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1. 1Aug 5, 2025
   Board of County CommissionersC26Consent agendaApproved

   Approved minutes

   Approved Staff’s recommendation.

   Open this item →▶ Play from 1:30:11
   ▶ 1:30:1123m

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:30:11All in favor? Aye. Okay. That was a little clearer. C twenty six. There's the one. Yeah.

   1:30:21Who's speaking on this one?

   Seth WeightmanSecond Vice Chair

   1:30:24I just have general C twenty six Just with with with for for a number of reasons. I think with with the new Doge program that's coming down and its vigor um It's it's important that we know for each each one of the applicants that we that we understand all the public funding streams from every level of government that the agencies who apply for funding get. Um And

   1:30:55that way we understand. You know, if they're if they're coming. Whether they're not going to be able to do Differ the different grant streams that the county provides or the Fed or the state, it's important that we know how much how many potential dollars each organization gives in public public funding streams. And also things important that we to know that, and we have a checklist, that every one of the applicants that apply for funding have all their appropriate state licenses. and credentials that they need that they have in order to take these funds.

   1:31:25So it's just an added step of fiscal clarity, I'd like to see as we go and we approve different funds. And the same thing goes to opioid funding and any any funding that we we approve with these type of programs and similarities. Um and so I think it'd be important that the board see kind of how everybody's funded and that way we know what we're approving and why. So with that I don't have any any other issues.

   Mike Carballa

   1:31:53Can I add something to Commissioner's remarks on

   1:31:55the

   1:31:56I I brought Mary up here to kind of talk a little she can talk a little bit very briefly about sort of the accountability processes that we use with with these particular types of public funds. I think she can give us a two minute spiel on how that on How that works. Before she does that though, I hear exactly what the commission and commissioner is saying. I think in in light of a lot of things too, that tr additional transparency and accountability is important. So I would like to sit down and kind of talk with the team, going through a couple of the items here that uh that you've brought up, Commissioner, and we can kind of look at um

   1:32:26ensuring that um we've we've got these elements in our policies

   Seth WeightmanSecond Vice Chair

   1:32:30and processes. So to be clear Before these funds are dispersed, this is just to approve the list. This isn't to disperse funds. So we go through and we do a do a credit check on all all the organizations. We don't necessarily have to disperse funds or we can modify the dollar amount depending on funding streams, couldn't we?

   Mike Carballa

   1:32:52Yeah, we w so I guess I could ask the board this question. Would would the board be more comfortable if I brought these contracts back? This this current board agenda item authorizes me to execute those contracts. We've ebbed and flowed on this very issue. In the past we've brought all of them before the board to to approve the contracts when they're when they're done. We can certainly go through that step and do some vetting if the board would would like, and we can bring those items back to the board at a future board date when those contracts are ready to come through. I'm perfectly fine doing

   1:33:23that if if the board wants to wants to do that.

   Seth WeightmanSecond Vice Chair

   1:33:27I'd like to see it. I've heard other commissioners talking about concerns with C B T.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:33:31Yeah, member you're supposed to have that turned off. Um

   Seth WeightmanSecond Vice Chair

   1:33:35with funds. So I'd I'd make

   Mike Carballa

   1:33:36it

   1:33:37a lot of things.

   1:33:37That's perfectly fine. And and in the meantime, you know, looking at our our processes that we can shore up. I've I've spoken with our community development folks and making sure that hey we can we can check on a few additional items and Mary will talk about some of the audits that we already do on that. But listen, we can we can always add belts and suspenders to the programs. I'm perfectly perfectly fine and a champion of Making sure that we're transparent and accountable for the use of public funds.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:34:02For me looking at the list, I know most of these organizations. The one you know, there's I guess who this mobile home repair program, I have no idea who administrates

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   1:34:15our department does. Mary Theory Young, interim director

   1:34:18of

   1:34:18community development. That is a program that we run in our department. 'Cause we saw a need that we could not use our ship funds for older mobile homes. So these are mobile homes that need a roof or an AC. And I'm fine with that. Those are and so we administer that program internally. And then um Chips with the Z. I I don't know who that is. They are a relatively new agency out in East Pasco. We made a concerted effort to get more agencies out on the east side to provide more services out there. That's why they did get a lower

   1:34:48grant than what they applied for and that's where we're trying to expand capacity out on the east

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:34:54side. Okay, and the reason I wanted to bring up something here, I don't remember Um what the money's going to for that ha that The Pasco County Housing Authority. What is that two forty two hundred forty thousand for? Do you remember? We don't have

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   1:35:07anything for the Pasco County Housing Authority this year. That was a last year's award through home and that was a development of a um single family home on Jason Drive.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:35:19This says fiscal year twenty twenty six, list of projects to be funded, two hundred and forty thousand. Wait, where'd it go? Uh two hundred forty thousand to the Pasco County Housing Authority. And the the only reason I bring this up is and I know that there are s legally some things we have to do with them. And uh um but I have brought this up before and I brought this up nationally at my C E W D Meaning. Um I I We keep having

   1:35:49this issue Where we're we're Other people are coming and taking our citizens' vouchers. So I was really shocked to see an ad on T V a couple of weeks ago that said Come to Pasco County and get on our list for our housing vouchers that went out.

   1:36:11To the world, I guess. So I I was shocked when we have our own citizens who have needs. Why would we be advertising For other counties to send their people who need public assistance to get on our list. So I talked to Kathy and I did have a brief conversation with David Lambert. And uh they are required I went and looked it up by statute or whatever their word is. to advertise, but I sure don't

   1:36:41want to see them advertising like that. Have you ever seen a commercial from another county in some state to say calm move to pat to your to our county and get on our housing list? So and here and here's why I have some objection to this. Um if someone Comes here. My understanding is the way this works. Someone comes here. Well they don't even have to be living here when they get on the list. They have to come for an interview. This is how it used to be. Uh they they pass the interview and they get one of

   1:37:11our vouchers, they have to live in that house for a year. And then they can take that voucher and they can transport it anywhere in the country that will accept it. But Let's say they want to go to Connecticut. California. New York. We have to pay the difference in the rent. Um our our housing authority, not the county, the housing authority has to pay that. So I mean it's not an organization that we run. I just I

   1:37:41did ask them to make sure that it's loc you can say local residents first, but why would we I just don't understand how that's being read. Just and I see someone's here to speak. Jess Skelet,

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   1:37:54the Executive Director of the Pasco County Housing Authority, will speak on their voucher program. Uh good morning

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:37:59commissioners. Uh first of all, we don't run any TV ads. Uh we have would you probably saw a news report, but there are no TV ads. Yes, yes, it was a

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:38:07news report.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:38:08So just to be clear, there are no TV ads run from the agency. Okay. Uh we do by regulation have to put something in the paper, uh notice that the we're opening the w uh the waitlist.

   1:38:20And so we can't violate the fair housing laws. We have to open it up to everybody. So anybody can do that. But

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:38:27you can have a local resident.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:38:28We have a local preference. We do have but you have to be on the list first, and then you get the local preference and you would go to the top of the list. list. So all Pasco County residents will be on the top of the list. And then whoever else out of our jurisdiction would be down at the bottom.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:38:45So you just had the misfortune of a TV station picking up your little ad and wanting to do a TV.

   1:38:54On your ad. 'Cause how else would

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:38:56No the actually and the I think it was WTBS came up and we did a like a quick short interview to help spread the word that the wait list was open. Um

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:39:05to anyone in the whole United States.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:39:07Uh yes, ma'am. Legal legal US citizen.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:39:11I got a problem with that. Commissioner Mariano.

   Jack MarianoVice Chair

   1:39:14Yeah, why would you want to do a radio spot or a T V spot like that?

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:39:17Well I thought it would be helpful to get the word out, um, but now I've learned a lesson that uh we'll not do that in the future. Um but uh yeah so it was just basically to get the word out throughout the county.

   Jack MarianoVice Chair

   1:39:27So let me do a follow up. In the years past, how many people from outside the county have gotten on this list and get qualified and get a voucher?

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:39:34Um the it usually runs about sixty forty split, sixty four sixty Pasco, forty other ones. But

   1:39:42No.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:39:43No.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:39:44I don't

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:39:44but I don't think we don't control their

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:39:46You can't it it's a federally funded program and if I if I discriminate

   1:39:52the agency's gonna get sued and th that won't work. Uh

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:39:57uh go ahead uh wait Commissioner Oriano then Commissioner Weightman. Yeah so I'm just gonna if it's sixty

   Jack MarianoVice Chair

   1:40:02forty split and you got two hundred and forty thousand. If the amount's cut down in half, would that pretty much take out all the other people from outside the group? I don't know

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:40:10what they're doing with that two

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:40:11four.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   1:40:15The two hundred and forty thousand allocation is to uh make accessible showers to two of their properties. That is what that is to convert showers to ADA accessible

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:40:25showers. It reminded me that I wanted to speak about this.

   Jack MarianoVice Chair

   1:40:28So let's t let's talk about that. So tell me about these showers, because I know we allocated some other monies or in years past, but tell me what those shows are exactly doing.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:40:37Yeah, so right now in our El this is only for our elderly communities and right now they have a step in tub and we're having a lot of the uh elder the tenants complain that it's harder to get in and out of the tub without falling and getting hurt. So uh with the money that you guys are hopefully gracious that you are gonna give us is um gonna convert those Um to walk in. So they don't have to step over anything.

   Seth WeightmanSecond Vice Chair

   1:41:02Pretty sure.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:41:04I don't know, but I

   1:41:08Do you not do we not have enough need of our own that we have to invite other people who need public assistance to move here.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:41:15I am I'm not allowed to discriminate from location.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:41:18Yeah, I'm not asking you to discriminate, but I have never seen another county do advertisements to move to their county and get on their list. And this is like the third time I brought this up with you guys because I recall reading an article in the newspaper that there was a woman in Hillsborough County who was living in a motel. Waiting for a Pasco County voucher to open up for her. Um So in doing a little more research I learned that there's companies who look for counties like ours. to place their clients because other

   1:41:48counties don't do it I guess like we do and so they literally place them and then sometimes those people sublect those houses. So I think there's work to be done federally on this issue.

   Lisa Yeager

   1:42:01Agreed.

   Seth WeightmanSecond Vice Chair

   1:42:03Yeah.

   1:42:06It's open in enrollment all year long. There's not a deadline.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:42:08No sir. It's only open uh we have open for three days in May.

   Seth WeightmanSecond Vice Chair

   1:42:13So I I think it would be appropriate We wanna put Pasco folks first that We utilize our own PIO. Message how we want to attention Pasco residents, hey here's an opportunity for you. maybe partner with the different constitutionals who do their messaging. Um and kind of embark on a more localized PR campaign that we can do that's aside from the rules that they have to follow. To try to get it out

   1:42:43the word out there for our our folks who are here To to receive Services, maybe that's the the loophole.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:42:51Yeah, and so in in to go further in that, we already have to put the ad in and unfortunately the only paper that's still local uh is Tampa Bay Times. So whenever we get to I can see but it's also into you know it's a little bit more. Does the

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:43:03Sun Coast News count or the

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:43:06Um I'd have to check the regs on that. Um but we do go out first, we let all of our local community partners know. St. Peter's Paul, Web Community Now, all the folks that are part of the continuum of care so that they can focus the the their people that they work with to go on and register on the website. But again we also have to advertise on our website which as can be seen From whatever.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:43:30And I wanna be clear, I'm not I don't w I'm not discriminating against people who have needs. I have a sister who's living in public with public assistance kind of in Miami. But Do I wanna advertise Miami? Come up and get on our list? No, I wanna serve our residents and our needs. Yeah. serve their needs. So first for sure. Commissioner, did you want to do that?

   Jack MarianoVice Chair

   1:43:57I think we should have a presentation come back before the board to go find out how to I know but I I just wanna see how it happens. I w I wanna I want this whole thing explained to us just that way 'cause you've you've opened up uh a a very big problem to me that we need there's probably a way to fix it because I gotta tell ya, I gotta think we could fill up every one of the vultures with people.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:44:15We've

   Jack MarianoVice Chair

   1:44:16we've had enough enough people Driven from all over. Even I've seen them advertise up on Carolina, New York, where they're busting people down here to go maybe get these vouchers. Yes. And they stay here and then become entrepreneurs. And that's and and I'm not sure.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:44:29Again, there's only three days that the wait list is open that you can apply for it. That's the only time it was open for. And that usually gives us a list of people to run for about eighteen months and then once it gets down we'll open it up again. So it it only happens very informally. Frequently, it's only open for three days and

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:44:46shocking. Really? Can I

   Lisa Yeager

   1:44:47say

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:44:48something? Yeah, can

   1:44:48I say that?

   1:44:48I've

   Lisa Yeager

   1:44:48been waiting patiently. Okay. One, you answered my questions about the nonprofits just making sure they know. Two, I agree with my other commissioners that we need to tap into our our our officials and see if they can you know, get this tweaked because the the sixty forty split is I can't I can't even fathom that. Like two nights ago we had a seventy year old man, his head was so sunburnt and welded over and he had nowhere to go. And we're on the

   1:45:19phone at ten thirty at night trying to see if a shelter would take him. Like this is crazy to me. We just had a dad and a little girl living in their in their truck. Like I understand this for seniors, but like there is so much. No, it's for it's it's for anybody. There's so much need in Pasco County. For seven months they lived in a truck.

   1:45:40Let that sink in.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:45:41Oh I get I get emails daily with people just like that. So I I'm sympathetic to you guys getting calls and

   Lisa Yeager

   1:45:48emails as well.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:45:49So I I 'cause I get

   Lisa Yeager

   1:45:50also agree with Commissioner Starkey. If the Sun Coast News counts, I say the Sun Coast News. I I don't think we I think you do, you know, to check the boxes what you you need to do. Um but definitely we don't want people you know, we want our Pasco citizens to have have the first excuse me. Chair

   Paula Baracaldo

   1:46:08Commission Commissioners, if we may um and if you're agreeable with this, we would like to present this uh policy to you during the next upcoming homelessness workshop. Uh that way we can have an opportunity to discuss this.

   Jack MarianoVice Chair

   1:46:21Madam Clerk. I think it should be at the next meeting. Period. I mean we've got we've got people from hurricanes. How many how many times in trailers did you see that live in terrible communities?

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:46:36It's not it's not we don't control them.

   Lisa Yeager

   1:46:39But I think we need to talk to our delegation. We need to talk to our

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:46:42delegation.

   1:46:45Well

   Lisa Yeager

   1:46:46I mean it needs to be done ASAP in my opinion.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:46:48I it it's our state delegation.

   1:47:00Um why don't we put this on a a commissioner item for discussion? I mean an R item uh

   1:47:08Well, you know, uh there's really nothing he can I mean, I uh we have we can we can cut funds from us to them Um but Is that really helping the citizens that need, you know, a shower?

   Jack MarianoVice Chair

   1:47:21I I think we need to see it next meeting. meeting. Next meeting. They should have enough time to put it together what they've done, what we can look at, and when then we can go look at okay, do we need to get our what What federal delegation people need to do, what strategies can we do, how do we promote it better? Because there's just no way sixty percent is the only number we should be getting for our people. I I I just we could fill that up in a minute. I mean you go to the rope center, probably fill it up with forty people right there.

   Lisa Yeager

   1:47:44Can you email us everything about the organization, all the the commissioners, so we can start reaching out to our delegation? Because I'm definitely in the community.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:47:54Okay.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   1:47:58So just so that I'm clear, the funding request that's before the board today is to improve buildings in Pasco County that the housing authority runs. It is not It doesn't re it's your existing tenants. It is not What's forty percent

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:48:16are not Pasco residents.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   1:48:19Well they're Pasco residents now because they're

   1:48:21not

   1:48:22building

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:48:23this.

   1:48:25Okay. Um,

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   1:48:28I agree there's a I'm I I understand the Commission's concern with the bigger issue. I I just the

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:48:34request the

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   1:48:35funding request that it's

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:48:36gonna vote to approve that, but Commissioner Carbon.

   1:48:41County Administrator.

   Mike Carballa

   1:48:42So the um uh just two options. We can either bring that back as a regular item at your August nineteenth meeting. I I haven't seen the agenda yet, so I don't know how packed it's gonna be or how much debate you wanna give this. The August twelfth workshop, uh I was actually going to cancel it because it was on mobility fees, but uh staff uh need to go back and do a little more work with the consultants. So I was going to cancel that workshop. I can put this in its place since it's already on your calendars, but I'll the pleasure of the board, either the nineteenth or the

   1:49:13twelfth, in a workshop format, which would afford you more time to have discussion. When's

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:49:17August twelfth, next week?

   Mike Carballa

   1:49:18That's next week. I w I won't

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:49:19be here.

   Mike Carballa

   1:49:19Okay.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:49:20I'll be looking for lobster.

   Mike Carballa

   1:49:22So if if not we can bring it back as an R item on August nineteenth as Commissioner Mariano suggested to present uh the current state of play on vouchers and houses. Well let's

   Ron Oakley

   1:49:33go go for how many how many grants do we give out of the sixty forty? What is the total?

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:49:40So the the the sixty forty is the split of people who are Pasco residents versus non Pasco residents that'll be on the waiting list.

   Ron Oakley

   1:49:46Okay.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:49:47Has nothing to do with funds. And currently we that uh our check run for paying landlords is around one point eight, one point nine million dollars a month. A month. So

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:49:58why do you do we have any Pasco residents on that list?

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:50:01Yes.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:50:02So why Do we have forty percent of non Pasco residents housed?

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:50:07Because

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:50:08they were allowed

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:50:09to apply.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:50:10But I thought we had a local options first room.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:50:12You do?

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:50:13So let's say if of the of the

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:50:16I guess

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:50:16this is stuff

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:50:16for the workshop. One thousand one hundred and twenty four people on the list, like about five hundred are from Pasco.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:50:22We have lots of questions. Um that we would love to. Can be continued.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   1:50:25Yeah. So I I I have no idea what's an R thing. What's an R It's already in the right.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:50:31But thank you very much. I know we put you on the hot seat. Um okay, so um we We need to vote on C twenty-six.

   Mike Carballa

   1:50:41Does the board want to hear anything as far as the audit process? That's why I brought Mary up.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   1:50:48Okay. Okay, when an agency is awarded, we don't just give them the funds. They everything that they get is reimbursement. So they put in for a reimbursement request. We have to review all the documents that they submit to make sure that they are adhering to the contract and that everything that they are doing is an eligible expense. On top of that, every three months through our system, they have to do a quarterly report. They have to tell us how many people they Yeah. um a lot of demographic information and everything like that. At the end of the program, we need to

   1:51:18get all beneficiary data for everyone that was served through that program. That's the only way that we close it out in IDIS, which is our federal reporting. That's where we get the funds for. So we don't just arbitrarily give them the funds and hope that they are doing. We have a lot of checks and balances. Once they are complete, if they are development projects, we monitor them every three years if they get their own single audit or every year if they do not. We go out there to make sure that they are still compliant with what they were awarded for and they are still serving the

   1:51:48citizens that they were awarded to serve.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:51:53So um I I think, you know, they have a committee that goes over this. They ha I I feel pretty confident that we have a very well run. uh organization over here.

   Lisa Yeager

   1:52:02Are we are we discussing

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:52:04uh

   Lisa Yeager

   1:52:04giving them the funding? Like this is

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:52:06For the showers. Yeah, to to

   Mike Carballa

   1:52:10To be clear, this is just approving the list that we send to HUD. Uh HUD will then approve it that sends the money to us and then the actual contracts for disbursement. What I heard the board say here is that you'd be more comfortable with me bringing those contracts back to you uh as we get them and approve them versus me signing them, which is perfectly fine.

   Lisa Yeager

   1:52:32More about everything. That's just my opinion. So

   Mike Carballa

   1:52:36Okay. We'll uh we'll we'll we'll drop back and and do a little bit uh do a little bit more. And as I mentioned before with Commissioner Weightman's comments, um there are some elements that we can add to our policies and processes before we award, uh that um you know I've talked with Chuck and Mary and Kathy Pearson about that I think are some good ideas uh and making some adoptions in our policies to kind of uh but ensure additional transparency and accountability.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:53:00Commissioner Oakley.

   Mike Carballa

   1:53:01Is there any harm in continual those two weeks? Yes. I need it I need the list approved so we can submit it to HUD by August sixteenth.

   Kathryn StarkeyChair

   1:53:08Second. All in favor? Aye. Okay. C twenty nine. You want to call for opposed?

   1:53:17No, I I watched everybody else that I. Okay.