City Council — August 6, 2026 FINAL

Alan Clendenin

9:03:11AM Good morning, everybody. Welcome to Tampa City Council. I see a lot of young people here. We never have a lot of young people in the audience. Good morning. We'll talk about you in a few minutes. I'd like to recognize Councilwoman Hurtak, please.

Lynn Hurtak

9:03:25AM We're all just going to stand for a moment of silence today. Please stay standing for the pledge of allegiance. And please silence your phones. [Moment of silence]

Alan Clendenin

9:03:48AM Why don't we get one of the young people to lead us in the pledge. One of you guys, come up to do the pledge. I'm picking the girl on the end. Come up to the podium. She'll lead us in the pledge of allegiance.

Lynn Hurtak

9:04:05AM State your name. I'm marelli. I am an intern for community engagement and partnerships. [Pledge of allegiance]

Alan Clendenin

9:04:28AM Thank you very much. Clerk, would you call the roll, please?

Charlie Miranda

9:04:33AM Here.

Guido Maniscalco

9:04:34AM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

9:04:36AM Here.

Naya Young

9:04:36AM Here.

Luis Viera

9:04:37AM Here.

Bill Carlson

9:04:38AM Here.

Alan Clendenin

9:04:40AM Here.

The clerk

9:04:42AM We have a physical quorum.

Alan Clendenin

9:04:43AM Motion to adopt the minutes of the regular session held on July 30, 2026? Motion from Councilman Miranda. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Let's go through the agenda. Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

9:04:58AM I have several, starting with number 3, we asked the Charter Review Commission to come speak. The chair is here. They only have like one more meeting. At this point, we don't really have time to intervene in what they are doing. I think her preference is to come back once they are done and report to us rather than giving an interim and coming back in a couple of weeks for a final. With the consent of everyone else, she's prepared if we want her to speak. With the consent of everyone else, I would move to remove that from the agenda.

Alan Clendenin

9:05:33AM Motion from Councilman Carlson to remove item 3. All those in favor, aye?

Luis Viera

9:05:40AM Councilman Carlson, I'm inclined to support this. It's your motion. If the chairwoman is inclined and no one else from the committee that I see? Okay. Just making sure. Obviously, yeah. That's it.

Alan Clendenin

9:05:50AM All those in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

9:05:57AM I think she would rather talk about history this morning anyway, so that's good.

Alan Clendenin

9:06:04AM We love that part.

Bill Carlson

9:06:05AM I would just like to pull 32 and 33 for a separate vote.

Alan Clendenin

9:06:10AM Okay. A motion to pull items 32 and 33 for separate vote from Councilman Carlson. Is there a second? Second from Councilman Viera. All those in favor, aye.

Martin Shelby

9:06:22AM With regard to item 32 and 33, is that only for a separate vote during the consent docket or do you want it for discussion and to have staff present? I want to be clear for the record.

Alan Clendenin

9:06:34AM Just said pull for separate vote.

Martin Shelby

9:06:37AM Okay.

Bill Carlson

9:06:38AM If somebody wants to discuss it at that point, fine. I'm not asking for staff.

Alan Clendenin

9:06:44AM Always try to bring us into a point of confusion. Lawyers will always do that to us. Right off the rails. All those in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Bill Carlson

9:06:57AM Like to move to pull -- never mind.

Alan Clendenin

9:07:02AM Okay. Anybody else? For the agenda? Let's look at staff reports. Mr. Shelby.

Martin Shelby

9:07:10AM A question came up during agenda review regarding written staff reports. Did you want to talk about that when we get to it?

Alan Clendenin

9:07:18AM Well, we'll get there in just a second. Let's go through these non-written staff reports. Does anybody need staff on 41 for the k-bar cut-thru? So, yes. 42? Yes. 43? Goes with 49.

Luis Viera

9:07:41AM Yes, I apologize, if I may, Mr. Chair --

Alan Clendenin

9:07:44AM You want a time certain on that?

Luis Viera

9:07:46AM If I may. Karen Clay was going to come and speak, to the best we can today.

Alan Clendenin

9:07:51AM This is my goal. I'm guessing if we really go through this agenda, we may not have to take a lunch. We could get out by 1. Do you want to do it last order of business?

Luis Viera

9:08:01AM Yes, sir.

Alan Clendenin

9:08:01AM Councilman Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

9:08:03AM Two ones. A.m. and p.m.

Alan Clendenin

9:08:09AM Not in the military.

Charlie Miranda

9:08:11AM We're not in the military.

Lynn Hurtak

9:08:12AM Does that include item 49?

Alan Clendenin

9:08:14AM 49 I think we'll receive and file. 44? We need staff for 44? There is a written report, yeah.

Martin Shelby

9:08:30AM It says --

Alan Clendenin

9:08:32AM Yeah, I think we should have staff on that. I'll ask for staff on that one.

Lynn Hurtak

9:08:36AM Yeah. I spoke to Brandon Campbell about this, yeah --

Alan Clendenin

9:08:41AM Let's talk about staff. 45? How did I know that would be the answer? 46?

Lynn Hurtak

9:08:48AM Just so you know, chair, 45 we continued just to have a conversation among council. So that's why.

Alan Clendenin

9:08:54AM That sounds good. Bill Carlson.

Bill Carlson

9:08:57AM 46, I spent time talking to city attorney's office and also Emily hinsdale. We came up with some language. I can pass it out now. I can make the motion then or during new business. We've got some language now that's been vetted by legal and also --

Alan Clendenin

9:09:15AM Why don't we say yes to staff and discuss it during that time? We'll have the discussion for 46. Then you don't have to wait until new business. Already an agenda item.

Bill Carlson

9:09:25AM Sorry. That's not 46. That's 50. 46, yeah, so that was number 50, because it was a written report, but then there is a motion tied to it from legal. 46, I had a discussion with Camaria Pettis-Mackle, probably the rest of you did from legal, I'm satisfied with what she said, unless you guys have ideas on how to fix the problem, there seems to be a solution that she identified. I don't see a need to bring her back.

Alan Clendenin

9:09:56AM I spoke with one of the concerned citizens about this. I said we have time. We've got -- we'll see for a year how this goes and we can always revisit this next year. Seems like short term we have a solution. No staff.

Bill Carlson

9:10:09AM Motion to receive and file that?

Alan Clendenin

9:10:11AM Memorandum, yeah. We'll wait -- we'll do all the written reports at one time.

Lynn Hurtak

9:10:16AM We have to wait for public comment.

Martin Shelby

9:10:20AM On 46?

Alan Clendenin

9:10:22AM Yeah. We do not need staff on 46. We'll wait. 47?

9:10:28AM Yes. Maybe not get out at 1. 48? Yes. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

9:10:37AM I know you said that we could receive and file 49, but I do want to make clear for the record that there is no written report for this request for a written report.

Guido Maniscalco

9:10:51AM [Inaudible]

Lynn Hurtak

9:10:52AM Yes, but you can't be present for a written report.

Alan Clendenin

9:10:56AM Hmm. Interesting. Do we want to pull 49 from written report and ask staff to be present?

Lynn Hurtak

9:11:02AM No. I'm just saying that if we ask for a written report, there should be a written report.

Alan Clendenin

9:11:06AM Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

9:11:07AM Yes, they are going to be here in person on that today. As the maker of the motion, I'm satisfied with that.

Alan Clendenin

9:11:13AM Okay. We'll leave that alone just on a technicality. I appreciate calling that out. Thank you, Councilwoman Hurtak. Anything else on the agenda?

Bill Carlson

9:11:22AM We got a lot of memos about 37 and 38. I'm just saying at this point, as we get to it, that we probably will be hearing -- we'll be hearing I'm sure from the public. If there's anything anybody wants to say before we get to the public, then we can discuss at that time. Based on the public feedback and my analysis, I would not be inclined to approve it at this time.

Alan Clendenin

9:11:51AM Anybody else on the agenda? Can I get a motion to approve the agenda?

Lynn Hurtak

9:11:56AM I move to accept 49, 50, 51, and 52. Those are the staff reports.

Alan Clendenin

9:12:03AM Okay. We have a motion to approve -- to receive and file the staff reports, the written staff reports 49 through 51 -- or 52 from Councilwoman Hurtak. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Motion to approve the agenda please?

Bill Carlson

9:12:18AM Make one other statement? 52 regards the EDC. I want to remind everybody, that contract can be canceled with 30 days' notice.

Alan Clendenin

9:12:27AM Motion to approve the agenda from Councilman Miranda. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Thank you very much. Let's go. Item number 1. Councilman Viera, what I would like to do is have you pull both officers up at the same time. Do the commendations and then for the public citizens that would like to acknowledge, they can do both officers at the same time. Thank you. We'll do one and two at the same time.

Luis Viera

9:13:07AM It's my great pleasure to do our officer of the month. We have two over here. This will be the first time for our Chief Owen to come and talk about these officers. So we have officer jared Richards, who is our officer of the month for July of 2026 and Officer Gregory van heyst who is the officer of the month for August of 2026. Chief, if you would like to talk about these individuals. Council, we have officer jared Richards. He is a member of the district 1 --

Alan Clendenin

9:13:40AM Chief, interim chief, we have to start with saying your name and that helps us with the automation of the minutes. He is a member of our district one street anticrime squad for district one. Officer Richards consistently demonstrated outstanding initiatives, strong investigative skills and relentless commitment to removing violent defenders from our community. Throughout the month of May, Officer Richards played a key role in significant investigations including violent crime, burglaries and wanted offenders. His presence, attention to detail and proactive approach led to the identification and apprehension of multiple suspects helping bring successful solutions to complex investigations. Officer Richards goes beyond responding to calls by developing leads, interviewing victims, witnesses and review surveillance footage. His efforts resulted in multiple arrests, search warrants, recovered evidence and confessions from suspects involved in crimes both locally and across multiple jurisdictions. Whether locating violent offenders, tracking burglary suspects across county lines or safely taking suspects into custody during high risk incidents, Officer Richards demonstrates sound judgment, professionalism and unwavering commitment to protecting our community. Officer Richards' professionalism, work ethic to serving the citizens make him an outstanding representative of the department. Congratulations to Officer Richards for July 2026. [ applause ]

Luis Viera

9:15:17AM So what we usually do is we have members of the community come and give you a gift. We'll do it jointly with you and your colleague. First, if I may, I would like to give the Tampa City Council commendation to you, sir. We really appreciate all your work and service. God bless you, sir. Thank you. First, I would like to thank you, City Council.

Alan Clendenin

9:15:44AM Restate your name for us for the minutes. Thank you to City Council. Thank you to my command staff, supervisors, everyone that was involved in selecting me for this award. I truly feel honored and grateful. I've been in this career 12 years. I take a lot of pride in serving my community. So this is especially meaningful to me. I would like to thank my family that flew from Connecticut to be here to support me and my girlfriend, my loved ones and the community for coming out. Thank you very much.

9:16:18AM Very good. [ applause ] can his family members, especially the ones that flew from Connecticut, can you stand? I want to see that level of commitment from family. Stand up for us. [ applause ] welcome to Tampa. Move on down. It is the best place in the united states to live. Sergeant Greg van heyst. He is one of our most tenured sergeants in the department. Internet crimes against children squad. He leads one of the department's most specialized and demanding investigative units. Through leadership and hands-on approach, the squad continues to identify child predators, recover critical evidence, rescue victims and hold offenders accountable. More than 80 search warrants, 14 residential search warrants resulting in 19 arrests. These investigations have led to the recovery of hundreds of thousands of files containing child sexual abuse material, numerous child victims and protection of children actively exploited. Sergeant van heyst remains directly involved in many of the unit's complex investigation. Undercover work, digital forensic expertise resulted in the arrest of dangerous offenders and successful prosecution of offenders crimes against children. Complex investigations, mentoring investigators, sergeant van heyst consistently demonstrated professionalism, integrity and steadfast commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community. His work continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of countless victims and their families. Congratulations to sergeant van heyst on his well deserved recognition for August of 2026. [ applause ]

Luis Viera

9:18:07AM Sergeant, for all that you have done and continue to do in your work, we really appreciate you sir. It's our honor to give you this City Council commendation. God bless you, sir. We really appreciate you. [ applause ] I'm very grateful for this award. Thank you to City Council for this honor. Thank you for TPD staff for selecting me. I couldn't do any of this work without the squad that I supervise. Amazing group of men and women that do amazing work every day and some tough work, too. I would also like to thank my family. It is a very tough career and they have been very supportive.

Alan Clendenin

9:18:46AM Stand up, guys. Family, stand up. [ applause ]

9:18:55AM Thank you. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

9:18:57AM I also just wanted to take a moment to welcome interim Chief Owen. I think this is the first time you've been in front of us since you've been named acting chief. We're happy to have you. You and I had a chance to sit down and have coffee and talk about some things. I would highly recommend other council members do so as well. Very excited to work with acting Chief Owen. And congratulations. [ applause ]

Alan Clendenin

9:19:26AM Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

9:19:29AM Welcome, chief. Also, I want to acknowledge yesterday in case anybody wasn't paying attention yesterday, there was a big event at the Convention Center that we attended to say good-bye to Chief Bercaw who is going on to work at USF. Congratulations to him and welcome chief.

Alan Clendenin

9:19:46AM Thank you very much. Very good. Next. Those of you in the audience who would like to recognize these two fine officers, you could stand up and come in front of the officers lined up against the wall. Both of you all on behalf of the membership of the police benevolent association, present you with gifts. Also the good folks at busch gardens couldn't be here. They sent along complementary tickets for each of your families.

9:20:15AM Remember, the microphone is buried in the podium. Face us because that's where the microphone is. Start with your name. And who you are representing. Good morning, Chief Owen. Good morning officer reynolds and sergeant van heyst. Grace gonzalez here on behalf of the gonzmart family and 1905 family of restaurants. Thank you so much for being here in Tampa and committed to our community. We really appreciate it. We want you to take the gift cards and enjoy dinner with your family at ulele, restaurant in ybor, see a flamenco show. Thank you for everything you do. We appreciate you. Congratulations. Good morning council. Mary dillon, straz center for the performing arts. On behalf of the straz center, thank you so much for your service to our community, we have a little show called banksy playing until the end of august. You each have tickets to attend. I hope you enjoy it very much. Thank you for your service. [ applause ] jill witecki, Tampa theatre. It is such a pleasure to meet both of you. Thank you for everything you do. On behalf of Tampa theatre, we'd love to invite you with an annual membership to come see us as part of our centennial celebration this next year. [ applause ] gabby pelchetti. Here from friends of the Tampa riverwalk. Personalized pavers in honor of you all and gifts from partners for you to enjoy. Thank you so much. We really appreciate the work that you're doing. Leo geary and Dennis wantero from bill currie ford. Congratulations, officers, on this award. We know you guys go out there every single day put on that uniform, sacrifice for each and every one of us in the room. We truly appreciate everything you guys do. On behalf of bill currie ford, I want to give both of you a handwritten letter from Jennifer curry herself and a gift card and also goodies inside the bags for both of you. Congratulations.

9:22:29AM Just remember, the microphone is buried. If you want the recognition, talk to the microphone. Otherwise nobody can hear you. Ryan spradlin chief security officer for the Tampa Bay buccaneers. As a 27-year law enforcement veteran, it is an honor and privilege to be here today and meet you both and recognize you both. Brian ford, our coo, sends his regrets. He had a scheduling conflict. But on behalf of the glazer family, of course, Brian ford and our entire organization, it's an honor. Thank you so much for what you guys do to protect our community.

9:23:02AM Brian has a history of fumbling the ball. [ laughter ] [ applause ] my name is mark Haney. I'm with Zoo Tampa. We have in appreciation year membership to Zoo Tampa for you and your family. I always have to tell you what animals are in here. This is a clouded leopard. And this is a sumatran tiger, one of the rarest in the world. Only about 200 left. Thank you very much. We appreciate your service. [ applause ] mike mcarthur. Stepp's towing. Joined by Bryce neagle, new operations manager. Might be taking over for me from time to time. Thank you for a job well done and thank you for what you do for the community. Present you a hundred card gift card for each one of you to enjoy a night off and have dinner with your family. Chief, welcome to the position. Congratulations. Thank you, guys, for everything you do for our community. Thank you. [ applause ]

9:24:23AM Mr. Michelini, last but not least. Ten minutes for each officer, but the chairman told me to cut it down to two.

9:24:35AM Give it your best shot. On Harbour Island. Ciccio restaurant group, number of restaurants on South Howard. Yummy house china bistro. Happy to give those to you. Richard's and -- thanks for keeping our streets safe and protecting the children. That's really, really important. So thank you.

9:25:03AM Thank you, Mr. Michelini. [ applause ] on behalf of Tampa City Council, I'm sure you all know that you have a very appreciative city government, including the seven members that sit up here and support our police officer women and men that keep our streets safe. Thank you for what you and your family do for you every day. We are very appreciative. The City of Tampa is one of the safest cities in the country because of our wonderful men and women that protect us. Thank you so much for what you do. Love hearing these stories, and this is one of our favorite days of the month. Thank you for coming today.

Bill Carlson

9:25:39AM We should repeat the crime numbers that the mayor said yesterday. Down 50%. Chief Owen, do you know the numbers? Violent crime down. It was a huge amount of decrease. Congratulations, everybody.

Alan Clendenin

9:25:54AM Absolutely. Thank you so much. [ applause ]

9:26:50AM Okay, we have these young people that we talked about earlier. I want to start off, Victoria, are you out there somewhere that I can't see you? There you are. Come up to the podium. This is Victoria. She is an intern with judge tesh's office. Come up here to the podium. Start with your name. Tell us what you're doing in Tampa and where you are from. I'm from paris, France. Interning with judge. I'm in business school. And I'm studying public affairs.

9:27:24AM Very good. Welcome to Tampa. She's flying to nashville this afternoon.

9:27:30AM Very good. Congratulations. Welcome to Tampa. [ applause ] all of our city interns, why don't you guys line up? If you come up and just say your name and which office you are interning and what school you are in. One at a time right to the podium. Start with your name, what office you are interning in in the city and what school you are in, if you are in school. Good morning. I'm trevor Bradley. I'm a freshman at USF. I'm interning with t & I.

9:28:03AM Very good. Thank you so much. My name is melvin. I'm a senior at plant high school. I work at Tampa Police Department.

9:28:13AM Go panthers. My name is Erin vermoni. Interning with technology and innovation. I am a junior at strawberry crest. My name is nikiria turner, senior at spoto high school. I intern at Code Enforcement, slash, neighborhood enhancement. My name is laura. I'm an upcoming senior at chamberlain high school. I work for the neighborhood community affairs. My name is kadra Rodriguez. I just graduated from chamberlain high school. I work in neighborhood and community affairs. Good morning. I am an intern for community engagement and partnerships. I am a freshman at university of north Florida.

9:29:11AM Well, well, who are you? I'm interning with City Council. I'm an upcoming senior at Hillsborough high. I attend -- I am a rising senior at middleton high school. I'm interning within the community engagement and partnerships department.

9:29:40AM How was your experience interning? Like it? Thumbs up? Good. Excellent. Hopefully it will kick off and interesting to see you come back in ten years and tell the next council how this affected and where you are in life. That would be very interesting to see. Councilwoman Young's interns, come back up here because I think she wants to talk to you guys. Councilwoman Young.

Naya Young

9:30:09AM I had three interns this summer. These are my college student, kendall. She is gone. She's at american university. I have my last two that are left. Today is their last day. I am sad to see them go, but I know they are going to do amazing things. It is their senior year. I have watched you two ladies since the first day you have grown so much and you have been so helpful in the office, and it's really been a joy to have the both of you. I've got so many compliments when I'm out. They are like, you have the best interns. You have such great interns. I'm really proud of you ladies. I know that you'll do amazing things.

Alan Clendenin

9:30:54AM One thing I'll say passing you in the hall, your lights shine so bright. Don't let anybody push that light out. Keep that positive attitude. What you've shown since you've been in the City Council has been amazing. Really nice having your energy around and both of your smiles are amazing. Obviously two very intelligent, bright women. Your future is just yours to build. Thank you for being with us and bringing your energy to City Council. [ applause ]

9:31:29AM Mr. Shelby. You're up.

Martin Shelby

9:31:33AM Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning. Members of council, Martin Shelby, the City Council attorney here to talk briefly about the rules of decorum for today's meeting. Now, up until this time, you've had the opportunity to fill out a card if you'd like to speak at general public comment. The cards are accepted until the start of general public comment. There is a box outside to do so. While I'm speaking, if you haven't and you wish to, please do so now at this time. Each person submitting a card will be recognized by name by the chair to approach and speak. A three-minute time limit applies. Please print legibly. Names that cannot be read will not be called. If you are here to speak at a public hearing, which today are items 37, 38, 39, and 40, there is a sign-in sheet to use instead, instead of the card. If you need assistance, please see City staff. Now, members of the public are allowed a reasonable opportunity at the beginning of today's meeting to address any item on the agenda before the City Council takes official action on an item. Per council's rules, preference is given to those speaking on agenda items first. As I said, a three minute time limit applies to all speakers providing public comment. Speakers and members of the public are also reminded to please refrain from disruptive behavior, including making vulgar or threatening remarks or making or causing disruptive noises or sounds or displaying signs or graphics. Please direct your comments to the entire City Council rather than individual members. The Chair Will rule out of order any person who speaks without being recognized or attempts to address the City Council from outside the speaker area at the podium. Persons failing to comply with the council'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 today's meeting. As I said, if you are here to speak on items set for a public hearing, you will have that opportunity when that item is later called up and heard during the agenda. No public comment is taken later during staff reports. If you wish to speak on anything such as the consent docket or staff reports, the time to speak about those items is now during general public comment. Finally, council members should refrain from engaging a speaker under public comment and the public should be aware that the City Council does not take questions or have a dialogue during general public comment. This is your opportunity to express your position. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Alan Clendenin

9:34:08AM Thank you so much. Our first public speaker is going to be Pamela cannella speaking on item 48, Stephanie poynor, followed by Michelle Mastrototaro. My name is pam cannella. I do not support public comment, non-agenda, city business at the end of the agenda. Constitutional rights must have a balance. I realize the intent of this council is to provide a safe and more efficient meeting. Amending public comment to state non-agenda city business achieves your intent. But moving the public comment to the end of the agenda, even with the best of intentions to stay on time, places a hardship on those that come and take time out of their day to express their concerns, that they feel is important. Allow public comment, non-agenda, city business remain after public comment agenda items at the beginning of the schedule. It is not a conflict or hardship for City Council, and it will not affect City Council business. But it will ensure the public has every opportunity to speak and share their concerns without feeling their voices are being suppressed. This is a fair compromise for both City Council and the public. The simple compromise builds a more trusting relationship between elected officials and the people. The reason for increasing amount of cases in the circuit court of appeals is the attempt by elected officials to silence public comment. The constitution first amendment protects the people against the government. Our elected officials, from overstepping its boundaries. It's about transparency and public trust between the public and our elected official. This respect has to go both ways. The public feels at times City Council is not listening to our concern. Here's the people's view of the City Council members. During a public comment, online speaker at the time, and I know sometimes you have to refer to notes, but Mr. Chair, to turn your back against the people, I don't think that's the right move. I think it would be better if you just dismiss yourself and leave. Thank you.

9:37:07AM Good morning. Stephanie poynor. I'm going to start a little backwards. I want to talk about number 50, the school speed zone camera fines should only be spent on school zones. There's no reason to spend it elsewhere until everything is perfect. We have sidewalks around every school and we have cameras for every school and we have the safest environment for our children to get to school. They walk two miles to school. Most of the kids who walk to school every day are not rich white kids like mine. Okay. So let's keep that in mind. Number 48, amendment to the rules and procedures, as long as you bundle the workshop, you shouldn't have to cut back the feedback during workshop time. I sent you a spreadsheet analyzing that. I also think that you guys should all start with three minutes to say your peace. I can get a whole lot done in three minutes and so can you. Then that cuts down 14 minutes off of every single item just to start. If you need more time, you ask for more time. Fines and fees for number 46, contractors, when will the contractors be fined? They are supposed to know the rules better than anybody, but we see the citizens, the homeowners being fined and the contractors did the work, and they weren't permitted to do it. I've got a great tree story for you guys about that one. Number 36, 21% increase in Logistics and Asset Management budget. There's no explanation for it. This is an issue that I'm seeing throughout the entire agenda recently, that things aren't explained, so I have to ask more questions. Picnic island park, the pipeline, it's only $1800 a year, but they are going to put it in the General Fund. That pipeline is coming through picnic island. Every penny of the $1800 a year should be spent at picnic island. While speaking about picnic island, when is the picnic island pier going to be fixed? People fish off the Ballast Point pier and picnic island pier to feed their families, not just for fun but to help supplement their grocery bill. And both of the piers in South of Gandy are down. People drive from all over the city to fish on those two piers. What about fishing pole holders for the piers with the $1800 a year? Easy spend. Update on the pier. Okay. Infrastructure accelerator? What is that? Why is this being done? I'm reading through the documents, I still don't see it. The plan for 22 for picnic island, can we do the same thing for tappan park? Why can't we? Who started that? Who wrote the grants? Let Michelle Mastrototaro get in the middle of that so we can start making improvements for tappan park in South Tampa. The NRAC, I saw Tarah Bluma's list of recommendations. And I wholeheartedly agree with everybody that she put on her list. I know 37 and 38, people are kind of fired up about it. Again, if somebody had written what is really going on with that, because that is a motion for you guys to take the money from the county.

9:40:16AM 37 through 40 are public hearings. That's your opportunity to talk about those. Hi, Michelle. After Michelle, the next speaker is going to be David phillips. After David, Emily hinsdale. My name is Michelle Mastrototaro, as you know. I'm a passionate advocate for areas, and especially areas that seemingly are not getting the help they need. This is tappan tract park. First off, I would like to commend the city for granting money to picnic island. One statement in the request for proposal especially stood out for me, the city is working on scalable solutions that can immediately be exported to other areas. I'm hoping to have a park because tappan park actually, its people's drainage. It works off a gravity system. It's not just technically a park. It is actually an essential park for the people in that area. This is what it's turning into. And this is wildlife that are there. It's getting destroyed. This project developed successfully. The technique with picnic island, I hope the city will make tappan park a priority by applying the same proven natural-based solutions on the park and dire need for restoration to be addressed for the erosion, the flood resilient, and restore valuable habitat because it's all these animals. They are all displaced. The raccoons, I mean, this used to be once a beautiful location. And people love it. It's young adults walking up and down. They don't even have sidewalks to walk. They walk in the street. I also respectfully request the city aggressively pursue additional state and federal grants. We need grants. If anybody can make a motion to make a grant for this area because I'm a taxpayer. Everybody in my area, and that's our drainage. We have no drainage. So this is our only drainage system. Council members had came and seen we have no drainage. That's the only thing. The water stays. It can't go back out and we're in need of help. Every neighborhood deserves the benefits of resilience, infrastructure, and healthy natural system. I appreciate the city if they can just come together and help that area because I don't want to lose my home again. It's coming to be a really hard situation for me. I'm working with S.W.F.W.M.D., Ted Fowler. Stormwater doesn't want to answer their phones. I am left in limbo trying to get help.

9:43:41AM Thank you, Michelle. We'll be talking to you in a few minutes. David phillips followed by Emily hinsdale. I've had that since I was born. Anyway. My name is David philipsen, not phillips. First off, I would like to say thank you to waste management and the City of Tampa for a brand-new recycle bin. I am very pleased with the service that I have received from them. Kudos to you people for that. Now, the other thing I would like to comment on is, well, I'll just let it go for today. But I wanted to say thank you for the recycle bin. I appreciate it. I think everybody who gets them should use them, not just let them sit in a front yard like a lawn ornament. Thank you so much. I'll be back.

9:44:56AM Thank you, Mr. Phillipsen. Sorry about misreading your name as Michelle the previous speaker. I get her name wrong every time. Good morning, Emily. My name is Emily hinsdale. I'm here to speak on agenda item 50, memo in reference to City Council's June 4 motion to ensure that school speed camera penalty revenue was disbursed toward actually making school routes safer. This issue appears to have been misunderstood, so I would like to encourage City Council to make a clearer, more specific motion that will guarantee these cameras serve their intended purpose: keeping kids safe. The current language reads that fine revenue will go to administering the cameras and public safety initiatives. Public safety initiatives is a very general term and could arguably be used for any pet project. Anything from adjusting downtown parking to new police stations to providing a police presence at a parade. It is not a phrase that will ensure these funds are spent on children's safety going to school. I would like to suggest amending this language in the motion to make the focus more specific. These funds must be used to administer speed detection systems in school zones and on infrastructure focused safety initiatives in school attendance zones defined by the Hillsborough County School district. This language would allow the funds for administering the system, including TPD oversight for applying the penalties, and direct funds toward the city Mobility department for improving children's safety by applying infrastructure enhancements like sidewalks, crosswalks, crossing lights, ADA compliant intersections and speed reduction designs around schools. Let's keep our eye on the ball here. Children's safety on the way to school. Children do not have a choice of whether to attend school or not. That's decided for them by adults. The very least we adults can do is not put their lives at risk while we urge them to education. I hope City Council, the mayor, the Tampa Police Department, and all of us will stay focused on the only important purpose for these cameras. Reducing speeding risks in school zones. I'm hoping City Council pushes to codify language that will help improve our school safety through automated speed enforcement and traffic safety speed deterrents. Thank you.

9:47:26AM Thank you, Emily. Connie burton followed by Valerie bullock. Good morning, Ms. Burton. Connie burton. Start with easy stuff first. Item number 16, it's just wonderful to see how people can see privilege. That's what I see when you read the agenda that certain parks can be utilized as a fund-raising tool and that's what it is for jesuit. And I don't have no problems against them. But just to simply go to the park in our community to have an event, people can't usually do it. You know why? Because they don't have money for reserving the park, bringing families out. You all got to have a balanced approach. On what you'll give away and give back to the community because we are constantly watching that. Number 48, the rules and procedures are -- how we stand up here, I think already resolved by the removal of mentesnot not being able to come to council. I think that's what spurred it all. You can say because you was wasting time, but it was because of the constant dig that he keep reminding this council of the absence of economic opportunities coming to the black community. Number 52, we want to see something besides workforce discussion and development and job fairs. When these people come up here, they should be able to tell you for the number of years that they have been participating what have they delivered to underserved communities? What jobs have actually came to communities that have very high unemployment or underemployment? We have too many young people in our community that simply cannot retain employment because of a variety of reasons. One of them is because nothing is suitable inside of our community. Lastly, I'm not a police officer, but I could tell you about plenty horror stories we hear in our community. You know, to go to internal affairs, never resolved because of the balance of proof that we have to always carry the burden of. Did the officer do such? You know what? It was caught on camera. It was caught on camera and, of course, the officer was terminated, but the results of having just a poor relationship inside of our community must be addressed. So that officer was terminated, but what happened to his partners? All this, if you see something say something, what would have happened if the body cameras was not there? You all need to come up with some type of workshop to be developed in our community so we can have real communication regarding the issue of balance that occurs from police officers to many black men in our community.

9:50:44AM Thank you, Ms. Burton. Valerie bullock followed by Steve Michelini. Good morning, Valerie. Valerie bullock. Ponce de leon and college hill. Kudos for number 31, rescinding that resolution because the community never know who was buying all of that property, what are they buying it for. Kudos for you all for rescinding that. If I had it my way, it would be revoked. Item number 46, the city is agreeing to suspend the fees and liens for these property owners, number 46, let's do the same thing for number 17 and number 42. If you can't, could you please tell me why, what's the difference with it? On item number 50, this is the one that I love the most. We keep giving the same nonprofits the same organization millions, millions year after year. But individuals' lives are not being changed. All I see are the nonprofit making subsidiary with other companies and now you got three companies that came from one company getting money from the City of Tampa. And they need to be held accountable. We need to see how much they are spending, where they are spending it at, and if they are spending it for what we told them to spend it for. I don't know if you all do it, but I'm pretty sure you do. Every dollar we give out, we need a community benefit agreement lined up to it. And we don't want no more training. We don't want another workshop where they get my name, e-mail, and phone number. We want people in East Tampa to get paychecks. And I think this would be the start of it. When my kids come to me and say you got $200, first, I need to know what they want it for, what you did with your paycheck. They got to be held accountable. And that's what we need to do with the citizens' dollars of the City of Tampa. We need to hold people accountable. Everybody is getting money, and nothing is changing in East Tampa. You might say, well, we built two houses that are affordable. $450,000, that's not affordable for somebody that got 45,000 income yearly. That's what I want to see. I want to see this guy get off the street corner, stop going around with his lawn mower tied up to his bicycle cutting yards. I want to see him go get a job, and that is not happening. We've been asking for the same thing in East Tampa, belmont heights and Jackson Heights for the last 40 years. If you all got some receipts of the changes, I would like to see them.

9:53:37AM Thank you, Valerie. Steve Michelini. Reminder that 37 and 38 are hearing items. You have an opportunity to speak to those at the hearing. Steve Michelini. One of the issues that I sent you an e-mail regarding the Code Enforcement issue. The request really is to make fines not discretionary on the part of the city or the magistrate, but rather it is an outright right that you cannot fine or assign liens to properties while you are in the middle of the resolution of that issue, whatever it is. Discretionary is fine. But staff change, hearing masters change. The Legal Department that are responsible for overseeing it, they change. If you say in the code that you cannot fine people when they are in the middle of a rezoning or a variance or permitting then it becomes the right of that citizen to resolve the problem without being punished. Recently, the staff and the magistrate have been more lenient with that particular issue, but there's no guarantee that that's going to continue going forward. So we would respectfully request that you continue with the code change that would say basically that when you're in the middle of a citation and trying to resolve the problem with Code Enforcement, that you cannot assign fines and liens. It's not just discretionary on the part of the city. It's a right of the property owner. The second thing regarding the sidewalks. I forgot to put this on the little card, sidewalks and the cameras. If you direct the money to be used for sidewalks and improvements around the schools, that is an appropriate expense and not diverting it to some citywide other project that who knows exactly what that is. But it should be directed to improvements around the schools instead of obligating people who are two miles away or a mile away to pay for sidewalks around schools, use the money for that. Thank you very much.

9:55:55AM Thank you, steven. David corona followed by ashley morrow. Those are our last two in-person speakers. Good morning, David. Start with your name, please. My name is David cornel.

[Recording]

9:56:34AM Last interview of the day, right? Talking about, since the last time talked to him. God has been blessing all day. How was the weather? Little hot. Got a little rain. Got rained on. Has anything been bothering you about what's going on out here? I'm pretty sure they have -- find a little more help, little more resources. But, okay. I'll give you his number. I should have one of his cards on me. [End of recording] we affectionately know her as that. I represent the Highland Pines committee incorporated. Tomorrow in the Florida sentinel bulletin there will be an article about our committee. That's pretty much it. I would like to present before the chair or any members, we have a proposal for what is called the Highland Pines hideaway. It's on the website. I have it printed over here. That's pretty much it. Thank you for your time.

Alan Clendenin

9:58:51AM Thank you, sir. Chair of our Charter Review Commission, ashley morrow. My name is ashley morrow. I will be sharing Tampa's black history. So last month, I shared a story about hugh mcfarlane and fortune Taylor with the bridge that was nonexistent. I kept digging through federal land records and discovered part of my understanding was -- part of the understanding was even more interesting. Sold much of the land on June 3, 1875, yet the federal government didn't officially approve her homestead patent until a month later, July 1, 1875. It was already vested toward this man prior to her even getting documents for her homestead. So moving forward, and trigger warning, we will be talking about ku klux klan activity here in Tampa. Back in 1899, he also -- also talk about how hugh mcfarlane served as defense counsel for man accused of intimidating a black postmaster named Daniel h. Morrison, hugh mcfarlane was counsel. In the community of peck, today near the ottawa area of Tampa. This is not something that's new. I didn't write this. This is a very old article about white capping. Called it ku klux klan white cap and they white capped this man named William c. Crum because he hired a black man to deliver the mail in peck Florida. People did not like that. The man's name Daniel h. Morrison and he was the sub. They go to trial and a mass mob pull crum from his horse. Whip him. They pour carbolic acid on his lacerated flesh. Makes me wiggle. In addition, one side of his side whiskers amputated. They had long whiskers, cut off half of his mustache. He gets brought into court, and here is where it was, this is the old courthouse. From the 1890s, the courthouse they used during the time. This is the entrance. These are the people that were charged. These were the witnesses. On the day of the trial, the most important witness didn't show up. William c. Crum. So he doesn't show up but eventually he comes into the courtroom and mcfarlane, if you've never seen him. He basically defends them and discredits William c. Crum. Tells the jury and everybody he's not creditable. Hired a black man. You guys don't want your mail delivered by a black man, do you? He actually wins the case. It doesn't move forward, and that is the end of my story. If you want to read the whole thing there is the qr code. Thank you.

10:02:13AM Thank you as always. Michael randolph, are you online? My name is Michael randolph. Today I am here wearing a different hat. CEO for the center of nonprofit and community development. Today, I want to discuss the growing crisis affecting nonprofits across Tampa, Florida, and our nation. Community based nonprofits provide violence prevention, youth mentoring, workforce development, affordable housing, mental health, and economic opportunity. Many are unprecedented by natural pressure. Since early 2025, nonprofits have faced federal funding freezes, grant cancellation, and increase in competition from limited resources. National research indicates that 60 to 80% of nonprofits rely on government funds are struggling financially. If those funds are reduced, then they are in trouble. While nearly two-thirds of nonprofit leaders are concerned about financial sustainability. The reality is simple, our funding model must evolve. For decades, nonprofits have depended primarily on grants and donations. These resources remain important for grant funding alone is not enough. If grant determines whether your organization survives, then your mission is vulnerable. The nonprofits that will succeed will be those that -- revenue for social enterprise and income programs, consultant, workforce training, fee for services, and other mission driven business that generate sustainable income by advancing their mission. We must also embrace technology. Leadership development, data, and artificial intelligence to improve fund-raising, operations, communications, and program delivery. At the center for nonprofit and community development, we believe that the -- belongs to community impact enterprise, organizations that combine mission for financial sustainability. Let's stop asking where is the next grant and start asking, how do we fill organizations that transform lives for the next 25 years? Join us online as we explore practical strategies that help small nonprofits survive, diversify, and increase their revenue and use a.i. To help. Please contact us at the center for nonprofits and community @gmail.com. Thank you.

10:05:31AM Thank you, Michael. Have a beautiful day. I hope you are on the road to recovery.

10:05:36AM Take care. That concludes our public comment for the day. Thank you so much. Appreciate that. We are moving on to board appointments and administrative appointments. Oh, it's a time certain at 11. I missed that part. Okay. Very good. Let's move on to the consent agenda. Luis Viera, chair of the public safety committee, items 11 through 36.

Luis Viera

10:06:07AM -- I move items 11 through 13.

Alan Clendenin

10:06:13AM Sorry about that. Motion from Councilman Viera. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Thank you. Neighborhood community affairs committee, 14 through 18.

Naya Young

10:06:24AM I move items 14 through 18.

Alan Clendenin

10:06:26AM Motion from Councilwoman Young, second from Viera. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have IT. Infrastructure committee is 19 through 22.

Guido Maniscalco

10:06:33AM I move items 19-22.

Alan Clendenin

10:06:36AM Motion from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Miranda. All those in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. I do hear an echo. It's weird. We are down to the development and economic opportunity committee, 25 through 31 -- Councilman Miranda, items 23 through 24.

Charlie Miranda

10:07:06AM Move items 23 and 24.

Alan Clendenin

10:07:08AM Motion from Councilman Miranda. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Councilman Carlson, 25 through 31.

Bill Carlson

10:07:15AM On the advice of marty, I'm going to abstain from 25. My company doesn't work in any way on the topic, we have a client that is tangentially related. Out of an abundance of caution recuse myself. I'll move 26 through 31.

Alan Clendenin

10:07:33AM Motion to move 26 through 31 from Councilman Carlson, second from Viera. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Item number 25.

Naya Young

10:07:43AM I move item 25.

Alan Clendenin

10:07:44AM Motion from Councilwoman Young. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? With Councilman Carlson.

The clerk

10:07:52AM Motion approve with Councilman Carlson abstaining.

Alan Clendenin

10:07:56AM Mobility. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

10:07:58AM I know we're doing a separate vote for items 32 and 33. I have sat on the tpo since I have joined council. Reconstructing the regional infrastructure accelerator grant. We were given a million dollars by the federal government. It came to the City of Tampa. Because it is regional, we actually gave it to the Tampa Bay chamber for the administration of it. I'm sorry. The partnership. The Tampa Bay Partnership so that it wouldn't seem like we were the ones leading it. We were trying to create -- would you like to speak on it quickly? Adam Purcell, transportation services director, City of Tampa. I'm also the project manager for the regional infrastructure accelerator program. We received $1.75 million in federal funding for the regional infrastructure accelerator program. There was an interest to not have it singly focused on the City of Tampa because we understand that many of the systems that feed the City of Tampa are, in fact, regional systems. So we wanted a regional voice at the table to help lead the discussion. We brought in the Tampa Bay Partnership for a component of that discussion. They received $200,000 in funding from the city to support kind of the regional engagement effort. So there was a $1.75 million grant that went to HNTB for the regional infrastructure accelerator. There was an additional 200,000 that went to the Tampa Bay Partnership to help support the regional engagement. What's on the agenda today is a related effort called the innovative finance and concessions grant, which is a related subset of the scope of the regional infrastructure accelerator. The regional infrastructure accelerator looks at kind of the existing programs and funding opportunities that we have to advance our transportation funding in our projects. Innovative financing concessions grant is intended to look at city assets and how those assets can be leveraged to generate revenue to support the development of transportation system.

10:10:15AM Basically the point is, this is not our money. This is federal money, and we are acting as a pass-through. We are using consultant services to support the grant activity so that --

10:10:30AM Yes, but this is not city money. This is federal dollars.

10:10:34AM Thank you. I appreciate it.

Bill Carlson

10:10:35AM Mr. Chair, since we had such a long conversation about pulling these. I have a couple of concerns, and this is no relation to you. You are new with the city and everybody has faith in you. The public and I don't trust this administration to provide transparency. Also, the Tampa Bay Partnership is a membership-only organization. You have to pay like $50,000 and be approved, and if you are black-listed, you don't get a seat at the table. It's not collaborative, inclusive organization. That has the ability to really build regional cooperation. But this administration has not been transparent on this project. It appears that they don't intend to be. If the administration would like to come present to council, which means presenting to the public and fully disclose everything going on with this, then I'll support it. I'll vote against every single thing related to this until the administration agrees to be transparent about this. What appears to be happening, put together a deal and drop it on us at the last minute. I and the public object to that. Secondarily, the consultant that's being put in here allegedly one of the senior managers of the city in mobility who left has a senior level position in this organization, and maybe one other is about to join that organization. I have concerns about conflicts of interest that need to be addressed as well. I'll vote no on both of these. If the administration would like to explain whether conflicts of interest in the future, not asking you to do it now, and if they would like to fully explain what's going on and where they intend to go with it, then I may support it in the future.

Alan Clendenin

10:12:14AM Move items 34 through 36.

Lynn Hurtak

10:12:17AM I'll move items 32 and 33. I would suggest if anyone has real interest in this, continue to go to the transportation Planning organization meetings where we talk about this at length.

Alan Clendenin

10:12:29AM I have a motion --

Bill Carlson

10:12:30AM Should I say I was on the tpo and I watched the meetings. The information was not sufficient for the public. The mayor's office needs to come clean on this and describe what their future is because they keep making claims to the public about what they intend to do, but there's no backup on it, just like there's not backup on a lot of issues in here.

Alan Clendenin

10:12:48AM Thank you. I have a motion from Councilwoman Hurtak and second from Councilman Maniscalco to move items 32 and 33. All those in favor, aye. Opposed?

Bill Carlson

10:12:57AM Nay.

The clerk

10:12:58AM Motion carried with Carlson voting no.

Lynn Hurtak

10:13:00AM I move items 34 through 36.

Alan Clendenin

10:13:03AM Motion from Councilwoman Hurtak. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. We are moving way too fast. Item 39. Item number 40.

Luis Viera

10:13:49AM We are at administration update.

Alan Clendenin

10:13:50AM 40. This is mine. Is staff here for 40?

Martin Shelby

10:14:11AM It is a public hearing.

Luis Viera

10:14:17AM Is there any staff here on 40?

10:14:28AM I move an ordinance of the City of Tampa, Florida, requiring City Council to be provided notice of any changes to the executive order, setting standards for triennial updates to --

Alan Clendenin

10:14:40AM Keep going.

Luis Viera

10:14:41AM Yes, ma'am, sir. Sorry. I woke up at 2 a.m. this morning, so I'm very slow.

Alan Clendenin

10:14:47AM Something in the water last night.

Luis Viera

10:14:48AM Couldn't go back to sleep. Triennial updates to the respective public safety master plans of the Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue, repealing all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict therewith, providing for severability, providing an effective date.

Alan Clendenin

10:15:07AM Motion by Councilman Viera, a second from Councilman Maniscalco.

Carl Brody

10:15:09AM Carl Brody from legal, if you have any questions, I'm here for you.

Alan Clendenin

10:15:13AM You did not expect this level of efficiency.

Carl Brody

10:15:15AM This is a first.

Alan Clendenin

10:15:17AM I have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

The clerk

10:15:21AM Motion carried unanimously. Second reading and adoption will be held on August 27, 2026 At 10:00 a.m. in City Council Chambers, 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, third floor, Tampa, Florida, 33602.

Alan Clendenin

10:15:34AM Mr. Shelby, would that have been -- that was not a public hearing.

Martin Shelby

10:15:38AM No, it was not. It was a first reading.

Lynn Hurtak

10:15:41AM Our council rules say we allow public comment.

Martin Shelby

10:15:46AM If you wish to ask if there was -- you don't have to reconsider.

Alan Clendenin

10:15:50AM I'm saying, based on their public comment. Anybody in the audience that wanted to speak to item 40? Hearing none for the record. Thank you very much. How about the administrative update? Can we get the administrative update?

Martin Shelby

10:16:05AM Are there any that can be taken?

Alan Clendenin

10:16:13AM What about the k-bar ranch?

Luis Viera

10:16:21AM Thank you very much, sir. Thank you, Brandon, for all your work on this. I'm bringing this, and I will continue to bring this because this is something that will reduce response times in parts of New Tampa by 40%. We'll keep on hearing. So we get a conclusion of it. If I recall the issue I brought this back on was to see if something could be set right now or in the near, near, near immediate future for TFR and TPD potentially to be able to go through now as opposed to the public. Good morning, council. Brandon Campbell, mobility director. On the k-bar ranch parkway extension over to morris bridge road, of course, we talked about this a couple of times over the last month or so, most recently last week, when Mr. Pargov, the engineer of record on that project called in and spoke to you about the potential for even possibly opening up that connection for emergency response before it's open to the public. So, again, the caveat being, not being a city project, our level of control over everything that goes on there is somewhat limited. But we are working with the contractor and the developer on the utilities acceptance testing that precedes their final grading and paving of that roadway segment. This week, I know it's been just a week since we were in here talking about it, this week it's been fairly rainy. I think that's hindered some of the utilities acceptance testing. But in meeting with the project team, our Contract Administration Department reported back to us yesterday that they are still on target to get the roadway open probably by September 15. And so there's some intervening steps between now and then that may or may not allow for early access by emergency services. We'll continue to try to work with them to understand if and when that would be possible. But the update that I have from them so far as of today is they are still shooting for September 15 for it all to be ready and taken over by the city.

10:18:31AM Great. Thank you. Madam chair, briefly? Thank you very much, sir. Thank you, Brandon for that. I'm going to be having a community meeting out in Easton Park. This would be access in Easton Park to get into k-bar ranch because there are concerns there about increased traffic and different things like that. I will be having a written report on something involving that. But I will be getting with your department to potentially have somebody there or at least have some notes that I can read from to update on what the city is going to do, not to put you on the spot, but is there anything the city will do in terms of improvements for that concern?

Brandon Campbell

10:19:11AM For the concern of access on Easton Park?

Luis Viera

10:19:16AM Yes, sir. In other words, increased traffic, not necessarily by first responders but increased traffic from morris bridge road through the Easton Park neighborhood. If you can't answer it because I put you on the spot.

Alan Clendenin

10:19:27AM How about you guys deal with that off-line?

Luis Viera

10:19:34AM That will be on the 18th. I'll get back. Council, I continue to push this because this is a very important issue. Brandon, thank you, sir.

Brandon Campbell

10:19:42AM We can make sure someone from the department is --

Alan Clendenin

10:19:45AM Since Brandon is still standing there, can I get -- without objection, move item 44, which would require Brandon on the alley.

Brandon Campbell

10:19:56AM Sure.

Alan Clendenin

10:19:57AM Is there no objection? Go ahead.

Brandon Campbell

10:20:01AM Item 44, we submitted a memo, just talking about some of our touch points on alleyways. My team actually met internally with development and growth management. Adam is here. He may be able to provide additional details on that, to talk about what the strategic approach should be to clarifying what constitutes an open and used alley. And then to go from there on what needs to be done to, like, preliminarily -- preliminary -- excuse me. Tripping over my words. To preliminarily assess the existing alleyways so that if a developer comes in and wants to develop on a parcel, they know exactly what the expectations are with respect to alleys. So the CRA recently did a similar study in West Tampa. Of course, that's where the West Tampa overlay is. And requirements are a little bit more stringent with regard to accessing alleys in that overlay. That was about a $250,000 effort. It becomes very complicated very quickly. So we still have some additional steps to explore what we need to do to provide clarity for developers and truly everyone else on what the expectations are. Alleyways, obviously, can be used for multiple things. Sometimes they are just for utilities. Sometimes they are for transportation access. Sometimes they are used for Solid Waste. So those layered needs and layered opportunities sort of come together in a way that makes it, again, a little bit more complicated for us to bring order to the various needs and various areas throughout the city. So I don't know if Adam, if you wanted to add to that, or if you all had any additional questions. We have met recently. We're continuing to better define the effort. Services director. We have met once with mobility staff, once with the larger team with City Planning, with Code Enforcement, with land development. We started, again, to parse out the many needs related to alleyways and the many implications of changing standards or defining standards. So working through that process, we've got the two motions. The first is to kind of set that quantifiable, definable standard for vehicular access. That's what our primary focus is on now. We're also working with that team. I met with them yesterday afternoon for an hour. We had a productive meeting. But then define the scope of a citywide study for alleyways and start to put a cost to that effort. I think the West River effort is probably a good indicator of kind of where we are headed, that it would be a seven-figure type of study citywide to define how we utilize our alleyways. It's in progress. I think we had the foresight when the motions were made to provide a status update because we knew we were beginning to poke at a very complex issue that has been a complex issue in the city for many decades. So we're in the process. We're doing the staff work now and are working hard to get an answer.

Alan Clendenin

10:23:21AM This is my motion. Ask a quick question and then Councilwoman Hurtak and Councilman Miranda. Is there anything -- is the direction from council clear enough or do you need further direction? What else do you need from the council so we can try to do it in a more expeditious manner?

Brandon Campbell

10:23:38AM So I think at this point, the direction from council is clear enough. We are happy to set up any briefings as needed. If you want more in-depth discussion on an individual basis.

Alan Clendenin

10:23:50AM Progress reports.

Brandon Campbell

10:23:52AM Yes.

Alan Clendenin

10:23:54AM Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

10:23:54AM Well, we only did part of West Tampa, only the part in the CRA. Development and growth management put in their budget money to finish the study for West Tampa. From my understanding, that did not make it into this budget, correct?

Brandon Campbell

10:24:09AM I'm not aware of what's in the proposed budget for development and growth management. Of course, that is an ongoing discussion between all involved parties and to the budget-making processes ongoing.

Lynn Hurtak

10:24:22AM I'm going to ask you to find the answer to that by Monday because that's our mobility and stormwater budget meeting. For me, it's incredibly important that this study be a part of the next budget. Because talking about biting off small portions, if we can actually get West Tampa done, it will give us a guide to go forward. It doesn't mean that we don't need to still keep thinking about the whole city, but it would be great just to get one portion of the city done since we've only done the CRA portion, the city needs to pony up for the rest and we just need to get it done. That's going to be something I want to see in this '27 budget. Anything on that would be great, but that will give us a really good head start. I have looked and read through the CRA's alley study. It's great. It's very clear. I really want to see us go forward. This is a really monumental study. You are not incorrect. But the city, we really need to talk about how we're using our alleys. That's been something that I've been on since before I got on council because Seminole Heights is very protective of its alleys.

Brandon Campbell

10:25:34AM Yes, we'll look a little more deeply into the development and growth management budget. I do believe that Geri Lopez may be on. She mentioned she would be joining as a panelist. I don't mean to put her on a spot. She may be able to answer the question here and now and not wait until Monday.

Alan Clendenin

10:25:51AM The screen went white -- there she is. Good morning, council. Geri Lopez, deputy administrator for development and economic opportunity. This is an item that our City Planning Department has been completing with the CRA funding. We did ask for additional funding to complete the alleyway study as part of the City Planning budget. As council member Hurtak mentioned, it is not currently in the budget, but I will discuss with Revenue and Finance to see if we can get you an answer for the Monday work session.

Lynn Hurtak

10:26:25AM Thank you. It would be great if you could get a number attached to that so that that's something that we can try to look for the money necessary. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

10:26:36AM Thank you, Councilwoman Hurtak, for bringing that clarity and that information. Councilman Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

10:26:41AM In West Tampa, varied size alleys in width. Some are 5 feet, 8 feet, 10 feet, 12 feet. So the ones I'm talking about mostly, I don't believe, are in the CRA, of North Columbus Drive, on Macdill Avenue, go all the way north to st. Joseph hospital. And you'll find that these alleys were closed, but nobody knows about it. I can give you one that I know of that there was a house with a chain-link fence, two sides, all houses on this side. Other side, there was vacant land. That land was sold and the individuals who bought it built two houses. Eight-foot gap because another fence they put up. Just for the heck of it, I looked it up. It says "alley" between the two fences. So I assume that is a city alley. Not knowing that it is. It's got to be somebody's alley. Ain't one to the north or to the south. There's about three or four trees there growing in city property that look like they are going to fall. I was just looking at that the other day. All the alleys are different. My suggestion is the ones that are small, talk to the neighborhood, have a meeting with them, do whatever you do and close them because nobody can use that. If you have an alley that will be used, who will be responsible for the future paving of those alleys? The property owners or the city? I just want that answer way ahead of time before we start doing anything else because I think that is the only logical thing to do. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Alan Clendenin

10:28:15AM Thank you, Councilman Miranda.

Bill Carlson

10:28:24AM I agree with things my colleague said. An overlay, ten or more years before I got on council, I started my neighborhood advocacy in Hyde Park fighting to protect neighborhoods -- sorry, fighting to protect neighborhoods but also alleys in South Tampa and Hyde Park, somebody tries to touch an alley and not maintain it, we'll have 200 people here. As council member Miranda always says, we need to treat the whole city like any part of the city and not unfairly treat others. For too long, alleys in other parts of the city have been falling apart. We have folks come here begging us to vacate alleys because they are a hazard because people throw trash in them. Sometimes people live in them or whatever. It shouldn't be that way. The design of the neighborhoods was intentional when they were built. And the neighborhoods for the most part want to keep their alleys. They want them to be maintained. They want them to be accessible. I think we need to do everything we can throughout the city to maintain the alleys -- to protect and maintain the alleys we have. As people are looking ahead in the future, in urban Planning, most folks, most planners want us to maintain the alleys as well. If there is a big project where someone is buying the entire block and want to vacate it to build on the whole thing, maybe. What's happening is people are asking us to vacate just because there's garbage and trees growing in them. And that's not acceptable. Thank you all for your help in trying to repair the alleys. It's a really important infrastructure I think for neighborhoods. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

10:30:02AM Can you do me a test, one, two, three?

Bill Carlson

10:30:07AM I'm hearing my mike is not working that well.

Lynn Hurtak

10:30:10AM We're hearing a lot of tinny echo bad.

Bill Carlson

10:30:18AM Somebody text me and said my mike is low.

Alan Clendenin

10:30:21AM CCTV, after this meeting, maybe you can diagnose.

Bill Carlson

10:30:26AM I can shout into it.

Alan Clendenin

10:30:27AM There is a ringy echo to it. Anything else? Can I get a motion to receive and file staff reports for 44 and 46? Motion from Councilman Miranda. Second from -- sorry. Motion from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Miranda. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. We are At 10:30. Can I get a motion to open 10:30 public hearings? Motion from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Miranda to open the 10:30 public hearings. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Item 37-point. Emma Gregory, Legal Department. I'm here for item 37, which is the public hearing for the adoption of the resolution approving the city's non-ad valorem stormwater service assessment roll. This assessment funds the operation and maintenance for the city's stormwater system. The resolution setting the public hearing was adopted on July 16 and we sent mailed and published notice in accordance with our code and state law. As you may recall, this assessment was originally adopted in 2003. The service assessment rate this year is $82 per esu, which is the equivalent stormwater unit, and has remained the same since 2015. There is no change to the assessment rate this year. The city did not receive any written objections, and as with all non-ad valorem hearings, the vote on the resolution adopting the roll has to take place during the hearing. Of course, that would be after public comment. I'm here and Brandon Campbell, mobility director is here if you have any questions.

Bill Carlson

10:32:35AM The public will weigh in also. As members of the public have gone through and done analysis on how this money was spent over the last few years, they disagree with the way it was spent and they want to make sure we have real tight controls over how the administration can approve it. The community will be saying this, but they want us to have a more robust conversation and narrowly define the projects or processes that can be paid for in this so that it's not wasted on frivolous projects.

Alan Clendenin

10:33:13AM I have a question. I want to make sure that I truly understand. I know I should have probably dealt with this ahead of the meeting, so I apologize. Voting on these stormwater issues today, does that bind us in any way on the South Howard flood project?

10:33:33AM It doesn't obligate any further expenditures. Doesn't obligate any further nothing.

Emma Gregory

10:33:38AM Item 37, we can certainly talk about this during item 38 which is the capital improvement assessment. But this is simply the service assessment. This funds operation and maintenance of the stormwater system.

Alan Clendenin

10:33:51AM Very good.

Bill Carlson

10:33:54AM Can I elaborate a little bit? After milton and helene hit, we have many, many videos from throughout the city that show that no maintenance was done at all, even though there were promises when this was raised in 2016, whatever. We have videos of promises made that maintenance would be done. But there were trees growing out of places that they shouldn't have been, which shows maintenance had not been done for decades. Although this administration and protecting the last administration disagrees, we have video evidence of it. And the public wants to know how the money was spent. We discovered a big portion was spent on parades which the public feels is inappropriate. If we had to vote on this today, I'm going to vote no because I think we need tighter controls. The entire city should not be flooding in a storm like it did this past weekend after 20 years of funding something like this, that there should have been more maintenance and more prevention. The amount of flooding that's happening is completely unacceptable. What I would rather do is continue this for a week or two and then have a hearing where the administration is able to tightly define on how they plan on spending the money. We can go through that and then get legal to help us put tight controls so they can't spend it on parades or whatever other frivolous projects they want to spend it on.

Alan Clendenin

10:35:19AM Councilwoman Hurtak and then I'll get back to you.

Charlie Miranda

10:35:25AM I'm not opposed to anything, but I realize this is a necessity in a way so maybe we could pass this with a caveat that the administration comes back with a plan on where they are going to spend the money for stormwater, where it's needed, without anything other than stormwater. Cannot be used for anything other thing other than what it says it's for. Not sure if you can write it that way. The attorney is here.

Alan Clendenin

10:35:50AM Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

10:35:53AM That's pretty much what I'm expecting to see on Monday because that's our stormwater budget hearing. For folks who are concerned about this, I don't see a reason we couldn't wait until after we hear about what the budget is planned for, for stormwater next Monday. Is there any issue with waiting until after we hear about the stormwater -- from the stormwater presentation for the FY '27 budget?

Emma Gregory

10:36:23AM In order to get on the tax collector's roll, we have to adopt and send them the roll by September 15.

Guido Maniscalco

10:36:34AM We have two regular meetings.

Lynn Hurtak

10:36:37AM My question, though it sounds like we'll have plenty of time if we want to dissect this on Monday, to bring it back at the very next council meeting. What I will say is that when the city levies a special assessment, that money, it comes in with strings attached. It can only be spent for the purpose it was levied. So the service assessment can only be spent for maintenance to the city's stormwater system. In fact, the General Fund supplements the stormwater budget at least as part of my knowledge.

10:37:26AM I appreciate it. From this dais, we've had a concern about the money being spent for salaries or the money being spent not necessarily through this but on parades and just being able to show the exact clarity about where the money is coming from. So that's the concern that the public has. So we're here as stewards of the public. I honestly think that would probably be our safest bet. Obviously, we'll listen to the public comment today. I think Monday's workshop of very clear budgeting and showing line for line what we're going to spend this on would be beneficial to the concerns that people have.

Alan Clendenin

10:38:14AM Anybody else on first round? We'll move to second round. Councilman Carlson for second round.

Bill Carlson

10:38:18AM After public comment, I would like to make a motion to continue 37 and 38 to next Thursday. If not, then the next one. It sounds like we would have plenty of time, but give us a chance to go through it. In addition to the discussion about budget on Monday, I really would like legal to weigh in as to how we can put tighter controls on the administration so the money is not spent for things like parades. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

10:38:49AM I think clearly staff just indicated that the money is tied. I don't know if there was allegation that money spent on parade. Staff, as she said, the budget is supplemented by General Fund money which pays for it. This money we're talking about, the assessment, is legally bound by the definitive rolls that the assessment was levied on. There are two different issues here. City staff and how City staff is paid and the assessment is only paying for what is legally allowed.

Bill Carlson

10:39:28AM I'll let the members of the public who did the research weigh in on that. The reality is, until City Council and the public started complaining after the storms, the city was not doing sufficient maintenance. Right now, we're doing catch-up and a lot of hard work being done, but we have at least 10 or 15 years of neglect. If a 30-year-old tree is growing out of a culvert, that shows that nobody has looked at it in probably 40 or 50 years. Why was there flooding throughout the city for a regular rainstorm this past weekend? There are lots of excuses we can use, but maintenance is a big part of it and we need to get more aggressive about it and catch up.

Charlie Miranda

10:40:09AM I heard the city attorney specifically speak that this cannot be used for anything else other than what is on this, three words, stormwater service assessment fee, for that particular item only. Am I correct?

10:40:24AM Therefore, if there was money spent from the Stormwater Division, could have been from Stormwater Division or other monies, but not from this. That is a question you have to think about. I don't know if it was spent that way or not. I'm not accusing anyone of anything until I see the facts. If anybody has facts on that, let me see them, including the administration, if you're listening.

Alan Clendenin

10:40:46AM Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

10:40:47AM That's kind of the point of Monday's budget hearing, that we can talk about. That's why. Yes, it is clear that we're supposed to spend the money on specific things. Again, I think for the public, I think just the concern folks have, waiting until we actually discuss this and talk about it at the budget was probably a better way to bring this forward. I think if we waited until August 27 agenda, we may not be in this space, but if we did, then I'm glad we did it now. We'll hear from the public. We'll hear their concerns. And hopefully, I mean, obviously we've gotten a lot of e-mails on this. But if folks could -- if people from the administration can just jot these notes down so we make sure we answer the questions on Monday, I think that will help everyone and be able to get us to approve this with the specificity it requires. No one is saying this money does not need to be here and be spent. We just want to very clearly know what it's being spent on. I think that is a very reasonable request for the public. Thank you for bringing this to us today. Let's just all write some notes and make sure that Monday we get these answers.

Alan Clendenin

10:42:04AM I'll close that out saying that 37 is really a yes or no vote. If we're going to continue with stormwater service assessment fee. I can't imagine in the situation that we're in right now with climate change and the issues that we're having with stormwater that the city would even consider not continuing with the stormwater assessment fee. It's such a critical element of our strategy of mitigating the flooding in both freshwater flooding and sea level rise. So 37. But I do understand the communication aspect. If we continue this today, this is not -- I don't think anybody on the dais would say we shouldn't continue with the stormwater assessment fee -- maybe there, I don't know -- I'm assuming there's not. I think it's just a matter of information transfer from the city to the community so they understand what this really -- sometimes it's complicated, especially with some of the information that's out there because of the issues we just discussed. This is just about whether we'll continue with the stormwater assessment fee. Killing this would mean we would no longer be collecting that, which would put us way behind.

Bill Carlson

10:43:13AM Eventually I'm going to vote for this, but if they make us vote today, I'll vote no, and that's fine. I want to hold them accountable to the money. The charter clearly states that the mayor has control over all the administration and we have control over the budget. We've gotten tons of complaints about flooding, including this past weekend. But most of it is because of lack of maintenance, not because the teams haven't been working hard the last year, it's because nobody did anything really for the ten years prior to that. Yes, administration, go ahead and send another nasty e-mail to us about that. What we need to do is the administration needs to stop playing politics and protect our people by preventing flooding. As soon as we approve this, they can do whatever they want. So the only power we have to try to hold them accountable as representatives of the public is to hold this for a couple of weeks and try to require them to show that they are going to be accountable and then hold them to it. Remember a couple of years ago, we voted to create a fire station in a place that we desperately needed one. The administration just decided they weren't going to build it, didn't tell us and moved the money and didn't tell us. The next year they just said we didn't build it. This is how this administration dismisses City Council and the public. We have to use whatever limited powers we have to try to hold them accountable to get results because the flooding in this city is not acceptable. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

10:44:41AM Councilman Miranda and then we'll close this.

Charlie Miranda

10:44:43AM Let me make a motion that we ask the administration to give us a run-down on the money from last year's stormwater service, where it was spent. And bring it on Monday. I got to clear the air. I'm not one to point fingers. I like facts. Only deal with facts. Whether they are right or wrong, I don't know. We have to get to the bottom of this. We are a city united, not divided. I'm frustrated. I'll start growing my hair back if this continues.

Alan Clendenin

10:45:13AM I have a motion from Councilman Miranda to request that the city provide a detailed analysis of where money from stormwater assessment fee has been paid. Time frame?

Charlie Miranda

10:45:24AM Monday if possible.

Alan Clendenin

10:45:25AM No, I'm saying --

Lynn Hurtak

10:45:27AM It will have to be 2025.

Alan Clendenin

10:45:31AM For 2025. We got that? Motion from --

Bill Carlson

10:45:37AM May I --

Alan Clendenin

10:45:40AM Hold on.

Lynn Hurtak

10:45:42AM I wanted to clarify the dates because there's really not, I mean, other than we do get stormwater quarterly updates. We could probably bring the first couple of quarterly updates. Mr. Campbell is nodding, so it looks like he can provide probably a midyear, but I don't think we'll get anything past the midyear. So the two stormwater updates, actually, I think you have a third quarter as well you could probably bring us because -- well, no. it's still august. They just finished.

Alan Clendenin

10:46:13AM Available data 2025 and beyond.

Lynn Hurtak

10:46:17AM As much of 2026 as possible.

Bill Carlson

10:46:21AM Go to 2019 or 2016 when it was increased. We know for sure from all the video evidence and all the testimony by the public and engineers who have looked at it that there was very little to nothing done from 2019 until helene and milton. We know that nothing was done before that because how could you have trees growing out of culverts? The public wants to know, since this was raised in 2016, where did the money go? The last year we know they have been working hard, but now we have years of neglect and the public doesn't know why the basic maintenance wasn't done.

Alan Clendenin

10:46:58AM We're talking about a quick turnaround time. That is a very comprehensive report. I heard earlier, seemed to be a sentiment -- I have a motion and a second for staff to have a report at the Monday workshop for the detailed analysis of where the money has been spent in 25 and whatever reports are available in 26. That being said, if this item is not passed today, I heard somebody discussed August 27. August 27 and meeting after that are very full meetings. My expectation is this issue would be hashed out on Monday. If this was continued to the 27th, it would just be a quick, very little discussion, up-or-down vote because these meetings are full. The first motion is for staff to return to City Council at the workshop meeting this Monday with that information we just previously discussed, Councilman Miranda and Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Now I'll entertain a motion to continue --

Martin Shelby

10:48:06AM My suggestion, council, would be, this is a public hearing. If there are those people that came today, it may -- number one, it may affect your decision. Number two is they do have an opportunity to speak and raise issues.

Alan Clendenin

10:48:24AM We did pass that motion on the information requested by council for Monday night. That's done. Morning.

Martin Shelby

10:48:32AM But that being said, the public should also be aware that your intention is after public comment to continue the item.

Alan Clendenin

10:48:40AM Correct. Does staff have anything else to add before public comment? Are continuing to August 27 --

10:48:57AM Not yet. We'll do that after public comment.

At 10

10:49:01AM 30. Okay. Yeah.

Alan Clendenin

10:49:03AM If there's any clarification at the time, we'll deal with it at that point. Anybody here in the public that wishes to speak to item 37? 37 only, please stand against the wall. Council, I think it is the right thing to do, continue this until you know exactly where that money is going, how it will be spent and should be attached to the resolution for the adoption of the assessment. There have been too many cases where the money goes into the big umbrella of stormwater, and it gets shifted around. There is a great concern that some of this, if not all of it, a majority of it, can be shifted to a single project as opposed to addressing flooding issues that occur throughout the city. There are a number of occasions here, and I've heard, although we'll provide you with documentation, that they are not being completely transparent with you. The staff is not telling you that they have a plan of how they plan to spend that money. They can generate that and they can generate it quickly. One of the things we're really concerned about and I spoke to one of the members of your staff regarding the maintenance. The budget number in the maintenance for this year decreases over last year. It doesn't increase. It decreases. And so honestly, most of the money should be going to maintenance immediately. And you all approved, I think it was Councilwoman Hurtak insisted on $500,000 for immediate stormwater relief, which is just the beginning. There are millions in here that needs to be diverted immediately to maintenance. We've shown you pictures. A number of people lined up here, showing you pictures of trees growing in ditches, culverts that are broken, inlets that are obstructed. All kinds of stuff. And by estimates of our own engineers, these are private engineers, not the city engineers, but the city agreed that the obstructions of these inlets have created the flooding problem as recently as last week. Let's get on the maintenance program and stop messing around with the stuff. Salaries is another issue. There was an estimate that a lot of the money was going to salaries. They should be disclosed. How much money is being spent on salaries versus real work crews in the field with real equipment, dedicated to stormwater maintenance? They have been borrowing equipment from other departments. Half of the time, and according to pam cannella, identified equipment that's been broken down for like six months at a time. So they shifted it and started leasing equipment so they wouldn't have to worry about broken down equipment. A lot of things in here to be careful of. Please go through with the continuance. Let's talk about this in more detail on Monday and see where it goes from there. I'm not opposed to the stormwater assessment. I don't think any of these people are opposed to the assessment, simply the allocation of funds.

Lynn Hurtak

10:52:26AM Thank you so very much. Next. Please start with your name. Anybody else coming in who wants to speak on item 37 only. This is the maintenance portion. Please line up to the left. P-h-i-l-i-p-s-e-n. As far as your maintenance for flooding, I've seen the flooding first hand. It's bad. Like yesterday, I'll give you an example. I live in a group home. The group home has a van. That van is basically it's only mode of transportation for now. My comment is really geared toward if the floodwater damages that vehicle, the group home will have to pay for another vehicle. The flooding is bad. I've never seen it -- I've never seen things in real life that bad except on tv on the news. You guys need to do something here. Thank you.

10:53:41AM Thank you very much. Next. This is my issue. A couple of things to clarify. We are talking about maintenance. We're not talking about comingling of funds from the improvement fund. It is true that there are restricted uses for this. The way the administration has explained it to me is that parades are paid for out of the extra they get from the General Fund. I believe last year was 5 million. As long as they didn't spend more than 5 million on parades, they are in the clear. Next, your resolution about having data as to where this can go. You need to have city works data pulled and do it year over year. That will help you get a historical understanding of how much progress has been made or the times that things were slow. I wasn't even going to speak today because I was going to advocate for doing an audit instead of what this is. I could kind of dig this if there is a way to pull this off. Having the audit, I sent the e-mail a couple of weeks ago, to look for the efficiencies of why we were able to turn such good numbers in for this year through April compared to last year. The department did something. I believe I know what it is. Staffing changes, et cetera, and they had their foot on the gas. If we're able to do that, how much more money do we need to make this work? It will be a really hard task for them to outline exactly what it is that they'll do with the money. I don't know how that's going to be feasible, but I would be interested in seeing what happens. Also, to think through the pieces that need to be at play in order to say this is what we get for that is going to be a big challenge. I have been advocating for more staff to do the ditch grading and things like that. But this department across the city was also told that no more staff is going to be added, so we're in a freeze, and there are some challenges with that and actually costing us money. Won't have enough time for that. At the end of the day, I don't know that holding us will make a difference. If you can put teeth in now to get accountability, that's great. If not, later. I would advocate for having an audit, member of the mayor's list that came through, add us to that list. What is vital is the efficiency. All the other numbers and equipment and how crappy fleet is and getting stuff back, whatever, the leasing is a good thing because then we're not stuck with downed vehicles. So there are people in that department making SMART choices, but to really know what we're talking about, you have to get the year-over-year report. It's vital. It exists. Pray it doesn't go through public records because it will take you a month. Thank you very much.

10:56:17AM Thank you very much. Next. Reminder that we are talking about just the maintenance portion. Item number 37. Y'all are -- my name is pam cannella. I wasn't prepared to speak today on this. I'm coming Monday. I want to say I think you understand our concerns. We want this money to go for maintenance, actually for cleaning. Because we are not even on maintenance mode yet. We're still cleaning. I'm concerned about the flooding. I'm concerned about the contamination of our drinking water, because the lack of cleaning and the maintenance that we need has pollutants in our retention pond. I keep seeing one retention pond and that's the one, we all know. But all our retention ponds, ditches, they are full of plastics, waste, trash, debris, they are still there. We need to find a way to get it all cleaned. We need to find a way to support our Stormwater Department. One of my concerns is that the stormwater is under mobility. So I wonder about staff salary, because you have staff that's under mobility, but then stormwater money maintenance is going to them as well, according to what we found out. So I'm concerned about that. I guess that's basically it for today. You're getting the short version. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

10:58:00AM Next speaker, start with your name. I'm concerned about the stormwater because for so many years, they didn't do anything, and when they had the money, where did that money go? What's going to make this year right here different. So questions need to be asked, and it makes me pause when somebody said got to be done today. No, it wait. Don't give them the money and then you all ask questions later. Ask the questions on Monday and then approve everything. One other thing that's my biggest fear is, everybody was talking about all the money going to the Howard Street project. That is unacceptable. All the stormwater funding can't go to one project. It need to be equitable across the whole city because it floods everywhere, and the ditches, the retention ponds, all of that do need to be cleaned out. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the people who work on team clean in East Tampa, they got heavy equipment operation skills so they can do a lateral transfer to stormwater so that we will have people that are trained and that can get to work as soon as possible. But we do need this passed. All the money just can't go on Howard Street project. Thank you.

10:59:28AM Thank you, Valerie. Ms. Poynor, start with your name, please. I want to remind everybody that this is Florida state statute, and there is a two-part test for the assessments and how it's spent and it should be fairly and reasonably apportioned. That means not spending it all in one, putting all our eggs in one basket. That means the ditches in front of my house gets cleaned just like the ditches in anybody else's house. This assessment, I think I through a bomb in front of it, maybe last year or the year before last. It was funny because I walked upstairs to Morris Massey's office with him and they tried to get Mr. Rogero on the phone. Must have been the year before last. He was with Vik Bhide. Mr. Rogero and Mr. Perry Refused to answer the questions that Mr. Massey had. I thought he was going to blow a gasket. He was very contained but he was not happy. This stormwater funds, if it's all going to one spot, I'll keep my money, thank you. If it's all going to go to one place, I'll keep my money, thank you. Yes, this is for maintenance. Here is the thing, everybody says, oh, the Stormwater Department worked on the parades and the special events, that comes out of the General Fund. It's not about the money, folks. It's about the time, the effort, and the energy. When they are spending five weeks for an entire crew doing something besides stormwater, who is getting left out? I can tell you right now, I put in stormwater cleanup for Interbay at manhattan which had three feet of water after milton last year or the year before last. It had three feet of water. All the ditches are full of crap, but it still hasn't been addressed. It still hasn't been addressed. So we've got to stop playing games. The other thing is, I'm still looking at the payroll sheets because they are in a really crappy form. Chief Bennett says he'll get it for us. Anyway, last year we found people on the stormwater salary sheet that weren't doing stormwater work. Have we verified this for this year? Question everybody needs to ask on Monday, is stormwater only being spent on stormwater? Because if it is being spent on anything else, then you are denying the citizens of this city their apportionment from this assessment. It's just that simple. This is not Stephanie poynor's words. This is the words of a former city attorney who said this under oath in front of council. Make sure you are following the rules.

11:02:09AM Thank you, Ms. Poynor. Michelle. Start with your name, please. My name is Michelle Mastrototaro. I want to address the maintenance as well. I think it's been 15 years plus that our area has even been looked at or maintained. Our area has no way of the water expelling due to all the erosion from all the hurricanes, and I diligently called stormwater. I write everybody. I've been with Ted Fowler. He can't get nobody on the phone from stormwater. They don't want to answer their phones. They don't want to help. I have an excavator for two weeks down the road on my street that's being not utilized, and nothing is being done, and we still got puddles and puddles of water everywhere. I have a sinkhole right in my driveway that my car almost fell into. We really need a lot of help and maintenance is not being addressed. I mean, what can we do as taxpayers? I don't even have drainages. I work off the gravity system. So that park needs addressing, but nobody wants to address it. George cox turns around and tells me that he's going to fix it and waiting for S.W.F.W.M.D. To come. S.W.F.W.M.D. Tells me they don't even have an application. What is stormwater really doing? I don't know if their hands are tied. If they just stopped working. But it needs addressing. A lot of issues. My area, Drew Park, to even think about South Howard, deplorable. To think about the CIT money going to the rays and CRA money, we need addressing. I looked at Stephanie's agenda on the budget, if you guys all look, it said from 2023. What happened to 24, 25, 26? Where was all that money? From 23, all those other years, no one was being addressed and nobody was doing anything. I think that we need to start getting stormwater to start doing stuff to care and we need to firm up our antics with them and try to get help because they won't answer their phones, and people are really in dire need. It's hurricane season, and we all got to do this for us. Help the neighbors. Thank you.

11:04:48AM Thank you, Michelle. Tara, start with your name, please. Tarah Bluma. I'll try to be quick. Mr. Adair said I believe they spend $5 million a year on parades and City staff said, well, but we don't spend this money on parades. If you have a bucket for stormwater, and you take 5 million out for parades, and then you need 5 million from the assessment to put it back in, you may not be spending those 5 million on parades but the result is the same. If you have an extra $5 million to spend on parades, then you're either not doing the amount of maintenance that you are supposed to be doing or us taxpayers would like to keep our $5 million. You don't need the assessment. It can't work both ways. Since this is about maintenance specifically, Ms. Mastrototaro and I live at opposite ends of the same street. We do not have gutters or anything in the street. All the water runs down prescott, and she does constantly have feet and feet of water in front of her house, and we've all put in requests, no maintenance gets done there. And we are paying for the maintenance, and we don't have the drainage. So at a minimum, more work should be done to dig ditches or to find other solutions, because I was told by City staff that prescott street itself is our drainage solution. So my house is okay, her house is not. Finally, I totally agree with everyone else that it is not okay to spend all of this money on the South Howard project. Thank you.

11:06:25AM Anybody else in the public wishing to speak to this item? Need date, time specific and location.

Guido Maniscalco

11:06:33AM Move to continue item 37, put it under 10:30 a.m. public hearings at 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, third floor, Tampa, Florida, August 27.

Alan Clendenin

11:06:49AM Motion from Councilman Maniscalco. I have a second from Councilman Carlson. Anything else we need to clarify?

Emma Gregory

11:06:56AM I think that -- I think concerned citizens can also appear by video if they register in time.

Alan Clendenin

11:07:13AM Very good. We'll have this discussion at the workshop meeting on Monday. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. We had a time certain, 11:00.

Guido Maniscalco

11:07:35AM Do we spend to continue 38 to the same day as well?

Alan Clendenin

11:07:39AM For efficiency of the schedule, if we have a lot of public comment, I'll go ahead and go to the time certains at 11. Anybody in the audience that if we open up 38, they'll talk to 38 if we continue this to the 27th? Hearing none --

Guido Maniscalco

11:07:54AM Motion to continue -- sorry. You have a presenter.

Alan Clendenin

11:07:59AM We're going to continue it.

Guido Maniscalco

11:08:01AM Motion to continue item 38, it goes along with 37. This is the capital improvement project, not the stormwater assessment.

Emma Gregory

11:08:08AM It is the capital improvement assessment roll adoption resolution. It is the assessment that goes towards funding capital improvement projects.

Guido Maniscalco

11:08:21AM I would like to continue item 38 to August 27 under 10:30 a.m. public hearings to go along with 37 that we previously continued to 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, Florida, 33602, third floor, and people can register virtually to speak on that as well.

Steve Michelini

11:08:42AM Mr. Chairman, if you will, the same conditions regarding presenting a budget should be included in 38.

Alan Clendenin

11:08:49AM It's all with 37.

Steve Michelini

11:08:50AM I understand that. For clarity it might be useful to make that motion as well.

Alan Clendenin

11:08:54AM That would be redundant. Motion from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Viera. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Bill Carlson

11:09:08AM In prior conversations about stormwater and in particular certain projects, we have evidence from the public and also public records that the mayor used her political staff and communication staff to scare the public and whip them up to come to meetings to protest against any things on City Council we're doing. My read is that falls under the political prohibition that the city has under the ethics rules. If I see that the mayor's office is doing that again the next time, I'll file an ethics complaint against them. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

11:09:40AM Thank you, Councilman Carlson. That item is dispensed with. We had a time certain at 11:00 to open up the board and administrative appointments. We'll move to item number 4 and recognize our wonderful clerk of the city, Shirley Foxx-Knowles.

Shirley Foxx-Knowles

11:09:58AM Good morning. This is Shirley Foxx-Knowles, city clerk. Good morning, chair and council.

Alan Clendenin

11:10:14AM Ms. Foxx-knowles, I know people are waiting. These should be quick. 5 through 10 and then move to 4 because that will take a little longer. So we can release those people.

Guido Maniscalco

11:10:25AM Move items 5 through 10.

Alan Clendenin

11:10:28AM Is that okay with you?

Shirley Foxx-Knowles

11:10:31AM Sure.

Alan Clendenin

11:10:31AM Motion from Councilman Maniscalco to move items 5 through 10. All those in -- second from Councilman Viera. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Thank you. So those are done. Now we go on to item number 4. And congratulations to everybody.

Shirley Foxx-Knowles

11:11:00AM I am here to present the candidates or the applications for the Natural Resources Advisory Committee. I believe you have -- some individuals will not be attending, but they e-mailed a statement. I will not read the statement. I believe you have it already. There were three -- four people that withdrew their applications. They include alison date, aubrey keck, carolyn lewis, and ruth pierson. We also received notification a short a while ago that santino valdez will not be attending. The first person that will present to you for three minutes, Amanda Vasquez.

Alan Clendenin

11:12:31AM That is a maximum of three minutes. Amanda, if you would start with your name, please. I'm Amanda Vasquez. Never done anything like this before. So bear with me. I lived and worked in Tampa for 25 years. Seeking your support to serve on this natural resource advisory committee. I feel I bring a unique perspective, in that I hold a degree in social work and also in sustainability. I have a good understanding of human health and behavior and impacts and how people are impacted by their natural environments. For the past two decades, I've worked here in the community as a clinical social worker. Various different community mental health resources, inpatient/outpatient health care. University, and now I work for corporate, doing psychiatric assessments, and setting sustainability. I did my research on food security and sustainability and particularly food waste within Hillsborough County School districts. Whole different topic. I also had the opportunity of working on eight different farms across the country, studying sustainable agriculture and natural resource management. Just personally, I love the community. I spend a lot of time volunteering in different environmental activities, cleanups, et cetera. I serve on corporate sustainability team at my current workplace. What I think I offer to this committee is just a unique understanding of the benefits of natural resources on human health and wellness and behavior. And how policies can and initiatives can impact quality of life for residents. I see the initiatives such as the Tampa urban tree canopy expansion, not just about neighborhood beautification or cleaner air or climate resilience, but also like vital infrastructure for community health and wellness. Recreation, stress management, and community pride and social cohesion. For those reasons, I think that I could use my experience and just community engagement and knowing about health and behavior of individuals, and I also have some specific training in sustainability.

11:15:00AM Do you currently hold or held a City Council board position?

11:15:09AM Thank you. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

11:15:10AM I'm going to ask the same -- I'm going to ask a question of everyone as well, so you can add it in, too, if you want. One of the things we talked about when putting this committee together is we want to make sure we have someone from every district represented. I'm just going to ask you your City Council district, that would be either 4, 5, 6, or 7. Because 1 through 3, we represent the entire city. If you happen to know. If you don't know, just tell us your neighborhood and we can figure it out for you. But I'm in Seminole Heights.

11:15:41AM You're probably 6.

Alan Clendenin

11:15:44AM Very good. Thank you very much. Very nice presentation. I'm assuming we'll go down the list. Cecilia bidwell. Shirley, I have the list in front of me. I can call them up. You have three minutes. Start with your name. Like the prior speaker, I also live in Seminole Heights. I'm in the hampton terrace neighborhood. I've lived in Tampa since 2007. I used to live in South Tampa before moving up to the heights in 2023. I'm an attorney, and like probably all the applicants today, I am a huge tree lover and I am passionate about the Florida environment and natural resources and the role that that can play within the city. When I first moved to Tampa, I was very impressed by the historic tree protections that have always been in place in Tampa, especially with respect to grand trees. As an attorney, I, of course, noted that in 2019, the State of Florida passed a statute that made tree removal much easier. I've seen the impacts of that within the community. In my own neighborhood and around the city. That's one of the things that I think if I were on the committee, I could help address by working with the community to understand the value of trees, how they impact heat management and impact flooding in a positive way because I think there's some lack of understanding about those issues, and particularly with the storms in the last few years, there is a lot of, I would say fear about damage that trees can cause and about the expense associated with that. I know there are some great programs in place that the city has. I personally have a tree in my yard that I got from the mayor's tree giveaway earlier this year, but I'm not sure that those programs are known as widely in the city as they could be. I think my skill set as an attorney and my history of advocating for people and identifying issues and communicating with the community would be an asset on the advisory committee. I would ask you to consider my application. Does anyone have any questions for me?

11:18:18AM Do you currently or ever held a city board position?

11:18:22AM Thank you very much. Anybody else have questions?

Lynn Hurtak

11:18:26AM The district.

Alan Clendenin

11:18:26AM I think she told us. Yes.

11:18:30AM Thank you so much. The next speaker I believe will be christina arenas.

11:18:45AM Start with your name, please. Good morning. I am a lifelong Tampa resident with deep roots in this community. Public service and environmental stewardship has shaped both my family's life and my life. My great grandfather, Charlie walker, for whom walker magnet middle school is named after and great grandmother Barbara Hamilton Allen who donated land to Hillsborough county schools. Could receive education and deep commitment to serving our community. I am incredibly proud of that history. It has inspired my own dedication to protecting the places and people that make Tampa unique. I hold a master's degree in global sustainability with my concentration in water resource management from the University of South Florida. I previously served as environmental programs manager for keep Tampa Bay beautiful. In that role, I led environmental initiatives, partnered with local government and community organizations, and developed programs, developed programs focused on watershed protection and litter prevention and environmental education. As the founder of a boutique, I spent nearly a decade educating our community about sustainable living and the connection between environmental health and personal well-being. I am seeking appointment to the Natural Resources Committee because I care deeply about Tampa's waterways, greenspaces and natural ecosystem, especially as our city continues to grow and to evolve, I believe that sustainable growth requires collaboration through thoughtful Planning and a commitment to preserving that natural resources that support our community. If appointed, I would bring not only my background in sustainability and environmental management but also my experience building partnerships, engaging the community, and finding practical solutions that balance conservation with needs of a growing city. It would be my honor to serve the city that has shaped me, contribute to protecting Tampa's natural resources for future generations. Thank you for your time and consideration.

11:21:10AM Thank you, christina. Could you tell us what district you live in and have you ever served on a City of Tampa board? I live in the temple park, Temple Terrace area.

Luis Viera

11:21:35AM [Inaudible]

Alan Clendenin

11:21:35AM Very good. District 7. Okay. Thank you so much. Appreciate your interest. Our next speaker is going to be Ed Austin followed by elizabeth dunn. Ed? My name is Ed Austin. Resident and board member for hynca, the Historic Ybor neighborhood association, and I'm from district 5. I believe inherent purpose of the Natural Resources Committee because it includes and represents the interest of all stakeholders. I think candid viewpoints can foster balance on committees. Residents have strong feelings about the urban forest and for good reason. Tampa's tree canopy has shrunk significantly and for neighborhoods, the urban forest provides a multitude of benefits, shade, walkability, removal of pollutants from the air, water, aesthetics, reduction in stormwater flows to speak for a few. Very important advisory committee provides a voice for neighborhoods and stakeholders. Having lived in Ybor City for nearly a decade, I am passionate about addressing the need for trees and protecting our natural resources. Not only in our historic landmark district, but for all city neighborhoods. I have attended several tree workshops hosted by the city and have invited City staff to appear for hynca meetings or speakers for trees on sustainability. As an applicant, I can tell you I believe in volunteering and engaging in meaningful neighborhood initiatives. I don't restrict my participation to meetings. I am an active advocate for the organization and the community. This includes listening, participating, and finding solutions. I just don't attend meetings. I reach out to the community, bring back feedback, act as a listener, and as a coalition builder. Providing input for local government I believe is necessary for contributing to best practices in government. Volunteering, into my view, is participation for the betterment of community. Over the years I have been involved in a variety of local organizations as a volunteer, that includes the boys and girls club of Tampa Bay board member, volunteer leader at metropolitan ministries, meals on wheels, chair of the Hillsborough county CAC citizens advisory committee for transportation for multiple years, st. Leo university business advisory board. I'm a current member of the Tampa Bay soccer hall of fame, and current chair of the neighborhood improvement committee for hynca, that includes our tree-bor city initiative. Professional sports administration and academia. I'm retired now with more time for volunteerism and community activism. This is a great city, but there are many challenges. Let's move forward with solutions and the NRAC committee is a needed right step in that direction. Thank you for considering my application. I have not served on a city board.

11:24:44AM Thank you, ed. I appreciate that. Elizabeth dunn -- council have any questions? Elizabeth dunn followed by Erin Catlin. Elizabeth dunn. I am in district 4. Good morning, council members, and thank you for the opportunity to speak with you all today. My name is -- I go by liz. Liz dunn. I'm asking for your consideration to serve on the Natural Resources Advisory Committee. I want to acknowledge that I may not have the same level of direct experience in natural resources or environmental policy as some of the other applicants, but what I may lack in years of formal experience I make up for in something I believe is equally as important, a lifelong connection to the city, a genuine passion for our natural environment, and a strong commitment to showing up, learning, and contributing. I was born and raised in South Tampa. I currently live by gadsden park. I probably call this city home my entire life. Because of that, I have a personal investment in seeing our city remain beautiful, sustainable, and a place where future generations can thrive. My passion for natural resources and gardening has grown significantly over the years. I am an active member of the Tampa garden club where I've had the opportunity to become even more involved in gardening and horticulture. I also pursued that interest academically through horticulture courses at the university of Florida. I believe that perspective would allow me to bring something valuable to this committee. I'm not approaching this solely from a technical or professional standpoint. I'm approaching it as a lifelong Tampa resident, a gardener, our community member, and someone who genuinely cares about the future of this city. Professionally I bring a diverse skill set. Career includes expanding through law firms, financial institutions, hospitality and currently work as a sister vice president at citibank, which is an environment that requires strong organization, governance, and thoughtful decision making. I have experience working with people from different backgrounds, perspectives, navigating complex issues, managing competing priorities and working with stakeholders at different levels. I think these skills translate well to committee service. If appointed, I would take this responsibility seriously. I would come prepared, listen to different viewpoints, ask thoughtful questions, do the work necessary to understand the issues and approach decisions objectively and without a personal agenda. I also recognize that serving on a committee like this is an opportunity to learn and I do not expect -- and I would welcome the opportunity to learn from other committee members, City staff, environmental professionals, and community stakeholders, while contributing the perspective that I do have. Ultimately, I do believe that a strong committee benefits from having people with different backgrounds and different reasons for caring about these issues and I can bring a fresh perspective and a personal maturity, strong organization skills and most importantly a genuine love for this city.

11:28:02AM Thank you, liz. Have you served on any city boards or committees?

11:28:07AM Thank you very much.

11:28:15AM There is a timer on the dais. When the yellow light goes on, you still have 30 seconds. The red light, your time is up. For those of you staff and council, I was hoping to work through and get without a break for lunch. Based on the amount of public discussion I anticipate, I believe -- once we finish this issue, we'll be at lunchtime. I think a one-hour lunch because the amount of public discussion. Staff, we won't be getting to anything else before lunch. Coming back at 1:00. 1:00, Councilman Viera, if you like to coordinate time certain 43, 1:00, if we get out by 12. As soon as we come back from lunch. Thank you for your patience. Erin Catlin. Erin Catlin. I'm a resident of Ridgewood Park in district 5 and environmental specialist with the Florida department of agriculture. Thank you for inviting me here today to present myself as a candidate for the Natural Resources Advisory Committee. Building community resilience in the face of environmental challenges has been my primary goal throughout my education and professional history. I would look forward to continuing that work on this committee. Two weeks ago I completed my year of service as a member of the City of Tampa's americorps green team program working to provide environmental stewardship and education to residents throughout Tampa. The work included planting hundreds of trees in our parks and maintaining them, removing invasive plant species to support native ecosystems and biodiversity. Coordinating and facilitating giveaways, distributing trees to residents, and providing them with education surrounding tree selection and maintenance to ensure the long-term health of our neighborhood canopies. That work allowed me to collaborate across departments with the city, parks and rec, sustainability and resilience, water, Solid Waste, and more. Working with green team also reinforced questions I first explored while earning environmental studies degree at the university of central Florida. It's not just about how we expand our urban canopy but how do we do it in a way that communities support. Through research, people generally understand the benefits of urban trees, cooler air, cleaner air, cooler neighborhoods, shade and better stormwater management but they also have valid concerns. Maintenance costs, hurricane damage, harm to existing infrastructure, leaf litter, and even the fear that new green projects could contribute to gentrification all affect whether someone is willing to support the planting of a new tree in their neighborhood. That shifted how I think about natural resource Planning. Good ideas aren't enough if they don't account for the experiences and priorities of the people they are meant to serve. It's also been a driving force behind my work with the nonprofit, citizens climate lobby. For almost five years, I worked with them to help people engage in environmental policy. I've organized trainings, mentored volunteers, and helped people effectively advocate for issues they care about. I've also worked directly with elected officials helping bring community voices into conversations about environmental solutions, especially for people who may not have the opportunity to advocate for themselves. More than anything, that experience has taught me how important it is to listen first. Some of the best solutions come from people who live with these issues every day. I've learned how to bring those perspectives into conversations that lead to better decisions. Between my work with the city's green team, my education, and my experience with citizens climate lobby, I've had the opportunity to see environmental and natural resource issues from several different perspectives. I would be honored to continue contributing to Tampa's resilience as a member of this committee. Thank you for your time and consideration.

11:31:45AM Thank you. Have you served on any citizen boards --

11:31:49AM Thank you so much.

11:31:52AM Gavin covey followed by jeanne preudhomme. Gavin, are you in the audience? Seeing none. Gavin covey? Gavin is not present. Jeanne? My name is jeanne preudhomme from district 4. I would like to thank the committee for the opportunity to present my candidacy for the position of neighborhood representative on the Natural Resources Advisory Committee. People often ask me where I am from. Depending on my situation, my answer is from everywhere and nowhere in particular. This international journey explains my accent but more importantly it has shaped how I feel and how I view environmental challenges and the world around me. I was born in the caribbean, educated in england, and I obtained a double major in anthropology and environmental studies from the university of toronto. I have lived and worked in trinidad, the UK, the uae, and canada before making Tampa my home about ten years ago. I settled in South Tampa with my husband. During the pandemic, I turned to online learning completing work in global environmental management and sustainability cities to stay on top of emerging issues. Wherever I've called home I've endeavored to transfer environmental passion into grassroots action. I've done quite a bit of community outreach serving for several years as founding member for grassroots nonprofit called green 13. This was in toronto. I was also interning as a community coordinator where we facilitated the implementation and programming of a municipal carbon challenge initiative, and this was for a provincial candidate. Also performed outreach and marketing for another nonprofit called for our grandchildren. I served on also my condominium waste diversion initiative committee and also volunteered with local councilwomen during local elections. This was in toronto as well. But here in Tampa, I'm honored to serve the Bayshore Beautiful neighborhood association, primarily as the committee chair for environment and sustainability and now as vice president current for these two years. In the bbna, we also partnered in 2023 with the mayor's free tree giveaway. We only could house about I think 70 trees on our properties, and we had so many more applicants that we could not fulfill the demand because of all the demand for the trees. So I want to serve on the Natural Resources Advisory Committee because I believe in transparent local governance, open communication, and direct community engagement and partnerships. Because I've lived and worked in different countries, I lived in large cities, small towns, and I can say that Tampa's growth and resource challenges are not unique. Any medium or large city experiencing rapid expansion that we have faces immense pressure on its natural resources. I believe that environmental issues do not exist in silos. We have to protect our natural resources. It's not just about budget, it's about achieving something lasting with the resources we already have. I believe with collaboration, open dialogue and creative partnerships, we can bring this issue to the board. Thank you for your time.

11:35:19AM Thank you. Have you served on city boards?

11:35:23AM Thank you so much. The next speaker is online. Jennifer armstrong. Jennifer, start with your name. I'm Jennifer armstrong. I am in Seminole Heights. I have not served on any boards. I have lived and worked in City of Tampa for the past 26 years. I'm a current resident and business owner in Seminole Heights and active member of both the northeast Seminole Heights neighborhood association and the current vice president of the Old Seminole Heights neighborhood association, along with an active member of the USF and Tampa gardens. Throughout my time in Tampa, city's natural resources urban plan has been a recurring part of my personal and professional life. I experienced it from multiple perspectives both as a resident and a business owner, steward of natural resources and beneficiary of the programs. Over the years, I found the rules governing the natural resource program often lacked clarity making it difficult for residents to understand the challenges of the city administrator and enforced consistently. If Tampa is to continue growing successfully while protecting natural resources, greater clarity and transparency is essential. Because I have firsthand experience of this program from every angle. Believe provide practical perspective help improve the program making more accessible, understandable and effective for both the city and the residents it serves. Thank you.

11:36:39AM Thank you, Jennifer. Have you served on any city boards before?

11:36:45AM Very good. Thank you so much. Next speaker, joel cleveland. Are you in the audience? Followed by Julia martin. Not attending. Disregard that. Laura lawson next. I live in the Bayshore Beautiful community. Thank you for this opportunity. I've lived in Tampa for nearly 50 years. I'm a transplant from southeastern Pennsylvania. I retired from ibm in 2021 after working there over 42 years. I received a bachelor of science degree from penn state with a minor focus on the natural sciences. For decades, I've been a passionate and active environmentalist, and I'm currently active with 20 to 30 local, national, and international environmental groups dedicated to protecting and saving the world's natural places and the fluoro and fawn -- flora and fauna contained there in. Active environmentalist and protector of our wild places as part of the NRAC. During my time in Tampa, I actively worked with the Florida native plant society, Tampa Bay watch, Tampa audubon society, the Tampa sierra club, friends of Tampa wildlife and others. I laid a strong foundation through these efforts. Avid birder and horticulturist and very familiar with the city. Two-thirds of my ibm career I was in management. I know that my management, leadership, and communication skills will serve me well, and I can leverage them to show our fellow tampanians the value of the advisory council and its efforts to protect and expand our urban forests. The past five years, I've seen a void between neighborhoods and the residents and our elected officials and those who work for the city. I'm confident that I can provide an active strong and vocal intermediary and liaison between the people who live in our neighborhoods and the leaders in city hall. There, in my opinion, is a lot of confusion in Tampa about our trees and what can and can't be done. There should be a focus by the advisory council, in my opinion, to educate people on tree ordinances such as do we follow state or local laws? There seems to be a lot of mystery and confusion. Also, we need to focus our people on the value of trees. Far too often people want to cut trees down in lieu of trimming, and taking other options to keep the tree healthy. Mayor Castor's 30 by 30 initiative is laudable, but I feel so much more can and should be done to protect our existing trees and our canopy. We've been designated as a tree city for decades, and I think we can and should do more. In the last ten years, I've taken action to turn our lawn from grass to 90 percent natives. I actively engage with our neighbors to answer questions about gardens, importance of trees, and be an advocate for the environment in general. Through my introduction to you as the City Council, I'm confident you see how I embody the values of our city with respect to natural resources, conservation, and protection. Thank you for your time.

11:40:05AM Have you served on any boards?

11:40:09AM Thank you so much.

11:40:11AM Next speaker, just making sure she's not here, Julia martin, you didn't change your mind and decide to show up? Julia? Laura lawson followed by Lisa larson. Good morning. I'm laura lawson. Thank you for having me here to present my application for the Natural Resources Committee. I can tell from the presentations that I've already heard that you all are going to have an excellent committee. You have a lot of good candidates. I live in district 6. I'm in South Seminole Heights. I have lived in that neighborhood since 2003. I've been a Tampa resident since 2002. I'm an attorney. I've always done public service oriented work. I was a lawyer at Bay area Legal Services for four years. I was a gardening -- guardian ad litem for about seven years and statewide guardian ad litem, appellate attorney about six years there. Also worked for judges of 13th judicial circuit. And most recently pat kemp for eight years. At the commission, they are lucky, fortunate to have two aides. Commissioner kemp made me her policy aide. I worked with Raquel valdes there who did the calendar and all the communications. So I'm very familiar because of that experience with board work and with Robert's rules and, of course, she was on the Environmental Protection Commission. So I supported her work there. On top of that, before I started working for her, incidentally, I succeeded Mr. Austin as chair of the citizens advisory committee, what was then called the mpo. It is now called the transportation Planning organization. I fought -- I assisted commissioner kemp in an important effort to save trees along the upper Tampa Bay trail. They were literally going to pave paradise and put up a parking lot and we stopped it. Beyond that, I personally, as a previous applicant pointed out, really frustrated by what the state has done. There is absolutely nothing more local than an old-growth tree. You move it, you kill it. And so it's so important at the local level that we focus on trees because every last tampan, every last tampe o knows the value of shade. I believe because I have the right skills, the right experience, and the right commitment for this role, I can't remember if I already said I'm in district 6. I have never participated on a city committee previously. So thank you for considering my application.

11:43:19AM That's surprising with your activism I thought you would have had. Thank you so much. Lisa larson followed by Megan etue. My background is not in environmental science.

11:43:42AM Start with your name, please. My background isn't in environmental science. It's in strategic communications. I believe that's exactly the perspective that I can bring to the Natural Resources Advisory Committee. When most people think about environmental stewardship, they think about science and policy which makes total sense and is essential. But good decisions also depend on helping people understand complex issues, ask thoughtful questions and build consensus around solutions. For more than 20 years as a creative director, predominantly in the health care space, I helped organize organizations translate complex information into clear, compelling communications that educate, engage, and support information decision making. Throughout my career, I've collaborated with diverse stakeholders and transformed complex strategies into practical, understandable solutions. As I become more involved in Tampa's community, I've developed a deep appreciation for the natural resources that define our city, from our tree canopy and waterways to the parks and public spaces that make Tampa healthier. More resilient, more reliant, and a wonderful place to live. I understand the committee's role is to thoughtfully review the urban forest management plan, provide recommendations to the City Council. My experience has taught me how to analyze complex information, ask thoughtful questions, consider multiple perspectives, and communicate recommendations clearly. I believe that perspective would complement the committee's technical expertise and contribute to sound, well-informed recommendations. I would be honored to serve the City of Tampa helping ensure there are natural resources continue to strengthen the quality of life within Tampa. Thank you for your considerations.

11:45:49AM Thank you, Lisa. Could you tell us what City Council district you live in? No, I have not served on any sort of committees.

11:45:58AM Very good. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thank you.

11:46:02AM We are down to Megan. My name is Megan etue. I am a resident of the urban core and City of Tampa for 11.5 years. Ridgewood Park, district 5. I have not been appointed to any type of board in the past. I hold a bachelor's degree in science, natural resource management, geography, master's degree in science, urban Planning and geographic information systems. I worked for small and large government in the past and also worked for multiple universities and facilities management and health care. I have done updates to master plans and zoning plans. I was the treasurer for our neighborhood civic association for four plus years and the beautification committee leader. I manage the neighborhood butterfly garden in Ridgewood Park for nine years and partnered with keep Tampa Bay beautiful. We adopted that space all the way up to columbus. We did four cleanups per year. We also led a tree planting initiative in the neighborhood, and we solicited donations from the builders and developers in that space. We collected the money. We purchased the trees. Most of them were canopy trees, and we planted 20 plus trees in our neighborhood. We partnered with the city's green team to plant those trees and also volunteers from the neighborhood, because we wanted to promote some action in that area, you know that a lot of the trees have disappeared with the growth of new homes and large homes in that space. So we took the initiative to go ahead and do that. My husband and I also have won the water wise award from the City of Tampa in 2022. Our yard is full of native species and plants and we do not use any pesticides or herbicides or any of that nature. We practice what we preach. I do believe trees are an asset, and I think we need to push that information out to the community about how we need to protect the trees and also plant more trees in the urban core. Thank you for your time and consideration.

11:48:10AM Thank you, Megan. Appreciate it. Make sure nobody is here that e-mailed a statement. Lori ballard, Margaret Peters, mary Wilson, melanie smith, renataq sindicic. Monica oflanagan. Any of you in the audience? The next speakers are Michelle Mastrototaro followed by Pamela Jackson Haney. You all know me. Alan, it's my time to shine.

11:49:14AM It's your time to shine. You always shine. I am here today because I'm deeply, deeply passionate about this role. I live it firsthand. I am a big advocate. I work with mary bryson sometimes with growth and development. Every part of this aspect I had to learn the hard way, and now I am very well educated on every part. I live it firsthand. That makes me a candidate because my passion, my persistence. I don't walk away from problems. I love helping people. I like to listen, and I know from my experience what I've been through, what not to do for future developments. Right now, the tree fund is a precious thing right now, and it has never been higher than it has. I believe we can work to ensure the funds for the trees and it's spent fairly. The trees are the most benefit for the environment, along with all the different species of mangroves. I am very passionate, as I said, and I bring dedication, consistency for the community involvement, and my willingness to do hard work that is necessary. I form a decision. I make not because I want to go with what I feel others. I am a very big person that I believe what I believe and I know what's right for the community. I am not going to be persuaded any which way. I have so much passion for this position that everyone who knows me knows that I will do a very good job at what this has in store, and I think I am a great asset to this committee. I thank you for all your considerations and knowing that I won't let you guys down in regards to having a beautiful environment for us moving forward into the years to come. I'm a very big tree advocate. I'm working with Tarah trying to get a whole bunch of stuff done in tappan tract park. I'm willing to put a bunch of trees on my property. I think you all are amazing. Thank you for your time.

11:52:10AM We all know you live in district 4. Never been on a committee.

11:52:18AM Thank you so much. Pamela. Followed by Mr. Fernandez. On a City of Tampa board. You may remember me because I have been before you many times speaking on behalf of Tampa's trees as an environmental advocate. From a very young age, I have always been a tree lover. Diverse terrains and vegetation, mostly trees, were my favorite subject in sixth grade. Due to a wonderful teacher, I learned to appreciate what trees do for us in our lives. As a child, I even had a favorite tree in my neighbor's front yard. Because I didn't have the calmest home life, that tree provided great comfort. I would lay or sit under its shade where I could either pour my heart out or collect my thoughts. One reason my husband and I purchased our then 80-year-old fixer-upper home we now have lived in for 30 years was because it was surrounded by beautiful live oaks. I have seen the trees disappearing all around me now. I have lived in Tampa for 33 years and raised all four of my children in this community. I have also worked in Tampa for many years as a legal assistant and most recently I worked for a mediator. As for my volunteerism with four children I devoted considerable time and effort to volunteering at their public schools, supporting their educational journeys and contributing to the broader school community. I served on the executive boards of the pta and academic foundation at Roosevelt, Coleman and plant high. I was president of the athletic foundation at plant. Obviously, these jobs required working closely with school administrators and I'm help a to say we had an excellent working relationship and I still consider them good friends today. I am a founding member of t-tag. Mission of t-tag is engage, advocate, collaborate with both government and the local community to preserve, protect and expand the urban tree forest. Through this group, I strive to ensure trees remain a valuable and integral part of our environment. I have learned so much from four fellow group members honored to know. I have become very familiar with how city government works. Another benefit of being in the group is community members now know about t-tag and often reach out to us to serve as liaison with the city. Six years ago, t-tag started pushing for the restart of NRAC mostly because we thought the city needed to be more in touch with what the citizens of our community wanted to see regarding green infrastructure amid all the new development. I feel I would be a good addition to the NRAC because through my working life and volunteering, I have learned how to be a good listener, researcher and problem solver. Coming from cleveland, Ohio, great tree loving city, I have fallen in love with the City of Tampa and with the tree canopy. I understand we can't freeze times. Homes and businesses will be developed but I want to help ensure done in a sensible manner. I don't see that being done consistently right now. We need to preserve the beauty of what we have because we aren't going to get it back if we don't have a solid plan. Next generation of children growing up in Tampa will very likely not be able to enjoy what my children did, a relatively pastoral urban environment if we don't come together. Thank you.

11:55:34AM Thank you very much, Pamela. Rick Fernandez followed by Stephanie castellano. For the record, rick Fernandez, 2906 North Elmore Avenue in Tampa Heights, that's district 5. Young's district. I have served on a City Council appointed position some years ago, independent oversight committee for the all for transportation tax. That was a two-year rather thankless endeavor, but nonetheless I was there, complements of this dais. We were invited to offer an elevator pitch today. You all know me for better or worse. It's going to be a short elevator ride. Like I said, better or worse. It will be a short elevator ride. I have a few things here I want to tick off very quickly. I am a Tampa native. I was born and raised in Tampa Heights. Lived in Tampa Heights through high school, jesuit in 1972. Moved back to Tampa Heights in 2012, purchased the home that I am now in. For the last 1 years, I have served on the Tampa Heights civic association board as either an officer or a board member. I'm currently president of the civic association and about ready to term out. I also served as chair of the citizens advisory committee for the transportation Planning organization. Been part of that organization since 2017, on appointment by les miller back in the day. One of the reasons I'm standing here today is because the organizations I am active with do have bylaws, and we have term limits. And I am terming out civic association as well as the tpo CAC. I'm looking for that next thing to do that will be contributory to the community. Much of the time that I have spent over the course of the last ten plus years has been with a focus on historic preservation and environmental justice. This seems a natural step to me. I hope you'll give me the opportunity. Just by way of background to tick off a few things, member of the Florida bar since 1978. I'm now inactive. I am retired. I served as president of the Hillsborough county bar association back in the day when dinosaurs roamed. Florida bar board of governors as well. Served six years in the united states navy jag corps, straight out of law school. That was 1978 to 1984. Perhaps most relevant at -- of all and goes back a long way, graduate of master gardener program university of Florida extension program. That goes back to 2010. Who knew. Any event, I have a passion for trees. I have a passion for the environment. I live in a community that's on the front line. I hope you'll give me an opportunity to serve. Thank you very much.

11:58:39AM I'm shocked that you are terming out on the tpo. I don't know what the CAC would look like without you.

11:58:47AM That is crazy. Stephanie castellano followed by Susan lane. Start with your name, please. She's not here. Stephanie? Okay. Stephanie is not in the house. We have Susan lane followed by Sylvia arroyo online, if she's online. Federation garden club. Can I do it now?

11:59:34AM Hi Susan, been a long time. District 4, right? I'm Susan lane. I'm very interested in volunteering to serve on Tampa's Natural Resources Advisory Committee. I'm a Tampa native with a degree in american studies from USF and my family's presence in the city here began in 1848. In my lifetime, I have seen much change in Tampa's environment. Over 100 years ago, Tampa's tree canopy was mostly pine trees. Other native trees, especially on the Interbay peninsula. My knowledge of the history of change in our local environment and my advocacy for native trees can help to guide the Natural Resources Advisory Committee decisions going forward. I have been a member of rose circle and Tampa federation of garden club since 2003. Rose circle tree person for Florida arabia day. Rose circle has donated longleaf pines and bald cypress trees in recent years to macdill 48 park, ignacio linear park, and a South Tampa public school. On my recommendations and input from others in Parks and Recreation, I would like very much to serve on Tampa's Natural Resources Advisory Committee and help with decisions regarding Tampa's future tree canopy. Thank you for your time.

12:01:07PM You are still in district 4, right? District 4, South Tampa?

12:01:16PM You have never served on City Council board. History.

12:01:22PM Your family is notorious. Exactly. Very good to see you.

12:01:32PM Thank you so much. Anybody have questions? Hearing none. Sylvia arroyo withdrew. Okay. Veandrea Jackson. Followed by zaida darley and she will be the last one. Start with your name, please. My name is veandrea Jackson. I am a lifelong resident of Tampa, Florida. I was born, raised, went to school here, went to college here, and raised my family here. My educational background is in educational studies and community leadership. I am currently enrolled at USF, pursuing my mba. I have been actively involved in the community for several years. Currently, I am the president of the Tampa Overlook neighborhood association. I have years of experience in volunteering within the community, neighborhood cleanups, volunteering with Tampa Police departments, with the neighborhood watch associations, and with USF student ambassador programs. My career background, I have over 16 years in government, over 15 with the State of Florida. I'm currently working with Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, customer service and support. I feel my experience that I can bring to this committee is I understand community as well as government. I have a wealth of community engagement. Plus I understand how government decisions impact residents as well as environmental issues. I live in Tampa Overlook area, so I live in the North Tampa area, and I am very familiar with how the environment has changed with the flooding and everything. I understand how trees play a part of climate and helping with flooding. I understand that from the residents as well. I'm interested in serving on this committee to contribute to bettering our community, not just for now but for the future. I'm interested in helping the city kind of balance growth with sustainability and protecting our natural resources long term. For our generations to come. So I live in Tampa. I work in Tampa. I love Tampa. And I just love to serve and give back to the community. I'm district 7, and I've never served on any other committees.

12:04:37PM Excellent. Thank you so much. Appreciate that. Ms. Darley. You're closing us out. I'm Dr. Zaida Darley. I live in North Hyde Park. I have been a resident of Tampa for about ten years, but I grew up in Florida. I have seen quite a bit of changes over the years. My education is anthropology mostly, but I focus on environmental issues. I started with archaeology where I started ancient water management using science and GIS. That influenced my work in the Florida public archaeology network where we would have excavations, see hurricane damage and everything like that in the soil and things like that. I'm familiar with outreach as well. My main background is outreach in the -- oh, gosh. That influenced my actually going into, after I was done with the Florida public archaeology network I ended up working for the office of sustainability at the University of South Florida. I have either been a student or worked for the University of South Florida for 15 years. I've been familiar with the canopy study because I was helping support that study when it was first starting with getting students to measure trees and do the survey to be able to do the reports. I'm excited to see Dr. Landry's work still continuing with the City of Tampa. After working with the office of sustainability, I ended up going to the PhD. Program where I started water -- studied water and wastewater and tourism in several countries and also Florida. So one of the things that we were involved with is working with engineers. The engineers would come to us. Anthropologist, hey, we have this engineer solution, make the people use it. Which is not how it kind of works. So we were working with the engineers and biologists to be able to figure out a way for people to implement some of their engineered solutions. Sometimes a little tweak that needs to be done or an understanding of the culture for things to get adopted into society. After I graduated from USF, I ended up working for the state of California as senior environmental scientist where I was in charge of compliance of over 400 urban water management plans. So I had to look in and see how people were using water and making sure they were following statutes. And then I came back to Florida. I'm trying to get back. Basically I'm doing real estate right now. I see how people respond to the tree canopies and trees whenever I'm trying to sell a property, how they have the positive and negative responses.

12:07:55PM Thank you, doctor. Just verify, have you served on a City Council board --

12:08:00PM Thank you so much. District 4, correct?

12:08:07PM Is it 5? The line goes weird there. Probably 5. That concludes -- Shirley, would you verify that I got everybody?

Shirley Foxx-Knowles

12:08:21PM You have everyone. Yesterday, a memo went out in reference to the names. Everyone was asked to select, come prepared with an appointee, and also alternates.

Alan Clendenin

12:08:45PM Yes. If there's no objection, if anybody has input on this we have a couple of goals. One, I would say this has got to be a record number of applicants for any board appointee probably in the history of the City of Tampa. Not just that extraordinarily qualified applicants. If I was a company hiring -- air traffic control is a very difficult position and difficult to hire. I used to hire air traffic controllers and interview air traffic controllers. I would be envious of a similar type of qualified list and panel of folks applying for job as air traffic controller. You all are extraordinary. I'm proud to find out so many people in our community that are focused on resiliency and sustainability. That's just amazing. So many folks such advocates of that and passionate about it. I just came from a conference last week with one of our city staffers, sustainability office, I'm really -- it's very admirable your passion. If you guys are good with this, this is what I'm thinking. I think we go to single member districts. I think we'll start at 7. Probably the easiest and then work our way down. At-large people can fill in the gaps we find when we get into the gaps. Sound good for everybody? Put a nomination out for names. Start with single member districts. Have a nomination out. Then the at-large people can fill in whatever gaps we feel are existing in the applicants.

Luis Viera

12:10:21PM I state who my appointee would be.

Alan Clendenin

12:10:25PM Correct. We won't vote on each one at a time. We'll compile a list and vote at the end.

Lynn Hurtak

12:10:39PM You had two folks from district 7 --

Luis Viera

12:10:43PM 3.

Martin Shelby

12:10:49PM These are not really selections from an individual council members. These are nominations --

Alan Clendenin

12:10:55PM Nominations for the board's consideration. We'll start with 7. Give us a name for nomination for board consideration. Any discussion, we can have discussion. We'll compile a list. If we reach consensus on the seven folks, we'll have a definitive vote.

Lynn Hurtak

12:11:22PM I had a question about those of us who are at-large. You're saying that we want to do the district, allow the district council members to nominate someone first and then the rest of us.

Alan Clendenin

12:11:35PM Fill in the gaps.

Bill Carlson

12:11:38PM Wasn't the idea of having self than we could each appoint one?

Alan Clendenin

12:11:42PM That's what we're doing. The way this is written up --

Martin Shelby

12:11:50PM I don't have the ordinance in front of me. Maybe staff knows.

Alan Clendenin

12:11:53PM It wasn't written up -- I think the intent was and that's why I felt this was the way to do it. I don't think the way it was written up that each individual council appointing. We have to go to council appointment for the whole board. Nomination from each person which in essence without arguing about the nominee.

Bill Carlson

12:12:14PM So the citywide representatives can participate, why don't we each nominate somebody --

Alan Clendenin

12:12:21PM That's what we're doing.

Bill Carlson

12:12:23PM I thought we were creating a pool.

Alan Clendenin

12:12:25PM No. let's go with this and see how it works. Can you go with me on this and see how it works?

Charlie Miranda

12:12:31PM I didn't write down no district.

Alan Clendenin

12:12:34PM You get to nominate whoever you want.

Charlie Miranda

12:12:36PM Here is the thing, when I'm looking at, logical thing in my mind, if we pick somebody from our district first or whatever, who knows if somebody else is better qualified. I'm trying to level this thing in my mind. How do I make a decision?

Alan Clendenin

12:12:53PM You're not restricted. I think the goal was, if I remember our discussion, I think Councilwoman Hurtak even prefaced that with her request to ask the nominees where they live, is that we had a representational element to this, that folks from all neighborhoods or all areas of the city, that we had some representation. I think the best way to do, at least stay focused. Let's say you are in a district that had folks that you felt just like didn't reach that level of qualification, that you had to bypass, I would get that. Give me the deference. Let's see if we can work through this. We're not voting now. Just nominating.

Lynn Hurtak

12:13:33PM The two members that I have from district 6, Councilman Miranda were Amanda Vasquez and laura lawson. Those are the ones I had for district 6.

Alan Clendenin

12:13:44PM Cecilia bidwell as well.

Martin Shelby

12:13:50PM Martin Shelby, City Council attorney. Mr. Miranda, I don't think that when the memo went out, correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Chairman, it was your memo, that you had intended to only limit council members that their first choice should be from their district.

Alan Clendenin

12:14:09PM No, no. absolutely not.

Martin Shelby

12:14:11PM Basically, there are four members of council here who represent all seven districts -- three members, excuse me three members, at-large members represent any district and every district. So your method would work to allow that to be filled in. But I want to make sure because I don't want anyone to feel that there's only, because, for instance, in this case, two people who are in that district that he's limited to that decision.

Alan Clendenin

12:14:43PM Nobody is limited to anything. We're going through one by one, each council member, I'll start with district 7 to announce -- pressure is on you. A nomination only, until we compile a list, nothing is set in concrete.

Luis Viera

12:14:59PM If I may, Mr. Chairman, the way I'll say this, anybody who anybody has a preference of as a courtesy I will vote and support just because there's seven appointees. And that's it. My nominee is actually not here. Maggie Wilson. Written down I believe as mary Wilson. General manager of the Tampa Palms cdd many years, urban forestry. Many, many trees. Obviously a very big issue. I did want to say as you said, Mr. Chairman, many, many, many people here of just immense qualification and quality. There are great people in district 7. Ms. Arenas, Ms. Jackson. Ms. Arenas who was here virtually. Rick Fernandez, amazing civic involvement, laura lawson, liz dunn, Mr. Ed Austin. I volunteered for ed's county commission campaign when I was 20 against bob buckhorn in the primary. That's my nomination.

Alan Clendenin

12:16:04PM Mary Wilson has been nominated by Luis Viera. Councilman Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

12:16:08PM Well, what you echoed is a sounding board for -- everyone here has a fantastic -- you can flip a coin and get the right one. I'm not flipping a coin because I don't have a coin. I'm going to with somebody that's not in the district. Enthusiastic the way he spoke and the voice that he had in what he talked about, what he wanted to do. Been doing this some time as I understand from what I remember he said, Ed Austin.

Alan Clendenin

12:16:45PM Councilman Miranda has nominated Ed Austin. Councilwoman Young.

Naya Young

12:16:51PM Well, I echo your sentiments, Councilman Clendenin. This is really, really awesome and we have a lot of advocates and your passion was really awesome. I've had the opportunity to the first time I met my appointee and we've had meetings since then, and she is extremely passionate, and we've had really great conversations. My nominee would be for Erin Catlin.

Alan Clendenin

12:17:25PM Erin Catlin. Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

12:17:30PM Same thing. My colleague said, it seemed like about half of the folks who spoke are from my district. I would pick all of them if I could. Just because we have to pick one, I'll pick Michelle Mastrototaro.

Alan Clendenin

12:17:46PM You took mine.

Guido Maniscalco

12:17:47PM You took mine.

Alan Clendenin

12:17:51PM Okay. Michelle Mastrototaro. Let's go to district 3.

Lynn Hurtak

12:18:04PM I really -- gosh, there are so many amazing folks, but I do feel very obligated to choose, to make sure we have representation in all the districts, so I am going to recommend someone that is in district 6 just to get a district 6 person. I'm going to nominate Amanda Vasquez.

Alan Clendenin

12:18:37PM Amanda Vasquez. She was strong right out of the box. Okay. District 2.

Guido Maniscalco

12:18:42PM There are so many candidates that I like or applicants. I have stars next to so many names. But some have been chosen. So thank you. I'll do Ricardo Fernandez.

Alan Clendenin

12:18:59PM Rick Fernandez. Who is that? Okay. Now it's me. I am going to go with Pamela Jackson Haney.

Guido Maniscalco

12:19:20PM How many alternates do we choose?

Bill Carlson

12:19:28PM Can we move the slate?

Alan Clendenin

12:19:33PM Shirley, do we do the alternates now?

Shirley Foxx-Knowles

12:19:36PM You can.

Alan Clendenin

12:19:37PM Mr. Shelby.

Bill Carlson

12:19:39PM Should we move the slate first?

Martin Shelby

12:19:41PM Let me just -- and I thank Camaria for coming in because I want to make sure this is consistent with the resolution.

Alan Clendenin

12:19:55PM We'll pause for a moment for your digestion. We have a slate of the seven. The slate would be mary Wilson, Ed Austin, Erin Catlin, Michelle Mastrototaro, Amanda Vasquez, rick Fernandez, and Pamela Jackson Haney.

Luis Viera

12:20:23PM So moved if appropriate.

Alan Clendenin

12:20:39PM This is how the sausage is made.

Martin Shelby

12:20:43PM That's why this is a meeting that is in the sunshine. Okay, yes. So it looks like it's in conformance with what your resolution is. What I'm looking for is alternates. Yes, vote on this.

Alan Clendenin

12:21:05PM I have a motion from Councilman Viera. Second from Councilman Maniscalco to approve the slate as announced for appointment to the committee. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Congratulations, everybody. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

12:21:19PM If we are choosing alternates, I do have a suggestion. I thought christina arenas had a lot of really good experience with work in water resource management. So that would be my nomination.

Guido Maniscalco

12:21:40PM Two spots for alternates?

Alan Clendenin

12:21:41PM Councilwoman Young.

Naya Young

12:21:42PM I was going to nominate Ms. Veandrea Jackson.

Alan Clendenin

12:21:56PM Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

12:21:58PM I would add in laura lawson.

Guido Maniscalco

12:22:00PM I was going to do laura lawson.

Alan Clendenin

12:22:06PM Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

12:22:07PM Yes, sir. They have been named. I was going to name Ms. Jackson as well as Ms. Lawson as alternates.

Alan Clendenin

12:22:15PM Anybody else?

Charlie Miranda

12:22:17PM Susan lane.

Alan Clendenin

12:22:19PM Susan lane. Absolutely. Good. So that means -- hearing anything else? Waiting for word from the attorney? We have four nominations. Probably have to do a ballot for this. We can wing --

Martin Shelby

12:22:38PM I'm going to have to think this through. Work this through perhaps with Ms. Pettis-mackle. Because if council appoints two, what happens if one of the people who leaves is a mayoral appointee?

Lynn Hurtak

12:22:58PM I can tell you the answer to that. The answer to that is the mayoral appointees are very specific. They fulfill a particular role, so then the mayor would simply replace those folks.

Martin Shelby

12:23:11PM These alternates that you would be selecting --

Alan Clendenin

12:23:14PM Council alternates.

Martin Shelby

12:23:16PM Council alternates.

Lynn Hurtak

12:23:17PM Yes. Because we chose to make this a citizen advisory supportive, whereas the mayor's appointees are very specific things. Landscape architect, attorney.

Martin Shelby

12:23:31PM Certified arborist, professional scientist.

Lynn Hurtak

12:23:35PM That's why we chose to have people from the community while she had subject --

Martin Shelby

12:23:44PM Vacancy and mayoral appointee succeeded by a choice of the mayor. Understood. The resolution that would have to come back to you would reference council's alternates. In the event of vacancy.

Alan Clendenin

12:23:59PM I have four nominations for alternate members. Those nominations are christina arenas, laura lawson, Susan lane, and Dr. Darley -- oh, veandrea Jackson. Four nominations are christina arenas, laura lawson, Susan lane, and veandrea Jackson. I'll call one. You're only able to vote for two people. If you vote for two, you can't vote for anybody else. I'll call them one at a time. If you would raise your hands. Anybody that wants to vote for christina arenas, please raise your hand. Christina arenas.

The clerk

12:25:00PM Hurtak, Clendenin, young.

Alan Clendenin

12:25:01PM Laura lawson.

The clerk

12:25:08PM Miranda, Maniscalco, Hurtak, Viera, and Carlson.

Alan Clendenin

12:25:12PM Congratulations, laura lawson. You have secured one of the alternate positions on the committee. Susan lane.

The clerk

12:25:27PM Miranda, Maniscalco, Carlson.

Alan Clendenin

12:25:29PM If you raised your hand twice, you cannot raise your hand again. The next one is veandrea Jackson.

The clerk

12:25:37PM Clendenin, young, Viera.

Alan Clendenin

12:25:42PM Clerk, would you tell us where we land?

The clerk

12:25:45PM They are all tied.

Alan Clendenin

12:25:46PM The only one that's not on -- in nomination is christina arenas, Susan lane, and veandrea Jackson. Somebody will have to change their vote. Christina arenas, raise your hand.

The clerk

12:26:05PM Hurtak, Clendenin, young.

Alan Clendenin

12:26:07PM Only get to raise your hand one time, by the way. Understanding that you only raise your hand one time because we only have one position now. One time, one position. One time, one position. Christina arenas.

The clerk

12:26:26PM Clendenin.

Alan Clendenin

12:26:28PM Okay. Susan lane.

The clerk

12:26:34PM Miranda, Maniscalco, Carlson.

Alan Clendenin

12:26:37PM Veandrea Jackson.

The clerk

12:26:41PM Hurtak, young, and Viera.

Alan Clendenin

12:26:45PM Christina arenas has been eliminated, correct? Now between Susan lane and veandrea Jackson. Susan lane.

The clerk

12:27:00PM Miranda, Maniscalco, Carlson.

Alan Clendenin

12:27:02PM Next is veandrea Jackson.

The clerk

12:27:04PM Hurtak, Clendenin, young, Viera.

Alan Clendenin

12:27:08PM Susan, I did that because of districts. Weighing out the districts. District 4, heavily weighted. If it hadn't been for that, I would -- Ms. Jackson is in district 7, underrepresented.

Bill Carlson

12:27:24PM Apologies for putting everybody through this.

Alan Clendenin

12:27:28PM This is tough. If you did not make this round, please apply for other appointments. I'm sure there will be other opportunities for this. Thank you so, so much. We are done with that business.

Martin Shelby

12:27:39PM No, you're not.

Alan Clendenin

12:27:44PM Motion to approve --

Martin Shelby

12:27:50PM If I could have the help of the clerk. There was a motion made previously regarding the full board, the seven. Now you're asking for a motion for the appointing of two names to serve as alternates.

Luis Viera

12:28:09PM Motion to approve Ms. Jackson and Ms. Lawson.

Martin Shelby

12:28:16PM To the position of alternates for City Council appointment.

Alan Clendenin

12:28:19PM Motion from Councilman Viera, second from Councilman Maniscalco. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Martin Shelby

12:28:25PM Now a third motion to direct me to come back or Ms. Pettis-mackle, whoever wants to sign up for it.

Alan Clendenin

12:28:33PM Motion for the sucker to go -- [ laughter ] -- I have a motion for staff to come back to City Council with the resolution, instituting what we just did today. Motion from Councilman Viera. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Martin Shelby

12:28:51PM Thank you, council.

Alan Clendenin

12:28:52PM Thank you, clerk. That was good. As previously said, it is 12:30. We'll go to lunch and come back at 1:30. We're going to hear the time certain with Karen Clay, and we are adjourned for lunch for one hour. [ sounding gavel ] [lunch recess]

1:34:44PM Can we get a roll call, please?

Charlie Miranda

1:34:45PM Here.

Luis Viera

1:34:46PM Here.

Bill Carlson

1:34:51PM Here.

Alan Clendenin

1:34:51PM Here.

Lynn Hurtak

1:34:53PM Here.

Alan Clendenin

1:34:56PM Councilwoman Hurtak and Councilman Maniscalco are here. We left off, we said we would come back to item number 43. We said we would come back to 43. Hello.

Luis Viera

1:35:18PM Thank you, sir, appreciate you. I just wanted to publicly thank Ms. Brenda McKenzie for the great work you've done on this. Really taken the program off and so meaningful. We have angelo here, fine young man. Also hearing from Karen Clay and her late son, mike phillips, named after them. That's all. For the record, my name is Brenda McKenzie, director of workforce partnerships with the City of Tampa, here to bring a brief report on the Michael phillips all abilities internship program. We have done a lot of work to remarket the program and make sure that we are showcasing our neurodiverse talents with a number of our interns. We currently have four active interns in the program. We have two additional interns looking to be on boarded, working with the departments on that. Most importantly, I wanted to have angelo rallo, a current intern, he wanted to share his experience and what this internship has meant in terms of his professional development. With that, angelo. Yes, good morning. Good afternoon, everybody. For the record, my name is angelo the III. Pleased to share my experience in the Michael phillips internship program. Currently I'm working with the department of neighborhood and community affairs. My experience for my internship includes research, involvement with the community via the youth programs, involvement with the american with disabilities act within the Tampa municipal office building located in downtown Tampa. As an intern, my duties included writing, proofreading documents, translating e-mails from english to spanish and help with translating for spanish speaking Tampa citizens. The Michael phillips program was helpful for me because it helped me transition from a University of South Florida graduate student in a college environment to a professional city government workplace. Interactions with coworkers helped me develop my social skills and helped me to accomplish my project and assignments. Also, I was and always have been a proactive and punctual employee who arrived at work early. Positive aspect about my coworkers is that we work in perfect collaboration in accomplishing projects. And they are a pleasure to work with and work for in our workplace. Coworkers like willetta glenn, Raquel Pancho, xavier Robinson, jamelle wild, and Director Brenda McKenzie. Benefit from the program or what I learned is always respect your coworkers and work environment and always be mindful of what you say and how you conduct yourself in the workplace. Thank you. Gracias. Obviously neighborhood and community affairs with the mayor's office, Raquel Pancho was mentioned and t and I. And we have other departments who have signed up for the program as well. We truly do appreciate the support. Angelo is one of the great examples that are benefiting from the program.

Alan Clendenin

1:38:23PM Karen Clay.

Guido Maniscalco

1:38:28PM It's for angelo.

Alan Clendenin

1:38:30PM Councilman Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

1:38:33PM How are you doing? How are you?

1:38:37PM Good. How is your dad doing?

1:38:40PM Still live down here.

1:38:42PM You are close by.

1:38:45PM Glad to see you here. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

1:38:49PM Okay. Karen Clay. Start with your name, please. Good afternoon. My name is Karen Clay. I can't hear the name Michael phillips enough, so thank you so much. I'd like to thank the Mayor, Luis Viera, and, of course, all of the City Council for supporting this Michael phillips all abilities internship program. And also all of the feeder programs that are helping to better prepare individuals with disabilities to be able to thrive in these internships. I just have a little bit to say about employment when it comes to individuals with disabilities. Developmental -- individuals with developmental disabilities face significant challenges in employment, but many are capable, as we've already seen, for maintaining jobs successfully. Studies show that when provided with appropriate supports and training, it can achieve high levels of job performance and retention. In terms of employment duration, individuals with developmental disabilities typically remain employed on average longer than some of their typical peers. Their attendance rates -- and this is very significant -- they often exhibit near-perfect attendance, demonstrating reliability in the workplace. My mike had significant health needs, and because of that, he obviously could not be fully employed in receiving a paycheck because that would have impacted his ability to receive the supports and services he needed through a medicaid waiver. But that really didn't stop him. He still worked with apple computers and other developers to create assistive technologies that individuals around the world are able to benefit from. On behalf of the Michael phillips foundation and myself, I want to thank you from the heart because this really means just so much to me. Be a little selfish here, for a additional information about the Michael phillips foundation, please go to Michael phillips.org where you can also donate to make sure that we continue to provide a funding for accessible pieces of play equipment in our city parks. Thank you.

1:41:18PM Thank you. Councilwoman Young.

Naya Young

1:41:27PM I want to thank you for your advocacy. Also, Councilman Viera, for your advocacy as well. To angelo, who I've had the pleasure to meet on a couple of occasions who is always a professional and kind and knowledgeable, and so I'm just very proud and happy all three of you just for your work and for being here today.

Alan Clendenin

1:41:47PM Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

1:41:49PM Karen, I know you and Councilman Viera have worked closely on these kinds of issues and solutions for years, I appreciate both of you pushing this forward. We have a great example here as to why we need to do this and why it's important and the difference it makes in people's lives. And like you, I love hearing mike's name also. I didn't know him as well as Luis did. He was a fighter and passionate about other people. I'm sure he was happy seeing what you and we are doing today. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

1:42:32PM Dear friends. Mike was a good guy, good dude. Enjoyed doing things with him. His smile lit up a room. Mike's legacy and caring on, fighting, you are a fighter, fight for all, fight for folks who necessarily can't fight for themselves. I think that people like you remind us that the City of Tampa should be for all people, whatever your ability. I love the fact -- I almost tear up thinking about the advocacy again of the playground equipment. A child shows up at a playground, regardless of ability, they should be able to participate and be able to feel like they belong in that playground and belong with the other kids. It really is very moving that you fight for that. I think it's very admirable, and I love the fact that the city, that we're supporting that agenda that these kids, that they show up and feel like they are part of our city. Thank you for that.

Bill Carlson

1:43:40PM One thing that Karen has been really good at reminding us over the years when we talk about housing, she says we need to make sure it's not just affordable but also accessible. She reminds us that sometimes we look at folks with disabilities and think that they are not the same as us. But as she says, all of us will have disabilities eventually, depending on how long we survive. Karen has done a great job with people of all ages, helping them through their abilities and disabilities and finding their strengths and inspiring them. Hopefully peggy is watching now. Peggy, thank you for keeping folks like that strong, and even though our bodies start to fail us, sometimes our minds start to fail us. Karen challenges us to use everything we can to help the community. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

1:44:26PM Thank you, Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

1:44:28PM Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, for angelo, I'm so glad Guido mentioned your father. Told me about your dad, a navy veteran, lived in channelside. I remember you telling me and your relationship with him is touching. I remember when we first met at that job fair that we had at hanna. I immediately was drawn to you, because you can tell you were raised right and you have a lot of family love. I hope your dad is watching and all your family. Brenda, just great public servant, and this is really god's work. For Karen, gee whiz, I tell folks, if you want to get down my politics, look at Karen Clay, because we believe that when it comes to people with disabilities, people who are vulnerable, people with their backs up against the wall, people fighting hard for dignity, they deserve a government that gives a damn. Bigger the better. Big government for people who need it, for people who are working hard. I was having coffee with Phyllis yesterday. Talking about you, and just talking about your advocacy at plant. When you have a kid and you got to be their voice and their advocate, and people, you see the kid over here and people are on the way over there, man, you got the eye of the tiger. You got fire in your belly and you give them hell. You still do. That bond you have with mike is always going to be alive and inspire the hell out of us. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

1:46:09PM We're going to move on. We still have ordinances being presented for first reading consideration. Item 39. Dana Crosby Collier, standing in for Heather Bonds from historic preservation this afternoon to present this ordinance. Really happy to be here. I'm the counsel to the Architectural Review Commission, so I've been watching this project all along. Today we are here on first reading ad valorem tax exemption ordinance for the property located at 905 North Florida Avenue. This is the hotel floridan. The hotel was constructed in 1926 in the georgian revival style. At one point the tallest hotel in Florida at 18 stories and certainly the grandest in Tampa. Looking at the sanborn map, you'll see that area in 1926. That hotel was surrounded by kress, other hotels, ice cream factory and all kinds of fun stuff. The building itself was constructed in 1926. It was declared a national landmark in 1996. This owner came to the ARC for approval of part one of the rehab in 2023 and the ARC approved that. At that point, they began doing their renovations and completed the renovations in 2026. We did our a -- ARC made the recommendation to you all to approve this ad valorem tax exemption on June 1st, 2026. I'll just show you a few quick pictures of what was going on with the building when the new owner came in to do the renovation. You can see that there is a lot of structural material deficiencies, rusted windows, cracks, deteriorated wood. There were cracked mortar in the sills and missing bricks. I just have to show you, this is her last picture. I know you'll remember when it was all wrapped up so that they could get all the bricks and everything replaced without there being damage to people and property below. There was a lot of water damage from ac units, from the roof. You can see on the bottom right, the roof leaks in the interior. So they were able to restore and replace what they needed to restore and replace. They were able to preserve the original elevator. The tile floors, the mail shaft, which they now use as a key drop, which I think is really, really cool. And the internal column details. Show you a picture of the interior and how beautiful it looks. You can see the doors were preserved, including pulleys and weight window systems. The cypress ceilings in the lounge area. The owner spent over $38 million to renovate this hotel and bring it back to its former glory. And at this time, we have determined and the ARC has agreed that the owner has met the criteria stated in ordinance 93-137. And they are eligible for the ad valorem tax exemption. With that, we would just ask that you move this on first reading and we'll be back August 27 for second reading.

1:49:39PM Councilman Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

1:49:41PM Thank you very much. I would say 20 years ago, I would come downtown and it was right after goodie goodie closed on Florida Avenue. 2005-2006. I would admire a lot of the buildings. I remember watching the maas brothers building get demolished in 2006. I would go from there to the floridan and peek in if I could get a glimpse inside, because it's a beautiful 1920s hotel. I want to say in 2012, the previous owner, they opened it up and big 1920s themed party, and it was fantastic. Fast-forward to now, I'm so glad that you said, what, $38 million. A lot of these buildings end up getting demolished and get lost. I can go through a history of hotels in downtown Tampa and all this other stuff, but I won't. So glad this iconic structure, has been restored, it's open to the public. I think we've all been in there over the years. They have gone above and beyond. I'm really happy to support this.

Bill Carlson

1:50:51PM Thank you to these owners and the previous owners for all the money and time they put into it. I remember the previous owner, as my colleague said, worked really hard to renovate. I think it took two or three years to go through and renovate because they were so meticulous about the details of it and trying to restore as much as possible. I remember Lisa shasteen was one of the key people that was working on it at that time. Thank you in particular to her. It's a really important building that we need to make sure we save, so I'm in favor of this.

Alan Clendenin

1:51:23PM Thank you. Any other discussions? Anybody in the public wishing to speak to this item? Motion to close? Motion to close from Councilman Miranda. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Councilman Maniscalco, would you read this, please?

Guido Maniscalco

1:51:36PM Pleasure. I'm very excited about this. Ordinance being presented for first reading consideration, an ordinance approving an historic preservation property traction exemption application relative to the restoration, renovation or rehabilitation of certain property owned by 905 North Florida Avenue Property Owner LLC, a Florida limited liability company located at 905 North Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida, local historic landmark based upon certain findings, providing for notice to the property appraiser of Hillsborough county, providing for severability, providing for repeal of all ordinances in conflict, providing an effective date.

Alan Clendenin

1:52:09PM Motion from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Miranda. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

The clerk

1:52:14PM Motion carried unanimously. Second reading and adoption will be held on August 27, 2026, At 10:00 a.m. in City Council Chambers, 315 East Kennedy Boulevard, third floor, Tampa, Florida, 33602.

Alan Clendenin

1:52:28PM Suling, Viera was absent on the vote.

The clerk

1:52:30PM With Viera being absent.

Alan Clendenin

1:52:32PM Very good. Thank you so much. If I have my math correct, we are on item 42. Is staff available on this one? Who is presenting? Good afternoon. I'm available. I sent a memo, if you had an opportunity to read the memo yet.

1:52:57PM Who requested staff? Somebody have questions?

Bill Carlson

1:53:04PM Since there were concerns in the community about how this was done and whether it was fair, in 30 seconds or something, explain to the public why you believe this is justified just so the public can hear?

Susan Wenrick

1:53:16PM All four addresses in this resolution request were deteriorated to a point that restoration was not an option. They were ordered to be demolished. Exceeded 75% of the assessed value. Proper notice was given to all of the owners. Opportunity to correct was provided. We followed the law, followed the rule. Posted the property as required. None of them took action and removed the structures. The city, we, hired an independent contractor to remove the structures, bill the property owner for the services and they have neglected to pay the city for the money we have spent to demolish the structures. We are respectfully asking that you approve the resolution to place a lien on the property for the money owed to the City of Tampa.

Alan Clendenin

1:54:00PM Thank you, Susan. Is there any further questions? Hearing none, Councilman Carlson, do you want to read this?

Bill Carlson

1:54:09PM If somebody else can move it --

Alan Clendenin

1:54:14PM Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

1:54:15PM I think the question becomes -- I think the question with this was, the woman whose house was demolished was in the hospital. So I think the question really is, you know, what are the steps that we go through to make sure people are aware of it? And how do we determine whether or not people actually receive them. At this point, do we do like signatories, certified mail, things like that?

Susan Wenrick

1:54:47PM We were in touch with the family constantly. We provided extension after extension. If you are referring to the address out of the four of 2208 east 26th avenue, we were in touch with the family. We had given the extensions they requested. The owner, the woman in the facility that moved in with the great granddaughter because that was unlivable and couldn't go back, I believe I sent pictures to kelly, your aide, to show the deterioration of the structure probably back in June when I was questioned about it by your office, the structure continued to deteriorate. They were not able to sell the property. They decided not to fix the property. They were unable to fix the property, and we gave them extension after extension like I explained, and they still neglected to do it. We again sent a notice of intent to demolish and then moved the case forward.

Alan Clendenin

1:55:40PM Councilwoman Hurtak and then Councilman Carlson.

Lynn Hurtak

1:55:42PM I want to say thank you for the detailed explanation. I think that's pretty much what the public was curious about. So thank you.

Susan Wenrick

1:55:49PM Yes, you are welcome. They can call me directly if they have any questions, feel free to call me directly.

Bill Carlson

1:55:55PM Thank you. Just to add to that, I know it's not your department, but we have other services in the city like Raquel who is great at helping folks who are disabled or may qualify for other kinds of programs. If you know anything about those, could you just mention while you're on here for folks who may be in that situation, if you have a grandparent or loved one or friend who is just not able to repair their own house, what services might be available to intervene so you don't end up having to do this.

Susan Wenrick

1:56:30PM I'm not aware of all the programs Raquel works with. I know the senior home improvement program helps people in these situations. The structure was deteriorated to 92% of the value of the structure. There would be no rehabilitation on this property. It had really -- if you had seen the pictures of the floor joist and underneath the property where it was literally crumbling from the termite damage, water damage, they would have to structurally rebuild the entire thing. It's good they got her out of the house. It's a good thing.

Alan Clendenin

1:57:05PM Can I get a motion to move the resolution? We have a motion from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Miranda. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Susan Wenrick

1:57:16PM Thank you, council.

Alan Clendenin

1:57:17PM Thank you, Susan. Item number 47. I missed one. 45. It.

Lynn Hurtak

1:57:28PM This is our discussion about trees. I wanted to start by saying thank you so much to the rest of council for agreeing to postpone this one week while we have a chance to talk to the public about this. So we have options about how to go forward. Some of the recommendations from the public and, quite frankly, a lot of this council was concerned about type one and type two trees and the ability to try to plant as many of those as possible. A member of the public came up with an idea to see if we could do whatever we could to plant type one and type two trees for a year through this program and also the fact that we're about to expand where the trees can go to the entire front yard into the side yard of houses on the corner. I just didn't know how people felt about that and where we were.

Alan Clendenin

1:58:21PM Councilman Maniscalco.

Guido Maniscalco

1:58:24PM I had mentioned at the last meeting I had been out in the community meeting with constituents. One in particular, we had more than an hour-long meeting, regarding her concerns. And the concern was, what if I don't want a type one or type two and I want a type three crape myrtle and put it in my front yard. I would not be eligible because we're looking at type one and type two, she would have to pay for it herself. Her concerns were, I don't want to put something where the next generation or in many years it's going to be obstructive to the power lines, issue with maintenance. She was talking about a neighbor's abutting tree, it's constantly having to be trimmed or the roots are just lifting up and causing problems for her on her property. The roots are so big now, she's older and everything she has to be more careful. Her concern, would there be an exception for it? I said we'll bring it up at council, talk to the rest of the board members. I know how a lot of folks feel about planting the one and two trees, but I like the idea for the next year, we focus on type one and two. We had back-to-back hurricanes, even going back to irma in 2017. I documented everything back then and even now, but so many trees were uprooted, you don't know if they are diseased or not. Because they look so big, doesn't mean they'll withstand hurricanes. A lot of damage in 17 and a lot of damage in the last two hurricanes that we had. I want to address the concerns I've heard but at the same time considering the last decade storms have caused major damage to the tree canopy. We can come back in a year, next council comes back to see how we're progressing, does it work and then have a further discussion to see how we expand it or change it or just leave it alone from there. That's it.

Alan Clendenin

2:00:34PM It's not -- go ahead.

Charlie Miranda

2:00:36PM I agree with the concept but reality is reality. There are some places you can't plant a one and two tree, specifically in Ybor City. If you don't plant any trees at all, what value do you have? None. If you plant a three, you get five or ten or twenty percent value of something that has no value because there's no tree. You're really talking against yourself when you look at the spectrum of life, not just location. Location, you can put one and two, that's fine. If you can put a three, you're still getting some benefit and walk away from a benefit, so be it.

Alan Clendenin

2:01:15PM I agree. I put out a thing on social media after I came back from bogota and barranquilla and seeing their really aggressive tree planting programs. They are planting trees everywhere. To me, the difference is -- it's like we can't get out of our own way. I ran on a "pave our damn roads." I feel like I want to "plant the damn trees" kind of thing. Just plant the damn trees. I get it. I think the shade trees are something critical. We heard some about Ybor City specifically. And I don't want to create a program that excludes areas of the town where you can't plant ones and twos. I'm not certain -- a lot of this it was a learning lesson we saw with the one program where the crape myrtles got planted in association with the city program. Probably that are better thought through, maybe not. I don't know that we necessarily need to be hand tied because of one burn, but we learned from the lesson. I don't know how to do it but let's just plant the damn trees.

Lynn Hurtak

2:02:27PM We have several motions available. So I think this motion might work for people. Although you may have changed your opinion on this. There is a hybrid way to do this. This was the recommendation and you all can either take it or modify it. I move to use the tree trust funds to fund the contract to purchase trees for the tree-mendous program with the rules that if a type one or type two tree fits in the space, then only a type one or type two tree can be planted. If a resident chooses a type three tree, crape myrtles and bottle brushes will not be an option for the next 12 months. The tree trust fund money cannot be used to purchase crape myrtles or bottle brushes.

Alan Clendenin

2:03:16PM I'm actually okay with that. Is there somebody here with the tree program who will talk about this at all?

Lynn Hurtak

2:03:28PM We talked about this last week, what we found last week crape myrtles are the most popular. If we wanted to do any type of modification, this seemed like a decent --

Alan Clendenin

2:03:42PM Let me ask eric a question. Where are we on shade trees like the tropics? Like royal poincianas, are they part of the program? List.

2:03:56PM Why is that? They provide tremendous amount of shade. Specifically street side. Royal poincianas are great. You have to have room to fit that canopy in. They take up a lot of space. If we started squeezing those into areas --

2:04:19PM I'm using from this recent trip to south america and they use them a lot on the roadsides and beautiful canopies over the tops of roads.

Lynn Hurtak

2:04:30PM My grandparents lived on royal poinciana drive in -- and I love them. That's what we're going to replace our oak tree with that's dying. When it goes, we're putting a royal poinciana. But it needs an absolute insane amount of root space. It's not just the canopy. They are very destructive root-wise. You have to plant them in very special places which is why you see them on Bayshore Boulevard in the larger spaces does have some of the royal poincianas.

Alan Clendenin

2:05:04PM I have one in my yard on anna maria and doesn't protrude through the surface at all. It's a massive tree, too. It covers probably 25% of my lot and doesn't have any protrusions above the ground. It is a big trunk but doesn't have any protrusions above the ground. I just saw so many big canopy, flowery trees, I'm thinking we have a climate that accommodates those. Why aren't we planted these in some locations.

Lynn Hurtak

2:05:38PM They are also expensive comparatively.

Alan Clendenin

2:05:41PM I know the cost is higher, too. Can you look into that? Maybe explore options for the royal poincianas and those type of trees? That. As a street tree and since we have already gone out to bid with the tree list that we were looking for --

2:06:06PM Does that bid include the restrictions that Councilwoman Hurtak just read in that motion? We just wouldn't order those.

2:06:16PM Very good. Thank you for the information.

Naya Young

2:06:21PM I was going to comment on the motion. I think that's a good compromise because what I've been thinking, and I've been thinking about Ybor City, and I know they really want the trees. We can't put the type ones and twos. Where we can, if we can be really intentional figuring out where we can actually plant those, but I think the motion that you have is a good compromise with that.

Alan Clendenin

2:06:48PM We need a jolt of energy into this. Plant the damn trees.

Lynn Hurtak

2:06:53PM I think this does do that. It gives us a good place to start. I'll repeat the motion, and then, also, Mr. Brody, we are working on --

Carl Brody

2:07:05PM I'll give you an update. Carl Brody, legal. We are going to be meeting to work on updating the ordinance so that it's very clear about how we can use the tree trust funds. I know there's some disagreement on that, and we can clean that up and also reference some of the changes that you are discussing now in ordinance form so that -- this ordinance hasn't been updated since 2009. It's around time, to just update everything so it's clear that we're following the council direction on how tree trust funds monies will be used.

Lynn Hurtak

2:07:43PM I appreciate that. I was talking more about the changing the ordinance to allow tree-mendous trees to be planted in the entire front yard and to the side yard of a house that's on a corner.

Carl Brody

2:07:56PM That will also be part of our discussion, because we want to make sure -- again, as you know, there's been some lack of clarity about where tree-mendous funds can be used. We can use the ordinance to clarify that. That will be all part of our discussion and hopefully we'll be able to bring that back to council on August 27th for your consideration. Not for first reading. Just for consideration, and then in the subsequent meetings we can have first, second reading on that. And also bring forward a resolution that's going to address the tree trust fund fees. So that's all going to be part -- that's all going to go together as part of the process.

Lynn Hurtak

2:08:41PM On August 27. That was going to be my second question. This will come back to us to be considered.

Bill Carlson

2:08:54PM I wanted to say real fast, if you don't mind, in a minute I'll get up and show on the elmo, wolf, whatever it's called, Singapore and Tampa go back and forth to talk about who has the best tree canopy. The thing we're talking about is what kind of trees. We need somebody with a big vision who can put this together. I'll show you here an example of the originating prime minister of Singapore did back in the '60s. I'll show you a picture real fast. So this is the road from the airport. Imagine 275 coming from the airport to downtown. That's what this looks like. And all the roads are like this. All the highways are like this. Not just the trees covering the road and it brings down the temperature about ten degrees island-wide, but look at the bushes and flowers underneath. It is an integrated strategy that you can see in some of these other pictures as well.

Alan Clendenin

2:10:01PM Councilman Miranda. Councilwoman Hurtak?

Lynn Hurtak

2:10:05PM I did want to say, that is, having some of these trees and the canopy is iconic. My grandparents' house on royal poinciana boulevard, obviously they had a vested interest in keeping the royal poinciana growing on that boulevard. Having been raised in north Florida where pretty much you could go down any smaller country road and it would be completely ensconced in oak trees and truly beautiful. We could absolutely do that here. I do think the royal poinciana would be a phenomenal tree to do that with because of the color and canopy but we do need the space for it. I'm glad we're having the conversations. I think this motion to at least get started on this, and then I would love to hear from Mr. Muecke. I agree with you, in August maybe about the possibility for not just the royal poinciana but the jacaranda trees, all the different colors and different types of trees that, quite frankly, now because it's so hot here that we can grow. We have the ability to grow tropical trees now that we didn't necessarily have the ability to grow even 20 years ago. For better for worse, climate change is what it is. But I know in my yard, I have a ton of citrus trees that unfortunately are all dying from citrus greening. So having something to replace that with, albeit much larger, would be really lovely.

Alan Clendenin

2:11:36PM Eric, can you do an analysis of the type of trees that Councilwoman Hurtak said, the jacaranda, royal poinciana, of what the technical requirements would be for the plantings so we could consider, maybe send a memo to council with that information? Yeah, I can do that. That's not a problem.

2:11:58PM Maybe think outside the box. Maybe things we're not actually considering that you think from your expertise that you think we should be looking at as maybe diversifying our canopy cover, that would be great. Recognize Councilwoman Hurtak to read this motion.

Lynn Hurtak

2:12:11PM Thank you. Ms. Scharf just told me that Mr. Muecke said this is ready to come back to us on August 27? The motion to approve the monies? I got a notification from highland cloud that the target date is 8/27.

2:12:34PM Perfect. I'll repeat the motion just for clarity. I move to use the tree trust fund to fund the contract to purchase trees for the tree-mendous program with the new rules that if a type one or type two tree fits in the space then only a type one or type two tree can be planted. If a resident chooses a type three tree, crape myrtles and bottle brush will not be an option for the next 12 months. The tree trust fund money cannot be used to purchase crape myrtles or bottle brushes in this contract. This will come back to us on August 27, 2026.

Alan Clendenin

2:13:08PM I have a motion from Councilwoman Hurtak. Second from Councilman Viera. I would say that the bottle brush should be permanently removed. We'll deal with that in 12 months. I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor, aye. Opposed, ayes have it.

Lynn Hurtak

2:13:27PM I have a couple more follow-up motions that we kind of talked about. I move to have staff provide a written report on October 15, 2026, with an anticipated goal of how many type one or type two trees might be able to be planted in that 12 month period.

Alan Clendenin

2:13:55PM I have a motion and second. What is the point of it?

Lynn Hurtak

2:13:59PM Okay. Never mind. I'll hold off on this one. I'll wait on that one. And also, just notating that Mr. Brody is going to be bringing back the resolutions on August 27. Just letting everybody know, the saga continues on August 27.

Alan Clendenin

2:14:20PM Good work. I hope people that are tree lovers in the City of Tampa understand that City Council is trying to plant the damn trees.

Lynn Hurtak

2:14:30PM Hopefully new tropics. The beauty of the jacaranda and --

Alan Clendenin

2:14:35PM When it's in bloom, like may.

Lynn Hurtak

2:14:38PM Royal poincianas are truly a beautiful tree.

Alan Clendenin

2:14:43PM Councilman Carlson and then we'll move on.

Bill Carlson

2:14:46PM What we really need, right now, there is a goal to plant a certain number of trees. What we really need is a strategy from the arborist or landscaping consultants or somebody. Ideally we would be using, just like the folks from USF that we use some kind of a.i. To mix with google maps to look down the streets and figure out which streets now because of the storms and other things need canopy, which streets need to be beautified and we can strategically target it, so hitting 10,000 trees is fine, but we need to build up the canopy, beautify -- people often complain, why doesn't my neighborhood look like Bayshore Boulevard? It should. We need to put in indigenous plants so we don't have to spend a lot of time landscaping them and maintaining them. But there's got to be an overall city strategy for neighborhoods and parts of the town, not just Bayshore.

Alan Clendenin

2:15:45PM Councilwoman Young.

Naya Young

2:15:48PM I agree with Councilman Carlson. Also just thinking about on the tpo, had the presentation talking about the importance of trees with transportation and also mitigation as we're talking about storms. I think like an overall city plan for tree planting that involves transportation, mobility, parks, all of that, I think could be really beneficial for us. That's it. And also, we have a lot of traffic and we have communities that are near the highways, and we know the science shows us that the trees help take some of the toxins that go to the neighborhoods as well.

Alan Clendenin

2:16:21PM Councilwoman Hurtak and then really done and moving on.

Lynn Hurtak

2:16:26PM No, and you're right. The problem with that, though, too, we have to then educate people on the benefits of trees because there are so many people worried about those trees falling and what do we do. It's a combination of all of those things, and it's not easy. It's not a simple fix as just saying this is where we need trees because we need people to agree to have them. It is an ongoing process, but I have a feeling that with our new NRAC committee, they will be getting out, thankfully on all parts of the city to be telling more people about trees.

Alan Clendenin

2:17:04PM Okay. We're moving on. Item number 47. Yes, ma'am. Start with your name. Janelle McGregor, director of community engagement and partnerships. Thank you all so much for taking the time over the last two weeks to just provide us your feedback and your insights as it relates to the Social Action and Arts Fund. That input was truly invaluable to us. We wanted to honor the time you took in moving quickly to make sure we made this deadline today. With that expedited timeline, we're asking for council's grace in just displaying a couple of slides here that we feel will better paint the picture of where we're trying to go.

2:18:17PM You have the floor.

Janelle McGregor

2:19:01PM The summary you have in front of you rests on three things that council asked us to focus on. Aligning staff with the city priorities and for the public, SAAF, Social Action and Arts Fund. Aligning the Social Action and Arts Fund with the priorities and the community's need of building immeasurable outcomes and helping organizations move toward long-term sustainability. So everything that we present here today will tie exactly back to the three pillars that we were asked to present on. In our individual conversations, council feedback was consistent. Primarily across five different themes. Making sure that we were focusing SAAF on clearly defined impact areas, to establishing measurable outcomes, to making sure that the city's role in capacity building was clearly defined. We would say there's one sentence that captures the shift we're proposing today, it's this. We want to start looking with moving the funding decisions to start with what does the community need and not just solely asking for funding -- or asking for funding or just based on existing relationships. It's a subtle but an important shift if we want to move in a more progressive direction here. That's why we're proposing structure that's anchored in defined, measurable goals going forward. This isn't all just philosophical. As I shared, it's grounded in data as well. This is the city's 2024 community values survey. It is the most recent survey. That's online, which measures the gap between how important residents say an issue is and how satisfied they are with their current experience of it. The bigger the gap, the more it signals unmet expectation. What we're proposing today will tie back to those experiential gaps we have highlighted there on the survey. Based on council's input, what we heard from the public, the survey data, we're recommending four community impact areas funded at up to $250,000 each for a possible total of $1 million in nonprofit funding. And those four identified impact areas consist of workforce and economic development, which would support programs like we heard about today with Michael phillips program, community enrichment through the arts and culture, youth empowerment and food insecurity. Now, all of these community impact areas with the exception of the last one, food insecurity, map directly back to that community survey that we just showed on the slide previous. With food insecurity, it's the exception but it is also captured in what we've heard from the community in terms of what the needs are currently. Each of these four areas will carry their own identified strategic focus and set of outcome expectations which we're happy to walk through a little more in full detail if that's helpful. Council is clear and consistent in what we heard on one specific point, and that was that the Social Action and Arts Fund needed to demonstrate measurable results. So for every funded program, we'll track a variation of outcomes to include, but not limited to, the number of people served, the geographic areas that are served, new clients served, businesses or individuals versus existing ones. Participant feedback so that we understand how these programs are impacting the community members we're serving. And the hours or the services delivered. Together, that would pretty much tell us the story of what our reach is, what our coverage is, what the perceived impact is and how are we intervening in these cracks that we've discovered. The goal here is standardized reporting across every organization we fund, so that we can evaluate the results consistently and report staff's collective impact back to both council and the public in a more accurate manner. Now, we talk about the $1 million in these four different impact areas. It's an intentional structure that pretty much is reflective of what we spent in fiscal year '26 with the most notable change being arts and culture, which we'll see the largest relative increase if we look at up to $250,000. Finally, here is how we're proposing it would all work operationally. Organizations will apply to one of the four impact areas. Staff will evaluate capacity and alignment. Council Will approve the awards through a financial resolution, organizations will report quarterly, and staff will aggregate those results to show our measurable outcome to council and the public. One piece we wanted to point out specifically on here is step five. And that's recommending organizations attend a one-day mayor's neighborhood university Saturday session that will be led by a grants expert to help them with that grant writing and capacity building skills. It will also be an opportunity for them to network with other organizations as well. Pending council's desire to move forward with this improved outcome strategy, our plan would be to open up the fiscal year 2027, staff applications period from September 1st to September 30th. So in closing, that's our summary and our recommendations in full. It's grounded in what we've heard from council, from the public and then also measured up by the data. We're glad to answer any additional questions or explore these four impact areas a little deeper. And after we do so we would just respectfully request council to adopt this approach and framework as a pilot for fiscal year 2027.

Alan Clendenin

2:26:13PM Thank you. I've got Councilwoman Hurtak followed by young and Maniscalco and Carlson.

Lynn Hurtak

2:26:19PM Thank you so much. I really appreciate you talking to all of us. I think you got a really good collection. It sounds like we're all heading in a similar direction. Building capacity is so important because what got us here and why we're having to do this is because we funded the same organizations over and over again. It became something that people relied on instead of really teaching them how to go out and meet. One of the things that I recommended was not only being taught by outside experts, but outside experts in that area. So if there is a group, if you have a date for food security people, having someone in that food security space that's familiar with grant writing for that area teach that, so that not only do all the food security people get to work together, they are learning from someone who does that very work. And I think that would be really important. The one thing that you did say that kind of pinged my ear though is for the recommendations, for the workforce and economic development, you talked about the Michael phillips all abilities. That should not be a part of this workforce and economic development. That is a city program. I don't believe that funds should come out of this. That is a city program. This is for nonprofits not associated with the city. Maybe I misheard but I wanted to -- I mean, that would be my recommendation and my home that we wouldn't be taking money away from active nonprofits. And that we would fund that wholly from anywhere else that we would want to fund it. But I think that needs to become a part of the city.

Alan Clendenin

2:28:09PM You'll get in line.

Lynn Hurtak

2:28:10PM That was all. That was the one part. I know you believe in this, too. I really want to make sure this isn't one that we send off to learn how to grant fund. That is a city program.

Janelle McGregor

2:28:25PM Correct.

Alan Clendenin

2:28:26PM Councilwoman Young.

Naya Young

2:28:27PM One, thank you both. I know we had a 30-minute meeting set. This is my jam. So we talked for way longer than 30 minutes. I truly appreciate you all working on this so we could have a clear direction of what we want to do as a council. Because I believe in the power of nonprofits, but I also believe in strategic approach of how we use the nonprofits to help us as a city address those community needs. I will also echo councilwoman Hurtak's sentiments about the building capacity because that is extremely important. As someone that I worked eight years in nonprofit as executive director, and that's one thing, you never know when that funding is going to stop, so being able to network, knowing where to go for the grants, how to write the grants, what makes a great grant application, you know, being able to, you know, go and find, you know, what kind of grant should I even apply for, I think that's really, really important. And we often hear, sometimes in the nonprofit world, when the money stops, the programming stops. And we have so many needs that we can't let that happen. So we want to be sure that, yes, after you time out, don't receive funding here, those children still have needs. Those seniors still have needs. There's still food insecurity. To be able to continue to provide it even if you don't get the funding from here I think is really important and just for longevity of your nonprofit, having the ability to build capacity is so important. I appreciate you all so much for helping and steering us into the right direction. I think this is a really great approach. Thank you for you all. Thank you for listening me to rant for over an hour.

Guido Maniscalco

2:30:12PM We had a great conversation the other day, both you and Andrew for all your work. It is a good and sensible approach. We spoke at length the other day, yeah, I appreciate. I know it's a lot of hard work, but when you discussed, you know, doing -- having people take part in a one-day mayor's neighborhood university, I mean, you know, a lot of organizations get a lot of money. Very helpful. At the very least, they should see how it works, how it is a benefit. We know a lot of nonprofits are beneficial. We can get a better understanding and hopefully show folks the art of grant writing and seeking future funding down the road. They can continue to grow and be successful. Very impressed. You put a lot of work into this. Thank you. That's it.

Alan Clendenin

2:31:03PM Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

2:31:04PM Echo my colleagues' comments about the process you all went through. Thank you for that and for the time you spent with all of us. The result looks great. Anybody watching, the genesis of this in part was that folks in the community want us to efficiently use tax money, and many people feel like they give to charities already. Why is the government doing that? What we've got to do is justify every dollar we spend of taxpayer money. We have to explain, if we're going to give to a charity, what unique role we're supplying and how the charity can do something better or different than the city would. So I think that you all have done a great job with that. The only thing I would recommend right now you have an area called community enrichment through arts and culture which is great by itself. I would maybe call it something like arts and innovation or arts, creativity and innovation. Enrichment, cultural aspect of it. Defining culture in neighborhoods and groups. Also health care, tgh spent a lot of money on art as health therapy for people going through -- specific kinds of art therapy for folks. But the real thing that's going to support the arts industry in the future is being tied to the innovation economy. Even if we are supporting programs like the one at jcc and expanding them, somehow we have to tie them back into the creative economy and the innovation economy, otherwise these arts organizations are going to lose their money. What we've seen through the st. pete experience that I've been involved in for 30 years, is that the reason why so many tech companies are in st. pete is because of the arts. It's because their best and brightest people that they are hiring are artists in their spare time. They are in st. petersburg because of the arts. Companies are chasing people now. Tampa has had a lot of arts, some people say even more arts than st. pete. It just hasn't been organized, and they have been afraid because of politics and things. We're finally starting to bring it together. But the legislature and the federal government are not going to fund it unless it's tied to the innovation economy. And what we found is if you want to have a tech industry, if you want to have an innovation industry, you must have the arts, and not enough people know that yet. Thank you.

Alan Clendenin

2:33:36PM I am proud of my coworkers on Tampa City Council. It seems like we've all come together and moving in the same direction, which is really nice to see. Outside of the dais, independently, we've all come to kind of the same conclusions. That's nice to see that we've kind of seen some of the stumbles in the past and moving forward. I'll repeat, thank you to both of you for your contributions, Ms. Kopesky as well and all the City staff that has anything to do with all of this. I think everybody has done a great job. I would move to agree with Councilman Carlson, if you don't -- to change the title to community enrichment through arts, culture and innovation. Does that capture it, Councilman Carlson?

Bill Carlson

2:34:24PM I think community enrichment has certain meanings which could be a sub. It's got to be tied -- the industry is selling art. There are sculptors in Tampa and st. pete selling millions of dollars a year in art. Industry of the arts. But then also arts tied to the innovation and technology.

Alan Clendenin

2:34:51PM I like with the politics of it, I think the innovation part of it is important, too. Can we do that arts culture and innovation, pending any changes? Anybody object to that.

Bill Carlson

2:35:02PM Bottom line, guys in tallahassee are not going to fund anything related to the arts unless tied to tech.

Alan Clendenin

2:35:08PM That's why I like it. Rang true to me.

Martin Shelby

2:35:11PM To understand this, are you asking for a formal change from what to what?

Alan Clendenin

2:35:17PM Nothing is formalized yet. This is all still a draft. I'm going to ask Councilman Viera to move this in a moment. Before we do that I'm asking for that one title as Councilman Carlson has suggested be adapted to a new title.

Martin Shelby

2:35:32PM Adapted from what?

Alan Clendenin

2:35:34PM Currently in the draft, in the draft they have suggested community enrichment through arts, culture and innovation. We're going to change that to arts, culture, innovation.

Bill Carlson

2:35:45PM Do that or arts creativity and innovation. But I don't know what Janelle and Andrew think either, if you agree or disagree with that.

Janelle McGregor

2:35:54PM I think that --

Alan Clendenin

2:35:57PM Culture is more encompassing. Arts, culture, innovation.

Janelle McGregor

2:36:01PM The strategic focus in spirit of that particular bucket is expand access to arts, cultural and experiences, and that could be through innovation and community connection.

Alan Clendenin

2:36:13PM Arts culture and innovation. Any objection to that? Good with that?

Bill Carlson

2:36:17PM No, but just to follow up, as more and more people are competing with a.i., unfortunately, folks in the business community are still moving businesses here that are going to be put out of business within two or three years by a.i. And if we as humans are competing with a.i., we've got to constantly think in a more creative and different way. What we need to prove is that the arts in whatever form cause you to think differently, ideally in your day job to come up with innovation. An example I use, a painter having drinks with industrial designer from jabil. Jabil makes the iphones and the bands at disney and bunch of other stuff. One of the biggest electronic headquartered in st. pete. Brainstorming ideas, person from jabil can come up with a great idea just by being in proximity to an artist. That's where we're adding value in our community.

Alan Clendenin

2:37:18PM No objection, we'll change the title. Councilman Viera, your comments. When you are done, if it suits you, could you move to approve the pilot program for the SAAF?

Luis Viera

2:37:31PM Yes, sir, my pleasure. This was a while ago, Councilwoman Hurtak and I think understood it differently, and I would like clarification on that, Janelle, which is I understood when you said the mike phillips program, that it was the foundation that Karen runs. Was it that or the internship program? Those organizations that fall under the umbrella of the Michael phillips program. One thing we wanted too sure -- we wanted to be cognizant that even though we are taking on this new shift that many of the organizations that are currently receiving this funding would still be eligible.

2:38:12PM Yeah. So thank you for that. Thank you Councilwoman Hurtak for catching that because I understood it, $10,000 allotment that the foundation gets which is obviously separate and distinct. I have spoken on that many times before. I would hope in the budget this year that is specifically funded because I know that other internship programs for kids who do not have -- young folks who do not have disabilities are funded in the general budget and not through this particular section. I hope we have equity and equality in that regards. Thank you, Councilwoman Hurtak, for catching that. I support these changes. We had spoken for a while on that and salute the work of both of you all. Janelle, you obviously always do great work. Andrew, like I always tell you, I really enjoy seeing you. You have just grown into the person that you are professionally. You carry yourself so well. My hat is off to you, buddy. If I may, I do move to approve the pilot program with the aforementioned name that was recommended.

Alan Clendenin

2:39:22PM I have a motion from Councilman Viera. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed?

Janelle McGregor

2:39:31PM Thank you, council. Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my colleague, Andrew, who is the brains behind a lot of the work being done here. Thank you, Andrew, for spearheading.

Alan Clendenin

2:39:43PM We'll allow at this point in time. I know we have 48. Do you mind if we move to 50?

Bill Carlson

2:40:08PM On 50, Justin and Emily hinsdale and I went back and forth. I handed a motion I would like to make. I worked with Councilman Carlson and Emily hinsdale and came up with a clarified motion. I would suggest respectfully that you give us to come back November 5 with a draft ordinance.

2:40:39PM All we're doing is -- I think Justin wrote this to give credit. I moe of that the city attorney amend section 14-56j to designate all funds retained under section 316.18965b Florida statutes to be to administering speed detection systems in school zones and to infrastructure focus safety initiatives within school attendance zones defined by the Hillsborough County School district and to return with a draft ordinance on November 5.

Alan Clendenin

2:41:18PM I have a motion from Councilman Carlson. Second from Councilwoman Hurtak. I will say I support this 100%. I think it is a great idea. Thank you so much for your work. All in favor, aye. Opposed? The ayes have it.

Bill Carlson

2:41:31PM Short justification, if somebody gets a ticket going through the speed zone, that means they already put lives in danger. This will spend money to make sure that people are not putting lives in danger. Thank you so much for both of you. Adam, I haven't spent any time talking about this. Emily and other folks in the community say you are an expert on how to do this and that you have a lot of experience from other places. I look forward to learning more about how you'll do it. I'm glad to be in good hands with you implementing this.

Alan Clendenin

2:42:05PM He's a great guy. Helping us build the damn streetcar. We love Adam. Under the damn trees, under the damn paved roads. [ laughter ] very good. Thank you, guys. If I've done my math correctly, we have one more agenda item. Item 48. Mr. Shelby.

Martin Shelby

2:42:33PM Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Martin Shelby, City Council attorney. I will make this very brief. We are coming in for somewhat of a landing, except this is evolving and tell you how. I had the opportunity to work with the chairman and his legislative aide this week with regard to one of the bullet points we had on our items which is how to communicate this. As we're working on how to have the signage and to put the language into the agenda and to put it on the website, as I'm looking at the rules, particularly rule 5, I realized that it needed to be reordered.

Alan Clendenin

2:43:11PM Not rewritten, just reordered.

Martin Shelby

2:43:13PM There are minor changes that I will point out. What I'm asking to do is I did all that based on our discussion. I haven't had an opportunity to do another underline and strike-through. There are minor revisions. One word I removed in rule 5 is -- I don't have it anymore.

Alan Clendenin

2:43:38PM See how stressful it is to be on the spot.

Martin Shelby

2:43:41PM Neither here nor there, to make sure -- it is the end of the day. What I am going to do is submit and ask that the council accept a substitute resolution with the amended order. It will be e-mailed to you, if council wishes, I can still do an underline and strike-through. Now there are several versions flying out there. At this point, I'll submit to the clerk the revisions --

Alan Clendenin

2:44:13PM Again, supplement what Mr. Shelby is saying, what I asked of staff and sam is working with communications, when this is passed to have large poster-size placards made, one for outside of council chambers, one for when you come into city hall for meeting days, and then we'll have actually the complete rules available in printed form so people can pick them up as well so we can clearly communicate to folks. In the process of doing that, Mr. Shelby said maybe the rules, we wanted to have them more sequential to what is actually applied to a meeting so they would be easier to digest for the public. They haven't changed the format or any of the substance. Just reorder so that they fit well into this communication model. That's where we're at.

Martin Shelby

2:45:00PM Ask for a motion to accept the substitute, please.

Alan Clendenin

2:45:04PM Motion from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Viera.

Martin Shelby

2:45:09PM Finally, council, per your rules -- I think I should follow the vote. I'll wait.

Alan Clendenin

2:45:18PM I have a motion and I have a second. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

2:45:21PM This is to approve the new rules of procedure.

Martin Shelby

2:45:24PM No. this is to accept the substitute for your consideration when it comes back on the 27th. That's what I was about to explain.

Lynn Hurtak

2:45:32PM Okay. I'm still really unsure. I don't really love the off agenda public comment where it is. That's my one I'm still struggling with.

Luis Viera

2:45:49PM So on a different topic, we can discuss that -- Guido, you gave me that cookie and now I'm coughing, which is funny. The issue of the commendation presence for the officer of the month, firefighter of the quarter and whenever we get back there, ATU. I timed today and it's probably like two and a half minutes or so. Again, folks, I'd ask for reconsideration on that tiny issue because the juice is not worth the squeeze, to make them go down stairs and put it at the end of the video, it will break it up too much. These folks, they get five minutes, seven minutes.

Alan Clendenin

2:46:41PM It was very efficient. There wasn't as many and we combined them into one.

Luis Viera

2:46:46PM We can make it more efficient and have them timed like eight minutes each or so. By the way, have folks -- I'll say it, that gentleman from ford or gm, I always laugh up there because he always looks at the folks behind him. Chairman Clendenin, you're like, look forward.

Alan Clendenin

2:47:09PM He never does it.

Luis Viera

2:47:11PM I think it's funny, but whatever. Yeah, that's my pitch, folks.

Lynn Hurtak

2:47:16PM I was going to say that the only thing that would make me change my mind on that was honestly today, the way that once everybody got their award and then all the gifts came at once.

Alan Clendenin

2:47:37PM Did one line --

Lynn Hurtak

2:47:40PM One line of gift giving. Everybody shakes the hand, one, two, three and they are gone.

Martin Shelby

2:47:47PM On the next time that you do this, have the firefighter of the quarter and the police officer. So are you going to take -- for the gift giving.

Lynn Hurtak

2:47:58PM Yeah, they get the same gifts. I think it works fine. If we honor the officer of the month, then honor the firefighter of the quarter, when we get ATU back, we honor them, and all three of them stand there. Police have got it down. Somebody taking the gifts, bag for them. They've got it down. Each respective group can organize it. I think it went very well today. That would be the only way I would consider doing it because then you're taking three different presentations and tying it into one.

Bill Carlson

2:48:40PM I think we need to give them some parameters that ideally it's like five seconds or something like that. Ideally, they would say the name of the organization and what they are giving them and thank you, that's it. Without lots of commentary. It ends up being a three-minute ad. The alternative is we'll take it down to the second floor, but you need to say, hi, I'm from such and such restaurant. Happy to give you a hundred dollar voucher to eat at our restaurant. Thank you so much.

Martin Shelby

2:49:20PM Just an aside, anytime you use the timer and it involves an invitee to the chambers, I've never seen council do anything but give them the time. It is disrespectful or perceived as disrespectful and rude to not allow an invitee to be able to speak. Conscious, please, when you say we're going to be very strict about the timer, the reality is --

Alan Clendenin

2:49:50PM It's a very difficult thing to be sitting in a position with a guest. One thing amongst ourselves or -- some of the normal lines of business. These folks, it's definitely different. I'm not opposed to giving this a try. We can always go back.

Naya Young

2:50:10PM I know for the commendations that I've done, when the day before, darlene will call and say, just to let you know, we have ten minutes and we put the ten minutes on the timer. The ones I've done, right at ten minutes or under ten minutes. We tell people ahead of time the max is ten minutes and try to stick to it.

Luis Viera

2:50:37PM Number one, we say as Councilwoman Young said it's ten minutes. Number two, it is literally state your name, your organization, what you are giving, move forward and then maybe give the first floor available for them if they wish to go further for their own personal purposes. All the things stated today, I'm fine with them.

Martin Shelby

2:51:01PM If I can ask you, right now it presently says commendations and/or presentations 30 minutes total, limit of three. That stays the same.

Alan Clendenin

2:51:17PM It's the gift giving.

Martin Shelby

2:51:19PM I will remove the line about having recognition, community recognition on the second floor. I'll take that out.

Alan Clendenin

2:51:28PM And we'll consolidate it to one event.

Martin Shelby

2:51:33PM Community recognition shall --

Alan Clendenin

2:51:38PM Recognize everybody -- you get one shot.

Martin Shelby

2:51:44PM How would we put that in the form of a motion?

Lynn Hurtak

2:51:48PM You would say that all of the -- what you would say is commendation gifts will only be presented once.

Alan Clendenin

2:52:00PM Nice and simple. I like that.

Martin Shelby

2:52:02PM Commendation gifts --

Lynn Hurtak

2:52:04PM -- will be presented once for up to three commendations at a time or however you want to phrase that.

Martin Shelby

2:52:13PM We never used the word gifts.

Lynn Hurtak

2:52:16PM Then community recognition. Community recognition I think is the proper term.

Martin Shelby

2:52:24PM Shall be consolidated?

Lynn Hurtak

2:52:26PM Shall be -- shall occur once.

Alan Clendenin

2:52:31PM At the conclusion of the commendations.

Luis Viera

2:52:36PM I would volunteer if you'd like, sir, since I do that, to draft a memo emphasizing to gift givers the brevity issue. Would you like me to do that, sir?

Alan Clendenin

2:52:51PM It's got to come, ATU --

Lynn Hurtak

2:52:55PM Probably needs to come from the chair.

Alan Clendenin

2:52:57PM We have multiple -- I know police and fire is the --

Luis Viera

2:53:02PM I was just trying to --

Alan Clendenin

2:53:04PM That was very generous of you. You are welcome to have Sebastian draft it for you.

Martin Shelby

2:53:15PM One more thing, in terms of brevity, I just want to remind council while I have most of you here, just that one of your rules does state that council district offices are encouraged to edit the length of the biography of the person invited to give the invocation to make it consistently succinct and uniform. District offices should inform the invitee of the preferred length of the invocation. That's in your rules.

Alan Clendenin

2:53:44PM I sure wish there was a sentiment on this council, because none of the other government offices have these. I know -- invocations. I know there's a sensitivity to it. But in the government office, I really do think we should conform with every other government meeting.

Martin Shelby

2:54:04PM With what?

Alan Clendenin

2:54:05PM Skip the invocations. The county doesn't do it. School Board doesn't do it. County doesn't do it. Nobody does it. If we abbreviate these meetings.

Bill Carlson

2:54:23PM I make a motion that we ask the county and the School Board to add prayers back in.

Alan Clendenin

2:54:32PM You are not recognized. You are out of order. We're spiraling.

Lynn Hurtak

2:54:37PM Yeah, we're spiraling. The only other issue I think we have is the off agenda public comment. This is my concern, we do not stop ourselves, in fact, the folks who are here today at 11, it was, quite frankly, dumb luck that we were done almost exactly at 11 to get them started. Generally we're five minutes over or ten minutes over. It's not because we're over, it's because we're not done with that issue. I'm really concerned if it gets to 11:30, a, won't be a hard stop at 11:30. Then be more people, then lunch and hangry. There is nothing worse than hangry council members.

Alan Clendenin

2:55:29PM Nothing worse than Lynn Hurtak hangry.

Lynn Hurtak

2:55:33PM That's why I get a snack. Just overall.

Alan Clendenin

2:55:37PM I think, Mr. Shelby, would you please address this? Well discussed through legal as well.

Martin Shelby

2:55:43PM How many second readings did we have today, madam clerk? How many second readings do we have on the 27th?

The clerk

2:55:57PM [Inaudible]

Martin Shelby

2:55:58PM The reason, the rationale is that you get done with city official business such as second reads and the consent docket before you take that. Again, it takes discipline to stop to determine how many people are on the off-agenda list, and you allow them enough time, so by the time of your lunch recess, you do break for lunch. You do break for lunch just as you have to do a hard stop at let's say 11:30. If only three people, then 11:45. That's time management of the chair and with the sign-ins I have, it's predictable.

2:56:39PM Yes. It presently says that off agenda people don't have to put in a card and use a sign-in sheet. Do you want that to change and have everybody use cards?

Alan Clendenin

2:56:50PM Everybody use cards.

Martin Shelby

2:56:52PM That makes it harder to monitor, because that means it will be sitting out there.

Alan Clendenin

2:56:57PM I retract. I think we should move forward as printed, if we need to pivot, we should pivot. This was after a lot of discussion about the flow of meeting, the business of City Council, second readings, the staff and everybody here and the paid people here.

Martin Shelby

2:57:21PM One of the other things that you decided to do that's in the rules now, when adopted, is that you will not under your approval of the agenda start moving up because some people say I want to hear my items now in the community, you don't move up staff reports ahead of public hearings already set.

Alan Clendenin

2:57:43PM Here. Would you take that for me? I move a resolution amending --

Martin Shelby

2:57:49PM Your rules of procedure just say it has to be read at two consecutive regular meetings.

Alan Clendenin

2:57:56PM Resolution amending --

Lynn Hurtak

2:57:58PM Substitute.

Alan Clendenin

2:58:00PM We already did substitute. Substitute already passed. Substitute is what we're doing. A resolution amending and restating the rules of procedure governing the meetings of the City Council of the City of Tampa to primarily address public participation with the limited public forum created to conduct official public business, providing an effective date.

Martin Shelby

2:58:23PM Don't have to take action. This will be uploaded. You'll have this and underline and strike-through for the backup of the 27th. What happens is your resolution say once you pass it, it will take immediate effect.

Lynn Hurtak

2:58:38PM This is the first reading.

Martin Shelby

2:58:42PM This is really not --

Lynn Hurtak

2:58:46PM I'm not voting for it for two reasons. The cards, which I hate, and because people don't believe that they can come in and speak. And then I'm still concerned. I don't think we'll do a very good job at making sure that people who want to speak on off agenda items are there. That's my piece. Mr. Miranda is gone.

Alan Clendenin

2:59:09PM You are questioning my ability to run the meeting. I'm kidding.

Lynn Hurtak

2:59:13PM It's not you. It's the seat. That's my thing. Is Councilman Miranda coming back.

Alan Clendenin

2:59:19PM There's no real vote.

Lynn Hurtak

2:59:21PM Council member Carlson.

Bill Carlson

2:59:23PM As I said a couple of times, I agree about the off agenda items. I think it should be adjacent to the other but separate.

Lynn Hurtak

2:59:37PM I have a motion from Chair Clendenin and I have a second from council member --

Martin Shelby

2:59:41PM There is no vote. There is no vote on this. Basically your vote is one vote on the 27th. You'll have full opportunity to see what the changes are. But I will say presently, and here is something significant, that council, all of this that I brought back is what council voted on at the workshop.

Lynn Hurtak

3:00:03PM Except a lot of us disagreed with us. Two of us disagreed with it.

Martin Shelby

3:00:08PM The issue is with off agenda items and this is significant, the reason that it's a hard stop at 11:30, at the earliest, is because it only is 30 minutes. If you have 20 people or 30 people here for off agenda items, you will then have to adjust the time you allow for each person to speak in order to have all of them heard, otherwise they will leave some people without the opportunity to speak. That's off agenda items.

Alan Clendenin

3:00:39PM Reference the folks that said about, I think pam was one of them, they don't have to be here at 9:00 in the morning. They can come at 11:30. In some ways, that actually works to an advantage.

3:00:56PM That concludes our regularly scheduled program. We're down to new business. Councilman Carlson.

Bill Carlson

3:01:03PM I have two. Like to make a motion to receive and file form 8b from item 25 earlier.

Alan Clendenin

3:01:09PM Motion and second from -- second from Councilman Viera. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Bill Carlson

3:01:15PM As various folks from the community have mentioned over months or years, there are issues with tappan park. I've had conversations. They've had conversations. I wish we could bring for five minutes whomever the administration wants to explain what is going on with tappan park. Make a motion to ask parks and stormwater to give a five-minute report on September 17 as to the status and future plans of tappan park.

Alan Clendenin

3:01:40PM Motion from Councilman Carlson. Is there a second? Second from Councilman Miranda. All those in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it. Anything else?

Bill Carlson

3:01:49PM No, that's it.

Alan Clendenin

3:01:50PM Councilman Viera.

Luis Viera

3:01:51PM Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. We have the City of Tampa veterans advisory board established, sent a memo for folks to do their appointments. The mayor's office gets some as well. What I was going to ask is that we have those returned to us by next council meeting, August 27 so we can vote on them and get that party started. Mr. Shelby, should I make a motion, is a resolution required for that?

Martin Shelby

3:02:19PM Would you mind doing it the first meeting in September?

Luis Viera

3:02:22PM Sure.

Martin Shelby

3:02:23PM What you are asking for is people to come back or come back with the appointees and then council with vote to do that and then come back with a resolution. Still have to work out the logistics of how that committee --

Luis Viera

3:02:39PM It will be a month. Can people get you the resolution in the meanwhile -- sorry, strike that. Can people get you the names and we have the resolution by then?

Martin Shelby

3:02:49PM Sure.

Luis Viera

3:02:52PM That's my motion. First week in September good for you?

Martin Shelby

3:02:56PM Yeah.

Luis Viera

3:02:56PM Good with council members?

Alan Clendenin

3:02:58PM I have a motion from Councilman Viera to have City Council submit their names for the veterans committee to Mr. Shelby. Mr. Shelby will return to Tampa City Council on our first meeting in September which is September 3rd with a resolution. Motion from Councilman Viera. Second from Councilman Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Luis Viera

3:03:28PM Tomorrow we have an event at 9 a.m. here at city hall for national purple heart day. Encourage everyone to come. I was going to give to the Tampa Bay purple heart association, rudy salas, Gary lee raines, Tampa City Council commendations. They will be speaking on their experiences in Vietnam. That was my motion.

Alan Clendenin

3:03:49PM Motion from Viera. Second from Maniscalco. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Naya Young

3:03:58PM One more rising explorer who wasn't here this morning. She wanted to introduce herself. Can you come to the podium quickly? I am camille king. I'm a rising senior at the Academy of the Holy Names. This summer I was a rising explorer with the marketing and communications department.

Alan Clendenin

3:04:18PM Thank you for coming in to introduce yourself.

Naya Young

3:04:21PM Also, I know we already talked about it earlier, today is my last day for my two interns. I'm just, again, happy that you all were with me and I know that you're going to be awesome. Can you come tell us what you are studying in school quickly and what you want to do. I'm in school for commercial art academy. I want to go to school for pediatrician.

3:04:59PM Lastly. I was here with you all today. My little sister got her white coat today. Her graduation is this weekend, but she will be receiving her bachelors of science in nursing. Already has her bachelor of science in biomedical science. Get her white coat today. I'm very, very proud of her. One of the things I talk about all the time is just youth and youth investment. So seeing all of our interns today, but also seeing my younger sister. And I am so passionate about youth, but when you provide that opportunity and investment in them, but also just letting them know that we want and need them to be a part of this city, I think you really start to see a difference in really that investment in them. Congratulations to arie. I cannot wait to celebrate you this weekend. Picture when she was in middle school and said she will have her white coat and she has her white coat today. You have a great family.

Alan Clendenin

3:06:09PM Sister is a nurse. Daughter is a nurse. My niece is a nurse.

Naya Young

3:06:13PM She's pediatric nursing.

Alan Clendenin

3:06:17PM Interesting program at USF. Everybody in my family and half my friends went to. Started off as nurses. Obama program. If you maintain 3.5 gpa, double masters all paid for. Councilwoman Hurtak.

Lynn Hurtak

3:06:38PM Nothing.

Guido Maniscalco

3:06:39PM Nothing.

Alan Clendenin

3:06:41PM Councilman Miranda? Trifecta. Isn't that what it is called in a horse race? I have something and then I'll recognize you, Mr. Shelby. I don't know if you were paying attention to Hillsborough county's commission meeting yesterday, but they passed a motion, and I would like to make a motion to request City Legal staff and others as necessary to explore how the City of Tampa can opt-in to the Hillsborough county short-term rental ordinance to be considered by the Hillsborough county board of county commission on September 2, 2026 and report back on August 27, 2026.

Lynn Hurtak

3:07:16PM Is there a second? Second from Councilman Carlson. Would you like to explain this?

Alan Clendenin

3:07:26PM This is interesting. Right now, it's kind of like a free reining world of airbnbs --

Lynn Hurtak

3:07:33PM It is not. There is a rule.

Alan Clendenin

3:07:35PM Yes and no. right now, Hillsborough county has 3,000 unregistered short-term rentals. The City of Tampa has estimated 9,000 active short-term rentals. 6,000 of those are investor owned properties. As I was talking to sam, my legislative aide, a house that was affordable housing down the street from him, an investor came in, bought it and flipped it over to short term. Ended up booting people out. What the board of county commission is looking at is a registration program, inspection program. Trying to keep track of these things. Talking 6,000 hotel rooms being run in the City of Tampa in people's neighborhoods is what we're looking at. You see it all the time.

Lynn Hurtak

3:08:21PM Hillsborough county is one of the few that we actually have a law where you have to rent for seven days. That's just simply not -- it is not followed here. Our Code Enforcement doesn't. It's very hard to catch people on this, but it can be done and it just doesn't seem to be a priority. I'm very disappointed in that. It can be a problem.

Alan Clendenin

3:08:43PM I think what they are looking at is a registration program. Register, inspections --

Lynn Hurtak

3:08:52PM I would support that, especially if we did one also for just a regular rental. Ms. Lockett, who is not here right now, Robin Lockett has been working with Florida rising on bringing back just a rental policy that we would have to do the very same thing.

Alan Clendenin

3:09:16PM This is what the board passed yesterday.

Martin Shelby

3:09:18PM Would you be able to ask sam to distribute that to council?

Alan Clendenin

3:09:22PM I think he made copies.

Lynn Hurtak

3:09:24PM Council member Miranda.

Charlie Miranda

3:09:25PM I want to say it's happening -- I've seen people call me, especially behind Jesuit High School. Rent a house two or three days and all of a sudden 15 people coming in from all over the area.

Alan Clendenin

3:09:39PM Shout-out to Commissioner Harry cohen for championing this on the county side.

Lynn Hurtak

3:09:48PM When did you want this to come back?

Alan Clendenin

3:09:55PM They could do a written report under staff reports.

Lynn Hurtak

3:09:59PM They are not going to have time to put it in onbase.

Martin Shelby

3:10:04PM Mr. Chairman, the issue is that it's presently scheduled to come before the Board of County Commissioners at least for first reading in September -- adoption public hearing, I don't know how they handle it over there, but it is time sensitive. Right now, I've had an opportunity -- basically, the way it's structured right now on this draft, section 5, applicability, it's only applicable to the unincorporated areas of Hillsborough county. Now, the county -- the city is subject to county rules and county ordinances. If they are not particularly excluded here as they are here.

Alan Clendenin

3:10:46PM We're asking legal to work with them to see how we can be incorporated.

Martin Shelby

3:10:50PM Within the short time that they have, they can pick up the phone and find out whether they can opt in or not.

Alan Clendenin

3:10:57PM According to commissioner cohen, it was supposedly going to be written so we could opt in.

Lynn Hurtak

3:11:03PM Can you restate your motion?

Alan Clendenin

3:11:05PM Motion to request legal staff and others as necessary to explore how the City of Tampa can opt in to the Hillsborough county short-term rental ordinance to be considered by the Hillsborough county board of commissioners on September 2, 2026 and report back on August 27, 2026, under staff reports.

Lynn Hurtak

3:11:21PM Under written.

Alan Clendenin

3:11:22PM Under written staff reports.

Charlie Miranda

3:11:25PM I'll second that. However, I don't mind going in and doing something like them, but if you opt in with them, later on, you might have a problem somewhere else. I'm saying you like what they do, we can almost not be copycat but work it the way --

Alan Clendenin

3:11:44PM The problem with doing it is there is a cost involved. They are already setting up the structure.

Charlie Miranda

3:11:53PM Cost involved means we have our own people. They won't have their people inspect our houses. I don't think that will work.

Alan Clendenin

3:12:00PM I think there is a whole process there.

Lynn Hurtak

3:12:02PM Let's all read more about it. I look forward to the written report. Motion from Chair Clendenin. A second from council member Miranda. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed?

Alan Clendenin

3:12:15PM Thank you so much. Is there anything else? Mr. Shelby.

Martin Shelby

3:12:20PM Martin Shelby, City Council attorney. Follow-up, if I can. Your resolution amending the resolution that created the Natural Resources Advisory Committee, neither one of them contemplate alternates. In order for you to appoint the alternates, the resolution has to be amended to allow for and provide for alternates.

Lynn Hurtak

3:12:51PM So moved.

Alan Clendenin

3:12:53PM I have a motion for Mr. Shelby to --

Martin Shelby

3:12:58PM What I have to do is coordinate with Ms. Pettis-mackle because she was kind enough to provide me this information, but I don't mind. One way or the other, somebody will come back prior to us having to give you the appointments to the alternates. Have to come back with the resolution. We can expedite it as much as possible unless pick a date.

Alan Clendenin

3:13:29PM Do it on the 27?

Martin Shelby

3:13:31PM No. I'm not even sure it can be done on the 6th, frankly.

Alan Clendenin

3:13:36PM Then we're talking --

Martin Shelby

3:13:41PM The 20th of September.

Alan Clendenin

3:13:44PM No, 17th of September.

Martin Shelby

3:13:48PM 17th.

Alan Clendenin

3:13:49PM 17th. Motion for Mr. Shelby to work with legal staff to return to Tampa City Council on September 17, 2026, with a motion --

Martin Shelby

3:14:00PM With a resolution amending the Natural Resources Advisory Committee to provide for alternates.

Alan Clendenin

3:14:08PM The anticipation is we'll revote after that is passed for the two. Motion -- sorry. Motion from Councilwoman Hurtak. Second from Councilman Viera. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Ayes have it.

Lynn Hurtak

3:14:24PM Just wanted to say that those of you who we all appointed someone today. I reached out to my appointee right away. Highly recommend, if you haven't, reached out to them so you can create a relationship and get to know each other.

Alan Clendenin

3:14:38PM Very good. Anything else? Hearing nothing, motion to receive and file from Councilman Maniscalco. Second from Councilman Carlson. All those in favor, aye. [ sounding gavel ] we are adjourned. 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 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