Commissioner Weightman report Rays and St Leo hearing

1:37:35Weightman. All right. Two things. We'll start with uh Tampa Bay Race project that'll be voted on Hillsburg County, wherever. So uh watch the governor's press conference over the weekend. Um while he said the state did not get in does not get involved in stadium deals, he did say that should the MOUs pass the city and the county that he would uh mob mobilize

1:38:06and expedite D O T project funding for road infrastructure in that area. That concerned me because where's the money going to come from? I know there's projects around the airport but we we are online In in the hopper to have Uh US 41 and 52 east to 52 done and that desperately needs to happen and also the four forty one. Yes, and secondly, the the the the momentum

1:38:36and the regional support of State Road 54 and US 41 intersection improvements. And so hearing that, I think it's important that we Asked staff to protect us and and get with D O T and understand should that MOU pass, where is the funding going to come from and that it does not impact any of our state road funding and projects that we desperately need done here in this county.

1:39:05Yep, right.

1:39:06Um so I'd bring that up for conversation or general support for that conversation for Carbala to have.

1:39:13I I'd like to add that we're in support of the baseball team and I love I love the location. It'd be so much easier for us to go down there and support our regional baseball team. So let's be positive.

1:39:25Why? Yeah, absolutely. And and I'll be having some conversations with Secretary Hall to make sure that the interests in the work program does not suffer as a result of this. I mean that's that's the concern. We will

1:39:38We already had a delay of six months on fifty-two. We cannot Suffer another delay.

1:39:45Sure.

1:39:45Yes. So if I could I'll just add to it and I think you're right. I mean fifty two, they even get a section of fifty two from secretariat over if that's not even included. Yeah. And that makes no sense at all. So We're hopeful that uh somehow we can phrase something where as long as it doesn't come out of the regular district seven funds or especially Pasco County funds, then you know we we'd love to see the raise I think I think it's a great move for the race to be there. I think if they run the business just like Jeff Vinick did it and the way I think the Buccaneers run it that they'll be able to fill that stadium up with a lot of

1:40:15Tampa people as well, but uh it could be a good boost for the region.

1:40:18Wow. If the rays impact Pasco County's F dot Road program, uh that's gonna be a sore subject for this

1:40:27guy. And again, we just make sure the funding comes not from the regular funding, but if they can find another source through Other things, so be it.

1:40:36Rural money for ninety eight and three oh one. Wherever that pot that was coming from, they can find it from that pot.

1:40:45Trust but verify. Trust but verify's attorney. And secondly, so um Um sure a lot of people heard about the Saint Leo golf course project in the town of Saint Leo, but I went to the um the public hearing.

1:41:02And I'm probably short on the number, but there were hundreds of people that showed up. Hundreds of folks. And i it was really the sight to be seen and I was really proud of the residents that showed up there, polite, respectful, professional in a high tense situation. And um і it's given me pause. to the merit of back to how our board schedule is. Um I know we we do our meetings

1:41:32in the middle of the day starting at 10, but I would be open based on seeing the public input. uh a true vr version of the public input um to modifying our times when we hear certain items uh or our start time uh in the day to be more efficient on time. Um but I think it's an opportunity where if if the folks have the ability to come out And truly Share their thoughts on the matter, it can lead to better quality

1:42:02projects. Not in up not not in opposition and people getting angry to come back, but we hear we can truly see and get a temporary reading of Pasco and it and it lead to uh all parties coming together and creating a better quality project project on what we have left in this county. And so it was really a sight to be seen. I've I've I've been involved in in in in government a long time and in the community and I've never seen a turnout. And it was there were folks there from all over the all over the county And

1:42:33um uh if you guys saw it you it I think it would give you pause. I don't know if they filmed it. They did it at the gift shop at the at the school, fill it up standing room only, people around. A at minimum I'd say there was a couple hundred folks. Um but everybody held it together Um and people gave their time and their input, but um you know there was really some good constructive feedback. Um you know, people were kind of laughing. Oh Weightman's walking in here and But

1:43:04it was I think they were appreciative that people were there watching and hearing and paying attention and Um it was clear that their voices were heard. I know that project was really uh unique compared to what we see. But nonetheless, the public engagement on it and their their testimony and their interest really showed and they took the time to come out. And so um I viewed it as A positive That's right. you know, maybe working with them and allowing it a different structure it

1:43:34would allow and give uh better ability to project outcomes that we often hear from people about density or the type of product or the type of use. So I just throw that out there. Uh I was very proud of of the residents of our county and and how they conducted themselves and um It was just Civic action at work, so I just leave it at that.

1:44:03jump to that as well. I I I didn't like the shift that we made years ago to start the morning and having the public hearing in the afternoon. Uh so many people work, they can't show up. Uh they kinda like feel they're being left out of the process. And we we are we have a working community. I think it'd be a very good idea to make the shift back to at least the public hearing. uh at the nighttime as well. Um I think you'll get a a much better presentation. I mean just what you saw, we had two people from Hilltop show up this morning. You saw the

1:44:34petition number that's there. But in the public hearing only about twenty ten were able to show up. That continually goes on. And I think that type of input would actually help staff quite a bit and what they're going to do as far as making decision making as well. But I think it gives us an insight from people. the Gulf Harbor's people here today, how passionate they are about it. Only a few people here this morning, but I think that input would make us a b a better, stronger commission and and be able to make, I think, stronger, better decisions

1:45:04when we thought it was it was the right to do it, because we're hearing from the people that we represent. So I I think it's a good idea to look at. I don't mind if it comes back as an agenda item, but I wouldn't mind hearing from the other board members as well.

1:45:18Well, people can participate online. Um, but I'm trying to understand would how that day would work. We would start at ten, end at twelve and come back at five? I mean what's what's or we do a workshop in the afternoon or maybe just

1:45:33a we could carve out options if if it pleases the board that can make make the meetings more effective use of of your time if that's the direction the board wants to go.

1:45:41I think in start of at ten you'd start at like one or one thirty. And then again your public hearing would be at the six thirty. I'd take a break in between.

1:45:50Mr. Chairman Mari if I can I'll I'll share um No, we did not do evening hearings, but in Manatee when I was there, um and I think they still do, they segregated their land use hearings to the third Thursday of the month. And so they only took up They had some overflow but they only took up land use meeting the land use items on that. that Thursday day and that may be a way if the board

1:46:20truly wants to move to an evening meeting that you only do land use items at that evening meeting and then that would you wouldn't be being there all day.

1:46:31But how does that work when we are we go but the two sides of the county? I'd follow it.

1:46:40Let me get the other end

1:46:41of

1:46:41the thing.

1:46:41Hopefully we get our count plan fixed. That shortens all that up a lot.

1:46:45I had a question for County Ad Uh let me just go to Shroply.

1:46:49I was just thinking the item he brought up actually is in my district, but it's the city in my district. And they They're the ones that need the public influence with their citizens vote on it. It's not necessary out for the whole district, it's for the city. That city has not a lot of residents in it now, but that city was acting on that and they had a lot of turnout to that city. So we don't we don't do that to the other cities

1:47:19and hear all their issues and put it on our agenda for some night.

1:47:24I don't think that's what he's saying. No.

1:47:27No? No. No. Um Mr.

1:47:29Wade. Because that's why I took it. No, no, no. It was it was an example of Um Uh Uh A land use item and it was in the evening 'cause I don't go see council m meetings and there at night. Yeah. was curious to see And uh phone calls and and people, you know, talking about it. And I was curious to see what the turnout would actually be. If it was just online chatter Whatever, but

1:48:00people Showed Uh by the hundreds. And um That's my my point of it is folks took the time because of the time of day or or whatever that they were able to get to you know, doctor po the appointments were done, work was done. You know, their kids were out of school, there was kids kids there and it just was a meaningful public input process. Um now, Mr. Dynasty, doesn't Hills what's Hillsborough County's policy? Do they they do theirs? In

1:48:30the evenings they have their board meetings and then after that in the evening I'm It's been a long time.

1:48:35I don't know. The the last time I I had looked at Hillsborough they were they had day meetings, but they had day meeting. But when

1:48:43they heard their land use items I recall I could be wrong.

1:48:48They use a special magistrate for some of their zoning hearings. I it's been too long.

1:48:59You couldn't ignore it. The people were there, the voices were heard and I just figure I'd share that observation. Okay.

1:49:06Commissioner

1:49:07Yeager.

1:49:07Yeah. Um I like the idea about what they do in manatee. Here land use items one time a month. We'll alternate Pasco or uh east-west, um, because that's really what people are passionate about. Do you guys agree with that?

1:49:27With the land? Um I I've I have a suggestion that we look and see what other counties are doing and then and staff bring back a report and then we take a look at it from there.

1:49:37I will I will also add that during my tenure down there We specially set a D R I when there were D R I's that we were doing in in East County for a six o'clock start. We had three people show up. Plus the applicant and but we were there till two AM.

1:50:01Yeah, and I'm I dec I remember when the county used to do that and they were here till two AM. Yeah. I I do not want to do that. So

1:50:13Mr. Oakley.

1:50:15Yeah, I um I agree. I think we need to Commissioner Starkey brought it up that we need to look out and see what others are doing so we can hear those items that affect us as county commissioners. Not necessarily 'cause I took that wrong. I thought it was just we were looking on top of a city and what they're doing. So they have to handle their items and I understand that. And but I'm okay with the possibility of one night a month being uh set up for very particular uh land

1:50:45use land use work also.

1:50:47Okay. Um all right, so let's bring an item back, let's do some research to find out what's going on, and then bring back to what we used to do as well.

1:50:55Anything else, Commissioner Weightman. No, thank you, Chairman Mariano.