Review of federal and state lobbyist contracts

1:52:51Um scribble. Thank you. Mr. Chairman Mariano. So In reviewing expenditures, um, I always think it's prudent just to see if the board had any appetite to take a look at our lobbyists. As you know, we we currently have um contracts with four lobbyists, one federal, three state. And uh these contracts are good until 2027 plus some option years. So, you know, there's you don't have to necessarily make any alterations,

1:53:21but I feel it's just prudent just to have have that discussion and just see if the board is uh you know, either reaffirm the course that we are on or or pivot if necessary. Um starting with the federal, uh we we currently have Ballard on board at An annual uh fee of ninety-six thousand a year. Um the board uh during its deliberations opted um to select Ballard over its uh its over its incumbent uh Van Scoyck. Um so I guess my

1:53:51my first question is is, you know, are we comfortable with the current course of action? Do we wish to make any changes?

1:54:00Commissioner Oakley. I'd just like to move back to the gentleman we had before, the incumbent. Second. I think he did it. I actually found that more a after we let him go than I knew before we let him go about what he really did for us and I have a good feeling of what he was doing for us before. Better than what we got this past year.

1:54:22Mm Mr. Jair, I would agree. Ms. Rowe. And and I and I believe there's a way we can just go right to him. Is that correct?

1:54:30Well, I mean uh if the consensus and I'm trying to you know keep keep track here of the board is is to perhaps you know is to perhaps uh you know uh you know uh move on, terminate for convenience uh on Ballard and and kind of go back to to Van Scoyck, we can explore a piggyback option. Now that doesn't mean that those contracts work. We would have to look at those contracts, make sure that they align, make sure that the scope is aligned any time that you do that. Um I do know that Penellus does have one. The fee is at probably

1:55:00about at parity with what this is, but we would have to review the scope and make sure of that. If we're unable to piggyback or find a um a contract that works then you would have to go out for a solicitation for another for another federal lobbyist. So I guess I I mean I guess I would ask at this

1:55:19Uh hold on.

1:55:19I'll I want to speak to it, but Commissioner Weightman

1:55:22got to that first. Does Southern have a federal group? I'm indifferent on the federal lobbyists, but if Southern has a federal group co

1:55:30No, they're they're not in what we're doing. I don't know the answer

1:55:33to that question. Is Ralph here?

1:55:35Mike Moore's always listening, so I'm sure he'll be able to do that.

1:55:38Maybe I didn't. Maybe I I didn't. I don't I thought I read that somewhere. But I've never heard they had a federal group.

1:55:44I'm I'm seeing uh head shaking as in no commissioner. So So

1:55:48I I'd like to say as far as Ballard goes and with Trump coming in, I mean he's got Deep connections right inside the White House. We haven't done anything to go ask. I mean frankly we I've been waiting for us to get signed up with a lobbyist where we go hire Dawson associates to go through them to help. I mean we needed help with the four oh four permanent up there. Um You know, uh Van Squick, I think we had them when we tried to do Sun West from before, but I I I want to give Ballad more time. I I'm plan to I think Jason, we're almost we're almost

1:56:18set up with um be able to bring Dawson on board through the the applied sciences. Okay. So We got a chance to get something done. I've got the Sun West project which we had approved through the through the cabinet. Who Governor Scott? And it gets stuck in the Army Corps. The lead person at the Army Corps is now gone. This is a big project to get through and it's gonna make a big difference in Northwest Pasco. The four role four permitting, we're gonna struggle that with everywhere. I I think Ballot can help us and I want to give him at least one more year because right now with everything with Trump that

1:56:48just went through slowed everything down with all the configurations that were going on up there. He's still there for three more years. If these guys have that connection that I think they still do.

1:56:57Mm-mm. So I d you're m must not be aware what happened up there. But they're not going to be able to do that They're not in good standing anymore. Uh And so I'm saying ballard width. I don't wanna say too much here. Uh but uh Jack, do you do you remember Well it's it's in the paper so you can Google Google what happened. Um But if you remember when we were in Washington D C last year, Um and

1:57:27we were going around with Ba our Ballard guys and we ran into Other commissioners that had van Scoyck and they were heading to the offices in FEMA. And um and and we were we couldn't get in. And so I I would say that he was much better than um

1:57:52Dollar, in my opinion, and

1:57:54And I did get a follow-up communication from Mr. Moore that basically he said that Southern does have a federal arm.

1:58:02I I I I found um our van s w Harry, very upstanding, not gonna ask us to do anything illegal, um and hard working so I we w we tried it with Ballard. I I don't think we got anything for it in this year personally. Um Ralph's the one that deals with them and so he could say I think more what was your in his interaction with Ballard versus with Vanskoy. I'm here, can you if

1:58:33you don't mind. Um also I have a very good friend. Who's very connected in the White House. Um, because at one point we were looking at bringing on an in-house federal lobbyist, and I talked to my friend. Uh and he said, Absolutely do not do that. That's a waste of your money. I will help you. So um

1:58:54Do what?

1:58:55He said he will help us

1:58:57to what?

1:58:58With the things that we need to get done, instead of as as a pro bono internal federal Uh and I so I I asked him to help us with something at a dinner party and he immediately texted his staff uh to see i um if what committees Ashley was on and I've been to their house and they Ashley's there for dinner and I we Really good relationships.

1:59:25Uh let me have that contact as well, share it with the others, but I'm willing to to discuss it further. and and look into everything. But let's continue with the next meeting we'll talk about talk about then You everyone can do their own research, what they want to do, Commissioner

1:59:37Weightman. Chair, I mean learning that that Southern, very pleased with Southern at the state level. I mean, I'd like to s to see what their what the opportunities are budget wise at the federal level and what who their team is if we're taking a look at it. Then we just consolidate contracts. If it's a little bit more. If there's an appetite for it.

2:00:03Mm-hmm. I'll I'm leaning more to your your connection.

2:00:07Mm-hmm. I'll share it with you.

2:00:10So why don't we continue this we'll bring it back for an item.

2:00:13Okay, so I will bring back a uh an item on an item related to the federal federal lobbyist discussion. Um and I'll I'll craft something up that uh tries to tie in at least some things that I've heard today. Um And maybe that's the answer for the second one, but I would like to discuss the state lobbyists as well. As you are aware, we originally had one lobbyist that was Sunrise Consulting. It's been been a long time. We went through the selection process with the idea to select Perhaps

2:00:45an extra, an additional lobbyist. And the board opted to hire three lobbyists. And so I guess it's the same question. Each of those firms, Sunrise, Southern, and Advocacy Partners, each have a fee of $60,000 each. And my question to the board is the same: do we wish to exist, you know, maintain those existing contracts or terminate One or more for convenience or do something different.

2:01:10I would punt

2:01:11that to January as well.

2:01:12Commissioner Yeager.

2:01:13Um I will restate my I I'm for having two lobbyists, not three. I d I don't think we had our um return on our investment for on three lobbyists. I think it's unnecessary and with the county trying to cut costs, I think it's just an ad and expense that we don't need.

2:01:37I'm sure. I also believe that we need to uh just have two instead of three. Uh Sean Foster has done a great job for the county for a long time, and I believe Southern has come come forth and done also as well. Uh Tyler Hassley, the They seem to show up sometimes, but then We didn't know who they were or or what they were doing there 'cause we didn't know the person they sent to some of our meetings and So I'm I'm satisfied with the two,

2:02:07Sunrise and uh Southern.

2:02:10Commissioner Weightman. Thank you, Chair. Uh with Commissioner Oakley and Commissioner Yeager ready to go to two and uh keep Southern and Sunrise and move on from advocacy.

2:02:24And I'll say that um

2:02:28So then I've been great. I think that you need to appreciate, you know, we Every zoning we go through, what do we deal with? Live local, live local. I think it could've got a lot worse in Tallahassee if we didn't have the advocacy group fighting with the governor to to listen to what we're doing. Uh that can still come up again with all the cuts they're gonna go try to do. I think you need the voice closest to the governor, which is the reason I wanted those them added. From the get go. Because you can have two branches. You

2:02:58don't have that third one? Could cost us a lot of money. A lot more than what we're paying these guys. And of the three of them, they all work together great.

2:03:07easily the best money we're spending on anything we're doing. Well,

2:03:11flip local, we're ready to fire a lawsuit, at least I am, was hoping to beat Hillsboro. I don't think we will. A little jealous. But um I I I didn't see I didn't I didn't from my officer standpoint, uh No updates out of the advocac advocacy group. We got updates from Sunrise and Southern regularly and um from a customer experience. It

2:03:42fell flat.

2:03:43Well, I think You know, the responses I think we're gonna supposed to have one group that was gonna be leading with all of us rather than throw all three of 'em. Um so maybe Southern and Sunrise jumped in more. But I'm telling you for the back Of the situation's working with the governor's office. You may not see it. They may not come to the meetings. But they're in there. And then I'll tell you they're they're f they were fighting for us.

2:04:07Um I I agree with you. Um but I I wouldn't cut just a session starting. If if I was gonna pair from three to two, I'd do it After July fifteenth. Let's see. Yeah. Who worked for us and what did we get? Why why cut it when you're just going for your appropriation?

2:04:32That's a brilliant idea.

2:04:33Yeah, so I would say let's let's relook at that and everyone really pay attention. I think you should have a little bit more than a little bit. maybe even test the our lobbyists with special requests and see how they come through. Um, but I would suggest we revisit this on July sixteenth.

2:04:51Just one thing I wanna add is that we're s we're gonna be fiscally responsible and we're supposed to be trying to cut costs right now and that's an easy way. I I don't feel like we need three. We we've been operating on two.

2:05:07Operating on one.

2:05:08Or one, I mean. And we we did really well. I I th I I just think responsibility wise we we only need two. But

2:05:16and and I and I'm gonna agree with you on the um the updates. I don't want three. I just want one. So and I think that they had um kind of delegated it to to Sean. But we were just getting the Southern ones 'cause they they do it for all their clients. I'm sure if we asked the advocacy update. They'd send us I mean, 'cause that's a standard thing they're pumping out for all their clients.

2:05:41They were supposed to be doing that all along, but yeah. We didn't hear much.

2:05:45So let me let me throw one thing to you. So when we had Live Local that was live when Pasadome was pushing it through. And I'm meeting in there with

2:05:54Pasodomo

2:05:55with Sean, right? Yeah. And what did Pasodomo Pasco Domo do?

2:05:58She she was on angry.

2:06:01Wasn't gonna hear it. Yeah. Talk to my staff, talk to my staff. And she did exactly what she wanted to do, even though she said she was gonna change it, she didn't change it. And I'm telling you, the only thing that saved us was having that governor's office connection. I've been there, I've seen it, and if you don't have all three All you need is one good link. Yeah. But if you don't have the governor's office with you? And then go. Because they're gonna get hey. It's gonna be another battle this year. Did I hear Senator Albert and stepping down?

2:06:28What?

2:06:28Is he? Yeah, he's stepping

2:06:29down.

2:06:30He's stepping down after this one. He he had a

2:06:32oh okay. I I kinda got that when I was with him in Tallahassee.

2:06:35So I mean

2:06:36right now. You mean after the session.

2:06:38This could be crazy times up there. I'm telling you, you don't have the governors here? You're in trouble. I mean for sixty grand, is that what it is? Sixty grand?

2:06:47Yeah.

2:06:50This is like easy. Every every single zoning

2:06:52we read that

2:06:52ROI

2:06:53make sure you tell

2:06:53them to live local. Let me tell you, up there, that's where it's gonna get done.

2:06:58Well not not only is it lived local, we have Senate Bill 180. That has to get fixed. I mean we can't even do our comp plan. Update.

2:07:06You need a voice in every branch. And s and two cardinals, card the Evis group. Is your one for up in the governor's office?

2:07:13However, I do want I do want to have discussions with our lobbyists on property tax. And I want to make sure that we're not going to be able to Um, FAC has sent out, I haven't even had time to look at it, an analysis for each county on how it affects each county. And we need to make sure we have educated our lobbyists on how it affects us.

2:07:37And I I you know, we haven't done that. Well coming in.

2:07:43Commissioner Starkey's idea of letting it run through this session concerning the time lease. the timeliness of it and how we're starting Probably a good idea. Looking at the state of play. But after we don't We need to if revisit this conversation. My opinion immediately following the session or special session if we what we wanna do. Special session. And well they already said special session anyway with redistrict until the court rules, right? So there's

2:08:14highly likely it'll be for redistrict for his property taxes. That's again vacation um I mean for the sake of of of timing but We

2:08:27Probably should I don't know maybe evolve the thought let it roll through this but they gotta perform

2:08:31Yeah.

2:08:32I they th And you gotta hold

2:08:33them to

2:08:33it. Like they gotta they gotta compete and see who's who's the Ten thousand pound grilla up there, which which one of these firms? And see what we get back.

2:08:44Commissioner Weightman. July. July. So I think I think July fifteenth is probably a good time to wait.

2:08:52July one? No. June thirtieth.

2:08:55Alright, so the the first meeting of July we should have the conversation again.

2:08:58Even on an early session,

2:09:00Ralph?

2:09:01Yeah.

2:09:04That's the fiscal year,

2:09:05I think, right? That's when they take effect. When July when is he?

2:09:09July first when any uh new legislation in the budget takes effect. Takes

2:09:13effect, but but his sign when he has to sign off is

2:09:18It's usually before it's like by June fifteenth is usually in the past how it's done. So um And this session we end March, beginning of March, so we will probably already know in April. What

2:09:29do you

2:09:29talk? Uh what gets through as far as Which why

2:09:32What are you talking about March? We could probably go a hundred and ten days again.

2:09:38But you were talking about the governor.

2:09:39I know, I'm just kidding.

2:09:42But yeah, uh from this session since it starts in January, um, he'll have signed off um probably everything in advance by uh April, even before May. What he's talking about with special session is The governor has talked about the property tax issue and the redistricting issue. I think we gotta go through this um this session and see where they align. Right now were l where were they were last year. Send it over here. House and

2:10:12governor are kinda c together over here. And um they're not together yet. Still early.

2:10:20Ralph, if you lose any more weight, you're not even we're not even able to see you.

2:10:28You'd be like the invisible man.

2:10:33So we'll wait till July to talk about the state. So July for state and uh January for federal. January for for the federal. And we'll bring back some additional options.

2:10:45Yeah.

2:10:48before the next meeting.

2:10:49Mike and I have to have a um Uh a comfort couple with him. He's been waiting for our

2:10:57Okay. Anything else? Uh yeah, just since the last board meeting here before before the holidays, I just wanted to take a moment to uh just highlight some of the things that the organization uh has been doing in our community. Uh internal services, for example, has collaborated with Pasco Kids First. Uh they they uh purchased toys for 57 children and raised over $600 amongst themselves to donate. Uh the development services group did partner with some of our local nursing homes. To provide gifts for almost 40 seniors as well this Christmas. Um Aviata at Ridge Haven.

2:11:28is is the uh is the area. The public infrastructure branch uh collected donations for for our animal shelter and they're also doing a food drive for the needy in our community. And the public safety folks had uh sponsored over a hundred children through the Angel Tree program, so making sure that they all have gifts uh for for this Christmas. And of course our public services group is is always out there at the forefront uh doing toys for tots, uh sponsoring families for uh for Christmas gifts, blood drives, seniors, um food pantries, et cetera. And and to cap it all off, I know

2:11:58some of my executive team, perhaps even some of you, will be working at the at the tent over at Metromolitan Ministries uh on on the nineteenth. Uh I'll certainly be there. But I'm just proud that the organization is is taking a moment to to give back to the community um and especially around this time. So I just uh I thank the team uh for that and again thank you. for for everything that you do for our community and just wish you all a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and a and a Happy New Year. So thank you. Okay. County Attorney.

2:12:26I don't have anything generally, but happy holidays to you all. And uh On to a New Year twenty twenty six.

2:12:36See each other what next week? The what?

2:12:41Yeah, we have a housing workshop.

2:12:42We do have a homeless uh discussion next week.

2:12:45Is that and it's in Dade City. Who who picked that?

2:12:48The Chairman Mariano.

2:12:53He didn't do it.

2:12:54It's not all the way in Dade City. It's almost to the city.