2024 State Legislative Platform

2:33:02over several policies and discussed uh if you wanted to move forward with these items, uh should we seek legislation? Now we're going to say what will be the finalized uh products. Uh I also wanted to kind of discuss uh coming off of the FACT policy and of innovation uh conference that the chair and I attended last week. several of our items that we discussed at our workshop. were discussed at that conference. First

2:33:33one. The live local, which we would also seek to get a sponsor for would be the exclusion on the commercial industry, uh land use zoning preemption based on were jobs for Housing rich. This is the requirement that would say if we are that low uh amongst other state where we've been trying to bring in jobs into our area. We feel that Our

2:34:03county and other counties like that should be exempted out of uh or excluded out of that requirement. The second one would be to be excluded out of the mandatory property tax exemption. Um because of the issue of dealing with our law enforcement, not having enough law enforcement now. And there is a requirement by state law of how many law enforcement should be for every thousand residents. We fall way short of that as w as do Several other counties. And this would

2:34:33seek an exemption from there. I don't know. What the uh outcome will be. Uh if they ha uh this issue was brought up at the uh conference last week. Uh I think that they hesitated pushing something forward, but I think we should at least start the discussion. And I think we have an argument that our even our legislative delegation likes. Uh and so they're willing to move forward with this item. So If you're for that and want to move forward. forward. I just need yes we'll we we will put that on our agenda if

2:35:03If you're okay with that?

2:35:05Yeah. I'm good with both. Okay. Yep. You're good with both. Consensus?

2:35:08I think we need to um converse more with the counties that are in the same position as us and on that map. Correct. There are a lot of dots, but they we didn't necessarily call out all those counties, so let you know maybe make our own little coalition. Correct.

2:35:23I you know, I think the discussion and I think we we heard from our uh our other counties around the state is There are issues. We need to address it. They're already seeing those problems that are occurring. Uh, I think the message that FAC said. We don't want to move forward next year because the president is still there, but at least we can start the discussion. I think we have valid issues uh and concern and I think we have good documentation that we can at least start the discussion.

2:35:49Well, I would think if we step got to meet with the president the president or her staff and they understood why Uh you know, w where our position is, I don't You know, let's just articulate our position. We're not against affordable housing, but we just don't want it to be where we're Trying to um Bring jobs. And we've just we just have two big Affordable housing projects coming to the county. One's in the city, right by Leisure Lane, but And ones in my district, but we're we are working

2:36:19towards that.

2:36:20And as Ral Ralph summarized correctly, FAC doesn't support it because it affects others the other way. They they look at something that supports everybody. So this is something we're going to carry and just like waste energy. We need to get that coalition together to to make some momentum go.

2:36:33Correct. Uh the next item um I'm gonna say this would be for a statement. Um this is also an item that is similar to an issue that was brought up at FAC, uh, and that's dealing with the limits to county or municipal inmate medical cost. Uh the issue that was before the uh FAC was to currently allow incarcerated individuals from uh to continue their medical assistance through Medicare and Medicaid because right now they

2:37:04don't get that reimbursement. That's the issue that they are gonna be pursuing with us. Ours is more of a cap issue. Um Um we'll look for a vehicle that maybe we can address this. Uh did get some history from the Florida Sheriff's Office about the the cap issue. Uh the cap issue was more of a concern with the Florida Hospital Association putting that cap on there, and that's why it was not addressed in 2012. So my recommendation would be to to make it just a statement on our you know board that

2:37:34there there be a Um limit on the county, municipal uh and uh county inmate costs for health care rather than looking for legislation to address that since FAC is going to try to address that.

2:37:51So FSE may address it, but Um I think we we could take a stand on it. Um I believe Miami They have it built into an agreement without doing any legislation. Correct.

2:38:01And that was a Miami was opposed to it back in twenty twelve because actually their rate was lower than a hundred and ten percent cap that the state was seeking. And the sheriffs and the FAC were pushing the legislation last time. So Commissioner Starkey.

2:38:16But this is different than what I've been trying to do on the federal level. That's correct. And was there any discussion about um changing or did we did we were we able to dig into it more if Florida if the legislation that is federal legislation is being changed that would allow states like Florida who are termination of benefit state versus the suspension of benefit state Um

2:38:41D did the feds add in the termination as well as suspension states? I keep waiting for that answer and no one's no one's told me.

2:38:50And no, they did not go into depth on that issue and we need

2:38:53to ask our lobbyists to look into it.

2:38:55Correct.

2:38:56And then and then if if Florida 'cause this The the federal government has tweaked that issue that I've been working on with NACO. Um to say if you are a state that suspends your federal health benefits. When you are arrested, Um they can get 'em back. Florida is a state that terminates federal benefits when you get arrested.

2:39:21Right.

2:39:21And then they have to reapply.

2:39:23And that's more of an admin administrative, current administrative decision.

2:39:28So it's a it's a a state decision if we want to be a suspension state or a federal state. And I don't know what that means financially, but I'm telling you the county. the one picking up the cost. And it's very detrimental to the families and there's a high amount of recidivism because they're not getting their medicine.

2:39:45Ralph did FAC take a position to that?

2:39:47Not on that position now.

2:39:49It's part of their platform.

2:39:51It's more

2:39:51of

2:39:51the NACO platform. Well we should work out federally, but but that's a state thing we need to need to work on. So maybe just put that keep that on for our list, I would say.

2:39:59Yeah. Statement. Yeah. Um support modification to competitive consulting negotiations. This there was an exact same one. We had the same discussion at FAC. So FAC and another county will be pursuing this and getting sponsorship. for that type of legislation. We all I think we all agree that this needs to be addressed. So we don't have to keep going back and tweaking it every couple of years. Okay.

2:40:22Everybody go with that? Mm-hmm.

2:40:26Sure. Modification to ship program funding. Uh there was something similar to this and it was actually bumped to the next conference uh to make a decision. Um I think because they tied in a live local in the discussion with the housing issue. Uh we all agree that County should have more flexibility and and go away from that 65%, which was what we were trying to address, is which is is what Marcy

2:40:56presented to you all, is that it says you that you 65% of the funds that we get from um the ship has to be used for home. Home ownership and local governments agree that there are a lot of counties that have more rental type of population than they do homeowner uh uh that want home ownership and uh feel that we should have that flexibility and that's what we will be seeking.

2:41:22So this board talked about that in the workshop that we had. There was three three commissioners there. Commissioner Weightman was having the night of his life, you might say. She was. Congratulations to your baby. Uh so we didn't make that but uh I I don't want to change that. I mean others may want to change it. They have flex flexibility, but I don't think If we're gonna be talking about things we want to go do.

2:41:46Put something on that we're even mixed about.

2:41:48Right.

2:41:49And two commissioners

2:41:50have

2:41:50to be able to do that.

2:41:50And I think the concern is by not having the flexibility is that we're not able to use that full sixty five percent because There aren't enough r people stepping up for home ownership in our county. It's more for rental assistance that they need. So For failure to lose funds.

2:42:09I'm gonna I'm gonna say I don't think it's an issue if we want if we're not getting enough response from it, that then let's go look to change it to create it. a more value to it. So putting more money if possible or whatever to tweak it if we can tweak it. to make it that you put more fun funds into it. But I think we should that should be a discussion about how we're doing it, can we do more To increase The subsidy of if you want to call it for uh Home ownership. Because maybe we're not doing as much as we could do. I don't know. Kathy, do

2:42:40you know? Okay. So before I go down that road about the flexibility, we've got enough other items to work on. Yeah. Let's focus on what we really know what we're doing. Let's hold off on that one then. I I'd say. We agree?

2:42:52I agree.

2:42:53Okay.

2:42:54Okay. Then we had two other issues of uh discussion um supporting uh the Issue dealing with the law for code enforcement and going back to anonymous complaints. Again, another great discussion we had last week at FAC. This is one that they will uh You know, seek to change. is the feeling of of the county commissioners across the state. So I would say we support that statement being on our Our legislative

2:43:24agenda.

2:43:25I'm good with that one. Good, good, good. Yeah.

2:43:30And then the last one, uh this is dealing with an issue that you brought up, Commissioner Starkey, uh the private provider for plans and review and inspections. I think w seeking to have more consumer protection.

2:43:43Yeah, something. Something.

2:43:47And and we w I try to work with staff and I think we try to work with our uh the state lobbyists with the association uh dealing with that group. uh to come up with some kind of uh legislation. This is just one I think if we you know we could just if we could have a statement on that we can continue to work on and maybe find a vehicle, find a bill that we can attack attach something on. But I don't think we're it's ready for prime time just yet of how we're going to address that issue to put in consumer protections under the current

2:44:18statute now.

2:44:19Are you guys aware what's going on with this?

2:44:22So if a builder Should I be the one to explain it?

2:44:27Well I mean I can I can basically say on its on its face and if anyone from development services wants to correct me they can but I mean on its face I I believe some of the concerns are is that you know a builder if they choose to use a private provider that's that's their choice. So if you're buying a home, for example, from a builder, you enter into a contract with with that builder. You don't own the house um necessarily or own anything about it. You just you buy it at the end according to the terms of the contract. So there there seems to be, you know, on the buyer's part, um some reticence necessarily

2:44:58on on these private providers. And there have been instances that we have seen in the county with with regards to a particular builder and and you know, private provider that was used. that that have created some situations. And so I I think things from even just disclosure. Um at least notification or something like that, um, maybe are things that we can we can look at or talk about. Now these are third-party, these are private contracts. So

2:45:22what happens is our our inspectors don't go. They use a third party inspector. And then when problems arise And buyers buyers are trying to even get out of their contracts because there's so many problems going on it but this is

2:45:36it becomes a civil matter. And that's I mean that's really

2:45:39what it is. We can't do anything. We can't we can't send our building inspectors. We can't tell the builder you need to fix that.

2:45:45Right.

2:45:46Um all we can say is I'm sorry, they used a third party provider, hire an attorney.

2:45:55a backlog at the local level with the building inspections. So giving uh the people the ability to go to a private inspector, pay for it and go in and get the inspections done would expedite it. Did that happen? Yes. But if they signed off on something and then it became a problem down the line, we've had a couple of issues here in our county where that's happened. I I have to do that. They then think they can come back to the county and say, You you did this. No, you hired a third uh party, you have to sue uh to uh get civil action.

2:46:26Ter ter Terry has it going on in his house.

2:46:29So I I think that's a good thing to add into. Um it might be something to add a little bit further for down the road. You know, you you put that disclosure out there. The county can help you if you go with a private provider after the fact, it'll be purely civil. That's a protection some people will be aware of it, some not. Uh but I think maybe we should even put something out there where we make these inspector companies or contractor put up a bond whenever they're gonna go forward, something that's Maybe it's a cooperative type of a pool. What money can go into it that for

2:46:59those problems that are out there, they have a fund to go actually tap into to go fix the work.

2:47:05do have web pages and statements on their uh on their website that say yes the legislature approved this, you know, for this purpose, but please note, you know, this if you have a problem, you know, this is something that you would have to uh take up by a, you know, with a civil case. Um all we as a county or a local government entity can do is say, yes, this individual is licensed in the state of Florida.

2:47:29So I would say we should get something on our website. If others have done it, let's go see what they did, bring it forward, somebody else will take a look at it. So we can do that anyway, but I I still

2:47:37agree with pursuing this. Commissioner Oakley. Some of the issues I see was with some of this people that do things wrong and don't get permits and don't follow through like they're supposed to, they're getting that third party And they're not doing what they should to do the right thing for the project. Um I don't know. That's I don't trust the third party because of it. I know one guy's doing it right now and I think he's doing things against the county. And he's under conditional use and Code

2:48:08can't seem because it's conditional use, code doesn't seem to be able to have the ability to do anything about it. And it just carries on.

2:48:16Gary may be trying to raise his hand to speak.

2:48:20Now that you

2:48:24Nope.

2:48:24No, actually we're just trying to work on connectivity for this evening.

2:48:27Sorry.

2:48:36Right, there's limitations. I mean we we have a certain period of time, I know and I I don't see JP or Esther here, but there we have a certain period of time to you know, make make decisions but it's a very, very finite amount of time and given the volume you can't necessarily get to the detail and you have to accept the you have to accept it because it's from a certified

2:48:56It's frustrating to

2:48:57have to

2:48:57be a good thing.

2:48:58Or building construct building official. And so that's you're relying on the license is what you're relying on.

2:49:03But and and to your point, they're a licensed individual, so there should be an oversight group that whether it's CILB or whoever, it's not us. It's not our local.

2:49:19I mean there's there are they're regulated through a different through a different source. It's just the county, which would be I guess the more direct line for the citizen is just not there. They have to deal with the different things.

2:49:30So maybe we provide the complaint forms to our residents.

2:49:36have that available, I suppose.

2:49:37They are very frustrating. I'll

2:49:40But it's frustrating when you can't get code can't do anything and they're on a conditional use and they can't go check or Be sure they're doing the right thing. Uh And I'll even tell you who is I think is doing something. Is there some activity going on at the ice rink out on McKendry? He's moving gravel and dirt in and making more spaces. And I thought at at his His conditional use allowed him only use of the fifty eight. spaces, parking spaces that he has, he's building

2:50:11spaces out on the rest of his land that he is parking people everywhere. And it's happening and we've let it be a little bit more than a little bit

2:50:17can't be regul can't be watched.

2:50:20Well 'cause nobody from uh B C S or I mean with the building services uh Land don't they can't check on anything. Yeah, I just

2:50:29morning so I've I've asked.

2:50:31Well this has been going on for uh over a year. There's never an answer of how we get this guy following line and do the right thing. All he needs to do is the right thing, but I think he works hard at doing the wrong thing. It really bothers me. That shouldn't be happening in our county and it our Our citizens deserve better. Yeah.

2:50:52Uh

2:50:52so is that both one and

2:50:53two?

2:50:54Uh Jeremy. Yep. Uh actually what uh is support and then look for a statement that we could uh support on that uh one as well, uh rather than actual trying to do policy change. So the last uh portion I need is our funding initiative. So we did agree that we would move forward with three projects. All right, can we hold take a five minute break? We can do that, but

2:51:18Seth Weightman

2:51:21Five minutes.

3:00:16Right.

3:00:20And Ralph now we'll talk about funding initiatives.

3:00:22Yes, sir. So in our discussion at the workshop, the um funding initiatives we said let's go to three projects, a west, a central, and an east project. Um some of the criteria we were thinking about looking at was let's look at the silos that they go into. Transportation, economic development. TED's types of projects. That's one silo. And water projects. So getting with staff with that recommendation and direction. then my and what

3:00:54Our legislators also seek is I asked the staff to to look at projects that we had skin in the game. That's always a nice one that are that's shovel ready. That's actually uh dealing with the construction of the project, not the um Um you know, not design or or planning or anything like that. Uh and that if we only got partial funding that we could still move forward with the project. Staff looked at that. Staff came back. Can uh

3:01:24gave three recommendations as possible ask. For the west side, Sea Pines Neighborhood Flood Abatement. That would be a stormwater project. So real quick on stormwater projects, that money comes from general revenue. Um the legislature will look at all those water projects. Uh once they they work on that list, they may fund all of them. They might fund only a partial amount of those. Uh you may get full funding or you may get partial funding, but that's strictly up to the legislature

3:01:54and how they control that pot of money. That's for the West Side. Bellamy Brothers road safety improvements was one to be considered with all the actions that have been happening out there to stabilize the shoulders, widen curves, tactical warnings, intersection lighting, and signage. And then road improvements on overpass road from old bridge to hand cart were the suggestions. They gave some other ideas, plus we had that list of sidewalks that were on there. So now let's let's see if we can come up

3:02:24with our three projects that we'll seek sponsorship for. Um And we'll start with the West Side. Seapines neighborhood flood abatement.

3:02:32Let me let me stop you just for a second. I will. One of the things we had talked about was we want to try to put these projects also in each uh state house members district, state, senate as well as House. Mm-hmm. Do we have a map to which ones these fit into or do we

3:02:46uh Yeah we would. Mm-hmm We do. Uh so for the first one uh that would be uh Hooper and Yeager. Uh the next right. That's that's that's Holcomb. Oh Holcomb on that one. Um and I was gonna see um Yeah you are right. That is Holcomb. Um, I would have sought uh I would I would have gone to Yeager and Hoover for that for that one, but it's it's uh Angolia and and Holcomb for that first one for sea

3:03:14finds.

3:03:14Okay.

3:03:16So with with that I mean we'll let's let's keep on looking. So we j l long as we know where they're coming from as we as we talk. Okay.

3:03:26So if the pleasure of the board, what would you like to do for your west side knowing that? Um

3:03:35Okay, I'm sorry, I'm confused.

3:03:37So I think Ralph has got three projects here. Number one is on the west side, number two is in the central east ish, and then three is on the east side. And so we're looking to boil these projects down. You've got a water project in here, you've got some transportation projects in here that that we believe are shovel ready. So that we're looking for the direction from the board. Uh

3:03:57Overpass Road. Uh Overpass Road and Bellamy Brothers Road. Um and then there were some other uh

3:04:02those are in Hooper's district. Does that matter? So

3:04:07it didn't matter. Commissioner Commissioner Oakley I may, I just in terms of s strategy, that's that's important. We really need to be aligned on what the needs of our county are. and and we can work strategy from from there. I really would prefer that the board be united on what we feel that we need. Yeah. And then and then let's

3:04:27he will be the chair of Ted's. That's all we were seeking. It's it did not have to be in his district. Okay. He is just the chair of Ted's

3:04:34Well, so to touch on it, I think it's important we do get some in who in each one of their districts. That's the whole goal. So I and I if that means we got to do five projects, so before

3:04:43we wanna get money.

3:04:45Yeah.

3:04:46Um at the end of the day. We want to give money.

3:04:49We wanna

3:04:50give

3:04:50it a money.

3:04:50I'm not worried about the strategy. I don't know.

3:04:53Yeah, I I'm not really worried about the strategy. I think we will we can easily work that out. The strategy was the silos and not by getting projects in the in the members' districts.

3:05:03We can rotate, you know, as

3:05:06So I know we have this discussion.

3:05:11Thank you. So first we want to strategize the importance to all of our legislators to help push this through and two what is the right How much is too much? I mean I've heard Sean say if you ask for too much they're not gonna do it. Right. So w some of these are humongous

3:05:29They are. And if you look at them. But uh but again I think we looked at it and said I'll tell you this much. The stormwater abatement one I think is coming off of Hurricane Adelia This is the time to ask.

3:05:41And which one is that one?

3:05:42Number one for for the West Side. I think this is the right time to ask coming off the hurricane. Uh and we had the legislators come out here and look and I think they would agree too. I think they heard from the residents that we need to do something with that stormwater.

3:05:55And we have been putting skin in the game already.

3:05:59Correct.

3:06:03Correct. We do have skin

3:06:03in the game already.

3:06:05That is correct. We have skin in the game. Swift Mud has skin in the game already?

3:06:08Yep. So then the best part of the whole thing is when you look at it, what we put into right the last parcel we just approved today that I that I pulled from the agenda, that seapines, that with an eight point two acre donation from an apartment complex for the rest of the canals that we need to take it out to the Gulf?

3:06:25Because

3:06:25I don't know what the

3:06:26project looks like. I don't know that I've ever been

3:06:28to

3:06:28the U.S.

3:06:29shovel ready

3:06:29and we do have staff here if you need it, but it is shovel ready and ready to go.

3:06:34I have no idea

3:06:34what the project is.

3:06:35So the

3:06:36I can

3:06:37if if I could, let's let's let's a little quite for order

3:06:40if I were to give you a map.

3:06:42Uh so let me talk before before before you speak, let me just go a little further. So this project here, as well as doing the flood abatement, we've already got cooperative funding with Swift Mont to the tune of about eight million dollars we've done so far, then approved and gone through the steps. This is the final step that's added in since we got the Dr. Chang Price of property, since the apartment came in to give us the land we need. Now we can finish this off. And the other thing we've been waiting to do out there is to go out and actually do a separate Yeah. I think we combine the septic to sewer in the same ask. But

3:07:11does this does it hurt us that it's in Blaise's district because he only gets say ten projects? I don't know what they get in the Senate versus the House or whatever.

3:07:19It varies, but but I would have concern with that because it's gonna raise that price up from six million six almost seven million dollars we're seeking right now. And if you were to add in The septic the sewer uh project list, that's gonna add up a lot. What three m another four million dollars or three and a half dollars.

3:07:41No, if you make the ask, if nothing else, they may say, We're gonna make this a water project separate from over here. So put them in as one ask, break out what it what it is for septic sewer and the other, and they may pull it themselves and say, We're gonna put this part over here and fund this one over here.

3:07:56Why? Why take that risk? I don't know.

3:07:59Yeah, that's you don't want to take You don't want to lose the project. Earn money for a project.

3:08:06No, they may not either fund it. They're going

3:08:09to say

3:08:09we're going to fund half it, but you fund the other half. I mean we saw that in all the responses you brought back, Commissioner Starkey, that showed some funding were complete and some were partial. And some had like twenty different items on the list that you saw. Right?

3:08:22Yeah, but

3:08:22water quality is huge.

3:08:24What's so different from other counties, and I think we have to tell this story more. And us is that We don't have the cities asking. It comes just from us. And these other counties have cities that ask for these septic programs and water programs and and we don't. So we we need to be treated a little differently up there. We ha and we have to let 'em know that. We should get more. The county should get m more more acid. So how about we we look I just want to be successful,

3:08:54that's all I'm saying.

3:08:55So how about we just look at sea pines again? Let's let's take that holistic look. Uh that that's fine, but let's let's prioritize the stormwater. And then we we we talk about septic to sewer as a as a I'll call it a target of opportunity. And and as we strategize going into the session you know, we can maybe be nimble. But if we uh if this board is united on making the stormwater portion the priority and then if the opp if there's an opportunity for us to look at septic to sewer as as part of that Let us give us the flexibility

3:09:25to amend Applications or look at that as we go through. Because I don't I I I agree. I don't know I know there's a little bit of strategy that has to go into selecting the target, and I know there's a little bit of chicken and the egg here, but but we should be at least united on whether it's a little bit of a where we want to try to target.

3:09:43I tell

3:09:44you

3:09:44what I've got in our in us.

3:09:45I've got another idea. Why don't we take the septic sewer project we have and just as Commissioner Simpson I mean yeah, Commissioner Simpson told us when we're up there, let's go take the sea pines, the alphers, and let's add town and country. And we won't ask the state legislators for it. We'll go right to Commissioner Simpson and put the ask in for those three. See what we can get there. So we'll leave it this complete. We'll leave that part out for them. We'll just go septic to serve with commissioner.

3:10:19It was a one time shot that went to seven counties and it went only to improve homeowners septic systems, not To switch over and that money has been spent.

3:10:30And he told us something different, so I want to go back to him and try and

3:10:33you could go back and say he said it was twenty million, it was ten million dollars, but and it only impacted Pasco Hillsborough, or mean Pasco Hernando, Citrus Marion, and one other. But that

3:10:43money has been spent. And we got nothing.

3:10:45Yeah, and that money has been spent. And it was

3:10:47homeowners that applied for it.

3:10:48Well

3:10:48I

3:10:48think I think what what what Ralph was trying to say though is it was targeted for individuals. Homeowners now.

3:10:57So maybe there was Maybe there's a different program. We're gonna research that and see what was what the intent was.

3:11:03We hear you loud and clear about grant money and there's one water quality improvement grant program with DEP that helps local governments on septic desure that we are looking at. Okay. Commissioner Weightman.

3:11:13For the Septuag, what y'all were just discussing, Cheat Sheet is talk to Swift Mud because it dealt with septic de sewer conversions, near major springheads up in Citrus County within I think the acronym was B map or something. It's it within a certain district. So Uh It was a priority. boundary predominantly up in the Citrus County area near the

3:11:37We had it in

3:11:38Springs

3:11:38Springs.

3:11:39That's where the bulk of the money

3:11:41was and it went to the homeowners

3:11:42to

3:11:43improve the receptive system,

3:11:44not switch over. We could have had it up in that little town in our corner. Commissioner Oakley, I sat on that committee that you were on. Commissioner Starkey. So that that's the Springs committee. Commissioner Oakley was our representative. I went to a meeting because he couldn't go. And there w there was money for Pasco in up in your northern corner. What's Arapica? Well that that springs does come down into the Arapica area and we if there's still money in there, I don't know if you got any from Pasco, but if there's still money in there we could we're we're

3:12:14in that We are in their boundary. I'll make that call and check that.

3:12:18Yeah. So we hear it loud and clear. So if on the on the septic desire and seeking funds for that. Um so if you're good with the seapines flood abatement for the west side,

3:12:28I'm fine. I think that's

3:12:29I would say that's a good ask. But I don't think we can hit the floor. I hear what you're saying, Chairman. We will work on that.

3:12:35I think we now have to go. Into Hooper's district and into Matt and Burgess's district. We are on

3:12:42these next projects. Um and and the two next uh the two uh other projects are are transportation silo related, uh which would be uh something that Senator Hooper chairs and that's basically what we were saying, not who our sponsors were. So what we would be looking at is two sponsor uh the same Senate sponsor for the for the Central and East, that's Burgess, and then two house sponsors um for the uh Central Anne's Maggart um and Steel. But

3:13:12um Commissioner O Central had a different way of going. He looked at this, he you know, he likes this, but he really wants to I think you to you go ahead, sir.

3:13:26So instead of the the Bellamy project, we were successful in getting sidewalk funds for phase one of the for Pineview Middle and Pine View Elementary. Phase two of that project. Uh for the parkway through Lake Pageant, uh it's actually less money. We're asking for less money. We last for two million last year, we got one and a half. Uh but fa this is a l a less ask for phase two of the sidewalk project to get kids to school. And uh you know, we had great sponsorships in uh Senator

3:13:56Burgess and Representative Steele and we were fortunate to have Santa Hooper. Uh running TED committee and Um We could the board, I I'd hope they we consider just finishing this this project all the way through, knock out both phases and what a what a fantastic win for the neighborhood and for the school kids and um I think it's it's

3:14:18it's

3:14:18measurable and we can

3:14:20the commissioner

3:14:20is

3:14:20on the second page which is

3:14:22on uh oh sidewalk list. The sidewalk list, the bottom one. The last one for one point one seven Parkway Boulevard from Lake Pageant, east from Shining Star Drive to Carrier Parkway. And that would connect That that'd be the second phase to what the money that we were able to capture to get from uh Pineview. uh elementary and middle down parkway into the neighborhood. Uh

3:14:49project our legislators like it. Um they like it that it's it's helping the the residents or school kids, especially with the schools cutting back and it won't cut into any transportation work plan.

3:15:02Great support from the school board. It was a great state, county and school board. And uh You know, we were successful last year and I think there's good momentum to to to keep the project going forward and and folks out there just they're very very very appreciative. So

3:15:19Do you think you might be able to combine like Shady Hills? Parkway in that.

3:15:26Uh

3:15:26I'm I'm always willing to make the ask. I'm I'm a

3:15:29million four hundred three

3:15:32I prefer in this environment I think we can be successful in getting s sidewalk funding, especially for our school kids walking to school. Um it's a true need. Uh the decision makers get it. and the public very much appreciates it. But

3:15:51um let me ask whose Senate district is Shady Hills the Shady Hills.

3:15:55Oh Shady Hills.

3:15:57I don't know where Blaze is stops. We cannot

3:15:59ask it would currently the the I don't want to jeopardize my view elementary is definitely gonna be Burgess. I don't know who

3:16:07the current

3:16:07Pine View is Burgess

3:16:09still. I'm not I'm not sure who's

3:16:11for Shady Hills. Uh Shady Hills may be in Golia. We need to I think it goes up to Sunco the Sun Coast. right? Yeah. Well

3:16:19Steel House, but Senate. Um

3:16:24I c you know, Jack, I just think we need to not p put too much in Blaze's basket.

3:16:30Yeah.

3:16:33I don't know uh you know, you know how that works more than me, but I just

3:16:36hear that. I I hear what you're saying and I think you are on the right path. Let's just put it that way.

3:16:41Now the House has got a limit as far as what bills they can submit though. But the Senate's unlimited.

3:16:46Correct.

3:16:49I think you're good if you go with that s that one sidewalk and not try to combine right at this point in time.

3:16:58Parkway. Yeah, the one you're talking about.

3:17:03I'm kinda trying to keep it in the central portion of the county. Well why don't we're doing west, central and east.

3:17:09So why don't you why don't you combine the curly road one too then?

3:17:14Pineview and

3:17:16was

3:17:16Chapel was Chapel Elementary.

3:17:18That You know,

3:17:21that's

3:17:21that stretch of road, Ralph and I talked about that. That stretch of road because all the new neighborhoods built off Boyette and then coming down Van Dyne.

3:17:28That's the same district.

3:17:31Uh they're further apart.

3:17:33One w but as far as

3:17:34yes same same

3:17:35for representations. And that still gets you just over just over two mil.

3:17:41I see you're where you're going, Chair. Okay. Well

3:17:43I'm gay.

3:17:44The So Chair's on the point to to do curly road.

3:17:49Oh okay. I'm

3:17:50uh

3:17:51district commission district one

3:17:53parkway

3:17:54elementary. Yeah

3:17:55parkway and it gets us to the chair's number. Different

3:17:58members

3:17:59but we'll work on strategy on that one. Brett Magard was supportive of the Sidewall project last time. Uh and I think he'd be

3:18:07Okay, what's in District Three?

3:18:09Interesting. And then the last one, the recommendation was overpass road from Old Bridge to Hankart. That was to resurface. uh project but that's really

3:18:19that's almost rebuilding part of it

3:18:21it's not real. And you had a concern with that I know and you had into issue on public works that you were you were looking at. It's

3:18:28whose district is overpassed in?

3:18:30Mine.

3:18:31Well would you guys mind then? I know I was gonna be magnanimous, but I'm not gonna be. Um Would you mind if the sidewalk instead of being curly uh came down to Hooper's neighborhood, which is Trinity? And is this number three? Um And then you do overpass for the third one and that way everyone gets a little something in their case.

3:18:52I'm afraid of overpass because of the expense of overpass. Oh where where is it? It's eight million dollars and that's that's taken overpass that'll go into Watergrass and turn to the north. And match up to Fairview Heights. That's a rebuild of that road and only part of that is in the eight million.

3:19:10Should we actually

3:19:11cost more to match up, I think, so But I think that's too expensive of a project. And I hear you. I'm afraid we're going to get turned down on it.

3:19:20And so there was another project on there that you were interested in and

3:19:25uh

3:19:26public works.

3:19:27The old Trivi Road from ninety eight back to to Lockhart. Which is about halfway of uh the old Tri Road to Lockhart and then back to Forty One.

3:19:37Nice. And then what

3:19:38we can help

3:19:39you.

3:19:39There's two million dollar project for just paving. But I would like to them 'cause those are older roads and I think they're narrow. They're two lane road, but they're narrow and I'd like to see 'em do that project but also include uh some widening of that road from that point back into Trilby. So I like that and I and

3:20:01maybe we'll get Wilton to help push that to the Hernando legislators. And then not then there would be one in everyone's district, even though they're different pots if you switched curly for Little Road.

3:20:17On the sidewalk. But now we're getting out of central by putting that in there.

3:20:23Well no we have we have two. We have Lake Page.

3:20:27Yeah.

3:20:27The bit that's a big one. One one point one. Yep. We have In ja up in Sea P Seapines, we have Jack Sea Pines Neighborhood Flood Abatement. We have a big one over there.

3:20:41Two million. Yeah.

3:20:42And then a little one Seven hundred thousand.

3:20:45So we're gonna do four projects then. So instead of three.

3:20:48No, no, we we're gonna we would combine the sidewalks into one. How didn't separate? Put 'em separate. Hooper can't sponsor a bill, but it's in his district.

3:20:56I mean Ralph, do you think just

3:20:58kind of given the dollar?

3:20:59That's why they combine

3:21:00it and give it

3:21:00to Danny.

3:21:01Yeah, but uh uh you the legislators might question and just say, but these aren't even close, they're not in my district. Because I'm I'm gonna have to get one sponsor. So it's in

3:21:08Hooper's district.

3:21:09I know, but I'm gonna have to get one sponsor. And I was looking uh at at Parkway Boulevard in Lake Page. That was gonna be um um Burgess. Going with Burgess and uh um

3:21:23You're saying Burgess can't add Little Road to his?

3:21:25He won't he won't add that Little Road into it because as an district. I mean, I get what we're trying to do strategy-wise, but it would be it would be a totally separate project.

3:21:34But but how does Hooper get any? Because if you're chair,

3:21:37you can't.

3:21:40He will see this project, and he will have probably no problem signing. No. That's where that's what happens. Okay, it's not that it's it's it's in his district. It's Pasco County. He's gonna help Pasco County.

3:21:56Burgess carries a project that is in Hooper's district. Hooper will approve it. Cooper will approve it.

3:22:03A little one. It's a little one. We'll try. I'll

3:22:05try to do that.

3:22:05It's actually on a street he drives to go home. So this is his street. He lives he lives

3:22:12right up a little in in So we're combining the uh the three and the two.

3:22:18Mm-hmm.

3:22:20Yes. The last the bottom two.

3:22:23And that would be considered our central project.

3:22:27That's

3:22:27our transportation.

3:22:28Little road.

3:22:28One of our two we have two transportation. Two bottom ones.

3:22:31Oh four and five. Yeah. Priority. Okay.

3:22:33So that'll be our central and then Trovi Road. For the east side. And sea pines for the west side. Got it? We're doing trophy with that. We good with that? Y'all go with that?

3:22:46I'm good with that.

3:22:48Okay. Thank you. Yeah.

3:22:56But but but guys we need to please make sure Dade City And Zephyrhills are asking for money. I've asked the new Port Ritchie and the Port Ritchie people to be asking for money. We we all need to be asking.

3:23:13So then what I'm gonna do is uh put this together, uh get our legislative agenda, get it all cleaned up pretty, something we can hand out. Um I've got to g uh I'm gonna work on sponsors especially for the funding because The um House has a deadline of November fourteenth and that's to get legislation in and to get their budget requirements in. Oh no, that's right. So November 14th, five P. M. is our de our deadline that we have to get this in. Uh, my goal would be to

3:23:43get this cleaned up, pretty, uh, for discussion for the delegation meeting, which is October 2nd. Um the plan is that the chair will go and speak on behalf of the county and myself. Uh if you go you're going for other issues, but that's normally it's the chair goes. Uh and that's how we've done in the past. So we just have one person on there. Um we'll make sure it's on your calendar. But if so. I I am gonna probably

3:24:09go.

3:24:10You will probably go I'm going for a AM skills. And I guess

3:24:13please get nonprofits to ask for money.

3:24:16Oh yeah.

3:24:17We're we are half the ass of other count counties our size.

3:24:22And then at a later date we're also gonna have to but but I want this ready so I can start going out to the legislators and especially for the legislation on the live local, uh go sit down and and talk. The the plan was to talk with Burgess and uh um Jaeger uh as possibly carrying those for us. But I definitely want to get those funding issues. I may even take members along with me if I set up those meetings to help push uh and get our get our sponsors. Um But we should be in

3:24:52good shape. We've three projects. I think the I think the delegation will be pleased, uh hopefully and uh Um then we move forward and get ready for for session. There the um house is in session this week. They're in committee weeks, they're really not doing much. It was more to uh swear in the next speaker designate, which they did yesterday. Yeah. Um which was you know a nice circumstance. Um so the next interim committee is October um ninth. that they'll do. Um but

3:25:22I I we really gotta be this deadline uh for November fourteenth to get our our budget items in. I uh so I I think we'll have no problem with that. I'll I'll work with Sean on that as well. Uh to get those. And that's it. Okay. Thank you, Ralph. Appreciate

3:25:39it. Thank you, Ralph.

3:25:41So