[ SOUNDING GAVEL ] >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WELCOME TO TAMPA CITY COUNCIL. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. AT THIS TIME, I YIELD TO COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA, WHO WILL INTRODUCE OUR INVOCATION FOR TODAY. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. IT IS MY PLEASURE TODAY TO INTRODUCE CHAPLAIN WHO HAS BEEN A CHAPLAIN FOR MANY YEARS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO WILL DO THE INVOCATION THIS MORNING. PLEASE RISE FOR THE INVOCATION AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> LET'S PRAY. OUR FATHER, AS WE COME TO YOU TODAY, WE'RE ALSO REMINDED OF THE SEASON IN WHICH WE'RE IN OF THANKS GIVING. AND, LORD, I KNOW BEHIND ME STANDS MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE GREATLY IMPACTED BY THE HURRICANES. BUT, GOD, WE ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS GREAT MERCY. LORD, WE THINK OF THE DAMAGE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IN OUR CITY, AND WE THINK OF TWO HURRICANES BACK TO BACK. LORD, WE JUST LOOK AT OTHER STATES LIKE THE CAROLINAS AND SEE THE YEARS OF DAMAGE THAT THEY HAVE. SO, FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM. FATHER, I DO PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS CITY, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US GRACE, GIVE US FAVOR, THAT YOU KEEP OUR STREETS SAFE, THAT YOU WOULD BLESS OUR HOMES. LORD, WE DO PRAY FOR THOSE LAW ENFORCEMENTS AND FIRST RESPONDERS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY ON THE FRONT LINES THAT PUT THEMSELVES IN A DANGEROUS PLACE. WE PRAY FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR THEIR SAFETY. LORD, WE PRAY FOR OUR MAYOR AND, LORD, FOR THE CITY COUNCIL THAT IS HERE. LORD, I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE DECISIONS THEY HAVE TO MAKE AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE GREAT MATTERS OF WEIGHT THAT COME UPON THEM. I DO PRAY, LORD THAT THEY WOULD SEEK YOUR FACE AND THAT THEY WOULD KNOW THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE WISDOM AND TO SUSTAIN THEM AND TO HELP THEM. LORD, I JUST PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THIS CITY. LORD, WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US GRACE AND MERCY, LORD. LORD, WE HAVE MANY THINGS, LORD, IN THIS PLACE THAT WE'RE THANKFUL FOR AND THE BENEFITS. WE JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE, LORD, YOUR KINDNESS TO US. WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP US TO REMEMBER EVEN IN THE SEASON TO COME OF JESUS CHRIST. THANK YOU, LORD, FOR HOW YOU HAVE LOVED US AND LORD HOW THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED FOR US YOUR SALVATION. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT AND ASK YOUR BLESSING UPON THIS MEETING, THAT YOU WOULD GUIDE, THAT YOU WOULD DIRECT AND IT IS IN JESUS' NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ROLL CALL, PLEASE. >>BILL CARLSON: HERE. >>LYNN HURTAK: HERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HERE. >>GWEN HENDERSON: PRESENT. >> VIERA? MIRANDA? >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE. >>THE CLERK: WE HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL RIGHT. MR. SHELBY, GO AHEAD, SIR. >>MARTIN SHELBY: YES, GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. MARTIN SHELBY, THE CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO REVIEW WITH YOU AND WITH CITY COUNCIL THE RULES OF DECORUM, HOW WE CONDUCT TODAY'S MEETING. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD AND PLACE IT IN THE BOX OUTSIDE. ONE CARD PER SPEAKER. I JUST WANT YOU AND COUNCIL TO BE AWARE THAT THE SECOND FLOOR IS OPEN. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WHO WISH TO SPEAK. NOW, CARDS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL THE START OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT'S DURING THE TIME THAT WE HAVE CEREMONIAL. EACH PERSON SUBMITTING A CARD WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY NAME TO APPROACH AND SPEAK. THE CHAIR WILL SAY THE NAME OF THE SPEAKER AND ALSO TELL WHO WOULD BE FOLLOWING THAT SPEAKER, SO THAT PERSON COULD BE PREPARED TO BE NEXT IN LINE TO SPEAK. A THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT APPLIES TO ALL SPEAKERS. WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE LECTERN, AT THE TOP OF THE LECTERN YOU'LL NOTICE A LITTLE DEVICE THAT HAS THREE COLORED LIGHTS -- A GREEN, YELLOW AND A RED LIGHT. WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING, THE GREEN LIGHT GOES ON. WITH 30 SECONDS REMAINING, YOU'LL HEAR A TONE AND THE% YELLOW LIGHT WILL GO ON. WHEN THE RED LIGHT GOES ON, THERE WILL BE A CONTINUOUS BEEP. WE ASK THAT YOU REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING AFTER THAT OR WRAP UP YOUR REMARKS VERY QUICKLY. PLEASE, ALLOW THE NEXT SPEAKER TO COME UP TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL. NOW, WITH REGARD TO THINGS LIKE DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT, PLEASE AVOID AND REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT OR BEHAVIOR DURING THE MEETING THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD AFFECT THE ABILITY OF COUNCIL TO CONDUCT A MEETING WITH DECORUM. WE WOULD ASK YOU TO REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING AND SNAPPING, IF YOU DO, AND THE REASON WE'RE DOING THAT IS BECAUSE IT SERVES TWO PURPOSES. NUMBER ONE, IT SPEEDS UP THE MEETING. IT ALLOWS THE NEXT SPEAKER TO GET UP THERE AND BEGIN SPEAKING RAPIDLY OR QUICKER. THE OTHER THING IT DOES, IT ALLOWS YOU TO HEAR WHO THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SO THE CHAIR DOESN'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NOISE STOPS TO BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE WHO THE NEXT SPEAKERS WILL BE. PLEASE REMAIN MINDFUL OF THAT AND RESPECTFUL OF THAT. NOW, PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY BECAUSE NAMES THAT CANNOT BE READ WILL NOT BE CALLED. NOW, IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON ANYTHING REGARDING A STAFF REPORT, TIME TO SPEAK TO THAT IS AT GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ENGAGING A SPEAKER -- EXCUSE ME, THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ENGAGING A SPEAKER UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT TAKE QUESTIONS OR HAVE A DIALOGUE DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS YOUR POSITION. NOW, ANYBODY WHO SPEAKS WITHOUT BEING RECOGNIZED OR ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL FROM OUTSIDE WITH THESE RULES OF DECORUM MAY BE RULED OUT OF ORDER BY THE CHAIR AND AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBERS FOR THE REMAINDER OF TODAY'S MEETING. SO, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD. WE LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING FROM NOVEMBER 7, 2024? AND THE EVENING SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 14, 2024? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO GO TO THE AGENDA. ITEM 3, F.D.O.T. DOES NOT HAVE AN UPDATE. THERE IS NOTHING FOR NUMBER THREE. WE'LL GET RID OF THAT. LET'S GO THROUGH STAFF REPORTS. THERE IS NO ADMINISTRATION UPDATE. ITEM NUMBER 55, DO WE NEED STAFF PRESENT FOR 55? >> MR. CHAIRMAN? CHAIRMAN? BRAD BAIRD. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A CONTINUANCE ON THIS TO DECEMBER 5, IF I COULD. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION TO CONTINUE TO DECEMBER 5 FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. BAIRD. ITEM 56, DO WE NEED -- WE HAVE A WRITTEN RESPONSE FOR THIS. DO WE NEED STAFF PRESENT FOR 56? ANYBODY? NO. ALL RIGHTY. ITEM NUMBER 57. DO WE NEED STAFF PRESENT? NO. ALL RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER 58. YES. ITEM NUMBER 59. YES. ITEM NUMBER 60. YES? >> YES. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: 60 WE'LL SAY YES. IF THERE IS A CHANGE, WE'LL BRING IT UP. ITEM NUMBER 61. DO WE NEED STAFF FOR 61? NO ON 61. HOW ABOUT 62? NO ON 62. ITEM 63. >>LUIS VIERA: YES, PLEASE. IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR, FOR 63, I'LL REACH OUT TO MS. FEELEY AND CHIEF TRIPP IN BETWEEN, AND TO POTENTIALLY NOT HAVE THAT. BUT AT THIS TIME, YES, WE COULD -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE CAN WAIT UNTIL AFTER LUNCH. >>LUIS VIERA: I THINK WE WILL, BUT VERY LIKELY. BUT I WILL REACH OUT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE'LL SAY YES ON 63 PENDING. >>LUIS VIERA: JUST GIVEN THE FACT THAT IT IS THE CHIEF OF FIRE, THAT WE HAVE A PACKED AGENDA AND I WOULDN'T WANT HER HERE WAITING TWO, THREE HOURS. WE HAVE AFTER LUNCH, REASONABLE TIME CERTAIN IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM 64, THERE IS A REQUEST TO CONTINUE TO DECEMBER 19. >>LYNN HURTAK: 64 AND 65, MY ONLY CAVEAT TO THE EXTENSION IS THAT DECEMBER 19, I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO EXTEND IT ANY FURTHER. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: DECEMBER 19 IS A HARD CONTINUANCE, MEANING NO FURTHER CONTINUANCES. BE PREPARED DECEMBER 19. CAN I GET A MOTION FOR 64 AND 65? >>MARTIN SHELBY: MR. CHAIRMAN? >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: SECOND. >>MARTIN SHELBY: IF I CAN, I'M CONCERNED TO KNOW HOW COUNCIL WILL HANDLE THIS BECAUSE PER YOUR RULES, THERE ARE ALREADY SEVEN STAFF REPORTS FOR DECEMBER 19. SO EVERY TIME YOU CONTINUE THAT, ARE YOU ALSO GOING TO HAVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME WAIVING THE RULES TO DO THAT? >>LYNN HURTAK: THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IN-PERSON REPORTS. THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND. I'M WILLING TO WAIVE THE RULES FOR THAT, BUT I'M ALSO WILLING TO LOOK AT THE CALENDAR TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING I CAN MOVE FROM ME. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: [INAUDIBLE] >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT'S EVERYBODY. THE RULES ARE WAIVED, SO WE'LL CONTINUE 64 AND 65 TO DECEMBER 19 2024. MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ITEM NUMBER 66 WILL BE PRESENT FOR A VERBAL REPORT, THAT IS A YES. ITEM 67, THERE IS A WRITTEN REPORT. DO WE NEED ANYBODY IN PERSON OR SATISFIED WITH THAT? ANYBODY? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: [INAUDIBLE] >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOVE TO STRIKE ITEM 67. WITHDRAW THAT. MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ITEM 67 HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF THE AGENDA. ITEM 68, A REQUEST TO CONTINUE TO FEBRUARY 27, 2025. WORKSHOP OR MARCH 2025 REGULAR SESSION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YEAH, THIS WAS MY AGENDA ITEM. I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEYS ABOUT IT. THEY UNDERSTAND MY INTENT WITH THIS, AS WE ALL SAW IN A RECENT AGENDA ITEM. THEY ARE -- I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENCES AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROPERTIES VERSUS PROPERTIES THAT DON'T HAVE ACTUALLY VALUE, SLIVERS OF PROPERTY VERSUS SUBSTANTIAL ASSETS. I THINK THAT'S WHY THE DISCUSSION SHOULD HAPPEN. I MOVE TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO FEBRUARY 27. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. 67 AND 68 WRITTEN, NEED TO BE RECEIVED AND FILED. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MR. SHELBY, YES, SIR. >>MARTIN SHELBY: ONE LAST THING, NOW THAT YOU'VE APPROVED THE AGENDA, THOSE ITEMS, ESPECIALLY PARTICULARLY THE BIG-TICKET ITEMS UNDER STAFF REPORTS, I SUGGEST WE MOVE THEM UP AT THE END OF THE CONSENT DOCKET TO TAKE THE ITEMS THAT YOU CAN MOVE AT THE SAME TIME TO BE ABLE TO SAVE TIME AND TO HAVE THE STAFF REALIZE THAT THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN PASSED. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THE ONES THAT WE DON'T NEED STAFF PRESENT. >>MARTIN SHELBY: THE ONES DON'T NEED STAFF, TAKE CARE OF IT IN THE MORNING. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: FAIR ENOUGH. MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HENDERSON. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ITEM NUMBER 1 IS COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA'S MOTION. GO AHEAD, SIR . >>LUIS VIERA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE A FRIEND HERE, MR. DAVID ROWLAND WHO IS THE COUNSEL FOR THE 13th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT HERE. WE'RE HERE TO HONOR HIM FOR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE AS GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE 13th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'VE HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF KNOWING MR. ROWLAND FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. THERE ARE MANY, MANY NOTABLES HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE HERE TO HELP HONOR MR. ROWLAND, INCLUDING -- AND I HOPE I DON'T MISS ANYBODY, BY THE WAY, -- WE HAVE CHIEF JUDGE SABELLA WHO IS HERE. WE HAVE FORMER CHIEF JUDGE FICARROTTA WHO IS HERE. WE HAVE JUDGE DARREN WHO IS HERE. WE HAVE SENIOR JUDGE BARTON WHO IS HERE. WE HAVE COUNTY COMMISSIONER HARRY COHEN WHO IS HERE. IT IS A REAL PLEASURE. WE HAVE JULIE HOLT, WHO I SAW IS HERE, PUBLIC DEFENDER. WE HAVE MR. SCOTT STEAGALL WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MS. GRACE YING, PAST PRESIDENT OF HCBA. MS. LINDSEY SIERRA, WHO IS GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE 6th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT. ALSO WITH THE JUNIOR LEAGUE, WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE AND HOUSE MINORITY LEADER DRISCOLL AND SARAH COTOUR WITH FEES -- [INAUDIBLE] -- THERE YOU GO. IF I MISSED ANYBODY, I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW IT IS. MR. ROWLAND HAS BEEN CHIEF COUNSEL TO THE 13th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR OVER 30 YEARS. THIS IS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT JOB THAT HE DOES. NOT JUST AS OVERSEE NUMEROUS STAFF ATTORNEYS WHO PROVIDE LEGAL COUNSEL TO JUDGES ON SPECIFIC CASES, BUT IT IS MR. ROWLAND'S SPECIFIC JOB TO PROVIDE LEGAL COUNSEL NOT JUST TO THE 13th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT AS A WHOLE, BUT TO JUDGES INDIVIDUALLY ON ETHICS ISSUES. IMAGINE THIS GENTLEMAN AND HOW HE IS IN THE HOT SEAT EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH JUDGES WHO ASK HIM QUESTIONS ON, CAN I GO TO THIS EVENT? WHAT CAN I DO ON SMO I HAD? -- WHAT CAN I DO ON SOCIAL MEDIA? TIME OF POLITICIZATION, SOCIAL MEDIA AND VAST EXPOSURE FOR POLITICAL OFFICIALS BUT ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE JUDICIARY, THIS IS A VERY, VERY HOT SEAT THAT THIS MAN OCCUPIES. HE WEARS MANY, MANY HATS. HE'S NOT JUST A PUBLIC SERVANT. NOT JUST AN OUTSTANDING ATTORNEY WHO IS TRUSTED BY OUR LOCAL BAR AND BY OUR 13th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, HE'S ALSO A VERY PROUD FATHER. HIS SON JORDAN IS A WONDERFUL YOUNG MAN WHO I MET WHO WORKS AT CUP. MANY OF YOU KNOW CUP OVER IN SOUTH TAMPA. A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION AND ALSO A CLIENT OF McDONALD'S TRAINING CENTER. THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE REALLY HONOR DAVID ROWLAND FOR IS FOR NOT JUST BEING A REALLY GOOD PUBLIC SERVANT BUT A HUMBLE PUBLIC SERVANT. HE IS A MAN OF GREAT HUMILITY. AND JUST DECENCY AND A GOOD PUBLIC SERVANT. WITHOUT HIM, THE 13th JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WOULD NOT RUN ON TIME. AGAIN, OUR JUDGES RELY ON HIM FOR HIS LEGAL EXPERTISE. FOR THAT AND SO MUCH MORE, IT IS OUR GREAT PLEASURE TO GIVE MR. ROWLAND AND TAMPA CITY COUNCIL COMMENDATION. HE IS UNABLE TO STAND AT THIS TIME FOR SOME ISSUES, BUT WE WILL DO THIS OVER TO HIM AND WE HONOR HIM. [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. COUNCILMAN VIERA HAS TOLD ME HE'S BEEN WANTING TO DO THIS A LONG TIME, UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY, DOESN'T MATTER, IT'S BEING DONE TODAY, AND I'M GLAD BECAUSE I'M GETTING THIS AND HE'S MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT ME. I'VE HAD A LOT OF SERVICE AT THE COURT. I THINK LOUIS WANTED TO RECOGNIZE ME AND I RETIRED AND YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, DID YOU UNTIL RECENTLY. UNTIL RECENTLY. HIS RECOGNITION OF ME WAS BEFORE MY RETIREMENT. THEN I RETIRED. AND IT WAS LIKE, WOW. SO A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED SINCE THEN, CLEARLY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK CITY COUNCIL WAS THIS -- HAD THIS MANY PEOPLE. [ LAUGHTER ] WE HAVE ALL COUNCILMEN AND COUNCILWOMEN HERE, AND I GUESS IT HAPPENS A LOT. JUDGES WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY. I'M GOING TO BE HONORED BY THE COUNCIL AND I'M GOING TO BE HONORED TODAY BY THE COUNCIL. I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE THAT. COUNCILMAN VIERA WANTED TO DO THIS, AND IT'S GREAT. I GOT TO SAY BEFORE I'M RECOGNIZED -- >>LUIS VIERA: WE DID IT. >> I HAVE TO SAY, I'VE DONE 34 YEARS PLUS, AND I'M GETTING THIS EXCELLENT HONOR, BUT I ALSO HAVE A SON. AND MY SON JORDAN WORKS AT CUP, LUIS JUST MENTIONED THAT, AND HE WORKS AT TWO CUP LOCATIONS. BUT WE LIVE VERY CLOSE TO CUP NUMBER 2. AND HE WORKS THERE ON SATURDAY MORNINGS ALMOST EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY. >> WE WANTED ON BEHALF OF ALL THE JUDGES COME DOWN AND THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATE YOU BECAUSE WE COULDN'T LIVE AT THE COURTHOUSE WITHOUT YOU. SO WE WANT TO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. COME HERE, I HAVE SOME JUDGES THAT WANT TO TALK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. [ APPLAUSE ] >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. [ APPLAUSE ] WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT AS THE ROOM CLEARS OUT. ALL RIGHTY. ITEM 2, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY REQUESTED TO PROVIDE A TEN MINUTE PRESENTATION REGARDING A REVIEW INITIATED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON THE STUDY OF THE INTEGRATED STORMWATER SYSTEM COUNTYWIDE TO EXAMINE WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN'T, AND WHAT IMPROVEMENTS MAY NEED TO BE MADE TO MITIGATE FLOODING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNTY AND FORMER -- ACTUALLY MY FAVORITE -- HARRY COHEN. I'LL JUST SAY YOU ARE MY FAVORITE. GO AHEAD, SIR. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS GREG HORWEDEL, DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. JOINED BY ASSISTANT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR KIM BYER PUBLIC WORKS, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS, JOSH BILATI. AND ONE OF YOUR FORMER COLLEAGUES AND ALSO ONE OF MY FAVORITES, COUNTY COMMISSIONER HARRY COHEN. TODAY, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE STORMWATER FLOODING THAT WE ALL EXPERIENCED AS PART OF THE TWIN HURRICANES THAT WE SAW IN LATE SEPTEMBER AND EARLY OCTOBER. FIRST, A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT. SO WHEN WE HAD HURRICANE MILTON, WHICH WAS ON THE HEELS OF AN EXTENSIVE RAINY SEASON AS WELL AS THE HURRICANE HELENE THAT CAME THROUGH AND DAMAGED A LOT OF OUR COASTLINE, TOOK OUT ABOUT 10% OF THE COUNTY, MILTON CAME ALONG AND TOOK OUT THE OTHER 90% OF THE COUNTY. REALLY IS COMPLETELY INVOLVING THE ENTIRETY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE IN THAT 24-HOUR PERIOD, WHAT WE SAW FOR RAINFALL WAS APPROXIMATELY, AS ESTIMATED BY OUR STAFF, ABOUT 1.55 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER. PUT THAT INTO CONTEXT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU HEAR 10 TO 15 INCHES OF RAIN, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO CONCEPTUALIZE THAT. BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS, IF YOU SAW THE OLYMPICS THIS PAST SUMMER, YOU SAW THE OLYMPIC-SIZE POOLS, WHICH ARE SEVERAL ORDER OF MAGNITUDE BIGGER THAN A RESIDENTIAL POOL. THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO 250,000 OLYMPIC-SIZED POOLS FILLED TO THE BRIM. IF YOU PUT THOSE ALL TOGETHER, IT WOULD COVER THE ENTIRE CITY OF ORLANDO. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. ON TOP OF THAT, MANY OF OUR STORMWATER SYSTEMS -- I BELIEVE TAMPA HAS THE SAME STANDARD AS WE HAVE -- ARE ALL BUILT TO HANDLE 25-YEAR STORMS. WE DID NOT HAVE A 25-YEAR STORM. WE HAD SOMEWHEE BETWEEN A 250-YEAR STORM AND A 500-YEAR STORM. SO WE HAD EXTENSIVE FLOODING. THE COMMUNITIES THAT SAW EVACUATION NOTICES FOR HELENE WERE BECAUSE THE EVACUATION ZONES ARE PREDICATED UPON THE STORM SURGE, AND WE DID SEE QUITE A BIT OF STORM SURGE. I KNOW THE CITY WAS IMPACTED AS WAS A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTY. APOLLO BEACH, DANA SHORES, ALL OF THOSE AREAS GOT REALLY HIT HARD. THE FRESHWATER FLOODING THAT WE SAW WITH HURRICANE MILTON WAS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL. WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF FLOODING THAT WE SAW, IT WAS DIRECTLY A RESULT THE FACT THAT WE ARE BUILT TO A CERTAIN STANDARD, AND THAT WE HAD A LOT MORE WATER THAN WE COULD EVER IMAGINE THOSE SYSTEMS BEING ABLE TO HANDLE. IT'S SIMILAR TO IF YOU PUT A ONE CUP MEASURING CUP ON YOUR COUNTERTOP AND ATTEMPT TO POUR A GALLON OF WATER IN THE CUP WITHOUT SPILLING ANYTHING, IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF COMPLAINTS CONCERNS ISSUES FROM A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO NEVER EXPERIENCED FLOODING BECAUSE, FRANKLY, THEY'VE NEVER SEEN THAT LEVEL OF STORM HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR THE CITY OF TAMPA. OUR COUNTY COMMISSION HAS ASKED US TO ENGAGE IN A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF WHAT HAPPENED, WHY DID WE HAVE THE LEVEL OF FLOODING WE DID. I THINK SOME OF THAT, OF COURSE, HAS TO BE WEATHER-RELATED. IT HAS TO BE THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR OUR VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS THAT COME INTO THE COUNTY AND INTO THE CITY. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE OUR PARTNERS, CITY OF TAMPA, PLANT CITY, TEMPLE TERRACE, S.W.F.W.M.D., EPC AND MANY OTHERS, ENGAGE IN A HOLISTIC EFFORT TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR STORMWATER STRUCTURES, LOOK AT THE FLOODING THAT OCCURRED AND THEN ULTIMATELY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS NOT JUST TO THIS BODY, BUT ALSO TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION. SO WE HAVE A FIRM THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH, BLACK & VEATCH. THEY ARE AN INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL FIRM THAT DOES QUITE A BIT OF STORMWATER WORK. OUR MANDATE TO THEM IS GO LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT OCCURRED. HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND TOWN HALLS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, INCLUDING OUR PARTNERS. MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DOCUMENT WHAT HAPPENED AND THEN REPORT BACK TO US AND TO OUR PARTNERS EXACTLY WHAT YOU FOUND. THERE ARE NO FEATHERS ON THE CONSULTING FIRM. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD HIDE THIS IF YOU FIND IT OR DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS. THEY HAVE A MANDATE TO GO IN, FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, WHY IT HAPPENED AND THEN MAKE REPORTS. WE WILL HAVE FOLLOWING THAT SIX-MONTH EXERCISE, BECAUSE WE ANTICIPATE IT WILL TAKE THAT LONG TO GO THROUGH THIS PRELIMINARY PHASE, THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW-ON EFFORT THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM WILL FOLLOW UP WITH NOT JUST YOU, BUT AGAIN, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, TO COME UP WITH SPECIFIC CAPITAL PROJECTS AS NECESSARY TO HELP ALLEVIATE THIS POTENTIAL IN THE FUTURE. JUST BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, WE HAD ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO -- I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT -- WE LOOKED AT P P PUTTING IN SOME PG TO AN AREA NEAR DUCK POND. THE COST AT THAT TIME WAS BETWEEN 400 AND 500 MILLION DOLLARS. I SUSPECT IT'S ALMOST DOUBLE THAT, IF NOT MORE. ONE OF THE POLICY QUESTIONS WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING OUR BOARD TO WRESTLE WITH AND I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO WRESTLE WITH, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO INVEST THAT MONEY FOR A PIPING SYSTEM THAT MAY OR MAY NOT PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL RELIEF IF WE GET ANOTHER STORM THAT'S 250 TO 500 YEARS? OR DO WE START BUYING UP PROPERTY AND TURNING THOSE AREAS BACK INTO MORE OF A FLOODPLAIN? THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT POLICY QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH. THEY ARE GOING TO AFFECT PEOPLE'S LIVES. THEY ARE GOING TO AFFECT WHERE THEY LIVE. AND THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE ASKING ALL OF OUR CITIZENS TO MAKE. SO WITH THAT, AND I WILL TELL YOU IF THERE ARE ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, I WILL ASK MY STAFF TO ADDRESS THOSE. I'LL TRY AND ANSWER AS MANY AS I CAN. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU. I'M DELIGHTED THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO YIELD RESULTS AT THE END THAT WE CAN ALL HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS AND HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE AND, FRANKLY, HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN VIERA AND COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I'LL BE RELATIVELY BRIEF BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A PACKED ROOM AND AGENDA. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. AFTER MILTON STARTED TALKING ABOUT DOING A REVIEW OR INQUIRY, THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. THIS I THINK HITS IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE, PRETTY MUCH STRAIGHT COMPLIANCE I THINK WITH WHAT I WANTED AND I APPRECIATE THAT 110%. I THANK COUNCIL FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF MOVING FORWARD. THE COUNTY COMMISSION, OBVIOUSLY, COMMISSIONER HARRY COHEN HERE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER. IT'S GOOD TO SEE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THIS IS A NONPARTISAN ISSUE. AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO AFTER MILTON FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS PROVIDING THEM WITH DIGNITY AND RELIEF ET CETERA. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. YOU TALKED ABOUT I THINK THE THREE PILLARS OF THIS WHICH IS, NUMBER ONE, TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DID RIGHT. WE GOT TO HEAR THAT. NUMBER TWO, WHAT CHALLENGES WE MAY HAVE HAD DURING MILTON, WHAT IF ANYTHING WENT WRONG, REASONABLY PREVENTABLE, ET CETERA. I'M NOT AN ENGINEER. I DEFER TO THE EXPERTS, INCLUDING THE INDEPENDENT ENTITY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THIRD, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT AND MY CONSTITUENTS LIKE THE MOST, WHICH IS THAT MASTER PLAN IDEA, WHICH IS YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR NEEDS. CITY OF TAMPA, PLANT CITY, TEMPLE TERRACE, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND SEEING WHAT IS NECESSARY. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED THAT EXPERT OPINION IN LIGHT OF THE STORM, IN LIGHT OF THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED IN NORTH TAMPA, IN SOUTH TAMPA, IN TOWN N' COUNTRY, AND EAST COUNTY, UNIVERSITY AREA, ET CETERA. WE NEED TO HAVE THAT PROFESSIONAL SPECIFICITY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT ENGAGED, INFORMED CONVERSATION WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS ON WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR. THAT'S WHAT TODAY IS ABOUT. THIS IS A SMALL PART OF THE LARGER CONVERSATION I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. YOU KNOW, MAKING THIS A COUNTYWIDE APPROACH IS FOR ME THE ONLY WAY. WATER DOES NOT STOP AT THE CITY'S EDGE. WE HAVE TOO MUCH CONNECTIVITY. THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS WITHIN FOWLER WHERE THERE ARE COUNTY PUMPS THAT COULD HAVE AN EFFECT ON CITY AREAS AND VICE VERSA. WE HAVE THE UNIVERSITY AREA. WE HAVE PARTS OF FOREST HILLS WHICH ARE PORTIONED OUT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CITY. IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. AGAIN, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. I WENT OUT WITH COMMISSIONER COHEN TO SEE OUR GOOD FRIENDS, TALK TO FRIENDS IN EAST COUNTY AREA. AT THE END OF COUNCIL, I'LL BE MAKING MOTIONS TO BETTER FORMALIZE THIS WITH OUR CITY. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. LAST, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT EXPECTATIONS. WHICH YOU TALKED ABOUT. NUMBER ONE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT INDEPENDENT REVIEW, IT'S NOT ABOUT POINTING FINGERS AT ANYBODY. IT'S ABOUT SAYING THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ZONE X WHO WERE DEVASTATED. THAT'S WHAT TRANSPARENCY IS ALL ABOUT. WE HAVE HERE A LOT OF WONDERFUL FOLKS FROM COUNTY STAFF. MR. BHIDE WHO IS A REMARKABLE PUBLIC SERVANT. NOT ABOUT POINTING THE FINGERS. SAYING, LOOK, A TRAGEDY HAPPENED AND WE NEED TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY, WHAT, IF ANYTHING, HAPPENED. ALSO NEED TO HAVE EXPECTATIONS WITH REGARDS TO WHAT THE FUTURE NEEDS ARE GOING TO BE, HOW MUCH THEY ARE GOING TO COST AND THAT DIALOGUE WE'VE GOT TO HAVE WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS. AGAIN, IN CLOSING, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO. NUMBER ONE, IT PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY, OPEN GOVERNMENT AFTER DEVASTATION, BUT, NUMBER TWO, IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT INFORMATION WE NEED FOR A ROAD MAP TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT ENGAGED DISCUSSION WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS. I AGAIN WANTED TO THANK COMMISSIONER COHEN BECAUSE WE WORKED A LOT ON THIS ISSUE TOGETHER. HE'S ALWAYS A GENTLEMAN AND A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH. AGAIN, I'LL BE MAKING SOME MOTIONS AT THE END ON THIS. MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. AND THANK YOU, FOLKS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>BILL CARLSON: THANK YOU TO HARRY FOR YOUR HELP AS WELL. HE PRECEDED ME IN SOUTH TAMPA, AND HE'S BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE OVER THE YEARS IN COORDINATING APPRECIATE HIM AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS. JUST AFTER THE STORMS, CITY COUNCIL ASKED THE CITY STAFF TO COME BACK AND GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE STORMWATER PLAN, CITYWIDE STORMWATER PLAN. THAT'S COMING BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. I HOPE THAT THE CITY STAFF CAN WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU ALL TO LOOK AT THE INFORMATION AS IT GOES ALONG. IF FOR SOME REASON WE NEED TO MOVE IT BY A MONTH OR SOMETHING, WE CAN DO THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN INTEGRATED STORMWATER PLAN THAT WORKS WITH THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO LOOKS AT THE CITY HOLISTICALLY INSTEA OF A PIECE AT A TIME. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN WHAT I WOULD CALL THE NON-SURGE FLOODING, AREAS, DAVIS ISLAND, WESTERN PART OF SOUTH TAMPA PENINSULA GOT INUNDATED WITH STORM SURGE. BUT THE AREAS THAT JUST FLOODED, MANY OF THEM HAD NEVER FLOODED BEFORE. IT APPEARS THAT A LARGE PART OF THAT WAS NOT JUST THE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL BUT ALSO LACK OF MAINTENANCE. AFTER THE BUCKHORN TAX WAS PASSED IN 2016, THERE WAS LIKE $2.5 MILLION OF MAINTENANCE, BUT WE CAN SEE IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT MAINTENANCE HASN'T BEEN DONE IN DECADES. IT LOOKS LIKE FINDING OLD EQUIPMENT FROM WORLD WAR II THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TOUCHED. I WONDER, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS. ONE IS, WILL BLACK & VEATCH BE LOOKING AT THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS OF THE CITY? SOME OF THAT MAINTENANCE IS BEING DONE NOW. IF YOU WENT TO THOSE PLACES TODAY YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THEM ARE SOMEWHAT CLEARED OUT. ONE OF THEM, A CULVERT, SUPPOSED TO BE A CONDUIT FOR WATER, IS COMPLETELY INUNDATED WITH WATER. IT APPEARS IT IS CRACKED AND LEAKING, INUNDATED BY GROUNDWATER. WE KNOW THAT THOSE ISSUES CONTRIBUTED. WILL BLACK & VEATCH BE LOOKING AT THE CITY'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND COME BACK AND TELL US WHERE THERE WERE MAINTENANCE FAILURES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO FIX THAT GOING FORWARD? >> LARGELY THAT WILL BE A QUESTION YOU ALL ANSWER BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO ASK THEM TO SIT DOWN WITH EACH ONE OF YOU AS WELL AS THE CITY ADMINISTRATION AND HELP MAP OUT WHAT YOUR AREAS OF CONCERN ARE. I'M SURE THEY WILL HAVE THAT IN THEIR ROSTER OF THINGS TO LOOK AT. >>BILL CARLSON: ALSO PLACES WHERE THERE ARE DRAINAGE DITCHES THAT AFTER THEY WERE BUILT -- OWN STORMWATER BUT THEN PEOPLE FILL IN THE DITCHES. DITCHES JUST FILLED IN OVER TIME. THERE ALSO WAS SIGNIFICANT DEBRIS THAT WAS NOT -- MAJORITY OF THE DEBRIS WAS NOT CLEANED UP BETWEEN THE FLOODING. THAT CAUSED ADDITIONAL FLOODING. WE HAVE RETENTION PONDS THAT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN FULL OF SOMETHING AND THEY ARE GOING TO NEED TO BE DREDGED. WE NEED TO SERIOUSLY LOOK AT THAT. THE POINT IS, THERE ARE THINGS THAT MIGHT COST A FEW MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S NOT BILLIONS THAT COULD BE IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS. I THINK MOST PEOPLE AS THEY ARE GOING THROUGH WITH THEIR CONTRACTORS RIGHT NOW REBUILDING, PUTTING DRYWALL BACK ON AND TRYING TO DO MOLD MITIGATION, THEY DON'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH. ALTHOUGH LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS ARE FIND, WE NEED TO FIND SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS LIKE THAT. HOPE YOU GUYS WILL LOOK AT THAT. >> YES, SIR. >>BILL CARLSON: THE SECOND THING IS AS WE'RE PLANNING MULTIMILLION OR MULTIBILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS, WOULDN'T IT BE PRUDENT TO WAIT UNTIL THE BLACK & VEATCH STUDY IS DONE? >> YES. >>BILL CARLSON: -- SO WE HAVE THE NEW INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THIS THE NEW FORM? IF THIS WAS A 500-YEAR EVENT, IS THIS THE NEW NORM THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD TO? IF WE HAVE ANY OLD PLANS ON THE TABLE, SHOULDN'T THEY BE UPDATED WITH THE FINDINGS OF THIS PLAN? >> YES, SIR, I AGREE THAT IS PRUDENT TO DO. THAT IS OUR INTENT AT THE COUNTY. OBVIOUSLY, OUR PARTNERS, WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD WAIT UNTIL THIS INITIAL EFFORT IS DONE WHERE WE HIGHLIGHT THE MAJOR AREAS OF FOCUS AND THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO THE CAPITAL PLANNING PORTION OF IT. >>BILL CARLSON: SHOULDN'T THE CAPITAL PLAN BE INTEGRATED -- >> YES, SIR. >>BILL CARLSON: -- SO CITYWIDE OR REGIONAL SYSTEM. >> I BELIEVE IT SHOULD. AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY. WE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH CITY STAFF. .OBVIOUSLY, ANYTHING THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION WANT TO HAVE US LOOK AT COLLABORATIVELY, WE'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO THAT. >>BILL CARLSON: YEAH, AGAIN, THANK YOU -- THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY SO MUCH AND COMMISSIONER COHEN FOR ALL OF HIS HELP AND HIS COLLEAGUES FOR HELPING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. ON MY OTHER SIDE, WHAT MY TWO COLLEAGUES TALKED ABOUT, THERE'S GOT TO BE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM. WE CAN'T JUST SAY IT HAPPENED. NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERY 200 YEARS, 300 YEARS. THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR -- [INAUDIBLE] -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIRD-WORLD CITIES AND COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN, OUTSIDE DEVASTATED. NOTHING LEFT BUT THE CORE IS STILL THERE. WHY IS IT STILL THERE? THEY DON'T HAVE SECOND FLOORS WITH WOOD. ANGLED ROOFING, EAVE THAT STICKS OUT 28, 30 INCHES OUT WHERE THE WIND CAN PICK UP THE EAVE, COLLAPSE THE WALLS AND YOU ARE FLOODED FROM THE BOTTOM AND TOP AT THE SAME TIME. DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF LIVING. HOUSES BUILT SOLID OF CONCRETE, REBAR, INCH AND A HALF, TWO INCHES FROM THE GROUND, TWO, THREE FEET DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE ROOF, THAT COMMUNICATES WITH ARMOR OF CONCRETE AND IRON. AND THE SECOND FLOOR, IF ANY, IS ALL CONCRETE AND IRON, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FOUNDATION. WHAT DOES THAT DO? IT TAKES CARE OF THE WIND AND THE RAIN. INSIDE, LIKE THIS BUILDING HERE, THIS IS ALL DRYWALL. WHAT'S THAT? DRYWALL. WHAT'S THAT? DRYWALL. IF IT GETS HERE, WHAT DO YOU HAVE? A CATASTROPHE. BASICALLY TAKE IT ALL OUT. THEIRS IS ALL CONCREE INSIDE. LOOKS JUST LIKE DRYWALL. IF IT GETS WET, LET IT DRY, YOU PAINT IT. A LOT OF SAVINGS TO DO ONE WAY. MAY BE MORE EXPENSIVE START DOING IT THE WAY SOMEBODY ELSE DOES IT. I'M SAYING YOU CAN'T JUST LIVE ON SOMETHING THAT MAY HAPPEN, MAY NOT HAPPEN, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. NO MATTER WHAT WE DEAL WITH TODAY, IF THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT LOOKED AT AND NOT FOLLOWED THROUGH, NOT HELP WHAT WE HELP TURN WHAT IT IS TODAY, A CATASTROPHE, WE'RE ASKING FOR TROUBLE NOT ONLY HERE, BUT THE WHOLE WORLD. LOOK AT ALL THE STORMS. LOOK AT ALL THE FIRES EVERYWHERE, THAT'S NOT NORMAL. SEVEN STORMS OUT OF THE GULF, BEEN HERE A PRETTY LONG TIME ON THIS SIDE OF THE EARTH, I ONLY REMEMBER TWO COMING OUT OF THE GULF. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT A NORMAL THING HAPPENING OR JUST A HAPPENING? IT'S GOT TO CHANGE. WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO THINGS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA. I LOVE TREES. HOW MANY TREES DAMAGED ROOFS THIS YEAR? WE OUGHT TO HAVE AREAS OF TREES WHERE YOU PLANT A LOT MORE TREES WITH SPACE BETWEEN SO THEY CAN GROW. YOU CAN'T HAVE A TREE RIGHT NEXT TO A DRIVEWAY THAT'S 30 INCHES, 40 INCHES WIDE AND PART OF THE LIMB FALLS THROUGH THE ROOF. IT GREATS ANOTHER PROBLEM. I LIKE TO SEE THE TREES PLANTED BY THIS CITY AND OTHER CITIES AWAY FRO AREA, BUT MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW. LET ME STRONGLY SAY THAT AGAIN. MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW BECAUSE THEY HELP OUT SO MUCH AT TIME WHEN THE RAINFALL IS EXACERBATED LIKE NEVER BEFORE. AND THAT TREE CAN HOLD A LOT OF WATER. SO ALL THOSE THINGS -- YOU DON'T HAVE A ONE-TERM SOLUTION. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MULTIPHASE SOLUTION TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT. HAVEN'T TALKED ONE IOTA TO TALK ABOUT CHANGING THE BUILDING CODES. WE ARE THE LARGEST STATE, OTHER THAN CALIFORNIA, ALL AROUND THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHAT DO YOU HAVE ON THE OUTSKIRTS? LAND AND WATER MEETING UP. ANYTIME YOU HAVE THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM SOONER OR LATER. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS SOONER THAN LATER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. COUNCILMAN COHEN. >> THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE KIND WORDS. I WAS ACTUALLY HERE FOR DAVE ROWLAND THIS MORNING. BUT REALLY AND TRULY, WE ARE HERE IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION. WE HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN FACING. I'VE BEEN TALKING TO ALL OF YOU THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE ORDEAL. EVERY ONE OF US IS DEALING WITH THE SAME THING IN DIFFERENT WAYS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN TELL YOU IS THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INDEPENDENT LOOK. THERE'S NOTHING OFF LIMITS. WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH CHOICES BUT AT LEAST WE WILL MAKE THEM WITH KNOWLEDGE AND WITH THE FACTS AND WITH THE REAL ANALYSIS OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO BETTER PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>LUIS VIERA: 30 SECONDS, IF I MAY, FOR COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND COUNCILMAN MIRANDA BROUGHT UP UNIQUE ISSUES TO AREAS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF BUILDING CODES, ET CETERA. EVERY PART IS SEPARATE AND UNIQUE. NORTH TAMPA LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE PUMPS. TOWN N' COUNTRY, STREET DISCUSSIONS ON THE REPAVING. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW. SOUTH TAMPA, SEPARATE ISSUES. OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR TODAY. IT'S GOING TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE UNIQUE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH AREA, THIS INQUIRY WILL. JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. FROM THAT DIALOGUE WE CAN GIVE THAT INFORMATION AS THE REPRESENTATIVES AND WITH THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND ALL THAT STUFF. >> YES, SIR, THANK YOU. I SHOULD NOTE, THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OUR DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AS PART OF THIS REVIEW. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE CITY. THAT'S, AGAIN, UP TO YOU. THIS CAN BE LARGELY GUIDED BY WHAT YOU AND THE ADMINISTRATION WANT TO LOOK AT. FINALLY, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DO NOT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX DID PASS. IT WILL PROVIDE FUNDING FOR SOME OF THE NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO STORMWATER. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND INTEREST HERE TODAY. WE DEFINITELY WILL BE IN TOUCH. THANK YOU. >>BILL CARLSON: JUST A QUICK QUESTION. COUNCILMAN VIERA REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING. WE HAD WASTEWATER SYSTEM FAILURES, TOO, PARTLY RELATED TO NOT HAVING BACKUP GENERATORS OORLACK OF CAPACITY 37 ARE YOU LOOKING AT WASTEWATER AS WELL? >> SHORT ANSWER, IS YES. FULL, HOLISTIC LOOK AT ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTY THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE FLOODING. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU ALL. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MY OWN RESPONSIBILITY. I DID NOT SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX. THE REASON FOR THAT IS GIVE AWAY $150 MILLION MORE THAN FOR FIRE, POLICE AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BEFORE WE START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT, WE HAVE AT LEAST THREE HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT, PER MY CALCULATION. WE ALSO HAVE A NIGHT MEETING THAT STARTS AT 5:01 P.M. WITH I THINK 16 CASES, 17 CASES. JUST TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, MR. SHELBY, DID YOU WANT US TO WRAP UP BY 3:45? IS THAT THE GOAL? >>MARTIN SHELBY: MY SUGGESTION, COUNCIL, KNOWING YOU HAVE MORE THAN A FULL EVENING AGENDA TONIGHT, MY SUGGESTION TO COUNCIL WOULD BE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE CLOCK, PARTICULARLY AFTER LUNCH OR HOW LONG YOU TAKE FOR LUNCH. MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO WRAP UP AT 3:45 TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT AND HAVE THOSE BE CONTINUED. DO NEW BUSINESS. BE OUT OF THE CHAMBERS BY 4:00. TAKE AN HOUR FOR LUNCH AND BE PREPARED TO COME BACK FOR THE START OF THE 5:00 MEETING WHEN YOU'LL HAVE A WHOLE GROUP OF OTHER PEOPLE COMING IN HERE TO HAVE THEIR CASES HEARD. REMINDER TO COUNCIL, IF I CAN ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT, JUST BE REMINDED THAT YOU DO HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO TAKE THE FULL THREE MINUTES. [ LAUGHTER ] IF YOU SEE THAT YOU'RE DONE BEFORE AND THE LIGHT IS STILL WHATEVER COLOR IT IS, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT RED, PLEASE PASS IT ALONG TO THE NEXT PERSON SO WE CAN MOVE THIS ALONG. IF EVERYBODY SAYS WHAT THEY SAY SUCCINCTLY, DOES NOT NECESSARILY USE THAT TIME, WE CAN ULTIMATELY THAT MUCH QUICKER. PLEASE DO SO. ONE LAST THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT A CONCERN WAS RAISED THAT SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAS COMMUNICATED WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE SUBJECTS OF ITEMS 58 AND 59 WAS CONTRACTED BY HART TO PERFORM SERVICES ON HART'S BEHALF WHICH WERE UNRELATED TO THE MATTERS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL. SO WITH REGARD TO THOSE ITEMS, I HAVE DETERMINED THAT NO PROHIBITED CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR VOTING CONFLICTS EXIST THAT WOULD PREVENT CITY COUNCIL AND ITS MEMBERS FROM VOTING ON THIS ISSUE. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND ADDRESS THAT ISSUE WAS RAISED AND I FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THERE IS NO PROHIBITED CONFLICT UNDER FLORIDA STATUTES NOR A VOTING CONFLICT. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE ONE REGISTERED SPEAKER. MR. MICHAEL RANDOLPH. THEN WE'LL GO TO EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL RANDOLPH. I'M WITH THE WEST TAMPA CDC. I ATTENDED THE LAST WEST TAMPA CAC MEETING IN WHICH WE STOOD WITH THE WEST TAMPA RIVERFRONT EXTENSION. THE CAC ALSO VOTED FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROGRAM. WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR ROLE TO WORK WITH THE ENTITIES TO CONNECT LOCAL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY. TWO UPCOMING MEETINGS. ON THE 28th OF DECEMBER, WE'RE HAVING A MEETING CALLED HEALTH IS WEALTH. AS YOU KNOW IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF HEALTH ISSUES THAT COULD BE PREVENTED. WE'RE GOING TO USE COMMUNITY -- TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE. THIS ISSUE IS RELATED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THE UNHEALTHY COMMUNITY LEADS TO A COMMUNITY WHERE THERE ARE ISSUES -- THE NEXT MEETING ON THE 18th IS GOING TO BE TITLED REDUCING CRIME, USING AN ECONOMIC APPROACH WHICH WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON GOALS AND THOSE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS TO HELP THEM TO GET BACK INTO THE JOB MARKET. AS YOU KNOW, THE NEW YEAR IS GOING TO BRING A NEW OFFICE FOR THE WEST TAMPA CDC AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. IN THAT, WE'RE GOING TO BE TRAINING RESIDENTS AS WE LAUNCH A GRANT MARATHON NEXT YEAR TO INCREASE FUNDING TO THE WEST TAMPA CDC WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH SKILLS NECESSARY SO THEY CAN ALSO GET A BENEFIT. GRANT WRITERS ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO UP TO $200 AN HOUR. WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEW YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. RANDOLPH. ENJOY YOUR DAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO INTO THE IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT. THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS ARE ASHLEY MORAN, KELSEY UNSWORTH AND AMY BRAWN. >> HI. ASHLEY MORAN. I'VE LIVED IN PARKLAND ESTATES FOR 25 YEARS. AS YOU KNOW, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS FLOODED MANY TIMES SINCE 2015. DURING WHICH TIME THE CITY HAS BEEN STUDYING THE ISSUES. ON THE NIGHT OF THE HURRICANE, I WAS TRAPPED IN MY FLOODED HOME FOR NINE HOURS WITH MY ELDERLY EVACUATED IN-LAWS FROM DAVIS ISLAND, MY SON, MY DOGS AND A VERY ANGRY CAT WHILE MY HUSBAND WHO WORKS FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WORKED AT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. WE WERE UNABLE TO GET OUT OF OUR HOME UNTIL 6:30 THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THE WATER FINALLY BEGAN TO RECEDE AND WE COULD AT LEAST% OPEN THE DOORS. IT WAS A VERY TRAUMATIC NIGHT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE THERE IS A SOLUTION AVAILABLE. WE ARE UNABLE TO LIVE IN OUR HOME AND THE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON US AND OUR NEIGHBORS HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLE. IT'S SAD TO ME THAT WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE FLOOD RELIEF PROGRAM. IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A SOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN BY THE EXPERTS INSTEAD OF STUDYING IT FOR MANY MORE YEARS. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. KELSEY UNSWORTH, AMY BRAWN AND HARRY COLEMAN. GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HI. KELSEY UNSWORTH. MY HOME IN PARKLAND ESTATES IS ON THE ROUTE PROPOSED FOR THE PROJECT AND I SUPPORT THE PROJECT. NOT ALL BUSINESSES FLOODED ARE ABLE TO HIRE LOBBYISTS TO ADVOCATE FOR INTERESTS. NOT ALL ABLE TO COORDINATE A MEDIA BLITZ ACROSS NEWSPAPERS AND TV. SWANN IS A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS AND THEY FLOODED IN MILTON AND ALMOST HAD TO SHUT DOWN PERMANENTLY. WE NEED TO STOP THE FLOODING TO SAVE THE BUSINESSES. IT'S BEEN LONG ENOUGH. THIS NEEDS TO START TODAY. THE OWNERS OF DRIVEN CANNOT BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO TO WORK TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN. BUT MADE A VIDEO THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY. >> WE HAVE SPENT TIME REMEDIATING AND REMODELING OUR FACILITY DUE TO FLOODWATERS FROM HURRICANE MILTON. THE HURRICANE WATERS -- ABOUT 14 INCHES. THIS IS DUE TO ANTIQUATED FLOOD SYSTEM IN SOUTH TAMPA. >> NOT ONLY IS IT AFFECTING US AS A BUSINESS, BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. A LOT OF OUR CLIENTS, THEY WALK RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET TO COME SEE US EVERY DAY. IT'S NOT ONLY HURT US, BUT HURT THEIR HOMES AS WELL. >> WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE FLOODWATER INITIATIVE HERE IN SOUTH TAMPA BY WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY. THIS INITIATIVE SHOULD BE FAST TRACKED TO COMPLETION. THIS IS ONLY GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN. IF WE DO NOT UPGRADE THE FLOODWATER SYSTEM, THEN SMALL BUSINESSES WILL LEAVE THIS COMMUNITY, FURTHER IMPACTING THE GREAT COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BUILT HERE. >> THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: AMY BRAWN, COLEMAN, SHAWN ROOTEN. GOOD MORNING, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HI. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS AMY BROWN. I LIVE IN PARKLAND ESTATES. I SPOKE AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT HOW IT'S NOT JUST FOLKS FLOODED THAT ARE SUPPORTING THIS. I'M BACK TODAY TO CONTINUE MY SUPPORT AND REALLY TAKE A STEP BACK AND DO THIS FROM THE APPROACH OF REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE GENERATIONS. THIS PROJECT IS ALSO A LOT LESS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OFFICE HAS MENTIONED. WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONSIDER THIS AND TRY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF SHORT-TERM PAIN, ESPECIALLY FOR THE BUSINESSES ON HOWARD. THE PROXIMITY TO THESE BUSINESSES IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE MOVED HERE. WE FREQUENT THE EPICUREAN FOR BRUNCH, BERNS FOR DINNER. A TIP, IF YOU GO OUT FOR DINNER SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS DO A RESERVATION AT THE DESSERT ROOM TO FINISH YOUR NIGHT AND WE OFTEN DO THAT. WE GO TO THE GREEN LEMON, DAILY EATS, YOU NAME IT. WE GO THERE OFTEN. BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUSINESSES, WE CANNOT IGNORE THE AGGREGATE BUSINESSES, THAT INCLUDES THE DOZENS THAT HAVE LOST EVERYTHING ON SWANN, THAT WILL NOT HAVE CERTAINTY THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN OVER AND OVER. I'M NOT SUPPORTING THIS BILL JUST TO SAVE A FEW HOUSES IN PARKLAND ESTATES. I'M DOING THIS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE OVERALL NEIGHBORHOOD AT LARGE, AS A WHOLE FOR DECADES TO COME.% THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HARRY COLEMAN, SHAWN ROUTEN, WILL COLEMAN. GOOD MORNING, SIR, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HARRY COLEMAN. PARKLAND ESTATES. I SUPPORT THE SOUTH HOWARD FLOOD RELIEF PROJECT AS CONCEIVED. I IMPLORE YOU TO VOTE TO APPROVE IT TODAY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. I SPOKE TO A LOT OF NEIGHBORS, INCLUDING BUSINESS OWNERS OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS AS MY FAMILY TRIES TO REBUILD OUR LIVES AND OUR HOME. MY STORY IS NOT UNCOMMON. OVER A HUNDRED HOMES FLOODED AND HALF AS MANY BUSINESSES FLOODED. AND NOT JUST DURING MILTON, BUT ALL SUMMER LONG. WE CAME TOGETHER. THOSE FLOODED NEIGHBORS HELPED OTHER FLOODED NEIGHBORS. WE FOUND RESOURCES. WE REACHED OUT TO YOU. THANK YOU GUYS SO, SO MUCH. BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. WHEN AMERICA FALLS DOWN, AMERICANS HELP EACH OTHER BACK UP. THE WEEKEND BEFORE HALLOWEEN, THE ONE THAT I DID NOT GET TO SPEND WITH MY FAMILY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I CLEANED THE CITY. EVEN THOUGH CRANE TRUCKS PICKED UP THE MAJORITY OF MY HOUSEHOLD ITEMS, THERE WERE STILL BROKEN BITS OF GLASS, FURNITURE, TOYS, AND NAILS. AND I DIDN'T WANT MY KIDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD TO SUFFER ON HALLOWEEN WHEN THEY WANTED TO TRICK OR TREAT. I DO THAT BECAUSE I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I WOULDN'T BENEFIT FOR IT, MY NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD. I'VE HEARD A LOT OF RESIDENTS COME IN HERE AND FOCUS ON WHAT THEY POTENTIALLY STAND TO LOSE DURING THE PROJECT, WHETHER DRUDISRUPTED STREETS, BUSINESS NUANCES OR POTENTIAL PROPERTY IMPACTS AND SECOND GUESS THE ENGINEERS, TALK ABOUT LESS EFFECTIVE ROUTES OR LESS EFFECTIVE PROCEDURES AND THEY DEFINITELY WANT TO PUSH FOR ROUTES THAT DON'T AFFECT THEIR PROPERTY. BUT THAT'S NOT ME. I DON'T CARE WHICH ROUTE IS CHOSEN. LAKEVIEW, THE INTERSECTION RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOME, THEY CAN FOR THE ROUTE. ANYONE WHO IS DISRUPTED FROM THEIR BUSINESS WHO WANTS TO PARK ON MY RIGHT-OF-WAY, PLEASE HAVE AT IT. IF YOU WANT TO RUN YOUR DELIVERY TRUCKS DOWN MY STREET WHILE I TRIM THE TREES UP TO 17 FEET, GO RIGHT AHEAD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO. ANY TEMPORARY INCONVENIENCE IF IT MEANS PROTECTING OUR HOUSES AND OUR BUSINESSES FOR A LIFETIME IS WORTH IT. THIS WILL ACTUALLY DRIVE UP THE PROPERTY VALUES. SOUTH TAMPA IS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE, AND THEY BOTH RELY ON EACH OTHER. THE BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITIES. PEOPLE COME DOWN TO SOUTH HOWARD RESTAURANTS. THEY HAVE A GREAT TIME AND THEN THEY WANT TO LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S WHAT WE DID. NOW WE GO TO THOSE RESTAURANTS ALL THE TIME AND WE GO ACROSS THE STREET TO PALMA CEIA PINES AS WELL. MY WIFE WORKS AT HCA. SO, PLEASE, WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. I SUPPORT THE PLAN. I'M HERE TO HELP. PLEASE HELP ME HELP VOTE TO APPROVE THE PLAN TODAY. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. SHAWN IS THE NEXT SPEAKER. SHAWN, WILL COLEMAN, DAVID ADAMS. >> SHAWN ROUTEN, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE EPICUREAN HOTEL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, CITY COUNCIL. I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF OPENING THE EPICUREAN AND WORKING THERE OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS AND BEING A PART OF HOWARD'S CHARMING TOURIST DESTINATION. I'M ASKING TODAY WITH DIRE URGENCY TO PLEASE PUT A PAUSE ON THIS PLAN FOR 90 DAYS TO FIND A FURTHER SOLUTION THAT WILL ALLOW MITIGATION FOR PARKLAND ESTATES AS WELL AS LOOK AT AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION THAT DOES NOT TURN HOWARD AVENUE AND OUR BUSINESSES INTO A WAR ZONE. I FEEL GREATLY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF PARKLAND ESTATES. WE'RE ACTUALLY ZONED Z AT THE EPICUREAN HOTEL. OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS WE HAVE ACTUALLY BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR PEOPLE AT FLOOD RISK. STAY WITH US, WE FEED THEM. HEAR THEIR STORIES, CALM THEM DOWN, MEET THEIR KIDS UNTIL THE LEAVE THE NEXT DAY AND SOME HAVE TO EXTEND BECAUSE THEIR HOUSES HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. I INTERNALIZE WITH IT. OUR TEAM ALSO LEAVES THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR HOMES NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY GO HOME TO. MANY OF THEM WENT HOME JUST LIKE THE PARKLAND PEOPLE TO REALIZE THEY HAD BEEN AFFECTED AS WELL. I LIVE ON NORTH OREGON AVENUE PERPENDICULAR FROM WHERE THE PROJECT WAS DONE USING 10-FOOT CULL VERSE, 8-FOOT CULVERTS. MY STREET FLOODS ALL THE WAY UP INTO MY YARD. I HAVE TO CLOSE MY BLINDS WHEN IT RAINS BECAUSE MY THREE-YEAR-OLD IS TERRIFIED. MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD THINKS IT'S AWESOME AND GOES UPSTAIRS TO WATCH IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. I ALSO WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR TEAM AT EPICUREAN, WE'RE FAMILY TO US. THEY HAVE FAMILIES TOO. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE. THE HARDEST DAY OF MY CAREER WAS SITTING DOWN WITH MY EMPLOYEES DURING COVID AND SAY I CAN NO LONGER EMPLOY YOU. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE'S HOMES WERE AFFECTED AND FLOODED. THEY WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY EITHER. SINCE THERE WAS NEVER A FINANCIAL IMPACT STUDY DONE ON THIS PROJECT, LET ME PUT IN PERSPECTIVE A FEW KEY ELEMENTS WITH US AS A HOTEL. I HAVE A CONTRACT RIGHT NOW, ONE CONTRACT. $2.2 MILLION A YEAR. THIS BLEEDS INTO THREE YEARS, IT IS AN AIRLINE CONTRACT $6.6 MILLION LOSS. THEY HAVE TO HAVE PROPER SLEEP DURING REGULATION FOR SAFETY TO FLY. SOME OF THEM COME AT ODD HOURS DURING THE DAY AND THEY HAVE TO SLEEP DURING THE DAY. I HAVE A NUMBER OF LOYALISTS AND CLIENTS WHO HAVE COME TO US FOR YEARS. THEY ARE NO LONGER GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME, MANY ARE PROFESSIONAL NHL TEAMS. I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE IT ABOUT SPECIFIC GROUPS. WE HAVE TO SIGN A CONTRACT WITH ALL OF OUR CLIENTS SAYING THAT WE ARE FREE OF DISRUPTION AS WELL AS CONSTRUCTION. LASTLY IS THE LOYALISTS. WE APPRECIATE THE LOYALISTS WHO COME IN THE PARKLAND ESTATES, BUT THE SOLUTION IS AND I'LL ASK EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TO HAVE A PARKING LOT WHERE MY FAMILY PARKS AND THEY DRIVE IN A GOLF CART DOWN A DIRT ROAD TO GET TO A PLACE, ARE THEY GOING TO DO IT? NO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. NEXT WE HAVE WILL COLEMAN, DAVID ADAMS, AND CJ CORNEAL. >> MY NAME IS WILL COLEMAN. 11 YEARS OLD, RESIDENT OF PARKLAND ESTATES AND STUDENT OF WILSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. I SUPPORT THE SOUTH HOWARD FLOOD RELIEF PROJECT AND HOPE YOU APPROVE IT TODAY. MY HOME WAS DESTROYED BY THE FLOODING AND MY LIFE HAS BEEN DISRUPTED. I DID NOT TRICK OR TREAT IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE OF THE FLOODING. MY SISTER AND I WILL NOT GET TO SPEND THANKSGIVING IN OUR OWN HOUSE NEXT WEEK. I WILL NOT GET TO WAKE UP ON CHRISTMAS MORNING AND OPEN PRESENTS IN MY OWN HOME AND WILL NOT GET TO SPEND NEW YEAR'S DAY THERE EITHER. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM MY FAMILY EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOTHING WRONG. MY HOME FLOODED AND NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT. DO NOT GET TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. ONE THING YOU CAN DO IT GIVE US HOPE. APPROVE THE PLAN SO WE CAN REBUILD WITH HOPE. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. NEXT IS DAVID ADAMS, CJ CORNEAL AND RUMELA DOS. >> MY NAME IS DAVID ADAMS. I LIVE IN PARKLAND ESTATES AND LIVED THERE APPROXIMATELY 30 PLUS YEARS. EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS, BUT FLOODING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE PROGRAM LAST MONDAY NIGHT, 150 TO 250 HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE FLOODED DURING HURRICANE MILTON. THE AREA HAS FLOODED TEN TIMES DURING NORMAL SUMMER RAINSTORMS BEFORE HURRICANE MILTON. LIKE TO SHOW YOU SOME PICTURES OF THE NON-HURRICANE FLOODING. THIS IS MY HOUSE ON SEPTEMBER 3. YOU CAN SEE IT'S COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY WATER. IT IS SANDBAGGED UP AT THE GARAGE DOOR. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SANDBAG OUR HOUSES DURING NORMAL RAINSTORM EVENTS. THIS IS HOW I GET TO MY HOUSE ON THESE DAYS. YOU CAN SEE THE WATER COMES UP TO MY WAIST. THIS IS HOW CARS NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS WATER, MANY OF WHICH ARE RUINED. I'VE PERSONALLY PUSHED AT LEAST TEN CARS OUT OF THE INTERSECTIONS AND WITNESSED AT LEAST A HUNDRED VEHICLES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. LASTLY, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO PARKED CARS AND CARS THAT CAN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE WATER. THAT'S AN AUDI. PROBABLY 50, 60 THOUSAND DOLLARS. WE DID FOR BE SAFE IN OUR HOMES. WHEN A GUNSHOT IS FIRED ON SOUTH HOWARD, POLICE ARE THERE IN TWO MINUTES. WHEN YOUR HOUSE CATCHES ON FIRE, FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWS UP IN FIVE MINUTES. WHEN WE HAVE STRUCTURAL FLOODING, IT TAKES NINE YEARS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. TODAY YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO DESIGN A PROJECT. LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN, DESIGN A PROJECT. YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZING CONSTRUCTION. THE CITY HAS BUDGETED $300,000 FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. EVERY VOICE WILL BE HEARD, MANY TODAY. THE FINAL ROUTE PRESENTED AT CONSTRUCTION. VOTING NO ON A DESIGN IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. YOU WILL HEAR OPPOSITION TO THE PROJECT THIS MORNING. THEY'LL TELL YOU THAT THE SKY IS FALLING. BUSINESSES WILL FAIL. EMPLOYEES WILL BE FIRED. THEY'LL LOSE THEIR JOBS. BUT NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE BECAUSE YOU ARE ONLY AUTHORIZING DESIGN OF A PROJECT, DESIGNING OF A PROJECT WON'T HURT ANYONE. THIS FLOODING IS A VERY, VERY, VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. YOU NEED TO MOVE 50 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER FROM THIS 200-ACRE BASIN. YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THE EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL TURMOIL THAT WE FELT FROM OUR HOUSES BEING FLOODED. I HAD 33 INCHES OF WATER, 12 INSIDE. SO I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE YES FOR THE DESIGN OF THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. CJ CORNEAL. GOOD MORNING, MA'AM. FOLLOWED BY RUMELA DOSS AND FRANK RUSSO. >> I'M JOANIE CORNEAL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. FIRST OF ALL, I AGREE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. HOWEVER, THIS PROPOSAL OF WIDENING THE STREETS, PUTTING IN UNDERGROUND TECO LINES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED IS NOT GOING TO PROBLEMS. ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS THE LEAD ENGINEER RESPONDED MONDAY NIGHT THAT THERE ARE MEDIANS ON HOWARD AVENUE THAT COULD BE TAKEN OUT TO ALLOW ALL THIS WORK. AND ANYONE WHO HAS DRIVEN OR WALKED DOWN HOWARD AVENUE KNOWS THAT THE ONLY PLACE THAT THERE IS SOMEWHAT OF A MEDIAN IS IN FRONT OF THE EPICUREAN HOTEL. THE ISSUE AND MANY THINGS THAT THEY HAVE OUTLINED IS NOT TRUE. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS TO THIS PROJECT BESIDES HOWARD AVENUE. I OWN A BUSINESS ON HOWARD AND HAVE FOR 38 YEARS. THIS WILL KNOCK ME OUT OF BUSINESS. WE HAVE SO MANY DELIVERIES EVERY DAY. I PUT ONE OF THEM RIGHT HERE. THIS IS A SEMI TRAILER WHICH YOU'VE ALL SEEN. AND ANY OF THESE TYPES OF OPTIONS LIKE GOING DOWN SIDE STREETS, CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW THESE TRUCKS ARE GOING TO OBLITERATE THE BRICK STREETS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD? ALSO, THEY SAY IF THEY BRING PRODUCT IN ON THESE, ON THE SIDE STREETS, THEY WILL BRING OUT GOLF CARTS TO PICK UP THE PRODUCT TO TRANSPORT TO THE RESTAURANTS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. THE DELIVERIES THAT ARE MADE WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRODUCTS, LIKE FRESH MEATS, DAIRY, PRODUCE, WINE THROUGH THE HEAT ON HOWARD AVENUE IN THE SUMMERTIME, I WONDER IF THE DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION OR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO LIKE THIS IDEA FOR THOSE ITEMS TO BE CARRIED BY GOLF CARTS, HOW MANY GOLF CARTS IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO UNLOAD PRODUCT FOR MY RESTAURANT? HOW MANY IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO UNLOAD FOR BERNS STEAK HOUSE OR THE EPICUREAN? THIS IS A LUDICROUS IDEA. AGAIN, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS TO ALLEVIATE THIS FLOODING IN PARKLAND ESTATES AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. THEN THE NEXT ITEM THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT WAS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE CUSTOMERS GO DOWNTOWN, PARK IN A PARKING GARAGE, AND THEY WOULD BE TRANSPORTED TO THE RESTAURANTS. NO ONE IS GOING TO DO THAT. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. I WOULDN'T DO THAT. I OPENED MY RESTAURANT 38 YEARS AGO, AND I EMPLOY WELL OVER 60 PEOPLE. AND THEY WILL BE OUT TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER JOB SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE EVEN IF WE GET HALF THE AMOUNT OF CUSTOMERS IN THE RESTAURANT, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO THIS PLAN THAT IS WRONG. THIS IS GOING TO CERTAINLY DEVASTATE ME, MY FAMILY, AND MY LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES. I HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR OVER THREE DECADES. IT'S GOING TO BE DEVASTATING. SO BEFORE YOU CAST YOUR VOTE, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE OVER 1700 PEOPLE EMPLOYED ON HOWARD AVENUE AND THE EFFECT IT'S GOING TO HAVE ON THEM. I REALLY WANT YOU TO THINK HARD ABOUT VOTING FOR THIS PROJECT. THINK TWICE YOUR CONSCIENCE OF VOTING NO. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: RUMELA DOSS, FRANK RUSSO, JOE COLLIER. GOOD MORNING, MA'AM. >> RUMELA DOSS, HOMEOWNER AT PARKLAND ESTATES WHO DID NOT FLOOD. I'M HERE BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT OUR CITY AND KEEPING IT SAFE FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. I ALSO CARE ABOUT KEEPING OUR CITY FUN AND LIVELY AND A PLACE PEOPLE WANT TO BE. I KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT THOSE TWO THINGS WHICH IS WHY YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST VOTE YES ON THE SOUTH HOWARD FLOOD RELIEF PROJECT. EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AGREES THAT FLOOD RELIEF IS BADLY NEEDED IN THE TARGET AREA. EVERYONE SHOULD ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IF THIS PROJECT IS NOT APPROVED TO MOVE FORWARD TODAY AFTER NINE YEARS OF INTENSIVE STUDY OF ALL FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVES AND FUNDING FROM THREE DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, IT WILL TAKE LIKELY ANOTHER DECADE TO GET ANOTHER PROJECT GOING FROM THE GROUND UP. TAMPA DOES NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME. THE HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE FLOODED DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME. YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT HOW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FLOODS IN AN AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM, WHICH MEANS NO ACCESS TO EMERGENCY SERVICES AND COMBINED WITH THE OVERHEAD POWER LINES THAT HAVE FALLEN TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR, PRESENT AN ENORMOUS RISK TO ALL THE FAMILIES AND KIDS THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS SITUATION IS CREATED BY THE CITY'S INACTION THUS FAR. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECTIFY THAT TODAY BY VOTING YES. SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SAFETY, WHICH I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE ON. NOW LET ME GET TO THE REAL CONTENTIOUS POINT HERE WHICH IS KEEPING OUR CITY FUN AND LIVELY. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE REASON WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE IN PARKLAND ESTATES MYSELF. I CAME HERE AFTER LIVING IN BOSTON, NEW YORK, MIAMI, AND HONG KONG. I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HAPPY IF I DIDN'T CHOOSE A PLACE LIKE PARKLAND ESTATES WHICH IS SO CLOSE TO SOUTH HOWARD WHICH WAS LITERALLY THE NUMBER ONE SELLING POINT FOR CHOOSING THE AREA. THOSE BUSINESSES WHAT ARE MAKE PARKLAND ESTATES SO DESIRABLE AND THEY MUST NOT BE HARMED BY THIS PROJECT. BUT THE KEY POINT IS THAT THEY WON'T BE HARMED. WE'VE HEARD FROM JOHN OF KIMMINS THAT THE VIBRATIONS WILL BE MONITORED CONSTANTLY SO BERNS PRECIOUS WINE COLLECTION WILL BE SAFE. WE'VE HEARD FROM VIK BHIDE, TAMPA'S DIRECTOR OF MOBILITY THAT THE SIDEWALKS WILL BE KEPT OPEN TO ABSOLUTELY MAINTAIN INGRESS AND EGRESS FOR THE BUSINESSES. WE, HOWEVER, DO NOT HAVE INGRESS AND EGRESS WHEN THERE IS AN AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM. NOW YOU'RE HEARING FROM ME AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WILL BE TELLING YOU THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO SEND AS MUCH BUSINESS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO THESE SMALL BUSINESSES ON SOUTH HOWARD DURING THE TIME THAT THE CONSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING JUST TO SHOW THAT WE CARE AND WE SUPPORT THEM. HAVE YOU GUYS HEARD OF -- THEY HAD THE POWER IN THE PAST TO MAKE OR BREAK BUSINESSES. WE WILL WIELD THE POWER OF MOST AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA STREET SIGNAGE, EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT OUR VALUABLE BUSINESS NEIGHBORS AT SOUTH HOWARD. WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO SUFFER. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A WELL-STUDIED AND FULLY FUNDED PROJECT THAT IS THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT WILL GET US FLOOD RELIEF WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT ANOTHER DECADE. IT WILL SERVE US WELL FOR MULTIPLE GENERATIONS. WE WILL MAKE SURE THE IMPACTS ARE MINIMAL. HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE, BELIEVE IN THE ENGINEERS, BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND VOTE YES TO KEEP YOUR CONSTITUENTS SAFE. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FRANK RUSSO. JOE COLLIER. TRILLION BALDASSARI. >> GOOD MORNING. FRANK RUSSO. I'M AN EMPLOYEE OF BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR 300 PLUS EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE AND ASKING YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS. THE DEVASTATION THAT IT WOULD CREATE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT OF IT ALONE WOULD BE YEARS OF DESTRUCTION TO OUR BUSINESSES. THE EMPLOYEES RELY ON US. WE LOVE AND RESPECT OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE A PART OF US. THEY HAVE BECOME A PART OF OUR FAMILY. WE'RE NOT BLIND TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR THIS WATER TO FIND A NEW PATH. WE'RE PERFECTLY AWARE OF IT. WE'RE NOT BLIND TO IT. BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS. PLEASE CONSIDER THOSE OTHER OPTIONS. WE LOVE AND RESPECT TAMPA. WE'VE DONE GREAT THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF TAMPA AT BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. FOR 70 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN A KEY PART OF EVERY DEVELOPMENT AND EVERYTHING THAT'S DONE WITHIN THE CITY. WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR CONSIDERATION TO PLEASE RELOOK AT THIS VENTURE. LOOK AT THE OTHER AVENUES THAT CAN TAKE PLACE, THAT YOU CAN USE AND LET US KNOW. WE LOVE OUR PEOPLE. WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY. WE LOVE WHAT WE DO. WE WANT TO KNOW THAT WE ARE LOVED BY YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL, AND THINK OF US. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU. I HOPE YOU DO CONSIDER THIS AND KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE, NOT JUST 300 FAMILIES AT BERNS, BUT ALL THOSE BUSINESSES ALONG THAT COMMUNITY LINE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. PLEASE CONSIDER US. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOE COLLIER. TRILLION BALDASSARI. DAVID DeLOACH. I WAS ASKED THAT WHOEVER THE NEXT SPEAKER IS, AFTER THE CURRENT SPEAKER, JUST PLEASE LINE UP BY THE WALL SO WE CAN KEEP THE FLOW GOING. GOOD MORNING, MR. COLLIER. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOE COLLIER. GENERAL PARTNER OF THE EPICUREAN HOTEL AND CEO OF MAIN SAIL LODGING AND DEVELOPMENT. EMPLOY 125 PEOPLE AT THE EPICUREAN HOTEL. THE SOHO BUSINESS DISTRICT HAS GROWN ORGANICALLY OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS AND POPULATED BY NOTHING BUT FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES. UNLIKE DOWNTOWN AND PROJECTS LIKE WATER STREET, WE NEVER ASKED OR RECEIVED ANY TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS OR THE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAX INCENTIVES OR OTHER. WE HAVE CREATED A POPULAR AND WALKABLE AREA FOR TOURISTS AND LOCALS WITH OUR OWN MONEY AND PAID OUR TAXES ALONG THE WAY. WE AGREE WITH OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IN PARKLAND THAT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DREAD AND DAMAGE OF FLOODING. WE WANT TO HELP SOLVE THIS ISSUE. THE CITY TEAM HAS PITTED US AGAINST SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS THAT HAPPEN TO BE FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS BY CREATING A FALSE CHOICE. IT'S A FALSE CHOICE. IT'S EITHER AGREE TO THE SOUTH HOWARD PLAN AND BLINDLY TAKE THE WORD OF THESE PARTICULAR ENGINEERS OR CONTINUE TO FLOOD. IT IS A RIDICULOUS AND UNNECESSARY CHOICE. WE CAN DO BOTH, SOLVE THE FLOODING AND NOT DESTROY PEOPLE'S BUSINESSES AND LIVELIHOODS. A LARGE PORTION OF THE PARKLAND RESIDENTS DON'T WANT THIS PLAN. ASK THEM. THEY DON'T WANT THIS PLAN IN PART IT DOESN'T IMPROVE ANYTHING FOR THEM FOR OVER THREE YEARS. DOESN'T TOUCH THEM FOR THREE YEARS. WE CAN DO BETTER. IT IS A COMPLETE FANTASY BY ENGINEERS THAT DON'T HAVE TO MAKE PAYROLL OR DEBT SERVICE AND BY A CONTRACTOR THAT'S IN THE MIX NOW THAT STANDS TO MAKE 65 MILLION THAT YOU CAN CLOSE HOWARD AVENUE AND NOT DESTROY THESE BUSINESSES AND YOU WILL CREATE HAVOC IN HYDE PARK AND NEW SUBURB BEAUTIFUL. ONCE YOU START THE PROJECT, HOWARD AVENUE IS NO LONGER A THOROUGHFARE AND 10,000 CARS A DAY WILL START DIVERTING. SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE HOTEL, WHAT MOTHER OF THE BRIDE IS GOING TO PLAN THEIR WEDDING WHEN THEIR GUESTS HAVE TO TALK ABOUT SATELLITE LOTS, CAN'T GET TO THE FRONT DOOR AND DRESSES AND TUXEDOS AND HAVE TO BE TRANSPORTED IN GOLF CARTS TO THESE RESTAURANTS THROUGH THE DIRT AND MUD? BE REAL. ARE YOU GOING TO DRESS UP AND DO THAT? YOU'RE NOT. NO, YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIORS AND AVOID SOUTH HOWARD FOR THREE YEARS AND LONGER. THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT SECTIONS, BUT ONCE YOU STOP THE TRAFFIC AND YOU DIVERT THIS ARTERY, HOWARD AVENUE BECOMES ROUTE 66 LIKE OUT WEST. THESE RESTAURANTS WILL BECOME OBSOLETE. PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR AND THEY ARE GOING. THE PLAN BEING PROPOSED IS NOT THOUGHTFUL OR CLEVER OR CUTTING EDGE. A HUGE BOX CULVERT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF HOWARD AVENUE COULD BE DESIGNED BY ANY KNUCKLE DRAGGER. I'M SO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS. THE ROMANS CAME UP WITH BETTER ADVANCE THINKING THAN THIS. IT IS A BOX CULVERT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUSIEST STREET IN SOUTH TAMPA. THERE ARE OTHER ROUTES AND VERY TELLING AT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETING MONDAY NIGHT. KEPT TALKING ABOUT THE COST, WHEN ASKED ABOUT A FINANCIAL IMPACT STUDY, NONE HAD BEEN DONE. THEY SAID THEY DON'T HAVE TO. IS THAT COLLABORATION? NO. WE DON'T NEED TO DO A FINANCIAL IMPACT STUDY. WE'LL PUT YOU GUYS OUT OF BUSINESS. THAT IS THE WAY WE DECIDED TO REENGINEER THIS THING AND DO IT WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER CHOICES. WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER. THE SOHO BUSINESS GUYS GOT TOGETHER A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO AND THE ANGST AND THE LOOK ON THEIR FACE THINKING ABOUT BANKRUPTCY AND GOING OUT OF BUSINESS, YOU SHOULD BE THERE TO SEE THAT AND APPRECIATE THAT AND EMBRACE THAT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. >> THERE ARE OTHER CHOICES. >> THTHANK YOU, SIR. TRILLION BALDASSARI. DAVID DeLOACH, PATRICK CIMINO. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M TRILLION BALDASSARI. I'M A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER. I'M A CERTIFIED FLOODPLAIN MANAGER AND PRESIDENT OF DeLOACH ENGINEERING SCIENCE. 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN MANAGING AND FIXING BROKEN WATERSHEDS. YOU HAVE OPTIONS. ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS MORNING IS FOR A BRIEF PAUSE, A BRIEF PAUSE WOULD ALLOW US TO LOOK AT THE WATERSHED WITH A FRESH PERSPECTIVE AND EMPHASIS ON MODERN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. WE WOULD APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP AND PRESENT SOME OF THESE ALTERNATIVES TO YOU. ALTERNATIVES THAT MANAGE STORMWATER WITHIN THE EXISTING BASIN THAT AREN'T JUST SIMPLY MOVING ONE BURDEN FROM ONE COMMUNITY TO ANOTHER, BUT ALSO WILL PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF FLOOD PROTECTION FOR THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAT DESPERATELY NEED IT RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT EXCESSIVELY IMPACTIG THE BUSINESSES AND MANY FAMILIES WHO RELY ON THOSE BUSINESSES FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD. WE UNDERSTAND AND WE ARE SYMPATHETIC FOR THE NEED FOR FLOOD RELIEF TODAY, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR A SHORT, TEMPORARY HOLD TO EXPLORE AND PRESENT THESE ALTERNATIVES TO YOU. WE'RE ASKING FOR 120 DAYS, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THAT AND IT WOULD BE INSIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO THE DELAYS THAT YOU WILL ENCOUNTER ONCE YOU DIG UP HOWARD. I WOULD BET MY HOUSE ON THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DAVID DeLOACH. PATRICK CIMINO AND MICHAEL GREEN. GOOD MORNING, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DAVE DeLOACH. I'M A CIVIL ENGINEER WITH DeLOACH ENGINEERING SCIENCE OUT OF ORLANDO. MY FIRM SPECIALIZES IN WATER RESOURCES AND FLOOD MITIGATION. I PERSONALLY HAD OVER 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX FLOODING PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ALONG HOWARD AVENUE TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A BRIEF HOLD ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT. THIS PAUSE WOULD ALLOW US TO PERFORM AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVES AND PRESENT WITH YOU A CONCEPTUAL PLAN THAT PROVIDES EQUIVALENT OR BETTER FLOOD PROTECTION WITHOUT PLACING EXTREME BURDEN ON THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. WE AGREE, OF COURSE, THAT PROTECTING THE RESIDENTS OF PARKLAND ESTATES AND THE BUSINESSES ALONG SWANN AVENUE AND THE COMMUNITY IN THE UPPER BASIN IS THE CRITICAL GOAL HERE. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT PLAN, WHICH DIVERTS STORMWATER FROM THE AREA TO HOWARD AVENUE ALTERS EXISTING DRAINAGE PATTERNS AND ALLOWS INTERBASIN TRANSFER OF STORMWATER. THIS SHIFT NEEDLESSLY IMPOSES SIGNIFICANT RISKS TO THE BUSINESSES ALONG HOWARD AVENUE. AS AN EXPERIENCED WATER RESOURCES ENGINEER IN OUR FIRM, WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT EQUIVALENT OR BETTER FLOOD PROTECTION CAN BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT TRANSFERRING WATER TO AN ADJACENT BASIN. OUR REVIEW OF THE JMT REPORT AND STAFF'S DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS INDICATES THAT ENGINEERING ALTERNATIVES DO EXIST. THEIR OWN REPORTS SHOW THAT THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES THAT EXIST. THERE ARE VIABLE OPTIONS TO IMPROVE FLOOD PROTECTION BY ADDRESSING DEFICIENCIES WITHIN THE UPPER BASIN NORTH OF SWANN AVENUE, ENHANCING THE EXISTING OUTFALL SYSTEMS THAT HISTORICALLY HAVE SERVED THESE FLOOD-PRONE AREAS. THESE OPTIONS DO NOT REQUIRE BURDENING ANOTHER COMMUNITY. AND WHILE ORIGINALLY REJECTED AS BEING TOO COSTLY, IN RETROSPECT, THOSE ALTERNATIVES IN THAT REPORT ARE IN LINE WITH THE COST OF THE CURRENT PLAN WITHOUT ADDING THE COST TO AREA BUSINESSES. MODERN TECHNOLOGIES EXIST AND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES CAN HELP. SMART TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS REAL-TIME CONTROLS FOR PONDS CAN OPTIMIZE STORAGE, STRUCTURE LIKE PERMEABLE PAVEMENTS AND RAIN GARDENS REDUCE RAIN-OFF AND UNDERGROUND VAULTS TO INCREASE STORAGE AND ATTENUATION WITH STORAGE RECOVERY. ADDRESSING SOURCE FLOODING IS PRUDENT. IN FACT, GOOD ENGINEERING PRACTICE. ACCORDING TO CITY STAFF AND YOUR CONSULTANTS AND AREA RESIDENTS, THE UPPER BASIN CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE FLOODING PROBLEMS ALONG SWANN AVENUE AND PARKLAND ESTATES. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING STREET INLETS, CONVEYANCE LINES AND STORAGE PONDS WITHIN THE UPPER BASINS WOULD LIKELY REDUCE THE DOWNSTREAM BURDEN TO A POINT THAT LOCALIZED UPGRADES WITHIN PARKLAND ESTATES COULD THEN SOLVE THE REMAINING FLOODING ISSUES WITHOUT TRANSFERRING WATER TO HOWARD. WE BELIEVE THIS COUNCIL SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER WHETHER DIVERTING STORMWATER TO HOWARD AVENUE AND THE ADJOINING BASIN IS TRULY THE BEST OPTION FOR TAMPA. THAT PLAN DISRUPTS BUSINESSES, RISKS DAMAGING PROPERTIES AND SHIFTS A HEAVY BURDEN FROM ONE COMMUNITY TO ANOTHER. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. PATRICK CIMINO, MICHAEL GREEN, DAVID LAXER. GOOD MORNING, DR. CIMINO. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M PATRICK CIMINO. I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HISTORIC HYDE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LAND USE COMMITTEE. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS HALF OF HOWARD FROM SELMON TO BAYSHORE. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US. I THINK IT'S VERY APT THAT THE DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR MENTIONED WE'RE IN A NEW WORLD AND COUNCILMAN MIRANDA REINFORCED THAT. IT'S A CHANGED TIME. CLIMATE CHANGE IS MAKING OUR LIVES VERY DIFFERENT AND IN A VERY NEGATIVE WAY. IT'S ACTUALLY NOT CONTROLLABLE. I WISH WE COULD DO THINGS TO MITIGATE IT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS A CONTROLLABLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS IS I DON'T THINK THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE MOBILITY STAFF HAVE COMMUNICATED ACCORDING TO ELEMENT 6 IN THE RFQ, WHICH IS COMMUNICATE AT EVERY STEP WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS. WE'VE GOTTEN PARTIAL INFORMATION AND WE'VE GOT NO DECENT RISK BENEFIT ASSESSMENT OF THINGS LIKE ROUTE, PROTECTION OF HISTORIC ASSETS, MANAGEMENT OF WATER DURING PROJECT, DETOURS. THE DETOURS OUTLINED IN THAT REQUEST SWANN MacDILL BAY TO BAY, BACK TO SWANN. SWANN HAD THREE CLOSINGS AT LEAST IN THE LAST TWO YEARS DUE TO LINE FAILURES. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THAT HAPPENS? SO WE NEED MORE INFORMATION. THE SAD THING IS -- EVERYBODY HAS SYMPATHY FOR THE PARKLAND AND PALMA CEIA PINES AREAS, THIS PROJECT ONLY ADDRESSES TO A DEGREE SEASONAL DOWN-POURS. IT IS NOT A SOLUTION FOR WHAT WE EXPERIENCED WITH MILTON. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION. ANYWAY, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS A LOT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD HIRE DUTCH ENGINEERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH FLOODING FOR CENTURIES. AND WE NEED TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX. I DON'T HAVE MY BOARD'S APPROVAL OF THIS, BUT I SUPPORT GETTING A GOOD ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT AND DELAYING FOR A LITTLE WHILE. WE ACTUALLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN GREAT ANSWERS FROM THE CITY MOBILITY. THEY SAY, OH, IT WILL ALL BE IN THE WORK. WELL, WE WANT TO KNOW NOW. WE WANT TO KNOW THIS IS A HUGE IMPACT ON US. I SUGGEST YOU REALLY SCRUTINIZE. IF NOTHING ELSE, MAKE THE CITY ACCOUNTABLE. WE DO NEED THINGS DONE, BUT AS THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR MENTIONED, IT'S GOING TO BE COMPLICATED. IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE COORDINATED. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE. THERE ARE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS. I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY THAT. I REALLY WISH I DIDN'T, BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. VERY BE MINDFUL OF YOUR DECISION. THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU. MICHAEL GREEN. DAVID LAXER. JAMES GLEN. GOOD MORNING, MR. GREEN. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL GREEN. I'M A RESIDENT OF PARKLAND ESTATES THAT DID NOT FLOOD. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT IN THE AREA ON THE WEST SIDE OF HOWARD FOR A LITTLE OVER 20 YEARS NOW. I AM IN FAVOR OF THE COUNCIL APPROVING THE PROJECT TODAY. WE'VE ALL BEEN AWARE OF THE STORMWATER PROBLEMS IN THE AREA FOR WELL OVER A DECADE NOW. REGARDLESS OF THE SOLUTION THAT IS CHOSEN IN THE END, IT'S A DENSE URBAN ENVIRONMENT. THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO BUSINESSES, AND THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES ALONG THE WAY, EVENTUALLY TO THE BAY WHERE I IMAGINE PRETTY MUCH ALL STORMWATER WILL EVENTUALLY FLOW TO. MY UNDERSTANDING IS MOST OF THE EASEMENTS AND RIGHT-OF-WAYS FOR THE EXISTING PROPOSED ROUTE ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. I UNDERSTAND JUST TO GET NEW EASEMENTS AND RIGHT-OF-WAYS IN PLACE, LIKELY TAKE YEARS, MANY ADDITIONAL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEFORE WE GET BACK TO A MEETING LIKE THIS AND THEN HEAR FROM THE IMPACTED BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS AT THAT POINT IF THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE PROPOSED. AS WE ALL DISCUSSED, WE NEED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH STORMWATER MITIGATION AND RELIEF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THESE 200 AND 500-YEAR STORMS ARE UNFORTUNATELY LIKELY TO COME WITH GREATER FREQUENCY. WE ARE ALL IN DANGER OF THAT. THE IDEA OF THE CURRENT INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER HOWARD WILL NEVER NEED TO BE TOUCHED IS LUDICROUS. AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, THERE WILL BE A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ALONG THAT CORRIDOR. WHY SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS PROPOSAL TODAY. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. NEXT UP IS DAVID LAXER. JAMES FLYNN. VICTOR DiMAIO. GOOD MORNING, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD MORNING. DAVID LAXER. I AND MY WIFE CHRISTINA ARE RESIDENTS OF SOUTH TAMPA AND BUSINESS OWNERS OF BERN'S STEAK HOUSE, HAVEN, BERNS FINE WINE AND SPIRITS. WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT OUR STORMWATER MITIGATION ISSUES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. THE DEBATE IS HOW TO DO THIS WHILE ACHIEVING THE DESIRED RESULTS WITH AS LITTLE NEGATIVE IMPACT OR DAMAGE. WE ALL FEEL FOR THE HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE HURRICANE MILTON AND FOR THE ONES THAT CONTINUOUSLY ARE IMPACTED BY UNUSUALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. HOWEVER, A PLAN THAT POTENTIALLY FIXES ONE PROBLEM BUT CAUSES EXTENDED HARDSHIP ON OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT A GOOD PLAN. THIS PLAN CREATES A FALSE NARRATIVE THAT EITHER NEIGHBORHOOD SUFFERS OR WE MUST TEAR APART HOWARD AVENUE TO PROVIDE RELIEF. I FOR ONE CANNOT ACCEPT THAT PREMISE. WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN DO BETTER. BUT THIS REQUIRES THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND, YES, ACTUALLY HAVING HONEST AND TRANSPARENT DISCUSSIONS. OUR CITY REPRESENTATIVES IN THIS CASE HAVE NOT DONE THIS. SHAME ON THEM. THOUGH I AM NOT A STORMWATER ENGINEER, A LOT OF COMMON SENSE CAN TELL YOU THAT COST REWARD BENEFIT OF THIS PLAN IS NOT GOOD. THERE IS A REASON THE PREVIOUS TWO ADMINISTRATIONS DECLINED TO APPROVE THIS PLAN GOING DOWN HOWARD AVENUE. OUR FAMILY BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN ON HOWARD AVENUE SINCE 1956. WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OVER THE YEARS AND I CAN REMEMBER WHEN SOUTH TAMPA WAS VIRTUALLY ABANDONED. AT THE TIME MY PARENTS TOOK A RISK BUILDING A BUSINESS ON HOWARD AVENUE, THEY DID NOT RECEIVE ANY INCENTIVES FROM THE CITY. THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY ZONE OR COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT DISTRICT. NO, THERE WAS HARD WORK. SLOWLY OTHER BUSINESSES CAME AND SLOWLY FAMILIES MOVED BACK AND STARTED TO REVITALIZE SOUTH TAMPA. HOWEVER, NOW THE CITY WANTS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR STORMWATER SYSTEM AND SACRIFICE THE FAMILY INDEPENDENTLY OWNED BUSINESSES ALONG HOWARD AVENUE. THEY HAVE GROWN ORGANICALLY OVER THE YEARS ON A STREET THAT DOESN'T EVEN FLOOD. HONESTLY AND TRUTHFULLY, NOT HAVING DIALOGUE WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS. IT IS TRULY UNFORTUNATE THAT OUR MAYOR AND CITY ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF WORKING ON THIS PROJECT ARE DRIVING A WEDGE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND THE BUSINESSES ALONG HOWARD AVENUE. THE LACK IN TRANSPARENCY AND HONEST AND TRUTHFUL DIALOGUE FROM THE CITY REPRESENTATIVES IN THIS REGARD TO THIS PROJECT IS DISHEARTENING. IT IS ALSO ALLOWING THE CITY FAILED TO HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUSINESS MEETINGS IN CONJUNCTION. RUNNING OUT OF TIME. ALSO TO STATE THAT THE PAIN WILL END -- AFTER STATING THAT THE PAIN WILL END AFTER CONSTRUCTION IS ALSO FALSE. CUSTOMERS WILL DEVELOP NEW DINING PATTERNS AND GROUP BUSINESSES WILL SETTLE TO OTHER RESTAURANTS AND THOSE YEARS OF GOODWILL WILL BE LOST. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL RIGHT. MR. FLYNN. VICTOR DiMAIO. I SEE HUNGAVU. GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING. JAMES FLYNN. MY WIFE IS A DOCTOR WHO OWNS SOUTH TAMPA DERMATOLOGY AT 2605 WEST SWANN. OVERLOADED STORM SEWERS FLOODED OUR OFFICE AGAIN, WHICH HAD TO BE CLOSED DOWN AND TORN DOWN TO THE STUDS. OVER 5,000 APPOINTMENTS WERE CANCELED JUST IN OUR BUILDING. THAT'S DENTAL, PRIMARY CARE, LAB DERMATOLOGY BIOPSIES MINOR SURGERY. 5,000 PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL NEEDS WERE INCONVENIENCED GREATLY. AND THAT'S JUST ONE BUILDING. IT'S NOT COUNTING THE ONES ACROSS THE STREET. THE BUSINESSES ON HOWARD OPPOSED TO THIS PLAN DO NOT HAVE A FLOODING PROBLEM FROM THE STORM SEWERS. BUT IF THEY DID, IF SOUTH HOWARD WAS IMPASSABLE A DOZEN TIMES A YEAR DUE TO SUMMER RAINS, THE EPICUREAN BELLA'S HAVEN BERN'S HAD TO BE RIPPED DOWN TO THE STUDS A FEW TIMES BECAUSE THE STORMWATERS WERE BACKING UP, WOULD YOU HAVE SPENT TEN YEARS LOOKING AT OPTIONS? THE HOWARD BUSINESS OWNERS SAY THIS PROJECT WILL BE A TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE AND THEY ARE HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT. THIS COULD PUT THE LUSTER IN CLUSTER. IT IS GOING TO BE BAD. YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE WAS A TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE ON HOWARD? BUILDING THE EPICUREAN HOTEL. [ APPLAUSE ] BUT PEOPLE ADAPTED. THE HEADACHES WERE TEMPORARY. IT WAS A PROJECT. STORM SEWER FLOODING IS NOT A HOWARD AVENUE PROBLEM, YET THEY ACT LIKE VICTIMS. APPARENTLY THIS IS ONE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THEY CANNOT ADAPT TO. THE VIBRATIONS FROM THE SEMITRUCKS AND CEMENT MIXERS RUMBLING DOWN HOWARD AND ALL THE HEAVY NEIGHBORHOOD CONSTRUCTION, SINKING PILINGS AND THE LIKE, OVER THE PAST 70 YEARS, HAVEN'T DESTROYED THE BERN'S WINE CELLAR, HOWEVER, THE OWNER THE OTHER NIGHT SAID THIS PROJECT WAS A GREAT THREAT. NOW, IS THAT HYPERBOLE FROM THE OWNER WHO DOESN'T WANT THE BIG HEADACHE THAT'S COMING? IT CERTAINLY WASN'T A QUOTE FROM A VIBRATION MITIGATION SPECIALIST. THIS PROJECT IS TEMPORARY AND SO TOO ARE ALL OF THE HEADACHES IT'S GOING TO BRING. TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS CAN BE FOUND. PURVEYORS CAN DELIVER SUPPLIES IN SMALLER VEHICLES AND TREES CAN BE REPLANTED. LET'S MOVE ON WITH THIS PROJECT. INNOVATIVE ENTREPRENEURS CAN ADOPT TO THESE HEADACHES. THEY PUT THEIR BIG-BOY PANTS ON AND THEY GET TO WORK. WE REALLY WANT THIS PROJECT PASSED. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VICTOR DiMAIO NEXT SPEAKER. HUNGAVU. DAVID ADAMS ALREADY SPOKE. TINA ADAMS. MR. DiMAIO -- ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> VICTOR DiMAIO. 1205 NORTH FRANKLIN STREET, SUITE 103. HERE REPRESENTING BERN'S STEAK HOUSE AND THE EPICUREAN AND SISTER RESTAURANT DOWN THE STREET HAVEN. I'M GOING TO MAKE ONE THING CRYSTAL CLEAR SO THERE'S NO MISUNDERSTANDING. WE DO WANT TO HELP THE PEOPLE WITH THE FLOODING SITUATION THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING NOW. WE WENT OUT AND HIRED ONE OF THE TOP ENGINEERS WE COULD FIND IN STORMWATER IN ORLANDO THAT SPOKE HERE PREVIOUSLY, MR. DeLOACH. THE FEW DAYS HE'S BEEN ON THE JOB, HE'S IDENTIFIED OPTIONS TO GOING DOWN HOWARD. THIS CONTRACT THEY ARE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE TODAY IS ALL ABOUT HOWARD, HOWARD, HOWARD. THERE'S NO OTHER OPTIONS OUT THERE. IF I TOLD YOU THAT WE CAN SOLVE OR MITIGATE THE FLOODING PROBLEM IN PARKLAND ESTATES AND THE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE AFFECTED WITHOUT TOUCHING HOWARD, WOULD YOU AT LEAST LISTEN TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAY? THESE PEOPLE ARE EXPERTS. I'M NOT AN ENGINEER AND NEITHER IS ANYONE ELSE HERE. BUT THE ENGINEERS AT THE CITY OF TAMPA ARE DUG IN. THEY ARE BEING VERY PIG-HEADED ABOUT THIS AND WON'T LISTEN TO ANY OTHER OPTIONS. WE HAVE OPTIONS. OPTIONS APPLIED IN OTHER CITIES AND OTHER AREAS AROUND THE STATE. AND THESE PEOPLE HAVE DONE THAT. ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS 120 DAYS TO DO A FULL REPORT. THE COUNTY CAME IN TODAY AND THEY SAY WITHIN 180 DAYS THEY CAN DO A FULL REPORT COUNTYWIDE THAT INCLUDES THE CITY. I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT. THE TAMPA BAY TIMES EDITORIALIZED TO TAKE A BREATH. LET'S LOOK AT THE BEST OPTIONS. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO SEE ANY RELIEF FOR FOUR YEARS. WE HAVE OPTIONS THAT WE STUDIED IN THE LAST THREE DAYS THAT WILL PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF WITHIN A YEAR FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE. AND PROVIDE THEM THE SAME OPTIONS AS IT WOULD BE DIGGING UP ALL OF HOWARD AVENUE OF THE THREE OPTIONS OUT THERE. THERE'S ALSO SWANN, MacDILL, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING. 120 DAYS TO PROVIDE A FULL REPORT TO THE COUNCIL OF WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE THAT IS NOT HOWARD AVENUE. WE'RE ASKING, PLEASE, ALSO, TO PLEASE NOT APPROVE THIS PROJECT TODAY BECAUSE IT ONLY HAS ONE OPTION. AND THAT'S HOWARD. IF YOU APPROVE THIS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SAYING, OH, WE CAN CHANGE IT, WE CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING ELSE. WE HAVE OTHER OPTIONS, THE COUNCIL PEOPLE BEEN HERE THE LONGEST KNOW THAT. YOU KNOW THAT ONCE YOU APPROVE A PROJECT LIKE THIS, AND IT SAYS HOWARD AVENUE, IT'S HOWARD AVENUE. WE'RE JUST SAYING WE CAN DO ALL THE PROBLEMS, FIX ALL THE PROBLEMS WITHOUT GOING TO HOWARD AVENUE. THAT'S ALL WE WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES MA'AM. NEXT SPEAKER. FOLLOWED BY TINA ADAMS AND ELIZABETH DIMWITY. >> GOOD MORNING. I AM ASHLEY VU. I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. I HAVE A NAIL SALON ON SWANN. I'M HERE BECAUSE I AM -- THE SALON WAS DESTROYED BY THE FLOOD. I KNOW IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM BECAUSE THE SALON BUILDING ITSELF HAS BEEN DAMAGED TWICE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. I BUILT THE SALON WITH SWEAT AND TEARS. I WANT TO CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT EVERY YEAR THE FLOODING ISSUE BECOME WORSE AND WORSE. IT ONLY TAKE A BIG RAIN AND THE WATER WOULD COME CLOSE TO THE DOORS. SO I'M HERE ASKING YOU TO VOTE YES. THIS IS THE ONLY THING I HAVE. I'M A SINGLE MOM OF FIVE. SO, PLEASE HELP. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TINA ADAMS. ELIZABETH DIMWITY. SUSAN KOL ZICKY. GOOD MORNING, MA'AM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M TINA ADAMS. CAN I WAIT UNTIL THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS RETURN? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I THINK SHE'S WATCHING THE MEETING IN THE BACK. SHE HEARS EVERYTHING. THAT'S WHAT SHE TOLD ME. THE OTHER GENTLEMAN SHOULD BE POPPING IN MOMENTARILY. >> ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO AHEAD THEN. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TINA ADAMS. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY HOME FLOODED. YOU'VE SEEN PICTURES OF IT ON THE NEWS AND IN THE PAPER AND SOME OF YOU WERE KIND ENOUGH TO COME AND VISIT. IT IS GUTTED. I'VE BEEN SAD AND ANGRY ABOUT THE FLOODING CAUSED BY THE INADEQUATE STORMWATER SYSTEM. BUT I AM RESILIENT. I WAS RESILIENT DURING COVID, AND I SURVIVED JUST LIKE THE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS. BECAUSE AS A COMMUNITY, WE BANDED TOGETHER. WE SUPPORTED EACH OTHER. COMMUNITIES SHOULD DO THAT. THEY SHOULD HELP EACH OTHER. WE NEED HELP NOW. WE NEED HELP FROM SOUTH HOWARD BUSINESS COMMUNITY. TAMPA HAS GROWN, AND WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED. ALL THE BUSINESSES ON SOUTH HOWARD AVENUE HAVE BENEFITED. WE HAVE NOT DONE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THERE EVEN THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF BUILDING. IT'S TIME. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO PLEASE APPROVE THE DESIGN TODAY. LEASE DO THAT. WE'VE HAD NINE YEARS OF STUDY. WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE ENGINEERS FROM MULTIPLE FIRMS, MULTIPLE CITY ENGINEERS ALL HAVE STUDIED THIS. WE HAVE VAULTS THAT ARE READY TO BE USED UNDER HOWARD AVENUE. THAT IS WHY THEY CHOSE HOWARD AVENUE. I LISTEN TO THE BUSINESSES ON HOWARD ON MONDAY NIGHT, AND THEY SAID THAT THE WIDER SIDEWALKS THAT WERE PROPOSED WOULD NOT WORK. I THINK WE SHOULD LISTEN TO EACH OTHER. THEY DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT PARKING. THAT'S WHY A LOT OF THEIR PATRONS PARK WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. THAT'S FINE. BUT MAYBE AS A PART OF THE SOLUTION THE EMPTY LOT ACROSS FROM DAILY EATS, THE CITY COULD BUILD A PARKING GARAGE THERE SIMILAR TO THE PARKING GARAGES IN HYDE PARK, IN DOWNTOWN AND IN YBOR TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED, A PLACE FOR THEIR PATRONS TO PARK. WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE IN SOLUTIONS WITH OUR SOLUTIONS. BUT I WANT TO SAY I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THE SOUTH HOWARD AVENUE SHIRTS. I THINK WE CAN STOP THE FLOODING AND THE BUSINESSES CAN CONTINUE BECAUSE WE ARE RESILIENT. PLEASE DON'T HOLD THE PROJECT FOR 120 DAYS. THAT WILL PUT US RIGHT BACK IN THE RAINY SEASON. PLEASE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN NOW. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ELIZABETH DIMWITY. SUSAN CULL ZICKY. ERIC POTTS. >> IS IT POSSIBLE THAT I WAIT FOR THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME BACK IN THE ROOM BEFORE I SPEAK? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I DON'T KNOW -- THEY HEAR EVERYTHING IN THE BACK. >> WLL, IF THEY CAN HEAR ME RIGHT NOW, I REQUEST THAT THEY COME BACK INTO THE ROOM BECAUSE IT'S JUST -- YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. IT'S MY HOME. IF THEY COULD COME BACK IN THE ROOM, THAT WOULD BE NICE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MR. SHELBY. >>MARTIN SHELBY: COUNCIL, SHE MADE THE REQUEST BUT THE QUESTION IS, YOU HAVE A QUORUM. THE MEETING IS RECORDED. IT IS BEING BROADCAST IN THE BACK. AND THE CLOCK IS RUNNING. BY THE WAY, IF THIS REQUEST IS MADE, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE A BREAK UNLESS THERE IS A FULL COUNCIL. >> IT'S FINE IF THEY TAKE A BREAK. PERSONALLY -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: IT'S RECORDED AND IT IS AMPLIFIED IN THE BACK. GO AHEAD, MA'AM. >> OF COURSE, EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE A BREAK. YOU GUYS ARE TAKING IN A LOT. I REALIZE THAT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> I'M ELIZABETH DIMWITY. I'M KNOWN TO YOU ALL AS LIZ ARE A CADO WHICH IS MY MARRIED NAME SO E-MAILS HAVE BEEN FROM THERE. I'M JUST HEARING SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE JUST SO UPSETTING. REALLY, ONE THING THAT'S SO SAD IS THAT NOT ONLY DID I LOSE MY HOME IN FLOODING, BUT I'M LOSING THE BUSINESSES ON HOWARD THAT I LOVE BECAUSE THEY ARE LOSING ME. RIGHT NOW. THE FACT THAT YOU WILL NOT TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM, WHICH IS OUR COMMUNITY, YOU ARE NOT TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM, YOU WILL HAVE YOUR BUSINESSES DISRUPTED FOR A MONTH OR TWO OR THREE MONTHS JUST RIGHT AROUND YOUR BUSINESS. BUT YOU HAVE SWANN UP HERE. YOU HAVE BAYSHORE HERE. YOU HAVE ALL THESE LITTLE STREETS. IF I'M COMING IN, YOU'RE GOING TO COME DOWN SWANN AND YOU'LL COME IN TILL YOU HIT THAT THING. YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE COMING ON BAYSHORE AND THEN COME UP TILL YOU HIT THAT THING. LOOKING AT A MONTH, TWO MONTHS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR BUSINESS, BUT YOU WANT ME TO SUFFER FOR YEARS. SO YOU'RE LOSING ME. I'M SO SAD, MR. COLLIER. I GO TO YOUR SPA -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: PLEASE ADDRESS THE COUNCIL, MA'AM. PLEASE ADDRESS US. >> OKAY. I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS A RULE. HIM A HEARING THE BUSINESSES THAT -- I AM HEARING THE BUSINESSES I LOVE AND ENJOY NOT CARE THAT MY HOUSE FLOODED AND IT'S GOING TO FLOOD AGAIN. I'M HEARING THESE SAME BUSINESSES SAY OUR ENGINEERS ARE AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH. MR. BHIDE IS AMAZING. I AM SO IMPRESSED. YOU WANT TO STALL THIS PROJECT TO HAVE YOUR PERSONAL ENGINEERS BECAUSE OUR ENGINEERS AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH. I DISAGREE. I WILL GIVE MR. BHIDE MY HOUSE KEY AND ALARM CODE. THAT'S HOW MUCH I TRUST HIM. WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP STALLING THIS PROJECT. IT'S ABSURD. I ASK YOU TO VISUALIZE. YOU HAVE A CONTAINER. NOW THAT CONTAINER GOT BIGGER AND IT IS THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD. NOW THAT CONTAINER GOT BIGGER AND IT IS THE SIZE OF 25 FOOTBALL FIELDS. NOW THAT CONTAINER GOT FILLED UP WITH THREE FEET OF WATER. AND NOW YOU PUT ALL OF OUR HOUSES IN THAT CONTAINER OF WATER. THERE'S ONE WAY OUT, AND IT'S YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS ARE THE WAY OUT. WE NEED YOUR VOTE TODAY BECAUSE WITHOUT YOUR VOTE, WE HAVE NOWHERE FOR THAT WATER TO GO. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT. THEY ARE PAYING LAWYERS TO STALL THIS PROJECT AND OUR HOMES ARE FLOODED AND THEY HAVE LOST ME. I'M GONE. I'M NO MORE MR. NICE GUY. I'M NOT GOING TO YOUR BUSINESSES ANYMORE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SUSAN CULL ZICKY, ERIC POTTS, JERROD. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SUSAN CULL ZICKY. I LIVE ON SOUTH HABANA AVENUE IN PALMA CEIA PINES. I'M THE PROUD MOTHER OF A NINE-MONTH-OLD BABY BOY NAMED NOAH. SO WE HAVE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT FLOODS. I AM A MILITARY SPOUSE AND I'M A WORKING MOM. LIKE MANY OTHERS HERE, THE ENTIRE FIRST FLOOR OF MY HOME FLOODED DURING HURRICANE MILTON. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WORK FULL-TIME JOBS TO AFFORD THIS TOWNHOME THAT WE PURCHASED. WE WERE SO PROUD TO BRING OUR BABY BOY HOME TO THIS HOUSE TO WALK HIM AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS, TO BRING HIM DOWN HOWARD AVENUE AND TO BRING HIM INTO HYDE PARK. HE'S TRIED IN HIS NINE AND A HALF MONTHS, GELATO AT AVA'S. DINNER AT GASTRO BAR. HE SPENT HIS FIRST FATHER'S DAY AT BERN'S. SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TELL YOU THAT YOU HAVE A HARD DECISION TODAY. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A HARD DECISION. YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO LOOK AT A DESIGN TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT THAT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR YEARS AT THIS POINT IN STUDIES. YOUR ENGINEERS HAVE TOLD YOU THAT THE HOWARD AVENUE FLOOD PROJECT IS THE WAY FORWARD. YOUR EXPERTS HAVE GIVEN YOU A SOLUTION. BUILT INTO THAT SOLUTION IS MORE THAN A YEAR OF LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL DETAILS TO FIGURE OUT, TO FINALIZE A ROUTE, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP TODAY. THESE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE SPOKEN AND THE ONES THAT HAVE NOT ALL DESERVE YOUR ASSISTANCE. THERE'S NO QUESTION. BUT THE HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THAT REMAIN CLOSED AND THAT WERE FLOODED DESERVE ADEQUATE CITY DRAINAGE. IT SHOULD NOT TAKE ANOTHER TEN YEARS. IT SHOULDN'T TAKE ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. YOU CAN'T START FROM SCRATCH WITH ANOTHER STUDY BECAUSE A FEW PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW. THE CITY ENGINEERS TOLD US THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. I KNOW THAT ISN'T YOU PERSONALLY, BUT YOU ARE THE CITY NOW. WE LOOK TO YOU TO BRING A SOLUTION. WE TRUST THE CITY ENGINEERS AND WE HOPE YOU DO AS WELL. THE HOWARD AVENUE FLOOD RELIEF SOLUTION WILL TAKE FOUR YEARS, EASILY. MY HOUSE CAN EASILY FLOOD MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THAT PERIOD BEFORE THERE IS A SOLUTION. BUT THE MORE YOU AND OTHERS SUGGEST THAT WE NEED MORE TIME, THIS IS JUST COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. WE DON'T HAVE MORE TIME. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. PLEASE USE THIS SOLUTION. YOU HAVE THE BEST ONE BEFORE YOU ACCORDING TO YOUR EXPERTS. IT'S GREAT THAT NEW ENGINEERS HAVE ARRIVED TODAY WITH NEW SOLUTIONS. BUT WHERE HAVE THEY BEEN FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS? I'M SURE ANYONE CAN FIND SOME PART OF THE CURRENT SOLUTION TO PICK APART. WE'VE GOT A YEAR PLUS TO MAKE IT THE BEST WE CAN TO WORK WITH EVERYONE INVOLVED SO THAT WE CAN ALL LIVE TOGETHER. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM. SUSAN CULL ZICKY. I'M SORRY. ERIC POTTS. JERROD DYER. JASON MARLOW. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ERIC POTTS. I'M THE GENERAL MANAGER OF BELLA'S ITALIAN CAFE. I'VE BEEN WORKING THERE AND HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK THERE THE LAST 35 YEARS. I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND I SEE MANY OF OUR REGULARS FROM PARKLAND ESTATES AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. SORRY THAT YOU FEEL THAT WAY. I REALLY HAVE WORKED -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: PLEASE ADDRESS US. >> SORRY. I WORK VERY HARD TO GET THESE PEOPLE AND HAVE THEM AS LOYAL CUSTOMERS. I HAVE BEEN AT EVERY MEETING TO THIS POINT, BUT MANY QUESTIONS ARE LEFT UNANSWERED. I DO REQUEST THAT THE PROJECT BE PUT ON 120-DAY HOLD UNTIL THE CONCERNS AND IMPACTS HAVE ALL BEEN ADDRESSED. MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES RIDE THE CITY BUS OR RIDE SHARES SUCH AS UBER OR LYFT TO GET TO WORK. WILL THIS OPTION WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS, WILL IT STILL BE THERE? I DON'T KNOW IF THE BUSES ARE GOING TO RUN. THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK. ONLY WAY TO GET TO BELLA'S WOULD BE MacDILL TO ESTRELLA TO MISSISSIPPI. I DRIVE A PICKUP TRUCK. I CHALLENGE TO YOU DRIVE DOWN THAT STREET ANYTIME DURING THE DAY WITH ALL THE STREET PARKING. THE RESIDENTS PARK ON EACH SIDE AND YOU HAVE TO MANEUVER THROUGH THE STREET LIKE THIS. IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY HARD FOR OUR DELIVERIES. THERE ARE ALSO RIDDLED WITH POTHOLES. THERE'S ONE POTHOLE ON ESTRELLA THAT THEY PUT A TRAFFIC CONE IN AND THE POTHOLE HAS EATEN THE TRAFFIC CONE. IT IS NOW IN THE POTHOLE. YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE IT. IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR MONTHS. BELLA'S HAS A -- ALONE HAS OVER 150 DELIVERIES A MONTH. MOST OF THEM 18-WHEELERS NOT TO MENTION AMAZON AND UPS WHO DELIVER SOMETIMES TWICE A DAY. THIS WILL GET CRAZY. MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. THEY HAVE NO DISPOSABLE INCOME OR SAVINGS TO MAKE IT THROUGH A FOUR TO SIX WEEK STOPPAGE OF WORK. SOME EMPLOYEES WORK AT OUR PLACE AS WELL AS AT BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. THEY HAVE TWO JOBS TO MAKE A LIVING. THEY'LL LOSE BOTH OF THEM IT'S SO CLOSE. THERE HAS TO BE MORE OPTIONS THAT KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING. THESE EMPLOYEES WILL GET NEW JOBS BECAUSE THEY JUST NEED TO MAKE A LIVING. THEY HAVE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. OTHER ITEMS THAT I NOTICED THROUGH ALL THE MEETINGS, WILL THE NATURAL GAS LINES BE AFFECTED? WITHOUT THEM, I CAN'T COOK. WE CAN'T PRODUCE ANYTHING WITHOUT NATURAL GAS. IF WE HAVE WATER LINES THAT ARE BROKE OR ANYTHING, WE'LL BE SHUT DOWN, HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE CAN'T OPERATE WITHOUT WATER. OTHER ITEMS IN QUESTION THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY, NEVER DONE. HOW DO WE GET AWAY WITH THAT? I DON'T KNOW. IS THERE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO COVER THE BEAUTIFICATION OF SOUTH HOWARD AVENUE AFTERWARDS? WITH ALL THE LIGHTS, THE STREETLIGHTS, THE TRASH CONTAINERS, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, THE BUS STOPS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JERROD DYER. JASON MARLOW. ROB KELLY. GOOD MORNING, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JERROD DYER. I'M ONE OF THE SECOND GENERATION OWNERS OF BELLA'S ITALIAN CAFE ON SOUTH HOWARD. DURING THE AFTERNOON COUNCIL SESSION ON NOVEMBER 7, COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK TALKED ABOUT HOW BADLY THE SOUTHEAST SEMINOLE HEIGHTS PROJECT AFFECTED THE BUSINESSES WITH MANY NOT SURVIVING. THAT WAS IN AN AREA WITH A FAIRLY STANDARD STREET GRID AND ALTERNATE ROUTES FOR VENDORS AND CUSTOMERS TO REACH THE BUSINESSES WHICH IS A SITUATION COMPLETELY UNLIKE SOUTH HOWARD AVENUE AND PEOPLE STILL LOST THEIR BUSINESSES. WE WERE CLOSED FOR EIGHT AND A HALF DAYS IN OCTOBER DUE TO HURRICANE MILTON. OVER THE COURSE OF THE REST OF THAT MONTH, WE HAD DELIVERIES CARRIED BY SEVEN SMALL BOX TRUCKS, 83 MEDIUM SIZE BOX TRUCKS AND 32 18-WHEELERS. 122 TRUCKS OVER 23 DAYS JUST TO OUR RESTAURANT. IT IS COMPLETELY IMPRACTICAL TO DIRECT THAT VOLUME OF COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND WHERE WILL THE RESIDENTS BE FORCED TO PARK SO DELIVERY TRUCKS CAN GET DOWN THE NARROW STREETS? IT IS EVEN MORE IMPRACTICAL TO SUGGEST AS MOBILITY AND KIMMINS HAVE THAT DELIVERIES CAN BE COMPLETED WITH GOLF CARTS. HOW BIG OF A FLEET OF GOLF CARTS AND DRIVERS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO THAT? WHERE DO THE TRUCKS MEET THE GOLF CARTS? LARGEST PARKING LOT I CAN THINK OF IN THE AREA IS PALMA CEIA, IS THE CITY GOING TO COMMANDEER THE LOT AS A DELIVERY TRUCK STAGING AREA? NO DENYING SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO HELP THE NEIGHBORHOODS FLOODING AND SOHO BUSINESSES AREN'T TRYING TO KILL THE PROJECT. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT FROM KILLING US. THERE'S BEEN A SUGGESTION FROM THE MOBILITY DEPARTMENT THAT SINCE THIS IS A WATER SEWAGE PROJECT, AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY IS REQUIRED. BUT GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE BUDGET, THE NUMBER OF YEARS IT WILL TAKE TO COMPLETE AND THE EXTENSIVE AND EXTENDED DISRUPTION IT WILL CAUSE TO ALL OF THE BUSINESSES AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, WOULDN'T IT BE PRUDENT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO REQUIRE A STUDY BE DONE WHETHER IT'S REQUIRED BY LAW OR NOT? OTHERWISE YOU'RE MAKING A DECISION WITHOUT HAVING REALLY PERTINENT INFORMATION. WHAT ABOUT A TRANSPORTATION STUDY? WHAT ARE THE FIRST RESPONDER AGENCIES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE PLANS TO DISRUPT A MAJOR ARTERY FOR THREE TO FOUR YEARS? DO POLICE AND TAMPA FIRE RESCUE KNOW HOW SEVERELY ACCESS WILL BE IMPEDED? WHAT ABOUT SOLID WASTE? HAS COUNCIL RECEIVD INPUT FROM ANY OF THESE AGENCIES? WE'RE ASKING FOR 120-DAY STAY ON ANY VOTE DURING WHICH TIME THOSE STUDIES COULD BE DONE AND THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY INVESTIGATION COULD BE DONE. IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE AS HE SAID IN THE PRESENTATION EARLIER TO DO THAT AND COMBINE IT ALL TOGETHER BEFORE YOU START DEVOTING $7 MILLION EVEN TO THE DESIGN AT THIS POINT. DURING THAT TIME, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT DeLOACH, TO EVALUATE SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTES THAT WERE IN THE J AND T REPORT BUT ULTIMATELY DISCARDED. FINALLY, AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING THIS PAST MONDAY, CITY ENGINEER JEFF DeBOSEIER MADE A COMMENT DURING HURRICANES HELENE AND MILTON, QUOTE, NEARLY EVERY STREET IN TAMPA FLOODED. WHAT STREET DIDN'T FLOOD? SOUTH HOWARD AVENUE. YOU VOTE TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT IN CURRENT FORM, YOU SHOULD ALSO REQUIRE TO BE RENAMED TO REFLECT TRUE LEGACY, WHICH WOULD BE THE SOUTH HOWARD BUSINESS DEVASTATION PROJECT. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: JASON MARLOW IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER FOLLOWED BY ROTH KELLY AND MARILYN SAMAHA. >> JASON MARLOW. I'LL BE EXTREMELY BLUNT. I'VE PERSONALLY SEEN HOW INCAPABLE CITY CONTRACTORS CAN BE AT INSTALLING A BOX CULVERT PROPOSED IN THE SOUTH HOWARD PROJECT AS I WATCHED IT DONE FROM MY FRONT PORCH ABOUT A YEAR. PERSONALLY HAD VIOLENT SO VIOLENT IT SHOOK HEAVY OBJECTS OFF MY WALL, DAMAGED MY HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD HOME AND DIMINISHED MY QUALITY OF LIFE ALL TO COMPLETE A 150-FOOT SECTION OF ROAD. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THIS. THE MISTRUST FROM TAMPA CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES REGARDING THE CITY'S CAPACITY TO CONDUCT CONSTRUCTION IN THE COLLABORATIVE AND EFFICIENT MANNER IS NOT MISPLACED. CASS STREET DELI, SMOKE U.S. MARSHALS, KING STATE HOW MUCH THE CITY OF TAMPA CARES ABOUT @HS SURVIVE. UNFORTUNATELY YOU CAN'T BECAUSE THE BUSINESSES DON'T EXIST ANYMORE. NOT MANY BUSINESSES CAN AFFORD MULTIPLE MONTHS OF INCOME REDUCTION AND THESE BUSINESSES ARE SUPPORTED BY EMPLOYEES THAT CAN'T FOREGO MONTHS' WORTH OF INCOME. IF THERE IS A PERCEPTION, WHICH THERE IS, THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION SIMPLY DOES NOT CARE. LASTLY, I'LL SAY YOU HEARD FROM THE FINE FOLKS AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT WE ARE A FEW MONTHS AWAY FROM A ROBUST, INDEPENDENT STUDY ON LOCAL FLOODING. IT WOULD SEEM TO BE PRESUMPTUOUS PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE TO COMMIT TO A MAJOR FINANCIAL INVESTMENT PRIOR TO A MORE THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE ISSUES AT HAND. I POLITELY ASK THIS COUNCIL BARE MINIMUM ALLOW MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT INPUT ON THE PROJECT AND ALLOW CITY STAFF DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE. COUNCIL SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN SHORT ORDER WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE PRESENTED ALTERNATIVES THAT CAN BE BOTH LESS COSTLY AND LESS INTRUSIVE. ALLOWING THIS BODY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION POSSIBLE IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST. HAVE A WONDERFUL THURSDAY. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALWAYS A WONDERFUL THURSDAY. THANK YOU. KELLY, SAMAHA, PER RELY. >> GOOD MORNING, ROB KELLY. 2603 WEST FOUNTAIN BOULEVARD. LIVED THERE OVER 30 YEARS. FIRST MOVED TO PARKLAND ESTATES IN 1986. SWANN HOWARD INTERSECTION CHANGED IN THE 40-YEAR PERIOD OF TIME. MY HOUSE FLOODED AS A RESULT OF MILTON. FOUR INCHES OF WATER IN THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE 100-YEAR-OLD HOUSE. TWO AND A HALF FEET OF WATER IN THE GARAGE. MY PROPERTY RUNS FROM FOUNTAIN TO THE SOUTH ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO SWANN. I'M ONE HOUSE WEST OF THE FOUNTAIN AUDUBON INTERSECTION, WHICH IS GROUND ZERO FOR THE FLOODING. HEARD ABOUT EXTENSIVELY. THE WORLD REALLY CHANGED FOR US IN PARKLAND ESTATES ABOUT NINE YEARS AGO, 2015, WE HAD A NORMAL AUGUST. HEAVY SATURDAY RAIN THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME BROUGHT THE WATER UP MY DRIVEWAY, INTO MY GARAGE AND THROUGH THE BACK INTO SWANN. SINCE THEN THAT HAS BECOME UNFORTUNATELY A FAIRLY REGULAR EVENT IN THE LIVES OF THOSE OF US WHO LIVE AROUND FOUNTAIN PARK. YOU'VE SEEN THE PICTURES. THIS ISN'T SO MUCH ABOUT A 250 OR 500-YEAR FLOOD EVENT SOLUTION AS IT IS A TYPICAL JUNE AFTERNOON RAIN SHOWER EVENT LIKE THE ONE THAT HAPPENED FOUR YEARS AGO AND MY SON'S CAR PARKED ON THE STREET WAS TOTALED BECAUSE THE STREET FLOODED. YOU'VE HEARD THAT WE'VE HAD TEN EVENTS THIS PAST SUMMER. NOT ONLY DID FOUNTAIN FLOOD, BUT THE PARK FLOODED. WHEN THAT PARK FLOODS, IT'S LIKE A LAKE. I LOOK OUT MY FRONT DOOR ACROSS THE PARK TO THOSE PEOPLE IN PARKLAND BOULEVARD, ALL YOU SEE IS WATER. IT'S INCREDIBLE. SAW THE PICTURES DAVID ADAMS PRESENTED THEM. THE BASIC CIVIC CONTRACT THAT I PAY TAXES AND I VOTE. AND THE RECIPROCAL OF THAT IS I EXPECT THE CITY TO PROTECT MY HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE BY MAKING SURE THESE PREDICTABLE, REGULAR RECURRING FLOOD EVENTS ARE ENDED. THE BALL IS ON THE GOAL LINE. YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPROVE FUNDING FOR THIS DESIGN-BUILD PLAN. I URGE YOU TO DO SO. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU, MR. KELLY. MARILYN SAMAHA. YVONNE FERRELLI. JANET HIXON. >> MARILYN SAMAHA. PARKLAND ESTATES CIVIC PARK BOARD. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN REGARDING THE MOBILITY CITY'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR THIS PROJECT. THE MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER 18 WAS THE FIRST INSTANT THAT OUR ENTIRE PARKLAND ESTATES NEIGHBORHOOD WAS INVITED AND/OR NOTIFIED OF SUCH OUTREACH IN EIGHT MONTHS. THE FIRST TIME. I BELIEVE THAT MORE TRANSPARENCY, OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS NECESSARY FOR A PROJECT OF THIS SCALE AND STRONGLY URGE DELAYING THIS VOTE FOR 120 DAYS SO ALL STAKEHOLDERS HAVE A PLAN THAT IS CLEARLY PROVIDED FROM THE CITY. THERE ARE OTHER SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED STORMWATER IN ITS CURRENT FORM, IT FAILS TO ADDRESS SIGNIFICANT FLOODING CONDITIONS THAT ARE CAUSED BY MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF WATER FLOWING FROM KENNEDY BOULEVARD DOWN THROUGH HABANA, ARMENIA, AUDUBON, SWANN, AND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL INTO PARKLAND ESTATES. FURTHERMORE, THE PROJECT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE EXISTING RETENTION PONDS, HOSPITAL'S PARKING LOT, TWO ADDITIONAL RETENTION PONDS IN THE SAME AREA OR THE SURFACE WATER FLOWING TO THE BAY, ULTIMATELY ENDING UP AT THE AUDUBON AND SWANN INTERSECTION. IT IS BAFFLING WHY THIS CRITICAL LOCATION HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE PROJECT. IT IS NOT IN THE PROJECT AT ALL. I URGE YOU TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE AUDUBON AND SWANN INTERSECTION BECAUSE THIS SERVES AS THE DRAIN FOR THIS ENTIRE STORMWATER BASIN. I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS PROJECT UNTIL THESE CONCERNS ARE ANSWERED AND ANALYZED. THE PARKLAND ESTATES CIVIC CLUB STRONGLY ADVOCATES FOR KEEPING BOX CULVERTS OUT OF PARKLAND ESTATES AND PLACING THEM ON SWANN AVENUE AS A CONSIDERATION. OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS FLOOD RELIEF AND WE BELIEVE THAT POSITIONING THE CULVERTS ON SWANN IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO ADDRESSING ALL OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALL OF THE BUSINESSES. SWANN AVENUE IS STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED TO CAPTURE THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF WATER FLOWING FROM THE NORTHERN AREAS. WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER OUR POSITION AND SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ASK KIMMINS AND DELAY THIS PROJECT FOR 120 DAYS SO WE CAN GET SOME ANSWERS. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YVONNE FERRELLI. YVONNE FERRELLI. JANET HIXON, KEVIN LA VIDEOPHONEIS. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. YVONNE FERRELLI. I LIVE IN PARKLAND ESTATES. I'M A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC PARKLAND ESTATES PRESERVATION SOCIETY. THIS PROJECT HAS COMPLETELY DIVIDED MY COMMUNITY, NEIGHBOR AGAINST NEIGHBOR. DIDN'T NEED TO BE THAT WAY. I WOULD SAY THAT THE MOBILITY DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY HAS CREATED THIS. I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AT JUNE 20th. YOU HAD A MOTION THAT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED UPON BY EACH OF YOU, AND YOU VOTED TO REQUEST THE CITY MOBILITY DEPARTMENT TO COME BEFORE YOU WITH AN ALTERNATIVE FROM PUTTING BOX CULVERTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT COMMUNITY IS STILL IN THE SAME POSTURE IT WAS WHEN YOU HAD THIS MOTION AND APPROVED IT. WE HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD AT ALL. VIK BHIDE AND THAT MOBILITY DEPARTMENT AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAVE DUG DOWN. THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN YOU ANY KIND OF RECOURSE OR ANY TYPE OF HOPE THAT THEY WILL FIND SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF PARKLAND ESTATES OTHER THAN THOSE BOX CULVERTS. AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY. I WOULD ASK YOU TO VOTE NO TODAY. THERE IS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE WHY YOU SHOULD. I WOULD ALSO ASK YOU TO ENFORCE THIS MOTION THAT YOU UNANIMOUSLY VOTED ON, NOT TO VOTE ON ANYTHING RELATED TO THIS SOUTH HOWARD FLOOD MITIGATION, WHICH IS TODAY BEFORE YOU, VOTE NO. AND DO NOT FUND IT UNTIL YOU HAVE A BETTER PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE FLOODING AND WITH ALL OF US IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JANET HIXON. KEVIN LAVONIS. MARK ABDONEY. >> GOOD DAY. MY NAME IS JANET HIXON. I LIVE IN PARKLAND ESTATES. @I'MU RESPECTFULLY CONSIDER LOOKING INTO AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TO THE SOUTH HOWARD FLOOD RELIEF PROGRAM. WE ALL APPRECIATE HOW DISTRESSING FLOODING IS, HIGHLIGHTED BY THE RECENT HURRICANES HELENE AND MILTON. BUT TO DESTROY OUR HISTORIC STREETS AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES SEEMS CRUELLY UNFAIR. AT MONDAY'S MEETING WITH THE PANEL OF ENGINEERS, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THEY WERE NOT VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE CONCERNING THE ROUTE THAT WAS UNDER DISCUSSION. THE PROJECT MANAGER CLEARLY STATED THAT WATER FLOW IS RESTRICTED BY BENDS, YET THE CITY -- COULD BE A POTENTIAL OF SEVEN BENDS, INCLUDING TWO AT 90 DEGREES AND ONE JUST UNDER 90 DEGREES ON TWO OF THE ROUTES HIGHLIGHTED. ALSO, IT SEEMS INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT ANY -- THAT AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY HAS NOT BEEN DONE TO ALL OF THESE PLANS. I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER MORE THOROUGHLY THE PROPOSALS CURRENTLY ON THE TABLE AND COME UP WITH A ROUTE THAT WILL CAUSE LESS DISTRESS TO ALL THOSE WHO WILL BE AFFECTED FOREVER. JUST LISTENING TO THE GENTLEMAN TALKING ON THE COUNTY, WHY AREN'T WE WAITING FOR THE COUNTY TO TELL US BECAUSE THE FLOODING APPARENTLY COMES FROM NORTH OF US, NOT INTO PARKLAND INITIALLY, BUT NORTH OF US. SO PERHAPS THE COUNTY PLAN WILL INCORPORATE ALL THIS AND WE'LL ALL BE IN THE SAME BOAT TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY HAVE A HAPPY CONCLUSION. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: KEVIN LAVONIS. >> KEVIN LAVONIS. PALMA CEIA PINES. I SUPPORT THE SOUTH HOWARD RELIEF PROJECT. I'M A FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE OF THE SOFTWARE COMPANY. HUNDRED EMPLOYEES, HALF A DOZEN IN TAMPA. I OWN TWO PROPERTIES IN WEST TAMPA. I AM A PROACTIVE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. MY WIFE WENT TO USF AND WHEN COVID HIT WE PURCHASED A BRAND-NEW HOME IN ARRAWANA JULY 17 2020. WE MOVED HERE BECAUSE TAMPA MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS WHEN FACED WITH ADVERSITY. THANK YOU. THIS IS YOUR TIME TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND THE DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD EXPEDITIOUSLY. THIS ONE DECISION WILL AFFECT YOUR REELECTION. I'LL BE CLEAR. YOU VOTE YES TODAY, YOU HAVE EARNED MY VOTE. IF YOU FAIL THE VOTERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, RESIDENTS OF PARKLAND ESTATES, PALMA CEIA PINES, YOU'LL NOT HAVE OUR VOTE BUT HAVE GAINED OUR RESENTMENT. CARLSON, I WAS AT THE STOVALL HURRICANE EVENT. I WAS EXCITED TO MEET YOU. YOU WERE NOT THERE. I KNOW WHERE YOU STAND. MIRANDA, YOU WERE AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH EVENT. EVERY TIME IT RAINS, IT WILL REMIND US HOW YOU GUYS VOTED AND HOW WE WILL VOTE. HUNDRED PERCENT. YOU HAVE SMART PEOPLE WHO HAVE OUTLINED A GREAT COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT TO MEDIATE THE FLOODING. IT'S NOT PERFECT. IT'S DEFINITELY NOT PERFECT FOR ME. I LIVE ON ARRAWANA, FOR MY FAMILY, BUT IT WORKS. HERE ARE THE FACTS. 146 HOMES WERE FLOODED IN PALMA CEIA PINES. 41 HOMES FLOODED. ONE CHURCH IN PARKLAND ESTATES. 56 BUSINESSES WERE FLOODED, APPROXIMATELY 18 WERE DOCTORS' OFFICES. LASTLY, ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETING AT THE CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH THIS WEEK. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE MEETING FOR ME IT WAS HIJACKED BY JOE COLLIER, DAVID LAXER. THEY STOOD UP AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR $40 MILLION WINE CELLAR AND HOW IT WOULD BE INTERRUPTED. THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT VERSUS THE REST OF THE COMOO YOU WANT THAT GOT FLOODED. THE DIALOGUE AROUND THIS WINE CELLAR WAS BAD. THIS IS EVIDENCE OF A SELFISH, DANGEROUS, AND DISINGENUOUS PERSPECTIVE. MANIPULATION IS PRETTY CLEAR. NO NEED TO DELAY THE CONSTRUCTION ANYMORE. DUE DILIGENCE HAS BEEN DONE. WE CONSIDERED ALL THE OTHER OPTIONS. WE DON'T NEED TO PAUSE. IT'S BEEN NINE YEARS. YOU DON'T MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. YOU MAKE THE DECISION RIGHT. APPROVE THE SOUTH HOWARD RELIEF PROJECT AND LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD. THANK YOU. >>BILL CARLSON: MR. CHAIR? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: NO, NO. >>BILL CARLSON: WE BROKE THE RULE BY ALLOWING SOMEBODY TO MENTION US. I FEEL IT'S -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: NO. TAKE IT OUTSIDE. >>BILL CARLSON: I'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN FLOOD RELIEF, INCLUDING -- >> NO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: NO. >>BILL CARLSON: I CAN SPEAK WHENEVER I WANT. >> NEXT SPEAKER. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] >>BILL CARLSON: I NEVER SAID I WAS GOING TO THAT EVENT. I SAID I WAS AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ENOUGH. ENOUGH. SIR, YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER. >>BILL CARLSON: -- FEMA, DONE MANY, MANY FORUMS -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: SIR, JUST STOP. WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>BILL CARLSON: WHOEVER IS -- THE ADMINISTRATION CREATING THIS DIVISIVENESS IS UNBELIEVABLE. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] >>BILL CARLSON: THIS IS THE WORST ISSUE WE'VE EVER DEALT WITH. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >>BILL CARLSON: YOU ALLOWED SOMEONE TO BREAK THE RULES. >> YOU ARE SO DISRESPECTFUL. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: STOP. ENOUGH. I'LL RULE PEOPLE OUT OF ORDER. STOP. ENOUGH. SIR, DR. ABDONEY, YOU ARE THE NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WHOO! >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS YOU. YOU LOOK TOO YOUNG. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE GENTLEMAN THAT PUT THE BRACES ON MY TEETH WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD. >> THAT WAS MY DAD. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> DR. MARK ABDONEY. I AM A LIFETIME TAMPA RESIDENT. I AM BOTH A BUSINESS OWNER IN PALMA CEIA PINES. MY BUSINESS IS ABDONEY PAIR DONNICS ON WEST AZEELE STREET. ALSO A HOMEOWNER IN PALMA CEIA PINES. OWN THE RESIDENCE NEXT DOOR, 406 SOUTH HABANA AVENUE. THIS IS NOW THE SECOND FLOOD EVENT THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST NINE YEARS. FIRST IN 2015 AND THEN THIS LAST ONE WITH MILTON. THOSE EVENTS, ESPECIALLY THIS LAST ONE WITH MILTON, SHUT ME DOWN FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH. THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M ABLE TO STAND HERE NOW AND TALK TO YOU IS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY SANDBAGGED MY OFFICE AND EVEN THOUGH I HAD 30 INCHES OF WATER OUTSIDE MY OFFICE, SOMEHOW I GOT FOUR INCHES INSIDE STILL. BUT IF I HAD NOT DONE THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE MANY OF THESE OTHER PEOPLE HERE AND OTHER BUSINESSES WHO ARE PROBABLY NOT HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL, YOU KNOW, IN MID CONSTRUCTION AND NOT WORKING AND NOT OPEN. SO I WAS FORTUNATE. STILL, JUST BEING OUT FOR A MONTH IS A MORTAL INJURY. AND THEN TO COME IN HERE THIS MORNING AND SUGGEST AFTER ALL THIS TIME AND ALL THESE EVENTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NOW AGAIN POSTPONE THIS FOR FOUR MONTHS, AND KICK THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD WHILE KICKING ALL OF US IN THE STOMACH AT THE SAME TIME IS NOT JUST AN INJURY, IT IS AN INSULT TO INJURY. AND I DON'T APPRECIATE IT AT ALL. I HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR A MONTH. I WAS SHUT DOWN DURING COVID. I'VE HEARD THE EPICUREAN BUSINESS MANAGER TALK ABOUT HAVING TO LET EMPLOYEES GO DURING COVID. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BUSINESS PRACTICES ARE LIKE OVER THERE, BUT WHEN I WAS SHUT DOWN DURING COVID AND THAT WAS FOR ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS, I PAID ALL MY STAFF, NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT KIND OF SBA LOAN I WOULD BE GETTING. I JUST DID IT. AND THIS PAST EPISODE WHERE I WAS SHUT DOWN DURING MILTON, SAME THING. I PAID MY STAFF. THAT'S JUST HOW I CONDUCT THINGS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE EMPLOYEES GETTING LAID OFF OR LET GO, BUT ONE THING THAT WE DON'T HAVE IN PALMA CEIA PINES OR PARKLAND IS ANY TYPE OF HEADS-UP OR NOTICE WHEN ONE OF THESE CATASTROHIC EVENTS IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. THEY'VE GOT AT LEAST TWO YEARS TO PLAN FOR IT. AND THOSE EMPLOYEES COULD AT LEAST, IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE BUSINESSES, CAN SEEK ALTERNATIVE SHORT-TERM EMPLOYMENT DURING THAT TIME. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE PRE-YOUNKA GARISH, MICHAEL IS STUART AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A RECESS BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ENTIRE FLOOR BELOW US WAITING TO COME UP TO SPEAK. IF YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN, IF YOU WOULD BE SO KIND TO GO TO THE SECOND FLOOR. IT'S TVs. YOU'LL SEE EVERYTHING, SEE THE MEETING, BUT WE HAVE TO BRING ANOTHER GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS UP BECAUSE THE ROOM IS LIMITED. >> PREONKA GARISH. MY FIRST COMMENT TO ALL THE PEOPLE ASKING FOR THE EXTENSION, YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE ASKED 120 DAYS AGO. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS COMING UP NOW. THE CITY OF TAMPA IS ONE THAT IS GROWING AND EVOLVING AND BLOSSOMING IN EVERY WAY FROM RESTAURANTS AND NIGHT LIFE TO MUSIC AND ART TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND SPORTS. IT'S BURGEONING IN EVERY SENSE. TAMPA IS POISED IF NOT ALREADY TO BE AN URBAN POWERHOUSE. SO IT BAFFLES ME THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS NOT KEPT PACE WITH THE GROWTH. YOU CANNOT GROW YOUR PLANT TO GREAT HEIGHTS IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF THE ROOTS. MANY OF YOU HERE HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO GO HOME AND HAVE YOUR NORMAL EVENING AND A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE OPERATING IN A VACUUM OF RHETORICAL QUESTIONS AND NONSCIENTIFIC ARMCHAIR ENGINEERING. THE REST OF US ARE OPERATING IN REALITY WITH WATERLOGGED HOMES, RIPPED OUT DRYWALL, RIPPED OUT FLOORS AND CONSTANT STRESS OF TRYING TO REBUILD. WE ARE RESILIENT BUT MANY OF US ARE HEMORRHAGING OUT LIFE SAVINGS AND PAYING A MORTGAGE NOTE ALONG WITH MONTHLY RENT, PROPERTY TAXES, REMEDIATION REBUILD COSTS AND WE NEED HOPE THAT THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO GET GREEN LIGHTED. WE WERE THE PEOPLE WHO RESEARCHED WHERE TO BUY AND WHERE TO BUILD OUR HOMES. WE LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE ELEVATION AND BEING IN FLOOD ZONE X. WE FELT GREAT ABOUT THE DECISIONS WE WERE MAKING. IF THIS WATER HAD COME FROM A HURRICANE STORM SURGE, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN MY LICKS AND I WOULD HAVE GIVEN MOTHER NATURE A POINT ON THE SCOREBOARD. THE FACT THAT STORMWATER FROM OUR DRAINS MIXED WITH SEWAGE WATER NOW FLOODING IN ZONE X, THAT IS A DIFFICULT PILL TO SWALLOW WHEN YOU THINK YOU'RE MAKING A GOOD CHOICE. I AM SO HEATED AT WHAT I PAY IN PROPERTY TAXES AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY IT HAS TAKEN TO BEG FOR SOUND FLOOD RELIEF AND SAFE STREETS. IT'S INDESCRIBABLY MADDENING. THE DATA IS ALL THERE. IT'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. THERE ARE COLD, HARD FACTS FROM THE ELEGANT PRESENTATION AND TIRELESS EFFORTS OF VIK BHIDE AND HIS TEAM. YET HERE I AM BEGGING FOR SAFE STREETS FOR US TO PARK OUR CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY, UNLOAD OUR GROCERIES, GET INTO CAR LINE ON TIME FOR SCHOOL AND PICK UP MY KIDS. GOD FORBID ANYBODY GETS SICK AND WE CAN'T GET OUT TO THE HOSPITAL. THAT WILL BE A WHOLE OTHER THING. SOUTH HOWARD BUSINESS ALLIANCE, THEY ARE FORMIDABLE OPPONENTS. WHO DO YOU ALL THINK IS GOING TO BERN'S FOR DATE NIGHT? HAVEN FOR COCKTAILS WITH FRIENDS? WHO CAN'T RIP THEIR KIDS AWAY FROM WATER AND FLOWER. IT'S US. IT'S ALL OF US. WE ARE THEIR PATRONS. WE ARE THE ONES WHO FREQUENT THEIR BUSINESS. WE SING THEIR PRAISES AND DELIGHT IN THEIR SERVICE. I'M THE MOM WHO IS UP AT MIDNIGHT WHEN BERN'S RESERVATION GOES LIVE SIX MONTHS OUT TO SNAG A TABLE FOR A CELEBRATION. I AM THE LADY THAT TAKES THE TOUR OF BERN'S AFTER DINNER AND TAKEN IT EIGHT TIMES AND I'M EQUALLY ENTHRALLED EVERY TIME I TAKE IT. I'M THE ONE WHO IS DRINKING THE WINE. I'M HAPPY TO COME AND DRINK MORE WINE AND BRING ALL MY FRIENDS. YOUR PATRONS WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE. BUT YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR PATRONS, WE ARE TIRED AND WE ARE RUNNING ON FUMES. IT IS MENTALLY EXHAUSTING TO BEG FOR PUBLIC WORKS THAT IS ALREADY SOUND ENGINEERING. EXHAUSTING TO RESEARCH AND DISPEL AND REFUTE THE SHEER VOLUME OF MISINFORMATION. WE HAVE A GOOD PLAN. LET'S START IT TOMORROW. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR FINAL SPEAKER BEFORE WE TAKE A RECESS AS I EXPLAIN ABOUT THE OTHER FOLKS COMING IN, MICHAEL STEWARD. >> MICHAEL STEWARD. A PARTNER AT 717 SOUTH RESTAURANT, ALSO AVA RESTAURANT. THE PROBLEM WITH GOING LAST, I'VE HEARD SO MANY SIDES OF THE STORY. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS FAIR WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT WENT BEFORE AND CAN'T HAVE A REBUTTAL. I AM A RESTAURANT GUY. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WORK. BUT THE SAD THING IS, IT'S NOT ABOUT BUSINESS OWNERS -- I HAVE A SPEECH. I'M GOING TO IGNORE IT. IT'S NOT ABOUT BUSINESS OWNERS SAVING UP MONEY. WE WENT THROUGH COVID, RIGHT? THE GENTLEMAN SAID THAT, BUT WE GOT -- WE DIDN'T HAVE A BUSINESS AND THAT WAS TWO MONTHS. I LIVED THROUGH THIS TYPE OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN SOUTH TAMPA. THE EXACT SAME INFRASTRUCTURE. I TOOK A GOLF CART. I TOOK MY KIDS TO SCHOOL. WHEN I WENT TO PUBLIX, COULDN'T GET TO MY HOUSE. TOOK GOLF CARTS, RIGHT. THAT DIDN'T WORK? LIVE ON A DEAD-END STREET IN SOUTH TAMPA THAT COMPLETELY FLOODED ON THE LAST GO-AROUND. THEY PUT IN A CULVERT SYSTEM. UNFORTUNATELY, IT DIDN'T WORK. I SEE A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM ON HOWARD AVENUE. I WENT TO THE MEETING ON MONDAY AND NO DISRESPECT TO THE ENGINEERS THAT WERE THERE, GLOSSY BROCHURE SAID WE ARE GOING TO WIDEN STREETS, DO THIS ON THE MEDIANS. I GET A LITTLE UPSET BECAUSE I ASKED THEM, HAVE YOU EVEN BEEN TO HOWARD AVENUE. THIS IS NOT PART OF A BROCHURE THAT'S GOING TO LIKE JUST IMPROVE THE STREET. WE HAVE NO ROOM. BEEN TO 717 AND AVA, THERE IS NO ROOM. I COULD GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE VERY END. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE ARE OTHER ALTERNATIVES. ALL OF MY CUSTOMERS ARE SITTING BEHIND ME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BIG DEAL OF WAITING 120 DAYS REALLY. IF WHAT EVERYBODY -- WHAT I'M SAYING IS TO WAIT 120 DAYS TO LET US GIVE OUR EVIDENCE. WHAT'S ANOTHER 120 DAYS, RIGHT? THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE OF WHAT I SAID. WHERE I LIVE IN SOUTH TAMPA, I FLOODED. EIHT HOMES ON MY STREET ALL FLOODED AND WE HAVE THIS EXACT SAME CULVERT SYSTEM RUNNING FROM MY HOUSE. BEYOND THAT I CAN TALK ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES. I HAD A MEETING LAST NIGHT. UNFORTUNATELY, I'M LATE TO THE GAME. I JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS A MONTH AGO. I ASKED, QUITE FRANKLY, CAN YOU DO WITHOUT ONE PAYCHECK? THEY KIND OF LOOKED AT ME LIKE, THAT IS A LITTLE WEIRD. WHAT ABOUT TWO PAYCHECKS? WHAT ABOUT THREE PAYCHECKS? WHAT ABOUT FOUR PAYCHECKS? THEY SAID I LOVE WORKING FOR YOU. I'VE BEEN AT 717 FOR 20 YEARS AND REBUILDING AN INCREDIBLE RESTAURANT RIGHT NOW, BUT EVERY ONE OF THEM SAID I HAVE TO LEAVE YOU. INFLATION HURRICANES THE RESILIENCE OF THE BUSINESSES ON HOWARD AVENUE, WE HAVE SURVIVED THAT. I CAN TELL YOU WE WON'T SURVIVE BEING SHUT DOWN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL GO INTO A RECESS. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE GO DOWN TO THE SECOND FLOOR. WE HAVE A WHOLE ROOM SET UP WITH CHAIRS AND TVs. THEN WE'LL BRING UP A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE. WE ARE IN RECESS. THANK YOU. FOR FIVE MINUTES. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] [RECESS] [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS TAMPA CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER. IF WE COULD HAVE ROLL CALL AND I'LL YIELD TO MR. SHELBY. >>LYNN HURTAK: HERE. >>GWEN HENDERSON: PRESENT. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE. >>THE CLERK: WE HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM. >>MARTIN SHELBY: MARTIN SHELBY, CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY. AS YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE ON THE SECOND FLOOR, THEY HAVE BEEN MOVED UPSTAIRS. I DID READ THE RULES OF DECORUM EARLIER, AND HOPEFULLY YOU DID HEAR THE SUGGESTION TO REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING COMMENTS, MAKING CLAPS, CLAPPING OR SNAPPING, PLEASE. BUT THERE WAS REFERENCE MADE TO A RULE EARLIER. I JUST WANT TO BRING IT TO THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION AND REFRESH COUNCIL'S RECOLLECTION. THAT'S RULE 5F UNDER THE RULES OF DECORUM. SPEAKERS SHALL REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING MAKING VULGAR OR THREATENING REMARKS AND SHALL REFRAIN FROM MAKING PERSONAL ATTACKS AGAINST ANY CITY OFFICIAL, CITY STAFF MEMBER, OR MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC. COMMENTS SHALL BE DIRECTED TO THE COUNCIL AS A BODY AND NOT TO INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL CONTINUE WITH PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL HOUR AND A HALF. WE'LL WRAP UP SOME OF THE AGENDA AND BREAK FOR LUNCH AT ABOUT 1, 1:15 IF EVERYTHING GOES ON SCHEDULE. DOES ANYBODY SEE CAR KEYS ON THE FLOOR WHERE YOU ARE SITTING? SOMEBODY LEFT THEIR CAR KEYS BEHIND. >>LUIS VIERA: REAL BRIEFLY, TO EVERYBODYSPEAKING, I KNOW THIS IS OBVIOUS. YOU HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THE FULL THREE MINUTES. THAT'S ALL. THOUGH YOU ARE WELCOME TO. >>MARTIN SHELBY: ONE OTHER REMINDER, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN VIERA, FOR BRINGING THAT UP. THERE IS THE LIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE LECTERN. THERE ARE THREE LIGHTS. A GREEN, YELLOW, RED. WHEN YOU SPEAK, THE GREEN LIGHT GOES ON. WHEN THE RED GOES ON, YOU HEAR A TONE AND 30 SECONDS LEFT FOR YOU TO WRAP UP. WHEN THE RED GOES ON, THAT MEANS PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING AND THE BEEPER WILL CONTINUE TO GO OFF. ONE OTHER THING, COUNCIL, JUST A REMINDER AND SO THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS A VERY FULL EVENING AGENDA THAT BEGINS AT 5:00. THE SOONER THEY CAN GET THROUGH THE CITY BUSINESS, THE SOONER THEY CAN BE PREPARED FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING. COUNCIL, THE SUGGESTION IS WHEN 3:45 ROLLS AROUND, IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED YOUR AGENDA, YOU CONTINUE WHAT YOU HAVE, DO NEW BUSINESS AND TAKE AN HOUR FOR DINNER SO YOU CAN COME BACK AND START 5:00 ON TIME. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS KADEAN. IF YOU ARE HERE, SIR, FOLLOWED BY STEVEN GARISH AND COLLIN THOMPSON ON ALLISON DOUCETTE. ONE OR THE OTHER BUT NOT BOTH. ON THE SAME CARD. >> DEAR CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME IS KADEEM SEELY. CURRENTLY WORK AT BERN'S STEAK HOUSE AND BERN'S FINE WINE AND SPIRITS. I AM TRULY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLOSING OF HOWARD AVENUE. MY DIRECT SOURCE OF INCOME FOR MY FAMILY IS FROM BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. THIS CLOSURE IS GOING TO AFFECT MY FINANCES DIRECTLY. BUT EVEN THEN I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT DYLAN SCARMANDO, GINA, SERVERS, THE BARTENDER AND HANNA THOMPSON, A PASTRY CHEF WHO RECENTLY HAD BABIES THIS YEAR. THEY ARE JUST TEN INDIVIDUALS WHO ALSO WORK AT BERN'S STEAK HOUSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY HAVING OR HAVE ALREADY HAD CHILDREN IN THE PAST YEAR. THE NAMES THAT I HAVE MENTIONED DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OTHER 85 PERCENT OF EMPLOYEES WHO CURRENTLY HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN. THEY ARE SOLE PROVIDERS FOR. THIS CLOSURE WILL PUT IMMENSE PRESSURE ON A MICROECONOMY. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CANCELLATIONS THAT ARE FORECAST FOR THE RESERVATIONS TO ACCOMMODATE THE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO ARE TRYING TO COME TO TAMPA, FLORIDA, TO EXPERIENCE ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST WINE CELLARS THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME TO TAMPA BAY AND EXPERIENCE THE HISTORY OF BERN'S STEAK HOUSE SINCE 1956. THIS, I BELIEVE, CAN AFFECT THE MACRO ECONOMY. SORRY. I'M CHOKING UP. THAT MADE ME THINK ABOUT HOW TAMPA BAY IS DIFFERENT FROM MOST OF THE WORLD. WHEN IT COMES FROM PRESERVING ITS HISTORY. THE OWNER OF BERN'S STEAK HOUSE HAD TO ENDURE MULTIPLE STORMS THIS YEAR AND EVEN POWER OUTAGES THAT CAUSED THEM TO THROW AWAY ALL OF THE FOOD IN THEIR STORE AND INCUR HUNDRED PERCENT LABOR COST TO REOPEN THE RESTAURANT AT A LOSS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS JUST THIS YEAR, BERN'S HAS LOST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FOOD AND DAMAGES. THESE STORMS, WE WERE ABLE TO WEATHER, BUT SHUTTING DOWN THE MAIN ACCESS TO HISTORIC BUILDING THAT MIGHT BE A STORM THAT WE MAY NOT SURVIVE. WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU TO CEASE THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE CITY OF TAMPA. WE ARE JUST TRYING TO FIND ALTERNATIVE ROUTES SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT THE HISTORY THAT IS BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. STEVE GARISH. COLIN THOMPSON OR ALLISON DOUCETTE. AND GIOVANNI. >> HELLO, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS STEVE GARISH. I LIVE IN PARKLAND ESTATES. VERY QUICK, BEFORE I GET INTO MY SPEECH, I WANTED TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER. THERE IS A TON OF MISLEADING INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN GOING ALL OVER FOR THE LAST MONTH OR SO. ONE THING IS I KNOW THAT THE OWNER OF 717 MENTIONED THAT HIS HOUSE FLOODED EVEN THOUGH HE HAD BOX CULVERTS PUT IN. THAT'S A LITTLE MISLEADING. HE SAID AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING HE FLOODED FROM HELENE, WHICH IS STORM SURGE. THE BOX CULVERTS WILL NOT DO ANYTHING FOR THAT. JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. THE OTHER THING IS, I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF MISLEADING INFORMATION THAT THE RESTAUANTS ON HOWARD WILL NEED TO CLOSE, COMPLETELY CLOSE THEIR DOORS. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY EVIDENCE BEHIND THAT. KIMMINS CONTRACTING HAS DONE PLENTY OF PROJECTS IN HYDE PARK WHERE NOBODY HAD TO CLOSE FOR SAFETY REASONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IN FACT, BERN'S IN JULY OF 2023 CLOSED THEIR DOORS COMPLETELY FOR THREE WEEKS FOR RENOVATIONS. THEY SEEM TO BE DOING JUST FINE ON THE OTHER END OF THAT. FIRST OFF, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL YOUR ATTENTION AND DILIGENCE REGARDING THE SOUTH HOWARD FLOOD RELIEF PROJECT. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN INUNDATED WITH E-MAILS AND CALLS ON THIS MATTER AND IT MUST BE EXHAUSTING. YOU HAVE A 12-HOUR MEETING TODAY OR LONGER. SO THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE THE INTENSE DOUBT AND SKEPTICISM LARGE OF THIS PROJECT. BOTH THE CITY ENGINEERS AND CONSULTING ENGINEERS SPENT NEARLY A DECADE STUDYING THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE COUNTLESS YEARS OF EXPERTISE AND TRAINING TO SOLVE THE VERY ISSUES OF STORMWATER DRAINAGE. THEY PUT THEIR SIGNATURE ON THE PROJECT, WHICH FOR A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER IS A VERY SERIOUS STEP. IF A PROJECT FAILS, THAN AN ENGINEER WHO SIGNED OFF ON THAT PROJECT CAN LOSE THEIR LICENSE AND LIVELIHOOD. THEY DO NOT TAKE THE DECISIONS LIGHTLY. THEY HAD NUMEROUS MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS WHERE THEY CLEARLY EXPLAINED THE PROJECT AND WHY IT WILL WORK. YET AFTER ALL OF THAT, THERE STILL REMAINS INTENSE DOUBT AND SKEPTICISM OF THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT. WHY? DID EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE ENGINEERS SUDDENLY BECOME INCOMPETENT OR UNTRUSTWORTHY? WHY ALL THE PEOPLE ZERO EXPERIENCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING DOUBTING THE LIFE WORK OF EXPERTS IN THE FIELD? MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR MORE TIME TO STUDY DIFFERENT ROUTES. HOW IS 120 MORE DAYS GOING TO CHANGE WHAT HAS BEEN STUDIED FOR NINE YEARS AND 19 DIFFERENT ROUTES AND MANNERS OF DRAINAGE ALREADY STUDIED. THIS IS PUSHING IF FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND ANOTHER NINE YEARS FROM NOW, WHEN PARKLAND ESTATES WILL NEED TO BE RENAMED LAKELAND ESTATES BECAUSE IT WILL BE ONE LARGE BODY OF WATER DUE TO WORSENING FLOODING. WHO IS GOING TO COME TO THE SOUTH HOWARD BUSINESSES THEN. YOU'LL HAVE NO NEIGHBORS. UNLESS YOU SERVE LUNCH AND DINNER TO DUCKS, GEESE AND ALLIGATORS. LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT TODAY'S VOTE. TODAY IS ABOUT STARTING A DESIGN. NOBODY IS LEAVING HERE WITH A SHOVEL AND DIGGING UP HOWARD. I LOVE THE BUSINESSES ON HOWARD. MY FAMILY FREQUENTS THEM OFTEN. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT DURING THE DESIGN PHASE THEY DECIDE TO AVOID HOWARD. THEY CAN RUN THE CULVERTS RIGHT THROUGH MY LIVING ROOM IF IT SPARES THE PRECIOUS WINES AT BERN'S BUT AT THE SAME TIME STOPS THE CONSTANT FLOODING OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COLIN THOMPSON ON ALLISON DOUCETTE. MS. DOUCETTE, YOU WON'T BE SPEAKING? THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> COLIN THOMPSON. I, ALONG WITH MY PARTNER, ETHAN LOEB AND ALLISON DOUCETTE, REPRESENT OVER A DOZEN OF THE BUSINESSES ON SOUTH HOWARD, ALL THE WAY FROM BERN'S AND EPICUREAN HOTEL TO NORTH OF SWANN, McDINTON'S, BAR HOWARD. THESE ARE THE BUSINESSES THAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY FROM I THINK EVERYONE THAT HAVE MADE THE SOUTH TAMPA AREA, SOUTH TAMPA IN GENERAL AND THE TAMPA BAY AREA IN GENERAL ONE OF THE GREAT PLACES TO LIVE AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT PEOPLE COME HERE. MY CLIENT'S ESTABLISHMENTS ARE WHERE PEOPLE GO FOR ANNIVERSARIES, FOR GRADUATIONS, TO CELEBRATE MILESTONES AND TO JUST CELEBRATE THE END OF A GOOD WORKWEEK. WE HAVE HEARD WHAT THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO DO IS STOP THAT. THIS WHOLE CORRIDOR BY DESIGN, ORGANIC DESIGN, IS INTERCONNECTED. STOPPING PIECES OF IT AT A TIME STOPS THE WHOLE ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT IS SOUTH HOWARD. IT WILL STOP FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THOSE PEOPLE. ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHO COME DOWN TO ENJOY THESE AREAS, AND IT WILL IMPACT GREATLY THE EMPLOYEES WHO DEPEND ON THESE ESTABLISHMENTS. AND THEIR DRAW FOR OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS. WAY TOO OFTEN THE GOVERNMENT MOVES WITH GOOD INTENTIONS ONLY TO FIND THAT THE TREATMENT THAT THEY PRESCRIBED IS AS BAD AS THE DISEASE, AND THAT THE END RESULT IS NOT THE CURE THAT WAS PROMISED. AND THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS CURRENT PROPOSED PLAN. YOU'RE BEING ASKED TODAY TO VOTE TO APPROVE A CONTRACT, APPROVE AND BIND THE CITY TO A CONTRACT THAT ALREADY ESTABLISHES THE ROUTE AND THE MECHANISMS OF STORMWATER THAT WILL RUN IT RIGHT DOWN AND SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROY BUSINESSES FOR TIME PERIODS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY DESTROY THE WHOLE CORRIDOR. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, THOUGH, TO PAUSE ON THIS, TO NOT FALL VICTIM TO A TREATMENT THAT IS AS BAD AS THE DISEASE AND WILL NOT PROVIDE THE CURE. THE RESIDENTS OF PARKLAND ESTATES AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS ABSOLUTELY DESERVE RELIEF. AND THEY DESERVE RELIEF FROM THE STORMWATER MORE THAN JUST FOR THE AFTERNON STORMS. WE LIVE IN A CHANGING WORLD AND THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE. WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION THAT ADDRESSES NOT ONLY THE AFTERNOON STORMS BUT IT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THE EVENTS THAT THE NOW 50-YEAR STORM IS NOW THE 25-YEAR STORM, IS A 10-YEAR STORM. THIS PROPOSED PROJECT DOES NOT DO THAT. BUT IT DOES IMPACT AND DESTROY BUSINESSES THAT THIS COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON AND HAS MADE THIS A DESIRABLE PLACE TO GO AND THAT% EVERYBODY IN THIS AREA WANTS TO GO. IF YOU VOTE YES ON THIS CONTRACT WITHOUT THAT PAUSE, YOU WILL BE CREATING A TREATMENT WORSE THAN THE DISEASE. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOVANI, CARROLL ANN BENNETT, AND JORDAN. GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOVANI ARE A CADO. I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. I'M ITALIAN. APOLOGIZE FOR MY ACCENT AND ANY MISTAKE I DO. I BROUGHT A SPEECH BUT SEE A LOT OF WORKERS FROM THE BUSINESSES ON SOUTH HOWARD. I WANT TO THANK THEM BECAUSE I AM A CUSTOMER. I LIKE TO GO IN THOSE BUSINESSES. I ALSO WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS. THOSE PEOPLE ARE HERE TO DEFEND THE SAME BUSINESSES THAT THEY ARE -- LOSS OF INCOME, THE FIRST THING THEY DO, FIRE THE SAME PEOPLE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE A LITTLE BIT IRONIC. I BROUGHT THIS LITTLE SPEECH. I WILL BE QUICK. BUSINESSES ON SOUTH HOWARD ARE WORRIED BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE PROBLEMS TO MANAGE. WE ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND WE HAVE SUPPORTED YOUR BUSINESS FOR YEARS. YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH A PLAN THAT ALLOW YOU TO GET READY AND PREPARE YOURSELF. THIS IS A LUXURY. DO YOU KNOW WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE LUXURY? YOU'LL HAVE DISTRESS. DO YOU KNOW WHO IS IN DISTRESS NOW, YOUR CUSTOMERS, YOUR NEIGHBORS. NEXT YEAR AND EVERY YEAR UNTIL THE CITY DOES SOMETHING. I HEAR PEOPLE ACCUSING THE ENGINEERS OF NEGLIGENCE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT CONDUCT AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FOR THE LOSS OF BUSINESSES. TO THESE PEOPLE, I SAY THAT STOPPING THIS PROJECT TODAY IS NOT AN ACT OF NEGLIGENCE, BUT AN ACT OF CRUELTY AGAINST YOUR CLIENT, YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR FRIENDS, AND YOUR VOTERS. PLEASE STOP TO SAY THAT THIS PLAN IS -- YOUR INTEREST AND AGENDA. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PHYSICS AND GRAVITY. WATER NEEDS TO BE MOVED FROM POINT A TO POINT B AND TO AVOID CLOGGING WITH LESS TURNS AS POSSIBLE. I HEARD MR. COLLIER SAYING THAT WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD MANY 90-DEGREE TURNS TO AVOID HOWARD. I WILL SAY TO HIM, IF YOU NOTICE THAT IN YOUR HOUSE, ALL THE PLUMBING IS STRAIGHT. THERE IS A REASON WHY. I'M ITALIAN. I WAS LIVING IN ROME WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW BUILDING THE SECOND LINE OF THE SUBWAY. THE ENTIRE CITY WILL BE IN DISTRESS. BUSINESSES AND CITIES FOR THE NEXT 10, 15 YEARS. PLEASE DO NOT USE YOUR MEDIAN WITH FEW TREES AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERITAGE TO BE PRESERVED. PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING. DO NOT TELL ME THAT DAMAGE FROM THE SHAKING THAT WILL BE DONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CARCARROLL ANN BENNETT. JORDAN. GAMINE ZACARIAS. >> MY NAME IS CARROLL ANN BENNETT. MARY LOU BAILEY COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, BUT PLEASE READ THE E-MAIL SHE SENT YOU. I WOULD LIKE ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT STORMS TO BE TRANSLATED TO INCHES. WHEN THEY SAY MEAN ANNUAL PEAK STAGE, AVERAGE ANNUAL STORM EVENT FIVE-YEAR HUNDRED-YEAR 300-YEAR STORM. ENGINEERS UNDERSTAND IT BUT LAY PEOPLE DON'T. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY INCHES THIS IS. WE NEED TO KNOW HOW MANY INCHES OF RAIN THIS PROJECT WILL HANDLE. HOW MANY INCHES WILL OVERWHELM IT. I REPEAT, HOW MANY INCHES WILL OVERWHELM THIS PROJECT? WILL THIS SYSTEM WORK? THE POLICY -- 36 INCHES. WE WERE TOLD YET TO BE DETERMINED IF 36-INCH PIPES ARE ADEQUATE. IT SEEMS PRETTY OBVIOUS TO ME THAT WE DO KNOW THEY ARE NOT ADEQUATE, YET THERE ARE NO PLANS TO DO ANYTHING NORTH OF SWANN. AT MONDAY'S MEETING THEY SAID MAYBE THE PALMA CEIA PALMS PIPES WILL BE REPLACED WITH THIS PROJECT AND MAYBE THEY WON'T. BUT THEY SAID IT DEFINITELY ISN'T PART OF THE PLAN OR THE PRICE. I ALSO LEARNED ON MONDAY THAT PALMA CEIA PINES DRAINS THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT BASINS, NOT JUST THROUGH PARKLAND ESTATES. SO HOW MUCH WILL IT ACTUALLY HELP PALMA CEIA PINES IF PARKLAND ESTATES FLOODING IS IMPROVED? THEY WON'T GUARANTEE IT WILL HELP AT ALL. THEY JUST HOPE IT WILL. IF WE'RE BEING HONEST, THIS IS THE PLAN FOR NORTH OF SWANN. THEY HAVEN'T EVEN TOLD US HOW MUCH THEY HOPE IT WILL HELP. IF IT DOES VERY LITTLE, THEY WILL SAY WE DIDN'T GUARANTEE IT WOULD HELP. WE JUST HOPED IT WOULD. I AM VERY CONCERNED THEY ARE GIVING PALMA CEIA PINES FALSE HOPE AND PALMA CEIA PINES PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE FOR PALMA CEIA PINES UNTIL THE STORMWATER MASTER PLAN IS BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN PROPOSE A PLAN. THAT MEANS THERE WON'T EVEN BE A PROPOSAL FOR NATURAL OF SWANN FOR YEARS AND WORK WON'T BE FINISHED UNTIL YEARS AFTER THAT. DO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON TODAY? THEY TOLD US ON MONDAY THAT THE MAXIMUM GUARANTEED PRICE WON'T BE DETERMINED UNTIL THE DESIGN PHASE IS OVER, WHICH IS 10 TO 12 MONTHS. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN A YEAR IF THE MAXIMUM GUARANTEED PRICE IS SKY HIGH? YOU'LL ALREADY BE DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE. IS THE ROUTE DETERMINED OR NOT? IS IT JUST THE DOTTED LINE THAT'S UNDECIDED OR IS THE WHOLE ROUTE UNDECIDED? WILL CITY COUNCIL PICK THE ROUTE? WILL STAFF PICK THE ROUTE? WILL KIMMINS PICK THE ROUTE? YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL ACCOMPLISH. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HARM IT WILL DO OR HOW MUCH IT WILL COST. YOU HAVE NO GUARANTEE FOR CITY COUNCIL INPUT OR CONTROL. YOU NEED THESE ANSWERS. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT THIS CATASTROPHIC FLOODING, BUT IT MUST BE THE BEST THING FOR EVERYONE. MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE VOTING ON THE BEST PLAN AND THAT IT DOES ENOUGH. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JORDAN. GAMINE ZACARIAS. GRETA. GOOD MORNING, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. JORDAN ARE A SHOVE SKI. REPRESENT CICCIO RESTAURANT GROUP. WORKED ON SOUTH HOWARD AVENUE EXCLUSIVELY SINCE APRIL OF 2004. NOT HERE TO REFUTE ENGINEERING, CHALLENGE THE COUNCIL OR DIMINISH THE PAIN AND LOSS OF OUR NEIGHBORS. IT IS REAL, AND THEY REQUIRE REAL RELIEF. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT THAT I BELIEVE IS LACKING IN THE DESIGN-BUILD PROPOSAL THAT SITS BEFORE YOU. ONE TRANSPORTATION. ONE OF OUR AVERAGE UNITS REQUIRES 15 TO 20 SEMI TRAILERS OR CARGO BOX TRUCKS A WEEK. NOT EVERY SINGLE ESTABLISHMENT HAS THE ARTERIAL SIDE STREETS THAT CAN HANDLE THAT TYPE OF COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC. YOU WOULD BE STARVING US OF THE VERY PRODUCT WE SELL. TWO, SOLID WASTE. OUR AVERAGE UNIT REQUIRES 8 CUBIC YARDS OF TRASH TO BE REMOVED SIX TIMES A WEEK. THREE TIMES A WEEK WE HAVE EIGHT CUBIC YARDS OF PAPER RECYCLABLES REMOVED. EVERY 21 TO 28 DAYS WE HAVE 2,000 POUNDS OF SOLID GREASE PUMPED AND REMOVED. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT. TALLAHASSEE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WILL SHUT US DOWN IF THAT CADENCE IS INTERRUPTED. FULL STOP. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE FACTS THAT ARE MISSING. FINALLY, FIRST RESPONDERS. UNFORTUNATELY CRG, MICHAEL STUART AT 717 AND SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO HAVE A FIRE LOSS. FIRE LOSS IS PREVENTED BY IMMEDIATE AND RAPID RESPONSE, REDUCED ACCESS OR EVEN RESTRICTED ACCESS CAN TAKE A SINGLE STRUCTURE TO MULTIPLE STRUCTURES OR GOD FORBID EVEN WORSE. AT RESTAURANTS, WE EXPERIENCE ANAPHYLAXIS, CARDIAC EVENTS, SLIP AND FALLS WITH HEAD TRAUMA. IN THOSE INSTANCES, E.M.S. RESPONSE, MINUTES AND SECONDS ARE ACTUALLY LIFE AND DEATH. I AM NOT ASKING FOR THIS PROJECT TO BE TABLED, TO BE REMOVED. WHAT I AM ASKING FOR IS HONEST ANSWERS TO THESE LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES. WHAT WE NEED IS RELIEF FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF CONDEMNING A VITAL AND THRIVING BUSINESS DISTRICT. PLEASE, I AM IMPLORE YOU, DO NOT LET THAT BE THE LEGACY OF THIS PROJECT NOR THE LEGACY OF THIS COUNCIL. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. GAMINE ZACARIAS. GRETA BROOKS. ALLISON BURNS. GOOD MORNING. >> HELLO. GAMINE ZACARIAS. MY NAME IS GAMINE. I SPOKE TO THE COUNCIL BACK IN JUNE ABOUT MY CONCERNS REGARDING THIS FLOOD PROJECT, SPECIFICALLY WHY IT SHOULD NOT GO THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS I CARE ABOUT THIS. I DON'T THINK OUR HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD HOMES CAN HANDLE THE INTENSITY OF THE VIBRATIONS FROM THE EXCAVATION DESPITE ANY PROMISES, REAL-TIME MONITORING, WE'LL KNOW IN THE MOMENT THAT DAMAGE IS HAPPENING. I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR TREE CANOPY, NOT JUST MINE, BUT THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARKLAND ESTATES GARDEN CLUB. IN THE CITY OF TAMPA TREE CANOPY AND URBAN FOREST ANALYSIS OF 2021, IT WAS NOTED THAT CANOPY LOSS SINCE 2011 IS FOUR TIMES THE AREA OF DAVIS ISLANDS AND THAT CURRENTLY THE CANOPY IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL TAMPA IS AT A 20-YEAR LOW. THAT WAS IN 2021, CONSIDERING THAT WE JUST LOST THOUSANDS OF TREES THIS HURRICANE SEASON, THAT CANOPY LOSS HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. PARKLAND ESTATES IS ONE OF THE MOST DENSELY CANOPIED AREAS OF THE CITY. MY BLOCK OF BRISTOL AVENUE ALONE HAS 55 TREES, 40 OF THOSE ARE LIVE OAKS. IF THEY ARE ALL REMOVED AND NEW ONES PLANTED, IT WILL TAKE DECADES TO RECOVER THE CANOPY. I'LL BE DEAD BY THEN AS WILL MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS. WHEN I SPOKE TO COUNCIL BACK IN JUNE ABOUT THE DESTRUCTIVE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF THE PROJECT ON RESIDENTIAL ROADS, I WAS VERY RELIEVED TO HEAR THAT OUR CONCERNS HAD BEEN HEARD. THAT DAY IT WAS NOTED THAT, QUOTE, THEIR IDEA OF GOING THROUGH BRISTOL IS OFF THE TABLE. THAT IS A PARK-LIKE STREET. THERE WAS A MOTION, QUOTE THAT THE CITY ELIMINATE THE IDEA OF USING BRISTOL AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE VAULTS AND TO BYPASS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS THEY WORK TO RESOLVE THE FLOODING ISSUE USING THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, END OF QUOTE. AND AS COUNCIL, WE WOULD NOT VOTE FOR A PLAN OR FUNDING TO GO BEHIND IT THAT PUTS IT ON BRISTOL. THE MOBILITY DEPARTMENT WAS THEN TASKED WITH COMING BACK WITH A WRITTEN REPORT BY SEPTEMBER 5 THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE BRISTOL. YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW IT FELT TO SIT AT THAT MEETING ON MONDAY NIGHT AND SEEING A MAP STILL PLAINLY SHOWING BRISTOL AS ONE OF THE ROUTE OPTIONS, ALONG WITH OTHER RESIDENTIAL STREETS LIKE LAKEVIEW AND MORRISON. THIS COMPLETELY DISREGARDS COUNCIL'S DIRECTIVE FROM THE JUNE MEETING. THE RECENT ONE IN A HUNDRED-YEAR RAINFALL EVENT DOESN'T CHANGE OUR ARGUMENTS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF THIS SOLUTION FOR A RESIDENTIAL STREET. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN CLENDENIN CLOSING REMARKS ON THIS MATTER. QUOTE, THE FLOODING IS REAL. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A RESOLUTION BUT THE RESOLUTION HAS TO BE THE RIGHT RESOLUTION. PLEASE VOTE NO TODAY TO TAKE THE TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT. CLEARLY FROM WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM EVERYONE, THERE ARE SERIOUS ISSUES TO ADDRESS BEFORE THIS PROCEEDS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS AT STAKE. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GRETA BROOKS. ALLISON BURNS. NICHOLAS LORENZ. >> GOOD MORNING. GRETA BROOKS. I HAVE LIVED ON BRISTOL AVENUE FOR OVER 25 YEARS. I KNOW I DON'T LOOK IT. BUT -- MY HOME IS NEARLY 100 YEARS OLD, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME COME UP HERE AND SPEAK TODAY. I'M URGING YOU NOT TO MOVE THE SOUTH HOWARD FLOOD RELIEF PROJECT INTO THE DESIGN PHASE AT THIS TIME. THIS PROJECT IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND COMPLEX STORMWATER INITIATIVES OUR CITY HAS EVER UNDERTAKEN AND THE RISKS ARE IMMENSE. YET THESE RISKS HAVE BEEN INADEQUATELY EXPLORED AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS, MANY OF THEM LIFE-ALTERING, HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY DISMISSED. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE NO ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FOR THE MAJOR COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR BECAUSE, AS STATED AT MONDAY'S MEETINGS AND EARLIER TODAY, IT'S NOT DONE FOR STORMWATER PROJECTS. WHY NOT? WHY ARE STORMWATER ENGINEERS MAKING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS? RESIDENTS WERE TOLD ON MONDAY THAT HOMES WERE NOT DAMAGED BY KIMMINS DURING THE LAST PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE DONE, YET MANY DAMAGED, EXCEPT THEIR DAMAGE CLAIMS WERE DENIED. WE'RE ASSURED THIS PROJECT WOULD BENEFIT THE ENTIRE WATERSHED BUT ONLY FOUR OF THE 259 ACRES IN THE WATERSHED HAVE BEEN MODELED. NONE OF THE ACRES INCLUDING PALMA CEIA PINES, AN AREA BOTH CONTRIBUTING TO THE FLOODING AND SUFFERING FROM IT. BY THE WAY, THE MODEL SHOWS THERE WILL STILL BE UP TO 2.3 FEET OF FLOODING ALONG SWANN. SO THIS PLAN DOESN'T EVEN FIX THAT PROBLEM. EVEN CITY COUNCIL DIRECTIVES HAVE BEEN DISREGARDED. UNANIMOUSLY VOTED AGAINST FUNDING ANY PLAN ON BRISTOL AVENUE, YET TODAY BEING ASKED TO APPROVE A PROPOSAL THAT PAYS FOR A STUDY FOR OUR ROUTE DOWN BRISTOL AVENUE. YOU GAVE CITY STAFF FIVE MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS TO COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN AND FRESH THINKING. YET NOVEMBER 7, MR. BHIDE APPEARED BEFORE YOU WITH NO NEW THINKING OR EVEN COMMUNITY OUTREACH. SO NOW YOU SEE INDEPENDENT ENGINEERS BEING BROUGHT IN TO MOVE THIS ALONG. THE COMMUNITY WAS NOT AFFORDED THEIR DUE PROCESS. WE EXPECTED EFFORT WAS BEING MADE TOWARD SO MANY KNOWN ISSUES BUT IT WASN'T. MAJOR ISSUES HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED BY THE COMMUNITY SINCE JANUARY, BUT THE CITY HAS FAILED TO CONNECT EVEN BASIC ANALYSIS TO ADDRESS KNOWN RISKS TO THE COMMUNITY. WHY MUST WE SPEND $7 MILLION FOR A DESIGN CONTRACT TO GET THIS VERY BASIC INFORMATION THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE ALREADY HAD? FOR TWO YEARS, CITY STAFF HAD DATA FROM JMT SHOWING THAT A BROKEN RETENTION POND PUMP ON ALBANY AVENUE AND POOR ROAD MILLING IN PALMA CEIA PINES ARE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTORS TO PARKLAND'S FLOODING, YET THEY MADE NO EFFORT TO FIX THESE IMMEDIATE ISSUES, CLAIMING NO SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS ARE POSSIBLE. BUT THEY HAVE ONE. WHY APPROVE A $7 MILLION DESIGN CONTRACT TODAY THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE IN ITS SCOPE ANY INVESTIGATION OF ALTERNATIVES LIKE THE ONES THE INDEPENDENT ENGINEERS MENTIONED TODAY AND SCOPED PREMATURELY FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN YOU HEARD ABOUT FROM THE COMMISSIONERS TODAY. AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT IS YOUR FIDUCIARY DUTY TO ENSURE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE SPENT WISELY, UNLIKE THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, MANY OF THE STAFF WILL BE IN OFFICE AS THIS PROJECT UNFOLDS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALLISON BURNS. NICHOLAS LORENZ. MS. STEPHANIE POYNOR. GOOD MORNING, MA'AM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> MY NAME IS ALLISON BURNS. I WORK FOR BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. ACTUALLY NO RELATION. MINE IS B-U-R-N-S. BUT I HAVE WORKED THERE NOW FOR 17 YEARS. IT'S ACTUALLY THE FIRST JOB THAT I GOT ONCE I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE. IT TOOK ME ABOUT TWO YEARS TO ACTUALLY GET BEHIND THE BAR AND BECOME THE SECOND FEMALE BARTENDER TO BE TAKING CARE OF GUESTS AND SERVING FULL ENTREES. IT WASN'T UNTIL LAST YEAR THAT I WAS ABLE TO START SERVING TABLES AFTER THEY ACTUALLY ALLOWED THE TABLES IN THE LOUNGE TO BE SERVED BECAUSE THEY CLOSED IT DOWN AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO DO FULL DINNER SERVICE. SO IT'S TAKEN ME 17 YEARS, 16 YEARS TO BECOME A SERVER. AND TO SEE THAT THERE COULD BE A THREAT TO THE ABILITY FOR THE WAY THAT I'VE BUILT MY ENTIRE LIFE, MY CAREER TO SERVE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF ROAD CLOSURES IS A LITTLE TERRIFYING. I AM ALSO THE ALLISON THAT KADEEM MENTIONED BEFORE THAT HAS A LITTLE BABY BOY AT HOME WHO IS THE NEW LIGHT OF MY LIFE. IT'S ALSO CONCERNING THAT MY INCOME MIGHT BE AFFECTING THIS NEW VENTURE THAT I HAVE RAISING THE BEST BABY EVER. MORTIMER BURNS. HE'S AMAZING. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A FACE TO ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU MIGHT BE THINKING OF WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT ACTUAL PEOPLE ON HOWARD AVENUE THAT WE HAVE FAMILIES, AND THAT WE'RE TRYING AND WORKING REALLY HARD TO SUPPORT THEM AND THAT WHILE SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK THEY CAN GO AND APPLY TO ANOTHER JOB AT THE STEAK HOUSE, IT IS A CAREER. YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO ALL OF A SUDDEN START TO HAVE TO PLAN A DIFFERENT CAREER. SO I WOULD JUST ASK TO MAYBE CHOOSE A DIFFERENT ROUTE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT FLOODING IS AN ISSUE. I DEAL WITH IT. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NICHOLAS LORENZ. STEPHANIE POYNOR. JENNIFER FERNANDEZ. GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> I HAD THIS WRITTEN FOR GOOD MORNING, BUT IT'S CLEARLY AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS NICHOLAS LORENZ. I WORK AT BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO IMAGINE 300 COLLEAGUES STANDING BESIDE ME AND THEIR RESPECTIVE FAMILIES. MOST OF THEM LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. A FEW WEEKS OR A FEW MONTHS WITHOUT WORK WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC TO THESE FAMILIES AND TO MYSELF. BUT THIS IS A HOPEFUL TIME FRAME. THIS IS WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED. ANYONE WHO IS REALLY OBSERVANT OF GOVERNMENT WORKS KNOWS THIS TYPE OF PROJECT ENDS UP TAKING TWICE AS LONG AND COSTING TWICE AS MUCH. NOW, WE SYMPATHIZE WITH THE NEIGHBORS AT PARKLAND ESTATES. MANY OF THE RESIDENTS ARE REGULARS AND ARE CONSIDERED FAMILY. WE CAN RELATE TO THEIR EXPERIENCE. A NUMBER OF MY COLLEAGUES LOST THEIR HOMES. THEY FLOODED. AND MOST OF THEIR POSSESSIONS AS WELL. THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE TRYING TO REBUILD RIGHT NOW, AND SHOULD THIS PLAN GO FORTH AS SET, THEY WILL BE JOBLESS WHILE TRY TO PUT THEIR LIVES TOGETHER. PLEASE TAKE A REASONABLE APPROACH AND REVIEW OTHER AVENUES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MRS. STEPHANIE POYNOR. JENNIFER FERNANDEZ. AND MEGAN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. STEPHANIE POYNOR. THE BIG FISH HERE, IN MY OPINION, YOU-ALL KNOW I'M CHEAP. I AM AS CHEAP AS THEY COME. I COME UP HERE AND SCREAM BLOODY MURDER ABOUT WHAT I THINK IS WASTEFUL SPENDING. IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, MAYBE WE HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING IS BUILT ON THIS LITTLE PIECE OF LAND RIGHT HERE. THERE'S ALREADY A FIVE BY TEN CULVERT UNDERNEATH IT. WHY IS IT ALREADY THERE? ALREADY MOVING MONEY? I DON'T KNOW. I JUST HANG OUT HERE. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING. THESE QUESTIONS HAVE TO BE ANSWERED BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE DESCRIPTION AND I JUST TALKED TO CHIEF BENNETT ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT AGO, THIS SEEMS TO BE SET IN STONE AND THIS IS OPTIONAL. YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GOING TO POINT OUT TO YOU THAT THE MacDILL 48 PLAN WAS APPROVED AT THE SAME TIME THIS ONE WAS. AND IT WAS A GREAT PLAN. IT WOULD HAVE WORKED EITHER WAY. BUT BY GIVING CITIZEN INPUT, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PARK WITH A BEAUTIFUL POND IN A BEAUTIFUL AREA, NOT JUST A CEMENT POND. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT PEOPLE HAVE SET IT IN STONE THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE. BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO ASK YOURSELVES, WHAT ARE YOU VOTING ON? ARE YOU VOTING ON THE ROUTE? ARE YOU VOTING ON ALL OF THE ROUTE? THAT ON MONDAY NIGHT, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND. IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, NOBODY DOES. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEBODY EXPLAIN WHY GOING STRAIGHT DOWN SWANN AFTER MR. BHIDE AND SEVERAL OF THE OTHER ENGINEERS ON MONDAY NIGHT SAYS THAT WATER DOESN'T TURN WELL. OKAY. LET'S NOT MAKE IT TURN. HOW MUCH WATER WILL THIS PROPOSAL DISPERSE? I SIMPLIFIED SOME OF CARROLL ANN'S QUESTIONS. FUNNY, WE SIT THERE AND THINK THE SAME THINGS. I'LL TELL YOU THIS, WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS ME AND SAYS MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD DISHWASHER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, YOU KNOW WHAT I TELL THEM? BUY A NEW ONE. DON'T FIX THE OLD ONE. IT IS A CRAP PLAN. YOU'LL WASTE MONEY AND END UP HAVING TO FIX IT AGAIN LATER. GUESS WHAT, THIS PROJECT KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THAT. IT'S BEEN SITTING ON THE BACK BURNER FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND WE'VE SEEN THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW. I THINK THAT THIS PROJECT RIGHT HERE IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE WHY PUBLIC INPUT IS NECESSARY EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU DEVELOP SOMETHING. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THERE WERE ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE WHO SPOKE TODAY, THAT IT WON'T DO CRAP FOR THEIR FLOODING. IT WON'T DO ANYTHING FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ON THAT ROUTE. SO HOW CAN WE -- I KNOW PEOPLE ARE FRUSTRATED. THEY ARE SO, SO FRUSTRATED. BUT IF THIS DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THEM, IT'S USELESS. WE'RE SPENDING $64 MILLION. MAYBE WE NEED TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON THE PROJECT AND DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JENNIFER FERNANDEZ. MEGAN LUCA. KI ARE A JEFFERSON OR KIRA JEFFERSON. GOOD AFTERNOON. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HI. JENNIFER FERNANDEZ. AM MY HUSBAND, FRANK FERNANDEZ, WE OWN TWO BUSINESSES AND ONE BUILDING. 2503 WEST SWANN, CORNER OF SWANN AND AZEELE. WE OWN OUR LAW FIRM, WHICH EMPLOYS SIX PEOPLE. BUT WE ALSO JOIN TAMPA EXECUTIVE SUITES, THE WHOLE 8,000-SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING. THAT ENTITY HAS A TOTAL OF TEN BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE OUT OF OUR BUILDING WITH DOZENS OF EMPLOYEES. WE HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY DISPLACED FOR TWO MONTHS NOW FROM MILTON BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THE STORMWATER DRAINS, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE, I THINK, 18 FEET ELEVATION. ALL 8,000 SQUARE FEET FLOODED. WE HAD TO RIP OUT ALL THE CARPET. WE HAD TO CALL OUR TENANTS THE DAY AFTER THE STORM AND SAY COME GET YOUR THINGS OUT OF THE BUSINESSES. WE HAVE A MEMORABILIA COLLECTOR AND SALESMAN. HIS OFFICES WERE COMPLETELY PACKED WITH INVENTORY. WE HAD TO HAVE THEM COME THERE ON THE WEEKEND AND SAY PLEASE COME GET YOUR STUFF. WE'VE GOT TO START RIPPING OUT CARPET TOMORROW. WE'RE WIRING MONEY TO SERVE PRO TO COME IN THERE BEFORE THE MOLD STARTS AND BEFORE ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FLOODED WILL BE IMPACTED. WE'RE STILL OUT OF THE BUSINESS. WE'LL BE BACK IN HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEK AFTER ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, ALL OF THESE DOZENS OF PEOPLE AND TEN BUSINESSES IN TOTAL HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO WORK, COMPLETELY DISPLACED FOR TWO MONTHS. IT'S NOT FAIR TO THEM. I TRULY, TRULY SYMPATHIZE WITH THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE AND ARE FEARFUL OF WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH TIS PROJECT, WHICH I URGE YOU TO DO. I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN, BUT LIKE DR. ABDONEY DURING THE COVID SHUTDOWN AND THE PAST TWO MONTHS, WE'VE CONTINUED TO PAY OUR EMPLOYEES. THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. YOU WORK AROUND IT. AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE IMPACTED, I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL, DON'T TAKE YOUR EYE OFF OF WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR TWO MONTHS BECAUSE OF THIS PARADE OF POTENTIAL HORRIBLES THAT MIGHT HAPPEN AND LIKELY WILL NOT HAPPEN TO THE EXTENT THEY ARE BEING EXAGGERATED TODAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASKING FOR YET ANOTHER DELAY AND SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS AND READY TO BE FUNDED FOREVER. PLEASE, I URGE YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT SO WE DON'T CONTINUE TO HAVE SUCH A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON OUR BUILDINGS. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MEGAN LUCA. KIRA JEFFERSON. MENTESNOT. >> MEGAN LUCA. I ASK THAT YOU TURN ON THE OVERHEAD PLEASE. IF THIS IS WHAT HOWARD AVENUE LOOKED LIKE TEN TIMES A YEAR, IF BERN'S AND THE EPICUREAN HAD ALMOST TWO FEET OF SEWAGE WATER FLOOD THEIR BUSINESSES SO THEY RIPPED EVERYTHING DOWN TO THE STUDS, THREW AWAY EVERY PIECE OF KITCHEN EQUIPMENT AND CLOSED FOR MONTHS WHILE SPENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REBUILD WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING THAT THAT FINANCIAL IMPACT WAS COMING, IT WOULDN'T TAKE THIS CITY COUNCIL NINE YEARS TO START A PROJECT TO HELP THEM. THE SUGGESTION THAT THIS PROJECT SHOULD BE DELAYED BECAUSE OTHER REMEDIES ARE AVAILABLE IS NOT SUPPORTED. YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THAT EVIDENCE. IN FACT, IF YOU GO TALK TO THE CITY ENGINEERS, BECAUSE I ASKED YESTERDAY, HOW MUCH ACREAGE WOULD YOU NEED FOR A RETENTION POND FOR JUST A SUMMER STORM? THEY SAID FIVE ACRES. PARKLAND ESTATES, AVERAGE LOT IS .2 ACRES. THAT MEANS YOU NEED 25 NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE IN A ROW ALL AROUND EACH OTHER TO BE WILLING TO SELL THEIR HOMES AT CITY PRICES IN ORDER TO CREATE LAND. THAT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. THE REQUEST FOR 120-DAY PAUSE BEING MADE ON THE DAY YOU WERE ASKED TO VOTE IS INFURIATING. THIS THING HAS BEEN GOING ON. YOU HEARD SINCE AT LEAST JUNE, WHERE WERE THOSE OFFERS THEN? THE DELAY IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND MORE TO THE POINT, TODAY IS NOT ABOUT PICKING A ROUTE. THE CITY INPUT, THE BUSINESSES, THE HOMEOWNERS, THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT. KIMMINS HAS PROMISED THEY WANT TO HEAR IT. NO ROUTE HAS BEEN CHOSEN. WHAT YOU ARE VOTING TO APPROVE IS A CONTRACT TO ALLOW ATKINS THE ENGINEER AND KIMMINS THE CONTRACTOR TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER TO PICK THE BEST ROUTE BASED ON INPUT. WHAT YOU ARE VOTING ON TODAY IS SIMPLY TO MOVE FORWARD. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS THE LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN BY A LAW FIRM LAST NIGHT TO TRY TO THREATEN LEGAL ACTION AGAINST YOU. IF THERE WAS A WAY AROUND SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY FOR A PLANNING DECISION, I WOULD LEAD THE CHARGE OF THE 250 HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES THAT FLOODED, BUT THERE'S NOT. AND THE ATTORNEY WHO WROTE THAT KNOWS BETTER. ALL OF THIS IS A CIRCUS SIDE SHOW. LIKE I SAID, WHAT YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE TODAY, PLEASE, STAY FOCUSED ON THE NARROW ITEM. IT IS AN INITIAL SERVICES CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $7.7 MILLION. THE ROUTE HAS NOT BEEN CHOSEN. ALLOW THE INPUT. BUT, PLEASE, IF YOU APPROVE THIS PROJECT TODAY, IT WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL 2029, WHICH MEANS ALL OF US IN THESE WHITE SHIRTS WILL HOLD OUR BREATH FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS EVERY TIME IT RAINS. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER DAY, LET ALONE THE MONTHS THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING YOU TO WAIT TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION THAT THEY COULD HAVE GIVEN YOU FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU PLEASE APPROVE THE CONTRACT SO THAT THE ENGINEERS AND KIMMINS CAN GET TO WORK. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. KIRA JEFFERSON. MENTESNOT. GOOD AFTERNOON. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M KIRA JEFFERSON. I'M WITH BERN'S. BERN'S FINE WINE AND SPIRITS AND HAVEN. WORKED WITH THE COMPANY FOR OVER 20 YEARS NOW. GROWN MY CAREER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. COMMUTED TO SOUTH TAMPA. I'M ALSO -- MY HUSBAND AND I OWN SEVERAL PROPERTIES ACROSS THE CITY AND HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH IMPACTED BY THE RECENT STORMS AND OVER THE YEARS BY THE STORMS, BOTH AT WORK AND IN OUR RENTALS. WE LOST TWO HOMES. ONE COMPLETELY TO HELENE AND ONE COMPLETELY TO MILTON. TO THINK THAT THERE'S NOT SYMPATHY AND CONCERN FOR OUR NEIGHBORS, IT'S JUST REALLY GUT WRENCHING TO HEAR THE FRUSTRATION AND FEAR AND HATRED THAT'S COMING TOWARDS THE ESTABLISHMENTS. IT'S NOT THAT WE WANT TO STOP PROGRESS AND GROWTH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TOO. WE WANT A VOICE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS COMMUTING THERE AND LIVE IN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AND HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS AS WELL. I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR 293 INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR LIVELIHOOD EVERY DAY. I'M THE 294th EMPLOYEE AT BERN'S. THAT'S HOW MANY PEOPLE TRANSFER IN. 122 OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WORK ON GRATUITIES. THERE IS NO PAYING THEM WHILE WORK IS OUT OR BUSINESS VOLUME IS DIMINISHED. THAT IS AN OPTION FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES ON HOWARD AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I'VE BEEN THROUGH COVID AND THE LAYOFFS. AND WITHOUT THOSE MONIES COMING IN, THERE ARE NO MONIES TO PROVIDE TO GO OUT AS A BUSINESS. THAT'S ASKING MORE THAN I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND IS EVEN POSSIBLE. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS I HOPE TO POINT ON IF I HAVE TIME. THERE HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THIS IMPACTS PAST THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE. THERE'S NOT AN IMMEDIATE REVIVAL OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED NEW REGULAR PLACES TO VISIT, NEW REGULAR PEOPLE TO SEE. THEY ARE GOING TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS NOW. AND WE'VE LOST IRREPLACEABLE EMPLOYEES. WE HAVE A 40-YEAR TENURED PASTRY COOK IN OUR KITCHEN. SHE IS EITHER GOING TO CHOOSE TO RETIRE BECAUSE SHE HAS NO CHOICE, BUT SHE'S NOT GOING TO GO FIND ANOTHER JOB THAT'S SIMILAR. AND IF SHE DOES, SHE WILL UNFORTUNATELY NOT COME BACK. THESE PEOPLE WITH THE HISTORY AND THE NUANCES OF THE PRODUCTS WE PROVIDE, MR. LAXER WAS COMPLETELY RESPONSIBLE IN ASKING ABOUT HIS WINE COLLECTION. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES US SPECIAL, MAKES SOUTH HOWARD SPECIAL, AND MAKES THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIAL. IT'S JUST ONE OF THEM. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SAY IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN PEOPLE'S HOMES, BUT WE WANT TO BE HEARD, THE 294 INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS WE NEED. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MENTESNOT. GREG CAMPBELL. MATTHEW RICH. GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MENTESNOT. SAY UHURU, MEANS FREEDOM IN SWAHILI. MENTESNOT MEANS ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. IF YOU CAN STOP THE TIME FOR A SECOND. ONE THING YOU GUYS NEED TO DO IS HAVE A SIGN-IN SHEET VERSUS THE CARDS YOU HAVE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE BEING SKIPPED AND WHATSOEVER WHATSOEVER. THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE. ONE THING I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS DISRESPECT AND INSENSITIVITY. WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WITH THE COUNCILMEN WAS VERY DISRESPECTFUL. AND WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WITH THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS GIVEN THE AWARD THAT WAS VERY INSENSITIVE AND NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT'S NOTHING INSENSITIVITY TOWARDS A PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY CHALLENGED IS THE WAY THAT MR. DAVID ROWLAND WAS RUDELY INTERRUPTED AND USHERED AWAY FROM THE PODIUM BY THE CHIEF JUDGE. IF YOU NOTICED IT OR IF YOU DIDN'T NOTICE IT, THAT IS THE WORST WAY YOU CAN TREAT SOMEONE WITH A DISABILITY. AND THAT'S VERY, VERY INSENSITIVE. THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS SELFISHNESS. WE AS AFRICAN PEOPLE, WE DESERVE 26% OF THE CITY BUDGET. RETROACTIVELY. ALONG WITH THAT SELFISHNESS, INNER SENSITIVITY, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE AND TALK ABOUT THEIR INTEREST, THEIR SELFLESS INTERESTS IF IT'S FROM BERN'S STEAK HOUSE, DONE A LOT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OR FOR THE RESIDENTS. I THINK I HEARD TWO PEOPLE SAID IT BEST. MY BUSINESS, WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE PARKING LOT TO JUST TO KEEP FROM CALLING THE POLICE HEY MAN ACCIDENT. TAKE YOUR CAR, WHATSOEVER, WHATSOEVER, SEND ME THE BILL. I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. I DON'T HAVE IT LIKE THAT. HEARD TWO PEOPLE SAY, HEY, WE'RE STILL PAYING OUR EMPLOYEES. BERN'S STEAK HOUSE AND OWNERS HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WHY ARE THEY DOWN HERE CRYING ABOUT, BECAUSE THAT HOW CAPITALISM WORK. CRYING ABOUT WHO IS NOT GOING TO HAVE A JOB. THAT MEANS THEY HAVE THE EMPLOYEES TERRIFIED. YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE YOUR JOB BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO DO SOME CONSTRUCTION? THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. BUT THE INSENSITIVITY COMES WHEN YOU SEE HOW WHITE PEOPLE OPERATE. YOU SEE HOW RACISM OPERATE. WHEN PEOPLE ARE DOWN CRYING ABOUT SOME WATER FALLING IN THEIR HOMES, AND WHEN THERE ARE BOMBS FALLING OVER PALESTINE EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR. BOMBS FALLING OVER PALESTINE AND PEOPLE ARE CRYING OVER SOME WATER GETTING IN THEIR HOME. THAT'S VERY INSENSITIVE. THIS CITY COUNCIL NEED TO HAVE A RESOLUTION ON PALESTINE. THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS. WE ARE 26% OF THE POPULATION. WE NEED 26% OF THE CITY BUDGET. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. GREG CAMPBELL. MATTHEW RICH. NATALIE WILSON. GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. I WAS NOT PLANNING TO SPEAK. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> EXCUSE ME. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY FIRST. GREG CAMPBELL. I LIVE ON THE CORNER OF FOUNTAIN BOULEVARD AND AUDUBON AND THE BACK CORNER IS SWANN AND AUDUBON. I HAVE KNOWN THAT PROPERTY -- I HAVE OWNED THAT PROPERTY FOR 71 YEARS NOW. SINCE 1953 WHEN MY PARENTS BOUGHT IT WHEN I WAS A BOY. ACROSS THE YEARS, THE WEATHER HAS BEEN VERY MUCH AS IT HAS BEEN. RECENTLY, A LOT OF SUMMER AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS AND HIGH WATER IN THAT LOCATION EVERY YEAR. OCCASIONALLY A HURRICANE THAT REALLY HITS US. THE WORST ONE WE EVER HAD WAS MILTON. FIRST TIME WATER EVER GOT IN THE HOUSE. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN OUT NOW THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AS THINGS GET PUT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE BACK IN THE EARLY '60s THAT CAME VERY, VERY CLOSE TO MILTON. THINGS DON'T CHANGE THAT TERRIBLY MUCH ACROSS THE YEARS. IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER YEARS TO LOOK ACROSS. NOW THAT THE CITY FEELS THAT IT'S ABLE TO BEGIN TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, THAT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL THING. THE MONEY COMMITMENT, THE PLANNING OR THE REST. WE SHOULD BE HAPPY, BUT INSTEAD WE ARE DISTRESSED. THERE IS FEAR. THERE IS ANGUISH AMONG SOME. IT IS REFLECTED IN THESE COMMENTS IN THE MEETING. I WAS NOT PLANNING TO, AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, TO SPEAK. NO NOTES, BUT TWO FRIENDS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN ASKED ME TO DO SO. THEY ARE RESIDENTS. ONE HAS RECENTLY HAD WATER IN HER HOUSE. THE OTHER ONE HAS SANDBAGS IN FRONT OF HER FRONT DOOR. THEY STILL DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS GO THROUGH. THEY SPOKE IN FAVOR OF A DELAY. THEY WANTED ME TO DO SO. WHAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS FOR US TO KNOW WHY THAT IS THE CASE. WHAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO STRESS TO YOU, MY OPINION, WHERE YOUR HELP REALLY CAN BE USEFUL. YOU MAKE DECISIONS, BUT YOU CAN HELP US BEYOND JUST MAKING DECISIONS. AND THAT IS TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE MOBILITY DEPARTMENT AND THE PEOPLES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. YES, THERE ARE THREE ROUTES THAT ARE OUTLINED ON THE MAP. THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF RUMORS AND FEARS ABOUT THOSE. PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMBIENCE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE LOSS OF THE TREE CANOPY WOULD BE A DECADES-LONG LOSS. IT US THAT REALLY HAVE TO TAKE PLACE OR ARE THERE OTHER ROUTES? THE ROUTE IS THE ALL-IMPORTANT ISSUE IN PARKLAND ESTATES. THE ROUTE OF THE SEWER LINES. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THAT IS THE WHOLE THING. PLEASE WATCH IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU, SIR. I'VE ALREADY CALLED UP MATTHEW RICH, NATALIE WILSON. THEN WE'LL HAVE TAMMY BALDWIN. I ALREADY CALLED UP MATTHEW RICH AND NATALIE WILSON. TAMMY BALDWIN. >> MATTHEW RICH. GENERAL MANAGER OF HAVEN. ON THE CORNER OF SOUTH HOWARD AND WEST MORRISON. I LOOK AROUND TODAY AND I SEE A COMMUNITY, NEIGHBORS AGAINST NEIGHBORS, BUSINESSES AGAINST RESIDENTS. BUSINESSES AGAINST BUSINESSES. WE AS A COMMUNITY WANT A SOLUTION TO THESE ISSUES. WE ARE ASKING FOR 120 DAYS TO LOOK INTO OTHER SOLUTIONS. THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY CANNOT SURVIVE CLOSURES THAT ARE THREE TO FIVE MONTHS PLUS. PEOPLE GO TO THE RESTAURANTS TO ESCAPE THE STRESSES OF LIFE. NO ONE WILL BE WILLING TO SIGN UP TO ADD STRESS TO THEIR LIFE, TO TRY TO MAKE IT TO A RESTAURANT. I'VE SEEN THE EFFECTS OF THESE KIND OF CLOSURES IN NEW YORK CITY, TO INSTITUTIONS THAT WERE THERE. FOR 90 PLUS YEARS. RESTAURANTS DON'T SURVIVE THESE KIND OF THINGS. THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK IN PLACES LIKE THIS, THEY NEED THE PEOPLE. THERE ARE TOO MANY LOGISTICS INVOLVED IN HERE, HEARD MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE SHIPMENTS COMING IN AND VERY FEW TALKING ABOUT THE WASTE GOING OUT. IF THE CLOSURES ON THESE ROADS DON'T SHUT DOWN THE BUSINESSES, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ENOUGH GOLF CARTS TO REMOVE THE TRASH AND RUBBISH THAT WILL PILE UP ALL THROUGHOUT THAT COMMUNITY. IT WILL LOOK LIKE A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY ON THAT STREET IF ANYTHING SURVIVES. THE EMPLOYEES, THEY ARE NOT REPLACEABLE. IT TAKES THREE TO FIVE MONTHS ONCE YOU LOSE YOUR JOB. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE LOST A JOB BEFORE YOU FIND ONE THAT GENERATES THE SAME INCOME, IF YOU'RE LUCKY. 46% OF FLORIDA RESIDENTS LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. ALMOST EVERYBODY IN THIS INDUSTRY LIVES THAT WAY ALSO. YOU'LL LOSE EMPLOYEES. THEY ARE GOING TO LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE. IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO BUILD ANYTHING BACK UP THERE. SURE, ONCE IT'S DONE YEARS FROM NOW, THINGS WILL COME BACK, BUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WILL BE DESTROYED. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND FIND A BETTER SOLUTION TO THESE ISSUES THAT ARE CLEARLY MORE THOUGHT OUT. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NATALIE WILSON, TAMMY BALDWIN. IS NATALIE WILSON HERE? YES MA'AM. COME UP. TAMMY BALDWIN FOLLOWED BY RILEY MURPHY? >> HI. NATALIE WILSON. I AM A SECOND GENERATION EMPLOYEE AT BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. THE SERVICE THAT I HAVE HAD AT BERN'S AND COMBINED WITH MY FATHER'S HAS BEEN LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN ALIVE. BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES TO GUESTS, SOME OF WHICH ARE IN THIS ROOM, HAVE CELEBRATED SPECIAL OCCASIONS, BUSINESS MEETINGS, ANNIVERSARIES WEDDINGS BIRTHDAYS, IS SOMETHING THAT IS INGRAINED IN US. I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT NEEDED TO BE EXPLAINED EARLIER UNTIL A LITTLE WHILE AGO, BUT THE TWO AND A HALF WEEK CLOSURE THAT WE HAD FOR OUR KITCHEN AND BAR REMODEL IS A PLANNED, BUDGETED CLOSURE AND OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM AND OWNERS HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE DISPLACED TO OUR OTHER BUSINESSES, SUCH AS HAVEN, WHICH IS ALSO ALONG THE ROUTE THAT IS GOING TO BE CLOSED, WHETHER IT'S A PARTIAL CLOSURE OR A FULL CLOSURE. SO COMPARING A TWO AND A HALF WEEK CLOSURE TO PARTIAL AND FULL CLOSURES THAT WILL BE FOUR YEARS LONG, IS NOT SOMETHING THAT MAKES SENSE IN OUR WORLD OF BUSINESS. THE BERN'S RESTAURANT AND FAMILY BUSINESSES EMPLOY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, AND WE ALSO SERVE AS HUNDREDS OF OTHER LIQUOR AND WINE DISTRIBUTORS, PEOPLE THAT THEIR LIVELIHOODS ALSO RELY ON US REMAINING OPEN. CLOSING IMPACTS OUR LIVELIHOOD, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE ARE CLOSED, BUT -- CLOSE, BUT WE ARE A FAMILY. AS WORLD-RENOWNED AS BERN'S IS, WE ARE A VERY CLOSE-KNIT FAMILY RESTAURANT. OUTSIDE OF PARTIAL AND FULL ROAD CLOSURES, I HAVE CONCERN HOW THE GOLF CART SHUTTLE WILL REMAIN ADA COMPLIANT FOR BOTH OUR STAFF AND OUR GUESTS. WHEELCHAIR, THAT DON'T HAVE THE PHYSICAL CAPABILITY OF ROLLING DOWN A SIDEWALK BE ABLE TO GET TO THE RESTAURANT IF IT IS A PARTIAL CLOSURE. HOW WILL OUR STAFF AND THOSE SAME GUESTS BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO WHEREVER THIS REMOTE PARKING LOT IS GOING TO BE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES GET MORNING.:00 OR 3:00 IN THE- I URGE YOU TO DELAY 120 DAYS SO WE CAN REASSESS A PROPER ROUTE, ONE THAT IS ABLE TO BOTH SAVE BUSINESSES AND MITIGATE THE FLOODING ISSUES. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE IN SOUTH HOWARD. WE KNOW THAT SOUTH TAMPA HAS A FLOODING ISSUE. AND I THINK BUSINESSES KNOW THAT. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO STOP THAT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: TAMMY BALDWIN. RILEY MURPHY. MS. ROBIN LOCKETT. >> I'M TAMMY BALDWIN. MY SON JONATHAN BALDWIN IS AN EMPLOYEE AT BERN'S STEAK HOUSE. HE'S BEEN THERE APPROXIMATELY EIGHT YEARS NOW. I ADMIT I'M LATE TO THIS PARTY. I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT ALL THIS YESTERDAY, ALTHOUGH I'VE LIVED IN TAMPA FOR OVER 40 YEARS, MY HUSBAND FOR 65. WE ALL KNOW THAT SOUTH HOWARD HAS A HUGE FLOODING PROBLEM, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE. THE BERN'S FAMILY HAS INVESTED BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THIS COMMUNITY, AND IT'S ABOUT TIME THIS COMMUNITY LOOK AT GIVING BACK INSTEAD OF JUST TAKING. I WORKED FOR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WITH ROADS AND CONSTRUCTION, AND THEY CAN SAY IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOUR MONTHS, FOUR YEARS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TEN MORE THAN THAT, GENERALLY, AND COST BEAUCOUP BUCKS MORE. WE ALL KNOW THAT IS THE WAY IT WORKS. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PICTURE -- I UNDERSTAND THE FAMILIES HAVE ISSUES WITH THEIR HOMES. LORD KNOWS I LIVE OUTSIDE CARROLLWOOD AND I STILL HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT TOO. TO CONSIDER THE HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES, NOT JUST AT BERN'S, BUT AT EVERY BUSINESS OVER THERE, AND WHEN YOU CLOSE A ROAD AND HAVE DETOURS, WHO THE HECK WANTS TO DRIVE AROUND TILL YOU CAN FIND OUT WHERE THE HECK YOU ARE NOW AND GET WHERE YOU'RE GOING. THE DETOURS ARE GOING TO DIVERT ANY FUTURE CUSTOMER THAT THESE BUSINESSES HAVE, NOT JUST NOW WHEN IT'S GOING ON, BUT AS THEY PREVIOUSLY SAID, THEY ARE GOING TO GO ELSEWHERE AND THEY AIN'T COMING BACK. I ASK THAT YOU JUST BE CONSIDERATE AND LOOK AT THE WHOLE THING. IF THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND AIN'T BEEN FIGURED OUT, MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE NEEDS TO LOOK AT IT. MAYBE THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE PLANS AND DOING THE BLUEPRINTS, MAYBE THEY ARE NOT THE RIGHT FOLKS TO BE DOING IT NO MORE. MAYBE NEED A FRESH SET OF EYES. THE ENGINEERS THAT SIGN OFF ON THE BLUEPRINTS, ANOTHER GENTLEMAN SAID THEY ARE NOT THEIR LOANS ON THE LINE. EVER HEARD OF CONSTRUCTION DEFECT LITIGATION? I WORK ON IT, SO I KNOW WELL ENOUGH ABOUT IT THAT, YEAH, THEY DO. THEY SIGN OFF ON THE BLUEPRINTS AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PROJECT. THEY ARE NOT THERE WHEN THE CHAOS ENSUES AFTERWARDS. USE COMMON SENSE. WE ALL HAVE IT. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. RILEY MURPHY, ROBIN LOCKETT, VALERIE BULLOCK. GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> MY NAME IS RILEY MURPHY. I CURRENTLY WORK AT HAVEN AND HAVE BEEN WITH THE BERN'S STEAK HOUSE FOR OVER 16 YEARS NOW. I ALSO LIVE LESS THAN A MILE FROM THERE JUST NORTH OF SWANN ON NEWPORT AVENUE. I WAS RETICET TO COME SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. THIS ISSUE IS BEYOND MY PURVIEW AND EXPERTISE. SPEAKING TO MY WIFE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, JUST WANTED TO PUT A FACE TO THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES ALONG HOWARD AVENUE THAT WORK AT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT LAW FIRMS OR DOCTOR' OFFICES WHO HAVE A MUCH HIGHER OVERHEAD AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES IF AND WHEN THE ROAD CLOSURE ULTIMATELY STRANGLES THE LIFE FROM THESE BUSINESSES. BECAUSE AS I'VE HEARD A FEW PEOPLE SAY, WITH THE NUMEROUS OPTIONS AS FAR AS DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT ELSEWHERE AROUND THE CITY, PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO GO THROUGH THE EXTRA HASSLE THAT IT TAKES TO REMOTE PARK AND THEN BE SHUTTLED IN THE RAIN AND THE HEAT VIA GOLF CART WHEN THEY HAVE HUNDREDS OF OTHER OPTIONS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE LIVED IN THIS AREA ALMOST TEN YEARS. WE WERE MARRIED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. WE RELY ON MY INCOME FROM THIS JOB, MY HEALTH INSURANCE FROM THIS JOB. IF THE PROPOSED PLAN GOES FORWARD ON THE ROUTE THAT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S HEADED, THAT'S NO LONGER GOING TO BE POSSIBLE. WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO STARTING A FAMILY SOON, AND IT TERRIFIES ME THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE IF YOU VOTE YES ON THIS TODAY. I URGE YOU AND IMPLORE YOU, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE LIVELIHOODS FROM PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. ROBIN LOCKETT. VALERIE BULLOCK. STEVE MICHELINI. I DON'T SEE VALERIE HERE. BUT I'LL CALL MER HER NAME AGAI. >> ROBIN LOCKETT. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.% BREAK THE CONVERSATION UP, TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. ITEM NUMBER 53, THE SMOKING IN THE PARK, THE ORDINANCE YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO LOOK AT. I KNOW THAT THE STATE HAS PUT A MANDATE TO PREVENT SMOKING AND VAPING IN PARKS. YOU GUYS I'M ASSUMING HAVING -- YOU ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT TODAY. THE CONCERN I HAVE IS CRIMINALIZATION. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN PUT SIGNS UP AND SAY, HEY, THIS AREA IS RESTRICTED. I DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT CITIZEN CITATIONS. BUT MY CONCERN IS ABOUT THE CRIMINALIZATION OF THIS. I WANT YOU GUYS TO TAKE A REAL LOOK AT MAKING A DECISION WHERE IT IS NOT -- YOU'RE NOT PUTTING PEOPLE IN JAILS. I READ THAT POSSIBLY GOING TO BE FINES AND SO FORTH. BUT REALLY LOOKING AT THIS. WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING, PEOPLE WOULD BE PUT IN JAIL FOR A WHOLE LOT OF SIMPLE THINGS. I JUST WANT -- I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS TO JUST REALLY LET YOU GUYS KNOW JUST TO REALLY THINK ABOUT, BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS AND BE MINDFUL OF IT. THAT'S MY THING. YOU HAVE A BIG DECISION TO MAKE. YOU HAVE BUSINESSES, AND YOU HAVE HOMEOWNERS. WITH THIS FLOODING SITUATION. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON FOR YOU GUYS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER IS STEVE MICHELINI. I SEE KAMANO DORAN AND KEN WATTS AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> STEVE MICHELINI. HERE ON BEHALF OF THE SOHO BUSINESS ALLIANCE. I'D PREFER TO SHOW YOU WHY THIS IS A BAD PLAN, BUT REALLY, LET ME SPEAK FIRST THAT THIS PLAN DOESN'T ADDRESS PALMA CEIA PINES AT ALL. AT PARKLAND ESTATES. IT ADDRESSES WHAT IS NORMALLY CALLED A FIVE-YEAR STORM, WHICH IS ABOUT THREE INCHES TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN. THAT'S IT. THE TEN INCHES THAT WE HAD BEFORE THE HURRICANE, THE 14 INCHES THAT WE HAD DURING THE HURRICANE AND THE WIND AND ALL THAT, THEY ARE STILL GOING TO FLOOD. BUT THERE ARE IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE TAKEN. THEY DON'T INVOLVE HOWARD. THEY INVOLVE THE PUMP STATION THAT THE ENGINEERS TALKED ABOUT. IT'S IN THEIR REPORT. THEY TALK ABOUT IT. IT SAYS HERE DESIGNING STORMWATER INLETS TOO SMALL TO ACCEPT THE CAPACITY OF WATER. THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE. LOOK AT FIRST WHAT IS THE PROBLEM, WHAT CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. THE MAINTENANCE AND THE DESIGN OF THE STORMWATER SYSTEM THAT EXISTS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. AND IT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. BEFORE WE START TAKING ON $65 MILLION PROJECT, THAT HAS TO HAPPEN. IT SHOULD HAPPEN. THE USE OF A SHORT-TERM EVENT AND THE LACK OF INLET CAPACITY WAS AN ADDITIONAL CONCERN OF THE FLOODING AREAS. THIS IS FROM THE STORMWATER REPORT. IF THEY TELL YOU THAT THE ROUTE HASN'T BEEN CHOSEN, THIS IS THE PROJECT MAP. I DIDN'T MAKE IT UP. BRISTOL TO HOWARD. THAT'S IT. WHEN THEY COME DOWN HERE AND THEY TELL YOU AND EVERYONE IS SAYING, THEY ARE GOING TO EVALUATE THE DIFFERENT DESIGNS, THE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS CONTAINED IN THE REPORT THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA TODAY, THIS IS WHERE I GOT THAT FROM. THE ROUTE HAS BEEN CHOSEN. AND WHEN WE ASKED FOR YOU TO STEP BACK, PROVIDE A BETTER SOLUTION, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN SOME INDEPENDENT ENGINEERS TO MEET WITH THE CITY. 120 DAYS. IT SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER. THIS IS A DESIGN FOR THE PUMP STATION IN PARKLAND ESTATES. IT'S IN YOUR REPORT. BUT THEY SKIPPED RIGHT OVER IT. THE OTHER THING, HERE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. FROM THE REPORT. BASED ON THE DETAILS, THE CRITERIA FOR THE STATION, CONSTRUCTED AND SHOWN SHOULD BE DONE. THEY RECOMMENDED A PUMP STATION, ADDITIONAL RETENTION PONDS, INTERCONNECTING THE RETENTION PONDS THAT EXIST ON ARMENIA, THE ONES THAT EXIST ON BRISTOL AND ALBANY. AND THE ONE OVER IN OLD HYDE PARK VILLAGE. I'VE SPOKEN CSX. CITY HAS NOT BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THEM. HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. CHOOSE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. DO NOT APPROVE THIS CONTRACT. GIVE US 120 DAYS, PLEASE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU, SIR. KAMANO DORIAN. I DO NOT SEE THE PERSON. OUR LAST SPEAKER, KEN. >> HEY. GOOD AFTERNOON. KEN WISE. I WAS HERE ACTUALLY, EVERY WEEK AT YOUR LAST MEETING ON OCTOBER THE 17, FIRST ONE. I NOTICED THIS. WHY I CAME. CREATIVE LOAFING ARTICLE THAT DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING EXCEPT FLOODING. THEN I GO, OH, WOW, I NEED TO CHECK ON HOW THEY ARE DOING. I COME OVER HERE, I GO, WOW THAT CREATIVE LOAFING ARTICLE IS LIKE DOING RESTAURANT OR CLUB REVIEW. SOMEBODY PAID TO HAVE IT PUBLISHED. ANYWAY, IF YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, IT WAS ABOUT TREES. THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE FLOODING PROBLEMS, I FEEL FOR THEM. TINY, MINUSCULE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION OF TAMPA. OVER A HALF MILLION PEOPLE WERE WITHOUT POWER. SOME FOR UP TO WEEKS. TECO HAS ALREADY SAID THEY ARE GOING TO ASK AND THEY WILL GET IT, PERMISSION TO CHARGE US A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS ON OUR ELECTRIC BILLS. OKAY. THIS WAS A CONFLUENCE FOR THE FLOODING OF A ONCE IN A MILLENNIUM SITUATION. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE STORMS COME AND JUST DROP TREES LEFT AND RIGHT. WE NEED TO TAKE DOWN THE TREES. THAT SHOULD BE THE FIRST AND HIGHEST PRIORITY BECAUSE THIS IS A CAT 3, 70 MILES AWAY, A CAT 4 RIGHT UP THE BAY WE'LL BE LIKE PUERTO RICO. WON'T HAVE POWER GOING ON FOR MONTHS THEREAFTER. SO WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO DO IS GET YOUR PRIORITIES. YOU ONLY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY TO SPREAD AROUND. WHO IS IT GOING TO HELP THE MOST? GET THE TREES. EVERY TIME TECO SEES A TREE THAT NEEDS TRIMMING, LET THEM TAKE THE WHOLE THING DOWN. JUST WALKING AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD, FIRST, THERE WERE THE TREES THAT FELL. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I STARTED SEEING REAL HEALTHY TREES THAT WERE CUT UP. LIKE, OH, WOW, HERE IS MY CHANCE TO CUT DOWN A TREE THAT THE TREE HUGGING DEPARTMENT WOULDN'T LET ME DO PREVIOUSLY. GET THE CITY OF TAMPA TO HAUL IT OFF. WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS LET PEOPLE GET THE TREES DOWN. YOU CAN ALWAYS PLANT NEW TREES. FLOODING, I'M SURE. FLOODING, TALKING ABOUT STUFF THAT WILL COST, WHAT, BILLIONS. IF YOU JUST LET PEOPLE CUT THE TREES DOWN, THEY'LL DO IT ALL ON THEIR DIMES. GET OUT OF THEIR WAY AND LET THEM DO IT. AND THEN START ENCOURAGING THEM TO CUT DOWN THE ONES THAT YOU KNOW ARE GOING TO TAKE OUT HOUSES AND TAKE OUT OUR POWER. MAKE TREES, NOT FLOODING THE BIGGEST PRIORITY. BECAUSE IT WILL AFFECT THE MOST. THAT'S IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. ITEM 4 IS A BOARD APPOINTMENT. DO WE NEED MS. SHIRLEY FOXX-KNOWLES HERE? MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 4. MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HENDERSON. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, 5-18. >>LUIS VIERA: SO MOVE 5-18. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HENDERSON. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED. COUNCIL MEMBER HENDERSON. >>GWEN HENDERSON: MOVE NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS 19-27. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HENDERSON. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I MOVE ITEMS 28-32. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: [INAUDIBLE] >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA.% SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: I MOVE 38-49. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON. SECOND FROM MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I MOVE ITEMS 50-52. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO DO -- >>LYNN HURTAK: I WILL MOVE WHAT SHE SAID. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ITEM NUMBER 56, CAN I GET A MOTION? >>MARTIN SHELBY: WE CAN DO THEM ALL TOGETHER. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL RIGHT 56, 57, 61 -- >>MARTIN SHELBY: 55, DECEMBER 5. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: SOMEONE MAKE THE MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK FOR. >>LYNN HURTAK: 56, 57, 61, 62 AND -- YES -- >>MARTIN SHELBY: THAT'S IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK AND SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. WE ARE IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00. WE WILL COME BACK WITH ITEM NUMBER 53 AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE REST OF THE AGENDA. WE ARE IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] [LUNCH RECESS]