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Machine transcription of 58m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 93% of 297 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
So? Okay. Commissioner Fitzpatrick will lead us out there once we take the pictures inside. For now we move on to um Оу безнес. We'll start with uh Commissioner Moore.
Uh thank you Mr. Chairman and happy New Year to everyone. Um Thankfully we have a lot of time because I do have Probably my longest list ever, unfortunately. But lots of good stuff. after I get through the first one and the 'cause the first one is I just wanted to recognize the um the passing of our uh state attorney Bernie McCabe. As many of you know, he did pass away over the holiday break. Um such such such a kind man but a and and a dedicated man um to the entire region when it comes to um Penellas
and Pasco County. He uh he also set on my public safety coordinating council that I that I chair and I always appreciated obviously his insight and um his knowledge um on that on that council. So, you know, my prayers and are I'm sure all of our prayers continue to be with his family. So We he will definitely definitely be missed. The second one, on behalf of the DMO, I have a recommendation for an appointment to the vacant position of the Tourist Development Council. Again, on the recommendation of the DMO, they
would like to appoint Bobby D. Felipez of the Spring Hill Suites by Marriott Suncoast. They wanted to keep something obviously over there close to the west side again. And it had to be a hotelier. Bobby's involved in our community and actively involved with the DMO already. Participates in events and has done many things for the for the DMO. And on the recommendation of the T T DC, I'll make that motion to approve Mr. D. Felipez as a member of the TDC. DC
one.
You got a motion? Have a second.
Second.
I don't I don't know why people didn't jump in for seconds, but you know, but there's a second there.
Yeah, a second right here, so Um all those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Motion passed.
Okay, a few more things. Um next request um I have and you've probably seen letters from the sheriff in the past. Um I'd like to add A representative from the Sheriff's Office to the Planning Commission. I think what we need to do is get obviously the okay the entire board and then give the county attorneys direction to uh draft that addition. But uh spoken to Sheriff Nacko. Um obviously he's in favor of that if you remember the past letters that he sent. In addition,
it's come up quite a few times in conversations I've had with him recently. Um So it would definitely be an asset with the growth of the county and the concerns when it comes to public safety as well as the traffic concerns. Um, they need to be represented on the planning commission. We do have the school board that's on the planning commission. Um, it would only benefit us to have the sheriff's office have a representative on the planning commission.
Mr. Stan Sterner.
Um the school board is on the planning commission only for the purposes of increase in residential density, and that's by statute. I'm not sure that you couldn't put a representative of the sheriff's office on it, but that would require the um every require a land development code amendment to change that composition. Right.
Well I I don't understand that traffic.
They're involved with speeding. Right, speeding.
Sure.
But what congestion is not Part of the sheriff. Wheelhouse? And I'm assuming that's after what Chase just said. That's kind of what you're thinking. And that I don't know. It just it just seems kinda odd to me to put it in the right-of-way.
I I
mean
I think it have you not s did you guys not see the letters of him requesting to be on it in the past?
No. No.
Um he sent them in the past. It's been quite some time.
I've I've never seen that. Okay.
I think uh Chase, you want to afford those to them real quick? They're old. They're it's been a while.
Is there any planning commission in the state that has law enforcement?
I am not aware of it. I but I would have to research that.
And is there anyone at the sheriff's office with the right-of-way? Planning background or
So when the most recent conversation I had with the Sheriff, he he does have obviously someone in mind that he would like to uh appoint to that.
So so to uh Commissioner Moore's point, I believe where where the sheriff is is thinking on that is obviously as as uh Commissioner Moore noted b before, you know, obviously any time um that there are new developments that come in, obviously there there could be um criminality to that. And so, you know, there there are the concerns with with SEPTED, which is crime prevention through environmental design, um guard houses, gates, security cameras, lights. Um you know and and to uh Commissioner Starkey's point as well about about speeding, obviously anytime you add more. Cars
on the road, you obviously add add more people that are um you know speeding people looking for for through routes and trying to get off major thoroughfares but then relate to um traffic coming down main roads. So I believe that was the the sheriff's in intent was that was that so many of those things that do come through um the Planning Commission and in those zones, we would just um you know appreciate the opportunity to to have eyes on as they go through and and make recommendations. on things like um you know maybe some security um apparatuses that that could be there to to improve the the criminal environment
or or concerns whenever it comes to you know staffing, manpower, thing things like that that that are caused by those developments.
I don't think those issues are discussed at the Planning Commission. I think that's a different kind of
Mr. Chairman Mariano
Starkey is right. What what I'm hearing Chase say is that the sheriff wants a role in design which which is not Would be a May need a seat at the table at ordinance review where we're developing the land development code changes. Um but if somebody is coming forward with a residential project in a Euclidean zoning category, a straight zoning
category, the Planning Commission nor this board has any say other than yay or nay. Um but if it's a issue of Design. Then that's part of your land development code and while the Planning Commission does review that, that's a very small percentage of their job.
And um And now you it kinda rings the bell that I think the sheriff has asked to be at the table uh in those discussions and what comes to my mind is the trouble that we're having in Copper Spring. So in the design of that neighborhood, there is a cut through that where people are speeding and um sheriff is having to be out there all the time um dealing with the people speeding through the middle of that neighborhood.
So
um I'm I'm fine to have a safety voice in uh in that where that committee lies because I think that would be great to have actually. So
So that would be more on the uh issue of of when they go to uh building construction when they start discussing those projects coming in. Planning.
Mr. Chairman Mariano
the the safety aspect and the future troubles they see might come from a plan design?
Mr. Chairman Mariano. Um what Mm may be beneficial or not. Um A lot of the com I shouldn't say a lot. There are communities that are requesting for changes to allow law enforcement in within their communities, but the law enforcement's not allowed in specific communities due to the fact that the signs are not up to code and things like that. So I under stand that aspect with code, but maybe if we can I don't know if they come in at ground
level and help with the aspect of Sheriff's Office is gonna be allowed to come into that community or not in that community.
So If I may. The issue that Commissioner Fitzpatrick raises is state law that says that the Sheriff's Office is only allowed to patrol County roads. S unless there is a traffic enforcement agreement in place. Traffic enforcement agreement is available to any community that's a C D D or private HOA. But The Sheriff's
Office needs the signage to meet uh the manual on uniform signage the green book. Um Or they're not allowed or they can't write tickets. So the the the fix there, which wouldn't be popular, is That in the land development process, they are not allowed to have decorative signs. Because that's where that's what's happening is that communities like C D
Ds are putting in decorative signs. They don't they don't meet standard They don't have reflectivity. um then they're required when they have traffic problems to go through and upgrade all their signs at a large cost. cost when the citizens finally when the residents finally take over control of the C D D. Um that again that's
Is that implemented during planning or the design phase?
That would be uh It's That's a basic issue in your land development code, you could you could stop that from happening by changing the land development code to say, private or public has to have si uh internal signage that meets the m the manual. Um
Because currently now the when a private development comes through the site plan review, they can put in signage that is decorative, quote, decorative and doesn't meet strictly meet the the manual.
Mr. Morano. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You know, I welcome the Sheriff's Office to get involved in setting the land development code to make those changes that we'll actually look at before we finalize anything anyway, coming forward. But I d I don't think we need to have them on the on the zoning board. A planning commission, I should say.
Mr. Chairman Mariano. Yes, Morton.
I guess I don't understand the apprehension, but Um to have somebody appointed by you know, from the sheriff to a be on the Planning Commission when You know, anything and everything that's approved does have some type of impact on law enforcement. And that's what they're asking. They're asking to be involved in those discussions. So if a if a any type of it. I don't want to just say a development, any type of um item that comes up. they can actually give input on. So
if there is a high crime area or the potential for being a additional crime or it to have an additional impact on the sheriff's office, which in turn impacts this board and our future decisions when it comes to their budget. I don't understand the apprehension of of allowing them to be on there and having input. I mean we we've seen time and time again on our on our Surveys that I know Mark is going to uh go over here soon. I'm not sure when that's coming
up. This afternoon, I think. No, next meeting. Okay. Sorry, next meeting. Um Public safety always ranks number one. Um I'd actually like to see even um fire rescue even have probably more involvement at the same time. Um but we do have obviously p you know Mr. Biles and others that, you know, do attend or give input so they're able to do that. Um But the the Sheriff as really as a a separate entity In fact, Um I think should have additional
input and and and and be able to and be able to uh be participate in these discussions. So I would hope that uh you know this board would Um entertain that.
That's kind of
Yes.
Um I think that uh we take public comment and certainly we hold the sheriff's comments in high regard and I would think that it that his comment that he should come to the meetings made me a comment. However, having a vote be a voting member, I I for me it's Just not the right place for for them, I think. But I do want them to be more involved in what Chase mentioned. Um and that is
the um uh the design of a neighborhood for um less um for better safety for the residents and less um
problems um that the sheriff has to deal with. I think that's I think that's really idea. So that's that's where I am on. I would be a no for the the planning people.
Mr. Chairman, how many people sit on that board?
Right
now, it's six plus a school. Six plus a school bus district.
Seven.
Seven people.
So with an eight person it the only thing is it wouldn't have a split vote?
Two I've never seen that before, but
Just to me it just seems like um it doesn't quite fit in the in the But it does fit somewhere in in planning. And then building construction have a say in And those safety issues for any development coming forward.
So Well, Mr. Chairman, just just as a follow-up and we we talk about belt and but you know there's a lot of things that the Planning Commission does and and Oh I know we you know, in addition to that, and I'm sure uh you know, somebody from staff could speak to that if they'd like. But I I I I know because it's brought up on this dias quite often that I mean, how many commissioners that sit behind this dais are reaching out to the sheriff's office on a regular basis about issues that are going on in the communities. I know for a fact it happens. I'm sure if they
were to log the calls from this board and how many times they hear from us, um, that's it's it's there's a lot. And I know more than others. So I know now we're you know yeah. Uh now we're uh giving them an opportunity to um you know, uh have that input from the beginning. So maybe those questions and those and those issues don't come up in in the future. And a lot of them do come from this board. It's a fact.
I could see where it would be beneficial. I'm an additional person from the community. Have a voice. voice.
It's a different insight. It's a totally different insight. But again, I mean if but I'm still talking. Um but if the um No, again, if if the the this commission doesn't feel that it's a benefit, I guess then those people don't feel it's a benefit. But
Let's uh Terry Pitos right behind you. Let's see him answer. He's in planning.
So Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh Terry Pitos, Planning and Development Director. I think the um If the intent is to look at design and consider the various safety aspects of it. Um catching a project very early in the process would be most helpful. Um at the Planning Commission, often that's at least um at best two or three months into the life of a project. Um, and
in some cases it could be even deeper than that. It could be seven, eight months into the life of a project, which is fairly late in the game. So I think if you're really interested in in looking at design, there is the point of the pre application that takes place even before a project is submitted where multiple county departments provide their input. uh to a project such that when the developer or the entity approaches the county with a complete application. They
ideally have addressed many of the issues that have been given to them by the various county departments. And um it would be a good place, I think, for other agencies to participate um in the in the pre-application stage of a project, very early. Comments are known at that point and can be cascaded and addressed down into the review process and into the life of the project all the way through the Planning Commission and the BCC. However, I want to mention too that a lot
of the projects that go to pre-application meetings, yes, many of them are zoning related, particularly MPUDs. Um, but also many of them are site plan related, which is an administrative review, which those projects don't go to the Planning Commission for review. So your site plans and things of that sort don't often go to the the the Planning Commission. Um so the pre application is a great place in those pro in the life of those projects to get that safety input. um from places like perhaps
the sheriff's office or traffic ops, et cetera. Um And in that way, those comments are insured for those projects that don't appear at a planning commission.
Great, great points. And um, you know, I kind of remember having one of my coffers with the sheriff and us talking about having them be part of the that process. So I think I think you're spot on that we need to engage them in those uh conversations much earlier.
Yeah, I think early on when you start those projects. I think that's
so I have a motion on the floor to speak. Sure. I made a motion.
We made a motion.
To add the sheriff to the Planning Commission.
I have a motion. Well we can do that or
Yeah, I mean he can he can uh the commissioner can clearly make a motion to to add the plan uh uh to go through the process of changing the land development code to add the sheriff's position.
Yep.
Um
But you need a second.
Yeah. That's that's the motion.
I'll second it. We have a motion and a second.
Okay.
All those in favor say aye.
Aye.
Bye. All opposed? Mike sign? Nay? No. Motion pa uh fails to pass by three two vote.
All right. Thank you, sir. Um let me go ahead with my other items real quick. Right.
Was there a rec sorry. Mr. Chairman, is there a recommendation for because they said to start him off sooner? Which position or which
So if currently we are not including the the Sheriff's Office in the initial distribution like we do with FIRE and and other agencies of of site plans. I we can do that without The board taking any action. Yeah, but the administrator may wish to address that.
Well we we are we're distributing all residential projects to the Sheriff's Office early in the process. Now We'll connect to the sheriff's office, make sure we're sitting at the right spot. We'll do that today to make sure we're sending it to the right spot and that they're involved early in the process.
Uh-huh.
We but we do that just like we do with fire rescue and all the other agencies that may be impacted.
Yeah, they basically fire rescue and all sign off on those projects like the
Okay.
Mr. Chairman signs off, so does the sheriff have to sign off on it as well?
They haven't in the past, I don't think.
Yeah, yeah. They're part of the review process. Now whether or not they get a check the box or not, I don't know. There's a fire code that gives a fire marshal the authority to you know, drive some things that doesn't necessarily exist on that on that side. So there the limiting factors are what's in the land development code that we can enforce and what's in the building code. And typically neither of those are well, fire code is relevant to site plan, but it's really the land development code when the site during the site plan process. So you can't
enforce a requirement that doesn't exist in the land development code.
Thank you.
Right, was that everything?
No, I got two more things, sorry. Um but thank you, um Commissioner Fitzpatrick for bringing up what you did. So I think um since t since that didn't since that motion failed, um, but Terry did make uh an additional suggestion. Uh I would assume you're gonna probably maybe reach out, somebody will reach out to the sheriff's office and invite them to have a member at the pre app meetings. If they would like so. Now obviously it's up to the sheriff if you'd like to do that. But um let's can we if everybody's good with that, let's can we give
that invitation? Yes, sir. Okay, sir. Thank you.
Okay.
Okay. Just two more things. Um Before I have a slide, but before I do that I did want to talk a little bit about um and I'm sure others do as well, um about the COVID vaccines. That are lacking. T'es bon. Here in Pasco County. Um yesterday Pascoals County was supposed to receive and I say Pasco County, let me let me backtrack on that. the Health Depart the Florida Department of Health that's located in Pasco County, which oversees
the vaccines and the vaccines are sent to the Florida Department of Health, not the county itself, they were supposed to receive thirty five hundred. They reserved received zero, as we all know, and we all saw the obviously letter from Mike Napier. Um Dan and the um Fossa and and Mike and I had some multiple calls and they had reached out yesterday and and I went ahead and called um Jared Moskowitz up uh Tallahassee. He's the Florida Emergency Management
Director. Um had a conversation with him and I'm I appreciate him taking my call. Um I was able to get uh him to send at least a th a a thousand.
Yeah.
And again, while I I do appreciate that, that's not enough. Um If you look at the numbers here in Pasco County, I know our W our current population we're guesstimating is 560. I'm I'm sure when the census come out comes out, it'll be closer to six hundred thousand. I'm going to assume. Um of a population like that and about a third of our population being over the age of sixty-five. If at that rate, if we continue to receive vaccines at that rate, um Uh
Well let me back up and I apologize. I know that um Senator Burgess was able to obvious um after having some conversations with him and I know Commissioner Oakley had some conversations as well. I think he was able to get another 500 that's gonna come too. So we're gonna end up with 1,500 this week. And we appreciate Senator Burgess and all his efforts and helping out with that as well. Um And the other legislators that have participated and made calls. I know other legislators as uh did as well. And I talked to Senator Simpson as well as um and um Representative um Maggot. But
at that rate, so if we were to get uh let's say um Fifteen hundred a week.
It would take about s seven and a half years to vaccinate the population here in Pasco County. If we were to get what we had last week at thirty five hundred It would take approximately three and three and a half years to vaccinate the entire population of Pasco County. Every one of us have big are getting the calls and the emails from our constituents. And I know that each and every one of you, as well as I do, wish that we could do more Or them. Unfortunately
right now Only thing we can do. Is ask. And bag. I because I I really feel like I was begging yesterday, honestly.
Yeah.
On behalf of our citizens. We need more vaccines in Pasco County. Now I'm gonna go to Dan real quick so I because I asked Dan to look at some numbers. Dan, do do we have those numbers for how many vaccines Pinellas County received in Hillsboro? Because I know Hillsboro County actually received about uh 11 vaccines. and a half thousand or so yesterday, eleven point two. They received quite a few yesterday.
And they originally had
nine
thousand.
Um Jared told me though and I was on the phone with him that Penells now I can I can't confirm this, but he did tell me on the phone that Penells received like twenty five thousand last last week. Well, they're at nine hundred and something thousand. We're about six hundred thousand. It does yeah, I know. It doesn't seem to work out. So Dan, what numbers do you have on the
chair? Yeah, I don't have the exact number that they are getting because that that's not part of the state's recording right reporting process. It's on the public side. So I have How many shots? So the actual how many vaccines are being distributed in In in To be honest, the entire region's being shorted if you look at our population. So not just Pasco, but Hillsboro's being shorted. The whole region's being shorted for other parts of the state. And so, you know, Penellis is close to where you should be based on population. Um, but they're a little negative when you when
I I updated it this morning with yesterday's numbers from vaccines that that are in the region. So So of the six counties that I captured in the region, Hernando Hillsborough, Manatee, Penellas Polk, and Pasco, only one has actually gotten more vaccine distributed, i.e., actual shots in the arms. than they would have if you normalize by population and they're only like a couple of percent over that. Everybody else was negative. So it's not just a Pasco issue. It's a region issue. we
aren't getting the vaccines distributed uh as opposed to some other regions. So Yeah, Penellas has done the best. They've gotten almost 30,000 people vaccinated. Uh in Hillsborough had a pretty good jump over the last couple of days. They're up to 44,000. When I looked two days ago, Hillsboro was actually below Penellas. So they've done a pretty significant significant job over the last couple of days in Hillsborough. But again, those are regional, so the people that live in the region can go to any of those. And we've added the links to every county site in the region to go register. Website. So if you go
under coronavirus, you have the links to every other department of health in the region. So if you want to go register in Polk or Hillsboro, you have the ability to do that because they cannot restrict by location. We also added the link to Publix. So if you want to drive up to Hernando or Citrus where Publix is actually giving them out, that link's on our website too, where you can go register at the public's site. So we're we're we're trying to push it out there, but as the commissioner said. We're short and we're at the rate we're getting it's six plus months just to get the over sixty five community.
Where where are we at? If you're at thirty and forty four, where are we at?
What's that? that?
As of yesterday, Pasco has given Sixteen thousand seven hundred shots. Now that's not just the health department. That's everybody. That's health communities, everybody. That's the state's number.
Yeah, I want to reiterate that before
Commissioner
Starkey has this question because I want to make sure you separate how many vaccines have come through the health department.
Right.
Let's not I I hate the count because the hospitals receive their own for their health care workers, which is separate from what the county or not the the he the health department received to give to the general population. In all
those
which was thirty five hundred. Right. And it and then in addition to that was some from our f for our frontline workers,
which
brought that over to f like about forty one hundred.
Right. Yeah. Yeah. The health department's given out roughly about thirty five, thirty six hundred shots. The health department has to be a little bit.
And they I can't speak on
Mr.
But I know he said they were given out five hundred, but they can have the capacity to give out twelve hundred to two thousand a day.
We could we could probably give out close to two thousand. With two locations. We're working on getting an east side location opened up, but again. It's too much for two days. Location dependent. Anybody can register for them. So sorry.
Um when I had a conversation with um the health director, he said that we as quick as we can give it out, we can get more. So I'm wondering, did Hillsborough and Penellas have have some kind of uh system set up that they're giving it out through more than just their health department because I'm trying to figure out why we're being shorted.
Right. So you know the health systems are getting vaccine too. And so Yeah. It's going to the health systems. The the initial priority there was the health care frontline health care workers. And so that's was the initial priority both in all at all the health systems. And then they have the ability to give out to 65 and older community too. So it's just a qu that's why the state number of sixteen thousand in Pasco is different than the health departments. What they've given out of thirty five hundred is different. And you
know, that's why the numbers are so different. Is because there's health systems, and much of that is going to healthcare workers, which that's that's the first priority, right? And so
As of Mike gets gets rid of his vaccine as quickly as he gets it. If he gets it on Monday, then over the seven days They get rid of it and they get to zero by Sunday.
But for us to get zero is unconscionable and unacceptable. Um Number one. Number two, um, aren't our guys going uh you know we house that group here at Pas in Pasco County and they're going into Pinellas and administering in their nursing homes, right? In
Hillsborough.
And in Hillsborough. Have they come in are they administering in Pasco yet?
Yep. So that's a state mission that we are running, but the missions and then where the location They're going are directed by the state. Now, some of those have been in Pasco, but the vast majority, their initial mission was long-term care facilities in Pinellas. That was their initial mission. And then they've done both missions in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas over the last several days. On Sunday, they were down at the governor's uh initiative with uh the minority churches. They were down at one, I can't remember which one our teams went to, but they were down there on Sunday. Uh
giving shots out. So
You know, I I get that we're only one or two weeks into this. But It seems like it's a case, it's it's a um unfortunate distribution plan. And I would say stronger words, but I'm gonna be politically correct. And um is there a way that we can have a voice that makes sense to help uh set up a better system? Mr. Moore, have you had that conversation?
So I'll I'll tell you uh so when I had that conversation yesterday with Mr. Moskowitz, you know uh stating that we were supposed to have the thirty five hundred. Why didn't we get thirty five hundred? He did state there was a shortage. Um it was these are his words. There was a sh there was a shortage. We weren't getting as many from the federal government as expected. But I I have if you look at the Web's I think though some tweets that went out from the department, I think it was and Ralph, you shake your head yes or no, wasn't there about two
point two million that were g They they mentioned last week, I think.
It came to the state.
Wasn't it or week? Let's find that number again, because I have it real quick. Let me and I apologize, let me pull it up. Um He mentioned yesterday that they had a yesterday, this was just yesterday. I don't know what's coming today or the next or or
We stated that um they had a hundred and seventy thousand, I think hundred and seventy five thousand left. And that's kind of where I made the statement of okay, if you have a hundred and seventy five thousand And you do it by the size of a county, the average size county is about 313,000 people in in the state of Florida, 67 counties. If even if you divide that by each county, it's two and a half thousand Doses per County. If you do it by the size of the county, we would have been in the five to six thousand range. So I don't understand the numbers or how they are
getting distributed. If there's a hundred and seventy five thousand there, Why do we only get it? Well none. Yeah. Until the call a thousand and then another five hundred. And I think right here with the one I think it said week four vaccine update, Florida has received one point two million doses. We are expecting to receive 250,000 additional allocations throughout next week, which this is next week, right?
So according to the uh Florida Emergency Management website they put out for week four of the vaccine update. Uh a total of vaccines received for the state of Florida, one point two million doses. Um as of week four they had uh individual vaccinated 514,000. And then this week they were putting out an additional 250,000, which Still leaves a difference in the amount that we have at the state to the numbers that they're they're putting out.
So shall we maybe craft a letter to the governor and to Jared?
Yeah.
Requesting that the the vaccines be distributed per capita in a in a fair and uniform manner.
That's a great idea.
It's also cons the emotion.
Yeah, I'll second that.
I would um find that very very good when you do craft a letter.
Yeah, and I so I and and also I would suggest that we um talk to FAC. and get their support behind that that kind of movement. Um, because e every county's if if some are getting more than others, it's just like uh during the hurricane when we had the debris removal fight. Um it's ugly and and we don't need to be fighting each other and and you know, I just I think that letter would be appropriate. Yeah.
It was a motion. Okay, here
I have a quick question because what concerns me is going
into
the primary care physician doctors and they're saying, and I asked the different doctors, and they're like, Yes, three of the four doctors in that primary care physician, they have gotten vaccinated because three of them go into the hospitals. But even our primary care physicians are not. being vaccinated, which I find a very alarming because they are seeing the patients. And we don't need any pediatricians, primary care doctors. getting COVID and exposing it to the rest of their patients. So let's get that letter
off immediately and get our fair share.
I have a motion in a second to draft a letter to this. I guess to the governor?
The governor and uh Jared. And I would C C Chris Browles and Wilton Simpson, maybe too.
We can do that. All those in favor of that say aye. Aye. Aye.
M Mr. Chairman Mariano I think we need to get a federal letter as well. When I look at New York wasting all their vaccines, not getting them out there, we need to get Florida up in the front as well. So I think to our Leg uh federal delegation we should send one out them to them as well.
You want to add that to that motion I have one for the federal and one for the state. So
that's great. Good idea. Great idea. And I just I just continue just
Yeah, because I have a question but you may
hit on
it.
Okay. So
I'll
wait and
if you don't I'll
So but I and I do want to reiterate, you know, we appreciate everybody's effort and their hard work and I know for a fact Mike Napier um county staff, including um Chief Asa. are are doing an excellent job with what they have, but they can only do with what they have. And you know Th unfortunately they're feeling the the brunt of it. I mean, poor Mike Napier had to deal with um a um a fake um Tickets. T Yes, Lina or t um deal on on the on the web where
people were signing up, somebody was scamming people and they showed up in line. They had to tell them no, that's terrible. You feel so bad for 'em. But you know, we really feel bad for the citizens. And lately, over the last couple of days, instead of just returning emails, I've been actually asking peop for people's phone numbers and talking to them on the phone. Um, because I just want to hear what they have to say and what they're having to
go
through.
I've gotten some of the same emails and I've and you hear it out on the And the county from our citizens? It's all us. We're in charge of that. And we're really not. And and the fact of it is, uh Mike Napier and and Andy Foss and the whole group and all of our staff. are doing the best they can with what they get.
Yeah.
So that's
yeah, that's
we were supposed to open up uh Saint Leo for a drive through this week. Well, with absolutely getting none on Monday and then then hearing only a thousand on today, but Then I heard we added five hundred. But That's just not acceptable. We we gotta have more vaccines for this county.
And we
sit here and all the vaccine goes to all the other counties.
Yeah.
We'll never get our population vaccinated.
Can I just can y can I just finish my last sentence if you don't mind, real quick? Um So just moving it going on again. So when they set up these sites, I mean I heard lots of positive responses. That it went smooth, it went quick. They did a great job. Pasco County is utilizing paramedics. to support this. Yes. We are we are using paramedics to support this cause. So we're we're willing to do anything. And as we had the conversations yesterday, just like, you know, it was brought up by one of you a
little minute ago, We can not we the health department can do with the support of all can do at least 2,000 a day on the west side and they might be able to do 2,000 on the east side of the county a day too. So that's possibly 4,000. If we have the vaccines come to the county, the people will get They're vac they will get them. They will be immunized. There that's the fact. We just need 'em. Gotta happen.
I heard the Sears location is doing very well in distributing and they did a very good job with COVID testing. And I heard other counties were trying to replicate that and they were actually being shut down. So if we're able to vaccinate and test and everything like that, then and other counties are being shut down, then we should be the ones getting the vaccine vaccines to distribute to our con citizens.
Right.
Mr.
Mariano. Can can I segue into another conversation that does come up with our with our folks? Um you get a lot of seniors that maybe aren't quite computer savvy. and to have them have to go on every day that we're doing this i is definitely tough for them number one. But even why we even doing it that way? I understand with the cares when we had the money we're handing out, we kinda did it that way just as we had so many people were giving out. eventually when they get to these vaccines. But maybe it should be a a one time thing that Put the call in, get on the list. And if the list is
fifty thousand people long, so be it. But just at least you'll have that list and you know where you're at, instead of having to go every day to try to get in there. And then for those that can't even do the computer work, because they might have the assistance to it or might have the the Computer hookup. uh to even let those that don't have that to be able to call in and get on a list. So I know it's a long way to wait before we get to all this, but I think it's something we should should address. I understand what you're saying,
but it's not a list of just Pasco County people because anywhere in the state you can go to another county and receive that shot. So
we're
making
a new program.
So wait a minute.
DRD is gonna convert from the ever Bright. System to another system over the next couple days. We actually got them under contract on Friday. They were working over the weekend. 'Cause we thought we were gonna have thirty seven hundred shops to give out starting on Monday. That system will be rolled out this week. It's a different, it's more integrated, it's better, still web-based. Um, but that will give us the ability to streamline our actual physical processing the shots faster because all the paperwork will
be done and captured ahead of time. We will be opening or the health department,
we're working on such a great team. I I use uh the term we um but it is the health department is the lead on this. W are working to open up a St. Leo site later this week that is still on track now that we have some vaccine, we're gonna put some vaccine there. So the other thing we're doing is we are reaching out to the 55 plus communities. We've done one pod. We are building a list of them because that actually is a pr relatively logistics-free way to give out shots because they do all the paperwork. They give everything. We show
up and give shots. So we are working on that list. There's another one on some of the vaccine will go to the next one on the list today or this week. And so we're that's another way. The other way is both our libraries and our senior services are available to help people get on the list. on the web, whether it's at our terminals that are in the libraries. Those are available. So they can get into the libraries and we have server all them on the west side, they're available, and our senior services can both help them get that done.
This will evolve over time so that we will get to a list where we call you when we're ready. We're just not there in the in the process yet.
And um and I've been talking to the gentleman who represents the state of Florida from this company, it's Salesforce, actually. Um that is behind this um can't remember the initials of this PDR or C R D um but they're up and running in order. Orange County and it's doing really well. Um there uh Penellas, there's a whole bunch of counties about to jump on this platform. And one of the good things it does is when you get your first shot, they they are automatically sign you up for your second. So you don't like wait to one
and wonder when you're getting the second shot. Um there and there's all kinds of follow-up um with it. So I I'm excited about that. And um Also while the area, the group that um what is it area on the
Agency on Aging?
Um Yeah, so they're getting ready to um they're having a call tomorrow actually. Uh and the health department's jumping in on that call and they're gonna fan out to help seniors as well to learn how to do the program. But until we have the it doesn't work for them to learn how to do eventbrite because we're pivoting from event right. So that's gotta be on pause for a second. Well the health but But this new program will be much better, much easier. Well
the health department also they've been telling you when you go get the shot. I know when I'm getting my second shot. Yeah. They're setting that.
Yeah. They've been doing that all along. Yeah. So but it won't convert to the new
system. We get an email, yeah, because my mom got the shot, but it's it's not as seamless as this one is gonna be. Um, and I'm I'm uh gonna try and get more counties to switch from event bright onto this. I'm helping them.
We gotta get the vaccines though, right? If we don't have the vaccines, you can't get your second shot and I don't know where you're at then. So
and I did want to touch on your 55 and older, because I know in Hernando County. County, they did a community and there was this big political booha. Um all done. And and t and and I'm sure you have too. And talking with our health director. You know, if we fa if we're able, if we have the vaccine, to fan out and just give as many shots as we can in a day, it's to everyone's benefit. And at these um communities. Uh and it's again it even if it's a 55 and older,
it's just the 65 and older that are getting the shots, okay? I'm just saying this for the public's benefit because I've been getting letters and questions. It's for the 65 and older, but we it's less resources for the county um to go in and and give these shots in those those um communities. Um the other thing I want to ask though is, and I don't know. Yeah. I didn't ask my friend where she heard this, but she told me that there are plane that the
there are chartered flights from Canada. 'Cause you know the snowbirds didn't come down this year. But there are chartered flights uh of Canadians coming down to get shots in Florida. I I don't know if that's true, but if that's true, I It's unsettling to me. Um I d I know it's a federal thing, not it's we have no control over the county line of who goes where. And frankly, um I understand that a lot of the people who had signed up for the um,
was it Wednesday and Friday or whatever, the two days of shots in our county? The they had forty to sixty people not show up. Um because many of them went and got their shots in another county. And so e they took a space on our list. Um now they were able to call people and and and they uh I believe they distributed all the shots that they had. Um, but it's a little bit chaotic what's going on there and I I'm sure it'll get better as it goes on, but god dang it, we gotta have our gotta have our
fair share.
They had a three person wait list, three hundred person wait list, citizen wait list, and with the thousand vaccines they were gonna target those three hundred that were on that wait list and then
Yeah.
But
they had to come down within, you know, fifteen
minutes or twenty
minutes. So
I miss if there was a more I don't know. Oh, I think Commissioner Oakley.
Commissioner Oakley's glad you brought it up. Um So back to the people that aren't computer savvy, that are local people as well. You know, if if we're gonna try to work with the libraries to help these people get done. Maybe we need to set up a program for the seniors that want to go down to the library and hook up. Benefit of that is, and again, we got to follow the federal regulations, et cetera. But if you're coming down to a library and we can sign you up there. The benefit is we know at least our people that are here. are having a a way to get set up as opposed to competing
against the World Wide Web. Whether it be Canada or wherever else coming in. So I think if we can kind of look at that, maybe take a take a few days and kind of try to structure something and bring it back to us or just
execute. Yeah, we'll just execute.
Okay. You know a YouTube video when we have the process? A simple YouTube video that explains it. That's good, yeah. Could work wonders. Good idea.
With the new C D R program, they are working on, I believe, a call center to go along with that. So then the seniors can call the call center.
Yeah.
The motion we that was voted on was only to go to the state. There was an amendment after the motion and vote. So
we voted for that also.
Yeah, to send two letters. One to the federal delegation, one to the state. Second.
Second.
All right. We got a motion and second. All those in favor of the federal letter also? Say aye.
Aye.
All opposed like say? Well,
if you could while you're putting
it,
if there's a slide, I have a slide for my last item. And why is that why you're putting that up? My uh aunt and uncle are getting vaccined in uh Pope County today. But my family and Around here we have any vaccines so they're not They're not getting vaccinated here.
So um I'm sure everybody'll you guys will love this one. So And I we you know we've had many workshops. We talk constantly. I've beaten this drum for years about apartment complexes in Pasco County, especially ones I'll just say within my district, obviously all our citizens, all our constituents, but in district two. Um so I went ahead and did something. So this is Yeah. I did a poll. of residents in the
Wesley Chapel in the Atlanta Lakes area. This was not funded with county dollars. I use my own account for this. And paid for it, cost seventeen hundred dollars.
So I did a poll on apartment complexes. I'm not gonna do the whole presentation for you guys because it could be a while, but I'm gonna pull up a few slides here. Um
This poll was conducted by Sprite Strategies. It was done in December. So one thing you're gonna see is there are gonna be some unsure and no opinions because it was the holiday time, but I wanted to get this out because we have so many people that are coming in with apartment complexes. And I wanted to get this out. Um If you look at the first uh actually 400 respondents from zip codes within Wesley Chapel and some in Orlando Lakes.
The first slide Is there a way to take that see on the top left we can't read the uh slide. That's just there you go. Thanks. Do you approve or disapprove of the amount of apartment buildings in your community? Ninety seven approved, 154 disapproved, 149 unsure or no opinion. So you had thirty-eight percent overwhelming majority. Can you go to the next slide?
Would you prefer to see more office and commercial development or more apartments being built? Hundred and ninety-six would prefer to see more off as a commercial. Fifteen 49%, 14.75% would prefer to see more apartments, then you had the unsure or no opinions. Let's go to the next one, please.
Do you believe more apartments should be built and approved in Pasco County? No, fifty-seven point seven five. Yes, eighteen point two five and then unsure or no opinion. I did this poll because as many of you probably have heard from a lot of our constituents. I hear it every time I'm out practically. It's not a day goes by that I'm out, especially in the Wesley Chapel Lena Lakes area, that I have somebody come up to me and start talking about this. I have haven't had COVID
emails sent about vaccines that bring up the apartment subject in that email. That shows you how frustrated the community is when it comes to the amount of apartment complexes being built in that area. Again, I'm gonna say that area. We know there's some areas on the west side. We say they could they they could be Useful, right? I will leave it up to the district commissioners to make that decision. But um I I I thought this I wanted to do this. I wanted to show you
I wanted to show the public that What I'm saying, almost every meeting, is not just coming out of my mouth. It's coming from the citizens' mouths that live in our area. And I I have a sneaky suspicion if um when it says the unsure and no opinions, that would have been a lot higher if it wasn't the holiday season. People probably want to get off the phone. They're probably like, leave me alone. Let's be honest. But I was willing to make that investment out of my account to do this just to obviously show everybody. that um we're we have an issue and we have a
major issue that concerns many, many, many people. Um Like I said, not a day goes by that I don't hear about it. I could be out the dinner with my family and I got people walking up to me talking about it. It comes up in conversations. Even my friends. Why are you doing this? I'm not doing it.
So There's a poll. There's more slides. Um I'm happy to have that emailed to each and every one of you if you like it. Okay. And that does it for me. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. And I'll bring those back up probably later this afternoon during a public hearing on it.
Minister Starting?
Um, I have a couple pictures. Um one is uh on December tenth. I was very excited to join um The folks from the Lightning and some hockey players whose names I don't remember. But I know they were famous guys. I don't know how to remember.
That's a good
picture. And uh and Mr Stanley Um as we dedicated our um Placy Rink um opening in um the uh holiday rec. So the Ben Harrell Memorial Holiday Rec Center. So uh that was pretty cool um event and uh we're The Lightning, you know, they won a few years ago and um They all their names are there on that bottom row. It's interesting what happens is as they add an
um more teams, the top row comes off and gets preserved at the uh I guess it's at the hockey there's a hockey library or museum somewhere and I think that's where it goes. Cause I asked, does it just keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger? But no, they take that top row off. And um And then off it goes to be preserved forever. So thank you so much to the Lightning. Um Keith had said that his phone was ringing off the hook before we this even opened. So I'm really
uh grateful that um the kids are gonna have something else to do and adults too. Um in the county. Um Then I want to show you some pictures that I took over the last few days on my drive down 54 to my home in Gulf Harbors. It's really frustrating because you can see this right from State Road 54. Do you have those pictures? Did they did they come?
The apartment plumbing? Yeah, they would have been the Todd and
The what?
It would have been the Todd Jordan New Port Richey. They're the ones right controlling. We do not have them.
Um Right. She said um She just sent them. So if if you can put 'em up, Jordan um Morgan said she thought.
Okay. I just checked in the property appraiser and one of the houses is a homesteaded house um and the other house is a rental house. But how this can build up without notice from our staff is I don't know. I I just wanna move to proactive and not reactive, but I did send an email in the other day and then they added more. And um I sent the picture to Chase. Like I I
I don't know how this car can even drive down the highway. Um Hopefully they're gonna get up soon. But while while we're waiting for those to get up, I wanted to say if you um if you haven't had a chance, I would love for all of you to go visit the Coastal Encloth Trail. It's we are just getting nothing but rave reviews, except for some of the emails that are coming in of the trucks and the ATVs that are still driving out
there at night. They go out there at night and they they do wheelies and all kinds of things on our trail. So um You know, they've had free run of our land. We own about two hundred acres out there and then uh Duke has some property um for twenty something years and I know it's taking a little while to Um Make them realize that's not legal. The sheriff was out there last week and gave out eight or ten tickets, so I'm very grateful for that. Uh but I wondered if we
couldn't see about putting a trailer there that would house either a parks employee or sheriff's deputy, um, like there are in other facilities and maybe that will help. Ooh, that's not that's kinda weird. We do want
closing.
That doesn't work in. That's like part of a photo.
Yeah, windshield of a car, that's it. What about it? Um there you go.
Look at that car. Oh my. I don't know why this is zoomed in so close.
If you need if you need a microwave, I guess you can go in the right-of-way.
There's no rope tying any of this on his truck. Um, I did talk to the gentleman yesterday. The whole family was out front. They did videotape me, so you might be able to hear the conversation somewhere. Um In uh it's a very nice man from Bosnia who who is collecting metal. uh to sell for money. Um, but he's running the business out of his front yard. And um there are And then we have kind of the same issue next
door. That's that's the um next door neighbor. um, who's running a I guess, a window company out of his front yard. This yellow house is on the corner of fifty four and Flamingo Drive. And the house to the right is one house in from State Road 54. And I just hope that um we can get out to these people right away, but I I just we have to have our
staff driving by and seeing this and I I wish I wasn't I don't know, maybe I should retire from County Commission and join the total enforcement office. I don't know, but Uh it's really bad for that community. I feel bad for them so. Um And I think that's it for me.
Okay. All right, thank you.
Not a garbage can in sight.
We have
We have two minutes. Have you got very much on your own business? Well Ms. Fitzpatrick.
Hey, Mr. Chairman, do we really need to wait? I mean, can we not just get done with everybody's items? I mean is anybody going anywhere during lunch? I mean, it just takes a minute to take a picture. Yeah. We don't have to do eleven forty five, do we? I think originally it was supposed to be twelve anyways. I think the pictures were supposed to be twelve. Somehow it got on the agenda at eleven forty five. It was supposed to be noon.
That's just a thought.
It's whatever you have on your plate. Exactly.
Sorry, thanks. Okay. Um Okay, so we have the human trafficking reconciliation.