Miscellaneous business Merrill Brothers biosolids and memorial

1:46:00uh miscellaneous business. Mr. Waiton

1:46:05Um good to go. I think you might share some of the things we were at, so I'll pass.

1:46:13Okay.

1:46:18What

1:46:18are

1:46:18you gonna do?

1:46:21What side do you have pit what picture you have first? I do, so it's kinda that I don't usually have that many things, but I have a few this week, so this two weeks. Alright, so we had uh at Merrill Brothers, I don't know if you remember years ago we used to have trouble with how to deal with the biosolids or how to deal with the waste. We had trouble taking it down to Miami, the costs were going through the roof so we brought Merrill Brothers in and they have done a phenomenal job. Uh they're just releasing now the Florida green fertilizer which should be a a great boost for us. And in the in interim of the uh government

1:46:51USAID program, they've been working with the country of Jordan. And they brought in some very high-level people from Jordan to go see what we were doing. So um Marlowe Brothers did a great job pres presenting, our our team did a great job presenting. Uh I was there to greet them and it was very impressive and really cool to be able to tell them all the great things that we had done and how they want to copy us. Uh so there's a whole delegation that was there that uh that's in the new building that Marlowe's just got coming up now. Um had different talking

1:47:22things to go through. We talked about how we started with the waste energy plant, how we then look to convert those big piles to road basin cement. The very cement we're standing on was from our waste energy plant. And there's uh uh Mr Merrill there talking about what they're doing on their end. And and literally when you do a public private partnership there's always the risk about what's gonna happen. Uh that's uh one of the the uh the excellency there and his assistant that was phenomenal. They gave us a nice gift and by the way we'll talk about this at some later

1:47:52point, but a really nice gift kind of like we had from the German folks. They gave us a nice little plate where they have a nice one of their own as well and I think Tasco County should probably look at getting one of those ready for dignitaries like this here as as they come in. Um this kind of shows you the final stage of what taking the biosolids. That little trip up there is the final stage that actually takes all the pathogens out to where it's like 10 When you could be a thousand uh components of it that was such a a low number and that's what they really like because they w really

1:48:22want to deal with it. They love the soil aspect that comes out of it. Um that was the plate that they uh had given me that will hang in my office probably. But it was really neat to have this presented to us. Uh it was a it was a impressive way to s say thanks. Um So we're gonna look to give them all the information we can. They said so far it's the most impressive facility they've been do yet. So I think it all all in all internationally will look good.

1:48:50Mike? Yeah, I just wanted to jump in on that because this was one of the first projects we worked on when I came here into the county and I will say what is impressive about it is it's a biof biosolids facility that actually works um because it's so simple and uh and and the what what Merrill has brought in in terms of innovation to the county helped solve our biosolids problem. It it and it uh provides just a It's innovative but simple way to really get to class double A biosolids uh where others have tried and and

1:49:20failed oftentimes. So it's something that Pasco can truly be proud of.

1:49:23Yeah, I'd say we years ago when we were first looking at what to go do, we just threw our ideas out there for the RFP. But when uh went down to Lee County and watched the way they had done is they had done a big outdoor facility which lets the fumes go away, gets a little smelly, so we had plenty of room around them. This facility is a kind of like a greenhouse that takes all the heat to come in. So you don't mean solar panels, the sun comes right through and it heats everything up there. And I I will tell you they have kept the facility, it looks you know, I won't say brand new, but it looks fantastic shape. They really maintained

1:49:53it well. But by taking that Um that last step with the heat or the way we do it, we can actually get it at such a low level, it's very easy to sell, which we're gonna start doing now, and it's easy to to to promote anywhere around. So my brothers have done a phenomenal job for us, saving us a bunch of money. The cost to dispose now is going like through the roof. So we are protected by all that for for a very long time and we're in good shape. Next set of slides.

1:50:27Permitting that. So we passed a resolution last month trying to help those people that needed help getting permits that maybe were stuck. Uh they had maybe done work on a done work that didn't get permitted. We're kind of waving the double fees to bring them in. It also took situations where they couldn't get it resolved as far as what to do in a house they already bought to get it resolved. I want to say I'm gonna do a resolution then the next meeting coming up, but all these folks that are out here, they are All volunteered to go out and help our citizens for the day on Saturday. They gave up

1:50:57their family day Saturday to be out there. And I tell you, there was a lot of smile on the face of this gentleman here. He was there first thing in the morning. Uh he was nervous as can be and left with a huge smile. The lady right beside him was raving all the all the great the work was done. I think we had a couple more coming in here. Um there's there was a The sign that was out there, and I really think we should probably do another one at maybe Regis Park Library, uh, just to kind of create this awareness. But what it did for all these people that are all like that one guy thumbs up,

1:51:27four years he's been struggling for a little rail, little for little steps going into his house to try to find a way to get it approved because it was done before he was there or done without a permit. They got him through the process. The folks in the center there, again, thrilled. Technology that top of the screen there, that's something that I wanted to see staff bring back. It is a time saver. Uh it helps not only our people get through things quicker, but they can even show citizens, if need be, to what needs to be done and what's going on out there. What was wrong with that guy's steps? Um they weren't

1:51:57permitted, so to try not were they to code? Oh, they they were to code, but you'd get to get the engineering to prove it and all that stuff. Oh yeah, okay. It was like this it and it was only that high. I I thought it was like an elevated one. It was like you know, going up like twelve feet, but it was literally on the ground. So they found a way to get it done. Uh he's doing a uh contractor owner uh permit for it and he he's getting through the process now. Yeah. So I I think it's a great thing for us to help help the people that don't know how to get out of the situation they're in and it goes through. There's a picture at the end which again it

1:52:27was so great. All those people there volunteered to help our citizens. And I think it's a message I want to want to resonate with. The attitude of every one of those people there, and I think the whole permanent part, they want to get things done, they want to help. So I'm very proud of them, very happy. It was great hanging out with them for the day. Yeah, that's good. And went to a conference that was put on by the Tempe Build Association. And had a great number of speakers. Blaze Gnoli was there. Lenaro Holmes had a big representative.

1:52:58And they had a lot of good people from around the world talking about different things about how to work with housing. Not affordable housing, but just housing. And one of the things that came up, they tried this a while a while ago, and you probably hear see it on TV, was additional dwelling units. In California, they tried it, they put so many restrictions in for the first three. Years they hardly did any. Then they lightened up the restrictions and they started bringing more. I would like our team to go take a look at it, bring something back to us to go take a look at these. I think done right-they

1:53:28a great addition for a family that let's say wants to have mother or father, grandmother move in. You can add a unit on, make it work. So many times we have big residential lots that could actually work. with these as well. So I think we've got a great opportunity and if it helps a family stay together, I think it's a great thing. If it helps a person that wants to make a little bit of extra income with a property, they haven't many other assets in this time day of time, keeping you small enough to make it work can be a great benefit too. So we could

1:53:58could make that come up. I'll share this document that I got with me that we can take a look at. Yeah, I think that's all I have. Okay. And again I just put a shot out on the on the ranch road project at at Palm Lake Terrace. Right. They did a phenomenal job in iron bark and whatever. By in the next two weeks that whole area is gonna be in in so much better shape. And so our team's doing a a phenomenal job. Right. And that's all I have. Thank you. Okay. Yeah. Mr. Kabala.

1:54:28Uh nothing nothing big. I just want to thank the board again for the various recognition of the the team members. Uh I think as Commissioner Weightman put it, it was really interesting. We had so many resolutions today, but health care, food supply, infrastructure, first responders, there's there's a lot of unsung heroes out there that uh quite honestly uh deserve recognition. So I just uh on behalf of uh the administrative team just really appreciate you recognizing our folks for the great work that they do day in and day out. I I look forward to it too as we go through I'm I'm beginning my weeks now

1:54:58of of reviewing their various budgets before we come to our workshop in June. So it's it's always great to have that recognition going in. So thank you.

1:55:06Mr. Stoiner. I don't have anything for you today, thank you. Not at all. Not at all. All right. Madam Clerk?

1:55:15Yes, I have something fun. Okay. Um my office partners with the Pasco County School Board and um students from K through twelfth grade. Uh donate artwork. Well actually their teachers pick out artwork I should say. And we display their artwork in our judicial centers in both the east and west side. in the courthouses and if you ever come to the courthouse it's probably not a great day in your life, you know, it's a pretty pretty tough times

1:55:45and it's very stressful. Um and having their artwork on the walls um changes the entire atmosphere of the courthouse and it's just beautiful artwork and what we do is we change out the artwork every year and we change it out um Late in April, and we host a artist reception, and we have cake and punch, and we invite many to come. And it was a beautiful, beautiful recognition of our student

1:56:15artists. So if you are in the courthouses, if you would love, I would love it if you'd look around at the beautiful artwork, and we have comment cards available. So when we give it back to the students next year. We also send the comment cards and what their artwork meant um to individuals coming to the courthouse. So um good things. I just wanted to to s to say that and I greatly appreciate the partnership with Pascounty Schools to do that. That's it. Thank you.

1:56:41That's it. Yes.

1:56:44I sorry I missed this year I had soccer.

1:56:47That's okay, you

1:56:48were there last year. But the C How excited the kids are to show off their work to their parents and their siblings and they have some some of the teachers go, superintendents there and walk around and they th their friends show each other their work and what they did. Um it's a it's a happy time and it's a wonderful program that that you all do and uh I think that the kids and the families really do. Appreciate it. More m m more getting that opportunity than maybe even

1:57:18the cake. But uh just great great job there.

1:57:22Thank you.

1:57:24All right. I'm not gonna do mine now. I'm gonna wait till the end of the day and do mine and only well, maybe I'm gonna do it now. Throw that picture back up. Put it back. You're forcing me, but put it back.

1:57:46Yeah, the we uh last last Friday at ten o'clock they had the uh law enforcement memorial service right out here on the corner of the courthouse grounds and um at a point where we're very close of having the memorial done. We are waiting on a statue of an angel lifting up a fallen officer, and it's out of bronze. And my friend Sheriff Grady Judd said our

1:58:16artists that were using 'Cause Poe County's getting one of those statues also. He is the best to get that artwork and that bronze statue from But he's also the slowest.

1:58:33So since I started helping out with that I've been waiting two and a half years for that. that statue to come and it's still not here yet. So hopefully, uh, in the very near future we'll we'll be seeing that and Uh uh it'll be a great day. I don't I don't know if it's gonna come when the days are um Yeah.

1:58:57If if it has to wait that long, I'd hate to see it wait that long, but if there my whole plan was like in November or something, the days be shorter and getting dark around five or five thirty and have a uh dedication of that statue and that memorial at that time, like four thirty or five o'clock in the afternoon where when we light it up it would be very bright here on the on the right here. front of the courthouse. So I look forward to the day we do that, whether it be short days or long days now.

1:59:28Um I'm I like all of you, I I get impatient about waiting on good things happening, so but uh the reef was different. I'd I'd never seen a reef made like that, but it had the nine different individual pictures on it that are on that memorial. So But that's basically that's all I had. So with that we'll uh we'll break for lunch and then we'll come back at 1.30 for public hearing.