Public comment on current and future agenda items

1:12:35Okay, um now is the time uh we're gonna take public comment. And should should we run through consent real fast? Nope. The county attorney said we have to do public comment before consent. So um let me get my little script here. I'm leaving it.

1:12:56Yeah, yeah. Okay. Um so now's the time for public comment. Citizens are given an opportunity to comment on any current or future agenda item coming before the board and on other business under the board's purview. Today's public comment will be handled as follows. First we will take public comment from those who who are here in person, and then we will take public comment from those who have pre-registered for a web. link and are currently on cue. We request that when you

1:13:27address the board, comments are not directed Uh personally against a commissioner or a team member, but rather directed at the issues. This provides mutual respect between board members and the public. After stating your name and address for the clerk, a three-minute timer will be activated and a green light will show on the podium. After two minutes, a yellow light will indicate you have one minute left, and when your time is up, a red light will be displayed. Three beeps will sound and you should close your comments. WebEx participants will be disconnected automatically

1:13:57when their time is up. And Madam Clerk, can you uh read that first?

1:14:01Sure. Madam Chair, I'm going to go read at the first three so you know the lineup. So one one person's done, just come right on up. So we have Alexandra Lewis followed by Candace Alfieri, followed by Mike Mark Alfieri. Ms. Lewis, state your name and address for the record, then you can begin.

1:14:21Alexandra Lewis, [address removed]. I also have documents.

1:14:30Second? Second. All

1:14:31in favor? Aye.

1:14:37There see? What did I say?

1:14:41We are busy.

1:14:42Yeah, maybe begin. Thank you. I'm here today as a resident of Efferson, a homeowner, a neighbor, and a mother of three active boys who spend their afternoons riding bikes, catching lizards, and playing soccer right in our streets. Can you push that microphone up just a little bit? Thank you. Absolutely. We've created a safe community where we all know and look out for each other, and you're going to hear from several of us today, all dressed in blue. I'm speaking on behalf of families like mine who are terrified about the plan to have Abbey Brook Circle. as a part of Epperson Ranch 2 CDD as a sole entrance and exit

1:15:13to the Elon Road JK2 Town Home Development part of Epperson North CDD. As such, I submit a copy of Resolution 2025-06. declaring objection to change of roadway configuration for a formal school parcel, along with a petition and signatures from residents of Abbey Brook Circle and Lily Arbor Way, the two impacted streets by this change, which are documents one through three in what you're being handed right now. We understand growth is coming to Pasco County and we welcome it, but growth must be smart, consistent, and respectful to

1:15:43the current community. Abbey Brooks is narrow and not designed for heavy traffic. It's also where our children play because we've turned our streets into makeshift playgrounds since we're the only CDD without a park. Despite there being three parks originally planned in Ranch 2, two of which were supposed to be on Abbey Brook Circle, which is the last document in your packet. What's troubling about this plan is it breaks the development pattern established throughout Epperson's connected city design. Parson Hill Boulevard connects to Sanders Tree Loop via golf cart path. Bauer

1:16:13Bass Circle connects to Blue Passing Loop, Rolling Stone Trail, Biscayne Lagoon, and Avon Dive also via golf cart paths. Other subdivisions off Epperson Boulevard and Overpass follow similar connection patterns. New Miles, several neighborhoods are not connected at all. Sentosa apartments, Welling Play Loop, and Rock Fleet Drive, to name a few, Alpha Curley, remain unconnected. The precedent is clear, residential roads are not used to connect subdivisions, so why should Abbey Brooks be the exception? Routing all traffic from this development through our street would endanger our children and erode

1:16:44the character of our neighborhood. This is not a protest of the development itself, but taking a stand for our children's safety, consistency of connectivity, and preserving our way of life. Is a simple and reasonable solution. Turn the planned emergency exit on Elam Road into the sole entrance and exit into this development. Connect Abbey Brooks via golf cart path only, just like the planned connection from Ender Hills Road on the other side of the development. This approach honors the existing design of Efferson, respects our neighborhood, and ensures safe and responsible growth. So

1:17:14today I ask you to reconsider this plan. Respect the precedent, respect the people, work with us, not around us. Our children deserve safe places to play. Our residents deserve peace of mind. And our community deserves to be heard. Thank you for your time and for listening to the voices of the community that you serve.

1:17:30Madam Chairman Mariano.

1:17:32Yes.

1:17:32Since you have a fair amount of people that are signed up for this, um this has already gotten through the process. Um it appears based on the information I was given by planning The site plan PDP CPSP was approved administratively September 20th, 2024. The only action that is uh pending on this project is the final subdivision

1:18:03flat. uh which would come to you as a ministerial action um that you cannot make changes to unless it's inconsistent with your land development code. If Senate Bill

1:18:18Seven eighty four is signed by the governor. Um it won't even come to you. It'll be handled administratively. Um

1:18:27The Plat?

1:18:28The Plat.

1:18:29Um, could you so could you explain to the folks here what that means when something is approved administratively?

1:18:35Well it it A final subdivision plat based on the case law in the state of Florida is a ministerial act as long as it complies with Chapter 177. and your subdivision regulations and its prior approvals, it must be approved. Um so the only way that the changes that the residents are seeking uh can be made as if the developer Um

1:19:08Ch uh ask for a change in the plan. Um so I would recommend that their C D D uh contact the developer and see if they can work something out. But at this point you you're legally bound to approve it if it comes before you and as I said, I based on the timing I don't e know that this one will even come to you.

1:19:31So I you know, I appreciate that you're all here today. Um and you're certainly welcome to have your voices heard, but they're but we There's nothing that comes in front of us on this that we haven't have an ability to stop or change by law. So just want to make sure you understand that. Right? Am I saying that right now?

1:19:51That's correct. Yeah.

1:19:52It's um you know, just philosophically for all the board members These are the reasons why I always say that neighborhoods need to have connect, they have to have multiple connections.

1:20:08to avoid um issues like this and and so I'm disappointed that there's not another one here but there is nothing we can do about it. So we just want you to know that.

1:20:21Madam Clerk. Just for just for clarity, so Mr. County Attorney, so this decision though made as administratively has already been made. Yes. And once it's been made you can't change it, otherwise you're gonna be The

1:20:36yeah, the board's action was

1:20:41Some the last board action that the that would would have been before the board was the uh Connected City MQD. When you approved that, it had provisions in it that allowed them. to change this use from school to something else if the school board didn't want the site. They then applied for site plan approval when the school board rejected the site in twenty two. They got that approval. So they have all their

1:21:11approvals up to up to plat. And that Here. It's not Plat is no longer a discretionary action for the Board of County Commissioners.

1:21:27That's correct. Unless the developer wishes to come in and modify them.

1:21:31If um if there had been a school there as was originally uh envisioned, wouldn't that school have been required to connect to Elam?

1:21:41That's my issue here. I mean I would never have let that school happen without the connection to the

1:21:51So um but but that that has changed and my understanding is is the land that's in front of this program this This parcel has already been sold and is under construction, so there is no possible way to connect to Elam.

1:22:05There is I'm sorry, am I able to speak?

1:22:08Well, this is it's unusual for us to uh we normally don't take comment, but there's so many of you, and I understand your angst. Um Well um I don't know let me ask the board what you guys want me to do. What do we what do you want to do

1:22:23too? I have the right to speak. The fact of it is nothing they say or say to us will change what's coming forward.

1:22:29Yeah. That's our challenge. Um did her buzzer go up? No. Okay, you can ask your question.

1:22:37So respectfully there is currently a emergency exit on Elam to that the construction workers are using. There's not currently an access point off of Abbey Brook Circle. It's not been paved, it's not final. We also believe there's a flaw in the original paperwork that was filed. The townhome development is not part of Ranch 2 as Abbey Brooks is. We are a completely separate CDD. There's no interlocal agreement between the two CDDs to use our roadways.

1:23:04Uh C D is a public road, but I don't know what Is there anything we can do about that?

1:23:10If there is a flaw in the administrative approval, staff needs to needs to look at that but as I said that it's not gonna come before the board.

1:23:20Okay, but we'll dig into that one. Thank you. Okay, thank you.

1:23:23Yes. Can we have Uh this lady, maybe the others meet with David Allen and let's go look at this issue. If there is a flaw, let's go try to get get it corrected.

1:23:32Uh David is right back here. So he is our assistant county administrator in charge of development. So David where would you meet with folks to go into more depth here because we're not gonna get into a conversation with any other speaker.

1:23:46Downstairs is it the big room that's there?

1:23:48There is a conference room downstairs.

1:23:50I don't know how

1:23:51many folks are here

1:23:52about

1:23:52I don't either. But we'll probably so if you want to go down and speak with our gentleman who's in charge of development, this is your opportunity. Um to go down.

1:24:01Is that your everyone Abby or

1:24:04are you

1:24:04allowing them to speak there or are you supposed to see them throw in the

1:24:06showman?

1:24:07They can speak. You anyone can speak, but I'm we're not gonna answer and there's nothing we can do unless you find that flaw. So I've got one

1:24:17left.

1:24:18We have a lot of people here in um Again, there's

1:24:21I'm gonna go through the list.

1:24:23So if you wanna s if you wanna have an opportunity to speak more, go with go with David downstairs. Alright, next. Next?

1:24:31All right, we have Candice Alfieri followed by Mark Alfieri followed by Danielle Polovic.

1:24:38Good morning, my name is Candace O'Viery. I live at [address removed]. I also have.

1:24:45Move to receive five. Second. All in favor? Aye.

1:24:50Good morning, Commissioner. My name is Candice Alfieri and I too live on [address removed]. I'd like to express my concerns for the JK two town homes. to use Abbey Brook Circle as their main entrance. I'm extremely worried for the safety of our children on Abby Brook Circle and Lily Arbor Way. Eberson two. Does not have any parts and that is why our children play in the streets. We are a small neighborhood community of fields a family. At any given moment you'll hear

1:25:20children's voices, laughter, and see them playing. This street is special. It echoes a street from the past before screens and TikTok. The JK2 Town Home is 186 units. With 406 parking spaces. Our small residential street cannot handle this extra volume of traffic. I have two hearing impaired children that would be extremely affected. Pay additional car traffic on our street. Opening small, quiet

1:25:50street to four hundred more cars a day. Threatens the safe and calm environment my hearing impaired children rely on. Hearing impaired children cannot localize sound and cannot hear which direction cars are coming from. This increased traffic will put their safety and well being at serious risk. In the last week of advocating for Abbey Brook Circle I continue to hear, it's too late. We are in the final stages. You may be wondering where we've all been. I'd like to explain we heard that our street

1:26:20was being used as the main entrance and showed up on October 3rd, 2024 to the CDD board meeting. We asked Mike Lawson, Director of Operations for Metro and our CDD board member if our street would be used. He replied no. Abbey Brook Circle would not be used. Mr. Lawson said that the project manager was working with the county to do a revision plan. Lawson also stated that this revision would not be denied and the developer had changed it already. We trusted Mike Lawson's word as

1:26:51a member of our C D D board and a Metro employee. Recently, we learned what was happening on May 1st, 2025. Many neighbors showed up to our CDV board to express our concerns. Interestingly enough, Mike Lawson was there. And he admitted that if this was his street, he'd be upset also. Commissioner, I ask you to see Abbey Brook Circle. not just as a route for cars, but as a lifeline for our children who depend on their quiet neighborhood street. For their safety, connection, play, and joy. Please

1:27:21let compassion guide your decision. Use the entrance off of Elam that is already existing right now. as the main entrance and keep our children safe.

1:27:32Sure.

1:27:33Yeah.

1:27:35Okay, so you're not allowed to clap in here and we're gonna uh what what is it that you're wondering because I'm gonna try and keep this movie.

1:27:43If if there's truly hearing impaired

1:27:46please

1:27:46folks, if there's if what she says correct, if there's a hearing impaired kids on there, is it the county's responsibility to put up notice on the street or is it the C D D's? I'd have to see who the ownership of the road is, but I'm sure

1:28:01we can figure that out. If we look at D road C D road, then it would be the C D D's class within the involved.

1:28:06Um yes, and while we're talking, can you put up a map of uh Abbey Book Circle on Google or please. Commissioner Mariano.

1:28:15Yeah, I think this map right here is the best one.

1:28:19Uh it shows you the Abbey Road entryway. Well

1:28:23that's I wonder what Swift Wind is. Swift Wind Drive.

1:28:26Alright, so let's if you would just let p put up that picture.

1:28:30Let's get going.

1:28:34Oh okay and we have some time certain that we're gonna have to get to after this next speaker.

1:28:40With the parcelers where Elam Rhodes right in front of it. It's better to go into every road circle. I don't know why it would get approved to go through every road circle. Makes no sense to me. Um if you take a look. So you get Epperson Road on the right, where they're trying to connect and run that thing through, it makes no sense to me. But their main entrance should be in and out of right- Elon. That's I don't know why that wasn't done. And how does how this I don't even know why They would even want to you know Metro would even want to go that way.

1:29:09I I I don't get it either. But I don't know what what we can do. Um and that's what our staff's gonna have to f dig into.

1:29:16Yeah. So folks, I can I can tell you we're gonna have our staff take a look at it. We're gonna try to find a way to make this fix. It's not gonna be a quick fix, it's not gonna be an easy fix, but I think we all see your point.

1:29:30I mean, what is even the construction entrance here? So

1:29:37Right. We cannot take uh for those are for those of you that are here at for time certain, we cannot take them before public comment. We stop at twelve. Um, I apologize, but we're gonna try and get through this as fast as you can. But if you're here for this issue, we are going to look into it. So you all don't need to come up and speak. If you have a different Something different that you want to add to the story. feel free. But other than that, you know if you can let us

1:30:08do our business, we'll we'll call you up. You'll have the opportunity to say, I agree with him, or you can we can say I can have everyone stand up who's in support of us looking at to see what we can do. Um we've got all your information. We can let you know what we find. So I'll start with that, but go ahead. So can I s can

1:30:27I speak then

1:30:28I'm

1:30:28not sure?

1:30:28You can speak anyone can speak. I'm just trying to keep the mo mo moving.

1:30:34Hand amended. I

1:30:35take a motion.

1:30:35Move assumed by aye. Second.

1:30:37All in favor? Aye.

1:30:46Similar but different. My name is Mark Alfiri. Um I live at [address removed]. Um So I could go ahead and

1:30:57Um I appreciate the opportunity to speak before you today regarding the proposed access route for the new 186 unit JK2 Town Home Development Project. I understand the importance of new housing in our community. However, I must express my serious concerns about the current plan to use Abbey Brook Circle as primary thoroughfare for this large development. Our street was designed as a quiet residential road, not as a arterial connector. The homes along our street were purchased with the understanding that this

1:31:27would remain a calm, safe environment for our children. Uh many families have young children and they chose to live here because of the low traffic volume and the safety it provides. The addition of potentially 300 plus vehicles making multiple daily trips would transform the character and safety of our street. Each housing unit generates between eight to ten vehicle trips per day for a 186 unit development. That's approximately 1,500 to 1,800 additional vehicle movements daily on a street that was never designed for such

1:31:57volume. Children in our neighborhood regularly play in their front yards. This dramatic increase in traffic presents a genuine safety hazard for these children. The original plans for Abbey Brook Circle had two entry points from Epperson Boulevard. The final build had us reduced to one entry point. Th there's no longer capacity to support two communities going through Abbey Book Circle. Um the new development There's a solution, you know, a a simple logical alternative. Uh the new development

1:32:27could instead use the main access point off of Elam Road. This is already designed for higher traffic volumes, can accommodate proper turning lanes and traffic signals, and would provide more direct access for the JK2 townhome residents and to access major thoroughfares. Um and this would also not endanger the established residential community. While accommodating growth, we should be thoughtful with respect to existing communities. The Elon Road access would better serve both the new residents

1:32:58and those of us who already call this neighborhood home. Um I also want to highlight and it's already been uh talked about briefly, but um a flaw in this project. We believe um Iverbrook circle belongs to the Epersint II C D. The JK2 Town Home Project trying to use our road belongs to Epperson North C D. As a resident of the Eperson two C D D, I'm concerned about this another C D using our road for their main interests. These roads are funded by our residents

1:33:28and the increased traffic would unfairly burden the community with safety issues and maintenance costs. Um I respectfully request that the I know you said you can't do it, but can you somebody speaks to the developer?

1:33:43revise their plans to utilize Elam Road as a main access point instead of routing the traffic through uh Abbey Brook Circle. It just makes sense. As you all can see it makes sense. So I I hope I hope something can be done. Thank you.

1:33:55Thank you. Does the next speaker have anything different to say?

1:34:02Go ahead and call 'em up.

1:34:03Danielle Polovich, followed by Todd Wigan, followed by Andrea Manfredi.

1:34:11Um there's a little bit of repetitiveness, but I will try to skip through that.

1:34:19Uh nope, we have to have a motion for the first time.

1:34:22Second.

1:34:22All in favor? Aye.

1:34:27Okay.

1:34:30Do I go ahead and start? Yeah. Good morning Commissioners. My name is Danielle Polovich. I live at [address removed]. Um shall I just tell you when to go to the next slide? Okay, um slide two please. Um why we're here, construction has already begun on the eight 186 townhomes nearby our community. The current plan, as you know, directs all their traffic through our small residential street. Our street is narrow, lined with homes, and constantly active with our children, riding

1:35:00bikes, walking to school bus stops, and simply playing outside. We're here to stop the unsafe decision and hopefully route this traffic, not route this traffic through our family neighborhood. Next slide, please. As you know, Abbey Brook Street is 120 homes and was designed for low-volume neighborhood traffic, not the main access point for a high density development. According to national traffic standards, each townhome was expected to generate about 8.2 vehicle trips per day. Multiply that

1:35:30by 186 units, and you get 1,500 vehicle trips daily, added directly to our residential road. It's not a minor inconvenience. It's a major public safety threat, especially for the children who walk, bike, or wait for the bus here every day. Um next slide please. Um this is just some statistics. Florida's pedestrian. Um Florida's children's pedestrian risk is among the highest. According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, Florida

1:36:00is one of the most dangerous states in the county for pedestrians and children are among our most vulnerable. More than 1,900 children are involved in pedestrian crashes in Florida every year. And most of these accidents happen in residential areas such as our own after during school, sorry, after school hours. Children between the ages of five and fourteen are especially at risk. The exact age that's playing on Abbey Brook Circle. It's not about an inconvenience. This is real danger. Um, next slide.

1:36:31These are local incidences. Um just in the past year, multiple children have been hit by vehicles on residential streets right here in Pasco County. In April 2023, a two-year-old boy and a teenage girl were struck in two separate incidences, both on neighborhood roads where families should feel safe. And then in October, a six-year-old boy was struck while trick-or-treating in Trinity. A heartbreaking reminder that even joyful community traditions can turn tragic when traffic volumes are too high. Those are our children, by the way,

1:37:01on Abbey Brooks. Mm. Um, these aren't rare or isolated cases. They're part of a growing pattern. I actually cut it down due to time. They're happening on streets just like ours. As traffic increases, so does the risk, especially for the children who walk, play and ride bikes in our neighborhoods. We are asking you to please help us intervene before our street becomes the site of the next avoidable tragedy. Um I've heard about the safer solution, so I'll skip through that a little bit. Um but I did I'm I'm not sure I heard this

1:37:32said. There is over a thousand feet of available space directly in fr um in front of the planned town homes. Elam is much longer than that, but just referring to the townhome section.

1:37:43Is that the

1:37:43rule? We're just asking you for uh do it's reasonable evidence.

1:37:47Thank you very much and

1:37:47safe.

1:37:48Thank you.

1:37:48Thank you.

1:37:49Okay, does uh is there anyone else who wishes it? We've got a long list and and and we we hear your concerns. They're repetitive. But we'll go through the list. But if you have hopefully you have something different to add. That's all I'm asking.

1:38:06So I've got uh do you want me to go through the list? Okay. So we've got Todd Wiggins followed by Andrea Manfredi, followed by Edgar Perez.

1:38:15You can line up behind her.

1:38:18Thank you. Appreciate that.

1:38:20Um my name is Andrea Manfredi. I live in [address removed] or also known as [address removed]. So in the regional group, we have heard of our neighborhood, how we're all concerned about our safety. In that approval in September of last year, it was approved that the street was gonna end up as an Abbey Brook circle. Or Abby Brooks in general. My address got changed three months ago. Three months ago, I got a letter in the

1:38:50mail that said you now you are. Swift train drive. Um and just go to the post office and they'll fix it for you. Go to the D M V they'll do it for you. Uh call to all the people that you need to call and they'll do It for you. Turns out they're not gonna do it for you. At first when I went to the DMV, they had no idea what that was. They said, Oh, you live in Texas, and I was like, No, I live in Wesley Chapel because there's the same address in Texas with the same numbers, same street

1:39:21name that goes to Texas. I asked my friends to send me letters, I haven't got one. I order packages, I haven't got any of them. So I'm going back to using my [address removed] because it doesn't exist, right? Not I think yesterday I checked it. It wasn't coming up. And my Apple ID doesn't come up. Does it's not a real address. Now if this is the issue, then there is a flaw in the original request. If there's a flaw in the original

1:39:51request, then we could try to revisit it. Like it's not it's not that we're just gonna ignore the fact that somebody just changed my address and now I have to take out time out and my day to fix all of this. Well do I call my lawyer and I tell him, Oh, my will is to go back to this address and then go back and forth to another one? It really is It's so inconsiderate and inconvenience to me. Now we're adding the cards, we're adding the safety.

1:40:22But if this is the flaw that we're gonna look into it. Yeah. Uh, whatever they submitted in September, then let it be it. Because it is labeled as the plan says Abbey Brooks. And my my address was not changed to Abbey Brooks. It was changed to Taylor not Taylor. So Wind Drive.

1:40:42I see it on I see it online here as you have both addresses on the on the on your house. So what seven eight two zero and three one seven four seven.

1:40:51So we've been dealing with Issues with the Postmaster for a number of years now. The Postmaster is headquartered in Zephyrhills. Um, so I recommend that if any of you are having challenges with your mail or your mailboxes, go to the Zephyrhills Post Office. That's where the Postmaster for our our area works. uh for the entire area and uh talk talk with them. You're you're not alone with no

1:41:17issues. They give they're the ones that gave me a letter. I mean I went up to them because they knocked on my door. They gave me a letter but I don't know because the person next to me that his address also changed, he didn't get a letter. I got one. They skipped him completely. So regardless of what's happening, if that whether my address changed or not, it's fine if it not needs to be swift trip, whatever drive. Yeah. Like it's not about that. It's about

1:41:43a United States Postal Service issue, a federal issue. Unfortunately anything with mail is out of our jurisdiction.

1:41:49A county attorney wants to address this. So but we have to be careful getting into this dialogue.

1:41:54So So this would be independent from The approval of the plan. This this would have had to have come through the the GIS department for duplicative names or something like that. And there would have to have been a resolution adopted or it would have had to have been Part the plat would have had to have changed the name. But this is independent from the action that's go there's there's another i issue going on here with

1:42:24the with the renaming of the of the

1:42:28Can she meet with David? Can he help her? Well then the post

1:42:31office just continues to get we just switched up. I'm I'm gonna have the the team look into this 'cause I see several addresses. There's three streets. There's three different physical address one's a rent one lives in Brandon, but the rest are literally in the same area. Okay.

1:42:45Okay, we will look into that.

1:42:47Okay.

1:42:47Thank you.

1:42:48Thank you.

1:42:48Hold on just a second. I want to make sure that the record is correctly reflected. Um Mr. Todd Wigan had stood and stated from the audience that he doesn't wish to speak. So I just want to make sure the record's clear because I have a written record that he wants to speak, so I just want to make sure that that was

1:43:03Yeah, and he said he's not speaking because his points have been made. Okay.

1:43:07So

1:43:07we appreciate that.

1:43:08Thank you. So I'm gonna call up next Dixon Phillips, followed by Edgar Perez, followed by Camellia Vari.

1:43:16Oh we have a band trunk. I think it's very funny.

1:43:22It's a different issue. Yes, ma'am.

1:43:28Are any of the other ones with you signed up to speak? No, I know they're saying my highest.

1:43:34Yeah. Because there are

1:43:35firefighters.

1:43:36Yes, ma'am. Uh for the record Dixon Phillips, my address is protected. Uh here represent Pasco County, professional firefighters, IFF, local 4420. Good morning, Commissioner. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. And in the fire service, it's a reminder of something we've come to understand all too well. that some of the biggest risks that we face aren't just out on the street. We know the inherent risks that come with working structure fires, vehicle accidents on the highway, and violent calls like the recent tragedy in Kansas City where a firefighter paramedic

1:44:07was killed. But we also face asylum threats. Heart attacks, strokes, cancer. And something that's been ignored far too long. Mental health. Our members show up to work every shift knowing that it could be their last. But what many don't expect is how the job creeps in over time. The calls that you don't forget. The images that stay with you. Sometimes you don't even know what's happening until something random. A smell. a sound, or driving through a certain intersection, that pulls you right

1:44:37back to that call that you've had nightmares about. That is when you realize this job doesn't just break our bodies, it breaks our minds too. The United States Fire Administration says about one hundred firefighters take their lives each year. The CDC tells us that we're three times more likely to suffer from PTSD than the general public. It's not just the one big traumatic call that made the evening news. It's thirty years that those calls have been bottled up and finally come out. And the worst part is that we've been trained to push through it. We don't always see the signs

1:45:07in ourselves or even each in each other until it's too late. But Pasco County decided to do something about it, to be proactive. We've built one of the strongest support systems in the country. Our peer support team has more than sixty trained members. We have a contract with Tammy Bay Psychology that gives our members unlimited visits at no cost to the employee. And we're currently transitioning to a four-shift schedule that gives our members the mental and the physical rest that they need. And when someone's struggling, the support that we get from our Assistant County Administrator J. J. Murphy and HR

1:45:37Director Barbara Hensman to get them to the IFF Center of Excellence is second to none. Pasco County has stepped up to the challenge and it hasn't gone unnoticed. I'm standing here today on behalf of more than eight hundred and fifty members to say thank you. to this board, to County Administrator Mike Carbala. Assistant County Administrator JJ Murphy, HR Director Barbara Hensman, Fire Chief Ryan Gwynn, Health and Safety Chief JJ Martinez, Personnel Chief Joey Coleman, and Dr. Benson for Tampa Bay Psychology, and to everyone else who has helped make this

1:46:07program what it is. You have all made Pasco County a model for others to follow. You've proven that when the right people are in the right positions that real change can happen. And most importantly, you've helped protect the lives of the people who have dedicated their careers to protecting you. We're proud of the work that we've done together, and we're even more proud to call ourselves Pasco County Firefighters. Thank you. And today we have a shirt for all five board members, uh Mr. Carbala and Mr. Murphy. It is our mental health awareness shirt that we

1:46:37uh you will see your Pasco County firefighters wearing in the month of May. So we'd like to present them to you and see if we can get a picture all together.

1:46:45We don't have to take a motion for that, right? How does that work? Okay. Thank you so much.

1:46:51We appreciate your kind words. Okay. Thank you so much.

1:47:01Okay, next we have Thanks guys. Oh picture picture. Uh are we coming down there? It's yeah. Our our time certainly.

1:47:24Yeah.

1:47:44Great. Most yeah.

1:47:48Okay, say that yeah.

1:48:03If I if it's on After that's done, then I can do the front. Right. Okay, is there anyone else here to speak on something that is on our agenda?

1:48:17A anybody who is here for public comment on the Current consent agenda items or the regular agenda only you can take up that first and and continue with your business and then come back to Okay.

1:48:30I have to take up whoever's here to speak to some because we have to take up the consent agenda. So if you're here to speak on something on the consent agenda We will take your comment.

1:48:46Okay.

1:48:49All right. Then I can take up the time certainse. Correct?

1:48:53Mad Madam Chair? Yeah.

1:48:54Just

1:48:54with all the folks here, I just talked to uh David Engel. Uh he was aware of it. I think if he could make a comment here that might help quite a bit.

1:49:01Okay. Well I have two time certain so I'm gonna take up a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little

1:49:05in here if they want to go meet with David.

1:49:09There's the times right now.

1:49:13Good morning, uh Madam Chairman Mariano David Engel. I am the Planning and Economic Development Director for Pasco County. I just want to let the board know and the audience that uh I reached out to Metro Development last night and they're willing to sit down with us and try to find a solution. So what we're gonna do is when we convene downstairs, we're gonna let people know that we're gonna be Getting our transportation engineering team engaged plus the master developer of the project. And we're going to explore some alternative access ways to alleviate

1:49:44the traffic and trip concerns of the neighborhood. So uh we're gonna do that quickly and we'll be back to the board with a report. Okay, what

1:49:52David just one thing, it not just alleviate, but just make sure that like traffic, like additional traffic doesn't go in that neighborhood.

1:49:59Well,

1:50:00there's only

1:50:01uh that's what he's saying. That's what he's saying. Okay, but he's

1:50:04stating alleviate, ma'am. I mean there's there's access, there's there are things that need to be considered. So I But

1:50:11we are going to try our best. Right, right. Thank you so much. We appreciate that. Okay, so we're gonna take up our time certain now. The first one is in yeah.

1:50:20So those who wanna go downstairs, go ahead. Maybe with David. Yeah.

1:50:25If you wanna have more discussion on that topic, you can go down with David. If you're gonna stay for public comment, it's probably gonna finish. We will consider continue taking public comment at the end of the day. Um because we break at twelve and I have two times certain. Is that correct?

1:50:42So you need to tell it is there is there anybody in the audience who wishes to speak on the two or three regular items that are on the agenda. Anybody in the room that is here for that, then you can take up your consent agenda and your regular agenda.

1:51:00Oh, what about my time certainly?

1:51:04Okay, so we'll do the consent agenda first. You have a