County Administrator HUD and Tri-County workshop

1:53:14Thank you, Commissioner Yeo. Uh uh not superintendent. I brought back my school board days. County Administrator.

1:53:26Uh uh first I uh you know on that note I would like to thank the board for approving uh addendum item 138. It was a consent item that was uh an emergency road access Response kind of team there, and that was uh with with the state Department of Emergency Management. Um, we Pasco County will be one of three agencies in the state with this capability and ability to go in and do quick road clearing, advanced search and rescue with with our team. So, again, I think this again makes us premier, uh brings

1:53:56positive uh press and notoriety to have. County and again we'll show us as an agency leaning forward. So just appreciate yes, Mr. Guthrie's trust in Pasco County to deliver those services to the citizens of the state of Florida. Just real quick, you did have put in front of you a land-made copy of the strategic plan. Again, we're about a quarter behind on this simply because this was adopted in October. October and then we got whacked. So these are here,

1:54:26they're out there for you. Just just know that the implementation is formally working here and we'll be integrating these elements into our day-to-day work. So more to come on that, we'll be discussing that with the team tomorrow, and more importantly, how we're going to measure measure and report out on progress towards that plan. The big item that I wanted to mention, and we've we've talked about it and we still continue. To get information. As you are aware, and it will be formally announced tomorrow, Pasco County is a direct recipient of an amount of $585,704,000

1:54:59from HUD. This is a direct allocation, and I want to that's special, and I'll tell you why that's different. Because most of these allocations are given to state agents. To then distribute and run. The fact that it's a direct allocation means that we actually can access these funds quicker and we're able to put them to good use. There are some restrictions, of course, it has to tie back to the natural disasters. So Helene and Mill. Primarily on this, and they generally have to benefit low to moderate income

1:55:29individuals. Marcy and her team, and again, I would be remiss if I did not thank Marcy for her for her efforts in calling this to our attention. You may recall a very small letter that we had asked the chairman to sign at the time. I thought it was going to be a $250 million letter and gave it a 50-50 shot of going forward. Did I would I have imagined 600 million coming to our county in terms of a direct allocation? But I'm glad that Marcy brought that forward to us and helped us and thanks to Ralph and the team to working

1:55:59through legislative folks to really kind of bring this across the finish line. So we are developing an internal administrative structure on how to manage this. I think it will be probably kept a little closer to my office in order to keep tabs on that. But we're a lot of a lot of a lot of moving parts. So we are working on a one-page summary for your offices. With your constituents and so that you know what qualifies and what may or may not qualify. But we'll be setting up individual meetings with you in pretty short order because we have to have an action plan

1:56:29put together within the next few months on this. And it will require public public meetings, stakeholder engagement with folks across our community because this is an investment in our in our community here at Pasco. Typical things that these dollars. are used to pay for it's it's used to address housing needs uh so that that is simple that is certainly one infrastructure activities as well as economic revitalization revitalization are some of the big buckets that those that those dollars can be put in and I don't want to get premature and publicly start talking about projects

1:57:00because that's what the process is that we'll have to go through and and we'll get there but we will be looking for your input public input citizen input. So I'm just excited uh for us as Pasco County. Quite honestly I think it's the largest uh amount of money that we've ever been granted in our history. Um and and we're excited to uh to put it to good use. So thank you.

1:57:18Madam Clerk? Yes.

1:57:19Mike, uh I'm glad you're taking the approach you are. I think it'd be important to meet with the com commissioners individually as quick as you possibly can, just so we can like talk about the right-of-way. I was gonna suggest that. We all got some good ideas. I'm sure I I know that we do. So I think and that might help you as as you take the steps forward first where to go with it. Um I think Moving fast. Uh and let's another shout out from Marcy to actually put this forward and get this. This is amazing. It is just i incredible to go forward and there's great opportunities for us to do this some of the things we've always wanted to do and help again help with that housing which I

1:57:50think would be absolutely huge. So thank you.

1:57:52Um one of the um things I said to um Mr. Karbala is that first of all, um it's well it's my committee at NACO that handles this money. It's the community economic development and workforce C that deals with the C D P G and HUD and FEMA and all those folks. And um We can I really feel we can thank NACO and all the work that they did during the Covid um era to be

1:58:20the higher ups that it is okay to send money directly to some of the counties. And, you know, they do it by population. And so that that has opened the door for direct deposits to us. And I think that um I have not heard anything yet negative about um how the money uh was spent with these with these counties in the responsible and the very responsible way that we all um engaged in our communities with the federal money.

1:58:51So I actually thanked um Uh the committee during our national call last week and have suggested that Uh if if there are any questions or any issues that we use NACO, um you know, those guys are lobbyists actually, uh, to to make sure that we know all the rules and and and what the You know, how far the boundaries can go and and if we have any issues. And I know Lee Count I know you've been talking also

1:59:21with Lee County because Lee County got some of this money last year.

1:59:24Yeah, uh Lee County received about one point one billion dollars after Hurricane Ian in terms of direct allocation. And uh they actually have a phenomenal website. We will be looking to model a lot of our activities off of uh a lot of lessons that Lee County has learned. And so yes we're we're in touch with with them and other communities as well. And again, Marcy's team uh is is doing is doing great work. We're we're assembling things right now and we we look forward to to making it happen.

1:59:48And uh and I too been watching the uh California fires. My cousin lives in Pacific Palisades. As we were sitting here I just got a text that her building's probably gonna Her her condo did not burn down, but the building was damaged and they're probably gonna condemn her building. So she has has lost you know, they've lived there for I don't know, twenty, thirty years.

2:00:11Yeah, it's it's it's heartbreaking. Um heartbreaking. Um But it makes me grateful for how we how we f deal with disasters and maybe it's because we go through it almost every year that we're so well prepared. Um but it is It it's of course I don't I'm not gonna cast any blame um on on why and how and uh whose fault anything was. I will say that Kathryn Barker, who's the chair of LA County,

2:00:42is is a friend of mine. She's very involved in NACO. Uh do you know Kathryn? Yeah. So it was great to see her up there and um she's invited President Trump uh President elect Trump to come um visit uh California and our I know our hearts and prayers go out to them. It does lead me to a question. And I meant to ask this to you, Kathy, this morning. Um I'm just curious. I I saw them You know, a lot a lot of sites are pushing the Red Cross to donate to the Red Cross. And

2:01:12I'd asked this question earlier. Um during our efforts, I know I know Red Cross made a big push to collect money to help our citizens here in Pasco County. And I just I just don't know what they did. So I'm very curious. Uh if we I used to be a Red Cross board member, but um I'm curious how how did Red Cross help our community? And I I know I did see United Way out there. Um United Way was providing a lot of meals for

2:01:42our people that um you know lost the ability to cook in in in communities. But I just would be interested if someone could ask Red Cross what their response was in our county.

2:01:54Yeah, I mean I think we can provide some information back to the board. I know personally uh they they they assisted with some of the shelter management. management uh during recovery during the recovery piece and and I did uh did have the occasion to speak to some of the representatives in the EOC but certainly we can spell out a detailed account with Kathy and emergency management if that's what the board would like to.

2:02:14Um did did you wanna talk about um the Tri County or for Friday or do you want to 'cause I was going to but I feel it should come from

2:02:21you. Before we leave this topic if it's okay, uh I did have drafted a letter for our uh federal delegation and it's just a thank you for any work that's done behind the scenes to help Bring this money to Pasco so I do have it addressed from the chair, so we would like to I don't know if they need to vote on that. So Jeff Sis. All

2:02:40in favor?

2:02:41Aye. Thank you. Thank you. Um so regarding I'm sorry the

2:02:48Stop that.

2:02:48Tri-County workshop, thank you. But yes, Tri County Workshop. And then

2:02:52we'll break for lunch after that.

2:02:53So yes, the so the uh the Tri-County uh uh it's been called Regional Roundtable be at Ruth Eckert Hall. Uh that is on this Friday the 17th. I understand Commissioner's Yeager and Commissioner Oakley uh do have a preemption event, um, but uh are looking forward to meeting with the rest of our boards. Uh There will be a presentation from Tampa Bay Water, not to be redundant, that's just how the timing worked. There will be a brief discussion on the MPO-TPO merger. And then we're going to talk a little

2:03:23bit about opioid funding and what the various counties are doing with their opioid money. So Paula Barclaudo from our shop will be presenting a very brief presentation, but we'll also hear from Hillsborough and Pinellas County. And then probably the most uh the juiciest topic will be the legislative discussion and what we're doing in concert and maybe what we're what we're doing individually as as as groups. for the region. And then we always like to close it out with some uh with some remarks and a round table where all the elected officials will kind of kind of say some

2:03:54things. And these the next one after this, presuming we keep up with this, we'll be here in Pasco. We will host. But I think it's a great opportunity again to promote regionalism and just to kind of show a United Front in the Tri-County area.

2:04:07Yeah, um I think these are incredibly valuable. Um I I would encourage you guys, um and you know, I we all have things that pop up on our calendar so it you can't always do it, but these are super important so please put a lot of importance on these on your calendar. Um Um because there are a lot of things that we can do in the Tampa Bay area working together and this is where we have that that opportunity to promote those ideas and meet our fellow commissioners and and work together. Commissioner Mariano.

2:04:35Yeah, I I agree wholeheartedly. Of all the outside committees, this is probably the could be one of the more significant ones for down the road because we've never had this level of interaction before, this communication. Usually you meet with one commission and not the other one. Now you get a chance to meet with everybody there and talk about significant projects. If you could, Mike, what I'd like you to do is uh Warren Warren was familiar with the Four River project. I would like our team to get with them and let them incorporate that into what they may say, because I'm gonna ask questions about it and make comments about it. I would like to get them fully versed to what

2:05:06we know and and kind of like just give them prep. I don't want to catch them flat-footed, uh, but I think as much information as they have ahead of time might be helpful.

2:05:13Okay. Um you know, uh something to think about on one of these meetings, I think it happened one time And it might have been on transportation and we did it down at the port. Um but But maybe we should consider inviting, say, City of Tampa Councilman and One or two of the other cities. And the reason I bring that up is We have one city councilwoman. Should we br invite her Friday? Huh?

2:05:40Should we invite her

2:05:40Friday Yeah, let's invite at least that one. But we have we have one city you know, we have some folks who may not speak For their board. That they re that they sit on And And and there's really not another opportunity to talk to the other members. And so Maybe it would be good for regionalism if if there were more people at the table sometimes. So maybe we should consider one giant big one. um somewhere and you

2:06:10know, let's all put our cards on the table. Commissioner Mariano.

2:06:14Yeah, it's not a bad idea, but I don't want to take it away from what we have right now.

2:06:19Separate. So be it. But let's keep what we've got right here. I don't know

2:06:22if they'd agree to it, but I'll have to meet Mary and Bonnie at the bar to discuss that. Yeah,