CRA — August 20, 2026 FINAL

Naya Young

9:11:36AM Thank you for your patience. This community Redevelopment agency meeting is called to order. Who do we have for invocation? A moment of silence?

9:11:51AM She's not here. Can we please stand for a moment of silence, and then we'll do the pledge of allegiance. [Moment of silence] [pledge of allegiance]

9:12:24AM Thank you. Clerk, can you do a roll call, please?

Charlie Miranda

9:12:30AM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

9:12:30AM Here. Clendenin?

Alan Clendenin

9:12:33AM Here.

Bill Carlson

9:12:34AM Here.

Luis Viera

9:12:34AM Here.

Naya Young

9:12:36AM Here.

The clerk

9:12:36AM We have a physical quorum.

Naya Young

9:12:38AM Thank you. Can I have a motion to adopt the minutes from the July 23, 2026 meeting? I have a motion from board member Maniscalco. Second from board member Miranda. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Thank you. We have -- Director McCray is not in today. So we have Ms. Brenda Thrower.

Brenda Thrower

9:13:04AM Good morning, council. Good morning, CRA Board. Brenda Thrower. I am the CRA development manager for Ybor City and West Tampa. I'm here to fill the role, big role of Director McCray. I have our colleagues here with me as well.

Naya Young

9:13:23AM Do we have any changes to the agenda?

Brenda Thrower

9:13:28AM No changes.

Naya Young

9:13:30AM All right. Thank you. We have a motion to approve the agenda.

Luis Viera

9:13:34AM So moved.

Naya Young

9:13:36AM Motion from board member Viera. Second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? That is with board member Hurtak being absent. Okay. Attorney Shepard, are you on?

Cliff Shepard

9:13:51AM Yes, ma'am. Can you hear me?

Naya Young

9:13:54AM Yes, we can hear you. Can you please give the rules for public comment?

Cliff Shepard

9:13:58AM Yes, ma'am. Members of the public are allowed a reasonable opportunity at the beginning of the CRA meeting to address any item on the agenda before the CRA takes official action on an item. However, a three-minute time limit applies to all speakers providing public comment, unless such time frame is modified by a vote of the CRA Board. Speakers and members of the public are also reminded that they are to refrain from disruptive behavior, including making vulgar or threatening remarks or making or causing disruptive noises or sounds or displaying signs or graphics. Speakers are also reminded to refrain from launching personal attacks. The Chair Will rule out of order any person who speaks without being recognized or attempts to address the CRA from outside the speaker area at the podium. Persons failing to comply with the CRA's rules may also be ruled out of order and, at the discretion of the chair, may be removed from the chambers for the remainder of that day's meeting. Finally, CRA Board members are reminded that they should refrain from engaging a speaker under public comment. The City Council rules as revised June 6, 2024, are now in effect for the CRA Board unless otherwise exempted by or overridden by the CRA bylaws.

Naya Young

9:15:15AM Thank you. We have one online speaker, Mr. Michael Randolph. We'll start there. Anyone else for public comment, please line up against the wall. Mr. Randolph, are you on? Good morning. My name is Michael randolph. I want to talk about councilman Carlson's proposed shift in how we finance new stadium, a step in the direction. This issue matters to our community. A recent poll, 2,000 and 60 comments in a short window. Tampa residents watch closely. Instead of taxpayers put the bill up front, revenue from rays entertainment district through tax incentive finance. SMART policy. We need guaranteed minimum payments and performance triggers if development slows down so the city doesn't pay for the cost. We also need to expand the revenue corridor to Hillsborough county -- I mean, Hillsborough Avenue, dale mabry, and columbus, spreading benefits throughout the city. Developers invest in drainage and transit, not to leave that to taxpayers alone. Every dollar of public involvement needs real concurrency. A public oversight board, report, and financial model outline. Finally, most importantly, this just can't benefit the entertainment district. Surrounding low-income neighborhoods deserve real investment protection from displacement, support for small businesses, health care, assets, and job training and a community grant to fund this. Carlson has the right idea. Our job is to make sure the details protect taxpayers. Thank you very much.

9:17:40AM Thank you very much. Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. Mita Martinez, aka, mimi. I am a current East Tampa CRA community advisory committee member. The purpose of me being here today is to represent the East Tampa CAC. I do have their blessing to be here to talk on their behalf. We wanted to give you an important update of what we talked about at our August 4 meeting. We talked about two very important matters that will impact the future of the East Tampa CRA. That's the rays' deal and amendment 3. We want it to be publicly on record to come before you and ask you to please move forward with extending the East Tampa CRA sunset deadline from 2034 to a later date. If we can get the 30 years, that is great. But we want to officially say we do support that. Why is this important? The East Tampa CRA territory is one of the largest in the State of Florida. We have 14 neighborhoods and each one is distinct. Each one is working the best way they can to remove the slum and blight in their neighborhoods. Some of these neighborhoods have strongholds for decades and it's going to take time to untangle. We also know that the East Tampa population will increase by the end of the decade. So we are not going to fulfill everything we need to fulfill by 2034. We need more time so we can continue to roll out projects and plans and grants and resources to sustain our growing population. So what do we need? We need information. We need to understand what the current city and county interlocal agreement is and we want to make sure that when it is renegotiated, it is a fair deal for us. Mr. Felix nu EZ did provide us a current city-county interlocal agreement to all the CAC members because we did request that at our August 4 meeting. We all had an opportunity to review that. I reviewed it and understand it. I just want a fair deal. What are the actions the CAC took? We requested that the CRA Staff host a special call meeting within the 30 days because this deal is moving fast. We want to be able to present to the East Tampa residents three points. One, an explanation of what the city-county interlocal agreement is, what is the process and what is the timeline. Two, we need a financial analysis to see if amendment 3 does get approved, how that's going to impact our TIF revenue. Most importantly, we need to prepare a plan because if the revenue is going to change we need to figure out what are our project priorities and what can we reasonably complete with a potentially new revenue if amendment 3 passes. Finally, we want to partner with you. We want to engage with you. We want to partner with you to make sure that this special call meeting does come, that we do have it on the books within 30 days because we need to protect the East Tampa residents. Things are moving fast. There are a lot of things in the news. We want to make sure that accurate information is being sent out to people and we represent them. Thank you.

9:20:27AM Thank you. Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. My name is vicky tong. I am a concerned community member and I'm also a member of the Tampa immigrants rights committee. I'm standing here today to demand that the Tampa City Council pass an ordinance to end the 287(g) agreement. First, this agreement is irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars. This agreement uses taxpayer dollars to train the Tampa Police Department and federal immigration enforcement tactics, effectively allowing TPD to act as immigration enforcement. So far $430,000 have been put to TPD's immigration enforcement training. No taxpayer dollars should have been allocated to this training to begin with. Our organization has seen the impact of i.c.e. Not just across the country but i.c.e. Has already been and harmed the Tampa Bay area. I.c.e. Is targeting Latino small businesses and communities in Tampa. I.c.e. Is in our neighborhoods, ripping immigrant families apart. TPD should have no part in this and should not be collaborating with agencies like i.c.e. More immigration enforcement does not make our community safer. We have seen across the country and even cities in Florida that i.c.e. Murders both advocates of immigrant rights like renee good and Alex pretti, as well as immigrants like lorenzo salgado araujo and joan Sebastian guerrero. In 2025, the supreme court ruled that i.c.e. Can racially profile citizens. TPD should have no part in this. Immigration enforcement under trump has led to rapid increase in deaths by the hands of federal immigration enforcement within communities and within inhumane detention centers. For all these reasons and more, I'm here to demand that Tampa City Council councilors act in the interest of their constituents, many of whom are immigrants themselves and take a stand against trump and desantis by passing an ordinance to end Tampa's 287(g) agreement. Thank you.

9:22:29AM Thank you. Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. Alain broxton, Tampa resident since 2018. I have been speaking with my neighbors, with church leaders, business owners and everyday Tampa residents. There's always one thing that keeps coming up in the conversations and it is the impact of i.c.e. In our city and in our neighborhoods. We are seeing businesses lose traffic because i.c.e. Activity in our community. Churches closing because of impacted communities. And we are seeing families torn apart and left to pick up the pieces like that of Tampa resident raymundo, who was stocked by i.c.e. Official and deported, leaving his wife and three children to figure out how to survive without him a few weeks ago. That is not all because with the expanded collaboration between i.c.e. And local law enforcement TPD, we are seeing a transfer of culture and the same problems that prevail over i.c.e. And its agents move over, racist actions of local law enforcement. In our community we are hearing continuous feedback of individuals being racially profiled, continuously being stopped and detained and their civil rights infringed for various reasons, all because they fit a specific profile and align to a specific someone mass deportation agenda. As stewards of the city and its residents I implore you to end the collaboration of i.c.e. And local law enforcement through 287(g) program and to enact an ordinance that ends the use of local law enforcement as i.c.e. Multipliers or aids them in any way. Because like the many affected families, if Tampa does not end the 287(g) agreement or does anything, Tampa will be left to pick up the pieces and the effects of this egregious agreement. Thank you.

9:24:32AM Thank you. Next speaker, you have three minutes. Please start with your name. My name is lorenzo. I am a community member and a proud descendant of immigrants. I am demanding that Tampa City Council pass an ordinance ending 287(g). 287(g) is an irresponsible and immoral use of our tax dollars, training TPD to act as immigration enforcement. So far, $430,000 has been put to TPD's immigration enforcement training. None of our taxes should be allocated to this training. Everyone born in this country who is not of indigenous descent are descended from immigrants or those who are forced to be brought here. Though immigration has existed in these lands since the 1500s, the term illegal immigrant didn't exist until late 1800s after the passing of the chinese exclusion act. If that seems racist and xenophobic to you, that's because it is. More immigration enforcement does not make our community safer. The 2025 Supreme Court ruled that i.c.e. Can racially profile civilians. If that sounds racist to you, that's because it is. Tampa should have no part in this. Locally, i.c.e. Has violated their own policies by separating nursing mothers like Rosa gomez and heidi sanchez from their children. If this were to happen to anyone in your family, I'm sure you would be standing next to me saying how cruel and inhumane it is. The City of Tampa and elected leadership have a responsibility of keeping its constituents safe. I know I'm a former employee of the City of Tampa. But your decision to allowing i.c.e. And TPD to collaborate endangers all of us whom you have sworn to protect. Also partaking in 287(g) agreement using i.c.e. Enforcement tactics, contradicts Tampa's human rights ordinance. I demand that Tampa City Council pass an ordinance ending 287(g). During these times of immense racial injustice in our nation and in 287(g) in Tampa will bring our city one close step to righteousness compared to the rest of the south. I appreciate your time.

9:26:41AM Excuse me. Please give us your last name for the record.

9:26:48AM Is that good, clerk? Thank you. Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. We call on City Council to pass an ordinance to repeal its agreement in 287(g). That has the Tampa TPD collaborating and acting as i.c.e., as immigration agents. They are both in this case terrorizing our community, and we call on you as representatives of the people of the city to take action. Meeting before last, week before last, a couple of us met with councilor Miranda. He claimed not to know anything about 287(g). He claimed it was not a City Council issue. Understand all issues Tampa are City Council issues. Please get informed. Ignorance is no excuse. Ignorance does not let you off the hook. Your people in the city are being terrorized. Do something about it. Repeal 287(g). Thank you.

9:28:08AM Thank you. Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. My name is Courtney prekopis. I come before you today on behalf of the league of women voters of Florida. It is a proudly nonpartisan organization. Our advocacy is grounded in positions that have been carefully studied and adopted through grassroots member-driven processes. The league urges the CRA and the greater City of Tampa to end their 287(g) agreement. These 287(g) agreements are not mandated for cities, despite the state's deceptive claims to the contrary. Because local governments like Tampa choose whether they want to enter into and choose whether they want to maintain these agreements, municipalities have an imperative to consider their impact on equitable treatment on community trust and effective governance. The league's long-standing position support fair treatment under the law, due process, equal rights and opportunities for all. Family reunification and humane -- humane effective immigration policies. The league believes that policies should promote family unity rather than contribute to family separation. We also believe that public safety is strengthened when all residents can interact with local government and local law enforcement without fear, and when that trust between communities and public institutions is preserved. 287(g) agreement undermine every one of those principles that I just articulated. Our request is for the City of Tampa to end their voluntary 287(g) agreement. That request is not partisan. It reflects the league of women voters enduring commitment to civil liberties, equal justice, family unity, and responsive government, yourselves included, that serves the entire community. Thank you.

9:30:16AM Thank you. Next speaker, you have three minutes. Please start with your name. My name is ashley morrow. I'll be sharing some of Tampa's black history. Today we will be talking about the buffalo soldiers and their arrival here in the summer of 1898. While they were here, most people that know about the story know about the incident that took place around fort brooke and in ybor, where they were claimed to have destroyed and ransacked the saloons in the area. Then I'm going to talk about why that probably happened. Here is an actual photo from the port. That is the black soldiers arriving here in Tampa. And it was the 9th and 10th calvary, that means on horseback, 24th and 25th infantry, which means they were on foot. So Tampa was designated as the place where the war supplies would be stored and they arrive here in April of 1898, the soldiers and the supplies. The president was asking for volunteers, and the black soldiers responded to the call. The reason why the buffalo soldiers are called the buffalo soldiers, claimed that the native americans said that they fought like warriors, and they were from out west, so they called them buffalo soldiers. There is a marker along Central Avenue. There is a vacant piece of land. I don't know who owns the land. Probably should look that up. Anyways, there is a marker where it is claimed the 24th and 25th infantry stayed. The 9th calvary Port Tampa. 10th was sent out to lakeland. Stave off anybody if they came from the back side. So the soldiers were in ybor and in town. There was a claim that they ransacked all the saloons and came in just roughing up everybody. Everybody is drunk, white and black soldiers but really blaming the black soldiers here in Tampa. Inhumane brutes. It doesn't mention it until the last line, the Ohio soldier was responsible for it, but a black baby was held upside down by his feet and they shot through the sleeve of his outfit. That's why the black soldiers were outraged and kind of stormed ybor and shot it up. It's also reported in atlanta and became a really big deal that it made its way out there. Some Georgia volunteers actually went back to atlanta and saw two of them were wounded. What happened? Black soldiers were down there messing stuff up and shooting things up. So the word got out. The atlanta constitution was a white newspaper, and they explained how they should probably find some block reporters out there to go share the information. I'm going to share one more thing. I have an event next week, beat of Tampa Bay on Wednesday. And then my first sponsored event, unlock your legacy on Saturday, next Saturday. Thank you. It's for teens only. Thank you.

9:33:33AM Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. Anyone else that is going to speak for public comment, please, if you're able -- go ahead. Somebody could help me.

9:34:01AM Allison, you can sit down. I know you're going to speak. Maritza Astorquiza. I am the president of the CAC for Drew Park. Before I get started on the topic that I wanted to talk about today as this is being passed around, I wanted to show my agreement with friends from East Tampa on what they are saying. We absolutely definitely all need to be involved in what is being developed with this rays' deal. If there is any cdd type of thing that's being set up, we need to have a pocket of an allocation that goes back to Drew Park for immediate and future foreseen and unforeseen things that will be happening as a result and impacting us as a result of any development that is going to be going on. Please don't forget us. Actually, you can't really forget us. Okay. We are there. It's a beautiful community that is thriving and moving forward. So what I wanted to say is that for probably a year, we've been asking for details on our projects. You have heard me hear and sent things to you all about the fact that our projects haven't been moving forward. I believe we're not the only community that says so, as they should be. They have been delayed for one reason or another. And what you have on you is finally thankfully for the tenacity of our manager Felix as well as the support that he received in finding this information from nick Bennett. We have a report that shows exactly what I've been talking about, perhaps even a little bit of detail that we wanted to show you. Been wanting to show you. I want everybody to be able to see this. This is just one project. This is the park. It actually started in '22. In '23, we had the conceptual development design. From '24, the service contract and development execution and then look at the construction design. We're in 2026, folks. This is taxpayer money. It's easy to say tax money, TIF. Blood, sweat and tears. This is somebody's work. This money is not just a pocket called taxes. These taxes should be in place for people. These projects, and this is just one of them, all of them are there. Supposed to be in work for the people to enjoy the benefit of it and grow with the community with it. It doesn't do any good for this money to be sitting in the bank. As things are delayed, costs go up. We really need to stay on top of why these things are being delayed. You need to be asking, in my opinion, when these things started and what the process. Not just, oh, it's on track. That doesn't tell anybody anything. I urge you to do this for the rest of the projects that other CRAs have. Not just ours. It's taken me a lot to get here to present this information and I should not have had to have gone through that.

9:37:13AM Thank you. Next speaker. Start with your name. You have three minutes. My name is alison hewitt. I'm a third generation resident and a business owner in East Tampa. I submitted a memo to you also via e-mail. My comments are primarily about transparency, accountability and following through with what the board has already discussed. So in the director's report, I really appreciate the expansion of the director's report, but the grant tracking and project tracking is not the same as accountability. First, I want to create outstanding -- I ask you to create outstanding board directives and commitments, not just projects, but it's very difficult to have to search all the meeting agendas to make sure, and the minutes to make sure we're following the directives that you have given staff on projects that are important to the community. Second, we have the East Tampa CRA-owned properties. You have two that are on your tracking list that were estimated to be released earlier this year that was presented to you in February 2025. The public should know why those have not been released and what is the new timeline. Third, where is the operating agreement? The service agreement? It will be needed to review and renewed in October. Where is that on the agenda to be able to follow? We have not had the meeting to discuss the performance measures, when we'll be updated on those. Next, we have Mr. Degeorge who is coming to speak to you about important items in ybor. What I ask for you to consider is to create an anti-displacement and community preservation committee. So as people are going through projects and rather than saying if it is an sap, if it's just in the state statute, also, what is the impact on potentially displacement, and if there is, how do we work into that grant to be able to protect the residents and the business owners there. I will try to end with two simple principles. If an issue is important enough for the board to discuss, vote on, or direct the staff, it should remain visible to the board and the public until it's completed, resolved or formally closed. I want to thank you, council member Clendenin, for your enthusiasm for the increase in East Tampa, but I ask you as a board to consider that redevelopment should not be measured about how much money comes into the community, but really whether the people and the businesses that have already been there remain, participate, and grow from the investment. Thank you.

9:40:29AM Thank you. Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. Connie burton. The liberty and justice for all, you know, thing that we do every time we start this meeting should be measured and connected to the request of the people. The people should be able to see some form of liberty and justice. So I stand in full support of the call to end 287(g). That this council, This city should have enough information now not to fall off the cliff of Donald Trump. You should know better. When we talk about the measure of the stadium and the impact the stadium will have on say East Tampa in distance and miles is quite a distance. But the first impact that I'm seeing that the stadium is having on the black community is the removal of children out of that facility out of the Department of Justice, juvenile detention center. No information came to the community. We don't know where the children are going to be going. We don't know how the families are going to stay connected to the children, but the impact is first on black folks. What do we get as a result of all of that? We know that some little measurements and maybe some little crumbs will come to organizations, but at the end of the day, this East Tampa CRA has been asking this council, This city government to do right by the people, that you can't have a CRA that has been around for over 20 years and now we are still asking that you have an extension. It should be automatic considering we haven't seen much progress. It should be automatic considering that we have buildings purchased by the CRA for almost six years and no visible improvement. Nothing but the promises and the continual hopelessness of the people because of all of the lies. I used to come up here and say, you know what, the former CRA manager should be terminated, ed Johnson. I ain't have no problem calling his name. But I had to send that man an apology, you know why? Because it wasn't his fault. There's no reason why you should look at a CRA agenda and say what impact, visible impact is it going to have on the very community that has been making the demands, that many of you pride yourself in saying East Tampa with the first CRA and yet we are still poverty driven. We need you to get moving. Some of you will be moving on to your next platform, but remember, we will remember you in saying that you was there when all of the chaos was there, when you done absolutely nothing and do not try to tell the community that your hands were tied because they were not. Thank you.

9:43:32AM Thank you. Please start with your name. You have three minutes. Surgret doss. Because of present company who I love so dearly. That being said, to the young people, I don't understand why we expect humanity from people who have always shown you they are savages. All right? The city's endorsement of mistreatment of people reminds me of something. Actually, I saw last night an immigrant, I think in Ohio, was just having a drink. He's a truck driver. Authorized to be here, actually. He was a citizen, I found out later on. And a police officer with the notion that this guy was going to potentially -- and had him on a hot mike. I wish hot mike for when I was falsely arrested. I tackled this guy and I had him in a chokehold and leg wrap because I thought he was going to blow up and possibly kill 400 people at some mall. The attacker wanted to portray himself as a victim. And that's the world that we now live in. Because people thought it was kind of cool and okay to sit back and watch things go on. A lot of people sacrifice. To the young people speaking now, you all need to galvanize. If you want things to change, otherwise, I don't think this thing is going to last much longer. I'm speaking as a veteran. I don't see 30 more years in this country because you've allowed democracy to continue on cruise control. And that's how you've allowed people who have no business in positions of authority holding high office. A lot of people blame whoever is in office. I have definitely negative thoughts about a lot of the people in office in the State of Florida. I've said it and I'm open about it. I'm going to hold it until I get on my podcast. The reality is -- Florida constitution says all rights are inherent in the people. [Indiscernible] retained by the people. People you, young people especially, way more. I'm almost 60. I have no crazy illusion that I'm going to live forever. I understand the people whose shoulders I stand upon, the ones that speak later on, have laid for me. My generation may have dropped the ball with some of you young folks. You young folks need to stand up and let your voices be heard. I think it's heinous City of Tampa -- authority you have given to these police officers that work with the federal government. That being said, shout out to the greatest institution of higher learning in the City of Tampa, the university of Thomas Jefferson high school.

9:46:38AM Thank you. Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. I am Brian cortez with the puerto rican nationalist party. We are seeking independence for Puerto Rico. Not just that, we also stand with our Latino brothers and sisters. I am a veteran. I was infantry in the army for four years. I've seen my friends die. And I can tell you, they didn't die for this. Despite being a colony of the united states, despite me being born with u.s. citizenship, I am still treated as a second-class citizen. How is that? How is it that an i.c.e. Agent can pull me over because of the color of my skin and tell me I do not belong here. Florida was initially a spanish colony. Tampa was founded by cubans. How can the colonizers sit here and tell us, the people that were born from colonize -- colonization that we don't belong here. We're treated like animals. I have friends at work who are scared. Their visas were revoked out of nowhere. Their cases dropped. They have no help and they want them to wear ankle monitors now, like they are prisoners. You want them out of this land, but you treat them like prisoners, like animals. How does that make any sense? How am I a veteran, an american citizen, and I am treated like an animal?

9:48:18AM Thank you. Next speaker, please start with your name. You have three minutes. When we look at the CRAs, as connie burton was mentioning, some of the things that are challenges for us. One, I don't think we take full advantage of every economic opportunity. Our strategic plan talks about job creation, commercial districts but then when it is time to build those, there's always something that gets in the way of that. For example, getting ready to do a lot of development. There's no local hiring preferences for folks in East Tampa CRA to get them on these job sites. I think we do a great job of having disadvantaged, wmbe-type programs, but nothing to help drive those who don't have a business. Some people have businesses and we need to get more of those included, but there are a lot of folks hurting who don't have businesses that can get careers started in the construction trades and other trades that do not have access to these great jobs. The rays are getting ready to build a stadium. Have we thought through how we're going to integrate workforce opportunities? There's stuff in downtown going on right now. Are there residents in downtown or residents in other CRAs from a local hiring preference or local hiring opportunity to get young folks opportunities on these jobs? We have to start thinking through this process because there are people out there hurting. Every single day we have people coming to the organization saying need jobs. They see other people working and getting jobs, but nothing for them and they pay taxes as well. How do we really think through this process of making sure there's opportunities for local hires? Also opportunities for small businesses to get opportunities. Then when it's time to do development, it's not only about building housing, it's also about building business centers in commercial districts. When we come to the CRA and ask for funding for these things, why are we being told, no, we can't build business districts in our communities. It doesn't make sense. We need your help, guidance. We'll be coming back to you guys to figure this out, but we have to build the systems. Ybor City was built that way. Downtown was built this way. Now it is time for East Tampa to be built. We can't get it. Thank you.

9:50:35AM Thank you. Next speaker, you have three minutes. If there's anyone else that wants to speak during public comment, would you please line up against the wall, if you're able. The whole state looks to the City of Tampa for leadership. In the Tampa Bay area, you guys are the leaders. I know so many people that are afraid to go on record for opposing the 287(g) agreement. The governor of the State of Florida is threatening municipalities saying he will withhold funds if people are not complicit in upholding the community, the police departments are not complicit in upholding the 287(g) agreement, which it's not well defined. Nothing in the 287(g) agreement that says the local municipalities need to be complicit with a governmental agency that is hiring people and on hire telling them they will not be held accountable for crimes committed while they are in the line of duty. So nobody signed an agreement saying that they would agree to work with an agency that is murdering people, exposing them to things that are unconstitutional. All of us, all of our municipalities are saying, well, there is a law that we need to be complicit and assist with immigration and deportation and the i.c.e. Agents. It doesn't say anything about taking children from their families, giving people maggots in their food, putting ankle bracelets on people. Acting like people are dirt. So I'm asking you to please lead the way. Show the rest of Florida what it looks like to say we are not going to be treated like we have to do things that we know are illegal. Seriously, you guys could be the ones to make it happen. I know that there's organizations of city councils and mayors and stuff, create a posse. You know, it is hard to stand by yourself. That's why it is so powerful to have a group. So thank you for your time.

9:53:19AM Thank you very much. Do we have anyone else for public comment? I had two lights that came on. Board member Carlson and board member Clendenin, did you want to make quick comments?

Bill Carlson

9:53:37AM I just want to say this -- and I can't speak for my colleagues. First of all, this is the CRA Board, not the City Council. We're the same people but today we are CRA. I can say that City Council since I've been sitting on it has been very protective of civil rights and human rights. We've tried to correct the mistakes of the last two administrations in how they've overstepped that. City Council is the place where it is the public town square where the public can come and talk about the issues that are a concern to them. Some of them, the City Council can address. Some of them the mayor can address. Some of them other agencies address. In this case, we have been briefed on this issue before. Talking about the immigration issue. We expressed our concerns. I don't remember when it was. As I understood happened, we were briefed months ago, my colleagues can correct me. The former police chief approved that contract without City Council approval. I don't know if the mayor approved it or not. The charter is clear that all the staff in the city report to the mayor and the departments report to the mayor. What I would encourage everybody to do is set up an appointment with the mayor. Her e-mail is jane.castor@tampagov.net. She has a political Director, Marley wilkes, you can contact her and discuss this. The mayor is the one that can change this. She can get the new police chief to unsign it or change it in some way. But it was not an act of City Council. City Council did not approve that at all. And I don't think we would have. But because we have two branches of government, City Council is very limited in what we could do. And sometimes people get frustrated because they want us to do something. But if it's not in our power, we can't. I would encourage you to meet with the mayor, and if the mayor refuses, her office is next door, go stand out in front until she talks to you. Thank you.

Naya Young

9:55:44AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

9:55:45AM Just quickly, one, I think everybody needs to understand the politics of the folks, the seven people that sit up here are probably aligned with what you're talking about. That being said, so much of this is outside of the control of the City of Tampa and the real action is the legislature, the governor, and the cabinet. Particularly our attorney general who issued a warning to the City of Tampa, actually threatened to remove the mayor over this issue because we weren't enforcing these things. Local control is eroded in the State of Florida. The legislature, the governor, and the cabinet continues to chip away at it. Every day, not just civil rights, but all rights of municipalities and counties are being ripped away from us. Every day we wake up, it's a new attack on local governments and the people in the city -- in the State of Florida. Elections are coming up in November. That's all I'll say to that. That being said, the reason I put the light on, point of personal privilege. We have a birthday girl in the house. Robin Lockett. Today is her birthday. [ applause ] [singing] happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear robin, happy birthday to you. Thank you for being such a great champion. [ applause ]

Naya Young

9:57:37AM Board member Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

9:57:41AM Thank you, Ms. Lockett. We're very proud of you. Happy birthday.

9:57:46AM Happy birthday to my sister and my grandfather in heaven. August 20 is a big deal. Happy birthday.

Naya Young

9:57:55AM Thank you.

Bill Carlson

9:57:57AM I just wanted to say happy birthday to robin, but for anybody who doesn't know robin, robin is one of the top advocates for affordable housing in Tampa along with connie burton. And they come almost every week. Because of their advocacy and fearlessness, we've made a lot of policy changes in the last few years. Thank them for their advocacy.

Naya Young

9:58:20AM Thank you. All right. Thank you all. Thank you, board, for your comments. For everyone who came to speak today, just acknowledging you all coming down here and using your civic duty to come to speak to us. Please know we hear you. We've heard you. I just appreciate you all taking the time to come downtown and to continue to be advocates and also happy birthday to Robin Lockett. My mentor, awesome person. I'm happy to see you sitting right there front ROW and always being an advocate for the community. Our personal privileges are done.

Brenda Thrower

9:59:01AM Good morning. Brenda Thrower, CRA development manager. The Tampa Heights CRA is the highlight for this month. Today we have Raj Patel, the CAC chair, who is here to give a few comments and highlights of what's happening in Tampa Heights riverfront. Raj.

Raj Patel

9:59:26AM Good morning, board members. Raj Patel, Tampa Heights CAC chair. Just some updates in our neighborhood. In May, the CRA Board --

Naya Young

9:59:38AM I am so sorry. How much time do you think you need?

Raj Patel

9:59:41AM Two minutes.

Naya Young

9:59:42AM Okay. I'll give you three. [ laughter ]

Raj Patel

9:59:45AM Thank you. In May, the CRA Board voted to approve $80,000 addition to the way-finding program. So that's subject, obviously, to your approval today, and then once that gets approved, it will go into production. For that project, I think it's been in the works for a couple of years now. February new ADA equipment, playground equipment was installed at water works park. Thank you to the parks and rec and CRA Staff for getting that done. Great addition to what I think is probably our greatest park. Then the Palm Avenue and North Boulevard roundabout sculpture. In September, we went for RFP for artists. We had 130 artists. Whittled that down to 3. Finally we awarded to artist named dulk. I believe probably around october/november next year would be the install. It's already been awarded. I think the arts department is working on the contract to get that done. Very excited to see the community's feedback once that is installed. We're still working on finding artwork for the highland roundabout, but hopefully in the next few months, we'll get that sorted out. Finally, the lieutenant baldomero Lopez sculpture, that's being installed in the next few weeks here, directly to the right of the water works park sign. So when you're coming off i-275 off the ramp, it will be the water works park sign and then his statue. That install date is still to be determined, but it will be in the next few weeks. That's all I have for Tampa Heights.

Naya Young

10:01:28AM Thank you. Does the board have any questions? No. thank you very much.

Brenda Thrower

10:01:37AM Thank you so much. Brenda Thrower, CRA development manager. So I'm here to deliver the director's report on behalf of Cedric McCray. To kick off, talking about the project trackers. Those are routine. They are in your packet. You should be receiving those every month. Those also are passed out to the CACs on a monthly basis. I'd like to highlight, though, the commercial grants. Just kind of want to put an announcement into public record here that a friendly reminder to the CRA Board and community business centers within the CRA boundaries that the cycle one application window for the commercial special projects and development grants will open on September 1st, 2006, and close on November 1st, 2006. If a commercial business or property owners are interested in applying, please reach out to schedule a consultation meeting as soon as possible. They can call the office at 813-274-8325 or they can submit inquiries through the website at Tampa gov -- tampa.gov CRAs and community redevelopment areas. I just want to make sure that everyone knows that the grant program is opening up. I know the grants team has been very -- already entertaining consultations up until now. Are there any questions about the reports?

Naya Young

10:03:10AM Any questions? No. okay.

Brenda Thrower

10:03:13AM Great. The second thing I would like to report on is Florida redevelopment week. The fra is doing something new this year, and they have designated the week of September 14 through the 18th as Florida redevelopment week. So Tampa, as you know, we're very active with the Florida redevelopment association, we are going to participate. We've got plans to do a very robust social media campaign with some videos, highlighting some of the projects that we've been involved with in each of the CRAs, as well as we're going to have an open house at the East Tampa CRA office on that Friday. So we're going to get a lot of publicity about this. What we would really like is for the CRA Board to maybe recognize this week and consider maybe a commendation that could be for next month on September 10. Do you need to read something?

Naya Young

10:04:11AM I just text -- left it on my desk. We will do that.

Brenda Thrower

10:04:16AM I think we need a motion from the board. I can read it, if you'd like. That CRA -- Tampa CRA Board present a commendation at the next CRA Board meeting on September 10, recognizing Florida redevelopment week in the City of Tampa to be observed September 14 through 18.

Naya Young

10:04:38AM We have a motion by board member Clendenin, a second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Brenda Thrower

10:04:47AM Thank you so much. We'll be getting a lot of publicity about all of that. The third thing I have is the newsletter. It's on your desk up there on the dais. We were doing these quarterly, so we're getting them out. These highlight activities. We try to pick one for each of the districts as well as some highlight of an article, things that we're doing. It's all positive. Also on the back, I want to bring attention to all of our social media channels we have. We really are building a following. We always encourage the community to like and follow because they get a lot of information about what's happening, including like Florida redevelopment week and the grant programs opening up and so forth. That's for you. We do pass these out to the CAC. We also put them out as e-newsletter with our partners with hcp. So they help us get that out. Any questions about that?

Alan Clendenin

10:05:45AM Do we mail these to anybody as well?

Brenda Thrower

10:05:47AM We don't mail them. Because it's very expensive. We could, but we haven't done that in the past. We really use them through our social media channels as well as getting them out to the community. We will have them on hand for our open houses. Any outreach we do -- we only print around 200 of them right now to just kind of get them out. But we're happy to target them somewhere if you have a preference. Last but not least, on behalf of Director McCray, I'd like to take a moment just to recognize Melisa Martinez. She is our CRA senior project supervisor who is retiring. So it's bittersweet. Today will be her last CRA Board meeting. So Melisa.

Melisa Martinez

10:06:46AM One last time. [ applause ] good morning.

Alan Clendenin

10:06:49AM We're not applauding that you're leaving.

Melisa Martinez

10:06:54AM Melisa Martinez for one last time. Senior project supervisor for the Tampa CRA. Thank you so much. I really appreciate the time. I've been working for the city for 18 years. The last 4 years has been with the Tampa CRA. I've learned a lot every day. Even last week I was learning a new system. So I really appreciate the time. Appreciate the staff. I saw them walking in and I knew something was happening. Thank you so much. I really appreciate this time. Let her have a picture with you at the dais. This is her project team back here. Come on up, project team. We'll take the picture.

Brenda Thrower

10:08:44AM She's still working, so she will be here for the meeting. We have a few items that we may need Ms. Martinez to be a part of. That concludes the director's report. Are there any questions?

Naya Young

10:08:58AM Any questions from the board for the director's report?

Brenda Thrower

10:09:05AM All right. The next item on the agenda is item number 3. It's a resolution seeking your approval for the construction between the CRA and the Jackson House Foundation. You've already approved supporting this project. Today is the funding agreement that is before you, and it has been signed by the parties. I believe Dr. Collins is in the room. Thank you.

Naya Young

10:09:32AM Board member Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

10:09:33AM I've always supported the Jackson house. I'm glad to see Dr. Collins here, who has been a champion since before day one. Recently, we celebrated the beginning of the restoration of the guida house in West Tampa outside the CRA boundaries. Some folks were asking, what about the Jackson house? Well, we don't own it. The guida house is a property that the City of Tampa does have. The Jackson house is part of the foundation that's more complicated layers. But again, I'm excited that this is moving forward that we continue to move forward. We've always supported it up here. Once it's done, it's going to be very, very exciting. That's it. Move the resolution.

Charlie Miranda

10:10:17AM Second.

Naya Young

10:10:21AM Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

10:10:24AM I've been a huge advocate for the Jackson house for a long time. Talked to linda saul-sena, when the last mayor tried to tear down, linda came in to City Council and City Council saved the Jackson house. But nothing has happened since then. There's been very little happening to it. It's falling apart. There are some documents here that say we allocated this money in 2022. As best I can tell, it was 2019. You can blame the administration or whomever for not advancing the money. The Jackson House Foundation thought it was coming from the city because the mayor's press conference. But my concern is nothing is happening. Every time the Jackson House Foundation says that there is a reason why they can't do anything, we correct that problem and then they come up with a new excuse, correct that problem, new excuse and we correct that problem. I don't have confidence in them fixing this building. We suggested buying it from them in the past. We suggested taking it over. But they get lots of publicity and blame everybody else for not fixing the building but the building is going to fall apart. I think we ought to add a clause or sentence, talked to cliff about this earlier, that says if they don't repair the building within a year that we withdraw this money. It's been sitting there since 2019 in an account. And the Jackson House Foundation has got to do something or they need to sell it to somebody or turn it over to somebody who is going to save it. If they don't intend to save it, which appears to be true, then they need to let somebody else save it. If the city controlled this building, we would have saved it by now. I'm tired of seeing the posts over and over again about how the city is not saving it when we allocated the money through the CRA many, many years ago. I would make a motion to add a clause -- cliff said we can add this verbally -- add a clause that says this contract and money -- keep in mind, it's been available since 2019 -- that it expires a year from now if the Jackson House Foundation has not substantially renovated the building.

Naya Young

10:12:35AM Miranda and then you.

Charlie Miranda

10:12:36AM Thank you, madam chair. I'm speaking for not only myself but other council members not here that I've served with in the past. Not one ever has voted against it that I know of. Some things in life take a little longer. Sometimes when it takes a little longer, you do a little better. Thank you very much.

Naya Young

10:12:56AM Board member Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

10:12:57AM I think I share everybody's frustration with the speed of this particular issue. We saw some of the recent damage just in the last couple of weeks with a cave-in on the side of the house. It is extraordinarily frustrating that it's taking so long. I understand some of the challenges in the past with the right-of-ways and all that. I agree with board member Carlson today that we probably have to have some kind of stop instead of ongoing thing. There needs to be some type of deadline on this to move forward. If this goes on any further, there won't be a Jackson house to restore.

Naya Young

10:13:39AM Board member Viera, and then I want to allow -- we do have the Jackson House Foundation here.

Luis Viera

10:13:44AM Thank you, madam. The sentiments expressed by Councilman Carlson I'm putting an additional sense of urgency, obviously very well taken. I would like to go forward voting the representatives of the Jackson house. The sentiments are well taken. But I would like to hear rebuttal, whatever you want to call it.

Naya Young

10:14:06AM Dr. Collins. Foundation INC. Jackson House Foundation. Support. It's amazing that I found out from councilman maybe two years ago, three years that we even had the money. We didn't know we had the money. Ever since we found out we've had the money, we've been grateful. We've acknowledged it and we've done everything that we've been told to do to get it. I need to say this and I need to say it now. And it's not negative. I hope it's positive. While the intent may have always seemed as though there was an interest in the Jackson house, there was always something working behind the scenes. We were not blaming the city. We were not blaming anyone. We were giving the facts. And we need people to understand that's what we were doing. We have hired an architect. We have done the design plans. The house collapsed about this time last year. We did emergency repair work on it. Everyone who say they gave us money, we still do not have the money and we're trying to make sure that we can get that paid for. I need to say this, in addition to that, we are raising money so that we will have the finances. We have also gone through a plethora of contractors in order to get someone who is willing to do the work on the Jackson house. We are fortunate that we have the company. We have sent the contract to the city, to the county, to the state who is also looking at it from a federal perspective. This is not just a, we are so happy with what's happening at the guida house in the area of the park. We are not holding up nor blaming anyone. We are trying to jump through every hoop that we've been given. And look back every time we achieve one, we get another one. But we're not stopping. We're going to rebuild the Jackson house at 851 Zack Street. If the intent is to make sure, councilman, all of you, that we are doing what we said we're going to do, we're going to ask you today to do one thing for us. Expedite us getting the funds so that we can move forward. We have funds from a number of entities. We have people outside of the State of Florida who have been able to see some of the press releases that we've been doing over the years, and they have their own foundation and they have sent us money to help us with day-to-day operation and sums of money sufficient that we can actually work with, but not sufficient enough to build a house. The contract just got back from the State of Florida. We have it. We met with the contractor with the, I call it the breach in the house going on now. We are working with City staff and the state with a meeting today to make sure we can move forward. There's one thing I want everybody to understand. We could have built this house a long time ago. Could have built it much cheaper and it wouldn't have been the historic Jackson house. It would have been the Jackson house 851 Zack Street. Our hands are tied. Every month I get a communication from FEMA. We have to report to them. They want the budget. They want to know what we're doing. We're jumping through all of the hoops. We're doing everything we've been told to do. What we would ask today and thank you in advance for passing this so that the contractor that we have and will probably be signing, wish we could have signed it the 1st of July, but hopefully we'll be signing it and state staff who have been absolutely excellent. Secretary of interior and all at the State of Florida who working with us. They said they know Tampa will work with you and do this. We've had their grant longer than we've had the CRA grant and know that we had it. So whatever you want to put in now, probably can say okay a year. We ask that you not put that on us. Just get us money. We even came to you before and said to you this is a million dollars. We're talking about what is probably a full million dollar process. And since it was almost five years ago, we asked you to allow us to change it and increase it. You said, well, go ahead, as soon as you sign the contract, as soon as the contractor give you a budget, bring it back. We are here. We will always be here. The previous complaint was we never came. That's why we start trying to come regular. We want to do whatever it is we need to do. I thank each and every one of you for the support and votes you have given us. I thank the mayor and her administration, all of the legal staff, everybody who has worked diligently with us. I have to tell you, I even thank the accardis, after three to four years, finally gave us the easement on the east and west side so we would be able to meet with you guys, told us code, found out subsequently, we could have built it without the easement. Hear city officials make comments about how the house should be sold and didn't have a meeting with us to talk to us about where we are in the progress, that for me and I'm not speaking on behalf of Dr. Collins. I am speaking on behalf of Dr. Angela Scott, who is the chair of the restoration project that has been working diligently with the city, the county, and the state. So for someone to make a statement that we're not doing what we're supposed to do and didn't have a conversation with us, I think that's unfair to make those public comments. So going on record, we are doing what we are supposed to be doing. Talk to your staff, talk to people in the city to know what we're doing to achieve this goal. I do know people in the community are saying things on social media. That is the new format of communication, and that is okay. I don't have to panic when the city panic. I don't have to panic when the people panic because I know we're doing what we're supposed to do. This house will be rebuilt in the governance we have, authority to do it with. We will keep the historical status and we are working with the different funding sources that we have. So please speak to us. I know one councilperson up here who talks to me regularly to find out what's going on. And thank you, Naya Young. And thank you, Mr. Carlson, because we did ask you for a meeting. We called you. You was willing to meet with us. And we met with you and you even said on the media that anything happen, we will give them the additional money and make it happen. And while you've not been able to come through for whatever reason, we're asking you to come through now. So we thank you. We thank all of you because we've had a total vote, seven right, we've had a 7-0 vote that you guys supported us. And we thank you for that. We need to let you know we have not taken it for advantage. We've actually worked, and we've done everything. The house will be built. 851 East Zack Street. And we're keeping it as a historic house. And the restrictions on us for historic house is astronomical. We don't mind showing it to you. We sometimes pull our hair out. They call me and I had ten minutes to get to the house, when was it, yesterday. I was late. It took me 15, but I got there with the intent of not even having a glass of water, taking my blood pressure pill. I took what I needed to do. I didn't get back home until 2:00. We are working. We are going to continue to work diligently. We appreciate what CRA has done. We appreciate what the board of the City Council have done since you guys are really two different entities. We thank you and we ask you to call us anytime. We are available for you 24/7. Because that's what it's going to take for the Jackson house to be replaced. We are not blaming anyone. We are working on everything.

10:23:24AM Thank you, ladies. Board member Viera, you wanted to speak. Do you still have comments? Then we'll go to Carlson and alan.

Luis Viera

10:23:36AM My view is that something that puts contractually bound cut off, especially after hearing from these two board members and women, I would prefer something that is more aspirational, what have you, as opposed to something contractually bound. I think it's something, again, after hearing them out. That's something I'm willing to support.

Naya Young

10:24:01AM Board member Carlson and then Clendenin.

Bill Carlson

10:24:05AM My frustration, and for anybody watching for the first time, I met with willie Robinson in front of the house in 2012, I think it was, when he had just gotten an order from mayor buckhorn, tear it down and charge 60,000 in fees and charge him for tearing it down. And we saved it. Linda saul-sena came in. City Council overruled the mayor's order at the time. Then we tried to save it and the mayor at the time squashed our project to save it. Then it rolled into the foundation, somewhere around 2013. But from the point of view of the public, nothing has been done since 2013. I know steel beams and things done inside. The reality is the thing is falling apart. The sides are falling off and that's what the public sees. Offered to buy it from the Jackson House Foundation. We offered to condemn it and then give it back to the foundation. The foundation is like we want to run it, we want to run it. The thing is falling apart and the public doesn't see anything. We allocated the money around 2019 and there were concerns about access. Accardis gave temporary access. Confirm with the foundation, you have access on both sides and in the alley now? Ten feet easement on the east and west side of the house.

10:25:25AM Sorry to bring you back up. Chair. We actually have the ten feet easement on the east and west side of the house. Thanks to the City of Tampa, we were not able to get it after working over three years plus, but the city was able to get it. That's why we're grateful to everyone. Once the city got it, they got it and then told us do what you need to do. We had to do everything they told us to do and we have the deed. Yes, we own that. In addition, while we did not want to close the alley, we closed the alley in good faith working with the accardis that worked through the city and we've gained additional property at the end -- at the back of the house which give us half of the alley as well.

10:26:17AM Seven or -- I was told by the city that the Jackson house, accardis and the city, would go down and do the survey again. We can see the markers where someone has been there. Someone told -- I said don't call the city no more. Easy for people to say one thing to me or us together and then say another thing to her and then we have to undo it. We were told we would go down together, do the survey, then they say, oh, no, we didn't say do that. Oh, yes, you did. If we have to, we'll pay for the survey.

10:26:54AM In 2019 after we allocated this million dollars, jeff vinik via his then chief of staff christina barker announced that the vinik foundation was giving a million dollars. I understood that Ms. Barker then was on your board also. Never been on the board.

10:27:14AM Thank you for clarifying that. What is the status of that money? Is that not coming now? That, but the Tampa Bay History Center that Mr. Vinik Wanted to give the money to make sure it was appropriately manage and he asked for our permission to do that and we agreed. When cj roberts left, cj roberts, whatever he did, he did. It's out there. They sent all of the money and the records back to the vinik foundation. As far as we're concerned, the vinik foundation still have the funds. The viniks have not said they are not going to give us the funds at all. I talked to christina barker on a number of occasions. She said they was waiting as well to see progress. Even under the Tampa Bay History Center, they was not seeing it.

10:28:15AM Policy director under the mayor trying to tear it down. Community has concerns about that. Why did it take from 2019 until recently -- until three years ago for anybody to tell the foundation that we had allocated the million dollars?

10:28:34AM I don't know why somebody on staff or at the city wouldn't have told. While she's getting up to answer that, I'm in favor of expediting some part of the money. I'm in favor of asking for additional money. But what I want to see is movement on renovating it. The public wants to see movement. Pieces are falling down and don't see any action happening. If you can come back in let's say two months with a lot of progress being shown -- we can come back to you in hopefully as soon as we have the company that was there yesterday with the three companies they have called to do what they need to do. We have a meeting today with the state to get permission for it.

10:29:23AM We would approve this money today hopefully with a clause that it needs to be substantially completed within a year. But the other thing, if you need additional money, I'm happy to make a motion for that at some point, but I need to see major changes going on at the facility. My frustration for the public is not with you individually. It's the fact that this thing is falling apart and there are political forces in the community who want it to fall apart and are going to clap and celebrate when it falls apart. I think it's too important of a building in African American history and Tampa's history, and I personally promised willie Robinson that I would help save it. I'm angry because the thing is falling apart. I promised willie that I would do the same thing. We're doing everything we can. I would ask because we just found out about the money, when we were standing here, that you had given us a million dollars and we did not know anything about it, but we got the million dollars from the state probably about three years before then, and they have worked with us with the grant. I would ask that you guys pass this today. If you have any questions and you want us to come back with whatever, we're more than welcome -- I mean, we're going to do what you ask us to do. We've had to wait. Do we need more money? We've already told you that. As soon as sign the contract with the contractor, construction firm, to come back, have them do a budget and bring it back. We'll go through your new process. That's what they told us we needed to do, that we had to start over again, go through the new process all over in order to get the additional money and we're going to jump through those and hopefully we'll be doing that within a month.

Naya Young

10:31:11AM Hold on a second. As we have these future meetings and I know that you all are going to be reaching out to Dr. Collins and myself as far as what the process is looking like in detail, but here's the thing, we have permitting. You can't do certain things. A lot of people are all of a sudden construction experts. And we need to understand the construction process, and we need to understand what the city is demanding for us to do to touch the building. Zoning, permitting, and all of that. There are things we have to do in order before we can move forward. I don't want all of us to sit here and think we know all of the processes with the ddr, the ARC, all of that. We have to follow the guidelines. Those are some of the things we're doing and we're so happy to have those conversations with you.

10:32:01AM I want to go to board member Clendenin and then Viera. Then I have questions and comments I would like to make. That's going to be one of my questions. I wrote it down. Board member Clendenin and then board member Viera.

Alan Clendenin

10:32:17AM I want to make sure that people understand this is not -- Councilman Carlson has been one of the biggest champions of the Jackson house, long before I served on Tampa City Council. I knew he was a champion. Him, linda saul-sena and others have been champions of the house, the historical significance of the house, not just the black community, but the culture and legacy of the City of Tampa and what it stands for and the educational purposes of keeping the Jackson house standing, for future generations to understand where we have been and where we are and where we're going and mistakes that have been made. I want to be clear that I appreciate councilman Carlson's championship of this project. Also, part of the problem, Dr. Collins, we've seen this process go on for so long. I understand the struggles and I know your frustration as well and I hear your frustration, hear it in your voice and heard it in your voice before. We also have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the money is well taken care of and that it is being used in an expeditious way. Because as we saw with the cave-ins that just happened in the last couple of weeks, we've all seen the tremendous amount of decay and decline of that house over the last four or five years. It's amazing to see how badly -- the condition that it's in. I don't think it's unreasonable to put the clause in there, at least to have some point and some pressure point to ensure that this process moves forward. This thing has been going on for so -- I understand -- by the way, the accardis didn't give us that property. They got a really good deal. More than what we got.

10:34:11AM Exactly. The accardis, they were not the benevolent company on this. We ended up giving away a lot of land in order to get that small piece, the slivers of dirt on either side of the structure so you could move forward to reconstructing this building. Thank you.

10:34:31AM Everybody up here, I think we are all looking for the same goal. We are on your slide. We want to see this project move forward. We want to see the Jackson house reconstructed. We're trying to put as -- but we also have the fiduciary responsibility. I still support having some kind of close end to this to create a little more of a pressure point. Then maybe you have to come back to us if you don't meet that goal. I think we should have a close end on this. We are very supportive. I look forward to having the grand opening of the historic Jackson house and hopefully I'll be alive to attend that. If I have the opportunity, thank you guys and I would hope that you would not put anything negative on this. I agree, if we could leave it positive. And if you have a problem with it, and you say in a year you don't see anything done, then you'll come back in a year and say we told you this and this is what we're doing. Place something negative on it and telling us all to come back in a new year and we're Planning on coming back hopefully in a month with a budget to bring it to you and asking you for more money, I don't want to hear you or the future council people say, well, we had to put a clause in there to get you all -- no.

10:35:52AM Dr. Collins, it's not negative. It is a check-in point. Accountability. It's not negative. So we have that check-in point. That's what I'm hearing at this point. We have the different fund sources. We have the state fund and that is in two ways for the Jackson house and the City of Tampa has grant funds also. But that funding is specifically towards restoring historic home. Go through this quickly. We have funding also for the challenge grant. We have the CRA funding, and we have some private funding. Each one of the fundings, they have very specific rules and policies, how we can obtain this money. I like to tell people we are grant awarded. We don't have those funds in our hands what we can move forward. Today, as this gets approved, we will have that money so that we can move forward on a project. We have a timeline. And as Dr. Collins Has said earlier, we met with the construction management firm that will be managing this project. So we get to move forward with them. We're just getting some legal language together so that will be signed by the end of this week and we can make that announcement. We also are going to be responsible in communicating with the public in the process and steps that we're doing as well. So that will take some of the pressure off the city as well as what we're doing and what that timeline look like. But you should see where the breaches in the building at this time, we're going to make it public safety and that should prayers to god happen before August 31st, before the end of this month if we're moving forward with everything that's going on. We have everything in place. So when that part of the building comes down, you will start to see the deconstruction of the building starting in this year. So we are excited about our steps. We just ask you all to please reach out to us. We do meet monthly as a board and we do meet bimonthly with all of the stakeholders that are involved with this project as well. I hear the frustration of Mr. Carlson, we got a chance to meet with him that time, but we also have frustrated as well when people don't ask us the question and we make up, we fill in the blanks. Let's not fill in the blanks, come and talk to us, please. When Dr. Scott said the meetings, we've been meeting every other Monday with the state, the county, the city, and anyone else that want to come. We even have volunteers coming on. But the naysayers are not coming on those calls, and they are open. We have community meetings every three months. We let the community tell us where they want us to go. We are working with East Tampa now to be in East Tampa for the next meeting. We try to tell the community what's going on. We have done everything conceivably possible and we don't restrict anyone from coming. We've been having every Monday meeting. I just -- every Monday we call them lunch and learn. If you want to know something, call in and listen because we know the people in the community is seeing what we see. Do not like what they see. And there are some that don't even understand what they see. We're trying to make sure that we're communicating as best we can. And we do not want anyone to think we're afraid to tell you what's going on. We're happy to tell you. Anybody listening, come and help us. We don't mind.

Naya Young

10:39:31AM Board member Viera and then I have some comments.

Luis Viera

10:39:33AM I'm going to curtail my comments. First, let me, if I may, can we call the question on the motion to vote on it? Is everyone comfortable with that and then discuss?

Naya Young

10:39:46AM I have questions I want to ask first.

Luis Viera

10:39:47AM I have a lot of things to say, but again -- and I'll speak to that. If Councilman Carlson were to make a motion directing Ms. Thrower to meet with the Jackson house board and come back to us next month with actionable cut-off dates and so forth and viable plan of action and working with the board with immediate reporting next month on an emergency basis, I could support that. If I'm not satisfied with that, then this could do that. I could support that, right? My big issue is this. I remember, going to cafe con Tampa in 2016 and you guys asked me a question on this and you've been on this a very, very long time. I just don't want every discussion up here to get mired in the election we have coming up. And I just, when I hear all these names of people involved in a forthcoming election, I don't want to have to deal with every single damn issue that we deal with up here dealing with that. There are certain things, give folks a single but not a triple. Get out of second. Again, if there were some sort of a motion that were to direct Ms. Thrower to come back next month, I would be all for that. Again, if we're not satisfied, councilman, I would very likely vote for your motion. That's my compromise.

Naya Young

10:41:15AM That was kind of going to be where I was on the lines of more like. First off, I'm hearing what everyone up here is saying. I think it's because we do want to -- we want to see the Jackson house be preserved. I don't think there's any question in that. Also, in meeting with Dr. Collins and Dr. Scott, I know they have been working very hard, not just on this project but on other projects. I hear when you're working with the ARC, zoning, permitting, for some it's a little bit easier. For some it's very difficult. That varies as well. I can understand that that could really prolong a timeline, especially when you're dealing with such a historic place. My question, one, I do want to go back to councilman Carlson's question about why, you know, Jackson House Foundation didn't know they had the money. Then I want to simply ask Dr. Scott and Dr. Collins what you all need from us so that this can happen. Whatever you need from us as a board, also for me as chair of the board, to help to move this so that you all are getting the assistance you need, that we're moving this forward, but I want to hear from you all. I feel like I kind of already have an idea, but tell us what you need from us and then let's talk with the staff and how we can make that happen. If it's expediting the funds. If it's having a meeting as board member Viera said next month and come back with a report. Then after that we say okay, maybe we need to put a year stipulation. What do you need from us so we can move it forward, and staff, what can we do to work with the Jackson House Foundation?

Brenda Thrower

10:43:11AM I would like to recognize Melisa Martinez who has been working on the funding agreement and with the applicant to answer some of the questions you have. Thank you.

Melisa Martinez

10:43:19AM Thank you. Melisa Martinez with Tampa CRA. To answer some of the questions, in 2022, CAC voted to allocate the funds, million dollars for this project. As you know in 2022 as well, our department went through a restructuring. This has always been a reimbursement grant. Based also on the current policy and previous policy, it has not been a money up front grant. It's always been a reimbursement. This is also reimbursement for TIF approved projects, which is usually infrastructure, anything that is permanent. Those are delineated chapter 163. Especially for the development project or development grant. If they come back and request, yeah, they have to go through the process, we just approved the update or grant policy, so everybody, there are cycles. Deadlines, it's the same thing. The previous one for some reason, it didn't go through to have an agreement developed. It went to the CAC recommending it and for some reason, staff changes, managers left, director left. I then was in charge of putting all this together. That's why I've been pushing to put it forward to have an agreement because that's the way that we can follow the same processes that we have on the previous agreements. The other thing, under the agreement, article 3 condition precedence. When the applicant signs the agreement and you execute the agreement, we have a year to work with us to be able to obtain permitting, to be able to provide the funding that they have, whatever, if it's going to be via a funding plan or for us to make sure that the money is in place for them to be able to pay for the improvements. There's contracts with the contractors. There is a list of things they'll have to do. We work with them. They have a year. We can extend another year, administratively can be approved. I hope that answers your questions.

Naya Young

10:45:23AM Yeah, okay.

Melisa Martinez

10:45:27AM Before I leave, I'm giving you all this --

Naya Young

10:45:30AM I appreciate you. Thank you. Councilman Carlson, you were the one to answer the question. Does that answer your question? You have two minutes. [ laughter ]

Bill Carlson

10:45:42AM That explains part of it. Of course, the question the community has is just like on a lot of things, the administration is slow-walking it behind the scenes because they don't want it. Because the current mayor is friends with the old mayor. By the way, me bringing up that has nothing to do with current politics. It has to do with the reality and fact that the last mayor tried to tear it down. That is the reality of where we are. This mayor is friends with the last mayor and the public believes that they are trying to slow-walk and make this building fall down. If not, they need to step up and put some city money in as the mayor had promised and help the foundation get grants as the mayor had promised in the media and help move this forward. Right now, it looks like this administration feels the same way as the last one, they would be happy for it to fall down.

Naya Young

10:46:32AM Board member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

10:46:33AM Thank you. I've heard a million dollars now from five different places. Where is the money? That's number one. Number two, no matter when you started, when you finished, it's what product you have at the end, meaning this. No matter what you would have done five years ago, three years ago, that number cannot be used for replacement. Brought down to some size to use as what was original. The original number is gone. You can't use that number because that house would collapse as you're building it. You have to use everything new. I would imagine that house is built like 1900s and 18 something where you had foundations and you had wood holding up the house. Not underground. Am I correct? Go under the house and do whatever you got to do. These are the things I remember growing up. These are things I know you have to do. They are not easy but really are able to do them now. You're going to use new lumber. Use everything new. Everything modern with the lumber you have there that you can save as part of the original house. It's not going to be that lumber. It's going to be the facts are it will be built to today's standards with the amenities that were left over from the house. Thank you very much.

Brenda Thrower

10:48:09AM Attorney Shepard would like to speak to this before you take a vote.

Cliff Shepard

10:48:15AM Yeah. It was already said by Ms. Martinez, this is a reimbursement grant. If you read the resolution, it doesn't take very long. Says it is a reimbursement. The reason I wanted to make sure that was understood because I heard talk about advancing funds. You don't do that on reimbursement.

Naya Young

10:48:34AM Thank you, Attorney Shepard. Dr. Scott, Dr. Collins. Whatever process the city uses in order to allow us to move forward with the Jackson house construction, whether it's the initial phase of deconstruction, then it goes into construction and no stabilization at all. You just heard the presentation that we've gotten from everyone we have talked to with historical that have mandated to us what to do. 25% of the house or more, that's not a standard. It has to be remaining in order to maintain that. Yesterday, I loved the contractor that I think we're about to sign the contract with because he say we got to get rid of what's not historical because it's weighing against the house. We got to do it the way the state and the federal government says do it. Dr. Scott Called me, I know what you don't want to hear -- I say I don't want to hear it. They can't say it. When I met them, I said don't say that word around me. If you are going to deconstruct, deconstruct. I loved when he said know what everybody is asking for. You can't do no brace on the house. It will fall through. We're trying to make sure we can get the other bricks that the city has been kind enough to store for us. We want to get those other bricks. Much of what they can save and the contractor on our board has said less than 20% is going to be reused and retrofitted inside the house. It may be a decorative frame. It's not going to be able to be used that way. I wish pat Cruz was here and not in Jamaica now for her sister's service. She will tell you from a historical perspective what we've been trying to do and what we're saying. Dsi right now service master. We have invoices. We're not asking for people to advance money. Just pay the invoices and we can keep moving. So what we really need is people be as true to us as we're trying to be with everybody else. When we submit an invoice to you, pay the invoice. We even have people using excuse, well, we're going to pay but is that what we want to pay for? Yes, we do have a million dollars that we received from the state from us and half a million dollars that the legislators worked with the mayor and gave to the city. That's the 1.5. The documents they have, everything we have in money is documented where it is, who it's from. All of it is based off of invoices. We're not asking for advanced money. We're asking when we get the invoice to pay them.

10:51:45AM Who has the invoices? We submitted them.

10:51:55AM Ms. Feeley, do you have some comments?

Brenda Thrower

10:51:59AM Administrator Feeley is here to comment on this.

Abbye Feeley

10:52:03AM Good morning. Abbye Feeley, administrator of development and economic opportunity. Couple of things. This has been going on since I came back to the city in 2020. It's one of the first projects I started working on back then. It was in permitting to get rehabbed. And without the two ten-foot strips on each side, it could not be reconstructed as it was historically there because of fire code. Fire code would not have allowed the openings on each side of the building without having the ten foot. And that started the whole discussion about how do we get the ten foot. Where will we get the 10-foot? The discussions and negotiations that started with the accardi family that then brought us before council not too long ago and I don't have any of these dates and stuff prepared this morning because I wasn't aware this conversation was going to go in this direction. It is my understanding -- couple of things. One, Dennis Fernandez from historic preservation is on the team that meets every other Monday with the Jackson house. The lunch and learn that they just referred to about hear what's going on. Dennis is on that every Monday and is aware of the status of what is going on. Furthermore, it is my understanding and I texted Dennis on the way over, him and Eric Cotton are meeting right now on the downtown development review that is in for the house, as well as the ARC review. So we are working hand in hand with the Jackson house to try to move this project forward. In relation to the invoices, it is my understanding based on my communication with the history center, that the invoices were sent to the history center for payment, and they said they do not have the money. The money was returned to the vinik foundation. They then came to the city -- we cannot pay those invoices. We do not have a way to pay them. So I can't -- the city does have the $500,000 grant that is assigned to us. We have been working with the state to ask for continuances and extensions to that so that we can partner with the Jackson house when the construction gets started but that has not gotten started so we can't activate on that grant. That is something that morris, Rebecca, myself, we have continued to try to get progress on this. So eric, JC, Dennis, we all stand at the ready to be able to construct. I know there are procurement requirements that the Jackson house has pursuant to the money coming from the state, just like we have our procurement. RFP has to go out. Competitive bid has to happen, all of those things. In your agreement that you are considering today in your funding, I would say in relationship to that, I don't know -- and I would have to look further at it -- whether that would be eligible to pay the invoices for activity they performed -- cliff, if you can assist with this, it would be helpful -- for activity they performed prior to this agreement being signed. For the shoring up and stuff they have done on the house, I don't know that the funds you're allocating today would be eligible for those activities that have been performed before an agreement was signed. Level setting where we are today, things are moving forward. I'm not sure about the company you're selecting. I know Dennis is involved with that. We are working to get the downtown development review, but ultimately the ARC. The jurisdiction of this falls to the ARC given its historic nature. Those processes are occurring. But I think it was just filed -- I didn't get a chance to pull it up in accela -- when filed by the Jackson House Foundation. As Councilman Carlson stated it's very difficult, right? The city does not own the property. We don't have control. That control lies with Dr. Collins and her team. We're participating in what capacity we can by being involved in those every other Monday meeting, and we have been for years and we're continuing to try to find a path forward on this project.

Naya Young

10:56:28AM If I hear you correctly, the invoices were sent to the history center. Because the history center does not have the money, they cannot pay the invoices, is that what I'm hearing? That's it. They sent it back to the viniks. And I've been working with the comptroller, the young man there, and he told me, called me back and told me I needed to work with christina, and I have a good relationship with christina that started before all of this and working with the Jackson house, that is. Christina told me, okay, she would get back with me and they would be paying it and sending invoice. I sent her those invoices. What we're saying is, we are ready to go with a contractor. There is an invoice in there once you guys sign this and we move forward, we don't need the money to be held up and then people ask us why we haven't done anything. That's why. That's exactly why. Yes, Dennis has been a jewel. He has been there with us prior to Ms. Abbye Feeley coming back, the previous director, he met with us. He set the first meeting up and met with husband. Feeley told us clearly that Dennis would be there. Meet with Dennis on weekly basis. He is on every one of our meetings that we have with everyone. You know, he is there. We just need -- say like I said a long time ago university president, just take the handcuffs off of us. Tell us what you want us to do. We will do it so that when we submit a bill, the bill is paid. We can't move forward because let's take our architect of record, he has a team and they invoice him. So we don't have the funding in our account to pay that. He sends us the invoice and this is what I'm working towards, the whole board, as far as getting these invoices paid. I have submitted invoices to the state. So they are not prework invoices. These are invoices so we can withdraw the funds to pay them so that they can move forward. They have gone through their process and they are going to try to start working on this. Whatever it is -- we sign a contract with this gentleman, there is a clause in there what we got to pay him. If you don't sign your contract and we sign the contract with him, he doesn't get paid.

10:59:16AM I want to bring this in. Darlene, if you are listening, everybody that's involved with the project, we're going to meet and talk about this. Darlene, if you are listening, Jackson House Foundation, CRA, Abbye Feeley, the mayor, everybody that is involved with this project, we're going to sit down and have a meeting. I think the mayor's conference room is big enough and we'll have a conversation so we can figure this out.

10:59:44AM Let's bring this in for a landing. We need to approve this.

10:59:52AM Um-hum.

Abbye Feeley

10:59:53AM The CRA funds do not cover soft costs. Okay. Sticks and bricks. If there are funds being expended to an architect, an engineer, if they put in for reimbursement, we cannot pay that. That's through the statute. I don't want to leave the room today with anyone having a misunderstanding about what they can get reimbursed for. I want to be very clear. I don't know if that reimbursement can come through their state grant or what that is, but if that is then going to be the hold-up, we cannot reimburse for that.

11:00:33AM Bricks and sticks. For that?

Alan Clendenin

11:00:40AM Because of what we have heard and this is not an indictment, this is not a question, this is not anything, but I think pending your meeting that you just discussed which I think is a great idea, I think we should continue this item to September 10. I motion to continue to September 10. We'll be glad to be here, will be the meeting to give clarity on where we are. But to delay this in signing, I think what somebody said, money was given to us in 2019 and then we still held up, it does not do what you are asking us to do, and that is to move the house forward.

Luis Viera

11:01:24AM Point of order, if I may. If this is approved as Abbye has indicated about the funding pieces of this, we're supposed to get educated on just the process of this. We'll meet with the office -- CRA office and they will tell us the process. So as we have our different funding sources, as we have the different items on the project line, this will help us move forward. Delaying 20 days, five years, talking about ten years, but if we're talking about expediting process, holding us up 20 days I would not advise that. I am not the voting person. I think we should move forward and we will be able to come back with a positive, healthy report on September the 10. Even when we meet with the chair.

11:02:17AM I have a point of order. We have a motion by Councilman Carlson that had a second. We should vote on that. Just to move things along -- I'm for approving this today.

Alan Clendenin

11:02:28AM I'll remove my second if you consider the motion to continue to the next CRA meeting.

Naya Young

11:02:35AM First what we need is to approve the agreement. Then you have an amendment --

Alan Clendenin

11:02:41AM Not approve it. Continue -- I'm saying -- Councilman Carlson had the year and I seconded that. I would take that second off if this board would entertain continuing. Too much money. Too many questions. I like the idea that the chairwoman said about the meeting with interested parties because this is a lot of money. This is a very important cultural institution. I think even questions how the money is spent, making sure people clearly understand what this grant is or what this money is, and that I think 20 days is a reasonable amount of time to make sure that we fulfill our fiduciary responsibilities and --

Naya Young

11:03:26AM My wanting to have the meeting was still approving this first. We're still going to have a meeting regardless. But I think from what I'm hearing from the Jackson House Foundation is they want to move this forward so we don't delay any process. Part of once you move it forward, there is a meeting to talk about what you can and cannot bill and invoice for, what that process looks like. If we don't approve this today, then even that process is held -- if I'm understanding correctly. When we first started talking about this, we had the motion from Maniscalco and Miranda to approve this. And then we got into discussion. And that's when the amendment came about adding the year stipulation. Then we got into more conversation about how that stipulation, the Jackson House Foundation did not want to actually have the stipulation for that year, but maybe in a month come back and say where we are in the process. That's kind of how the conversation has gone. Two minutes.

Charlie Miranda

11:04:39AM We've heard so much evidence of 15 different things, start back, end up exactly where we started. Follow Mr. Clendenin's motion to September to get all this information so we can settle the whole thing all at once, I think we would be better off. Meeting with the mayor, with other people between now and then. Your motion is find, wonderful, to get that done. Get the input of everybody in the city, from the Planning Commission, Planning people in the city. The people that do the permitting all that get it done at once. Piece meal this thing will take another year.

Brenda Thrower

11:05:16AM Chair Young, may I? Thank you so much. Brenda Thrower, CRA development manager. One path forward. In April, you actually approved this project going forward. You want to be a partner in this project, correct. By approving it today, it gets you that agreement in place. It is a reimbursement grant, but it shows that they have the support and a funding mechanism from the CRA Board. In addition, we could add in a progress report. If you want to give a progress report next month, we could do it every month if that's something you would like to do, just like with union station, and work together to keep that project updated. That's just one suggestion. That's what you have before you today. A funding agreement, through our grant program, one million dollars reimbursement to the Jackson house and then they can actually claim CRA as a partner in this project. I'll leave it there.

Naya Young

11:06:08AM Thank you for the clarification. We have board member Miranda who removed his second.

11:06:29AM You all told me 10:45. This is our fault.

Bill Carlson

11:06:36AM I think we should approve it today, but I'd like to add that sentence in the end. If we can add that sentence at the end and not punitive, gives the next City Council or CRA Board a chance to renew it if we need to. Sounds like they could use the money before then anyway. I think it's better to get it moving. Then after your meeting, come back with a bunch of modifications. The modifications are kind of to their benefit anyway. If I could real fast, the history center thing and this gets back to my earlier point about the capacity of the foundation, I think it was the state, the vinik foundation asked the history center to jump in. Cj roberts, the head of it at the time, agreed to kind of oversee it to help the foundation. Then he left. When he left, the board said we want to hand that back to the donors and not be the agent for it. So that's what happened there. There was nothing bad about it. Just the director changed and it changed. As Abbye said and thanks to Abbye for coming out, there is a lot of heavy lifting we need to do to help them, the foundation with their capacity around this. And even the meeting you're going to have will be very helpful but still we'll have to guide them through the entire process and we don't have control over anything. So my motion would still stand. I would like to approve it with that sentence and then we can come back and edit it next month.

Naya Young

11:07:59AM What is the sentence?

Bill Carlson

11:08:00AM Just that they need to have completed substantial renovation within a year.

Naya Young

11:08:13AM How about this? We move this. Move the resolution, include a clause about adding a progress report. By next month, we will have had the meeting. If then we want to add in this sentence, but I think also we need to work that out because words matter. Substantial is subjective. What does that mean? After the meeting, next month, next CRA meeting if we need to add that in there, we can add it in there. Let's approve the resolution today. Add the clause for the progress report. Would have had a meeting. By next month, come back, say, okay, we need to put this clause in here or some other type of timeline for the project.

Brenda Thrower

11:09:02AM Chair Young and CRA Board, there is a timeline that is in the agreement. I want to call attention to it. So there is something that is already in place. Happy to do what --

Bill Carlson

11:09:12AM Just last thing, more than anytime in the last 20 years, the Jackson house is about to fall down. We've got to move really fast. That's why I would be willing to approve this today because we have to move really fast. We have to do everything we can. Fall down anytime. We've been saying that for 20 years, but it really could fall down now. Big chunks are falling down. We have to move fast.

Naya Young

11:09:36AM We have a motion to approve the resolution with the clause of the progress report by board member Maniscalco. And we have a second from board member Viera. Can we do a vote or do we need a roll call vote? We can do a roll call vote.

Guido Maniscalco

11:10:02AM Yes.

Naya Young

11:10:05AM Yes.

Luis Viera

11:10:06AM Yes.

Bill Carlson

11:10:08AM Yes.

Charlie Miranda

11:10:09AM No. I'll explain my vote.

Alan Clendenin

11:10:14AM No. I just want to make sure people understand it's not because of my lack of support for the project. Not my lack of support for the grant. I really feel like we need additional time. I take the fiduciary responsibility of my role on Tampa City Council and as a CRA Board member very seriously, and I just don't feel like at this moment, especially with all the conflicting information as Councilman Miranda qualified it that I have enough information to really move forward on this with the confidence that the direction is going to achieve our desired goal. Thank you.

Charlie Miranda

11:10:50AM If I may explain mine. It is a fiduciary problem that I have. At the time of the expenditure, we knew nothing about this, to that point I'm not questioning the repairs. Money given. Money taken back. Went to collect and no money to get paid. That's a problem we have. We don't know exactly what happened. The motion that the chair made to meet with the mayor and find out everything all at once would be the best avenue to have that information privy to us. We didn't have it when we sat down this morning on this discussion, and it would be not in the public interest in my mind to do something without having the administration, the CRA Board and those involved with the foundation doing an excellent job I believe in getting it done with a lot of problems that they had. It wasn't easy to get that land around the historical structure the Jackson house had at the time. No routing for the fire trucks to come in. Alley in question. Deal made, whether good, bad, indifferent now. That's where we're at. I want everything done at once. Not piecemealed. That's why I'm voting no.

The clerk

11:11:59AM Motion passes with Miranda and Clendenin voting no and Hurtak being absent.

Bill Carlson

11:12:10AM Make a motion to put it on the agenda for next month. Make a motion to put the Jackson house update on the agenda for next month to receive an update from a staff, the Jackson House Foundation and chair Young's office.

Naya Young

11:12:28AM We have a motion from board member Carlson, second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you for making the motion.

Brenda Thrower

11:12:36AM Thank you very much.

Luis Viera

11:12:39AM May I ask a question on the agenda? Thank you, ma'am. For item number 6, Mr. Degeorge who is here has got to leave around noon or so. Is there any way we could have that next?

Naya Young

11:12:55AM Can we get through 4 and 5 quickly?

11:13:05AM If we are still on these two items, 11:13, by 11:45.

Brenda Thrower

11:13:13AM So let's move. Item number 4 is the multi-district way finding program change --

Luis Viera

11:13:19AM Quick comment. Thank you, ma'am. 6, Mr. Degeorge needs to leave by 12. I think it will take more than 15 minutes. That's why I say that. I want to make sure we have enough time for this because this is extremely important topic. I'll stop talking.

Naya Young

11:13:41AM You are cutting into our time.

Brenda Thrower

11:13:43AM The good thing is, the next item, item 4 you already approved. This is realigning funding from each of the CRAs. Urban core CRAs that are having the way-finding program. They already approved it. This is just a program change.

Naya Young

11:14:02AM Any questions? No. we're good to go. Need a motion?

Brenda Thrower

11:14:07AM Yes, please.

Naya Young

11:14:08AM Motion from board member Clendenin. Second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? We have a motion from board member Clendenin, a second from board member Carlson. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you. Motion passes with board member Hurtak and Maniscalco absent.

Brenda Thrower

11:14:35AM Excellent. Thank you so much. Item number 5, this is Tampa union station. This is your monthly progress report from Director Colina. It is in your packet. If you have any questions, I'll yield to that.

Bill Carlson

11:14:48AM Just for the public, could you take one or two minutes and do a quick update? She called me Maniscalco and I said I don't even speak sicilian.

Brenda Thrower

11:15:02AM I'm sorry. You want me to run through the list?

Bill Carlson

11:15:04AM Real fast for the public, spend a minute.

Brenda Thrower

11:15:07AM Absolutely. Just one moment. Basically, the Jackson -- sorry, not Jackson, union station. We spent so much time on that one today. Is undergoing renovation. You can see it. Now in your report, you'll notice they had some termite damage. That's where they are at today. They are remedying the termite damage. Listed there in bullet form on your memo. This is union station. Everyone in the public knows where that is located I hope. The other thing notable, they are still on time. Despite the termite damage they are on time with their project. That's the report. You get these every single month, which I think has been very helpful to see how things are progressing. You'll see the scaffolding and the activity that's going on. Any further questions?

Naya Young

11:16:00AM Any other questions?

Bill Carlson

11:16:01AM Thank you.

Naya Young

11:16:02AM Thank you.

Brenda Thrower

11:16:04AM Now, drumroll, we are at item number 6. This is Mr. Tom Degeorge. You had made a motion back in May to have a little bit of a discussion, dedicated discussion to the preservation and assistance that could be provided to small cultural venues. Mr. Tom Degeorge is the ybor CAC chair. He's on the ex officio seat for the ybor merchants association. I have him here to partake in the discussion. Thank you, tom.

Tom Degeorge

11:16:40AM Hello, how are you today? Thanks for having me here today. I put together a little timeline, and then hopefully we have a little discussion. In March 2020, we had closures due to covid and the pandemic. Indy venues, concert venues like mine that existed, crowbar, that has since closed, were the first to open -- sorry, the first to close and the last to open. That took place in cities all over the country. Closures ranged anywhere from seven months to over a year. The tour industry itself came to a halt for close to two years. In April 2020, the national independent venue association was formed. It came into existence in the face of this crisis. We started with 40 or so venue operators and promoters who fought to save our stages as volunteers. And I was our volunteer for the State of Florida, and I continue on with the organization as our southeast president. Today, we have thousands of members across the country. In December 2020, after nine months or so of advocacy from our small group of people, we did get save our stages passed. Save our stages ended up becoming the shuttered venues operators grant. It was the largest arts grant in the united states history. In doing so, there was still a lot of work. In 2020 and 2021, we had to work with legislators, federal legislators, and the sba to define eligibility in distribution of those funds to make sure that the money went to the right people and that we didn't have fraud. Those funds were distributed in 2021 and 2022. So you can see while these venues were struggling, how long it took just to get the funding to help make them whole. I personally, closing in March of 2020, didn't receive my funds until July 1st, 2021. And there were several other venues once again that didn't receive their funding till the fall of 2022. Government moves slow sometimes, as we know. Once we worked past the funding issues, we took our advocacy back to d.c., working on things like fix the ticks. When we did reopen, what we came to realize very quickly was the world that we knew it from when we had been open in all those years up until the beginning of 2020 had changed and our industry had changed and large corporations got more powerful and development continued. And the resale market that is a fraudulent market that pulse ticketing inventory right from our rooms had become a billion-dollar industry. So we started advocating that way to try to fix some of these things that were hurting us. What we got a return from a lot of our legislators and what we heard back from d.c. And making multiple trips to d.c., well, you're telling us these are the problems you're having, but can you show us that this is really what's happened to you and that these venues are closing and they are not sustainable. In 2024, we worked through niva to start the state alive. I don't know if you'll be able to get all that. I see. The first economic research study of the independent sector. Even after all this work, we started the state alive in 2024. What that required was all the venues around the country struggling to give us their data. It was an anonymous study because a lot of people don't want people to know their personal numbers, but I am proud to say that here in Florida, many, many independent operators, promoters, festivals participated, knowing what was at stake. In the summer of 2025, the state of live launched. We used partners to put together the data for us. Once again, the numbers were based on hundreds of independent venues, promoters, festivals from states all around the country making up thousands of cultural institutions and safe spaces that are also massive economic drivers. The data specifically for Florida, as you can see here, I put some of it down here, showed that while Florida itself ranked in the top three in every category except for one. We ranked in the top three in gdp, economic output, state and local tax impact, job supported wages and benefits, industry jobs and off-site tourism spending and we ranked fourth in fans served. We're in the top leading the country, but much like other states, what we saw was only 35% of our venues in current time right now are profitable. So we've been taking this data back to d.c., to the state, here locally try to enact more change, and since the state of live and since we've had the support of data, we shifted our responsibilities, while concurrently still working on legislation from 2025 to current, to pushing against live nation, and this is the chapter known as live nation versus independence. Live nation, you know, went to trial recently. They were found guilty by a federal jury with their subsidiary ticket master of being liable for violating federal and state antitrust laws ruling that the companies illegally maintain a monopoly over live entertainment and ticketing markets. They are by many of us viewed as one of our big problems in us becoming profitable again and having these venues, which I believe are the farm leagues of the future, venues that not only support young touring artists but support our local artists and also the places that people tend to go to in times of trouble and times of need as well as in times of celebration. The last real vestige of affordable ticketing out there and growth for communities. We shifted our focus to that. We're looking for the judge to have a strict ruling against live nation. We want to make sure that the playing field can be made level again. So far this year, 51 venues, including my own, have closed or sold with more than expected. And if we talk a hundred -- I'm just going to switch this so you can see some more of the data. If this keeps happening at this rate, we will surpass the 2020 numbers. We're currently ahead of them right now. So personally, when save our stage started and I saw what was happening around the country and other parts of Florida, but also in my neighborhood of Ybor City, I made the decision at the time seeing that there were other venues that had fallen behind on their leases that couldn't get their funding in time, that were having their doors shuttered because either their landlord sold to developers or other people moved into the market that came from areas that couldn't be open at all, they are losing their room, so I made the decision to extend my lease in 2022, the 20-year anniversary, with the intent that it would allow me to be as vocal as possible to tell my story, which also told the story of other venue operators in cities all around the country. I'm happy to say that aside from all the local press that I received, the journey over the last six years took us to the New York times, the Wall Street journal, rolling stone magazine. I was on cnn, fox business news. In 2025, I did speak to the Department of Justice antitrust division about live nation, ticket master and the secondary ticketing. Most recently in May of 2026, I did testify before congress. I'm happy to say that through my business, we achieved all goals and expectations, which was once again to go out in a way that we finished on top and also be able to use the story to advocate for change. So on the federal level, we're still working with fix tickets, live nation on a state level. Working on state ticketing legislation. I have frequent calls with maxwell frost's office. They have been very supportive in trying to put together a very good comprehensive ticketing program that would be fair to the artists, the fans, and the venues. On a local level, what we need is SMART parking enforcement, noise ordinance policies that help and not hurt us, independent operators on committees as advisors, and bigger and better incentives for developers to lean into local. Overall awareness by our local elected officials and city agencies of the importance of our value where hopefully we can work together in a way that's more amicable and less confrontational. That's all I have. I'll take any questions or discussion.

Luis Viera

11:27:44AM Thank you, madam chair. Mr. Degeorge, thank you for coming here and for all your leadership on this issue. This is a very important issue. When you and I spoke at the crowbar at the chuck ragan concert and had a good frank talk on it, I'm late to this game. I am. But it is a hell of an important game. Huge for Tampa, huge for Ybor City. And everything like that. The issue here is small concert venues. We asked you to come here to talk about not just your experience and history, but what we can do in the CRA and in our City of Tampa to help out on this issue. This is made more relevant obviously by the closing of the crowbar and the fact that we are in the aftermath still of the devastating hit of covid-19 at a time you rose as a great civic and business leader. All of our hats are off to you. Crowbar, 20 years and very, very important. But the issue of rising costs, like you said, the post-covid inflation that has just hit everybody, parking costs inside the City of Tampa, the aftermath of covid, and also a venue that I think can have a good presence in the City of Tampa, but got to coexist to 4300 seat venue but also coexist with small venues. We have to talk about how we can accommodate, encourage, incentivize and push as a city these small venues. Obviously, I come to this as a person who is a big concert fan, always have been and smaller venues are a great place where new artists and medium artists and different folks can be recognized. Have to ask ourselves why small venues are so important to a city like the City of Tampa, it obviously allows musicians to earn a living. Something that's very important. Not every musician is the rolling stones, Bruce springsteen or snoop dogg. Allows for music education and encourage younger folks and different folks to go into music. You support small bands local communities, organic expression of communities. These are also community centers that reflect the values of the community, especially Ybor City and the unique culture we have there. It's a starting point for artists. We know that before Bruce springsteen would sell out madison square garden, stone pony, right, and it allows folks to get a great start, and it can also be a safe space. We see that a lot in Ybor City, that after a lot of tragedies on the basis of race, sexual orientation, and so forth, that these small venues can reflect the values of the community in the way big venues cannot and healing power of music can obviously go forward. But the biggest thing isn't just the effect this has on a city but how concerts -- I know you speak a lot to this, Mr. Degeorge -- but how concerts cannot become so corporate. There is a heart of music. Heart of rock, heart of hip-hop, heart of jazz, a heart of a concert. If it becomes so starch and so put in khakis and driven in a volvo all the time, then you miss Out what a concert is all about. If we get rid of that in Ybor City and the City of Tampa, we're going to be much worse off because of it. I guess my question to you, sir, what specifically can we do as the City of Tampa? Talking about working with congressman frost, which is great. What can we do here to help encourage small venues in Ybor City and throughout our City of Tampa to coexist and succeed? I think we need SMART city legislation that when it comes to parking and noise ordinances, that we're keeping these venues in mind and asking them their opinions. For me personally, parking was a very difficult situation, when we started charging for parking in Ybor City. I bring that up because it's something many of our members deal with, not just here in Tampa and in Florida but around the country. Once they started charging for parking, not only was there no free parking in the area, but the spaces I would rent for my tour buses, for my vans went up exponentially. When I tried to talk to city leadership in those departments about it and said, listen, you know, I understand if you're going to charge for parking, but if you are charging me for the vehicles that are going to drive people into the district, that then those people are not only just going to pay for parking but go to dinner and shop, stay at the hotels, if you are charging me more and I'm already not sustainable, you are going to hurt me. That completely fell on deaf ears. So my parking went up exponentially. Half the time there would be city officials parked in my spaces when a tour bus did arrive. I was denied any sort of possibility to have -- zone parking, which would have been great to have free parking to park buses. When you have these type of businesses which I call anchor businesses that sit there and support other businesses, I think we should have some special consideration to make our lives a little bit easier knowing that we're going to provide this economic boost to the neighborhood that we are in. When those conversations fall on deaf ears, that's a little difficult. I also touched on added incentives for developers to lean into local. I've never said I was opposed to a 4300 person venue coming into the market. I am vehemently opposed to live nation coming to this market. I think when you have the largest music corporation in the world that was just found guilty by a jury of our peers in federal court of being a monopoly and we haven't found out what the punishment of that is going to be, which, by the way, I hope it is extremely severe, and we're still looking at bringing that organization into our community, knowing that it will be a detriment to our independent operators, anybody can look at live nation venues and when they vertically integrate in the markets and what the 4300 person rooms look like and they are intentionally scaled for smaller shows, too. So they will be in that 2,000 person range. Do things to hurt venues or the orpheum, janus live. Just isn't Tampa issue. Tampa Bay issue. We have to be very careful. Supportive of the vinik room that will be open. A little over 3,000. Had great communication with them about how they can add to the community. I think listening and having independents with a seat at the table can go a long way. Especially working hand in hand with CRA boards or City Council. A lot of decisions be with made there that can either help us or bury us.

11:35:19AM Thank you, sir. In closing, for 30 seconds, may I?

Guido Maniscalco

11:35:27AM Move to allow him 30 seconds.

Luis Viera

11:35:29AM Thank you very much. I'd love to see some sort of task force here in the City of Tampa and whoever becomes the next mayor, whether Carlson, Hurtak, whoever it may be, to take on this issue with vigor because it is so important. Again, thank you, sir.

Naya Young

11:35:47AM Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

11:35:48AM Thank you for your leadership over the years. It's been fun to watch you go from a leader and icon in the music industry and in ybor to someone running for office and then testifying in front of congress. It's been fun watching that work. That requires a lot of work and investment on your part. You and I have had this conversation. As my colleague said, innovation is really important in our community. Years ago, the radio stations went to using single servers on a national basis. We're all listening to the same music. Old days, a deejay could pick music based on what the local audience wanted. You could have different tastes and flavors and differences were localized. That's where innovation came from. The same thing with these music venues, we need to figure out how to support those. We get e-mails from some of your wide fan base who say please do all you can to support the venues, but what we need is specific action steps, knowing limitations of state and federal government, we can't, as far as I know, we can't block specific companies from coming in. You remember a few years ago, I tried to put a ban on chain stores in ybor because some other cities had it and the lawyers shut us down on it. Anyway, what I suggest is that you, with your now national expertise, come to one or more of us, work out specific motions that we can make and get your followers to help support us in getting those motions passed. Because I think we would all like to support you and the music scene. We need to know exactly what to do to move it forward. Thank you.

Naya Young

11:37:38AM Board member Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

11:37:39AM Thank you for your leadership on this. You are the champion of this, protecting small venues. Small venues are so important, you can go back to the beatles at the tavern club or bands that have come locally. I put on facebook and you responded to it. San francisco city hall to speak to a councilman about something they are doing. Legislative aide said we love Tampa and all this. Her beginnings, early start was at the crowbar. Now she is a grammy award winner. That's how things start. Local venues. Small groups, small organizations, and we have to protect that, because that is the gateway to stardom. That is the gateway to employing a lot of local individuals, giving people a start. There are so many positives of that. You having survived, along with others in leading the charge during covid when people were essentially forced to be out of business, you talked about not getting your funding for over a year, you said July 2021, covid, everything started March 2020. A lot of people did not survive. A lot of people are paycheck to paycheck. They are not making that next month's rent, so it was a battle. But as Tampa grows, I like that you said you're not against the small venues. You are against a specific organization and how you laid it out, that was found to be a monopoly and whatever the penalties are, may be severe. But at the end of the day, we have to protect the mom and pops. And that's what brings -- that's what makes the character of the community and that's what helps so many people get off the ground. That's it. Thank you.

Naya Young

11:39:28AM Board member Clendenin. I'm sorry. Board member Viera.

Alan Clendenin

11:39:40AM Mr. Degeorge, I appreciate you bringing this forward. Figuring out ways to incentivize -- [indiscernible] we have this rich history in small venues. Some others that have gone by the wayside. It definitely creates the cultural richness in a community and cultural identity to have these types. I can't imagine Tampa Bay without a proliferation of small venues to continue to really be -- think around the country and the places, these great artists have started. They never started in an amphitheater. They start in small venues. I look forward to working with this board and also the City Council to be able to continue this agenda. Thank you.

Naya Young

11:40:42AM Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

11:40:42AM I was going to ask Mr. Degeorge about a motion I was going to maybe make this evening. How would you feel, sir, about my making a motion where we request a written report -- don't have to come, you can submit it, and then review it at a council meeting on specific policy items. At the chuck ragan concert I was with my son and good friend who is an attorney who wanted to work with you on those things, where you can come with specific items maybe by October and submit the report to us, one to two pages. Something amenable to?

Tom Degeorge

11:41:15AM Yeah, let's do it.

Luis Viera

11:41:17AM I'll do it so we get more latitude. I do it as City Council as opposed to CRA. I will do that this evening. Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Alan Clendenin

11:41:28AM [Inaudible]

Naya Young

11:41:29AM I was going to say thank you so much for coming in and giving us that awesome report. Before I was married, one of the concerts that my husband and I went to was at crowbar and to see jamison. After I had an event in ybor and I went over to one of my favorite artists at the ritz. The feel that you get at these small venues is very intimate. I appreciate you bringing it to light and being a champion behind it. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

11:42:09AM In the interest of time, we initially requested a written report on item number 7, I would just say we receive and file. Motion to receive and file.

Naya Young

11:42:18AM Motion to receive and file item 7 from board member Clendenin. A second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Alan Clendenin

11:42:24AM I also would say for item number 8, make a motion to remove that from this agenda and future agendas. Item 9 kind of covers that and we had this discussion with Chief Tripp about it. I think we should remove item 8 from the agenda. Motion to remove.

Naya Young

11:42:40AM Motion to remove item number 8 from the agenda from board member Clendenin. A second --

Alan Clendenin

11:42:49AM From the agenda and going forward.

Naya Young

11:42:51AM To remove item number 8 from the agenda and going forward. We have a motion from board member Clendenin. A second from board member Miranda. Discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? Hold on. We removed item number 8 from this agenda and from any further discussions.

Alan Clendenin

11:43:12AM A motion to continue, per staff's request, item number 9 to October 8, 2026.

Naya Young

11:43:17AM We have a motion from board member Clendenin. A second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you.

Brenda Thrower

11:43:28AM Now we're at required approvals.

Naya Young

11:43:29AM Yes.

Brenda Thrower

11:43:32AM Required approvals, number 10, we have a CAC appointment of Ansley Blackwell. She is going to be the Barrio Latino Commission ex officio representative. We had roberto Torres in that position and he rotated off the barrio. Now the barrio has appointed Ansley Blackwell.

Guido Maniscalco

11:43:56AM Second. For those who don't know Ansley, she's very involved with Ybor City, centro asturiano. Wonderful asset. As we move forward as a city, it's good to see the younger generation. I think she's in her early or mid 20s. Her mother is also very involved. Good to see folks young and interested in preserving our history. Super yes on that one.

Naya Young

11:44:23AM We have a super yes -- we have a motion from board member Clendenin and a super yes from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Alan Clendenin

11:44:38AM I make a motion to approve item number 11.

Naya Young

11:44:42AM We have a motion to approve item 11 from board member Clendenin. Second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed? Now we have any new business. Anyone have new business?

Alan Clendenin

11:44:55AM I do.

Naya Young

11:44:56AM Okay. We'll go to board member Clendenin, Maniscalco, then Carlson. And then Viera.

Alan Clendenin

11:45:02AM I motion to continue file number cm 26-25343 which creates the standard rules of procedures for all committees and boards from September 10, 2026 to November 12, 2026.

Guido Maniscalco

11:45:17AM Second.

Naya Young

11:45:18AM We have a motion from board member Clendenin and a second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Alan Clendenin

11:45:25AM Also make a motion to set a special call CRA meeting on Thursday, August 27 At 10 a.m. to direct Legal Department and city clerk to provide notice. Next Thursday. Just holding a space just in case.

Naya Young

11:45:45AM Motion from board member Clendenin. A second from board member Viera. All in favor? Any opposed? Board member Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

11:46:00AM I want to remember Andy huse who was a local historian, a writer. One-year anniversary of his passing. A tremendous loss that -- a void that will never be filled. For somebody that loves and cares about Tampa history, he is one of the giants. Many books that were written, I have one in my living room. I can go on and on forever. But I just wanted to acknowledge on the first anniversary of his passing, a great individual that touched many lives. Thank you.

Naya Young

11:46:38AM Board member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

11:46:40AM His friends are asking us to do a posthumous commendation for him. Guido, do you want to make the motion for the posthumous commendation for him?

Guido Maniscalco

11:46:56AM CRA or City Council?

Bill Carlson

11:46:58AM Okay, okay. I talked to cliff about this this morning. The documents for the rays' project for the city should be coming out today. I don't know if they are or not. Anyway, they are asking us to approve it next Thursday if possible. So that's something we can talk about later. Embedded in that is several requests related to the CRAs, like was mentioned earlier, extending the East Tampa CRA. Instead of addressing those individually, those have to move forward parallel. As I understand it, the contract will have some covenants in it that will require those things to happen, but we need those things to move forward on a parallel basis and we only meet once a month. I would like to make a generic motion to ask the CRA attorney to draft documents necessary to implement the CRA promises made in the rays' contract and to present them to the CRA Board on September 10.

Naya Young

11:48:04AM We have a motion from board member Carlson. A second from board member Viera.

Alan Clendenin

11:48:13AM Thinking about what you said, I would probably make it broader so it doesn't confine it to the contract. In case something happens to the contract we can still talk about extending and not tie it to the contract directly. Maybe a motion to ask the city attorney to draft documents necessary to implement -- extension of the CRAs and then this, so we don't -- in case something happens with this, we can still have that conversation.

Bill Carlson

11:48:42AM How about if we say the rays' contract and related documents?

Alan Clendenin

11:48:48AM Again, I don't know -- let's say for some reason that fails, I think we should still have the conversation.

Bill Carlson

11:48:56AM Yeah, well, if it fails, we can have the conversation anyway. My take in talking to county commissioners and the county is that --

Alan Clendenin

11:49:05AM I think you're right --

Bill Carlson

11:49:08AM Only reason they are interested in doing any of that for us is because we would get that passed. We've tried a couple of times before, but I think they are going to say no to everything else if we say no to that.

Alan Clendenin

11:49:19AM I was trying to broaden the net. Okay.

Naya Young

11:49:22AM We have a motion from board member Carlson. A second from board member Viera. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you for bringing that motion because that was something that when we first started having this discussion that I brought up wanting to actually, if -- wherever this goes, if that could be a part of the conversation. I think we heard it in public comment today, the extension of the East Tampa CRA. They have lots of projects and things.

Alan Clendenin

11:49:52AM I appreciate your championship on that. I know you've been a part. And Councilman Carlson, same thing. Between the two of you guys, it just goes to show when more people are involved in something, you can get to a better place. And I think that, obviously, some of my positions on these projects have been clear, but I think the leadership that's provided from the chair and from council and board member Carlson and Councilman Carlson in other capacities on this, shows that we can move forward as a community and make it not just a win, win, win, but with a capital "w" on it. Big "w" win for everybody, including the folks in East Tampa, West Tampa, the whole City of Tampa because of changes in downtown, we would be able to do more revenue sharing. A lot more things we could do for the City of Tampa. Again, I appreciate both of your leadership on that.

Bill Carlson

11:50:45AM I probably got the idea from you. Take credit for it. Commissioner myers has requested that we try to extend the West Tampa one also. If we try to extend all of them, the legislature might slap us. If we try to tweak a few of them, then we can do it. Some folks have said, for example, East Tampa CRA have to do with the rays' deal? One is trying to build consensus around the community and build something positive for everybody. The other thing, bad analogy, if you are buying a car and negotiated the price and everything and then you walk through the service department and you see this really cool jacket with a logo on it, and you say, hey, if you throw in the jacket, I'll do the deal. What I was trying to do, and I think some of you all have been independently, too, what else can we throw in? Let's get everything else we can for our community while we're doing what the county is requesting.

Alan Clendenin

11:51:45AM It's good, positive movement. Happy to hear that as well.

Naya Young

11:51:49AM Board member Viera.

Luis Viera

11:51:50AM Yes, ma'am. If I may, you all got my very long correspondence on Dr. Bernard lafayette. I know, right. When I wrote this, by the way, Councilman Carlson, I was laughing at some of your critiques of my resolution, how long they are and this is five pages. When I was a younger attorney and writing a status report for my boss at the time and him saying, Luis, there is a saying, I didn't have the time to write you a short letter. I always cite that. I've will ever spoken to Mr. McCray on this. You have seen the history of Mr. Lafayette, great american and champion of social justice and civil rights, so I would like to put this on the agenda in October and invite former state representative ed Narain who gave me the idea to come talk about this and why we can do this in Tampa. Similar, board member Hurtak asked whether or not we need to go through the renaming process. This is not unlike what we're doing for lieutenant baldomero Lopez. That's my motion for October, if I may.

Naya Young

11:52:57AM Motion from board member Viera. Second from board member Maniscalco. All in favor? Any opposed?

Alan Clendenin

11:53:10AM I want to make a statement. In the interest of sunshine, if somebody saw that I handed out documents, people understand what I handed out, next Thursday at the council meeting, I'm proposing that the investigation, and this is further information, resolution about funding and impact statement that I had drafted. I wanted to make sure I shared that information so you guys have plenty of time to look through everything and make sure everybody -- he passed it out.

Naya Young

11:53:41AM I have something.

Luis Viera

11:53:44AM I'm on the deck or whatever.

Naya Young

11:53:46AM Just, one, I want to, one, thank the board. Our CRA Board. And also thank our staff, Ms. Melisa Martinez, 18 years with the city. Thank you. Since becoming chair of this board, the CRA Staff has been incredibly helpful to me and making sure that I'm well informed. Any questions that we have, our office has, they answer the call. I appreciate you all and I think the conversation we have, the conversation is a good lively conversation. I think it shows that our passion as a board, we want to see projects get done, but we also take our job seriously. We do have a fiduciary responsibility. I appreciate the conversation that we had. I think it's healthy and good. And then to everyone who came down, not in the chambers now but I know probably watch it later, from the comments about, you know, what is happening with, you know, TPD or wanting to see, you know, positive things happen in the CRA, I appreciate everyone that was coming down. We want to show you all that we heard you. We hear you, and we are making the necessary steps as public servants to address those things. For me as CRA chair, one of the things I've been working on and talked with the CRA Staff about this is really wanting to see the projects move forward. We are committed to doing that. Please don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call us. Our office is always open. If you have a question about something with CRA, call the staff, call our office. We are open books and ready to talk and work things out. That's all. Just wanted to thank you all very much. Very good meetings. You can go eat now. [ laughter ] motion to receive and file from board member Maniscalco. Second from board member Viera. All in favor? Opposed? We are adjourned. Thank you. See you at 5:01 p.m. for our evening meeting. [ sounding gavel ] disclaimer: this file represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Any person who needs a verbatim transcript of the proceedings may need to hire a court reporter. ▶ meeting video community Redevelopment agency - 08/20/26published: August 21, 2026▶ watch on youtube the information contained in these pages represents an unedited version of realtime captioning which should neither be relied upon for complete accuracy nor used as a verbatim transcript. Persons requiring a verbatim transcript may need to hire a court reporter. © - City of Tampa (813) 274-8211