Public comment on AC100 and mask mandate
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, Oct 20, 2020
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Board of County Commissioners, Oct 20, 2020
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
What was said
Machine transcription of 41m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 67% of 188 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Thank you, Mr. Steinsnyder. Now we'll move on to public comment. Citizens are given an opportunity to comment on any items coming before the board during this public comment section. The Board also takes public comment on items to be placed on the future Board agenda or other business on their purview. Due to COVID-19 operation to safeguard the well-being and safety of our citizens and staff, today's public comment will be held handled as follows. First, we will take public comment from those that have pre-registered for a WebEx link and are currently on queue. After we will we will read into the record public comments, documents, PowerPoints, or videos that have been identified by members of the public to be read out
loud, played at the meeting, or received and filed. And finally, we will take public comment from those currently signed up at the Kia station. Comments are not to exceed three minutes per person. This new format does not weigh the request that when you address the board, comments are not directed personally against any commissioner or team member, but rather directed at the issues. This provides a mutual respect between the board members and the public. If you do so, I will cut you off. For WebEx and kiosk participants, after stating your name and address, the clerk and the timer will be activated
and start a countdown. After two minutes, one beep will sound, letting you know that only two only one minute remains. After the time is up, two beeps will sound, indicating that three minutes are up, and you should close your comment. Web WebEx participants will be disconnected when their time is up, and kios participants will be asked to move away from the kiosk when their time is up. Madam Clerk, do we have anyone? Pre-register to speak on WebEx at this time.
Yes, Chairman Mariano, but five have logged into the queue.
Okay. So When we call your name, name and address for the record, and your three minutes will begin. Who will we have first?
Our our first um WebEx participant is Victor Geiger.
Mr. Geiger, name and address for the record, please.
Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Victor Geiger and I live at [address removed]. I'd like to speak on item number 100 today. I am currently the Director of Public Relations, a voluntary board member of the Gulf Harbor Civic Association. As a resident of Gulf Harbors for almost 30 years, I remember when Gulf Harbors had a viable golf course that community members could walk
around, play, take pets, and enjoy the outdoors without walking on busy streets. Since our community is over 70 years old, we do not have the benefit of the new Pasco County Land Development Code, which requires a developer to set aside a portion of the building project or a park within walking distance for residents of new communities to use. Clearly, the drafters of the code understood the need for
residents to leave their homes and get outdoors and relax, work out, or just congregate in the outdoors. When the Gulf Harbor's golf course closed, the community lost this capability. We have been forced to walk, run, or bicycle on the two busy main roads in the community. It was car and share it with cars, trucks and buses. The need for a park has never been as clearly
demonstrated as it is today with the need to social distance, but also get outdoors and relax. With the demise of the old golf course in this special relationship. An MSBU with Pasco County. We could have what all the newer communities have. Our Board of Directors in concert with the Pasco County staff and new commissioners has worked for this park for over five years. Because
of the fact that Gulf Harbors is a non-mandatory civic association and not an H Way. The liabilities incurred with not having a permanent funding source, the Gulf Harbor Civic Association could not purchase the property outright and maintain it in perpetuity. The solution of the county purchasing the property and through an MSBU, the homeowners purchasing a portion. is the best of all worlds. It is difficult
for me to fathom how a single homeowner has been able to hold 3,000 Gulf Harbor's residents hostage by tying the process up in court and denying the community the right to have what every other new development in Pasco County has. Purchasing the property today from a third party and getting the process again moving toward having our own park in the middle of our beautiful community is absolutely imperative. Senators,
please vote yes on the purchase and sales agreement so that we can move forward to create an MSBU and develop a first class park for our community.
Thank you, sir. Madam Clerk, who do we have next?
Next um on the WebEx is Arthur and I believe the last name is Hedek. Hideki. Hideke.
Hideke. Mr. Hideke, name and address of the record, please.
Uh that's Arthur Hideke. Uh and can you hear me?
We can hear you fine. Name and address for the record, sir.
Yes, uh my name is Arthur Heinekee. I live at [address removed]. And I'm speaking this morning uh r regarding item one hundred. Uh I'm speaking as a thirteen year resident of Gulf Harbors. and as president of the Gulf Harbor Civic Association. For five years, the Gulf Harbor Civic Association has worked to get where we are today with this Board of County Commissioners meeting. And we are truly thankful for this opportunity. A
large percentage of our residents have long recognized the value of the fifty acre parcel located directly in the center of our neighborhood. Not as an area to build more homes. But as an open space to be enjoyed by our residents. We feel a park is the highest and best use for this property. And it will provide an alternative to walking or biking in the street. It will provide a place where residents can picnic and play with their families. It will provide a place to teach children about
nature and migrating birds. And it will give dog owners a secure place to exercise their pets. Now we recognize uh that there is a small group, and I have to emphasize the word small. that objects to a parameter. Frankly, I can't see how anyone could object to having a park right in their own neighborhood. But it's also interesting to note that these naysayers only complain and never offer a constructive alternative. These are the same people who complained about
the Ridge Road extension and other important projects to improve our county. As a representative body for the eighteen hundred plus homes in Gulf Harbors, the Civic Association strongly recommends that you pass the resolution to purchase the defunct Gulf Harbor's Gulf Course property. and use it to create a park that can be enjoy enjoyed by generations to come. Present and future residents. We'll be thankful you had the foresight to make this decision. We want to thank
you and please vote yes for item number one hundred on your agenda. Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Madam Clerk?
Next signed up on WebEx is Deb Johnson.
Ms. Johnson, name and address for the record, please. And you may begin.
Good morning.
Morning.
I'm Deb Johnson, a concerned resident at [address removed]. Here about agenda item AC100. Thank you, County Commissioners, for your public service and for this opportunity to speak about an eyesore in the middle of one of Pasco County's gyms, an unhomely golf course in the middle of our Peace of Paradise, Gulf Harbor, of which each of you have the opportunity to change by a
yes vote today. As your yes vote would lead to a park which is long overdue in our subdivision of over eighteen hundred homes. I encourage you to vote yes for three reasons. First, a park promotes community wellness. Studies have linked the presence of an attractive park to increases in aerobic exercise. Having a green space nearby results in a 25.6% increase in people getting active at least three times a week. It
would be a tremendous amenity for our community to get exercise and walk our pests. With the traffic on floor mar and topsail, it would be much safer to walk in a park. The wellness benefits of parks go beyond physical health, as they also have an impact on better mental health. God knows our country needs better mental health. Secondly, a park in our subdivision adds incredible value to our properties and therefore the county. Homeowners view
parks as a desirable amenity. Property values increase the closer homes are to a recreational area. A study showed homes within a half mile from an open space or park had values eight to twenty percent higher than those not near green spaces. Higher property values lead to more property taxes. So it's a win-win for Pasco County all the way around. Thirdly, buying this property for a park would be conserving a wildlife
area. The golf course currently serves as a stopping place for migrating birds and safe spaces for wildlife, so it would ensure that this continues. So in conclusion, voting yes on this purchase. which will lead to a park, will promote wellness, increase property values, which increases tax reson revenue, and ensures the conservation of wildlife. Thank you for voting yes.
Thank you, ma'am. Madam Clerk. Who's next?
Next on WebEx is Roger Parker.
Mr. Parker.
Good morning, Commissioner. My name is Roger Parker. I'm at [address removed] a resident of Gulf Harbor. Um, I'm also the chairman of the board for the Gulf Harbor Civic Association. Which has over eighteen hundred Can we be? A previous MSPU vote indicated that a majority of the community wanted this part and in fact
voted to accept and desire to pay uh for it through an MSPU. Unfortunately a small group of folks in the communities postponed your vote For many years. I will close by saying please vote yes on item one hundred so the community can have and use and use a fifty acre park. Thank you again and please
vote for IDEC One Hunter.
Thank you, sir. Madam Clerk?
Last um signed up via WebEx is Mike Sutton.
Mr. Sutton, good morning. Name and address for the record, please. Yeah,
good morning. Can you hear me?
We can, yes.
Awesome. Mike Sutton, President and CEO Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco County, 43 4131 Madison Street, Newport Ritchie. I'm calling in support of consent agenda C59, which is in support of our neighboring Habitat Affiliate, East and Central Pasco Habitat for Humanity, where they are. Asking for the commission support in uh uh reducing a loan. Um we we're grateful
for the commission's support of both affiliates in our county, um, as well as other nonprofit developers uh and the leadership that's continued to uh be provided by the county. Um and uh we uh we greatly uh appreciate that. Thank you.
Thank you, sir. So we just want to double check and make sure nobody else that was signed up came online. Seeing none. Okay, Madam Clerk, do we have any um emails to read into the record before I go to the um Podium in the hallway.
Yes,
we had um thirteen uh submitted, only three requested to be read on the record.
Okay, please go ahead.
Okay. First email is from Ken Dabbs, [address removed], President Gulf Harbors United regarding A-C one hundred. Golf Harbor's golf course purchase. The Todmar appraisal this board commissioned Shows a hypothetical value of six hundred thousand based upon the potential ability to build eighty homes. The real appraisal also commissioned by this board before the pie in the sky nonsense was two hundred and seventy-five
thousand. The contamination was remediated to a level of five point five MGs per kgs per the F D Penny for Pasco. A level of 2.1 Mg per kg is required to make the property buildable. Therefore the hypothetical value uh done prior to the contamination discovery is now invalid. This appraisal is s also four years old. Before this purchase becomes before this purchase comes before this board a new appraisal based upon the current property condition Let me say it again, the
current condition is in order. If this property is so easily developed, why have the lienholders asked for and been granted continuance after continuance on their foreclosure? The foreclosure lawsuit is now approximately four years old. The primary lien holder is a developer. On May twenty-first, twenty nineteen, I stood in front of this board and stated, there is nothing about this deal that makes that I'm sorry, there's nothing about this deal that's been above board or truthful. I stand by the statement today. This board has a fiduciary responsibility to spend citizens' money
prudently. Please delay this item and get your ducks in a row. You were elected to represent the citizens of Pasco County, not your friends, at the expense of the county. County Attorney citizens. Second email is from James Tight at [address removed]. As a resident of Gulf Harbors, I oppose the purchase of this defunct golf course for the price of $1.2 million, four times the appraised value of $275,000. The county should
not rely on the sole input of the Gulf Harbors Civic Association. They are a civic association, not an HOA. They do not represent all of Gulf Harbors. Just to a select few, not a single person has purchased a home here to be buy a park. After four years, there is still no plan for a park, trail or dog walk, no budget for what this will cost, just expecting us to hand over a blank check. Why can't this be addressed? Now there is a dredging study that calls for dumping spoils on this on
that property. Not our spoils, but spoils from neighboring developments. But of but of course we are expected to pay one point five million. You are doing a poor job representing us if this is all true. Your vote on these matters will strongly affect the way I vote November third. P. S. Governor RondaSantis has given permission and encourages open public meetings. I feel you are taking full advantage of a pandemic, much as Democrats would.
we're kind of at a level that we're not going to get into political
Next uh email. Let's see. Um from Susan Victoria Tite, [address removed] Uh meeting item number A-C one hundred. I'm a resident of Gulf Harbors who, as many here, did not get a vote on the county. Or um or our community buying the golf course and forcing us to pay for it forever. The people who voted were shown a fake picture of a beautiful park. We and you all
will never be because of the contamination and the dumping of dredging by you, the commissioners of Pasco County. The deal was made between the County and the GHCA, who do not have the right to speak for the community, the G H. C. A. and Art Hideki. Sorry. Um are a civic center, not an HOA. It is a bad deal that will cost us forever. The only acceptable appraisable done um on the property was two hundred and seventy five thousand dollars. Why are you forcing us to pay one point two million?
We know why you we know why, so do you. The commissioners are not looking out for the constituents' best interests, especially Mr. Mariano and Ms. Starkey.
Okay.
Do you mean to proceed or
Um as long as that um there's no more um making negative comments about a staff member or a commissioner that sits on this board. Okay. If it continues on then we'll just cut 'em off or cut that email off. Maybe breeze through it for a second. If there's anything of of substance you can read it.
Uh please do not sign the contract.
That's fine.
It is not what we want. We want a new vote and to be told the truth about all your intentions.
That's why.
Okay.
As a reminder, if there's anybody that's gonna speak outside Again, as I stated in the beginning, Um negative comments about a board member or a staff member won't be tolerated and it will be cut off.
Um Commissioner, I have a question to ask.
Yes, um
I am aware of many more emails that came in, um, but I don't think they knew they had to specifically say, please read this. They put their name and address on it for the record. Uh but I didn't
So question, those other emails cannot be read?
No, they're for the you know they'd b they're actually uh That
came to the PC admin?
If they're not, I'll let Mr. Stein centers make the statement, but unless they've stated and there's three different things you could do, you could speak on the WebEx, you can ask for an email to be read into the record, or you can just have one. For
filed
for the filed
for the record that the commissioners got copies of so that they could read it because
I have not received um what? I have not received copies of those emails.
No, they should have been out this morning. I did see an email that showed them this morning.
They were? Okay. I'm going through mine and I don't see it, so I'll go. Back again.
I just want to state that the publication, I have it in my hand, uh provides the information that if you want it to be read out loud, you must state so. Okay. Okay.
All right. Is there any more, Madam Clerk, to be reading to the record?
No, those are the last two.
Okay. Thank you. All right, moving on. Um we do have uh just give me one second here. So we're gonna go to the kiosk. Um do we have anybody at the kiosk this morning?
Okay. Anyone at the key option? Oh there we go.
Before I start, I I have everything that I'm saying in my papers with little time I couldn't say a lot, so I have all this. Right here would you guys would accept and read it?
You can there I there's somebody from the clerk's office right behind you if I'm not correct and you can hand it to her and then you can um she will deliver it to us. Yes ma'am.
Can you hear me okay?
I can hear you great. Yes, ma'am. Um, So name and address for the record, please, and you can begin.
Tammy Deloitte uh [address removed]. My issue and I have to read it fast. My issue with is with this abusive mask mandate on our children in school. COVID does not affect children. We all know that almost all deaths are those with elderly have two or more combit uh comorbidities. The flu is more dangerous and kills more children and adults than coronavirus. Asymptomatics
do not spread the virus. The WHO stated this months ago. Putting on a mask for a virus is compared to putting up a chain link fence to keep mosquitoes out. To deprive a child's brain from oxygen is to res is or to restrict it in any way is not only dangerous to their health, it's absolutely criminal. Oxygen deficiency inhibits the development of the brain and the that damage that has taken place or result as a
result cannot be reversed. Child needs the brain to learn the brain needs oxygen. Not need clinical studies for that, it's common sense. The cause of all disease starts in the cells. because of lack of oxygen. You may believe you are getting your information from experts, but I can assure you they are anything but. I myself being a certified holistic health coach learning from the top naturopathic doctors in the world, these people know nothing when it comes to our health. The d the health
department goes off the CDC, which goes off of what Fauci says who has vested interests in keeping us masked lock down until the Gates vaccine comes out. Parents are experts on their own children's health, period, end of story. It is not only unhealthy for these kids physically but mentally. There's an article also To read more. Mass can also cause fungal infections, rash pump face, headaches, dental issues. My daughter already beginning to
As of today I have
Can't send her back to school. because it's causing spirit damage to her health. Online distancing learning is a failure and does not work. Our children's lives and well being is being placed in your hands instead of us parents. This is just wrong. This this is supposed to be America, not Nazi Germany. Each of us parents should have a choice whether to send our kids to school unmasked or not and not be singled out or fully because of this place. No one cares about the health and wellness
of our children more than we do. Government has no right and no place making decision health decisions for myself, my child or anyone else. It's against our constitutional rights. You mandate masks with no scientific evidence that masks work. You shame the public into wearing them on the basis we might kill Granny. You place the responsibility of other people's health on us. We are not responsible for other people's health. And you putting me in that responsibility is gonna make me start slapping
pop and junk food out of people's hands. Yeah.
Okay, thank you. Okay. Tracy. Uh so ma'am, we can't hear you anymore just so you know because the three minutes are up. Um
So uh Tracy, if you can hear me, um there's a l unfortunately there's a lot of chatter And the hallway. I don't know if it's people lined up for early voting or what it is. Maybe that's it. But um if there's any way that people around the kiosk Can um
Keep their comments low so we can hear the um person speaking to us better, that'd be great. It's just really loud. I know it might be difficult if there's people online to vote, but if there's anybody right around the kiosk, that way we can just again hear the speakers better.
Hear me.
So there is a lot of a lot of noise coming from the supervisor election area. Um it just sort of go offs this way. Um the people around the kiosk really are being pretty quiet. Okay,
yeah, I guess it's really it's projecting, then uh that's okay. I think Kathy's gonna maybe go down the hallway and just ask from to keep it down a little bit. That way we can hear the speakers better.
Okay, thank you. Yeah, do you want the next um public comment person?
Can let's just wait like twenty seconds and let um Kathy um talk to the people in the hallway for a second.
Okay.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay, I will be able to do that. And um while we're waiting, if I can get a motion to receive a file of the purple folder that was um submitted by the last um I have a motion, I have a second. All in favor? Aye. Aye, all opposed, same sign, motion passes. Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay, that's I think that seems better, Tracy. Let's go ahead.
Yeah, that you've done a good job. Jack. Oh, she's Just remember you have to figure name an app.
Good morning.
Okay, just go on tell you.
Aye.
Hi, I'm Sabana Speaker. What's my address? Bella Ham. Banna Ham. [address removed]. Um, I don't want to wear masks because my mom's not letting me go to school. Yeah. Uh See, it's hard to breathe.
Bird Bison. Yeah, is out. And My mom's not letting me go to school for this reason because it's destroying my health and I can't I'm not getting enough oxygen so I my mom is making me do online which is really bad for my which is not the that bad but it is kinda bad for my learning because I have really struggled in school. Say if you
want to mandate
if you want to mandate masks
no if you want to
mandate if you want to mandate something. Mandate vitamin C vitamin C and D.
Okay, well thank you so much. Thank you. Have a great day.
Mr. Chairman, it probably should be part of the record that this board doesn't have control over what the school board does.
Okay.
That would be a school board issue.
Yes, okay. So the county attorney just wanted to remind that um anything that happens um with the school board when it comes to mask um is their decision, their decision only.
Okay, do we have anybody else sign up or is that it for the day? Anybody else? Okay.
Um And I'm sorry, give me one second. We're not hearing you. Uh if we can give me one second, I apologize. Okay, now we can. Name and address for record. Good morning.
I I just wanted to say that I also gave something to Tracy that she could bring in to you if
that's okay. We'll do a motion receive and file after we get it. Yes. Thank you, ma'am.
My name is Cindy Vontraeger. My address is [address removed].
Thank you.
So I have 20 sarcastic mask myths for you. Number one, even though I feel good, I could be sick without knowing it. Two, a positive PCR test can't tell me if I'm contagious or not because it picks up any previous virus I survived. Three, if I cough or sneeze, my droplets could land in the mouths or nose of people who are nearby. Four, masks are a barrier, no COVID-100 nanometer.
Five.
I'm never going to accidentally touch it and then rub my eye. And if I do take my mask off, I will always put it in a sterile container and probably Promptly replace it with a new one every time it gets damp or soiled. Any three-year-old could do that. Six, breathing COVID or any other virus stuck to my mask all day won't harm me. Seven, wearing a mask doesn't protect me. It protects everyone else from COVID's hero. One four percent infection fatality rate. Protecting everyone is easier than just protecting the vulnerable like
we have always done in the past. Eight, wearing a mask for several hours a day doesn't affect my ability to breathe oxygen properly. Because any mouth issues that that could lead to severe disease or any facial skin lesions. Nine, there's no psychological effect for me or others from wearing a mask for months. Ten, there's no political motivation for ordering people to wear a mask if Kamala Harris and Joe Biden said this virus is not gonna go away anytime soon, or President Trump trying to kill us by saying it will go away. 11.
There's no agenda to condition people with wearing a mask to allow them to shop, fly, go to work or school with a patent vaccine to continue being allowed to do those things. Twelve, it's a push from global technocrats at the World Economic Forum to use COVID for the great reset and fundamentally transform everything like their website says. 13. Even though in March we thought COVID was 24 times deadlier than it is, we still need to stop the spread in October. 14, if people weren't ordered to wear a
mask, the virus would spread and everyone would die. The five blue elderly people in nursing homes proves that. 15, over 200,000 people have died from COVID this year, according to the new special way the CDC is recording. certificates. If they used the old process they had in place for the past 17 years, it would only be 94% lower. 16, everything about COVID is also true about the flu, including how dangerous it is. Think of how many lives could have been saved if we had political leaders with Munchausen's
biproxy syndrome sooner. Seventeen hydrochloroquine isn't affected, even though Dr. Fauci said it was in two thousand and five for SARS-CoV-1.
It's better to take nothing. Then if your symptoms get worse, go to the hospital where they're financially incentivized to treat you. If you're lucky they'll put on one of the many ventilators President Trump built. Life is more difficult for people that can't wear masks. It can just
ma'am.
Um so this speaker had something she wanted to submit. So I need a motion to receive a file for that.
Move to receive and file. Second.
I have a motion and second. All in favor?
Aye.
Aye.
Um now the per the speaker before her that wanted to cement the purple folder actually wants it back. So I have to have 'em I have to have a motion to return that.
Move to return the pink folder.
I have a motion and a second to return the folder that was initially wanting to be submitted. Motion passes. Thank you.
Okay.
Do we have anybody else that's signed up to speak today?
Yes.
Yes.
Okay, please go ahead. And next name and address for the record, please.
Well, before I start, uh there was a packet that was given to you all from a resident that is directly affected by the golf course, Kelly McKenna. I'd like to have that uh entered uh for you guys approved.
We actually
have
it.
Do we have it? Yes, we do. Move to receive and file. I have a second, a motion, receive and file. All in favor? Aye. All opposing signed?
Aye.
Thank you. Maybe not just for the record.
Okay, my name is Diane Cobernic, [address removed]. I swear what I'm about to say is true and accurate. Before you vote in favor of the new purchase agreement for the golf course, please consider the following facts. There is no recent appraisal. The last bias appraisal was in 2015. The appraisal was done by Todd Marr and valued the property at $275,000 as is. And assumed the property was not impacted by any environmental issues.
Mr. Maher appraised the property again in 2016. But this time he was given a directive from county quote. At the request of my client, I have valued the property as though the zoning landing and land use would allow eighty residential units, which is a hypothetical condition. Mr. Maher felt so strongly the reader be aware of this directive that he wrote it in bold six times within the document. In the interest of full transparency,
it should be noted that the owner's appraiser, Tropical Realty, appraised the property of $1.7 million. You're spending 1.2 million of taxpayers' money for a non-essential person in the year of COVID. In addition, County is forgiving a total of sixty eight thousand in lean. And no further action from the FDEP was requested for a passive part. Please. Indicates an active park. Although some
remediation was done, the property remains contaminated to the arsenic level of five point five Are you aware if any further remediation will be needed to create an active part? You intend to create an MSVU for property owners to pay for this. MSVUs for non-advalorant taxes are unfair and unjust. Since they do not take into consideration the value of a home. So a thousand dollar, a hundred thousand dollar home pays the same as a one million dollar home. The attached agenda stated
the case was removed. Okay. Let me clarify, that means that it was just on hold, not dismissed. The language was only agreed to because I was told that a settlement would be provide safeguard for our community. Huh, if you do the same memorandum, the Asian was Oh. Let's get back. Contradictory of the same memorandum, there are no intended park amenities agreed on. These appear to be county staff talking points with
no cost. In closing. The reasoning behind the twenty sixteen lawsuit still stands. Thank you.
Next please. What do you want
to do? Yeah, it's just a dip in the way.
Name and address of the record, please.
Okay, uh Mitchell Cobernick, [address removed].
I'm speaking regarding item one hundred. Commissioner so first I'd like to say that I would love to see a park on the old Gulf Harbor's golf course, but the path that we're on right now does not get us there. There was limited remediation done by the seller, but the land is still contaminated, just less so. Higher appraisal of 275,000 may be generous. That means we're paying a million dollars more than the land is worth. You were also for giving county
liens, where the county paid to correct code violations. Wiping out money the county should recover. This is taxpayer money it was so fastly throwing away. We also want to do MSBU on the property owners in Gulf Harbors to pay for half the purchase price and all future maintenance and improvements. Your last attempt to patch such an MSBU met with strong opposition, and a lawsuit was even filed to contest it, which is still out there. It
is a safe bet that this new MSPU, which now you intend to pass without a vote of the residents, designed to circumvent that suit, will be met with even more resistance, and rightly so. That likely will include another lawsuit to protect Gulf Harbor's property owners from this open checkbook from the county, with no safeguards as to what the county could do with the property, even over the opposition of the residents that will be most affected by it.
Regarding another golf course previously acquired by the property, commissioners have said that once we own it, we can do what we want with it. For Gulf Harbors, that would seem to include dumping dredging spoils, as spelled out in the recent dredging report from GBA. What else might the land be used for that we're not aware of yet? So it is in c so it's clear that absent enforceable safeguards, the county indeed can Will do what it wants with the property. You intend to pass this new MSBU
only after the purchase, knowing, knowing that it will face opposition, how can you proceed with this purchase without confirming how you will pay for it? The reality is If the MSBU was not passed, county taxpayer funds would have been used for the entire purchase. In this time where small business is suffering and the county is facing severe revenue shortfalls, how do you justify spending one point two million on a vanity project
rather than using those funds to help Pasco businesses that are suffering? And the timing is suspicious. This is the last BCC meeting before the election. So it sure looks like you were trying to get this done before new commissioners are seated. They may have other opinions about what you are doing here. Which is nothing more than a bailout for your buddies. Have a great day. Thank you very much. You have a great day, sir. Thank Thank you, you too.
And what's awesome is that we'll have a g a um update from the Pasco EDC in just a little while. Hold on. In just a little while to talk about all hold on, all the great things that are happening when it comes to economic development in the county and what the county has done to help small businesses. So stay tuned for that, sir. Ma'am, name and address for the record, please.
Kathleen Everett, [address removed]. Yeah.
Yes, ma'am. Go ahead. Thank you.
I am also here for AEC 100. I am not against the park. And please also note that Gulf Harbor Civic Association does not represent every citizen. I am here today to ask you to table. the purchase of the Gulf Harbor's golf course until such a time that it adds its appraisal can be obtained for the value, as it sits today, including the current contamination level. As you know, the previous appraisals that were in excess of 275,000
were not as is appraisals and valued with contingencies. These contingencies are not the intended use of the golf course with this purchase. Again, making the value immensely overinflated. At a previous meeting, the comment was made to me that the value of real property is what any real buyer and seller are willing to pay. Many of us are not willing to pay that price. If you feel confident that you're doing right by the residents of Gulf Harbor, then
why do you not want to have a vote held by an independent company? Um thinking you're only afraid it will not pass. In addition The contract appears to be cleverly worded on page two, paragraph six, continued on to page three, with the word property may be used for recreational uses. The wording should read must be able to be used for recreational purpose. Additional cost to the buyer in order to do
so. Please consider correcting that on the contract. If you want to continue being so disrespectful of our hard-earned money, then at least in the MSBU have the committee be all Goth Harbor residents and not just the ones that were part of this travesty. Oh. The MSBU should have a cap. Since there's no control over the increases of the non-ad fullorum taxes at this time. Thank you.
Do we have anybody else, Tracy?
Okay, thank you. That does end public comment. I appreciate it.