PU-21-0018

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TranscriptWhat was said at each appearance is below it. Machine transcription, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 80% of 192 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.

1. 1Dec 8, 2020
   Board of County CommissionersR108Regular businessApproved

   Approved minutes

   Approved to select the top ranking firm Sunrise Consulting and to delegate authority to the County Administrator to sign the agreement by roll call vote.

   Open this item →▶ Play from 2:04:23
   ▶ 2:04:2339m

   Mike Moore

   2:04:23We're continuing does.

   Ron Oakley

   2:04:25We got Shawn and

   Unidentified speaker

   2:04:30I think you have three regular items left.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   2:04:32Hmm.

   Unidentified speaker

   2:04:33Three regular items of the regular agenda.

   Mike Moore

   2:04:35Yeah, one oh six, one oh

   Sean

   2:04:38I got a

   Mike Moore

   2:04:38sound.

   County Administrator

   2:04:41Yeah, one oh eight would be the one that we go to the purchasing item. That was the one that was to be held right after the public hearing. Yep.

   Ron Oakley

   2:04:50So it's Where are we at here? One oh eight, one oh eight. So let's move forward to the regular item one oh eight.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:05:03Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name is Kimberly Miller, Senior Purchasing Agent for the Purchasing Department. At the request of the board, we'll be hearing oral presentations from two firms for RFP KM 20216 Lobbyist Services for Local Government General Legislative Issues. Each firm will have 10 minutes to present, and there will be five minutes following each presentation for questions from the county commissioners. Yeah. Once both presentations are complete, you will rank each firm from one to two based on the criteria that I emailed

   2:05:33previously, one being your top choice for these services. I will then tell you the rankings and share the results. At this time, the board will make a motion to either award the top ranked firm or reject all proposals and resolicit. Um if there's no if there are no further questions, we will proceed with the first firm Shoemaker Advisors, followed by Sunrise Consulting.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   2:05:54Okay.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   2:06:01For before she starts. Does the com does the commission understand that what The ranking s the the criteria which you will be ranking in these presentations.

   Ron Oakley

   2:06:15Do we have I would take that silence to mean no.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   2:06:20Then purchasing needs to explain that to the commission before they go before you go for forward.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   2:06:29Okay.

   2:06:31Let

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:06:31me pull this up real quick.

   2:06:44Sorry, I'm just pull it up really quick.

   Mike Moore

   2:06:47What you're looking for, Mr. Chairman Mariano remembers this and Commissioner Starkey does as well, is um We actually had a sheet and we did the ranking on that sheet. Are we gonna be provided a sheet to do to write those rankings down?

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:07:02Um we didn't provide a sheet just because it's this is a different format, but I do have the tags, but I have it on the score sheet on my computer, so I'll just

   Mike Moore

   2:07:15What we did before was we turned in a sheet

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:07:18with our while they're doing their presentations, I'll get a sheet and have it sent in.

   2:07:25Yeah, you'll just be ranking one to two based on this criteria that I'm gonna tell you, but I'll get that sheet to you while they're doing it. Thank you. Okay. Um we don't um do The statement of interest and introduction. So the the criteria will be project understanding and approach. Um tab C will be project team and past experience. Tab D will be location and workload. Tab E was exceptions to the RFP. Neither one of the firms had any exceptions. Tab F would be compensation. And just for note, the compensation

   2:07:55was the same for both firms. So it would just be basically the first three that you would base your car tier on. And I'll get you the score sheets.

   Unidentified speakerVoice D

   2:08:14Mr. Chairman Mariano. Yes.

   Sean

   2:08:15Oh. Good afternoon, Mr. Jeremy. I began. Good afternoon. Thank you so much, Commissioners and Commissioner Mariano. I wish you um quick and speedy recovery as I know you have an upcoming, very important, blessed event. So um good afternoon. I am Amy McGuire, a principal with Shoemaker Advisors. I am joined today virtually and also in the audience with one of my partners, JD White, and also the president. Of Shoemaker Advisors, Ron Cristaldi, sends his regrets that he cannot be here today, but is watching us virtually

   2:08:46and will be available should you have any questions. Today I wanted to talk about three in your time that you have given us, three focus areas about which may identify why Shoemaker Advisors will be a great partner for the county in working with the state legislative executive branch. Branches. Number one, Shoemaker Advisors is a more than a lobbying and advocacy firm. We are a full-service public affairs and communications strategic direction company.

   2:09:17We provide services to some of the regions and the nation's top companies. And the three focus areas I'd like to address briefly would be content. Communication and commitment. And woven within that, I will also address the two questions that were asked of us. So, number one in content. In reviewing your previous legislative platforms, in watching these meetings and in watching each of you, you have been leaders to promote Pasco County to its vibrant state that it is today.

   2:09:47Some of the ongoing themes that I've seen throughout the years have been a focus on the environment. Certainly, this county has been the leader in that. Now we see a more statewide recognition of that. The second piece would be economic development and workforce. Third, certainly you have always been driven to have a safe community and to provide smart growth. So the first, if I may, is just on the environment. I think much of your leadership has helped with this open space community has been afforded

   2:10:18to its citizens. And in that leadership, now we have the legislative and the executive branches focused. Yeah. We at Shoemaker have an important role. One of our clients is a worldwide expert, the Ocean Conservancy, which is recognized for its water quality and its sea level rise. You've seen recently, and I think you will see that throughout this session next session, a focus on water quality, which is very important to our county, a focus on sea level rise, on other issues important such as drainage and wastewater.

   2:10:48improvements. We feel prepared through our relationships with the DEP, with staff, and with leadership, both on the local and the state level, that we would be prepared to help you in that space and more. Second is one very near and dear to Shoemaker, and that is economic development and workforce development. Don't believe it has ever been more important than today to help those find jobs. And that is something that you see Shoemaker very engaged in. Shoemaker Advisors is a wholly owned subsidiary of the

   2:11:18region's largest law firm, Shoemaker. Shoemaker has a leadership role on the Pasco EDC. We also work with our clients in important job creation, the governor's apprenticeship program, along with workforce development opportunities. We see that being a great opportunity for PASCO. I certainly can recognize from my past careers, both at Johns Hopkins, All Children's, and at Coca-Cola, that PASCO has been a great environment for those organizations and for the people with. Yeah.

   2:11:50The third, of course, under content would be that of knowledge expertise. You have seen through our proposal that we have an extensive group of people with countless years of experience on the local, state, and federal levels of government. The next is communication. And to begin, you asked a question how will your firm be relying on the Pasco County staff? We believe we are an extension of your staff. We believe we are your partner. You have a great team. Each of you are very knowledgeable

   2:12:20about state government and are very well aware of who the leadership is, what committees are important. We will be that complement to that. So I would answer that by saying we believe in consistent, ongoing communication and a regular cadence. Our first meeting with you and with staff to build out or hopefully finish your platform of legislative ideas will be a critical time, which we will identify weekly communication, daily communication. Each of you know how quickly things change

   2:12:50in Tallahassee. So often that is all hours of the day and evening, which we will be prepared for. I would also say that we have Created as a communication tool. The relationship matrix is what we call it. It is a proprietary document that allows you in real time to watch our activities, to understand meeting notes, to identify to see and hear what we're tracking and what we are looking at for bills. So that is a key element that we will certainly be sharing with you

   2:13:21all. Additionally, we will work with staff to develop communication tools, obviously white papers, talk sheets, scripts for committee meetings, and other tools. are critically important. So we will work with your team and with each of you to identify and utilize those. The third area is commitment, by which we find very valuable and very focused. And the first is that authentic relationship commitment that we have to our elected officials on the state level, certainly

   2:13:51the Pasco County delegation, the Bay Area Delegation, and beyond that, it is so important to know the committee leaders, to know the committee structure, and to know the staff. The staff is critically important, as each of you know, and we value our relationships of integrity with each of those individuals. I would also like to address the second question that you asked us too, which was how would you resolve conflicts of interest? And similarly, Shoemaker Advisors was founded to avoid conflicts. We

   2:14:21have purposely built our firm to focus on select clients in specific spaces. To that end, I'll give an example of Hillsborough County Public Schools. We vowed to them and we've kept that conflict. Contract being that we would not take any other school district during that representation. Um, today I will say to you, Shoemaker advisors will also commit to you, should we be awarded that Pasco County will be our only county government before the legislative branch. Um those are the answers to those two questions. Um

   2:14:52finally, I would end by saying a little of creativity. Certainly, we are aware this is going to be a unique session. And certainly I think it will require all of us to address a unique way of working closely with you and with our elected officials. I think you can depend on us to be focused on that. You can depend on us to take that time and energy to spend and what it is needed to advocate for your priority area. And Mr. Chair, with that I close and I would welcome questions.

   Ron Oakley

   2:15:20Okay. Any questions?

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:15:24Well I won't say hi, Amy. I've known Amy for a long time. We have known each other for a long time. Did we get anything on this? Because I have nothing in my agenda packet on on this. So I'm I'm going I'm w I'm working my way to number R uh 108. But um I don't know. I

   Sean

   2:15:44Good. We submitted if I may, um we submitted a uh extensive um proposal in the areas that Ms. Miller identified based on our scope. On our approach. And in that approach, if I may, I think we also submitted a short PowerPoint that it should be found in your deck. And in that we broke down what what our approach is, which is an access advocacy and advice. And that talked about how we would address our access and setting up meetings with you and arrangings

   2:16:15for your legislative platform.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:16:19Well, I am embarrassed to say, Amy, that I have nothing.

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   2:16:23It was sent out at least it was sent out to me by email with with all the documents attached to it.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:16:29I'm looking at my agenda. It says attachment, but there aren't any attachments. It

   Mike Moore

   2:16:33was in the it was in the agenda packet for last meeting, not this one. So yeah, we did not receive it for this meeting, we received it for last meeting.

   Unidentified speakerVoice E

   2:16:39Kimberly Miller, she actually in my office that went to get the uh score sheets, she sent out email to all chairmen to all the commission.

   2:16:51On November twentieth?

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:16:55I have had five thousand emails since November twenty. Maybe ten thousand email. No, wait,

   Mike Moore

   2:16:59wait, wait, wait. This was the th I see a f okay, there's one that went over the sorry ranking criteria, which I see, which that was on Friday. Friday,

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:17:09okay.

   Mike Moore

   2:17:10That's There was the update that was given to us that said how the today was gonna go and

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:17:18I was just looking for a background packet.

   Mike Moore

   2:17:22Hmm.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:17:23That's normally, you know, you get some something

   Mike Moore

   2:17:27I s I have the to Commissioner O Starkey's point, I mean that's what I'm seeing. I'm seeing two emails

   2:17:37And they're talked about how the ranking would go but I've not seen the I don't see a the decks from the proposals either.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   2:17:46Do you have the

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   2:17:47I just memory? I just forwarded the all of them to to the board. I realize it's they're not gonna have time to look at it at this point. But it came it came to me on December first. Yeah. We just have the criteria as all I can find in the

   Mike Moore

   2:18:03email.

   Jack Mariano

   2:18:04Mr. Chairman Mariano. Yeah. Mr. Mariano?

   Ron Oakley

   2:18:08Yeah, sir.

   Jack Mariano

   2:18:09Hi. How you doing?

   Ron Oakley

   2:18:11Good.

   Jack Mariano

   2:18:12I I've got a I've got a I've got the three hard copies of the first three proposers and then and the copy of the uh request for proposals on page Seventeen it's the list of criteria for tab A, B, C, D, E. Uh is that is that what I should be looking at or is there something else?

   Unidentified speakerVoice E

   2:18:32Yes, those are the documents that you're supposed to be looking at. What'd you find?

   Jack Mariano

   2:18:36Okay. Thank you.

   Unidentified speakerVoice E

   2:18:37Okay.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:18:39Um Amy, why don't you um since we don't have your background, why don't you talk a little bit about your background? Um just And then we'll have Sean do the same thing because we probably don't have anything on Sean either. So I'm gonna ask you both to talk about your experience in

   Sean

   2:18:56the lobbying world. Thank you so much. And I apologize. I made a wrong assumption. I think we all did that. You all would have had at least our executive summary. So we um I know that was a lot of paperwork. So if I may talk a little bit about myself, and then if you'd like to have more direct questions about the approach. Certainly be glad to. I have been a lobbyist for over 20 years. I had the privilege of working in-house at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, which we I ran all of the government community and social impact. As a lobbyist, I've had

   2:19:26the privilege of representing great nonprofits, for-profits, building relationships for the last 20 years in this community, and I am proud of the Nonprofit work I've done. I'm proud of the community building that I've done, the activities that I've done. I believe this is an approach about true authentic relationships. And I believe that the term limits have helped us in many ways in that we spend time really getting to know people and their priorities. My

   2:19:56approach is one of serving and working alongside each of you. Because you are the experts. I just know how to navigate the process. I have been successful in obtaining funding. Medicaid was one of my biggest issues and opportunities. So I consider myself an expert in healthcare and in Medicaid and in many environmental and economic roles. The other piece I would add is especially right now, and I want to touch, if I may, on jobs. And workforce because not only is

   2:20:26that a priority, and again, I want to commend you personally because I am very involved with a group that you all have supported, and that is Metropolitan Ministries. I um volunteer for them and again thank you all for everything you've done. I give that as an example of what your commitment is to help create jobs and help get people back to work. You've seen that through our legislature. Legislative welcoming with our Senate president and with our Speaker of the House. They've certainly identified that this is an important role, and I would like to be the one to help you

   2:20:56all bring jobs back to here. Just as a side, I was raised in economic development. I think this is important. My father was part of the seven that brought Toyota to Kentucky. So it's kind of in my blood. So I will say that it is important to me. I've watched you all grow. I've um It's an exciting time to be here in Tampa Bay and in Florida and I know we'll come out on the better side of all this. I was high level and that was on

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:21:22the spot. So I'm sorry. And um so I want I just if no one's had the opportunity to see what your background is. I wanted to think of that to be shared.

   Sean

   2:21:32I would say also um our full team um and J D White and our um president Ron Christmas. Staldi, um and many others that you've seen. I I guess actually you haven't because it's not in front of you. Um we have Ashton Hayworth who Ashton was the mayor of Pensacola, who was also an advisor to us, and we utilize our advisors for expertise. We utilize them for additional um partnership across um various agencies, and we think that is very important. Um the agencies play a critical role. And everything

   2:22:02that happens at the county level as you all have certainly seen today too. Pardon me.

   Mike Moore

   2:22:08And we do have them now in hand.

   Sean

   2:22:10Oh yeah, I'm I'm looking at it. Okay, great. Thank you. And welcome.

   Christina Fitzpatrick

   2:22:15I wasn't playing on my phone. I was

   Sean

   2:22:17playing solitaire?

   Christina Fitzpatrick

   2:22:18No,

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:22:19definitely not. Huh, when did when did Melanie?

   Sean

   2:22:23Yes,

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:22:23so

   Sean

   2:22:23Melanie has been an advisor with us for a little over a year. We're so pleased to have her expertise and her experience. Um the also advantage we have of um being part, um but yet separate of the region's largest law firm is that uh additional expertise and the additional um framework of their knowledge.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:22:42And um, Amy, besides um the Hillsborough County School District, can you name some of the other companies or whatever

   Sean

   2:22:48that you have? I'd love to. Um it's very important to our uh mental health is very important to our firm. We represent advanced recovery systems, which deal with substance abuse and mental health. Um we also work with Grace Point, which I know is something you all are very familiar with. Um we work with Sykes Enterprises, I'm sure the um One of the world's largest BPOs, great opportunities for workforce throughout Sykes. Um, we also are working closely with Orogenics. I hope it is a name you have known. Um it is the only Florida company

   2:23:18working on a COVID vaccine, and we are working closely with them as they enter their trials, and we're hoping that that is a more community approach that you've seen. So COVID. And um I think that's fifte twelve or ten or twelve, fifteen. As I mentioned, we purposely have kept our firms small to be very focused. Um when you build out day to day communication, it's um timely and we like to spend that time directly with staff.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:23:51Okay. good.

   Ron Oakley

   2:23:52All right. Any other questions? I was

   Sean

   2:23:55my answer. Any about approach. Okay, super. Thank you so much.

   Ron Oakley

   2:23:58Thank you very much.

   Unidentified speakerVoice E

   2:24:13At this time we'll hear from the second group, Sunrise Consulting.

   Ron Oakley

   2:24:17Okay. Mr. Foster's right there.

   Sean

   2:24:24Good afternoon.

   Ron Oakley

   2:24:25Yes, sir.

   Sean

   2:24:26I think I have a uh a PowerPoint that we had sent in. You can we'll wait for that to come up. Uh we did. We didn't put everything in this. We have a 10 minute time to present to you and I know you haven't had an opportunity to review what was in the RFP. But just to give you, I know a lot of you already know me. I'm very active here in the community in Pasco County. I've been very fortunate to be here for almost uh 21 years. I used to work for a gentleman that is our tax collector now when he was a state senator. And after that I worked for Congressman Bilarakis. But prior to moving to Pasco County, I also did

   2:24:56work for the state house and uh was working local government down in Manatee County. in Sarasota County. So Uh I know I look like I'm twenty-nine years old, but I've been doing this for for twenty-five years. Um we were asked to answer a couple of the questions and so we're gonna go through that uh in just a second. On the next slide, it kind of gives you a a little bit of background on us, if you'll go to that. And um the next one? So Sam had to leave, and I do apologize. We had another call with a client at uh 4 p.m. So he is stepping

   2:25:26out to uh to take that call real quick. One of the things that we wanted to show you, and I know a lot of times folks are concerned, and you know, what are some results? I worked for for Pasco County for uh almost six years. We represented you uh when I was the managing partner. With the uh the Tampa Bay office with the Southern Strategy Group, one of the largest law, um sorry, lobbying firms in the state of Florida. And then when I went on my own, we uh we worked along with you. We originally split the client and then I went along with you solely. Um we have grown quite a bit since that time as a little firm of about

   2:25:56six or seven clients. We have about twenty-five clients now that are quite diversified throughout the state. Um, some of them are our local clients. We have some cities that we have, even the city of Palm Bay. They're one of the largest cities in the state of Florida, nonprofits, state associations, and some obviously some top 500 companies around the state. So we're very fortunate on that. And what I wanted to show you was some of the successes that we had. We didn't list them all, but one of the things I wanted to bring out to you is one of the questions coming up in the next slide is: what do

   2:26:26you do when there's you know know, if there's a conflict, we only represent one other county and that's been Hernando County. We actually got Hernando County about the same year that we were able to start working with Pasco County. And in those years, two th starting in 2014 and 15, each of us were able to be one of each of you, Hernando and Pasco were successful. And the only time when there was any issues, and some of you will remember, we had a gentleman named Richard Corcoran who had some issues with the um governor, and all of

   2:26:56our items were vetoed. And so I have been asked before: are there conflicts when you work with clients as close as you do with like Hernando and Pasco? Uh the conflicts that I have generally seen have been unfortunate when it happens with leadership. There was one time when we had Several projects go to the governor. Uh Representative Mongolia had when he was the chair of the Republican Party had some issues with the governor that year, and he also, unfortunately, we lost some of those projects when they got to the governor's desk. So at that point, I just wanted to kind of give you those items in 2014, 2015,

   2:27:27when we worked together. We had many projects and we were very successful. The years where we were not successful were some things beyond our.

   2:27:40Um policy success. You know, I look at this because we usually get the highest questions come from, you know, where are your successes with appropriations? We have been very fortunate when it becomes to the appropriations process to the point where folks have seen us as an appropriations expert and that we were able to get that. That happens because you have a deep relationship with two things, your delegation and with leadership. I will say there will be no firm that could come before you today or any other firm that would come before you that has a relationship

   2:28:11with the incoming leadership. We obviously know Wilton Simpson. It's all an egg farmer that we know personally. I am on the phone and work personally with Wilton Simpson every single week for our clients. One, he is calling me looking for information that he may see or have heard and asking for feedback. And two. I am keeping him updated on items even throughout the year. Number two, Chris Sprouse. Chris Sprouse was one of the first people I met when I came to Pasco County. He was one of my closest and oldest friends

   2:28:41that I have had, even to the point of introducing him to my wife. So when people tell you they have close relationships with folks, I can guarantee you there's nobody closer than the two leadership folks coming in. The next part is the delegation. We've known these folks from long before they were ever elected, long before they were even looking at getting elected. Those are the type of relationships that you count on when you go up into Tallahassee working on these items. So the items that we take with us are the successes in policy. Why? Because we know the issues. We've

   2:29:11been doing this for years. We know the issues that impact counties, and we will work extremely closely with the Florida Associate Florida Association of Counties. You will find out from the staff being there. We are there during session and on the phone calls. And anytime that they need some access to certain folks in the legislature, especially leadership, we're there. They're going with them hand in hand. We're not one of the lobbyists that are only showing up uh at the end of session when they're looking for a certain item, but they're look working along with the process. And the next item I wanna go to the next item is just kind

   2:29:41of explain one of the we had two questions. Um that came up. And one of the questions were What do you do when they're um when you're asking for information back from

   2:29:56And I wanted to submit something real quick that was not in here, but I just wanted to give you an example, if I could.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:30:03Do we have to have a motion to accept in this kind of format, Jeff?

   Ron Oakley

   2:30:07If you want it as part of the record,

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:30:09okay, more question to accept.

   Ron Oakley

   2:30:10Second. Receive. Whatever. Got a motion to say, roll call vote.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:30:15District 2, Commissioner Moore.

   Ron Oakley

   2:30:16Aye.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:30:17District 3, Commissioner Starkey. District 4, Commissioner Fitzpatrick. Aye. District 5, Commissioner Mariano. District one Chairman Oakley.

   Sean

   2:30:27So what what this document is, and I just wanted to kind of give you an example, it is coming over and discussing the 2020 employer contribution group estimated increases in contributions. What does that mean? Last session we had to deal with an increase from the FRS because there was a reduction and what was expected that was going to happen from the um uh uh um from their investments. We were the first law uh lobbying firm to work for the Florida Association counties because this bill came across quickly. Within 12 days it was proposed as a

   2:30:57committee substitute and then went to the floor. What we prepared here, and we're trying to give you an example of information that we provide our clients, this was for a school board client. It goes down there and and item by item explains to you right off the bat what the issue was last year, key points that that are impacting it right now. Moving forward for the 20 and 21 session, and then how did this happen? Obviously, it gives you some history. The reason I bring this up is one, we gave this to one client who then forwarded it to the Florida School Board Association

   2:31:27and then forwarded it to all 67 counties around the state of Florida. What we were asking in return from our client was what is that impact to you? So after we gave you every single item detail. detailed information, I need to know what that six percent reduction and impact more that the Pasco County or Hernando County or school board would have to add to their FRS. And the reason we don't have that is even if we we do have some information on that, but lobbyists are only as good. As the data and the facts and

   2:31:57information that they give their legislators. If I am off by a million, if I am off by a percent, They will not value what I bring to them next time. So we worked with the county administrator or the CFO at that point to give us an idea what the FRS impact would have for Pasco County so we can go back to the legislative delegation and leadership to say if this decision is made, if this bill is passed or this amendment is gone through, this is how it's going to affect Pasco County.

   2:32:30I apologize. Um We went over that. Next one? It was one of the questions that came and they asked us to put forward. So we'll use the local data and statistics to educate and going back to the legislators. So I just wanted to give you an example. This is the kind of detailed information that we provide our clients on issues and specifics. We're not asking for an analysis on what a bill is and an amendment is. We really just need the effect and the impact that it has on the county. That is the part that goes a long way. Generally, we ask for a letter. On something like this,

   2:33:00we would ask for a letter from the county administrator or from the CFO and directly to the state senator or the state rep that we would be meeting with and deliver that letter. We have seen that that that type of information and impact uh goes a long way. And I'm going to end with this. Uh I also would challenge other folks to do what we do. To be successful you have to be seen by the legislators and the staff. We go by every single week with every single person in our delegation and meet with them. And not Does

   2:33:32it have to be an actual issue or a bill that you're actually meeting on or talking to them about? But I have found out that that presence has also been an opportunity for us to get information for our clients. many times and we have done these what we call touches, going by and doing it and following up with them. We have gotten information for our clients before an amendment or is even filed or a bill that is coming out to give them the heads up. Um and one of the examples, I'll be honest with you, is this FRS. The FR issue is coming back. The actual areas are not meeting.

   2:34:02There's gonna be another $380 million deficit that's gonna need be uh made up. Uh that had an impact on you last year and it will have an impact going forward. I just want to say thank you for the opportunity to meet with you and would appreciate the opportunity to represent Pasco County also.

   Ron Oakley

   2:34:20Okay. Thank you. Any questions for it?

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:34:24Time um This is gonna be um kind of I think Amy touched on it uh kind of a A crazy year budgeting wise. Um how big is the deficit and What do you think our impact could be besides the FRS?

   Sean

   2:34:38I give you well, that's what we we follow the revenue estimating conference every quarter and they get the updates. So before right when session ended, it was about a five billion. That's been adjusted. Right now it's about two point seven billion dollars for this fiscal year. There is some good news. There has to be some good news in twenty twenty, right? October had a good news for us. October ha October had projections for sales tax revenue up thirty-five million dollars. Pre- Pandemic. Changes,

   2:35:08right? So after they had adjusted for the decline. I'm sorry, yeah, for post-pandemic. So if we would have kept with the same numbers before the pandemic numbers, we still had a $35 million increase in sales. Pre post-pandemic afterwards, it was a $315 million increase for it. Um there are two items that I always say, Commissioner Starkey, that they'll look at probably filling that in, and that impacts us greatly. And the first one's gonna be the online sales tax. Online sales tax, 70 companies out of the top 500 in the state of Florida. do

   2:35:39not pay online sales tax. It has a seven hundred million impact for the state of Florida and a hundred and thirty three for counties. That's pretty big. There's already been a bill filed for that and we expect another one to happen in the Senate. Number two, I would say the Seminole Compact. You know, if you're looking at at a billion dollars, you're looking at about 700 million from st online sales tax, and the um seminal compact is about 350 million. That's gonna be about a billion dollars. You're still missing about a billion dollars. We have not had the dip into revenues

   2:36:09at this time, uh, but you will see some cuts to the budget coming up, probably anywhere from six to ten percent on what um Each department has.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:36:18Well, um I am all for that online sales tax. I think it's not fair to our local businesses that they have to pay it and these Other guys don't. So um I did mention that to a legislator when I was in at the FAC conference last last week, by the way. Um and that is one of the FACS platforms. Yes it is.

   Sean

   2:36:36One of the top ones.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:36:37Yeah. Uh I have another question for you. Um Okay, I don't remember what it is. So if someone else has a question I'm gonna try and bring it back up. I should have wrote it down.

   Ron Oakley

   2:36:48Any other questions? Mr. Chairman Mariano.

   Mike Moore

   2:36:51Thank you. Just a follow-up to Well Commissioner Starkey and you were uh going back and forth with This online sales tax are we seeing that companies within Florida Are doing business with Florida buyers and still not charging sales tax?

   Sean

   2:37:11So what what the closeness I can give you

   Mike Moore

   2:37:13inside the state that they're not charging the sales tax.

   Sean

   2:37:15So there were there was two things. One, uh eBay is a great example. Recently eBay just impact it just started because they were doing it on your word that you would collect tax from something that's sold as somebody from Florida and and do it. So two things were happening. One, they were not collecting it, and two, when they weren't collecting it, they weren't reporting it on the honor system. And that's part of the that that's happening here in the state of Florida. Yeah. Set s like it's actually it's sixty nine companies at the top top five hundred. It's the Wayworth or Wayworth, whatever that one is.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:37:45Oh I I shop on them. What

   Sean

   2:37:46what is

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:37:47Wayfair.

   Sean

   2:37:48Wayfair. That's they call it the Wafer bill. That's what they will call the bill. Because Wafer was as familiar as you are with Wafer, I've never bought anything off of there. But that is one of the major companies that was not paying their sales tax.

   Mike Moore

   2:38:02online sales. I won't name the business, I'm not gonna promote my business, but I obviously and surely charge sales charge sales tax. And I'm a small guy. So it's pretty wild that these large companies aren't following the rules. Right. How do they get away with it? Well no, we don't

   Unidentified speakerVoice D

   2:38:17have a rule that we

   Mike Moore

   2:38:18have

   Unidentified speakerVoice D

   2:38:18to collect it. I I guess

   Sean

   2:38:20It's an honorary system. They were supposed to be collecting it and reporting it. Only se oh seventy of the top five hundred and that's a big thing.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:38:28Sure. Well, Sean, there's there's no doubt you have a um good relationship with our delegation because um I see you're always fishing with the Sprouts family.

   Sean

   2:38:39Yes. Mm-hmm.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:38:42So uh okay, we'll

   Mike Moore

   2:38:44have a better relationship if they actually caught something. Obviously.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:38:48Sean is taking all the fish out of the ocean. Yes, sir.

   Ron Oakley

   2:38:52Yes,

   Mike Moore

   2:38:52sir. The king of Gulf Harbor is fishing now.

   Ron Oakley

   2:38:55All right.

   2:38:58Now We uh rank.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:39:06So do we just write on here? Yeah, you just write one t or two, um one being the first pick choice. Oh.

   Unidentified speakerVoice F

   2:39:21Okay.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:39:36Um Mr. Mariano, um did you get my email with your score sheet?

   Jack Mariano

   2:39:44I've got the spoolsheet here already, um and I just texted Dan my uh numbers.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:39:49Okay. Thank you.

   Jack Mariano

   2:39:51Okay.

   Ron Oakley

   2:40:06So we wanna pick these up and

   Unidentified speakerVoice G

   2:40:26I think that's it. Oh

   Mike Moore

   2:40:28no, you're sorry, wait on her.

   2:40:33it was about the double check moving engines.

   Ron Oakley

   2:40:36She was looking for the other numbers.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:41:01Okay, so the results of the ranking is um Sean Foster D BA Sumrise Consulting has five and Shoemaker Advisors of Florida L L C has ten. Um so the number one ranking from would ten yeah. Well it's the lowest score it's like golf the lowest score win. It's the lowest score win. So but I don't

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:41:19even understand those numbers.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:41:21Because you got five you have five of you that um scored them at two

   County Administrator

   2:41:25Times one.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:41:25So everyone scores. And then the you got I see what you're doing. Yeah. So you add up the ranking scores, the one and two. So uh Shoemaker got five twos, which would be ten, and then sh uh Sunrise Consulting got two. I thought you were once I thought

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:41:39we were supposed to put ten or five when you said that. That doesn't make sense to me. No.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:41:43So your um top ranking firm would be Sunrise Consulting. Um and you would make a motion uh to go with your top ranking firm or if you wanted to resolicit.

   Mike Moore

   2:41:52So moved. Um but we also if we could add something to that motion, uh if we could delegate Dan Biles to um sign the agreement. The agreement, um designate that to him so we don't have to wait.

   Unidentified speakerVoice B

   2:42:05Yeah, I have them prep I had prepared for either firm, so I'll give it to the firm today as well and then when they get back. Are you guys good with delegating

   Mike Moore

   2:42:12that to County Administrator to sign that we don't have to wait till the next commission meeting 'cause session or or committee weeks are going to start soon. So that was the second motion, Jack Mariano. Okay.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:42:23Um under discussion. Um I just wanted to say that Schumacher is a really good firm. Um it's har it's tough to beat the local guy. But um If we didn't have him, I think he would uh Done really well in um And I look forward with uh working with you guys uh on many things. And um yeah, so I just wanted to uh say that about Schumacher 'cause it's a it's a very good firm.

   Ron Oakley

   2:42:48Okay. Now we need um Oh we got a motion and a second? Yes you do. Okay. Roll call vote.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:42:57Uh yes Chairman M question about the results. Um is are those going to be kept for the record?

   Unidentified speakerVoice C

   2:43:03They should be part of the record, yes. Yes,

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:43:05I can print them off. Thank you. What you have there. District 2, Commissioner Moore. Aye. District 3, Commissioner Starkey. Aye. District 4, Commissioner Fitzpatrick. Aye. District 5, Commissioner Mariano.

   Ron Oakley

   2:43:18Aye.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:43:19District One, Chairman Oakley.

   Ron Oakley

   2:43:21Aye. Motion passed five zero.

   Kathryn Starkey

   2:43:23Thank you.

   Ron Oakley

   2:43:25Okay.

   Unidentified speakerVoice A

   2:43:31Well Well how did they get those points? What did she do? So she took She doesn't do Multiplying this. Five twos.