talk about reparations and White people need to talk of reparations for african people. 4334 years we have been under oppression and domination and you talk about who you gave a plaque to. Who sings the best. Who can dance the best. Who can be on "american idol." We dont want no more of that stupidness because we dont have representatives to really represent our true need. And ignorant of speed, and roundabouts and say no to drugs. The White folks are bringing all the drugs in the community. Say no to crime, and they commit more crime. Personal crime, social crime, political crime, economic crime. More crime than anybody else. Stop the foolishness. A raggedy house sitting there for decades that yall wont fix, the city wont fix. And yall using it as an insult to african people because that is exactly how we are living. Now yall are up there for an hour talking about a zoo, and you aint talking of reparations. 26% of this population. I dont know what the animals at zoo Tampa is. But we are 26% of this population. And yall cant talk of reparations not one single day. Not one single second. Yall are an insult to african people! Yall are an insult to african people! And the ambitions of a african people! You think we are 3/5 of a human being and we aint never been that. But you all try to categorize US as that and keep talking about yall have ceremonies and Martin Luther King, jr. Parades and Juneteenth. Nobody care about that ignorant stuff. It is ignorant. It is straight ignorance and you are playing US close like we are ignorant. Black People arent ignorant. Black People arent foolish. We have been enslaved for 623 years under Euro and american domination. Under White western civilization. Under White western expansion. Under White western man fest destiny. Its time for that to stop. You have to stop taking Black People more serious. We are not trying to sing and dance for White people no more. We are not trying to do none of that no more and collect plaques and awards and who did this and marching band and sorority and fraternity. F all that. We want reparations, $623 trillion is what we owe on this continent right here of north america. That is what we want.
Joseph Citro 10:02:46AM
Thank you. Next, please. I spoke to you December 1 regarding proposed changes to the Florida statute that resulted from senate bill 64 that will affect how the City reuses or discharges reclaimed water from the Howard F. Curren wastewater treatment plant. These proposed changes to the statute was prepared by the Citizens Stakeholder Group the last two years followed the citys plan to comply with senate bill 64 and options for reclaimed water use. At your request on December 1, I sent you a draft of the stakeholder position paper that contained our recommendations. On January 12, I sent you, the Mayor and City Staff our final document that is very similar proposed language. Im here today because you also received a memo dated January 12 from two staff members from the City Office Of Government Affairs And Strategic Initiatives. I wish these staff members well and dont think the misunderstands in their memo were intentional but that memo seriously mischaracterized the recommendations put forth by the stakeholder group. As shown in item 13 in the staff report for todays meeting and reprinted in the staff memo, on December 1, the council passed a motion for City Staff to examine the legal and lobbying resources that can be used to support a change in senate bill 64 andor enable a City to get an exception from the Florida Dep that recognizes the beneficial effects of discharged water to Tampa Bay. I do agree with the staff memo that a full exemption from senate bill 64 would be an almost impossible sell with the Legislature but not what the Stakeholders from imposed. Instead in our position paper and our preach comments to you, we have been very clear that adding some simple clarifying language to senate bill 64 would not preclude the pursuit of reclaimed water using the awt discharge. Instead on a case-by-case basis, the City can re-evaluate reclaimed water of the large seasonal flow in Hillsborough River, the need for reclaimed water and cost effectiveness of the projects. Our recommended language would wills allow the City to better respond to changes in site-specific factors such as concentrations of chemical of concern and open scientific form analyze the discharge that can be removed from Tampa Bay without causing adverse environmental impacts. May --
Joseph Citro 10:05:36AM
You still have 30 seconds. Accurate portrayal of the stakeholders recommendations, I encourage you to review the e-mail I sent to you on January 12 and the attached position paper signed by nine members of the citys stakeholder group. As that correspondence suggests, we think the City Administration should endorse and for the straightforward additions to the Florida statutes we are proposing which will give the city much-needed operational to pursue reclaimed water projects that are truly needed, cost effective, protected of the water resources and natural environments and in the best public interest. Thank you very much.
Joseph Citro 10:06:14AM
Thank you. Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 10:06:16AM
Could you -- I know you have May have done this before, but could you for US and for the sake of the public tell US real quickly your professional background and experience. I am retired now. I am 70 years old. I worked in water resources for 38 years. I worked as a Chief Environmental Scientist with the Southwest Florida Water Management District for 30 years and worked on minimum flows and level and the quality you can take for water supply without damaging the environment. I have worked extensively on minimum flows for the Hillsborough River and the alafia river.
Joseph Citro 10:06:51AM
Thank you very much. Of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club and maybe of the stakeholder group of a project that formally known as pure that the city claims is no longer a thing but we all know is still very much a thing. Im here to express the stakeholders' disappointment in the citys responses to the 17 questions that the Sierra Club submitted to the Mayor and her staff last February after council provided more than a million dollars for public outreach and to study additional alternatives. We gave those 17 questions to the Mayor and her staff and said this is the minimum information that you need to tell the pubic about the pure project. In fact, the 17 questions are titled outreach information that the public needs from the City Of Tampa regarding the proposed pure project. And we asked all that information be put on the citys web site. Why are we disappointed? Well, first of all, rather than answering each of the questions one by one in sequence, the staff has chosen to group the questions in bunches and respond with their own narrative generalizations. My first question for the staff is this. Why didnt you just answer the questions the way they were asked? You had a year. Secondly, the document kept saying two things. One, we need more money in order to answer the questions. And two, there isnt a pure project. And they repeat those over and over and over again. Well, everyone knows they want to use combinations two and three that everyone has called pure for more than two years which means stop discharging the water into Tampa Bay, put the treated wastewater in the reservoir to drought-proof it, blow the dam for minimum flows, and store the rest of it in the aquifer. If that isnt pure, I dont know what else to call it. And I might add that the only project that the Mayor and her staff has continuously advocating for is what is listed in the plan filed with Fdep in November of 2021. Why not call it pure anymore. And while there is apparently a report of what the contaminants are that were contained that remain in the treated wastewater today, they didnt send that support to the stakeholders or City Council and instead it is available upon request. Really? The public has been asking for this information for almost a year, and now we have to make a special request for what is in the treated wastewater now? Why not put all of that on the City Council's web site. The citys web site so that everyone can see that information just like we asked in the 17 questions a year ago. We certainly hope that the workshop that is going to be held on February 23 will provide real answers to each of the questions posed without excuses that funding has been stopped. And while we are talking about money, the public would certainly like a detailed accounting of the money that has been spent to date on this project, whatever it is called.
Joseph Citro 10:10:06AM
Thank you. Norm Myers, Tampa Bay community action committee. It is funny that the zoo came in here, because I want to talk about the elephant in the room. Yesterday Jane Castor. Mayor Jane Castor vetoed a ballot measure for independent counsel for the Citizens Review Board Of Tampa flagrantly anti-democratic option -- action. Also disrespectful to all you. You spent three months work on that ballot measure and she is just like out of nowhere unsign it? That is just -- I mean, ridiculous. Disrespectful to you folks. Disrespectful to the City Of Tampa. Disrespectful to the people of Tampa and disrespectful of all the work you put in, activist put in and everyone put in too ig to put pressure on that campaign. I mean, yall got to stand up for yourselves. You got to stand up for the people of Tampa. And you got to stand up for what is right. I no he every single one of you know what is right and wrong. What Mayor Jane Castor did yesterday was wrong and giving the Citizens Review Board how power of independent counsel is right. Do what is right and override that veto. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 10:11:34AM
Thank you. Mr. Shelby.
Martin Shelby 10:11:38AM
Mr. Chairman, members of Council. A question that came up of public comment on the reconsideration of councils -- the ordinances that have come back from the Mayor. With regard to that, a clarification, please. Is it councils pressure to allow for public comment after each of the individual ordinances? My understanding is that it is not set for a public hearing, although frankly May be people here who want to speak to the individual ordinances or do Council wish to allow people also to speak generally if they want to speak now instead of then. How does Council wish to handle this specifically. Something that has not come before Council in my experience for reconsideration. I had an opportunity to speak with the Legal Department. I dont know if they want to opine, but I understand that -- and it is my opinion that best practice might be under these circumstances to allow each individual ordinance to allow public comment if that is councils pleasure.
Joseph Citro 10:12:39AM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 10:12:41AM
I absolutely think that is a great suggestion. Because there are some people here that May want to speak on one. Some people May want to speak on three but not all five. So I have no problem with that. I would probably -- the only thing I might recommend is that -- folks try -- we normally try not to be repetitive. Yeah. I absolutely have no problem with that. I think that is a wise way to do it.
Joseph Citro 10:13:12AM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 10:13:16AM
One other thing to add to that. Agree with Councilwoman Hurtak. If people who need to leave, I dont think we should prohibit them from speaking now. But others who would like to speak later, let them do that.
Joseph Citro 10:13:32AM
If it is the pleasure of Council, I will take both considerations and say if someone wishes to speak during public comment about the charter changes, let them do that now. If they wish to speak during each and every discussion on the charter amendment, let them do that, one or the other but not both. Thank you.
Martin Shelby 10:13:55AM
Thank you.
Joseph Citro 10:13:57AM
Thank you, Mr. Shelby. James michael shaw jr., And I live in west Tampa. I tend to show up behind this podium whenever we are talking of the Crb and I thank the members of Council that supported the efforts to give Crb its own independent attorney, but what I want to talk about right now is bigger than just that. We are talking of the separation of powers. The seven of you represent the 400,000 of US. You are the legislative body of this city. I have been speaking with various iterations of this Council for seven years about the -- the amendments to the ordinance concerning the Civilian Review Board. So I think seven years is enough vetting for that that we can finally put it to a vote. There are different kinds of voter suppression. There is preventing someone from registering to vote. Preventing a registered voter from casting a ballot. And the kind of voter suppression that we saw yesterday was the content of the ballot, to make sure it is White washed of things that will affect the outcome of the voters' lives. Things that effect them. Able to cast a ballot the things that involve them is not on that ballot. A form of voter suppression as well. I see some aspiring mayors in front of me right now. I want to say you only get one this morning. You only get one opportunity to either stand up to voter suppression or sign off on it. And the voters will be paying attention of how you vote this morning. Let the people vote on this issue. Let the people vote on all of these issues. I read that editorial, and it just said a strong Mayor form of government. And I am afraid some of these might pass and I dont want the vote to have the way. I will be deciding for them. Said ad nauseam behind this podium that strong Mayor is not two words that appear in the charter anywhere. They dont appear in any ordinance. There is pseudoscience and also pseudolaw. That is pseudolaw. There is no such thing. Strong Mayor is a legal term that means the executive is elected by the people instead of hired by City Council whose Mayor is whoever the chair of City Council, the weak Mayor form of government. Thats all it means. It does not mean that the City Of Tampa is governed by a Monarch who gets to decide what the people get to vote on and what the people dont get to vote on. You have one shot this morning at either signing off on voter suppression or standing up to it. I have to go to work, but I will be watching and the voters will be watching. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 10:16:39AM
Thank you. [Applause] [gavel sounding] I am a member of Tampa Bay community action committee and I live in north Tampa off of Nebraska and busch. And im here today to speak about the Mayor vetoing the charter amendments yesterday. Not only because as you although, Tampa Bay community action committee is a huge supporter of Independent Counsel and letting the people to vote, but also other amendments in that charter -- or other charter amendments that she vetoed that I also think are very important like I think there should be term limits. And I think that a lot of those things should be up to the voters. They effect US. I think it is also a slap in the face for people that come here very often to speak on letting the people vote. And issues that we care about and that affect US. I know in the past thac have been called a fringe group. We all live in Tampa. It all affects US. We organize in Tampa and we represent people in Tampa. And people in Tampa want police accountability and want a chance to vote. They want to be allowed to choose how our city is run. And the Mayor is not allowing that. But I think you guys can. And we really hope that you will today. So thank you.
Joseph Citro 10:18:02AM
Thank You. I live up in north Tampa, district 7. I am also speaking and ask that You override the mayors veto on those charter amendments. You know, what the Mayor did yesterday was kneecapping democracy. Just pulling the rug underneath voters here in Tampa You know, it is disrespectful to US in the community, but also disrespectful to yall. Like disrespectful that everyday People in company is getting up in the crosshairs between City Council and the mayors office and whatever nonsense yall have been up to this last year. Ultimately not what any of US care about in the city. We care about real accountability. We care about making sure our voices are heard when it comes down to these laws that keep getting passed. Like our buddy was saying, folks out here talking about the pure project and no any real updates or any real acknowledgment what is actually happening. People have been up here since, what, 2015 demanding more police accountability and havent really been an opportunity for, like, our voices to be directly heard. Like this ballot. People have been up here demanding actual change. And for the Mayor to be able to sideswipe that on a him with essentially out of the blue is just, You know, wrong. It is wrong for folks who claim to, like, love and respect democracy. Wrong for those who claim to love and respect the People that -- roll over is not word. People that they govern over. So I ask that You override that ballot and do the right thing. Let the People vote -- let People vote on what matters to them. Thank You for your time.
Joseph Citro 10:19:54AM
Thank you. And member of Florida Rising. Im here for the funding for the R-3 Program. People who still need funding. I had covid last year and I have up-and-down symptoms and not able to work, and I need assistance for my rent. I had it in the past, but I still need more assistance. Basically, you know, I dont want to go back to being homeless. I slept in my car for many years. I slept at Parks, beach, laundromats. I dont want to go there again. This pandemic is an natural disaster. No plan for that like hurricanes and tornadoes. I think this should be a continuous thing until everything come back to normal with by funding US for housing. A lot of people that need it. You know that. So thats what im here to speak about. I dont want to go back to the park. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 10:21:03AM
Thank You. I want to talk of the word "im." Think of the word "impact" what it means. When People move to the city, they have an impact. They have an impact on the infrastructure. They have an impact on our communities. That is why the city and the county has Impact Fees. It is right there in the name. One of the impacts of the new People moving here is that We need more Public Safety resources. We need new fire stations. We need new fire trucks. We need new personnel. And the police neednt -- need these things too. So the People who are moving here who are having an impact are not paying for the need that is created by our impact on our infrastructure. The Builders And Developers who are in business to make a profit on the building that -- where the People come and move into are not paying for the impact. I am paying for the impact. I am I lived here all my life and sub si coyotes -- subsidizing. If the CRA has tons of money and I have to pay for it. And everybody like me who pays into the general fund. Makes perfect sense to have a Public Safety impact fee because the People moving here create an impact. I want to talk of the charter amendments. I have been here over and over and over and over again. I have seen on tv. I looked on youtube. I have seen the discussions of the charter impact -- the charter amendments on if months and months. A year or more is what it is. We all had a chance to understand what is being proposed. You all voted on it. We count on You to be independent. We count on to You do what You think it right. We count on You to listen to US, because unlike the Mayor -- this is not a criticism of the Mayor, but unlike the Mayor, Citizens, anybody can come before You, multiple times a month like I am doing right now and they can tell You what they care about and whats going on in this city. They can also call most of You and make an appointment and You will sit down and talk to them face to face. That sort of access is not available to the Mayor. Not a criticism. Seven of You but only one of her. But You have a much better idea of what is going on the ground level in this city because You interact with the Citizens to a much greater degree. We need for You to be independent. We need checks and balances. Plenty of time to talk about this. We all know about it. Anybody who wants to know about it, knows about it. We are asking You to vote for the right thing. That is what We want from You. That is what We expect from You. Thank You. I live in south Tampa. Everybody knows I live in sog, south of gandy. I want to talk about number 8 and 9, and in particular our Public Safety programs. This nifty little map right here is from the Fire Fighters Union. This is from 2019, it said We need 15 new fire stations. I personally read the 2,000 pages of the two-year budget. No fire station planned. This says We need 15. I watched Chief Tripp come up here a week or so ago and say they gave her all the data. And every other department in this city, they have somebody who does a study and a study and to give them a way forward. Chief Tripp is a wonderful fire chief, but not a data analysis. These People did the work. It is already done. You dont even have to pay for a study if You pay attention to this. 6330 new apartments south of gandy, south of dale mabry, not one additional fireman. We do not have an ems unit in our area. And this isnt just our problem. I am just -- I know the data and the numbers for my particular area. Its throughout the entire city. I am wondering why this isnt a top priority. And the safety Impact Fees -- the Public Safety Impact Fees were asked for initially in 2021 by Councilman Dingfelder. I am sorry, Chief Bennett, I love You maam, You got up here and said We didnt need them. I very, very distinctly remember that. And it hurt my heart at that point. These Impact Fees, when You have 6300 apartments that are four-story units that We didnt even have four-story units when started this building south of gandy. Four-story plywood buildings that are being built, and We have no additional fire resources. What happens when one of them catches on fire. Seriously. Something to very seriously consider. And they are falling apart. I have taken several folks on tours, and they are literally falling apart ander in -- they are no more than five years old. We have to start holding peoples feet to the fire. It has to happen. Public Safety is important. And it is obviously not in the budget. So where -- why are We not spending this money on this? This is very, very important. We had a Gentleman who died in south Tampa recently because -- and We werent able to get the folks down there. He probably wouldnt have made it anyway, but that is not the point. I also want to point out on the charter amendments, I am sorry, the Mayor should be here. If She says no She needs to woman up and walk over here and say it to to everybodys face. [Gavel sounding] I echo, woman up and walk over. Based on this latest veto, it really gives me as a native, as a citizen here in Tampa, I feel like it really doesnt matter what I want as a Community member. It doesnt matter what the Community wants. It elements gives You a feeling that You are a second-class citizen. I come to the realization any hopes to be heard. To get a message out or the desires of the Community that I heard from in the Community, that comes from here. I can participate. I can interact with You all. I can call. You listen. You sit there, You respond as much as possible. I want to say to You as disrespectful it was to veto that and not come it the Community. At least act like You give -- to hear what We say. I am sure She met with You individually and told You what to do. It didnt take your input. She told You what She was going to do. As disrespectful, Jane knows We will be the Mayor for the next four years and suffer -- I meant to say Jane. I know disrespectful. I feel like She slapped me in the face. This is a slap back. I think this is necessary. It will come from You here. From You all to be heard. We already know a strong Mayor form of government, but We need councilmembers that are concerned about the People. I believe most of You -- You do care what We have to say. You do care what We want. You understand You are the person that helps make these things happen. She already knows She is going to be the Mayor, but some of You is questionable. If We dont see the Leader in You today, why do We need You. We are looking for leaders. We are looking for People who are not afraid. We are looking for People who can stand flat-footed, look her in the eye and say what is best for the People. Everybody has to be accountable for somebody. I submit She should be accountable to US and should certainly be accountable to You all. I am telling You today that We are watching. All of You need votes if You want to win. We want to see today. We want to see that Leader today before We vote You in. We want to see leadership today. Thank You [applause]
Joseph Citro 10:29:26AM
Thank you. Robin Lockett. I agree with everything that has been said thus far. Why not -- why not let the people vote? It baffles me. I have been in here -- I was here in February when Pure was here and the 17 questions were supposed to be answered. From what I hear now, nothing has occurred. I was here throughout the time of the discussion around Charter. The Charter revision. Proud that you voted unanimously. I have a lot of stuff written down, but my challenge to you, how are you going to change your vote. If you voted one time, one way, why not be consistent. So we shouldnt even be having this conversation. If you vote, you stand by your vote. We need consistency. We need a commitment. Like I always tell you guys, one person does not rule. What was said previously, we put each and every one of you in office. You are going to look for our support on March 7. You are going to look for our support March 7. How are you going to handle it? How are you going to handle whats going on right now? For each amendment that was presented, I am so curious to see how brave you are to stand by your vote. To stand by your vote. Regardless of the conversations that you had. Because I heard you have conversations on Friday about this with one by one. But how do you stand -- you stand up to one person or stand up to the community. The community you come out and beg for a vote. So we will see what happens with -- I am anxious to see what happens today. With regards to your vote. Thank you. And im here today because two months before of the municipal election on March 7, we had Mayor decide to veto referendums that you all as a collective have passed. Frankly reading yesterdays op-ed was a sur freeze to me as I am sure to all of you. It was also a surprise to see, you know, these the videoeyos come -- be claimed to be about transparency. What is tran parent of releasing an op-ed on a Wednesday morning. Not telling City Council, not telling the community first, and making -- override a decision that we as a community wanted. That City Council was okay with. She overrode all of US here. And to call that transparency. What is transparent about, you know, having secret closed-door meetings before you all were able to vote on the independent counsel referendum. The Mayor is not letting US operate in the time of day to have input. Trying to supplement your decisions and the will of the people to obstruct our rights of democracy and decide how the City Of Tampa is run. We are here today because we are asking that referendums like this do not die in the dark. We want to have more of an input in the city and we talk of coming to City Council meetings. How many people can speak in one day, maybe 50, if we talk fast. Thousand of people vote in elections. This is a chance to get an unprecedented level of input on the Citizens Review Board and how the City Of Tampa functions and I am kind of directors gusted that our Mayor is trying to shut all of that down, kill it before it even gets to the election. I am asking you dont let it die. Dont let it die in silence on a random Wednesday in January. Let this continue to the ballot so people can vote whether or not they can be here. Let US have an input on how the crb is run and also that other referendum on electing department heads so we dont have a repeat of the embarrassment of Former Police Chief O'connor. And national level embarrassment of a department head, you know, May have gone abused her power in office. We are sick of seeing these abuses of power deciding what is best for this community. We can speak for ourselves. We can vote for ourselves. We dont like being talked over. We are the ones who give transparency. It is not appointed from above. So please stand with democracy here. I hope you vote to overturn this veto so the entire community that you were serving will decide. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 10:34:37AM
Thank you.
Joseph Citro 10:34:42AM
Good morning. Whoever wrote that op-ed for Mayor Castor yesterday was --
Joseph Citro 10:34:54AM
Mr. Benjamin, we all know who you are but for the record, give your name. Fern Street.
Joseph Citro 10:35:05AM
Thank you. Speak and I know the council certainly sees through it. The Mayor wrote, our voters deserve better while denying the citizens the right to vote on issues that will impact their lives and their communities. It is unbelievable. I know the City Council sees through that. A rushed and haphazard process. I sat and watched these council meetings for months. It was a long, arduous process. We where you listened to the community and you considered what people were telling you. This veto is clearly an attempt, as was said previously, at voter suppression. And this council can either sign off on that, or you can stand up for the citizens of this city who have been pushing for transparency, for dialogue and opportunity to weigh in on these important issues. You can stand up for what is right and not go along. As I toad you for a power mad Mayor that targets members of City Council when you defy her. This is a Mayor that is responsible for biking while Black and depending the renting while Black program, the crime-free multihousing program. And she went against the voice of the citizens of this city and the advice of counsel, and hired a police chief, Mary O'connor and we all know how that went. I urge you today, the supermajority of you, to please allow the people to vote. As Mayor Castor says, the voters deserve better. Thank you so much.
Joseph Citro 10:36:57AM
Thank you. Oh, man. Joe Robinson. In 24 hours, it will all be set up. 24 hours. The last call. 24 hours. 12 noon, we are going to know whats up, whats down and some people might be on there legally. We are looking into that. So you better get your stuff between 12 noon Friday. Warning. Two to three sides to every story. This is the worst time to be running for office right now. The worst time to be running for office. Man, I feel sorry for you. That is what I am telling you. I am going to sit here and get my -- each time you pop up to talk about those ordinances instead of getting consolidated into three minutes. But im here to say that hopefully at 12 noon tomorrow, we will know what is going on. We know who is in. Who is out. We will show the slate. We will know what we got out there to choose from. What we got to choose from. And the ticket is real slim. Who contest it and a aint. So I want to tell you guys that I dont have no issues with the city. When I do, I take care of them, right, mr. Bennett. We pray on it. Bottom line is that I will be coming back -- it is being monitored rather closely. Rather politically. And there are some people that aint saying that right now. Im here to tell you. Everybody up there will be checked back. So if you are filling out a form 6, you better make sure your dotting your is and carroting your ts. I am telling you. Season will start 24 hours. Good luck to all of you up there. Do what you are going to do and be aware that there are consequences. There are consequences in this particular election. This is not like any election that I have ever seen since I have been in Tampa for over 60 some years. This is different. This is different because we have got different issues. You can hear the public is upset. You can hear the Administration is upset. You can hear Council is upset. Everybody is upset. Airport nobody will get what they want, I can tell you that. Nobody will get what they want fully. Called the compromise. Called do your best out here. Some of yall will probably be seen over at the -- at the club luncheon, I guess at the Cuban Club. But I want to tell you, be careful. Make sure that form 6 is correct and dot your is and cross your ts, please.
Joseph Citro 10:40:01AM
Do We have anyone left in Chambers who wishes to speak to public comment at this time? I believe We have two people online? Just one. Thank you.
Clerk 10:40:14AM
Mr. Randolph, if you can hear me, please unmute yourself. My name is Michael Randolph and with the West Tampa Community Development Cooperation. First, I want to start off with the special announcement and then I want to go back to the West Tampa CAC. The special announcement is, I am no longer eating eggs. Pay $44 a month just to eat eggs. So no longer eating eggs. I had to get that in. Related to the West Tampa CAC. On September at 7 pm., We will be doing our next community-wide meeting talking about the plan for 2023 to 2028. Among the topics we will be talking about and what is on everybodys mind the West Tampa Public Safety Initiative that will focus on ending the school-to-prison pipeline for at-risk youth to be Returning Citizens. Two and a half years ago, I talked of the influx of guns that is coming. As a result of the program. Base on what they are saying, more guns in our neighborhood now than any other time before. You have kids going to school with guns. You got kids killing each other. The West Tampa Public Safety Initiative is going to focus on that, specifically generation z and generational if a. Generation alfa was born between 2010 and 2023. And these people are starting to be ones that commit the most notorious violence in our neighborhood. The other thing we want to talk about is the best Tampa community base and e commercial and looking at working with over 100 residents over the next five years to start their home-based e commercial business. Also those concerns coming from the community related to the west Tampa change in school system. We are going to have a Superintendent to address the issue related to west Tampa schools. The other thing we are going to talk about is the -- is the West Tampa CRA and funding available for residents, community groups, businesses and etc. We also want to talk of the relationship with the Florida Department of Transportation in which we are talking about over the next five years, hundred of jobs that will be created for residents in west Tampa, but also businesses who will connect those businesses also to the initiative. The other thing we will be talking about is with the west Tampa community engagement initiative. Over the next six months, we will be having the focus group of what was 300 residents to talk about what is it that they want to see, rental, homeowners, youth, out-of-work people and those on fixed income and do a follow-up on the community. Thank you very much. Have a great day.
Joseph Citro 10:43:37AM
Thank you, Mr. Randolph. Again, anyone else online or in Chambers that wishes to speak during public comment? Thank you. Then I suggest we get right to the charter amendments.
Martin Shelby 10:43:55AM
Mr. Chairman, Martin Shelby, City Council attorney. For the record what I passed out for City Council and copy to the Clerk and a copy to the legal is the summary and minutes of the January 5, 2023 Council meeting wherein Council took action on item 81-85, relative to the five -- excuse me 84, relative to the five ordinances being presented for second reading for councils consideration. You have received a memo from the Mayor within the 14 days as set forth in the charter. It is now -- it is now before you for reconsideration. And my suggestion would be that each ordinance be presented individually. Being read by title before you take final action as Council has agreed to take any additional public comment if there is any and if there is any input from the administration as well or legal, that would be the time to be able to recognize them and move forward if you wish specifically, by the way, for the purposes of your considering, provided you this -- a summary in the minutes because what they do contain, is they do contain -- I will confirm that with the Clerk -- they do contain the ordinance about I title that have to be read from title only and you have that in front of you for all the ordinances and the votes that were recorded for those individual ordinances on January 5. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 10:46:04AM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 10:46:07AM
My only question is -- obviously this is not a second reading. Any special language we need to use when -- when making the motion?
Martin Shelby 10:46:17AM
Well, in that it is in front of You for reconsideration as praised by the charter under section 2.10, My suggestion is that You just move it as -- on reconsideration and read the title by only.
Guido Maniscalco 10:46:37AM
Move to open.
Martin Shelby 10:46:40AM
Again, Council, so you and the public know pursuant to sections 2.10 Of the charter a two-thirds affirmative vote of all members is required. 37 and, again, that would be a supermajority or five or more votes. Again, anything -- a vote for of four and fewer will sustain the mayoral veto.
Joseph Citro 10:47:04AM
Council, will you please indulge me. Miss Zelman.
Andrea Zelman 10:47:09AM
Good morning, Andrea Zelman, Legal Department.
Joseph Citro 10:47:22AM
Thank You, You are the City Attorney.
Andrea Zelman 10:47:26AM
Correct.
Joseph Citro 10:47:29AM
We have two branches of government, the executive and legislative. We are the Legislative Body. We have the ability by ordinance or by resolution to change our laws and ordinances, to change our codes, to make changes to how this government is run. We have that power. That is our duty to our citizens. I asked before. I wasnt happy with the answer. I am asking you. Does this City Council have the powers through ordinance or through resolution to do the same changes that We -- that We have proposed thereby setting into motion that these changes will not have to go to the ballot and they can take effect in three weeks, give or take a few days. Do We have that power, the legislative power to just enact all these things by ordinance or by resolution?
Andrea Zelman 10:48:45AM
Yes. I would agree with one exception, that being the term limits and I will get to that in a minute. But, yes, I agree that the other proposed charter amendments can all be addressed by code amendments or by resolution of City Council.
Joseph Citro 10:49:02AM
Councilmembers, Carpe Diem. Seize the moment. As the attorney for the aclu and I will paraphrase, you never know what you are going to happen at the elections. As Mr. Locket said, and I will paraphrase, if we make these laws and ordinances. If we set these laws in motion to achieve what we are trying to achieve, Councilmembers, if we would done that two weeks ago, we wouldnt be here today. We, the City Council, ladies -- lady and gentlemen, Councilmembers have the power to today say we want to achieve these things through ordinances or through resolutions. Lets show our backbone. Lets stand up for the citizens want US to do and lets put this into effect starting with making motions on resolutions and ordinances today. Carpe Diem. Seize the moment. Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 10:50:19AM
While I appreciate that, We actually got quite a few back and forth whether or not We could do this by ordinance and resolution. And if We punt it, We are basically having to start all over because today We cant put these in effect because these ordinances is about putting these stuff on the ballot. Not about actually doing it. So We are going to start all over again. I am telling you The Public -- thats not what I am hearing. And so what I am saying is while I respect that, that is not what We have been told by -- by the City Attorney. And at this point, The Public is saying they want to vote. They dont want US to do it. They want to to do it. So I am absolutely going to vote to override these and put them on the ballot like The Public wanted. We all vote the unanimously on four out of five to put it on the ballot. The other got a 5-2 vote. We are have the vote. We are here to kind of get it done.
Joseph Citro 10:51:17AM
If I May answer to that, since this is our only open dialogue among Councilmembers, ladies and gentlemen, and if they dont pass at the ballot, and I am not saying that the voters are not smart, they are. But if it doesnt pass, do we throw our hands up and say we tried. This way going through ordinance or going through resolution, that is a definite answer.
Lynn Hurtak 10:51:45AM
Actually it isnt, because Council -- Future Councils can overturn that, no, its not. Also that is not what is happening today. You are basically starting the cycle all over again and We already agreed -- We already agreed, unanimous votes on putting this -- rather on the ballot for the people. You know what, that is the thing. It is rolling the dice. But We agree if the people dont want it, They will vote no. Not a big deal. They are let US know, They dont want it. But if They do want it --
Joseph Citro 10:52:23AM
Then again how many of the Council sat on the Charter Review. So my point is, I would like to make sure this goes into effect sooner than the elections.
Lynn Hurtak 10:52:35AM
And I am going to reply again. That, no, in order for a charter to be overturned, it has to go back to the Voters. But that cant happen with the seven of US or the seven people sitting here. Has to go back to the Voters. What the Voters are saying, they want to vote on all these things. If you want to do that route it will take longer to go through ordinance because first reading, changes. Second reading. And then the Mayor can veto them again and we will be here all over again. So its -- this is -- this is in the long run going to be faster.
Joseph Citro 10:53:10AM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 10:53:12AM
This Administration has done everything they could over the last two years to try to delay this. And obfuscate this process. The reason this has been delayed so much by the mayors description in her op-ed because her people pushed US to delay it. We would have had this passed a long time ago if not for that. An ordinance can be changed by council. And keep in mind the Mayor and her predecessor right now are not happy with the votes of City Council, so they are trying to manipulate the election process to get their City Council in. In fact the Mayor is running her mother-in-law as a candidate. Running her mother-in-law as a candidate. And the people in this community are not happy. A democracy. This is the united states. A separation of power. We believe in democracy in this country. The City Attorney and the staff of the city report as much to the City Council as they to do the Mayor; however, past city attorneys, not this burn, but past city attorneys have misinterpreted the charter. Misinterpreted ordinances. Last week we fixed a problem -- fixed it by ordinance because we were told not to fix it by charter. Fixed a problem with four years of liability out there because a City Attorney in two paragraphs overturned what the charter said and what an ordinance that passed in 2006 to put the city at legal liability in into the allowing City Council to approve settlement agreements. Ridiculous the things that have gone on in the city. The public is not happy. It is not professional. The problem is this Administration looks at everything from a political lens. Everything is a political campaign. We are here to set policy. Policy is to listen to the public, analyze the fact and creating solutions. Not about who wins or who loses or who will run. Because a conspiracy theory that I will run against her attacking and sabotaging. They helped to work to get Dingfelder out and tried to get Gudes out. Despicable. You can not use city resources to attack City Council members elected from the public. You got to respect it and should not participate and collude to throw out City Councilmembers in an election. It is despicable. I will tell you -- a lot of discussions of the problem of City Council and conflict. It is all coming from the mayors office. Coming from across the street. If you want to know -- go there. We are standing up to it because we dont like it. I will tell you, I am somebody who believes in collaboration. I am someone who prides myself of being collaborative across the region, around the world. I worked on collaboration. This Administration does not want to collaborate. Last week the Mayor stayed in the media, I will meet with every City Council member. She hates me. Her staff hates me. Sabotaged me for three and a half years. How many of you would go to the office and met with her? I did. I changed my schedule and I met her on Friday morning. Chief Of Staff was there as a witness. I said to her, Madam Mayor, you have three choices. You can vote to approve -- you can sign these and make a public statement. Have a press conference and say I dont like them. I dont support them. You can campaign against them. But ultimately the public has a right to view them and you can say I stand by the publics right to choose. Or you can veto them and send this city into political chaos. You can reinforce the message that City Council and the Mayor dont get along. I said that last week. I said I hope you dont do that. Because I want to get along. We all want to get along. We all want to work peacefully together. Why do you want to create political chaos. Number three, have a pocket veto to send in a legal fight that will send US -- thank God she didnt do that. Why would a sitting Mayor want to perspective the precedence of City Councils and mayors to get along to create political chaos. They come up with every excuse they can to stop this. They come up with legal excuses and legal interpretations to stop it. We could have gone through the most pristine process with everything and they would have made up something to stop it. None of this is substantive. How does setting term limits for City Council disrupt the strong Mayor form of government. It doesnt. They just want to win. Just about politics and a checklist of who won and who lost. One of other things I said to the Mayor, I presented, like, 22 different proposals and called the other City Councilmembers. I lost every single vote. All of them were great suggestions to our community that would have protected the community. I lost every single one of them. I did not propose any of these. I said you already won against me. Why are you still fighting these. They want a political fight. It is despicable. We should vote not to fight back or get revenge and we should not be a political buddy. We should vote for it because it is what is right for the community. If the community votes it down, we respect their decision. But we have to give it the right to vote. [Applause] [gavel sounding]
Joseph Citro 10:58:39AM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 10:58:40AM
Appreciate it. First of all, the second time since I have been sitting on Council this has come up for a review or possible conflict of the administration and the legislative branch. The first one in the '70s over pay raise for the fire fighters, Local 374. Mr. Lorandy, Mr. Sonardi and Hershel. And I see our procedures and sisters from the same local here today. That was denied by the Mayor. It came back to the Council just like this is coming back. And it was overridden by the Council on a 5-2 vote. Thats fine. And since then, there was a big article in one of the daily newspapers that call US the fire fighters five. Which was nice. The newspaper did the story and how they felt and I agree they had the right to do that. Get to where we are at today. You start to review these things and you look at number 80. I said how we start it. The Citizen Review Board regarding the charter. We and Council and then the Mayor are different Mayor, worked together to put together individuals from this community and different sect to represent the public this having negotiations and among themselves to think what is best for them to present to this Council here for the charter review. It took about a year. I never went to one of those meetings. I think three or four members here that were part of that. Including some from the Legal Department, some that are sitting town as councilmembers. We did that. Did we do that in this process. Came from a Councilmember who started it in the chamber. Right there in the process, I think something is wrong with transparency. Let me say that going in. And I have no regards for anybody. They do what they want. I was born alone. I hope I die alone. And I dont mind voting alone. Those are the three things I believe in. You look at that and what we are doing now, we should really have instead of having all this bs and I am talking about Barbra Streisand to put on the budget -- I mean on the election, do you want to change the city to government. That is what it is. When -- and I gave you a for instance. Not too long ago, two for three months ago, we had an individual that we hired, Miss Travis had a long process of having three or four individuals apply for a certain job. And that individual was qualified the most by this Council and took the job. We voted on him. He came here and spoke. Guess what that individual did. He was much smarter than what I thought he was. He saw US on tv one day and called in and quit before he took the job. Am I right, Miss Travis? So what message are we sending? That we are really strong or that we are really divided. I meet with the May I dont remember once a month and only about me as I am not -- that is not my position. A mayoral position from Mayor Greco, from Mayor Buckhorn, Mayor Iorio and Mayor Castor. And I sat on that board of Tampa Bay water in the 88 other than '03 and '07. The only time I sat with the Mayor to bring that person and all the other mayors before her that what was said at the meeting. I dont discuss nothing else other than pet the dog once or twice. Thats about it. So what I am saying, when we start doing these things. Not five or six are but 20 something items that were done. If you were looking at 20 some items, you are looking at change of the whole city. We cut it down to this. In that first ordinance, I voted no. I said then that I am voting no because the process was tainted. I said it then. You can check. The others voted yes to see where I was standing with that no vote. And I got the message loud and clear. I learned from what I learned in the past. You see, there is smart people. There are intelligent people. People who know a lot think better than we do. And people who just understand where you come from thats where I fit in. I understand where I came from. I understand what a handshake means. I understand when My Mother told me something was violated. I was going to have consequences. And I had consequences. I didnt always do what My Mother wanted me to do. What I am saying today if we really want to change things, have a debate. Go back. Put a board in. Go on and do the right thing. If you really want to do it right. Lets get input from the people we put on to tell the elected officials what they think should be changed. Not US changing the items without any contract with the people that we put on that Review Board. Those are the things to me that are unacceptable. And I understand -- I dont talk to any councilmembers of anything regarding that. They do what they want to do. Here is what the process is today and lets see where it goes.
Joseph Citro 11:04:08AM
Councilman Viera.
Luis Viera 11:04:10AM
Thank you very much. Thank you everybody. Thank you, Mr. Chair. When I hear things coming out of City Council, it -- the rhetoric we have seen, etc., Etc., The rhetoric that has been encouraged it really bothers me. I am a person who believes you can have both thing. I believe you can override the mayors veto and have a simple disagreement without being uncivil and escalating tensions in a political year when so much to gain. I walked in here intending to override on the vast majority of these and look into one resolution cant be done, go forward to an overriding. But I did not walk in here tending to escalate the political divisions we are having in this City Government. We hear so much rhetoric. So much rhetoric. I was talking to someone yesterday, someone said the Mayor -- again, disagree with the mayors veto and intend to override. Someone said the Mayor is suppressing vote. Voter suppression. Etc. I said, well, lets say that a -- a voter initiative came to you and you were an executive and would tear down Labor Unions, right. You would veto it, because you oppose the substance of it. Is that voter suppression? No, it is expressing your opinion as a democratically elected official. What we are doing out of bounds? Absolutely not. Because we are elected officials acting pursuant to the charter and that is it what I intend to do. We do see a ton -- voter suppression is real, right. Since 2020, we had about 250 attempts in over 40 states for voter suppression legislation. 2018, I remember governor -- northern district Judge Mark Walker struck down a bill by governor Rick Scott is to preclude early voting on college campuses. We saw our attorney general in Florida join Texas in trying to throw out the votes of -- I think four other states that happened to go for now President Biden. We saw January 6. Many, many issues of voter suppression. I want to make sure we frame issues as they are. When I hear language on that including author for ian authoritarian, etc. Want to stay in reasonable reality. My opinion that we will go forward -- I think and override the mayors veto but that we do not escalate the political rhetorics that is in the City Government. We have a disagreement. I disagree with the May I dont remember of these issues. I will vote to override. One to inquire on. That is what I intend to do, but I want to make sure that the terms of the debate are fair and they do not, again, escalate the political rhetoric in the City Government where we are right now going over the edge on this. We need to turn back just a little bit where we can disagree with one another, right, and not needlessly demonize one another. I think we can do that here. When I take a look -- I have said it again and again, these proposed ballot measures are not radical. They are very, very simple. I support them in substance. The voters want to vote on them. Lets go for it. No problems here. A point I do want to make and something that is very important to me. I guess if -- you mentioned Judge. Sometimes when you go on an opinion, you file what is called a concurring opinion. Maybe that is a concurring opinion here. Thats all. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Joseph Citro 11:07:41AM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 11:07:44AM
Thank you very much. I wrote what somebody said earlier, wrote what you think is right and be independent. That is something My Mother says, do what you think is right. That is the advice she gives me and think for yourself which is to be independent. I add to that do your due diligence. I fine is unnecessary and offensive to do a blanket veto of everything. I can understand doing my due diligence, the pros and cons of some of these things and look into the reasoning why the Mayor vetoed some. At the end of the day some are no brainers and I will get into the substantial as we take each one one by one. We are not hurting anybody. At the end of the day, it goes back to the things My Mother told me and things I heard today, vote for what you think is right and be independent. Thats it. And I look forward to making our decisions here.
Orlando Gudes 11:08:40AM
Am I recognized.
Joseph Citro 11:08:48AM
Thats why I am looking at you. Councilman Gudes, you are recognized Gudes Gudes these four years have gone up and down and sometimes very aggressive. I always have been of the culture of agree to disagree. You made that decision. I always have been a compromiser. And several issues I should have went with what the constituents say, but I went with the Administration. I have done that. I gathered all the Councilmembers to go across the street -- many of you said I dont want to go there -- I was the chairman. You believed in me and you went. You said I will go because it is you. Even though you didnt vote for certain things. I am appreciative of that because want to be a body of devoted people. I will never disrespect any other Councilmembers no matter what. If a problem, I will go to you. Not the Administration. I will come to you. That is how I believe to handle business. Same thing with the Administration, you have a problem, come to the Councilmembers. Work it out there. Dont try to sabotage and do things that I believe are unethical. We all had our meeting with the Mayor and said. I said the things I said. And, you know, dont wish to take them back truthful at the time and angry. I didnt go in a certain area I wanted to go because my faith led me to say, no, you stop yourself. You said enough. I do respect the Administration, but sometimes I dont respect their tactics. I always will work with the Administration. If im here tomorrow, gone tomorrow. I am still going to be the same person. Say what I want to say. I am an outspoken person. Not an angry Black man, a man with passion who sees things this the any that have been wrong. Communities that have been wronged. What I see in the city is just about power and money at times. Power and money. And money is the root of all evil, as We all know. I dont like a strong form of Mayor government. Because it is a dictatorship at times. I truly believe that. Because they are run by power and money. But when you have a Collegial Body that can hear the people because I feel We hear the people. And let constituents day -- you cant talk about the Mayor and get -- doesnt work that way. But here We are on ground zero. People come here. We walk out. It is a different process. Yes, it is good to have an executive that can run the city and do those things that We cant do. Thats great. But I believe money and power gets infected when you have somebody who has control. We have no control over employees. We have no control over this and that. We have control to Legislature this community, city and make sure things are done above Board and when citizens come here every Thursday, our job to hear their complaints and ask questions and get it right to the best We can. I am always going to do that. I am always going to Police to the people. If something I dont agree, I will go the people and tell you why I cant support it. I am going to be up front with them. No different than Developers, I tell you this, do this, and that. I cant support that. I am not a guy to sit and wave. And -- I dont do that -- I can tell you right now how I feel. I dont need to waver with anybody. We dont need to keep having a debate. The Mayor already vetoed it. I dont know what the discussion is. Lets take a vote. The public has already spoken. It is what it is. To come here and talk of a ordinance. How many times have We asked of an ordinance and got ifs, ands and buts. We get over this of getting it done way after it was -- this could have been done and played and kicked it down the field. Wait and Mr. Shelby was gone on sabbatical, you know. Without a city attorney to give guidance or anything. Still having to come to the premise that We do cathedral a second western with Mr. Shelby and an opportunity to get more staff. And We didnt do it. And you know We need more staff. You know We need more staff. The money situation. We needed the money. Cost of living. Everything. The public said -- they told US what they wanted. We work for them. We dont work for ourselves. This has been a downfall sometimes in this council that We are not listening to the people on real issue. This charter We know to have the pow ter needs to be looked at against because things that are wrong in it. Interpretations, members who sit on the Board. And We know that is why We are raising hell saying We dont know and We know now the things that need to be changed. I yield back, Sir.
Joseph Citro 11:14:02AM
Councilman Miranda, see the hand up.
Charlie Miranda 11:14:06AM
No, sir.
Joseph Citro 11:14:07AM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 11:14:09AM
Hi. I appreciate all of my colleagues' comments. You know, we do have a Strong Mayor Form Of Government. It May not be in the charter itself but because the way the Administration works, how the charter lays out how the city runs. Someone that running the day-to-day operation. Our job as City Council is to make the laws and we are a check and balances of how this all works. We look at the cost of things every week. We look at changing land use zoning. Our job is to set the path for the Administration to follow. That is what we are supposed to do. That is the balance of power is. Yes, a Strong Mayor Form Of Government, but the City Council is supposed to act as a checks and balances to the system. And a lot of times we havent done that. This body has sat as a rubber stamp for many, many years. This particular Council has decided they dont want to do that anymore. So while there May be disagreement. Not a fight. All it is that now we have a culture where we are disagreeing sometimes. We are just disagreeing. I always tell people, like, I chose my husband. Like I love that man. But there is no way -- I dont agree with him on everything. So how in the world can I agree with anyone else. And that is the way I feel. We sit down and we did talk of these and the Mayor asked me if I had any problems with them. No. Was I concerned that The Public didnt have enough time, I said no. We had four different meetings that we were able to talk about this. Over and over again, The Public said they wanted to have a word in this. They wanted to vote. My thing -- I am not going to approve any type of ordinance or resolution to get it done, because what I am hearing now is that the people want this done. They want to vote on it. There is nothing special about overriding a veto. Just one of the other things we can to as Council. I am proud of being a member of this body who really is studying and looking at how the city runs every day. And in city has gone from slightly complicated to vastly complicated in two years' time. And I know that we all work our -- well, I hope that we all work our hardest to find that balance. But here is the thing. This is our job. We were elected or appointed to do this job. To look at each thing and decide whether or not it fits to where our city needs to go. And The Public is telling US, they want input on how our city runs. Especially when it comes to -- I am going to single out one of them, the interim department heads. The Public is saying what happened what nine months ago cant happen again. That is what this does. We are closing a loophole so it doesnt happen again. All of these are slight changes that are going to make our citys charter better or not depending on what yall say, but it is not our choice. It is going to be up to You. Thank You.
Joseph Citro 11:17:37AM
Council, thank you for indulging me. And I thank you for this robust discussion. Miss Zelman, before you walk away, thank you for giving me your opinion on whether or not these can be done through ordinance or resolutions. Now lets just take one second. If we were to set an ordinance or resolution into motion today, it would probably take two weeks for it to come back. Then we would have the first reading which is another week. That is first reading is another week. Then we would have to have second reading which is another two weeks. So now we are up to six weeks.
Andrea Zelman 11:18:26AM
You had an extra week in there. If -- for instance, the Crb attorney is an example of one where even the outside counsel that you had work on these ordinances advised you that role could be created by a code amendment. You already have a code that was adopted by this City Council in 2021 that spells out how legal Council is provided to the Crb. If you want to change the way that legal counsel is provided to the Crb. The easiest way is to amend the code. If we bring you an ordinance, you will hear it on first reading, two weeks later second reading and it adoption. Extra weeks May fall in there because of the sire deadlines and the schedule for your hearings, but, yes, that is something -- perfect example of something that can be done very quickly. While I have the podium, I just want to make two historical corrections for additions to what was said. Councilman Miranda, in 1990, Mayor Sandy Freeman actually vetoed two proposed charter amendments regarding a Charter Review Commission. And interestingly, when I read her letter and the mayors letter, they were saying some of the same objections. This was rushed. It wasnt well thought-out. And I am happy to work with the Council on a solution. Just for historical reference since you mentioned that. And I do want to correct one thing that I think was unfair. Only because I was so involved with this. 112017am The delay -- the timing of the charter review workshop that you all had, there was not a single delay caused by the Administration. I charted out every single motion that was made starting in February of 2021 when Councilman Dingfelder first motioned for a workshop on the charter amendment. Every delay with the exception of one when a facilitators husband had covid, Council vote to reschedule it, reschedule it who hire a Facilitator. In September, you opened a charter workshop and closed it and. None was the Administration wanting to change that. And I think that was unfair. I forgot the question. I apologize.
Joseph Citro 11:21:14AM
Timeline. If we took the action today, could a code or ordinance be put into effect before the elections?
Andrea Zelman 11:21:25AM
I believe so, yes.
Joseph Citro 11:21:27AM
Thank you. I will go to Councilman Gudes and Councilman Miranda.
Orlando Gudes 11:21:31AM
Mr. Chairman, with all due respect, I thought we were here today to vote on the proposed charters. I didnt know we were here to discuss another avenue. I dont think any Councilmembers will discuss another avenue. I thought, with all due respect, that we were there get this done, to either override or not with a vote and continue and no go to legal counsel and ask of all these different avenues.
Joseph Citro 11:21:54AM
If I can --
Orlando Gudes 11:21:56AM
Let me finish sir. We already asked those questions and got run-around questions in reference to ordinance. That is why we are here today. I will ask Mr. Chairman that a vote be put on the floor for all five items and move forward and lets stop the Bureaucracy and the bs and lets move. [Applause] [gavel sounding]
Joseph Citro 11:22:18AM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 11:22:19AM
I have no -- the Honorable City Attorney from 1990, when I spoke, I clearly said from '74 I was here and didnt come back to 1995 and evidently she found something 1990. Everything that I said was correct and everything she said was correct. So two corrections doesnt equal in minus. However, again, what we want to do is make changes. And I believe one of the changes -- I dont recall all because 20 something presented. One has the idea that we are going to ask approval. The approval from US whoever wants to hire one department head. I am not sure about it if I remember it that way. Instead of working for the Mayor whoever the Mayor is, that department head have to be approved by the Council first before the Mayor or something like that? That should really go to change the Government. When you start changing the structure of a Government, you have to get approved by the citizens. This -- they should have it all and take it all that you want to change the way we have a Government. I have no problem with that. But when you start doing these things in my mind, it is not the right thing to do. Thats just me. Thank you very much. Have a nice day.
Joseph Citro 11:23:38AM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 11:23:40AM
We tried the ordinance and resolution thing before and keeps getting shot down and why the Voters wanted US to go to -- go to a vote. Because here is the thing. We -- We are just going around and round and round and People are going to change their votes. And it here -- We already approved these unanimously just a couple of weeks ago. Lets just -- as Councilman Gudes said, lets get these votes done and let the People know whether or not you are going to support them making the decision.
Joseph Citro 11:24:12AM
Again, I thank you all. Top a couple Council People's point, I am not here to be right. I want to be heard. So even though we are even though there will be a change today whether we override the Mayor or whether we set in the motion a code or ordinance, ladies and gentlemen, this is the only time we can have discussions. All I wanted to be was heard. We have options. We are the legislative body of this city. Thank you, Council -- Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 11:25:09AM
I have to ask and this May sound disrespectful and the text messages and behind the scenes shenanigans. I have to ask did the Mayor or staff ask you to throw the monkey wrench into the engine today or coach you on saying it, because these are the kind of shenanigans they have been pulling for two years that Miss Zelman is not aware of. She talked of the legal process but probably not aware of the dirty politics gone behind the scenes. While I still have the floor, the cleave of staff will confirm I told the Mayor directly. Your staff who is paid for the city and representatives of the city, if they are pushing negative message and negative stories ever City Council to stir up fight of city councilmembers. Not only despicable and unethical. Please tell them to stop. If my legislative aide was doing the same thing, I would fire her. But this Mayor allows these people, staff members paid by taxpayers that we approve to attack City Council and the public. It is despicable. We need to end it. The fighting needs to end. The public wants peace. If she put up another City Council member to attack US and throw a wrench in here, it is really terrible.
Joseph Citro 11:26:27AM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 11:26:29AM
Let me clear up one thing. It was said that the Mayor met with all Councilmembers. I have to disagree with that. I had an appointment and meet with her 8 am. On Friday. I could not keep that appointment. I said meet at 8:00. I came here quarter to 7:00. Came back down. I waited to 8:23. And I left because I have to be in oldsmar by 9:00. So I never met with the Mayor. So I want to clear -- make it clear that the Mayor and I never met, sat down and have a debate that Mr. Carlson said he did. Let me tell you about me. I dont believe the way I was raised that I do things for myself. I do and when I vote, it is not for me, not for the benefit of me, but what I think best for thepublic. If we want to make changes, we should make changes and let the public vote on it by a k-marter change. Let them vote what kind of government. Strong form of government or not. The problem here is lack of communication and lack of understanding that you get elected for, legislative and mayoral. Thats it. Thank you very much.
Joseph Citro 11:27:50AM
In answer to your question, Councilman Carlson, no. And if you wish to make a public records request for my cell phone or my computers, I beg you, please do it. Please do it. I am not insulted by that question. It is a fair and honest question. But, again, if you would like to make public records request, I am not afraid of it. I have been subpoenaed before with other things that have happened earlier this in Council. So, please.
Bill Carlson 11:28:27AM
I assume You are telling the truth.
Joseph Citro 11:28:30AM
Dont assume, take it as truth.
Bill Carlson 11:28:33AM
I am glad You said that and I hope that doesnt happen by the Administration again.
Joseph Citro 11:28:39AM
Thank you, Councilman Carlson. What is the pleasure of Council. Did -- Chief Bennett.
John Bennett 11:28:45AM
Good morning, Council. Good morning -- yeah, actually good morning. Good morning, Council. Good morning, public. John Bennett, chief of staff. I think from our frequent in watching the first reading, second reading, and now here we are after the mayors veto memo came in by process to Council. First of all, on the record, the Mayor is traveling trying to bring resources to Tampa from the Federal Government to Tampa from dc. Thats where she is at. Her staff is here representing her including myself, the city attorney for her role mayors office and we have executive staff members here to answer any questions for any of the itemized -- either the vetoes or process surrounding supporting and implementing any of the recommended ordinances to go forward to the public. So as far as the request from the Administration, there has been some philosophical talk over some time now. And then we also would like to engage Council before each vote for Administration. A request from Council to have a global discussion about how the vetoes came about, as far as the process goes to explain the position of the Administration and then before each vote on each of the recommended ordinances that go to the public, we would like to just give feedback. I do feel that, you know, from my perspective, I tried to be an active listener to Council, the public and, of course, our staff for three and a half years and try to bring all that collaboration together. And this, again, in a big city as Councilwoman Hurtak said, it is getting more dynamic every day and our accountability is getting higher every day and takes a lot of accountability to make sure we work together to get things done. If Council will indulge me, I would like to talk for a few minutes about -- I understand we are trying to huss toll a vote, but the difference between hustling is for an outcome. The difference for perseverance is the process. I think we are trying to persevere around a process. I would ask that the Administration be allowed to give the feedback that we only had very limited ability to do during this process. I think one time one Councilmember asked one staff member to come to the podium to give feedback, otherwise Council made US understand this was their process and respected the journey. And now that the veto package is in, I feel like we have an obligation to the public to explain why that was done and the Mayor is epitome of demock a show with her staff. She listens to every single administrator and director of operating their specific departments before she makes a decision. So all of that needs to be conveyed to the public, in my humble opinion. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 11:31:43AM
Councilman Gudes.
Orlando Gudes 11:31:46AM
Good morning, Chief. With all due respect, you know the conversation we had there on Friday. Pleasant or not, we said what we need to say. Today you are representing the Mayor -- you said the Mayor is out of town. Trying to bring money to the city, which is great. The problem that I have is what Mr. Carlson is talking about, why bringing City Staff to talk to Council about charter amendments. I dont understand that process. If you are representing the Mayor and -- I have an issue of department heads and other City Staff coming before the Council for charter amendments. They dont have a fight in the game on those things. The Mayor vetoed them however she felt to veto them. May have met with you or her staff. I have an issue of coming to speak on the issue. I respect the process. I think the process. If you are here to $to represent the Mayor, we will hear from you. I have no problem with that, but other councilmembers can chime in or not. I have an issue for staff to be involved in this process.
John Bennett 11:32:48AM
Can I apply to each one, Chairman?
Joseph Citro 11:32:52AM
To each Councilmember.
John Bennett 11:32:54AM
If I am being asked a question, I would like to reply in realtime.
Joseph Citro 11:33:00AM
Please.
John Bennett 11:33:03AM
Staff needs to implement everything that the Council adopts. And the important of that implementation. I will be able to give examples of recommendations of the charter how they will be a challenge to implement. That is where Staff comes in. They need to hear that in real time and we respect listening to public and Council to optimize our implementation to do it the best way possible. However this ends up, with He to implement. All 4800 employees have to live and breathe that implementation. So it is very important that they hear things in that great detail so make sure we serve the community the way we collectively work together.
Joseph Citro 11:33:42AM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 11:33:44AM
I am going to say that I dont necessarily think it is appropriate because you had four other chances to do so. And -- I mean, you had four chances. And you can talk to US any time. This is the first time hearing of this. So I am not okay with it. You could have come to US. I mean, you are just -- at this point, we are just trying to drag it out. And after we agree or disagree to put these on the ballot. I think staff is welcomed to go to the public, but the Mayor had an opportunity during her letter -- and She didnt -- at least She didnt contact me personally to let me know about it. We sat down for a meeting. She didnt tell me the particulars for each one. We had that opportunity. She didnt -- at all didnt tell me there might be some problems with putting these -- implementing them. And I dont see how implementing the fact that the City Council has term limits is a problem. That is not going to affect you all. So I am sorry, but, I mean, I dont see a need. At this point, we are here to override vetoes.
Joseph Citro 11:34:55AM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 11:34:58AM
You often get up here and talk to US individually and talk about how You are the peacemaker. You are the go of everything. And your consensus building experience, You think it builds trust for the Elected Body, Legislative Body for the City Of Tampa to learn of the mayors veto through google alert or -- or through reading the op-ed directly. Do You think that is a respectful way to build trust?
John Bennett 11:35:31AM
So I think if you look at it from a timing continuum, really the only way possible. The veto could have been done all the way to today till noon.
Bill Carlson 11:35:42AM
Why would you send a memo the night before. It obviously -- this is what I said. The Administration looks to the political lens rather than looking at building trust or looking at good policy. Somebody in the mayors office I can guarantee said, we have to blindside them otherwise they will have a chance to respond with an op-ed or guest editorial. That is what happened. If building trust, somebody would have called US -- when I met with the Mayor and you will verify it. I said I think you should meet with every City Councilmember every month and when you disagree about something, you not only call the votes, call the people who disagree with you and say you and I will disagree and can you do it civil. Instead attacks. Do you think it is right and good uses for the Mayor staff to constantly attack city councilmembers who disagree with them?
John Bennett 11:36:43AM
I will answer that first. The Mayor as I said agreed with you it is not appropriate to do that and She has held people accountable for that. That is the first answer. The second answer to the first question was that if you look at the continuum, two weeks ago, Council voted to put these where they are now. The Mayor respected that process. We have always encouraged to our staff to start with "help me understand." The Mayor did that inviting everybody into her office question for my experience in three and a half years, every invitation has come from The Mayor's office to me with anybody for any reason. They all germinated for that. But her goal was to help her understand behind each one of your intentions on a huge responsibility to change the city charter to make sure that She understands before She puts any decision together She heard from each one of you individually. I sat in every one of those meetings and I never heard her once trying to change someones opinion but only understand where this was coming from. That was really the goal of it. Again, an opportunity to share ideas, express differences, challenge each other. That is all good work. That is really going to be part -- if I can get to do that presentation, part of this is what we should be doing celebrating how much great we did over the last three and a half years when three statistically valid surveys done in the city that say Council and The Mayor and the Public have a 93% approval rating three years in a row compared to the national average. An amazing job. The Council should be happy about that. The Administration should be happy about that. And the Public should be happy about that. Celebrate the work we have done together. We have taken many things from Council and brought them back at the request of Council to refine and improve the outcomes. The last thing I will say at this moment is that already so many ways to make change. You know I raised four children and coached hundreds of kids in youth sports like Councilman Gudes has, you change behavior at the lowest denominator possible until it doesnt work. And a complete list of things that can be done on these five amendments that dont require a charter change. And that is the difference -- that is the difference when you change things iteratively opposed to going to the highest level.
Bill Carlson 11:39:11AM
This obviously is the latest tactic that the Administration is using and despite what Miss Zelman said, a lot of political tactics used against US. One day 20 police officers in the audience paid for taxpayers for four or five hours to intimidate US. And the Administration -- remember the time that the Administration brought people from east Tampa to say they were in favor of renting while Black and gave them rides back and forth. These are dirty tactics that have been used. We should not waste the time of the members of public and waste our time. The new excuse, oh, well, you didnt ask enough staff members to come up and give their opinion. I will say in response, the Administration has a chance to do an Administration update and the last few weeks, is it not do an update. Administration has an opinion. They could have called US. And the Administration -- I think we need to call the question and vote on this.
Lynn Hurtak 11:40:12AM
Second [applause]
John Bennett 11:40:16AM
One final thought and I will return it back to the Chairman and Council is that you learn as you go. Everything is iterative. When your Mayor got the feedback put the veto package together to bring it to Council. A iterative process of listening to the entire journey and listening to each of you and thepublic To make that decision to veto each one of these now each of them has a prescriptive reason for that that I am hoping we can come up. Point in time we were able to do that is after the last meeting with the last Council member on this Tuesday. So that is the timeline that is not an end around or trick.
Bill Carlson 11:41:00AM
20 more seconds.
Joseph Citro 11:41:02AM
We have a motion made by Councilman Carlson. Proceed with the voting. Seconded by Councilwoman Hurtak. All in favor. Excuse me, any further comment on that motion?
Martin Shelby 11:41:19AM
Yes, I do have -- the question is -- the question is whether to call the question. That was the motion. To call the question. I believe that was made by Councilman Carlson.
Joseph Citro 11:41:33AM
Councilman Carlson. Seconded by Councilwoman Hurtak.
Martin Shelby 11:41:37AM
The question is what, to end the debate. Bear with me to make sure that process goes as accordingly per the charter. It was my understanding what Council was going to do take each ordinance individually and allow for a presentation and allow for the public to speak as part of what the charter refers to as reconsideration. That was the way it was meant to be. Now by calling the question -- the question is, what is on the floor? There is no other motion or action on the floor.
Joseph Citro 11:42:09AM
The motion on the floor -- correct me if im wrong, is to end the discussion and go for a vote on these -- on overriding these. Is that your motion.
Bill Carlson 11:42:20AM
Yes, which will include public comment.
Joseph Citro 11:42:23AM
That is what I perceive. And thats why I am asking for a call on this motion made by Councilman Carlson to end the debate. Seconded by Sounds Hurtak. Any discussion? Councilman Viera.
Luis Viera 11:42:38AM
Funny because I was going to call the question for a number of reasons including to end Council speaking on it, as well as Administration, but what I was going to suggest is, that Mr. Bennett wanted to have -- I think three minutes for each one. Why dont we call the question. Two minutes for him. And we vote. Thats it. No more Council discussion. Just to be reasonable and just go forward and vote. I already stated by the way how I am going to vote. But this is about being reasonable. Lets do that. That is what I was going to motion for. So it is about 90% of what Councilman Carlson said with a little something extra. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 11:43:15AM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 11:43:17AM
I like that but I want to amend that to say everyone gets one minute. Public and Staff. Yeah. Does that work.
Bill Carlson 11:43:28AM
I accept that amendment.
Lynn Hurtak 11:43:33AM
I accept my second.
Joseph Citro 11:43:34AM
Anything you want to say, Mr. Shelby, make it brief.
Martin Shelby 11:43:42AM
No. Lets find out what the pleasure.
Joseph Citro 11:43:45AM
All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion passed.
Martin Shelby 11:43:50AM
Now, mr. Chairman, my understanding is that each item will be taken up, each ordinance will be taken up individually. Is that correct?
Joseph Citro 11:43:59AM
Thats correct. That was the plan. So we are going to hear frome 2020 be 8 chapter 22023-1.
Lynn Hurtak 11:44:19AM
I will read it. This is an -- and I am saying we are -- we are moving the ordinance, correct, Mr. Shelby? I am about to read -- we are overriding the mayors veto in an ordinance relating to the government of the City Of Tampa, Florida, submitting to the electors of the city a proposed amendment to the revised charter of the City Of Tampa of 1975 to amends 9.01 Too clarify that standing boards will be created by City Council by ordinance without requiring the mayors recommendation providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 11:44:55AM
A motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. Any discussion? Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 11:45:01AM
Yes, I am going to support overriding this because in 2015, the everybody came up with the creation of the Crb. And who had the authority to create boards. And back then, it was a discussion between the administration and the council who had the authority. I always believed since 2015 that City Council had the authority to create boards. And this came into what we voted on creating the Crb. I think this is a no brainer. I see the mayors rebuttal and some suggestions that she had against this regarding financial and logistical impact on the city. But the City Council we will vote in the budget to allocate funds to support those boards or not support those boards. A process to act responsibly. I believe what I believed in 2018 when we created the board. That is my second and my explanation as to why.
Joseph Citro 11:45:59AM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 11:46:01AM
I have a no brainer if you want to call it. Incumbent on US to follow the process. In 2015, the process was what? A board. People from the community that we put in between the administration and had legislative body, the City Council. That board met for many, many months. Brought to the City Councils what their recommendations were to change the charter. That was passed by the City Council unanimously. Therefore this is a flawed process from a no brainer. That is what it is called. I want to say thank you for calling me a no brainer and at least I have a name and I know who I am. Thank you very much.
Joseph Citro 11:46:44AM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 11:46:46AM
I said this in every discussion we had. The process since 1974 when the charter was made that the City Council can vote to put something on the ballot to allow the public to vote on it. The new process that was put in place in 2015 was not written about in the charter and something that the City Council which three members who are here put together a Charter Review Commission. Four on here plus two other Attorneys in the room on that Charter Review Commission. We happen to have specialized expertise because of that and the benefit of having worked in the city. And we had not just the formal discussions but months and months and months of discussion about these topics and more that were all shot down. The -- the charter -- the Charter Review Commission added a -- a proposal to the public to vote to add the Charter Review Commission. And it was added. And so we are following the original process, not the -- not the new process, but not that the process wasnt followed, but just a different process.
Andrea Zelman 11:47:51AM
Mr. Chair, if I May.
Lynn Hurtak 11:47:53AM
One minute. The issue in 2015 was the creation of the Citizen Review Board for the police. And wasnt a question whether the Mayor versus the Council could create a board, whether the Council had the authority to create a board that would arguably regulate the Police Department which the then Mayor argued was clearly within his per view, so the subject matter of the board that was the controversy then. Not the question of the creation of the board. And some of you are confusing that with the creation of the Charter Review Commission which was a separate issue. I just wanted to clarify that.
Joseph Citro 11:48:33AM
Chief, you have one minute.
John Bennett 11:48:36AM
I do. So I think what is important about our minute, if you dont mind bringing up the elmo.
Joseph Citro 11:48:46AM
Its there.
John Bennett 11:48:49AM
Thank you. I know thepublic Saw the news but May not read the memo of the Mayor in detail. This is lifted from the -- highlighted for the sake of time pause I knew Council will be interested in the agenda timing. Significant and financial logistical impact. Again, the staff wanted to help Council and the public understand that these things cost time, money, resources. We want to make sure that we are included in supporting the decision, which is why the balance of power existed from the beginning. If the Mayor creates a board, Council has a approve. If Council creates a board, the Mayor approves to weigh in on supporting that board. The budget advisory Council is an example how challenging it is to get it done. Not to mention, we should spent time to survey our board members to understand their challenges of being a board member. Checks and balances. I mentioned inconsistent with another section of the charter and amended already in 2019. So thank you.
Joseph Citro 11:49:54AM
Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Anyone in council chambers who wishes to comment to this motion? You have one minute. Irrespective of that. What we are seeing in the last two and a half hours is a demonstration of a child or minor and you do something wrong and you are apprehensive of going home or facing your parents and you delay because you know you are in trouble or you have unprotected sex and you feel a burning down there and you delay going to the doctor because you know you are in trouble. You dont want them to tell you you have herpes or aids and something devastating. What all of you are doing. The mayors staff and the City Council. A lot of delays to do a straight up and down vote. Why you are once again defending taxpayers time and your time unnecessarily. What happened here is the Mayor trying for a polygraph and you guys have to block it. Plain and simple. All of the discussion probably isnt necessary. I think City Council should be able to create its own committee. I am on a committee that doesnt have a Mayoral Candidate. And I think it works just fine. So I dont really understand why we have to have permission to create a committee. We have staff who creates committees. So why cant City Council do it without somebody holding their hand. I would like to point out that in the -- in the quashed period that City Council for two years this morning, the Mayor released this -- her vetoes 24 hours ago to the public. That is why this room is not packed out. We met with two candidates yesterday that didnt even know about it when we talked to them. So nobody knows or they would be here. Thank you. Yes, I am running for one of the seats up here. I have been listening to this. And I think -- I am not an attorney, but I have been trying to read the charter because if I want to run for something, I need to know what the requirements are. It seems like the changes being proposed are relatively simple. I see -- I hear a lot of drama over strong Mayor in here and you are weakening it. I am looking at this saying these are minor tweaks. I think if we truly actually believe in democracy, we will let the people vote on what their government structure is like. I dont think anything that has been proposed that you guys voted by veto-proof majorities. Because I have been watching. I dont think any of them are unreasonable. I thought you were only going to have one minute for everything. So thats why I did this.
Joseph Citro 11:52:56AM
Thank you. Anybody else in Chambers who wishes to speak to this. Based on what I am hearing and know legalities go, I respectfully request that if any information that the City was going to present that be received and filed in the record whether He presents it or not so that I can have a chance to look at what He was going to present. So if He has some documents. And I am going to say this five times that each of those documents be put in the record because I am probably the one to do anything legal or otherwise. So please have what He has into the record. If He presents it or not. That is my request. And that will be each time I come up just so I have a written record of what they were going to say plus what everybody else is saying. And I request that to be done.
Guido Maniscalco 11:53:48AM
Move to receive and file any documents to be presented for all five of these ordinances and questions.
Lynn Hurtak 11:53:55AM
Second.
Joseph Citro 11:53:56AM
A motion by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilwoman Hurtak. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Anybody else in chambers?
Luis Viera 11:54:10AM
May I? I havent spoken.
Joseph Citro 11:54:12AM
Councilman Viera.
Luis Viera 11:54:14AM
Real quick. One minute. The Gentleman said this is reasonable. Mr. Shelby, quick question, when a Council creates a board under this, the Mayor has a chance to veto it, correct?
Martin Shelby 11:54:26AM
If created be ordinance obviously for the charter with the process you are going through now, it will have to be presented to the Mayor for either her signature or her rejection in returning it to veto. The answer to that question is, when you create an ordinance just as you did with the crb, it was created and sent to the Mayor for the mayors signature.
Luis Viera 11:54:49AM
Thank you, Sir. Nothing further. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 11:54:52AM
Place your votes and record.
Guido Maniscalco 11:54:56AM
Yes to override, correct?
Clerk 11:55:06AM
Motion carried with Miranda voting no.
Guido Maniscalco 11:55:09AM
Can we take a two-minute break?
Joseph Citro 11:55:17AM
Make the motion. State the motion to take a two-minute break.
Luis Viera 11:55:23AM
I just need to use the rest room. 30 seconds.
Joseph Citro 11:55:27AM
Motion by Councilman Viera. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. [Meeting in recess] [Tampa City Council in recess]
Bill Carlson 12:04:01PM
Here.
Luis Viera 12:04:05PM
Here.
Guido Maniscalco 12:04:07PM
Here.
Lynn Hurtak 12:04:08PM
Here.
Orlando Gudes 12:04:09PM
Here.
Charlie Miranda 12:04:12PM
(No audible response)
Joseph Citro 12:04:15PM
Here.
Clerk 12:04:16PM
We have a physical quorum.
Martin Shelby 12:04:17PM
For the purposes of the record just so we are all clear, we are back in session, back on the record, at 12:05. I just want to know what councils pleasure is more moving forward.
Joseph Citro 12:04:27PM
The consensus of Council is that we will get through these charter amendments, overriding the Mayor or not, before we two to lunch. So theres not going to be a hard stop. If it takes past 12:30 or 1:00 thats fine.
Martin Shelby 12:04:49PM
And thats by unanimous consent?
Joseph Citro 12:04:51PM
Thats correct.
Martin Shelby 12:04:52PM
Thank you, Sir.
Lynn Hurtak 12:04:54PM
I move to override the mayors veto of an ordinance relating ordinance number 2023-2, ordinance relating to the government of the City Of Tampa, Florida submitting to the Electors Of The City a proposed amendment to the revised charter of the City Of Tampa of 1975 as amended to clarify that the mayors nominations for heads of department and other city employees as set out in section 6.03 Must be approved by four votes of the City Council and to provide for interim appointment of existing city employees by the Mayor for a maximum of 180 days providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 12:05:32PM
Motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak. Seconded by Councilman Carlson. Any further discussion?
Guido Maniscalco 12:05:43PM
Okay, im looking at this one regarding the appointments. I would get two recent events. First, the Police Chief situation, which I think spurred this entire discussion, and second, when we appointed or selected a Cra Director, that did not take the job. Those are both very public. The Cra Director was a public discussion and meet the people and everything and it was made known to existing or previous employer that that person had -- to leave. That person was selected but did not take the job. So that was that. It was a very public process. The person did not take the job. I dont know what the situation is now. Thats one thing. The second thing is, and what happened in December, we approved a Police Chief that was appointed by The Mayor, without choice of picking one person or another. The Mayor chose the person. We voted that person up or down and that Mayor, if we had voted that person down -- sorry -- they would have been in an interim position and stayed there, whatever. And I will wrap it up quickly and I apologize. The Mayor has the responsibility to supervise, manage and the power to remove or terminate department heads in City Administration. Thats the administrator. In the situation with the Police Chief I think The Mayor acted swiftly after the letter of resignation and that person was terminated. Because of that, I think as it is now, I think it works.
Lynn Hurtak 12:07:14PM
That is not what this is saying. What this is saying is the that basically the interim department head has to be a city employee. Thats what its saying. So that was the problem with the Police Chief vote, and I was not on this Council during that time. I was a citizen who was upset about that. But because I didnt feel like we got -- as a citizen, we got any real input there. So what happened was, from my understanding, the Mayor appointed someone from not in the city as an interim director, and then just said, oh, by the way, we are going to start calling her the Police Chief, not giving her the interim title, with I we are using right I know for interim Chief Bercaw and we are using that title. And that she just started that very day without approval from Council. But thats the kind of thing that if we decided, no, we didnt want her, she would have to now then leave the position and she had gone through all this hr when she really didnt have a right to do that. And thats what this is -- this is closing that loophole about interim appointments.
Joseph Citro 12:08:23PM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 12:08:30PM
I appreciate everything thats, said but I look at in a normal way, in the life that I live is that you certainly are responsible for your children, but you are not going to go to jail for something that the children do, meaning that no matter who the Mayor is, that Mayor makes an appointment of someone, that Mayor is now responsible for what that person does somewhere else, not disregarding this position that he or she has in the city. In this case, the Mayor is not the one that showed the badge, the Mayor is not the one that spoke out, it was the Appointee that spoke that and that appointment was swiftly removed. So the point is it was the Appointee that was charged, and the Appointee is no longer here. Thats all.
Joseph Citro 12:09:22PM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 12:09:25PM
Yeah, and to all of these and all the ones we talked about for the idea of taking away power from the strong Mayor form of government came up and thats not at all true in this case. It always has been true that the Mayor nominates somebody and City Council approves. We clarified a little bit in the last charter changes in the use of the word interim, but its always been true that the Mayor cannot appoint some department head without City Council approval. We are not changing that. We are not adding that now. Thats already been true for a long time. If City Council doesnt like the nominee, we have always been able to do that. All this does is it prevents the problem that some of the staff mentioned, what happens if a Mayor brings in somebody from outside, saying you are going to get the job, dont worry, I am going to get you, and that person has given um a job in another place and relocated their family and then they come before City Council and City Council says no. All that does, it really protects the applicant more than anything. It doesnt take power away from the Mayor because otherwise its a strong arm tactic like we experienced in December. We need to clarify this so we dont have problems in the future. [Bell sounds] thank you.
Joseph Citro 12:10:38PM
Chief Bennett.
John Bennett 12:10:41PM
Again, im listing from the language in the mayors memo in her stead right now. You know, it is about the process. This is changing the form of government by Council essentially pointing a department head or administrator to report then to the Mayor after the fact. It is different than what has been going on. This is one of those things that we had talked about over the time when I got here about improving the process, if there is a misinterpretation of the current charter by doing a resolution. So we feel like a resolution of how we engage this process, until such time we need to do it further in a process would be beneficial. This is one of the biggest things that changes the form of government for the city. Its not accurate to say the only thing it changes is the interim appointment. The Charter Review Commission discussed at length, recommended, the voters approved, adding language to 6.03 Saying that if the Mayor submitted a name, was voted down, she would have the ability to resubmit that name. Now you are taking that away. So thats changing something that was just changed. I think that its important to make that clear. And I also cant agree that changing appointment and Confirmation to no, maam knee and pointing is no change. If it is, why do it? But the fact is you are changing it. You are putting the Mayor in the position of being the Nominator and the Council in the position of the position of pointing department heads rather than the Mayor doing it.
Joseph Citro 12:12:32PM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 12:12:35PM
How many times can the Mayor resubmit a name? Is there a limit? Or can it just in perpetuity forever and ever, keep resubmitting after being voted down?
Andrea Zelman 12:12:51PM
In the event of disapproval by the City Council of any said appointments the Mayor within 90 days thereafter shall submit or resubmit to the City Council the name of the appointee. So in theory, the Mayor could resubmit over and over again. That clearly was not the intent when we discussed this at the charter review. The point was that sometimes the Mayor, for instance when a new Mayor comes into office, has to act quickly, brings names to Council, they May not have really had an opportunity to get to know more about the person, historically the Mayor didnt lobby the Council in advance on appointments, that was something we discussed at charter review. So the point is, again, we discussed this at the Charter Review Commission, but there are going to be occasions where someone is not confirmed by the Council and then the Mayor May want to take the opportunity to give the Council members more time to learn more about that person, to interview that person, whatever, and this would give the Mayor the ability to do that. [Bell sounds]
Joseph Citro 12:14:07PM
Councilman Gudes.
Orlando Gudes 12:14:08PM
We had challenges with this from day one. You recall I asked several times, suppose the Appointee be recognized by Council, because Council would wish to talk to that Appointee, and we started to do that a little bit and we dropped off and started to do it again. So I appreciate those efforts. But this is clear. And I dont understand why we are having a discussion on this when we all sit through the process of these citizens, and they were angered by this. And it is a nomination. The Mayor is nominating someone. And this gives a Confirmation, which is an appointment. And from that point the Mayor can do whatever he or she wants to do with that Appointee, or hire or fire, whatever, nothing to do with that. But at the before process, and the same body, this body nominee comes before US and we cant vote on it? [Bell sounds] thats asinine. I think the intent is perfect.
Bill Carlson 12:15:24PM
Ms. Zelman, sorry to make you get up again. Sorry, I dont remember exactly when it was, somebody said December. But when City Council voted to confirm whatever word you want to use of the Police Chief, the last Police Chief --
Andrea Zelman 12:15:46PM
In February of last year.
Bill Carlson 12:15:48PM
Okay, February. Sorry, my memory is not that great on dates. But anyway, in that vote, I think it was 4-2, but lets say it was the other way around, and 4 voted at that time had 4 voted against whatever you want to call the american, the Nominee, whatever, what would have happened by the Charter as it was then?
Andrea Zelman 12:16:11PM
The Mayor would have had the ability to resubmit that name, or She would have submitted another name.
Bill Carlson 12:16:18PM
But the fact is under the charter as it is now, the Mayor cannot, without any changes in the charter, the Mayor cannot put somebody in a position without City Council approval. Is that correct?
Andrea Zelman 12:16:29PM
Correct. You have to confirm her appointment.
Bill Carlson 12:16:32PM
So we are not taking away the power whatever we call it of the Mayor to appoint people. We have always had the power to reject. Does that go back to 74 or just the power to say no? Does that go to the original charter do you know?
Andrea Zelman 12:16:46PM
I dont know offhand.
Bill Carlson 12:16:48PM
So we are not changing the basic nature. Its a strong Mayor -- but I am just talking about on this point, but whats happened is its been interpreted the other way. So the next thing was, one of the things that the public really was upset about is when the Police Chief was nominated, whatever you want to call the Mayor said this is my choice, but it had not -- the vote had not come before City Council yet. Instead of calling that person interim Police Chief, she called the person the Police Chief. Here is the Police Chief. Well, technically by the charter was that person, the Police Chief, not the interim, that person that Police Chief before City Council voted to approve?
Andrea Zelman 12:17:27PM
I think under the charter, She has to fill a vacancy, and I think those other -- someone told me this, but under some law enforce. Unique thing there has to be a Police Chief in place whether you call them interim, acting --
Bill Carlson 12:17:43PM
Maybe for legal purposes it had to be called something else but dont you think it would have been more accurate and respectful to call the person interim, whatever, just like someone said, Chief Bercaw now is called interim. Isnt that -- the fire chief was called interim. But for some reason that particular one didnt use the word interim. And thats why the public felt strong armed. By the old charter, the person was not permanent because City Council had not approved the person, right? It was an interim position.
Andrea Zelman 12:18:12PM
Correct.
Bill Carlson 12:18:13PM
So we arent changing those points. City Council always had the power to reject or approve. And the title is not permanent until City Council --
Andrea Zelman 12:18:24PM
You are saying words matter, whether you call them interim, acting or the police chief, words matter whether you say the Mayor gets to nominate or appoint, or City Council gets to confirm or appoint. You are taking the appointment away from her by making this change. And this goes to the question that Council asked earlier, what I heard the Mayor say was that she wants to work with the Council to find solutions to these issues. Something like a process. You could adopt a resolution saying that we hereby resolve that we will not confirm an appointment if the following hasnt happened, and you can talk about interviews with that person. Whatever it is that you want that could fix what you think went wrong.
Bill Carlson 12:19:11PM
Dont you think that objection should have been brought up when we were discussing it a few months ago?
Andrea Zelman 12:19:16PM
From my personal perspective, when I tried to speak at the first council workshop, it was -- I felt, and maybe I misread the room -- that You didnt want to hear from the Administration. You asked for outside counsel, not have our office involved. So we did stop raising objections.
Bill Carlson 12:19:39PM
So before my time runs out, sorry, I know shes going to cut my time here in a second. I want to ask a final question. Whatever we call lets say that this administration, Police, Appointee, that somehow City Council has some power over this person. Isnt it true even if this passes that that person will continue to report to the Mayor? And that the Mayor will do the annual survey, City Council had nothing to do with it, and even with the situation with the last Police Chief, could we have -- could City Council have fired that person?
Andrea Zelman 12:20:10PM
No.
Bill Carlson 12:20:11PM
And even with these changes, can City Council, if these changes are approved by council can City Council fire that person or change their salary or review them in any kind of negative way or have any kind of administrative power over them whatsoever?
Andrea Zelman 12:20:28PM
I believe the salary is part of the budget so You have a say in that.
Bill Carlson 12:20:32PM
But still they report to the Mayor. I can call it an appointee. So really it is not that this person somehow by changing with one word now reports to City Council. One of the proposals I had was to give US the right to fire the City Attorney, and the Mayor didnt like that one. But, anyway, you ultimately report to the Mayor. We have no control over any of these positions other than to say "yes" or "no" in that vote. Correct?
Andrea Zelman 12:20:59PM
Well, the City Clerk cant be fired without a vote. City Council, and I believe City Council Attorney would not be able to be fired without obviously the vote of City Council. So you do have some say. But, yeah, the department heads report to the Mayor, and shes the one who hires and fires.
Bill Carlson 12:21:18PM
Just a last iteration. If we found one of the mayors staff was doing something illegal or unethical you still couldnt fire them, right?
Andrea Zelman 12:21:27PM
No, but you could certainly report it to the Mayor, could you ask make a motion to look into it. There are actions City Council can take.
Bill Carlson 12:21:37PM
Okay.
Joseph Citro 12:21:37PM
Any other questions? Thank you. Does anyone in Chambers wish to speak to this? I would like to understand why we keep trying to back stab the ordinance when we have gotten this far in the conversation. Its like, okay, lets throw this car away and go back and get a new one. We are going to walk back there but we are going to get a new one. I just -- its dumbfounding to me to keep having this conversation over and over again. And you know what? Bottom line is, the CRA firing process looked good. The Police Chief hiring process, not so much. And the Citizens were really ticked off about the hiring process for the chief because they werent included. And for whatever reason, the Gentleman who was the interim did not get included in the public forum. So bottom line is all we are talking about is the temporary employee. This is the a temporary job. This isnt the permanent position. This is just for the temporary job. So lets act like that. [Bell sounds]
Joseph Citro 12:22:58PM
Any other comments? Im good. Place your votes and record.
The Clerk 12:23:13PM
Motion carried with Miranda and a Maniscalco voting no.
Joseph Citro 12:23:23PM
Ordinance number 2023-3. Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 12:23:48PM
Sure. If no one else jumps in I will do it. I move to override the veto of the Mayor for an ordinance relating to the government of the City Of Tampa, Florida submitting to the electors of the city a proposed amendment to the revised charter of the City Of Tampa of 1975 as amended to amend section 2.02 To revising term limits of City Council members to limit the ability of members of City Council to serve more than a total of 4 consecutive full terms effective with the City Of Tampa election in 2027 providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 12:24:24PM
Motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak, second by Councilman Maniscalco. Any discussion?
Guido Maniscalco 12:24:28PM
I am going to support this because I disagree with the point here that theres a possibility of 7 New Council Members and a New Mayor, whatever, without staggered terms and no institutional knowledge. I disagree with that because in 2011 it whats a majority of City Council members and a New Mayor, but things worked out, and they had their knowledge from whatever backgrounds, and I didnt see chaos or anything in an issue there so I am going to be supportive of this. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 12:25:01PM
Any other Councilman?
Bill Carlson 12:25:07PM
Yeah, if the administration had concerns about the staggering of seats then they could have talked about that months ago. This will happen because people come and go anyway. It will happen naturally. But I just want everybody to know, this one, despite what the Mayor did, has said that these usurp the power of the mayors office. This one takes away the pourer of City Council. We are limiting ourselves. We are saying that we cannot run again. So that means when Charlie Miranda is almost 100, he cant run again. So -- but the rest of US are going to be done a lot earlier. We are limiting ourselves here. So I just want the record to be clear that we are in favor of limiting ourselves also. We are just trying to put good government forward. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 12:26:02PM
It is my opinion, and I have heard so many times today, lets leave it up to the Voters. I have no intention if reelected to run after that. If we are going to leave it up to it Voters for these charter amendments, we should also leave it up to the Voters on who they want to elect. Thank you. Longevity. My Grandmother died at 96, My Uncle passed away about eight months ago at 94, and My Other Aunt died at 97 about six months ago. So you take away the same things you are giving away, but thats all right. Thank you very much. Have a nice day.
Bill Carlson 12:26:53PM
I always say that Charlie Miranda is the healthiest of all of so I hope he lives to be way past 100.
Joseph Citro 12:27:08PM
Shall we record our votes? Excuse me, I thought Stephanie Poynor was up here. It wasnt? Sorry. Come on up here, public. Give US your comments on this. And we have Chief Bennett. You first.
John Bennett 12:27:28PM
Chief Of Staff again listing from the mayors veto memo. I think the staggering of terms comports to the benchmark process whats the Crc. Obviously its highlighted down below was voted against this proposal in 2017. Its not that we cant change or find new ways to get through things, but I think the concern from the administration is the coincidence of turnover and institutional knowledge for the city moving forward. Yes, it can happen, but usually with incumbents it tends to happen less frequently. So by doing it this way, again flushing it out over a longer period of time, with I was done a couple years ago with the Crc, was to her point in that memo. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 12:28:20PM
Public comment, please. If You wanted staggered terms You should have asked for it. Sorry of the
Joseph Citro 12:28:31PM
Any other comments? Place your votes and record.
The Clerk 12:28:39PM
Motion carried with Miranda and Citro voting no.
Joseph Citro 12:28:47PM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 12:28:54PM
Just to add one more thing. One of the allegation it is administration has shown US is we are bringing back issues reviewed by the Charter Review Commission. This one in part was and I was one of the proposers of it. I am not the one that originally brought this concept up. I think I amended it at some point but the others were not proposed and reject. This one, though, when I talked about it in the Charter Review Commission I provided setting better term limits with the Mayor and the Mayor was against term limits for him so he fought against both of these. So thats how it ended last time. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 12:29:31PM
We are now going to be discussing the veto of ordinance number 02-23-4.
Lynn Hurtak 12:29:39PM
I make a motion to override the veto of an ordinance relating to the government of the City Of Tampa, Florida submitting to the Electors Of The City a proposed amendment to the revised charter of the City Of Tampa of 1975 as amended to amend section 5.01 To provide to the Citizen Review Board to select a Legal Counsel who is not a city employee to advice the Citizen Review Board with funding provided by the city providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 12:30:09PM
We have a motion that is made by Councilwoman Hurtak, seconded by Councilman Gudes. Any discussion? Councilman Viera.
Luis Viera 12:30:20PM
Yeah, and I had a question for Mr. Shelby. I wanted to make sure about this because this is relevant, which is if this is passed and the Voters ultimately support this, isnt it true that we need an ordinance to implement this? And isnt it true that within that ordinance we can deal with issues such as the budget, and issues not directly defined in the charter, and is that true?
Martin Shelby 12:30:45PM
Well, with regard to the budget, I think you have to be more specific. Certainly you have the budgetary ability whenever the budget is presented to you. Councilman Viera, presently, your ordinance, 18-8, subsection h-6, presently provides for an Assistant City Attorney serving as the legal adviser to the Crb and shall not be an Assistant City Attorney with regards to department provided however there is existing conflict of interest as defined by the Florida Bar rules as determined by the City Attorney, the City Attorney May engage outside council for the provision of legal advice to the Crb on such matters to which such conflict exists. And I believe there is a companion, I suspect, if you call it that, an executive order, but with regard to your specific question, if this does get presented to the voters and the voters do pass that, the charter provision will then make this ordinance inconsistent with the charter, and this ordinance would have to be amended in order to be consistent.
Luis Viera 12:31:51PM
If I May, Mr. Chair, I asked that question because I think for many people in the public, the Crb is something thats very important and we want to make sure there arent unintended consequence. For the purposes of the public all this does is right now there is a City Attorney who serves as the Attorney for the Board, and this merely has an Attorney who is not directly a city employee. And nothing radical is changing from this at all. The main issue that I think that I want to address is to make sure that we still have to do an ordinance once it passes to implement it so that it isnt just self-executing and that if theres any unintended consequences that arise not from the direct language of the charter amendment, the proposed charter amendment, but that be addressed responsibly. That is why I asked that. I thank you for your answer.
Martin Shelby 12:32:44PM
In addition to that just obviously stating that whatever ordinance Council adopts will have to be presented to the Mayor.
Joseph Citro 12:32:50PM
Councilman Maniscalco. 6-2 they did not want an independent counsel because they were satisfied with the status quo but in 2021 an Assistant City Attorney who does not represent the TPD will serve as the crbs legal adviser, which we knew that from 2021 because we voted for it. Also in 2021 it allows already for the hiring of an outside attorney in the case of a conflict. So the Crb has never asked for that provision I dont know until recently if it has been invoked. Is this absolutely necessary? The board voted that they did not want it, and now because of what we voted for, okay, I think through the whole Crb process in 2015, in 2021 it already allows them to hire an outside attorney in the case of a conflict. This is what its saying here. So is this necessary, is my question, and what will it cost regardless? [Bell sounds]
Orlando Gudes 12:33:58PM
Im confused. I thought the President, The Board Chairman, came through and said that they did support that. I remember that. From the floor: I heard that, too.
Joseph Citro 12:34:11PM
Please. [Sounding gavel]
Orlando Gudes 12:34:15PM
I dont not where that came from but I dont believe much of what the paper says these days, but the President Or Chairman came to City Council and told them because there was a discrepancy, and told them that they supported that.
Joseph Citro 12:34:30PM
Thats what He said.
Orlando Gudes 12:34:36PM
Im sorry.
Andrea Zelman 12:34:38PM
If I May just clarify there. Were two issues that They were talking about. One was giving the Crb subpoena power and one was the Outside Attorney. They voted 6-2 that They did not want the Outside Attorney. On subpoena power They came to Council and said we vote for you to take that to the voters. That was the distinction.
Joseph Citro 12:35:02PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 12:35:05PM
I just want to ask you, I mean, this Outside Attorney is just going to work -- we are not creating something new for this. And that Board is only here for now. That Board is going to change over. We are doing something that will live throughout the Board, and that the citizens -- I mean, literally, we get attacked too every time we talk about this. So I would absolutely argue that the public really does want this, and its not going to be that expensive because that person is only being paid when they are working on this actual issue. Its going to be somebody who is not part of the city.
Joseph Citro 12:35:46PM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 12:35:50PM
Its not going to cost very much money. It also by the way is not an attack on the Police Department, despite what the administration says, having objective legal counsel, it should help the police officers who are going through this process. All this does is it provides objectivity. Some of the charter amendments I proposed would fix the conflict of interest of the City Attorney. The City Attorney by charter represents the Mayor, the City Council, the board members of these committees, and others, as well as the city. Theres inherent conflict of interest there, and we know that from proven record that some city attorneys have misinterpreted the charter, in particular in around this issue. The most recent one is 2018, City Attorney wrote a two paragraph memo without telling City Council that guess what, we dont have to go before City Council to get approval for settlements anymore. That was completely illegal. He also said in that memo that it squashed any prior ordinances. The charter does not allow that. It was an illegal in the private sector we wrote file lawsuits about that, to stop people from misinterpreting the charter. All this does is sends the City Attorney reports to the Mayor and makes sure that the legal counsel -- pell bell imagine you get a Mayor who is anti-police. It could work against the police in that situation, too. An outside attorney has to by our rules get independent counsel. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 12:37:18PM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 12:37:22PM
Thank you. As I heard it, if theres a dispute between the parties, then they hire an outside counsel to settle the dispute. Is that correct, City Attorney, presently?
Andrea Zelman 12:37:34PM
Under the current -- yes, if the Crb determines that theres a conflict of interest and the City Attorney looks at it, he or she determines that there is a conflict, they can hire outside counsel. I actually want to clarify one thing. Two of you say this wont cost that much. As someone -- and Morris could speak to it more than me -- as someone who is currently signing the invoices for outside counsel, which we are trying to keep those costs under control, it is very expensive. The days when attorneys outside the city were willing to take city work at a significantly discounted rate are over. In order to get decent attorneys, we are paying relatively high hourly rates, and you cant expect an attorney to just come to a board meeting and sit there for two hours and only charge for those two hours. They need to prepare for it. They need to read the agenda. They need to read the backup back documentation. They need to take calls from board members in between. You would be shocked at how quickly hours get ratcheted up and bills get bigger and bigger. And we really need to flush that out because its just not accurate to say, "this wont cost much." It depends on what you think is much. But the legal fees that we are paying outside counsel add up quiet pretty quickly.
Lynn Hurtak 12:39:03PM
What percentage of the 1.9 Billion budget does it cost to have outside counsel?
Andrea Zelman 12:39:15PM
I hear what you are telling. I can tell you that We are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars every year on outside counsel.
Lynn Hurtak 12:39:23PM
So thats not even close to 1% or a portion of 1%, correct? Im just asking. Is that correct?
Andrea Zelman 12:39:30PM
I wasnt hired to do math so I dont know.
Lynn Hurtak 12:39:35PM
But we can say pretty clearly that its less than one half of one percent.
Andrea Zelman 12:39:42PM
Okay. As I said, give people have different definitions of the word not cost that much. To me, hundreds of thousands of dollars is a lot of money, but I hear what you are saying.
Joseph Citro 12:39:51PM
Anyone else? Chief Bennett.
John Bennett 12:39:59PM
Chief Of Staff. Once again, lifting the part of The Mayor's memo on the veto, just to answer a few questions that I heard. $100000 the way I understood it would outfit a single officer with their hiring and their equipment so just for some relativity on that because it would come prosecute the general fund. Thats my understanding. So just a detail there I think the reason that The Mayor wanted to meat with all of you is because two things. One, the Crb did vote this down, and thats why it was put in the memo. And then secondly, we went through a very intense exercise to revamp the r. The Mayor was the one that took away the executive order and worked with Council to build an ordinance to work together collaboratively on this, and She didnt know what it changed between then and now that this had to go into the charter. And then the last point, there is nothing in the charter now about this area, so now we have a one-off in the charter that deals with something that had already been addressed by ordinance, and then the very last to that is we can use an ordinance or amend the current ordinance to get exactly what we are working on. [Bell sounds] and She said She is committed to working with Council on it.
Lynn Hurtak 12:41:14PM
Chief Bennett, you have were in my meeting with The Mayor. I just want a quick yes or no. Did she ask me that question?
Lynn Hurtak 12:41:28PM
About whether or not we really need this. Didnt we talk about this particular ordinance, or at all?
John Bennett 12:41:36PM
Her question was an open ended question about helping to understand all of the items from councils perspective.
Lynn Hurtak 12:41:43PM
But I am making sure. It seems like We had that conversation but We did not because She did not ask me that question.
John Bennett 12:41:51PM
But She was the one that opened the door to get feedback as to why this was necessary. An open ended question to everybody that I sat in is, help me understand these changes.
Lynn Hurtak 12:42:02PM
Okay, its a difference of opinion.
Bill Carlson 12:42:07PM
Chief, if I remember correctly, shots no cost like $250,000 a year and its been proven to be completely ineffective, out of 500 calls that wasted Police Officer time, Police Officers complaints about waste of time and go away from real crimes, it resulted in 25 charges that probably were all called in by 911 anyway. So for $250,000 how many officers could we hire for that?
John Bennett 12:42:33PM
Two and a half based on your question. And --
Bill Carlson 12:42:37PM
Thats a discussion for another day but there are two software packages that Police Officers have to fill out and they complain that its redundant, its taking a lot of time to fill out two systems, and they should be spending that time in the field. That time alone could free up a lot of time. And my last question related to this if the Mayor had put out the hanna avenue project to bid instead of just signing off for $108 million and we saved $5 million by lets say 5% by putting it out for bid, how many Police Officers could we have hired for $5 million?
John Bennett 12:43:14PM
Divided by 100 that You.
Bill Carlson 12:43:16PM
The biggest issue with Police Officers right now are they are stressed out and they want more officers to help and they want less paperwork and build trust in the community. Having independent counsel protects the public. The reason why this is here is because at least the Prior Administration created hostile policies that oppressed the east Tampa, oppressed the Black community, and its caused Tampa to have a horrible reputation. Right now, right I know, even though the administration tried to hide it, we are under the second civil rights investigation seven years because of programs that the last Mayor and his Chief Of Police, who is now the Mayor, created. And these are just two programs that were found through investigative reports by the "Tampa Bay times." Imagine what else is out there that we dont know about. These are not programs created by the Police Officers. In fact the Police Officers dont like them. Their programs created because we had people on top of the city who intentionally created racist programs that oppressed, and the public, as part of the settlement for that, wanted the crb, and then prior administrations tried to edit the crb down and all the Public Assembly is asking for now is give US an attorney who doesnt worth to the Mayor because woo f we get another Mayor who insists on protecting and hiding and defending racist policies we want an attorney that we can rely on that tells the truth.
John Bennett 12:44:46PM
Understood, and thats exactly what the Mayor did in the last ordinance is made a provision for an Outside Attorney to support counsel and the crb and the public after an elongated workshop with the public hosted by Usf. By the way, Doj and dea brought almost 40 personnel from major cities because they do believe that the Tampa Police Department is doing the --
Bill Carlson 12:45:11PM
Are they not interviewing people right now about renting while Black? Our Officers.
Bill Carlson 12:45:21PM
Having objective attorney also protects the Police Officers. Imagine how vulnerable the Police Officers are having to go through this public process. They I am sure would want an objective attorney because they dont want any politics inserted in this at all. So all we are asking for, there was so much money being wasted in this administration, we need objectivity, we need to pay for outside counsel because we havent gotten it in the past. The big concern with the charter is we didnt hear any scope. The scope of money, the scope of selection process, the scope of protecting the Crb as a body who is doing the volunteer work. We wanted to hear all of that scope. We hadnt heard that. So that was the reason the Mayor vetoed this to understand more of that scope and why she invited everybody to the table to have a better understanding of that.
Joseph Citro 12:46:12PM
Councilman Viera.
Luis Viera 12:46:13PM
Three things. When I suggested that the outline in terms of how we go, this is kind of -- and again, not Chief Bennett, not Councilman Carl Season, not pointing at either one, but just do move this forward, because I think people know how they are going to vote, et cetera. And just really quick, just a point, I guess, if you will, with regards to -- I tried not to call it an independent attorney but a separate attorney. For example, an attorney you get into an accident and you are insured by Allstate, Allstate works for an Allstate in house just like City Attorney works in-house. They are by virtue of being a member of the Florida Bar, rules and even though they are paid by Allstate. Allstate May go to an independent law firm just like is the city will pay for that outside attorney even though they have the same ethical duties, just like the City Attorney has the same ethical duties to the Crb just like the outside attorney would have the same rules by the Crb. Thank you very much. [Bell sounds]
Joseph Citro 12:47:22PM
I just heard something earlier, the Shot Spotter was paid for out of the general fund. Thats paid for by Grant. It was received by the Police Department.
John Bennett 12:47:34PM
I believe Shot Spotter was paid for by a Grant. I think it started out with a Grant and sometimes grants convert in part or in whole to general fund process.
Joseph Citro 12:47:48PM
That is money not being spent out of the general fund?
John Bennett 12:47:53PM
From the beginning. I would have to get you the history of it. I dont have in the front of me.
Joseph Citro 12:47:59PM
I am good request that. Ms. Zelman, do we have any voting record of the members of the Crb on this particular issue?
Andrea Zelman 12:48:05PM
I have it upstairs, yes. I can get it.
Joseph Citro 12:48:10PM
Well, it was 6-2 against it. We have a Representative from the Human Rights Organization. We know how that Representative voted?
Andrea Zelman 12:48:20PM
I am not understanding the question.
Joseph Citro 12:48:25PM
On the crb of the.
Andrea Zelman 12:48:27PM
Oh, I dont know. I would have to look. I mean, Tiff minutes of that meeting and the vote in a note book upstairs. If you want, I can get it.
Joseph Citro 12:48:35PM
Thank you. We will now take public comment at this time. Yeah. So I organize the Tampa Bay rights committee, and Police Brutality. They demonize-that they receive from the police, telling US all the details. We are also a volunteer group led by truly a lot of people coming either out of college, people who work full time, people who do not have the range but with what we do have is the crb that is funded by the city that does have to some actual influence that can be doing something, but because of the way its currently run people dont feel comfortable going there. Right now this vote is to make it so that the people can make it what its needed to be and something that can actually help them. Theres only so much we can do. Theres only so many resources. Theres only so much we can help out with. But to review these cases to make sure that the police are being held accountable to demand that theres actually transparency happening. [Bell sounds] it needs to happen prosecute the people who are like being paid to do it so I think putting this on the ballot and making sure county be shaped the way the people need it to be shaped is completely necessary and I hope you override this.
Joseph Citro 12:50:07PM
Thank you. This is getting ridiculous. Luke im sorry, but we have been here all day, like Lynn Hurtak said the room is always packed when you talk about the Crb so why are we debating it again? We have been hear every time saying we want this and we want a vote on this. So why are we continuing to be like, oh, I dont know if its possible. Why did it vote and pass? We should be allowed to vote. Are you going to let democracy stand in the City Of Tampa, or are you going -- you tell me. This is ridiculous. We have been here all day debating the same thing. Are you going to let US vote or not? Thats the question. Not of the Crb say "yes" or "no." Its what the people want. We want to vote. We are here because we are saying we want to vote. So let US vote.
Joseph Citro 12:51:04PM
Thank you. I want to contextualize how the City Attorney actually goes. There was a point in time when we had a discussion about subpoena power at the Crb meetings and I watched as the City-hired Attorney misled the Crb what about subpoena power was capable of, and there have been complaints about the City Attorney. The Aclu has mentioned how many times have leaned on the Crb to hurry decisions and hurry investigations. Its just not -- it isnt a rational thing to do, to have somebody who has a clear conflict of interest, as Councilman Carlson said, with the Police Department, and it doesnt make any sense when we are trying to investigate them for things that they did. It really is to benefit no one, and we are still doing it. And again, we just want a vote on it, like its a very simple thing to do. And I am sure all of you kind of understand that. This is a weird circumstance, and we shouldnt be in it. [Bell sounds] thank you.
Joseph Citro 12:52:18PM
Thank you. When I watched these discussions back in December, a couple things to dont make sense to me. If you are going to have a Citizens Review Board it needs to have some autonomy because I see a lot of people that I know in the Black and brown communities, theres a great deal of mistrust and we need to rebuild that. And autonomy allows that to be rebuilt. Thats the way to go with the Independent Counsel. But I will also tell you, I took a different tacket than what you all voted for regarding subpoena power, because you know what? If somebody -- and some of you all are lawyers -- if somebody wants to talk and dont want to talk to them, I dont have to show up. If you hand me a subpoena I have to show up. And that makes that much more accountable to the community. And the bottom line is Council should be doing their best to build trust in the communities that feel that they dont have trust with the Police Department now, or that anybody is going to fairly and objectively hear their concerns. [Bell sounds]
Joseph Citro 12:53:30PM
Thank you. James Michael Shaw asked me to read this statement, please. They were misinformed by Council For Tampa Pd, that it was a full-time position. Several of them said that they thought that they were voting against the full-time position -- a full-time Attorney. The 6-2 vote was not a vote that they didnt want a part-time Attorney to be independent. Taxpayer Money, taxpayer vote. Its frustrating to sit here and seeing nickel and diming of Taxpayer Money. Taxpayer Money, taxpayer vote. I dont understand why its so difficult to put it on the ballot and let people vote. If they agree with it, they agree with it. And everybody has to do work to get the word out, right? You guys have to do the work to get the word out in regards to where you stand. Community has to rally together to get the word out to confirm where we stand. So put it on the ballot. I dont understand. We are going back and forth. And like the young lady said, we have been here for a long time. Mulling over. Retalking, rethinking and coming up with offers. It should have happened before this came to this point right now. So we cant undo stuff. And all the compromising that should have happened should have happened beforehand. So put it on the ballot and lets vote. Point of clarification. I used to be the first vice president of Naacp. I was there when the Attorney briefed US. Let me explain something to you. I am going to have to tell the truth here. The administration made a phone call to Virginia, and we want Cops to come here and investigate this biking while Black. Cops has no enforcement authority. The recommendations, you can throw them in the garbage can. The Justice Department never ever was involved because the letter that the Naacp went was held up so long that it came to their report and said this is what we are going to do and have over 100 recommendations. By the time we had a presentation for the US. Attorney, they were always completed. So let me get that straight. So the Justice Department never really looked at this. It was only by Cops. Out of Virginia. (Bell sounds) look it up.
Joseph Citro 12:56:26PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 12:56:30PM
We are missing a Councilmember for this vote. So I think We need to wait until We have the Councilmember here. Oh, there We are. And I just also wanted to say that this was a unanimous vote on second reading.
Joseph Citro 12:57:01PM
Any further discussion? Place your votes and record.
The Clerk 12:57:05PM
Motion -- not a majority vote. Carlson, Viera, Hurtak and Gudes voting yes. Miranda, Maniscalco and Citro voting no. A 4-3 vote.
Lynn Hurtak 12:57:37PM
Well, if You say this has to be an ordinance, then I just want to make it an ordinance. If You all I are saying the reason You are not going to pass it today, so I expect You to pass it today as an ordinance. And I am going to respect You to pass it on second reading of this ordinance.
Charlie Miranda 12:57:54PM
No one is going to tell me how to vote. Thats what You are saying. Thats what You are tell me.
Lynn Hurtak 12:57:59PM
No, I am not talking to you. I am talking to them. And I have the floor right now. Im sorry. So right now I am going to pass an ordinance relating to the government of the City of Tampa, Florida that -- with what council had decided it was going to do.
Lynn Hurtak 12:58:23PM
Okay, then I will do it later.
Joseph Citro 12:58:26PM
Ordinance 2023-04.
Guido Maniscalco 12:58:29PM
We are going to the last one.
Joseph Citro 12:58:44PM
Correct me. Im sorry. Ordinance 2023-5.
Guido Maniscalco 12:58:48PM
Ordinance being presented for second reading and adoption, relating to the government of the City Of Tampa, Florida submitting to the Electors Of The City a proposed amendment to the revised charter to the City Of Tampa of 1975 as amended to amend section 10.10 To correct a scriveners error and to provide that commencing in 2025 a charter review advisory commission be established every eight years instead of every ten years and Legal Counsel and a Professional Facilitator for the commission to be hired with City Council approval providing an effective date.
Charlie Miranda 12:59:16PM
Second.
Joseph Citro 12:59:20PM
We have a second.
Guido Maniscalco 12:59:22PM
That is a motion to override the mayors veto.
Joseph Citro 12:59:25PM
A motion by Councilman Maniscalco, seconded by Councilman Miranda. Any discussion? Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 12:59:33PM
I read it so I am in support of this. We did have a Charter Review Commission established for the first time, which some of US voted for that, and many of US were on that board, not Myself, but four members here, and they did a very, very good job. I think that reconvening, or convening a Charter Review Commission at a higher frequency is healthy because you have a full board with full discussion to overlook charter issues and this is coming around the corner in 2025, so issues, whatever they May be, can be brought up and voted on and then brought to council for a vote. I am in full support of this.
Charlie Miranda 1:00:15PM
Just correct me, this is just a scriveners error?
Guido Maniscalco 1:00:19PM
This is increasing the frequency from every ten years to eight. So it will be in line with the next election, giving time for the Commission to meet and discuss and have --
Charlie Miranda 1:00:32PM
I withdraw my second.
Martin Shelby 1:00:35PM
Mr. Chairman, im sorry. I believe this is a minor scriveners error thats unrelated to the substance. Is that correct? Mr. Massey, I see you nodding yes. But it is as City Council had talked about, changing it from every ten years to every eight years, and changing the date that it would start that much sooner as to what is presently in the charter.
Joseph Citro 1:00:59PM
Is there a second to Councilman Maniscalco? We have a motion made by Councilman Maniscalco, seconded by Councilman Gudes. Is there any further discussion? Chief Bennett?
John Bennett 1:01:17PM
Thank you. John Bennett, chief of staff. Sticking with the process of informing the public on the mayors memo. The highlighted area talks about specifically what the concern has been about all along is that Council can already invoke a Crc anytime they want over and above other processes that have been designed for a ten-year span. So we all know what we could do, and then theres the question of what other options there were. So the Mayor just wanted to make sure that Council is informed on the position, that you can bring a Crc back and have a more prolonged process to make sure we get full throated engagement before something went in the highly responsible way to the public. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 1:02:07PM
Is there anyone in Chambers wishing to give public comment? Stephanie Poynor. I would like to point out if we didnt have a charter review this time, and thats like some of the complaints from the people who are opposed to these charter amendments. So what you are saying is we dont like the way you did it this time, but we also dont want you to do it a different way. I am just so confused.
Joseph Citro 1:02:40PM
Anyone else?
Joe Robinson 1:02:46PM
Is it the understanding that will be received into the record so the complete record -- thank you, Mr. Robinson. Anyone else in Chambers who wishes to speak to this? Councilman Miranda?
Charlie Miranda 1:03:09PM
I am looking at it, and it used to be every ten years. I think this City Council without having any input from anyone from the community who sat on the Charter Review Committee decided to do it four years later some now we are giving eight years instead of four. Thats what it really is. But we violated our own intent by not having a committee of citizens selected to give US the input from their community to make sure that we knew what we were talking about. Thats all I am going to say.
Joseph Citro 1:03:35PM
Anyone else? I would say this. Im sorry, you are waiting? Is somebody in Chambers wanting to give must be comment? Please. Thats why I keep asking you, is there anyone else?
Robin Lockett 1:03:51PM
So again, im frustrated. So if this is put on -- when this is put on the ballot, whether we have a meeting or not, a lot of those Committee meetings are hand picked by People, not the community. So if you put this on the ballot, People can vote on it. Thats a wider spread. A small group of People thats chosen by Somebody to sit on a Committee, it doesnt speak for the People. So put it on the ballot and let everybody vote for it. Its simple. Not nickel and diming, and its frustrating. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 1:04:31PM
I was on the Charter review. Thank you. Thank you, Ms. Poynor. It took 13 months for the Charter review. Now we are going to ask that this be put down in time so the Charter can be reviewed more often. And a time when we are going to have election. Place your vote and record.
The Clerk 1:05:14PM
Motion carried with Miranda voting no.
Joseph Citro 1:05:26PM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 1:05:29PM
Mr. Chair, I apologize for stepping out for a minute. I was getting a drink. While I was out there, I discovered that the Mayor released a push-poll copy. I have copies of the poll if anybody would like to see it but She released a push poll during this meeting, and what She did in her poll was She not only asked if people would vote for me versus her, and I already told her I wasnt running for Mayor and I already filed to run for City Council, but then She asked a whole series of inflammatory and untrue questions about me, demeaning my ethics, and then She asked the question whether people would reelected me or not. So She just put out a poll saying that only 40% of the people would reelect me today, thats after asking five nasty untrue questions. I think thats pretty successful, and I think its despicable again. I keep talking about dirty tactics of this Administration while we are in this meeting because they disagree with what I am saying. They are releasing a push poll to try to distract the communitys attention away from important subjects. By the way we are talking about toilet to tap this afternoon so public please watch. Why cant they just play nice? The public doesnt want US fighting anymore. They dont want false information. They dont want dirty politics. Stop. Madam Mayor, stop. I asked you in your office on Friday, stop. Tell your people to stop. Now its your campaign people attacking US. Why cant you play fair and have honest discussions about real policy? Just your people are so weak and so insecure that you just have to play dirty. You know, if your kid is on the field and somebody is pushing them and punching them and kicking them, are you going to do something eventually? Imagine if this is happening to me as City Council member, imagine whats happening to the public by this Administration. It is despicable. Stop, Madam Mayor. Stop. The public wants you to stop. I dont care what your poll says. Stop.
Joseph Citro 1:07:22PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 1:07:28PM
Im sorry to hear about that. I also just got a request yesterday, so They have started on what They have started on with everybody else. I finally got my first public records request for all, every type of communication, no dates, no deadlines, anonymous. So now I am also under this investigation. And just asking, finding text messages, e-mails, things I have done with people. Well, you know, I stay above the board. I do what I am supposed to do. And people say, wow, you must feel bad. And I say, no, not really because I am doing the right thing. I am not worried about it. And it often feels like a push where we always say that folks put their personal fears on other people, and I feel like thats whats happening here. So They are just going after all of US. Thats whats happening.
Bill Carlson 1:08:29PM
City Council would do everything they do and in particular toilet to tap. This is the big thing they want. They want so many bad things and they will do anything to get these horrible policies passed. Please, Madam Mayor, call a halt to these attacks. Its political season. You dont have an opponent yet. You have 24 hours. Call a halt to these attacks. This is ridiculous.
Joseph Citro 1:08:52PM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 1:08:55PM
I agree if it is Administration or an individual. I dont know who is doing it. I dont even answer polls. I dont even look at them. A guy wrote me a week or so ago, I didnt even open it up. I dont do those things. I dont look at them or think about them because they are all ridiculous push polls are terrible. They only change the subject matter to whatever they want the answer to be. And if its the Mayor's Office, they should be told to stop what you are doing. However, on the other issue, when you look at people asking for public records requests, we have thousands of public records requests come to this city. And I can tell you this, I dont know what Councilmember Hurtak is, I dont know what the subject matter was so I am not going to address it because I dont know. But we have been inundated by this push poll -- public records requests to the point that we can hardly keep up with them. The Clerk's Office and those that are doing the work, they deserve some kudos because they are wearing out. Thank you very much.
Lynn Hurtak 1:10:02PM
I just want to reply to Councilman Miranda. Thats the most interesting part. Theres nothing they are looking for. They are literarily looking for every single e-mail, and thats the thing thats just going to -- you are right, its fishing. So I dont disagree with you. But thats what they have done to council members that dont necessarily agree. Now, whether its the Administration or not, people who are just not willing to rubber stamp, thats whats happening to US and its really unfortunate, and, you know --
Joseph Citro 1:10:36PM
Councilman Gudes.
Charlie Miranda 1:10:38PM
I just want to apologize to the public today. You came here to listen and voice your concerns. First thing on the Council, Mr. Miranda says, you dont get mad at somebody. I had to learn that the first time. So I cant get mad how anybody voted today. Because they voted with their conscience. They voted politically, however they vote. Thats not my concern. My concern is how I vote, and how my people tell me to vote. I dont go into politics, dont worry about endorsements, because you tell me all the time, I didnt lose, I just didnt get enough votes. So you dont vote for me if you dont like the job I do. You do vote for me if you like the work I do. I told Mr. Bennett, and I dont have to like you, but I am going to respect you. I dont have to like anybody, but I am going to respect you. I am going to do the job you tell me to do and I am going to fight for the people. And when theres something not right I will say hey, and I will tell the people I dont think this is right. So I apologize to someone who sat here all day. Been here a while. I wish the process would have been a little faster because I thought this should have been very simple. You know, you vote, you didnt vote, but all of the discussions, I just think its a travesty for the Voters. And those who came by have obligations, so again I apologize. I cant fault anybody else. And God bless you all.
Joseph Citro 1:12:23PM
We have a time certain 1:30. Its a hearing.
Martin Shelby 1:12:34PM
Thats true but thats going to be continued so its really irrelevant
Joseph Citro 1:12:38PM
Be back at 2:30. [ recess [roll call]
The Clerk 2:33:20PM
We have a physical quorum.
Joseph Citro 2:33:27PM
Updates is a no, so we are going to go with agenda item number 8, is that correct?
Martin Shelby 2:33:35PM
That would be Chief Tripp if she is here.
John Bennett 2:33:46PM
Counting numbers here; we need five. More than a quorum. John Bennett, Chief Of Staff. Just introducing Chief Tripp to redo the residency waiver for a year. So thats the topic. And then item 8, I think Chief Tripp wanted to bundle them together. For Councilman Gudes' sake, asking for a waiver for Chief Tripp's residency for another year. Thats whats on the floor.
Joseph Citro 2:34:23PM
So we are going to go to -- im sorry?
John Bennett 2:34:32PM
Item 37.
Joseph Citro 2:34:33PM
Item 37 first and then we will talk about agenda item number 8. So lets go to agenda item number 37. Councilman Miranda, thats under your Finance Committee and I believe theres a resolution there. Any discussion on that? Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 2:34:55PM
My understanding when I read through this documentation is that this actually, this waiver was supposed to end in June?
John Bennett 2:35:04PM
Correct.
Lynn Hurtak 2:35:08PM
It is January.
John Bennett 2:35:10PM
Correct.
Lynn Hurtak 2:35:12PM
Can you explain to US?
John Bennett 2:35:14PM
I can try. So the Department Head in this case, Chief Tripp, and the Legal Department, who would do the resolution, apparently there was a disconnect on that expiration. Thats why its been put in a nunc pro tunc which means retroactive to June. So anybody could figure the chief is in the city without knowing, and the Legal Department wouldnt know to do it without that conversation. So the wires got crossed and somehow it didnt get caught for the June update. So its kind of one of those things that theres not necessarily -- I think Legal May have -- I dont want to speak for andrea, but cross check with the Department Head to make sure they need to renew, and sometimes people change their residency and you dont know if you still need it or not. So its a learning process for the department heads and Legal to work together to make sure we dont miss it.
Lynn Hurtak 2:36:13PM
So its going from June to June?
John Bennett 2:36:16PM
Yes. Go to June and come back to June unless its not needed anymore in June.
Lynn Hurtak 2:36:22PM
Okay, great. The only other thing I want to do is, this is what the second one we have had in a month. I think its time that we have a discussion about whether -- about the efficacy of this. I think now is not the time. But it seems that these keep getting brought to US so we need to decide as a Council, as a City, if we want to avoid the residency waiver or absolutely come solid with a certain number of years, but I believe it would behoove all of US to have the conversation. I am not advocating for one way or the other. I just think that the public keeps asking me about this. And so lets all make a decision together in the future.
John Bennett 2:37:08PM
Just so I am clear so I can help with staff and Legal Department, its my understanding right now You get one with two possible extensions. And so are You telling me You want to look at either keeping that or changing it?
Lynn Hurtak 2:37:25PM
Possibly. It just seems like these keep coming in front of US. So I think its a great -- when we passed this at the Charter Review Commission, things looked very different. This city was wildly different, finding a house here was not what it is today.
John Bennett 2:37:43PM
Sure.
Lynn Hurtak 2:37:44PM
Thats why I think it would be better for all of US to have a conversation about what we expect from department heads, and what that can look like, thinking about how many people -- because I know we are constantly bringing in new people and how that looks. And obviously we just have a very, very public issue with that. So -- with the Former Police Chief. So I just think its one of those things that folks ask me about it. I want to have a solid answer, and, well, we do this, but then we allow for a bunch of waivers is again, I think, maybe something we need to revisit in the current housing climate and population climate.
John Bennett 2:38:26PM
And if I can offer any analysis on that.
Lynn Hurtak 2:38:29PM
Yes. I will make a motion later to just bring this in front of US to look at some data, again just have a more public conversation about it.
Joseph Citro 2:38:41PM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 2:38:44PM
In terms of residency, US as candidates are elected or whatever, You are in a district or You are in the city, whatever it is, You have your six months or 12 months ahead of an election for residency in the city. So thats a very brief window compared to possibly a three-year total residency waiver. So thats a conversation that We should have, because it has come up multiple times over the years that I can remember. So good bringing that up. Thank You.
Joseph Citro 2:39:16PM
Councilman Gudes.
Orlando Gudes 2:39:17PM
I think in doing it, this Council should have a list of who the Department Head is, and also define who is under the auspices of those time frames. We have some issues. I think we should have a running list or a policy for some type of hr that we know so these dont occur. We should know when it comes up six months prior, hey, that time is coming up and so forth. I think it needs to be an actual process in place.
John Bennett 2:39:48PM
Yes, we agree.
Joseph Citro 2:39:50PM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 2:39:51PM
First of all, I think Chief Tripp is great. I enjoy working with her. And I enjoy working with a lot of the senior staff. I think theres a lot of good people in the senior level team. I was on the Charter Review Commission and I was one of the ones that pushed to keep the residency requirement. But its only for the senior management. I understand that other staff come and go and we, but as I go around and meet with residents, especially after the police chief incident, neighborhood leaders, homeowners, everyone, they are saying why are these people not residents of the city? And so its not just my opinion, as I have gone around people without asking have been telling me this. So my question, sorry if I missed this. Morris, could you tell US what I recall is that -- because of the problems of the last administration, a senior level manager, because there was some confusion about it we put in the charter I think one year and one year extension or something. It will this extension work within --
Morris Massey 2:41:00PM
Thats one thing that I wanted to make clear to you all is that the residency issue for the public, its spelled out in the charter.
Bill Carlson 2:41:10PM
If She came back and asked for another one.
Morris Massey 2:41:14PM
She can ask for one more. Its up to you all to approve the waiver. You could ask why. We could come up with policies about whats appropriate, to request a waiver. The partial concept was when we hired Senior Level Persons, they May not live in the City Of Tampa at that time, and they May have kids in school, there May be reasons why we they cannot move into the City Of Tampa so there was an idea, its up to Council to approve at least a one-year waiver upon their initial appointment and they can ask for two or three, two extensions, and.
Bill Carlson 2:42:06PM
Three total. So whatever the time is, the charter, it applies to Me as well as Administration, and if it says fine, then I am okay with it. Thank you.
Lynn Hurtak 2:42:17PM
Thank you for mentioning Chief Tripp. Yes, I appreciate her and happy to have you here. So im just going to --
Joseph Citro 2:42:36PM
I would like to keep the motions --
Lynn Hurtak 2:42:37PM
Okay, no problem.
Joseph Citro 2:42:37PM
I would also like to put in my input. Thank you very much. I do appreciate it. There is concern I have. I had this at Charter Review. We need our department heads inside the city limits in case of an emergency. Lets just say hurricane ian. We want them at the Emergency Command Center. Someone who lives in brandon just three miles from there. Someone lives in south Georgia. South Georgia. Are we justifying living in the city limits, or are we justifying the shortest distance between the home and the emergency center? Thats just a question I need to throw out there. Thank you.
John Bennett 2:43:30PM
I will say quickly, first I want to thank Council for working with the Administration on the waivers to get the best and the brightest and supporting that. So an elongated thank you. As a beneficiary of that one when I first came back to the city, and having owned two homes in this area throughout my career. But the second thing is, we do policy at certain levels depending on your job description about response time. I was on the Response Team and Special Operations for many years, and the response time mattered. So part of your ability to do that wasnt at the charter level but at the operations level so there is some of that built in.
Morris Massey 2:44:06PM
Ms. Zelman just reminded me the residency issue is scheduled to come back to Council on the 16th of February so its already on your motion tracker for the coming calendar so this will come back for discussion very soon. The other thing is that any waiver that you all would Grant of this requires a super majority under the charter, so thats five of you all to vote for the waiver.
Lynn Hurtak 2:44:32PM
I appreciate that. I am just going to at the very end of tonight just add to the motion for some of the things that just to make sure we have the data in that motion so that folks are not prepared for the 16th, but I had forgotten that so thank you.
Joseph Citro 2:44:54PM
Councilman Miranda, this is your Committee. Would you like to move this resolution?
Charlie Miranda 2:45:01PM
Move the resolution.
Joseph Citro 2:45:03PM
Motion made by Councilman Miranda. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor? Thank you very much. Chief Tripp, agenda item number 8.
Chief Tripp 2:45:22PM
Fire Chief. I did present a memo in presenting this agenda item. If you have any questions about it, I just want to let you know that my plan is to implement an additional resource in the south of gandy area, and its not because of an incident that took place. I have been in this position for the last year and a half. I have reviewed a lot of data, a lot of motions, but the last City Council meeting we talked about some of the things of the Fire Service. So unless the Administration has data on that information as well as equipment, I discussed about equipment, supply change shortage, manufacturers, the whole nine yards of why we dont have certain additional rescue cars, which I put in for. So we are working on that. When we talk about response time, we can say, hey, call 911, it takes ten minutes to get there. A lot of things go into play with that, from the dispatcher actually dispatching out to the units, the units getting out of the station and then from the station to the scene. Okay. So with all of that, I have reviewed a lot of that data and information, and I am placing resources where they are needed. Now, I know we have individuals for individual fire stations. I am not going to tear one down. But when you say fire stations I am looking for resources. Okay, I can have the fire station but its not affected by not having the resources. So with that being said based on the data and based on the information from the analysis of last year, it shows that we need to add some more resources, and thats what I am doing. So when we come to talk about standards, and Tampa Fire Rescue is within standards, we actually get our accreditation through Cfai and we get their accreditation. Its like national standards. So we need all those to receive accreditation. This is through the Center For Public Safety, so we meet those qualifications, and basically our standard of coverage states we should respond to 90 percent of our calls within 8.5 Minutes and thats what I am focusing on. With that being said, as we talk about south of gandy, as we talk about south of gandy, as we talk about east Tampa, west Tampa, north Tampa, all of the City Of Tampa, I am looking to add additional resources with that.
Joseph Citro 2:47:56PM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 2:47:58PM
Thank you very much. I know the next item, item number 9 is going to be about a safety impact fee to fund these improvements, but We are playing with fire. Not trying to be funny. But when We have situations like what happened south of gandy, whatever the story is or isnt, our city is growing so quickly, and We have so many people here. We have so many people coming here saying, so many apartments, so much traffic, evacuation. We dont have the basic necessitates to meet the Public Safety demands. God forbid theres a situation in downtown that -- and We have a lot of high-rise, a lot of residential where you have rescue vehicles going to one of these situations and somebody needs help down the street, and rescue vehicle is too far away to get there in time. We cant continue like that. When you plan a city, you have to have basic infrastructure needs, the roads, the pedestrian, amenities, transportation. But you have to have the Police Officers, the Firefighters to meet the ratio. You cant have a thousand people, whatever the ratio is, I dont know. I havent done the math on it. But We are not keeping up with the demand and Tampa is growing so much. Its spread out. We were joking about new Tampa, Tampa is big, and We have safety needs of the people, city center. I am not criticizing that but if We could find that money or waste to energy or these other projects, We could find the money to put towards Public Safety. Perhaps the public service impact fee is one thing because that will affect -- and We will talk about that later -- new construction and whatnot. So its not affecting the existing people. I will look at the details and talk about it. But with so much growth, We need to strike while the iron is hot, fire is hot. I am throwing all these things out there in this discussion. But We should take advantage of the situation. We complain, oh, theres so much growth in Tampa. But lets put that to our benefit and meet the backlog that We need to catch up on, as Tampa continues to grow. We are just going to keep digging ourselves deeper into this hole and have inadequate fire safety, rescue and -- and We are talking about vehicles that are 30 years old. It doesnt work. And We are going to have more situations, hopefully not, situations possibly that We wont be able to respond in a quick enough manner, and provide the safety and the services that the people deserve. Thank you.
Chief Tripp 2:50:42PM
Can I respond? I agree with you. Tampa is growing. Public Safety needs to grow with it. Thats what I am doing. I am growing as much as I can with the city. I am hiring individuals. I am getting equipment. We applied for many, many grants. We have received a lot of grants to help with equipment, to help offset. So I agree with you 100% and thats my plan, is to put resources there. So when it comes to response time as well, or responding to customer needs not there, we have policies in place to move units around to make adjustments for that. So I have internal policies as well. We have made recommendations to all the crews as far as response time, being able, the whole nine yards. Everything you are see r saying, I agree with you. Thats exactly what I am doing.
Guido Maniscalco 2:51:29PM
And I will finish up with this and thank you. But we have our friends with the Union right behind you. We have the Mayor. Theres a lot of moving particles to be this. But we have to build bridges and work together. You know, they have requests to bring it to you, you bring it to US. We work the budget. We work with the Administration. We work with the Mayor. They work with the Mayor. But we have to have open dialogue. We cant look at anybody as an enemy. We have to meet the needs of the public. And in public safety, you know, thereby cant be room for arguing. Whatever. Politics is politics but we have a goal. And the end goal is to provide adequate services for our community. So ill stop there. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 2:52:10PM
Councilman Gudes.
Orlando Gudes 2:52:11PM
I want to just go and get right into it. And talk with the union representative, President, he had some concerns. Everyone has ideas, and I said that last time, and I dont think we got that coffee yet, but if you dont mind, I want the union President, because you talked about the chassis and things last time, and they are out there, you said you have a copy, and talk about at the stations response times, and talk about the old apparatus, and so many things you have to deal with the administration. But on the record I want to talk about in the city during a certain time, what have you. I want to hear from them what his concerns are, so he can tell US today what hes saying and what his firefighters are saying, or how we can provide or how we can provide. So if you dont mind, mr. President, come up, sir.
Joseph Citro 2:53:27PM
If we can get through the rest of the questions from Council. No offense to you.
Orlando Gudes 2:53:34PM
Mr. Chairman, whatever you want to do.
Joseph Citro 2:53:37PM
Thank you very much. Councilman Viera and then go to Councilwoman Hurtak.
Luis Viera 2:53:41PM
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. A lot of good points made. Sorry. And I thank Councilman Carlson for making this motion for south Tampa. You know, one of the biggest issues I always come back to is having a frank discussion. I think we all agree in terms of where we should be at. I think the issue is going to be in terms of how we should be there which I always say we need to have a frank discussion with the City Of Tampa when we identify what all of our safety deficits are through the public safety plan. We have to have a decent amount of money, right? But having a frank discussion with the public in terms of how we are going to get from point a to b in terms of money. Its been brought up with regards to public safety impact fees, other people have talked about millage rates. Whatever it May be, we have to have a frank discussion with the public in saying, look, these are the services that you want whenever it comes to fire and police, and we are going to need x amount of money and these are our options for that x amount of money, and thats why for me the Public Safety Master Plan is so important so we can see where all of our deficits are at, see the monetary deficits and have that discussion with responsible elected official was the public in terms of how to remedy those deficits. So again, a great discussion, and I know that in this area south of gandy, particularly, like new Tampa, has been exploding significantly, and this is obviously one of the biggest issues. So glad to see it. Glad to see that memo and whatnot. And I look forward in about maybe five or so weeks for that Public Safety Master Plan.
Joseph Citro 2:55:16PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 2:55:20PM
Many of you know I do monthly ride-along was both Police and Fire, and the Fire System keeps fighting over me because I have very few calls. Anytime I go. I was at Fire Station 13 and in six hours I got two calls. I know, they keep saying go other places but this is usually pretty slammed. But the one call I did get to go on, we took an overdose patient to the Hospital and one of the things that the crew that was on that day talked to me about, and I saw firsthand when we got there, were the 12 units hanging out waiting. And again, had I not done that, that ride-along, I dont think I would have known about this. And all of the crews that day, we have been told we have to wait, because they have to actually be input into the Hospital, and until then, they are technically supposed to stay with the crew, but if something were to happen, its the hospitals responsibility, and we havent quite figured that out. Well, its completely above my pay grade. And I said, well, I dont think its above mine because its my job. But its want to ask Chief Bennett, you have been working on that somewhat, and I dont know if you have, Chief Tripp, but where we are and how we are working with the hospitals to try to fix that. Because I dont think the public knows that our Rescue Personnel to be in a Hospital for eight hours.
Chief Tripp 2:57:05PM
Of course, there are some challenges as well, but of course if they dont have the staffing they cannot receive the patient. So with that over the last couple of months we have been meeting with certain particular hospitals. Its not all of them. You know, its one in particular. And right now My Rescue Chief is going over areas for improvement on their side. A lot of it is on their side. Its not Tampa Fire Rescue. Its not Hillsborough County fire rescue. Its if they dont have the staffing, they dont have the placement and overcrowding. So its multiple items. But with that being said, speaking with the other facilities, we have a timeline when our units are on Dispatch notice, rescue, and been at this hospital x amount of minutes. My Rescue Chief is notified. He contacts the CEO. They exchange numbers, whats going on, so the feedback will come back to him, and let him know, whats the holdup? So at least theres communication going on is what I am saying. So he has the number, you know, to I guess -- right there at the emergency room. When Dispatch says our unit has been at this hospital for x amount of time, My Rescue Chief is notified, he contacts the hospital to find out what the problem, whats the delay. And if you have a nonemergent patient, then -- and thats nationwide. Thats not just US.
John Bennett 2:58:37PM
Chief Of Staff.
Joseph Citro 2:58:38PM
Hold on one second. I apologize.
Lynn Hurtak 2:58:43PM
I had both of them.
John Bennett 2:58:46PM
So the feedback I would offer, the four data points that I think drive the decisions are what we call response time, which is what we have been talking about, was called unit allocation, how busy the particular unit. What is the turnover time at the Hospital? And what is our relationship with the Private Ambulance Company? Because all four of those things in our community make the difference. And so theres a Private Ambulance Service out there that has a business model, and a lot of that is driven by a different methodology than the way Public Safety drives there, then you have the Hospital turnout time. We met with the County Fire Side roughly right before or right after Chief Tripp came on but started talking about this thing holistically. Coming from the Pinellas Side and Public Safety theres a Hospital on every corner, and there is a unit every five feet. Its a different demographic and use level over there. Over here, I dont know that its as rich as that turnout time or turnover time that we need to figure out, but the county told me at the time that they were studying the Hospital release time. I will just make that term up. When did they get back from the Hospital? And I talked to the Private Ambulance Side about enriching your capability. And whatever it is, we just need to be know its consistent, because if the Private Ambulance Side is inconsistent, thats what drives US to be more challenged with our data. We need a consistent understanding. So when I heard actually about this elongated time in the Hospital, and I am grateful as a tactical communication going on between the rescue chief and CEO or whoever, but maybe we need written agreements between these two facilities to say, listen, I think we budget about 30 minutes to get back out, if we are there hours, thats just putting a big hindrance on the wholly system. So there is data work to go on. I am going to reach out. I am sure I will work with Chief Tripp, Chief Jones, and the data skew a lot of things. So we look at 2019 and then 2022 because the years in the middle are challenging.
Lynn Hurtak 3:01:00PM
And thank you for that. It does seem its a problem with the hospital because again I hear from people on the ground and what I am hearing is that it depends on the shift. Like some shift supervisors, this is my job, I am taking it all, and some are more like, well, you notice, this has four patients and we are not going to overload them. So I think the idea of a written document, I would 100% support that. Do you need a motion to have it come back to US? Is this going to be part of the Public Safety -- how do we as council, again as sort of the ears for the public, how do we get back that information and how you are going to go about doing that?
John Bennett 3:01:54PM
A great question and I think I would be stepping in Chief Tripp's area, but the onus is on all of our developments to provide the best level of service with council support through the budget process and through policy. So we should be driving those kind of things to get our units back out on the road. So I would like to hope that the motion is just to bring back some information on that as part of maybe the public safety motion that already exists. Just add that as another layer. But I would rather have Chief Tripp explain her thoughts.
Lynn Hurtak 3:02:31PM
Does that work, to just come back as part of the Public Safety --
Chief Tripp 3:02:38PM
Sure.
Lynn Hurtak 3:02:39PM
Of what we can do.
Chief Tripp 3:02:42PM
Well, like Chief said, theres so many different layers, and individuals going there, and with that personality, different shifts, thats something beyond our control, you know. And its not all of the Hospitals, you know. Its kind of -- when I say one in particular, you know, that has caused our units to stay there, but a lot of other units to stay there at certain times. So with that being said, thats part of the partnership we have with the Hospitals has been outstanding, and I think by US having this communication now with this individual is going to help with our units. You know, we cant, like Chief said, with covid years and right after covid, now things are changing, opening up, so of course everything is going.
Joseph Citro 3:03:33PM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 3:03:40PM
Thank you. And thank you for having this discussion today. Hopefully some folks from south of gandy and south Tampa are watching and will point to that, and I know I appreciate you being on top of it. You have also spoken to some members of the community. Naturally, because of the incident two weeks ago, there were a lot of very concerned people, and we need to be able to talk to them about what to expect in the future. I think at the very basic level The Public expects US to provide Public Safety, and we see lots of concerns everywhere, hearing concerns about crime. Recently, heard concerns about the ambulance response issues. And so I know you are working hard to try to fix this. Vik is working hard. So please keep the dialogue open so we can work together as the budget comes up and whatever else we want. As my colleague Councilman Miranda says, the cit. Money is ending soon too so what are we going to do with that? The Public, when they ask me whats happening with why our Parks are falling apart in south Tampa, why our roads are falling a part in south Tampa, why dont we have enough police and fire coverage, I say to them in all those cases, we have a city-wide mobility plan in process. We have our Parks plan in process. We have a Public Safety plan in process that my colleague Viera proposed. Thank you. The problem is that now not so much on this one but on the others, people have been waiting three or four years. What I have said to them is that those plans, the studies will come back with objective answers. So like as you said, and Nick will talk about it in a minute with his study, if we are looking at 8 minute response times then the choice of where to put a new facility or new truck or more people, it shouldnt be based on who the Mayor likes best or who argues the best or who complains the best or who shows up with the most ribbon cuttings or whatever. It needs to be based on what the community needs. So once we get those plans done, hopefully they will be done quickly, and then we can go back out with you and explain to The Public, Nick lives not that far from me and I think he shares my concern. Im older than he is, but I share his concern about if something happens to one of US and that truck is gone, we are in trouble. So we want to try to get this solved as quickly as possible. Thank you.
Chief Tripp 3:06:23PM
Can I respond?
Joseph Citro 3:06:26PM
Please.
Chief Tripp 3:06:27PM
With that said, like I said, once I got in this position just seeing some of the deficiencies. Of course I have been working on it. One of the things We did to also provide that level of service throughout the whole city, We had six units that provided what We call basic life support. All of our trucks now are advanced life support meaning als, they will do the same thing that the rescue cars do. So with that being said, having that upper level of training, and experience, and knowledge, they could respond to those calls as well, if the transport unit is not there. So these are all other items that I am implementing to make sure that We increase that level of service throughout the city.
Charlie Miranda 3:07:12PM
I echo what I said before, is paramount to the public, the first of many city needs is a strong Police Department and Fire Department. Secondarily is of -- you have to have water, sewer, garbage, to keep the city running. And as leader of that union, hes right. If you want to see something happen, go pick up the garbage for just one week. Its the same thing with the Fire and Police. If something happens that they are not there within a certain time, the calls are unbelievable. But in the neighborhood, its so much involved, and when Monday is a holiday, all hell breaks loose. And the Fire and Police Department giving excellent service, and as Colleague said, you better be looking at the cit. Tax. Thats why on the agenda today theres ten vehicles to be bought at $43,000 plus each. And thats $430,000. A little bit more than that. But 43,000 plus. And its paramount that we realize that after 2026, 27, theres no more of that money coming in. So we have to be prepared. I dont know how many we have in the body shops or in the replacement of engines or something that has to be done. I am not telling you what to do or how to do it but we have a plan put in for moneys, theres no more coming in. How do we solve that problem? So we have to be vigilant of the fact that its around the horizon. Seems like four years away is a long time. Its a second in time as far as what the needs are. And those are the things that are needed. So we want to step up and do whatever we can, help both Fire and Police and the other departments. As Councilman said there are other priorities we have to address because the public is growing so quick that there wasnt enough space for people coming in to do what they had to do. But thanks very much for what you both are doing.
Joseph Citro 3:09:20PM
Chief Tripp, I just have some questions and I am trying to work out my strategy. You had 27 graduates.
Chief Tripp 3:09:30PM
23.
Joseph Citro 3:09:31PM
23 New Graduates at the Fire Museum. It was wonderful to see them all be sworn in. Through attrition, how many Firefighters left the department?
Chief Tripp 3:09:44PM
How many has left?
Joseph Citro 3:09:45PM
During that training, 23, how many have left? We had 23. If We had 28 leave --
Chief Tripp 3:09:56PM
Im sorry, go ahead.
Joseph Citro 3:09:57PM
Is it budget restrictions? From keeping more Firefighters coming in to keep up the demands, that your Department needs? Is it US that could be saying, hey, we need more staffing, like I did at the last budget meeting? For not only fire but Police, enforcement, inspections. Is it budgetary just keeping the Department from gaining more?
Chief Tripp 3:10:25PM
Administration gave me 57 positions. I am hiring. When I got into the position I was already down some members. I hired 104. I am in the process of hiring some more. We look at bringing on another 20 to 25 around March 20th. So we are trying to get my members get that vacancy rate down. Now I can see what I need to ask Administration for.
Joseph Citro 3:10:47PM
For fire, We hire for the training period?
Chief Tripp 3:10:53PM
Well, We have Firefighters that come on the job. They go through a six week orientation period.
Joseph Citro 3:10:58PM
How many of these Firefighters last more than three or four years?
Chief Tripp 3:11:03PM
All of them.
Joseph Citro 3:11:04PM
Okay. Do we go out and actually do a hiring search?
Chief Tripp 3:11:09PM
We go to all of the schools whenever they have graduations, so I have Operations Chief go to different schools and talk to the candidates as well.
Joseph Citro 3:11:16PM
Do we have a portal for people that are interested in becoming a Firefighter on our website? If someone says, I want to be a Firefighter, can they go on tampas website and apply for a position or find out how to become a Firefighter?
Chief Tripp 3:11:34PM
I will have to check that. Honest, I dont know. But I know we are in the process of a scholarship process.
Joseph Citro 3:11:42PM
Because I am going to make a claim next budget hearing, We need more staffing. We often hear Council Members talk about single source, fire equipment. Is that a single source?
Chief Tripp 3:11:52PM
It all depends on what item it is to keep the continuity and the same type of equipment, and the specs are different, so it depends on whatever the piece of equipment is.
Joseph Citro 3:12:04PM
Single source you can go to three or four different locations. Its not a matter of supply chain or just one manufacturer?
Chief Tripp 3:12:14PM
No. If its an item I need I can go anywhere and get it unless there are certain specs, and this is the only company.
Joseph Citro 3:12:22PM
So its readily available. Just an observation. I went and saw my patients down in station 14. I saw a ladder truck in there. If it was a privately owned vehicle, it would have a blue antique plate on it. 20 years old.
Chief Tripp 3:12:39PM
Thats a reserve unit. Thats not their front line.
Joseph Citro 3:12:43PM
Its still a vehicle thats being used. I am amazed at that. Chief Tripp, thank you very, very much. Chief Bennett?
John Bennett 3:12:55PM
I just went to the website. Bring up the Elmo. And you fill these boots right online. So apply now. So its there.
Joseph Citro 3:13:05PM
Thank you.
Orlando Gudes 3:13:07PM
You had asked me to wait.
Joseph Citro 3:13:13PM
I was just about ready to ask. I just wanted to hear Chief Bennett.
Bill Carlson 3:13:19PM
Could I say also, Mr. Bennett -- thank you.
Chief Tripp 3:13:33PM
Could I say something about recruiting? We dont have a problem recruiting. People come. I mean, We have applicants. As soon as We open up the process, they are applying. You know. I screen them. Let the panel screen them. And then We send it through the process to get hired. So what I am saying, im hiring. And whenever We have individuals that leave, you know, We are actually projecting just like this year We are looking to have five or six people retire, you know. So my goal is to hire this group here and get another group in the summer. Because once I came in it was already a deficit of personnel. Staff gave me another 57 positions to help offset that with the equipment that We have. And usually when they come here We dont have a problem with retention. They stay.
Joseph Citro 3:14:22PM
And again I go back to my question. Is it budget? Do we need to push for a bigger budget so you can have more Firefighters?
Chief Tripp 3:14:38PM
Maybe I am missing You because when You talk about budget nor more Firefighters, We have to get more units to put them in.
Joseph Citro 3:14:44PM
Then are we talking budget again?
Chief Tripp 3:14:53PM
I have ordered equipment. Its just not here.
Joseph Citro 3:14:58PM
To get more equipment you need this Council --
Chief Tripp 3:15:02PM
I am definitely going to always increase the budget, you know.
Joseph Citro 3:15:06PM
Thats what I wanted to hear.
Joseph Citro 3:15:08PM
Okay. Councilman Gudes wanted to bring you up. You are recognized.
Orlando Gudes 3:15:22PM
Before you get started I heard the Chief, I heard some of the points brought out. Today is the day you as the President can tell this Chief and this Council what you need and what you dont have, and I wish you would let Council know, the requests that you have been asking, the application process, you know, it should be open constantly, equipment, just anything that you feel the Chief should know, now is the time that the Chief can respond, I understand the chassis, she said shes ordered them. I want to know all about that, the concerns of the union, so every councilman will know and she can tell US also whats going on in reference to the things you are asking for. You have the floor, sir. Steve Stocco. President Tampa firefighters 504. First off, I apologize in advance if anything of my passion is taken for anger so theres no anger here. We are all friends, colleagues and work together. In regards to egis study, that the Firefighters Union did, it was actually precovid so those numbers were precovid and there were recommendations set for the in the gis and those recommendations were for three stations immediately, and as you saw prior it called for they announced for 15, We just called for three, new Tampa, channelside, I believe in the Westshore gandy area. So that gis study that We did in 2019 is precovid. So I wanted to touch on that. The other thing, and thank you, Chief Bennett, is the experience of pinellas county. I think its a good viewpoint of the ems systems, as Chief Bennett mentioned, there is a hospital on every corner. I know We May not have that ability to do so, put a hospital on every corner, or definitely put an ambulance nearby or at every corner as was mentioned. Just actually now, as We are talking, and im here as a representative of the Firefighters Union, and there are rescue ambulances waiting at the hospital for over three hours, so I wanted to touch on that. Councilman Gudes, you talk about the needs of the department, the needs of the Firefighters Union, is asking before this Council and City Staff, and I think I am more than happy to go over them, but there was a lot of talking this morning, theres a lot of planning, a lot of discussion, how much more do We need to discuss? How much more do We need to plan? How much more do We need to have conversation over this? Just letting the people volt and hearing what the people have got to say. One of the things that can help a lot with response times is to avl, vehicle locaters. You know, We are trying to keep accurate data from this response time. Yet We have 92,000 calls on one channel. So when We are on the radio, all 92,000 calls are on one channel. So when We are responding unless the radio is available, We are not getting through. So We May get through, so our data that We are basing these response times off of May not be as accurate.
Orlando Gudes 3:19:03PM
Stop right there. So you are saying that the fire only has one channel versus Police probably has about eight channels? 92000 calls. In the event that the channel has -- in the event that the alarm has three or more units responding, they will go to a separate channel. So like a fire or a haz-mat, they will go to the special channel. But all, medical, als, we are available, in house, responding, transporting, communications go on and on, on one channel.
Orlando Gudes 3:19:44PM
For the Police Department you have different channels. So I think thats something that should be looked at. Working on one channel for the whole city for dispatch. I would think it would be my district or zones, and I will let the chief respond in a minute. Yeah. And I think Chief Bennett and I talked about it one time, we had a brief conversation over it. Yes, we do operate off one channel. Again, the only time that we have a separate channel is if theres three alarms or greater. And -- three units or greater comment that be because of our Dispatch Center, where we have only have three people at minimum? You know, I dont advocate for the dispatchers but I can tell what you Chief Tripp said is very factual. Its the whole big picture. It starts when the call comes in, the Dispatch Center, the software, the telecommunicators that radio to the channel. Once they go to a separate channel, one dispatcher gets taken out of the equation, and attends to that channel and solely that channel so you only have two dispatchers left.
Orlando Gudes 3:21:05PM
When communication is down on the north side of hillsborough avenue, the Communications System, but again, I realize it was that many people on the fire side. I do believe they May have tried to increase staffing for. I should pay more attention. They are part of our family although they are not bargaining members and I should pay more attention to them. But I think the information I have is pretty factual.
Orlando Gudes 3:21:48PM
Continue. Firefighters, we have the Firefighters, we just need the equipment. I can tell you that there are some vehicles out in the city that have lights on it, term fire rescue sticker on it, and response to calls we get, the heavy rescue downtown, Heavy Rescue 1, Heavy Rescue 21, the boats, we have one vehicle down at the port that just has one person on it. There are vehicles that do respond to calls that dont have people on them. So in the event that one of the units goes on a call, the other unit gets left behind at the station. Heavy Rescue 1 is a perfect example. It is downtown and it is the most important piece of an apparatus when the Firefighters call the Firefighters that when they need help, they generally call Heavy Rescue 1 or truck 1. But if the busiest truck downtown and Heavy Rescue 1 doesnt respond, truck 1 has to run emergency back to the station, pick that vehicle up, and then take it over. So if we do have the Firefighters, and we just need the equipment, there are equipment out there are that can be stacked on that go to calls now. So in regards to units, they are fire stations that we continue dont have ambulances at, whether its south of gandy, 22 up in new Tampa. There are units, there are stations out there that dont have ambulances. And yes, Chief Tripp took an initiative that we have been waiting for a very, very long time to get advanced equipment on these ladder trucks. But the ladder trucks arent taking people to the hospital. When these people call 911, they generally want to be taken to the hospital. So that was one of the comments to have that. I did write something down, I did want to talk a little about it if you guys have a little bit more time, and continue the conversations. Two weeks ago we spoke on some of the deficits that we are currently facing. I dont want to reiterate on what we have been talking about for years because it seems like we have been doing just that, talking. I do applaud Chief Tripp. She has relocated those two units to the sulphur springs area and that was a much need and it was the relocating of those units. I want to highlight just some of the events in the last two weeks since our meeting. On January 12th, the City Of Tampa was thriving. Its 5 pm. The workforce is entering or leaving the city, on roads like 275 and i-4. Tampa international flights are incoming, outgoing. We are at full capacity with all gears running. Now add 20,000 people to watch the Tampa lightning in amalie arena, add a couple though I people strolling into the straz center, at this time we only had one ambulance available. That was last Thursday at 5:00 and there was only one ambulance available.
Orlando Gudes 3:24:53PM
A bls unit? One transport unit. To my knowledge, Amr And America -- Amr And America are no longer run into the city. Hillsborough County has -- and maybe Chief Tripp can help me, Amr and americare are only being used for Hillsborough County and Transcare is our bls provider. There was an article yesterday that of the 32 calls that they got, they turned down 27 of them, so 27 of the 32 calls they received they couldnt attend to, which then Tampa Fire Rescue has a duty to act, and we have to respond for them. So when theres no bls available we have to respond.
Orlando Gudes 3:25:52PM
Bls is your basic life support.
Charlie Miranda 3:25:55PM
Als is advanced life support. 12 Million, 1.3 Million. I just heard it. We have more people coming to the zoo, more people coming to busch gardens. That video that I watched at the beginning of this meeting shows some performance highlights and We are still waiting on, on ours. On January 14th on a beautiful Saturday in Tampa Bay, Curtis Hixon celebrating the festival, amalie arena with 20,000 people from the straz center, and an already strained ems system. On top of all of that, We dont the additional transport units that We need. We took one of the rescue units, rescue 251 out of sulphur springs and We placed it downtown at plant high school for a special event. We already have a taxed ems system and We are subsidizing for our special events, the City Of Tampa equipment and staff. On January 16th, the Bucs hosted an Nfl playoff game where the city spoke of the increase in traffic. Raymond James was sold out with 60,000 people alone. Thousands upon thousands of spectators in all surrounding areas of Tampa Bay, yet no increase in transport units. When We introduce 60,000 people in Raymond James, one ambulance there, and thats for the players. Thats for the Nfl. The Nfl requires a transport unit. So We have all these people in the city yet there is no increase in transport units. Again We are taxed and introduce 100,000 people into the city at one time. I want to state specifically, the West Tampa Ambulance, which is the ambulance that services Raymond James, had 19 calls. 19 calls in 24 hours. Ambulance run. We are in a state of crisis. Tampa Fire Rescue, the city, and from the Firefighters point of view, and being a resident and living here, We are in a state of crisis. If its recruitment, the Chief just spoke, We are applying now, and thankful to the staff that has added the increase in budget. Hopefully We can get those boots full and hopefully We are nearly full as it is. If its equipment or vehicles, and We dont single source, if We cant go with a toyota We need to go with a dodge or ford or keo, thats what We need to do. There is an extended long wait time. And We are putting lives on the back burner? To Councilman Citro's comment, thank you for stopping by the fire station yesterday. And I believe its a 1992. And We are working with trucks that are as old as I am. The brave men and women of local 754 are working and working their tails off. This isnt about the union. This isnt about the Administration, council or city. This is about the citizens. This is about the residents that We serve. On the second floor of that museum We all raise our right hand, to save lives and protect the citizens which We are serving. We have got to put politics aside. We have got to put parties aside. We have to put all that aside. I spelled out some of the need. When is enough enough? Its a tape recorder. We hear the same thing. The Firefighters say tell US something We dont know. Thats where We are at as a local, and thats whereby We are at as a city and being a city resident. Not to mention, We are eagerly anticipating working with the Administration and hearing the long awaited safety plan on February 23rd. We have got to put everything aside. So I am available to any more comments, questions.
Orlando Gudes 3:30:02PM
I wanted you to get it all out so The Chief can hear. Sometimes theres a policy that She cant do. But I think shes done a great job in getting things moving in the right direction. I dont know about the wait times. I didnt know about this -- again, I dont know about the chassis, and if the chassis can fit. So again, looking at policies, to see how we have staff coming in that are non-life threatening, so I would like The Chief to respond to some of the things of your concerns, and that May be in the master plan before coming, that would be aware. And I always say, you can always do what I call get the leg work, when does the implementation start? So maybe She can tell US about the master plan and some of the things, and well start with some of the implementation things.
Joseph Citro 3:31:15PM
Is there any other comments?
Charlie Miranda 3:31:20PM
I just want to get for clarity. I appreciate everything you said, and everything the chief has said, Chief Tripp. Does anyone know when you have a new recruiting group coming in, how many others do we get from others surrounding Fire Departments and apply here? Is that a viable number at all or just one or two? We have got people, yes. They are sworn in. We have got the people.
Charlie Miranda 3:31:51PM
We need the logistics to go with the people, the equipment and the station and so forth.
Charlie Miranda 3:31:59PM
Right. Hospitals. You can look at Lakeland Regionals and you can look at Pinellas County.
Orlando Gudes 3:32:17PM
The Chief can take that back and answer these questions.
Charlie Miranda 3:32:24PM
I know Tampa General is building a -- finishing up the center that they have here on Kennedy boulevard, at rome, I believe, or close to it, and making that the emergency area, I believe, for your Fire Department, also. Im not sure. When you go to the main hospital, Tampa General, because a lot of people, you have a backup and its too long when you can be doing other things. Hospitals. Our Taxpayers, our residents, shouldnt be paying because the hospital hasnt built the infrastructure or the staff. Its our Taxpayers, our firefighters lives that are being strained because of their faults.
Charlie Miranda 3:33:10PM
I said it, but the way you said it is the correct way. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 3:33:15PM
Councilman Maniscalco?
Guido Maniscalco 3:33:19PM
You read my mind. I didnt raise my hand. But if you look at item number 4, it says 104 Intersector police vehicles, $4.3 Million and 100 police vehicles. Why are we not applying to als and vehicles are much more expensive. Ladder trucks are a fortune. I have gone through all of that. But we are accommodating police for what they need. We need to look at the budget and we need to focus on getting new equipment you are talking about. One ambulance dedicated to the Nfl with 60,000 people. I live around the corner. And there is a hospital there. But God forbid in a situation where you have somebody needs an ambulance to be transported, what are you going to do on Monday, on top of everything else? I agree with you, Councilman. Im just saying.
Guido Maniscalco 3:34:11PM
You know, We are budgeting. And We can look at the budget now. We should have been looking at it for this upcoming year. But if We are accommodating the Police, We accommodate fire. And theres a lot of necessitates here and this is something We need to look at, the Administration needs to look at, our CFO, and meet these needs. We are going to have a major catastrophe here and more and more deaths. We are playing games here.
Luis Viera 3:34:38PM
Thank You very much. Just very briefly because I know we still have second readings, et cetera. I just wanted -- I said it last time, I will say it again. The word I think about when I see You speak about publicly is urgency. You bring that sense of urgency to these issues, but its obvious that You are as passionate and sincere at hell about it and You bring a real sense of urgency. I just want to salute You for that. Very briefly again because we have other issues. Thank You.
Joseph Citro 3:35:04PM
A few years ago, Joe Greco brought to my attention that not every firefighter, not every driver, knows every address in this city. And they have to use their own ipads or their own cell phones for gps. Are we still having an issue with that? Getting those medics with some locaters. To my knowledge, no.
Joseph Citro 3:35:35PM
Again, the Firefighters have to use their own equipment.
Lynn Hurtak 3:35:51PM
I just rode with Police and they have just gotten some new tablets for that very thing. Well have to ask Chief Bennett if he knows anything about that, to possibly see if we could fund getting a rescue cars and our fire trucks with the same tablet system that the Police just got.
Joseph Citro 3:36:20PM
Proper equipment for Our First Responders so they dont have to use their own. There were tablets placed on every vehicle. The implementation portion, it fell by the wayside. It was a bad program. It was the mobile tec program that was expected to be done in April of 2021. That was reports here, April 2021, the latest October 2021 that that program would be completed after it passed administrative phase. So We have done the tablets. We have had them up in the truck by the windshield. We are passed all that. We need to start putting some in these units.
Joseph Citro 3:37:00PM
Chief Tripp. Thank you. Councilman Gudes, you are recognized.
Orlando Gudes 3:37:07PM
You heard from The Union. We had a meeting a couple months ago about communication and things like that. So You heard Nick. Its your time to go ahead and see where we are at and tell US whats going on.
Chief Tripp 3:37:23PM
Just to reiterate on some of the items I talked about already along with President Stocco here, and to put the politics aside and lets do whats right for the department, for the community and stuff. And to have individuals call you all without coming to me, and US talking about We are doing. I want everything for fire, for public safety. Im looking for more stations, looking at land, looking for equipment and all of this, okay. With that being said. So if We talk about the avl system, the computer system that was before my time, okay. When I got in here that was already started. So when I realize it wasnt going to be beneficial to the men and women of are the near I stopped it immediately because it wasnt going to work. Once We stopped that, We are in the process of implementing a new one to get a new system. We have changed some of the tactics behind it as far as how that company abroad and We are getting good vendors coming in to be able to identify what Tampa fire needs, whats going to benefit the City Of Tampa. So that is in the works. When We are talking about one als unit in service, okay, I did the same page that he gets. The question is why do We have three units out of nervous so once I got that page I called to find out. All of a sudden We got five units in service because they were switching out. So of course its a lot of internal stuff going on. So when you see or when there is a concern, I dont want to say a problem, when theres a concern, lets figure out what happened before We start putting blame somewhere. Thats one. When We talk about as far as what they request, We have over 40 medics, Tampa has close to 30, 40, Hillsborough County has like another 20. So they are to provide that service in case something was to happen, okay? That is what We do when it comes to special events. I work in different special events. Do We need additional units? I have been telling you that for the longest. Whether the budget needs to be increased, every year, I cant say -- the CFO is note here to say how much money has been given to fire in this last budget and the one before. I have ordered 15 new rescue cars. I received two. Two of them on back order. When We talk about getting a toyota versus a lamborghini, you are right, I am downsizing because I can get more bang for my bucks. But which it comes to putting these folks out on the street and putting people, I want the best bargain for the community. When We talk about putting chassis, single sources for a particular unit, I dont care where you go, those freight line chassis that We are looking, I dont care what Manufacturer you go to, you are not going to get them. Now, they do have 450s and 550s chassis. Those are the ones We went away from. As a matter of fact We have two what used to be peak cars have 450, 550. It stays in the shop. What good is it in the shop if its not on the street, okay? So if someone knows of another Manufacturer that has these freight line chassis, the chassis that We need to respond to calls, im all for it. Its not about the single source. Its about getting the equipment. Now, when it comes to single sourcing from one Manufacturer to another one, the one that We used to single source, I went with -- before the shared plan because the price was cheaper so now I have gotten more vehicles than was going to get with the single source. So I am doing homework when it comes to that. When We talk about the unit having 19 calls, you know, I would love to see exactly were those cancels or actually transport, did they get onscene? You know, its a lot of information that President Stocco is bringing that I would like to definitely look into because when I see there is a concern or issue, I want to take care of it. So when it comes to a lot of information, lets get the facts together, okay. Lets find out what, when, where and how before We start pointing fingers. When it comes to public safety im all about it. But I will tell you from being in this position for a year and a half, and what We have accumulated over that year and a half, it has been a true blessing. I cant speak for the previous administration, and all of the noncessation, transition, trying to buy units for the future. I cant speak for that. I can only do what I can do for now, and thats what I have been doing. I have been increasing. We just got two heavy rescue. We just ordered that. I go down next week to order three more engines, down in bradenton. And then We can order another tiller. My inventory list when I first got there and saw the ages of those vehicles, I thought, oh my gosh, you are right, they should have a blue tag on them. Okay. But I cant speak for the past. I can only talk about the future and what I am trying to do for the men and women of Tampa Fire Rescue. I have their best interest at my heart because I was out there as well. I dont forget where I come from. I appreciate everything they have done for Tampa Fire Rescue and what they do for the community. But lets get the facts together and like you said, lets get the politics. I want to work with you, not against you. We have a job to do. We have people, We have a community We have to serve. So a lot of the information I am not going to keep going back and forth. When We talk about the hospitals, Tampa General, Saint Joe's has not been an issue. When they see Tampa fire come in, they do everything they can to try to offload. It might be a hiccup because they might have a trauma or something that might take precedence and We have to wait a couple minutes. The one particular hospital that We are in process of communicating with to see if We can get that relationship a little better when it comes to our units.
Joseph Citro 3:43:15PM
Any other comments or questions? Councilman Gudes, you are recognized.
Orlando Gudes 3:43:25PM
The application process, is that closed or that that off? It opens up? Hr. I let them know when we are getting ready because You can open it up and it can stay open, but I am not going to keep applying because its a process. When Tampa Fire hires we have multiple departments thats included in that. So what I do, because the process used to take about eight months. When I came on, it took about eight months. I have decreased that to anywhere between 3 and 4 months. We open it up at the end of December. We are going to have those individuals on March 20th. And thats because I work with the departments. I let them know, hey, I am looking to hire. You give me two weeks where You can do whatever additional testing. And thats why we do it that way, because I dont want no one staying on the list because if I am not in the process of interviewing I am not going to interview nobody so they can sit on that list for six months. So I would rather open it up for a period, let them know this is the time we are hiring. If they want to apply we do have on the internet that they can go in and put their name on the list so when that position opens up, I will send them an e-mail and let them know that, hey, firefighter position is open, You can apply.
Joseph Citro 3:44:42PM
Thank you very much. Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 3:44:49PM
I just want to be say thank You again. Its evident now to the public what I have experienced in talking to You privately recently is that You have been working really hard over the last 18 or so months and You have a handle on the issues, and I appreciate You pushing back and having discussions with US, robust discussion was US about it. I look forward to seeing what You come up with a plan. I appreciate any work You can do to work with Nick and his team as well. Thank You.
Joseph Citro 3:45:16PM
Anyone else? Thank you, Chief. Nicholas, please, quickly.
Joseph Citro 3:45:26PM
Nick Stocco. I hear Previous Administrations, and I heard it throughout the morning, Previous Administration, Previous Administration, Previous Administrations. We have got to do something. We have got to do something now. In regard to the Peak Units being in the shop, thats because we are running them to the point where we cant maintain them and they live in the shop. And those Peak Units were designed for special events, not to be beat down as much as they are. We just got two new rescue, 9 and 24. Im sorry, replacement vehicles. We got two new replacement vehicles. One in west Tampa. One over at 13. Why cant we take those two additional units, those two replacement vehicles, and put them in other parts of the city, and fill them like we had the peak car program, where its a voluntary overtime status at least to solve this crisis. We have a crisis where we need ambulance. We just got two new replacements. Why cant we take those two units, put them right back on the street, and run them as peak over time. And if its budget or finances, I hope we set that aside. Thank you.
Chief Tripp 3:46:42PM
As he say those peak units, those are 450s and 550s. Thats why if theres a Manufacturer that can make those vehicles, I dont want them. I dont need them for the community. Because they are not going to be beneficial. They are not going to help Metropolitan because they are going to stay in the shop because of the wear and tear.
Charlie Miranda 3:47:03PM
Explain to the public what you are talking about because 350, 450, they dont notice what that is. Rod and reel maybe. Or the body with 450 or whatever.
Chief Tripp 3:47:16PM
Pretty much what We are using is a heavy duty chassis, freightliner. You have a truck and then you have the body part that holds the box that We actually transport patients in. So its a difference between the chassis. You know, We are using a heavy duty now, and the 450 is like afford big truck, like an f 150. Its a 450, you know. So it is a truck but its not a heavy duty truck to take the wear and tear and the response time of how We run our vehicles.
Joseph Citro 3:47:47PM
Chief Bennett?
John Bennett 3:47:53PM
Just for Councilman Gudes' questions real quick about the 911 Center. So great questions. The way I understand it, because it was different across the bay, Police answer every call, and then they transfer to Fire. So thats where the Police side has more intake options and they rotate between tall taking and Dispatch. When it gets down to Fire, its getting for Dispatch of so its kind to get to Fire. Based on the numbers I hear with Fire in the 90,000s, if you break it down its about 10 calls an hour. The Police are running 60 calls an hour, about one a minute. So the offset in load is part of the reason too for the differences in workload. Now of course Fire calls are going to be involved with transports and everything so thats why the unit allocation is so important, how many hours within 24 hours are they busy, and thats a workload analysis. And then of course that offsets the response time concerns that we all need to define as a level of service, and then fund that gap. And thats what we all need to work together on. And you heard Chief Tripp talk about the cad makeover. We did buy tablets for Fire because I saw those maps, the real maps when we got here. They had coffee stains on them. Its just ridiculous. When I found out the cad thing was bogging down, Chief O'hara found money and we bought tablets but that was a band-aid to get them to the cad delivery. But at least to get them out of that antiquated map that they were using hard copies for, trying to drive and flip pages which is no good. So I will tell you that Chief Tripp at least in my experience -- of course I havent seen all the other chiefs -- is the only one bringing progress to the table. I need this, I need that. So your support for her as we go through the next budget cycle will be paramount.
Joseph Citro 3:49:47PM
Councilman Gudes.
Orlando Gudes 3:49:49PM
Chief, with the Dispatch, I know Police has higher volume than fire. But one more frequency? I mean thats --
Orlando Gudes 3:50:05PM
You know, I think thats something to look at, so You have to worry about -- as Police --
John Bennett 3:50:30PM
I understand that. And again this is a leap of understanding right now. But back in the 2000s when I was working with Urban Area Security Initiative, they had the mpts, the computers in the vehicles, and somehow, I dont know how that fell off over the last decade, but probably the reason they had one Dispatch is they could on stay I am here, they could do things that didnt require Dispatch. And now Dispatch is picking up the gap without the right cad system. So whether its a temp or full fix, we have to figure that out. Thats a good point.
Orlando Gudes 3:51:04PM
All right.
Joseph Citro 3:51:06PM
Anything else from Council Members? Chief, are you finished?
Joseph Citro 3:51:18PM
Thank you. Chief, hold on one second. I am going to make my last statement, if Council doesnt mind. Thank you very much. Budget. Next time around, shoot US a number. A number you want. And then I suggest that this Council add 10% to it. Not for what you want but what is needed in the future. Thank you, Chief. Council, we have a question. We have four agenda items, 52, 53, 54, 55. The legal representation for the city has an obligation and has to be out of here by 5:30. Could we take those next? Theres four agenda items, to ensure that they get heard with legal here?
Guido Maniscalco 3:52:16PM
Move to open the public hearings at 9:30 am.
Joseph Citro 3:52:22PM
Motion made by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilwoman Hurtak. All in favor say aye. Anyone who is going to be giving any type of testimony in any of the hearings for the remainder, please rise and be sworn in. Ms. Barnes, please raise your hand for the heck of it. Thank you.
The Clerk 3:52:43PM
(Oath administered by Clerk).
Joseph Citro 3:52:50PM
Thank you all. Lets go to agenda item number 52. Ms. Barnes, are you going to lead US off on that?
Annie Barnes 3:53:02PM
Development Coordination. Item number 52 is rez 22-82 being presented for second reading and adoption. For 6204 interbay boulevard. Request is to rezone property from rs-60 to pd for residential single-family attached. A daycare center, strip shopping center, including cm uses, medical office and restaurant. Site plans were dropped off to Council Chambers earlier this week. I am available for any questions.
Joseph Citro 3:53:32PM
Any questions for Ms. Barnes? Thank you. Petitioner.
David Mechanik 3:53:42PM
David Mechanik, here on behalf of the applicants Omar Garcia, David Chir, and we are here to answer any questions today.
Joseph Citro 3:53:55PM
Any questions for the Applicant? Is there anyone in Chambers that would like to speak to agenda item number 52, file rez 22-82? Seeing none, do we have anyone online? Yes, can you please be sworn and raise your right hand to be sworn in? (Oath administered by Clerk).
The Clerk 3:54:30PM
Thank you.
Joseph Citro 3:54:31PM
Yes, maam. Tampa -- group. [Audio distortion] when my daughter was in junior high -- it was very oppressive. This is the last pristine property left in the interbay area, one of the most over-developed areas in south Tampa. Yet on this undeveloped piece of property containing 165 trees, 50% and allow them to retain a mere 10% of the 165 trees on this property. In other words, developer plans to remove 92 of the 165 trees on this property. Those 92 trees. Tampa tree code requires 230 trees to mitigate the volume of those 92 trees, 221 of which would be required to be passed on, the most valuable shade trees. The Arborist states this has property has considerable tree cover, only to find the property is losing canopy cover which covers more than four acres of land. The City Of Tampa Arborist found it inconsistent with The City's tree code requirements. The City's Transportation Department also found this planned development to be inconsistent to potential violation of the tree code. Mitigating the effects in south Tampa. Once the trees are removed they will be gone forever. And Tampa residents will be forever deprived of all the benefits. At the December rezoning hearing, several Tampa residents testified that they -- condos in this development. However these condos, how many currently residing and how many young people can purchase a condo at that price tag? The young people who I meet are outside of The City limits because they cannot afford to buy a house in Tampa. I dont know exactly who you think you are representing when you approve one condo development after another here in Tampa but I can tell you that you are not representing the majority of people who work here and who would like to reside in Tampa. I am really sick and tired of The City playing poor mouth when it comes to buying property like this and turn it into a public park for the public benefit. Is The City even planting the 1,000 trees mandated by the Tampa tree ordinance? Tampa is losing oaks at a great rate due to overdevelopment. I have been trying to get an answer from The City contemplating -- [bell sounds] please consider to not allow this rezoning request and preserve one of tampas City parcels with natural beauty for tampas residents --
Joseph Citro 3:57:49PM
Thank you very much, maam. Thank you.
The Clerk 3:57:51PM
Thank you.
Joseph Citro 3:57:54PM
Is there anybody else online? Anybody else in Chambers?
Guido Maniscalco 3:57:56PM
Move to close.
Joseph Citro 3:57:59PM
Motion to close by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by -- rebuttal?
David Mechanik 3:58:08PM
Very briefly, Mr. Chairman. We addressed the trees extensively during the hearing in December. I would just remind Council that 85% of the trees were either in fair or poor condition. We are saving all of the grand trees. Regarding the comments about the Traffic Department, we addressed all the traffic concerns except they have what they call a technical objection because we had a 1.4% Reduction in parking, which is virtually -- its minuscule. And with that, I leave it to Council. We would respectfully request your approval. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 3:59:01PM
Motion to close by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Viera. All in favor? Any opposed?
Bill Carlson 3:59:11PM
I would like to pass on reading it but can I make a statement? Or have somebody else read it first?
Joseph Citro 3:59:23PM
Surely.
Bill Carlson 3:59:24PM
Just a statement. Last time I voted for this, a Big Tree Advocate, we want to protect as many trees as we possibly can. We spent a large amount of time last time asking questions about the city and the applicants tree experts about these trees. And in weighing what the current uses are, what they could do now, there are some cases, even where I live, where now the residents which they had approved -- or pushed for something that they wanted US to vote against. And in this case, when the possibilities of what could happen to the trees in another circumstance. I voted for it and I will continue to vote for it, but that doesnt change how I feel about trees. Its sad to me when any trees are torn down but I would rather save as many of these trees as I can, where we can potentially end up. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 4:00:25PM
Councilman Viera.
Luis Viera 4:00:27PM
If I May, I will read it, Sir.
Joseph Citro 4:00:30PM
Thank You. I was going to go to You. I go to You.
Luis Viera 4:00:33PM
Item -- sorry, long day -- move item 52. File number rez 22-82. Ordinance being presented for second reading and adoption, an ordinance rezoning property in the general vicinity of 6204 interbay boulevard in the City of Tampa, Florida and more particularly described in section 1 from zoning district classification rs 30 residential single-family to pd planned development residential single-family attached, Daycare, trip shopping center, including cn uses, medical office and restaurant, providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 4:01:02PM
Motion made by Councilman Viera. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. Any further discussion? Place your votes and record.
The Clerk 4:01:12PM
Motion carried with Hurtak voting no.
Joseph Citro 4:01:22PM
Thank you very much. Agenda item number 53. File rez 22-75.
Annie Barnes 4:01:29PM
Development Coordination. Item number 53 is rez 22-75, for second reading and adoption, for property located at 1603 north Florida Avenue and 318 and 320 east henderson avenue, rezoning property from rm-24 and pd to pd for emergency shelter facility, commercial off-street parking and business professional office. Site plans were dropped off earlier this week. Im available for any questions.
Joseph Citro 4:02:04PM
Any questions for Ms. Barnes? Seeing none. Please raise your right hand to be sworn in. (Oath administered by Clerk)
Joseph Citro 4:02:17PM
Please proceed. This was unanimously approved back in December. We have made all the revisions asked by staff. Im available for any questions.
Joseph Citro 4:02:32PM
Any questions of the applicant? Anyone online to speak to this? Anyone in Chambers? Motion by Gudes, second by Miranda. All in favor? Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 4:02:55PM
I would like to move 53, rez 22-75, ordinance being presented for second reading and adoption, an ordinance rezoning property in the general vicinity of 1603 north Florida Avenue and 318 and 320 east henderson avenue in the City of Tampa, Florida and more particularly described in section 1 from zoning district classification rm-24 residential multifamily and pd planned development to pd, planned development, emergency shelter facility, commercial off-street parking and Business Professional Office, providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 4:03:28PM
Motion made by Councilman Carlson, seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. Any further discussion? Place your votes and record.
The Clerk 4:03:35PM
Motion carried unanimously with Hurtak being absent at vote.
Joseph Citro 4:03:43PM
Agenda item 54. File rez 22-90.
Annie Barnes 4:03:54PM
Development Coordination. Item 54 is rez 22-90 presented for second reading for 2500 west azeele street rezoning property from pd to pd for Business Professional Office. Site plans were dropped off earlier this week. Im available for any questions.
Joseph Citro 4:04:10PM
Any questions for Ms. Barnes? Here for any questions.
Joseph Citro 4:04:19PM
Anyone in Chambers that wishes to speak to this?
Orlando Gudes 4:04:23PM
Move to close.
Charlie Miranda 4:04:24PM
Second.
Joseph Citro 4:04:25PM
Motion to close by Councilman Gudes, second by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor? Is there any opposed? Thank you. Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 4:04:33PM
I have an ordinance being presented for second reading and adoption, an ordinance rezoning property in the general vicinity of 2500 west azeele street in the City of Tampa, Florida and more particularly described in section 1 from zoning district classification pd planned development to pd planned development, Business Professional Office, providing an effective date.
Orlando Gudes 4:04:51PM
Second.
Joseph Citro 4:04:54PM
Motion made by Councilman Maniscalco, seconded by Councilman Miranda. Any further discussion? Place your votes and record.
The Clerk 4:05:02PM
Motion carried unanimously.
Joseph Citro 4:05:10PM
Thank you very much. Agenda item number 55, file.
Annie Barnes 4:05:35PM
Development Coordination. Item 55 is rez 22-100 rezoning property from rm 24 to pd residential multifamily. Site plans were dropped off earlier this week. Im available for any questions.
Joseph Citro 4:05:41PM
Any questions for Ms. Barnes? Seeing none, Ms. Schaler. This was unanimously approved in December. We made all the staff-requested revisions. I am available to answer any questions you May have.
Joseph Citro 4:06:00PM
Any questions for the petitioner? Is there anyone in Chambers who wishes to speak to this? Thank you very much. Motion to close by Councilman Gudes, seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor? Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 4:06:22PM
Rez 22-100. Ordinance being presented for second reading and adoption, an ordinance rezoning property in the general vicinity of 2401 west platt street in the City of Tampa, Florida and more particularly described in section 1 from zoning district classification rm-24 residential multifamily to pd planned development, residential, multifamily, providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 4:06:47PM
Motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak, seconded by Councilman Miranda. Place your votes and record.
The Clerk 4:06:53PM
Motion carried unanimously.
Joseph Citro 4:06:58PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 4:07:01PM
I move the resolution attached to this.
Joseph Citro 4:07:06PM
Motion to move the resolution seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor? Thank you very much. Now, going back, we have a walk-on agenda item. I hope the people are still here for that. Right here. Memorandum, resolution.
Morris Massey 4:07:36PM
Those are alley vacating. We need to get Ms. Johnson-velez. She had to leave. I would like to do it but -- walk-on, based on a motion regarding the use of the citys Black History Committee for their ceremonies in February and also in May. I dont know if you have copies --
Joseph Citro 4:08:36PM
We had a motion by Councilman Gudes. Second by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor? Thank you. That takes care of the walk-on agenda items. Thank you, Council. Agenda item number 4, file ps 23-79171. My apologies. File bzp 23-78936.
Morris Massey 4:09:13PM
Deputy City Attorney. This is a resolution that was on your agenda for January 5th. We had to hold this till this meeting because You needed to act upon it as a CRA first before We move the money. If You have any questions I am here.
Guido Maniscalco 4:09:30PM
Move the resolution.
Joseph Citro 4:09:33PM
Motion by Councilman Gudes, seconded by Councilwoman Hurtak. All in favor? Is there any opposed? Motion passes. Okay, file ps 23-79171. Agenda item number 4.
Guido Maniscalco 4:09:46PM
I would move the resolution. I brought this up earlier when we discussed the firefighters. We are investing in 100 vehicles for the Police Department, and how appropriate on the day we are discussing so many needs for the fire department. So move the resolution.
Joseph Citro 4:10:05PM
Motion by Councilman Maniscalco, seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor? Is there any opposed? Thank you very much. Motion passes. Mr. Bhide, are you with US? There you are, Mr. Bhide. Thank you.
Vik Bhide 4:10:25PM
Vik Bhide, director, Mobility department, on items 5 and 6. They both refer to the lower peninsula flooding project. This is a $6 million project just north of macdill. Other improvements including limited water, improvements, a new stormwater pond, on existing property, that is designed to preserve, credit some public amenities. And council approved construction late last year. This is for funding for 12.5 Million and item 6 is the transaction from a financial perspective, less $35,000. At this time, I would be happy to take any questions.
Joseph Citro 4:11:47PM
Any questions for Mr. Bhide? We have Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 4:11:51PM
So this is part of the 251 million-dollar stormwater capital improvement projects from 2016. This is not a lower peninsula? Glad to see that. So I will gladly support it. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 4:12:04PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 4:12:06PM
Do we have the name of the Contractor?
Vik Bhide 4:12:12PM
Yes. The prime contractor was Kimmins.
Lynn Hurtak 4:12:19PM
I just wanted to ask. Yes, there were complications. Its a major project. Excellent response time. Excellent everything. So I think we are in very good hands for this. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 4:12:45PM
Lets take these motions, resolutions one at a time.
Guido Maniscalco 4:12:52PM
Move number 5.
Joseph Citro 4:12:54PM
Motion by Councilman Maniscalco, seconded by Councilman Miranda to move file pw 23-79284. All in favor say aye. Is there any opposed? Thank you.
Vik Bhide 4:13:07PM
Chair, is it 283?
Joseph Citro 4:13:13PM
Im sorry?
Vik Bhide 4:13:14PM
I have 283.
Joseph Citro 4:13:16PM
Thats correct. Dyslexia taking over again. You are correct. File number pw 23-79276, motion made by Councilman Maniscalco, seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Vik, I would personally like to thank you for working so hard on this. I have made a pledge to oppose which is a group of Religious Congregations, and they asked me to make sure that the retention pond would not just be retention pond that they would actually give back to the community, and Vik, with your help, this is not just going to be an unsightly retention pond. This is actually going to be a habitat for nature, and beautiful, and be able to be viewed by the neighborhood. Thank you very much for your hard work.
Vik Bhide 4:14:16PM
Thank you, Sir. And Stormwater, an incredible job.
Joseph Citro 4:14:26PM
Thank you very much, Mr. Bhide. Agenda item number 7. File pw 23-79310.
Guido Maniscalco 4:14:37PM
[Off microphone] a memo from Mr. Washington and I am good to go with the resolution.
Joseph Citro 4:14:49PM
Mr. Washington? Are you there?
Larry Washington 4:14:56PM
Yes, Sir, I am. Thank you. I appreciate your time.
Joseph Citro 4:15:00PM
Motion made by Councilman Maniscalco. Second by Councilman Gudes. Councilman Miranda. All in favor say aye. Is there any opposed? Motion passes.
Larry Washington 4:15:11PM
Thank you.
Joseph Citro 4:15:14PM
Thank You. Agenda number 8, cm 22-78780. We did that, right You are right.
Morris Massey 4:15:25PM
Item number 9. You are referencing item number 8 which is a report from Chief Tripp. Item 10 is the safety impact fees. I delivered a memo to you all. I outlined the steps. We had a prolonged conversation about the use of the Fire Department here. Public safety impact fees can only be used because they are charged on new building permits to offset the impacts of new growth. You cant use it for existing deficits. Its for actually capital infrastructure, capacity building. We can use to the buy additional fire equipment, trucks that are needed, ems. There is a process that we are required to go through, studies. We do not have that workshop. It has to be adopted by ordinances, all spelled out in Florida statutes, and any effort to short change the process could be problematic. There have been some impact fees that have been challenged because they tried to short-change the process, and they have been overturned.
Joseph Citro 4:16:32PM
For clarification, and so the viewing audience knows we are on agenda item number 9, cm 23-79313. Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 4:16:47PM
I want to say thank you for this and I know that the process is long. So my goal is to find out what the process is, and thank you for detailing that. It was very clear in your memo. And I just want to get the ball rolling. So if you tell me what motion I need to make to do the first step, I will do it right now.
Morris Massey 4:17:06PM
I think the first step would be to ask revenue, finance and purchasing to come forward, maybe two weeks or 30 days, first of all we need to make sure we have a Consultant that we have already under contract with the City to perform the study because thats the first step. So we used to have a Company thats capable of doing this, and my understanding is that contract May have terminated but we are in the process of renewing it. So I think that would be the first step to make sure we have a Consultant on board, and then they would then take it from there to make the appropriate analysis.
Lynn Hurtak 4:17:48PM
Wonderful. Then I make a motion that Revenue and Finance come in front of US on February 2nd to let US know the feasibility of getting that study started.
Joseph Citro 4:17:57PM
Motion by Councilwoman Hurtak, seconded by councilman Miranda. Any further discussion? Mr. Shelby?
Martin Shelby 4:18:06PM
As part of the motion the study for, so its part of the motion.
Lynn Hurtak 4:18:11PM
For the public safety impact fee.
Martin Shelby 4:18:13PM
Thank you.
Bill Carlson 4:18:16PM
We had a meeting the other day about staff reports that could be long discussions. I could just make a suggestion that We mutt this on a workshop day instead so We could get robust public input?
Lynn Hurtak 4:18:27PM
I would. Unfortunately, the next real workshop day is next week, and then for the 23rd, workshop, We have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten items.
Bill Carlson 4:18:42PM
I just think it would be good for US to hear. I dont know, we brought this up in some smaller community meetings, but I think its good to find out what larger groups of the public think about it. I dont know if Developers May be for or against it or neighborhoods May be for or against it. Before we have the city spend a lot of money, it would be nice to be hear what the public thinks about it.
Lynn Hurtak 4:19:13PM
Okay. If we want to do that, then probably the best one would be March 23rd.
Morris Massey 4:19:21PM
We could have a workshop to discuss the feasibility, the next steps.
Lynn Hurtak 4:19:28PM
Honestly, though, I think it goes well with the Public Safety Master Plan. I just hate to overload that workshop, but it does dovetail perfectly with the public safety plan. I am going to make my motion to do it February 23rd and we can try to figure it out. Who was the second on that? Councilman Miranda. All in favor? Is there any opposed? Thank you. Now we are back to agenda item number 10, file cm 22-77745.
Ocea Wynn 4:20:04PM
Good afternoon, City Council. Ocea Wynn, administrator Neighborhood Community Affairs. Agenda item number 10 was to provide a report on the purchase of sandbagging machines. And I submitted a memo, would like to know what questions do you have?
Joseph Citro 4:20:23PM
Questions for ms. Wynn? Councilman Carlson, this was your motion.
Bill Carlson 4:20:28PM
I just wanted the public to hear we are moving forward. This was something during the last couple of hurricanes, several of US got lots of calls on it. The bottom line is You are also buying three of them? So anybody who was frustrated standing in line, the city is now buying three of these so thank You.
Lynn Hurtak 4:20:48PM
In addition You did mention in the memo that We will be expanding the number of Parks that have sandbags, correct?
Ocea Wynn 4:20:57PM
Yes. What We are doing now, We looked at this, during the last hurricane season, We are looking at where We could have additional locations for sandbag sites. The challenge is to make sure We have the proper ingress and egress so We dont have that bottleneck in the street as We experienced during the previous hurricane season. So We are in the process of evaluating those sites that could be used for additional sandbag stations.
Lynn Hurtak 4:21:28PM
Great. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 4:21:29PM
Anyone else? Ms. Wynn, this is great news. I know that myself, Councilman Miranda -- excuse me, Councilman Maniscalco and Councilman Viera were out filling sandbags in the last hurricane. I personally filled over 200 of them. This is going to make the process a lot quicker. There were a lot of people in each place getting sandbags for their families and needed help. Thanks so much.
Ocea Wynn 4:21:56PM
You are more than welcome. Thank You.
Joseph Citro 4:21:58PM
Agenda item number 11. We are going to hear that, and then I believe Ms. Duncan, is going to talk about 12, 13, 27 and 28.
Joseph Citro 4:22:18PM
27 and 28. First hear agenda item 11, file cm 23-79470.
Brad Baird 4:22:28PM
Deputy administrator of infrastructure. We are here to talk about southeast Seminole Heights, stormwater improvement project. We have been in front of you before to talk about this project. I think We have worked on many issues and have resolved a few issues, and made some improvements to projects. Today We are here to specifically talk about the work and the progress and the schedule throughout this, and also I would like to talk a little bit about the work on central as well. And I have with me Jeff Nelson who is president of Nelson Construction Company, so I would like him to go over those details. I also have with me Mike Tucker, contract administration. With that I will turn it over to jeff. Jeff Nelson, Nelson Construction. For the work on crest, We had about 3,600 feet of sanitary sewer in preparation to install the new large storm pipe for the street. Unfortunately, when We went to install the large storm pipe, We found a substantial amount of unsuitable material under that box culvert. The removal of that box culvert resulted in some of that sanitary sewer settling and moving, so We had to go back to the sewer line. We were able to repair the vast majority of it, about 90 percent of it. The last 10% We finally said We are going to relay that 3 or 400 feet of pipe. We are currently scheduled to pave next Friday. I believe our original schedule that We gave the City in spite of all the unsuitable materials, the original preconstruction indicated US paving at the end of last year or the end of January of this year. So in spite of all, We are still within the original target of what We said back before the first shovelful of dirt. Also the work on Florida Avenue. Prior to construction, We met with the dot., We had very detailed instructions on what they wanted US to build on their roadway. We went out there and built, and We encountered significant additional old pipes that We had to replace beyond the original scope. But I believe We finished within the original time frame allotted. Unfortunately when the dot. Came out to do their final inspection, they looked at what they asked US to build and decided its not what they want. So our engineers are now working with dot. To make some changes to the curbs and inlets, and until We get the answer on what they want, We are hesitant to put that asphalt down because whatever We put down will probably get messed up. So We are in that position with Fdot. On caracas and central avenue, We had a little bit of a hiccup. We had some equipment get vandalized. Its the most difficult pipe We have on the entire job. We only had access from one side because the other side is blocked by the interstate. Very narrow right-of-way. Very deep cuts. We ended up having to lay the pipe backwards to get access which was an access issue which was very challenging. Unfortunately, We had some vandalism to some of our equipment along that way, and one of our lasers got vandalized also which affects the alignments and the calibration. We had to go back and work with the City. We discovered that back in September. We worked with the City to see what We could salvage. We are still in discussion trying to find out what We can salvage. So We are relaying what We need to lay and We are working with what We can salvage. Unfortunately, again because of the type nature of that particular right-of-way, its going to be time consuming. We got feedback from the Residents about the noise, the clanging, the work like that. So We shipped out trench boxes and are going to bury them and leave them in place and try to do less intrusive installation. It May take a little longer but it wont be as noisy and clangy as behind US, and once We get out to central, theres about four joints of piping, We cant take those up until We get out of caracas. It will block our access. Again, its a very difficult, narrow work. Our expectation is We should be done with the pipe work on caracas mid March, turn onto central, and start cleaning out of there late April, early May. Thats our plan. We have already started laying pipe on the other side of the interstate heading towards Nebraska but We can only go so far so We are need central as a detour, so We are going to get central cleaned up and get out of there. Our plan was We were almost out of that whole area by December 31st. That was our plan. And then it came to the point We didnt think -- We didnt want to sell the City pipe that they didnt want, and there might be a maintenance issue down the road. So We are going to tear that pipe up and make it right. So We are making it right. So the expectation is hopefully We can meet those but We are trying to be realistic but still pushing our guys to try to meet those goals, and get out of this project in six months overall.
Lynn Hurtak 4:27:57PM
Thank you for that update. I do have a couple of questions. So starting with the east caracas, and I do understand its out of alignment. And very narrow street, the residents are really frustrated. They are over it. But their biggest concern was how did this happen? It sounds like the laser was undone, but how do we prevent that in the future as this project continues? How do we make sure that as we are laying everything is where it needs to be put? Pipe for the City Of Tampa. Its the first time this has happened to US. We have reached out, several pieces on that particular road that got vandalized. It doesnt take much to knock a laser out of calibration. So we checked that. They are routinely calibrated. And it was just a couple months prior to US starting there but it got kicked, it got knocked over, something happened to it. We dont know what happened to it. These things happen. Unfortunately, it happened on the worst pipe on this entire job. And we laid thousands of feet of this very large pipe.
Lynn Hurtak 4:29:09PM
And who is paying for this additional work?
Lynn Hurtak 4:29:18PM
I also wanted to go down to the Fdot. So what you are saying is that Fdot told you They wanted one thing, you put it in, and its like, oh, never mind. We had a set of plans, reviewed, had to get a permit for that work. They added several items of work that We gladly incorporated. We partnered with them. Then when They came out to do the final inspection, They said, oh, those dont work for US. Okay, well tell US what you want. We will be happy to do it but We cant wrap up Florida until They tell US what They want on their roadway. So We are actively engaged with them.
Lynn Hurtak 4:30:01PM
Are they taking that cost? I am not sure whats going to happen. We have contingency money in our budget, but again it would have been nice if dot. Told US what they wanted the first time.
Lynn Hurtak 4:30:16PM
And I am sorry for asking because I dont think its something You have to pay for if they got it wrong. You didnt get it wrong. With the specs and everything. So I would love an update in the future on the cost. It sounds like You are on your timeline for January. I do know that You are going to be starting the other side of central, the other side of hillsborough, working on central. When do You anticipate starting that? Focus on getting that wrapped up, paved and out of there so We can open it to traffic before We go north. Our impetus is on getting that -- thats the key to the whole job is moving that along. We gained some time on the schedule. We are getting a little bit of it back. I think We are going to be better than We originally expected, but --
Lynn Hurtak 4:31:16PM
I am going to request a community meeting before you start that new section, maybe a month ahead of time, so folks are aware.
Lynn Hurtak 4:31:28PM
And im sorry to take this. These are literally the questions that the Residents have sent to me so I am trying to make sure I read each one. I did get an e-mail from another Homeowner at the corner of highland and -- I dont know if its a Homeowner but they are concerned about that, the corner, the inlet. I believe they are concerned that it doesnt look right, and this person May have an issue, it looks like the inlet is considerably higher than the pavement, but I know it hasnt been paved completely yet. And I believe its the southwestern corner. But just take another look, double check, make sure its the correct height, because if we do have a problem in that area overall about getting water in the storm drains -- but I will double check.
Lynn Hurtak 4:32:23PM
I would appreciate it because the height in the photograph I was -- yeah, so you had the same feeling, then lets get that done before we pave. And then my last question, and this is something that the neighborhood really wants from the stakeholders in that particular part of the community, is possibly some monthly updates, because as we have this update, and then we let it go, we keep coming back here. I am going to hate to do this, but I feel like if we have an update once a month to kind of make sure we are on the right task, again accountability with the public, and with communications, I think it would be really beneficial.
Lynn Hurtak 4:33:24PM
And if its fine if you are out of town to join US by zoom or whatever. Thats not a problem. But until we get a better handle on it, that is what the community is asking for, for the accountability.
Brad Baird 4:33:39PM
I do have one clarification to your very first question. At least some of those personnel were let go so it wont happen again and One Of The Very Best Crews was put on that.
Lynn Hurtak 4:33:58PM
Thank you. And I know Councilman Maniscalco has further questions.
Guido Maniscalco 4:34:01PM
Thank you very much. Councilwoman Hurtak really got to the questions and I have nothing further because I think it touched on everything. We had a lot of the same communications because I represent the district. Shes city-wide. But she also lives near there. So she sees it daily. I am through there at least every other day. I have a lot of friends that live there, especially on caracas. Right on central, right off central. I dont have to tell you its been like a war zone, essentially. And then talking to the businesses on Florida Avenue that have been affected, she and I get the brunt of it and we try to be as responsive as possible. But again, we have responded one on one to the constituents' concerns. You have been very responsive. Anytime I have an issue, you only reach the phone. But we get bombarded with questions and we have to put ourselves in their shoes. Homeowners that are dealing with this. I understand. One day its going to be done and its going to know beautiful. But in the meantime, I want to thank Councilwoman Hurtak for asking pretty much everything that I wanted to ask and thank you for being here. Is it your father that started the company? We also built Bayshore Boulevard. We had a partnership with the City Of Tampa for 48 years now.
Guido Maniscalco 4:35:35PM
Who is David Nelson? If you guys have a question or something, just call me.
Guido Maniscalco 4:35:40PM
We appreciate you showing up here in person. I think that says a lot. So please just call me. Doesnt hesitate to call me.
Lynn Hurtak 4:35:56PM
So my motion is going to be -- I still have a statement.
Lynn Hurtak 4:36:04PM
I just wanted to make a motion for this to come back February 16th.
Guido Maniscalco 4:36:09PM
Second.
Joseph Citro 4:36:10PM
When I had gone to an old Seminole Heights meeting at the church, their number one concern was the queue to Hillsborough High School. Has that been alleviated? I have not heard any complaints about it. We have met with the citizens. I have not heard any -- so if We missed something, please let me know. We havent received any complaints.
Joseph Citro 4:36:50PM
On Seminole Heights, you have a motion, seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. Any further discussion? All in favor say aye. Is there any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Ms. Duncan. Agenda 12, cmu-77480 together with cm 22-78779.
Jean Duncan 4:37:27PM
Administrator for infrastructure mobility. We would like to request if its the pleasure of Council to have the order of 27 and 28 which are tied together regarding the six pilot project Grant, and then We would do number 12 and number 13, if thats okay.
Joseph Citro 4:37:44PM
That is fine at your request.
Jean Duncan 4:37:53PM
And I would ask our director Chuck Weber to come speak on 27 and 28.
Joseph Citro 4:37:57PM
27, ew 23-78765, and file agenda 28, pw 23-78769.
Chuck Weber 4:38:11PM
Water Department Director. These items are related to a suspended exchange pilot that was originally conceived of and began work under the pure project. The work for this was approved last February by Council. Since that time, as you know, we have had some changes in how we are approaching pure, but also the state appropriated a million dollar Grant to do this pilot. And I wanted to point out some important aspects of this pilot. It goes beyond whether or not we ever decide to do a reuse project. This pilot is going to look at the effectiveness of removing nitrogen and phosphorus as well as chemicals like pfas and pfoa from the howard curren, and thats relevant to reducing nutrient loading into the bay, as well as water reuse, so there is a huge benefit in garnering this information. We have support from neighboring utilities who are also using this technology. Tampa Bay water included a letter that was in the agenda packet supporting this. So there is a lot of benefit to moving forward with this pilot to get that information. The time frame is relatively short. Its a six month pilot when we could have this valuable information within the august-september time frame. So theres a lot of information to be gained by the benefit, zero cost to the city. We are expecting the pilot to come in around $750,000 and the Grant was for a million dollars. And with that, I would like to introduce Vinny Hart, the executive vice president of Carollo Engineering, and he has been working on this process with US at the tippin plant, and just wanted to give you the opportunity to speak to the expert on suspended ion exchange here in the united states, in case you had any questions.
Joseph Citro 4:40:23PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 4:40:27PM
I have just a couple of questions first for you, because I want it very clear and reiterate to the public that this is a Grant, this is not city money, so we are not putting any more money into pure that is ours.
Lynn Hurtak 4:40:42PM
We are taking a Grant, and to see if We can get or how well We can get pfas, pfoa and nitrogens and other elements out of the wastewater that We are currently putting into the bay?
Chuck Weber 4:40:59PM
That is correct.
Lynn Hurtak 4:41:01PM
Someone mentioned earlier that We dont know -- that One Of The Stakeholders mentioned that We currently, in the information that was given to them, that We dont -- We still dont have the data about what is actually in that wastewater. Is that true? Has that information been shared?
Chuck Weber 4:41:27PM
That is incorrect. The information has been shared almost two years ago with Nancy Stevens at the Sierra Club. She responded in e-mail that she received the information. They have it. There are additional questions about that information. That information study stemmed from studies that were done under the tap project, but we did analyze over 100 different compounds including chemicals that arent regulated, pharmaceuticals, pfas and pfoa, and we ran thousands of samples against those hundreds of contaminants. That information was also vetted over a year ago by the National Resource Institute when we engaged them at the request of council and the stakeholders to review the scientific information behind the samples. So that information has been out there for quite some time and thoroughly vetted.
Lynn Hurtak 4:42:21PM
So it sounds like that data is two years old?
Chuck Weber 4:42:27PM
It would be older than that. It would be three to four years old.
Lynn Hurtak 4:42:30PM
So my question is going to be if We are starting this Grant through this water quality treatment, wont We need to have a baseline number of everything thats being -- thats currently there before We can say We are -- because We are not going to have anything to measure. So I am asking, my question is, is the first part of this Grant going to be doing that baseline testing?
Chuck Weber 4:42:55PM
It will measure the chemicals that are in effluent, and then it will go through this process and it will measure whats left over. So it will directly answer the question, whats in there to begin with? How much is removed? Whats left in the final effluent after the process? And its been one of the questions that the Stakeholders will help answer.
Lynn Hurtak 4:43:19PM
Sorry, just one more question for the Gentleman who does this process. How quickly or how long does it take for -- I dont know how you do this, by the gallon, it cant be by the gallon, that would take forever, but by the thousands of gallons, however you do this, how long does it take the water to go from point a to point b to being clean? Its about a 20 minute content time, and then it settles in a few minutes. Now, when we make changes to the process, it takes about 30, we call it bed volumes, to regenerate before it gets back, so once you make a change it might take two days before we are confident in those results.
Lynn Hurtak 4:44:08PM
Thank you.
Bill Carlson 4:44:12PM
And its just a statement, not a question. Its interesting that we change the order so we didnt get through number 13. Number 13, well get to that one in a minute but it clearly shows that this Administration wants toilet to tap, pure tap, whatever they want to call it, at all cost. And this is part of death by a thousand paper cuts. Just to prove this, its only a million dollars, its not our money, we got it from somewhere else. The bottom line is that -- and then in the prior conversations said, oh, look, Singapore does this and Israel does it, and in the exact configuration as has been proposed by this engineering firm, it is an experimental system. This is paying for R And D. Sierra Club and others, hopefully you all talked to water engineers for the city. Reverse Osmosis. I think it was not these consultants. Others said it was not Reverse Osmosis. The bottom line is that this is the first step in pushing US to a path to eventually approve a project the public doesnt want and we dont need and we are going to be the Guinea pigs in experimenting with some of the different -- I am going to vote against this. I hope my colleagues will. Theres no reason to vote for it. The public will see it as a vote in favor of pure because they will come back with a new name, and I am not -- because I dont trust the Engineering Firms that have been involved in this before, in particular, but the information that has been given by Carollo -- I am not voting for any contracts that are presented that has Carollo or pcl connected to this project again. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 4:46:02PM
Mr. Weber.
Chuck Weber 4:46:03PM
I would like to reiterate, this started out as something under pure. But it has value well beyond that. That value is looking at nutrient introduction into the bay. Its also looking at pfas and removal of important things that we need to look at. And I would just like to say something about Ro is definitely a technology we need to continue to look at. But it is not the only technology out there. Its not most environmentally friendly technology. An example would be the way strength from Ro is, what is it, 20 --
Bill Carlson 4:46:42PM
I didnt really ask a question. I can sit here and have an argument about ro if you like -- credibility of Carollo. I think thats an inaccurate and inappropriate statement to say that they cant be trusted.
Bill Carlson 4:47:01PM
Whether its at the direction of administration or their own ideas, they have been pushing ideas that this public doesnt want, and they have been pushing methods without -- you know, its one thing if you want to push a certain technology, but I am not advocating for reverse osmosis even. Im not pushing for any. I want an objective evaluation. I have been here three and a half years and We dont have an effective evaluation. Excuse me. We gave money twice but We didnt get it. Somehow We need to get an objective analysis of this so that the public can look at it. I just want to make a statement. Im happy that you guys want to vote for it, you can. If you speak I would like to rebut it.
Joseph Citro 4:47:42PM
We all have one vote. And I think it might be more of a concern if you have a town hall meeting. We are here to vote on this up or down, one way or the other. You made your statement, Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 4:47:53PM
I dont need a town hall meeting on it.
Joseph Citro 4:47:56PM
You made your statement. I have a question. And You touched on it. Reverse Osmosis has a by-product. This treatment that You are presenting to US, what is the offset of the by-product? Reverse Osmosis, lets hypothetically say, Reverse Osmosis produces 10%. What would yours present?
Joseph Citro 4:48:28PM
So We are reducing a by-product that by the old pure plan, if I am not mistaken, We are supposed to be deep well injecting. Im again deep well injection. This 1% by-product that your plan is proposing, can that be dealt with in a way where it could be reduced on its own? By-product. The fact that its ten times less makes it that much easier. But if You could look at me and say yes, in the future, something that May even take that 1% and make that disappear? Just by the 10% reduction, I am going to vote for this. Its Grant money. Its not coming out of our general fund. But if You can even say, that 1% or that will go away, also. Different technology, We looked at the idea of taking that brine concentrate and giving it to Companies That Specialize In Organics And Fertilizer, that would be a path that We could go down with this minimal brine stream, very similar.
Joseph Citro 4:49:48PM
Thank you for your answers. Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 4:49:51PM
I am approving this because I also sit on the Tampa Bay estuary board, and right now we are hearing that theres too much nitrogen going into the bay. So my interest is not in deep well injection because thats not going to happen if I have anything to say about it. But this, treating our wastewater that is currently going into the bay, so it does have less nutrients and then less plastic, is something that I am in favor of, because its something, I am hoping that we reduce it enough that the state will allow US to continue to do so because it is beneficial to the bay. So my goal with this is simply to see if we can reduce the nutrients so that the bay receives fewer nutrients. That is my biggest concern. Our seaweed, seagrasses are dying at an alarming rate, and unless we do something about it, its going to get much, much worse, and this manatee season has not been better than last manatee season, so I am looking for any way to reduce nutrients going into the bay.
Joseph Citro 4:51:04PM
Any other comments or questions? I agree with you, Councilwoman Hurtak. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Our stormwater runoff creates a heck of a lot more problems. I would like to see be able to find way to clean that water before it goes back out to the bay. And I would also like to think about having a program by the City Of Tampa for seagrass maintenance where we can go within our own waters and have great companies out there that plant seagrasses. Councilman Miranda, you wanted to say something?
Charlie Miranda 4:51:45PM
I wanted to say thank you very much. I have never met you before, I dont believe. I know you have business and I believe you also represent Tampa Bay water on and off. I have seen your name on agendas. I can say this. Even request all the -- how many advanced tertiary treatment plants are in this area? Than a Wastewater Guy.
Charlie Miranda 4:52:16PM
How many plants do we have in the area?
Charlie Miranda 4:52:23PM
One of the largest is where?
Charlie Miranda 4:52:27PM
Even doing that, and bumping that water for years, and We have brought some of the area back to normality, which changes on a daily basis, You still dont put 370 tons or something like that into the bay? Can You imagine those who are dumping without having advanced tertiary treatment plants? Thats the problem We have. Others May be here doing the right thing, and others on this side or not. Guess what. You are not gaining. Its status quo. These are the things You have to look at. So I appreciate the efforts that You are doing. And its incumbent upon US to clear the air. We are killing ourselves. Look at California, whats happening there now. Look at the hurricanes. They are getting stronger. Getting two degrees hotter in Tampa, this year than the previous year. What a nice place. Its the whole country. Its the whole world. We have to do something to solve our problem. And this is maybe a start in a small area. Thank You.
Joseph Citro 4:53:37PM
Councilwoman Hurtak. If you will move the resolutions one at a time.
Lynn Hurtak 4:53:40PM
I move item 27.
Joseph Citro 4:53:48PM
Motion by Councilwoman Hurtak for agenda item number 27, pw 23-78765 seconded by Councilman Miranda. Any further discussion? All in favor? Is there any opposed?
Joseph Citro 4:54:14PM
Lets take a roll call vote.
Charlie Miranda 4:54:15PM
Yes.
Lynn Hurtak 4:54:18PM
Yes.
Bill Carlson 4:54:20PM
No.
Orlando Gudes 4:54:21PM
Yes.
Luis Viera 4:54:25PM
Yes.
Guido Maniscalco 4:54:31PM
No.
Joseph Citro 4:54:33PM
Yes.
The Clerk 4:54:36PM
Motion carries with Carlson and Maniscalco voting no.
Lynn Hurtak 4:54:42PM
I move item number 28, pw 23-78769.
Joseph Citro 4:54:50PM
Seconded by Councilman Miranda.
Bill Carlson 4:54:52PM
One last comment. As it says here, this started as a project in Pure. It was not presented to US as a project for cleaning anything else. It was part of the Pure project. So it deserves to be voted down.
Joseph Citro 4:55:09PM
Roll call vote.
Lynn Hurtak 4:55:12PM
Yes.
Bill Carlson 4:55:17PM
No.
Orlando Gudes 4:55:20PM
Yes.
Luis Viera 4:55:23PM
Yes.
Guido Maniscalco 4:55:24PM
No.
Charlie Miranda 4:55:27PM
Yes.
Joseph Citro 4:55:28PM
Yes.
The Clerk 4:55:29PM
Motion passes with Carlson and Maniscalco voting no.
Joseph Citro 4:55:34PM
Thank you. Ms. Duncan, I apologize. Councilman Viera, you have a statement you would like to make.
Luis Viera 4:55:46PM
I appreciate it, if I May. I didnt think of US going this late and today is my interim aides last day. Matt, You wore your awesome green suit. We love that. And I just wanted to say, You are such a good dude, Matt. I like You a lot, man. You are from Texas, and You got that great Texas thing going on. You really, really do. You are a hard worker. And I just really appreciated your work for the City Of Tampa. I think You are a good guy. You got good values. You are a hard worker. And You have just really impressed the heck out of me. And well miss You. And I wish that we could have two aides and whatnot. But You just do a good job.
Luis Viera 4:56:41PM
I know. But do just a good job and You are a heck of a hard worker and You really get along with everybody here. You really, really do. How old are You, 23?
Luis Viera 4:57:00PM
Man, You are a kid. God bless You. Thats great. But I wanted to -- we can take a picture afterwards. But You are a good guy. And I know that we are going to stay friends. And all that good stuff. But I appreciate it.
Joseph Citro 4:57:17PM
Any questions or comments?
Bill Carlson 4:57:20PM
Thank you so much. I know its been a crazy time, and thank you for stepping in.
Charlie Miranda 4:57:27PM
Sometimes I come in early in the morning and hes there, and say hi, good morning. What part of Texas are you from? 6000 people. Tampa is different.
Charlie Miranda 4:57:51PM
Texarkana? That part of Texas. In the back woods.
Luis Viera 4:58:08PM
And if I May, maybe take a picture. And Matt, its funny, in Texas when I interviewed him, I go, are you an Lbg fan? He goes, I love Lbg. So we bonded on that. Just a good dude. But come on up and get a picture.
Joseph Citro 4:58:29PM
Come on up, Matt. Its been a pleasure working with You. Yes, I have seen You early and late and You jumped right into the fire, Brother.
Joseph Citro 4:59:40PM
Recognitions. We are going to be seeing Brannan next Monday, I believe. Welcome her back.
Jean Duncan 4:59:48PM
Administrator for infrastructure and mobility. I want to make a quick comment about my order request. I actually made that order request on my own just a few minutes ago, in consideration of Mr. Hart, an executive vp of this Company who has been here since 9:00 this morning. I didnt know if you had the time to stick through item number 12. So I just thought, lets do the other two first in case he has to leave. The reason I made number 13 last is because liaisons provided a written memo on that item and they are not available today. So I just decided to do 27, 28, 12, which is a complete engineering logical decision. That was it. So I just wanted to offer that explanation.
Bill Carlson 5:00:39PM
Jean, Ms. Duncan, im sorry if it came across as I was implying you did something wrong in reordering that. I think the conversation on those items would have been different had we discussed those other ones first and there are a lot of concerns I have about that document. But because of the order, the conversation would have been different. So I wasnt implying you did anything wrong.
Jean Duncan 5:01:07PM
And if you would like me again to speak about 13 briefly, Our Folks are not here today physically, but they did provide the memo. I just want to add from the technical perspective, We are still interested in working with our stakeholders, and do the workshop next month, to see how any of that motion leads into our conversation. So from a technical perspective We are still open to exploring with the motion requested, but being that it was directed to the legal and the lobbying part in the shop, right now We just offer the written memo for today.
Bill Carlson 5:01:53PM
If we are going to talk about it now, I will just comment on it. My question really was to find out if the Administration was open -- its not a question about the Water Department, was the Administration open to using the lobbying resource of the city, and the legal resources of the city. If this was a private company I was running, I would sue the State and I would hire a team of Lobbyists because I would never allow the citizens of the community to be put at risk of having their water rate increased and have to drink this and most of all, we should be spending this time talking about climate change and flooding instead of all these resources, and thats not your decision. But its just frustrating to me that we spent so much time on something that the public absolutely doesnt want. The only legitimate excuse for it anymore is the State is forcing US to do it, and there are some questions about whether the city resources were used to lobby for it or not. The answer to that question was this Administration, not the last Administration. I know from several sources that Lobbyists in the last Administration were in tallahassee and did lobby for it because Lobbyists that I know walked out after their Lobbyists did. So the fact is if we were looking out for the interest of our citizens, we would lobby the city, and we would sue -- sorry, we would lobby the State and likely sue the State to stop this mandate, or we would try to get them to modify the law. Its not that difficult to get them to modify the law. My question was more to find out if the Administration was open to it. What they said, absolutely not. They gave several pages of reasons why. Their shallow excuses, if you want to protect the citizens of this community you will do it. But they dont want to do it. So the answer clearly is they want this project no matter what, not you guys, but the mayors people want this project. It is, I think, reckless and irresponsible. I am going to get Lobbyists myself. I am going to work with agencies that have Lobbyists, I might even have attorneys to stop this, because I will do everything I can to protect the citizens of this city. Clearly in the charter the City Council has no authority to tell the Legal Department what to do and you cant tell the Legal Department to file a lawsuit and we cannot force Lobbyists in the city to do anything. But I can do it outside as an individual because I think this is absurd the way this is being handled the last six or seven years.
Andrea Zelman 5:04:33PM
If I May, Andrea Zelman, City attorney. I didnt catch the fact that you were asking whether the City could sue the State over --
Bill Carlson 5:04:40PM
No, really I was asking whether the Administration was open to suing the state, or using lobbying resources to try to change the law. I worked on a bunch of advocacy cases in tallahassee for 30 years. I know its absolutely possible. It doesnt matter. All the reasons they gave are thin excuses. Theres new leadership that comes in all the time. You can always modify something. The Republican Leadership, ive had many people talk to the Republican Leadership, and they said, no, this is not a multi-million dollar mandate for the citizens of Tampa. So knowing that, they will change it. I am part of the largest business organization in tallahassee. That the citizens and businesses of this community are going to be straddled with this and make you drink it. The bottom line is we need to stop this. If the Mayor and her Administration are not willing to stop it, we need to stop it on our own. City Council cannot force the Legal Department or lobbyists to do anything, correct? So we are stuck.
Andrea Zelman 5:05:39PM
You certainly have the right to ask US to explore a legal basis to sue The State. If You have a thought in mind -- in looking at this right now, I am trying to figure out on what basis we would sue The State over this law that passed a couple years ago. But a lot of times You will say You talked about this with other lawyers. If You have gotten an opinion from another lawyer I am glad to review it. If You have ideas of a legal basis for suing The State.
Bill Carlson 5:06:13PM
I will tell you privately about The Other Council. I need to discuss it before I make a motion. But I can tell my colleagues, some are for it, some are against it. I cannot imagine that we would not do everything we can not to straddle the taxpayers with this and make them drink it. We have to use every resource to stop it. And the fact we at the very least let it go without doing anything, at least in the Last Administration, I think its appalling. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 5:06:44PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 5:06:45PM
I dont disagree -- im sorry, Ms. Zelman, dont go too far. But that to me was the reason I voted for The Six because what they told US they werent going to allow US to use that, our outflow to help the bay, because it has so much nutrients in it, so I am hoping this will help that so we can go to the State and say, hey, we are actually really putting out beneficial use water to the bay so we dont have to change anything we are doing. So if we had some data like that to go forward to sue the State with, is that something the city would be more apt to look at?
Andrea Zelman 5:07:35PM
Again, and let me speak very generally. Anytime you, the City Council, the Mayor, a Department Head or whatever says to me, can we sue over this, without knowing more, I dont know the answer. What we would have to do in any case, whoever was asking this, can we file suit, is understand what it is we are challenging, what the basis of our claim would be, you know, whether we have standing. Theres lots of things that go into it, the likelihood of success, all that. So offhand, nothing is coming to mind as to a basis for which we could sue the state over this. But I dont want to foreclose that, if someone has done some research or has some ideas, im happy to discuss them, look at it, analyze it. We are not saying no out of hand. I just right now dont know what the basis would be of such a lawsuit.
Charlie Miranda 5:08:37PM
Again on item number 13, Senate bill 64, I believe that was a Senator that did that from very close proximity to Hillsborough County. That Senator is not a Commissioner. I believe this thing was passed unanimously, if not close to unanimously, in the Legislature. Am I correct?
Andrea Zelman 5:09:01PM
Two or three years ago.
Charlie Miranda 5:09:03PM
Right. So since I am single and bored at times, I turn on the tv but not to watch local stations, things like the st. Johns river, like swfwmd, up at the st. Johns river, miami, and sometimes Tampa Bay water with Chuck Weber, Brad Baird. I mentioned it to them what I saw, what I heard, and they looked at me like, You aint got nothing else to do. And I said, no, I just dont have cable. But when I watch these things, I see the conversation that they are having, and basically the same as here but in another framework, I remember what the discussion was, how can we change this? And one member said, well, maybe we can go get an extension from the year 2030 or whatever its supposed to be in place, and thats the last I have heard of it from st. Johns river. But I am not talking for change. By the way, thats the only body of water in Florida that flows backwards. So these are the things that I look at once in a while when I am really bored. Not that I am bored watching. I turn it on to try to learn something. But they were not 100% incorrect. They did it for a reason. And that reason is to clean up something, but in doing that, had some harmful side effects. So these are the things that can be worked out with the Legislature without a lawsuit. Im not saying You cant lawsuit. You cant sue either. But You can work with the Legislature.
Orlando Gudes 5:10:41PM
Im just curious so I have to ask. We know that the Administration launched this program, and Council members who have doubts, and the community have doubts about this program. Mr. Carlson is saying as far as resources that possibly sue down the road to change the position. Well, im just wondering in my mind if the Administration wants this and the Council finds basis to possibly sue, or dont want this program, im just curious how to change positions.
Andrea Zelman 5:11:38PM
I think we are getting ahead of ourselves. First, I have to understand on what basis would we be suing? What is our claim? One of the concepts of the legal world thats hard to explain to people is just because you dont like something, or something feels wrong, there isnt always a legal basis to sue someone. So first I have to understand what it is we would be asserting, what would be our claim, or with this legislation that was enacted in previous years. Again, if the Mayor asked me, if you asked me, if anyone asks, im happy to research that, I am happy to analyze it, I am happy to determine whether it makes sense. And if that request to happen, then I would discuss it with both the Council and the Administration. So I dont know if that helps answer your question.
Orlando Gudes 5:12:35PM
Lets just say the basis is asked about lobbying to -- if this Council wants that and the Administration does that, the Legal Department says, well, Council, who is the legislative body of this city, is saying that they have a position.
Andrea Zelman 5:12:59PM
Well, I think the way I read the memo is they werent saying we dont want to lobby, they were saying that before spending City resources to lobby, we would have to analyze what the likelihood for success would be. The way I read the memo, they felt there was a very poor likelihood of success of the lobbying effort that was asked for. But that being said, Council still has the ability to do things. You know, you have the ability to pass a resolution, send that to the Legislature in tallahassee, you have the ability to write letters, you could pass a resolution to have a letter written on behalf of the Council by the Chair, you could each individually lobby or write to the Legislature. I mean, you do have powers in that regard. Its just the memo was addressing the question of whether the City -- it made sense for the City to use its lobbying resources on that issue.
Joseph Citro 5:14:02PM
Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 5:14:06PM
Yeah, just to follow up on a couple things. I have had extensive conversations with the people in northeast Florida. I have spoken to some of the engineers and others, and every situation is a little bit different. And our situation, our considerations are different here. And they have reasons why they are trying to comply with the law. We have reasons why we shouldnt comply with the law. And I think we need to move forward with that. I have not spoken directly to Bill Simpson but I have had several high-level people who know him well, speak to him. Everyone that I have spoken to, has spoken on my behalf to him, says this is absolutely not a mandate, The City Of Tampa should not have to stick taxpayer rate payers with a huge cost. I have spoken to legislative aides of the people who are on the committee, and they said that the intent of the legislature was not to do this. Its weird that the excuse given by an e-mail, an official order for vp -- we didnt get an official document from a group of people who voted on it. We got an e-mail from someone who said, oh, you dont need it, and my question was about what cities without rivers? The whole thing is very suspect. And we know that the public doesnt want this. And if the Mayor wants to hang her political hat on it, great. I dont know why. But we are in a position where we have to protect the health, safety, well-being, costs of our community, and we need to do everything we can to stop it. If you come out with a legal reason to stop it, let me know. I absolutely know that lobbying can work. I have a whole team of people that I can pay for to put on that. I was hoping that The City would do it. If I figure out how to stop it, then I will come back and ask, why didnt The City do what I did with a lot less resources?
Orlando Gudes 5:16:18PM
Mr. Shelby, im confused. We are a Legislative Body. So why couldnt we pass a motion to have a Lobbyist go lobby? Im confused. If the Mayor wants to veto. Explain it to me.
Martin Shelby 5:16:39PM
Thank you. Thats a good question, Councilman Gudes. I remember this came up, I believe it was -- excuse me. I believe this came up under the Iorio Administration. It was a specific question directed to the City Attorney, as I recall it was David Smith at the time, who speaks for the city? And I believe that might actually be someone in the City Attorney's office, that opinion. But effectively, it is the Mayor as the administrative head of the city, and particularly in the charter, just as a basis for what we are going to be talking about. Number 8 under section 401, the Mayor, cognizance of the relation of the city to the county, state, federal and other municipal governments. And I looked up the legal definition of cognizance, and it means jurisdiction. So thats really the mayors purview to speak for the city, and thats what the gist of the memo said. So yes, you can speak for the City Council, but that does not speak for the city. You can certainly lobby on behalf of your own position as a City Council member. Now getting back to what you can do, remember, a resolution is a statement, a policy position of the City Council. The Mayor does not necessarily -- there are some resolutions that the Mayor does sign, but generally no, and that as opposed to an ordinance which is a law, and that is the kind of thing that goes to the mayors signature, goes to the Mayor for her signature or not, if she agrees to do it or allow it to become law without her signature. So the question is, from a policy perspective, what is it ultimately that this City Council, representing your constituents, wants to accomplish? And once you do that, and you come to a consensus, the question then to be posed to the Legal Department, or posed to me or posed to the administration, is how do you, or we, work to accomplish what it is that City Council wants to do? Now, clearly, the majority, if not most, if not all, of the kind of mail that I see coming to City Council, does not necessarily express support for this program, and frankly the question is, what can council do specifically, if its councils pleasure, and I have not heard that expressly made -- actually, I have. Let me just say that. To be clear, there was votes with regard to this, but yet it keeps coming back. And I guess the question that you are asking then is what can council do specifically --
Orlando Gudes 5:19:52PM
To stop it from coming back. If the community is saying we want to stop changing the name, how do we stop this? Because this is playing games. Sometimes go round and round and round, and Mr. Miranda is over there doing that, lets get to it. Lets just get to it. If we dont want it done in this city, the Mayor speaks for the city, this Council speaks for its constituents in each district. And if the people dont want it, why dont we stop it and just move on? So we need to find that out. This is ridiculous.
Martin Shelby 5:20:28PM
The thing is, Council needs to clearly express that if thats councils decision, and then working with the Administration, because actually, ultimately, there are multiple ways you can control something. In law that would prevent it perhaps, or perhaps budgetary restraints on it. But the thing is --
Orlando Gudes 5:20:52PM
Mr. Shelby, with all due respect, I dont need all the fluff. I need you to either research that and get back with each individual councilmember to tell them if theres support, if not, these are things you can do and you cant do, and you bring that to this body, and we move on, either put it to bed or we move on, or we stop it. But you are going round and round.
Martin Shelby 5:21:18PM
I hear what You are saying, sir. If thats the sentiment of Council and You want to communicate that, the first way to do it is get with the Administration to take notice of it is to put together a resolution, and to make that the official statement of policy of this particular Council, and if You want it to be an official position of this particular Council, and You want to have the effect of law, then the way to do that is to somehow working with the Administration, preferably, translate that into an ordinance.
Joseph Citro 5:21:58PM
Get to an end.
Martin Shelby 5:22:01PM
I will. But theres been a lot of discussion that keeps coming back in different forms and it comes back in different projects within the consent agenda. And what this Council wants is from finality, is what I hear.
Orlando Gudes 5:22:14PM
Yes.
Joseph Citro 5:22:15PM
Lets bring this back to the agenda item that we are at. I will make one last statement. I am on the board of the Florida League Of Cities. We, cities in Florida, that belong to the Florida League Of Cities, has been trying to fight Senate Bill 64 for three years. I love to scrap. Ill fight anybody. But the historian, Councilman Viera, who was the famous chinese person that said never enter into a fight that you cant win? I dont get into a fight. Florida League Of Cities found out there is no city our size that has tried to fight Senate Bill 64. To get that, you have to have representatives go and fight to change this legislation. Ill fight it. I want to fight it, but I would rather have force in numbers. In my opinion, the only way that we can fight this is by showing the state that we cleaned our water that we are putting back into the bay. If we cant prove that, we are going to have one hell of a tough fight. The sirens that I heard going by tonight and the discussions we have had on the budget for the fire department. Sorry. I would rather spend two or three million dollars to take to fight this without the clean water that we are reintroducing into the bay. I would rather take this money and spend it on the fire department. I have made my statement. We have two agenda items in front of US. Number 12 and number 13. What is the pleasure of Council? These are reports. Are we accepting the reports as given and moving on?
Joseph Citro 5:24:29PM
Thank you very much. Agenda item -- Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 5:24:33PM
We didnt present the overview, correct?
Joseph Citro 5:24:41PM
Lets hear it then.
Jean Duncan 5:24:42PM
Administrator for infrastructure and mobility. That is correct, we did not provide anything verbally today on item number 12, which is we are planning to give you a short summary of the 17 questions we received. We would be happy to do a deeper dive at the February workshop if thats the pleasure of Council. If I can make one clarifying comment, the Administration isnt pushing any particular project. The Administration is supporting the technical opinion that we have promised we need to solve in terms of sulphur springs and in terms of having a sustainable water source to meet our mgd obligations. There is no active pure project. So in case thats out there in the public, if thats a concern, the only activity is now frankly your vote today, pursuing a way to improve this safety and quality of our wastewater pilot. If you would like to hear a little more about the questions, we have a few slides we can share and the Architect can bring these up.
Lynn Hurtak 5:25:55PM
I wanted to see this just because I was told it was going to include some information about how the Stakeholders felt about the meeting you had with them last week. But I do know, I am not going to ask any specific questions because I do know we are going to get into this on the 23rd of February.
Jean Duncan 5:26:14PM
So I can give You a short summary of the meeting this past Tuesday, and then a short summary of the 17 questions if thats what You would like to do.
Chuck Weber 5:26:25PM
Water Department director. I didnt really prepare any slides about the meeting we had on Tuesday. I felt like it was a very good meeting. What I liked most about it was we had open conversations, a civil conversation. It was my impression that all of the issues surrounding the water resource challenges we have with sulphur springs, you know, making our water supply more resilient, and complying with state law, senate bill 64, all those issues that we have been hearing in the past came to the surface, they were discussed, and I think all the perspectives were heard based on my recollection of what I have heard in the past. So I felt like it was a very good discussion. And I think it will help US in February. Well have a report come from the Moderator of that workshop. I think there will be a transcript of the workshop available, and we should be able to take a deeper dive into those issues in February. It wasnt the intent really to go through every issue like we did. We were going to focus on best and worst case of what we were calling status quo. And we did discuss that part in detail as well, and we discussed the challenges with purchasing more water from Tampa Bay water. Its not that that cant be done, and thats something we can definitely continue to discuss. It could definitely be part of our plan moving forward. But there are challenges associated with that. We have talked about the challenges and other ways in which we could reduce or eliminate the discharge to comply with senate bill 64. Mr. Flannery was there and he describes some good ideas. I think our conversation at the February 23rd workshop. Tampa Bay water was there, and he reaffirmed -- I want to make sure that I get his point clear -- he says Tampa Bay water stands ready to serve, but he also indicated that if they need to supply US water under 82, that can be a challenge in a drought situation, and we do stand last in line. If we wanted to change the interlocal agreement, we cant really do that at Tampa Bay water because they are not a party to the interlocal agreement. We have to go to member governments, and each and every member government has to approve it unanimously. So we had some discussions about that. And its not to say that that cant be done, but we had a good discussion about what it would entail. Finally, I want to -- I think we could have a good discussion on February 23rd and I can move on and talk about the 17 questions if thats good, an overview.
Lynn Hurtak 5:29:33PM
Yes.
Chuck Weber 5:29:35PM
I dont know if We still have the presentation. Just to reiterate. We dont have near the time to go through each and every question, so as I go through it, maybe correct some of the other things that were said earlier today that I feel were a little inaccurate. I can understand the emotion and the concern behind these questions. They are good questions. They are questions We asked ourselves as We get into this project. So I have empathy for the questions and the need to have a response to the questions that say, yeah, okay, I get it, and this feels good. So We did our best to group the questions into similar areas of concern so that We could -- We could take a holistic approach and not just give a one or two-word answer to the question but We could address the concerns behind the questions. So thats why We grouped them. So that part that I heard earlier was true, We did group them, but We did in writing answer each and every question. So each question, although they are grouped under areas of concern, each question has its own separate answer. So that was I think maybe a misunderstanding earlier when it was stated that We didnt answer the questions individually. We did. So with that, I will just jump into this overview. I think We have five slides after this one. The next slide there. So the groupings request the need for the project. Thats something that We should be able to answer and cant answer right now. Why do We need not really a project but why do We need to address these resource challenges We have? So that part We provided information on. We think We have answered those questions thoroughly. The questions on cost, those are difficult questions to answer, along with the other two. A lot of treatment and environmental impact because We need to do a lot more engineering work before We can really satisfy the concern behind the question. So just talking to need it really boils down to these three area water resource challenges, meeting minimum flows, and supplying 82 million gallons a day of drinking water under all conditions, and complying with the state law. The cost, why We cant give a firm cost, and right now is I tried to lay out this process that We need to follow to get, and right now We are at that first sub. We need to do fund the public engagement and do the public engagement and screen through the alternatives. Then We need to select an alternative. The pricing that We have so far, the cost We have so far, are screening level costs. They are not really going to be the final cost of the projects, but they are used to help screen out projects to figure out which ones are worth pursuing more. Then you do the detailed engineering to figure out what the costs are going to be. But at the same time, once you know what you are going to build, fur going to build something, then you go out and you pursue grants and cost sharing, because some of our options for addressing these challenges include partners like Tampa Bay water, who May purchase reclaimed water from US, and that is a revenue stream and not a cost. So We cant really get to figuring out the bottom line, how much is this going to cost the city and how is it going to impact our bill, until you go through all those steps. And We are just at the very beginning. The screen costs We have right now range from just under a dollar to just over $15 per thousand gallons. Thats a huge range. And really, the upper end of that right now is the way that We have looked at the purple pipe system in the past. There May be ways to approach, approach differently, and reduce the costs and still achieve what We need to achieve with regards to the water resource challenges. But the last point I wanted to make on cost is the impact to the bill. I think We have got a long history of making sure We are providing good quality water at a fair price. This chart, and I apologize its a little hard to read, but it shows that our water bill is roughly half of whats in the region now, and I believe this chart is accurate as to October of 2021. And there have been a lot of rate increases at the other utilities. And in talking to the staff at other utilities, theres need to continue to increase their rates as well. And this is similar challenges, rising cost on projects due to inflation. So the bottom line to make at this point is We are not going to propose any solution to these projects that send our bill out or the impact on the bill. We are not going to ask for a solution thats not affordable. Thats not what We are talking about here. We fully intend to keep our rates at a reasonable rate like you see here. I just want to speak real quick to water quality treatment and safety. You know, safe water is achievable and affordable and We have been demonstrating this for decades. There are existing wastewater discharges upstream of our water supply right now. Plant City discharges into the Hillsborough River above where We take the water out and where Tampa Bay water takes the water out and bypass. Hillsborough County discharges wastewater upstream of the Tampa Bay water intake on the alafia river. So these concepts and the treatment processes used to address these types of challenges, they are not new, and We have been successful at it for decades. And the other thing I wanted to point out is that our goal is not just to meet regulations. We have got a philosophy of exceeding regulatory requirements. I always like to point to our example of being a founding member of the Partnership For Safe Water, where We submit data on an annual basis to show that We are continually improving. The other thing I wanted to point out is that We are active in an industry of experts on this topic, and that there is a very high level of regulatory oversight on these processes. I want to give a very specific example. Yesterday I was attending a regional meeting that Tampa Bay water hosted, and there were directors and water quality experts from all the utilities. And We were talking about the regulations and where they are at. And I think I want to make sure that this council understands that those regulations are moving forward. In fact, Pennsylvania adopted regulations I think within the last week, and We do have an idea of how much pfas and pfoa can be left in the water and considered safe. And We have these guideposts that We can look at from Pennsylvania, to the upper single digits of where these regulations are dialing in. And that is good news for the City Of Tampa. We have tested pfas, and We dont wait for regulations to figure out whether or not We have an issue. Right now in the Hillsborough River, We have been measuring somewhere around 3 to 5 parts per trillion, which is an extremely low number, and the technology that We have to measure that only goes down to 2 parts per trillion. We cant measure lower than that. So We are barely at the detectable limit. But it looks like the levels in our water are lower than what the regulations May be, and thats not to say that We shouldnt still look at what We need to treat, because things can change, and We want to make sure We have an effective treatment process. But it does point to the discussion that We have with the utility experts and the directors on water quality. These are the kind of discussions We have all the time. And I just wanted to paint a picture that We are not just operating in a vacuum here at the City Of Tampa and staying ahead of the regulations and the safety and water quality are paramount importance to what We have done, one year shy of 100 years at the tippin plant. The last thing I wanted to address is environmental impacts. I wanted to make it clear that We will be doing detailed modeling. We have already done some under some of the previous projects. But in order to make sure if We make any changes to the excellent quality of the Howard F. Curren plant to the bay, well do detailed modeling to make sure We figure out how does that effect things? If We end up putting reclaimed water in the river, whether its downstream of the dam, upstream of the dam or really anywhere, theres a lot of detailed modeling that We will do, and We have already done some, and as far as other impacts and the way We address those is the pilot testing, the six pilot is a good example of pilot testing. Then I wanted to point out that our goal is to meet drinking water standard going into the environment. That is what Dep is looking for when they are permitting these facilities. And they are starting to permit these facilities right now throughout the state. So I look forward to February 23rd when We can talk about these things in a lot more detail. And I think with that I will just end and take any questions you have.
Joseph Citro 5:39:42PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 5:39:45PM
I am going to save my questions for the more robust conversation we have on the 23rd. Thank you for this presentation.
Joseph Citro 5:39:51PM
Any other comments, questions? Councilman Carlson.
Bill Carlson 5:39:57PM
Just something quick. For you all who see my frustration, anybody on tv sees my frustration, I want everybody to know my frustration is not with Chuck and Jean and their staff. They spent a lot of time with me and also the stakeholders out there. Its more of a policy philosophical decision about that. And I am very frustrated with the lack of transparency and other things. I know you all are doing your best. You are trying. You work with Sid on the dep letter and other things, and you all have had lots of conversations with me, and I know you are doing your best and I appreciate that. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 5:40:35PM
Thank you, Chuck. Always a gentleman. I messed up my quotes. The quote I was trying to remember was from Sun Tzu from "the art of war." And that is, who wishes to fight must first count what cost. The statement I made was from Luis Viera's hero, Rambo, dont enter into a war you cannot win. We have an Applicant that is in the Library using their wi-fi and that Library is going to close in 20 minutes. So I am suggesting we go to agenda item 57 so we can help out that Applicant.
Guido Maniscalco 5:41:22PM
Item 57. The Applicant. Yes, Sir, I see you there. If you could please raise your right hand so we can swear you in. Please unmute yourself so we can hear your voice.
Ross Samons 5:41:50PM
I need to be sworn in, please. Ross Sammons, Development Coordination. Presenting file number vac 23-01. The Applicant is Trucapital Group Llc, property address, 4501 north highland avenue, to vacate the alley lying north of emma street, south of cayuga street, east of highland avenue, west of Florida Avenue. This application was filed with the City Of Tampa on October 20th, 2022. Applicant owns property on the south side of the alleyway. The place to be vacated. The applicants reason for the application is to renovate -- the alley was created by subdivision plat. Existing alleyway is approximately 6,850 square feet. The proposed vacating request in yellow. The alley is in yellow. And the owners property in red. Again, this is the proposed request of the alley, and moving north in the south section here, and that is not to be vacated. City Of Tampa atlas sheet showing the alley in red. Again the north south section of the vacated. And shown previous vacating in the area. The applicants property. This is the alleyway looking east from north highland avenue. This is looking north south section of the alleyway not to be vacated from emma street. Staff had no objections to this vacating request. Easement reservations are required by stormwater and wastewater. Natural resources, file chapter 27 with regard to tree preservation. Thats all I have.
Guido Maniscalco 5:44:14PM
Thank you very much. Yes, Sir.
Joseph Citro 5:44:19PM
Any comments or questions? Do we have a Petitioner here? Petitioner, are you there?
Joseph Citro 5:44:32PM
Thank you very much. You raise your right hand to be sworn in? He has been sworn in. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Please, Petitioner, proceed. Sir, can you please tell US why you want this?
Joseph Citro 5:45:12PM
Does that finish your presentation?
Joseph Citro 5:45:15PM
Comments or questions for the Petitioner? Sir, I heard you say you were going to build an Adu, accessory dwelling unit. The people that are -- the people that are going to be living in that Adu, where are they going to park their cars at?
Joseph Citro 5:45:36PM
So They are going to be not parking on the street, They are going to be parking on your property?
Joseph Citro 5:45:45PM
In the driveway, not covering any sidewalk.
Joseph Citro 5:45:48PM
Okay, thank you. Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 5:45:51PM
I saw something in the times the other day, 600 square foot, and about $400 a foot, livable 400. So I dont know how your taxes are going to be. But you are going to have one meter, one electric meter or two electric meters?
Charlie Miranda 5:46:19PM
Two electric meters. One.
Orlando Gudes 5:46:21PM
What about water meter?
Orlando Gudes 5:46:27PM
So You are going to rent it out?
Orlando Gudes 5:46:40PM
I missed that. I didnt quite hear. Rent the adu or sell it?
Charlie Miranda 5:46:54PM
You are going to sell both of them. Thank You.
Joseph Citro 5:46:57PM
Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 5:47:12PM
I was just going to speak after public comment.
Joseph Citro 5:47:18PM
Is there anyone in Chambers that wishes to speak to agenda item number 57, vac 23-01? What the is pleasure of Council?
Joseph Citro 5:47:35PM
Motion to close by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Gudes. All in favor say aye. Who would like to read this? Councilman Maniscalco. Further comments?
Lynn Hurtak 5:47:53PM
I am not going to support this because generally speaking in Seminole Heights We dont support closing alleys. Its not something the neighborhood supports. So I am not going to support this. I think We close way too many alleys in the city because as We add these adus and other types of housing We can have people get to them through the back, and getting rid of all these alleys in areas where they can actually be used to reach houses, its just not something that I am going to support.
Joseph Citro 5:48:27PM
If I May, you heard me last night at a public forum where I said the only way Adus is going to work is if we cancan can park or enter from the rear, and I cant support this as is. What is the pleasure of Council? Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 5:48:50PM
Ordinance being presented for the first reading consideration, an ordinance of the City Of Tampa, Florida vacates closing, discontinuing the alleyway located north of emma street, south of cayuga street, east of highland avenue and west of Florida Avenue within the plat of meadow brook subdivision in the City Of Tampa, Hillsborough County ask as more fully described in section 2 herein subject to certain covenants conditions and restrictions as more particularly set forth herein providing for enforcement and penalties for violations providing for definitions interpretations and repealing conflict providing for severability providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 5:49:22PM
Seconded by Councilman Viera. Roll call vote.
Bill Carlson 5:49:27PM
No.
Orlando Gudes 5:49:32PM
Yes.
Luis Viera 5:49:33PM
Yes.
Guido Maniscalco 5:49:35PM
Yes.
Charlie Miranda 5:49:36PM
No.
Lynn Hurtak 5:49:37PM
No.
Joseph Citro 5:49:38PM
No.
The Clerk 5:49:40PM
Motion failed with Carlson, Miranda, Hurtak and Citro voting no.
Joseph Citro 5:49:45PM
Hang on. Mr. Shelby.
Martin Shelby 5:49:58PM
The motion failed. Would You please make a subsequent motion to deny? And You May have a basis for that so it will be in the record.
Joseph Citro 5:50:14PM
Motion by Council?
Joseph Citro 5:50:19PM
Our discussion is now closed. What is the pleasure of Council?
Martin Shelby 5:50:24PM
My suggestion would be, I know Councilwoman Hurtak stated her basis, if thats part of the motion, and if theres any other facts that Council wishes.
Lynn Hurtak 5:50:39PM
I deny an ordinance being presented for first reading consideration, an ordinance of the City Of Tampa, Florida vacating, closing, discontinuing -- oh, gosh, im sorry, the wrong one. My apologies. File vac 23-01, ordinance being presented for first reading consideration, I am denying or -- sorry, its been a long day -- motion to citizen ordinance of the City Of Tampa, Florida vacating, closing, discontinuing, and abandoning the alleyway located north of emma street, south of cayuga street, east of highland avenue and west of Florida Avenue within the plat of meadow wood subdivision, in the City Of Tampa, Hillsborough County Florida as more fully described in section 2 hereof subject to certain covenants, conditions and restrictions as more particularly set forth herein -- I guess I dont need to read all of that. For violations for interpretations, definitions -- yes, so I am denying it, and the rationale behind is that we need to encourage more ways to reach -- so that we can have a more varied housing stock within the city and if we keep closing these alleys we are going to take that possibility away.
Joseph Citro 5:52:13PM
Motion by Councilwoman Hurtak, seconded by Councilman Carlson. Discussion. Roll call vote.
Charlie Miranda 5:52:19PM
No.
Luis Viera 5:52:24PM
No.
Guido Maniscalco 5:52:27PM
No.
Charlie Miranda 5:52:29PM
Yes.
Lynn Hurtak 5:52:31PM
Yes.
Bill Carlson 5:52:31PM
Yes.
Joseph Citro 5:52:34PM
Yes.
The Clerk 5:52:35PM
Motion carried with -- Gudes, Viera, Maniscalco voting no.
Martin Shelby 5:52:47PM
The council has two votes. The first motion was to approve. That failed to get the necessary four votes. That was followed by a motion to deny your application, and that was passed by a motion of four votes. So City Council's final action is to not accept your petition and the vacation was not granted by the City Council.
Martin Shelby 5:53:27PM
My suggestion is You talk with staff, and You do have certain rights to appeal, thats your decision. I cannot advise You about that. Council, I remind You that You have a 30-day appeal period from the time the Petitioner is notified.
Joseph Citro 5:53:46PM
Thank you. We are going back to agenda item number 14. File number cm 22-77270. Mr. Carlson, this is your motion.
Marcella Hamilton 5:54:07PM
Assistant City Attorney. On September 1st, You provided a motion asking that legal present a report regarding a prohibition on lobbying by entities that receive city funds to prevent them from lobbying on behalf of third parties. I provided a report in regard to this. We do have, from what I can gather, we basically had two means of funding for procurements and also providing for two entities, Nonprofits. It hasnt been stated as to who You wish to prohibit from lobbying. Additional issues in regard to Nonprofits, certain Nonprofits are organized in order to promote economic growth in the city, also social welfare. If we prohibit them from lobbying on behalf of those parties, it kind of prohibits the activities that they are organized for. Thats an issue. So obviously people when they hear about lobbying, there are issues concerning lobbying, with transparency. You also probably do wish to hear from people as far as their ideas concerning how that is funded so have an open forum for the whole public to speak on behalf of their ideas. So one of the biggest arguments in regards to this is free speech under the first amendment. Currently, there is no US. Supreme court opinion regarding not being deemed first amendment rights. However, there has been various cases regarding petitioning, grievances to protect and extended to rights concerning just bringing various motions to council or government entities, not just grievances, just expressing their opinions. There have been various different standards. Free speech has three different standards. When we get into about truly prohibiting free speech, it depends on what You are prohibiting. In this case, we think that perhaps strict scrutiny would come into play, so there would have to be some sort of ordinance. We do have provisions in place already regarding transparency, where all Lobbyists do have to register and they also have to file an extended report.
Bill Carlson 5:57:15PM
Can I? You are an expert in this area. Yeah, my concern is the impression that the city would fund an organization that would then turn around and lobby the city, that the city would directly or indirectly pay for lobbying. And my firm working with other government organizations has been under similar restrictions. Thats why I asked that. I cant remember which ones they were. But You have done some research and the ones You looked at didnt have that. But I will drop this issue, but just to give kind of an extreme example, we have had for example nonprofits that we find advocate in favor of very controversial real estate projects, and then it looks like it could give the impression -- let me ask You as an extreme example and then I will be quiet and move on. Lets say there was a nonprofit called Citizens For Biking While Black, and we gave them $500,000, and that the $500,000 was not lobbying something else, but then they turned around and brought 100 people every week and say we need biking while Black. Would there be any problem with that? We didnt officially pay for it. Maybe we were paying for officially paying for bike lights or something. But then that organization shows up with 100 people every week saying biking while Black is a good thing. Is that allowed under our rules now?
Marcella Hamilton 5:58:55PM
It would be allowed as it stands now, yes.
Bill Carlson 5:58:59PM
Thats an extreme example, but when a Nonprofit receives a huge amount of money from the city, is lobbying US in favor of a controversial issue, I have concerns about it. If they are not getting money, thats fine. Thank you. Comments, questions? I believe this is your motion. Are you satisfied with the report? Thank you very much.
Marcella Hamilton 5:59:26PM
Thank you.
Joseph Citro 5:59:28PM
Can I have someone please make a motion to continue agenda item number 57? Im sorry, 59. Motion made by Councilman Gudes. Im sorry, is there anyone here that wishes to speak to the continuance only?
Martin Shelby 5:59:45PM
To what date and time? I see Ms. Pettis-mackle here. There was a memo about that. What was the date? April 20th. Thank you.
Joseph Citro 5:59:54PM
Do we have anybody here in Council Chambers? Motion made by Councilman Gudes. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Thank you. Agenda item number 15. File cm 22-78639.
Andrea Zelman 6:00:26PM
City attorney. Ursula Richardson in the Litigation Group had to leave. She and I prepared this memorandum together. Basically the question, Councilman Carlson raised a question about whether there was any need to retroactively approve settlement agreements that were not brought before Council during the period of time between 2018 and this new amendment to the code that you all approved last week. Basically, we explained a couple of things. One is that settlement agreements per say, that being a two party agreement executed by the City and the party that sued the City, are extremely rare. I am only aware of one such agreement since I have been here for 3-plus years now. Typically when a case is settled, the party that sues the City signs a release, only signed by them, not by the City, and the City gives them a check, and thats the agreement. There is no, again, two-party agreement. So part of the question is, do we have to go back and retroactively approve the settlement agreements? There are none, with the exception of the one im aware of. But the other thing, the other point that we tried to make in this memorandum is theres no reason, theres no legal exposure the City faces as a result of those agreements having not been to Council, in our opinion. So there really is no need to retroactively approve -- for City Council to retroactively approve settlements that were made during that period of time when settlements were not being brought to Council.
Bill Carlson 6:02:32PM
This is my item. I think it was my item.
Andrea Zelman 6:02:37PM
It was.
Bill Carlson 6:02:40PM
And I appreciate you all looking through this. I was very concerned about this. I saw counsel outside from My Own Attorneys, which I paid for, and their advice was bring this question forward so that I at least felt I was doing my due diligence in bringing this forward and making sure that I did everything I could to protect the citizens of the city, and regardless of whatever advice I have from them, we now have an official opinion from the City Attorney, and thats enough for me. Thank you.
Andrea Zelman 6:03:14PM
Then the final thing is You asked a question about being able to look at settlement agreements or releases or records regarding settlements, and as I said in the memorandum, certainly, upon reasonable requests, obviously, it takes time to pull documents together and things like that. But You and I have discussed this. We are happy to make those documents available should Council want to sit down with US and review a particular time period, a particular case, whatever. We are happy to do that.
Joseph Citro 6:03:48PM
Councilman Carlson, you are recognized.
Bill Carlson 6:03:51PM
And you all separately approved a motion to ask staff to allow me to look at these and we are officers of the City and should be able to look at that. I talked to Ms. Zelman. She said no problem. And we are scheduling the time. I have given her a more narrow scope of what I would like to look at and I have offered to go to her office so I am not copying any documents or carrying them outside of her office so we dont create liability for the City. But thank you for working with me on that.
Andrea Zelman 6:04:18PM
Thank you.
Joseph Citro 6:04:23PM
Thank you. Agenda item number 16. File cm 22-73825.
Martin Shelby 6:04:47PM
Good evening, City Council. Martin Shelby, City Council attorney here on item number 16 to appear and report on my advice regarding creating an ordinance to protect elected officials sued under chapter 119. Council, I would like to be brief, but I would like to create the setting for the context of this discussion, and I would like to read a quote from one of the cases that addresses this sort of issue. Its called thornburg versus City of fort walton beach. Its a Florida Supreme Court case from 1990. Im going to leave out the citations in there, but I want to read the statement of the court just to create the context for this discussion. It says, Florida courts have long recognized that public officials are entitled to legal representation at public expense to defend themselves against litigation arising from the performance of their official duties while serving a public purpose. The purpose of this common-law rule is to avoid the chilling effect that a denial of representation might have on public officials in performing their duties properly and diligently. This entitlement to attorneys' fees arises independent of statute, ordinance, or charter. For public officials to be entitled to representation at public expense, the litigation must, one, arise out of or in connection with the performance of their official duties. And, two, serve a public purpose. And one of the cases that they actually cite is a City Of Tampa case, chavez versus City Of Tampa, the second Dca from 1990. And sometime I had heard Council member Miranda talk about that case. That being the case, Council, my advice after looking at ordinances and policies throughout the state is that it is my recommendation that you formalize this policy, that this Council create a declaration of public policy that states that this City adopts, which ultimately ill put on record and set forth the processes for this City to be able to protect its elected officials not only for public records violations or allegations of misconduct, but litigation or any kind of proceeding, and there are instances that the jurisdictions throughout the state, municipalities and counties, have formalized these and have addressed certain questions that your ordinance that I am very happy to help craft and bring back to City Council and certainly working with the City Attorney and Ms. Zelman and I have discussed this, and im happy to do that. One of the things, and the most important thing I think would be a declaration of policy, the criteria. And we can also work on things like the definition, like what constitutes substantially prevailed. When does it apply? Now, one of the things id like to -- I initially had some reservations about whether or not this -- I had a bar conflict with this because of positions that I have been in in the past. But, frankly, I had a realization after talking with several lawyers, Council, that I have a unique perspective right now after seeing what this Council has gone through in the past year, and I have had a unique insight and perspective, both being familiar with the facts that evolved to bring this discussion forward. Also, the effect on the City Council, the effect on your ability to diligently serve the people, and I think what this City Council has to avoid is a chilling effect that has an impact on your ability to fully represent your constituents. One of the things that we need to address through this process is when does it apply? Because a lot of jurisdictions do it in the form of reimbursement. And traditionally, the City Of Tampa has done it that way, too. And, for instance, in the concept of attorneys' fees for a public records lawsuit, zeroing in on that particular case of a violation or an alleged violation of chapter 119, the Florida statutes, the ordinance addresses attorneys' fees in certain matters. As a matter of fact, a relatively recent amendment in 2017 allows that the court shall determine whether the Complainant participated in a civil action for improper purpose. That requires a court hearing. That requires perhaps discovery. A process is very costly, potentially, to somebody who is defending themselves. The question then is there are some jurisdictions, particularly in broward county and elsewhere throughout the state where there is a provision that allows the person who is being a defendant, lets say being made a defendant, or even in an ethics proceeding who has a complaint filed against them. So this would not only apply in litigation, it would apply in any sort of proceeding related to, again, the process of arising out of or in connection with the performance of official duties and serving a public purpose. Of course, that would have to be defined within the ordinance. But heres my point. My point is this. If it is City Council's desire to have a process where someone who needs legal services and needs legal representation applies or brings notice to the City to ask to be represented up front, then that would have to be a process that we would have to work through. The down side to that, if there is a down side to it is this. At the end of the process, if it doesnt meet the criteria for arising out of in connection with the performance of the official duties and what usually is the dispositive issue of whether the conduct serves a public purpose, other jurisdictions have it so that within that ordinance, the Elected Official ultimately is liable to the City to reimburse the City for those expenses and authorizes, if necessary, a suit against the Elected Official in order to recover that to which under the law they would not have been entitled. The advantage to it, to somebody who needs that help up front is it doesnt require an outlay of money of the Elected Official in the process of going through the proceeding, whether its litigation or a complaint to be able to move forward towards a conclusion that would ultimately show that they are entitled to legal expenses to be paid to them as an Elected Official by the City Of Tampa. So that being said, what I would ask you to do is give me an opportunity to come back with some language based on my research with other jurisdictions, working with the City Attorney, and put it in a form that actually is something that you can actually look at, but what I would like is some direction at this point -- excuse me, my mouth is so dry late in the day -- what is councils pleasure with regard to the concept of notification of the process at the outset versus reimbursement, indemnification through reimbursement at the conclusion of the litigation or proceedings.
Joseph Citro 6:13:35PM
Ill go to Councilman Carlson first.
Martin Shelby 6:13:37PM
Thank you. Ill have some water.
Bill Carlson 6:13:41PM
Thank you. To save time ill quickly say what I think We should do. Number one, I think We should make a motion to move some kind of ordinance forward. That ordinance needs to -- the description of whats covered needs to be very carefully put in there. As you all know, a year ago, someone claimed that I was part of a fake facebook page, and it was defamatory toward me because in my industry it is unethical to create a fake facebook page. I had nothing to do with it. I stated over and over again I had nothing to do with it. But still I spent just on that matter five to ten thousand dollars in legal fees and search fees because they wanted to search my phone and other things. Ultimately they didnt find anything. When I talked to Ms. Zelman the other day, the question is, was that because I was on City Council? It is because I was on City Council because theres no other reason why anybody would ever subpoena me for information related to something I had nothing to do with. They later proved it was someone else and they are suing that person. Its not just that somebody might get sued and might not just be public records, in that case, somebody had a conspiracy theory that I was involved with some fake facebook page I never heard of before. So thats just another example, but We need to carefully describe how people would be covered, and I think We ought to pay in advance. Heres one solution I would throw out. I was appalled in the dingfelder case that The City did not put up legal fees. I dont know in Gudes' case they should have if they didnt. And shame on them. If they havent, they should pay right away. The situation is that 50 or 100 thousand dollars for people who are making $53,000 a year could break somebody easily. Its not a good idea for the reasons you stated to leave an Elected Official out like that. And somebody happens to be on the political side where their opponents are getting hit. It might be fun, but if you are on the other side, its not fun. You never know who might have the power to do something like that. Heres what I suggest that I think -- I think We need to think of creative solutions. The City is self-funded on this liability insurance, but for the first 250,000 or 500, I dont know which, the first 500,000 were self-funded which means its at the discretion of The City Attorney. We need in the ordinance to describe that its not -- so that for political reasons somebody cant easily reject it. Here is another solution that I think We need. I think We ought to create a self-insurance fund. It could be funded by the salaries of City Council members, but We could get an Insurance Company, just like We do with united on health care, We could get an Insurance Company to define a plan that We would create ourselves, and it would hold -- it would eventually hold a $50,000 trust for each City Council member. It would include the Mayor, that as well. But for each City Council member, that would be $350,000. Could be that The City would loan that money to the trust at first and then We could make payments monthly from our city salaries into that fund. And if folks are mainly surviving on the 53,000, We could give a small raise just to be able to pay that internal premium. But the idea is that if the -- if there could be interpretings of law where We have seen in the past where a City Attorney May say, oh, well, you might be guilty so were not going to reimburse you. You might be guilty so We wont pay you in advance. Then set up a self-insurance fund not subject to the rules, thats subject to whatever rules We set. So anybody who would seek to file a frivolous lawsuit would know that City Council members and maybe the Mayor, if she wants to participate, would have up to $50,000, no questions asked for any legal fees. Its not subject to those other laws because were paying for it ourselves out of our self-insurance fund. I think theres got to be some creative idea this way because weve got to protect everybody. Theres nobody here, I think, who could afford to just pay 50 or $100,000 in legal fees and hope The City would defend them at some point. Weve got to protect everybody, thank you.
Martin Shelby 6:18:02PM
If I could follow up on that. You raise a very interesting and a good point. First of all, im not aware of any self-insurance fund or self-funded in the ordinances that ive found. For instance, in the City Of Naples, the City Of Naples says it is the policy of the City Council of the City Of Naples, Florida, to establish a risk fund to pay attorneys' fees and costs in defending complaints against city officials. This policy applies to Present And Former City Officials as herein defined. Its particularly with regard to ethics complaints, provided the ethics complaint was filed no earlier than one year prior to the effective date of this article related to actions taken --
Bill Carlson 6:18:45PM
Marty, we can talk about this off-line.
Martin Shelby 6:18:48PM
Sure.
Bill Carlson 6:18:49PM
My point is to say any long description like that is subject to interpretation. Weve had not the City Attorney but other City Attorney opinions that said, oh, well, we cant cover you or we would not be able to cover you for certain reasons. We need to make sure that the public knows that City Council is absolutely covered. If we have our own policy that we create ourselves that covers US automatically at the 50,000, if theres 350,000 or 400,000 sitting in an act, its tastes draw from that. We can set our own rules. We wouldnt be charges, whatever it costs per month over time to build that back. I think we could talk to actuarial people and set that up. Separate from that we need an ordinance that would pay the fees anyway. In case a City Attorney in the future is ordered by a Mayor not to reimburse those fees so that a City Council has to resign then we need to make sure that they are covered up to at least $50,000 so they are not bankrupt just by sitting on a seat like this. Thank you.
Martin Shelby 6:19:47PM
And again my other point that I wanted to make is that having that sort of policy position clearly stated, clearly out there, lets the public know that the City has the back of the Elected Officials in order to do your job and could, in fact, perhaps dissuade Somebody from filing that sort of lawsuit that would be ultimately deemed to be frivolous.
Bill Carlson 6:20:11PM
If we have an ordinance that should say that we cover in the beginning and yeah, if we need it, if they try to recover at a certain point, fine. But this city in the last couple of years has started with the presumption that the people are guilty. Somebody has a political attack against me and claims that im part of something that im not, suddenly im paying a lot of money to try to answer questions about it, and the city says, oh, well reimburse you, but I have to put out a lot of cash. And im talking to Ms. Zelman about getting reimbursed. But I put out 15 or $20,000, 25,000 over the last year, and I havent seen any of it back yet. Thats half the City Council pay. So weve got -- I think we need a policy that we self-fund, or whatever it is, to make sure that we 100% have access to it. Even if the person is guilty they should have access because they are paying into that fund. But we should presume they are not guilty and create an ordinance that defends people and the public needs to know that they are defended.
Joseph Citro 6:21:15PM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 6:21:16PM
I have nothing, Sir.
Joseph Citro 6:21:18PM
Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 6:21:19PM
Im not in disagreement or agreement. I dont know if the city has the right to loan money. Not a political question, but a question. I can know one thing, some years back, I asked the question about why do you have to go to the Bond People up in Washington or New York or whatever to get money from there? How come you cant get it from your Local Taxpayers. Could borrow from the Local Taxpayers' money. So I was told that. And to save money, I said in time, instead of going there, theres a lot of people here who have money and borrow from them. Couldnt do it, they told me. This part, im not privy to.
Martin Shelby 6:22:01PM
Well, this wouldnt ultimately be a borrowing. It would be the City committing to fund it subject to You successfully or substantially prevailing. And failing to do that, that then You could be liable, not You personally but whoever takes advantage of that would ultimately be responsible for reimbursement to the City. Did You want to say something, Ms. Zelman?
Andrea Zelman 6:22:29PM
The only thing I wanted to clarify for the record is the City Attorney's Office did not start, in prior cases, since ive been here, we didnt start from the assumption that the council members were guilty. What we did in each of the cases that have happened in the last couple of years was apply the test that Marty referred to, was the cause of action, did it arise from the Council Member in the performance of his official duties, and was he acting with a public purpose? The norm, the norm in most jurisdictions in Florida is when you cant answer that question definitively at the outset of the litigation, you recommend that the Council Person or the Board Member retain Private Council. And then if its ultimately established in the litigation that the acts giving rise to the litigation arose from their performance of official duties and that they were acting with a public purpose, then you reimburse. I just want to be clear. That was the standard we apply. It wasnt a presumption of guilty. It was looking at that threshold test at the outset.
Martin Shelby 6:23:56PM
Ms. Zelman is right. Many municipalities and counties do use the process for applying for reimbursement after the expenditure of funds. I look at say, for instance, broward county or Ft. Lauderdale, for instance, what they do is they allow the council members to request the money up front and the jurisdiction then pays it subject to, again, meeting the criteria that the law requires because expenditure, ultimately the expenditure of public funds must be for a public purpose. And if it is not for a public purpose, it is an improper expenditure of funds that must be recouped. And thats the bottom line. The law will apply irrespective of whether you do reimbursement or do the money up front, it is the ultimate fiduciary responsibility that the city has to spend the taxpayers' dollars.
Joseph Citro 6:24:46PM
Anybody who has not spoken, do you have any comments? Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 6:24:52PM
My only comment is what we need to do next. I think You were about to take care of that.
Bill Carlson 6:24:58PM
Yeah, the other thing I want to say and we can talk about this off-line. I think each of US could give input. If we have a separate fund and funding it then those two things can work in parallel and we can work on that. One other thing that I need to mention, Council Member Viera is an attorney. I assume that he has attorney-client privilege on some of the projects that he works on. I have a Pr Firm that works, primarily works on litigation matters. And we have attorney-client privilege on those litigation matters. I use my city phone as instructed and anybody accidentally calls me on the other line, tell them to call me on my city phone. But we have had many cases recently where they have asked to search our personal phones and not only search them, not only look at messages on their personal phones, but also search them for metadata. Thats a very expensive process if your phone is protected under attorney-client privilege. If you handed your phone to the City Attorney's Office, we would get sued into oblivion. He probably would lose his law license. We cant do that. There has to be an understanding in these rules also that there are certain guidelines and rules that affect people asking about personal items and personal -- I provided all the information. I paid up front thousands of dollars to have my phone searched to provide them everything they wanted in a timely way. But still im sitting out that, and so we need to make sure that thats covered in the thing.
Andrea Zelman 6:26:40PM
Can I speak to that because the question comes up time and time again. Even came up from one of my attorneys in my office yesterday. Theres no law that says You cant conduct City business on a private cell phone. However -- however, its bad practice for the following reason: if You are conducting private City business on a private cell phone or on a private e-mail, that is a public record because You are conducting City business. Under the public records act, the City has the obligation to make a good-faith effort to obtain those records -- well, first of all, we have to remember, the public records act isnt only about producing records. It also requires You to maintain the public records. Which, again, if youre doing things on a private phone or a private e-mail, that makes it that much harder. The City has the obligation under the public records act to make a good-faith effort to get any public record from employees and officials of the City and produce them upon request. In a particular case, if You, if the City were to say to You, for example, You know, we need all your private text messages about the following subject, where You were conducting City business on your phone, if You did your own search and provided an affidavit saying ive done my own search. This is all I can find. I swear this is all I have. At some point we can only go so far, we the City in trying to get your private records. The process of making t I available to search your phone was done to accommodate City Council members when we were getting all those requests. At the end of the day, the best practice -- and were all in the same situation. Ive had the same cell phone number since they invented cell phones, and people still text me and e-mail me. If they start talking about City business, I forward the text or whatever to my City phone. I ask them to do it on my City phone, whatever. Just best practice is not to do it on your private phone so that You dont have these problems down the road. But the City has an obligation, if youre cutting City business on those private things, we have an obligation -- You have an obligation to maintain those records as the creator of them, and we have an obligation to produce them when asked. So were just trying to work with You to find a way to get those public records to the requester.
Bill Carlson 6:29:33PM
Mr. Chair, I would like to make a motion to ask City Council Attorney to return to US on March 2nd with a proposed ordinance.
Joseph Citro 6:29:45PM
We have a motion made by Councilman Carlson. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. Any further discussion? All in favor say aye. Councilman Gudes.
Orlando Gudes 6:29:57PM
[Inaudible]
Bill Carlson 6:30:01PM
Yeah, I would say an Ordinance -- sorry, youre right. An Ordinance and any recommendation on the ill call it private insurance, private liability insurance that I talked about.
Martin Shelby 6:30:15PM
The goal being that Someone In Need Of Legal Expenses would not have to wait and front the money and then asked to be reimbursed but have access to that money at the outset.
Bill Carlson 6:30:28PM
Yes, we can talk about it off-line.
Martin Shelby 6:30:30PM
No, if thats the consensus of Council.
Orlando Gudes 6:30:34PM
You May have a Council Member who at the end of the day still doesnt have the money, if he loses to pay the Attorney. In that case, that Insurance will kick in and pay for that reimbursement. Its a two-way street.
Bill Carlson 6:30:50PM
This would be a separate -- ill talk to You about it off-line. Just in concept get You to come back and report on it.
Martin Shelby 6:30:57PM
Understood.
Joseph Citro 6:31:01PM
Any other further discussion? We have a motion made by Councilman Carlson. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor? Is there any opposed?
Martin Shelby 6:31:10PM
Thank you, Council.
Joseph Citro 6:31:11PM
Are You going to stay there for agenda item number 17?
Martin Shelby 6:31:18PM
Sir, youve been presented with a resolution per your motion. It has been distributed to Council. I would ask Mr. Chairman, it is your resolution. Is there anything You wish to address with City Council?
Joseph Citro 6:31:30PM
Thank You. I hope that You will vote for this resolution. It is in support of Tampa Bay regional Planning Commission to support clean energy.
Charlie Miranda 6:31:39PM
Second.
Joseph Citro 6:31:39PM
And a clean way of living and resiliency in Tampa Bay.
Guido Maniscalco 6:31:43PM
We have a motion from Chairman Citro. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor? Any opposed?
Martin Shelby 6:31:49PM
Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you, Council.
Joseph Citro 6:31:51PM
Thank you. Thank you, Council Members. I appreciate it very much. Agenda item 18 was continued to February 23rd. Thank you very much.
Charlie Miranda 6:32:04PM
We still have Individuals that have something on the agenda.
Joseph Citro 6:32:15PM
Councilman Viera, you have Public Safety.
Luis Viera 6:32:20PM
I move items 19 through 22.
Joseph Citro 6:32:24PM
Motion made by Councilman Viera, seconded by Councilman Gudes. All in favor? Any objections? Thank you very much. Councilman Gudes, you have Parks and Recreation.
Orlando Gudes 6:32:31PM
Items 23 through 26.
Joseph Citro 6:32:34PM
We have a motion made by Councilman Gudes, seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor? Thank you very much. Councilwoman Hurtak, youve got Public Works.
Lynn Hurtak 6:32:43PM
Yes, I move -- since 27 and 28 have already been moved I move items 29 through 36.
Joseph Citro 6:32:50PM
We have a motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak, seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor? Councilman Carlson, you have building and zoning. Okay. Then Councilman, Viera, vice-chair.
Luis Viera 6:33:07PM
Move items 38 through 44.
Joseph Citro 6:33:10PM
Motion by Councilman Viera. Seconded by Councilman Gudes. All in favor? Councilman Maniscalco, Transportation.
Guido Maniscalco 6:33:16PM
I move items a 45 through 49.
Joseph Citro 6:33:20PM
Motion made by Councilman Maniscalco, seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor?
Guido Maniscalco 6:33:28PM
I would like to set items 50 and 51 for their respective public hearing dates. March 2, 2023 at 1:30 pm. Second is February 23, 2023, at 5:01 pm.
Joseph Citro 6:33:40PM
We have a motion made by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Viera. All in favor? I believe that takes US to agenda item 56. Item 56. Mr. Wigginton, would you be so good to explain --
Ron Wigginton 6:34:16PM
Yes. Ron Wigginton, Legal Department. Thank you, Council. The ordinance that was just handed out is a substitute ordinance. I apologize for not getting this out to you earlier. We have been diligently working on reaching an agreement with regards to easement language. For instance, just yesterday I found out that Teco did not require an easement, and then this afternoon, I just found out that they do require a partial easement. So this is still not complete. I expect to modify or amend it between first and second reading. For now, the difference between this new ordinance and the original that was filed, basically what we did is we added a water easement. We did remove the Teco easement. But we need to reinsert that back. We modified the transportation language. Now that providers pedestrian, bicycle, and smart mobility. It also provides for vehicular traffic with regards to emergency responders and Solid Waste vehicles. And it also provides for a temporary general vehicular transportation easement. Upon mobility determination its needed for rerouting traffic in the area. Also, it provides for once the area around it, adjoining the vacated areas get developed, then there will be a traffic study that will determine whether there are additional easements that are needed for general public transportation. So with that, unless the Council has any questions, I would like to open the floor to Mr. Ross Salmons to give his presentation.
Joseph Citro 6:35:57PM
Any comments or questions?
Ross Samons 6:36:02PM
Ross Samons, Development Coordination. Vac-23-02. The applicant is Riverside Heights Holdings Ii, Llc. The representatives name is Adam Harden. Property address is 1909 market street. Proposed vacating request is to vacate portions of market street and 7th avenue lying north of Hillsborough River, south of oak avenue, east of sandra heights lane and west of ola avenue. Application was filed October 24th, 2022. Applicant owns property north side and to the east and west side of market street, north side of 7th avenue. Im sorry. The reason for the application is to change one block of market street and one block of 7th avenue into pedestrian-only privately maintained street segments. The existing streets are approximately 52,098 square feet to approximately 1.196 Acres. And these streets were created by subdivision plat. Aerial view of the proposed vacating. Here is 7th and market street here. And the applicants property obviously the subdivision there. Again, the street, 7th from sandra heights to this privately owned segment of 7th avenue and from oak down to 7th on market street. A quick view of the plat, that dedicated the street. 7th avenue from sandra heights to the privately owned segment, and then market street segment from oak to 7th. A more clear view of the survey provided of the portion to be vacated. Hillsborough River here. Here is an image of 7th avenue looking east on 7th avenue. This is looking west on 7th avenue. This is looking south on market street from oak avenue. Again, the intersection of 7th avenue is here and on the east side is Armature Works. Staff has no objections to this vacating request. Easement reservations are required by Solid Waste, Stormwater, Transportation, and Teco. Natural Resources and comply with chapter 27 with regard to tree preservation and site design for any improvements placed adjacent to trees in vacated areas. Thats all I have. Im available if you have any questions.
Joseph Citro 6:39:11PM
Any comments or questions? Petitioner?
Guido Maniscalco 6:39:19PM
Mr. Harden specifically asked that we wait until the last item tonight because he wanted to hang with US all day. I looked at the agenda yesterday and I was just happy I wasnt behind Steve Michelini. So I got up and read the newspaper. If I could share that with you --
Joseph Citro 6:39:42PM
You said you read the newspaper. Presentation. As most of you know, 2015 We started permitting renovation of the historic building We all knew as Armature Works factory into a new mixed-use facility renovation of the three brownfields that made up the large vacant field to the west of the building. The Armature Works brownfield the riverfront partners brownfield and -- brownfield. Two of those have been permanently closed. Armature is capped and partially closed with monitoring until We reach the prescribed levels. Were getting really close. Were down to one well. So its really good news. So fast-forward November of 2017, We managed to get the building half open for a large 2,000 person event, a combined party January the 30th about five years ago today, We formally opened the market hall. The facility -- and ive passed out to you a synopsis of the public engagement events that We committed to as part of I think the spirit of the interlocal agreement that We have with the city to activate this place and really build a heart and soul for the development that We could use to attract new jobs here. The Armature Works today, I asked for the statistics from our quarterly report that We provide for the new market tax credit indicator. We currently have 340 full-time job equivalents that are sustained within the facility. Again, its highly successful, but its purpose is really to see the development and attract the jobs that We promised, the grocery store that We told the neighbors We would get and those things. Of course, were proud to report that the phase one of our office is occupied by Pfizer World Support Center or Axogen Biomedical Tissue Company or traded on the Nasdaq. Pfizer Fortune 50 Pharma. Amwins Insurance. A law firm out of New York and other really good tenants. New, high-paying jobs to Tampa that I think support the idea that weve moved beyond this constant desire to be americas next great city and just be happy that were Tampa. When I did the original business plan for Armature Works, I think We were really hoping that We would average 800 to 1,000 visitors a day. I have to report that thats closer to 4,000. What I passed out to you is a summary of the community engagement events that We fund as part of the Armature Works program, so these are in addition to the paying private events. But these are, if you go by, youll see the car show and these things. So I think as the place matures, what weve determined is that were going to be better to have these two segments of street as public space. The reservation of easement still meets the city chapter 220 definition of a right-of-way, but were basically vacating the fees that We can continue to control it for the purpose of maintenance responsibility, security, and operation and outdoor special events. We really see the 7th segment as being a 50-foot expansion of the riverwalk area. Were in agreement with the walk-on ordinance thats been presented today, and We also understand that between now and second reading that there will be some language added to give Teco a partial easement over the street lighting system that weve installed. With that, I know its late. Im here to answer any questions that you have.
Joseph Citro 6:44:17PM
Any comments or any questions? Anybody in the audience or in chambers that want to speak to this? We sent out certified letters even though its not a requirement of the process and met with Ridgewood And Tampa Heights Civic Association. About 40 people attended the meeting. We held it at Armature Works and discussed it and other topics.
Joseph Citro 6:44:43PM
Do we have anybody online? Motion to close by Councilman Miranda. Seconded by Councilman Gudes. All in favor? What is the pleasure of council? Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 6:44:53PM
I have a substitute ordinance here within the City Of Tampa, Florida, vacating, closing, discontinuing and abandoning a portion of 7th avenue right-of-way and a portion of market street right-of-way located north of Hillsborough River, south of palm avenue, east of sandra heights lane and west of ola avenue, all within the plat of the heights of Tampa subdivision, in the City Of Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, as more fully described in section 2 hereof, subject to the reservation of certain easements and the imposition of certain covenants, conditions, and restrictions as more particularly herein. Providing for enforcement of penalty for violations and providing for definitions, interpretations, and repealing conflicts, providing for severability, providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 6:45:37PM
We have a motion made by Councilman Miranda. -- Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. Any further discussion? Roll call vote.
Luis Viera 6:45:46PM
Yes.
Guido Maniscalco 6:45:47PM
Yes.
Charlie Miranda 6:45:48PM
Yes.
Lynn Hurtak 6:45:49PM
Yes.
Bill Carlson 6:45:50PM
Yes.
Orlando Gudes 6:45:52PM
Yes.
Joseph Citro 6:45:53PM
Yes.
The Clerk 6:45:54PM
Motion carried unanimously. Second reading and adoption will be held on February 16th, 2023, at 9:30 am.
Joseph Citro 6:46:04PM
Thank you very much. Agenda item 58, file number vac-22-25.
Ross Samons 6:46:14PM
Ross Samons, Development Coordination, presenting vac-22-25. This is a city-initiated vacating proposal. And the property address is 5001 north 34th street. This is to vacate a portion of ellicott street lying north of Louisiana avenue, south of caracas street, east of 34th street and west of 36th street. This application was filed on August 11, 2022. City owns property on north and south side of ellicott street that is proposed to be vacated. This is for park improvements and extension of the east Tampa recreation complex. This street was created by subdivision plat and City Of Tampa right-of-way acquisition. This is located within the east Tampa overlay district. And the existing right-of-way is approximately 10,650 square feet. Aerial view of ellicott street, the proposed vacating in yellow, city owned property in red. This is the City Of Tampa atlas street showing the portion of ellicott street be vacated. Proposed to be vacated. And city-owned property in gray, and this is, again, the park, and to show exactly what went on in the past as far as acquisition, city acquisition for property for the park itself and also previous right-of-way vacating. This is a portion of the plat that vacated the ellicott street before it was -- avenue. The other is unplatted and was purchased by the city. This is looking east from the intersection of north 34th street and ellicott street. And this is looking west from ellicott street from the portions of which the city owns the south side and north side. Obviously, Staff had no objections to this vacating request. If the vacating is approved by City Council, easement reservations are required for wastewater, stormwater, water, teco, frontier, and spectrum. Natural resources must comply with chapter 27 in regard to tree preservation and site design for any improvements placed adjacent to any trees in a vacated area. Thats all I have. Im available if you have any questions.
Joseph Citro 6:49:08PM
Any questions for Mr. Samons? Anyone in the audience who wishes to speak to this? Do we have anybody online?
Joseph Citro 6:49:17PM
Motion to close by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor? Any objections? Thank you very much. Councilman Gudes, would you like to take this one?
Orlando Gudes 6:49:29PM
All right. Vac-22-25, ordinance being presented for first reading consideration. An ordinance of the City Of Tampa, Florida, vacating, closing, discontinuing, and abandoning that portion of ellicott street right-of-way located north of Louisiana avenue, south of caracas street, east of 34th street and west of 36th street within the plat of princes subdivision in the City Of Tampa and more fully described in section 2 hereof, subject to certain covenants, conditions and restrictions as more particularly set forth herein; providing for enforcement and penalties for violations, providing for definitions, interpretations and repealing conflicts, providing for severability and providing an effective date.
Joseph Citro 6:50:10PM
Motion by Councilman Gudes. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. Any further discussion? Roll call vote.
Guido Maniscalco 6:50:15PM
Yes.
Luis Viera 6:50:16PM
Yes.
Charlie Miranda 6:50:18PM
Yes.
Lynn Hurtak 6:50:19PM
Yes.
Bill Carlson 6:50:21PM
Yes.
Orlando Gudes 6:50:22PM
Yes.
Joseph Citro 6:50:23PM
Yes.
The Clerk 6:50:24PM
The motion carried unanimously. Second reading and adoption will be held on February 16, 2023, at 9:30 am.
Joseph Citro 6:50:32PM
Thank you. Council Members, we have a ms. Carrie Costantinaco with US. She would like to make a public comment.
Joseph Citro 6:50:58PM
Please speak up and give US your name.
Joseph Citro 6:51:03PM
Yes, but can you please speak up?
Joseph Citro 6:51:07PM
Thats okay. Take your time. My name is Carrie Costantinaco. I used to reside on davis islands before the pandemic that flipped our lives upside down. I also used to work for David Straz for mayor. So im sure that you recognize me. But I look a little older now. I also used to volunteer for cleanup Kennedy. Im sure that youre familiar with the name Joseph Manson. He spearheaded awareness regarding this issue of illicit massage parlors along Kennedy boulevard here in Tampa, the city we all love, the city that we would like to be the next great city in america. I believe im here to present with all of you the solution, if you can shut down all of these illicit massage parlors for good, even just out of respect for John F. Kennedy, our previous president. Ive already tried to contact mayor Jane Castor several times. She will not return my phone calls. And I have a very unique perspective as to why I would like to see all of this shut down for good. Ive never had the opportunity of getting married yet, starting a family yet, and I wouldnt want to raise my family in a city where children are sold for sex. I dont want to be sold for sex. This city has been a red light district long enough and my heart cry today is please, God, have mercy on this city and on this City Council for not shutting down these illicit massage parlors along Kennedy boulevard and how about the strip clubs along dale mabry who served our nation. Dale Mabry Highway. Youre familiar. It has two very large strip clubs, one on the left, 2001 Odyssey, one on the right, Mons Venus, not my profession. Ill tell you who my hero is. Governor Ron Desantis and his wife, First Lady Casey Desantis. Is my time up?
Joseph Citro 6:53:56PM
Youve got 30 seconds more. Concerns. I wanted to applaud Governor Desantis and First Lady Casey Desantis because they listened to my e-mail and my request to shut down the strip clubs 2001 and mons venus on Dale Mabry Highway during the pandemic for 30 days. Great. Im grateful for that, but id rather see them closed permanently. Sorry if I went over my time. So you talked about multiple ways of controlling something, whether it be legal penalties, ordinances, all of these things, and I believe you can just look up all the records from Joseph Manson, all of the illicit massage parlors that he already reported to you or news channels 8 report on all that. Im not a private investigator. Im just a concerned citizen because I love this city. I want to see it cleaned up. And if we can clean up Tampa, we can clean up orlando. We can clean up miami. We can clean up jacksonville. We can clean up tallahassee. We can clean up the whole State of Florida and then we can clean up our country.
Joseph Citro 6:55:17PM
Thank you very much.
Joseph Citro 6:55:23PM
Thank you. All right. Information and reports. Councilman Miranda.
Charlie Miranda 6:55:28PM
Commendation for Springer who is retiring from the Tampa Housing Authority after being there 32 years at a future date. I want to bring it up that well get all the information before we bring her in. Very nice lady. Shes been there 32 years. The Tampa Housing Authority helping people.
Joseph Citro 6:55:50PM
Motion made by Councilman Miranda. Seconded by Councilman Gudes. All in favor? Councilman Gudes. Councilwoman Hurtak?
Lynn Hurtak 6:56:02PM
I have a request from the Housing Department. Id like to make a motion to move the following report from the workshop on January 26th, 2023, to February 2nd, 2023, at 9 am. Under staff reports. The administration to provide a quarterly budget around the housing buckets or quarterly report around the housing buckets from Homeless Services, rental assistance, home ownership and acquisition and rehab that includes columns for funds allocated, expended, encumbered and available. This is a recurring meeting or a recurring item, but theyve asked me to move it another week because everyone is going to be out for some sort of workshop.
Joseph Citro 6:56:48PM
Motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor?
Lynn Hurtak 6:56:54PM
Id like to make a motion to have Legal Department draft an ordinance to amend the code of ordinances section 18-86h to provide for the Citizens Review Board to select Legal Counsel who is not a City Employee to advise the Citizens Review Board with the funding provided by the city.
Joseph Citro 6:57:11PM
We have a motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak. Seconded by Councilman Carlson. Mr. Shelby.
Martin Shelby 6:57:18PM
And did you want to give them a certain amount of time to come back?
Lynn Hurtak 6:57:22PM
Oh. Im very sorry. Thank you for that. Actually, im going to have it come back February 2nd.
Martin Shelby 6:57:33PM
That May or May not be enough time.
Lynn Hurtak 6:57:36PM
If its not enough time, theyll let me know.
Joseph Citro 6:57:42PM
Motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak. Seconded by Councilman Carlson. Any comments? All in favor say aye. Any opposed?
The Clerk 6:58:01PM
Motion carried with Maniscalco and Miranda voting no.
Lynn Hurtak 6:58:06PM
Okay. Motion reviewing the one-year residency waiver for department heads to include a list of who is currently on the waiver list, a definition of a Department Head versus a Manager, and please include data regarding how often this has been used in the last five years to come back February 23rd, 2023, with the safety improvement.
Joseph Citro 6:58:29PM
Motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak. Seconded by Councilman Gudes. All in favor?
Lynn Hurtak 6:58:37PM
Finally, a motion to have information about an agreement between Tfr and Local Hospitals regarding wait times, come back to Council on February 23rd, 2023 along with that safety report.
Joseph Citro 6:58:48PM
Motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor?
Lynn Hurtak 6:58:53PM
Thats it.
Joseph Citro 6:58:55PM
Councilman Maniscalco.
Guido Maniscalco 6:58:55PM
Thank you very much. Id like to make a motion that we present a commendation on February 7th. Thats our presentation session, to 13 ugly men. That is the name of the organization. And the reason is that they have contributed through a variety of events, a variety of charitable fund-raisers $3 million, give or take, to the community. If you go to Tampa General Hospital, theres like a childrens park playground. They helped raise the money for that. I can go on and on and on. I see what they do in the community. Very good charitable organization. Dont let the name fool you. But id like to present them with a commendation on February 7 at our presentation session.
Joseph Citro 6:59:41PM
Motion made by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Carlson. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you.
Guido Maniscalco 6:59:50PM
Thats it. Thank you, Sir.
Joseph Citro 6:59:52PM
Councilman Viera.
Luis Viera 6:59:52PM
I have a favor to ask. I had Conor Durkin, who you all remember, was assisting in my office for two years. Such a great guy. February 7, I think it was, our commendation session, I was going to have him come. Unfortunately, I have a conflict that day so I cant. Is there any way, because I know we usually dont have commendations, this will take five minutes and mean so much to Conor and his family to have it on February 16th. If so, we can move it to the next one. But I just ask that, because he already left US two months ago and dont want to push it back. Thank you very much, Council.
Joseph Citro 7:00:33PM
We have a motion --
Guido Maniscalco 7:00:36PM
Move a commendation that was going to be February 7 to February 16 which we wouldnt normally take --
Joseph Citro 7:00:43PM
We have a motion made by Councilman Viera. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor?
Luis Viera 7:00:50PM
Very briefly, if I May. I was talking with the office of congress woman kathy castor on an initiative happening. This is a motion to have staff report back to US on February 16th on application for a program that the Federal Government is doing that can actually ease the burden here in the City Of Tampa. Long story short, the Federal Government is expanding the parole process from venezuelans to nicaraguans, haitians and cubans, that is the Biden Administration announced up to 30,000 people from this country who have an eligible sponsor and passed vigorous vetting and background checks, can come to the united states for two years and receive work authorization and also expanding latin american Refugees. Of course, those who cross the border illegally are precluded from this and always a vetting process, et cetera, et cetera. The Federal Government is authorizing $800 million to go to the emergency food and shelter program from Fema for grants for local communities. Its interesting because a lot of counties have gotten these grants in past years, but cities in Florida apparently havent. Hillsborough County got about half a million. Pinellas county about 370,000. The State of Florida got a certain amount of money, and it appears that Tampa hasnt gotten this funding. I would suggest that we inquire on this for two reasons. Number one because there is going to be a big influx in Florida on this issue, so we want to make sure that we are good Fiscal Stewards. Number two, I think its also very consistent with tampas values, whenever it comes to issues such as Refugees as we have many, many Refugees here in our city. This would pay for housing, food, shelter, covid testing, and other supportive services.
Joseph Citro 7:02:28PM
We have a motion --
Luis Viera 7:02:30PM
February 16, if I May.
Joseph Citro 7:02:32PM
Motion by Councilman Viera. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor?
Luis Viera 7:02:36PM
Thank you. Thats it.
Joseph Citro 7:02:38PM
Councilman Carlson? Councilwoman Hurtak.
Lynn Hurtak 7:02:42PM
Im very sorry, Mr. Shelby let me know that -- reminded me that there is actually a report on February 16th about the current status of City Department Heads' compliance with the charter. So that one, the second, the middle one on that page, if you could change that from the 23rd to the 16th, if thats okay.
Guido Maniscalco 7:03:03PM
Second.
Joseph Citro 7:03:04PM
Motion made by Councilwoman Hurtak to amend her prior motion. Seconded by Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor?
Guido Maniscalco 7:03:19PM
Mr. Chairman.
Joseph Citro 7:03:20PM
Thank you for asking. I move to invite the Black History Committee to discuss the upcoming 35th annual Black history celebration at The Tampa Convention Center, and im requesting that to be on February 2nd's agenda.
Guido Maniscalco 7:03:37PM
We have a motion from the Chairman with a second from Councilman Miranda. All in favor? Any opposed? Anything else, sir?
Joseph Citro 7:03:44PM
I just need a motion to --
Guido Maniscalco 7:03:49PM
Madam Clerk.
The Clerk 7:03:50PM
I have one thing. It was brought to my attention that on March 7th is election day and you all have scheduled commendations. So if you want to cancel that day, well need to make a motion as well as make a motion to move the commendation for the Police Officer Of The Month. We can move to March 2nd or --
Guido Maniscalco 7:04:17PM
Move it to March 2nd. I see one staff report. Motion to move the March 7 Police Officer Of The Month to March 2 right at the beginning of the agenda.
Joseph Citro 7:04:29PM
Motion made by Councilman Maniscalco. Seconded by Councilman Miranda. All in favor?
Joseph Citro 7:04:37PM
And to cancel the March 7th meeting. All in favor?
The Clerk 7:04:47PM
Receive and file.
Joseph Citro 7:04:48PM
Motion to receive and file by Councilman Miranda. Seconded by Councilman Gudes. All in favor?
Joseph Citro 7:04:54PM
Without objection, were adjourned. [ sounding gavel disclaimer: this file represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Any person who needs a verbatim transcript of the proceedings May need to hire a court reporter. © - City Of Tampa (813) 274-8211