Shady Hills Little League and Tourist Development Council

20:01Okay. Um Commissioner Mariano had one more thing and then we're gonna go to my items.

20:05Thank you, Madam Chair. Um there was a president of the Shady Hills Little League that um lost his house with a fire recently and uh they want to run a fundraiser farm out at the uh park. Uh they want to waive the park fees at LC Logan. Um the expense that would have generated to have it would have been five hundred and sixty dollars, but we we can waive the fee, and I'd uh help us waive the fee.

20:28Second Uh um, you know, I think I saw that fire when we were out on our boat. Yeah, that was tough. Um all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Thank you very much. Okay. I'm sorry that I have a long list for you today. Um we are gonna start with the Tourist Development Council updates. Sorry, just hang on to that picture. Um From October tenth through twelfth, the DMO will We'll be proudly hosting the Lynn Lewis Foundation Pink October Games at the Wiregrass

20:58Rant Sports Campus. This women's tournament is set to welcome over one hundred flag football teams from across the nation. That is like one of the fastest growing sports in America. Um it's not about it's not just about the competition, it's about coming together to support and unite in the fight against breast cancer. This empowering and impactful event will bring together athletes, survivors, and supporters to raise awareness, foster education, and celebrate the strength of those affected by breast cancer. The pink games are more than just a

21:28sports competition. They are a movement. The proceeds from this remarkable event will support the Foundation's ongoing programs, which include breast cancer education, financial support for patients, and families, community outreach, and survivor mentorship. The event highlights include the Flag Football Tournament, Survivor Recognition Ceremony, educational health booths and on-site screenings, live entertainment, food vendors and family activities, and a pink marketplace featuring local and women-owned businesses.

22:00Um on the tourism council subject still, I need to replace the former manager of Saddlebrook. Um and the name has been submitted to us is Alexis Doyle, who is the granddaughter. Yeah. So moved. Okay. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right, that's done. Okay. Now you can go to the pictures and I'll try and go. Um Alright, so I attended the FAC Innovation and Policy Conference in

22:30Gainesville, where we, you know, I chaired the federal committee. Um we did take up the two items that we spoke about here. That was the uh section eight housing vouchers and the issues of uh having people come to the county and live here for one day then be considered local. and um portability and and some of the other stuff. So um I do believe that this is going to get uh added to our um next

23:01policy Um offerings and everyone was going home to look at what's going on in their county. We also talked about the Davis Bacon. And um Davis Bacon act my coчеair or vice chair. Um Mike, he is from Escambia County. He is re retired military. and he was told the group the cost to to build a hangar on I think it was Eglund Air Force Base. It was one third

23:31of the cost was attributed to the Davis Bacon Act. To build one hangar. uh hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars. So I thought we got pretty good support there to um move this issue forward as well. Um I had to leave before the discussion went Oh no, before before we had my committee we had the the um property tax discussion under finance and tax. You you were part of that conversation. Um there is a very interesting um set of uh

24:02YouTube videos or I maybe I got it from the House the representatives website but that the House committee had has had four hearings now and I've listened to two of them. on the subject of property taxes and they're very interesting. So um when you're driving around you have nothing to do. Um We'll listen to the first one is Amy Baker and some other people talking about the history of property taxes, save our homes. Um,

24:32Truth and Millage, all those things. And the next one is the League of Cities and the Association of Counties talking and and about what's going on in the state and then the representatives asking questions and it's it's I I found it fascinating. Um okay, next. All right, so um

24:54So last week Um Well I'll I'll start out with this. Um So AM skills was visited by the DO Department of Education And um they have told us that They think some of the equipment that we're using is being that they've given us through some grants called the Peacock grant are being used incorrectly. Um And we've had uh Commissioner Oakley thank you was for Slater. S

25:25Slater and Sean and and Mike have all been wonderful, but Slater exceptionally got us um an appointment. What the chief of staff And Um the Chancellor and So I drove up for a half an hour meeting last Monday. And we brought them information that showed them Um That Every grant that we got and this is on the PICO grant where we said we were putting equipment at Enclope High School, they agreed to and signed off on.

25:55They met But now they're saying we've used that in uh equipment incorrectly. Um so it's it's It's been a challenge for us to try and understand when they said we used it correctly and now they're saying we didn't. They approved all the equipment to go there. Also They said in their database they show only one Um completed pre apprentice. And We showed them the twelve completed pre-apprentice certificates they've

26:25issued to us. So they have something going on up there. We don't know what. Um but uh we met with With those two gentlemen and they They told us they absolutely love our program. and that if we uh uh apply for another grant we will get first in line, but there's they they they're thinking they wanna take this equipment away from some of these specific grants. which actually takes all the equipment out of Anclove High School. And leaves one hundred and thirty kids with no equipment. Um

26:55I have informed John Leg of this and we're continuing to see to try and get them to not do this. Um we haven't had an answer back yet, but That's why I was in Tallahassee. We left them with all the documentation where they agreed to everything. Um and showed them the the uh all the paperwork. So I um also stayed for this event that night, the Florida Women's Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I'm Embarrassed to say I've been nominated for this for next year, so

27:26They invited me to come this year and I thought, well, I should see see what this is and what this means. So um this is uh Dottie C. Skipper. No, Dottie Hoover Skipper, I think I'm saying her name right, who's a wonderful woman from Hillsborough County that I met at a special dinner on sex trafficked women and children in Tampa. And she has an amazing, amazing non profit um with s some other women. They literally go into the um adult

27:58entertainment businesses and try and help and try and rescue women out there. And she was nominated um and won this award. And this is a lady from I don't remember her name. The pan handle. And uh Senator Albriton, Senator Gates and our Lieutenant Governor were there um at the ceremony. And so when I I drove home from Tallahassee, I listened to those two meetings. It took me four and a half hours. Those

28:28two meetings take four and a half hours to listen to. That's what I did the whole way open to asking.

28:34Madam Chair.

28:35Yeah.

28:35To talk about the M skills, um and you know, I think you're You know, you've been fantastic with that program, the help you've got, the federal grants we've got, working with the state to get their grants. And uh, you know, Slater Bayless was was great talking with us, gave us some suggestions and ideas, and uh even reached out to former Speaker Corcoran. Um he made a call for us to help you know with the appointment too, so he was very helpful as well. But this is something that you think about low income areas, you think about kids that can get training, and we've seen all

29:05the benefit of AM skills through the years. Even if it's not specifically exactly how they said they wanted to see it. To take it out. take equipment out and and hamstring a program that's working great. To create jobs and create opportunities for people. I just don't understand why they would

29:22do it. I don't either, but I'm not gonna burn a bridge. Um we pleaded our case to say we think you know the grant says free apprentices or apprentices. Um we did have four signed apprentices. We had signed you know, we've only been in that building two years. When COVID came We were at Marchman and we had four candidates signed up with companies to go into an apprentice program. And when COVID hit, they all said, no, we're not

29:52hiring new employees right now. And then um we were locked out of Marchman and then when we came back in when the school district opened up again they informed us they wanted that space and that we had to be out in the next three months. So then we went on that journey of of fig of moving out, storing everything and finding uh a place to land. then getting the money for that, building that, and dealing with that Davis Bacon. So for almost two and a half years we were we weren't

30:22we were doing our boot camps, but we weren't able to have a training facility. So Um We explained that to them, but you know S some people see grey and some people only read black and white and We're doing the best we can to not have that equipment taken out. Um and we have hopefully some plans if they do but Um, you're right. You know, we we talk about these programs that we're here that we deal with. Uh I'm gonna talk

30:52to you about the Hope Shot and all that. Met uh MetCon Ministries, Hope Shot. Steps to recovery. All those non-profits where they're helping people get back on their feet. we work with to have their clients get jobs. Because if they don't have jobs, where are they gonna go? Nothing. So, um Ah.

31:13Well I'm fighting with this we'll keep y'all doing great. I'm not gonna gow upset about it right now. I um I went to visit the One Community Now um Veteran Support Center. I went to visit the Hope Shot. They're doing great things in the community. Uh I had my Trinity Odessa leadership meeting. We had we were full. These are all the um HOA and C D D l leaders from, you know, Trinity. and uh Odessa,

31:43um We had Metropolitan Ministries uh talk that of course Chase did a great job. And uh then we had um parks and libraries. also speak. So another great meeting. Thanks everyone who helped put that together. Again, January 17th, we have a fun run from Miles That Matter at all for All Children's Hospital. Um this morning, seven thirty this morning I was on a Zoom. uh with uh US News and World

32:14Report. They came out with the top hospitals, children's hospitals in the country and um I'm very pleased to announce that our own John Hopkins All Children's was number one in Florida and tied for number four in southeastern United States. They jumped a whole bunch of categories in a in a lot of the different categories. I don't have it all here, but th they made a huge leap. So great stuff happening down at Johns Hopkins. Um I attended the food policy council meeting. In

32:44Land O' Lakes, I have some pliers the same night that we have our Um big second annual dinner at Ampskill's which is sold out but I hope all of you are coming somewhere in here.

32:59I have the um oh I'm gonna pass these down to my two east side commissioners. They um they are Let me head this one for a second. They're ho they're hosting their second annual Pasco Food Summit. It is uh at the Pasco One Stop Shop in Dade City. Um, they're doing educational tours and presentations and having light refreshments. I've donated Some Starkey seltzers to their event. And um they're expecting between fifty and eighty

33:29people. at that event. There's some really cool stuff happening at the Food Policy Council and they're gonna present to us it in December or January. Um I already told you I went to the emergency services employee recognition. I also kicked off the Bama, which is the Bay Area Manufacturing Association's virtual tour of MasterCut. to uh child to high school students in the Tampa Bay area. Um And The Purple

34:00Light uh event is coming. I don't have the date in front of me. It's when we light this building up if we participate to honor veterans across the United States. Do you guys have that in your calendar, Joanna? I know I had to kinda push for this last time we did it. I it's in November, but I wanted to make sure that we're gonna light up You know, we light this one up in purple to to commemorate that. I don't know what we do on the west side to light buildings up.

34:28I believe facilities has a list of buildings that they light up, but uh I think last year we did a resolution For that. Um I I

34:36Do

34:36I have to do a resolution for us

34:37to light light it up for purple to support veterans?

34:43No, we

34:44no

34:44you don't need it.

34:45That's what I was thinking too. Yeah. So I w I would uh like someone to make a motion since I can't. Move Commissioner Starkey's

34:54request. Second.