Cooperative Funding Agreement – AmSkills, Inc. – Operational Support For Workforce Training – $375,000.00

45:51I have a ten thirty time certain. Or R fifty eight.

45:59Good morning, David Engel, Planning and Economic Development Director. It's my pleasure to be here today to present a funding request for Amskills Incorporated. I just wanted to kind of lay out the context of this funding request. For for many years, starting in early 2000s and then memorialized in the 2010 Comprehensive Plan. and the economic element. This board has supported and identified workforce and

46:29job skills training as a vital tool that we have in the county to improve our economic base and our local economy. And at in 2014, as a result of the Comp plan and the policy direction of the Board, the Board of County Commissioners provided some seed funding to Amskills to establish a curriculum workforce training program. and uh and and uh secure some instructional equipment. And um Amskills has been funded periodically through the period of time from 2014

47:00to 2025. And uh the board has taken additional looks at workforce and job skills training. In fact, uh we commissioned in 2024 Ernst and Young to look at what we do as a county to support our local economy. And uh their their their recommendation to the board is is to almost double down on job skills training. It's it's it's almost more important than providing individual. Company incentives because we have a shortage uh of

47:30skilled labor in the country. Our job force is shrinking. There's less people coming into the job force. We have strict regulatory uh framework for immigration, which was Providing the uh the people to fill the slots and we have a problem and now we're evolving and uh we're going into AI and technological application. So the job skills training uh platform and and ecosystem is changing too, so we have to upgrade our job skills training periodically.

48:02And something that's come to my attention, which is very important, isn't just about providing uh jobs so companies come to Pasco because of the job resources we have, because of the skilled labor shortage. We are also changing as a as a county from a social economic con context. Since 2010, the poverty in suburban communities like Pasco County have grown by 60%. Dwarfing the increase in poverty and homelessness in the cities and rural areas.

48:32The reason is that in the urban centers, valuations and real estate have been propped up. There's been a lot of redevelopment. There's been a major displacement because of lack of financing and affordability in the urban core and reducing and eliminating housing. So where does it go? It's been pouring into to the suburbs. That's why we've had this huge surge of homelessness and uh poverty. Also, wages haven't been keeping up with the cost of living, so we have a lot of households uh in the area that have slipped

49:02into poverty, not intentionally, it's just a matter of course. And job skills training is really the answer because it allows us to get people that are making below the medium wage in the county and get them upskilled and trained to support the new businesses and the expanding businesses coming in. So there is a nexus of connectivity with all of this. And right now Amskills is exploring the evolution and the ecosystem that I just mentioned to you before. And we've identified some areas where there's

49:32strong need and demand, and that's technical training. Um most recently uh uh Commissioner Mariano had a meeting in his uh that he had asked for and we met with uh an a substantial automotive group, 77 dealerships. The biggest problem that the automotive industry is having is securing and attracting skilled mechanical labor. They call them technicians now. Umskills has also identified need for for helping out our facilities and public entities and private entities. There's Moffitt,

50:03there's the county, and there's the there's the there's the board educational institutions that require maintenance staffing. There's a variety of opportunities. And thirdly because of the nature of the evolving ecosystem, Amskills has brought in new leadership. We have a new interim CEO who took a company almost like a Hewlett Pas Hacker's story out of his house and made it into one of our most exciting, biggest employment industries here in the county. They have a new chairman, Joe McGee, and Joe is a critical

50:33person because he's had many years of experience in publicly traded organizations like J. Bill Circuit, so he knows a lot about corporate governance, he knows a lot about business plan development. And at that this juncture, um, I'd like to just identify that Amskills is requesting $375,000 out of the penny for PASCO. This will allow them to support the administrative and planning process to get to the next level and evolve their programming. Um there

51:03are stipulations here. They can't use the money for increasing in wages or hiring new people until they produce that business plan and the new product line and allow the board to review that and consider any any future funding down the road. So at this juncture I'd like to invite Mr. Peter Brzezinski, the new CEO of Amskills, to present where Amskills is at and where they're going directionally. Thank you.

51:26Yeah.

51:27And we have the other gentleman here.

51:31Mm.

51:31And and uh wow, look at this. We got full forces once. So good morning.

51:38Morning.

51:39Morning. So um yeah.

51:43I'd like to introduce um Joe McGee, who Mr. Angel mentioned. Joe uh has uh gosh I had in 1993 you started with Jable, multiple different VP positions there, senior VP, executive VP. Um Vigo Nielsen has been with that huge building along the Sun Coast Expressway, Metler Toledo, general manager there for what, 13 years? 17 years.

52:11Appreciate the opportunity to be here this morning because this is uh we're all very, very passionate about um the program, AMP skills. And not just in general AMP skills but just um providing you know solutions to the workforce uh challenges. I don't know if you guys can hear me. Um so um I have a statement prepared and I'm going to try to wing this as well because I don't want to take up too much time. But there's a lot of important points. We really appreciate first and foremost the support that the county's given us. You know, it's

52:41been going on about 10 years now. And there's been challenges, cultural challenges, with companies basically even accepting the whole apprenticeship model that we started with.

52:56But we've been pushing through that. The county support has helped us to develop strong programs and a really great facility. We've developed boot camps, which is basically the high school and homeschool programs, as well as the internships developed for Pasco utilities. They've made a great impact on people's lives and also helped show high school kids that there are alternatives to college. The impact of taking an at-risk person. From an unproductive existence and giving them the confidence to seek and obtain employment in manufacturing is

53:27not only a benefit to that person, but also his or her family, kids, the employer needing help, and the country. It's amazing to see how many people we've touched and just giving them hope and just taking them off of uh at-risk situations, you know, possible incarceration, et cetera, and their productive and buying homes, etc. But over the past year, Amskills has experienced a significant transition. Several major grants concluded,

53:58funding availability declined, and employer contributions were delayed beyond state timelines, resulting in the reallocation of previously approved equipment. So in response. AMSQLs implemented leadership changes. As Mr. Engel mentioned, I came on as interim CEO. Interim maybe six months, maybe three years. We'll see what that is.

54:25Is this being recorded? Is this on record? This is

54:27this is live and taped.

54:29So well the passion is definitely there so for this. between all of us. And and the other major change that we did is we restructured the board. Basically the board, we've always had a a board, but we've said, okay, we need a really active board. Joe was very instrumental in helping with that. He's been involved in multiple 501c3s. I can't use this word because we're recording, but he's a um pretty stickler for um organization and holding people accountable, and that's exactly what we wanted.

55:00So I appreciate you taking that role, uh Joe. Vigo has been tremendous in weighing in uh countless hours. Over Christmas, everything. There was a lot of a lot of deep diving going on recently. We did a focused review of all the programs that we were offering and looking at financial stability, sustainability. These actions resulted in a clearer strategic direction and a more disciplined operating model. We've been focused on that tremendously

55:30for the last six weeks. As a result of this review, AMSkills narrowed its technical training strategy around the industrial maintenance technician pathway. You're going to hear that a bit here. Because that pathway that pathway provides a broad transferable skill base. It's applicable across manufacturing, not only manufacturing, but also across utilities, public works, stormwater, healthcare facilities, maintenance, and other infrastructure related industries. This program can be completed in one year

56:00as opposed to the current mechatronics apprenticeship program that requires two years. Centering training around industrial maintenance allows AMSKILS to scale programs more efficiently while responding directly to Pasco County's current and projected workforce needs. So we focus on a a couple of different areas, adult and youth uh programs. We've narrowed them down to four programs for adult, which is we've got this uh we actually recently developed beyond Our successful boot

56:30camps, we developed a rapid hire workshop just in the last six weeks, which has proven to be very exciting. It enables employers to quickly assess, train, and hire candidates through customized, hands-on experience. Basically using equipment that we already have that completely um is tailored then to their hiring needs. Recently we had a very successful um solution we brought to a company that they needed uh they wanted fifteen people, we had three weeks to prepare.

57:00We presented twenty people to them from different agencies, basically coming from uh foster coming from um human trafficking victims etc and we focused on that presented them actually we invited twenty Uh Fourteen of them showed up, all fourteen got hired. Nice. And so it's uh it's that's uh and we're also been focusing um on sustainability. So that's a sustainable program that doesn't rely any county doesn't rely on any county funding. So youth

57:31programming remains a core priority. We're expanding our standardized career and technical educational curriculum across high school and homeschool programs, enabling dual enrollment into apprenticeship pathways and accelerating entry into any workforce. Planned expansion into east and northwest Pasco will improve geographic access to training while supporting continued industrial growth. Another focus that we have is CTE curriculum alignment. One of the advantages honestly that we have coming in is that we're essentially

58:02I don't want to call us a rogue institution, but we're not uh bound by um For lack of another word, politics. It in in essence though that we can actually question, okay, why is there, for example, no why is there no curriculum alignment, you know, with CTE across the different school systems? And if we could do that, we're actually pushing to do that now. And um We have a curriculum that if this if a high school is using this currently it actually

58:32applies towards fifty percent of their industrial maintenance technician timing. So it basically cuts their time down by 50%. So once they're out of high school, it's essentially a dual enrollment enrollment program. So one you get that person into a higher paying wage um in half the time and an employer gets to hire them and get them functional also within a shorter time period. So One of the words that keeps coming up is alignment. You know, and we're we're really focused on aligning public policy, I'm sorry, policy alignment. Um

59:04This investment directly implements policy 1.01.1 of the economic element of the Pasco County Comprehensive Plan, which calls for the County to coordinate with and support economic and workforce development, partners to achieve workforce alignment. AMSGEL is exactly the type of partner envisioned in that policy. Strategic consistency, as Mr. Engel mentioned. The Ernest and Young Economic Growth Program Strategy emphasizes workforce alignment as a prerequisite for quality growth. Amskills provides the execution arm of that strategy,

59:34connecting employers, training and residents in a coordinating results-driven way. I would say that's probably our biggest difference, differentiator, if somebody asks who is Amskills, what do we do different than a uh than a uh vocational school? Well, our difference is our industry connection. and with teaching the practical skills, not just at AMP skills, but also engaging the employer as part of the educational solution. That is really our our focus. So um

1:00:05So it's also understandable if some of the commissioners are asking if this is good money after bad. Uh we're here to tell you that that is not um And the funds spent until today should be considered the investment that we should now start to see the return on. And we are seeing the return on. The journey has been m with more twists and turns than expected, but we have learned a lot and also helped a lot of people and companies along the way. So the bottom line. The financial investment in AMPSQLs directly

1:00:35implements the County's adopted economic development strategy and comprehensive plan by strengthening workforce training capacity in high-demand technical and skilled trades. The funding is non-recurring. Tightly restricted, fully auditable, and structured to deliver measurable workforce alignment outcomes while protecting public funds and limiting county risk. So appreciate your patience in hearing all that.

1:01:05Opening up to questions.

1:01:09Questions?

1:01:11I want to thank you guys for coming today. I don't know if Joe and Bigo want to say anything, but I I can tell you these guys uh have given up a lot of their Time over the last six weeks. I know I've heard especially from Joe about these eight-hour meetings realigning and kind of refocusing AMSkills. And I'm very excited for what the outcomes are going to be from all this work. What we're asking for today, I

1:01:41originally wanted to ask for it from our our uh what do we call that money? Kind of uh our over to money that we we've had returned from our constitutionals and some other money. Um we have I think now we even with the sheriff we're up to a million dollars of unbudgeted ex kind of extra money if you recall um

1:02:08Senator Fasano used to come in. For you. I don't think he's coming since you've been here. And he'd be give us some money back and say, I want you to direct a couple hundred thousand here or there. So that was the original thought that I had um with this one time um help to get all this work done um while we are um Yeah. working on another plan and But talking with David and and Mike, they felt that we really where

1:02:38we really do belong is in economic development. That is what M Skills is all about, is economic development and um helping one, our local companies find the workforce they need to expand. I can tell you PharmaWorks would not have been able to expand and grow the way they did without the uh help that Ampskills has given them and I don't six or seven of our I don't know how many are there now but

1:03:03Yeah, and and honestly, when we moved into the county in 2004, uh again, um manufacturing wasn't even a subject at the point, it was construction. And so we really appreciate uh Starkey's interest in manufacturing and that and taking us by the hand, getting us involved with different programs. And um yeah we we um so I I've seen the European model on apprenticeships and we actually were working on a program internally before even AM skills started and we got involved

1:03:34in the beginning. But we have amazing rock stars that come through the program. And that's something that we're we understand it as a company. uh other companies don't necessarily their role in that. But but these individuals are um just amazing success success stories, very well rounded as a company. We can move them into different positions. It's just not your typical educational model, but they Um one of the great stories is one of the kids was um but he he we

1:04:04shipped him off to Ireland to do some work and he was so young he couldn't even rent a car. Yet he was teaching other seasoned individuals on uh

1:04:12high school graduates at who at what 21 years old had been to I don't know how many countries working on farmworks equipment, repairing them Overseas. Amazing opportunities.

1:04:22That's amazing. It is it is amazing.

1:04:24So the other the other um thing I want you all to remember is that we use AMSGills as a tool to bring companies here. You heard it from Baduco, you heard it from Gary Plastics, you've heard it from other industries. That um when they're looking for a place to land, they want to know where their workforce is coming from. So it's such a powerful story for us to be able to tell that we have a we have an opportunity here where we can customize training or or or do whatever it

1:04:54is that they need in order to um help their workforce grow. And that's how we got Metler Toledo here. I went down and visited them with uh um Mm-hmm. Our um County Administrator Michelle. Michelle, we went down and to their old offices down by the airport and they were looking at moving I think to Charlotte or somewhere. But we were able to say, Hey, we have this this kind of program, we can help you and um so I hope you will look favor favorably on this this ask. It's

1:05:24not it's not the uh it's not unprecedented for us to give money for workforce training. I'm looking at the um cooperative funding agreement with the Pasco Hernando Workforce Board and we're giving them Two million dollars for work for student. Um And um that's on top of millions of dollars we've given them in the last few years for workforce training. So um we

1:05:55also give money to PE D C for workforce training. Um and I would stand up every penny that we spend at Anskills to um to train someone versus uh you know the return on investment versus the the other folks that we give some money to. So it's a very important part of what we do here in the county and I just

1:06:20and may I add also as well, we're actually excited about this shift because this we've we've done a deep dive and I can tell you the passion from the board members that are here and others Because we're a smaller organization, we can pivot quickly and just and we sit on different multiple boards, so different 501c3s. One of the questions was, okay, what about some of the other 501c3s? Like the individuals that were just here speaking on, I came in late, but on human trafficking. I love the fact that we're bringing

1:06:51individuals like that, organizations like that, into our pipeline, giving them opportunities. At AMSKills, for example, we've got the county incubator, incubator right there. And we're bringing these individuals in, learning skills, they can start a new career right through the program and bring them in, whether they're special needs individuals. Joe is extremely passionate about bringing that in. as I am as well, giving them opportunities for growth, um orphans, all the and that's basically um so

1:07:21that's it's very interesting and exciting time I believe if you're from what Maybe the way that AMSkills has been operating to how we're looking forward to to making it move forward as well. So I don't know if you're going to be able to do

1:07:33Peter if I could have any words to say or if I if I Peter, if I could? Yes. I want to I want to talk and I want to I would definitely want to hear from the other Joe and and the Vigo as well. So I I'll say I met you back in two thousand four. Um and at the time I was on the Tampe Partnership and we they had a shortage of thirty two thousand jobs just in the area. Yeah. Uh the other day when I had seen on Fox News they had the CEO of Ford talking about how there's hundreds of thousands of jobs that they can't fill in their own industry, period, and they wanted to come forward. So Larry Morgan from the

1:08:03Morgan Auto Group brought in this guy who works closely with all the schools in the whole area, wants to work even closer with us here, and they were in the meeting with us to talk uh talk it through about what we can do for potential. as that end with auto deals and those technicians, which I think is a critical thing for us to take a look at, and opportunities to get them to help fund and participate in, which they do now anyway, you got air conditioning, plumbing, electrical. all things that we can go in And I'll say the building you have down there, you've actually got space off to the

1:08:33side uh as we looked at it, and they were very excited about this. You know, if you've got someone in from human trafficking, you may have someone who's coming in from overseas or or or or down s you know, up north that are trying to move down here. They need a place to live while they're gonna get trained. And I think if we look at closely at that community development block grant disaster recovery money, we could say let's go put a building there, maybe some one bedrooms, maybe some two bedrooms, three bedrooms for those who are the family that are trying to make a move and try to create a career for themselves to come forward.

1:09:03Uh, I'm looking forward to that to be funded separately so it doesn't affect what we're talking about here today. But again it'll make it better for us. And I think if we do that, that makes a statement nationwide about, here's what Pasco's doing. If we're gonna try to recruit, it's another big thing. When we first looked at the penny for Pasco years ago, there was nothing in it for economic development. Not a mention. It was about transportation, some other infrastructure. Um Helping the the courts, I mean uh the the the sheriff

1:09:34with his vehicles and it helped with the school board. That's what the focus was. In the second round is when Economic Development came in. Now we're very happy to see it. I don't know where the push was coming from, but I I was asking for it and it happened. So whatever it was the this was going on, it was great to see a commitment. State Chair to allow it

1:09:52first from first penny to the second penny, state statute added economic development as one of the things you could do with that. Yeah.

1:09:59So that's what the trigger. Okay. So anyway, so trying to make it happen, it there it goes magically coming coming together. So with with all that said, there's so much future going on. And I will say with the penny for Pasco, this is exactly what we talked about trying to do for people to try to create jobs. So as far as like applicability for money, I wouldn't take it out of the general fund. I want to say right out of Penny for Pasco where it should come from and go. And I'm and I'm looking I want to hear more from you guys from the things I've just talked about to even mu what more things you can do. Not only just like today, I want to

1:10:29look at the long term future, what we're gonna do to bring more jobs, train more people, improve our workforce, and like Dave Dave Ben Engel said, take people living here right now and let's get them out of poverty by giving them good quality training so they can get good jobs. elaborate on that look I appreciate it.

1:10:44Oh it's it's ta it's all about exposure. You don't know what you don't know. And we're we're we've got career advisors sitting in schools that are advising our students where to go and they never set foot in the industry. So we host them at AMScales. We we give them tours of local companies advising them. Exposing individuals through our boot camps, uh for those that may not know what a boot camp is essentially, it's a two week job fair where they're learning different skills and they're being assessed and an employer is invited to be involved and they

1:11:14get um basically uh they get interviewed at that same time but it's exposing them to skills that they may not even know that they had. So I don't know who else is doing things like that. And it's just um You know, Jack, you're you're thinking much bigger than we are even right now, you know, for what what uh what the opportunities are out there. But the fundamental foundations that we're teaching through industrial maintenance technician, it applies across the board. Troubleshooting. Who knows how to do that these days? You know, everything is you

1:11:44know, we're throwing things away, nobody's Fixing things and nobody's teaching that. And so that's where we're tying in industry to be that educational partner besides us. And that's really the difference, is really providing those foundam fund fundamental foundational skills. So

1:12:00um one of the things that uh want oh let me just say this real quick. Um to remind everyone is that we are we have expanded this year into three high schools across the county. Um we are in Um Angeline and Angeline Kirkland and Kirkland Ranch and um

1:12:18Ancode High School.

1:12:19And working with Zephyrhills and and folks over on the east side about how to bring manufacturing training for all those companies that are starting to set up on the east side working.

1:12:30Yeah.

1:12:31So

1:12:31commission.

1:12:34So this is gonna stain a little bit. Okay. But before I start... You have no more passionate person, and I wholeheartedly mean this, Commissioner Starkey. Commissioner Starkey brought this thing to Speaker Weatherford back when Ralph and I worked for him a long time ago as a passion project. in the the amount of work and passion and time that you have in building and helping to build and

1:13:04capture funding and everything that that's made Amskills a reality is commendable and honorable and fantastic. And I know it's a it's a passion project for you And I'm sensitive to the remarks I'm about to make and it does not negate the work in the leader that Amskills has had Of Commissioner Starkey. Right. And So

1:13:35I'll start with this. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Meaning. Good intentions alone aren't enough. Actions matter, good intentions without follow-through can lead to negative outcomes. Highlighting the importance of doing rather than just meaning to do good. Which Ham Skills has done. Seemingly Amskills has been a bad deal to

1:14:05the taxpayer at all levels of government. This county alone is given over $2.2 million to the organization. Still owes our county $150,000, owes our taxpayers $150,000. I do not know how much money that this organization has received from the federal level of government. I do not know if the $2.2 million includes CDBG funds that has been given to this government. I don't know how much the state, aside from what the initial appropriation was 10 years ago, has given to this organization.

1:14:37The intentions are good. It's an upside down investment for our our county taxpayer and this is a bailout. Let's just say what it is. It's a bailout and gentlemen I commend you for the work that you're trying to do. But there comes to a point we have to look ourselves in the mirror and say, this juice is not worth the squeeze. I don't know what the answer is. It's tough, right? And this is a tough conversation to have. Because every in my three years on this board, Every part of money. that a

1:15:08not for profit can organization apply for, I've seen Amskills name. And somehow Amskills has gotten there. And sometimes they don't even fit within the qualifications, but I see AMSkills as a name, which leads me to believe and question That its appetite for funds is greater than the output. We've never been told how much it's we've paid all the public dollars, the public dollars alone, how much it's cost per head just for the training, how much the public has paid for the folks that have just received

1:15:38a job. It's been probably a very significant dollar amount. As much as probably what a four-year degree probably costs based on my estimates. Incredibly high. And so I'm incredibly concerned with giving the organization any more public funds. Three years. Amskill was supposed to be off the government dole when it was founded. We're ten years down the road and its only reason to survive is

1:16:08off the public. And that tells me that's not a not successful not-for-profits. You're a not-for-profit, but you're a business. And you're relying solely upon the taxpayer to keep you afloat. While your intentions are good, we're all business people here. That vent. Concerns me and it can should concern our taxpayer and the return that we are not seemingly getting on that investment. And it's not due to I don't understand. This

1:16:39organization has received a pile of money, millions of dollars, to stand it up. And why it's in this position, I do not know. I'm just concerned and very apprehensive to give it one more dollar of public funding, especially when we're already owed 150K that can't seem to pay back. I think my points are fair. It's tough. You have a big ask here, Commissioner Starkey. I love you. You have done tremendous, tremendous work to make this organization

1:17:09to get to where it is. And um but with that that's the reality of the situation we're in. I knew this was gonna sting a little bit, but I'm leaving leaving it up to you guys to to to make the sale,

1:17:22you know. Well uh if I may and I appreciate and all we all do. We all appreciate I know Vigo's itching to to to say go go ahead. I've got I've got comments.

1:17:36Because it certainly has been a winding road. Uh it's a startup, but it's been a startup for too long. There's there's no doubt about it. And that's why I think you're seeing the changes uh we're making, right? Uh the the uh uh a lot of what what Amskills is about is maybe not visible enough. It certainly has not been visible enough to the manufacturers. We've had a tough time getting them to engage with us in in really developing the the

1:18:07uh apprenticeship program we are now finally getting uh up on the road with ten apprentices coming in from three different uh different uh companies. It's taking a long time uh and and it's taking too long. I think sometimes investments, you know, you think the money is is wasted, but it really isn't. It has gone into building an experience, building a know-how about what we can do and what we should

1:18:37do and what we probably shouldn't be doing. I I'll mention again the the uh the uh boot camp uh program because I think it's such an amazing uh thing that really, to your point, Peter, it should be expanded across Florida, it should be expanded across the US. Taking taking uh to not offering

1:19:00but to your point.

1:19:01Yeah.

1:19:02What should it cost per student? Excuse me. What's a reasonable cost per student to go through UCAM? If the government, if the taxpayer is going to subsidize your work. What should it cost the taxpayer per student, per outcome, for whether they get a job or if they're just training?

1:19:19I think it's a What

1:19:20what should that number be?

1:19:22Twenty thousand

1:19:22ahead?

1:19:23I think a better way to look at it is is there a return on investment? So far no. Right. No, that's not true.

1:19:30We have hundreds of people working in companies around the town.

1:19:37So I I really invite you and a lot of you have been to the uh to the boot camp and especially the boot camp graduations. It is a almost touching uh event where you hear people that didn't have a clue that they could become productive members of society that never really had a chance to use their hands in a productive way. Maybe they had a a job at at a McDonald's years ago and now

1:20:07they kinda given up. Somehow they got into the boot camp. And over two weeks they th the light boat goes on and say, Hey I I can actually do things. I can put stuff together. I can make a light bulb go on when I make the the connections. We have a A fantastic program where over those two weeks, not only do they get training, but they get evaluators. a a and a much, much deeper evaluation

1:20:38than any recruiting company will ever do. And they'll then present it to the employees in the neighborhood, say, hey, come and interview these twenty-five guys. There's typically twenty five, twenty to twenty-five guys that go through the booth camp. And they get interviewed and they get hired. And some of the stories are really amazing. I mean homeless people that end up being supervisors. buying homes, uh having their kids join the program. Obviously it's something

1:21:08we have to expand. The payback, I mean we had we have made uh return on investment calculations, it is of course a lot more than twenty thousand. If we take a person that was otherwise gonna be under go for the rest of his life or her life, uh and getting them into a productive environment, especially when there's a need for people to to uh to in in the hands-on on jobs. I think that program alone, but we have to become a significant asset to the county.

1:21:39When we m made the decision to move from uh Tampa There was a lot of pressure from from Hillsboro County for us to stay down there. The mayor came to uh to us and spent several hours trying to convince us to stay there. So that's what I'm saying. No,

1:21:59no, no. The reason that you don't speak was

1:22:02the floor.

1:22:03The the reason we went here was the environment we saw in Pasco. The the reach out and the uh the willingness to work with us as a company. At that time, we we didn't use uh AMSKILS very much because there was uh you know this of several years ago and AMSQLs were barely getting uh on the board. But we had the problem. We had to hire two hundred people in a matter of six months. And you can imagine How many times we made an error, how

1:22:33often, because we we take them in, interview them for an hour and say, yeah, you're good enough. Ampskills and the boot crab can prevent percent you with a document say, here's what this guy is good at. I mean it is a very unique very unique program that I hope we can expand and also take outside the the the limits of of of the community.

1:22:58Um but jump.

1:23:00Yeah, uh I'm very new to our skills and uh I come from a different world. So you know I probably ran about 24 billion uh in 95 countries. We've just started on analysis of a contribution margin, analysis of every course. There are eight courses, six of which pay for themselves, to donate. The problem you've got with that course, I'll then go into my world which is economic warfare. We move companies

1:23:31all over the world. We move them where we find people. You don't have people in Pasco, you don't get companies. So when you look at a contribution margin analysis, it might cost us 30,000 to train someone. What happens if they have a job for ten years in Pasco? What's the benefit of that? We don't calculate that, but you should be. That should be your economic development plan. So we don't have I think an analysis that says this is the benefit of this training

1:24:01to you and this community at this period of time. We owe that to you. We should have those metrics. We don't

1:24:09Actually Actually Joe, if I could I've got some data from when we're down there at the seminars, the graduations and the matter of fact the banquet. And just to help you with that, because this was what was on the sheet. Okay, the Manufacturing Jobs Program, five year economic impact. Jobs created, 192 people. Retention rate, eighty percent retained. That's huge. That's huge. Workers retain hundred and fifty-four people. Annual wage thirty-six thousand per weeker per worker, total wages sixteen point three four

1:24:39million Industry multiplier, $49 million. That's the economic impact of what we put into it. There's a pathway program. They've got a uh credentials issued, and you guys might be able to help me because I'm just reading from what I see up a picture. It says I think it's NC3 1152. Um

1:25:01N NIMS 115. Ready to work Florida 92. M SSC 57. Uh Select Automation Certification Alliance 51. Now, you only know this if you go and see, and I'm going to tell you, I'm I'm glad you're giving Commissioner Starkey all the props. But as I said, I met Peter back in two thousand four. We were down at Coastal Quezon. I was the representative from the Board of County Commissioners. She was a school board representative.

1:25:31We were both fired up on it. And one thing I've learned in life When you get someone who's pushing hard at something, and especially on this board, you just fuel that person, give them encouraged, let them go. So when she took the rein to go push this for economic development, going to see you guys, I let it go because I knew she'd be able to drive it. And what she has done is not only good for the board, but think about the individual families. One of the people that was there for the utilities workshop that we had, There was a father that was there, his son had just graduated. The father had just taken the course because his son

1:26:01encouraged him. His job was on the line. Maybe he'd keep the job, maybe not. His father came in to get the training too. And now he's got a better future than what he would have had. What we're doing here is creating jobs and I and I'll tell you something. Think about what I told you. Tampa Bay Partnership. They don't want a part of anything, right? They just want to help jobs get created. When we had that shortage thirty-two thousand jobs years ago, it's even higher. We've got Ford that wants to come in the mix. We've got all the other people that want to come in. These three right here, these

1:26:32are three superstars. If they say we want to see it, Just with what they've got for a resume, you should be jumping on board hundred percent saying, Let's go, we're gonna get these leaders, we're gonna go and I'm gonna tell you I'm not even stop stopping here. I'm looking to do help them expand. The Hudson area that needs the jobs that uh Gary Plastic's worried about filling, we filled them all up. I want to go take that industrial park up in Hudson, Hicks Road. I want to go put Amskills right in there, which is right near two high schools. 5A in Hudson, where they can actually go train, work

1:27:02with the school system to come in. What we've got here is a gem. What we have is three tremendous leaders. We need to get behind these guys. And your people voted for economic development. And you can just, by that data I just showed you, that alone says you're getting return on investment. And the people said they wanted jobs, they still want jobs.

1:27:23Chairman Mariano Weightman. I appreciate the passion in the debate. I agree with everything that everybody is saying. I agree with the niceties and the feel-good stories. Put it out on a spreadsheet. That's what I'm down to. I'm bowler plating this investment. And how long are you guys gonna stick around? to manage this next chapter. Of where we're

1:27:53at. in this program. You're solely this is a government. This is a government Pasco County, pretty much like E D C We're eighty percent of their budget. You're essentially working for the Board of County Commissioners. You have a little bit more flexibility, right? But we're funding the operation. Our taxpayer is funding the operation. The metrics I Speak for me. Want to start seeing outcomes what it cost per head What's it gonna t you know, why

1:28:23isn't the pu if this is so great, why is the public sector outfunding the private sector? Where's the skin and the game from the private? Just like in North Carolina, the consortium. That was Privately done. And that was the foundation. Of AM skills here that gone and looked at in North Carolina ten years ago, the consortium in North Carolina. Well

1:28:47those

1:28:47were those were private

1:28:48German companies.

1:28:49Privately funded, not publicly funded. Laser focused on their needs. You guys, the not-for-profit business, not you guys, the organization. is relying on the public dull for ten years after a three year commitment to get off. Sell me sell me. You only need three votes, so it doesn't matter. But sell me The fact that that why isn't the public sector jumping in or the private sector jumping in like

1:29:19the public sector is and why you continue to need funding. I know the niceties, but the metrics have to be there. I'm not saying no to your funding request. I'm just laying it out there because it's been ten years and you've seen things over the over the course of time that make people raise an eyebrow. And I wanna have confidence in the new leadership team is gonna be around, is gonna take and I'm a stickler, I'm no this is no secret the way I am in not for profit funding and the taxpayer money. I'm I'm a stickler. I'm not exciting. I

1:29:50know I upset people, so this is not new. You're not alone. But there needs to be some safeguards and some parameters here and quarterly updates. Something needs to happen in a true commitment from you and your board members because it's gone on for far too much. Before you

1:30:08Peter, before you respond, I want to I want to just touch on something real quick. I I want you to think back to when we uh and I'll go back twenty years. When I ran first time All about economic development and constituent service. That was it. I focused on that. Want to see industrially unpreserved, want to create jobs. I put myself on, or I asked to get on, I got on EDC right off the bat, and we set all those employment centers all around to create jobs. All the corners of I-75, Sun Coast Parkway, US 19, where we could try to create jobs to come into

1:30:38this county and stay. Those are the quarters we're going to focus on. When we're on there, the EDC was funded privately, the county put money into it. When we got the economic development money The EDC wanted to make sure that they kept the funding the same and they brought in more private money and they did. But over years we've still increased the money that you've been part of. All the way through. So EDC's been on the dole for at least twenty years, and it's probably like thirty years by now. So

1:31:09th they're on the public toll and they're getting a lot more money and controlling a lot more money. And I say, are you want to step away from that? No.

1:31:17I don't I

1:31:17I'm No no Stop. I'm I'm talking right now. You just talked about how they run the public doll, etc., etc. Well EDC has done P D said the same thing and they have no sign to go off. And they're not going to go off. And we keep approving the budget. To go through because they're creating jobs. That's what the people voted for when they voted for the Penny for Pasco. Second time, third time. They want to see it. The people said, I want jobs. And if we get a vehicle that EDC is working, doing a great job, beautiful. And they are. These guys here

1:31:48not only have done a great a very good job and as I say what I just saw was on the billboard that's in there when you walk into DM Skills building it's right there every single time. I didn't Yeah. Just go pull this thing up. It's right there to show you what they're doing. So I would go down there, take a look. Go down to look at the even the place where I said we can go build some housing for these people so when they're getting trained, if they're coming from here, there, or if they're human trafficked, they're gonna have a place to live while they're getting trained and get their jobs together. Remember the one lady that was Unemployed? Human traffic? She went through Empsfield,

1:32:18she's now making forty six grand a year. Those stories are out there many, many times and you can see them. Even our own utility people down there. It's a big deal. Commissioner Oakley haven't spoken yet.

1:32:28Yeah,

1:32:28I was just uh thinking about you know what Amskill's done over the years and I'm I'm a bit disappointed that they haven't done more because I'm for creating business that creates jobs for people in our county and and nearby counties. But the results have not shown up to be great in this and that's why we're here today like we are. But I was sitting here listening to each of you. I really feel that we've got the right team together.

1:32:59And you know yourselves. If the work you start and manage from this point forward Doesn't work. then it's gonna go away. And I don't I don't think any three of you would like to lose at anything. I personally don't like to lose it. Yes. But I mean you you're gonna put your best effort forward. So I'm willing to take a chance for it to go forward. and make something out of it, something that's really good, but make it

1:33:29bigger than what we've seen in the past. And

1:33:32and

1:33:32and get better results.

1:33:34Absolutely. And there's a term that we're throwing around right now is AMSkills 2.0. So it's it's internal but um it's out there now. And Commissioner Weightman, we totally understand there's been a history, which there's a reason also that we're here now and we're heavily engaged. W we have nothing to gain individually for this, but we there's a reason that we're standing here because we see that the direction not only for the county but the country, the way things were going Um it's just it's not working. Um

1:34:05I will tell you this, there's an organization called PMMI, Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute, and they basically, it's one of the largest um uh organizations out there that deals with uh basically they're they say anything around the room has been either packaged or processed. Tremendous amount of members. Their number one issue. that it has been for years now is talent, talent development. And they went around the country at one point and they looked at all the different programs. And they made a decision at one point to replicate M skills. That's how much that's how impressed they were by

1:34:35it. They ran into some regional issues with that. But and and when you mentioned North Carolina, the region the reason that that demographic happened to work, they had a few large companies there. European companies also that understood the program. We're dealing with a demographic here, which is over 90% of our manufacturers have less than 50 people. So that's those are the small companies that we're having to deal with as well. So it's a different it's a different model that we have here that we we continue to push the string because we believe in it. But I can tell you this the reason again that

1:35:05we're standing here right now is that we're dedicated to make this work. We've done I think Ms. Mr. Engel was promised a business plan four weeks ago, and I'm losing sleep every night because we've been working so hard on this, because we're doing such a deep dive, and I'm not going to present anything unless it's transparent. And I welcome you at one point to look at we're very close to knowing all the numbers, all the return on investment that the has been done. It's a lot of data crunching, et

1:35:35cetera, that we're doing internally. And so we have a business plan that's close. This funding is going to help us to promote that, go further with that. But we're we're wanting to be held accountable at this point. Like I said, there's nothing to hide. There's there's transparency with the numbers, and we welcome that. So Joe.

1:35:55And then I won't sleep again. Thank

1:35:56you.

1:35:57Yeah, Commissioner Weightman. I I would tell you the first thing I would look at is metrics. And coming on it's tough to get the metrics. So there's the first issue you've got. And tying those metrics to what is the benefit of that investment. Um I could argue with you that we could be here in a quarter's time asking for more money. Because the economic development benefit of what we're doing is so significant you would want to fund it. But we have to prove that to you with metrics.

1:36:28And right now we are struggling to find those metrics. So that's what we've been doing for the last four weeks. We're almost there. We've gone through every course, looked at contribution margin analysis, figured out which ones are profitable, which ones are not. The ones that are not, why they're not. Where's the funding coming from? We've looked at donations, we've got people offering us substantial donations, but it's not sustainable as a business plan. Right, you got sponsorship. So there's elements, there's pockets of different funding that come. One would argue the

1:36:58largest beneficiary of this investment is Pasco. And if it is, you should pay.

1:37:07Simple as that. But we have to prove it. We have to prove it and we have to convince it to you. Because you guys have money to spread around to create economic development. Which one's giving you the best bang for the buck?

1:37:19Chairman

1:37:19Mariano I no I was

1:37:23Commissioner Yeager hasn't spoken yet, so I'm gonna let her go.

1:37:26I asked to go after

1:37:27him.

1:37:28That's fine.

1:37:29Okay. So how long will it take you to get the rest of this data together?

1:37:35We're we're literally I'd say we've been working throughout the whole Christmas holiday, you and I. So we're we're very, very close having it. And so I mean I could say days away practically, but uh obviously a couple of weeks I think we have a meeting. Do it right.

1:37:57Mr. Ingle hasn't received it yet.

1:38:00So should we table this to vote on it after they get their data? We we really need this to help keep some work. I mean if we're only days away and our next meeting's in two weeks, I mean it what could it it can't hurt anything.

1:38:14Won't hurt anything, however, at this point in time I'm gonna say With three these three superstars, I want to do everything to encourage them because I'm looking for expansion as well. I mean like as I told you, Larry Moore and his group, the Ford CEO, they want to see stuff happen. I've got air conditioning, electric companies all want to come in. You've got opportunities to get some housing in there to make it even better for your training. I I I'm a full believer and I'm ready to go with it right now and and look for you to even come back with something to say, I want you to come back in like three or four more months and say, here's what else we can go

1:38:44do, what else do you want to do?

1:38:45Let me talk a bit about the uh a little bit about the future. Um first of all, Commissioner Weightman, um almost all technical schools, they're all publicly funded. We we we are one of the few who's going after private funding. But every technical school is publicly funded. PTEC. Marchman, um, I don't know, you know, the community colleges, those are publicly funded. They are they are not money makers. Um

1:39:18We have coming um and and I know it I know it's some of this talk was very technical but industrial maintenance technician is did I say it right

1:39:30This is where we are gonna shine and I can't tell you how big the need is. Pasco County is gonna be taking advantage of it. Tampa Bay Water is taking advantage of it. They cannot find employees. US Water Uh as a matter of fact, Tampa Bay Water has brought in their state association people because the whole state needs this training. They're all having troubles. All the a bunch of little cities, they need this training. Um talking to the uh Moffitt,

1:40:01and I was with Jamie Wilson yesterday, um, Spiro's and and Advent health and all of them, they need training this industrial maintenance technician to run the hospitals. They are coming in to meet with us for training programs to take to service all the hospitals that are here in the county and maybe beyond. I think we're on the verge again of really turning a big corner, but we needed We

1:40:32needed this kind of business mentality input for the metrics. And I am so confident in this team and and what the future holds for us. And as far as funding goes, I want to remind you that we have the C D B G D R money. Part of that money goes to economic development and and we We have been working with Kathy and Chuck. And we will compete along with anyone else. for that

1:41:02economic develop a little qu part of that economic development money. And I believe that is going to be the big bridge that doesn't affect, you know, that helps us move on and get these programs set for the east side. West Side or for our school children. Um so I I'm really excited about this next year.

1:41:23All right, Commissioner Weightman, then Commissioner Oakley.

1:41:25So Commissioner was right for the record. When people voted for the penny, people voted for economic development. They did not vote to have their money wasted, mismanaged, and misspent. That is what they did not vote for.

1:41:42No.

1:41:44It's not fair to say no

1:41:45I cannot let it sit

1:41:46say it was mismanaged.

1:41:49That is an opinion.

1:41:50Generally generally speaking, it has not been mismanaged

1:41:53or waste

1:41:54payer none of it. The taxpayer expects us as their fiduciary. to ensure accountability on every dollar, every cent this government takes in. And how it is spent. So Commissioner Oakley. A little punch at me which is fun from time to time. I love our sparring days. People did vote in this county for the penny for economic development and jobs. They were crystal clear. However, they are crystal

1:42:24clear about it is they don't want their their money mismanaged and misspent and it's incumbent upon us we have to own it because we dole it out. We make votes and we spend their money. And so we're accountable to them, just as organizations we give money to need to be accountable to us, because we're their fiduciary, we're the representative. So I just wanted to make that point clear on the on the record. And you know, you guys have come a long way, crew. Dam Stuartz has been here a long time. It's

1:42:54established. Its name is known. People have really put their blood, sweat, and tears into the organization. And um I like Commissioner Yeager's point to wait a couple more weeks if that doesn't hurt you guys to see what your findings are. before the investment but you know the taxpayers do say they want investment in in economic development and jobs in this in this county and so and you're you're one of those one of those options in the accountability

1:43:27for for them need need to be there.

1:43:29Yeah. Commissioner Oakley. You just heard although hang on, hang on. Commissioner Oakley. Yeah. Sorry. All right.

1:43:35I have some of the same feelings that Mr. Weightman have about the issues in the past and all and the Amskill and and the word of Amskill it just excites me, but I I've looked for results and I've never seen I've seen a few results but not a lot of results. But the fact of it is, I think you got the right team together here. And I think it's better for us to move forward with a motion And I'll make that motion that we approve this with the stipulation that he bring to

1:44:05us a plan ahead that David Engel administration agreed that fits what we want to happen in this. And that Yeah. Move forward. When that plan gets ready, you present the plan. And if it falls in line with everything we're asking for and w the safeguards in there to protect the money and And actually protect yourselves and what you're doing and being able to do the right thing. I think we should just continue then, just go on. Go forward.

1:44:37All right. Any further discussion? Mr. Chairman, just to get clarification, that includes uh the authorization for the chairman to execute the two original agreements that are in your package that would create that fund.

1:44:52Correct. Yes.

1:44:53Thank you.

1:44:54Motion is second. Any further discussion?

1:44:56I just want to say under discussion, I I don't mind approving the money if we wait just two weeks. And C What the numbers are. That's all I'm asking for is for two weeks. I don't think that's a make or break. I don't think I don't think that's much to ask for. Two weeks.

1:45:14Then I'm gonna say the reason I'm gonna call for the vote and just go we'll go with the vote is I have so much faith in these guys. The Hemskills mission I think is gonna just elevate and go stronger and stronger. All in favor say aye. Aye Aye. Any opposed?

1:45:27Nay. Reluctantly

1:45:31Cautiously I'm gonna vote yay. Well Halloween but we need to have you didn't let me finish. There's a lot of public money invested in this organization. millions of dollars of the public funds invested in you. In my opinion, you're their last hope. One shot. And I'm voting yes, and I hope y'all don't make us look silly, and I wish y'all the best of luck in taking on this challenge.

1:45:59All right, motion passes four to one. Gentlemen, thank you very much. Good luck. Look forward to the first time.

1:46:08And thanks guys. One of the reasons I w have been so passionate about this is because I believe manufacturing jobs need to come back to America. That is really one of the reasons I personally I get no benefit from this. Matter of fact, I put my name out there all around the country on the line for Ampsfields. But these jobs need to come back to America and I like to tease Joe because Joe was responsible For a lot of those jobs going overseas. Um working for Jable, one of the world's largest manufacturers.

1:46:38Okay. He put plants in how many countries?

1:46:41Ninety five.

1:46:42Yeah, ninety-five countries and so this is Joe's penance now that he's an American citizen is to help us strengthen our manufacturing base because we're not a strong country if we can't make our stuff our own stuff. We really and if COVID didn't show you that, oh my god. Second, we just inv invested in Tampa Bay Waves grant for with the EDA to be a defense manufacturing hub here in Tampa Bay. I was at their big uh event last

1:47:13week um and I met different um defense contractors there. And in Jack, in your district, I just went to the St. Pete Times property and met with a bunch of our staff and a A manufacturer's um look into one is here and the other one's coming here. Mettler Toledo, I asked you how many C and C machines are at Metler Toledo? Uh I don't think

1:47:38it's about eight eight of ten.

1:47:40Yeah. This company, thirty CNC machines, thirty they're c they have to bring in there to work for the our United States military. established. And so and they have more opportunity to bring more defense companies here. So they gotta get their workforce. So we are gonna be just rocking and rolling in the next few years. So I'm very excited.

1:48:04Okay. Chairman thank

1:48:06you.

1:48:06I wanted to thank them for gentlemen thank thank you all. Thank you very much. Thank you for hanging tough with the I

1:48:12would just finish with uh I sit on the private equity board in Germany. They have to locate to the US. And they're asking me quit I've got another one which is in the bottling industry with special chemicals. Where do we locate? And the biggest issue is where can we find a workforce? Jable could not move the manufacturing back because the people don't exist. That's the issue. We had half will ask us to move back manufacturing. We needed 10,000 employees on the site. Where do you want to find them?

1:48:43So you're in economic law as people look to access the GDP in the US, the question is is where do they go? And they're gonna go where they find people. So those are the metrics I think we owe you. I'm able to show them what and then the other thing I read, your economic plan. I read it and and I'm going, okay, well nobody's gonna go from New Port Richey to here to work. They're not. So you've got to develop this across your your county and then you've got to look at what jobs

1:49:13it is you want and who are you targeting and all of those metrics should be aligned with what I'm school are doing. And you should be able to connect those dots. If you can

1:49:22you don't have a proper plan. Well it's it's not a penance that you're here, we're glad you're here. We are

1:49:28so lucky to have him helping us. Oh yeah. Can I tell you? Saint Leo, he's been on their board for I don't know eight or nine years and he just rotated off and they're begging him to come back and write their business plan. And instead we have him. And um and I can't tell you there have been a few cuss words thrown my way. There might have been some scotch in there. But uh about the amount of time this man has has been giving and all these guys. So I mean they have other lives, other careers and they are so dedicated to this. None of them

1:49:58are paid. None of us are paid. It's it's just we believe in it. So