CITY OF TAMPA. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. WELCOME TO TAMPA CITY COUNCIL. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO FOR OUR INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN. IT'S MY HONOR THIS MORNING TO WELCOME A GENTLEMAN WHO REALLY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION BECAUSE HE IS ONE OF THE BEST HUMAN BEINGS HERE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND ONE OF THE BEST SPEAKERS, AS WE'VE HEARD HIM SPEAK MANY, MANY TIMES BEFORE. THE GENTLEMAN IS MR. RON WEAVER. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MR. WEAVER, HE IS A HARVARD LAW HONORS GRADUATE. FOUNDED 155 LAWYERS STATEWIDE. STEARNS, WEAVER LAW FIRM. HE CHAIRED OVER HALF A DOZEN CHAMBER COMMITTEES. CHAIRED THE ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL FINANCE COMMITTEE AND BAY CARE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND ALSO HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A JUNIOR LEAGUE LUMINARY AMONGST -- IT'S A SHORT BIOAMONGST HIS MANY, MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IF WE COULD PLEASE STAND AND MR. WEAVER COME ON UP AND PLEASE GIVE THE INVOCATION. >> MOST GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, WE PRAY FOR THIS GREAT TAMPA CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF. AND EVERY CITIZENS' NEEDS, ESPECIALLY THE VULNERABLE TO LIFE AND SERENITY SAVING SHELTER AND DESPERATELY NEEDED MOBILITY TO WORK AND EDUCATION AND MEDS. SHINE 7 MILLION LIGHTS AGAIN LIKE SATURDAY INTO RESTORING REFOUND RULE OF LAW, FREE EXPRESSION EVENHANDED NON-VINDICTIVE JUSTICE. PLEASE SAVE US FROM LEGALLY DUBIOUS MILITARIZATION OF OUR CITIES AND OUR HIGH SEAS. BRING US REAL LASTING PEACE, NOT PER FORMATIVE TRANSACTIONAL PEACE. PERSONAL AND NATIONAL SINS OF PRIDE, NEGLECT OF POOR, RACISM, DIVISION AND SELFISH STRIFE. FOR COMPASSIONATE GENEROSITY, NOT GENERATIONAL WEALTH. NOT DEGENERATIVE -- NOT BETRAYALS OF EVEN HANDED RULE OF LAW NOR SUPPRESSING FREE SPEECH, FREE ELECTIONS ANY LONGER. WE RENEW THE 1800 JOHN ADAMS PRAYER DEDICATING THE EAST WING, HIS SUCCESSOR IS TEARING DOWN IN HIS OWN IMAGE. LORD MAY NEVER THERE BE ANY BUT WISE AND HONEST RULERS UNDER THIS ROOF. GIVE US GENUINE SUBMISSION TO YOUR COMPASSIONATE WILL, NOT OUR OWN. NOT OUR OWN. MAY FREEDOM NO LONGER WEEP NOR JUSTICE SLEEP OR WEEP FOR HER AND YOUR ORDAINED JUDGES AND THEIR FAMILIES THREATENED JUST FOR DOING THEIR SWORN DUTY. PIERCE OUR CONSCIENCE TO RESTORE OUR HISTORY OF OUR WRONGS, LEST WE REPEAT THEM. RESTORE WISDOM, TRUTH, COMPASSION, INTEGRITY UPON WHICH YOU FOUNDED THIS NATION AND CAN NOW REDEEM IT WITH THAT SAME WISDOM AND TRUTH, COMPASSION AND INTEGRITY. MAY POWER, PRIVILEGE DISGUISED AS PATRIOTISM NO LONGER PARADE LAWLESSLY OR UNEVENLY OR INDICATIVELY. MAY HILLSBOROUGH RIVER, APALACHEE POTOMAC SWEET LIBERTY, IRREPRESSIBLE SOUNDS LIKE THE PRAYER I WILL PRAY A SECOND TIME FROM 1800 FROM JOHN ADAMS DEDICATING THE EAST WING. LORD, MAY THERE NEVER BE ANY BUT WISE AND HONEST RULERS UNDER THIS ROOF, COLLAPSING AS WE PRAY, WEEPING FULL THE POTOMAC. AMEN. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MR. WEAVER, I DON'T HAVE A MICROPHONE, BUT I DO HAVE THIS. [ APPLAUSE ] WOW. I THINK WE COULD JUST ADJOURN NOW. CLERK, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE. >>LYNN HURTAK: HERE. >>LUIS VIERA: HERE. >>BILL CARLSON: HERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HERE. >>THE CLERK: WE HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM. GOOD MORNING. CAN WE GET A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR SESSION OF OCTOBER 9, 2025 AND EVENING SESSION HELD ON OCTOBER 16, 2025. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE AGENDA REVIEW OF ALL AGENDA REVIEWS THIS MORNING. LET ME GET MY HEAD STRAIGHT. I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I GET ALL THIS RIGHT. WE HAVE A BUNCH OF STUFF. GO AHEAD. >>LYNN HURTAK: ITEM NUMBER 32 NEEDS TO BE HEARD WITH ITEM NUMBER 61. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I MOTION TO PULL 32 TO BE HEARD WITH 61. >>LYNN HURTAK: SO MOVED, I GUESS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. WE HAVE A MEMO FROM COUNCILMAN BILL CARLSON REQUESTING 64 BE CONTINUED TO FEBRUARY 26, 2026 WORKSHOP. THAT IS THE ETHICS. I HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT. >>LYNN HURTAK: SO DO I. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I'LL BE HONEST -- >>MARTIN SHELBY: DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS UP NOW AT THIS POINT OR DO YOU WANT TO ENTERTAIN IT AT A LATER POINT? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHY I WANT TO HAVE THOUGHTS AND LET COUNCIL MAKE THE DECISION. >>MARTIN SHELBY: THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MY THOUGHT IS THAT WE HAVE A REDUNDANCY. I UNDERSTAND FROM THE POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY AT THE TIME WHEN IT WAS PASSED FOR TAMPA TO HAVE ITS OWN ETHICS ORDINANCE, BUT WE'RE ALREADY COVERED BY STATE OF FLORIDA STATUTE AND CONSTITUTION. IT SEEMS REDUNDANT. I WOULD BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN HAVING THIS COUNCIL, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA, ELIMINATING THIS COMPLETELY AND JUST CONFORMING WITH STATE STATUTE. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I THINK THIS CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION THAT POSSIBLY COULD MOVE IT TO A WORKSHOP. BUT I THINK MAYBE IF WE HAD IT DURING THAT TIME. AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AND I TALKED TO MR. SHELBY ABOUT THIS, WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF E-MAIL. WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WHO MAY WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT TODAY. BECAUSE IT IS A FIRST ORDINANCE, BECAUSE OF OUR RULES, THEY ARE GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK DURING THIS AND DURING PUBLIC COMMENT IF THEY WANT TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING ELSE TODAY. SO I WOULD ALSO, JUST FOR ME, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC DURING ITEM 64 BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION. I THINK I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO SAY, BUT I THINK SOME PEOPLE ARE HERE SOLELY TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM -- BUT I AGREE, WE SHOULD HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. I LIKE YOUR IDEA. THE WORKSHOP IDEA ISN'T BAD. I'VE HEARD OTHER THINGS. I DO BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AT THAT ITEM. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO MOVING IT TO SOMETHING ELSE OR DOING -- I JUST THINK WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SINCE THIS IS YOUR MEMO, I'LL DEFER. >>BILL CARLSON: FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE IT. IF WE CONTINUE IT, THEN WE GIVE THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE E-MAILS, I HAVEN'T SEEN A SINGLE E-MAIL THAT SAYS WE SHOULD DO THIS. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS PROCESS IS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION COMBINED SOME REQUIRED CHANGES WITH SOME ASPIRATIONAL CHANGES OF THE ADMINISTRATION WITHOUT MUCH NOTICE FOR THE PUBLIC. AND THE PUBLIC NEEDS A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN WITH MORE THAN JUST PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THE REASON WHY I SUGGESTED MOVING IT TO A WORKSHOP IS BECAUSE THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL IDEAS. AND THIS -- I AGREE WITH YOU, CHAIR CLENDENIN, THIS HAS MOSTLY BEEN USED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS IT'S BEEN HERE'S AS PUNISHMENT TOWARDS CITY COUNCIL AND NOT FAIRLY IMPLEMENTED TOWARD THE ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS WHY I ALSO WANTED TO PUT A RELOOK AT THE ETHICS COMMISSION IN THAT DISCUSSION IN FEBRUARY. WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS WE PUT IT -- WE MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE IT. WE STILL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC TODAY. WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC THEN, AND DURING THAT CONVERSATION IN FEBRUARY WE COULD MAKE A MOTION TO GET RID OF IT ALTOGETHER OR YOU COULD MAKE A SEPARATE DISCUSSION. I THINK WHENEVER IT IS, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE ASSURED EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AGAINST A COUPLE OF PIECES OF THIS THAT THE MAYOR PROPOSED, THEY NEED TO BE ASSURED THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING ETHICAL STANDARDS AND WE ARE HOLDING THE ADMINISTRATION AND COUNCIL AND STAFF UP TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MY THING, BASED ON MY ASSESSMENT, SINCE THIS WASN'T CREATED, KIND OF THE HEIGHT OF BUREAUCRACY, IT'S A FEEL-GOOD THING AND HASN'T REALLY BEEN EFFECTIVE, SO WHY ARE WE DOING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT EFFECTIVE? COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. I HEARD EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT THIS WHOLE CITIZENS NEED TO REGISTER AS LOBBYIST THING TO SPEAK TO US IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING. IF SOMEBODY STOPS ME IN THE GROCERY STORE, GAS STATION, COFFEE SHOP, HEY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO FIX MY ROAD, HEY, YOU ARE THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, WHATEVER IT IS, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK TO US. PUTTING THIS IN PLACE -- I HAD TO CHECK WITH OUR ATTORNEY TO ASK, AM I READING THIS CORRECTLY? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I THINK WE'LL GET UNANIMOUS CONSENT ON THAT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: IT'S LIKE C'MON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>LUIS VIERA: JUST VERY BRIEFLY, A COUPLE OF THINGS. I'VE BEEN APPROACHED ABOUT THIS AND MS. ZELMAN OBVIOUSLY WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: LET HER HAVE THE LAST WORD. >>LUIS VIERA: YES, SIR. THANK YOU. WHAT I'VE TOLD PEOPLE IS, LISTEN, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS, I'M VERY LIKELY GOING TO VOTE AGAINST THIS AND NOT SUPPORT THIS 99%. I ALWAYS LIKE TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE PROPOSING IN TERMS OF THE RATIONALE OF WHY THEY ARE DOING THIS AND SO FORTH. THAT'S WHY I PUT THE 99%. WITH REGARDS TO ETHICS COMMISSION, AGAIN WITH THE INFORMATION I HAVE, I WOULDN'T SUPPORT GETTING RID OF IT. I DO THINK THEY PLAY A VALUABLE ROLE. I KNOW SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE ON THERE, LEGAL COLLEAGUES WHO ARE, FRANKLY, SOME OF THE MOST ETHICAL, DECENT PEOPLE WITH INTEGRITY I KNOW WHO I JUST WOULD STAND BEHIND 100%. THEY ARE AMAZING PEOPLE. AMAZING ATTORNEYS, AMAZING PEOPLE OF ETHICS. I DO THINK THAT. AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME RIGHT NOW AND DEBATE THE MERITS OF THAT. BUT IN TERMS OF THIS, MY INITIAL IMPRESSION IS ABSOLUTELY NOT. BUT, YEAH, THAT'S ALL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: VERY GOOD. COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FEELING OF WHAT EVERYONE SAID REGARDING THIS. I THINK IT'S A LOT OF ITEMS AND TO ONE ORDINANCE. I FEEL IF YOU COME HERE, YOU HAVE CERTAINLY THE RIGHT NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, EVEN OUTSIDE THE CITY OF TAMPA TO SAY YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, FOR OR AGAINST. I DON'T THINK DIRECTLY THIS WOULD INVOLVE YOU SAYING AS A CITIZEN, TAXPAYER OF THE CITY OF TAMPA TO TELL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL, WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE OR NOT, THAT'S YOUR FEELING AND YOU HAVE THE SAME RIGHT AS WE DO TO EXPRESS OUR FEELINGS. WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME CITY. I THINK THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE CLEARED UP. WHY IS IT WRITTEN THIS WAY? IT'S FINE. I DON'T EXACTLY UNDERSTAND WHAT I THINK IT MEANS AND SOME OF THE THINGS I READ HERE, MEANS IF YOU COME UP TO TESTIFY ON SOMETHING AND YOU KNOW THAT SOME FRIEND OF YOURS OR YOU ARE GOING TO GET REMUNERATED OR PAID TO, THAT IS A DIFFERENT STORY. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COVERS THIS OR NOT. NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF CLEANING UP. I'M NOT FOR OR AGAINST. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A TUNE-UP BEFORE I CAN VOTE ON IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: AGAIN, MY INTEREST IS FOR THE PUBLIC WHO CAME HERE TODAY THAT KNEW THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON JUST THIS ITEM BECAUSE WE ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT ON FIRST READINGS. SO I WOULD BE FINE. AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO CONSIDER A CONTINUANCE, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TODAY THAT WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS I STILL THINK -- IF WE WANT TO MOVE IT FURTHER UP IN THE AGENDA SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SPEAK BEFORE THEY HAVE TO LEAVE, IF WE WANT TO PUT THIS AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT SO THAT WE CAN THEN JUST MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, I WOULD BE FINE, BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON BOTH THE AGENDA TODAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY FULL AGENDA, AND ON THIS ITEM. THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO WAIT FOR. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CONTINUATION OF THE DISCUSSION, BUT I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC WHO CAME TODAY TO SPEAK ON THIS. >>BILL CARLSON: CONSIDERING THAT AT LEAST A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COMMENTS I'VE HAD ARE NEGATIVE AGAINST IT. THEN THE QUESTION IS, WHAT SHOULD BE IN IT, IF ANYTHING, GOING FORWARD. THAT TO ME COULD BE WHAT THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS. I'D RATHER MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE IT AND ALSO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT. I AGREE. BUT IF WE CAN'T CONTINUE IT UNTIL THEN, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING AS THE NEXT ITEM. >>LYNN HURTAK: SECOND. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MR. SHELBY. >>MARTIN SHELBY: JUST A REMINDER, COUNCIL, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR AGENDA, YOU HAVE A CLOSED SESSION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: AT 11:00. >>MARTIN SHELBY: THAT IS WITH A COURT REPORTER WITH THE CLOCK RUNNING, SO IT IS A TIME CERTAIN. >>LYNN HURTAK: THIS IS AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. >>MARTIN SHELBY: I WANT TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL IS AWARE WHEN 11:00 COMES. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I THINK WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THIS. >>BILL CARLSON: NOT FAIR TO MAKE THE PUBLIC STAY UNTIL 4:00 TO COMMENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I DID HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MAYOR AND THE STAFF ABOUT THE MEMO SENT. THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING, MISCLARIFICATION OF THE INTENT OF WHAT THAT MEMO. THE MEMO MISSTATED THE POSITION OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE MAYOR. UNFORTUNATE THING IT WAS DISSEMINATED. >>BILL CARLSON: THE GENESIS OF THIS IS WHEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND LEGAL DEPARTMENT BEFORE THIS CITY ATTORNEY WENT AFTER THREE OR FOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THE MAYOR HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE TO TALK ABOUT ETHICS IN THE CITY, WHEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WAS NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD. THERE IS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. THE WAY THE PUBLIC SEES THIS IS NOT ONLY PROHIBITING THE PUBLIC FROM BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT ALSO TO BE PUNITIVE TOWARD CITY COUNCIL BY ENABLING IN EFFECT THE MAYOR AND THE LOBBYIST WHO ARE LOBBYING HER TO LOOK AT ALL THE CALLS BETWEEN CITY COUNCIL AND CONSTITUENTS. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE MERITS OF IT LATER, BUT IT WAS -- MY POINT IS THE ORIGINATION OF THIS IS NOT FOR BENIGN PURPOSES. THERE IS A WHOLE HISTORY ON THIS. THEY HAVE TAKEN OUT SOME OF THE MOST OFFENSIVE THINGS THEY TRIED TO PUT IN EARLIER, BUT WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT IT AS WHAT IT IS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A FULL PUBLIC HEARING WHICH I'M SURE THE ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T WANT. IF IT'S IN A WORKSHOP IN FEBRUARY, THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO WEIGH IN ON THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT ETHICS FOR CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WANT. THEY WANT IT TO BE NARROWLY DEFINED TOWARD CITY COUNCIL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I'D LIKE TO NOW HEAR FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY ANDREA ZELMAN. >>ANDREA ZELMAN: I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF. SPEAKING OF UNFORCED ERRORS, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT CAUSED A LOT OF WHAT THE CONTROVERSY THAT'S SWIRLING TODAY, AND THAT'S AROUND ONE PIECE OF THIS LONG ORDINANCE, WHICH IS THE LANGUAGE ABOUT CALLING PEOPLE WHO ARE LOBBYING BUT NOT FOR COMPENSATION LOBBYISTS. AGAIN IN 2022, THE MAYOR ASKED THE ETHICS COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THE DEFINITION OF LOBBYIST AND WHETHER IT MADE SENSE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN COMPENSATED, NOT COMPENSATED. THE INTENT WAS NEVER TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BEING ABLE TO TALK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, TALK TO DECISION MAKERS AT THE CITY. WHAT THE INTENT WAS AT THE TIME BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS SWIRLING. THERE WERE ALSO A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT LOBBYISTS WANDERING THE HALLS OF CITY COUNCIL. PEOPLE THAT WERE LOBBYING -- TRUE LOBBYISTS WHO WERE NOT REGISTERING AS LOBBYISTS. THE INTENT WAS TO CREATE MORE TRANSPARENCY. THAT WAS ONE THING THAT WAS LOOKED AT. IT GOT LOST IN TRANSLATION. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION, WHICH DID RECOMMEND THIS CHANGE, WERE BROUGHT TO YOU IN 2023. THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION THEN, INCLUDING BY COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND STEPHANIE POYNOR. IT WAS CONTINUED TO FEBRUARY 24 HEARING, THEN PULLED FROM THE AGENDA. SO THE MISTAKE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT MADE WAS TWOFOLD. ONE WAS WE PUT THAT INTO THE -- WE PUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2022 ETHICS COMMISSION INTO THIS ORDINANCE ALONG WITH OTHER CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO BRING OUR CODE CONSISTENT WITH STATE STATUTE. AND DIDN'T GO BACK AND TALK TO THE MAYOR ABOUT, DO YOU STILL WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH ALL THE CHANGES, THAT IS OUR FAULT. AGAIN, IT'S NOT -- THE INTENT WAS NEVER TO CREATE BARRIERS BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE DECISION MAKERS IN THE CITY. SO I'M ASKING TO YOU KIND OF UNRAVEL IT. WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO THE MOTION, I MEAN, TO YOUR MOTION YOU'RE MAKING, COUNCILMAN CARLSON, IS CONTINUE THE BROADER DISCUSSION OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION AND THE ISSUES THAT COUNCILMAN -- CHAIRMAN CLENDENIN MADE AND ALL THAT TO FEBRUARY. BUT I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALSO DIRECT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO BRING BACK A CLEAN ORDINANCE THAT JUST FOCUSES ON THOSE CHANGES WE HAVE TO MAKE TO BRING OUR ETHICS CODE BACK INTO COMPLIANCE WITH STATE STATUTE BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS, AND MEGAN IS HERE AND CAN TELL YOU WHICH ONES THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BRING OUR ETHICS CODE UP TO CODE, IF YOU WILL. THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES MADE IN THE STATE STATUTES. A CHANGE MADE IN THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT OUR ETHICS CODE DOESN'T REFLECT. SO ALLOW US TO DO THAT AND CONTINUE THE REST OF THE DISCUSSION, THAT'S FINE. AGAIN, UNFORCED ERROR ON OUR PART AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WOULDN'T THIS BE SELF-RESOLVED IN FEBRUARY, WE CAME TO A CONCLUSION, HAVING OUR OWN -- WHEN THE STATE OF FLORIDA ALREADY COVERS ETHICS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS. >>LYNN HURTAK: IT IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS DISCUSSION. SORRY, POINT OF ORDER. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. I BELIEVE THAT IS THE TIME FOR THE CONVERSATION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE GOING TO LET THE PUBLIC TALK ABOUT IT. >>LYNN HURTAK: YES, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS. >>BILL CARLSON: IN TERMS OF SCHEDULING, CAN I ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK'S POINT, CONSIDERING THAT YOU ALSO AGREE THIS NEEDS TO BE REVISED, WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO CHANGE THE FIRST HEARING OF IT, CAN YOU JUST WITHDRAW IT AS THE PROPOSER AND THEN WE COULD STILL HOLD PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT? HOW CAN WE STILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS POINT? I'M ASKING THE ATTORNEY, WE'LL HAVE REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT CAN WE CONTINUE THIS OR CANCEL IT BUT STILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WHAT I WOULD LIKE -- TWO PARTS. A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM PER COUNCILMAN CARLSON'S REQUEST TO THE FEBRUARY 26, 2026 WORKSHOP. THEN I WOULD LIKE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM AFTER PUBLIC -- GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. >>LYNN HURTAK: I WILL DISAGREE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, OUR MOTION MAY CHANGE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: TO CONTINUE IT? >>LYNN HURTAK: YES. IT MIGHT ADD MORE THINGS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ARE YOU OKAY WITH US MOVING FORWARD AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT? MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL ENTERTAIN THAT IDEA -- >>LYNN HURTAK: WE ALREADY MOVED THIS TO AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE DIDN'T VOTE. >>BILL CARLSON: LET ME MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. >>LYNN HURTAK: SECOND. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS ITEM TO AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. WE'LL ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. WAIT. THERE'S MORE. IF YOU SAW YOUR E-MAILS THIS MORNING -- COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO LET ME GO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: GO AHEAD. I SENT A MEMO ABOUT 66 AND 67. BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT CAME TO LIGHT OVER SOME INVESTIGATORY CALLS AND DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT I'VE HAD WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON ITEM 66 AND 67, THERE ARE ISSUES THAT HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY SEEN THE LIGHT OF DAY. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS PRUDENT FOR THIS COUNCIL TO CONTINUE THESE ITEMS TO THE JANUARY 29, 2026 WORKSHOP TO BE ABLE TO GATHER FURTHER INFORMATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF THE ACCOUNT. >>BILL CARLSON: IS THAT A MOTION? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YEAH, I HAVE A MOTION TO -- WELL, I MEAN, I CAN'T MAKE IT. PASS THE GAVEL. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE ITEM 66 AND 67 TO JANUARY 29, 2026 WORKSHOP BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT ITEM AND IT WILL GIVE THE STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS COUNCIL WITH INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE STORMWATER FUND AND THE IMPLICATIONS THIS PROJECT HAS ON THAT FUND. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >> SECOND. >>LYNN HURTAK: I HAVE THE GAVEL RIGHT NOW. BASICALLY, WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS, AGAIN, THIS IS THE TIME FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THIS. WE'VE ALL HAD INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE CONTINUE IT. I WANT TO HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR STAFF. I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS. ALSO, MY MOTION IS TO MOVE ITEM 73 BEFORE IT BECAUSE IT'S TANGENTALLY RELATED. ITEM 73, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT IS THE REVIEW OF THE LOWER PENINSULA WATERSHED PLAN PROJECT. THERE IS MONEY IN THAT THAT HASN'T BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BEING USED FOR THIS. THIS IS A CONVERSATION I WANT TO HAVE. I WOULD LIKE TO -- MY MOTION WOULD BE TO MOVE ITEM 73 BEFORE 66 AND 67. HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT 66 AND 67, AND THEN POSSIBLY HAVE THAT MOTION. BUT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT IT. ONCE WE MOVE IT, ONCE WE CONTINUE IT, WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT I AM NOW PRIVY TO. >>LYNN HURTAK: YES, SO AM I. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THE PROBLEM IS OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE NOT. THAT WOULD BE WHY MORE APPROPRIATE TO DEAL WITH IT AT A WORKSHOP. EVERYBODY COMES TO THE DAIS WITH THE SAME INFORMATION. >>LYNN HURTAK: THIS IS THE ONLY TIME WE CAN TALK. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS. IF YOU MOVE IT, I'LL TALK ABOUT IT DURING NEW BUSINESS. I'M TELLING YOU NOW WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. >>BILL CARLSON: WHY CAN'T WE TALK ABOUT IT UNDER 73. MOVE THESE -- >>LYNN HURTAK: BECAUSE IT'S RELATED. I STILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MERITS OF 66 AND 67 TODAY. >>MARTIN SHELBY: THERE IS A MOTION AND SECOND ON THE FLOOR. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: DISCUSSION. TODAY IS TODAY, AND JANUARY 26 IS ABOUT THREE MONTHS AWAY. I DON'T KNOW IF THESE FIGURES THAT I'M LOOKING AT ARE GOING TO HOLD WITHOUT ANYTHING BEING BROUGHT UP TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CONTRACT BEING EXTENDED, HOW MUCH COST IT WILL COST THE TAXPAYERS. WE ARE ALL TAXPAYERS IN THIS ROOM TO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CONTRACT THAT'S BEEN SIGNED. ONE FOR 4.132 MILLION. OTHER 3178 MILLION. I DON'T KNOW THE COST OF EQUIPMENT, COST OF MANPOWER, COST OF DELAYS. THAT'S NOT EVER BEEN DISCUSSED THAT I KNOW OF. I WANT CLARITY BEFORE I VOTE. >>LYNN HURTAK: COUNCILMAN VIERA, YOU HAVEN'T SPOKEN YET. >>LUIS VIERA: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. I WOULD BE INCLINED TO SUPPORT SOME SORT OF CONTINUANCE. I WOULD THINK THAT IT MAY BE MORE PROPER TO VOTE ON THIS MAYBE AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. I DO WANT TO HEAR FROM STAFF BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THEM ON THE EFFECT OF A CONTINUANCE TO JANUARY. IF IT DOESN'T HAVE A REALLY ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE PROJECT, I WOULD BE INCLINED TO SUPPORT THAT, BUT I WOULD WANT TO INQUIRE ON THAT. I WOULD BE INCLINED TO SUPPORT SOME CONTINUANCE AND HAVE A DISCUSSION. I'M POSITIVELY INCLINED. MATTER OF PROCEDURE NOT SUBSTANCE FOR ME, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I BELIEVE JOHN BENNETT IS HERE. >>LYNN HURTAK: YES. COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: AS CHAIR CLENDENIN SAID, THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT ABOUT BUDGETING AND OTHER THINGS. A BIG CONCERN IS THAT THERE ARE SOME PLANS THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN HERE, WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC, AND IF WE VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND, HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GIVE FEEDBACK TO, THEY MAY HEAR OR SEE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MAP HAS CHANGED. THE OTHER THING IS THAT 66 NOW IS COMINGLING TYPES WATER MONEY WITH THIS PROJECT, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOND COVENANTS ALLOW US TO DO THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN. ALSO, AS I SAID TO STAFF A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, I DON'T THINK THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT OUGHT TO GET BLAMED FOR THE PROJECT BECAUSE IT IS SO UNPOPULAR THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAS SEPARATE -- WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THE MAP NOW HAS THE WATER DEPARTMENT PROJECTS ON IT, AND REALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STORMWATER. THE OTHER THING THAT WE KNOW NOW IS THAT THE CITY HAS NO MONEY FOR THIS AND APPROVING THIS PROJECT, EVEN $3 MILLION, MEANS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE THE STORMWATER FEE. SO I THINK WE NEEDED A FULL DISCUSSION IF WE NEED A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND WE NEED TO RAISE THE STORMWATER FEE, THE PUBLIC NEEDS A LONGER DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. IT'S NOT JUST A $3 MILLION PROJECT. THAT'S WHY I THINK IT SHOULD BE CONTINUED. >>LYNN HURTAK: THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT. WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT TODAY. EVEN IF IT IS BRIEF, BE ABLE TO GET SOME OF THE STUFF OUT INTO THE LIGHT TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT AND THEN CONTINUE IT. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CONTINUATIONS AFTER WE HAVE THE TIME TO DISCUSS, BUT WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT THIS ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE ON THE DAIS. I DO BELIEVE WE NEED THE DISCUSSION. CAN WE GROUP THEM TOGETHER? DO THE MOTIONS AFTER? >>BILL CARLSON: WHY DON'T WE MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THESE TWO AND THEN ADD A DISCUSSION OF 66 AND 67. THEN WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY CONTINUED THE DECISION ON IT. >>LYNN HURTAK: WE CURRENTLY HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO CONTINUE THIS. AGAIN, WE CAN ALSO CONTINUE THIS AFTER WE TALK ABOUT IT. >>BILL CARLSON: COULD I PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION TO ADD A DISCUSSION OF THE CONTENTS OF 66 AND 67 DURING 73? >>LYNN HURTAK: I DON'T THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: SOME OF THE CITY OFFICIALS ARE HERE. MAYBE ASK THEM EXACTLY WHAT THE INTERPRETATION IS. >>LYNN HURTAK: ITEM 66 AND 67 IS. WE WANT TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION, BUT NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THE DISCUSSION. NOW IS THE TIME FOR AGENDA REVIEW. I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. WE'LL GO AHEAD -- I THINK WE'LL NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE FOR THIS. WE HAVE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS TO JANUARY, 66 AND 67. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: JANUARY 29, 2026 WORKSHOP. JUST SO YOU KNOW, DURING NEW BUSINESS, CLARIFICATION FROM THE CITY STAFF TO WHAT I'M EXPECTING. >>LYNN HURTAK: FULL-ON DISCUSSION DURING NEW BUSINESS. IF THIS GOES, I STILL HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT. THERE IS A MOTION BY CHAIR CLENDENIN. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON. COUNCILMAN VIERA. >>LUIS VIERA: AGAIN, I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON MY VOTE, I WOULD BE INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT I WANT TO FIRST TALK TO STAFF PUBLICLY ABOUT SOME ISSUES. INQUIRE ON THE LENGTH OF THE CONTINUANCE AND WHAT IF ANY EFFECT THIS WOULD HAVE ON THE PROJECT. THAT'S MY -- I WOULD SUPPORT THE MOTION IF IT CAME AFTER. I'M SUPPORTIVE BUT I WANT TO FIRST ASK THAT QUESTION. >>LYNN HURTAK: ROLL CALL. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: NO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES. >>LYNN HURTAK: NO. >>LUIS VIERA: WITH THAT QUALIFICATION NO. >>BILL CARLSON: YES. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YES. >>THE CLERK: MOTION FAILED DUE TO LACK OF MAJORITY VOTE. IT IS A TIED VOTE. >>LUIS VIERA: I DON'T WANT TO LITIGATE THIS ISSUE IN OPENING, BUT IF STAFF TELLS ME THAT THIS DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE PROJECT, I WOULD BE WILLING TO SUPPORT THAT. >>LYNN HURTAK: NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THAT DISCUSSION. >>LUIS VIERA: I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THIS WILL LIKELY BE MOVED TO ADDRESS THE PIVOTAL CONCERNS, BUT YEAH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION DURING THE AGENDA ITEM WHICH WILL BE ON THE AGENDA. THE MOTION FAILED, SO WE CONTINUE. >>LYNN HURTAK: CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE 73? I WANT TO MOVE 73 TO BEFORE 66 AND 67. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK TO MOVE 73 TO BE HEARD BEFORE 66 AND 67. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA -- I THINK THAT WAS ENOUGH. WE DO NOT HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE, UNLESS THAT CHANGED. STAFF REPORTS. MR. SHELBY. >>MARTIN SHELBY: WE CAN TAKE CARE OF SOME THINGS AFTER YOU DO STAFF REPORTS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I DO HAVE ONE MORE THING. THE PUBLIC HEARING NUMBER 63 WAS MISNOTICED AND CANNOT BE HEARD. I NEED A MOTION TO RESCHEDULE THE PUBLIC HEARING TO DECEMBER 4, 2025 1:30 P.M. MOTION FROM MIRANDA, SECOND FROM MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: I COULD SAY THIS LATER DURING CONSENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE A SEPARATE VOTE ON 2 AND 32. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE'LL BE PULLING THAT TOGETHER. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO STAFF REPORTS? 66. >>LYNN HURTAK: 68 I HAVE TO READ ALOUD. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THAT WAS ALREADY DONE. 69. >>LUIS VIERA: YES, PERSON HERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: BRANDON IS GOING TO BE HERE FOR 70, SO YES. 71 IS STREETCAR. WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM. ANYBODY NEED STAFF? NO STAFF FOR 71. BRANDON, YOU ARE OFF THE HOOK. BRANDON IS GOING TO BE HERE FOR 72 YES. WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT 73. >>LUIS VIERA: 74, YES, PLEASE. >>LYNN HURTAK: 75 YES. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IT'S GOING TO BE A FUN DAY. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: RECEIVE AND FILE 76 -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE 76, 77, 78, 79 FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. >>BILL CARLSON: AFTER THE SECOND, I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: IN REGARD TO 78, A MEMO FROM CHIEF BERCAW WHICH PROBABLY WAS WRITTEN BY THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT IT KIND OF IS THE MIDDLE FINGER TO THE PUBLIC AND THE CITY COUNCIL SAYING IF WE WANT TO USE STORMWATER MONEY ON PARADES, WE WILL USE IT ANYWAY. THEY GO BACK TO USE THE SECURITY AND SAFETY EXCUSE, WHICH THEY HAVE USED BEFORE. THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. NEW BUSINESS, IF NOBODY ELSE, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CREATE AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THE ADMINISTRATION FROM USING STORMWATER DOLLARS ON PARADES. IT IS A DISGUSTING MISUSE OF MONEY. >>LYNN HURTAK: I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SAME THING. I DO BELIEVE WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IT DURING NEW BUSINESS. THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR THEY DON'T WANT STORMWATER FUNDS TO BE SPENT ON PARADES. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ONE MORE THING TO ADD TO THE AGENDA. I INVITED A SPECIAL GUEST, ROBERT HENDRICKSON, WHO IS A FACILITATOR, FOR YOU ALL TO MEET. I'D LIKE TO PLACE THAT ON THE AGENDA -- APPROXIMATELY 2:15ISH MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? JUST TO PLACE IT ON THE AGENDA. >>MARTIN SHELBY: THAT MIGHT BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE ITEM, IF YOU CAN. IF IT FITS YOUR SUBJECT IN THE COURSE OF BUSINESS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE'LL PLAY THAT IN REAL TIME. A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ACCOMMODATE THAT, IF IT WORKS OUT. ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I JUST WANTED AS MR. SHELBY OFTEN READS THE RULES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, I WANT TO CLARIFY AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'VE DECIDED IS, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THE ETHICS, YOU WILL HAVE A SECOND OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, UNLESS YOU WANT TO TAKE THE REST OF YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT. PERFECTLY CLEAR FOR PEOPLE. THEY CAN SPEAK TWICE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ARE WE READY? ITEM 1, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION -- PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU'RE RIGHT. NEVER MIND. MR. SHELBY. I THOUGHT WE WOULD DO BOARD APPOINTMENT FIRST. >>MARTIN SHELBY: CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY. BRIEFLY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO DISCUSS THE RULES OF DECORUM FOR TODAY'S MEETING, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU SHOULD HAVE FILLED OUT A SPEAKER CARD AND PLACED IT IN THE BOX OUTSIDE THE ROOM. ONE CARD PER SPEAKER. THE CARDS ARE ACCEPTED UNTIL HAD THE START OF PUBLIC COMMENT. EACH PERSON SUBMITTING A CARD WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY NAME. DO APPROACH AND SPEAK, THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT APPLIES. PRINT LEGIBLY. NAMES THAT CANNOT BE READ WILL NOT BE CALLED. HERE TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING LISTED AS A PUBLIC HEARING, THEN USE THE SIGN-IN SHEET INSTEAD. THAT IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA AS A PUBLIC HEARING. THE TIME TO SPEAK AT THAT WILL BE WHEN THE ITEM IS CALLED UP BY THE CHAIR FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. AS COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK MENTIONED, THE ITEM FOR FIRST READING ON THE ETHICS CODE IS GOING TO BE MOVED UP TO AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. PER COUNCIL'S RULES, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT FIRST READING ON PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING TO WORK OUT, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON OTHER ITEMS AND USE YOUR THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ETHICS PUBLIC HEARING, IF THAT'S YOUR CHOICE. WISH TO SPEAK ON ALL ITEMS AT THE SAME TIME, YOU CAN DO THAT DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. IT IS YOUR OPTION AS TO WHEN TO SPEAK TO THE ETHICS CODE. NOW, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ALSO REMINDED TO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING MAKING VULGAR OR THREATENING REMARKS OR MAKING OR CAUSING DISRUPTIVE NOISES OR SOUNDS OR DISPLAYING SIGNS AND GRAPHICS. THE CHAIR WILL RULE OUT OF ORDER ANY PERSON WHO SPEAKS WITHOUT BEING RECOGNIZED OR ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL FROM OUTSIDE THE SPEAKER AREA AT THE PODIUM. PERSONS FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE COUNCIL RULES MAY ALSO BE RULED OUT OF ORDER AND AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBER FOR THE REMAINDER OF TODAY'S MEETING. FINALLY, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ENGAGING A SPEAKER DURING PUBLIC COMMENT AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE THAT CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT TAKE QUESTIONS OR HAVE A DIALOGUE DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS YOUR POSITION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. SHELBY. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. WE ARE GOING TO START THIS MORNING, WE HAVE ONE ONLINE PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. MICHAEL RANDOLPH. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, HI TO EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS MICHAEL RANDOLPH. TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IMPROVING TOOLS TO REDUCE DISPLACEMENT. THIS IS PART OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT THAT I PUT TOGETHER WITH MY FRIEND A.I. IT'S BEEN TITLED CRA -- IN TAMPA. THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT HAS LONG DIRECTED TO UNDERSERVED AREAS. BUT IN TAMPA, AS REINVESTMENT ACCELERATES SOME OF THE HOUSING COSTS. SAFEGUARDS FOR REVITALIZATION, IT BECOMES EXCLUSION. NEARLY 40% OF RESIDENTS ARE RENT BURDEN. HISTORIC BLACK AND LATINO NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE WEST TAMPA, YBOR CITY AND EAST TAMPA ARE BEING TRANSFORMED. THE CRA FROM COMPLIANCE TO EQUITY. COMPLIANCE IS NOT ENOUGH. CRA MUST EVOLVE INTO A -- NOT A REGULATORY CHECKLIST WHICH WE DO NOW, BUT INTO A PROACTIVE TOOL OF SHARED VALUES. TO DO THAT, TAMPA HAS TO ALIGN WITH THE CRA WITH ANTI-DISPLACEMENT. CRA BACKED INVESTMENT SHOULD EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF HOUSING EQUALITY AND CULTURAL CONTINUANCE. INCENTIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. EMBODY COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT. THE CRA PROJECTS SHOULD INCLUDE ENFORCEMENT, COMMITMENT TO LOCAL, TENANT PROTECTION AND CULTURAL REPARATION. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS CAN FUND AND USE COMPLETE INCENTIVE FOR -- THE OPPORTUNITY. THE CRA IS A POWERFUL TOOL. ANTI-DISPLACEMENT GOALS, TAMPA CAN PROTECT THE COMMUNITY AND -- NEXT WEEK I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO USE THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY IMPACT STATEMENT TO SUPPLEMENT AND REDUCE DISPLACEMENT. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. RANDOLPH. IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT. FIRST SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH. [MICROPHONE NOT ON] GOOD MORNING. >> HI. ELIZABETH DINWIDDIE. ALSO KNOWN BY MY MARRIED NAME. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MR. MICHELINI, PLEASE. OKAY. GO AHEAD. >> IF HE DOES THAT AGAIN, WOULD YOU ASK HIM TO LEAVE? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YES. >> THANK YOU. I HEARD HIM AGAIN. AM I STARTING OVER? MY NAME IS ELIZABETH DIN WITTY, ALSO KNOWN AS LIZ. I THINK THIS IS SAD. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE FLOODED IN PALMA CEIA PINES AND PARKLAND ESTATES. THE FACT THAT THE CITY WILL NOT PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF ITS PEOPLE AND YOU'RE MAKING THIS ABOUT MONEY IS REALLY DISTURBING. I'M VERY DISILLUSIONED WITH THE CITY I'M LIVING IN. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A FAMILY CITY. I RAISED MY KIDS HERE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M LIVING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE FACT THAT YOU WILL MAKE THIS ABOUT MONEY IS VERY SAD. IT'S JUST SO SAD. THERE IS MONEY IN OUR BUDGET. IF WE CAN AFFORD THE BEAUTIFICATION OF RIVER WALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH I LOVE. I LOVE THE RIVERWALK, BUT WHAT ARE YOU TELLING PEOPLE WHO VISIT TAMPA. SHOULD YOU PUT A FLYER IN EVERY RENTAL CAR THAT SAYS, COME, ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL RIVERWALK BUT DON'T DRIVE DOWN AZEELE AND SWANN WHEN IT'S RAINING. BECAUSE YOU MAY FLOOD IN YOUR RENTAL CAR. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TELLING OUR TOURISTS? THAT IT'S OKAY TO HAVE STORMWATER, LIKE A LAKE AROUND A RENTAL CAR? WHAT IF IT IS A TESLA? DO YOU CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF YOUR PEOPLE? I DON'T FEEL THAT YOU DO. I FEEL THAT YOU LIKE ESTABLISHING. THAT'S WHAT I THINK. I THINK YOU LAKE ESTABLISHING. THIS IS REAL. MY NEIGHBOR NEXT TO ME WAS PREGNANT WHEN HER HOME FLOODED. I WATCHED HER CRYING IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE. THIS TYPE OF STRESS, YOU RISK A MISCARRIAGE. WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING UP HERE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT PROTECTING YOUR PEOPLE. YOUR CITY ENGINEERS ARE TELLING YOU THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN. YOUR CITY ENGINEERS, BUT YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO BUSINESSES WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT A LOT OF INCOME WHILE THE PROJECT GOES ON. WHY IS ROAD WORK ON HOWARD AVENUE NOT NORMAL? ROAD WORK IS NORMAL. I DRIVE ALL AROUND THIS CITY AND I AM DETOURED ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OF THE CITY'S EXPANSION. IT IS NORMAL, BUT YOU'VE FORGOTTEN WHO OWNS HOWARD AVENUE. WE OWN HOWARD AVENUE. THE CITY OF TAMPA OWNS HOWARD AVENUE. THE CITY OF TAMPA OWNS HOWARD AVENUE. IT IS NOT A PRIVATE STREET. THOSE BUSINESSES DON'T OWN HOWARD. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ASK THEM PERMISSION TO DO AN EMERGENCY PUBLIC SAFETY PROJECT. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. YOU ARE LOSING SIGHT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, ELIZABETH. APPRECIATE IT. PAM CANNELLA FOLLOWED BY TINA ADAMS. >> MY NAME IS PAM CANNELLA. I WANT TO ADDRESS THE LETTER FROM MAYOR JANE CASTOR TO CITY COUNCIL. I WANT TO SET THE STORY STRAIGHT ON STORMWATER. NUMBER ONE, I HAVE BEEN ADDRESSING THE STORMWATER CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE OF SAN RAFFIAM RETENTION POND AND PALMIRA DITCH SINCE 2015. I BELIEVE THAT IS A DECADE. OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE SHARED THE SAME PROBLEM. NEGLECT IS THE CORRECT WORD TO USE. NUMBER TWO, IT HAS NEVER BEEN SAID THAT THE FAULT WAS IN THE IN-HOUSE CREW, BUT WITH MANAGEMENT. WITH NO MANPOWER, BROKEN OR LACK OF EQUIPMENT AND PULLED TO DO OTHER WORK SUCH AS EVENTS, AND EVEN WITH CONSTANT CALLS AND E-MAILS, MANAGEMENT WOULD NOT ALWAYS ADDRESS STORMWATER REQUESTS FOR CLEANING. NUMBER THREE, IT WAS NOT UNTIL CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING THAT THIS STORMWATER PROBLEM WAS ADDRESSED BY ME AND OTHERS SHARING THE SAME PROBLEM. NUMBER FOUR, STORMWATER CLEANING WAS NOT ALL HANDS EFFORT UNTIL AFTER MAY OF THIS YEAR. EVEN AFTER CITY COUNCIL ALLOCATED FUNDS TO HIRE CONTRACTORS TO HELP, WE WERE ALREADY IN THE RAIN AND HURRICANE SEASON. LUCKY WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY, AS TAMPA WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS YEAR. CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE WAS NOT A PRIORITY. IN-HOUSE CREWS WERE WORKING ON SIDEWALK AND ROAD CAVE-INS PER MS. LEE, OUR CITY ENGINEER. NUMBER FIVE, YES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DO FIX SOME PROBLEMS BUT NOT THE HOWARD PROJECT RELIEF, AS IT IS PRESENTED. IT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE FLOOD AREA OF PALMA CEIA PINES AND THE HOSPITAL AREA THAT REQUIRES A PUMP TO PREVENT FLOODING PER VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT BY THE CITY. OUR EXISTING STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM DOES WORK IF IT'S CLEANED. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD DEPENDS ON IT. AND EVEN NEW PROJECTS NEED CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE. NUMBER 6, SOME NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO ADDRESS THE IN-HOUSE CREW IN A NEGATIVE WAY. THEY LOST THEIR HOMES. DEVASTATED BY LAST YEAR'S STORM AND FEARED THIS YEAR'S STORM. THEY WANTED THEIR STORM DRAIN SYSTEM CLEANED, BUT THERE WERE OTHER RESIDENTS THAT WENT OUT AND SUPPORTED THESE CREWS BY GIVING THEM WATER AND FOOD AS THEY WORKED IN THE HOT SUN WITHOUT UMBRELLAS BECAUSE THE CITY DIDN'T PROVIDE IT. NOW FOR THE STORMWATER MAINTENANCE REPORT, IN MY OPINION, IT IS AMBIGUOUS. UNDER POND MAINTENANCE, MOWING IS CONSIDERED MAINTENANCE BY CITY COUNCIL. EXCUSE ME. CITY MANAGEMENT. ONLY SOME CONTRACTORS PICK UP PLASTIC AND DEBRIS SOMETIMES, NOT MONTHLY. GRASS CLIPPINGS AND LEAFS STILL GO INTO OUR STORMWATER BY THE CONTRACTORS. NUMBER TWO, ROAD CAVE-IN REPAIRS ARE NOT ALWAYS REPAIRED. THEY ARE ONLY FILLED TO COME BACK LATER. I'M NOT FINISHED, BUT I'LL LEAVE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: TINA ADAMS FOLLOWED BY -- [INAUDIBLE] >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TINA ADAMS. I'M HERE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR THE SOUTH HOWARD FLOOD PROJECT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY THE MOTIONS THAT WERE CONTINUED TODAY. I THOUGHT THEY WERE ADDITIONS TO THE ORIGINAL PROJECT TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES ON SOUTH HOWARD TO HELP THEM HAVE ACCESS, AND THAT'S -- I WANT TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES. JUST LIKE I WANT THEM TO SUPPORT US, THE HOMEOWNERS THAT WERE DEVASTATED LAST YEAR, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR FUNDING THE DESIGN OF THIS PROJECT AND THANK YOU FOR FUNDING THE MAINTENANCE OF THE STORMWATER SYSTEM. HOWEVER, MAINTAINING AN INADEQUATE, OUTDATED STORMWATER SYSTEM WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH. WE HAVE CAVE-INS ON ALL THE ROADS, AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE A PROPONENT OF PAVING THE ROADS. PUTTING PATCHES ISN'T WORKING. JUST LIKE WAS SAID BEFORE. THE PROBLEM IS UNDER THE STREETS AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO DIG IT UP. IT WILL BE A DISRUPTION. IT WILL BE HARD. BUT BIG PROBLEMS REQUIRE BIG SOLUTIONS, AND THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. 250 TO 300 HOMES IS, I THINK, A LOW ESTIMATE BECAUSE THE CITY, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, CALCULATED THAT BY GOING AROUND AND COUNTING THE DEBRIS PILES OUTSIDE HOUSES. I HAPPEN TO KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T EMOTIONALLY HANDLE IT OR PHYSICALLY OR FINANCIALLY AND WAITED TILL LATER TO DO IT. SO I THINK THAT IS A LOW ESTIMATE. JUST LIKE WAS SAID BEFORE, YOU HAVE A DUTY, A DUTY TO PROTECT AND SERVE YOUR FAMILIES. WITHOUT THE FAMILIES, THE BUSINESSES WON'T SURVIVE. I WANT TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES. I WANT TO SUPPORT THE FAMILIES, TOO THOUGH. AND THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO DO IT TOGETHER. YOU'VE DONE IT IN HYDE PARK. YOU LEARNED FROM PROBLEMS IN SEMINOLE HEIGHTS AND DID IT BETTER THE NEXT TIME. PUT THOSE GOOD WORKS TO USE, THAT GOOD KNOWLEDGE. THE PARKLAND CIVIC CLUB CAME OUT WITH A STATEMENT OF UNEQUIVOCAL SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT IN APRIL OF 2025 THEY SENT YOU A LETTER. PLEASE SUPPORT THIS PROJECT. PLEASE LET IT MOVE FORWARD. DON'T LET IT GET MORE EXPENSIVE. DELAYS COST MONEY. THERE'S NO WAY AROUND THAT. BELIEVE ME, I'M BUYING FURNITURE. I KNOW IT COSTS A LOT MORE MONEY TO DELAY. IT HAS BEEN A LONG, HARD YEAR. PLEASE DON'T -- THIS MUCH NEEDED PROJECT. IT WILL ONLY GET MORE EXPENSIVE. I TALKED TO ONE OF THE ENGINEERS AND HE SAID IT WAS UNCONSCIONABLE NOT TO DO THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: TARAH BLUMA FOLLOWED BY CARROLL ANN BENNETT. >> GOOD MORNING. TARAH BLUMA. THE FIRST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE FERRIS WHEEL. IT COSTS $120 FOR MY FAMILY OF FOUR TO GO TO THE AQUARIUM, ONE TIME, FOR THE DAY. THE FERRIS WHEEL FOR MY FAMILY OF FOUR WILL BE AROUND $130. SO THE ARGUMENT THAT FAMILIES, CITIZENS OF TAMPA WHO, BY THE WAY, ALREADY SUBSIDIZING THE AQUARIUM WITH THEIR TAX DOLLARS HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY TO GO AND SPEND IN ONE DAY OUT ON THE TOWN WITH THEIR FAMILY, AND I HAVE A SMALL FAMILY, IS UNREALISTIC AND UNAFFORDABLE FOR MOST FAMILIES. THEN YOU ARE LEFT TO WONDER WHO ELSE WILL BE GOING ON THE FERRIS WHEEL? WELL, THERE ARE THE TOURISTS AND PEOPLE COMING OFF THE CRUISE SHIPS. THE CRUISE LINES THAT WE HAVE IN TAMPA ARE MORE BUDGET FRIENDLY CRUISE LINES AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE FAMILIES HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 120 TO 200 DOLLARS TO GO AND SPEND ON THE FERRIS WHEEL. EVEN IF EVERYONE LOVES THE FERRIS WHEEL IDEA, WHAT ARE THEY -- IT'S NOT LIKE THEY ARE GOING ON THIS MORE THAN A COUPLE OF TIMES EVER, AND YOU'RE COMMITTING THIS LAND FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS. THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN STAND UP THERE WITH A STRAIGHT FACE AND SAY THAT A FERRIS WHEEL IS THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THAT LAND FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT EVERY SINGLE MOM I HAVE SPOKEN TO WANT THE SPLASH PADS BACK AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO PARK AT THE AQUARIUM. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY GO. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM SAID THIS IS A DUMB IDEA. I DON'T KNOW WHO IS SUPPORTING THIS OR WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU VOTE FOR IT. BUT I HAVEN'T MET ANYBODY THAT ACTUALLY IS GOING TO GO AND SPEND MONEY ON THIS MAYBE MORE THAN ONE TIME. NEXT, ON THE CHANGES WITH GRAND OAKS AND THE TREES JUST BRIEFLY, IT STATES THAT YOU NEED AN ARBORIST REPORT. I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA DOES NOT HAVE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST LICENSE. THE CLOSEST CERTIFICATION GET IS ISA. THE LANGUAGE IN THE ORDINANCE, THOUGH, DOES NOT STATE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST. JUST SAYS ARBORIST. ANYBODY CAN CLAIM TO BE AN ARBORIST IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THANK YOU FOR POSTPONING THE STORMWATER PROJECT. HOW ARE YOU PAYING FOR THIS PROJECT? WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, AND OUR DEBT CAPACITY WITH THE STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT ASSESSMENT IS ALREADY TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY GONE. HOW MANY PEOPLE IS THIS GOING TO HELP? FOR A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, IF WE'RE GOING TO HELP MAYBE 200 PEOPLE, YOU CAN WRITE EACH OF THEM A CHECK FOR HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, BUILD A PARK THERE, AND CALL IT A DAY. THIS IS AN IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF MONEY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. >>MARTIN SHELBY: JUST A REMINDER, COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, NUMBER 61 REGARDING THE TAMPA BAY WHEEL IS SET FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. IT IS A LEGISLATIVE MATTER. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IF THEY SPEAK NOW -- >>MARTIN SHELBY: NORMALLY, IDEALLY, IN AN IDEAL WORLD, THEY WOULD SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING. BECAUSE IT IS A LEGISLATIVE MATTER, I DID NOT INTERRUPT HER. IT IS SET FOR SOME POINT AFTER 10:30, ITEM OF 1 IS SET ON YOUR AGENDA AS A PUBLIC HEARING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THAT DOESN'T PRE-CLUETD THEM TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT IN LIEU OF SPEAKING DURING THE ITEM. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IF IT'S NOT A. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS SET FOR A PUBLIC HEARING. CARROLL ANN BENNETT FOLLOWED BY STEPHEN MICHELINI. >> HI. CARROLL ANN BENNETT. I WENT TO TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS ABOUT THE SOUTH HOWARD PROJECT. ONE AT THE CHURCH AND ONE AT THE GARDEN CLUB. I GOT TO SAY THOSE MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY THE ONE AT THE GARDEN CLUB, THE ONE AT THE GARDEN CLUB WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT. ONE OF THE MOST HORRIBLE MEETINGS I'VE BEEN TO, WHICH IS SAYING A LOT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SAID BY MR. BHIDE AT THE CHURCH WAS THAT WATER DOESN'T LIKE TO TURN. THAT THE BEST ROUTE TO SEND WATER IS IN A STRAIGHT LINE. EVERY TIME YOU MAKE A TURN, YOU REDUCE THE EFFICACY OF THE PLAN. I HAVE ASKED IN WRITING AND IN PERSON, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WHY AREN'T WE GOING STRAIGHT DOWN SWANN TO THE BAY? NO ONE HAS EVER ANSWERED THAT QUESTION. NO ONE HAS EVER SAID THIS IS WHY THAT'S NOT ON THE TABLE. I THINK WE NEED -- WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE A FLOOD RELIEF PROJECT, BUT IT HAS TO WORK. THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IS IT NEEDS TO BE A PLAN THAT WILL WORK. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE PLAN THAT -- THE MULTIPLE PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, THE ONES MOST BEING ENCOURAGED MIGHT NOT WORK. AND IF THEY DON'T, MANY YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN WE FIND OUT THE HARD WAY THAT THEY DIDN'T WORK, THE MONEY IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE. THE WILL IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE TO GO BACK AND SPEND MORE MONEY ON IT. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT PLAN. AS HARD AS I HAVE TRIED, I CANNOT GET ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS. CANNOT GET THE INFORMATION TO FEEL LIKE, YES, THIS IS A GOOD PLAN AND WILL DO THE JOB. DAVIS ISLANDS, FOREST HILLS, WESTSHORE AREA, PORT TAMPA, ALL THOSE PLACES FLOODED HORRIBLY. PEOPLE ON DAVIS ISLAND, I HAVE A FRIEND WHO SAID THE WATER DIDN'T ROLL IN FROM THE BAY, RISE AND THEN ROLL INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FLOOD HOMES. IT CAME UP THROUGH THE STORMWATER DRAINS. HE STOOD AND WATCHED IT COME UP THROUGH THE STORMWATER DRAINS. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE PUT IN THE DRAINS TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING. THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN AREAS LIKE DAVIS ISLANDS AND SOME OF THE AREAS ALONG WESTSHORE. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE FLOODING PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND COME UP WITH PLANS THAT WILL WORK AND WE NEED TO FIND THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THEM. COUNCILMAN VIERA SAID SHORTLY AFTER FOREST HILLS FLOODED, THAT FINDING THE MONEY FOR PUMP STATIONS AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE NEED IS A PRIORITY. HE SAID MAYBE THE TIME HAS COME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHANNELSIDE AND DOWNTOWN CRA SO THAT MORE OF THAT MONEY GOES INTO THE GENERAL FUND SO IT CAN BE USED FOR THESE THINGS. I AGREED WITH COUNCILMAN VIERA 100%. I THINK THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THOSE TWO CRAs TO GET MORE MONEY INTO THE GENERAL FUND, PUT EVERY PENNY OF IT TOWARDS STORMWATER. I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE WE NEED SOMETHING IN THOSE AREAS OF PALMA CEIA PINES AND SOUTH HOWARD. BUT WE NEED SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY DO THE JOB. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: [INAUDIBLE] >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. STEVE MICHELINI. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT SOUTH HOWARD. AND WE SEEM TO BE COMINGLING WATER PROJECTS WITH STORMWATER PROJECTS. IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE ANY SENSE. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THIS. WE'RE IN FAVOR OF A SOLUTION OR MANY SOLUTIONS BUT IT'S REALLY STARTING WITH MAINTENANCE. WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN THIS YEAR THAT WITH MAINTENANCE, WE HAVE MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON DEFERRING AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE STORMWATER ISSUES. WHEN THIS PROJECT STARTED, THIS WAS ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO. THERE WAS A DISCUSSION AT A MEETING WITH US WITH THE SOUTH HOWARD GROUP, AND THAT DISCUSSION WAS, WE'RE GOING TO DO ONE LANE. ONLY DO ONE LANE AND KEEP ONE LANE OPEN AND THEN IT GREW. AND IT KEPT CHANGING. NOW IT IS THE WHOLE STREET. SO SURVIVAL IS NOT EVEN POSSIBLE. TALK ABOUT, WELL, WE'LL DO IT IN SECTIONS. IT'S NOT JUST ONE SECTION. IT'S TWO SECTIONS AHEAD, TWO SECTIONS BEHIND AND THE SECTION THEY ARE WORKING ON. SIMPLY IS NOT TENABLE. WE'RE WORKING AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOLUTIONS, REAL SOLUTIONS, AND NOT ONE THAT COSTS A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND ADDRESSES THREE INCHES OF RAIN. IT SIMPLY IS NOT COST-EFFECTIVE. THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR OWN ANALYSIS THAT YOUR STAFF HAS PUT TOGETHER, THE MONEY IS NOT THERE. SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE DEVASTATION, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SURVIVABILITY OF ONE BUSINESS OR TWO BUSINESSES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A WHOLE STRING OF BUSINESSES FROM SWANN ALL THE WAY TO THE BAYSHORE. IT CAN'T HAPPEN. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF NOT PROTECTING THE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE JMT REPORT SAID BUILD A PUMP STATION AND A RETENTION POND INSIDE PARKLAND ESTATES. THEY SKIPPED RIGHT OVER THAT AND THEY PICKED UP AND SAID, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO DO PUMPS. WHEN PAM CANNELLA WENT OUT AND STARTED LOOKING AND TALKING TO SOME OF THE ENGINEERS, THEY TOLD HER, THIS PUMP DOESN'T WORK. IT HASN'T WORKED. WE'RE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THAT. WE'LL BYPASS IT AND PUT IN A DIFFERENT SYSTEM. IT'S TIME TO STOP BYPASSING THE EXISTING SYSTEMS, FIX THEM AND MAKE THEM WORK. DO THE MAINTENANCE. INTERCONNECT THESE RETENTION PONDS, FIX THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM BEFORE YOU START SPENDING A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ON A PROJECT THAT SIMPLY IS UNTENABLE. START LOOKING AT THE OTHER AREAS, AS CARROLL ANN BENNETT JUST POINTED OUT. NO ONE HAS TALKED ABOUT PALMETTO BEACH WHICH WAS DEVASTATED. WHEN HAVE YOU TALKED ABOUT FOREST HILLS? WHEN HAVE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER AREAS THAT WERE EXPERIENCING DRAMATIC FLOODING THAT IS CONSTANT? IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST ONE TIME. THE FLOODING THAT RESULTED HERE WAS NOT FROM STORM SURGE, EXCEPT FOR DAVIS ISLAND AND THE BAYSHORE. IT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF RAINWATER. YOU DO NOT HAVE A SYSTEM THAT HAS THE CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH THAT. FIX THE SYSTEM. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. MICHELINI. STEPHANIE POYNOR FOLLOWED BY ALISON HEWITT. >> GOOD MORNING. MY APOLOGIES. I WAS IN THE BATHROOM. NUMBER 9, TREE FARM. I WANT TO GET IN ON SOME OF THE NELSON TREE FARM MONEY. THEY GET MONEY ALL THE TIME FROM US. THE CONTRACT SAYS WE WILL DELIVER -- THEY WILL DELIVER AND INSTALL FOR THE PRICE THAT'S IN THE CONTRACT. BUT THEN ON PAGE 48 OR 49, I COULDN'T GET IN MY COMPUTER, IT SAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PAY AN HOURLY RATE TO DELIVER AND INSTALL IT. WHICH IS IT? IS IT FREE INSTALL OR NOT? NUMBER 21, HANNA STREET. 161,000 SQUARE FEET WITH FIVE-STORY GARAGE. I'VE NEVER, EVER BEEN THERE, THE FIRST FLOOR WASN'T FULL. IT WAS ACTUALLY FULL, FIVE-STORY GARAGE, AND THE 161,000 SQUARE FEET, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF IT IS BEING UTILIZED. NUMBER 31, SMALL PIECE OF LAND. THE LAST TIME I CHECKED THAT IS NOT A TECHNICAL TERM. WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR THAT SMALL PIECE OF LAND. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GOES BACK INTO THAT COMMUNITY WHERE THEY SAY THAT THE MONEY IS GOING TO GO. I'M STILL LOOKING FOR MY $2 MILLION FOR THE GANDY BRIDGE PARK. NUMBER 32, I'LL SKIP THAT FOR NOW. NUMBER 72, THE MEMO JUST STRAIGHT UP MAKES THE MAYOR LOOK LIKE SHE LIED TO ME. BECAUSE ON THE DAY SHE PRESENTED THE BUDGET, SHE TOLD ME THEY WEREN'T GOING TO USE STORMWATER FOLKS FOR THE PARADES ANYMORE. THAT'S BETWEEN ME AND HER. WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AGAIN LATER. THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD ME THAT DAY. I MEMORIALIZED IT WITH MY PUBLIC COMMENT THAT DAY. IT'S REALLY SAD THAT SOMEBODY IS MAKING IT LOOK LIKE SHE LIED TO ME. NUMBER 74, THE RECOVERY FUND. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT GIFTS WERE GIVEN BY ZIP CODE, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEY THAT WAS REDISTRIBUTED BY ZIP CODE IS APPROPRIATE FOR WHERE THE DAMAGE WAS DONE BY ZIP CODE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT MS. McLANE EVANS, SHE SAID THE STORMWATER C.I.P. FUNDS HAVE TO BE PROVEN TO BENEFIT THE MOST PEOPLE. THE MOST PEOPLE. I'M REALLY NOT SEEING THAT. I'M SEEING A FEW PEOPLE COMING UP HERE WHO WERE DEVASTATED. YES, THEY WERE DEVASTATED. IS IT MY FAULT AS A CITIZEN, AM I EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THEM NOT BUYING FLOOD INSURANCE? I LIVE ON A PENINSULA. I LIVE ON A DEAD END. I LIVE IN A FLOOD ZONE, BUT I HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE. WHY? BECAUSE WHO DOESN'T? THE CITY CANNOT PAY FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S ROLLING THE DICE AND THEY LOST. I'M SORRY. IT'S JUST NOT FAIR. CARROLL ANN BENNETT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THAT MEETING AT THE GARDEN CLUB FOR THE HOWARD AVENUE PROJECT WAS THE BIGGEST JOKE I'VE BEEN TO. NEVER SEEN SUCH CHAOS IN MY LIFE. THE ONE AT THE CHURCH FARED BETTER, BUT HONESTLY, THOSE PEOPLE GOT UP THERE AND SAID WE DON'T KNOW THAT THIS WILL CURE THE PROBLEM. WE DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO CURE THE PROBLEM. WAIT A MINUTE, WHY ARE WE SPENDING -- THROWING 60, 70, 80, I DON'T EVEN KNOW, WHY ARE WE SPENDING ALL THAT MONEY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ALISON HEWITT FOLLOWED BY ROBIN LOCKETT. >> GOOD MORNING. ALISON HEWITT. START AT 32, BUT THAT'S NOW JUST AT THE WORKSHOP. SO I WILL GO DOWN TO 69. WE HAVE A FORMAL CREATION OF OFFICE OF RETURNING CITIZENS. TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE ACTIVE IN THIS REALM AND ALSO THE DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE RECONCILIATION COMMISSION. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE IS THE REPORT ON THAT? IT WASN'T ONLINE. UPDATE. WHO ARE THEY SPEAKING TO? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ACTIVE WHO HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO COUNCILMEN, BUT THEY HAVE NOT REALLY BEEN REACHED OUT BY STAFF. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY DO MOVE FORWARD, THEY COORDINATE WITH NUMBER 44, THE OFFICE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ENTREPRENEURIAL COLLABORATIVE, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS IN THE REPORT YOU'RE WORKING ON JOB TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CONSIDER AS FAR AS THIS PROGRAM THAT YOU ARE CREATING. ALSO SAY THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT ON A WORKSHOP. THERE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE ASKED ME, YOU GO UP AND YOU SPEAK TO CITY COUNCIL AND WHO YOU ARE WORKING FOR. WE DON'T HAVE YOU REGISTERED AS A LOBBYIST. I COME HERE BECAUSE I AM ACTIVE IN MY COMMUNITY. I CARE ABOUT MY COMMUNITY. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO COME AND TALK. I KNOW SPECIFICS. I KNOW HOW TO RESEARCH DETAILS BUT I DON'T DO THAT FOR A FEE. TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TO HAVE ME REGISTER IS QUITE OFFENSIVE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY TAKE THE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY, OUT OF THEIR WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PROTECTING AND REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THAT FOR ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ALSO, GOOD JOB ON CRA EXPLANATION ONLINE. REALLY, REALLY WELL WRITTEN. ROBIN LOCKETT FOLLOWED BY CONNIE BURTON. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. ROBIN LOCKETT. JUST A BRIEF STATEMENT. OF COURSE, REGARDING THE YELLOW JACKETS. I WOULD LIKE FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER MAKING A MOTION TO HAVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT BROUGHT FORWARD TO REALLOCATE CAPITAL BUDGET DOLLARS INTO FISCAL YEAR 26 TO SUPPORT THE DESIGN PORTION OF THE YELLOW JACKETS FIELD ENHANCEMENT PROJECT. WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER THAT MONEY IS DESIGNATED AND THE PROJECT IS ABLE -- WHETHER YOU GUYS ARE HERE OR NOT. I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MONEY IS THERE TO CONTINUE, HOPEFULLY FOR THOSE OF YOU RUNNING FOR REELECTION, GET ELECTED. CONTINUES AFTER YOU. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, ROBIN. CONNIE BURTON, FOLLOWED BY MENTESNOT. >> GOOD MORNING. CONNIE BURTON. ENSLAVEMENT OF AFRICAN PEOPLE OCCURRED AROUND 1619, 305 YEARS LATER, BORN THIS GREAT AUTHOR IN 1924, HE DIED IN 1987. TO THIS DATE, 38 YEARS LATER, WHAT JAMES BALDWIN SAID, AND I QUOTE, TO BE A NEGRO IN THIS COUNTRY AND BE RELATIVELY CONSCIOUS IS TO BE ENRAGED ALMOST ALL THE TIME. IT IS SO TRUE. BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS AGENDA THIS MORNING, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO PEOPLE THAT WERE FORCED INTO LABOR TO BUILD SUCH, EVEN THIS CITY AND WE END UP WITH RELATIVELY NOTHING. ITEM NUMBER 1, IF YOU APPROVE THIS PERSON TO THE BOARD, WHAT HAS BEEN THEIR WORK AS IT RELATES TO HOUSING, AROUND FAIR HOUSING AND ENSURING THAT PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES OR ONCE LIVED IN THOSE COMMUNITIES IS REACHING THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT? ITEM NUMBER 32, YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT THE QUICKNESS AND THE WAY THIS IS MOVING ALONG. BUT WE SEE ITEM NUMBER 10 THROUGH 13 WHERE THE CITY IS OWNING PROPERTY INSIDE THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY AND HOLD ON TO IT, ONLY TO BE RETURNED BACK TO DEVELOPERS, NONPROFITS AND THEN FOLKS IN THAT COMMUNITY STILL CANNOT BUY HOUSES. PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES NOW, THE CHEAPEST HOUSE YOU CAN BUY ALMOST IN EAST TAMPA IS A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS. ITEM NUMBER 69, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AN OFFICE OF RETURNING CITIZENS, WE DON'T NEED AN OFFICE. WE NEED ACTION. WE'VE BEEN NEEDING ACTION. FOR EVERY PROJECT THE CITY HAS WORKED ON, WHETHER IT HAS BEEN STORMWATER DRAINAGE PARKING WHATEVER, THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH RETURNING CITIZENS COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT ON BOARD WITHOUT THE -- HAVING AN OFFICE TO SAY WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK. AS YOU HEARD IN A RUSH TO SHUT DOWN THE RACIAL RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE, IT IS SO HYPOCRITICAL FOR THOSE NOW WATCHING THIS NATION ALMOST DRIVE OVER THE CLIFF, WHERE YOU ARE FIGHTING TO HOLD ON TO YOUR DEMOCRACY, THOSE OF US THAT WERE BORN IN PART OF THE ANCESTRY OF 1619, WE ARE WATCHING TO SEE WHAT YOU WILL DO TO SAVE IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, CONNIE. MENTESNOT FOLLOWED BY PASTOR WILLIAMS. >> MENTESNOT. UHURU. TAMPA FLORIDA. WANT TO SAY, IF YOU LIVE ON BAYSHORE BOULEVARD, 20 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR YOU HAVE TO ASK THE POLICE TO COME TO YOUR HOME BECAUSE IT IS FLOODING. IF YOU LIVE IN SOUTH TAMPA, ABOUT 30 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR YOU HAVE TO BE DETOURED IN ORDER TO GET TO YOUR HOME. AND WHEN IT STARTS RAINING, YOU HAVE TO START PRAYING. WHEN IT STARTS RAINING, YOU HAVE TO START PRAYING. BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TODAY ON THE INVOCATION. AND THE INVOCATION THAT WAS GIVEN TODAY WAS THE MOST ELOQUENT INVOCATION I'VE EVER HEARD IN THE HISTORY OF MY LIFE. [ APPLAUSE ] [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] AND WHO WAS THE INVOCATION TALKING ABOUT? THEY SAY WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT IDENTIFY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PERSONALLY OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE, BUT THE INVOCATION WAS ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE RIGHT HERE. THEY WASN'T TALKING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP. THE INVOCATION WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO HAD ME ARRESTED FOR WEARING A T-SHIRT. THE PERSON WHO HAD ME ARRESTED FOR WEARING A T-SHIRT. THAT'S WHO THE INVOCATION WAS TALKING ABOUT. 7 MILLION PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT THIS SATURDAY, LAST SATURDAY ON NO KINGS DAY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE KING THAT SITS RIGHT HERE IN TAMPA CITY COUNCIL. BECAUSE IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, SINCE 1779, NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN ARRESTED FOR WEARING A T-SHIRT ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. NO ONE. IT WAS A FIRST. SO WHAT I LIKE TO SAY WITH THAT IS, THAT'S CALLED A N-ER CHARGE, THAT'S WHAT IT IS. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MR. DANIELS, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER. >> THANK YOU. AND FOR THAT REASON, THERE ARE OTHER CHARGES VERY SIMILAR TO THAT. TRESPASS. TRESPASS AFTER WARNING, RESISTING ARREST. RESISTING ARREST WITH VIOLENCE. LOITERING. POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO SALE. POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE. VIOLATION OF PROBATION. DRIVING WHILE BLACK. WALKING WHILE BLACK. SHOPPING WHILE BLACK. RIDING A BICYCLE WHILE BLACK. WINDOWS TINTED TOO DARK. I SMELL SMOKE. WHY ARE YOU ACTING SUSPICIOUS? YOU FIT THE DESCRIPTION IN A HIGH DRUG AREA, HIGH CRIME AREA. THEY ARE ALL IN CHARGES. NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. LET ME TELL YOU HOW THE CHARGES MANIFEST THEMSELVES. AUBREY PIERCE AND ELVIS PICKERT. WE KNOW HIM AS PUFF IN THE HOOD. TWO AFRICANS ARRESTED. KEITH O'CONNOR, JOHN BENNETT, AND ALL THE PEOPLE AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THEY AIN'T SEEN ORIENT ROAD JAIL. THEY AIN'T SEEN IT. THEY ARE ALL WHITE. BUT THE TWO BLACK PEOPLE HAD TO SEE ORIENT ROAD JAIL. THEY ARE END CHARGES. THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, SOME OF THEM SITTING RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. DANIELS. GOOD MORNING, PASTOR WILLIAMS. FOLLOWED BY ASHLEY MORROW. >> MY NAME IS PASTOR WILLIAMS. I DON'T GET MUCH RECOGNITION, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL, ESPECIALLY, I CAN'T CALL NO NAME. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU. GIVE ME THE CROSS AND EVERYTHING. I WANT TO GIVE ONE OF YOUR FLYERS TO THE CITY STAFF. THEY SAY LEGAL. I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT I DON'T GET NO WATER. NONE OF YOU ALL COME OUT TO CHECK AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. NOW THEY HAVE A WOMAN THERE BY THE NAME OF B. B CAME OUT THERE AND WALKED THROUGH MY HOME. TOOK ALL THE STUFF OUT OF MY YARD. THE WATER IS ON BUT AIN'T NO WATER COMING THROUGH. I WOULD LIKE FOR ALL OF YOU ALL TO COME OVER TO 3006 EAST SHADOW LAWN. I WANT YOU SEE THE METER FOR YOURSELF. THE METER IS SPINNING LIKE HELL BUT NO WATER COMING THROUGH. LADY THAT USED TO WORK FOR YOU ALL. SHE NEED TO COME OVER THERE, SEND SOMEBODY OVER THERE, CHECK MY WATER OUT. PLEASE. TAKE THIS ADDRESS DOWN, 3006 EAST SHADOW LAWN. I SHOW YOU ALL FOR YOURSELF. EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON. I CRAWL UP UNDER THE HOUSE TRYING TO FIND A WATER LEAK. CAN'T FIND NONE. YET THEY ARE CUTTING MY WATER OFF. ONLY WAY TO CUT IT BACK ON, I HAVE TO PAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY. THEY WANT ME TO PAY SO MUCH MONEY, I MIGHT AS WELL MOVE OUT OF MY HOUSE AND GO STAY IN A MOTEL SOMEWHERE. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, WE ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES ARE NOT TREATED FAIRLY. I WOULD COME IN WHEN FRANK REDDICK WAS HERE. MR. WILLIAMS, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WANT BUT YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES TO TALK ABOUT IT. I TOOK MY TIME AND TALKED THREE MINUTES. MY TIME IS UP QUICK. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, PASTOR. >> WHERE IS THE LAWYER AT? I WANT TO GIVE HIM A FLYER. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SHE'S GOT IT. GOOD MORNING, ASHLEY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS EVERY WEEK. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ASHLEY MORROW. I WILL BE SHARING TAMPA'S BLACK HISTORY. ALL REAL ESTATE LOCATED WITHIN THE COUNTY AS LATE AS 1861 AMOUNTED IN ASSESSED VALUE TO $108,402. SLAVE VALUE ALMOST DOUBLED THAT FIGURE AT 235,000. GIVEN THAT ABOUT A QUARTER OF ALL WEALTH WITHIN THE COUNTY THUS CONSISTS OF SLAVES, MANY LOCAL RESIDENTS WOULD FEEL AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN FOR NATIONAL POLITICS BEGAN TO THREATEN THEIR FINANCIAL BEING. SO I STARTED TO NOTICE IN THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES IN THE FLORIDA PENINSULA, A TAMPA NEWSPAPER, HOW THEY KEPT MENTIONING SLAVER BOATS AND THINGS GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CUBA AND AFRICA. I LEARNED THE WORD, AFRICANS THAT CAME STRAIGHT FROM AFRICA TO THE U.S. OR TO CUBA. SO THEY MENTIONED IT A FEW TIMES. I WAS VERY CURIOUS AS TO HOW TAMPA IS CONNECTED TO THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE. HERE ARE SOME ARTICLES. THIS ONE TALKS ABOUT HOW IT'S CONTINUING IN NEW ORLEANS, EVEN AFTER IT HAD BEEN OUTLAWED IN THE U.S. IN 1808. TAMPA FOUNDED IN 1849, SO IT MISSED OUT ON THE EARLY STAGES OF THAT. FOUNDED FOUR YEARS LATER. CUBA CONTINUES UNTIL THE 1880s. WE DO SEE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TAMPA AND CUBA. SEE A LOT OF IT, ABSOLUTELY. SLAVE TRADE SHOWING IN EUROPE THEY WOULD GET GOODS. AFRICA, PICK UP AFRICANS AND COME OVER TO CUBA AND GET SOME SUGAR AND TOBACCO AND TAKE IT BACK TO EUROPE BECAUSE SUGAR WAS REALLY VALUABLE. THERE WAS ALSO A HUGE CATTLE INDUSTRY IN CUBA AND IN TAMPA AND IN FLORIDA. NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CATTLE INDUSTRY, WE TALK ABOUT HOW IT RELATES TO THE CIVIL WAR. THE REASON ALREADY A CATTLE INDUSTRY IN PLACE, THEY WERE TRADING WITH CUBA. WILLIAM B. HOOKER, HE HAD A SPACE THAT HE WOULD TAKE HIS CATTLE. CATTLE KING. ALSO HOOKER LAKE OR HOOKER POND THAT'S STILL HERE IN TAMPA THAT'S NAMED AFTER HIM. THIS IS AN ARTICLE ADVERTISING JAMES GOING TO PUNTA RASA, A BIG PORT TO TAKE CATTLE TO CUBA. THE SUGARCANE PLANTATIONS WERE A LOT IN CUBA. JAMES McKAY, 34th MAYOR OF TAMPA. HE CLAIMS THAT HIS FATHER IN 1858 DECIDED TO CUT THE MIDDLE MAN AND GO DIRECTLY TO CUBA TO DO TRADE AS FAR AS WITH CATTLE. NOW, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE HOW JAMES McKAY HAD ONE ENSLAVED PERSON. BY 1857 HE HAD SEVEN. THERE'S NO DOCUMENTATION AS TO WHERE HE BOUGHT THE SLAVES FROM OR WHERE HE ENSLAVED THE BLACK PEOPLE FROM. HOWEVER, COMMA, THERE WERE A LOT OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN CUBA. THEREFORE, I BELIEVE, THERE WAS SOME SLAVE TRADE BETWEEN TAMPA AND CUBA. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY. SURGRET DOSS. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: YES. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY ONE OF OUR AIDES THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO CAME IN AFTERWARDS WHO DO WANT TO SPEAK ON SOUTH HOWARD. I FEEL THIS IS SUCH AN EMOTIONALLY CHARGED ISSUE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ALLOW PEOPLE WHO CAME IN LATE TO SPEAK. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO REGISTER TO SPEAK FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. ONLY THING I'D ASK FOR, I WON'T ASK YOU TO FILL OUT A CARD NOW, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, IF YOU CAN FILL OUT A CARD SO WE HAVE THAT FOR PUBLIC RECORD. >>LYNN HURTAK: IF MAYBE ONE OF OUR AIDES COULD COME OUT AND PASS OUT THE CARDS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SURGRET, GO AHEAD. >> LISTEN, I'M SURGRET DOSS. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE OF TAMPA. VETERANS AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO LISTEN. I HEARD YOU ALL MENTION IT EARLIER TODAY, BUT REGARDING INTEGRITY AND ETHICS, KIND OF CHUCKLED TO HEAR IT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CITY. REMINDED ME LAST WEEK THAT WHEN YOU REFUSE TO CALL OUT B.S., YOU ARE COMPLICIT IN YOUR SILENCE AND I CAN'T DO THAT. ESPECIALLY THE MISCONDUCT I SEE GOING ON IN TAMPA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, STATE OF FLORIDA AND SEE IT IN THE LETTERS I JUST WROTE, AND THE LETTERS I WROTE AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE JUDGES. A FEW WEEKS BACK I GAVE YOU ALL SOME INFORMATION ALSO ABOUT ABUSE OF POWER BY JUDGES AND LOCAL PEOPLE, ATTORNEYS -- LOPEZ AND GASLER, A COUPLE OF OTHER LAW FIRMS. THESE FIRMS, ALONG WITH STATE FARM INSURANCE COMPANY, UNDERMINE VETERAN HEALTH CARE JAMES A. HALEY HOSPITAL HERE IN TAMPA. SOME LOCAL JUDGES ACT LIKE BLACK FOLKS -- I GOT TO DENOUNCE STEVEN SMITH FOR BRINGING ENERGY TO JASMINE CROCKETT, LIKE A HAPPILY BROKEN BUCK, BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME ENERGY FROM THE WHITE BOYS IN THE GOP CHAT. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. AT ANY RATE, THIS COUNCIL HAS BECOME A HARBINGER OF PUBLIC FIDUCIARY MISCONDUCT. YOU KIND OF INVITE UNETHICAL AND EVEN SOMETIMES CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR BECAUSE YOU CHOOSE COMFORT OVER COURAGE. I'VE GOT TO ASK THE QUESTION, I SAW A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THIS AGENDA, WHAT PRICE, IF ANY, DO YOU ALL TAKE FOR TURNING A BLIND EYE WHEN YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE BEING VIOLATED? AS A VETERAN, I RESPECT AUTHORITY AND PEOPLE KNOW I TOOK AN OATH FOR LIFE. BUT I DO KNOW THAT MY JUDICIAL COMPLICATIONS AREN'T BECAUSE I LACK ANY SUFFICIENT LEGAL ACTION. EVERYBODY IN HERE KNOWS I REALLY AM LIKE THAT. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN POWER HATE THAT I PERSONIFY WHAT MEDIOCRITY, UNAPOLOGETIC, I HAVE CONFIDENCE AND ALL INFUSED IN MELANIN. I WON'T BE SUBJEW DATED BY STRATEGICALLY PLACED BIGOTS IN POWER. AIN'T NO CURVE IN MY VERTEBRAE. SHOUT OUT TO MY MAN, MY SON. I'M THE PROBLEM YOU ALL WEREN'T READY FOR. SPOOK THAT SAT BY THE DOOR BECAUSE MY EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCES IN LIFE. I HAVE ARDENT RESOLVE. WE KNOW MY APPEAL AGAINST THE CITY. I'M THAT ONE IN 10,000 THAT WON'T BEND OR BREAK BECAUSE OF A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE FROM OUTSIDE. SOME INTERESTING THINGS HAVE HAPPENED ALSO LATELY. REGARDING SOME GUYS THAT HAVE ISSUE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, BRING THIS TO MY ATTENTION. YOU ALL HAVE INVESTIGATORY POWER. THREE ATTORNEYS FACING ME RIGHT NOW, AND YOU HAVE OBLIGATIONS ONCE SOMETHING IS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION. OVER THERE IN THE 13th PARTICULARLY, WE HAVE BLATANT ABUSES OF PROCEDURAL PROCESS WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE AND CHILD SUPPORT. MY ISSUES ARE PRETTY MUCH BEHIND ME. THERE ARE MANY GENTLEMEN THAT COME TO ME DAILY, WHY WON'T ANYBODY DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE VIOLATIONS THAT ARE BEING CONDUCTED BY JUDGES AND HEARING OFFICERS OVER HERE AT THE 13th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT AND WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. I WOULD HIGHLY HOPE USING YOUR INVESTIGATORY POWERS AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK IT IS IN YOUR JURISDICTION WITHIN THE CITY OF TAMPA, SOME OF THE ATTORNEYS DO HAVE THE OBLIGATION THAT ONCE YOU ARE AWARE THAT A COLLEAGUE OR ANYBODY IN A POSITION OF ANY BAR MEMBER VIOLATES THEIR OATH THAT YOU ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE IT INVESTIGATED. THAT BEING SAID, SHOUT-OUT TO THE GREATEST INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, THE UNIVERSITY OF THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. VICK DEMAIO, BRING IT HOME. STATE YOUR NAME. >> VICTOR DEMAIO, AKA, AL PACINO. OCCASIONALLY KNOWN AS. 1205 NORTH FRANKLIN STREET. BERN'S STEAK HOUSE, EPICUREAN HOTEL. ONE THING IS, I WANTED TO MAKE A POINT OF IS IF SOMEBODY GIVES YOU AN OPINION, THREE MONTHS TO LIVE, FIRST THING YOU DO IS I WANT A SECOND OPINION. WHEN THIS THING STARTED A YEAR AGO, BROUGHT A GENTLEMAN, DAVID DeLOACH, STORMWATER ENGINEER, 30 PAGE RESUMÉ. YOU DO HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO PUTTING A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PIPE FROM SWANN TO BAYSHORE. WHICH I'VE SPOKEN TO A COUPLE OF GENTLEMEN HERE AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IF THAT WATER GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO BAYSHORE AND IT'S A HIGH TIDE AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HURRICANE, THERE'S NOWHERE FOR THAT WATER TO GO. IT WILL GO BACK UP ON HOWARD AND YOU JUST SPENT HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ON ONE PROJECT WHEN THE ENTIRE CITY, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO PARKLAND ESTATES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN BOWMAN HEIGHTS WHERE I LIVE. EAST TAMPA, NORTH TAMPA. I LEARNED OVER THE LAST 48 HOURS THAT YOU ARE TAPPED OUT ON MONEY. MANHATTAN IS A FLOOD ZONE IF YOU WANT TO DRIVE DOWN THERE ANYTIME OF DAY WHEN IT RAINS. MY POINT IS, I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ZOOM IN ON THIS OR NOT. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WORKS, EXACTLY. I CAN PUT IT IN CLOSER. THERE ARE FOUR ALTERNATIVES HERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: TURN YOUR PHONE BACK ON. >> ALL RIGHT. BY THE SOUTH TAMPA HOSPITAL, YOU SEE THESE TWO PINK AREAS, THOSE ARE FOUR CITY SQUARE BLOCKS OF EXISTING STORMWATER RETENTION PONDS. AS YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN DOWN INTO THE HYDE PARK AREA, HUGE RETENTION POND RIGHT HERE THAT'S OWNED BY THE CROSSTOWN. THERE IS A HUGE CITY-OWNED, THIS HUGE AREA, A BALLPARK RIGHT NOW NEXT TO THE OLD WINN DIXIE STORE, THINK IT IS AN ALDI NOW. STORM ENGINEER SAID EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE AREAS, NEW VAULT, EVERY BUILDING BUILT IN TAMPA HAS TO RETAIN ITS OWN WATER, SO THEY PUT A VAULT TO RETAIN THE WATER. YOU CAN TRIPLE THE SIZE OF ALL THOSE AREAS WITHOUT SPENDING A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, YOU CAN GET IT DONE FASTER, QUICKER, EASIER, WITH A WHOLE LOT LESS MONEY AND RETAIN THE WATER WITHOUT BUILDING THAT PIPE FROM SWANN TO BAYSHORE. I TALKED TO THREE MAYORS THAT HAD THE SAME OPTION TO DO THIS PIPE. THEY ALL SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISRUPT THE BUSINESSES ON BAYSHORE. BERN'S STEAK HOUSE, WE HAVE 400 EMPLOYEES. EPICUREAN, 300 EMPLOYEES. WE HAD TO DIG TO DO THE ELEVATORS, WE HAD TO PUMP WATER FOR FOUR MONTHS. IF THEY TELL YOU SOMETHING -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. DiMAIO. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ARE MOVING ON TO BOARD ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. ITEM NUMBER 1 -- >>LYNN HURTAK: IT SAID AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YOU ARE CORRECT. IS SUL HEMANI IN THE AUDIENCE. WAIVE THE RULES SINCE HE IS HERE. UNANIMOUS CONSENT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET THE BOARD APPOINTMENT SO -- SUL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 1, SUL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL OR JUST HERE FOR THE VOTE? VERY GOOD. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HAVE MR. SHELBY COME BACK WITH THE RESOLUTION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IT IS THE RESOLUTION. ALREADY DONE. WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER 1 FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. CONGRATULATIONS SUL. THANK YOU. NOW WE ARE MOVING ON TO ITEM 64. HERE WE GO. TAG, YOU'RE IT. >> MEGAN REYNOLDS COUTURE FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE A FEW SECTIONS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT I SUGGEST WE ADDRESS TODAY BECAUSE THEY COMPLY WITH OR ARE CONSISTENT WITH FLORIDA STATE STATUTE AND THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION. FIRST, SECTIONS 2-502 AND 2-581 DEALS WITH POST-EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS. THEY SHOULD BE REVISED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION. SECOND, SECTION 2-658, 2-626 AND 2-662 MUST BE REVISED TO BE COMPLIANT WITH SECTION 112.326 OF THE STATE STATUTE. THESE DEAL WITH THE PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE STANDARD AND COMPLAINTS. THE CITY CAN'T INITIATE AN ETHICS COMPLAINT, AND THE ATTORNEYS' FEES AND COSTS FROM MALICIOUS COMPLAINER, THE PROCESS FOR THOSE TO BE RECOVERED. NEXT, 2--- ETHICS TRAINING REQUIREMENTS AND REVISED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH SECTION 112.3142 FLORIDA STATUTES. FEAFNL, SECTION 2-502 AND 2-626 MUST BE REVISED TO FIX WRONG REFERENCES TO STATE STATUTES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: AS I MENTIONED IN COMMENTS EARLIER, THE BIGGEST THING WAS THAT PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE NOT BEING COMPENSATED TO HAVE TO REGISTER AS LOBBYISTS IN ORDER TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, THERE ARE OTHERS THAT NEED TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW, BUT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT ON FROM HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. IT'S NOT -- AM I WRONG TO ASK THAT -- TO HAVE YOU PEOPLE REGISTER AS LOBBYIST, IS THAT A REQUIREMENT BY STATE LAW? >> NO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED BEFORE ANYTHING MOVES FORWARD. AGAIN, PEOPLE WANT TO TALK TO US, PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, REGULAR PEOPLE, WHATEVER, THE GROCERY STORE, THE CHURCH, THE GAS STATION, THE COFFEE SHOP, SHOULD NOT HAVE TO REGISTER. AGAIN, THOSE ARE THE E-MAILS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN BOMBARDED WITH. IT'S A COMMONSENSE ISSUE. IF PEOPLE WANT TO TALK TO US, THEY TALK TO US. NEIGHBORHOOD INDIVIDUALS, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENTS, WHATEVER IT IS. THAT WAS MY ONE CONCERN. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, DO YOU HAVE A LIST, BY CHANCE, OF THE STATUTES THAT YOU QUOTED, THAT YOU PUT ON THE ELMO? >> YES. I'VE GOT IT DOWN AT THE VERY BOTTOM. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND REFERENCE IT. COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: AS THE CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDED EARLIER, I THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE A DE NOVO HEARING FIRST AND SECOND READING ON THE STATE REQUIRED CHANGES, BUT INSTEAD OF CITY COUNCIL INITIATING IT, I THINK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OUGHT TO DO THAT. THEN I WOULD GIVE THE PUBLIC A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON THOSE. THERE IS THE BIGGER QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE DUPLICATED EFFORTS ANYWAY BECAUSE THIS ALL IS COVERED UNDER THE STATE LAW. AND THEN -- I CAN MAKE A MOTION NOW OR LATER. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT AFTER WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT, WE END THIS AND WE LET THE CITY ATTORNEY COME BACK TO US WITH A NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE STATE REQUIRED CHANGES. THAT WAY THE PUBLIC CAN SPECIFICALLY WEIGH IN ON THAT. SO MUCH ATTENTION ABOUT THESE OTHER THINGS THAT THE PUBLIC MAY NOT HAVE FULLY LOOKED AT THIS. AT THE SAME TIME, CHAIR CLENDENIN MAKE A SIMULTANEOUS MOTION TO END THE DUPLICATION OF EFFORT ANYWAY. AND THEN I THINK WE NEED TO SEPARATELY SET UP A DISCUSSION AT THE WORKSHOP IN FEBRUARY TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER THIS COMMITTEE AND THIS PROCESS IS EFFECTIVE AT ALL. I'VE HEARD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT. INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH ADJUDICATING ALL THE COMPLAINTS RIGHT NOW, I THINK SHOULD PUT THOSE IN A PUBLIC HEARING IN THE FUTURE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION, IF WE ARE JUST -- IF WE DECIDE TO GO AHEAD WITH CHAIR CLENDENIN'S RECOMMENDATION OF JUST ALLOWING THE STATE TO COVER IT, WHAT ARE THE DOWN SIDES FOR THE CITY? >> THERE ARE OTHER REASONS IN HERE BESIDES THE DEFINITION OF LOBBYIST. ALSO LOTS OF COMPLIANCE WITH CURRENT PRACTICES. >>LYNN HURTAK: AGAIN, MY QUESTION IS, IF WE LET STATE LAW SUPERSEDE, WHAT IS THE HARM? >> THERE IS NO HARM. >>LYNN HURTAK: THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO ANSWER. >> MAY I CLARIFY ONE THING? >>ANDREA ZELMAN: THERE'S ONE THING IN OUR ETHICS CODE THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE IF WE DID AWAY WITH THE ETHICS CODE IN ENTIRETY. MAY BE OTHERS BUT ONE THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS WE DID CREATE THAT WHOLE PROCESS REQUIRING ALL VISITORS THAT MEET WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, DEPARTMENT HEADS, THE MAYOR, TO FILL OUT MEETING LOGS AND STATE WHO THEY ARE MEETING WITH AND THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING AND IF THEY ARE REPRESENTING A UNION. WE'VE HAD THAT FOR YEARS. WE'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THE FULL ETHICS CODE WAS ADOPTED. BUT IT'S IN THE ETHICS CODE NOW. SO IF YOU WIPED OUT THE ETHICS CODE ENTIRELY, THAT WOULD GO AWAY. THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER THINGS IN THE ETHICS CODE THAT WE MAY WANT TO SAVE THAT AREN'T ADDRESSED BY STATE STATUTE. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR. I THINK MEGAN THOUGHT YOU WERE ASKING HER ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF THE ETHICS CODE THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT. AGAIN, WE COULD DO THAT BEFORE, EITHER DISCUSS IT DURING THAT FEBRUARY WORKSHOP AND BE PREPARED BY THEN TO SAY WHAT WE CAN RELY ON THE STATE FOR, WHAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO SOMETHING SEPARATE FOR. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANK YOU. THIS IS THE WHOLE REASON I WANTED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION. BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO YOUR MOTION TO SAY, DURING THE WORKSHOP, YOU WANT STAFF TO BRING BACK JUST WHAT THE STATE IS, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, AGAIN, FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHAT OTHER TYPES OF CHANGES WE WOULD NEED IF WE WANTED TO HOLD ON TO SOME OF THOSE. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IS A GOOD CONVERSATION WE COULD HAVE AT THE WORKSHOP. >>BILL CARLSON: I THINK WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT IN FEBRUARY. AND WE COULD -- I BELIEVE IN WHAT MS. ZELMAN JUST SAID. WE NEED TO KEEP THE EXISTING REPORTING STRUCTURE FOR PAID LOBBYIST. NOT ADD NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND OTHERS. BUT THAT CAN BE HANDLED IN A SEPARATE PROCESS, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY NEED A COMMITTEE THAT HAS A LOT OF ALLEGATIONS AGAINST IT. I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE RIGHT NOW. BUT WE NEED A FAIR PROCESS. WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THE SAME RULES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS. IF A LOBBYIST MEETS WITH THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL, THEY HAVE TO REGISTER. THEY CAN'T SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT A LOBBYIST IF THEY ARE PAID TO BE A LOBBYIST. CAN WE MAKE MOTIONS NOW OR WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC FIRST. COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I'M LISTENING TO EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW. LIKE WAS SAID, MIGHT BE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THAT'S BETTER. I DON'T KNOW. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I'M GOING TO RESERVE MY COMMENTS. IT APPEARS THIS WILL GET CONTINUED TO FEBRUARY. I'LL WAIT TO LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT, LISTEN FOR THE MOTION AND RESERVE MY COMMENTS FOR FEBRUARY IF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS. ARE YOU FINISHED WITH YOUR PRESENTATION? >> YES, SIR. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD JOB. ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM? IF SO, WOULD YOU PLEASE LINE UP ON THE WALL AND I'LL CALL YOU IN ORDER AS YOU LINE UP. BY THE WAY, WE HAVE A HARD STOP IN 19 MINUTES. JUST FOR EVERYBODY THAT KNOWS, WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION. MENTESNOT, GO AHEAD. START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> UHURU. MENTESNOT. TAMPA FLORIDA. IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT THE CODE IS, THE POLITICIANS AND THE LOBBYISTS ARE ALL CROOKED. EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM. SO THEY ARE GOING TO FIND WAYS AROUND IT, AND THEY ARE ALWAYS FINDING WAYS TO CONSPIRE TO BYPASS ANYTHING. AND YOU CAN LOOK AROUND THE SERVICES IN YOUR CITY AND YOU CAN SEE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE POLITICIANS AND THE LOBBYISTS DON'T EVEN HAVE TO CONSPIRE ANYMORE. THEY ARE SO ON TRACK THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. THEY KNOW WHAT THE OTHER ONE WANTS. SO AS FAR AS HOW THIS WORKS IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC, THE INTEREST OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND THE PROTECTION OF POLITICIANS LOBBYISTS PRIVATE INDUSTRY, BIG DONORS OR WHATSOEVER, PROJECTS GETTING AWARDED TO LIKE CERTAIN PEOPLE OR CERTAIN COMPANIES, IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. THE CITY AND THE POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN CROOKED FROM 1855 AND THEY ARE CROOKED TODAY IN 2025. IT'S GOING TO MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. AND THE BIGGEST PART OF THIS IS, THIS CITY COUNCIL NEVER ABIDE BY THE FLORIDA SUNSHINE RULE AND THE SUNSHINE ACT TO BEGIN WITH. AND THEY PROVED THAT ON JULY 31st AND AUGUST 7 WHEN THEY CONSPIRED TO HAVE ME ARRESTED FOR WEARING A T-SHIRT. SO NOBODY TOOK ETHICS OR ETHICS CODES INTO CONSIDERATION THEN. NOBODY TOOK IF THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAVING A MEETING TO CONSPIRE TO HAVE ME ARRESTED AND DRUG OUT OF HERE LIKE AN ANIMAL. NOT SAYING ANYTHING BAD AGAINST ANIMALS. BUT NOBODY WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ETHICS CODES THEN. SO THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, NO MATTER HOW THEY ADDRESS THIS, THE POLITICIANS, THE LOBBYISTS AND THE BUSINESS INTERESTS, THEY ARE GOING TO COME OUT THE WINNERS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. >> CARROLL ANN BENNETT. IT IS COMPLETELY HARD TO PARTICIPATE IN WHAT GOES ON IN THE CITY. IT'S A VERY CHALLENGING THING FOR THE AVERAGE CITIZEN. MOST PEOPLE ARE TOO BUSY JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE DAY. AND ALL THEIR TIME AND ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THEIR LIFE. THE BAR, THE EFFORT IT TAKES TO BE INVOLVED IS SO HIGH. IT'S VERY DISTURBING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO -- ANYONE WOULD WANT TO RAISE THAT BAR EVEN HIGHER. THE CURRENT PEOPLE WHO ARE LEGITIMATE LOBBYISTS ARE NOT ALWAYS FOLLOWING THE RULES AND DOING EVERYTHING THAT THE -- THAT IS CURRENTLY REQUIRED OF THEM. THE ETHICS COMMITTEE IS NOT ENFORCING IT. WHY GIVE THEM MORE PEOPLE TO HAVE JURISDICTION OVER OR TO MONITOR MAYBE IS A BETTER WORD, WHEN THEY ARE NOT EVEN REALLY ADEQUATELY MONITORING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PAID LOBBYISTS. YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT THE LOBBYIST, BECOME A REGISTERED LOBBYIST. YOU HAVE TO DOCUMENT EVERY MEETING, THE PURPOSE OF IT, WHO YOU MET WITH. YOU'VE GOT TO DO AN ANNUAL REPORT SAYING YOUR EXPENSES. IF YOU DON'T DO THE REPORT ON TIME, A $50 A DAY FINE. THAT IS GOING TO STOP PEOPLE DEAD COLD IN THEIR TRACKS. GADSEN PARK, THE DUGOUTS, THEY ARE A DISGRACE. THERE ARE THINGS FALLING ON CHILDREN'S HEADS. SOMEONE, A LITTLE LEAGUE PARENT WANTS TO MEET WITH EACH ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OR THE HEAD OF PARKS AND TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO, NOW THEY'VE GOT TO JUMP THROUGH ALL THESE OTHER HOOPS. AND THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE DAY. THIS IS A VERY BAD IDEA. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU ALL REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT AND YOU'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I NEVER DOUBTED THAT YOU WOULD. SO I SAY THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ONE SECOND. IF YOU WERE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THOSE BEFORE WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION AT 11. THEN WE WILL BREAK FOR LUNCH. WE WILL NOT HEAR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS UNTIL 1 P.M. IF YOU ARE HERE, I WILL HOLD THEM UNTIL 1 P.M. WE ONLY HAVE 14 MINUTES UNTIL WE GO TO CLOSED SESSION. >> STEPHANIE POYNOR, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS THE PROBLEM CHILD FOR THE FOLKS AT HOME WHO HAVEN'T SEEN THIS, LIKE, WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT TALKING TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. IT'S ABOUT TALKING TO UPPER ECHELON CITY STAFF. YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WOKE UP 6:00 IN THE MORNING, TEXT MESSAGE AFTER TEXT MESSAGE AND MESSAGES ON Facebook, WE DON'T HAVE ANY WATER. PORT TAMPA DIDN'T HAVE ANY WATER. I PICKED UP MY PHONE. I TEXTED, HAPPEN TO HAVE RORY JONES' PHONE NUMBER AND ERIC WEISS' PHONE NUMBER AND SAID, YOU KNOW WE HAVE NO WATER. THEY DIDN'T KNOW. WENT OFF AT 2:15. CAVE-IN AND NOBODY KNEW. THIS KIND OF TRASH GOES INTO OUR CODE, I CAN'T PICK UP THE PHONE AND TEXT SOMEBODY TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY. IT MAY HAVE BEEN TWO DAYS BEFORE WE GOT THROUGH THE RIGAMAROLE TO GET ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP TO MAKE SURE THIS GOT FIXED IMMEDIATELY. IT WAS FIXED THE SAME DAY BECAUSE THE CITIZENS WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH STAFF. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU GUYS. I LOVE YOU GUYS. IF I SEE YOU AT HOME DEPOT OR WALMART, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO YOU. BUT THE SAME SHOULD GO FOR STAFF -- NOT YOU. ANYWAY, BOTTOM LINE IS, THIS IS OFFENSIVE. YES, I MAY HAVE STARTED THIS -- THANK YOU, ANDREA -- BUT I STARTED IT WHEN I WENT AND KEPT ASKING WHY WE WEREN'T HAVING AN ETHICS COMMISSION MEETING. I STARTED IT WHEN I ASKED WHY THE ETHICS COMMISSION DID NOT IMPROVE THE -- APPROVE THE INVESTIGATION OF COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER AND COUNCILMAN GUDES. I STARTED THIS WHEN I SAID I FILED FIVE ETHICS COMPLAINTS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE DOING THINGS THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. I FILED AN ETHICS COMPLAINT BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE PUBLICLY STATING THAT THEY WERE MEETING WITH LOBBYISTS AND WEREN'T REGISTERED. SO IF I STARTED IT, THAT'S OKAY. I'M GOOD. BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO ENFORCE THE STUFF THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ENFORCING BEFORE THEY START SHUTTING ME, CARROLL ANN, CONNIE BURTON, TONY DANIELS, ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO CONTACT YOU AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT RIGHT. THIS IS EGREGIOUS. I HAVEN'T EVEN READ THE REST OF IT. TRUST ME, I WILL AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK OF THE REST OF IT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNCALLED FOR. IT IS PUTTING A BARRIER BETWEEN US AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. US AND CITY STAFF, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY UNCALLED FOR. THIS IS NOT TRANSPARENT. IT'S NOT ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S NOTHING THAT EVERYBODY SAYS THEY STAND FOR. I CAN'T EVEN SIT OVER HERE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF BENNETT BEFORE WE HAVE COUNCIL MEETINGS EVERY THURSDAY. GIVE ME A BREAK. SAVE THE SIDEBARS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. MR. MICHELINI. >> GOOD MORNING. STEVE MICHELINI. I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THE CONCERNS. AS WRITTEN, THIS IS VERY BROAD AND TOO BROAD IN SCOPE. IT INCLUDES A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. IF YOU FILE FOR A VARIANCE OR YOU FILE FOR A REZONING OR A SPECIAL USE, THERE ARE STAFF DISCUSSIONS AT HIGH LEVELS THAT GO BACK AND FORTH. THEY SEND YOU COMMENTS. I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T MEAN TO INCLUDE THAT AS A LOBBYIST ACTIVITY, BUT IF YOU READ THAT IN A CONSERVATIVE WAY, IT IS INCLUDED. THE NONPAID DISCUSSIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT APPEAR BEFORE YOU OR MEET WITH YOU, ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE EXCLUDED. IF YOU ARE NOT PAID AND REPRESENTING AN ASSOCIATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD OR INDIVIDUAL, TAKE IT OUT. THERE'S NO REASON FOR IT TO BE IN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT'S JUST TOO BROAD AND TOO DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY. THEY WERE CITING STATE LAWS AND THEN YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT STATE LAW THEY ARE REFERRING TO AND WHAT IS THE IMPACT. THEN CALL THE ATTORNEYS AND SAY, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS ARE SOMETIMES IN THEIR DISCUSSION, THEY ARE CONVOLUTED. ANYWAY, BASICALLY IT NEEDS TO REWRITE. IT NEEDS TO START OVER AND DISCUSS LEGITIMATE DISCUSSIONS, IF THEY ARE PAID LOBBYING, ABSOLUTELY, DISCUSS THEM, LOBBY THEM, REGISTER THEM, AND PUT THEM ON THE RECORD. THE OTHER STUFF, WHEN YOU'RE REPRESENTING DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT PAID, TAKE THEM OUT. THERE'S NO REASON FOR IT. IF YOU READ THIS IN A MOST CONSERVATIVE MANNER, YOU WOULD HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF FILINGS EVERY DAY FOR EVERY PERMIT THAT'S FILED, FOR EVERY REZONING, FOR EVERY VARIANCE THAT IS BEING APPLIED FOR. IT SIMPLY ISN'T NECESSARY. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. TARA. >> HI, TARAH BLUMA. I WASN'T GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS UNTIL I HEARD MS. ZELMAN STATE THAT WHILE THERE WAS A MISTAKE IN THIS ORDINANCE, WE DO NEED TO PASS IT BECAUSE WE NEED TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH CITY LAW. I WOULD LIKE TO START SEEING CLEAN PROPOSALS PUT IN FRONT OF YOU SO THAT YOU ARE NOT PRESSURED TO PASS SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT FIND ELEMENTS OF UNSAVORY IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE LETTER OF THE LAW. WE WERE OUT OF COMPLIANCE YESTERDAY. THE SKY IS NOT GOING TO FALL DOWN IF WE STAY OUT OF COMPLIANCE UNTIL FEBRUARY. AND THAT PUTS UNDUE PRESSURE AND BACKS YOU ALL INTO A CORNER. SO DON'T PUT SOMETHING CONTROVERSIAL PAIRED WITH SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE. IT'S NOT FAIR. I WOULD START SAYING NO IN GENERAL STANDING UP TO THE CITY STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION AND SAY, NO, WE ARE NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO PASS THESE THINGS. I APPRECIATED THE FACT THAT YOU SAID THAT WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTIONS AND FINALLY SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PASS THEM ALL AS A GROUP. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THEM INDIVIDUALLY. PLEASE CONTINUE TO STAND UP FOR YOURSELVES IN THAT WAY BECAUSE YOU'RE GIVING AWAY POWER WHEN YOU DO THAT. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, TARAH. VICTOR. >> VICTOR DEMAIO, FRANK LYNNE STREET. I AGREE WITH THE CHAIR THAT WE DO HAVE ETHICS LAWS THAT EVERY OFFICIAL, WHETHER WITH CITY COUNCIL, COUNTY COMMISSION, SCHOOL BOARD, LEGISLATURE, THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS ETHICS LAWS GOVERNING ALL YOUR ACTIONS AS WELL. IF YOU WANT TO ADD A COUPLE MORE THINGS THAT AREN'T INTRUSIVE TO NEIGHBORHOODS OR PEOPLE ON THE STREET, THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. FRANKLY, THE PROBLEM WE HAVE HERE IS WHO IS ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK TO DO THE INVESTIGATING, TO DO THE TRACKING. I THINK THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM HERE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE VERY HAPHAZARDLY LOOKED AT AND VERY HAPHAZARDLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACTUAL MONITORING OF IT. THAT IS THE PROBLEM I SEE WITH THE CITY IS THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A VERY GOOD PROCESS AND PROCEDURE OF ACTUALLY MONITORING THIS SORT OF THING. I THINK IF YOU DO THIS, PLEASE EXCLUDE NEIGHBORHOODS, PEOPLE ON THE STREET, PEOPLE THAT GO UP TO SEE YOU EVERY DAY OR SEND YOU AN E-MAIL TO NOT BE SWEPT INTO THE WHOLE UMBRELLA OF BEING MONITORED UNDER THE LEGISLATION. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. MR. CARLSON, READY TO TAKE A MOTION? >>ANDREA ZELMAN: MAY I SAY ONE THING? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: AFTER THE MOTION. >>BILL CARLSON: I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO CONTINUE ITEM 64 TO FEBRUARY WORKSHOP. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON TO CONTINUE ITEM 64 TO THE FEBRUARY 26, 2026 WORKSHOP. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK IS THE SECOND. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK, YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING? >>LYNN HURTAK: YES. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY TO -- I WOULD LIKE THE MOTION TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN IF COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON AGREES, TO HAVE A CLEAR ORDINANCE JUST FOR STATE -- YEAH, A CLEAR ORDINANCE TO HAVE US ALIGN WITH STATE STATUTES AND STATE LAWS. AND THEN THE OTHER ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UNDER THE ETHICS CODE THAT WE CAN DISCUSS EACH ONE AND WHAT WE WANT TO KEEP AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE WANT TO CHANGE. >>ANDREA ZELMAN: I HAVE A SUGGESTION AND I NEED MARTY'S HELP. FIRST, I WANT TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE APPARENTLY I WASN'T. I DID NOT SAY YOU NEED TO PASS THIS TODAY. FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN'T PASS IT TODAY. THIS IS ONLY FIRST READING AND CONSIDERATION. NO, NEITHER THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OR THE MAYOR IS RECOMMENDING THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE CHANGES TO THE LOBBYING AS IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THAT. I DIDN'T SAY THAT AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT. I THINK A WAY WE COULD GET OUT OF TODAY, MARTY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, TODAY IS ONLY FIRST READING. DON'T READ THE ORDINANCE. I BELIEVE THEN, MARTY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT WILL THEN DIE. THEN YOU CAN DIRECT US TO COME BACK WITH AN ORDINANCE WITH JUST THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR, WHICH, AGAIN, ARE THE ONES THAT MEGAN CITED FOR YOU. YOU COULD ALSO MAKE A MOTION TO DISCUSS THE ETHICS ORDINANCE AND THE ETHICS COMMISSION BROADLY IN FEBRUARY. THAT MAY BE A CLEANER WAY TO GET OUT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I THINK YOU'RE MISSING THE ONE ELEMENT IS DISCUSSING IS THERE A NEED FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA TO -- >>ANDREA ZELMAN: RIGHT. YOU COULD DO THAT AT THE WORKSHOP. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I AGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF WE DON'T READ THIS, IT WILL DIE. AND THEN WE CONTINUE THE ITEM -- GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN THE CONTINUATION NOW RATHER THAN NEW BUSINESS AND MAYBE WE COULD SUBSEQUENTLY HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CLARIFICATION WE'RE REQUESTING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN FEBRUARY. >>BILL CARLSON: BEFORE YOU ANSWER, INSTEAD OF A CONTINUATION, MAYBE, WHY DON'T WE MAKE A SEPARATE MOTION AND PUT THIS SUBJECT ON THE AGENDA AND THEN SEPARATELY YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION ON YOUR OTHER ITEM. >>MARTIN SHELBY: MY SUGGESTION, COUNCIL, WOULD BE TO MAKE A MOTION, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE CITY ATTORNEY SAYS THEY DON'T RECOMMEND THAT PORTION IN THIS ORDINANCE, TO HAVE NUMBER 64 REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA, JUST REMOVE IT FROM THE AGENDA AND THEN HAVE THAT MOTION FOR FEBRUARY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION TO REMOVE ITEM 64 FROM THE AGENDA? MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. ANOTHER MOTION? >>BILL CARLSON: I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PUT ON THE FEBRUARY WORKSHOP A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER AND HOW TO UPDATE THE CITY'S ETHICS CODE AND TO LOOK AT THE EFFECTIVENESS AND STRUCTURE OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION TO SEE IF IT NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: OR ELIMINATED. >>BILL CARLSON: MAYBE YOU COULD DO A SEPARATE ONE ABOUT LIMB ELIMINATED. >>LYNN HURTAK: SECOND. FEBRUARY 26, 2026. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON. SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. AYES HAVE IT. I'LL RESERVE MY MOTION FOR ANOTHER DAY. >>BILL CARLSON: CAN I MAKE THAT MOTION? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SURE, GO AHEAD. >>LYNN HURTAK: I JUST WANT TO SAY VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I AM MOST PROUD OF IN MY TIME HERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN CITY COUNCIL. I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THAT. I BELIEVE ALL OF US WOULD SAY THAT. SO TO SAY THAT WE WANT TO PREVENT THAT IS SOMETHING NO ONE ON THIS COUNCIL WANTS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT. I WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO IS WATCHING. EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO SHOWS UP. EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO STOPS US IN THE GROCERY STORE, THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CAN I INSERT A JOKE THERE? >> [INAUDIBLE] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: A SEPARATE MOTION TO BE ADJACENT TO THE MOTION FOR THE WORKSHOP IN FEBRUARY WOULD BE TO DISCUSS WHETHER THE CITY'S ETHICS CODE IS DUPLICATIVE AND WHETHER IT SHOULD CONTINUE IN ITS CURRENT FORM OR TO BE MODIFIED OR ELIMINATED. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON. SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT IS 10:59. SOMETIMES A PLAN COMES TOGETHER. YOU HAVE LESS THAN 60 SECONDS TO SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY. >>LYNN HURTAK: ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT US TO COME BACK AT 11:30 AND -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS WILL LAST. >>LYNN HURTAK: 1:00 IT IS. >>MARTIN SHELBY: BEFORE YOU READ THAT, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING THEN IS COUNCIL IS -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I'LL CLARIFY >>ALAN CLENDENIN WE'LL COME BACT 1 P.M. TO CONTINUE WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. AT THIS TIME IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE 286.0118, WE WILL PROCEED TO A CLOSED ATTORNEY-CLIENT SESSION TO DISCUSS SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS IN THE CASE OF TONY HOPS VERSUS THE CITY OF TAMPA. CASE 824 CV 02806 VMCAEP, WHICH IS CURRENTLY PENDING IN THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA. THIS CLOSED SESSION IS ESTIMATED TO LAST APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 45 MINUTES AND WILL BE RECORDED BY A CERTIFIED COURT REPORTER. THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS ATTENDING THE CLOSED SESSION ARE AS FOLLOWS: COUNCIL MEMBER BILL CARLSON, COUNCIL MEMBER ALAN CLENDENIN, COUNCIL MEMBER LYNN HURTAK, COUNCIL MEMBER GUIDO MANISCALCO, COUNCIL MEMBER CHARLIE MIRANDA, COUNCIL MEMBER LUIS VIERA, CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY MARTIN SHELBY, CITY ATTORNEY ANDREA ZELMAN, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, DAVID HARVEY AND VERT IDENTIFY COURT REPORTER CHERYL WESTFALL FROM THE COURT REPORTING FIRM OF CAROLYN LOUDON AND ASSOCIATES. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CLOSED ATTORNEY-CLIENT SESSION, THE MEETING WILL BE REOPENED AND ANNOUNCE THE TERMINATION OF THE SESSION. TRANSCRIPT OF THE CLOSED ATTORNEY-CLIENT SESSION WILL BE MADE PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS UPON CONCLUSION OF THE LITIGATION IN THE HOPPS CASE. WE ARE NOW IN RECESS AND REOPEN THE MEETING AT 1 P.M. >>MARTIN SHELBY: IF I CAN, WHAT YOU READ IS EXACTLY THE CASE. YOU'RE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION. GOING INTO RECESS FOR CLOSED SESSION. YOU WILL HAVE TO TURN HERE BEFORE YOU GO INTO RECESS FOR LUNCH AT 1:00. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE CLOSED SESSION, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK IN OPEN SESSION AND ANNOUNCE THAT THE CLOSED SESSION HAS ENDED. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I NEED A QUORUM HERE WHEN WE LEAVE THE CLOSED SESSION, I NEED A QUORUM TO SHOW UP AT THIS CHAMBER TO DO WHAT HE JUST DESCRIBED. THANK YOU. WE ARE IN RECESS. 8th FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM. 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IN THE CASE OF THE TONY HOPPS VERSUS CITY OF TAMPA, CASE 824 CV 02806 VMCAEP, CURRENTLY PENDING IN THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA IS CLOSED. THE SESSION IS CLOSED. THE CITY COUNCIL IS BACK IN ORDER. I'D LIKE TO HEAR -- READY FOR LUNCH? SO THIS CITY COUNCIL WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 1 P.M. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] WE'RE OUT. THANK YOU. [LUNCH RECESS]