Federal and local lobbyist contracts

50:20I will start with mine.

50:24I'll bring uh Ralph in to come forward. Put Ralph to work. So we want to discuss the federal lobbyist uh change, uh hoping to bring back uh

50:39Skoyak. Is that where you pronounce her name?

50:44Perry.

50:47Did you want to do the federal first or the state?

50:50Federal federals first.

50:51Okay.

50:55Good afternoon, Ralph Lair, Intergovernmental Affairs Officer. So Commissioner, based on our conversation, you just asked how uh the federal uh our federal contract which is with Ballard Partners has been doing since they uh took over at the beginning of the year. Um

51:19Sure.

51:20They they could do better. Um the initial person that we had the Go ahead. The initial person that was assigned to us only engaged about four times with me. We had meetings up in Washington. Commissioner Starkey, I know that was a concern review, the meetings that we had in Washington when we were up there with our county administrator. Um

51:51You know, all I can say is Could we do better? I think uh uh I I think Banskoik did a good job. Um the previous one we had. Um I understand why you all made the decision based on on the the c the connections that Ballard had. Um what worried me uh early on was uh initial comment that uh we would probably be their last local contract um that they would deal with um at the at the state club.

52:21So it doesn't look it doesn't look like we were getting our bang for our butt that we're spinning. Maybe it's best for us to go back to the personal use.

52:31And we did get more

52:35Madam Chairman M so this is a contractual agre engagement You need to follow the terms of the contract. with Ballard in terms of termination, whether it's for cause or for convenience, And you can't just go back to Vanskoyak, you need to rebid the project.

52:56Actually, as I understand it with purchasing, um y we could

53:07It's still a competitive arrangement. Okay.

53:12That's still going through the purchasing process. If you can piggyback somebody else's contract with Vance Glack, that's an option. But it's You can't just

53:24Point taken.

53:25Pick one.

53:26Then we'll have the yeah. We'll have that discussion with purchasing. But but you do as a board have the right to break the uh break the agreement if you so choose to do that.

53:39Madam Chair? Yeah. I don't think if you looked at Harry's first year, second year, we really got much out of it either. It takes a time to mi build it. Um and I like Harry, great guy. I've met with ballots. Um frank we've been trying to work with Getting a contract with Dawson Associates, I guess we're just about there uh to engage with the Army Corps between the four oh four permit stuff, between uh the four rivers project, Sun West, so They were Dawson

54:10was very effective to work with. They talked with Ballard. They were very happy to work with them. Um so Uh you never get anything in the first year and right now with all the cuts and things that are going on in DC, um I don't know if anybody's gotten a lot compared to what they might have gotten yesh with anyone in their first year of contract.

54:30Um

54:30Commissioner Yeager.

54:32Yeah. Um from the get go I you know, I wasn't I wasn't a fan, so I'm gonna just voice my opinion again that um I definitely don't think um that was a good choice for us. I don't think, you know, if you think four times that you had interaction and um I also was in Tallaha multiple times and really didn't have any connection with them either. So

54:57No no they're they're only federal drones.

54:59Oh we're not talking about Ballard. Oh Ballard sorry. Wrong one.

55:07Um

55:10Did we w w how many years did we sign how many years was our like contract supposed to be?

55:15Three.

55:16Three.

55:18Mm-hmm.

55:19Hm

55:19Well. Yeah. It said a jump can we send them a hey this is Yeah. This a cure notice or something? Like It's been a few months and it's not necessarily

55:32the best look for us as a customer either. We yeah I think if we send them a letter like hey we need we need a little more attention out of you if not then it's not cured this I know this is a unique contract we'll be you know look

55:47Yeah, and maybe they don't want to keep us.

55:49Yeah, maybe they may say, We got all that we can handle. And it's a polite, hey, thank you, thank you, and then we Go about our business.

55:59And and uh one one second and and you know what would be telling? We're gonna have discussion on a federal item. which is the housing authority vouchers. And w are they willing to participate in our conversation?

56:16All right, I g

56:17that it'll sh it'll show something if they come and someone comes and talks with us and and schools up on it and is a part of our workshop or discussion.

56:27So again I I I talked with them before. Um as we're trying to bring I said Dawson associates on that happy to work with them. They met with me, uh talked with them And then they're engaged. If you don't ask them for something, then how can you expect to get something? So that's gotta be on us. We don't have to be only had four communications. Again, it it's been a very tumultuous time up in DC. With the new president and all that he's had going on. So if ever the time that things have been changed, things have been pulled back, things

56:57have been cut, et cetera. With all that said, it's it hasn't been easy for anybody. But right now, as I say, I've set up the engagements coming up. I'm actually going up there the fourteenth. Um plan to meet with him, but I wanted to make sure we were set with our contract before I confirmed an appointment with them. But when I met with them before, they gave me forty five Minutes to an hour time to talk about what was going on, et cetera. So I think We need should stay at least to the end of the term and maybe take a look at it then. But like I said, I've got I've got things working right now that we need. I

57:27don't know I mean Seapines we just got their permit, but I still got another phase to go with that. So I need that armored core relationship and I think they could help You know, w with what Trump did to get Ridge Row done? He's the one who made it happen. If he even gets regulations out of the way, never mind money, it's going to be helpful.

57:43Yeah, it was Bowler who went in there with Weatherford and got that over the hump

57:47pair. So the reason I brought this up was the fact that it doesn't seem like we've been receiving good information.

57:54I think we give him a warning shot across the bow.

57:57Okay.

57:58I was gonna suggest if uh this is you know a little a little new for me here, but I I would suggest that listen Ralph can maybe talk to you individually, see what kind of feedback we we would like to give to our lobbyists or if you want to do that here, that's fine. Um and and not just federal lobbyists. I think all of our lobbyists as we as we come in, it's probably an ample opportunity to kind of provide a little bit of a report card and then we can sort that out. I do agree with Commissioner Weightman. I think you know some kind of notice um is is necessary

58:29if if we're not happy or or impressed. And I I sense there's some differing opinions here on on the board and how we can handle that. But let's let's at least take that feedback and have an open, honest conversation with the lobbyists and before we make any decisions moving

58:43forward. Yeah. These relationships work both ways. So I think we need to clearly define our expectation and our and what we clearly expect out of our investment into their firm. And they agree and they see see clearly now they better understand us as a customer, we better understand them as our customer. Maybe it'll be be good. Okay.

59:09Yeah, and you know if they're actively working with Marsh Mariano, we certainly don't want to pull the rug out on that. And um and and we do want to let 'em know whatever it is that we decided on this voucher program, that's a federal thing and we need them to be here with some guidance.

59:27Okay. So now Commissioner We Commissioner Oakley?

59:30Okay. Then the uh the other we were gonna talk about our local lobbyists, but uh we probably need to do it the same way, bring 'em in or I'll let Ralph take the lead on that.

59:41Well I thought we were clock I heard discussions about going from three to two.

59:46Yeah, but this is a different discussion. So I mean, I'm not sure.

59:49And

59:49I'm okay with that.

59:51Very true.

59:52Yeah. So I think I again I think the same thing.

59:59Yes.

59:59All right. I want you I want you to all recall the The previous year we had stuff gone through legislature and everything got whacked. Right? This year we had things go through Not everything we wanted. We're just looking to go work for more. But we got a lot by having the three.

1:00:19What's that?

1:00:20I haven't heard.

1:00:24We did that, but I will I will re uh I'll be right back.

1:00:27So so all the things you put in Most of it went through and stayed and got the governor's signature. I think it took all three of 'em to keep all three things together. I know, but we can go back again.

1:00:43There was one that I didn't think that we actually were able to go through with. I mean they showed up sometimes in a meeting, didn't even know who they were. But I mean

1:00:56You may not have had the interaction the interaction you wanted. But look at what happened. The governor signed our monies that we got. And we didn't get that last year. And if I don't think if we didn't get Slater on the on the team. Well no, I know we we didn't get everything we wanted, but literally from what we did the previous year to this year, was monumental. And it wasn't just getting it funded, because we had a lot of stuff funded last year, the previous year, but this year we had the governor signing our things to get our funding. And if you don't get that third

1:01:27wheel, those first two don't matter.

1:01:30I I just want to put my two cents in. Um I said from the get-go, I feel like we only need two. I think three is a a waste of money. I also think we got what we got this year because we have Hooper as a broke spare. That's that's a big deal. Um And I agree, I feel like only two lobby firms did did most of uh most of the work. So I I I'm just for two, not three.

1:01:56You know, um for me

1:02:00Okay, what did we get? We got the road project by Hoopers How, you know, down in Trinity. We got the curly road.

1:02:10Got the fire station.

1:02:14So we d so we did not get our our our um stormwater project. Uh we did not get the Pasco shelter.

1:02:24But you gotta remember we're s we're still on a little bit of a naughty list.

1:02:28I don't think we got that much. I mean those aren't real big numbers personally.

1:02:34Put that on the list. I'll I'll I'll say this.

1:02:38What did this say?

1:02:39Our counterpart our our our our uh county to the uh south of us Pinella has got zero.

1:02:44Zero That's like us, typically. We usually get vetoed. Um, Zera. Holy cow. What did Hernando get?

1:02:55Okay. Well I didn't prepare to answer that one, sorry. I was just aware of panels.

1:03:01That's crazy. Um

1:03:05I I think I need to do a little homework and digging to see if

1:03:11I mean we all have connections. We can see if there was if they did any lifting. Let's let's all do our own sleuthing and see if that one firm did any lifting. Because I know the other two worked very hard.

1:03:24Ruff, what are the others what are the other monies that we got from the cities? There's a lot more money from the cities they got too.

1:03:30But they're not hired. They didn't have

1:03:31the

1:03:31city.

1:03:31Yeah,

1:03:32so the cities

1:03:32did very well all they're asked.

1:03:38But the city has d does the city have their own lobbies?

1:03:41Yes. The majority of the ones that had the uh had the funds, they had a lobbyist firm.

1:03:47So that doesn't come from our lobbyist.

1:03:49No, I'm not saying it does, but I'm saying as far as like

1:03:51count

1:03:51the

1:03:51cities.

1:03:52Well I'm saying if we want to look at what all of Pasco got, all of what we're doing.

1:03:56But that's not that does that's not because our lobbyists got it like that.

1:04:03Mm. The cities had their own.

1:04:04I understand. But I'm saying if if you just miss one of the those bits of funding, how much did you let how much did you save? If you get if you don't get the fire station that Representative Yeager and Burgess got together. That one thing alone, which is a big unique thing. If Trinity Boulevard doesn't come through Either one of them. For sixty grand? What are you thinking about? It's worth it to me, I I I take that as an insurance marker all day long. Because one signature from that governor can take away a project. And he's the one had the connection.

1:04:35He he he does have

1:04:37it. That's why we got killed last year. I think we the reason we got all that was we had the connection with the governor. And that's what we need all three of 'em.

1:04:45And Senator Hooper was a group's chair.

1:04:48It doesn't matter. The government doesn't sign it, you don't get it it goes away. I understand.

1:04:55Did he did he sign him or let wait till we have a Yeah. Had decided. He could veto every one of 'em. Uh he cannot sign and still be approved.

1:05:09It just Compare year to year to what we got and what we did. What we held again.

1:05:18So would the board like us to maybe bring something back at a later meeting after an opportunity to and we can you know we we'll we'll take directly again

1:05:27I'm satisfied with two of the three. The third one which is the one in question I was

1:05:36following along

1:05:40I'd like I'd like again like with Ballard, I think they need to understand our expectation, what we'd like to see out of them, advice and vice versa, and then go from there.

1:05:56You know, um we could do a little test bunny next year. and give them a big project. And see what happens.

1:06:04If we have three next year.

1:06:05If we what?

1:06:06If we have three.

1:06:08So Yeah, if we have three, like the Pasco one that is so important that didn't get any money. The Dig City one. Madam

1:06:15Chairman I brought this forward is because there's some a misunderstanding of what what they did for us or each each what each one of them did for us. But I think we need to have this conversation so that all of us can think this out. We should meet with Ralph, each of us, and discuss what you feel with him so we'll be better prepared to come back and make the right decision. That sound good, Ralph?

1:06:42I think that's that's what I'm saying.

1:06:44And that's the reason I brought it up, not to necessarily take action today, but everybody can be thinking about what they want to do and and what they did do, and then come back to us and let's discuss that and what each one of them did that each of us can put in the pot because what Jack's reaction with uh Ballard and others or the one in uh Washington D C I'm not I mean I understood he went up and met with them but I

1:07:14dunno You're not previously. Up up to par with what what went on actually what they did.

1:07:20Speaking of that, I do wanna make sure we told everyone when we were up in Washington and we went around that we were gonna be doing working with D O T on money for fifty four forty one. And I haven't I haven't seen We were gonna try and get our

1:07:37Congressional delegation to sign on to an ask. So I've not seen any movement on that.

1:07:44So on that particular one, um they're doing a reauthorization bill for the Transportation Service reauthorization bill. Okay. Separate bill. Um Commissioner Bill uh our Congressman Bill Arrakis did ask for separate projects, not the projects that we you if you remember, they did not fund um Member uh requests for twenty twenty-five. So we resubmitted those for twenty twenty-six. Both Congressman uh Bilaragas and Lee resubmitted their projects, but we did

1:08:15submit projects for the resurfacing to Bilarragus, and we did ask for right-of-way funding for fifty-four forty one in hopes that it would speed up DOT and move it up higher at the state level.

1:08:27And did we get letters? Frubio and Scott, which we told them all that we were going to be asking for.

1:08:32At this point, no. We're gonna um we can. Um I'll be meeting uh we'll be having meetings with them in the next two weeks, uh all four offices, so I can bring that up with

1:08:42the I you know I've learned that that's what the other counties do to help get these through is they get their congressional delegation behind them. And frankly, that is a regional one and we should

1:08:55E everybody in the area. So

1:08:57and we should bring up that other organization about the um housing.

1:09:02Yes.

1:09:03Well you're having that meeting as well. Since you have a captive audience.

1:09:06Well yeah, if we do if we are gonna have a delegation meeting we we definitely want to get our get our T's crossed and our I's dotted so that we can ask intelligently for them to fix that thing. I've been trying for years, so I was I was saying for the jail. And

1:09:26with Scott's office.

1:09:27Oh, yeah. But um with you two on, you know, uh I I'm I'm hopeful for more traction 'cause I I've been outraged about it for a couple of years. Okay. Um What else, Commissioner Oakley?

1:09:41That's all I have.