>>ALAN CLENDENIN: GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE WHILE WE RESOLVE SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN BILL CARLSON FOR INVOCATION. >>BILL CARLSON: I HAD SOMEONE THIS MORNING, A PREACHER COMING THIS MORNING, AND HE HAD TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. I GRABBED SOMEONE FROM THE AUDIENCE. GARY HARTFIELD. SO I WANT TO INVITE GARY UP. HE HAS A LONG BIO. I PUT HIM ON THE SPOT. SURE HE'LL DO A GREAT JOB. HE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THREE MINUTES AGO. HE HAS A LONG BIO. HE HAS SEVERAL BUSINESSES, SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR. I THINK HE'S WRITTEN ONE OR MORE BOOKS, GIVES SPEECHES, AND IS VERY PHILANTHROPIC IN THE COMMUNITY. IF YOU ALL COULD PLEASE STAND FOR THE INVOCATION AND THE PLEDGE AND GARY PLEASE PROCEED. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON AND TO THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND TO STAFF, ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THE INVOCATION AND INVOKE GOD'S PRESENCE INTO THESE PROCEEDINGS. IF YOU WILL, PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS WITH ME. IN THIS MOMENT, LET US PAUSE. WE GATHER TODAY ENTRUSTED WITH RESPONSIBILITY RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD WITH WISDOM, TO SERVE WITH INTEGRITY, AND TO DECIDE WITH FAIRNESS. GOD, GRANT US CLARITY IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, PATIENCE IN DISAGREEMENT, AND COURAGE TO PURSUE WHAT IS JUST AND BENEFICIAL FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. MAY WE REMEMBER THAT EVERY POLICY REPRESENTS PEOPLE, FAMILIES BUSINESSES NEIGHBORHOODS, AND FUTURES. HELP US LISTEN WELL, THINK CAREFULLY, AND ACT HONORABLY. MAY OUR WORK TODAY, FATHER, STRENGTHEN THE CITY WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO SERVE. IT IS IN YOUR SON'S JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. >> AMEN [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: OUR COMMUNITY AND CITY OF TAMPA EXPERIENCED A GREAT LOSS THIS WEEK. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN LUIS VIERA. >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN. MANY KNEW LATE JOE CAETANO, TAMPA CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE IN DISTRICT 7 FROM 2007 TO 2011, JOE WAS. I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT JOE LATER ON, BUT WE MOURN JOE'S LOSS. JOE WAS ONE OF THE -- I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE, JIM DAVIDSON RUN AGAINST ME IN 2016 TEXT ME AND SAY JOE WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF NEW TAMPA. HE REALLY WAS. HE STARTED HIS FIRST BUSINESS OUT THERE IN 1987. JOE WAS FANATICAL FOR NEW TAMPA, I MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY. FANATICAL IN A GOOD WAY. AGAIN, I'LL DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE SOME MORE LATER ON. LET'S HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR JOE CAETANO, FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT AS WELL AS UNITED STATES MARINE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN VIERA AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN CARLSON. THANK YOU, GARY, GOOD TO SEE YOU IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. >> THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CLERK, CAN YOU CALL THE ROLL? >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE. >>LYNN HURTAK: HERE. >>NAYA YOUNG: HERE. >>LUIS VIERA: HERE. >>BILL CARLSON: HERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HERE. >>THE CLERK: WE HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR SESSION HELD ON FEBRUARY 5, 2026 AND THE EVENING SESSION HELD ON FEBRUARY 12, 2026. MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. TWO WALK-ON ITEMS. ONE IS FOR THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA UNDER THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. WE HAVE AN -- WE HAVE A WALK-ON ITEM FROM STAFF. OKAY. SO, LET'S GO THROUGH THE AGENDA. ANYBODY HAVE ANY REQUESTS? >>NAYA YOUNG: I DO. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST IF WE COULD MOVE ITEM NUMBER 60 UP. I GOT A LOT OF REQUESTS FROM CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, IF WE COULD MOVE THE ITEM UP. IF THAT IS POSSIBLE, MAYBE AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG, A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO TO MOVE STAFF REPORT NUMBER 60 UP TO BE HEARD AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. >>LUIS VIERA: THE ONE ON TAMPA FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 754, DUE TO SOME SCHEDULING ISSUES, MAY WE HAVE AN APPROXIMATE TIME CERTAIN? PERHAPS 30 MINUTES AFTER LUNCH, WHAT HAVE YOU, SOMETHING JUST TO GIVE THEM SOME GUIDANCE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: THOSE ARE ALL WRITTEN STAFF REPORTS THIS WEEK. THERE'S NOTHING COMING IN FRONT OF US ABOUT STATION 24. >>LUIS VIERA: NO, NO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WHICH ITEM ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? >>LUIS VIERA: 56. BY THE WAY, THIS IS INCORRECT. WE SENT -- OKAY, YEAH. SO THIS IS INCORRECT PUT ON THE AGENDA. SUPPOSED TO BE LOCAL 754 PRESENT UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN, NOT JUST K-BAR RANCH. IT WAS CORRECTED BY MEMO, I BELIEVE. THAT I DO REQUEST A TIME CERTAIN FOR THAT. THIS IS FOR LOCAL 754 WITH THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN TO HAVE A HANDOUT FOR TAMPA CITY COUNCIL. I DO WISH TO HAVE A TIME CERTAIN FOR THAT BECAUSE OF SOME SCHEDULING ISSUES WITH SOME OF THE MEMBERS THAT WISH TO BE HERE FOR THAT. THAT'S 56. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: [INAUDIBLE] >>LUIS VIERA: LET'S DO 2:30. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. TO HAVE A TIME CERTAIN TO HEAR ITEM 56 AT 2:30 P.M. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. VERY GOOD. EVERYBODY IS GOOD WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. >>BILL CARLSON: MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM 28 FOR COMMENT, SEPARATE COMMENT, AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 34 FOR SEPARATE VOTE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: 28 AND 34. >>BILL CARLSON: YES. >>LYNN HURTAK: I'D ALSO LIKE TO JUST HAVE COMMENT ABOUT ITEM 10 AS WELL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: LET'S MOVE TO STAFF REPORTS. NO ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE. IS THAT STILL TRUE? OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: CHIEF BENNETT, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH T-TAG FOLKS, SO SOME OF THE TREE RESOLUTIONS HAVE CHANGED. AND I DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE WAY OF WHAT THEY ARE CHANGED TO, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT. SO WE COULD FIX IT FROM THE AGENDA, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. ITEMS 50, 51, 62. >>JOHN BENNETT: GOOD MORNING. JOHN BENNETT, CHIEF OF STAFF. GOOD MORNING TO COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC. YES, FOLLOWING COUNCIL'S CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF LISTENING SESSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY THE T-TAG GROUP, THE ADVOCACY FOR TREES. SOME OF THE THAN LEADERSHIP. AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS THAT IN HINDSIGHT OF THIS LAST PROJECT, AND, OF COURSE, THERE WAS ANOTHER CONTINUANCE. WE APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN CARLSON'S BUNDLINGS WITH THAT. I HAVE A MEMO IN FOR THAT WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT SEPARATELY LATER ON BECAUSE IT IS BIGGER. ESSENTIALLY, WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR WAS TO TAKE THE MONEY THAT WAS SLATED FOR THE GENERAL FUND IN THE RESOLUTION, TAKE IT OUT OF THE TREE TRUST FUND THIS TIME, AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO CREATE A SERIES OF FOCUS GROUPS BETWEEN NOW AND THE APRIL WORKSHOP ON TREES, AND THEN COME BACK WITH A HOLISTIC PLAN THAT WILL HELP, AGAIN, PROTECT THE GOAL, WHICH IS THE TREE CANOPY, AND THEN ALSO DO SOME THINGS EITHER WITH THE CODE AND/OR THE BUDGET FOR FY '27. I SOCIALIZED THAT WITH A GROUP, GOT SOME, I THOUGHT SOME WELCOME FEEDBACK ON THAT. BUT SPECIFICALLY TO THE RESOLUTION, IF COUNCIL AGREES WITH THAT, THEN WE'D HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION AND THEN BRING THAT BACK. >>LYNN HURTAK: OKAY. I KNOW THAT FOLKS FROM THE PUBLIC ARE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO THAT AGREEMENT. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS JUST ASK THAT WE CONTINUE ITEM 62 TO APRIL 23rd. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION TO CONTINUE ITEM 62 TO APRIL 23, 2026 FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. >>LYNN HURTAK: AND THEN I THINK 50 AND 51 WE SHOULD PROBABLY MAKE THAT MOTION AFTER WE HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC SO THAT THE REST OF COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY ARE ASKING FOR. AND THEN I'M ASKING FOR ITEM NUMBER 59 TO BE WITHDRAWN BECAUSE THE DRAFT ORDINANCE IS ON EARLIER IN THE AGENDA. SO THEY ACTUALLY DID COME -- IT'S ITEM NUMBER 48, SO IT'S ALREADY THERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION TO REMOVE ITEM 59 FROM THE AGENDA FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL IN FAVOR AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. GO THROUGH ONE BY ONE TO MAKE SURE. WE COVERED 50, 51. 53. I THOUGHT WE JUST COVERED THAT. MAYBE WE DIDN'T. >>MARTIN SHELBY: 52 IS A 2:30 TIME CERTAIN. >>LYNN HURTAK: NO, THAT'S 56. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: NO STAFF FOR 52. 53 NO. THERE'S GOING TO BE A VERBAL PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THAT. THEY ARE PREPARED. VERBAL PRESENTATION ON 55. DISCUSSED 56. >>MARTIN SHELBY: IF WE CAN SLOW DOWN SO THAT STAFF CAN KEEP UP. 54 YOU WANT STAFF PRESENT? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YES. WE'LL HAVE STAFF FOR 54, STAFF FOR 55. WE DISCUSSED 56. GOING TO BE A TIME CERTAIN AT 2:30. THERE IS GOING TO BE STAFF FOR 57. FOR 58, WRITTEN REPORT, CAN WE -- >>BILL CARLSON: I DON'T KNOW IF CHIEF OF STAFF WANTS TO BE HERE, BUT I WANT TO DISCUSS IT IF POSSIBLE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SO YES. WHICH REMOVED 59. 60 IS BEING PULLED. >>MARTIN SHELBY: SO THAT BEING THE CASE, THEN YOU ANTICIPATE STAFF HAVING TO BE PRESENT HERE FOR 60 AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT. >> YES. >>MARTIN SHELBY: THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: 61 YES. 62 IS GONE. NOW WE HAVE WRITTEN REPORTS. CAN WE GET A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE 63 THROUGH 66? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I WANT TO WISH OUR ATTORNEY MARTIN SHELBY A VERY HAPPY 39th BIRTHDAY. [ APPLAUSE ] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THERE IS ENOUGH OF THAT. THERE WILL BE NO HAPPINESS IN THIS COUNCIL CHAMBERS. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO, A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR AYE. OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. WE ARE MOVING ON TO OUR COMMENDATIONS AND PRESENTATION. WE HAVE A COMMENDATION, COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG. >>NAYA YOUNG: COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG FOR THE RECORD. THIS IS REALLY EXCITING. THIS WILL BE MY FIRST IN-HOUSE COMMENDATION, SO I AM VERY, VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, ESPECIALLY FOR TWO VERY AMAZING, BRAVE YOUNG MEN THAT ARE WITH US TODAY. SHAKUR McCRONE AND CARNELL BARTON. SHAKUR McCRONE IS 18 YEARS OLD AND ATTENDS ICON PREPARATORY SCHOOL DUAL ENROLLED AT ARIZONA STATE COLLEGE, DRUM MAJOR AND FASHION DESIGNER. IN THE FALL, SHAKUR WILL BE GOING TO NURSING SCHOOL AND CARNELL BARTON IS 17 YEARS OLD AND ATTENDS ICON PREPARATORY SCHOOL AND SET TO ENROLL IN AUTO MECHANICS. KINDERGARTENLE IS A HANDS-ON MECHANIC AND COMPUTER TECH. JUST HEARING THAT ALONE, I AM VERY EXCITED FOR YOU TWO TO BE MY FIRST IN-HOUSE COMMENDATION. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, WELL, IF YOU WERE AT THE FIREFIGHTERS BANQUET, THESE TWO YOUNG MEN WERE HONORED. JUST TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR THOSE THAT WERE NOT THERE, THIS IS FROM TAMPA FIRE INSPECTOR JOHNNY. APPROXIMATELY 10:25 A.M., NOTICED A HUGE RISING OF SMOKE. HE HEADED TOWARDS THE SMOKE TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. ONCE HE GOT THERE HE WITNESSED THERE WAS A HOME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. WHILE HE WENT THERE, CALLED 911 WHILE ALSO CALLING THE FIRE DISPATCH. AFTER CONTACTING DISPATCH, NEIGHBORS INFORMED HIM THAT SOMEONE WAS STILL INSIDE OF THAT STRUCTURE, INSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE WEST OF THE BURNING HOME AND IT WAS STARTING TO IGNITE BECAUSE OF THE CLOSENESS OF THE HOME TO THE HOUSE ON FIRE. FIRE INSPECTOR JOHNNY PRIMUS AND CARNELL BARTON WENT TO THE FRONT DOOR AND BANGING ON THE DOOR AND SHOUTING FOR ANYONE INSIDE TO EVACUATE. THEY WERE TOLD BY A RESIDENT THAT THE WOMAN WAS PROBABLY STILL IN HER BEDROOM AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE. TAMPA FIRE INSPECTOR AND CARNELL PROCEEDED TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, BANGING ON THE DOOR AND WINDOW TO TRY AND ACCESS THE REAR DOOR. DURING THIS, TPD SERGEANT DANNY RHODES HAD ARRIVED. HE AND SHAKUR McCRONE WERE AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE WHERE THEY WERE KICKING AND BANGING ON DOORS AND WINDOWS ATTEMPTING TO ALERT THE HOMEOWNER THERE WAS A FIRE. RESIDENT FINALLY RESPONDED TO THE SHOUT AND MADE VERBAL CONTACT WITH CARNELL AND INFORMED THAT THE HOUSE WAS ON FIRE AND NEEDED TO EVACUATE. THEY MOVED TO THE BACK, TO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THE RESIDENT HAD BEEN EVACUATED FROM THE HOME WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF McCRONE AND SERGEANT RHODES. SHE WAS ACROSS THE STREET TO SAFETY. THESE TWO YOUNG MEN WERE VERY, VERY BRAVE. DIDN'T THINK ABOUT ANYONE, DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THEMSELVES. THERE WAS A RESIDENT IN THE HOME THAT NEEDED TO BE SAVED AND THEY QUICKLY ACTED. IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO GIVE YOU THIS COMMENDATION TODAY. I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR BRAVERY. WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. WE HAVE OUR FIRE CHIEF BARBARA TRIPP, ALSO TAMPA FIRE RESCUE INSPECTOR JOHNNY PRIMUS. YOU HAVE YOUR PRINCIPAL HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND A FEW BUSINESS PARTNERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR YOU GUYS TODAY. [ APPLAUSE ] WE'LL HAVE A FEW WORDS AND THEN I'LL DO THE COMMENDATION AT THE END. >>CHIEF TRIPP: BARBARA TRIPP, FIRE CHIEF FOR TAMPA FIRE RESCUE. I'LL BE QUICK BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE. ON BEHALF OF TAMPA FIRE RESCUE, WE WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS. YOU ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHO IS A HERO, WHO IS A TRUE HERO. YOU ARE TRUE HEROES BECAUSE YOU ARE ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO FOUND THE STRENGTH TO PERSEVERE AND OVERCOME SOME OF THE OBSTACLES THAT WE DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. I WANT TO THANK INSPECTOR JOHNNY PRIMUS. THAT'S WHAT LIFE IS ABOUT BECAUSE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS INDIVIDUAL'S LIFE. YOU PUT YOURSELF TO THE SIDE AND THOUGHT ABOUT SAVING SOMEONE ELSE. ON BEHALF OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF TAMPA FIRE RESCUE, WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THAT HELPED US ONCE WE GOT ON SCENE TO ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S OUT FOR SAFETY AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO CHANGE OUR TACTICS OF PUTTING OUT THE FIRE. OF COURSE, LIFE SAFETY IS TOP PRIORITY, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THAT. BECAUSE OF YOU AND INSPECTOR PRIMUS, THAT CHANGED OUR TACTIC SO WE COULD PUT THAT FIRE OUT. ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU ARE TRUE HEROES, AND WE ARE HIRING. [ LAUGHTER ] EVEN THOUGH I KNOW YOU HAVE PLANS OF BEING A NURSE, BUT I'M A FIREFIGHTER, WE CAN DO BOTH OF THEM, SAME THING WITH MECHANICS. IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING FROM TAMPA FIRE RESCUE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME OUT AND MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> JUST A FEW THINGS I WANTED TO SAY. OF COURSE, WHEN I PULLED -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: START WITH YOUR NAME. >> FIRE INSPECTOR JOHNNY PRIMUS, TAMPA FIRE RESCUE. WHEN I PULLED UP ON THE FIRE SCENE, AUTOMATICALLY MY INSTINCT, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE KICKED IN, SO I KNEW WHAT TO DO. HOWEVER WHAT KICKED IN FOR THESE YOUNG MEN WAS LOVE OF THEIR COMMUNITY KNOWING THEY HAD A NEIGHBOR TRAPPED INSIDE. THE MOTTO I LIVE BY IS WHAT THEY ARE THE EPITOME OF -- PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: START WITH YOUR NAME. >> HI. TONY RIKITA FROM THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM, ALONG WITH RITA COOLLY, OUR LONGEST TENURED EMPLOYEE, CELEBRATE 30th SEASON. REALLY, WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF YOU TWO, SHAKUR AND CARNELL. WE HAVE A SPECIAL COMMENDATION. WE DID SOMETHING EXCLUSIVE FOR YOU. WE PUT TOGETHER A GOLDEN TICKET FOR BOTH OF YOU TO COME TO THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM. YOU'LL HAVE A ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCE. WE'LL SHOW YOU THE POWER OF WATER OVER FIRE. OFFICERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACTS OF BRAVERY AND SELFLESSNESS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN AMAZING DAY, BRING WHATEVER GUEST AND ALSO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY. [ APPLAUSE ] >> HI. GOOD MORNING. I AM INGRAM. HERE TO REPRESENT THE CDC OF TAMPA ON BEHALF OF OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO, MR. ERNEST CONEY, WE ARE SUPER PROUD OF YOU AND YOUR STORY. I'M FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD GREAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU THIS MORNING. WE WOULD LIKE TO BESTOW UPON YOU AN INVITATION TO SHAKUR AND CARNELL, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO A PREMIER EVENT THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON NEXT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY THE 27th AT 9 A.M. AND THAT IS WHERE I WILL SUIT UP AND SHOW UP EVENT WHERE YOU WILL RECEIVE A CUSTOM-TAILORED SUIT. [ APPLAUSE ] WE ARE SUPER PROUD OF YOU, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE PLACE. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU GOING HIGHER IN YOUR ENDEAVORS. CONGRATULATIONS. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD MORNING. DERRICK FULLWOOD, REPRESENTING TRIPLE A BUILDERS COMMUNITY BUSINESS PARTNER OF TAMPA, FLORIDA. I'M JUST SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THESE TWO YOUNG MEN. I WANT TO READ REAL QUICK. IN RECOGNITION OF EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE AND SELFLESS BRAVERY FOR HEROICALLY PULLING A WOMAN FROM A BURNING HOME AND DEMONSTRATING EXCEPTIONAL VALOR AND COMPASSION AND INTEGRITY FOR OTHERS, SHAKUR AND CARNELL ON BEHALF OF TRIPLE A BUILDERS, $300 VOUCHER EACH TO GET A TAILOR-MADE SUIT MADE -- [ LAUGHTER ] -- SO YOU WILL BE SUITED UP FOR SUCCESS. >> THANK YOU. >> PREPARE YOU GUYS TO DO BIG THINGS IN THE FUTURE. HERE IS A GIFT BAG. ONE OF THEM HAS A NICE -- [ APPLAUSE ] >> YOU GUYS ARE GETTING LOADED UP HERE. I THINK THE CHIEF WHISPERED TO ME SHE WANTS ONE OF THEM -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE SUIT OR DINNER. WE'LL GET SOME DINNERS HERE. STEVE MICHELINI, HERE ON BEHALF OF A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT FOLKS WHO WOULD LIKE TO HONOR THESE TWO GENTLEMEN. FIRST, I'LL READ THIS COMMENDATION THAT I'LL PRESENT TO THEM. WHO ARE HEROES. HEROES ARE ORDINARY PEOPLE PRESSED INTO EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. HEROES ARE THOSE AND THOSE EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN THEY ARE PRESENTED WITH THOSE, THEY DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. A HERO IS EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO MAKES THAT CHOICE WHEN FACED WITH THOSE CONDITIONS. EVERY TIME A FIRST RESPONDER RESPONDS TO AN INCIDENT, THEY ARE A HERO. TRAINED TO DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS WHEN THEY ARE FACED WITH ADVERSITY. BUT THESE ARE ORDINARY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FACED WITH EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND HAD NO TRAINING. I'D LIKE TO START A STORY WITH YOU ABOUT A YOUNG HERO WHO DID EXTRAORDINARY THINGS WHEN FACED WITH ADVERSITY. AND WITHOUT THE ADVANTAGE OF AGE, TRAINING, HONED SKILLS, IT WAS BASED SIMPLY UPON THE NEED AND BEING PRESENT AND THE NEED AROSE AND THE WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE. AND IN THE FACE OF IT, THEY DID NOT RETREAT FROM IT. HEROES COME IN EVERY SHAPE, SIZE, COLOR AND EVERY GENDER. THEY KNOW NO AGE, NO COUNTRY, NO PLACE OF ORIGIN. HISTORY IS FILLED WITH THEM. SOME ARE KNOWN AND SOME ARE NOT SO WELL KNOWN. HERE IS A STORY THAT RECOGNIZED A GRATEFUL COMMUNITY FOR SHAKUR McCRONE AND CARNELL BARTON. ORDINARY INDIVIDUALS ARE FACED WITH EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND ROSE TO THE OCCASION SAVING A LIFE. SHAKUR McCRONE AND CARNELL BARTON ARE THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO WE APPLAUD FOR THEIR RUSHING INTO DANGER FOR SOMEONE ELSE INSTEAD OF RUNNING AWAY. I CAN AYOU ARE SHOO YOU THAT HAVING SAVED -- ASSURE YOU THAT HAVING SAVED A LIFE IS A EXPERIENCE YOU WILL NEVER FORGET. I'M HERE WITH MIKE McARTHUR WHO IS WITH STEPP'S TOWING WHO IS ALSO GOING TO BE PRESENTING FOR STEPP'S TOWING. YUMMY HOUSE CHINA BISTRO, WE'RE PROVIDING YOU WITH YOUR CHOICE OF LUNCH AND DINNER FOR BOTH OF YOU. INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATES, SO TAKE THESE LETTERS WITH YOU. FOR DAILY EATS AND CICCIO RESTAURANT GROUP, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, OR DINNER. STEPP'S HAS OFFERED PASSES TO THE ST. PETERSBURG GRAND PRIX IN THE PADDOCK AREA. LET ME PUT THIS ON THE WOLF. [ APPLAUSE ] YOU WILL BE TREATED AS HONORED GUESTS THERE. AND YOU WILL RECEIVE THE VIP TREATMENT. [ APPLAUSE ] THERE'S ONE FOR EACH OF YOU. AGAIN, WE APPLAUD YOU FOR RUSHING IN WHEN OTHER PEOPLE RUSH OUT. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. >>NAYA YOUNG: WOW, THAT IS NICE. ONE MORE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MORE SWAG. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. FIRE INSPECTOR JOHNNY PRIMUS. THIS IS JUST ON BEHALF OF VISIT TAMPA BAY, BUT ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT ON THAT FIRE SCENE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SAID OR NOT, BUT THESE INDIVIDUALS ACTUALLY MADE THE INITIAL 911 CALL AS WELL AND DIDN'T JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. THEN CONTINUED DOWN TO THE HOME BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEIR NEIGHBOR NEEDED ASSISTANCE. THIS IS ON BEHALF OF VISIT TAMPA BAY. AGAIN, WE ASK THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN SOCIETY STEP UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND TAKE A LOOK AT THEM. [ APPLAUSE ] >>NAYA YOUNG: I THINK WE HAVE TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING AS WELL. AND THEN I WILL PRESENT YOU ALL WITH YOUR COMMENDATION, AND THEN YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO SPEAK. >> GOOD MORNING. BARBARA LEE THOMAS, CASE MANAGER FOR THE TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY. I AM OVERWHELMED THIS MORNING TO HEAR THE THINGS THAT THESE TWO YOUNG MEN HAVE DONE. I'VE KNOWN THEM FOR QUITE A WHILE. THEY ARE VERY, VERY RESPECTABLE CHILDREN. THEY DON'T GIVE THEIR MOTHER ANY TROUBLE. I WAS THE ONE THAT MADE SURE THAT IF MOM CAME AND SAY THEY DIDN'T CLEAN THEIR ROOM, I WOULD GET A VISIT TO THEM. I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF EMBRACING OUR YOUNG MEN. [ APPLAUSE ] IT WASN'T BY HAPPENSTANCE THAT THESE YOUNG GUYS WAS WHERE THEY WERE WHEN THEY WERE WHERE THEY WERE. THEY LIVE RIGHT ON THE CORNER. MAYBE A HOUSE, MAYBE TWO RIGHT FROM WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. AND THEY ARE GOOD KIDS. THEY DO WELL IN SCHOOL. YEAH, THIS ONE, TOO. I'M JUST SO PROUD OF THEM. I TREAT THEM AS THEY ARE MY SONS. AND TODAY IS A VERY, VERY PROUD MOMENT FOR ME AND ON BEHALF OF THE TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE CASE MANAGEMENT TEAM, WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU GUYS. I WAS GOING TO TAKE THEM TO LUNCH TODAY, BUT -- [ LAUGHTER ] WE'LL SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [ APPLAUSE ] >>NAYA YOUNG: MOM, DID YOU WANT TO COME UP? >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ANGELA BELLAMY. I AM THE MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER OF THESE KIDS BACK HERE. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WANT TO BRING LIGHT TO THE FLOOR HERE THAT WE COME FROM PUBLIC HOUSING. AND I'M HONORED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT CAN COME FROM PUBLIC HOUSING. [ APPLAUSE ] NOT JUST PUBLIC HOUSING, BUT ROBLES PARK RESIDENTS. THIS IS ROBILITIES PARK RESIDENTS. -- THIS IS ROBLES PARK RESIDENTS. I'M PROUD, AND THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> I'M ROWENA JOHNSON AND I'M GRANDMA TO CARNELL. AND I LOVE HIM DEARLY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE GENTLEMAN TO MY FAR RIGHT ALSO CAME FROM PUBLIC HOUSING, COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. COUNCILMAN MIRANDA GREW UP IN PUBLIC HOUSING. >>NAYA YOUNG: I TOLD YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK LONG. DO A MINUTE, 30 SECONDS, BUT IF EITHER ONE OF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. >> HI. I'M SHAKUR McCRONE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE HERE TODAY. THIS IS NOT NEW TO ME, I GUESS I'LL SAY, BUT I THANK EVERYONE IN HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> HI. I'M CARNELL BARTON. I ALSO WANT TO SAY IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU GETTING RECOGNIZED FOR SAVING SOMEONE, NOT KNOWING THAT SAVING A LADY FROM A FIRE WOULD BRING THIS MUCH RECOGNITION TO US, BUT IT'S KIND OF A GOOD FEELING AT THE SAME TIME KNOWING THAT WE DID DO SOMETHING GOOD AND HELPED SOMEBODY AT THE END OF THE DAY. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>NAYA YOUNG: LASTLY, SO YOU BOTH WILL GET ONE OF THESE COMMENDATIONS, SHAKUR McCRONE AND CARNELL BARTON. TAMPA CITY COUNCIL IS HONORED TO RECOGNIZE SHAKUR McCRONE AND CARNELL BARTON FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE, SELFLESSNESS AND SWIFT ACTION IN SAVING THE LIFE OF A NEIGHBOR DURING A HOUSE FIRE, SEPTEMBER 16, 2025, TWO BRAVE MEN FROM THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY RESPONDED WITHOUT HESITATION TO A DANGEROUS RESIDENTIAL FIRE. UPON CALLING 911, THE TWO COURAGEOUS YOUNG MEN REALIZED A NEIGHBOR WAS IN IMMINENT DANGER. WITHOUT REGARDS TO THEIR OWN SAFETY, THEY ENTERED THE HOME FILLED WITH INTENSE FLAMES, HEAT AND SMOKE TO RESCUE A NEIGHBOR. BRAVERY, HEROISM AND SOUND JUDGMENT DISPLAYED BY SHAKUR AND CARNELL IN A LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY SHOWED THAT TRUE COURAGE IS NOT MEASURED BY AGE BUT THE WILLINGNESS TO ACT WHEN OTHERS ARE IN NEED. 19th DAY OF FEBRUARY, THE CITY OF TAMPA WITH GREAT ADMIRATION AND RESPECT IS PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE SHAKUR McCRONE AND CARNELL BARTON FOR THEIR PHENOMENAL ACT OF SERVICE. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY AS DISTRICT 5 REPRESENTATIVE, I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU TWO. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS AND CONTINUE TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT FOR THEM TO TAKE PICTURES OUTSIDE ON THE STAIRWELL. TRADITIONAL STAIRWELL PICTURES. COUNCILMAN VIERA, I'M TEEING YOU UP. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN VIERA, WHENEVER YOU ARE READY. >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN. DO ANY OF YOU RECOGNIZE DONALD FROM HANNA? DONALD IS ONE OF OUR SECURITY GUARDS WHO WORKS OVER AT HANNA. I MET DONALD WHEN HE WAS WORKING -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN VIERA, HOLD ON. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] CAN EVERYBODY SETTLE DOWN AND NO TALKING PLEASE? I'M LOOKING AT YOU. >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I MET DONALD OVER HERE AT CITY HALL ONE DAY. HE WAS WEARING HIS VIETNAM VETERAN AND UNITED STATES MARINE HAT AT THE TIME. WE BECAME FRIENDS. I FOUND OUT, WE HAVE A SHORT 40 SECOND VIDEO ON THIS, DONALD TOOK A VERY MEANINGFUL TRIP TO GHANA TO SEE VARIOUS STEPS OF THE SLAVES WHEN THE FOLKS IN AFRICA WERE ENSLAVED AND BROUGHT MANY TO THE UNITED STATES AND DIFFERENT PLACES. IN TERMS OF DONALD'S BACKGROUND, ORIGINALLY FROM SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI. HE WOULD SERVE IN VIETNAM IN COMBAT AS UNITED STATES MARINE FROM 1968 TO 1969. BEFORE I GO ON, LET'S GIVE THIS VIETNAM VETERAN A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] YOUR FATHER WAS NAVY, AND WE'LL SEE A PICTURE OF HIM IN A LITTLE BIT. SON A MARINE, SERVED FIVE YEARS. HIS GRANDSON RECENTLY SIGNED UP AS UNITED STATES MARINE. COMES FROM A VERY, VERY PROUD MILITARY FAMILY. WE'LL WATCH A SHORT VIDEO ABOUT DONALD'S TIME IN GHANA. HE WENT TO THE FIRST BATH OF RETURN, WHICH IS THE PLACE IN GHANA WHERE MANY FOLKS AND AFRICANS BEFORE THEY ULTIMATELY WENT ON AND ENSLAVED AND TAKEN INTO SHIPS, PLACES TO THE WEST AND UNITED STATES, THEY WOULD TAKE THEIR LAST BATH. WE KNOW IN THE MIDDLE PASSAGE ABOUT 1.5 MILLION AFRICANS LOST THEIR LIVES AT THE TIME, A THREW WESTERN HOLOCAUST. DONALD WOULD BE GIVEN AN AFRICAN NAME AND ADOPTED INTO A TRIBE AND WOULD HAVE A CEREMONY FOR HIMSELF OVER IN GHANA, SOMETHING VERY, VERY MEANINGFUL FOR DONALD BECAUSE HIS GREAT, GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS ENSLAVED. VERY PERSONAL JOURNEY FOR DONALD. BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THIS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL GUY, WE HAVE A VERY SHORT VIDEO ON HIS TRIP. WE'RE DOING THIS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THERE YOU GO. FOLKS, ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] THIS WAS A GREAT TRIP OF A LIFETIME FOR DONALD. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HIM SPACE TO TALK ABOUT IT. GO AHEAD, BUDDY. >> YES, THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> DONALD GORDON. SECURITY GUARD WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA CONTRACTOR. THIS IS A TRIP I ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE BACK TO MOTHER LAND WHERE MY ANCESTORS CAME BACK FROM. I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK THERE. I WANTED TO SEE HOW THEY LIVED. I VISITED THE SLAVE, WHERE THEY KEPT THE SLAVES, WHICH IS REALLY -- THE DEAL THEY WENT THROUGH. VISITED SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE THEY MAKE FACTORIES WHERE THEY MAKE NECKLACES. I BROUGHT A SAMPLE OF THE WATER FROM THE RIVER WHERE THEY TOOK THE LAST BATH BEFORE THEY WERE TOLD INTO SLAVERY. I BROUGHT BACK SOME LITTLE ARTIFACTS THAT THEY MAKE BY HAND. THEY CALL IT THE JEWELRY FACTORY AND BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURES. ONE THING I FOUND OUT, DEALING CASH THERE. THEY DON'T USE TOO MUCH CREDIT CARDS. CASH. ANOTHER THING, THE CELL PHONES THAT YOU TURN IN, THAT'S WHERE THEY GO, THAT YOU TRADE IN FOR NEWER PHONES. THEY SAID THE NEW PHONES, THEY DON'T GET THEM. THEY SELL THEM INFERIOR PHONES. THAT'S WHERE THEY ARE RECYCLED TO. VERY FRIENDLY PEOPLE. SPEAK 80 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. IT WAS REALLY AN EXPERIENCE THAT I SAID WHEN I WAS IN THE MILITARY, STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR AND I COULD SEE AFRICA FROM A DISTANCE. ONE DAY I'LL GET BACK THERE AND PUT MY FEET ON THE SOIL. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THAT TRIP. JUST WANTED TO BRING BACK AND SHOW YOU. >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, DONALD. GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] I HAVE A GIFT FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. IT IS A PICTURE OF THE NIGHT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WAS ELECTED WITH HIS FAMILY OVER HERE. WE SPOKE LAST NIGHT, I KNOW YOU ARE A BIG FAN OF OUR FORMER PRESIDENT. 44th PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE IT WAS. 44. THERE YOU GO. BOD GOD BLESS YOU. LET'S GIVE THIS MAN ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I HAVE TO SAY BEFORE I BECAME A COUNCILWOMAN, I WORKED IN WEST AFRICA. GHANA WAS MY VERY FAVORITE COUNTRY TO VISIT. WHEN I WAS IN CAPE COAST, I TOURED THE CAPE COAST CASTLE AND THE DOOR OF NO RETURN, ALL OF THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST EMOTIONAL. IT STILL STAYS WITHIN ME JUST THE HORROR OF IT. THE GHANAEN PEOPLE HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB WITH NOT MASKING ANY OF THE HORROR. IT'S VERY CLEAR, FOLKS DO NOT WANT TO FORGET THAT. I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. YOU'RE RIGHT, GHANAEN, PHENOMENAL PHENOMENAL WELCOMING WONDERFUL PEOPLE, WONDERFUL COUNTRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING WITH US TODAY. YOU JUST BROUGHT ME A LOT OF JOY THIS MORNING. JUST ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE PLACES IN THE WHOLE WORLD, CAPE COAST, GHANA, JUST ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITES. >> APPRECIATE IT. ANYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO, PLEASE GO, IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO GO. >>LYNN HURTAK: AGREED. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A PROGRAM FOR FOLKS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO BE SPONSORED TO GO TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. IT'S A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT AND YOU REALIZE, ONE, BY THE HAPPENSTANCE OF BIRTH THE DIFFERENCE, YOU MEET PEOPLE, SPEAK FIVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. INCREDIBLE PEOPLE. HAPPENSTANCE OF BIRTH FIND THEMSELVES IN SOMETIMES SOME REALLY DIFFICULT AND TOUGH SITUATIONS. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL -- SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AMAZING PLACES. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. I CAN FEEL YOU BECAUSE I WAS TOUCHED BY IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, COUNCIL. [ APPLAUSE ] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I WOULD LIKE TO MY GOOD FRIEND, GREG SLATER, CEO OF THE TAMPA/HILLSBOROUGH EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY. THEA. >> GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL CHAIR CHEN. FOR THE RECORD, GREG SLATER. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TAMPA/HILLSBOROUGH EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY. COME TO YOU THIS MORNING FOLLOWING THE TWO TOUGHEST ACTS I HAD TO FOLLOW WITH THE TWO AMAZING YOUNG MEN AND MR. DONALD'S TRIP. I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE THIS MORNING ON OUR SOUTH SELMON RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT. WE HAVE TO RECONSTRUCT THE ENTIRE SOUTH HALF OF THE LEE ROY SELMON EXPRESSWAY. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A KIND OF SENSE OF WHAT OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PLAN IS FOR THAT CONSTRUCTION AND INTRODUCE SOME OF OUR TEAM IN CASE YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FROM EITHER YOUR OFFICES OR YOUR CONSTITUENTS. FIRST, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEA. WE ARE AN INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. SO WE REPORT TO A BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SEVEN. WE GENERATE OUR REVENUE OFF OF THE LEE ROY SELMON EXPRESSWAY. WE OWN, OPERATE AND MANAGE THE LEE ROY SELMON EXPRESSWAY, MERIDIAN AVENUE, BRANDON PARKWAY. 100% FUNDED BY THE TOLL REVENUE OFF OF THE LEE ROY SELMON EXPRESSWAY. WE DON'T TAKE ANY TAX DOLLARS. ALL OF THAT REVENUE COMES IN. WE INVEST IT DIRECTLY BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN THAT MONEY KIND OF GOING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE AND THEN COMING BACK. OUR PROJECT AREA IS REALLY FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER BRIDGE, WHICH IS AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO GANDY BOULEVARD. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE ARE GOING TO RECONSTRUCT ALL OF THAT EXPRESSWAY, REBUILD ALL OF THOSE BRIDGES, INCLUDING THAT HILLSBOROUGH BRIDGE BY THE CONVENTION CENTER WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION IS AND ALL THAT, WEST RIVERWALK CONNECTION UNDERNEATH THERE. REDO ALL OF THE UNDERPASSES. CONSTRUCT EVERYTHING WITHIN THE EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY THAT WE OWN TODAY. AND THEN CREATE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY FEATURES. WE AWARDED THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR OF '25. WE'RE IN THE DESIGN PHASE NOW GETTING READY TO KIND OF GET OUT THERE TO START TO SEE PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY AROUND THE EXPRESSWAY SURVEYORS THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AROUND THE EARLY SPRING, AND THEN WE'LL GET IN THERE. WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE IN THE CONTRACT TODAY. $5 MILLION INCENTIVE THAT THEY START IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BY THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THEN GET OUT OF DOWNTOWN. WE WANT TO KIND OF MINIMIZE THAT DISRUPTION IN DOWNTOWN AND BE OUT OF THAT AREA. SO THE BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT TODAY, YOU'LL SEE CERTAINLY INCREASED TRAFFIC OR INCREASED IMPROVED FLOW. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO ADD LANES IN EACH DIRECTION. ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION. IT WILL BE ON THE INSIDE OF THE EXPRESSWAY. A LOT OF THAT PAVEMENT IS THERE. WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE GAP IN SOME OF THE BRIDGES. WE WANT TO TAKE THE EXIT RAMPS AND ENTRANCE RAMPS AND MAKE THOSE MERGES A LITTLE BIT BIGGER. WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED THE EXPRESSWAY, THE STANDARDS WERE MUCH DIFFERENT. A LOT OF SHORT MERGE AREAS ON THOSE SECTIONS SO WE WANT TO MAKE THEM A LITTLE BIT SAFER AND CREATE BETTER TRANSITIONS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN YOU GET OFF OF THE EXPRESSWAY. WE ARE GOING TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT GROWTH SO THAT WILL MINIMIZE THE CUT-THRU TRAFFIC. AS WE START TO SEE CONGESTION ON THE EXPRESSWAY, WE START TO SEE A RIPPLE EFFECT OVER ON BAYSHORE, DALE MABRY, AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER AREAS. SO WE WANT TO CERTAINLY KEEP THE TRAFFIC ON THE EXPRESSWAY. WE'RE GOING TO CREATE A SIGNATURE BRIDGE. I'VE BEEN POKING AT OUR TEAM A LITTLE BIT, SICK OF WATCHING MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL AND SEEING THE SUNSHINE SKYWAY BRIDGE. WE NEED TO SHOW OFF DOWNTOWN TAMPA. SO WE NEED TO HAVE A BRIDGE RIGHT THERE BY THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT IS REALLY A FOCAL POINT FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'LL CREATE A FOOTPRINT FOR THE LATEST AND GREATEST SAFETY TECHNOLOGY AND GIVE US VISIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO REACT IN REAL TIME, NOT ONLY HELP INTEGRATE WITH THE SIGNAL SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY LIKE A.I. BUT ALSO VISIBILITY WITH CAMERA SYSTEMS AND ADAPTABILITY TO IMPROVE THE FLOW. UPGRADE ALL OF THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FEATURES ALONG THE EXPRESSWAY. WE ARE GOING TO BE INSTALLING NOISE WALLS ON ALL THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH PART OF THE EXPRESSWAY. WE ARE GOING TO ENHANCE ALL OF THOSE UNDERPASSES. UNDERPASSES TODAY, 14 OF THEM, WE'RE GOING TO REDO ALL OF THAT, PROVIDE WIDE SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING, AESTHETIC FEATURES. TODAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE FEATURES ON THE HYDE PARK KIND OF AREA BUT WE'LL DO THAT IN ALL OF THOSE AREAS. AND WE'RE REALLY REALLY AT SOME OTHER AREAS THAT WE CAN CREATE COMMUNITY BASED FEATURES, MAYBE HISTORY PLAQUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEN CREATE THE AREA, UNDERPASS AT BAY TO BAY WHERE WE HAVE A LOT MORE SPACE, WE'LL HAVE TO STORE SOME CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, SO WHEN WE GET OUT OF THERE, KIND OF GIVE A THANK-YOU TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A PLAN IN THERE GO IN AND CREATE TWO NEW DOG PARKS UNDER THERE, RECREATIONAL AREAS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE WAS SOME PICKLEBALL COURTS. WE'LL STICK WITH THAT, BUT REENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY IN A COUPLE OF YEARS TO MAKE SURE THEY STILL WANT THE PICKLEBALL COURTS AND WORK THROUGH THAT. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED THERE. REALLY WHAT THEY WANTED WAS OPEN AREA RECREATIONAL SPACE. WE'LL REENGAGE THEM. A LOT OF NEW RESIDENTS IN THE AREA, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING BACK TO THEM IN TWO, THREE YEARS BEFORE WE START THAT CONSTRUCTION TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE STILL GETTING WHAT THEY WANT. WE HAVE A REALLY IN-DEPTH COMMUNITY OUTREACH PLAN. WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON KIND OF REACHING OUT TO THE NEIGHBORS. REALLY CONNECTING WITH THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS. A LOT OF THE GROUPS AROUND THE AREA. WE'RE GOING TO DO A COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE. AS WE START GETTING INTO SOME OF THOSE AREAS, JUST KIND OF BEING OUT THERE AND CANVASSING, JUST TRYING TO CONNECT WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, KNOCKING ON DOORS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS SO THEY UNDERSTAND. THE CHALLENGE GIVEN THE TEAM, WANT THE COMMUNITY TWO STEPS AHEAD OF THE CONSTRUCTION. WHEN THEY START TO SEE THINGS HAPPENING, THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS AND OUR TEAM WILL BE OUT THERE AND ENGAGED THE ENTIRE TIME. WE HAVE TWO MAIN POINTS OF CONTACT. BRIAN McELROY, AN AMAZING YOUNG ENGINEER THAT WORKS ON OUR TEAM. HE WILL BE OUR PROJECT MANAGER. AND THEN WE HAVE LAURA CROUCH. SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW HER FROM HER DAYS WORKING AT TECO. BUT SHE WILL BE OUR REALLY POINT PERSON FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH. AND, OF COURSE, ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE WORKED WITH ME IN THE PAST, I AM ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE IF YOU NEED SOMETHING FROM ME AT ALL. WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE A PAUSE. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. AND CONTINUE TO HAVE DIALOGUE ABOUT THE PROJECT AS WE START TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SAY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF TAMPA AND PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING THAT DON'T KNOW YOU AND DON'T KNOW YOUR WORK ON THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY, WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND WHAT YOU BRING TO THE CITY OF TAMPA. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE TYPE OF IN-DEPTH INVOLVEMENT. THIS IS GOOD LEADERSHIP, AND WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU GUIDING THIS PROJECT ALONG THE WAY. I SAW COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK AND COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANK YOU FOR THIS. THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT THE PLAN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE. SO IMPORTANT FOR THE RESIDENTS. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR ALL MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I DO SORT OF. ADD US TO THE E-MAIL LIST. DON'T WAIT FOR US TO ASK. GO AHEAD AND ADD US. FEEL FREE TO ADD US -- I MEAN, JUST SEND US ALL THE INFORMATION WHEN YOU ARE HAVING THE MEETINGS. IF NOTHING ELSE, WE JUST KNOW ABOUT IT. PERSONALLY I ALWAYS ERR ON THE SIDE OF MORE INFORMATION, SO I LOVE THAT. I DO WANT YOU ALSO, I KNOW IT'S SORT OF PART OF THIS PROJECT, IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO GO ON WITH THE SELMON GREENWAY DOWNTOWN. JUST BRIEFLY. THAT'S REALLY EXCITING, AND I WANT THE PUBLIC TO REALLY KNOW NOT ONLY ARE WE GETTING SOME BENEFITS IN SOUTH TAMPA TO SOME OF THE UNDERPASSED BUT COMING TO DOWNTOWN AS WELL. >> IT IS. REALLY RE-ENVISIONING WHAT AN URBAN EXPRESSWAY CAN BE. WE LAID OUT A MASTER PLAN ALONG THE LEE ROY SELMON GREENWAY, WHICH IS ABOUT A TWO MILE, MILE AND A HALF, TWO MILE BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN GREENWAY THROUGH DOWNTOWN, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF SPACE AROUND IT UNDERNEATH OF IT. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE'RE ACTUALLY COMING UP ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE OFFICER'S DEATH NEXT WEEK, WE BUILT A DOG PARK IN CHANNELSIDE. AND THERE ARE 24 HOURS A DAY, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE DOG PARK. ONE, IT'S SHADED. TWO, IT'S LIT. WE PROVIDE SOME AMENITIES THERE. SO PARKING. THEY CAN GET THERE. WHAT WE WANT TO DO, WE SAW THAT AS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GROW OUR FOOTPRINT. WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS LAID OUT A MASTER PLAN FOR A SERIES OF PARKS, COMMUNITY SPACES. WE'VE GOT PICKLEBALL COURTS TO EVEN PLACES WHERE YOU CAN HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS OUTSIDE. ENHANCED STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FEATURES. FOR INSTANCE, DOWNTOWN NEXT TO TAMPA UNION STATION, THERE IS THIS OLD STORMWATER MANAGEMENT POND ON THE BACK. WE'VE GOT A PLAN, 12th STREET PARK, TO REDEVELOP ALL OF THAT, CREATE THAT MORE OF A WATER FEATURE WITH A BOARDWALK AROUND THERE, CONNECT ALL OF THOSE PARK SPACES ALL THE WAY TO 12th STREET, TRANSITIONING INTO GASWORX AND THEN YBOR HARBOR, SAME THING, COMMUNITY SPACES FEEDING INTO THAT. DOWNTOWN, WE'VE GOT A SECTION BY CAMELS THAT WE'RE REDEVELOPING, AROUND THE LEE ROY SELMON STATUE. AND THEN WE WORKED WITH EMBARC COLLECTIVE, FOR INSTANCE. WENT IN AND SPOKE TO THAT GROUP ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THAT AREA BACK BEHIND THEIR OFFICES. THEY SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE QUIET SPACES WHERE THEY CAN WALK AND HEAR SOME WHITE NOISE A LITTLE BIT AND TRY AND THINK. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS CREATE SECTIONS OF COMMUNITY SPACE IN THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND SECTIONS THAT THE EXPRESSWAY GOES THROUGH AND ACTIVATE THAT SPACE UNDERNEATH OF THE EXPRESSWAY IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONNECT THE COMMUNITIES ON EITHER SIDE OF IT TO REALLY ACTIVATE WHAT WE'RE SEEING THERE. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR VISIONARY LEADERSHIP. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>BILL CARLSON: YEAH, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS, YOUR COLLEAGUES TO COME OUT. JUST TO ECHO WHAT CHAIR CLENDENIN SAID, YOU WERE THE HEAD OF MARYLAND D.O.T. OR SOMETHING. YOU WERE THE HEAD OF ALL TRANSPORTATION IN MARYLAND, NOT JUST AN EXPRESSWAY. >> YES, SIR. I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR 30 YEARS. I'M A PLANNER BY TRADE. AND SO I RAN MARYLAND STATE HIGHWAY, BWI, THURGOOD MARSHALL AIRPORT, PORT OF BALTIMORE. RAIL SYSTEMS BETWEEN BALTIMORE AND D.C. ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR D.C. METRO AND BALTIMORE TRANSIT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. >>BILL CARLSON: WE ARE REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE YOU THERE. YOU ALSO SIT ON THE TPO. LUCKY TO HAVE YOU ON THAT AS WELL. YOU MENTIONED BRIEFLY THE INDEPENDENCE OF EXPRESSWAY. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE TO EVERYBODY ABOUT 15 OR SO YEARS AGO, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TOOK OVER A BUNCH OF THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES IN OTHER CITIES, AND THEN IT LOOKED LIKE THEY TRIED TO DO THIS ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO IN TAMPA. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY PUSHED BACK AND SAID THIS IS OUR MONEY. WE WANT TO KEEP IT HERE. DON'T WANT IT GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE. BECAUSE OF THAT, THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY IS STILL INDEPENDENT, WHICH ENABLES US TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY ENDED UP GETTING THE I-4 CONNECTOR, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE REST OF IT. I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE DILIGENT ABOUT THAT, JUST LIKE EVERY TEN YEARS OR SO, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THREATENS TO DO SOMETHING WITH MacDILL, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE MINDFUL AND APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S COME BEFORE US. THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING LAURA INVOLVED. I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION WITH HER AND YOU ABOUT THIS. MOSTLY IT ALL GOES THROUGH MY DISTRICT, I THINK. AND IF I CAN HELP IN ANY WAY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AS MY COLLEAGUES SAID, WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU HAVE, PLEASE COPY US. BUT AS YOU GO THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, I'M HAPPY, IF I'M AVAILABLE, TO SIT IN ANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND HELP WITH THE DISCUSSIONS. YOU HIT THE HIGH POINTS ABOUT STORMWATER, WHICH WAS A CONCERN IN SOME AREAS, AND YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HELPING WITH THAT LIKE IN THE CONCORDIA AREA, BUT HAPPY TO SIT IN THOSE MEETINGS. ONE THING I WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL, 1998, ED TURANCHIK HAD A TEST OF A COMMUTER RAIL DOWN THE CSX TRACK CALLED THE REGIOSPRINTER. THERE WAS A BUS TRAIN STOP AT HOWARD UNDER YOUR OVERPASS, AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE AT BAY TO BAY AND MacDILL. AND SO AS WE DISCUSS DOG PARKS AND PICKLEBALL COURTS AND ALL THAT, PLEASE RESERVE SPACE FOR TRAIN STATIONS BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS DESPITE ALL THE POLITICAL CHALLENGES. AND WE'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN THAT SPACE. IN SOUTH TAMPA, OTHER THAN YOUR ROAD, WE CAN'T WIDEN THE ROADS. NEIGHBORS DON'T WANT US TO. NEIGHBORHOODS DON'T WANT US TO. THE ONLY HOPE WE HAVE IN THE FUTURE OF GETTING IN AND OUT QUICKLY, BESIDES YOUR EXPANSION, IS TO HAVE SOME KIND OF RAIL GOING THROUGH THERE, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE THAT. LAST QUESTION, I RIDE THE SELMON EVERY DAY. WHEN I'M TRYING TO GET HERE FOR THE 5:00 MEETINGS, LAST WEEK OR WEEK BEFORE, WE TALKED ABOUT CONGESTION IN DOWNTOWN WHICH I'M HOPING THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL FIX. PEOPLE ARE VERY FRUSTRATED BECAUSE IT GETS BACKED UP. DOWNTOWN EVENTS GET BACKED UP IN HALF OF SOUTH TAMPA. FOLKS TAKE THE SELMON, BUT THE SELMON STARTING AROUND 3:30 UNTIL 6:00 OR SO GETS BACKED UP FROM GANDY REALLY ALL THE WAY TO YBOR. CAN YOU GIVE US ANY HOPE ABOUT HOW TO RELIEVE THAT CONGESTION? IT SEEMS LIKE THIS HUGE BOTTLENECK AROUND DOWNTOWN. IS THIS GOING TO OPEN IT UP SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FLOW FREELY? KEEPING IN MIND THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING FROM ST. PETE AND PINELLAS THROUGH SOUTH TAMPA GOING ON THIS AS WELL. >> YES, SIR. SO WE STARTED TO SEE OVER THE LAST YEAR THOSE BACKUPS COMING IN. THAT IS THE SUCCESS OF DOWNTOWN THAT'S DRIVING THAT DESTINATION TRIP. THERE'S REALLY THREE PROJECTS, TWO OF WHICH ARE PART OF THIS ONE. THE NEXT ONE WILL BE COMING ON THE HEELS OF THAT ONE. FIRST, WE HAVE THIS SOUTH SELMON PROJECT THAT WILL START. THAT IS GOING TO INCLUDE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY, KIND OF TRAFFIC SENSORS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. ON THE HEALS OF SOUTH SELMON CAPACITY, WHITING STREET PROJECT. WHAT THE WHITING STREET PROJECT IS GOING TO DO, IT'S GOING TO REMOVE THE RAMP OVER BY BENCHMARK ARENA. AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE THAT RAMP AND RELOCATE IT OVER BY EMBARC COLLECTIVE, KIND OF WHERE THE ARENA PARKING GARAGE IS, AND IT'S GOING TO RECONNECT THAT GRID ACROSS TO MERIDIAN AVENUE, CREATING ANOTHER EAST-WEST CONNECTION, ALONG WITH WALTON AND FINLEY THAT SPP IS CONSTRUCTING TODAY. THAT NEW RAMP ACCOMMODATES 100% OF THAT EVENING TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING IN KIND OF AS A DESTINATION. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THIS PROJECT THAT WE CALL THE DOWNTOWN BRAIN. ESSENTIALLY EQUIPPING THE SYSTEM WITH THE RIGHT INTELLIGENCE AND THEN INTERCONNECTING WITH THE SIGNAL SYSTEMS AROUND IT TO BE ABLE TO RELIEVE THE FLOW AS IT STARTS TO TRIGGER AND SENSOR THE TRAFFIC. FOR INSTANCE, IF TRAFFIC STARTS TO BUILD AND MAYBE ONE OF THE RAMPS STARTS TO BACK UP, THEN WE CAN START EXTENDING SOME OF THOSE GREEN TIMES AND PUSH THAT TRAFFIC THROUGH A LITTLE BIT. >>BILL CARLSON: ONE LAST POINT, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN CONGESTION, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS I PERSONALLY COMING OUT OF THE WATER STREET PARKING GARAGE, I NEED TO GET BACK TO SOUTH TAMPA. ALL THE DIRECTION THAT MOBILITY AND TPD GIVING IS SENDING PEOPLE NORTH. BUT THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE FROM SOUTH TAMPA HAVE TO GO UP TO 275, ACROSS, AND THEN DOWN ARMENIA OR DOWN DALE MABRY OR SOMEWHERE TO GET BACK TO SOUTH TAMPA. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO MANY TIMES I'VE BEEN SIGNATURE ON CUMBERLAND WHERE THE ENTRANCE TO THE EXPRESSWAY IS LIKE A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY AND THEY BLOCK THE ROAD AND I CAN'T GET. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US ADVOCATE FOR THEM TO OPEN THAT? IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE, I HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY TO YBOR CITY TO YOUR ENTRANCE ON 22nd TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO SOUTH TAMPA. IT TOOK ME MORE THAN AN HOUR. I GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EVERY DAY. THEY NEED TO OPEN UP CUMBERLAND AND LET PEOPLE ON YOUR RAMP TO GET OUT. IT WOULD BE THE FASTEST WAY FOR PEOPLE IN SOUTH TAMPA TO GET OUT OF THERE. >> ABSOLUTELY. HAPPY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF AN ADVOCATE ACROSS THE CITY THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT A SYSTEM AND NOT JUST WHO OWNS WHAT ROADS SO WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER. THAT IS A CHALLENGING ENTRANCE BECAUSE IT IS THAT LEFT ENTRANCE ANYWAY. SO WE'VE HAD MORE AND MORE PEOPLE THAT GO UP TO KIND OF TAMPA STREET AND TRY AND JUMP ON THERE. BUT CERTAINLY HAPPY TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. I'M LISTENING HERE AND REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU SAY AND DONE. THINGS WERE BUILT BACK WHEN THE SELMON EXPRESSWAY ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU HAVE AND POPULATION. NOW YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW. FOUR WORDS THAT GUIDE ME. YESTERDAY TODAY TOMORROW AND FOREVER. MY PROBLEM WITH MYSELF IS NOT YOU FOLKS. YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. GIVING THE AMENITIES OF THE EXPRESSWAY, SO FORTH AND SO ON. WHEN I THINK OUT LOUD TO MYSELF THAT NOBODY CAN HEAR BECAUSE IT IS JUST WITHIN ME. I TELL MYSELF, WHAT IN THE HELL ARE WE DOING? WE HAVE GOT TO CHANGE OUR MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. FIRST OF ALL, YOUR PROJECT IS FINE. IT'S WONDERFUL. THERE IS A NEED FOR IT TODAY AND MAYBE TOMORROW. BUT WHAT HAPPENS FOR THE FUTURE? WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO EXPAND EXPRESSWAYS. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DO THINGS BECAUSE THEY CAUSE MANY DEFECTS TO NATURE. ONE, POLLUTION, AND TWO THE ENVIRONMENTAL WATER RUNOFF THAT CAUSES POSSIBILITY MORE STORM CHARGE AND MORE DECLINE IN THE WATER SATURATING DOWN TO THE GROUND AND BACK TO THE AQUIFER. WHAT I'M THINKING OF, WE HAVE TO CHANGE TO TO SOMETHING LIKE THE AIRPORT MODEL HAS THAT MOVES PEOPLE ABOVEGROUND. YOU CANNOT GO AT GROUND LEVEL BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE SATURATED AND ALL DO IS CREATE MORE CHAOS. I'M NOT AN ENGINEER. I'M NOT BRIGHT. I'M NOT SMART. AND I COME FROM THE HOUSING PROJECTS. ALL THOSE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT I'M NOT, BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS, IF WE DON'T THINK ABOUT YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW, AND FOREVER, THAT YESTERDAY FOR TOMORROW AND FOREVER ARE THE TWO KEYS THAT WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING UP ON. WE'RE BUILDING FOR TODAY'S NECESSITY, NOT FOREVER. UNLESS WE CHANGE THE MODEL OF TRANSPORTATION, WE WILL FAIL. NOT ONLY WE, ALL OF US WILL FAIL. UNLESS WE CHANGE SOMETHING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW AND THE FUTURE BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE ONE. I'M NOT HERE TO HOUND ON YOU. I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU AND YOUR STAFF, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE'RE DOING THE -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: PRESIDENT MIRANDA, IT IS NOT VALENTINE'S DAY BUT WHISPERING SWEET LOVE LANGUAGE IN MY EAR ADVOCATING FOR MASS TRANSIT. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT SLATER, ALWAYS A PLEASURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. GOOD PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS THIS MORNING. [ APPLAUSE ] NOW WE MOVE TO THE MAIN EVENT. PUBLIC COMMENT. LET'S START WITH MICHAEL RANDOLPH. IS MICHAEL ONLINE? MY FRIEND MICHAEL RANDOLPH. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL RANDOLPH. I'M ALSO FROM ROBLES PARK. TODAY'S PRESENTATION IS PERSONS. COMES FROM A REAL CONVERSATION WITH AT-RISK YOUTH, WHO FEEL THE ONLY WAY OUT IS CRIME AND DRUGS. OUR TECHNOLOGY OF WEALTH BUILDING AND JOB CREATION CENTER ASSISTS TO CHANGE THAT BY GIVING YOUNG PEOPLE THE TOOLS AND PATHWAY TO BUILD WEALTH LEGALLY AND SAFELY. A CORE MISSION OF THE CENTER IS REDUCING CRIME BY EXPANDING REAL ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. A.I. LET'S YOUTH CREATE THEIR OWN CRITICAL DIGITAL PRODUCT, REPLACING RISKY ACTIVITIES WITH REAL INCOME. SO YOUTH CAN OWN THEIR OWN CHOICE. GLOBALLY, START MICROBUSINESSES AT MINIMAL COST AND PROTECT THEIR WORTH. YOUNG PEOPLE FACING BARRIERS, THIS OPENS DOORS THAT NEVER EXIST. ALSO FINANCIAL LITERACY, AND INVESTING SO YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN TO BUILD WEALTH AND NOT ACCORDING TO CONSUMER HABITS. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. WE ARE USING A.I. WEB TO TRANSFORM STRESSED COMMUNITIES TO STRESS-FREE COMMUNITIES WHERE NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND. WE ARE FACING AN IMMEDIATE CHALLENGE. BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE REQUESTED A DEDICATED SESSION WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND THEY AGREED TO MEET WITH THE WEST TAMPA COMMUNITY VIRTUALLY ON FEBRUARY 20 AT 5:30 P.M. THIS MEETING WILL SHAPE OUR POLITICAL VOICE AND FORM REPRESENTATION. RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO GET AN INVITE, PLEASE E-MAIL US WEST TAMPA CDC @GMAIL.COM. FINALLY, WE MUST ADDRESS THE DECLINING BUSINESS -- REPORT SERVICES LOW QUALITY AND INAPPROPRIATE DISPLAY. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES RESPONSIBLE BUSINESSES THAT UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY AND STRENGTHEN NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MICHAEL. NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. BRIGGS. IS MR. BRIGGS ON? HOW ABOUT ADRIANNE RODRIGUEZ. GOOD MORNING, MY FRIEND. YOU HAVE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. >> GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING, TAMPA CITY COUNCIL. A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MR. SHELBY. I'M SPEAKING TODAY ABOUT THE PROTECTION OF SACRED GROUND AT THE CEMETERY. THERE IS A SAYING THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT LEARN FROM HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT. THAT WARNING FEELS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT RIGHT NOW. ROUGHLY FOUR AND A HALF DECADES AGO, SHOPPING CENTERS WERE BUILT AT 2800 NORTH MacDILL AND 3115 AND 3117 WEST COLUMBUS DRIVE. I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME OR EXACTLY HOW THOSE APPROVALS ARE GRANTED, BUT I DO KNOW THE OUTCOME. CONSTRUCTION OCCURRED OVER UNMARKED GRAVES. MARTY SECTION, INACCURATE MEMORIAL MARKER ON COLUMBUS DRIVE STATES THAT THE CITY OWNS BOTH CEMETERIES. WHAT REMAINS VISIBLE TODAY IS COLOGNE CEMETERY BUT STANDS ON LAND THAT ONCE INCLUDED MARTI AS WELL. EIGHT YEARS AGO I JOINED THE FIGHT ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY ADVOCATE MISSY MARTIN WHEN DEVELOPMENT THREATENED THE REAR PORTION OF COLOGNE SETTLEMENT. WE SHOCKERED TIRELESSLY TO DEFEND THE SACRED SPACE THREE TIMES IN EIGHT YEARS, THAT'S THREE TIMES TOO MANY. NOW ONCE AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY FINDS ITSELF FIGHTING FOR THE SAME GROUND. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN EIGHT YEARS THAT RESIDENTS HAVE HAD TO MOBILIZE TO ENSURE RESPECT FOR THOSE BURIED HERE. THAT PATTERN IS DEEPLY CONCERNING. WHAT'S AT STAKE IS NOT JUST LAND. IT IS A LEGACY. THIS CEMETERY HOLDS THE REMAINS OF PEOPLE WHO BUILT WEST TAMPA, CIGAR WORKERS, IMMIGRANTS, BLACK AND GROUND FAMILIES WHOSE LABOR SHAPED THIS CITY'S HISTORY. THE CITY THAT SO MANY ENJOY TODAY. WHILE I MAY NOT KNOW WHO MADE THE DECISION DECADES AGO, I DO KNOW WHO HOLDS RESPONSIBILITY TODAY. I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK FRANKLY ABOUT PATRICK THORPE ONCE VIEWED AS A HERO PROTECTING THE LAND HE HAS NOW SHOWN HIMSELF TO BE A TRAITOR TO THE COMMUNITY. HE INTENDS TO BUILD ON SACRED GROUND AND HE DID FIND A LOOPHOLE THAT AVOIDS ANY DECISION BY CITY COUNCIL. HE MAY HAVE WON A BATTLE BUT HE HAS NOT WON THE WAR. PERHAPS HE MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING FROM AILEEN WHO HAS RAISED HER SON TO RESPECT SACRED GROUND, UNLIKE THE EXAMPLE THORPE IS SETTING FOR HIS OWN CHILDREN. THE COMMUNITY RESPECTFULLY ASKS THAT TAMPA CITY COUNCIL INTERVENE AND PAUSE ALL CONSTRUCTION AND UTILITY WORK ON THIS LAND UNTIL IT IS 100% PROVEN THAT THERE ARE NO BODIES PRESENT. SACRED GROUND DESERVES NOTHING LESS. EACH OF YOU HAS THE POWER TO ENSURE THAT PAST MISTAKES ARE NOT REPEATED. YOU ALSO CARRY ACCOUNTABILITY THAT COMES WITH PUBLIC SERVICE, YOUR CONSTITUENTS HISTORY AND THE DIGNITY OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US. I'LL CLOSE WITH THE WORDS OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. THE TIME IS NOW, COUNCIL, TO PROTECT SACRED GROUND, TO HONOR THE COMMUNITY, AND TO MAKE SURE TAMPA MOVES FORWARD WITHOUT REPEATING THE HARMS OF THE PAST. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MS. RODRIGUEZ. THANK YOU. HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY. >> YOU AS WELL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THAT CONCLUDES ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'RE MOVING TO IN-PERSON. THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE PAMELA CANNELLA. THE FIRST GROUP OF SPEAKERS WILL BE FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. ITEM 54 AND 3. FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE. GOOD MORNING, PAM. START WITH YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> I HAVE TO DO MY OWN PICTURES. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS PAM CANNELLA. ALMOST TWO YEARS LATER AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE STILL CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND THE FEAR OF FLOODING AGAIN. NOTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED. PALMIRA DITCH IS STILL IN NEED OF CLEANING, EXCAVATING BECAUSE THE SOIL EROSION RESTRICTING STORMWATER FLOW NEEDS A MORE PERMANENT FIX. I STARTED REPORTING THIS IN 2015. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, THIS IS THE ONLY FLOW THAT'S GOING THROUGH. THERE ARE MANY -- WELL, STORM DRAINS ARE STILL FILLED -- WHOOPS, EXCUSE ME. STORM DRAINS ARE STILL FILLED WITH LEAFS, TRASH, AND ASPHALT. THE STORMWATER DEPARTMENT STILL LACKING IN MANPOWER? THERE ARE MANY STORM INLETS THAT ARE CRUMBLING, HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED IN SIX YEARS OR LONGER, STILL WAITING. FOR TWO YEARS, I'VE ASKED FOR AMI HOSPITAL POND TO BE ADDRESSED AND CLEANED. CONFLICTING ANSWERS AS TO WHETHER THE PUMP IS WORKING. MOBILITY DEPARTMENT TOLD S.W.F.W.M.D. IT WAS, AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS WORKING BECAUSE I ASKED S.W.F.W.M.D. THEY SAID EVERYTHING IS WORKING JUST FINE. YET STORMWATER MANAGEMENT JUST DRAINED THE POND JANUARY 12, 2026 AND INSPECTED IT. STILL WAITING ON TRASH AND SEDIMENT AND MUCK TO BE CLEANED OUT. I DON'T THINK THE CITY OF TAMPA, ESPECIALLY SOUTH TAMPA, IS READY FOR THE FAST APPROACHING RAINY AND HURRICANE SEASON. PALMA CEIA PINES ON THAT PUMP AND POND DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS NEEDED TO PREVENT FLOODING, NOT THE HOWARD PROJECT. ENGINEERS ON THE HOWARD PROJECT HAVE NOT DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE. HERE IS A MAP OF THAT AREA. AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE LINES THAT SHOW WHERE THE DRAINAGE COMES TO AUDUBON. SO IF THEY PUT A 10 BY 12 CULVERT, BOX CULVERT ON AUDUBON TO THAT -- TO THE HOSPITAL POND, THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE BLOCKED. THIS WHOLE DRAINAGE THAT'S FROM HORATIO NORTH AND ARMENIA TO THE COMMUNITY THERE, AND THIS VAULT RIGHT THERE. ENGINEERS ON THIS POND DID NOT KNOW ABOUT AUDUBON. THEY THOUGHT ALL AREAS WERE CONNECTED TO THE HOSPITAL POND SYSTEM. WHERE IS THE DUE DILIGENCE? THE EAGERNESS TO PUSH THIS HOWARD PROJECT EVEN THROUGH, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO FUNDING, NO TRANSPARENCY, AND A HAPHAZARD PLAN THAT IS LACKING THE NECESSARY ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESS HAS NOW LEFT PALMA CEIA PINES AND PARKLAND ESTATES FACING ANOTHER YEAR OF FEAR AND POSSIBLE FLOODING. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE MASTROTOTARO. THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE LARRY DUKE. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. MY NAME IS MICHELLE MASTROTOTARO. I'M HERE TALKING ABOUT STORMWATER AND LACK OF MAINTENANCE. I HAD PUT IN A REQUEST IN 2024, AND IT'S STILL AN OPEN TICKET. THIS IS THE ONE THAT I JUST DID. THEY NEVER CAME OUT YESTERDAY. MY SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK GOING OUT TO THE OCEAN. MY SYSTEM WORKS BECAUSE GEORGE COX BUILT THIS SYSTEM. IT GOES OUT TO A POND THAT GOES OVER HERE, AND THE POND IS FILLED TO THE BRIM. THEY ARE ALL GETTING FILLED. THERE IS A POND. THERE IS A BIG -- THERE IS THIS POND RIGHT HERE THAT A COUCH WAS PUT IN. THIS IS WHAT I'M DEALING WITH. THESE ARE OUR RETENTION PONDS. THIS IS BACK IN 2020 WHEN THEY RE-DID THE ROAD TO REROUTE IT BECAUSE OF THE APARTMENTS. THIS IS WHAT WE GOT NOW. AND THIS IS THE OPENING. THAT LITTLE OPENING THAT GOES RIGHT TO A POLE. THEY NEED TO FIX THIS. THIS IS SAD. WE NEED HELP IN OUR AREA. THIS AREA HAS BEEN SO NEGLECTED FOR 15 PLUS YEARS. HERE IS THE POND RIGHT HERE. AND IT IS FILLED TO THE BRIM. THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE WORKING. I SPOKE TO GEORGE COX. THAT IS THE POND. IT IS FULL TO THE BRIM. IT'S NOT GOING OUT AND IT'S NOT COMING IN. THEY ARE HALF FULL OF DIRT. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN MAINTAINED. FULL OF ROCKS. SOUTH SHERILL NEEDS HELP. I CAN'T GO THROUGH ANOTHER HURRICANE. I WOULD LOSE EVERYTHING. I WANT TO KNOW ALSO HOW THOSE APARTMENTS WERE AE FLOOD ZONE AND IT TURNED TO AN X. THEY BUILT UP FLOODING US OUT ON EACH SIDE. I NEED ANSWERS, AND THEY SAY I HAD SEVEN FEET -- SEVEN FEET IN MY HOME. I LOST EVERYTHING. PLEASE, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT OVERBUILDING IN SOUTH OF GANDY, THINK ABOUT US. I PAY TAXES. I PAY TAXES FOR PEOPLE THAT I DON'T HAVE A DRAINAGE. I'M PAYING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NORTH OF GANDY OR NEARBY. I HAVE NOTHING. AND I NEED HELP. I REALLY NEED YOU GUYS TO HELP US. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LARRY DUKE. SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM, DOESN'T SAY WHICH ONE. CHAIRMAN ROBERT SHERMAN WILL BE NEXT AFTER LARRY. LARRY DUKE. IS LARRY IN THE ROOM? GOOD MORNING, MR. DUKE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IT'S ONE AT A TIME. DID YOU SUBMIT A CARD? ARE YOU SHERMAN? >> NO. LARRY DUKE AND ROBERT JAMES. WE BOTH SUBMITTED CARDS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: START WITH YOUR NAME. >> ROBERT JAMES, LOCAL. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE WERE HERE TWO WEEKS AGO. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS URGENT PROJECT THAT WE WERE PRESENTING TO THE CITY AS A NO-COST DEPLOYMENT TO THE CITY. WE TALKED ABOUT MAYOR CASTOR'S PROBLEMS WITH THE ACHILLES' HEEL OF TAMPA AND HOW WE WANT TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CAN YOU STOP FOR A SECOND? IS THIS AN AGENDA ITEM? >> NO, WE PUT NO AGENDA. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: LARRY HAD, YES AGENDA. I'LL ASK YOU ALL TO STAY SEATED AND THEN COME UP AFTER. THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBERT SHERMAN. FOLLOWED BY JOHNNY JOHNSON. PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SPEAK TO AGENDA ITEMS GO FIRST. PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TO AGENDA ITEMS COME SECOND. CHAIRMAN, FOLLOWED BY JOHNNY JOHNSON. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, I CAN SAY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ALMOST. >> I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 60. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> CHAIRMAN ROBERT SHERMAN PANTHERS OF FLORIDA, BP, BLACK PANTHER PARTY. WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS, AND IT IS IRONIC THAT WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS THE ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS BECAUSE THE PRODUCT OF TWO YOUNG MEN IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT WITH THESE COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE STORES THAT ARE JUST DISREGARDING THE LAW. IF YOU READ 8470125, IT COMPLETELY SAYS THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SELL, DISTRIBUTE, OR PUBLIC DISPLAY SEXUAL TOYS OR DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. NOW, AS SOON AS YOU WALK IN THESE STORES, THIS IS THE FIRST THING THAT YOU SEE, AND EVERYBODY LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, THESE ARE BIG PROBLEMS TO THINGS GOING ON OUT THERE. EVERY PENNY ADDS UP TO A DOLLAR. EVERY PENNY ADDS UP TO A DOLLAR. SO IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT PRODUCING YOUNG MEN THE WAY WE'VE BEEN HAVING STOOD UP HERE TODAY, WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR YOUTH. WE NEED TO START ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO ABIDE BY THE LAW. THE PANTHERS ARE HERE TO SAY WE'RE HERE DEMANDING THAT THE LAW BE ENFORCED, NOT WHAT WE ASSUME, NOT WHAT WE PERSONALLY FEEL, BUT WHAT WE ASSUME IS THE LAW. THEN WHEN YOU GO ASSUMING, THAT MEANS YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW. BUT HERE IS THE LAW. WE'RE READING IT. IT IS DEFINED. IT GIVES DEFINITION OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE, WHAT SHOULD BE UPHELD AND WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES. IF I GO OUT THERE AND BREAK A LAW RIGHT NOW, I FACE THE PENALTIES. SO WHY THEY ARE BEING ABLE TO BUCK THE LAW AND DO AS THEY PLEASE? NO. IF YOU WANT TO A SEX TOY, YOU GO TO A SEX STORE WHERE IT'S 18 AND OLDER. THIS IS WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE LAW. NO CONVENIENCE STORE IS SUPPOSED TO BE SELLING SEX TOYS OR DRUG PARAPHERNALIA IN IT. I REFUSE. I BET YOU CAN'T GO ON DAVIS ISLAND AND FIND IT. SO WHY CAN WE GO IN MY COMMUNITY AND FIND IT IN EVERY CORNER STORE AROUND. WHY IS THAT? IF WE REALLY ABOUT OUR YOUTH AND ABOUT OUR FUTURE, WE NEED TO EFFECTIVELY TARGET THIS ASAP. I REALLY MEAN THIS AND TELL YOU, SAY THIS TO YOU ALL, UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL. POWER TO THE PEOPLE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: EVERYBODY, SO THIS IS NOT LIKE A RESPOND. WE LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT. EVERYBODY JUST RESPECTFULLY LISTENS. WE DON'T CLAP, APPLAUD, RESPOND BACK. I GET IT. THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS IN COUNCIL. I ASSUME YOU ARE JOHNNY JOHNSON FOLLOWED BY STEVE MICHELINI. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOHNNY JOHNSON. I'M DOWN HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 60. LOCATED AT 4330 NORTH 40th STREET, NAME OF THE STORE IS SILVER DOLLAR TO BE SPECIFIC. I'M DOWN HERE TO SPEAK AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN. I STAY JUST TWO BLOCKS EAST OF THE STORE. I'M DOWN HERE TO SPEAK ON ETHICAL AND MORAL VALUES. THE DEFINITION OF MORAL IS RELATED TO THE PRINCIPLE OF RIGHT AND WRONG. FOR THIS STORE TO HAVE SEX TOYS WHERE KIDS SHOP AND VISIBLE IS VERY UNETHICAL. MORAL IS DEFINED AS THE CONDUCT. THE STORE CONDUCT IS VERY UNACCEPTABLE. SYNONYM FOR MORAL, DECENT, ETHICAL RIGHT-MINDED RIGHTEOUS. THE BEHAVIOR EXPECTED OF OUR COMMUNITY STORES ARE HIGH AS TO PROVIDE A RIGHTEOUS AND SAFE PLACE TO SHOP, THAT HAS GENERAL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MORAL RESPECT FOR ALL CUSTOMERS. THE RIGHT THING IS TO REMOVE ALL UNETHICAL ITEMS OUT OF MORAL RESPECT. JUST TO REMEMBER, NOT EVERYTHING WE FACE WE CAN CHANGE. WE CAN'T CHANGE NOTHING UNTIL WE FACE IT. LET'S NOT LET OUR KIDS DOWN. LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING. WE'RE IN A POSITION TO DO SOMETHING GREAT, MAKE CHANGES WHEN OUR SOCIETY IS SO FILLED WITH CHAOS. NOTHING GET SOLVED IN CHAOS. AGAIN, ENFORCE THE LAWS BECAUSE WHERE I COME FROM WE KNOW THE LAWS BY HEART. THAT'S WHY WE'RE STANDING UP TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE FOLLOW THE LAW. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. >>BILL CARLSON: CAN I SAY SOMETHING REAL FAST? MR. JOHNSON, IN THE HALLWAY, HE WAS TELLING ME, YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT ONE OF HIS SONS PASSED AWAY FROM GUN VIOLENCE BUT HE WAS TELLING ME IN THE HALLWAY THAT ANOTHER SON HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY ILL THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I WANT TO ASK EVERYBODY TO PLEASE PRAY FOR HIM. >> I APPRECIATE THAT. I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF A LOCAL ORGANIZATION RISE UP FOR PEACE. I'VE BEEN DILIGENTLY FIGHTING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR RIGHTS AND EQUAL VALUES FOR US ALL FOR THE LAST GOING ON TEN YEARS, JANUARY 27, TEN YEARS THAT I LOST MY SON TO SENSELESS GUN VIOLENCE, SADLY TO THE STAND YOUR GROUND. I WAS DEALT ANOTHER BLOW. THAT'S WHY I TOOK ALL OF '25 OFF FROM THE ORGANIZATION AND NOT BEING IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I FOUND OUT ANOTHER ONE OF MY SON HAD A BRAIN TUMOR. THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN TAKING CHEMOTHERAPY EVERY MONDAY AT JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL FIGHT WITH MY SON TO SAVE HIS LIFE. AMONGST ALL THE THINGS THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL IN OUR SOCIETY, THIS ONE THING WE CAN CONTROL. SO I LOOK FOR THESE SMALL WINS AS INSPIRATION TO KEEP FIGHTING. AGAIN, I ASK THAT YOU GUYS DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS DEALING WITH. SO MANY VARIABLES THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS ONE THING WE CAN. SO LET'S DO THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. CARLSON. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: STEVE MICHELINI, FOLLOWED BY CARROLL ANN BENNETT. YOUR THREE MINUTES HAS ALREADY STARTED. [ LAUGHTER ] >> SORRY. STEVE MICHELINI. YOU ALL RECEIVED AN E-MAIL REGARDING STORMWATER ISSUES, AND IT INCLUDED BACKUP MATERIAL WHICH CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE CITY IS NOT RECEIVING $25 MILLION. THEY WERE DENIED THIS PRIOR TO YOUR MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THEY KNEW IT. THEY ALSO DID NOT RECEIVE THE $25 MILLION FROM S.W.F.W.M.D., AND THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THAT FOR OVER SIX MONTHS. IT KEEPS SHOWING UP ON YOUR BUDGET AS PENDING. IT'S NOT PENDING. THE DENIAL LETTERS ARE INCLUDED IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE SUBMITTED TO YOU. THIS RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. AND YOU ARE LEADING PEOPLE BY CONTINUING TO DO THAT TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEHOW THIS BUDGET IS NEARLY FULLY FUNDED. IT'S NOT. IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO START TELLING YOU EXACTLY WHAT THE TRUTH IS AND NOT HIDE BEHIND THESE, WELL, MAYBE WE'LL APPLY FOR THIS, MAYBE WE'LL APPLY FOR THAT. THE MONEY IS NOT THERE. THIS PROJECT HAS ESCALATED IN COSTS. THEY TELL YOU ONE NUMBER IN PRIVATE AND THEN WHEN YOU COME UP AND YOU ASK THEM FOR THAT NUMBER IN PUBLIC, THEY DON'T HAVE IT, AND IT'S AMNESIA. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS REGARDING THIS PROJECT, THAT THIS IS INCLUDED. THERE'S NEVER A DISCUSSION ABOUT FULL AND AGGRESSIVE MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS THE FIRST STEP AND SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE FIRST STEP IN GETTING THIS ISSUE UNDER CONTROL. BYPASSING THIS SYSTEM AND CREATING A NEW SYSTEM IS GOING TO CREATE MORE HAVOC, MORE DESTRUCTION, MORE DISRUPTION, AND BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE AS WE GO ALONG. WE'RE NOW ADMITTEDLY AT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS PROJECT AND PRIVATELY THEY ARE SAYING IT WILL COST ANOTHER 60 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS TO ADD PALMA CEIA PINES. THAT IS 160 SOME MILLION DOLLARS. THEY DON'T HAVE THE $50 MILLION. THEY JUST TRANSFERRED $20 MILLION INTO THE ACCOUNT, AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST OF THE EXTENT OF WHAT'S THERE. I WOULD URGE YOU TO LOOK THROUGH THE DOCUMENTS. WE'VE GIVEN YOU BACKUP DOCUMENTS IN THE E-MAIL FROM DE LA PARTE AND GILBERT, AS WELL AS A STATEMENT FROM INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE CITY STAFF WHO HAVE SAID, IGNORE THE FACTS, LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS. TO ME -- AND YOU'VE SAID BEFORE, THE COUNCIL HAS INDICATED, SHOW ME THE ENGINEERING. THE ENGINEERING IS THERE. THESE OTHER AGENCIES HAVE SAID YOU DO NOT QUALIFY. THIS PROJECT COSTS TOO MUCH FOR WHAT THE BENEFITS ARE. I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT AND RESPOND ACCORDINGLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CARROLL ANN BENNETT FOLLOWED BY DARYL HYCH. >> CARROLL ANN BENNETT, TAMPA TREE ADVOCACY GROUP. I JUST RECENTLY HAD A MEETING WITH CHIEF BENNETT. IT WAS A WONDERFUL MEETING. I FEEL LIKE WE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE WATER DEPARTMENT DID NOTHING WRONG WHEN THEY PLAN TYPE THREE TREES BUT WE WERE VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE PRECEDENT IT SET. CHIEF HAS ASSURED ME THAT THE LESSON HAS BEEN LEARNED AND GOING FORWARD THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. WE DISCUSSED SEVERAL IMPORTANT THINGS. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WAS THAT TAMPA INCREASED ITS BUDGET FOR TREES ALMOST 700 MUNICIPALITIES HAVE HIGHER BUDGETS THAN WE DO PROPORTIONATELY, AND THAT'S IN A CITY OF TAMPA REPORT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CHIEF ON THE FY '27 BUDGET AND SUPPORTING HIS PROPOSAL. ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WAS FINALLY MAKING TREE CUTTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR ILLEGALLY REMOVING TREES. THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS. THEY MAKE A LIVING. MOST PEOPLE WILL REMOVE A TREE ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME. THEY DON'T KNOW THE RULES. WE RECENTLY HAD A CITIZEN WHO FOLLOWED THE RULES, HIRED SOMEONE. IN THE CONTRACT IT SAID WOULD PULL THE PERMITS AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION AND A HUGE FINE. THEY GAVE THE CONTRACT TO THE CITY AND SAID THIS IS THE GUY WHO CUT THE TREES. HE SAID HE WAS GETTING A PERMIT. AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T FINED THE TREE CUTTER. WE WERE PROMISED TWO YEARS AGO BY JC HUDGISON AND WHIT REMER THAT WOULD HAPPEN. CHIEF HAS ASSURED ME WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT PROBLEM. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IS THE REPORTING ON THE TREES. THIS IS REPORTING THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE CODE. SO THIS IS A PowerPoint THAT WAS PRESENTED BY STAFF IN NOVEMBER. AND ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, THEY SAID WAS COMPLETE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THAT. I'VE ASKED FOR IT AND I CAN'T GET IT. WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THAT. ANOTHER ISSUE ON THE REPORTING -- THIS IS ALSO FROM STAFF'S PowerPoint IN OCTOBER POINT THEY SAID THAT THEY SPENT 151,000 OUT OF THE CENTRAL TAMPA TREE FUND, THAT IS THE NEW TREE FUND AND SPECIFIC REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ON HOW MONEY IS SPENT OUT OF THE NEW TREE FUND. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REPORT ON THAT TOO. ANYHOW, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A GREAT MEETING. I AGREE WITH THE CHIEF'S PROPOSAL THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND PAY FOR THE -- REIMBURSE THIS ONE TIME AND FROM NOW ON WE DO BETTER. AND POSTPONE THE MOTION ON LIMITING AND NOT USING TREE FUND MONEY FOR TYPE THREE TREES UNTIL AFTER THE TREE WORKSHOP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, CHIEF. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: DARRYL, FOLLOWED BY ALISON HEWITT. >> GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL. DARYL HYCH. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 34. MY PRESENTATION JUST DISAPPEARED OFF MY PHONE. ITEM 34 THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL IS ASKING FOR $1.2 MILLION FROM THE CITY TO PROVIDE -- FOR THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDED. I POSED A QUESTION ON THEIR PowerPoint THAT THEY HAVE. THE PowerPoint THAT THEY ARE PRESENTING, THEY SAID THAT THE AVERAGE INCOME THAT A PERSON HAS RECEIVED FROM THE JOBS THAT THEY BROUGHT IN IS $88,000 A YEAR. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS, AND I HAVEN'T MET ONE PERSON IN MY CIRCLE THAT HAS SAID THEY HAVE GOTTEN HIRED AT $88,000 OR MORE. WHAT I SEE IS THEY ARE DOING A DOG AND PONY DEAL. THEY ARE BRINGING IN ORGANIZATIONS AND CORPORATIONS FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY -- NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA, MASSACHUSETTS -- WHO HAVE HIGH-INCOME EARNERS, AND THEY ARE BRINGING THEIR STAFF DOWN HERE AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE MAINTAINING THAT MEDIAN OF $88,000. SO I REALLY ASK THAT YOU REALLY CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE NO ONE IN THE POPULATION IN THE CIRCLES I MOVE IN HAVE EVER BEEN PAID $88,000 AT AN AVERAGE ABOUT 50,000. SO THAT'S ONE THING. SECONDLY, I WENT INTO A MEETING ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO FOR TWO WEEKS IN A ROW WITH THE EQUAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. LET ME SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME. EQUAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THIS IS A COMMITTEE THAT IS DESIGNED TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY CERTIFY THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AND HOW BUSINESSES RECEIVE PROCUREMENT FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THEY ARE TO ADVISE AND PRESENT BEFORE COUNCIL HERE SHORTLY SOME INFORMATION ON HOW THEY BELIEVE BUSINESSES SHOULD RECEIVE PROCUREMENT IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND HOW THEY DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY. MY QUESTION THAT I HAVE TO ASK IS WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT FROM THAT COMMITTEE THAN THE RACIAL RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE THAT WAS DESIGNED AND CANCELED IN SEPTEMBER 2025 WHEN THE CITY ATTORNEY TOLD US THAT WE COULD NO LONGER BASED UPON -- I JUST WANT FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY DISENCHANTING THAT SHE WOULD SAY AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE POLICY CHANGES OUTLINED IN THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, WE CANNOT CONTINUE WITH THIS PROCESS. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? EQUAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THEY ARE GIVING ADVICE ON HOW THEY WANT THINGS TO BE DONE. WE WERE GIVEN ADVICE ON HOW WE WANTED THINGS TO BE DONE. HOW IN THE FOOTBALL ARE THEY ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SAY BLACK, HISPANIC, ASIAN, LGBTQ, IT'S ALL IN THE REPORT THEY WILL BE RENDERING TO YOU. I REALLY ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE SOMETHING DON'T SMELL RIGHT. IT DOESN'T SMELL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, DARYL. ALISON HEWITT FOLLOWED BY CONNIE BURTON. >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND COUNCIL. ALISON HEWITT. EAST TAMPA RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER. I WANT TO SPEAK SIMILAR TO DARYL, ITEM 34, THE EDC. WHEN WE HAVE GRANTS IN EAST TAMPA FOR $10,000, YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT YOUR RECEIPTS. YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT PICTURES. YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT JUST EVERYTHING. WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS REPORT FOR $1.176 MILLION, WHERE IS THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THE JOBS THAT THEY CREATED? WHERE IS THE DEFINITION OF WHETHER THEY CREATED A JOB HERE OR DID THEY BRING THE JOBS DOWN? WHEN I WORKED IN MANATEE COUNTY, THEY HAD ACTUALLY FORMS THAT THEY HAD THE COMPANIES FILL OUT FOR THE DEFINITION OF THE JOBS. NOW, SINCE THEN, MANATEE COUNTY HAS ENDED THEIR CONTRACT WITH THE EDC BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT TRACK WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS NOT ELEVATING GENTRIFICATION BY BRINGING MORE PEOPLE IN AND NOT HELPING THERE. ALSO, THEY DID -- THEY, THE EDC DID AN INDUSTRIAL REPORT IN EAST TAMPA. THAT HAS NOT BEEN DISTRIBUTED PUBLICLY OR WHAT THE PLAN IS TO HELP THE INDUSTRIAL PORTION OF THE EAST TAMPA CRA. WHAT DID COME OUT OF IT IS THEY APPLIED FOR $9 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE OUR INDUSTRIAL AREA IN EAST TAMPA CRA ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP CREATE JOBS AND ACTUALLY TO BEAUTIFY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. THE NEXT ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, THIS IS MORE PRIMARILY TO THE ADMINISTRATION. SHELTERED MARKETS ARE STILL ALIVE AND WELL FOR THE CONTRACTS THEY ARE ABLE TO DO FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. SINCE WE NO LONGER HAVE THE MINORITY OR THE HISPANIC SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDES, IF WE CAN MAYBE DO MORE ADVERTISEMENT OF THE SHELTER MARKET OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SMALLER LOCAL BUSINESSES KNOW AND ARE AWARE AND HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SHELTER MARKET BECAUSE THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF SHELTER MARKETS OUT THERE. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE REPORTS OF THE BUSINESSES THAT GET THOSE CONTRACTS, THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. THEY ARE NOT REALLY DIVERSE. SO IF WE HAD TO NOT DO THIS, AND WE ALREADY HAD SHELTER MARKETS, CAN WE PUT MONEY IN TO GO OUT AND HAVE THE BUSINESS NAVIGATOR BE ABLE TO TELL THE SMALL BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT WE HAVE SHELTER MARKETS OUT THERE AND SHOULD GO AFTER THOSE CONTRACTS AS WELL? THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: FYI, PROBABLY 40, 45 MINUTES LEFT OF PUBLIC COMMENT. CONNIE BURTON FOLLOWED BY BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY. >> GOOD MORNING, CONNIE BURTON. I WANT TO FIRST THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THOSE YOUNG MEN THIS MORNING BECAUSE I COULD HEAR MY LIFE STORY. COLLEGE HILL PROJECTS ALL THE WAY TO ROBLES PARK VILLAGE. LIFE LEARNING EXAMPLES THAT IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN DO, 2019, I MADE MY RETURN TO GHANA. I REALLY WANT TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE LIFE WORK OF REVEREND JESSE JACKSON THAT WE JUST LOST. HIS MENTOR WAS 12 YEARS OLDER THAN HIM, YET HE LIVED 45 YEARS OLDER THAN DR. KING, LIVING THROUGH JIM CROW, HAVING TO DEVELOP POLICIES THAT WE CAN STILL SEE IN ACTION TODAY, BUT SOME ARE UNDER ATTACK. SO REVEREND JESSE'S SIMPLE STATEMENT THAT I AM SOMEBODY, WE ARE BEGINNING NOW TO FEEL THAT IN THE AIR INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY, BEING ABLE TO STAND UP TO POWER, AND MAKING DEMANDS IN WHAT WE TRULY FEEL THAT HAS BEEN DISRESPECTED TOWARD THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY. ITEM NUMBER 10. GOOD INTENTIONS, I DON'T TRUST NONE OF IT. WE HAVE TOO MANY SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ALREADY INSIDE OF THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY. ITEM 10 MIGHT START OFF WITH GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT WHERE WOULD THAT DATA GO? WHO IS GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE, START OFF WE ARE DOING IT FOR THE PROTECTION OF SCHOOLS, SECURITY, AND PEOPLE THAT DRIVING TOO FAST. BUT I'M LOOKING AT CAMERAS NOW ALREADY BEING INSTALLED INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY. ITEM NUMBER 34, YOU'VE HEARD IT, JUST BECAUSE -- AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS TO MOSTLY THE WHITE COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT'S THERE, JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAY THEY ARE REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF POOR AND IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY AND WE ARE NOT ABLE TO EAT. WE ARE NOT BENEFITING FROM IT, DON'T BE FOOLED BY IT. YOU SHOULD BE ASKING FOR THE RECEIPTS FOR THE LONGEVITY THAT THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN IN PLACE. HOW HAS IT HELPED THE IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITY? ITEM NUMBER 57, OUTSIDE OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND MAYBE FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND PARAMEDICS, NOBODY IN THIS CITY ORGANIZATION SHOULD DENY YOUNG PEOPLE FROM HAVING THAT EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE SUMMER JOB WORK PROGRAM. WE ASK FOR 70 JOBS. WE EXPECT TO SEE 70 JOBS OR MORE. THIS CITY HAS THE MONEY TO DO IT. WE ARE ALL TAXPAYERS. WE WANT TO SEE JUST LIKE THOSE YOUNG MEN ABLE TO PRESENT THEMSELVES THIS MORNING, WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE 70 MORE IN OUR COMMUNITY CAN DO THE SAME THING. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MS. BURTON. BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY FOLLOWED BY RICK. VALERIE. GO AHEAD. VALERIE, YOU WANT TO GO NEXT? GO AHEAD. IT'S HOW THEY PULL THEM OUT OF THE BOX. >> IT'S FINE. GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS VALERIE BULLOCK FROM PONCE De LEON AND COLLEGE HILL. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCILWOMAN NAYA YOUNG FOR REPRESENTING SHAKUR AND CARNELL. I FELT SO MUCH PRIDE IN THE ROOM. LIKE ANGIE SAID, OUR GOAL WASN'T TO GROW UP AND SELL DRUGS AND GO TO PRISON. SOME OF US LEARN AND WE ARE HERE STANDING PROUD TODAY. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT NUMBER 34, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION. THEY SURE GET A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT NEVER MAKES IT TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON 29th, 34th, 40th OR 22nd STREET. AND I SAY SAY NO TO GIVING THEM THE MONEY. I LOOK AT WHERE THE TAMPA PORT IS AT. I LOOK AT WHERE EAST TAMPA IS AT. OUT OF ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS, WE GOT THE MOST LOTS THAT INDUSTRIAL, NOT LOTS, AND IT WOULD BE LOGISTICALLY CORRECT FOR EDC TO PROMOTE MANUFACTURING WAREHOUSING DISTRIBUTION CENTERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY UNLOAD THE CARGO OFF THE SHIPS AT THE DOCK. THEY CAN TAKE IT TO EAST TAMPA TO THE MANUFACTURING WAREHOUSE, AND WE KNOW IT WON'T BE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR A YEAR JOB, BUT IT WILL BE A JOB, AND WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK, LIVE, AND PLAY IN EAST TAMPA. I LIKE TO WALK DOWN 29th STREET TO THE NEW WAREHOUSE, CLOCK IN AND DO SOME WORK AND GO HOME AND GET OFF OF WORK, GO TO THE LIQUOR STORE AND GET ME A BOTTLE OF WINE. EVERYBODY ELSE WANT TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN THEY NEIGHBORHOOD. WE WANT TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALSO. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MANUFACTURING PLANTS THE SAME WAY THEY GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE TECH COMPANY AND PAID THE TECH COMPANY TO MOVE DOWN HERE AND BROUGHT THEIR PEOPLE, IT WILL BE LESS CHEAPER. YOU HAVE AMAZON. OKAY, LET'S PUT ONE RIGHT THERE ON COLUMBUS DRIVE. THAT IS THE INDUSTRIAL AREA. LET'S BRING IN A SOLAR MANUFACTURING PLANT. THESE JOBS WITH THESE CENTERS WILL OFFER ENTRY PAYING POSITIONS. THAT MEANS YOU CAN COME IN OFF THE STREET AND WE'LL TEACH YA, AND YOU CAN LEARN AND WORK RIGHT THERE. AND THAT WOULD BE GOOD BECAUSE DOWNTOWN TAMPA HAD A STRAZ. CHANNELSIDE HAVE THE AQUARIUM. AND YBOR CITY HAD A STRIP. WE HAVE NOTHING BUT VACANT LAND. AND EDC WANT MILLIONS, GIVE IT TO THEM AND EARMARK IT FOR EAST TAMPA. AND FOR THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET'S GET 70 PLUS STUDENTS. LAST YEAR, WE HAD PEOPLE FROM DAVIS ISLAND, PLANT CITY, AND RIVERVIEW, BUT EAST TAMPA CRA WAS DOING THE FUNDING. IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THAT. IT SHOULD BE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. OH, WHAT ABOUT THE BACKGROUND? 14 YEARS OLD, WHY ARE WE WORRIED ABOUT A BACKGROUND CHECK. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY FOLLOWED BY RICK PFEIFFER. >>LUIS VIERA: CHIEF BENNETT, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION OUTSIDE REALLY FAST? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I HAVE TO START GOING BY THE CARDS. OTHERWISE I'M AFRAID I WILL BE PICKING THROUGH PAPER. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY. ON THE FEBRUARY THE 4th OF THIS MONTH, CHAD CHRONISTER, OUR SHERIFF, ARRESTED A 14-YEAR-OLD CHILD FOR HAVING GUNS. BUT WHAT WAS MOST DISTURBING, THE FACT THAT HE HAD SEX PARAPHERNALIA VIDEOS ON HIS COMPUTER THAT DEPICTED CHILDREN HAVING SEX WITH WHOMEVER. TALKING ABOUT TODDLERS AND BABIES. ALSO, ON THAT SAME DAY, LATER ON, WE KNOW HE HAD GUNS. ON NOVEMBER THE 6th, CHAD CHRONISTER, THE SHERIFF, HE RAIDED ALL THESE CONVENIENCE STORES OUT IN THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY THAT WAS SELLING GUNS, DRUGS, SEX TOYS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. WE SEE THAT THE $7 STORE, THAT WAS RAIDED, WAS SHUT DOWN FOR A FEW HOURS. AROUND THAT PERIMETER, THERE'S 132 REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS THAT IS THERE, THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE OF THE FDLE. WHAT WE'RE HERE SAYING, THE STATUTE HAS SPOKEN LOUDLY, THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ORDINANCE DONE BY THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SEX TOYS AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA AND DIFFERENT THINGS IN THESE STORES, CONVENIENCE STORES BE REMOVED. SO THAT'S WHY THESE PEOPLE HAVE COME. WE THE COMMUNITY IS STANDING FIRM THAT YOU ALL SHOULD MAKE TODAY, MAKE AN ORDINANCE TO GIVE SOME TEETH TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THEY CAN GO IN AND DO THEIR JOB. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHERIFF CHRONISTER SAID, WHEN CONVENIENCE STORES TURN INTO CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE SELLING POISON INSTEAD OF PRODUCTS, YOU WILL BE FOUND SHUT DOWN AND HELD FULLY ACCOUNTABLE. OUR DEPUTIES WILL CONTINUE TO DISMANTLE EVERY OPERATION THAT PRIORITIZE PROFIT OVER THE SAFETY OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITIZENS. THESE STORES IS A NUISANCE. OUR YOUTH ARE BEING -- THEY ARE BEING EXPOSED TO SEXUAL THINGS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO. FLORIDA IS THE THIRD IN THE NATION, THE THIRD IN THE NATION FOR SEX TRAFFICKING. YOU WONDER WHY WE HAVE SO MANY ISSUES OUT IN EAST TAMPA WHEN YOU ALLOW THESE CONVENIENCE STORES, RIGHT THERE FROM THE COUNTER TO SELL DRUGS OR GO IN THERE, THEY HAVE ALL THESE DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING, AND IT IS DOCUMENTED. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS DONE THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO RAID THESE PLACES. NOW WE'RE SAYING THE CITY, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEN WE MADE CALLS FOR THEM TO COME OUT AND DO THEIR JOB. THEY TOLD US TO GO TO CODE ENFORCEMENT. CODE ENFORCEMENT TOLD US TO GO TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHEN CLEARLY THE STATUTE READS THAT EACH MUNICIPALITY IS SUPPOSED TO CREATE THEIR OWN ORDINANCE. AND WE WANT AN ORDINANCE WITH TEETH IN IT TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. THIS SHOULDN'T EVEN BE AN ISSUE. IT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH. BUT BECAUSE IT IS IN THE PREDOMINANT EAST TAMPA AREA, NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE. WHAT WE THE PEOPLE, WE CARE, AND WE'RE SPEAKING BOLDLY THIS MORNING THAT IT BE DONE. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, BISHOP. THIS WILL BE THE ORDER -- THERE ARE FOUR SPEAKERS ON ON-AGENDA ITEMS. RICK PFEIFFER -- [INAUDIBLE] >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. RICK PFEIFFER, 1408 HANNA. I'M HERE ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 10, THE CAMERAS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY YOU PROBABLY ALL GOT MY E-MAIL BECAUSE I WAS CRANKY ABOUT IT. WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED IN LOS ANGELES, IN CHICAGO. WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENED ACROSS OCCUPIED MINNEAPOLIS AND INDEED THE ENTIREITY STAFF MINNESOTA. WHAT WE SEE HAS BEGUN IN PORTLAND MAINE. TOLD SPRINGFIELD OHIO WILL BE NEXT BECAUSE TRUMP CLAIMED HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS WERE EATING PEOPLE'S DOGS. NOW YOU WANT TO USE TAX DOLLARS TO SURVEIL EVERYONE THAT PASSES NEAR A SCHOOL 24/7/365. STOP. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT IS ILLEGAL TO USE THESE CAMERAS THAT WAY. AND IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT MR. CARLSON SENT ME YESTERDAY, I WENT LOOKING THROUGH IT. WELL, DOWN THERE UNDER THE FLORIDA STATUTE -- TITLE 23 WHERE IT DEALS WITH REGULATIONS IN SCHOOL ZONES, DOWN UNDER 15A, THAT LAST LINE IN 15A IS REALLY GOOD. IT APPEARS TO CONTAIN A CAVEAT ABLE TO FILL A DETENTION CENTER AS IT EXPRESSLY STATES THOSE CAMERAS CAN BE USED FOR PURPOSES OF DETERMINING CRIMINAL OR CIVIL LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTS CAPTURED BY THE SPEED DETECTION SYSTEM INCIDENTAL TO THE PERMISSIBLE USE OF THE DETECTION SYSTEM. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A REAL BIG GIANT LOOPHOLE THAT SOME ATTORNEY IS GOING TO EXPLOIT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A WORK-AROUND FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT SEEMS HELL-BENT ON LYING TO THE PUBLIC AND ACTING AS JUDGE, JURY, AND EXECUTIONER. FOR NEARLY 250 YEARS, LEGITIMATE LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS NOT HIDDEN THEIR FACE FROM THE PUBLIC. WHO HIDES THEIR FACES? HISTORICALLY, THAT'S BEEN THE KLAN, MILITIA COOKS AND NOW A BUNCH OF UNVETTED THUGS RIPPING A PAGE OUT OF THE PLAYBOOK OF NAZIS USED TO CREATE CHAOS IN THE REPUBLIC OF GERMANY. KIDNAPPING DISAPPEARING EXECUTING, SPYING AND LYING. WHY ARE WE MERRILY GOING ALONG WITH ERECTING A SURVEILLANCE STATE LIKE CUBA, CHINA, RUSSIA, AND OTHER AUTHORITARIAN COUNTRIES? NO TO THESE CAMERAS. NO TO COOPERATING WITH I.C.E. WE BUILT A MONSTER AFTER 9/11 IN THE FORM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. WE THOUGHT WE WERE PURCHASING SAFETY. WELL, OUR BUREAUCRATIC FRANKENSTEIN IS NOW MARCHING THROUGH OUR BILL OF RIGHTS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT EACH OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS SAY, I SUGGEST YOU GO BACK AND READ THE WORDS OF MR. MADISON ACTUALLY PENNED IN THERE AND NOT WHAT A.I. TELLS YOU. READ WHAT THEY ARE DOING. OUR LEADERS, YOU NEED TO RECALL THE WISE WORDS OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, YOU HAVE A REPUBLIC IF YOU CAN KEEP IT AND THOSE THAT GIVE UP SECURITY -- LIBERTY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. GREG, ARE YOU IN THE AUDIENCE? ARE YOU ON AN AGENDA ITEM? >> YES. GOOD MORNING. GREG PARKS. HERE ON ITEM 10. I AM WITH RED SPEED. WE ARE THE PROPOSED VENDOR FOR THE CITY'S CONTRACT. WE'VE HAD THE CONTRACT WITH -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ARE YOU -- I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD, SIR. >> GREG PARKS WITH RED SPEED. I WANTED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN. WE SERVE ABOUT 50 COMMUNITIES IN FLORIDA. ABOUT 70 IN GEORGIA WITH SCHOOL ZONE SAFETY CAMERAS. THERE IS NO TAXPAYER EXPENSE. THEY ARE 100% FUNDED BY VIOLATORS. WE'VE HAD THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY FOR SOME TIME NOW. SPEEDING IS DOWN 90%, LESS THAN 10% OF THE PEOPLE GET A SECOND TICKET. IT'S A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. IT'S DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED SAFETY IN ALL THESE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. THOSE RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT. AND THERE ARE NO FLOCK ALPRs. WE HAVE NO RELATIONSHIP WITH I.C.E. WE'RE SIMPLY IN THE SCHOOL SAFETY BUSINESS. I WANTED TO CLEAR UP ANY MISCONCEPTION AND LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM HERE IF NEED BE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, SIR. MR. SHELBY. >>MARTIN SHELBY: CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY. JUST A REMINDER, UNLESS I'M WRONG, PLEASE DO CORRECT ME. I BELIEVE NUMBER 10 IS STILL ON THE CONSENT DOCKET AND HAS NOT BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL. PULLED FOR COMMENT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY DISCUSSION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: RIGHT. >>MARTIN SHELBY: IT'S NOT BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND NOT REMOVED FOR THE STAFF REPORT. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU INTEND TO STOP THE AGENDA TO TAKE UP ITEM 10 FOR FULL DISCUSSION OR JUST COMMENT AND MOVE ON. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE WILL GET THERE WHEN WE GET THERE. JOHN GREEN FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE POYNOR. >> GOOD MORNING. JOHN GREENE. I WANT TO START WITH A QUESTION. HOW OFTEN DO YOU WALK INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE OR A GROCERY STORE IN YOUR DISTRICT AND SEE SEX TOYS ON DISPLAY? IF YOU DID SEE THEM, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IMMEDIATE REACTION, THOUGHTS, RESPONSE IF YOU HAD ANY OF YOUR RELATIVES WHO ARE KIDS WITH YOU. SOME OF MY FACTS THAT I NOTICED, SEX TOYS ARE BEING SOLD IN THESE STORES, AND WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU EVIDENCE OF PICTURES THAT WAS TAKEN IN THE STORES. NUMBER TWO, ONE STORE REMOVED THE ITEMS IMMEDIATELY. ANOTHER SAID THAT IT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY. THE POLICE AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO SELL THEM. OUR QUESTION, WAS IT A PRIOR PROBLEM FOR THEM TO GET THAT APPROVAL? I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION. THERE IS CONFUSION ON WHAT DEPARTMENTS OR AGENCIES HANDLE THESE COMPLAINTS WHEN A CONSTITUENT IN YOUR DISTRICT IS CALLED TO COMPLAIN, WHO CAN ONE CALL AND WHERE CAN WE MAKE THESE COMPLAINTS? FOUR, FLORIDA STATUTE 847011 IS CLEAR ON OBSCENE MATERIALS. AND THIS SHOULD -- AND IT ALSO SPEAKS TO KNOWINGLY SELLING AND ADVERTISING. THESE STORES, JUST TO NAME A COUPLE. FIFTH. MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR CHILDREN SHOULD BE ABLE TO WALK INTO ANY CONVENIENCE STORE, LOCAL GROCERY STORE KNOWING THAT IT'S FREE OF SEX AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. ALL WE ARE ASKING FOR IS RESPECT AND DIGNITY. FOR OUR CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR CONSIDERING THE ISSUE IN CREATING A PATHWAY FOR US ADULTS TO SAVE OUR BABIES' MINDS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. GREENE. STEPHANIE POYNOR FOLLOWED BY ASHLEY MORROW. STEPHANIE POYNOR. >> GOOD MORNING, STEPHANIE POYNOR. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YOU HAVE 66 AGENDA ITEMS. AND YOU SAY YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO ALL OF THEM. >> I ALREADY HAVE. I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THIS. THIS PowerPoint PAGE IS VAGUE AT BEST. YOU WANT A MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, I WANT TO KNOW, LET'S SEE, THIS CONTRACT, WHAT 44 JOBS, WHAT COMPANIES CAME HERE? I'M SORRY, WHAT WERE THE 44 PROJECTS. I HOPE LIKE HECK THEY ARE NOT IN SOG. THE JOBS IN LINE -- WHERE ARE THEY IN THE OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HAND BOOK WHICH IS PRODUCED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. IT IS A REALLY GREAT THING TO LEARN FROM. BUT THIS IS VAGUE AT BEST. I REALLY KIND OF HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH IT. I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ISSUES WITH THE THING. SPECIAL EVENTS, THE AUDIT CAME BACK, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A SPECIAL EVENTS LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET FROM NOW ON SO THAT WE CAN KEEP UP WITH WHERE ALL THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM A WHOLE LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF TRACKING. I LOOKED AT THIS -- I DEFERRED TO CARROLL ANN ON ALL THINGS TREE ON A REGULAR BASIS. I LOOKED AT THE TREE LIST THE OTHER DAY, 51 TYPES OF TREES ON HERE, BUT HALF OF THEM ARE TYPE 3 TREES WHICH ARE POOP TREES. CRAPPY TREES, NOT GOOD TREES. WHY DO WE HAVE A LIST OF TYPE ONE AND TWO THAT AREN'T AS BIG AS THE THREE ALL BY THEMSELVES. SO I ECHO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT CARROLL ANN SAID. WE MET WITH CHIEF BENNETT, HAD A GOOD MEETING ABOUT THAT. I SUPPORT THE WATER DEPARTMENT GETTING THEIR FUNDS FOR THIS ONE PROJECT EVER. THE SIDEWALK IN LIEU OF FEES ON NUMBER 48 THAT -- OH, WE DON'T TOUCH OTHER SIDEWALKS. WELL, EVENTUALLY YOU WILL. EVENTUALLY YOU WILL. AS I WAS HANDING OUT PALM CARDS THIS WEEK, I NOTICED ALL THE SIDEWALKS THAT STARTED TO CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER. NUMBER 10, IF THE SCHOOL CAMERAS ARE ONLY FOR SCHOOLS, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. BUT IF FLOCK IS IN THE CONTRACT, AND THEY DO WHAT IT SAYS PER THE CONTRACT, THEN WE NEED TO HAVE THAT REMOVED FROM THE CONTRACT, NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE'LL GET TO TALK ON THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD. I HIGHLY SUPPORT MS. FRAN TATE. I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES PERSONALLY. BUT I KNOW THAT SHE WOULD BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE IN THE DECISIONS THAT SHE MAKES DEALING WITH NEIGHBORS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR PROPERTY. AND IF IN DOUBT, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I SAID, YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY NEW WEBSITE THAT MICHAEL BISHOP MADE FOR ME. IT IS POYNOR AGENDA.REVIEW. AND READ WHAT I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT CITY COUNCIL'S AGENDA EVERY WEEK. I HIGHLIGHT THE MOST IMPORTANT STUFF IN WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL COLORS. WE HAVE STARTED A NEW SHOW ON MONDAY NIGHTS AT 6:30 CALLED THE AGENDA. AND MR. HYCH WENT HOME TO UPLOAD TO YouTube SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH IT LATER STARTING TODAY. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ASHLEY MORROW, FOLLOWED BY LUCY LEAN JAMES. >> ASHLEY MORROW, SHARING BLACK HISTORY. 1872, WRITES THAT SHE WANTS A RESPECTABLE BURIAL AND LEAVES HER BELONGINGS TO SOLOMON STANTON ONE OF THE TRUSTEES OF BEULAH BAPTIST CHURCH. AND ALSO LEAVES TO NIECES. I BELIEVE NANCY DESERVES RECOGNITION NOT TIED TO ENSLAVER WILLIAM ASHLEY BUT AS ONE OF THE EARLIEST BLACK WOMEN IN TAMPA WHOSE WORDS WERE RECORDED. AFTER EMANCIPATION IN 1870, SINCE THE RECORD SHOWS, NANCY STAYS WITH WILLIAM AND LISTED AS HIS COOK, SOME PEOPLE INTERPRET THAT AS DEVOTION, BUT THERE ARE MANY REASONS FORMERLY ENSLAVED BLACK WOMAN WOULD STAY. ECONOMICALLY POSITIONED IN THE WILL HE WROTE IN 1857. HER ALTERNATE WAS BEING -- HER ALTERNATE WAS LIVING IN POVERTY. SO NOBODY WANTS THAT. STAYING WAS NOT ROMANCE. IT WAS SURVIVAL. WILLIAM DIES IN 1871. NANCY DIES TWO YEARS LATER, 1873. IT IS NOT LOST ON ME THAT NANCY WAITS UNTIL AFTER HIS DEATH TO WRITE HER OWN WILL. NOW THERE'S BEEN RUMORS THAT NANCY WAS SECRETLY BURIED NEXT TO WILLIAM BUT THE RECORDS SHOW THAT THERE WERE ACTUALLY RECEIPTS FOR HER COFFIN, RIBBONS, NEWSPAPER ADS GOING OUT LOOKING FOR HER HEIRS, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED HERE. NANCY'S ESTATE PASSES TO SOLOMON STANTON AND ONE OF THE TRUSTEES OF BEULAH BAPTIST. AFTER A WHILE, THERE IS SILENCE. AND THE SILENCE MATTERS. BECAUSE IT'S NOT UNTIL THE 1820s THAT ALL OF THIS RACIAL VIOLENCE STARTS -- WELL, IT WAS ALREADY GOING. IT REALLY REVS UP BECAUSE THE KKK REALLY PUMPS UP IN 1920s. AT THE SAME TIME, THE FLORIDA LAND BOOM COLLAPSES IN 1926. TOURISM IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN TAMPA, EVEN UNTIL TODAY. AND THERE IS A BUS IN 1926, AS I WAS SAYING, AND ALSO A LOT OF RACIAL VIOLENCE GOING ON IN THE 1920s. THESE ARE ALL FROM THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE, AND THERE ARE SIX HERE, BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE, AND THERE WERE MULTIPLE DEATHS IN EACH OF THESE. YOU ALL CAN LOOK THEM UP YOURSELVES. THE MASSACRES, WHITE MOB LYNCHINGS. 1929, TWO NEWSPAPER ARTICLES DISTANCING TAMPA FROM LYNCHING VIOLENCE IN SURROUNDING COUNTIES. TAMPA IS POSITIONING ITSELF AS A SAFE MODERN RESPECTABLE SPACE AND CONVENIENTLY WE SEE ANOTHER 1929 ARTICLE, THIS IS THE FIRST MENTION OF THE COUPLE SHE WAS HER SLAVE AND HE LOVED HER. LOVE STORY APPEARS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE ARE ALL GOOD AND TAMPA IS AN AMAZING SPACE. WE KNOW WE MAKE UP STORIES LIKE PIRATES FOR GASPARILLA. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, ASHLEY. WE DON'T HAVE REAL PIRATES? >> WE DO NOT HAVE REAL PIRATES. [ LAUGHTER ] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ARGHH. LUCY JAMES. >> SHE IS WITH THE NON-AGENDA ITEMS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE ARE ON THE NON-AGENDA ITEMS NOW. ROBERT JAMES. OKAY. ONE AT A TIME. START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> ROBERT JAMES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. WE WERE HERE TWO WEEKS AGO. LIKE I SAID, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE URGENT PROJECT AND ALL THE BENEFITS AND MAYOR CASTOR'S ACHILLES' HEEL THAT SHE EXPRESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION AND HOW WE CAN SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY. WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE BENEFITS THAT WE CAN GIVE TO THE CITY WITH THEIR FLEETS AND THE OTHER DEPLOYMENTS WE'VE DONE, THE CONNECTED VEHICLE PILOT THAT WAS DONE AND HOW WE'LL EXPAND THAT A THOUSAND TIMES BY ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO DEPLOY IT CITYWIDE. THIS IS OUR TEAM. SO I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP FROM WHAT WE PRESENTED THERE WITH WHERE WE ARE AT RIGHT NOW. IT WAS GREAT THAT YOU HAD THE HEROES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION. I THINK THOSE BOYS WERE INCREDIBLE WHAT THEY DID SAVING LIVES. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE ALL YOU GUYS A CHANCE TO BE HEROES LIKE THEM. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, HERE TO SAVE LIVES. JUST TAKING A LOOK AT WHICH ONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES MIGHT BE PART OF THIS. TWO WEEKS HAVE GONE BY. THREE FATALITIES AND 92 CRASHES COULD BE PREVENTED WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY FOR EVERY TWO WEEKS THAT GOES BY THAT WE ADDRESS HERE. WE REALLY SEE THAT THIS IS A LIFE SAVING TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CAN HELP YOU GUYS INCORPORATE. AGAIN, IMMEDIATE BENEFITS, WE CAN PUT THIS APP ON YOUR FLEET VEHICLES, AND ALL THE RESIDENTS CAN HAVE THIS APP. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SHOWING ON THE LEFT, WE GOT NO DATA. ONCE WE GET DATA, WE CAN START SHOWING YOU EXACTLY WHAT SPEEDS TO GO TO, TO HIT THE GREEN LIGHT TO IMPROVE FUEL EFFICIENCY. PEDESTRIANS THAT ARE IN THAT RIGHT-OF-WAY, BE ABLE TO ALERT YOU, NONLINE OF SIGHT, WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE BEHIND A TRUCK, YOU CAN STILL DETECT A PEDESTRIAN WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY. WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU AND UPDATE YOU THAT WE REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE IN THE EFFORTS YOU'RE DOING TO SAVE LIVES AND JUST WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU. AGAIN, MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WILL TALK ABOUT OTHER BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: VERY GOOD. MS. JAMES. LARRY, YOU WANT TO GO NEXT. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M LARRY DUKE. I WANTED TO JUST PIGGYBACK ON WHAT ROBERT JUST SAID. WE HAVE SAVINGS LIVES, OBVIOUSLY AS ONE OF THE HUGE ADVANTAGES OF THE PRODUCT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TWO MAJOR POINTS HERE. THE FIRST ONE IS, OUR SOLUTION WILL SAVE THE CITY 12 TO $18 MILLION ANNUALLY. SO I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT TODAY IN THIS MEETING ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD USE SOME MONEY TO HELP. OBVIOUSLY, THIS ISN'T GOING TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING. BUT IT'S A HUGE START. AND THE SECOND POINT IS THIS. WE WILL FULLY DEPLOY AND MAINTAIN THIS SOLUTION AT NO COST TO THE CITY. HERE IS YOUR 12 MILLION. JUST LET US GET TO WORK. LET US START SAVING LIVES. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS RIGHT? HERE'S SOME OF THE DATA DRIVEN BENCHMARKS, THE KEY SOURCES THAT WE'RE USING. THE CITY OF TAMPA FLEET DATA HAS 3887 VEHICLES. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CRASH STATISTICS INDICATE 27 TO 28 THOUSAND TOTAL ANNUAL CRASHES. APPLYING THAT TO MUNICIPAL BENCHMARKS, THAT HE IS A 1 TO 1.5 PERCENT -- THAT IS A 1 TO 1.5 PERCENT. $400 PER YEAR PER VEHICLE IN SAVINGS. FUEL EFFICIENCY SAVINGS, 8 TO 12 PERCENT REDUCTION FROM TAMPA FLEET FUEL, SPEND OF 18 TO 22 MILLION ANNUALLY. CRASH COST AVERAGES ARE 20,000 TO 50,000 PER MUNICIPAL VEHICLE INCIDENT FOR LIABILITY AND PROPERTY. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT REDUCTIONS OF 15 TO 25 PERCENT THERE. AND THAT'S BASED ON SOME VERIFIABLE TEST RESULTS THAT HAPPENED HERE IN THIS CITY BACK BETWEEN 2018 AND 2020. IT WAS CALLED THE TAMPA CV PILOT OUTCOMES. WE'RE BRINGING SOME VERIFIABLE RESULTS. WE'RE JUST EXPANDING ON IT. INCIDENT RESPONSE BENCHMARKS, 25 TO 40 PERCENT EFFICIENCY GAINS FROM AVL, YIELDING A 1.5 TO $3 MILLION IN OVERTIME DISPATCH SAVINGS. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE'RE SAVING THIS MONEY TOTALING THE 12 TO $18 MILLION. IT'S INCREDIBLE. ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY IS A LETTER OF INTENT, WHICH IS BASICALLY A NONBINDING PROCESS TO START THE NEXT CONVERSATION. THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR. THERE'S NO COMMITMENT ON THE CITY'S PART. IT'S JUST ASKING FOR THAT FORMAL OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE NEXT KIND OF A LITTLE MORE FORMAL NEXT-STEP PROCESS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MS. JAMES, YOU'RE NEXT. START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING. FIRST, MY NAME IS LUCY JAMES. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US. I LIKE TO MAKE A LITTLE COMMENT HERE. I HAVE A DAUGHTER, TOO, THAT DRIVES A LOT NOW, AND I LOVE TO KNOW THAT SHE WILL BE SAFE IN TRAFFIC. I LIKE THIS TECHNOLOGY, AND I FEEL LIKE I CAN TRUST A LOT IN THIS TECHNOLOGY. I LIKE TO SEE THIS GO FROM US TO GO TO -- YOU GUYS REMEMBER THE FLINTSTONES RIGHT? GOES FROM THE FLINTSTONES TO THE JETSONS. YOU GUYS FAMILIAR WITH THAT? OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IT GOES FROM FLINTSTONES THAT PEDAL TO THE JETSONS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, AND THIS IS SOMETHING FOR ALL OF YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. >> THANK YOU. I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN MIRANDA IS GOING TO ASK A QUESTION. YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT OFF-LINE. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE AILEEN HENDERSON FOLLOWED BY ROBIN LOCKETT. OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE PASTOR WILLIAMS. MS. HENDERSON. >> MY FIRST TIME USING THIS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IT'S WORKING. IF YOU WANT TO ZOOM IT IN, THERE IS A WHEEL ON THE TOP. >> WHERE IT SAYS LARGER? [ LAUGHTER ] GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, I WAS TOLD -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: START WITH YOUR NAME. >> AILEEN HENDERSON. SORRY. THOUGHT EVERYBODY KNEW WHO I WAS. NOT TO BE SO ANGRY, YEAH, I'M PRETTY HOT. SO I AM GOING TO BE ANGRY. YES, IS THAT PASSION? YEAH, IT IS. BUT I'M PRETTY TICKED OFF. JUST GOING TO LET YOU KNOW. WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT -- I HAVE A LOT TO UNPACK, SO I'LL TRY TO GET IT ALL IN. YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS SOMETHING THAT I ACQUIRED YESTERDAY. IT'S A GPR FOR COLIN FOR 3203 WEST ST. JOHN STREET. REMEMBER THE GPI DONE WHEN THE RABBIS PULLED OUT OF THE DEAL. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS CORRECT. TIMELINE IS CORRECT. SORRY, ENTERPRISE WANTS THEIR CAR BACK. ON A WHIM IN AN INQUIRY TO YOUR DEPARTMENT HERE WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS CAME FROM. THIS EXISTS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA RIGHT NOW. IRONICALLY WHEN THEY DID THAT RULING AND APPROVED HIS APPLICATION, THEY DIDN'T USE THIS. WHAT IS THIS? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE ARE ANOMALIES FOUND ON THAT PROPERTY. 16 SPOTS, BUT YET THIS APPLICATION THAT WAS DENIED IN 2021 WAS APPROVED IN 2025. BUT THIS DOCUMENT EXISTED. DOES IT SAY THAT THERE ARE GRAVES THERE? NO. IT DOESN'T. THAT'S NOT HOW GPRs WORK. BUT HERE'S WHAT IT DOES SAY. AFTER CONDUCTING GPR SCANS, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY MULTIPLE ANOMALIES IN THIS ONE-ACRE PIECE OF LAND. WE CAN'T DETERMINE THE ORIGIN OF THE ANOMALIES, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE WANTED, RIGHT? COUNCIL ADVISED THE RABBIS TO GO BACK AND DO THE GPR AND THEY DID AND THEY QUICKLY PULLED OUT OF THAT DEAL, LET ME REMIND YOU. HERE IS THAT DOCUMENTATION. THAT THE GRAVES ARE MORE THAN LIKELY THERE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING. HISTORY DICTATES IT. ALREADY BUILT OVER COLUMBUS. AND THE PLAZA AND DEADMAN'S FIELD. THIS IS REAL. THERE ARE BODIES HERE. HE IS GOING TO GET HIS UTILITIES PUT IN MARCH 1st. THIS IS A WHITE MAN ERASING BLACK AND BROWN HISTORY. AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT I SAY THAT. I DON'T CARE, BECAUSE IT'S TRUTH. I'M NOT MAKING IT UP. THIS IS BLACK AND BROWN HISTORY. WEST TAMPA'S HISTORY. TAMPA'S HISTORY. MAKE IT STOP, AND YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHO IS TELLING YOU DON'T. AS LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, ABSOLUTELY YOU DO. 28 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HERE WITH THE GOVERNMENT. I KNOW WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO, AND YOU CAN MAKE THIS STOP. BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, I'VE ALREADY REPORTED THIS TO THE FLORIDA MASTER SITE THIS SPECIFIC SPOT. WE'RE GOING TO GET AUTHORITIES INVOLVED WITH THIS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MS. HENDERSON. >> THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ROBIN LOCKETT FOLLOWED BY PASTOR WILLIAMS AND THAT WILL BE THE LAST PUBLIC SPEAKER. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. ROBIN LOCKETT. A COUPLE OF ITEMS. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO IDENTIFY AND ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE TWO YOUNG MEN. CAN'T REMEMBER THEIR NAMES BUT REMEMBER THEIR EFFORT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THAT'S WHAT SHE CALLED THEM. I GREW UP IN ROBLES PARK. LOOK WHERE I AM THROUGH ALL THE TRAVELS, THE JOURNEYS, THE MISHAPS, A SINGLE MOM. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SURVIVAL. THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU LEARN. ROBLES PARK WAS A VILLAGE. IT WAS A VILLAGE, RIGHT? I'M SO PROUD OF THEM. THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT FOR THEM. CONVENIENCE STORES. I FIND IT DISTURBING WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE SEX TOYS AT THE CONVENIENCE STORES, I FIND IT DISTURBING. IT SHOULDN'T BE, RIGHT? BUT HOW DO WE LOOK AT THIS IN A LARGER FRAME, NOT JUST WITH SILVER DOLLAR? HOW DO WE LOOK AT ALL OF THESE CONVENIENCE STORES THAT SELL BAD FOOD, THAT SELL SEX THINGS, THAT SELL DRUGS, THAT SELL WEED OR WHATEVER, HOW DO WE LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN A LARGER REALM TO BRING THEM IN ORDER, TO BRING SOME TYPE OF ORDER TO THEM? RIGHT? BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE IDEA OF CONVENIENCE IS THAT IT'S CONVENIENT FOR THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? BUT WE WANT QUALITY THINGS IN THE STORE. WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE STORE AND GO IN AS A KID AND LEAVE AS A KID. NOT HAVE SOMETHING INTRODUCED TO THEM LIKE A SEX TOY. SO I SUPPORT IF THERE IS AN ORDINANCE OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE THAT CAN CLEAN THIS UP, BUT LET'S LOOK AT THIS DEEPER. BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST SEX TOYS. IT IS THE BAD FOOD. IT IS THE EXPIRED FOOD. IT IS THE DIRTY PARKING LOT. CODE ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE FINING THEM. THIS IS THE ONLY AREA I SEE THAT FAMILY DOLLAR CONVENIENCE STORES HAVE DIRTY PARKING LOTS. TRASH EVERYWHERE. SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME CHANGES IN THAT. THE CAMERAS. NOW, WHEN I HEARD THE FIRST PRESENTATION OF THE CAMERAS WITH THE SCHOOL ZONES, IF MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT, AND I CLAIM OLDER, NOT OLD, IT WAS SAID THAT THOSE CAMERAS WOULD ONLY BE ON DURING SCHOOL HOURS. THAT'S IT. DURING SCHOOL HOURS. IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, SOMEONE READ THE CONTRACT, IT'S NOT WHETHER FOLK OR WHATEVER THE GROUP'S NAME HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH IT, IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY, BECAUSE OF THE WORDING IN THE CONTRACT, I.C.E. CAN GET THE INFORMATION FROM THEM. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, ROBIN. PASTOR WILLIAMS, YOU'RE UP. BRING IT HOME. YOU ARE THE GRAND FINALE. MAKE IT BIG. >> I THANK YOU ALL FOR WAITING ON ME. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: GOOD MORNING, SIR. START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> PASTOR WILLIAMS, FRANK WILLIAMS. 1112 EAST SCOTT STREET. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN COMING DOWN HERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU ALL DO NOTHING FOR ME. DON'T DO NOTHING FOR PEOPLE THAT COME UP AND COMPLAIN. BUT WE ARE THE SOURCE OF EVERYTHING. AND YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING BUT YOU ALL DON'T WANT US TO DO THE RIGHT THING. YOU ARE BLOCKING FROM US DOING THE RIGHT THING AND DO WHAT YOU ALL WANT TO DO. I CAME DOWN HERE MANY YEARS AGO WHEN THINGS WERE A LOT BETTER. NOW IT'S GETTING WORSE AND WORSER. WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS TRAFFIC STUFF, SEX TOYS IS ABOUT AND DON'T WANT TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT SEX TOY. I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE REAL THING. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND. WE ARE HERE TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR ALL PEOPLE, NOT JUST ME. YOU ALL AIN'T GOING TO DO NOTHING FOR ME. MY WATER STILL CUT OFF. NOBODY COME BY THERE AND TELL ME, BUT THEY ARE SENDING ME A BILL EVERY MONTH. ISN'T THAT SOMETHING? I JUST IGNORE IT AND THROW IT IN THE GARBAGE AND THAT'S WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, MY DAUGHTER IS 65 YEARS OLD. DON'T SAY THE WRONG THING. WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING? YOU ALL DON'T WANT TO DO NOTHING. MAYBE WE NEED TO INVITE DONALD TRUMP TO SIT IN YOUR PLACE. HE'LL GET THINGS STRAIGHTENED OUT RIGHT QUICK WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY HE IS. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, WE ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. WANT YOU ALL TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT YOU DON'T CARE. YOU DON'T CARE. BUT WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT. WE ARE NOTHING BUT CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I THINK TAMPA, FLORIDA, ONE OF THE UNIONS, TAMPA FLORIDA, MID PACIFIC. STILL IN THE UNION. WE DON'T GET NO RESPECT. MISSISSIPPI MORE RESPECT THAN ANYBODY BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. GOD BLESS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, PASTOR. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO GET UNANIMOUS CONSENT, INITIALLY DURING AGENDA REVIEW PLACED ITEM 60 AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WE HAVE SOME BOARD APPOINTMENTS, COORDINATE WITH THE CLERK, THEY ASKED THAT WE MOVE THAT UP AND FLIP IT. BOARD APPOINTMENTS FIRST AND THEN ITEM 60, ANYBODY OBJECT TO THAT? VERY GOOD. UNANIMOUS CONSENT. WE WILL ADDRESS ITEM 4 NOW BECAUSE THERE ARE APPLICANTS IN THE AUDIENCE FOR THAT. I BELIEVE OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CLERK IS COMING TO THE PODIUM. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. QUIWANAKI RAMSEY, DEPUTY ASSISTANT CITY CLERK. I'M HERE TO PRESENT FIVE APPLICANTS APPLYING FOR POSITIONS ON THE CODE ENFORCEMENT NUISANCE ABATEMENT BOARD. COUNCIL HAS TWO APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE THIS MORNING. ONE TO FILL THE VACANT REGULAR MEMBER POSITION THAT WAS FORMERLY HELD BY GOOD MORNING GILBERT TORREZ RUIZ WHOSE TERM EXPIRED AND ONE TO REPLACE THE VACANT ALTERNATE MEMBER POSITION THAT WAS FORMERLY HELD BY BOARD MEMBER JAMES CHIDEN, EXPIRED APRIL 15, 2024. PREVIOUSLY, SIX APPLICANTS. ONE HAS WITHDRAWN FROM CONSIDERATION. APPLICANTS ARE REMINDED THAT THEY HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS COUNCIL. AND THE FIRST APPLICANT IS RICARDO HERNANDEZ. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS RICARDO HERNANDEZ. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING CONSIDERED FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORK. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. GENERAL CONTRACTOR, I HOLD CIVIL ENGINEER DEGREE, TOO. COMPANY, EVERY DAY WORK WITH BUILDING DEPARTMENTS, HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION INSPECTOR. I KNOW THE CODE AND I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE TO SERVE AND DO EVERYTHING COMPLIANCE TO THE RULES, TO THE CODE, AND TO THE FLORIDA STATUTE 162. SERVE, I AM 45 YEARS OLD RIGHT NOW. AND I BELIEVE WITH MY EXPERTISE IS MY STAGE TO DO MORE FOR OUR COMMUNITY THAT I ALREADY CALL HOME. I HAVE A SON. HE IS NINE YEARS OLD. FOR EXAMPLE, THREE YEARS AGO, WE STARTED A SMALL PROJECT TO TAKE CATS FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, STERILIZE, SPAY AND PUT IN A SHELTER. I INVITE YOU FOR THE NEXT WEEK, BECAUSE WE PRESENT A SMALL PROJECT FOR OUR SCHOOL. IT'S REALLY, REALLY WHO I AM. REALLY, REALLY I HAVE THE COMMITMENT, THE INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THIS WORK DONE BASED TO THE CODE AND THE RULES. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. HERNANDEZ. DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE QUESTION, DO YOU CURRENTLY SERVE ON ANY OTHER BOARDS? >> NO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THE NEXT APPLICANT IS FRAN TATE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. MS. TATE. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, CHAIR. I AM FRAN TATE. I AM THE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE JACKSON HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND COMMUNITY SAFETY WATCH. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE EAST TAMPA CAC BOARD. TODAY, I STAND BEFORE YOU AS APPLICANT FOR AN ALTERNATE SEAT ON THE CODE ENFORCEMENT NUISANCE ABATEMENT BOARD. WHY? I AM A 20-YEAR SINCERELY DEDICATED HARDWORKING EXPERIENCED KNOWLEDGEABLE AND UNDERSTANDING DISTRICT LEADER OF MY DISTRICT. THIS HAS INSPIRED ME TO APPLY FOR THE SEAT. I CONSTANTLY WITNESS RULE BREAKERS, BUILDING CODE BREAKERS, ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND BUSINESSES THAT PRACTICE UNSAFE BEHAVIOR AND UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR. I LISTENED TO BISHOP PATTY, AND I SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT SHE HAS SAID TODAY. I WAS ABLE TO SIT IN ON YESTERDAY CODE ENFORCEMENT HEARING AND WITNESS THE PROCESS. IN MY COMMUNITY, I HAD A STORE THAT DID UNETHICAL PRACTICING. I WAS ABLE TO COMBAT THAT. I WANT TO OFFER MY HELP TO BISHOP PATTY AND WHAT IS GOING ON IN THAT STORE. THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION THAT SHOULD BE JOINING BISHOP PATTY. FOR SOME REASON, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF I AM SELECTED AS AN ALTERNATE, I WILL ASK FOR TEETH IN THE CODES BECAUSE THERE IS A WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT SITUATION. I TOOK CARE OF THE SITUATIONS IN MY MOM AND POP STORE. MY MOM AND POP STORE NOW ARE PERMANENT MEMBERS OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND THEY FOLLOW EACH AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS ASKED OF THEM. IT CAN BE DONE AT THAT STORE THAT BISHOP PATTY IS FIGHTING AGAINST. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MS. TATE, I HEARD YOU SERVE ON THE CAC. >> YES, I DO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: DO YOU SERVE ON ANY OTHER BOARDS? >> NO, I DON'T. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SIR. >> NEXT IS JOHN TEIXIDO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: JOHN TEIXIDO, ARE YOU IN THE HOUSE? JOHN TEIXIDO. >> NEXT WE HAVE MICHAEL WOMACK. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MICHAEL WOMACK. START WITH YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL, CHAIR. MY NAME IS MICHAEL WOMACK. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. TAMPA ISN'T JUST WHERE I WORK. IT'S A HOME. IT'S WHERE I'VE BUILT RELATIONSHIPS, INVESTED IN COMMUNITIES AND HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING ALONGSIDE RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. THAT LOVE OF TAMPA IS WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TODAY. IN MY PROFESSIONAL WORK IN COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH A WIDE RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS, RESIDENTS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ADVOCATES, LOCAL LEADERS LIKE YOURSELVES. ONE THING IS VERY CLEAR ACROSS ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS. PEOPLE WANT SAFE, CLEAN, AND THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY WANT TO FEEL HEARD AND THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THEIR CITY IS RESPONSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE. IF APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION, MY GOAL WOULD BE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH CITY STAFF AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO ENSURE THE DECISIONS ARE NOT ONLY CONSISTENT WITH OUR ORDINANCES, BUT ALSO GROUNDED IN COMMON SENSE AND A LOVE FOR A COMMUNITY. TAMPA IS GROWING. WE'RE EVOLVING, AND WE ARE FULL OF OPPORTUNITY. AND WITH THAT GROWTH BECOMES -- I'M SORRY -- BECOMES RESPONSIBILITY. TO MAINTAIN THE CHARACTER OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO ENSURE THAT PROGRESS BENEFITS EVERYONE. IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY AND TO GIVE BACK TO A CITY THAT HAS GIVEN SO MUCH TO ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. WOMACK, DO YOU SERVE ON ANY OTHER COMMITTEES? >> NO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. YES SIR. >>LUIS VIERA: JUST AS A DISCLOSURE, MR. WOMACK HAS WORKED WITH MY CAMPAIGN FOR STATE HOUSE. HAS NO BEARING WHATSOEVER ON MY VOTE TODAY. IT'S NOT AN ETHICAL ISSUE WHATSOEVER. I JUST MAKE THAT GOING ABOVEBOARD I GUESS. THANKS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: FULL DISCLOSURE SAME. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. >> FINALLY, WE HAVE DYLAN YOUNG. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: DYLAN YOUNG, ARE YOU IN THE AUDIENCE? GOING ONCE ... GOING TWICE ... GONE. OKAY. >> COUNCIL, YOU SHOULD HAVE VOTE SHEETS. AGAIN, WE DO HAVE TWO POSITIONS. ONE REGULAR MEMBER POSITION, AND ONE ALTERNATE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I HEARD FRAN SAY SHE WAS RUNNING FOR THE ALTERNATE SPOT. HANDWRITE ALTERNATE NEXT TO IT. FRAN SAID SHE WAS RUNNING FOR THE ALTERNATE SPOT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THIS IS THE BOARD I STARTED ON MANY YEARS AGO. COUNCILMAN MIRANDA WAS HERE. I WAS AN ALTERNATE. SO EVEN BEING AN ALTERNATE, I CAME TO ALMOST ALL THE MEETINGS. YOU DO GET INVOLVED IN IT, AND IT IS A VERY INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE INTO THE COMMUNITY. YOU LEARN A LOT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I STARTED ON THE CITIZEN CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SING? >> NO. [ LAUGHTER ] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WOULD YOU LIKE COUNCILMAN VIERA, WHAT IS THAT CALLED? I KNOW IT'S NOT SINGING. SCREECHING. >>LYNN HURTAK: SPEAKING IN RHYTHM. RHYTHMIC SPEAKING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WAITING, WE ARE GOING TO HEAR ITEM 60 AND THEN BREAK FOR LUNCH. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR ANYTHING BEYOND 60. IF YOU ARE WAITING HERE FOR SOMETHING ELSE, YOU GUYS GO ENJOY YOUR LUNCH AND WE'LL SEE YOU HERE AT 1:30. >> COUNCIL, YOU HAVE SELECTED FRAN TATE UNANIMOUSLY FOR THE ALTERNATE POSITION. YOU HAVE ALSO SELECTED MICHAEL WOMACK FOR THE POSITION WITH VOTES THAT WERE RECEIVED BY MANISCALCO CLENDENIN YOUNG VIERA, AND CARLSON. RICARDO HERNANDEZ ALSO RECEIVED VOTES FROM MIRANDA AND HURTAK. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CONGRATULATIONS TO THE APPLICANTS. NOW GO DO GOOD WORK. WE NEED A MOTION TO DIRECT MR. SHELBY TO BRING THE RESOLUTION TO COUNCIL ON WHAT DATE? >>MARTIN SHELBY: NEXT REGULAR MEETING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: NEXT REGULAR MEETING. MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. >>LUIS VIERA: DID I SEE SEBASTIAN IN THE AUDIENCE? MICHAEL, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU GET MR. RICARDO THERE HIS INFORMATION. WE CAN GO OUT FOR COFFEE, IF YOU DON'T MIND. I WANTED TO DO THAT. THANK YOU, SIR. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THERE HE IS. TOO LATE. TOO LATE. PER OUR AGENDA REVIEW, WE ARE NOW GOING TO HEAR ITEM NUMBER 60. AFTER THIS ITEM WE'RE TAKING A LUNCH. >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: DANA CROSBY COLLIER, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I'M HERE TO ADDRESS ITEM NUMBER 60. GOING TO PUT THE MOTION DOWN ON THE SCREEN SO WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING. WE'RE RESPONDING TO COUNCIL MEMBER YOUNG'S MOTION TO ASK STAFF TO EXPLORE OPTIONS TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS REGARDING SEX PARAPHERNALIA BEING DISPLAYED WHERE MINORS CAN SEE IT IN STORES, RETAIL STORES. I'VE HEARD THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I WANT TO ADDRESS THE STATUTES THAT WERE DISCUSSED DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT I'LL START FIRST WITH JUST SOME BASIC FIRST AMENDMENT LAW. FIRST AMENDMENT, AS YOU KNOW, PROTECTS OUR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. IT DOES NOT EXTEND TO MATERIALS THAT ARE DEEMED OBSCENE OR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY BUT DOES EXTEND TO FREE COMMERCE AND IDEAS. SO IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, REGARDING RETAIL COMMERCE AND MATERIALS THAT ARE DESCRIBED AS MATERIALS DEEMED HARMFUL TO MINORS, THE STATE HAS DEFINED THAT TERM IN THE STATUTES, IT'S DEFINED PRETTY NARROWLY. EXTENDING TO ACTS SUCH AS IMITATION CHARACTERIZATION DESCRIPTION EXHIBITION PRESENTATION, OR REPRESENTATIVE -- OR REPRESENTATION OF WHATEVER KIND OR FORM DEPICTING NUDITY, SEXUAL CONDUCT OR SEXUAL EXCITEMENT. RETAIL DISPLAY OF MATERIAL DEEMED HARMFUL TO MINORS IS REGULATED UNDER STATE LAW AND CAN BE ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 847. HOWEVER, SEX TOYS AS AN ITEM DO NOT FALL UNDER THE DEFINITION OF SOMETHING THAT IS EITHER OBSCENE OR HARMFUL TO MINORS. AND, IN FACT, UNDER FLORIDA LAW, MINORS CAN PURCHASE SEX PARAPHERNALIA. I DID WANT TO BE CLEAR OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED MATERIAL THAT IS HARMFUL TO MINORS. IT'S A REPRODUCTION, IMITATION, CHARACTERIZATION DESCRIPTION EXHIBITION PRESENTATION OR REPRESENTATION OF WHATEVER KIND OF THAT DEPICTS NUDITY, SEXUAL CONDUCT, SEXUAL EXCITEMENT WHEN IT APPEALS TO THE PRURIENT, SHAMEFUL OR MORBID INTEREST, PATENTLY OFFENSIVE TO THE PREVAILING STANDARDS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND AS A WHOLE IS TAKEN WITHOUT SERIOUS ARTISTIC OR POLITICAL, OR SCIENTIFIC VALUE. NOW, HARMFUL MATERIALS, THERE IS A STATUTE AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT PROHIBITS THE RETAIL DISPLAY OF HARMFUL MATERIALS TO MINORS. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT DOES REQUIRE THAT RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS NOT DISPLAY ANY BOOK, MAGAZINE, OR OTHER PRINTED MATERIAL, THE COVER OF WHICH DEPICTS MATERIAL WHICH IS HARMFUL TO MINORS THAT CAN EXHIBIT THE BOOKS, MAGAZINES, MATERIALS IN SUCH A WAY THAT'S ON OPEN DISPLAY OR WITHIN THE CONVENIENT REACH OF MINORS WHO MAY FREQUENT THE ESTABLISHMENT. THIS IS WHY WHEN YOU GO INTO A STORE, YOU SEE A PLAYBOY MAGAZINE PERHAPS AND IT'S BEHIND THE COUNTER AND MANILA SHIELD IN FRONT OF IT. ALL YOU SEE IS THE TITLE OF THE MAGAZINE. YOU DON'T SEE ANY DE DESCRIPTIVE PHOTO OF ANYTHING. WE GO TO OBSCENITY, SOMETHING THAT IS NOT FREE SPEECH, NOT PROTECTED BY THE CONSTITUTION, AS IT CHILD PORNOGRAPHY IS ALSO NOT PROTECTED. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS THAT ARE OBSCENE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THINGS THAT ARE MAGAZINES, BOOKS PERIODICALS NEWSPAPERS COMIC BOOKS, STORIES, VIDEOS, VIDEO CASSETTES AS MENTIONED, RECORDS, WIRE TAPE RECORDING, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT REQUIRE MECHANICAL OR OTHER MEANS TO TRANSIT TO AUDITOR, VISUAL OR SENSORY REPRESENTATIONS OF CHARACTER OR ANY ARTICLE OR INSTRUMENT FOR OBSCENE USE. SO WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS THAT IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT DISPLAYS SOME KIND OF A -- KIND OF AN OVERT SEXUAL ACTIVITY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: NO SPEAKING IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE. >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: SEXUAL CONDUCT IS DEFINED AND IT IS AN ACTUAL OR SIMULATED SEXUAL INTERCOURSE, DEVIANT SEXUAL INTERCOURSE BESTIALITY MASTURBATION, SADISTIC ABUSE, THESE THINGS DEFINED IN STATUTE AS THINGS THAT ARE SEXUAL CONDUCT, SEXUAL EXCITEMENT, SEXUALLY ORIENTED MATERIAL. SO ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE DEFINED IN OUR STATUTE AND CAN BE ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW IF THEY APPEAR IN A RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT. BUT THINGS THAT JUST ARE PLACED ON THE COUNTERPART THAT ARE NOT -- THAT DO NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL OF OBSCENITY OR THE LEVEL OF THOSE ITEMS I JUST SHOWED YOU THAT ARE HARMFUL TO MINORS ARE ABLE TO BE DISPLAYED UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT LAW. WHEN SOMETHING DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE LAW, THEN IT CAN BE -- WE HAVE A LAW ON THE BOOKS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO INVESTIGATE AND PROCEED WITH THAT, HAVING THAT ITEM REMOVED AS WAS MENTIONED. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO AND THEN MIRANDA. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DID MY OWN QUICK RESEARCH, AND I WAS LOOKING FOR, BECAUSE A COMMENT WAS MADE AND I HEARD IT BEFORE, THAT THE CITY ALLOWED FOR THIS. THE CITY DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THIS. SO I LOOKED AT WHERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IF ANYWHERE THERE IS AN APPLICATION PROCESS. MAYBE I'M WRONG. DID MY OWN RESEARCH. CHARLOTTE COUNTY, WHICH IS NOT TOO FAR AWAY, THAT YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR A LICENSE, I BELIEVE, IN ORDER TO SELL ADULT NOVELTY ITEMS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THAT. >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: NO, I DIDN'T SEE THAT. HOWEVER, IN OUR CODE WE DO REGULATE ADULT USE ESTABLISHMENTS. AND THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE CERTAIN THEATERS YOU MAY BE AWARE OF ON NEBRASKA AVENUE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE ARE REGULATED AS AN ADULT USE, BUT THAT IS A DIFFERENT CATEGORY, AND THAT BECOMES A ZONING ISSUE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: SO WHAT ABOUT FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE, COULD WE DO ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO LIKE, NOT AN ADULT-ONLY SECTION, LIKE YOU WERE MENTIONING, IF THERE IS A PLAYBOY MAGAZINE, COVERED AND SHOWS THE TITLE. BUT IF THEY ARE SELLING SOMETHING, THESE CONVENIENCE STORES THAT IT BE BEHIND A CURTAIN OR IN THE BACK SECTION OF A STORE, SAYING ADULTS ONLY, 18 PLUS. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT FOR PRODUCTS AND SELLING TO MINORS, THERE IS NO -- THEY CAN SELL TO MINORS. COULD WE DO SOMETHING ORDINANCE-WISE OR VIA CODE ENFORCEMENT WHERE IF YOU'RE GOING TO SELL -- BECAUSE THESE ARE CONVENIENCE STORES. YOU DON'T HAVE GROCERY STORES. THIS IS THE CLOSEST THING TO GET FOOD. FOOD IS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT WAS MENTIONED. CAN WE AT THE VERY MINIMUM -- THEY ARE PAYING FOR A CITY OF TAMPA BUSINESS LICENSE TO SAY, IF YOU HAVE THESE PRODUCTS, WHETHER THEY ARE SMOKING PARAPHERNALIA OR ADULT PARAPHERNALIA, THAT YOU BE REQUIRED TO PUT A SIGN, BLOCK IT, PUT A CURTAIN, PUT IT IN THE BACK OF THE STORE WHERE A KID COMES IN, TEENAGER COMES IN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO EAT, WHATEVER IT IS, THAT THEY ARE NOT SEEING THIS. IT'S IN A SEPARATE SECTION. WHAT CAN WE DO FROM HERE? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: IN REGARD TO WHAT CAN BE REQUIRED TO BE DISPLAYED DIFFERENTLY, THE STATE HAS ADDRESSED THAT. RETAIL DISPLAY OF MINORS, AS WAS POINTED OUT IN PUBLIC COMMENT NUMEROUS TIMES, THIS IS THE STATUTE THAT ADDRESSES THE RETAIL DISPLAY OF MATERIALS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO MINORS. AND IT DESCRIBES FOR US AS CITIES AND COUNTIES WHAT WE MUST REQUIRE TO BE PLACED BEHIND THE CURTAIN. IF THERE'S -- IF WE WERE -- WE REALLY CAN'T GO BEYOND THIS BECAUSE THEN THE STORES ARE GOING TO SAY THEY HAVE A FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTION TO DISPLAY THE ITEMS, UNLESS THEY FALL UNDER THE DEFINITION OF SOMETHING THAT IS HARMFUL TO MINORS. THAT THEN WOULD BE SOMETHING ALREADY ALSO COVERED IN STATUTE. IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF REQUESTING IT, BUT YOU COULDN'T REGULATE IT WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF THE VENDORS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WANT TO FIRST OF ALL THANK COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG FOR BRINGING THIS UP AND THE PEOPLE WHO CAME UP AND SPOKE TO US TODAY, VERY THOROUGH SPEECHES WERE MADE WITH SPECIFICITY TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN DISTRICT FIVE. HOWEVER, WHEN I READ THE REAL QUICKLY, SAID ONLY DISTRICT -- SAID EAST TAMPA. I WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THAT TO START IN EAST TAMPA AND FINISH IN DISTRICT 4, 5, 6, 7, WHICH IS THE WHOLE CITY OF TAMPA, NOT JUST ONE DISTRICT, TO START THERE AND WORK IT OUT TO THE WHOLE CITY. THIS IS SOMETHING HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY, AND WE'RE NOT IN WASHINGTON. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO DID ALL THOSE THINGS AND COVERED UP WITH MONEY AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. WE HAVE TO STRAIGHTEN THIS THING OUT. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY OF SEEING AND REMEMBERING WHAT THEY SEE. THAT'S HOW YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU COME FROM. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP. WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE LIFE A LITTLE SIMPLER, A LITTLE MORE AMENABLE, AND A LITTLE MORE HAPPINESS FOR EVERYONE. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE JUST ABOUT MONEY AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE ILLEGAL. WE'RE TIRED OF IT IN THE CITY OF TAMPA. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SWALLOW IT. WE'LL SET THE STANDARD FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES TO FOLLOW. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG. >>NAYA YOUNG: ONE, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WHAT I BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT UNDER THE STATE LAWS THAT THE SEX TOYS OR PARAPHERNALIA DO NOT FALL UNDER THE DEFINITION OF SOMETHING THAT IS HARMFUL TO MINORS OR OBSCENE, IS THAT -- AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: GENERALLY SPEAKING, THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF ITEMS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO MINORS. AND, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT IS TRUE. THAT ITEMS THAT ARE SEX TOYS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM ON THE SHELF IN THE STORE, YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE OR AREN'T. THERE IS NOTHING TO INDICATE SEXUAL -- IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO INDICATE SEXUAL CONDUCT OR SEXUAL EXCITEMENT OR NUDITY ON THE PACKAGING, THEN YOU'VE GOT A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE HARMFUL TO MINORS. BUT IF YOU GO INTO WALMART OR ANY TARGET, CVS -- [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] -- THEY ARE IN THE SECTION WITH THE CONDOMS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE FOR THAT PURPOSE. AND YOU WILL SEE BOXES OF ITEMS ON THAT SHELF THAT ARE NOT CLEARLY READILY. TO SOMEONE GOING IN LIKE ME, I DIDN'T -- I HAD TO GOOGLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT ITEM WAS BECAUSE THE BOX WAS NONDESCRIPT. >>NAYA YOUNG: SO GOING FROM -- PIGGYBACKING OFF OF COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO AND COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, CAN YOU -- I'M ASKING YOU BECAUSE YOU INTERPRET THE LAW. YOU ARE THE ATTORNEY AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU JUST BRINGING THIS AND DOING THE WORK. I NEED A NEXT STEP, AN ACTION ITEM. WHAT CAN WE DO? BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING IN THE STORES. IT'S HAPPENING. AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE KIDS THAT WE HAD, THE YOUNG KIDS THAT WE HAD TODAY, THEY ARE GOING INTO THESE STORES. THEY ARE. AND THEY ARE SEEING THIS. AS PART OF A BROADER CONVERSATION IT'S REALLY JUST CLEANING UP OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING. WHAT CAN BE DONE? WHAT CAN WE DO? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: IF AN ITEM FALLS UNDER THIS -- THIS IS YOUR STATUTE RELATING TO RETAIL DISPLAY OF HARMFUL MATERIALS HARMFUL TO MINORS. THESE ARE PROHIBITED. IF THERE IS SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT IS NOT SCREENED FROM THE MINOR'S REACH OR CONSUMPTION, THEN THAT IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW. SO THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAT CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO BECAUSE IT IS ALREADY IN STATE LAW. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS A MISDEMEANOR OF THE FIRST DEGREE IN STATE LAW. REGARDING THINGS THAT DO NOT RISE THAT STILL MAINTAIN THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTION, THE CONSUMERS AND THE CUSTOMERS IN THE COMMUNITY SHOULD ASK VENDORS -- AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE IN SOME CASES -- TO MOVE SENSITIVE MATERIALS AWAY FROM THE SIGHT OF MINORS. THAT IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY CAN DO. REGARDING THE LAW, THERE ARE LAWS ON THE BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN, HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED, HAVE BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR ALL OF US, CITIES AND COUNTIES, TO FOLLOW THAT DO, IN FACT, TRY TO CONSTRAIN THE RETAIL DISPLAY OF MATERIALS THAT ARE DEEMED HARMFUL TO MINORS WITHOUT STEPPING ON FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTION OF A RETAILER TO ENGAGE IN FREE COMMERCE. >>NAYA YOUNG: LET'S SAY I GO TO THE STORE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION, HEY, CAN YOU REMOVE THESE ITEMS AND THEY SAY NO, THEN WHAT? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: IF THE ITEM DOESN'T RISE TO THIS LEVEL OF AN ITEM, THEN AS A GOVERNMENT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS CONTRARY TO STATE LAW. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HEY, GUYS. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] NO. >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: AND THAT REALLY BECOMES SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD NEED TO REPORT AN OFFENSE OF THE LAW BECAUSE THAT CAN BE ENFORCED. IT'S -- OBSCENITY ISN'T PROTECTED. SEXUAL MATERIALS ARE TO SOME DEGREE, UNLESS IT IS OBSCENE OR CHILD PORE GNAWINGTY, AS I MENTIONED, THEN THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED. WHEN THEY ARE PROTECTED THEY HAVE TO HAVE A VERY HIGH STANDARD OF PROTECTION IN ORDER TO SURVIVE A FIRST AMENDMENT CHALLENGE, AND THAT'S WHY THE LAW HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT TRIES TO CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT CANNOT BE DISPLAYED IN A STORE. >>NAYA YOUNG: I HAVE MORE THOUGHTS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE'LL HAVE A SECOND ROUND. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THIS IS A STATE LAW. THIS IS INCREDIBLY UNFORTUNATE, BUT I WILL SAY THE GOOD NEWS IS THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO ENGAGE REP DIANNE HART AND TO TALK TO HER TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A LAW AMENDED THROUGH THIS SESSION. THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES I WOULD GO. THE SECOND THING I WOULD DO, IF OUR HANDS ARE TIED IN THIS, IS TO USE COMMUNITY ACTIVISM TO SIMPLY NOT SHOP AT THAT STORE, TO SIMPLY SHARE YOUR CONCERNS WITH THAT STORE AND TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WILL GET THAT TAKEN. IDEALLY, IF PEOPLE DON'T GO TO THE STORE, THEY MIGHT FIND A BETTER PLACE TO PUT THEM. BUT I ABSOLUTELY WILL REACH OUT TO REPRESENTATIVE HART AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. I KNOW THAT MS. ROBIN LOCKETT IS HERE WHO KNOWS MS. HART VERY WELL. SO THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ONLY QUESTION I HAVE, I KIND OF SAW THAT BLURRY PICTURE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXACTLY IN THAT STORE. I'M ASSUMING IF SOMETHING WAS SEXUAL LIKE ANATOMICALLY CORRECT, A DEVICE THAT WAS ANATOMICALLY CORRECT, THAT WOULD PROBABLY CROSS THE LINE, CORRECT? THAT WOULD BE LIKE A SCULPTURE OF SOMETHING, SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD FIT INTO THAT. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME KIND OF THING, WALK THROUGH THE MALL -- >> SPENCER'S GIFT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: LIKE A SHARPER IMAGE OR SPENCER'S GIFT. IS THAT WHAT IS IN THE STORE? >> I HAVE NO IDEA. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: EVERYBODY, SHHH. THE ACOUSTICS IN THIS ROOM ARE REALLY KIND OF CRAZY GOOD. WHEN YOU GUYS ARE WHISPERING, IT BOUNCES BACK HERE AND WE CAN'T HEAR OUR CONVERSATION. THAT'S ENOUGH. >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: AGAIN, THE MATERIAL THAT'S DEEMED HARMFUL TO MINORS, YES, THIS IS IT. REPRODUCTION IMITATION CHARACTERIZATION DESCRIPTION EXHIBITION PRESENTATION OR REPRESENTATION IN WHATEVER KIND OF FORM DEPICTING NUDITY, SEXUAL CONDUCT, OR SEXUAL EXCITEMENT. AND THIS TERM PRURIENT IS A TERM USED IN OBSCENITY LAW AS WELL. IT IS MARKED BY AROUSING, MODERATE UNWHOLESOME DESIRE OR INTEREST. THAT'S FROM PRURIENT MEANS. IT IS A COMMON WORD USED IN THIS CONTEXT. IT HAS TO SPEAK -- HAS TO APPEAL TO PRURIENT, SHAMEFUL OR MORBID INTEREST AND HAS TO BE PATENTLY OFFENSIVE TO THE PREVAILING STANDARDS IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE TAMPA IS A LOT DIFFERENT FROM NEW YORK WHICH IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN LAS VEGAS. YOU LOOK TO YOUR COMMUNITY STANDARDS. AND TAKEN AS A WHOLE IS WITHOUT SERIOUS LITERARY, ARTISTIC, POLITICAL OR SCIENTIFIC VALUE FOR MINORS. IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT SPEAKING OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE IS A BILL RIGHT NOW MOVING THROUGH THE HOUSE BUT NOT IN THE SENATE REGARDING BOOK BANNING. IN LOOKING AT BOOK BANNING IN THEIR DEFINITION, THEY USE THESE FIRST TWO STANDARDS, BUT THEY DO NOT USE THE THIRD STANDARD BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY BOOKS ARE LITERARY IN NATURE. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WITH REGARD TO CHAPTER 847, WHICH IS THE CHAPTER THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN SPEAKING OF, WHICH IS THE CHAPTER REGARDING OBSCENITY, THIS IS THE DEFINITION FOR MATERIALS HARMFUL TO MILES PER HOUR, WITH REGARD TO YOUR QUESTION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CAN I ASSUME WHEN YOU WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE AFTER GRADUATING FROM LAW SCHOOL YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU WOULD BE STANDING IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS TALKING ABOUT SEX TOYS. >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: TWO PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT TO ME IN THE LAST 4 HOURS. WHEN I WORKED FOR ORANGE COUNTY IN THE SPAN OF 24 HOURS, I BECAME AN EXPERT ON PILL MILLS. I DON'T KNOW. >>BILL CARLSON: FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF A DIFFICULT TOPIC. SECOND, IF THE COMMUNITY DECIDES TO CONTACT LEGISLATORS, I'M ALSO HAPPY TO CONTACT SENATOR ROUSON OR ANY OF THE OTHERS THAT MAY HAVE WEIGHT IN TRYING TO PUSH THIS. SEEMS LIKE THE LEGISLATURE WOULD WANT TO BE IN FAVOR OF THIS. BUT LET ME ASK YOU, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT CASE LAW IN INTERPRETING THIS. IS THERE SPECIFIC CASE LAW REGARDING THESE TYPES OF DEVICES IN A CONVENIENCE STORE? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: NOT THE DEVICES, BUT THE CONCEPT OF OBSCENITY AND WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT DEEMED OBSCENE AND WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTION. IN STATE LAW, I WAS UNABLE TO FIND REALLY ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO SEX TOYS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT REGULATED IN STATE LAW. >>BILL CARLSON: WHAT IS THE DOWN SIDE IF WE -- WITH THE LACK OF CASE LAW, WHY NOT TEST THE STATE LAW AND HAVE A VERY NARROW DEFINITION THAT COMES AS CLOSE TO THIS DEFINITION AS WE CAN. LIKE MY COLLEAGUE WAS SAYING, IF SOMETHING LOOKS LIKE A TOY, IT MIGHT NOT, LIKE A REGULAR TOY, IT MIGHT NOT QUALIFY. IF IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING ANATOMICALLY CORRECT, SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD. WHY NOT COME UP WITH AN ORDINANCE THAT IS NARROWLY TAILORED TO TEST THE LAW? WHAT'S OUR LIMIT OF LIABILITY IF WE DO THAT? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: YES. CIVIL RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL. THERE CAN BE INDIVIDUAL LIABILITY FOR VIOLATION, AS YOU KNOW, FROM MANY YEARS OF WATCHING THE NEWS AND SEEING HOW THINGS ARE PROSECUTED. THERE CAN BE INDIVIDUAL LIABILITY FOR A VIOLATION OF SOMEONE'S CIVIL RIGHTS. FIRST AMENDMENT IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF PROTECTION. AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FREQUENTLY THEY DO STRUGGLE WITH FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, PANHANDLING IS ONE THAT IS FREQUENTLY CHALLENGED BECAUSE OF SOMEONE'S RIGHT TO STAND ON THE CORNER. THE CITY SAYS, NO, DANGEROUS TO STAND IN AN INTERSECTION, THE FIRST AMENDMENT DOES NORMALLY PREVAIL. SO FIRST AMENDMENT, THAT IS ENTIRELY WHY WHEN WE WERE DIGGING INTO THIS ISSUE, WE LOOKED TO WHAT THE STATE LAW PROVIDES FOR, BECAUSE PRESUMABLY IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, THIS HAS BEEN CHALLENGED AT SOME LEVEL OF THE COURT SYSTEM AND IT HAS SURVIVED THAT CHALLENGE BASED ON THE BALANCE BETWEEN PROTECTING MINORS AND PROTECTING FIRST AMENDMENT. THAT'S WHY IT IS WRITTEN SO EXPLICITLY IN THE LAW. >>BILL CARLSON: LIKE TO FOLLOW-UP, DEPENDING ON WHAT MY COLLEAGUES SAY, BUT ANOTHER QUESTION, UNDERSTANDING THE SEPARATION OF POWERS IN THE CHARTER THAT THE MAYOR HAS CONTROL OVER, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND TPD, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CITY COUNCIL COULD DO TO REQUEST THAT THOSE DEPARTMENTS STEP UP THEIR INSPECTIONS TO DO INSPECTIONS MORE REGULARLY OF THESE FACILITIES? BECAUSE THERE SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE MULTIPLE ISSUES AT SOME OF THEM. >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: I REALLY WASN'T PREPARED TO ADDRESS THE ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN LAW AND IT ALREADY WOULD BE FORCED UPON A COMPLAINT. IT WOULD BE INSPECTED. AND THEN IT WOULD BE DETERMINED IF SOMETHING VIOLATES THE STATE LAW. >>BILL CARLSON: IF WE PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT'S MAYBE NONBINDING JUST TO SAY WE SUGGEST THE ADMINISTRATION ASK CODE ENFORCEMENT TO CHECK ON THESE ISSUES ONCE A WEEK OR TWICE A WEEK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT'S NONBINDING, BUT CAN WE AT LEAST DO THAT TO TRY TO SUGGEST SOME ACTION? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: YOU CAN PASS A RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING ANYTHING REALLY OR ENCOURAGING VENDORS TO NOT PUT THIS MATERIALS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY UP TO THE STATE STATUTE, BUT DEFINITELY ARE OFFENSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY'S SENS. YOU CAN ALWAYS REQUEST PEOPLE DO THE RIGHT THING OR DO THE THING THAT YOU WANT. AS FAR AS REQUIRING IT BY REGULATING IT, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET ON THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT. AGAIN, IF IT'S VIOLATIVE OF THE STATE LAW, IT IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW, IT IS ADDRESSED. IT CAN BE PROSECUTED. THERE ARE PENALTIES DESCRIBED IN EVERY ONE OF THESE STATUTES. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN VIERA, THAT WILL BE END OF ROUND ONE AND THEN ROUND TWO. >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE ARE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THEN TEN SUGGESTIONS. IF THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN'T DO IN TERMS OF MANDATING, I'M SURE THE OWNER OR OWNERS OF THIS ESTABLISHMENT OR ESTABLISHMENTS KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING. CAN COUNCIL SET UP -- I WANT TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL OF ALL THE PEOPLE HERE WITH VERY LEGITIMATE CONCERNS BROUGHT UPON BY FAMILY AND VALUES AND MANY, MANY FAITH. I RESPECT THAT. SO WHY DON'T WE -- I DON'T MIND KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND GOING, HEY. THAT'S SOMETIMES THE SIMPLEST THING, EASIEST THING I FIND. FIND THAT IN THE LAW AND ALSO FIND THAT IN POLITICS. JUST SOMEBODY KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND GOING, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THAT'S IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. THIS IS THE GOING BEGINNING OFD TWO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: CHARLOTTE COUNTY. APPLICATION FOR SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS LICENSE. CHARLOTTE COUNTY HERE IN FLORIDA. THERE ARE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. ONE IS ADULT NOVELTY STORES. WOULD BE ABLE TO -- BUSINESS IN CITY OF TAMPA PAYS BUSINESS LICENSE, EXPAND THE CATEGORY TO HAVE IF YOU SELL THESE ITEMS, JUST LIKE A STORE WOULD NEED A SECOND HAND DEALERS LICENSE OR PAWNSHOP NEEDS A PAWNBROKER, FURTHER LICENSES, CAN WE EXPAND THAT? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: THESE ARE THE THREE SECTIONS IN OUR ZONING CODE RELATING TO ADULT ESTABLISHMENTS. ADULT USES. THEY ARE REGULATED DIFFERENTLY THAN A CONVENIENCE STORE OR A RETAIL STORE LIKE A WALMART. WE HAVE OUR ADULT BOOKSTORE, WHICH, OF COURSE, IS WHERE YOU GO FOR PHOTOGRAPHS, BOOKS, ET CETERA. THERE IS AN ADULT ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OFFERS THE ENTERTAINMENT AND IT COULD INCLUDE GRAPHIC MEDIA AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR ADULT THEATER. THESE ARE THE THREE SECTIONS OF OUR CODE THAT TALK ABOUT ADULT USE. THOSE ARE REGULATED BY ZONING LAW. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: [INAUDIBLE] >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER ADULT USES AS WELL THAT ARE MORE INTERACTIVE. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE ON OUR BOOKS AS FAR AS ADULT. THIS IS HOW WE REGULATE ADULT USE. BUT THIS WOULD BE -- I DID SEE SOME OF THE CODES IN OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY TALK ABOUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SQUARE FOOTAGE AND WHATNOT BEING USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, WHICH WOULD THEN MAKE THAT STORE RISE TO A LEVEL OF A CERTAIN TYPE OF USE SUCH AS THIS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: CAN WE AMEND THIS FROM A MUNICIPALITY'S POINT OF VIEW TO, IF YOU ARE GOING TO SELL THESE PRODUCTS, ADULT PRODUCTS, YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL LICENSE? AND IN THAT APPLICATION, SAY MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED PUBLICLY. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, SPENCER'S. SPENCER'S GIFTS AND THERE IS ONE AT WESTSHORE MALL, THEY HAVE STUFF THAT ARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, HORROR MOVIE, CARTOONS WHATEVER IN THE FRONT, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE BACK, THEY KEEP IT SEPARATE FROM THE PUBLIC. I THINK THAT'S HOW THE BUSINESS MODEL IS, THAT'S ONE THING. THE SECOND THING IS, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY, THIS IS SOME OF THE COMMUNITY. BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS. AND THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT KEEP THESE FOLKS IN BUSINESS. IF THEY DO A BOYCOTT. THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY AT THESE CONVENIENCE STORES, COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA SUGGESTED, WHY DON'T WE GO AND TALK TO THEM, ARE WE PRECLUDED FROM GOING OUT AND SAYING, HEY, WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS, BECAUSE IT'S BEYOND JUST THIS ROOM. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING SAYING, HEY, AS AN ACT OF GOOD FAITH CAN YOU PUT THIS IN AN AREA, PUT THESE ITEMS IN AN AREA THAT ARE NOT SEEN BY CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE VERY LEAST, BUT ALSO GOING BACK TO MY ORIGINAL QUESTION, CAN WE EXPAND THE SCOPE OF WHAT'S IN, YOU SAID ZONING, THAT IF THEY ARE GOING TO SELL THESE ITEMS, CREATE A NEW CATEGORY THAT THEY HAVE TO APPLY FOR THE SPECIFIC LICENSE. AND IN THAT, HAVE DIFFERENT PARAMETER OF HOW THEY ARE DISPLAYED. >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: IT WOULD BE A ZONING ISSUE. WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO HOW WE AMEND THE CODE, WHAT LEVEL OF SALES WE WOULD REQUIRE FOR A BUSINESS TO RISE TO THAT LEVEL. IT COULDN'T BE EVERY BUSINESS THAT SELLS THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED ADULT USE. BECAUSE AS I SAID, THEY ARE AVAILABLE AT OTHER RETAIL STORES AND OTHER CONVENIENCE STORES. SO YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AS A CITY AT HOW YOU WANTED TO DEFINE THAT AND WHAT STANDARD YOU WERE GOING TO MEET, SORT OF LIKE ALCOHOL USE AND OTHER HIGHLY REGULATED USES. AS FAR AS ASKING PEOPLE, OF COURSE, YOU CAN. LIKE I SAID, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT RISES TO A LEVEL THAT IS A VIOLATION OF THE STATUTE, THEN THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE IT IS A MISDEMEANOR. IT'S CRIMINAL ACTION TO DISPLAY THINGS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO MINORS IN THIS WAY. BUT A LOT OF THE READING AND MATERIALS I SAW, AND I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN, BUT A LOT OF THE MATERIALS WERE REFERRING TO OBSCENITY. AND THAT IS ALSO REGULATED IN STATE LAW. AND ALSO CANNOT BE JUST PUT OUT FOR DISPLAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT PROTECTED LIKE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AT ALL. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE REPORTED AND ADDRESSED INDIVIDUALLY. OR LIKE YOU SAID, IF IT'S NOT QUITE UP TO THE STANDARD, THEN YOU WOULD REQUEST THAT THAT BE PUT SOMEWHERE WHERE IT'S NOT SO VISIBLE TO NOT ONLY CHILDREN, BUT ADULTS OBVIOUSLY ARE OFFENDED BY IT, TOO. IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS OFFENSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY AND NEEDS TO BE PUT BACK BEHIND THE COUNTER. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THIS SEEMS SOMETHING SO EASY TO FIX IT'S NOT. SIX-FOOT RULE, DAY, NIGHT, PEEP SHOWS WAY BACK WHEN I WAS MUCH YOUNGER. NOT IN THEM, BUT CHECKING TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS NOT HAPPENING WHAT THEY SAY WAS HAPPENING AND IT WAS HAPPENING. THEY MADE MANY ARRESTS. SEEMS SO SIMPLE. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACTS OF THE LAW, GUESS WHAT, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO DO. I'M NOT TRYING TO -- I WANT TO HELP. THE FIRST THING YOU OUGHT TO DO SIMPLER AND MUCH EASIER TO DO IS GET THEM IN THE FOOD AREA WHERE THEY SAY THE FOOD THAT WAS DIRTY, THAT HAD THIS, THAT THE OTHER. WORK BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY. GO TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT -- THEY WOULD COME IN AND CHECK NOT ONLY HOW HOT THE FOOD WAS GOING OUT, THEY WOULD CHECK TO SEE IF THERE'S LEFTOVERS FROM LITTLE RATS THAT DO LITTLE THINGS THAT NORMAL PEOPLE DO ALSO. BUT THEN HAVE THE TOILET PAPER, ROACHES, AND CHECK FOR EVERYTHING IN THE RESTAURANT. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT, FIRST OF ALL, ARE MUCH SIMPLER BECAUSE YOU CAN CHARGE FOR THAT AND CLOSE A PLACE IF IT'S DIRTY. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. WORK TOGETHER FROM TWO ANGLES, NOT FROM ONE. ONE IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN THE OTHER ONE. AT LEAST, WHEN YOU START WITH ONE THAT'S MUCH EASIER TO PROVE WHAT'S GOING ON, YOU OPEN THE DOOR THAT WHOEVER OWNS THAT, SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, NOW THEY ARE AFTER MY FOOD AND THIS. SO THERE IS AN ECONOMIC THING YOU HAVE TO CHASE FIRST OF ALL. FOLLOW THE MONEY, FOLLOW THE TRAIL, AND YOU CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT -- WE HAVE TO HAVE LEGISLATION TO CHANGE THE LAWS AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE THIS ATTORNEY IS TRYING TO TELL US IN A NICE WAY. I'M JUST SAYING THAT I WANT TO SOLVE IT. THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO SOLVE IT. THE SEVEN OF US WANTS TO SOLVE IT. THE MAYOR WANTS TO SOLVE IT. THE NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS TO SOLVE IT, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SOLVE. I WILL TALK TO SHERIFF CHRONISTER, SEE MAYBE SOMETHING OUT THERE WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT. ALSO, THE CHIEF BERCAW. THESE ARE THE THINGS GOING ON. BEEN GOING ON FOR DAYS. BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, AND IT'S TIME THAT WE STOP FROM THEM GOING ON. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG AND FOLLOWED BY HURTAK. IF NOBODY ELSE, WE'LL STOP OUR ROUND TWO AT THAT POINT AND GO TO LUNCH. >>NAYA YOUNG: JUST SO I CAN MAKE SURE THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING THE LAW CORRECTLY, PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT, SEX TOYS ARE COVERED UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT PRETTY MUCH WHAT I'M HEARING, YES? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: YES. >>NAYA YOUNG: HERE IS THE THING. I UNDERSTAND. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH FOR JUST DOING THE WORK. SO ONE OF THE REASONS I ASKED ABOUT LIKE WHAT IS AN ACTION ITEM, WHAT CAN BE DONE, BECAUSE IF I'M CORRECT, I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY HAS GONE THERE AT LEAST TWICE AND THE MATERIALS ARE STILL THERE. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS TO BRING TO THEIR ATTENTION THAT COMMUNITY, WE DON'T WANT THIS A SECOND TIME AND THEY ARE STILL THERE. SO MY QUESTION WHEN I WAS ASKING, YOU KNOW, IF WE GO AND SAY, HEY, CAN YOU REMOVE THIS AND THEN WHAT? WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS WHETHER WE HEARD OF A RESOLUTION, AMENDING THE CODE, ORDINANCE, WHAT CAN BE DONE? IT'S OBVIOUS THE COMMUNITY HAS GONE AND VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT NOT WANTING THIS THERE AND THEY ARE STILL DOING IT. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, THE DISPLAY OF DRUGS AND SEX AND ALCOHOL IS MORE PREVALENT. THAT IS WHAT IT IS. THAT IS THE TRUTH. WE CAN'T ARGUE WITH THE FACTS. IT'S VERY PREVALENT IN THIS COMMUNITY. WHAT CAN WE DO? YES, I AGREE WE WORK, BOTH SIDES HAVE COMMUNITY, NOT TO SHOP THERE, TO CONTINUE TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WHAT CAN BE DONE ON THIS SIDE ON THE MUNICIPALITY SIDE, WHAT CAN WE DO SO THAT THIS DOESN'T CONTINUE TO HAPPEN? IT'S OBVIOUS, WE HAVE ALREADY GONE AND SAID WE DON'T WANT THIS AND STILL THERE. AND IT'S IN OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WELL. THINKING ABOUT IT HOLISTICALLY, LIKE THERE WAS A COMMENT MENTIONED EARLIER, JUST IN GENERAL, IN THE COMMUNITY, JUST HAVING MORE RESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY. WHAT CAN WE DO FROM SITTING HERE AT THIS DAIS SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: WITH REGARD TO A REGULATORY ANSWER, YOU HAVE THE LAW. I THINK BECOMING EDUCATED ON WHAT IS OBSCENITY. OBSCENITY IS NOT PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT. SO IF SOMETHING IS OBSCENE, THAT'S A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD OF A FELONY, AND IT CAN'T BE DEFENDED, JUST LIKE CHILD PORE PORNOGRAPHY, NOT PROTECTED, NOT DEFENSIBLE. EDUCATING ON WHAT IS OBSCENE BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING, LIKE I SAID, IN A LOT OF WHAT I REVIEWED IN THE MATERIALS, A LOT OF TIMES, THINGS ARE CALLED OBSCENE WHEN, IN FACT, THE REFERENCE IS THE STATUTE REGARDING HARMFUL. I DO THINK UNDERSTANDING THAT OBSCENITY IS NOT A PROTECTED SPEECH, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE REGULATED BY GOVERNMENT. AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT IS DEEMED HARMFUL, WHICH I HAVE THE DEFINITION HERE AS WELL, AND THESE THINGS, YOU CAN SEE IT'S ONLY A FIRST DEGREE MISDEMEANOR IF IT'S DISPLAYED AND IT'S HARMFUL. BUT IF IT IS OBSCENE, THEN IT RISES TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF FELONY. THESE ARE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT THINGS AND THEY HAVE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF STANDARDS. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS. I UNDERSTAND -- IF IT IS A RETAIL DISPLAY OF SOMETHING THAT IS PROHIBITED BY LAW, THEN IT SHOULD BE ENFORCED. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CANNOT DISPLAY FOR MINORS. THIS TYPE OF THING, IT'S NOT OBSCENITY, IT'S SOMETHING DEEMED HARMFUL TO MINORS. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT STANDARD. IT IS PROTECTED. THAT'S WHY IT'S CONTROLLED IN THE LAW. SO I THINK UNDERSTANDING WHAT -- I MEAN, THERE IS A FAMOUS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, THEY SAID WHAT IS OBSCENITY, HIS COMMENT WAS, I WILL KNOW IT WHEN I SEE IT. THAT'S BECAUSE OBSCENITY CAN BE VERY SUBJECTIVE. SOME PEOPLE FIND THINGS TO BE OBSCENE THAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD NOT. THAT'S WHY THE STANDARD AND THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN IN THE STATUTE AND IN THE CASE LAW AS WE DISCUSSED BRIEFLY IS SO HIGH BECAUSE OBSCENITY IS SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFICULT TO DEFINE AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT MAY DIFFER FROM ME TO ANOTHER PERSON. HOWEVER, THAT'S WHY THE STATE CREATED THIS HARMFUL TO MINORS DEFINITION SO WE COULD LOOK AT THIS AND SEE THAT IT'S NOT OBSCENITY, IT IS SOMETHING DEEMED HARMFUL TO MINORS. SOMETHING KIDS SHOULDN'T SEE, SHOULDN'T HAVE READILY AVAILABLE ACCESS TO AND THAT IS HOW THAT STUFF SHOULD BE REPORTED AND INVESTIGATED ACCORDINGLY, IF IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE LAW. IF IT'S NOT A VIOLATION OF THE LAW OR OBSCENITY, WHICH NOT PROTECTED BY FIRST AMENDMENT AT ALL, THEN THAT BECOMES A COMMUNITY ADVOCACY ISSUE. >>NAYA YOUNG: IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS -- WHAT SHOULD BE OUR NEXT STEP? WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? WE HEARD RESOLUTION. WE HEARD WE WANT TO SEE AN ORDINANCE. WE HEARD MAYBE IT IS AMENDING THE ZONING CODE. IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION RIGHT NOW, ACTION ITEM A IS WHAT? OR SHOULD BE WHAT? >>DANA CROSBY COLLIER: THINGS THAT ARE DEEMED TO BE IN VIOLATION OF THE STATUTE SHOULD BE REPORTED ACCORDINGLY. THAT'S ACTION ITEM NUMBER 1 BECAUSE THERE IS STATE LAW AND THERE ARE THINGS IN THE LAW THAT -- I WOULD DEFER THAT DISCUSSION, LIKE MORE -- IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW AND TO WHOM, THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS PREPARED TO DISCUSS TODAY AS FAR AS HOW YOU REPORT IT. I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH ADMINISTRATION ON THAT. AS TO THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. BUT THE FIRST THING IS THESE ARE -- IF SOMETHING IS A VIOLATION -- LET ME RESTATE THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT AWARE OF THE SPECIFICS OF -- I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN MY REVIEW OF THE MATERIALS THAT WAS DEEMED TO BE OBSCENE OR HARMFUL TO MINORS, BUT I DIDN'T SEE EVERYTHING. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SEEING. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THAT. I CAN JUST SAY IF SOMEONE SEES SOMETHING THAT FALLS UNDER THIS DEFINITION, IT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED AND WE CAN GET BACK WITH YOU ON HOW THAT PROCESS COULD WORK, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. WITH REGARD TO THINGS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO BE REGULATED, IF THEY ARE NOT REGULATED IN STATE LAW, THEN YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTION AND REGULATION OF FIRST AMENDMENT AS YOU KNOW IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING. IT'S VERY COSTLY IN MANY WAYS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER IN YOUR DELIBERATIONS. ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY COMPLIANCE, IS TO BE RESPECTFUL OF PEOPLE'S SENSES, IS EXCELLENT, BUT NOT TO REGULATE. YOU CAN'T REGULATE -- BEHAVIOR, NOT THIS. YOU CAN REGULATE DUI BECAUSE YOU CAN MEASURE IT BY AN ALCOHOL, BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL. BUT IF IT DOESN'T RISE TO THE STANDARD THAT IT CAN BE PROSECUTED, THEN IT HAS TO RELY ON YOUR VENDORS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: FOR ME, I SEE THE NEXT STEPS AS MULTIPLE THINGS. DISCUSSING WITH REPRESENTATIVE HART, POSSIBLY SENATOR ROUSON ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO WITHIN THE STATE. I RECOMMEND GOING, TALKING TO THE FOLKS. BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY HAS A LOT OF POWER. I THINK THEY NEED TO GO AND TALK TO THE STORE THEMSELVES. BOYCOTT, DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO. BUT THEN THE OTHER THING, I HEARD ABOUT SHERIFF CHRONISTER AND HIS -- SO I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO KNOW, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T SEE TPD HERE TODAY, SO I WILL DEFINITELY SPEAK TO TPD ABOUT WHAT SHERIFF CHRONISTER WAS OR WAS NOT ABLE TO DO TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION FOR MYSELF. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, SHORT AND THEN GO TO LUNCH. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: FIRST OF ALL, YOU DO THE EASY THINGS FIRST. CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS MENTIONED. I MENTIONED. FILTHY PLACE ON THE OUTSIDE, PARKING LOT. START THAT, YOU START ACTION OF WHAT AM I DOING BY THE OWNERSHIP. SECONDLY IS TO GO BACK TO, CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY IN DISTRICT FIVE SPEAK ABOUT THE FOOD AND THE TASTE OF IT, THE LOOK OF IT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TERRIBLE OR NOT, I WOULD IMAGINE IT IS, BUT I'M NOT SAYING IT IS RIGHT NOW, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA SENDS THEIR INSPECTORS TO CHECK OUT THE QUALITY OF THE FOOD, THAT THEY HAVE CLEAN INSIDE THE KITSCH, REFRIGERATOR, THEY CHECK EVERYTHING. THIRDLY, WHAT COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK MENTIONED ABOUT SEEING YOUR LEGISLATOR. THAT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT, NOT THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, THEY FACE THE SAME LAWS THAT YOU ARE FACING AGAINST NOW. THESE ARE THE THINGS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT ALSO ADD NOT ONLY EAST TAMPA, BUT THE WHOLE CITY, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, THE DISTRICT, COMPOSITION OF THE WHOLE CITY. FIVE FIRST AND THE REST OF THEM TOGETHER SO WE CAN WORK WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. I MAKE THAT AS A MOTION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA HAS A MOTION. RESTATE IT, PLEASE. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: FIRST OF ALL, THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT GO OUT AND DO AN INTENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PROPERTIES IN WHICH THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE LOCATED IN EAST TAMPA. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THAT IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION. SO YOU CAN REQUEST THAT THEY DO IT. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: REQUEST THAT THEY DO THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SECONDLY, THAT THE INDIVIDUALS ALSO HAVE FOOD THAT WE ASK THIS BODY, THIS COUNCIL ASK THE STATE OF FLORIDA, ONE OF THE FIRST BUILDINGS BUILT ABOUT EIGHT BLOCKS FROM HERE, WHERE THE STATE BUILDING IS AT, TO GO ON AND CHECK FOR THE QUALITY OF THE CLEANLINESS OF THE FOOD AND OTHER ITEMS STORED INSIDE THE REFRIGERATOR AND STOCK ROOMS AND SO FORTH, WHICH THEY DO THAT NORMALLY ANYWAY, BUT TO DO IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT UNANIMOUSLY. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THIRDLY, THE OTHER MOTION IS MAYBE THE CHAIR SHOULD CONTACT SHERIFF CHRONISTER, SPEAK TO HIM, SEE THE VALUE OF WHAT THEY DID, HOW THEY DID IT AND WHAT LAWS THEY WERE UNDER SO WE CAN MAYBE DO THE SAME THING AS PIGGYBACK. AT THE SAME TIME HAVE CHRONISTER SPEAK TO CHIEF BERCAW. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE DON'T NEED A MOTION. I'LL TAKE IT AS IOU TO SPEAK TO MR. CHRONISTER. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: CAN I HAVE AN AMENDMENT? THAT WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEIR LEGISLATIVE WING, THEY LOBBY TO TALK TO BOTH THE REPRESENTATIVE HART, SENATOR ROUSON, AND OTHERS ABOUT WHAT IS AVAILABLE. THEY ARE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION. I'LL STILL REACH OUT, BUT THAT WE CAN MAKE A FORMAL REQUEST. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE THE MOTION. WE HAVE THE SECOND. WE HAVE THE MOTION AND SECOND ON THE FIRST THAT WAS MIRANDA AND MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. WE DID VOTE ON THAT ONE. THE SECOND THING, CHRONISTER, I'LL REACH OUT TO SHERIFF CHRONISTER TO TALK ABOUT THAT. ON THE ADMINISTRATION, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DEFER TO COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG TO REACH OUT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND DO THAT. I KNOW THAT COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG WILL HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT SHORTLY. MAYBE WE CAN ROLL THAT INTO THAT. WE CAN LEAVE THAT UP TO HER THAT YOU'LL SPEAK TO THE ADMINISTRATION AS FAR AS WHAT WE CAN DO AS FAR AS LOBBYING EFFORTS IN TALLAHASSEE TO MAKE THAT AMENDMENT. IS THAT IT? I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG AND YOU'LL BRING IT HOME. >>NAYA YOUNG: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR MOVING THIS UP AND HAVING THIS ROBUST CONVERSATION. SOMETIMES WE TALK ABOUT THINGS AND THEY KIND OF GO AWAY. I DON'T WANT THIS TO GO AWAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LANGUAGE, BUT IN NEW BUSINESS I'LL DO A MOTION TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS BACK ON THE AGENDA SO WE CAN CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, EVEN IF IT IS JUST ME COMING BACK WITH, YOU KNOW, UPDATES AS FAR AS WHAT'S GOING ON AND AFTER TALKING WITH ADMINISTRATION, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, TPD, SHERIFF. BECAUSE I WANT TO RESOLVE THIS. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: MAY I ASK THAT YOU PUT THAT ON AFTER THE SHERIFF SPEAKS -- SHERIFF CHRONISTER AND POLICE CHIEF AND THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT AND DOES WHAT THE FIRST SUGGESTION, THAT AFTER THAT THEY COME BACK. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I IMAGINE I'LL HAVE THE CONVERSATION BEFORE OUR NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I'LL SECOND THAT. >>NAYA YOUNG: I'LL DO THE MOTION IN NEW BUSINESS. I WANT TO GET MY THOUGHTS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE IT IS SUCCINCT. >>THE CLERK: [INAUDIBLE] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: OKAY. THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF THE BUSINESS, OUR PRELUNCH BUSINESS. IT IS 12:26. IS 1:30 STILL GOOD? LET'S DO 1:45, PLEASE. 1:45 WE WILL RESUME. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] WE ARE AT LUNCH. [LUNCH RECESS]