CAPTIONING
APRIL 1, 2008
METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION



***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the 
***following meeting.  It should be used for informational 
***purposes only.  This document has not been edited; 
***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words 
***that did not translate.

>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME TO OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC -- METROPOLITAN 
PLANNING ORGANIZATION MEETING OF APRIL 1st, 2008.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A BRIEF 
INVOCATION.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
HEAVENLY FATHER, AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS 
THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US AND ESPECIALLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE 
IN SUCH A WONDERFUL AREA AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WE ASK YOUR GUIDANCE TODAY AS WE CONDUCT THE BUSINESS FOR 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
PLEASE PROTECT OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE ACROSS THE 
WORLD PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS.
IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY.
AMEN.
OKAY.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 
4th, 2008 --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO MOVED, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO SORT OF GO OUT OF ORDER 
ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA, AND AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- 
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN TODAY'S PAPER REGARDING THE -- OUR 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND I WOULD LIKE TO -- FIRST OF ALL, I 
HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT FOR MR. SHARPE, ALWAYS WILL 
HAVE.
HE'S A -- DONE A WONDERFUL JOB FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND I'M 
SURE THAT WHATEVER HE DOES IS -- HE FEELS IS IN THE BEST 
INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT; HOWEVER, I'M A LITTLE 
DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS ARTICLE APPEARED BEFORE WE HAD A 
CHANCE TO DISCUSS THIS IN A PUBLIC FORUM, BUT IN ANY EVENT, 
IT DID APPEAR, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. SHARPE IF HE WOULD 
LIKE TO EXPAND ON THIS OR MAKE A MOTION OR WHATEVER YOU 
FEEL.
>>MARK SHARPE:  MR. MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING 
ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE ARTICLE AND TO -- TO 
EXPLAIN, I GUESS TO THE CITIZENS WHO I'VE HAD AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH, MANY OF THEM, AS WELL AS TO THE 
BOARD MEMBERS, MY CONCERNS AND MY HOPE REGARDING THIS 
MEETING AND WHERE I THINK WE SHOULD GO.
AS YOU UNDERSTAND, MR. MAYOR, WE OPERATE IN THE SUNSHINE, 
SO IN THE SUNSHINE, WE, AS BOARD MEMBERS, ARE UNABLE TO SIT 
DOWN WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT 
OUR CONCERNS.
WE HAVE TO DO IT IN THE PUBLIC.
AND WE MEET ONCE A MONTH, WHICH MAKES IT QUITE A CHALLENGE 
WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MOVE QUICKLY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 
OPPORTUNITIES WHICH I BELIEVE ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS 
COMMUNITY WITH REGARD TO MASS TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION, 
WHICH IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO NOT JUST US BUT EVERY 
COMMUNITY IN THE NATION.
THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE I'VE RAISED WITH THE DIRECTOR OF 
THE PLANNING COMMISSION OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
WHEN I FIRST SERVED ON THE BOARD OF THE MPO THREE YEARS 
AGO, AFTER A SERIES OF MEETINGS HERE AS AN MPO MEMBER, I 
WENT TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND SAID, I 
HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ABOUT 
HER ABILITY TO -- TO TAKE THIS COMMUNITY IN THE DIRECTION I 
THINK WE NEED TO GO IN TRANSPORTATION.
I LEFT AFTER ONE YEAR, AND WHEN I LEFT, I REMEMBERED THE 
FEELING, BOARD MEMBERS -- IN FACT, ONE OF THE REASONS I 
DIDN'T BRING IT UP WAS BECAUSE WE HAD ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER, 
AN MPO MEMBER, AT THE TIME WHO WAS BEING VERY HARD ON OUR 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT AN ISSUE REGARDING THE CITY, AND 
SHAWN HARRISON AT THE TIME WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MPO.
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO JOIN IN ON THE ATTACK BECAUSE MY 
CONCERN WAS IS THAT PARAMOUNT TO MY CONCERNS ABOUT HER 
ABILITIES WAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE 
COUNTY AND MAKING SURE THAT NO ACTION THAT TOOK PLACE BY 
THIS BOARD HERE WOULD IN ANY WAY BE CONSTRUED AS AN ATTEMPT 
BY THE COUNTY TO EXERT INFLUENCE OVER THE CITY OR THAT I 
WAS PARTICIPATING AGAIN IN ANY ASSAULT ON THE CITY, SO I 
HELD BACK.
WHEN I CAME BACK ON THIS BOARD -- AND I'M GOING TO 
ELABORATE BECAUSE YOU'VE ASKED ME, BUT I THINK THIS IS VERY 
IMPORTANT.
WHEN I CAME BACK ON THIS BOARD AGAIN LAST YEAR, THE 
CONCERNS WHICH I HAD FIRST REMAINED, AND I WENT AGAIN TO 
THE -- TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION 
AND EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS.
AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE -- I DON'T 
WANT TO GO INTO THE PERSONAL CONVERSATION, BUT I THINK IT 
WAS -- I WAS LED TO BELIEVE -- I BELIEVED THAT WE WERE 
GOING TO BE TAKING STEPS TO PERHAPS MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MS. AYERS, IN FACT, ON THE 18th 
OF MARCH IN MY OFFICE ABOUT THIS.
SHE ASKED FOR THE MEETING BECAUSE SHE WAS AWARE OF MY 
CONCERNS, BUT THE -- BUT THE CONVERSATIONS WHICH I HAD -- 
AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY IT'S GOTTEN IN THE PAPER -- WEREN'T 
JUST WITH MS. AYERS AND WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING 
COMMISSION.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH LEADERS THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY, I'VE 
SPOKEN WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO EVALUATE MPOs, NOT ONLY IN THE 
STATE BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I'VE TALKED WITH 
TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS, AND THE CONCLUSIONS WHICH -- THAT -
- WHICH I HAD COME TO, I BELIEVE, WERE FAIRLY REPRESENTED 
BY MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS WHICH OCCURRED.
SO MY CONCERN WAS WHAT DO I DO, NOTHING, AND SIT BACK AND 
ALLOW WHAT I CONSIDERED TO BE PERHAPS A GOOD EFFORT MOVE 
FORWARD BUT NOT A GREAT EFFORT?
AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE I WANT TO GO, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MY CONCERN IS THAT WE HAVE, I THINK, A VERY GOOD EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR, AND IN MANY AREAS SHE'S DONE -- SHE'S TAKEN A 
COMMUNITY WHICH HAS BEEN DIVIDED, SHE'S GONE OUT, SHE'S 
RAISED MONEY, SHE'S GONE AFTER GRANT DOLLARS, AND THERE'S 
NOTHING -- THERE'S NO ONE THING, BOARD MEMBERS, THAT I CAN 
POINT TO AND SAY, YOU KNOW, SHE FAILED HERE, BUT WHEN I'VE 
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AT THE SAME TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN 
DISCUSSIONS REGARDING TRANSPORTATION, WHEN SHE'S COME 
BEFORE THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE OR WHEN I PARTICIPATED 
IN A MEETING OF THE MPO IN OCTOBER OF IT 2007 AT 
CHANNELSIDE WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE 2050 TRANSIT CONCEPT -
- AND I UNDERSTAND IT WAS JUST A CONCEPT -- I FELT THE 
PRESENTATIONS WERE LACKING, AND MY CONCERN, BOARD MEMBERS, 
IS THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE VERY BEST SITTING IN THAT SEAT 
REPRESENTING THIS MPO, DEALING WITH FDOT, TALKING WITH 
HART, WORKING WITH THE NEW AGENCY TBARTA, WE ARE NOT GOING 
TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE RESPONSES 
THAT WE AS THE LEADERS HAVE NOT PROVIDED CLEAR DIRECTION TO 
THE MPO.
THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE.
THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION HAS AT TIMES PROVIDED 
MIXED SIGNALS, THAT'S TRUE, BUT IT STILL DOESN'T NEGATE THE 
FACT THAT I BELIEVE THIS MPO CAN DO BETTER AT PROVIDING THE 
DATA, THE INFORMATION, AND THE DETAIL WHICH IS NECESSARY IF 
WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT IS A VERY COMPLEX 
OPERATION, WHICH IS TRYING TO BRING FEDERAL DOLLARS DOWN TO 
OUR COMMUNITY AND STATE DOLLARS TO COMPETE FOR THE TRANSIT 
OPTIONS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE.
TBARTA WAS CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING REGIONAL 
TRANSPORTATION.
OUR MPO IS TASKED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION TO TBARTA.
I PARTICIPATED IN A MEETING A WEEK AGO BECAUSE I WAS 
RECEIVING E-MAILS FROM INDIVIDUALS SAYING THEY WERE 
APPALLED AT THE QUALITY OF THE MAPS THAT THEY WERE 
RECEIVING, THAT WAS BEING -- BEING PROVIDED TO THE 
COMMUNITY WITH REGARD TO TBARTA'S VISION OR OPTIONS FOR 
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION.
THE WORD "APPALLED" WAS USED IN SEVERAL E-MAILS THAT I 
RECEIVED, AND I WENT AND I TRIED TO FIND OUT, WELL, WHAT'S 
WRONG WITH THE MAPS?
WHO PROVIDED THE MAPS?
AS AN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER, WHEN I SPOKE AT CENTCOM AND YOU 
USED TO DO BRIEFINGS, IF I STOOD UP AND I MADE A 
PRESENTATION AND THE MAPS WERE INACCURATE, WHATEVER I SAID 
LOST ITS VALUE BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS FOCUSING ON THE FACT 
THAT THE MAPS WEREN'T RIGHT.
AND THEN PEOPLE WOULD BE UPSET, YOU KNOW, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU 
TRYING TO TELL US HERE, YOU KNOW, LIEUTENANT, YOUR MAPS 
AREN'T CORRECT?
I WAS GOING TO PRESENTATIONS WHERE THE MAPS I FELT WERE 
INCOMPLETE, DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE DATA THAT WAS REQUIRED, AND 
I FELT THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB IN PROVIDING 
SUPPORT TO TBARTA WHEN THEY'RE GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY -
- AND MAYBE WE ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT AT THIS -- AND TRYING TO 
CONVINCE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN AN 
EFFORT TO BRING REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TO THIS COMMUNITY.
SO FOR THAT REASON AND THE NUMBER OF REASONS -- AND I SPOKE 
AGAIN WITH MR. HUNTER ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND SAID, MR. 
HUNTER, I'M VERY CONCERNED.
I WANT TO HANDLE THIS DIPLOMATICALLY.
I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO BE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE 
NEWSPAPER, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS 
WITH AS MANY PEOPLE THAT I'VE TRIED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS 
WITH TO DETERMINE WHETHER I'M REALLY RIGHT OR NOT, AND I 
MIGHT NOT BE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO COME IN HERE AND SAY I'M DEMANDING THE 
RESIGNATION OF OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT AND PURPOSE.
I CAME IN -- MY INTENT WAS -- AND I WAS HOPEFUL THERE 
WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEWSPAPER, 
WAS THAT I COULD COME IN AND ASK YOU COULD WE HAVE A 
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THIS MPO?
CAN WE TALK ABOUT OUR LEADERSHIP?
CAN WE HAVE A FRANK DISCUSSION ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S 
LED THE MPO FOR 13 YEARS?
AND I BELIEVE THIS BOARD HAS AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE 
THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT PERSON SITTING IN THAT CHAIR, AND I 
WOULD LIKE TO SEE US -- MY MOTION WAS GOING TO BE THAT WE 
BEGIN TO LOOK FOR OTHER CANDIDATES WHO COULD COME IN AND 
TALK TO US ABOUT THEIR ABILITIES TO LEAD THIS MPO BOARD, 
AND JUST AS WE DID WITH OUR IPA WHERE WE LOOKED FOR OTHER 
IPAs, WE ASKED -- ON THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION, WE 
SAID TO THE INTERNAL PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, SHE COULD ALSO 
APPLY HERSELF AGAIN.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  IS THAT YOUR MOTION?
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES, SIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  PLEASE STATE YOUR MOTION AGAIN SO WE'LL 
HAVE IT CLEAR.
>>MARK SHARPE:  MY MOTION IS THAT THIS BOARD BEGIN TO TAKE 
ACTION AND THAT WE DIRECT THE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING 
COMMISSION TO -- TO ADVERTISE FOR A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
OF THE MPO TO BEGIN WITHIN 60 DAYS AND THAT THIS BOARD 
WOULD AT THE SAME TIME DIRECT OUR EXISTING EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR OF THE MPO TO -- IF SHE SO CHOOSES -- TO REAPPLY 
FOR THE POSITION, OR IF NOT, PERHAPS THERE IS ANOTHER AREA 
WITHIN THE MPO WHERE SHE COULD SERVE AND BE OF GREATER 
SERVICE TO THIS BOARD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WHO --
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  WHO SECONDED?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WE HAVE A SECOND.
NOW DISCUSSION.
CAN I --
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND I THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND I 
APOLOGIZE -- I DO APOLOGIZE TO THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT THIS 
IS HOW IT COMES OUT IN THE NEWSPAPER, BUT WHEN YOU OPERATE 
IN THE SUNSHINE, THIS IS HOW IT WORKS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  CAN I -- WOULD YOU MIND IF I OPENED UP A 
MINUTE AND MADE A COUPLE COMMENTS?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  I APPRECIATE IT.
FIRST OF ALL, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE CHAIR -- THIS 
IS MY SECOND YEAR AS CHAIR, AND PRIOR TO THAT I WAS ON THE 
MPO FOR I BELIEVE TWO YEARS, AND I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO 
WORK WITH LUCIE IN DIFFERENT ROLES, ATTENDED VARIOUS 
MEETINGS WITH HER, THE CCC, WHICH IS THE CHAIRS 
COORDINATING COMMITTEE, AMPO, WHICH IS A NATIONWIDE 
ORGANIZATION, AND LUCIE HAD NOT ONLY IN THOSE TWO AREAS -- 
THE CCC HAS SEVEN COUNTIES?
>>LUCIE AYER:  YES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  -- SEVEN COUNTY MPOs REPRESENTED IN THE 
CCC, AND ONE OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES, MAYOR HIBBARD, IS ON 
THE TBARTA BOARD, SO -- AND I HAVE SEEN IN EVERY CASE WHERE 
LUCIE HAS PROVIDED LEADERSHIP TO THEM, TO THESE BOARDS, THE 
AMPO AND ALSO THE CCC, AND HAS THE MOST OUTSTANDING RESPECT 
FROM EVERYBODY THAT I HAVE SEEN ON THOSE TWO BOARDS, AND 
SHE'S EARNED THAT IN HER 11 OR 12 YEARS BEING INVOLVED.
THE PRIMARY ROLE OF THE MPO IS MANAGING TRANSPORTATION 
PROCESS -- IS TO PROVIDE A FAIR AND NEUTRAL FORUM FOR THE 
EFFECTIVE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DECISION-MAKING.
THE MPO ENSURES THAT THE PROCESS INCLUDES COMPREHENSIVE 
CONSIDERATIONS OF ALL POSSIBLE STRATEGIES TO MEET THE 
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF THE METROPOLITAN AREA.
WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT.
THE MPO DEVELOPS PLANS AND PROGRAMS THAT IDENTIFY 
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES THAT SHOULD FUNCTION AS AN 
INTEGRATED METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, GIVING 
EMPHASIS TO FACILITIES THAT SERVE IMPORTANT NATIONAL, 
STATE, AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION FUNCTIONS.
THESE ARE -- THESE ARE MANDATED BY THE STATE AND THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN CHARGED TO DO AND WE 
AS AN MPO BOARD HAVE CHARGED OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO DO, 
AND I THINK IN EVERY CASE YOU WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT SHE 
HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB.
REGARDING THE TBARTA, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS 
THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALIZE OVER THE YEARS, AND I'LL 
GET TO TBARTA IN A MINUTE.
BUT WE'VE GOT THIS LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT WE 
JUST SUBMITTED, WHICH IS -- WE'RE THE ONLY COUNTY IN OUR 
REGION THAT HAS SUBMITTED WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE A GOOD 
TRANSPORTATION MULTIMODAL PLAN FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND 
AS I ENVISION TBARTA'S ROLE -- AND I MAY BE WRONG, BUT THE 
WAY I ENVISION TBARTA'S ROLE IS THEY'RE GOING TO GET INPUT 
FROM ALL THE VARIOUS SEVEN -- SEVEN COUNTIES TO FORM A 
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE 
SEVEN-COUNTY REGION.
WE HAVE SUBMITTED -- WE HAVE ONE.
WE'RE THE ONLY COUNTY THAT HAS ONE THAT I KNOW OF.
NOW IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO TBARTA TO TAKE ALL THOSE PLANS, 
PUT THEM TOGETHER, AND TBARTA'S GOING TO COME UP WITH A 
MASTER PLAN.
THAT'S HOW I ENVISION THIS WHOLE PROCESS WORKING.
YOU'LL COME -- THAT'S WHY THEY'RE GOING OUT IN THE PUBLIC 
SECTOR, TO GET INPUT FROM CITIZENS REGARDING THEIR IDEA FOR 
WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
SO WE -- WE HAVE THAT PLAN.
WE HAVE A PLAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO SUBMIT.
THERE'S REALLY NOTHING TO SELL AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WE 
DON'T KNOW WHAT TBARTA'S GOING TO COME UP WITH YET FOR THE 
MASTER PLAN.
OBVIOUSLY, ONCE WE KNOW WHAT THE MASTER PLAN IS, THEN IT'S 
GOING TO BE OUR ROLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO OUR PART TO 
SELL THIS PLAN.
NOW, WHO'S GOING TO DO THAT?
THE MPO BOARD WILL HAVE TO DECIDE HOW WE WANT TO HANDLE 
THAT, WHETHER WE HIRE SOMEBODY SPECIFICALLY TO DO THAT OR 
WHAT, BUT THAT TO ME WOULD BE DOWN THE ROAD.
THE -- THE MPO BOARD COMMITTEES AND STAFF HAS GOTTEN 12 
AWARDS IN FIVE YEARS FOR VARIOUS THINGS, YOU KNOW, POINT OF 
LIGHT AWARDS FROM GOVERNOR BUSH AND SO ON.
THERE ARE MANY AWARDS THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN.
WE COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN THOSE UNLESS WE WERE DOING AN OUT -
- A GOOD JOB WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF LUCIE.
IN -- ON DECEMBER 4th, OUR BOARD -- OUR MPO BOARD APPROVED 
THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND 
THE -- IT SAYS HERE UNDER 3.01, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S 
DUTIES, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE 
MPO GOVERNING BOARD FOR ALL MATTERS REGARDING THE 
ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION OF THE MPO.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE TO THE MPO FOR 
THE CONDUCT OF THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS AS WELL 
AS THE ASSIGNMENT, DIRECTION, AND CONTROL OF ALL PERSONNEL 
NECESSARY THERETO, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE APPROPRIATE 
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO CARRY OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES 
SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, AND THE DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES 
TO MONITOR AND COORDINATE THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING 
PROCESS.
THE MPO BOARD, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHAIRMAN, WILL 
BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL 
REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHICH 
IS DUE IN AUGUST.
ALSO, IT SAYS HERE THAT THE DESIGNATION OF A NEW EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR SHALL BE RATIFIED BY THE MPO BOARD.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED AS A 
BOARD.
WE HAVE A -- WE HAVE A -- AN EVALUATION FORM THAT WE'LL BE 
SENDING OUT IN PLENTY OF TIME FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS TO GIVE 
THEIR INPUT REGARDING THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO SAY THAT I 
THINK THAT IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE FEEL THAT THE 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHOULD BE DOING, WE SHOULD AS AN MPO 
BOARD DIRECT HER TO DO THOSE -- TO DO THOSE THINGS AS A 
BOARD.
WE -- IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OTHER THAN 
THE ONES THAT I BROUGHT UP EARLIER, I THINK THAT THAT NEEDS 
TO BE DISCUSSED AMONG THE BOARD, AND I WOULD LIKE TO 
SUGGEST THAT WE MAYBE HAVE A WORKSHOP TO -- AS -- OUR BOARD 
HAVE A WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS WHAT WE FEEL THE MPO SHOULD BE 
DOING.
THINGS ARE CHANGING, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN 
AND EVERYTHING, SO MAYBE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE 
ADDING TO THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE MPO TO CONSIDER.
SO THAT'S ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE CONSIDER, 
HAVING A WORKSHOP, BUT IN ANY CASE, I JUST WANT TO CLOSE 
THIS BY SAYING THAT I THINK IN MY EXPERIENCE, EVERYTHING 
THAT I HAVE SEEN AND THE AMOUNT OF RESPECT AND LEADERSHIP 
THAT LUCIE HAS SHOWN, I THINK THAT LUCIE HAS DONE A 
WONDERFUL JOB, AND I WOULD BE VERY OPPOSED TO DOING 
ANYTHING THAT WOULD EITHER REPLACE HER OR PUT HER IN AN 
EMBARRASSING POSITION, SO WITH THAT, ROSE -- I THINK ROSE 
WAS --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THAT'S FINE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
FIRST OF ALL, MARK, LET ME SAY THAT -- THAT MANY OF THE 
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AS OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, HAVE BEEN 
VERY INTENT ON THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH 
TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSPORTATION PLANS AND VISION PLANS, 
ET CETERA, AND AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN TIME WE ALL GET 
FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T MOVE AS FAST OR WE 
CAN'T ACCOMPLISH AS MUCH AS WE WANT, OR IN A TIME OF 
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN WE DON'T HAVE THE REVENUE TO MOVE FORWARD 
AS FAST AS WE WANT, AND I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT 
FRUSTRATION CULMINATING FOR YOU AND FOR MANY OF US, BUT I 
HAVE TO TELL YOU, FIRST OF ALL, I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED AT 
THE WAY THIS IS BEING DISCUSSED.
YOU WERE SURPRISED OR MAYBE DID NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT THE 
MEDIA REFERENCED WHAT YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT DOING TODAY, 
AND BEING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE, I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THEY 
DID.
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND I 
DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS NOT 
TO BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT IT, TO DO A 
LITTLE RESEARCH, TO FEEL WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE SUPPORTING 
YOUR SIDE OR THE OTHER SIDE, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MARK, 
I THINK IF WE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT VOTES AND HOW OUR 
OPINIONS ARE CAST, YOU AND I AGREE VERY, VERY OFTEN, BUT 
TODAY I WANT TO TELL YOU IN THE SUNSHINE THAT I'M VERY 
DISAPPOINTED AT THE WAY YOU HAVE DONE THIS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT YOUR FRUSTRATION SHOULD SET ON 
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY OF IMPLEMENTING AN 
EVALUATION PROCESS, AND THEN, OF COURSE, IF THESE ARE THE 
RULES AND YOU DON'T ABIDE BY THEM, THEN SOMETHING HAS TO BE 
TAKEN, AND I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT YOUR SERVICE WITH THE 
MILITARY, BUT THIS IS NOT THE MILITARY.
I THINK SHE SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO OTHER 
THINGS IF WE WANT.
IF THEY'RE OUT OF THE REALM OF HER PRESENT JOB DESCRIPTION, 
THEN IF WE WANT TO INCLUDE IT AND WE FEEL SHE CAN DO IT, 
THAT'S FINE.
IF WE FEEL THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MORE 
REPRESENTATION OR MORE PR IN TERMS OF SELLING OUR 
TRANSPORTATION CONCEPTS, FINE, BUT MAYBE ULTIMATELY FROM 
THE -- FROM THE STANDPOINT OF TIME CONSTRAINTS AND MONEY 
CONSTRAINTS, MAYBE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TAG ON 
TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S POSITION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO TALK 
ABOUT, NOT KIND OF IN AN AMBUSH FASHION LIKE, OKAY, I WANT 
YOU TO QUIT, BUT GUESS WHAT, MS. AYERS, YOU CAN APPLY 
AGAIN.
I JUST -- I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE SENSE, THE TONE THAT WE 
WANT TO GIVE.
AND SEGUEING FROM WHAT THE CHAIRMAN HAS TALKED ABOUT IN 
TERMS OF DESCRIPTIONS AND POSITIONS, I AS WELL ASKED MR. 
HUNTER TO PROVIDE ME WITH SOME OF THE POSITION DESCRIPTION, 
AND IT'S THE POSITION THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 
DEVELOPMENT AND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES, PLANNING FOR THE 
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ORGANIZATION, AND ENSURING THAT THE MPO 
ACCOMPLISHES ITS VISION AND MISSION.
I THINK IF WE WANT TO EXPAND THAT, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO LET 
HER KNOW THAT THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO INTO.
EVERYBODY CAN DO BETTER.
I CAN DO BETTER, YOU CAN DO BETTER, SHE CAN DO BETTER, BUT 
THE POINT IS I DON'T THINK YOU CAN TAG IT ON TO LACK OF 
LEADERSHIP.
I THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE IS THAT YOU AS WELL AS SOME 
OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE FRUSTRATED THAT WE'RE NOT DOING 
ENOUGH, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK AT THIS POINT WE CAN HAVE 
EXTREME EXPECTATIONS FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT BEEN TOLD THIS 
AND GO FROM ZERO TO A HUNDRED RIGHT NOW AND SAY, WE'RE 
ASKING FOR YOUR RESIGNATION IN THIS MOTION, BUT YOU CAN 
APPLY AGAIN.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD LIKE THAT DONE TO ME, AND I THINK IF 
MY LEGISLATIVE AIDES WERE NOT DOING THE JOB, I WOULD TELL 
THEM.
IF I EXPECTED THEM TO DO SOMETHING THEY'RE NOT DOING, THEY 
SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO FULFILL THAT NEW 
DESCRIPTION OR THAT NEW REQUEST, BUT AT THIS POINT I DON'T 
THINK THAT THIS IS THE VENUE, THIS IS NOT THE TIME, THIS IS 
NOT THE ORGANIZED FASHION IN WHICH WE DISCUSS ANY KIND OF 
DISAPPOINTMENT WE HAVE OR CONCERNS WE HAVE ABOUT HOW SHE'S 
CARRYING OUT HER JOB DESCRIPTION.
SO THAT BEING SAID, OBVIOUSLY WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I 
ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT SUPPORT YOUR MOTION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ROSE.
MARK, YOU HAD A -- YEAH.
I GOT TOM SCOTT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND I APOLOGIZE.
I'M NOT GOING TO RESPOND TO EACH OF THE SPEAKERS, AND 
AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THIS IS NOT A PERFECT PROCESS, BUT 
GOVERNMENT'S NOT A PERFECT -- IT DOESN'T OPERATE THE WAY 
WE'D LIKE FOR IT TO OPERATE, AND IF WE HAVE TO DO THINGS IN 
THE SUNSHINE, YOU EITHER GET IF OUT BEFORE THE MEETING OR 
DURING THE MEETING.
I DIDN'T WANT TO ALSO COME HERE DURING THIS MEETING AND 
THEN DURING NEW BUSINESS BEGIN TO BRING THIS ALL OUT AND 
HAVING PEOPLE GO, WHOA, THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD ABOUT 
IT.
SO THERE REALLY ISN'T A PERFECT WAY FOR US TO DO THIS.
THIS IS THE WAY WE DO THIS.
I DEEPLY APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THE CHAIR AND APPRECIATE 
THE WAY YOU'VE HANDLED THIS, AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
LET ME TAKE A QUOTE FROM MS. AYERS HERSELF.
THIS COMES FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
SHE SAID -- AND I DON'T HAVE A DATE TO THIS, BUT MY BIGGEST 
CHALLENGE IS FORMING A COMMUNITY CONSENSUS OF WHAT IT WANTS 
ITS TRANSPORTATION TO BE IN THE FUTURE.
AND WHEN I READ THAT, I THOUGHT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
THIS IS FROM MS. AYERS.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY OPTIONS.
THEY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THEY'LL BE GETTING FOR WHAT THEY PAY 
FOR.
I WANT TO DEMYSTIFY THE PLANNING PROCESS AND MAKE IT MORE 
ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS.
WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES.
IT'S A MATTER OF DETERMINING HOW WE'RE GOING TO DIVIDE 
THEM.
WE STRIVE FOR EFFICIENCY, WE OWE THAT TO THE PEOPLE BECAUSE 
WE ARE USING THEIR TAX DOLLARS.
AND THESE ARE EXCELLENT COMMENTS AND I AGREE WITH THEM.
AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS, MS. FERLITA -- AND I DEEPLY 
APPRECIATE AND RESPECT YOU, YOU KNOW THAT, AND WE DO AGREE 
OFTEN -- THAT I THINK THIS IS THE TIME BECAUSE I THINK THAT 
WE'VE GOT TBARTA -- TBARTA HAS INDICATED THAT THEY ARE 
GOING TO BE REPORTING BACK BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
THEY WERE TOLD BY THE STATE THAT THEY NEEDED TO RESPOND BY 
JUNE OR JULY OF 2009.
>> JULY.
>>MARK SHARPE:  JULY, BUT THE TBARTA BOARD INDICATED THAT 
THEY WANTED TO LEAN FORWARD AND COME BACK BY THE END OF 
THIS YEAR.
TO LEAN FORWARD, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND COME BACK BY THE END OF 
THE YEAR, THEY NEED ACCURATE INFORMATION, COMPLETE AND 
TOTAL, DEEP AND RICH.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN OUR STAFF, FOR INSTANCE -- AND 
I -- YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO PIT MY STAFF OR THE BOARD -- 
THE -- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR FOR THAT MATTER THE CITY OF 
TAMPA.
I THINK THAT THE MPO NEEDS TO BE INTERACTING WITH OUR 
STAFFS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY GIVE MAPS AND 
INFORMATION TO TBARTA THAT WE'VE ALL LOOKED AT IT, THAT 
WE'VE SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, DOES THIS DRI BELONG ON THE 
MAP, SHOULD WE HAVE ELAPP PROPERTY THAT WAS PURCHASED -- 
ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS ON THE MAP, SHOULD WE HAVE 
ROADS LIKE FISHHAWK BOULEVARD ON THE MAP, SHOULD THESE MAPS 
BE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE SO WHEN I GO TO A U-CAN MEETING 
AND THEY'RE TALKING TO TBARTA -- AND THE ENTIRE 
CONVERSATION IS NOT TBARTA'S VISION ABOUT REGIONAL 
TRANSPORTATION, BUT WHY IS THAT NOT ON THE MAP, AND HOLD ON 
A SECOND, I DON'T SEE THAT ON THE MAP, AND SHOULDN'T THIS 
BE ON THE MAP?
WE SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN, 
NOT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN THAT'S GOING 
TO GO OUT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, AND QUITE FRANKLY -- AND 
I HATE -- I'M SORRY THAT I'M SO IMPASSIONED, BUT I FEEL 
STRONGLY ABOUT THIS.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN -- I'VE TRIED.
I'VE TALKED WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW, CERTAIN SKILL SETS, SOME -- YOU HAVE THEM OR YOU 
DON'T.
IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, MS. FERLITA, WE JUST -- WE JUST 
HONORED GEORGE STEINBRENNER, ONE OF THE GREATEST COACHES OF 
ALL TIME.
I SAT AT A FUNCTION, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, NEXT TO THE CFO 
FOR THE YANKEES.
I HAD A 30-SECOND CONVERSATION WITH HIM, AND IN THAT 30 
SECONDS I KNEW THAT MAN KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I'VE MET WITH LEADERS FROM DENVER, CHARLOTTE, DALLAS WHO 
WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.
WHEN I FINISHED THE CONVERSATION, WHETHER IT'S A 30-SECOND 
CONVERSATION OR A FIVE-MINUTE CONVERSATION, MR. CHAIRMAN, I 
WALK AWAY ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE 
TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT'S WHY THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE MOVING 
FORWARD WITH REGIONAL MASS TRANSIT PLANS AND WE'RE NOT.
SO I HATE TO BE SO DIRECT, AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT ALL 
ON THE SHOULDERS OF MS. AYERS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T BELONG ON 
HER SHOULDERS BY HERSELF.
SHE'S IN A DIFFICULT POSITION.
THIS IS A DIFFICULT JOB.
SHE'S GOT TO BRING ALL THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER, BUT WHEN YOU 
SERVE THE PUBLIC -- AND THAT'S WHO WE SERVE -- THEN IT'S 
OUR OBLIGATION AND RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO 
THE VERY BEST WE CAN, AND IF WE'RE NOT DOING THAT, MR. 
CHAIRMAN -- I MEAN, MY GOSH, WE DON'T BLINK WHEN A MANAGER 
OF A FOOTBALL TEAM OR A BASEBALL TEAM IS REPLACED, BUT WE 
JUST KIND OF ANGST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO OPERATE DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK -- AND I -- YOU KNOW, I'LL STOP, BUT I BELIEVE THAT 
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE VERY BEST IN PLACE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. SCOTT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  THANK YOU.
MR. CHAIRMAN, TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, THANK YOU, 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE, FOR YOUR VIEW.
I'VE BEEN ON THE MPO AT LEAST TEN YEARS.
IN FACT, MY FIRST -- I FIRST CAME ON THE BOARD, IT WAS IN 
1996 WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, SO I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY 
TO WORK WITH MRS. AYERS AND WITH THIS ENTIRE BOARD.
ONE THING YOU KEEP IN MIND IS -- AND I'M GOING TO GO BACK 
TO WHAT MARK SAID -- THIS IS THE WAY YOU DEAL WITH THE 
ISSUES AND THERE'S NO PERFECT FORUM.
THAT'S TRUE.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MOVING PEOPLE, BRINGING 
PEOPLE IN.
WELL, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT YOU SET GOALS OR YOU SET 
WHAT YOU WANT AND THEN YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THOSE 
GOALS AND YOU EVALUATE THEM ON THAT.
SECONDLY, WHEN A PERSON DOES NOT MEET WHAT YOU HAVE 
OUTLINED FOR THEM, THEN YOU COME -- YOU GIVE THEM AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THAT, AND IF THEY DON'T MEET IT 
ADEQUATELY, THEN YOU BRING IT TO THE BOARD.
THOSE OF YOU KNOW THAT WHEN I WAS CHAIRMAN, DAN KLEMAN WAS 
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
I GAVE DAN A SET OF GOALS THAT I WANTED TO SEE MOVE 
FORWARD.
THEY DID NOT HAPPEN.
I GAVE HIM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAPPEN, I BROUGHT IT TO THE BOARD AND 
SAID, HE NEEDS TO BE FIRED.
OKAY?
SIMPLE AS THAT.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FIRING FOLKS WHEN THEY DON'T 
PERFORM OR WHEN YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO 
PERFORM.
THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS, IS THAT WE ARE MS. AYERS' BOSS.
SHE FOLLOWS OUR DIRECTION.
HAVE WE GIVEN HER DIRECTION TO MOVE?
NO ONE SINGLE MEMBER ON THIS BOARD CONTROLS THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR, THE BOARD DOES.
OKAY?
LET ME FOLLOW UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE AS WELL.
THE MOST POWERFUL AND INFLUENTIAL ELECTED BODY IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH THAT, BUT IT'S A FACT.
NO OTHER BOARD CAN PUT ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT OTHER THAN 
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHEN IT COMES TO A 
REFERENDUM AND TAX INCREASES.
1999 WE WAS -- WE WAS SET AND READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH 
MASS TRANSIT.
IS THAT RIGHT?
HARTLINE LED; IS THAT RIGHT?
DID THE STUDY.
WE SPENT $12 -- WHAT -- $12 MILLION ON THE IMPACT STUDY.
HAD WE PASSED THROUGH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION TO PUT 
A REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT TO ALLOW THE CITIZENS TO VOTE 
AND IF IT WAS APPROVED, WE STOOD NEXT IN LINE TO BE FUNDED.
IS THAT RIGHT?
CAME BACK IN 2002 AND 2003 WHEN I WAS THE CHAIRMAN, I 
BROUGHT IT BACK AGAIN AND ALSO WORKED WITH THE LEGISLATIVE 
DELEGATION TO SET UP THE ONE-CENT SURCHARGE TRANSPORTATION 
TAX.
IT WENT DOWN AGAIN BY DEFEAT BY ONE VOTE THROUGH THE BOARD 
OF COUNTY COMMISSION.
WE NEED NOT FOOL OURSELVES.
NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH RAIL, LIGHT RAIL, MASS 
TRANSIT UNTIL THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION DECIDES THAT 
IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT TO GIVE THE VOTERS AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT MS. AYERS DOES, I DON'T CARE HOW MANY 
PEOPLE SHE MEETS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CONTROLS THAT, AND THE 
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION CONTROLS THE PURSE STRINGS, NOT 
TBARTA BECAUSE I DON'T -- MY QUESTION HAVE YET BEEN ASKED 
CAN TBARTA PUT ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT, CAN TBARTA SET A 
TAX?
WHEN WE FIRST -- WHEN THEY FIRST FORMED, I ASKED ALL THOSE 
QUESTIONS RIGHT HERE IN THIS MEETING.
I SAID, UNTIL WE GET ALL THOSE ANSWERS, WE'LL BE GOING 
ROUND AND ROUND IN CIRCLES.
THAT'S A FACT.
SO I DON'T CARE WHAT PLAN THEY COME UP WITH, I DON'T CARE 
WHAT PLAN -- UNTIL THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS 
ONBOARD AND SAYS, HEY, LET'S MOVE FORWARD, MASS TRANSIT IS 
NOT GOING ANYWHERE UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO FIND ANOTHER 
DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE OTHER THAN ASKING FOR A 
REFERENDUM.
AND I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.
NOW, YOU HAVE THREE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 
SITTING HERE TODAY, THREE -- FOUR, I'M SORRY.
THAT'S RIGHT.
FOUR.
THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GO BACK TO THEIR BOARD -- 
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 
HAVE TAKEN A POSITION TO SAY THAT WE'RE FOR LIGHT RAIL OR 
MASS TRANSIT.
I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT.
I HAVEN'T HEARD CITY COUNCIL SAY WE'RE FOR MASS TRANSIT OR 
FOR LIGHT RAIL.
HAS TBARTA DONE THAT?
HAVE THEY TAKEN A VOTE?
SO YOU -- IT'S UNFAIR TO ASK MS. AYERS TO GO OUT FRONT AS A 
STAFF PERSON WHEN THE ELECTED OFFICIALS -- THE ELECTED BODY 
HAS NOT TAKEN A POSITION.
SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD -- I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ANYBODY 
ELSE -- MS. AYERS HAS MET WITH ME, HAVE CALLED ME 
REPEATEDLY SAYING, YOU WANT ME TO COME DOWN AND GIVE YOU A 
BRIEFING?
40th STREET -- ONE OF THE REASONS 40th STREET GOT DONE WAS 
THAT WOMAN RIGHT THERE KEPT ME ABREAST ON 40th STREET AND 
THE FUNDING SOURCES AND WOULD OFTEN CALL ME AND SAY, 
COMMISSIONER, YOU -- THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE HERE, YOU 
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE HERE ON THIS ISSUE, YOU NEED 
TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS GETS DONE, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE 
THAT THE BOARD FUNDS THIS.
MS. AYERS DID THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE IS LOOKING FOR.
YOU HAVE ONE OF THE BEST EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS IN TERMS OF 
TRANSPORTATION.
OKAY.
LET'S FIRE MS. AYERS, ALL RIGHT.
SO THEN IN 60 DAYS YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE NEW 
INTERVIEW PROCESS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE NEW PERSON SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR TO 
GET UP TO SPEED, IF NOT LONGER, TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE 
WHOLE PROCESS.
SO YOU'RE STILL BEHIND.
>>MARK SHARPE:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  SO TO -- TO ASK FOR THE RESIGNATION OF THE 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND TO TERMINATE HER TO ME IS NOT WISE 
AT THIS POINT.
I THINK YOU HAVE A PERSON WHO HAS THE CAPABILITY AND THE 
ABILITY TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH US.
I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AS A BOARD, IF THERE'S 
SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE WANT TO SEE DONE, THEN WE AS A BOARD 
NEED TO VOTE AND GIVE HER DIRECTION.
THAT'S HOW WE FUNCTION AND OPERATE AS A GOVERNMENT.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT.
MAYOR LOTT.
>>RICK LOTT:  I THANK YOU.
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THIS, AND I 
HAVE TO SAY I LIKE IT, IT'S VERY, VERY HEALTHY.
I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER SHARPE FOR BRINGING THIS UP 
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THIS COMMISSION FOR FOUR YEARS NOW OR 
ON THIS BOARD NOW FOR FOUR YEARS NOW, AND EVEN THOUGH I'VE 
ALWAYS FELT LIKE WE'RE AN EFFECTIVE BOARD, I'VE ALWAYS FELT 
WE COULD BE A MORE EFFECTIVE BOARD, BUT THAT'S NOT A 
DIRECTION OR SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 
MS. AYERS, BECAUSE I THINK SHE'S BEEN A VERY GOOD AND A 
VERY EFFECTIVE LEADER IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THIS 
BOARD.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT -- THAT I BELIEVE AS A BOARD WE HAVE 
TO BE A LITTLE MORE CLEAR, TAKE A LARGER STAND, AND MAKE 
SURE WE'RE GIVING OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THE EXACT 
DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO IN, AND WHEN WE DO IT, WE HAVE TO 
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SOUND, SOLID, AND WE STAND BY THAT 
DIRECTION AND FROM MONTH TO MONTH TO MONTH AS WE HAVE OUR 
MEETINGS ON A MONTHLY BASIS WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, FLIP-FLOP 
IN THAT PARTICULAR DIRECTION.
I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO OUR CHAIRMAN'S IDEA THAT HE HAD IS 
HAVING A WORKSHOP.
I THINK I THINK -- LIKE COMMISSIONER SHARPE SAID, WE ONLY 
MEET ONCE A MONTH, AND I THINK WE BROUGHT SOMETHING UP TO 
THE TABLE, AND I COULDN'T SUPPORT IT TODAY BECAUSE 
PERSONALLY I WOULD NEED A LOT MORE TIME TO BE ABLE TO VISIT 
WITH MS. AYERS, VISIT WITH, YOU KNOW, MR. HUNTER, AND DO MY 
RESEARCH BEFORE I COULD TAKE ACTION ON THIS, BUT I'LL TELL 
YOU THAT I THINK THE REAL QUESTION THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, 
COMMISSIONER, THAT I SENSE WAS ARE WE BEING AS EFFECTIVE AS 
WE CAN BE, AND I THINK AT ANY TIME IF WE'RE BEING HONEST 
WITH OURSELVES, WE WOULD SAY NO, WE CAN DEFINITELY BE MORE 
EFFECTIVE, AND THAT'S ALL FORMS OF THE GOVERNMENT, FROM 
MUNICIPALITIES IN OUR AREA TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ALL 
OF US, ARE WE WORKING AS ONE UNIT TO TRY AND BE AS 
EFFECTIVE AS WE CAN BE, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR 
BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE CAN ALL AGREE TO 
HAVING A WORKSHOP TO DECIDE WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES.
I KNOW WE HAVE A 2050 PLAN AND SO FORTH, BUT NO PLAN 
HAPPENS UNTIL YOU HAVE PASSION BEHIND THAT PLAN, AND 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE -- I MEAN COMMISSIONER SCOTT, I HEAR 
PASSION BEHIND YOU TODAY, AND I'VE LISTENED TO -- I ALWAYS 
CALL YOU THE HISTORIAN BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S 
HAPPENED IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE DETAILS 
ARE, AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE HERE IS VALUABLE, BUT I WOULD -- 
HOPEFULLY WE COULD HAVE A CONSENSUS AMONGST EACH OTHER TO 
HAVE A WORKSHOP IN THE FUTURE TO TALK ABOUT AS AN MPO, HOW 
CAN WE BE AS EFFECTIVE AS WE CAN BE, SO TODAY I WOULDN'T 
SUPPORT THIS, BUT I WOULD SUPPORT US HAVING A FUTURE 
WORKSHOP.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
MR. BLAIR.
YEAH, I KNOW, LUCIE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELL, FIRST, THERE'S A FEW THINGS I WANT TO 
REHASH.
COMMISSIONER SHARPE IS ABSOLUTELY 100% CORRECT THAT THERE 
IS NO OTHER FORUM IN THE SUNSHINE THAN RIGHT HERE, AND 
COMMISSIONER SCOTT ELABORATED ON THAT, AND THAT'S FACTUAL, 
SO I CAST NO STONES AT COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
I THINK THAT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE -- AND I THINK MS. AYERS 
HAS SOME TREMENDOUS QUALITIES ABOUT HER.
SHE IS NOT THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT YOU CAN GET THAT 30-
SECOND OR THAT FIVE-MINUTE FEELING FROM AND SAY THIS PERSON 
IS DYNAMIC.
SHE'S THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU'VE GOT TO KNOW FOR A WHILE.
SOME PEOPLE ARE GREAT SPEAKERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT REAL SMART.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BEHIND THOSE WORDS.
SOME PEOPLE CAN'T SPEAK WELL, BUT THEY'RE HIGHLY 
INTELLIGENT, AND THEY KNOW HOW TO GET FROM POINT "A" TO 
POINT "B" EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
THEY JUST CAN'T GET THE WORDS OUT.
I THINK THAT MOST OF -- WITH MANY OF US HERE, FORTUNATELY, 
WE'VE BEEN BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE'VE HAD TO HIRE, WE'VE HAD TO FIRE, BUT IT'S ALL BEEN 
DONE, AT LEAST IN MY CASE WITH ABOUT A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES, 
BASED ON MEASUREMENTS, GOALS, STANDARDS, JOB DESCRIPTION, 
EVERYTHING, AND THEN YOU BRING THOSE THINGS AND SET THEM IN 
FRONT OF THAT PERSON, YOUR EMPLOYEE, AND YOU SAY, THIS IS 
WHAT WE'VE EXPECTED OF YOU, MAYBE -- THINGS ARE CHANGING 
NOW, WE'RE MOVING INTO A NEW ERA, AN ERA WHERE WE ARE GOING 
TO HAVE TO FIND A PLAN FOR MASS TRANSPORTATION RAPIDLY. 
ESPECIALLY AS RIGHT-OF-WAY PRICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE 
DOWN, WE HAVE TO COLLABORATIVELY MOVE TOGETHER AS FAST AS 
POSSIBLE.
I THINK BOB HUNTER SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OPINE SINCE -- FOR 
A MINUTE OR WHATEVER HE WANTS ON THIS ISSUE.
I DO THINK THAT YES, MAYBE THERE IS SOMEBODY THERE WHO 
COULD LEAD US FURTHER, BUT I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE WITHOUT 
MS. AYERS AND HER INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND AGAIN, THIS 
IS A HEALTHY STUDY.
IF WE HAVE A WORKSHOP, THERE NEEDS TO BE, IN MY OPINION, 
THREE MAJOR MEASUREMENTS.
ONE IS TO REHASH HER JOB DESCRIPTION, AND TWO WOULD BE TO 
HAVE MEASUREMENTS, AND THE MEASUREMENTS WOULD BE DONE BY 
LOOKING AT OTHER MPOs, WHAT THEY'VE DONE, AND WHAT WE'VE 
DONE COMPARATIVELY, AND THREE, FROM THERE WE WOULD GIVE 
DIRECTION.
AND IF THEN SHE FAILS, WE'VE GIVEN HER A CHANCE BECAUSE 
COMMISSIONER SCOTT ELOQUENTLY STATED THAT BEFORE ANYTHING 
GOES ON THE BALLOT FOR DOLLARS -- AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT 
THAT'S GOING TO BE YET.
WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN TO SELL TO THE COUNTY EVEN.
BEFORE WE PUT ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT, WE HAVE TO JUSTIFY 
AND TELL THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY -- EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY 
THIS PENNY IS NEEDED, IF IT'S NEEDED, OR WHY -- AS A MATTER 
OF FACT, THERE'S MOST LIKELY GOING TO BE AN INITIATIVE -- A 
STATE-LED INITIATIVE ON THE BALLOT COMING UP REGARDING 
PROPERTY TAXES AND SWAPPING WITH SALES TAXES, A PENNY, I 
BELIEVE, IS WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW.
WELL, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE ALSO THAT -- YOU KNOW, WHAT'S 
GOING TO BE PALATABLE.
WE MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A POLL AND HIRE SOMEBODY TO TAKE A 
POLL OF OUR RESIDENTS ONCE WE GET A PLAN, ARE THEY GOING TO 
SUPPORT IT BEFORE WE WASTE A LOT OF MONEY, BECAUSE 
EFFICIENCY'S VERY IMPORTANT, BUT GETTING BACK TO THE MATTER 
AT HAND, I BELIEVE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MYSELF MR. 
HUNTER STATE HIS OPINION IN REGARDS TO THIS BECAUSE I HOLD 
MR. HUNTER IN HIGH ESTEEM.
I THINK HE'S -- HE DOES A GOOD JOB AND HE'S A SMART GUY.
WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT NOBODY ALWAYS AGREES.
I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH LUCIE, AND I'VE STATED IT MANY 
TIMES, BUT I AGAIN -- AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE, YOU'RE 100% 
RIGHT, THIS IS THE FORUM TO HAVE THIS, AND I THINK YOU'VE 
BROUGHT A GREAT LIGHT AND A GREAT VISION RIGHT NOW TO THIS 
ENTIRE EMBODIMENT, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT VERY MUCH.
AND MR. HUNTER, COULD YOU -- COULD I ASK YOU -- COULD YOU 
PLEASE -- I KNOW YOU'RE HERE, AND I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU.
YOU --
>>BOB HUNTER:  I KNOW THERE ARE OTHERS THAT WANT TO SPEAK.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>>BOB HUNTER:  MIGHT I WAIT?
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THAT'S FINE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YEAH, WOULD YOU MIND?
I'D APPRECIATE IT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  NO, THAT'S FINE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE WAS GOING TO SPEAK.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  HE WILL.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OKAY.
AND WITH THAT SAID, LET ME WRAP IT UP BY SAYING ONCE AGAIN 
I THINK THIS IS A GOOD CONVERSATION, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE 
GETTING TO A MOTION THAT I CAN SUPPORT.
MAYBE RICK LOTT IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM WILL POLISH THAT UP 
A LITTLE BIT BETWEEN ALL OF US AFTER THE CONVERSATIONS AND 
WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
I THINK -- WOULD YOU MIND IF I -- I HAD TWO MORE THAT 
WANTED TO SPEAK, AND THEN I'LL GET BACK TO YOU, MR. SHARPE.
HE WANTS TO AMEND THE MOTION.
MR. DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND -- YOU 
KNOW, I DON'T -- YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A RELATIVELY 
HEALTHY DISCUSSION.
EVERYBODY'S -- EVERYBODY'S BEING CIVIL.
I RESPECT MARK GREATLY, AND HE KNOWS THAT.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HIM BRINGING UP THE ISSUE 
BECAUSE WE'RE ALL ADULTS AND WE CAN JUST FLESH IT OUT AND 
SEE WHERE IT TAKES US, AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY 
WE'LL BE A BETTER MPO FOR IT.
THE -- I'VE HEARD SOME COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, AND -- LUCIE 
NEEDS TO LEAD US, LUCIE NEEDS TO LEAD US BETTER, AND MY 
QUESTION WOULD BE LEAD US WHERE AND LEAD US HOW?
BECAUSE I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, 
BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT -- I'VE NEVER HEARD THIS BOARD, 
YOU KNOW, FLESH THAT OUT, NOT IN PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, AND 
REVEREND SCOTT GAVE US A GREAT HISTORY LESSON, SOME OF 
WHICH I KNEW, SOME OF WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW, ABOUT 
TRANSPORTATION IN THIS COUNTY AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT I 
DO KNOW WE'VE BEEN -- AS A COUNTY, WE'VE SORT OF BEEN 
BANGING AROUND THIS ISSUE LIKE A PINGPONG BALL, AND SO YOU 
SAY LUCIE, YOU NEED TO LEAD US, LEAD US HERE AND LEAD US 
HERE, AND IT'S NO WONDER IF PEOPLE ARE FEELING FRUSTRATED 
ABOUT A LACK OF LEADERSHIP, I THINK PERHAPS THE LACK OF 
LEADERSHIP IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL OF US AS ELECTED 
OFFICIALS, AND WE NEED TO GET OUR ACT TOGETHER, AND 
FRANKLY, I THINK A WORKSHOP IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT I THINK A 
WORKSHOP NEEDS TO FIRST FOCUS ON WHAT IS THE DIRECTION OF 
THE MPO AND WHAT IS THE DIRECTION OF TRANSPORTATION IN THIS 
COUNTY?
AND LET'S GET OUR OWN ACT TOGETHER FIRST BEFORE WE THEN 
TURN TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AS A LEADER AND SAY LEAD US 
IN THIS DIRECTION, BUT WE HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON WHAT 
DIRECTION THAT IS.
AND THE OTHER THING I'LL MENTION -- AND AGAIN, IN DEFERENCE 
TO MY FRIEND AND COHORT OVER THERE, REVEREND SCOTT -- IS 
ABOUT PROCESS.
HE LECTURES US ON PROCESS ABOUT EVERY WEEK, AND THREE 
MONTHS AGO, FOUR MONTHS AGO IN DECEMBER, WE ESTABLISHED A 
NEW PROCESS IN REGARD TO EVALUATING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND MARK, I THINK YOU WERE PART OF THAT AND INVOLVED IN 
THAT, AND I THINK THAT THE FIRST THING WE SHOULD DO IS 
WORKSHOP AND FIND OUT THE DIRECTION OF THE MPO, AND THEN BY 
THEN, AUGUST WILL BE AROUND THE CORNER, AND WE CAN GO INTO 
THAT EVALUATION PROCESS AND WE CAN SEE WHERE IT TAKES US, 
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S RESPONSIBLE OF US UNLESS THERE'S AN 
EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THERE'S SOME EGREGIOUS THING 
THAT -- THE MAKER OF THE MOTION INDICATED RIGHT OFF THE BAT 
THERE WAS NO PARTICULAR THING.
THERE'S NOTHING -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO EMERGENCY, THERE'S 
NO CRISIS, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF SPECIFICS, SO I WOULD 
SAY THAT -- LET'S DO THE -- USE THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE 
BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY EXPECTS US TO DO THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE PROCESS.
AND LET'S GO FORWARD WITH THAT IN A POSITIVE WAY.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE'LL BE A HEALTHIER AND 
A BETTER MPO FOR ALL OF US.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
MARY.
MARY MULHERN.
>>MARY MULHERN:  THANK YOU.
AND I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER SHARPE FOR BRINGING THIS 
UP, NOT FOR THE REASONS HE BROUGHT IT UP BUT FOR THE FACT 
THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, AND AS THE -- I THINK 
THE NEWEST ELECTED OFFICIAL ON THIS BOARD, I'M THE CLOSEST 
TO SOMEBODY JUST IN THE PUBLIC WHO -- THE COMMUNITY WHO'S 
BEEN WATCHING THIS PROCESS FOR YEARS, AND MY FRUSTRATION 
IS, I THINK, EQUAL TO COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S AND A LOT OF US 
HERE, PROBABLY NOT AS STRONG AS COUNCILMAN SCOTT'S, WHO'S 
BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS TO TRY TO GET TRANSIT, AND I THINK 
THAT THIS IS -- THIS IS MY QUESTION, OKAY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.
WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES.
WE'VE GOT OUR NEW ONE, TBARTA, WE'VE GOT THE HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY -- THE HARTLINE BOARD, WE'VE GOT THIS BOARD, WE'VE 
GOT THE CITY COUNCIL, WE'VE GOT THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, 
WE'VE GOT THE COUNTY COMMISSION.
WE HAVE ALL THESE TRANSPORTATION BOARDS, AND I THINK THAT 
THE REALITY IS WHAT -- WHAT PEOPLE WANT IS FOR US TO GO 
FORWARD WITH TRANSIT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT OTHER PLANNING -- METROPOLITAN PLANNING 
ORGANIZATIONS -- OR I DON'T KNOW, MARK, IF YOU'RE TALKING 
ABOUT MPOs OR IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSIT AUTHORITIES.
THEY'VE ALL GOT TRANSIT BECAUSE THEY VOTED FOR THE LOCAL 
FUNDING, AND THAT'S IT.
AS MR. SCOTT SAID, IF WE DON'T VOTE FOR THE LOCAL FUNDING, 
WE ARE NEVER GOING TO GET IT, AND THE IDEA THAT NOW WE'VE 
GOT TBARTA AND WE'VE GOT TO CATCH UP WITH THEM, I'M SORRY, 
A SEVEN-COUNTY TRANSIT AUTHORITY IS NOT GOING TO GET 
SOMETHING DONE FASTER THAN THIS COUNTY DECIDING WHAT IT 
WANTS TO DO, THAT IT'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT, VOTING ON, 
CREATING MAPS FOR TWO DECADES.
WHEN I STARTED ON THIS MPO LAST YEAR, I HEARD THAT THERE 
WERE 23 TRANSIT MAPS OUT THERE.
I THINK GENA TOLD ME THAT.
WE HAD 23 MAPS.
NO WONDER LUCIE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN CONFUSED WHEN SHE SENT 
HER MAPS OVER TO TBARTA.
WE DON'T NEED -- OKAY.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED A WORKSHOP, I DON'T THINK WE NEED 
MORE STUDIES, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO MORE POLLING.
WE'VE DONE ALL OF THIS.
IT'S UP TO US TO SHOW THE LEADERSHIP.
AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BOTH BROUGHT UP, THIS IS NOT HER JOB.
SHE'S AN ADMINISTRATOR.
SHE'S A PLANNER.
SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE PLANNING FOR TRANSPORTATION AND 
ADMINISTERING IT AND GETTING US FUNDING.
WELL, THAT FUNDING IS LIMITED BY THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT 
LOCALLY -- WE DON'T HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO ASK FOR THIS 
COMMUNITY WHO HAS SHOWN US IN THE POLLING THAT'S BEEN DONE 
THAT THEY'RE READY FOR TRANSIT.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO AREN'T READY TO GO FORWARD WITH TRANSIT 
IS APPARENTLY THIS BOARD.
SO MY MOTION IS THAT WE VOTE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNTY 
COMMISSION BEGIN TO DISCUSS AND MAKE A RESOLUTION TO PUT A 
REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT.
NOW, IT'S INTERESTING TO ME -- BECAUSE ANOTHER ORGANIZATION 
THAT GOT BROUGHT UP WAS THE -- MS.  -- COMMISSIONER -- 
THE -- WHAT WAS IT, THE -- THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE 
THAT COMMISSIONER HAGAN PUT TOGETHER, AND -- WHICH WAS A 
REALLY GREAT THING WHERE THERE WAS GREAT DISCUSSION.
I WAS ONLY ABLE TO GO TO ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS -- OH, NO, 
THIS IS THE BIGGER ONE, THE ONE THAT RONNIE DUNCAN DID, AND 
AT THAT MEETING THERE WAS A CONSENSUS AT THAT MEETING THAT 
WE NEEDED TO GET THAT REFERENDUM GOING, AND IT WASN'T 
DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL 2010.
I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MAJORITY IN THAT ROOM WHO 
DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON IT TO GO FOR IT IN 
2008.
SO BASICALLY ALL I SEE HAPPENING -- AND TO CALL OUR 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UP AND QUESTION HER COMPETENCE IS JUST 
ANOTHER DELAYING OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO NOT DO ANYTHING.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THE LEADERSHIP ABSOLUTELY HAS TO COME 
FROM US.
IT'S GOT TO COME FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSION, IT'S GOT TO 
COME FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, IT'S GOT TO COME FROM THE MPO, 
AND IT'S GOT TO COME FROM THE MAYOR.
IF IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WE WANT TRANSIT, ALL OF US HAVE 
TO STEP UP, SAY WE'RE READY TO DO IT, AND THE COUNTY 
COMMISSION HAS TO GO FOR A REFERENDUM, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE 
IT IN 2008.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
YOU MADE A MOTION?
>>MARY MULHERN:  MY MOTION IS THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSION --
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>> WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  GOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
>>MARK SHARPE:  LET ME ADDRESS --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
>>MARK SHARPE:  CAN I -- I'M GOING TO AMEND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GO AHEAD.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I'M GOING TO AMEND, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO 
SOME OF THE POINTS BECAUSE THEY'RE EXCELLENT POINTS, AND 
AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST MEETINGS WE'VE HAD 
IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN AFFILIATED, AND THIS IS A VERY 
IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
I DISAGREE -- ALTHOUGH I GREATLY RESPECT MY ESTEEMED 
COLLEAGUE OVER THERE, MS. MULHERN, I DISAGREE BOTH WITH 
HER -- AND ALSO THERE'S A COMMENT WHICH COMMISSIONER SCOTT 
MADE, WHICH I AGREE WITH BUT I'LL TWIST A BIT.
AND THIS IS WHAT CAUSED ME -- WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT 
WHY I WANTED TO BRING THIS IN -- AND I WILL ALSO TELL YOU, 
BOARD MEMBERS, ORIGINALLY MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS I WAS GOING 
TO UNDER NEW ITEMS AGENDA THIS FOR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING 
SO EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE 30 DAYS TO FULLY VET AND DISCUSS.
THE PAPER KIND OF JUMPED US.
I DON'T CONTROL THE PAPER.
WHEN THE PAPER CALLS AND ASKS A QUESTION, I ANSWER, SO 
THERE IT IS LAID OUT THAT I'M ASKING FOR A NEW EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR, WHICH WAS REALLY WHEN WE BEGAN, COUNCILMAN 
DINGFELDER, TALKING ABOUT THE NEW PROCEDURES UNDER THE MOU, 
I WAS ALREADY THERE THEN BEGINNING TO THINK, OKAY, I 
BELIEVE THAT WE DO NEED TO START MOVING TOWARDS AT SOME 
POINT A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THIS MPO.
IT'S JUST THAT NOW EVENTS I BELIEVE ARE MOVING RAPIDLY, AND 
WE NEED TO BE MOVING, I BELIEVE, AHEAD OF EVENTS, NOT WITH 
A PLAN NECESSARILY -- AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO ADDRESS YOUR 
POINT, MS. MULHERN AND MR. SCOTT -- NOT WITH A PLAN BUT 
WITH THE DATA AND THE INFORMATION SO WE CAN MAKE A POLICY 
DECISION.
WE CAN'T MAKE A POLICY DECISION IF WE DON'T HAVE THE 
INFORMATION, AND LET ME BE VERY CLEAR TO ALL THE BOARD 
MEMBERS HERE, THERE'S NOBODY WHO WANTS TO SEE MASS -- A 
MASS TRANSIT PLAN WORK MORE -- WELL, I THINK YOU ALL DO, 
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT I WANT IT MORE THAN YOU-ALL DO, I 
DO WANT IT, BUT I'VE BEEN ONE OF THE LEADING CRITICS AT 
TIMES OF SOME OF THE PLANS.
WHETHER IT'S THE TRANSIT CONCEPT FOR 2050 -- WHICH I WOULD 
ENCOURAGE YOU-ALL TO READ, WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT DOCUMENT 
BUT THIN GRUEL WITH REGARD TO THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO 
SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT A TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
MY CONCERN, MR. SCOTT, IS THIS:  WHEN WE GO TO THE PUBLIC, 
MS. MULHERN, WHEN WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT A TRANSPORTATION 
PLAN THAT WE HAVE AND WE ASK FOR A TAX, AT THE VERY TIME 
WHEN THE -- THE DISCUSSION IN TALLAHASSEE AND ACROSS THE 
STATE IS CUT MY TAXES.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THE MOST SOUND PLAN POSSIBLE, IF WE DON'T 
HAVE SPECIFICS IN DETAIL, IF WE CAN'T GO OUT TO WIMAUMA, 
GIBSONTON, BRANDON, WESTCHASE, NEW TAMPA AND EXPLAIN TO 
PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT SEE A RAIL ANYWHERE NEAR THEM DURING 
THEIR LIFETIME WHY THEY NEED TO VOTE FOR A HALF CENT OR A 
CENT SALES TAX AND THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 
AND THAT WE'RE PREPARED TO DEFEND EVERY PENNY SO WE DON'T 
HAVE ANOTHER -- AND I SUPPORT THE DESAL -- DESAL MESS WHERE 
WE GO IN, NOT REALLY CLEAR ON WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WE END 
UP HAVING TO PAY THE VALUE OF THE FACILITY ITSELF TO FIX 
IT, THE VOTERS AREN'T GOING TO SUPPORT IT.
IF -- YOU WONDER WHY THE BOARD WON'T LIKELY SUPPORT, THE 
BOCC, A REQUEST FOR A REFERENDUM?
BECAUSE THEY ASK HARD QUESTIONS.
WHEN RONDA WAS ON THE BOARD, WHEN KATHY CASTOR WAS ON THE 
BOARD, WHEN THE CURRENT EXISTING BOARD MEMBERS WERE ON THE 
BOARD, THEY ASKED TOUGH QUESTIONS, AND IF WE CAN'T ANSWER 
QUICKLY HOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT MONEY, WHETHER THE 
BOARD SUPPORTS IT OR NOT, THE VOTERS, I BELIEVE, WILL VOTE 
IT DOWN.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE US LOSE, AND SO MY POINT IS THIS:  AND 
SOME OF YOU SAID WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE PLAN FIRST BEFORE 
WE, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP THE LEADERSHIP.
NO.
AND I HATE TO PICK UP BOOKS, BUT READ CHAPTER 3, "GOOD TO 
GREAT," WHICH IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER WRITTEN.
IT'S FIRST WHO, THEN WHAT.
THAT'S CHAPTER 3.
GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON THE BUS, DEVELOP A STRATEGY, ONLY 
AFTER YOU GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE, BUILD AN "A" TEAM.
THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
WE NEED TO BUILD AN "A" TEAM.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT THE DATA, SO COUNCILMAN 
SCOTT, WHEN THE -- WHEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WALKS IN AND 
SAYS, HERE ARE YOUR OPTIONS, WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS AND SAY, 
WELL, DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT RAIL WILL WORK ON THIS LINE 
HERE?
WELL, ACTUALLY, NO, COUNCILMAN SCOTT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT 
THE TRANSPORTATION DATA AND THE INFORMATION SHOWS US THAT 
THERE'S TODAY NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE DRIVING EAST TO WEST ALONG 
HOWARD FRANKLAND OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE TO SUPPORT RAIL 
THERE, BUT WE THINK THAT THIS OTHER AREA MIGHT BE A GOOD 
OPTION, BRT MIGHT WORK BETTER OVER HERE, BUT I NEED TO HEAR 
ALL THAT TO MAKE A JUDGMENT SO I CAN COME OUT HERE AND SAY 
THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO GO.
WHAT I HEAR IS, WE HAVE ENOUGH DENSITY.
WHEN A QUESTION IS ASKED DO WE HAVE THE DENSITY TO SUPPORT 
MASS TRANSIT, WE HAVE ENOUGH DENSITY.
IS THERE MONEY IN WASHINGTON -- IS THERE ENOUGH MONEY IN 
WASHINGTON -- A QUESTION WAS ASKED AT THE OCTOBER MEETING 
IN 2007 AT THAT CHANNELSIDE MEETING, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH 
MONEY IN WASHINGTON TO SUPPORT THIS CONCEPT?
YOU KNOW, I WENT THERE.
SEE THE VISION OF THE MPO, THE TRANSPORTATION VISION OF THE 
MPO.
IT'S A CONCEPT, I RECOGNIZE THAT, AND QUESTIONS WERE ASKED 
ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAD.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER.
AND IF WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER -- PEOPLE WALKED OUT 
SHAKING THEIR HEADS.
AND I REMEMBER WALKING OUT THINKING WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR 
LUNCH EATEN WHEN WE GO OUT THERE AND WE'RE ON 970 WFLA 
DEBATING THIS WITH THE OTHER SIDE.
AND THAT'S MY ONLY POINT.
I APOLOGIZE, MS. AYERS.
THIS IS NOT TO HANG IT ALL ON YOU.
YOU'RE RIGHT, COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER, IT IS THE 
RESPONSIBILITY OF US, THE LEADERS, TO LEAD, BUT YOU KNOW 
WHAT, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE FACTS AND DETAIL.
YOU DON'T PLAN A CAMPAIGN WITHOUT A GOOD SUPPORT TEAM 
BEHIND YOU PROVIDING THE RICH, THICK DETAIL AND ANALYSIS SO 
YOU CAN DECIDE OPTIONS.
IF THIS BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A WORKSHOP, WHICH I THINK 
WE SHOULD HAVE, AND DISCUSS SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR OUR 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I'LL SUPPORT THAT, BUT I WILL ALSO SAY 
I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HEALTHY FOR US IN THE FUTURE -- 
AND I WANT TO AGENDA THIS FOR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING SO WE 
CAN HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AGAIN.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN -- AND I HOPE YOU ALL WILL 
TALK TO -- TAKE THE TIME TO TALK TO OTHER MPOs AND TALK TO 
OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE TRANSPORTATION FIELD.
LET'S FIND OUT, NOT HANGING IT ON HER BECAUSE I'M NOT JUST 
LOOKING AT THIS AGENCY.
YOU ASKED ME WHY HER, WHY THIS?
BECAUSE I SIT ON THE MPO BOARD, AND WE HAVE A MEETING 
TODAY.
I SIT ON OTHER BOARDS AS WELL.
WE HAVE OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL.
I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THE 
PEOPLE ASK NO LESS OF US.
WE'RE SPENDING THEIR MONEY.
WE DON'T SERVE FOR THE PLEASURE OF US, WE SERVE FOR THE 
PLEASURE OF THEM, SO WE BETTER MAKE SURE WE GET OUR FACTS 
TOGETHER AND WE'RE PREPARED TO GET OUT THERE AND MAKE THE 
MOST SOUND CASE POSSIBLE FOR TRANSIT OR THE INITIATIVE WILL 
FAIL.
GOOD'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
SO MY -- MY MOTION WILL BE TO AMEND THAT WE HAVE A WORKSHOP 
TO DISCUSS -- WHAT --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THIS GOES TO --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  DISCUSS PRIORITIES FOR THE MPO.
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES.
BUT -- YES.
AND AT THAT TIME I DO WANT TO DISCUSS -- AND I WILL 
CONTINUE TO BRING TO THIS BOARD MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE 
BEGIN TO LOOK AT WHAT -- THE CRITERIA THAT WE BELIEVE AN 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHOULD HAVE.
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO THAT.
WE SHOULD SET THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AND THEN WE CAN 
CARRY FORWARD THIS CONVERSATION WITH REGARD TO WHO WOULD BE 
VERY -- WHO WOULD BE THE BEST AT MOVING OUR TRANSPORTATION 
PLAN, IN PARTICULAR THIS TRANSIT CONCEPT FOR 2050 FORWARD.
>> I'LL SECOND THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.
NOW DISCUSSION.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
I BELIEVE WE'RE OUT -- DIDN'T YOU MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION?
>>MARK SHARPE:  I'VE AMENDED MY MOTION.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  JUST A POINT OF ORDER, JUST IF I COULD 
GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE MOTION.
MARK, WHEN YOU STARTED OUT WITH THE NEW MOTION, I LIKED 
WHERE IT WAS GOING.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE MPO, YOU TALKED ABOUT 
CRITERIA AND GOALS FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OKAY, WHICH 
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, BUT THEN AS -- AS THE MOTION SORT 
OF TRAILED ON, IT GOT MORE INTO AND LUCIE AND THAT SORT OF 
THING.
LIKE I SAY, I'M GOOD WITH THOSE FIRST TWO PARTS OF IT, BUT 
COME AUGUST, THEN WE CAN GO INTO OUR PROCESS, WHICH WOULD 
BE TO TAKE THOSE GOALS AND CRITERIA, PUT IT INTO THE 
EVALUATION SHEET, AND WORK THROUGH IT.
SO I CAN'T SUPPORT THE MOTION IF IT GOES TOO FAR.
IF IT'S JUST THOSE FIRST TWO PARTS, DIRECTION OF THE MPO, 
TRANSIT, WHAT HAVE YOU, AND CRITERIA FOR LEADERSHIP, THAT 
SORT OF THING, LET'S ESTABLISH THOSE, THEN I CAN SUPPORT 
THAT -- THAT PART OF THE MOTION.
SO I DON'T KNOW.
>>MARK SHARPE:  IT WOULD INCLUDE JOB DESCRIPTION AND THE 
EVALUATION PROCESS.
>> PROCESS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND CAN YOU ADD MEASUREMENTS?
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT OTHER MPOs ARE BRINGING IN.
>>MARK SHARPE:  ABSOLUTELY.
YES.
IS THAT SATISFACTORY, MR. DINGFELDER?
>> I'LL SECOND THAT [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARY MULHERN:  I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE MOTION.
I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION AS LONG AS WE DO THAT WORKSHOP AS A 
SEPARATE MEETING AND IT DOESN'T TAKE UP OUR TIME -- OUR 
REGULAR MEETING TIME AS A BOARD.
>>MARK SHARPE:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MR. HAGAN, YOU HAD A COMMENT?
>>KEN HAGAN:  YEAH, I'LL BE BRIEF BECAUSE MY COMMENTS 
REALLY AREN'T IN LINE WITH THE ACTUAL MOTION.
I JUST WANT TO SAY I DO APPRECIATE THE DIALOGUE WE'VE HAD 
THIS MORNING.
I THINK IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE.
MANY COMMENTS THAT I'VE AGREED WITH, A COUPLE OF THEM I 
HAVE NOT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY WITH RESPECT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION, 
WE RECOGNIZED LAST YEAR THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS OUR 
RAPIDLY DECLINING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AND THAT'S WHY THE 
BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED CREATING OUR TRANSPORTATION TASK 
FORCE.
WE DECIDED OR DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE BEST 
INTEREST TO BIFURCATE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, DO IT IN PHASES, 
AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF WHAT THE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDED 
FOR SHORT-TERM IMPROVEMENTS THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNTY 
COMMISSION BY A 5-2 VOTE THAT INCLUDED A $500 MILLION 
CAPITAL PROGRAM WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
EVERY TIME IN THE PAST THAT IT'S BEEN PROPOSED -- I BELIEVE 
THE LAST ONE WAS A $900-MILLION PROGRAM THAT INCLUDED SALES 
TAX, GAS TAX, AND IMPACT FEE INCREASE.
WELL, WE'RE DOING AT LEAST THE FIRST PHASE WITHOUT RAISING 
TAXES.
WE'RE CURRENTLY FOCUSING ON LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS 
LIGHT RAIL, COMMUTER RAIL, PROJECTS LIKE THAT.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL VERY GOOD MEETINGS.
WE'VE HAD PRESENTATIONS FROM EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY, THE PORT 
AUTHORITY, AVIATION, HARTLINE.
WE'RE HAVING TBARTA COME IN NEXT MEETING.
WE'VE MET -- OR I'VE SPOKEN MANY TIMES WITH BOB CLIFFORD 
FROM FDOT REGARDING TBARTA AND THE -- HOW IMPORTANT IT IS 
FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER WITH TBARTA IN CRAFTING OUR 
RECOMMENDATIONS OR WHAT DIRECTIONS WE WANT TO GO TO.
SOMETIME -- I CANNOT GIVE YOU A DEFINITIVE DATE, BUT I 
WOULD SAY SOMETIME THIS YEAR WE'LL BE BRINGING -- OUR TASK 
FORCE WILL BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRING TO THE BOARD 
ON EXACTLY A PLAN OF ACTION AND WHAT DIRECTION WE WANT TO 
GO, SO THE BOARD IS GOING IN THAT DIRECTION RIGHT NOW.
KIND OF GOING ALONG WITH WHAT COMMISSIONER SHARPE SAID WITH 
RESPECT TO A REFERENDUM, I THINK IT IS LIKELY THAT YOU 
ONLY -- WE'RE ONLY GOING TO HAVE ONE SHOT, ONE BITE AT THE 
APPLE.
TIMING IS CRITICAL.
IT WILL TAKE A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN TO SELL THE PLAN.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE 
COUNTRY, THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE -- THE ROUTE THEY'VE GONE.
IN FACT, THE ROUTE MANY OF THEM HAVE TAKEN AND WHAT I HAVE 
CONTINUED TO SUGGEST TO EVERY MEETING THAT I'VE HAD IS DO 
NOT ASSUME THE COUNTY COMMISSION WILL ULTIMATELY PUT 
SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT.
PROBABLY WILL, BUT DO NOT ASSUME THAT, AND YOU BETTER START 
THINKING ABOUT A PRIVATELY INITIATED BALLOT AMENDMENT, YOU 
KNOW.
WHETHER IT'S THE PARTNERSHIP OR ANOTHER GROUP THAT DOES IT, 
YOU BETTER HAVE A PLAN "B" SHOULD IT NOT BE SUCCESSFUL 
THROUGHOUT -- BY GOING THROUGH THE COUNTY COMMISSION.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY WISE TO AT LEAST THINK ALONG 
THOSE LINES AND HAVE A BACKUP PLAN.
BUT IT WILL REQUIRE A CAMPAIGN.
I'VE STATED AT A COUPLE MEETINGS I'M UP FOR REELECTION THIS 
NOVEMBER.
I STARTED MY CAMPAIGN IN OCTOBER.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T EXPECT TO PUT TOGETHER A CAMPAIGN IN 
APRIL NOW TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER AND EXPECT 
IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO I THINK IT REALLY REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF 
PLANNING, MAKING SURE YOU HAVE THE PLAN AND HAVE THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO EFFECTIVELY SELL IT TO THE VOTERS BECAUSE 
UNLESS -- AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO TIE IN ALL PARTS OF 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE UNLESS SOMEONE IN BRANDON OR 
THONOTOSASSA OR THE NORTHWEST CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IN 
IT FOR THEM, ULTIMATELY IT WILL FAIL AT THE BALLOT BOX 
ANYWAY, SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, AND I SUPPORT THE AMENDED 
MOTION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANKS, COMMISSIONER.
JOE CAETANO, YOU HAD A --
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
WHAT MR. DINGFELDER SAID, A LACK OF LEADERSHIP, THAT'S THE 
BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT I SEE PERSONALLY.
THE CITY HAS GONE THIS WAY AND THE COUNTY HAS GONE THIS 
WAY.
WE'VE GOT TO BE ON THE SAME BUS, AND THAT'S ALL I HEARD 
FROM EVERYONE, LACK OF LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY NOW WHERE 
EVERYBODY JUST VOTED TO DECREASE THEIR TAXES, AND WE'RE 
GOING TO TURN AROUND AND PUT ANOTHER TAX AT AN ALL-TIME 
HIGH WHEN BUSINESSES -- MORE BANKRUPTCIES, MORE 
FORECLOSURES THAN EVER, AND FLORIDA RANKS ONE OF THE TOP, 
AND I CAN'T SEE US GOING -- UNLESS WE HAVE A GOOD PLAN -- 
SOMETHING HAS TO BE POSITIVE.
GET BACK TO THE MAPS THAT MARK HAD ADDRESSED.
I DON'T KNOW WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE MAPS.
LIKE SOMEBODY SAID, THERE'S 20 MAPS OUT THERE.
WHAT MAP DO YOU PUT UP?
I DON'T KNOW ALL THAT.
I'M THE NEW GUY ON THE BLOCK, BUT I'M THE OLDEST GUY ON THE 
BLOCK.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M THE SMARTEST EITHER, BUT THE THING IS 
GOVERNMENT IS NOT VERY EFFICIENT.
ANYTIME GOVERNMENT NEEDS MONEY, ALL THEY DO IS PUT ANOTHER 
TAX, AND THEY PUT THE INDIVIDUAL, SMALL BUSINESSMAN OUT ON 
THE LIMB, AND WE'VE GOT TO BE SENSIBLE, MAKE SURE WE COME 
UP WITH A GOOD PLAN, AND MR. SCOTT IS NOT THE HISTORIAN 
LIKE SOMEBODY SAID HERE.
THAT'S CHARLIE MIRANDA.
[LAUGHTER]
OKAY?
SO MR. SCOTT'S A GREAT GUY, AND HE BRINGS A LOT OF WISDOM 
WITH HIM.
AND I APPRECIATE HIM.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COMMISSIONER SCOTT -- OR BLAIR, I'M SORRY.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELL, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS TWO QUICK 
ISSUES.
NUMBER ONE, THERE'S NO WAY THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY 
COMMISSIONERS OR THE CITIZENS WOULD EXPECT THE BOARD OF 
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO PUT ANYTHING ON A REFERENDUM 
WITHOUT EXACT SPECIFICS.
EVERYBODY HAS TO KNOW THAT, SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY 
THAT COMMENT THAT WAS MADE.
WE ACTUALLY ARE -- AND I'D LIKE TO COMMEND COMMISSIONER 
HAGAN.
HE HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY, COMMISSIONER SHARPE'S WORKED 
ALONGSIDE HIM, AND THE BOARD, THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE 
BECAUSE WE ARE NOW MOVING INTO BRT, WE ARE GETTING READY TO 
ACQUIRE RIGHT-OF-WAYS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE -- THERE'S ABOUT -- OVER $400 MILLION IN 
EXISTING REVENUES BESIDES THE HALF A MILLION DOLLAR -- OR 
HALF A BILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS JUST VOTED ON.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY HIRE A GEC TO EXPEDITE AND 
FAST-TRACK ALL OF THIS STUFF, SO THE BOARD IS WORKING 
DILIGENTLY TO DO WHAT WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE 
HAVE, AND I THINK THAT THEY HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, AND 
I THINK NOBODY'S PATTED THEM ON THE BACK ENOUGH AND TOLD 
THEM, AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S GETTING 
READY TO TAKE PLACE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE WE ARE 
MOVING IN A GREAT DIRECTION.
AND AGAIN, WITHOUT SPECIFICS, YOU'VE GOT PD&E STUDIES, 
YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH STUFF, THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BEFORE 
WE GO INTO A -- BEFORE ANYBODY PUTS SOMETHING TO THE 
PEOPLE, IT HAS TO BE EXACT, SPECIFIC, AND CONCISE, RIGHT TO 
THE POINT, AND THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN IT FOR 
EVERYBODY.
AS WE KNOW, MOST SINGLE-PURPOSE TAXES HAVE FAILED IN THE 
PAST, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, AS SOMEBODY MENTIONED, ONE 
BITE AT THE APPLE, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE 
ALL OF OUR DUCKS IN A ROW AT THAT TIME, AND THAT WILL, 
AGAIN, REQUIRE WORKING WITH MS. AYERS, THIS STAFF, BOB 
HUNTER, EVERYBODY, TBARTA, BUT ONE THING I WANT TO ALSO 
MAKE CLEAR IS THAT WE CAN'T BE A DONOR COUNTY AGAIN LIKE WE 
ARE WITH TAMPA BAY WATER WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSPORTATION.
WE'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE 
THAT WHOEVER'S DEALING WITH THAT MAKES THAT SPECIFIC, 
BRINGS THAT POINT TO THE FOREFRONT IMMEDIATELY.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE MOTION THAT'S ON 
THE FLOOR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
ROSE -- COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.
BUT MR. CAETANO, I FEEL COMPELLED TO RESPOND TO YOU.
I THINK OUR HISTORIAN HERE DID VERY WELL ACCURATELY ABOUT 
WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHAT WE HAVEN'T DONE.
IN TERMS OF MR. MIRANDA, WHO I HOLD DEAR TO MY HEART, HE'S 
GOT OTHER JOBS TOO, SO LET'S TAKE WHAT HE SAYS WITH A GRAIN 
OF SALT.
HE'S ALSO THE GUY THAT GREW UP AROUND CUSCADEN PARK AND 
USED TO PUT A QUARTER OR NICKEL AROUND THE CORK BALL SO 
RIGHT BEFORE IT HIT THE BATTER AND RIGHT BEFORE HE BATTED, 
IT JUST DROPPED, SO LET'S -- I DON'T KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE 
ACCURACIES OF SOME OF THE STORIES YOU'RE TRYING TO GIVE US 
SOMETIME.
THAT BEING SAID, MR. SCOTT, YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT WAS 
VERY TRUE, AND OFTENTIMES, AS MANY OF US DO, I READ 
EDITORIALS, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INTERPRETATION 
IS OF OUR GREAT LEADERSHIP, CITY SIDE, COUNTY SIDE.
I THINK IT'S BEEN MR. HILL AND PERHAPS MS. GOUDREAU WHO HAS 
SAID THERE IS NO LEADERSHIP, AND I'M THINKING, WELL, YES, 
THERE IS, WE ALL WANT TRANSPORTATION, AND WE'RE ALL READY 
TO ROCK AND ROLL WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 
DONE AT THOSE JUNCTURES THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, SO IT BRINGS 
HOME THE POINT TODAY, I FINALLY GET IT, THAT WHILE WE'RE 
LOOKING AT SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THEY SHOULD 
OR SHOULDN'T DO OR SHOULD DO IN THE FUTURE, THE LEADERSHIP 
THAT'S LACKING IS WITH YOU GUYS AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY 
COMMISSIONERS IN DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN TERMS OF 
LEADERSHIP.
SOME OF THOSE CHOICES WON'T BE GOOD, THEY WON'T BE PRETTY, 
BUT LEADERSHIP STARTS AT HOME, AND MR. SHARPE, TO YOU, WHEN 
YOU SAY READ THE BOOK, "GOOD TO GREAT," THE RIGHT PERSON 
NEEDS TO BE ON THE BUS, I'M THINKING HERE THAT THERE NEEDS 
TO BE A LOT OF PASSENGERS ON THE BUS, AND WE ARE SOME OF 
THOSE PASSENGERS, SO I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD, HEALTHY 
DISCUSSION.
I THINK IT BRINGS UP MAYBE A NEW LEVEL OF AWARENESS THAT WE 
SHOULD INTRODUCE MORE LEADERSHIP, SO WITH THAT -- THERE IS 
SOME SYNERGY BETWEEN THE NEW LEADERSHIP WE INTRODUCE AND 
THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US, AND I THINK WE'LL ACCOMPLISH A 
GREAT PRODUCT THAT WAY.
NOW, TO YOU, MR. SHARPE, I'M WANTING SOME DEFINITION IN 
TERMS OF YOUR MODIFIED MOTION.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GOING TO A WORKSHOP, LOOKING AT 
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
AGAIN, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE CENTER STAGE JUST LUCIE 
AYERS.
I THINK WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR OWN 
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AND ONCE WE DO THAT AND WE DEFINE IT, 
THEN I THINK THE JUNCTURE AT WHICH WE INTRODUCE THAT TO HER 
IN TERMS OF OUR EXPECTATIONS OF HER JOB IS AT THE END OF 
THIS TIME WHEN THE EVALUATION IS COMING UP.
HARDLY CAN WE GO FROM APRIL TO -- WHAT DID WE SAY? -- JUNE 
WHEN THEIR EVALUATION IS DUE AND EXPECT -- 
>> AUGUST.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  -- AUGUST -- EXPECT HER IN THAT SHORT 
PERIOD OF TIME COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING TO IMPLEMENT ALL THE 
THINGS WE MAY WANT HER TO TAKE ON IN ADDITION TO WHAT SHE'S 
DOING NOW, SO LET'S BE REASONABLE ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF 
THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
AND ONCE WE DO THAT, THEN I THINK YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO 
AGENDA -- I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS PART OF YOUR MOTION OR 
NOT -- YOU WANTED TO AGENDA SOME INTRODUCTIONS NEXT MONTH 
SO THAT OTHER MPOs COME.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION IN OUR OWN HOME 
FIRST, AND THEN IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT WILL BETTER US 
OR WE HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER TO THEM THAT MAKES A LOT OF 
MPOs BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENT, THEN WE CAN SHARE THAT FROM 
THE STANDPOINT OF A REGIONAL MIND-SET, SO ALL I'M ASKING, 
MR. CHAIRMAN, IS IF MR. SHARPE WOULD RESTATE HIS MOTION, 
THEN I'LL KNOW WHETHER OR NOT I'M SUPPORTING IT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WOULD YOU DO THAT, MR. SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WELL, THE FIRST MOTION WAS TO HAVE THE 
WORKSHOP, WHICH I WANTED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE THAT WE 
DISCUSSED TODAY WITH REGARD TO THE DIRECTION AND THE -- BUT 
FOR THE AGENDA ITEM, I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE -- I 
WANT TO SET IMMEDIATELY THE -- IF -- IT'S NOT GOING TO BE 
CALLING FOR THE EVALUATION RIGHT AWAY, BUT I WANT US TO SET 
THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  BUT IS THAT AT THE WORKSHOP?
>>MARK SHARPE:  NO.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YOU'RE GOING TO MATURE THEM AT THE 
WORKSHOP OR WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT
>>MARK SHARPE:  I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE WORKSHOP'S GOING -- 
MY GOAL IS TO JUST HAVE AN ITEM NEXT MONTH SO THAT WE WOULD 
HAVE 30 DAYS AS A BOARD TO TALK TO THOSE WE WANT TO TALK TO 
ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED HERE TODAY AND THEN MOVE FURTHER 
WITH REGARD TO ESTABLISHING -- IF WHAT WE'RE LACKING, AS 
MR. DINGFELDER SAID EARLY IN THE CONVERSATION, IS SPECIFIC 
CRITERIA -- AND I THINK MR. BLAIR HIMSELF COMMENTED ON 
THIS, WHICH IS IT'S NOT FAIR TO SAY TO OUR EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR THAT YOU HAVEN'T ACHIEVED CERTAIN THINGS IF WE 
HAVEN'T LAID THEM OUT FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S FAIR.
OKAY.
LET'S BEGIN TO LAY OUT EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
WE NEED -- WE LACK SPECIFICITY.
LET'S PROVIDE SPECIFICITY.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, MARK -- AND I'M 
SORRY -- EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GO AHEAD.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  JUST SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
OKAY, WE NEED TO DEFINE WHAT WE EXPECT, BUT WITH IF WE'RE 
TALKING ABOUT THAT NEXT MONTH AND WE IMPLEMENT OUR NEW 
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND IDEAS, AT WHAT JUNCTURE DO YOU 
EXPECT THAT THAT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CAN START PERFORMING?
I MEAN, IF IT'S TOO SHORT OF --
>>MARK SHARPE:  THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  -- A WINDOW OF EVALUATING --
>>MARK SHARPE:  I MEAN, THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED BY THE 
BOARD.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THAT'S FINE.
SO THERE'S NOTHING DEFINED ABOUT THAT?
>>MARK SHARPE:  YEAH.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THEN I'M ALL RIGHT WITH IT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THIS IS JUST STARTING THE CONVERSATION.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  FINE, FINE, FINE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
COMMISSIONER SCOTT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  YEAH, I GUESS WE NEED TO MOVE AT SOME 
POINT.
BUT I WANT TO SAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE 
WORKSHOP.
I WOULD SAY, THOUGH, TO COMMISSIONER SHARPE, AGAIN, I THINK 
IT'S BEEN A VERY HEALTHY DISCUSSION.
ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT BEING AN ELECTED 
OFFICIAL, WHEN I BRING SOMETHING TO THE BOARD, YOU BETTER 
HAVE ALL YOUR INFORMATION, YOU BETTER HAVE EVERYTHING DOWN 
THAT YOU WANT, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, SOMEBODY ELSE WILL 
TAKE IT AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE WITH IT.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO 
ACCOMPLISH, YOU BETTER MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE IT DOWN AND 
HAVE IT IN WRITING.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  I'M JUST WONDERING, BECAUSE YOU KEPT 
SAYING WHAT WAS IT, AND YOU SAID I DON'T KNOW YET.
I WOULD HAVE DOWN WHO WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO, WHAT WE'RE 
GOING TO TALK ABOUT, HOW FAR ARE WE GOING AND ALL OF THAT.
THAT'S CRITICAL.
THAT'S LEADERSHIP.
AND YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THIS BOOK -- BECAUSE JOHN MAXWELL -
- YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT -- JOHN MAXWELL SAID HE 
WHO THINKS HE LEADS AND NOBODY'S FOLLOWING, HE'S JUST 
TAKING A WALK.
[LAUGHTER]
AND ANOTHER THING, I NEVER WANT STAFF TO LEAD ME.
I DON'T WANT STAFF TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF ME.
I AM THE ELECTED LEADER.
THEY SHOULD BE FOLLOWING THE DIRECTION THAT WE HAVE 
PROVIDED FOR THEM.
THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING.
NOW, LET ME JUST FOLLOW UP WITH ONE OTHER THING, AND I'LL 
BE THROUGH.
IN 1999 WE BEAT TRANSPORTATION TO DEATH THE WHOLE YEAR.
KEN, I DON'T THINK YOU WAS THERE THEN, WERE YOU?
YOU-ALL REMEMBER THE COMMITTEE OF 99?
I MEAN, WE HAD WORKSHOP ON TOP OF WORKSHOP ON TOP OF 
WORKSHOP FOR TRANSPORTATION.
WE HAD ALL THE INFORMATION, ALL THE DATA.
WE WERE SET TO GO.
WE HAD EVERYBODY ONBOARD.
WE HAD ALL THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATIONS, WE HAD ALL THE -- YOU 
KNOW, ALL THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ONBOARD, WERE 
SUPPORTING IT, AM I NOT RIGHT?
EVERYBODY WAS ONBOARD.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY WAS ONBOARD.
IT CAME TO US, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION, AND IT 
DIDN'T PASS BY ONE VOTE.
OKAY.
YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION YOU WANT TO.
2002, 2003, SAME -- EXACT SAME THING, HAD ALL THE 
INFORMATION, EVERYBODY WAS ONBOARD.
READY TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE STILL DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD BY ONE VOTE.
WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE IS POLITICAL WILL.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU GOT TO HAVE POLITICAL WILL TO 
SAY THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH 
IT.
YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, ALL THE DATA, ALL THE 
FACTS, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE FOUR PEOPLE ON THE BOARD OF 
COUNTY COMMISSION SAY YES, THIS IS WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT, 
YES, WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, YES, WE HAVE ALL THE 
FACTS, THEN LET'S PUT IT TO THE PEOPLE FOR A VOTE.
NOW, I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, BACK THEN WHEN WE WAS 
VOTING IN '99 -- GAS -- WHEN WE WAS TALKING ABOUT 
INCREASING GAS BY ONE CENT, GAS WAS 88 CENTS A GALLON.
YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS TODAY?
>> 2.55.
>> 3.31.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  3.18 SOME PLACES AND SOME PLACES 3.35.
OKAY?
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY, I 
WOULDN'T PUT NOTHING ON THE BALLOT TALKING ABOUT RAISING 
TAXES IN NOVEMBER WHEN YOU GOT SOMETHING ON THE BALLOT TO 
CUT TAX.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO PUT SOMETHING ON THERE, 
RIGHT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO TURN AROUND AND PUT RAISING TAX?
THAT'S A CONFLICT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  IT'S CALLED AN OXYMORON.
>>MARK SHARPE:  CAN I -- COUNCILMAN SCOTT -- AND I LOVE 
QUOTES.
I'LL CLOSE WITH CHURCHILL.
HE SAID, CONFRONT THE BRUTAL FACTS.
THERE'S NO WORST MISTAKE IN PUBLIC LEADERSHIP THAN TO HOLD 
OUT FALSE HOPES SOON TO BE SWEPT AWAY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING US TO DO.
I THINK WE NEED TO CONFRONT THE FACTS AND THEN MOVE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT COMMISSIONER SCOTT 
HAD FOR BREAKFAST.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.
[LAUGHTER]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE, AND 
THERE ARE SEVERAL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
NATURALLY WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE ACTION ITEM JUST TO GIVE 
YOU A LITTLE HEADS-UP, AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM MR. 
CLIFFORD REGARDING THE TBARTA, AND WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS, THE 
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE THAT'S IN OUR PACKET, SO WE COULD READ 
THAT.
WE WON'T HAVE TO GO INTO THAT.
THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM IS ALSO IN THE PACKET 
THAT YOU COULD READ.
THE NORTHEAST PLANT CITY AREA MASTER PLAN, WE WOULD LIKE TO 
DELAY THAT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING, AND --
>> [INAUDIBLE]
[LAUGHTER]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  AND THE -- AND WE WILL HEAR FROM THE 
AREA -- HARTLINE.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE'LL -- WE'LL MOVE FORWARD, AND WE HAVE 
SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS BEFORE WE 
ACTUALLY TAKE A VOTE.
SO VIVIAN BACCA, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR PLANNING 
COMMISSION DIRECTOR COME UP AFTER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THIS WAS AN OFF-AGENDA ITEM.
I DON'T KNOW.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MS. BACCA.
>> NOW, THIS IS NOT THE AGENDA ITEM, THIS IS THE OFF-AGENDA 
ITEM WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
MY NAME IS VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THERE'S A MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 
A BRIEFER AND A LEADER.
MY HUSBAND WORKS AT CENTRAL COMMAND.
HE'S WORKED THERE A LONG TIME.
CAN'T TALK ABOUT HIS JOB, BUT HE DOES TALK ABOUT THE FACT 
THAT HE SITS IN MEETINGS WITH BRIEFERS, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE 
GOOD AT IT AND SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT GOOD AT IT.
THE BRIEFERS BRIEF THE GENERAL.
THE GENERAL DOESN'T -- HE'S THE LEADER, HE'S THE ONE WHO 
GETS THE INFORMATION AND IMPLEMENTS THE PLAN.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
NEXT IS -- LET ME SEE -- FLOTT, T. FLOTT.
DID I PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME CORRECTLY?
YES, SIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>> YOU GET AN "A" FOR THAT.
PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THAT SOMETIMES.
TERRY FLOTT.
I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING U-CAN.
AT THIS POINT I'D LIKE TO SAY WE NEED TO HAND OUT SOME 
ROLLS OF DUCT TAPE BECAUSE MY HEAD'S ABOUT READY TO 
EXPLODE, AS MARCELLA WOULD SAY, MY DEAR FRIEND WHO COULDN'T 
BE HERE TODAY.
I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE SETTLED WITH WHAT'S -- THE LATEST 
MOTION TO HAVE A WORKSHOP ON THIS.
I CAME PREPARED TO DISCUSS AND HIGHLIGHT MANY OF THE THINGS 
THAT HAS COME -- HAVE COME OUT IN THIS CONVERSATION TODAY 
REGARDING LEADERSHIP.
I DO BELIEVE THERE'S A SEVERE LACKING OF LEADERSHIP IN THE 
COUNTY ACROSS THE BOARD THROUGH MANY COMMITTEES, MPOs, 
WHATEVER.
WE HAVE SO MANY THAT IT'S SO DIFFICULT, AND I REALLY THINK 
THERE'S SUCH A -- WHAT'S DRIVING THIS FORCE -- AND I COULD 
BE WRONG, BUT IT IS THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OUT THERE THAT 
THERE'S SO MANY EGOS INVOLVED, THAT SOMETIMES WE FORGET 
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, AND WE ARE HERE ASKING FOR 
LEADERSHIP.
I DO BELIEVE IT WAS UNFAIR TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY 
AND ASK FOR SOMEBODY'S RESIGNATION OR FIRING OR WHATEVER.
NO MATTER WHO THAT PERSON IS, I THINK IT WAS THE WRONG 
THING TO DO.
COMMISSIONER SHARPE, YOU AND I AGREE ON MANY THINGS AND WE 
HAVE MANY DISCUSSIONS, BUT I REALLY HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH 
YOU ON THAT APPROACH, SO I AM GLAD THAT THIS BOARD IN 
GENERAL DECIDED TO DO WHAT THEY DID TODAY RATHER THAN THE 
OTHER OPTION.
TOTALLY UNFAIR.
WE DON'T KNOW -- WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT ALL 
THE COMMISSIONERS, CITY, MPO BOARD, WHATEVER WANTS.
HOW DO WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO OPERATE UNDER THAT?
THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY NEED TO REINFORCE IS -- AND 
I'M GOING TO TRY TO GET THIS OUT REALLY QUICKLY -- IS THIS 
ENTIRE COUNTY -- I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS IN THE 
JURISDICTIONS, MEANING IN THE CITY OR WHATEVER, BUT I CAN 
TELL YOU IN THIS COUNTY, IN THIS BUILDING AND OTHER OFFICES 
THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTY, IT RUNS AND OPERATES WITH A HUGE 
ELEMENT OF FEAR.
YOU HAVE STAFF -- QUALIFIED STAFF THAT WANT TO COME BEFORE 
YOU AND GIVE YOU THE -- WHAT THEY TRULY BELIEVE IN THEIR 
PROFESSIONAL OPINION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE FEAR IS SO DRIVEN IN THIS COUNTY THAT 
YOU'RE GETTING STAFF THAT COMES BEFORE YOU OFTEN, NOT ALL 
THE TIME, OFTEN TO GIVE YOU WHAT THEY THINK YOU WANT TO 
HEAR, AND I AM PLEADING WITH THIS COUNTY TO STOP IT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  PLEASE --
>> WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STOP IT SO THAT -- 
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  PLEASE WRAP IT UP.
>> OKAY.
WAS IT THREE?
I DIDN'T --
>>JOE AFFRONT:  OH, YEAH.
>> I'M SORRY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  IT WILL BE.
>> SO I AM PLEASED WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED AND WE DIDN'T GO 
FORWARD WITH YOUR PLAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THERE IT IS.
>> I'M SORRY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANYWAY, THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
NEXT IS MR. NIEMANN OR -- YEAH.
>> GOOD MORNING.
GEORGE NIEMANN, DOVER, FLORIDA.
I'M GOING TO SORT OF IMITATE THE LATE JOHNNY COCHRAN, AND 
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A PHRASE.
INSPIRE, DON'T FIRE.
I WANT TO ADDRESS COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
AS MS. FLOTT SAID, WE -- YOU'RE AN ALLY MANY TIMES, BUT I 
AM VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTED IN WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP TODAY AND 
HOW IT WAS BROUGHT UP AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT WAS 
BROUGHT UP, ALL THE -- THE THINGS THAT SURROUND IT.
IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY, I HAVE TO TELL 
YOU THAT THOSE OF US THAT ARE WATCHING WHAT GOES ON, WE 
START TO QUESTION MOTIVE, AND I KNOW YOU'RE A GREAT SPEAKER 
AND YOU SAY IT SOUNDS GREAT, I WANT TO DO THE BEST, I WANT 
TO DO THIS, I WANT TO DO THAT, BUT IN LIGHT OF THE FACT 
THAT OUR BOARD IS PUSHING TO HAVE ONE BAY DO OUR VISIONING 
FOR THE FUTURE AND WE HAVE TBARTA, WHICH I ALSO CALL ONE 
BAY, WANTS TO PREPARE OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN -- AND YOU 
GUYS ARE BEHIND IT, YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THAT, AND NOW IT ALL 
SEEMS TO START FITTING INTO THIS WEB THAT WE WEAVE.
WE'VE GOT A PRIVATE -- THE PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP'S GOING TO 
DO OUR VISION, THEY'RE GOING TO DO OUR TRANSPORTATION 
PLANNING, AND MAYBE SHE DOESN'T FIT WITH THIS MOVE TO HAVE 
THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DO EVERYTHING FOR US, SO 
LET'S GET RID OF HER, AND WHEN YOU SAY, LET'S LOOK AT NOT 
JUST THIS BODY, LET'S LOOK AT ALL OF -- ALL OF GOVERNMENT, 
WE SHOULD DO THAT?
OKAY.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT -- AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW U-CAN 
PUSHES FOR CONSISTENTLY -- CONSISTENCY.
APPLY THE RULES TO EVERYBODY EQUALLY.
ALL RIGHT.
IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, THEN WHAT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST 
TO YOU IS -- OR MAYBE I'LL QUESTION YOU.
IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT ALL GOVERNMENT AND YOU SAY LOOK AT 
THE MAPS SHE GAVE, THE MAP IS A BIG ISSUE, THE MAP, THE 
MAP, THE MAP.
THEN WHAT I WOULD CALL -- I WOULD CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO 
THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.
YOU HAD -- AND THIS IS IN YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND, IN PG & M, 
YOUR TRANSPORTATION MANAGER, NED BAIER, HE LIED TO THE 
PUBLIC.
HE PUT MIS -- HE PUT OUT MISINFORMATION REPEATEDLY, AND HE 
DID ALL OF THAT.
HE LIED TO ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
I DIDN'T HEAR YOU UP THERE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO ASK 
MR. BAIER IF HE SHOULD RESIGN.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO START -- IF YOU WANT TO PLAY THAT 
GAME, THEN PLAY IT EQUALLY AND ASK FOR MR. BAIER'S 
RESIGNATION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  PAM CLOUSTON.
>> GOOD MORNING.
PAM CLOUSTON, 1621 THOMPSON ROAD IN LITHIA.
I ACTUALLY CAME DOWN HERE TO TALK ABOUT TBARTA, AND BOY, 
THAT SURE BLENDED RIGHT INTO THIS DEBACLE THIS MORNING.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF 
QUESTIONS, AND I'VE ENJOYED THIS LIVELY DEBATE THIS MORNING 
SOMETHING AWFUL.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY TELL IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR, AND I DO WANT 
TO SAY TBARTA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT TBARTA PRESENTS.
WHO ARE THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT 
ARE ON THE TBARTA BOARD?
OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE WAS SOMETHING INCORRECT PRESENTED, IT 
WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE PEOPLE TO MAKE 
SURE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT GOT THERE WAS CORRECT, SO 
MR. BAIER AND MR. HAGAN THAT REPRESENT US FROM HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY, DON'T THROW LUCIE UNDER THE BUS FOR THAT.
SOMEBODY ELSE SHOULD BE CHECKING.
OKAY?
LEADERSHIP DOESN'T MEAN DELEGATING THINGS OUT.
YOU KNOW, I DO PODUNK LEADERSHIP, OKAY, VOLUNTEER 
ORGANIZATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND I'VE DONE IT FOR 
YEARS.
I KIND OF SORT OF GOT SHOVED INTO THAT, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, 
IF YOU'RE WALKING ALONG AND NOBODY'S FOLLOWING, YOU'RE NOT 
LEADING.
A THING ABOUT BEING A LEADER IS YOU NEED TO PUT -- GIVE 
CLEAR DIRECTIONS.
THEN YOU FOLLOW THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DIRECTIONS 
ARE FOLLOWED.
IF YOU DON'T GIVE THE DIRECTION IN THE FIRST PLACE, 
THERE'S -- YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR FAULT.
SO LET'S NOT BE LOOKING AT THAT.
WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT WHO WE'RE PLACING ON THESE -- I 
THINK GEORGE TALKED ABOUT NED'S POSITION.
WHO KILLED THE 2050 STUDY?
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION.
ALL OF OUR PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS COUNTY -- IN THIS 
COUNTY ARE UNDER ATTACK.
THEY'RE UNDER ATTACK IN TALLAHASSEE, THEY'RE UNDER ATTACK 
BY THE BOCC, THEY'RE UNDER ATTACK BY EVERYTHING, AND IF 
THAT ISN'T APPARENT, THEN COME ON, GUYS, YOU KNOW -- ALL OF 
US KNOW THAT THAT -- THIS IS THE SAME COUNTY COMMISSION 
THAT KEPT HOWIE CARROLL ONBOARD, AND NOW YOU WANT TO THROW 
LUCIE UNDER THE BUS.
I DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT BUYING IT, GUYS.
THERE'S SOMETHING BEHIND THIS.
WE ALL KNOW WHERE TBARTA COMES FROM.
IT COMES FROM -- WELL, WE ALL KNOW WHERE IT COMES FROM, AND 
WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE MOTIVATION IS, AND AS FAR AS ME, I'D 
RATHER PAY MY TAX DOLLARS AND HAVE A PUBLIC FUNDING OF OUR 
TRANSPORTATION THAN TO TURN IT OVER TO PRIVATE ENTITIES.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
KELLY CORNELIUS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
KELLY CORNELIUS, 18732 DORMAN ROAD.
BAD NEWS, NO LONGER BELTWAY FREE, SO THAT IS WHY I'M HERE.
THAT'S WHY I CAME DOWN INITIALLY TODAY, AND THEN AS I WAS 
READING MY COFFEE, I READ THAT ARTICLE THIS MORNING, AND, 
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES JUST WHEN I THINK I'VE SEEN IT ALL, YOU 
GUYS PROVE ME WRONG.
I AGREE WITH MR. SHARPE IN THAT THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS 
COUNTY IS SORELY LACKING.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR OF THIS MPO.
THAT IS NOT WHERE IT'S LACKING, AND I'VE SUFFERED THROUGH 
SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS WHERE YOU GUYS BICKERED BACK AND 
FORTH, LAST-MINUTE LETTERS FROM MR. NORMAN ABOUT THE 
AGREEMENT AS WHO PICKS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
NOW THAT'S ALL KIND OF MAKING SENSE TO ME.
I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WRITING THE LETTERS SAYING I WAS 
APPALLED AT THE MAP, COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
NOT AS APPALLED AT WHAT I WATCHED YOU TRY TO PULL TODAY.
AT YOUR AIDE'S DIRECTION, I TALKED TO AN OFFICIAL FROM 
FDOT, ALBA LOPEZ, AND I ASKED HER SPECIFICALLY WHERE HER 
MAPS CAME FROM, AND I COULD NOT GET AN ANSWER.
AND I TYPED THIS DOWN WHILE I WAS TALKING TO HER, SO IT'S 
PROBABLY NOT WORD FOR WORD, BUT IT'S CLOSE.
WHAT EXACT MAP, YEAR AND DATE, DID YOU USE FOR MAP 8, 
HILLSBOROUGH CONNECTIONS ON TBARTA'S MASTER PLAN?
WELL, IT WAS A MODELING PROCESS, SHE SAYS.
SO YOU DIDN'T USE AN EXACT MAP, I ASKED?
IT WAS A MODELING PROCESS FOR POTENTIAL TRANSIT SERVICES.
THIS IS THE ANSWER THAT I GOT FROM HER.
SHE COULD NOT EVEN TELL ME WHERE THE MAP CAME FROM THAT WAS 
USED.
NOBODY CAN.
I CAN'T GET AN ANSWER FROM ANYONE.
I ASKED THEM HOW THEY WORK WITH OUR LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE 
PLAN.
I SAID, WOULD TBARTA GO AGAINST THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS OF 
A COUNTY?
WELL -- AND I GOT MANY ANSWERS HERE.
SO I'M NOT BLAMING THIS ON THE MPO AT ALL, BUT I CERTAINLY 
AM BLAMING IT ON TBARTA, I'M BLAMING IT ON OUR OFFICIALS TO 
TBARTA, WHICH ARE COMMISSIONER HAGAN, MR. BAIER, AND WE 
KNOW HE ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH WHEN WE ASK IT OF HIM, AND 
SO WHAT I'M WATCHING TODAY SEEMS TO BE SIMILAR AS TO WHAT 
HAPPENED TO OUR EPC.
YOU ATTACK THEM, YOU GIVE A HYBRID LATER, AND THEN 
BASICALLY YOU CRIPPLE THEM, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE 
TO THOSE OF US WHO'VE SEEN IT BEFORE, AND I HOPE THE REST 
OF YOU SEE WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
TOM ADERHOLD -- ADERHOLD.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE OFF-AGENDA ITEM AS WELL AS THE ON 
TBARTA COMING UP.
TOM ADERHOLD, 5215 WILCOX ROAD.
LIKE COMMISSIONER HAGAN, I'M UP FOR ELECTION THIS YEAR, BUT 
UNLIKE COMMISSIONER HAGAN, I BEGAN CAMPAIGNING 11 YEARS AGO 
BY GETTING INVOLVED IN VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT IMPACT 
BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, LAND USE, WATER, TRANSPORTATION, OUR 
COMMUNITIES, OUR FAMILIES, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY OUR 
COLLECTIVE COSTS AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
MY INVOLVEMENT WITH PROGRESS ENERGY, TECO, TRANSPORTATION, 
TBARTA BRINGS ME HERE THIS MORNING.
I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOUR DIALOGUE AND ACTION PLAN THAT 
TAKES ADVANTAGE OF TWO UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITIES KNOCKING 
AT OUR DOORS TODAY, NAMELY ONE, TBARTA IS FASHIONING A 
REGIONAL PLAN TO MOVE PEOPLE AND GOODS WITHIN OUR SEVEN 
COUNTIES.
TWO, PROGRESS ENERGY WILL BUILD A NEW POWER PLANT AND IS 
FASHIONING A REGIONAL PLAN TO MOVE ELECTRICITY WITHIN AND 
THROUGH OUR SEVEN COUNTIES.
LIKEWISE, TECO IS CONSIDERING A CO-FINANCE OR CO-OWNERSHIP 
OF THAT NEW PLANT AND WILL LIKEWISE NEED A REGIONAL PLAN.
SO AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEW ERA OF ENHANCED BUDGET CONTROL 
AND REGIONAL VISIONING, HILLSBOROUGH AND ITS THREE CITIES 
MUST BE IN A DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP POSITION THAT FASHIONS OUR 
FUTURES INSTEAD OF BEING HELD BACK BY OUR PASTS.
SPECIFICALLY TBARTA IS IDENTIFYING MAJOR SPINE -- IN THEIR 
TERM -- SPINE CORRIDORS THAT WILL CONNECT OUR POPULATION 
CENTERS.
EACH JURISDICTION CAN THEN TIE THEIR LOCAL CORRIDORS TO THE 
SPINE.
LIKEWISE, PROGRESS ENERGY IS ALSO IDENTIFYING MAJOR 
CORRIDORS FOR THEIR HIGH-VOLTAGE SPINES.
EACH POPULATION CENTER WILL THEN HAVE LOCAL LOWER-VOLTAGE 
CORRIDORS TIED TO THAT.
THE TBARTA AND PROGRESS ENERGY SPINES SHARE COMMON FEATURES 
THAT WE AS THIS BOARD AND THIS BOARD OF COUNTY 
COMMISSIONERS CAN USE.
THE MOST OBVIOUS COMMONALITY IS RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION 
AND USE.
EVERYBODY HERE HAS IDENTIFIED -- CAN IDENTIFY WITH 
EVERYTHING I'M TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE I'VE HEARD YOU 
IDENTIFY WITH THEM EARLIER IN YOUR DISCUSSION.
WE CAN ALL BENEFIT WHEN THE SAME RIGHT-OF-WAYS ARE USED FOR 
BOTH TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES.
SOME OF THOSE OBVIOUS BENEFITS ARE REDUCED COSTS TO OUR 
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BUDGETS, REDUCED UTILITY COSTS AND 
USER COSTS, ALTERNATE REVENUE SOURCES, I.E., CELLULAR 
ANTENNA BEING MOUNTED ON SOME OF THESE PUBLIC STRUCTURES.
FEWER EMINENT DOMAIN TAKINGS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY FIGHTS.
IMPROVED -- THIS IS A BIG ONE, COMMISSIONER SHARPE -- 
IMPROVED ACCEPTANCE AND TRUST FROM OUR CITIZENS, FASTER 
REGULATORY AND DEPLOYMENT OF TRANSIT SYSTEMS.
YOU DO COST SHARING -- IT COSTS THIS MPO LESS MONEY TO RAMP 
UP IF YOU DO A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ARRANGEMENT WITH 
SOME OF THESE BIG UTILITIES.
OKAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  [INAUDIBLE]
>> THESE FORMS OF COLLOCATION, RESOURCE SHARING, AND NON-
TAX-BASED REVENUE GENERATION ARE NOT NEW, BUT IF YOU, OUR 
MPO, ADOPT IT AS OUR HIGHEST FORM OF PROVEN PUBLIC-PRIVATE 
PARTNERSHIP FOR TRANSPORTATION LAND USE, IT CAN SAVE 
DOLLARS AND BECOME THE BENCHMARK THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  HE'S OUR LAST SPEAKER.
MR. HUNTER, DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE BOARD?
>>BOB HUNTER:  BOARD MEMBERS, BOB HUNTER, PLANNING 
COMMISSION.
COMMISSIONER, AS PER THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT YOU 
ADOPTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, YOU WELL KNOW THAT THE PLANNING 
COMMISSION PROVIDES YOU THE STAFF SUPPORT THROUGH LUCIE 
AYERS.
IT'S OUR INTENT TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE THE STAFF THAT YOU 
NEED PER THE ROLE AND POSITION DESCRIPTION, SO AS I 
UNDERSTAND IT, THE MOTION BEFORE YOU IS TO HAVE A WORKSHOP 
CONCERNING THE ROLE AND MISSION OF THE MPO, AND WE'LL 
CERTAINLY BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE YOU THE SUPPORT THAT YOU 
NEED TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR MISSION, AND I THINK THE SECOND 
PART OF THAT IS TO REVIEW THE POSITION DESCRIPTION AND TO 
ESTABLISH MEASURABLE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR, AND WE'RE PREPARED DO THAT AND WORK WITH YOU.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. HUNTER.
YES.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  YEAH.
MR. CHAIRMAN, EVERYBODY MENTIONS THE BOOKS THAT THEY READ.
MARK SHARPE, THE GREAT, MR. SCOTT -- I EVEN FORGOT THE NAME 
OF HIS BOOK, BUT ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS I EVER 
READ WAS BY DALE CARNEGIE, "HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND 
INFLUENCE PEOPLE."
HE SAID, IF YOU KNOW YOUR SUBJECT, STAND UP AND TALK; IF 
NOT, STAY SEATED, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO INFLUENCE THE 
PEOPLE TO PASS THIS IF IT DOES COME ON A BALLOT, WE'VE GOT 
TO DO IT RIGHT OR ELSE WE'RE GOING TO BE ALL THROWN UNDER 
THE BUS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WOULD YOU MIND READING THE MOTION AS YOU HAVE IT, SO THIS 
WAY WE'LL ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THE AMENDED MOTION.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE IT VERBATIM, BUT IT WAS TO SET 
A WORKSHOP TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH REGARD TO DIRECTION, 
AND THEN I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER SHARPE WANTED TO SET AN 
ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM TO DISCUSS THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 
OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR --
>> RIGHT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  -- AND ALSO TO BRING MEASUREMENTS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  MEASUREMENTS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH 
-- I THINK AT SOME POINT WE NEED HAVE A CONVERSATION 
BECAUSE THE MOU IS KIND OF VAGUE WITH REGARD TO THE 
SELECTION OF -- HOW A -- HOW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE 
MPO IS SELECTED.
I KNOW IN OTHER -- MOST OF THE JURISDICTIONS THAT THE MPO 
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES THE DETERMINATION.
IN THIS CASE, UP UNTIL PRESENT, I THINK WE'VE HAD TWO MPO -
- I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE HAD ONE OR TWO MPO DIRECTORS IN OUR 
HISTORY, I BELIEVE TWO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS -- AND 
IF WE DON'T HAVE TIME AT THIS MEETING, THEN MAYBE THE NEXT 
MEETING BUT JUST THE PROCESSES YOU SEE THAT WOULD BE USED 
WHEN WE CHOOSE A -- AN MPO DIRECTOR, HOW THAT PROCESS WOULD 
FLOW.
I THINK WE NEED TO --
>>BOB HUNTER:  MR. CHAIRMAN, TO RESPOND TO THAT, MAY I 
SUGGEST THAT THAT COME UP AT YOUR WORKSHOP?
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES, SIR, THAT'S FINE.
>>BOB HUNTER:  WHICH JUST SEEMS APPROPRIATE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  PERFECT.
>>BOB HUNTER:  I WOULD MENTION IN THE CURRENT AGREEMENT 
THAT WAS APPROVED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, IT SAYS THE 
DESIGNATION OF A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHALL BE RATIFIED 
BY THE MPO BOARD --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  EXACTLY.
>>BOB HUNTER:  -- BUT IT'S CERTAINLY OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
>>MARK SHARPE:  OKAY.
THAT'S FINE.
>>BOB HUNTER:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND ON THE FLOOR, AND AGAIN, 
MAYBE I'M DENSE, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND 
THE MOTION FULLY, AND IN IS TO HAVE A WORKSHOP, WHICH WE 
CAN ESTABLISH THE DATE -- WE'LL HAVE LUCIE COORDINATE THE 
DATE FOR IT, AND THEN TO -- GIVE ME THE SECOND PART, MARK, 
IF YOU DON'T MIND.
FIRST WAS THE --
>>MARK SHARPE:  THE FIRST WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A 
WORKSHOP.
THE SECOND IS TO AGENDA IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING THE GOALS 
AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE WANT TO ESTABLISH FOR OUR MPO 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
YES, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
I'M MAKING THE MOTION.
THE MOTION IS BEING MADE BY ME.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING THAT ALL AT THE 
WORKSHOP.
SOME OF THAT YOU'RE GOING TO AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING 
HERE?
>>MARK SHARPE:  I THINK AT THE NEXT MEETING, I BELIEVE THE 
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, NOT THE -- THE CRITERIA FOR HOW WE 
CHOOSE A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR HOW WE APPROVE -- AND I 
THINK THAT WAS WHAT MR. HUNTER WAS SAYING WAS THAT HE WOULD 
BRING TO US A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WE WOULD APPROVE IT.
THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSED AT THE WORKSHOP, BUT THE SPECIFIC 
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES I THINK NEED TO BE ADDRESSED DURING 
THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
SO WE HAVE TWO MOTIONS, A WORKSHOP AND THEN TO AGENDA AT 
THE NEXT MEETING TO AGENDA A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC 
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THEN, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THOUGHT THAT WAS 
DIFFERENT.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS WE NEEDED 
AT A WORKSHOP TO ESTABLISH ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AT 
THE NEXT -- AT THE NEXT MEETING, MR. SHARPE, ESTABLISH NEW 
GOALS, ESTABLISH NEW OBJECTIVES, HAVE A DIRECTION WE WANT 
TO HEAD IN, AND THEN PAY COURTESY TO ALL THESE THINGS THAT 
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SWITCH TO NEXT MONTH.
I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT UNLESS ALL OF THIS STUFF IS 
DONE AT A WORKSHOP WHERE WE TAKE OUR TIME TO MASSAGE 
EVERYTHING WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT IN TERMS OF GOALS AND 
OBJECTIVES.
THAT -- THAT, MR. SHARPE, IS GOING TO BE --
>>MARK SHARPE:  LET MR. HUNTER SPEAK TO THAT.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  ALL RIGHT.
GO AHEAD.
>>BOB HUNTER:  COMMISSIONERS, I GUESS MY UNDERSTANDING IS 
BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO HAVE THE WORKSHOP -- AND I'VE HAD THE 
DISCUSSION WITH COMMISSIONER SHARPE SEVERAL TIMES EARLIER -
- AND THAT TO TRY TO GET WHAT YOU'RE REALLY AFTER, FIRST I 
THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION OF WHAT YOUR ROLE AND 
DIRECTIVES ARE AS IT DEALS WITH FEDERAL AND STATE 
LEGISLATION.
THAT DEALS WITH THE ROLE DISCUSSION OF YOUR MISSION.
AND AFTER THAT, I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU REVIEW 
THE CURRENT POSITION DESCRIPTION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
I'M NOT SAYING NEXT MONTH.
I'M SAYING AT THIS WORKSHOP.
AND IF YOU WANT TO ESTABLISH MEASURABLE PERFORMANCE 
MEASURES FOR HER AT THAT TIME, PROBABLY SO, BUT REMEMBER, 
YOU HAVE -- I BELIEVE IT'S AUGUST IS WHEN THE EVALUATION 
OCCURS OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
SO IT'S ONLY WITHIN A FEW SHORT MONTHS, AND THE BOCC TAKES 
A VACATION IN JULY, I THINK IT IS, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS 
THE INTENT OF ALL THIS IS TO OCCUR AT THE WORKSHOP, WHICH I 
THINK'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A POSITION 
DESCRIPTION, AND --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MR. SHARPE, WOULD YOU AGREE TO --
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES, YES, YES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THE MOTION, THEN, WILL BE TO HAVE A 
WORKSHOP, AND WE'LL SET OUR PRIORITIES AND ANY OTHER ITEMS 
WE WANT TO DISCUSS AT THAT PARTICULAR WORKSHOP.
OKAY.
THAT'S --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND WE WERE GOING TO ALSO, I BELIEVE, MR. 
CHAIR, BRING SOME COMPARISON FROM OTHER MPOs JUST SO WE CAN 
LOOK AT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT AT THE WORKSHOP.
>>MARK SHARPE:  EACH BOARD MEMBER CAN DO THAT.
THAT'S NOT DIRECTED.
I WAS JUST SUGGESTING AS I WAS TALKING THAT YOU WOULD -- 
COLLECTING INFORMATION, EACH BOARD MEMBER WILL DO THAT, 
THAT'S NOT DIRECTED.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  AT OUR WORKSHOP --
>>MARK SHARPE:  SURE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  -- WE CAN DISCUSS ANYTHING THAT WE REALLY 
FEEL IS IMPORTANT TO DO.
YES, MR. SCOTT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD HOPE, THOUGH, NOW -- 
I HEARD WE WERE -- I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COME WITH A PLANNED 
AGENDA OR ELSE WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE ALL DAY TALKING 
ABOUT NOTHING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  I AGREE.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  NOW, LET'S BE SPECIFIC WHAT WE WANT TO 
TALK ABOUT AT THIS WORKSHOP.
NUMBER ONE, WHEN IS THE WORKSHOP?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WE'VE GOT TO ESTABLISH THAT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  WELL, WE DON'T MEET FOR ANOTHER MONTH.
YOU NEED TO BE TRYING TO ESTABLISH THAT TODAY BECAUSE WE 
DON'T MEET FOR ANOTHER MONTH.
NUMBER TWO IS YOU NEED TO SAY -- PUT IT ON THE RECORD WHAT 
IT IS YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
NOW, I HEARD MAYOR LOTT SAY SOME THINGS, I HEARD 
COMMISSIONER BLAIR AND COMMISSIONER HAGAN SAID THESE ARE 
THE THINGS THAT WE -- WE NEED TO PUT IT ON -- MAKE SURE 
IT'S IN THE MOTION, OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT UP TO 
STAFF TO COME BRING US SOMETHING FOR US TO DISCUSS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I WILL NOT LEAVE IT UP TO STAFF.
LY BE WORKING WITH STAFF.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  BUT COMMISSIONER, THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.
ONE PERSON CAN'T WORK WITH STAFF TO BRING A WORKSHOP.
IT HAS TO BE ALL OF US.
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TO PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO INCLUDE 
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT, WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT AND WE 
VOTE ON IT, AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WORKSHOP AND SET A 
DATE.
OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LEAVING THE STAFF TO PLAN YOUR 
WORKSHOP, AND I DON'T THINK YOU WANT THAT.
YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND COUNCILMAN SCOTT, TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT 
YOU'RE SAYING, YES, INPUT FROM US, BUT THIS REALLY SHOULD 
GO THROUGH THE CHAIRMAN TO WORK WITH STAFF AND ESTABLISH 
THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND MARK WANTS IT TO BE A CONSTRUCTIVE 
WORKSHOP, BUT I THINK THAT THE CHAIRMAN SHOULD HEAD THE 
AGENDA AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  BUT IF A MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR, HE HAS 
THE RIGHT TO PUT IN THAT MOTION WHAT HE WANTS TO HAVE 
DISCUSSED.
WE EITHER VOTE IT UP OR DOWN.
THAT'S HIS PREROGATIVE.
THAT'S HIS MOTION.
AND WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO AGREE WITH IT, DISAGREE, OR ADD TO 
HIS -- IF HE AGREES TO ADD IT IN THERE.
THE ONLY THING I'M SAYING IS, COMMISSIONER, TELL US WHAT 
YOU WANT SPECIFICALLY IN THE MOTION SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S 
GOING TO BE AT THE WORKSHOP BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I'M NOT 
HEARING IT.
I'M HEARING THE CHAIRMAN SAY WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHATEVER.
NOW, I'M NOT COMING TO A MEETING TO TALK ABOUT WHATEVER.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I AGREE WITH YOU, ABSOLUTELY, AND --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ALL RIGHT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  GO AHEAD, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  NO, NO, GO AHEAD.
>>MARK SHARPE:  MY ORIGINAL INTENT WAS TO WALK IN HERE AND 
AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH A DISCUSSION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY 
HAVING TODAY ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ABOUT THE GOALS 
AND OBJECTIVES, BOTH OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND THE SPECIFIC 
OBJECTIVES WE WERE ESTABLISHING FOR OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
AND TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION NEXT MONTH.
THAT WAS THE -- I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A 15-MINUTE 
DISCUSSION.
IT'S TURNED INTO A TWO-HOUR DISCUSSION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  RIGHT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WHICH IS FINE.
I THINK IT'S GOOD BECAUSE WE'VE AIRED A LOT OF IT NOW.
DURING THAT WE'VE DECIDED LET'S HAVE A WORKSHOP.
SO I DIDN'T COME HERE WITH THE INTENT OF HAVING A WORKSHOP.
I CAME HERE WITH THE INTENT OF JUST HAVING AN AGENDA ITEM, 
WHICH -- BECAUSE I HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOU.
I WANTED TO GO INTO HOW -- EXACTLY HOW WERE WE GOING TO BE 
SELECTING A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
DURING THIS DISCUSSION, THOUGH, COMMISSIONER BLAIR BROUGHT 
UP A VERY GOOD POINT, WHICH I WANT INCLUDED IN THE 
WORKSHOP, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE 
EVALUATING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT 
HOW -- WHAT THE -- THE MEASUREMENT TOOLS ARE THAT WE USE 
TODAY OR THAT HE'S BEEN USING TO EVALUATE HER, BECAUSE 
WE'VE NEVER EVALUATED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IT'S ALWAYS 
BEEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE.
WE SHOULD DISCUSS THAT AT THIS WORKSHOP AS WELL AS WHAT OUR 
EXPECTATIONS ARE.
THERE WAS ALSO THEN CONVERSATION -- I THINK MS. MULHERN AND 
SOME OF THE OTHERS TALKED ABOUT, WELL, WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WE 
CAN'T ASK HER TO DO SOMETHING IF WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE 
WANT TO GO.
SO IF DURING THAT CONVERSATION -- BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE 
MORE WE TALK, THE BETTER, AND I WOULD INVITE THE CITIZENS 
AND OTHERS TO BE THERE.
I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD THING.
IT SHOULD BE SPECIFIC, I AGREE, BUT I THINK THE DISCUSSION 
IS VERY HEALTHY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD IT, SO LET'S HAVE 
THAT CONVERSATION AT THE NEXT WORKSHOP, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE 
AS WELL THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ESTABLISHING 
FOR THE MPO, AND I'M FOCUSING MORE ON THIS TRANSIT CONCEPT 
FOR 2050, WHICH HAS BEEN BROUGHT OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I'VE BEEN TOLD BEFORE THE BOARD NEVER REALLY APPROVED 
THIS IS WHAT I HEARD, AT LEAST --
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  NO.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WELL, WE NEED -- I'M TALKING ABOUT THE MPO 
BOARD.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  OH.
>>MARK SHARPE:  SO WE NEED -- THEN LET'S NOT DISCUSS THIS 
WHOLE THING, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT OUR DIRECTION -- THE 
DIRECTION FOR THE MPO AND THE DIRECTION FOR THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
SO THAT'S THE MAIN THING, AND --
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THE CHAIRMAN DO 
THAT, THAT'S FINE.
I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE THE CHAIRMAN FACILITATE 
THIS WORKSHOP WITH STAFF.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
YES, MR. BLAIR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  I JUST HAVE -- YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT 
WE ALL GO OUT AND DO OUR OWN STUDIES.
I ACTUALLY BELIEVE IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO HAVE SOME 
MEASURABLE COMPARISONS TO OTHER COUNTIES, HOW MUCH MONEY 
HAVE THEY BROUGHT DOWN FROM -- YOU KNOW, THROUGH GRANTS AND 
THOSE PROCESSES, IF WE CAN COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES.
OTHERWISE, HOW DO YOU -- HOW DO YOU SET MEASURES?
I MEAN, WHAT GOALS AND CRITERIA ARE YOU GOING TO USE?
YOU CAN CERTAINLY DISCUSS THEM AT THE -- AT THE WORKSHOP, 
BUT MAYBE MR. HUNTER MIGHT HAVE SOME MEASURABLE GOALS THAT 
WE COULD -- ACTUALLY THAT COULD BE BROUGHT TO THE WORKSHOP 
SO WE COULD -- SO WE COULD SEE WHERE -- WHAT JOB HAS BEEN 
DONE, HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN BROUGHT DOWN COMPARED TO US 
AND PINELLAS OR DADE, BROWARD, OR WHEREVER THE OTHER -- 
SOME OF THE OTHER MPOs BECAUSE MONEY IS A BIG PART OF WHAT 
I UNDERSTAND ACHIEVING AND RECEIVING GRANTS IS -- IF WE 
DON'T HAVE DOLLARS, AGAIN WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING, SO I WANT 
TO SEE HOW MANY DOLLARS HAVE WE ACTUALLY APPLIED FOR AND 
BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT COMPARED TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
I THINK THAT'S PERTINENT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
I THINK THE MAIN THING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, I 
WOULD THINK, AT OUR WORKSHOP IS TO SET THE PRIORITIES FOR 
WHAT THE MPO BOARD SHOULD BE DOING AND WHAT THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE SO THAT SHE CAN BE MEASURED 
BASED ON THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  THAT'S CORRECT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  BUT I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE 
TO DO THAT -- WE'LL SET THE PARAMETERS, AND THEN AT THE -- 
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT AT THE EVALUATION IN AUGUST THAT WE 
EVALUATE AS MUCH AS WE CAN BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF 
TIME BETWEEN MAY -- WHENEVER WE HAVE OUR MEETING AND THE 
EVALUATION PERIOD, SO I -- IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO 
EVALUATE WHETHER SHE HAS NOW TAKEN ON THESE NEW ADDITIONAL 
RESPONSIBILITIES THE WAY WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THEM TAKEN ON 
AS -- AT THAT POINT, BUT WE NEED TO ESTABLISH OUR 
PRIORITIES.
THAT'S NUMBER ONE, I THINK.
YES, MR. CAETANO.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  YES, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN LUCIE'S JOB DESCRIPTION.
HOW OFTEN IS MS. AYERS REVIEWED AND ASSESSED?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ONCE A YEAR.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  ONCE A YEAR.
HOW HAVE ALL OF HER PERFORMANCES BEEN IN THE PAST, THE PAST 
13, 14 YEARS?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  EVERYTHING IS -- SINCE LAST DECEMBER, 
THAT'S WHEN WE CHANGED THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT TO STATE 
THAT THE MPO BOARD, THE FULL BOARD, WOULD EVALUATE -- WOULD 
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UP UNTIL THEN THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
SO THAT WAS CHANGED LAST DECEMBER.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  OKAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SO --
>>BOB HUNTER:  THE AGREEMENT CURRENTLY -- THE NEW AGREEMENT 
READS, THE MPO BOARD UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHAIR WILL 
BE PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL 
REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
THAT'S THE NEW LANGUAGE.
IN THE PAST WHEN I'VE REVIEWED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF 
THE MPO, I HAVE DISCUSSED IT WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MPO 
INFORMALLY.
SHE'S PERFORMED QUITE WELL, AND I'VE HAD THE DISCUSSIONS 
WITH THE CHAIR THAT -- AND BEFORE THIS CHAIR, I BELIEVE IT 
WAS SHAWN HARRISON AND THEN RICH GLORIOSO, AND I'VE HAD 
THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM BEFORE I'VE COMPLETED THE 
EVALUATION, IF THAT'S YOUR QUESTION.
OKAY.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SO WE'LL ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO 
PARTICIPATE.
WE HAVE A FORM THAT WE HAVE FOR THE EVALUATION.
IN FACT, WE HAD THREE OF THEM, AND I THINK THE ONE THAT 
LOOKS REALLY GOOD IS THE ONE THAT MR. MILLER, THE EXECUTIVE 
DIRECTOR OF THE AIRPORT, HAS IN HIS EVALUATION, SO WE'LL BE 
GETTING THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY WELL IN ADVANCE SO EVERYBODY 
WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
OKAY.
WITH THAT, I GUESS WE NEED A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MR. SHARPE, THANKS.
I THINK THIS WAS A VERY, VERY GOOD DISCUSSION, AND OUT OF 
ALL SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS, SOMETHING POSITIVE COMES OUT OF 
IT, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  MR. SHARPE, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BACK IN 
THE MILITARY?
>>MARK SHARPE:  I WISH.
[LAUGHTER]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
TO MOVE ON, WE HAVE ONE ACTION ITEM -- WAIT.
WE HAVE CAC AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE REPORTS.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  CAN YOU DEFER SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF 
THINGS TO NEXT MONTH OR --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WHAT DO YOU THINK, LUCIE?
>>LUCIE AYER:  THAT'S FINE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
I'M SORRY.
LET'S TAKE THE ACTION ITEM, SO THIS WAY WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE 
EVERYBODY HERE FOR A VOTE.
WALLY BLAIN.
>>WALLY BLAIN:  GOOD MORNING.
WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF.
BEFORE YOU IS AN AMENDMENT FOR THE T.I.P.
THIS AMENDMENT INCLUDES THREE SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
ALL OF THESE PROJECTS INVOLVE FUNDING FOR HART.
THE FIRST TWO ARE ROLL-FORWARD AMENDMENTS.
THIS IS MONEY THAT'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN THE T.I.P. 
DOCUMENT.
BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION RULES, THAT 
MONEY NEEDS TO BE SHOWN IN THE CURRENT YEAR IN ORDER FOR 
THE GRANTS TO BE EXECUTED AND THE MONEY TO BE MADE 
AVAILABLE TO HART.
THE FIRST PROJECT INCLUDES BUS PURCHASES FOR THE TRANSIT 
EMPHASIS CORRIDORS, BRT LINES ON NEBRASKA AVENUE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S MONEY THAT'S COME IN.
THE SECTION 5309 MONEY THAT'S SHOWN, THAT'S AN EARMARK OR 
GRANT MONEY THAT'S COME IN.
THE SECTION 5307 IS THE TRADITIONAL FORMULA MONEY THAT 
COMES IN ANNUALLY TO HARTLINE, SO THEY'RE TAKING THIS MONEY 
AND POOLING IT TOGETHER FOR BUS PURCHASES AND IMPROVEMENTS 
ALONG THE BRT LINE ON NEBRASKA AVENUE.
THE SECOND PROJECT IS AN IMPROVEMENT FOR THE 21st AVENUE 
FACILITY.
AGAIN, THIS IS A ROLL-FORWARD OF MONEY THAT'S BEEN FROM 
PREVIOUS YEARS TO SHOW THIS IN THE CURRENT YEAR SO THAT THE 
MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS FACILITY ON 21st AVENUE FOR HART 
CAN BE UPGRADED.
THE THIRD PROJECT DOES REQUIRE A SHIFTING OF FUNDS.
THIS IS THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM FUNDS THAT ARE 
CURRENTLY SHOWN IN THIS YEAR, 2008.
HARTLINE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SECURE REVENUE AND FUNDS FROM 
OTHER SOURCES TO COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTHWEST 
TRANSFER CENTER, SO WHAT THEY'RE ASKING IS THIS MONEY BE 
SHIFTED FROM THE TRANSFER CENTER OVER TO BUS PURCHASES AS 
WELL THAT WOULD BE USED FOR THEIR GENERAL FLEET.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, I'M AVAILABLE.
THERE'S ALSO HART STAFF AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC 
QUESTIONS AS WELL.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. BLAIN?
YES, MR. BLAIR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  WELL, YOU SAID HART STAFF WAS HERE AND 
AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT.
I HAD A PERSON CALL IN, AND I REVIEWED THEIR DOCUMENTATION 
AS THE LOWEST BIDDER FOR SOME PRINTING WORK DONE, AND I WAS 
A LITTLE DISTURBED THAT THEY HAD ALL THE QUALIFICATIONS AND 
EVERYTHING WAS APPROVED AND THEY WERE THE LOWEST BIDDER BY 
A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF THAT BID AND THEY DID NOT 
RECEIVE THAT, AND I WANTED SOMEBODY TO TELL ME WHY.
DING WHO WAS THAT?
WHO IS IT?
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  IT WAS IN PURCHASING.
>>DAVID ARMIJO:  STILL GOOD MORNING.
DAVID ARMIJO, I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR HART, AND 
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT QUESTION.
MY UNDERSTANDING, I HAD SOME DISCUSSION EARLIER THIS WEEK 
WITH STAFF.
WE HAVE TALKED TO THE CONTRACTOR THAT -- WE WORKED WITH 
THEM QUITE A BIT, AND THE ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED.
THEY'RE STILL A CONTRACTOR WORKING FOR HART.
NOW, I'LL CERTAINLY RESPOND MORE DEFINITIVELY TO YOU AFTER 
THIS MEETING, BUT I BELIEVE WE'VE RESOLVED THAT ISSUE.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THANK YOU, DAVID.
>> THERE WAS A CONFUSION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, MR. CAETANO.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  I'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT DISCUSSION HERE, 
SIR.
WHY DIDN'T THIS PERSON -- THE LOWEST BIDDER GET THE 
CONTRACT?
>> THE ISSUE CAME UP WITH -- I'M JUST GOING BY MEMORY 
BECAUSE I HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION A COUPLE DAYS AGO.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE CONTRACTOR IS STILL ONBOARD WITH 
US.
THE ISSUE HAD TO DO WITH THE WAY THE SHEETS FOR EVALUATION 
HAD BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR, AND THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION WITH 
THAT.
THEY WENT BACK, LOOKED AT THAT.
APPARENTLY DIFFERENT PEOPLE, THE WAY THEY EVALUATED IT, 
DIDN'T EVALUATE THE NUMBERS CORRECTLY, AND SO THEY DID A 
REEVALUATION, AND THEY FOUND THE CONTRACTOR NUMBERS ARE 
FINE, AND THEY'RE STILL ONE OF OUR CONTRACTORS.
WHEN WE DO PRINT, WE DO MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS, AND WE 
USUALLY HAVE AS MANY AS THREE CONTRACTORS ONBOARD AT ANY 
GIVEN TIME THAT WE USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORK GIVEN 
WHATEVER WE'RE PRINTING.
AGAIN, I CAN GIVE YOU MORE DEFINITIVE COMMENT THAN THAT, 
BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE CONTRACTOR ISSUES WERE 
RESOLVED, THEY WERE ADDRESSED, AND IT WAS A MISTAKE ON OUR 
PART.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  AND SO THE LOWEST BIDDER WILL GET THE 
CONTRACT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  AND THAT IS A MINORITY BIDDER JUST FOR THE 
RECORD.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IF THERE'S ANY REASON I'M WRONG ON THAT, I WILL 
CERTAINLY COME BACK AND CONFRONT YOU WITH THAT, BUT I 
BELIEVE THAT'S THE RESOLUTION ON THAT ISSUE.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR -- YES, MARY.
>>MARY MULHERN:  I HAD A QUESTION FOR WALLY.
ON ITEM 3, NORTHWEST TRANSFER CENTER CONSTRUCTION, WHERE IS 
THAT EXACTLY, THE NORTHWEST TRANSFER CENTER?
>>WALLY BLAIN:  I COULD GUESS, BUT I'M GOING TO LET MARY 
SHAVALIER FROM HART ADDRESS THAT.
>>MARY SHAVALIER:  GOOD MORNING.
MARY SHAVALIER FROM HART.
THE NORTHWEST TRANSIT CENTER IS IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF 
THE COUNTY AROUND SHELDON AND WATERS.
>>MARY MULHERN:  OKAY.
AND WHERE DID THE FUNDING COME FROM TO COMPLETE THAT SO 
THAT YOU CAN TRANSFER THE --
>>MARY SHAVALIER:  WE ACTUALLY SWITCHED SOME OTHER SURFACE 
TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM FUNDS.
WE USED -- ACCELERATED THE PROJECT WITH EARLIER, YOU KNOW, 
YEAR FUNDING, AND THEN ARE TRYING TO GET THIS MONEY BACK 
FOR THE BUS REPLACEMENT, SO WE BASICALLY DID A TRADE.
>>MARY MULHERN:  BUT IT WAS MONEY THAT WAS APPROPRIATED FOR 
THE TRANSFER CENTER BUT FROM ANOTHER YEAR?
>>MARY SHAVALIER:  YES, YES.
WE DID A SWITCH, RIGHT.
>>MARY MULHERN:  THANKS.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  QUICK COMMENT.
DAVID, I KNOW YOU'RE NEW HERE.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL EMPLOYEE THAT YOU HAVE, BY THE WAY.
I'VE WORKED WITH HER FOR TWO YEARS, AND SHE'S EXCELLENT.
SO MARY IS EXCELLENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE APPRECIATE THAT, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY EXPANDED HER DUTIES 
FOR THAT VERY REASON.
HER VALUE TO US IS BRINGING IN MONEY TO THIS REGION, SO 
SHE'S DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YES, SHE IS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
OKAY.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE TRANSPORTATION 
AMENDMENT?
>> MOVE APPROVAL.
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING -- I'M SORRY.
MOVING TOO QUICK HERE.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  ROLL CALL.
ANYWAY, NO, DAVID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME UP, BUT I JUST 
WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE PURCHASE OF THESE BRT 
BUSES.
A FEW MONTHS AGO WE HAD A HYBRID BUS, AND I THINK THEY EVEN 
SAID IT WAS SORT OF A BRT TYPE OF BUS THAT WAS PARKED OUT 
HERE ON KENNEDY BOULEVARD, AND I JUST -- I KNOW THAT WE'RE 
NOT PURCHASING THESE RIGHT AWAY, BUT WHEN WE DO PURCHASE 
THEM, I HOPE THAT WE'RE TAKING A SERIOUS LOOK AT THE 
HYBRIDS.
SO THAT'S JUST MY COMMENT.
I'M IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> WE NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
OKAY.
COMMISSIONER HAGAN'S NOT HERE.
DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  YES.
>> BLAIR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  YES.
>> LOTT.
>>RICK LOTT:  YES.
>> AFFRONTI.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>> SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES.
>> MULHERN.
>>MARY MULHERN:  YES.
>> COMMISSIONER SCOTT'S NOT HERE.
CAETANO.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  YES.
>> FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YES.
>> WAGGONER.
THE MOTION CARRIED.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WALLY.
I'M SKIPPING AROUND THIS AGENDA BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY 
NEEDS TO GET BACK TO THEIR JOBS AND SO ON, BUT I'D LIKE TO 
HEAR FROM BOB CLIFFORD.
WOULD YOU MIND COMING UP REGARDING TBARTA.
>>BOB CLIFFORD:  YES, SIR.
BOB CLIFFORD, COMING TO YOU TODAY NOT WITH MY D.O.T. HAT ON 
BUT MY TBARTA HAT ON.
AND MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN THIS PRESENTATION, SO I'M 
NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE SAME LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT I HAVE 
IN THE PAST ON IT.
JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS I WANT TO HIT RELATED TO WHAT TBARTA'S 
DOING, KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THE MANY CHALLENGES WE FACE.
REALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE WAY TBARTA LOOKS AT IT, 
THIS IS A QUALITY-OF-LIFE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND HOW THAT FITS INTO 
OUR OVERALL LIFE WITHIN THE REGION, PARTICULARLY AS WE MOVE 
FORWARD AND BEYOND ROADWAYS AND START TALKING ABOUT TRANSIT 
AND HOW DO WE ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES THAT WE FACE FROM THE 
ISSUE OF COSTS OF TRANSPORTATION, DEMOGRAPHICS, AND SO 
FORTH.
YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF TBARTA, A REGIONAL ENTITY CREATED BY 
THE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR.
CITRUS COUNTY TO THE NORTH, SARASOTA COUNTY TO THE SOUTH.
BUT REALLY SOME UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT ABILITIES THAT I WANT 
TO POINT OUT, THIS IS NOT JUST A PLANNING ENTITY.
THIS IS AN IMPLEMENTING ENTITY.
IT HAS THE ABILITY TO GO BEYOND PLANNING, IT HAS THE 
ABILITY TO DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, OWN, OPERATE, MAINTAIN, AND 
FINANCE TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES WITH THE PARTICULAR FOCUS 
ON TRANSIT IN THE EARLY YEARS.
START TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE OF TBARTA, WHO THE MEMBERS 
ARE, 15 MEMBERS FROM AROUND THE REGION.
YOU SEE THEM ALL HERE.
YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
PURPOSE OF THE AUTHORITY, AGAIN, REALLY TRYING TO GET 
PEOPLE FROM WHERE THEY ARE TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
LOOKING AT IT NOT ONLY FROM THE EXISTING PERSPECTIVE BUT 
ALSO OUT INTO THE FUTURE.
MENTIONED EARLIER WHAT TBARTA CAN DO IN TERMS OF ITS 
OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT TRANSPORTATION.
AGAIN, GETTING BEYOND THE BUILDING, GETTING IT TO THAT 
IMPLEMENTATION STAGE.
LONG-TERM RESPONSIBILITIES, COORDINATING WITH AGENCIES SUCH 
AS YOURSELF, WITH AGENCIES SUCH AS THE TRANSIT AGENCIES, 
THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE CONNECT 
TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE REGION WITH THAT FOCUS ON TRANSIT 
AND HOW IS THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN ALL OF THE VARIOUS MODES 
AND ACTIVITY CENTERS WITHIN THE REGION.
TALK ABOUT THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE 
LOOKING AT?
ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT TBARTA THE BOARD HAS INDICATED 
IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT FUNDING AND FINANCING 
DISCUSSION EARLY AND OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE 
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN AND NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AN 
IMPLEMENTABLE PLAN AND THAT IT'S EQUITABLE ACROSS THE 
REGION.
THE REGION HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS, DIFFERENT DESIRES, AT A 
DIFFERENT POINT IN TIME IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, 
AND WE TALKED ABOUT CITRUS TO SARASOTA, TO MAKE SURE THAT 
WE LOOK AT THAT TIME FROM AN EQUITABLE PERSPECTIVE.
NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE SCHEDULE.
MENTIONED EARLIER WE'RE MOVING AND GROOVING, IF YOU WILL, 
IN TERMS OF TRYING TO GET THIS EFFORT COMPLETE.
OUR REQUIREMENT PER THE LEGISLATION IS A REGIONAL MASTER 
PLAN BY JULY 1st OF 2009.
THE BOARD HAS ASKED US TO ACCELERATE THAT, TO TRY TO HAVE 
IT COMPLETE BY THE END OF THE YEAR OR VERY CLOSE TO 
COMPLETE, AND THAT'S WITH A SPECIFIC REASON IN TERMS OF 
TRYING TO PUT US IN POSITION RELATED TO THE NEXT FEDERAL 
REAUTHORIZATION BILL, TO PUT US IN POSITION FOR THAT, TO 
ALSO PUT US IN POSITION FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION AT 
THE STATE LEVEL.
TALKED ABOUT CONNECTIONS THROUGH AND WITHOUT THE REGION.
AGAIN, TRANSIT CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE REGION, AND AT THIS 
FIRST STAGE LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES, 
LOOKING AT IT AND GETTING OUT THERE, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE 
THINKING ABOUT, WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT, ASKING 
AND ENGAGING THE PUBLIC, ARE THESE THE AREAS WE NEED TO BE 
LOOKING AT?
IN SOME CASES WE'VE HEARD YES; SOME CASES WE'VE HEARD NO, 
BUT THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS ENGAGING THE PUBLIC, 
ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS SO THAT AS WE MOVE INTO THOSE NEXT 
STEPS AND START GETTING DOWN INTO THE DETAILS OF WHAT IT 
IS, WHERE IT IS, AND HOW DOES IT ALL FIT TOGETHER, WE HAVE 
THAT INFORMATION AND ARE LOOKING AT THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE 
INTERESTED IN US LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF THOSE CONNECTIONS.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'VE BEEN REALLY GOING THROUGH THIS ENTIRE ENGAGEMENT 
PROCESS.
IT'S NOT AN INPUT PROCESS OR INVOLVEMENT PROCESS, IT'S 
ENGAGING THE PUBLIC.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU IT'S A 
LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WE POINTED OUT TO THE TBARTA BOARD, 
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE HELD SEVEN 
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, NEARLY 400 ATTENDEES.
WE'VE HAD 54 BRIEFINGS AND WORKSHOPS, ANOTHER 1400 
ATTENDEES AS PART OF THAT.
WE'VE HAD NEARLY 600 COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS 
PROCESS.
THAT'S GREAT STUFF.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE 
CONTINUING TO DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS, 
SEEKING THEIR INPUT, MAKING CHANGES AS THEY GIVE US THAT 
INPUT AND INFORMATION.
THAT'S BEEN VERY IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES HAS BEEN THE ISSUE OF DATA.
THAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND ARE 
WORKING VERY HARD TO RECTIFY THAT WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, 
WITH OUR MPO PARTNERS, WITH OUR COUNTY PARTNERS.
SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE'RE FINDING IS THE DATA IS JUST -
- IS OLD.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
IT'S BASED ON 2000 CENSUS INFORMATION GOING BACK, AND WE'RE 
WORKING WITH THOSE PARTNERS AND OURSELVES IN TERMS OF 
UPDATING THAT DATA TO MAKE SURE IT'S RIGHT AS WE MOVE 
FORWARD TO THOSE NEXT STEPS.
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO HAVE THAT SO THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, PUT 
TOGETHER WHAT IT IS, WHERE IT IS, AND HOW IT ALL FITS 
TOGETHER.
WE'RE DOING THAT, AND THAT'S GOING TO A CONTINUING PART OF 
OUR ENTIRE PROCESS.
START TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER OF 
FUNDING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE TBARTA BOARD HAS RAISED IS WE 
NEED TO BE CREATIVE, WE NEED TO BE INNOVATIVE, WE NEED TO 
LOOK AT ALL OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO FUNDING.
WE NEED TO ENGAGE THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THIS ENTIRE 
DISCUSSION.
HOW CAN THEY BE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION?
HOW CAN THEY HELP US DELIVER TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES FOR 
OUR CITIZENS?
THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE EQUATION, LOOKING AT HOW DO WE 
MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS.
FUNDING IS A KEY PART OF THAT EFFORT, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO 
DO THAT.
LOOKING AT LESSONS LEARNED FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE REGION.
OUR LAST TBARTA MEETING WE HAD A GENTLEMAN FROM THE DALLAS 
AREA TALK ABOUT THEIR REGIONAL EFFORTS AND WHAT THEY'VE 
DONE.
VERY INTERESTING.
A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION, A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND 
STRUGGLES VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE FACED HERE, LOOK AT 
WHAT THOSE LESSONS ARE.
OUR NEXT MEETING WE HAVE FOLKS FROM THE PHOENIX REGION, 
WE'LL BE TALKING TO PEOPLE FROM THE DENVER REGION, THE 
CHARLOTTE REGION, LOOKING AT AREAS THAT ARE CLOSER TO US IN 
TERMS OF HOW THEY PLAN AND HOW THEY IMPLEMENT 
TRANSPORTATION AND HOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, 
PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO TRANSIT IN THAT ENTIRE 
EQUATION.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD SOME UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS EMERGE IN TERMS 
OF INITIAL FUNDING, PARTICULARLY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE 
ACTIVITIES, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO LEGAL SERVICES WHERE 
THE MPOs -- THIS MPO HAS STEPPED FORWARD, THE PRIVATE 
SECTOR HAS STEPPED FORWARD, THE DEPARTMENT OF 
TRANSPORTATION HAS STEPPED FORWARD.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE TIME, THIS IS THE PLACE, THIS IS THE 
ENTITY TO MOVE THAT DISCUSSION FORWARD AND PUT IT -- GET 
BEYOND THE PLANNING SIDE AND GET INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION 
SIDE OF THINGS.
WE TALK ABOUT FUNDING, AND REALLY I THINK IT BOILS DOWN TO 
ONE THING.
THE END OF THE DAY, DOES THE FUNDING INVESTMENT THAT WE 
MAKE AS A REGION RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION -- DOES IT MATCH 
THE BENEFIT?
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE QUESTION, THAT'S THE KEY ISSUE THAT 
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH OUR 
CITIZENS.
THAT'S ALL PART OF THE -- AND IF IT DOESN'T, THEN THIS 
EFFORT WON'T SUCCEED AND WE REALLY SHOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD.
IF IT DOES, WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL AND WE REALLY DO NEED TO 
MOVE FORWARD.
THAT'S A KEY QUESTION, AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL 
OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT THE TBARTA BOARD HAS BEEN PUSHING IS WE NEED TO 
BE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, WE NEED TO BE 
TREATING PEOPLE FAIRLY WITHIN THE REGION, GOING TO 
COMMISSIONER BLAIR'S PERSPECTIVE ABOUT DONORS AND SO FORTH.
THERE NEEDS TO BE EQUITABILITY IN THIS ENTIRE DISCUSSION 
WITHIN THE REGION IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE ADDRESS 
TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE TALK 
ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, OUR CITIZENS, EACH ONE OF US REALLY 
DOESN'T MAY ATTENTION TO A POLITICAL JURISDICTIONAL 
BOUNDARY.
WE WANT TO GET FROM WHERE WE ARE TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION WHEN WE CROSS FROM THE CITY 
BOUNDARY TO A COUNTY BOUNDARY TO ANOTHER COUNTY, ANOTHER 
CITY.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE 
LOOKING AT IT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION IN TERMS OF THE GROUPS 
WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH OVER THE LAST MONTH, WE'VE GOT SOME 
MORE COMING UP.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT PROCESS AND GO BACK TO MANY OF 
THESE SAME GROUPS.
WE'RE IN THE VERY FIRST STAGE.
WE'RE IN OUR INFANCY IN TERMS OF THIS EFFORT, IN TERMS OF 
THE DATA, THE KNOWLEDGE, AND ASKING THE QUESTION.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL BE REFINING THAT INFORMATION 
BASED ON THE INPUT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND 
THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THEM.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
A REAL LESSON LEARNED IS WE HAVE TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC.
I HEARD THE WORD "CAMPAIGN" EARLIER.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE 
COMMUNITY AT LARGE IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE DEAL WITH 
TRANSPORTATION AND HOW DOES TRANSIT FIT INTO THAT ENTIRE 
ROLE?
THAT, MR. CHAIR, IS WHERE WE'RE AT.
JUST WANTED TO PUT SOME FURTHER INFORMATION ON OUR UPCOMING 
MEETINGS, OUR WEB SITE.
JUST VERY BRIEFLY, AS I SAID, MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN 
THE PRESENTATION IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL, AND I'LL JUST 
OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
HAVE ANY -- YES, MR. DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  AS YOU MENTIONED, IT IS SORT OF A 
CAMPAIGN, AND I THINK IT'S A POSITIVE ONE.
THE -- ARE THESE MEETINGS -- ARE THE TBARTA MEETINGS 
VIDEOTAPED?
>>BOB CLIFFORD:  YES, THEY ARE.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  AND DO YOU DISTRIBUTE THOSE TO ALL THE 
MEMBER GOVERNMENTS?
>>BOB CLIFFORD:  YES, WE DO, AND THEY PUT THEM ON THE 
GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THEY'VE BEEN SHOWN?
OKAY.
I'VE BEEN MISSING THEM.
SO I'LL LOOK FOR THEM BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S REAL 
IMPORTANT.
>>BOB CLIFFORD:  YES.
ACTUALLY, OUR LAST MEETING WAS OVER AT THE D.O.T. OFFICES, 
AND THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOLKS OFFERED AND AGREED AND 
THEY ACTUALLY FILMED IT AND WILL PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION 
TO ALL OF THE COUNTIES FOR THEM TO PLAY.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  GREAT.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY -- GREAT JOB, BOB.
I -- I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU FEEL 
THE MPO COULD DO TO HELP TBARTA IN ANY WAY, IF YOU COULD 
JUST LET US KNOW, AND WE'LL TAKE IT UP WITH THE BOARD.
>>BOB CLIFFORD:  WE WILL DO THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  AND -- BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE VERY 
PROACTIVE BECAUSE WE THINK THAT THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR 
COMMUNITY.
>>BOB CLIFFORD WE WILL DO THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
>>BOB CLIFFORD:  OKAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ALL RIGHT.
ANY -- WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA HILLSBOROUGH AREA -- HARTLINE.
I KNOW WE PUT IT OFF LAST MONTH TO COME TO THIS MONTH, AND 
I'D HATE TO ASK YOU TO PUT IT OFF ANOTHER MONTH, SO IF YOU 
WOULD.
>>DAVID ARMIJO:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[INAUDIBLE] SLIDE SET UP.
I THINK IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN 
A LOT OF QUOTES TODAY.
WE'VE HAD CHURCHILL AND A FEW OTHER FOLKS.
I LIKE FROYD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE FROYD HAS A LOT FOR US, AND 
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FROYD HAS SAID MANY TIMES IS THERE 
ARE NO ACCIDENTS IN LIFE, AND THERE IS IN FACT SOMEWHERE 
OUT THERE FATE, SO I THINK IT'S SOMEWHAT FATEWISE THAT I'M 
HERE TODAY BECAUSE I THINK SOMETHING I'M GOING TO TALK 
ABOUT IS SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT TODAY 
ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
MY PURPOSE COMING HERE LAST MONTH WAS REALLY TO BRING YOU 
UP-TO-DATE.
THERE'S A LOT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
I'VE BEEN IN THE AREA NOW SIX MONTHS AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE 
OFFICER FOR HART AND WORKING ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, SO 
WHAT I'M REALLY GOING TO DO TODAY IS TAKE YOU THROUGH A 
VERY QUICK ROAD MAP OF WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHERE WE'RE 
GOING.
BUT AS I OPEN UP, I ALSO WANT TO SAY TO YOU THAT RIGHT NOW 
THIS REGION, SPECIFICALLY TAMPA, IS RIGHT NOW IN A 
RENAISSANCE FOR TRANSPORTATION, NOT JUST IN THE COMMUNITY 
FOR THE DISCUSSIONS THAT'S GOING ON WITH TBARTA AND OTHER 
ORGANIZATIONS AND THE 2050 PLAN, BUT THE REALITY IS OUR BUS 
RIDERSHIP IS GROWING LEAPS AND BARRELS, AND THERE'S BEEN A 
LOT OF DISCUSSIONS IN THE NEWS MEDIA, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK 
ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND THE PRICE OF GAS, BUT I HAVE TO TELL 
YOU, MUCH OF THAT RIDERSHIP GROWTH IS BASED ON THE 
INVESTMENT THAT'S BEEN MADE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AND 
THIS PRESENTATION WILL SHOW YOU THAT.
SPECIFICALLY WHAT I'M SAYING IS OUR RIDERSHIP IS UP 11% IN 
THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
WE'RE UP ALMOST 9% FOR THE YEAR.
WE'RE SEEING RIDERSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER 2%, 
THAT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FOR THIS REGION.
THAT INVESTMENT OF GROWTH AND THE INVESTMENT OF COST 
SAVINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE I'VE BEEN ONBOARD LAST 
SIX MONTHS HAS BEEN PUT BACK INTO THE SERVICE, AND IN FACT, 
THIS LAST WEEKEND WE ACTUALLY INCREASED RIDERSHIP, OUR 
SERVICE ON EIGHT OF OUR MOST PRODUCTIVE LINES ALONG THE 
CORRIDORS I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE BUS RAPID 
TRANSIT, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT, AND I BELIEVE THAT 
INVESTMENT IS GOING TO BODE WELL TO CONTINUE THIS GROWTH IN 
RIDERSHIP.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VISION BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN 
A LITTLE BIT OF THE DISCUSSION TODAY.
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
WHERE ARE WE NOW, WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE?
WHAT I PUT FORWARD HERE IS A VISION THAT'S REALLY BEEN 
PULLED TOGETHER BY THE HART BOARD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL 
YEARS, AND SPECIFICALLY A PROGRAM WE BEGAN IN 2006 TO LOOK 
AT WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS AND 
PULLING FROM SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THE REGIONAL 
APPROACH THAT WE WENT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP A 
TEN-YEAR PLAN, WE CAME UP WITH SEVERAL KEY POINTS, AND 
THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN DRAFTED INTO THIS SIMPLE PROCESS, 
WHICH IS WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE BEST TRANSIT SERVICE FOR 
ACCESSIBILITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH.
WE WANT TO DOUBLE OUR RIDERSHIP.
WE'RE APPROACHING 12 MILLION RIDERS THIS YEAR.
WE WANT TO HAVE TWICE THAT MANY RIDERS WITHIN A DECADE.
VERY SIMILAR TO WHERE CHARLOTTE WAS A DECADE AGO WHEN THEY 
HAD ONE SMALL BUS FLEET AND JUST UNDER 200 BUS, RIGHT ABOUT 
WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
THEY'VE NOW DOUBLED THEIR SIZE AND ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO 
INTRODUCE A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM AND ARE NOW CARRYING MORE 
THAN DOUBLE THE RIDERSHIP OF WHERE THEY WERE TEN YEARS AGO.
WE WANT TO BE THE BEST TRANSIT SYSTEM OF OUR SIZE IN THE 
COUNTRY.
NOW, LET'S FAST FORWARD.
WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO HERE?
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WE'RE REALLY ABOUT OVER THE NEXT 
SEVERAL YEARS IS DELIVERING ON PROJECTS, AND I'M GOING TO 
TAKE YOU THROUGH THOSE VERY QUICKLY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO ENHANCE OUR RIDERSHIP, WE WANT 
TO BE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT TO DO THINGS 
BETTER, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS -- AND THIS IS WHAT OUR 
PUBLIC HAS BEEN TELLING US -- IS WE WANT FASTER TRIPS, MORE 
FREQUENT SERVICE, AND WE WANT NEW TRANSIT OPTIONS, AND 
WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING FORWARD WITH THOSE.
TO DO THAT, OF COURSE, THIS THE LONG HAUL IS GOING TO 
REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
NOW, IN 2008 WE BEGAN THE YEAR WITH EXTENDED LATE-NIGHT 
SERVICE AND WEEKEND SERVICE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
MANY OF THE EMPLOYEES IN THIS REGION ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY 
GETTING TO AND FROM WORK.
WHEN WE'VE GONE OUT AND DONE PUBLIC MEETINGS, THIS IS 
PRETTY MUCH THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT COMES OUT IS THAT 
THEY NEED TO HAVE SOME WAY TO GET TO AND FROM, AND IN THE 
PAST MUCH OF OUR SERVICE WAS SHUTTING DOWN BY 9:00, 10:00 
AT NIGHT, SO PEOPLE COULDN'T MAKE IT BACK FROM SOME OF 
THOSE TRIPS.
WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN RESPOND TO SOME OF THE 
THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, SO WE'VE 
BEEN REVISING OUR DOWNTOWN CIRCULATORS, AND WE'RE WORKING 
ON THE PROCESS OF INTRODUCING TWO BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINES, 
AND I'LL GO INTO THAT IN A MOMENT.
SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MAP, AND WE'VE BEEN 
TALKING A LOT ABOUT MAPS TODAY, IN OUR MAP HERE IS THE 
CENTRAL CORE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WHAT WE CAN SEE ON THIS MAP ARE THE TWO BUS RAPID TRANSIT 
LINES.
IN GREEN IS THE NEBRASKA LINE.
THAT'S OUR NUMBER TWO LINE.
WE CARRY ONE MILLION TRANSIT RIDERS A YEAR ON THAT LINE, 
AND AS OF LAST WEEK, WE WERE ONLY RUNNING SERVICE EVERY 15 
MINUTES DURING THE WEEKDAY, 30 MINUTES ON SATURDAY, AND 60-
MINUTE SERVICE ON SUNDAY, SO IT'S NO WONDER THAT RIDERSHIP 
IS LOW IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHEN YOUR NUMBER ONE LINE 
CARRYING A MILLION RIDERS A YEAR ONLY HAS HOURLY SERVICE ON 
SUNDAY.
HOWEVER, EARLIER THIS YEAR WE CUT ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS BY 
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, AND WE PUT THOSE RESOURCES BACK 
INTO SERVICE ALONG EIGHT MAJOR LINES THIS PAST WEEKEND, SO 
THAT SERVICE NOW IS AT A 30-MINUTE FREQUENCY ON THE 
WEEKENDS, AND ALL THE LINES THAT FEED THAT CORRIDOR, AND 
THAT'S GOING TO BECOME VERY IMPORTANT AS WE GO FORWARD WITH 
THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROGRAM.
YOU SEE THE PURPLE LINE WHICH IS OUR EAST-WEST BUS RAPID 
TRANSIT WHICH OPERATES ALONG THE AIRPORT, ALONG MARTIN 
LUTHER KING, AS WELL AS HILLSBOROUGH, AND I'LL GET INTO 
THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN THE PRESENTATION.
OTHER INITIATIVES INCLUDE BUILDING MORE TRANSPORTATION 
FACILITIES.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL ON IN THIS 
REGION AND CERTAINLY COME BEFORE THIS BOARD IS GETTING 
FEDERAL FUNDS.
WE USED A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO BUILD BOTH THE WEST TAMPA 
AND NORTHWEST FACILITIES.
WEST TAMPA OPENED UP LAST FALL, AND THE NORTHWEST FACILITY 
WILL OPEN UP THIS COMING JULY.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A BUS STOP ACCESSIBILITY PLAN, A 
DISCUSSION THAT'S COME BEFORE THIS BOARD AND OTHERS MANY 
TIMES.
WE'RE PROGRAMMING A PROGRAM THAT WILL SPEND ABOUT $8 
MILLION TO GET BUS STOPS, OVER 4,000 OF THOSE ACCESSIBLE 
WITHIN THE COMING FIVE YEARS.
WE ALSO WERE SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR IN CLEARING THE 
ENVIRONMENTAL FOR THE STREETCAR EXTENSION.
I'LL HAVE A LITTLE MORE ON THAT IN THIS PRESENTATION AS WE 
GO.
NOW, THIS IS MY FAVORITE SLIDE.
I WISH MY PORTFOLIO WOULD LOOK JUST LIKE THIS ON MY MUTUAL 
FUND BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE NUMBER GOING UP.
IT'S A PRETTY GOOD INVESTMENT RETURN WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT 
ABOUT 25.5% IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND IN FACT, IN THE 
FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR WE'RE UP ABOUT 9%, AGAIN 11% 
LAST MONTH.
WE PROJECT THOSE NUMBERS TO FLATTEN OUT A LITTLE BIT IN THE 
SUMMER MONTHS.
HOWEVER, DEPENDING ON THESE INVESTMENTS WE'RE MAKING, WE 
MAY IN FACT FOOL OURSELVES AND CONTINUE TO SEE DOUBLE-DIGIT 
GROWTH, AND SO WE'RE HOPEFUL TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT AND 
GET THAT LINE UP JUST ABOVE THE 12 MILLION MARK.
OTHER EFFORTS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR IS ALSO LOOKING AT 
FUNDING.
WE'RE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING COSTS TO THE TUNE OF 
ABOUT $1 MILLION IN OUR BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE PUT BACK INTO 
SERVICE FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE WERE ALSO SUCCESSFUL WITH THE HELP OF THE COUNTY TO GET 
$40 MILLION FOR THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROGRAM THAT I JUST 
OUTLINED A MOMENT AGO, AND WE'RE BEGINNING AN EFFORT WITHIN 
THE HART BOARD TO LOOK AT REVENUE ALTERNATIVES, AND THERE'S 
A TASK FORCE THAT MEETS NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD GO 
FORWARD WITH.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, HART IS ALSO WORKING WITH PINELLAS, 
OUR FOLKS ACROSS THE BAY, AT SEEING WHAT WE COULD DO TO 
IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE SERVICES AND WHAT ELSE WE 
COULD DO TOGETHER AS WE GO FORWARD LOOKING FOR REVENUES.
PINELLAS SHARES SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES AND CHALLENGES AS 
WE DO, AND SO WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S 
GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD MAJOR.
I THINK THERE'S SOME GOOD OPPORTUNITIES THERE OF HOW WE CAN 
SHARE COMMONALITY OF FACTORS.
WE WERE ALSO VERY SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR IN GETTING THE 
STREETCAR PROJECT MOVING ALONG.
THE BUSINESS PLAN, WHICH WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN 
THE LOCAL MEDIA HERE RECENTLY, WAS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD 
AN UPDATE ON THAT BUSINESS PLAN SINCE ITS INCEPTION GOING 
BACK TO 2004, SO THAT BUSINESS PLAN IS A VERY SUCCESSFUL 
STORY BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE A PLAN THAT LET US GO FORWARD AND 
NOT ONLY EXTEND THE STREETCAR WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS BUT 
ALSO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE PROJECT ALONG.
FOR NEXT YEAR, AS WE GO FORWARD, WE'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER 
OF CRITICAL INITIATIVES.
IT'S GOING TO BE OUR CONSTRUCTION YEAR, PRIMARILY GETTING 
THE STREETCAR PROJECT UNDER CONSTRUCTION BEFORE THE END OF 
THE YEAR AND GETTING IT INTO OPERATION BY 2010.
THAT'S ABOUT A $4-MILLION INVESTMENT THAT WILL BE GOING 
ALONG FRANKLIN STREET.
OUR BUS RAPID TRANSIT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WILL COMMENCE 
WITH SOME CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO HELP THE BUS FLOW AND 
TRAFFIC FLOW ALONG NEBRASKA.
THAT'S ABOUT A $32-MILLION INVESTMENT THAT WILL BE IN THIS 
REGION FOR THAT PROJECT.
WE'RE ALSO, AS I SAID A MOMENT AGO, LOOKING AT OUR BUS STOP 
IMPROVEMENTS.
WE HAVE A NEW CONTRACT AT OUR BUS SHELTERS TO ADD 200 MORE 
SHELTERS TO THE 260 THAT WE HAVE NOW PLUS REVENUE FOR THE 
ADVERTISING THAT WILL BE SHARED WITH HART AS WE GO FORWARD 
IN THAT PROJECT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A VERY INTERESTING PROJECT ALONG 
KENNEDY.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH OUR ROUTE 30 ROUTE IS TO HAVE 
A ROUTE THAT WILL OPERATE AT HIGH FREQUENCY, AT LEAST 15 
MINUTES, BETWEEN THE AIRPORT WITH CONNECTIVITY WITH 
WESTSHORE MALL, INTERNATIONAL MALL, AND THE DOWNTOWN, AND 
WHAT OUR GOAL WILL BE IS TO GET FROM POINT "A" TO POINT "B" 
IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
TO DO THAT, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THE 
SIGNALIZATION AND TO HAVE A LIMITED STOP PROGRAM, VERY MUCH 
LIKE A BUS RAPID TRANSIT.
WE WANT TO GET THAT SERVICE IN OPERATION BY NOVEMBER OF 
THIS YEAR, SO IT'S ON A FAST TRACK, AND WE'LL BE 
COORDINATING AS WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST WITH THE SUPER 
BOWL, LOOKING AT SOME TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITIES THERE, 
AND THAT'S STILL IN THE PROCESS OF BEING WORKED OUT.
WE'RE PURSUING ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
WHILE WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE HELP OF PARTNERSHIP WE 
GOT WITH THE COUNTY ON THE FIRST BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINE, 
UNFORTUNATELY WE DID NOT GET FUNDING FULLY FOR THE SECOND 
LINE.
WE HAVE THE CONCEPTUAL OR ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL 
PLAN FOR THAT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY THAT WE NEED TO 
GET THE BUSES AND GET THE PROJECT GOING.
WE ARE NOW PURSUING A FEDERAL SMALL STARTS GRANT TO THE 
TUNE OF ABOUT $23 MILLION.
IT WILL BE OUR EXPECTATION TO BRING IT BACK TO THIS BOARD 
PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MONTHS TO GET THAT 
PROJECT GOING.
WHY?
BECAUSE THE FEDS ARE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY.
IT'S IN THE LAST YEAR AS WE APPROACH EVERYBODY'S CHALLENGED 
TO GET THE LAST BIT OF WATER OUT OF THE WELL, AND SO WE'RE 
GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO GET IN FRONT OF THAT.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN WORKING WITH THE AIRPORT 
ON A NEW TRANSPORTATION FACILITY ALONG SPRUCE, VERY CLOSE 
TO INTERNATIONAL PLAZA.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO THE REGION?
BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY A KEY PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE 
DOING WITH PINELLAS RIGHT NOW IN OUR TRANSPORTATION MODES.
WE SEE THAT AS A GREAT HUB OF CONNECTIVITY TO SERVICE INTO 
CLEARWATER AS WELL AS ST. PETE AS WE'RE TRYING TO WORK TO 
OUR BUS RAPID TRANSIT ALONG THE HILLSBOROUGH LINE COMING 
EAST TO WEST.
SO BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, THAT'LL BE GREAT.
WE'LL HAVE OUR BUSES CONNECTING ON A FAIRLY HIGH FREQUENCY 
BASIS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING WITH WESTSHORE AT SOME FORM OF A 
CONNECTION INTO THAT COMMUNITY AS THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH 
THEIR PROCESS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE ALSO BEGINNING TO LOOK AT A NEW 
FACILITY SOMEWHERE IN THE SYSTEM.
AS WE GO FORWARD, IF WE'RE GOING TO DOUBLE OUR RIDERSHIP 
OVER TEN YEARS, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 200-PLUS BUSES IN THE 
CURRENT FACILITY, THERE REALLY ISN'T ROOM FOR EXPANSION AND 
GROWTH, SO WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN LOOKING AT AN ACQUISITION 
OF ANOTHER FACILITY.
IN 2010 THE STREETCAR PROJECT WILL IN FACT GO INTO 
OPERATION.
WE HOPE BY THE SUMMER, MAYBE EVEN EARLIER IF THE PROJECT 
CAN GO FORWARD.
THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT IS SCHEDULED ABOUT OCTOBER, WHICH 
ACTUALLY WILL ROLL INTO FISCAL YEAR '11.
WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A 
ROUTE THAT'S EVEN OPERATING AT TEN-MINUTE FREQUENCY.
TO GET UP TO SERVICE OF TEN-MINUTE FREQUENCY IS GOING TO 
PUSH THAT RIDERSHIP WELL BEYOND THE MILLION MARK, AND I 
HOPE THAT WE CAN SEE THAT SERVICE GROW BY AS MUCH AS 25% OR 
MORE.
WE'LL ALSO BE ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL PARK-AND-RIDE SERVICES 
OUT TO BRANDON, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES 
AS WE BEGIN TO MOVE ON THE AIRPORT PROJECT WHAT IS THE 
TRANSIT CENTER.
IN 2011 WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THE SECOND BRT WOULD COME ON-
LINE AS WE GET THAT FUNDED AND PROGRAMMED, AND THAT SERVICE 
WILL BE, AGAIN, A CRITICAL ONE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO 
CONNECT TEMPLE TERRACE TO THE AIRPORT AT VERY HIGH 
FREQUENCY OF TEN-MINUTE SERVICES.
I ANY IT'S GOING TO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN ALL THE 
ROUTES THAT CONNECT TO THAT.
WE SHOULD HAVE THE BUS STOP ACCESSIBILITY PROGRAM AT THE 
POINT OF THREE-QUARTERS DONE AND SHOULD BE WRAPPED UP THE 
FOLLOWING YEAR.
NOW, WHERE DO WE GO BEYOND 2012?
WELL, THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED AS WE GO FORWARD, AND THAT'S 
WHERE A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION WITH THE HART BOARD AND THIS 
REGION HAS TO COME FORWARD WITH.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT THE SECOND BUS FACILITY WOULD BE 
PROGRAMMED AND FUNDED, AND THAT WOULD BE, IN FACT, UNDER 
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THE ROUTES SORT OF LIKE THE 
AIRPORT, THE KENNEDY ROUTE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, 
THAT WE WOULD SEE HAPPENING IN BRANDON, INCREASED 
FREQUENCIES ON FLORIDA, AND WE'D ALSO LIKE TO LOOK AT FLEX 
SERVICES.
WE BELIEVE ONE OF THE THINGS THIS REGION NEEDS IS MORE 
MOBILITY AND MORE MOBILITY OPTIONS, AND BY THAT, WE MEAN 
SERVICES THAT WILL BE MORE DESIGNED TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS 
OF A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE NEED MORE EXPRESS SERVICE.
RIDERSHIP ON THE EXPRESS LAST YEAR WAS UP WELL OVER 20%.
WE'RE CHALLENGED TO PROVIDE ENOUGH SERVICE TO THE FOLKS OUT 
AT MacDILL.
WE'RE UP TO SEVEN BUSES OUT THERE NOW, SO THAT'S DOING VERY 
WELL.
CLEARLY SOME FORM OF FUNDING WILL HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT AS 
WE LOOK AT THE EXPANSION TO GO FORWARD.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS?
CONTINUING TO ENHANCE OUR SERVICE WHEREVER IT'S POSSIBLE, 
CONTINUE TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE REGION, AND 
LOOKING AT WHERE WE WANT TO GO WITH SOME KIND OF A 
FRAMEWORK FOR EXPRESS BUS IN LIGHT OF DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE 
CONTINUED TO GO ON FOR LIGHT RAIL.
WE HAD A PROJECT BACK IN 2003 THAT'S STILL ON THE SHELF.
THAT COULD BE DUSTED OFF.
WE'LL SEE WHERE THE PROCESS TAKES US AS FAR AS MONEY.
WE'D ANTICIPATE THE SECOND BUS FACILITY WOULD BE IN THE 
PLAN, AND THEN FINALLY, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO 
ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON WITH 
REGIONAL MOBILITY, CERTAINLY WITH THE TBARTA PROCESS OF 
HAVING PUBLIC MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
WE'VE BEGUN MAKING SOME REAL PROGRESS WITH PINELLAS, AND 
WE'RE NOW HAVING DISCUSSIONS EVEN WITH SARASOTA AND SOME OF 
OUR OTHER PARTNERS, SO I THINK CONTINUING THAT, WORKING 
WITHIN OUR CURRENT PARTNERS, LIKE THE AIRPORT, AND THEN 
LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS AND JUST BEING PREPARED TO GO -- 
TO BE READY FOR THE NEXT STEP, AND WITH THAT, I'LL 
CONCLUDE.
THANK YOU.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YES.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  SIR, COULD YOU PUT THAT MAP BACK WHERE 
YOU SHOWED THE ROUTES?
>> LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THAT.
I THINK THAT'S IT.
THERE WE GO.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  OKAY.
YOUR MOST NORTHERN PART, WHERE ARE YOU GOING, UNIVERSITY 
AREA?
>> YES, SIR.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE ROUTE THAT 
YOU HAD UP TO NEW TAMPA?
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EXPRESS ROUTE?
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  YES.
>> I BELIEVE THAT'S -- IS THAT ROUTE 25X?
51.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  I THINK SO, CORRECT.
>> AND THAT'S PLANNED TO BE -- IS THAT BEING CURTAILED?
IT'S STILL GOING FORWARD.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY CHANGES TO THAT.
I KNOW THERE WAS A ROUTE ON THE WEST PART OF FLORIDA THAT 
WAS BEING CANCELED.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  I THINK THAT ROUTE'S BEING CURTAILED, 
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RUN IT ANY LONGER.
I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM YOU WE ARE PAYING ONE QUARTER OF A 
MILL, OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, AND YOU JUST STARTED 
THAT BUS LESS THAN A YEAR AGO.
YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE US SOME SERVICE OUT THERE OR I WON'T 
SUPPORT ANYTHING YOU PUT BEFORE THIS BOARD BECAUSE IT'S NOT 
RIGHT.
WE PAY ONE-FIFTH OF THE AD VALOREM TAX TO THE CITY OF 
TAMPA.
WHAT THEY COLLECT OUT OF 170 MILLION, ONE-FIFTH COMES FROM 
THE PEOPLE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF MY DISTRICT.
YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE US SERVICE OUT THERE, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO 
SUFFER FOR A WHILE LIKE YOU DID AT THE REST OF THE CITY AND 
THE COUNTY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
MARK.
>>MARK SHARPE:  LET ME COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR BRIEFING, BUT 
I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF MR. CAETANO AS WELL.
WHEN I WAS AT THE U-CAN MEETING, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT 
CAME UP WITH REGARD TO THE -- WITH REGARD TO THE 
PRESENTATION THAT TBARTA MADE -- AND IT'S A QUESTION THAT 
WE'VE ALL HAD WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHETHER -- NOT SO MUCH 
COMMUTER RAIL BUT COMMUTER RAIL, LIGHT RAIL, AND TRANSIT 
CORRIDORS IS THAT ONCE YOU GET THERE FROM YOUR -- YOU GO 
FROM DESTINATION "A" TO DESTINATION "B" AND YOU GET OFF, 
THE QUESTION ALWAYS IS THEN WHAT DO YOU DO?
YOU KNOW, ONE GENTLEMAN KEPT SAYING OVER AND OVER AGAIN I 
CAN'T TAKE MY CAR WITH ME, SO IF I TAKE THIS -- YOU KNOW, 
IF I RIDE THE RAIL LINE -- IF THERE ULTIMATELY IS A RAIL 
LINE -- THAT TAKES US DOWN THE SPINE AND I GET TO MY 
DESTINATION IN WESTSHORE, WHETHER IT'S THE BRANDON AREA OR 
WHEREVER IT MIGHT BE, THEN I'M KIND OF STUCK, AND MY 
QUESTION IS, ARE YOU COORDINATING WITH BOTH TBARTA AND WITH 
OUR MPO TO ADDRESS PLANNING OPTIONS SO THAT WHEN WE 
DISCUSS -- WHEN WE GIVE THESE VISIONS TO THE CITIZENS ABOUT 
HOW ONE ELEMENT MIGHT WORK, THEY IMMEDIATE -- BECAUSE 
THEY'RE VERY SAVVY -- THEY IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE NEXT 
QUESTION WHICH IS, WELL, OKAY, I SEE THAT LINE, BUT THEN 
WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?
AND I'D LIKE -- THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS I'D LIKE TO 
SEE BETTER COORDINATION AMONGST ALL THE AGENCIES WHEN WE'RE 
DISCUSSING THESE VISIONS BECAUSE YOU'RE AN INTEGRAL PART OF 
THIS WHOLE ENTIRE PIECE, AND MANY OF THESE CORRIDORS WE'RE 
TALKING ABOUT, PEOPLE KEEP SAYING RAIL.
IT MIGHT NOT BE RAIL, IT MIGHT BE YOUR BRT OR HOV OR 
WHATEVER IT IS, SO I GUESS THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
>> WELL, LET ME IS ANSWER THAT.
TBARTA DOES HAVE A LEVEL IN WHICH MYSELF AND THE OTHER 
GENERAL MANAGERS ARE -- PEERS OF THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, 
THE OPERATORS ARE MEETING, AND IN FACT, WE ARE HAVING THOSE 
KIND OF DISCUSSIONS SPECIFICALLY ON WHERE THE REGIONAL MAP 
GOES.
ONE OF THE POINTS OF DISCUSSION THAT OFTENTIMES GETS 
MISSED -- AND I CAN SAY THIS FROM EXPERIENCE, HAVING WORKED 
IN ORANGE COUNTY, WHERE I WAS IN CHARGE OF THE OPERATION 
FOR BUS, COMMUTER RAIL IN THAT SERVICE AREA, IS THAT YOU DO 
HAVE TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CONNECTIVITY ON BOTH ENDS.
IN OTHER WORDS, EITHER YOU'RE GETTING PEOPLE TO A PARK-AND-
RIDE TO TAKE A COMMUTER TRAIN OR YOU'RE PROVIDING THE PARK-
AND-RIDE PARKING FOR THEM TO TAKE THE TRAIN FROM THEIR 
ORIGIN POINT, BUT WHEN THEY GET TO THE DESTINATION, UNLESS 
BY COINCIDENCE THE LOCATION OF THAT STOP IS RIGHT WHERE 
THEY'RE GOING OR AT LEAST WITHIN A REASONABLE PEDESTRIAN 
WALK DISTANCE, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO NEED SOME FORM OF 
SERVICE TO GET THERE, AND WHAT WE PROVIDED IN ORANGE COUNTY 
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY THAT I WORKED AT IS WE PROVIDED 
FEEDER ROUTES THAT WENT INTO THESE MAJOR BUSINESS CENTERS 
AND MADE THAT FINAL CONNECTION AT NO COST TO THE RIDERS AT 
A HIGH FREQUENCY, AND IT WAS TIED TO THE ACTUAL DELIVERY OF 
THE SERVICE, SO WHEN THEY GOT OFF THEIR TRAIN, THOSE BUSES 
ARE WAITING THERE FOR THEM, AND THEY'RE TYPICALLY SMALLER 
VEHICLES, AND THEY WOULD GET YOU TO WHERE YOU'RE GOING 
PRETTY QUICKLY.
WHAT WE FOUND IN THE BUSINESS IS PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO MAKE 
MORE THAN ONE TRANSFER.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE SERVICE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE IT READY 
TO GO, OR THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT, SO 
WHEREVER WE GO WITHIN THIS REGIONAL APPROACH, YOU HAVE TO 
HAVE SOME KIND OF CONNECTION TO THE OPERATIONS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WELL, I WANT TO -- I HAVE MANY MORE 
QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL SAVE THEM FOR OUR HART MEETING.
I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I THINK YOU'VE COME IN STRONG AND YOU'VE DONE A SUPERB JOB 
IN THE SHORT TIME THAT YOU'VE BEEN HERE, AND I GUESS I 
WOULD ECHO THE COMMENTS OF OUR CHAIRMAN, WHICH IS WE WOULD 
LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COORDINATE -- AS WE DO WITH 
TBARTA, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COORDINATING WITH YOU, SIR --
>> SURE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  -- SO THAT -- BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED.
I MEAN, AGAIN, WHEN I GO BACK TO THE TRANSIT CONCEPT, I'D 
LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT OUR 
TRANSIT CONCEPT INCLUDED IN THAT IS THE DETAILED ANALYSIS 
OF -- EVEN IN OUR VISIONING HERE, ONCE WE GET TO A POINT, 
WHAT ARE THE THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE PEOPLE 
AROUND, WHETHER IT'S THE WESTSHORE DISTRICT, THE NEW TAMPA 
AREA, WESTCHASE.
AND SEE THE POINT'S OF MR. CAETANO IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, 
AND THAT'S FOR EVERYONE.
THE MOMENT WE START TALKING ABOUT VISIONS, SOMEONE'S GOING 
TO SAY WHAT ABOUT MY AREA, AND IF WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER 
FOR THEM ABOUT THEIR AREA, THEN THEY'RE SAYING WELL, THEN, 
I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE PICTURE, AND THAT'S BEEN 
MY CONCERN, IS WE NEED HAVE A DETAILED, THOUGHTFUL, VERY 
WELL-LAID-OUT PRESENTATION, WHICH INCLUDES ALL AREAS AND AT 
ALL LEVELS, AND SOMETIMES THOSE LEVELS TRANSCEND WHATEVER 
ORGANIZATION'S SPEAKING, SO WE'VE GOT TO ALL TALK TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. BLAIR.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT -- COMMISSIONER 
SHARPE, I THINK THOSE WERE GOOD REMARKS -- I THINK THE TAXI 
INDUSTRY SHOULD ALSO BE AT THE TABLE BECAUSE THEY PLAY AN 
INTRICATE ROLE.
IN EVERY CITY THAT I'VE BEEN TO, MAJOR CITY THAT HAS 
TRANSPORTATION, YOU CAN ALSO CATCH A CAB IF YOU CHOOSE TO.
THAT'S ONE THING.
I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR BUDGET CUTS, YOUR FISCAL 
RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU'VE TAKEN ADMINISTRATIVELY, AND THEN 
PUTTING THAT BACK INTO RIDERSHIP.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
ONE THING THAT HAS ALWAYS PUZZLED ME, AND YOU REALLY DON'T 
GET AN ACCURATE SKEW, IS THAT EACH TRANSFER IS COUNTED AS A 
RIDER; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  SO WHEN YOUR PERCENTAGES -- WHEN YOU SAY 
YOU'RE UP AT 11%, YOU CAN BE RIGHT ON THE NUMBER, BUT WHEN 
YOU SAY YOU'VE GOT 12 MILLION RIDERS THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY 
FACTUAL BECAUSE YOU'RE COUNTING EACH TRANSFER AS A RIDER.
>> UH-HUH.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  SO SOME PEOPLE MAY TAKE FOUR -- YOU KNOW, 
THEY MAY -- THEY MAY TAKE FOUR BUSES BEFORE THEY GET TO 
THEIR DESTINATION ALONE, THEY MAY TAKE SIX BEFORE THEY GET 
THERE AND HOME, SO THAT'S SIX RIDERS, BUT IN FACT -- 
FACTUALLY IT WAS ONLY ONE RIDER, SO I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE 
THAT WE FIND THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE USING OUR 
BUS SYSTEM, AND HOW YOU DO THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
I'VE HEARD MANY PEOPLE SING YOUR PRAISES SINCE YOU'VE BEEN 
HERE.
I HAVEN'T BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK ON THE BOARD WITH 
YOU YET, BUT I HOPE -- HOPEFULLY THAT WILL COME, BUT WITH 
THAT SAID, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I HOPE AGAIN 
THAT YOU WOULD TAKE -- TALK WITH THE TAXI INDUSTRY, KEEP 
THEM CLOSE TO YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING 
COUNTYWIDE, AND THE BUS ADVERTISING, THE SHELTER 
ADVERTISING PROGRAM, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THAT'S COMING 
ALONG GOOD.
I REALLY BUSTED MY FANNY TRYING TO GET THAT MOVING, AS MARY 
SHAVALIER COULD TELL YOU.
AND THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW MANY RIDERS DO WE NOW 
HAVE USING THE PSTA/HART CONNECTION CROSSING THE BAY?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF MARY HAS IT IN HER HIP POCKET.
>>MARY SHAVALIER:  NO.
>> NOT ENOUGH.
>>MARY SHAVALIER:  NOT ENOUGH.
>> NOT ENOUGH.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT MUCH, NOT ENOUGH.
>>BRIAN BLAIR:  THAT MAKES ME QUESTION WHAT'S GOING TO 
REALLY WORK.
>> I THINK A NUMBER OF THINGS.
WHAT I DO GIVE GREAT CREDIT TO PINELLAS IS THAT THEY HAVE A 
VERY GOOD FLEET, HIGH-PROFILE VEHICLES.
WE'RE USING A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FLEET OF VEHICLES, 
COMMUTER EXPRESS.
THE NUMBERS CLEARLY COMING OVER FROM PINELLAS BASED ON 
TRAFFIC MODES IS A MUCH HIGHER NUMBER, ALMOST THREE TO ONE, 
ALMOST FOUR TO ONE COMING THIS WAY AS FAR AS GOING BACK.
WHAT MY COUNTERPART TIM GARLING AND I HAVE DISCUSSED IS 
HOUSING VEHICLES ON EITHER END OF THE SHORE.
IN FACT, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT AT OUR APRIL 22nd 
MEETING.
ONE OF THE WAYS OF REDUCING COSTS AND WHAT WE'RE ALL GOING 
TO START TALKING MORE ABOUT AS OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, IS YOU 
NEED TO PARK THINGS.
YOU DON'T WANT TO MOVE THINGS UNLESS YOU NEED TO MOVE THEM, 
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS RUNNING BUSES AFTER WE 
TAKE PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF TAMPA OR IN ST. PETE, AND WE TAKE 
THEM BACK, YOU KNOW.
RATHER THAN DO THAT, YOU COULD JUST LEAVE THE VEHICLES 
HERE, MAYBE TAKE SOME OTHER VEHICLE, CARPOOL THEM BACK OR 
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH OF 
A CARBON FOOTPRINT.
WE DID MUCH OF THAT WHEN I WAS IN ORANGE COUNTY IN LOS 
ANGELES AND FOUND WAYS OF SHARING THOSE RESOURCES WITH ONE 
ANOTHER, SO THAT'S ONE THING WE'RE TRYING TO GET WORKED OUT 
THIS YEAR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
JUST ONE THING.
OH, I'M SORRY.
MR. DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
YOU KNOW, WE COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, BUT I 
THINK ONE THING THAT WE DON'T TALK ENOUGH ABOUT IS GOOD 
LAND USE PLANNING.
EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL HERE -- SEEMS TO BE FEWER AT THE 
MOMENT, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY'LL CATCH THE TAPE -- BUT THERE'S 
NINE OF US -- THERE'S NINE OF US ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THIS 
BOARD, AND ONE OF OUR MAJOR ROLES WHEN WE GO BACK TO OUR 
RESPECTIVE BOARDS IS TO BE A LAND USE AND A ZONING 
OFFICIAL, AND -- YOU KNOW, INHERENT IN GOOD TRANSPORTATION 
PLANNING, THE FIRST THING YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS HAVE GOOD 
LAND USE PLANNING, AND YOU'VE GOT TO DISCOURAGE URBAN 
SPRAWL AND YOU'VE GOT TO ENCOURAGE TRANSIT-ORIENTED 
DEVELOPMENT AND HIGH DENSITY IN THOSE AREAS, AND IF YOU 
DON'T HAVE GOOD LAND USE PLANNING AND YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU 
KNOW, THE DENSITY TO MAKE TRANSIT WORK, THEN IT'S NOT GOING 
TO WORK, PERIOD, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE AS A 
COMMUNITY HAVE FALLEN BEHIND THE REST OF THE NATION IS 
BECAUSE WE'VE ALLOWED -- WE'VE ALLOWED SPRAWL TO PROSPER IN 
THIS COUNTY, AND WE NEED TO REIN THAT BACK IN, AND IF WE 
DON'T, THEN WE'RE FOOLING OURSELVES THAT WE THINK 
TRANSPORTATION'S GOING TO WORK.
THAT'S JUST A COMMENTARY, NOT DIRECTED TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  YOU HAVE A BUS SYSTEM TO RUN.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IS THAT I REALLY THINK YOU 
OUGHT TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THE SERVICE OUT IN NEW TAMPA 
BECAUSE WE WENT THROUGH THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN TEMPLE 
TERRACE WHERE THERE WAS A REAL UPRISING FROM OUR CITIZENS 
SAYING, HEY, WE'RE PAYING I THINK IT WAS A QUARTER OF A 
MILL.
>> RIGHT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  AND WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR IT, AND I 
REALLY THINK THAT NEW TAMPA, THAT GROWTH OUT THERE HAS BEEN 
UNBELIEVABLE, AND WITH THE GAS PRICES AND ALL AND THE 
CONGESTION THAT THEY HAVE GOING OUT TO NEW TAMPA, I REALLY 
THINK, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL 
MARKET, SO I REALLY THINK YOU OUGHT TO RECONSIDER AND TAKE 
A GOOD LOOK AT IT FOR THE PEOPLE OUT IN THAT AREA.
>> WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DO SO.
THANK YOU, SIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANYTHING ELSE?
OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT.
JUST TO REVIEW EVERYTHING, WE -- THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE IS 
IN YOUR PACKET, SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, YOU COULD READ THAT.
THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM IS IN THE PACKET FOR YOU 
TO READ.
THE NORTHEAST PLANT CITY MASTER PLAN, AS WE SAID EARLIER, 
IS GOING TO BE DELAYED TO NEXT MONTH.
THE REPORTS FROM THE VARIOUS CHAIR WILL BE -- IS ALSO IN 
YOUR PACKET, SO IF YOU DON'T MIND READING THAT, THIS WAY WE 
CAN MOVE ON.
WE STILL HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK, AND I -- 
ALL I ASK IS THAT ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY IS 
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER BECAUSE JUST ABOUT 
EVERYONE THAT HAS ASKED TO SPEAK NOW HAS ALREADY SPOKEN, SO 
PLEASE -- AND MAKE IT AS BRIEF AS YOU CAN BECAUSE WE'RE 
GETTING FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE HERE, SO WITH THAT, TERRY -- 
TERRY FLOTT.
>> TERRY FLOTT, U-CAN.
A COUPLE THINGS.
TBARTA.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW -- AND I'M GOING TO HARP ON THIS 
EVERY OPPORTUNITY I GET -- THERE IS NO REAL CITIZEN 
REPRESENTATION IN THIS PLANNING PROCESS OTHER THAN US 
SCHEDULING MEETINGS AND INVITING TBARTA TO COME OUT AND 
SPEAK TO US, WHICH U-CAN IS TRYING TO DO IN -- TO HELP TO 
ACCOMMODATE, BUT WE'RE ONLY ONE GROUP, AND WE DO THE BEST 
WE CAN WITH NO -- WE'RE NOT A FUNDED ORGANIZATION.
IT'S ALL VOLUNTEER SERVICES, TIME, ENERGY, AND COST.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME REAL REPRESENTATION, NO MATTER HOW 
THAT OCCURS, THAT CITIZENS IN THE AVERAGE COMMUNITIES, NOT 
REPRESENTATIVES OF DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIES WHO HAVE A STAKE 
AT WHAT HAPPENS, BE OUR SOLE MOUTHPIECE DURING THIS 
PROCESS.
IT'S JUST NOT A TRUE REPRESENTATION.
HARTLINE, I'M JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW -- I GUESS I'M 
WONDERING HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH A MAJOR 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN WHEN WE CAN'T EVEN GET BUS SERVICE 
LINED UP, BUT I WILL TELL YOU -- AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S 
BEEN A LOT OF HISTORY THERE, BUT I THINK HARTLINE WHEN THEY 
REVIEW REZONING ISSUES, THEY NEED TO QUIT SAYING THAT THEY 
HAVE BUS SERVICE, WHICH IS PART OF THE REVIEW PROCESS, WHEN 
PEOPLE HAVE TO DRIVE THREE OR MORE MILES AWAY TO GET TO IT.
IF PEOPLE CAN DRIVE THAT FAR, THEY MIGHT AS WELL DRIVE ON 
TO WORK, AND THEN -- AND THEN THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED 
IT DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
JUST A COMMENT.
PLEASE LOOK AT THAT.
LAND USE, I AGREE WITH MR. DINGFELDER.
WE SHOULD NOT BE PLANNING OUR FUTURE IN THIS COUNTY BASED 
ON CORRIDORS AND LINES ON A MAP.
THOSE LINES SHOULD COORDINATE WITH OUR LAND USE.
LAND USE SHOULD BE THE FIRST PROCESS IN THAT.
NOW, HOW DO WE GET THERE?
IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT SINCE WE DON'T HAVE SOME MEMBERS 
OF OUR LEADERSHIP WILLING TO FUND A LOUSY $100,000 FOR A 
VISION, BUT PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW THESE AREAS, TBARTA, 
WHATEVER, BE THE DRIVING FORCE ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO GROW.
LET'S DECIDE HOW WE WANT TO GROW AND THEN MAKE THAT -- AND 
HAVE THOSE, THE BUS LINES, ALL THE OTHER LINES THAT GO 
ALONG WITH IT BE COMPLEMENTARY TO OUR LAND USE PLAN.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
VIVIAN BACCA.
>> VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON.
COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER, YOU ASKED US WHAT ABOUT THE TBARTA 
BOARD MEETINGS BEING BROADCAST.
THIS AFTERNOON, 1:30 P.M., YOU VIEWERS OUT THERE ON 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TV, IT'S SCHEDULED TO BE REBROADCAST.
I CAME HERE TODAY, THIS MORNING, TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO YOU, 
THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WATCHING THIS WHO ARE 
TRYING TO BECOME MORE INFORMED CONSUMERS OF GOVERNMENT 
SERVICES.
THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE STUCK IN TRAFFIC, THINK ABOUT POSSIBLE 
TRANSIT CORRIDORS.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF GETTING TO WORK IN TEN YEARS?
MAYBE YOU USE I-74 OR I-4 FOR A PORTION OF YOUR COMMUTE.
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF THERE WERE ELEVATED LANES TO ROUTE 
THE INTERSTATE TRAFFIC THROUGH THE AREA SO THAT LOCAL 
CITIZENS COULD USE THESE FOR PART OF THEIR COMMUTE.
YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH MY VISION OF THE FUTURE, ELEVATED 
LANES OVER EXISTING ARTERIES BEFORE BUILDING NEW ROADS 
THROUGH PRISTINE LANDS AND EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHATEVER YOUR TRANSPORTATION THOUGHTS, PLEASE GO TO 
TBARTA'S WEB SITE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND COMPLETE THEIR 
CORRIDOR SURVEY FORM.
LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.
AND ALSO, ON APRIL 7th, AT 1:30 P.M., HERE AT COUNTY 
CENTER, 26th FLOOR, TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE WILL BE 
MEETING.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
I ASSUME THAT YOU ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS THAT TBARTA HAS HAD 
IN THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO EXPRESS YOUR INPUT?
OKAY.
GEORGE NIEMANN.
>> GOOD MORNING AGAIN.
GEORGE NIEMANN SPEAKING.
I WANTED TO JUST MENTION THAT FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I 
ATTENDED THE TBARTA WORK -- THE TBARTA MEETINGS WITH THE 
CAC AND THE TMC, AND I WANT TO -- THIS -- EVEN THOUGH I 
DON'T KNOW THAT YOU GUYS CAN REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, 
BUT WE WANT TO URGE YOU TO PUT PRESSURE ON TBARTA THAT -- 
BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN WRITING -- IF YOU LOOK ON THE TBARTA 
WEB SITE, WHAT MS. FLOTT MENTIONED ABOUT LAND USE COMING 
FIRST, WHEN I ATTENDED THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THE PEOPLE 
IN THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE SAYING VERY FORCEFULLY, WE 
ARE GOING TO DRIVE LAND USE.
OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN WILL DRIVE LAND USE.
WHEN I BRING IT UP TO SOME OF THE TBARTA PERSONNEL, LIKE 
DAVID TWITTY, HE GIVES ME SORT OF A TWIST ON THAT.
I CAN'T GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER.
I'VE BROUGHT IT UP IN FRONT OF THEIR BOARD DURING PUBLIC 
COMMENT, AND I SAID, WE DON'T BELIEVE -- THE CITIZENS ARE 
GOING TO OPPOSE YOU IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO -- YOU'RE 
GOING TO DRIVE LAND USE, AND THEY MAKE COMMENTS TO SAY, 
WELL, THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING, BUT WHEN WE 
ATTEND THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, IT'S BEING SAID, SO I WANT 
TO JUST CAUTION YOU THAT SOMEONE -- AND I THINK IT'S THE 
TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP -- TAKES THAT AS A STRATEGY, AND 
TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP INFLUENCES TBARTA.
AND AGAIN, I LIKED YOUR COMMENTS, MR. DINGFELDER, THAT WE 
NEED GOOD LAND USE PLANNING AND IT NEEDS TO COME FIRST, AND 
AGAIN, THE HILLSBOROUGH CITIZENS DON'T HAVE REPRESENTATION.
HAVING A VICE PRESIDENT FROM NEWLAND COMMUNITIES BE OUR 
REPRESENTATIVE IS LIKE HAVING NO REPRESENTATIVE, AND IF 
COMMISSIONER HAGAN WAS HERE, I'D ASK HIM -- AND I ASK THE 
BOARD TO PRESSURE COMMISSIONER HAGAN TO RECONSIDER AND 
APPOINT A REAL CITIZEN, NOT SOMEONE THAT IS WORKING FOR A 
DEVELOPER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
KELLY CORNELIUS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
KELLY CORNELIUS FROM LITHIA.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TRAINS THIS MORNING 
AND BUSES, AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU AS A CITIZEN AND MANY 
CONCERNED CITIZENS I'VE HEARD THIS FROM, TBARTA IS LOOKING 
LIKE A TRAIN WRECK, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT 
NEEDS TO BE TOSSED UNDER THE BUS BECAUSE OF THIS.
IF YOU GET ON TBARTA'S WEB SITE, THERE'S A MAP THERE ON THE 
FRONT PAGE.
GEORGE IS GOING TO PUT IT UP FOR ME.
>> I HAVE IT HERE.
>> CAN YOU TURN IT ON.
CAN WE GET THAT TURNED ON.
ANYWAY, THIS SAYS, CLICK HERE FOR THE MOST UPDATED MAP, AND 
THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.
AND OF COURSE, BEING FROM LITHIA, MY MAIN CONCERN RIGHT NOW 
IS THE GREEN SWATH OF DEATH.
SOME OF YOU KNOW IT AS THE BELTWAY, THE BYPASS, OR THE 
CORRIDOR.
AND IT HAS RECENTLY POPPED UP ON THEIR MAPS, BUT IF YOU GET 
ON THEIR WEB SITE, YOU LOOK AT THIS AND YOU DON'T SEE A 
GREEN SWATH OF DEATH.
YOU SEE THAT LITTLE PINK THING?
THAT'S KIND OF THE UMBILICAL CORD TO THE GREEN SWATH OF 
DEATH, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY.
IT STOPS RIGHT THERE IN HILLSBOROUGH.
I'M THINKING, THEY MUST HAVE TAKEN IT OFF.
THEY HEARD OUR OPPOSITION, THEY TOOK IT OFF, ALONG WITH THE 
PURPLE SWATH OF DEATH WHICH IT CONNECTS INTO, WHICH IS 
COUNTY ROAD 39.
SO I LEAVE MY COMMENTS AND I TALK TO MY COLLEAGUES, AND 
THEY SAY, OH, NO, NO, NO, THAT'S NOT IT, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S 
LISTED AS THE MOST UPDATED MAP.
YOU HAVE TO CLICK ON SOMETHING ABOVE THAT SAYS "MASTER 
PLAN," AND THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND -- YOU CAN CHANGE THE 
MAP -- THE GREEN SWATH OF DEATH.
AND WE THANK TBARTA FOR LEAVING IT GREEN.
IT MAKES OUR JOB A LOT EASIER WHEN WE'RE OUT, YOU KNOW, 
EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, AND IT DOES MAKE A FUNNY LITTLE 
EASTERLY TURN NOW.
IT USED TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT.
IT KIND OF MAKES AN EASTERLY TURN TO AVOID MY HOUSE.
GOOD TRY.
NOW IT HITS THAT 39, THE PURPLE SWATH, WHICH GOES THROUGH 
MANY, MANY RURAL AREAS, SOME PRESERVATION AREAS, THE SAME 
ONES IT DESTROYED EARLIER.
SO THESE ARE OUR CONCERNS.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO 
SUBMIT UP AT THAT LITTLE LEVEL, SO HERE I THOUGHT I HAD 
DONE MY JOB AND SUBMITTED MY COMMENT, AND THAT WASN'T 
NEARLY THE CASE.
IN DOING SOME RESEARCH, YOU KNOW, THESE MAPS ARE VERY 
QUESTIONABLE.
ALBA LOPEZ TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE FROM THE STRATEGIC 
REGIONAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT PLAN DONE AND FINISHED BY FDOT IN 
JULY, SO I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IS NOT A MAP THAT MS. AYERS 
WOULD HAVE SENT OVER, BUT, YOU KNOW, GOOD TRY WITH TRYING 
TO BLAME HER.
SO WE CITIZENS HAVE DECIDED THAT SINCE EVIDENTLY ALL YOU 
NEED IS A MAP, A HIDDEN AGENDA, AND A GREEN PEN, WE SUBMIT 
TO YOU THE CONNECTION 666 WITH OUR VERSION OF THE BYPASS IN 
THE MIDDLE OF THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED AREA FOR YOUR 
CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
OKAY.
LAST, PAM CLOUSTON.
>> I JUST NEED TO GO HOME.
AND KELLY IS RIGHT.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO SEE, AND IF YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE -- 
IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE PRESENTATIONS FROM TBARTA, THE 
POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS, DO YOU SEE ANY MAPS THERE WITH 
UGLY THINGS LIKE GREEN AND PURPLE SWATHS OF DEATH?
YOU DON'T.
THEY'RE NOT THERE.
IT'S -- LET'S SLIDE IT BACK IN, AND WHO DO WE HAVE 
REPRESENTING US?
NED.
THIS MORNING ON 970 I HEARD ONE OF THE COMMENTATORS TALKING 
ABOUT A CONVERSATION HE HAD WITH RONNIE DUNCAN, AND HE 
SAID, RA, RA TBARTA, FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN A 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN LIKE TBARTA WANTS TO DO, YOU GET A 
RETURN OF ANYWHERE BETWEEN $4.50 AND $6.50 ON YOUR 
INVESTMENT IN AD VALOREM TAXES.
SO MY LITTLE BRAIN GOT TO WORK THINKING AD VALOREM TAXES, 
AH, ADDED VALUE.
PROPERTY TAXES.
SO GUESS WHAT?
TBARTA'S TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION IS GOING TO DRIVE 
DEVELOPMENT, WHICH MEANS IT'S GOING TO DRIVE SPRAWL.
WHERE YOU SEE SOME OF THESE LINES, THESE CONCEPTUAL LINES 
THAT SOMEHOW THEY GO FROM A CONCEPT TO ACTUALLY BEING THERE 
AND GETTING READY TO BE SENT OFF SOMEWHERE FOR APPROVAL, 
WHERE YOU SEE THESE LINES THROUGH RURAL AREAS, THAT'S NOT 
TO EXPEDITE ANYBODY GOING FROM POINT "A" TO POINT "B" 
BECAUSE IF I LIVE IN SARASOTA, WHY DO I WANT TO GO INTO 
TAMPA VIA SOME TOLL ROAD I'VE GOT TO PAY A BUNCH OF MONEY 
FOR, THROUGH PLANT CITY, AND THEN BACK AROUND?
I DON'T.
THAT'S THE RECIPE FOR SPRAWL.
AND EVERYBODY KNOWS IT, EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO OWNS LAND ALONG 
THESE PROPOSED CORRIDORS AND WHERE THAT COMES FROM.
SO, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER HOW YOU PUT IT -- ALSO, TBARTA HAS 
THE ABILITY TO OVERRULE ANY LOCAL PLANS THAT ARE OUT THERE, 
AND I KNOW YOU-ALL ARE AWARE OF THAT.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND ONE MORE REAL 
QUICK THING.
WHEN YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO MAKE A PLAN, I'M JUST GOING TO 
GIVE YOU A LITTLE CLUE, YOU NEED TO USE SMART OBJECTIVES, 
THEY NEED TO BE SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, 
REALISTIC, AND TIMELY, SO IF YOU TRY TO REMEMBER TO USE THE 
SMART OBJECTIVES WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, THAT 
WILL -- THAT WILL HELP YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ON THE 
RIGHT TRACK.
THANKS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER SHARPE, YOU HAD A --
>>MARK SHARPE:  WHY NOT?
I APPRECIATE THOSE OF YOU WHO STAYED, OUR BOARD MEMBERS, 
AND THE COMMENTS, THOUGH, THAT ARE MADE BY THE CITIZENS -- 
AND I WILL BE TALKING WITH THEM, I HOPE, AFTERWARDS, BUT 
THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY THE CITIZENS ARE REALLY KIND 
OF -- ARE THE REASONS WHY I'VE GOT GRAVE CONCERNS BECAUSE 
HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE HAVE -- WE'VE ARGUED FOR 20 YEARS ABOUT THE NEED FOR 
COMING UP WITH A MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE 
COMMUNITY, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 
TRANSIT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE OF REGIONS.
IT'S NOT ALL SELF-CONTAINED WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
SO THEN YOU'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA HOW MANY REGIONS 
ARE WE GOING TO PULL TOGETHER.
SINCE OUR MPO IS ONLY ONE COUNTY, THERE'S THE CREATION OF 
TBARTA, WHICH IS A SEVEN-COUNTY ORGANIZATION, WHICH I 
UNDERSTAND MIGHT ACTUALLY GO TO EIGHT.
SO NOW THIS NEW AGENCY ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE'S GOT TO GO 
OUT THERE AND COME UP WITH A PLAN.
WE'RE TRYING TO TALK ABOUT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION, AND 
WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IS FIGURING OUT A WAY TO ALL WORK 
TOGETHER SO THAT WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE ONE OPPORTUNITY 
THAT WE SEEM TO HAVE HAD IN THE LAST 20 YEARS TO GET 
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION GOING, BUT WHAT WE HAVE IS AN AWFUL 
LOT OF ATTACK AND CRITICISM, AND I THINK LEGITIMATELY SO, 
BECAUSE WHAT TAKES PLACE -- WHEN THE CITIZENS COME TO 
LISTEN TO THE PRESENTATIONS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR 
NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY, THEY SEE MAPS.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE MAPS COME FROM.
I'M STILL -- AND I'M GOING TO DRIVE DOWN TO THE CORE -- I 
DON'T CARE WHERE IT GOES -- WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAPS?
I'LL DRIVE DOWN AND I'M GOING TO FIND IT.
WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE MAPS, WHERE THE DATA COMES 
FROM, BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS YOU'VE GOT INFORMATION 
THAT'S BEING PROVIDED TO AN AGENCY BY OTHER AGENCIES, A NEW 
AGENCY, A NEW ORGANIZATION IS SAYING, HEY, WE HAVE SEVEN 
COUNTIES TO DEAL WITH, GIVE US YOUR DATA BECAUSE WE'VE GOT 
TO COME UP WITH A MASTER PLAN.
WE OUGHT TO HAVE A TEAM HERE THAT IS WORKING WITH THIS 
AGENCY SAYING, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, WE WANT YOU TO BE 
SUCCESSFUL.
I WOULD PROBABLY ARGUE THAT ONE WAY OF GETTING OUT OF THE 
GATE SUCCESSFUL IS TO NOT HAVE THAT GREEN SWATH THAT SOME 
FOLKS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT.
I PROBABLY, IF I WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WOULDN'T HAVE 
THAT ON A MAP BECAUSE TBARTA, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO HAVE TO 
BE SPENDING TIME ARGUING OVER WHAT'S THERE OR WHAT'S NOT 
THERE.
THAT'S MY CONCERN BECAUSE NOW WE'RE SPENDING TIME, PEOPLE, 
ATTACKING, ATTACKING WHAT THEY'RE SAYING RATHER THAN 
SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT 
BETTER.
LIKE MS. BACCA SAID, WHY NOT STACK IT, LAYER IT.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE COSTS ARE, BUT WHY NOT HAVE 
ELEVATED TRANSIT LINES?
I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.
I JUST WANT TO SEE THE INFORMATION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
ROSE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  JUST ONE CLOSING COMMENT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD END WITH MAPS JUST AS WE BEGAN.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME, MR. SHARPE, WITH THOSE SAME CITIZENS 
THAT SPOKE NOT ONCE BUT TWICE TODAY, AND I DON'T THINK THAT 
THEIR CONCERN IS NECESSARILY THAT.
I THINK WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ORGANIZATIONS, 
MULTIORGANIZATIONS, LEVELS OF DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND 
TBARTAs, ET CETERA, AND NOT HAVING ENOUGH REPRESENTATION 
FROM THE ACTUAL REALISTIC COMMUNITY SIDE, IN ADDITION TO 
WHICH WITH MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SAME GROUP, NOT IN MY 
DISTRICT BUT NONETHELESS IT DOESN'T MATTER, THEIR NUMBER 
ONE CONCERN -- I DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I'VE 
HEARD IT FROM THEM, SO I'M GOING TO REITERATE IT.
THEIR NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT THEY FEEL THAT A 
LOT OF STAFF AND A LOT OF GOVERNMENT AND A LOT OF ELECTED 
OFFICIALS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT PUT ALL THESE PLANS 
TOGETHER ARE VERY DISINGENUOUS WHEN THEY TALK TO THEM.
THEY'RE NOT BEING TOLD THE REAL STORY AT THE RIGHT TIME AS 
THEY SHOULD BE.
THAT'S WHAT ALIENATED THEM IN MY -- MY SPECIFIC OFFICE WHEN 
THEY TALKED TO SOME OF OUR TRANSPORTATION STAFF.
PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE WHAT WE DO AS LEADERS, BUT THEY'VE 
ELECTED US TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
THEY DON'T LIKE TO BE LIED TO, THEY DON'T LIKE FOR PEOPLE 
TO PULL STUFF UNDER THE WOOL, AND THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM, SO 
THAT'S -- I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU GUYS ARE COMING FROM.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WELL, BUT MS. FERLITA, AND I --
[APPLAUSE]
-- LET ME ADDRESS THAT POINT BECAUSE THERE'S LIKE THREE 
POINTS THAT YOU HAVE, AND I AGREE, I AGREE, BUT COMING 
FROM -- I KEEP HARPING ON THE INTEL COMMUNITY.
COMING FROM THE INTEL COMMUNITY, WE WERE OFTEN ACCUSED -- 
NOT SO MUCH INTEL, BUT THE MILITARY -- AGENDAS AND ISSUES, 
AND THERE WAS OFTENTIMES, I THINK, A MISINTERPRETATION OF 
WHAT PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO DO BASED ON BAD INFORMATION, 
INCOMPLETE INFORMATION, AND THAT WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE 
SKILLED ATTEMPT OF INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE BAD 
INFORMATION.
WE JUST WERE PROVIDING BAD -- BAD INFO, AND BAD INFO 
CREATES BAD CONCLUSIONS, SO MY CONCERN HERE IS MAKING SURE 
THAT WE DON'T PROVIDE BAD INFORMATION SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T 
GET -- DON'T RISE UP AND GO, WAIT A MINUTE, AGAIN, WHY IS 
THAT LINE THERE, WHY IS THAT MAP THERE?
THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT A MAP THAT WE'VE ALL AGREED IS 
THE ABSOLUTE BEST MAP TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT OUR CASE.
THAT MEANS WE -- SOMEONE HAS TO COORDINATE IT.
THE PROBLEM OFTENTIMES IS WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO'S IN 
CHARGE, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE MAPS?
IS IT OUR COUNTY STAFF, IS IT THE MPO STAFF?
WHO'S IN CHARGE?
I'D LIKE TO KNOW.
THERE SHOULD BE BETTER COORDINATION.
WE SHOULD KNOW THESE THINGS WHEN WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT 
OF TIME TO MAKE OUR CASE TO THE TBARTA FOLKS WHEN THEY'RE 
GOING TO THE STATE FOR MONEY.
WE'RE STILL ARGUING ABOUT WHO'S IN CHARGE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT, MR. SHARPE, 
BUT THE POINT IS THE "WE" THAT YOU SAY DOESN'T NECESSARILY 
ALWAYS INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND THAT'S WHY I ABSOLUTELY THINK THEY 
SHOULD BE INVOLVED.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND THE "WE" -- OKAY.
BUT THEN THE POINT IS THAT WE SHOULD END --
>>MARK SHARPE:  [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>ROSE FERLITA:  BUT WE SHOULD END UNDER WE, NOT HER SO WE 
CAN ALL DO OUR JOB BETTER AND WE CAN ALL BENEFIT FROM IT IN 
A MUTUALLY -- ANYWAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. SKELTON.
>>DON SKELTON:  THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT MAPS TODAY, 
AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT PROCESS AS WELL.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS SOME VERY PRELIMINARY LINES 
ON HOW YOU TRY TO CONNECT SEVEN COUNTIES, POSSIBLY GOING TO 
BE EIGHT.
THE DETAILED ANALYSIS HASN'T BEEN DONE.
THE PROCESS IS TO GET THAT OUT THERE IN FRONT.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHY THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS WERE HELD, TO 
START GETTING THOSE -- IT MAY COME THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT 
THOSE LINES DISAPPEAR FROM THE MAP, BUT I WOULD HATE TO PUT 
OUT A FINAL MAP WITHOUT HAVING THE PRELIMINARY STUFF TO 
HAVE THE DISCUSSION, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, AND 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE RAISED THE POINT EARLIER TODAY.
AT THE END OF THE DAY ARE WHAT THE STAFF AND STUDY TEAM 
DOES IN LOOKING AT THE MASTER PLAN FOR TBARTA.
THERE NEEDS TO BE THE DATA AND ANALYSIS THAT SUPPORTS THE 
CONCLUSIONS THAT COME OUT OF THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT THE 
STUDY TEAM IS DOING RIGHT NOW VERY EARLY ON.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING 
WITH ALL THESE MEETINGS THAT YOU'RE HAVING, AND I THINK 
THAT'S EXCELLENT.
OKAY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
OKAY.
ONE THING.
I'M GOING TO ASK LUCIE TO CONTACT EVERYONE -- PREFERABLY IF 
WE COULD HAVE OUR WORKSHOP BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING.
THIS WAY WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE PRETTY MUCH PUTS THIS DAY 
ASIDE FOR OUR REGULAR MEETING.
IF WE COULD JUST MEET EARLIER FOR A WORKSHOP AND THEN START 
OUR REGULAR MPO BOARD MEETING, LUCIE WILL COORDINATE THAT, 
AND ANY INPUT THAT YOU HAVE AS ITEMS THAT YOU WANT TO 
INCLUDE IN OUR WORKSHOP FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE GIVE THAT 
TO LUCIE, AND I'LL GET IT FROM LUCIE, AND THEN WE'LL GO 
FROM THERE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WITH THAT, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY FOR 
STAYING SO LONG, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE ADJOURN.



1