Public comment on MSBU, roads, homeless shelter, Green Key flood
What the county recorded
This item is not from the published agenda
It is a stretch of the recording that this archive identified as a separate matter — a call to order, a recess, or something taken up that the agenda does not list. There is no official title, no staff recommendation and no disposition, because the county never recorded one. Everything below is inferred.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Board of County Commissioners, Jul 9, 2024
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, Jul 9, 2024
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
What was said
Machine transcription of 26m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 79% of 129 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Okay, public public comment will be taken as follows. First, we will hear from public comment from those that are present and we'll take public comment from those pre-registered on WebEx and currently on Cube. Uh we request that when you address the board, comments are directed. not personally against a commissioner or a team member, but rather at the issues. This provides mutual respect for them for the members
and the public. Uh after stating your name and address for the clerk, a three minute timer will be activated. After two minutes, a single beat will go off and meaning that you have one minute left. And at the end of that minute, two beeps will sound and you should um prepare to stop your comments. So Madam Clerk, do we have anyone signed up for public comment this morning?
Yes, Mr. Chair, I have six individuals signed up for public comment. One has two different topics. So um Ms. Patricia Strowbridge, if you would please uh And um she has two co two different topics to talk on.
Okay. Does that
mean
three
minutes each? No. No. She needs three minutes.
She just
has
three
minutes.
Okay.
Okay, Okay. uh good morning. My name is Patricia Stro Ricky. You said my address is [address removed]. Uh zip code is [address removed]. Uh my um biggest concern is that I I'm part of a M S B U and they said that we are gonna be getting uh repaving of the road tax. And then I tried to find something out about the repaving of the road tax and I didn't find out. So but I have some questions here that while y'all considering whatever you're gonna do if y'all would
maybe think about these things here. So I'll just read 'em all. Just uh approximately how much per house because I like I need the budget and then about how many years would you pay that same amount? And then if we get all the road to Pasco County paved, will there be kind of a warranty period that everything should be paved and gonna stay for five or ten or fifteen years and we not renew paving again and then the tax should stop and then when we need paving again, will the tax start or will it just continue on? And then
um I thought we were getting gas tax money from the uh gas tax. buying of gas to pay roads and uh you know I hope that would be enough and then and this how um how um how much shortfall from the gas tax that we needed gas tax plus the roads because we have had some kind of governmental things and then one money gets shifted up to the other thing. And then I hope that if y'all um taking up a collection of money to pave the roads and I don't know what the letters are, some sub
tax unit. But Um maybe y'all can think about making it something of um about fifteen percent administrative and then eighty-five percent of that money collected actually go for real paving of the roads. Because I know that you're gonna need administrative stuff to do, but if nine, you know, a large percentage of the 85% I got on my paper for the blacktop and the bulldozers and whatever it does. And then um also is there gonna be a fourth so many miles of road in Pasco County divided by so many households
and they're gonna pay certain amounts because um that might get to be kind of funny because of where I live. And then um will businesses pay the same, will tourists repay, will people living in an apartment pay the same? and would uh people living on the farm do the same. Um, I live on a narrow street and is in good shape, no sidewalks. I got a friend that lived on a beautifully wide street Um and then I and Tuesday, both large side, both leads, then I live I also drive on the street. that have potholes just pothole, pothole, pothole.
They've never really paid there. So those people are gonna be needing a whole lot more streets and getting a whole lot more streets in the repayment plan. But then I will not. So I just wanna kinda throw those kind of things in. And I just hope that we don't have Um Uh we paving up the road tax forever, ever, ever just keep paying and money just keeps going and you're
You need to make sure you get to your second item.
Okay, I I only have one minute left. Okay, my my uh second item is MSBU. So we have an MSBU and uh Pasco County knew we had to get M S B Uh Pasco County helped us get it, Pasco County helped us get the funds in, get the funds out. And now they say but maybe we need to uh um dissolve the MSBU. And uh Maybe we need to dissolve the MSBU. And then I think um since we they told us that that those streets that we've been cutting and maintaining weren't even our streets. And
um so I would look to if they weren't our streets and we cut 'em for twenty years and Pasco didn't cut 'em, maybe we should get about a twenty percent discount. And also the monies that we collected, we collected a big surplus in the first place and then we cut just minimally amount of how much we needed to cut the cut the grass per year. So if we get a refund, I hope the people who were in the MSVU for ten years or more get the refund, not the people who were ten years or less because they actually didn't pay anything for the circus. Okay. And um those are my
comments.
Yes ma'am. Thank you for your comments. Your time is up. Um Mr. Bala, we got someone here that can speak to her. She needs a lot of answers right.
And and just in c uh Mr. Chairman, do we have a fact sheet on our website about the um MSBU? Because it would be answered. Yeah, actually let
me let me ask if if the
word
wants Joanna can kinda weigh in on our communications plan with that.
But do we have one online that we can send people to?
Okay.
We will get one online. Yeah, we need to do that.
Yeah, we
have
an extensive communications plan for it. So it'll include email blasts, um, social media push and it'll be on our website as well.
Okay. Next.
Okay. Um we have Gregory Smithwicks, I believe. I just cannot I can't uh read the writing a little bit, and then Ron followed by Ron Orchard.
Name and address for
the card. Hi, my name is Greg Smithwick. I live at [address removed] on the west side of the county.
Okay.
I come here today for a move that's going to surprise many of you to say thank you for item C20 on the consent agenda, which is the purpose of the purchase of the property on Grand Boulevard for a desperately needed singles. Homeless shelter, I thank you. It's a it's an amazing start. It's a great thing. And I know that there are probably uh you some of you are probably getting negative feedback from members of the community about why this purchase, why this money,
why are we paying for this? Uh and I want to give you an argument to take back home with you, and that is the most expensive kind of intervention with a home. homeless person having a medical crisis is paramedics and first responders. The most expensive kind of response to someone having a mental health crisis living in the woods is our police forces, our sheriff's office, the municipal police forces. So there is a cost savings involved here. It's just gonna take a number of years to develop. Because as we save money in those primary emergency services
responses to people who are legitimately having medical emergencies or crisis from living outdoors, we will begin to save money by engaging those people in services that are less expensive. That includes getting them on Medicaid or Medicare or disabilities so that they can receive services and funding that doesn't have to come from our emergency services budget. So I feel like that's That's the argument I would like you to take back to your constituents that don't see the value in this. If they can't find the humanity value in it, they will see the cost savings. And
it's a provable thing, it's easy to look up. Everywhere that's done housing first and low barrier shelters has seen this return on emergency services to other kinds of health care. So again, thank you for item C20. Appreciate it. Thank you.
Ron Orchard, followed by P. Collin Rice.
Name and address for the clerk?
Sure. Uh good morning. My name is Ron Ochard, [address removed]. Uh I know some of you don't want to hear about this again, but it's about the Green Key flood project.
This is about the land acquisition that we've been working on that's stalling the project, at least we're told stalling the project for a while. There is a 10-foot easement on Manor Beach that we're proposed putting pipes through. The county's asking for a 30-foot easement to put two pipes through. The landowner is not agreeable to that. Because we're offering him, not we, but as a group, we're offering him 50,000 for the land. He's not willing to
sell that land for the increased easement for that price. He is willing to leave the 10 foot and we can work off the 10 foot to put pipes in. My question is to him, why can't we put these two pipes through that 10 foot easement? Rather than have to open it up to a great big thirty foot, you just have to work on it. It should be simple enough to do. We'd have to do some readjusting on the drainage issues to it, uh the collection based it's on the road itself.
We were told that the road would still, even without the adjustments of the 30-foot, the road would still be paved and raised.
Raising of the road is a good idea because it will help, but it has to be done with the drainage included into it. The $21 million or $2.1 million funding for this project has been approved for several years. It seems like we're dragging our feet on getting this started or completed. My question is I'm wondering if this has been reallocated to another area because of the time frame. We're waiting for that to be reimbursed to continue this project.
It's been going on for Overall from the beginning of this this particular project about six years and the original drawings and stuff involved. Now we're down to this point here, they're telling us another year before anything even gets booked at the start.
You still have one minute.
Okay. We still need to get this going. Uh We need to make some small adjustments but it shouldn't put this off another year to get this accomplished.
I did send this to this email basically at the beginning to Nathan Martin, who's the engineer on this project. This was sent back on June 22nd, trying to get some replies. I have not received any replies back yet on this. I'm just wondering how long do we have to wait for replies and what can we do? How can we work to get this done? We work playing for the people in this area. We want to see some action. We just appreciate your time and help. Thank you very much.
Mr. Chairman Mari Brant is right there. He's very familiar with it. This is a project we had two million dollars from the state on. So we had to try and get it done. But Brantford, could you update him and listen to suggestions as well?
Thank you.
P. Collin Rice followed by Scott Black.
Good morning. Uh Colin Rice, the law firm of World of London, one thousand West Cast in Tampa. Simply here on behalf of the applicant, happy to answer any questions.
On which one?
On what item? P fifty eight. I'm sorry. P fifty eight would be a consent. It's on consent. This afternoon. Correct. Okay. It's this afternoon, not ten o'clock. No. It's one thirty this afternoon. Okay. You can address item when
items.
Nice trail.
You can rent a bank maybe.
Next individual.
Scott Black? Followed by Nancy Hazelwood.
Good morning everyone. Scott Black. It's my pleasure to serve presently as Mayor of the City of Dade City, 380-20 Meridian Avenue, Dade City, Florida. And we're always proud to be the county seat of Pasco County and host the County Commission and County Government here in Dade City. And uh just wanted to mention and in just a moment our mayor approachem Normito. Woodard will have a few words to say as well. But just wanted to mention the great relationship that we strive to keep with the county. We've
appreciated so much through the years that we're able to be here together in Dade City. And also as we've partnered together on several things through the years with our library here in Dade City, formerly a city facility and now part of the County Library. System that's been a great thing for Dade City, especially through the years with expansion and the resources that the county offers us. With the our fire and rescue, that's been a very good partnership to have, and may not be quite the partnership, but
it's always been a wonderful thing for us, and we've appreciated we've been able to work together on things like that as well as dispatch in more recent years. And these things have gone very smoothly, and we want to continue to have a great working relationship. And particularly today, we want to thank the county for the parks and recreation. With this being Parks and Recreation Month in Pasco County, we're very grateful for having Kim and her staff working with us at Naomi Jones Park, the James Irvin
Center. And I know that they work in Other facilities in eastern Pasco County, the Boys and Girls Club in Lacucci, close to my hometown of Trilby, and we appreciate that. And so we just want to thank you for the services that are provided. We look forward to expanding that. We want to have some more conversations, and we look forward to having those conversations. But we just want to say thank you and say thank you to the parks and recreation staff and congratulate them. that they do and for this being Parks and Recreation Month in Pasco
County. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Yes
ma'am.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Do I need to still give my address as well?
Yes, please.
[address removed]
[address removed]
[address removed]. Just wanted to also bring to your attention that I am looking forward to continuing our partnership on coming to some type of agreement of where we can locate a sports complex center on this side. It is extremely important. That we find the time to get together so that we can unite and have a united front so that we can provide these services to all of our citizens on the east side of Pasco County.
So not just looking for one area, one location, but something that can serve everyone. And we are excited about coming to the table and coming to some. Type of agreement where we can work together and keep our forces together. It is truly appreciated for what Parks and Recks does. However, as many of you know, James Irvin is no longer feasible, it is no longer large enough, it cannot continue to be the place for Parks
and Recks. So it's time for us to do something, and I stand today along with the residents of the city of Dade City to say, hey, let's join together, let's make a difference, let's make a change, and let's do it together. Let's not city does one thing, county does one thing. Let's work together. I believe we can make this happen and have something extraordinary for our children. I appreciate your time. Thank you.
Well thank you for your comments and and uh Mr Black thank you also.
And just want to recognize several of the residents of the Dade City, the city of Dade City, several of our residents that are here today in support and in appreciation also for all that the county does for us with our parks.
And as being uh Commissioner O District One, which covers Dade City and all of East Pasco County, but the fact of it is we're very willing to work with the city and do what we can. We want to do more than we do. do a lot at John at the Burks Park and we want to do more to help. And we I've also talked to Mr. Riley today about our parks and rec and the fact of maybe choosing a person a place suitable here in Dade City and we look forward to working for that. And
Naomi you're more than welcome to come visit with me and talk about different items that you want in there but in my office at any Anytime so just give me a call and come by and we'll talk about it. Be more than happy to. Mr. Chairman, thank you.
Mr. Chairman
Mari
two things. One um we do have the three hundred acre V OPH where there's some wonderful things planned. Um So I think you're gonna get a big sports complex there and some other wonderful things. Also, please be vigilant about meeting with my staff. and others to make sure that the multi use trail that was left off of fifty two gets put in from curly to three oh one to connect to your trip. Yeah. You gotta keep reminding people because I have no idea where that is right
now.
Right. With a large part of service too, but we're also gonna serve locally right here in Dade City also. So all right. Thank you. Next person.
I have Nancy Hazelwood.
Name and address for the clerk.
Nancy Hazewood, [address removed]. Um actually that's that's nice that V O P H is putting something out. Will it be bus service from Dade City out there maybe? Is there?
No. We don't answer questions really, so
Well
Okay. Go ahead and make your statements.
Yes, sir. Um I actually wanted to thank you all for getting some uh staff driven uh
meetings out there. We had one on resilience and that was great.
I could see it's I understand why they're starting on the west side, but we do have some problems. I think a lot of it's due to some of the construction going on out there. I know people that are living in with mold in their houses and they have no And because they're getting flooded every once in a while? Uh this is kind of unacceptable for this area and they say, Well we'll get to it later. What, ten years from from what I understand it means slowly. Maybe
we could add some more people and monies to this resilience project because I'm sure as the construction goes on in Pasco County we're gonna have more of this. Um The other thing is you've got another one coming up tomorrow on code enforcement. And that oughta be interesting also. Thank you so much. We need more of those meetings for people and citizens out here. Thank you.
Mr. Chair, that's all that I have that physically signed.
Does anyone in the audience wish to speak at this time? Yes ma'am, coming forward.
State your name and address for the clerk.
Hi there, Pastor Jen Kerouak, [address removed]. Um I appreciate your time today and I I'm coming um with regards to the consent item C twenty And um the concerns that I have as someone who is working with the communities that are impoverished, those that are without homes, without jobs, lack of
transportation on a daily basis. And I know that we've been hitting this ball back and forth for a while and there is a significant need. But the concerns that have been shared with me with many of my colleagues. Number one is the concern that Pinellas will as a result of the facility being so close to the Pinellas Pasco County line and I when I first moved here I lived in Pinellas County and I was there when it happened. Saint Mo
Pete moved by bus the homeless folks into and I probably will be very unpopular for saying this, I feel like, but I'm just gonna tell the truth. They moved Saint Pete moved 'em to Clearwater and I lived there when Clearwater moved 'em to Holiday. Okay? And so how are we going to serve those issues that are have been existing in Pasco County? Those people that are without homes that are creating, I know, a lot of havoc in
the Hudson area along 19. I know there are issues in holiday. However, how are we going to eliminate You know, That we're serving Penellas folks and our Pasco folks aren't getting the services that they need because if they're homeless, most often. They don't have an address. So, you know, if we're trying to address the PASCO problems, I think that that needs to be taken into consideration. The details of the project,
and I'm part of the COC group as well, and so the details of the project prior to purchase, I just, you know, that was also a concern of my colleagues at the last COC meeting. Also asked to advocate for a more central facility, maybe one that's larger One that is whether it's central on nineteen, mum the majority of the hot spots are on nineteen. um or even thinking outside of the
box some of the surplus county properties that we have and utilizing those properties or properties that back taxes and nobody's picked it up off a tax sale. and offering those to nonprofits so that there are spot facilities just like the builders they spot build, why can't we as well as a county to address this very growing need? And rather than burdening, I know that, you know, many times Catholic charities um is
the or Saint Vincent de Paul and they do the best that they can with what they have. But my experience is talking with the case managers that they're very overburdened. And so who is going to be running the project, we don't know yet. So I just would ask that you consider removing this from consent to have more conversation.
Thank you. Um Brian, could you speak to her a little bit about what's being done?
But
it's been
pulled from consent, so we're gonna have a discussion.
Mm-hmm.
It's been pulled from consent.
Oh, that item's gonna be pulled. Okay. All right. Thank you, Kathryn. Okay. Does anyone else wish to speak this time? Seeing no one, we have anyone on WebEx?
Mr. Chair, we do have one person in queue, Mr. Al Hazim. And Mr. Azim, you have been elevated. You should be able to um to speak if you could state your name and address before starting your comments. More my job is.
[address removed]. Uh I would like to discuss the item adjournment P twenty. Can everybody hear me okay?
Yes, go ahead.
Okay. Uh to touch on some of what the um previous gentle discussed regarding that uh agenda on the uh I believe that the spirit and the decision that was made there's a lot of stuff, I can't really hear that well. Um spirit of what of what we're trying to accomplish is in good faith. I think the area, the location in which we are placing that uh shelter over on Grand Boulevard is misguided.
Um Gentlemen and women who go through homelessness oftentimes on mental health issues, substance abuse concerns, placing them on a principal bar next to auto shops, bars, liquor distribution centers, and a massage parlor isn't going to give them the resources that they need to succeed and become more beneficial members of society. Yeah. in that one station. I think consideration should be given
to maybe purchasing a land near Little Road where they could be next to the Bay Pair facility, next to the judicial center, so that if they have pending court cases or dependency hearing cases, they have adequate walkable space to attend um hearings or get that those resources. They have the bus That's available to them. If the VA, if they're a veterans and they're homeless, you put them in the middle of the holiday on Grand Boulevard, uh they're
not going to have that same access to those resources or those facilities. I think the spirit of the decision is appropriate. The location I don't think is. On Grand Boulevard, they're not going to be able to succeed or thrive as they were. wood on Little Road. Having experience in that field, I know the resources they need are on Little Road. So somewhere closer within a walkable path is a much more beneficial location for people than would be in a house case. And that's all I'm
starting the C twenty item, and that's all I have to say on that way.
Thank you. I'll say that you guys did make a decision. I don't remember what year where you put the family shelter on Little Road for those exact same reasons. Um because it was near the Judicial Center, it was near resources such as Baycare and the VA. If you made the decision for the family shelter uh when you did, I think that same decision should be applied to this shelter for the homeless. Thank Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay.
Mr. Chairman Mariano else is on WebEx.