Commissioner reports and requests

1:48:48Thanks. Thanks, Mr. Chairman Mariano. Um

1:48:53So I'd like this I don't know if Brantford or whoever's in charge. So we had a Busted a water line at forty one uh where does Nake Crawl Street from Landlays High School and uh it caused significant Damage and we accidents happen Uh but it's all on how you respond. to those accidents. David Allen's here in Um It was pretty pretty significant and I just want to commend the contractor and county staff.

1:49:24For working as timely and as quickly as digit digi blah blah long day. Diligently as they can in emergency Director Andrew Fossa was there on board. I mean it was all all hands on deck. And it was quite impressive by the time we got there. uh to visit the site the following day after our meeting at uh Starkey Library for the budget workshop. Backfilling was taking place, hole was about halfway done The red light was stabilized, just quite impressive. And wanted to say good work and recognize

1:49:55everybody for all their their efforts there. And um so floor is yours. Well thank you,

1:50:00Commissioner Weightman and Fellow commissioners. Um yeah, so thank you for that. That you know it's it just really demonstrates um our preparedness in terms of responding to those kind of situations. I think the one that that happened about a week and a half ago was was s significantly larger than we what we typically experience. And as such, it takes a little bit longer to get things quite back to normal. So our goal has always been to really restore the water first and foremost to the customers. We were able to minimize that. And then just to restore conditions just

1:50:31because of the nature of the damage that we've um had with this particular break. Um we're coordinating with F DOT on the repairs and I think uh you know we're slowly and incrementally getting things back to normal. I think the um overall plan will probably take about another two to three weeks to fully get that entire intersection back to where it was before the break. But again we thank you for your acknowledgement of staff and and I really appreciate your support. Absolutely. Thank you.

1:51:00Yeah,

1:51:00I

1:51:00think that's a good idea.

1:51:00Pictures, fun view, picture up right now on it. I I appreciate that. Yeah. The um yeah, the staff work tirelessly. For those of you that aren't aware, that that intersection is actually very critical. It's near our interconnect with Tampa Bay Water. If so, if I'm not mistaken, there's there's probably an eight-inch, a sixteen-inch, and a thirty-inch line under there. We're glad he didn't hit the thirty-inch line. That would have uh would have been a very, very bad, bad day. I think Sonya. Here's got a got a couple pictures here that are gonna come up on it that just show Uh the piece of equipment that actually Got taken

1:51:31down so that guy earned his submarine badge. Um but uh we're we're thankful for the utilities team being able to get out there, shut the water off, and and David I believe we only had uh it was just that shopping plaza in terms of customers that were affected, correct?

1:51:49Yes, thank you, Mr. Kalbar Carbala. Yeah, we we only had about twenty customers that were out of service because we were able to isolate the area. Um and and it was primarily the shopping center where the Dunkin' Donuts is and there's kind of a strip mall um on that southeast corner there. And um, you know, we had to shut off water for the afternoon when this damage happened and you could see the piece of equipment that actually hit our line. uh pretty extensive there and it kind of got sucked into the ground there. Oh wow and we were able to get temporary

1:52:19service as restored to those customers by the next day. Um and then um we had pre precautionary boil water notice that then which was subsequently cleared um Within a few days after that had occurred. And as Mr. Carbala said, this is a very critical intersection because on the other side is the entrance to the Pasco uh County School District and and Pasco County High School as well.

1:52:44Thank you. And I I also believe that uh engineering services and traffic ops are are working with DOT too to make sure that the signals and everything there are still safe. So

1:52:52And we're good they didn't hit the thirty inch line, right?

1:52:54Amen. Yeah,

1:52:55I was just saying that

1:52:55when you were you had stepped away,

1:52:56yes

1:52:57sir.

1:52:58And and I'd be uh just lastly I'd be remiss not to mention public works and the other county support staff that that helped with this. So thank you very

1:53:06much. So fan fantastic fantastic response to uh to somebody's uh bad day. And um Yeah. So the next piece I have, I'll pass this down. And so we talk about You know the amenities and and neat things that happened to Pasco and so our family we have a camper and I'll pass it down and We go and spend time at Margaritaville over in Auburnale. And I'm not sure how we go about this, but As we look at Sun West Mine in the park and

1:53:36opportunities around for tourist development and then exciting things to do in Pasco. Um To to see something like a a Margaritaville type R V resort. to come in in northwest Pasco or down in southwest Pasco. It'd be pretty pretty doggone neat.

1:53:56Right, but it's there's there's opportunities out in the world and if if Polk County can make it happen happen. Why can't we? We're a coastal county and we have pretty blue water. And so I figured figure I'd just share the brochure if you wanna take a look at it and see kind of what their model is, is where going through our economic development. tours and meeting with folks and just bringing everybody's attention and Get some general general

1:54:19thoughts on it.

1:54:25Let's send them a letter. Matter of fact, um at the s at the uh scalp fest coming up, uh one of the people we have up there is like a a Jimmy Buffett tribute band.

1:54:33Oh fine. So

1:54:34maybe we'll invite him up for that.

1:54:35Yeah. Um I've heard nothing but great things about Margarita Bill.

1:54:39It's it's fun. And uh they do it on a couple of ski lakes, but I think Pasco, if we were able to attract You know, the Margaritaville Jimmy Buffett brand, to Pasco County on our coast. Uh we actually have a coast, uh I think it'd be a just a fantastic draw.

1:54:56Let's start a petition. You know.

1:55:03Yeah, that's a good idea. Let's and let's let's let's maybe have the administration drop a letter that we can each each of us sign. To say we were in support of you guys coming, we'll welcome you c welcome you to come. It's it's worth a

1:55:13day trip. It's not but from here m an hour drive. if if they'll allow tours it to take a look take a look at it. But it's I think it was an old blueberry farm that's grown into this and it's it's pretty neat. You know, I

1:55:26w I think we should set that up. Let's go set up a day tour.

1:55:28Yeah.

1:55:28Yeah. Perfect.

1:55:29Yeah.

1:55:31And then lastly I think Chair Chairman

1:55:33Mariano I'm running the show.

1:55:35Fine. I wouldn't I wouldn't have it any other way. She got like hammer in her hand, folks. I appreciate my fingers. Uh And then lastly I believe Chair Oakley probably has pictures, but uh to the library team. I don't know if anybody's here. Shawn McGarvey, Kathy stepped out, but everybody who went to the Groundbreaking for the Wesley Chapel Library. Uh everybody's just so incredibly excited. And um Great that everybody came and and showed

1:56:05up and chair Chair did a did a great job kicking us off and I'll leave it to him. Um Well he's gone. He's gone. Oh he left left?

1:56:13Yeah.

1:56:13Oh well

1:56:14I'm very upset because I had a lot of stuff that I'm going over.

1:56:16But uh hopefully we get this get this thing kicked off and excited to see it come to fruition and Um you know, good work on my predecessor, Commissioner Moore and uh Andy Taylor for working working his way through the budget uh from what I understand and um folks are just so excited, so excited to Cut the ribbon, hopefully everybody can come in what, twenty twenty five is when we're thinking, twenty twenty five. So Good work on the library team for a successful kickoff.

1:56:46Looks like a beautiful day.

1:56:47It was a Chamber of Commerce day for sure. That's it.

1:56:52Okay, well n I was going next, but now that I'm chair, I'm last, I guess. So um Commissioner Mariano.

1:56:58Oh good, I see an opening.

1:57:01I have to really be on my toes to remember everything.

1:57:09Which I think was critical. So I appreciate everyone's support for just letting that fly right through. Uh Gulf Highlands is a up and coming area as far as between there and Palm Terrace. That stormwater project is moving along. I hear we're getting to paving coming up starting tomorrow, which is gonna really help the neighborhood up. The pipe pipes are already in. Uh so it's gonna be a a great thing. And I know uh I wanna thank Mike and Jason and all the stormwater team because we had a meeting Uh and David Allen as well. We we shut down the ponds for f for

1:57:39the treatment of water at at Palm Terrace, so they've been dry. But we're still in the decommissioning process and won't be done that till July. So it's kind of a there's a delay there to when we can actually use it for stormwater. But they are looking at taking everything along the edge for the spray field that g runs along. uh near Arburdale, runs all the way around the whole spray field area. There's a lot of land that can be taken where they're gonna try to look at minimizing and taking down some of the dirt where water can go in there percolate and actually drain out. They're also checking out the other drains. So I'm very uh pleased

1:58:09that we have that cooperation and that quickness to to move quickly before stormwater season. Um I'd also like to say that, you know, I I want I know we I mentioned this last meeting, so let me go a little further with it. I really want to see us get some signs together for people that are out there uh panhandling. Um The ones that come to me and I think if we all if you have them as well, Catherine, I know you do. Uh let's let's get these signs made up. Let's let's take a look at it and bring it back. Beacon Woods at Walmart and US nineteen, there's all be

1:58:39someone there. Uh State Road fifty two, any quadrant there, they're out there. And recently I just saw one this past week over at Regency and Ridge. Uh that They hide by the signs where hard to see but They're out there. And if there's any other any other situation that's a good idea, fifty four Bruce B. Downs. Okay, so let's get some signage out there. So people know as they're coming up they cannot transact business in our right away ordinance. And there's a fine not only for the person who's accepting, but also giving. And I think that awareness might

1:59:10help a little bit to dissuade uh the behavior. And that's all I have.

1:59:15All right, who's next? I don't have a script. Mike. Mike. I'm good now, thank you. Oh. Uh Jack Mariano?

1:59:23Um I would ask Um Public infrastructure and the county attorney's office have been working on with uh outside council, bond outside council and the financial advisor on a LIBOR settlement, some of the old investments of the county. Um there's a class action. Um we found that we had some of the qualifying investments. Um and I would like the board to delegate authority

1:59:54to the county administrator to sign the claim form.

1:59:59We'll go.

2:00:00What's the number? How much is the claim? Uh that I don't know at this point. It it's it's a formula of what your what your investment was and whatever minuscule percentage you end up with

2:00:13it and the

2:00:17Just one square sod second.

2:00:21So we

2:00:22you

2:00:22need

2:00:22a motion?

2:00:25Sorry, I'm sending pictures to Sonia. Um Okay, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right.

2:00:33Thank you. That's it. Okay.

2:00:35We have one item. Yes. Um so n I know the board is very passionate about veterans, so I thought it'd be a good opportunity to report out on Operation Stand Down that was held this last Friday. Um

2:00:50you know, veterans court and it's a collected collective effort between the courts, the state attorney, the public defender, our office, the tax collector's office, and it's organized by one community now. And we were able to help 26 veterans.

2:01:09um dealing with 42 separate charges um that um would have potentially had their license suspended um so we would with the tax collector coming right out there they were able to reinstate their licenses and help rehabilitate them and um to get them on their way to rehabilitation um and get them set back up. Um and and so it was a great event and just thought I'd report out on it. Thank you.

2:01:37All right. Um I don't know whether to go photos first. Well um Sonia before we can you go to Google Maps and go to the intersection of Mayer and Hazel, please. Well. So um as I mentioned I did go out to this area. I'm not in this area very often, but I was pretty surprised at the code violations that I was witnessing. So that's perfect. Um, see that house right there? Um

2:02:08well go go up uh go up mayor, please.

2:02:15And this is residential, I want you to know. Keep going. That's That's r a residential lot there on the right.

2:02:25And commercial Yeah. Oh look what's going in as we're sitting there. And and okay, that's good. Um it's blocking the sign that says R V and boat storage, but they're actually storing um All kinds of stuff. Uh can you can you go back out for a second?

2:02:46So I mean Jack uh it's just a humongous violation right there. Um you can see it right there. See it to the right all the stuff they're storing on their residential property Um and then go north on mayor.

2:03:01And there's another one. Residential zoning. So I hope that maybe uh we can get code up in this area to do sweep, but Um I think I sent you some pictures, Sonia. There th there's a bo literally a boat. So that's me driving by. I meant to get the sign, but I didn't. Um oh there's a boat on the right of way. At Hudson and Cobra. Right near there. Um And An old decrepit

2:03:32boat, no motor, just

2:03:34That's on c on Cobra?

2:03:36It that's on Hudson. But do you see the crosswalk there to get to Cobra? I know that. Yeah, I mean it's just sitting there on the right-public right-of-way. way. South. No one's stolen it. It's nasty looking, but um maybe they're trying to give it away, I don't know. This is On Hudson. Um they have a continuous junkyard sale apparently, but they weren't open today, darn. Um the day I went by. But that's not legal either. So I would really hope that we can Get someone up there to pay

2:04:06attention, 'cause that's not fair to the neighbors in the neighborhood. Um Okay, um We had a lectures on the lawn at Starkey TLC and we had the Tampa Zoo up. It was wonderful. And the the um Your kids will have loved it. The discussion was Um, about the Manatee Rescue, but we learned all kinds of stuff about the zoo. I d I wasn't very good at taking pictures, but these are the two girls. Who go out with fish and wildlife

2:04:37and F W C and get the manatees that are having issues out on the water. So I mean Is is and this is the truck that they transport them in. And um it was just a really nice event. I think we had forty, fifty people there. Pretty good. Um So It was very nice. Instead of calling it Lectures on the Lawn, we now call it Lectures at the Ranch, which is fun. So we'll we'll have more, but um Maybe one day some of you guys can can attend it, but it it it's lifelong learning

2:05:07happening at Starkey TLC. All right. What what else do I have up there? Um oh that's part of the lecture. Yeah.

2:05:18Okay. And

2:05:23I'm gonna go buy your photos my order. All right, so I had my um Uh meeting on the Anclote River Park. We pretty much had standing room only. Um And we you know, we had a group of people who wanted to run the meeting, but We wouldn't let 'em run the meeting. And we we had a great meeting, I thought. Kathy, thank you so much for coming. And Keith presented and um there were a lot of voters there and that were happy to

2:05:53hear what we were doing to because there there were issues there on a Saturday morning and they they all attested to that. Of course we had some people who who didn't want anything to happen. Um But I think the meeting went really well and we got a lot of complimentary emails afterwards. So I just wanna thank staff for putting this on. We were we were a little nervous, you can see we had a lot of news news uh channels there. Um Bay News Nine was there and I don't remember who the other one was and then Yeah, and then one of the other ones came and interviewed

2:06:23us the next day. Um I don't think we have the letter yet from Mr. Overton saying he is We had we had word from his attorney that he was going to get out of the contract, but Um or whatever the right word is, County Attorney, but Terminate,

2:06:41yes.

2:06:41Yeah, but Um but I don't think we have that yet, so I don't know where that's going. All right, then um then I had my Trinity Odessa Leadership Council meeting back at the Starkey TLC. So I had 16 um folks there from different HOAs and CDDs in the Trinity Odessa area. And we had uh we had it just a great meeting. Um this is David. David did a masterful presentation on economic

2:07:12development in the county. And um Um I gotta compliment compliments on that yesterday. I can't remember who that was from. Um Oh, I know. The person from Aristida was telling everyone at the Aristida picnic how wonderful that was, and Michael Cox told me. Commissioner Cox called me to tell me that he had heard it was wonderful. So We had Code, you see you see um Chase up there speaking. We and then we had um Tina Russo

2:07:42going over trail the trail that's coming in in the neighborhood and David speaking. D O T was supposed to speak. I'm glad they didn't make it because we wouldn't have been able to fit 'em in. But Because of the incident that occurred at their offices, they were in lockdown and and they weren't able to Do anything. So All right. Um

2:08:06Okay, I uh last week I toured the new Uh construction services building with J P. E. JP, if you haven't toured that yet Yeah, it's it's it's wonderful. And um they're really Doing a great job over there and yesterday we toured the sheriff's two floors. Um, I don't know. I thought the AC was working okay. The the and the lawyers the lawyers rooms, which are on the west southwest corner. They were freezing in

2:08:36there, but maybe they like it like that. I don't know. But w I am hopeful that You

2:08:40really want lawyers comfortable?

2:08:43Keeping them awake with that that

2:08:45that big

2:08:45temperature. Um I do hope that we can work out the access for the uh people who have um A D issues? Uh and we met with JP and he seems to think that you should be able to get a um Maglo Maglock? Entrance very easily on the front right door because he thinks the lock is already there up top because we were quoted that it would be three hundred fifty thousand dollars to to add a an access to the

2:09:15front with a card, but I hope someone can get together with J P and maybe find that solution. We're working on a solution to that. But it looks good over there. Um There okay, there are a couple things that I wanted to let me see if I got all this. Oh, Mr. Steinsnyder. Five years to do the right of way on Mitchell on Wesley Chapel Boulevard. For me, that's too long.

2:09:39And that wasn't accurate.

2:09:43Um

2:09:45It may have been it may have been accurate, but it wasn't complete. Um it was two and a half years for the County Attorney's Office acquisition. And that was after Um the plans were modified and we got all the legals and sketches. Which two years is about right for that. That size project for For acquis for Taking all that property.

2:10:16Well two years I'd be okay with, but five years I'm I I'm a little uncomfortable with. Because then the price is gonna go up. So I don't know if we need to get more attorneys when that's going on or

2:10:25it's

2:10:26or whatever.

2:10:27We can't do anything until the permits are final. And the and the uh sketches and legals are prepared. I can't I can't take somebody's property without knowing what it is.

2:10:39Well I'd I'd I'd like to see that timeline again.

2:10:42Okay.

2:10:43Um Okay, um uh yesterday I listened to the Supreme Court uh with which was Grants Pass v. Johnson on homeless camps. Y'all should listen to it. It's the first time I've ever listened to a Supreme Court argument. I don't know. I I'm hoping they give us some tools to help with our issues, but I'm not too hopeful after what I heard yesterday. So you can uh access that by just going to I went to the US Supreme Court, I

2:11:13went to the date and then you can listen to the audio. So, you know. I think it's about an hour, or maybe a little longer. Um And at Amskills, uh we just we finished a boot camp a couple weeks ago and I just want to thank our utilities department. Because We had three people out of the twenty-seven that did did not get signed up for interviews. Two of them were. pretty autistic. And they're they are much harder. But one gentleman was a gentleman of

2:11:43o of color who had been in prison for thirty years. and no one was willing to take a chance on him. Um but during the closing ceremony and I don't know if any of you have been to one yet. We we offer people who want to come up and say something about the program or to anybody or their fellow boot camp teammates. if they wanna say anything and so this gentleman got up and gave the most wonderful heartfelt speech about his life and how, you know, he paid his debt and he was

2:12:13so happy to have this opportunity and that if he didn't get a job, he just still was so grateful to learn something, to meet all the people and feel part of a team and he felt very positive about his life. Cry, it shuts me up. That our utilities department went back and interviewed and and hired him. Nice. So, I mean, it's beautiful. Um lastly, oh Oh, I didn't get that picture to you. I'm gonna talk about this at the next meeting. I have a house and I've showed

2:12:43pictures you pictures of this house. on Flamingo before it's the one that has all the junk on the trucks, their metal scrappers. I they just always have their yard full of junk and just the guy who lost his wife or something. No, that's my hoarder. Okay. Um These are f they're from another country and they don't speak English and they they I don't understand what's going on in that house but there's Every inch of the front yard is is parked with trucks. And I just wanna I'm

2:13:14gonna take a few photo photos of houses in my district and how many how how many trucks or cars should be allowed to park in the front yard of a house. I I feel that maybe we need to think about some kind of regulation. Um you're not gonna believe this when I show you what they do in their in their house. It's not it's not fair to their neighborhood. And um lastly At some point we're gonna have to discuss our food truck ordinance because I don't think I think we have an ordinance that we're not following

2:13:44and if we don't want to follow it Um then we need to change our ordinance, but w we need to have some kind of plan because I'm seeing them pop up. everywhere and there's there are a lot of them that are popping up where there's no wa way to wash your hands or a restroom. They're staying there um on people's property. twenty four seven, they're starting to set up They're growing. They're setting up tents and chairs and they don't come down. And so

2:14:14we we've we're letting it get away from us and we we need to have discussion on what's going on.

2:14:20Okay, I think that's it for me.

2:14:23Okay.

2:14:23Yes. One more thing. Uh I don't know if they were recognized this morning. But uh Just wanna commend the work that Todd and Paula That's done for Commissioner Bradford and his and their family uh in in managing his office and and the district uh and the folks of district four and Um No just commend them for their dedication. of uh service to Pasco County, to their commissioner. And

2:14:54um you know. Anything that we can do to to help them as we go to next steps? that uh my office and I think all of us are Or here for them. So best best to both of them.

2:15:05Yeah, um uh talking about next steps in case people are wondering what the process is, I don't know if we've heard yet if the governor's made a decision, but My understanding is be and Jeff maybe you can chime in if I get this wrong. My understanding is because um commissioner Bradford served served less than two years. the governor cannot appoint. It has to be a a special election. Or he just lets it go to a regular election.

2:15:33Can

2:15:33appoint, but the term would only be until the next general election. Yeah. Okay. Are you sure? Because I heard that that only mattered if it was after two years. But

2:15:43the statute says. The stat the the statute,

2:15:45David is

2:15:46right-of- This is what Senator Hooper and Sean told me.

2:15:49Well, I spoke to the appointments office yesterday and they said that he can appoint.

2:15:52Oh he can appoint.

2:15:53In fact, they gave me the website to file applications for the replacement.

2:15:59Very interesting. Okay. Okay, so And Ralph, is that what you know as well? So we can appoint.

2:16:08But the term would be limited to to the the next next general election in November.

2:16:12Right. And so whoever the point the pointed person could run. Right.

2:16:18So I think the misinformation or the or the mis the confusion is that what you are saying is true if you're a state official.

2:16:30Ah.

2:16:31The statute on county commissioners is very clear.

2:16:34Okay. Okay. So then

2:16:38None of that happens until the governor issues an executive order declaring the seat to be vacant, which he has not done. That will probably happen sometime in the next week. At that point he could start taking applications for the replacement position.