CAPTIONING
DECEMBER 1, 2009
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 METROPOLITAN PLANNING 
ORGANIZATION MEETING FOR DECEMBER 1st, 2009.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A BRIEF 
INVOCATION.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU -- FIRST OF ALL, WE THANK 
YOU FOR ALL THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, BUT 
PLEASE BRING COMFORT TO THOSE FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING 
VERY DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
GUIDE ALL OF OUR COUNTRY'S ELECTED OFFICIALS TO MAKE 
DECISIONS THAT WILL CREATE JOBS FOR ALL OF OUR UNEMPLOYED, 
AND AS ALWAYS, WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT OUR YOUNG MEN AND 
WOMEN WHO ARE IN HARM'S WAY FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOMS.
IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY.
AMEN.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO WELCOME MR. FRANK CHILLURA TO OUR 
BOARD FROM -- REPRESENTING THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND ALSO 
REPRESENTING TEMPLE TERRACE.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING WITH FRANK FOR EIGHT YEARS ON 
THE CITY COUNCIL, AND FRANK'S A GREAT GUY AND WILL DO A 
GREAT JOB FOR US.
WELCOME, FRANK.
WE HAVE PUBLIC INPUT.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD.
KELLY CORNELIUS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS KELLY CORNELIUS, 18732 DORMAN ROAD IN LITHIA.
AGAIN, THANK YOU.
USUALLY WHEN I'M IN THIS BUILDING MY CARD SOMEHOW SEEMS TO 
GET SHUFFLED TO THE BACK DURING BOCC MEETINGS AND OFTEN 
DON'T GET TO SPEAK BEFORE THERE'S AN ACTUAL VOTE, SO THANK 
YOU.
TOO BAD OUR CHAIRMAN ISN'T HERE TO TAKE NOTES ON HOW TO RUN 
PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M HERE TODAY SIMILAR TO MY COMMENTS DURING THE POLICY 
COMMITTEE MEETING REGARDING SECTION "B" OF LITHIA-
PINECREST.
THIS SECTION'S VERY CONTROVERSIAL.
THE RESIDENTS LIVING IN THE AREA ARE OPPOSED TO THIS 
BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE THEIR LAND AND POSSIBLY THEIR HOMES, 
AND IT SEEMS TO BE SPECIAL INTERESTS ARE PUSHING THIS IN 
WAYS WE -- WE DON'T EVEN REALLY KNOW OR UNDERSTAND AT THIS 
POINT, SO I URGE YOU TO KEEP IT TWO LANES, ENHANCED AS YOUR 
STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED AT THE LAST POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, 
AND THE SAME THING, IF YOU HAVE ANY INPUT ON THE TRANSIT 
REFERENDUM QUESTION, I THINK PUTTING SOMETHING THIS 
CONTROVERSIAL ON THAT QUESTION -- ON THAT BALLOT QUESTION 
IS NOT GOING TO DO RAIL ANY FAVORS, SO FOR THE RESIDENTS 
LIVING THERE, GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR SAY DURING 
THE PD&E WORKSHOPS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THIS AND DURING 
THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT YOU HAVE, AND PLEASE THINK TWICE 
BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO PLOW THROUGH SOMEONE'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, KELLY.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE PAM CLOUSTON.
>> GOOD MORNING.
PAM CLOUSTON, LITHIA, AND I REPRESENT R-LAND.
HOPE YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING.
I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT LITHIA-PINECREST ROAD.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONTROVERSY WITH REGARD 
TO IT.
SECTION "A," WHICH IS MAINLY A COMMERCIAL AREA, IS NOT 
SLATED TO BE WIDENED.
THAT'S FROM LUMSDEN TO 60.
WHY THAT'S NOT BEING WIDENED AND YOU'RE CONSIDERING OR 
THERE IS A CONSIDERATION TO FOUR-LANE A RESIDENTIAL 
SECTION, WHICH IS FROM BLOOMINGDALE TO LUMSDEN, I DON'T 
QUITE UNDERSTAND THE REASONING BEHIND THAT.
IT IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LIVED ON THAT ONCE QUIET RURAL 
ROAD, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR LIVES RIPPED OUT FROM 
UNDER THEM.
WE'VE GOT ONE MAN THAT'S BEEN THERE 30 YEARS.
THIS WAS THE HOME THAT HE AND HIS WIFE BUILT.
THEY PLANNED ON LIVING THERE FOREVER AND EVER, AND THAT'S 
GOING TO BE RIPPED AWAY FROM THEM IF YOU -- IF YOU STOP AND 
LOOK.
I'D ALSO -- IF -- THE RESOLUTION -- IF IT GOES FORWARD THAT 
THIS SHOULD BE FOUR-LANED RATHER THAN TWO-LANE ENHANCED AS 
YOUR STAFF RECOMMENDS, I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT 
PERHAPS THIS BOARD SUBMIT A RESOLUTION OR A LETTER OR 
SOMETHING TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ASKING THEM 
NOT TO ALLOW ANY FURTHER REZONING IN THAT SECTION.
AS IT STANDS, IF YOU HAD TO BUY RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR A FOUR-
LANE ROAD, YOU'D BE TAKING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES; HOWEVER, 
IF WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW REZONING TO COMMERCIAL, WE, THE 
TAXPAYERS, ARE GOING TO PAY MUCH, MUCH MORE MONEY FOR A 
COMMERCIALLY REZONED PROPERTY RATHER THAN A RESIDENTIAL 
PROPERTY, SO I'M ASKING YOU NOT TO UPROOT THESE FAMILIES 
THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOREVER AND EVER.
THEY'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH A LOT OF TRAFFIC 
CONGESTION THROUGH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS ONE THING 
TO PUT UP WITH, BUT TO HAVE THEM TOTALLY UPROOTED AND THEIR 
LIVES DESTROYED JUST SO THAT PEOPLE CAN MOVE FROM ONE POINT 
TO ANOTHER BECAUSE OF PAST MISTAKES MADE BY ALLOWING THE 
CONTINUED SPRAWL IN THIS COUNTY -- SO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT, 
AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO GO WITH YOUR STAFF'S 
RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, PAM.
NEXT WE HAVE GEORGE NIEMANN.
>> GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
GEORGE NIEMANN, DOVER, FLORIDA.
I'M -- I LIVE IN THE VICINITY OF LITHIA-PINECREST, SO IT'S 
VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO WATCH WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT AS WELL 
AS MY NEIGHBORS THAT I CONVENE WITH REGULARLY.
I WOULD URGE YOU -- THIS TO ME THIS MORNING IS A NO-
BRAINER.
YOU'VE GOT -- THE CAC SAYS TO KEEP IT TWO-LANE ENHANCED, 
AND I THINK THE STAFF SUPPORTS THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE SPECIAL 
INTERESTS INVOLVED SUCH AS THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SO 
PLEASE DON'T MAKE THIS A POLITICAL FOOTBALL AND DISRUPT THE 
PEOPLE THAT LIVE ALONG THAT ROAD.
PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS CHANGE YOUR 
PLAN GOING FORWARD.
IF TEN YEARS FROM NOW THE SITUATION CHANGES AND IT NEEDS TO 
BE REVISITED, OF COURSE YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT THIS IS -- IT 
SEEMS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF POLITICS GOING ON, AND AS A 
MATTER OF FACT, I KNOW OF ONE REZONING THAT'S SORT OF -- 
THE SPECULATORS, THE LAND SPECULATORS THAT OWN LAND IN THAT 
VICINITY OR ALONG THAT ROADWAY ARE ALREADY BANKING ON THE 
WIDENING, AND THERE'S ONE REZONING THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH 
THAT'S IN EFFECT BANKING ON THIS, SO -- AND THAT'S NOT A 
BAD THING.
I MEAN, I'M AN INVESTOR TOO, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF -- THE 
SPECIAL INTERESTS THAT ARE GOING TO PUSH FOR THE FOUR-LANE 
EXPANSION, THAT'S TO MAKE MONEY, AND I'D RATHER GIVE MORE 
CREDENCE TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO LIVE THERE BEFORE YOU 
DO THAT WIDENING, SO PLEASE -- YOU'VE GOT A MAJORITY OF 
GROUPS, INCLUDING THE CAC AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE IS 
MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S A NO-BRAINER FOR YOU TO DO THIS THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, GEORGE.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE JOE AMON FROM THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL.
IS JOE HERE?
OKAY.
NED BAIER FROM THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
>>NED BAIER:  GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE 
MPO BOARD.
I'M HERE TO GIVE THE REPORT FROM THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE MEETING OF NOVEMBER 16th.
THERE'S A REPORT IN YOUR FOLDER.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED AT OUR 
MEETING, THE FIRST BEING THE BRUCE B. DOWNS CONFIGURATION 
AND SPECIFICALLY A DISCUSSION THAT TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR WITH 
THE TAC REGARDING SEGMENT "A," WHICH IS THE SEGMENT BETWEEN 
BEARSS TO PALM SPRINGS BOULEVARD, AND THE ISSUE WAS WHETHER 
IT SHOULD BE AN EIGHT-LANE DIVIDED ROADWAY IN THE MPO PLAN, 
WHICH IT IS CURRENTLY -- YOUR CURRENT 2025 PLAN SHOWS THAT 
PORTION OF BRUCE B. DOWNS AS AN EIGHT-LANE ROAD WITH 
PROVISIONS FOR TRANSIT, RIGHT-OF-WAY PROVISIONS FOR 
TRANSIT.
AND THE ISSUE, THOUGH, TODAY IS WHETHER OR NOT TO CARRY 
THAT OVER TO THE 2035 PLAN, SHOW IT AS AN EIGHT-LANE 
CONFIGURATION WITH PROVISIONS FOR TRANSIT OR SHOW IT AS A 
SIX-LANE ROAD WITH PROVISIONS FOR TRANSIT.
I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE DOES 
SUPPORT TRANSIT, DOES SUPPORT RAIL, DOES SUPPORT BUS ON THE 
BRUCE B. DOWNS CORRIDOR AND WANTS TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
WE DID APPROVE A MOTION BY A VOTE OF 9-1 WITH SHEILA MARTIN 
OF BACS MAKING THAT MOTION, AND THE SECOND WAS STEVE 
GRIFFIN FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH 
THE EIGHT-LANE CONFIGURATION FOR THAT SEGMENT OF BRUCE B. 
DOWNS, WHICH IS SHOWING THAT AS IS SHOWN IN THE EXISTING 
2025 MPO PLAN.
AND WE SUPPORTED A SECOND MOTION BASICALLY INTEGRATING 
TRANSIT PROVISIONS WITHIN THAT EIGHT-LANE DESIGN, WORKING 
WITH BOTH HART, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THE MPO, AND 
TBARTA TO DESIGN TRANSIT PROVISIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR 
BUS RAPID TRANSIT, BUS EXPRESS LANES, AND THE MANAGED LANE 
CONCEPT WITHIN THAT SEGMENT OF BRUCE B. DOWNS.
AND THAT SECOND MOTION WAS ALSO APPROVED BY A 9-1 VOTE WITH 
THE MOTION BEING MADE BY SHEILA MARTIN OF BACS AND SECOND 
BY JEANIE SATCHEL WITH HART.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF TECHNICAL ITEMS THAT REALLY SWAYED 
US.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS FROM A ROADWAY CAPACITY 
SITUATION, THERE REALLY ARE NO OTHER GOOD ALTERNATIVES 
BEYOND WIDENING BRUCE B. DOWNS ON THAT CORRIDOR.
YOU LOOK AT WHAT THOSE ALTERNATIVES MIGHT BE.
ONE IS WIDENING MORRIS BRIDGE ROAD.
THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS TO THE 
ENVIRONMENT ON MORRIS BRIDGE ROAD.
THAT'S GOING TO REMAIN AS A TWO-LANE ROAD.
THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE BEING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EAST-
WEST ROAD THAT HAS BEEN IN THE MPO PLANS FOR SOMETIME NOW.
IT'S BEEN INVESTIGATED AS A TOLL ROAD, AND IT DOESN'T 
APPEAR AT THIS TIME TO QUALIFY AS A TOLL ROAD PROJECT, SO 
ESSENTIALLY THAT EAST-WEST ROAD ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN OR 
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S GOING TO PUT MORE PRESSURE ON THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS 
ON BRUCE B. DOWNS.
IT'S ALREADY A FAILED ROAD TODAY.
TRAFFIC COUNTS ON THAT SEGMENT OF BRUCE B. DOWNS BETWEEN 
PALM SPRINGS AND BEARSS ARE APPROACHING 69,000 VEHICLES PER 
DAY, AND THAT'S TODAY JUST WITH THE EXISTING FOUR LANES OUT 
THERE.
TRAVEL TIME WAS ANOTHER CONCERN THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD, 
INCLUDING RESPONSE TIME FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES, BOTH POLICE 
AND FIRE.
ANOTHER ISSUE WAS -- AND I THINK WHICH SWAYED THE COMMITTEE 
-- WAS THE ABILITY FOR HART TO IMPLEMENT EASIER BUS RAPID 
TRANSIT OR BUS EXPRESS LANES IF YOU HAVE EXTRA PAVEMENT OUT 
THERE ON BRUCE B. DOWNS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONGESTED SIX-LANE ROAD CORRIDOR, 
IT'S GOING TO BE MORE UNLIKELY TO ESTABLISH THE SHORTER-
TERM ANY SORT OF MAJOR EXPANSION OF TRANSIT, BUS SERVICES 
ON THAT CORRIDOR.
THOSE WERE THE PRIMARY REASONS THAT -- THAT SWAYED THE 
COMMITTEE AT THE END, AND I THINK THE OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUE 
IS JUST THE ECONOMICS MAKE THAT -- MAKE THAT SEGMENT 
AFFORDABLE TODAY.
I BELIEVE THERE WAS ONLY A $3-MILLION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 
THE SIX-LANING AND THE EIGHT-LANING OF THAT SEGMENT OF 
BRUCE B. DOWNS, SO WITH THE COST SAVINGS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE 
OF THE ECONOMIC SITUATION, IT MADE IT MORE AFFORDABLE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS 
GOING TO DISCUSS THE BRUCE B. DOWNS SIX-LANE/EIGHT-LANE 
ISSUE AT TOMORROW'S MEETING WITH THE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS 
DEPARTMENT.
THE SECOND ITEM I WANTED TO -- THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO 
WEIGH IN ON WAS THE LITHIA-PINECREST AND HOW IT'S SHOWN IN 
THE MPO PLAN, AND SPECIFICALLY THE SEGMENT BETWEEN LUMSDEN 
ROAD AND BLOOMINGDALE AVENUE.
AS THE CITIZENS SPOKE HERE THIS MORNING, THAT'S SEGMENT 
"B."
IT IS SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL.
THERE ARE CITIZEN OPPOSITION TO THIS.
THERE'S SOME CITIZEN SUPPORT FOR IT.
THERE ARE IMPACTS THAT SHOULD BE KNOWN.
THERE WAS A PD&E STUDY COMPLETED BY THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND IT DOES IMPACT SEVERAL 
PROPERTIES, BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, ON -- ON THAT 
PORTION OF LITHIA-PINECREST ROAD.
HAVING SAID THAT, THOUGH, THE COMMITTEE -- THE TECHNICAL 
COMMITTEE LOOKED AT THE CURRENT AND PROJECTED TRAFFIC 
SITUATION, AND WE HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS ABOUT THE AMOUNT 
OF TRAFFIC CURRENTLY ON THAT SEGMENT OF LITHIA-PINECREST, 
WHICH IS APPROACHING 19,000 VEHICLES TODAY.
SOME OF THE PROJECTIONS ON THAT SEGMENT OF LITHIA-PINECREST 
ROAD, THEY RANGE FROM UP TO 38,000 VEHICLES A DAY IN THE 
YEAR 2018, AND THAT'S AS -- THE LOOK FROM THE PD&E STUDY.
THEY LOOKED AT 2018 BEING THE OPENING DAY FOR ROAD 
IMPROVEMENTS OUT THERE.
SOME OF THE HIGHER PROJECTIONS ARE EVEN GREATER THAN 38,000 
VEHICLES A DAY ON THAT SEGMENT.
THERE IS SIMILAR CONCERN ABOUT DELAYS OF -- TO EMERGENCY 
VEHICLES.
THERE'S ALSO CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPACT TO AIR QUALITY THAT 
THOSE DELAYS WOULD BRING TO THAT CORRIDOR AND ALSO SOME OF 
THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF CONSTRAINING A ROAD, PUSHING 
TRAFFIC INTO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THAT AREA.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT LITHIA-PINECREST CORRIDOR, THAT'S ALSO 
REALLY DIFFICULT TO EXPAND TRAFFIC CAPACITY IN THAT AREA 
BECAUSE THERE ARE NO REAL EASY-TO-IMPLEMENT ALTERNATIVES 
OUT THERE AS FAR AS ROAD WIDENING.
MOST OF THE TRAFFIC DOES WANT TO GO EAST-WEST TOWARDS 
TAMPA.
YOU ALREADY HAVE CONGESTION ON BLOOMINGDALE AND LUMSDEN, 
STATE ROAD 60, BUT YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF TRAFFIC, AS THESE 
TRAFFIC COUNTS SHOW, OF PEOPLE WANTING TO GO FURTHER NORTH 
BEFORE THEY GO TO EAST TO TAMPA.
SO IT IS A TOUGH CALL ON THIS LITHIA-PINECREST SITUATION, 
BUT I DID WANT TO EMPHASIZE -- THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO 
EMPHASIZE IT'S BEEN IN THE MPO PLAN AS A FOUR-LANE FOR MANY 
YEARS.
IT'S BEEN IN THE MPO 2025 PLAN FOR MANY YEARS.
YOUR STAFF HAS INFORMED ME THAT YOUR 2035 PLAN YOU INTEND 
TO SHOW THAT SEGMENT OF LITHIA-PINECREST AS FOUR-LANE IN 
THE NEEDS PLAN BUT TWO LANES IN -- TWO-LANE ENHANCED IN THE 
COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN.
FINALLY, I DID WANT TO MENTION TO YOU THAT AGAIN ON THE 
VOTE ON THE LITHIA-PINECREST THE TECHNICAL STAFF VOTED 9-1 
WITH -- MIKE WILLIAMS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MADE A 
MOTION.
IT WAS SECONDED BY STEVE GRIFFIN WITH THE PLANNING 
COMMISSION.
SO WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD PERSPECTIVE OF STAFFPEOPLE, YOU 
KNOW, REPRESENTING DIFFERENT AGENCIES ON THAT, AND LITHIA-
PINECREST AGAIN -- ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES TOO IS THAT FOR 
BOTH BRUCE B. DOWNS AND LITHIA-PINECREST, HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY WANTS TO QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL FUNDS, AND WE'VE BEEN 
TOLD THAT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL FUNDS, IT NEEDS 
TO BE IN THE COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN OF THE MPO PLAN AND NOT 
JUST THE MPO NEEDS PLAN, SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONSIDERATION 
THAT I THINK THAT THE MPO BOARD SHOULD AT LEAST WEIGH IN 
ON.
BUT -- THAT'S MY REPORT TODAY.
THOSE WERE THE TWO ITEMS WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON.
IN PARTICULAR, LITHIA-PINECREST, IT IS A TOUGH CALL, AND 
THERE ARE COMMUNITY IMPACTS OF WIDENING THAT ROADWAY, AND 
THAT'S WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE PD&E STUDY, AND I'M SURE 
THERE WILL BE FUTURE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY 
COMMISSIONERS ON -- ON BOTH -- BOTH STUDIES, SO I JUST 
WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, NED.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>NED BAIER:  THANK YOU.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  MR. CHAIRMAN.
SIR, DO YOU HAVE A TRAFFIC COUNT FOR THE NEW TAMPA BRIDGE?
>>NED BAIER:  NO, I DON'T.
WE COULD CERTAINLY GET THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF -- THERE'S BEEN SOME STUDIES I KNOW IN THE 
PAST, BUT WE CAN TRY TO --
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  ALL RIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME NUMBERS IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
>>NED BAIER:  YEAH.
THE COUNTY REALLY WASN'T INVOLVED IN -- IN THAT PROJECT, 
BUT WE WILL WORK WITH THE D.O.T. AND MPO STAFF AND TRY TO 
GET SOME INFORMATION FOR THAT.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NED.
APPRECIATE IT.
>>NED BAIER:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
JOE AMON IS HERE, SO JOE, WOULD YOU -- CITIZENS ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MEMBERS OF THE MPO, GOOD MORNING.
THE CAC HELD A MEETING ON NOVEMBER THE 18th, AND AS ALWAYS, 
WE HAD MEMBERS INTEREST BEGINNING.
MR. LEDUC ENCOURAGED THE CAC MEMBERS TO ATTEND THE DECEMBER 
2nd BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING TO SHOW SUPPORT 
FOR PLACING THE TRANSPORTATION REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT.
MR. MATHURIN DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION ON A NATIONAL REPORT 
ASSESSING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, AND FLORIDA RANKS RIGHT UP 
THERE OF BEING THE WORST OF KILLING PEOPLE BY -- KILLING 
AND HURTING PEDESTRIANS.
WE HAVE THE TOP FOUR CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND TAMPA 
HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THEM.
ACTION ITEMS.
THE T.I.P. AMENDMENT.
AT THE REQUEST OF FDOT, A T.I.P. AMENDMENT WAS BROUGHT 
FORWARD REQUESTING TO INSTALL A CONCRETE BARRIER WALL 
INSTEAD OF A GUARDRAIL ON THE PORTION OF HOWARD FRANKLAND 
BRIDGE, AND THAT AMENDMENT WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE 
CAC.
A SECOND AMENDMENT FOR A NEW INTERCHANGE AT I-275, MEMORIAL 
HIGHWAY WAS PULLED FROM THE AGENDA, AND WE'RE WAITING TO 
HEAR SOME DATA ON THAT.
IT'S OF GREAT INTEREST TO THE CAC.
2010 CALENDAR WAS APPROVED.
THEN WE MOVED ON TO THE 2035 LRTP DRAFT COST-AFFORDABLE.
THE STAFF PRESENTED CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE 2035 
LRTP SINCE THE LAST CAC MEETING, AND IT INCLUDED A 
CONTINGENCY AMOUNT FOR ADDING ADDITIONAL RAIL SEGMENTS, 
ADDING SEVERAL OTHER CHANGE IMPROVEMENTS, REMOVING A 
SECTION OF LITHIA-PINECREST FROM WIDENING AND OTHER MATTER 
OF CHANGES, AND AFTER HEARING NED JUST NOW, WE DIDN'T HEAR 
ALL THAT WHEN WE HAD OUR MEETING IN THE SENSE WE DIDN'T 
HEAR SOME OF THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
ALL WE HAD WAS THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A CONTROVERSY ABOUT 
LITHIA-PINECREST, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT BACK TO THE 
COMMITTEE THIS COMING MONTH AND SEE HOW THIS INFORMATION 
THAT NED JUST PRESENTED TO YOU-ALL WOULD AFFECT HOW THE CAC 
MAY FEEL ABOUT THIS.
THEY ACTUALLY DID NOT HAVE A LENGTHY DISCUSSION AT ALL 
ABOUT LITHIA-PINECREST, KNOWING THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN 
OUT THERE, BUT AFTER HEARING WHAT NED HAD TO SAY FROM THE 
TECHNICAL STANDPOINT, I FIND THAT QUITE INTERESTING.
BASICALLY WE VOTED TO PASS THE 2035 LRTP AS IT'S CURRENTLY 
FORMULATED, AS IT'S EVOLVING, ON TO THE MPO FOR ITS 
CONSIDERATION.
THEN WE WENT ON TO THE BRUCE B. DOWNS CONFIGURATION.
IT WAS MOVED FROM AN ACTION ITEM TO A STATUS REPORT.
WE WERE ASKED TO DO THAT, AND WE CONCURRED WITH THAT 
BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A -- BRUCE B. DOWNS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT 
ROADWAY FOR ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO LIVE OUT THERE.
WE HAPPEN TO HAVE TWO CAC MEMBERS, MR. PATRICK LEDUC AND 
MYSELF, WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE ON THAT CORRIDOR AND HAVE BEEN 
THERE FOR 20 YEARS AND HAVE WATCHED IT GROW AND KNOW THE 
CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE WITH TRAFFIC OUT THERE.
WE DID NOT TAKE ANY ACTION ON IT.
WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR SOME OF THE INFORMATION COMING BACK, 
BUT MR. LEDUC MADE A VERY IMPORTANT POINT THAT -- HE SHARED 
HIS -- HE FEELS VERY STRONGLY THAT SUPPORT FOR SIX-LANING 
BRUCE B. DOWNS WITH RIGHT-OF-WAY RESERVED FOR TRANSIT 
VERSUS THE EIGHT LANES PRESENTATION, AND I THINK THE 
COMMITTEE IS WAITING TO HEAR MORE INFORMATION THAT SHOULD 
BE COMING OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
MR. -- I MEAN NED JUST GAVE YOU A BUNCH OF INFORMATION 
THAT -- HOW THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FEELS.
WE DID NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF ALL THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE 
HAD OUR MEETING.
BRUCE B. DOWNS TO US IS A VERY IMPORTANT ROADWAY, AND I 
THINK WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BRUCE B. 
DOWNS, AS I'M SURE WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE DOING.
BUT WE DID FEEL VERY -- VERY STRONGLY THAT SOMETHING HAS TO 
HAPPEN QUICKLY, THAT WE CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER YEAR TO DO -- TO 
DO THAT SECTION OF BRUCE B. DOWNS.
IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION QUICKLY AND 
GET IT UNDER CONTRACT AND GET IT UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW -- THE CAC IS GOING TO FOLLOW 
WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THIS, AND WE'LL WEIGH IN AS WE GET 
MORE INFORMATION.
STATUS REPORT.
THE ONLY STATUS REPORT WE HAD WAS THE TRANSPORTATION FORUM 
THAT WAS HELD BY THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP IN EARLY 
NOVEMBER, AND ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, MR. PLOTKIN, ATTENDED AND 
WAS VERY COMPLIMENTARY ABOUT CHARLOTTE'S MAYOR'S 
PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE CITY'S SUCCESSES WITH THEIR MASS 
TRANSIT SYSTEM AND THE DIFFICULTIES THEY INCURRED.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD WITH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE ON DECEMBER 9th AT 1:15 P.M., AND THAT'S MY 
REPORT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, JOE.
ANY QUESTIONS OF JOE AMON?
IF NOT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOE.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  APPRECIATE IT.
ROSE FERLITA, THE POLICY COMMITTEE.
COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
THE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING MET -- OR THE POLICY COMMITTEE 
MET ON NOVEMBER 24th, AND '09, ON THE 18th FLOOR OF THE 
COUNTY CENTER BUILDING.
THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 28, 2009, POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING 
WERE APPROVED AS SUBMITTED.
IN TERMS OF PUBLIC INPUT, MS. KELLY CORNELIUS AND MR. 
GEORGE NIEMANN SPOKE IN FAVOR OF KEEPING SECTION "B" OF THE 
LITHIA-PINECREST PROJECT AS A TWO-LANE ENHANCED ROADWAY.
ACTION ITEMS, THE T.I.P. AMENDMENT.
MPO STAFF PRESENTED A T.I.P. AMENDMENT FOR A CONCRETE 
BARRIER WALL ON I-275 FROM THE EASTERN END OF THE HOWARD 
FRANKLAND BRIDGE TO THE WEST KENNEDY BOULEVARD EXIT.
THE PROJECT COST IS 263,000 AND WILL NOT IMPACT ANY CURRENT 
PROJECTS IN THE T.I.P.
POLICY COMMITTEE PASSED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT 
AND FORWARD IT TO THE FULL MPO FOR ACTION.
THIS ITEM IS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
2010 MPO CALENDAR OF MEETINGS, THE MPO MEMBERS MET A 
MOTION -- MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2010 MPO MEETING 
CALENDAR AND FORWARDED IT AS WELL TO THE FULL MPO FOR 
APPROVAL AT THIS MORNING'S MEETING.
BRUCE B. DOWNS CONFIGURATION, MR. TOM FASS, COUNTY PUBLIC 
WORKS STAFF, STATED THAT THE BOCC DIRECTED STAFF TO PERFORM 
A REVIEW OF THE ROAD WIDENING PROJECT, A NEED ANALYSIS, AND 
INVESTIGATE EXPEDITING THE SOUTHERN PHASE, SEGMENT "A," AND 
COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
IN 2003 THE PD&E DETERMINED WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THE 
THREE SEGMENTS ALONG BRUCE B. DOWNS, SEGMENT "A," SEGMENT 
B-C, SEGMENT "D" FROM BEARSS TO COUNTY LINE ROAD SHOULD BE 
AN EIGHT-LANE CONFIGURATION WITH A DEDICATED 20-FOOT FUTURE 
TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
FDOT PD&E DETERMINED THE SEGMENT WITHIN PASCO COUNTY SHOULD 
BE A SIX-LANE CONFIGURATION.
COUNTY STAFF RECOMMENDED PRIORITIZING SECTION "A" OVER 
SEGMENT "D," COORDINATE WITH MPO IN THE DESIGN TO COMPLY 
WITH THE MPO'S LRTP, COORDINATE WITH ALL AFFECTED AGENCIES 
AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT MUNICIPALITIES TO ENSURE ROADWAY 
COMPLEMENT TRANSIT.
PROCEED WITH SEGMENT "A" THROUGH CONSTRUCTION BASED ON 
AVAILABLE FUNDING AND CONCURRENCE OF THE MPO IN THAT 
SEGMENT -- THAT SEGMENTS "A" AND "D" SHOULD BE DESIGNED AND 
CONSTRUCTED TO THE PLANNED ELEVATED GRADE TO AVOID COSTLY 
REDESIGN AND DELAYS.
MR. FASS STATED THAT THEY WILL NEED ONE YEAR TO ACQUIRE THE 
LAND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SEGMENT "A" AND WILL NEED TO MAKE 
A DECISION WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE 
THE NEXT SIX MONTHS TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS FOR DESIGN.
FOLLOWING DISCUSSION, MR. MILLER MADE A MOTION TO SUPPORT 
THE COUNTY'S RECOMMENDATION OF PRIORITIZING SEGMENT "A" 
OVER SEGMENT "D" FROM A FUNDING STANDPOINT AND ALLOWING 
THEM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SEGMENT "A" AND ACQUIRE THE 
NECESSARY LAND TO SUPPORT SEGMENT "A."
THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY MAYOR AFFRONTI AND CARRIED.
STATUS REPORTS, LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN ADOPTION, 
STAFF RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE INITIAL PLAN OF THE LONG-
RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN SUCH AS DEALING WITH REDUCING THE 
RAIL CONTINGENCY FROM 50% TO 40% OR 30%, LITHIA-PINECREST 
WIDENING PROJECT, ET CETERA.
THESE CHANGES WERE PRESENTED BY STAFF AT TODAY'S MEETING.
POLICY MEETING VOTED TO ADOPT THE PLAN AND FORWARD IT TO 
THE MPO.
AS A MEMBER -- AS A REMINDER, THE NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE 
MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 26th AT 9:00 A.M. IN THE 
PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM.
ALL MPO BOARD MEMBERS, AS ALWAYS, ARE INVITED TO ATTEND.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERLITA.
ANY QUESTIONS OF --
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THAT'S CORRECT.
YOU DID SO WELL LAST TIME, MR. MILLER -- AS A MATTER OF 
FACT, WHEN I SAID I WAS GOING TO -- FOLLOWING DISCUSSION, 
THE ESTEEMED MR. LOUIS MILLER MADE A MOTION, SO BECAUSE OF 
THAT WE DECIDED WE DON'T NEED TO MEET IN DECEMBER.
YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
OKAY.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT CAME A LITTLE LATE, NOT REALIZING 
THAT OUR TIME WAS CHANGED FROM 9:00 UNTIL 8:30, SO WE WANT 
TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
THERE ARE TWO OF THEM.
GEORGE MAY.
THESE ARE AGENDA ITEMS.
>> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, BOARD.
I'M WEARING TWO HATS THIS MORNING.
I'M WEARING A HAT REPRESENTING THE BRANDON CHAMBER AND A 
RESIDENT OF THE BRANDON -- BRANDON AREA.
FIRST OF ALL, BACK IN APRIL OF 2005 I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE 
BOARD FOR THE BRANDON CHAMBER, AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST 
ISSUES THAT WAS APPROACHED AND ASKED OF THE CHAMBER WAS OUR 
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, WHAT CAN WE DO.
NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS ASKING US HELP US 
GET SOMETHING DONE, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LITHIA-
PINECREST, BUT WE HAD MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COMING 
FORWARD, AND WITH THAT WE WENT TO THE BOCC, WAS ABLE TO 
OBTAIN THE $2.5-MILLION TO DO THE PD&E STUDY, AND THAT, IF 
IT HASN'T WRAPPED UP, SHOULD BE WRAPPING UP ANY DAY NOW.
AND MORE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT SECTION "B," THE 
PRELIMINARY STUDIES HAVE SHOWN IT NEEDS TO BE WIDENED TO 
FOUR LANES, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR RECOMMENDATION.
I ASK THAT YOU STAY WITH THAT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT TRYING 
TO DO ENHANCED -- THE ROAD IS A FAILED ROAD NOW.
IN FACT, THE PD&E STUDY SHOWS THAT -- WIDENING IT, AND 
SHOULD WE HAVE IT DONE LIKE 2018, 15 YEARS WITHOUT -- AFTER 
THAT YOU WOULD FIND THE ROAD FAILED AGAIN.
THAT'S HOW MUCH TRAFFIC IS OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, MR. BAIER ALLUDED TO THE FACT OF THE -- WE WERE 
LOOKING AT TAKING THE ISSUES OF BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY 
FRIENDLY.
MYSELF, AS A RESIDENT, I DRIVE LITHIA-PINECREST EVERY DAY.
I DRIVE FIVE MILES OF LITHIA-PINECREST.
IT TAKES ME 30 MINUTES TO GO FIVE MILES.
NOW, WHEN WE HAD THE ISSUE WITH THE AMMONIA PIPE, IT JUST 
SHUT DOWN EVERYTHING OUT THERE.
EVERYTHING JUST BECOMES IMPASSABLE.
THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
LITHIA WAS SHUT DOWN.
IT HAD EVERYBODY JUST SCATTERING GOING EVERYWHERE.
IT TOOK AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET HOME.
WHEN THE FOREST FIRES ON 75 HAD EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN TO 
WHERE YOU COULD HARDLY EVEN GET THROUGH BLOOMINGDALE 
AVENUE.
WHEN THE BRIDGE WENT OUT ON LITHIA-PINECREST IT DUMPED ALL 
THE TRAFFIC ON BELL SHOALS.
YOU COULD GET NOWHERE.
IT'S A QUAGMIRE.
I UNDERSTAND RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED ON LITHIA-PINECREST, 
BUT THERE IS A SILENT MAJORITY OUT THERE SAYING WE NEED 
SOMETHING DONE NOW.
HELP US.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROAD AND THE SITUATION, IT'S -- IT'S 
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANYWHERE AT A REASONABLE, YOU KNOW, TIME.
AND THE FACT THAT -- YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T EVEN TAKE IN 
CONSIDERATION SAFETY ISSUES.
YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED SOME OF THESE OTHER EVENTS THAT HAVE 
HAPPENED.
GOD HELP US IF WE HAD A CATASTROPHE WHERE WE HAD TO GET 
PEOPLE OUT OF THERE.
THERE WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NO WAY TO EVACUATE THE RESIDENTS 
OF THAT COMMUNITY THROUGH LITHIA-PINECREST, AND 
UNFORTUNATELY ON THE EAST SIDE THAT'S ALL WE HAVE, AS WHAT 
MR. BAIER ALLUDED TO.
THERE IS NO OTHER NORTH-SOUTH.
WE NEED HELP.
WE NEED TO GO WITH THE FOUR LANES, AND PLEASE, PLEASE 
CONSIDER THAT AND GO FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, GEORGE.
OKAY.
ONE MORE.
VIVIAN BACCA.
>> GOOD MORNING.
VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON, AND I 
APOLOGIZE FOR NOT NOTICING THE MEETING STARTED AT THIS TIME 
AT 9:00.
I WENT TO EVERY SINGLE MEETING OF THE BRANDON COMMUNITY 
PLAN, AND TRANSPORTATION WAS THE BRANDON PLAN'S NUMBER ONE 
GOAL, AND YET DESPITE THAT, THERE WAS NO CONSENSUS IN THE 
WORKING COMMITTEE MEETING ABOUT WIDENING SECTION "B" OF 
LITHIA-PINECREST.
IN FACT, MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ATTENDED DIDN'T LIKE THE 
IDEA.
MOST OF THE CHAMBER MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED DID.
WE HAVE SEEN BY THE WIDENING OF BLOOMINGDALE AVENUE THAT 
WIDENING ROADS DOES NOT IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW.
IF ANYTHING, IT JUST DUMPS MORE TRAFFIC IN BRANDON.
BRANDON'S GOAL IS NOT TO BECOME A THROUGHWAY TO FISHHAWK.
I HOPE YOU WILL THINK ABOUT THAT AND ADOPT THE 
MODIFICATIONS.
WHAT THE PLAN DECIDED TO DO WAS DEFER TO THE PD&E STUDY. 
SINCE WE COULDN'T GET A CONSENSUS, WE FELT THAT THAT WAS A 
BROADER REPRESENTATION OF THE BRANDON COMMUNITY, PEOPLE WHO 
WOULD COME OUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT LITHIA-PINECREST 
ISSUE, AND THAT'S WHY WE DECIDED TO DO THAT IN OUR PLAN.
I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU-ALL HAVE FEDERAL DEADLINES, AND IT'S 
VERY HARD TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT AT THE LAST MINUTE IN JUST 
A MONTH WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY ALMOST HAVE TO GO OUT TO 
THE PEOPLE.
I APPRECIATE THE TOWN HALL CALL-INS.
ONE THING THAT I REALLY FEEL.
I KNOW WE'VE GOT SAFETY AS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE GOALS FOR 
THAT 2035 LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, BUT I REALLY 
THINK WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR 
PEDESTRIANS MORE SAFE.
MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO EDUCATE THEM.
MAYBE WE NEED TO SEND THEM OUT WITH, YOU KNOW DOOR I DON'T 
KNOW, KNEE PADS OR WE'VE GOT TO PUT BLOCKERS NOW ON OUR 
SIDEWALKS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING RUN OVER ON 
THE SIDEWALKS, BUT SAFETY IS -- IS A PROBLEM, AND IT'S NOT 
ALWAYS THE -- YOU KNOW, WE MAY NEED TO BRING THE SPEED 
DOWN.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE NEEDS OF THE -- THE CAR TO GET TO 
THEIR DESTINATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING 
TO GET THERE ANOTHER WAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VIVIAN.
OKAY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE EVALUATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR SENDING YOUR 
RESPONSES TO LINDA.
AS YOU KNOW, LINDA COMPILED THE RESULTS, AND THEY WERE 
EXCELLENT.
THE AVERAGE WITH FIVE BEING THE ABSOLUTE BEST, RAY IN ALL 
THE EVALUATIONS, TAKING ALL OF THE CATEGORIES WHICH WERE 14 
CATEGORIES, HE RANKED -- HE HAD 4.7 OUT OF A POSSIBLE FIVE, 
WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT.
AND AS YOU KNOW, A YEAR AGO RAY WAS APPOINTED PERMANENT 
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AFTER SERVING AS TEMPORARY.
HE -- AT THAT TIME, AS YOU ALSO KNOW, RAY GOT NO INCREASE 
IN HIS SALARY, AND RAY AND I MET, AND RAY, UNDERSTANDING 
THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF OUR -- OUR CITIES AND COUNTY AND 
EVERYONE ELSE EVERYWHERE ELSE, HAS VOLUNTARILY SAID THAT 
HE'S NOT EVEN LOOKING FOR ANYMORE MONEY, ANY INCREASE, AND 
I REALLY THINK THAT WE OWE RAY A GREAT DEBT OF 
APPRECIATION.
SO WE REALLY DON'T NEED ANY ACTION ON THIS.
IT'S JUST THAT THIS IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION, FOR THE PUBLIC 
TO KNOW THAT RAY CHIARAMONTE HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB.
A COUPLE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY THE BOARD 
MEMBERS INCLUDE, RAY'S OUTREACH TIME HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.
RAY IS EXACTLY THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR THE 
MPO.
MR. CHIARAMONTE PRESENTS INFORMATION IN A 
NONCONFRONTATIONAL MANNER, WHICH IS A POSITIVE, AND I HAVE 
NO DIFFICULTY CONTACTING HIM WHEN NEEDED.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED 
ABOUT RAY.
SO RAY, WE APPRECIATE THE GREAT JOB THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, 
AND WITH THAT, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO 
EXPRESS -- YES, ROSE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I ABSOLUTELY CONCUR WITH YOUR COMMENTS, AND RAY, WE 
APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO FOR US, ESPECIALLY IN THIS UPCOMING 
YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY CHALLENGING.
I THINK THAT THINGS ON YOUR SIDE THAT'S A BENEFIT FOR US IS 
THAT YOU'RE SO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE JOB YOU DO.
YOU BELIEVE IT AND YOU SPEAK IT FROM THE HEART BECAUSE YOU 
BELIEVE IN THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE ALL 
HOPING WILL COME ABOUT.
THAT BEING SAID, I GUESS WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE FINISHES 
MAKING COMMENTS IF THEY WANT TO, I GUESS, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE 
JUST MAKE A MOTION TO -- TO ACCEPT THE EVALUATION OR DO WE 
NOT EVEN NEED TO DO THAT?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  I DON'T EVEN KNOW --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  PROBABLY NOT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ADAM.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO DO THAT.
IT WOULD NOT BE INAPPROPRIATE IF THE BOARD WERE SO INCLINED 
TO --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  I'M JUST THINKING IN TERMS OF JUST FOR HIS 
BENEFIT, THAT IF WE MOVE TO ACCEPT THEM, THEN --
>> SECOND.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  -- CERTAINLY HE CAN LOOK AT IT LATER ON.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TOO.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  AND BEFORE WE MAKE THAT MOTION, MR. 
CHAIRMAN, I ALSO WANT TO THANK LINDA.
SOMETIMES WE'RE REMISS IN THANKING HER FOR WHAT SHE DOES TO 
KEEP US GOING IN THESE MEETINGS AND COMPILING INFORMATION 
LIKE THIS, SO LINDA WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO ALL THE TIME.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, COMMISSIONER SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I JUST WANTED TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF 
COMMISSIONER FERLITA AND AS WELL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD 
A -- WE WENT THROUGH A CHANGE, AND I THINK IT WAS A 
NECESSARY CHANGE, AND IN LIGHT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE 
FACE AND THE FACT THAT WE NEEDED A -- AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
THAT IS CAPABLE OF PULLING TOGETHER A LOT OF DISPARATE 
GROUPS IN TRYING TO COMMUNICATE SOME VERY COMPLEX 
INFORMATION, THE CHALLENGE, AS COMMISSIONER FERLITA SAID, 
IS ENORMOUS, AND I THINK YOU STEPPED IN AND JUST DID A 
PHENOMENAL JOB, I MEAN, WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT, AND SO, YOU 
KNOW, WE OWE YOU A DEBT OF GRATITUDE.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE ALL THE OUTREACH BECAUSE ONE OF THE 
GREATEST CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND WE'RE GOING TO FACE 
THIS YEAR -- AND EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THIS 
YEAR.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE THIS YEAR, BUT THE GREATER 
CHALLENGE IS GOING TO COME THE YEAR AFTER AND THE YEAR 
AFTER BECAUSE IF -- IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL -- AND I'M TALKING 
NOW ABOUT A REFERENDUM, BUT IF THAT IS SUCCESSFUL, THEN THE 
OBLIGATION UPON ALL OF US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS EFFECTIVE 
AND WORKS AND THAT WE MEET THE DEMANDS AND THE REQUIREMENTS 
AND THE CONCERNS OF THE CITIZENS WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE 
MANY, MANY, MANY QUESTIONS IS GOING TO BE ENORMOUS, AND A 
LOT OF THAT IS GOING TO FALL ON YOU, AND SO I JUST WANT TO 
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE WORKING WITH ALL THESE 
DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
YOU'RE A VERY CALM PERSON.
YOUR DEMEANOR IS VERY -- YOU'RE UNFLAPPABLE, AND I JUST 
APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE -- THAT YOU'VE DONE AND 
WILL DO IN THE FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
ANY OTHER -- YES, JOE.
AND THEN --
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THIS THE EVALUATION, 
THE SCORES ON THE BOTTOM?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YEAH.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  IT'S BETTER THAN THE DANCING WITH THE 
STARS.
YOU DO A GREAT JOB.
[LAUGHTER]
YOU DO A GREAT JOB, AND --
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YEAH.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  VERY HONORED TO HAVE HIM DOING WHAT HE 
DOES.
HE DOES A GREAT JOB.
I COMMEND HIM.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, HE DOES.
THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  RAY, DO I SENSE YOU BLUSHING OVER THERE?
ARE YOU BLUSHING?
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT RAY HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, AS HAS 
ALREADY BEEN SAID.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY GOING, WHAT, A YEAR AGO -- OVER A 
YEAR AGO, GOING TO CHARLOTTE TOGETHER LOOKING AT THE WHOLE 
ROUTE THERE, WHICH WAS A VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE.
THAT WAS ELAINE, YOURSELF, AND ME, AND I FOUND RAY TO 
REALLY DO HIS HOMEWORK, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT WHEN 
YOU'RE WORKING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, IT TAKES A CERTAIN 
PERSONALITY, IT TAKES A CERTAIN DEMEANOR, IT TAKES A 
CERTAIN CALMNESS, AND YOU HAVE THAT.
YOU KNOW, ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE HUGE EGOS.
I MEAN, WE DON'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT, BUT IT'S TRUE.
>> EXCUSE ME?
[LAUGHTER]
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  SO YOU DO A GREAT JOB OF WORKING WITH 
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MAKING SURE THE INFORMATION IS THERE.
I WATCHED YOU DURING THAT WHOLE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE, 
HOW YOU WORKED WITH EVERYBODY.
EVEN WHEN WE WENT OVER TO LARGO, YOUR INVOLVEMENT, YOUR 
INPUT WAS EXCELLENT AND HOW YOU HANDLED THE SITUATION WAS 
VERY APPROPRIATE, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU 
DO AND FOR WHAT YOU MEAN TO THIS BOARD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SCOTT.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING UP IS PLEASE REALIZE ALSO 
THAT SHORTLY AFTER RAY WAS APPOINTED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 
PERMANENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HE HAD TO ASSUME THE DUTIES 
OF THE PLANNING DIRECTOR FOR THE -- BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, 
OUR PLANNING -- DIRECTOR OF OUR PLANNING COMMISSION LEFT 
FOR A WHILE, AND RAY HAD TO ASSUME THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES 
AS WELL AND PERFORM THOSE JOB -- THAT JOB TERRIFIC AND AT 
THE SAME TIME DIDN'T MISS A BEAT WORKING WITH THE MPO, SO 
WITH THAT WE WANT TO -- I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT.
RAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YES, JOE.
>>JOE WAGGONER:  [INAUDIBLE]
IS HE WORKING FOR THE SAME PAY HE WORKED FOR BEFORE HE --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>>JOE WAGGONER: -- MOVED UP TO ACTING DIRECTOR?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
HE GOT NO INCREASE WHEN HE WAS MADE PERMANENT DIRECTOR, AND 
NOW AGAIN HE HAS VOLUNTARILY SAID THAT HE DIDN'T EXPECT ANY 
INCREASE.
>>JOE WAGGONER:  I THINK THAT'S GOING BEYOND THE CALL 
HONESTLY.
TO STEP UP INTO A TASK AND TAKE ON MUCH MORE RESPONSIBILITY 
THAN HE HAD BEFORE, IT'S -- I THINK IT'S A -- A REAL 
CONTRIBUTION BY YOU AND IT APPRECIATED.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES, IT IS.
>>JOE WAGGONER:  AND I HOPE IN THE FUTURE WE CAN REWARD YOU 
FOR THAT STAND YOU'RE TAKING TODAY.
IT'S APPRECIATED BY ME.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER -- OKAY.
IF NOT, YOU MADE A --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MOTION TO ACCEPT THE EVALUATION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  RAY.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  I JUST WANT TO -- I WANT TO THANK THE 
STAFF BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM WE WOULD NOT BE AS SUCCESSFUL IN 
WHAT WE'RE DOING.
LINDA IS GREAT, AND THE WHOLE STAFF, BETH, JOE, WALLY, 
GENA, EVERYBODY, LYNN, HAS BEEN GREAT IN HELPING ME DO THIS 
JOB.
WITHOUT THEM I COULDN'T DO IT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE BOARD.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE TO ME AND BEEN VERY EASY 
TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU.
I APPRECIATE THAT, AND THE LAST PERSON I WANT TO THANK IS 
MY WIFE, WHO HAS MISSED ME BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY 
OVER THE LAST YEAR.
I WILL NOT DENY THAT THIS IS THE HARDEST JOB THAT I'VE EVER 
HAD IN MY 30 YEARS HAS BEEN THE LAST YEAR, AND I EXPECT THE 
NEXT YEAR -- YOU KNOW, I'VE WARNED MY FAMILY -- WILL BE 
THAT TOO.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON A MISSION, AND I WANT TO PUT EVERY 
PIECE OF ENERGY I HAVE INTO MOVING THAT MISSION FORWARD, 
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY 
EVALUATION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, RAY.
OKAY.
ROSE, YOU MADE A MOTION.
WHAT --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YES, I DID, MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST SIMPLY TO 
RECEIVE THE EVALUATION --
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  SECOND.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  -- INTO THE RECORD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, RAY.
OKAY.
WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND UNLESS YOU 
WANT TO PULL ANY ONE OF THOSE THREE, WE COULD JUST GO AHEAD 
AND GET A MOTION --
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  MOVE APPROVAL.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO MOVE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  -- TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, THREE 
ITEMS.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MOVE "A," "B," AND "C."
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  I HAD A QUESTION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  ON THE -- THAT INCLUDED THE D.O.T. --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  NO, IT INCLUDED THE APPROVAL OF THE 
MINUTES, THE MPO MEETING CALENDAR, AND THE MPO INTERLOCAL 
AGREEMENT WRAP-UP.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  I'M GOOD WITH ALL THOSE.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT -- WHEN WE GET TO THE HOWARD 
FRANKLAND BRIDGE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
ADAM.
ADAM --
>>ADAM GORMLY:  YES.
WE'RE AT THE PORTION OF THE AGENDA TO NOMINATE OFFICERS OF 
THE MPO, AND THE TWO OFFICES THAT WILL BE OPEN FOR 
NOMINATION WILL BE THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR.
START WITH THE -- START WITH THE CHAIRMAN AND OPEN THE 
FLOOR FOR ANY NOMINATIONS.
YES.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  MR. GORMLY, THANK YOU.
I HAVE BEEN OF THE PHILOSOPHY THAT WE HAVE MANY THINGS 
GOING AND COMING OUR WAY NEXT YEAR, AND THE CONTINUITY OF 
LEADERSHIP ON THIS BOARD AND EVERY OTHER BOARD IS VERY, 
VERY IMPORTANT.
MR. AFFRONTI -- MAYOR AFFRONTI, EXCUSE ME, HAS DONE A 
WONDERFUL JOB FOR US AND HAS REPRESENTED US WELL, IN 
ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A LOT INVESTED IN HIM.
WE'VE SENT HIM ALL OVER THE PLACES WITH RAY, AND I THINK IT 
WOULD WELL SERVE MPO TO CONTINUE ASKING HIM TO LEAD, SO 
THEREFORE, I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE --
>> SECOND.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  -- REAPPOINT MR. AFFRONTI.
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS AT THIS 
TIME?
THAT WILL CLOSE THE NOMINATIONS, AND VOTE ON MR. AFFRONTI 
FOR THE CHAIR.
ALL IN FAVOR.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
MOTION PASSES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANKS FOR YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE.
I APPRECIATE IT.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE -- ALONG THE SAME LINES FOR THE 
CONTINUITY WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE THAT -- COMMISSIONER 
FERLITA AS VICE PRESIDENT AND ALSO CHAIR OF THE POLICY 
COMMITTEE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THIS WAS NOT REHEARSED.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I'LL SECOND HER NOMINATION AS VICE 
PRESIDENT.
[LAUGHTER]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SORRY ABOUT THAT.
VICE CHAIR.
I'M ALL RIGHT.
>> POOR JOE BIDEN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YOU'RE GOING TO REPLACE JOE BIDEN.
>>MARK SHARPE:  AND AS VICE CHAIR.
[LAUGHTER]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  VICE PRESIDENT.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  SHE PROBABLY COULD BEAT HIM TOO.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WE HAD A SECOND.
OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU'RE NOW THE VICE PRESIDENT.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SORRY ABOUT THAT.
OKAY.
TRANSPORTATION -- T.I.P. AMENDMENT.
WALLY BLAIN.
>>WALLY BLAIN:  GOOD MORNING.
WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF.
THERE IS ONE T.I.P. AMENDMENT BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING, AND 
THAT IS FOR A CONCRETE BARRIER ON I-275.
IT WOULD BE BETWEEN THE END OF THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE 
ON THIS SIDE OF THE BAY TO WHERE THE -- THE KENNEDY RAMP 
IS, BASICALLY ON THAT PART OF THE LAND.
THIS WOULD GO IN AND REPLACE PART OF THE FENCING AND 
GUARDRAIL THAT'S THERE.
PART OF IT IS BEEN DETERIORATED OVER TIME, SO THIS WOULD GO 
IN AND REPLACE THAT AND PUT IN A CONCRETE BARRIER THAT 
WOULD BE A LITTLE SAFER.
AS YOU HEARD FROM THE COMMITTEE REPORTS, THIS WAS APPROVED 
BY THE COMMITTEES, THE CAC, THE TAC, AND THE POLICY 
COMMITTEE, AND HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO THE MPO FOR APPROVAL 
TODAY.
I WILL REMIND YOU BEFORE WE TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS THAT 
IT DOES REQUIRE A ROLL CALL VOTE AS A T.I.P. AMENDMENT.
SO WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN 
DIRECT THOSE OR ANSWER THOSE AT THIS TIME.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY --
YES.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THANKS, WALLY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  HOW LONG A SECTION, WALLY, ARE WE 
TALKING ABOUT, AND HOW TALL A WALL ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
>>WALLY BLAIN:  I'D HAVE TO ASK FDOT TO COMMENT ON THAT.
>>DON SKELTON:  THE HEIGHT OF THE WALL IS GOING TO BE A 
TYPICAL BARRIER WALL THAT YOU'D FIND, SO --
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  JUST A LITTLE STEM WALL, SO ABOUT THREE 
FEET?
>>DON SKELTON:  IT WOULD BE 2.5 -- I BELIEVE IT'S 2.5 FEET.
AND IT'S IN AN AREA WHERE THE GUARDRAIL IS CONTINUOUSLY HIT 
AND HAS TO BE REPLACED, SO WE NEED TO -- TO STRENGTHEN IT 
UP, AND THESE ARE SAFETY FUNDS AS A SAFETY INITIATIVE.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
I'LL BE GRAD TO MOVE THE -- GLAD TO MOVE THE T.I.P. 
AMENDMENT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
>> THIS IS A ROLL CALL.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OH, YEAH.
I'M SORRY.
>> THANK YOU.
HAGAN IS NOT HERE.
DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  YES.
AYE.
>> OKAY.
BECKNER IS NOT HERE.
MR. MILLER.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  YES.
>> MAYOR LOTT.
>>RICK LOTT:  YES.
>> AFFRONTI.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>> SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES.
>> MS. MULHERN IS NOT HERE.
MR. SCOTT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  YES.
>> MR. CAETANO.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  YES.
>> MS. FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YES.
>> MR. WAINIO IS NOT HERE.
MR. CHILLURA.
>> HE'S NONVOTING.
>> I'M SORRY.
AND MR. WAGGONER.
>>JOE WAGGONER:  YES.
>> THANK YOU.
MOTION PASSES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WALLY.
OKAY.
STATUS REPORTS.
LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN ADOPTION DRAFT.
BETH ALLEN.
YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE BETH.
>>LYNN MERENDA:  I'M HER SOUL SISTER, LYNN MERENDA.
BETH WILL BE UP SHORTLY.
FIRST OF ALL, MY NAME'S LYNN MERENDA, MPO STAFF.
LINDA FERRARO IS PASSING OUT SOME ON TRACK MESSAGING, THREE 
ISSUES FOR YOU AS WELL AS A COPY OF THE TBT WRAP THAT 
OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 9th.
THERE IS AN OFFICIAL 30-DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD REQUIRED 
BY LAW, AND WE DO HAVE LEGAL ADVERTISEMENTS AND THINGS FOR 
THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT ARE PLACED 30 DAYS 
AND TEN DAYS OUT OF OUR PUBLIC HEARING COMING UP ON 
DECEMBER 9th, AND IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH 
THE PUBLIC AND GIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO COMMENT AND 
ASK QUESTIONS AND GIVE US INFORMATION AND IDEAS, WE 
LAUNCHED A WHOLE PROGRAM.
WE DID LAUNCH OUR NEW WEB SITE, MPO2035.ORG, AND ON THAT 
PEOPLE CAN VIEW OUR VIDEO, THEY CAN TAKE A SURVEY, IT 
DEFINES WHAT'S IN THE PLAN FOR THEM, AND THERE'S LOTS OF 
EASY INFORMATION SO PEOPLE CAN ACCESS IT AND COMMENT 
DIRECTLY ON-LINE.
WE PLACED LEGAL ADS IN THE PAPERS STARTING 30 DAYS OUT AND 
AGAIN TEN DAYS OUT IN THE TAMPA TRIBUNE, La GACETA, FLORIDA 
SENTINEL, THE ST. PETE TIMES TAMPA EDITION, AND THE TBT, 
AND YOU NOW HAVE THE WRAP IN YOUR HANDS, "IT IS A WRAP."
WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE ONE DAY THAT OUR WRAP CAME 
AROUND THE TBT WAS THE ONE AND ONLY BUCS VICTORY, SO IT WAS 
A VERY WELL RECEIVED PAPER.
MAYBE WE'RE A GOOD LUCK CHARM.
MAYBE WE SHOULD PLACE MORE ADS ON MONDAYS.
AT THAT -- AT THE BACK OF THE PAPER WE ADVERTISED OUR TWO 
TOWN CALL MEETINGS AS WELL -- WHICH WE HAD 7,424 
PARTICIPANTS.
NOW, FOR MOST PEOPLE THIS WAS A SIT-DOWN TELEPHONE PANEL.
AS YOU CAN SEE, RAY WAS STANDING UP MOST OF THE TIME 
BECAUSE HE GETS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
BOTH TOWN CALLS WERE HOSTED BY RAY CHIARAMONTE AND 
MODERATED BY JACK HARRIS, WHO DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.
NOT ONLY WAS HE AWESOME ON THE PHONE WITH PEOPLE AND I 
THINK GAVE INDIVIDUALS A CELEBRITY INTEREST IN WHAT MIGHT 
NORMALLY BE A MUNDANE EVENT FOR SOME PEOPLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, 
HE ALSO PROMOTED A LOT ON HIS RADIO SHOW, WHICH HAS A 
MASSIVE LISTENERSHIP.
ON NOVEMBER 10th WE FOCUSED ON TAMPA AND TEMPLE TERRACE, ON 
NOVEMBER 19th PLANT CITY AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR THE 
40,000 OUTGOING REGISTERED VOTER CALLS EACH NIGHT.
ANYBODY COULD CALL IN FROM ANY JURISDICTION, HOWEVER.
OUR GUEST PANELISTS WERE COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER AND MAYOR 
AFFRONTI.
AND ON THE 19th WE HAD COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND GREG  
HORWEDEL FROM PLANT CITY, AND HE DID A GREAT JOB, JUST SO 
YOU KNOW, MAYOR LOTT.
AND WE ANSWERED -- WE SCREENED 53 CALLS FOR QUESTIONS.
13 WERE ASKED LIVE THE FIRST NIGHT, 60 THE SECOND NIGHT, 
AND 15 WERE ASKED LIVE THAT NIGHT.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS AT THE END WE ASKED THE PEOPLE THAT 
WERE STILL ON THE LINE DID THEY AGREE WITH THE GENERAL 
DIRECTION AND VISION FOR HILLSBOROUGH'S FUTURE.
ON NOVEMBER 10th 65% AGREED WITH OUR PLAN AND 67% ON THE 
19th, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
WHEN ASKED WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY TO IMPROVE OUR 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, YOU CAN SEE EMPHASIZING A ROAD-ONLY 
APPROACH HAD LESS THAN 15% ON BOTH NIGHTS.
EMPHASIZING EXPANDING TRANSIT SERVICE WAS 39 AND 27, AND A 
BALANCED MIX, 36 AND 45%, SO VERY STRONGLY PEOPLE 
UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF A MULTIMODAL APPROACH TO THE PLAN 
AND ARE ASKING US TO SEE THAT THROUGH.
SO WHAT TYPES OF QUESTIONS WERE WE ASKED?
PEOPLE ASKED WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG TO BRING RAIL HERE, 
HOW WILL WE FUND NOT ONLY THE CONSTRUCTION BUT ALSO THE 
OPERATIONS OF A RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM, HOW WILL THE RAIL 
SYSTEM BENEFIT ME AND MY COMMUNITY IF WE'RE NOT LOCATED 
NEAR IT, HOW WILL TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS BE PHASED IN?
WE GOT A LOT OF THANK YOUS FROM PEOPLE.
THEY WERE JUST SO EXCITED THAT THEY COULD STAY AT HOME AND 
BE INVOLVED IN A TOWN MEETING AND CALL IN.
IT WAS SO EASY FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE.
THE FULL QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED OVER -- EVEN IF THEY 
DIDN'T GET LIVE, WE'RE ACTUALLY DRAFTING THE ANSWERS AND 
ARE GOING TO POST THEM ON-LINE THIS WEEK, SO THAT WILL BE 
POSTED ON MPO2035.ORG, AS WELL AS THERE WILL BE A FULL 
SUMMARY OF ALL COMMENTS RECEIVED VIA WEB, MAIL, PHONE, IN 
PERSON, AT PRESENTATIONS AND DISPLAYS, ON THE TOWN CALLS, 
OR FROM OUR PLANNING PARTNERS WILL ALL BE PROVIDED BEFORE 
THE DECEMBER 9th PUBLIC HEARING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
A FEW REMINDERS ABOUT NEXT WEEK'S PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S AT 6:00 RIGHT HERE IN THE BOCC CHAMBERS.
WE WOULD LOVE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND TO SUPPORT THE PLAN 
OR COME IN WITH COMMENTS AND THINGS THAT THEY THINK MAY BE 
LEFT OUT.
IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT, PLEASE GO TO OUR WEB SITE, 
MPO2035.ORG, REVIEW THE PLAN IN OUR NEWSLETTER, AND CAN YOU 
TAKE THE SURVEY ON-LINE.
IT WILL ELECTRONICALLY BE DELIVERED TO US.
YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEO.
YOU CAN COME TO OUR LIBRARY AND LOOK AT THE PLAN ON THE 
16th -- I'M SORRY -- 18th FLOOR OF THIS BUILDING AT 601 
EAST KENNEDY.
YOU CAN CALL ME.
YOU CAN CALL A TOLL FREE HOT LINE, 1-888-777-5730, AND IF 
PEOPLE NEED SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS TO ATTEND THE MEETING 
NEXT WEEK, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THEM.
JUST PLEASE CONTACT MICHELE OGILVIE IN OUR OFFICE, AND FOR 
PEOPLE WATCHING HTV, THIS WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE NEXT WEEK, 
AND DURING THE CALL-IN -- DURING THE MEETING WE'LL HAVE A 
LIVE CALL-IN NUMBER, SO IF PEOPLE CAN'T MAKE IT DOWN HERE 
AND THEY CALL IN THEIR COMMENTS, WE'LL RECORD THEM AND READ 
THEM TO THE BOARD LIVE THAT NIGHT AS WELL.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I TURN THIS OVER TO BETH?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY QUESTIONS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  NOT A QUESTION BUT A COMMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT STAFF DID A PHENOMENAL 
JOB OF ARRANGING -- I HAD NO IDEA I WAS GOING TO WORK, AND 
IT WAS PRETTY INTERESTING TO SEE.
I HAD TALKED TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED.
I HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE GOING TO PARTICIPATE.
THEY CALLED IN.
THEY REALLY THOUGHT IT WAS COOL.
SOME FOLKS THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE KIND OF CORNY AT 
FIRST.
THEY SAID BUT WHEN THEY CALLED IN, THEY ACTUALLY ENJOYED 
BEING ABLE TO LISTEN, ASK QUESTIONS.
WE TRIED TO GET TO AS MANY QUESTIONERS AS POSSIBLE, AND I 
THOUGHT -- YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T PARTICIPATED, I 
WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THE TIME BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF 
FUN.
YOU'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, 
AND STAFF DOES A GREAT JOB OF GIVING EVERY PERSON WHO CALLS 
IN AN OPPORTUNITY, SO I WANTED TO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR 
HARD WORK BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WORKED HARD ON THIS.
>>LYNN MERENDA:  THANK YOU.
AND EVERYBODY ON STAFF WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS.
BETH'S GOING TO TALK TO YOU NOW ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES 
THAT WE'RE MAKING DUE TO THE COMMENTS WE'RE HEARING FROM 
THE PUBLIC AND OUR PLANNING PARTNERS.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  I JUST WANTED TO ALSO ECHO MARKS 
COMMENTS AND THANK JACK HARRIS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HE PUT 
INTO THIS AND IS CONTINUING TO PUT INTO THIS, AND HE'S A 
BIG -- A BIG SUPPORTER OF OUR EFFORTS, AND WE APPRECIATE 
HIS --
>>LYNN MERENDA:  YEAH.
JACK HARRIS WAS AMAZING, AND HE PROMOTED IT ON HIS WEB 
SITE, ON THE RADIO SHOW, AND WE REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU, 
COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER AND COMMISSIONER SHARPE, FOR COMING 
OUT AND SENDING GREG HORWEDEL MAYOR LOTT.
AND MAYOR AFFRONTI, YOU'RE ALWAYS AN OUTSTANDING PANELIST.
WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE 
TO SUPPORT THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>BETH ALDEN:  GOOD MORNING.
BETH ALDEN, MPO STAFF, AND I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU A 
COUPLE OF THE CHANGES TO THE PROPOSED LONG-RANGE 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN SINCE WE LAST TALKED ABOUT IT LAST 
MONTH.
THIS -- THESE CHANGES ARE BASED ON OUR PUBLIC COMMENT 
PERIOD AND SOME OF THE INTERAGENCY COORDINATION THAT'S GONE 
ON DURING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, SO THEY ARE 
HIGHLIGHTED IN YOUR PACKET.
THERE ARE FOUR PROBABLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
THE FIRST ONE THAT I WANTED TO DISCUSS WITH YOU IS YOUR 
DIRECTION LAST MONTH TO LOOK AT CHANGING THAT CONSTRUCTION 
COST CONTINGENCY FOR RAIL TO SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO FUND 
MORE SEGMENTS OF RAIL.
WE LOOKED AT A -- WE STARTED OUT WITH THAT 50% COST 
CONTINGENCY, WE LOOKED AT A 40% COST CONTINGENCY, AND A 30% 
COST CONTINGENCY.
ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR PACKET.
KIND OF THE BOTTOM LINE ON IT IS AT 50% YOUR COST PER MILE 
TO CONSTRUCT IS 77 MILLION PER MILE ON AVERAGE.
AT 30% CONTINGENCY IT RUNS ABOUT 71 MILLION PER MILE ON 
AVERAGE.
AS WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE OTHER SYSTEMS AROUND THE 
COUNTRY, A COUPLE OF THEM THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT RECENTLY, 
CHARLOTTE WAS AT 50 MILLION PER MILE.
DENVER, THEIR LATEST PROJECT THAT THEY WERE JUST 
NEGOTIATING OVER THE SUMMER, IS IN THE 54- TO 58 MILLION 
PER MILE, SO WE'RE THINKING THAT 71 MILLION PER MILE IS 
STILL A PRETTY CONSERVATIVE COST ESTIMATE.
IF WE GO WITH THAT NUMBER, THEN WE THINK IT IS POSSIBLE TO 
ALSO BUILD AN EXTENSION INTO SOUTH TAMPA TO GET DOWN TO THE 
BRITTON PLAZA TRANSIT CENTER THAT HART HAS THERE.
WE THINK IT WOULD ALSO BE POSSIBLE TO EXTEND THAT LINE THAT 
GOES -- THAT'S PROPOSED TO GO THROUGH THE AIRPORT UP TO 
LINEBAUGH, TO EXTEND THAT A LITTLE FARTHER WEST TO GET INTO 
THE WESTCHASE AREA.
WE CHECKED THAT AGAINST THE OPERATING COSTS TO MAKE SURE 
WE'D STILL BE ABLE TO OPERATE THAT SYSTEM IN 2035.
IT'S NOT A HUGE INCREASE IN THE OPERATING COSTS.
AND WE'VE GOT THAT ALL BALANCED OUT FOR YOU IN THE 
SPREADSHEET THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET.
BE HAPPY TO ANSWER MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COSTS 
AND REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS IF YOU'D LIKE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  DID THAT ALSO INCLUDE A BRANDON LINE?
>>BETH ALDEN:  THE BRANDON LINE WAS IN THE PLAN LAST MONTH.
CONTINUES TO BE IN THE PLAN THIS MONTH.
>>MARK SHARPE:  OKAY.
WHERE DOES THE BRANDON LINE EXTEND TO?
WHERE DOES IT GO?
>>BETH ALDEN:  THAT GOES TO A LITTLE BIT EAST OF KINGSWAY.
>>MARK SHARPE:  OKAY.
ALONG WHICH ROUTE, WHICH THOROUGHFARE?
>>BETH ALDEN:  WE'RE SHOWING IT RIGHT NOW ON THAT CSX 
CORRIDOR, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF STATE ROUTE 60.
>>MARK SHARPE:  JUST NORTH --
>>BETH ALDEN:  OF COURSE THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO A 
CORRIDOR STUDY LIKE THE ONE THAT HART IS DOING NOW ON THE 
DOWNTOWN TO USF AND DOWNTOWN TO WESTSHORE, SO YOU -- YOU 
KNOW, DURING THAT CORRIDOR STUDY, YOU'D LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE 
ROUTES, BUT WE'VE MODELED IT BASED ON THAT LOCATION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER -- YES, MR. DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I JUST WANT WANTED TO THANK YOU, RAY, AND BETH AND YOUR 
STAFF FOR WORKING SO HARD ON THIS AND SO QUICKLY.
I APPRECIATE IT GREATLY.
YOU KNOW, MY CHILDREN WERE HOME FOR THANKSGIVING, AND NOW 
THEY'RE IN THEIR 20s, AND MY DAUGHTER'S EVEN JUST TURNED 
30, AND THEY STILL ACCUSE ME OF NAGGING THEM EVEN AT THAT 
AGE, AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN NAGGING YOU GUYS, AND I APOLOGIZE 
FOR NAGGING, BUT I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OVERHEADS THAT LYNN HAD ON SAID, YOU 
KNOW, WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME IN TERMS OF VOTING -- YOU KNOW, 
VOTING FOR THIS, AND I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO LOOK AT 
THIS AND SEE SOME LITTLE PIECE THAT'S IN IT FOR THEM, 
WHETHER OR NOT IT'S JOBS, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S BUSES, 
WHETHER OR NOT IT'S RAIL, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ROADS, 
INTERSECTIONS, OR TRAILS, WHATEVER IT IS, AND I THINK THIS 
WILL GO A LONG WAY TO HELPING FOLKS IN SOUTH TAMPA AND OUT 
IN THE TOWN 'N COUNTRY, WESTCHASE AREA TO REALIZE THAT 
THERE'S MORE IN IT FOR THEM TOO.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
>>MARK SHARPE:  BETH, MAYBE THIS IS NOT A PLACE TO ASK --
>> YES.
>>MARK SHARPE:  -- BUT I DID WANT TO ASK.
THE CHALLENGES THAT -- THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF RAIL.
YOU'VE GOT COMMUTER RAIL, THEY'RE DEALING WITH THAT CENTRAL 
FLORIDA COMMUTER RAIL PROJECT, WHICH IS HAVING A REAL 
CHALLENGE WITH CSX.
I KNOW WE'RE CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVES IF WE CAN'T USE THE 
CSX LINE.
IS CONSIDERATION BEING MADE FOR A RAIL LINE ALONG HIGHWAY 
60 OR WITHIN THE CORRIDOR?
I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT HIGHWAY 60, IT'S SO SIMILAR TO WHAT 
WE SAW IN SALT LAKE, AND HIGHWAY 60 IS A MESS, AND YOU 
CAN'T WIDEN IT, AND YET IF YOU DRIVE DOWN IT, IN MANY AREAS 
IT'S CONSTRAINED, BUT A LINE DOWN THE CENTER USING THE -- 
THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY 60 WOULD BE A PERFECT SPOT, AND IT 
WOULD I THINK ALLEVIATE A LOT OF THE CONCERNS CITIZENS HAVE 
WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF BRANDON WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE SPRAWL 
ISSUE THAT -- THAT THIS IS ANOTHER WAY OF BRINGING IT IN.
YOU'RE GOING TO REDEVELOP A CORRIDOR WHICH IS REALLY 
STRUGGLING AND PROVIDE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY ALONG THAT 
ROUTE, SO IS THAT EVEN BEING CONSIDERED?
ARE WE LOOKING AT A RAIL LINE ALONG HIGHWAY 60?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WELL, I THINK AT THIS STAGE NOT 
SPECIFICALLY.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS TO GET INTO 
THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
CERTAINLY THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WOULD BE LOOKED AT, 
THOUGH, WHEN THEY DID THAT.
THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE ROUTES THAT THEY'D LOOK AT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WHEN YOU LOOKED AT SALT LAKE, THEY WENT 
RIGHT DOWN THE CENTER, AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
I MEAN, THEY TOOK A ROAD THAT NOBODY WANTED TO BE ON.
YOU COULDN'T CROSS IT.
VIVIAN TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU START WIDENING 
ROADS, THEY'RE IMPASSABLE, AND SO -- AND DANGEROUS FOR 
PEDESTRIANS, BUT WHAT THE RAIL DID WAS IT CREATED FIXED 
STOPS ALONG WHAT USED TO BE SPRAWL MALL AREAS, AND THEN 
THESE FIXED AREAS BECAME PLACES WHERE WALKERS, PEDESTRIANS, 
LOTS OF SHOPPING -- IT REALLY REDEVELOPED THE AREA.
SORRY, JUST PROMOTIONAL.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  OF COURSE, YOU MAKE WE WANT TO ASK WAS 
IT A SIX-LANE ROAD OR AN EIGHT-LANE ROAD?
>>MARK SHARPE:  SIR?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WAS IT A SIX-LANE ROAD OR AN EIGHT-LANE 
ROAD?
>>MARK SHARPE:  THE SECTIONS OF THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE THAT 
WE WENT DOWN WAS SIX-EIGHT, EIGHT WITH THE TURNS.
>>BETH ALDEN:  THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  IT LOOKED JUST TO ME LIKE HIGHWAY -- IT WAS 
SO SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW ON 60 AND ALSO DALE MABRY, A LOT 
OF SIMILARITIES WHERE YOU SAW ROADS THAT WERE TURNED FROM 
THESE JUST AREAS THAT BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE WERE FLEEING 
AND THEN GOING OUT, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT, 
AND IT WAS BRINGING IT IN AND CREATING A LOT OF BUSINESS 
OPPORTUNITY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER -- ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
BETH.
>>BETH ALDEN:  WELL, IF I COULD, I NEEDED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR 
YOU THREE OTHER DIFFERENCES IN THE LONG-RANGE PLAN.
ONE THAT -- AS YOU'VE HEARD, THE LITHIA-PINECREST SEGMENT 
BETWEEN LUMSDEN AND BLOOMINGDALE IS CURRENTLY RECOMMENDED 
TO BE SHOWN AS TWO LANES ENHANCED RATHER THAN WIDENED TO 
FOUR LANES, AND WE'RE BRINGING THAT TO YOU KNOWING THAT 
THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THIS AREA BUT 
ALSO WITH THE UNDERSTANDING, AS WE'RE HEARING FROM THE 
PUBLIC, THAT THERE ISN'T A CLEAR CONSENSUS YET FROM MEMBERS 
OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THE PREFERENCE IS FOR THIS 
PARTICULAR CORRIDOR, SO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO YOU IS 
TO LEAVE THE PLAN AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE SO THAT AS THIS 
PROJECT COMES TO A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PD&E STUDY, WHICH 
I UNDERSTAND IS SCHEDULED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, 
THAT THAT DECISION CAN BE MADE AS PART OF THAT CORRIDOR 
STUDY PROCESS AND ALL OF THE INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS BE 
HEARD FROM THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
IT WOULD TAKE ONLY A 30-DAY PERIOD TO AMEND THE LONG-RANGE 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN IF IT'S THE DECISION OUT OF THAT 
PROCESS THAT THIS DOES NEED TO BE WIDENED TO FOUR LANES, SO 
THAT'S OUR SUGGESTION TO YOU AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF AN 
APPROACH.
IT'S NOT RECOMMENDED TO BE FORMALLY CONSTRAINED BUT TO BE 
SHOWN AS AN UNFUNDED NEED TO WIDEN TO FOUR LANES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE DON'T --
>>MARK SHARPE:  IT'S A CONSTRAINED ROAD NOW; CORRECT?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  NO.
>>BETH ALDEN:  NO --
>>MARK SHARPE:  NO?
>>BETH ALDEN:  -- IT'S NOT CONSTRAINED.
>>MARK SHARPE:  OKAY.
IS IT WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, THE SECTION WE'RE 
DISCUSSING?
>>BETH ALDEN:  THIS SECTION, YES.
>>MARK SHARPE:  OKAY.
THE CONCERN I HAVE IS I HOPE AS WE DRIVE TOWARDS A 
DECISION -- AND I AM -- I'VE BEEN WRITING AND ARGUING 
AGAINST THIS WIDENING OF ROADS.
I MEAN, IT'S EXPENSIVE, IT'S UNPOPULAR, BUT THE CHALLENGE 
WE HAVE IS WE'RE IN A FIX NOW.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE CREATING A BRAND-NEW WORLD.
WE'RE LIVING WITH WHAT WE'VE CREATED OVER THE LAST 30 
YEARS, AND FOR THE CITIZENS WHO HAVE TO TRAVERSE LITHIA-
PINECREST TODAY, MY WORRY IS, "A," THEY'VE BEEN PROMISED 
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE WOULD BE DEALING WITH THIS -- 
THIS CONSTRAINED ROADWAY, AND WHILE IT'S NOT A -- THE 
COMPLETE ANSWER, IT IS A PART OF THE ANSWER FOR A REAL 
ISSUE, WHICH IS THIS ISSUE OF MASSIVE CONGESTION WITHIN THE 
URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT 
WHEN WE'RE DRIVING TOWARDS OUR DECISION IT'S BASED ON 
NUMBERS AND -- AND DATA AND NOT ANY -- ANY -- I MEAN -- AND 
I -- AND I -- I HEAR, I'VE READ, I READ ALL THE BLOGGING 
AND ALL THE -- AND THEY'RE VERY REAL AND LEGITIMATE 
CONCERNS BEING RAISED BY THOSE WHO ARE OPPOSED, AND I 
UNDERSTAND THOSE CONCERNS, BUT ON THIS ISSUE HERE, I'M JUST 
WORRIED THAT WE'VE GOT A GROUP -- A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN 
PROMISED OVER AND OVER THAT WE'RE GOING TO HELP THEM DEAL 
WITH CONGESTION THAT WAS CREATED AS A RESULT OF ALL THE 
SPRAWL AND NOW THEY'RE LIVING WITH IT, AND WE'VE GOT TO 
MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH IT AND IN A VERY REAL WAY, 
AND TWO LANES -- I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THE -- IF OUR 
DIRECTOR WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT, BUT I'M JUST CONCERNED 
THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CONSIGNING THEM TO ENDLESS 
CONGESTION.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  OKAY.
THE FIRST THING, WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT LITHIA-PINECREST LIKE 
IT'S ONE THING BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT PARTS OF IT.
THERE IS -- THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE IS ONE MAJOR PART THAT 
EVERYBODY AGREES SHOULD BE FOUR LANES, AND THAT'S FROM 
BLOOMINGDALE SOUTH TO FISHHAWK, WHICH IS WHERE THERE IS A 
LOT OF CONGESTION.
WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING, 
AND EVERYBODY'S PRETTY MUCH AGREEMENT ON THAT.
THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE IS BETWEEN LUMSDEN AND BLOOMINGDALE 
BECAUSE THERE'S A NUMBER OF IMPACTS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF HOUSES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED.
WE'RE NOT SURE YET.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED.
THE COST.
I THINK IN THE PUBLIC HEARING IN LATE JANUARY WE'RE GOING 
TO HEAR ALL OF THIS DATA AND INFORMATION AND GET A BETTER 
IDEA OF WHERE THE COMMUNITY REALLY STANDS KIND OF ON THIS 
AND WHAT THE IMPACTS REALLY ARE AND WHAT THE COSTS ARE.
I MEAN, THERE'S A COST-BENEFIT ISSUE TOO.
I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE UNLIMITED MONEY.
YES, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO WIDEN, BUT IF IT COSTS, YOU KNOW, 
$200 MILLION FOR ONE MILE, IT'S NOT WORTH IT, YOU KNOW, SO 
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THAT INFORMATION, AND THE MPO PLAN 
CAN BE AMENDED.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD LET THAT PROCESS TAKE PLACE AND USE 
THE DATA AND INFORMATION FROM THAT PROCESS TO MOVE AHEAD 
THEN.
>>MARK SHARPE:  LET ME ASK A QUESTION.
ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES -- LISTEN, I RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE 
AGAIN OF WIDENING, YOU KNOW, YOU BUILD COMMUNITY WITH ROADS 
WHICH ARE LIMITED AND THEN LATER SAY WE'RE GOING TO FIX IT, 
AND THEN WE SIT HERE WITH BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS WHO LIVE 
ALONG THOSE ROADS SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO IMPACT 
ME.
I RECOGNIZE THAT.
WE ALSO, THOUGH, HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO 
CURRENTLY TODAY AREN'T LIVING THERE BUT WILL AND AT SOME 
POINT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DECISIONS WE MAKE, 
AND SO MY QUESTION IS IF WE DON'T DO THAT ROUTE, ARE 
THERE -- CAN YOU -- ARE THERE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, 
ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO THAT WOULD EASE 
THE --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  RIGHT.
A TWO-LANE ENHANCED WOULD BE IMPROVING INTERSECTION AREAS 
AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING IT FUNCTION BETTER --
>>MARK SHARPE:  THIS OPTION --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  -- AND THERE MIGHT BE ADJACENT ROADS 
THAT COULD BE ENHANCED THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WE'RE NOT CLOSING THE DOOR TO FOUR-LANING 
IF THAT IS WHAT INDEED THE CITIZENS AND THE DATA SUGGESTS?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  NO.
BECAUSE AS WE -- AS BETH SAID, THE MPO PLAN ISN'T LIKE THE 
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I MEAN, YOU CAN BASICALLY AMEND THE MPO PLAN IN A 30-DAY 
PERIOD, FOLLOWING FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
IT IS IN THE NEEDS PLAN, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE IS ALREADY 
SOME RECORD FOR IT TO BE THERE, BUT I THINK IF WE LET THE 
PUBLIC PROCESS PLAY ITSELF OUT, WE'LL HAVE AN ANSWER AND 
THEN PROCEED ALONG THOSE LINES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
MAYOR LOTT.
>>RICK LOTT:  MR. CHAIRMAN -- OKAY.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH GOING THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS AND 
MOVING FORWARD, AND I THINK THAT'S THE PROPER STEPS.
TODAY I WANT TO VOICE A CONCERN THAT -- I USED TO LIVE ON 
LITHIA-PINECREST ROAD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND -- AND I'M 
TRYING TO COME UP WITH HOW WE CAN FOUR-LANE THE SECTION 
BETWEEN BLOOMINGDALE AND FISHHAWK AND NOT THE OTHER.
IT SEEMS LIKE EITHER YOU WOULD DO THE ENTIRE THING OR DON'T 
DO IT AT ALL, OKAY, AND -- BECAUSE I'M -- I DON'T 
UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN HAVE IT -- YOU KNOW, USE 60, TWO 
LANE AND THEN FOUR LANE AND THEN BACK TO TWO LANE FROM 
FISHHAWK BACK TO 39.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO PIECE IT TOGETHER, AND 
EITHER YOU HAVE A TOTAL SOLUTION AND SPEND THE DOLLARS IT 
TAKES TO FIX IT THE RIGHT WAY OR WE DON'T DO IT AT ALL, AND 
THAT'S WHERE I'M AT TODAY.
SO WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT WHERE WE'RE MAKING A FINAL 
DECISION ON IT, I CAN TELL YOU TODAY IF WE'RE NOT -- IF 
WE'RE NOT SAYING TO DO THE ENTIRE THING WITH A TOTAL FIX, I 
WOULD VOTE NO AGAINST THE ENTIRE PROJECT, SO --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WELL, JUST -- SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES 
ARE YOU HAVE ALL THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
IT'S MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE TO FOUR-LANE THE PART BETWEEN 
BLOOMINGDALE, AND YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF STREETS WHERE 
TRAFFIC CAN DISPERSE AT THAT POINT, TURN EAST ON 
BLOOMINGDALE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR OTHER ROADWAYS.
IT'S JUST MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY 
PRETTY MUCH EXISTS AND YOU'RE NOT TAKING OUT ANY HOUSES OR 
BUSINESSES THAT I'M AWARE OF SOUTH OF BLOOMINGDALE TO 
FISHHAWK BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME THOUGHT DONE AT THAT TIME 
TO ACTUALLY PRESERVE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
SO IT'S -- IT'S MUCH CHEAPER AND IT'S A DIFFERENT 
SITUATION.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO COMPARE LITHIA-PINECREST WITH SOUTH 
WESTSHORE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT THERE WAS A CONSCIOUS 
DECISION MADE THAT SOUTH WESTSHORE'S NOT GOING TO BE 
WIDENED TO FOUR LANES BECAUSE THE IMPACTS ARE JUST TOO 
DETRIMENTAL ON THAT COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S IT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE TRAFFIC, YOU FIND 
ALTERNATIVES, AND IT IS CONGESTED AT RUSH-HOUR, BUT YOU 
KNOW, THAT'S THE KIND OF DECISION.
BUT THE TWO CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TWO PARTS OF LITHIA-
PINECREST ARE SO DIFFERENT.
THEN THE PART EAST OF FISHHAWK IS LARGELY IN THE RURAL AREA 
WHERE WE'RE NOT EXPECTING GROWTH OR DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOESN'T ALLOW IT, SO THAT'S KIND OF 
A DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
THERE'S LIKE THREE VERY DIFFERENT PIECES OF LITHIA-
PINECREST WITH DIFFERENT PROBLEMS IN EACH ONE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  BUT IT'S A ROAD.
IT'S A --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  RIGHT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I THINK THE POINT DOOR I DON'T WANT TO JUMP 
IN HERE.
>>RICK LOTT:  GO AHEAD.
>>MARK SHARPE:  IF WE'RE WIDENING PORTIONS OF IT BECAUSE WE 
CAN AND BECAUSE IT'S LESS COSTLY --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WELL, AND IT ALSO ALLEVIATES THE 
TRAFFIC PROBLEM IN THAT SECTION.
>>MARK SHARPE:  IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I MEAN, IF -- I WOULD LOOK AT IT AS THE WHOLE AS WELL, 
WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.
>> RIGHT, YEAH.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I MEAN, YOU MAKE A VERY CLEAR STATEMENT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING THIS MESS FURTHER, BUT 
WHERE THE MESS EXISTS WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY WE 
NEED TO HAVE A -- A HOLISTIC PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO 
HAVE THE TRAFFIC FLOW, AND IF WE WIDEN A PORTION BUT HAVE 
ANOTHER SECTION, IT'S LIKE BRUCE -- BRUCE B. DOWNS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GOING FROM FOUR TO SIX TO EIGHT BACK TO 
FOUR, AND IT'S JUST LIKE YOU KIND OF MOVE THE KNOT A LITTLE 
FURTHER BUT YOU DON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM, YOU'RE JUST 
SPENDING A BUNCH OF MONEY.
>> RIGHT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND A WHOLE BUNCH OF 
MONEY TO MOVE A PROBLEM A LITTLE BIT SOUTH --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  I WOULD THINK IF A DECISION WAS MADE 
NOT TO FOUR-LANE THE BUILT-UP PART NORTH OF BLOOMINGDALE, 
THEN WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVE 
PARALLEL ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, MAYBE ENHANCING SOME OF THE 
OTHER TWO-LANE ROADS OR SOMETHING, I MEAN, AND THAT 
DECISION WILL COME IN TIME AFTER WE HEAR COMPLETELY FROM 
THE PUBLIC.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ALSO, I THINK -- AREN'T WE DOING A STUDY 
TO DETERMINE THE COSTS AND --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  RIGHT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  -- THE EFFECT?
I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE -- LET US PLAY OUT -- LET'S 
GET ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED, AND THEN AT THE 
PROPER TIME WE CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION AS TO WHETHER 
WE THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE DOING TO SUPPORT IT OR NOT.
>>RICK LOTT:  I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO SURPRISE THE BOARD, 
OKAY, AND WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE, THEN SAY, HEY, BY THE 
WAY, THIS IS HOW I FEEL.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE CAN GET A THOUGHT OUT THERE 
EARLY, IT'S GOOD, AND I DON'T WANT TO SURPRISE ANY CITIZENS 
BECAUSE I RESPECT THEIR TIME TO COME HERE AND SO FORTH, AND 
I LIVED IN THAT CONGESTION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE HAS TO BE SOME FIX.
I MOVED TO GET AWAY FROM THAT CONGESTION.
THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON.
AND -- BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THAT 
MUCH MONEY, WE SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM AND NOT JUST BAND-AID 
IT, AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, YOU KNOW -- IF WE'RE GOING TO 
STOP THE FOUR-LANE AT BLOOMINGDALE, OKAY, THEN WHERE DOES 
THE TRAFFIC GO FROM THERE BECAUSE TO BUILD -- TAKE A FOUR-
LANE AND THROW IT INTO A TWO-LANE, THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE 
SENSE TO ME, AND I WOULD RATHER SEE US TAKE OUR DOLLARS AND 
FIX ANOTHER PROBLEM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN 
OUR COUNTY THAN JUST TO PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO A BAND-AID 
SITUATION.
SO I REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT TOTAL TRAFFIC FLOW MUCH 
BETTER BEFORE I'D BE WILLING TO SUPPORT ANY OF THIS 
WIDENING ON LITHIA-PINECREST, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE TO 
FIX IT SOMEHOW, BUT I DON'T WANT TO SEE US BAND-AID IT.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MR. DINGFELDER, DID YOU HAVE A --
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  NO, I'M OKAY FOR NOW.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
BETH, ARE YOU --
>>BETH ALDEN:  THE NEXT ONE THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP WE 
HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT A LOT, SO I DON'T EXPECT A LOT OF 
COMMENTS ON THIS.
WE NOTICED THAT ARMENIA AVENUE BETWEEN SLIGH AND BUSCH, 
THERE'S A PART OF THAT THAT IS LISTED AS CONSTRAINED FROM 
WIDENING IN THE TAMPA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, SO WE DO WANT TO 
REFLECT THAT AND TAKE THAT OUT OF THE LIST OF PROPOSED 
WIDENING PROJECTS.
THAT'S PROPOSED TO BE TWO LANES ENHANCED RATHER THAN 
WIDENED TO FOUR LANES.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE THAT I WANTED TO CONFIRM WITH YOU IS 
THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO SHOW BRUCE B. DOWNS AS SIX LANES 
IN THE SOUTHERN SEGMENT, EIGHT LANES NORTH OF I-75, AND 
THEN SIX LANES UP NEAR THE PASCO COUNTY BORDER CONSISTENT 
WITH THE MPO'S DIRECTION EARLIER THIS SPRING.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE COUNTY STAFF ON THEIR 
PROJECT TO SEE IF WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH EIGHT LANES, 
FIND SOME WAY TO ACCOMMODATE RAPID TRANSIT IN THAT EIGHT-
LANE PROJECT IN THAT SOUTHERN SEGMENT NEAR THE UNIVERSITY, 
AND WE'D LIKE TO BRING THAT BACK TO YOU, AGAIN HAVE THIS -- 
NOT DELAY THE PROJECT SINCE IT WILL NEED -- WILL NEED A 
PERIOD OF TIME FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION, BUT DURING THE 
NEXT SIX MONTHS TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY STAFF AND ALSO TAKE 
OUT TO THE PUBLIC SOME OPTIONS FOR PRESERVING RIGHT-OF-WAY 
FOR TRANSIT IN THAT CORRIDOR IN THE LONG-TERM BUT STILL 
PROVIDING RELIEF TO THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION WITH ROADWAY 
CAPACITY.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  AND WE ALSO WANT TO WORK WITH THE CITY 
OF TAMPA SINCE IT IS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA'S JURISDICTION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>>BETH ALDEN:  SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT 
WEEK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE PLAN.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET IN CONTACT WITH US IF YOU DO HAVE 
ANY QUESTIONS LEADING UP TO THE PLAN, BUT WE'LL LOOK 
FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 6:00.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, BETH.
>>BETH ALDEN:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GOOD JOB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
NEXT IS THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.
WE HAVE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
MICHELE OGILVIE.
OH, BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I WANT TO -- I WAS REMISS IN 
NOT READING A NOTE FROM COMMISSIONER BECKNER THAT I'M 
UNABLE TO ATTEND TODAY'S MPO MEETING DUE TO A 
RESCHEDULING -- TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT.
PLEASE READ INTO THE RECORD THE REASON FOR MY ABSENCE.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE:  GOOD MORNING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MICHELE.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE:  MICHELE OGILVIE, MPO STAFF, 
REPRESENTING THE BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET ON NOVEMBER 
THE 7th.
THIS MEETING WAS THEIR ANNUAL RETREAT, AND IT WAS HELD AT 
THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL PARK.
THE RETREAT SESSION FOCUSED ON THREE AREAS, THE FIRST BEING 
-- LOOKING BACK, LOOKING INWARD, AND LOOKING FORWARD WERE 
THE THREE AREAS.
THE COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS:  LOOKING BACK, THE 
COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THROUGH THEIR PAST INVOLVEMENT 
IN THE -- IN PROJECTS SUCH AS THE RESTRIPING OF NEBRASKA 
AVENUE AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHILDREN'S GASPARILLA 
BIKE RODEO THE COMMITTEE HAS RAISED THE AWARENESS OF 
CYCLING INTO THE EVERYDAY LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALONG 
THE WAY BUILT STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH GROUPS SUCH AS THE 
SHERIFF'S AND PARKS DEPARTMENTS AND BICYCLE SHOP OWNERS.
LOOKING INWARD, THE COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTED ITS STRENGTHS 
COMING FROM ITS COMMUNITY BASE, ITS ESTABLISHED 
PARTNERSHIPS, AND IT CONCLUDED THAT THESE TWO STRENGTHS 
ALLOWED THE COMMITTEE TO DO MORE WITH LESS.
AS THE COMMITTEE LOOKS FORWARD, THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED SEVEN 
AREAS OF INTEREST THAT THEY WILL DISCUSS THEIR NEXT 
MEETING.
THESE INCLUDE SAFETY AS AN ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND EXPLORING 
THE FEASIBILITY OF SPONSORING THE CREATION OF A COMPLETE 
STREETS ORDINANCE PROBABLY WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA.
THE NEXT BPAC MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER THE 8th AT 
5:30 P.M.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, MICHELE.
>>MICHELE OGILVIE:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. CHIARAMONTE.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  I'VE BEEN REMAINING ACTIVE, OF COURSE, 
IN THIS LAST MONTHS OF OUR PLAN ADOPTION, GOING OUT TO AS 
MANY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AS I CAN TO PRESENT THE PLAN.
I'M ALSO SERVING ON THE STATE'S MOBILITY STAKEHOLDERS 
COMMITTEE REGARDING THE MOBILITY FEE ISSUE AND ATTENDED A 
COUPLE OF MEETINGS IN TALLAHASSEE ON THAT.
ALSO DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP'S WORKING WITH HART ON THE NEW 
STARTS PLANNING WITH GOING TO THE MEETINGS ON THE NEW 
STARTS PROGRAM.
AS LYNN SAID, PARTICIPATED IN THE TWO TOWN CALL-INS.
WE HAD A CHAIRMEN'S COORDINATING COUNCIL MEETING IN 
SARASOTA THAT I ATTENDED WITH MAYOR AFFRONTI.
WE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND MPO HAVE BEEN WORKING 
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ON GETTING A 
SPECIAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TO 
FACILITATE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAD A MEETING WITH TOM PELHAM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN 
TALLAHASSEE ON THAT, AND WE'RE MOVING AHEAD WITH THAT PLAN 
AMENDMENT TO HELP US REALLY BE ABLE TO MOVE QUICKLY, 
HOPEFULLY IF THE REFERENDUM PASSES, IN TO HAVING THE RIGHT 
DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS IN PLACE.
ATTENDED THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP'S ANNUAL MEETING.
TRANSPORTATION AGAIN WAS A BIG SUBJECT OF THAT MEETING.
MEETING WITH USF SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE TO GET SOME STUDENT 
HELP ON TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, AND I WANT 
TO REMIND YOU OUR NEXT REGULAR MPO MEETING IS JANUARY 5th 
AT 9:00 A.M. HERE AT THE BOCC, AND AGAIN, THE POLICY 
COMMITTEE WILL BE SKIPPED FOR DECEMBER AND THEN GO INTO 
JANUARY 26th.
AND I WANTED TO INVITE YOU TO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE 
HELD AT HART ON DECEMBER 8th.
G.B. ARRINGTON, WHO IS AN EXPERT IN TRANSIT-ORIENTED 
DEVELOPMENT, WILL BE HAVING A MEETING AT HART AT 1:15 ON 
TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
ANY OF THE MPO BOARD MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, 
PLEASE CALL MARY SHAVALIER AT HART AT 223-6831 IF THEY 
WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND.
G.B. ARRINGTON'S FROM PORTLAND.
HE'S AN EXPERT, WORLD-RENOWNED, HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD 
HELPING OTHER CITIES, EVEN IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, 
PLAN FOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, SO I THINK IT WILL 
BE AN INTERESTING SESSION WITH HIM.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE EVALUATION, AND I 
APPRECIATE WORKING WITH THIS BOARD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, RAY.
YES.
MR. SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I JUST WANTED TO, FIRST OFF, AGAIN THANK 
YOU FOR ALL THE OUTREACH AND WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND I 
WOULD ASK AS PART OF YOUR OUTREACH -- AND I SPOKE WITH BETH 
ABOUT THIS.
ON THE ISSUE OF -- OF LITHIA-PINECREST AND OTHER AREAS 
WHERE WE'VE GOT THESE CHALLENGING ROADS, WE HAVE AN 
EXISTING PROBLEM.
WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION.
AT THE SAME TIME WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE GOT CITIZENS WHO -
- YOU KNOW, WHO LIVE ALONG IT, THERE'S BUSINESSES.
I JUST WANT YOU TO REALLY DO A LOT OF OUTREACH, WORKING 
WITH THE CHAMBER FOLKS, THE CITIZENS, ALL THE -- ALL THE 
DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE ORGANIZED AND PARTICIPATING, 
SEEING IF WE CAN COME TO SOME SORT OF UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE 
INDEED IF WHAT WE DO IS WORK TOWARDS ENHANCEMENTS, 
INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, THE CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW 
THEY'RE NOT BEING ABANDONED BUT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO 
ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, AS COMMISSIONER LOTT WAS TALKING 
ABOUT, IN A HOLISTIC FASHION.
WE'RE NOT JUST KIND OF TAKING THE EASIEST ROUTE WHICH IS, 
WELL, NO ONE'S COMPLAINING HERE AND WE CAN DO IT AND IT'S 
CHEAP, BUT OVER HERE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE SO 
WE'RE NOT GOING TO, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT -- YOU'VE SPENT ALL 
THIS MONEY AND YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T WORK.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK AGAIN THAT YOU WOULD JUST REALLY DO A 
LOT OF OUTREACH WITH EVERYONE AND SEE IF YOU CAN WORK SOME 
OF YOUR MAGIC AGAIN BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO SEE IF WE 
CAN'T COME TO SOME SORT OF A COMPROMISE SOLUTION.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WE WILL DEFINITELY DO THAT, ESPECIALLY 
ONCE THIS PLAN'S ADOPTED.
WE'LL HAVE TIME.
>>MARK SHARPE:  APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, BETH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>>RICK LOTT:  I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK HAVE WE CONSIDERED 
HAVING A TOWN HALL JUST BASED ON LITHIA-PINECREST LIKE YOU 
DID BEFORE?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WELL, WE'RE -- THE COUNTY HAS A PUBLIC 
HEARING OUT THERE, WHICH WE CERTAINLY WILL ATTEND, IN LATE 
JANUARY.
I THINK THAT WILL GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF EXACTLY WHAT -- 
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING ALL KINDS OF STUFF FROM EVERY 
DIFFERENT DIRECTION TO GET A HANDLE ON WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE 
ISSUES, HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST, HOW MANY HOUSES 
ARE GOING TO BE -- YOU KNOW, AND THEN MAYBE THAT IS A GOOD 
SOLUTION, TO CALL THE PEOPLE.
I THINK THESE TOWN CALL MEETINGS ARE GREAT.
WHEN I SAW TBARTA DO IT, I IMMEDIATELY SAID, WE'VE GOT TO 
DO THIS.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A WAY OF GETTING SO MUCH PUBLIC INPUT, 
YOU KNOW, FROM PEOPLE THAT WE NORMALLY DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, 
AT MEETINGS, AND SO I THINK THAT MIGHT BE AN INTERESTING 
IDEA TO TRY TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOGETHER.
>>RICK LOTT:  OKAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
WE HAVE AN ITEM HERE.
DON SKELTON WOULD LIKE TO BRING US UP-TO-DATE ON THE FDOT 
WORK PLAN.
>>DON SKELTON:  THANK YOU, MAYOR.
YEAH, AS I GOT THE AGENDA LATE LAST WEEK, I NOTICED THAT WE 
DID NOT HAVE OUR WORK PROGRAM INFORMATION ON THE AGENDA, 
WHICH WE HAVE TYPICALLY DONE IN DECEMBER IN PREPARATION OF 
OUR WORK PROGRAM HEARINGS, WHICH THE HEARINGS FOR OUR WORK 
PROGRAM ARE DECEMBER 8th AND DECEMBER 10th WITH THE 
DECEMBER 10th ONE BEING AT THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING 
COUNCIL FROM 5:00 TO 7:00.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GAVE THIS BOARD AN UPDATE, 
AND WE'LL BE GIVING YOU THE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION AS 
WELL BECAUSE IF WE WAIT UNTIL JANUARY, THEN YOU'VE GOT A 
VERY COMPRESSED TIME TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS ON THE PROGRAM 
THAT YOU WOULD.
BEFORE I INTRODUCE LEE ROYAL, I'LL JUST MAKE ONE OTHER 
COMMENT.
WE HAD A REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER, AND 
FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE FROM THAT, THE FUNDING IS STABILIZING, 
SO WE SEE THAT AS A POSITIVE IMPACT TO OUR WORK PROGRAM.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL INTRODUCE LINDA STACHEWICZ TO GIVE THE 
OVERVIEW OF THE FIVE-YEAR WORK PROGRAM.
>> GOOD MORNING MR. CHAIR AND EVERYONE.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING.
I'M GOING TO BRIEFLY GO OVER THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORK 
PROGRAM, AS MR. SKELTON MENTIONED.
HOW DO YOU MAKE IT PLAY?
THIS IS THE FIVE-YEAR WORK PROGRAM THAT BEGINS JULY 1, 
2010, AND WILL GO AND RUN THROUGH JUNE 30th OF 2015.
AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST, OUR MISSION HAS NOT CHANGED.
OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS SAFE -- CREATING A SAFE 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, MOBILITY OF PEOPLE AND GOODS, AND -- 
WHILE ENHANCING ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND THE QUALITY 
AND LIVABILITY OF OUR ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITIES.
THE RATE -- THIS IS JUST A QUICK OUTLINE OF THE REVENUE 
REDUCTIONS THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED SINCE NOVEMBER '06.
IT'S $812 MILLION IN OUR DISTRICT HERE, 7, AND THE NOVEMBER 
16th REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE, AS MR. SKELTON 
MENTIONED, HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE WORK PROGRAM YET, 
BUT HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE MINIMAL IMPACTS.
SO WITH THAT, LET ME GO INTO SOME OF THE DETAILS.
THE WAY WE DEVELOP THE PROGRAM IS WE COME UP WITH -- EVERY 
YEAR WE DO A COST ESTIMATE UPDATE ON EVERY PROJECT THAT WE 
HAVE IN THE PROGRAM.
OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS SAFETY AND SECURITY, 
PRESERVATION OF THE EXISTING CORRIDORS AND FACILITIES, AND 
MAINTAINING THE OPERATIONS AND THE MAINTENANCE.
CAPACITIES IMPROVEMENTS ARE THEN LOOKED AT, AND THEY'RE 
BASED ON WHAT THE MPO DICTATES AND THE BOCC PRIORITIES 
DICTATE IN THE LRTP, FOLLOWED BY THE SIS PRIORITIES FOR THE 
INTERSTATE SYSTEMS.
FOR CAPACITY PROJECTS WE ARE CONTINUING OUR PROJECT ON I-
275 NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND FROM STATE ROAD 60 TO HIMES 
WITH CONSTRUCTION IN 2014.
I-275 SOUTHBOUND FROM HIMES TO HILLSBOROUGH RIVER ALSO 
2014.
THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE IS GOING TO BE A PROJECT THAT 
WILL BE A PD&E STUDY, AND THAT'LL BE FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY LINE TO STATE ROAD 60.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS PROGRAMMED FOR THAT 
PD&E STUDY IN 2013, AND MR. SKELTON IS WORKING WITH 
PINELLAS MPO AND -- TO TRY TO MOVE FORWARD THEIR STUDY -- 
THEY HAVE ALSO PROGRAMMED THEIR SIDE -- MOVE IT UP INTO 
CURRENT YEAR, SO WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN -- IF WE'RE ABLE 
TO DO THAT.
OUR MLK WORK CONTINUES FROM HIGHVIEW TO PARSONS ON 2014 TWO 
TO FIVE LANES AND PARSONS TO KINGSWAY THREE TO FOUR LANES 
WHERE WE CAME AND ADDED $5 MILLION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY BY 2015, 
THE NEW FIFTH YEAR.
THE FRONTAGE ROADS FOR DALE MABRY REMAIN IN THE PROGRAM 
FROM VAN DYKE TO LUTZ-LAKE FERN ROAD, AND THAT IS A PE SET 
FOR 2014.
RESURFACING, WE'VE BROUGHT IN TEN RESURFACING PROJECTS THAT 
ARE LISTED HERE AND ONE DECK PANEL REPLACEMENT, THE LAST ON 
THE ITEM FOR I-275.
THESE ARE THE RESURFACING PROJECTS THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR 
PE IN 2011 AND CONSTRUCTION IN 2013.
OUR TOTAL RESURFACING PROJECTS, THESE TEN RIGHT HERE, 
EXCEED $51 MILLION, SO AGAIN, THAT -- THAT GOES BACK TO OUR 
PRESERVATION OF EXISTING FACILITIES AND CORRIDORS, AND THAT 
WAS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
THE MLK PROJECT FROM I-4 TO LAURA STREET CAME IN AROUND 13 
MILLION, AND THE U.S. BUSINESS 41 FROM FLORIDA AVENUE FROM 
WATERS TO LINEBAUGH CAME IN ABOUT 21 MILLION, SO WE HAVE A 
TOTAL OF 50 -- 51 MILLION.
THE FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM HAS 106 MILLION PROGRAMMED FOR 
RESURFACING PROJECTS.
THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES ARE THOSE THAT YOU 
BROUGHT TO US THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE UNABLE 
TO FUND THEM, AND THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO FUND ALL OF 
THEM WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO.
MPO PLANNING MONEY CAME FORWARD AGAIN AS A REPEAT.
THE CITY OF TAMPA TRAFFIC SIGNAL MANAGEMENT/PHASE 2, WHICH 
WILL COMPLETE THEIR PROGRAM FOR THEIR SIGNAL MANAGEMENT.
THEY ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR D.O.T. TO IMPLEMENT THAT 
PROJECT.
THE HART BUS REPLACEMENTS ARE PROGRAMMED FOR $5 MILLION FOR 
THE NEW FIFTH YEAR.
THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS FOR 342,000 
THEY REQUESTED TO COMPLETE THEIR PROJECT.
AND THE TAMPA DOWNTOWN OUTREACH FOR 195.
AND SAM ALLEN ROAD, WE CAME AND ADDED RIGHT-OF-WAY IN 2015, 
AND THIS WILL COMPLETE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION FOR SAM 
ALLEN ROAD, SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF BEEN HELD OUT THERE 
FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
BAY AREA COMMUTER SERVICES OUTREACH AND NNTA FOR OUTREACH.
WHAT YOU DON'T SEE HERE IS 40th STREET.
40th STREET HAD PUT IN A REQUEST, AND THEY HAVE -- DON'T 
NEED THE MONEY.
THEY'VE COMPLETED COLLECTION OF ALL THE REVENUE THAT THEY 
NEED TO DO THE WORK.
AND ON BRUCE B. DOWNS WE CANNOT -- WE ARE MAKING AN EFFORT 
NOT TO PROGRAM BOXES, RESERVE BOXES FOR PROJECTS, SO WE'RE 
WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO TAKE THE MONEY THAT WAS 
REQUESTED IN THIS LAST T.I.P. PRIORITY ALONG WITH THE 14 
MILLION THAT WE HAVE IN RESERVE AND DEVELOP A PROJECT, 
SELECT THE NEXT SEGMENT, AND CREATE A COST ESTIMATE FOR 
EITHER THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OR THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO THAT'LL PROBABLY BE ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU'LL SEE 
IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT YOU DON'T SEE IT HERE.
TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS ARE BEING HANDLED A 
LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR.
THEY'RE BEING MANAGED OUT OF CENTRAL OFFICE, BUT WE IN 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FARED VERY, VERY WELL.
THE BAYSHORE BOULEVARD BIKE PATH, THIS IS PHASE 2 ACTUALLY 
THAT IS BEING FUNDED FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR DAVIS ISLAND 
BRIDGE TO ROME.
RIGHT NOW THE DESIGN IS UNDERWAY FOR THE ENTIRE SEGMENT, SO 
THIS WILL END THE FIRST PIECE OF CONSTRUCTION.
THIS WILL BE THE SECOND PIECE OF CONSTRUCTION.
TWO DALE MABRY SIDEWALK SEGMENTS, LAKEVIEW TO CHEVAL BEING 
CONSTRUCTED IN 2015 AND FROM FLETCHER TO CARROLLWOOD 
SPRINGS CONSTRUCTION IN 2011, WERE REQUESTED BY THE MPO TO 
PUT SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THIS SEGMENT AND MOVE IT IN AS 
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO SO.
THAT SEGMENT IS $1.1 MILLION, AND THE SEGMENT LAKEVIEW TO 
CHEVAL IS $2.1 MILLION.
WE ALSO BROUGHT IN THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL BIKE PATH FOR 
CONSTRUCTION FOR 2014, AND THIS IS A $3-MILLION PROJECT, SO 
IN TOTAL FOR TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS WE'VE 
PROGRAMMED 8 MILLION.
THIS IS CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN WE CAN USUALLY PROGRAM EACH 
YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT $2 MILLION, SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED THAT 
WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS.
OVERALL IN THE COUNTY WE HAVE OUR TRANSIT PROJECTS 
PROGRAMMED FOR 102 MILLION.
THE URBAN CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE THE 
BRT AND THE TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT'S 
REQUIRED FOR THAT.
WE'RE CONTINUING THE TRANSIT OPERATING BLOCK GRANT.
AVIATION HAS 193 MILLION IN THE FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM WITH ITS 
HIGHLIGHT PROJECT OF THE HIGH-SPEED EXIT RUNWAY WITH 
CONSTRUCTION IN 2015.
AND THE SEAPORTS HAVE 49.7 MILLION IN THE FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM 
WITH THEIR PORT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
AS MR. SKELTON MENTIONED, WE'LL BE GOING TO PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'LL BE PROVIDING A FULL WORK PROGRAM DOCUMENT SHORTLY TO 
MPO STAFF, HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, THAT THEY'LL BE 
ABLE TO PASS OUT TO YOU.
WE'LL BE HAVING OUR DECEMBER 8th PUBLIC HEARING FROM 6:00 
TO 8:00 AT SWFWMD IN BROOKSVILLE, AND THEN ON DECEMBER 10th 
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR TBRPC MEETING FROM 6:00 TO 8:00 AS 
WELL.
THAT CONCLUDES THE HIGHLIGHTS.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER?
ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE HAS?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, LINDA.
ANY QUESTIONS?
ANY COMMENTS?
NO.
>> OKAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.
THANKS, MR. SKELTON.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC 
INPUT REGARDING GENERAL CONCERNS.
WILFRED SERGEANT.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
I'VE BEEN COMING OVER FROM PINELLAS COUNTY FOR THE LAST 15 
YEARS, AND I'VE FOLLOWED VERY MUCH ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENTS 
THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAVE DONE WORKING TOWARDS 
IMPROVEMENT OF TRANSIT, AND SO I HAVE A BACKGROUND OF -- I 
WAS EDUCATED AND TRAINED ON THE LONDON SUBWAY SYSTEM, SO 
I'M FAMILIAR WITH HANDLING LIGHT RAIL AND VERY HIGH VOLUMES 
OF TRAFFIC.
IT WAS ALSO MY RESPONSIBILITY FOR GETTING GO TRANSIT GOING 
IN TORONTO, SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH LONGER DISTANCE RAIL 
COMMUTER SERVICES.
WHAT WE HAVE ALL AROUND THE WHOLE TAMPA BAY AREA IS A 
MASSIVE SPRAWL OF URBAN SPRAWL.
THIS IS THE END RESULT OF HAVING DEVELOPED IN THE URBAN 
AREA.
IT WAS THE AUTOMOBILE THAT DROVE THE STREETCARS OFF THE 
TRACKS.
IT IT'S THE AUTOMOBILE THAT IS NOW DELAYING PUBLIC 
TRANSPORT, AND WE STILL ARE STUCK WITH IT BECAUSE THE 
DISCUSSION HERE TODAY KEEPS ON GOING ON ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE 
MONEY ARE WE GOING TO INVEST TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO MOVE 
THE AUTOMOBILES AGAIN, SO WE'RE STILL STUCK WITH IT, WHAT 
ARE WE GOING TO DO.
I THINK IT'S QUITE CLEAR THAT THE AUTOMOBILE IS NOT THE 
SOLUTION TO URBAN SPRAWL, AND -- BUT WE'LL ONLY SOLVE THE 
PROBLEM IF WE PROVIDE THE ALTERNATIVE.
UNTIL THAT ALTERNATIVE IS PROVIDED, WE ARE STUCK WITH WHAT 
WE'VE GOT.
NOW, WE WILL KNOW SUCCESS WHEN WE'VE PROVIDED THE 
ALTERNATIVE IF WE ARRIVE AT THE SITUATION WHERE THE 
AUTOMOBILE OWNER WILL LEAVE HIS CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND 
TAKE TRANSIT OR WILL TAKE HIS CAR TO A PARKING LOT AT A 
TRANSIT STATION AND STILL TAKE TRANSIT.
UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THE AUTOMOBILE IS STILL OUR PROBLEM.
SO I AM FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE 
IN ORDER TO USE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ADVANCE MODERN 
TRANSIT SERVICES IN THE COUNTY AND IN THE WHOLE TAMPA BAY 
AREA.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
ANY -- OKAY.
ANY -- ANY OLD BUSINESS?
OH, I'M SORRY.
MR. CHIARAMONTE HAS SOMETHING HE'D LIKE TO BRING.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  THANK YOU.
I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL YESTERDAY FROM CSX, AND THEY ARE 
ASKING FOR MPO SUPPORT FOR THEM TO APPLY FOR SOME FUNDING 
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REPLACE LOCOMOTIVES HERE 
WITH THESE LOCOMOTIVES THAT I GUESS ARE MUCH BETTER 
REGARDING AIR POLLUTION ISSUES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE 
AUTHORIZED TO PREPARE A LETTER FOR OUR CHAIRMAN TO PROVIDE 
THAT SUPPORT TO CSX.
THEY WOULD PROVIDE THE COMPLETE LOCAL MATCH.
IT WOULD BE NO MONEY FROM ANY OF OUR EXISTING PROJECTS, AND 
HAVING THE MPO SUPPORT WOULD HELP THEM COMPETE.
THEY'VE DONE THIS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, REPLACING 
THEIR LOCOMOTIVES WITH NEWER LESS POLLUTING LOCOMOTIVES.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THE MPO TO 
SUPPORT IF THAT'S OKAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT?
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WELL, MAYBE THIS WILL BUILD GOODWILL OR 
SOMETHING.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  AND REDUCE THE INSURANCE COST FOR THE 
STREETCAR?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  BY THE WAY, SINCE YOU ARE BRINGING THAT 
UP, THERE'S A SPECIAL SESSION THAT'S GOING TO BE HELD.
I CAN'T TELL IF THE E-MAIL WENT THROUGH BECAUSE IT LOOKED 
LIKE IT GOT KICKED BACK TO ME THIS MORNING.
I SENT IT TO YOU YESTERDAY LETTING YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS 
GOING TO BE A SPECIAL SESSION AND WHAT THE SUBJECTS OF IT 
ARE, AND ONE OF THEM IS THE LIABILITY ISSUE.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL GET SETTLED.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  OKAY.
GREAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  DO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT?
>>ADAM GORMLY:  THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO INDICATE THE 
BOARD'S SUPPORT.
>> SO MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO SEND A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF CSX.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  I WILL BARELY SECOND THAT IN A SHOW OF 
GOOD FAITH TOWARDS CSX, AND PERHAPS WE'LL ENTER A NEW ERA 
WITH THAT CORPORATION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION, ANY COMMENTS?
IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YEAH, I KNOW.
WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL DRAFT A LETTER.
WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU BEFORE WE SEND IT OUT, AND IF YOU HAVE 
ANY QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS WITH IT --
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  -- GET BACK TO US RIGHT AWAY SO WE CAN
GET --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT FIGURE THAT 
THEY'RE ASKING FOR SINCE THEY'RE NOT ASKING IT FROM US.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WITH THAT -- ANY OLD BUSINESS?
ANY NEW BUSINESS?
WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS 
FOR A GREAT YEAR.
IT WAS CHALLENGING, OBVIOUSLY, AND -- BUT WE'RE LOOKING 
FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR, AND I'LL SEE ALL OF YOU.
HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY.
MEETING ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.


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